Friday, November 19, 2010

Winter is HERE

It's been a while--I hope everyone's start of school went somewhat smoothly.  Some things I'd like to share about keeping the kids armored (and yourself) for the upcoming holiday binge.  I've been dosing the kids every day with Good Belly probiotics, vitamin D, Nordic Naturals 3 6 9, a nice plate of fresh fruit, a bowl of oatmeal/breakfast meat/toast with peanut butter or cream cheese/hard boiled or scrambled egg/french toast every morning.  A bowl of commercial boxed cereal gets in there every once in a while (ALWAYS ORGANIC!) but I treat it as a side dish not as an actual breakfast.  I try to mix the beneficial in with the not so beneficial to keep things realistic. See the links to the side for my rationale on this.  I've joined Foursquare and I'm going to start Tweeting and posting on Facebook info from where I'm shopping to let you know about new products I'm checking out and conversations I'm having with vendors so feel free to follow along--I'm @100mileradius on Twitter and I'll hopefully get this social networking thing somewhat nailed down so it's helpful for everyone.  Have a great weekend!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Plight

Watching Sunday Morning on CBS today and two of the stories are sticking with me throughout the day.  One, not surprising or particularly new information that clothing designers for women are altering their clothing lines to trend up in size (the avg. size is now 14), dovetailed into the second, the size of the American woman is now 5'4 and 152 lbs.  In 1960 she was 5'3 and 140.  I can't help but wonder about our food supply in this situation.  I'm sure there is some anthropological consideration in this gain, but it's only been 50 years in our history, not even half of a blink of our existence.  What if, for some of us, we're not necessarily eating what we consider to be not much different than our parents? Is it possible that we are not eating more food, but that the food we are eating is doing much less for us that it used to?  When is it going to get better for us?  WE make food that feeds the entire WORLD, yet we are fatter than many other nations out there.  When are manufacturers going to stop adding unnecessary ingredients into foods that only serve to make money for those producing it?  We get nothing for that extra corn syrup, dairy, and "fillers", that only add calories and health problems to our lives.  If we're forced to eat out of a box or a freezer because our hectic lives demand it, demand higher productivity, demand greater strength and stamina, wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to fight to have the proper fuel to live this life?

Sunday, July 11, 2010

We're back

Wow, what a trip.  I thought I would be able to post from the road, but between kids and activities simply too exhausted to pull it all together at the end of every night.  In a nutshell, we all made the trip without sunburn or any stomach issues.  A plus on all fronts.  Since this blog is mostly about food and feeling good about it I'll keep this post to how we ate on the road.  First, the kids and I never ate from a fast food restaurant.  Steve had a burger from Wendy's after running Rim to Rim to Rim through the Grand Canyon in 100-120 degree heat--don't ask--he's alive and made it, but his body was pretty fouled up for a couple of days after.  I also managed to keep gluten out of my meals almost the entire time--for Steve and the kids it didn't take, hopefully we'll have more success here at home.  I have to say, the no gluten thing really helped keep me from ever feeling bloated or blocked up.  Typically, when I travel, my system gets kind of whacked out, this time, though, nice and relaxed the whole time. 

So, what did we eat?  Oatmeal, breakfast meats, fruit, protein bars, were typical morning meals.  Lunch for the kids would be sandwiches from supermarket delis, I'd typically do a salad and dinner was the easiest.  Just ignore the bread and have rice or potatos.  We managed fairly well on the french fry front as well.  The kids were able to get carrot sticks or applesauce or were content to share a regular entree from the main menu.

Mainstream grocery stores have a fairly decent stock now of "alternative" foods.  Most Raley's chains have a decent size "natural foods"  and gluten free section.  Safeway is the least stocked, independent stores seem to do pretty well, though.  The general store in the Grand Canyon was a good resource and we stopped at the Whole Foods in Las Vegas and in Laguna Beach for supplies.  We had a good size cooler on hand.

We found some great new products to enjoy.  "Chia Goodness" was a wonderful replacement to granola on yogurt or mixed in oatmeal.  It was in the gluten free section of the Whole Foods in Laguna and I will be lobbying for it here at our store in Corte Madera.  Chia is fast becoming a go to protein/carbohydrate source for modern athletes and has been THE go to meal for Mexican/Indian/Aztec cultures for centuries.  Google "chia seeds" and check it out for yourself.  We are definitely adding it as a staple to our diet.

Steve also came across Udo's Oil at the Western States and started taking it.  After about a week on it, the skin problems he was having on his feet with blisters cleared up.  We've seen it now at every Whole Foods, they even have a chocolate bar with the oil in it that tastes excellent and gets you the serving you need every day.  We'll start the family on it as well.

Friday, June 25, 2010

the Odyssey part 1

We rolled into Tahoe City last night at about 12:45 a.m. after a long day getting the house cleaned, the car fixed, the family packed, and Steve's phone ringing and buzzing well into the evening.  Food should be interesting on this trip.  Unfortunately, we've missed the Thursday farmer's market in Tahoe City which in the past has been more than adequate to get us what we need. We've started the morning with a bowl of oatmeal and some dried fruit--vitamin D and Omega 3.6.9 for the kids.  The goal on most of our trips to Tahoe is to not have french fries the entire time here, Steve and I are also going to try to skip Gluten based on a nutritionist's advice this past week.  I'll let you know if we manage to avoid them.  While I know there are some options for food in Tahoe--New Moon Grocery and Dragonfly in Truckee and Tahoe City, Fat Cat Cafe in Tahoe City, Spindleshanks in Kings Beach, Mikuni at Northsar (I'm dying to try Traci des Jardin's place, Manzanita)  and Mamasake at Squaw Valley--it's generally difficult to just go out on the fly and eat well.  Our trip will include stops in Mammoth Lakes, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Laguna Beach, and finally home to Corte Madera.  It should be interesting!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

The Start of Something

Here I go.  Friends of mine know that I have been talking about this business idea for a while.  It came from the frustration I face every day about food choices I make, am forced to make, am too tired to make.  I feel I should have the choice to be healthy simply by eating the foods around me.  I shouldn't have to take supplements, pills, or dietary additives that will make my fat disappear, make my skin clear up, or calm the jitters and headaches because I've consumed too much or not enough of something.

I would love to walk into a store or restaurant where the ONLY choice I had was to eat well.  I realize that means different things to different people.  We all can't eat the same things with the same success as others. Age, genetics, blood type, metabolisms, are all things that have to be taken into consideration in order to live successfully.  Many times, foods our grandparents ate are the ones we find ourselves going back to with the most success.  Not always, but most times.

This blog will chronicle the life and food of the Crane family in California. None of what I post can be taken for medical fact unless I happen to reference it appropriately.  I am not a trained dietitian, medical doctor, or physical therapist.  I cook a lot, read a lot about food, use homeopathic medicine a lot.  These practices have kept our family generally free from illness for the last 2 years.  We get a little sick, we get better.  The children have only had to go to the doctor for vaccinations or annual exams, and neither my husband or myself got sick this last winter with anything more than a cold. 

I hope what I have to say helps you and your family...