Guest Blogger: See Jane Save

As I visited with family last weekend, my aunt looked at my $16 worth of groceries - a big tub of organic lettuce, two cans of protein-packed lentil soup, one cucumber, a bag of carrots, and a big tub of amazing kalamata hummus - and asked me, "How do you afford this?" I turned to her and said, "Ask me how much I spend on health care. Zip."

Now I know that was smart-ass of me but it was also the truth. I knew, however, what she was getting at. She's got a family of five after all.

We all know that shopping organic and "healthy" is often perceived as more expensive and in some cases it is. If you were to compare my receipt at Whole Foods (dubbed by some as "Whole Paycheck") to someone shopping at an Acme, there'd likely be some difference. But then again, I'd argue comparing the ingredients and processing of the foods, their origin, and contribution or lack thereof to the consumer's health should also be tallied in the "costs." It's not all about buying exclusively organic. As Jane will tell you, there are ways to save and still be healthy.

In any case, I was curious what the food shopping receipts looked like for families. I definitely feel I invest a good amount of money in food, but it's a little different as a single gal when I don't have to put funds towards childcare expenses. Enter Jane - fellow health junkie, wife, grad student, blogger, and mother of two. I don't know how she does it all! But that's for another blog. Here's how Jane makes magic at the grocery store!

Whenever I go through the check out at the grocery store, there is always a comment.

“You are the healthiest person that comes to this store!”

“Who eats all of this, it certainly isn’t you!” (I wasn’t quite sure if that was a compliment or not)

“What is this? I have never seen this before in my life!”

“Dandelion greens????”

And just today, “Man, you eat a lot of coconuts!”

We are a family of four and my daughter Lilah and I have the appetites of 300 pound men. My husband and other daughter Molly are a bit more conservative with their food intake, but can still throw down with the best of us. We spend about $200 a week on groceries.

I don’t make apologies for feeding my family tons of fresh, organic produce, Lara bars, organic meats and eggs, and the occasional bag of pirate booty. Two hundred dollars a week is a sacrifice for us. We are by no means wealthy. My husband is a construction worker and in a band; I stay at home with the girls and am working on my doctorate. We do not have an exorbitant amount of excess income. Some weeks it is really tough, but healthy eating is something I believe in whole heartedly. I often sacrifice other things to make healthy eating work. I traded my designer wardrobe for designer bananas a LONG time ago.

Healthy eating has to be a top priority if you want to make it work. Sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed with the amount of money that we spend on food, but my family and our health is my hobby, my passion, and my love. I am willing to pay for it ;)

Here are some tips to save:

Buy in bulk- I buy my protein powders and Lara bars in bulk and usually end up saving quite a bit of money compared to buying them one bag or one box of bars at a time. Here are some fantastic sites for discounts on health foods and supplements:

www.sunwarrior.com
www.nuvalife.com
www.iherb.com

Keep It Clean - If organic is the goal, but the budget is tight, focus on the “dirty dozen.” There are so many lists online of the best foods to buy organic. The general rule of thumb is that anything with a thin skin, like grapes, blueberries, and leafy greens, is best (re: safest) when bought organic. Bananas, avocados, etc…? Buy regular (conventional/non-organic). Even places like Produce Junction are a great locale to snag lots of fruits and veggies for super cheap!

I always recommend buying organic meat. I don’t eat meat or dairy anymore, but unfortunately the big guy (hubs) is resistant to giving it up. If you want cheap, you can buy chicken legs and thighs organic for usually 3-4 bucks a pack.

Join as CSA, a Co-Op, or both - Find a CSA near you! You can't get much healthier than locally grown food. If the committment seems too much, divide the share between your household and a fellow healthy neighbor!

Do-It-Yourself -For those of us who go meat-free, I have always been a fan of making my own tomato sauce with a can of crushed tomatoes, fresh garlic, and spices. You can put it over the noodles of your choice (preferably for us, gluten-free). Hummus is another nutritious, filling meal. Cans of chickpeas are often on sale 10 for 10. Buy 10 cans and 1 jar of organic tahini and boom! Hummus. Two cans of black beans, 1 can of organic crushed tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, some salt- bam! Slice some fresh avocado on top and you have vegan chili.

There are so many great ways to eat healthy and organic on a budget! Get creative, look less at the receipt and more at the bottom line - your family’s health is priceless.

Jane Rosenzweig is a wife, stay-at-home mom, and is working on her doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She is passionate about health, balance, and living a full, happy life with a heavy dose of humor. Check out her blog at: http://optimalhealthmama.blogspot.com/

One Enchanted (Macro) Evening

I recently got to visit with two of my favorite people over dinner and get a glimpse of the benefits of what is their day-to-day diet. Christina and Robert Pirello have been living the macrobiotic lifestyle for over 26 years. Christina was introduced after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Robert was her macro counselor. She adopted this diet under his supervision and guidance to heal but got more than she probably expected. She not only got better; she acquired a super cool man friend and husband.

Together, Christina and Robert have brought their love of this healing diet and way of life to hundreds of thousands of people. They take travel enthusiasts with them on trips to Italy and Israel and soak in the sun with fellow cruisers in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Christina hosts cooking classes in Philadelphia and shows viewers, through her PBS show Christina Cooks, how good the macro life can be.

I had attended some of her classes and read her books. But it's a truly awesome experience to share a meal with this power couple, who are two of the most genuine and giving people you could ever meet.

And I have to say that this meal, prepared by the pros, couldn't have come at a better time. I eat a plant-based diet and try to prepare as many meals as possible. But my work schedule had become more hectic in recent months, I was down on my number of daily veggies, and training for a half marathon had consumed what little free time I had left. Hence, no cooking. Hence, I desperately wanted a home-cooked meal. And presto! Here it was...

I would imagine that when people hear the word "macrobiotic" the following associations might come to mind:

*Hippie
*Radical
*Expensive
*Is that, like, Biology?
*Nutritionist Science Jargon

A macrobiotic diet focuses on the energetics and quality of food...avoiding or reducing the amount of foods that have an overly yin (expansive) or yang (contractive) quality to them. Extreme foods on the body include caffeine, sugar, animal products and alcohol. But every food has an energy. Balance is key...eat a proportion of foods that are yin and yang without going to one extreme or the other (coffee, sugar, etc...will get you there quickly).

While I took a stab at some Macro Monday recipes in the past (and found them to be very soothing and balancing) - Miso Soup, Blanched Vegetables, Burdock for Breakfast, and Parsley Tea, I must say Christina and Robert's dinner menu was much yummier in general and would appeal to a wide variety of palates.

Menu

Pickled Eggplant Crostini
Creamy Parsnip Bisque
Farro Salad
Raddichio, Grapefruit and Arugula Salad
Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you get your macro on? What are your favorite recipes or sites?

For more great recipes, visit www.christinacooks.com.

Aside from Christina's books (my favorite is Glow), I recommend Jessica Porter's The Hip Chick Guide to Macrobiotics, and Simon Brown's Modern-Day Macrobiotics.

Crazy Sexy Life

We all know life can be sexy (YUM) and crazy (OY)...so how do we keep the two in balance?

Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Life wellness hub delivers daily tips of goodness to keep you feelin' groovy!

And I was beyond thrilled at the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.

Here's my article 6 Steps Towards Emotional Wellness.

Enjoy and be well!

xo

Green Goodness

Just finished a super fast run and found myself brainstorming ideas for dinner. I realized I had a bunch of veggies in need of some attention and decided to keep dinner light. I opted for some life-affirming green goodness.

That's the great thing about juicing...you can pop all your produce into a little machine and bam! Maximize your nutrients for the day. Yum! Here's what I made:


Green Goodness Juice

One head of romaine lettuce*
Two cucumbers, peeled
Two small gala apples*
1-2 Tbsp Lime Juice

Juice the romaine, cucumbers and apples. Add lime juice and stir. Wonder why you haven't made something like this sooner.

*Buy organic. Apples and lettuce are on the Dirty Dozen.

Par for the Course

Me and Mom, Post-Race

It's official. My brother and I successfully completed our first half-marathon! I must note my brother also kicked asphalt when he served in Iraq, finishing a 20-mile race in extreme heat. So this was probably a piece of cake by comparison.

The weather was a perfect 40 degrees (only perfect for the runners; for the spectators...that was another story) and the sun started peaking through the trees as I ran past the Washington Monument to the tunes of Sara Bareilles. Scrumptious sites and sounds.

We had had a momentous start to our race, just barely getting there on time; the D.C. metro is lovely and clean but not the place you want to be 20 minutes before a race. But, strangely enough, it built on the anticipation of the run, and when we finally made it to our destination, we were ready to get it on.

Supporters lined the streets with signs. Favorites included:

*Chuck Norris never ran a marathon.

* Toenails are temporary, medals are forever.

* You guys are really good at exercising.

My brother and I completed our race fast and strong, with my parents and sister-in-law (his wife-to-be) looking on. It was an awesome day! While I had this expectation in mind (I highly recommend picturing success in the weeks and months leading up to a race), the day-to-day training sometimes had me in a mental slump.

The cold windy weather that was winter had been getting on my nerves. We had seen a lot of snow and ice, treacherous conditions indeed, and I watched as daredevil runners ran right over sheets of slippery ice patches on Kelly Drive. I did not have such a death wish. I tried to run outside as much as possible but had to resort to the treadmills much more than I cared to. While I had no control over the weather, I had a few tricks up my sleeve...they got me through and helped my performance in D.C.

Dates - great little fuel bites, pre-run...compliments of Brendan Brazier's book on vegan nutrition for athletes.

Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer, Chai Flavor - vegan protein powder, perfect in smoothies but can stand on it's own too...just add water. Perfect for prepping on the go and an overall great recovery drink. It's pricey but worth it. You can find a discount with free shipping on Amazon.com.



Chia Fresca - a recipe the Tarahumara tribe uses to hydrate during 50-100 mile runs in the desert. Check out Born to Run for more on the fascinating story. My friend Robert, a vegan macrobiotic marathon runner, swears by chia fresca and introduced me to it. I started out by putting chia seeds in water and adding some honey and lime. Now I can just take it with chia and water. While the cooler temps definitely kept me going, my morning chia fresca was just the thing to minimize my water stops during the 13.1 mile run. It was so hydrating!!!

Daily Mile - I like to run solo but it doesn't mean I don't need motivation and running friends to keep me honest. Think Facebook for runners. Splendid.

I'll add the signs above to this motivation/fuel list as I work to increase speed for the Broad Street Run in May.

What fuels you?

A Year of Not Eating Animals

Ok, it's been a bit longer than a year. 387 days to be exact. Many of those days were without milk, eggs and cheese. Occasionally I had some cheese pizza or ate a cookie/cupcake someone made that likely had egg in it...that was pretty much it.

Why did I go veganish*?
*a term I use because on rare occasion I eat cheese.

I had never been a huge lover of animal flesh, especially when it came to cooking it myself. I enjoyed cow tush and pig skin on occasion. But with unexpectedly high cholesterol and a friend who needed moral support for Lent last year, I gave up animal products with him until Easter. Easter came and went and my friend and I got competitive. We decided to see who would go without meat the longest. And we'll be vegetarian for life given our strong wills and egos.

But the road to vegan was much more than that. There was definitely substance and thought that came about over the course of a year...and my decision to not eat animals evolved to include several reinforcements.

1) I did it for health.

I decided to continue forgoing animal products to keep my cholesterol down and arteries clear. I did it to avoid antibiotics and hormones and corn-fed beef (I used to primarily eat meat in restaurants and presumed much of it came from factory farms where these drugs and feeding practices are used). The payoff: I got slimmer, I had more energy and my headaches ceased. I can't remember the last time I had one.

The most frequent question I've gotten in regards to health and an animal-free diet has been, "Where do you get your protein?" I get it from living and plant-based foods...lentils, beans, nuts, green vegetables, peas, broccoli, nutritional yeast. I take a B-12 shot monthly and supplement with Vitamin D.

2) I did it as a concerned consumer.

If you have seen the footage in some of these slaughterhouses, I imagine you are appalled. You might not even care to eat meat again. Not a quality product in my mind. And the companies that produce this meat, judging by the videos, care very little about consumer health. Congress has only recently passed a bill that would give the FDA the authority to recall dangerous food products. Before a company could voluntarily recall bad meat. Seriously. A young boy died because a company delayed a recall of beef. His is just one story of contamination and death.

3) I did it to remove myself from a system that disrespects animals.

The majority of meat in this country is produced in factory farms. Video documenting conditions of livestock is sickening, saddening, and infuriating. Chickens are shown being kicked and thrown around, cows are cursed at and poked and prodded. Dairy cows are not given the right to mother their young. Downed animals (those too sick to stand or disabled) are dragged to their death (this last act has only recently become illegal). Everyone decides what foods are best for them. But I would argue that at the very least, the animals that we consume be respected before their death. Does the thought of chicken or cow chock full of stress hormones sound appetizing?

I wrote on this topic in more depth after viewing the documentary Earthlings.

What's Next? The Year Ahead.

The documentary Earthlings, in addition to revealing factory farm conditions, also raised the concerns of using animals for fashion, whether it be fur coats (there is graphic footage at a fur farm where animals are skinned alive) or feathers for down comforters. It made me look at these products differently...the hand-me-down UGGs I own, the down comforter I sleep under at night, my wool coat.

I haven't gotten rid of any of them yet...But I now seek products that look just as great but are free of animal cruelty.

Latest finds:


*Old Navy Polyester Puffer Coat (but in gray) - Yummy and Warm



* Vegan UGG-Like boots without the UGH

Got any favorite vegan finds?

Ready to Run

Nope, it's not what you think. Although there was a lot of intrigue to working and living in the U.S. capitol for a short period of time, the hustle and bustle proved to be too much to become a permanent nesting spot. But I can take D.C. in smaller doses and love visiting for the history, the monuments, and the people. I couldn't think of a better way to experience it all over again than with a run through the streets of the capitol. Check out the course!

After completing last year's goal of running the largest 10-mile race in the country and my longest run to date, I figured it was time to commit to a half marathon. I had wanted to do one sooner, particularly one of the races in Philly this past fall, but by the time I rationalized paying out the wazoo for it, registration had reached capacity. And to think of how convenient it would have been! The race started within blocks of my apartment! I happened to be walking near the course the day of the Philly half and full marathons, feeling all the energy and excitement of the runners. It made me miss race days. I searched for upcoming races but none were being offered locally within the next few months. I checked out the scene in NYC, realizing that you had to have won the lottery AND completed a half just to enter an upcoming half. Yowza!

But the D.C. race had everything I needed...scenic course, no lottery, and previous race time standards for which I qualified. Yay! Did I mention that I'll have a special running buddy with me? Mum's the word for now.

After a rocky start to the January training (ie the flu for 2 weeks!), I'm back on my feet and gearing up for the big day!