Re: New Member--Questions; Rice Pasta, Sack Lunches

Posted December 21, 2003 · December 21, 2003

Hi Anne,

Welcome to the list!

I'm pretty new here also and haven't had much experience with the

diet yet, but I can relate to your situation. I'm a grad student and

work on campus. Between full-time work and working on my

dissertation, it can be very difficult to find time to make healthy

meals. The choices on campus are atrocious! It's no wonder we have

so many problems with obesity and eating disorders in this country.

All the students have to eat is junk food.

On the other side, however, I've noticed that there are a number of

hard core dieters on this list. I really respect their determination

and their right to take their health into their own hands, but it

sometimes comes across as religious zealotry. Some will insist that

all carbs are taboo, that a variety of flushes are required or that

certain very expensive supplements are necessary. I think there is a

lot of value to the advice, but you also have to remember that the

most important thing is to adopt a diet you can stick with.

In my case, I started out with a very strict diet and was about

ready to give it up since it just didn't fit into my lifestyle. I'm

still strict in many ways ... no sugar, virtually no simple carbs,

no yeast. But, I do eat whole grains and am learning to trust my

body to tell me what is not good for me. I'm finding after about a

month on the diet that it's much easier to determine what's bad, and

I've eased up on certain things. We had a holiday celebration at

work the other day and I let myself indulge in some lasagna, but

times like that are rare.

As far as things to take to campus for lunch... sometimes I'll hard

boil some eggs and put them on a simple green salad purchased on

campus. I take in a little container of my olive oil and lemon juice

dressing. Occasionally I'll have some hummus on rye crackers, or

some plain yogurt with stevia (I love the " Total " greek yogurt from

Trader Joes or the Whole Foods Market). I often make a larger meals

on the weekend so I'll have leftovers to take in to campus and nuke.

I also occasionally indulge in a rice bowl (one of the less harmful

dishes available on campus) which consists of chicken broth, rice

noodles chicken, and some vegetable garnishes (onions, basil, etc.).

I know the regular rice noodles aren't the best for me, but that's

one of my occasional compromises to stay sane. The dietary info I

got from Dr. Pescatore's book is that brown rice and whole grains

are ok as long as you aren't sensitive to them.

Anyway, that's my two cents. I think the main point is to find a

diet you can stick with. Some may be a little more effective than

others, but none of them will do you any good if you can't stay with

them. I'm trying to see this as a lifestyle change rather than a

short term fix. Over time I may ease up a little more on my diet,

but I never want to go back to the white sugar and processed foods I

ate previously.

Corky

> Hey everyone!

>

> I'm going back on the anti-candida diet after a few years and I

have a few questions.

>

> First, when I was on the diet before, I had a friend who was on

it as well, and we kind

> of " buddied up " by providing support and advice to one another.

Well, my friend has

> since moved, so I'm goin' solo as it were.

>

> I used to eat rice pasta instead of the semolina wheat kind. Now,

as I'm reading posts

> on this list, I'm wondering if that's not the wisest thing to do.

I was at Whole Foods

> today and saw that they had some brown rice pasta. Is this good

or bad? How about

> eating plain ol' brown rice?

>

> I'm also looking for some sack lunch ideas. I'm finishing up my

degree this semester

> and this particular university is located in the middle of " fast

food alley. " The campus

> sandwich joints are no better--white bread (BLEECK!), iceberg

lettuce, cold cuts,

> Burger King, Pizza Hut...you get the picture.

>

> Usually, I make up a nice chicken salad sandwich full of veggies,

but, as I've been

> reading on this list, even spelt and amaranth breads are out, so I

was thinking about

> just making up the chicken salad and putting it in a tupperware.

I'm at school ALL

> DAY, so it has to be a lunch that'll stick to my ribs.

>

> Any advice and ideas would be appreciated.

>

> Thanks so much! I'm glad this list exists. This really is a

lifestyle change.

>

> Anne

>

> " If we eat Mc's hamburgers and potatoes for a thousand

years, we will

> become taller, our skin will become white, and our hair will be

blonde. "

> Den Fujita

> Japanese billionaire and Mc's franchiser

Posted December 21, 2003 · December 21, 2003

Corky,

Thanks so much for the fantastic advice!

> I'm pretty new here also and haven't had much experience with the

> diet yet, but I can relate to your situation. I'm a grad student and

> work on campus. Between full-time work and working on my

> dissertation, it can be very difficult to find time to make healthy

> meals. The choices on campus are atrocious! It's no wonder we have

> so many problems with obesity and eating disorders in this country.

> All the students have to eat is junk food.

Oh man.....

You should see some of the tankards of soda some of these kids drink on a

daily basis. There's a reason why it's called Liquid Candy.

When I become an elementary teacher, I'm thinking of doing a " Soda Turnoff

Week " (kind of like the National TV Turnoff Week). I'll play around with it

when I do my student teaching and see how the kids respond.

> In my case, I started out with a very strict diet and was about

> ready to give it up since it just didn't fit into my lifestyle. I'm

> still strict in many ways ... no sugar, virtually no simple carbs,

> no yeast. But, I do eat whole grains and am learning to trust my

> body to tell me what is not good for me. I'm finding after about a

> month on the diet that it's much easier to determine what's bad, and

> I've eased up on certain things. We had a holiday celebration at

> work the other day and I let myself indulge in some lasagna, but

> times like that are rare.

One of the reasons I gave it up the last time was because, well....I wasn't

a very versatile cook. Now, I own some really excellent cookbooks, and have

a database of recipes. I've gone through them and bookmarked things I can

cook. There were a lot more than I initially imagined. Variety is good.

I'm also a lot more in touch with my body than I was before. I know how I'm

supposed to feel, and I know when my weight gets down too low (this happened

the last time).

> As far as things to take to campus for lunch... sometimes I'll hard

> boil some eggs and put them on a simple green salad purchased on

> campus. I take in a little container of my olive oil and lemon juice

> dressing. Occasionally I'll have some hummus on rye crackers, or

> some plain yogurt with stevia (I love the " Total " greek yogurt from

> Trader Joes or the Whole Foods Market). I often make a larger meals

> on the weekend so I'll have leftovers to take in to campus and nuke.

> I also occasionally indulge in a rice bowl (one of the less harmful

> dishes available on campus) which consists of chicken broth, rice

> noodles chicken, and some vegetable garnishes (onions, basil, etc.).

> I know the regular rice noodles aren't the best for me, but that's

> one of my occasional compromises to stay sane. The dietary info I

> got from Dr. Pescatore's book is that brown rice and whole grains

> are ok as long as you aren't sensitive to them.

Dr. Pescatore's book? Is it called " Thin For Good " ? (I'm looking on Amazon).

Our library has " The Yeast Connection, " so I'll be checking that out.

Great idea about the egg salad. I hadn't thought of that. My husband is

buying me a Foreman grill for Christmas, so I'll be able to grill

chicken and fish with ease. The last time, I (gulp) fried it.

I need to find some stevia chewing gum. Does anyone have any other pointers

on candida-friendly breath-freshening products?

> Anyway, that's my two cents. I think the main point is to find a

> diet you can stick with. Some may be a little more effective than

> others, but none of them will do you any good if you can't stay with

> them. I'm trying to see this as a lifestyle change rather than a

> short term fix. Over time I may ease up a little more on my diet,

> but I never want to go back to the white sugar and processed foods I

> ate previously.

>

> Corky

Again, thanks for all of the ideas. I've had a couple of health scares this

past year (screwy mammogram, to name one), so, in addition to the

anti-candida diet, I'm finally giving up smoking. I've been smoking since I

was 15, and I'm 33 now. That's over half of my life. Geez.....

Anne

Posted December 21, 2003 · December 21, 2003

Good stuff Corky. I would have to agree with you on so many points - the

main one being that for long-term health you have to think " lifestyle

change " instead of " diet " . And if you can't enjoy it, you won't stick to

it - which means that it may not be the " purest " regimen in the whole world,

but it is something you can live with.

The other thing is to trust your body and listen to it.

Something else I might add is that a lot of people get discouraged because

they " cheat " or fall off the wagon. Don't beat yourself up for it (at the

office party last night I indulged in two chocolates and half a creme

brulee - the first sugar in two months). But I got up this morning and got

right back on the wagon.

Cheers - Penny

Re: New Member--Questions; Rice Pasta, Sack Lunches

> Hi Anne,

> Welcome to the list!

>

> I'm pretty new here also and haven't had much experience with the

> diet yet, but I can relate to your situation. I'm a grad student and

> work on campus. Between full-time work and working on my

> dissertation, it can be very difficult to find time to make healthy

> meals. The choices on campus are atrocious! It's no wonder we have

> so many problems with obesity and eating disorders in this country.

> All the students have to eat is junk food.

>

> On the other side, however, I've noticed that there are a number of

> hard core dieters on this list. I really respect their determination

> and their right to take their health into their own hands, but it

> sometimes comes across as religious zealotry. Some will insist that

> all carbs are taboo, that a variety of flushes are required or that

> certain very expensive supplements are necessary. I think there is a

> lot of value to the advice, but you also have to remember that the

> most important thing is to adopt a diet you can stick with.