Susan's Nutrition Weblog

DJ Danger-Soy

RD, My roommate wants to know if there really are any benefits to eating garlic. Also, I'm a soy type of guy. Are manboobs in my future?

1. Yes, there are real benefits to garlic. While "white foods" are often shunned (white flour, baking potatoes, etc.) garlic and onion can unfortunately get lumped into this category too. But they are good. REAL good. They have cancer fighting properties among other things. If you do a lot of sauteeing, I would recommend not cooking garlic and onion first (as is often done), but rather throw them in last so you don't cook all the goodness out. Are you with me?

2. I don't think you will get manboobs from eating a lot of soy. I don't THINK. Research on soy is mixed with good and bad. But I usually turn to those cultures who eat A LOT of soy and rest assured if it was truly terrible, we would see clear evidence in those populations. No such evidence as far as I can tell. What I recommend, is doing it like they do, i.e., avoid super processed soy products as much as possible (soy sausage, soy burgers, soy ice cream, TVP products, etc.) and stick to tofu, tempeh, soybeans, even unsweetened soy milk. And get organic, not GMO-laden. That isn't to say you can never eat the crazy soy stuff, just don't make it a staple in your diet.

Also, try other alternatives like almond milk, rice cream, when possible. This is more because variety is always a good thing. Too much of one thing is not advisable in general.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

High P-rice to Pay

Q:
I also bought the Organic Brown Basmati rice from Costco. But they have discontinued it. Bummer. Where else can I buy this rice inexpensively. The local natural food store charges $1.95/lb. Costco's was half of that price.

A:
Did you factor in the cost of your Costco membership and the truly pain in the butt it is to park there? Hum? How many pounds of this stuff are you eating anyway? I don't know where else to tell you to go for the organic variety. Although I know some major grocery store chains are jumping on this organic band wagon. I noticed that here in DC Safeway has jumped on the O-train. And some of their stuff looks pretty darn good (pastas, pasta sauces, pre-washed lettuce/spinach). I'd start checking out these giants to see what's up. You could also write Costco and tell them to bring it back. Maybe it's just your local one that has stopped ordering it but with your request they could be convinced to reconsider.

Oh the options! Worst case scenario - $1.95 for a pound of bbr, sweet!

Not being basmati brown

Q:
We are very interested in buying brown basmati rice but have not found a source nearby. We live in Uxbridge about 1/2 hour north-east of Toronto, Canada. Have you a listing of sources or can you pleaase advise where we should look to find sources?? Thanks.

A:
Sorry for the minor delay. Um, I can't imagine that there's not a river of Brown Basmati Rice around Toronto, or at leat in Toronto. Road trip!! Canada is full of Indians as well as health foodies, no? How about an Asian market? Come on - there must be!!

Shipping rice would be expensive I would guess. Heavy as it is en masse. I think your best bet is to call around to health food stores and rev up the car. If I'm telling you everything you've already tried, then I'm afraid I'm going to be useless here. Sorry. Keep Googling - "brown basmati rice ship Canada".

Old friend? Tough question.

Q:
Susan-
Hello! Quick question, do you have any recommendations as far as diet/nutrition for somebody who has Parkinson's Disease? My father has had the disease for close to 10 years, any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks-

Alan

A:
Alan?! Don't I know you? Didn't I work with you in CH? And haven't we NOT spoken for 12 years? What, no hello how ya doing?

Anyway, I am going to look into Parkinson's. There's always stuff popping up about food that helps although I'm not so sure how sound the research is on it. I'm going to get back to you . . . please hold the line.
SuDawg

Nutrition Career

Q:
Dear Susan,

Thank you for sharing your passion for good nutrition via your blog.

I am in the early stages of a transition towards a nutrition career (from that of a number-cruncher) and I was hoping you could share any further insights into how you chose a graduate program and how you made the decision to become a RD (as opposed to getting a masters in nutrition only).

The 2 challenges that I perceive, and that you may have also dealt with, are (1) my lack of undergraduate science education, and (2) how to reconcile my interest in the holistic aspect of nutrition with the “conventional” graduate RD programs that are commonly available. Which school did you attend, and do you feel like it adequately prepared you for your PCRM job or the position at the holistic health clinic that you were considering? I’m drawn to graduate programs like at Tufts and Cornell, but I wonder if it’s more science than I need, especially considering that I’m currently struggling through my prerequisite General Chemistry class.

I also feel like I would be pursuing the RD, purely for the credential, and not necessarily for the clinical training. Do you feel like your training was anywhere in line with your beliefs about how nutritional advice should be administered?

Other schools that I’m considering are Bastyr, NYU, and UC Davis. I’m currently in Los Angeles, but the local programs don’t inspire me at all.

I’d really appreciate any thoughts you might have. It’s reading stories like yours that really keeps me motivated!

Best,

Edie

p.s. Looking forward to some new posts!>

A:
Tough tough questions, Edie. This is such a personal decision. However, I'm afraid if you aren't interested or very good at science, you in trouble. There's a lot of science involved in dietetics, true, maybe not organic chemistry, but certainly things like anatomy and physiology. So be warned. If you are looking for a program that avoids science then you will probably find not such a reputable program.

I went to Bastyr because I needed to be somewhere where vegan diets were accepted. I was in no mood to defend my beliefs throughout graduate school, although it would have been cheaper to suck it up at a state school.

I finally did have to accept that I needed a lot of schooling prior to grad school. Three years it took me to get through all that stuff! Three years and then three more of grad school plus internship. Ready for that? I had a BA from UNC, which was totally useless for my new goals.

I did the RD because it's a safety net. I have moved around a lot in my day and didn't know where the heck I would end up. Some places are more conservative than others, and I have a fondness for the South. That could have spelled trouble. For me, the RD was worth it.

I do know others, however, who did not do the RD and have been very successful. This would be good for folks who know exactly where they will be laying their hats for decades to come.

Cornell (one of my PCRM co-workers went there for her nutrition undergrad) and Tufts (we had an intern from this program) are awesome as are the other schools you mentioned. You will appreciate all the science background once you are out and about. It's extremely helpful!

Since you asked about PCRM, I don't think they would have hired me without the RD, so, even open-minded organizations like mainstream credentials.

Hope that helps. Sorry for the long long delay. -Susan

Alpha, Beta, Gamma . . . Boo!!!

What are Omega-9s? Are they important? Are they in Granola?

Posted by: David

David,

There are only two types of fat that you HAVE to consume because your body can't produce them by itself, thus aptly named Essential Fatty Acids. They are Omega-3s and Omega-6s. As Americans, we get plenty o' sixes and less of the threes. This isn't terrible because we need more sixes. Interestingly, no one really knows how much of either we actually need to survive. The recommendation is based on the average amount consumed in America where we typically have no dietary fat deficiency of 6s or 3s. So the powers that be concluded, "Just take the average and call it a day." I won't go into numerical details because I don't think pointing out that you need 17 grams of Omega-6 would mean much to the layperson.

What was your question? Ah, Omega-9, aka oleic acid. Forget about it. As far as I know, if someone is hyping an Omega-9 supplement, it's strictly to make a buck on a nutrient that you don't even need to consume. In fact, Omega-9s are synthesized in the body "and are not required in the diet." They're just trying to scare you with greek letters. Granola probably does have Omega-9 in it as this type of fat is abundant in nuts. In fact, despite not needing to consume it, oleic acid is abudant in most fatty foods.

Good, Better, Best Breakfast

Q: i eat instant oatmeal, of the natural variety, nature's path or something,
at work every day for breakfast or lunch. 2 packets, maple and brown sugar.

is that bad?

Sarah

A: It's not bad. But you could be doing so much better. wanna do better? If so,
keep reading.

Picture a helpless but vital oat plant. Chop it up (steel cut oats), roll it, smash it, cut it up (rolled oats or slow oats), cut it up again (quick oats) and cut it up again (instant oats). Instant oats are the result of a big machine chewing up your breakfast for you and spitting it out so that you can then hydrate it with water. That's why at this point it looks a lot like vomit.

Slow oats have so much more going for them. I highly recommend you try
these. This may be difficult in your work environs because you need
more time. Ideally, you cook slow oats on a stove top for a few
minutes, add some soy milk for creaminess, maybe throw in some raisins
and cinnamon. Vanilla soy makes it sweeter. But if you need it really
sweet, try adding real maple syrup or agave nectar.

Up for a bigger challenge? Try steel cut oats. Add flax meal. Add
walnuts. Apples. Make it a party.

Now, even though you are supposed to cook these on a stove, I have to
admit, I pour boiling hot water into mine at work, cover the bowl with
a plate and wait a few. It's not going to be total mush like fast
oats ('cause there is lots of unmasticated fiber!!!), so it may take getting used to. But this is a
much more wholesome thing to be eating for breakfast with only a tad
more effort that eventually becomes second nature.

Yes, I keep all these crazy things in my desk drawer or work fridge: soy
milk, flax meal, raisins, cinnamon, and steel cut oats.

Soy Be It

Hey Susan--

glad you have a forum in which to expound your wonderfully caustic observations, now that you no longer write us from China. I still think we should publish the collected susan china missives.
Anyway, I've got two questions:
What's the deal with Brummel and Brown (yogurt based, methinks) imitation butter, and how bad is that Vanilla Soy Silk Dream Stuff for you? Since I am addicted to it.
And will probably drink more no matter what you say.
Hope DC is treating you well, and that you've managed to locate one of the 18 Starbuck's coffee houses on Dupont Circle.

Goat

Dearest Goat -

Ok, first thing's first. I've found my Starbucks of choice. There are three on my walk to work, and it's fun to decide which one will have the pleasure to serve me. Of course I love to be the only one in line who orders black coffee. I get a kick out of snubbing all the skinny mochiciano latte frappy hooey drinkers. But damn that drip coffee is good.

Vanilla soy milk is not so bad. Yes, a bit sugary, but you could do worse. And if you get it enriched with all the yummy vitamins and minerals, then good on ya. Let's not forget the seasonal Silk Soy Nog. 'Tis the season to throw it back.

Brummel and Brown? Sounds like a brand of sensible shoes. I've got to say, that stuff looks weird. Never mind that it's dairy which is pretty toxic, but it's some kind of yogurty buttery thing. That's not right. Why don't you try some Earth Balance spread (note: not Smart Balance). It doesn't have any cholesterol which will make your body very happy.

A little birdy tells me you also enjoy pink snowballs. What the hell? Why don't you just shove wet toilet paper into your arteries?

Much love, Susan

A spy's among us.

Hey Viveca, I googled you and it brought me to this site.  E mail me so can see how you've been.  bramsey@stx.rr.com

What the hell, Viv!? Somebody is looking for you.  A-woo-woo. He has obviously been deeply affected by the content of my site.

Sugar Smacks of Cancer

i finally found your blog. this is where the party is at.

now susan: i have cable as of last week as you know. and primarily, i watch hbo on demand. but also, i watch the food network. and yesterday, i watched a show, about 4 friends who work in universal studios, who all went on a diet together for the camera. 3 guys and a gal, all in thier 30s.

and the guy said his favorite foods were "pretzels, cotton candy, slushees, and anything that tastes like a slushee."

susan, what do you think of that?? is he an addict? what is going to happen to him?? cancer?

susan, i miss you. why do we live so far apart?

Hey Sarah! I can't even talk about the physical distance between us -- it goes against our "plan". However, I would love to respond to the guy who loves slushees. I think that's a pretty funny comment. Yes, I would say this guy is absolutely a sugar addict. The refined white flour in pretzels is nothing but a sugar once it hits your gut plus the rest of his menu which is nothing but sugar as soon as it exists.

Interesting you would mention cancer. Who knows what will actually happen to that fella. Genetics are a mystery. But cancers do feed off sugar whether it's straight up cotton candy or white flour or alcohol. It's like a growth hormone for tumors. Scary stuff. I think that's why so many cancer patients do well with macrobiotic diets - EXTREMELY low in sugar.

Glad you found the blog again; we missed you. By "we" I mean me and the other three people who check it regularly. Which brings me to the latest factoid: Aaron can't read the blog anymore because China has put a block on all typepad blogs. Blogs are dangerous. Information is dangerous. Must stop information!

Go ahead, Cost-co

I recently visited Costco in Seattle, and they introduced organic brown basmati rice from India. Though I have seen brown rice in Whole Foods (which is California grown by a company called Lundberg), this is the first time I have seen Organic Indian Brown Basmati rice. The price was very good too. I think a 10lb bag sold for $9.99, or $0.99/lb.

http://vegan.typepad.com/weblog/2005/08/being_basmati_b.html

This is great news! Word's out. At larger Whole Foods with a bulk section, you can actually get organic brown basmati rice, not the bagged Lundberg. This is true for smaller co-ops as well. But I don't think you can beat that Cost-co price. I don't know who owns Cost-co, but it couldn't be anywhere as near as evil as Sam's. And everybody knows you can't shop at Sam's because it's owned by Wal-Mart. Right?

The Smack Down (on me)

One tablespoon of butter contains more than 7 grams of saturated fat[1]. The relationship between saturated fat intake and LDL cholesterol is direct and progressive, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)[2]. I can't quite see what recommending butter has to do with discussing "vegan eating" unless it is your way of trying to kill off non-vegans as quickly as possible. In which case, well done! Next time, try pushing red meat, preferably raw.

[1] USDA Nutrient Database, SR18.
[2] 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report

The former comment was posted in response to the following suggestion I made a few months ago to my friend Viveca:

"If you are not vegan, and I know you're not Viv, I would suggest just eating real, organic if possible, butter. Don't even think about eating margarine (full of trans-fats/hydrogenated oils). Ooo. It's a spreadable heart attack.

But for the vegans in the room, I enjoy Earth Balance because it's all veg, no trans-fats. But don't forget about things like oils (I enjoy flax oil on my toast and popcorn) and coconut butter for cooking."

Well, I don't really have a defense for recommending butter. I know the world would be a better place if people didn't eat any animal products. I know that animals who make dairy suffer just as much as animals who are slaughtered for meat. Probably more. But if someone wants to know what is actually worse for her body, hydrogenated oils or butter, the answer is hydrogenated oils. Neither are beneficial, both are bad, but one IS actually worse inside the body. Maybe I should have been more clear that both are BAD BAD BAD.

Would I eat butter before margarine? No. I've got ethical issues with it. However, I honestly believe that the body would rather deal with almost anything over man-made chemicals. And I do believe trans-fats have been shown to be worse than saturated fats for the heart .

Healthiest option: neither.

Thanks for the comment; I like your spunk.

PS- I can't believe someone I don't know (?) reads this blog.

Aim Low Everybody!

I just returned from my first conference as both an exhibitor and as an attendee. It was something else. The American Dietetic Association hosted its yearly bash in St. Louis. Sadly, there's nothing to do in St. Louis except for attend a conference. Yes, I went to the arch and yes I went up inside of it. Our ride up in the teeny tiny pod included my co-worker, me and two missionaries on vacation. It gave the pod an even smaller feel. The arch was impressive but lasted 45 minutes from bottom to top to bottom again. What then? The city has some beautiful architecture but no people to fill it. So it came across as sort of a ghost town.

Food was a problem. We were a trio of vegans with no options in reach. We snacked all morning and night on samples at the conference expo. Fortunately, we were in the California produce area of the expo so we feasted on strawberries, figs and olives. Not too far behind us were soymilk stands handing out Silk smoothies among other sugary things. Barbara's was around the corner serving up Puffins cereal and Whole Wheat Fig Bars. So we crammed quarter size free snacks into our mouths trying not to appear too deprived. One night we found veggie burgers free of any animal additives. Sadly, the corn and pea salad side dish was so devoid of color that we could only bring ourselves to push it around on the plate and talk about all the water soluble nutrients that were surely lost (we are all dietitians).

Another night we found Mexican, which usually is a blessing. But alas, this was the whitest Mexican food one could imagine. The sauce atop the burrito could have just as easily been pizza sauce. The spinach inside was clearly from a can and worst of all, our "vegan" burritos had some milky artichoke dip in them. Upon politely asking for a re-do, the elderly man retorted, "But it's not sour cream or cheese like you said." Touché, old man, touché.

Our last night, we signed up to attend a vegetarian dinner with the Vegetarian Resource Group, an extension of the ADA. They are simply folks like myself who are (reluctant?) members of the ADA but steadfast vegetarians. They hosted this gathering in a Thai restaurant where I proceeded to eat two heaping plate fulls from the buffet table. I was starved for real food NOT served in a plastic thimble and didn't care if I made PCRM look "unlady-like." (Insert "W" hand gesture.)

Most people who came to the booth were quite encouraged and encouraging. They thanked us for doing what we do. I only had one lady come by and try to pick a fight about milk. I offered up the best evidence-based reasons for not drinking milk. I did not have to resort to the classic, "Would you suck milk out of a lactating bat? Then why a cow?" It's a zinger but I didn't think my superiors would appreciate the tone.

As an attendee, I was discouraged to see how much the dairy industry has its money-grubbing little fingers in every single aspect of nutrition. I went to one session, and only one, out of 7 that didn't announce, "I'd like to thank the Dairy Council for sponsoring my research and for flying me here today and for my 5-star hotel and that hooker last night (author's ad lib)." These lectures often included some inspiring words such as, "Well, we can't expect people to actually eat vegetables and fruit, so we recommend drink more milk for potassium" or "Eating lots of carbs and low protein may be great for someone who exercises everyday, but for a sedentary 40 plus woman, we recommend eating more protein for achieving a healthy weight, especially protein from milk." This latter announcement received a rip-roaring applause from all the less than ship-shape middle-aged dietitians at the conference. I was beside myself with disgust at what I was witnessing.

Aiming low is obviously not working, people, maybe we should go at this from another angle. Hm?

And of course, the biggest and busiest booths at the expo included McDonald's, Budweiser and Little Debbie. Little Debbie was two booths away from ours. People were clawing for those snack cakes. Never to fear, they had plenty to spare. WE ARE NUTRITIONISTS PEOPLE!!! Listen to the first three syllables of that word!!!!! At times, I wanted to claw my eyes out. At other times, I really wanted to raid the Budweiser.

On Sunday, our convention day ended at the same time as a St. Louis Rams game. There was no shortage of pudgy mid-western drunk football fans walking around offering up such pearls as, "Hey! It's a girl convention!"

So, that was my long weekend. Always good to come home to big salads and whole grain bread. Yum.

Overwhelmed

So maybe I am the type to start a weblog and then become too busy to keep it up.  When I began this thing, I was unemployed and bored.  Now I have a job and barely have time to think.  That's not to say that I'm not keeping an eye out for people who want to post questions, because I'm totally prepared to answer.  However, I am completely overwhelmed with having a full time job.  Not to mention I'm a little nervous about saying something that doesn't mesh well with PCRM then getting in a boat load of trouble.

It's like being Ms America.  Suddenly everything you do or say reflects upon the people who staked a claim to you.  Or maybe it's more like being an ambassador.  Yeah, more like that.  It's not like Ms America at all, really.  That was a stupid comparison. 

Point being, I have a big mouth and it's just a matter of time before someone in charge has to sit me down and give me a good talking to.  Trust me.  So I shy away from updating my blog.

Right . . . that was my real point.  I'm shying away from my blog. 

Back to School

i'm very interested in going back to school - at the moment i'm looking for a career change and i'm thinking of school teacher but my love is nutrtition. i'm curious: how is the lifestyle of a nutritionist? are the benefits okay, pay, easy enough to find a job?

Posted by: bernadette leach | October 08, 2005 at 04:34 PM

Hi, Bernadette. Well, I can only offer my limited opinion on this issue.

Lifestyle: The lifestyle is that of most health care workers, I suppose. There are lots of areas you could work: hospital (in- or out-patient), private practice, integrative clinic, fitness club, corporate setting, academic, public health, cooking/chef. I've known a lot of people who do part-time here and there to keep from getting locked into one area. Usually, they have the goal of going into private practice but first racking up as much exposure as possible, thus the appeal of a hospital, for example.

Benefits: Health care facilities can offer great benefits, provided you work full time in one spot.

Pay: Depends. Are you going for a masters? I suppose you would start off at a higher pay with a masters. If you do the dietetic internship, I'm guessing that would also put you at an advantage in certain areas. Also, where you live plays a role in this obviously. I'm told most people with a masters and who are RDs make around $50K in the beginning. But I really have no idea. I work in non-profit, stickin' it to the man, so the pay sticks it right back at me.

Job Opportunities: I think if you are open to whatever, then you can get a job pretty easily. I know for a fact you could work for a big corporate evil organization - no problem. Geriatrics is also a wide open door for nutritionists. Lots of oldies in need of help and growing! I didn't think I would find a job I wanted, because I was very picky, but lo and behold, I got my dream job. So who knows. I know several people who went to chef school post graduate school and they have jobs they love. Several classmates are teaching at various colleges. There are lots of jobs for nutritionists on Native American Reservations. But clearly you would have to be willing to relocate.

I think what you need to decide is if you are ready to go back to school for years. I had NO science background when I decided to do what I loved. It took me three years to take all my pre-requisites before starting grad school. I think you could do it in two though. Then two years for a masters and one year internship. The internship is if you want to be a dietitian, a safety net unless you live and plan to stay in a very liberal state. And no, NY does not count as very liberal. Weird, I know.

My general advice is to do what you love. If you know you love nutrition more than teaching, then go for it. If you love them both the same, then you could do both, teach nutrition. If teaching is more appealing, then do that and then became an avid reader of nutrition issues. Then annoy all your friends with your personal database of nutrition factoids. It's fun.

WARNING: If you become a nutritionist/dietitian, be prepared to hear about everything everyone in your family eats. Also, get ready to hear things like this at food gatherings, "Oh, I don't want you to see what I'm eating. It's so unhealthy!"

I hope this helps. I know it's corny, but you MUST follow your heart.

Mexican greenery

Today, I ate a lot of guacamole and a burrito the size of my head (my head is larger than average). Yummy.

Thank you.

DC - my new peeps

Well, it has happened. I am living in DC geared to do the good works of PCRM. Life in the Capital City is quite different from the NYC lifestyle that I once knew and was reacquainting myself with when I accepted this job. Firstly, I am lulled to sleep by crickets each night as opposed to trucks, ambulances and thumping car stereos. Admittedly, I am in a suburb of DC as opposed to downtown. And I have to confess you get used to falling asleep to traffic, and you have to acclimate to silence. No really, you do.

When I run in the morning I hop on a trail that winds me through dense woods for miles and miles. There are plenty of other bikers and runners, so it’s not lonely-empty. I have yet to run in Rock Creek Park as the hard-core runners do, but it is a very intimidating park. It’s huge and forested and interns vanish in there (probably because senators kill them, but just the same).

I miss Central Park, but I don’t so much miss running over the Williamsburg Bridge where I was greeted daily with this sidewalk graffiti: “Honkies in Williamsburg blow a big dong.” Huh, now that is interesting. Actually, I thought it was a fairly tame and polite way of expressing one’s concern over gentrification. Yes, perhaps we do, metaphorically speaking, blow a big dong. I really can’t disagree. Anyway, it gave me something to ponder during my Brooklyn runs.

Now, I just think about trees and flowers and such nonsense. Maybe honkies in DC blow a big dong too. I’ll look into it.

Today I discovered that Trader Joe’s, one of my favorite grocery stores, uses eggs from cruelly caged chickens. I went in to buy treats to send to China, and as I was leaving, there were two progressive minded kids holding a sign that said “Trader Joe’s Shoppers: Stop the Abuse.” Uh-oh. I stopped to inquire and offered my disappointment because I love TJ’s. One young advocate said, “Me too. That’s why I’m determined to get them to stop.” Ok, I’m in. I’ll call, I’ll write, I’ll talk to the manager. Might I suggest those reading do the same (www.hsus.org)? A lot of you have no idea what Trader Joe’s is – you’re exempt.

There’s a big march in DC that I think I am required to participate in this Saturday. Required by my own conscience. Plus I’ve been meaning to do a monument tour and give the evil eye to the White House. I can’t be in DC and not get political. I’m about to go upside Bush’s head, in a non-violent sort of way.

As a professional aside: I just got word that I have been certified as a Dietitian-Nutritionist in the state of New York. Three-hundred dollars well spent. That’s $100 per credentialing letter I can add to my name's end; however, now it’s useless. I’m going to still use it because I still have a NY driver’s license. Do those two things relate? No one knows what any of the letters mean anyway, so what the hell.

Susan M Levin, MS RD CDN

Holistic Health

Hi, I found your blog via hello.typepad.com and I think it's awesome and extremely motivating. Thanks for starting it. I was wondering if now that you've decided which job to take (congrats!) would you be able to reveal the name of the holistic health clinic in NY? I'm not looking for a job, just interested in holistic medicine...

Yes, of course I will reveal the name of the clinic: The Hoffman Center. Located on 30th Street near Park Ave. I think they really know what they are doing and seem to have a great reputation in the area. If you go to their website, www.drhoffman.com, you can see what they offer.

Good luck. Even if you did want to get a job there I would say go for it. I'm all set.

Comments from China

Hey, Susan: So glad to see your blog! We're doing fine so far with the new semester. Good luck with your new job, it's so perfect for you! Dilys & Jessie

Hey you two!

fyi: Dilys and Jessie are two of my best students from China. They are smart and toughtful and are good at thinking outside of the box. They have a campus radio show where I was interviewed twice: once about blue grass music and once about being vegan. It sounded very professional as it was blasted on loud speakers placed all over the campus.

Thanks for the kind, supportive words. I hope you are both doing well in your new semester. Work hard but don't forget to have some fun too! My husband is at Nanjing University now, and guess what, his room mate is a Chinese vegetarian! We're taking over the world!

Treat Yourself

What's the best celebratory vegan treat I could find at my local healthy grocery store - the comparable to a pre-1996 pint of Cherry Garcia? :-) Peace.

Posted by: Kelly Saville | September 15, 2005

Kelly! Cherry Garcia was THE last dairy product prior to becoming vegan that I ate, intentionally. Good memory of our times in Key West, chica.

Well, they do make a soy version of this yummy combo: vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips and cherries. It's gooooood. I wouldn't say it's healthy because it's full of sugar and thickeners and what not. However, sometimes I just have to have it. It's the same old problem though - don't eat the whole pint! Hard to restrain.

Maybe a healthier treat is some dark chocolate (real dark chocolate without milk fillers). I once saw a doctor on Oprah say that 3 oz of dark chocolate per day is good for you. In fact, it has anti-oxidants and boosts serotonin in your brain (serotonin prevents anxiety & depression and can help you sleep better). What could be better?

Ok, sure, you could eat some fruit, but . . . pahleeeease.

Got A Life!

I have finally made a decision other than do I want the tofu salad salad or the tofu salad sandwich while I search the web for jobs at Soy Luck Club. I decided to move to Washington, DC and start working for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (pcrm.org). This is obviously an ideal job for a vegan dietitian and I was lucky to get the offer. So here I go. Moving four hours down the coast to see what’s new in the capital city. Scary.

Of course, New York City cannot be compared to any other city in the world, and I will miss it. Most of my friends live here and I won’t be able to count on their good company day to day. But there’s a really fast, cheap, clean bus that runs back and forth between the two cities. It’s run by two Hasidic Jews and costs a reasonable $40 round trip. You don’t even have to go inside Penn Station to catch it (BONUS!) and even better, it doesn’t drop you off at the scary DC Greyhound station.

On a food note: I know a vegan who wasn’t aware that Thai food more often than not comes flavored with fish sauce or fish flakes. You absolutely have to ask if it can be made without in order to ensure you are getting a vegetarian dish. That’s my tip for the day. Enjoy.

Flax Oil

Hey Su! What's the deal with flax seed oil? Thanks, Elizabeth

Well, this is a timely question BECAUSE my sister recently pointed out that the mainstream grocery stores (Safeways, anyway) are now selling flax seed oil. Sweet!

So why would you fork out the dough for this expensive oil and then what would you do with it once you got it home?

Firstly, flax oil should be refrigerated when shipped, stored, and in your house. I wouldn't recommend buying flax seed oil that is just sitting on a shelf. Flax seed oil is VERY VERY sensitive to heat. Therefore, you absolutely cannot cook with it. I suggest using it in dressings, or as a topping on toast and popcorn, or as a supplement in a fruit shake.

But why would I use flax seed oil and not olive oil, Susan?

Excellent question. Use both. Flax seed oil is very high in omega-3 fat, a fat that is seriously deficient in our (not just vegans) diets. Other excellent sources of omega-3s come from fish, so if you are vegan, vegetarian or deathly afraid of toxic seafood, you may be in need of some flax oil. Some think that because flax seed oil is so volatile, you are better off buying the seeds and grinding them at home. Then use the ground seeds as a salad topper or as a supplement in a shake. That's up to you.

Low intake of omega-3s can lead to all sorts of maladies, including depression, dry skin, cardiovascular disease and joint pain. Uh oh.

Other good sources of omega-3 fats include walnuts, tofu and soybeans.

You Complete Me

hi susan. i have heard that rice and beans are the perfect protein. is that true and if so why?

Hi Katy! Welcome to the blog. This is a great question because I actually know the answer off the top of my head.

Well, as you may know, beans have protein. Rice has protein too. Protein is made up of amino acids. You've got your essential and your non-essential amino acids. Non-essential means you don't need to worry about eating them because your body makes them magically (FYI: there's no such thing as biology; it's all magic). Essential means you better eat them because your body can't make them on its own.

There are anywhere from eight to ten ESSENTIAL amino acids (depending on your health and age) -- isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, blah blah blah, you don't care, but trust me, there are potentially ten. If your protein source is "complete" it has all your ESSENTIAL amino acids. If it's "incomplete", then . . . what class? . . . that's right, it does not have all the ESSENTIAL amino acids.

An egg is complete because it has all the essential amino acids. But let's talk vegan. Soybeans are complete because they too have all the EAAs, however, most plant foods do not have all the EAAs. Fortunately our ancestors had the innate knowledge to know they needed to combine these foods, thus beans & rice was born as a staple dish.

Other historic examples:
Cereal with milk
Granola with yogurt
Hummus and pita bread
Nut butter with whole grain bread
Rice with milk, i.e., rice pudding
Corn or wheat tortillas with refried beans

See the pattern in our forefathers’ infinite wisdom? I know! It’s fascinating!

Thanks for the question, Katy! See you . . . well, see you right now, you’re my room mate. Lucky you!!

No protein?!

I was wondering the bestest ways to get protein. I live in a tiny town in rural China and have no real access to beans, yummy cereals, nuts or anything western like sups. Unlike other parts in China there isn’t really a huge Tofu market here, what is here is fried, and you know I gotta watch my hips.

Thanks Shoalin sister, inch of power

Dear Dean - Good to hear from you, sir! Firstly, "sups" is such an Aussie thing to say. Funny. Secondly, if I remember correctly, you are now vegetarian, inching closer toward vegan, thus you are not eating any meat. Is that true? I also know for a fact that you do a lot of cross training: shaolin, rock climbing, running, biking. Lastly, you have always been strangely concerned with the size of your butt. Pahlease, girl, you look good.

Ok, now that we're all caught up, it sounds like you are in a bind. I can't believe the town you are in doesn't have any nuts?! No seeds?! NO TOFU?!! Are you really looking? If you went to a restaurant, could they sell you some of their tofu supply?

If what you say is true, you are screwed on a local level. However, you have plenty of friends in the big Chinese cities who could send/bring you dried beans and raw grains and bags of nuts!! Use them to help you, dude. However, I honestly can't believe this stuff isn't available to you. No small street markets with bags of beans and nuts? What?! Do you eat eggs anymore? No Chinese city is without lots of squawking chickens and eggs for sale. No string beans in the restaurants, sans pork bits?

I am stunned. And, to be honest, I believe you aren't even trying. I'm getting mad at you now. I hope your butt does get fat.

inch of power

Eat the Worm

I have a question for you. I have been taking a supplement called PB 8 Pro-Biotic Acidophilus For Life which was recommended to me when I had a urinary tract infection. I am really liking the way it supports my digestive system which has been a weak area in my body for a while. My question is: can this supplement be taken safely long term?
Thanks for your help in advance and take care. Your blog is awesome, I love it. -Peg

Posted by: Peg | September 03, 2005

Hey Peg - I have consulted a pro-biotic expert who works all day everyday with gastro-intestinal issues.  She's also very worldly and nice and pretty and works at the Tummy Temple in Seattle where she rules the world with her knowledge (a little plug for ya' Jennifer).  She says that there are two things she would recommend one do everyday long-term, and pro-biotics is one of them.  She won't tell me the other because I guess she can't give away all her secrets. 

I think she is right, especially given how good it is making you feel.  Unfortunately, we used to eat a lot more fermented foods, foods with active cultures, etc. but now, not so much.  And we are paying with our health.   Notice how a lot of Asian cuisine is complemented with pickled side dishes.  There is a reason for that which goes beyond just yumminess.  So I say keep swallowing those little active buggers.  They are working hard and apparently doing a good job.

Thanks for the question!

Job hunt

Ok.  Now I need some advice.  I am interviewing with two different companies.  One is in NYC and one is in Washington, DC.  Neither has offered me a job, but both seem interested.  Both are my dream jobs.

NYC:  Working in a holistic health clinic with a reputable physician as the clinic's one and only dietitian.  I would see many patients with various problems but fairly educated and compliant.  I would be honored to work in this clinic.  It's not all new agey and weird or anything like that.  It's very normal but extrememly open-minded and places a lot of emphasis on nutritional well-being.  It was this actual clinic that made me think 7 years ago, "I want to be a nutritionist and it would be worth 6 years of school to get to that point."

DC:  Working for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.  Hello!!!  Awesome organization, non-profit.  VEGAN-minded.  All my heroes are associated with the PCRM in one way or another: Barnard, Robbins, Ornish.  But obviously you do advocacy work, not counseling.  Probably pays less, although not sure.

Ok, honestly, no one has offered me a job.  Perhaps no one will.  But just in case, I'm taking comments and opinions and votes.  HELP! 

Not always easy.

What a week! I've been very stressed and stretched a bit thin. After the run in the park, I slept under a very powerful air-conditioner which resulted in a cold of sorts. My voice is gone. I moved into my new temporary home on Monday. I'm living in Williamsburg. Whenever I mention my address, people say, "Oh yeah, where Jay-Z grew up." Huh? My subway stop is on the J-M-Z line. J Z? Coincidence? I don't think so.

My new future roomie and I did some apartment hunting. Our first dealings in the NYC broker world. We had a cheerleading broker who was able to spin gold out of poop. "Oh this apartment is beautiful!!! I've never seen such a cute apartment! I love this neighborhood! It's the hottest neighborhood to be in right now. You're lucky to be seeing this apartment. Oh look - a mouse hole! Mice are way cuter than rats."

All right, all right! We get it! We postponed our hunt for another week and half. It's too depressing.

On the upside, I had a great interview in a holistic health clinic. Fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, none of this has anything to do with being vegan. I'm sure if I ate meat during this stressful week, though, I'd be constipated on top of it all. Yea veggies!!!

Run, Stupid, Run!

I ran a 13.1-mile race today in Central Park without any training to speak of. Ouch. I thought by mile 2 that there was NO WAY I would make it past mile 5. I was tired and sluggish. I was running with a friend who hadn't run in weeks, although she is a former track star who's philosophy about running once was "It's not a good race unless you vomit at the end." Hard core.

So there we were threatening to quit at any moment, but both too stubborn to do so. Every couple of miles we would discuss what part of our body was suddenly in serious pain:
"I seem to have pulled something in my groin area."
"I can feel every woven fiber of cotton in my socks."
"My left knee feels funny."
"I think my right second-toe toenail is ripping off."
"I may actually vomit but not in the 'This was a good race' kind of way."

I came home and ate some carbs, because as I'm sure you all know, it's very important to eat carbs for maximum recovery post strenuous exercise. And by post I mean within 30 to 45 minutes of that exercise. So even though I wanted to pass out, I ate some peanut butter toast. I even managed to be social with some friends before passing out for a couple of hours.

My toenail may in fact fall off as it did several years ago when I was running more distance runs. I'll let you know. Oooo, that's gross.

Salt of the Earth

Susan, Where does salt fit in on the food pyramid? I love it soooooo much. Is it killing me? Also- is MSG really that bad? It makes food taste amazing! and it makes my head tingle. Aaron Posted by: Aaron | August 27, 2005

Aaron-
Exactly, where do ANY vitamins and minerals fit into the pyramid? Who the heck knows? Who cares? Not me! Eat meat! Drink milk! It’s all good! (Sarcasm)

You neeeeeeeeeed salt! Salt is mandatory to proper body functions. Where we get in trouble is when we eat lots of processed, preserved, packaged foods. These are loaded with unholy amounts of salt. But if you eat fresh foods and season it with salt, you should really be fine. Do you have high blood pressure? If so, then be careful. Do you have low blood pressure? You may need more salt. If you exercise and/or sweat a lot, you need to replace the salt that is lost.

I recommend a natural form of salt. I like regular old sea salt. I choose iodized sea salt just in case I’m not getting enough iodine. We wouldn’t want goiters hanging off our necks, now would we?

As for MSG – why do you want to make me angry? You KNOW it’s bad for you. You know it makes you tired and achy. MSG is a chemical that has no odor and no flavor. Well, then why does it taste salty? It doesn’t. It crosses the blood brain barrier in your head and tells your brain a lie: This tastes really salty. It’s a filthy dirty liar! Some people react negatively to MSG, some don’t. It’s a personal issue as to whether you want to eat it. But I’ve heard so many stories about people quitting their MSG usage and suddenly being cured of various ailments. Hmmm. Now, the FDA will never admit that this stuff is bad because it would not benefit them financially (just like allowing saccharine to be in food even though it has been proven to cause cancer).

You look like my ungrateful daughter

So I’m sitting in Starbucks drinking my tall cup of black Kenya, the bold flavor of the week. And don’t judge me . . . coffee in NYC is terrible UNLESS you go to Starbucks. If you have a better suggestion, I’m open.

I sit at a table with my laptop in hopes of breaking through the fortress that is T-Mobile. In case you are unaware, T-Mobile has the rights to Starbucks’ wifi access. You have to have an account through them in order to use their web. What a rip. I could pay $40 per month and access it, but I think not.

Instead, I try to pick up random wireless waves coming through the surrounding offices and apartments. So far, T-Mobile wins. But this Saturday morning I’m sitting there trying to log on when an elderly Polish man asks if he can join my table. Sure, go ahead, I’m busy trying to steal the internet.

He sits quietly at first, sipping his overly creamy cup of coffee. Then he decides he has a bone to pick with me and anyone who uses a laptop. He starts up, “You must be very busy.”

“No sir, not really. I’m just trying to log on to the internet.”

“When I was a kid, we played all day. We played basketball and ran around. We didn’t sit. We walked and we moved our legs. Nowadays, it’s just computers, computers and sleeping. My daughter, this is all she does. Type type type all day, then sleep.”

“Yeah, it’s important to have a balance. That’s true.”

He begins to throw himself into a tizzy of frustration. Creamy coffee is pooling at the corners of his mouth as he froths in anger, “There’s no balance!! No time! There’s no time! I say to my daughter, ‘Get out! Use your muscles! What’s wrong with you?’”

Ok, I don’t know how you do it in the old country, but we don’t have mental breakdowns in front of strangers in coffee shops. “So, uhhh, she doesn’t like to exercise?”

“Look at you and the others (he points to the other two laptop users in the area)! It’s horrible! No body moves around any more! This is why Americans are so fat.”

Excuse me?! Breathe Susan. This man did NOT just call you fat. Did he? I’m running a half marathon tomorrow you grumpy old buzz killer. I’m trying to enjoy my coffee here. I can sense the others around feeling sorry for me but at the same time, thanking their lucky stars he didn’t join them.

I shut down my computer in defeat – no wireless. Sure I'm unemployed, homeless, blogging, and what not, but I’m trying. And I exercise everyday! I tell my new angry friend that I have to go find some free wifi and a vegan scone, and as bad as that may sound to him, I’m NOT his daughter. Save it for the therapist, grandpa. Gotta go. When I pop up from my seat, my computer case bangs the table and sloshes his coffee all over. I want out of there so bad, but I go gather some napkins and help him clean up the mess. Then I try again with what pride I have left, "Good day, sir."

Food-Misguided Pyramid

A friend and I were looking at the "new" food guide pyramid today on-line, a creation of the ever-fumbling USDA. The new pyramid is basically the same as the old one. The difference now is the graphic. There are different colors and the pyramid is divided vertically instead of horizontally. Whoopdy-doo. Once you get over the mind-blowing special effects (ooo, it's so sparkly), you begin to realize the information is the same. The other catch is that you have to enter in your age and gender into the interactive pyramid in order to get your customized recommendations. I guess this is supposed to make internet-savvy people feel special, but the information is still generic.

After trying to explain to my friend (for the sake of anonymity, let's call her Judy) Judy what a serving of food looks like (3 ounces of meat is quite different than 3 ounces of grain), we both agreed it was bunk so why bother. The pyramid limited Judy to 3 servings of vegetables and 2 of fruit per day. I tried to explain that unless you eat a dozen bananas a day and unless you are diabetic, I wouldn't worry about trying to limit fruits and especially don't limit vegetables.

The USDA's pyramid is a better example of which lobbyists have the most pull in the government. If they could, the government would no doubt carve out a piece of the pyramid for tobacco and guns if they thought they could get away with it. What they can do, and have done for years, is place dairy and meat in a prominent position that they simply don't deserve. Any healthcare worker worth his or her spit would tell you these are foods that should be limited, not consumed daily.

So, who out there is worth his or her spit? I'm sure there are plenty. But here are three that I know of:
1. Walter Willet from Harvard's School of Public Health. Check out his Healthy Eating Pyramid at http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2003/Jan/pyramids.html. A great alternative to the USDA's.
2. Marion Nestle is a professor of nutrition at NYU and also has multiple informed opinions regarding politics and health. Fascinating woman. Read her books.
3. Me? Ok, I can't put myself in their company and not expect to get laughed at, but my point is that we, as regular hometown nutritionists, are breaking out of the box (or pyramid) and getting smarter, hopefully.

I guess progress is slow but happening. Those of us born before the 80's may remember the extremely lacking "Four Food Groups": (1) Meat (2) Milk (3) Fruits & Vegetables (4) Bread & Cereal. An unbelievable display of money mattering more than health. HALF the food recommendations were meat and milk?! Brilliant. I mean at least ACT like you are trying to help.

Whew . . . it's exhausting caring about stuff. I don't recommend it.

Being Basmati Brown

In reference to David Jacob's question about the benefits of brown rice over white:

Let's try to get the basic understanding of why rice (or any grain) is white in the first place. Obviously it has been refined, or what we might call polished. The grain USED to be composed of its husk, its bran, its germ and its endosperm. Most of the goodies are in the bran and the germ. When it is white, you are getting its endosperm only. Brown rice has everything but the husk.

So we are losing most, if not all, of the protein (depending), fiber, fat, and micronutrients (vitamins are usually replaced during a process called "enriching") that are naturally present and perfectly balanced in the whole grain. What you do get is the energy (calories) that comes from the carbohydrates. This is nothing to sneer at, mind you. Many civilizations survived for centuries on white rice.

Why do they do this now, Susan? It seems so silly and wasteful.

Well, brown rice can eventually go rancid because it's very much a living food. This doesn't help with shipping and storing and stockpiling of grain. But today with all of our modern technology, food doesn't necessarily need to be stored for months on end or until the next harvest. So let there be whole grain!

The healthiest rice you can buy is organic brown basmati rice. If you look at brown basmati, you can see that it is not only tan but also a good portion of it is green (or at least it should be). The greener the better. This reflects that the rice is more alive and therefore, has even more nutrients.

Aside: Trying to convey this information to the Chinese rice farmers in southern China was like telling them to take a bite out of a tree stump. "You can't eat rice before you polish it," they would inform me. "How would you chew it?" Don't mess with Chinese culture; it's set in stone.

Now remember, you don't want to keep brown rice around for years; buy just enough so that you finish it up within the month. Then buy a new batch.

David, per usual, excellent question.

Can I be a Vegan too?

I love meat. I can't go a day without it...well, maybe a day...nope, can't do it. Is there a way to eat meat and still qualify as a vegan so I can hook up with ultra-liberal women?

sleepless in venice,ca

Posted by: Angry Joe | August 22, 2005

Dear Angry Joe,

Can I call you Joe?

Joe, as admirable as your goal is to hook up with ultra liberal women (and I applaud your good taste), you would actually, technically not qualify as a vegan.

Why, you ask? According to Wikipedia, a vegan is someone who "avoids the ingestion or use of animal products. An animal product in this context refers to the body parts of an animal or any substance derived from an animal." And meat is defined as "animal tissue (mainly muscle) used as food."

Because I am an actual registered dietitian with a huge amount of debt to prove it, I'm going to conclude with all my wisdom, that there is no way to eat meat AND be vegan.

In addition, I don't advise trying to pull the wool, uh . . . err cotton, over anyone's eyes about it either. We can smell meat-eaters a mile away.

Excellent question, Joe. Thank you for allowing me to spin my wheels.

Amino Acids

Suuuuuu dawg ! I am doing double back flips from this idea...blog forum o yourn. Your wisdom and humor always makes me smile. Glad to have you back in the states! Should you come visit me in Colorado soon? You can bring your meat eating vegan pal because there are plenty of ultraliberal babes out here.

As for questions I have just been given amino acid supplements by my accupuncturer for a balancing zct to get enough protein. Do you feel it worthy of my time or body ?

I think you have found your calling ! This is a great resource for vegans!

Your adoring friend,
meow!!

Posted by: kitty | August 23, 2005

Now, this is a special moment for me because Kitty is my vegan mentor. She was the first real live vegan with whom I ever spent any time. She taught me the ways of the vegan eater, without ever passing judgment on those who were not. And I will always love her for that.

So, meow right back at you, Kitty!!!

I'm humbled by your question, because you are not only a goddess to me but a leader on my vegan path.

Here's what I think of supplements:
I think if it is a reputable manufacturer, then no harm no foul. I also think that unless medically required, you could live a healthy life without supplements, vegan or not.

On a personal note, if I remember correctly, you tend to live your life with little regard for yourself, and mucho regard for others. Sometimes, at the expense of your own health. This is why you are beloved and why you will eventually go to heaven while self-centered vegans like me will get plenty of protein but probably end up in hell. Although, I don't believe in hell, so my point is moot.

A vegan or vegetarian can get protein o'plenty from his or her diet. This requires including beans (tempeh and tofu fall into this category), nuts, and whole grains. On some days, I get about two times the recommended protein for my age and size. Not to brag.

I really resent the question all non-meat eaters get, "But how do you get enough protein?" Oy.

What's my point? Ahh, yes. You may very well need this supplement Kitty. However, I don't think you need to feel chained to it for the rest of your life. Someday, maybe even tomorrow, you could plan a balanced diet encompassing all the essential amino acids.

I hope that helped. What could I possibly tell my hero that she doesn't already know?

Sweet Dilemma

Hey Su,

How do you feel about the Splenda's of the world? Is it better to limit natural/organic/raw sugar intake, or to substitute the newest sugar alternatives? I'm not asking because of diabetic concerns. Also, I remember we spoke about this once, but what kind of butter do you recommend these days? There are so many "healthy" alternatives out there. I'm glad you decided to start this little engine up. This is my first posted question......ever.
Thanks,
Viveca

Posted by: Viveca Kindsvatter | August 23, 2005

Hey there Viv - future famous person. Maybe an actress, although I'm holding out for your debut as a pop diva.

I'm so glad you asked these questions. Because in the words of Jerri Blank, "I've got somein' to say!"

Splenda freaks me out. I believe Splenda is made by chemically attaching chlorine to a molecule of sucrose or something or other. High doses of chlorinated sucrose (also called sucralose) can be bad news for your liver, your kidney, your thymus, and only time will tell what else. Now, I know what critics will say, "Right. HIGH doses. Who's going to eat high doses?"

Well, I can eat little tiny lead paint chips and probably be ok, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Whenever anything is chemically made or altered, I would just say avoid it as much as possible. Small doses if you must. Go for the natural products like honey, molasses, maple syrup (not that Log Cabin wanna be syrup stuff), even unrefined cane sugar.

Wow, if I were Oprah, I would so be getting sued.

If you are not vegan, and I know you're not Viv, I would suggest just eating real, organic if possible, butter. Don't even think about eating margarine (full of trans-fats/hydrogenated oils). Ooo. It's a spreadable heart attack.

But for the vegans in the room, I enjoy Earth Balance because it's all veg, no trans-fats. But don't forget about things like oils (I enjoy flax oil on my toast and popcorn) and coconut butter for cooking. Mmmmm, I'm hungry.

Viv! I'm so glad I was your first blog attempt. Isn't it fun? Good luck and when you are rich and famous, can I be your nutritionist?

"Fetus something healthy!"

Hi Su! I'm hosting a baby shower for a co-worker. I'd like to serve all vegetarian and vegan finger foods...Perhaps this will steer some of my co-workers towards a vegetarian lifestyle. Got any recipies on hand?

Posted by: Elizabeth Levin | August 23, 2005

Hmmm, hosting a baby shower. I have to confess, such events are not my specialty and, to be honest, make me very uncomfortable. However, I'm glad to hear you are going to use this as a venue to spread the joy of not eating flesh. And when you think about it, shouldn't celebrating the birth of a baby go hand in hand with NOT eating flesh? Because really, meat is meat is meat. Get what I'm sayin'? Yeah, you do.

The most important thing to remember when serving food, I think, is balance, in all aspects. So balance your nutrients and tastes and colors.

Nutrients:
A Hummus dish, for example has
PROTEIN - beans are a fabulous source of protein. You could sub black beans instead of garbanzo just to make it interesting. Or use half black and half garbanzo. Always keep them guessing
CARBS - beans do have carbs, but some yummy toasted whole-wheat pita to dip into your hummus would be a great and practically mandatory addition
FAT - tahini, which is used to make hummus, brings this dish full circle. Say what you will about the problems in the Middle East, they know how to eat.
VITAMINS/MINERALS - chop up some veggies for dippin', girl, because you can't have a party without some micronutrients.

Colors:
A fruit plate is a must on so many levels. Doesn't fruit kind of remind you of little babies anyway? Squishy and sweet, but a little messy if you aren't paying attention. This in addition to your veggie spread should look like a rainbow of food. Not only is it easier on the eyes, it means you are getting a full range of vitamins and minerals (yes, colors themselves can reflect specific vitamins and minerals).

Tastes:
Savory and sweet for the party scene. Don't even try not to have something sweet at this little shindig. Even one pregnant woman can be very demanding. Yes, you have fruit but may I suggest some healthy cookies? With chocolate of course?

Ok, here's the deal. You will have to go on line to get recipes; I can't be typing all that out here and now. Or, get a book. I love love love "Feeding the Whole Family" by Cynthia Lair and "The How it All Vegan" by a couple of crazy, hipster Canadians. They are both easy for people like me who don't excel in the kitchen arena.

Cynthia Lair's book has my all time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe - it's easy, it's vegan, it's as healthy as a chocolate chip cookie can get. I'd tell you the recipe if I were sure it wasn't some kind of copyright infringement. But since I know who you are (hey sis!), I can tell you with confidence that I've given this cookbook to your mother - borrow it.

And I'd also like to add that I would avoid serving sodas of any kind or fake stuff like Crystal Light . This is a life rule in general. Make sure you have de-caf options, obviously for the mom to be. Perhaps some delicious tea? FYI, it is recommended by some not to drink chamomile or raspberry leaf while pregnant. Why is life so difficult?

Coffee for the addicts is ok, in my opinion, because baby showers sometimes need a jolt of caffeine to get them going.

Make sure water is easily available. A pitcher with nicely sliced (and cleaned) lemon wedges is not only attractive, but a good body cleanser.

Soy meat or soy mean?

I've noticed that a lot of soy mean products (like vegan dogs) are high in sodium. Why is that? Should I just avoid them as much as possible?

I meant "meat."

Posted by: adriana | August 22, 2005

Ok - great question. Adriana, is it?

Soy meat (and I think soy "mean" is appropriate as well) is really some nasty stuff. Read the ingredients list on a soy meat product and see if it looks like a good idea to put it in your body. Sodium is certainly one of the many additives they use to keep processed soy well preserved in its scary state.

Usually, these products are made from TVP (texturized/textured vegetable protein - at one time an innocent soy bean) which has been around for a long time. They used to, probably still do, use it in school meat products to make it cheaper. As if using the nation's worst grade meat wasn't bad enough, they mixed it with TVP. Remember Sizzlean? TVP!

Anyway, I say eat that stuff in moderation. I myself will have the occasional tofu dog, because, well, it's just so damn fun. I've even been known to treat myself to some Gimme Lean sausage - a frankenstein of TVP as well.

But to curb the meat cravings, I would suggest tempeh and tofu more often than all that overly processed fake meat.

Moderation. Moderation.

Dominion Over You

Just found your website, very cool. Have you ever heard of a special diet for Christians called "Dominion Nutrition," or "Trinity Diet" or something? I'm looking for more info about it... Thx, Mark J.

I believe that Mark's comment regarding the Dominion Diet deserves some special attention. I think everyone should think about the implications of religion and diet.

I often pray at night and ask, "Dear God, why are Christians, on average, so fat? Shouldn't they treasure their bodies out of respect for You? It's Your gift; it's a temple to be worshipped. Yet, look at the abuse! Pound for pound, Christians are out-eating all Your other religions."

The Dominion Diet allows, nay, requires, Christians to make the connection between body and soul. And the disconnect is drastic, my friends. Hopefully, the chasm will be bridged with the right leaders, the right diet prophets. And most of all, the right dollar prophets.

Keep me posted if you hear anything Mark. Or even you Kaitlyn. You both seem very bright.

Nutrition Questions

Don't be shy about sending questions related to nutrition to this site. Stop sending them to my personal account. Don't you get it, I'm starting a blog. Use a fake name if you are embarrassed. I won't tell.

In my private practice (which I don't actually have), this would cost you a fortune, so take advantage.

Ciao.

Aaron update

Well, in case you don't know me very well, or at all: Aaron is my boyfriend of 7 years. There needs to be a better word for this. "Boyfriend" sounds so high-school, but something like "partner" sounds like we're selling something, and "significant other" sounds too politically correct. "Lover" - no freakin' way, paints an awkward picture.

Anyway, I know some wonder what Aaron is up to over there in China. And now that I'm NOT there, who's going to know? He is not a strong e-mailer. I, however, have the honor of talking with Aaron almost every day. And I can fill in the gaps with fake stories.

It's so easy to call China these days, by the way. All you have to do is hit the streets of your local Chinatown until you hear, "Pssst, need to call China?" Then you can buy a $5 card that gets you about 200 minutes of Asian telephone access.

Well, after two weeks of traveling in northeast China with his friend Josh and after Aaron broke Josh's ankle in a go kart incident, Aaron is finally on his own and missing me terribly. FINALLY!

He just left for some city in the middle of China where he will begin "experiencing" Chinese Muslims again. Not the minority group who look Turkish (the Uighurs) but the ones who look Han Chinese (the Hui). He took a 20 hour train ride to this region on a sold out train. The only spot he could get is what's called a "hard seat". It's about as pleasant as it sounds.

Last we spoke, he sounded a little giddy. He hadn't eaten or slept much on the train and was in dire need of food. I'm hoping to get an update soon. If you have any questions you would like me to address in relation to his travels, don't hesitate to ask via this blog. Yes, you could ask him via email, but let's be serious. With my pull, I can get an answer lickity split.

Also, if we are lucky and very very quiet, maybe Aaron will write to us on this blog. Ooooo, it'll be like talking to Santy Claus.

Zai jian.