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In Reply to: Re: the link posted by Oldtimer on April 01, 2006 at 23:04:41:
Oldtimer, you may want to look into the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load of the various foods in your diet. Here's a couple links on the subject
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/grains/gigl.html
http://www.nutritiondata.com/glycemic-index.html
Adjusting your diet accordingly may help in keeping weight down to an acceptable level. I too have hit a plateau with my weight. I'd like to lose a further 10 pounds, but can't seem to get there. However, because I'm within 10% of my ideal weight I don't worry about it much. I eat healthy and exercise regularly so I'm not going to worry about a few extra pounds.
I eat a rather high protein and fat diet. The fat I eat though is the good kind. No animal or dairy fat but lots of fat from fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, olive oil.
Fish oil from cold water species such as mackerel, salmon and sardines is an especially good form of Omega-3. There is some concern about mercury content in fish, but if you stick to smaller species such as I've mentioned, they have shorter life spans and mercury does not tend to build up as much in them. Tuna and swordfish, on the other hand, grow long and large and mercury levels can be very high in them.
Somewhat related to a post of mine on Journeys, there is some interesting new research in the Pacific North West on a small fish, Oolichan, which produces an oil that not only was the basis of the diet of many aboriginal groups but of their economy also. Studies are beginning to show that the oil or grease produced from this fish is perhaps the best form of oil humans can digest because its fat molecules are the closest to human fat molecules.
I say this is related to a post on Journeys because the hegemonic settler culture brought disastrous diet changes to the traditional diets of aboriginal peoples. In many cases, they were forced to abandon their traditional diet, which was high in protein and fat and very low in sugar and carbohydrates, and adopt the diet of the dominant culture. The result is an epidemic of obesity and diabetes among aboriginal peoples. As part of one study some elders of the Nisga'a nation in British Columbia are returning to a totally traditional diet.
Anyway, just thought I'd pass along these tidbits. Porceleindoll also had a good suggestion about adding berries to your diet. Blueberries in particular are rich in anti-oxidants. Berries, as it turns out, were part of the traditional indigenous diets I referred to. What I do during berry season is buy lots of extra and freeze them. Just rinse the blueberries in a colander, lay them out on cookie sheets to dry, place the tray with the dried berries in the freezer for about half an hour. The berries will freeze solid and then you can place them in freezer containers for use throughout the year.
