Wednesday at random
- Great story of the week: Homeless man rescues hopeless dog.
- Via Rational Review News, top honors go to a Forest Ranger who sounds like he deserves them.
- “Democracy breeds gullibility.” Which breeds worse.
- Dudeism! Now there’s a religion I could get behind. If I weren’t too busy swinging in a hammock in the shade. Sipping a Margarita. Tip o’ hat to Pirate King Lufty at The Mental Militia Forums.
- Long before I ever heard the terms “paleo diet,” “caveman diet,” “neanderthal diet,” or “pirmal diet” my food intake had been moving in that direction. My body simply told me (after years of abuse and more years of working toward better nutrition) that fruits, veggies, and nuts were what it most appreciated. Now I’m reading Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint: Reprogram your genes for effortless weight loss, vibrant health, and boundless energy and embarking on a 30-day experiment in going “all primal.” (Basically doing this.) I don’t usually “do” diets or do anything trendy if I can help it (and the primal diet has become tres trendy among libertarians and Austriophiles, thanks in part to vigorous promotion at LewRockwell.com). This just seems to make nutritional and evolutionary sense. I’m not, though, looking forward to eating more meat and no bread. Not to mention having no sweeteners (not even benign, benevolent Stevia!) in my morning tea. And I wonder how close any modern person can really get to “primal” without access to lots of home-grown, grass-fed, organic, non-hybrid, etc. foods (which we don’t have here in the remote high desert). Anybody have any “primal” experiences to share?
—–
Oh yeah. Almost forgot. It really was Colton Harris-Moore, the legendary “Barefoot Bandit,” who left a $100 donation with my old vet last week. He’s now known to have been in the area, thanks to surveillance video from a store and a couple of characteristic thefts (vehicles taken then abandoned when he’d gotten where he wanted to go). Sadly, his donation for abused animals and the note he left with it both had to be turned over to an FBI taskforce. I don’t know whether the money was ill-gotten or given to him honestly by a helper. If ill-gotten, it would be best to see it returned to the person who earned it. But since that’s highly unlikely, I’m sure my wonderful vet could have made better use of it than the fibbies ever will.
Share or Bookmark
June 9th, 2010 at 11:37 am
I am attempting to transition to paleo, at least somewhat. So far all I have done is to replace cooking oil with olive oil and cut out all forms of sweetener (aside from fruit juice.. which I dilute with water, the concentrated taste is nasty anyway).
What I do when I want dinner is I grab one of those bags of frozen vegetables that they make for wok. I don’t have a ‘wok pan’ or any of that fancy crap – I just fry meat and said frozen vegetables. It’s healthier, tastes better and is a lot simpler to make than a rice or potato meal. Win/win/win? Pretty much.
I still eat bread meals, not exactly sure what to do there. Maybe make some salads with cold leftover meat.
June 9th, 2010 at 11:50 am
Thanks, jellydonut. (And that’s a heck of a moniker for somebody going paleo. LOL.)
Good thoughts. I never even think about buying frozen veggies; just out of the habit. But given the prep time for some fresh-veggie meals and my dislike of elaborate cooking, good-quality frozen might broaden the types of vegetables I eat while giving a quick, reasonably wholesome meal.
One type of dish I really like (enough to even cook for it): braised chicken with fruit. That should qualify for paleo.
I’m about to head to the store this afternoon to see if I can find coconut oil (probably not around here; but if not I believe one of my fellow hermits has some) or lard (which I know the local grocer has in their Mexican food section). The very thought of cooking with lard after a lifetime of being told the stuff is virtually poison feels too weird. But gonna give it a shot.
One caution on cooking with olive oil … I use it for salads and other “cool” items. But I’d do some research before frying or doing other high-temp things with it. I’ve heard that it doesn’t keep its nutritional value under high temps. (But this isn’t an area where I’m really knowledgeable.)
Cutting out all sweeteners … that’s the hard part.
Heh. Maybe we can form a support group.
June 9th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I started what turned out to be a paleo-type diet, also based on info I first saw at LRC. I’ve just bought Sisson’s book and will read it, but for the past 6 months I’ve reduced my bread and carb intake to near zero, and confined my diet to meats and lots and lots of vegetables. I limit myself to no more than 600 calories every other day. If one eats 600 calories one day and 2400 calories the next, your average intake is 1500 calories and you will lose weight.
You really have to count calories to stay below 600 a day. It turns out you can eat pretty much all the veggies you want and not get to 600. Even starchy foods like butternut squash don’t have that many calories. I stay away from potatoes, corn, rice, pasta, etc.
The up day / down day diet has paleo elements in that the cavemen didn’t get three squares a day. After they killed an animal and had a big feast, it would be a day or three before they bagged another. I found that I could eat just one full meal of veggies and feel full. Fasting all day just makes those veggies taste that much better.
I’ve lost 35 lb, my cholesterol went from 220 to 170, my BP dropped so much I got off all BP meds. I feel better and look better.
A good diet is as much about psychology as calories. What I like about the up/down diet is that it’s easy to muster enough willpower. When someone brings in cookies or other treats to work, if I was on a three month diet my willpower might not be sufficient. But now I just tell myself I can wait just one day and then have the treat if I really want it.
This is a way of life rather than just a temporary thing to lose weight. I really like being able to eat a steak dinner or go out with friends at a restaurant and not make a spectacle of myself by ordering only a salad. I can eat what I want – and then eat all the veggies I want the next day. When I go to the store, I buy whatever veggies are in season, and eat those.
When I do have bread now, it is really good bread, fresh baked and with the best ingredients. Then I really enjoy that slice or roll. Only on the “up” days of course.
I haven’t found it all difficult to give up sweets. In fact, I see people eating big bowls of ice cream, cookies, or candy bars and it looks kind of gross to me now.
My in-laws look at me throwing back a steak and salad dinner or frying eggs in bacon fat for breakfast, then adding all the salt I want, and they think I’m crazy. I see them eating sugary cereal that claims to be “heart smart,” followed by BP pills, cholesterol pills, and a bunch of other prescription drugs and I keep my mouth shut.
June 9th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I eat about 1/2 to 2/3 Paleo diet myself, but have some reservations about 1) no legumes, 2)ALL-saturated fats, and 3) no or minimal fruit.
I think most fruit, esp. apples, pears, and all citrus (and apricots for those who can’t live without them!) are OK. Berries of all kinds, as the doctor mentioned, are great.
You could probably get a better fat balance (omega 3′s and 6′s) by adding some olive oil. I blend 1 lb. of softened butter with 2 cups (light) olive oil to make a spread for veggies, sauteeing, baking and anything else I need fat for. It makes two pounds of “butter.” Refrigerate a few hours before using. It’s softer than butter and melts when left at room temp.
If you like fish, eat it instead of the fish oil. I eat canned or fresh salmon, tuna and sardines frequently, also trout and perch. Lake, river, and farmed fish is good, if you worry about mercury. Avocados are good fats too–on salads, and in sandwiches such as chicken and hard-boiled egg.
I think legumes–peas, beans of all kinds, and peanuts–are just too good for us to ignore. I know they aren’t paleo (nobody had time to stop and cook them, let alone dry them for storage) but they offer so much more than carbs–such as fiber, protein, B vitamins, and some minerals. Dr. Boyd Eaton from Emory University, who is one of the earliest paleo-diet experts, says that legumes WERE on the “Stone Age” diet that he recommends.
I’ve had trouble with grains (except oats) during the past few years, so I don’t eat them much anymore–only what I can’t resist, like a BLT when tomatoes ripen in summer! If you learn some home-made soup/stew recipes, and eat salads, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squashes and other starchy vegetables, you can live without most grains.
One warning: watch the calories. Fat can act like carbohydrates in the body *if you don’t get enough exercise.* So if you raise your fat intake, you MUST stay active, otherwise it hangs around in the body waiting for “starvation” to occur so the body can feed off it. When starvation doesn’t occur, you gain weight.
I can’t help you with the sugars because I don’t have a sweet tooth, and don’t add sugar to tea (or much of anything else). I do indulge in sweets occasionally, get it out of my system, and then don’t eat any more for a few months.
“Light” olive oil can be used in frying, and any other cooking.
June 9th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
I can’t imagine why your vet contacted the police regarding Colt’s donation. What good came as a result?
June 9th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Charles … [sigh] I’ve been thinking the same thing, especially today after I learned the FBI confiscated the money. All I can say is that my vet is the law-abiding sort, and since her office also functions as the local stray-dog impound (very small town and county), she has to stay on good terms with all the local law-enforcement agencies.
But I really, really, really wish she’d never said a word to the cops.
I know Colt is no “good guy.” But he did a good thing. And I hate to think of him becoming more sour than he already must be, if he thinks that even his attempted good deeds will do no good and be used against him.
June 9th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Of course the feds made her turn the money over to them. Theft is serious business, and should be left to the trained professionals. That’s why the “barefoot bandit” upsets them so – he’s not in their union.
June 9th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Pat and -S — thanks for the wealth of information.
Pat, I have the same thoughts about legumes (though without your level of nutritional knowledge). They seem healthy and I like ‘em. After this month of “experimental purity” is over, they’ll be the first thing I add back in to my diet to test the effects. (Yes, even before Stevia in my tea. Like you and -S, I don’t have that much of a sweet tooth anymore; had to get rid of it long ago because it was making me monumentally unhealthy. But I’ll miss having just a leeeetle sweetness first thing in the morning.) Mark Sisson’s version of primal doesn’t discourage fruits, though he does acknowledge that some are far sweeter than our ancestors ate and those should be taken in moderation.
-S, I’ve heard of that up-and-down diet — another thing that makes good evolutionary sense. Losing 35 pounds? Good on you! Off the BP meds? Even better. (I’ve also heard so many stories of people whose type II diabetes goes away in short order once they “go primal.” Always pays to be skeptical about claims, but the theory behind it makes great sense.)
Another thing it doesn’t take long to discover is that you might also save money by purchasing only “primal” foods. Now, that might not be true if you go out and buy only organic this-and-that or grass-fed buffalo (which I miss; used to eat it regularly in Wyoming, where friends had a buffalo ranch). But I notice that, even if I have to pay $3+ for 6 ounces of blueberries or whatever, I’m not buying those absurd $4+ boxes of crackers or $3 or $4+ loaves of whole-grain bread. (The boxes of cereal, I gave up years ago when prices soared and never came back down. Well, except for the occasional box of Cheerios for frying in butter, of course. But no more of that for a while, either …)
June 9th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
“Well, except for the occasional box of Cheerios for frying in butter, of course. But no more of that for a while, either …)”
Well, now you can eat the butter if not the Cheerios. :-)
Let us know how you do on this diet — how you feel ON it, and then COMING OFF of it. Don’t know how much breadstuffs you eat, but they convert to sugars and you might feel an effect at first if your sugar drops.
June 9th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Pat,
I’m looking forward to the return of the very occasional Cheerio along with the butter. Later …
I’ll definitely let you know how I feel on the paleo diet. Since my eating habits are already fairly close to paleo, I’m hoping I won’t get the “low-carb flu” from that sugar drop you mention. But we’ll see.
What I’m most hoping for: Greater energy and better body composition. (I’ve always been thin, but since puberty I’ve also had a little stomach pooch. Since reaching a certain age, my waist has been thicker than I like, no matter how thin the rest of me remains. I’ve just assumed that was the body type I was stuck with. But now I wonder if it’s really been diet-related all along. And now that we know gut fat is the baddest kind of fat, even in a person of normal weight, it seemed time to find out.)
If this month goes well, I’ll never tell you how I feel coming off it because I’ll never want to come off it. I’ll almost certainly want to modify it, though, and will keep you posted about that.
June 9th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
In many ways I’m jealous of you Claire. You say that fruits, nuts, and veggies are the things your stomach is happiest with, those are the three things my stomach is the worst with, and I LOVE fresh fruit!!!
I can usually get by if the veggies are cooked to mushiness, like in a slow-cooked stew. I’ve lived on soups for years now. Recently a doctor suggested Digest-EZ, which contains a whole bunch of the enzymes she was sure I was short on, and that plus the acidophilus you recommended have made a huge difference. But I doubt I’d be able to survive on the paleo diet as published.
I kind of fell into my own diet, I eat 99% things I could grow or make from scratch, if I wanted to. Eventually I’d like to get to where I AM growing or making them from scratch, but life keeps happening instead. My goal this year is to add a bathroom and root cellar to my land, putting a house up is going to have to wait longer due to a number of factors.
(Although, knowing the area, most of those factors would be waived if/when the collapse started, the town board is made up of preppers)
June 9th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Claire, you don’t have to give up Stevia for your morning tea. It comes as a dried leaf, either whole, cut or powdered. Buy the cut and steep it with your tea. Strain and enjoy. I get mine at http://www.herbaladvantage.com/
Judy
June 10th, 2010 at 5:23 am
Claire, I looked up cooking with olive oil and it would seem only extra virgin olive oil poses a problem. If one heats this type up too much it can actually create a toxic compound. Thankfully I only have cheap refined olive oil. ^_^ It says also that if the oil is heated up too much and allowed to smoke it will give the food a metallic taste, I have yet to experience this so I guess I somehow managed to get the right heat.
If you want to know how I quit all forms of sweeteners.. I watched this:
http://www.sugarshockblog.com/2009/09/sugar-the-bitter-truth.html
I watched all 90 minutes but there is a shorter version available, I don’t know what they removed from that. On another, more freedom-related note, this guy points out something extraordinary despite his tax feeder nature and California academic facility employment: High fructose corn syrup allows for much higher concentrations of fructose in food. High fructose corn syrup is used in the same amounts as the sugar it replaces despite this higher concentration because of its cheap price. Why is it so cheap? Government subsidy! The same government that had the Department of Agriculture focus wrongly on fat food in the 80s also subsidizes corn farmers and so indirectly caused the fat epidemic they were too inept to see the real cause behind. Isn’t it fascinating?
June 10th, 2010 at 6:14 am
Judy, thank you. HerbalAdvantage.com looks like a great website. When/if I go back to using Stevia, I’ll probably give that site a try and will probably look to it for other things, as well. I’ve usually used Stevia in powdered or liquid extracts, but I’d prefer the undoctored leaf, I think.
But … I’m still not going to use it for the next month.The theory I’m working on (to put it in the most amateur & non-technical terms, which is about all I’m capable of when it comes to nutrition) is that when I give my body something sweet, it triggers a physical response. Body expects a sugary energy boost and responds accordingly, even if wrongly. (Mark Sisson explains better.) I have no idea whether this is true; I rather suspect that my body isn’t that dumb. Still … I’m just being a purist for a month, on a trial basis.
Besides, I do think I’ll benefit by de-conditioning my body to cravings for sweet stuff.
I’m having tea and eating walnuts and blueberries as I write this. The first sip of bitter tea was gross. But already it’s beginning to seem like a good complement to these foods. But 30 days from now, if I still crave sweet tea, I’ll be happy to go back to Stevia & see what happens.
I really suspect that eliminating grains (gluten grains, especially) is a bigger deal for health than quitting sweeteners.
June 10th, 2010 at 6:17 am
Ellendra. Wow, I don’t even want to think about not being able to eat nuts, fruits, and fresh, crunchy veggies. From that and other things you’ve written, your life sounds extraordinarily difficult. Yet you sound like you’re doing more than most people manage. Is there a Backwoods Home article in your future?
June 10th, 2010 at 7:29 am
Claire, adding mint, sage, ginger or cinnamon… bits of dried fruit such as blackberries or peaches… or steeping the tea for shorter periods may help take the bitterness out of tea. I’m sure you know this, but just reminding. I used milk only, but have heard that negates some of the benefits from tea, so have been cutting that out.
“I really suspect that eliminating grains (gluten grains, especially) is a bigger deal for health than quitting sweeteners.”
I think gluten is a bigger problem than many people realize. It took me awhile to understand that I have an intolerance for wheat especially, but for other glutens too — but I was tuned in to what might be the problem and quit before real damage was done. Sounds like you did too — and also true with use of sugars.
Cell change — for whatever reason — is a bitch, isn’t it? Good luck.
June 10th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Dude,
I think I ordained myself!
June 10th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Hey, Matt! Now maybe you could marry yourself, too. I mean, not in that sense. But, you know …
June 10th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Claire,
If you think that Dudeism is cool check out http://www.venganza.org/
About the diet… let’s just say that the court has not returned a verdict.
MJR
June 10th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Heh. The Flying Spaghetti Monster. Well, MJR, I don’t suppose there’s anything to stop a Dude from worshipping the FSM, either.
But isn’t he getting to be one of the old gods now? He’s been around darned near as long as Jehovah.
June 11th, 2010 at 6:08 am
Hey Clare,
After I showed a friend your Dudeism site he sent me The Flying Spaghetti Monster site which I had never seen before and I couldn’t resist sending it. (;~>)
I took a look hard look at the diet that you are trying and it is similar to what I do. What I follow is from the Carbohydrate Addict’s Healthy heart program. I have been on it for around 11 years and for me it works. I started being 231 pounds on my 5’8” frame. After 1 year I was where I was 155 pounds and have been in that area give or take 5 pounds ever since.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Mike
June 11th, 2010 at 7:28 am
Mike R, no worries. First encounters with the Divine Spaghetti Monster are known to have an overwhelming effect on seekers.
As to your nutrition plan and weight loss … that’s extremely impressive. Let me ask you — did you follow one variation of the plan for weight loss, then another for maintenance? Or did you follow the exact same plan all along and your body just found its own equilibrium point?
My progress: Two days in I’m a little light-headed and grouchy (but the latter could be because the damnable desert wind is blowing again). But the worst thing is that I feel hungry all the time even though I’m not limiting calories. My body wants a tiny little something bready, crackery, or sweet to signal the brain that it’s full. For instance, I can feel satiated after a big salad with croutons on it, while the same salad without them leaves me craving.
I’m not going to give in and add even a small amount of gluten grain, though. Given that this regime is supposed to reprogram my system, I figure even a few crackers could sabotage the effort. The only grain I’m eating, in moderation, is corn. And that’s only because tortilla chips are an excellent delivery system for avocados, tomatoes, and other good things.
I’m already getting used to unsweetened tea and (thanks, Pat) it tastes okay lightly steeped and with a cinnamon stick in the pot.
June 11th, 2010 at 8:14 am
Claire,
I’m not desparate enough to marry myeslf! ;o) However, I could now marry my kids without going to jail. Ha!
June 11th, 2010 at 10:01 am
Hey Claire,
Simply put I have three meals a day with the first two being half protein and half greens. Yes a plate with couple of strips of bacon, an egg and some fresh tomato slices is how I start my day. The third meal is one third protein one third carbs and one third greens. I also take vitamins to correct for what my diet lacks.
When I got to the weight I wanted I simply ate a little more until I stopped loosing and found a balance. When I snack it is with proteins that are not too processed. There are times when I go off the wagon as we all do( yes I tried the pan fried cheerios) but I come right back to what I was doing. BTW one of the snacks I treat myself to is home made beef jerky.
I feel for you being grouchy, the light headed part I don’t know about. I never went through that. I also never really felt hungry. I think the lack of hunger was due to the way the program works. Simply put when you eat your body kicks out insulin to deal with the carbs. If you eat things that your body thinks are carbs then your body will produce insulin which will look for the carbs that are not there and you will feel hungry with the possibility of a sugar crash to go along with it. BTW that could be where the light headed feeling comes from. FYI it is better to drink pop with sugar than diet pop because of this. Mind you I haven’t had a pop in soooooooo long I cannot remember what they taste like. For me it is soda water with a little orange juice.
If you want a little more info then you should look at http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/
Good luck Claire I am pulling for you.
Mike R
June 11th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Both grouchy and light-headed are often signs of low sugar. To counteract that without eating starchy-sweet stuff, check out Glycemic Index tips.
http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm is a good site.
Eat protein frequently, even every hour if necessary, and carry some with you at all times. Here’s a list I’ve kept. [They mention cheese and other milk products, also some breads—-just ignore that part.] Jerky is an excellent food, pemmican is even better (I have a recipe if you want it).
• Carrot/celery sticks with peanut butter.
• Half a protein sandwich (turkey, tuna, egg, etc)
• Hard-boiled egg or deviled eggs, kept in plastic wrap.
• Small container with tuna and cottage cheese.
• A medium piece of fruit with sm. amount of nuts or piece of jerky.
• Any veggies or fruit with nuts are great and very portable; keep nuts and raisins or other dried fruit in the car.
• Cheese and fruit, string cheese, or cheese cubes.
• Carton of yogurt, fruit and/or cheese; keep yogurt on ice.
• Repackage nuts, trail mix, granola, or popcorn into small plastic bags.
• Freeze grapes and blueberries, and grab when leaving the house. [Semi-frozen blueberries are great, even when not on a diet.]
• Carry a water bottle to make sure you are well hydrated.
• Whip up a smoothie and take in a thermos. Blend fruit, frozen yogurt, with a little vanilla flavoring.
June 11th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
One of my favorite authors is telling me to write an article. Wow. Claire, you just made my week!!!
I hope there’s an article in my future, I keep collecting ideas but haven’t written any. I’m experimenting this summer with a new technique for carving a garden out of weedy pasture, when I get a few more kinks worked out I’ll definitely write about it.
June 12th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Paleo type diets sound awesome to me…but I think I’m going to wait a few years…whenever my metabolism starts slowing down to managable levels. Until it does I’m going to continue to eat as much as I can get my paws on, as often as I can.
Now if you’ll excuse me I’ve got second-lunch.
June 12th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
And FWIW…Tea and Coffee with nothing in it ought to be an easily acquired taste. After a while you’ll notice the bitterness less and the full flavor more.
Good luck!
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Also at LRC:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig11/wiebe1.1.1.html
The paleo/libertarian (as opposed to paleolibertarian) connection.
June 23rd, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Be sure to check out the Paleo-libertarian group:
http://groups.google.com/group/paleo-libertarian/
August 31st, 2010 at 12:20 pm
*tips hat back*
BTW, I’ve suspected you were in Joel’s general vicinity ever since your blog post mentioning the tiny things they call trees in your area back when you first moved there.
December 9th, 2010 at 5:30 am
Hi there, thank you for that. I was looking for a hearty stew recipe to get me through the christmas month, and this seems great. I found a whole stew recipes site here too that seems to have loads of good stuff, maybe you can get some more inspiration there. Anyway, thanks, I will bookmark and read more another time ;)