Author Topic: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?  (Read 7386 times)

Vidya

A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« on: February 24, 2019, 07:34:29 PM »

All my life I've been addicted to white rice. I've finally substituted quinoa for it and I find I actually prefer the taste of quinoa.

What healthy substitutions have you made concerning food or anything really? Perhaps your experience might help others. If anyone were to come to me today saying they wish they could break their addiction to white rice, I would assure them quinoa tastes much better and is far healthier.
 

Kay Inglis

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2019, 08:52:09 PM »
I'm a coffee addict.

Over the years I've tried various herbal alternatives for a hot drink, such as chamomile tea, which felt like drinking diluted perfume to me. So I always went back to the coffee.

I recently discovered green tea with ginger and have cut down on my coffee intake by half - still a bit of caffeine in it, but considerably less than the coffee.

Writer of Cosy Apocalypse Tales
 

Captain Cranky

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2019, 10:27:21 PM »
Definitely cutting down on carbs for me, they have made such a difference to my health. And I can still eat some things I enjoy, like pizza. I actually prefer my low-carb base to regular wheat ones. I still struggle a bit with milk though, wish I could give that up  :icon_rolleyes:
If you dare nothing, then when the day is over nothing is all you will have gained. -Neil Gaiman
 
The following users thanked this post: Ghost

notthatamanda

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2019, 11:02:53 PM »
Cauliflower rice for rice or pasta
Greek Yogurt for sour cream
Add extra veggies to every meal.  Super easy to add a lot of veggies to eggs, scrambled or over easy.  Birds Eye steam veggies (if you can get them where you are) are fantastic, better than fresh even IMHO, if slightly more expensive.
Frozen peas in salad
Salad dressing made from 1 tsp to 1 tbpn each of oil, vinegar and spicy mustard (Gulden's or Grey Poupon).  I like grapeseed oil and red wine vinegar.
Squash.  I could talk about squash for days, but my favorite is to bake a butternut squash and one or two sweet potatoes and mash them together.
I'll probably be back to edit and add more later, so just tell me to stop if I get annoying. 
 

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2019, 11:58:04 PM »
Cauliflower rice for rice or pasta
Greek Yogurt for sour cream
Add extra veggies to every meal.  Super easy to add a lot of veggies to eggs, scrambled or over easy.  Birds Eye steam veggies (if you can get them where you are) are fantastic, better than fresh even IMHO, if slightly more expensive.
Frozen peas in salad
Salad dressing made from 1 tsp to 1 tbpn each of oil, vinegar and spicy mustard (Gulden's or Grey Poupon).  I like grapeseed oil and red wine vinegar.
Squash.  I could talk about squash for days, but my favorite is to bake a butternut squash and one or two sweet potatoes and mash them together.
I'll probably be back to edit and add more later, so just tell me to stop if I get annoying.

Veggie scrambles are one of my favorite breakfasts (or lunch or dinner), especially with squash and onions. Roasted veggies are also my afternoon snack if I find myself hungry before dinner. I like to put an over-easy egg over diced potatoes, peppers and onions. Just had that for breakfast this morning.
           
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2019, 01:10:15 AM »
I've replaced everything with red meat.

I've been zero-carb for years. No fruit, no veggies, no fiber... nothing but meat.



"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 
The following users thanked this post: Ghost, LilyBLily, David VanDyke

Vidya

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2019, 01:42:14 AM »
I'm glad you guys found good substitutes. Except for Anarchist, who I assume is being facetious.

Kay, would cocoa have worked? I assume it would taste similar to coffee but I don't know much about it since I don't drink any hot beverages. Would cocoa have too much caffeine too?
 

Kay Inglis

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2019, 02:21:33 AM »

Kay, would cocoa have worked? I assume it would taste similar to coffee but I don't know much about it since I don't drink any hot beverages. Would cocoa have too much caffeine too?

I was given cocoa before bed as a child as it is meant to help you sleep - so I don't think there can be much caffeine in it.

Years since I have had a mug of cocoa! Perhaps I should try it again.

I have also - and only recently - started to substitute non-alcoholic beer for an alcoholic drink on some occasions.

Non-alcoholic beer used to be quite nasty, but as it has become more popular brewers are putting effort into producing them and some are really nice.

It helps me cut down on my alcohol intake and is handy if I am at the pub but driving home (I used to stick to tonic water when driving).

I have a mixed case of non-alcoholic beer at the moment with lots of new ones to try.

Writer of Cosy Apocalypse Tales
 

Vidya

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2019, 03:22:22 AM »
I'm aggrieved. Quinoa is supposed to be a superfood. I'm eating 3 servings of it a day, so I feel I should never fall sick.

But as happens every winter, every few days, I'm getting a cold due to allergies. Sure, it's easy to cure with the antihistamine Montair [generic name Monteluskat or something] but that tablet has bad side effects; it always makes me feel very sleepy.

When I eat so much of a superfood, I expect it to give me immunity to everything. And I do also take a daily multivit packed with Vits A, B, D, etc. And I eat an orange and/or grapes every day, so I know I'm getting Vit C.

So I feel I should never fall sick and should definitely never catch a cold, even an allergy one.

Maybe I need more zinc. I eat no red meat, only chicken. And I very seldom ingest dairy foods like butter, cheese and milk since I don't like the taste. So maybe I'm not getting enough zinc. I don't think my multivit is high in zinc.

since i drink no tea, coffee, alcohol, soft drinks, sodas, etc, i doubt anything could be leaching the good stuff from the foods i eat.
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2019, 03:24:53 AM »
I'm glad you guys found good substitutes. Except for Anarchist, who I assume is being facetious.

Why do you think I'm being facetious?

The carnivore (zero carb) diet isn't a new thing. A lot of people follow it.

Principia Carnivora (20,000+ members)
Zeroing In On Health (24,000+ members)
100% Carnivore… and Beyond! (8,000+ members)
World Carnivore Tribe (26,000+ members)

If you're unaware about something, it seems better to ask for clarity than dismiss it.


"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 
The following users thanked this post: Oscar Luster

Vidya

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2019, 03:30:51 AM »
You were serious? I assumed you were joking since you said no fiber. Don't you get very constipated?
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2019, 03:48:12 AM »
You were serious? I assumed you were joking since you said no fiber. Don't you get very constipated?

Yes, I was serious.

Nope, constipation is not an issue at all. In fact, studies are now surfacing that suggest fiber may do more harm than good in that regard. Personally, my digestion/elimination has never been better since going zero-carb.

My body uses everything I eat. Minimal waste.

Here's an interesting story of one man's experience with digestion/elimination if you're game (it's a big graphic): http://roarofwolverine.com/archives/412

Here's a blog written by Kelly Hogan detailing her experience with a 100% meat diet. (Her before and after pics are amazing.): http://myzerocarblife.jamesdhogan.com/wp/

And for a broader spectrum of experiences with zero carb, this site offers interesting anecdotes: http://meatheals.com

FWIW, when it comes to diet and exercise, I refrain from recommending courses of action. Everyone should do what works for him/her. This is what works for me.

To that end, here's what I'm having for breakfast...





Yum. :)
"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 
The following users thanked this post: Oscar Luster, Ghost

Captain Cranky

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2019, 07:21:28 AM »
I've replaced everything with red meat.

I've been zero-carb for years. No fruit, no veggies, no fiber... nothing but meat.

Ha, I knew it! I had a feeling looking at all your meat pictures (which had me eating steak for dinner the other night and another the next morning-I was salivating). I've been looking on and off at going carnivore, at this stage I can't seem to quite make the jump. Any chance you'd let me pick your brain at some point?  Grin
If you dare nothing, then when the day is over nothing is all you will have gained. -Neil Gaiman
 

Tom Wood

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2019, 07:43:25 AM »
I've replaced everything with red meat.

I've been zero-carb for years. No fruit, no veggies, no fiber... nothing but meat.

Ha, I knew it! I had a feeling looking at all your meat pictures (which had me eating steak for dinner the other night and another the next morning-I was salivating). I've been looking on and off at going carnivore, at this stage I can't seem to quite make the jump. Any chance you'd let me pick your brain at some point?  Grin

Don't fall for it Anarchist!

 

Captain Cranky

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2019, 09:06:11 AM »
.
If you dare nothing, then when the day is over nothing is all you will have gained. -Neil Gaiman
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2019, 09:42:48 AM »
I've replaced everything with red meat.

I've been zero-carb for years. No fruit, no veggies, no fiber... nothing but meat.

Ha, I knew it! I had a feeling looking at all your meat pictures (which had me eating steak for dinner the other night and another the next morning-I was salivating). I've been looking on and off at going carnivore, at this stage I can't seem to quite make the jump. Any chance you'd let me pick your brain at some point?  Grin

Of course. Hit me up whenever you want. I'm happy to describe my n=1 experiences. And I've picked up a thing or two that might prove useful.


Don't fall for it Anarchist!



Captain Cranky can trap me any time. ;)





"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 

Captain Cranky

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2019, 09:45:34 AM »
LMAO thanks Anarchist. Let me mull over it, I'm just starting a degree today so my brain is on overload, I'll get back to you with some questions. Thanks again!
If you dare nothing, then when the day is over nothing is all you will have gained. -Neil Gaiman
 

angela

  • Short Novel unlocked
  • ***
  • Posts: 493
  • Thanked: 447 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Indie publishing since 2011. Still kickin'.
Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2019, 10:36:30 AM »
There are so many things.

- Correct flossing technique.
- Low carb
- Intermittent fasting
- Getting up the same time every day
- Installing f.lux to block blue light from screens after sunset so I can go to bed on time
- How to be more kind to myself and everyone around me (working on it)
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2019, 10:39:32 AM »
LMAO thanks Anarchist. Let me mull over it, I'm just starting a degree today so my brain is on overload, I'll get back to you with some questions. Thanks again!

Whenever it's convenient for you. This week, next month, whenever.
"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2019, 10:40:29 AM »

- Getting up the same time every day


This had a big impact on me, as well.
"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 

LilyBLily

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #20 on: February 25, 2019, 10:50:49 AM »
Low carb is great. A favorite restaurant experience in Melbourne was an all-meat place. First course: meat. Second course: more meat. Third course: even more meat. Not a potato in sight, although I seem to recall maybe a tomato and eventually some strawberries for dessert.

Stay off the sugar if you want to avoid diabetes. Or go on it heavily if you want to be less anxious without using actual drugs. You can always back away from sugar addiction but apparently it's very difficult to shake some of the other kinds.
 
 

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #21 on: February 25, 2019, 10:57:27 AM »

- Getting up the same time every day


This had a big impact on me, as well.

At my age, the time I get up every day depends on my bladder.  :shrug
           
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #22 on: February 25, 2019, 11:29:21 AM »
Low carb is great. A favorite restaurant experience in Melbourne was an all-meat place. First course: meat. Second course: more meat. Third course: even more meat. Not a potato in sight, although I seem to recall maybe a tomato and eventually some strawberries for dessert.

Stay off the sugar if you want to avoid diabetes. Or go on it heavily if you want to be less anxious without using actual drugs. You can always back away from sugar addiction but apparently it's very difficult to shake some of the other kinds.
 

Personally, I feel much better eating nothing but meat. Dietarily, it was the missing piece for me years ago. Back then, I was eating salads, lean meats (chicken), and making sure I was getting between 30 and 35 grams of fiber per day. I was always bloated and saddled with digestive issues. Very frustrating.

When I went all-meat, every problem went away. It was amaze-balls.

I would never advise someone to do one thing or another with regard to diet. But I'm happy to share my own experiences.

By the way, I went to a place called Texas de Brazil for lunch recently. Oh, man. Meat, meat, and more meat. I don't know how much I ate, but I felt like one of the guys on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Rumor has it those guys ate up to 9 lb. of meat per day (of course, they were a bit more active than the average entrepreneur).



"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 

Kay Inglis

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2019, 07:05:22 PM »
"Personally, I feel much better eating nothing but meat. Dietarily, it was the missing piece for me years ago. Back then, I was eating salads, lean meats (chicken), and making sure I was getting between 30 and 35 grams of fiber per day. I was always bloated and saddled with digestive issues. Very frustrating."

This is very interesting, and demonstrates that dietary choices are a very personal thing, whether ideologically based or simply based on what makes the individual feel fit and well.

I've only recently suffered digestive issues (hence the reduction of caffeine and alcohol mentioned above) but it has coincided with me largely cutting meat out of my diet for more ideological reasons.

I was eyeing a steak the other day with some interest - maybe I should listen to my body a bit as well as my brain!


Writer of Cosy Apocalypse Tales
 

She-la-te-da

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #24 on: February 26, 2019, 12:47:27 AM »
Low carb. Hands down the best way for me to eat, and I hate that I "fell off the wagon" for so many years, and that for most of those years I was so poor I had to eat rice and potatoes to have enough to fill my belly.
I write various flavors of speculative fiction. This is my main pen name.

 

Edward M. Grant

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #25 on: February 26, 2019, 06:00:16 AM »
I'm on and off of low carbs. I used to be thin until my girlfriend got me eating potato chips, and then I wasn't as thin any more. Now I'm doing my best to keep carbs out of my diet but my work schedule often results in eating non-ideal food.

Also switched to playing VR games instead of flat PC games, which worked off a few pounds. But my gaming PC is broken at the moment, and I'm trying not to have to replace it this year. Hoping the Oculus Quest VR headset comes out before I have to give in and buy a new PC.
 

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #26 on: February 26, 2019, 06:23:10 AM »
I'm on and off of low carbs. I used to be thin until my girlfriend got me eating potato chips, and then I wasn't as thin any more. Now I'm doing my best to keep carbs out of my diet but my work schedule often results in eating non-ideal food.

Also switched to playing VR games instead of flat PC games, which worked off a few pounds. But my gaming PC is broken at the moment, and I'm trying not to have to replace it this year. Hoping the Oculus Quest VR headset comes out before I have to give in and buy a new PC.

Oddly enough, giving up potato chips and soda didn't help me lose weight at all. I didn't expect to drop several pounds right away, but I thought I'd lose something. Not an ounce and believe me, I was (and am) a Ruffles addict.
           
 

notthatamanda

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #27 on: February 26, 2019, 08:04:34 AM »
Oddly enough, giving up potato chips and soda didn't help me lose weight at all. I didn't expect to drop several pounds right away, but I thought I'd lose something. Not an ounce and believe me, I was (and am) a Ruffles addict.

Well they are deliberately designed to be addicting.  Flavored just enough to be interesting, but not enough to be satisfying, so you will eat more, more, more.
 

Max

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #28 on: February 26, 2019, 09:53:05 AM »
Low carb is great. A favorite restaurant experience in Melbourne was an all-meat place. First course: meat. Second course: more meat. Third course: even more meat. Not a potato in sight, although I seem to recall maybe a tomato and eventually some strawberries for dessert.

Stay off the sugar if you want to avoid diabetes. Or go on it heavily if you want to be less anxious without using actual drugs. You can always back away from sugar addiction but apparently it's very difficult to shake some of the other kinds.
 

Personally, I feel much better eating nothing but meat. Dietarily, it was the missing piece for me years ago. Back then, I was eating salads, lean meats (chicken), and making sure I was getting between 30 and 35 grams of fiber per day. I was always bloated and saddled with digestive issues. Very frustrating.

When I went all-meat, every problem went away. It was amaze-balls.

I would never advise someone to do one thing or another with regard to diet. But I'm happy to share my own experiences.

By the way, I went to a place called Texas de Brazil for lunch recently. Oh, man. Meat, meat, and more meat. I don't know how much I ate, but I felt like one of the guys on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Rumor has it those guys ate up to 9 lb. of meat per day (of course, they were a bit more active than the average entrepreneur).

Curious. Do you buy your meat from the grocery store or order it and have it delivered?
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #29 on: February 26, 2019, 10:16:32 AM »
Low carb is great. A favorite restaurant experience in Melbourne was an all-meat place. First course: meat. Second course: more meat. Third course: even more meat. Not a potato in sight, although I seem to recall maybe a tomato and eventually some strawberries for dessert.

Stay off the sugar if you want to avoid diabetes. Or go on it heavily if you want to be less anxious without using actual drugs. You can always back away from sugar addiction but apparently it's very difficult to shake some of the other kinds.
 

Personally, I feel much better eating nothing but meat. Dietarily, it was the missing piece for me years ago. Back then, I was eating salads, lean meats (chicken), and making sure I was getting between 30 and 35 grams of fiber per day. I was always bloated and saddled with digestive issues. Very frustrating.

When I went all-meat, every problem went away. It was amaze-balls.

I would never advise someone to do one thing or another with regard to diet. But I'm happy to share my own experiences.

By the way, I went to a place called Texas de Brazil for lunch recently. Oh, man. Meat, meat, and more meat. I don't know how much I ate, but I felt like one of the guys on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Rumor has it those guys ate up to 9 lb. of meat per day (of course, they were a bit more active than the average entrepreneur).

Curious. Do you buy your meat from the grocery store or order it and have it delivered?

I get it from the grocery store. I don't mind that it's grain-finished.


"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #30 on: February 26, 2019, 11:57:34 AM »
Kosher dill pickles instead of any number of o-t-c chalky liquid stuff for stomach upset. I have acid reflux and I take Omeprazole once a day, but after a while, it wasn't working so good. I stopped taking Pepto Bismol and Mylanta and Maalox suggested by my doctor and starting having a bite of pickle before lunch and dinner. Voila! No more stomach upset.

           
 

AmHere

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #31 on: February 26, 2019, 11:14:01 PM »
Kosher dill pickles instead of any number of o-t-c chalky liquid stuff for stomach upset. I have acid reflux and I take Omeprazole once a day, but after a while, it wasn't working so good. I stopped taking Pepto Bismol and Mylanta and Maalox suggested by my doctor and starting having a bite of pickle before lunch and dinner. Voila! No more stomach upset.

Any specific store brand?
 

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #32 on: February 26, 2019, 11:39:34 PM »
Kosher dill pickles instead of any number of o-t-c chalky liquid stuff for stomach upset. I have acid reflux and I take Omeprazole once a day, but after a while, it wasn't working so good. I stopped taking Pepto Bismol and Mylanta and Maalox suggested by my doctor and starting having a bite of pickle before lunch and dinner. Voila! No more stomach upset.

Any specific store brand?

I tried several brands including store brands and different incarnations; slices, chips, etc. They all worked but I settled on one for taste. Vlasic Kosher Dill whole baby pickles. If gastric distress rears it's ugly head anyway, I pop another bite of pickle.

If the pickles don't work for you, I understand almonds are a good alternative.

I still take Omeprazole in the morning.
           
 
The following users thanked this post: AmHere

notthatamanda

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #33 on: February 27, 2019, 12:08:35 AM »
Kosher dill pickles instead of any number of o-t-c chalky liquid stuff for stomach upset. I have acid reflux and I take Omeprazole once a day, but after a while, it wasn't working so good. I stopped taking Pepto Bismol and Mylanta and Maalox suggested by my doctor and starting having a bite of pickle before lunch and dinner. Voila! No more stomach upset.

That's bizarre since aren't pickles acidic?  I was on a low acid diet for possible reflux a couple of months, couple of years ago, no coffee
:(  but I can't remember any pickle restrictions.  Pickles are my go to when I want something salty and crunchy.  BTW - if anyone likes pickles, give making your own a shot.  You don't have to go through the full canning processs, you can just keep them in the fridge.  It's easy and so delicious.
 

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #34 on: February 27, 2019, 01:27:09 AM »
Kosher dill pickles instead of any number of o-t-c chalky liquid stuff for stomach upset. I have acid reflux and I take Omeprazole once a day, but after a while, it wasn't working so good. I stopped taking Pepto Bismol and Mylanta and Maalox suggested by my doctor and starting having a bite of pickle before lunch and dinner. Voila! No more stomach upset.

That's bizarre since aren't pickles acidic?  I was on a low acid diet for possible reflux a couple of months, couple of years ago, no coffee
:(  but I can't remember any pickle restrictions.  Pickles are my go to when I want something salty and crunchy.  BTW - if anyone likes pickles, give making your own a shot.  You don't have to go through the full canning processs, you can just keep them in the fridge.  It's easy and so delicious.

Apple cider vinegar is also acidic and yet it works for gastric problems. I don't know why. Maybe the acids need to be balanced or one counteracts the other.

My dad made his own pickles. He just used the juice from a jar of store bought and sliced cucumbers fresh from his garden to go in the jar. Yum.
           
 

Captain Cranky

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #35 on: February 27, 2019, 07:40:23 AM »
That's bizarre since aren't pickles acidic? 


I have read about things like Apple Cidar Vinegar helping because some people aren't suffering from too much acid, but too little.  :shrug I was using Omeprazole (Nexium) for ages too, LC/HF fixes that problem for me, and prevented the 'rebound effect' that I got when I tried to get off it without changing my bad eating habits. Kombucha helps too, I make my own, that way I can control how it's flavoured and whether there's added sugar after the first ferment. Every time I eat wheat products, or too much sugar I get digestive issues. I swear LC makes a difference with my migraines too, when I stick to it religiously the frequency and severity is far less, I haven't had a major one in some time now, thank God.
If you dare nothing, then when the day is over nothing is all you will have gained. -Neil Gaiman
 

Post-Crisis D

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #36 on: February 27, 2019, 07:44:47 AM »
Oddly enough, giving up potato chips and soda didn't help me lose weight at all. I didn't expect to drop several pounds right away, but I thought I'd lose something. Not an ounce and believe me, I was (and am) a Ruffles addict.

I know what you mean, mainly with pop though.  If you drink one pop a day, supposedly, that's the equivalent of 10-15 pounds per year.  So, doing nothing else, if you cut out pop, you should lose 10-15 pounds per year, right?  But it doesn't seem to work out that way.  I have pop occasionally, but I drink mostly water and tea now.  I've also reduced food portions, cut back or eliminated a lot of "junk foods", etc.  Maybe some people can do it, but weight loss through diet* alone doesn't seem to work for me.

*Diet as in eating better consistently, not temporary diets you only do for limited periods.

Diet and exercise seems to be the only combo that works for me.


If the pickles don't work for you, I understand almonds are a good alternative.

Ginger works well too.  Losing weight as well as knowing what foods not to eat too late in the day helps as well.
Mulder: "If you're distracted by fear of those around you, it keeps you from seeing the actions of those above."
The X-Files: "Blood"
 

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #37 on: February 27, 2019, 08:18:12 AM »
Oddly enough, giving up potato chips and soda didn't help me lose weight at all. I didn't expect to drop several pounds right away, but I thought I'd lose something. Not an ounce and believe me, I was (and am) a Ruffles addict.

I know what you mean, mainly with pop though.  If you drink one pop a day, supposedly, that's the equivalent of 10-15 pounds per year.  So, doing nothing else, if you cut out pop, you should lose 10-15 pounds per year, right?  But it doesn't seem to work out that way.  I have pop occasionally, but I drink mostly water and tea now.  I've also reduced food portions, cut back or eliminated a lot of "junk foods", etc.  Maybe some people can do it, but weight loss through diet* alone doesn't seem to work for me.

*Diet as in eating better consistently, not temporary diets you only do for limited periods.

Diet and exercise seems to be the only combo that works for me.


If the pickles don't work for you, I understand almonds are a good alternative.

Ginger works well too.  Losing weight as well as knowing what foods not to eat too late in the day helps as well.

I have to have a snack at bedtime to get me through the night. Doc's orders, actually, but I have to be careful what I eat. A chicken wing, a small slice of cheese, definitely protein but nothing sugary.

I also drink tonic water with quinine at the same time to protect me against nighttime leg cramps. Wow are those awful.

The downside of losing weight for me is once I start shedding the pounds, it doesn't stop. I lost 15 pounds over the last year or so and I thought that was quite enough. Then I dropped another two pounds bringing me down to 115, my weight from about 20 years ago. That wasn't too bad, but now I'm down to 114. Not sure how to stabilize my weight at this point.

           
 

Post-Crisis D

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #38 on: February 27, 2019, 08:56:36 AM »
Not sure how to stabilize my weight at this point.

I'm sorry I don't have any solutions for you but bacon makes everything better so that might be worth a try.
Mulder: "If you're distracted by fear of those around you, it keeps you from seeing the actions of those above."
The X-Files: "Blood"
 

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #39 on: February 27, 2019, 09:02:14 AM »
Not sure how to stabilize my weight at this point.

I'm sorry I don't have any solutions for you but bacon makes everything better so that might be worth a try.

Hmmm, pancakes and bacon for breakfast tomorrow. That just might work.

           
 

Captain Cranky

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #40 on: February 27, 2019, 09:03:56 AM »

I also drink tonic water with quinine at the same time to protect me against nighttime leg cramps. Wow are those awful.


You find the quinine works? I had read that it does, but haven't tried drinking it regularly. I get them too and damn, not a pleasant thing to wake up to.
If you dare nothing, then when the day is over nothing is all you will have gained. -Neil Gaiman
 

Post-Crisis D

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #41 on: February 27, 2019, 09:17:51 AM »
Since the thread is for food "or anything," I've got something in the latter category: Blue-light blocking glasses.

I imagine most of us are staring at screens excessively.  By the end of the day, my eyes would be pretty bad.  I already have to worry about my eyesight for other reasons, but having your eyes feel pretty bad at the end of the day is not helpful.  Plus, I should reduce stress, also for healthy eyes, and worrying about your eyesight is not a way to reduce stress.

After Amazon lost the initial order (detailed in another thread), I finally received my blue-light blocking glasses yesterday.  I am getting new glasses from the eye doctor and those will be coated to block blue light, but I had already had these ordered prior to my eye doctor visit and didn't see the harm in extra protection.

There is much discussion online regarding the harmful effects on blue light on our eyes.  At minimum, it can disrupt sleep cycles.  I haven't really noticed that as a problem, but all the time staring at screens does seem to do a number on my eyes.  There also seems to be some debate over whether the problems caused by blue light exposure are temporary or permanent.  I don't want to take the chance on the latter.

I've looked at these kinds of glasses before, but never got around to ordering them.  I wish I had.  I don't know if they would have prevented any damage but they certainly reduce eyestrain.

I received them yesterday and have been wearing them since.  I still have some problems since I need glasses to see close and so there is still strain on my eyes trying to focus, but the discomfort at the end of the day is significantly reduced.

I got ones that claim to block 95% or better of the blue light.  I have no idea whether that's true and no way to verify the claim.  It does seem to help though.  Hopefully, it's not a placebo effect.  Blue light does not show up as white as the ads claimed.  Some blue light appears less blue and maybe, kinda, sorta almost whitish, but not white white.  In other cases, I can still tell the color is blue.  And, in other cases, the blue is almost black.  In the case of hyperlinks using the standard blue color, they appear almost black, which does make seeing them a bit more difficult.  Also, my eMail inbox uses blue to indicate new mail and that shows up as almost black too.  Fortunately, it's also bold, but bold and black doesn't stand out as well as bold and blue.

The world is orange-tinted now.  Amber, really, I guess.  It's not too bad.  I can still tell white from off-white and stuff.  I do work in printing so when I need to see exact colors, I just take the glasses off.

Lights aren't as bright.  It's not quite the same as wearing sunglasses or polarized lenses.  Clarity is still there.  In some cases, things appear clearer perhaps because you're not being overwhelmed by the blue light.  I don't know.  They seem to remove some of the harshness of bright white lights.

Downside is that you need to keep the lenses clean.  A little smudge is noticeable and annoying.  The frames are not the best.  There were plenty of reviews on Amazon on how easy they break.  The plastic doesn't seem like a high quality plastic, especially not for the price paid.  But for the apparent effectiveness of the lenses, they've been worth it so far.

Despite the color change, I often forget I'm wearing them.  An amber-tinted world is less noticeable than sore, watery eyes.

It's also nice because when I drive home at night and it's dark, I can see better.  Not with the glasses on, but with them off and wearing my regular glasses.  My eyes aren't as messed up as before.  And this is only day two of wearing these glasses.

So, yeah, I wish I had bought these (which have been in the "later" part of my shopping cart on Amazon for two or three years) sooner.  So far, they really do seem to help.
Mulder: "If you're distracted by fear of those around you, it keeps you from seeing the actions of those above."
The X-Files: "Blood"
 

Oscar Luster

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #42 on: February 27, 2019, 09:36:56 AM »
I'm glad you guys found good substitutes. Except for Anarchist, who I assume is being facetious.

Why do you think I'm being facetious?

The carnivore (zero carb) diet isn't a new thing. A lot of people follow it.

Principia Carnivora (20,000+ members)
Zeroing In On Health (24,000+ members)
100% Carnivore… and Beyond! (8,000+ members)
World Carnivore Tribe (26,000+ members)

If you're unaware about something, it seems better to ask for clarity than dismiss it.

Believe me fiber is not beneficial, nor is it needed for regular elimination. My husband and I have been eating only meat for two plus years and are far healthier in our sixth decade of life than we were for the entire first five. The whole push to eat your veggies, fiber and fruit and cut back on animal fats and meat is a total crock.
 

Anarchist

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #43 on: February 27, 2019, 09:41:45 AM »
I'm glad you guys found good substitutes. Except for Anarchist, who I assume is being facetious.

Why do you think I'm being facetious?

The carnivore (zero carb) diet isn't a new thing. A lot of people follow it.

Principia Carnivora (20,000+ members)
Zeroing In On Health (24,000+ members)
100% Carnivore… and Beyond! (8,000+ members)
World Carnivore Tribe (26,000+ members)

If you're unaware about something, it seems better to ask for clarity than dismiss it.

Believe me fiber is not beneficial, nor is it needed for regular elimination. My husband and I have been eating only meat for two plus years and are far healthier in our sixth decade of life than we were for the entire first five. The whole push to eat your veggies, fiber and fruit and cut back on animal fats and meat is a total crock.

I remember freaking out when I first started, asking zero-carb veterans how to make the transition from 30-35 grams of fiber a day to zero grams. Should I do it cold turkey? Should I wean myself? If the latter, should I do it over a week or several weeks.

They told me, "Chill out, man. Eat meat. Drink water. Let your body adapt at its own pace."

So simple! (And I love simple.)


"The first lesson of economics is scarcity: there is never enough of anything to fully satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” – Thomas Sowell

"The State is an institution run by gangs of murderers, plunderers and thieves, surrounded by willing executioners, propagandists, sycophants, crooks, liars, clowns, charlatans, dupes and useful idiots—an institution that dirties and taints everything it touches.” - Hans Hoppe

"Virtue is more to be feared than vice, because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience." - Adam Smith

Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.

I keep a stiff upper lip and shoot from the hip. - AC/DC
 
The following users thanked this post: Oscar Luster

Maggie Ann

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #44 on: February 27, 2019, 10:37:03 AM »

I also drink tonic water with quinine at the same time to protect me against nighttime leg cramps. Wow are those awful.


You find the quinine works? I had read that it does, but haven't tried drinking it regularly. I get them too and damn, not a pleasant thing to wake up to.

It absolutely works. My aunt recommended it. Said she hadn't had a nighttime cramp since she started drinking it. My mom used to get the quinine pills from her doc but they weren't allowed to prescribe them anymore because quinine had never been proven effective. She suffered for years without those pills.

I only drink about four ounces and I add a splash of wine to make it drinkable. I do miss a night occasionally, but not very often.
           
 
The following users thanked this post: Captain Cranky

Captain Cranky

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #45 on: February 27, 2019, 11:01:43 AM »

I also drink tonic water with quinine at the same time to protect me against nighttime leg cramps. Wow are those awful.


You find the quinine works? I had read that it does, but haven't tried drinking it regularly. I get them too and damn, not a pleasant thing to wake up to.


It absolutely works. My aunt recommended it. Said she hadn't had a nighttime cramp since she started drinking it. My mom used to get the quinine pills from her doc but they weren't allowed to prescribe them anymore because quinine had never been proven effective. She suffered for years without those pills.

I only drink about four ounces and I add a splash of wine to make it drinkable. I do miss a night occasionally, but not very often.

Thanks Maggie, I'm going grocery shopping today, I'll pick some up :-)
If you dare nothing, then when the day is over nothing is all you will have gained. -Neil Gaiman
 

Jeff Tanyard

Re: A healthy alternative you wish you'd discovered much earlier?
« Reply #46 on: February 27, 2019, 02:14:09 PM »
I think my aunt used to have those nighttime leg cramps.  Then she started taking a spoonful of yellow mustard every day (right before going to bed, I think, but I'm not sure).  That did the trick; no more cramps.  I've heard of others trying this remedy, too, with great success.  For those of y'all dealing with those cramps, you might want to give mustard a try.  Make sure it's yellow mustard, not the brown stuff.

As for the blue light thing, Windows 10 has a setting for reducing the blue light during certain hours of the day.  It's got a sliding scale so you can decide how much--or how little--blue light you want during the hours you tell it to limit it.  It's pretty neat, and I use it myself.  Of course, that doesn't do anything about the blue light from the television.
v  v  v  v  v    Short Stories    v  v  v  v  v    vv FREE! vv
     
Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy (some day) | Author Website