Lettuce … our fluffy green friend

Lettuce? What do I have to say about lettuce? Not that much actually, but I have a couple things I wanted to share that have really made my life—as it relates to lettuce—easier. So it used to be that we would get a head of iceberg or romaine, and basically try to eat it before it went bad. Somehow, no matter what I did, this never worked out very well. We might get two days out if it before it turned brown, wilted, and had to be thrown away.

green is good ... even with a little dressin

So I tried the pre washed bags of various kinds of lettuce, and only got marginally better results. Plus, I find that most of the bagged stuff just does not taste as good as getting it right from the head. Apparently there are also some concerns with the bagged stuff over chemicals being used to prepare the lettuce for bagging. So what did I find that works?

The big ole box of mixed green lettuce. I love the mixed greens. Although it may not be as crunchy as the iceberg lettuce,which my husband prefers, it has nutrional value. Iceberg none. I find the box to be great, especially for a small family because it stays fresh for a very long time. Each box has an expiration date that is at least 10-14 days out, and it stays fresh up until its expiration date and beyond. It also doesn't have the funky chemical taste that the bagged lettuce can have. What's even better is the boxes come in various sizes and varieties and almost always seem to be on sale.

typical plastic box of lettuce

Another great thing about having a box oflettuce as a staple in your refrigerator is convenience. You don't have to cut the lettuce, and you can always make a salad or add it to a sandwich or wrap. A healthy alternative that is easily accessible is always a plus.

Be realistic but don't have salad paranoia. Understand that if you eat your lettuce with a mound of dressing and a cup of blue cheese chunks you will be eating a lot of calories. But don't get paranoid and think that you have to eat your lettuce dry with shreds of carrots... The point is, even if you do add some extra calories, you are still getting the helath benefits of eating a green leafy vegetable--one of the healthiest foods there is.

Incorporate it into other meals like sandwiches and wraps. Want to try something good, take a wrap and put a little of your favorite protein: turkey, tuna, grilled chicken, etc., and then fill the rest of the wrap with way more lettuce then you would nomally use and maybe some tomato and onion. Now that is good and healthy.

This lettuce lecture has ended. How do you eat your lettuce?

Stay Strong,

Kristi

How many times have you heard you should 'drink 8 glasses of water a day'? While I believe water is important, and is my drink of choice (supplemented by tea, coffee, and okay an occasional glass of chardonnay) is 8 glasses or more whether you are thirsty or not really necessary? I doubt it. When I hear diets and 'health gurus' reccommed huge amounts of water like it is actually going to do something, it makes me skeptical. While it is true that some people don't get enough water, maybe because they drink soda and coffee all day, I reccommend that you do something truly novel: drink when your body tells you it's thirsty.

On average I drink around 64 ounces of water per day, which is coincidentally 8 glasses-- hah go me. But I don't aim for this number. I just drink what my body asks for, and that is where I usually come out. Some days, like when I don't work out, it is a lot less. Our bodies are pretty smart, and believe it or not, will usually tell us when it needs something. Don't get me wrong, water is great and should be your beverage of choice, but you should not feel the need to drown yourself or meet a certain quota. Truth be told ... I've tried that before. You've heard all the supposed benefits ... 'it flushes out the system' ... 'it burns calories because your body has to warm up the cold water' .... yeah all it made me do is pee. So now that we have established that water is the drink of choice, what kind of water should we choose?

I have read a lot recently on other people’s blogs about the health concerns with plastic bottles claiming that chemicals from the plastic are being released into the water causing breast cancer and other health concerns, especially when left on the shelf or in a heated environment like a trunk. I have not made up my mind on whether I believe this finding or not. It seems like every week there is a new product causing 'alarming' health concerns. I personally am not fussy about my water except for the fact that I drink only bottled; not because I am opposed to tap water, in fact our tap water is very good. I just like the convenience of the bottle. Whatever brand name is on sale at my supermarket, I buy. Spring or bottled tap (in case you are not aware, Dasini, Aqufina, and some others, are just filtered tap) it's all OK with me. I see many people now drinking their water in metal containers that are supposedly eco-friendly and safer. I haven't thought much about drinking my water from a metal eco-friendly container. I guess I just find it much more convenient to grab a few bottles in the morning and head off to work. Besides don't the plastic bottles get recycled? Still, maybe i should think about the metal container ... four plastic bottles a day adds up to a lot of plastic bottles.

The number one reason I hear as to why people do not drink water is they don’t find it as satisfying as drinking their soda or juice. But really, once you give water a chance, like most things in life, you will find it is just as satisfying if not more. Because of people's continual quest to have their cake and eat it too, companies have wised up and are now promoting all kinds of 'flavored waters.' Like Vitamin Water. This kind of cracks me up. At 50 calories per 8oz serving, a 20oz container that you purchase is 125 calories, 52 grams of sugar, and 52 carbs. 52 grams of sugar in vitamin 'water'? More like sugar water. But I guess that wouldn't sell as well. While they claim that their water is chock full of vitamins this doesn’t sound very healthy to me. While the taste may seem more appealing, you would be better off having a snack. I personally believe in not drinking my calories since I like to eat so much. So I choose to save my calories for my food. The beverage companies and their marketers have an answer for this problem too, diet flavored waters and drinks. Let’s call these drinks healthy and low in calories while we load them with artificial sweeteners. Drinks like Fuze and Crystal Light. While they may only be 10 calories per serving, they are full of artificial sweetner -- and you know how I feel about that.

Therefore, if you want to be healthy, drink good old fashioned water. If you have a hard time getting used to it try squeezing a lemon or lime in there for some flavor. And, you can keep hydrated without drowning yourself. I would love to hear your opinion on this.

Stay Strong,

Kristi