A Conscious Splurge: Essential Mineral Follow Up

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Essential Mineral Follow Up

Ok, so a lot was learned for my December research project. As it turns out a lot of the foods I was eating (nuts, seasonal fruit, etc.) are rich in potassium. I now have a far better understanding of what essential minerals are, their whole food sources and why they are so important.
Additionally, I learned about stress (on-going in particular) and how it actually (literally) can deplete a healthy body's stores of essential minerals (and other vital nutrients). I read that it can also stimulate (or simulate depending on the activity level you are actually doing because I was under stress I was actually eating less healthy and working out less). Perhaps I felt like I was "starving" because I literally was missing essential minerals, funny- interesting really- that I craved sweets and refined carbohydrates and fat- the opposite of what the body needed! I thought about one of the macrobiotic cookbooks I have... it had a section on sugar and to try to "trick" an intense sugar craving with the opposite, savory or lightly salty (veggies, brown rice or even a little steamed fish or chicken), perhaps this is why!
I found a quick reference image just incase there is a next time I'm feeling out of balance. This chart shows which minerals support what body function. You can see an earlier post for their natural whole food sources (your best bet for absorption and assimilation of these minerals). Or take a couple of minutes and search the web yourself!

Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can cure the patient with food.-Hippocrates, 420 BC

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What are raw, macrobiotic and vegan foods?

My style of cooking and preparing food is very unique. It combines traditional American cooking and incorporates raw, vegan and macrobiotic principals. What these three have in common is that they all (respectively) use whole unprocessed ingredients to create beautiful meals and basically guilt free and seriously delicious desserts.
One day I'll have my own restaurant and our slogan will be "Come for the dessert, stay for dinner!"

Raw foods are minimally processed foods where the internal temperature of the food does not go above 115 degrees (to preserve the nutrition of the food as it is presented in it's raw form). There are different types of "raw food-ists"; raw-vegan (no dairy or animal products), raw vegetarians (just like it sounds. This diet relies heavily on a wide variety of veggies, fruits, seeds and nuts. Raw foods are best for my body in the spring and summer time. They provide amazing amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber and even protein!
Macrobiotic foods "emphasize locally grown whole grain cereals, pulses (legumes), vegetables, seaweed, fermented soy products and fruit, combined into meals according to the principle of balance (known as yin and yang). Whole grains and whole-grain products such as brown rice and buckwheat pasta (soba), a variety of cooked and raw vegetables, beans and bean products, mild natural seasonings, fish, nuts and seeds, mild (non-stimulating) beverages such as bancha twig tea and fruit are recommended. I cook macrobiotic-ally year round. I use this type of cooking to keep or promote balance in my body. Vegan Foods are similar to vegetarian and emphasize again grains, fruits and vegetables, pasta, etc. with out the use of any animal products (no dairy, butter, cheese, etc.) Die hard or "ethical" vegans do not use ANY type of animal products whatsoever.