My dad's favorite meal has always been white beans and cornbread. When my mom made it, it exhibited love. As I have been reading about balanced proteins, I stumbled upon this paragraph in Wikipedia:
"For example, grain protein has a PDCAAS of about 0.4 to 0.5, limited by lysine. On the other hand, it contains more than enough methionine. White bean protein (and that of many other pulses) has a PDCAAS of 0.6 to 0.7, limited by methionine, and contains more than enough lysine. When both are eaten in roughly equal quantities in a diet, the PDCAAS of the combined constituent is 1.0, because each constituent's protein is complemented by the other."
This lysine and methionine they are speaking of has to do with some of the essential acids that our bodies need. Essential acids are provided in proteins. What is a good protein? Well, meat sources tend to be complete on their own. Vegetable proteins, such as corn, and grain proteins, such as flour, and bean proteins, such as soy, and legume proteins, such as peanuts, all have amounts of protein, but alone are not balanced. That's why it is good to pair them up to make the essential acid elements more balanced. In short, proteins are made of essential acids and our bodies make half of them and then half of them we must eat.
Here is the conflict: If you are working out several times a week or have a physically strenuous job, then meat protein sources are best because they release glycogen. But that is for another post. Most relevant for this post is to remember that when eating the Zone diet, we are striving for the 40% carbs, 30%protein, 30%fat. We achieve this through the block system of counting. A half cup of white beans has one block of protein (7g) to almost 2 blocks of carbs (16g). This creates more of an insulin response than desired for hormonally balanced nutrition. I love talking smart! Believe me, I am no robot. This does not come easy. But it does come, when I am diligent. And then, I feel better. I am motivated to acheive this Zone balance right now because I miss "being in the Zone". SInce Christmas, I have tried to make healthy choices without the precision. I won't say that I have failed, and I will say, the measuring was driving me crazy and taking over 1/2 my mental energy every day, BUT, I will also say, that I miss the benefits of knowing exactly what and how much food I put in my body. When I am attempting to stick to the guidlines and proportions, I feel better. Here's how I have felt lately:
-bloated, yuck!
-tired
-acne breakouts
-and another one I can't remember...oh yeah, cloudy thoughts, less productive during the day
I am tired of these things, so I think I will go back to what I know, and I am so glad that I know what will work!
My husband says it best, "Even if you aren't competing, wouldn't you rather have all the benefits of eating better?"
Read the link to "protein sources". I found it extremely helpful and insightful as I sought to understand what exactly is a "balanced protein?"
About this blog
In other words, the Zone + Crossfit = Optimal Heath!
This blog focuses on nutrition, using the Zone Diet as the basis. However, I often eat Paleo foods in Zone proportions.
I love to investigate anything having to do with food- what we eat and why. And what happens within our bodies, our organs, our brain, when we do? My precious mother struggled with eating disorders. I want to avoid this delimma based on research, common sense, and the natural consequences on my body. The Zone shows me where the balance lies between eating too much and eating too little.
My husband runs a Crossfit gym. Exercise and choosing the right foods have become a mission for ourselves and our children. We don't want to be nerds about it, we just want to be healthy.
I have been asked by several friends what I feed our family, especially our kids. My husband and I follow the Crossfit prescription to nutrition (meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar). If you know me, you know that the sugar part of this equation will be a life long struggle given my love for chocolate! Evan adheres to the stricter version known as the Paleo-Zone diet (and I do on my good days!) which requires the same foods in a ratio of 40% protein, 30% carb, and 30% fat. Children require 50% carbs, 30% fat, and 20% protein. If you're wondering how to figure this out, I do it on a per meal basis and I have a "block" chart from the Zone website.
It seems like a headache at first, but if you're interested, just know that it is not that bad once you practice it for a couple of weeks. All you need is a $10 scale and some determination. It really is quite simple and makes my life easier at the grocery store and when cooking dinner. Most of all, I feel great when I eat well- mentally and physically, and we all know that the physical can affect the mental and visa versa!
Evan and I are hunter/gatherer wanna-be's! This blog will track my journey of health as it should be, and the honest reality of living in a sugar fried culture. When it comes down to it, I get excited to talk about nutrition, but I am definitely not perfect at it! If you have the desire to eat well, but it is often a challenge to overcome the temptations along the way, then you are in the right company!
I hope you leave this blog feeling enlightened and encouraged as you go throughout your day!
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