Mindful Eats

We Have a Winner: Best Water Bottle

Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile. ~Franklin P. Jones

One of our most popular posts compares steel to aluminum water bottles. We're really excited it's popular, because that means that more people are getting away from plastic bottles, blech.

Well, now we've found the best water bottle of 2010! If you're in a situation where you need to be mobile, glass just won't do. Metal water bottles are the way to go! They are environmental since they're reusable, and you'll save money over the long run. 

Plastic bottles can leach chemicals into water - that's why if you leave your drink in it for a while, it tastes like plastic. If the plastic is made of bispheonol A (BPA), there's increasing evidence that it disrupts hormonal functioning.

We've come down firmly on the side of high quality 18/8 stainless steel bottles. The trendy aluminum bottles used to tempt us with their stylish looks, but this good looking steel bottle has surpassed them in handsome lines. And besides, aluminum needs to be lined to prevent them from leaching aluminum (another no-no that is linked with Alzheimer's) into your drink. Who needs that?

Our clear winner of the year is the Klean Kanteen Wide Mouth. This one has almost everything:

• High quality 18/8 steel construction.
• A variety of sizes (we like the 18 oz since it's a good amount of liquid but small enough to throw in a bag).
• Wide mouth so you can see your drink and for easy cleaning - one of bad things about reusable bottles is you couldn't get in there to clean them out. You can with this bottle.
• Architectural good looks - nice clean lines.

It's almost perfect but not quite - if Klean Kanteen made the following modifications it might be:

• Put a thicker rim on the bottle. The nice thing about Sigg bottles is the thicker lip - it's very comfortable to drink from.
• Take the tacky logo off the side.

Oh well. The minor cons are worth the big pros. Investing in a stainless steel water bottle is an easy way to improve your health - you'll drink more water and avoid plastic contamination.

What to do - Use Water Bottles

1. Purchase a stainless steel water bottle. We recommend the wide mouth Klean Kanteen. If you want the insulated one to keep hot drinks hot, it'll be a few dollars more.  
2. Fill it with filtered water.
3. Keep it clean. Wash regularly - it is also dishwasher safe.

What I ate: 1 grapefruit, 1 latte, Fage Greek yogurt + ground flaxseeds + Sarabeth's jam, 1 cup steel cut oatmeal + milk + dried cranberries, 1 banana,  Thai soup, Pad Thai, stir-fried vegetables and tofu, 28 oz. hot chocolate, water

Exercise: 60 min running, 60 min vinyassa yoga

Health Tests: Know Your Numbers

The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. ~Benjamin Mays

Hi gorgeous! MindfulEats is beyond thrilled that you are becoming even more radiant and healthy. How healthy are you? Having a health baseline helps you figure out what you need to do, and it helps you set goals. When's the last time you went to the doctor or had your numbers checked? 

Get your numbers checked: weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose. Having a mind-body connection is important, but your numbers provide a health snapshot of a moment in time. They are not the sum of who you are - it's just a picture of where you are now, and they can get better or worse.

I started eating healthier 4 years ago after I went to a health fair at work. My cholesterol reading was 194, which is close to the borderline of 200. That's when I decided to improve my diet.

Don't be scared of your numbers, even if you suspect they are bad. Having "bad" numbers will make your improvements even more impressive! After I worked on my diet my cholesterol got better, but it climbed back up to 195 this May when I ate excessive amounts of dairy. 

We had a health fair at work again this past week, and I expected my cholesterol to be terrible since I had started eating meat. Instead, it was 166 - the lowest it had ever been. (Maybe it's the meat or eating breakfast). The point is, don't be scared. You don't know what the results will be, and they will be a great guide.

Sorry the picture is sideways. Flip your head - tests are in the left column, and normal values are in the right column.

What to do - Check Your Numbers

1. Get a blood work-up. If you have insurance, call your doctor to get a checkup today. If you don't go, you are wasting this benefit - you're paying all those premiums for nothing. If you don't have insurance, you can take advantage of health fairs. Check your community center or local health clinic - they will have them on occasion. You can also check your religious center (church, temple, synagogue), or work. If there isn't a fair, ask your clinic if they provide the service.
2. Look at your numbers. The picture above shows the numbers you should focus on. Look at the left column to identify the test, and look at the column on the right to see what the desirable levels are. Ask your doctor/counselor to explain your results to you. In general:  
   • Cholesterol is a fatty material found in all people. We need it to function, but too much of some cholesterol can cause problems. 
     • High Density cholesterol (HDL) is "good cholesterol." We often think of cholesterol as bad, but HDL is good - it protects the heart. The more of this the better.
     • Low Density cholesterol (LDL) is "bad cholesterol." This can lead to blocked arteries, heart disease and heart attacks, uh oh.
     • Total cholesterol are all the cholesterols together.
     • Total Cholesterol:HDL ratio - this is another way of calculating your cholesterol levels. The lower this ratio is the better.
   • Triglycerides are another fatty material - too much of this can lead to blocked arteries and heart attacks. Another uh-oh.
   • Glucose measures the sugar in your blood. Too much can indicate pre-diabetes or diabetes. 
   • Blood Pressure measures how much pressure your heart is putting on your circulatory system when it's pumping and when it's at rest. Too much pressure is tough on your system. You don't want to blow a gasket! When it's high, you have hypertension.
   • BMI is a weight to height calculation. You don't want to be too thin or too fat. These conditions will lead to other health problems.
3. Keep a log of your numbers. Use whatever system works for you. Handwrite them on a sheet of paper with the date at the top, then write your new numbers and the date in the next time you get your numbers. Keep a spreadsheet, or put your numbers in a file.
4. Look at your numbers and set some goals. Want to lower your cholesterol or glucose? Want to decrease your BMI? Want to keep everything the same? Awesome. Understand your goals and work toward them! 
5. Schedule an appointment for your next set of numbers. Look at those numbers to see how they compare to last time and your goal. Then put the new numbers in your log. 

   Knowing your numbers is an important tool for getting healthier. Don't be disappointed if they aren't as perfect as you want them to be. Stick to your eating and exercise plan, and they will get better. Promise. It's about getting better and improving your batting average, not about being perfect.

   What I ate: 50 oz. Gatorade, 1 banana, Yogi cereal + milk, 1 hard boiled egg, 2 plain Gus (not real food, but it works for me during a run), 30 oz. water, 2 lattes, mentai rice ball, lobster sushi, dried mango slices, macadamia nuts, almonds, eggplant + tomatoes + zucchini + Israeli couscous

   Exercise: Ran 20 miles

Sigg Aluminum Water Bottles and BPA

Lying is done with words and also with silence. ~Adrienne Rich

Many of you have stopped using plastic water bottles and food containers since you are worried about the health implications of chemicals leaching from plastic. The most popular post on MindfulEats is about steel vs. aluminum water bottles. We came down on the side of steel water bottles since they don't require a lining.

Especially a "secret lining". Even though we like the designs of the Sigg water bottles, we couldn't get over the "secret" ingredients they used. Why have a secret at all? It just didn't add up. Well, earlier this month, Sigg admitted that BPA exists in the lining of the bottles manufactured before August 2008.

People are outraged! Sigg maintains that the BPA in their liner was tiny, and all testing has shown that there is no leaching. Their new liners are BPA-free. If you are really concerned, Sigg will exchange your bottle for a new one by October 31, 2009 (but you pay for shipping).

No matter what, we still recommend using high-quality, unlined stainless steel or glass:

• Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottles (loop top or sports top) 
• Klean Kanteen sippy bottles for the kids
• Dr. Brown's glass bottles for babies. Glass is heavier, so these are small 3.5 oz. sizes

Want to read more about the Sigg controversy?

• Apology from Sigg CEOs
• Simran Sethi guiltfest. Apparently Sigg is one of the only products she recommended - on Oprah no less! We're not sure who she is or why she is recommending products when she doesn't know what's in them, but she appears on Oprah and Martha Stewart so you'd think she knows something.

What to do

1. If you don't own an aluminum water bottle and are still using plastic, see above for recommended products. Also read these posts on water bottles and plastics.
2. If you have a Sigg aluminum water bottle that was manufactured before August 2008, you have BPA in your liner. Don't panic! Sigg says that all the testing has demonstrated there is 0% leaching. You are probably fine, but if you want to participate in their exchange program, go here. Just do it before 10/31/09. We still recommend you get a stainless steel bottle.
3. In the future, use common sense. If you ask someone a question, and they won't give you an answer, be suspicious. Or just ask us at MindfulEats. :)

What I ate: Fage Greek yogurt + 1 tblsp Sarabeth's strawberry + peach jam, macadamia nuts, 16 oz. cafe au lait, 2 bananas, 6 squares dark chocolate, rotisserie chicken + brown rice + roasted asparagus, 1 nectarine, sauteed squash, whole wheat spaghetti + Rao's sauce, kettle corn, water

Exercise: None

Handy List of Healthy Resources and Tools

Have you ever noticed how many great health resources there are on the web? Do you ever wish you could go to just one spot for really great health resources? We do! So we've consolidated useful information like calorie charts, sustainable seafood list, foods with high amounts of pesticides, and other stuff into one page.  It's over on the left-hand side of the page. Or here:

Handy List Of Healthy Resources

If you have others that you really like, share it with us in the comments!

What I ate: vegetable juice, sauteed swiss chard, 2 scrambled eggs, Oikos yogurt + strawberries + ground flax seed + wheat germ, Swedish potato chips, swedish fish (OK I went to Ikea and was curious about Swedish chips - they're like American ones), hummus + carrots, Mindful Mix, 2 lattes, cherries, 2 shell peas, strawberries, small original Red Mango yogurt + blueberries + pineapple + raspberries, 1 apple, boiled shrimp + red leaf lettuce + radishes + goat cheese, Mike's pickled sugar snaps, 1 hot chocolate, 1 coconut water, water

Exercise: 75 min yoga

Hassle-Free Healthy Meal: Saute

Sauteed broccoli rabe and shiitake mushrooms

"We never repent of having eaten too little." - Thomas Jefferson  

You can saute anything.  This is as basic as it gets. As part of the utilitarian cooking series (fast but mindful), this quick method is indispensible. It's similar to stir-fry, but over lower heat and without the constant movement. Meat, seafood, vegetables - it's all possible. If we're confronted with a food and not sure what to do with it, we saute it! So, let's get down to it.

Pack Food in Glass instead of Tupperware

You are eating more mindfully and preparing your own foods. (Yay!) You're even bringing your lunch to work. But you're grossed out by the thought of plastics leaching into your food. Especially since heating plastic makes containers leach into your food even more. So what is the best way to bring your lunch if you need to heat it up in the microwave?

After shopping around, we found a couple alternatives to plastic containers: metal and glass. Metal is lighter than glass, but since you can't put it in the microwave we ruled it out. As for glass, the biggest problem was leaking. The winning option (picture at top) has a snap on plastic lid with silicone to make it leak-proof (you can even bring soup.) The downside is that it's glass is heavier than plastic, so be prepared for the additional weight in your bag. It might be a bit heavier, but it's better than having chemicals leached into your food!

What to do - Replace Your Plastic Lunch Container with Glass

1. Think about the food you need to carry. If you will be heating anything in the microwave, get a glass container. If you will not be heating anything (e.g. salad or cut fruit), you can use metal since it is lighter. 
2. Go to the store and consider your different container options. The kind that we favor has four "snaps" to keep the lid attached, and a silicone seal to prevent leaking. This particular brand is "Glasslock by Snapware." We found these containers at the Container Store and Bed, Bath and Beyond.
3. Think about how large your lunch is, and buy the smallest option. These containers are heavy! We started out with the medium square 3.8 cup version, then downsized to the medium round 3 cup version since we don't need to bring that much food in, and the weight savings is nice. 
4. Microwave your food without the lid on - put a paper towel over the top to keep it from splattering. 

Congratulations on packing your lunch! You are being mindful about your food choices, and the savings for your wallet can go towards higher-quality food choices. You rock!

What I ate: 14 oz. green juice, 1 hardboiled egg, 1 slice whole wheat bread + 1.5T garlic hummus, 1 grapefruit, 1 cup green tea, 1 cup whole wheat spaghetti, 1/3 cups bean chili, 1 cafe au lait,  2 oz. cashews + macadamia nuts, 1 oz. pumpkin seeds, 3 squares dark chocolate, 5 dried apricots, 1 small madeleine, 1 cup split pea soup, 1.5 cup mushroom + butternut squash + parmesan risotto, 50 oz. water

Exercise: None

You Need a Water Filter for Optimal Health

"Expect poison from the standing water." -William Blake

Drinking lots of clean water is necessary for good health (as is high-quality food, exercise and sleep). Water seems uncomplicated - it tends to come from a bottle or the sink. In many developed countries (including the U.S.), municipal water has been purified and is drinkable from the tap. So how clean is the water that you drink? 

Bottled water. Unless you are testing your water, you probably don't know how "pure" it really is. Some testing suggests that it is no cleaner than tap water, as this old USA Today article reports. Bottled water also doesn't contain fluoride, which helps prevent cavaties. It may not be any better than tap, and it costs more in terms of your wallet (no need to pay money for something that provides no value over the free stuff), and the environment (all those needless plastic bottles being used). Of course, you can filter it, but what's the point? Not so smart, slick.

Mindful Goals: Creating Healthy Habits

Trip to Mongolia, a childhood dream of mine - Sunrise on Lake Hovsgal

"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it."   -William Arthur Ward

You might know about being healthy, but how will you know when you are healthy? We talked about the first step to leading a more healthy lifestyle, which is understanding where you are. Establishing the baseline was hard work. Congratulations! Now it's time for the fun part - dreaming and goal setting. Set aside 15 minutes to create your goals. You have 15 minutes to invest in having a better life - being happier, more attractive, and energetic - don't you? We thought so. You've done the hardest part anyway. Don't skimp on this easy, but critical, next step.

Water Bottles - Stainless Steel or Aluminum?

 Stainless steel vs. Aluminum Water Bottle.

"Water is the only drink for a wise man." - Henry David Thoreau

3/1/10 Update: We've found a great-looking steel water bottle, so the clear winner of the contest is steel over aluminum.

9/19/09 Update: Sigg admitted that their former "secret" lining contained BPA (but maintains it does not leach). MindfulEats is proud that we always noted the squirellyness of their secret lining and we still stand by this post.

As we discussed in a prior post, you should be drinking filtered tap water. The Mayo Clinic, a renowned medical center, advises that your fluid intake may be adequate if "you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day." Sorry to be crude, but have you ever measured how much urine you are producing? We didn't think so. You can probably drink more water. 

It's easy to drink water when you're sitting in one place, but what about when you're running around town or exercising? Then you need a water bottle. Glass breaks and we know that we don't want plastic. That leaves metal.

How to Grocery Shop

Whole Foods Market, Union Square, 1/31/09

"He who fails to plan, plans to fail."

Some people fantasize about going to the market every morning to pick up their freshly picked, baked or butchered food for the day's meals. Not me. I don't have time for that, and even if I did, I've got other things to do with my time.  

I've been eating for decades, but I only recently figured out that that eating is a process, not a big project that I could finish and be done with. The problem with eating mindfully was that I could eat well one day, but then I would have to do it the next day and the next day and the day after that. It never stops! The only way for me to eat healthily is to plan.  Plan your meals and snacks a full week at a time. You will actually waste less time on food shopping and prep, and you will be eating healthy most of the time instead of in a hit-and-miss way. Eating healthy doesn't just happen. It takes a little work, but the payoff is huge. You will have more energy and look better - the energy boost from being healthy will more than compensate for the extra time spent planning, and the confidence from looking and feeling great is priceless. Invest a little time in a weekly food plan, and you're batting average for mindful eating is going to skyrocket.