Just Try It Week 1 - 2nd Posting

• ·         Cooked oatmeal topped with almonds or dried cranberries 

I decided to dive into this one with even trying a new brand of oatmeal.  Sorry Quaker because my daughter and I do love you.  I picked up three boxes of BettterOats Oat Revolution which is old fashioned style oatmeal with flax - Strawberries & Cream, Peaches & Cream, and the Thick & Hearty Apples & Cinnamon.  This morning I decided on the Apples & Cinnamon. Easy microwave directions.  The package even serves as the measuring cup to add your ½ cup of cold water.  Microwave for 2 minutes and it’s done.  I tossed in ½ serving of sea salt almonds.  This brand is not as sweet as Quaker and I think I like that.  The overly artificial sweet taste is lacking making it seem hearty and more breakfast like. 

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 130

Total Fat 2g

      Polyunsaturated 1 g

      Monounsaturated 1g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 170mg

Potassium 105mg

Total Carb 26g

      Dietary Fiber 3g

Soluble Finber 1g

Insoluble Fiber 2g

Sugars 10g

Protein 3g

*Based on 2,000 Calorie diet

Vitamin A 20%

Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 10%

Iron 20%

Vitamin E 20%

Thiamin 25%

Riboflavin 20%

Niacin 20%

Vitamin B6 20%

Folate 25%

Phosphorus 10%

Magnesium 15%

Contains 230mg of ALA Omega-3 (14%)

So some of this didn’t help me in understanding how any of this helps me, especially flax and ALA Omega-3. Thank you Google! 

 

From About.com:

Flax Seed: The Low Carb Whole Grain

Nutrition, Health Benefits of Flax Seed

By Laura Dolson, About.com Guide

Updated November 16, 2010

Flax Seed is Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are a key force against inflammation in our bodies. Mounting evidence shows that inflammation plays a part in many chronic diseases including heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and even some cancers. This inflammation is enhanced by having too little Omega-3 intake (such as in fish, flax, and walnuts), especially in relation to Omega-6 fatty acid intake (in oils such as soy and corn oil). In the quest to equalize the ratio of these two kinds of oils, flax seed can be a real help.

Most of the oil in flax seeds is alpha linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is an Omega-3 that is a precursor to the fatty acids found in salmon and other fatty cold-water fish (called EPA and DHA). Because not everyone is able to easily convert ALA into EPA and (especially) DHA, it is best not to rely solely on flax for your Omega-3 intake. However, ALA also has good effects of its own, and definitely helps in the Omega 3/6 balance.

Now how does BetterOats compare to Quaker for nutritional value.  Not much of a difference.  Quaker does contain .5 saturated fat.  I think the boost for BetterOats is in adding the flax.  This seems to have added Vitamin E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, B6, and Folate, all of which are not listed on the Quaker box.  And, BetterOats has over double the Magnesium along with containing the ALA Omega-3.

New things or change is not always bad.  Just Try It!

Just Try It

Week 1 – 1^st entry.

Our organization is doing a 10 week challenge called Just Try It.  Each week we will get an email with suggestions in four categories:  nutrition, prevention, stress management, and active lifestyles.  After you try 1 or more you log your progress.  I’m going to try for 3 or 4 a week of the suggestions.

I have decided to journal or track my choices and how it goes.

• A whole-wheat pita stuffed with hard-boiled eggs - FAIL 

I liked this suggestion.  Here’s the problem.  I live in a fairly small town.  I didn’t realize trying to find whole-wheat pitas was going to be so difficult.  I’ve tried two stores with no luck.  Well, three stores but the first store I wasn’t really seriously looking, but just browsing as I was walking by.  Scratch that suggestion and move on.

• Multigrain pancakes with fruit and yogurt - FAIL

Another suggestion I liked.  However, again, not finding any multigrain pancakes in this town in any store.  I did find honey wheat pancake mix but the packaging left me with no desire to try it.

• One of the easiest ways to stop skin from aging is to wear sunscreen.  Try slapping on some sunscreen this week.

I find this one a cheat.  I always wear Oil of Olay with SPF 15 daily.  I once (does it repair itself) had sun damage on my upper lips.  Spent the day on a boat and fried my upper lip.  I had a permanent marking on the top of my lips that looked like lipliner.  Guess for a bit that worked in my favor to outline my lips.  But, it did freak me out to see the damage under a skin scan at a Women’s Health Fair I attended years ago.

• Use a hand basket instead of a shopping cart for small purchases. Do curls with the basket as you walk down the aisles. 

I did this one in two stores.  You don’t realize how tired your arms can get once you put two ½ gallons of milk in the basket.  I found it much easier to alternate hands after a few curls.  I still felt the slight burn almost an hour later. 

•  Do one full circuit of the store before you go down the aisles. If you are in a mall or shopping center, walk once around the mall and look in all the stores.

This was almost embarrassing to begin with when I started. I thought about my boyfriend from junior high who used to say “What will the neighbors think?”  After the first store the next two got much easier to navigate.  It’s true to the saying for this challenge – Just Try It.