Blaming the doctors

It's easy to blame the doctors for what's wrong with us. There's no shortage of of statements like 'my doctors didn't know what the heck they were doing', 'doctor's don't know everything', 'my doctor is an idiot' and 'my doctor was wrong'. But when we are in a health crisis and someone tries to give us advice, what do we say to them, 'what are you, a doctor'? So doctors are under some intense pressure to always get it right. Especially when it is US they are working on!

But slow your roll just a minute here. Let's play a game. And pretend you are the doctor. Your patient comes in with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, something many Americans have. What do you do? You HAVE to get those risk factors down fast before something really bad happens to your patient. So you prescribe the medications that will lower them fast (complete with all those wonderful side effects of the drugs). Your patient complains as the months go by about these side effects and ask you if they can ever get off of them? You tell them its possible, but they have to make some better health choices by staying away from certain foods.

Fast forward to the next visit with your patient. Their numbers are even higher and now they are in the danger zone of possible stroke or heart attack. And there you have it. What do you do, as their doctor, if the patient won't do what you have recommended? Of course you have to deal with whatever state of health they are in. I recently heard a doctor state exactly this, but he soft soaped it by saying 'sometimes patients don't always do what they need to do to get healthy'. Hmmm. Maybe it's time we point the finger at that person in the mirror. Health starts with personal responsibility.

Ranman lunch picture of the day: corn tortillas, kalamata olives, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and brown rice. All organic.

Red meat linked to heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and premature death

 Yesterday, the press released a Harvard study on red meat that said it all:

• Harvard School of Public Health researchers has found that red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of total, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality.
• “Our study adds more evidence to the health risks of eating high amounts of red meat, which has been associated with type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers in other studies,” said lead author An Pan, research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at HSPH.
• The researchers prospectively observed 37,698 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study for up to 22 years and 83,644 women in the Nurses’ Health Study for up to 28 years who were free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer at baseline. 
• A combined 23,926 deaths were documented in the two studies, of which 5,910 were from CVD and 9,464 from cancer. Regular consumption of red meat, particularly processed red meat, was associated with increased mortality risk. One daily serving of unprocessed red meat (about the size of a deck of cards) was associated with a 13% increased risk of mortality, and one daily serving of processed red meat (one hot dog or two slices of bacon) was associated with a 20% increased risk.
• Red meat, especially processed meat, contains ingredients that have been linked to increased risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. These include heme iron, saturated fat, sodium, nitrites, and certain carcinogens that are formed during cooking.
•  “This study provides clear evidence that regular consumption of red meat, especially processed meat, contributes substantially to premature death, ”. “On the other hand, choosing more healthful sources of protein in place of red meat can confer significant health benefits by reducing chronic disease morbidity and mortality.” The results also showed that substituting other healthy protein sources, such as fish, poultry, nuts, and legumes, was associated with a lower risk of mortality.

 http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2012-releases/red-meat-cardiovascular-cancer-mortality.html

Ranman snack picture of the day: banana, tangerine, brazil nuts, granola and soy yogurt. All organic.

Eating smart in restuarants

I worked in ten different restaurants for over ten years. I absolutely love eating out in restaurants and I've estimated I've done it over 3,000 times in my life. Eating in restaurants is a way of life here in America. And I'm not saying to ever stop, but let's look at how we can revamp the food choices there and still enjoy the wonderful restaurant experience that is so much a part of our social culture.

First, let's take the mindset of the restaurant owner. Are they in business for your health? Very few are, of course. They are there to make money. First and foremost. So, if you are the owner, would you (or your chef) buy the absolute best and highest quality beef, chicken, fish, vegetables and fruits for your patrons? No, because they would cut into your profit margin big time. The ones that do buy incredibly high quality also charge incredibly high prices, of course, to recoup the product purchase. But the 'average' place is going to have the cheapest oil, the lowest standard of veggies and fruits and meats as well. That's just smart business. But it ain't smart for health for their patrons. What's also smart business is piling on tons of sugar, salt, MSG and fried methods to seriously add flavor. And it works!

Like reading the ingredients on your food you buy at the market, it pays big dividends to think about the food you order in restaurant, since many of their ingredients are not on the menu, of course. So find your little victories in the smaller sizes, maybe the dressing on the side, perhaps getting something grilled rather then fried, etc. Being aware is the first step towards health. And it can be an enjoyable one as well if a little bit of incremental change is done . . . . . . one step at a time.

Ranman snack picture of the day: pineapple, bananas, granola, soy yogurt, maple syrup. All organic.

How far down does the rabbit hole go?

 'We get free lunches from the pharmaceutical companies so we'll keep pushing their drugs to patients'. My friend is a public health student at a very famous university in the U.S. But she's not a doctor. But those free lunches include her as well. Hmmm. I often hear about doctor's receiving money, vacations and gifts from pharmaceutical companies to continue to refer their patients to their drugs. You don't think those samples your doctor recommended 'just happened to land there in the drawer on their own', do ya? When you hear about a drug like Lipitor making more than $16 billion dollars and called 'the most successful selling drug of all time', don't it make you wonder what the heck is going on? We know that over half of all Americans is on at least 4 medication drugs a day!

You'd have to be an ostrich with it's head in the sand to not realize something is very wrong. I've said it before, our great grandparents didn't take all these drugs, for they didn't exist. So what has happened with our population that has our doctors telling us we should take these?

Well, for one, we have the highest rate of heart disease in the world. The highest cancer rates. But nobody wants to know why. And if they do know the reasons (unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, of course), they refuse to change. I see people each day, never questioning the foods they put into their bodies. Just kind of happily wolfing down every piece of junk food they can get. Are they stupid? I don't believe so. But I believe we have been conditioned to eat this way since we were little kids. I think they know certain things are bad for them, but there's no immediate consequence to their bodies (that comes later), so the pattern continues. And the sicker we become.

We are, by nature, lazy. Why do more when we don't have to? You constantly hear 'moderation is key', but moderation is making us sick and killing many of us. How far down does the rabbit hole go?

Ranman lunch picture of the day: romaine and iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, red bell pepper, cashews, chia seeds and balsamic vinegar dressing. All organic.

Choosing healthy choices throughout the day

I was in a restaurant and it was time to order. Now, did this mean I can't still order things I liked? Of course we can. Just order them with a few health building rules in mind. For instance, let's say you want an omelet, hash browns, toast and coffee for breakfast. Order the omelet and ask for egg whites only to be used. Throw in some veggies like tomato, avocado, mushroom, onion, bell pepper and leave out the meat and cheese. For the hash browns, leave them as they are, don't add a ton of ketchup or salt to them. For the wheat toast, ask the waiter for no butter on them. And lastly, for the coffee, maybe you try it black, without the cream and sugar, or, if you have to have them, try only one of them or a little less of both, see?

That's over ten small victories right here! And you can still enjoy your meal. Sometimes, a smart food choice means eating something not so good for you (if you feel you have to) and cutting that amount down. Hey, it's all about reinforcing good eating habits that will get you healthy.

The road to great health is a journey indeed. And you won't get where you want to be if you are busy putting yourself down for eating some food you know isn't the best for you. Find your little victories in every meal. And enjoy the ride :)

Ranman breakfast picture of the day: Whole wheat pancakes, strawberries, soy yogurt, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup and cinnamon. All organic.

Becoming your doctor within

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”-Hippocrates.

Did you know that the Internet is the new TV? Were you aware that you tube has more people watching it daily than all the major American TV networks combined? What if I told you that you could watch medical doctors and other health professionals talk for free, often for an hour or more, without making an appointment and paying a ton of money, just by typing in some words on you tube. So we have incredible technology at our fingertips (or keyboards :).

It's unprecedented. Start small. Type in areas that interest you. Since our country has the highest rate of disease in the world, I wanted to know about obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, organic foods, exercise, doctor lectures on health, etc. It's a way to start educating yourself. And that's the beginning of getting to a healthy lifestyle. Once you stop listening to commercials, billboard ads, radio spots and advertising, you can fine tune becoming knowledgeable about your health. That's taking your power back.

Ranman desert picture of the day: pineapple, banana, yogurt with maple syrup, granola, cinnamon and nutmeg. All organic.

Staying the course

I ain't no genius, that's for sure. I'm just another regular american that came real close to a heart attack or  stroke, something 600,000 of us here do each year and die. The pain in my lungs from multiple blood clots in that ER room was tremendous and no vicodin or dialadin worked until they came at me with morphine. But I'm smart enough to know it was just a short amount of time before some really bad stuff happened. I remember the nurse saying 'you made it. You got here in time. 50% don't ever leave their home. They just die right on the spot'. Gotta' love how blunt medical professionals are, eh?

So my motivation is very strong for never leaving healthy foods again. I believe that the foods we eat are the strongest possible medicine for our bodies. And I really like how good I am feeling these days :) It's been seven months now since I had my last burger and fries. And I just didn't think that was possible to do!

I don't have the room that others may have if I slip and start eating the foods that I feel made me sick. I take full responsibility for my heath choices now. And that's not something I used to do. One victory at a time, built upon one another, eventually wins the war.

Ranman dinner picture of the day: Whole Foods free range, grass fed chicken, lundberg short grain brown rice, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, teriaki and tamari sauces. All organic.

Attitude is everything

Growing up, I rebelled, like a lot of us. But now days, I'm all about 'buying in' to something I am interested in. So a positive, can do attitude can work wonders. Especially when it comes to health. When I go see my doctor every month, my favorite phrase to her is, 'whatever you want me to do, Dr, I am going to do it' :) Of course she loves that, but my point here is she is on my side, my team and here to help me. And my mindset is that I need to give her my full attention and work with her to get the greatest benefit I can. For in the end, it all benefits me. Only took me a few decades to figure that one out :)

So I listen to the doctors and nutritionists and other health minded professionals speak on healthy lifestyle and I do all I can to emulate that. I research, experiment with recipes that taste good, read labels on foods I buy, ask questions, etc. But the person who continues to inspire and influence me the most is my step father. He was a fisherman, a produce man for over 30 years and ran a health food store when I was young. He's been eating healthy foods for decades and has never taken an aspirin, had a stomach ache or even been to a doctor in his entire life! He acts like a man 30 years younger. So I do everything I can to learn from him. And that's probably the wisest choice I have ever made in my return to health.

Ranman lunch picture of the day: Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, salmon, curry powder, balsamic vinegar, pumpkin seeds and hazelnuts. All organic.

Choosing the choices

This one made me think for awhile.
"Obesity, diabetes, heart disease & high-blood pressure are all diet-related health issues that cost this country more than $120 billion each year". First Lady Michelle Obama. 
With such devastating statistics like this, it makes you wonder why people don't heed that knowledge and make a healthier change. But once you get out of the home, what do you see? Everywhere, within easy access, are restaurants, drive throughs, stands, convenience stores and markets filled with food that will eventually (in my opinion) make you part of the above statistics.

We grow up trusting our government to make sure our food supply is safe and healthy. And it takes work to read between the lines. You start reading food labels and you start seeing allot of stuff that ain't so good for you. But this is all part of the new educational process that is going viral on the internet. People are getting smart about this stuff.

Getting a big picture on your health involves lots of choices. And choosing the choices that are healthy for you can only benefit you and your life. The results are astonishing if you'll give them a chance. 

Ranman dinner picture of the day: garlic, white onions, red bell pepper, asparagus, zucchini, brown rice, tamari and teriaki sauce, sunflower seeds and cashew nuts. All organic. 

Don't leave home without it

So, it's morning and you are getting ready for work. This is a vulnerable food choice time for most of us. If you were anything like me, you were thinking, 'I'll just pick up a large latte and sweet roll at Starbucks on my way in'. Not good.

How about this scenario? The night before, put a few things in some zip lock bags so you can just grab and go the next morning. I keep fruit always at the ready, for example. Washed and ripe. Same with some veggies, too. And many different kinds of nuts right next to them. So, at worst case, I can get ready for work and grab them on my way out. Now, that's a good food choice victory that didn't take more than 15 seconds! Plus, you saved money because it's cheaper than Starbucks. And it's healthier.That's setting yourself up for success!

Someone once said, 'success is when opportunity meets preparation'. And a little planning can go a long way just by being a bit more conscious. It's the small, almost unnoticeable habits like these that can start to make or break a return to health. As one of my Tango teachers used to constantly tell us when we thought we couldn't do something, 'You can do it'!!!! :)

Ranman desert picture of the day: Apricots, bananas, mango, sliced raw almonds and soy yogurt. All organic. 

The Heart Attack Grill wasn't joking

This story caught my eye yesterday.
The Heart Attack Grill saw its name in action yesterday when a diner suffered a heart attack at the restaurant. The man was eating a 6,000-calorie Triple Bypass Burger at the Las Vegas branch of the restaurant. Moments later, he was wheeled out of the restaurant after a waitress - dressed as a nurse, as part of the restaurant's gimmick - called 911. At the restaurant, owner Jon Basso calls himself "Dr. John" and his waitresses "nurses." Diners wear hospital gowns. The restaurant's slogan is "A taste worth dying for."
CBS This Morning sat down with the "doc" himself - and what did he have to say? "Who doesn't want to risk a little danger once in a while?". "I'm here to tell you straight up that I'm here to make a buck," Basso said. "Anything that's legal that you want to eat or drink that's fun, that enriches your life at the moment, I will sell it to you. If I could put danger back into hamburgers, all the better."

I wonder if owner Jon would feel the same if it were HE that was being wheeled into the ambulance, or one of his loved ones, as is shown on the video that went viral. It's always a bit different when you personalize some accountability. Can you imagine if this guy was in charge of our children's meals at school?

Ranman lunch picture of the day: Yellow zucchini, green zucchini, red onion and cilantro. All organic.

Dr. Whole Foods, M.D.

I was shopping at Whole Foods market today, buying some organic vegetables when I saw my emergency room doctor right next to me buying his own! Now, stop, for just one moment and really chew on what I just wrote. An ER doctor was buying organic fruits and veggies! What does that say? He remembered me and I told him I had reversed my high blood pressure and high cholesteral with the organic foods. He smiled a huge smile and said, 'that's great'!

In our society, we are raised to believe doctors are almost God like, never to be questioned for the most part. And they do indeed have a job that can border on miraculous with some of the incredible things they do to save lives. But why are they not recommending healthy foods as medicine, rather than just automatically defaulting to giving drugs to treat the body? It's because they are trained that way. It's rare for doctors to get more than a few hours or days on nutrition while they are in medical school. And the pharmaceutical companies have to love that, because it's their pills, drugs and medications the doctors are prescribing to patients. And don't kid yourself, there is serious money in pharmaceutical drugs in America. I believe Lipitor has made something like 16 billion dollars and is the most commercially successful drug of all time.

But many famous and renowned doctors are switching sides. Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Colin Campell, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Joel Furhman and many others are recommending healthy foods as a lifestyle choice. So, to quote a favorite R&B group, The Impressions, 'people get ready, there's a train a' comin' and you don't need no passengers to get on board'!

Ranman snack picture of the day: avocado dip with almonds, curry powder, oregano, thyme and salsa. With corn chips. All organic.

Denial aint just a river in Egypt . . . . . .

I remember telling the nurse in my hospital room, just before they were going to release me, 'nurse, I'm going to change things in my life so I don't ever have to end up back here again'. She smiled as she went about her business. Then I asked, 'does everyone say that when they are in here'? I still can hear her answer as she turned to me and said, 'no, I have never actually heard any patient say that in all my years as a nurse'.

I was stunned. Surely nobody likes to be in a hospital bed or emergency room, so what gives? The only thing I could come up with was it was perhaps a form of denial for people. For whatever reasons they had. And all those reasons are valid. Who wants to look into the mirror and realize that most of the time, it is ourselves that created the health crisis in the first place? That's the last thing McDonald's wants you to be thinking, either, by the way. But somebody has to say something when an American is dying every 30 seconds from heart disease. How long can we afford to stick our head in the sand?

But change is happening. Organic foods are growing nationwide. Regular supermarkets often have a small section of organic produce now! Farmer's markets are popping up all over the country. People are realizing that organic food taste better and has no chemicals in it.

At a recent doctor lecture I attended on healthy lifestyle and eating, I was saddened to see so many obese people who were clearly in physical trouble. Some on canes. And others walking with great difficulty. And by no means were all of them considered 'old'. But during the break, I saw the ray of sunshine in the midst of a stormy horizon. Virtually every person who was eating had something healthy. I saw apples, bananas, oranges, salads and even stuff brought from home!

Hope springs eternal! And it's never too late to make a new start. And it starts with the food of the earth that will nourish your body, not something processed that will hurt you and make you sick.

Ranman lunch picture of the day: corn tortillas, yellow heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, brown rice, black beans and oregano. All organic. 

TASTE-A-LICOUS

When I grew up, health food had a bland taste. I should know, too. My family owned a health food store in Marin County that my sisters and brothers all worked at. I remember the dry, cardboard taste of the 'candy' bars, in particular. I am happy to report things have improved!

Believe it or not, I actually do not know how to cook per se. I cannot bake at all. And I know no recipes. I followed one recipe in my life years ago. Did alright. And I made that dang dish a hundred times after that, because I am lazy :)

But what can be done at home to bring great taste in the mix of your daily foods? The use of herbs, spices, homemade sauces and healthy sweeteners (like juices, maple syrup, agave & honey) helps to make a healthy food choice taste great. And making great tasting food is crucial. Nobody goes to a restaurant that has horrible food. Same principle applies at home. A little attention, experimentation and adventure will result in tasty food dishes that will surprise yourself. Guaranteed :)

Ranman lunch picture of the day: romaine lettuce, tomatoes, kalamata olives, baby shrimp, almonds and blueberries. All organic.

Vending machine heaven . . . . or hell?

I once worked for the largest vending machine company in the U.S. People don't realize that in top selling accounts (like a hospital or school), there can often be a financial incentive for those machines as businesses receive percentages of sales of the junk food. Heck, the Pepsi and coke machines were installed free of charge, always. The driver comes to service it regularly and it's a big, fat check each month for many accounts! I also worked for Frito-Lay, Wonder Bread/Hostess Cake, Entemann pastries and Granny Goose. That's a ton of garbage food that I personally delivered to many schools, workplaces, restaurants and supermarkets. And that's something I don't feel too good about now days.

I remember a elementary school cafeteria lady demanding I leave her an entire extra rack of Twinkies with her usual order because 'the guy before you always left extra and the kids love them'. Hmm. And I recall the hospital contact and how happy he was that I was bringing him about $60,000 a year in monthly check form. He was in the nutritional dept. Hmm.

Today an article about how schools still aren't doing the right thing for our children came out. There's allot of negative news here. But also a silver lining. Some of the junk food options are trending down. And that's great. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46285305/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/#.TzDUcciO1Rw

Ranman lunch picture of the day: wheat bread, chicken, honey dijon mustard, mayonnaise, butter lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, walnuts. Corn chips. All organic.

What's for desert?

I love the little peer pressure we all get for the desert thing. 'What do you mean you aren't having any desert'? 'Make sure to save some room for desert'! 'You gotta' try this desert'! And I was the very willing recipient of every desert offer in the history of man. I even starting trying 2-3 different deserts at a restaurant.

Unfortunately, those little miracles often have serious amounts of sugar, white flour, salt, fat and a ton of butter in those delicious dishes. I noticed I started putting on pounds real fast.  And I just knew that eating so many deserts so often was not a good thing. But I just kept right on cruising along, never really wanting to know about a healthier way. We'll explore this denial factor of mine in later postings :)

I still love the idea of deserts! And who says I can't still have it, just with some different food choices that make them tasty and healthy? It's a win/win, if you ask me.

Ranman desert picture of the day: Mango, brown pear, hazelnuts and soyogurt. All organic.

From the richest to the unhealthiest

How did the richest country in the world become the most unhealthiest? Within a quick span of 50 years, we became top dog in cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and many other ailments too numerous to mention.The numbers tell the sad story. Over 1.5 million deaths annually. Who's to blame? The agricultural industry? The pharmaceutical companies? The medical system? Junk food corporations that pump out the fast food? Our supermarkets? All of them, if you ask me.

I mean, it's crazy what has become 'normal'. And it's everywhere around us. I recall the horrendous food during my hospital stay. And this is supposed to be a place of healing! Go to a cafeteria in children's schools and you'd be hard pressed to find anything 'natural' and healthy.

So it is easy to see that this state of health deterioration has sneaked into every aspect of our society. I was at a recent health lecture by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (http://www.drfuhrman.com), where he stated that eating healthy is often seen as 'extreme'. But in actuality, he said, the American diet is actually extreme. I'd have to agree. Before I got sick, I thought eating junk food was just fine. Of course, you couldn't get me into a doctor's office to take any tests, because I didn't want to hear something I might not like and have to change. That shortsighted philosophy of denial lasted until some 'change' was forced upon me and I landed in the hospital.
I like to think I learned this life lesson the hard way, but learned nonetheless :)

Ranman dinner picture of the day: King Alaskan Salmon with oregano, avocado, red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, radish and pineapple. All organic.

Why organic?

Why organic foods? What's the big deal? A veggie is a veggie and a fruit is a fruit, right? Let's try to break it down. There was a time, not so long ago, that our agricultural system did not contain these chemicals. Why would we need these in our foods today then? It's simple. It's profit driven, not health for the consumer driven. If a company can make some bread last a few years without molding (like McDonald's has with their buns), they can make a ton of money by not having to deal with that bread spoiling. So those chemicals (often on the product's ingredient list) are poured into and onto the product. And they get passed on to you and me for consumption! I don't want anything added to my food. Just like if I got it from the farmer directly, which you can at any local Farmer's market or local co-op stores, which I highly recommend.


Ranman lunch picture of the day: Lundberg brown rice pasta, cilantro, tomatoes and sliced almonds. All organic.

A world without junk food?

Sometimes we don't realize how biased we can be. Or what kind of patterns we have locked ourselves into. Eating habits are no different. For instance, if I told you to cut out the foods below, you'd probably think there is nothing else left to eat on this planet :) Of course, you'd be wrong, but it's a nice exercise to try nonetheless.

Just imagine for a moment that all these items are no longer available to you: White bread, pasta, white rice, sugar, salt, cream, cheese, ice cream, butter, eggs, soft drinks, chocolate, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, pizza, steaks, macaroni and cheese. nachos, coffee, milk shakes, french fries, fried foods, bacon, sausage, donuts, cakes, candy, bagels, deserts and potato chips!

It's interesting to note that virtually all the food items listed above are readily available at junk food restaurants! And also at your local, neighborhood supermarkets :)

Ranman dinner picture of the day: Yukon potatoes, carrots, red onion, celery, barley, legumes, peas, pinto beans, garlic, thyme, oregano, Bragg's amino acids and filtered water. All organic.

A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step

Small, incremental change. A day at a time. A meal at a time. Find the little victories each day as you become more health conscious. Perhaps you use one lump of sugar instead of two. Maybe a little less ketchup today. Or you order a juice instead of a soda. One shake of salt instead of two. Even one healthy choice, no matter how small, starts to add up to a path in the right direction.

Don't get down on yourself if you didn't make any change. Just being aware of the process is great! And make sure to congratulate yourself for any healthy changes you do. Any kind of change starts with awareness. The mental aspect of becoming healthy is every bit as important as the physical one.

Ranman lunch picture of the day: Romaine lettuce, mixed Greek olives, baby shrimp, heirloom yellow tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, cashew nuts, avocado, blueberries, and balsamic vinegar. All organic.

Health hath no shortcut

Driving to the store. Buying the healthy food. Preparing it. Doing the dishes after eating it. It's definitely much easier just to pay for drive through or go to a restaurant or even get something to go. But what has the easy way out got us? America is the most diseased country on the planet. With skyrocketing rates of heart disease and cancer. How long can we continue to take the 'shortcuts' with foods that are making us sick?

Nothing is free, especially your health insurance. Catastrophic illness is the number one cause for bankruptcy in our nation. For the 30+ million Americans who don't have health insurance, this is akin to having one foot on the banana peel and one foot in the grave, financial wise.

Like anything in life, it takes work to achieve good health. And there is not shortcut to good health habits. But there sure is for disease.

Ranman breakfast picture of the day: Buckwheat pancakes with blueberries, raspberries, bananas, granola, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. All organic.

Taking personal responsibility

My friends know I am very quick to lay some serious blame on corporations like Monsanto, McDonald's, Pepsi, Coke, Frito-Lay and Tyson Chicken. I'm also quick to point fingers at pharmaceutical companies, doctors who do not include nutrition, supermarkets, government officials and agencies who are in bed with the FDA, school cafeterias that knowingly feed children unhealthy foods and our medical system here in the U.S., which almost completely ignores healthy food choices. There's enough blame to go around to last forever.

But there is also our own personal responsibility to own up to, as well. And we just aren't very good at that. Yesterday, I was in the waiting room to see my doctor. I saw a mother and daughter struggle past me to sit down. The could barely fit in the chairs. The mother was using a walker. Both were extremely overweight. The second they sat down, the daughter pulled out a bag of potato chips and started eating. Hmm. Nearby, a father tried to console his antsy little girl by stating 'we will go to McDonald's after this, ok'? Hmm. Next to them, a middle aged couple talked about where the vending machines were (in the hospital!) so they could get a 'snack' or some candy. Hmm. Finally, a gentlemen on a cane told me he had recently had heart surgery, was on a drug thinner medication, had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and had diabetes as well. He smiled when he said 'I can't wait to get home to eat the butterscotch cake I made this morning. I'll take all their pills, but I'll be damned if I will let them tell me how to eat, too'! Hmm.

Making the right health choices is always a choice. So is making the wrong ones.

Ranman homemade breakfast of the day picture: granola, bananas, almonds with cinnamon and nutmeg. All organic.

Pay it now or pay it (10 times more) . . . . later!

The doctor said 'you either pay it now or pay 10 times the money later'. We all remember the saying 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away'. Same rule applies. We can choose to eat junk food and get all those wonderful ailments and diseases until we have to go to the hospital and pay tons of money (like I did) or we can choose to take the preventative route.

It does take work, that's for sure. It's easier to hit the drive through. But if you are willing to
start small, day by day and make improvements to your food habits consistently, amazing things can happen.
There is very much a feeling of well being, an energy level increase and more importantly, a lack of all the medications and astronomical doctor/hospital bills.

The United States spends an estimated $2 trillion annually on health care expenses, more than any other industrialized country. So much of our illness can be prevented and is, in my opinion, a direct result of the food we eat every day. I made the decision to pay for healthy food now so I hopefully, won't have to pay it 10 times more later. In a sense, that is my 'additional' health insurance coverage :)


Ranman homemade lunch of the day picture: shrimp, edamane beans, sliced almonds, corn, celery, red pepper and lettuce. All organic.

Workin' with the taste buds

It took me a few weeks to allow my taste buds to change and get used to (and really like) the organic tastes of fruits and vegetables. Once you are used to sugar, salt, white flour and fat, it's difficult to switch over. To me, those culprits are as powerful as any addictive drug. Fast food restaurants, especially, understand this truth. Being profit driven, their concern is not for the customer, but rather, their dollars. Once I understood this fact, I started my journey into organic foods.

One of the first things I noticed was how good the food actually taste! Then I started to notice I wasn't getting any more stomach aches and headaches (and didn't need to keep taking tums or aspirin anymore). Then I noticed my pants started to fall down without my belt due to losing weight :) Mentally as well, I started to feel more positive and hopeful.

I took complete responsibility for my food choices from that point on. And took it away from McDonalds, my old home :)

Ranman homemade dinner of the day picture: King Salmon with sliced almonds and basil, greek olives, red bell pepper and tomatoes. All organic.

Is organic more expensive? Let's do the math.

My step father says anyone can eat organically on $20 bucks a day. So we put that idea to the test. We went to a local Whole Foods market and bought $550 worth of groceries. That food lasted me almost one and half months! Comes out to about $12 bucks a day.

Now let's take the way I used to eat every day. A typical breakfast usually consisted of three eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns and bagel, coffee and tip. About $10 bucks. Mid morning snack before lunch of croissant and another coffee-$4 bucks. Lunch, usually a sandwich from a deli, with chips and a soft drink-$12 bucks. Dinner, usually at a restaurant. Always over $15 bucks easy. Total daily cost for junk food? $41 dollars!

So, we've done the math. Whole foods on $20 bucks a day. Junk food/restaurants on $41 bucks a day. Sometimes, the perception of something is more pervasive than the reality.
Hmm. . . . . . . .

Ranman homemade lunch of the day picture: King Alaskan salmon, avocado, red raspberries, kalamata olives, cucumber, radish, brazil nuts, walnuts and lettuce. All organic.

Medications vs. natural foods

One of the statistics that blows me away is that half of all Americans are on 4.5 different medications a day! Arghhh! What's up with that? Why? Were our great grandparents on that many pills a day? Were their parents? Were there even those kinds of medications around 70 years ago? Of course not. And how much do all those pills cost? We all know the answer.

Soon after my blood clots were discovered, my doctor said these wonderful words, 'I think it's time we consider blood pressure and cholesterol lowering medication for life'! After I picked myself up off the floor and caught my breath, I demanded another test, because I had already started eating organic fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, beans, fish and cut out all junk food. I knew my numbers were lower! My doctor gave me one month until another test. I'll let the numbers speak for themselves. Oh, by the way, I never had to take the medications :)

Blood pressure: 10/4/11-150/92
                              11/11/11 112-61 :)

Cholesterol:  8/11/11 total cholesterol 239/LDL 163
                       11/11/11 total cholesterol 206/LDL 139 :)

Ranman homemade lunch of the day picture: Soy yogurt, brazil nuts, walnuts, almonds, pear, banana, papaya, pineapple, raspberries and blueberries. All organic.

Welcome message/My story

Welcome to my very first entry on my Ranman's from junk food to health food blog!

About six months ago, I was the unlucky recipient of blood clots in both lungs. I remember one of the doctors telling me 'clots in your upper, middle and lower lungs'. This was the second incident of clots in eleven  years. That first time, I recovered and the decision was made to not put me on a lifetime of blood thinner medication. This time, however, I wasn't so fortunate. The doctors said, in no uncertain terms, that I was going on the drug immediately and forever. Sometimes, life has a way of giving us wake up calls, especially if your condition has a 50% immediate fatality rate, which mine does (pulmonary emboli). And this definitely caught my attention!

Lying in that hospital bed, the first thing I decided was that I needed to change my lifestyle in order to have a chance to return to full health. So, a quick review of how I ate, lived and thought were needed. The results of those intimate, honest observations within myself started with what kind of foods I was putting into my body. For I knew I had not been leading a healthy lifestyle food wise for many years. I decided to eventually post a health blog when I got back on my feet. And so, without further ado, I shall start posting dishes I make at home, that are all entirely organic and healthy! Complete with my very opinionated opinions about the road to healthful recovery! From junk food to health food, baby! And no lookin' back :)

Ranman homemade dinner of the day picture: shrimp, asparagus, avocado, cucumber, onions, greek and kalamata olives, brazil nuts, walnuts, tomatoes, blueberries with lettuce. All organic.