Super Foods You Should be Eating!

Beans: pinto, navy, Great Northern, lima, garbanzo, lentils, green beans, sugar snap peas, & green peas (labeled vegetarian)

-At least ½ cup serving weakly

Acqui Berries: blueberries, purple grapes, cranberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, blackberries, & cherries (when in a juice, make sure it’s freshly squeezed and 100% real juice)

-1 to 2 cups daily

 

Broccoli: brussel sprouts, cabbage, turnips, cauliflower &/ collards  -1/2 cup daily

Oats: wheat germ, ground flaxseed & oil, brown rice, barley, wheat, buck wheat, rye, millet, bulger wheat, amaranth, quinoa, triticale, kamut, yellow corn, wild rice, spelt, &  courscous (only eat if contains at least 3 grams of fiber per serving, and is whole grain)   -5 to 7 servings daily

Oranges: lemons, white & pink grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, & limes   -1 servings daily

Pumpkin: carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, & orange bell peppers   -1/2 cup daily

Wild salmon: Alaskan halibut, canned albacore tuna, herring, trout, sea bass, oysters, & clams   -2 to 4 times weakly

Soy: tofu, soy milk, soy nuts, edamame, tempe, &  miso   -15 grams of soy protein daily

Spinach: kale, collards, swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine lettuce,&  orange bell peppers

-1 cup steamed, 2 cups raw, most days

Tomatoes: watermelon, Japanese perimmons, redfleshed papaya, strawberries, guava   -3 to 5 servings weekly

Turkey(skinless breast): skinless turkey breast   -3 to 4 servings weakly

Red Meat: lean cuts   -1 time weakly

Walnuts: almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, peanuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews

-1 ounce, 5 times weakly

Yogurt: (low fat or nonfat varieties, no artificial colors, whey protein listed on label)   -2 cups daily

Where I Come From

I experienced a VERY unique upbringing . . . I was born at home in Little Shasta, CA- population one hundred and sixty (people that is). Little Shasta is nestled in a lush green valley between the Cascade Mountains, and the grand Mt. Shasta, a 14,000 ft volcano. I wouldn’t even consider it a town, it’s more a farming community. There is a two-room school house, a little white evangelical church, a row of mailboxes, and a cemetery. All the houses are spread apart. My house is actually five miles up a dirt road from “the main” part of Little Shasta.

You may ask why in the world my family chose to live in such a place. Well, six generations ago my family purchased land to run cattle on, to feed the California gold miners. So since 1852 the cattle ranch has been passed through the generations. Now my dad runs the operation with his three brothers. Life is slower in Little Shasta. Joy comes from drinking lemonade and watching the sun go down after a long day in the saddle… 

Journal Vent

It’s been a rough week… On Wednesday morning my backpack zipper busted, and I had to carry around my heavy backpack in front of me for the rest of the day. On Wednesday afternoon my computer quite working. I couldn’t type anything without “code errors” popping up, so I took it to the IT desk on the second floor of the Wilk. They said they could fix it, but it would be about five days until it would be ready to pick up. I walked home computerless, noteless (because I take all my notes on my computer), and holding my backpack like a small child…

I called my brother to complain and he said, “Go to rent-a-center on Center Street and rent a computer so you can do your homework.” So I went to rent-a-center, they did a background check like I was a criminal, called all my family members, and charged me up the wazoo. But, at least I had a computer at this point. I started to not feel very well, so I went home and went to bed, hoping to wake up early and start the new day fresh and ready to be productive. That didn’t happen…

I woke up horribly sick. The worst I’ve felt in like a year. I couldn’t even focus on studying. I felt defeated and hopeless, like everything was going against me that week. I knew I needed to put my mood in the right place so I opened my quote book, hoping for an attitude adjustment. I read, “I will not wonder of the success I could have if my situation were different. It is not different and I will make a success with what material I have.” I liked that. I realized the stupid little things I let ruin my day are really quite irrelevant and I am SO blessed. I went on with the rest of the day with a bit of a better disposition J

Destroy Procrastination With Action

It’s the beginning of a new semester and this time around I am going to be my best self. I am a junior now and there is an aspect of school I haven’t mastered yet. Now is the time…

In the past I’ve fallen into the hole of procrastination. Procrastination is a temptation of the evil one and the consequence is misery. Although my grades turned out, the path to getting there was miserable because I was always stressed and cramming. Not to mention I never learn as much when I cram study, run to the testing center, then press delete to the information as soon as I walk down the stairs by the duck pond.

This semester I will destroy procrastination with action. No more will I inflict such horrible experiences upon myself. I will magnify my education. I will complete my work days before it is due. I will work ahead so my life can flow harmoniously. Sweet will be the reward.