| October 2007 |
Rice Paper |
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"No illness that can be treated by diet should be treated by any other means." -Maimonides- |
Sept. '07 | Aug. '07 | July '07 | Jan. '07
March '05 | Aug. '04 | May '04 | April '04 | Winter '99
Inside this Issue
- Susan L.'s Success Story
- Diminishing the Dining-Out Dilemma
- Recipes: Autumn Spice Pilaf
- Rice Diet Cookbook Available
Susan L's Success Story
Susan has been following her impressive and committed lifestyle change at home working with her doctor, Rice Diet forum website support and the Rice Diet books. She has not attended the Program in Durham.
Here's her latest encouraging email:
I've followed my new eating plan since 1/17/07, so about seven months now, and to date have lost 44 pounds. I do not think of it as a diet but as a food plan I hope to follow the rest of my life. I have not had anything white -- breads, no sugar and the only fat is olive oil. I have added occasionally a fish and some chicken, but I really do not like the taste of chicken anymore.
I just really like the whole grains and brown rice, veggies and fruits. I do have more weight to lose as I am just under 5 feet. Although I'm losing slowly, the loss is consistent.
I was surprised to find out I fit into size 7 and 9 jeans... and not baggy ones! And I'm now a size 2 - 4 in slacks and tops. That amazes me, even though I think I am at least 15 pounds from a goal weight.
So I'm plugging along, and it is nice to feel thinner. It's easier to walk, hike and do the everyday things, not carrying around the extra weight, and I do enjoy looking better in clothes.
My cholesterol dropped nicely -- my B/P is 100/70, a drop for me. That is really the important part. So life is good. I've just returned from vacation and did not find my eating plan a hindrance at all. I always carry my special foods along. I probably could be losing weight quicker if I went back to counting calories and keeping a food journal as I did in the beginning. Now I eyeball my portions, which certainly is not as accurate!
I have not "cheated" and frankly do not even want the stuff I used to crave -- the sweets, cookies etc. If I am hungry, my snack of choice is whole grain cereal... which I know I'm eating too much of some days.
That's the story. Thanks for caring and your support in the first months. It's a new world for me, the different grains and foods I never had tried, and it's an exciting adventure.
My best to you,
Susan
A P.S. from Susan: I have three dogs and couldn't keep them away as we tried to get a picture. Summer, the black lab, has changed her eating habits as well -- she is a veggie dog now, so it seemed fitting that she wandered into the photo. She has lost weight, too.
To read more Rice Diet success stories, click here.
Diminishing the Dining-Out Dilemma
Although many people on a low-fat, low-sodium, and low-sugar diet think that dining away from home is inevitably a hopeless situation, it does not have to be. Granted, choices low in all these factors do not dominate restaurant menus, but they can usually be acquired if you are persistent. This is especially important if you frequently eat outside your home, since fat-, sodium-, and sugar-rich restaurant foods can significantly increase your risk for most chronic diseases. The following tips should help you in your challenge to enjoy dining out while also pursuing a healthier lifestyle.
• Contact the restaurant in advance to insure that it will be able to honor a low-fat and low- sodium request. It is best to be specific, since the employee answering the phone may know very little about this subject. For instance, ask if they have a fresh seafood or vegetarian dish that can be prepared without added dairy, fat, and salt.
• When you get to the restaurant, ask if they have a heart-healthy menu. You may then want to ask your server for any suggestions about ordering a very low-fat and low-sodium meal. Most of the more expensive restaurants will cook a very-low-fat and low sodium vegetarian or seafood entrée for you upon request. The important thing to remember is that you do not know that a healthy choice is out of the question until you ask for it! As a general rule, baked potato/salad bars, Chinese restaurants, and Mediterranean gourmet restaurants are the easiest places to achieve your low-fat, no-salt requests.
• If you are still having problems ordering, scan the menu for dishes that use methods of preparation that are generally lowest in fat. Look for foods that are steamed, broiled, roasted, grilled, or poached. Ask the chef not to add fat (except for a teaspoon of olive oil if you like) or sodium (including salt, broth, monosodium glutamate, and soy sauce) to your food and to flavor it with wine, lemon, lime, vinegar, and/or herbs. Avoid foods that are buttered, fried, creamed, in cream sauce, with gravy or hollandaise, au gratin, or pickled.
• If you are struggling with a tendency to overeat, you may find it easier to ask what fresh vegetables and seafood choices are available instead of looking at the menu and being tempted by the many items that are less than appropriate. For instance, in a nice Mediterranean restaurant, it is often easier to ask, What fresh vegetables do you have today?" If they say, "We have sweet red and yellow peppers, portabello mushrooms, Roma tomatoes, asparagus, and carrots," then you could respond, "Great, I would like all of those stir-fried in wine with extra garlic, onion, basil and red pepper flakes, served on a bed of pasta, with no cheese, oil or salt added." This is absolutely delicious!
For more dining out tips and other news you can use, click here.
Recipes: Autumn Spice Pilaf
- 3 cups 1/2-
inch cubes peeled seeded
butternut
squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup wild rice
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored, diced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 3/4 cups rich vegetable stock (click here for
recipe)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Preparation:
Steam squash cubes for 10 minutes and set aside. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sauté 5 minutes. Add ginger, curry powder, cumin, and garlic; stir 1 minute. Stir in squash and next 4 ingredients. Add vegetable stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cranberries. Cover; let stand until cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap; rewarm in microwave.)
This recipe yields 8 servings. Each serving contains approximately:
Calories: 200, Total Fat: 2.5g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Carbohydrates: 37g, Fiber: 2.7g, Protein: 4.25g, Sodium: 27mg
Check out more Rice Diet Recipes.
Rice Diet Cookbook Available
The latest Rice Diet book is now available! It is full of easy recipes from the Rice Diet kitchen, cooking classes, participants and staff.
This book also contains more inspirational stories -- some from Rice Diet Program participants and others from those who read and followed the Rice Diet Solution at home.
Pick up a copy of the cookbook at the Rice Diet Store or your local bookseller.
Buy the cookbook at the Rice Diet Store
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