Today was a bad day on multiple levels. I woke up this morning with a terrible sinus headache that was interfering with my vision and threatening to morph into a migraine. Three Excedrin later, I made it to work (just a little late :-( ). I had another smoothie for breakfast this morning, but my stomach has been feeling questionable for most of the morning, typically part of the migraine package, and makes it hard to test how I’m feeling. This is rarely a problem for me, it happens typically once a year. Sinus problems are particularly frustrating because the side-effects of every cold medicine I’ve tried are worse than the symptoms they’re supposedly helping, so I typically ride it out with little to no medications. Awhile back on a Dr. Oz bit I caught on Oprah, he profiled super healthy eaters that strive for more energy and longevity. Their diets were very similar to raw, fresh fruits and nuts for breakfast, fresh veggies for lunch and fish for dinner with more produce and lots of veggie juices and smoothies. One guy was in his late forties and claimed he had more energy and felt better than he did in his twenties and stated it’s been years since he’s had even the common cold. That was impressive to me because I can’t stand colds! There have been a few times in my life when I’ve dealt with lingering coughs, runny nose and sore throats for days, weeks even. Trying to function with those symptoms with no end in sight was miserable, especially when the lack-of-sleep is factored in. If I can avoid much of that misery by improving my diet, that’s huge to me.
The not-so-good economy hit a little too close to my job today as the company announces it’s in trouble and taking measures. I still have a job, but I will be putting off Vita-Mix purchasing plans for a bit while the dust settles and work hard to not become a worry wart about what the future might hold. Not too long ago, the mostly healthy me would have turned to comfort food in times like this, but the newer super-healthy version of me turned to hot tea instead and that felt great. I didn’t even crave junk food, such as chocolate and wasn’t tempted to turn to a bowl of Halloween candy. That’s a booster on multiple levels, I’m proud of myself for avoiding a comfort binge and avoided the emotional abuse I would have put myself through after – a win-win.
In this months’ Costco Connection magazine, there was a recipe excerpt from a new cookbook promotion for a wild rice salad that I tried a raw version of for lunch.
Raw Wild Rice Salad
- 3/4 cup wild rice, soaked and drained
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 navel oranges, diced
- 1/4 fresh orange juice
- 1/4 sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl well to blend orange juice and add salt and pepper to taste. It made a sweet, cool fall lunch and something kids can enjoy and keep in the fridge for a couple of days. It was a nice, sweet escape from today’s madness and you can put the rice in water and place the bowl into an Excalibur dehydrator to soak faster and warm up if you have one.
