I don’t eat a lot of cereal, but the cereal faces the bread in the store where I shop, and I felt a bit of a craving for it when I picked up a couple of loaves of 7-grain yumminess. It probably had something to with the fact that I came into a nice sum of money and I knew I didn’t have to do the math in my head as I put items in the cart – kind of like a kid in a candy store. In this rare case, cereal usually gets thrown into the cart.

While I do eat out a lot, and I consume more than my fair share of food, what I put in my shopping cart is usually just the opposite of what I am served at restaurants. Some of my food is organic, none of it contains high-fructose corn syrup, and I stay away from beverages that are high in sugar such as pop (soda for those of you with dirty minds and those of you who don’t live in Michigan) and juice, but I still drink beer and wine. In a word, my groceries are healthy.

Walking down that cereal/bread aisle was a little exciting for me. I immediately gravitated to the Kellogg’s cereals. This is no surprise: they are a Michigan company and they do make the best cereal (maybe it’s a childhood thing). I saw that the Special K had the word original stamped on the box. I was excited. I remember when I grabbed a box of Special K in 1996, when I was in the army, and didn’t finish it because it tasted funny. Someone informed me that they changed the recipe. I went years without eating Special K.

The word original got me quite excited. I picked up the box of healthy goodness and looked at the ingredients list: high-fructose corn syrup (SweetSurprise, September 2008). W-T-F, Kellogg? W-T-F? I returned the box to its proper place on the shelf. Next in line were the Corn Flakes. Aaawwww, yeeah! I love Corn Flakes. Ingredients: high-fructose corn syrup. Dude. Moving on, I went for the Bran Flakes which were packaged in a new, retarded, generic box (bring back the classic red box, Kellogg’s!). I knew I was going to be disappointed, but I looked at the ingredients of my all-time favorite cereal: high-fructose syrup. I hung my head low and choked back the tears (ok, maybe this is just a tad more dramatic than what really took place). I placed the box of grainy goodness back on the shelf.

General Mills won my devotion when I picked up the box of Cheerios. In fact, I picked up several different varieties of General Mills cereal and was quite pleased. They don’t use high-fructose corn syrup. In the end, I forewent the Kellogg’s classics for General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios.

Since I am a fan of lettuce, and I believe all foods have a place in one’s diet (that doesn’t mean I like them, though), I was happy to find that Liz reported on iceberg lettuce (Do They Have Any Nutritional Value?). Come to find out, iceberg lettuce is an excellent source of Vitamin K (1/6 of a head contains 25% of the daily recommended value), a vitamin that plays a very important role in blood clotting. This is good news for mountain bikers since we often find ourselves sporting scrapes, punctures, and contusions. Some studies have also linked Vitamin K to bone health and cancer prevention.

Unfortunately, most adults are deficient in Vitamin K and could benefit greatly by incorporating this food, which is oftentimes incorrectly considered completely devoid of any nutritional value. While iceberg lettuce is mostly water, another important substance of which many people don’t get enough, it also contains modest amounts of folate, omega-3 fats, and Vitamin A. Folate is of great importance to developing embryos, new cell development (for everyone), and prevention of anemia. Omega-3 fats are essential fatty acids (essential meaning that they cannot be produced by the body) that are important to many cardiovascular-related conditions, among other things. Vitamin A is essential for tissue development (all tissues, including bone) and good vision.

As you can see, iceberg lettuce certainly does contribute some incredibly important vitamins. While it is not a staple food, it has its place. Due to its high water and moderate fiber content, it is an important food to incorporate for weight loss. It is bulk and contributes to the feeling of fullness. I think that is something we can all agree is a good thing.

I have a theory. I take in a lot of dairy. Oh, yes. I am the queen of dairy. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are major staples in my diet; you know: the big staples that can hold twenty pages together. We’re talking major staples.

Today’s Science Lesson

Blood-calcium levels are of the utmost importance when promoting bone health. In an effort to maintain appropriate blood-calcium levels, the bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Calcium plays a very important role in most chemical processes of the body, including muscle function. If calcium levels are low, bones will lose calcium so the rest of the body can function properly.

Bone health isn’t just about getting your dairy, though. Other vitamins and minerals are very important in promoting calcium absorption. Without proper levels of those vitamins and minerals, all the calcium in the world won’t save you.

There are two primary ways I get my calcium, and many people even laugh when I mention the first one.

Ovaltine

Ovaltine made with skim milk is a rich, chocolaty way to get your daily dose of milk. While you may go with rich, chocolaty Ovaltine, you also have the choice of malt or, my personal favorite, chocolate malt. I have glasses that hold two cups of milk, so I get both servings at once.

Compared to chocolate milk, Ovaltine contains fewer calories at just 170 calories when made with skim milk. I prefer to use only three-quarters of a serving, so that brings my calorie count down to 150. One serving of the powder contains 45% of the recommended amount of Vitamins A and C (based on a 2,000 calorie diet), 8% of calcium, and for people like me who tend toward the anemic side, 15% iron. Look at those figures, again. The powder alone contains 8% of the recommended value of calcium! If you use the approximate ratio I use – one serving of Ovaltine to two cups of milk (30% calcium per serving) – you’ll get 68% of the recommended amount of calcium for a 2,000 calorie diet.

Stonyfield Yogurt

I started regularly eating yogurt for the benefit of the live active bacterial cultures on digestion. When I first decided to start eating yogurt on a regular basis, I was disappointed to find that all of the yogurt I had previously liked contained high-fructose corn syrup. I don’t eat that, so I didn’t eat the yogurt.

After a nasty side effect from an antibiotic, last year, I decided it was time to try yogurt, again. Since live active cultures were exactly the right buggers for the job of keeping that nasty side effect at bay, I decided to go with an organic yogurt. I found that Stonyfield was the lowest in calorie out of the organic yogurts. It also contains a blend of six active live cultures and 35% of the recommended amount of calcium.

What I found kind of odd about Stonyfield was the consistency. It wasn’t that congealed, sour stuff I was used to. Instead, it was creamy and flavorful. I didn’t like it. I loved it!

I prefer a serving of the strawberry or super fruits yogurt mixed with a serving of Udi’s vanilla granola. It is a tasty, nutritious treat that is filling and makes a great meal in itself.

• Health Benefits of Probiotics (Active Culture)
• AboutYogurt.com: Live and Active Culture (LAC) Yogurt Facts
• The Straight Dope: What’s with the “live and active cultures” in yogurt?

Endo Shmendo

With the exception of the Udi’s granola, all of the aforementioned products contain generous amounts of calcium and vitamin D, a vitamin that is paramount for the process of calcium absorption. Using these figures and a 2,000 calorie diet, which, in reality, I think is less that what I really eat, I get 125% of the DRV of vitamin D, and 103% of the DRV for calcium, and that’s just from these products, alone. When considering the other foods I eat, it is likely that I get a little more.

Translating into the great language of mountain biking, this means that I may continue to endo in the stylish fashion of superman and swan dives without the likelihood of breaking my clavicles. Kind of makes you want some rich, chocolaty Ovaltine, please!

Now, that shake would not have been so full of calories if I limited myself to the half-scoop of ice cream that is what they call a “serving.” Truth be told, a good milkshake is never limited by such boundaries. I can handle the 130 calorie single serving scoop for eating ice cream, but a milkshake!? No, that required four scoops of ice cream (13 POINTS), two tablespoons of baker’s cocoa (1 POINT), and one cup of milk (2 POINTS).

What I did not realize, and what I learned from writing down my food intake, is that a personal pizza can be upwards of 13 POINTS. Now, that is a guestimation based on the nutritional information for a Pizza Hut personal pan pizza. That’s the best I can do. The pizzas at Michigan Tech cafes are handmade, so that explains why pizzas from some cafes are really good, and why some suck. Nutritional information really is not available. There is a possibility that I consumed fewer calories than my estimation because the pizza I eat at Michigan Tech is not pan pizza like the Pizza Hut personals. Pan pizzas are usually higher in calorie.

Another observation I made is the high calorie content of one little International Delight French Vanilla Creamer: 45 calories. Yikes. That’s a lot for a tablespoon of fluid used to flavor my coffee.

Obviously, I need to make some changes. I need to replace the pizza with a lower calorie alternative. Pizza may be on the menu for the rest of the week, however. I need to gather my resources and figure out how I can take a healthy alternative to school. The problem is that I don’t have access to a microwave, or a refrigerator. I may have to relearn the lunchbox days of old, when I had my metal lunchbox in the elementary school cafeteria. As far as beverages go, I do carry my water bottle to school every day. I don’t always drink the whole thing, especially when my throat is sore. Water and sore throats just don’t mix. It makes my throat feel even rawer.

What I find really interesting is the fact that I am not gaining weight on this pizza diet. By replacing the pizza with a less calorie-dense food, I can easily drop a load of calories from my daily intake. Replacing the coffee will remove four sugars (60 calories) and one creamer (45 calories) giving me two more POINTS to work with.

As I write this, I have consumed 41 POINTS, 16 more than my recommended 25. With at least three waking hours left to my day, I will eat. I plan to have a salad, like yesterday. It is very low in POINTS and quite nutritious.

I could look at today as a failure, but it’s not. I learned that my choices are having a greater impact than I thought, and this has given me the opportunity to make the appropriate changes.

Today’s Menu

Breakfast
Taco Salad
• Lettuce, tomato – 0 points
• 2/3 c corn – 1 point
• ½ c refried black beans – 2 points
• 3 tbsp sour cream/guacamole combined – 3 points
• Taco sauce – 1 point
• ½ oz cheese – 3 points

Lunch
Personal cheese pizza – ~13 points (unsure)
Coffee – creamer, four sugars ~ 2 points

Dinner
Milkshake – 16 points
Salad
• Lettuce, tomato, cucumber – 0 points
• 4 Morningstar Chik nuggets – 4 points
• 14 g croutons – 1 point
• ½ oz cheese – 3 points
• 3 tbsp homemade ranch – 2 points

Total POINTS: 51
Weight: 171, down from 175

Last winter, I was continuing an unending battle with asthma and sinus congestion. It had been a chronic problem for three years. Being a person who has a difficult time consistently taking antibiotics for ten days, or regularly consuming a multivitamin, I found the daily doses of steroids to be just one more costly thing to take from my free time, what little free time I had. I chose to look at my diet for possible causes.

After trying different things, I gave up high fructose corn syrup, started drinking a detoxification tea, and began an almost-daily nasal wash. Even though I haven’t drank the detox tea for quite some while, and my nasal washes are often skipped, those asthma-like ailments are a thing of the past. The only consistent factor has been my choice to abstain from high-fructose corn syrup.

I read labels. I choose many organic and natural foods, and have even given up Campbell’s tomato soup – a lifelong favorite – because it contains high-fructose corn syrup. For the longest time, I went without Coca-Cola, the best soft drink, ever, because it, too, contains high-fructose corn syrup. Now, I occasionally drink Coca-Cola imported from Mexico – made with real sugar. I do eat out and I know I consume high-fructose corn syrup here and there, but nothing like what I used to.

I’ve been quite interested in the SweetSurprise campaign that has been advertised on television, lately. My favorite line from the commercial is, “High-fructose corn syrup is safe, in moderation.”

Moderation – what an interesting concept. Let’s consider the typical American diet. Moderation is hardly the word for it. Most of the foods Americans purchase, especially soft drinks, contain high-fructose corn syrup, and these foods are not consumed in moderation by the average American.

Katherine Zeratsky, Mayo Clinic dietitian, sums it up nicely:

In addition, animal studies have shown a link between increased consumption of high-fructose corn syrup and adverse health effects, such as diabetes and high cholesterol. However, the evidence is not as clear in human studies.

Despite the lack of clarity in research, the fact remains that Americans consume large quantities of high-fructose corn syrup in the form of soft drinks, fruit-flavored beverages and other processed foods. These types of foods are often high in calories and low in nutritional value. This fact alone is reason to be cautious about foods containing high-fructose corn syrup.

* http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fructose-corn-syrup/AN01588

* It is important to note that this article has been changed since I quoted it.

High-fructose corn syrup is also less eco-friendly, and going without it is a step towards going green. Most corn is grown without crop rotation, meaning more fertilizers and pesticides are used. Fertilizers have gotten into the water in many areas, causing negative bioeffects for people and animals, alike.

Milling and chemically altering corn to form high-fructose corn syrup also is energy-intensive. That’s not to say that corn is evil and other foods aren’t; all crops require energy to grow and transport. What makes corn a target is that federal subsidies — and tariffs on imported sugar — keep prices low, paving the way for widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup and, in the process, keeping the American palate accustomed to the sweetness it provides.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/06/AR2008030603294.html

While white sugar (bleached) is not the top choice for sweeteners, it is my primary choice due to cost. However, there are alternative sweeteners that are worth checking out: raw sugar, honey, stevia, and agave nectar to name a few. Slowly incorporating natural alternatives into your diet is a great way to make changes that may very well maintain, and even improve, the quality of your life for years to come.

In a couple Runner’s World issues, I’ve read that milkshakes, McDonald’s milkshakes in particular, have important health benefits for athletes. It turns out that a milkshake is an excellent source of calcium as well as a good source of the other excellent nutrients of its components. That really isn’t the point of this post, though.

I would like to share yesterday’s dose of happiness with you. I cracked open my last Fat Tire [beer] while doing the dishes. That was pretty happy, but not the dose of happy to which I was referring. After I was finished with both of those, I decided it was time to take my newly cleaned blender and make a milkshake. I pulled the Jilbert vanilla ice cream out of the freezer – Jilbert is the superior dairy based in Marquette, Michigan whose milk comes from real Yooper cows**. I scooped some superior, Yooper ice cream into the blender, poured in some superior, Yooper milk, and tossed in a couple spoonfuls of Hershey’s powdered baking cocoa. I blended it, poured it in my Hard Rock hurricane glass, topped it with Redi-Whip, poked a straw through the whipped cream, and drank. Yum.

This most excellent beverage is packed full of calcium, vitamin D, and calories, all of which are important factors in preventing osteoporosis. Unfortunately, that calorie part is also an obstacle in tackling Ali’s goals #2, 5, 7, 10, 17, and 20, but that’s why we all ride bikes, right?
____________________
* Michigan is comprised of two larger peninsulas: the Lower Peninsula, also known as the hand; and the Upper Peninsula, known as the bunny by some. Michiganders, Wisconsinites, Minnesotans, and Chicagoans (I don’t know about the rest of the Illinois citizens) are quite familiar with the inhabitants of the U.P., called Yoopers. Unfortunately, there are many people from other states who aren’t even aware that Michigan has an “Upper Peninsula.” On the other hand, this may not be so unfortunate.
** One day, while getting an ice cream sundae at Jilbert Dairy in Marquette, I asked if all the milk came from Yooper cows. One of the ladies was quite adamant that the milk was 100% Yooper, indeed!

I ran out of Perpetuem before the end of my ride, and started slowing down before I got home. Of course, I don’t usually do thirty mile mountain bike rides, but I felt it was a great opportunity to put this sports beverage to the test.

It passed.

I fully intend to place an order for Perpetuem this weekend. When taken frequently, I felt great and was able to keep going. It seemed to give my body what it needed to keep the greatly feared bonk at bay. The key is to consistently use it throughout the whole time you wish not to bonk. If you wish to bonk, then quit using it. The bonk will soon follow.

Many people are familiar with the flavor of Heed. It isn’t exactly a fine wine that brings great pleasure the minute it meets the palate. Perpetuem doesn’t exactly fit this description as well, however it is different. It has the trademark subtlety of Hammer products, with more of a grainy flavor, a flavor that I found highly desirable in the midst of my workout. It seemed to be just what my body wanted.

I am still trying to decide which sports drink I prefer for the average ride, but Perpetuem has my vote for endurance.

Pat arranged a Copper Harbor Fat Tire pre-ride for this morning. I started the day off right by making some buckwheat pancakes topped with raspberries picked in my yard and Upper Peninsula maple syrup. Yum. Let me tell you – yum. I drank some iced tea as I filled my Camelbak and put Heed in two water bottles – one to drink before the ride and one to drink during and after. I filled my flask with Hammer gel and threw my biking gear into a bag.

I met the guys in Calumet and we carpooled to the Harbor. I was the guide, so I headed over to Sam’s shop – the Keweenaw Adventure Company – to ask about any changes from last year’s course. Pat popped over to chat with Andrew, a talented Houghton bike mechanic who recently started working for Sam one day a week.

It was cold and windy in Copper Harbor, this morning, so business was slow for Sam. As a result, there was really nothing for Andrew to do, so I asked Sam if we could borrow Andrew for a ride. Sam consented and we snagged Andrew away for a great ride.

I was a little nervous about this ride because John, fellow Red Jacket and obsessive compulsive, was kind of a threat to me as I felt I couldn’t ride fast enough for him. This wasn’t the case at all. John and all the rest of us thoroughly enjoyed our ride and the pace. We took turns taking the lead and setting the pace. I led quite a few downhills and also through the trails around the Mountain Lodge, which can be confusing navigationally. At one point, the five of us were riding along with me in the sweep position as I had that moment that I treasure so much: that feeling of being a kid and simply enjoying riding my bike through the woods with my friends. That mindset is what makes mountain biking truly worth it.

Aside from speed, I realized early in the ride that I had my Maxxis Crossmark tires on instead of my Kenda Nevegals – the tire of choice for loose, rocky, steep terrain. I like an aggressive tire for aggressive terrain. It makes me feel more secure. I kept wondering about the tires and how they would perform at two particular spots on the course: the elbow turn on the Red Trail – a very steep downhill with an abrupt turn to the left with a somewhat loose tread, and Paul’s Plunge – the part of the race where people are most likely get hurt as they bounce down the rocky trail full of loose gravel. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my Crossmarks worked splendidly, so I decided to use them for the race Labor Day weekend. I’ll bring my Nevegals for back up in case we get a horrible downpour and I need a mud tire. It is highly unlikely, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Thimbleberry patches line the trails and roads of the Keweenaw.

One of the great things about the Copper Harbor trails are the berry patches spread throughout the land. Bilberries, blueberries, raspberries, and thimbleberries are everywhere. Thimbleberries are a special treat because they aren’t cultivated due to the delicate nature of the fruit, and they are found only in certain areas – the Keweenaw Peninsula being one of them. According to Wikipedia, thimbleberry leaves make great toilet paper due to their soft nature. I guess if I’m ever really in a pinch…

Following the race course, there is a section of road preceding Dancing Bear that leads up three successive, difficult climbs. They not only take power and a good set of lungs, but skill and a proper set of tires are a welcome advantage. Thimbleberry bushes surround the road at the entrance of Dancing Bear. This is usually a spot where the mountain bikers regroup while picking the bright pink berries and shoveling them into their mouths. This is what we like to call carbo loading.

This little guy was found crawling on my freshly picked thimbleberries. I freed him from his horrible predicament by encouraging him onto a leaf so I could release him into the freedom of my lawn.

I recently picked all of the ripe raspberries in my yard, and will keep picking them as they continue to ripen. I ate some and froze the rest for winter. I’d like to do the same with thimbleberries. After quitting my ride and Michigan House lunch with my fellow Red Jackets, I headed home to drop off my doggie bag and let the dogs out. I headed right back out the door for Churning Rapids to pick thimbleberries. They’re not as abundant here as they are in Copper Harbor, but I came home with a couple cups and am now preparing to freeze them.

It’s fascinating and gross at the same time: I saw a lot of different kinds of insects in my thimbleberry pan. The berries are going through a rinse/soak process of about five cycles to help remove some of these insects – hopefully all of them. It got me to thinking, though. Just how many bugs do we unknowingly eat on our trailside berry binges?

I haven’t ridden since I last rode. I can’t remember when that was. Looking at my log, it was Thursday when I had to ride to the VA Clinic for a fasting blood draw. That was fun.

I rode six miles with only water in my stomach so someone could stab my arm. It wasn’t very fun. She missed the vein on the right arm, and left a nice, knobby hematoma on the left. Translation: she went through the vein. In all fairness, I’m getting to be a pretty difficult draw as I age. That’s a scary thought considering I’m only 31. At this rate, they’ll need to put a PICC line in when I’m 51 to have any kind of access to my veins.

The blood actually tracked up my arm, so there is a “tail” to my bruise. It’s kind of cool, but I prefer the kind of bruises that result from colliding with chainrings and rocks. They want me to come back for another draw so they can test for iron because my hemoglobin count was low. That’s ok. I can already tell them I haven’t been eating enough iron. I think I’ll put off the next great opportunity to get stabbed until I heal from this last trauma.

In recent years, I tend to bruise after blood draws. This one hurt.

Some of you are probably thinking I’m a bit morbid with my terminology, but that really is how “we” in the medical profession refer this blessed event. In brief, you are a “draw” and they “stab” you to get the vein. Fun stuff!

I didn’t want to return home without something in my stomach, so I packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and bagged some strawberries. I took along two bottles of Heed as well. I ate the strawberries when I walked out of the clinic and ate the sandwich while riding home. I really like the concept of eating real food on the bike (as opposed to gels and bars). I got the idea from a Lance Armstrong book I bought.

So, I hope this post has been useful by teaching you how you, too, can successfully ride your bike to your next fasting blood draw.

Cast Iron Cookware

Maybe it is of no surprise that the rather untalented chef in me prefers my only cast iron skillet. I bought it for making Steak au Poivre, as seen on Good Eats with Alton Brown. I was particularly surprised to find that the best fried eggs I had ever made were out of that skillet! Oh, yes. It was better and easier than the ever-so-carcinogenic Teflon I have used all my life. What is even better about cast iron is I no longer hear the “use a plastic spatula” comment verbalized by my mother for oh, so many years (yes, mom’s voice sticks in your head even when you live eight and a half hours away).

Cast iron cookware is ideal for cooking all types of food. I bought my cast iron skillet for making Steak au Poivre (pictured), but found that fried eggs out of this skillet are just as easy and equally delightful.

As a female cyclist, cast iron is not only a great tool for producing splendid post-workout meals, but it provides me with that oh-so-necessary iron that promotes adequate transport of iron throughout my body. While I absolutely love beef, it is not something I eat very much of. In fact, I’ve answered the “are you a vegetarian” question many times because my diet consists mostly of fruits, vegetables, and faux meat (I love Morningstar Farms soy Chik products).

Steak au Poivre and Other Meat

Cast iron cookware adds to the iron content of food. Steak au Poivre with scalloped potatoes, corn, and an oh, so yummy biscuit.

I succumb to the temptation of beef rather easily and I can say with quite a bit of certainty that I am most certainly *not* a vegetarian. However, with beef tenderloin prices beyond what I can afford on an average day, faux chicken is usually my choice. That means I usually sacrifice the benefits of dietary iron . . . unless, of course, I cook with my cast iron skillet.