"Pop music is aspirin and the blues are vitamins."

I stole this from a friends blog.  Evidently the USA is no longer the fattest country.  Nope, not because we are losing weight, just other countries are gaining it.  No good.  Global Fatties.

Also Megan told me about the "dirty dozen" so I did some research so I could avoid highly chemical treated foods.  Of course strawberries are one of the worst and I have those in my fridge.  >:( I'm still gonna eat them but after I'm finished I'll buy organic strawberries :)  Here is a link to a list of the foods with the most and least pesticides: Pesticides on our foodz

So while other people are writing fascinating blogs that I can't get enough, I'm stuck with a one tracked mind:  I'm sick.  Waaaahhh!   But I'm on the mend, right?  I mean I have to be.  Asthma sucks though.

So I decided to do some more reading on this vitamin thing.  The jury is more than out, ladies and gentlemen.  It's hung.  And with pharmaceutical companies running the show I'm not sure there will ever be a legitimate re-trial, but alas, there is a lot of mostly-unsubstantiated claims about vitamins.  (VITAMIN C HAS HELPED BRING PEOPLE OFF LIFE SUPPORT AND REDUCE CANCER CELLS, PEOPLE!!!one example )

I take: Fish oil, E, D, B-complex, zinc (or I have a mineral complex with calcium, magnesium, and zinc I sometimes take).   Research backs fish oil.  Research seems to go back and forth with D.  Articles come out saying it's really not necessary unless you're completely sedentary but then literally the next day a completely contradicting article will show its face.  Some studies say zinc can be good, but too much of it can be bad because it can block the receptors for other important nutrience.  B-complex is pretty recommended.  Some recommend folic acid more (for women), or B-12 (for energy) but the b-complex vitamin has you covered.  Beware, b-complex is water-soluble and if you consume more than your body needs it comes out in your urine, in a neon color!  And as for vitamin E, no studies really show that the supplement is helpful unless you are deficient but it's suppose to help with your immune system so... i dunno maybe I won't buy it again when I run out.  

Have any of you heard of Astragulus?!  I think if I can find a relatively inexpensive supplement of this I will start to take it.  Many seem to agree that it could definitely help reduce the incidence of colds.   "...one of the ways astragulus is thought to work is by increasing the production of immune cells.  It may also have mild antiviral activity and help with the prevention of colds."  As with any drug or supplement that is not widely received and welcomed by the medical or pharmaceutical companies one must always warn "more research is needed."

As for my personal nutrition:

Yesterday, I decided (inadvertently) to eat European style.  A large lunch (which just-so happened to be brunch) and a smaller dinner.  Here's lunch. Note: I'm basically a copy-cat and made the same thing Devon had for breakfast the day before.  He sent me his food pr0n and then I had been craving it ever since.  A big shout-out goes out to Devon for introducing me to the wonders of roasted red peppers (and odwala's super food smoothie).  um. yum!

Eggs with: roasted red pepper, green/red/yellow bell peppers, onions, white mushrooms, spinach, tomato and a side of flax bread from whole foods.

I had this same thing for breakfast today, but with less veggies and less eggs with hopes I will get hungry for another meal in the evening, unlike yesterday.  I still haven't worked out, unless you count going to the store...which felt like a workout.  Judging by the sound of my wheezing lungs it will be a couple days before I'm back at the gym.  Again, I HATE GETTING SICK.