Ned's Food and Fitness Guide- An occasional submission

I have lost nearly 15 pounds over the past 6 months by going to the gym to work off my growing outrage at the disappointments in the Obama administration and the bad weather in Oregon. I have found the elliptical machine to have been the most effective for me. I am now working on weights, and I figure in another 6 months I will no longer be ashamed to venture out uncovered. But exercise is one thing: eating another, and they are both essential to good health. I am taking no prescription medication and hope to keep it that way.

Ned's first rule of eating is to free one's mind from likes and dislikes, because these are mainly created by industrial food manufacturers. Eat what likes you, and don't worry so much about what you like.

Cut down on salt. The average American consumes two to three times the optimum sodium intake, mainly from processed foods.

Cut down on meat, especially industrially grown meat. This stuff contains additives that are not good for you, are bad for the environment and bad for the animals. I avoid all beef and pork, whether industrial or organic.

Max "out" on vegetables, and try to get organic when possible. Stop worrying about price, since you spend very little on fresh food anyway.

Cut back on fruit juices. They may contain nutrients, but they have so much concentrated sugar that they can mess you up. f you must drink fruit juice, make it organic and cut it 1:1 with water.

Drink vegetable juice. It's the elixir of life, but go for the low-sodium kind.

Eat lots of fruit, but be careful of eating industrially-grown fruit like apples, strawberries, and peaches, as they are dosed with pesticides. Avoid industrial bananas since they too are dosed with pesticides. Get organic ones and don't worry about the extra ten cents. If most people saw a nickel on the street they wouldn't bend over and pick it up.

Avoid processed grains! Make your own bread. It's easy if you get a bread machine from your local Goodwill or equivalent.

If you must eat pizza, buy pre-made crust from a local whole foods store or co-op, the kind you roll out and bake at home, and make it yourself. Read labels and avoid processed flour and salt.

READ LABELS. This is a key recommendation.

Here are some of my recommended foods in no particular order. I will post recipes if demand warrants it later.

Blueberries

Strawberries (organic only)

Apples (organic if possible)

Bananas (organic only)

Arugula

Broccoli

Coleslaw--buy if with dressing from a local deli and cut it with equal parts packaged coleslaw like Dole's.

If you eat meat: buffalo, venison (eat the damn things up and get rid of them!), lamb, a little chicken is OK now and then.

Sheep's milk and goat's milk cheeses. Watch the salt!

Kefir and plain yoghurt, organic if at all possible!

Butter, organic or at least no BGH!

Olive oil.

Eggs if from happy hens --eggs are wonderful food

Fish--I like wild-caught salmon and don't be afraid to buy it canned from Alaska (look for the cans with no added salt), and mackerel. Calamari is good too but almost impossible to cook so I get it when I go out. Very sustainable. Squid breed and die.

I eat a little shrimp but it isn't very sustainable so go very light.

Asparagus in season

Kale and chard are great and great for you.

Tomatoes are a wonder food but get organic if you can.

Figs

Nuts and seeds are great for you but only in moderation because of the calories. I like brazil nuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds ( a wonder food) and sunflower seeds. Walnuts too.

More later.