Grocery Bills, Great Snacks, and Getting Healthy

Shall we talk a little about food today?  Just a few things a want to share.  First, I have found a way to get all the food our family needs and save enough money to get better quality produce and meats.  Those expensive organics are within reach.  We changed the way we shop, and now we have literally cut our food bill in half…really!

Here’s how…

There is a website called The Grocery Game where you have access to weekly lists of virtually every market nation wide.  The first month is free, so you can check out how it works before spending a penny.  The gist is that they do all the footwork for you by locating sales, specials, freebies, and coupons so you can combine manufacturers coupons with those sales for maximum savings.  And I’m telling you, it works!  This past week our total grocery bill was $400.00; after all the discounts, coupons, and free items were taken off, it was reduced to just under $200.00.  Can you say Happy Dance?

The only down side is this:  Now that my husband has seen the savings potential, he won’t buy anything unless it’s on sale or he has a coupon…a monster of sort has been created.  Oh well, a small price to pay for the extra money.

Dr. Lamse’s Bean and Garlic-Eating Tips:

I would like to give you all a few easy suggestions, so you can put this info to good use right away.  Please keep in mind that you should eat smaller portions in the beginning and/or take digestive enzymes to avoid gas/bloating.

•  Hummus (mashed chickpeas) is a wonderful snack.  You may buy it at the grocery store or make it yourself.  Though in the Middle East they serve it with pitta bread, I recommend using Ezekiel bread or fresh crudites (organic carrots, organic celery, broccoli, cauliflower, etc) instead.

Note:  If you have thyroid conditions, it’s better to lightly steam the broccoli and cauliflower.  These vegetables contain compounds called isothiocyanates which disrupt the effects of thyroid peroxidase, a key enzyme in thyroid hormone production.

•   I also like to make my own “coleslaw” by mixing hummus with shredded cabbage (green cabbage, red cabbage, or Napa cabbage which is more tender).  The fiber in this concoction will keep you full for hours and helps you stay regular.

Garlic

•  To obtain maximum benefits from garlic, chop it or crush it and wait for 5-10 min before using, to give the health-promoting compound called allicin a chance to form.

•  Per George Mateljan: Although cooking for 10 minutes completely suppressed garlic’s phytonutrient actions, lightly cooking garlic was no problem-except for microwaving, which almost entirely stripped garlic of its blood-thinning effect.

For more information about garlic, go to Whfoods.org.

For more information about beans, go to Dr. Weil’s site.

Please visit Dr. Lamse at Lamse Wellness Clinic site  for an appointment. 

I would love to hear your food-buying tips as well as any yummy hummus or garlic recipes.

Photo by Drain1166