Getting healthier is incremental – bit by bit – for most people. You cannot do it all at once. It might be helpful if I to write down some of my own incremental lifestyle changes.
The lifestyle changes I made after last year’s blood tests in Fort Lauderdale (April 2008) were as follows.
1. Avoiding glycation
2. Reducing the amount of sugar in my diet
After this year’s visit to see Terry Grossman, I will make further changes, no doubt. For now, let’s look at these factors one by one.
1. Avoiding glycation.
I reduced the amount of food I cooked at high temperatures. This was to avoid glycation.
For example, I substituted frying my salmon for poaching or steaming it. Stir-frys became a ‘quick fry’ followed by steaming in a little liquid.
I stopped frying curry onions and spices before adding the liquid – I just put it all together to cook.
When cooking in foil in the oven, I cook for an hour at 250 degrees F (gas mark 1.5) instead of a hot oven for 20 minutes.
The food still tastes great. I love poached or steamed salmon now. I like to poach it in vegetable stock, or wine, or just some water with a little soy sauce or Worcestershire Sauce. Add some flavouring to taste – onions, garlic, chili seeds, chopped peppers – and steam for 5 minutes a side.
In the oven – add the same vegetables, pour a little olive oil over. You can also add sliced courgette, mushrooms, etc. A fantastic meal when you add a side salad or a few extra steamed green vegetables.
I still occasionally have fried food – but rarely cook it except for the quick start to my stir-frys.
Next I look at My Lifestyle Changes – Sugar
