So good

I have a thing for nuts. I absolutely love nuts – preferably lightly roasted ot just plain raw, some times salted. I actually love nuts so much I only buy them in small packages, because I want to eat them all – right away!

Nuts have long been unjustly labeled fattening and too rich in calories, but the last few years they have grown in popularity. When the Low Carb and GlutenFree wave hit us the hardest, almost any recipe could be adjusted to use nut flours instead of wheat. Now they are found in most diets for anything from weightloss to weightgain.

But how good are really nuts for us? Do they ever become too much?

 Too much all at once?

One of the most fantastic qualities of nuts – beside the taste, is the omega 3 fatty acids, and some omega 6 fatty acids. Both of these are essential fatty acids, that we cant produce ourselves and therefor have to get through our diet.

Nuts are also a great source of protein, fiber, the vitamins B (including folate) and E, minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and potassium.

It is true, my lovely nuts are as much as 13-21% made up of fats and are therefor quite rich in calories, but did you know, that people that regularly eat nuts have a lower BMI than those that don’t. That’s pretty great news for a nut-lover like me. Studies even show that because of the structure of the nut, not all of the fat is absorbed (as it would if you ate a tablespoon of butter..), but sent straight out with your feces. Because you have to chew the nuts so much to swallow them, they help you feel full faster too, and may even reduce your sweet tooth a bit?!

just perfect

The suggested amount is 30-60 grams a day, which is not more than a handful or two.

If you want to eat more, it might be good to use it instead of something else like nut butter instead of butter etc. If you are in the position of trying to gain weight for whatever reason you can of course increase the amount.

 

Sources:

Nasjonalt råd for ernæring. Kostråd for å fremme folkehelsen og forebygge kroniske sykdommer. Helsedirektoratet 2011.

Mattes RD og Dreher ML. Nuts and healthy body weight maintenance mechanism. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2010;19 (1):137-141 137.

Food memories

Do you have any memories connected to certain foods? I sure do. Both good and bad ones. I’m not a big fan of ice cream for example, because I once got  sick after eating it.. it just doesn’t taste so great anymore as you can imagine. In the same way I have wonderful memories of eating tomatoes and cucumbers  from my grandmas garden, and I still L-O-V-E both fresh tomatoes and cucumber.. they are stables in my diet! I have so many memories with food, and I believe they have shaped how I view food today.  Realizing this I want to give my children good memories with nourishing food.

Fresh wonderful strawberries to be enjoyed as is, right now

A couple of ideas

Forage your own fruits, berries or vegetables, bring the kiddos 👶

Go on a tour or hike and bring something tasty and nourishing along

Norwegian whole grain waffles with fresh strawberries (on request from the toddler mushed with a fork). Great hiking lunch, or every-day party food ✌🏻

Set aside time every now and then for a “special time” to slow down, eat together and have fellowship

 

Why care about yourself?

I often ask myself this question.

Why not just give in and binge on all the goodies I crave, let the house be dirty, stop working out – just do things the easy way. Sometimes that is veeery tempting, sometimes that happens just a little. Thats ok.

My reason for keeping a fit and well-functioning body, eating well, taking care of myself and my surroundings comes down to one thing. Value.

It’s not because a magazine shows a fit, sexy, flawless woman on it. It is not because someone tells me this is how I need to look. Or how my house has to look. It is not because a fit person has more worth than a unfit or over-weight person.

I believe I have value, and by taking care of my body (inside and out), I steward it according to its value.

Because YOU have infinite value, I encourage you to take care of yourself too. This means to eat what your body and mind needs to conquer your day, use your muscles and get your heart pumping – and rest enough. Do something good for yourself.

You have one body to live in your entire life. You have great value. I really want you to know your value, that you would know how much you are loved. I would love for you to treat yourself with that respect and joy you are worth, that you would thrive in your health and well-being. That is why I encourage you to take care of yourself, and that is why I take care of my own body.

 

Working out the workouts

Among the many good reasons to workout, or at least move your body, the mental aspect is one of my main reasons.

In all my adult years I have enjoyed being active. First it was to “be thin”, then it was for the attention of a certain someone, then for fellowship, then because I had to cling to what was familiar in a new country, then it was to to be a fit bride, the a fit wifey, then I did it to prove that you could be active while pregnant and a new mom. I enjoyed it all along, it gave me more and more joy as I got used to it. Then I hit a rock, I had 2 small ones and for a number of reasons I felt quite strained. I continued to work out – it gave me joy, but I felt guilty for taking time for myself, I felt indulgent and vain – I should be at home tidying or cleaning. Comments from other people (probably not intended to hurt me), made me think that this was some odd behavioral issues I had, I mean, running around in tights to be fit?! Crazy woman. Too worldly, too vain and shallow. So I almost stopped working out.

Did it affect me? Oh yes. I was more impatient with my kids, more tired and sore, I had less hunger for life and more hunger for sugar and fatty foods. No bueno amigos.

So, I got a gym membership, a little hesitant at first, but it is truly one of the best investments of the year! Every time I go, I come out as e new person. Let me describe; excited for life, patient and kinder mom, inspired to love God, joyful and more energetic.

I have to conclude that if anyone asks me again how I have time to work out, I have to say I don’t have time and energy NOT to work out.

A thought of healthy foods.

English:

I’m often asked if this or that food is healthy, or healthier than the other. I understand the question, especially with the focus on ‘healthy food’ in media. Often what is labeled healthy isn’t all that amazing, it may just be trendy to eat that food this week.. it’s a theme that I almost always have in mind; What defines what is healthy food? What IS really healthy?

I recently read one definition of what is healthy food, it is food that gives the body some nutrition. If that is what defines healthy food, almost anything is healthy to some degree – I can actually almost only think of soda and sugar being NOT healthy (as they don’t give any nutrition).

If healthy food is defined as food that promotes our health and well being,the picture is a little different. Healthy food could even be somewhat individualized – as good health may look a little different for you and me.

What promotes good health depends on what is your starting point. Do you need to gain or loose weight? Are you an Olympic weight lifter or a stay at home mom, that would make your healthy diet look a little different (although my sweet husband tells me I work as hard as an athlete taking care of house and kids..). The different scenarios makes for different dietary needs.

As most foods can be labeled healthy, we have to focus on what is good for YOU and YOUR life situation. This is important to keep in mind when reading different health and lifestyle blogs. The label ‘healthy cakes/smoothies/tacos etc etc can be misleading as that may not be what will help your health in your situation – it’s of course written from the writers point of view and his/hers experience on what helps his/hers health. 🙂

Norsk:

Jeg far ofte sporsmal om den og den, eller den matvaren er sunn, eller er denne sunnere enn denne?!

Jeg kan forsta sporsmalet, i media blir vi ofte moett med titler som indikerer at en mat er sunnere enn en annen matvare. Det varierer litt hva som blir stemplet som sunt eller ikke, alt etter hva som er trendy akkurat na.  Det er et tema som jeg alltid har litt i bakhodet; hva definerer egentlig sunn mat? Hva ER sunn mat?

Jeg leste en for litt siden en definisjon pa sunn mat, det er mat som gir kroppen naering. Med den definisjonen er de fleste matvarer sunne, da de aller fleste matvarer gir oss noe naering. Det er vel stortsett brus og rent sukker som ikke er sunt per definisjon.

Dersom sunn mat er mat som fremmer god helse, blir saken en litt annen. Da kan sunn mat til og med bli litt mer individuell – for som jeg skrev i en tidligere post; god helse for deg og meg kan vaere noe ulikt.

Hva som er fremmende for din helse kommer jo an pa hva som er ditt utgangspunkt. Onsker du a ga opp i vekt vil det naturligvis se annerledes ut enn om du onsker a ga ned i vekt, er du olympisk vektlofter vil muligens kostholdet se litt annerledes ut enn om du er hjemmevaerende husmor (mitt kjaere mannebein mener dette er en darlig sammenligning, det er jo nesten det samme mener han – det er jo noe sant i det da). De ulike scenarioene krever ulike kosthold og spisevaner, men kan likevel vaere sunne.

Siden de fleste matvarer kan vaere sunne idet at de gir deg naering, ma vi begrense det til hva er det som fremmer din helse og din livssituasjon og hverdag. Merkelappen ‘Sunn kake/smoothie/middag’ kan derfor vaere ganske misvisende, for det kan jo vaere sa mangt – alt etter hva skribentens utgangspunkt eller livvstil er.

Likevel har forskning gitt grunn til a gi noen retningslinjer for hva som er optimalt for en bredere befolkningsgruppe. Disse radene kommer ikke til a treffe alle, da vi har ulike utgangspunkt, men for den brede befolkningen er det gode linjer a folge. Disse radene finner du her.

 

Hvordan fa ‘altetende’ barn

A fa ungene til a spise brokkoli kan oppleves som en utfordring..

Noen barn er mer ‘sensitive’ enn andre barn, noen har sterkere opplevelse av smak og konsistens, noen er bare utrolig ‘lettvinte’ i matveien helt fra starten av. Barn er herlige unike, alle er spesielle pa sin mate, ingen har helt de samme preferansene. Likevel har jeg plukket med meg noen tips langs veien som ihvertfall har hjulpet meg med a laere barna mine til a spise det meste de far servert.

Helt fra foer de ble foedt har jeg hatt et bevisst forhold til hva jeg spiser, jeg har passet pa a spise mye gronnsaker og mat med ulike smaker, ogsa nar jeg ammet har jeg forsoekt a spise godt og variert – siden noe av smaken kan overfoeres gjennom fostervann og morsmelka. Jeg var nok flinkere med nr1 enn nr2, det skal sies.

Da de begynte med mat startet jeg med gronnsaksmos, i tillegg til groet. Jeg vil at de skal bli kjent med mange ulike smaker tidlig. Personlig har jeg ikke vaert sa flink til a lage ‘babymat’, jeg har bare servert en bit usaltet mat av det vi selv har spist. Har vi hatt laks og potet, har jeg most laks og potet sammen osv. Har vi hatt suppe har jeg tatt ut litt suppe foer jeg har saltet den.

Jeg har ogsa latt de fa hele biter med gulrot, brokkoli, kalrot, pastinakk og agurk nar de har faatt tenner – da blir de vant med den bitre smaken, og det er godt for saare gummer.

Na som de er litt stoerre har jeg flere rutiner pa dette med mat, her er en liten liste:

-Barna far alltid vaere med i butikken – jeg ma bare passe pa at det ikke er rett foer middag. 

-Barna far plukke med seg minst en gronnsak og minst en frukt hver. Da far de eierskap til det vi kjoper og det er mer spennende a spise det senere. De laerer ogsa a kjoepe frukt og groennt, og laere navnene pa de.

-Nar vi kommer hjem far de lov til a hjelpe med a skjaere opp frukt og groennsaker, med egen liten kniv og skjaerefjoel – og ho mor som vaaker over dem som en hauk.

-De far lov til a hjelpe med a steke, koke, krydre og smake pa maten underveis. Nar de far lov til a vaere med pa matlagingen syns de det er mer stas a spise den etterpa – saerlig om vi titulerer dem som dagens kokker.

-Vi lager aldri voksenmat og barnemat, alle spiser det samme, men jeg proever a merke meg hva de liker best og ha minst en ting pa bordet som de liker godt.

-Alle ma smake pa alt. De trenger ikke spise mer enn en halv bit med eksempel loek, men den ma smakes pa. Det er fordi smakslokene trenger tid pa a bli kjent med nye smaker.

-De far styre mettheten selv. De ma ikke spise sa mye, eller alt pa fatet. Er de mett er de mett, men da far de ikke kjeks eller lignenede en halvtime etter middag.

-Selv om de ikke liker tomat, sa far de alltid tomat pa fatet. Ikke gi opp, bare fortsett a servere alle de ulike matvarene til alle, plutselig en dag sa er det en favoritt – kanskje?!

-De far ikke si ‘yuck’ eller ‘liker ikke’ til mat, men man kan si at det ikke er en favoritt, eller man liker andre ting bedre. Jeg vil at de skal ha en god holdning til mat.

-Vi proever a holde ro og fred rundt bordet. Er 3 aringen fryktelig troett, javel, da tar vi ikke opp kampen om tunfisk idag da.. Jeg merker det fort pa ungene mine om de er troette eller bare sta. Det er LOV a vaere troett og a ha en kjip dag, det har jo jeg ogsa iblandt.

-Mat skal vare godt og det skal vaere et samlingspunkt i hverdagen. Vi prover a gjoere det moro, koselig, fint, trygt, godt, fredelig.. Selv om vi bare har erter og potet kan vi jommen meg kose oss med erter og potet.

Haper du fant noen gode tips her.

Aja, glemte en ting til. Dersom ungene er fryyyktelig sultne foer middag er det kanskje greit a gi gronnsakene da, sa kan de heller kose seg med pasta, ris eller hva det skal vaere under selve middagen?

 

Sunn vs Slank

Jeg vet ikke med dere, men jeg har lett for a tenke at de som ser slanke ut er sikkert veldig ‘sunne’, trener, spiser sunt.. har det godt i kroppen sin.

Men er det virkelig slik?

Personlig kan jeg si at jeg kjenner flere som er slanke i kroppen, men om jeg skulle sagt noe om kosthold og livsstil, ville jeg kanskje sagt at det ikke er sa utrolig bra. Samtidig kjenner jeg flere som etter min bedoemmelse bade spiser naeringsrikt og holder kroppen i aktivitet – men som har litt mer kjoett pa kroppen.

Foer har jeg pleid a tenke at jeg har noen kg ekstra pa kroppen – na ma jeg jammen spise sunnere og trene mer. Javel, som sagt sa gjort – uten at det har flyttet vekta mer enn et par gram frem og tilbake.. Jovisst, det er bedre for kroppen a spise mer naeringsrikt samt a holde kroppen i aktivitet. Men vekta er og blir den samme 🙂

Samtidig snakker jeg stadig med en flott frue som har vaert litt overvektig i mange aar, og som nylig har godt ned over 20 kg, dietten? Cola, chips og royk… hun mistet rett og slett matlysten pa alt annet, men vekta gikk ned..

Poenget er at man trenger ikke vaere tynn for a vaere sunn, eller sunn bare fordi man er tynn.

Et annet poeng er at det kanskje ikke er sa mye a hige etter a vaere tynn? Jeg har et personlig vektmal og magemal jeg onsker meg, men jeg vil ogsa ha en kropp som baerer meg i mange ar, energi og godt humoer til a leke med ungene, sykle, jogge, ga pa tur osv. Jeg vil ha et sunt haar, sterk beinbygning og et skarpt hode.

For oyeblikket tester jeg ut Low-FODMAP dietten pga mageproblemer. Den er ikke nodvendigvis bedre enn vanlig mat, jeg har heller lagt pa meg enn gatt ned i vekt, men magen har det bedre og dermed er humoeret bedre og jeg har mer energi. Mer om det i en annen post.

What is health anyway?

So, what is healthy anyway?

We all want to have a good health. But what good health is could be so different from you and me. I am a mother of 2 small boys, one is veryvery active, and one is more held back. I need to both have energy to run with the active one, and to sit down with the calm one. I dont need huge muscles, but I need a strong back. I need to be able to run with a little boy learning to bike, and push a stroller at the same time. I need to be able to multitask and keep calm in the middle of a lot of mess.

I dont need huge muscles to carry sheetrock and bags of concrete like my husband does. I dont need to be able to run for hours and hours like a marathon runner does.

I am healthy, but I cant run a marathon, and I cant carry bags of concrete all day long. I get a cold or a flu every now and then, but I consider myself healthy.

My grandmother is over 80 years old. She cant carry my boys, she cant run alongside of the one on the bike. She cant carry sheetrock either. But she can go for a walk with her dog, she can socialize and solve a crossword better than I. She is also healthy.

My husband is very strong, he can carry heavy things while almost running, he can keep going on and on and on with heavy work.. but he cant really run alongside our boy biking..because of asthma. Is he healthy? Or just strong?

WHO defines health like this:

<Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.>

Professor Peter F Hjorth defined health like this:
«Good health belong to those that have the ability and capasity to master and meet the unaoidable difficulties and challenges of everydaylife.»

Health can look very different for different people. Even people with a chronic disease can have a good health, in the middle of their circumstance. My above 80 year old grandmother are able to meet all the challenges of her everyday life, she does not have to be as fit as me, I would consider her health very good.

People sometimes tells me ‘oh, youre so healthy…’ or ‘you are so much healthier than me..’, but I wonder what is the point of comparing this? I dont need someone elses health – I need to meet the challenges of MY life, not someone elses.. mrs.Hansen at the gas station does not need to meet the challenges of my life – she needs to be able to meet the challenges of her own life. So her healthy can maybe look a bit different than what my healthy may look like 🙂

So, my boys like to go fast in the stroller – so I run with my stroller – and it gives us joy, its fun for us. Friends of mine might find it draining, some may rather bike, or do pilates, or do something else. Thats fine. We can be healthy either way. Wether we run with a stroller or not.

 

Bloggverden, hallo!

Etter a ha tenkt pa dette lenge, har jeg endelig startet blogg.

Her vil jeg forst og fremst skrive om kosthold og ernaering – og tanker og erfaring rundt dette. Som personlig kristen kan jeg nesten ikke unnga a komme med noen tanker rundt det med tro ogsa, som mamma kommer det sikkert noe om dette temaet, og som medmenneske kan det jo vaere at det kommer et og annet innlegg om relasjoner.. men altsa, kosthold, ernaering og livsstil er hovedfokus.

Jeg gleder meg!

For tiden tester jeg ut en Low FODMAP diett, da jeg over lengre tid har vaert plaget mye med magen, sa jeg kommer helt sikkert til a skrive om dette og min erfaring rundt det.

Som en liten skap-jogger med fryktelig lyst til a lope en 10K pa et eller annet loep i naermeste fremtid, kommer det nok en aldri sa liten oppdatering pa det ogsa – sa er det kanskje litt motivasjon a hente der?

Ellers gleeeeder jeg meg over at det er VAR og snart paske. Hurra for sol og varmere vaer – og som 4 aringen sier; Na kan vi snart ga ute med sokker.. 🙂