Danger

[wish959]

I've been made aware today that my body is reaching it's critical mass. I'm in the worst shape i've ever been and it's starting to take effect on my health. Besides having next to no stamina, I'm always hot, i feel muscle pain rather often, and now i've started to feel a pain in my chest. I've had bad digestion recently as well as heartburn. I

Comments

[demetra_ai]

I know what you mean! I work out twice a week, so at least I'm getting a bit of exercise, but it's sooooo easy to fall into bad eating habits, especially when you're really busy or rushed.

I think bok choy (I think that's how you spell it?) is really tasty, actually (^O^) There's another Chinese vegetable that's really good, it's pronounced "choy sam" in Cantonese and the kanji are 心菜 but I'm not sure how to pronounce it in Japanese. Anyway, it's got a long green stalk and it's leafy with little yellow flowers. Sounds like rabbit food, but it's really tasty -- all you do is wash it, cut it into more manageable pieces, and boil it for a few minutes until it gets soft. Just like bok choy actually! And it really does taste good. I buy it when I can find it at the Chinese grocery store down here, and I know you can find it in Japan too. That might be good to try!

Another thing I did when I was in Japan was cook with tofu a lot (^_^;) I like tofu though, so if you're not a tofu fan, then that might not be for you. But it's a really good source of protein, which most people don't get enough of. Fish is another very good and very lean source of protein -- there's an amazing amount of protein in fish, and of course fish is pretty easy to come by in Japan! Protein will help build muscle which of course enhances your workouts because your body will be able to burn more calories faster and more efficiently.

Another thing I noticed is that it's pretty common for the cuts of beef in Japan to be pretty fatty... especially the thin-sliced beef that is used in gyuudon. I would watch out for that stuff. Beef is good to eat because it's a good source of protein too, but if you can, try to get a cut of meat that you can cut the fat off of easily and that will help cut down on calories and cholesterol. I remember having a hard time finding cuts of beef like that, so I didn't buy beef very often when I was in Japan -- I ate more chicken and fish (^_^;)

Also, if you have to do any frying (because, let's face it, a lot of Japanese cooking involves the frying pan!), it's better to use olive oil rather than sesame oil. Olive oil is healthier for you than oils made from nuts or seeds, from what I understand.

Anyway, I'm no food expert, but those are some of the things I try to keep in mind about eating healthy (^_^;)

Mmmm kimchi nabe sounds great!! I'm a fan of the miso nabe myself, but you're right -- it's really easy to make, and it's delicious (^_^) I'm sure that will turn out great!

[wish959]

That's a lot of awesome advice, thank you so much!!(^O^)
I usually try to avoid red meat in supermarkets here like the plague, mainly because of the price. But yeah, Japanese people have it in their heads that more fat = more flavor. Not healthy :(
Actually i really like tofu and i got some to put in the nabe :D I'll look for choy sam in the supermarket tomorrow. If i can find it, it should add some much needed flavor to my dishes in the future!(^_^) I usually use Olive oil when i fry, but do you know anything about Canola oil? My mother claims it's the healthiest oil to use, but i still think olive is #1. Thanks again! :D

[demetra_ai]

I don't know about canola oil, but I've heard that olive oil is the healthiest too. Then again, my family is Greek, so olive oil is a staple for us (^_^;) But you could probably look online and find some info about the merits of canola oil vs. olive oil. (^_^)

[wish959]

I love olive oil most of all, so i'll probably just stick with it. My parents used to get annoyed back in Montreal because i used their olive oil even when i fried eggs :-P I just like the way it makes food taste! I really love olives too :)

[pongatari]

RIDE YOUR BIKE!

Move to Osaka so I can make you ride your bike! Find a nice spot with as few traffic lights, cars, and meat pylons (pedestrians, etc.) as possible. Riverside paths are great. Don't sweat the weather, you'll warm up quickly. Do it for an hour a day (even 4 days a week) and you'll see big results after just one month. I guess it's a personal thing, but for me it's easier than completely changing my eating habits. If you're exercising a lot, you'll probably wind up wanting to eat healthier anyway.

I've got a few recipes for stuff that's healthy, cheap, and pretty good. Unfortunately I have to head for Exodus in a little bit, but when I get home I'll post recipes for...

Dad's un-Chinese Lo-mein
Tako's toaster oven salmon
Lisa's sweet chili tuna mayo pasta
Seedy J's Stoner Curry

Found some really nice tofu the other day - it's called something-or-other JOHNNY (with Johnny in katakana). As good as it is, it probably isn't healthy though.

Fatty meat... ugh... went to Gyu-kaku last night and ordered something called kemuri-yaki. What we got was big strips of pork fat. I tried one, and it made my inner baby Jesus cry.

Oh yeah, and I always thought heartburn was that burning feeling you get in your chest. Usually brought on by marbo-dofu or 551 Horai butaman.

[wish959]

Thanks a lotfor the advice! It's do-able and i like that :D Riding my bike is definitely on my "To Do" list, and so is moving to Osaka, but the latter will have to wait a little while. In the meantime, i can ride my bike here between the rice fields, by the whore houses and the seemingly endless ramen shops and izakayas. There is a riverside to speak of, but there isn't anywhere to ride my bike along it (not unless i invest in a mountain bike with shocks and sturdy tires/frame) I've been thinking of an new bike trail to try out, so i might do that later tonight or tomorrow after work. No one on the streets at this hour, but i might get stabbed :/

I'm really interested in those recipies of yours, pleasa pass them along when you have a minute! They sound sweet! (how do you take the Chinese out of Chinese food? Stoner Curry, awesome!! :D )

I've had that Johnny Tofu and it tastes good, but like you i doubt its good for you. Its from a fancy-pants new tofu company called 男前, or handsome tofu :-P It boasts that it tastes better than most tofu, and at that price (like 300 yen a thing, which is UNHEARD OF for tofu which should cost around 30 yen) it better damn well be good! But i'm pretty sure they add sugar or something to make it taste good.

I've been to Gyu-kaku once and it not only hurt my wallet but i ate a lot of wierd shit that was more fat than meat. It made Gyudon look like lean meat! :(