World Water Wellness Wednesday

For this Wellness Wednesday (and World Water Day!) I’m keeping it simple: Don’t Drink Bottled Water! Of course we all know that drinking from plastic bottles is bad for the environment, but what many of us don’t realize is that it’s not any better than 80% of the tap water in the U.S. … and definitely worse for our wallets!

What finally convinced me to make the switch was this video at storyofstuff.org. Take a look and I guarantee you’ll be convinced!

*Note- when looking for a safe reusable water bottle be sure to make sure it’s BPA free (a chemical that’s used it”s some water bottles that’s been linked to a variety of concerns including infertility).

Happy St. Patty’s Day!!

I am in such a fabulous mood! Today is St. Patrick’s Day (with a last name of McCarthy you know I will be celebrating!), my lovely friend Liz’s Birthday (Happy Birthday!!), and a GORGEOUS day here in NYC- yay! Today is also Wellness Wednesday, where we focus on all things nourishing, energizing, and healthy.

Since many of you will be celebrating this day o’ green by raising a pint, I thought I’d write a post about grains (which of course is where beer comes from!).

Grains got a bum wrap by diet fads in the U.S. over the last decade. The high-protein, low-carb diet phenomenon extremely dangerous to our health. (A great article about the Atkins Diet is www.atkinsexposed.org.) Simply put, complex carbohydrates are necessary and vital for our bodies to function properly.

The trick with grains is to eat WHOLE grains- whether in breads, pastas, tortillas, etc. Also, food marketers have gotten clever and started labeling certain processed food as being whole grains, but they also include icky ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. So be sure and ALWAYS read the labels.

I’m a huge Ezekiel fan when it comes to breads and tortillas and there are so many terrific whole grain pastas out there to try.

I also love to eat a wide variety of whole grains. In this country we tend to focus on only a few like wheat and rice, but what about amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, oats, quinoa (technically a seed but it’s amazing), rye, spelt, etc? Next time you go to the store I highly recommend picking up a grain you’ve never tried before. Plus they are so inexpensive that you really get a lot of bang for your buck!

I also highly recommend starting simply: replace white rice, white flour tortillas, and white pastas with their whole grain alternatives. While this can seem difficult at first (my boyfriend fought me tooth and nail on this one), the benefits are so worth it. The white rice etc. has been stripped of it’s nutrient value, causes a quicker rise and fall of glucose levels (the “crash” feeling after eating a big bowl of pasta), and even depletes your body of nutrients and minerals like calcium.

There’s so much more to be said about whole grains- they are the basis of every ancient culture’s diet! If you have any questions or want to know how to incorporate more whole grains into your diet send me a email at monicanyla[at]gmail[dot]com.

Now it’s time to raise a pint for our good friend the Whole Grain- Enjoy!!!