Friday, Where Are You?

[Insert positive comment here]

You mean it’s only Thursday???

“If you don’t have nothing nice to say, don’t say it at all.”

Ok, let’s see, I got to ride my bicycle today! That was fun!

I usually drive my car to the school I teach at. I am too embarrassed to actually admit how close it is, but with packing breakfast, lunch, snacks, lesson material, and my laptop, it makes commuting by bike difficult if not impossible. I had to go to a seminar at the University of Hawaii campus, so I drove home, dropped off my baggage, and hopped on my bicycle. I’ve missed riding that beauty so much, I used to commute by bike everyday, and now I use it about once a week 😦

Dinner was also a stellar part of my day.

Oven roasted tofu with a hoisin glaze, broccoli, kabocha squash, and black rice.

Whole grains- check, nutritious and colorful veggies- check, protein- check. What more do you need from dinner?

I cannot get enough pumpkin in my life, this squash was fantastic! I am looking forward to putting it in my oats tomorrow morning 🙂

Tim and I watched a documentary called Forks Over Knives about the link between the American meat-heavy diet and the superfluous amounts of heart disease and cancer. I already knew most of the information in the movie, but what was really interesting was the different scientific studies done on different populations in different areas in the world. I was aware of the problem with American diets, but it was really enlightening to see evidence of the corrolation between animal-based foods and disease in populations all over the world. For example, studies were done in China between urban (where they eat a more Western diet) and rural (where they eat a plant based diet) communities and the difference in the presence of disease was staggering.

I highly suggest you watch this movie, you can stream it for free on Netflix.

This movie has me seriously considering a vegan diet. I only eat yogurt and cheese on a daily basis, and this is mostly for their protein content, and fish on occasion. So I don’t think it would be a difficult thing for me to do, I just feel like I need to do some homework about sufficient protein intakes and sources, with all of my running and activity.

Any thoughts about these issues at hand? Are all animal-based sources of food degenerative and negative for your health? How do you make sure you get enough protein in your diet?