Photo by:  davidrossharris

• Eating sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds can provide us with more protein than grains.  The seeds are a good source of fat and high in vitamin E.

Pumpkin Seeds

• Pumpkin seeds are as much as 30 percent protein, high in iron, calcium, and phosphorus.  Pumpkins seeds contain magnesium, copper, vitamin E and essential fatty acids.
• For men, pumpkin seeds are used for prevention and treatment of male prostate problems.
• A person can eat pumpkin seeds raw, roasted, or they can be made into seed meal used in other foods.

Sesame Seeds

• Sesame seeds are made up of about 20 percent protein.  They do contain some vitamin E and A.  Except for B12 and folic acid sesame seeds contain B vitamins.  They also contain calcium.
• Sesame seeds can be used in many ways such as in breads, on crust (bread and pizza), made into tahini (sesame seeds mashed) used as a spread or in recipes, made into a sesame candy called halvah.
• Sesame oil is good to use in cooking.  Try a small amount of toasted sesame oil dropped into some miso soup.  It adds a very good flavor.

Sunflower Seeds

• Probably the most common is the sunflower seed.  They are native to North and South America and have been used by the Indians for ulcers, constipation, as a diuretic, help improve eyesight, and to treat worms.
• The seeds (unsalted) are low in sodium and have a high content of potassium.  They contain vitamin E and are high in polyunsaturated fats and essential linoleic acid.  Cholesterol level reduction and prevention and/or improvement of cardiovascular disease can possibly be obtained eating sunflower seeds.
• Be cautious not to eat too many sunflower seeds.  One half cup of hulled seeds adds up to about 400 calories.
• Sunflower seeds are useful in salads, and baking breads.

With any seed and/or food you want to make sure they get chewed up well for digestion and absorbtion.

Try adding more seeds into your diet for the many benefits mentioned above.  It is a small favor, with great benefits you can do for yourself.

References:

Natural Health, Natural Medicine; Andrew Weil, M.D.

Staying Healthy with Nutrition; Elson M. Haas, M.D.

Photo by Remy Snippe

So, you don’t know where to start with eating, and living a healthier life?  I suggest taking small steps (“baby steps” in other words) so you won’t become discouraged and/or “burnt out.”

Suggestions on Eating Healthier:

• Never skip breakfast, making it as balanced as possible (protein, good carbohydrate, healthy fat, vegetable).  By eating a balanced breakfast you are “starting the furnace”, helping jump start your metabolism, which in turn will help you loose weight.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
• Make a conscience effort to eat healthy snacks.  You want to always include some protein but not too much.  Some suggestions are: hard boiled egg and a vegetable, peanut butter and celery, white cheese (less fat than yellow cheese) and crackers (whole grain).  Be creative, but try to keep the snack balanced.
• Work on cutting down on eating red meat.  I suggest one serving a week or none at all.  If you insist on eating red meat try buying buffalo.  It is more lean then beef.  The leaner the better for your arteries and all around health.  There are some suggestions that colon cancer is linked to eating too much red meat.  Try cooking with more chicken and fish.  I highly suggest your chicken be “free range” or organic (see other post about this subject).  Fish should never be farm raised.  The farms feed the fish chemicals to: 1) produce more fish, and 2) with salmon they give them colored red pellets to make the skin red.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.  You can eat quite a bit with very few calories.  A good way to incorporate more into your diet is to have vegetables cut up ready to grab, and with fruit you can either make a fruit salad or just have fruit out on the counter ready to be eaten.

Ideas for living a healthier lifestyle:

• It doesn’t cost any money to get out and walk.  If you aren’t use to walking as exercise, I suggest just going for 15 minutes starting out.  Maybe do that for 4-5 days and then add 5 more minutes, etc. (remember “baby steps”)  I personally walk between 30-45 minutes.  Walking is a wonderful way to keep the bones strong.  Being outdoors is the best, but if you have a treadmill make sure you use it.  When walking you want to go at a speed that will increase your breathing.  By doing this you will benefit in getting more oxygen to your blood which is important to the body helping build a stronger immune system.
• Get involved in yoga, deep breathing, pilates, or if you are a person that needs structure get to a gym.  Yoga will get a person in shape with flexibility and toning.  Deep breathing will help with oxygenation to the blood and help reduce stress.  Pilates and going to a gym will help reduce stress and get the body into shape.
• Be conscientious of putting yourself under too much stress during the year.  You don’t have to be “super” Mom, Wife, Husband, etc.  Just be.  If you feel you are trying to do too much, back off and decline invitations, etc.  There is nothing wrong with not “joining in” once in awhile.  Your body will appreciate you.

I have barely touched the surface of ways to eat and live healthier.  Do some homework regarding a healthy life.  Only you have the control to live well.

You can find much more information on websites and/or through reading some great books.  Below I suggest only a few of the hundreds of books and websites to follow.

Reading and/or website suggestions:

The UltraMind Solution; Mark Hyman, M.D.

www.drhyman.com

The New Optimum Nutrition Bible; Patrick Holford

www.patrickholford.com

The Schwarzbein Principle; Diana Schwarzbein, M.D.

www.schwarzbeinprinciple.com

Photo by:  Andrea_44

• Most people think they have to drink a large amount of milk and eat dairy products to get the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calcium into their diet.  This is a huge myth and can sometimes be very damaging to a person’s health.

• Cow’s milk does provide a person with nutrients such as. protein, fat, carbohydrates, and calcium.  However, humans can get these same nutritional factors from healthful food.  The amount of calcium a human absorbs drinking a glass of milk is only 32 percent compared to healthful foods such as:

Based on One Cup

Kale = 40.9%

Broccoli = 52.6%

Brussels Sprouts = 63.8%

Turnip Greens = 51.6%

Orange Juice = 37%

• By eating leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits to obtain calcium you will retain more of the calcium that is needed than if your diet was centered around meat, cheese, and processed foods.  Don’t forget a person can even get calcium from the water they drink.
• There is a source of calcium in nondairy beverages such as: (per 8-oz. serving)

1. Rice Dream, Enriched 300mg
2. Pacific Hemp Milk 500 mg
3. Soy Dream, Enriched 300mg
4. Westbrae Oat Plus 300mg
5. Pacific Almond, Low-Fat 250mg

This is a very small example of how a person can incorporate calcium into the diet without eating dairy products.  Other sources of calcium are almonds, blackstrap molasses, figs, hazelnuts, lentils, maple syrup, peas, rhubarb, white beans, and much more.

Dairy products can possibly be detrimental to a persons health:

• Allergy – About 7.5 percent, or twenty-one million people have an authentic allergy to cow’s milk involving the immune system.  Cow’s milk and products made from it is one of the most common food allergens.
• Obesity and Overweightness - cows milk is full of calories and fat.  Three eight-ounce servings of milk will add 450 calories and 24 grams of fat to the diet.
• Cancer – A person can be exposed to synthetic hormones and growth factors along with possible carcinogenic contaminants like pesticides and other industrial chemicals that are likely to accumulate in animal fat which then shows up concentrated in milk.
• Parkinson’s Disease – A report published by researchers of the Harvard School of Public Health suggest cow milk consumption may be associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease.  They found a 50 to 80 percent higher risk of  developing the disease in men who consumed the most lactose, Vitamin D from dairy, calcium from dairy, and dairy protein than men who consumed the least amount of these nutrients.

These are just a few of the conditions and disease that diary products can contribute to poor health.  If you eat healthy and don’t consume dairy products you will continue to get the nutrients your body needs.

The National Dairy Counsel spends hundreds of dollars trying to sell their products. We as consumers tend to buy into the advertisements that milk is good for you, and that we have to have it to build strong bodies and strengthen our bones.  I suggest you do your homework and read up on this subject.

Suggested Reading:

“Whitewash” by Joseph Keon

• I find myself always looking for new information where I can gain knowledge to improve my health, and spiritual being.  The year 2000 is when I really became interested in learning how I could benefit by changing my eating, and lifestyle habits.  This is the year I was diagnosed with ductual carcinoma in-situ breast cancer.  Prior to this I actually thought I was eating fairly healthy and living a good lifestyle.  Little did I know I had a lot to learn.
• I thought I would share some of my favorite books that I have read and use for reference whenever I have a question regarding how I feel, or to improve how I live my life.

Suggested Reading:

Prescription for Nutritional Healing; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC

• This book is a great reference from A-to-Z on drug-free remedies using herbs, food supplements, vitamins, and minerals.  It starts out explaining the elements of health and then goes into a breakdown of disorders.  The last part of the book discusses different options of remedies and therapies that can be considered.  The part I appreciate when looking up information regarding a disorder is the explanation of the disorder, a list of supplements to consider, suggested herbs that can be used, along with recommendations and considerations to think about.  I refer to this book often.  

Staying Healthy with Nutrition; Elson M. Haas, M.

• You will find this book offering a complete guide to diet and nutritional medicine.  The first part of the book explains the building blocks for good health, then goes into the foods, diets, and environment we should be paying attention to.  Part three of the book talks about building a healthy diet and then part four finishes up with special diets, supplement programs, and nutritional applications.  This book goes into great detail about minerals, vitamins, accessory nutrients, dietary habits, environmental aspects of nutrition, along with providing some helpful recipes.  When doing my schooling I found this book to be a helpful resource to learning all aspects of healthy nutrition.

The New Optimum Nutrition Bible; Patrick Holford

• The major aspect of this book is about optimum nutrition, the benefits of optimum nutrition, defining the perfect diet, nutrition for all ages, a personal nutrition program, a list from A to Z of nutrition healing, nutrient facts from A to Z, finishing with a food fact section with valuable information.  The book is full of valuable nutrition information that is written in an easy to follow format.

Some other books one might be interested in are:

The UltraMind Solution; Mark Hyman, M.D.

The China Study; T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II

Conscious Eating; Gabriel Cousens, M.D.

• I am only touching the surface on suggested reading to help in learning about proper nutrition and healthy living.  There are hundreds of books on the market.  I recommend you do your research and find which ones work best for you.  My hope is that you take that important step to become a healthier you.

• I am not a real fan of seaweed but have found this salad to taste quite good.  Using ginger and garlic as seasoning is a big help.  I have been told arame, the type of seaweed used in this recipe, is good to use as an introduction to seaweed used in cooking.  I hope you enjoy this recipe like I do.  It would be an easy recipe to prepare for a carry-in or when having company over for dinner.

Seaweed Sesame Salad – serves 6

2 cups dry arame

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

2 carrots, sliced in matchstick pieces

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoon tamari

4 scallions, shredded

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 cup daikon radish, sliced in matchstick pieces

1/2 cup red bell pepper, sliced in matchstick pieces

Boston or romaine lettuce

Directions:

• Soak arame in hot water for 15 minutes.  Drain and place in saucepan with garlic, ginger, carrots, and enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil and cook until arame and carrots are just tender.  Drain immediately and place in mixing bowl.
• In a small bowl use a whisk to mix toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and tamari together to make a dressing.  Set aside for later use.
• Add the scallions, daikon radish, and red pepper to the arame.  Pour dressing over the salad and mix real well.  Sprinkle sesame seeds over salad and mix.  Serve on the Boston or romaine lettuce.

I did the slicing of the vegetables while the arame was soaking in the hot water.  The most time consuming part of this recipe is the slicing of the vegetables.  This recipe can be prepared in 30 minutes.  I found the salad held its flavor for at least 24 hours.

I do not know where I got this recipe, so the creator is a mystery to me.  Enjoy!

• I want to share a personal story about what I have learned regarding uterine fibroids.  I was having a pelvic ultrasound done to check for ovarin cancer which took my mothers life many years ago.  The radiologist didn’t find a problem with my ovaries but discovered I have many uterine fibroids.  Through some reading on my own I have discovered fibroids can be genetically linked (known to run in families).
• As many as 20 to 30 percent of all women develop fibroid tumors.  Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that form on the interior and exterior muscular wall of the uterus.  The tumors are abnormal muscle cells which are not fibrous.  So the name fibroid can be misleading.  The fibroid tumors tend to form around a woman’s age of late thirties and early forties, and then usually shrink after menopause.
• There are many times women don’t even know they have fibroid tumors.  In a lot of cases there are no symptoms.  But there can be symptoms of heavy and frequent menstrual periods, anemia, fatigue and weakness as a result of blood loss, and bleeding between periods.  Also a women can have back/and or pelvic pain, pain in the legs, pressure upon the bladder or the bowels, depending upon where the precise location of the fibroids.  I was experiencing back pain, a symptom my mother talked about after her diagnosis of ovarian cancer, which is what made me question my health.  I also had been having heavy and frequent menstrual periods.  This concerned me due to another symptom my mother discussed about her hemorraging , even though she had already gone through menopause.  I have not quite reached that point yet.  Had I not allowed myself to question my health I would not have known my fibroids were bad.  The radiologist did say my uterus is quite enlarged which might explain the bloated feeling I have had lately in my abdomen.  I have done some reading about ways to help reduce the tumor growth, and improve my immune system.  Some nutrient supplement suggestions are:

1. Coenzyme Q10 – 30mg daily, promotes immune function and tissue oxygenation.
2. Garlic (Kyolic from Wakunaga) – Take as directed on label, inhibits tumor growth and is a strong immune stimulant and antioxidant.
3. Shitake and/or Maitake extract - Take as directed on label, enhances overall health, strengthens the body along with inhibiting tumor growth.
4. Vitamin C with bioflavonoids – 3,000-10,000 daily in divided doses, acts as an antioxidant and promotes immune function.
5. Zinc – 30-80mg daily (do not exceed a total of 100 mg daily from all supplements), needed for a healthy immune system.  Copper (3mg daily) is needed to balance with zinc. 

Herbs to consider are:

• Red clover and burdock root – aid in cleansing the bloodstream.
• Milk thistle, dandelion root, and turmeric rhizome are potent antioxidants supporting the liver while helping the elimination of toxins.
• Green tea has anticancer properties and is a powerful antioxidant.

A large percentage of hysterectomies are performed in the U.S. to remove fibroid tumors and many are unnecessary.  There are alternative procedures and less radical ways to treat fibroids.  I suggest a close and careful consideration into the matter of having a hysterectomy if you are mulling over the idea.  By all means, if you are experiencing unpleasant symptoms consult a health care practitioner.  Personally I am taking some of the suggested nutrient supplements and herbs to help improve my immune system and reduce tumor growth.

Suggested reading:

Prescription for Nutritional Healing; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC

• Not sure why but I keep finding these recipes that have full-flavor with a great combination of spices.  This stew is just another one of those great tasting recipes.  The stew was full of hearty seasoning.  I enjoyed the combination of vegetables, beans, and pasta.  This recipe will fill your house with a flavorful aroma.

Eggplant and Tomato Stew Recipe

1/2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin preferred)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium red, yellow, or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

14.5-ounce can no-salt added diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions, undrained

8 ounces eggplant, peeled and diced (about 1 small)

8 ounces whole button mushrooms, quartered

1/2 cup red wine (regular or nonalcoholic) or water

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

15-ounce can no-salt added dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained

4 ounces dried rotini

1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin preferred)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Take a large pot (Dutch oven) adding the oil, onion, and bell pepper.  Cook the onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the undrained tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms, wine, sugar, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, and cayenne.  Increase the heat to high.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is very tender.

Stir in the beans and rotini.  Simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from the heat.

Stir in the 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt.

NOTES:

• I used red pepper in my recipe.  I used a can of diced tomatoes which did not include the green peppers and onions.  I used crimini mushrooms instead of whole button.  Where the recipe calls for red wine or water, I used water.  I did include cayenne and the amount called for was just right.  I did not have rotini so I used penne pasta.  With all the differences I used making this recipe I was very pleased with the results.  This recipe will be included as one of my favorites.

PER SERVING

Calories 339; Total Fat 4.5g; Saturated 0.5g; Polyunsaturated 0.5g; Monounsaturated 2.5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 346mg; Carbohydrates 60g; Fiber 10g; Sugar 16g; Protein 14g

Suggestions:

• If there is a concern about sodium I would disregard using the 1/2 teaspoon of salt at the end of the recipe.  Also some people are steering away from sugar which probably could be avoided when making this recipe.  Just experiment.

This recipe came from the American Heart Association One-Dish Meals

www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3040214

Photo by:  CarbonNYC

Are you one of those people that just can not sleep?  Or you find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night?  There are many factors that cause disturbance in getting a good sleep.  Poor nutrition, stress, and anxiety can be a cause for insomnia.

• Ideally a person should go to bed at the same time every night.  By doing this you allow your body to be on a schedule which may give you optimum sleep.  Try to be in bed before 10-11pm.  Allow yourself at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night.  From the hours of ten to two in the morning the immune system does its most regenerating, while we are asleep.

Eating late at night, drinking alcohol, caffeine, and sugar can interfere with a good night sleep.  Some medications such as sedatives, stimulants, cold medication, steroids, antihistamines, and headache medication containing caffeine can affect a persons sleep.

Ideas to get the body into rhythm are:

• Do exercise daily for 30 minutes before bedtime.  Don’t do vigorous exercise, an evening walk will do.
• Two hours before bed stop watching TV, using the Internet, and answering e-mails…these are stimulating activities.
• Make sure you get exposure to daylight, preferably in the morning.  The light will help trigger the brain to release specific chemicals and hormones, like melatonin, that help with healthy sleep.

Learn to calm and clear the mind.  A relaxation CD may help a person get to sleep.  Taking a bath before bedtime might also help with relaxation.  Make sure the room is a comfortable temperature.  Have the bedroom be very dark.

If you continue to have a sleeping problem some suggestions on supplemental help for sleep are:

• A 2:1 ratio of calcium/magnesium can help have a tranquilizing effect.  Magnesium helps calm nerves.
• If taken in doses of 1,000 to 3,000 mg, tryptophan, a constituent of protein, is highly effective for insomnia.  Regular use of tryptophan is not recommended.  A good source of tryptophan is turkey meat.  It is better to adjust the lifestyle for good sleep.
• Taking vitamin B6 (100 mg) with zinc (10 mg) can be a benefit.
• Thirty minutes before bedtime try 1-2 mg of melatonin.

Many people are sleep deprived and don’t even realize it.  I hope you find these suggestions and ideas helpful.  I suggest you consider reading the books I reference to learn more about a good night sleep.

Reference:

The UltraMind Solution; Mark Hyman, M.D.

Conscious Eating; Gabriel Cousens, M.D.

Staying Healthy with Nutrition; Elson M. Haas, M.D.

The New Optimum Nutrition Bible; Patrick Holford

• It is winter time, and for most people a nice warm soup sounds good for lunch or dinner.  I suggest you try this recipe if you are one of those that likes to have soup on a cold winters day.  This soup has a unique taste that has the sweet and spicy flavors really popping.   I enjoyed the warmth from the ginger, so if ginger is your thing you might want to give this bisque a try.

Sweet and Spicy Carrot Bisque

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 cup)

1 tsp. plus 1 pinch salt

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

1 Tbs. curry powder

1 pinch cayenne pepper

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (4 cups)

1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced

1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk, divided

2 1/2 Tbs. lime juice

• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and pinch of salt, and saute 5 minutes, or until onion is soft.  Stin in ginger, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.  Add curry powder, cayenne, and 1/4 cup water.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to coat onion and ginger with curry mixture.
• Add carrots, banana, 1 tsp. salt, and 4 cups water, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered, 25 minutes, or until carrots are soft enough to be pierced with fork.
• Puree soup in batches in blender or food processor.  Return soup to pot, and stir in 1 cup coconut milk and lime juice.
• Simmer remaining 3/4 cup coconut milk in small saucepan over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Ladle soup in bowls, and swirl 1 1/2 Tbs coconut milk reduction into each serving.

I found using a food processor for me was too messy, for I had soup dripping out the sides of the processor.  I think I would of preferred to use a blender.  My husband commented he thought this soup would be good when served just slightly chilled.  So the next day after preparing this recipe I took his advice, having leftover bisque chilled, and he was right the bisque was just as good.

With the ginger, banana, coconut milk, spices, onion, along with carrots, this recipe has an interesting combination of foods. 

Per Serving (1 1/2 cup): 225 CAL; 3 G PROT; 13 G TOTAL FAT (6 G SAT FAT); 27 G CARB; O MG CHOL; 716 MG SOD; 6 G FIBER; 12 G SUGARS

This recipe is vegan and gluten free. 

This recipe came from the January/February 2011 Vegetarian Times Magazine

www.vegetariantimes.com

Photo by:  boopsie.daisy

• You have probably heard before how bad sugar is for the body.  If not, I am going to make a few points about the empty calorie food.  What I mean by “empty calorie” food is that sugar is full of calories with no nutritional value.  Do you know that it is estimated the average American eats almost his/her entire body weight in sugar every year?  Almost all processed foods have added sugar.  A can of soda alone has 10-12 teaspoons of sugar.
• Eating sugary foods and processed, refined starches increases the risk of pancreatic, colorectal, stomach, and breast cancer.  There are three ways a diet high in sugar contributes to cancer development.  They are:

1. It produces a toxic burden.
2. It raises insulin levels.
3. It negatively affects immunity.

• The reason there is a toxic burden on the body is because sugary foods tend to be low in fiber which reduces movement of the GI tract, and promotes constipation.  Having a build-up of carcinogenic toxins in the GI tract have been linked to colorectal cancer.
• Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for tumors.  High amounts of sugar in the diet increases the amount of insulin produced and circulating in the blood.  Precancerous cells feed off the sugar, boosting their growth into fully developed cancer cells.  The more sugar one eats the faster cancer cells will grow.
• A diet high in sugar, elevating insulin levels, slow the release of growth hormones, which decreases white blood cell production.  Harmful cancer treatments and constant danger of bacterial or viral infection increase the immune system vulnerability to become weak.

A diet high in sugar increases the chance of developing two deadly diseases; type 2 diabetes and obesity.  These two diseases alarmingly increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

An example of hidden sugars in our food:

1. Starbuck’s Low Fat Frappuccino = 31 teaspoons of sugar
2. Ocen Spray Cran-Grape Juice = 41 teaspoons of sugar
3. Quaker Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal = 12 teaspoons of sugar
4. Mott’s Mixed Berry Applesauce = 21 teaspoons of sugar
5. Nabisco Multi-Grain Crackers = 4 teaspoons of sugar

• Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, which is rapidly absorbed, raising blood sugar levels quickly and at a higher rate.  This can leave a person feeling emotionally unbalanced and fatigued.  If you experience any of the following you may be having a blood sugar management problem:

1. Restless sleep
2. Frequent urination
3. Craving for sugar or sweets
4. Low energy in the morning
5. Irritability or dizziness when skipping a meal
6. Thirst that isn’t relieved when drinking water

• Some suggestions to balance blood sugar levels are to eat high-sugar foods with protein.  You should not eat fruit or drink fruit juices alone; eat with a protein such as nuts and/or seeds.  High-fiber carbohydrate foods are digested more slowly allowing more energy.  Choose whole grain breads, brown rice instead of white, and whole wheat pasta instead of plain white pasta.  If you must eat dessert, eat it after a protein-based meal.
• Sugar can be hidden on a label by giving it a name such as: fructose, corn syrup, sucrose, maple sugar, lactose, maltose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, powdered sugar, levulose, honey, milk sugar, and of course just sugar.  Practice reading labels, avoiding foods with any of these names listed as an ingredient for better health.

I have written very little about the danger of having sugar in our diets.  For more information I suggest you do further reading about the subject.

Reference:

Challenge Cancer and Win!; Kim Dalzell, PhD., R.D., L.D.

Waking The Warrior Goddess; Christine Horner, M.D., F.A.C.S.