A few thoughts about unhealthy food

Deep fried artichokes

Since I gave up running races in July 2017, I have been more focused on unhealthy food, as I have been afraid my cholesterol levels may increase.For instance, I used to have croissants at breakfast, as I didn't take seriously the danger related to  margarine, which is made with hidrogenated vegetable oils and is more innatural than we think. Margarine and fats, which can damage our hearth, blood vessels, and mess up cholesterol levels, are crucial ingredients in all bakery and patisserie recipes. Some oil are GMO. For healthy alternative, we can opt for olive oil. 

With regards to oil, all deep fried food contains a dangerous substance called "acrylamide", that some studies have linked to cancer and neurological damage. Hot dogs and similar smoked and salted meat contain lots of preservatives. In addition, they are high in sodium ... too much sodium in the bloodstream can cause dangerous effects.  

We can also find sodium in deli meats, such as ham and salami.That food is also full of nitrates, preservatives and additives.  

Carbonate drink and soda are our worst enemies: we could add our homemade fruit juice to some sparkly water. Not to mention sugar, which is highly adictive. It also create fat. I like to add honey to my recipe.

However, this post is not intended to be an exhaustive list of unhealthy food. It's just a snapshot. For instance, I haven't mentioned aspartame, alcohol, and other substances which are contained in other unhealthy food. 

The two picture above show ham and salami (picture on the left), and chantilly custard (picture on the right).

Echinoderms

This is a very short post which had been written with the aim to show a particular sea dish.  Italian people who live next to the seacoast know and eat echinoderms. Maybe other people do the same. Anyway, I show those echinoderm which can be served in Italian restaurant. My son sent me the picture below last week, while I was eating echinoderms in a local restaurant. He knows I love them.

Have you never eaten echinoderms ?

Unfortunately I can't have them ... it's a high cholesterol content food.

One week inactivity

Just a short post to say that I had been sick (flu and sore throat) last week. And it was hard enough to do a 10 km run yesterday after about a week inactivity. My small experience in running has taught me that inactivity breeds inactivity and consequently we might lose motivation. 

I'd like to share those pictures from last week. The first photo was taken while I was doing shopping and it shows italian garlic. The second one shows packaged lettuce which has been made in North Germany (I saw it in a supermarket in my neughborhood yesterday). Although I love Germany, I thought how could I buy (and eat) veggies which had been harvested more than two weeks ago on the northern side of the European continent (more than 1500 km far from my town)?

       

With regard to veggies, I have just visited Amy 's blog and I'm delighted with her post where she shares the recipe of the vegetarian lasagna. I look forward to giving it a try. Since last Spring I have noticed my high cholesterol levels and awareness about the importance of fruit, veggies and other healthy food has increased sharply. Of course, local food!

Happy weekend to all my blogger friends! 

Moray eel

This morning I noticed that my blood cholesterol level decreased from 254 to 230 mg/dl: since May it has decreased by 10% and I'm so happy for that and I will try to eat healthy food again. First of all, seafoods, considering that Civitavecchia, the town where I have been living since 1991, is situated close to the see and I can always buy good fish. Local market offers seafood that have been harvested in the past 12 hours and can contain more iron, phosphorus, proteins, and vitamin D than fishes that are shipped from far away.  With regards to local fishermans, the picture above shows a muray eel. I saw that it in the local market and despite its snake-like appearance, moray eel is a fish and not a reptile. Of course, it is edible: the meat is very soft and white, delicious. Someone says that deep fry works better but I don't think so ... I've decided to avoid fried food. Have you never eaten that fish?

Just two picture, here on the left,  to show you a particular motorcycle (maybe,  its right definiton is "sidecar"). 
It was in my neighborhood this morning and came from Poland, as  shown by its registration number.  We, bloggers,  are sometimes  looking for new  images  for our blogs. 

Running sessions are going well although I'm running no more than three times a week at the moment. 
On the vacation front, I will be on holiday since July 25: the main destinations are Gaeta and Bologna (North Italy).  I really need some time off work to be spent doing whatever I want.

Happy vacation time to everyone!

Blood cholesterol levels

Since last week I have had another thought which gives me motivation on the running front: I've noticed that my blood cholesterol levels are high enough. In Italy and other European countries Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood and total cholesterol level below 200 mg/dl is desirable. At the moment, my cholesterol level is 254 mg/dL. It's so high although I always do the best cholesterol-lowering exercises, such as are walking, running, and swimming (in summer only). Actually, a combination between an active lifestyle and healthy food can help to lower cholesterol levels.
I'm afraid I can't forget to keep my cholesterol levels within healthy limits and have no choice but avoid high-cholesterol food. I need to avoid foods that are high in saturated fat and can raise cholesterol levels in the blood. As it is known, there are two different types of fats, saturated and unsaturated, which can make a huge difference in meal planning. I'm trying to replace foods containing saturated fats with foods that are high in unsaturated fats such as healthy oils, fish, beans, and nuts.
Last week our Dutch blogger friend, Fran, from Netherlands, said (through her comment left on my blog) that she would plan to cook spaghetti carbonara next week. So she reminded me that traditional Italian dish: unfortunately, that carbonara recipe combines cream, eggs, cheese and bacon ... which contain saturated fats :( 

The first picture above shows the starting line of the 2013 Rome's Race for the cure and the second one has been taken on the same day before I ran that Race. It shows an old church with a simple architecture, located in a green neighborhood of Rome. The photo mentioned also shows some runners, before the race, while they were doing the warm-up next to the church.



Just a little bit no more time to show two old stone houses that have only recently come up for sale (In the last two pictures above).
Those characteristic flats face south and are located in a lovely village of Tuscany. The name of the village is Piancastagnaio  and I wrote down a post about that place last year on November 3rd, after I had visited it. Last month I saw those particular stone houses whose price is good enough. I would advise those old stone houses to a friend of mine who would want to own and run a characteristic and unusual "Bad and Breakfast" in Tuscany.
Nice weekend to all my blogger friends!