Resistant Starch and Gut Health: Pasta, Rice, and Potatoes Are Cool Again

Last fall, I discovered “resistant starch” and shared research about how eating cold potatoes was good for you because they contain this stuff.  See, “Resistant Starch: Potatoes are Good for You (Again).”

But silly me, I went off and forgot about it.  I had programmed myself against eating white stuff like bread and potatoes and rice for so long, I guess.  I skipped along, going my merry way, and never got on board with intentionally eating sources of resistant starch.

Big mistake.

Last month, I returned to investigating sources of “resistant starch” after the topic popped up in one of my research projects.  Turns out, I was including some forms of resistant starch in my diet (beans, for instance).  Good news.  But not enough, and not daily.  

.

.

Gut Health Boosted With Cold Potatoes

For personal reasons I’m not sharing here, focusing on my gut health is very, very important to me.  Gotta do it. 

So, beginning in October 2017, I started making sure that every day I had some form of these short-chain fatty acids in my diet. 

I ate cold potato salad.  I added some cold beans to my salads.  I tried a green banana or two (yucky).

And I noticed a difference.  I felt better.  I had more energy.  Emotionally, I was peppy.

This month, I’m delving into cold brown rice and rye bread.  Reuben sandwiches, yum!!! 

.

Brown Rice and Reuben Sandwiches

So, Dear Reader, if you want to do more for your intestinal gut health (and of course you do, it’s your “second brain” after all), then maybe you’ll like to eat more cold potato salad, too.

.

For more information, check out:

9 Foods That Are High in Resistant Starch, by by Rudy Mawer, MSc, CISSN and published by Healthline on October 6, 2016;

Keenan, Michael J., et al. "Role of resistant starch in improving gut health, adiposity, and insulin resistance." Advances in Nutrition: An International Review Journal 6.2 (2015): 198-205.'

Sawicki, Caleigh M., et al. "Evidence Mapping: Resistant Starch Interventions and Health Outcomes." Diabetes 3 (2016): 5.

Dollar Tree Book of the Week: The Man Who Was Thursday

I know there are arguments against buying new books cheap (remainders). The big one:  the author will not be paid anything from the sale. 

So when I see a new book at a low price, it gives me pause.  Still, when I see a treasure at the Dollar Tree, which happens more and more often these days, I grab it up.

It's an amazing thing, to find great books for a buck -- and with the bargain, there's this feeling that I'm saving them somehow.  How can they tossed aside like this?  They need love. 

So I buy them.  And I'm buying more and more. 

In fact, so many wonderful books are showing up at my local Dollar Tree, I thought I'd start sharing them with you.

Maybe you, like me, Dear Reader will feel like you've discovered treasure too ....

My Dollar Tree Book of the Week

This week's Dollar Tree Book of the Week, The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton, published by Penguin Classics:

Look carefully, and you'll see a quote from Kingsley Amis on the cover, "The most thrilling book I have ever read."

For more on the book, check out Wikipedia, Goodreads, or the 2016 movie.

And, yes, I know it's in the public domain over at Gutenberg.  Doesn't take away from the excitement of finding this book on a DT shelf.  

Queen Elizabeth, Kate, and Me: Our Favorite Essie Nail Polish Is Non-Toxic

Simple living means many things to many people, of course.  For me, one of my lifestyle changes has been to do my own manicures and pedicures.

My initial incentive here was saving cash.

However, an added bonus has been safety. I've learned that pedicures come with all sorts of nasty health hazards. I discovered that most nail polish is toxic.

Which is why I'm happy to report that my favorite nail polish, which you can buy on Amazon or at Target, is a pretty light pink shade called "Ballet Slippers" by Essie.  That's it in the image below.  Nice, isn't it? 

Essie is a non-toxic brand of nail polish. There are others, if you want to shop around.

Queen Elizabeth and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge 

And if saving money doesn't spur you to action, much less having toxic chemicals seeping into your nail beds, consider this:  This same Essie shade (Ballet Slippers) is said to be the favorite nail polish of Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton.

My. Who knew the royals were so simple-savvy?