I can remember sitting in science class as a self-conscious seventh grader just before lunch and my stomach growling and echoing off those lab tables and tiled floor causing giggles and stares my way. I understand a tiny bit more about science now, but I'm still intrigued by stomach noises.
We've all had those growls and gurgles when our stomach and bowel is upset or irritable, but the belly growl is most famous for ringing the dinner bell. My favorite thing about the growling is how it is mostly the upper part of the small intestines growling at you. (The small intestines is my most favorite part of the body. It's SO COOL!) Our stomach is always growling it seems because of the muscle contractions on the inside churning away at the food and the gas bubbles as healthy digestion takes place and squeezes the nutrients through our digestive tract by a process called peristalsis. We can't always hear the churning going on. When we have food in there, it quiets the beast sort of like how a load of towels in the dryer would muffle a pair of tennis shoes flopping around in there. There is a lot more technical explanation than that which has to do with nerve impulses and things, but basically an empty stomach restarts the churning every hour or so and works together with the hypothalamus to send a simple, but loud message. "Hey, feed me."
Our body has a natural alarm system telling us when it is time for food. Um....OUR BODY HAS A NATURAL ALARM SYSTEM TELLING US WHEN IT IS TIME FOR FOOD!
The thing is, we need a certain amount of calories each day, but it is best to spread those calories over the whole day. Saving up the calories until the end of the day is a bad idea. Not only does it slow metabolism, but everything not used will be stored as FAT. Weight loss goal is really fat loss. We don't want to lose lean body and water weight (unless we have fluid problems. Please assume everything I say is for healthy people.)
I have this weird little game I play with myself to see how often I can get my belly to growl. I try to feed it just enough to empty out by the next meal. Keep that engine running! If you are like me, I do not like that uncomfortable feeling just before I hear the growl. I feel REALLY hungry which is just a recipe to overeat the next meal. But I find that the more fiber I eat, the less of that uncomfortable feeling I have. A lot of times if I eat a high fiber breakfast, I won't even know I am hungry until my belly growls.
I'm not perfect at portions AT ALL. But it is helpful to remind myself to allow my body to work FOR me instead of against me. Literally LISTEN to it, and Let it ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!
Can we wait for our body to tell us it is time for more food instead of eating lunch just because it is noon?
Nutritional Nugget
Soups have really been on the menu a lot for us lately. Currently in my refrigerator we have leftover potato soup and mixed vegetable soup. Mmmmmm. I've recently been inspired to share about soups. I love soup anytime, but especially these winter months. Soups are usually easy to prepare, even crockpot worthy for the next night dinner. They make one seem frugal because just about anything in the pantry and freezer can be used to throw one together. Soups are very forgiving even if one strays from the recipe. I love "as the Spirit leads"-type recipes. It is easy to enhance nutrition in soups. Adding spices makes a low fat version tasty. I have to admit I love making one-dish meals.
Nana's Beef Stew
I have a story about beef stew. I consider it a comfort food, and have many fond memories of Nana making it for us. I love her cooking. The recipes have simple ingredients so the flavors stay true to themselves. I remember as a child visiting someone who offered me a bowl of beef stew. "Yes, I
do!" And then proceeded to tell her how I just LOVE me some beef stew, and how hungry I was. I had no idea someone could mess up beef stew. I got me a big ol' bowl of it. I took my first bite and realized something was wrong. Very wrong. It was yucky. And there she sat watching me eat it. I couldn't even fake the bites. She must have known I didn't like it. I crumbled up a whole pack of saltines in it, but it didn't help. I had to leave there with a whole bowl of her beef stew uneaten.
Nana buys a good Lean, tender roast and cuts the meat up herself. Peel and cut up some potatoes and carrots. Add some tomato sauce, and a little salt and a lot of pepper. Maybe throw on some diced onions. Add water. I usually let mine cook on the stove for about two hours stirring occasionally. Yummy!
How can you beef up the nutrition in beef stew?
Cut away all the visible fat. Use a low sodium tomato sauce and omit the salt. Just add extra pepper. Instead of peeling the carrots, just wash them really well leaving the skin on. Do the same for the potatoes if you want the added fiber. If the kids don't like the veggies, add them puréed. I find even taking the stew and finely chopping the chunks will improve the intake for even the picky ones. Add green peas, corn, or other mixed vegetables.
Enjoy!
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