BODY: InfoPharmacy Nutrition Makeover Week 6

Tough times call for healthy measures. The recession has become, let's face it, a no-kidding matter. The layoffs are happening, my credit card tightened its chokehold on my APR and spendy trinkets are totally out of the picture. For that matter so are a lot of other things like hair highlights, pedicures and the other beautyifying things I did in the flush early millenium. This week - though I am late to posting - I continue to work on my eating, weaning myself ever so slowly off wheat (tried a spelt bagel - not bad! It had the sourdough taste, but I liked that.) I had a tough week emotionally (nothing like wedding planning to bring out the baggage) but I found strength in the food I was eating. That was a big help to staying on even keel.

As I continue to make healthy shopping and cooking the rule, not the exception, I have come to think about how money, now tighter than ever, is a part of this makeover.

While Whole Foods, where I shop frequently, is scoffed at as being "Whole Paycheck", it can also be the gateway to a much more economical way of eating. With this new diet, I am not only saving money on lunch and breakfast (and getting more nutrition 'bang for my buck'), I know I am building my overall health 'equity'. I have averted several colds in the last month with echinacea and rest. In the name of the recession, I did a little accounting. I was surprised by how much money I spend on food, even now, overall. We do eat out a lot, partly out of laziness and partly because we like to eat out. I figured in a basic meal with tax and tip at $25. But looking back at my old diet - as recently as last year - I am more shocked by how un-nutritious it was. Read and weep:

Current diet

Green Vibrance with agave and juice $1.70
Plain oatmeal - I packet $0.30
Frozen blueberries 1/4 cup $0.25
Apple - organic Honeycrisp $1.50
Coffee with soy milk $2.07
Homemade fennel stew with kale $4.50
Lara Bar $1.29
Green Tea Free
Dinner out $25
TOTAL $36.61


Old diet

Total Yogurt $2.50
Fruit salad $4.00
Coffee with milk $2.07
Sandwich or salad from deli $7.95
Diet coke $1.50
Afternoon snack (fruit, crackers) $2.00
Dinner out $25
TOTAL $45.02

Frightenly Bad Old Old Diet

Bagel with cream cheese $2.50
Coffee with milk $2.07
Salad bar or deli sandwich $8.00
Diet Coke $1.50
Black and white cookie or candy $2.50
Small coffee with milk $1.50
Dinner - restaurant $25
Drinks - 2-3 cocktails $21
Cigarettes (half pack) $4
TOTAL $68.07