Be forewarned this post has nothing to do with health and fitness. Just my love of beer.
I'm somewhat of a beer connoisseur. Have been since about 5 years ago. I was pretty snobbish about it at first as I scoffed at my Coors Lite drinking compatriots but I have since come to appreciate the light taste (and low price) of the typical pale American lager especially on a hot summer day. But those that haven't really ventured outside Bud Lite and Rolling Rock are really missing out on some great tasting beer.
Sierra Nevada is a brewery I believe most people should pay more attention to. It is the second largest craft beer brewery in America, behind the Boston Beer Brewery which also makes some fine beer (Sam Adam's Winter Lager, anyone?). Though Sam Adams is pretty kick-ass, I think Sierra Nevada beats them out by a long shot. For me, it's the type of hops Sierra Nevada uses. Hops is the bitter component in beer that gives beer a flowery aroma and also acts as a preserver. If you try Sierra Nevada's Torpedo you really get a hoppy blast in the face and you'll now what I'm talking about. The type in the Torpedo is called cascade hops and has a very unique floral taste.
Besides drinking beer I also like to make it myself. I've only made it twice before and will make it again as soon as I have the time and money. It's a very fun process and I think everyone who really loves beer should do it at least once. You learn a lot and you get rewarded with a 5 gallon batch that's as fun to drink as it is to make (OK it's way more fun to drink than to make).
My friend Pete and I are going to give mead making a shot. Mead is a fermented honey beverage that is as good and sweet as it sounds. I've had two brands before. I think one was called Viking's Blood that was pretty good. Personally, I can't wait to make it myself. Things are always better when you make it yourself.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Simplifying Things
Long time no write.
It's easy to get caught up in the latest trend in the diet world. Fad diets come and go but the key to eating healthy is very simple:
Stop eating industrial foods. Aka, foods that never existed before the industrial revolution. If you want to complicate things just a little bit than all you really have to do is avoid consuming these three things:
1) Gluten grains (may be tolerated by some)
2) Too much omega-6 fatty acids
3) Sugar (fruit is OK)
So that nobody accuses me of stealing ideas, this is basically what Kurt Harris of Archevore fame espouses. I am merely making an attempt to spread his opinions because they are good.
People want to find an exotic cure for what ails them. Obese? Eat this herb from deep in the Amazon jungle that is proven to rev-up your metabolism! Gastro intestinal distress? Drink some magnesium citrate to "reset your digestive system and clear out toxins!" (If you ever do this, please clear your schedule).
The truth is that most of the time there is no cure. Not one that involves adding solutions to your problems. A better approach is to find out what is hurting you and eliminate it. You're not fat because you don't eat enough healthy foods. You're fat because eat crap (probably disguised as healthy). You're not sick because you haven't found a cure. You're sick because your not letting your body heal on its own.
To put it as simply as possible: eat real food. As Michael Pollan would say, if your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, don't eat it! If it comes in a box or a bag, it's probably not good. If it doesn't rot after leaving it out for a few days, it's probably bad. There are exceptions, of course, but sometimes you need to step back a bit to see your problem.
It's easy to get caught up in the latest trend in the diet world. Fad diets come and go but the key to eating healthy is very simple:
Stop eating industrial foods. Aka, foods that never existed before the industrial revolution. If you want to complicate things just a little bit than all you really have to do is avoid consuming these three things:
1) Gluten grains (may be tolerated by some)
2) Too much omega-6 fatty acids
3) Sugar (fruit is OK)
So that nobody accuses me of stealing ideas, this is basically what Kurt Harris of Archevore fame espouses. I am merely making an attempt to spread his opinions because they are good.
People want to find an exotic cure for what ails them. Obese? Eat this herb from deep in the Amazon jungle that is proven to rev-up your metabolism! Gastro intestinal distress? Drink some magnesium citrate to "reset your digestive system and clear out toxins!" (If you ever do this, please clear your schedule).
The truth is that most of the time there is no cure. Not one that involves adding solutions to your problems. A better approach is to find out what is hurting you and eliminate it. You're not fat because you don't eat enough healthy foods. You're fat because eat crap (probably disguised as healthy). You're not sick because you haven't found a cure. You're sick because your not letting your body heal on its own.
To put it as simply as possible: eat real food. As Michael Pollan would say, if your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it as food, don't eat it! If it comes in a box or a bag, it's probably not good. If it doesn't rot after leaving it out for a few days, it's probably bad. There are exceptions, of course, but sometimes you need to step back a bit to see your problem.
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