At a loss for what healthy food to buy, help!

[Celestael]

So sometime soon I'll actually have a fridge that works consistently and doesn't increase to 50-60 degrees in warm weather (which is most of the time in Texas). Our oven at home hasn't worked for forever, and there's no oven in our new house but we may rectify that soon as well. So for years I've been living off of microwaveable breakfast bowls for breakfast, tv dinners for, well you know, and only occasionally there'll be some actual food for meals and in-between. I've wanted to work on enforcing a healthy diet for some time but I have next to no experience cooking as well as appliance failure makes some foods nonviable, and money being kind of tight I'd like to re-appropriate it more judiciously.

Assuming that I can keep fresh food fresh and use an oven instead of only a microwave, does anyone have more practical answers to making a diet with future HRT in mind? =s I'm kind of at a loss when I research more general search results, like I'm not linking foods they recommend to me actually being able to buy them at the store or something.

[Jani]

A well balanced diet is important.  I try to avoid processed foods and seemingly natural foods that have been altered (think breaded and fried chicken).  Along with a good activity program, a steady protein intake works well.   

Jani

[Celestael]

About the only thing I attribute having protein is meat products. We eat a lot of chicken if that counts.

[MarcieMarie12]

Some non-meat protean sources: greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, nuts and many types of beans. Pork and fish are other good sources of low fat protein.

[Celestael]

I was reading a couple sections before for particular ingredients that help with hair growth and care (I'm quite proud of my length but I have plenty of breakage that I'm doing what I can to heal), along with recommended foods and vitamins/extracts/whatever they're called that can help with breast growth and skin health, and more that I'm trying to get an idea in my head of what that translates to looking for and getting regularly at the store each week.

 

The most I know of healthy eating habits is what was taught from elementary school of the food pyramid. Everything else I come across will contradict other sources to some degree, and when there are commonalities virtually always agreed on there's different methods in say, the prep and cooking of particular meals with those foods in them, many of which I've not had the ability or desire to do so.

 

So I'm trying to figure out a guideline in my head of combining what I want to add going forward and what my body needs, but I just feel like I have half a connect-the-dots picture :s. I know this is something completely mundane to most, but to me, who feels like she's clearing out the junkyard of weeds that's her life in order to set a foundation right, I'm not afraid to ask help, as embarrassingly stupid as it feels. ._.

[Jani]

2 hours ago, Celestael said:

(I'm quite proud of my length but I have plenty of breakage that I'm doing what I can to heal)

This can be hard.  I believe with HRT our skin dries out which in turn weakens the hair follicles. I know my skin is much oily and moist than before.  I lose more hair now than ever, and my hair (shafts) are thinner which may be age related.

As for food prep, steaming fresh veggies will hold more of the nutrients in than cooking in water.  The texture is nicer too, IMO.

It's not mundane as it is something we are all faced with as we deal with new realities of life.  It is good that you're being aggressive in taking action.  Keep it up.

Jani   

[Ravin]

Healthy protein sources that don't require perfect refrigeration if it's a regular room temperature house:

Tuna, salmon, and sardines in cans or vacuum packs. These can be opened in appropriate quantities to not leave leftovers. For that matter, you can get canned chicken, too. It's not great, but not completely awful either.

Eggs can be kept safely at room temperature if they either 1. are fresh from a farm and haven't been washed, or 2. are coated in lard for shelf storage. They won't keep as long as in the fridge, but even a single person can eat a half dozen to a dozen eggs in a week.

Most fresh fruits and vegetables will keep just fine for several days as long as they are whole. Many that Americans will toss in the fridge do just fine on the counter, including oranges, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, grapes for a few days, bananas of course are supposed to be left out at room temp, etc. Just buy smaller quantities at a time; it's common in countries where the majority don't have refrigerators to go shopping for food every day or two.

I have a friend in Australia who chooses to live without a fridge, and she has no problems keeping cheese for several days at room temp. She doesn't have reliable A/C, either.

In general, a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains rather than starchy foods, is going to be healthiest for most people. Some do better with more fats and less carbs, others with moderate carbs and less fat.

You can get a stand-alone steamer, it's an inexpensive little appliance. I have another friend who doesn't have a kitchen in her city apartment and cooks quite a lot with a steamer.

 

 

 

[Celestael]

1 hour ago, Ravin said:

Healthy protein sources that don't require perfect refrigeration if it's a regular room temperature house:

Tuna, salmon, and sardines in cans or vacuum packs. These can be opened in appropriate quantities to not leave leftovers. For that matter, you can get canned chicken, too. It's not great, but not completely awful either.

Eggs can be kept safely at room temperature if they either 1. are fresh from a farm and haven't been washed, or 2. are coated in lard for shelf storage. They won't keep as long as in the fridge, but even a single person can eat a half dozen to a dozen eggs in a week.

Most fresh fruits and vegetables will keep just fine for several days as long as they are whole. Many that Americans will toss in the fridge do just fine on the counter, including oranges, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, grapes for a few days, bananas of course are supposed to be left out at room temp, etc. Just buy smaller quantities at a time; it's common in countries where the majority don't have refrigerators to go shopping for food every day or two.

I have a friend in Australia who chooses to live without a fridge, and she has no problems keeping cheese for several days at room temp. She doesn't have reliable A/C, either.

In general, a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains rather than starchy foods, is going to be healthiest for most people. Some do better with more fats and less carbs, others with moderate carbs and less fat.

You can get a stand-alone steamer, it's an inexpensive little appliance. I have another friend who doesn't have a kitchen in her city apartment and cooks quite a lot with a steamer.

 

 

 

Thank you! I'm going to make a text file on my desktop to save this. 

Main questions I have now are really about potential products that can cover some deficiencies, prospectively last longer than a single serving, and preferably commonly found without going to certain stores (Though there's a Whole Foods I've wanted to try getting more of my diet from, only one I know of is getting further away sadly). Much more specific I know, but figured I'd ask in case someone did like me in the past and needed to restructure their eating habits.

[Ravin]

I would prioritize getting the healthy foods above being choosy about which stores I shop at. 

Omega-3's and healthy fats are important for skin and hair and new growth in general. Sardines are a great source for that. Also flaxseed, but really the cold-water fish sources are more bio-available. Olive oil and coconut oil are other source for healthy fats. Avoid vegetable oil--canola, soil, corn, peanut, etc.