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BRONROAD
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1993-02-09
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The following was contributed by Nanci Anderson Powell,
creator and Director of Discovery Resources in Ashland,
Oregon. Thank you Nanci for all your time, energy and
willingness!
Natural Eating on the Road
Summertime is often travel time. Travel time is often
fun, but still stressful. Stress is having four kids in a
hot car asking, "When do we eat? I'm hungry!!!" Finding a
good restaurant can be a challenge for the nutritionally
aware traveler for summer or any other season.
How does the road-weary traveler find restaurants
serving good, wholesome foods. One of the best options is to
camp and cook your own foods, including raw fruits and
vegetables. Every now and then, however, we need to feel
pampered yet come away feeling good about the meal we've
eaten. In our fast food culture this is not always easy.
Many of us are ordering foods that we know are not
nutritious, but they taste good and are filling. Besides,
when we're on vacation we don't want to worry about
nutritional requirements.
Insuring that your family will not have to endure the
insults and added stress from junk food diet is not difficult
if you know some of the tricks of seasoned healthy travelers.
First of all, plan frequent stops for exercise and healthy
snacks if you're traveling by car. Good snacks include nuts
of all types, dried and fresh fruits, carrot and celery
sticks, nutritious cookies and crackers and health food candy
bars. We never go anywhere without something to snack on.
Many a nerve has ben saved from frazzling by a timely handful
of nuts!
As you drive along, you may be tempted to stop where the
truckers do. Remember the old cliche about their knowing the
best places? Well, that may have been true when truckers
were not traveling the inter-state highways. Now they are
captives of the highway fast food stops. According to
Michael Stern and his wife, Jane, who wrote the book
"Roadfood", the pickup truck may now signal good places to
eat. He says that in the South and Southwest a pickup truck
in the parking lot can mean a place that serves a good down
home breakfast with homemade biscuits and rolls.
Stern also recommends walking up to a postal worker or
policeman and asking where they eat out. He suggests you
remember where you are and not order flounder in Iowa or
chili in Maine. The Sterns found that in the South travelers
can get vegetable plates with good fresh greens. A
traditional soup called "Potlikker" is one in which greens
are cooked for a long time with different meats. (Editor's
note: Vegetarians can order without the meat). The broth
that results is a most invigorating concoction and leaves you
feeling like Popeye, says Stern.
To feel like Popeye you may want to eat where he eats!
Some of the best food in many towns is also the cheapest. The
most expensive places often ship in food from far away
places, pop it in the microwave* cover it with a sauce and
call it Cordon Bleu! Remember that anything with a sauce is
suspect, especially if you have allergies, want to avoid
preservatives and fats, or would like to know what's in your
food.
Some of the most nutritious meals are lightly cooked and
without sauces. By ordering broiled or better yet, poached
fish, a steamed vegetable and a salad, you are on pretty safe
ground. Even the local pizza parlor and burger place usually
has a big salad bar, and pizza is considered by some
nutritionists as a non-junk food. You can order your pizza
topped with fresh tomato, green pepper, fresh mushrooms and
onions for added nutrition. Raw foods help avoid diarrhea
and constipation from travel. If "disaster" does strike,
there are natural laxatives and herbal remedies to take. Be
sure and carry these on your trips.
If you're flying, be prepared with some snacks of your
own just in case the airline serves nothing but oily nuts
with artificial flavors, preservatives and added salt and
sugar. When you make reservations, ask for a vegetarian meal
and call to confirm this a few days before your flight and
again at the check-in. We have done this and found that the
meal was quite tasty and not over-cooked. On a plane,
remember that high altitudes dehydrate, so you'll want to
drink lots of fluids. Bring your own pure water if possible
(Editor's Note: some of the juices are sugarless) and refrain
from alcohol which has been reported to act as a diuretic.
When you arrive at your destination, you can take
advantage of friends' or relatives' recommendations. To gain
"instant friends," look in the Yellow Pages of a phone book
under "C" for clubs. If you are in the Elks Club, call and
ask for a recommendation of local restaurants that serve good
basic foods. Specify the idea of basic and home-style
cooking or you may end up with someone else's idea of "good"
food which may end up being expensive food!
One of my first choices for an organization to call to
learn about natural foods restaurants would be La Leche
League International. Look in the white pages for this
listing. These are mothers who meet to learn about
breastfeeding and nutrition. You'll reach a League leader
who knows nutrition and who'll be happy to recommend good
places to eat. Also, look under the listing "Health Food
Stores" and call and ask to talk with their manager to get
additional ideas for good eating, or call the church or
synagogue you favor. And of course, look under the natural
foods restaurant listing. For even more leads, get Block and
Morrison's "Real Food Places".
We often opt for Japanese food while traveling. Make
sure they omit MSG and order the stir-fry or lightly cooked
vegetable or seafood dishes. Some Japanese restaurants even
have plastic mock-up dishes in the front window so you can
see what you'll be getting. In any restaurant, if you sit
down and find the menu atrocious or the place dirty, or
otherwise objectionable, by all means leave. It's your body!
(I'm attracted to restaurants with lush green, cared-for
plants). We've found that ethnic restaurants in the center
of the city are basically nutritious since ethnic foods
include a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits and grains -
often fresher than American fare.
We don't want our vacations to be spoiled by
indigestion from greasy or improperly prepared foods even
though papaya or charcoal tablets can aid digestion. To
insure a healthy and happy vacation, take a few moments to
plan for natural eating on the road.
NOTE: This article is an excerpt of Nanci's "Quick & Easy
Ways to Natural Health," a compilation of many varied and
interesting health topics. For more information, send a
self-addressed, stamped envelope to Nanci Anderson Powell,
Director, The Discovery Resources Center, P.O. Box 1225,
Ashland Oregon, 97520 or call 503-488-2981.
* Editor's Note: Microwave ovens are considered possible
health hazards by some due to electromagnetic and sonic
radiations.
End of file.