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 We come to work every third day for a 24-hour shift that begins at noon and ends at noon the following day. We're then off for 48 hours before returning to work for another 24 hours.
During the course of every month, we work 10 24-hour shifts. That’s 10 dinners divided by five guys, making each of us responsible for cooking twice a month. | |
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 In the past two years, we've become very committed to a whole grain, plant-based wagon based on the four major food groups; fruits,vegetables,whole grains and legumes. We started out initially as flexitarians (occassionally eating chicken and fish) but over the last year we've clamped down even more avoiding all animal products. A healthy lifestyle doesn't mean you have to be a vegetarian; however it's the path we've chosen. Each one of us (except Derick) takes great pride in preparing a tasty, creative, and nutritious meal. When Derick forgets to shop for, cook, and serve his meal, we will run across the street (with radios in hand in case we get a fire call), to the local veggie restaurant, which has become a convenient and healthy option.
After an article ran in the October 9, 2005 Austin American-Statesman titled, "Tofu out-muscles beef at fire station 2", there ensued a palpable buzz. People were truly interested in a bunch of firefighters eating vegetarian. Pictures of us preparing the "Paul McCartney enchiladas" illustrated the juxtaposition of burly, macho firefighters eating healthy. We betray the typical image of firefighters—a group of men standing around a grill flipping a T-bone steak.
We heard stories from fellow firefighters that women in BMWs were pulling up next to the fire trucks inquiring if they were the vegetarian firefighters. To their chagrin, they replied, "No, that's Engine 2." Letters to the editor suggested a vegetarian firefighter calendar. Local vegetarian restaurants sent us meals for a job well done. Letters in the mail came to us requesting recipes for the meals we prepare, such as the vegetarian enchiladas, cheeseless and meatless pizzas, casseroles, stir frys, pasta primaveras, lasagnas, sauces, and salad dressings.
Keep an eye out for our recipes, which will be posted at www.engine2.org regularly. Please feel free to subscribe to our website by leaving your email.
Yours in safety and in health,
The Guys at Engine 2
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Wonderful Vegetarian Website for Austinites - Monday, June 18, 2007Go to www.vegaustin.com for a list of resaurants and a whole smorgesborg of great information to make your transition to plant-based a more transparent one.
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Potassium - Friday, April 06, 2007 Potassium is the seventh most plentiful mineral on earth, but it's much too scarce in American's diets. More potassium would help protect us against high blood pressure, strokes, kidney stones, and bone loss.
In general, the higher the level of potassium in our diets the better. Most men and women age 14 and up should be getting at least 4700 mg of potassium each day from food....and fruits and vegetables are a particularly rich source according to Lawrence Appel from the National Academy of Sciences(I like the last name). This means people should be eating about 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. So Engine2er's, continue to fuel and snack up on the wonderful variety of fruits and vegetables in the plant based kingdom and stay away from processed junk foods.
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Blood Sugar and Diabetes - Friday, April 06, 2007
In April 2004, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases announced that 40% of U.S. adults have "pre-diabetes," which means their fasting blood sugar is between 100 and 125 (Over 125 is diabetes.) Using the old cutoff of 110, only 20% of adults had diabetes.
"Many people with pre-diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years," says the NIDDK. But not if they do something about it. "Research has clearly shown that losing five to seven % of body weight through diet and increased excercise can prevent pre-diabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes," explains the director of NIDDK.
"The emphasis has shifted from treatment to prevention. We're trying to minimize disease progression without putting everyone on medication." says Tuft's Alice Lichtenstein
Because of this, anyone continuing on with the Engine 2 program will also be getting a fasting Glucose blood test........at no extra cost.
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Calcium - Sunday, February 25, 2007 As many of you know some of the best and most absorbable forms of calcium come from plant based sources such as leafy greens, tempeh, tofu, broccoli, and almonds and sesame seeds. Jill and I are seeing a mid-wife and she too is a big believer in plant based nutrition. She believes that dairy products are way overrated as a source of calcium. Dairy products contain no magnesium, which is necessary for our bodies to absorb calcium. Macro molecules of calcium in dairy foods may also be too large for our cells to absorb, and recent studies have suggested that these large molecules can deposit themselves in our joints, contributing to arthritis and other joint problems. Cows milk is for baby cows. We are the only mammal that drinks another mammal's milk. We would probably be better served drinking monkey's milk.
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The Benefits of Fiber - Saturday, February 17, 2007Your body benefits from fiber found in plant based foods in a number of ways(remember, there is no fiber in any animal based foods).
- Slows down the rate of glucose absorption
- Helps prevent constipation
- Builds a stronger immune system
- Fewer hormonal imbalances
- Fewer cravings
- Helps prevent diabetes
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Bragg's Spray - Friday, February 09, 2007 Bragg Liquid Amino's makes their product in a spray bottle as well. Try cooking your meals without salt and using a quick spray to taste before serving.
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Protein - Thursday, February 08, 2007"Protein is so abundant in plant foods that it is impossible to design a diet based on starches and vegetables that fails to provide for the needs of children and adults. Problems with protein are too much, not too little."
Dr. McDougall
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Maca Powder - Thursday, February 08, 2007Maca powder is an ingredient in a delicious shake recipe in Week 1 and we'll offer it again in the future. You can find it at the Herb Bar on West Mary Street, off South Congress or The Juice Joint on Barton Springs.
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Curb the soda pop and fruit juices! - Monday, February 05, 2007 Here's a little information I read in the latest University of California Wellness Letter.
Nondiet sodas and other sugar sweetened beverages contrbute to weight gain and the growing obesity epidemic. Sodas contain about 140-150 calories(all from sugar, 10 teaspoons worth) in a 12-oz. can, and people often drink 20-ounce bottles in one sitting. Yet because sodas, like all liquids, are not satiating, people who drink them do not reduce calories elsewhere.
If you add just one can of regular soda a day to your diet, everything else being equal, you'll gain 15 pounds in a year. Even if you're not watching your weight, there's no reason to fill up on "empty" calories from soda.
I would add the same is true for drinking fruit juices such as apple or orange juice. Over the next six weeks let's eat our fruit instead of drinking it. Thiis way you'll benefit from all the bulk and fiber in fruit, you'll fill-up and feel more satiated, and you won't get a huge insulin spike from all the fructose which then triggers the liver to produce cholesterol.
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The Dirty Dozen; The most contaminated produce, highest to lowest - Monday, January 29, 2007 Consider buying organic with some of the following produce:
1. Strawberries
2. Green and red bell peppers
3. Spinach
4. Cherries (USA)
5. Peaches
6. Cantalope (Mexico)
7. Celery
8. Apples
9. Apricots
10. Green Beans
11. Grapes (Chile)
12. Cucumbers
Source: Environmental Working Group, compiled from FDA and EPA data
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