Episode Overview

Have you ever stood in front of the fridge, wondering what on earth to eat... again?

So many of us know we "should" eat more plants and more variety, but somewhere along the way that turned into pressure, rules, and the search for the perfect anti-cancer diet. And honestly? That heaviness can take all the joy out of feeding ourselves.

In this episode, I want to lighten that load.

We tend to cycle through the same 20 to 30 foods week after week. The same vegetables, the same couple of proteins, the same dinners on repeat. And when we hear "eat the rainbow" or "add more variety," it can feel like one more project, more recipes, more shopping, more money spent on ingredients we are not even sure we will like.

But what if the easiest way to add more plants to your plate is already sitting in your kitchen?

Your spice rack.

Herbs and spices are not a separate flavoring category. They are plants, or parts of plants. Cinnamon is bark, ginger is a root, pepper is a dried berry, and cloves are flower buds. When you season your food, you are adding more plant compounds to your meal, often dozens of them in just a couple of teaspoons.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why variety matters more than any single "super food."
• How a simple pot of chili can give you 25 different plant foods in one bowl
• The synergy of whole spices versus isolated supplements
• How to turn one piece of chicken into five different meals just by changing the seasoning
• A quick way to tell if a spice is still worth using (hint: open the jar and smell it)
• How long spices and dried herbs actually last
• Why you should buy small and store spices cool, dark, and away from the stove
• Easy ways to bring in new flavors through teas and spice blends

This is not about a whole new way of eating. It is about adding one new thing at a time and letting your spice rack do the work of creating variety for you.

Because food is meant to be satisfying, colorful, and enjoyable... not another set of rules to get right.

Resources Mentioned:

Work with Laura:
https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/health 

Download for iPhone: 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kajabi/id1485646310

Download for Android: 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kajabi.kajabiapp&hl=en_US

Grab the free guide: 

https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/spices

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Read the full transcript:

0:00
You're listening to Better Than Before Breast Cancer with the Breast Cancer Recovery Coach. I'm your host, Laura Lum Erm. I'm a certified life coach, and I'm a breast cancer thriver. In this podcast, I will give you the skills on the insides and the tools to move past the emotional and physical trauma of a breast cancer diagnosis. If you're looking for a way to create a life that's even better than before breast cancer, you've come to the right place. Let's get started.

0:33
Hey there, friends. Welcome to another episode of Better Than Before Breast Cancer. I'm your host, Laura Lum Er, and I am sure you've heard the phrase variety is the spice of life, but have you thought about how spice can add a tremendous amount of variety to your life and to your diet? You know, something that I hear from people all the time is, what do I eat? You know, they feel like it's difficult to wrap their head around what to eat, and then once they figure out what to eat, they kind of gravitate to the same group of foods, and then they get bored and want to talk about variety, and how can they get new variety, which in many people's minds means more recipes, and then they're like, oh, there's so many recipes, I have to get all these ingredients right, so we can really over complicate feeding ourselves. So, in this episode, I want to give you not only some simple tips for how you can increase the variety of your diet and why that's a good thing for you, but I've also created a free handout to guide you through 10 really common dishes that many people eat, most people eat, and a variety of ways to change them up, to take those base recipes that you're most likely familiar with and change up the spices to make them into entirely different dishes in a super easy way without spending a ton of money on ingredients, all right. So, let's think for a second about that cabinet you've got in the kitchen, the spice rack, right? How many spices are actually in there versus how many spices you actually use on a regular basis? So, you probably use salt, pepper, garlic powder, probably cinnamon, maybe cinnamon on a regular basis, and then there's that weird stuff that you purchased for a recipe that you wanted to try, like cumin or anise or saffron, and it's just kind of sitting there, and so by the end of this episode, I hope that you'll be able to see how that cabinet is going to be one of the easiest ways to take care of your body, to nourish your body, to offer variety to your body, to your diet, and to your gut, without adding supplements or some other new complicated protocol. So I said a minute ago that we tend to gravitate towards the same foods over and over, and when researchers actually track what people eat, most of us, they find cycle through the same 20 to 30 foods week after week, and some studies put that in a range that's a little bit higher, but pretty much overall it all points to the same thing: we less variety than we think we do, we get comfortable with a certain amount of foods or certain types of foods, and we just continue to put those ones on the grocery list, even when I'm really intentional, and I look back at my own week, you know, I see the same handful of vegetables, I see the same cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, the same two or three proteins, I like my fish, I like my chicken, and most of the time I skip breakfast, so I don't have to worry about that, but definitely I see the same rotation of food unless I'm really, really intentional about changing that up, and that's what can make eating variety, or we hear people say, "Eat the rainbow, that's what can make this feel like a lot of work, right? New recipes, more shopping things that may not, maybe we're not familiar with, so we don't know how they're going to turn out, and groceries are expensive, so who wants to waste money on a recipe that we don't know if it's going to come out okay, right? So we tend to go back and keep making the same dinner over and over. So something I think that people maybe don't realize or just don't think about a lot is that herbs and spices are not a separate category of food, right? They're not just some random thing out there that makes food taste good. They're plants, or they're parts of plants. So, cinnamon is the bark of the plant, ginger is a root, pepper is a dried berry, cloves are flower buds, saffron are those little tiny threads inside of a crocus flower, which need to be hand picked, which is why they're so expensive. So, when we add herbs and spices to your cooking, you're not just adding flavor, you're adding more plants to your plate, and that's pretty cool, because it's an easy option, right, without having to think about buying more plants and letting them, you know, go to waste inside their refrigerator, as many people do.

5:00
So let's think about something about how plants can serve us, how spices and herbs can serve us in such a simple way. Think about chili, right? So a good homemade chili powder blend can have 15, 1617, different spices in it. So if you make a pot of chili and you just season it with a blend like that, you added lots of different plant foods to that meal, just in a couple of teaspoons, and basic store-bought chili might just have like four to five different spices, but you can make your own spice powders from the things that you have in your kitchen and really add to that, and then if you look at the rest of the pot of chili, beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, pepper. Serve it with a salad on the side, and you can have like 25 different plant foods in one bowl from a meal that feels totally ordinary to make. So that's what I mean about using that spice rack in a way that works for you. So one of the cool things about plants, and we're always hearing about eating more plants, right, is that plants make a lot of different compounds, and different plants make different compounds. Stands to reason some of these compounds are found in lots of foods, but some are found only in handfuls of foods, and sometimes just one food. Saffron, as I mentioned a minute ago is a good example. It has compounds called Croson and Saffronol that aren't really found in any meaningful amount anywhere else. And what's interesting here, like with most plant foods, they work in synergy, right? So these antioxidants work with other constituents that are in saffron, they don't just work in isolation. This is where we move into supplements, right, where we extract something that's an active component of a plant food, and we say, oh, eat more of this in a more condensed way, but when we take in the whole plant, or we take in the spice, then we're getting that synergy, and so if you never eat saffron, there's an example of some antioxidant that you'll never get, and I'm not saying that you're going to miss out terribly, or it's going to have some big impact on your health if you don't eat saffron. Just an example, because there's not really any single spice that's going to make or break your health, and anyone telling you that is probably trying to sell you a supplement, right? So, the point is that one spice is not magic, and in fact, it's actually the opposite. The more plants you give your body over time, the more of these compounds your body has to work with. So, variety isn't about a single ingredient, it's about the big picture, and everything that we can get into this beautiful terrain environment of ours. And I personally think that that takes a little bit of pressure off, because it means we don't have to find that one perfect food, because there isn't one, right? We don't have to be so, so worried about, oh God, I didn't eat that thing, or I didn't eat this thing, right? Variety, spread it out over your meals, over weeks, and it's all going to have a positive effect on your body. So, how can we do this without making it another project, right? Because that's the last thing anyone needs is another thing to manage, and the trick is pretty simple: learn one way of cooking something, and then change the spices. So let's go back to our example of chili. You could probably throw together about to chili without a recipe of any kind, right. Use the same method, you simmer some beans, you throw in some seasonings, but it can become a very different meal if you decide to swap chili powder out for, say, African spice blend. Let's say you decide to take the chili beans and put in lentils instead. Now you have a completely different meal. It's the same method, right, but a different set of plants, different meal, different nourishment. Or take a piece of chicken. If you season chicken the same way every time, it's the same dinner every time, but that one piece of chicken can become five different meals by changing what you put on it. So you could put a jerk style blend on your chicken one night, you could put a curry blend on it another night, cumin and coriander the next night. You already know how to cook a chicken, you're just changing what goes on it or inside of it, so you don't have to become a different cook. You don't have to buy a ton of cookbooks, although I love buying cookbooks, and I love the ideas that come with them, but you don't have to do that. You don't have to learn 50 different recipes, learn a few things as you already have, and then let the spice rack do the work of creating variety for you. So, the reason that most of us have a cabinet full of barely used spices is because we got excited about them. We bought the big Costco size jar, we used it once, and now it's just sitting there getting old. So, before you go out and you buy anything new, or you download my handout and my spice guide, let me share a few things that have saved me, and hopefully will save you a lot of money and a lot of frustration. First, how do you know if a.

10:00
Spice is even worth using. Very simple, you open the jar and you smell it. If you barely smell anything, the spice is done, and sadly you're going to need to toss it. A real spice should smell like something the second you open the lid. All right, cinnamon should smell like cinnamon. Cumin should smell warm and earthy, and if yours don't smell like that, sorry, they've been sitting there too long, and no amount of that spice or that seasoning is going to bring them back to life, but the constituents in them that are going to really contribute to your overall wellness, so you can toss them in the compost and start over again.

10:39
Most ground spices do keep their flavor for about six months to a year. Whole spices, like peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, cloves, they can last longer, up to two or even three years. Dried herbs are usually very good for about a year. So, if you've got jars from when you moved into your house 10 years ago, then probably not going to do you any favors, not as far as flavor, and not as far as health benefits. So, when you buy new, buy small. I know at my grocery store they have these little tiny boxes, so if I want to try a new spice, or if I have a recipe I know I'm not going to be making a lot, I buy it small, so it's not so frustrating, and I don't feel like I'm either wasting food or wasting money, but the big Costco size containers, unless that's something like pepper or salt or some kind of a rub, and you're used to making meat and roasts all the time, you feel like it's a deal because it's a great price for a ton of food, but it's probably not going to last you, or you're probably not going to use it up as long as that spice will last, so my recommendation is always buy the smallest jar you can find, and if you have a grocery store around you, like I have some sprouts and Whole Foods, where they sell the spices in bulk, and so you can just buy a tablespoon or two, that's even better, because you want to be trying something new. We're not committing forever, right? We're just dating these new spices, and when it comes to storing them, so that they get the longest life possible, you want to keep your spices somewhere cool, somewhere dry, and somewhere dark, not above the stove, where the temperature is going to be varying, and they can get pretty hot. I know we like to put them there because they're convenient when they're cooking, when we're cooking, but that heat and the light and the steam are three things that make spices lose their flavor really fast. So, a drawer or a cabinet that's away from the stove is a way better place to keep your spices. If you have them in a clear jar on the counter where the sun hits them, I know they look really pretty, but same problem, you're just going to lose the effectiveness of the spice really quickly, and then here's a tip that I love. If you're going to try a new spice and you're using it for a specific recipe, you want to buy the smallest one, but then just so you don't stick it back in the cupboard and forget about it, maybe you plan two or three meals that week that use that same spice and see if you find a new favorite. And then one more thing, don't feel like you need to build a giant spice collection all at once. I mean, these things are not cheap if you're getting a good quality organic spice, so just try adding one or two new things at a time. Well-used small spice racks are way more useful than a huge one full of stuff that's going to go stale, and of course, a brilliant way to incorporate more plant foods

13:26
is teas. So, if you want to try something new next time you're at the store, pick up one spice or one new tea that you've never used. Maybe even if you use oregano, you can use a different kind of oregano, because there are several different types, and they all taste a little bit different. Maybe a tea that you haven't tried. Rubois is one that I love, and it comes in many different blends. It's slightly sweet, it's caffeine-free, and it's got some compounds that aren't really found in other plants. Or take those little beautiful star anises that are in the back of your spice rack that you probably got for some Christmas recipe and put them with a little bit of a orange skin in a pot on your stove, and just simmer them, and it's a beautiful way to get a lovely fragrance into the house, and it's kind of a little bit of natural aroma therapy. Chinese Five Spice powder is another one that's delicious, has a ton of delicious flavor. Put it on roasted vegetables, put it into some rice, really, really good stuff for you, so just trying one new thing, not a whole new way of eating, just one new plant-based food that's added into what you're already doing. Now, I still do encourage you to read the label when you buy spice blends or teas. Sometimes what looks like an herbal tea definitely does have artificial flavors in it. What looks like a spice blend could have something in it you weren't expecting. I bought this tea one time, and it had sugar added into it. So still do be mindful of reading the label and know what you're getting. I wanted to keep this episode really simple.

15:00
Give you some easy tips, give you an easy handout download that will support you, because, man, I just see this whole food thing get so heavy and so much pressure to get it right to find the perfect anti-cancer diet to eat the exact right super foods, and I know I have felt that heaviness, I've absolutely coached people through it, many, many of my clients, and so I'm hoping that this episode is just a very simple tip. Maybe it reminds you of spices that you used to use and have it used, or just an easy little thing to throw into your diet, and kind of, for lack of a better phrase, spice it up a little bit, so that we remember that food is about deliciousness, fun, and enjoyment. It doesn't have to be about perfection, it doesn't have to be about restriction or more rules, but let's try to make it fun and colorful with just a variety of flavors and things that are easy to fit into the life and the lifestyle that you already have.

16:06
Sometimes people tell me, actually, a lot, this is so boring. This food is so boring. Food that's well seasoned should be satisfying. Any food should be satisfying. Otherwise, why do we want to eat it, right? We don't want to eat bland food, that's just gross. So, when your food tastes good, when it's got lots of different flavors in it, it makes you want to eat it, and when we want to eat it, and we enjoy it, that food serves our bodies better, and it does a lot of good work. So pleasure and nourishment can go together, they're not on opposite sides of the team. Alright, so this week use something from the back row in that spice cabinet, as long as it smells good, and you know that it's still got active components in it, and then in our next episode, next week, I'm going to take this one step further, because those same everyday spices have an amazing connection to your gut, and as we've talked about so many times, but health is so important, and that whole community of microbes inside of our gut does so much for how we feel physically and mentally, and so this being Mental Health Awareness Month, food has so much to do with our mental health, because it gets our gut in the right place. Spices are a wonderful addition to that. We get our gut in this good, healthy variety of bacteria, variety of good microbes going in there, and that helps us to feel better mentally and emotionally as well. So, next time we're going to talk about some simple things in your kitchen that can support what's happening inside of you, and I think you're going to like it. So try this out. Pull out an old spice - not an old spice, but you know what I mean, a spice you haven't used in a little while. Try it on something. Download the guide that you'll find at the Breast Cancer Recovery coach.com forward slash spices, or you can find the link to it right here, where you're listening or watching this episode on YouTube, and change it up, use some of those swaps, and then come over to the Living Well After Breast Cancer Community. You can find that on my app, the Breast Cancer Recovery Coach app, and let me know what you made. Let me know what you think of it. Let me know if you enjoyed it, or if you have a way of using simple swaps for food that can add variety and good nutrition and share with the community, because I would love that, and I would love to hear from you. Alright, friend, I'll talk to you next week, and until then, be good to yourself, and expect other people to be good to you as well. Take care,

18:40
you've put your courage to the test, laid all your doubts to rest.

18:47
Your mind is clearer than before. Your heart is full and wanting more. Your future's at the door.

18:58
Give it all you got,

19:00
no hesitating. you've been waiting all your life.

19:10
This is your moment.

19:15
This is your moment.

19:20
This is your moment. this is your moment,

19:28
this is

19:30
your moment to shine, to shine.