I knew when I landed at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona that I'd hear all sorts of health-conscious messages. I did. I got quite an earful. It was all great stuff. Go low fat. Cut sugar. Nix the soda. Up the protein. Increase the fiber. Minimize portion sizes. Decrease stress. Rest. Relax. Breath. And exercise -- a lot. I took it all in. I processed it. I stored it in my foggy chemo brain. And I try daily to put my new-found wisdom to work. It's going well -- in part because I have permission to take a break.My Canyon Ranch nutritionist -- the one who taught me how to shop, cook, stock my pantry, and make healthy snacks and treats -- also gave me this happy nugget of news: eat pizza once per week. What? Can that be healthy?
Pizza is not the healthiest of food choices. Pizza Hut's personal pan cheese pizza -- you know, the little one containing just four small slices -- has a shocking 620 calories, 26 grams of fat, 69 carbohydrates, and seven grams of sugar. It does have 28 grams of protein. Still, not a very wise choice for those of us wishing to fill our bodies with power foods.
How do I know all about the personal pan pizza? I ate one yesterday for lunch. Worried I'd clogged my arteries full of junk, I came right home and did a little research. Then I did a lot of walking on my treadmill. This is when I remembered my nutritionist's advice: we all need a break.
That one mini-pizza is not the end of the world. It's not a regular habit. In fact, it's a nice retreat from the habit of eating all the right foods all the time. And so I've decided that the permission I was granted from one of the greatest health and healing destinations in the world is indeed one healthy dose of worthy wisdom.
Thanks Canyon Ranch for all you've taught me!
