The more I seek to live a healthy life and to change my diet, the more confirmation I get on what I have always believed ..."I (We) were born into the most unhealthy generation of humans to ever live on the face of this earth". Well, I won't say born into, because from birth (1966) to around the age 9 or 10 (1975-76); I remember eating vegetables every-day from my grand-parent's garden in our backyard right there in the Weequahic Section of Newark, NJ (a big city). When we went about 30 miles down the highway to the Rural-South which was Edison, NJ to visit our great-grand-parents (all 4 of them), we definitely ate right from their huge gardens. I remember tilling soil in the spring and harvesting and eating the vegetables throughout the summer and fall. I do also remember when Fast-food, TV-dinners and the pre-packaged foods began to be introduced into our diets. Personally I never liked the TV-dinners, they never tasted good or real to me, it may be because I grew up eating fresh garden vegetables. But Fast-food, McDonalds, KFC (Gino's) and especially White Castle that was a whole different story ... we didn't eat it all the time so I remember when we knew that we would be eating Fast-food it was a big event in our minds. Fast forward a couple generations of us living on pre-packaged & pre-cooked foods packed in plastic and filled with artificial things, way too much salt and way too much sugar ... there is no question that there are way too many people who live in the United States who live with food related health issues; nearly each and every one of us have been both affected and afflicted by the ill effects of it all. The greatest thing is that as hard as it may seem, we all can make a choice to at least try to do better. It's going to take some 'Will-Power' on our parts ... it's the one BIG-thing that most food-companies, tobacco and other manufacturers, advertisers and others who get rich off of the masses count on us not being able to rely on.
OK before I get too far off into that rant!
Let's talk about making some decisions to improve our health.
Water is essential for life. All organs need water to function properly. Its benefits are undeniable.
I for one respect water as the greatest, healthiest element for us in this entire universe. Drinking water stimulates red blood cells to grow faster, in turn, resulting in more oxygenated blood which gives us more energy. Water is very important for the balance of fluids in our bodies, our immune systems increase when we drink water every day. When we go to the bathroom we are releasing toxins from our bodies; water helps us go to the bathroom, so when we drink water we are detoxing our bodies. The more water we drink, the cleaner our bodies will be. It will also help to clear our bowels. When we drink enough water we feel the need to pass stools. This means that our bowel movements get regularized and when we pass stools every day, our bodies are cleared of waste. The benefits of drinking water are filled with magical properties when it comes to our health. A quick Google-search and you will see that there are many "How Much-When-To-Where-To Drink Water" articles ... my golden rule when it comes to drinking water is to drink water all day, right when we wake up, before we eat breakfast, before we exercise, after we exercise, before we eat lunch and dinner, before we take a bath or shower, and directly opposite to what most of us were taught, drink water before bedtime, which aids in our cell renewal while we sleep. Last thing ... drinking more water means that we will have to pee more ... totally healthy and natural ... I gotta go right now!
Fat is also essential for life. Our bodies needs some fat for energy and other functions. Some fats are healthy for us and some are not. Healthy fats come mainly from vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish. Polyunsaturated fat is considered one of the healthy fats, along with monounsaturated fat, eating more of these fats in place of saturated and trans fats can only be a benefit to our health, these unhealthy fats increase our risk for heart disease and many other health problems that we face. We should avoid or limit saturated fats, and avoid trans fats the same way we would avoid the plague. Eating healthier fats can lead to certain health benefits. But eating too much fat isn't healthy for us either. It doesn't make much sense for us to add foods high in unsaturated fats to a diet filled with unhealthy foods and fats. To get the health benefits, we should replace unhealthy fats with healthy fats. Some foods and oils with higher amounts of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, including olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, and most nuts, as well as safflower and sunflower oils.sunflower seeds, flax seeds or flax oil, some fish, such as salmon, corn oil, and soybean oil. For years, we were told that fat isn't healthy for us. We were told to keep it out of our diets whenever possible. We switched to low-fat foods. But the shift didn't make us healthier, probably because we cut back on healthy fats as well as the harmful ones. We now know that some fats are not only healthy, but essential for us. Read Nutrition Labels. All packaged foods have nutrition labels on them that include fat content, reading food labels will help us keep track of how much fat we eat. Make sure most of your daily fats are from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources.
Salt What is Salt? Salt is made of two minerals, sodium and chloride, which are essential for human life, and saltiness is one of the basic human taste. Humans have used salt for thousands of years; salting has been an important method for the preservation of our foods. Though refined table salt is the most common type in the United States and some other western civilizations, there are a number of types of salt, Sea Salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, Kosher Salt, Celtic Salt and again Refined Salt (Regular Table Salt). There are few nutritional differences between these various types. But we do know that eating too much salt is very unhealthy for us. The amount of salt we eat has a direct effect on our blood pressure. Salt makes our bodies hold on to water, so when we eat too much salt, the extra water stored in our bodies raises our blood pressure. So, the more salt we eat, the higher our blood pressure will be. The higher our blood pressure, the greater the strain on our hearts, arteries, kidneys and brain. This will lead to heart attacks, strokes and other diseases. Cutting down on salt is much more than just stopping yourself from adding salt to your cooking or at the table. Nearly 80% of the salt we eat is hiding in processed foods like bread, biscuits, breakfast cereals and pre-prepared foods or takeout. Only 20% comes from the salt we add while cooking or at the table. An adult should eat no more than 6g of salt a day, but most of us eat much more than this. Let's make a conscience choice to reduce the amount of salt we eat as much as possible. Let's choose to eat foods with the lowest salt level, If you find that you or a loved one really cannot live without the taste of salt then it may be worth trying low-sodium salt alternatives.
Bottom-line is the less salt we eat the better.
Sugar Our bodies do need carbohydrates, which are broken down into sugar in your bodies. This sugar is essential for our bodies to create energy to survive. However, it is not necessary to include sugary foods or added sugars in the diet in order for our bodies to make energy. From spaghetti sauce to peanut butter, added sugar can be found in even the most unexpected products. Many people rely on quick, processed foods for meals and snacks. Since these products often contain added sugar, it makes up a large proportion of our daily calorie intake. Many experts believe that sugar consumption is a major cause of obesity and many chronic diseases, such as diabetes. Rates of obesity are rising worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits.
Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar. Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods. Excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells our bodies to stop eating. In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This will lead to us gaining and not being able to lose weight. Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don’t.
Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Consuming too much added sugar increases heart disease risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure and inflammation. High-sugar diets have been linked to an increased risk of dying from heart disease. Products that are loaded with sugar but lacking in protein, fiber or fat lead to a brief energy boost that’s quickly followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar, often referred to as a sugar crash. Having constant blood sugar swings usually lead to major fluctuations in energy levels. To avoid this, choose carb sources that are low in added sugar and rich in fiber. Pairing carbs with protein or fat is another great way to keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable. For example, eating an apple along with a handful of almonds is an excellent snack for prolonged, consistent energy levels. Excessive added sugar has many negative health effects. Okay, so some sugar isn't really bad for you but some sugar, like fructose in high amounts, is unhealthy.
Since both fructose and salt/sodium are found in nearly all processed foods, how can we eat better and still enjoy the sweet & salty things we like? I have a few suggestions. Some require a bit of sacrifice and will be difficult, but more effective, and others are easy enough for anyone to incorporate in their diet. If you want to try and curb both your sugar and salt intake, be reasonable about what you can accomplish. Failure is a lot more likely when we try to do large amounts of change all at once. When we cut back on anything slowly, it feels much easier and is more likely to stick. Fortunately, simply focusing on eating whole, unprocessed foods automatically decreases the amount of both sugar and salt/sodium in our diet. That's great news! Let's go for it together!
Exercise The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard for us to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Exercise helps prevent excess weight gain and maintains our weight. When we use physical activity, we burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories we burn. Regular trips to the gym are good, but most of us don't have large chunks of time to go to exercise every day. Don't worry, any amount of activity is better than none at all. To reap the benefits of exercise, just get more active throughout your day — take a morning walk around your neighborhood, at work take the stairs instead of the elevator or up the speed of your household chores. Being consistent is the key. Regular activity/exercise helps prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, arthritis and many other of our society's health problems. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that make us feel happier, more relaxed and less anxious. Regular physical activity improves our muscle strength and boost our endurance. Exercise gives oxygen and nutrients to our tissues and helps our cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Most important; exercise and physical activity should be enjoyable! Take a dance class, take a walk in the park or join a soccer team, just find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. For most healthy adults, a combination of moderate and vigorous activity is best, include running, walking or swimming. Fit in strength training for all the major muscle groups at least twice a week by lifting free weights, using weight machines or doing body-weight exercises. Space out your activities throughout the week. If we want to lose weight, we will need to increase our physical activity time. Best to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you haven't exercised for a long time, have chronic health problems or you have any concerns.
Sleep/Rest A good restful night's sleep is incredibly important for our health.
In fact, it’s just as important as eating healthy and exercising. Unfortunately, our societal environment has interfered with and made us deviate from our natural sleep patterns. You simply cannot achieve optimal health without taking care of your sleep. Along with nutrition and exercise, good sleep is one of the pillars of health. Good sleep will help maximize problem-solving skills and enhance memory, while poor sleep has been shown to impair brain function. Getting enough restful sleep will improve your immune function. Setting a sleep schedule can help fall us asleep easier. Our bodies have their own regulatory system called the circadian rhythm. This internal clock cues our body to feel alert during the day and sleepy at night. Waking up and going to bed at the same times each day can help our internal clock keep a regular schedule. Once our bodies adjust to this schedule, it will be easier to fall asleep and wake up around the same time every day. Light influences our body’s internal clock, which regulates sleep and wakefulness. During the day, exposing our bodies to bright light tells us to stay alert. At night, darkness promotes feelings of sleepiness. In fact, research shows that darkness boosts the production of melatonin, an essential hormone for sleep.Get out and expose your body to sunlight or artificial bright light throughout the day and make your room dark at night. Yoga, meditation and mindfulness are tools to help calm the mind and relax the body, they have been shown to improve sleep. Yoga encourages the practice of breathing patterns and body movements that release stress and tension accumulated in our bodies. Meditation can enhance melatonin levels and assist the brain in achieving a specific state where sleep is easily achieved. Lastly, mindfulness may help you maintain focus on the present and worry less while falling asleep. Practicing one or all of these techniques can help you get a good night's rest and wake up reenergized. Watch What and When You Eat. My golden rule is to try to eat at least a few hours before getting ready for bed. There are so many things that we can do to help us get good, restful sleep, including listening to relaxing music, aromatherapy, limiting caffeine, reading something, visualizing things that make us happy, certain sleep-enhancing supplements can help us sleep sounder like GABA and melatonin. Bottom-line, restful-sleep helps you feel good and makes your body and brain function properly.
Recipe (Courtesy of Amy's Healthy Baking)
Soft-Baked Ginger Cookies
An easy recipe for chewy cookies full of warm ginger & molasses. Made healthy with no refined flour or sugar—but you’d never know it!
This week's recipe is one of my favorites. Like many people, my sweet taste-buds are totally the dominate of all my taste-buds. It takes a lot for me to curb my sweet-tooth. Amy's Healthy Baking is my go to for satisfying my urge for sugar. Like the recipe description says,"Made healthy with no refined flour or sugar—but you’d never know it!"
Ingredients
1 ¼ c (150g) whole wheat flour (measured correctly)
1 ½ tsp (5g) baking powder
1 ½ tsp (3g) ground ginger
½ tsp (1g) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (2g) salt
2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract
¼ c (60mL) molasses
5 tbsp (75mL) honey
1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the molasses and honey. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until incorporated. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. (If chilling longer than 2 hours, cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap.)
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
3. Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes. Cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes: Chilling the cookie dough helps prevent the cookies from overly spreading on the baking sheet. If baking right after mixing up the dough, the cookies would spread into one big cookie blob on the baking sheet.
If only chilled for 30 minutes, make sure the cookie dough is as tall as it is wide. Do not flatten the cookie dough, or else the cookies will be extremely thin.
For a gluten-free version, I recommend as follows: ¾ cup (90g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (35g) brown rice flour, and 1 teaspoon (3g) xanthan gum.
Maple syrup or agave may be substituted for the honey.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
Author:Â Amy Atherton
#vegetarian #food #plantbased #healthyfood #foodie #love #healthy #fitness #health #organic #healthylifestyle #gym #homemade #nutrition #vegetables #veggie #delicious #foodstagram
That's it for this week. It's just about making a decision to improve our health and possibly extend our life. No judgements, no preconceived expectations of what others expect of us, just us deciding that we want to live differently for us.
Next Issue: Specific Foods that we can Eat for better health, some more on 'Mindfulness' & 'Will-Power' + more
All information presented in this blog is provided for informational purposes only, and is mostly based on my own opinions and beliefs + some Google searching, Wikipedia and other sources that I name and place links to finding out more about them. This information should not be used as a substitute or replacement for advice, diagnosis or treatment from your healthcare provider.