I will be on Vacation from now until Monday~
Eat real food...
Drink liters of water...
Give your vitamins their vitamins...
And have a great Weekend!
Anna
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Where Do You Invest?
My shopping habits have been continually evolving from filling the pantry to filling the fridge; from shopping twice a month to shopping once a week; from making semi-homemade meals to making homemade meals with food benefits in mind. I have also examined cost as factor when it comes to food in several posts since the beginning of this investigation. With my fridge full and my pantry empty, my wallet isn't taking the impact I thought it would, but my health and my family's health is!
How much money do you spend monthly on medication? Pain medication? Heart medication? Diabetes, edema, cholesterol or headache medication? If you had that money to spend on vitamins and food instead, would you buy better food? What if instead of waiting for more money or less medications you just made a decision to invest in your health instead of investing in your symptoms? The way to do that is through food; there is a food designed to heal everything~
I do not disbelieve in medicine. What I disbelieve in is eating fried, saturated, fatty, starchy, sugary foods and then using medication to treat the symptoms of conditions that occur due to diet and exercise choices. If you purchase a shirt at Kohl's and wear it while hiking and it tears, then wash it against the directions on the label and the shirt shrinks, you should not return it to Kohl's claiming a defective shirt. If you treat your body like a garbage can, you can not claim your body is defective to justify medication use. Medication only treats the smell, the discharge and the infections brought on by the garbage; medication does not undo the damages, it only disguises them.
Medication for certain short term conditions is necessary for sure. Some would argue long term medication is necessary for chronic conditions and I will not argue those beliefs; they are just not my beliefs. What I do believe in is food as Hippocrates defined it: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
So, again, I ask, 'What if you just made a decision to invest in your health instead of investing in your symptoms?' While you digest the question and form an answer, please eat real food, drink liters of water, give your vitamins your vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. 'What if?'
Anna~
How much money do you spend monthly on medication? Pain medication? Heart medication? Diabetes, edema, cholesterol or headache medication? If you had that money to spend on vitamins and food instead, would you buy better food? What if instead of waiting for more money or less medications you just made a decision to invest in your health instead of investing in your symptoms? The way to do that is through food; there is a food designed to heal everything~
I do not disbelieve in medicine. What I disbelieve in is eating fried, saturated, fatty, starchy, sugary foods and then using medication to treat the symptoms of conditions that occur due to diet and exercise choices. If you purchase a shirt at Kohl's and wear it while hiking and it tears, then wash it against the directions on the label and the shirt shrinks, you should not return it to Kohl's claiming a defective shirt. If you treat your body like a garbage can, you can not claim your body is defective to justify medication use. Medication only treats the smell, the discharge and the infections brought on by the garbage; medication does not undo the damages, it only disguises them.
Medication for certain short term conditions is necessary for sure. Some would argue long term medication is necessary for chronic conditions and I will not argue those beliefs; they are just not my beliefs. What I do believe in is food as Hippocrates defined it: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
So, again, I ask, 'What if you just made a decision to invest in your health instead of investing in your symptoms?' While you digest the question and form an answer, please eat real food, drink liters of water, give your vitamins your vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. 'What if?'
Anna~
Monday, February 25, 2013
Accomplishment Leads to Joy!
Remember last fall when you had all of the holiday milestones, events and goals to reach? The dress you wanted to fit into for the Masquerade Ball? The meal you wanted to create for Thanksgiving? The repetitive deadlines for Christmas gifts and grocery lists? Then came New Years Day when you made lofty goals representative of the person you wish to become? And then nothing~ ?
Goals are simple ways to map out what, where, or who you want to become in a visual, concrete way. While my husband was deployed I would put sticky notes on my bathroom mirror; 'Pay of CC" and "Walk three miles every day" were among the aspirations. I saw them every day and during deployment I was able to accomplish all I set out to do. Accomplishment leads to pride, pride leads to confidence, confidence leads to a stronger self worth, an expanding self esteem and joy! With all of that ability, just imagine what one could achieve~
My This Year's resolution was/is to be more generous. I have had to set repetitive mini-goals within that desire in the shape of thank you cards and gifts that physically show appreciation or generosity. I encourage you to remember your long term goal and to define how you are going to accomplish it! Dedicate a portion of yourself to accomplishing your big picture goal with specific language, individual milestones, and physical evidence of your intentions. If you are already on that path, you already know the rewards!
This week I set a goal to do a ridiculous exercise series for 10 days. While I have to be continuously conscious of my generosity, I only have to dedicate 10 days to squat jumps and burpees. Short term goals are fantastic ability boosters. Because immediate goals grant immediate success, the likelihood of setting more goals is far greater than if only lofty, long term, big picture plans are imagined. Do yourself a favor and set a goal to accomplish this week; the return on investment is immeasurable.
Now go! Give yourself the fuel you need by eating real, fresh, healthy foods. Give those vitamins their vitamins and wash it all in with water. And, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Goals are simple ways to map out what, where, or who you want to become in a visual, concrete way. While my husband was deployed I would put sticky notes on my bathroom mirror; 'Pay of CC" and "Walk three miles every day" were among the aspirations. I saw them every day and during deployment I was able to accomplish all I set out to do. Accomplishment leads to pride, pride leads to confidence, confidence leads to a stronger self worth, an expanding self esteem and joy! With all of that ability, just imagine what one could achieve~
My This Year's resolution was/is to be more generous. I have had to set repetitive mini-goals within that desire in the shape of thank you cards and gifts that physically show appreciation or generosity. I encourage you to remember your long term goal and to define how you are going to accomplish it! Dedicate a portion of yourself to accomplishing your big picture goal with specific language, individual milestones, and physical evidence of your intentions. If you are already on that path, you already know the rewards!
This week I set a goal to do a ridiculous exercise series for 10 days. While I have to be continuously conscious of my generosity, I only have to dedicate 10 days to squat jumps and burpees. Short term goals are fantastic ability boosters. Because immediate goals grant immediate success, the likelihood of setting more goals is far greater than if only lofty, long term, big picture plans are imagined. Do yourself a favor and set a goal to accomplish this week; the return on investment is immeasurable.
Now go! Give yourself the fuel you need by eating real, fresh, healthy foods. Give those vitamins their vitamins and wash it all in with water. And, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Friday, February 22, 2013
An Evolution!
This week I went thrift shopping. I love it. It's both exciting and calming. It's both economical and affordable. Finding diamonds in the rough sewn hems of dresses worn decades ago makes me laugh and linger for hours in stores filled with more of the same. I found a great butter crock complete with a knife that hides in the lid. The black booties I have been wearing for 7 years have now been replaced by a new, unused pair with a sexier heel. My final purchase of the week was a Bodum french press for the bargain price of four hundred and ninety- nine cents. Recycled goods in great condition for a much lesser price!
Today I am meal planning; a bit later in the week than usual but the kids have been on vacation as well. Coupons steadily arrive in the mail for canned veggies, supermarket mayonnaise, frozen pizza, and processed chicken. A couple of years ago I really tried to apply coupons to my grocery cart in order to bargain my way through the list, but it has forever been difficult to accomplish. Do I purchase four boxes of cereal so I can get the milk for free? Well, since we don't typically eat cereal, "No." Although I try to clip the savings, I am left wanting for coupons that involve real food.
I am cheap; there is no doubt about it. If I find something I want I wait until it's on sale or I find it in a thrift store. I only buy my shampoo if it's a bogo deal or better (there are great coupons for shampoo). But, for the last year or so, food isn't something I am willing to cheap out on. Food. It goes into my body and my cells eat it. My brain is supported and maintained by the food I eat. My organs are surrounded by tissues made from the things I choose to put in my body. I am the food I decide to eat. And, more importantly, because we have three kids who eat anything we put in front of them, 'they are what we decide they eat~'
Food hasn't always been something I would pay a good dollar for. When we were first married I bought a lot of frozen food. Frozen veggies, frozen bread, frozen meat, frozen concentrated juice. I have always made my own spaghetti sauce but it was then and is now from canned tomatoes. We have weened cereal out of the kids' diets over the last few years and now eat eggs with toast or oatmeal with raisins or fruit with yogurt. My uncle Paul, though, put us to shame just a few days ago by showing us home-made raviolis when in my freezer lie the mass produced pouches in a plastic bag... our food choices are still evolving but the evolution is quicker now; more appreciated and palatable.
Food, real food, is expensive. Cheaper to buy two liters of soda than skim milk. Cheaper to buy juice sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and colored with dye than to buy the kind that comes from a fruit. Cheaper to buy bleached, enriched flour than to buy flour. However, I encourage you to begin an evolution toward real food. Support your choices with vitamins; no one vitamin works on its own. Drink water; often times water is free! Enjoy new, fresh, real food at your table and maybe find a thrift store to save what you can't in coupons.
As always, remember to wash your hands; computers are awfully filthy things...
Anna~
Today I am meal planning; a bit later in the week than usual but the kids have been on vacation as well. Coupons steadily arrive in the mail for canned veggies, supermarket mayonnaise, frozen pizza, and processed chicken. A couple of years ago I really tried to apply coupons to my grocery cart in order to bargain my way through the list, but it has forever been difficult to accomplish. Do I purchase four boxes of cereal so I can get the milk for free? Well, since we don't typically eat cereal, "No." Although I try to clip the savings, I am left wanting for coupons that involve real food.
I am cheap; there is no doubt about it. If I find something I want I wait until it's on sale or I find it in a thrift store. I only buy my shampoo if it's a bogo deal or better (there are great coupons for shampoo). But, for the last year or so, food isn't something I am willing to cheap out on. Food. It goes into my body and my cells eat it. My brain is supported and maintained by the food I eat. My organs are surrounded by tissues made from the things I choose to put in my body. I am the food I decide to eat. And, more importantly, because we have three kids who eat anything we put in front of them, 'they are what we decide they eat~'
Food hasn't always been something I would pay a good dollar for. When we were first married I bought a lot of frozen food. Frozen veggies, frozen bread, frozen meat, frozen concentrated juice. I have always made my own spaghetti sauce but it was then and is now from canned tomatoes. We have weened cereal out of the kids' diets over the last few years and now eat eggs with toast or oatmeal with raisins or fruit with yogurt. My uncle Paul, though, put us to shame just a few days ago by showing us home-made raviolis when in my freezer lie the mass produced pouches in a plastic bag... our food choices are still evolving but the evolution is quicker now; more appreciated and palatable.
Food, real food, is expensive. Cheaper to buy two liters of soda than skim milk. Cheaper to buy juice sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and colored with dye than to buy the kind that comes from a fruit. Cheaper to buy bleached, enriched flour than to buy flour. However, I encourage you to begin an evolution toward real food. Support your choices with vitamins; no one vitamin works on its own. Drink water; often times water is free! Enjoy new, fresh, real food at your table and maybe find a thrift store to save what you can't in coupons.
As always, remember to wash your hands; computers are awfully filthy things...
Anna~
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Ten Pounds of Info in a Five Paragraph Page~
The news is full of fat. I am not talking about filler pieces that highlight multiple births or directional gadgets. I am talking about actual fat. Saturated and unsaturated fat, triglycerides, trans fat, partially hydrogenated fat, good fat, bad fat, low fat, non-fat, good cholesterol, bad cholesterol; fat. Where is it found? What does it do? How can something that tastes so good be so very, very bad? These questions are worth a quick look because of all the permissions we give ourselves when it comes to ingredients, additions, entrées and desserts.
Where is dietary fat found? Silly questions, I know. Fat is in animal products, oils, beans, nuts, some vegetables and fruits, and almost all processed food. Naturally occurring foods like cashews, and non naturally occurring foods like chocolate cake share the common fat factor. Why does fat taste so good? Because fat is typically sweet! For this reason artificially low-fat and non-fat foods often have sweeteners and chemicals added in order to leave the sweet taste after the fat is removed. Staying away from processed food is a great way to avoid fat and/or added chemicals, but what about natural foods?
This is where fat gets complicated. Naturally occurring foods have different types of fat. Where milk and meat have saturated fat, sunflower and olive oil have unsaturated fat. Where saturated fats have triglycerides, unsaturated fats are categorized by mono and poly unsaturated fats. Where saturated fats increase Low Density Lipoproteins levels in the blood (LDL or bad cholesterol), unsaturated fats raise High Density Lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) levels in the blood. Trying to figure out fat isn't easy or uncomplicated but I have a few suggestions to help you wade through the fat pool.
First; real, naturally occurring food is the best choice when wondering what fat is good fat. Load your plate with beans, nuts, fruits, veggies, plant oils, and whole grains; it's more likely nutritionally balanced without sacrificing taste. Second; fat that is solid at room temperature is saturated fat. That means fats that are liquid at room temperature are unsaturated fat. (Easy 'good fat' or 'bad fat' identification tool.) Third; be accountable for what you put into your body. If you are justifying the fried fish because it is on a whole wheat bun, or eat unlimited amounts of 'good fat' because it's good, you may want to reevaluate some food choices.
The good news is you need fat in your diet. Fat, along with protein and carbohydrates, fuels your body whether you walk, sleep, vacuum, weight lift, read, run or sew. Seek fats that are in fresh, whole, naturally occurring foods. Educate yourself on suggested daily dietary fat intake. Fortify your diet with vitamins. Drink buckets of water to wash away the discarded. And, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Just so we are clear; foods with ingredient labels are not naturally occurring foods.
Anna~
Where is dietary fat found? Silly questions, I know. Fat is in animal products, oils, beans, nuts, some vegetables and fruits, and almost all processed food. Naturally occurring foods like cashews, and non naturally occurring foods like chocolate cake share the common fat factor. Why does fat taste so good? Because fat is typically sweet! For this reason artificially low-fat and non-fat foods often have sweeteners and chemicals added in order to leave the sweet taste after the fat is removed. Staying away from processed food is a great way to avoid fat and/or added chemicals, but what about natural foods?
This is where fat gets complicated. Naturally occurring foods have different types of fat. Where milk and meat have saturated fat, sunflower and olive oil have unsaturated fat. Where saturated fats have triglycerides, unsaturated fats are categorized by mono and poly unsaturated fats. Where saturated fats increase Low Density Lipoproteins levels in the blood (LDL or bad cholesterol), unsaturated fats raise High Density Lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) levels in the blood. Trying to figure out fat isn't easy or uncomplicated but I have a few suggestions to help you wade through the fat pool.
First; real, naturally occurring food is the best choice when wondering what fat is good fat. Load your plate with beans, nuts, fruits, veggies, plant oils, and whole grains; it's more likely nutritionally balanced without sacrificing taste. Second; fat that is solid at room temperature is saturated fat. That means fats that are liquid at room temperature are unsaturated fat. (Easy 'good fat' or 'bad fat' identification tool.) Third; be accountable for what you put into your body. If you are justifying the fried fish because it is on a whole wheat bun, or eat unlimited amounts of 'good fat' because it's good, you may want to reevaluate some food choices.
The good news is you need fat in your diet. Fat, along with protein and carbohydrates, fuels your body whether you walk, sleep, vacuum, weight lift, read, run or sew. Seek fats that are in fresh, whole, naturally occurring foods. Educate yourself on suggested daily dietary fat intake. Fortify your diet with vitamins. Drink buckets of water to wash away the discarded. And, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Just so we are clear; foods with ingredient labels are not naturally occurring foods.
Anna~
Monday, February 18, 2013
An Unjustified Lunch~
Holiday; a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done. A day off. Recess. Feast. Festival. Vacation. Today, Presidents Day, is many of these things; a recess from school and work. Not typically synonymous with a feast or festival, but certainly a day of reflection and rest. While you rest, I challenge you to reflect on what went into your body today. Then, depending on the size of the reflection, may I suggest you get moving?
This morning for breakfast I had a sensible 400 calorie egg sandwich; my go to energy maintenance food. Black coffee, lots of water, forgot the vitamin. Then, an opportunity to eat out allowed the menu to persuade my taste buds into fried fish, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on a giant whole wheat roll with french fries and ketchup to boot~ (is that really how you spell ketchup?) When I looked up the calories I was astounded; 1040, for the sandie, 500 for the fries and Ketchup = Sixteen hundred calories for lunch! It's not all about the calories, but the size of my reflection suggests that I should get moving as well~
That brings me to a simple solution we should all follow when trying, attempting, striving to maintain the body we live in. In addition to educating yourself on what goes into your body, get your body moving! Walk, jog, run. Do yoga, Pilates, or stretch from head to toe. Vacuum vigorously. Shovel another's sidewalk. Lift light weights- lift heavy weights. Use the trainer at the gym. Take your dog to the park. Swim. Just move... give your body the movement it needs in order to stay turned on and tuned up.
My Auntie Dell suggests taking all fried food out of the diet. (That suggestion came in after lunch!) As we know, fried food is high in saturated or bad fat. Lunch today came it at 16 grams of saturated fat; thats 3 grams more than my daily goal! Even though I ate fish (good) it was fried (bad). Even though I ate lettuce and tomato on my sandie (good) it was covered in chipotle mayo (kinda bad). Even though I ate potatoes (good) they were cut, fried, then seasoned and salted (bad). Even though I drank water (good) I had three strips of bacon with the fried fish and french fries (overkill). "But, it was on a whole wheat bun..." ~ a familiar justification.
Do you justify your diet in order to gain permission to eat it again? Do you allow yourself the dessert because you 'ate good all day'? Do you dismiss the fried fish because it was on whole wheat? Today I learned that I certainly do. "But what is the harm in that?" Tomorrow, after real food, a vitamin, and lots of water, I will tell you my answer.
As always... remember to wash your hands. Now get moving!
Anna~
This morning for breakfast I had a sensible 400 calorie egg sandwich; my go to energy maintenance food. Black coffee, lots of water, forgot the vitamin. Then, an opportunity to eat out allowed the menu to persuade my taste buds into fried fish, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on a giant whole wheat roll with french fries and ketchup to boot~ (is that really how you spell ketchup?) When I looked up the calories I was astounded; 1040, for the sandie, 500 for the fries and Ketchup = Sixteen hundred calories for lunch! It's not all about the calories, but the size of my reflection suggests that I should get moving as well~
That brings me to a simple solution we should all follow when trying, attempting, striving to maintain the body we live in. In addition to educating yourself on what goes into your body, get your body moving! Walk, jog, run. Do yoga, Pilates, or stretch from head to toe. Vacuum vigorously. Shovel another's sidewalk. Lift light weights- lift heavy weights. Use the trainer at the gym. Take your dog to the park. Swim. Just move... give your body the movement it needs in order to stay turned on and tuned up.
My Auntie Dell suggests taking all fried food out of the diet. (That suggestion came in after lunch!) As we know, fried food is high in saturated or bad fat. Lunch today came it at 16 grams of saturated fat; thats 3 grams more than my daily goal! Even though I ate fish (good) it was fried (bad). Even though I ate lettuce and tomato on my sandie (good) it was covered in chipotle mayo (kinda bad). Even though I ate potatoes (good) they were cut, fried, then seasoned and salted (bad). Even though I drank water (good) I had three strips of bacon with the fried fish and french fries (overkill). "But, it was on a whole wheat bun..." ~ a familiar justification.
Do you justify your diet in order to gain permission to eat it again? Do you allow yourself the dessert because you 'ate good all day'? Do you dismiss the fried fish because it was on whole wheat? Today I learned that I certainly do. "But what is the harm in that?" Tomorrow, after real food, a vitamin, and lots of water, I will tell you my answer.
As always... remember to wash your hands. Now get moving!
Anna~
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Balance!
Electrolytes; sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. We have all heard and emphasis on drinks like Gatorade and Pedialyte because they replace electrolytes, but who needs them? When do we need them? Why do we need them? Do we really need Gatorade to get it done?
Electrolytes are defined as "minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge". They aren't hard to find. Bananas have potassium, we add salt to everything, calcium is in the milk we drink and the cheese we eat. Magnesium is found in beans and nuts and dark greens. Phosphorus, too, is found in beans, nuts, cheese, milk- a large variety of foods. No wonder electrolytes are not talked about; they are littered throughout our diets. But~ the body looses those delicious electrolytes through breath, sweat, exercise, exertion, and activities of daily living.
"What do electrolytes do?" The body's pH and hydration levels, as well as tissue and muscle function, depend on and are dictated by electrolyte balance (pH is the acidity or alkalinity of the blood and other fluids; hydration is the measured amount of water cells hold on to). Electrolytes need to be balanced in order maintain hydration and excretion; to maintain pH levels; to elevate tissue and muscle function; to optimize cell function; to balance the body.
Every body needs electrolytes. Sodium, calcium, and magnesium are macro minerals, which means we should ingest hundreds of milligrams daily. And, as we now know, these minerals are found in most of the foods we eat, therefore we should be getting enough. So, if we eat a balanced diet, electrolytes will balance themselves. The kicker? If we eat foods loaded with electrolytes and then do not drink enough water, we become unbalanced. Muscles and tissues then suffer, dehydration occurs, pH is unbalanced, blood and fluid acidity levels elevates, and nutrition/absorption is then effected. If we drink copious amounts of water and do not eat a balanced diet~ you can see where this is going.
Do we need to drink Gatorade? Decidedly, no. Knowing that we loose electrolytes as we breathe, as we sweat, as we exercise, and as we complete activities of daily living empowers us to eat real, electrolyte rich foods. To drink copious amounts of water as well. Take a great multi vitamin to ensure proper nutrient consumption (your body will dispose of anything it doesn't need). And, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Electrolytes are defined as "minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge". They aren't hard to find. Bananas have potassium, we add salt to everything, calcium is in the milk we drink and the cheese we eat. Magnesium is found in beans and nuts and dark greens. Phosphorus, too, is found in beans, nuts, cheese, milk- a large variety of foods. No wonder electrolytes are not talked about; they are littered throughout our diets. But~ the body looses those delicious electrolytes through breath, sweat, exercise, exertion, and activities of daily living.
"What do electrolytes do?" The body's pH and hydration levels, as well as tissue and muscle function, depend on and are dictated by electrolyte balance (pH is the acidity or alkalinity of the blood and other fluids; hydration is the measured amount of water cells hold on to). Electrolytes need to be balanced in order maintain hydration and excretion; to maintain pH levels; to elevate tissue and muscle function; to optimize cell function; to balance the body.
Every body needs electrolytes. Sodium, calcium, and magnesium are macro minerals, which means we should ingest hundreds of milligrams daily. And, as we now know, these minerals are found in most of the foods we eat, therefore we should be getting enough. So, if we eat a balanced diet, electrolytes will balance themselves. The kicker? If we eat foods loaded with electrolytes and then do not drink enough water, we become unbalanced. Muscles and tissues then suffer, dehydration occurs, pH is unbalanced, blood and fluid acidity levels elevates, and nutrition/absorption is then effected. If we drink copious amounts of water and do not eat a balanced diet~ you can see where this is going.
Do we need to drink Gatorade? Decidedly, no. Knowing that we loose electrolytes as we breathe, as we sweat, as we exercise, and as we complete activities of daily living empowers us to eat real, electrolyte rich foods. To drink copious amounts of water as well. Take a great multi vitamin to ensure proper nutrient consumption (your body will dispose of anything it doesn't need). And, as always, remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
What's on Your Calendar?
So this is how my week is shaping up~ After a long shop Monday morning, burgers, beautiful rolls, lettuce, tomato, and onion fell on the table with baked potatoes to boot. Pork chops, brown rice and fresh green beans are on the menu tonight; tomorrow I expect a few chickens to roost in the oven; Thursday we will have my signature 'Tuna Noodles' and Friday is Pizza night... home assembled, of course~ Fresh fruits and vegetables aside eggs for breakfasts. Turkey sandies for lunches. Veggies and popcorn to snack on.
So my meals are planned but what about the rest of my life? Three kids and their activities, a day job, a dinner party tomorrow evening, errands, bills, a weekend RV trip on the other side of the hump, a wedding to dress five for in two weeks, and a household to keep up with (can anyone say laundry). I am sure, reader, your schedule, though it may differ from mine, is as full if not more so. How is that stress managed? By adding to it~ Let me explain...
In the morning I add to my schedule by taking time for me. I write, which I truly love to do. After I feel I have completed a thought I do about 30-45 minutes of yoga. After an egg sandwich, a shower, and a fresh face I hop into my favorite jeans and head to work. Four hours of elementary school later I return to homework, housework, dinner, errands, and the miscellaneous activities scattered all over the calendar. I could vacuum before work, but then me time is lost. When I am put on the back burner, I become resentful of everyone else's needs. When I become resentful, joy is lost and anger is fueled. My health and wellbeing is much more important than a clean carpet (especially because I am not giving up the clean carpet).
Make no mistake, reader, this post isn't really about me; it's about all of us. Every time we choose to ignore our own needs we impede our own health. When we choose not to take care of ourselves we can blame no one but, grrrrrrr, ourselves. So, add you to your schedule. Find time for planning your meals, for making your home livable, and for enjoying your accomplishments. Read if you enjoy it. Learn if it empowers you. Write. Journal. Paint. Exercise. Meditate. Pray. What ever makes you feel well, do it, even if it has nothing to do with any body else. You belong on your daily calendar~ if you find time for you, you will feel... better!
Remember, food is the foundation of all other things. Everything made in your body is made from the food you eat. All of the food is moved through the body with the assistance of the water you drink. Efficient systems and able bodies are what effectively accomplish requests and responsibilities. The calendar you keep can cause stress and consequently a hormone imbalance so, without going further, start with real food. Drink tons of water. Give your vitamins their vitamins. And, after you wash your hands, go pencil yourself onto the calendar... you may just find wellness becomes you.
Anna~
So my meals are planned but what about the rest of my life? Three kids and their activities, a day job, a dinner party tomorrow evening, errands, bills, a weekend RV trip on the other side of the hump, a wedding to dress five for in two weeks, and a household to keep up with (can anyone say laundry). I am sure, reader, your schedule, though it may differ from mine, is as full if not more so. How is that stress managed? By adding to it~ Let me explain...
In the morning I add to my schedule by taking time for me. I write, which I truly love to do. After I feel I have completed a thought I do about 30-45 minutes of yoga. After an egg sandwich, a shower, and a fresh face I hop into my favorite jeans and head to work. Four hours of elementary school later I return to homework, housework, dinner, errands, and the miscellaneous activities scattered all over the calendar. I could vacuum before work, but then me time is lost. When I am put on the back burner, I become resentful of everyone else's needs. When I become resentful, joy is lost and anger is fueled. My health and wellbeing is much more important than a clean carpet (especially because I am not giving up the clean carpet).
Make no mistake, reader, this post isn't really about me; it's about all of us. Every time we choose to ignore our own needs we impede our own health. When we choose not to take care of ourselves we can blame no one but, grrrrrrr, ourselves. So, add you to your schedule. Find time for planning your meals, for making your home livable, and for enjoying your accomplishments. Read if you enjoy it. Learn if it empowers you. Write. Journal. Paint. Exercise. Meditate. Pray. What ever makes you feel well, do it, even if it has nothing to do with any body else. You belong on your daily calendar~ if you find time for you, you will feel... better!
Remember, food is the foundation of all other things. Everything made in your body is made from the food you eat. All of the food is moved through the body with the assistance of the water you drink. Efficient systems and able bodies are what effectively accomplish requests and responsibilities. The calendar you keep can cause stress and consequently a hormone imbalance so, without going further, start with real food. Drink tons of water. Give your vitamins their vitamins. And, after you wash your hands, go pencil yourself onto the calendar... you may just find wellness becomes you.
Anna~
Thursday, February 7, 2013
50-50-90
I have been investigating different diets over the last few days. Not diets like 'South Beach' or "Jenny" or 'WW' but diets; vegetarian, vegan, raw food, fasting, and liquid. We are all on a diet; another word that our society has stigmatized into a word related to weight. What we eat is our diet. How would you classify your diet? Mostly fruits and vegetables? Mainly meat and potatoes? Low fat? Vegetarian? This investigation makes me wonder what an optimal diet is.
Vegetarians; fruits, vegetables, soy, nuts, beans, whole grains, seeds, legumes, roots and water. Cooked and raw. Easily found vitamin supplements are needed to place some key nutrients but these naturally occurring foods are readily absorbed by the body. Some vegetarians blur the lines and eat eggs and cheese and drink cows or goats milk. Vegans share a similar diet, but no animal products are used whatsoever (eggs, cheese, fats).
Raw food diets share vegetarian staples but nothing is heated over 118 degrees to keep nutrients intact. Eggs, if eaten, are eaten raw. Fruits and vegetables are dried. Vegetable sprouts and seaweed are favorites. Ingredients are juiced, mixed or blended. Raw fish. Cheese from raw, unpasteurized milk. Whole foods eaten in their natural state. That is the antithesis of the American diet where 90 percent of the food eaten is cooked, baked, fried, flavored, fattened, or fabricated. Vegetables, milk, meat, fruit, roots, cheese; we pasteurize, pulverize, or poach the lot of it!
Fasting. This one confuses me the most. Fasting diets follow no rule or food plan. Some are based around rice and broth, others are based on liquid food consumption. Some allow you to eat for 8 hours of the day, some only allow the food to pass the lips every other or every third day or only in the dark. Some claim cleansing benefits, some claim fat burning guarantees. Fasting diets are customized, it seems, to the dieter whether it be for fat loss, for cleansing, or for religious requirements. (Keep in mind, diets that remove fats, remove carbs, remove cholesterol, remove anything, are customized to the dieter in order to appeal to a perceived desire or psychological need.)
What if we blend the lot; 50 percent raw food and 50 percent cooked food 90 percent of the time? More investigation is needed~ For now... eat real food, support your vitamins with vitamins, give your body the water it deserves, and remember to wash your hands. Stimulate your senses, breath deeply, laugh often, and I will see you here tomorrow!
Anna
Vegetarians; fruits, vegetables, soy, nuts, beans, whole grains, seeds, legumes, roots and water. Cooked and raw. Easily found vitamin supplements are needed to place some key nutrients but these naturally occurring foods are readily absorbed by the body. Some vegetarians blur the lines and eat eggs and cheese and drink cows or goats milk. Vegans share a similar diet, but no animal products are used whatsoever (eggs, cheese, fats).
Raw food diets share vegetarian staples but nothing is heated over 118 degrees to keep nutrients intact. Eggs, if eaten, are eaten raw. Fruits and vegetables are dried. Vegetable sprouts and seaweed are favorites. Ingredients are juiced, mixed or blended. Raw fish. Cheese from raw, unpasteurized milk. Whole foods eaten in their natural state. That is the antithesis of the American diet where 90 percent of the food eaten is cooked, baked, fried, flavored, fattened, or fabricated. Vegetables, milk, meat, fruit, roots, cheese; we pasteurize, pulverize, or poach the lot of it!
Fasting. This one confuses me the most. Fasting diets follow no rule or food plan. Some are based around rice and broth, others are based on liquid food consumption. Some allow you to eat for 8 hours of the day, some only allow the food to pass the lips every other or every third day or only in the dark. Some claim cleansing benefits, some claim fat burning guarantees. Fasting diets are customized, it seems, to the dieter whether it be for fat loss, for cleansing, or for religious requirements. (Keep in mind, diets that remove fats, remove carbs, remove cholesterol, remove anything, are customized to the dieter in order to appeal to a perceived desire or psychological need.)
What if we blend the lot; 50 percent raw food and 50 percent cooked food 90 percent of the time? More investigation is needed~ For now... eat real food, support your vitamins with vitamins, give your body the water it deserves, and remember to wash your hands. Stimulate your senses, breath deeply, laugh often, and I will see you here tomorrow!
Anna
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Stimulation?
To keep with the sleep theme this week I think it appropriate to talk about exercise. My interpretation of exercise isn't the obvious interpretation, although I agree that a deep sweat is good for you and physical exertion is beneficial. As my husband might say, I have a kinder, gentler view of exercise. In fact, I am even going to substitute the word 'exercise' with 'stimulation'.
Has driving ever made you tired? What about reading? What about a craft that took thought, time, concentration, and contemplation? How about an afternoon of board games or budget balancing? The simple explanation is 'stimulation'. Now, sitting on the couch flipping through channels on the tube may qualify as light (as in flashes of colors, not mild) stimulation, but it lends little to activating the brain to do anything except stay awake~ Stimulation is effective in increasing the need for repair only when your brain or body (or both) has been at alert and then, to some extent, exhausted.
Stimulation can be physical. A long run, high impact programs, a long swim, weights; basically a measurable exertion of calories and sweat. Physical exercise, though it does its part to strengthen the body and cleanse the systems, is not synonymous with health. Americans tend to be focused on weight as health due to how obvious obesity is as a risk factor for serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and congestive heart failure (circulatory). A sedentary lifestyle expands one's physique and leaves the brain idle which keeps circulation slow, which leaves the heart to weaken, which decreases effectiveness of circulation, which lowers metabolism, which effects hormone balance, and from there, because we know all of our systems rely on each other, a snowball effect of dis-ease ensues. Not only obese people have sedentary lifestyles~
Stimulation can also be more holistic. Use the mind, body, soul, and heart. Laugh. Love. Sweat. Enjoy. Eat. Sounds overwhelming, right? Not only do you have to sweat, but you have to learn, invest, participate, persist, cook, and absorb the world around symbiotically. When we decide to try something new, to challenge our bodies, to retrain our brains, to create a new meal, to enjoy an new joke, to leave ourselves open for an experience, we are truly stimulated. When we have to think, feel, breathe, stay alert, and problem solve the body delivers on energy and then seeks a time for repair. A wonderful wake~sleep cycle that can be truly enjoyable.
In the way of enjoyment is often stress. Also, depression, aging hormonal changes, and various conditions of health can impede desire for stimulation and/or enjoyment. My advice is to pick one thing to do differently. You are in control of everything you put into your body and everything your body does! You can choose to do everything like you did yesterday or to do everything different~ Start with one thing. Enjoy a great meal; invite a friend! Go out and grab yourself some chocolate chewy vitamins and laugh as you eat them. Splash some lemon in your water and indulge in a great photo book of a place you'd like to visit. Soak in a bubble bath... make time for you... exercise... stimulate... and sleep well!
Anna~
Has driving ever made you tired? What about reading? What about a craft that took thought, time, concentration, and contemplation? How about an afternoon of board games or budget balancing? The simple explanation is 'stimulation'. Now, sitting on the couch flipping through channels on the tube may qualify as light (as in flashes of colors, not mild) stimulation, but it lends little to activating the brain to do anything except stay awake~ Stimulation is effective in increasing the need for repair only when your brain or body (or both) has been at alert and then, to some extent, exhausted.
Stimulation can be physical. A long run, high impact programs, a long swim, weights; basically a measurable exertion of calories and sweat. Physical exercise, though it does its part to strengthen the body and cleanse the systems, is not synonymous with health. Americans tend to be focused on weight as health due to how obvious obesity is as a risk factor for serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and congestive heart failure (circulatory). A sedentary lifestyle expands one's physique and leaves the brain idle which keeps circulation slow, which leaves the heart to weaken, which decreases effectiveness of circulation, which lowers metabolism, which effects hormone balance, and from there, because we know all of our systems rely on each other, a snowball effect of dis-ease ensues. Not only obese people have sedentary lifestyles~
Stimulation can also be more holistic. Use the mind, body, soul, and heart. Laugh. Love. Sweat. Enjoy. Eat. Sounds overwhelming, right? Not only do you have to sweat, but you have to learn, invest, participate, persist, cook, and absorb the world around symbiotically. When we decide to try something new, to challenge our bodies, to retrain our brains, to create a new meal, to enjoy an new joke, to leave ourselves open for an experience, we are truly stimulated. When we have to think, feel, breathe, stay alert, and problem solve the body delivers on energy and then seeks a time for repair. A wonderful wake~sleep cycle that can be truly enjoyable.
In the way of enjoyment is often stress. Also, depression, aging hormonal changes, and various conditions of health can impede desire for stimulation and/or enjoyment. My advice is to pick one thing to do differently. You are in control of everything you put into your body and everything your body does! You can choose to do everything like you did yesterday or to do everything different~ Start with one thing. Enjoy a great meal; invite a friend! Go out and grab yourself some chocolate chewy vitamins and laugh as you eat them. Splash some lemon in your water and indulge in a great photo book of a place you'd like to visit. Soak in a bubble bath... make time for you... exercise... stimulate... and sleep well!
Anna~
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The Sleep's about the Tryptophan!
Tryptophan; found in poultry, fish and soy beans. An important, critical amino acid found in the foods we eat and because it is only found in the foods we eat. The human body makes or assembles many amino acids by producing chains of atoms, but of the 20 amino acids the human body requires, it can only make half of them. The rest, you guessed it, comes from the food we eat. Tryptophan is one amino acid that the body cannot make on its own. Tryptophan is worth a significant look because it directly corresponds with a balanced appetite, happiness and sleep~
We have all heard Thanksgiving dinner makes us tired because of the tryptophan in the turkey. Well, to tell you the truth, we get tired because we eat all day and when we stop eating, and moving, all of our blood is circulating so vigorously in order to digest, absorb, and deliver the ingested goodness that we succumb to sleep. Tryptophan itself doesn't make us tired. What does cause sleepiness? Melatonin. What is Melatonin made of? Serotonin. Where do we get Serotonin? Tryptophan~
Lets say we just ate a chicken breast over an edemame salad. These food choices are loaded up with tryptophan. Tryptophan, unlike B and C vitamins, are not affected by heat so it remains intact after cooking its host. We absorb tryptophan in the intestines and it is there transformed into serotonin. Serotonin is also produced in the base of the brain in the same way; tryptophan is converted into 5-hydroxy L-Tryptophan, or 5-HTP, and then 5-HTP is, in turn, converted into Serotonin. As the sun nears the earth our hormones switch which causes serotonin to convert to melatonin. This conversion causes us to feel tired which lends to sleep, beautiful sleep.
Seems easy, right? Eat tryptophan, make serotonin which is converted to melatonin, enjoy sleep and awake rested! Not so fast, turkey. In order for tryptophan to be effective in the body, better said, in order for our bodies to effectively utilize tryptophan, we need ample supplies of riboflavin (B2), vitamin B6 (pyridoxal phosphate or PLP), and iron. Again, a symbiosis of nutrients. The body also needs vitamin C in order for all of the chemical changes to take place without mutation. Remember, vitamin C is heat sensitive, so plug in a vitamin, eat an orange, or have some salsa. Or, have a grilled chicken breast with an edamame salad and mango salsa aside brown rice!
We don't eat the same foods everyday. If today we are fortified with vitamin C and tryptophan, tomorrow we may be high on B6 and low on C with Tryptophan absent. We cannot take a tryptophan supplement, but we can take supplements for all other things tryptophan needs to be accompanied by; they are most always found in a multivitamin. So, eat real foods! Give your vitamins their vitamins! Drink water so all can be absorbed! And remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Tryptophan is found in red meat, fish, shellfish, nuts, seeds, soy, legumes and poultry.
We have all heard Thanksgiving dinner makes us tired because of the tryptophan in the turkey. Well, to tell you the truth, we get tired because we eat all day and when we stop eating, and moving, all of our blood is circulating so vigorously in order to digest, absorb, and deliver the ingested goodness that we succumb to sleep. Tryptophan itself doesn't make us tired. What does cause sleepiness? Melatonin. What is Melatonin made of? Serotonin. Where do we get Serotonin? Tryptophan~
Lets say we just ate a chicken breast over an edemame salad. These food choices are loaded up with tryptophan. Tryptophan, unlike B and C vitamins, are not affected by heat so it remains intact after cooking its host. We absorb tryptophan in the intestines and it is there transformed into serotonin. Serotonin is also produced in the base of the brain in the same way; tryptophan is converted into 5-hydroxy L-Tryptophan, or 5-HTP, and then 5-HTP is, in turn, converted into Serotonin. As the sun nears the earth our hormones switch which causes serotonin to convert to melatonin. This conversion causes us to feel tired which lends to sleep, beautiful sleep.
Seems easy, right? Eat tryptophan, make serotonin which is converted to melatonin, enjoy sleep and awake rested! Not so fast, turkey. In order for tryptophan to be effective in the body, better said, in order for our bodies to effectively utilize tryptophan, we need ample supplies of riboflavin (B2), vitamin B6 (pyridoxal phosphate or PLP), and iron. Again, a symbiosis of nutrients. The body also needs vitamin C in order for all of the chemical changes to take place without mutation. Remember, vitamin C is heat sensitive, so plug in a vitamin, eat an orange, or have some salsa. Or, have a grilled chicken breast with an edamame salad and mango salsa aside brown rice!
We don't eat the same foods everyday. If today we are fortified with vitamin C and tryptophan, tomorrow we may be high on B6 and low on C with Tryptophan absent. We cannot take a tryptophan supplement, but we can take supplements for all other things tryptophan needs to be accompanied by; they are most always found in a multivitamin. So, eat real foods! Give your vitamins their vitamins! Drink water so all can be absorbed! And remember to wash your hands.
Anna~
Tryptophan is found in red meat, fish, shellfish, nuts, seeds, soy, legumes and poultry.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Sleep Matters, Too!!!
I have been suffering a lingering head cold. Nothing serious, just a drippy nose and a dry, scratchy cough. And I keep getting those catches in the back of my throat that causes a coughing and snorting fit in order to evict the tickle. The tickles come at the worst moments; reading with grade schoolers, as we sit down to dinner, and right when we go to bed. Because of the nightly tickle/cough/snort attack, sleep has been chased into the midnight hours. As I sit here now, after water, after breakfast, while enjoying a chocolate smoothie, I am feeling over tired and sluggish. Sleep Matters!
While we are awake, many of our organs and systems can rest. While we watch a movie our muscles recover and repair themselves. While we perform mental tasks our respiratory system rests and recovers. While we enjoy laughter and elation our circulatory system rests and recovers from stress and dis-ease. But, while we are awake, our brain is functioning at 100%, 100% of the time! Breathing, blinking, heart pumping, and sight are all functions of the brain. Interpreting that movie, organizing our office, completing our daily tasks, decoding humor and succumbing to love or anger are all functions of the brain. Just as our muscles and lungs need rest and recovery, so do our brains!
We already know that our ten functioning systems are directed by the brain, and we already know that the brain has 8 lobes, four in each hemisphere. Frontal lobe for cognitive thinking, speech, problem solving and emotion; parietal lobe for touch, temperature, pain, and pressure; temporal lobe for hearing, and memory; occipital lobe for the multifaceted function of vision. The left hemisphere (typically dominant) controls language, speech, motor skills, and right sided body movements; the right hemisphere controlling left sided movements. (If left handed, speech and fine motor skills can be directed by the left hemisphere.) What we may not consider is even in sleep, our autonomous nervous system is still being directed by the brain so the brain never is fully at rest!
If we take sleep out of the equation, our brain does not have time for repair. Repair occurs through chemical changes promoting neuron production as well as neurotransmitter, receptor, and pathway repair. The chemicals needed are found within the foods we eat. Blood viscosity and tissue quality are regulated and maintained by the food and water we consume. Our hormones are directed by not only the time of day, month or year, but by measured blood sugar levels. Our hormones are also assembled, maintained, and supported by the foods and water we consume and our hormones are directly responsible for the sleep we do our do not get! What a complicated circle of food, brain, transmission, interpretation, assembly, assignment, and sleep.
Eat. Choose real food, ones without labels. Chase those foods with vitamins to fill the gaps and boost chemical reactions. Drink water so all nutrition can be absorbed and assigned to the appropriate tissues and chains. And, today, think of sleep. Take a hot shower, watch a feel good movie, and go bed 30 minutes earlier than normal. Give your brain the rest it truly deserves.
Anna~
While we are awake, many of our organs and systems can rest. While we watch a movie our muscles recover and repair themselves. While we perform mental tasks our respiratory system rests and recovers. While we enjoy laughter and elation our circulatory system rests and recovers from stress and dis-ease. But, while we are awake, our brain is functioning at 100%, 100% of the time! Breathing, blinking, heart pumping, and sight are all functions of the brain. Interpreting that movie, organizing our office, completing our daily tasks, decoding humor and succumbing to love or anger are all functions of the brain. Just as our muscles and lungs need rest and recovery, so do our brains!
We already know that our ten functioning systems are directed by the brain, and we already know that the brain has 8 lobes, four in each hemisphere. Frontal lobe for cognitive thinking, speech, problem solving and emotion; parietal lobe for touch, temperature, pain, and pressure; temporal lobe for hearing, and memory; occipital lobe for the multifaceted function of vision. The left hemisphere (typically dominant) controls language, speech, motor skills, and right sided body movements; the right hemisphere controlling left sided movements. (If left handed, speech and fine motor skills can be directed by the left hemisphere.) What we may not consider is even in sleep, our autonomous nervous system is still being directed by the brain so the brain never is fully at rest!
If we take sleep out of the equation, our brain does not have time for repair. Repair occurs through chemical changes promoting neuron production as well as neurotransmitter, receptor, and pathway repair. The chemicals needed are found within the foods we eat. Blood viscosity and tissue quality are regulated and maintained by the food and water we consume. Our hormones are directed by not only the time of day, month or year, but by measured blood sugar levels. Our hormones are also assembled, maintained, and supported by the foods and water we consume and our hormones are directly responsible for the sleep we do our do not get! What a complicated circle of food, brain, transmission, interpretation, assembly, assignment, and sleep.
Eat. Choose real food, ones without labels. Chase those foods with vitamins to fill the gaps and boost chemical reactions. Drink water so all nutrition can be absorbed and assigned to the appropriate tissues and chains. And, today, think of sleep. Take a hot shower, watch a feel good movie, and go bed 30 minutes earlier than normal. Give your brain the rest it truly deserves.
Anna~
Sunday, February 3, 2013
May Your Weekends be Delicious!
Instead of taking weekends off, I've decided to dedicate weekends to recipes. I find that instead of having to prepare two meals, on the weekends I have six meals to assemble. So, in five paragraphs or less I can assemble meals here for all of us to feast our eyes upon. It may give you simple fixes, gap fillers, or inspiration for next weekends feast~ Monday through Friday I will keep picking apart our body systems and defining health though its building blocks: food, water, vitamins, and germs!
Breakfast~ Most important meal of the day. Eating within two hours of waking up causes a chain reaction that turns on the metabolism, exchanges fluids, and regulates hormones. So, after a liter of wonderful water, try this on for size:
Slice an apple, add some old, hard cheese (high in protein, low in lactose) and throw in some granola crunches for fiber and fullness. You can make your own (dozens of recipes) otherwise it's cheap and easy to find in the grocery store~ Great snack too, if you are more of the eggs for breakfast type...
For Lunch~ Balance out the raw and the cooked foods. When we eat raw foods out bodies immediately assign the appropriate enzymes. When we cook it, it takes a minute or 30, for the enzymes to access the foods because of the chemical changes that occur during the cooking process. Lunch is the perfect time to eat raw foods with a hot accompaniment. Yesterday we had roasted chicken breast, skin included because it is... wait for it... good for you. I found some great fresh lettuce, some fantastically ripe tomatoes, and a serious looking bell pepper. No carbs on this one... Just a great pile of raw veg and a breast!!!
Dinner~ Sunday is a great day for pasta in the Burrill House. I make a big sauce, a big bowl of pasta, a dozen links of italian sausage, some broccoli and some bread. I know. Not exactly 'healthy', right? Sausage is not a low-fat lean meat, tomato sauce looses many of its nutrients because of the cooking process, and white pasta has very little nutritional value. Then we cook the broccoli (steam) and we toss white bread in the mix. You are correct.... the foods we choose to put in our bodies matter. This love I have for pasta and sausage, though? I can't really find anything wrong with the joy, the smell, the flavor, the taste, the fulfillment of this weekly indulgence. Can you?
And don't forget to snack. Eating often is important for keeping your blood sugar level steady and your metabolism burning. On weekends its too easy to gorge on one meal and skip the next; to drink too much coffee and skip breakfast; to anticipate a big dinner so lunch is eliminated. If you eat a little all day long you won't over eat because you will get and feel full~ Drink water with everything, fortify with vitamins (because we cook our food) and wash your hands before you eat. May your weekend be delicious!
Anna~
Breakfast~ Most important meal of the day. Eating within two hours of waking up causes a chain reaction that turns on the metabolism, exchanges fluids, and regulates hormones. So, after a liter of wonderful water, try this on for size:
For Lunch~ Balance out the raw and the cooked foods. When we eat raw foods out bodies immediately assign the appropriate enzymes. When we cook it, it takes a minute or 30, for the enzymes to access the foods because of the chemical changes that occur during the cooking process. Lunch is the perfect time to eat raw foods with a hot accompaniment. Yesterday we had roasted chicken breast, skin included because it is... wait for it... good for you. I found some great fresh lettuce, some fantastically ripe tomatoes, and a serious looking bell pepper. No carbs on this one... Just a great pile of raw veg and a breast!!!
And don't forget to snack. Eating often is important for keeping your blood sugar level steady and your metabolism burning. On weekends its too easy to gorge on one meal and skip the next; to drink too much coffee and skip breakfast; to anticipate a big dinner so lunch is eliminated. If you eat a little all day long you won't over eat because you will get and feel full~ Drink water with everything, fortify with vitamins (because we cook our food) and wash your hands before you eat. May your weekend be delicious!
Anna~
Friday, February 1, 2013
A Low-0-Cal-Fatless Diet?
Yesterday I drank two glasses of water; less than a liter. I also consumed four cups of coffee. I did take my vitamins and I did eat great, real food, but my water intake was so low that all of the great food I ate is still hanging around. It's in there, low in my intestines, waiting for the flood gates to open so the goodness of water can wash it in~ other wise it will go unabsorbed and discarded like the cardboard box my Amazon order arrived in.
So silly how large of an impact low fluid intake has. I was crabby, over tired, runny nose, easily stressed and I tossed and turned as I slept. Not because of one day with low water intake, you say? Because water is largely responsible for digestion, absorption, blood circulation, toxin removal, and just about every chemical process within our bodies due to cell respiration, I am certain lack of water was the culprit for it all~
Changing your health can be just that easy; increase your water intake. Health, in America, has become so synonymous with weight that most think, without really thinking, health can be changed by lowering food intake. Well, because we are made up of ten systems working and depending on one another, the amount of food we consume is only part of the equation. What is true, however, is that everything we make within our bodies, from blood cells to saliva, from collagen to enzymes, from nuero-transmitters to muscle tissue, starts with the quality of food we choose to put in our bodies; the amount, if the food is real and whole, is negligible. (I don't recall many stories about ill health that started with, "I got this way not only because I ate too many whole fruits and vegetables and too much fish and lean meats, but I also ate nuts, seeds, beans, herbs and fresh at that!~)
In America we have daily recommended amounts of just about everything, herbs excluded. Daily fat intake, daily calcium amounts, daily vitamin guidelines, and recommendations for servings sizes connected to six different food groups. On the other side of the argument we have those who stand by fasting as the solution to health, we are given options that are low-fat, no-fat, 0-calorie, and we are told of several epidemic health conditions like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. What if we decided, as a nation, to only eat foods without nutritional labels? What if we drank green tea instead of Diet Coke? What if we replaced the belief that a low-0-cal-fatless diet was healthy and instead adopted a 'we are what we eat' mentality?
Today, instead of just eating real food and drinking water with a side of vitamins, I encourage you to write down what you eat (and every ingredient listed on the labels) along with the accompanying ounces of water (or soda or wine or juice). A girl friend of mine is in Weight Watchers (which I only mildly support) but yesterday she said something that stayed with me: "I am not learning anything I didn't already know; I know what foods are good choice foods. But, being accountable is what makes me make better choices." Who better to be accountable to than yourself?
Don't forget to wash your hands~
Anna~
So silly how large of an impact low fluid intake has. I was crabby, over tired, runny nose, easily stressed and I tossed and turned as I slept. Not because of one day with low water intake, you say? Because water is largely responsible for digestion, absorption, blood circulation, toxin removal, and just about every chemical process within our bodies due to cell respiration, I am certain lack of water was the culprit for it all~
Changing your health can be just that easy; increase your water intake. Health, in America, has become so synonymous with weight that most think, without really thinking, health can be changed by lowering food intake. Well, because we are made up of ten systems working and depending on one another, the amount of food we consume is only part of the equation. What is true, however, is that everything we make within our bodies, from blood cells to saliva, from collagen to enzymes, from nuero-transmitters to muscle tissue, starts with the quality of food we choose to put in our bodies; the amount, if the food is real and whole, is negligible. (I don't recall many stories about ill health that started with, "I got this way not only because I ate too many whole fruits and vegetables and too much fish and lean meats, but I also ate nuts, seeds, beans, herbs and fresh at that!~)
In America we have daily recommended amounts of just about everything, herbs excluded. Daily fat intake, daily calcium amounts, daily vitamin guidelines, and recommendations for servings sizes connected to six different food groups. On the other side of the argument we have those who stand by fasting as the solution to health, we are given options that are low-fat, no-fat, 0-calorie, and we are told of several epidemic health conditions like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. What if we decided, as a nation, to only eat foods without nutritional labels? What if we drank green tea instead of Diet Coke? What if we replaced the belief that a low-0-cal-fatless diet was healthy and instead adopted a 'we are what we eat' mentality?
Today, instead of just eating real food and drinking water with a side of vitamins, I encourage you to write down what you eat (and every ingredient listed on the labels) along with the accompanying ounces of water (or soda or wine or juice). A girl friend of mine is in Weight Watchers (which I only mildly support) but yesterday she said something that stayed with me: "I am not learning anything I didn't already know; I know what foods are good choice foods. But, being accountable is what makes me make better choices." Who better to be accountable to than yourself?
Don't forget to wash your hands~
Anna~
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