Real Food Means Real Fiber

Did you know that the average American does not get near the daily fiber needed for best health? Many of the foods available on store shelves are lacking fiber--the very thing that allows us to feel full and satisfied. Instead, we consume these silly packaged goods and find that we cannot stop eating them and it stands for reason: we aren't getting the fiber!

According to the website, livestrong.com, fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate. The fiber is like a broom pushing out the unneeded "stuff" in our systems. It keeps our bodies clean on the inside. And we need, adults and children alike, about 20 grams of fiber per day.

Whole grain bread, berries, nuts, vegetables, and a variety of beans provide great sources of fiber for our bodies. Notice that none of these come in a manufactured package? (Raw nuts are best--unsalted or sweetened.) These are foods worth getting in the habit of eating.

So for starters, if you know you are consuming lots of white stuff: crackers, bread, pasta, etc. Decide now to switch to the fiber-packed whole wheat foods. You just might find your insides feeling pretty good. Really.

A Garden of Nutrition

Have you ever planted a garden? If so, you have experienced the true excitement of witnessing the miraculous growth of a once tiny seedling. Our family planted peas, peppers, onions, pumpkins, watermelon, carrots, cucumbers, and garlic. And it has been quite the adventure observing the "fruit" of our labors in watering and caring for this young garden.

No matter where you live, it is a perfect time to begin learning how to grow your own food. Never has self-reliance been more of a focus than it is now with the ability to care for yourselves and loved ones in the times we now live. One of the best ways we can do this is by following the prophet's counsel: to plant a garden. Also, the revelation given to Joseph Smith to live the Word of Wisdom.

Each intricate growth of the seeds we have planted is truly a manifestation of the precision and detail and unseen benefits of the fruits and vegetables God has created for the functioning of our bodies. It may sound over the top, but can man create something as nutritionally valuable as our Heavenly Father can? I would hope you know the answer.

Our family does many things to care for our garden: we sing to the garden, water the garden, pull weeds from the garden, protect the garden (from Gentry, our 2 1/2 year old), and we pray for our garden. The boys have even cried for our garden when they thought a pumpkin plant wouldn't make it. But with prayer, it pulled through!!

Find the time where you live that is right to plant a garden, and just jump into it. I put it off so long because I now live in the desert. But obviously it can be done. And it will bring much more than just food to the table. It will bring smiles, hard work, focus, sacrifice, and nutrition.

Birthday Cake Redefined

This was my birthday cake this year! I didn't even think to purchase or make a traditional cake because I have decided to abandon these unhealthy traditions. Now and again is okay, I'll admit. But what an idea to make holidays enjoyable without a holiday from nutritional foods!

To recreate this lovely birthday plate, simply slice the watermelon in round cuts from large to progressively smaller sizes. Then stack, and add watermelon, blueberries, or anything colorful to compliment the watermelon. It's also a great alternative since it is the hotter season of the year! Get creative and best wishes for optimum health!

Healthy Popsicles

With Summer approaching, it's important to have something nice and cold to enjoy during the warmer months. But if you take a look at the ingredients in most frozen popsicles (and other "treats" for that matter) you may need to take a closer look at the ingredients.

High fructose corn syrup is something you should avoid like poison. In rare and occasional doses, so to speak, your body may be okay. But most foods contain this ingredient, and it is VERY unhealthy. Read what I found when I googled the details on this ingredient:

"Since HFCS's widespread introduction in the 1980's North American obesity rates have skyrocketed. Obesity has been linked to may heath issues including heart disease and many forms of cancer. When HFCS is ingested, it travels straight to the liver which turns the sugary liquid into fat, and unlike other carbohydrates HFCS does not cause the pancreas to produce insulin; which acts as a hunger quenching signal to the brain. So we get stuck in a vicious cycle, eating food that gets immediately stored as fat and never feeling full."

So are you never to eat a popsicle again? No! Just buy your own popsicle containers which allow you to decide what kind of popsicle you'd like to enjoy! We love 100% apple juice or berry juice! But just be sure the juice you buy really has nothing else added to it. You have to be 'label smart.' And once your kids join in the fun, buying a bag of "cancer pops, " as I like to call them will not only be less fun to your children, you just might hear them informing their friends about the healthier alternative!

That Healthy Glow

Have you ever noticed how some people glow with radiance--particularly babies? Much can be said about the reasons behind why some people's skin glows and some do not. Once again, a lot of it has do to with a person's diet.

Babies do have softer skin because they are young, but they also have not been subjected to years of bad habit eating or lack of exercise. Our faces undoubtedly reflect the way that we care for ourselves. And what we eat and put into our bodies DOES make a difference.

For me, I notice that my face is more blemished when I am not taking my vitamins regularly, or consuming enough fruits and vegetables. God created the foods that will keep us healthy and looking beautiful, which we all are. We need to remember the more wholesome foods available to us and consume them more.

Besides eating good foods, we need to keep active, our minds and our bodies. We need proper sleep and rest, as well as meditation to quiet our minds and reflect on things of importance, especially those things we can improve on and motivate spiritually.

"After a certain number of years, our faces become our biographies." ~Cynthia Ozick, born 1931

Just Say "No" To Junk

It may be easier said than done, but it may be easier to do than you think! The concept that I just don't understand is why many say how hard it is to eat healthy, but then bring into their home many unhealthy foods. We plan to buy what we eat, don't we?

At first, it may be tough to resist putting the foods we know aren't healthy into our shopping carts, but making that simple decision will eliminate the choices later in whether we eat a healthy dinner/snack or not! The key really is down to what you put into your cart.

Below are just a few friendly tips for healthier alternatives you might want to replace as you shop at the grocery store. They are as follows:

Instead of: Buy:
1. Chips/Hydro Crackers ----- Popcorn Kernals ("Pop" at home!)
2. Soda or Sugar-Filled Juices -----------2. 100% Juices or Lemons/Limes to add to your water
3. Mayonaise -------------------------3. Avocado (This works great for sandwiches!)
4. Cookies or Candy ------------4. Organic Cookies or Soy Ice Cream (Yummy and guilt-free!)
5. White Products -------------------5. Whole Wheat spaghetti, rice, bread, crackers, etc.
6. Milk/Cheese -------------------------6. Soy or Rice Milks/ Block of Parmesan (Far Less fat)
7. Sugary Cereals -------------------7. Oatmeal, Organic Cereals


BASICALLY--IF IT'S MANUFACTURED, IT IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU!! AVOID 'EM!

Challenge yourself, and discover how good it feels to put natural more wholesome foods primarily into your diet. Then when you have that fast food meal or occasional cookie, you know it's okay--because the unhealthy food is a rarity. Best of luck!

Cut the Fat--Cut the Guilt!

You know, I have been trying to think of ways to improve my diet. I don't eat a lot of fast food, but I consume more of it than I'd like to. Chances are good that you experience, like many of us, the guilt that accompanies a "fast food meal."

Not only is the food high in fats and/or sugars, the portion sizes are ridiculously huge! A person typically eats more than twice the amount of food in calories than they actually need in a meal. And this doesn't include dessert! Here are a few tips that I've been trying to implement to feel healthier and increase my energy... (And they have been helping me tremendously!)

• Avoid eating out as much as possible. Eat before going out, and bring a bag of nuts, healthy granola bar, or even an apple to tie you over when you get hungry on the run!
• Watch the cheese! Our culture puts cheese on everything. Pretty soon we'll see it as an ice cream flavor. Ugh, I hope not! Cheese is high in fat, and a portion size is only the size of your pinky. Sorry to say. . .
• Eat an extra healthy breakfast. I have really been enjoying raw oats with blueberries or strawberries. And if you like soy milk, this is a great alternative to milk, which some do not tolerate. When I eat a great breakfast like this, I want to make more healthy choices throughout the day.
• Get rid of that sweet tooth! I love chocolate, but the more days I go without it, the less I crave it. This goes for whatever your addiction may be: ice cream, cookies, cake, soda. I just dare you to conquer your craving. It can be so exciting to know you are in control--and not that silly, lifeless portion of food!

Hopefully, you will find that these simple changes, and sometimes not-so-simple changes can make you feel worlds better from day to day. I have found for myself that I feel cleaner inside, and my stomach is definitely flatter. Regular exercise is a great addition to cutting back on those hidden fats. So get focused, and remember that you are in charge of your own body. Make changes now--and rid yourself of the awful guilt that bad food choices can bring.

Trying to lose weight? Lift weights!

This seems too simple an answer when there are so many supposed "answers" out there to really lose weight. But besides eating healthy, lifting weights helps the body rid itself of fat nearly three times as fast!

Because muscle weighs more than fat, our bodies will utilizes the calories we consume ALL DAY simply because we are paying more attention and exercising our muscles. Free weights are my personal preference because they are easy to use, and because you can switch the poundage depending on which muscle group you are working. This is also a nice method because you don't need membership to a gym.

Any questions to get started? Ask away. Just remember to start off lightly before you begin. And make it a habit to lift weights--you will soon feel your metabolism jumpstart, and your unwanted weight fall off!

A Vegetable at a Time

It can seem daunting to be efficient in consuming all the vegetables and important nutrients that our bodies need daily. But you know what? It is simple when you make it simple in your mind: include a vegetable with as many of your meals or snacks as you can! Rather than putting the focus on the big picture of being healthy, and the difficulties in accomplishing that, decide to add a fresh fruit or vegetable to more of your eating times.

I am not perfect at consuming as many fruits and vegetables as I ought to. But I have noticed that I do much better when I choose to think daily in adding fresh produce to my diet. Another idea to consider: try getting into the habit of washing your produce as soon as you pull it out of the grocery bag. We call it a fruit or veggie bath--and my boys like this notion! We wash, chop, and place the produce in containers. Because it is ready to go, we eat up the fruits and vegetables in no time since it's as easy to eat as a bag of chips--but healthier, of course!

Get Moving!

This little blurb is just to remind you that getting even 20 to 30 minutes of activity as many days of the week as you can will really make a difference in more than just your figure. You will feel happier, less stressed, more alive, and capable of doing more than you would believe.

I don't think I can ever recall a time when I exercised and wasn't glad that I did. Keeping active can change a person's attitude in ways that are astounding. So, quit watching people on tv have fun and go have fun yourself by getting active!

Want To Breathe More?

Did you know that it is only as babies that we, as humans, breathe deeply and correctly? As we age, we tend to breathe more shallow. One of the best ways to send more oxygen to our bloodstream, and breathe deeply all day, is to exercise.

When we challenge our heart to regular exercise, there will come an increase in oxygen, thereby improving the circulation of blood in our bodies. We will find that we feel better all day and can breathe deeper. Our inhale and exhale abilities will deepen in length, and we will also find that singing from the diaphragm is more possible.

Only thirty minutes a day most days of the week? That's correct. It can be walking, biking, aerobics, swimming, anything that elevates the heart continuously. While many find it hard to get started, once beginning the exercise, one may discover it is so much fun they wonder why they make it out to be so awful! So stop reading this--and go exercise your heart! Maybe you'll find yourself breathing deeper because of it!

Eat Right, Eat More

Okay, so it's been a funny notion to me, yet it really is true: when you eat the right foods, you can eat more often! Every person ought to learn moderation in whatever foods are eaten, however, you won't find many people who have gained weight or had health issues from eating too many apples or nuts! (Yes, I said nuts!)

The real issue at hand is that when choosing to keep your body active on a regular basis, you will literally feel your metabolism utilizing the nutrients from the foods that you eat! So if you put 'premium fuel' or healthy foods into your body, then you will function better, and you may find your appetite for good foods increase. If you have just eaten lunch, and want an apple only an hour later, then go for it! Eat a handful or two or three of nuts if you want! Eat right, and you can eat more!

How To Read Food Labels

It is probably no surprise to you that many ingredients in the packaged foods you buy are unhealthy. This is why learning how to read food labels can be vital to the nutrition of you and your family.
Many health problems are now coming to light and are directly linked to these 'unknown' or 'secret' ingredients in many packaged foods. Read ahead and learn what foods to avoid if any of these ingredients are contained in the food item:

1. Fully or Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (Soybean, rapeseed, cottonseed, etc.)- this is a preservative to ensure longer shelf-life, which it does, but the bad outweighs the good by causing fat build-up in the arteries and heart chambers. This build-up can increase a person's risk for heart disease and obesity.
2. Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup Solids, Corn Starch, Modified Corn Starch- these are all basically different forms of sugar which the body does not need! Besides its' addictive qualities, it can also increase a person's risk for diabetes, which nearly guarantees the likelihood of this disease for a person when coupled with family or relatives who have diabetes.
3. Colorings and/or numbers- we don't know what these are or what harm they can do to our body, so why risk?
4. Enriched- this is a clever way of saying, hey, we added lots of nutrients to replace all the natural ones we took out to make it taste better, so it's still good for you! The truth is it is not! We would be wise to keep our rice, bread, and all other grains kept brown as that is their natural color. White rice, bread, and other similar products are depleted of their fiber, causing us to feel hungry sooner.
5. Monosodium Glutamate (aka: MSG) or 'Flavorings'- This ingredient is the sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid, and found mainly in soups, gravies, and crackers. A more ideal and truthful term for this ingredient would be poison! FDA results show an "unknown percentage of the population may react to MSG and develop MSG symptom complex, a condition characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:

burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms and chest
numbness in the back of the neck, radiating to the arms and back
tingling, warmth and weakness in the face, temples, upper back, neck and arms
facial pressure or tightness
chest pain
headache
nausea
rapid heartbeat
bronchospasm (difficulty breathing) in MSG-intolerant people with asthma
drowsiness
weakness."

Nobody can eat everything they should all the time. Afterall, we are only human. But in striving to eliminate these ingredients from our diets, we can not only feel better, but also be confident that we are doing the best we can to avoid later health problems.

We Create Our Cravings

Did you know that the foods you crave are often indicative of the foods you choose to consume? Just think about it. If you eat cheesy chips and a tall glass of milk every day before dinner, you will find yourself craving this unhealthy snack at possibly the same time every day!

So what is the healthy alternative? Are we subject to eat only the foods that we crave? Of course not! Put it to the test. If you eat a banana every morning, you will find that your body will begin to crave a banana every day. Besides the benefits of potassium and added color to your diet, you will be happy to discover that you are really in more control of what you crave than you may think.

Holiday Fun Without Eating a Ton

Although this time of year we traditionally eat foods rich in sugar and fat, we can still choose to reduce our calorie consumption by following a few heart smart tips:

1. Eat your meal on a smaller plate.

This will make the plate look fuller, and we will be less apt to want second servings.

2. Drink water instead of juices or other beverages.

What we choose to drink can add more calories than we may realize.

3. Aim to consume only one small dessert, if you must.

A delicious piece of pie or cookie isn't a crime if kept in moderation.

4. After finishing a meal, get active.

Play tag with the kids--they'll love it. Or simply go out for a walk. Exercise after eating has been proven to allow our bodies to better digest the food we have eaten, not to mention utilize those calories consumed.

5. Don't stress--just enjoy the holiday.

When we focus on the stress of the season, or anything else on our minds,

we tend to eat more. If we just keep active, and limit our portions,

we can better enjoy this time of year!