Today’s Re-Powering Information – with so many people away and busy this summer, I am not going to do a grocery shopping tour this camp. But I still want to you to be savvy shoppers. Summer is an easier time to eat healthy – at least I think so. The freshest fruits and veggies are readily available, there is usually less baking than in the winter, at times you are too hot to even think about food and because of the heat you may drink more water helping you to feel full and reducing the calories from food.
This article also mentions Food Inc – the new documentary about our food supply. http://www.foodincmovie.com I had mentioned it in an earlier e-mail. It’s playing in theaters in The Legacy Shops in Plano. I was thinking of taking a trip to see it next Friday if it’s still playing. Yoshie saw it and said it truly make her re-think what she was eating. Angelika Film Center & Cafe (15.2 mi)
7205 Bishop Road, Plano, TX 75024
(800)326-3264
Directions
Below are some tips on being a savvy shopper!
How much do we really know about the food we buy at our local supermarkets and serve to our families?
In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.
Also from their website:
10 Simple Tips for making positive changes in your eating habits.
Learn more about these issues and how you can take action on Takepart.com
1. Stop drinking sodas and other sweetened beverages.
You can lose 25 lbs in a year by replacing one 20 oz soda a day with a no calorie beverage (preferably water).
2. Eat at home instead of eating out.
Children consume almost twice (1.8 times) as many calories when eating food prepared outside the home.
3. Support the passage of laws requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards.
Half of the leading chain restaurants provide no nutritional information to their customers.
4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks.
Over the last two decades, rates of obesity have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.
5. Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week.
An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals.
6. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides.
According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the U.S.
7. Protect family farms; visit your local farmer's market.
Farmer's markets allow farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.
8. Make a point to know where your food comes from—READ LABELS.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.
9. Tell Congress that food safety is important to you.
Each year, contaminated food causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the U.S.
10. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections.
Poverty among farm workers is more than twice that of all wage and salary employees.
End
Showing posts with label Food Guide Pyramid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Guide Pyramid. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Unhealthy Foods Hijack Your Brain
Today’ Re-Powering information. I know I tend to keep coming back to the topic of sugar, however it’s one that a lot of people struggle with. Sugar fatigues you, keeps you fat and breaks your body down. I have not tried either of the suggestions that Dr. Mercola recommend, but they both stand to reason as options. If sugar is something you battle, you may consider one of these two options. Read the article and Dr. Mercola’s comments.
When Unhealthy Foods Hijack Your Brain
junk foodsIn a book being published next week, former FDA chief Dr. David Kessler brings to consumers the disturbing conclusion of numerous brain studies -- some people really do have a harder time resisting bad foods.
At issue is how the brain becomes primed by different stimuli. Neuroscientists increasingly report that fat-and-sugar combinations in particular light up the brain's dopamine pathway -- its pleasure-sensing spot. This is the same pathway that conditions people to alcohol or drugs.
The culprits foods are "layered and loaded" with combinations of fat, sugar and salt, and they are often so processed that you don't even have to chew much.
Overeaters must take responsibility, too, and basically retrain their brains to resist the lure, says Kessler.
Sources:
Washington Post April 23, 2009
Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Many people can relate to what David Kessler, the former FDA chief, calls “conditioned hypereating” -- a drive to eat sugary, greasy processed foods that has nothing to do with hunger.
It can happen when you walk by a vending machine, drive by one of your favorite restaurants or bakeries, or even when you’re sitting at home watching TV. Suddenly you get a craving for something you know isn’t good for you -- cookies, French fries, ice cream, potato chips, that sort of thing -- and your willpower seems to crumble.
This is an epidemic problem, as in the United States 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is for processed food, and junk food is available just about everywhere, including in hospitals and schools.
It’s clear that something about these foods is able to wield an incredibly strong force over many of us, to the point that obesity has been named the fastest growing health threat in the United States, and two-thirds of adults are already overweight or obese.
So what is going on here? What about these foods compel people to overeat them at the expense of their waistline, and more importantly their health?
Why It’s So Easy to Be Addicted to Junk Food and Fast Food
Taste, convenience and cost certainly play a role in making junk foods appealing, but there’s more to it than that. The large amounts of sugar, salt and grease in junk foods are clearly addictive.
In one study, rats fed a diet containing 25 percent sugar became anxious when the sugar was removed -- displaying symptoms similar to people going through drug withdrawals, such as chattering teeth and the shakes.
A link was found between opioids, or your brain’s 'pleasure chemicals,' and a craving for sweet, salty and fatty foods. It is thought that high-fat foods stimulate the opioids, as when researchers stimulated rats’ brains with a synthetic version of the natural opioid enkephalin, the rats ate up to six times their normal intake of fat.
Further, long-lasting changes in rats' brain chemistry, similar to those caused by morphine or heroin use, were also noted. According to researchers, this means that even simple exposure to pleasurable foods is enough to change gene expression, which suggests an addiction to the food.
Your Genes Remember When You Eat Sugar
When you eat sugar, not only do your genes turn off controls designed to protect you from heart disease and diabetes, but the impact lasts for two weeks!
Even more concerning, if you eat poorly for a long time your DNA may become permanently altered and the effects could be passed on to your children and grandchildren.
In other words, you are born with a set of genes, but the expression of those genes is not set in stone. Your genes can be either activated or silenced by various factors including your diet and even your mind. It is not your genes that dictate your future health, but rather the expression of those genes that matter.
So in the case of eating sugar, it’s now known that this switches off good genes that protect your body from disease. This is just one of many reasons why you may want to seriously limit or eliminate sugar from your diet.
Sugar is Incredibly Addictive
Another reason we know that people’s love for sugar goes far beyond taste is because of its addictive properties.
Refined sugar is far more addictive than cocaine -- it is one of the most addictive and harmful substances currently known. In fact, an astonishing 94 percent of rats who were allowed to choose between sugar, water and cocaine, chose sugar.
Even rats who were addicted to cocaine quickly switched their preference to sugar, once it was offered as a choice.
The researchers speculate that the sweet receptors (two protein receptors located on your tongue), which evolved in ancestral times when diets were very low in sugar, have not adapted to modern times’ high sugar consumption.
Therefore, the abnormally high stimulation of these receptors by our sugar-rich diets generates excessive reward signals in your brain, which have the potential to override normal self-control mechanisms, and thus lead to addiction.
Your Emotions Play a Major Role, Too
As Kessler said, "Once you know what's driving your behavior, you can put steps into place" to change it.
What this means is whenever you feel the desire to binge on junk foods, it’s necessary that you have a system in place to help curb those cravings.
The system that I personally use and most highly recommend is called the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). EFT is a form of psychological acupressure, based on the same energy meridians used in traditional acupuncture to treat physical and emotional ailments for over 5,000 years, but without the invasiveness of needles.
When your body's energy system is disrupted, you are more likely to experience distractions and discomforts related to food, and more likely to engage in emotional eating. Instead, if you engage your body's subtle energy system with EFT, the distracting discomforts like food cravings often subside.
The other major factor that will help you to break an addiction to junk food is tailoring your diet to your nutritional type. Nutritional Typing will teach you which foods you are designed to eat and the ideal proportions of the types of nutrients you require, whether you are a 'Carb', a 'Protein', or a 'Mixed' type.
When you eat the foods that are right for your biochemistry, it will push your body toward its ideal weight and you’ll notice that food cravings largely subside. This is because you’re giving your body the fuel it needs, so you’ll feel satiated throughout the day and be far less tempted by the sugary and greasy foods that once had a hold over you.
End.
Have an uncomfortable day!
When Unhealthy Foods Hijack Your Brain
junk foodsIn a book being published next week, former FDA chief Dr. David Kessler brings to consumers the disturbing conclusion of numerous brain studies -- some people really do have a harder time resisting bad foods.
At issue is how the brain becomes primed by different stimuli. Neuroscientists increasingly report that fat-and-sugar combinations in particular light up the brain's dopamine pathway -- its pleasure-sensing spot. This is the same pathway that conditions people to alcohol or drugs.
The culprits foods are "layered and loaded" with combinations of fat, sugar and salt, and they are often so processed that you don't even have to chew much.
Overeaters must take responsibility, too, and basically retrain their brains to resist the lure, says Kessler.
Sources:
Washington Post April 23, 2009
Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Many people can relate to what David Kessler, the former FDA chief, calls “conditioned hypereating” -- a drive to eat sugary, greasy processed foods that has nothing to do with hunger.
It can happen when you walk by a vending machine, drive by one of your favorite restaurants or bakeries, or even when you’re sitting at home watching TV. Suddenly you get a craving for something you know isn’t good for you -- cookies, French fries, ice cream, potato chips, that sort of thing -- and your willpower seems to crumble.
This is an epidemic problem, as in the United States 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is for processed food, and junk food is available just about everywhere, including in hospitals and schools.
It’s clear that something about these foods is able to wield an incredibly strong force over many of us, to the point that obesity has been named the fastest growing health threat in the United States, and two-thirds of adults are already overweight or obese.
So what is going on here? What about these foods compel people to overeat them at the expense of their waistline, and more importantly their health?
Why It’s So Easy to Be Addicted to Junk Food and Fast Food
Taste, convenience and cost certainly play a role in making junk foods appealing, but there’s more to it than that. The large amounts of sugar, salt and grease in junk foods are clearly addictive.
In one study, rats fed a diet containing 25 percent sugar became anxious when the sugar was removed -- displaying symptoms similar to people going through drug withdrawals, such as chattering teeth and the shakes.
A link was found between opioids, or your brain’s 'pleasure chemicals,' and a craving for sweet, salty and fatty foods. It is thought that high-fat foods stimulate the opioids, as when researchers stimulated rats’ brains with a synthetic version of the natural opioid enkephalin, the rats ate up to six times their normal intake of fat.
Further, long-lasting changes in rats' brain chemistry, similar to those caused by morphine or heroin use, were also noted. According to researchers, this means that even simple exposure to pleasurable foods is enough to change gene expression, which suggests an addiction to the food.
Your Genes Remember When You Eat Sugar
When you eat sugar, not only do your genes turn off controls designed to protect you from heart disease and diabetes, but the impact lasts for two weeks!
Even more concerning, if you eat poorly for a long time your DNA may become permanently altered and the effects could be passed on to your children and grandchildren.
In other words, you are born with a set of genes, but the expression of those genes is not set in stone. Your genes can be either activated or silenced by various factors including your diet and even your mind. It is not your genes that dictate your future health, but rather the expression of those genes that matter.
So in the case of eating sugar, it’s now known that this switches off good genes that protect your body from disease. This is just one of many reasons why you may want to seriously limit or eliminate sugar from your diet.
Sugar is Incredibly Addictive
Another reason we know that people’s love for sugar goes far beyond taste is because of its addictive properties.
Refined sugar is far more addictive than cocaine -- it is one of the most addictive and harmful substances currently known. In fact, an astonishing 94 percent of rats who were allowed to choose between sugar, water and cocaine, chose sugar.
Even rats who were addicted to cocaine quickly switched their preference to sugar, once it was offered as a choice.
The researchers speculate that the sweet receptors (two protein receptors located on your tongue), which evolved in ancestral times when diets were very low in sugar, have not adapted to modern times’ high sugar consumption.
Therefore, the abnormally high stimulation of these receptors by our sugar-rich diets generates excessive reward signals in your brain, which have the potential to override normal self-control mechanisms, and thus lead to addiction.
Your Emotions Play a Major Role, Too
As Kessler said, "Once you know what's driving your behavior, you can put steps into place" to change it.
What this means is whenever you feel the desire to binge on junk foods, it’s necessary that you have a system in place to help curb those cravings.
The system that I personally use and most highly recommend is called the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). EFT is a form of psychological acupressure, based on the same energy meridians used in traditional acupuncture to treat physical and emotional ailments for over 5,000 years, but without the invasiveness of needles.
When your body's energy system is disrupted, you are more likely to experience distractions and discomforts related to food, and more likely to engage in emotional eating. Instead, if you engage your body's subtle energy system with EFT, the distracting discomforts like food cravings often subside.
The other major factor that will help you to break an addiction to junk food is tailoring your diet to your nutritional type. Nutritional Typing will teach you which foods you are designed to eat and the ideal proportions of the types of nutrients you require, whether you are a 'Carb', a 'Protein', or a 'Mixed' type.
When you eat the foods that are right for your biochemistry, it will push your body toward its ideal weight and you’ll notice that food cravings largely subside. This is because you’re giving your body the fuel it needs, so you’ll feel satiated throughout the day and be far less tempted by the sugary and greasy foods that once had a hold over you.
End.
Have an uncomfortable day!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
25 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Your Body and Health
Today’s Re-Powering Information. First read an article with the 25 Things about Your Body and Health and then Read Dr. Mercola’s take on them below it including his list of top ways to optimize health.. The list will look familiar!
25 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Your Body and Health
1. Rinsing your nose with salt water can help keep you healthy and ward off allergy symptoms.
2. Dogs can smell cancer and low blood sugar. A study showed that it is possible to train dogs to identify, based on breath samples, which patients had lung and breast cancer. For diabetics, the dogs can smell ketones in urine and on the breath when blood sugars are high. Dogs can pick up on other smells that humans can’t when glucose levels drop.
3. Researchers found that people who pass through an entryway near the kitchen tend to eat 15 percent more than those who use the front door.
4. You're more likely to have a heart attack on a Monday, or up to three days after you've been diagnosed with the flu or a respiratory tract infection.
5. You can't get a tan from your computer screen. The Computer Tan Web site was created as a hoax to raise awareness about skin cancer.
6. Obese people spend approximately $485 more on clothing, $828 on extra plane seats, and $36 more on gas each year than their thinner counterparts. An overweight driver burns about 18 additional gallons of gas a year.
7. Smokers are four times as likely to report feeling unrested after a night's sleep than nonsmokers. Smokers often experience withdrawal symptoms at night, thus causing periods of restlessness and waking.
8. Eating fruits and vegetables may help your body make its own aspirin. Benzoic acid, a natural substance in fruits and vegetables, causes people to produce their own salicylic acid, the key component that gives aspirin its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
9. A 20-minute nap can improve your overall alertness, boost your mood, and increase productivity. In addition, your heart may reap benefits from napping -- a six-year study found that that men who took naps at least three times a week had a 37 percent lower risk of heart-related death.
10. Your kitchen sink is dirtier than your bathroom. There are typically more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in its drain, and the faucet, basin, and sponge are crawling with germs as well.
11. Four out of five doctors in the UK don't work out enough. Heavy workloads, lack of time and poor motivation contributed to the lack of exercise.
12. Baking soda can whiten teeth, garlic can help treat athlete's foot, and honey can soothe a hangover.
13. Using a food diary can double your weight-loss efforts. Your food diary makes you accountable to yourself and provides you with clues on where the extra calories are sneaking in.
14. Regular exercise can lower a woman's cancer risk -- but only if she's getting enough sleep. The National Cancer Institute followed nearly 6,000 women for almost 10 years. Women in the top half of physical activity levels showed an approximate 20 percent reduction in cancer risk, but sleeping less than seven hours per night resulted in a decreased benefit.
15. Watching yourself run in a mirror can make a treadmill workout go by faster and feel easier.
16. Third-hand smoke -- the particles that cling to smokers' hair and clothing and linger in a room long after they've left -- is a cancer risk to young children and pets.
17. Walking against the wind, in the water, or while wearing a backpack burns about 50 more calories per hour than walking with no resistance. People who wear pedometers also tend to burn more calories and lose more weight.
18. Trained sexologists can infer a woman's orgasm history by observing the way she walks. In other news, men find women who wear red sexier than those who wear "cool" colors such as blue and green.
19. Foreign accent syndrome and exploding head syndrome are real (but very rare) medical conditions. A person with exploding head syndrome experiences a loud, indecipherable noise that seems to originate from inside their head.
20. Vitamins don't seem to help older women guard against cancer or heart disease.
21. Some men experience pain, headaches, or sneezing as a result of ejaculation. The increased activity in the nervous system during orgasm may be the culprit.
22. Germ-killing wipes can spread bacteria from one spot to another if you reuse them.
23. Oatmeal, citrus fruits, and honey can boost your sex drive and improve fertility. Oats produce a chemical that releases testosterone into the blood supply, vitamin C improves sperm count and motility, and vitamin B from honey helps your body use estrogen, a key factor in blood flow and arousal.
24. Twenty-nine percent of Americans say they have skipped filling a prescription due to the cost, and 23 percent use pill splitting as a way to save money.
25. Facebook may be good for your health; studies show that staying in touch with family and friends can ward off memory loss and help you live longer.
Sources:
MSN Health & Fitness April 21, 2009
Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The 25 items covered in the article above are not necessarily critical knowledge to help you live a healthier and longer life, but it’s clear there is much confusion over what’s truly necessary for optimal health. And as the examples listed below will show you, the shortcuts to health and beauty are many, but the potential hazards are just as numerous.
When it comes to the intricate workings of your body and your health it’s clear most people (including health professionals and scientists) know less than we’d like to believe. Just take a look at some of the most common health myths I covered in a previous article and you’ll get a sense of what I mean.
Not only that, but people do all sorts of things to their bodies, thinking it will make them happier, healthier, or more beautiful, or at the very least that it will not harm them.
Here are a few examples you may not know could be harmful to your body and health:
Laser Hair Removal: The treatment disables hair follicles and can lead to scarring if not properly done. In addition, it doesn’t remove all the hair, and it might only last for a couple of years.
Body Piercing: Piercing delicate places like nipples, genitals or your tongue can interfere with breastfeeding; increase the risk of spreading STDs; increase your risk of allergies; and chip your teeth, respectively. Less obvious problems may result from disruption of your body’s subtle energy fields. Inserting pieces of metal into your body can disrupt vital energy flow. If you are healthy you probably won’t notice any difference, but piercings can be a problem if you have a more serious health challenge.
Bariatric Surgery: Over 40 percent of these surgeries result in major complications within six months, such as diarrhea or hernia.
Skin Whitening: Some topical whiteners contain mercury, which causes nerve and kidney damage. Others contain hydroquinone, a carcinogen banned in Europe that blotches your skin.
Botox: Botox, which paralyzes your facial muscles to rid you of wrinkles, can cause respiratory failure and death.
Liposuction: Liposuction removes only about 10 pounds of fat after four hours of dangerous surgery. Recovery is long and painful, and the fatality rate is the highest of any elective surgery.
Do You Know What Your Body Needs for Optimal Health?
It’s important to realize that optimal health and beauty are side effects of an overall healthy lifestyle. There are no shortcuts; no magic pills.
However, there are certain basic tenets of optimal health -- which includes maintaining a healthy weight and radiating true inner beauty – that are permanent truths. These strategies won’t change, regardless of what modern science and conventional medicine comes up with next:
1. Eat a healthy diet that’s right for your nutritional type (paying very careful attention to keeping your insulin levels down)
2. Drink plenty of clean water
3. Manage your stress
4. Exercise
5. Sunlight
6. Limit toxin exposure
7. Consume healthy fat
8. Eat plenty of raw food
9. Optimize insulin and leptin levels
10. Get plenty of sleep
If you memorize these ten items and incorporate them into your lifestyle, you’ll be way ahead of the rest of the pack toward optimal health and longevity.
25 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Your Body and Health
1. Rinsing your nose with salt water can help keep you healthy and ward off allergy symptoms.
2. Dogs can smell cancer and low blood sugar. A study showed that it is possible to train dogs to identify, based on breath samples, which patients had lung and breast cancer. For diabetics, the dogs can smell ketones in urine and on the breath when blood sugars are high. Dogs can pick up on other smells that humans can’t when glucose levels drop.
3. Researchers found that people who pass through an entryway near the kitchen tend to eat 15 percent more than those who use the front door.
4. You're more likely to have a heart attack on a Monday, or up to three days after you've been diagnosed with the flu or a respiratory tract infection.
5. You can't get a tan from your computer screen. The Computer Tan Web site was created as a hoax to raise awareness about skin cancer.
6. Obese people spend approximately $485 more on clothing, $828 on extra plane seats, and $36 more on gas each year than their thinner counterparts. An overweight driver burns about 18 additional gallons of gas a year.
7. Smokers are four times as likely to report feeling unrested after a night's sleep than nonsmokers. Smokers often experience withdrawal symptoms at night, thus causing periods of restlessness and waking.
8. Eating fruits and vegetables may help your body make its own aspirin. Benzoic acid, a natural substance in fruits and vegetables, causes people to produce their own salicylic acid, the key component that gives aspirin its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
9. A 20-minute nap can improve your overall alertness, boost your mood, and increase productivity. In addition, your heart may reap benefits from napping -- a six-year study found that that men who took naps at least three times a week had a 37 percent lower risk of heart-related death.
10. Your kitchen sink is dirtier than your bathroom. There are typically more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in its drain, and the faucet, basin, and sponge are crawling with germs as well.
11. Four out of five doctors in the UK don't work out enough. Heavy workloads, lack of time and poor motivation contributed to the lack of exercise.
12. Baking soda can whiten teeth, garlic can help treat athlete's foot, and honey can soothe a hangover.
13. Using a food diary can double your weight-loss efforts. Your food diary makes you accountable to yourself and provides you with clues on where the extra calories are sneaking in.
14. Regular exercise can lower a woman's cancer risk -- but only if she's getting enough sleep. The National Cancer Institute followed nearly 6,000 women for almost 10 years. Women in the top half of physical activity levels showed an approximate 20 percent reduction in cancer risk, but sleeping less than seven hours per night resulted in a decreased benefit.
15. Watching yourself run in a mirror can make a treadmill workout go by faster and feel easier.
16. Third-hand smoke -- the particles that cling to smokers' hair and clothing and linger in a room long after they've left -- is a cancer risk to young children and pets.
17. Walking against the wind, in the water, or while wearing a backpack burns about 50 more calories per hour than walking with no resistance. People who wear pedometers also tend to burn more calories and lose more weight.
18. Trained sexologists can infer a woman's orgasm history by observing the way she walks. In other news, men find women who wear red sexier than those who wear "cool" colors such as blue and green.
19. Foreign accent syndrome and exploding head syndrome are real (but very rare) medical conditions. A person with exploding head syndrome experiences a loud, indecipherable noise that seems to originate from inside their head.
20. Vitamins don't seem to help older women guard against cancer or heart disease.
21. Some men experience pain, headaches, or sneezing as a result of ejaculation. The increased activity in the nervous system during orgasm may be the culprit.
22. Germ-killing wipes can spread bacteria from one spot to another if you reuse them.
23. Oatmeal, citrus fruits, and honey can boost your sex drive and improve fertility. Oats produce a chemical that releases testosterone into the blood supply, vitamin C improves sperm count and motility, and vitamin B from honey helps your body use estrogen, a key factor in blood flow and arousal.
24. Twenty-nine percent of Americans say they have skipped filling a prescription due to the cost, and 23 percent use pill splitting as a way to save money.
25. Facebook may be good for your health; studies show that staying in touch with family and friends can ward off memory loss and help you live longer.
Sources:
MSN Health & Fitness April 21, 2009
Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The 25 items covered in the article above are not necessarily critical knowledge to help you live a healthier and longer life, but it’s clear there is much confusion over what’s truly necessary for optimal health. And as the examples listed below will show you, the shortcuts to health and beauty are many, but the potential hazards are just as numerous.
When it comes to the intricate workings of your body and your health it’s clear most people (including health professionals and scientists) know less than we’d like to believe. Just take a look at some of the most common health myths I covered in a previous article and you’ll get a sense of what I mean.
Not only that, but people do all sorts of things to their bodies, thinking it will make them happier, healthier, or more beautiful, or at the very least that it will not harm them.
Here are a few examples you may not know could be harmful to your body and health:
Laser Hair Removal: The treatment disables hair follicles and can lead to scarring if not properly done. In addition, it doesn’t remove all the hair, and it might only last for a couple of years.
Body Piercing: Piercing delicate places like nipples, genitals or your tongue can interfere with breastfeeding; increase the risk of spreading STDs; increase your risk of allergies; and chip your teeth, respectively. Less obvious problems may result from disruption of your body’s subtle energy fields. Inserting pieces of metal into your body can disrupt vital energy flow. If you are healthy you probably won’t notice any difference, but piercings can be a problem if you have a more serious health challenge.
Bariatric Surgery: Over 40 percent of these surgeries result in major complications within six months, such as diarrhea or hernia.
Skin Whitening: Some topical whiteners contain mercury, which causes nerve and kidney damage. Others contain hydroquinone, a carcinogen banned in Europe that blotches your skin.
Botox: Botox, which paralyzes your facial muscles to rid you of wrinkles, can cause respiratory failure and death.
Liposuction: Liposuction removes only about 10 pounds of fat after four hours of dangerous surgery. Recovery is long and painful, and the fatality rate is the highest of any elective surgery.
Do You Know What Your Body Needs for Optimal Health?
It’s important to realize that optimal health and beauty are side effects of an overall healthy lifestyle. There are no shortcuts; no magic pills.
However, there are certain basic tenets of optimal health -- which includes maintaining a healthy weight and radiating true inner beauty – that are permanent truths. These strategies won’t change, regardless of what modern science and conventional medicine comes up with next:
1. Eat a healthy diet that’s right for your nutritional type (paying very careful attention to keeping your insulin levels down)
2. Drink plenty of clean water
3. Manage your stress
4. Exercise
5. Sunlight
6. Limit toxin exposure
7. Consume healthy fat
8. Eat plenty of raw food
9. Optimize insulin and leptin levels
10. Get plenty of sleep
If you memorize these ten items and incorporate them into your lifestyle, you’ll be way ahead of the rest of the pack toward optimal health and longevity.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
TURKEY MEATLOAF Recipe
meatloaf
Ingredients:
· 1 1/2 packages (30 ounces) lean ground turkey, uncooked
· 1/2 cup dry oats
· 3 egg whites
· 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
· 1/3 cup cashews, chopped
· 2 teaspoons basil
· 1/4 teaspoons pepper
· · Cooking spray
Instructions:
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, except spray. Then with hands coated with cooking spray, roll the mixture into a log and place it into an 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pan.
Bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 60 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Value
(for each 4 serving)
Calories: 171
Fat: 3.5 g
Protein: 30 g
Carbs: 5 g
Makes 10 servings.
Ingredients:
· 1 1/2 packages (30 ounces) lean ground turkey, uncooked
· 1/2 cup dry oats
· 3 egg whites
· 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
· 1/3 cup cashews, chopped
· 2 teaspoons basil
· 1/4 teaspoons pepper
· · Cooking spray
Instructions:
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, except spray. Then with hands coated with cooking spray, roll the mixture into a log and place it into an 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pan.
Bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 60 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Value
(for each 4 serving)
Calories: 171
Fat: 3.5 g
Protein: 30 g
Carbs: 5 g
Makes 10 servings.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Which cheeses are the lowest in fat and calories?
Wow I have so many things to talk about based on research, my observations and conversations with some of you in camp, what’s in the news, etc. Lots to cover this week!
Today I said I would answer Reyna’s question about, “Which cheeses are the lowest in fat and calories?”. When it comes to cheese, I say go with the real deal. Don’t’ get the plastic like cheeses. Get the freshest cheese you can, but limit your servings. A serving size of cheese is the size a cube (like a dice or the tip of your thumb.) Remember that we don’t’ need that much dairy, but everyone enjoys a little cheese for flavor and satiety. Cheese does help you to feel full b/c of the fat it contains. We all need fat in our diet and cheese can be a good source as are nuts and fish. Cottage cheese is among the lowest in calories of the soft cheeses and Feta is the lowest in calories of the hard cheeses. I do not see my favorite (mozzarella) on the list. I found it on another chart that said 275 calories and 22 g of fat – based on ½ cup serving.
How many calories in Cheese table:
Hard Cheese
Calories
Fat
Brie
320
25.5g
Camembert
300
23g
Cheddar
415
33.5g
Cheddar low fat
275
14g
Cheshire
379
29g
Danish Blue
350
28.5g
Double Gloucester
400
32g
Edam
335
24.5g
Feta
255
20g
Lancashire
380
29g
Leicester
402
32g
Parmesan
450
31g
Stilton
410
29g
Wensleydale
378
28.5g
Soft Cheese
Calories
Cheese Spread (average)
280
30g
Cottage Cheese
100
4g
Cream Cheese
440
46g
Fromage Frais (plain)
115
6g
Full fat spread
315
32g
Lymeswold
420
39g
Medium fat soft spread
181
13.9g
Processed slice
328
26g
Today I said I would answer Reyna’s question about, “Which cheeses are the lowest in fat and calories?”. When it comes to cheese, I say go with the real deal. Don’t’ get the plastic like cheeses. Get the freshest cheese you can, but limit your servings. A serving size of cheese is the size a cube (like a dice or the tip of your thumb.) Remember that we don’t’ need that much dairy, but everyone enjoys a little cheese for flavor and satiety. Cheese does help you to feel full b/c of the fat it contains. We all need fat in our diet and cheese can be a good source as are nuts and fish. Cottage cheese is among the lowest in calories of the soft cheeses and Feta is the lowest in calories of the hard cheeses. I do not see my favorite (mozzarella) on the list. I found it on another chart that said 275 calories and 22 g of fat – based on ½ cup serving.
How many calories in Cheese table:
Hard Cheese
Calories
Fat
Brie
320
25.5g
Camembert
300
23g
Cheddar
415
33.5g
Cheddar low fat
275
14g
Cheshire
379
29g
Danish Blue
350
28.5g
Double Gloucester
400
32g
Edam
335
24.5g
Feta
255
20g
Lancashire
380
29g
Leicester
402
32g
Parmesan
450
31g
Stilton
410
29g
Wensleydale
378
28.5g
Soft Cheese
Calories
Cheese Spread (average)
280
30g
Cottage Cheese
100
4g
Cream Cheese
440
46g
Fromage Frais (plain)
115
6g
Full fat spread
315
32g
Lymeswold
420
39g
Medium fat soft spread
181
13.9g
Processed slice
328
26g
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet
A bunch of ladies gave me feedback on the gluten information from yesterday. Seems that quite a few think they are gluten intolerant. Truthfully if we all cut gluten out of our diets for 3 weeks we would all probably notice that we felt better. It can’t hurt to go gluten free – or even limit gluten in your diet by using gluten free alternatives to bread, pasta, crackers, etc. You should not cut out all carb products so make sure you have some substitutes like the ones listed yesterday.
We get a lot of fiber from carbohydrates, but we can also get them from other sources. Fiber is important for proper digestion as well as heart health. As adults, we should have bowl movements twice a day. The first should be immediately after your first meal and then again at night. If you are not going twice a day you may not be getting enough fiber and or may be dehydrated.
Read below for insight on the importance of fiber for your health – and weight loss. You will also see a list of good sources of Fiber from real foods. Notice that some of the foods on the list are not gluten free.
Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet
Dietary fiber offers many health benefits. Here's how to include more in your diet.
By Mayo Clinic staff
Eat more fiber. You've probably heard it before. But do you know why fiber is so good for your health?
Dietary fiber — found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But fiber can provide other health benefits as well, such as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
If you need to add more fiber to your diet, don't worry. Increasing the amount you eat each day isn't difficult. Find out how much dietary fiber you need and ways to include more high-fiber foods into your daily meals and snacks.
What is dietary fiber?
Dietary fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body. Therefore, it passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small intestine and into your colon.
Fiber is often classified into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and those that do (soluble fiber).
* Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
* Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. You can find generous quantities of soluble fiber in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.
The amount of each type of fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.
Benefits of a high-fiber diet
A high-fiber diet has many benefits, which include:
* Prevents constipation. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may also help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.
* Lowers your risk of digestive conditions. A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of specific disorders, such as hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease).
* Lowers blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels.
* Controls blood sugar levels. Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes, can help improve blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
* Aids in weight loss. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.
* Uncertain effect on colorectal cancer. Evidence that dietary fiber reduces colorectal cancer is mixed — some studies show benefit, some show nothing and even some show greater risk. If you're concerned about preventing colorectal cancer, adopt or stick with a colon cancer screening regimen. Regular testing for and removal of colon polyps can prevent colon cancer.
How much fiber do you need?
How much fiber do you need each day? The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, which provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health, gives the following daily recommendations for adults:
Age 50 and younger
Age 51 and older
Men
38 grams
30 grams
Women
25 grams
21 grams
Your best fiber choices
If you aren't getting enough fiber each day, you may need to boost your intake. Good choices include:
* Grains and whole-grain products
* Fruits
* Vegetables
* Beans, peas and other legumes
* Nuts and seeds
Refined or processed foods — such as fruit juice, white bread and pasta, and non-whole-grain cereals — are lower in fiber content. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content. Similarly, removing the skin from fruits and vegetables decreases their fiber content.
So what foods are your best bets? This list shows the amount of dietary fiber in several types of foods.
Food item
Fiber content in grams*
Split peas, cooked, 1 cup
16.3
Red kidney beans, boiled, 1 cup
13.1
Raspberries, raw, 1 cup
8.0
Whole-wheat spaghetti, 1 cup
6.3
Oat bran muffin, medium
5.2
Pear, medium with skin
5.1
Broccoli, boiled, 1 cup
5.1
Apple, medium with skin
4.4
Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked, 1 cup
4.0
Green beans, cooked, 1 cup
4.0
Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup
3.5
Popcorn, air-popped, 2 cups
2.3
Whole-wheat bread, one slice
1.9
*Fiber content can vary between brands.
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2007
Whole foods rather than fiber supplements are generally better. Fiber supplements — such as Metamucil, Citrucel and FiberCon — don't provide the vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that high-fiber foods do. However, some people may still need a fiber supplement if dietary changes aren't sufficient, or if they have certain medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Check with your doctor if you feel you need to take fiber supplements.
Tips for fitting in fiber
Need ideas for high-fiber meals and snacks? Try these suggestions:
* Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal — 5 or more grams of fiber per serving. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
* Add crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to baked products such as meatloaf, breads, muffins, casseroles, cakes and cookies. You can also use bran products as a crunchy topping for casseroles, salads or cooked vegetables.
* Switch to whole-grain breads. These breads list whole wheat, whole-wheat flour or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label. Look for a brand with at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving.
* Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking bread. Whole-grain flour is heavier than white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer. When using baking powder, increase it by 1 teaspoon for every 3 cups of whole-grain flour.
* Eat more whole grains and whole-grain products. Experiment with brown rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta and bulgur.
* Take advantage of ready-to-use vegetables. Mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce. Snack on baby carrots.
* Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, baked tortilla chips and salsa.
* Eat fruit at every meal. Apples, bananas, oranges, pears and berries are good sources of fiber.
* Make snacks count. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, and low-fat popcorn and whole-grain crackers are all good choices.
High-fiber foods are good for your health. But adding too much fiber too quickly can cause intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping. Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a period of a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change. Also, drink plenty of water. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky. Without the added water, you could become constipated.
End
Take one more look at Today’s quote. Something told me that this was the right quote for today. I hope it makes a difference for you.
We get a lot of fiber from carbohydrates, but we can also get them from other sources. Fiber is important for proper digestion as well as heart health. As adults, we should have bowl movements twice a day. The first should be immediately after your first meal and then again at night. If you are not going twice a day you may not be getting enough fiber and or may be dehydrated.
Read below for insight on the importance of fiber for your health – and weight loss. You will also see a list of good sources of Fiber from real foods. Notice that some of the foods on the list are not gluten free.
Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet
Dietary fiber offers many health benefits. Here's how to include more in your diet.
By Mayo Clinic staff
Eat more fiber. You've probably heard it before. But do you know why fiber is so good for your health?
Dietary fiber — found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But fiber can provide other health benefits as well, such as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
If you need to add more fiber to your diet, don't worry. Increasing the amount you eat each day isn't difficult. Find out how much dietary fiber you need and ways to include more high-fiber foods into your daily meals and snacks.
What is dietary fiber?
Dietary fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body. Therefore, it passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small intestine and into your colon.
Fiber is often classified into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and those that do (soluble fiber).
* Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
* Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. You can find generous quantities of soluble fiber in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.
The amount of each type of fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.
Benefits of a high-fiber diet
A high-fiber diet has many benefits, which include:
* Prevents constipation. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may also help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.
* Lowers your risk of digestive conditions. A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of specific disorders, such as hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease).
* Lowers blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels.
* Controls blood sugar levels. Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes, can help improve blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
* Aids in weight loss. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.
* Uncertain effect on colorectal cancer. Evidence that dietary fiber reduces colorectal cancer is mixed — some studies show benefit, some show nothing and even some show greater risk. If you're concerned about preventing colorectal cancer, adopt or stick with a colon cancer screening regimen. Regular testing for and removal of colon polyps can prevent colon cancer.
How much fiber do you need?
How much fiber do you need each day? The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, which provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health, gives the following daily recommendations for adults:
Age 50 and younger
Age 51 and older
Men
38 grams
30 grams
Women
25 grams
21 grams
Your best fiber choices
If you aren't getting enough fiber each day, you may need to boost your intake. Good choices include:
* Grains and whole-grain products
* Fruits
* Vegetables
* Beans, peas and other legumes
* Nuts and seeds
Refined or processed foods — such as fruit juice, white bread and pasta, and non-whole-grain cereals — are lower in fiber content. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content. Similarly, removing the skin from fruits and vegetables decreases their fiber content.
So what foods are your best bets? This list shows the amount of dietary fiber in several types of foods.
Food item
Fiber content in grams*
Split peas, cooked, 1 cup
16.3
Red kidney beans, boiled, 1 cup
13.1
Raspberries, raw, 1 cup
8.0
Whole-wheat spaghetti, 1 cup
6.3
Oat bran muffin, medium
5.2
Pear, medium with skin
5.1
Broccoli, boiled, 1 cup
5.1
Apple, medium with skin
4.4
Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked, 1 cup
4.0
Green beans, cooked, 1 cup
4.0
Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup
3.5
Popcorn, air-popped, 2 cups
2.3
Whole-wheat bread, one slice
1.9
*Fiber content can vary between brands.
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2007
Whole foods rather than fiber supplements are generally better. Fiber supplements — such as Metamucil, Citrucel and FiberCon — don't provide the vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that high-fiber foods do. However, some people may still need a fiber supplement if dietary changes aren't sufficient, or if they have certain medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Check with your doctor if you feel you need to take fiber supplements.
Tips for fitting in fiber
Need ideas for high-fiber meals and snacks? Try these suggestions:
* Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal — 5 or more grams of fiber per serving. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
* Add crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to baked products such as meatloaf, breads, muffins, casseroles, cakes and cookies. You can also use bran products as a crunchy topping for casseroles, salads or cooked vegetables.
* Switch to whole-grain breads. These breads list whole wheat, whole-wheat flour or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label. Look for a brand with at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving.
* Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking bread. Whole-grain flour is heavier than white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer. When using baking powder, increase it by 1 teaspoon for every 3 cups of whole-grain flour.
* Eat more whole grains and whole-grain products. Experiment with brown rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta and bulgur.
* Take advantage of ready-to-use vegetables. Mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce. Snack on baby carrots.
* Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, baked tortilla chips and salsa.
* Eat fruit at every meal. Apples, bananas, oranges, pears and berries are good sources of fiber.
* Make snacks count. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, and low-fat popcorn and whole-grain crackers are all good choices.
High-fiber foods are good for your health. But adding too much fiber too quickly can cause intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping. Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a period of a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change. Also, drink plenty of water. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky. Without the added water, you could become constipated.
End
Take one more look at Today’s quote. Something told me that this was the right quote for today. I hope it makes a difference for you.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
What are gluten intolerance symptoms?
One of the things that a few people have found out is that they are gluten intolerant. I don’t think I have covered that topic, so today’s RE-Powering information (following a Gluten Free Recipe) will be about gluten intolerance. The only way to know if you are intolerant to gluten is to get tested, or eliminate it from your diet and notice how you feel.
1 Low Fat Quinoa Chili
½ cup quinoa 1 cup water
1 16 oz can of black beans
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 diced scallions
¼ cup diced tomatoes
¼ tsp. stevia ( to taste)
1. Bring quinoa and water to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until germ separates.
2. In a separate pot simmer black beans together with seasonings for 10 minutes. Allow beans to cool and thicken for 5 minutes.
3. 3Combine quinoa and bean mixture together. Top with tomatoes and scallions and serve.
Cals: 394
Fat 4 gr.
Carb 70 gr.
Fiber 19 gr.
Protein 22 gr.
Sugar 0
What are gluten intolerance symptoms? Are people with gluten intolerance just fussy eaters with a new excuse for their picky food habits?
Research shows that gluten sensitivity in some form, including celiac disease and mild gluten intolerance, affects approximately 15% of the US population. These statistics are likely to be similar in Western countries with similar health issues and dietary patterns. Are you one of these people? How do you recognize gluten intolerance symptoms?
First of all let’s identify the difference between celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is an immune reaction, a severe sudden onset allergic reaction, to the protein called gluten. This is commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. While celiac disease is initially an auto-immune disorder, it is also a disease of malabsorbtion, because essential nutrients are not absorbed. Therefore one of the most devastating symptoms of long-term undiagnosed celiac disease is malnutrition.
Gluten intolerance often has a slower onset than celiac disease, and may be hard to diagnose due to the broad range of symptoms and causes.
If you imagine a continuum of gluten intolerance symptoms, celiac disease is usually at the most extreme end with immediate autoimmune reactions. Some people with celiac disease may not have symptoms, but internally malabsorbtion and malnutrition can erode health over many years. Both celiac disease and gluten intolerance can be exacerbated by emotional stress, infection, surgery, pregnancy and childbirth. Every individual with some level of gluten intolerance or allergy may experience different shades of symptoms, hence the challenge for medical practitioners to diagnose.
So what are the specific symptoms of gluten intolerance and
celiac disease?
* Weight loss or weight gain
* Nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorbtion e.g. low iron levels
* Gastro-intestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)
* Fat in the stools (due to poor digestion)
* Aching joints
* Depression
* Eczema
* Head aches
* Exhaustion
* Irritability and behavioral changes
* Infertility, irregular menstrual cycle and miscarriage
* Cramps, tingling and numbness
* Slow infant and child growth
* Decline in dental health
Undiagnosed for long periods of time, food intolerances have been found to contribute to diabetes, bowel cancer, anemia and osteoporosis.
Why are gluten intolerance symptoms so varied?
It is still a bit of a mystery; gluten intolerance and allergies affect adults and children in a variety of ways, but we do know that the less stress the better.
Anecdotal evidence suggests emotional trauma and stress play a large role in worsening of symptoms. Some studies have shown that there is a lower chance of developing celiac disease, the longer a baby is breastfed; the later they started eating gluten containing foods and the less gluten containing foods they ate. However completely avoiding gluten through pregnancy and in a child’s younger years may also increase allergic reaction, as the developing digestive system does not recognize the substance at all. Perhaps a moderate approach is best when preventing celiac disease, especially if there is a genetic predisposition. Mother might reduce but not eliminate gluten foods when pregnant, breastfeed for a longer than average period, and introduce low gluten grains as first foods for baby.
How to diagnose celiac disease and gluten intolerance?
Until recently it was challenging to diagnose celiac disease because the symptoms are varied and similar to other diseases. For example, crones disease, chronic fatigue, iron deficiency, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal infections can all have similar symptoms. In fact there may be a cross over between gluten intolerance and some of these illnesses; an individual may have a combination of issues worsened by unsuitable food choices.
Now doctors test for raised levels of certain auto-antibodies in their blood. These antibodies are produced when the body senses a dangerous intruder allergen, like gluten. If the results indicate an allergy to gluten the doctor may perform a small intestine biopsy. This will reveal the damage to the villi in the small intestine. It is important to eat an ordinary diet including gluten, before being tested.
Author: Anna Wilde
1 Low Fat Quinoa Chili
½ cup quinoa 1 cup water
1 16 oz can of black beans
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 diced scallions
¼ cup diced tomatoes
¼ tsp. stevia ( to taste)
1. Bring quinoa and water to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until germ separates.
2. In a separate pot simmer black beans together with seasonings for 10 minutes. Allow beans to cool and thicken for 5 minutes.
3. 3Combine quinoa and bean mixture together. Top with tomatoes and scallions and serve.
Cals: 394
Fat 4 gr.
Carb 70 gr.
Fiber 19 gr.
Protein 22 gr.
Sugar 0
What are gluten intolerance symptoms? Are people with gluten intolerance just fussy eaters with a new excuse for their picky food habits?
Research shows that gluten sensitivity in some form, including celiac disease and mild gluten intolerance, affects approximately 15% of the US population. These statistics are likely to be similar in Western countries with similar health issues and dietary patterns. Are you one of these people? How do you recognize gluten intolerance symptoms?
First of all let’s identify the difference between celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is an immune reaction, a severe sudden onset allergic reaction, to the protein called gluten. This is commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley and oats. While celiac disease is initially an auto-immune disorder, it is also a disease of malabsorbtion, because essential nutrients are not absorbed. Therefore one of the most devastating symptoms of long-term undiagnosed celiac disease is malnutrition.
Gluten intolerance often has a slower onset than celiac disease, and may be hard to diagnose due to the broad range of symptoms and causes.
If you imagine a continuum of gluten intolerance symptoms, celiac disease is usually at the most extreme end with immediate autoimmune reactions. Some people with celiac disease may not have symptoms, but internally malabsorbtion and malnutrition can erode health over many years. Both celiac disease and gluten intolerance can be exacerbated by emotional stress, infection, surgery, pregnancy and childbirth. Every individual with some level of gluten intolerance or allergy may experience different shades of symptoms, hence the challenge for medical practitioners to diagnose.
So what are the specific symptoms of gluten intolerance and
celiac disease?
* Weight loss or weight gain
* Nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorbtion e.g. low iron levels
* Gastro-intestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)
* Fat in the stools (due to poor digestion)
* Aching joints
* Depression
* Eczema
* Head aches
* Exhaustion
* Irritability and behavioral changes
* Infertility, irregular menstrual cycle and miscarriage
* Cramps, tingling and numbness
* Slow infant and child growth
* Decline in dental health
Undiagnosed for long periods of time, food intolerances have been found to contribute to diabetes, bowel cancer, anemia and osteoporosis.
Why are gluten intolerance symptoms so varied?
It is still a bit of a mystery; gluten intolerance and allergies affect adults and children in a variety of ways, but we do know that the less stress the better.
Anecdotal evidence suggests emotional trauma and stress play a large role in worsening of symptoms. Some studies have shown that there is a lower chance of developing celiac disease, the longer a baby is breastfed; the later they started eating gluten containing foods and the less gluten containing foods they ate. However completely avoiding gluten through pregnancy and in a child’s younger years may also increase allergic reaction, as the developing digestive system does not recognize the substance at all. Perhaps a moderate approach is best when preventing celiac disease, especially if there is a genetic predisposition. Mother might reduce but not eliminate gluten foods when pregnant, breastfeed for a longer than average period, and introduce low gluten grains as first foods for baby.
How to diagnose celiac disease and gluten intolerance?
Until recently it was challenging to diagnose celiac disease because the symptoms are varied and similar to other diseases. For example, crones disease, chronic fatigue, iron deficiency, irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal infections can all have similar symptoms. In fact there may be a cross over between gluten intolerance and some of these illnesses; an individual may have a combination of issues worsened by unsuitable food choices.
Now doctors test for raised levels of certain auto-antibodies in their blood. These antibodies are produced when the body senses a dangerous intruder allergen, like gluten. If the results indicate an allergy to gluten the doctor may perform a small intestine biopsy. This will reveal the damage to the villi in the small intestine. It is important to eat an ordinary diet including gluten, before being tested.
Author: Anna Wilde
Monday, March 23, 2009
Breakfast Foods & Eat Your Food Uncooked? Here’s the Really Raw Truth
While we are on recipes, here are some new twists on breakfast. I find people tend to eat the same one or two breakfasts. Here are some simple, tasty and delicious options from the usual. These are from the integrative school of nutrition in NYC. My friend just graduated from there.
You’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but why? Breakfast, literally means “breaking the fast”. During the 6-8 hours that we are sleeping our bodies are fasting. This means when we wake up we are starving for fuel to survive the day. If you don’t eat breakfast in the morning you may feel fine for a few hours but come 3pm or dinner time you are most likely going to be ravenous. Because you end up eating so much at dinner you can’t possibly think of eating breakfast in the morning and so the cycle starts all over again. Eating breakfast first thing in the morning has been shown to boost your metabolism, increase energy and concentration and keep food cravings to a minimum.
So if your excuse for not having breakfast is that you don’t have enough time, try these 7 quick, healthy delicious breakfast solutions.
1. Almond Butter + Banana + Raw Honey + Sprouted Grain Sandwich
peanutbutterbanana
2. Super Smoothie: Fruit (kiwi, banana, mango) + Leafy Greens (kale, swiss chard) + Nut Milk + Hemp Protein + Flax Seed
green
3. Muesli + berries + Nut Milk
muesli
4. On The Go Egg Cups - Make these on a Sunday and have for the week!
dsc00913
5. Steel Cut Oatmeal + Blueberries + Almonds + Flax + Agave
Put this on the stove the night before and will be ready to go in the am
oatmeal
6. Natural Waffles + Apple + Raw Honey
waffle
7. Open Faced Goat Cheese + Vegetable (tomato, avocado, pepper, anything!) + Sprouted Grain Sandwich
gaotcheese
Today’s Re-Powering information – While we are on the subject of healthy foods, I wanted to share with you taking healthy eating to a new level. Eating raw. I read some information on Paleolithic eating and vegetarian eating over the break. Some may consider it strict, but the health benefits are priceless. Here is a video from Dr. Mercola on eating Raw and then some notes to follow.
Eat Your Food Uncooked? Here’s the Really Raw Truth
You already know that you should eat fresh, unprocessed, natural whole foods. But the importance of raw foods often goes unnoticed. Here’s what you should know about raw foods, cooked foods and enzymes.
Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
One of the most important aspects of a healthy diet that is most frequently overlooked is the issue of eating your food uncooked, in its natural raw state.
Unfortunately, as you may be aware, over 90 percent of the food purchased by Americans are processed foods. And when you’re consuming these kinds of denatured and chemically altered foods, it’s no surprise we have an epidemic of chronic and degenerative diseases.
It is no mystery that you are what you eat.
Ideally you’ll want to eat as many foods as possible in their unprocessed state; typically organic, biodynamic foods that have been grown locally, and are therefore in season.
But the challenge is, even when you chose the best foods available you can destroy most of the nutrition if you cook them.
I believe it’s really wise to strive to get as much raw food in your diet as possible. I personally try to eat about 85 percent of my food raw, including raw eggs and meats. And there are a number of reasons for this.
Raw Food is Alive!
The primary reason for making sure you get plenty of raw food in your diet is due to what’s called ‘biophotons.’ It’s a term you may not have heard of before, but in Europe, Germany in particular, there’s a lot of research in this area. Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt has also discussed it in some detail in one of his expert interviews for my Inner Circle program.
Biophotons are the smallest physical units of light, which are stored in, and used by all biological organisms – including your body. Vital sun energy finds its way into your cells via the food you eat, in the form of these biophotons.
They contain important bio-information, which controls complex vital processes in your body. The biophotons have the power to order and regulate, and, in doing so, to elevate the organism – in this case, your physical body -- to a higher oscillation or order.
This is manifested as a feeling of vitality and well-being.
Every living organism emits biophotons or low-level luminescence (light with a wavelength between 200 and 800 nanometers). It is thought that the higher the level of light energy a cell emits, the greater its vitality and the potential for the transfer of that energy to the individual which consumes it.
The more light a food is able to store, the more nutritious it is. Naturally grown fresh vegetables, for example, and sun-ripened fruits, are rich in light energy. The capacity to store biophotons is therefore a measure of the quality of your food.
Now, the DNA inside each of your body’s cells vibrates at a frequency of several billion hertz (which is unfortunately the same range at which modern cell phone communication systems also work). The vibration is created through the coil-like contraction and extension of your DNA -- which occurs several billion times per second -- and each time it contracts, it squeezes out one single biophoton; a light particle.
All the biophotons emitted from your body communicate with each other in a highly structured light field that surrounds your body. This light field also regulates the activity of your metabolic enzymes. For more in-depth information about how this works, I recommend you view the video clip of my interview with Dr. Klinghardt.
But that brings me to my second point for eating raw.
Cooking Destroys Valuable Enzymes
Enzymes are proteins; catalysts to speed up and facilitate reactions in your body. In fact, some biochemical reactions will not even occur without these enzymes (you have about 1,300 of them).
Cooking your food, especially at high temperatures, destroys these naturally occurring enzymes.
In addition to getting enzymes from fresh, raw food, you can also help stimulate the production of enzymes in your body simply by chewing. When you chew your food, a signal is transmitted from your brain to your stomach that tells your stomach to increase the production of enzymes.
Interestingly, as a side note, that’s why you don’t want to chew gum that much. When you chew gum, you’re actually sending a false signal to your body to create enzymes when you don’t need them. You’re essentially wasting your enzyme production. This is a challenge because as you age -- especially in a culture that focuses on processed foods -- about one-third of your body’s ability to produce enzymes is lost by the age of 40!
This is why many people find they benefit from enzyme supplementation as they get older, and we’ve found this to be true for a large number of patients in my clinic as well.
You May Need an Enzyme Supplement as You Get Older
There are many different options to choose from when selecting an enzyme supplement, so I decided to produce what I believe to be one of the highest quality enzyme products on the market today. My formula contains a number of combinations of enzymes that are just not present in most other products, including:
* Papain and bromelain (from papaya and pineapple) to help digest proteins
* Amylase, to aid in digestion of carbohydrates like starches and sugars
* Alpha galactosidase, to help digest beans and prevent gas
* Ox bile, which is particularly useful for digesting fats. It’s especially helpful if you have problems with your gallbladder, or had your gallbladder removed
The Bottom Line
Ideally, your best bet is to consume raw foods as much as possible. If you aren’t doing that already, you’ll want to gradually increase the amount of raw food in your diet as it will help your body produce more enzymes, and supply you with vital, live nutrients. Then, if still necessary, take a high quality enzyme supplement.
Lastly, make sure you’re chewing your food – take your time; savor it! (But avoid chewing gum.)
These are some very simple strategies that you and your family can adopt to help yourselves take control of your health!
Related Links:
Find Out Which Raw Food Diet is Right for You
Raw Food--One of Your Keys to Outstanding Health
You’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but why? Breakfast, literally means “breaking the fast”. During the 6-8 hours that we are sleeping our bodies are fasting. This means when we wake up we are starving for fuel to survive the day. If you don’t eat breakfast in the morning you may feel fine for a few hours but come 3pm or dinner time you are most likely going to be ravenous. Because you end up eating so much at dinner you can’t possibly think of eating breakfast in the morning and so the cycle starts all over again. Eating breakfast first thing in the morning has been shown to boost your metabolism, increase energy and concentration and keep food cravings to a minimum.
So if your excuse for not having breakfast is that you don’t have enough time, try these 7 quick, healthy delicious breakfast solutions.
1. Almond Butter + Banana + Raw Honey + Sprouted Grain Sandwich
peanutbutterbanana
2. Super Smoothie: Fruit (kiwi, banana, mango) + Leafy Greens (kale, swiss chard) + Nut Milk + Hemp Protein + Flax Seed
green
3. Muesli + berries + Nut Milk
muesli
4. On The Go Egg Cups - Make these on a Sunday and have for the week!
dsc00913
5. Steel Cut Oatmeal + Blueberries + Almonds + Flax + Agave
Put this on the stove the night before and will be ready to go in the am
oatmeal
6. Natural Waffles + Apple + Raw Honey
waffle
7. Open Faced Goat Cheese + Vegetable (tomato, avocado, pepper, anything!) + Sprouted Grain Sandwich
gaotcheese
Today’s Re-Powering information – While we are on the subject of healthy foods, I wanted to share with you taking healthy eating to a new level. Eating raw. I read some information on Paleolithic eating and vegetarian eating over the break. Some may consider it strict, but the health benefits are priceless. Here is a video from Dr. Mercola on eating Raw and then some notes to follow.
Eat Your Food Uncooked? Here’s the Really Raw Truth
You already know that you should eat fresh, unprocessed, natural whole foods. But the importance of raw foods often goes unnoticed. Here’s what you should know about raw foods, cooked foods and enzymes.
Dr. Mercola''s Comments
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
One of the most important aspects of a healthy diet that is most frequently overlooked is the issue of eating your food uncooked, in its natural raw state.
Unfortunately, as you may be aware, over 90 percent of the food purchased by Americans are processed foods. And when you’re consuming these kinds of denatured and chemically altered foods, it’s no surprise we have an epidemic of chronic and degenerative diseases.
It is no mystery that you are what you eat.
Ideally you’ll want to eat as many foods as possible in their unprocessed state; typically organic, biodynamic foods that have been grown locally, and are therefore in season.
But the challenge is, even when you chose the best foods available you can destroy most of the nutrition if you cook them.
I believe it’s really wise to strive to get as much raw food in your diet as possible. I personally try to eat about 85 percent of my food raw, including raw eggs and meats. And there are a number of reasons for this.
Raw Food is Alive!
The primary reason for making sure you get plenty of raw food in your diet is due to what’s called ‘biophotons.’ It’s a term you may not have heard of before, but in Europe, Germany in particular, there’s a lot of research in this area. Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt has also discussed it in some detail in one of his expert interviews for my Inner Circle program.
Biophotons are the smallest physical units of light, which are stored in, and used by all biological organisms – including your body. Vital sun energy finds its way into your cells via the food you eat, in the form of these biophotons.
They contain important bio-information, which controls complex vital processes in your body. The biophotons have the power to order and regulate, and, in doing so, to elevate the organism – in this case, your physical body -- to a higher oscillation or order.
This is manifested as a feeling of vitality and well-being.
Every living organism emits biophotons or low-level luminescence (light with a wavelength between 200 and 800 nanometers). It is thought that the higher the level of light energy a cell emits, the greater its vitality and the potential for the transfer of that energy to the individual which consumes it.
The more light a food is able to store, the more nutritious it is. Naturally grown fresh vegetables, for example, and sun-ripened fruits, are rich in light energy. The capacity to store biophotons is therefore a measure of the quality of your food.
Now, the DNA inside each of your body’s cells vibrates at a frequency of several billion hertz (which is unfortunately the same range at which modern cell phone communication systems also work). The vibration is created through the coil-like contraction and extension of your DNA -- which occurs several billion times per second -- and each time it contracts, it squeezes out one single biophoton; a light particle.
All the biophotons emitted from your body communicate with each other in a highly structured light field that surrounds your body. This light field also regulates the activity of your metabolic enzymes. For more in-depth information about how this works, I recommend you view the video clip of my interview with Dr. Klinghardt.
But that brings me to my second point for eating raw.
Cooking Destroys Valuable Enzymes
Enzymes are proteins; catalysts to speed up and facilitate reactions in your body. In fact, some biochemical reactions will not even occur without these enzymes (you have about 1,300 of them).
Cooking your food, especially at high temperatures, destroys these naturally occurring enzymes.
In addition to getting enzymes from fresh, raw food, you can also help stimulate the production of enzymes in your body simply by chewing. When you chew your food, a signal is transmitted from your brain to your stomach that tells your stomach to increase the production of enzymes.
Interestingly, as a side note, that’s why you don’t want to chew gum that much. When you chew gum, you’re actually sending a false signal to your body to create enzymes when you don’t need them. You’re essentially wasting your enzyme production. This is a challenge because as you age -- especially in a culture that focuses on processed foods -- about one-third of your body’s ability to produce enzymes is lost by the age of 40!
This is why many people find they benefit from enzyme supplementation as they get older, and we’ve found this to be true for a large number of patients in my clinic as well.
You May Need an Enzyme Supplement as You Get Older
There are many different options to choose from when selecting an enzyme supplement, so I decided to produce what I believe to be one of the highest quality enzyme products on the market today. My formula contains a number of combinations of enzymes that are just not present in most other products, including:
* Papain and bromelain (from papaya and pineapple) to help digest proteins
* Amylase, to aid in digestion of carbohydrates like starches and sugars
* Alpha galactosidase, to help digest beans and prevent gas
* Ox bile, which is particularly useful for digesting fats. It’s especially helpful if you have problems with your gallbladder, or had your gallbladder removed
The Bottom Line
Ideally, your best bet is to consume raw foods as much as possible. If you aren’t doing that already, you’ll want to gradually increase the amount of raw food in your diet as it will help your body produce more enzymes, and supply you with vital, live nutrients. Then, if still necessary, take a high quality enzyme supplement.
Lastly, make sure you’re chewing your food – take your time; savor it! (But avoid chewing gum.)
These are some very simple strategies that you and your family can adopt to help yourselves take control of your health!
Related Links:
Find Out Which Raw Food Diet is Right for You
Raw Food--One of Your Keys to Outstanding Health
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Garbanzo
Here’s a recipe for a delicious salad I had this week. Greek Garbanzo Bean Salad
garbanzo
Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, preferably organic
2 cloves garlic
sea salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup minced green onion
1 medium tomato, diced
3 TBS parsley, minced
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
Optional: 1/4 cup feta cheese
1 head romaine lettuce
Directions:
Press or mince garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out its hidden health benefits.
Drain liquid from garbanzo beans and rinse under cold running water; this helps prevent intestinal gas.
Mince green onions.
Dice tomatoes.
Mince parsley
Combine all ingredients and serve over a bed of romaine lettuce.
Top with feta cheese, if desired.
Serves 2
garbanzo
Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, preferably organic
2 cloves garlic
sea salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup minced green onion
1 medium tomato, diced
3 TBS parsley, minced
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
Optional: 1/4 cup feta cheese
1 head romaine lettuce
Directions:
Press or mince garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out its hidden health benefits.
Drain liquid from garbanzo beans and rinse under cold running water; this helps prevent intestinal gas.
Mince green onions.
Dice tomatoes.
Mince parsley
Combine all ingredients and serve over a bed of romaine lettuce.
Top with feta cheese, if desired.
Serves 2
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Food Guidelines for Kids, New Kids Food Pyramid, Recipe and Quote
Today’s Re-Powering Information – Children spend the first year of their life on a liquid diet. Then we introduce them to puréed veggies then mashed fruit, then some type of carb (bisket, cheerio’s) and ultimately solid food. By the time a child is two they are on their way to developing eating habits that will last a lifetime. As parents we formulate their feelings about food. If we are insecure or always on a “diet” they pick up on that. If we use food for bribery (pick up your toys and you can have a brownie) or rewards (you got an A on your report, lets get some ice cream) or socialization (every time they walk into the movies they expect popcorn and soda) or for punishment (if you don’t finish your homework you are not getting dessert) and so on. By the time they are 3 children absolutely know how to control, manipulate and sell parents on the food they want to eat (and don’t’ want to eat).
We certainly can’t blame the children for wanting sweeter and sweeter foods. The non-foods they are consuming (sports drinks, lunchables, fruit rollups, etc) are highly addicting – more addicting than cocaine and the more they have, the more they want. The US Department of agrigculture came up with a new food guide pyramid to help parents with creating healthy eating goals for children. It’s a start, but remember to grab hold of yoru common sense when it comes to food and that children are naturally curious and are also looking for boundaries. Their bodies like yours are amazing and will respond to what ever you put in it (good or bad).
New food pyramid designed to help parents
A sneak peek at the food pyramid designed for preschoolers
By Janet Helm | Special to the Chicago Tribune
October 22, 2008
Get ready preschoolers, you're getting your own food pyramid.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will officially unveil MyPyramid for Preschoolers at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Chicago this weekend, but we're getting an early look.
Brian Wansink, executive director of USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, will introduce this new nutrition tool as part of an ongoing campaign called "Project M.O.M." that he has spearheaded since joining USDA last year.
"We have refocused our general advice to everyone and are now honing in on the nutritional gatekeepers who purchase and prepare most of the family food," Wansink said. He believes educating these nutritional gatekeepers—moms, dads or other caregivers—is the most efficient way to transform the way Americans eat.
The new MyPyramid for Preschoolers is intended to help parents make better food choices for preschool children, aged 2 to 5 years—a critical time when food habits and taste preferences are established. Keeping tabs on calories is a bigger reality today than ever before, considering that nearly 15 percent of preschoolers in this country are overweight.
What you'll find by visiting the new preschool section on MyPyramid.gov is not simply a new cartoon-like version of the iconic pyramid for adults. Instead, you'll discover a comprehensive how-to guide on children's nutrition that may have you rethinking your current approach.
"We have not just provided the 'what,' we've really taken it to the next level," Wansink said, referring to the educational style of the materials. "We're showing parents exactly how you do this."
Indeed, the information on the Web site is about as concrete as you can get. If you're concerned that your child is eating too little or too much, or if you're simply not sure what counts as a serving, you can customize a pyramid to get detailed information about what and how much to feed your child based on age, gender and activity level. You'll even find kid-friendly meal and snack ideas.
Several real-life strategies are provided to help parents introduce new foods to preschoolers—a notoriously picky bunch who often stick to a beige, chicken nuggets-dominated diet. You'll find lots of tips for encouraging your child to eat a variety of vegetables, including seeing you eating and enjoying them too.
Perhaps most compelling is a section that focuses on how to talk to your preschooler about food. Unknowingly, many parents may be doing more harm than good when they coerce their kids into eating certain foods or use food as a reward, Wansink said.
In this clever section titled "phrases that help and hinder," you can learn to reframe your food discussions to be more positive. For example, instead of enforcing a clean plate rule, sample words are provided to help your child recognize when he or she is full, such as "Is your stomach still making its hungry growling noise?" Instead of using phrases that teach your child to eat for your approval or love, such as "If you do not eat one more bite, I will be mad," alternative phrases are offered to help your child try something new by pointing out the sensory qualities of food, such as "These radishes are very crunchy!"
The benefits of eating together as a family is a major focus of the initiative and ideas are offered to make family mealtime more enjoyable and less stressful, including recipes for quick, nutritious and economical meals. Sample substitutions are provided to help your preschooler eat less fat and added sugars. These "extras" can add more calories than your child needs.
After the unveiling this weekend, you can access MyPyramid for Preschoolers and related links at mypyramid.gov.
Recipe of the Day
Breakfast Pizza
This one might be fun to make with kids this weekend!
2 whole-wheat English muffins
2 free-range eggs
2 slices turkey bacon, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
4 tbsp. pizza sauce from the jar
2 tbsp. onion, minced
2 tbsp. green pepper, minced
2 tsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and turkey bacon pieces and fry for a few minutes. Add eggs and lightly scramble.
Split and toast the English Muffins. Spread 1 tbsp. of pizza sauce on each muffin half. Spoon the scrambled egg mixture evenly on each half. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until cheese is melted.
Quote of the Day
Without enthusiasm you are doomed to a life of mediocrity but with it you can accomplish miracles."
Og Mandino
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
We certainly can’t blame the children for wanting sweeter and sweeter foods. The non-foods they are consuming (sports drinks, lunchables, fruit rollups, etc) are highly addicting – more addicting than cocaine and the more they have, the more they want. The US Department of agrigculture came up with a new food guide pyramid to help parents with creating healthy eating goals for children. It’s a start, but remember to grab hold of yoru common sense when it comes to food and that children are naturally curious and are also looking for boundaries. Their bodies like yours are amazing and will respond to what ever you put in it (good or bad).
New food pyramid designed to help parents
A sneak peek at the food pyramid designed for preschoolers
By Janet Helm | Special to the Chicago Tribune
October 22, 2008
Get ready preschoolers, you're getting your own food pyramid.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will officially unveil MyPyramid for Preschoolers at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Chicago this weekend, but we're getting an early look.
Brian Wansink, executive director of USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, will introduce this new nutrition tool as part of an ongoing campaign called "Project M.O.M." that he has spearheaded since joining USDA last year.
"We have refocused our general advice to everyone and are now honing in on the nutritional gatekeepers who purchase and prepare most of the family food," Wansink said. He believes educating these nutritional gatekeepers—moms, dads or other caregivers—is the most efficient way to transform the way Americans eat.
The new MyPyramid for Preschoolers is intended to help parents make better food choices for preschool children, aged 2 to 5 years—a critical time when food habits and taste preferences are established. Keeping tabs on calories is a bigger reality today than ever before, considering that nearly 15 percent of preschoolers in this country are overweight.
What you'll find by visiting the new preschool section on MyPyramid.gov is not simply a new cartoon-like version of the iconic pyramid for adults. Instead, you'll discover a comprehensive how-to guide on children's nutrition that may have you rethinking your current approach.
"We have not just provided the 'what,' we've really taken it to the next level," Wansink said, referring to the educational style of the materials. "We're showing parents exactly how you do this."
Indeed, the information on the Web site is about as concrete as you can get. If you're concerned that your child is eating too little or too much, or if you're simply not sure what counts as a serving, you can customize a pyramid to get detailed information about what and how much to feed your child based on age, gender and activity level. You'll even find kid-friendly meal and snack ideas.
Several real-life strategies are provided to help parents introduce new foods to preschoolers—a notoriously picky bunch who often stick to a beige, chicken nuggets-dominated diet. You'll find lots of tips for encouraging your child to eat a variety of vegetables, including seeing you eating and enjoying them too.
Perhaps most compelling is a section that focuses on how to talk to your preschooler about food. Unknowingly, many parents may be doing more harm than good when they coerce their kids into eating certain foods or use food as a reward, Wansink said.
In this clever section titled "phrases that help and hinder," you can learn to reframe your food discussions to be more positive. For example, instead of enforcing a clean plate rule, sample words are provided to help your child recognize when he or she is full, such as "Is your stomach still making its hungry growling noise?" Instead of using phrases that teach your child to eat for your approval or love, such as "If you do not eat one more bite, I will be mad," alternative phrases are offered to help your child try something new by pointing out the sensory qualities of food, such as "These radishes are very crunchy!"
The benefits of eating together as a family is a major focus of the initiative and ideas are offered to make family mealtime more enjoyable and less stressful, including recipes for quick, nutritious and economical meals. Sample substitutions are provided to help your preschooler eat less fat and added sugars. These "extras" can add more calories than your child needs.
After the unveiling this weekend, you can access MyPyramid for Preschoolers and related links at mypyramid.gov.
Recipe of the Day
Breakfast Pizza
This one might be fun to make with kids this weekend!
2 whole-wheat English muffins
2 free-range eggs
2 slices turkey bacon, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
4 tbsp. pizza sauce from the jar
2 tbsp. onion, minced
2 tbsp. green pepper, minced
2 tsp. olive oil
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place olive oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper and turkey bacon pieces and fry for a few minutes. Add eggs and lightly scramble.
Split and toast the English Muffins. Spread 1 tbsp. of pizza sauce on each muffin half. Spoon the scrambled egg mixture evenly on each half. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until cheese is melted.
Quote of the Day
Without enthusiasm you are doomed to a life of mediocrity but with it you can accomplish miracles."
Og Mandino
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
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