Life used to be pretty simple as far as food went. The early pioneers of America may have had to work harder at making a meal, but it was simple. The finished product was much less varied than it is today. Over the past century, modern appliances have enabled us to make meals quickly; fast global transportation has enabled us to eat some pretty exotics foods; factories have pre-made foods so all you have to do is heat to eat; and chemicals have allowed food to be preserved, taste-enhanced, and cheaper.
There has been a backlash in pre-made products across our country after the highly-processed food started getting a pretty bad wrap from nutritionists. In the eighties, the word “lite” started showing up on the former-fattening items. More recently, the term “all-natural” is seen. This is good, right?
Take our own pantry. We try to buy healthy food and eat healthy in our daily lives. Still, there are various items in our pantry that make me wonder—just how healthy are we? We have cheese puffs that boast that they are “all-natural.” My husband Jay likes to drink 7up, which claims it’s made from all-natural ingredients. I buy low-fat and high-fiber frozen dinners made by a famous weightloss company. We buy lite ice cream….
Here are some questions that I have: Just what does the term “all-natural” mean? Are all foods that claim to be all-natural actually good for you? Do “lite” foods really help with weightloss? Are they healthy? Are vegetarian products and organic products always good for you? If we stay away from pre-made foods, are we the paragon of healthiness?
Over the next few days we will be focusing on all-natural foods and what it means to be all-natural from a marketing standpoint. We will also explore diet foods and other so-called health foods. The more we know, the more likely we will make the kinds of decisions that will keep us feeling good and living long lives.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sunday Reflection
Each week this day will be designated for reflecting on the past week. What worked? What did not? Is there something hindering you? Think about it and write down your thoughts if you choose. Taking time to pause and think can be enlightening and a great way to focus the mind for the week ahead.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Saturday Superfoods
I recently walked out to my backyard to check on my gardens. This time of year they look rather pathetic because I haven’t had the time or the heart to tear out all the dying plants. Sure enough, the tomato vines are yellowed and the peppers droopy. My basil plant looks like a bouquet of sticks.
There is one tree, however, that is bearing rich, plump fruit. My orange tree. The oranges are still a pale orange with a tinge of green. About the time my twelve nieces and nephews come for Christmas, they should be ripe enough to be picked.
This tangy-sweet fruit of the citrus family is native to Southeast Asia. It is considered to be an ancient cultivated hybrid between pomelo and tangerine. Today it is cultivated in most warm climates world-wide.
Probably everybody knows that oranges are rich in vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system. Did you also know that they are rich in calcium, helping your bones and your teeth? Oranges also contain a very powerful antioxidant, beta-carotene, that protects our cells from damage, and some nutritionists believe it can help prevent cancer. In addition, oranges contain folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and iron, all having great health benefits.
My experiences show that the more nutritious foods we eat, the less unhealthy foods we will want. The next you are shopping for groceries, load the cart with a bag of oranges. Or you can always stop by my house for one fresh off the tree.
There is one tree, however, that is bearing rich, plump fruit. My orange tree. The oranges are still a pale orange with a tinge of green. About the time my twelve nieces and nephews come for Christmas, they should be ripe enough to be picked.
This tangy-sweet fruit of the citrus family is native to Southeast Asia. It is considered to be an ancient cultivated hybrid between pomelo and tangerine. Today it is cultivated in most warm climates world-wide.
Probably everybody knows that oranges are rich in vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system. Did you also know that they are rich in calcium, helping your bones and your teeth? Oranges also contain a very powerful antioxidant, beta-carotene, that protects our cells from damage, and some nutritionists believe it can help prevent cancer. In addition, oranges contain folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and iron, all having great health benefits.
My experiences show that the more nutritious foods we eat, the less unhealthy foods we will want. The next you are shopping for groceries, load the cart with a bag of oranges. Or you can always stop by my house for one fresh off the tree.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Remember the Good
Part of being healthy is having healthy thoughts. There are some days when I can’t stop thinking about mistakes I have made in the past. There was that time when I hurt so-and-so, or the time I ruined a special moment because I acted before thinking, or I made a fool of myself…. The list really could go on and on. Those memories have a way of sticking around. Sometimes they are more potent than all my successes added together!
Negative memories can help us to learn from mistakes, so I’ve never been one to say, “I live my life with no regrets.” There is, however, a danger is letting negative moments in our past overshadow our good moments, and ultimately leave us feeling rather bleak. We can begin to think dangerous thoughts, like “I always make mistakes” or “I can’t get anything right.” Once we start heading down that road, very quickly we can start believing we are a failure, and then easily become just that.
Let’s try a mental exercise to deal with our not-so-nice memories. When something from the past comes to mind, think about something good that has come from it. If it is a positive memory, it’s easy. But what about the negative memories? Can we think of good that came out of those?
I’ll try the exercise myself. I once house-sat for a family and accidentally spilled candle wax on their carpet. To this day I feel bad about it. So how can good come from it? Well, through that incident I learned that the people who owned the house are kind and forgiving people. I learned that there are good people who understand when we make mistakes and who forgive us.
Go ahead and try it. When you’re done with the exercise, don’t let yourself think of the negative memory for the rest of the day. Chances are it will not return to haunt you tomorrow or ever again.
Negative memories can help us to learn from mistakes, so I’ve never been one to say, “I live my life with no regrets.” There is, however, a danger is letting negative moments in our past overshadow our good moments, and ultimately leave us feeling rather bleak. We can begin to think dangerous thoughts, like “I always make mistakes” or “I can’t get anything right.” Once we start heading down that road, very quickly we can start believing we are a failure, and then easily become just that.
Let’s try a mental exercise to deal with our not-so-nice memories. When something from the past comes to mind, think about something good that has come from it. If it is a positive memory, it’s easy. But what about the negative memories? Can we think of good that came out of those?
I’ll try the exercise myself. I once house-sat for a family and accidentally spilled candle wax on their carpet. To this day I feel bad about it. So how can good come from it? Well, through that incident I learned that the people who owned the house are kind and forgiving people. I learned that there are good people who understand when we make mistakes and who forgive us.
Go ahead and try it. When you’re done with the exercise, don’t let yourself think of the negative memory for the rest of the day. Chances are it will not return to haunt you tomorrow or ever again.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Eat in Heavenly Peace
Our house is beautiful right now. Our Christmas tree is decorated with lights and ornaments, and swooping up the stairway hangs a thick evergreen garland with more twinkling lights. Four festive stockings hang above fireplace. Before my husband Jay gets home from work, I try to remember to turn on the ipod to Christmas music and light candles on the mantle. Everything is warm and cozy and magical.
And then dinner begins. My daughter is throwing her food and screaming, “All done!” My son is begging for more milk, or spitting up, or both. My husband asks if we could turn off the music because it really is just more noise at this point. The kitchen floor looks like a garbage heap. I start wolfing down my food just to get dinner over with.
Dinner is not always an easy time to be thinking about nutrition or portion control, is it? More likely, we just stuff the food in like it’s our last meal. Or we don’t eat enough. Or we skip the vegetables and go for the comfort food because we need it and we deserve it!
Each of us reacts differently to stress. For some, it makes us lose our appetite. Others cram a week’s worth of carbs down in five minutes. Either way, it is bound to result in unhealthy habits.
Stress is unavoidable for everybody. Here are some reminders for handling stress specifically during meals.
Eat a bite or two to quench the craving, then wait until the chaos has quieted before taking another bite. Even if it means asking our spouse to take the kids for ten minutes so we can eat in peace, it will be worth it. If we are absent-mindedly stuffing the food down, we will have a difficult time recognizing when we’ve had enough.
If we have lost our appetite, save the food we would have eaten on a plate and store it in the refrigerator for when we get hungry later. Skipping dinner can later lead to snacking, which is usually unbalanced nutritionally and can be higher in calories.
Breathe deeply throughout the meal. Also, drink plenty of water.
In a way that works best for you and your family, try to deal with the stress using your own “bag of tricks.” In our case, asking our daughter to count to ten helps distract her and calm her down.
Finally, enjoy the chaos as much as possible. Someday the memories of these moments will bring a smile.
And then dinner begins. My daughter is throwing her food and screaming, “All done!” My son is begging for more milk, or spitting up, or both. My husband asks if we could turn off the music because it really is just more noise at this point. The kitchen floor looks like a garbage heap. I start wolfing down my food just to get dinner over with.
Dinner is not always an easy time to be thinking about nutrition or portion control, is it? More likely, we just stuff the food in like it’s our last meal. Or we don’t eat enough. Or we skip the vegetables and go for the comfort food because we need it and we deserve it!
Each of us reacts differently to stress. For some, it makes us lose our appetite. Others cram a week’s worth of carbs down in five minutes. Either way, it is bound to result in unhealthy habits.
Stress is unavoidable for everybody. Here are some reminders for handling stress specifically during meals.
Eat a bite or two to quench the craving, then wait until the chaos has quieted before taking another bite. Even if it means asking our spouse to take the kids for ten minutes so we can eat in peace, it will be worth it. If we are absent-mindedly stuffing the food down, we will have a difficult time recognizing when we’ve had enough.
If we have lost our appetite, save the food we would have eaten on a plate and store it in the refrigerator for when we get hungry later. Skipping dinner can later lead to snacking, which is usually unbalanced nutritionally and can be higher in calories.
Breathe deeply throughout the meal. Also, drink plenty of water.
In a way that works best for you and your family, try to deal with the stress using your own “bag of tricks.” In our case, asking our daughter to count to ten helps distract her and calm her down.
Finally, enjoy the chaos as much as possible. Someday the memories of these moments will bring a smile.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Boss
A little over two years ago I gave birth to an adorable little angel, Eden. Today, I’m not necessarily calling her angel all the time, but she is a huge bright spot in our lives. She is sweet and affectionate, but she also tests my husband and me by the hour.
One of our battles with her is regarding what she eats. Eden loves food. She could eat from the time she crawls out of bed until bedtime almost without pause—as long as the food is something she likes. Fortunately for us, she is not very picky. Our job is to moderate her eating, making sure it’s nutritious and that she doesn’t eat too much.
There are many times when she wants more fruity snacks or more pretzels and we simply have to put our foot down. She can’t eat all the time, and she can’t always have her first choice. As much as she begs and fusses, the answer is still no. We have the power to keep her from having anything at anytime.
Sometimes I wish I had my own mother hen looking down at me and saying “no more” when I’ve had enough—and enforce it too. Would I be whining and begging like Eden for more? Probably!
Being the boss of our own lives means we have the power to give in to our spontaneous desires and unbalanced wishes. What if we were to be as strict with ourselves as we are with our kids or those who work for us?
You’ve probably recognized that we’re talking about self-discipline. The crucial time we need to have self-discipline is when we are only accountable to ourselves. Let’s start the self-discipline today by stating our personal expectations and then putting our foot down when we might want seconds on those “fruity snacks.” Our bodies could use a little mothering.
One of our battles with her is regarding what she eats. Eden loves food. She could eat from the time she crawls out of bed until bedtime almost without pause—as long as the food is something she likes. Fortunately for us, she is not very picky. Our job is to moderate her eating, making sure it’s nutritious and that she doesn’t eat too much.
There are many times when she wants more fruity snacks or more pretzels and we simply have to put our foot down. She can’t eat all the time, and she can’t always have her first choice. As much as she begs and fusses, the answer is still no. We have the power to keep her from having anything at anytime.
Sometimes I wish I had my own mother hen looking down at me and saying “no more” when I’ve had enough—and enforce it too. Would I be whining and begging like Eden for more? Probably!
Being the boss of our own lives means we have the power to give in to our spontaneous desires and unbalanced wishes. What if we were to be as strict with ourselves as we are with our kids or those who work for us?
You’ve probably recognized that we’re talking about self-discipline. The crucial time we need to have self-discipline is when we are only accountable to ourselves. Let’s start the self-discipline today by stating our personal expectations and then putting our foot down when we might want seconds on those “fruity snacks.” Our bodies could use a little mothering.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Don't Give Up
Cookies from your neighbor; caramel popcorn from your aunt; don’t forget the fudge you’re making for the party next Friday night. Thanksgiving is over and we are officially into Christmas—the season of sweets!
Without batting an eye, those calories that have been carefully counted throughout the year are disregarded with relish. We do unheard-of things, like eat apple pie for breakfast and put peppermint ice cream in our coffee. All done because it’s the happy holidays.
Our thinking is probably this: “Why should I even try to eat healthy during the month of December? I’ll never succeed.” So you attack those buffet tables with the enthusiasm of a prisoner let out on parole. Hello, eggnog! Welcome, gingerbread! Nice to see you, pumpkin cheesecake!
As extreme as this sounds, you might relate to it just the tiniest little bit. Sure, we are going to eat differently this month than the rest of the year, but I’d like to suggest a new motto for this season: Don’t Give Up.
If your motto is Don’t Give Up, it means you are aware that it does matter what you eat for breakfast, regardless that you’re having a dinner party in the evening. Don’t Give Up means it does matter that you limited the intake to 2000 calories on your splurge instead of 5000.
It is tempting to adopt an all-or-nothing attitude about eating healthy or not. However, my definition of being healthy is simply this: being more sensible than less sensible. Every little effort really does count. If you’re convinced that it’s better to give up for the month, you probably will let yourself go out of control.
The Don’t Give Up motto will let you savor every moment of high-caloric pleasure, then put you right back onto normal, sensible eating. Not only will you curb the seasonal weight-gain, you’ll also feel better throughout the month.
Without batting an eye, those calories that have been carefully counted throughout the year are disregarded with relish. We do unheard-of things, like eat apple pie for breakfast and put peppermint ice cream in our coffee. All done because it’s the happy holidays.
Our thinking is probably this: “Why should I even try to eat healthy during the month of December? I’ll never succeed.” So you attack those buffet tables with the enthusiasm of a prisoner let out on parole. Hello, eggnog! Welcome, gingerbread! Nice to see you, pumpkin cheesecake!
As extreme as this sounds, you might relate to it just the tiniest little bit. Sure, we are going to eat differently this month than the rest of the year, but I’d like to suggest a new motto for this season: Don’t Give Up.
If your motto is Don’t Give Up, it means you are aware that it does matter what you eat for breakfast, regardless that you’re having a dinner party in the evening. Don’t Give Up means it does matter that you limited the intake to 2000 calories on your splurge instead of 5000.
It is tempting to adopt an all-or-nothing attitude about eating healthy or not. However, my definition of being healthy is simply this: being more sensible than less sensible. Every little effort really does count. If you’re convinced that it’s better to give up for the month, you probably will let yourself go out of control.
The Don’t Give Up motto will let you savor every moment of high-caloric pleasure, then put you right back onto normal, sensible eating. Not only will you curb the seasonal weight-gain, you’ll also feel better throughout the month.
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