I'm sorry I haven't updated the blog. We had 9 inches of snow fall yesterday, and we have enjoyed putting on layers, going out to play, coming back in, taking off layers, getting warm, putting layers back on, going out to play...I think you get the idea.
I do have a thought I want share though. If Americans spend billions of dollars more than any other country on health care, fitness, weight loss strategies, etc., why are we so unhealthy?
I believe it is because we spend billions of dollars on health care, fitness, weight loss strategies, etc., instead of on actual food. Food was meant to sustain, protect, defend us from harmful environmental stressors. An apple, for example, contains more than 20 different identifiable compounds that relate to different biological activities in the body--one apple affects our body in more than 20 different ways. How can the medical field or pharmaceutical companies or the weight loss industry compete with that?
Food was also intended for us to enjoy. I don't mean sitting at the Sonic enjoying a cheeseburger, fries, and Coke. I mean taking the time to prepare a well-balanced, nutrient rich meal with friends and family. Talking and laughing in between bites of colorful, tasty morsels of food. This should be one of the best parts of our days. Instead we have turned meal time into an agonizing attempt at getting food on the table or at least in our families' stomachs fast. We eat in the car, in front of the T.V., or between extra-curricular activities.
Our American lifestyle is what is making us fat, sick, and stressed out. This is a call to all of you moms and dads out there to start making a change. Make the effort to sit around the table with your kids and talk. Talk about their days, your days, their hopes and dreams. And laugh, laugh a lot. And make food that is nutritious and delicious. Please don't break it down into fat grams, calories, and number of carbs (with the exception of a metabolic disorder or your doctor's advice). I am not saying not to be aware of what you are putting into your body, but it is much simpler than we make it out to be.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Menu Planning
A friend of mine asked me to share my weekly menu. I told her I would try, but that I tend to cook spontaneously with very little planning. I usually go to the grocery store once a week, buy what is on sale or looks good, and then cook according to what I bought and what I have stored in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry.
I have visited friends' houses where I have looked in their refrigerator, and it is practically empty. This boggles my mind. In my family--and I mean grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins--this is never the case.
I come from a large German family--my husband calls me his "100% kraut." We make our own German-smoked sausage; we can sauerkraut, pickles, and jelly. We even can salmon when my aunt goes fishing in Colorado. We freeze black-eyed peas, corn, and lima beans from my mom's garden every summer. I grow my own herbs and make pesto to freeze for use later. I also buy in bulk when an item is on sale. We all have very large freezers to store all of this food. My point is that it is hard to translate all of this to recipes that are practical for others to use. I also don't mind a time-consuming, labor intensive recipe, which is not practical for most moms.
But this is my challenge for the rest of the week...to list this week's meals with recipes. I will start tomorrow as we have an unexpected garage door rebellion today.
I have visited friends' houses where I have looked in their refrigerator, and it is practically empty. This boggles my mind. In my family--and I mean grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins--this is never the case.
I come from a large German family--my husband calls me his "100% kraut." We make our own German-smoked sausage; we can sauerkraut, pickles, and jelly. We even can salmon when my aunt goes fishing in Colorado. We freeze black-eyed peas, corn, and lima beans from my mom's garden every summer. I grow my own herbs and make pesto to freeze for use later. I also buy in bulk when an item is on sale. We all have very large freezers to store all of this food. My point is that it is hard to translate all of this to recipes that are practical for others to use. I also don't mind a time-consuming, labor intensive recipe, which is not practical for most moms.
But this is my challenge for the rest of the week...to list this week's meals with recipes. I will start tomorrow as we have an unexpected garage door rebellion today.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Plug
I am going to shamelessly tell you about something that I sell. However, I am not asking you to buy it from me--the important thing is to get it from someone if you need it.
Do you eat the USDA's recommended 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables per day? Do your kids get the recommended 2 to 3 cups? Most dietitians and nutritionists recommend a much higher number. I believe the reason we need so many every day is because our bodies must battle pollutants everywhere around us...in the air, in our water, what we put in our bodies. All of these pollutants oxidize our cells meaning that they create free radical oxygen molecules that damage our cells. This can create a chain reaction in our bodies and damage organs, blood vessels, and our immune system. This is why most older smokers who eat poorly have more wrinkles and voices that sound hoarse. They are being oxidized or, in other words, are aging faster.
If we don't consume enough antioxidants, our bodies cannot defend our cells from this damage. If we eat poorly, i.e. lots of processed foods, we are contributing to this problem instead of defending against it. We need fruits and vegetables, and lots of them, every day to neutralize free radicals in our bodies.
Juice Plus is a product that my family has been taking for eight years. It is a capsule that contains fruits or vegetables and grains. My husband and I take 4 capsules a day--two fruits and two vegetables. My kids take 2 chewables a day--one fruit and one vegetable. This may sound contradictory to what I say about processed foods, but what is proven about these pills (they are the most scientifically studied natural supplement) is that the nutrients they contain are bio-available and readily used by the body just as a fresh fruit or vegetable would be. The only difference is that the water and the sugar is extracted from the fruits and vegetables, and the nutrients that remain are put in a capsule or chewable pill.
My family eats fruits and vegetables and lots of them, but when we started taking the pills, we began to suffer less from colds and allergies, we lost weight, we started craving more fruits and vegetables in our diet and less sugar, and we had more energy. I don't usually advocate a quick fix to anything, but these are a wonderful addition to a healthy diet, and I believe you will see a change if not changes in your body, health, and/or diet.
I have heard many stories from people who have started taking Juice Plus and been able to get off blood pressure medicine, stop taking insulin or reduce the amount they had to take, tumors have shrunk, etc. If you want to research this yourself or get more information about the product, use this link https://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/content/RelatedInfo.soa and watch the two videos at the bottom. They might help you make an informed decision for yourself.
Also, for your kids, a Children's Health Study is being conducted which provides Juice Plus free of charge for your child if a parent agrees to take Juice Plus as well. You can access information about that via the link given above.
Juice Plus is not cheap, but they only use organic, picked-when-ripe fruits and vegetables, and the cost is much less than buying the same amount at a grocery store. It is worth it, but you have to decide that on your own. I encourage you to research it yourself, and let me know if you are interested.
Do you eat the USDA's recommended 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables per day? Do your kids get the recommended 2 to 3 cups? Most dietitians and nutritionists recommend a much higher number. I believe the reason we need so many every day is because our bodies must battle pollutants everywhere around us...in the air, in our water, what we put in our bodies. All of these pollutants oxidize our cells meaning that they create free radical oxygen molecules that damage our cells. This can create a chain reaction in our bodies and damage organs, blood vessels, and our immune system. This is why most older smokers who eat poorly have more wrinkles and voices that sound hoarse. They are being oxidized or, in other words, are aging faster.
If we don't consume enough antioxidants, our bodies cannot defend our cells from this damage. If we eat poorly, i.e. lots of processed foods, we are contributing to this problem instead of defending against it. We need fruits and vegetables, and lots of them, every day to neutralize free radicals in our bodies.
Juice Plus is a product that my family has been taking for eight years. It is a capsule that contains fruits or vegetables and grains. My husband and I take 4 capsules a day--two fruits and two vegetables. My kids take 2 chewables a day--one fruit and one vegetable. This may sound contradictory to what I say about processed foods, but what is proven about these pills (they are the most scientifically studied natural supplement) is that the nutrients they contain are bio-available and readily used by the body just as a fresh fruit or vegetable would be. The only difference is that the water and the sugar is extracted from the fruits and vegetables, and the nutrients that remain are put in a capsule or chewable pill.
My family eats fruits and vegetables and lots of them, but when we started taking the pills, we began to suffer less from colds and allergies, we lost weight, we started craving more fruits and vegetables in our diet and less sugar, and we had more energy. I don't usually advocate a quick fix to anything, but these are a wonderful addition to a healthy diet, and I believe you will see a change if not changes in your body, health, and/or diet.
I have heard many stories from people who have started taking Juice Plus and been able to get off blood pressure medicine, stop taking insulin or reduce the amount they had to take, tumors have shrunk, etc. If you want to research this yourself or get more information about the product, use this link https://www.juiceplus.com/nsa/content/RelatedInfo.soa and watch the two videos at the bottom. They might help you make an informed decision for yourself.
Also, for your kids, a Children's Health Study is being conducted which provides Juice Plus free of charge for your child if a parent agrees to take Juice Plus as well. You can access information about that via the link given above.
Juice Plus is not cheap, but they only use organic, picked-when-ripe fruits and vegetables, and the cost is much less than buying the same amount at a grocery store. It is worth it, but you have to decide that on your own. I encourage you to research it yourself, and let me know if you are interested.
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