Yesterday I perused the "health" food aisle at the grocery store. What an adventure! Venturing into the "health" food aisle is kind of like a sci-fi movie where nothing you see is as it appears.
First, I picked up a can of yummy looking soup. Label said "no added MSG". You would think if the label says "no added MSG" it wouldn't have MSG in it. Wouldn't you? Well, that's what they want you to think. It's a subtle lie. Read the ingredients list and many times you may find yeast extract, hydrolyzed soy protein, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed pea protein, carrageenan or sodium caseinate; all of which are sources of MSG. So no they didn't specifically add MSG just another ingredient which is a source of MSG. I still call that lying.
Then I looked at a bag of "natural" chips. Would you believe there was yeast extract in a bag of "natural" chips? Yup, there was.
I looked to see I was for sure in the HEALTH food aisle. You know Mapquest occasionally takes you off course. Yes, I was REALLY in the "health" food aisle.
And there was more deception to be found. How do you like "all natural" ice cream? Better read the ingredients. You just may find fake vanilla, alkalized cocoa, corn syrup, or partially hydrogenated soybean oil in your "all natural" ice cream.
Having pancakes for breakfast? Looking forward to that "Natural" maple syrup? Better read the ingredients. You just may find "artificial caramel coloring" in it.
All set for your "natural" peanut butter and crackers snack? Read the ingredients list. The "all natural" peanut butter may have added sugar.
I found product after product deceptively labeled. I suddenly got really hot. Nope, not a hot flash. Just so ticked off at the deception of the food industry.
Ohhhhhh don't even get me started about the foods marketed to children. They are HORRENDOUS and deserve a blogpost all to themselves.
So there you have it. There's not much in the "health" food aisle which is truly healthy. If you're going to persist in eating processed foods be sure to read the ingredients list and choose as wisely as you can. Do you realize the incidence of chronic illnesses rose parallel with the rise of the processed food industry? Keep in mind the healthiest foods are whole foods; the fresh vegetables and fruits in the produce department. You hardly need venture into any other aisle in the grocery store.
Showing posts with label chronic illness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chronic illness. Show all posts
Friday, October 8, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Reversing Illness: Eating To Live
In the sixteen years Lupus was active in my life (and I was struggling to stay off disability) not once did a physician ever ask about my nutrition. Nor did any of the 13 drugs they prescribed create a miracle; though there was a clinical trial drug which was almost a miracle. My true miracle came with attention to nutrition and supplements. Today thanks to nutrition I have been in remission six wonderful years.
As Hippocrates said, "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food".
Recently I went on a caribbean cruise with a group of business friends. One of the ladies had lost a remarkable amount of weight and looked so much healthier. There was an awesome change in her! In talking to her she told me her husband was 100% into the raw food lifestyle and she had been so sick she finally acquiesced and joined him. In the four months between when she had joined him in the raw food lifestyle and the cruise she lost 45 lbs, her diabetes had disappeared and she was off all diabetes medication and all problems she had been having with ulcerative colitis were also gone. All of that happened in 4 months.
I know this lady also utilizes supplements. In fact, she is a perfect example of the correct way to use supplements. Supplements are for supplementing an already healthy nutrition regimen. Why would a person need to supplement a supposed healthy nutrition regimen? Because our produce today has 5-40% less vitamins and minerals in it than it used to contain. This is why the government increased the servings on the Food Pyramid and why in the 2002 the Journal of the American Medical Association it was recommended everyone supplement.
I'm not going to tell you to go 100% raw with your nutritional intake; but I do encourage you to make a percentage of your intake raw foods. I myself eat 60% raw.
Why are raw foods so healthy? Food in its natural state contains enzymes that are destroyed when you cook food at high temperatures. Your body needs those enzymes. Every function in the body is run by enzymes. Many illnesses can be traced to enzyme deficiencies.
Every cell in your body is created from the food you take in. If you assist your immune system by giving it the nutrients it needs your immune system will assist you in combating, recovering from and even preventing illness.
I hope you will join me every Monday at 9am CST at Empower Wellness Radio
As Hippocrates said, "Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food".
Recently I went on a caribbean cruise with a group of business friends. One of the ladies had lost a remarkable amount of weight and looked so much healthier. There was an awesome change in her! In talking to her she told me her husband was 100% into the raw food lifestyle and she had been so sick she finally acquiesced and joined him. In the four months between when she had joined him in the raw food lifestyle and the cruise she lost 45 lbs, her diabetes had disappeared and she was off all diabetes medication and all problems she had been having with ulcerative colitis were also gone. All of that happened in 4 months.
I know this lady also utilizes supplements. In fact, she is a perfect example of the correct way to use supplements. Supplements are for supplementing an already healthy nutrition regimen. Why would a person need to supplement a supposed healthy nutrition regimen? Because our produce today has 5-40% less vitamins and minerals in it than it used to contain. This is why the government increased the servings on the Food Pyramid and why in the 2002 the Journal of the American Medical Association it was recommended everyone supplement.
I'm not going to tell you to go 100% raw with your nutritional intake; but I do encourage you to make a percentage of your intake raw foods. I myself eat 60% raw.
Why are raw foods so healthy? Food in its natural state contains enzymes that are destroyed when you cook food at high temperatures. Your body needs those enzymes. Every function in the body is run by enzymes. Many illnesses can be traced to enzyme deficiencies.
Every cell in your body is created from the food you take in. If you assist your immune system by giving it the nutrients it needs your immune system will assist you in combating, recovering from and even preventing illness.
I hope you will join me every Monday at 9am CST at Empower Wellness Radio
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Minivans and Lunchables: A Culture in Crisis
As many of you know I had a long battle with Lupus and am now in remission. Along my road to wellness I discovered the power of nutrition and the lack of nutrition in the standard american diet (S.A.D.). What I learned fueled my reasons for heading back to school to earn my Masters in Holistic Nutrition.
Let's look at it in a historical perspective .... we used to eat whole foods. We grew them in our gardens, bought them at the local market, prepared them in our kitchens.
Then the Industrial Revolution happened.... modern farming practices were introduced, the food industry changed...... produce was trucked from one area to another. In order to get produce from one area to another without going bad it was picked green thus leaving it nutrient poor. Eventually moms went to work outside the home. The era of minivans and lunchables was launched. Industry was all to happy to provide easy, convenient meals for mom to fix. I remember my own mothers gleeful buying of tv dinners. Read the ingredients list of those easy, convenient meals and you will find a laundry list of chemicals. Chemicals your body was not designed to assimilate. As industry grew so did the list of chronic illnesses and obesity. The worst thing industry did (in my humble opinion) is market frankenfoods to children. There's a place in hell reserved for those who market frankenfoods to children.
Today we have a cultural nutrition nightmare.
Families need real mealtimes and real food. Whole foods. Fresh veggies and fruits. What you and your children eat today impacts your/their future health.
The body runs on real nutrients. Nutrients you aren't getting if your diet is predominantly processed, manufactured or fast food. Every cell in the body is made from the nutrients you give it.
In 2002, it was recommended in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Assoc) everyone supplement their diet with a quality multi-nutrition product. The USDA food pyramid was changed to include more servings. Why? Because our produce contains 5-40% less minerals and vitamins than it used to. We can't eat enough to get the vitamins and minerals we need. The problem is magnified with the fact that many, if not most of us to begin with don't always eat the healthiest .
Consider that 85% of all disease can be directly attributed to lifestyle. 70% of all cancer can be PREVENTED thru good nutrition. 95% of office visits are due to symptoms arising from stress. Kids are showing up with Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The number one killer of kids is cancer. Chronic diseases are skyrocketing.
We MUST change.
We need to stop the insane busy-ness which feeds into our need for easy, convenient "foods". As a culture we need to set aside time for family connectedness and mealtimes of real food. True nutrition. Not a run thru a fast food place. Not microwaved processed food eaten in front of the tv. We need to sit down as family. Connect with each other and eat real food. Whole foods. Fresh veggies and fruits. Our lives depend on it.
Help me help you! Subscribe to Empowering Wellness Newsletter at http://optimizetoheal.com
Let's look at it in a historical perspective .... we used to eat whole foods. We grew them in our gardens, bought them at the local market, prepared them in our kitchens.
Then the Industrial Revolution happened.... modern farming practices were introduced, the food industry changed...... produce was trucked from one area to another. In order to get produce from one area to another without going bad it was picked green thus leaving it nutrient poor. Eventually moms went to work outside the home. The era of minivans and lunchables was launched. Industry was all to happy to provide easy, convenient meals for mom to fix. I remember my own mothers gleeful buying of tv dinners. Read the ingredients list of those easy, convenient meals and you will find a laundry list of chemicals. Chemicals your body was not designed to assimilate. As industry grew so did the list of chronic illnesses and obesity. The worst thing industry did (in my humble opinion) is market frankenfoods to children. There's a place in hell reserved for those who market frankenfoods to children.
Today we have a cultural nutrition nightmare.
Families need real mealtimes and real food. Whole foods. Fresh veggies and fruits. What you and your children eat today impacts your/their future health.
The body runs on real nutrients. Nutrients you aren't getting if your diet is predominantly processed, manufactured or fast food. Every cell in the body is made from the nutrients you give it.
In 2002, it was recommended in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Assoc) everyone supplement their diet with a quality multi-nutrition product. The USDA food pyramid was changed to include more servings. Why? Because our produce contains 5-40% less minerals and vitamins than it used to. We can't eat enough to get the vitamins and minerals we need. The problem is magnified with the fact that many, if not most of us to begin with don't always eat the healthiest .
Consider that 85% of all disease can be directly attributed to lifestyle. 70% of all cancer can be PREVENTED thru good nutrition. 95% of office visits are due to symptoms arising from stress. Kids are showing up with Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The number one killer of kids is cancer. Chronic diseases are skyrocketing.
We MUST change.
We need to stop the insane busy-ness which feeds into our need for easy, convenient "foods". As a culture we need to set aside time for family connectedness and mealtimes of real food. True nutrition. Not a run thru a fast food place. Not microwaved processed food eaten in front of the tv. We need to sit down as family. Connect with each other and eat real food. Whole foods. Fresh veggies and fruits. Our lives depend on it.
Help me help you! Subscribe to Empowering Wellness Newsletter at http://optimizetoheal.com
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