For many years I consumed what I thought was a healthy diet. I ate fruit, vegetables and salad, but pizza, chicken wings, sausage, french fries, ice cream, dairy products and sweets were also part of my regular fare... candy, pop, or buttery popcorn at the movies... get the picture? Boy am I never going back to that diet! This is the standard American diet (S.A.D.): lots of processed food, fast food, soda pop, meat, meat and more meat, dairy products (milk, butter, cream cheese, sour cream...), sugary treats, sugar and caffeine laden coffee, with little consumption of whole grains, beans, rice, fruits and vegetables. If this form of eating hasn't caught up with in some way right now, it will. How do I know? The China Study, Dr. T Colin Campbell, Dr. Neal Barnyard, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Pamela Popper have proven time and time again that allergies, asthma, IBS, sleep disorders, cancer and disease, are for the most part, but not limited to, our diet and lifestyle choices and the things we put in our mouth. Most Americans have health related issues that they have come to think are the norm like allergies, memory loss, IBS, sinus issues, the need for a midday, or early afternoon nap and more, but these are all red flags. Wake up- It's time to get healthy!
I am feeling so, incredibly amazing, so I feel extra inspired. We are also expecting our second baby, so I am looking forward to writing some articles on my amazing experience with my pregnancy and labor with our daughter. Faith + mind over matter. My mind and heart is in the right place, my faith is at the forefront of everything, I can't possibly have more energy, or I think I could fly to the moon without a rocket, I'm working out 1st thing in the morning, I'm loving life, loving my hubby, my daughter, my family, my friends, getting projects done around the house and so, so ready to really start making some lifestyle transformations. I am also preparing to purchase a high-tech Biomeridian machine and undergo training, which will enable me to test for a variety of health related issues.
Some of my family members and friends think I am nuts. While some of them continue to eat hot dogs, potato chips, cookies, ice cream, drink dairy milk, eat meat 2-3 times a day, drink alcohol everyday, don't exercise, allow stressful situations to get the best of them and so on and they have health related issues, aches and pains, headaches and they are tired all the time. It took 15, or so years for Dr. Popper's family to listen to her, so I guess I have to be patient. It took 24, or so years for me to start paying attention to the things I was putting into my body and on my body, so again, I guess I have to be patient.
A very small portion of our genes are responsible for our health outcomes. That means we have the upper hand. We are in control by a whopping 97-98% my friends! Foods are addictive and eating something simply because it tastes good is not justification for eating unhealthy foods.
We can become addicted to meat and fatty foods just as easily as someone can become addicted to sugary, or salty foods. These foods set off the dopamine receptors in our brains, a survival mechanism, so again, think before you put "that" into your mouth. Is the food you are consuming nutrient dense? If not, throw it in the trash and stop wasting your money on food that is just going to make you and your family sick.
There is nothing healthy about any form of dairy: raw, cultured yogurt, organic milk, or yogurt, cottage cheese, you name it. Dairy is perfect for baby cows, but not for humans. Cows reach their optimal weight within a year, whereas we reach our optimal weight by the time we are around 18. Dairy products (whey, casein, milk, yogurt, butter, sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, you name it) have not only been linked to cancer, but other health related issues such as Crohn's disease, allergies in children (when the mother consumes it while pregnant, via breastmilk, via formula and when the child consumes it, especially at an early age), colic in babies and much more.
Oils are not health foods. Oils are not found in nature. They are concentrated, liquid fats my friends. 1 tablespoon of any oil has approximately 14 grams of fat. When we strip the oil from the olive we lose the fiber, the antioxidants, the phytochemicals, the vitamins and minerals and so on. Stick to the whole food and ditch the oil, all of them.
Meat, fish and eggs can be consumed 2-3 times a week, assuming there are no major existing health issues like Crohn's disease, fibromyalgia, or cancer, but it should be organic. Meat does not contain any fiber, which is necessary to remove waste and toxins from the body via the colon. It does not contain antioxidants, or phytochemicals. The World Health Organization established protein needs to be around 2.5% of one's daily calories, so most Americans are consuming much, much more than that on a daily basis. We can obtain 2.5% of our daily protein calories from plant based foods. We do not need to consume meat to obtain all essential amino acids.
Sugar is highly addictive, it promotes unhealthy intestinal bacteria and there are no vitamins, or minerals in sugary foods. I am referring to high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, agave nectar, sugar alcohols, aspartame and so on.
Despite popular belief, caffeine is not a health food. It's a highly addictive drug, it can cause adrenal exhaustion, the bowels can become reliant on it, as it is a diuretic causing a laxative effect, it is very acidic, so it can create inflammation in the body. A study in the February 2008 issue of Diabetes Care reflected that it was potentially increasing blood sugar levels.
Processed foods: potato chips, boxed potatoes, ramen noodles, frozen dinners, juice, Little Debbie's, cereal and pasta, just to name a few, are all processed foods. While some of these items, like whole grain pasta and 100% whole grain breads, are o.k. every so often, most processed foods need to be eliminated from the diet. Despite the organic, or natural label, processed foods do not contain digestive enzymes, which help break down our food and they are also "fortified" by the manufacture with vitamins and minerals, vs. containing naturally occuring vitamins and minerals in the whole food (like rice, or vegetables).
A plant based diet, like the one mentioned in the China Study, by Dr. T Colin Campbell, or like the one mentioned in the documentary Forks Over Knives, or like the one mentioned by the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine have been proven to prevent and reverse allergies, arthritis, Crohn's disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight problems, infertility, skin conditions, digestive ailments and cancer. To name a few...
A diet based on filtered water, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, corn, and potatoes/sweet potatoes promotes optimal health, provides all of the essential vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, carbohydrates, phytochemicals, antioxidants and fiber that one would need. The ONLY time supplements would be consumed is under the direction of a qualified health practitioner and those supplements would most likely be consumed on a temporary basis to restore health.
I constantly talk to and see so many people wasting their money on protein powder, vitamin and mineral supplements, cleanses and more. Isolated vitamin and mineral supplements have scientifically been shown time and time again to have little benefit on the body, while potentially causing more harm than good and many vitamin and mineral supplements have processed ingredients like food coloring and synthetic vitamins. Dr. Neal Barnyard, Dr. T Colin Campbell, Dr. Caldwell Esselsytn, Dr. Pamela Popper have all done extensive research on the use of multivitamins and supplements and they continue to report that there is little evidence to support the benefits of supplements. The manufacture's are the only ones that benefit when they rake in the money from all the sales on their products.
While I do believe in the benefits of a good cleansing program, I strongly believe that one should consult with a qualified health practiotioner prior to doing a so-called cleanse and that one should be tested to determine what type of cleanse, or supplement would be most suitable for their body (Biomeridian Testing). Cleansing programs assist the body in cleaning out the GI tract by reducing demands on the colon, toxins are cleansed from the liver, kidneys, blood and so on and unhealthy food addictions are broken. There are, however, many, many cleanses that can do more harm than good. Losing a large sum of weight all at once can cause a surge of toxins to filter throughout the body causing a plethora of temporary, but annoying health related issues like fatigue and constipation and a variety of organs can undergo more stress than they would normally be capable of handling. Some cleanses contain harmful ingredients, preservatives, food coloring and additives. Many cleanses recommend taking a multivitamin/multimineral supplement, protein powder, or something else of the sort to assist in the cleanse and restore health, but again, some of these products contain harmful ingredients, they are not warranted, or they are simply a waste of money.
I am here to answer your questions, I am here to address your concerns, I am here to educate you, I am here as your friend. I realize that I may not being going through, or experiencing some of the lifestyle challenges that you are experiencing, I realize I may not have the health related conditions that you have, I realize that if you are overweight and that I am of normal weight you may feel I cannot relate to you, or potentially understand how difficult it may be to take weight off, but please, please, don't allow our potential differences to keep you from transforming your life and your health today. Let's get started on your transformation. God Bless!
Reliable Resources:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
http://www.tcolincampbell.org/
http://pcrm.org/media/blog/
Stopping Cancer at the Source by M. Sara Rosenthal Ph.D.
