Too Much of a Sweet Thing?

One of the biggest contributors to our poor state of health these days is sugar. That’s not to say our bodies don’t need sugar – they do, just as we need salt, fats, carbs, proteins, minerals and vitamins. The key is to get all of this in a BALANCE that is best for how our body functions.

Studies show that the average North American intake of refined sugar is somewhere between 15 tsps (60 g) and 25 tsps (100 g) a DAY or 120 lbs a year! Keep in mind that is only sugar we get from processed and fast foods. It doesn’t include naturally-occurring sugars from wholesome foods . To maintain good health we should try and stay under about 40 grams of refined sugar intake per day. Less than that is even better. And don't make the mistake that many people do by thinking that artificial sweetners are better for you because they absolutely ARE NOT unless they are from a naturally-occurring source like stevia, xylitol or agave.

Too much sugar in our bloodstream or sugar overload can cause sinus congestion, frequent colds, migraines, asthma, backaches, hypoglycemia, sleepiness, bloating, immune system dysfunction, indigestion, loss of short-term memory, water retention and yeast infections, to name a few. And if that isn’t enough, sugar is empty calories meaning it has absolutely no nutrient value. None of us would knowingly eat 120 lbs of extra sugar a year, would we? I don't think so. The problem is we don’t realize that a lot of what we’re eating has high amounts of sugar. It’s time we found out.

I bring up this topic because since I’ve learned this I’ve started reading food labels to keep track of how much extra sugar I’m getting each day and it has astounded me! I’m not one who craves sweets and I’m trying to eat healthier these days but I am blown away by how much sugar I’m getting from foods I never would have suspected. Let me give you some examples:

- Honey Nut Cheerios: 9 g/serving
- Flavored yogurt: approx 10 g/100 grams *depending on brand and flavor
- Whole kernel corn, canned,: 5 g/ 1/3 cup
- Tomato soup: 13 g/1/2 cup
- Quaker Instant Oatmeal: 13 g/1 packet
- Ketchup: 4 g/tbsp
- Wheat Thin crackers: 4 g/serving

See how fast seemingly “healthy” food adds up? Now let’s look at an example of what a teenager might eat for, say, breakfast and lunch:

- 1 bowl of Frosted Flakes: 13 g
- ½ c. 1% milk: 6 g.
- Big Mac: 9 g
- Medium Coke: 56 g !!

This kid is already at 84 grams of sugar and it's only lunch time! Is it any wonder today’s kids are overweight, diabetic and being diagnosed with ADHD? As adults let’s set good examples and try to provide children with healthier choices just by being “informed consumers”. Teach kids to read labels and make a game of keeping track of the sugar (and fat and sodium) they might be getting by making certain choices. If we make them more aware at a young age they will, at least, be armed with knowledge to make that choice. As it is now, they assume (as I did) that what we’re feeding them or what they’re choosing to eat must be good for them because, after all, it’s “food”.

Just for the heck of it, track how much sugar you’re eating on an average day. I think you will be surprised. Read the labels of everything, even things that aren’t sweet just to see how many empty calories you might be getting. And if you have some of the symptoms of the health problems previously listed, maybe try to cut back on your sugar intake or ever quit sugar completely for a day or 2 and see if you feel any better. If you notice a difference that might be the clue you need to get on the road to improving your health.


Mary-Louwww.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Products.html

Go Inside and Listen

How many of us are actually "aware" when we're eating of how WHAT we're eating may be affecting us? Certain types of foods work better for one person than for another depending on our unique metabolic type. Even when we think we're eating a healthy diet - the good old "meat & potatoes" that we were raised on - it may not be the best fuel for our particular needs. That's why holistic nutritionists don't usually follow the "Food Guides" - these guides are very general and, quite often, are completely wrong for some metabolic types.

I've been changing the way I eat over the past several months and it's been a real eye-opener. I've always been drawn to starchy foods like bread, pasta, potatoes and now I'm much more conscious of what's going into my mouth, how my body uses it and why my body needs it so, while I still eat those starchy foods, I do so very rarely and in much smaller portions. I find I feel better when I eat more salads, vegetables and fruits and, as someone who never used to eat breakfast, I make sure I always have a smoothie in the morning with protein powder, fruits and plain yogurt. I don't have the highs and lows during the day that I used to have - where I'd be starving by lunch and then tired and sluggish after lunch. What I find so interesting now, is that instead of just "eating to eat", I now think about what I've already eaten and what else my body might need to get the proper balance of nutrients for the day. And, as I'm learning in my nutritional course, that balance can make all the difference between being healthy and being chronically ill. People really do have the power to be healthier and happier if they just start to pay attention to what their body is telling them. If you are constantly tired, achey, depressed, get headaches often, have high blood pressure or have an inflammatory ailment like fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue your body is sending you messages that you should listen to. By all means, a visit to your doctor for a checkup is suggested but, while you're waiting to get in to see the doc, try changing the way you eat - even little changes could positively affect how you're feeling. I suggest printing out the Daily Food Plan: http://mercola.fileburst.com/nt/pdf/LEARNING_TO_LISTEN_TO_YOUR_BODY2.pdf
and fill it out for a few days. You may be surprised to see a pattern emerging as you track what you're eating and how you feel after you eat. Again, it's all about being more self-aware.

If you want to find out what metabolic "type" you are, take the following test. Pretty interesting.
It's FREE to take, you just have to subscribe to the Mercola newsletter (also free!).

http://nutritionaltyping.mercola.com/

Of course, as added "insurance" that I'm getting all of the required vitamins and minerals I need I always take my ForeverGreen products - they just make everything better!
http://seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Products.html



Until next time, take care!

Mary-Lou

"Big opportunities to help others seldom come,
but small ones surround us every day."

Statin Drugs - Not the "Saviour" We Thought?

If you or anyone you know is currently taking a statin drug for high cholesterol (Crestor, Lipitor) PLEASE read this article from Dr. Mercola. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/10/making-sense-of-your-cholesterol-numbers.aspx

Once again, evidence is emerging that these drugs may not help you and could possibly be causing more harm than good. And, again, it keeps coming back to the importance of JUST EATING PROPERLY! Our bodies are made to function perfectly IF GIVEN THE PROPER FUEL! Prescription drugs do nothing more than mask symptoms, disrupt the way the systems in the body work and make pharmaceutical companies and doctors RICH!

Let's get rid of the "lemming mentality"** and start thinking for ourselves and listening to what our body is trying to tell us.

**a member of a large group of people who blindly follow one another on a course of action that will lead to destruction for all of them

Vitamin "L" - Are You Getting/Giving Enough?

I just completed my lesson on Vitamins in my Holistic Nutritionist course and wanted to pass on what I learned about Vitamin "L" because, first of all, it made me smile and secondly, it made sense and I can totally understand why this "vitamin" is so important. Sadly, many people are lacking this essential "nutrient".

Vitamin "L" is absolutely necessary for optimal functioning of people, their cells, tissues and organs and is used to heal/prevent a wide variety of diseases. Fear, anger, worry and self-concern and many other emotions can destroy Vitamin "L". It is very important to heart function and the circulation of warmth and joy.
Vitamin "L" is found easily in Moms & Dads and is highly concentrated in Grandparents. :) It's also found in cats and dogs and other pets; in the beauty of nature and in home-cooked meals. Infants and small children require fairly large doses but every living person cannot function properly without it.

Symptoms of Vitamin "L" deficiency include fatigue, muscle tension, increased stress, stomach upset and relationship problems. Vitamin "L" is also the only vitamin that can be transferred to others and improve their lives as well. The whole body works better when there is plenty of "LOVE". A minimum of 4 hugs a day will help prevent Vitamin "L" deficiency; 6 hugs a day for maintenance and 10 hugs a day for growth.

I just had to share this because holistic practitioners believe that in order for the body to function properly and heal itself, one must have optimum performance in the "whole" person - body, mind and soul - because they are all linked and a deficiency in one area will affect all areas. Make sense? It sure does to me! Until next time.....

Mary-Lou
http://www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/

"Great opportunities to help others seldom come but small ones surround us every day" Sally Koch

Be Open to Learning

I just read the most intriguing article which theorizes that most allergies and autoimmune diseases are caused by undigested food in the body. This food sludge builds up, decays and releases toxins into our systems. As our body tries to attack and destroy these "intruder" toxins it results in symptoms like inflammation, fatigue, stuffiness, headaches and can eventually lead to more serious diseases like cancer. The reason we have all this build-up of decaying food is that we no longer get enough enzymes and flora (good bacteria) in our food. It actually made a lot of sense to me.

When a person's diet consists mainly of Big Macs, pizza, french fries, soft drinks, potato chips and canned or packaged food they are getting ZERO enzymes (and close to zero nutrients) and flora. Enzymes are what break down foods and help us digest them. When that doesn't happen the food just sits there and, well, rots. We get enzymes from raw foods. Cooking food kills its enzymes. Some foods that are high in enzymes are bananas, avocadoes and mangos. There are also enzyme supplements available but, if you're eating a well-balanced, whole-food diet that includes raw vegetables and fruits you should be getting all of the enzymes you need.

Probiotic flora, or good bacteria get destroyed in our bodies by things like antibiotics, antacids, prescription and over-the-counter medications, pain relievers like Advil and Tylenol, white sugar, carbonated drinks and antihistamines. When this good bacteria is killed off, the bad bacteria multiplies - again resulting in many adverse health conditions.

I really believe that most of us don't really think about "how" our bodies work - we just assume that they will keep going, no matter what we put into them or how we abuse them. This holistic nutrition course I'm taking has really made me appreciate what a miraculous thing our body is and how it will function so much better if we put "real" food into it. If we take a moment to think about what we're eating and what we're putting in our grocery carts we will, hopefully, make better choices and take some steps toward better health. I hope that some of what I share with you each week will resonate and, perhaps, help you take control over things you CAN control.

Just knowing that fast food, processed food, canned food and man-made food basically has ZERO nutrition value has made me think about EACH AND EVERY meal I have during the day. I don't think any of us can change how we eat overnight but just by adding more fresh vegetables, fruits and wholesome foods and restricting those zero-nutrition foods so you're not eating them everyday will make a huge difference in improving your overall well-being.

And, even if you can't or don't ALWAYS eat health-smart foods consider adding a good-quality nutritional supplement. That's why I take my FrequenSea, Azul and Pulse 8 every day. (www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Products.html)
I feel so much better knowing that, no matter what, I'm getting the daily benefits of these "whole-food" supplements and giving my body the balanced nutrition it needs to have a fighting chance.

So, be open to learning about how your body works, what it needs to function properly and improve your health and what kinds of food have the best nutritional value and which ones have NO nutritional value. You'll be surprised how just being more aware will make you start to make better choices.

"If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On..."

That thought crossed my mind this week when I was out walking and "bee bopping" to the great tunes on my iPod! There is something about music that makes us feel so good! I guess it can make us feel bad too if it's depressing music but, my point is, that music has such power over our emotions and is one of those things in life we take for granted and probably don't listen to and/or enjoy often enough.
Music can also bookmark defining moments of our life and, just by hearing a certain song, you can be transported back in time. First kiss, first dance, best friend, graduation, your wedding, a funeral....
I love walking to music! It makes the time fly by and I find myself picking up the pace and, sometimes, even doing a little two-step down the sidewalk! Even here, at the store, we just got some new Canton speakers in and OMG! I close my eyes and can "see" the performers right in front of me and hear every instrument! It gives me a whole new appreciation for music that's for sure!

I just heard an announcement that April Wine is coming to Estevan in November and that brought a smile to my face as I started running through those tunes in my head. Ah, the memories from "Tonight is a Wonderful Night to Fall in Love" and "Rock n' Roll is a Vicious Game"....Those of you who were teenagers in the 70's will know what I'm talking about...nudge, nudge. And remember "The Eagles"? "SuperTramp"? "CCR"? "Bob Seger"? "BTO"? THE BEE GEES!!?

I think that, just like putting good nutrition into our bodies for optimum health, we should remember to use music to "feed" our soul. Listen to it; feel it; absorb it and let it take you back in time or cause you to dance like no one is watching.

On that note...I gotta go and download some of those great songs from my "youth" onto my iPod!

Until next week....rock on!

Begin at the Beginning

The big news item recently was that processed baby and toddler foods contain a LOT of added sugar. More than half of baby and toddler foods at Canadian grocery stores have too many calories coming from sugar, according to a study by the University of Calgary.
The study focused on a new category of processed foods such as toddler cereal bars, cookies, fruit snacks and yogurts. It showed 53 per cent of these foods had more than 20 per cent of calories coming from sugar and some even had more than 80 per cent of calories from sugar.

Wow!
You know, babies aren't born craving sugar and salt. For some reason parents seem to think that baby food would be more palatable for the little ones if it was sweeter or saltier (sort of how Mom & Dad prefer food). But babies don't know the difference if it's never introduced to them! Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, ADHD and allergies continue to increase as the predominant illnessess found in children and, what's so tragic is, it's totally preventable. On a positive note I do think that more and more young moms are starting to do things like make their own babyfood and avoid processed foods.
If babies and toddlers are fed wholesome foods WITHOUT added sugar & salt they will be a lot healthier and grow up to have good eating habits. But when grownups start feeding them "treats" like candy, soft drinks, ice cream and dessert (which, by the way, is NOT necessary to end a meal with)that's when they become "picky" eaters and we start bribing them to eat the good stuff so they can have the bad stuff as a "reward".
So, it's my hope that if we can begin good eating habits when they're babies and toddlers, the next generation WON'T be the sickest generation in history.
***************************

Just to let you all know....I've almost completed my 30 BPro screenings for Digital Pulse Wave analysis so will be certified VERY SOON and will be available to offer screenings to everyone! For any of you who've been screened I hope you found it to be an "eye-opener". What I think is so great about it is that with this knowledge you have a headstart and can take steps to halt & reverse heart disease with modifications to your diet and lifestyle rather than having no choice but to go on prescription drugs which don't generally treat the cause of the problem but suppress the symptoms. When our body has symptoms, it's trying to tell us something isn't right. When we supress those symptoms we think everything is fine when, really, whatever it was that caused the symptoms is still there causing more damage but, because we feel better we don't address the problem.

If anyone is interested in being screened, let me know and I will do my best to get it done for you. (Assuming you live fairly close to me-say, within 50 kms!) You could even invite friends and family over and we could do a whole group at the same time! I like that the screenings generally initiate a conversation about health and healthy eating. It's all about education - if you're armed with knowledge you have a powerful tool for making positive changes - and that could save your life!

Until next week...