I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas as well as a Happy & Healthy New Year.
With the New Year fast approaching we all start thinking about those inevitable resolutions that we make and, hopefully, keep. As always, maintaining my health is on MY list of resolutions and to do that, becoming more active is at the top of that list. When making changes in my life, I find that taking small steps seems to work better than trying to do everything all at once. Over the past year and a half or so, I've changed the way I eat - not all at once but gradually - and am much more aware of what I'm eating, when I eat and WHY I eat. I'm not a fanatic about it and occasionally I slip up but just by making that change I have dropped about 10 pounds and feel better than I have in years!
Of course, I also believe that taking my ForeverGreen products has helped by giving me a good "support" system for the positive changes I've made. I know that when I take my FrequenSea I'm getting all of my daily nutritional requirements; my Pulse8 supports and strengthens my cardiovascular system and by taking A.I.M Transfer Factor I'm building a strong immune system that has, so far, kept me from getting colds or the flu. Some would argue that if we're eating properly we shouldn't need nutritional supplements but let's face it, none of us eats "perfectly" - we just don't have easy access to organic food and fresh produce. Even the "experts" agree that supplements are necessary in this day and age but we have to remember that supplements do not take the place of good nutrition; they are not the magic "pill" that will cure all of our health problems - they have to be used "in addition to" good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.
During the holidays it's very easy to overeat and eat things that aren't very nutritious, like baking and sweets. I also find that the cold weather makes me want to eat filling, warming foods that tend to be high in carbs. That, coupled with lack of exercise make it very easy to gain weight. But, if you cave in and indulge yourself just get back on track the very next day and don't beat yourself up - the holiday season is meant to be enjoyed and that includes all of that yummy food.
I thought I'd pass on my morning "Smoothie" recipe because I've found that it's become my daily staple - I just feel so much better with my morning shake and I never used to eat breakfast at all. If you don't have a Magic Bullet, consider getting one. For $40 it's a great investment.
Here's my basic recipe:
1/4 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. 1 % milk
handful of fresh or frozen fruit
(I use frozen because it makes the shake nice and cold)
couple pieces of banana
1 scoop of "Thunder" (Forevergreen chocolate whey protein powder)
1 tbsp of ground flax seed
Put all ingredients into Magic Bullet and mix for a minute.
For a change I sometimes add 1 tbsp of molasses or some "Azul" or even some peanut butter!
As we get ready for Christmas morning and prepare to bid farewell to another year let's remember to take time for ourselves. Good health includes not only good nutrition but less stress, more exercise, more laughter, fresh air, good relationships and balance in our lives....food for thought.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Mary-Lou
"Health" is so much more than visiting your doctor when you don't feel good. True health is achieved through "wellness"....of the body, mind and spirit...to achieve balance on all levels and to do so in a way that honors WHO you are. We are a part of Nature and, as such, should look to Nature for our wellness.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Intuitive Eating
We've all heard of "intuition", usually when referring to a woman and her uncanny sense of always knowing the right thing to do. (No offense, guys!) The dictionary defines it as "instinctive and unconscious knowing without deduction or reasoning".
When it comes to how and what we eat there is actually something called "intuitive eating" - in other words, listening to the demands of our body and feeding it what it needs, when it needs it. Notice I didn't say "listen to your BRAIN" because, chances are, the good old brain would tell you to eat Big Macs, chocolate bars and ice cream.
We all have intuition. We just have to learn to "listen"; to go inside ourselves and pay attention to what our body is trying to tell us. If we did this, there would be no overweight people, no need for diets and everyone would be a heck of a lot healthier. Intuitive eating means that just because it's 12 noon, it doesn't mean it's lunch time. It means eating when we're hungry and stopping when we're full. Tiny babies eat intuitively - on demand - although they have to trust us, their parents, to feed them properly. Little children tend to eat intuitively - at least until we impose things like "lunch time" & "supper time" on their eating habits. When a child says they're not hungry at suppertime but an hour later they're "starving" it could be because that's what their bodies are telling them and they haven't yet learned to suppress those little voices inside.
With our busy schedules and hectic lives it's hard to eat on demand but with a bit of attention & organization it can be done. For example, always carry a piece of fruit (apple, banana) with you and perhaps some nuts - something to reach for when your body tells you it's hungry. If you ignore that feeling you end up overeating when you finally do get near some food or, worse, you don't eat at all until much later in the day. A good habit to get into is eating breakfast. Your body has not had any nutrition while you slept and it needs some fuel to get going. Ideally, eat your proteins before mid-day as those provide your body with the most energy at the time when it needs that "power". By suppertime you should be eating less "energy" foods since you don't need much energy in the evening or just prior to bedtime and you don't want those heavy foods sitting in your gut trying to digest when you should be resting your body. Makes sense, doesn't it?
Because of the way most of us were brought up, supper was the biggest meal of the day and, really, that is backwards to the needs of our body. We need power/energy in the morning, something at lunch that will sustain us through the afternoon and a light meal to end the day as we gear down.
I've been talking to a lot of people lately as I've been doing the Digital Pulse Wave screening and I've noticed that a great many of them are very "self-aware". They "had a feeling" that they should do something about their health even though their doctor hadn't diagnosed them with anything. Others have told me that when they started taking meds prescribed by their doctor, they felt worse and quit taking the meds and then felt better. Whatever we call it - "gut instinct" or "that little voice inside" - we should listen to it more often because, in most cases our body will tell us what it needs.
Until next time, food for thought.....
Mary-Lou
When it comes to how and what we eat there is actually something called "intuitive eating" - in other words, listening to the demands of our body and feeding it what it needs, when it needs it. Notice I didn't say "listen to your BRAIN" because, chances are, the good old brain would tell you to eat Big Macs, chocolate bars and ice cream.
We all have intuition. We just have to learn to "listen"; to go inside ourselves and pay attention to what our body is trying to tell us. If we did this, there would be no overweight people, no need for diets and everyone would be a heck of a lot healthier. Intuitive eating means that just because it's 12 noon, it doesn't mean it's lunch time. It means eating when we're hungry and stopping when we're full. Tiny babies eat intuitively - on demand - although they have to trust us, their parents, to feed them properly. Little children tend to eat intuitively - at least until we impose things like "lunch time" & "supper time" on their eating habits. When a child says they're not hungry at suppertime but an hour later they're "starving" it could be because that's what their bodies are telling them and they haven't yet learned to suppress those little voices inside.
With our busy schedules and hectic lives it's hard to eat on demand but with a bit of attention & organization it can be done. For example, always carry a piece of fruit (apple, banana) with you and perhaps some nuts - something to reach for when your body tells you it's hungry. If you ignore that feeling you end up overeating when you finally do get near some food or, worse, you don't eat at all until much later in the day. A good habit to get into is eating breakfast. Your body has not had any nutrition while you slept and it needs some fuel to get going. Ideally, eat your proteins before mid-day as those provide your body with the most energy at the time when it needs that "power". By suppertime you should be eating less "energy" foods since you don't need much energy in the evening or just prior to bedtime and you don't want those heavy foods sitting in your gut trying to digest when you should be resting your body. Makes sense, doesn't it?
Because of the way most of us were brought up, supper was the biggest meal of the day and, really, that is backwards to the needs of our body. We need power/energy in the morning, something at lunch that will sustain us through the afternoon and a light meal to end the day as we gear down.
I've been talking to a lot of people lately as I've been doing the Digital Pulse Wave screening and I've noticed that a great many of them are very "self-aware". They "had a feeling" that they should do something about their health even though their doctor hadn't diagnosed them with anything. Others have told me that when they started taking meds prescribed by their doctor, they felt worse and quit taking the meds and then felt better. Whatever we call it - "gut instinct" or "that little voice inside" - we should listen to it more often because, in most cases our body will tell us what it needs.
Until next time, food for thought.....
Mary-Lou
Monday, October 11, 2010
One Small Thing
Most people I talk to "get it" that they could improve their health by not eating junk food; cutting coffee, sugar, trans fats and additives out of their daily meals; exercising regularly and many other things but I think it's overwhelming to most of them as to where to start. They want instant results and try to change everything all at once and that's where they're setting themselves up for failure.
We've been brought up to look for the quick fix - relief in a pill or "program" - we just want to feel better and we want it NOW! But think about how long you've been doing all of the "wrong" things and realize that it's going to take some time to change those habits. When I look back over the last year and see what changes I've made, mostly in what I consume, I'm amazed not only by how much better I feel but by how many things I used to do that I don't do now- and I don't miss them. I also realize I have a long way to go. I know I have to give up my coffee (or at least cut it down dramatically); I have to be more physically active on a daily basis and I'm working on drinking those 8 glasses of water everyday.
I'm learning to be consistent in the things I have changed and am feeling so much better for having done that but I don't beat myself up when I don't accomplish other things (like kicking my caffeine habit or going for a walk everyday). Yes, it's hard to change. Yes, sometimes I slide backwards. But life is not static. Everyday is a new day to try again and be happy for even small accomplishments because when you look back over a month or a year and realize what you HAVE accomplished it's actually pretty amazing.
My advice to those wanting to make long-term health improvements would be, first and foremost, start small. I recently talked to an 83 year old man who, when told at age 80 that he had to lose weight if he wanted to live a longer life, completely cut sugar out of his diet. That's it. NO MORE SUGAR. One thing. Granted it was probably not easy to do but it was only ONE THING that he had to focus on. Just by doing that one thing he went on to lose over 100 lbs and is feeling better at 83 than he has for many years. As a result, he's more active, eats better overall and no longer has diabetes. So from that one thing he has gone on to make other positive changes and probably didn't even have to think about them.
How many people do you know who, at 80 years of age, would have bothered to make that change? Most would have said, "Oh well, I'm old anyway, what's the use?" My conversation with that gentleman has been my new motivation. It's never too late to improve your life, your health, your relationships and it can all be done by changing just ONE SMALL THING.
***************************
On another note, I just want to share some exciting news about a NEW product being released this month by ForeverGreen - just in time for flu season. It's called "ImmunEyes" and it contains Oil of Oregano, Virgin Coconut Oil and Marine Phytoplankton. The first two ingredients have been scientifically proven to be as effective as antibiotics at killing bacteria and pathogens like e. coli and staph. But ForeverGreen has taken it one step further and added the amazing nutritional benefits of the phytoplankton to make ImmunEyes a "safe" natural alternative to flu shots. You can check it out at: www.seawellness.immuneyesdaily.com
Once again, Mother Nature has the solution to better health.
Until next week, "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
We've been brought up to look for the quick fix - relief in a pill or "program" - we just want to feel better and we want it NOW! But think about how long you've been doing all of the "wrong" things and realize that it's going to take some time to change those habits. When I look back over the last year and see what changes I've made, mostly in what I consume, I'm amazed not only by how much better I feel but by how many things I used to do that I don't do now- and I don't miss them. I also realize I have a long way to go. I know I have to give up my coffee (or at least cut it down dramatically); I have to be more physically active on a daily basis and I'm working on drinking those 8 glasses of water everyday.
I'm learning to be consistent in the things I have changed and am feeling so much better for having done that but I don't beat myself up when I don't accomplish other things (like kicking my caffeine habit or going for a walk everyday). Yes, it's hard to change. Yes, sometimes I slide backwards. But life is not static. Everyday is a new day to try again and be happy for even small accomplishments because when you look back over a month or a year and realize what you HAVE accomplished it's actually pretty amazing.
My advice to those wanting to make long-term health improvements would be, first and foremost, start small. I recently talked to an 83 year old man who, when told at age 80 that he had to lose weight if he wanted to live a longer life, completely cut sugar out of his diet. That's it. NO MORE SUGAR. One thing. Granted it was probably not easy to do but it was only ONE THING that he had to focus on. Just by doing that one thing he went on to lose over 100 lbs and is feeling better at 83 than he has for many years. As a result, he's more active, eats better overall and no longer has diabetes. So from that one thing he has gone on to make other positive changes and probably didn't even have to think about them.
How many people do you know who, at 80 years of age, would have bothered to make that change? Most would have said, "Oh well, I'm old anyway, what's the use?" My conversation with that gentleman has been my new motivation. It's never too late to improve your life, your health, your relationships and it can all be done by changing just ONE SMALL THING.
***************************
On another note, I just want to share some exciting news about a NEW product being released this month by ForeverGreen - just in time for flu season. It's called "ImmunEyes" and it contains Oil of Oregano, Virgin Coconut Oil and Marine Phytoplankton. The first two ingredients have been scientifically proven to be as effective as antibiotics at killing bacteria and pathogens like e. coli and staph. But ForeverGreen has taken it one step further and added the amazing nutritional benefits of the phytoplankton to make ImmunEyes a "safe" natural alternative to flu shots. You can check it out at: www.seawellness.immuneyesdaily.com
Once again, Mother Nature has the solution to better health.
Until next week, "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Nature's Pharmacy
Flu season is upon us once again and the media feeding frenzy has begun as have the "scare tactics". I don't know what your personal views are on flu shots but I have never had a flu shot and don't plan on getting one anytime soon. Now, this could be because I generally don't get the flu but I've always just had a "gut feeling" about this subject and now that I'm taking my Holistic Nutritionist course I am more convinced than ever that there is a better way to fight the flu that won't compromise our immune system.
The human body has the amazing ability to fight pathogens, viruses and anything that threatens it but IT HAS TO BE HEALTHY to do this effectively and most of us are not that healthy to begin with. Our immune system has been weakened by years of poor nutrition, lack of exercise, being on antibiotics and getting flu shots. I think we're all aware of how overused antibiotics are and have been in the past, which has led us to a world of "superbugs" - viruses that are resistant to antibiotics. The reason this happened is because Mother Nature has a built-in protective system that applies to all living things and, like it or not, viruses and bacteria are living things. When something threatens it (like antibiotics) it naturally evolves to offset that threat. It's a vicious cycle with mankind trying to beat Nature and, if I were a betting person, I would bet on Nature winning everytime.
The really interesting thing I've learned recently is that there are products in nature that are as effective at killing pathogens and viruses as antibiotics are! One of these products from nature is Oil of Oregano. Just "Google" it and read about the amazing antibiotic properties of this essential oil. Actually, all of the essential oils have phenomonal healing properties and have been used for centuries & ForeverGreen has a whole product line of these oils - I'm definitely going to be looking more closely at them!
I am also very pleased that ForeverGreen is, once again, proving itself to be a company that is at the forefront of making clean, natural products available to those of us interested in being healthy as naturally as possible. They are launching a new product on Oct 1st called "Immuneyes" - just in time for flu season - that contains Oil of Oregano, Virgin Coconut Oil AND Marine Phytoplankton! Using products found in Nature to kill off bacteria and viruses makes a lot of sense to me - sort of like letting Nature take it's course - rather than introducing man-made pharmaceuticals into our bodies which kill off not only the "bad bugs" but also kill off any of the "good bugs" we need to have a strong immune system.
If you are someone who is skeptical about having the flu shot or would just like to educate yourself about possible natural alternatives to the flu shot and antibiotics, please visit: http://seawellness.immuneyesdaily.com/ for a short but thought-provoking video. Also watch the following 3rd party video for more very interesting information: http://www.injectionprotection.com/
I totally respect every individual's beliefs when it comes to taking care of themselves and their family. I just hope that people aren't blindly trusting in something that the government and medical authorities tells them they MUST do by using scare tactics and fear-mongering. After the H1N1 fiasco of last season, I personally don't believe much of what the "authorities" have to say. That's not to say that antibiotics and immunzations aren't important - they ARE! But I'd like to think that they're there for real life-threatening emergencies, not for a sore throat or the sniffles. Medical advancements have been huge in our lifetime but I believe preventative medicine, where we do all we can to STAY healthy, makes more sense than just depending on over-worked doctors and pharmaceuticals to "fix" us when we've let our health go.
As always, thanks for letting me rant and I hope I've left you with "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
The human body has the amazing ability to fight pathogens, viruses and anything that threatens it but IT HAS TO BE HEALTHY to do this effectively and most of us are not that healthy to begin with. Our immune system has been weakened by years of poor nutrition, lack of exercise, being on antibiotics and getting flu shots. I think we're all aware of how overused antibiotics are and have been in the past, which has led us to a world of "superbugs" - viruses that are resistant to antibiotics. The reason this happened is because Mother Nature has a built-in protective system that applies to all living things and, like it or not, viruses and bacteria are living things. When something threatens it (like antibiotics) it naturally evolves to offset that threat. It's a vicious cycle with mankind trying to beat Nature and, if I were a betting person, I would bet on Nature winning everytime.
The really interesting thing I've learned recently is that there are products in nature that are as effective at killing pathogens and viruses as antibiotics are! One of these products from nature is Oil of Oregano. Just "Google" it and read about the amazing antibiotic properties of this essential oil. Actually, all of the essential oils have phenomonal healing properties and have been used for centuries & ForeverGreen has a whole product line of these oils - I'm definitely going to be looking more closely at them!
I am also very pleased that ForeverGreen is, once again, proving itself to be a company that is at the forefront of making clean, natural products available to those of us interested in being healthy as naturally as possible. They are launching a new product on Oct 1st called "Immuneyes" - just in time for flu season - that contains Oil of Oregano, Virgin Coconut Oil AND Marine Phytoplankton! Using products found in Nature to kill off bacteria and viruses makes a lot of sense to me - sort of like letting Nature take it's course - rather than introducing man-made pharmaceuticals into our bodies which kill off not only the "bad bugs" but also kill off any of the "good bugs" we need to have a strong immune system.
If you are someone who is skeptical about having the flu shot or would just like to educate yourself about possible natural alternatives to the flu shot and antibiotics, please visit: http://seawellness.immuneyesdaily.com/ for a short but thought-provoking video. Also watch the following 3rd party video for more very interesting information: http://www.injectionprotection.com/
I totally respect every individual's beliefs when it comes to taking care of themselves and their family. I just hope that people aren't blindly trusting in something that the government and medical authorities tells them they MUST do by using scare tactics and fear-mongering. After the H1N1 fiasco of last season, I personally don't believe much of what the "authorities" have to say. That's not to say that antibiotics and immunzations aren't important - they ARE! But I'd like to think that they're there for real life-threatening emergencies, not for a sore throat or the sniffles. Medical advancements have been huge in our lifetime but I believe preventative medicine, where we do all we can to STAY healthy, makes more sense than just depending on over-worked doctors and pharmaceuticals to "fix" us when we've let our health go.
As always, thanks for letting me rant and I hope I've left you with "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
Monday, September 13, 2010
Restoration Biology
41 years ago a song called "In the Year 2525" by Zager & Evans was released. It's theme about man's overdependence on technology was popular as evidenced by the song's being #1 for 6 weeks on the Top 100. I remember that song because, as an elementary student, it prompted me to write a story about the future and I recall writing about our food being nothing more than a pill that we'd pop everyday and how we'd have withered arms and legs because we wouldn't need to use them - robots and machines would do everything for us. I never imagined that just a few decades later we would actually be teetering on the brink of that reality.
What brought this to mind was "Vitamin Water" of all things. I started thinking "what the heck is wrong with good old water that someone felt the need to ADD things to it?" If people are that concerned about being deficient in vitamins, maybe they should start eating something more than cardboard disguised as food. Food manufacturers take all of the nutrition out of real food and then add things back into it to ensure that it tastes better than the original, it won't spoil and, most of all, it will be convenient. By doing that they have, in many cases, changed the molecular structure so that it isn't really the same food at all - in fact, it can't even be considered FOOD anymore!
As consumers we've been led to believe that advances in technology are always for our well-being. Nothing could really be further from the truth, especially when it comes to the food we put into our bodies. Products like artificial sweetners, artificial flavors, added colors and, yes, even vitamins added to water are doing much more harm than good. The damage to our health may not show up for many years and by then the damage is done and a whole new crop of chronic diseases emerge to put more pressure on our already stressed healthcare system.
I know how confusing it is to figure out which vitamins and nutrients we're supposed to be getting when a different study comes out almost daily touting the benefits of one vitamin over another. The most recent Vitamin that's getting rave reviews is Vitamin D, which many of us in the northern part of the world often don't get enough of with our short summers and short winter days because Vitamin D is what we get from the sun. But ALL vitamins are important, as are minerals and because our "modernized" diet is sorely lacking in natural sources of these important nutrients we are usually always lacking something that our body needs.
That's why, when I found ForeverGreen products, I was happy to have found nutritional supplements that contained ALL of the daily vitamins and minerals we need and THEY CAME FROM NATURAL SOURCES. The marine phytoplankton in and of itself contains nutrition that is second to none and with the addition of specific fruits and plants I'm also ensured of getting one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any product currently on the market. The ForeverGreen product line offers restoration support in the areas of Cardio, Immune System, Weight Management, Beauty and Skin Care, Natural Energy, Physical Fitness, and overall General Health.
The improvements to my health have been many. I no longer suffer from migraines, my aches and pains are gone, my skin is smooth and younger-looking, I have more energy than I've had in ten years, I feel calm, focused and optimistic and my hot flashes have completely disappeared. I just feel GOOD! And I know it's because I'm giving my body all of the vital nutrients it needs on a daily basis. These products are also immediately bioavailable to our cells unlike capsules or pills that first have to be digested and, in most cases, don't ever get the chance to release the stated amount of the supplement.
ForeverGreen's premise is that it's not the products themselves that give us the increased health benefits but how our bodies react to having optimal nutrition provided. As Ron Williams, the President of ForeverGreen says, "our bodies will perform miracles by the minute when edified with the proper raw materials." And that, in a nutshell, is what Restoration Biology is - providing the best clean, organic food as well as marine phytoplankton to the body so that it can "restore" itself to it's true biological age. How many of us are, say, 40 years old chronologically but FEEL 60? The combination of poor food choices, stress and lack of exercise are undermining our health at a younger and younger age. School age children are obese, lethargic, depressed and, often, on the brink of health issues like cardiovascular disease and diabetes but it doesn't have to be this way.
The body we have is the only body we've been given (at least until technology is able to provide us with a new one!) so, I believe we can choose to nourish and nurture it or neglect it and see just how much it can take before it gives up. It's my hope that by the year 2525 we will have technology to thank for many things but will have also realized that the greatest "gift" we possess is the body in which we reside - and it is up to us, not technology, to take care of it.
Until next time, "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Tree.html
What brought this to mind was "Vitamin Water" of all things. I started thinking "what the heck is wrong with good old water that someone felt the need to ADD things to it?" If people are that concerned about being deficient in vitamins, maybe they should start eating something more than cardboard disguised as food. Food manufacturers take all of the nutrition out of real food and then add things back into it to ensure that it tastes better than the original, it won't spoil and, most of all, it will be convenient. By doing that they have, in many cases, changed the molecular structure so that it isn't really the same food at all - in fact, it can't even be considered FOOD anymore!
As consumers we've been led to believe that advances in technology are always for our well-being. Nothing could really be further from the truth, especially when it comes to the food we put into our bodies. Products like artificial sweetners, artificial flavors, added colors and, yes, even vitamins added to water are doing much more harm than good. The damage to our health may not show up for many years and by then the damage is done and a whole new crop of chronic diseases emerge to put more pressure on our already stressed healthcare system.
I know how confusing it is to figure out which vitamins and nutrients we're supposed to be getting when a different study comes out almost daily touting the benefits of one vitamin over another. The most recent Vitamin that's getting rave reviews is Vitamin D, which many of us in the northern part of the world often don't get enough of with our short summers and short winter days because Vitamin D is what we get from the sun. But ALL vitamins are important, as are minerals and because our "modernized" diet is sorely lacking in natural sources of these important nutrients we are usually always lacking something that our body needs.
That's why, when I found ForeverGreen products, I was happy to have found nutritional supplements that contained ALL of the daily vitamins and minerals we need and THEY CAME FROM NATURAL SOURCES. The marine phytoplankton in and of itself contains nutrition that is second to none and with the addition of specific fruits and plants I'm also ensured of getting one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any product currently on the market. The ForeverGreen product line offers restoration support in the areas of Cardio, Immune System, Weight Management, Beauty and Skin Care, Natural Energy, Physical Fitness, and overall General Health.
The improvements to my health have been many. I no longer suffer from migraines, my aches and pains are gone, my skin is smooth and younger-looking, I have more energy than I've had in ten years, I feel calm, focused and optimistic and my hot flashes have completely disappeared. I just feel GOOD! And I know it's because I'm giving my body all of the vital nutrients it needs on a daily basis. These products are also immediately bioavailable to our cells unlike capsules or pills that first have to be digested and, in most cases, don't ever get the chance to release the stated amount of the supplement.
ForeverGreen's premise is that it's not the products themselves that give us the increased health benefits but how our bodies react to having optimal nutrition provided. As Ron Williams, the President of ForeverGreen says, "our bodies will perform miracles by the minute when edified with the proper raw materials." And that, in a nutshell, is what Restoration Biology is - providing the best clean, organic food as well as marine phytoplankton to the body so that it can "restore" itself to it's true biological age. How many of us are, say, 40 years old chronologically but FEEL 60? The combination of poor food choices, stress and lack of exercise are undermining our health at a younger and younger age. School age children are obese, lethargic, depressed and, often, on the brink of health issues like cardiovascular disease and diabetes but it doesn't have to be this way.
The body we have is the only body we've been given (at least until technology is able to provide us with a new one!) so, I believe we can choose to nourish and nurture it or neglect it and see just how much it can take before it gives up. It's my hope that by the year 2525 we will have technology to thank for many things but will have also realized that the greatest "gift" we possess is the body in which we reside - and it is up to us, not technology, to take care of it.
Until next time, "food" for thought.
Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Tree.html
Friday, September 3, 2010
Chew, Chew, Chew
During this personal quest of mine for better health I am finding that "self-awareness" is a key component. For example, in my last blog I talked about reading labels and keeping track of how much sugar you're actually eating daily. I'd love to hear from any of you who are doing this and if you were surprised by what you found. When we become more aware of what's going into our mouths it's amazing how our usual habits start to change, little by little.
Today, I'm going to ask you another question: "How many times do you chew a mouthful of food when you're eating?" Now, you may be thinking this is sort of a strange question but do me a favour and, tonight when you're eating supper, count how many times you chew each bite.
Digestion of food begins in our mouths - in fact, it's one of the most important steps in the digestive process. And, let's face it, if your food isn't being properly digested and just sits like a lump inside you you're bound to have symptoms like indigestion and uncomfortable feelings of fullness. Worse than that, because the food isn't being broken down properly, your body is not getting the nutritional value from that food that it so desperately needs to function. Poor digestion leads to many chronic ailments like a weakened immune system, allergies, chronic fatigue, arthritis, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, and skin disorders. Quite often, symptoms that we think are just from getting older, can be eliminated by changing how we eat and what we eat.
To make sure your digestive system has a fighting chance to work properly, you should chew soft foods 5 to 10 times and harder foods like meat up to 30 times before swallowing. When I first started counting my own bites it was quite funny! My hubby had always teased me about how fast I ate, saying I "inhaled" my food. He was almost right! My average number of "chews" was about 5 - including meat! Wow! Now I'm really trying to chew, chew, chew and I'm finding that 1) I don't eat as much before I feel full and 2) it takes longer to eat so I'm relaxing more during the meal which is important too.
Another important point that surprised me (but makes sense) is you shouldn't drink water or other beverages, like a big glass of milk with meals. Doing so actually slows down digestion because the liquid dilutes the stomach acids and they aren't as strong as they need to be to do the best job. Drink your fluids 20-30 minutes BEFORE or AFTER the meal.
Who knew feeding ourselves was so complicated? I hope you're trying some of the things I'm throwing out there and please let me know if any of it's making a difference in how you feel. I know it is for me. Feel free to email me with your comments or observations: seawellness@hotmail.com
Until next week, enjoy the last long weekend of summer! Let's hope we get decent weather!
Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Products.html
Today, I'm going to ask you another question: "How many times do you chew a mouthful of food when you're eating?" Now, you may be thinking this is sort of a strange question but do me a favour and, tonight when you're eating supper, count how many times you chew each bite.
Digestion of food begins in our mouths - in fact, it's one of the most important steps in the digestive process. And, let's face it, if your food isn't being properly digested and just sits like a lump inside you you're bound to have symptoms like indigestion and uncomfortable feelings of fullness. Worse than that, because the food isn't being broken down properly, your body is not getting the nutritional value from that food that it so desperately needs to function. Poor digestion leads to many chronic ailments like a weakened immune system, allergies, chronic fatigue, arthritis, insomnia, joint and muscle pain, and skin disorders. Quite often, symptoms that we think are just from getting older, can be eliminated by changing how we eat and what we eat.
To make sure your digestive system has a fighting chance to work properly, you should chew soft foods 5 to 10 times and harder foods like meat up to 30 times before swallowing. When I first started counting my own bites it was quite funny! My hubby had always teased me about how fast I ate, saying I "inhaled" my food. He was almost right! My average number of "chews" was about 5 - including meat! Wow! Now I'm really trying to chew, chew, chew and I'm finding that 1) I don't eat as much before I feel full and 2) it takes longer to eat so I'm relaxing more during the meal which is important too.
Another important point that surprised me (but makes sense) is you shouldn't drink water or other beverages, like a big glass of milk with meals. Doing so actually slows down digestion because the liquid dilutes the stomach acids and they aren't as strong as they need to be to do the best job. Drink your fluids 20-30 minutes BEFORE or AFTER the meal.
Who knew feeding ourselves was so complicated? I hope you're trying some of the things I'm throwing out there and please let me know if any of it's making a difference in how you feel. I know it is for me. Feel free to email me with your comments or observations: seawellness@hotmail.com
Until next week, enjoy the last long weekend of summer! Let's hope we get decent weather!
Mary-Lou
www.seawellness.myforevergreen.org/CAN_Products.html
Friday, August 27, 2010
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)