The "Hidden" Poison In Our Food

Food manufacturers today have found ways to "hide" all kinds of "poison" in the products we buy. One of these is High Fructose Corn Syrup. I just read a fantastic article by Dr. Mercola from mercola.com on this very thing and found it to have some excellent information. He pointed out that new cases of diabetes have increased by 90 percent in the last 10 years and that 1 out of every 4 Americans will develop diabetes or pre-diabetes. He goes on to say that "there's no doubt in my mind that one of the primary fuels for this epidemic is the excess consumption of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)." Researchers have linked HFCS to a resistance to insulin, leading to diabetes.

In this article Dr. Mercola points out that the number one source of calories in America is HFCS in sodas, which has about 40 grams of HFCS per can! That is more than the American Medical Association's recommended daily maximum for ALL caloric sweeteners.

HFCS is worse for you than sugar, partly because it is metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar. Researchers now have proof that HFCS contributes to diabetes and heart disease and it has also been linked to Irritable Bowel Syndrome and corn allergies.

I urge to:

1. Click here to read the entire article for a more complete description of the dangers of HFCS, and
2. Avoid ANY food that contains HFCS! Check the ingredient label on your food packages before purchasing.

Do You LIVE TO EAT or EAT TO LIVE?

Here are some tips for choosing the right foods:

1. Choose only whole grains rather than foods made from refined, enriched flour. Choose brown rice over white, whole wheat pasta over enriched, etc. Make sure your bread or wraps are 100% whole wheat and do not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup.
2. Read the label: If High Fructose Corn Syrup is listed near the beginning of the list of ingredients (or even at all, really), choose something else!
3. Meats: choose fish, chicken, lean red meats, lamb, or wild game. If possible, choose meat that is organic or grass-fed.
4. Avoid processed food and products that contain nitrites or nitrates. This includes lunch meat, bacon, sausage, and hot dogs. Fortunately, at most grocery stores you can now find some of these products preservative/nitrite/nitrate free!
5. Avoid hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, and trans fat. This includes vegetable oils and margerines and most baked goods. Instead choose healthy oils/fats such as real butter (in small quantities) and olive oil and one of the healthiest oils available - coconut oil.
6. It's time to cut out the soft drinks! These are one of the worse things you can put in your body! They are just empty calories! Same goes for alcohol.
7. Eat some color! Choose fresh fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors (the more color, usually the more antioxidants the produce has) and try to get organic as often as possible.
8. Sweeten with raw honey or stevia instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Ok, just a few tips to get you started if you have no idea of where to start your journey into good health. Try to just make one change at a time if you seemed overwhelmed at the thought of switching to a healthy diet. Happy eating!

Take A Break And BREATHE!

This week has been a bit stressful in our household as we are preparing for our return to Pohnpei. Preparing for a move to a place 9,000 miles away is stressful in itself, but when you add to that 3 conferences and another speaking engagement the week before flying out, preparing the house for the next renters, and numerous dental, doctor, and other last minute appointments, things can get a little chaotic. And of course 5 of the 6 of us are sick with bad colds, and I must say the living room rug catching on fire early this morning didn’t help matters much!

It’s time to take some time to breathe!

I’m writing this as much for myself as for anyone! Here are a few of my own tips for keeping your sanity in the midst of bedlam! And no, they’re not new, earth-shattering solutions; just some reminders I know I need.

• Have available some quick and easy healthy snacks such as protein or granola bars, fresh fruit, yogurt, cheese sticks, trail mix, raw nuts and seeds. And then make sure you actually EAT them! When busy and stressed, it’s easy to skip meals or snacks and then binge when you get too hungry.
• Drink your water. Keep it with you as you work!
• Get outdoors for a quick walk! It will change your perspective on things!
• Take a break and rest for 10 minutes! (I know, easier said than done…but hey, give it a try!) Even better, have a cup of coffee or tea during your rest break.
• Take each task one at a time! Rather than looking at how much you have to do, pick one thing, concentrate on that, then move to the next. (I finally forced myself to do that yesterday evening, and what a difference! I got a lot done last night!)
• Pause throughout the day and take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. It actually does give you a little burst of energy.
• Stop and stretch! It only take a couple of minutes to go through each set of major muscle groups and really relieves stress build-up.
• “Do your best and forget the rest.” Ok, we’ve all heard this saying before, but here’s one I heard that I like even better: "Do your best and leave to God the rest.”
• And last of all, remember Christ’s offer, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

And on that final note, I believe I will go out for a quick walk before I get back to packing! Have a great day!

The Weight-Loss Quandary: Where Do I Begin?

Want to get started on the road to better health but don't know where to start? Each Monday I hope to post tips for weight-loss so check back each week for more. Here's a few simple tips to get you started with losing those unwanted pounds:

• Eat breakfast!!!! It’s so easy to get in the rut of running out the door without pausing for this important meal. Keep in mind that you should be eating 3 meals per day with 2 snack added in.
• Cut out those second helpings! Take what you plan to eat the first time around and limit yourself to that.
• Eliminate soft drinks and alcoholic beverages from your diet.
• Roast, broil, boil, steam, or poach foods rather than fry them.
• Select lean cuts of meat and trim visible fat.
• Plan ahead for snacks. Keep on hand ready-to-eat snacks such as fruit, veggies, yogurt, protein bars (beware of bars high in sugar and carbs!!!), nuts, and cheese sticks.
• Use spices and herbs instead of sauces, butter, or other fats.
• Try fresh fruit for dessert!
• Use alternatives to foods as rewards.
• Keep a food diary (or use online resources such as fitday or myfitnesspal).
• Schedule a cheat day or cheat snack (YES, you really CAN do this!).
• Get moving! Keep moving throughout the day.

You'll be pleasantly surprised at the changes you'll see just by following these simple suggestions. Adding in a good exercise regime will really boost the weight loss. Email me for suggestions on how to get started with exercise or click on the Team Beachbody logo to take a look at some excellent, proven workout programs.

Berry Smoothie Recipe!

• 4 oz. plain yogurt or kefir
• 1 cup fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or a combination)
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein (I prefer Designer Whey French Vanilla)
• 1 Tbsp. Ground Flax seed
• 1 tsp. raw honey (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. Another good variation is made by reducing the amount of berries to ½ cup and adding half a banana and ¼ cup orange juice. Or you could add in other fruits such as peaches or mangoes. Get creative and ENJOY!

You're Not Hungry, You're Thirsty!

If you are in the habit of guzzling down ounce after ounce of soda, sweetened ice tea, Kool-Aid, and other suger-loaded beverages, it’s time to take another look at the calorie-free, sugar-free, nutrient and oxygen carrying beverage that God created more than 6,000 years ago! Yep, it’s WATER! I can’t stress enough the importance of getting enough water to drink each day! And if you’re looking to lose some weight, there’s even more reason to switch your beverage of choice to good old H2O. Drinking enough water throughout the day can boost your metabolism, causing you to burn more calories. Plus, if you are replacing high-calorie soft-drinks with water, you can cut your caloric intake by more than 400 calories a day! And researchers estimate that by increasing your water intake at least 6 glasses a day, you would lose approximately five pounds in one year! Water can also make you feel full longer, which will keep you from snacking too often. Often, our body confuses the thirst signal with the hunger signal and we reach for a snack when all we really need is a glass of water. How do you know how much water you should be drinking? The easiest method to figure out you daily water requirement is to drink ½ ounce of water for every pound you weigh. So a person weighing around 140 lbs. should try to drink at least 70 oz. of water per day. That may seem like a lot, especially if you’re not in the habit of drinking much water, but I urge you to give it a try. Try keeping a water bottle with you throughout the day and see how much you can drink. And the next time you feel like grabbing a snack, guzzle down some water first!

WELCOME!

Welcome to my blog! It's still a bit under construction so check back to see what I've added! I plan to regularly post nutrition and fitness facts and tips, info and links to current research in the health field, and also updates on our mission work in the South Pacific. I hope that it will be a fun, relaxed place that you will want to come back to often for information and motivation.

Also, feel free to contact me about what I do as an Independent Team Beachbody Coach. Or just click on my photo to have me be your own personal coach for free! I'm available for a personal diet analysis, meal plan ideas, fitness program advice, motivation, and encouragement!

So again, welcome to Simple Health For Life and I hope to see you often!