Years went by, however, and our waistlines either stayed the same or expanded–probably because an increase in calories made up for the absence of fat. It took awhile, but I began to understand that fat-free isn’t calorie-free. Nor is it necessarily healthy!
In truth, your body needs fat. You’ve heard of essential fatty acids? They’re so named because they are, in fact, essential: Your body cannot manufacture them from the food you eat. These fats play an important role in growth and development as well as in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Fat serves other practical purposes as well: It adds flavor to your food and, because it is digested more slowly than other nutrients, keeps you full between meals.
There are three main types of fats: Saturated are the “bad” fats. Typically solid at room temperature, these fats are found mainly in meat and dairy products as well as coconut and palm oils. A diet too high in saturated fat leads to heart disease and cancer. Polyunsaturated fats are in corn, soybean safflower and sunflower oils. Substituting these for saturated fats lowers cholesterol, but too much polyunsaturated fat can promote cancer. “Good” monounsaturated fats also lower cholesterol. They’re found in olive, canola and peanut oils. However, no refined fat is “healthy”; consume these good fats primarily in their most natural state (such as in olives, avocados, nuts and seeds), and use oil only in very small amounts.
Other fats have also recently become household names. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats are unsaturated fats which have been altered to extend their shelf life. They contain harmful trans fats and should be avoided completely. Cholesterol is a type of fat the body produces (as do the bodies of other animals). Eating cholesterol raises your cholesterol, as does consuming saturated and trans fats. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are essential polyunsaturated fats. In the typical American diet, omega-6 fats are plentiful while omega-3s are scarce. This dangerous ratio leads to inflammation (a factor present in many chronic diseases), heart disease, stroke, autoimmune diseases, skin diseases and depression. The body cannot make sufficient DHA, another essential omega-3 fat, on a diet high in omega-6 fats and low in omega-3s.
Don’t waste too much energy on how much of each kind of fat is in your food; simply eat a diet rich in a variety of whole, unrefined foods, as close to their most natural state as possible. As mentioned above, the best sources of good fats (including omega-3s) are almonds, walnuts, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernels and avocados.
Are raw nuts and seeds too expensive at your local grocery store? Buy them in bulk here.
How much fat should you eat per day? If you are overweight and trying to lose weight, it’s okay to consume very little fat while you lose weight, because your body will use what it has stored. But don’t stay on a non-fat or extremely low-fat diet long-term! If you are at a healthy weight and exercise regularly, eat as much as three to four ounces (about 2 small handfuls) of raw nuts or seeds per day, an avocado, or a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Growing children or someone who has a hard time gaining weight can eat more than that, but it should still be fat in its most natural form. Even if you are healthy and an ideal weight, fat should comprise no more than 30% of your total calorie intake at most; on a 2000-calorie diet, that’s about 600 calories worth. Put another way, about 65 grams.
Any way you look at it, remember that even the healthy fats in avocado, nuts and seeds pack a nine-calorie per gram punch, so if you want to maintain or lose weight, watch your intake. (In contrast, protein and carbohydrates contain only four calories per gram.)
One last bit of fat trivia: The fat on your plate will very easily be converted into body fat. So easily, in fact, that a biopsy of the fat on your waist, hips or thighs would reveal precisely where that fat came from: a pig, a chicken, a hunk of cheese or handful of nuts! Now that’s food for thought…
If you’re like most of America right now, you’re trimming back your spending in a lot of areas and the grocery store is probably no exception! But just because the economy is bad doesn’t mean you should neglect healthy eating. If Americans start sacrificing their health for their wallets, the healthcare crisis will only further damage the economy. It may seem like it in the moment, but junk food isn’t cost-effective, even if it’s cheaper. Don’t spend your hard-earned cash on empty calories!
Even if these tips don’t produce an immediate reduction in your grocery bill, remember that eating healthy will lower your healthcare costs in the long run, so try to keep the big picture in mind!
Think you can’t eat out on a budget? Nonsense. Just practice these tricks to keep your check in check.
Blindness. Impotence. Burning, aching, numb and tingling feet. Poor circulation. Slow-healing wounds, gangrene and amputation. Heart disease and death. These devastating complications accompany a disease afflicting nearly 21 million Americans.
Good news! Diabetes can be controlled
]]>A person experiencing five of depression’s nine symptoms for two weeks is classified as having major depression; two of these symptoms for two weeks constitutes mild depression. Symptoms persisting for two years are considered chronic. Depression’s symptoms are:
Depression shrinks the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in memory and learning, and raises stress hormone levels. Osteoporosis, hypertension, asthma, headaches, physical disabilities and infertility may result from depression. It increases risk of seizures, makes blood sugar control difficult for people with diabetes and worsens the effect of diseases such as stroke, heart attack, and cancer.
Some causes of depression cannot be helped, such as age, gender, or family history. Does this sound depressing? There is hope! Often the cause of depression is traced to nutritional deficiencies, lifestyle factors or other medical conditions. In these cases, simple changes can effect significant improvement.
Numerous studies reveal nutrition’s crucial role in mental health. For example, tryptophan is necessary in order for the brain to manufacture the serotonin it needs for proper functioning. Foods highest in tryptophan are tofu, pumpkin seeds, gluten flour, sesame seeds, almonds and black walnuts. Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for optimum brain functioning but are not found abundantly in foods, so even if your caloric intake is more than adequate your diet may be deficient. Flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil, wheat germ, soybeans and spinach all contain omega-3. Folic acid, another essential ingredient for a healthy brain, is found in chickpeas, black-eyed peas, lentils and kidney beans. Finally, vitamin B12 helps improve depressed moods. The highest concentration of B12 is found in animal products but it can also be found in soymilk and fortified grain products.
Other lifestyle factors may be even more important than nutrition in treating depression. Thirty minutes of exercise three to six times a week can prevent depression, and may be just as effective a treatment as antidepressant medications. Irregular sleep is strongly linked to mental illness. In one study, participants who lost only a little sleep were 60 percent more likely to become depressed, and the risk of major depression was 40 times higher for insomniacs than for those with no trouble sleeping. Exposure to bright light for at least 30 minutes a day increases serotonin levels, treating both depression and fatigue. Avoiding negative thinking by replacing a negative thought with a positive one immediately upon becoming aware of it reduces anxiety and depression. Counseling, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy, is extremely helpful in discovering and altering negative thought patterns. In addition, a personal spiritual experience aids in recovery from depression. In another study, participants’ likelihood of recovery from depression increased exponentially in direct correlation with their personal faith and religious practices.
These lifestyle treatments should be your first defense against depression. However, some cases may require additional treatment such as herbs or medication. St. Johns Wort is Germany’s leading antidepressant, most effective in treating mild depression by allowing more serotonin and norepinephrine to collect in the central nervous system. SAMe, sometimes called “Sammy”, boosts mood and outlook by increasing serotonin and norepinephrine production. The body metabolizes another herb, 5-HTP, taken from the African plant Griffonia simplicifolia, into serotonin. Other herbs that appear to have a therapeutic effect are chamomile, feverfew, ginkgo biloba, kava-kava, lavender, lemon balm, and valerian. Always exercise caution when taking herbs; ask your doctor if the herbs you want to try will interfere with other medications you may be taking.
A severe case of major depression may not respond to lifestyle and herbal remedies alone, but these simple treatments will enhance the effectiveness of medications. There is hope!
Solomon doesn’t clarify in this proverb whether he meant the entity that controls emotional/moral activity or the actual physical heart, but either way it applies! Christians have long been careful to avoid things that may corrupt their morality, their figurative hearts. Research today reveals the importance of avoiding things that corrupt our physical, literal hearts.
Possibly the most important way to guard your physical heart is to exercise. You’d have to be living in a cave not to know you need to exercise.
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Nearly 50 million Americans have a cluster of symptoms known as metabolic syndrome. The syndrome appears mostly in adults, but even some schoolchildren (as many as one in eight) are now displaying symptoms. The good news is, if you or someone you know has these symptoms, there is hope! Hundreds of my clients have lost weight and significantly lowered their cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure simply by changing their lifestyles.
The National Cholesterol Education Program defines metabolic syndrome, also known as syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome, as the presence of three or more of the following symptoms:
Having only one of these symptoms doesn’t indicate metabolic syndrome; however, the more of them you have, the greater your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. If you have at least one of these symptoms, such as high blood pressure or an apple-shaped body, visit your doctor; you may have others as well and not realize it.
What’s the correlation between these varied symptoms? Here’s a (very) basic physiology lesson: Your digestive system breaks your food down into sugar, or glucose, which your cells need for energy in order to perform the most basic functions. As glucose is released into the bloodstream, your pancreas produces insulin which acts like a key to let the glucose into your cells. If you are insulin resistant, your cells don’t respond to insulin the way they should and the glucose can’t get in. Your pancreas doesn’t understand this, however, so it simply produces more insulin. High levels of both blood sugar and insulin in the bloodstream are problematic; even a slightly high blood sugar interferes with your body’s normal functioning. Too much insulin, a storage hormone, elevates triglycerides and cholesterol levels and makes weight loss difficult. It also affects kidney function, in turn raising blood pressure. Combined, these conditions seriously increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Metabolic syndrome is still not completely understood on a molecular level so it’s difficult to say what causes the cluster of symptoms. Race and age may play a role; Hispanics and Asians seem to be more susceptible, as are people in their 60s versus those in their 20s. There also appears to be a correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome and the risk for metabolic syndrome. Ironically, some blood pressure medications can decrease insulin sensitivity. Those with a history of diabetes during pregnancy or a family history of type 2 diabetes are also at greater risk. However, while a genetic component may exist, remember that heredity may load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger!
Physical inactivity, a high fat diet and obesity activate any pre-existing genetic predispositions, and in fact may cause the syndrome in individuals without a genetic predisposition.
Thus, make lifestyle change the first line of treatment. If you have been diagnosed or suspect you may have the syndrome, address your individual symptoms. Conveniently, the same lifestyle changes that work for weight loss will help you lower your blood pressure and triglycerides, raise your HDL, control your blood sugar, and prevent metabolic syndrome from developing in the first place.
Don’t underestimate these lifestyle changes in importance or effectiveness! The best way to reduce insulin resistance is through weight loss and increased physical activity. Don’t use medication as an easy out; tell your doctor you’d like it to be a last resort, then go home and take your lifestyle change seriously.
The Nutrition Facts panel is usually on the back or side of all packaged foods. The first thing to notice is serving size. Keep in mind that the subsequent nutrition information applies only to one serving, not the whole package. Remember to account for this if you plan to eat the whole package!
Next look at the total calories and calories from fat. Divide the calories from fat by the total number of calories to find the percentage of fat. Avoid foods with more than 20% fat, especially if you need to lose weight. Exceptions to this would be avocado or raw nuts and seeds, which are naturally high in the good fats our bodies need to function properly—but eat these good fats in limited quantities!
Next on the list is fat. Manufacturers are required to list total, saturated and trans fats. Some will also list polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Research shows that both saturated and trans fats raise LDL cholesterol (the bad kind).
Next is cholesterol. If your diet is made up of exclusively plant foods, cholesterol is a non-issue because only animal products contain cholesterol. If you eat animal products, make sure you get no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. If you want to lower your cholesterol, eliminating all cholesterol (as well as saturated and trans fats) from your diet is the surest way to success. Your body produces as much cholesterol as you need, so any you get in your diet can elevate your cholesterol.
When it comes to sodium, your processed foods should contain less than one mg per calorie, and not more than 140 mg total per serving. Even “health foods” can be high in sodium because it is in so many of the additives used in processing. A high-sodium diet is the primary cause of high blood pressure; to lower your blood pressure and minimize your risk of stroke and heart disease, consume no more than 1000 mg of sodium per day.
When evaluating carbohydrates, look for foods with at least 3 grams of fiber per 100 calories. If you have diabetes, subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrates for the number of “available carbohydrates,” or those that will elevate your blood sugar.
With all the high-protein hype these days, you may think protein is the most important nutrient. Studies in the 1950s showed that we only need 20 to 35 grams of protein per day. All your protein needs are easily obtainable on a plant-based diet. Even vegans routinely consume 60 to 80 grams of protein per day. Outside of North America, most of the world’s protein intake comes from plants. Where do you think the cow got its protein? The elephant? The gorilla? The world’s largest land mammals are primarily herbivores. Plants contain all the protein you need!
Finally, read the ingredient list carefully. Ingredients are listed in order by weight from most to least, so the first one to three ingredients comprise the bulk of the product. Avoid foods with sugar in the first three ingredients or with multiple forms of sugar. Corn syrup, brown rice syrup, evaporated cane juice, honey, fructose and sucrose are all forms of sugar. Only brown rice and oats are typically used in their whole form, so if the word “whole” is not before each other grain listed, your food is not whole grain. Words such as “enriched,” “milled,” “de-germed” or even “wheat flour” do NOT mean whole grain. Unless it says “whole” in the ingredients, wheat bread is simply white bread with a tan. If your product contains vegetable shortening or partially hydrogenated oils of any kind, it will contain trans fats. Don’t buy the product if it contains any ingredient you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce.
Though making sense of the Nutrition Facts labels may seem daunting, with a little practice you can unravel the mystery. And remember, fill your grocery cart with foods without labels!
What we like is largely a product of what we’re used to. Teaching kids to enjoy healthy foods gives them an advantage for the rest of their lives.
Conveniently, the same diet is good for you and your kids. Just being a vegetarian isn’t good enough, though; a veggie hot dog on a white bun loaded with mayonnaise, ketchup and pickle relish is not a high-nutrient food and will not significantly reduce disease risk. You must consume foods that are naturally high in nutrients: whole, unrefined vegetables, fruits, beans, grains, nuts and seeds. If you eat animal products, refined foods or sweets, make those the exception rather than the rule.
Build your diet around foods that are as close to their most natural state as possible—steamed broccoli instead of broccoli cheddar soup, whole olives rather than olive oil. Think of it as eating low on the food chain—the greens themselves rather than the cow that ate them, or instead of the cheese made from the milk that came from the cow… You get the idea.
Your example is crucial; you must model good eating choices. If your child sees you eat a bowl of ice cream, she’ll want ice cream. If she sees you eat a fruit smoothie, she’ll want a smoothie. Set a good example and she’ll follow you.
Teach your kids why healthy eating is important. Start a discussion over the dinner table about why what you’re eating is good for you. Tell them you eat healthy because you love them and care about their future; let kids give feedback and share how they feel about it too.
Make your house a safe haven. It’s much easier to make good choices when there aren’t any alternatives! The decision to eat healthy starts at the grocery store. If your child is a picky eater, replace all unhealthy foods in your house with nutritious ones. Your child will not starve himself to death; if only healthy foods are available, he will eat healthy foods.
Get creative at incorporating vegetables into your meals. Blend frozen fruit with a little soymilk or orange juice and throw in a handful of fresh spinach or kale. Serve it in an opaque, covered cup with a colored straw and your kids will never know they’re eating vegetables. Chop kale, collards or spinach greens and add them to pasta sauce. Stuff a pita pocket with salad or shredded vegetables. Bake shredded zucchini, carrots or beets into cookies and cakes. Do your kids want pizza? Rather than ordering out, use whole wheat pita bread to make personal veggie pizzas. Have a contest to see who can use the least amount of cheese, or leave it off completely and pile on the veggies.
Plant a garden and let each child have a corner where they choose what to grow and are responsible for tending; they’ll be much more likely to eat what they’ve grown themselves. If a garden isn’t an option, have a few pots on your deck. Or, take your kids to a nearby farm to pick your produce.
Does preparing a healthy meal take more time than the drive-thru? Absolutely. But that time is an investment in the future. And if we believe our bodies are God’s temples, that time can become a sacred ritual of worship.
Setting an example goes for exercise, too. If kids see their parents in a regular exercise program, an active lifestyle becomes their norm. Make sure kids have the equipment they need—bicycles, helmets, roller blades—to engage in activities they enjoy. Choose age-appropriate activities that fit your child’s personality: Little League for the athlete, biking around the block for the casual athlete, swinging at the park for the non-athlete.
With childhood obesity and early type 2 diabetes on the rise, it’s increasingly important to watch what kids are eating and make sure they’re getting enough exercise. Our future is shaped by our childhood. If you’ve tried to change your lifestyle, you can appreciate how challenging it can be. Give your kids the advantage of a healthy diet and an active lifestyle now, and disease-proof them for life!
The research of Harold Koenig of Duke University Medical Center reveals that people who pray daily have stronger immune systems. Those who attend a place of worship—church, synagogue, mosque or temple—live longer, happier, healthier lives. Hospital patients for whom prayer is part of their regular routine are discharged sooner. Ever received a prescription for prayer from your doctor? According to a Parade magazine survey, 95% of physicians consider prayer an important part of their patients’ overall well-being.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind… Romans 12:2 I wonder what the “pattern of this world” was in Paul’s day. In our society, we push ourselves to the limit, filling up every moment of our days with some activity. But does activity equal accomplishment? We judge our lives productive and meaningful when we’re actually just busy.
One of Satan’s oldest and most common (and effective!) ploys is to keep us busy. Especially doing “good” things. Remember the story of Mary and Martha? …Mary…sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ Luke 10:38-42
I love hostessing and entertaining, so I identify with Martha. Every time I read that story I want to say—“But Jesus…!” Isn’t it important that the house look nice? Isn’t it important to have a good meal prepared? It may be, but…
How easily we become “humans doing” rather than human beings. Neglecting what is better for what is good. But research also shows that the brains of animals exposed to too much stimulation cease developing.
I work with people who want to lose weight, lower blood pressure or cholesterol and improve their fitness. I help them follow through on their good intensions; I’m a wellness coach. We define their long-term health-related goal and then break it down into bite-size pieces. We determine what it will take week by week, and then I call them each week to ask if they followed through. The most common excuse I hear for not following through is, “This was just a busy week for me…” Or, “This is a really busy time of year for me…” As if any other week or any other time of year is less busy! I’m not afraid to remind them that life is busy; we simply make time for what we want to make time for.
So how do you remedy this tendency to overwork? Start by scheduling 30 minutes every day to do whatever you want to, and keep this appointment with yourself just as you would an appointment with anyone else. Incorporate prayer and meditation on God’s word into your daily routine. Consider instituting a weekly vacation: Take one day in seven, like the Jewish Sabbath, to rest and refocus your life from an eternal perspective. Turn off the TV, avoid the mall; instead, spend time with other believers and with God.
People recognize a peaceful, meaningful, centered life from a long way off and want to know how to get it.
All who are under the training of God need the quiet hour for communion with their own hearts, with nature, and with God. In them is to be revealed a life that is not in harmony with the world, its customs, or its practice… We must individually hear Him speaking to the heart. When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God. He bids us, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10… Amidst the hurrying throng, and the strain of life’s intense activities, he who is thus refreshed will be surrounded with an atmosphere of light and peace. He will receive a new endowment of both physical and mental strength. His life will breathe out a fragrance, and will reveal a divine power that will reach men’s hearts. (Ellen White, Ministry of Healing, p. 58)
In the words of St. Augustine, “You made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
Four ways to improve your relationship with God:
1) Spend time with Him in conversation (also known as “prayer”)
2) Worship and fellowship with other believers
3) Read and study the Bible
4) Apply to your life what you learn