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Three positive strategies for healthy eating

boy thinking over a healthy snack or a dessertHere are three simple things you can do today to make a positive impact on your health and improve your diet. No matter where you are in terms of a healthy lifestyle, whether you have already finely tuned your lifestyle – or if you’ve just decided you want to eat healthier.

1. Eat an apple a day.
There really was something to the old adage – “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. We now know that apples are very effective at lowering bad cholesterol. They are also an excellent source of fiber, an important part of a healthy diet. And you can use that apple as a substitute a candy bar or cookies or some other sweet snack. Besides that – apples are cheap! You can get a whole bag of apples for the price of a few candy bars.

2. Drink an extra couple glasses of water each day
The health benefits of drinking water are many, and you can also tackle a couple of unhealthy diet habits by increasing your water intake. One great strategy is to have a glass or two of water before a meal. Another great strategy is to have water with your meal instead of soda or some other sugary or sweetened beverage. Most people could benefit from drinking more water, and by substituting water for soda you’ll get the added benefit of dropping soda. See our previous post about one of the most important things you should do for a healthy lifestyle.

3. Skip that candy bar, pack of cookies, or whatever that sugary snack is that you always pick up, take with you, or buy from the vending machine. This one is super easy – use the first two suggestions above to help get you there.
By eliminating the extra calories and substituting with water and an apple (you can use carrots, celery, or some other fruit or vegetable if you want some variety) you’ll ditch the bad calories and gain some fiber and good nutrients that you wouldn’t be getting from the processed snack. If you usually have savory snacks like chips or pretzels this still applies – skip the processed stuff for a fruit or vegetable and some water.

Stick with these every day for a couple of weeks and you’ll find that you’ve incorporated a couple of new habits as part of your lifestyle. You’ll find that you’ve added some good stuff to your regular diet and dropped a few things that really don’t add more than calories to your diet.

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Juice is an easy and refreshing snack!

Juice is an easy and refreshing snack!

Many people think about juice in terms of diets or meal replacements (not a bad idea – just remember that you want to move toward a healthy lifestyle, not a quick fix).
Juice can also be a refreshing and nutritious snack with a big health benefits too.

I always like to throw a lemon in my juice. You get both numerous health benefits, and a delicious tang to boost.   You’ll also find that lemon really brings out the flavor of other fruits you include in your juice.  It also helps reduce the harsh flavor that you sometimes get from lots of greens.  Take the outer part of the peel or rind off, but leave some of the white or pith.  It contains limonene, which studies have shown to have anti- cancer effects.

I recommend a Vitamix or good blender rather than a juice extractor.  You want to make sure you get all of the fiber and nutrients of the ingredients.   A Vitamix will pulverize the ingredients (including ice) so that you don’t have small chunks of pieces in your juice drink.  This can also make it easier to digest for some people.  Use the button to the right or the link on our special offers page to take advantage of free shipping when you order directly from Vitamix.

For a refreshing snack, one of my favorite juices includes cantaloupe melon or mango, lemon, sprouts and celery in addition to the lemon.   You can always throw in some apple slices too and a little ice water.   Liquefy the ingredients in your Vitamix for 30 seconds and you have a cool, refreshing super nutritious snack.

 

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Juice! A great way to start the day

Juicing is a great way to get all of the nutrients of the fruits and vegetables in a quick and delicious manner.  With the right juicer or blender, the process of both making your juice and cleanup can both be done quickly – allowing for a quick nutritious meal.  This is an easy and quick way to start the day.  Generally, you should never skip breakfast (covered in more detail in another post), and juicing helps with that – especially if you’re short on time.

For breakfast juices I always like to include fruits and vegetables together.   By using a whole food juicer or blender, you will be sure to get all of the nutrition and fiber of the foods you’re juicing.   I highly recommend a Vitamix, but use a blender if you don’t have access to a Vitamix.

Fruits with vegetables are a good idea in order to get a good balance of nutrients, and to avoid a juice that’s too high in sugar (fructose or fruit sugar).   Add enough water and or ice so that you end up with a nice juice, not a thick sauce.

Try experimenting with combinations of strawberries, apples and celery.   Berries have high levels of antioxidants; apples and celery both contribute a healthy amount of fiber. I always like to include a lemon and alfalfa sprouts as well.   The lemon really brings out the flavor of the strawberries, and the sprouts are just plain good for you!  Sprouts are a great source of nutrients and enzymes that you probably wont get anywhere else in your diet.

If you have a Vitamix or a good blender, you can also throw in a handful of raw rolled oats (oatmeal) for added fiber.   With a Vitamix, it takes only about 30 seconds to transform this into a delicious juice, and about another minute to clean up.  That’s less than two minutes including cleanup to have a quick and healthy juice for breakfast!

Questions or comments?    I’d love to hear from you.

 

 

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Obesity trends are bad news for everybody

Bad news about obesity

The CDC released a study showing that more than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese and that currently not even one state has met the nation’s Healthy People 2010 goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15% (no state is even below 20%).  (Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health,; the standard measure is when Body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30 kg/m).

As a New York Times article pointed out: “The billions that we are spending to treat diabetes is money that we don’t have for education reform or retirement benefits …, it’s estimated that the total cost of America’s obesity epidemic could reach almost $1 trillion by 2030 ….”

It’s certain that even if you’re fit and of a healthy weight you either know or have family members that are a part of this trend.

For everyone’s good – What can you do about this?

  1. Encourage people to make healthy eating choices.  Many people don’t think about the effect of what they eat on their body and their health.   A former coworker lamented to me about his inability to lose weight, but always had a mid-morning snack of a can of Coke and a pack of frosted pop-tarts.   We worked through healthy alternatives that could be just as filling, last longer and not have all the bad effects of Coke and pop-tarts.
  2. Educate your family members about why you make the food choices you do.  Don’t be annoying or a know it all, but I believe that as people learn about healthy delicious alternatives and taste how good they are, they are more likely to make a healthy choice rather than dismiss healthy food as  “leaves and twigs”.
  3. Share your healthy foods and habits with others.  Whether it’s break time at work or a get-together with friends, provide good foods for friends to share with you.   Once people try ripe cherries, juicy mango, fresh ripe peaches, fresh cruchy apple slices, and other healthy choices some of the unhealthy choices don’t that much better than the healthy ones.

Questions about anything in this post?  Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear from you.

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“should you jump start a weight loss program with a cleanse or a juice fast?”

Today’s post answers a question that was submitted about a strategy for weight loss

“Should you jump start into a weight loss program with a cleanse such as a colon liver cleanse or a juice fast?”   This is an excellent question with a three part answer:

  1.  Jump start into a weight loss program – not a terrible idea.
    If you’ve decided to make a change to get healthier and lose weight – you can do a couple things to jump start the process.  It’s important to understand that it is just that – jump starting the process.Even more important is to begin to make sustainable lifestyle changes that will lead to a healthier you.   If you make temporary changes and just go back to the lifestyle habits (diet, exercise, sleep, etc.) that got you there in the first place, you’re likely to “rebound” and end up heavier and in worse shape than when you started.
  2. Colon or liver cleanse
    Great idea – if you’ve not focused on a healthy diet then you probably do have some junk in there to clean out.  There are a number of quick cleanse routines available that can help you get “junk” out and perhaps help you process fats and lose weight more efficiently.
  3. Juice fast
    Another good idea – but best if you incorporate some whole juices as a part of a new healthy lifestyle.
    There are several different ways to do this.  I recommend that you focus on fruit and vegetable juice combinations or various vegetable juice combinations.   You need to be careful with fruit and fructose in particular.   You body will store extra fructose as fat – the opposite of what you want when you’re trying to lose weight.

Finally, remember that you need to focus on changes as a part of a new healthy lifestyle.   Changes that you can’t sustain long term as a part of your lifestyle probably wont result in long term changes in your health and weight.

Focus on a healthy lifestyle, take small steps to improve your diet and make sure you incorporate exercise and physical activity and the weight loss will happen.

Questions about anything in this post?  Leave a comment below!

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Need another reason to consider organic foods?

The pesticides.

If for no other reason – this one should make the most sense.

Pesticides are chemicals such as fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides. These chemicals are typically used quite liberally in conventional agriculture.   As noted in a previous post – the USDA organic label has stringent requirements, which include that synthetic fertilizers, prohibited pesticides, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

Organic does not mean pesticide free (unless labeled as such), but generally speaking most artificial pesticides are prohibited (the USDA has very stringent guidelines on prohibited pesticides when it comes to organic foods).   You will probably find that many organic farmers seek to minimize the use of all pesticides, even natural ones.

The concern I’m focusing on is pesticide residue that remains on and in food.
The President’s Cancer Panel in their statement on Environmental Factors on Cancer state:  “Many pesticides are known endocrine disruptors, and several in common use are known to cause mammary tumors in animals. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that some substances used in pesticides are known, probable, or possible human carcinogens.”

Probable, or possible human carcinogens.  For me, that phrase alone is enough to point me in the direction of foods that possibly or probably won’t contribute the possibility of developing cancer.

Cancer is a terrible and complicated disease or group of diseases with many possible causes, but I’m not interested in doing or ingesting anything is possibly or probably will contribute to the possibility of me developing it.

So – what do you do then?

1.  See the previous post about how to find organic food at reasonable prices.  One of the suggestions is to purchase locally and utilize local farmers markets.  This give you an opportunity about how the food was raised and prepared for market.

2.  Focus on the “dirty dozen”.  These are the dozen foods that are most likely to contain pesticide residue and therefore are the ones you should make sure on your list of organic foods:

Apples, Celery, Strawberries, Peaches, Spinach, Nectarines, Grapes, Sweet Bell Peppers, Potatoes, Blueberries, Lettuce, and Kale (and collard greens).

The Environmental Working Group has an excellent website detailing these foods and also those that are not as much of a concern.  I recommend that you use their list as a guide when shopping.

Finally, it’s important to remember that natural and organic are not interchangeable. Other truthful claims, such as free-range, hormone-free, and natural, can still appear on food labels even if the foods don’t meet the USDA organic labeling requirement. Don’t confuse these terms with organic as you may be not be buying what you think you are.

 

Questions about anything in this post?  Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear from you!

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how to get started on a healthy life style

how to get started on a healthy life style

This is one of the most frequent questions I get from people.

Here are three suggestions on how to start your way to a healthier lifestyle.

 

Begin to make a small change today. 

Don’t wait until tomorrow, don’t put it off – make a change today.
Many people go to the grave full of regret over things they wanted to do and changes they wish they had made.

I suggest that you start by making one small change you can sustain so that it becomes part of you lifestyle.  Too often people want to change everything at once and it’s unsustainable.   Two examples:  all the people who gets a gym membership as a New Year’s resolution but have stopped going by the end of January (or earlier!), and people who jump into a restrictive diet, fall out (because the can’t sustain it), binge, and end up worse than they started  (no carbs anyone??).   🙂
Realize that you are a whole person.

At some point, you have to address all aspects of your being:  physical, mental, and spiritual.  To have a truly healthy lifestyle and be healthy and balanced in any area you will have to balance in all areas.  This means looking at the things you eat, the activity you get, staying healthy from a mental standpoint, and working on the spiritual part of your being.  Again, I suggest that you start one small (sustainable) step at a time so that these changes become a part of your lifestyle.

Lifestyle

This really is the most important thing.

If you can’t or don’t or won’t sustain changes you make in your life, it won’t matter.

Quitting smoking for a week doesn’t matter if you go right back to your three pack a day habit.  Being on a diet for a week or a month or a year doesn’t matter if you go right back to the same lifestyle you had before the “diet”  (see diets don’t work).

Incorporate small changes, one step at a time, into your daily life so that they become a part of your lifestyle.  Make small changes, enjoy and experience the benefits, and layer on another change.   Every person is different, you might be able to make changes faster than others – or not.  What matters is that you make lasting changes to the way you live.

 

Questions about anything in this post – leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!

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how to find organic food at reasonable price$

how to find organic food at reasonable price$

This is the third in a series of posts highlighting organic food.
This post will highlight a few ideas on obtaining organic food at reasonable prices.

 

Many people desire to eat organic foods once they learn about the practices used to produce organic food.  Not only is organic food typically raised in a more sustainable way, but the process is typically more environmentally friendly and requires less petroleum products and generates fewer greenhouse gases as well.

Some also decide to eat organic once they consider the harmful substances that are avoided when the organic approach is taken.    Remember – you are what you eat – and the same goes for the things you eat – it all becomes a part of you.   A future post will deal with why you should be concerned about glyphosate (Roundup) being used in the process of growing the food that you eat.

So having been convinced of the benefits of organic food – often the final objection to “going organic” is the concern about the higher cost of organic foods.

Here are three ways to reduce the price you pay for organic foods:

 

  1. Local farmers markets
    Local farmers markets are a great source for both locally grown produce and organically raised products.   The great thing about these is the opportunity you have to find out information first hand about the things you will be eating.   An added bonus is supporting local growers and your local economy.
  2. The “big six”
    Organic is catching on with retailers in a big way.   Part of the reason that organic products can cost more is that demand currently far outweighs the supply.   Retailers have not failed to notice this, and you can currently find a selection of organic products at many larger retailers.   The six retailers who sold the most organic products in a recent survey are:     Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Super Target, Safeway, Whole Foods
  3. Your local grocer
    Local grocers have also caught on to the interest in organics and are eager to cash in on it too.   This is too your benefit, as they won’t put products on their shelves if they can’t move them.   Just like other products, these items go on sale as well.  This puts organic within the reach of most people at the same price as conventionally grown products – you just have to have some flexibility about what is on sale and what is available.  Publix, Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and even the smaller grocers all are now carrying more and more organic products, and sometimes even the locally grown ones too.

Questions or comments about anything in this post – let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

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how to stay healthy

 

how to stay healthy

 

According to the  Wikipedia definition of health, health is defined as “… the general condition of a person’s mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain (as in “good health” or “healthy”).     Based on this, there are three main points to consider:

 

  1. Healthy Mind
    • pursue creative endeavors such as painting, poetry, sculpting, reading, staying current on new events and opposing ideas (such as in politics).
    • learn new and challenging things such as new technology or new languages, the idea is to stretch yourself and learn new things
    • conversation with others including good-spirited debate
    • pursuits that require imagination
  2. Healthy Body
    • A healthy balanced diet – go light on the meats, some fruit, plenty of veggies, and lots of greens.   Remember to drink plenty of water.
    • Watch out for refined/processed foods, fried foods, and sweets.
    • There are more detailed posts here and on other sites regarding aspects of a healthy diet – feel free to ask questions as well.
  3. Healthy Spirit
    • Quite simply this is health beyond the physical or mental aspect.
    • This pertains to your spiritual side – your connection with God.
    • Are you at peace with yourself, with others, with God?
    • Consider time spent in meditation, prayer, and in devotion to your relationship with God.   There are many sites with great information on this subject – feel free to ask questions as well.

Questions about anything in this post?   Leave a comment – I’d love to hear from you.

 

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Why consider organic? (environmental)

 

This is second in a series of posts on why you might want to consider organic foods the next time you are at the grocer or choosing between a conventional or organic food.

Two environmental reasons are actually stated within the USDA requirements for receiving the certified organic label:  Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.
Based on this, consider the following:

  1. The methods used integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster recycling of resource, promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity.  These are methods that work, and are in harmony with the recent push toward sustainable agriculture.
  2. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.
    None of these is great for the environment – and they’re not good for you either.   According to a recent article in the Huffington Post: “… 41% of conventional systems’ petroleum goes to nitrogen-based fertilizers, which cannot be used on organic farms. This means that organic agriculture uses 45% less unsustainable energy than conventional agriculture. For similar reasons, organic farms produce 40% less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional farms.”
  3. A third reason is that even the  “game changers” such as the combination of glyphosate (the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup) and crops genetically modified to withstand glyphosate are losing their effectiveness  – resulting in greater costs, more chemical usage, and methods that are increasing soil erosion.  As one farmer stated in a recent article in USA Today, “I used so many chemicals last year, it made me silly,” McKee said. “We’re going backwards 15 years.”

Next up on this series –what about $$ – how to find organic at reasonable prices.

The goal of mrhlth.com is to help you do this:  to provide a place where you can discover changes that you can integrate into your life to take small steps toward a healthier lifestyle.

Questions about anything in this post?   Leave me a comment and let me know – I’d love to hear from you.