Archive for April, 2012

We often association Spring with cleaning our homes.  But what about Spring cleaning what we put into our bodies for fuel?

 

Choosing the right foods for ourselves and our families can be overwhelming.  As a yoga teacher, wife and a mother of three children, I truly believe that food can be live medicine.  It can also be poison.

 

If you or your family get sick frequently, experience multiple sinus issues, ear and/or bronchial infections or influenzas per year, or if your digestive tract is sensitive and irregularity is the norm, food could be the problem.

 

Food could be hindering your optimal immune system function.  This happens when we eat processed foods, chemically treated fruits and veggies, eggs and meats with added hormones and antibiotics, and over-consume dairy and gluten products.

 

I’ve watched my own children transform from having chronic asthma with its complications, to kids that seldom gets sick.  If they do get a cold, it’s mild.  They recover quickly and without medical intervention.  We made modifications in our diet that focused on removing food toxins that tax the internal organs and the digestive tract, which naturally caused our immune systems to improve.  Studies indicate that germs don’t make us sick, weakened immune systems do.

 

The processed foods we put in our bodies are a direct stressor.  If we are having difficulty losing belly fat, are anxious, depressed, or battling fatigue, experiencing fibromyalgia, losing sleep, or lacking a sex drive — these are all symptoms of dis-ease in the body.

 

Here’s how you can begin to reduce food toxins in 30 days.

1.  Reduce all dairy products and switch to organic milk.  Crooked Creek Farms is in Romeo, Michigan they don’t use rBST/rBGH (hormones).  You can buy their milk at Vince and Joe’s (25 Mile and Van Dyke), Randazzo Fresh Market (Hayes Rd. north of 22 Mile).  Kroger carries an organic milk also.  The taste of the clean milk is amazing.  Try supplementing with almond milk or rice milk, especially for children with eczema. Do not drink large amounts of soy milk as it elevates estrogen in girls and women and studies have found that it contributes to breast cancer in some women.
2. Any fruits and veggies that you eat regularly, salads, cucumber, apples, etc. buy organic.  Minimally, try to buy organic for those foods found on the “Dirty Dozen” list of produce with the highest concentration of pesticides and fertilizers.  Reducing the amount of artificial pesticides and fertilizers in our diet directly affects our internal organs.
3. Eat organic or at least free range eggs by chickens fed veggies or grain, not animal byproducts. Happy, healthy chickens, lay healthy eggs.  Remember, a few eggs a week are not causing high cholesterol.  Eggs are a perfect protein and are easily digested.
4. Reduce or eliminate store bought salad dressings. They are high in sugar, fat, preservatives, salt, artificial flavors and high fructose corn syrup.  Make one easily.  Use ¼ cup olive oil, fresh lemon, 2 cloves of garlic, sea salt, pepper and a dash of dry mustard, mix it up in the bottom of your salad bowl, throw in your veggies, feta cheese or grated parmesan, a few croutons and toss.
5. Consume meats without chemicals, free range Amish chicken and wild caught fish, (no farm raised fish, they have antibiotics and hormones added.)
6. Carbs…only the ones coming from the earth, potato, sweet potato, cooked carrots, squash.  Basmati or black rice are the best rice products; sauté in butter or olive oil with onions, garlic, celery add mushrooms, salt and pepper a splash of soy or zip sauce to taste.  Carbs like bread, and pasta occasionally, after the first 30 days.
7. Add high fiber milled flaxseed to everything, smoothies, soups/sauces, and veggie dip. Fiber acts as an internal scrub brush, cleansing the intestinal tract, and it encourages the body to absorb more nutrients from our foods.
8. Get rid of the margarine.  Use organic butter, or regular unsalted butter.  Unsalted butter is the highest quality of the milk fat.  In ancient times milk and butter were considered healing agents.  Refined butter (ghee) is still used in India today.  But over consumption of milk can increase mucus and inflammation which can aggravate asthmatics. Olive oil and avocados are good fats & we need them.
9. 8 oz. of red wine daily…measure it out, and don’t go back for more.  One piece of dark chocolate daily J, together they are delish!
10. Nap, if you are tired during the day, lay down for 30-60 minutes.  Nutrition gives us energy to sleep, by secreting the necessary hormones to do so.  Napping resets our sleep rhythm, so that we many sleep better at night.

What are the immediate benefits of eating healthy?

 

Reduction of stress, increased self-esteem, elimination of anxiety and depression.  The body and mind have more energy, we naturally improve our sleep patterns, our sex drive, our endocrine function.  We’ve found these choices increase the grocery bill only by $10-$20 a week, but it eliminated our office visit of $75-$150 per month.

 

We still may need medical doctors.  Modern medicine is the greatest blessing of our time.  But the point is to not need it.  Prevention is much easier and better for us than the medicine.

 

People say they don’t have time or money to do these things.  I’ve found by doing them you will actually have more time and energy. You will feel better.  Try these suggestions for just 30 days and see if you don’t feel better, look better, sleep better.

 

Let us know how you do!  For additional related information, google Diana Schwarzbein, MD.

 

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The information contained in this website is merely intended to communicate material which is helpful and educational to the reader. It is not intended to replace medical diagnosis or treatment, but rather to provide information and recipes which may be helpful in implementing a diet and program prescribed by your doctor. Please consult your physician for medical advice before changing your diet.

There are no warranties which extend beyond the educational nature of this website. Therefore, we shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person with respect to any loss or damage alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this post.