It has been previously believed that organic produce contains many more vitamins and antioxidants than non-organic produce.  Soil depletion, the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers all play a role in the removal of precious vitamins and minerals in our food supply.  Lately this assumption has come under attack, but whether or not this is true, I will still continue to purchase organic produce for many reasons—the main one being my concern about too much toxic exposure.

     We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  God put many systems in place in our bodies that will eliminate or reduce toxins that we consume, inhale or “rub on” on a regular basis; however, lately we are bombarded with toxins from every angle.  Fertilizers, pesticides, bug sprays, chemical cleansers, paints, candles, air fresheners, food additives, artificial sweeteners, food dyes—the list goes on and on.  When we expose our bodies regularly with these things, we get what is called “toxic overload”.  Our liver and other cleansing organs cannot handle any more toxins, so they begin spilling into our blood stream and “hiding” in other places, such as joints; or showing their ugly head in the form of tumors, skin eruptions and/or autoimmune diseases (diseases which attack our own immune systems, such as lupus, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few).  Therefore, anything I can do to reduce the toxic load in my body, I must do.  Some toxins cannot be avoided and are a part of my everyday world; however, eating organic foods when possible is one thing that I can do to improve the health of me and my family. 

     Yes, organic produce costs more than regular produce, but it is all relative to what is important.  I would rather pay more for organic produce and eliminate chips, soda, and/or other foods that do nothing but harm to my body.  I have a list of the foods with the most pesticides used.  I never buy non-organic produce of the foods that are high on the list, but the ones at the bottom, if the price difference is too much, then I will purchase non-organic.

     Another reason I choose organic produce is to help the organic farmers.  The more demand, the more the output and the more prices will be reduced.  Plus, these farmers are not run by big business and really have to work hard and believe in what they do in order to tolerate the red tape involved in farming organically.

     On the flip side, if I have a choice of buying non-organic produce from a local farmer versus organic from a farm in California, I will choose the non-organic.  The local, smaller farmers do not usually have to use as many pesticides and fertilizers as the large industries; and once the produce is picked, it begins to lose its vitamin content and precious enzymes.  Therefore, buying produce picked a few days ago locally versus picked last week and shipped across country (which also uses a lot of fuel to do so), in this case would make more sense. 

     Those of you that have children with allergies, asthma, and learning disorders will be interested to learn that reducing the toxic burden in children has been known to help.   Any time their little bodies have to spend eliminating toxins, it is wasting precious energy that can be used for healing other disorders in the body.  Not to mention the contribution that the fertilizers and pesticides make to exacerbate the symptoms.  Did you know that having your home chemically treated for bugs is a very real danger for small children and animals? (This is a subject for later discussion.)

      I will have fulfilled my purpose in writing this article, if it has given you some food for thought (no pun intended).  If you are feeding a family, this is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly.  One in three children will develop diabetes; and I read last week that this is the first generation that will not outlive their parents—this is major news and worth serious consideration.  Purchasing organic produce when warranted (scroll down to next page to see chart) is a one small, but huge step you can take on your journey to healthy living.

     Soon I will talk about genetically modified and irradiated produce.  Eating these types of produce has been shown to have health consequences.  I only purchase corn and soy products if they are listed as being non GMO, otherwise I might be opening a Pandora’s Box of problems in the future.

From my heart to your health,

Debby

PS  I highly recommend the movie, Food, Inc.  It is an excellent documentary on the meat, dairy and produce industry.  A must see for anyone interested in healthier living!

I heard on the radio this morning that Americans have a shorter lifespan than 60% of other nations in the world; and it was attributed to obesity, infant mortality and lack of universal healthcare.

What they failed to mention; and what I firmly believe is that, for the most part, our own low mortality rate is caused by our poor lifestyle habits, our diets, chemicals in our air, our stress-filled days, among many other factors.   It is very disturbing to me that our poor health is attributed to lack of healthcare rather than the consequences of our everyday choices which cause us to need healthcare in the first place!

We are the richest nation in the world and in spite of that; we are still one of the unhealthiest because of our indulgent lifestyles. We think the answer lies in prescription drugs and good medical care, rather than eating foods the way they were intended--whole and pure—as opposed to processed with chemicals, sugar, salt, and other poisons.  Not to mention our obsession with food and the fact that we eat way above the requirements for our bodies.

Has man become so wise that we have become fools?  Fools to think that good healthcare is the answer to all of our problems? Fools to think that pharmaceuticals can cure our ailments?  Pharmaceuticals are successful in putting a band-aid on our health problems, so successfully that it is unusual for anyone to be prescription-drug free. We are not dealing with the real cause of these ailments and are becoming sicker from the many side effects of the drugs.

God knew in the beginning what foods would give us healthy bodies and vibrant lives, and to stray from those foods in ANY way will only lead to our declining health. Our bodies adapt for a time, sometimes a long time, because of the many avenues our bodies have to help us maintain good health; however eventually, because of our abuses, our organs prematurely wear out and cannot work as effectively, and disease sets in, which in most cases has been resident many years before it becomes evident on the outside.

Our nation leads the world in osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders... I could go on and on. These myriad of diseases are almost always lifestyle induced. For example, osteoporosis is not caused by lack of calcium, but by the leaching of calcium from our bones as a result of eating too much meat, drinking too many sodas, and from lack of exercise to build stronger bones.

We are feeding our children foods laden with high fructose corn syrup, which cannot be processed by our bodies without depleting precious vitamin stores in order to get rid of this toxin. We are also feeding them foods loaded with MSG which is so harmful, especially to growing children, that it is disguised by many names on food labels. We give our children sodas, candy, and cookies, feed them donuts at school; and then give them drugs because they are not paying attention or behaving!

These are just a few examples of many crazy things we do that cause ill health, and now we want to blame our nation’s unhealthy status on lack of healthcare?

 Last week, I heard a radio station criticizing a school for trying to remove hot dogs from the menu, stating fanaticism and ridiculousness.  Hot dogs, as well as most luncheon meat, bacon and sausage, contain nitrates, chemicals that have been proven to cause cancer of the stomach, yet we feed them to children in school on a weekly, if not daily basis.

You are labeled extreme if you focus on eating raw fruits and vegetables; however it is not considered extreme to eat something that is made in a processing plant that is so dead it will keep on the shelf for hundreds of years.  

I am not even going to mention lack of exercising, harboring bitterness, stressful living, using unhealthy skin-care and household products, breathing toxins in through our lungs, and many other things that contribute to our lack of health and well-being.  Those are subjects to be covered at another time.

Put a potato in the ground, it will eventually grow a potato plant; put a potato chip in the ground, what happens? Live foods give life, dead foods are just that--dead. Dead foods will lead to our death; live foods to life and well being.  We are feeding ourselves dead foods, and expecting our healthcare system to fix the damage that we cause; it is not working. Let us get back to being responsible for our own health and not expecting healthcare and medicine to do a job that we should be doing ourselves. It is a lifetime investment, and the benefits far outweigh the effort in the long run.  It is never too late, because our bodies are in a constant state of repairing our imbalances--unless, we do not give them (our bodies) the tools needed to do the repairs. 

To repeat, our health is our responsibility;  let our hospitals and doctors be available for emergencies and things beyond our control, rather than to fix the messes we have made by our lack of responsibility for our own bodies. We are not dying from lack of health care, but from lack of self-care.  What can you do today to begin your journey on the road to good health?  Remember, it is never too late!

From my heart to your health,

Debby

Sometimes I feel as if I am swimming upstream in a world of unhealthy living.  For those of you who try to do things to be healthier, but always sneak back into your old ways, remember this is a process.  For an “all or nothing” girl like me, this can be a very difficult concept.  I do not always practice what I preach; and there are many reasons—excuses, no, but reasons, yes.  Although this can be frustrating, I refuse to give up. I will continue to climb that hill, knowing that the view on top is spectacular!  Here are just a few of the detours that get in my way:

1.      First of all, I am trying to undo at least 56 years of my life’s eating habits.  I do not know how accurate the “56” is, because I have been on this journey for at least 20 years or more, but for at least the first 30 years of my life, I was prone to eat the traditional meat and potatoes meal, sandwiches for lunch and eggs and bacon or cereal for breakfast.  This is what became comfortable for me.  I have a lot of warm family memories associated with fried chicken, pork chops and mashed potatoes—oh and Mom’s homemade apple dumplings!

2.    When the going gets rough and I get tired or lazy, I tend to revert back to what is familiar (somewhat) and easy.  When I am at the store, it is easy to buy the things I already know how to make, rather than taking the time to flip through the vegetarian recipe books and write down all the ingredients to buy things unknown or strange.  To change a habit, it must be replaced with another healthier habit; it is time consuming, and it takes dedication.

3.    There is lack of support from friends, family and the rest of the world.  When you feel like you are “marching to the beat of a different drum”, it makes it more difficult when everyone else is not following your “drumbeat”.   I have a weakness for certain foods that I keep out of my house; because certainly in a weak moment, I will cave; however, when I am at the home of a friend or family member that has all my favorite “junky foods”, I can be like a dog out of my cage and eat as if it were my last meal.  When I am in that frame of mind, no amount of reasoning helps.  I am like a kid at a candy jar whose fleshly appetites have taken control.

4.    Eating out -breakfast.  My husband will laugh at this one, because one of my major concerns at a restaurant is the bread.  Is it the fake whole wheat that is white bread with caramel coloring?  Is it white bread with a little wheat added?  Is it stone-ground whole wheat with some softener added?  Or is just a good, hearty piece of whole grain bread?  The latter is very rare and since toast is my usual choice for breakfast, this can ruin my entire day!  Pancakes are usually out of the question.  Have you ever had a whole grain pancake?  Well let me tell you, it is superior to any of those fluffy, white pancakes that bloat you for the rest of the day.  Good luck finding a restaurant that serves whole grain pancakes!  Oh, I almost forgot the tea.  Where can you go and order herbal or green tea for breakfast?  See, even before my day begins (if we are eating out), I have a problem.  So I either have to compromise or bring my own tea and a Cliff Bar.  One day, I might try to bring my Ezekiel bread and ask if they can toast it for me!

5.    Eating out-lunch or dinner.  Where can you go to get a nice salad with organic meat and some organic dressing, or maybe just dressing without MSG?  More restaurants are serving different leafy greens, but most of them will give you a bowl of iceberg lettuce with a few carrot shreds and call it a salad.  If I am in a hurry, where are the healthy fast-food restaurants?  Hamburgers made with beef and ammonia, French fries, maybe a Chic Filet sandwich loaded with MSG? Now I know I am being dramatic, and there are healthier options at these restaurants; but in a weak moment, once I walk in the door with the intention of ordering a salad and grilled chicken, I smell the fries, my appetite takes over and I am, again, giving into temptation.  Even when I choose a vegetable plate, the vegetables are so overcooked, overseasoned, and overgreased that I wonder if white bread might not be healthier!

6.    Or what about cooking for loved ones who do not share your desire for veggies and quinoa?  Or attending meals made by others and learning how to be gracious and thankful? 

7.    When I am tired, anxious and/or stressed, I grab for the comfort food.  No amount of fruit or nuts will do.  I need good ole chemically-laden, sugar-filled, and/or salty food to ease my pain.  This is what I do; for some people it is alcohol or cigarettes; for me, it is food.

These are just some of the things that make this journey hard; but as I mentioned earlier, I will keep climbing.  I am not a failure if I keep trying.  My “good” moments are beginning to outweigh the “bad”.  I feel so much better physically and mentally when I do what I know are the better things.  The older I get, the more that means to me.  Because you see, what we do now sets the stage for the future of our health.  Every time we eat a little healthier, it puts a little in our “health” account.  Every time we don’t, it takes a little out.  When the healthier meals outweigh the “yucky” stuff, then we have made progress.  So do not beat up on yourself if you are not perfect—do the best you can and keep trying.  Those little things will add up.  Recognize your roadblocks, learn all you can about healthy eating; take the time to be prepared; have a plan; most of the time, my plan works for me, but there are times it does not; and I just put it behind me because—tomorrow’s another day.

From my heart to your health,

Debby

Healthier Forms of Sweeteners

• HONEY is twice as sweet as white sugar and contains small amounts of minerals and enzymes.  The darker the honey, the stronger the flavor, but the more minerals it contains.  Beware of mainstream brands of honey which are overheated, finely filtered, which removes most of the bee pollen, and often processed with sugar or corn syrup.  Look for raw, unfiltered honey, usually found in the health food section of the grocery store. 

• Blackstrap Molasses is a by-product of the sugar refining process; it is what is left over after white table sugar has been made from the sugar cane.  Blackstrap molasses is very high in minerals such as calcium, iron and potassium.  Blackstrap molasses has a very strong flavor, almost coffee-like.

• Agave Nectar is a new sweetener extracted from the core of Agave, a cactus-like plant native to Mexico.  It is about35% sweeter than sugar and it absorbs slowly into the body eliminating the highs and lows associated with sugar intake.  It has a delicious sweet, mild flavor.

• Maple Syrup comes from the sap of the maple trees, which has been boiled down to make a concentrated sweetener. It takes 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of pure maple syrup, so it can be a little expensive, but well worth the price.  It is available in Grade A and Grade B.  Grade A has a delicate flavor and a light amber color.  Grade B is thicker, darker and has more minerals and a stronger flavor.  This is an excellent substitute for pancake syrup, which is most always made with corn syrup and contains no nutrients.

• Fruit Sweeteners can be found in products ranging from soft drinks to cereals.  The most common fruit sweeteners are apple, white grape and pear juices, often used in their concentrated form.  Look also for fruit sweeteners sold individually, such as FruitSource brand sweetener.

• Grain sweeteners, such as barley malt and brown rice syrup are the sweetener of choice of many natural food enthusiasts, given that they are largely composed of complex carbohydrates and are absorbed slowly by the body.

• Stevia is an herb from South America.  Stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar and is non-caloric and does not affect blood glucose levels, so it can be used by people with diabetes or hypoglycemia.  It comes in tablet, powder or liquid form. It is excellent in iced tea.

• Sucanat is a brand name which is the abbreviation for “Sugar Cane Natural”.  It is an unrefined sweetener which contains only the dehydrated juice of organically grown sugar cane.  It is mechanically extracted and no chemicals are used during this process. It contains all the vitamins and minerals sugar cane has before it is processed into white sugar.

Another year has passed and it is time for new beginnings; however, I believe that each day is a day of new beginnings and it is never ever too late to start making changes for a healthier you.  I have seen remarkable changes in people even in their 70’s, just by adopting healthier habits.  Please remember that no matter what your age or your situation, it is never hopeless.

Let’s begin this year by addressing the issue of taking vitamins and herbs for our “ailments”.    I do want to emphasize that using wholefood vitamins and herbs for symptoms and problems can be very beneficial, but I emphatically believe that this is a starting point; you must also stop doing the things that are harmful and that caused the problems in the first place.  Rather than only trying to find a vitamin or an herb to cure what ails you, also use this time to evaluate what might be contributing to the symptoms and begin there.  Let me explain.

 I am frequently approached by friends and acquaintances wanting to know what they can take to have more energy, what theycan put on their skin for rashes, athletes foot, etc., and what can be done for other disorders.  Most people do not realize that seeking to cure the symptom with vitamins, herbs or other alternative treatments,is no different than taking pharmaceuticals to put a band-aid on the symptoms;unless the cause is addressed, the symptoms will return and the disease will worsen.   

 Ignorance about our bodies and how they work is caused in a large part by the emphasis over the years on drugs and “disease care” rather than on education about the link to our good health with our diet and other lifestyle habits.  I am not going into detail right now about the severe side effects of drugs and the toxic burden they place on your body.  I just want you to know there is a better way, the way God intended for us.  Diseased bodies are not a consequence of old age—for the most part, they are a consequence of our unhealthy lifestyle choices.  I want you to realize without a doubt that the road to good or bad health begins the minute you open your mouth to take a bite.

If you are experiencing any type of skin disorders, lack of energy, and/or aches and pains, it is because your body is crying out to you to pay attention; telling you that something is not right.  Once symptoms show their ugly head, it has already begun to get ugly on the inside a long time ago.  Nothing you can take or apply will change the ugly on the inside; you will have to make some serious dietary and lifestyle changes to begin the process of healing from the inside out.  Our livers become so overloaded with toxins that they can no longer do their jobs and filter, so the toxins creep into our blood stream and enter various parts of our bodies, manifesting themselves in many ways including tiredness, skin rashes, arthritis, and other symptoms too numerous to mention.  

Eliminating toxic overload on the liver is an important key to good health.  We can do many things to reduce this overload; some things we cannot, but if we do what we can, then the things we cannot do will not put additional stress on this very important organ. So let’s eliminate toxic overload on the liver by doing as much as we can do to help it out; after all, it is one of our very best friends.

Not only by eating unhealthy foods do toxins enter your body, but also what we breathe into our lungs is an entryway for toxins such as cigarette smoke, gases from cleaning supplies and detergents, candle emissions, pesticides and fertilizers.  Our skin is the largest organ in our body and what we put on it by the way of lotions, soaps and cosmetics, also enters into our bodies to be filtered by the liver and kidneys.  Just by using safer cleaning products,detergents and skincare products, the burden can be taken off the liver and free it to do its job more efficiently.

Therefore, this year, let us begin by ridding ourselves of old, unhealthy habits and replacing them with new habits.  As the weeks progress, I will try to help you understand the “why”, so your motivation to make changes will be stronger.

May I suggest beginning by eliminating the white stuff (white flour, white rice, and white sugar) and drinking more pure water.   Even if you do nothing else this year, this will make a huge improvement on your health, because these are the major sources of inflammation, and inflammation is one of biggest causes of major diseases….

That will be a subject for another time.

May this be the beginning of a healthy and happy year!

From my heart to your health,

Debby