Crest 3D White Whitestrips

I just received my box of Crest 3D White White strips from Influenster today!

I applied my first strips tonight. I only had to leave them on for a half hour and they stayed in place great! I've used other strips in the past that move around and leave a funny taste in your mouth but these didn't do that at all! 

Here is my before photo. In 20 days (There were 20 strips in the box) or so I will post my after!

Influenster

So I have stumbled upon a new website called Influenster (check it out here http://www.influenster.com/). It's pretty sweet. You can take surveys and use different social media platforms to unlock badges and also read and post reviews on all sorts of beauty products. The best part is, if you share enough you get to sample products and tell people what you think. It's actually a pretty neat system. I have yet to get to try anything for the site but I am hoping that I can soon and share my experience with all of you!

Reviving the Blog

This blog has been pretty dormant for a while now. I haven't been home much over the summer to do a whole lot of blogging on here but now that school is back in session I am spending more time on the computer, so I am back.

The PMS Diet

I just read this article today and I have to say, I am intrigued! As a female, anything that can help lessen or even prevent those monthly mood swings is a welcomed suggestion. I think the fact that they add in an actual meal plan is fantastic!

The PMS Diet

Wine
During the week before your period order a glass of wine with dinner. What? Wine! Yes, believe it or not, your PMS may lessen.

The study of Women's Health across the Nation recently linked moderate alcohol consumption (about one drink per day) to fewer pre-period mood changes and headaches. Hello, happy hour!

Sweet Potatoes
Premenstrual mood swings and crazy cravings come down to a shortage of the brain chemical serotonin, says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., coauthor of The Serotonin Power Diet. "The only thing that helps—and it helps instantly—is to eat carbs, because that's the only way the brain makes new serotonin," says Wurtman, who adds that the serotonin boosters need to be eaten straight with no fat or protein.

Instead try this savory mashed recipe:
In a medium saucepan, combine 1-inch chunks of sweet potatoes and enough cold water to cover them. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the medium saucepan. A drizzle of honey, and a dash of cinnamon and pepper. Mash until smooth.

Skim Milk
Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness. Turns out calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Mary Dallman, Ph.D., professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. A glass of moo juice (preferably skim or 1 percent) may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety, and irritability. According to a 2005 study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drank four or more servings of low-fat or skim milk per day had a 46 percent lower risk of pre-period misery than women who had no more than one serving per week.

Ginkgo Biloba
The herb ginkgo biloba can reduce PMS puffiness. In a recent study that was published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, subjects took 40-milligram ginkgo tablets three times a day for two months during the last half of their menstrual cycles, while another group took placebos. The ginkgo takers reported that their PMS symptoms—including belly bloat—were about 20 percent less severe, compared with the group taking the placebo. Ginkgo biloba contains flavonoids, which reduce inflamma-tion and increase blood flow. Both ease bloating, says lead study author Giti Ozgoli of Iran's Shahid Beheshti Medical University.

Spinach
Mighty magnesium has been linked with lessening some of those heinous that-time-of-the-month symptoms. First, the mineral can help lower your stress levels, keeping you less likely to fly off the handle. Also, not getting enough magnesium can trigger migraine headaches and make you feel fatigued. (And almost seven out of 10 of us don't get enough of the stuff. No wonder we're cranky.) Spinach delivers a megaload of magnesium. Just one leafy cup provides 40 percent of your daily value -- so try subbing it for lettuce on sandwiches and salads. Or whip up a hot side of wilted spinach to pair with your next PMS-busting dinner:

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil, a crushed garlic clove, and some black pepper in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, then toss in four handfuls of spinach leaves and turn them frequently for a minute or two.

Want a whole PMS-busting meal plan? Try this combo of mood-boosting, cramp-curing meals for a week and watch your symptoms fade:

Breakfast
Cottage cheese, berries + fortified OJ

OR

Oatmeal + low-fat milk + whole wheat toast

Lunch
Spinach salad, salmon + glass of low-fat milk

OR

Tuna, low-fat mayo, whole-wheat bread + cantaloupe

Snack
Air-popped popcorn (no butter) drizzled with fat-free chocolate sauce
OR

Whole wheat bran muffin + nonfat yogurt with honey

OR

Low-fat cheese + whole-wheat crackers

Dinner
Whole-wheat pasta + garlic, mushrooms, onions in a tomato sauce

OR

Broiled salmon + brown rice + steamed broccoli + blueberries

Get out and walk!

I walk and jog every morning. I'm not a fan of exercise so this is about as intense as I get. I just wanted to share this because I think it is neat. Also, just a little update; since I have been walking every day and also given up pop, I have dropped 2 pant sizes since January! It feels good to make some progress finally!

Cravings

Do you ever crave chocolate or something salty? For me it's usually both at the same time. I never gave any thought to cravings. I just always assumed it was because of boredom or some other reason my brain was giving me that I didn't know about. It turns out that you actually crave certain things because your body is missing certain nutrients. Even over eating or a loss of appetite can signal a drop in nutrients and vitamins. Here is a list of cravings and what they mean so the next time you want something sweet, you can make a better, healthier choice to satisfy that craving.

How hot do you like it?

New research is now finding that spicy food is good for you. From what I've read, the heat in spicy foods literally warm up your metabolism. When this happens, it helps it to work faster and burn more calories. It is the capsaicin in most peppers that causes these fat burning effects in the body, so not just any hot food will benefit you in such a way. The boosted metabolism is just a temporary occurrence when eating chili peppers, but having one spicy meal a day can be helpful in your diet.

I personally have never had much of a tolerance for spicy foods. Typically, I find that the heat overrides the flavor and I end up just feeling discomfort throughout my meal. After learning that the heat actually speeds up the metabolism, I've been trying to eat more spicy foods. Right now, my favorite is the Hunan Chicken from Hunan House in Mt Pleasant. It is loaded with chili peppers and jalapeno peppers and surprisingly has a lot of flavor and not just heat. Another good, spicy and simple meal is spaghetti noodles with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and chili pepper flakes. This is also another one with good flavor and making it at home allows me to add as much heat as I want. 

Ignorance Isn't Bliss

One thing I have noticed is that people don't usually seem to understand the healing power of a healthy diet. Just today I was grocery shopping with my brother and the topic of health foods came up. He pointed out the obvious that buying healthy foods is much more expensive than buying junk food. The truth to that is depressing. I think the price of good food is the reason our country is in the health rut it is in. Staying on the health food topic, I began explaining the book, The Inside Tract, to him. I told him how eating a whole food diet has the ability to heal the body of various ailments and improve all around health. Of course, he was extremely skeptical of that fact. Which leads me to wonder why people don't understand how strong of an impact food has on our bodies. Maybe I am more aware because I am a medical student, but I guess I always thought it was common knowledge. I don't expect people to understand the difference between energy from proteins and energy from carbs. Although, I do think they should know that what we eat impacts every inch of our bodies. Or at least be aware of how we feel after we eat. I know for myself, if I have something greasy or fatty, I instantly want to lay down and nap. On the other hand, a good salad with grilled chicken gives me energy and even makes me feel good about myself because I made a healthy food choice. The bottom line is that people need to become more educated about eating right and taking care of their bodies by making better choices. Maybe some education could help lower the number of obese people in our country as well as the amount of people suffering from ailments and disease due to being unhealthy or overweight.

Lent

I'm not sure why, but avoiding meat on Fridays seems the be so difficult for me. Breakfast is no big deal because I usually only eat cereal, oatmeal or an egg with toast. But when lunch rolls around and I'm looking into my fridge at the week's leftovers, I feel like I have no options because everything has some kind of meat in it. Today I opted for mac n cheese, which was delicious but lacking. Dinner doesn't bother me as much. I love going out to the fish fry's and I actually really like the filet-o-fish from McDonald's, as unhealthy as it may be.
I wish I ate more fish but until recently I never liked it. All I would ever eat was deep fried cod or the frozen, fake fish patties and sticks. Not the healthiest of choices. When I was in Florida last week, I was forced to eat Grouper and Amber jack. When I say forced, I mean I would have walked away from the table after eating only a salad and some bread. Not very fulfilling. So I tried the fish and loved it to my surprise.
I've read and heard from different sources that "they" (whoever they may be) recommend we eat fish for at least 2 meals a week. As someone who generally only eats fish during Lent, that's a lot. With my new found love for it, I would like to start eating it more often, I just have no idea how to cook it. Also, living in Michigan, we don't get the delicious options they have down in the gulf. I'm more of a fan of salt water fish than fresh water fish, and if I'm going to eat grilled fish, I definitely prefer to have it as fresh as possible. Oh, the dilemma.


Here are some benefits to eating more fish:

• People who eat baked or broiled fish at least once a week may improve their brain health and cut the risk of developing memory problems or Alzheimer's disease, according to a study presented today at the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting in Chicago. (AARP.com)
  
• Omega-3 fatty acids may decrease triglycerides, lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, boost immunity and improve arthritis symptoms, and in children may improve learning ability. Eating one to two servings a week of fish, particularly fish that's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, appears to reduce the risk of heart disease, particularly sudden cardiac death. (mayoclinic.com)

It's Called "Pop" not "Soda"

It is officially Lent, so for the next few weeks I am soda pop free. Except the occasional Sunday, because every good Catholic knows Sundays don't count during lent. I am pretty sure that I will continue to avoid pop even after Easter. I don't know if I can commit to giving it up completely, but I am definitely going to limit my consumption. We all know that pop is bad for us but exactly how bad is it?
Here is a table that explains just how bad pop is for you body:

That alone is enough evidence to get me to lay off the soda. Which hopefully shouldn't be a problem since I found this delicious new water "recipe" that actually helps your body!

Sassy Water:

1 pitcher
8 1/2 cups water (ideally filtered water)
1 teaspoon grated ginger (to boost metabolism)
1 medium cucumber, sliced thin (a natural diuretic, helps the body release stored excess water)
1 medium lemon, sliced thin (a digestive aid and liver cleanser)
12 leaves spearmint

I encourage all of you to try it!

GM's Wonder Diet

I managed to stumble upon yet another detox, recently. This one is definitely a little off the wall. It claims, if you follow it exactly for 7 days you can lose about 10 to 17 lbs and also feel "an abundance of energy and an improved disposition". I wanted to share this detox because it is strict and it definitely limits your diet for the week. Call me crazy, but I am so intrigued by this diet, as well as testing my will power and my body's limits, that I kind of want to try it. I'm all for losing weight and having more energy, I'm just not sure about the "improved disposition" part. I tend to get a little grumpy when I am hungry or dieting to the point of restricting what I eat. You never know, though, this could be the miracle diet. Here it is, I would love to hear your opinion of it:

During the first seven days you must abstain from all alcohol
You must drink 10 glasses of water each day

Day One All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want. It is strongly suggested that you consume lots of melons the first day. Especially watermelon and a loupe. If you limit your fruit consumption to melons, your chances of losing three lbs. on first day are very good.
How and why it works:  you are preparing your system for the upcoming programme. Your only source of nutrition is fresh or canned fruits. Fruits are nature’s perfect food. They provide everything you could possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.

Day Two All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large baked potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter.
How and why it works: Day 2 starts with a fix of complex carbo-hydrates coupled with an oil dose. This is taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibre.

Day Three A mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet. No potatoes today.
How and why it works: Day 3 eliminates the potato because you get your carbohydrates from the fruits. You system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds. You will still have cravings which should start to diminish by day four.

Day Four Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities. (G.M.'s Wonder Soup: 28 oz, Water, 6 Large Onions, 2 Green Peppers, Whole Tomatoes (fresh or canned), 1 Head Cabbage, 1 Bunch Celery, 4 Envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix, Herbs and Flavouring as desired. )
How and why it works: bananas, milk and soup sound the strangest and least desirable. You’re in for a surprise. You probably will not eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the past three days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easy this day will go.

Day Five Today is feast day. You will eat beef and tomatoes. Eat two 10 oz. portions of lean beef. Hamburger is OK. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.
How and why it works: Beef and tomatoes. The beef is for iron and proteins, the tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colourless urine today. Your allowance calls for the equivalent of five “quarter ponders”. Do not feel you have to eat all this beef. You must eat the six tomatoes.

Day Six Beef and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of beef and vegetables. Eat to your hearts content.
How and why it works: Day 6 is similar to day five, Iron and proteins from beef, Vitamins and fibre from vegetables. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today, compared to day one.

Day Seven Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.
How and why it works: Day 7 finished off the program like a good cigar used to finish off Victorian meals, except much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it.


Additional Comments

Vegetables as may be taken in the form of a salad if desired. No dressing except malt, white or wine vinegar, squeezed lemon, garlic, herbs. No more than one tea spoon of oil.

You have been given a recipe for the WONDER SOUP which can be eaten in unlimited quantities. This soup is a supplement while you are on the program and it should be a pleasure to eat. Not everyone likes cabbage, green peppers, calory etc. This recipe is not inflexible. You may substitute vegetables according to your taste. You may add any vegetables you like: asparagus, peas, corn, turnips, green beans, cauliflower, etc. Try to stay away from beans (lima, pinto, kidney, etc.), however, because they tend to be high in calories even though they are very good for you.



   1. Water (flavoured with lemon/lime if desired).
   2. Club Soda is OK.
   3. Black Coffee. No cream or cream substitute. No sugar or sweetness.
   4. Black Tea = Herb or Leaf.
   5. Absolutely nothing else except the fruit juices which are part of day seven. No fruit juices before day seven.




It says that this program can be repeated as often as you would like until you have reached your desired weight loss. Personally, I don't think this is the ideal way to go about weight loss, and probably isn't the most permanent, but it seems like a good supplement to a healthy diet and exercise regimen. The best part is after the first 7 days, if you choose to continue the detox, they suggest 2 glass of white wine that week.  Although, it does say "Under no circumstances are you to drink any other alcoholic beverages with the exception of beer which is allowed. Any liquor (bourbon,vodka, rum) is forbidden. Cream drinks are especially forbidden. You may have an occasional cordial such as creme de menthe or schnapps, but you must always limit yourself to two drinks. If you wine, drink only wine that day. If you have beer, drink only beer that day, etc. Alcohol adds empty calories to your diet. However, after the first week it will help your digestion and settle your stomach." Any diet that encourages wine is a winner in my book.

A Little Off Topic

I realize this blog is supposed to be about eating right and how food affects our bodies, but this post is going to be a little off subject. I'm currently on vacation in Florida so things are quite a bit different for me this week. Usually, I get up every morning and run, then I head home and get ready for my day which typically consists of either home or cleaning (sometimes both), then at the end of the day I head into work. But, that's the nice thing about being on vacation. You get to have a break from the same old daily chores. I will admit, there is one downside; going out to eat more often and not exercising as much. I have have a feeling getting back to the gym next week is going to be very difficult. I try to stay on track when on vacation but it's way to easy to give into temptation. Especially when that temptation is fresh, homemade key lime pie! This week is going to be a set back for me but I know I can work past it.

No More Pop

After my last post about the wonderful and amazing qualities of water, I decided to give myself a small challenge, which my mother/workout partner decided to take on with me. The rules were simple; no pop for 4 days and try to drink only water. I say "try to drink only water" because I wasn't going to say no to coffee, green tea or iced tea and Crystal Light, since those are mostly water anyways and still have some healthy benefits. Believe it or not, it wasn't that hard to avoid pop. I found that as long as I don't keep any in my house, I'm not tempted to drink it. Also, the little Crystal Light packets that you can add to bottles of water are delicious, so if I was getting sick of drinking only water all day, I would have one of those.

I used to drink a Diet Coke a day. I've always tried to keep my pop intake to one a day and have rarely exceeded that limit. I'm one of those people who loves Diet Coke and I've it is one of those things that people either love or hate. There really are not many in between. Well, I am one of those Diet Coke fanatics. I love the stuff, but am still surprised at how much I haven't missed it this week. I'm sure it will be a wonderful and joyous reunion once I partake in consuming one again, but I am content without it right now. Even as I write this I am drinking a cranberry lemonade Crystal Light "water".

My mother and I have talked about giving up pop for Lent. (In case you don't know, Lent is a Catholic holiday leading up to Easter that lasts for 40 days and 40 nights. Fasting is encouraged although not required and is interpreted by giving up something such as chocolate, pop, video games, etc. or by choosing to do good for yourself or others such as working out every day or volunteering/donating your time where it is needed). I'm pretty sure my mom gives up pop every year but I never have before since giving up my precious Diet Coke for 40 days seems like such a daunting task. I think this year I am going to take on the challenge of no pop for Lent and maybe even up the ante by avoiding all sugary and carbonated beverages. They say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit (I've also heard it takes 40 days, I'm not sure which is correct) so if that is true, it will only be difficult to get through the first 3 weeks then it should be smooth sailing from then on. Oh, and Lent starts next week so I think I need to drink all of the soda I can this weekend! Wish me luck!

H2 OH!

According to dictionary.com, water is defined as;

wa·ter 

[waw-ter, wot-er]

noun

1.

a transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid, a compound ofhydrogen and oxygen, H ₂ O, freezing at 32°F or 0°C andboiling at 212°F or 100°C, that in a more or less impure stateconstitutes rain, oceans, lakes, rivers, etc.: it contains11.188 percent hydrogen and 88.812 percent oxygen, byweight.

2.

a special form or variety of this liquid, as rain.

3.

Often, waters. this liquid in an impure state as obtainedfrom a mineral spring: Last year we went to Marienbad for thewaters.

4.

the liquid content of a river, inlet, etc., with reference to itsrelative height, especially as dependent on tide: a differenceof 20 feet between high and low water.

5.

the surface of a stream, river, lake, ocean, etc.: above,below, or on the water.

Water is the most important substance we put in our bodies! We can't live without it and it does so much more than most people realize. At any time, our brains are 75% water, our bones are 25% water, and our blood is 83% water. Not only does it hydrate us, it is involved in almost every process that is required for life and homeostasis. It helps to regulate our body temperature, carries nutrients throughout the body, eliminates toxins and waste from the body, and it improves digestion. 

Did you know that drinking more water can actually help reduce water retention? Crazy, right? When we don't drink enough water, our bodies hold on to what we already have in us. This is because lack of water in our bodies is perceived as a threat and we go into a survival mode. 

Water also helps our bodies maintain muscle tone as well as helps to prevent skin from sagging due to occurrences such as aging or weight loss. 

Amazing H2O!

Dandelion Root; An Evil Tea.

I didn't stick with the detox. The mix upset my stomach so much that I couldn't deal with it. I had my last drink of it Wednesday night and am still feeling a little ill. I was curious about why I was having such a reaction to it so I did a little bit of research. I think it is safe to assume the dandelion root is the culprit for all of my problems.
According to livestrong.com, dandelion root is very beneficial to our health. One of its benefits are improved digestion, thanks to its laxative properties (I wish I would have read that before I drank it). It also says that it has effects on the liver and gallbladder. They say it breaks down toxins in both organs, helps ease side effects from traditional medicines that are absorbed by the liver and it can help with appetite stimulation for upset stomachs.
The only side effect I found was an allergy warning. It seems that some people are allergic to the milk found in the stem and that people with allergies to marigold, chrysanthemums, ragweed, daisies, chamomile or yarrow should avoid drinking dandelion tea. 
Finally, I learned that drinking dandelion tea can have some upsetting gastrointestinal effects. Not only does it increase stomach acid which can lead to hear burn, it also has a tendency to cause upset stomachs and diarrhea.
This is slightly confusing because in one paragraph they claim it is helpful to upset stomachs while in another they state it causes them. After this experience, I can say I am not a fan. 

Detoxing

Today, I decided to try a detox. I'm heading to Florida in a week and want to look a little better for my trip. This specific detox claims you can lose up to 5lbs of water weight in 7 days. The recipe calls for 60 ounces of distilled water mixed with a tablespoon of sugar-free cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and one dandelion root tea bag. You have to drink 60 ounces of this concoction a day for 7 days and voila! 5 lbs are gone.
I have to tell you, this drink is not the most crave-able beverage I have ever had. The dandelion root tea gives it a very earthy flavor, kind of like dirt. But, other than that, it's not completely horrible. The hardest part is drinking 60 ounces in one day. I have it divided into a 30 ounce water bottle so I'm not carrying a huge jug around all day, and it is hard enough to finish the first bottle. Hopefully, by next Wednesday I will be feeling and looking 5lbs lighter!


*Update* 2/9/12
After two tries, I was only able to drink about 15 ounces before feeling and/or getting sick. Something in the mix didn't work well with my body. I'm assuming the culprit is the dandelion root. I had done some research on the herb because the box explicitly warns not to drink if you have an infected gallbladder. Since I don't have one anymore, I wasn't sure how I fit into that category. All of my Internet findings were contradictory. Some said it was really good for people without their gallbladder while there were a couple that said it was bad for people who were without one. I guess it isn't going to work out for me. Oh well, I guess. On to the next crazy weight loss/detox plan!

Just a Little Update...

I have to say that I have been feeling really good lately. I finally got back to the gym and working out encourages me to make healthier food choices. I've been cooking more and ordering out a lot less and I have really noticed a difference. I don't remember the last time I got sick after eating something too greasy or fatty and I am very thankful for that. Even though I was busy the other night and ordered pizza instead of cooking, I still feel really good. My biggest regret is not doing this sooner. I wonder if I would have been more thoughtful about what I ate in the past, maybe I'd still have my gallbladder. All I know is that I want to keep myself healthy because I never want to go through another surgery like that again.

Does an Apple a Day Really Keep the Doctor Away?

It’s one of the most recognizable expressions around: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But besides the fact that it rhymes, which makes it fun to say and easy to recall, does it really have any value? Could the common apple honestly help a person to maintain perfect health?

The first printed mention of this saying can be found in the February 1866 issue of the publication “Notes and Queries.” The publication printed the proverb like this: “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” Nearly 150 years later, variations of this adage are still quoted. It’s unlikely that the saying would have maintained such popularity if there wasn’t some truth to it, right? With that in mind, let’s consider some of the apple’s components and their effect on our health:

• Pectin — Pectin is a form of soluble fiber than lowers both blood pressure and glucose levels. It can also lower the levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol in the body. Pectin, like other forms of fiber, helps maintain the health of the digestive system. Apples are an excellent source of pectin.
• Boron — A nutrient found in abundance in apples, boron supports strong bones and a healthy brain.
• Quercetin — A flavonoid, this nutrient shows promise for reducing the risk of various cancers, including cancers in the lungs and breast. It may also reduce free radical damage. Free radicals develop when atoms in the body’s cells have unpaired electrons, which can lead to damage to different parts of the cell, including DNA. Quercetin may neutralize free radical damage, which has been implicated in a variety of age-related health problems, including Alzheimer’s disease.
• Vitamin C — Vitamin C boosts immunity, which helps maintain overall health.
• Phytonutrients — Apples are rich in a variety of phytonutrients, including vitamins A and E and beta carotene. These compounds fight damage from free radicals and can have a profound affect on health, including reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and asthma.

Apples also act as a toothbrush, cleaning teeth and killing bacteria in the mouth, which may reduce the risk of tooth decay. They’re also low in calorie density, one of the trademarks of a healthy food. When a food is low in calorie density you can eat good size portions of the food for relatively few calories. In addition, apples are affordable and readily available.

With all of this information, it’s easy to see that, yes, an apple has its health benefits. But does eating an apple every day mean you’ll never get sick? And is an apple really healthier than other fruits? 

http://thisiswherelifegetsgood.tumblr.com/

I found this on another blog that I stumbled upon thanks to Pinterest.com and felt it fit in very well with my blog. It is just another example of the power of food. There is one thing that jumped out at me; phytonutrients. I've been reading and hearing a lot about those little things a lot lately. As mentioned above, they fight free radicals and can help prevent a handful of health issues but what exactly are they? Phytonutrients are an organic compound that come from plants and they are most commonly found in fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and teas. Studies on phytonutrients, also known as phytochemicals, are still in early stages and have yet to confirm any proof of their health benefits but they have been shown to lower risks for developing certain cancers and heart disease.

Currently, about 48% of Americans eat less than one serving of fruit a day and 10% eat less than one serving of vegetable. Only 30-40% eat their daily recommended serving of 2-3 fruits and vegetables a day. Knowing that fruits and vegetables contain the phytonutrients that can help prevent developing cancer, it's no wonder cancer rates are as high as they are today. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1,638,910 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2012. For now, it appears that an effective strategy for reducing risk of cancer and heart disease is to increase consumption of phytonutrient-rich foods including fruits, vegetables, grains and teas. Just another example of how powerful a healthy diet can be. So maybe an apple a day can really keep the doctor away, or at least the oncologist.


If that isn't enough motivation to eat healthier, here are so more reason to eat fruit.

I found this quote a couple of days ago and I love it. It really goes a long with what I have been reading in my book and talking about in this blog.
I read an article today that is a perfect example of how an unhealthy diet can affect your body. There is a story about a 17 year old girl who collapsed recently after eating basically nothing but chicken nuggets for the last 15 years making its way around the internet currently. (You can read it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/26/stacey-irvine-chicken-nugget-diet_n_1234217.html)
She claims that every since eating chicken nuggets for the first time at 2 years old, it became her favorite food and she never wanted anything else. So for the last 15 years she has had chicken nuggets every single day and has excluded fruits and vegetables from her diet. Well, it finally caught up with her because she collapsed at work and was rushed to the hospital. They found she had some breathing problems, anemia and swollen veins in her tongue. This story is living proof of how eating badly will slowly kill you.
Food is a powerful thing. Eating the right kinds can keep your body healthy and strong, inside and out. At the same time, eating too many "bad" foods can weaken your body and even cause sickness, such as gallbladder disease! A balanced diet is always the best way to go. You should eat a little bit of everything, basically. Even junk food is okay in small amounts; moderation is key!

Another way to help your body get the most out of what you eat is to chew! If you don't chew your food well enough, it makes it more difficult for your stomach to break it down which in turn makes it more difficult to pass through your small intestine leading to bloating, indigestion, heart burn or acid reflux. When food isn't digested properly is can spend too much time in your intestine and which leads to a build up of bacteria that can cause a number of negative effects on your body. Chewing is also important because it starts the digestive process. Your mouth contains an enzyme called alpha-amylase and it is responsible for breaking down food as you chew. Believe it or not, your teeth do not do all of the work. When you don't give the food enough time to be broken down by this enzyme, your body can't absorb as many nutrients from it as it passes through your digestive tract. So you are robbing yourself of all the good things that food as to offer when you chew too little, too fast and swallow it practically whole. So take time and enjoy your food, that's the best part of eating, after all.

You Are What You Eat

Right now, I am watching a show called Taboo on the National Geographic Channel. This particular episode is about obesity, and it is profiling a man who weighs over 600 lbs. He blames his obesity on the eating habits instilled in him by his grandparents when he was a child. This makes me think; how much can we blame the habits learned as children versus our own willpower? When I was a kid, I remember being told I couldn't leave the table until I ate everything on my plate. As I got older, I remember feeling guilty if I ever left food on my plate. Although, I have learned to not feel guilty because you need to stop eating when you are full, not when all of the food is gone, I think that idea lead me to overeating at times. But I can't blame my parents because now that I am an adult I am aware that it is unnecessary to eat all of the food in front of me if I am full. So why is it that some people haven't been able to control themselves so easily? Leading them to obesity and weighing hundreds of pounds before they realize they have a problem.
Obesity has become a very serious issue in our society, with greasy fast food so readily available, people just aren't eating healthy food. My book, The Inside Tract, talks about how we need to get back to eating a whole food diet. This diet isn't a diet in the terms of cutting back food to lose weight, rather, it is simply just eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains and avoiding processed foods. This whole food diet is what our ancestors survived on. Think about the colonists and the kinds of food they had available to them. Everything they ate was either grown right in their backyard or they hunted it. They didn't have a McDonald's down the road to run to if they didn't feel like cooking one night. Even without the medical knowledge and vaccines that we have today, they were generally healthier people than we are now.
All of this comes back to the fact that the foods we eat have a large impact on our health. If you eat fast food and junk food all day then not only will you gain weight, but I can almost guarantee that a bevy of other health problems will come a long with it. And on the other hand, some, but not all, health issues can actually be helped by eating a healthier diet.
The whole food diet consists of the foods that our bodies were meant to ingest. Our bodies want and need nutrients from vegetables and sugars from fruits. Currently, I am in the process of switching over to a whole food diet. Obviously, this isn't something that can easily be done overnight. I'm sure if you had the will power and ability, you could cut out all junk in a day, but I will admit, I'm not that strong. I like junk food and some nights it is a lot easier for me to get fast food for dinner. I am also going about this realistically, because even though I want a majority of my diet to contain whole foods, I know that I can't completely cut out all of the junk. I am a strong believer that anything in moderation is just fine. I'm hoping that by changing how I eat, I will have less side effects that come with not having a gallbladder. Also, hopefully, I will put less stress on my liver and spleen, which are now stuck with the job of making up for the work that my gallbladder used to do.