HOW TO GET STARTED: EATING OUR WAY TO GOOD HEALTH!
One of the biggest lifestyle changes we can make this year is to change the way we eat! What we put in our bodies can determine whether or not we live a life of health or a life of loss. It's that simple.
There is growing evidence every day that the foods we eat are making us sick. Americans lead the world in the number of heart disease and obesity related health complications and deaths per year. We also lead the world in high-fat diets. Add to this the questionable quality of our foods which are tampered with additives, preservatives, pesticides, drugs, hormones, and other dangerous chemicals--and you realize why we must be ever careful of what we put in our mouths!
We now know with no uncertainty that a poor diet high in fat and low in fiber and nutrients is one of the leading culprits contributing to heart disease and other illnesses. It is no wonder that the American College of Cardiology confirms that cardiovascular diseases kill nearly 1 million Americans every year. But the surprising fact is that as many as two-thirds of these deaths are preventable. The risk of heart disease, including heart attack, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol can be greatly reduced by simple lifestyle changes--dietary changes--coupled with exercise, and in some cases with medication. Though we cannot always prevent the onset of these diseases, particularly in the case of hereditary ailments passed on by our parents, we can manage diseases and keep them at bay. The most important point to remember here is that the MAJORITY of cases, barring heredity--are preventable, manageable, and potentially curable--if we commit to making a few changes! And that big change starts with a shift in our thinking--and a shift in our eating!
Culturally this can be tough. So many of us have been raised on the fare that our parents and grandparents passed down to us through the generations. Our unique history as enslaved and/or colonized peoples largely influenced our diet. Our diets were a matter of necessity--not of choice, and in the transition to America, many of our traditional recipes were lost or abandoned by sheer lack of access to the required ingredients and by an eventual loss of memory of the old ways.
But we are no longer physically enslaved or colonized--and the choice is ours today to decide what we eat and how we eat. There are more resources than ever at our disposal and we owe it to ourselves to seek them out! So let's get going today on the road to healthier eating!
Ten tips to get you started on healthier eating & living:
1. Seriously reduce or eliminate fried foods from your diet; have them once or twice a
month if you simply refuse to give them up--though NEVER is best!
2. Limit the amount of animal fat (meat) in your diet. Red meat--a high stress protein
that takes much to digest--should be eaten very sparingly and only if very lean.
Consider grilled or baked fish 1-2 times a week like wild Alaskan salmon,
cod,
haddock, tilapia, flounder and trout which are low in fat and in mercury. Pregnant
and nursing women and small children should particularly avoid high mercury fish.
Check the FDA web site for guidelines on high mercury fish to avoid.
3. Eat a high fiber, low-fat diet full of whole grains, beans, nuts, dark leafy green
veggies and dark colored berries like blackberries and raspberries (among a host of
other delicious fiber rich foods). Replace white rice with brown or wild rice which
are nutrient-rich.
4. Eat LOTS of fresh fruits and vegetables (10 servings reccomended), opting for raw or
steamed veggies rather than overcooked veggies which have little or no nutritional
value. Fruit & veggie consumption should outweigh meat and starch in your diet.
5. Limit sugar & dairy intake. Refined sugar can be toxic to the body and can wreak
havoc on your system. Dairy can have a similar toxic impact because of chemicals
fed to cows, processing methods, additives, and naturally occuring diseases and
cancers that develop in animal fat. Consider low-fat milk, or soy or rice
alternatives based on your dietary needs and tolerance.
6. Read labels, research foods and select them carefully. Certified organic foods are
the best option and a near necessity considering the compromised nature of most
foods readily available to us.
7. Maintain a healthy weight by managing food choices and portions, and with
frequent exercise.
8. Get regular health screenings no matter how busy and hectic your life!
9. Explore both traditional and naturopathic remedies & treatments for your total
health maintenance. Traditional medicine alone may not hold all the answers to
good health.
10. READ, READ, READ! RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH! Find out for yourself what's
good, bad, better & best for your health. The local bookstore, healthfood stores
and the internet are good starting points for a wealth of resources.
In addition to these basic tips are two more critical MUSTS!
-
IF YOU'RE A SMOKER, QUIT NOW! According to the National Cancer Society, smoking is linked to at least 3 in 10 cancer deaths. Likewise, women who smoke increase their risk of heart disease two to four times (American College of Cardiology). Women who smoke while taking birth control pills increase their risk even more! Avoid smoking! End of story.
- GET MOVING! A sedentary lifestyle is a huge risk factor for both heart disease and cancer as well as other illnesses. Though 30-60 minutes of moderately intense activity is reccommended most days of the week, say doctors at the Mayo Clinic, a little activity is better than none. Walk more, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and consider an overall fitness plan and start at your own pace.
These tips should set you off to a good start. But remember, be consistent, be persistent, and read, read, read to learn more about healthy eating and lifestyle habits. Enlist the support of family and friends if you can, and surround yourself with others who are as committed to making a real change as you are. And if you're already on track, reach out to someone else and share your success story and methods with them! A little inspiration goes a long way!
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