Fats - uuuggghhh!!! Just the word makes me cringe. It seems everywhere I turn, people are trying to lower their fat intake. Of course, that's a good thing, but the bad part of that is - Everything I like is fattening!
We all know that a high-fat diet is bad for you. But did you know that high-fat diets are strongly related to colon, rectal, and prostate cancers? That gets my attention personally because my husband would be more susceptible to all of those and he already has a high cancer rate in his family.
Diets that may reduce the risks of these cancers must instead be full of high amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans. Of course, your grains need to be whole grains (natural) and the white stuff needs to go (unnaturally whitened)!
All of our bodies contain a hormone-like compound called PGE2. This dangerous prostaglandin is linked to prostate, colon, and breast cancers. Diets that are high in Polyunsaturated fats (think safflower oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil) and saturated fats (think whole milk, red meat, pork, chicken & turkey skins, bacon, lunchmeat, cheese, ice cream, butter...all the things I like!) increase the PGE2 in your body. That's bad!
However, the weird thing is that if you try to go completely fat-free, that also increases the PGE2 in your body! So, is it a lose-lose situation? Not really.
You see, there are these good fats (is there really such a thing?) called Omega 3's. Omega 3's are essential fatty acids that cannot be manufactured in our bodies, so they must be consumed from an outside source.
Here are some sources of Omega 3 fats:
* raw nuts, particularly walnuts
*flaxseed & flaxeseed oil
*coldwater fish (salmon, mackerel, halibut, tuna, herring, & cod)
*fish oil (sounds lovely, huh?)
*free range meats (I can't wait to discuss this subject later on!!!)
*olive oil & olives (my husband is so happy...he eats olives like candy!)
*dark green veggies (collards, broccoli)
The author of this book recommends using olive oil in the place of any other oil you currently use. I did so this morning and my pancakes were a little flat. But, it could have been the old pancake mix I used? Or perhaps, the out-of-date buttermilk? Hey, buttermilk is already sour so what's the difference? Don't you wanna come to breakfast at our house soon?
He also suggests grinding flax seed and sprinkling it into your cereal, bread or muffin mixes, or anything else you can. He personally grinds (in a coffee bean grinder) 5 tsp flaxseed and puts it in his food daily. He also takes 1 TBSP of flaxseed oil 2 x per day...let me know if you do this and how it turns out for you.
Lastly, let me mention a very dangerous fat that we should all stay away from. These are trans-fats and they are deadly! These fats are man-made and produced by hydrogenating vegetable oil. Basically, veg oil is heated to boiling and hydrogen is bubbled into it to produce a sort of lard we call margarine.
Margarine, believe it or not, is added to most baked goods, breads, pastries, and almost all processed foods. So if you see the term "hydrogenated veg oil" or hydrogenated anything on a food label - STAY AWAY FROM IT! It won't be easy either because SO many boxed foods have this.
In regards to cooking, always choose butter over margarine. The old saying, "You get what you pay for" comes to mind. Margarine is cheaper than butter...but in the end it may cost alot more.
So, in our family, we have resolved the following things in response to this newly learned subject:
1. NO MORE MARGARINE EVER!!!!
2. Olive oil instead of any other oils.
3. Eat more fish - especially when eating out.
4. More beans and dark green veggies.
Finally, we are still consuming our daily soy milk. Well, some of us are. The kiddos are not so thrilled about trying something new, although 2 of them did settle for some soy hot chocolate this afternoon while the others looked on in disgust.
Hey, it's a process and we are reaching forward to goals, keeping the big picture in mind. I hope that you are also setting some goals to become healthier and happier this year!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Ch. 2 - Power Foods!
Already Jason and I are enjoying this journey into the world of nutrition. We are learning SO much and have had some good conversations regarding the foods we have been eating. The problem, though, is that you begin to see things in a different light! For example, I LOVE homemade chocolate chip cookie dough. In fact, it is a staple in our house! It is not uncommon to find a freshly made tub of cookie dough in the refrigerator and sadly, alot of it never makes it to the oven. We all eat it raw and enjoy every minute of it...or did enjoy it! Today as I ate a spoonfull, all I could think about was the 2 sticks of margarine I put in there and the fact that margarine is a man-made fat! Nothing natural at all about it...recently described as a little better than "salty vaseline"!!! So, needless to say, the moment was ruined and my craving for cookie dough killed...not that that is a bad thing!
Anyways, onto the book. Chapter 2 focuses on the power to heal our bodies or build defenses through certain foods. Not only does God himself have healing power, but He has also put that power into certain foods that He has created. It is our job to know those foods and put them into our bodies (instead of cookie dough!).
There are certain foods, called phytonutrients, that will enable us to live healthier and fight diseases.
One source of phytonutrients is soy products. Soy products are filled with isoflavones...definetly a new term to me, but I'm hanging on anyways and refusing to be intimidated! Isoflavones are natural estrogens in soy products. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute have reported that isoflavones have wonderful cancer-fighting properties and highly recommend foods rich in them.
The natural estrogen in soy products is only one one-thousandth as strong as estrogen, but it tends to block the estrogen receptors in our cells, therefore decreasing the tumor-promoting effect of high estrogen levels. Basically, the phytoestrogens in soy products inhibit the ability of cancer cells to reproduce themselves and grow into tumors. Yay!!!!!! This is true in both men and women.
Okay, so where to begin? How do people like me, cookie dough and fried chicken eaters, start eating soy foods instead?
Here are a few sources of soy that may be available to you: soy milk, tofu (what is that?), soy yogurt, soy flour, roasted soy nuts, black soy beans, and yellow or green vegetables.
Now here is what I did personally to begin my new love affair with soy. Yesterday, while at Sam's I picked up 3 cartons of vanilla soy milk for a little under $7.00. I am not sure if that is a great price, but that's where I was and it was on my mind, so I bought it. I also bought a large bag of frozen fruit for about $8.00...it was a LARGE bag!
So this afternoon, when I woke up from my nap and decided cookie dough was no longer for me, I instead got out the soy milk and fruit and blended them together in my blender to make a fruit smoothie. I didn't measure, I just poured in some milk (about 1 1/2 cups) and threw in some fruit (strawberries, peaches, bananas, and blueberries) and blended away. Believe it or not, it was quite tasty and satisfying and the best part of all - good for me! Oh yeah, and my kids didn't care for it so they left me alone to eat it all by myself - a definite bonus in my book!
However, if you are the type that needs a recipe, here is one in the little book I'm reading:
Soy Fruit Smoothie
2 cups of vanilla flavored soy beverage, well chilled
1 cup frozen, sliced peaches
1 med banana, cut into chunks
8 med. strawberries
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine and blend in blender until smooth and creamy. Makes 2 servings.
There are other foods that contain phytonutrients (power-foods/disease fighters). These are vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, & cauliflower. These foods include indoles (another strange word, but I'll explain). Indoles convert estrogen from cancer-promoting to cancer-fighting. I will spare you the details of how this works, because it is difficult to understand, but suffice it to say, it does work and research backs it up. That's why your Mama always told you to eat your veggies!
Finally, here are a few other foods that will benefit your health greatly and boost your immune system:
Green Tea, Alfalfa, Grapes, Tomatoes, Apples, Walnuts, Black Currants, Garlic, Raspberries, and Maitake Mushrooms. There are other things, too, in the book, but they sounded more like something a cow might eat, so I'll spare you (think barley grass, wheat grass, etc...) For now, my requirements are: a.) I actually know what a food is and b.) I can find it in a local grocery store and c.) I would actually try eating it.
Well, I hope this helps someone in their journey of eating a little healthier. I know I have benefitted from my study time and even enjoyed my first experience with a soy product. I am looking forward to what else I will learn and try.
Anyways, onto the book. Chapter 2 focuses on the power to heal our bodies or build defenses through certain foods. Not only does God himself have healing power, but He has also put that power into certain foods that He has created. It is our job to know those foods and put them into our bodies (instead of cookie dough!).
There are certain foods, called phytonutrients, that will enable us to live healthier and fight diseases.
One source of phytonutrients is soy products. Soy products are filled with isoflavones...definetly a new term to me, but I'm hanging on anyways and refusing to be intimidated! Isoflavones are natural estrogens in soy products. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute have reported that isoflavones have wonderful cancer-fighting properties and highly recommend foods rich in them.
The natural estrogen in soy products is only one one-thousandth as strong as estrogen, but it tends to block the estrogen receptors in our cells, therefore decreasing the tumor-promoting effect of high estrogen levels. Basically, the phytoestrogens in soy products inhibit the ability of cancer cells to reproduce themselves and grow into tumors. Yay!!!!!! This is true in both men and women.
Okay, so where to begin? How do people like me, cookie dough and fried chicken eaters, start eating soy foods instead?
Here are a few sources of soy that may be available to you: soy milk, tofu (what is that?), soy yogurt, soy flour, roasted soy nuts, black soy beans, and yellow or green vegetables.
Now here is what I did personally to begin my new love affair with soy. Yesterday, while at Sam's I picked up 3 cartons of vanilla soy milk for a little under $7.00. I am not sure if that is a great price, but that's where I was and it was on my mind, so I bought it. I also bought a large bag of frozen fruit for about $8.00...it was a LARGE bag!
So this afternoon, when I woke up from my nap and decided cookie dough was no longer for me, I instead got out the soy milk and fruit and blended them together in my blender to make a fruit smoothie. I didn't measure, I just poured in some milk (about 1 1/2 cups) and threw in some fruit (strawberries, peaches, bananas, and blueberries) and blended away. Believe it or not, it was quite tasty and satisfying and the best part of all - good for me! Oh yeah, and my kids didn't care for it so they left me alone to eat it all by myself - a definite bonus in my book!
However, if you are the type that needs a recipe, here is one in the little book I'm reading:
Soy Fruit Smoothie
2 cups of vanilla flavored soy beverage, well chilled
1 cup frozen, sliced peaches
1 med banana, cut into chunks
8 med. strawberries
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine and blend in blender until smooth and creamy. Makes 2 servings.
There are other foods that contain phytonutrients (power-foods/disease fighters). These are vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, & cauliflower. These foods include indoles (another strange word, but I'll explain). Indoles convert estrogen from cancer-promoting to cancer-fighting. I will spare you the details of how this works, because it is difficult to understand, but suffice it to say, it does work and research backs it up. That's why your Mama always told you to eat your veggies!
Finally, here are a few other foods that will benefit your health greatly and boost your immune system:
Green Tea, Alfalfa, Grapes, Tomatoes, Apples, Walnuts, Black Currants, Garlic, Raspberries, and Maitake Mushrooms. There are other things, too, in the book, but they sounded more like something a cow might eat, so I'll spare you (think barley grass, wheat grass, etc...) For now, my requirements are: a.) I actually know what a food is and b.) I can find it in a local grocery store and c.) I would actually try eating it.
Well, I hope this helps someone in their journey of eating a little healthier. I know I have benefitted from my study time and even enjoyed my first experience with a soy product. I am looking forward to what else I will learn and try.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Nutrition 101 - The Beginning...
Okay, I have chosen my first book in our nutritional journey! It is entitled, "The Bible Cure for Cancer" by Don Colbert, M.D.. The reason I chose this one to begin with is that it is short and concise and deals pointedly with one of our main concerns: cancer.
According to this book, studies show that one out of every three persons will develop some type of cancer and one of every six of those people will die as a result! That is pretty alarming, huh? The good news is that through medical and nutritional advancements, the death rate from cancer is actually decreasing! Whew! Now that is what we all want to hear!!!
A little background on cancer itself...cancer is caused by immature cells. Instead of maturing and doing what these cells were created to do, they remain immature and begin to steal nutrition from our bodies enabling them to become larger and deadlier. "70-80% of cancers are caused by the food we eat, air we breathe, and the water we drink, as well as lifestyle and environmental factors." (p.4)
So basically we are in a war on all fronts! Although I realize all of these areas need to be assessed, our family is choosing right now to address the area of food. I am a firm believer in establishing one good habit at a time, so as not to become overwhelmed and quit, so the majority of my discussions will be food related.
With that in mind, let us consider some facts:
* Our diets directly impact our immune system, either positively or negatively.
* About 1/3 of all cancer deaths in our nation each year are dietary related.
* Our crops are sprayed with about 2 billion pounds of pesticides each year, many of which are carcinogenic (cancer-causing).
* Our farm animals feed on millions of pounds of hormones and antibiotics each year.
* Just as wood burning produces smoke, food burning (or metabolizing) produces free radicals. These free radicals can damage cells and in some cases cause cells to mutate and produce cancerous growths. A strong antioxidant defense system is the key to overcoming these "threats" to our cells.
So what is a body to do? Well, to begin with, it is wise to assess what we are eating and the effects that it will have on our bodies. The old adage, "garbage in, garbage out" comes to mind. Just being more conscious of the fact that to every choice there is a consequence helps us to make better eating decisions.
Secondly, limiting high fat foods, especially high fat meats, will do wonders for us all. Of course, we need to know what these are, so a little research in that area would be beneficial. Off the top of my head, I already know that pork is a meat marbled with fat and definitely a high-fat meat. So I will be choosing to stay completely away from pork. Isn't it ironic that the last meal I ate before reading this chapter was B-B-Q from Mickey Pigs!!!
Leviticus 3:17 declares, "You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you and all your descendants, wherever they may live."
Lastly,but most importantly, I am asking God to give me wisdom and discretion as I take the first steps on this journey. I hope to be able to keep the "big picture" ever before me and realize that the goals I want to reach in the future require certain steps for me to take today. It is foolish to wish for wisdom and health, yet not set foot on the paths that will take me there. So, my prayer is that God will enable me to make wise choices now while the opportunity is here.
Hopefully others will be inspired to make better choices as well and step out on their own journey of healthy living!
According to this book, studies show that one out of every three persons will develop some type of cancer and one of every six of those people will die as a result! That is pretty alarming, huh? The good news is that through medical and nutritional advancements, the death rate from cancer is actually decreasing! Whew! Now that is what we all want to hear!!!
A little background on cancer itself...cancer is caused by immature cells. Instead of maturing and doing what these cells were created to do, they remain immature and begin to steal nutrition from our bodies enabling them to become larger and deadlier. "70-80% of cancers are caused by the food we eat, air we breathe, and the water we drink, as well as lifestyle and environmental factors." (p.4)
So basically we are in a war on all fronts! Although I realize all of these areas need to be assessed, our family is choosing right now to address the area of food. I am a firm believer in establishing one good habit at a time, so as not to become overwhelmed and quit, so the majority of my discussions will be food related.
With that in mind, let us consider some facts:
* Our diets directly impact our immune system, either positively or negatively.
* About 1/3 of all cancer deaths in our nation each year are dietary related.
* Our crops are sprayed with about 2 billion pounds of pesticides each year, many of which are carcinogenic (cancer-causing).
* Our farm animals feed on millions of pounds of hormones and antibiotics each year.
* Just as wood burning produces smoke, food burning (or metabolizing) produces free radicals. These free radicals can damage cells and in some cases cause cells to mutate and produce cancerous growths. A strong antioxidant defense system is the key to overcoming these "threats" to our cells.
So what is a body to do? Well, to begin with, it is wise to assess what we are eating and the effects that it will have on our bodies. The old adage, "garbage in, garbage out" comes to mind. Just being more conscious of the fact that to every choice there is a consequence helps us to make better eating decisions.
Secondly, limiting high fat foods, especially high fat meats, will do wonders for us all. Of course, we need to know what these are, so a little research in that area would be beneficial. Off the top of my head, I already know that pork is a meat marbled with fat and definitely a high-fat meat. So I will be choosing to stay completely away from pork. Isn't it ironic that the last meal I ate before reading this chapter was B-B-Q from Mickey Pigs!!!
Leviticus 3:17 declares, "You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you and all your descendants, wherever they may live."
Lastly,but most importantly, I am asking God to give me wisdom and discretion as I take the first steps on this journey. I hope to be able to keep the "big picture" ever before me and realize that the goals I want to reach in the future require certain steps for me to take today. It is foolish to wish for wisdom and health, yet not set foot on the paths that will take me there. So, my prayer is that God will enable me to make wise choices now while the opportunity is here.
Hopefully others will be inspired to make better choices as well and step out on their own journey of healthy living!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Preparing for our Baby Girl !!!
In preparation for our sweet baby (due March 4th) we have begun to decorate the nursery. Thankfully we have some wonderful family members helping that purchased our bedding!!! (A huge thank you to Kevin & Ronda, Grandpa & Grandma, and Dad & Jerri!!!!)
Here are a few pics to give a glimpse into our little one's room. How exciting preparing for a new baby!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
New Beginnings
Recently I had decided to delete this blog altogether. I hardly have time to keep up with it and when I do get the time, I am too tired to think of anything to say! However, I have had a change of mind, and so now I am going to try to do a better job of sharing with others the things happening in our lives.
In a nutshell, here are a few areas of our lives that are in the midst of change and I am sure, I will be addressing:
* Baby #6 is soon to be delivered! Only 7 1/2 weeks left and we will have the wonderful blessing of meeting our baby girl (obviously unnamed at this point!)
* Food changes are on the horizon - I have taken a real interest in the subject of free range farming and whole foods and am planning on delving into the issue wholeheartedly. There are several books I am looking forward to reading on this and I will be sharing our journey into a healthier lifestyle here on the blog. The more Jason and I discuss cancer and other diseases, the more convinced I am that our foods have ALOT to do with it. We are hoping to be able to bring our family into a better place nutritionally this year.
Hopefully what we learn and experience will be a blessing to someone else and at the least will challenge or inspire. I am looking forward to some new beginnings in our home this year and hope you will enjoy hearing a little more about these things soon.
In a nutshell, here are a few areas of our lives that are in the midst of change and I am sure, I will be addressing:
* Baby #6 is soon to be delivered! Only 7 1/2 weeks left and we will have the wonderful blessing of meeting our baby girl (obviously unnamed at this point!)
* Food changes are on the horizon - I have taken a real interest in the subject of free range farming and whole foods and am planning on delving into the issue wholeheartedly. There are several books I am looking forward to reading on this and I will be sharing our journey into a healthier lifestyle here on the blog. The more Jason and I discuss cancer and other diseases, the more convinced I am that our foods have ALOT to do with it. We are hoping to be able to bring our family into a better place nutritionally this year.
Hopefully what we learn and experience will be a blessing to someone else and at the least will challenge or inspire. I am looking forward to some new beginnings in our home this year and hope you will enjoy hearing a little more about these things soon.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Cristy in Africa-Day 4 by Jason
Well, it is now 9:40 and I have finally gotten everyone calmed down and in the bed. Today was a good day. Got up early, went to store and picked up some milk and cereal for the boys. Ben got the boys up and going around 9:00. The Dinn's picked up Nathan and Luke to spend the day at there home. Becky Garner picked up Caleb and Jacob and were off to the water park. Ben came to the church for the MS Serve Day. I am so proud of that boy! He is really growing up to be a fine young man. So mature to be 14. Sure, sometimes I wonder about him, but overall the boy gets the job done and really does it well. I picked Ben up some Chick-fil-a w/ a Chocolate Milkshake to surprise him because he has been such a help since Cristy has been gone. Then, I took the van to have tires put on and oil changed and got a burger at The Collegiate "WOW, what a hamburger" All by myself I sat there and all I could think about was Cristy. I have never since we have been married been cut off from communication from her like this. It is driving me crazy!! I just wish I could hear her voice for just 1 minute. I guess it just really sank in while I was sitting there by myself. Well, I got up, got over it and walked back over to Harrison Tire and got my van and headed back to the BUSY office. Lots of work to do. 42 people gave there lives to Christ yesterday and 47 last week at the Outreach at Fairstreet. Much follow up to do and we are working hard on that. Worked on that for a while and Ben came over to my office after he was done painting in the MS room and I ran him home to meet Becky Garner w/ Jacob and Caleb around 4:00. Went back to my office and worked for about another hour and headed to p/u Luke and Nathan from the Dinn's. Got everyone home and we had a family meeting before heading over to Randy and Nikki Grizzle's for dinner. Great evening,great food, and awesome fellowship!! Talked more of Cristy with them and how much we were all just wanting to talk with her. Tonight when we got home, my precious little Luke broke down. He told me, while in tears "I am so sad and why can't mommy just come back home?" OH, that was hard on me. At that moment, I realized even more than I ever have before how much we all desperately need her. Thank God for marriage and family! What a gift from the Lord. If you read this, please pray for all of us. Cristy, when you read this, know there are 6 boys here that LOVE you and desperately need you, and are glad you are back!! Love you BABY!!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Nearly Time!!!
Only 10 more days and I am boarding a plane and headed to the other side of the world! I cannot even describe all of the feelings and thoughts that are running through my mind these days.
Of course, there is the excitement of going to another country with a completely different culture to share the good news of Jesus Christ...but with that comes a little apprehension. What will it be like? What can I expect? Will I get sick? Will my husband and kids survive without me? etc....
Currently, I am in the packing phase. I have pulled out all of my clothing that I have collected so far (we have to dress differently because of the culture) and the gifts I have stock-piled to take to the nationals who I will be working with each day. I am compiling a never-ending list in my mind of all of the last minute things I need to remember...intense bug repellant, malaria medication, Bibles for the leaders, finish making the bracelets to take over, and on and on it goes!
The funny thing is that I have tons of stuff to take, literally a 2-pg packing list, but I am only allowed 2 suitcases and a carry-on with weight limits! How will I ever fit it all in, package it correctly, and make it there with everything I need to bring with me? It's not like there is a Wal-Mart down the street I can run to if I forget something important! We will be in primitive villages lined with huts with Jesus and each other and that is it! But of course, that is all we need...I must keep reminding myself of this fact.
Over all, I do have a great peace about going (even if it doesn't sound like it). I am humbled to be able to take the gospel to people who have never heard the name of Jesus. To think back to when God changed my life and brought me into his family - never would I have dreamed that He would use me at all - even more so in another country! I am thankful that God chooses the foolish to become wise and the weak to be made strong for His glory and purposes! I cannot wait to see what the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the lives of those who will hear in 10 short days...I keep thinking of the souls that I will spend eternity with because of our trip to Africa! How awesome that we will take part in fulfilling Scriptures - that in Heaven some from every tribe and tongue will worship God together. It is an amazing fact that God uses ordinary people like me and you to accomplish eternal purposes! What a miracle that we are entrusted by God Himself with the greatest message ever shared!
Of course, there is the excitement of going to another country with a completely different culture to share the good news of Jesus Christ...but with that comes a little apprehension. What will it be like? What can I expect? Will I get sick? Will my husband and kids survive without me? etc....
Currently, I am in the packing phase. I have pulled out all of my clothing that I have collected so far (we have to dress differently because of the culture) and the gifts I have stock-piled to take to the nationals who I will be working with each day. I am compiling a never-ending list in my mind of all of the last minute things I need to remember...intense bug repellant, malaria medication, Bibles for the leaders, finish making the bracelets to take over, and on and on it goes!
The funny thing is that I have tons of stuff to take, literally a 2-pg packing list, but I am only allowed 2 suitcases and a carry-on with weight limits! How will I ever fit it all in, package it correctly, and make it there with everything I need to bring with me? It's not like there is a Wal-Mart down the street I can run to if I forget something important! We will be in primitive villages lined with huts with Jesus and each other and that is it! But of course, that is all we need...I must keep reminding myself of this fact.
Over all, I do have a great peace about going (even if it doesn't sound like it). I am humbled to be able to take the gospel to people who have never heard the name of Jesus. To think back to when God changed my life and brought me into his family - never would I have dreamed that He would use me at all - even more so in another country! I am thankful that God chooses the foolish to become wise and the weak to be made strong for His glory and purposes! I cannot wait to see what the Holy Spirit accomplishes in the lives of those who will hear in 10 short days...I keep thinking of the souls that I will spend eternity with because of our trip to Africa! How awesome that we will take part in fulfilling Scriptures - that in Heaven some from every tribe and tongue will worship God together. It is an amazing fact that God uses ordinary people like me and you to accomplish eternal purposes! What a miracle that we are entrusted by God Himself with the greatest message ever shared!
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