Healthy Tuesdays

It turns out I'm kind of what you'd call a healthy nut and I would love to encourage you in a healthy lifestyle. Now, I'm not saying that you have to be a total nut like me, but I do think it is a good idea to make healthy choices most of the time. Yes, it is ok to have the bloomin' onion as a treat when you eat out or to eat lots of junkie food on vacation. But that should not be the norm. That should not be our "diet". Our diet should be healthy, colorful, cold, crisp, satisfying, and taste good. It should be fuel for our bodies. They call it healthy food because it is good for our bodies. Therefore, if it is not healthy, then it is not good for your body. Plain and clear. If the fuel is bad, the car doesn't run well. Does your engine run well? Or do you fight things like high BMI, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low energy?

Today's the day - make a change. One step at a time, you can do it!!! And I would love to encourage you. Starting each Tuesday, I'm going to add more information on choices that I have made for my own diet (and my family) that have made a difference in how we feel (and even the behavior of the girls). I will also post a yummy delicious recipe.

AVOID CHEMICALS

I know that this is not going to happen 100% of the time, but when possible, avoid the added chemicals they add to food to enhance flavor or preserve it for years and years. If you can't pronounce it, it most likely isn't good for you. God did not design our bodies to injest these products. The first chemical I suggest avoiding is
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS).

• This is a “sugar” derived from corn.
• The problem with this type of sweetener is that it does not stimulate the hormones in your stomach that make you feel full. That is why it is easy to eat an entire box of cookies – and still feel hungry. And do you really want to eat that whole box of cookies?
• This is also bad if you are at risk or have diabetes since HFCS does not trigger insulin production the same way as glucose.
• If a product is labeled “natural”, it may still have HFCS, so be sure to check the ingredients.
• I have personally noticed a difference in my daughter when she eats food with and without HFCS. she gets a spurt of almost uncontrollable energy when she has HFCS. 

You can find more information at http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup