If you’re like most of your fellow Americans, your lofty New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, work out and eat better have already been cast aside–and it’s not even the end of January. Like the silly, never-ending trip of a hamster on a wheel–you’re back in line yet again for a Java kickstart to get your day into gear. And worse yet, by lunchtime, oh one with good intentions, you find yourself stuffing your precious body with fast food in a manner that far surpasses any definition of moderation. What’s to be done?
How about looking at nutrition in a whole different way? Very few of us have success cutting our calories back to a starvation amount. Who can take being hungry all the time anyway? And, only the crazily driven among us can handle a grueling daily workout at the gym. Instead, let’s take a look at what can really make a difference in our overall health–quickly, sensibly and for the long term.
Instead of cutting calories to the max, consider changing what you put into the body. The problem with fast food and junk food is not so much the calorie count as what’s in the so-called “food”. This stuff really isn’t food. Much of what’s in there are chemicals, pesticides and adulterated substances more accurately defined as drugs than food. These non-food substances quickly get into your cells and start rearranging things. Over time, these chemicals change the makeup of the cells.
That’s your DNA, and that’s what gets passed on to future generations. These food-chemicals often create cravings for more of the same. They get stored in the fatty tissue and actually go so far as to partially shut down specific organs of the body. They slow organ function and prevent the body from thoroughly digesting and utilizing the fuel in foods. No wonder we’ve turned into a country that’s increasingly obese with the looming threats of diabetes, heart disease and cancers looming over us. We’re packing our bodies with substances that prevent our own digestion.
How do you know if this is affecting you? Quite simply take an inventory of your body? Do you have a not-so-nice roll around the middle, a build-up of fatty tissues in the abdomen, thighs, buttocks or hips? Do you have age spots (liver spots–hint, hint) on your hands, face, arms or other areas of the body? Do you have a double chin or overly bulky shoulders? These are all signs that your body is not digesting its food efficiently.
Age spots are caused by an under-active liver and unsightly rolls of fat often have their cause in an underactive, stomach, pancreas, liver, gall bladder or other organ. Body bulk in other areas can be caused by inefficient performance of the adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid or a number of other organs. Chances are your organs aren’t in bad enough shape to take you to the doctor quite yet, but they are likely not doing their respective jobs effectively. Why not slow and prevent the aging and deterioration we’ve come to expect as inevitable. In spite of what you may think, getting started is not all that hard.
A few simple changes can quickly get you on the road to better health, better digestion and a new slimmer, trimmer healthier you without the looming threat of starvation and endless grueling workouts. Start by gradually ingesting less caffeine. Keep cutting back until you get it pretty much eliminated from your diet. Then go after sugar and artificial sweeteners. Sugar encourages unfriendly bacteria to grow in the gut. This bacteria feeds cold and flu viruses and runs down the supply of energy in the body. Some artificial sweeteners are even known to produce formaldehyde in the brain–pickling it and likely promoting the increase of Alzheimer’s and related brain deteriorations.
An excellent rule of thumb is to make some additional effort to push aside those food substances we as Americans rely too heavily upon. Wheat and dairy are increasingly culprits. We’ve consumed so much wheat that whatever impurities are in it have built up to high levels in our bodies further impairing the functions of our organs. Ditto for dairy. That’s why so many of us are reporting lactose sensitivity.
Try replacing your intake of wheat products with products made from other grains. Consider products like rice pasta and noodles, rye and pumpernickel breads, sprouted wheat and spelt grain tortillas. In place of cow’s milk, consider rice milk, soy milk–even goat-produced products. The taste may not be the same, but the new flavors have a sensation all there own that’s not to be missed. Variety is not only the spice of life–it may be the secret to a longer life!
Make the effort to read the labels of the foods you buy. Chances are if you don’t know what a food ingredient is, it has no business going into your body or the body of your kids. Lastly, get as many fresh fruits and vegetables as you can into the body.
Raw fruits and vegetables are indeed what we were designed to eat–so let’s get more of them in there. As for those resolutions, let’s tweak them into something less heroic. Forget the starvation and the killer workout. Focus instead on the gentle intention of putting the most wholesome fuel available into the machine.
Kim Davis writes about natural health and spirituality, organic foods, nutrition, and detoxification of the body and home. Contact her through NewsBlaze
