FOCUS ON EATING WHOLE FOODS

Whenever possible, you should eat whole foods, not processed foods.  This means to eat a food as near as possible in its original state.  In other words, eat an apple rather than an apple pastry.   Eat fresh or frozen peas rather than buying a can that is loaded down with salt and other preservatives.  The closer a food is to its natural state, the healthier it is for your body.  If you live where you can, you should buy your foods daily or several times a week rather than once or twice a month.  If that is not possible or you catch a good sale on something, go ahead and buy extra and freeze it for later.

QUOTES FROM DR KENNETH COOPER

Kenneth Cooper, MD, founder of the world renowned Cooper Clinic in Dallas Texas, stated, "In 1968 when my first book Aerobics was published, and in 1970, when I founded The Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, preventive medicine was still a new concept.  I wanted to help move medicine away from a strict emphasis on disease treatment toward disease prevention through exercise, diet, and stress control." 

We owe thanks to Dr. Cooper for awakening awareness in all of us to not only exercise but how our diet can help or hinder our overall health.  He continued on to say, "From the beginning, we emphasized aerobics and nutrition.  The two go hand in hand.  Not that it's always easy to eat right or to change ingrained habits  - our busy lives put our nutrition at risk.  We grab food on the run without thinking about what we are putting into our bodies.  When we do try to eat better, we are often confused about what we should eat."  Dr. Cooper's last statement there is why I started this blog.  My goal is to help us all, yes - me as well as you, - learn to use food to help our bodies be healthy working machines.

 "A sensible and well-informed approach to eating is essential to good health."  by Kenneth Cooper, MD

The late Dr Cooper

EASY WAY TO LIGHTEN UP YOUR DIET

It is that time when millions will be thinking about their diet. They will promise themselves they will eat healthier and that they will diet.  Almost everyone reading this has made a promise like that to themselves at some point in time.  And most of those promises didn't last through a month!  Forget the diet, my opinion on that subject is all over this blog.  But eating healthier is so easy, so good for your overall health, and will eliminate the need for dieting.  Over the next few days, I will touch on simple things you can do to lighten up your meals.  I don't believe in complicated, that is just not me.  So let's get started with one of my easy tips that can make a big difference and is sustainable over time.

Switch out all your current dairy products for low-fat ones.  That includes milk, sour cream, yogurt, evaporated milk, even ice cream products.  You will hardly notice the difference in taste and within a few weeks you won't notice it at all.  You do need fat in your diet but going low-fat on dairy will be okay. As always, follow your doctor's advice over mine. People with certain illnesses or health needs especially must follow their doctor's advice.

IS THE FLU (OR SOMETHING WORSE) LURKING IN YOUR KITCHEN?

Now that flu season is upon us, here is something you may not have thought off when it comes to flu prevention.  Studies have shown that around 30% of all kitchen sponges tested positive for the flu virus!  Just imagine what else may be lurking there!  If you use a kitchen sponge, be sure to disinfect it daily!  Or do as I do and get rid of kitchen sponges altogether.  Several years ago I decided to throw away my kitchen sponges.  I use heavy-duty paper towels or dish cloths.  One use with the paper towels and into the trash! Dish clothes go into the washer with hot water and a small amount of bleach. Don't let yourself or your family get sick over something so simple.

MIGRAINES ARE NOT 'JUST A HEADACHE'!

 As any migraine sufferer can tell you, a migraine is more than just a headache. Anyone who's never had one wouldn't understand how awful one can be. According to Dr. Lawrence C. Newman, director of the Division of Headache at NYU Langone Health in NYC and chair of the American Migraine Foundation, "A migraine is a valid neurologic condition and can last anywhere from a few hours to three days." Dr. Newman suggests that because the migraine brain is so sensitive to change that sufferers should try to establish regular sleep cycles and avoid sleeping in on weekends. They should sleep the same number of hours each day. If you have a severe headache it should be checked out by a physician as it may be a migraine or other serious condition.

WORDS FROM A NUTRITIONIST CHEF

"I'm a chef and a teacher who believes everyone has the ability to nourish themselves, even in the most dire of circumstances." by Rebecca Katz who has a Master's in Nutrition and is a chef who works with oncologists, nutritionists, and cancer wellness professionals.

File Photo of Ms Katz

FORGET TRADITIONAL DIETS

Americans spend a fortune on "diets" every year and usually end up being unhappy with the results, gaining weight, giving up, etc. If you follow my blogs you know I am against diets. Even diabetics do not have a specific diet, everyone reacts differently to various foods. And what frustrates me even more is people who have success and get upset with others who do not follow their diet plan. Please, folks, no two bodies are alike and there is no "perfect diet" for everyone!

In some of my recent studies I came across this statement by Lyn-Genet Recitas, a health author, and I think it is worth sharing: "Traditional diets--the diets that you're used to, like no carb, unlimited protein, low fat, or calorie counting-- don't work because there is no universal one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to weight loss. These diets are promoting what they think are healthy foods, but that's a major problem because there's no such thing as universally "healthy" foods, especially for those over the age of thirty-five."

Eat what works for you! Remember you are you, not your friend, etc. Watch the quantity you eat and follow your doctor's instructions. Eat a well-balanced diet, exercise, and you should do fine without some "fad" diet.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON FRUIT JUICE (ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR DIABETICS)

Fruit juices can pose a real problem for diabetics as it can take several fruits to make a glass of juice. Therefore the sugar is more concentrated than in a piece of fruit. There are so many fruit "drinks" on the market today and many of them packaged and promoted as healthy. That may be true for the average body but it may be a hazard to the diabetic. Here is a little information to help you work through the "juices" you see advertised and on store shelves.

By law, manufacturers of juices may not use the word "juice" unless the drink is made from 100% fruit! If other things are added such as sugar, corn syrup, etc the product cannot be labeled as juice but as a "drink" or "concentrate". It doesn't matter how healthy the drink is promoted to be or how popular it is, diabetics especially should stay away from such products.

Diabetics should always go with 100% juice and limit themselves to only 4-ounces.