Last issue we looked at the red fruits and vegetables and saw the wealth of health benefits they provide; now let’s take a look at the yellows, this color makes its own unique contribution to our on-going health giving us energy, strengthening our bones, controlling our blood pressure, and protecting us against free-radical damage to name just a few.
Yellow Fruits & Vegetables:
Bananas
What are the health benefits? Bananas contribute to heart health, strengthen our bones, helps to control our blood pressure, quiets a cough, and helps to control diarrhea, to name just a few.
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber, so it will give an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Bananas have beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and other phytochemicals, as well as vitamins & minerals, vitamin C, B6, folate, potassium, and magnesium. A banana can help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must for our daily diet.
Fresh pineapple
What are the health benefits? Pineapple is a good source of vitamin A & C and contains everything a human needs, even a tiny bit of protein. Vitamin A contributes to healthy skin and hair and is necessary for proper bone growth, tooth development, and reproduction.
Pineapples also contain a protein-splitting enzyme. This substance makes the fruit easy to digest and if you’re a meat eater, sauteed together with meat it makes the meat more tender. Note: If the fruit is cooked like all canned and other processed fruits are, this enzyme is no longer active.
I have a great fruit salad that calls for pineapple, send an e-mail to: JoiLin@Joilin4Health.com if you’d like to have a copy.
Yellow Grapefruit
What are the health benefits? Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. There are numerous scientific studies indicating that vitamin C is a cold-fighter. Vitamin C also prevents the free radical damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade, and is therefore also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. As free radicals can oxidize cholesterol and lead to plaques that may rupture causing heart attacks or stroke, vitamin C is beneficial to promoting cardiovascular health as well. Owing to the multitude of vitamin C's health benefits, it is not surprising that research has shown that consumption of vegetables and fruits high in this nutrient is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes including heart disease, stroke and cancer.
Lemons
What are the health benefits? Lemon is recommended by physicians for a number of ailments such as bladder infections, kidney stones, bronchitis, catarrh, constipation, heartburn, hiccups, pyorrhea, sunburns, intestinal worms and dysentery, to name a few. Lemons help in our fight against cancer, they protect our hearts, controls blood pressure, smooths our skin, and stops scurvy, (it’s why sailors of old always took some with them on their voyages). Lemons are an incredible and concentrated source of vitamin C and they also contain healthy helpings of vitamins A, B and P, potassium, magnesium and folic acid. Though lemon is acidic, it is believed that once taken within the body, its effect is alkaline.
Corn
What’s in it and how can it help protect our health?
Corn is a storehouse of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Corn has within it phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals; vitamin c, thiamine, folate, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, zinc. The thiamine in corn, (a B vitamin), helps to maintain the nervous system, niacin helps to regulate cholesterol; the yellow pigment is a source for carotenoids, (lutein and zeacanthin), and they appear to help fight cancer and heart disease; acting as antioxidants, they protect an area of the eye called the macula, (protection against macular degeneration which is the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Note: very dark green vegetables also provide this protection.
Yellow Onions
What are the health benefits? Wide-ranging claims have been made for the effectiveness of onions against conditions ranging from the common cold to heart disease,diabetes, osteoporosis, and other diseases. They contain chemical compounds believed to have anti-inflammatory, anti cholesterol, anticancer, and antioxidant properties, such as quercetin.
Onions may be especially beneficial for women, who are at increased risk for osteoporosis as they go through menopause, by destroying osteoclasts so that they do not break down bone tissue.
Yellow onions have at least some of the following nutrients: Vitamin C, vitamin B-6, folate, thiamine (vitamin B -1), phosphorus, riboflavin, (vitamin B-2), potassium, calcium, zinc, and niacin, listed in descending order.
Yellow Squash
What are the health benefits? Especially when eaten with other phytonutrient-rich foods squash may help to reduce the symptoms of BPH, (benign prostate hypertrophy), a condition where the prostate gland becomes enlarged.The traditional nutrients provided by summer squash are equally impressive. Summer squash is an excellent source for manganese and vitamin C, as well as magnesium, vitamin A (notably through its concentration of carotenoids, including beta-carotene), fiber, potassium, folate, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorous. Many of these nutrients have been shown in studies to be helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, reducing risk of heart attack and stroke. The fiber helps prevent colon cancer, the anti-oxidants have anti-inflammatory properties that make them beneficial for conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition the copper found in this humble squash helps to reduce the painful symptoms of this form of arthritis.
Yellow potatoes
Most of us think of potatoes as being all white, but you can actually find potatoes with different colored flesh (red, orange, yellow, purple, and blue!).
What’s in them? Phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals are available when baked and eaten with the skin on, such as: vitamin C, B6, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and calcium.
Next issue we’ll be looking at the orange-yellow group, in the meantime be sure to include something yellow into your diet each day! And remember, living bodies need living food, so eat as many raw fruits and veggies as you can. Those who can’t, don’t or just plain won’t may find that Juice Plus is the perfect whole food supplement to bridge the gap between what they are eating and what they need to eat.
To find out more go to: www.JoiLin4Health.com
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
One color group of fruits and vegetables in the antioxidant family
We’ve all heard by now how important the role of antioxidants are to our overall health, well here’s just one color group of fruits and vegetables, the red ones, and the incredible health “gifts” they each have within them. Remember, every color group carries within them different health benefits!
Many red fruits and veggies are loaded with antioxidants such as lycopene and anthocyanins that may help fight everything from heart disease and prostrate cancer to decreasing the risk of stroke and macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in adults aged 60 and above. Antioxidants have the ability to ‘soak’ up damaging free radicals before they can do bodily harm.
Beets – in season June through Oct.
What are their health benefits? Beets are one of the root vegetables, and are rich in folate, lycopene, and anthocyanins. A truly powerful antioxidant, anthocyanins "are not just present in all red foods, but also found in blue and purple foods as red and blue makes purple.
Get more by: Adding some beets to add color to plates as a side dish or in salads, soups, or stews. I always keep a container of ‘piclked’ beets in the fridge (I cook my beets, then peel & slice them, when cooled I put them in a container along with sliced onions, cider vinegar, & purified water. Since they will be ‘pickling’ they will keep til they’re gone!
Cherries – in season June & July
What are their health benefits? Their skins are high in fiber, in addition, they’re high in potassium, (good for maintaining a healthy blood pressure), as well as vitamin C.
When you can’t get them fresh, think of dried cherries, add them to a homemade trail mix for a healthy snack, or think frozen and add them to that “Smoothie”. When we buy any organic fresh fruit such as cherries, strawberries, raspberries, etc. when they are close to going beyond ‘perfect’ we always freeze them to add to our daily morning “smoothie”
Cranberries – in season Sept. to Dec.
What are their health benefits? In lab studies cranberries have been shown to facilitate “apoptosis” or cell death of certain cancer cells. They also contribute to urinary tract health by making it more difficult for bacteria to ‘stick’ to the urinary tract walls .Cranberries may even prevent H pylori, the bacteria responsible for many stomach ulcers, from sticking to the walls of the stomach; in addition, cranberries are also high in vitamin C.
Get more by: Having a glass of cranberry juice, or do as my husband and I do, and add them to your morning “smoothie” by putting them in a blender with 8 oz of your choice of “milk” (we prefer plant-based milks like almond, soy, rice or hemp milk), next we add a Tbsp or 2 of golden flax seeds for their “gift” of Omega 3 oils, and then add a scoop of meal replacement protein powder, (we use Juice Plus Complete meal replacement, because we know it has the added benefit of having additional fruits and vegetables in it as well as other beneficial ingredients). We also like to add a banana, then we blend it all together and Voila! It’s breakfast…or lunch….or a pre-sports drink!
And don’t’ forget to add dried cranberries to your fresh salads! If you want some great recipes, e-mail me at: JoiLin@JoiLin4Health.com If you’re a meat eater, try adding them to your stuffing.
Pink Grapefruit – in season May and Oct.
What are their health benefits? When you’re choosing grapefruit, go for color, because pink or red grapefruit have higher levels of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, they’re also rich in lycopene( where white grapefruit is not). In addition, they’re also a good source of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol.
Get more by: Having half a grapefruit or a glass of pink grapefruit juice with your breakfast, (just be certain to check with your doctor if you're on medication , as grapefruit juice does interfere with some meds. Or try putting grapefruit sections in your fresh salads.
Raspberries – in season Aug. through mid-Oct.
What are their health benefits? All berries contain a high level of antioxidants, and studies have shown that these antioxidants slow the aging process and help to prevent many of the diseases the American public is so prone to getting, including some cancers and heart disease. Red raspberries in particular contain substantial quantities of ellagic acid which is a phenolic compound that has become known as a potent anti-carcinogenic/anti-mutagenic compound. Dark red berries also help stabilize the collagen in the cartilage of major joints. Since we know that cartilage is natures ‘cushion’ in the joint, if we improve the integrity of the cartilage in the joints it makes sense to assume that this will help reduce the pain, swelling and inflammation associated with arthritis. Good news for so many who currently suffer with this disease. In addition these berries contain an abundance of fiber, vitamin C and folate. Fiber is not only good for our colon health, but it also provides health benefits that lower “bad”cholesterol, and stabilizes blood sugar as well. Folate has been shown to help protect against spina bifida, (a birth defect), in addition, studies are now showing that it lowers homocysteine, a protein by-product contributing to heart disease and stroke. And here’s some really good news, the health benefits of raspberries are not lost through cooking, so putting a spoonful or two of red raspberry jam on your whole grain toast in the morning will provide you with almost all the same health benefits as eating them raw…although, I have to admit, the taste of the cooked berries cannot begin to compare to that of the raw ones! These health dynamos also contain salicylic acid and is suspected of having the same protective effect against heart disease as taking an aspirin a day.
Wow! Pass the red raspberries, please!
Add them to: your cereal, your “smoothie”, or to some organic yogurt.
Red Pepper – in season all year round
What are their health benefits? Red peppers are an incredible source of vitamin A, which helps with skin, bones, and teeth. And most people don’t realize that they have as much vitamin C as an orange.
Add them to: salads, soups, and casseroles; try them with a healthy dip. I have a wonderful fresh broccoli salad that calls for red pepper…(e-mail above)
Strawberries – in season May and June
What are their health benefits? Well, to begin with, they’re a good source of folate that contributes to heart health and is especially benificial for women in their childbearing years, as folic acid is known to decrease the risk of certain birth defects, specifically spina bifida. In addition, strawberries are a good source of vitamin C, providing a boost for our immune system.
Try adding them to: Your cereal or to your morning “Smoothie”.
A note about strawberries or any thin-skinned berry: We caution our clients to eat only ORGANIC berries as their skin is such a thin membrane that the insecticides growers use go right through the “skin” and become systemic to the berry, so there is no possibility to “washing” the insecticide off.
Tomatoes – in season throughout the summer months
What are their health benefits? To begin with, they’re a great source of lycopene, contributing to prostate health and protection against prostate cancer; and there is some evidence that they may even help protect against breast cancer. They add to our Heart-healthy Arsenol as they are good sources of potassium and vitamin C as well.
Good ways to increase our tomato consumption: Begin your meal with a tomatoe juice ‘cocktail’, or cook up pasta (whole grain, of course!) and add some marinara or even treat yourself to a vegetable pizza, (making your own assures that you are adding only healthy ingredients). "Unlike most nutrients, lycopene's bio-availability increases when you cook it, so we always want to be certain we add some cooked version of tomatoes to our diet each week. And don’t forget to add some raw tomatoes to your diet as well, add to your salads or simply slice them and have as a side….in the summer, there’s just nothing like sinking your teeth into a warm, ripe tomato fresh off the vine, providing it’s organic of course!
Watermelon – in season May through Sept.
What are their health benefits? It’s a great source of lycopene, and we’ve already learned that lycopene may decrease the risk of heart disease by decreasing LDL cholesterol. Lycopene also decreases the risk for certain cancers, primarily prostate, as well as the risk of macular degeneration. It also improves blood vessel function and lowers stroke risk.
Make watermelon : your sweet treat of choice, as well as a healthy ‘snack’ during the summer months. I put it into my husbands lunch box every day while it’s available in season.
Major Health Tip: Choose Foods for Every Color in the Rainbow
Most children will be able to tell you that the colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Don’t just go for the Red foods. A healthy diet we are told by The American Cancer Association, The American Heart Association, The Center for the Advancement of Cancer Education, and others that we need to eat 9 to 13 fruits and vegetables of every color in the rainbow, everyday, with most of them being in the raw state, in order to support health. The deeper, the darker, and the richer the color, the better.
But for those of us who can’t, won’t or don’t there is a Whole Food Nutritional Supplement called Juice Plus that bridges the gap between what you do eat and what you need to eat to build and maintain health. Juice Plus is 17 tree and vine ripened fruits and vegetables in an easy to take capsule, or chewable or Gummie. For more information go to: www.JoiLin4Health.com
Many red fruits and veggies are loaded with antioxidants such as lycopene and anthocyanins that may help fight everything from heart disease and prostrate cancer to decreasing the risk of stroke and macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in adults aged 60 and above. Antioxidants have the ability to ‘soak’ up damaging free radicals before they can do bodily harm.
Beets – in season June through Oct.
What are their health benefits? Beets are one of the root vegetables, and are rich in folate, lycopene, and anthocyanins. A truly powerful antioxidant, anthocyanins "are not just present in all red foods, but also found in blue and purple foods as red and blue makes purple.
Get more by: Adding some beets to add color to plates as a side dish or in salads, soups, or stews. I always keep a container of ‘piclked’ beets in the fridge (I cook my beets, then peel & slice them, when cooled I put them in a container along with sliced onions, cider vinegar, & purified water. Since they will be ‘pickling’ they will keep til they’re gone!
Cherries – in season June & July
What are their health benefits? Their skins are high in fiber, in addition, they’re high in potassium, (good for maintaining a healthy blood pressure), as well as vitamin C.
When you can’t get them fresh, think of dried cherries, add them to a homemade trail mix for a healthy snack, or think frozen and add them to that “Smoothie”. When we buy any organic fresh fruit such as cherries, strawberries, raspberries, etc. when they are close to going beyond ‘perfect’ we always freeze them to add to our daily morning “smoothie”
Cranberries – in season Sept. to Dec.
What are their health benefits? In lab studies cranberries have been shown to facilitate “apoptosis” or cell death of certain cancer cells. They also contribute to urinary tract health by making it more difficult for bacteria to ‘stick’ to the urinary tract walls .Cranberries may even prevent H pylori, the bacteria responsible for many stomach ulcers, from sticking to the walls of the stomach; in addition, cranberries are also high in vitamin C.
Get more by: Having a glass of cranberry juice, or do as my husband and I do, and add them to your morning “smoothie” by putting them in a blender with 8 oz of your choice of “milk” (we prefer plant-based milks like almond, soy, rice or hemp milk), next we add a Tbsp or 2 of golden flax seeds for their “gift” of Omega 3 oils, and then add a scoop of meal replacement protein powder, (we use Juice Plus Complete meal replacement, because we know it has the added benefit of having additional fruits and vegetables in it as well as other beneficial ingredients). We also like to add a banana, then we blend it all together and Voila! It’s breakfast…or lunch….or a pre-sports drink!
And don’t’ forget to add dried cranberries to your fresh salads! If you want some great recipes, e-mail me at: JoiLin@JoiLin4Health.com If you’re a meat eater, try adding them to your stuffing.
Pink Grapefruit – in season May and Oct.
What are their health benefits? When you’re choosing grapefruit, go for color, because pink or red grapefruit have higher levels of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, they’re also rich in lycopene( where white grapefruit is not). In addition, they’re also a good source of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol.
Get more by: Having half a grapefruit or a glass of pink grapefruit juice with your breakfast, (just be certain to check with your doctor if you're on medication , as grapefruit juice does interfere with some meds. Or try putting grapefruit sections in your fresh salads.
Raspberries – in season Aug. through mid-Oct.
What are their health benefits? All berries contain a high level of antioxidants, and studies have shown that these antioxidants slow the aging process and help to prevent many of the diseases the American public is so prone to getting, including some cancers and heart disease. Red raspberries in particular contain substantial quantities of ellagic acid which is a phenolic compound that has become known as a potent anti-carcinogenic/anti-mutagenic compound. Dark red berries also help stabilize the collagen in the cartilage of major joints. Since we know that cartilage is natures ‘cushion’ in the joint, if we improve the integrity of the cartilage in the joints it makes sense to assume that this will help reduce the pain, swelling and inflammation associated with arthritis. Good news for so many who currently suffer with this disease. In addition these berries contain an abundance of fiber, vitamin C and folate. Fiber is not only good for our colon health, but it also provides health benefits that lower “bad”cholesterol, and stabilizes blood sugar as well. Folate has been shown to help protect against spina bifida, (a birth defect), in addition, studies are now showing that it lowers homocysteine, a protein by-product contributing to heart disease and stroke. And here’s some really good news, the health benefits of raspberries are not lost through cooking, so putting a spoonful or two of red raspberry jam on your whole grain toast in the morning will provide you with almost all the same health benefits as eating them raw…although, I have to admit, the taste of the cooked berries cannot begin to compare to that of the raw ones! These health dynamos also contain salicylic acid and is suspected of having the same protective effect against heart disease as taking an aspirin a day.
Wow! Pass the red raspberries, please!
Add them to: your cereal, your “smoothie”, or to some organic yogurt.
Red Pepper – in season all year round
What are their health benefits? Red peppers are an incredible source of vitamin A, which helps with skin, bones, and teeth. And most people don’t realize that they have as much vitamin C as an orange.
Add them to: salads, soups, and casseroles; try them with a healthy dip. I have a wonderful fresh broccoli salad that calls for red pepper…(e-mail above)
Strawberries – in season May and June
What are their health benefits? Well, to begin with, they’re a good source of folate that contributes to heart health and is especially benificial for women in their childbearing years, as folic acid is known to decrease the risk of certain birth defects, specifically spina bifida. In addition, strawberries are a good source of vitamin C, providing a boost for our immune system.
Try adding them to: Your cereal or to your morning “Smoothie”.
A note about strawberries or any thin-skinned berry: We caution our clients to eat only ORGANIC berries as their skin is such a thin membrane that the insecticides growers use go right through the “skin” and become systemic to the berry, so there is no possibility to “washing” the insecticide off.
Tomatoes – in season throughout the summer months
What are their health benefits? To begin with, they’re a great source of lycopene, contributing to prostate health and protection against prostate cancer; and there is some evidence that they may even help protect against breast cancer. They add to our Heart-healthy Arsenol as they are good sources of potassium and vitamin C as well.
Good ways to increase our tomato consumption: Begin your meal with a tomatoe juice ‘cocktail’, or cook up pasta (whole grain, of course!) and add some marinara or even treat yourself to a vegetable pizza, (making your own assures that you are adding only healthy ingredients). "Unlike most nutrients, lycopene's bio-availability increases when you cook it, so we always want to be certain we add some cooked version of tomatoes to our diet each week. And don’t forget to add some raw tomatoes to your diet as well, add to your salads or simply slice them and have as a side….in the summer, there’s just nothing like sinking your teeth into a warm, ripe tomato fresh off the vine, providing it’s organic of course!
Watermelon – in season May through Sept.
What are their health benefits? It’s a great source of lycopene, and we’ve already learned that lycopene may decrease the risk of heart disease by decreasing LDL cholesterol. Lycopene also decreases the risk for certain cancers, primarily prostate, as well as the risk of macular degeneration. It also improves blood vessel function and lowers stroke risk.
Make watermelon : your sweet treat of choice, as well as a healthy ‘snack’ during the summer months. I put it into my husbands lunch box every day while it’s available in season.
Major Health Tip: Choose Foods for Every Color in the Rainbow
Most children will be able to tell you that the colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
Don’t just go for the Red foods. A healthy diet we are told by The American Cancer Association, The American Heart Association, The Center for the Advancement of Cancer Education, and others that we need to eat 9 to 13 fruits and vegetables of every color in the rainbow, everyday, with most of them being in the raw state, in order to support health. The deeper, the darker, and the richer the color, the better.
But for those of us who can’t, won’t or don’t there is a Whole Food Nutritional Supplement called Juice Plus that bridges the gap between what you do eat and what you need to eat to build and maintain health. Juice Plus is 17 tree and vine ripened fruits and vegetables in an easy to take capsule, or chewable or Gummie. For more information go to: www.JoiLin4Health.com
Sunday, April 27, 2008
It's Never to late to change what is and make it better!
People say to me all the time, things like “You’re almost 65? I would have thought you were in your early fifties at the most!” Then they go on to say, “Well, so you’re almost 65, so you’re probably thinking about retiring, right?” I say to them, “Why ever would I want to ‘retire’ from the thing that gives me the most joy in my life, (second only to my family, of course)?”
There are two key ingredients that (to me) epitomize LIFE, and they are:
1. First and foremost, to be Healthy.
Miriam Dictionary has this to say:
1 a: the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially : freedom from physical disease or pain b: the general condition of the body2 a: flourishing condition : well-being b: general condition or state 3
2. To have Passion for the thing that you do, so much so, that it truly brings you Joy each and every day!
Miriam Dictionary defines Passion as: (I chose not to copy the first definition as that had to do with the Passion of Christ.)
an (1): emotion, love (2): a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept (3): sexual desire (4): an object of desire or deep interest.
Helping others improve their health is my Reason for what I do, but it’s different from my Why. My Why for what I do, has to do with the real Joy (doing it), brings to me!
When I meet with someone, and hear them tell me that they don’t have enough energy to get through their day half the time, much less enough to go home and prepare a home cooked meal for their family, my joy begins to bubble up, because I know that I can show them how they can not only have more energy to do the things they need to do, but enough left over to do the things they want to do. I simply need to help them discover the How, and of course, it will be different for everyone.
I can also help them discover how easily they might prepare whole food meals that they and their families will love! If they are dissatisfied enough with the way things are now, then they’ll listen and make the changes they need to make. Not only will they become healthier with every passing day, but they will perhaps, in time, rediscover their own personal ‘passion’ in life…their own Why for what it is they do. And yes, they may also come to understand that the life they are currently living is not the life they envisioned for themselves when they began. This kind of thinking may give them the courage to change their minds, and re-embrace their Dreams!
Life, to me, is not LIFE without those two key ingredients, it’s simply an existence.
It is the same as the difference between surviving and THRIVING! The bodies we live in, that miracle of miracles, was designed to be able to stay alive on dirt and water….for quite some time, actually, but that is surviving, not Thriving! We are living bodies that require life-giving, living foods in order to Thrive.
Why not make a commitment today to begin to live the life you dream of? Begin it by taking one small step toward better health today and then another, and another, until you are living a life that embraces a Diet of Excellence and an Optimal Lifestyle.
We all have choices in life and we make them based upon so many different reasons, many of which are not really our own, i.e. we’re trying to please someone else, we get caught up in the status quo (inundated with ads to consume everything), and go with the flow, we become weighted down with stress, (not enough time, energy, money fill in the blank _______), so that over time, we lose sight of the fact that we were once happy, and full of vim and vigor, full of the simple Joy that real Living gives to us.
So today, I challenge you to CHANGE your mind; make yourself your highest priority. Figure out what it is that you need to do to begin your walk toward better health, and begin today with taking that one small step. For you it may mean buying a book, like If It’s Not Food, Don’t Eat It, by Kelly Hayford, (and then reading it of course). Or it may mean that you join a health club, and begin doing an exercise program. It could mean that you pick up the phone and call a Health Coach like myself, and begin learning how to incorporate a more healthy lifestyle into your own daily life. Whatever it means to you, where you are today, do it! I already know you’re worth it; I want you to know it too!
Plan to Live your life LONG, and die SHORT, not the other way around, (that’s the current status quo)… you can do it… begin it now!
Remember, it’s never too late to change what is and make it better!
Until next time, Be Good To Yourself,
Joi XO
There are two key ingredients that (to me) epitomize LIFE, and they are:
1. First and foremost, to be Healthy.
Miriam Dictionary has this to say:
1 a: the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially : freedom from physical disease or pain b: the general condition of the body
2. To have Passion for the thing that you do, so much so, that it truly brings you Joy each and every day!
Miriam Dictionary defines Passion as: (I chose not to copy the first definition as that had to do with the Passion of Christ.)
an (1): emotion, love (2): a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept (3): sexual desire (4): an object of desire or deep interest.
Helping others improve their health is my Reason for what I do, but it’s different from my Why. My Why for what I do, has to do with the real Joy (doing it), brings to me!
When I meet with someone, and hear them tell me that they don’t have enough energy to get through their day half the time, much less enough to go home and prepare a home cooked meal for their family, my joy begins to bubble up, because I know that I can show them how they can not only have more energy to do the things they need to do, but enough left over to do the things they want to do. I simply need to help them discover the How, and of course, it will be different for everyone.
I can also help them discover how easily they might prepare whole food meals that they and their families will love! If they are dissatisfied enough with the way things are now, then they’ll listen and make the changes they need to make. Not only will they become healthier with every passing day, but they will perhaps, in time, rediscover their own personal ‘passion’ in life…their own Why for what it is they do. And yes, they may also come to understand that the life they are currently living is not the life they envisioned for themselves when they began. This kind of thinking may give them the courage to change their minds, and re-embrace their Dreams!
Life, to me, is not LIFE without those two key ingredients, it’s simply an existence.
It is the same as the difference between surviving and THRIVING! The bodies we live in, that miracle of miracles, was designed to be able to stay alive on dirt and water….for quite some time, actually, but that is surviving, not Thriving! We are living bodies that require life-giving, living foods in order to Thrive.
Why not make a commitment today to begin to live the life you dream of? Begin it by taking one small step toward better health today and then another, and another, until you are living a life that embraces a Diet of Excellence and an Optimal Lifestyle.
We all have choices in life and we make them based upon so many different reasons, many of which are not really our own, i.e. we’re trying to please someone else, we get caught up in the status quo (inundated with ads to consume everything), and go with the flow, we become weighted down with stress, (not enough time, energy, money fill in the blank _______), so that over time, we lose sight of the fact that we were once happy, and full of vim and vigor, full of the simple Joy that real Living gives to us.
So today, I challenge you to CHANGE your mind; make yourself your highest priority. Figure out what it is that you need to do to begin your walk toward better health, and begin today with taking that one small step. For you it may mean buying a book, like If It’s Not Food, Don’t Eat It, by Kelly Hayford, (and then reading it of course). Or it may mean that you join a health club, and begin doing an exercise program. It could mean that you pick up the phone and call a Health Coach like myself, and begin learning how to incorporate a more healthy lifestyle into your own daily life. Whatever it means to you, where you are today, do it! I already know you’re worth it; I want you to know it too!
Plan to Live your life LONG, and die SHORT, not the other way around, (that’s the current status quo)… you can do it… begin it now!
Remember, it’s never too late to change what is and make it better!
Until next time, Be Good To Yourself,
Joi XO
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Health Tips – Issue 8
When Food is not Food:
Acclaimed author and journalist Michael Pollan argues that what most Americans are consuming today is not food but “edible food-like substances.” His latest book is called In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto.
In an interview, Pollan discusses nutrition, food science and the current American diet. According to Pollan: “We’ve known this for a hundred years, that if you eat this Western diet ... lots of processed food, lots of refined grain and pure sugar, lots of red meat and processed meats, very little whole grains, very little fresh fruits and vegetables ... about 80 percent of heart disease, at least as much Type II diabetes, 33 to 40 percent of cancers all come out of eating that way, and we know this.”
Joi says: If we want health, real HEALTH, the only way to get it is by returning to the basics, in other words, by eating closer to nature.
Knowing this, why do we not all act on what we know?
For one thing, there’s a lot of confusing information out there.
So many ads, so many articles, and commercials focusing on individual nutrients, i.e. vitamin C, E, folic acid, omega 3, etc, that many of us forget these are only a part of the picture, the whole picture, (read HEALTH, here) lies in eating the whole foods these “pieces” of health are found in. In other words, eat the whole orange, not a capsule of vitamin C; eat walnuts, or flax to get your Omega 3 oil, don’t get it in a capsule.
We have forgotten that there are so many other benefits from eating the whole food. Each whole food is full of thousands of health promoting, disease fighting components, put there (I believe), by our Creator who knew what our needs were, and provided us an easy source to get them.
We’re all in a hurry today, we want instant gratification, and fast food has become the national norm, where we run through a drive through, or at best get home and ‘prepare’ dinner by throwing something ‘prepared’ by some manufacturer into the microwave. These foods are the main reason why our nation is in the mist of a major Health Crisis. The very foods we eat on a daily basis are bankrupting our health.
At some point many people suddenly become aware, at the very least, of the weight they have gained, although most do not recognize that it’s the foods they eat every day that is the cause. Many will focus on the soda, or the candy bars, and not understand that it’s really ALL of the foods they eat that has caused the weight gain. So what do most of us do next? We get on some unhealthy “Lose thirty pounds in thirty days” DIET, (pay attention to the first three letters in that word!). What happens when we do that?
At first we lose some essential ‘water’ (convincing ourselves that it’s fat), and then we find ourselves on a ‘plateau’, as our body goes into ‘starvation mode” believing we are trying to kill it, so it (the body) slows down some systems, metabolism being one of the first, and even stops others in order to conserve energy, (fuel) that is necessary for the systems that we cannot do without, i.e. brain function, respiration, and heart beat.
What’s next? Well, eventually we give it all up and go back to the same old, same old, re-gaining not just the ‘weight’ we lost, but a few more pounds as well, since now our metabolism is functioning at ‘starvation’ level.
What can we do, what should we do to regain, build and maintain our health, and I’m talking about Health, not just for the short term, but Health for the long term?
Here it is, plain and simple: The fastest way to optimal health is through choosing a diet of whole foods, and embracing a healthy lifestyle
The best way to recapture your health, and yes, your naturally healthy body weight is included in this, is by focusing on WHOLE foods, foods that have not been processed in any way that alters them from their original state. The very best food of course, is food that has been raised or grown as nature intended; no chemicals, (fertilizer or otherwise), no additives, no pesticides, no antibiotics.
Here’s something to think about: If you make the changes you need to make, beginning where you are of course, and building on that beginning foundation, until you are doing what you need to do to promote your health…can you envision your life as you will live it, how you will feel, how you will look, in five years?…in ten?....how about twenty?
And if you do nothing, maintain the status quo? Where will you be, how will you feel, what will you look like in five years…ten…or twenty?
REMEMBER: Whole foods give you much more than just the sum of their individual nutrients. Every fruit, every vegetable, all the grains, etc., all have thousands of plant chemicals that work together synergistically, (when eaten in their natural state), building optimum health NOW and FOR YOUR FUTURE.
Be good to yourself, you’re worth it! Joi XO
For more information go to: www.JoiLin4Health.com
Contact me at: JoiLin@JoiLin4Health.com
Acclaimed author and journalist Michael Pollan argues that what most Americans are consuming today is not food but “edible food-like substances.” His latest book is called In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto.
In an interview, Pollan discusses nutrition, food science and the current American diet. According to Pollan: “We’ve known this for a hundred years, that if you eat this Western diet ... lots of processed food, lots of refined grain and pure sugar, lots of red meat and processed meats, very little whole grains, very little fresh fruits and vegetables ... about 80 percent of heart disease, at least as much Type II diabetes, 33 to 40 percent of cancers all come out of eating that way, and we know this.”
Joi says: If we want health, real HEALTH, the only way to get it is by returning to the basics, in other words, by eating closer to nature.
Knowing this, why do we not all act on what we know?
For one thing, there’s a lot of confusing information out there.
So many ads, so many articles, and commercials focusing on individual nutrients, i.e. vitamin C, E, folic acid, omega 3, etc, that many of us forget these are only a part of the picture, the whole picture, (read HEALTH, here) lies in eating the whole foods these “pieces” of health are found in. In other words, eat the whole orange, not a capsule of vitamin C; eat walnuts, or flax to get your Omega 3 oil, don’t get it in a capsule.
We have forgotten that there are so many other benefits from eating the whole food. Each whole food is full of thousands of health promoting, disease fighting components, put there (I believe), by our Creator who knew what our needs were, and provided us an easy source to get them.
We’re all in a hurry today, we want instant gratification, and fast food has become the national norm, where we run through a drive through, or at best get home and ‘prepare’ dinner by throwing something ‘prepared’ by some manufacturer into the microwave. These foods are the main reason why our nation is in the mist of a major Health Crisis. The very foods we eat on a daily basis are bankrupting our health.
At some point many people suddenly become aware, at the very least, of the weight they have gained, although most do not recognize that it’s the foods they eat every day that is the cause. Many will focus on the soda, or the candy bars, and not understand that it’s really ALL of the foods they eat that has caused the weight gain. So what do most of us do next? We get on some unhealthy “Lose thirty pounds in thirty days” DIET, (pay attention to the first three letters in that word!). What happens when we do that?
At first we lose some essential ‘water’ (convincing ourselves that it’s fat), and then we find ourselves on a ‘plateau’, as our body goes into ‘starvation mode” believing we are trying to kill it, so it (the body) slows down some systems, metabolism being one of the first, and even stops others in order to conserve energy, (fuel) that is necessary for the systems that we cannot do without, i.e. brain function, respiration, and heart beat.
What’s next? Well, eventually we give it all up and go back to the same old, same old, re-gaining not just the ‘weight’ we lost, but a few more pounds as well, since now our metabolism is functioning at ‘starvation’ level.
What can we do, what should we do to regain, build and maintain our health, and I’m talking about Health, not just for the short term, but Health for the long term?
Here it is, plain and simple: The fastest way to optimal health is through choosing a diet of whole foods, and embracing a healthy lifestyle
The best way to recapture your health, and yes, your naturally healthy body weight is included in this, is by focusing on WHOLE foods, foods that have not been processed in any way that alters them from their original state. The very best food of course, is food that has been raised or grown as nature intended; no chemicals, (fertilizer or otherwise), no additives, no pesticides, no antibiotics.
Here’s something to think about: If you make the changes you need to make, beginning where you are of course, and building on that beginning foundation, until you are doing what you need to do to promote your health…can you envision your life as you will live it, how you will feel, how you will look, in five years?…in ten?....how about twenty?
And if you do nothing, maintain the status quo? Where will you be, how will you feel, what will you look like in five years…ten…or twenty?
REMEMBER: Whole foods give you much more than just the sum of their individual nutrients. Every fruit, every vegetable, all the grains, etc., all have thousands of plant chemicals that work together synergistically, (when eaten in their natural state), building optimum health NOW and FOR YOUR FUTURE.
Be good to yourself, you’re worth it! Joi XO
For more information go to: www.JoiLin4Health.com
Contact me at: JoiLin@JoiLin4Health.com
Friday, March 14, 2008
Health Tips – Issue 7
We are probably all aware, by now, of our need to consume foods rich in the Omega-3 Fatty Acids. We may not know why, so here’s a brief summary of just why we need more of this Fatty Acid. Essential Fatty acids are just that, “essential,” in that while we need them, our bodies cannot make them, so they must be obtained from the foods we eat. These are one of the “good fats” as they are the building blocks needed by every cell in our body. There are two of these essential Fatty acids, Omega-3 and Omega-6. The body uses these acids to synthesize long chain fatty acids that are then utilized in many ways and affect all bodily functions.
Until relatively recently, humans consumed a diet with a ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 that ranged from 1:1 to 1:4. However, now that the standard American diet is weighted in favor of processed foods, foods cooked in vegetable oils, and animal products, the average ratio is now between 1:25 and 1:30. For optimum health the ratio should not go over 1:4.
Why is this important? This imbalance is causing a number of very serious health problems, including cancer, heart disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (as seen in so many of our children), immune dysfunction, complications of menopause, and neurological diseases.
How do we assist the body in bringing this ‘imbalance’ into a more health supporting balance?
The best way would be to consume more of the foods rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and of course, reducing our intake of foods containing higher amounts of Omega-6 Fatty Acids.
Where do we find these essential Fatty Acids?
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are found in:
Fatty fish like tuna and salmon
Soybeans
Wheat germ
Walnuts
Hemp
Black currant
Flaxseeds (raw, and freshly ground for the meal),
Canola oil
Omega-6 Fatty Acids are found in:
Seeds
Sunflower, safflower and sesame oils
Animal products
Avocados
Grains
My husband and I recently discovered Hemp Nuts by Living Harvest, (although we also found it in the bulk area of our Health Food Stores). These are organic, shelled, raw Hemp Seeds. Here’s why you may want to consider adding them to your own diet:
Hemp Seeds:
Contain all 10 Essential Amino Acids.
Have a well-balanced ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 Essential Fatty Acids.
Hemp Seeds are one of the plant kingdom’s most complete sources of protein.
They also contain important enzymes, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients the body requires for life.
Talk about Seeds of Life! Sprinkle them on top of your salads, your soups, add to sandwiches, and wraps, top your cereals with them, or eat them by the spoonful! They’re not only good for you, but they taste great too! You may also want to try Hemp nut seed butter; great on toast or crackers!
Until next time, stay well, become your own best advocate, and remember, the food you eat today will decide the disease you present with tomorrow….or not!
: ) Joi
Contact me at: JoiLin@JoiLin4Health.com. If you want my one-page monthly newsletter with health information as well as great recipes, send me a note asking to be put on my Healthy Topics list.
Until relatively recently, humans consumed a diet with a ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 that ranged from 1:1 to 1:4. However, now that the standard American diet is weighted in favor of processed foods, foods cooked in vegetable oils, and animal products, the average ratio is now between 1:25 and 1:30. For optimum health the ratio should not go over 1:4.
Why is this important? This imbalance is causing a number of very serious health problems, including cancer, heart disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (as seen in so many of our children), immune dysfunction, complications of menopause, and neurological diseases.
How do we assist the body in bringing this ‘imbalance’ into a more health supporting balance?
The best way would be to consume more of the foods rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and of course, reducing our intake of foods containing higher amounts of Omega-6 Fatty Acids.
Where do we find these essential Fatty Acids?
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are found in:
Fatty fish like tuna and salmon
Soybeans
Wheat germ
Walnuts
Hemp
Black currant
Flaxseeds (raw, and freshly ground for the meal),
Canola oil
Omega-6 Fatty Acids are found in:
Seeds
Sunflower, safflower and sesame oils
Animal products
Avocados
Grains
My husband and I recently discovered Hemp Nuts by Living Harvest, (although we also found it in the bulk area of our Health Food Stores). These are organic, shelled, raw Hemp Seeds. Here’s why you may want to consider adding them to your own diet:
Hemp Seeds:
Contain all 10 Essential Amino Acids.
Have a well-balanced ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 Essential Fatty Acids.
Hemp Seeds are one of the plant kingdom’s most complete sources of protein.
They also contain important enzymes, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients the body requires for life.
Talk about Seeds of Life! Sprinkle them on top of your salads, your soups, add to sandwiches, and wraps, top your cereals with them, or eat them by the spoonful! They’re not only good for you, but they taste great too! You may also want to try Hemp nut seed butter; great on toast or crackers!
Until next time, stay well, become your own best advocate, and remember, the food you eat today will decide the disease you present with tomorrow….or not!
: ) Joi
Contact me at: JoiLin@JoiLin4Health.com. If you want my one-page monthly newsletter with health information as well as great recipes, send me a note asking to be put on my Healthy Topics list.
Friday, January 25, 2008
A Lifestyle of Dietary Excellence and Optimal Habits
This year I want to practice a lifestyle of Dietary Excellence and Optimal Habits. I know I can’t just “DO” it, that it may take a few small steps along the way, but if I take those small steps, I know I’ll succeed!
What does it really mean, to live a life embracing Dietary Excellence and Optimal Habits? And what does it mean when we say, “I’m healthy, my doctor says I’m doing just fine.”? Don’t we really mean that on the outside, and/or through whatever tests might have been done, that we present as if we are healthy? But what about what’s going on inside that hasn’t presented itself yet? Disease doesn’t just happen over night, most of it took years to begin to show us some symptoms; when we present with cancer we will have had it for about ten years!
Do you know for instance, that 1.1 million Americans have a heart attack every year and that of those, 500,000 die each year? Many of those that died experienced their first heart attack, and many of them had recently had a physical, where they were told by their doctors, “You’re doing great, so keep on doing what you’re doing, and I’ll see you next year.”…only next year for them never came.
I could go on and add a number of other sobering statistics, statistics not only about American adults, but statistics that include how unhealthy our children are, however, I don’t want to focus on the negative…so let’s move on to what we can do to increase our health, beginning with today.
Let’s begin with water and our need to be properly hydrated: here’s an easy rule of thumb for finding out how much water is the right amount for you: Let’s say you weigh 100 pounds; divide your weight in half (50 lbs.). That amount in ounces (50 oz) is what your body needs each and every day to maintain optimal cellular hydration. So, since most of us weigh more than 100 lbs, generally speaking, if you’re not drinking at least 64 oz of water each day, you are probably dehydrated. For me, this represents my greatest challenge, and where I fall short of my goal to live a lifestyle of “Optimal Habits” more often than not! My New Year commitment to myself is to follow through and drink those 64 oz every day!
You might ask, why do we need so much water? Here are some of the reasons: Our body is 75% water! That water needs to be replenished and is “lost” every minute of every day, through many normal bodily functions. Our brain is 85% water; our bones are 22% water!
Water is so important to our body that a mere 5% drop in water levels can cause a 25-30% loss of energy. Mild dehydration can cause the metabolism to slow down by as much as 3%. Those who may want to lose weight (like myself), will want to pay attention to this! A 2% drop in fluid levels can cause fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math or difficulty focusing on a printed page or computer screen. Want to help your kids make better grades? Get them to drink more water! And a 15% drop is enough to cause death! And we’re talking WATER, not coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc. as these are, among other things, diuretics that cause water to be removed from the body….water alone replenishes the vital fluids our bodies need.
It is estimated that 75% of Americans are dehydrated, and that 37% of Americans have a thirst mechanism so weak it is mistaken for hunger. You see, when we begin to disregard the normal bodily “triggers” or reminders, such as those telling us “it’s time to drink some water” our body, over time, turns them off, and tries to find some other way of telling us.
Health Rule number one for the New Year:
1. Drink half your body weight in ounces, of water, every day.
. Until next time…”Drink to Life” and make it WATER! Joi XO
For more information go to: www.JoiLin4Health.com
Contact me at: JoiLin@JoiLin4Health.com
What does it really mean, to live a life embracing Dietary Excellence and Optimal Habits? And what does it mean when we say, “I’m healthy, my doctor says I’m doing just fine.”? Don’t we really mean that on the outside, and/or through whatever tests might have been done, that we present as if we are healthy? But what about what’s going on inside that hasn’t presented itself yet? Disease doesn’t just happen over night, most of it took years to begin to show us some symptoms; when we present with cancer we will have had it for about ten years!
Do you know for instance, that 1.1 million Americans have a heart attack every year and that of those, 500,000 die each year? Many of those that died experienced their first heart attack, and many of them had recently had a physical, where they were told by their doctors, “You’re doing great, so keep on doing what you’re doing, and I’ll see you next year.”…only next year for them never came.
I could go on and add a number of other sobering statistics, statistics not only about American adults, but statistics that include how unhealthy our children are, however, I don’t want to focus on the negative…so let’s move on to what we can do to increase our health, beginning with today.
Let’s begin with water and our need to be properly hydrated: here’s an easy rule of thumb for finding out how much water is the right amount for you: Let’s say you weigh 100 pounds; divide your weight in half (50 lbs.). That amount in ounces (50 oz) is what your body needs each and every day to maintain optimal cellular hydration. So, since most of us weigh more than 100 lbs, generally speaking, if you’re not drinking at least 64 oz of water each day, you are probably dehydrated. For me, this represents my greatest challenge, and where I fall short of my goal to live a lifestyle of “Optimal Habits” more often than not! My New Year commitment to myself is to follow through and drink those 64 oz every day!
You might ask, why do we need so much water? Here are some of the reasons: Our body is 75% water! That water needs to be replenished and is “lost” every minute of every day, through many normal bodily functions. Our brain is 85% water; our bones are 22% water!
Water is so important to our body that a mere 5% drop in water levels can cause a 25-30% loss of energy. Mild dehydration can cause the metabolism to slow down by as much as 3%. Those who may want to lose weight (like myself), will want to pay attention to this! A 2% drop in fluid levels can cause fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math or difficulty focusing on a printed page or computer screen. Want to help your kids make better grades? Get them to drink more water! And a 15% drop is enough to cause death! And we’re talking WATER, not coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc. as these are, among other things, diuretics that cause water to be removed from the body….water alone replenishes the vital fluids our bodies need.
It is estimated that 75% of Americans are dehydrated, and that 37% of Americans have a thirst mechanism so weak it is mistaken for hunger. You see, when we begin to disregard the normal bodily “triggers” or reminders, such as those telling us “it’s time to drink some water” our body, over time, turns them off, and tries to find some other way of telling us.
Health Rule number one for the New Year:
1. Drink half your body weight in ounces, of water, every day.
. Until next time…”Drink to Life” and make it WATER! Joi XO
For more information go to: www.JoiLin4Health.com
Contact me at: JoiLin@JoiLin4Health.com
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