My Detox Journal: Day 2
Well, I made it through the day yesterday and didn’t fudge even a little even though it was hard when my husband (bless his heart) cooked himself some veggie burger patties and a baked potato. This morning my daughter Sarah woke up with the desire to make homemade cranberry muffins. I didn’t eat any of them, even though they looked light and fluffy and smelled good!
My stomach was upset all night long and I didn’t sleep good at all last night. I also had a new boil come up on my thigh yesterday evening. Ugh.
So here is my plan for today:
Breakast:
Green Tea – steeped with 1/4 lemon, 4 drops Stevia, 30 drops of Kidney Cleanse Formula
8 kiwi fruit – helps remove excess sodium from body, antioxidant, Vitamin C, good respiratory system
Berry Tofu Smoothie (I drank 16 oz. of the recipe below and divided the rest between my four girls – it was a hit!)
Berry Tofu Smoothie
16 oz. Strawberry Silken Tofu
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (I had blueberries we put up in the freezer from last summer.) – antioxidant, cancer fighting
1 tbsp. flax seed – high in fiber, omega 3 fatty acid, good for intestinal health
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 – 3/4 cup soy milk (I used vanilla flavor)
Process in blender or Vita Mix until smooth. You can add a few ice cubes and crush if desired.
Lunch:
salad with lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and chickpeas
Green Tea – steeped with 1/4 lemon, 4 drops Stevia, 30 drops of Kidney Cleanse Formula
Snack:
16 oz. Bolthouse Farms Vedge Juice – Our juicer died and we have a new one on order, for now, this will do.
Supper:
steamed spinach – essential amino acids, lysine, arginine
raw broccoli – cancer fighting, good for immune system, beta carotene, Vitamin C, calcium, folate
raw carrot sticks – good for eyes, cancer fighting, Vitamin A, beta carotene, Vitamin B6 and B12, calcium, and more
hummus dip
The Source of Healing
Through the angencies of nature, God is working, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment, to keep us alive to build up and restore us. When any part of the body sustains injury, a healing process is at once begun; nature’s angencies are set at work to restore soundness. But the power working through these angencies is the power of God. All life-giving power is from Him. When one recovers from disease, it is God who restores him.
Sickness, suffering, and death are work of an antagonistic power. Satan is the destroyer; God is the restorer.
The words spoken to Israel are true today to those who recover health of body or health of soul: “I am the Lord that healeth thee.”
The desire of God for every human being is expressed in the words, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
He it is who “forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies.”
- Counsels of Health, Ellen White, p. 168
Deuteronomy 7:9,13,15
“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations…
And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee…
And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.”
Living with Seasonal Allergies
For at least 35 million people in the US springtime brings more than beautiful weather. It also brings sneezing, congestion, and watery eyes. About 16.7 million doctor visits are attributed to allergic rhinitis, more commonly called hay fever, each year. 
The pollen from trees, flowers and weeds are among the culprits that cause seasonal allergies. When these allergens are inhaled by someone who is sensitive to them the mucous membranes become inflamed causing the sneezing, congestion and runny nose so many seasonal allergy sufferers are accustomed to. These allergens can also aggravate asthma, causing the passages in the airways to become inflamed and swollen and making it hard to breathe.
Having seasonal allergies doesn’t sentence you to a life spent indoors, however. There are some things that you can do to minimize your exposure. Weed pollen is one of the most aggravating allergens during spring and summer and since they pollinate at sunrise and sunset, when air currents turn over, try doing your outdoor activities during mid-day and late afternoon. It’s also a good idea to check your local pollen count daily, you can visit http://www.pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp and search by zip code.
Dr. Bill Lumry, a board certified specialist in Internal Medicine and Allergy and Immunology, offers the following tips for managing your allergies:
To keep pollens from sticking to you, don’t hang clothes and/or bed linens outdoors on a clothesline.
While on road trips, keep car windows closed and use air conditioning instead .
Wash your hair before going to bed to rinse out the outdoor pollens that have accumulated during the daytime .
Eliminate weeds from your yard – they can aggravate late summer and fall allergies.
Avoid touching your eyes and nose while in the garden or yard as this transfers pollens directly to those sensitive areas .
Plant less allergy prone plants such as: azalea, begonia, bulbs (tulip, iris, poppy and daffodil), palm, pine, fir and dogwood trees, hibiscus, boxwood, yucca shrubs and Irish moss.
Take advantage of rainy, cloudy or windless days, which usually have lower pollen counts .
Although many people don’t realize it, seasonal allergies aren’t the result of pollen alone. Mold can also wreak havoc and, unlike pollen, it is found both indoors and out. Mold can grow almost anywhere that dampness is found. Some of the most common areas include bathrooms, attics, carpets, and upholstery.
The first step in the battle against household mold is to remove it. In most cases using a strong bleach water solution works, but if you’re allergic you may want to wear a paper face mask while cleaning. It’s not attractive, but it will keep you from inhaling spores that escape into the air.
As much as you may love your indoor carpeting it is the perfect breeding ground for mold and if you’re allergic, it needs to go. It’s also very important that you change or clean the filters in your heating and cooling systems often. If dampness is a real problem in your home you may want to invest in a de-humidifier to remove the moisture from the air that creates an ideal environmnet for mold to flourish.
There are a seemingly endless number of choices when it comes to treating allergies, from Benadryl to Claritin to allergy shots. These medications do treat your symptoms, but Dr. Fred Pescatore, author of The Allergy and Asthma Cure, believes that eating correctly is the most important thing that you can do. “It is important to keep your internal environment as healthy as possible and to do that, one must eliminate simple carbs as much as possible since they decrease the immune system’s effectiveness.” According to Dr. Pescatore one teaspoon of sugar decreases your immune system’s effectiveness by 56%, two teaspoons by 78%!
You should also make an effort to increase your intake of healthy fats. “Using the right type of fats in the diet is essential. Monosaturated fats like those found in macadamia nut oil and olives are the key to decreasing inflammation.” Dr. Pescatore advises. Canola oil and avocados are good sources of these fats as well.
Dr. Pescatore also recommends adding these supplements to your diet:
- Vitamin A – 10,000 IU 3 times per day
- Quercetin – 500 mg. 3 times per day
- Garlic – 400 mg. 3 times per day
- AHCC – 500 mg. 3 times per day
Allergies are a nuisance, but they can also lead to more chronic conditions. If your symptoms aren’t responding to treatment or you develop a fever it could mean that you have an infection. You will need to see your doctor to explore more options for treatment. If you develop a tightness in your chest or experience difficulty breathing, get medical attention right away.
Seasonal allergies can be annoying, but they don’t have to control your life. By arming yourself with knowledge, planning ahead and improving your diet you can stay one step ahead of your symptoms and enjoy your days no matter what the season!
Fred Pescatore, MD, MPH, is the author of The Allergy and Asthma Cure and the Director of Partners In Integrative Medicine.
Annita Townsley is a freelance writer based in Kentucky who covers a range of topics including Christianity, parenting, and health care.
Tunnel of Death: An Eating Disorder
I was scared. My dad was crying. He was the most important person in the world to me and he was crying. I don’t remember him crying – ever. I started to shiver. 
I wished he would stop. Please stop dad. Please don’t make a scene. We were in a restaurant and kids I knew could walk in and see us. I would never hear the end of it! I could hear it now – “Your dad’s a baby!” they would taunt. It was bad enough they called me “bones”, heaven forbid they would call my dad names too!
I stared at my dad and watched the tears flow down his checks. “Please Mary, eat!” he begged, his voice strained and weary.
I shook my head furiously. “I can’t” I protested, my body beginning to shake as I stared at the turkey sandwich set before me. I continued to stare at the sandwich and shake my head as if by doing so I could shake away my dad’s voice which kept reaching deep within me, softly coaxing me to eat.
I had been unable to eat for so long. I had been adamant in my strength and resolve, no one could force me to eat. But suddenly, within a matter of a few minutes, something within me clicked. I was transfixed as if in a dream and I was unable to understand how the half sandwich had gotten from my hand to my mouth. I remember my stomach hurting after I ate the sandwich. I had gone so long without solid food, subsisting on oranges and apples for so long that my stomach could not tolerate the sudden onslaught of food; one half of a sandwich and I was sick. I know it was the power of the Holy Spirit taking hold of my hand, moving it toward the food and helping me to eat.
The year was 1971. I was thirteen years old and dying of malnutrition. I had a disease called Anorexia Nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa was not a known disease at that time; certainly no one in my family or community knew what this disease was. Nobody knew I was starving myself because I was lonely, depressed, and felt insecure about growing up. How did this happen?
I was twelve years old when I entered the tunnel of death. I call it the tunnel of death because my mind was a slave to food. I was traveling down the tunnel with no vision to the right or left, only straight ahead. My mind was constantly counting calories eaten and calories burned. I didn’t know I was trapped in the tunnel of death – it happened so suddenly.
In sixth grade I began to mature into a woman faster than average. While most girls were in training bras, I was more developed. But it wasn’t just my bust size. I was developing curves which made me appear heavier than most of my petite female classmates. I felt clumsy, lonely, and out of place.
I remember a particular day in sixth grade. We had just gotten back from lunch when a girl in my class bumped into me by accident and complained loudly, “If you weren’t so huge I could get into the classroom.”
“Stop that,” my sixth grade teacher reprimanded. “Some of us are just plumper than others.”
“Yeah she’s plump all right, chanted a boy, plump and fat.”
Hot sultry tears welled up in my eyes as my face flushed a bright red. I turned my head away from the laughter feeling a determination to stop their laughter once and for all.
Around that time my aunt was over at our house for a visit. She was forever giving people unwanted advice and could not help but lend me some as well.
“Why Mary, I see that you have gained a bit of weight. I have always found it helpful to count calories. I have an extra calorie counting guide, why don’t you have it.” She continued to ramble on with no regard for my feelings on the matter. I took the book and thought about tossing it. Instead I began to absorb it, every detail. Before long I had purchased several books on losing weight and counting calories. It was then I decided to go on a diet.
It began as a sensible diet that went horribly wrong. I couldn’t stop. I was trapped in the tunnel of death. I saw myself as never being thin enough, even at 85, 70, 65, 60, or, at my lowest weight, 57 pounds. People began to whisper about me. They were all wrong. They were all fat. Even the people I once thought of as thin were now fat in my eyes. My mind was confused. Why couldn’t I get thin?
I understand that Anorexia Nervosa is a disease of the mind. I would never be thin enough because it was not about being thin. The disease is about control, being in control of your life. I felt out of control because I was developing into a woman and I was not ready. I was afraid of losing control of my body and who I was. I needed help from somebody fast because the tunnel of death was swallowing me up.
“Stop, you can’t make me eat!” I screamed as I ran from the kitchen table. All they wanted to do was to make me fat again. Get me back to the old me – fat ugly me. I sat alone in my room staring at the wall.
“Aren’t you hungry?” came the voice of my sister out of the shadow. Startled I looked up, angry at the intrusion of my thoughts. “No!” I insisted. It seemed like I was always angry lately “Mom says they will take you to the hospital soon,” came the voice of my sister once more.
“I don’t care,” I retorted. “Just leave me alone!” She did. So did everybody else, or so it seemed. But they prayed and God did not leave me alone. I was now at my lowest weight – 57 pounds.
Soon after this, I began to eat at the restaurant. The Holy Spirit took my life and did a U-Turn at the restaurant that saved my life. There is no other way to explain it, since Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. Young women and men often die of this disorder once they reach the point I did. My parent’s faith in God and constant prayers saved my life. This doesn’t mean I was cured, but God saved me from the jaws of death to regain enough weight to survive. My battle had just begun. It would be another three years before I would read an article about Anorexia Nervosa and learn about this disease.
Despite my new faith in Christ I was not yet willing or able to give up my food obsessions to God. I struggled with weight loss and gain throughout high school and college. A perfectionist, I achieved high honors and top grades. Secretly I binged, purged with excessive exercise and laxatives, hating myself the entire time. I was constantly trying to reach the perfect control over food.
Once out of college I finally got some therapy when my weight plummeted again to a low of 98 pounds. The therapy helped but once out of therapy the pattern of food abuse and obsessive control of food and exercise began again. Therapy gave me a measure of peace and control; outside of therapy, the real world offered chaos and constant change. Change had always been my enemy. God has been working with me to handle change.
I am now married to a caring husband who loves me. God blessed us with a wonderful son who is now fourteen years old. It has been a loving God patiently teaching me to accept myself that has truly healed me. God has shown me that life’s ups and downs are not in my control but in his control. I still struggle at times with a need to control through exercise and diet, but the extreme pattern is gone – God is in control.
1) Jim Gray, Ph.D., American University Not an Adolescent Whim: The Facts about Eating Disorders June 13, 2002; Washington, D.C. Mary Emmeck is a freelance writer and resides in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
Are You Dehydrated?
by Chelli Ringstaff, Director of Health Ministries
All of us know that we need to drink at least 64 ounces of water or eight glasses of water per day, but how often do we reach our goal? Perhaps on a daily basis we consider our two cups of coffee, juice, or that half-drunk bottled water still sitting in our car to be enough to hydrate our bodies. Truth is, we our sabotaging our own health and weight goals. Or are we our worst enemies?
Our bodies are made up of sixty-five percent water. Some reports say more, some say less. Fact is, most of our bodies are made up of water. All of the body?s organs are constantly working and cleansing our system in desperate need of water to function. A well hydrated body is more efficient it will increase your metabolism by three percent.
Here are a few ways to increase water intake:
- Get it over with in the morning. Drink two eight ounce glasses (preferably warm).
- Every time after you visit the bathroom, drink a glass of water. Every time you go into the kitchen drink a little.
- Hate water, get over it, find a water type you like (spring, filtered, or a brand) that you love and enjoy the freshness.
- Remember you don?t want aging skin, drink, drink, drink, you will improve the elasticity of your skin.
- Have a goal. Using a water bottle know the amount and drink as many as you need. For example, I need seventy ounces of water daily. So my minimum is about five sixteen ounce water bottles a day. One last thing, you clean your bathroom, kitchen, everywhere in your home to prevent germs and disease. Why are you ignoring your own body?
Please go and drink some water!
Meatless Meats
These days more and more people are eating less meat. Whether you are a true vegetarian or someone who occassionally eats meat, eating more fruits, vegetables and grains is a good health choice. Now it is easier than ever to find healthy alternatives to eating meat. Stores such as Walmart Super Center and Kroger are selling a variety of health foods.
These “meatless meats” are taste amazing close to the real thing! And most recipes calling for meats work just fine when replaced with a meatless version. Look for these brands at your favorite store. If you can’t find them, ask your store to begin stocking them.
- Morningstar Farms
- Natural Touch
- Worthington Foods
- Loma Linda Foods
- Boca Burger
- Gardenburger
- Amy’s Kitchen
A Vegetarian Diet
Approximately 12 million Americans identify themselves as vegetarians. There is mounting evidence of the healthy benefits that plant based diets offer. Add to that the recent disturbing reports about the overall safety of meat products and you have a strong argument for choosing a vegetarian diet.
Being a vegetarian can mean different things, it’s simply a matter of choosing what you believe is best for you. Some people, known as vegans, choose to exclude all animal products from their diets. Lacto-ovo-vegetarians exclude meat but will eat eggs and dairy products. Lacto-vegetarians will consume dairy, but avoid meat and eggs.
But a healthy vegetarian diet isn’t just about what you don’t eat, it’s about choosing foods that are healthy for your body. You could eat potato chips and drink cola all day, but you wouldn’t be reaping the many benefits that a balanced vegetarian diet has to offer.
So what are these healthy benefits? “Well, those eating a healthy type vegetarian diet might have lower weights, lower risk of heart disease, lower risk of certain cancers, lower blood pressure levels, not to mention more energy and greater self-esteem because of feeling healthy.” says Lila Ojeda, a registered dietician, bio-nutritionist and life-long vegetarian.
There is also evidence to suggest that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is lower for those who choose to avoid meat. Because vegetarians don’t consume an abundance of protein, which causes excess calcium to be excreted, they may also have a lowered risk of developing osteoporosis.
Many people hesitate to adopt a vegetarian diet because they believe they won’t get the nutrients their bodies need. But well-planned vegetarian meals can supply all of your nutritional needs. “As long as you have a variety of different foods, and you know what types of foods have the nutrients you need, you can do a vegan or vegetarian diet very healthily!” insists Ojeda.
She also suggests that variety is the key to getting necessary vitamins and minerals into your diet, but not through vitamin supplements. “I promote getting them through food rather than a supplement because you get many other benefits from the actual foods.” Contrary to what many people believe, vegetarian meals consist of more than lettuce and carrots and you will find that incorporating all the nutrients your family needs will be easier – and tastier – than you might expect.
You can add protein to your diet through nuts, legumes, soy products and, if you choose, eggs. Iron can be included by eating enriched and fortified breads and cereals, dried fruit, and dried beans as well as many leafy greens. Calcium intake can be increased through some types of greens (such as broccoli, bok choy and kale) soy products made with calcium and fortified orange juice. Those are only a few of the ways to increase the variety and nutrition of your diet.
Another common concern is meal planning. When you’re balancing a husband, kids, household and a job when will you have the time to plan a proper vegetarian meal? It may sound impossible, but with some planning it can be done. “Eating healthy in today’s super busy society, vegetarian or non, takes work! You’ll have to sit down and pre-plan and maybe do some pre-cooking on the weekend, but then you can eat healthy all week without feeling deprived or stressed.” Ojeda suggests.
You don’t have to come up with an entirely new menu. When making the switch, start with what you know. Make a list of your family’s favorite meals then make substitutions where needed. The internet is a great place to start. You can learn all about ingredient substitutions and there’s an almost endless number of recipes available.
You may want to visit a registered dietician to help you get started. A dietician can help you plan, suggest foods and even help with your shopping list. To locate a registered dietician in your area visit the American Dietetic Association’s website at www.eatright.org.
The ADA says that appropriately planned vegetarian diets can satisfy the nutritional needs of all age groups and promotes normal growth in infants, children, and adolescents. However, if you are pregnant or have a serious medical condition it’s a good idea to consult your doctor before making this, or any other, significant change in your diet.
Beginning a vegetarian diet will take some planning on your part, but there’s evidence to show that it will be well worth the effort. You’ll feel great knowing that you’re taking an active role in improving your family’s health. And you may find that making the switch is easier and much more enjoyable than you expected!
For more information and some recipe ideas check out these websites:
http://www.talksoy.com
http://www.vegkitchen.com
http://www.soyfoods.com
Lila Ojeda, MS, RD, CSCS is in private practice in the Portland area. You can visit her website at www.LO-Solutions.com for more information. She also offers email, phone, and in-home consultations. You can contact her by emailing mailto:ojedal@ohsu.edu. .
Annita Townsley is a freelance writer based in Kentucky who covers a range of topics including Christianity, parenting, and health care.
Water for Life
The importance of drinking water is mentioned in almost every article on weight loss. It is a very important fact that we need to drink water whether we are dieting or not. It is water that assists with the dissolving and transporting of nutrients such as oxygen and minerals to the organs of the body. I know many people will say yuck to water but drinking other fluids may hydrate your body but you will need to consider the extra calories and sugar in them if trying to lose weight. Also it maybe time to learn to like to drink water due to the health benefits water provides. If water is not your thing, try flavouring it with a slice of lemon or start with mixing half apple/orange or cranberry juice with water.
Here are 8 reasons to drink 8 x 250ml glasses of water per day.
1. We need water to avoid dehydration. Dehydration can have devastating effects on our health and has been linked to constipation, headaches, dizziness, leg cramps and more…
2. Water helps rid the body of waste, by flushing out toxins from the fat cells. This process can eliminate problems with constipation.
3. Water helps the kidneys to function properly. When insufficient water is drunk the kidneys cannot work properly and this has an effect on our liver. It is the livers job to convert stored fat to energy. If the liver needs to do some of the work that the kidneys should be doing, than the liver can not work as it should do to metabolize fat and therefore the fat is stored rather than broken down and used as energy.
4. Water aids in the burning of fat. To burn fat the fat cells need to first be free of excess water and toxins. One reason you may not be losing weight is your not drinking enough water so your body holds on to what water it gets for survival. Our metabolic rate is the rate in which we burn calories. Water is required for this process to function at its best. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits
5. Water suppresses the appetite naturally. When your stomach is full of water, you’ll feel full sooner. If you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes before eating something as you may just be thirsty. (However water should not be substituted for food, still eat your 3 meals per day and 2-3 healthy snacks per day)
6. Enough water helps reduce water retention. To get rid of excess water, one has to consume more water. This is because if not enough water is drunk the body goes into survival mode and stores water in extra-cellular spaces. This can show up as swollen feet, legs, hands.
7. Water helps maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract more effectively. Muscle tone will prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss.
8. Water does wonders for your skin it leaves you with a clear, glowing complexion as impurities have been washed out of your system.
Suggested ways to include water in your daily diet are:
- Have a glass of water at every meal time. Breakfast, Mid-morning, Lunch, Mid-afternoon, Supper.
- Keep a water bottle full at your desk or if you’re at home on the kitchen counter and reach for it to sip from throughout the day.
- Take a bottle of water with you in the car to sip when waiting in traffic.
- Drink water prior and after exercise. Naturally if you are exercising more water will be required than the daily recommended.
Once you have reached your weight loss goal continue to feed your body with water on a daily basis.
Angela Emde, Wellness Coach assisting others take small steps to a healthier life. http://www.slim4summer.com
Healthy Carbs
Low Carb diets have become as popular as apple pie (although apple pie wouldn’t be allowed!). Everywhere you go the message is “low carb, decrease your carbs, or no carbs”. Unfortunately this message oversimplifies many of the healthy eating habits that nutrition experts have been teaching. The truth is, there are no quick fixes or easy answers when it comes to healthy eating, and one size never fits all.
The idea that carbohydrates are bad or unhealthy is a misunderstood message that has taken over our thoughts on good nutrition. Low carbohydrate promoters push the theory that carbohydrates are to blame for the nation’s obesity problems. The truth is overeating and general lack of exercise are mostly to blame for the obesity epidemic. Think about it this way, if the theory was true that carbohydrates cause weight gain then every person including famous athletes who eat carbs regularly would be obese. It just doesn’t add up.
The Truth About Carbs:
Proponents of low carb diets claim that when carbs raise blood sugar and insulin levels, the process can make our bodies store fat more readily. This is true, but did you know that all carbs are not created equal?
There are different kinds of carbohydrates: simple and complex as well as low glycemic and high glycemic. This is where most people fail to understand better carbohydrate choices. There are no bad food choices just those foods that should be eaten daily and those that should be eaten once in awhile.
Fruits and Vegetables:
While it is true that fruits and vegetables are made up primarily of carbohydrates, the majority of them have a low glycemic index (glycemic Index is a measure of how quickly a food increases the blood sugar). This is because fruits and vegetables contain fiber which naturally keeps blood sugars level. Fruits and vegetables are also the most important food groups in our fight against chronic diseases. They are loaded in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals which act like our own personal arsenal against chronic diseases. In fact, the American Institute for Cancer Research has compiled over 4000 studies and has concluded that eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day can decrease our cancer risk by 20%. Eliminating fruits and vegetables from your diet can lead to potentially serious health problems such as heart disease and cancer.
Whole Grains- The Important Difference:
Both whole grains and refined grains (sugar, white bread, pasta, etc) are high in carbohydrate but whole grains, found in foods like oats, barley, brown rice and whole wheat breads and cereals, contain all parts of the plant kernel thus keeping their important fiber content intact. Refined grains are stripped of these nutritious components during the milling process. Yes, it is true that eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates on a daily basis can drive sugar levels up quickly. However, the fiber in whole grains slows the rise in blood sugar and therefore the insulin response.
In fact, eating small amounts of whole, complex carbohydrates throughout the day can keep blood sugars at a more even level preventing insulin rises and weight gain. Research shows that people whose diets are high in whole grains and fiber decrease their risk of diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease.
Portion Control:
The flip side of the coin is that most people consume extremely large portion sizes of carbohydrates, eating more refined carbohydrates than the healthy complex carbohydrates, which can lead to weight gain. The answer, however, is not to give up all carbohydrates. It is not all or nothing as we learned from the low fat craze. We need to learn how to balance our diets to provide enough energy and nutrients that we get from all of our food groups throughout the day. By removing all carbohydrates from your diet you are setting yourself up for potential health problems not to mention bad breath (side effect of ketosis), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and low energy levels.
Very low carbohydrate diets would not be of concern to health professionals and nutrition experts if they weren’t so significantly low in important nutrients and so high in saturated fats. Recent studies have found that low carbohydrate diets are deficient in as many as 19 vitamins and minerals and as many as 11 micronutrients. According to Dr. Bruce Ames, a professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkley; vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as these can lead to DNA damage that can cause you to age prematurely and could lead to cancer and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. There is further evidence that these diets can lead to other diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis. It is important to remember that these diets were developed for weight loss and not healthy eating guidelines.
Bottom Line:
Choose small amounts (½ cup to 1 cup) of whole grains with each meal. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the day and you will be able to manage your weight and your health at the same time! People who have achieved lifelong weight loss have done so by making lifestyle changes such as eating a balanced diet and increasing their daily activity, not by following fad diets.
Most importantly, don’t depend on fad diets to give you nutrition advice. They generally look at a small piece of the puzzle instead of looking at the whole picture. There is no need to increase your health risk to lose weight. Choose to eat a balanced diet and increase your activity so you can lose weight and maintain optimal health at the same time.
© Meri Raffetto, 2004
Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She has developed online weight management programs to help people get off of diets and get into way of life. For more information or to sign up for her free newsletter, visit Real Living Nutrition.
