Past Topics : Habits of Health Tuesdays

Question: so what's wrong with the way we eat today? Could it be the foods we eat? Could it be the way the foods are processed today? Could it be the way we prepare foods today, microwaved?

Back when, in the good old days, people grew their own food, harvested, ate fresh and then canned what was left over for later.

Today, crops are grown on mineral depleted soil, sprayed with pesticides to prevent insect infestation, picked green before the full vitamin content can be developed, sent to a factory were all sorts of salt, sugar, fat and other chemicals and preservatives are added, and then trucked to the grocery store, where it sets on shelves awaiting your shopping trip.

Obesity is on the rise and so are the diseases related to it, cancer is on the rise, coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, acid reflux, gas and bloating, insulin resistance, liver and gallbladder disease and IBS.

The drugs creating the above symptoms and reactions are:
Sugar (simple carbohydrates)
and bad fats (saturated and trans fats),
along with pesticides, herbicides, preservatives, and other chemicals.

Could it really be that simple, the answer is an emphatic yes!

Introduce the charts:

(Glucose spikes followed by insulin release)

Show the visual representation of what simple carbohydrates do to the body (blood sugar/glucose spiking) and the result of that spiking which is increased insulin release to lower it. High insulin levels put you in a fat storage mode.

Over time it is this blood spiking and insulin release that leads to inflammation in the body, insulin resistance, type two diabetes and other diseases.

(Glucose release from medically formulated – portion controlled meal replacements)

Show the second chart, which shows balance of the insulin and blood glucose. This balance is obtained and maintained through balanced nutrition.

Balance between carbohydrates, proteins, and good fats. (Macro – nutrients)

Over the years, discoveries have been made that prove the efficacy of good eating. Our bodies are the most phenomenal, exquisite and efficient chemical factories ever designed. Our bodies can do greater things, than any process ever developed by a pharmaceutical company.

However, as with any formula, you must start with the right ingredients. If any are missing the formula will get modified and turn out something that was not intended.

• A deficiency of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate can lead to rickets.
• A diet lacking in vitamin C will cause the body to develop scurvy.
• A deficiency of niacin, part of the vitamin B complex will lead to pellagra.
• It has been recognized that a body low in calcium and low in estrogen will lead to osteoporosis.
• It is a well-established fact that eating too many simple carbohydrates (sugar) will lead to insulin resistance, excess weight and type two diabetes.
• Hormones which can be somewhat controlled by what you eat, lead to Acne.
• Too much sugar can lead to an over-active immune system and body inflammation, which in turn can lead to allergies.
• A body with an under active immune system, created by minerals and vitamins that are lacking in the diet, can be susceptible to all sorts of bugs and viruses, colds and flu.
• Becoming overweight or obese's (via too many simple carbs and saturated fat's) has been proven to lead to hypertension, high blood pressure.
• Snoring, sleep apnea and other sleep disorders are tied to being overweight and or obese (being caused by eating too many simple carbs and saturated fats).
• Sugar spikes which causes insulin spikes leads to inflammation in the body. This can in turn create an unbalanced gut bacteria, long transit times, and colitis.
• Acid reflux, created by too many organic acids in the stomach can be directly related to being overweight or obese.
• A physical cause of depression could be unbalanced hormones which are directly related to being overweight and or obese.

Everything listed, in some way or another, can be linked to what food you eat or don't eat. How you eat them, when you eat them and the amounts you ingest.

Remember that the energy expended for digestion cannot be used for the immune system. Hence, the recommendation to eat a small meal in the evening is a great one. Don't waste sleep time digesting food.

Before we go shopping, let's clean out the pantry, let's clean out that refrigerator. I know it's difficult throwing away food however, what we want to get rid of can be given to the homeless. They do a lot of dumpster diving and anything you give them will be healthier than what they normally get on their diet.

Let's go shopping:

As you go into the store, notice that the outside perimeter has most of the healthy foods that you'll be looking for. However, stores are smart and they will place good tasting, fat laden, sugary and salt laden foods, in amongst the health foods. Enter the store knowing that you have overcome temptation. Make a shopping list before going shopping and avoid impulse buying.

Vegetable and fruit section

The first section we'll shop will be the vegetable and fruit section, fresh and wholesome.

However, it's best to understand something called the glycemic factor before we start.

The glycemic factor has to do with how much glucose/sugar is in a product and how fast it will get into our bloodstream.

Remember our goal is to reduce blood spiking and therefore reduce the amount of insulin the pancreas must produce. Therefore, anything with a higher glycemic index them 50 will want to be purchased in very small quantities.

We say we can't afford organic but the question really is can we afford the co-pays on all the drugs that will need in the future. Is it better to buy organic, probably! You can avoid pesticides and herbicides when you purchase organic foods. Foods with skins on them like oranges or bananas or probably okay to buy as they are.

Those intending to lose weight especially in the beginning phase, should avoid fruits because of their glycemic index. The beginning phase of weight-loss requires us to stay in a fat burning zone, meaning we do not want to elevate the insulin levels in the body, because elevated insulin levels, put us into a fat storing mode.

When in this section look for legumes, black beans, navy beans,

We can use these as starches in our lean and Green meal of the day.

Processed Meats

The next section we come to in some stores will be the processed meats.

Cold cuts, summer sausages, hot dogs, these we want to avoid.

Fresh Meats

Moving onto the fresh meats, we want to select cuts of meat that are low in saturated fats. Fish is an excellent selection and we should try to eat fish two times per week. Eating skinless white chicken is also a good selection. Very lean cuts of beef, or of pork can be used but should be used sparingly. Wild meats such as Buffalo and Venison are very low in saturated fat's.

Checkout!

It is at this point that we want to head for the checkout stand.

Avoid all dairy, as dairy is typically full of saturated fats. For those that say low-fat, they add sugars that make them no-no's during the beginning phase. Dairy products are also known to be mucous forming in the body. This can lead to additional inflammation that we want to avoid.

Of course the next section is the bakery section. Donuts, cakes, pies, and fresh bread's, don't they sound good? Taste–wise the answer is yes, from a health standpoint - they contain many refined sugars and fats with very little nutrient content.

Of course will want to avoid the center of the store. Ice cream is not on the list. Sugar laden cereals are not on the list. Most of the canned goods are filled with preservatives and chemicals and should be avoided.

Sounds to me like shopping has gotten a whole lot simpler and faster!

We recommend starting with...

What we are recommending is the Metafast's five and one plan.

This plan recommends that we eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours, that we do so with medically formulated – portion controlled meal replacements. And that we eat one lean and Green meal each day.

The lean and Green meal would be served on a 9 inch plate to avoid over eating. 50% of the plate would be filled with vegetables, green vegetables, one quarter of the plate would contain our lean protein (about the size of a deck of cards). One quarter of the plate would contain our starches (about the size of a tennis ball).

The lean and Green meal provides us the opportunity to eat with the family, and yet stay eating a healthy diet.

Staying on this plan allows us to keep our baseline insulin level low, which keeps us in a fat burning zone, and allows us to lose up to 3 to 5 pounds per week in the first two weeks in 1 to 2 pounds per week thereafter.

If you are confused and your future seems bleak and hopeless – let us help you break that cycle. Learn the habits of health!

 

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Michael McCright
TogetherIcangroup.com
Togetherican.com
January 13, 2015