Why Eat 'Whole Foods'?

Eating whole foods insures intake of the total amount of available nutrients in the proportion the food contains. A whole food diet has been suggested as good for our health and well-being, assuring that all nutrients available by nature in a natural way are consumed in their entirety.

Whole foods from vegetable sources include: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Studies have revealed that it is possible to contract disease from refined foods with parts missing. Polished rice has been linked to beri-beri, and plain cornmeal has been linked to pellagra, both of which are vitamin B deficiencies.

Elements of nutrition are not all found spread throughout the foods. Juices and tofu generally considered healthful are all missing fiber. The typical separation of wheat grains removes vital nutrients, The germ contains fat and vitamin E, the endosperm contains proteins and carbohydrates, and the aleurone layer of the bran contains the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. When wheat is fragmented in processing, vital nutrients are removed. It is easy to see the reasoning behind the whole foods movement in nutritional health.

My family has moved to a diet the contains more whole foods, but that is difficult to do completely. We continue to work on different aspects of implementing whole foods. This weekend we intend to experiment with whole grain pizza crust, breads, dumplings and noodles, etc.

Be Healthy, Stay Active!

American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month.

Heart disease if the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability.

The simple answers to avoiding heart disease are eat right and exercise often. Avoid cholesterol and triglyceride bearing foods like red meat, dairy and eggs. Eat more fruit and vegetables, nuts and berries, grains and legumes. I have reduced my meat, dairy and egg consumption. It has been fun to learn a whole new way of cooking.

A daily regiment of vigorous exercise is a good idea as well. At least 20 minutes of exercise that will get your heart rate elevated above normal is a good start. Work up to it at a safe pace. If you have concerns about the amount of exercise please consult your physician. I walk every day with the same group of people just like forming a small club. We can visit while we walk vigorously at a pace of 2 miles in 40 minutes. This is enough to warm me up and elevate my heart rate as recommended.

I also take supplements that work to avoid heart disease. I take an Omega 3 fish oil supplement, an immune booster, and a cellular detox product that I have written about several times. There are also fiber products and antioxidant products that support a healthy heart. See the sidebar "Related Links" for more information on supplements I recommend.

Be Healthy, Stay Active!

Try Olive Oil for Health

There are several health benefits to consuming olive oil.

It's tastes good, it has a mild somewhat nutty flavor.
It's natural, no heat or chemicals used in extraction process.
It's nutritious, High in vitamins E, K, and A.
It contains oleic acid, which aids in keeping arteries supple.
It is not a hydrogenated oil, no trans-fats.
It's high is high in powerful antioxidants and monounsaturated fats to lower bad cholesterol.
It may help prevent colon, breast and skin cancers.
It helps lower blood pressure.
Replacing other fats with olive oil will reduce risk of Alzheimer's.
It lowers incidence of gallstones.

Be healthy stay active!

New Year's Commitment

Resolutions are not generally for me. I don't care for the haphazardly set goals for the new year. That is why I say Commitment.

This year I have committed to a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, healthy diet, and nutritional supplements. The difference this year is that I have developed a network of friends who are also committed to the same thing.

We meet every night to walk for an hour. We meet once per week to share healthy eating ideas and recipes, we all take the same healthy aging supplements. There is more to healthy aging than taking supplements. It is the diet and exercise component that excites me most. Good friends sharing healthy help and support for each other. Like AA it works when all else fails. There is no need to do it alone.

I want to exercise on that mountain again some day.

The Sloppy Vegetarian

I have been reading a lot about macrobiotic and vegetarian diets. For a long time I thought that these diets were dangerous and unrealistic for most people to even comprehend. This would hold especially true for me. I am a hunter and gatherer, so to speak and I bring home a lot of game for the table. So compromise is the name of the game for me. I am going to limit my animal protein intake in order to get some kind of idea of how these lifestyle changes will work in my life.

I have tried to limit my animal protein before with limited but good results. Within the first 2 months I dropped 15 pounds with no effort before I hit a plateau where I had no weight change for a month or more then dropped another 5 pounds. During the time I limited the animal protein, I had no health problems or concerns appear. My energy level increased and I felt good. I did take nutritional supplement to make sure that I was getting all the vitamins, minerals, poly phenols, herbs, and whole food fruits that I needed in my diet to remain healthy.

It is difficult to stay on such a diet with no family support. This started out as an experiment, but was so successful that I want to go back to it and continue with it. By setting the example of good health and feeling good, dropping excess weight I hope to inspire my family to join me. Currently I limit my animal protein to 2 or 3 ounces of meat 1 or 2 days per week. This will get the game out of the freezer by next fall and I can get the benefits a healthy lifestyle change.

Holiday Eating Problems

Well it is only the 29th and I am ready for the holidays to be over. The activity and time spent with others is not the problem. My problem is my eating habits change at this time of year. It's the several undisciplined feeding frenzies that have created my current discomfort. There has been too much meat and potatoes, sugar and spice, and not enough fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes in my diet.

My solution, look in the mirror and say "Jay, get a hold of yourself. You are screwing up this healthy lifestyle stuff", and then begin again. That is the good thing about changing lifestyle habits. When you screw up, you can simply start again. I will get more exercise, eat healthy, and help others. It is not necessary to wait for New Year's Day. That will only prolong my agony and set the stage for more procrastination. I am changing my diet as of last night and I will get some running in tonight. I have kept up with my supplementation program and that will be enhanced by my proper diet and exercise.

Diet is Key Component to Health

There are many fad diets that have been developed over the years. Most of which were impossible to stay on and were only effective when they were being implemented. Many of them would turn out to actually cause health problems. I have never used a fad diet, and have never considered a special diet for weight loss. My diet is to use moderation in fats, sugars and meats; and concentrate more heavily on fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and seeds, etc. There is still meat, fats and sugars in my diet, but to a far lesser extent than my past diet contained. My experience with moderation in these areas is that within 2 months, 15 pounds of useless unnecessary weight were removed. Within two more months another 10 pounds weight were gone. After that there has been small amounts of weight loss, but my health has been far better. My immune system is stronger with the less weight and better nutrition; my energy level has increased, and I feel younger and healthier.

These effects were realized with some very simple adjustments to my diet. I quit consuming soda pop and most sources of animal protein, and started eating plant based protein in greater portions. I am a hunter and was conflicted by the lack of meat eating, so I started innovating some of recipes. When sausage making time came this year, instead of adding fatty pork or beef trimmings to the venison, I added cooked pinto beans and brown rice. My wife and kids did not notice a lot of differences in taste and we enjoy a healthier meal. The texture and moisture content remain unchanged and the sausage can be pattied, or easily broken up for hot dishes, etc.