What do you think when you hear someone say that honey is better than sugar?

Years ago, (more than I care to name) when I heard anyone talk about how much better honey was than sugar, I was immediately turned off.  I thought of honey as a waxy tasting substance that made anything I put it on taste like wax.  I didn’t really care that it was “suppose” to be better for you than sugar.  I was not interested at all in replacing my sugar with honey, no matter how much better it was suppose to be. 

Years later when my husband talked me into trying raw, unfiltered, unheated honey, I was so surprised.  What happened to the waxy unappetizing taste? It did not at all resemble the honey that I remembered.  It actually tasted really good and I wanted more. 

I came to find out that the honey I had been eating in restaurants and from supermarket shelves was processed honey.  I then discovered that this same honey was not so good for you after all.  Most of the vitamins and minerals go away when it is processed and heated.  However, the raw unprocessed honey that actually tastes good is actually good for you!  Wow, how could this be?  I could now replace my processed sugar with something I actually liked and then feel good about it, because it’s actually good for me. 

I decided I had to find out if this was true, so I started looking into and found out the following. Unlike sugar, honey is a unique food, a living, organic.  It is an instant energy building food, an antioxidant containing all the essential minerals necessary for life. It has seven vitamins of the B complex group, amino acids and enzymes. Sounded pretty impressive.

Honey goes into the blood stream in fifteen minutes.  Ordinary sugar, a chemical saccharose, is completely indigestible, absolutely dead and harmful. It takes the human system 2 – 4 hours of hard work to invert and convert saccharose into simpler digestible form of glucosides, and then assimilate, exhausting the human system.

Dr. Paul Carlton wrote in his book “The three killer foods” that sugar is a poison, a 100% chemical, one of the 3 killer foods.  That didn’t sound too good!

On the other side, honey produces more energy than its weight and in doing so it uses part of the accumulated fat and cholesterol. It therefore is excellent in any weight reduction plan. WOW, something that tastes so sweet & so good can be used when trying to lose weight!

In fact, honey contains so many minerals, vitamins, enzymes and inhibine, a newly find antibacterial agent that acts like penicillin, and other antibiotics, killing microbes and germs that it is correctly called a medicine; the elixir of life. It has been used as medicine for millenniums and is still used in prescriptions for cold.

Honey is also a mild laxative which helps digestion. In Dr. Jarvis’ best seller book “Folk Medicine” he recommends honey and apple cider vinegar for health and strength and to be taken many times a day.

REMEMBER THOUGH.  It has to be raw unheated honey.  If it doesn’t say “RAW” on the honey package, then it is processed and the benefits aren’t there. 

The best part of all this is that you can satisfy your sweet tooth, treat you body good, and feel good about it.  I not only use it in my tea, cereal, as a snack, but I use it in cooking as well.

Have you tried raw honey yet?  Let us know and tell us your experience since using it.  I am so happy I have found this awesome food. 

Enjoy

Patricia 

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Most of us are trained as children to ignore our body. Let me explain …

As children, many of us were taught to clean our plates before leaving the table. Our parents demanded that we eat everything on our plate regardless of whether or not we were still hunger. You were probably told as a child to clean your plate too – I know I was.  Basically, we were being conditioned to override our God given ability to sense when we are full and need to stop eating. Certainly this is not the only reason why many people are overweight, but it certainly is a factor.

If you think about it, children have it right – they only eat until they are full (the way God intended). Children also recognize when they are hunger and that’s when they go the cabinet or frig and grab a snack. Today the problem is that the cabinets are full of junk food which is making our children overweight and sick.

So remember, if you want to reprogram yourself to stop overeating, you must practice listening to your body.

Action step for Today …

Leave some food on your plate after every meal. It’s okay. And here’s a tip when eating out – only eat half of what’s on your plate and take the rest home or just order one meal and share it with your dinner mate.

Here’s another important tip that I’ve already mentioned in previous posts, but it’s worth mentioning again. Don’t let yourself get hungry. When you are hunger – eat. Just make sure you are eating healthy meals and snacks. Chew your food thoroughly and pay attention to your body – it will tell you when to stop eating. When it does, stop eating. I know this sounds easier than it really is, but with practice you will learn how to do this.

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions so go ahead and leave your comments –I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you’d like for me to cover a topic in more detail or cover a topic that I have not talked about yet, just let me know.

It’s importance for you to know that this blog was created for you.  The goal is to build a community of people helping people. So if you would like to share your knowledge on a health and fitness related topic, just leave your comments. 

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Does the word diet strike fear in your heart? What if you could diet the rest of your life and never starve and better yet enjoy your meals? This is not only possible; it’s the way it’s supposed to be!

I don’t like to use the word “diet” when talking about healthy eating habits, because our society has distorted its meaning and reduced it to a means of losing weight by temporary starvation.

In reality, a diet is just an eating plan – nothing more nothing less.  When you learn how to eat healthy, you will form a habit that you can do for the rest of your life.  You will actually enjoy eating again.  Most people think of a diet as being something that you do until you lose a certain amount of weight, and then you go back to “normal” eating.  This is precisely the reason why most diets fail; it’s impossible to maintain “starvation mode” for the long run.  

Staying away from fad diets is vital to losing weight successfully.  Low carbohydrate diets are a good example of this.  Millions of people swear by the latest low carb craze, but how many of us know a friend or coworker who had lost a shocking amount of weight in a short period of time, only to gain it back in an even shorter period?  Carbohydrates are an important part of a complete and healthy diet, so they certainly can’t be omitted forever.  While your body may lose weight while on the diet, you’re bound to gain it back when you start eating carbs again.

It’s a shame that people are so concerned with losing weight that they are willing to put their health at risk. Think about it… How did you feel the last time you tried one of those fad diets. Did you feel healthy and energized ready to take on the world or did you feel hungry, tired, and dreading the day ahead?

Action step for today…

Make a decision right now to approach losing weight with an attitude of health and longevity, instead of choosing fad diets that don’t work and leave you feeling sick and tired. This is a simple action step, but this one “quality” decision can change your life forever.

I have to run for now, but come back again.  In upcoming posts, I will be giving more details on how to eat healthy, lose weight, while enjoying eating.

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions so go ahead and leave your comments –I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you’d like for me to cover a topic in more detail or cover a topic that I have not talked about yet, just let me know.

It’s importance for you to know that this blog was created for you.  The goal is to build a community of people helping people. So if you would like to share your knowledge on a health and fitness related topic, just leave your comments. 

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Don’t let your body become your enemy. Health is not a chance, it’s a choice.

 (Jentezen Franklin)

When it comes to healthy eating there are many different aspects to consider.  Perhaps the easiest place to start is by understanding what your food is all about. God gave us food for our enjoyment and not to be a slave to it.

Your focus should be on eating a diet that is balanced and nutritious.  A balanced diet means eating a wide variety of foods and eating everything in moderation. 

The Five Food Groups

The five food groups are grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and meat.  A balanced diet will contain something from each of these food groups every day.  Some food groups require more servings than other. For instance, you should be eating more vegetables than dairy.  There are also oils and sweets, which don’t necessarily need to be part of your daily meals and should be consumed with discretion. Each recommended daily serving depends on several factors such as age and activity level.  This should be taken into account when determining your personal daily food intake.

It is recommended that to eat a healthy, balanced diet you should have from three to five servings of vegetables a day.  Vegetables are a primary source of vitamins and minerals, and we cannot live without them.  Fresh vegetables are the best choice, but cooked vegetables are also acceptable.  Try to eat a large variety of vegetables each day, including many different colors. Eating organic vegetables is best.

Fruits are also full of vitamins and minerals.  You should have anywhere from two to four servings of fruit a day.  Try to avoid fruit juice as it is high in sugar. You should also try and choose whole fruits as much as possible since they have the added bonus of fiber. And as always, choose organic when possible.

The dairy group includes foods such as yogurt and cheese.  When possible drink raw milk since pasteurized and homogenized milk can cause problems for your body. Dairy is an important provider of calcium and other vitamins.  If you are lactose intolerant or vegan, it is important that you get these vitamins elsewhere.

Although there is controversy about the value of grains, it is generally recommended that you get anywhere from six to eleven servings of grains each day, depending on your age and activity level.  Grains include bread, rice, pasta, and cereal.  Try and choose whole grains and avoid the “white” grains such as white bread and white rice.  You can find almost all grain foods in a whole grain variety, including pasta and bread. Organic is best.

Meat is an important source of protein and many other vitamins and minerals.  Some foods that fall into this category include fish, poultry, beef, eggs, beans, and nuts. You will notice that pork is not on this list. You should avoid pork.  The recommended daily servings are between two and three.  Try to choose leaner meats and natural or organic is best.

Action Steps:

Here’s one simple step you can take immediately to start eating healthier. Eat one large green leafy salad everyday. You can add your favorite raw vegetables and fruit. I really enjoy adding apples slices or strawberries to my salads. And if you want to turn your salad into a hearty meal try the recipe below. Organic ingredients are best.

v Green lettuce (2 cups)

v Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Cereal (1/2 cup)

v Tomatoes slices

v Olive Oil (1 tbsp)

v Apple Cider Vinegar (to taste )

v Sea Salt (to taste)

Enjoy!

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions, so go ahead and leave your comments. I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you’d like for me to cover a topic in more detail or cover a topic that I have not talked about yet, just let me know.

It’s importance for you to know that this blog was created for you.  The goal is to build a community of people helping people. So if you would like to share your knowledge on a health and fitness related topic, just leave your comments. 

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Here’s a list of simple things you can start doing today to improve your brain and memory. I encourage you to start now… Don’t put it off.

Avoid toxins such as alcohol, excessive caffeine, nicotine, and environmental toxins where possible. These toxins ruin brain function – sometimes permanently.

Eat to fuel the brain everyday. Here is a list of foods that you should be eating at least every week. In some cases everyday, such as blueberries. When possible eat organic foods.

·          Blueberries and other berries

·          Broccoli

·          Beans (lentils, lima, navy, pinto, sugar snap peas, and peas)

·          Wild salmon (always ask when eating in restaurants if the salmon is wild caught – most restaurants serve farm raised)

·          Spinach

·          Green tea (other teas are okay too)

·          Tomatoes

·          Turkey or chicken

·          Walnuts

·          Yogurt

·          Drink a lot of water (the brain is 80% water)

Take a multiple vitamin everyday (preferably a whole food vitamin)

Avoid watching toxic movies and TV programs. Watching negative programming can have a negative effect on your brain function. When you are watching these programs you are learning something new, which means your brain, is making new connections. Think about it, when you watch something scary or depressing on TV, how does it affect you? For the most part I have even stopped watching the news unless I feel the program is truly educating me on something that will make my life and thinking better.

Exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week. Exercise enhances blood flow to the brain and protects brain cells.

Spend time in prayer and meditating on God’s Word. It will distress your brain, which will protect your brain cells, since stress kills cells.

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions, so go ahead and leave your comments. I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you’d like for me to cover a topic in more detail or cover a topic that I have not talked about yet, just let me know.

It’s importance for you to know that this blog was created for you.  The goal is to build a community of people helping people. So if you would like to share your knowledge on a health and fitness related topic, just leave your comments. 

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Today’s post is short but powerful. After reading it, I’d like for you to meditate on it and honestly ask yourself a very important question. Do you listen to your body or do you ignore it. Do yourself a favor and be honest.

If you listen to your body it will tell you many interesting things:

v       It will tell you when it’s full and time to stop eating (be honest – how many times have you completely overridden your body when it’s telling you it’s full and you can stop eating now).

v       It will tell you how much you need to exercise and at what level (does an afternoon at the park leave you exhausted –  if so, your body may be telling you that you need to work on your aerobic capacity).

v       It will tell you that you need to strengthen a certain part of your body before doing something that will hurt you. (Have you ever lifted a heavy object like a sofa or TV and  your body was screaming at you to stop – put down the TV, I am not ready for this. (I know I have). Of course, we often ignore that signal and can pay the consequences with a back injury).

The point is that if you train yourself to listen to your body, you will be on your way to living the healthy lifestyle you have always dreamed of. I know this sounds simple, but it really is.

I’d love your comments and stories. Do you struggle with overeating? Are you addicted to sugar or other foods? Do you feel you listen to your body?

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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