From family gatherings to celebrating birthdays, food is a common ingredient our lives revolve around. We all have a pretty good idea that good nutrition is important even for special occasions however our menus often fall short of meeting healthy standards.
That carrot cake with cream cheese frosting topped with ice cream is quite nutritious. Let’s see it has most of the food groups. Carrots are vegetables. Pineapple is a fruit. Walnuts and eggs are great sources of protein. Flour is a grain. Canola oil is a fairly good oil. Cream cheese and ice cream are dairy products. That carrot cake is a well-balanced meal! Right?
- · Acid insufficiency is brought on by age, stress, overeating, excessive alcohol, or habitual use of antacids. Without sufficient hydrochloric acid, most foods cannot be broken down enough and as a result, partially digested food is hindered in its movement through the digestive tract, causing much discomfort.
- · Lack of fiber can also cause digestive distress. Despite the proven benefits of fiber, most people do not get enough. Guidelines in the U.S. are 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories of food consumed. Populations who consume high fiber diets have a low rate of intestinal disorders such as diverticulitis, polyps, colitis, hemorrhoids, and cancer.
- · Too little lactase is another contributor to digestive discomfort. Lactase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk and other dairy products. Lactase is necessary for the absorption and utilization of the nutrients from dairy yet this important enzyme is destroyed in the pasteurizing and homogenizing process.
- · Overeating or eating too fast can overwork our digestive system by not allowing the proper production of the enzymes needed to break down the food we eat.
- · Choose whole foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat protein, and whole grains rather than foods that are processed, high in sugar, and saturated fat.
- · Eat food raw or cooked under low heat as much as possible. High heat destroys the natural enzymes that assist in breaking down food properly.
- · Stop the use of antacids to soothe heartburn and indigestion. This may involve not eating the foods that seem to cause the heartburn, not overeating, chewing food better by eating slowly, and may also involve using a non-habit forming digestive aid to supplement your natural body secretions such as hydrochloric acid. Without adequate hydrochloric acid most food cannot be broken down enough to pass on through the digestive tract.
- · Consider supplementing with enzymes that support the digestion of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
- · Increase the amount of fiber in your diet to support healthy digestion and elimination. Include fiber from a variety of sources for best results. Increasing your fiber intake will help reduce that ugly belly fat, help in weight loss by making you feel fuller faster and longer; and reduce your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases.
- · Finally, consider adding a probiotic to your supplement regime. Be sure it is from a whole food source that guarantees delivery to the intestinal tract so as to keep the good bacteria properly balanced.
When you are planning a gathering or celebration, plan by keeping a focus on healthy whole foods so as to give people healthy choices. However when attending a gathering or celebration, you can still chose healthy foods available and remember moderation is a key to not overeating. You can also plan ahead by considering supplementation with well designed whole food supplements that are designed to assist your body in the digestion process.
Pat Moon
Pat is a grandmother who started as an Independent NeoLife/GNLD Distributor in 1985 because of family health concerns. After experiencing positive results for several family members, she chose to share the whole food nutritional supplements and natural vitamins with other people. Her confidence in NeoLife's Whole Food Nutritional Supplements and Natural Vitamins has continued to grow because they work. Her goal is to help others have the BEST REAL HEALTH possible and slow the aging process. The products Pat uses and features are:
- A great weight loss program
- Balanced protein energy drinks for rejuvenating, power, and energy.
- Whole food antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to slow the aging process.
- Heart protection.
- Enhanced immune system.
- Enhanced digestion.
- Bone and joint protection and pain relief.
- Herbal Alternatives to optimize wellness.
- Reducing fine line and wrinkles, increasing moisture in the skin, and protecting the skin
- Biodegradable, concentrated, low dose, low burden cleaning products.
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Great article Pat. it does seem hard for people to embrace what healthy eating/nutrition really is but once they do they often wonder why theever though of anything else. I love your note about the raw dairy. I am a huge proponent of raw dairy and if not then cultured for incredible probiotic power!
Carl,
Thanks for a great comment in support of eating healthy. It’s too bad farming and ranching is such big business and we have lost the small family farms and ranches. That has made it difficult to access raw dairy and other quality foods here in the United States. How is it in South Africa?
Stay healthy, Pat
Thanks for the post about the definition of healthy. WHat we eat truly affects our health and changes the way we feel on a daily basis in terms of motivation and energy as well:)
Right on, Daniele.
Motivation and energy say a lot about how healthy we are and how healthy we are has a lot to do with what we eat!
Blessings, Pat
Thank you Pat for this great post! I love the advice not to jump on taking antiacid medication for foods that bother us and continue to eat them, instead of simply avoid them. We eat to live, not live to eat 🙂
Delia,
Sometimes the indigestion is a sign that we need to supplement our digestive system with healthy whole food supplements that replenish the natural hydrocloric acid and natural enzymes that are necessary for digesting the food that is giving us trouble. We do have to be careful about avoiding some foods that contribute to a well rounded nutrient source.
This is all part of eating to live and not living to eat.
Blessings, Pat
So much great advice, thank-you!
Natalie,
So glad to have you visit.
Healthy blessings to you, Pat
Pat, thank you so much – this is really useful to know! Have a wonderful day!
Solvita, thanks for stopping by my site. Your good health is my concern. Thanks again, Pat
Wow! Great info, Pat.
You said that we should eatch 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories of food – about how much is that and what is a good source?
In Gratitude!
Paul.
Hi Paul, thanks for your comment on my article about indigestion. Good sources of fiber are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. Whole fruit has fiber but the fiber has been removed from fruit juice. Beans are especially high in fiber as well as yams or sweet potatoes especially if you eat the skins. You may want to check out a chart on the Mayo Clinic site that gives a good reference as to grams of fiber for different foods: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-foods/NU00582 We use a daily fiber supplement to feel in the gaps in our daily food intake: http://bestrealhealth.gnld.net/store/product.aspx?NAV_CATEGORY_ID=3230&CATEGORY_ID=1252&PRODUCT_ID=10071&ATTR=allInfo Thanks again for your comment and question. Here’s to your good health.
Great info Pat – thanks for sharing! We really can change our health with the foods we eat!
Jandi, thanks for taking time to check out my information on digestion. Healthy digestion is definitely an important key to utilizing the nutrients in the foods we eat. Thanks again for stopping by.
Hi Pat…thank you for the great information! I was wondering…In your research; "Did you see any information on the correlation between water needs and age?" … I personally drink a lot of water because of exercise, however, it is a question that came to mind after reading your article. …Thank you, Hughie
Hi Hughie, Thanks for stopping by my blog. My understanding of water needs guideline is to divide your weight by 2 and that is approximately the amount of water in ounces a person needs. For example, a 180 pound man should drink about 90 ounces or 11 1/4 – 8 oz. cups of water per day. Of course activity level, weather conditions, and general health can cause needs to be different. My opinion is that age does not determine the amount of water needed. For example, my mother will be 91 years old next month and walks for 45 minutes to 1 hour daily. She weighs only 100 pounds and is 5 feet tall. She drinks between 5 to 8 cups of water daily and is very healthy – no prescription drugs, only nutritional supplements. Thanks for your question.
I am always in awe of how our bodies are designed and function at their best when we put in the right fuel! Thanks for always providing such valuable information Pat! Very informative article!
Hi Denny, thanks for the wise comment. Yes, our bodies were designed to be awesome and our job is to do the right things to keep them functioning in a healthy manner.
Great article Pat! Thanks for the wisdom! 🙂
Jennifer, thanks for stopping by with your words of encouragement. Take care and God bless!
Pat,
There are many areas of life that offer us true health, but none truer than the health we can enjoy by caring for the glorious body we were each given when we started our lives. It is interesting that we all feed ourselves food we would never give our children…That could be a good starting off point to enjoying better health!
Michele, thanks for your comment. Yes, God did give us a glorious body and it is our responsibility to take care of it. We do need to set an example for our children and grandchildren.
Thank you Pat for your great information; my digestive system was in a mess several years ago and by eating healthier and drinking more water I am doing much better, but I have to watch it!! Thanks Pat!
Olga, thanks for reading my article. I would venture to say that most health issues start in the digestive tract. If only more people would recognize that before disease sets in. You are wise in making changes. Take care.
Great message. I was watching Dr. Oz about the foods we eat, and we have so much to learn about our bodies and how to take better care of them. I am enjoying reading and learning all I can to improve our health. Thank you for your article!
Elvie, thanks for your comment. Yes, the foods we eat have so much to do with our overall health yet due to food storage and processing as well as depleted nutrients in our soils and our own abuse over the years, we can often benefit from supplementing our diets. Thanks again for your interest.
Pat, great article! I agree with Carol, I find it very difficult too for people to understand what healthy really means. Thank you so much for posting it.
Anastasiya, Thanks for the comment. Yes, it has been my mission for over 26 years to help people understand what healthy really means and that they can take action to correct and/or reverse some of the damage done over the years by poor diet, overeating, etc. Thanks again for the support.
Pat, thanks for great post. I find it very difficult for people to understand what healthy really means. Tomorrow night I will be with 18 ladies at a church gathering. I'm sure their digestive system is a mess, but will they want to change? I make choices with every bite.
Hi Carol, Yes it is difficult for people to understand and even admit that they may have indigestion or some other health issue that is directly related to the choice of foods and/or the amount of food they eat. I commend you for making choices with every bite. Thanks for the comment.