Healthy through the Holidays

Have you noticed how many people get sick or get colds through the winter, especially through the holidays?  Viruses are weakened in warm weather but love the cold weather.  Here are suggestions if you want to increase your chances for a non-sick season.
 1.  Watch the sugar.  (Drinks, sweets, breads, sugared coffees, chocolate milk). Breads and flour based items if not Whole Grain or Ezediel bread quickly turn to sugar in the body, so I count them as sugar. An Alternative Treatment site for Cancer stated that sugar feeds the germs and lowers your immune system by less than half  it's strength.  One glass of pop contains 10 teaspoons of sugar which will suppress your immune system for over four hours.  That is a lot of time for you to touch a door knob, for example, that has a germ on it and for you to have poor defense against it if you don't wash it off quickly. 
2.  Play a game with yourself and try, just try to eat the recommended daily amt. by the gov't of 7-9 servings of fruits and vegies in a day.  If you treat it like a game, you will probably make better choices moment by moment of what you intake. Colorful fruits and vegies are full of antioxidants, phytonutrients, carotenes and more. These ingredients greatly strengthen your own body to be strong and energetic, and to ward off anything that attacks it. According to the US Dept. of Agriculture,  one serving = a 1/2 cup,  a whole fruit,  3 strawberries, 15 grapes, one cup of greens.  3 vegies 2 fruits/day=kids, at least 4 vegies/3 fruits/day for teens/adults.  Count them!
3.  Increase legumes (such as pinto, kidney, red beans , lentils, chick peas, etc) as they have lots of germ fighting antioxidants, more than blueberries according to Dole Nutrition. Cook them up per pkg. directions to  keep in fridge, or buy them by the can at the health food store (w/o preservatives),  to add to salads, pastas, wraps or just by themselves. 1/3 c.=one vegie serving.
4.  HANDWASHING.  Best technique on the planet for preventing sickness! I'm not kidding. Use soap and wash for a full 15 seconds. Also, watch what those hands touch. (keep them off of public railings, push doors with your arm, not your bare hand and watch out for those germy office telephones!)
5. Consider stopping all your vitamins and getting on Juice Plus whole food supplement instead, with 8 fruits,7 vegies and 2 grains. See  http://www.suewalkerjuiceplus.com/.  watch the 12 min.video.  Email me with questions at suewalkerrn@yahoo.com.
6.  SMILE , LAUGH, PLAY, EXERCISE, Have Fun!!!  Find ways to REDUCE the STRESS!!!

best antiinflammatory foods

A request came to me to review the antiinflammatory foods.  Be aware that systemic inflammation can be both  inside of us and invisible, as well as very visible by way of soreness. It is a problem we all deal with. It can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cysts in body parts, arthritis, and  lack of energy. You can alter the amt. of inflammation you have. Here are some of the BEST foods for that. They are among some of the BEST foods in the world for us. First, the foods to omit from our diet that contribute to inflammation:  #1. Sugar, and anything made from flour because these foods break down into simple sugar fast in the body, (Pasta included). Of course, whole grain is recommended, but the long term goal for change would be to eliminate all flour based foods from our diet if you are talking about getting rid of inflammation issues.  #2. hydrogenated fats and saturated fats (animal).  Now, for the BEST antiinflammatory foods:  Try to eat one out of this group each meal:
1. Salmon and Omega 3 rich foods and oils. Take a supplement of Omega 3 to really help. (Flaxseed oil etc)
2. green tea, one cup a day!
3. Cruciferous vegies: brocolli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower,
4. salads with fresh greens (Kale, Spinach, Collard, Turnip) Kale really isn't that bad, I have grown to love it.
5.  garlic
6. Cherries and blueberries ( perhaps stir them frozen into hot oatmeal for breakfast!)
LASTLY< and the BEST way to decrease inflammation is to EXERCISE ( increase oxygen intake!) Very Lastly, I would be amiss to not let you know that one of the clinical studies for Juice Plus proved it reduces inflammation that leads to disease. (http://www.suewalkerjuiceplus.com/  scroll down to research).  Remember, Slow and steady good changes win the race in the long run!

BEANS

Hi there!  Welcome! If you've not read previous posts, PLEASE read below and back to August's posts, as they have great information for your HEALTH!  I mean it. Now, a quickie.  BEANS!  I am talking pinto, red, black, kidney etc. They are so easy to cook. They have more antioxidant power than blueberries.  Did I tell you why antioxidants are so important?  As you exercise, work, live, you are a machine that produces oxidation in your body.  This causes free radicals (cells that are not quite right) to roam.  God made them such that if you eat right, they will not be a problem. The good foods for you, like fruits, vegetables, and legumes (dried beans) have antioxidants to combat these free radicals.  A free radical can gather with others and make cancer and other health problems.  They have one less electron than regular good cells.  The antioxidants in healthy food DONATE one of their electrons which the free radicals take up and then are neutralized.  WOW!!  Aren't we "fearfully and wonderfully made" as Scripture says?  So,  when I say something has a lot of antioxidants, GO FOR IT!!  Beans:  buy a bag of pintos, red or kidney beans.Wash in a collander.  Put them in enough water to cover by 2 inches  then boil a few minutes and let them sit an hour.  After that, put the burner on and cook them for 2 more hours, in same water is fine.  BINGO.  Done, fineeshio. Keep them ready to eat in fridge and throw them in spaghetti, salads, smoothies (well, thats a stretch).  3 tablespoons is a serving.  Eat at least 2-3 times a week, (I eat them almost daily for my protein.)  ENJOY and remember, the small changes or additions you make each day over the long haul MAKE BIG DIFFERENCES!!