health & sanity

Goodness, it’s been a while since I’ve even check on this blog.  I feel so bad.

I got pregnant, I lost control.  Now, as I try to get all my healthy habits back, I feel like a failure and like a bad roll model at the moment.

When I’m pregnant I get these cravings that are so bad they make me squirm.  I just wasn’t strong enough to face them.  Since this was my second pregnancy, I’ve had a lot of trouble getting this weight off.

I’m still passionate about health though, I’m still trying to make myself the healthy person I once was.  I’m definitely real just like the rest of us.  I’m working on the same plan to lose weight like I did last time and we’ll see how it goes.  I need to get my waist size and BMI down in a BAD way.

Anyway, that’s where I’ve been.  I do blog every day at The Informal Matriarch and I’m writing about my weight loss experiences there.  Once my head is fully back in the game and I’m up for the massive amounts of research that this blog requires, I’ll be back in full force slamming down the walls that are hiding the truth and enlightening people on everything healthy.

As a young girl I was always told to not stand infront of my microwave because it causes cancer. Recently I read in a book “natural cures THEY don’t want you to know about” that mincrowaving food actually changed the chemical structure of the food making it more unhealthy for you. Lately I’ve been digging into this fabulous book called “Let Them Eat Flax” by Dr. Joe Schwarcz and it’s a book I would highly recommend. I’m not one of those naturalists that go nuts and think that everything unnatural is bad for you. I’m learning in this book that there’s a lot of things that naturalists think are bad for you that are not. Dr. Joe Schwarcz is a chemist and he goes into the actual studies done on things and the real chemisty and science behind it all. ANYWAY, back to microwaves. A microwave works by agitating molecules in the food so they create friction and heat the food up. Most things need to contain a certain amount of water to heat up which is fine because most food contains plenty of water. Microwaves do not breack chemical bonds therefore it cannot cause cancer nor can a microwave do anymore damage to your food than other means of cooking. Heating food does change the chemicals but that happens with any means of cooking, otherwise things wouldn’t cook!! Spanish researchers caused a major uproar because they wanted to see which method of cooking would yeild the healthiest cooked broccoli. They were mainly interested in the loss of flavonoids (which are helpful with cancer prevention). They noted a 97 percent decline in flavonoids when microwaving the broccoli, while there were hardly any losses in steaming the broccoli. Now that sounds scary right? It looks like the microwaves are killing our flavonoids but really, the researchers just didn’t know how to cook broccoli. They covered them entirely with water and heated them for FIVE MINUTES on high!! Of course that’s going to result in overcooked, squishy broccoli!! The only risks associated with microwaves are in accidents that happen with the hot food. DONT microwave a whole egg, it will explode in your face and be careful with liquids as they can get super hot without boiling so it’s good to make sure they’ve come to a full boil before you take them out of the microwave so you know the steam inside has been let off. No exploding coffee for me. Anyway, there, now you know the truth behind microwaves. I, for one, am very relieved as I was feeling guilty for microwaving my son’s food all the time after reading how it chemically alters the food. Looks like I still am a good mom.

One more thing to note. There are actually more carcenogens (heterocyclic aromatic amines) found in meat that has been grilled, fried, or broiled as opposed to microwaved. One thing I’d like to know though is why bread gets tough in the microwave. Also when actually cooking meat in the microwave it tends to get rubbery, perhaps I’ll get my mom to ask Dr Schwarcz next time she goes to one of his lectures. BUY THE BOOK!

I recently went to a health confrence and the whole deep breathing idea was definatly brought to my attention. The speaker made me realize that I was consstantly in a state of shallow breathing. This could be the source or a big part of my problems that I have. Along with my own knowlege of breathing (from taking singing lessons for many years) and some net research I think I came up with a good summary and instruction guide for deep breathing.

Benefits of Deep Breathing:

Air is our most important nutrient that we need. We can go a long long time without water or food but not too long without air. So we can see that breathing is definatly an important part of our day. The most important part of our day.

Our shallow breathing style can lead to many health problems. When we starve ourselves from oxygen and don’t properly expel carbon dioxide, our brains get sluggish and that can lead to low energy, depression, sad thoughts and will eventually bring you hearing and vision loss!! It can also bring on heart problems and strokes. Studies have also shown that it plays a MAJOR roll in cancer. These are just major problems that can occure. Think about all the other things in your body that need oxygen (everything).

Why We Don’t Breathe Properly These Days:

The speaker at the conference calls shallow breathing “computer breathing”. We are hunched over at our desks and our posture does not allow for proper air flow. We are always on the go and full of stress, we never take the time to relax and just breathe. Stress and constant busyness can lead to shallow breathing.

How to Breathe:

The number one thing when breathing is that you should be breathing into your stomach. It should expand when you breathe in and contract when you breathe out. If you notice your shoulders or chest moving up then you are doing it wrong and try again. A slight expansion in the chest is normal but only slight. It drives me nutso when I see people trying to breathe and their shoulders go up to their ears. You should also feel the breath stretching out your lower back a little as well. If you’re breathing wrong you really should try and change your habits because you’re not getting every breath’s full potential. Make sure you breath through your nose as much as you can as well.

Getting Started with Deep Breathing:

Lay on your back with your knees bent, this is a great position to get your lungs full. Breath in through your nose and feel your stomach expand out. Stay relaxed and make sure you fill up all of your lungs. Now you need to hold your breath for a count of 20 but make sure it’s a very fast 20, count like you counted when you were little and playing hide and seek (as fast as you can). Then blow the air out through your mouth like you are blowing through a straw. Repeat this 30 times every day and more if you think about it. Make sure to take caution upon rising after your breathing exercises, you might feel slightly light-headed. I like doing this before bed because I am laying down already. It is very relaxing but it feels like it excites your body at the same time. I think it makes me feel more alive and alert without the stress.

Please check out my sources for more exercises and more info. I’ve only hardly touched on the subject and there’s more to learn. I just wanted to excite people’s attention on the subject.

Sources:
http://www.holisticonline.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_breathing_Importance.htm
http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:Z2eZgDkACXsJ:www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/docs/deep_breathing.doc+deep+breathing+exercises&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&client=safari
http://www.deepsloweasy.com/html/intro.htm

I recently lost around 35 pounds. Doesn’t sound like a lot but I wasn’t terribly overweight. I’m about 10 pounds away from what I want to be and I’m pregnant again so the goal weight will have to wait. I’m already too small for my wedding dress…who can say that??? I want to share with you how I did it because most people try a follow a specific diet which I don’t believe in. The word “diet” implies that you’ll follow a specific regime for a certain amount of time and then what happens after? You gain it back! I just have a few guidelines that really worked for me.

#1. Take care of your inside
Emotional eating is a killer. It’s what most overweight people struggle with and I am not immune either. When I’m upset I just want food (except not with the morning sickness). Go to a counselor and work on yourself. Talk to them about emotional eating and things that trigger your eating also definitely talk about other things that bother you. You don’t have to be depressed or have a hard life to see a counselor. A counselor can give you healthy tools to help you deal with your emotions. Also check to see if your city provides counseling for people who are lower income and see what your insurance covers.

#2. Walk
Now if you enjoy a form of exercise more than walking then do it but do it often. I recommend walking because it has a major amount of benefits. I saw the pounds really drop when I walked 5 times a week for about 45 mins/walk. Don’t think you have to run to lose more weight. You burn just as many calories/km walking as you do with running. Not only will the weight fall off but you’ll feel better about yourself and have more energy. You’ll also love the sight of some new calve muscles appearing. Add weights to up your workout!!

#3. Trans fats and MSG
Trans fats (hydrogenated oil or shortening) and MSG are two things I decided to clear from my diet completely because of the health concerns surrounding them. When you cut these two ingredients out you’re cutting out pretty much all processed foods. If you totally cut these two ingredients you’ll have to find fresh alternatives to your favorite processed treats. No more Campbells Soup and no more Side Kicks. You’re making the soup from scratch (super easy) and you’re boiling up some real pasta and sauce. Be careful of staples that you’ve always used! Soda crackers say they have no trans fats but hydrogenated oil is third on their list of ingredients!! Cutting out on processed foods will also lower your sodium intake which leads to water retention and the amount of gross preservatives and artificial flavor and color in your diet. Mainly, eat fresh foods that promote health, life, and vitality. Processed foods promote fat, depression, and loss of energy…amongst many other things. If you need something quick then check out the natural section of your grocery store, they have a ton of good alternatives to your usual quick food.

#4 Eating Late
In the wise words of Oprah “eat nothing after 7:00 not even a grape”. Have fluids, and if you NEED to have something make sure it’s HEALTHY!!

#5 Whole grains rock my world
Your poops will become regular and your body will be happy. Don’t eat white anything. Brown rice brown bread, BROWN BROWN BROWN!!! Trust me, you’ll really learn to love it a lot. Try different rices and different breads. DO eat ground flax seeds as well! A healthy digestive system creates a good environment for weight loss!! Please don’t be tempted by the no carb thing. Sometimes seeing results doesn’t mean you’re getting them in a healthy way!!

#6 Moderation is key
K I admit that today I had two tall eggnog lattes and I shared a sticky bun (I’m pregnant ok?). Two eggnog lattes may not be the best for you, perhaps one isn’t even what’s best. Moderation is key. Even eating all fresh foods can make you gain weight if you eat tons of them!! Have a varied diet of many things. Don’t feel bad to have something you love, just don’t eat it everyday, perhaps once a week is best!

#7 I don’t believe in diet food
Last but not least. DIET FOOD! Diet soda, diet this, diet that. It’s garbage!!! Anything that is artificially sweetened puts your health at serious risk. Please read my other blogs on the subject. Low fat stuff tastes gross in my opinion. I don’t consume diet food and I am a size small!!! I have butter not margarine and yes, I’m still a size small!! I truly believe, and you can call me a nut, that there are things put in diet food to keep you fat, make you hungrier, and make you addicted to them. I don’t believe that the people making the diet food have your best interests in mind. Diets are a fad and there’s money to be made from it!! STOP BUYING IT! Moderation friends!

So that’s how I lost weight. I know some of the things mentioned in here sound kinda scary, like giving up diet soda and not eating that delicious tuna helper. The thing is, I never lost weight drinking diet soda and eating tuna helper. I used to be addicted to these things and now I SERIOUSLY do not miss them. I am a happier person now, a more energetic person (well before a fetus took over my body), and a healthier person. Even the effects of my adult ADD have lessened. I really hate seeing all the obesity in our nation. I see people with their shopping carts full of Junk or walking down the street with a big slurpee in their hand and I just wanna yell THAT’S WHY YOU ARE FAT, STOP IT!!! Life is so important and being a healthy person for yourself and your loved ones is incredibly important as well. I hope this is an easy outline that you can follow and perhaps you will change things. That’s why I’m here, to provoke change! Please leave your comments and if you choose to make some changes then please tell me, I’d love to hear from you!

This post has nothing to do with the recent plastic scare.  April 16/2008

In a world of plastic, a new frenzy has risen. We might be poisoning ourselves with our plastic containers. Suddenly I hear people telling me to not re use my water bottles that I buy, that my Nalgene bottle is going to give me brain damage. Is this really a concern or are we getting excited about something that’s really no big deal? Let’s review both sides of this argument.

“Do not drink out of any plastic container with a recycling number other than two, four, and five” is what I heared coming out of the radio. But what about the plastic surrounding my loaf of bread? What about my cool re-useable water bottles? My Glad Cling Wrap? All these questions I have suddenly about the safety of the plastic surrounding my food. Are we to go back to paper bags and wax paper? Sure that would be much better for the environment, but highly inconvenient and I’m sure it’s not going to happen. So what is the logic behind this new scare?

It seems as though the main concern is DEHA (diethylhexyl adipate) which is used in PET plastics. There’s a problem though, many people mix that up with another acronym DEHA, also used is plastics is diethyl hydroxylamine which has nothing to do with plastic water bottles. According to the Plasticisers Information Centre , none of the above plasticisers are carcenogenic and neither are used in plastic water bottles (Although many people dissagree on that). According to this website, ploethylene terephtalate is the chemical used in water bottles. Here’s is a website backing up that claim.

Other people are concerned about the chemical bisphenol a (BPA). There have been many conerns about this chemical and breast cancer, prostate disorders, and lowered sperm count. BPA is found in many things including baby bottles, plastic food containers, and toys. This is the chemical I am mostly concerned about. It mimics estrogen and is highly unstable over time. It has been known to cause problems in animals, even when used in small amounts. click here for a detailed review of a study on BPA

There is no way to tell what is in the container you are using. Some people think that looking at the recycling number at the bottom will help (drinking out of bottles which are only numbered 2,4, or 5) City TV from Vancouver said that they’ve asked about the number and it has nothing to do with what chemicals are used in the plastic. Dr. Rolf Halden wrote a report on plastics and he says that you should be more concerned about what’s in your drinking water than what is in the plastic.

Another major concern for the re-use of plastic water bottles is that people do not properly clean them so they are becoming breeding grounds for millions of bacteria. Experts say that you should thoroughly wash them and let them completely dhttp://healthsanity.files.wordpress.com/2006/10/adkins_bottle.jpgry between each use.

So what do we take from this? How can we know what evil chemicals are leeching into our food, and into our children’s stomachs? I don’t think we can know right now. We live in a plastic world and if you want to eat then you’re going to have to succomb to the use of plastics.

The picture used is from http://www.portlandart.net/archives/2005/06/new_work_from_b.html

In these two videos Dr. Mercola discusses some interesting information about Splenda that you might not know. I was shocked this morning when I got the second one. Dr. Mercola is a naturalpath Doctor who is trying to take a stand against the deception that goes on in the food and drug industry. You can go to his website and learn more about him.

Here are the two videos he’s done about Splenda, definatly feel free to watch more of his videos if you’re curious!!

How Splenda Was Discovered
One of the Biggest Lies About Artificial Sweeteners

If any of you love to write letters and complain to people then I think you’ll like this blog. I’ve got links for you so you can write important people about health issues in America. I’ve just written the Canadian Health Minister and I think I’ll keep writing him until I get results. My main concern is that Stevia, a perfectly safe no calorie herb thats 100 time sweeter than sugar is not being approved for use as a sweetener. Now I know this is because you cannot patent and natural product so therefore you can’t make a fortune off it. That’s why there are so many artificial things on our markets today. Food and Drug companies have a tight grip on the FDA as they employ the FDA. They can twist their arms any way they want to. Please join me in writing the imporant people on these issues and perhaps any other issue you might have. The only way to provoke change is to do something about it. I was going to write a book but someone else already wrote it so I have to find something else to do. click here to see the book and purchase it

Here are your links. I’ll add more as I find them.

Canada’s Health Minister
The FDA

I just wanted to share an amazing site that I use quite often. It’s all about the world’s healthiest foods. They list them a-z and give you a complete breakdown of the nutrients and what they’re good for. They also have recipes and other information on food. It’s a great site to use.

Worlds Healthiest foods

Recent studies have shown that women who drink cola on a daily basis have lower bone density than women who aren’t regular cola drinkers. They’re guessing that it has to do with the phosphoric acid in the cola. Click here for the full story

It’s funny the silly addictions we carry. Most of america is drinking carbonated chemicals every single day and they love it. I can’t drink the stuff, the sweetened stuff makes me ill and I will never have aspartame again after watching Sweet Misery . Only the occasional drink mixed with alcohol or a rootbeer float makes it to my mouth. I haven’t always been that way though. Diet pepsi used to rule my life! I don’t even miss the stuff anymore though. I truely believe that more and more problems will arise from our addictions to pop. Aside from the obesity problem we obviously have, there are many concerns I have about the artificial flavours and colors and also the high fructose corn syrup that is in most sodas. My advise is to never drink it. When I feel the need for pop I just drink carbonated water, sometimes with juice mixed in. It’s delicious and healthy. Although there are also warning about carbonation blocking calcium absorbtion when consumed in large amounts. It makes me sad to know some mothers are sticking it in their babies bottles. I hope that you will think twice about your own consumption of pop. It’s a frivolous addiction that all of us could do without.

After my last blog, people might be wondering about Splenda. Well it tastes like sugar because it’s made from sugar right? Well, kinda. But I don’t know many people who like eating chlorine, or even smelling chlorine at that. So you’d think if it hurts your eyes to swim in ( I was temporarily partially blind from a 12 hour day in a swimming pool), hurt your nose to breathe in that you wouldn’t really want to eat the stuff. I sure don’t. Why don’t you click and read the real truth about splenda it just might shock you.