Healthier Beverage Options

We are constantly pounded with advertisers messages every day brainwashing us to use their beverages.  Coke, coffee chains, energy drinks, alcohol, soft drinks, ice teas.   All of these drinks are high in sugar and/or caffeine or other bad things.  They give us an immediate lift or high as they taste fantastic and we feel great.  However we get addicted to them.  Short term we get energy swings and feel less than 100%.  And long term they cause disease as they inhibit our body to perform vital functions.

I will not go into all of the bad things about caffeine here except to say that anything that takes 3-5 days to detox from would be called an addiction. Have you ever had a caffeine headache?  Also diet drinks are usually worse than their sugary counterparts as they contain very nasty chemicals.

Water is the best beverage to drink and, as you already know, you need 8 glasses per day (or 2 litres).  It hydrates us and allows the body to perform important cleansing functions.

But lets get real. Beverages are an important part of our society and it is difficult and perhaps unnecessary to have water 100% of the time.  Here are some alternatives to choose from when you are tempted.

1. Sparkling mineral waters can be refreshing especially with some lemon, ice and/or mint.  Watch out for the commercially flavored ones as most have plenty of sugar added. Be creative and make your own. Try adding a little (very little) Stevia for sweetness.

2. Choose a fruit juice over a sugary soft drink.  While they still contain sugars they are generally from a natural source (as long as sugar has not been added).

3. Try sparkling grape juices for celebrations.  These are mostly grape juice and carbonated water and usually do not have added sugar.

4. Have an herbal tea instead of a caffenated black tea.

5. Instead of a flat white order a soy chai latte (my personal fav).

6. If you like hot drinks there are many alternatives around (caro, inka, lemon, ginger, dandelion tea) at the supermarket to try.  They are never going to match coffee but could be a way of transitioning to healthier drinks.

7. Make a fresh fruit smoothie or a freshly squeezed juice.

Give some a try.  Realize that if you are hooked on the bad things it can take a couple of weeks for your tastebuds to adjust - but they will.  Give it a chance and enjoy your newfound vitality and energy with healthier habits!

SPARKLING LIME JUICE

This is a new favorite drink of mine.  It has a subtle flavor, is refreshing, quick to make and without any sugar!

INGREDIENTS  (1 GLASS)

• juice of 1 lime

• mint leaves

• 6 large cubes of ice

• sliced lemon and lime for garnish

• soda water or sparkling mineral water

METHOD

1. Squeeze juice into a glass and add mint and ice and garnishes.

2. Pour the sparkling water into the glass.

You can also use lemons, oranges or grapefruits.

Red Meat, Gut Bacteria and Heart Disease

I just read an article on "Red Meat, Gut Bacteria and Heart Disease". Not good news for red meat lovers. I know that for every study done there is another study to counter it. But some of this stuff is just good old common sense.

The article states that if you eat red meat your chances of cardiovascular disease are much greater. Beyond the obvious high saturated fat levels in red meat, micro organisms are deposited into the gut that greatly increase the risk of all disease.

The good news is that plant foods contain beneficial microbes that produce vitamins and protect us against the bad microbes from the meat and promote healthy immune function. What we eat determines which species of bacteria thrive in our digestive tract. Healthful, fiber-rich plant foods provide an energy source (prebiotics) for beneficial bacteria to grow.

We get to chose which bacteria are growing in our guts.....it starts with what you are putting in your mouth.

It is an interesting article that goes into much more detail: http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/cardiovascular-disease-red-meat-gut-bacteria-and-heart-disease.html

Is "Organic" really important?

Organic - to buy or not to buy? "It is expensive."  "How do I know it is really organic?" "Does it really matter if it is Organic?"

Organic gardeners grow their produce without use of pesticides. They enrich the soil with nutrients that are lacking in conventional farming. Is it 100% pure? Probably not. Is the organic food better for my body? Probably. Certified Organic means that there is 5% or less pesticides in the food. That allows for the overspray from conventional farmers. It is tough being "organic" in our toxic world. 

When you go to your local Farmer's Market everyone now is saying they are "Organic". If it is truly organic they will have a certification. The farmer works hard to get that certification so they will proudly display it. If they "can't find it", then they probably don't have one and they most likely don't know where the food was grown. It may cost a little more for the certified organic produce, but considering those pesticides accumulate in your body and cause you harm, I'd say you are worth it. 

To help you decide which produce is the most important to spend those extra organic dollars on, here is a list of foods high in pesticides:

Apples, Celery, Sweet bell peppers, Peaches, Strawberries, Nectarines (imported), Grapes, Spinach, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Blueberries (domestic), Potatoes.

Here is where you can save your money. These foods are lower in pesticides and safer to buy without the organic certification:

Onions, Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Avocado, Cabbage, Sweet peas, Asparagus, Mangoes, Eggplant, Kiwi, Cantaloupe (domestic), Sweet Potatoes, Grapefruit, Watermelon, Mushrooms. 

If you know a local farmer that grows his own produce and doesn't use pesticides (or very little) and you can get it fresh and vine ripened......you have a treasure indeed! Buying local and fresh is always your best option - even without organic certification. "Organic" from China (or any foreign country) may not be organic and it certainly is not fresh. 

So to buy organic or not - you do the best you can with what you have. You get the toxins out where you can, including processed foods and junk food. You do what you can do and don't worry about the rest. Anxiety is also harmful to the body!

Got a Headache?

If you're experiencing chronic migraine, check what you're eating. Some of the foods that trigger migraine: Fried foods, sugar, artificial sweeteners, flour products, dairy products, alcohol, caffeine, food additives, chocolate and some nuts/seeds.

To prevent headaches try eating a diet high in complex carbohydrates (whole grains and starchy vegetables) and low in protein. Most of the time, a migraine is the body’s way of signalling that it is dehydrated. Drink plenty of water, fresh fruit and vegetable juices to rid the body of the toxins that are the main culprit of headaches.

Most fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium which are three very important minerals that help relieve migraine. Some foods that especially help: Dark green vegetables, bananas, cantaloupe, celery, cucumber, lemon, pineapple, watermelon, and ginger.
See if this helps your next headache...

Migraine Reliever Recipe:
Blend until smooth and serve cold:

• 1/2 pineapple
• 3-4 leaves kale or a bunch of spinach
• 1 stick of celery
• 1/4 lemon
• 1/2 inch ginger root (optional)