Spreading the word!!!

I always felt that the world needs to change and I want to be apart of that. I have learned so much by way of nutrition and how it can affect us both negatively and positively and I want to shout it from the room tops. I recently decided to hone in and learn more specifically about high blood pressure; it's a major factor in my community and to be honest it breaks my heart. A majority of it can be prevented and controlled and mostly by diet! Let me say that again: HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE CAN BE PREVENTED AND CONTROLLED BY DIET; A HEALTHY CLEAN DIET OF COURSE!

I am so excited about all that I have learned and so looking forward to passing it on to as many people as I can and I believe now is time. People are finally demanding healthier choices!!!! Restaurants are now required to list nutritional information and the standards for listing ingredients have increased. Gluten free and organic products are now becoming more prevalent. Even the supplements we are seeing are becoming better along with things many had no idea about. I'm speaking of things like chlorella and spirulina, fish oil, etc.

All and all, I am proud to be apart of this change even if it's one person at a time. My true passion and desire lies in helping people realize how being healthy can help them lead longer lives filled with more happiness and completeness. I feel even more equipped to help my clients in their journeys and hope they will be spread the word as well. Social media will also be helpful in reaching out to others and letting them in on all of the nutritional nuggets in my tool belt and boy do I have lots of them!!!!!!

Changes in my personal lunch line!

September to now has been a journey of learning some new and interesting things about foods, nutrition and how they affect the body. Some things I was happy to learn while others were hard lessons. I even tried new foods, which is completely out of my comfort zone. I am truly a creature of habit, so introducing new things is tough for me. I figured, what the heck, I'd like to pass my nutrition class so I have to step outside of the box right!

Overall, the changes in my diet have been minimal but still significant in my opinion. I started out as a vegetarian but I have to admit that I sometimes dabbled in seafood and shellfish BUT ever since my research and discovery in the difference between farmed raised and wild, I have completely cut that out too!!!! I know that may seem drastic to some but just the thought of sea lice and the effects on the environment, I don't feel the need to have it anymore. Maybe at some point I will change my mind but at this point, I'm okay with omitting it for now!!!

With that said, some good things that I have learned that will benefit me and have had an immediate effect is making sure that my diet is packed with nutrient rich foods. Knowing now that it is extremely important for vegetarians to get all of the essential amino acids has been the best thing overall to learn. It's not just about eating fruits and vegetables, it's about making sure I'm eating the RIGHT kinds and making sure that I am not experiencing deficiencies in any areas. Learning how to not overcook my food is also a benefit in making sure I am not stripping my food of it's value and not adding free radical damage that can occur when doing things like cooking with oil.

I am raising a teenage boy who is not a vegetarian. I have learned to make better selections with the type of foods I choose for him as well. I am also doing my best to make sure that whether I am shopping for him or for myself, I choose organically grown foods. Sure it's more expensive and sometimes time consuming with reading labels and all but I care about his well being and his future children's well being. By that I mean, eating and buying organic makes a huge difference in helping not only our environment now but what's to come in the future.

I will continue to spread the word and continue to support local grown and organic farmers if and when I can, it's important to changing what is so very wrong with our world right now. I'm starting by changing what's in my personal lunch line. What's in yours???

Foods I Eat

These are some of the foods in my refrigerator now. I had to pull them out instead of taking a picture of the inside since it's filled with left overs from my family's thanksgiving. :)

Where have the minerals gone!!!

The body needs minerals to be replaced as they are used and depleted; they are a component of the human body’s composition. The two minerals found in our bodies are macro minerals (our bodies needs larger amounts of these) and trace minerals, which we need less of. Trace minerals include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium. The macro group includes calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfur. Lack of these minerals and imbalances can lead to some major health issues. Some of the most common health issues specially related to minerals deficiencies are listed as follows:

Cancer: Minerals help with the ph balance of blood, which is necessary to prevent cancer. They are naturally alkaline which keeps the blood from becoming acidic; an environment that cancer thrives in.

Osteoporosis: Minerals help with bone mass; therefore helping to prevent weak bones and weak posture

Depression/Mood Swings: Minerals can help stabilize blood sugar levels, which can help combat depression and mood swings. They tend to occur once the blood sugar levels drop.

Diabetes: Similar to helping with depression, the minerals can also help with diabetes. This disease is related to high blood glucose levels, minerals help with regulation of these levels.

100 years ago, we had more mineral content in our foods than we do now. This is due in part to modern farming methods and the product NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) being introduced to fertilization. It is estimated that around the time of the Second World War, NPK was used by most of the farmers because it was economically practical. The problem with that is that there are over 90 mineral elements in the periodic table, and NPK only contains a few. This means that for years, our crops and been produced with a large deficiency in minerals. Even one that is eating a healthy diet is going to be lacking in all of the essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.

So what do we do???? In my opinion, it starts with our soil depletion but from what I understand, most farmers deem it to rather expensive to go back to the days before NPK. This comes from our organic farms and farmers, but their needs to be more of them. I wish there were a way that being organic was mandatory!!!! Change will only come when we demand it, so it’s up to us to force change. I can only hope that it’s done in time for my son’s generation.

Food Then and Now

I am learning and growing so much by way of my holistic nutrition class. We had an assignment of assessing our diet for one day in week one of the class and comparing it to week 10. I have to say that due to my lifestyle and future competitions my diet plan is pretty regiment and hasn’t changed all that much but the few changes I made, have certainly made a difference.

Because I am a vegetarian, there are certain foods that I have restricted from my diet for personal reasons but I have learned that in doing so I may have some vitamin and mineral deficiencies. I also need to do a better job at eating more “real foods”. For example, a large part of my diet before were protein shakes. I am always on the go and always training so I found protein shakes to be a convenient way to get protein in my system right away but really I should be having more nutrient rich foods. I did manage to find a protein shake that is all natural and rich in branch chain amino acids but I still feel like my vitamins and minerals should be coming more from the foods I eat. I will say, the shake that I chose is rich in potassium, which is important for muscles and nerves to function properly and calcium, which is good for strong bones and blood clotting. I have since cut back on how many I consume.

One of the differences I noticed from week one of my diet to now is that I have incorporated a lot more fruits and LEAFY green vegetables and tried to avoid more processed foods. I also decided to cut out seafood from my diet. After reading the differences between farm raised and wild raised fish, I decided to just cut it out all together. Although salmon is rich in Omega 3 Fatty acids and B12 (good for metabolism and prevention of anemia), I can’t bring myself to eat it again just yet.

Tofu is something I had in my diet both week 1 and week 10 although I eat more of it now as a protein source since I have decided to cut out seafood and shellfish. Tofu, which is derived from soybeans, is not only protein rich but also a good source of Vitamin A; it promotes energy production and a healthy heart. There are varying studies that say that too much soy may not be good for you but until more studies come out, I will continue to take my chances!

Bananas are a fruit that I decided to increase in my meal plans/diet. I always heard growing up that they are good for muscle cramping and it is in fact true. I eat bananas now to avoid the cramping before it starts!!!! The vitamin C in them is good to for my skin, hair and nails. I’m a girly girl so that helps.

Oatmeal is another consistent item in both week 1 and week 10. I tend to get a little crazy with the oats so I have to be careful because they are carbohydrates and after eating it, I become sleepy. The selenium in oatmeal is good for reducing your risk of joint inflammation. Oatmeal itself helps level your blood sugar.

Overall I would say I have done a better job at increasing my vitamin and mineral intake from foods than I was in week one. Some of the changes that I’ve noticed are in my how I feel. My energy level seems to be much higher. I used to struggle a little bit more in the mornings but it seems to be a bit easier for me to get up and get my day started, even when 4:30 am hits! Also, my digestive system seems to be working double time and that is great!!! My muscularity seems to be more defined and my abdominals are showing more now, I expect to have a different transformation this time around due to the changes. Stay tuned!

Fiber Facts

Ahh some fun facts about fiber. Most people have no idea of the benefits of fiber and how good it is to incorporate in your daily diet, here are some reasons why:

1.) Weight Management: Increasing your intake of fiber can actually help with food cravings and eating extra unwanted calories, makes you feel fuller. It is best to eat fiber in it's natural form from foods rather than from powders and/or pills.

2.) Helps Regulate GI Tract: Fiber soaks up excess water in the bowels, it adds bulk and pushes everything through causes regulation of your system. No more constipation!

3.) Helps With a Healthy Heart and Cholesterol: Ever seen those oatmeal commercials where they talk about how they lowered their cholesterol, it's the fiber!

4.) Helps with Diabetes: It has proven that fiber can help diabetes patients maintain a healthy blood sugar level as well as lower cholesterol

Those are just a few reasons to make sure you have a good fiber intake in your diet!!

Protein Facts

Ok so I have to first admit that I am guilty of not getting enough protein nor from real foods. I consume protein shakes (a manmade condensed form of protein) probably more than I should due to my travel schedule but that is not healthy and I know that I am creating unnecessary deficiencies in my body. So here are some facts about protein:

1.) Protein is the main component of our bodies, things like muscle tissue, hair, nails, etc. We are constantly breaking down our protein so we need to replenish especially the more active that you are.

2.) For people who are trying to maintain a healthy weight or build, another fact is that protein helps to burn fat and build muscles. Our body needs to repair after exercise, especially weight lifting, and protein helps tremendously with that. Without it your body's bottom line will suffer. Getting it into your system with 30 mins will help with soreness as well.

3.) Protein does not have to come just from poultry and meats, it can be found in tofu, legume, shellfish and fish to name a few. What's important is to make sure that whatever form you are looking to has the essential amino acids that our bodies need for healthy body function. Amino acids help with sleep, help support a healthy immune system and help with healthy heart function just to name a few.

4.) For anyone about to have a surgery, an interesting fact is that protein intake is often recommended because it helps the body to repair, more specifically the surgical site.

5.) Omega 3 is all the craze right now for most people and they are told to take fish oil to get it. If at all possible, try and get your Omega 3 from eating fish itself. It is a great source of protein and can lower the risk of certain diseases. Fish can be consumed more often than once reported provided that it is low in mercury and environmentally sustainable.

All in all, protein is necessary and there are so many different forms to choose from. Have fun with it and try experimenting with a protein source you haven't tried before, you might like it!