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!

Food, Inc. Review

I watched Food Inc. earlier this year for the first time and I have to admit having to watch it again was something I wasn't looking forward to. I was appalled the first time I saw it and I honestly did not want to watch it again. It wasn't that I didn't think the documentary was a great piece of work, I was just so troubled after I watched it the first time. I knew that there were politics and wrong doings in the food industry but to see at what extent is amazing. I probably could write all day and night about my feelings on everything but if I could pinpoint one or two things that stood out the most, it would be the fact that our food industry is monopolized. There are a hand full of companies that control how our food industry is run and it is all done to fulfill this demand for fast and convenient that our society has created. Case in point, we can eat certain fruits even though they are not in season, they can now be produced and "made" year round. Society also demands white meat, so our chickens are now "redesigned" to be bigger as to produce more of that and in a quicker time frame. Appalling!!!!!

Watching the people (small companies) be shut down because they tried to do things the right way was discouraging to say the least. In order to change things, we need to bring awareness to the issues with documentaries like this and demand change. I personally haven't eaten meat for a number of years and after watching this film, it will be quite some time if I ever consider doing so again unless a significant change is made. It is my hope that we can affect change in the near future, especially for our children.