The Koala Mom » Healthy Eating

Avoid These 7 Foods and You’re Off To A Healthier New Year!

Olivia — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:43:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone!

Like me, you may have chosen to live healthier in many areas than you did in 2009. Stress, busy-ness, and fatigue all seem to contribute to poor attention to our health. Having a child in February, 2009 definitely put me off course in the area of regular exercise…

Well I have made sure that I will focus on exercise and involve the whole family in living a healthy lifestyle.

Here is a great article about certain foods that have lost their nutritional value over the years to cheap production and cost-cutting.

Source: Mercola.com

Avoid These 7 Foods and You’re Off To A Healthier New Year

Posted by: Dr. Mercola
December 29 2009 | 338,158 views

1. Canned Tomatoes

The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Acidity — a prominent characteristic of tomatoes — causes BPA to leach into your food.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of books on sustainable farming

Cattle

8 Ways To Stay Healthy During Flu Season-Without Vaccines

Olivia — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:13:01 +0000

The following outline need not only apply to flu season. The best medicine is prevention! Full-time prevention!

Right now, it seems like I can’t go anywhere without seeing some kind of advertisement for FLU SHOTS.

I thought I could escape from the brainwashing of the medical community and pharmaceutical companies by avoiding the TV.

Apparently not.

So, since “flu season” is beginning, am I supposed to freak out and get a flu shot? Pretty much…Fear always motivates people to do things.

Oh, they also forgot to tell you that you have a 50/50 chance of getting the flu even if you’ve been jabbed in the arm with the vaccine.

Enough of my ranting…

Allow Your Body To Fight Off Influenza On Its Own!

Refill With H2O: Did you know your body needs plenty of water to flush out toxins that compromise your immune system? While you sleep, your body builds up toxins in the digestive tract. To naturally flush out these toxins, you must start your day with a glass of water to rehydrate the body. This improves immune system function and allows your body to operate at its highest potential.
Sleep…zZz…: A great night’ s sleep is like a reset button for your whole body. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can make you more likely to become sick because of an overgrowth of bacteria in the body. When we are fighting a sickness, our body naturally promotes sleep. So why not boost your immune system in the first place by getting adequate rest?
Pro-Biotic It: “Probiotic” means “A microbe that protects its host and prevents disease.” When you supplement your diet with probiotics, you increase the flora of “good” bacteria in your gut. Did you know the digestive system is where most of your natural immunties “hang out?” If a person has a poor digestive system due to an inadequate, non-nutritious diet, they are very likely to have recurring sickness. Their body’s defense mechanism (immune system) to sickness can never get the proper armor up because that armor is essentially nutrients. Probiotics get that armor up. Learn more in the post Probiotics: Are They Good For Our Kids?
Get Some Sun: Did you know the best way to get your daily dose of Vitamin D is to get out into the sun for a few minutes? The skin produces Vitamin D when it is exposed to a certain amount of sunlight radiation. Vitamin D blood levels are at their highest in the summer but reach their lowest levels during the flu and cold season (winter). When you can’t get out, or if it’s the dead of winter, load up on fish which is high in vitamin D. There are supplements out there, but do your research before buying.
Exercise…even if it’s just a little: Do your best to get your heart rate up with aerobic exercise for 20-30 minutes a day. Go for a light walk with the dog and baby. Run up and down the stairs a few times. Have sex! Do something!

Unlock Your Health Potential

Olivia — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:00:26 +0000

A few years ago, I was introduced to Jordan Rubin and his best-selling book The Maker’s Diet.

Jordan introduces

Preservative Nation

Olivia — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:02:15 +0000

As you may know, I recently had a son in February, 2009. Right now, at 6 months, he is transitioning in to starting solid foods in addition to breastfeeding. Last night, I attempted a “real” solid of sweet potatoes mixed with breast milk. I LOVE sweet potatoes! However, the experience was so new to him that he seemed to not feel the same way about sweet potatoes that I do!

I bought a small organic sweet potato for him and baked it in the oven with ours. I let it cool and then poured some pumped breast milk in with it so the consistency would be soft and mushy. I have only given Joel rice cereal and bananas mixed with breast milk so this new food was very different for him. He just let the sweet potatoes sit in his mouth and made a silly little grimace with his face. Then he would cough and try to get the mixture out of his mouth.

I only gave him tiny spoonfuls so I didn’t understand why it was so hard for him to eat it. My husband, Jeremy, reminded me he probably has not got the hang of swallowing the strange stuff in his mouth yet..

Duh! He is used to just sucking in mommy’s milk and drinking without having to put in extra work that is required with solids.

So I’ll try again soon.

This story may even be familiar to those of you who have older children who are not enjoying the new foods you put on their plate.

They may think broccoli is the nastiest thing ever or that green beans are really just meant to give to the dog sitting under the dinner table. Whatever your situation may be, a lot of kids have trouble eating foods that are fresh and great for their health.

Our nation is constantly bombarded with refined processed foods, sugar and white flour products. Packaged foods are full of salt, MSG, and high fructose corn syrup.

Right now I am learning that my 6 month old’s food preferences are already beginning. Therefore I am starting on fresh, raw foods and not buying processed baby foods in the jar.

Lets learn more about some ingredients in processed foods:

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): Many of us have heard of MSG. Many Asian restaurants add this substance to enhance flavor. It can be found in packaged seasonings, salad dressings, and canned soups. MSG psychologically makes the consumer want more and more of the food containing the substance and the Food Industry knows that. Otherwise bland foods are given the additive so they will taste better.