Since we're already, sort of, on the topic of health, I thought I'd add a few more thoughts, or questions rather. Recently I've been wondering/thinking more about healthy eating. I really want to eat healthy (despite all the ice cream fall outs I have). I've been making efforts and changes in my eating habits for years and years now, trying to improve how I eat, and trying to learn more about what is nutritious and what's not etc. But, it's gotten a bit complicated. I start finding it's not so easy to know what's healthy as some information seems so contradictory.
For example, I've been a good 'low-fat dairy' user (like low-fat or no-fat sour cream, yogurt, etc.). Well, now I read that's actually not that healthy. Then, for a while I was doing rice milk and the like, just to read that all that soy milk and rice milk isn't necessarily that good. Often times sugars seem to be the culprit, but I've also read some stuff about soy and how it can actually be really harmful if you have to much of some kind of soy stuff. Or how about organic foods? They are not more nutritious than other foods, and I wonder how much damage the pesticides really do? Then again, who wants to take their chances with that kind of stuff? Or, how about whole wheat? I figured, whole wheat is always best, but no. If I buy muffins for example, some high-fiber white versions 'apparently' are better. Huh...Anyway, it goes on and on, and I realize I find myself more confused than getting knowledgable.
Right now, my attitude is that if I keep eating lots of fresh vegetables, along with a fair amount of fruits, whole wheat products and then some lean meat, some dairy, some good oils and nuts, mixed with lots and lots of H2O drinking and exercise, I'm probably living healthy. But, I'd still wish it was more clear how I can improve the eating habits I have so far. I'm pleased with of the habits we already have, like basically never drinking soda and mostly drinking water, rarely having sugary treats at home (I usually never buy or make anything sweet, beyond occasional ice cream), making most food from scratch, eating lots of veggies, usually not having snack foods around (like chips, crackers, etc.), and we only do whole wheat/whole grain (like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, bread etc.). But, there is probably a lot more I could do. But what oh what is TRULY healthy???
So, what do you think is healthy eating? Do you have some credible research to go along with some of your convictions (something I can read?)? What are some healthy eating habits you have? What have been some effective fixes for some of your not-so-healthy eating choices?
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It can be really confusing, can't it? For me, it has always made sense to eat things in as close to the natural state and as little processed as possible so whole grain as opposed to refined, whole fruit as opposed to pasteurized fruit juice, honey, unrefined brown sugar, or maple syrup as opposed to white sugar, butter or extra virgin olive oil as opposed to margarine or vegetable oil (that is extracted using solvents, bleached, deodorized, etc. and goes rancid very quickly) but for me that also means whole fat dairy products and meats with a natural amount of fat on them. I never bought into the low-fat idea. It never made sense that nuts or avocado could be bad for me. I think it has more to do with the quality and kind of fat rather than the amount and I don't believe that saturated fat is the evil its made out to be. Check out www.westonaprice.org The woman who started the foundation also wrote a book called Nourishing Traditions that I really like. Its kind of a cook book too but I like it more for the info. The philosophy they promote is eating nutrient dense foods that have been eaten by traditional cultures throughout history--mineral rich bone broths, lacto-fermented foods rich in probiotics (yogurt, kimchee, sauerkraut), raw milk, grass-fed beef, etc. Vitamin A, D, E and K are fat soluble and your body cannot absorb them without enough fat. But, dairy and meats raised on pasture are MUCH healthier than conventional as well. It just makes sense, they've been eating all that green grass and that nutrition gets into the meat/milk they produce as opposed to those eating mostly starchy grain.
There actually have been quite a few studies done that show that organic produce is actually significantly higher in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than conventional so avoiding pesticides isn't the only benefit. Here is one source (http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/81773/) but just search and you'll find a ton of references.
The problem is people get fanatical about one aspect of their diet. Take low-carb. I believe most Americans would be much healthier if they reduced their carbohydrate intake significantly but mostly by reducing or eliminating refined sugars, flours, and starches, not by eliminating fruit as well and eating tons of meat.
Then, I of course, temper everything I read with the word of wisdom. Eating seasonally, eating little meat in hot summer weather but more in winter, etc.
Anyway, I've blabbed on long enough but this is one of my little hobby horses and one of the main reasons I moved to the country...so I can raise my own pastured meat, eggs, and milk, and organic fruits and veggies.
You did ask, so now the flood gate is open...:-)
I did ask. Thanks for the input.
I've read though that (according to the American Association of Pediatrics) organic food has NOT been proven to be higher in nutrients. My understanding was that the main factor that influences the nutrient level of a food is how long it's been allowed to ripen and mature, or something like that.
I'll look into your sources though.
So, what's your link to the American Pediatric information about organic food?
I read it in a book about nutrition for children from the American Academy for Pediatrics. The title is: American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Nutrition: ... by William H. Dietz American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's Nutrition: Making Peace at the Table and Building Healthy Eating Habits for Life- -the Offi Cial, Complete Home Reference
Sorry, it looks weird because I copied and pasted. In there it basically said that nutrition wise it doesn't matter whether you buy organic or not, since studies have shown organic food to not be more nutritious...I think, I even read somewhere suggesting that the most nutritious food these days is frozen foods, or something like that. I guess, if you freeze veggies etc. they retain more of their nutrients than with other means. I don't know...as I said, I'm pretty confused these days.
Also, what do they mean with raw milk? As in, fresh from the cow?
Yes, vegetables, and fruits, some meat (less than once a week in my humble opinion), and evyerhting else in moderation.
As to organic foods: Here is my rule: stuff you peel (eg bananas), buy normal, stuff you eat without peeling (Strawberries, etc): buy organic. Also, I prefer lcoal over organic flown in from God-knows-where. Transportation fuels etc are really bad for the environment.
But again, there is a lot of confusing stuff out there, I think the Word of Wisdom sums it up nicely:
Fruits and vegetables in season, meat in winter, grains and HERBS, moderation in everything. And you live healthier than most people on this planet. :)
Also, I'm not a low-fat kinda girl, as long as you eat healthy fats and oils that come with natural foods, they are fine. All the artificial low-fat, additive-rich stuff is much worse. My opinion.
So I was asking my brother who is studying medicine why all the stuff that past generation considered healthy foods (like cream) are the things people today freak about about being unhealthy. Turns out malnutrition used to be a major cause of death the world over. Fat is actually necessary, though in excess can be harmful. All things in moderation...where have I heard that before? The Lord made a world full of food, we should eat a variety of it.
Sort of related...My dad is an organic farmer/grass-fed cattle rancher and we were wondering this past week...so the omega 3's and things in grass-fed cattle are in levels closer to those found in fish than in grain fed cattle, but does anybody know, is that because of the grain the cows eat or because of the way the grain is raised (treated with herbicides and hyped up on unnatural amounts of nitrates). Does anyone know of any research done on cows that have been fed only organic grain compared to grass-fed and grain grown with post-WWII technology?
I am a food amateur. Meaning I have not read any studies of what's good or not. I think that eating healthy is a very personal thing. Each body is different and each body reacts differently to different kind of foods. Therefore I think if you do have the spirit in your life then you will know what is good for you and what is not. I personally think there are many studies out there about nutrition. One will say this is good, the next will say this is not good. It's trial and error when it comes to your own nutrition. I remember that a couple of years back when the Southbeach diet was in fashion and everybody was doing it, i tried it and got really sick after 3 days. Which does not mean that the southbeach diet is bad.. just that it was not the right way for my body.
I think Meike is on to something. She sounds very wise.
Well, clearly not everything works for everyone, and not everything is right for everyone. I remember Elder Oaks speaking about the word of wisdom and saying something how he could not handle onions well, so if he ate them any way he wasn't being wise. I agree that we need to learn what it specifically good for our body and what's not.
Yet, I do believe there are some general rules. I remember Henry trying to convince me that he needed to eat a gallon of ice cream because somehow he felt like he needed it, and so he was sure his body needed it, and it was ok or else he wouldn't feel that way. Well, I love my husband, but I think that's BS. His body was probably just craving it, because it was not getting its regular sugar fix. So, I think it's important to learn what works for your own body within a framework of what has been discovered as nutritious and healthy overall. The Word of Wisdom is a great help in the regard, but since we're supposed to learn from the best books and by faith, I think bringing science into it, and trying to decipher what has been found out as 'nutritious' is also important.
Not everything is right for everyone. But I'm sure some things are wrong for everyone. :)
In response to Kroekiemonster's question about grass-fed versus convention grain versus organic grain, here is a quote:
"Omega-3s are most abundant in seafood and certain nuts and seeds such as flaxseeds and walnuts, but they are also found in animals raised on pasture. The reason is simple. Omega-3s are formed in the chloroplasts of green leaves and algae. Sixty percent of the fatty acids in grass are omega-3s. When cattle are taken off omega-3 rich grass and shipped to a feedlot to be fattened on omega-3 poor grain, they begin losing their store of this beneficial fat. Each day that an animal spends in the feedlot, its supply of omega-3s is diminished.[8] The graph below illustrates this steady decline."
http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm (eatwild is another great website)
The omega-3 are formed in the chloroplasts so the cattle must be eating green grass to get the benefit. So, while feeding the cattle organic grain might be better than conventional it will not improve the omega 3 profile, its eating the green grass that does it. I know I've read other studies but don't have the links anywhere.
That's also why I think that personally, one of the healthiest things we can do is to increase the amount of greens we eat substantially. My neighbor has been eating green smoothies for breakfast everyday for the past few months (an entire bundle of greens such as spinach, kale, or parsley, with several pieces of fruit and maybe some homemade nut milk) and has to get new glasses because her eye sight has improved.
I've also read that the French Paradox (the French who eat so much fat but have less heart disease) could be explained by the large amount of green vegetable they eat which have a protective affect.
And I agree with Meike and Franzi--each individual is different but there are general principles we can use as guidlines.
Thanks Serenity Rachel! I'll pass that onto my Dad, he'll be excited to know.
If God wanted us to eat healthy, he would have made broccoli taste like bacon.
I am beginning to be addicted to your blog. You ideas and your friends' comments are wundebar.
Believe it or not regarding my current condition, I was a health food seeker in my beginning years. Lost me way, fell to the old path and now, with more time to think about myself, am re-seeking.
What is interesting about this is how opinions have changed in the self-improvement obsessed world I grew up in. I like the modern studies. They can evaluate, discriminate, and build on the experiences of the past while "eating up" the recently uncovered truths that used to hide from us.
It is interesting to think that we have a challenge in the rich areas of the world today where we have to think about avoiding foods whereas in the past having enough food was critical. We women used to treasure and re-use our inherited recipes and now I find that many of them are repulsive. On a side note, I have an old recipe book from New Orleans in the 1800's. I have never imagined eating so much food. Wow!
The one thing that I have the hardest time giving up is pie. It was a staple on the heavy-labor western farms, is a skill, a dying art, and I love it for its romance. So loaded with white, albeit unbleached, flour and hydrogenated fat, I do love it. My body must need it like Henry needs ice cream. heehee I think I love the making of it more than the eating of it.
I loved the book, American Pie--the book, not the movie-- where 2 women, one the daughter of a fine french cook, were turning 30 and decided to do something different. They drove from SF to NY traveling to the tiny towns in search of the best pie. Fascinating. It taught me more about my largely misunderstood enormous country and intrigued me more about the making of the pie.
I want to be a great pie maker like my 70 year old friend Marydell who eyeballs all the measurements. Maybe it is because me mum was so bad at pie making and so wonderful at her French cooking that I dare to compete.
And, before leaving the foodie and returning to healthy food, see Julie and Julia, the movie. I am now reading the book. I loved Julia's family as it reminded my of my father and mother's fam.
Oh, yes, back to health...I wanted to mention that the spinach plus that ultra healthy black bottled oil which name escapes me and homemade almond milk smoothies mentioned earlier were Elice's salvation for the first 6 or 7 months of her pregnancy with Jackson, wherein that was literally all she could stomach. She and baby were marvelously healthy, good iron and all.
Flax seed oil?
Wow. I love the comments. I really like what Rachel shared. I really like learning about this, too. The discussion about omega-3s was interesting, too. But it makes sense. I think healthy eating makes sense. Home-made stuff will have fewer preservatives, so it is healthier. If you're comparing organic cereals to other cereals, sometimes they are not fortified with vitamins, so they may seem less healthy (you mentioned Organic stuff being not as healthy--that's the only thing I could think of, if that's what you mean). But they also contain fewer preservatives, no surprises like TSP, and stuff like that.
One thing I try to keep in mind for myself is portion control...and I think our society has forgotten what healthy portions are. A friend told me that if you take a 10 dinner inch plate, you put veggies on half of it, something starchy on 1/4, and something meaty on the other 1/4 (for dinner). And that's all you need for dinner. Many of our breakfast bowls are large enough for 2 to 3 servings of cereal in one sitting. And restaurants give us the false impression that more is better. Even a restaurant salad could match up in calories to a home cooked meal. Anyway, I've personally found that I feel healthier when I watch the amount of food I eat--not too much, but also not too little.
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