Four easy things you can do to enhance you and your family’s health:

COOK:
There are many resources online and many books on cooking quick and healthy meals for those who are too busy. Not only is it a nice way to spend time with your children, they can also learn healthy eating habits.

LEARN TO READ LABELS:
It is not always easy to avoid pre- packaged food, but learn to stay away from harmful things added to these types of foods like HFCS, partially hydrogenated fats, artificial sweeteners, food preservative and dyes.

EDUCATE YOURSELF ON NUTRITION:
This can sometimes be overwhelming because of conflicting advice, but try not to get discouraged. Even small changes in your diet can be beneficial.

DON’T BE FOOLED BY MARKETING:
Many individuals and companies are trying to make money by making false statements about their products. It is also a growing market for fade diets. If you find yourself needing to lose weight or needing to change your diet because of health reasons, there is no quick fix to many years of bad food habits. Eating whole foods (non-process) is proven to be the best choice. A slow weight loss and change of diet may be discouraging at times, but it is the healthiest way to make changes.

One more quick note:
Quick pre-packaged food found at food markets and fast food restaurants may be easier, but at what cost? Type II diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and many more diet related diseases are reaching epidemics, especially for children. We can not change family history related diseases, but we can change our diets to avoid or to control many of these diseases. It is noted amongst nutritionist and other medical professionals that it is no longer just genetics, but our horrible diets causing many of us to become ill with diseases. More devastatingly it is affecting the children of our future. We now have two generations who do not know how to cook and prepare wholesome foods. At a Publix grocery market recently, the young lady checking my groceries asked me, “What is this vegetable?”, so she could check it. I was shocked and answered her, “That is a cucumber.” She then told me she never ate vegetables, and she did not know how to prepare vegetables. To make it even more unsettling she also stated her one year old daughter did not like vegetables either. Being known as a bit of a health nut, I could not resist one bit of advice as I paid my bill. “If mommy turns her nose up at vegetables, most likely your child will do the same.” It confirmed that we need changes in our society regarding healthy food choices if we are going to control diet related diseases.

(Posted Sunday October 14, 2007)