Disclaimer: I will tell you everything that Hannah says about reforming our diets and getting healthier and fueling our bodies with the right fuel. However, I do not agree with some of what she says. And, frankly, neither did my doctor. So, listen to what she has to say, but make sure you clear any of this with your doctor before making these changes.
Okay. We all know that we are what we eat. Right? I mean this very literally. If you are sitting at home eating "bon-bons", as the cliche says, then soon you look like a bon-bon, and worse you feel like one! If you put junk into your body, then junk comes out! Your energy levels are low, your productivity is low, and worse, your attitude is low. Hannah says that this is the one step that has the highest return on your investment! Everything from your mood to your complexion improve when you start eating better. But, slow and steady is the name of the game. If you go up into your kitchen right now and start to throw all the junk food away, guess what? You are going to fail. No ifs ands or buts about it, you will fail. But, by making small little changes everyday and you will discover with each little change, a small little gift will come with it. (I just read that sentance and can't believe something that eloquent just poured out of my brain. Hee-hee.) And you will become a happier and healthier you! Okay, here's Hannah's plan.
B is for bad fats. Now, the total amount of fat in your diet does not cause disease. What makes the difference is the type of fat. We have all heard that the trans fat is the bad fat. Everything now days is labeled "No trans fat". And there is a reason for that. So become a label reader! On the nutrition label the very first section is Total Fat. Then underneath that it breaks it down to trans fat, and saturated fat. Look for foods with zero trans fats!! Also, there are good fats. If the fat is labeled monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated eat that food! Good fats reduce harmful cholesterol; cushion, insulate and lubricate organs; and aid in metabolosm.
A is for addictive substances. These can sneak in the back door and hold our health hostage. So if you drink alcohol, smoke, or are dependant on non-prescribed narcotics, cut them out of your life!! There is absolutely zero value in any of these things!! I know some people claim they drink red wine for the "antioxidants". But guess what? You get the exact same thing (if not more) from a glass of real grape juice! Probably the bigger threat to my demographic is caffiene. Whether it is coffee, soda, or chocolate (mine), it can be very addictive. We convince ourselves that we need it to wake up. We need it to keep going through a hard afternoon. We need it to cope with the stress of life. Baloney!! Start taking steps now to cut it out of your life! Just cut back one soda or cup of coffee every day. Do NOT try to go cold turkey! Not only will your body make you pay for it. But your mind will keep telling you you need it as well. Another highly addictive substance is processed sugar. Look for items that use honey (a natural substance), or evaporated cane juice (unprocessed sugar). When baking or needing a calorie free sweetener, Stevia is a natural herbal sweetener. I know how difficult this is, as well, so again, do it little by little. Sweeten coffee or tea with honey. Look for natural forms of foods that you already eat and feed those to your family. They need to get used to this way of eating too! Momma does the shopping and the cooking. You eat what Momma gives you! It will be easier on you if you wean your kids off it as well.
D is for dairy. Now, while I agree that a lot of dairy is not good, I do believe she goes a little overboard here. It is true that commercial dary is chock full of cholesterol. It is also full of other things that are not so appetizing. Pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, steroids, and even pus and blood have been known to be found in milk from the store. Dairy has been linked to several diseases from cancer to heart disease to even osteoporosis! She claims that our bodies are just not built to metabolize dairy. I disagree. While it is possible to live dairy free (there are so many options out there! I know, I have a kid who is allergic to dairy) it is not necessary. One option I have found, besides reducing the amount I take in, is to get your milk delivered. Private farms will usually guarantee that they don't use hormones, or other chemicals in their milk. And they taste great! We do need calcium, too. There are other sources to get it other than milk. Soy, broccoli, figs, chickpeas, kale, almonds and calcium-enriched foods and juices. Discuss with your doctor what your options are. I don't need to lose wieght, I just need to eat healthier, so to me it is not worth it to cut out dairy completely. Also, yogurt is still an essential in any diet. The probiotics and good bacterias in it are great for digestion and that is where 70% of your immune system is located. And most of it is fat free!
C is for chemicals. This is another area where you have to read labels! A general rule of thumb is "if you can't pronounce it, you shouldn't eat it!" (this does not apply to me with acai berries! I still don't know how to say that. :P) Look for these words as things to avoid at all costs! Acesulfame-k (AKA Sweet One or Sunset), Artificial colors, Aspartame (AKA Equal or Nutrasweet), Butylated hydroxynisole (BHA), Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) Monosodium glutamate (MSG), Nitrites and nitrates, Olestra, Potassium bromate, and Sulfites.
R is for refined carbohydrates. Carbs are not bad! They are essential for healthy digestion. The food industry discovered long ago that if they take out the bran, germ, and germ oil from wheat that bread looked prettier and lasted longer. Unfortunately our bodies really have to work to digest this overprocessed crap. The same goes for rice and sugar. If it does not look like what it looks like fresh picked, don't eat it! Read labels and look for words like "whole" or "natural". This step alone can reduce not only digestive problems, but also headaches, behavioral problems, and a weakened immune system. This is also a step that will be really hard for your family to accept. Again, start small. Switch on the sly to first Sara Lee whole wheat white bread and whole wheat pasta. They won't know the difference! Then gradually step it up and get more and more close to natural looking.
A is for animal protein. Again, Hannah and I don't see eye to eye on this one. She stresses the fact that meat is a really dense food, and therefore really hard to digest. This is true! However, according to my doctor, if you are getting enough fiber in your diet (see letter R) then it shouldn't be a problem. Meat is not only good for protein. Red meat also has iron and calcium. Fish contains omega vitamins. White meat is low in fat and and easier to digest. So, while Hannah says to cut it out completely, again, I tell you to consult your doctor who knows you and your needs. So, if you don't want to become a full vegetarian, just shop and cook smarter. Get the highest quality you can afford. I'm not gonna lie. It is expensive to eat healthy! But if you can, substitute ground turkey for ground beef. Get the lowest fat percentage possible on pork and steak. Be sure to trim any excess fat from chicken and pork before freezing, storing or eating.
P is for processed food. "Quick and easy" has become the motto for America. And our diets are no different. How much easier it it to fix a box meal that has all the flavor in a powdered form than to cook your own wih fresh ingredients? Lots!! But how much better does the fresh one taste? Lots!! This one I learned a long time ago. Everytime I look at a box of hamburger helper or something, I know now that not only can I make it better, but in some cases, I can make it faster! Stuff that has to simmer forever so all that powdered gunk can dissolve is time you can be chopping fresh herbs and spices, fresh veggies, and cooking your whole wheat pasta. Fast food is the same. Did you know that McDonalds coats pretty much everything they serve in sugar? No wonder we love it so much! So instead of reaching for that quick and easy snack, reach for that quick and easy whole food. Get dried fruit instead of fruit snacks. Get unsweetened applesauce instead of artificially sweetened, whole corn chips over fried potato chips. Try as much as possible to eat food in as close to its natural form as possible.
Now I don't know if you noticed scrolling down this list, but all of those letters put together spell B.A.D. C.R.A.P. An easy acronym to remember as you embark on the task of making over your eating habits. Just remember, baby steps to success! Start today to start removing the bad fats from your diet. Next week move to the addictive substances. Or practice "piggybacking" your tasks and do one small thing in each group per week. However you want to do it. Plan out next weeks meals and look for healthier ways to prepare them. Replace the white rice with brown. The white noodles with whole wheat. Use fresh herbs instead of jarred. Lower the fat content of your meats. Simple little steps to make a big difference in not only how you look, but also how your feel! Look for those small gifts every day. They will come! I promise!
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