Eat Fresh Fruit in Season

Yum.  Fresh raspberries and peaches from our yard and some local blueberries.  I love summer foods.  I also love pomegranates in the fall, grapefruit and oranges in the winter, and strawberries in the spring.  These are just a few of the many, many different fruits I enoy.  Fresh fruit in season is God's candy! 

If you eat the produce that is in season, you will be eating better quality fruits and vegetables, you will save money, and they will taste better.  While all of these things are great,  I think the most important reason is that you will optimize your health because your body will receive the nutrients it needs with each season.  For example, different nutrients are needed during a cold winter (lots of Vitamin C to prevent colds) and the hot summer (cooling fruits loaded with antioxidants). This is the plan God created to keep us healthy.

How to buy the produce that is in season (typically):

1.  Choose the produce that is on sale.

2.  Find the produce that is on the end caps (which is often also where the sales items are).

3.  Pick the produce that looks good.

4.  Buy local produce that is available.

The produce that is in season is dependent upon where you live.  If you live on the opposite side of the equator from me, your seasons are reversed.  While you can buy all produce year-round now, the produce that was picked long before it was ripe and shipped halfway around the world is not going to taste very good. Enjoy the local foods that grow close to where you live.

This is a chart for seasonal produce in the south central portion of the United States.  I created the chart for a class I taught five years ago.  The beauty of God's foods is that they don't change so this chart is still valid;  what changes is man's constant alteration of God's foods which is very frustrating (like the genetic modification of foods, GMO foods, which will be the topic of another post).  Keep in mind, that the produce that is available each season varies year-by-year depending on the weather.  For instance, some years there are lots of oranges and grapefruit available, but years when freezes damage the crops, little is available.  Also,  I call March into April the 'dry season' for produce, because it is between the winter and summer crops and not much is available. But soon all of the delicious summer fruits and vegetables are plentiful, such as strawberries, grapes, peaches, plums, cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, etc.  Summer is the time of year to eat a wonderful variety of fresh produce.   Remember to also include fresh herbs in your diet. Basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, dill and sage are all easy to grow in this area.

The freshest produce that you can eat is what you grow yourself. Buy a tomato plant this spring and put it in a bed in your yard or in a large pot on your patio. Plant your herbs in among your flower beds. Zucchini, cucumbers, cantaloupe, pumpkins, okra, winter squashes and many other things are very easy to grow from seed. If you grow your own produce, be sure to grow it organically and do not use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides on your yard. Maintaining your yard organically is healthier for your family members, who are walking or playing in your yard, and for the environment.

Google the topic of seasonal produce for your area and you will find many sites with more information. When possible, find local sources of your produce. Produce that is grown close to you does not have to be picked before it is ripe and will taste so much better.  Enjoy!

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens"  Ecclesiastes 3:1

Weekly Challenge - Week 2 (1/8/2013)

Eat a piece of fresh fruit each day.

                                     

I hope this is pretty easy for everyone.  I think the biggest problem is consciously buying the fruit and remembering to eat it.  Speak victory with this challenge and praise God for the many delicious fresh fruits He has given us!

A few things to think about when enjoying your fruit this week.

1.  Following the 'break fast' advice, eat your fruit 15 to 30 minutes after you have had your glass of water in the morning.

2.  Eat fresh fruits (and vegetables) that are in season.  Thus your daily fresh produce selection with vary throughout the year.  (The raspberry photo above is from my garden last June.  Fresh picked raspberries off the bush are extremely delicious.  Raspberries are not in season right now, but what wonderful mouthwatering memories this photo holds for me.)  Though you may be wondering what is in season, it is easy to learn and it won't take you long to become an expert.  Right now, oranges, grapefruit, pears, and kiwis are some of the fruits currently in season.  Apples and bananas are also available.  If you are diabetic, pick a fiber rich fruit, one that has edible skin or seeds such as a pear,  apple, or kiwi.

3.  Buy organic when you can, especially for the most contaminated fruits and vegetables.  Each year a list of the worst and the best fruits and vegetables is compiled. Testing is done on a number of samples to see which produce items contain the most and which contain the least pesticide residue.  If you can't afford or find organic, try to choose those produce items that are least contaminated.

4.  Learn to eat your fruit (whether first thing in the morning or later in the day) before other foods on an empty stomach for best digestion. 

I will be providing more information and tips for the above suggestions later this week.

Advanced Challenge for those already eating a fresh piece of fruit after their water in the morning:

Have a second piece of fresh fruit for an afternoon snack.

If you are just beginning the weekly challenges, please be sure to read the posts under Weekly Challenge - In Advance.

"When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs." Numbers 13:23  

Speak Victory - No Shame or Guilt

Talking with people and reading some things last week has made me aware of a huge issue that I would like to address. 

First, when people think about eating 'Foods Created by God', they think this means they are going to have to 'eat healthy' which carries a negative connotation is our society.  Eating 'Foods Created by God' will give you energy, vitality, and good health, so it is true that this is a healthy eating plan.  However, I think many also equate eating healthy with having to sacrifice 'good' food, having to give up the foods they love, and having to eat boring foods that don't taste very good.  This is not true.  This is a lie that Satan has created and it is so untrue.

Second, I think many people who are eating a typical American diet are in a constant battle.  Those who are overweight feel they lack willpower and are constantly struggling with food issues because they aren't capable of controlling themselves.  People who are always sick feel they are unlucky and not as good as others.  People who lack energy feel they are lazy.  People addicted to foods  feel they have no self-discipline.  I could go on and on. 

If any of these thoughts represent how you think, know that you are not alone.  Also know that you will probably not succeed because you are begrudgingly participating rather than rejoicing about your new knowledge and freedom.   If you are attempting to change from the typical American diet to a diet of foods by God, it is very important how you view what you are doing.

Concerning the first point above, celebrate the fact that you can eliminate the tasteless, addictive man-made foods from your diet and that you can enjoy the delicious choice foods God has given us!  I love food.  I eat lots of food. I enjoy three home-cooked meals a day.  I love having tasty foods that satisfy me, that fill me up while maintaining my correct weight, and that provide the nutrients I need to maintain good health.  I praise God for His perfect plans and His perfect foods.  I hope you can embrace this viewpoint too and become free in your eating. 

Concerning the second point,  God loves you just the way you are and He is saddened when we give in to Satan's lies.  If you are overweight or have health issues and feel you have no self-control or willpower, please know that man-made foods are designed to make you want them, to make you crave them.  Do not feel ashamed or guilty!  The typical American foods that fill our grocery store shelves and are available on every street corner are not designed with your health in mind.  The old Lay's commercial, "you can't eat just one", is very true.  Cheap fats and salts, processed sugar in all its forms, and food additives are so addictive.  It is not about your failure to control your eating, but about the very subtle, deceptive power of the foods created by man that do not satisfy your hunger, that have little nutritional value, that make you crave more, and that load your body with empty calories and toxins.  It is a vicious cycle.

Please break these negative, condemning thought patterns right now!  Our words and thoughts have the power to bless or curse.  They speak life or death into a situation.  "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21  Choose the fruit of life.

The power of life comes from joy in the Lord.  This is our strength.  "Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  Nehemiah 8:10.  Savor the excellent, tasty foods from God that you will be eating with joy!

Overcoming the addictive power of man-made foods will not be easy, but you can win this battle with the right attitude.  Pray for God's help and then speak victory into your situation.  Praise God for the wonderful, delicious foods that He has given us and ask Him to help you learn how to enjoy these foods.

To succeed you do have to make changes.  Take baby steps with me each week following the weekly challenges, making simple, small daily changes.  Don't just think about doing the challenges, but start now and do them.  Faithfully do them each day.  They are simple things.  Soon these changes will become routine for you and you will reap the benefits.  It doesn't matter where you are starting, everyone can be victorious.  Speak victory today and thank God for the wonderful foods He provides.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

Drink Filtered Water

Quality, think about quality.  This is a topic I will be addressing later in much more depth, but let's start with water quality.  Is all water the same?  Definitely not.

My friend who lives in the state of Washington has excellent quality tap water that comes from natural springs and wells.  She can drink her tap water!  The rest of us should look for a better water source.  Typically, tap water is highly processed and contains a number of pollutants.  The most recent findings in our tap water during the past five years is that tap water contains pharmaceuticals. 

The following is a list of better options.  The most popular option, water in plastic bottles or containers, I do not recommend.  See the glass not plastic post.

1.  Carbon filters - these are the filters that come with your refrigerator and are used by PUR and Britta systems that mount on your kitchen faucet.  If you are drinking filtered water from your refrigerator, be sure to fill a glass pitcher or bottle the night before so that the water is room temperature when you are ready to drink it.

Pros - relatively inexpensive  and water available when needed

Cons - filters out the least amount of pollutants and if you don't change them regularly, you might be dumping pollutants into your water from the spent filter 

2.  Reverse Osmosis - home system that mounts under your kitchen sink.  I am in the process of remodeling my kitchen and I have chosen this option.  My husband just installed an RO water system for us this week.  We have been drinking RO water from the store up to this point.

 

Pros - one of the best quality water options available, very convenient, and water available when needed 

Cons - $300 to $400 initial investment, high replacement filter cost, and wastes a lot of water while being processed

3.  Reverse Osmosis (or Deionized) - commercial units at stores

Pros - one of the best quality water options available, inexpensive, and available at many stores

Cons - less convenient since bottles must be filled and brought home

In 2008, a study about plasticizers leaching from plastic bottles and a study about small amounts of pharmaceuticals showing up in tap water all over the U.S.  were released. I emailed PUR  who said their filters were probably not filtering these drugs out. We were drinking water stored in plastic jugs when traveling and PUR filtered water at home. 

Thus I decided it was time for a change.  We would drink only reverse osmosis water from glass containers.  This presented somewhat of a problem on our homeschool trips in our little RV. We took with us plastic one gallon containers which we refilled with RO water at grocery stores.   

The solution I found for our trips worked quite well.  In fact, it worked so well that I continued when we got home.  I purchased eight glass one-gallon bottles, and filled them at grocery stores with RO water.  I found nice wide mouth bottles on-line from uline.

These jars are small, manageable, and very reasonably priced (about $3.50 each).  After we finished our traveling, I have continued to use these bottles exclusively for our drinking water at home until now.  The bottle in the photo above is about five years old.  I bought thin black shelf-liner and black duct tape and wrapped the bottle (as shown) to prevent the bottles from clinging together and breaking.  It has worked very well.

Another option is to get a 2.5-gallon glass water bottle of Mountain Valley Spring water.  A bit heavier but still manageable.  However, last time I checked, the deposit on the bottles was $20 (though a one time investment).  Mountain Valley also has 5-gallon glass water bottles but I don't recommend them.  They are too heavy even for a strong person.

4.  Home Delivery in glass bottles - Mountain Valley Spring water in glass bottles is also available for home delivery.

Pros - good quality natural water

Cons - very expensive, and if getting the 5-gallon bottle, very hard to manage 

Drink Room Temperature Water

Are you a polar bear?

If not, drink room temperature water.  This one many people have problems with.  I know, I used to desire a glass filled with ice no matter what I was drinking.  Oddly enough, after a few weeks of drinking room temperature water, one typically no longer desires the ice cold drink (except perhaps on a hot Texas summer day when it is 110 °F).  I know if you are currently drinking cold water that you probably don't believe me.  But give it a try for a couple weeks, I think you will be surprised.

People have been consuming ice cold drinks throughout the day every day of the year for less than one hundred years.  It is hard to believe that this recent trend in history has become so commonplace and so accepted as normal by all Americans.  Prior to refrigeration, ice was not readily available.  Having a refreshing cool drink in the heat of the summer was a very special treat, something only the rich could afford, a status symbol.  It has become a very unhealthy addiction for many.

Why does this matter?  Our internal body temperature is normally 98.6 °F.  Our guts are amazing; they house an extremely corrosive environment with a pH that can drop to as low as 1 or 2 after a high protein meal.  This drop is necessary and beneficial to properly digest the foods we eat.  When healthy and in-balance, our guts also contain a high flora of beneficial bacteria.

Taking antibiotics (or ingesting them through the foods we eat), consuming antacids, and eating man-processed foods are a few of the ways we destroy the health of our gut.  One of the first things you want to do when eating healthy is to get your gut health back to normal.  Heartburn, leaky gut syndrome, Candida and yeast infections, colon cancer, and obesity are just a few signs of an unhealthy gut.

A simple starting point to healing your gut is to stop drinking ice cold drinks.  Think about what happens if you place your arm or leg in ice cold water.  Your muscles stiffen up and do not function as well.  Keep this picture in your mind when you drink an ice cold drink.  Room temperature water is so much easier on your stomach. 

Though a glass of room temperature water may not sound that appealing to you right now, it is a very simple and easy change to make which can make a big difference to your health.

" I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13

Glass, Not Plastic

Glass is brittle and breaks easily; plastic is everywhere and seems to be indestructible.  So why don't I want to drink water from a plastic cup or bottle?

Infertility, breast cancer, early sexual development, endometriosis, asthma.  All diseases which have rampantly increased over the last 50 years or so.  Any connection to plastics?  I think so.  I do not feel there are any safe plastics, and I suggest drinking out of glass.  If you are interested in learning more, I have provided a little information to get you started and then I suggest you research the topic further yourself.

Glass is a ceramic material that is formed at high temperatures.  Glass is an amorphous solid and its elements are chemically sealed in its structure.  Nothing leaches out of glass.  Glass occurs in nature as obsidian (black volcanic glass) and the main component of all glass is silica (sand).  If you think about it, you know that all harsh chemicals (strong acids and bases) are stored in glass flasks.  This is because glass is so inert. 

Plastic, on the other hand, is a man-made material that was developed from by-products of the petroleum industry.  Due to the nature of the hydrogen carbon chains that make-up a plastic's structure, all plastic materials will leach chemicals. 

Are any plastics o.k.?  Recent media coverage would suggest that there are acceptable plastics for food use.  I don't agree.  Let me tell you why.

I googled 'plastic leaching' and found the following information from a site,

 http://www.care2.com/greenliving/which-plastics-are-safe.html.  It states,

"The news about plastics has been pretty alarming lately, causing some of us to go dashing for the water bottles to see what kind of plastic they are—and find out if we’ve been unwittingly poisoning our children and ourselves with chemicals leaching into the water from them.

If you’ve been concerned, here is a handy chart that identifies the good, bad, and OK plastics and where they are found. Find out here:

1 Polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
Used to make soft drink, water, sports drink, ketchup, and salad dressing bottles, and peanut butter, pickle, jelly and jam jars.
GOOD: Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones."

All sounds good, or does it?  Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones???  First of all, how much testing has been done and what other ill health effects might these new plastics cause.  Second, unlike glass, they are leaching some chemicals, just not ones thought to cause cancer or disrupt your hormones.

As a ceramic engineer, I know that there are no good plastics for food use.  All plastics leach plasticizers and other chemicals. Plasticizers are used to make plastics more flexible.  That is why it is recommended to purchase hard plastics because they contain less plasticizers.  Plasticizers act as hormone disruptors.  What kind of problems might be linked to plasticizers?  Per

http://www.sustainableproduction.org/downloads/PhthalateAlternatives-January2011.pdf, "These studies have identified a possible association between exposure to phthalates and male reproductive malformation, sperm damage, fertility impairment, female reproductive tract diseases, early puberty in girls, asthma, and thyroid effects. Adverse effects on the lungs, liver and kidneys have been observed in animals and in some limited human studies."

I could go on and on, but I think I have exposed the tip of the iceberg for you.  If for no other reason, I think water tastes much better out of a glass than a plastic cup.  Switch to glass and see if you don't agree.

Weekly Challenge - Week 1 (1/1/2013)

Drink 8 ounces of room temperature water upon rising.

This will be easy for lots and a real challenge for some.  Whichever category you fall into, try to faithfully do this each morning of the new year.  Read the 'Breakfast' article for more details of why this is so good for you.

A few things to work on this week while drinking your water.

1.  Drink out of glass, not plastic.

2.  Drink room temperature or lukewarm water, not cold or 

     iced water.

3.  If you possibly can, drink filtered water, not tap water.

4.  Drink your cup of water before having anything else

    (including coffee).

5.  Try to wait 15 to 30 minutes before eating or drinking

     anything more.

Put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror or bedside table or refrigerator to remind yourself to drink your water.  It is a great habit to develop.  For those interested, I will provide more details and tips throughout the week concerning each of the above suggestions. 

Advanced Challenge for those already drinking a cup of water upon rising:

Choose a set time each day and drink a glass of water.  Perhaps select 2:00 or 3:00 p.m., during your afternoon slump when you are tempted to have an unhealthy snack.

If you are just beginning the weekly challenges, please be sure to read the posts under Weekly Challenge - In Adance. 

The waterfall photo above is taken at Silver Falls State Park in Oregon.  Fresh, clean, sparkling water - an awesome gift from God. 

"He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs"  Psalm 107:35