THE "NATURAL" MANTRA-A CRITIC'S ADVICE FOR GOOD HEALTH

What is the right formula to maintain a reasonably decent health for many ordinary citizens who are caught between the "deep sea and the devil" when it comes to choose the right food? Is too much dependence on products churned out by the process industry really bad? Are processed foods addictive? These are some of the issues that bother the common man in his day to day fight to stave of diseases and health disorders. Here is a list of suggestions by a concerned critic who finds fault with many food industry products in the market and one may take it or leave it! 

"The Pringles saying "once you pop you can't stop" couldn't be more factual. In fact, these foods are made to be habit forming! With their high fructose corn syrup, sugar and chemicals who could resist them? And as for diet coke, don't even get me started. I once cut out all sodas and lost 20 pounds—and my weight gain was mostly attributed to diet coke. Diet coke is proven to increase caloric intake….it signals your body to crave more carbs than you really need! It's truly the Devil's drink. If you're a constant consumer of these detrimental foods…don't feel bad! You're not the only one. Everyone has the propensity to become addicted, but everyone also has the capability to break the vicious cycle. I did. I went seven months without sugar/bread/dairy and felt like a million bucks. Eating healthy doesn't have to be boring and it doesn't have to be expensive. I am here as a testament to say that I felt better than ever on this healthy lifestyle change and spent less. Did you know that these chemically enhanced foods can really break down your immunity? If you're not getting the healthy fruits, veggies, and protein you need you're not only going to be lacking in key "happy" chemicals (aka, dopamine, serotonin, etc…), but you'll also probably suffer from a weakened immune system! I am not supporting you radically switch your entire diet to organic, (because I know some organic foods are no different than regular ones) however; there is something to be said about buying organic fruits and veggies if you're going to eat their skin. I challenge you to try organic celery up against their pesticide alternative and tell me if you don't taste a difference. The lack of chemicals is refreshing. The pesticides are a huge reason why many people don't want to eat their veggies! The taste is noticeable when comparing. The positives for healthy eating outweigh the negatives. Webmd.com says that foods rich in antioxidants can really stave off colds and other illnesses that could plague you down the road. You can get your Beta-carotene and other carotenoids from foods such as: Apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, corn, green peppers, kale, mangoes, turnip and collard greens, nectarines, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon. Your Vitamin C from: Berries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, honeydew, kale, kiwi, mangoes, nectarines, orange, papaya, red, green or yellow peppers, snow peas, sweet potato, strawberries, and tomatoes. And your Vitamin E from: Broccoli, carrots, chard, mustard and turnip greens, mangoes, nuts, papaya, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, and sunflower seeds. Webmd goes on to talk about other foods you can find that provide the same immunity boosting power: Zinc: Found in oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, seafood, whole grains, fortified cereals, and dairy products. Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, poultry and fortified breads, and other grain products. My recommendation is that if you have a hankering for sweets or starchy foods try alternative ways to satiate those cravings. Here are some of my top replacement foods/sweeteners and drinks that kick my sweet tooth in the bud:"

One thing must be understood by every consumer when it comes to food selection and that is the compulsion of modern life in depending on factory processed products. But restricting the intake of such foods and opting for more healthy home cooked foods can always pay rich dividend in terms of good health. The expert recommendation that basing the diet on as many diverse foods as possible reflects the fact that mutual supplementation from different food components in a diet guarantees freedom from health related crisis in life. The new MyPlate icon of the US government says the same in a graphic mode for easy understanding

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com