Everyone has had the experience of benefiting from another
person's wisdom at some point or another. Maybe it
was the teacher who really inspired you. It may have
been the friend who has a wonderful gift of insight.
Perhaps, for you, it was a family member.
Here is some of the wisdom that we have gathered over the
years. Drink as much or as little as you like..
...Speaking of drinking, we have all heard
that getting enough water is important but did you know
that by the time you actually feel thirsty, you are already
pretty dehydrated? To prevent this, try to consume
six 8 oz. glasses of water a day. Even better, try to
avoid foods that are drying to your body, like crackers or
foods high in salt.
Cooking methods which use water instead of oils are
generally healthier for your system as they mimic the
natural environment of your interior body; watery and warm.
Blanching: Drop vegetables in boiling water until they
become bright with color and then take them out immediately
and eat them. Yum! It should only take a few
seconds and leave your veggies crunchy and delicious.
Steaming: Place foods in a steamer for a minute or
so. Don't over-cook your food or the chemical bonds
will break down and the food will become mushy. At
that point, many of the valuable nutrients have already
broken down and are gone from the food.
...Speaking of cooking, it is extremely
beneficial to cook for yourself. Maybe you aren't the
greatest cook in the world. Maybe the extent of your
culinary genius is a great Mac 'n' Cheese.
So, buy yourself a healthy cookbook and try a few
recipes. Up the quantity of fresh veggies, whole
grains and locally grown fruits in your diet.
Learning to cook for yourself generally means that the food
you eat will be lower in both salt and fat.
Also, the very act of cooking for yourself says, "I deserve
good things." It is a message to yourself that you
are a person who is worth taking the time to treat
well. When you believe that, others will follow suit.
...Speaking of good things, when you sit
down to a nice meal, (and you really should sit
down to eat, folks) turn off the television or put down
your magazine and just eat. Okay, having a nice
conversation with friends, family or someone you care about
is perfectly fine. Keep the conversation light so
your digestion won't get stymied.
Don't slouch. Sit up so that your digestive system
doesn't get compressed while it's trying to function.
(How would you feel if someone stuck you in a cramped
working environment and you couldn't get out? Er...
sorry if that's a little too familiar to some of
you.)
Rather than shoveling the food into your mouth, chewing
once and then reaching for the next bite, try chewing your
food until it's pulpy before you swallow. Sure, you
probably read the word "pulpy" and think, "Nah...not hungry
now, thanks." But, think about it for a second.
If you chew your food like you are designed to do, the
digestive process has already begun before the food hits
your stomach. Then, your stomach doesn't have to work
as hard and you are much less likely to have trouble
digesting your food.
Okay, raise your hands. How many of you have
digestive problems? Yep, thought so. Sit down,
turn off the telly and chew your food!
More wisdom to come! Check back soon.
