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Love Your Body ~ Drink Tea for Your Health

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Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Our guest blogger for Love Your Body Monday is Penelope Carlevato. Penelope is my expert “tea friend,” and I asked her if she would write a post for us on the health benefits of drinking tea. Many of you know that I’m a coffee drinker, but I do enjoy a good cup of tea in the afternoon or I drink Organic Traditional Medicinals teas when I am sick. In fact, I’m having a cup of Organic Chai Black Tea right now as I post this. So pour yourself a cup of tea…or coffee…and enjoy! Oh and leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of Penelope’s book Tea on the Titanic.

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Tea provides you with a warm, calm feeling when sitting down in your favorite wicker chair on the porch, but it also helps combat and prevent many common health issues. As with most nurses, I tend to let Western Medicine be my “go-to” for health related issues. I have to admit that I am a black tea girl and don’t drink many tisanes or infusions, unless I have a cold or the flu. Even then, I would rather have a cup of Earl Grey than some flowery cup of “tea.” But, as the former owner of a retail tea business for many years, I began to hear testimonies of the health benefits of the herbal teas. After I did some research and testing of my own, I had to agree with the results of including herbal teas into my diet.

Herbal Teas for Your Health

Herbal Teas

Herbal Teas

While doing research for my last two books on the Edwardian era, I realized that women of that time did not have a bottle of Ibuprofen or Tylenol in their bathrooms to take for a headache or sore muscles. Instead they relied on herbs and tonics. Many still used old remedies made from herbs and spices that were passed down from generation to generation in the form of a hot drink. Plus their afternoon tea-time included the beverage of tea into the daily diets, of both the wealthy and poor.

For years, tea and herbs were the main source of helping sooth that upset tummy or a sore throat. In today’s world of chemical wonders, tea still has a prominent place in providing relief. The leaves that revitalize and restore health are from the Camellia Senesis bush, a member of the evergreen family that thrives best in fertile hilly regions. Tea is very economical, yielding 300 cups of tea per pound, and is second to water as the most consumed beverage in the world. It is one of the few drinks that has no sodium, no fat, no carbohydrates, no sugar, and no calories, unless you add sugar or other additives. Tea includes four varieties: green, black, white, and oolong. Taking tea hot or cold does not change the chemical content or benefits of tea.

[Tweet “Scientific research acclaims that tea has incredible health benefits. “]

Scientific research acclaims that tea has incredible health benefits. Tea is rich with natural flavonoids and polyphenols that contain catechins. These catechins help in the prevention of oxidative stress, modify carcinogen metabolism, and can prevent damage to our DNA molecules. The catechins in tea can have a preventative effect on cancer, heart disease, cholesterol, clogged arteries, strokes, autoimmune diseases, and cognitive issues.

The most potent of the flavonoids is ECGC, which appears to fight against free radicals that can contribute to many chronic diseases. Last year, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, published 11 new studies that highlight the many benefits of tea. For several years, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition has been studying the benefits of tea and Alzheimers, and recently found that those who drank 3 or more cups per day could prevent the onset of heart problems. Harvard Medical School reports that the catechins in tea are responsible for many health benefits and helps to improve cognitive functioning and attention. From what I gather, drinking tea is a good idea.

What’s “Real” Tea?

[Tweet ““Real” tea must contain leaves from the Camellia Senesis plant in order to be called “tea.””]

“Real” tea must contain leaves from the Camellia Senesis plant in order to be called “tea.” Herbal “teas” are products of fruits, flowers, leaves, bark, seeds, or roots from plants other than the tea plant. These drinks are tisanes or infusions, and are usually caffeine free. A tisane is simply a cup of “tea” made from something else other than a tea leaf. All tea from the Camellia Senesis bush, including green tea, has caffeine. Contrary to popular belief, tea does not have more caffeine than coffee. A cup of tea will contain about 50 mg of caffeine, while the same size cup of coffee will have almost 200 mg of caffeine. Tea is also a natural source of fluoride and will protect teeth from dental cavities. Both teas and tisanes (or infusions) have many healthy benefits, plus being a tasty beverage to drink.

[Tweet “Tea consumption can positively affect mood and may improve creative problem solving. (The Tea Association of the USA)”]

Let’s Meet for Tea

[Tweet “God has used tea as a tool in my life.”]

God has used tea as a tool in my life. I am blessed to introduce many women to the art of afternoon tea and for some, the actual beverage of tea. Tea time continues to amaze me. What is there about a cup of tea that will charm a woman’s heart? Is it the lovely ambiance that usually occurs over a cup of tea, or is it such a different mind-set than the frantic world in which we live? I know it is a wonderful setting for creating friendships. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 expresses the essence of being a friend. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his (her) friend can help him (her) up. But pity the man (woman) who falls and has no one to help him (her) up.” Tea has benefits far beyond our physical health.

What Kind of Tea Should You Drink?

Black tea, green tea, or one of the tea infusions. All good choices, but remember, only the leaves from the Camellia Senesis plant count as tea, and will have the benefits of the flavonoids. Caffeine-free infusions, (herbal teas) also give healing benefits in a wide variety of ways. Many of the herbal infusions contain minerals and vitamin complexes that are good for our health. Some can be used cool as topical astringents. Just because herbs are natural, check that your medications won’t interact in a negative way with the herbal tea you choose.

  • Peppermint is easy to grow and can help clear a stuffy nose, constipation, or upset stomach.
  • Rooibos is a naturally sweet tea made from a South African Red Bush. It is rich in vitamins and minerals and can help with tension and headaches.
  • Ginger tea helps with motion sickness and is especially beneficial after surgery and for headaches.
  • Chamomile has a calming and anti-inflammatory effect and is helpful for those with insomnia.
  • Rosehips are the fruits from the rose plant and a great source of Vitamin C.
  • Lavender teas can help with depression and help decrease fevers.
  • Lemon balm is said to help with brain function and also relieves cold sores.
  • Hibiscus flower helps lower blood pressure, and because it is rich in Vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system.
  • Yerba Mate is full of antioxidants and vitamins and is said useful in weight loss.
  • Pu-erh is a tea category all its own, but boasts of being able to relax stomach muscles and relieve bloating.

[Tweet “It’s a known fact that drinking water is good for your health, and since tea is 99% water, add tea to your daily liquid intake of 8 glasses of fluid. “]

Herbal infusions should be made with water that has just come to a boil. If the water is too hot it will destroy some of the precious and essential oils that account for their health benefits. Always read the labels and avoid those infusions with artificial flavorings. A new finding for brewing infusions is letting them steep for longer periods of time than you would a tea.

Tea Beauty Tips

[Tweet “Tea and herbal infusions can also provide inexpensive beauty aids”]

Tea and herbal infusions can also provide inexpensive beauty aids. Here are some quick remedies for everyday uses for tea bags:

  • Reduce dark circles and puffy eyelids – Place used bags of tea on your eyelids.
  • Relieve the sting in sunburns – Cold compresses of tea bags help to relieve the redness and pain.
  • Smelly feet – place tea bags inside your shoes. Soak your feet in a solution of cooled tea as it helps stop the spread of bacteria and fungus.
  • Condition dry hair – make a quart of warm tea as a final rinse after shampooing.
  • Soothe and dry a rash – dip a cotton ball into strong brewed tea and dab on the affected area. Repeat as necessary.
  • Antique new items – soak garments in a tea bath to create an “antique” look for tablecloths, or other linens and lace. Steep in strong tea solution for 20 minutes.
  • Rose bushes – put used tea leaves around your rose bushes to give nutrients to the roo

Making the Perfect Cup of Tea:

teasign

  1. Always start with fresh cold water in your tea kettle.
  2. Warm your teapot by swirling a small amount of boiling water in it or fill teapot with hot tap water and pour out just before the water in the tea kettle comes to a boil.
  3. Measure your tea and place into the teapot or into an infuser basket. If using teabags, place then into the teapot.
  4. Pour the freshly boiled water over the tea leaves or teabags. If using green tea or a tisane, use the water just as it comes to a boil.
  5. Leave the tea leaves to steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the leaves from the pot as an extended time can make the tea bitter.
  6. Pour tea into a cup and enjoy.

While the benefits of drinking tea not only add nutrients and healing properties, just the fact of taking the time to sit down and enjoy tea time adds to our well being. Tea is not just a leaf on a tree, it can be the gift of eternal life if we share Jesus one teacup at a time

[Tweet “Tea is not just a leaf on a tree, it can be the gift of eternal life if we share Jesus one teacup at a time”]

Proverbs 4:22 “For His Words are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

Penelope Carlevato

Penelope Carlevato

 

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Tea on the Titanic.

About Penelope Carlevato

PenelopeV4

Born in England, Penelope was raised in an English home on the plains of South Dakota. Her mother, a British war bride, loved to have friends and family in for tea. Penelope grew up with an apron tied around her waist and has continued the tradition of hospitality learned at her mother’s feet. She and her husband, Norm, reside in Colorado and are the proud parents of 3 and the grandparents of 11. Whenever the grandchildren are around, there will always be a tea party!

Penelope has been involved in Women’s Ministries in her local church, a Bible Study leader, mentoring, and is an international speaker. She is the founder of Penelope’s Tea Time, a retail tea business, which she operated for 20 years. She has taught classes on “The Art of Afternoon Tea” and co-hosted a cooking show called “Cooking up Wonders,” and currently writes a column for the magazine “Leading Hearts.” Her love of England and tea was the stimulus for her “Taste of Britain Tea Tours.” Her books, Tea on the Titanic, and First Class Etiquette are available on Amazon or her website . Please sign up for her blog, Tea Musing from Penelope.

book-tea-on-titanic

 

 

March 30, 2015
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Love Your Body with a Pure Mind

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Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

In our Love Your Body series the last Monday of the month, I’ve been focusing on ways to eat healthy and exercise regularly. But today I want to talk about a part of the body we haven’t discussed, our mind. Yes, our mind is a part of our body and our mind determines what we put into our body, as well as what we do with our body.

[Tweet “Our mind is a part of our body, and our mind determines what we put into our body as well as what we do with our body.”]

A Pure Mind is a Healthy Mind

[Tweet “We can’t have a healthy body, without having a healthy mind.”]

We can’t have a healthy body, without having a healthy mind. That’s why Paul warned that when we become Christians: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

If you have a healthy pure mind, you’ll be able to test for yourself what God wants you eating, thinking, watching, reading, and doing. But…

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6

If you will, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2), you’ll never have to worry about dealing with a sick or impure mind.

Satan Wants You to Have a Sick Mind

In the past few weeks, there’s been lots of discussion about the book and movie Fifty Shades of Grey–whether or not it’s OK for Christians to read the book and see the movie. Looking at the Scriptures above, it’s hard for me to imagine that this would even be a conversation. The answers are so clear in the Bible.

You can eat organic, omit sugar, limit your red meat, get your daily quota of fruits and veggies, drink lots of water, and exercise every day, but you will never have a healthy body if you feed your mind with trash and smut.

[Tweet “You will never have a healthy body if you feed your mind with trash and smut.”]

[Tweet “Satan has worked hard at luring men into pornography and now he’s working on the women.”]

Satan has worked hard at luring men into pornography and now he’s working on the women. Sadly, Satan is having as much success with women as he did with the men. Movies and books like Fifty Shades of Grey are what the world today is calling entertainment. Don’t be deceived by the world, and don’t give the devil a foothold in your mind.

[Tweet “Don’t be deceived by the world, and don’t give the devil a foothold in your mind.”]

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 1 John 2:16

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

What’s A Christian to Do?

I know I’m probably singing to the choir here, so what’s a Christian woman to do who agrees with everything I’m saying? Well Titus 2 1-6 in the The Message spells out clearly our job as Christian women and men. We have to speak out and help our fellow sisters in Christ who are being lured into Satan’s trap:

[Tweet “Titus 2 1-6 in the The Message spells out clearly what our job is as Christian women and men.”]

Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.

If you are addicted to other “mommy porn” type books, and you think no one will know what you’re reading on your Kindle or tablet,  just remember that God is with you always and He knows what’s going into your mind. It’s breaking God’s heart and Satan is laughing. Yes, Satan is laughing because he has you just where he wants you—he’s infiltrated your mind.

Confess your problem to someone and find a mentor to help you renew, refresh, and reboot your mind.

Satan is Working Hard and Fast

This is not the only movie and book out there that shouldn’t be polluting our minds, and I wrote about that in the blog post Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See.

Which Mother and Wife Won’t See 50 Shades of Grey?

I’m sure you figured out that I won’t, but two other women who don’t want their mind filled with “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes” by seeing the film of the erotic novel are:

Actress Melanie Griffith, the mother of Dakota Johnson who plays the sexually brutalized young virgin in the movie. Mother Griffith said, “I would be very uncomfortable with it.”

Amelia Warner, the wife of Jamie Dornan who plays the sexually perverted lead actor, doesn’t want to watch her husband in the risqué sex scenes with another woman and won’t see the movie.

I totally understand why this mother and wife would not see this movie. What I don’t understand is why so many other mothers, wives, daughters, girlfriends, and future wives want to watch it as voyeurs. Can you?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

February 23, 2015
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Love Your Body with a Healthy Happy Heart

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Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Today is Love Your Body Monday, the last Monday of the month. This weekend ushers in February so I want to share with you a post about heart health since February is National Heart Disease Awareness Month.

[Tweet “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women.”]

You may be unaware that heart disease, not cancer, is the leading cause of death for women. Many of you know that I am a three-time breast cancer survivor, and I’m happy to say that I do have a very healthy heart, which I attribute to healthy eating and exercise. But my dear friend Grace Marestaing, who mentored me through breast cancer and to whom I dedicate my book Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide to Women on the Breast Cancer Journey, died in her sleep from Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) after surviving a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. Grace had no idea she had CHF.

[Tweet “Pamela Christian is a woman who miraculously survived sudden cardiac arrest “]

Pamela Christian was only in her 40’s when she miraculously survived sudden cardiac arrest and now devotes her life to increasing awareness to save physical and spiritual lives.

Pamela was working in ministry for over ten years when she literally died before defibrillation revived her. When she speaks about heart disease, Pamela asks her audiences, “What do faith and life insurance have in common?” Then she explains, “Both need to be fully in place before there’s a crisis.” From her own experience, she works to help people grasp the fragility of human life and the reality of life hereafter.

Pamela answers some questions about her near-death experience:

Pamela, you’ve been in ministry for over 20 years, but something happened in your life that greatly intensified your ministry work, tell us about that.

Yes, that “something” was a sudden cardiac arrest. I got up like any other morning, only that day I had the chance to play tennis with three women I’d not played with before. I thought the symptoms were simply a bad case of nerves. However, over the course of about twenty minutes, as my symptoms worsened, it became apparent it was much more than nerves.

You actually died. If it weren’t for the quick response to the 9-1-1- call and the Emergency Medical Professionals who witnessed your sudden cardiac arrest progression, ultimately defibrillating you, you wouldn’t be here today.

[Tweet “I was flat-lined for about one full minute”]

That’s exactly right. They documented that my heart completely stopped. I was flat-lined for about one full minute or more and during that time, my soul and spirit entered a different dimension, one that I can’t possibly describe because there are no human words to express the glorious, euphoric dimension. I can only refer to it as the threshold of heaven. I knew I was in the center of God’s sovereign care. I had no sense of any external limits, just that I was in the very center.

There was a white light off in the distance, but it didn’t beckon me. It was incredibly peaceful—again no adequate words to describe the feeling. I was aware that I was a wife and mother and not on earth or with my family, but I knew they were also in God’s sovereign care. So when the paramedics zapped me with the defibrillators, and I could sense being drawn back to my body, I felt agitated that anyone would disturb me. I didn’t want to leave that experience.

You’ve since expanded your ministry to include a heart-disease awareness effort. I love the name “Bless Your Heart.” Tell us a little more about that.

After my experience, I set out to learn more about cardiovascular disease and I learned that it, not cancer, is the leading cause of death for women. Next month is February, national heart-disease awareness month, so I’m grateful for this opportunity to share. Bless Your Heart is an awareness campaign with the slogan, “Helping Women Everywhere, Become Aware,” because with awareness we can save lives. I had no clue that my mild symptoms were the onset of sudden cardiac arrest. For most women, the symptoms are so mild that we dismiss them.

People need to know too, that sudden cardiac arrest is very different from a heart attack. Until recently, sudden cardiac arrest was sudden cardiac death—no one survived. Now with the increased accessibility of defibrillators, about 5% of witnessed victims who receive defibrillation survive.

You’ve written a power-packed E-book entitled Bless Your Heart, Your Health and Your Life – A Lifestyle Plan that Puts You in Charge. Briefly tell us about it.

Pamela Christians book

Learning that proper information, diet, and exercise, can prevent many deaths from cardiovascular disease, I had to make the information available. I’m happy to offer a PDF version of my booklet to one of your readers today. It’s available on Kindle and through my website store.

With your near-death experience, most people would slow down, but you’ve increased your ministry work. Why is that?

[Tweet “When the day comes that we die, our soul and spirit will live on somewhere else.”]

I know that God created humans with a temporal body, eternal soul, and spirit. When the day comes that we die, our soul and spirit will live on somewhere else. I’ve studied the major world religions and New Age, and I’m confident that the Bible and the Christian faith provide the only reasonable explanation for our existence. Sadly, Christian faith in America is on a steady decline as people succumb to the lie that truth is relative and all roads lead to the same God and heaven.

[Tweet “Having tasted the reality of heaven, I must spend my time helping others discover the only legitimate Truth”]

Having tasted the reality of heaven, I must spend my time helping others discover the only legitimate Truth—only belief in Jesus Christ leads to heaven. That’s why I wrote my first two books in my Faith to Live By book series, Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies endorsed by Josh McDowell, and released late 2014, and Renew Your Hope! Remedy for Personal Breakthroughs, endorsed by Dr. Charles H. Kraft and others.

The reviews have been exceedingly gratifying. It’s available at all major retailers and on my web site pamelachristianministries.com. My desire is to help many more people discover and live in life-giving truth and it’s eternal hope.

No one wants to live his or her life based on a lie. But, unless we intentionally examine what we believe and why we believe it, we could very easily be deceived and not know it. Unless our hope is firmly rooted in truth, we are without hope.

Since the human soul and spirit are eternal, and what we believe in this life determines our destiny, shouldn’t the single most important quest in life be discovering the Truth?

Thank you Pam for all you do and for sharing your heart with us today.

Warning Signs of Cardiovascular Disease

All women need to be aware of the warning signs of cardiovascular disease and learn how to help save lives. Visit Pamela’s Bless Your Heart Campaign website.

Pamela’s print books are available at all major retailers.

You can hear her amazing story at blessyourheartcampaign.com.

Win a Free Book

Pamela is offering a free PDF version of her booklet Bless Your Heart, Your Health and Your Life – A Lifestyle Plan that Puts You in Charge to one of you!

If you’re reading this blog online, click on the “leave a comment” silver circle on the right at the end of this blog and a comment box will appear for you to leave your comment.

If you have received this blog via email, click here to the online blog post. Scroll to the end of the post to the “leave a comment” silver circle on the right and a comment box appears for you to leave your comment.

Pamela Christian

For over twenty years, Pamela Christian has been helping people in matters of faith. Ministry for Pam began as Teaching Director for Community Bible study, followed by speaking at retreats and conferences where invited, coast to coast. Expanding her ministry included hosting live Christian talk-radio in two major markets and work in commercial television. With a certificate in apologetics from Biola University, membership with the International Society of Women in Apologetics and Christian Women in Media, all of Pam’s work is to compassionately help people discover and live in the same life-giving truth that she has been blessed to find. Her fervent interests are faith, family, friends and food, so it is not unusual to find her dotingly planning gatherings and cooking to bring all her passions together. She and her husband live in Orange County, CA, with their two grown children and families living nearby.

January 26, 2015
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Love Your Body During the Holidays

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Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

No escaping it, the Holidays are upon us with all the temptations and frustrations of trying to maintain a healthy diet.

I think the downward slope starts with Halloween and the candy and then we slide into fall recipes using yummy pumpkin that always includes lots of sugar. Just as the last of the candy wrappers disappear in the trash . . . along comes Thanksgiving. The day we thank God for His provision by feasting.

This year, as Thanksgiving weekend ends . . .  it’s already December 1 so Christmas parties start the next week touting cookies, candy, fudge, eggnog, cakes, pies, and lots of calorie-ridden, fat-laden food! It’s easy to lose heart—literally and figuratively—and decide you’ll just throw caution to the wind and get back to that healthy eating January 1.

But hey, then there’s the nibbles watching the New Year’s parade and football, and it’s too cold to go outside and exercise so those extra few pounds over the holidays can quickly morph to a couple of new dress sizes. Then it’s Super Bowl parties, Valentine’s Day, and the indulging cycle continues as New Year’s resolutions to do better this year become a faint memory.

What’s a Body to Do?

Thanksgiving

[Tweet “There really is a way to stay in control of your health and still enjoy the holidays.”]

There really is a way to stay in control of your health and still enjoy the holidays. I do it every year and you can too; but you have to have a plan in place. Pray about how you’re going to deal with all the tempting food you’ll soon be encountering before you encounter it. Ask God to give you wisdom and discernment on what to eat, how much to eat, what to cook, how to cook it, and what to avoid.

Our usual tactic is to promise ourselves we’ll be good, and then when we get to the party throw caution to the wind . . . and then beat ourselves up the next day when we get on the scales. So here are some tips I’ve found helpful over the years. Please share any you have too:

1. I do get on the scales every day so I can keep a handle on my weight. If you wait until noticing those extra pounds in how your clothes fit, chances are you’re going to have a tough time getting them off. If I see I’ve gained a few pounds, I take that seriously and layoff desserts and eat smaller portions until I lose the extra weight.

[Tweet “If you have an exercise regime don’t stop. If you don’t have one, start! “]

2. If you have an exercise regime don’t stop. If you don’t have one, start! Even though the holidays can be crazy, do this for you! Give yourself the gift that keeps on giving. Exercise helps with stress, gets the endorphins pumping, and burns calories. Find a way to fit it in. In bad weather, take laps around a mall, or I’ve done laps inside a church. Get some girlfriends to join you. I have an elliptical machine in the garage that keeps me exercising throughout the winter.

3. Take a green salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing to a potluck or party. That way you know there’s something healthy for you to eat. As you go down the buffet line, take only a spoonful of things you really love and be especially mindful of Jell-O salads usually loaded with sugar and fat. Don’t go back for seconds.

4. When there’s a selection of desserts, have a small piece of the one you love the most. Or take tiny servings of several. If you bite into one and it isn’t as good as you thought it would be, don’t eat it!

5. Let your stomach guide you. Most of us feel uncomfortable when we overeat, so when you start to feel the belt or waistband tighten around your middle, STOP eating.

6. If you love bread, let yourself have a small piece but don’t use butter. If it’s store-bought dinner rolls, skip them.

7. If you’re out to dinner, make a visual line down the middle of your plate and only eat half of the meal. Ask for a to-go box for a tasty lunch tomorrow.

8. Drink water! Avoid punches, juices, soft drinks, and alcohol.

9. Enjoy stuffing or mashed potatoes without gravy. They’re delicious on their own. Also avoid “sauces.”

Cooking for the Holidays

I used to bring out all my recipes for childhood holiday favorites and spend a day or two in the kitchen making cookies and candy. Then I realized I was the one eating most of it! So now, I pick a favorite or two, and that’s it. Here are some ideas for making your recipes healthier:

1. Never use shortening in anything! Substitute coconut oil.

2. When a recipe calls for “vegetable” oil, again use coconut oil (you can melt it) or grapeseed oil or applesauce.

3. Cut the amount of sugar in half and substitute Stevia for the other half or use all Stevia, or stick with just half the sugar.

4. Use 2% milk, almond or coconut milk.

5. Substitute whole-wheat flour for some of the white flour (I use organic for both)

6. I don’t do gluten-free, but if you do, follow the recipes for the flours you use.

7. Avoid recipes that are pure sugar or fat. They’re not good for anyone.

8. If you’re making cookies with the grandkids, send most of the goodies home!

[Tweet “Remember that these holidays are not about food! “]

Remember that these holidays are not about food! When you gather together, it’s about the fellowship as you thank God for all His blessings and the greatest gift of all, His Son Jesus Christ.

I’m thankful for each of you and appreciate your following on my blog and your desire to live the best life you can for the Lord by loving His gift of your precious body. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

happy-thanksgiving

November 24, 2014
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Are You Loving Your Husband to Death?

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Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Several years ago, I led a group of women through Cynthia Heald’s Loving Your Husband Bible study. When we got to the chapter on “She Brings Him Good, not Harm,” I thought it would be a good time to talk about taking care of our husbands by feeding them well. The wives’ reactions stunned me. You would have thought I had asked them to give their husband’s a foot massage every night!

How dare I think they had time in their busy schedules of—taking care of kids, car pools, the gym, working, and feeding picky kids—to worry about what they fed a husband who often came home after the family dinner anyway. How could I expect them to add preparing healthy food to their already overburdened lives!? Even as I write this, I can still hear the indignation and anger in their voices as each one agreed with the other that this was over the top!

After I recovered from my shock at their response, I said, “Don’t you want your husband to be around to help you raise your children? Don’t you want him to have a long, productive healthy life? Don’t you love him and care about his health?” They were not convinced.

Your Husband’s Well-Being Could Depend on You

[Tweet “Your Husband’s Well-Being Could Depend on You”]

When I try to encourage women whose husbands are overweight or have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or high blood sugar, or have just suffered a heart attack, to prepare healthy food for these beloved men, the wives often tell me meekly, “I can’t take away his one pleasure.” Seriously—food is his only pleasure? Or as I watched one wife give Kentucky Fried Chicken to her husband who had just had open-heart surgery, “He loves it so much. I can’t deny him food he likes.”

To all of these women I say, “You are loving your husband to death.”

[Tweet “Are you loving your husband to death?”]

I’ve heard all the excuses—he eats lunch on his own. I can’t be his conscience or police what he eats. He’ll make it himself if I don’t make it for him. He won’t eat anything else. If he doesn’t care, I don’t care. And on and on . . .

One woman commented on last month’s Loving Your Body—90 Days to a Physical Renewal blog post by Debbie Alsdorf: “And while my hubby is supportive of me doing what I need to do for good health, he can only take ‘healthy’ food so long and then he wants processed foods.”

Debbie’s reply:

“Though my husband is very supportive, he did not do this plan with me. What he did do is eat the basic same dinner that I ate so I wouldn’t have to prepare two different things. My dinners usually consisted of lean protein, salad, and vegetable. Last night I had delicious grilled chicken, mashed cauliflower and grilled zucchini. It doesn’t get much better….Really! Sometimes I would add a starch for him, but he ended up quite happy without it. He still had his ice cream at night….I got used to not joining him in that. Without doing it fully, he lost one shirt size and one pant size in the 90 days!

Love Your Husband to Life

“I want to meet this woman who has my dad eating turkey burgers!”—Michelle, hubby Dave’s oldest daughter

When Dave and I first started dating, he was a heavy beefeater and didn’t eat healthy. I’ve always eaten healthy since my first career was as a Registered Dietitian, so when I prepared a meal it was always chicken, turkey, or fish, no fried foods, lots of veggies and salads, no added salt, and very little sugar. Dave probably went along with this because he wanted to make a good impression and was falling in love.

However, after we were married he had some real adjustments to make to what I cooked at home, but he ate whatever he wanted at lunch. Dave had always had bronchial problems and he was on antibiotics far too often. I also knew that his dad had quadruple bypass surgery so Dave could have a propensity to heart disease also. We had a long talk and I said how much I loved him and wanted him to be around for a long time, and I would do my part by making sure the food I fed him was healthy and that he got exercise with me at the gym.

Dave lost 10 pounds our first year of marriage, his bronchial issues went away, and he started enjoying the food I prepared. I honored the foods he didn’t like, but introduced him to a new way of eating. Whenever he protested, I just reminded him that I loved him and wanted us to grow old together. Love won him over.

Then twelve years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, we took eating healthy to another level. We budgeted to buy exclusively organic, avoid processed foods, and eat raw as much as possible. I still didn’t give Dave foods he didn’t like, but I didn’t give him a food he did like if it wasn’t good for him or me. Dave’s response: If this will save my wife’s life, I’ll do whatever it takes.

He also agreed to start taking his lunches instead of the fast food he was grabbing. Now after 22 years of feeding my hubby healthy food, his doctor says he is 98% healthier than the men the doctor sees in his practice. At 68 years-old, Dave takes no medications, all of his blood work is pristine, and he is in excellent health.

I loved my husband to life and you can too.

[Tweet “I loved my husband to life and you can too.”]

Here is what I responded to the woman in the blog comment above whose husband wanted processed foods:

I will be praying for you. I know all the health issues you’ve had and I’m sure healthy eating would help you so much. God provides healthy “fuel” to keep our bodies running optimally. My hubby had a hard time too at first, but when I had breast cancer (now three times), he agreed to do whatever it took. He had made many changes when we married, but he made huge strides after breast cancer. But he doesn’t do everything I do…and that’s ok.

Maybe you could convince your hubby that healthy eating would be so good for him too…because you love him and want him to be around for a long time. But until then, make the change yourself and set the example as he watches you enjoy more energy and live healthier.

Practical Tips

1. For years, I didn’t cook veggies Dave doesn’t like: asparagus, onions, peppers, cauliflower, beets, cooked spinach, and artichokes. Then it dawned on me: I could make them for myself! Dave will eat raw spinach in salads so we eat it that way, which is much better for us. Often a hearty salad is dinner. Read labels on salad dressings or make your own heart-healthy ones with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs.

2. Bake, broil, grill, BBQ, roast, and steam. Don’t fry.

3. You are probably the main purchaser of food, so don’t have tempting, unhealthy food in the house.

4. Cook with herbs instead of salt. Don’t set the saltshaker on the table.

5. Cut back on red meat to several times a week, or none if he will agree and eat more wild fish, and organic or grass-fed chicken and turkey. Substitute turkey burger for hamburger. Eliminate processed/brined lunchmeats. Roast a turkey or chicken and slice for sandwiches.

6. Offer to pack a lunch for him. If he doesn’t agree, then be sure the meals you do prepare for him are healthy.

7. Do some research into what “healthy” means. For example if cholesterol is a problem, learn what foods are high in cholesterol. A simple “Google” search will provide answers to many of your questions.

8. Cut back on portion size. Dish up food on plates in the kitchen instead of putting food on the table with the temptation to have a second or third helping.

9. Limit desserts to special occasions or maybe on a weekend night—not every night.

10. Avoid casseroles—they are usually high in fat and calories. Another fallacy I often hear is that it just takes too much time to eat healthy. Not true. It’s much quicker to broil a lean piece of chicken or fish, steam veggies, and make a salad then the time it takes to make lasagna or a casserole.

[Tweet “Smother your hubby with love with foods his body will love!”]

Smother your hubby with love and let him know you are researching ways to prepare good tasting healthy foods that his body will love because you and God love him so much and want him to be around for a long long time. What husband could resist that? Mine can’t, and he’s so happy, happy, happy . . .

My hubby is Happy Happy Happy and Healthy!

My hubby is Happy Happy Happy and Healthy!

 

 

 

August 25, 2014
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90 Days to a Physical Renewal

20

 

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

It’s the last Monday of the month so today is another article in our Love Your Body Sereis. Our guest blogger today is Debbie Alsdorf, a dear friend, and fellow author, speaker, and breast cancer survivor. When I saw on Facebook that Debbie had been diagnosed with breast cancer, I sent her my book Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey. Debbie used my book as a devotional every morning and she said it was as if I was walking through her journey with her, which was my vision for this book.

Then I started to reading about Debbie’s amazing diet changes that she’s been sharing with all her Facebook followers. All her changes were the things I’ve been writing about in the Love Your Body series and try to get women and men to embrace in their daily lives. I thought you would be doubly inspired to hear from a woman who has put healthy eating and exercise into practice by tossing out all the old excuses and surrendering her body to God—loving her body like God loves it. Enjoy and please leave a comment and let Debbie and me know how her sharing has helped and inspired you to also Love Your Body.

 My Wake-up Call

By Debbie Alsdorf

“Let the weak say “ I am strong.” Joel 3:10 AMP

Three months ago, my cupboard shelves were filled with the latest diet products—nutrition bars, snack packs, and 90-calorie “this-and-that.” Despite having a pantry filled with diet foods, I’ve been a consistent 40 pounds overweight for many years. As I’ve gotten older, the weight has clung to me. Nothing I did seemed to budge the pudge, as my appetite for sweets, comfort, and junk foods kept growing stronger. Each day brought fatigue and frustration. I saw no end in sight.

Then in the middle of yet another “diet plan,” I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a wake-up call. The shock was enough to make me lose my appetite for a few weeks, but after the shock wore off, discouragement set in. Though my instruction was to exercise and lose any excess weight for optimal health and to reduce the chance of a reoccurrence, I couldn’t bring myself to do either. After surgery and six weeks of daily radiation treatments, I began to take a cancer-preventive drug that had side effects: hot flashes, bone pain, fatigue, nausea and weight gain. Ugh! Worse yet, I was to take this drug for five years. Discouragement seems to call for comfort foods, and in the blink-of-an-eye, I added ten pounds to my already overweight frame.

When the symptoms began to get ridiculous, my oncologist had me stop the drug. I apparently was not a candidate for this normal protocol. My only hope would be to take care of my body through nutrition, proper rest, and physical exercise. Easier said than done! I had never been able to do it in the past, so what made me think I could now?

The 90 Day Challenge

A doctor suggested I try a strict protocol of no sugar, no dairy, and no grain for 90 days. These foods cause inflammation—fuel for any disease. This strict protocol also would help insulin resistance and the liver problems I had been plagued with for years.

 [Tweet “A doctor suggested I try a strict protocol of no sugar, no dairy, and no grain for 90 days. These foods cause inflammation—fuel for any disease. “]

My initial thought was no way! I didn’t want to be that weird girl who couldn’t eat what everyone else could eat, and I didn’t want to make others uncomfortable. I travel a lot for speaking and often eat whatever the venue is serving. I am in airports, long car rides . . . I kept thinking of all the excuses that would keep me from taking care of me.

 [Tweet “I kept thinking of all the excuses that would keep me from taking care of me.”]

Truth was, I just didn’t want to change because I had little faith that I really could change. I didn’t want to give up anything I liked, even if it was hurting me. But, I knew without a doubt, it was time to take care of myself. Thus began the journey of 90 days to freedom from the bondage of all my comfort foods. I have to be honest, the first two weeks were terrible. I experienced withdrawals and that was a wake-up call in itself. What drug was I withdrawing from? Sugars and grains.

From the Inside Out

            “He satisfies my mouth with good things, so my youth is renewed...” Psalm 103:5 NKJV

A week ago, I completed the 90 day protocol. I have no desire to add back into my diet the desserts and snacks that were my old best friends. Not only do I feel better, but after 90 days, my blood work returned to normal. All levels have improved dramatically, and I am no longer fatigued or frustrated. Instead, I am sleeping well, waking up energized, no longer napping every day, lost 6 inches off my waistline, and am now 28 pounds lighter!

[Tweet “After 90 days, my blood work returned to normal.”]

What Plan Did I Follow?

I didn’t follow a “plan.” No gimmicks, no diet foods, and no anxiety over weight loss. Instead, I concentrated on eating nutritious, whole foods. Some call this “eating clean” or paleo; but I’ve tweaked it to make it my own personal way of eating that I believe God helped me discover. Rather than thinking of all I couldn’t eat, I chose to focus on what I could eat. I began filling up my plate with lean proteins, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and a few fruits.

 [Tweet “Rather than thinking of all I couldn’t eat, I chose to focus on what I could eat.”]

You may have noticed that processed foods were not on my list. What I never knew is that my love for sugars, carbs, and processed foods aided the development of a fatty liver, which caused me all kinds of problems. Besides cancer, I was on a slippery slope as fatty liver can develop into cirrhosis, and cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer. With the change in diet, my liver went back to normal!

My New Normal

My first mother’s day after cancer brought the joy of being alive. My children bought me a NutriBullet, and that is when things went into high gear. Now I was juicing delicious veggie and fruit smoothies every day. Spinach, kale, chard, chia seeds, almond milk, and half a frozen banana. I was also advised to give up all artificial sweeteners, so I added a little stevia to taste and said good-bye to diet soft drinks. I can’t explain what these vegetables have done for me . . . there are no words. Suffice it to say, I have not felt this good for at least twenty years!

This new eating journey takes a little more work up front. I prepare and plan a bit more than I did before. I read restaurant menus a little longer and choose what is good for me ,not what I feel like having in the moment. I carry healthy snacks and water and find it a small inconvenience in comparison with how great I feel.

Walking My Way to Wellness

Once I started getting used to no sugar, grain or dairy, I knew it was time to start getting physical. I put my Fitbit on one day just to get a baseline of my normal daily steps. Pathetically, 1078 steps by 5 pm! 10,000 is the suggested steps we all should strive for each day. I had my work cut out for me. I was lazy from being so inactive. I had zero motivation and never even went to the health club where I had a membership. Every cancer support group touted exercise as the magic bullet to renewed health, so I realized I had to make more changes.

Things have changed. No longer lazy and inactive, I now look for ways to move my body and schedule exercise into my schedule six days a week. This morning, I was up walking with my friend at 6:30 am. We walk about 4 miles or 8,000 steps. At dinnertime, I was at 17,000 steps! Quite a change. I must say that at first, it felt like someone was coming over and putting a leash on me to drag me out for a walk. I went along with it—I didn’t like it— but I knew I had to do something. Just like the first few weeks of no sugar was hard, the first few weeks of exercise were just as hard. Over time, I have come to look forward to walking every bit as much as I look forward to my morning shake.

 You Can Change

Did you know that you can change? Our habits and comforts don’t have to rule us any longer. When we yield our bodies and our food issues to God, He begins the work in us. Yielding doesn’t mean we do nothing. Once I knew I needed to change, I began to ask Jesus for the grace to succeed. Every day I thanked Him that I would get to my goal weight. I didn’t have a date in mind; I just knew it had to happen. I took 90 days, one day at a time. Some days I went to bed pretty hungry and other days I forgot to eat when I should have eaten. Food was slowly losing its power over me. I am still not at my goal weight. I have about 15 pounds to go, but I am now living this new lifestyle one day at a time.

 [Tweet “Our habits and comforts don’t have to rule us any longer. “]

Since the 90 days are over, I am carefully adding in foods one at a time. I have no plans to add back in the junk, just good wholesome things. Each day, I still pray the same thing,

“Dear Lord give me the grace and strength to make it to my health goals. Guide me today into what is right for my individual body. Thank you that I will reach my goal because I have prayed to you for the grace to make it and the strength to see the new path before me”

Recommendations for Cancer Prevention

I received the following guidelines after my breast cancer diagnosis:

  •   Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight
  •   Be physically active for at least 30 minutes daily
  •   Avoid sugary drinks and foods
  •   Eat a variety of vegetables and fruits
  •   Avoid processed foods and meats
  •   Use meat as a condiment and focus on vegetables
  •  After cancer treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention. Following these recommendations could help prevent at least 1/3 of all cancers.

Physical and Spiritual Renewal

I’m on a path of discovering that walking with God is a sacred journey that encompasses every area of our lives. I no longer dread the scale and I am not looking for the latest and greatest diet. I am eating when I am hungry and filling up with good things. It is wonderful to begin taking care of me after years of neglect. I love God, am a Christian author and Bible study teacher, but the one area I previously refused to look at was the discipline of surrendering my body to its Maker. I am grateful for the gift I found in the middle of a cancer diagnosis. It was a wake-up call that awakened my soul to fresh surrender and my body to renewed health.

 [Tweet “I no longer dread the scale and I am not looking for the latest and greatest diet.”]

My Morning Green Shake

green shake

4 ice cubes

1 Cup Almond Milk

4-5 frozen Mango Chunks

½ banana

2 handfuls (2 cups) of power greens (spinach, kale, chard)

1 T. Chia Seed

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (sweetened with Stevia)

(This is Janet speaking, if you’ve had breast cancer be sure to check the label of any protein powders to be sure they don’t contain soy. Most do.)

Stevia to taste              You can use other fruits, this is my favorite.

After 30 pound loss in 90 days

After 30 pound loss in 90 days

 

Debbie Alsdorf before 30 pound weight loss

Debbie Alsdorf before 30 pound weight loss

Debbie Alsdorf has been a women’s ministry leader for over 25 years. She is an Amazon bestselling author, international speaker, and the founder of Design4Living Ministries. Affectionately known as a cheerleader of hope, Debbie holds out God’s Word to women with compassion and application. Her messages are real and a mix of wit, humor, and biblical truth. Her life’s work is to encourage women to embrace God’s love for them and learn to live in the life changing realities of God’s Word in the practical places of everyday life.

She is the author of twelve books, A Woman Who Trusts God, A Different Kind of Wild,  Deeper, The Faith Dare (Revell) and The Design 4 Living Bible Study Series (David C. Cook).

July 28, 2014
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Eating Fast Is Detrimental To Your Health

4
Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

While I was finishing the first of three fish tacos on my plate, my friend was polishing off her third.

At banquet tables or eating out, I’m the last one finished eating while the waiter hovers over my shoulder wanting to take away my plate.

I’m a slow eater. Some might say that’s because I talk a lot and like to socialize over a meal, but I also like to enjoy my food. I chew carefully and take my time between bites. I’ve been amazed at how fast some people eat. The trend toward eating “fast food” at “fast food restaurants” has definitely turned us into a population that eats too fast.

Or

[Tweet “our schedules are so overcrowded that we have to gulp down our food so we can get to the next event.”]

Nutritional experts agree that learning to eat slowly is one of the simplest, yet most powerful, things you can do to improve your overall health.

[Tweet “Nutritional experts agree that learning to eat slowly is one of the simplest, yet most powerful, things you can do to improve your overall health. “]

Now that’s worth slowing down and learning about!

In our Love Your Body series, which is the last Monday of the month, let’s look at:
• the benefits of eating slowly
• how to determine if you’re a fast eater
• how to eat slower

Are You Trying to Lose Weight?

I’ve often had the fleeting thought that if I eat fast, I can eat more delicious food before my stomach tells me I’m full. That’s actually true! Or if I hurry through a meal, I’ll still have room for dessert. That might be true too. But I can guarantee you, I’ll soon be looking for the papaya pills to settle my stomach and I won’t be too happy when I step on the scales.

It takes about twenty minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to send out satiety signals. So theoretically, you could eat more if you eat fast, but that defeats any attempts at losing weight or helping prevent indigestion.

I’ve observed that the majority of people today don’t have meals that even last twenty minutes!

There’s no fooling our metabolism. No matter how fast you eat, more food still turns into more calories, any way you slice it.

[Tweet “There’s no fooling our metabolism. No matter how fast you eat, more food still turns into more calories, any way you slice it.”]

Leisurely eating allows ample time to trigger the signal from your brain when you’ve eaten enough and it’s time to stop. So if you don’t let your body register that you don’t need to eat any more, you could easily eat far more calories than your body needs.

A too-full feeling isn’t comfortable, so if you let your body gradually reach it’s satiety point, you’re going to feel more satisfied, consume less calories, and let the body go through a healthy digestive process.

The latest study to illustrate the importance of slowing down your eating appeared in the January 2014 issue of Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

Researchers found that you might consume fewer calories over the course of a meal when you eat slowly. An additional finding was that normal-weight people tend to chew more slowly in general than those who are overweight or obese.

Do You Suffer from Indigestion or Feeling Bloated?

When we start eating, our body needs time to prepare for digesting our food. If you eat fast, you often don’t chew as carefully and take in extra air with every bite. So food arrives in your digestive track as a large lump before all the enzymes can get there to break it down and extract the nutrients. Improperly digested food mixed with air is going to give you a tummy ache.

How Do You Know if You’re Eating too Fast?

If you hear yourself say, “I’m so full I couldn’t eat another bite.” Reaching a comfortable satiety point means you’re satisfied before you feel “full” and uncomfortable.

If you’re hungry an hour or so after a meal. You may have eaten so fast you never let yourself reach the satiety point resulting in eating between meals.

If you can’t remember what you ate at your last meal.
If you look up from your last bite, and everyone else at the table still has full plates.
If you often suffer from gas, bloating, or a tummy ache.
If you never feel satisfied after a meal.
If you take second and third helpings.
If meals at your house are something to rush through instead of savor and enjoy.
If you hear yourself saying to your kids, “Hurry up and eat!”

How Can You Start Eating Slower?

Dr. Jan Chozen Bays, author of Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food, says,

“I think the fundamental problem is that we go unconscious when we eat.”

  • Chew slower. The consensus is that we should take 40 chews per bite.
    • Eat more raw and unprocessed foods that require more chewing.
    • Focus on what you’re eating—how it tastes, texture, pleasurable.
    • Don’t eat while watching TV, texting, looking at your phone, or at the computer.
    • Try not to eat alone. Engage in conversation with others.
    • Put your fork down frequently.
    • Stop and take drinks of water between bites.
    • Eat three regular meals.
    • Don’t go more than four hours between meals. When you’re starving, you eat faster.
    • Don’t eat standing up. Sit comfortably.
    • Create an inviting eating atmosphere. Set an attractive table with placemats or a tablecloth and maybe even a vase of flowers.
    • Stop and enjoy every bite.

“Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things will be yours.” ~Swedish Proverb

 

June 30, 2014
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Love Your Body–On Vacation

9

Love your BodyHave you ever said . . .?

 “I travel so much I can’t eat healthy.”

“We’re on vacation, so we’ll worry about healthy eating when we get home.”

“I eat out a lot and it’s impossible to eat healthy.”

Today is the last Monday of the month so it’s time for another Love Your Body message. Since I just returned from 10 glorious days in the Bahamas with the Love Song Couples Getaway, weighing less than when I got on the plane to leave, I thought this would be an appropriate topic today. Check in next Monday for more about this wonderful vacation with 250 other Christian couples!

On The Road Again

Many of you have heard me speak in your area and know that I travel a great deal, which means I’m often not eating my “normal” food. If I were to adopt the philosophy that we can’t eat healthy while traveling, I would be doing my body a huge disservice. Remember, that your body doesn’t take a break from the effects of unhealthy eating while you’re on vacation or away from home. Your body still expects you to cherish and love it enough to fuel yourself with nutritious food.

When you come home and step on the scales, you don’t want all the memories of that wonderful trip to fade with the guilt and depression that often accompanies gaining weight or the scolding from your doctor because your cholesterol, blood sugar, or blood pressure are off the charts.

Yes, No!

We often associate eating out as a special occasion, especially when we’re on vacation. Since we’re indulging or splurging on the trip, we can carry over that same “special occasion” mentality to eating.

I never feel like I’m denying myself anything, but I do use the same guidelines when traveling that I do when I’m eating out anywhere. Here are a few of my healthy eating habits and I’d love to hear some of yours.

The Menu—Choose Wisely

1. The first choice starts when they hand you the menu or you’re perusing the menu board. This is the restaurants marketing tool. Most restaurants don’t worry about feeding you healthy; they just want food to taste good (which can mean lots of butter, salt, or sugar) and you to spend a lot of money. Knowing this, don’t be enticed to eat something you normally would avoid.

2. Don’t stop to read any item with the description: fried, breaded, gravy, rich sauce, rich, buttered, or any ingredient you typically wouldn’t eat. That eliminates about ¾ of the menu items.

3. I don’t eat red meat so that usually reduces the menu to one or two choices. Then I choose between those based on what I feel like eating.

4. Drink water! It’s free and you should always drink a lot of water when traveling.

5. If they offer half portions, choose that or ask if you can get a small salad or half a sandwich. Or split something with whomever you’re eating with, as long as they are choosing something you should eat.

6. Ask for any sauces or salad dressings on the side.

7. Restaurants usually give chips or French fries as a side with sandwiches. Ask for fresh fruit, a small salad, or sliced tomatoes instead. If they don’t substitute, then hold the fries or chips. Then you won’t be tempted to munch on them.

8. Avoid “value meals” that include fries and a drink. You don’t need the fries and water is free, so just order the sandwich/taco/burrito or salad by itself.

9. Choose flame-grilled, baked, broiled, or poached meat or fish. Pan-fried means lots of butter. Be sure to clarify if “grilled” is on a grate or on a grill. The grill is usually very greasy and you wouldn’t want to know what they use for “grease” on those grills.

Be Prepared

1. I take my own breakfast. A package of instant oatmeal reconstituted with hot water from the coffee machine in every hotel room works great. I always have a couple of packages and plastic spoons in my suitcase. I usually don’t eat “instant” foods, but in this case it’s better than the alternatives.

Or I might take a breakfast bar—but be careful to read-labels as we talked about in the March Love Your Body—Read Labels blog. So called “nutrition bars’ can be lethal. I like Trader Joes’ “A Fruit Stepped into a Bar.” If the room has a refrigerator, I’ll stock it with orange juice and fresh fruit.

Breakfast can be a huge diet buster with all the fattening, high cholesterol, high sodium choices. If you do eat breakfast out, or it comes with the room, use the menu guidelines above.

2. I bring my own snacks. My daughter Kim once said, “My mother takes her nuts everywhere with her.” That’s a true statement. I always have a baggie of mixed nuts I’ve created from raw, organic, unsalted nuts. I mix walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, sunflower seeds, macadamias, and whatever other nuts I have on hand. You’ll never find me on a trip without my homemade “trail mix.” If you don’t like the taste of raw nuts, toast very lightly at 275 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Most nuts are roasted at such a high temperature it destroys the nutrients.

Dried fruit can also be added to the mix or eaten on it’s own. Be sure there’s no sodium sulfite added as a preservative.

3. If we’re staying for a while, we stop by a local grocery store and get a flat of water and fresh fruit and juice for breakfast.

4. When starting out on a trip, I always pack a lunch for the first meal whether on a plane or by car. I usually make almond butter or peanut butter and sugar-free jelly sandwiches. They don’t need refrigeration and are a welcome break from airport food.

Better To Go To Waste then Waist!

1. Stop eating when you’re full. If you have a refrigerator in your room, ask for a to-go box and save for another meal. Otherwise, let it go.

2. Again, offer to split something with another diner, unless they’re eating something you shouldn’t. My husband and I often split—well I actually eat about a third—but sometimes he orders something I don’t want to eat so then I don’t split with him.

3. Sometimes eating from the children’s menu is good for smaller portions, but beware—often time’s it’s fried and breaded food like chicken nuggets and fries or grilled cheese, which might be bad for you even though it’s cheaper and a smaller portion.

Above All Enjoy Yourself

1. Treat yourself to an occasional dessert or favorite food. The last night of our Bahamas vacation, we ate at Johnny Rockets and there was nothing on the menu that appealed to me. So, I enjoyed a chocolate, peanut butter real milkshake and sweet potato fries for dinner, without guilt, because I had been very careful the rest of the time!

2. We also ate at the famous Twin Brothers Fish Fry in Nassau. Just by the name, I knew I would love the fish but not fried. And walla, they offered a foil steamed package of grouper with all the veggies and plantains inside. Two Guys Fish Fry

Steamed grouper @ Two Guys Fish Fry

We also saw everyone drinking these amazing looking strawberry smoothies—well they were actually daiquiris but we don’t drink so we asked for them nonalcoholic! Delicious and cheaper!

Yummy smootiesYummy strawberry smoothies

Go The Extra Mile

1. Walk whenever possible.

2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Since we were on the 24th floor in Nassau that didn’t work for us, but it was a huge property and we intermingled walking around with lounging at the pool.

3. Take a stroll around the area after or before a meal.

Enjoy your vacation and love your body by eating well, using sunscreen, and fitting in some exercise!

Moderation is better than muscle,
self-control better than political power.—Proverbs 16:32, The Message

Please share what you do to eat healthy when away from home….

Next week, more about the Love Song Couples Getaway—Take Two

May 26, 2014
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