Healthy Food

So this has been on my mind more often lately because my uncle is in critical condition at the hospital for something diabetic related. In fact, most of my family has diabetes. And they could have prevented it by eating better. My mom has it pretty bad but still binges on diet coke and candy and is not willing to change her diet much. And it's not just diabetes that results from eating the typical American junk-food diet, you can get cancer or many other health complications as well. It just seems irresponsible and disrespectful to the body God gave you (if you know better). But most of us probably don't know better because we've just always been taught to trust the system.

I don't know if it's a Satanic conspiracy or what but it seems like the food that is popular and readily available is all terrible for you and will kill you in time or if you eat enough of it. So much sugar and unhealthy fats and grease. Advertisements with key words like, "all natural," "diet," or "low-fat" can be very misleading. Even the sugar free stuff is usually replaced with highly modified or poisonous substances like aspartame.

However, it is still possible to find some truly healthier foods out there if you are willing to put in a bit of effort. Let me list a few things to look for: organic is good (but even this doesn't assure it's healthy), non-GMO (genetically modified) is important, and try to minimize sugar and other artificial substances. There are great substitutes for sugar: stevia, xylitol, and agave syrup, to name a few. They don't have any of the negative effects on your body that sugar does.

So yeah, I think it's just a matter of getting your body used to that change. Even tonight I was thinking about getting a pizza or a burger but I told myself no and instead got some salmon (wild - not farmed, as the farmed ones hardly have any nutrients) and vegetables. I also got some healthy natural cereal with unsweetened almond/coconut milk which tastes nearly as good to me as the sugary name brand kind.

Now, I don't think you have to be obsessive about it. Our bodies can handle some junk. But we need to be eating around 90% healthy foods and 10% junk foods instead of 90% junk and 10% healthy like most Americans seem to do.

So what do you think? What do you eat? Would you like to eat healthier? Or do you think healthy food is for the birds?

I was raised in a family that ate terribly. junk food, fried food, fast food, lots of sugary treats, etc.. they all still eat terribly. And their health shows it. Diabetes runs in my family as well.

About a year ago, I started, with the encouragement of my friends, going for walks to get some exercise. I did not exercise at all before that and it, along with my diet, contributed to my own poor health. When I saw the impact that even this simple exercise had on my health, it led me to taking other parts more seriously, like my diet. And joining a gym for even more exercise.

Within a year, my health has basically been transformed. I`ll never be 100% healthy, but I`m the healthiest I`ve been in years. And it amazes me how far I`ve come in such a short time. It encourages me to keep going

All that to say... I don`t think society as a whole understands that we truly are what we eat. There`s a common understanding, that to be healthy you have to eat healthy, but what constitutes healthy eating is quite a mystery to a lot of people. AMany don`t understand what that means, because there`s really not a lot of encouragement to eat healthy. If you want to understand nutrition, the onus is on you to teach yourself.

And people are, generally speaking, quite lazy and comfortable with what they know. So we have a culture of junk food, and thats what people are raised eating, and thats what they prefer to eat. Because after a lifetime of eating unhealthy stuff, healthy food really isn`t that appealing, and can take a awhile to train the taste buds on - especially for the picky eaters (like my brother - he only likes to eat about five things, and none of them are healthy).

And it doesn`t help that the government is involved with companies, like Monsanto, that are poisoning our food. Well the American government at least, I`m not aware of any ties with my own government. But the GMOs and antibiotics and such are in our food supply too. And it amazes how its in everything. It can be a hassle to avoid if you`re committed to a GMO free diet.

Eating healthy can take some work, especially for people who are not used to that, but it is completely worth it.

There`s my novel for the night =)

I feel a little inferior because I don't have a novel to write here But I've found it easier than I expected to get all-natural and organic foods... but then, most supermarkets seem to have decent-sized organic sections these days.

My family doesn't eat "healthy", mainly cause nobody has the time for that. I was taught that as long exercise and are getting all of your vitamins and nutrients in you're diet, you're good.

Strider1002 wrote:

I feel a little inferior because I don't have a novel to write here :PBut I've found it easier than I expected to get all-natural and organic foods... but then, most supermarkets seem to have decent-sized organic sections these days.

Yes, that is one of the upsides of this situation. While there is more junk than ever, at least there is a market for genuinely healthy foods starting to appear in the US.

Good post L_T. +1

Strider1002 wrote:

I feel a little inferior because I don't have a novel to write here :PBut I've found it easier than I expected to get all-natural and organic foods... but then, most supermarkets seem to have decent-sized organic sections these days.

  Oh noes, they got to you too!

 Am I the only one left, brave enough to eat high fructose corn syrup?

Well you healthy folks eat your organic sea weed.

I shall be enjoying a bowl of fruity pebbles.

Besides, with all the preservatives in my food, my insides have a shelf life of at least 50 years..... 

Just like most of the people here, I come from a family with no rules on what we eat, when we eat and how much we eat. My mother was spoiling us like rotten. All access to sweet biscuits, chocolates, sodas and all that. You can pretty much guess that we did not turn out to be the "healthy" even though we consume fruits, vegies and fish. The bad stuffs just outnumbered the the good stuffs.

My mom died because of very poor health. My father is currently sick. Two of my sisters are struggling with their weight.

Since I moved to Dk, I have been making good choices with my food intake and how I make them. I make sure that I buy healthy stuffs and cook them in a healthy way - both. Since I am a self supporting student all this time, I have managed to "research" which store sells the cheapest whole grain bread, fresh fish, organic crunchy peanut butter, organic milk and etc. I take note of it and buy my food stuffs in different places. Sounds very time consuming but I want to be intentional in saving money yet eating healthy.

So after I get everything I need, I plan my week meal according to the "common healthy ingredients" I have - flax seeds, chia seeds, ginger, onion, garlic, spinach, olive oil for salad, sunflower oil (for cooking), chili and diverse vegetables. My meal differs according to my time and my cravings. I usually cook filipino dishes so it needs deliberate planning and time (to slice gazillions of things).  I do not eat meat very often. Actually, it is not part of my food list.  What about protein? Tofu, milk and eggs.

I always use ginger, garlic and onion in EVERY meal I make.
I always put flax seeds on ALMOST every meal I do.
I drink "ginger water" when I am at home. Fresh ginger in my water pitcher.
I always make sure I eat vegetables in every meal.
No cola at home.

I have to confess though that I am a coffee addict and a chocolate crazy. LOL.
I have tons of it at home. hahah:lol!: 

I want to give credit to Denmark for being so vigilant in making good policies to ensure healthy food/products are sold in DK. When you visit a regular grocery store in DK, you will be shocked to see how less variety they sell. It is less because they are very strict with what comes out in the public. What is on the shelves is more or less healthy for you. This also explains why most danes are really fit and healthy. And the danish government are also very strict in the information shown in the packaging of the product. It is impossible for you to put 100% whole grain when it is not yet being checked and approved by appointed agency.

Miss Spaulding wrote:

I agree completely except for the sugar thing. Lol. ...'Real' sugar is always the best choice, never the 'healthier' substitutes like stevia, xylitol, ect. Those particular substitutes are okay and certainly better than most substitutes people use, but it's always best to choose something that isn't a substitute but the real thing. I'm not talking go out and buy the regular bleached, white sugar. No way. I'm talking raw sugars, and there many different types to choose from. It's like one's options for oil to cook in; we were always told real butter was terrible for you, so naturally we bought the tubs of 'butter' that we believed were healthier. Now we know that using butter is one of the best things to use (That or coconut oil, which I use a lot myself, especially in baking), and why? Because it's cream and salt (unless you prefer unsalted)...that's it. No long list of ingredients, half of which we can hardly pronounce because they're nothing but chemicals. Yuck. However, does this mean because using real sugars and real butter are healthy we can use it to our heart's content? Lol. No. ...Everything in moderation.

Anyway. I'm sorry to hear about your uncle and other family members who are suffering from diabetes. That's very unfortunate, especially since their quality of life could be so much better if they were willing to eat the way they should in order to keep the diabetes in check.

To answer the questions, eating healthy is definitely not for the birds. Everyone is better off with a much healthier and organic diet in my opinion. I eat very organic/GMO-free 90% of the time, and when I do eat foods that most people eat on regular basis that are not healthy (not organic or GMO-free) I physically feel terrible. My parents and siblings experience the same thing. I don't find this to be a coincidence.

I think people get confused when I say this. Stevia, xylitol, and agave nectar ARE natural. The FDA may have tried to ban these things for a while because it was competing with the American sugar companies as healthier alternatives but most people have realized that's just more nonsense propaganda from our government. Japanese people for example have been eating stevia for centuries and they've lived the longest and healthiest.

It's just like with apricot seeds. Many people were finding a link between being able to prevent or even cure cancer with those who ate them. So the US government banned them. Of course, the US government is perfectly fine with all the other extremely toxic things we eat that have been proven time and time again to cause all sorts of problems in humans and animals.

But anyway, sugar may be natural but it can cause so many problems. Here is a basic article I found real quick comparing stevia to sugar:

...GRR... I can't post links yet! Why do you do this to me Jess!?

Google search terms: "global healing center natural-health stevia" or "7 reasons why stevia is better than sugar"

In addition to that, lately people have found sugar to be great food for cancer. When people completely cut out carbs, their cancer often stops but they still live because our body can create substitutes which don't feed the cancer.

Check the wiki entries on those other sweeteners I mentioned (xylitol and agave nectar) to give you a better idea of what they really are.

Miss Spaulding wrote:

Well, yes, it is a fact that cancers thrive off sugar, but that's basically any sugars. Whether it's real sugar, healthy sugar substitutes, or completely refined crap sugars...cancer isn't very choosy. So one is better off staying away from sweets altogether if your battling cancer. Stick to naturally occurring sugars from fruit and veggies (like carrots). It troubles me so much when I see people and children who are battling cancer and you see pics of them drinking a soda or eating a pack of M&Ms...it makes me want to scream. One does not need to have all this knowledge on what is good and bad to eat when you're battling cancer or some other illness. Common sense alone should tell you..."Hmm. You know, this slice of chocolate cake probably isn't the best thing to eat while I have cancer."

Of course. Disease is a money-maker. And our government (and the world in general) is indeed corrupt enough to take advantage of this money-maker. What's the best way to keep us sick and rack in the money? Targeting our food and drink. ...Life isn't a fairytale. This kind of crap goes on every single day.

Yes, well at least you are aware of this. Knowing is half the battle. Most people I talk to will not accept that their beloved government or the corporations would lie to them or hurt them. But they forget that Satan is the prince of this world. He wants us suffering, weak, confused, or dead. But the Lord always provides some light in the darkness if we are willing to seek it.

It's kind of scary to think about how much of our economy is built on keeping people in poor health.

Strider1002 wrote:

It's kind of scary to think about how much of our economy is built on keeping people in poor health.

Yeah, well our economy is built on many very corrupt things. Ugh, don't get me started!

Bristecom wrote:

Yeah, well our economy is built on many very corrupt things. Ugh, don't get me started!

Yes, like lawyers, politicians, doctors..... that is why I am pushing for Toro in the next election. Spread the word.

I will finally be of age to actually be president.

Then.... this hopey changey stuff will go right out the window.

I will be after results, not slogans and free trips. IF I dont change anything, my relection platform would be "Don't vote for me, I didn't fix the issues, get rid of me."

Of course, I would say a lot of things that would anger many, so I would likely be assassinated if I won office.

Toro wrote:

Bristecom wrote:

Yeah, well our economy is built on many very corrupt things. Ugh, don't get me started!

Yes, like lawyers, politicians, doctors..... that is why I am pushing for Toro in the next election. Spread the word.

I will finally be of age to actually be president.

Then.... this hopey changey stuff will go right out the window.

I will be after results, not slogans and free trips. IF I dont change anything, my relection platform would be "Don't vote for me, I didn't fix the issues, get rid of me."

Trust me, it wouldn't matter who the president was. The control system goes far beyond that. If somebody were actually making changes of power (like getting rid of the Federal Reserve), then you can bet there would be assassinations and war on Americans.

Anyway... back to health food I guess.  

Bristecom wrote:

Trust me, it wouldn't matter who the president was. The control system goes far beyond that. If somebody were actually making changes of power (like getting rid of the Federal Reserve), then you can bet there would be assassinations and war on Americans.

Anyway... back to health food I guess.  

The powers are exactly who I would stand against, Id rather die fighting to take back my country than sit idly by and do nothing.

Besides, the worse the powers could do is threaten my life. Oh well, we all owe God a death of the flesh, Id rather go out standing for something than dying for nothing.

I have no wife, no kids, they couldnt use threats against them to control me and make me passive. I would work towards giving this country BACK to the people, which of course, would mean I would never be president.

But yes, health food, Im eating burritos smothered with sodium filled hot sauce

Bristecom wrote:

Trust me, it wouldn't matter who the president was. The control system goes far beyond that. If somebody were actually making changes of power (like getting rid of the Federal Reserve), then you can bet there would be assassinations and war on Americans.

Sounds like a good plot for a book...

Toro wrote:

The powers are exactly who I would stand against, Id rather die fighting to take back my country than sit idly by and do nothing.

Besides, the worse the powers could do is threaten my life. Oh well, we all owe God a death of the flesh, Id rather go out standing for something than dying for nothing.

I have no wife, no kids, they couldnt use threats against them to control me and make me passive. I would work towards giving this country BACK to the people, which of course, would mean I would never be president.

But yes, health food, Im eating burritos smothered with sodium filled hot sauce

That's a good attitude I suppose but the problem is that "they" usually get us to fight and kill off each other while "they" sit back and laugh. And even if you did manage to take out the most evil men at the top, it ultimately wouldn't really matter. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." - Ephesians 6:12

So I have basically concluded that there really is no hope for us aside from Christ. Sure, there may be situations where we should defend ourselves and we absolutely should be shedding light on the darkness but the Bible predicts this world is only going to get worse and will one day be destroyed. God may give us times or places of relief but we need to remember that as Christians, this is not our home and that vengeance is God's as He will judge the wicked ones severely on the day of judgment.

Yes, true, it may not make a difference in the end BUT, the only thing needed for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.

Just because the fight may already be lost, doesn't mean you don't fight it with all you have.

If it is His will to bring this country to become what it SHOULD be instead of the hollowed out shell it has become..... then, He would "need" (Not that He needs people, but He works through people) good people willing to stand, so that His glory to be shown once again.

If it is His will to let this nation collapse to be the begining of end times, He will not find fault for not lying down and dying saying "It is hopeless". Christians should fight the fight, without knowing the outcome, not cause it is a fight that can be won, but because it is a fight for what is right. The outcome is the outcome of God's will.

Toro wrote:

Yes, true, it may not make a difference in the end BUT, the only thing needed for evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing.

Just because the fight may already be lost, doesn't mean you don't fight it with all you have.

Sure, but fighting doesn't always mean violence. Sometimes that's exactly what the devil wants and you'll be playing right into his hands. He is far smarter than any of us, I assure you.

So that is why I find exposure and faith in Jesus Christ to be the best ways to fight. When we are saved by Christ, we have defeated the devil. He can still make the rest of our lives a living hell but ultimately, there is nothing that can separate us from the Lord for eternity! So I guess my point is that it's better to think eternally-minded rather than worldly-minded. People who do not have faith in Christ are earthly-minded because that's all they know that they have so they are more likely to be tossed to and fro by the madness and embrace the false evolutionary message of making this life as good as possible.

Bristecom wrote:

Sure, but fighting doesn't always mean violence. Sometimes that's exactly what the devil wants and you'll be playing right into his hands. He is far smarter than any of us, I assure you.

Who said anything about violence? I didn't say anything about becoming violent, I simply said "Fight" and "Stand" against what is wrong.

The only time I mentioned violence was what the opposing side would threaten me with.

Toro wrote:

Who said anything about violence? I didn't say anything about becoming violent, I simply said "Fight" and "Stand" against what is wrong.

The only time I mentioned violence was what the opposing side would threaten me with.

Then tell me how you would fight with all you have as you say.

You fight using the system in place, you fight the laws in place that put a strangle hold on this nation, using the system. You fight the "political correctness" that doesn't allow God to be mentioned in public, in a courthouse etc. (Freedom of religion ALSO protects a Christians rights as well) If atheists don't like it, simply pose the question. Why does it upset you if you do not believe in Him? Do you also get offended and fly off the handle when someone talks about the tooth fairy? Santa? Peter Pan? Mickey Mouse? etc. Unless maybe, that atheist believes in those. Whether they like it or not, those were the principles of this nation.

You may not be able to reverse things, you may change nothing. BUT you have to try.

I am not the brightest man on this Earth, but thanks to the Lord, I don't NEED to be, IF I were to be in a place to make a difference I would pray for guidance and ask other believers to pray, not just for my guided steps, but for this nation to return to the nation it once was a nation under God, not a nation that rejects God. I would also pray for discernment to have good people around me, people of talents, skills and knowledge that I myself do not possess.

I would try to provide incentive for big business to set up shop back here again, while also trying to find a way to protect the American dream (mom and pop shops) instead of punishing successful people as seems to be the practice today.

Of course in all reality it is a debate in futility as the odds of me ever being Pres. are little to none.

Toro wrote:

You fight using the system in place, you fight the laws in place that put a strangle hold on this nation, using the system. You fight the "political correctness" that doesn't allow God to be mentioned in public, in a courthouse etc. (Freedom of religion ALSO protects a Christians rights as well) If atheists don't like it, simply pose the question. Why does it upset you if you do not believe in Him? Do you also get offended and fly off the handle when someone talks about the tooth fairy? Santa? Peter Pan? Mickey Mouse? etc. Unless maybe, that atheist believes in those. Whether they like it or not, those were the principles of this nation.

You may not be able to reverse things, you may change nothing. BUT you have to try.

I am not the brightest man on this Earth, but thanks to the Lord, I don't NEED to be, IF I were to be in a place to make a difference I would pray for guidance and ask other believers to pray, not just for my guided steps, but for this nation to return to the nation it once was a nation under God, not a nation that rejects God. I would also pray for discernment to have good people around me, people of talents, skills and knowledge that I myself do not possess.

I would try to provide incentive for big business to set up shop back here again, while also trying to find a way to protect the American dream (mom and pop shops) instead of punishing successful people as seems to be the practice today.

Of course in all reality it is a debate in futility as the odds of me ever being Pres. are little to none.

You fight using a system that is run by the enemy and highly corrupt? That's like playing a rigged game. They might let you win sometimes but overall, they will always have the upper hand because they have the control over that system and the power to back it up.

Anyway, let's just get back on topic with food.