Living a Healthy Life!
Nettie Mae

People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don’t believe me? Just tune-in to any source of advertising…you’re instantly bombarded with the latest diet schemes and “Hollywood” food fads.

Here in America, we have built a thriving industry trying to control our weight and treat the consequences of over-indulgence. The cost of weight loss and obesity related health care treatments is staggering…Americans alone spend around $114 billion every year! And even with all this interest in losing weight, we continue to pack on the pounds like never before…

– A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese…up about eight percent from earlier estimates.

– Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost nine million are overweight…triple the rate in 1980!

– Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese.

For Americans, modern life may be getting TOO easy. Our cushy lifestyle means we expend less energy and consequently need fewer calories to sustain our normal body weight.

Think about it for a moment…

Entertainment no longer requires energy expenditure. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite. We now entertain ourselves in the comfort of our own home while watching TV and munching on our favorite snack. Whether it’s television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we are moving less and burning fewer calories. Common activities that were once a part of our normal routine have disappeared…activities like climbing stairs, pushing a lawn mower or walking to get somewhere.

And please do not misunderstand me…I appreciate comfortable living just as much as the next person. But, here is the problem…

With all of our modern day conveniences and “cushy” style of living we have not adjusted our caloric intake to compensate for our decreased caloric expenditure. We consume more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before. Consider a few of the following examples comparing what we eat “today” vs the 1970’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

– We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970’s, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat.

– Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because French fries and potato chips are included as vegetables. Potato products account for almost a third of our “produce” choices.

– We’re drinking less milk, but we’ve more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets.

– We’ve cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we’re eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970’s.

– We’re drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970’s, when milk consumption was twice that of pop.

– We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.

– Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. People are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies. In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person’s calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers!

Unfortunately, it would seem that the days of wholesome and nutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast food and eating on-the-run. We have gradually come to accept that it’s “OK” to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions equate to better value.

It’s time recognize that we are consuming too many calories and time to start doing something about it! Each of us can decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits WILL become a normal part of our life!

We can begin by exploring our values, thoughts and habits… slowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy habits and activities and start living a more productive and rewarding life. And remember, it has taken a long time to develop bad habits, so be patient as you work toward your goal!
About the Author

Sick and tired of being Sick and Tired, Nettie Mae quit her 3rd shift factory job. To see what keeps her going, visit http://www.frutavida4u.com/nettiemae/.

Tags: America, Author, Automobiles, Caloric Expenditure, Caloric Intake, Consequences, Conveniences, Energy Expenditure, energy;, Fewer Calories, Food Fads, food;, foods, grain products;, Health Care Treatments, Indulgence, Lawn Mower, less energy, Losing Weight, Mae, Nettie Mae, Normal Body Weight, obesity;, Potato Chips, Potato products, Related Health, Remote Controls, Snack, Stairs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, United States;, USD;, vegetable oil, Watching Tv —

I Am Healthy
Kay Kopit

I Am Healthy
By Kay Kopit
It is amazing to be able to say that! I will say it again, I am a whole, happy, healthy, loving woman. I was sick for the first 40 years of my life. Like millions of other human beings I grew up immersed in the family disease of alcoholism. For generations it has plagued my family. The unbalanced life I led is so common in our society; I didnt know anything was wrong. I was a participant in the chaos, confusion, neuroses, pain and suffering, which is present in dysfunctional families. I call it The Dance of Death.

I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri in the community of Clayton. The only memories I have of my father are when he would beat my brother and me with his belt so severely my clothes would cling to the bloody strap marks on my legs. He would make us wait for our punishment in our room before he dealt the ugly blows. My mother closed her eyes to what was happening. Both of them partied on weekends where I would find empty highball glasses scattered all over the living room. I had holes in the soles of my shoes while my mother would model a new diamond cocktail ring, winnings from a weekly poker game. My dad was also a compulsive gambler. He died at the age of 45 when I was nine years old.

My mother attracted another alcoholic to her life soon after my fathers death. They had a symbiotic, codependent and alcoholic relationship. Every ten days they would consume a case of scotch, which was delivered to our apartment from the local liquor store. My mother never appeared drunk but she was distant, selfish and narcissistic. My stepfathers disease had progressed to the point he was visibly drunk most evenings. His attitude was condescending, nasty and self-righteous. He was verbally abusive and drove his car while intoxicated on many occasions. When I think back to that period of my history I remember keeping my personal life secret!!! I was ashamed of their behavior. I pretended all was well and I began developing neurotic habits for self-preservation.

In my teens I danced several days after school, participated in theater groups, worked in a department store and had creative life in my head. I imagined the way I wanted my world to be and was in denial as to the truth in front of me. I became obsessive, compulsive and an over achiever. Because I worked so hard I accomplished a lot for a young girl but the reality was it was inspired by fear, insecurity and a need for control.

In college I devoted myself to art and earned a B.S. in Education and a M.A. in Painting and Ceramics from the University of Missouri. I was hired as a college instructor soon after graduate school. I felt happy for a time because I was away from home and involved in teaching. I took my job very seriously but the loneliness I felt when I was by myself was debilitating.

I longed for love . . . any kind. I didnt realize it at the time but I had never felt affection. I became preoccupied with thoughts of men. I had guys on my mind constantly! I was popular and had many choices but I picked the ones who I thought needed me. Most often they were from dysfunctional families. I dated a lot of drunks during my 20s. It felt familiar. In spite of my success as an artist and a teacher, I had low self-esteem and I knew something was wrong with me.

In l969 I began a new life in another city. Within a week of moving to Boston, Massachusetts, I was brutally raped and hospitalized. I never received help with this trauma and didnt properly grieve until years later. I pushed down the pain and was then, more than ever, resolved to create the perfect life for myself, (as if it were in my hands?)
This was made easy for me when Joey Haudel entered my life. He filled the position of my Knight in Shining Armour, albeit, distorted. He was young, handsome, and alcoholic and had just been released from prison. We needed each other like ducks need water. We bonded in a codependent relationship that lasted 12 years.

Our experiences together were astounding. What I learned about myself was profound. Our journey is almost unbelievable. I have told this story in a dramatic narrative, I Survived: One Womans Journey of Self Healing and Transformation on DVD. It is filled with the dark world of illness and moves to the light of wellness. I reached my bottom after years of suffering. I was contemplating suicide but was saved by the Grace of God and the dear voice of a telephone operator who kept me on the phone for over an hour.

I spent years in recovery; beginning with Al-Anon meetings in 1973, several series of Adult Children of Alcoholic Therapy Sessions, individual therapy with numerous therapists and devouring self help books. I had the courage to look within and face the demons. It wasnt easy and many times I wanted to quit. I often felt I was too crazy to get well. One step at a time I forged ahead and never looked back! I visualized a healthy prognosis. Today I am living that beautiful picture!

I am happily married to a man 19 years my junior. I am older than his mother. We just celebrated our 17th anniversary and continue to share the most fabulous life. We have one child, a precious daughter, who we adopted at birth 8 years ago. I was 54 at the time. I am grateful that I am able to be a good parent and relish every moment I spend with both of them as a family. Sometimes I almost gasp for air when I realize I am living a balanced life. Each day I thank God for the gifts I have been given.

Sadly, Joey wasnt as fortunate as I. He died at the age of 42. My dear friend Debra took her own life in 2002. She too was alcoholic. I feel their presence; they are the angels guiding me in my mission to inspire people to their own healing and recovery. Lets continue to get well. We are all loving souls on an enlightened path of a new way of being, HEALTHY.

www.isurviveddocumentary.com

#

About the Author

Kay Kopit, accomplished artist, actor, writer, speaker and gifted teacher.

Tags: actor, Al-Anon, Alcoholism, artist, artist and a teacher, Author, Boston, Codependent, Compulsive Gambler, Dance Of Death, Debra, Disease Of Alcoholism, Dysfunctional Families, Highball Glasses, I. He, Joey Haudel, Kay Kopit, Kopit, Liquor Store, Loving Woman, Massachusetts, Missouri, Neuroses, Neurotic Habits, Nine Years, Pain And Suffering, Personal Life, Poker Game, Soles, speaker and gifted teacher, St Louis Missouri, St. Louis, telephone operator, Unbalanced Life, University of Missouri, writer, www.isurviveddocumentary.com, Years Of My Life —

How to Make Healthy Food Choices!
Hans Hasselfors

It’s Thursday afternoon, you have thirty minutes to get from
work, go by the house and pickup Heath, Jamie’s already at
basketball practice, oh, and what about dinner? Does this
scenario seem familiar? If you’re a working Mom, I can promise
that it is a familiar scene.

So how do you make healthy food choices, when you only have
fifteen minutes to prepare your meals? Well, the first thing you
should realize is that quite often, healthy choices do not
necessarily equate to two hour meals. You can make healthy food
choices that are as quick to prepare or pickup as the unhealthy
ones.

For example, sub sandwiches are a healthier alternative than
pizza or burger and fries, but do not really take any longer to
pickup. Salads can be prepared in just a few short minutes, and
provide for the necessary vegetable daily requirement. Don’ care
for the usual salad? Make a Waldorf or fruit salad, either way
you’ve changed it up a bit, and still provided a health choice.
As for the dressing, oil based or vinegar based dressings are
much better for you than the cream based, and are really more
tasteful. Okay, suppose salads aren’t what your kids like. What
about other prepared foods that are also healthy foods? Healthy
Choice is a brand of frozen entrees or meals that take only a
few minutes in the microwave to prepare, and are still healthy
alternatives. Baked rather than fried is always a better choice,
and many supermarkets today offer baked products fresh from
their bakery, ready to go.

Still aren’t satisfied? You want a place to go and actually sit
down and eat. There are still many healthy alternatives for a
family when going to eat at a restaurant. Restaurants that offer
buffet style meals are great choices. Thanks to many of the
health conscious consumers out there, buffets have added baked,
broiled, and fresh food choices to the display. Fresh fruits and
vegetables are usually always available on food bars, along with
broiled or steamed vegetables. Meats are just about as varied,
with many of the choices being offered in a fried and baked
option. And if you’re up for dessert, watermelons and grapes are
just as satisfying as the Boston cream pie.

You can always throw up objections when it comes to healthy
eating, the real trick is in realizing it’s your body that will
suffer. Or your children that will suffer from the unhealthy
choices you make. Why not start with healthy options, set the
right example, and you will have children that make health
conscious intelligent decisions about their eating.

Okay, now back to our Thursday afternoon juggling act. You’ve
dropped Heath at baseball practice, picked Jamie up from
basketball, and you have exactly fifteen minutes to make a
decision about dinner. As you sit at the red-light contemplating
your options, there is a Subway, a Pizza Hut, and a grocery
store with a deli in the same shopping center. How can this
still be a difficult choice to make?

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical
practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes
only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for
professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always
seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care
provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical
condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay
in seeking it because of something you have read. Since natural
and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be
accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that
the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product
is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.”

About the author:

About the Author: This article was published by Hans Hasselfors
from http://www.SubmitYourN
ewArticle.com. Visit our article directory for more articles
about health food.

Tags: Author, Basketball Practice, Boston, Buffet Style, Conscious Consumers, Dietary Supplements, disease, Dressings, FDA;, Food Bars, Fresh Food, fresh food choices, Fresh Fruits And Vegetables, Frozen Entrees, Fruit Salad, Fruits And Vegetables, Hans Hasselfors, Health Choice, Health Food, Healthy Alternatives, Healthy Choice, Healthy Choices, Healthy Food Choices, Healthy Foods, microwave;, oil;, physician, Prepared Foods, Style Meals, Thursday Afternoon, Waldorf, Working Mom —

How To Eat A Healthy Diet When You Don’t Want To
Jeannie Crabtree

How To Eat A Healthy Diet When You Don’t Want To
By Jeannie Crabtree

For some people it is really hard to give up the junk food and sweets and eat a better, more nutritious diet. So let’s use the example of eating the 5 to 9 fruits and vegetables we need daily.

There are ways to work with your mind so that it becomes much easier and more enjoyable to eat all those servings of vegetables we need each day.

Did you know that you think in pictures?

You are motivated by the things that you want to move away from that might cause emotions you dont want such as pain, grief, anger etc. Examples: Ill health, overweight, not being able to join your family due to sickness is certainly things you want to move away from.

You are also motivated by the things you want to move towards. Emotions that would go with this are feeling happy, satisfied, loved, forgiven, respected, etc.

Move away from or move towards. These two ways you are motivated are the key to help you get past your dislike of vegetables and fruit if that is the problem .

Decide which type you are. Which are you most motivated by? Do you put moving away foremost in your mind or moving toward?

Ready to Start? Grab some vegetables. Look at them, feel them taste them, Chew on them. Snap them, break them up and hear the crunchiness. Involve as many of your senses as you can.

While doing that, do one of two things:

If motivated by what you are moving away from:

Paint the picture of what you are leaving behind. Accentuate the problems. Make them look really big and bad in your picture. Show your self what the big bad picture would be like a year from now or 5 years from now if you continued eating your bad diet. Put a lot of feeling into this.

If motivated by what you are moving towards:

Paint a big bright picture of what you will look like and feel like when you have better health. Think about who you love, who loves you and what you want to do and could do when you have good health.

Maybe you are not sure where you fit in to this process. Then play both pictures for yourself. Really put some pictures in your head. Use plenty of color. Turn the sound up.

Now which did you feel more motivated to eat the vegetables you need?

Play this picture over and over again as you eat the right foods, especially your vegetables and this will help you stay on track for better food choices.
——————

Jeannie Crabtree C.Ac. shares health answers that work, tips, nutrition suggestions and research in her newsletter and health blog. http://www.health-doc.com

Tags: Anger, Better Health, Crabtree, Dislike, Eating Habits, Emotions, food choices;, Fruits And Vegetables, Healthy Diet, How To Eat A Healthy Diet, Ill Health, Jeannie, Jeannie Crabtree, Jeannie Crabtree C.Ac, Junk food;, Lot, Love, Moving Picture, Nutritious Diet, Overweight, Pain Grief, Paint, Senses, Sweets, Two Ways —