Eating For A Better You

Obesity is on the rise in America and across the globe. On every corner of every street there is a McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, or KFC. Turn on your TV and you are bombarded with food commercials. If you were not hungry then, you probably are now. Flip through a magazine and you will find full page spreads of food advertisements or best brownie of 2010 recipes. The food industry has even had a relationship with children for years...come on you remember the Easy Bake Oven!

It is no wonder that almost 50% of Americans are overweight with 30% of those being obese. I think it is time we start thinking out of the box or sack for that matter. Type 2 Diabetes is on the rise and that is due to the food choices people are making.

As a baby type 1, I am having to take a step back and look at my diet. Counting carbohydrates is a new skill I am having to learn as well as portion size. I am not depriving myself of the things I enjoy though (well except for Bruster's ice cream, but that is more my husband depriving me of that than myself), and neither should you. I think eating sweets in moderation is okay, but we all need to learn when enough is enough. Diabetics can be the sickest or the healthiest people, and so can non-diabetics. Your body depends on you to care for it and if you are feeding it junk all the time don't be surprised if your body starts to hate you for it.

Maybe take a step back and look at what you are eating. Ask yourself these questions: How will I benefit from this? Where could I add another vegetable? How could I subtract another starch? Water or coke? Medium or Biggie sized? It is up to us to educate ourselves about proper diet and correct our poor eating habits. Our bodies will thank us for it!

Here are some helpful tips I have been adding to my everyday life. Water...lots of water! Our bodies are made up of 70% water so it is only natural that we drink more water in order to keep us hydrated. Eat lots of green veggies. Green vegetables are full of chlorophyll and when we eat them we are taking in oxygen. Oxygen is a natural blood cleanser, so be sure not to skip on the broccoli! Go light on the juice. Store bought juices contain way to much sugar. Have you ever looked at the label? Most of them contain anywhere from 20g to 60g of sugar per glass. That means every glass of juice, in most cases, is equivalent to 2 candy bars! Instead of store bought juices try your hand at making green juices at home. My favorite is my cucumber goddess juice. I'll list the recipe below.

Today I challenge you to eat for a healthier you. Maybe skip on that mocha in the morning and satisfy your taste buds with green juice. Indulge in a tossed salad with all of your favorite veggies, nuts, and fruits. Pig out on some green vegetables for a snack instead of that snickers. Get creative with your foods. The possibilities are endless! Don't forget to reward yourself for your new good eating habits...that is the best part! Just remember eating in moderation is the key.

Peace and Veggies!
-Kimberlee


Green goddess juice
2 -cucumbers
1- 1 green bell pepper
1- celery stalk
Juice the three together adding the green bell pepper last for taste. This juice always wakes up my taste buds and gives me my morning energy!