I was introduced to the website Spark People by a friend. Check it out --it is an amazing resource and its FREE!
http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp
Best Way To Protect Plants From Frost
1 year ago
The way to escape temptation
How do we overcome temptation-
It is in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Sometimes our temptation or addiction to sugar bingeing is so great that we need to escape our proximity to our access. Escape...Leave your kitchen, leave your house...go for a walk. During this walk talk it out with our Father in Heaven and ask for help to overcome this abnormal desire so that you can enjoy the peace that comes from living a life of spiritual freedom from addictions.
Our spirits are meant to lead our bodies not vice versa. Hence the saying" The Spirit is willing but the mind is weak". Feed your spirit so that it is in control.
It is in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Sometimes our temptation or addiction to sugar bingeing is so great that we need to escape our proximity to our access. Escape...Leave your kitchen, leave your house...go for a walk. During this walk talk it out with our Father in Heaven and ask for help to overcome this abnormal desire so that you can enjoy the peace that comes from living a life of spiritual freedom from addictions.
Our spirits are meant to lead our bodies not vice versa. Hence the saying" The Spirit is willing but the mind is weak". Feed your spirit so that it is in control.
Bananas -Eat them for your health- Yummy too!
When I was obsessed with low carb dieting I never ate bananas but now since just eliminating sugar and salt I eat them with gusto! I find that they have a lasting satisfying effect as well. What I mean is that help curb my appetite. Enjoy you bananas!
6 Awesome Health Benefits Of Bananas
By Golb on Jun 26, 2007 in Nutrition and Diet
Before we start discussing the health benefits of bananas, here is some nutritional information for a serving of banana (source - these numbers can be slightly different when obtained from a different source):
Serving size = 1 medium sufficiently ripe banana [about 7″ long and 126 grams (0.28 pounds) in weight]
Total Fat = 0 g; Cholesterol = 0 g; Calories = 110
Potassium = 400 mg (10% of daily recommended value)
Dietary Fiber = 4 g (16% of daily recommended value)
Sugar = 14.8 g; Protein = 1 g (2% of daily recommended value)
Vitamin C = 16% of daily recommended value
Vitamin B6 = 20% of daily recommended value
With this nutritional information in the background let’s work through the incredible health benefits of this commonplace fruit. I will try and list only substantiated facts with references wherever possible. I am particularly concerned about this because there have been some unsubstantiated claims (rumors) about extraordinary banana benefits floating around the internet (here is an example).
Bananas are good for your heart and nerves: Bananas contain a high dose of potassium - an essential ingredient to keep your heart and nervous system in good shape. Potassium is essential for proper muscle contraction and hence plays an important role in muscle-influenced activities including: the normal rhythmic pumping of the heart, digestion, muscular movements, etc., Some studies have also linked low potassium intake to high blood pressure and increased risk of stroke. Most Americans don’t get enough potassium in their diet (recommended dose is about 4 g per day) - blame it on our fast food culture. Including a banana (or two) in your diet everyday would take you a step closer towards getting your daily recommended dose of potassium (references: American Heart Association, University of Maryland Medical Center, Colorado State University).
Bananas are good for your kidneys and bones: Benefits to the kidneys and the bones are again due to the high potassium content of bananas. A normal intake of potassium suppresses calcium excretion in the urine and minimizes the risk of kidney stones. Also, for the same reason (suppressing of calcium excretion), it minimizes the loss of calcium from the body and thereby reduces the risk of osteoporosis (references: University of Maryland Medical Center, University of Kansas Medical Center).
Bananas can act as mood enhancers or mild sedatives: Bananas contain tryptophan (although it’s not one of the major sources, a medium still contains about 10.6 mg of tryptophan). Tryptophan is one of the 20 amino acids which are building blocks of proteins (btw, an incredible number of articles on the internet call tryptophan as a “mood-enhancing protein” and that is technically not correct). Tryptophan helps the body to produce serotonin - which has a calming effect on the brain (creates a stable mood) and acts as a mild sedative. It should be noted that the only way our our body gets it’s dose of tryptophan is through our diet - it does not produce tryptophan naturally; bananas is one of the easiest ways to get it (references: Nutritiondata.com, Chemistry Daily, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, NIH MedLinePlus).
Bananas are good for your blood: Bananas are one of the highest sources of naturally available vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 plays an important role in converting tryptophan to serotonin (read #3 above), and also helps the body to make hemoglobin - a crucial ingredient of your blood. Vitamin B6 is also essential for antibody production and to maintain a healthy immune response. It also helps to convert carbohydrates to glucose and thereby maintains proper blood sugar levels. A medium banana can take care of 1/5th of your daily recommended intake of vitamin B6 and is one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to increase your dietary intake of the vitamin (references: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).
Bananas are good for kids: Let me quote this from NIH’s Medical Encyclopedia -
Bananas are part of the BRAT diet, a diet many physicians and nurses recommend for children recovering from gastrointestinal problems, particularly diarrhea. BRAT stands for the different components that make up the diet: Bananas, Rice cereal, Applesauce, Toast. These are binding foods that make the stools harder.
Bananas are good source of dietary fiber: A single serving (one medium-sized banana) contains 16% of the daily recommended dietary fiber intake for a normal adult - that’s substantial for a single serving of any food. Fiber improves laxation (smooth bowel movements). Fiber-rich diets have also been linked to lower risk of coronary heart disease and of type 2 diabetes. Also, view this information in light of the following facts (references: Health.gov, NIH PubMed - abstract is sufficient):
Current recommendations suggest that adults consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber per day. Children over age 2 should consume an amount equal to or greater than their age plus 5 grams per day. Yet the average American eats only 14-15 grams of dietary fiber a day. source: Harvard School of Public Health
Availability is the best part: Bananas are very affordable at about 35~40 cents per pound (on an average - in the US) and are generally available in almost all grocery stores; you don’t need to cook them or wash them (unless you want to eat the outer skin) and that makes them ideal as quick lunch substitutes. Consider bananas as an awesome and affordable dietary supplement.
Got sugar concerns?: People worry a lot about the carbohydrates (especially the sugar part) in bananas. To that end, here are a few quotes from a couple reliable sources:
A banana has a glycemic index of 52 and 24 grams of available carbohydrate. This gives a glycemic load of 12. In comparison, an apple having a glycemic index of 38 and 15 grams of available carbohydrate has a glycemic load of 6 … Although an apple may be a little better choice for a snack, eating a banana isn’t all that bad either because foods with glycemic loads in the low teens and below are the ones that should be selected as part of a balanced diet. (source: USDA.gov)
Despite being erroneously called “fattening” and too high in sugar, a small banana only contains about 100 calories, which is not much more than a medium apple. Nor should it raise your blood glucose level too high. (source: American Diabetes Association)
Like always, stuff should be done in moderation and it should be noted that all the above health benefits are “general observations” - and there must be, for sure, exceptions to general observations. If you have specific health conditions related to any nutritional constituents of bananas, make sure you consult your doctor before you go bananas on bananas.
6 Awesome Health Benefits Of Bananas
By Golb on Jun 26, 2007 in Nutrition and Diet
Before we start discussing the health benefits of bananas, here is some nutritional information for a serving of banana (source - these numbers can be slightly different when obtained from a different source):
Serving size = 1 medium sufficiently ripe banana [about 7″ long and 126 grams (0.28 pounds) in weight]
Total Fat = 0 g; Cholesterol = 0 g; Calories = 110
Potassium = 400 mg (10% of daily recommended value)
Dietary Fiber = 4 g (16% of daily recommended value)
Sugar = 14.8 g; Protein = 1 g (2% of daily recommended value)
Vitamin C = 16% of daily recommended value
Vitamin B6 = 20% of daily recommended value
With this nutritional information in the background let’s work through the incredible health benefits of this commonplace fruit. I will try and list only substantiated facts with references wherever possible. I am particularly concerned about this because there have been some unsubstantiated claims (rumors) about extraordinary banana benefits floating around the internet (here is an example).
Bananas are good for your heart and nerves: Bananas contain a high dose of potassium - an essential ingredient to keep your heart and nervous system in good shape. Potassium is essential for proper muscle contraction and hence plays an important role in muscle-influenced activities including: the normal rhythmic pumping of the heart, digestion, muscular movements, etc., Some studies have also linked low potassium intake to high blood pressure and increased risk of stroke. Most Americans don’t get enough potassium in their diet (recommended dose is about 4 g per day) - blame it on our fast food culture. Including a banana (or two) in your diet everyday would take you a step closer towards getting your daily recommended dose of potassium (references: American Heart Association, University of Maryland Medical Center, Colorado State University).
Bananas are good for your kidneys and bones: Benefits to the kidneys and the bones are again due to the high potassium content of bananas. A normal intake of potassium suppresses calcium excretion in the urine and minimizes the risk of kidney stones. Also, for the same reason (suppressing of calcium excretion), it minimizes the loss of calcium from the body and thereby reduces the risk of osteoporosis (references: University of Maryland Medical Center, University of Kansas Medical Center).
Bananas can act as mood enhancers or mild sedatives: Bananas contain tryptophan (although it’s not one of the major sources, a medium still contains about 10.6 mg of tryptophan). Tryptophan is one of the 20 amino acids which are building blocks of proteins (btw, an incredible number of articles on the internet call tryptophan as a “mood-enhancing protein” and that is technically not correct). Tryptophan helps the body to produce serotonin - which has a calming effect on the brain (creates a stable mood) and acts as a mild sedative. It should be noted that the only way our our body gets it’s dose of tryptophan is through our diet - it does not produce tryptophan naturally; bananas is one of the easiest ways to get it (references: Nutritiondata.com, Chemistry Daily, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, NIH MedLinePlus).
Bananas are good for your blood: Bananas are one of the highest sources of naturally available vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 plays an important role in converting tryptophan to serotonin (read #3 above), and also helps the body to make hemoglobin - a crucial ingredient of your blood. Vitamin B6 is also essential for antibody production and to maintain a healthy immune response. It also helps to convert carbohydrates to glucose and thereby maintains proper blood sugar levels. A medium banana can take care of 1/5th of your daily recommended intake of vitamin B6 and is one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to increase your dietary intake of the vitamin (references: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).
Bananas are good for kids: Let me quote this from NIH’s Medical Encyclopedia -
Bananas are part of the BRAT diet, a diet many physicians and nurses recommend for children recovering from gastrointestinal problems, particularly diarrhea. BRAT stands for the different components that make up the diet: Bananas, Rice cereal, Applesauce, Toast. These are binding foods that make the stools harder.
Bananas are good source of dietary fiber: A single serving (one medium-sized banana) contains 16% of the daily recommended dietary fiber intake for a normal adult - that’s substantial for a single serving of any food. Fiber improves laxation (smooth bowel movements). Fiber-rich diets have also been linked to lower risk of coronary heart disease and of type 2 diabetes. Also, view this information in light of the following facts (references: Health.gov, NIH PubMed - abstract is sufficient):
Current recommendations suggest that adults consume 20-35 grams of dietary fiber per day. Children over age 2 should consume an amount equal to or greater than their age plus 5 grams per day. Yet the average American eats only 14-15 grams of dietary fiber a day. source: Harvard School of Public Health
Availability is the best part: Bananas are very affordable at about 35~40 cents per pound (on an average - in the US) and are generally available in almost all grocery stores; you don’t need to cook them or wash them (unless you want to eat the outer skin) and that makes them ideal as quick lunch substitutes. Consider bananas as an awesome and affordable dietary supplement.
Got sugar concerns?: People worry a lot about the carbohydrates (especially the sugar part) in bananas. To that end, here are a few quotes from a couple reliable sources:
A banana has a glycemic index of 52 and 24 grams of available carbohydrate. This gives a glycemic load of 12. In comparison, an apple having a glycemic index of 38 and 15 grams of available carbohydrate has a glycemic load of 6 … Although an apple may be a little better choice for a snack, eating a banana isn’t all that bad either because foods with glycemic loads in the low teens and below are the ones that should be selected as part of a balanced diet. (source: USDA.gov)
Despite being erroneously called “fattening” and too high in sugar, a small banana only contains about 100 calories, which is not much more than a medium apple. Nor should it raise your blood glucose level too high. (source: American Diabetes Association)
Like always, stuff should be done in moderation and it should be noted that all the above health benefits are “general observations” - and there must be, for sure, exceptions to general observations. If you have specific health conditions related to any nutritional constituents of bananas, make sure you consult your doctor before you go bananas on bananas.
In a tight spot...
Here I am trekking thru the slots in Snow Canyon thanks to our friend Janet a capable and interesting guide. She pointed out petroglyphs left by the Anasazi Indians which left key messages for others coming through this way.
Kind of like this blog for me -by sharing with you my journey to regain and retain my health by refraining from sugar bingeing. I hope that I can be the means of helping others who suffer the agony of bingeing and all that it traumatizes.
Be strong, be healthy,be sugar free...IT IS WORTH IT!!
The dangers of salt
Salt may add some extra flavour to your dinner but the additive could also be responsible for skyrocketing blood pressure rates and other related illnesses.
Even if you don't keep a saltshaker on your supper table or use it when you're cooking, some of the prepackaged or canned items you eat everyday - like soup or frozen dinners - have high amounts of sodium and the American Medical Association has called for warning labels on salty foods.
"The hidden salts are the biggest culprit in people's salt intake and therefore the bad effects on the kidney, heart and brain," blood pressure specialist Dr. Ivor Teitelbaum explained.
Canned soups often contain a lot of salt. You're only supposed to be consuming about a teaspoon of the flavour enhancer a day but some soups contain that much in a single serving.
But there are a number of other foods, ones that are supposed to be good for you, that also have high sodium contents.
Take a bag of chips and a box of bran flakes and raisin cereal. If asked which one had the most salt, you'd probably choose the chips.
If you did, you'd be wrong.
The chips have 180 milligrams while the cereal has 350 mg - your daily recommended intake is between 1,500 and 2,400 mg.
Thirty salted peanuts and two slices of rye bread offers another startling comparison. The bread has twice the salt - 460 mg.
The best way to know exactly what you're eating is to become a label reader, especially if you already have high blood pressure.
"If people lower their salt intake and exercise, it's actually equivalent to removing one drug," Teitelbaum said.
One good tip for keeping your sodium levels in check is to make bananas and other potassium-rich foods a part of your daily diet. Potassium can help to cancel out some of the bad effects of salt.
Too much sodium can raise your blood pressure because salt attracts water into your veins, increasing the pressure inside.
Article from the Toronto Star
Even if you don't keep a saltshaker on your supper table or use it when you're cooking, some of the prepackaged or canned items you eat everyday - like soup or frozen dinners - have high amounts of sodium and the American Medical Association has called for warning labels on salty foods.
"The hidden salts are the biggest culprit in people's salt intake and therefore the bad effects on the kidney, heart and brain," blood pressure specialist Dr. Ivor Teitelbaum explained.
Canned soups often contain a lot of salt. You're only supposed to be consuming about a teaspoon of the flavour enhancer a day but some soups contain that much in a single serving.
But there are a number of other foods, ones that are supposed to be good for you, that also have high sodium contents.
Take a bag of chips and a box of bran flakes and raisin cereal. If asked which one had the most salt, you'd probably choose the chips.
If you did, you'd be wrong.
The chips have 180 milligrams while the cereal has 350 mg - your daily recommended intake is between 1,500 and 2,400 mg.
Thirty salted peanuts and two slices of rye bread offers another startling comparison. The bread has twice the salt - 460 mg.
The best way to know exactly what you're eating is to become a label reader, especially if you already have high blood pressure.
"If people lower their salt intake and exercise, it's actually equivalent to removing one drug," Teitelbaum said.
One good tip for keeping your sodium levels in check is to make bananas and other potassium-rich foods a part of your daily diet. Potassium can help to cancel out some of the bad effects of salt.
Too much sodium can raise your blood pressure because salt attracts water into your veins, increasing the pressure inside.
Article from the Toronto Star
Response to an email
I had a friend come across my blog and email me about her desire to live a healthy life, this is my response. Likewise if you read this and are moved to change or to desire it- it was meant to be.
I truly believe that our paths cross by intent and not by accident.
I felt an immediate sense of relief when I committed my life to living sugar free - one day at a time. My desire was so intense, like yours "just to feel better" that deciding to decide and moving forward with conviction was a relief. I didn't count or restrict carbs at all. I did find at first that I did quite a bit of extra eating to compensate for the sugar withdrawal. However in about 3 weeks time, my appetite for sugar diminished and so did the need to fill up with other foods.
It's a little bit funny looking back and realizing how far I have come since March 26th, 2008 when I was so totally obsessed with my bingeing, to today and hardly giving my eating a second thought. The peace I feel within is worth the trying times of the first 3 weeks and pangs that I have felt since.
That's why I feel the ultimate desire should be to be at peace with oneself, to respect this amazing body that has served me well and even better when I make choices for its ultimate health.
I do still enjoy running and as well as weight training. However, I no longer have the desire for the extreme training marathons take. I run for enjoyment!
Design your plan for health and go with it!
I am happy to share my journey with you.
Sonia
I felt an immediate sense of relief when I committed my life to living sugar free - one day at a time. My desire was so intense, like yours "just to feel better" that deciding to decide and moving forward with conviction was a relief. I didn't count or restrict carbs at all. I did find at first that I did quite a bit of extra eating to compensate for the sugar withdrawal. However in about 3 weeks time, my appetite for sugar diminished and so did the need to fill up with other foods.
It's a little bit funny looking back and realizing how far I have come since March 26th, 2008 when I was so totally obsessed with my bingeing, to today and hardly giving my eating a second thought. The peace I feel within is worth the trying times of the first 3 weeks and pangs that I have felt since.
That's why I feel the ultimate desire should be to be at peace with oneself, to respect this amazing body that has served me well and even better when I make choices for its ultimate health.
I do still enjoy running and as well as weight training. However, I no longer have the desire for the extreme training marathons take. I run for enjoyment!
Design your plan for health and go with it!
I am happy to share my journey with you.
Sonia
Stay active!
There is an adage that the more you do -the more you can do. I believe in staying active and occupied. For many of bingers, we eat out of boredom or we get too involved in over thinking about our lives and want we want it to be. I would fantasize about me being at a perfect weight because life would then be perfect. Right, NO. Life still happens to you when you are at the magical weight.
It was often while daydreaming about being slim that I would end up bingeing. WHY?
It was in this state of mind that I would make the age old promise that I would start my diet TOMORROW- my diet from hell and all would be well. This time it would work. Never minded that it hasn't worked a thousand times before. This is how I would get lured into bingeing with the promise that TOMORROW I would be in control.
I have come to know to shut down this thinking IMMEDIATELY!! It is stinking thinking!! As soon as I hear this old familiar voice, I immediately get up and get doing or moving. DO NOT BELIEVE THIS MESSAGE that makes promises in a tomorrow that never comes.
I believe that it is important to makes changes in stages. Exercise is a great way to start this journey to health. A simple walk around the block at 300 pounds lead me to 7 full marathons and several half marathons. So take that simple step forward in your life, ditch the diet mentality, make good choices daily for your health and not to be a size or number.
It was often while daydreaming about being slim that I would end up bingeing. WHY?
It was in this state of mind that I would make the age old promise that I would start my diet TOMORROW- my diet from hell and all would be well. This time it would work. Never minded that it hasn't worked a thousand times before. This is how I would get lured into bingeing with the promise that TOMORROW I would be in control.
I have come to know to shut down this thinking IMMEDIATELY!! It is stinking thinking!! As soon as I hear this old familiar voice, I immediately get up and get doing or moving. DO NOT BELIEVE THIS MESSAGE that makes promises in a tomorrow that never comes.
I believe that it is important to makes changes in stages. Exercise is a great way to start this journey to health. A simple walk around the block at 300 pounds lead me to 7 full marathons and several half marathons. So take that simple step forward in your life, ditch the diet mentality, make good choices daily for your health and not to be a size or number.
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