We Think We Lead Healthy Lives

Written By Don Shetterly

I'm more and more amazed at the behaviors I see every day when it comes to people's health.  We as a country claim we eat healthy, live healthy and do all we can to stay healthy.

Unfortunately, that is not true.

A recent news article showed just how much fast food consumption is increasing while everyone claims to be eating more healthy.  Just the kind of unconscious behavior that is alive and well in our world today.  People aren't in touch with what they actually do.  They lead themselves to believe they do more than they say they do.

I know - it is a harsh truth isn't it?  It doesn't sound nice.  We like to think EVERYONE else out there does these things, but we are all guilty of it.

If you don't believe me, go into your local grocery store.  See which things take up the most isle space.  It will prove my point many times over.

No one hardly eats food that is whole and unprocessed anymore.  Produce that is lightly steamed or cooked is a thing of the past for most.  Frozen vegetables or vegetables obliterated by cooking is what is for dinner!

I've had people tell me that frozen vegetables are the same as whole produce.  I hate to break it to you, but they are not.  Yes, they can measure out the vitamin and mineral percentages, but what is not accounted for is the enzymes and phytochemicals destroyed in processing.

In our house, we try to eat plenty of gently cooked whole vegetables in our day.  I can't remember the last time I went to a McDonalds or any other fast food place.  It is the place I eat at only if I'm starving and there's nothing else for 50 miles.

We don't go for the sugary coffees and energy drinks and soft drinks every day.  Most of the time, you'll only find water in our house to drink.

In 2009, we learned through Jeff Primack and Food Based Healing about whole food smoothies.  Nope, they aren't some mix or supplement that goes into them.  Nope, they aren't yogurt or ice cream or other nonhealthy stuff.  They are basic produce items.  You can read the blog post on My Flu Shot to learn more about them.

The other thing is, I don't get crazy worried about germs out there or other people getting sick.  To me, in my mind, if I do that it becomes nothing more than attracting that which I fear.  I don't need the extra stress and worry on my mind in this toxic stress world.

We also get bodywork with Dr. Paul Canali done frequently so our nervous system is more balanced and we're not taken under by the toxic stress.  I wish more people would do this.

So, when people come and tell me I should get a flu shot, I roll my eyes.  Why do I need to introduce that stuff into my body when I know how to take care of myself.  They claim that I will somehow put them at risk.  Really?  Then the flu shot is not that effective and if you have one, then using your facts, you would be protected.  So, the logic doesn't work at least in my mind.  Again, it is unconscious thoughts and behavior. 

It is a free country, and you can do what you want to do, but this is the path I've chosen.  Just know that I'm not in agreement with what most of this world does.  I think it is short-sighted and unconscious.

If people focused on truly taking care of themselves from what they eat to dumping the toxic stress, we'd all be better off in this world.  Of course, that feels like utopia to me, but I still hope that we as a world will wake up.

Toxic Vegetables For Sale

As I saw the sign above the produce, I gasped with frustration and anger.  After all I was shopping for some healthy vegetables in Publix.  When I looked up, I was greeted with a sign that said, "these fruits and vegetables are coated with Food-Grade Vegetable Petroleum Beeswax and/or Lac Resin-Based Wax or Resin".

Oh, so delicious!  Give me some more of that stuff.  I like eating unnatural stuff on the healthy vegetables that the earth provides.  Yes, I love "petroleum" based products on my nice raw vegetables.  After all, that's the way they were created on earth to be consumed.  I'm sure they come out of the ground that way.

I know, I know, the reason for this is to help the shelf life.  I know, I know, these products have all been tested on lab rats to be 100% safe or that's what they tell us at least.  Poor rats!  I'm sure the food companies all have our best interests in mind when they add this stuff and they would never dare do something that would harm us.  The food companies would never do that to us.  Excuse me for a moment.... cough,,   cough,,,  sputter....

Earthbox Vegetables Are The Best

Earthbox tomatoes at 57 days

Growing up, I didn't realize just how nice we had it with fresh vegetables from the garden.  What we could not eat during the summer, my mom canned and froze so we could eat all winter long.  In fact, for a long time I did not even realize that you bought fresh vegetables from the store.  I just thought everyone went to their cellar and got what they needed.

Yes, the big garden was usually a pain from the tilling, to the backbreaking planting, weeding, and harvesting.  When the weather was hot and buggy outside, weeding or harvesting the vegetables was the last thing I wanted to be doing as a kid.  Of course, I had no idea how much I would miss it one day.

Later in life when I was in college and beyond, I found out that vegetables in the stores did not match up to what I grew up eating.  They were either not ripe enough or the taste just wasn't as good.  The prices on some of these in the store for the quality is hard to comprehend.  Sometimes in our local grocery stores, it is hard to find produce in stock, let alone vegetables that are good quality.

Natural Immunity In Our Body

This is an excellent video about immunity, vaccines and how overboard we sometimes go in trying to create a sterile environment. Sometimes having too sterile of an environment is not the most healthy thing for us. Of course living in dirty conditions, is not health easier. There needs to be balance.

Before people run to the doctor and get flu shots and other vaccines, they really need to research and understand what is happening. Take a look at this blog post on the topic H1N1 Vaccine Linked To Increase In Miscarriages. We as humans need to engage more in our own understanding of what we do to our bodies. I am not going to tell you to take vaccines or not to take them because that is something you have to decide for yourself. Be informed though and just don't follow the medical establishment blindly.

Eat Healthy, Live Longer!

While surfing the internet news sites, I came across an article that links to aralifestyle.com . First thing you should know is that this is a site who's articles are sponsored by their advertisers. They state this in their "about us" page.

While they are free to do this, you have to take what is printed on their pages with some care. I can in no way validate the claims they make but any time an advertiser is sponsoring some article that is written, you have to evaluate what you are reading.

With that being said, there is some good information contained within the following article: The Secret To Looking Younger By Slowing Aging.

Here are some highlights from the article:

1) People who live longer eat better and generally eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables

2) The secret is in the antioxidants that help the body fight off free radicals

3) Free radicals happen when an electron is lost from an atom because of stress, toxins or normal metabolism.

4) Over times there can be decreased energy, memory loss, heart problems, weakened immune system and a short life span.

5) Antioxidants help restore the electrons to the cells.

6) In a study published May 5, 2005 in the journal, Science, Dr. Peter Rabinovitch at the University of Washington found that mice that produce high levels of antioxidants live 20% longer and have less age related problems.

7) Antioxidants are primarily in fruits and vegetables. Some experts suggest that we should be eating 10 servings a day instead of what the USDA Guidelines states. Of course, if you follow some of the examples on the USDA Guideline chart in the link referenced previously, you may not be any better off. Processed foods are not the same as whole foods.

While this article goes on to promote a product that you can buy, I will not be discussing that here. Personally, I'm not a big believer in products that you buy to make yourself healthy. Most of the things in these commercial products can be done right in your own home and with ingredients you buy in the store. There is no need to pay excessive amounts of profit to companies with claims a mile long that I feel are had to validate.

The one thing we do in our house is whole food smoothies with fruits and vegetables. I learned about this while at a Qigong seminar with Jeff Primack in Orlando, Florida. Outside of the more expensive Blendtech blender, we buy all the ingredients at our local supermarket. There is no special mix to buy. We've been doing this for over a year now and enjoy drinking our smoothies in the morning. To me, doing it in the way this is done is the best thing we can do for our long term health. For more information on this, please check out the following blog posts

1) Food Based Healing Smoothies

2) Smoothies, A Year Later



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