How are you guys doing during this flu season? I hope you are realizing that most of the craziness surrounding the H1N1 was media hype!! Don't get me wrong, I know that some people have been really sick with this virus, and I am not taking it lightly...but at the same time the percentages of supposed deaths and the unnecessary fear that was pressed upon us by the mainstream media was almost criminal in my opinion. There was a little bit of truth mixed with A LOT of scare tactics all wrapped up in a report that they had the nerve to call "news."
When I received my Broadcast Journalism degree in 1995 we were trained to report "just the facts, ma'am." Now, it seems that whatever floats through the brain and pops out the mouth of the reporter qualifies, regardless of the lack of actual investigating that has been done. It is becoming a sad, sad industry and one that I thank God every single day He did not allow me to become a part of.
Anyway, on to your "holiday" health advice....hmmmmm.....eat whatever you want and ask for a gym membership for Christmas!!
No, of course not - there are many, many healthy alternatives to all of your holiday goodies. And of course, everything in moderation.
Here is what we do in our family...
First, I don't bake tons and tons of Christmas goodies. Remember early on my advice was to stop buying things with white flour and sugar in them. If it is not in your house, you are less likely to eat it! So, if you and your kids have a tradition of baking Christmas sugar cookies and you can't think of another tradition to replace that one, then bake the cookies, but only bake two dozen rather than ten and then give some to your neighbors, eat the rest, and be done with it! Also, substitute Turbinado, which is simply unprocessed sugar with your refined white sugar. It is available at any grocery store and it is a healthier substitute.
Next, make sure you feed your kids something healthy before you go out to a Christmas party. Before we leave for our home school group's annual cookie exchange I make sure my kids are FULL!! I cook a big baked potato and a plate full of raw vegetables. Then, I give them any fresh fruit they want, as much as they want. I don't say a word about not eating cookies at the party, but if they are already full, usually they start playing with their friends and they have a cookie or two and that's it. This is not a bad idea for yourself, either!
Finally, substitute the traditional holiday goodies with healthy alternatives. As I type I am eating warm, straight from the oven chocolate cake with gooey chocolate icing! It hardly seems right that I am telling you how to cut back on sweets with this in my hand! I baked this cake from a mix called Pamela's, it is gluten free, which means there is NO grain at all in the flour and it is dairy free, so no milk products at all. Basically, it is almond flour and unrefined sugar. Pamela's makes several different basic mixes and with them I can make pancakes, chocolate cake, pizza crust, and chocolate chip cookies that are absolutely delicious!!! I am telling you every person in my family, including my husband, would prefer these to the "real" thing! These chocolate chip cookies are to DIE for!! (And so is this cake I am eating right now!) I don't recommend overdoing on sugar, because it is still sugar and it still feeds bacteria and viruses, but if you eat it in its natural form, unbleached and unprocessed then you can have a little more of it this time of year than you normally would without any repercussions.
For more information on how to purchase Pamela's mixes for yourself, go to www.pamelasproducts.com -- I assure you, you will be impressed with the taste of this stuff. I can even fool my dad!!
Finally, be sure you are taking your supplements, especially Vitamin D3 (lots of it), eating as many fresh fruits and veggies as you can, and taking your immune boosters. I recommend elderberry syrup or Double E immune booster tea from The Bulk Herb Store.
Also, I know it is a lot colder wherever you are than it is here, but a brisk walk will do wonders for your immune system and your overall attitude.
Enjoy your Christmas season and Be Healthy!
No comments:
Post a Comment