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Food For Healthy Bones Newsletter...
...because everything you eat becomes your blood, bones, organs, muscles, tissues, thoughts and feelings
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Irma Jennings Holistic Nutritional Counselor Newsletter
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News From Irma Jennings. HHC
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Fall 2009
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Welcome to my first quarterly newsletter. What does sugar have to do with bone health? A ton! Sugar is acid forming. When we lean towards acidity in our bloodstream we can remove calcium from our bones and my structual friend to the right (who as you know, lives in us all) would be very unhappy. I welcome your comments and please consider sharing my newsletter with friends.
Warmly,
Irma Jennings
Nutritional Health Counselor
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Deconstructing Cravings
The
body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you, pumping
blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put in it and
maintaining homeostasis. Is this reliable, intelligent bio-computer making a
mistake by craving ice cream or a hamburger or chocolate? Are cravings due to
lack of will-power or discipline? I'd like to suggest that cravings are not a
problem. They are critical pieces of information that tell you what your body
needs.
 For example, last evening Haagen Daz vanilla chocolate chip mint was seductively whispering my name "Irma...Irma....I'm waiting for you." Lucky for me, there was no ice cream in my home; this meant a road trip. Ice cream doesn't work well for me as I often have a bad tummy ache immediately. However, this whisper turned into a screaming demand. The demand didn't care about the after effect of the tummy ache. I took a breath and asked myself, "What do I really want? Something sweet? Did I want the sweetness of food or the sweetness of connection?" After taking a glass of water and a 10 deep breaths, I realized it was the connection. I picked up the phone and connected to a dear friend. The craving passed.
The
important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your
diet is too restrictive or devoid of essential nutrients. Perhaps you are
living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. Your body tries to correct
the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something
sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water or more love
in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand and deliver
what your body really needs.
No book or theory can tell you what to
eat. Only awareness of your body and its needs can tell you. Of all the
relationships in our lives, the one with our body is the most essential. It
takes communication, love and time to cultivate a relationship with your body.
As you learn to decipher and respond to your body's cravings, you will create a
deep and lasting level of health and balance.
The next time you have a craving, treat
it as a loving message from your body instead of a weakness. Try these tips to
respond to your body:
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Have a glass of water and wait 10
minutes.
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Eat a healthier version of what you
crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet veggies (peppers) or
root veggies (carrots).
·
What is out of balance in your life? Is
there something you need to express, or is something being repressed? What
happened in your life just before you had this craving?
·
When you eat the food you are craving,
enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its effect. Then you will become more
aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.
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4- Week Nutritional Tele-Class to Maximize Your Health
Is this you?
- Consuming the same foods over and over again?
- Confused by carbohydrates: good carb/bad carb/no carbs?
- Wishing you could cook quick and healthy meals?
- Struggling with sleep, stress and feeling overwhelmed?
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Food
Focus: Natural Sweeteners
Who among us doesn't love sweets? The
sweet flavor releases serotonin in our brains, the chemical responsible for our
sense of well-being and contentment. But when it comes to sweeteners, not all
are created equal. There are side effects and health risks from refined
sweeteners like white table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, and from
artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet, saccharin and Splenda (my dear friend Joan's personal favorite..."just once a day, Irma, I promise"). Since refined
sweeteners have been stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they can spike
blood sugar, which can often lead to cravings and mood and energy fluctuations.
Instead, using naturally and minimally processed sweeteners can reduce cravings
for sugary things.
Here are a few natural transitional (notice the word transitional) sweeteners to
substitute in drinks, food and baking. Since they are all approximately 1.5
times sweeter than refined sugar, you can use less. You can find them in most
supermarkets or natural food stores. When replacing sugar with liquid
sweeteners in a recipe, reduce the amounts of other liquids.
Stevia
Stevia is available in
several forms, including powdered leaves and liquid concentrates. Refined white
powder stevia concentrates can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Powdered
leaf and liquid concentrates have a licorice-like taste. The leaf will not
dissolve in beverages, so it's best used in cooking. All forms of stevia mix
exceptionally well with other sweeteners. But it can impart a bitter taste. If
you're not familiar with using stevia, start with a little and taste as you go. My dear friend Lois Trave, RN who is always monitoring her sugar, finds delight in different flavored liquid stevia. She adds a few drops to mineral water and Voila! Vanilla Soda. It also comes in lemon, peppermint, english toffee, chocolate rasberry.
To purchase Sweetleaf product
Raw Honey
Everyone seems to love honey, one of
the oldest natural sweeteners on the market. Honey will have a different flavor
depending on the plant source. Some are very dark and intensely flavored.
Wherever possible, choose raw honey, as it is unrefined and contains small
amounts of enzymes, minerals and vitamins.
Agave Nectar
Agave is made through the extraction
and purification of the juice of the agave cactus. It does not stimulate
insulin secretion as other sugars do, so it does not create a "sugar
rush." It has a delightfully light and mild flavor.
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is the concentrated extract
of the sap of maple trees. It adds a rich, deep flavor to foods and drinks.
Make sure to look for 100% pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup. As
with all sweeteners, organic varieties are best.
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Save $10.00
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Fall Nutritional Tele-class 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9/09 7-8:00pm eastern
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Offer Expires: October 18, 2009
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