THE FOOD WE EAT
The Food We Eat
Many years ago, our ancestors ate strictly to live. Food was not readily available and they had to gather it themselves. They also learned that time that they spent away from the comfort of the cave gathering the food was also time that they endured added risks.
These ancestors did not have refrigerators. In fact, the refrigerator as we know it, did not come into existence until the 1920's-1940's. This often meant that people needed to purchase their fresh groceries on a daily basis. This usually meant healthier living and some exercise.
Processed foods slowly entered our kitchens for better or worse. Many of these processed foods are engineered to make us actually crave them (Ecowatch, 2018). They are also known to effect our skin, digestion process, hormones, brains, blood sugar, and more (Ecowatch, 2018). This is some of the main reasons that many people are trying to eat more naturally.
The main idea is to watch your labels and minimize the foreign chemicals that we consume on a daily basis. The back to basics food planning idea seems to be catching on. The process may take a little more time and money at first, although with some research and support, it gets easier to do with time.
References
Ecowatch (2018). 5 ways processed foods messes with your body. Retrieved from www.Ecowatch.com.
Some Strawberry Facts:
Scientific name: Fragaria ananassa
Origin: 18th century Europe
Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C and manganese. They also contain potassium and folate (B9).
Strawberries, like many of berries, are rich in antioxidants.
Strawberries may benefit heart health and blood sugar control (Bjarnadottir, 2015).
Reference
Bjararnadottir, A. (2015). Strawberries 101" Nutrition facts and health benefits. Retrieved from healthline.com
Diet is Not a Four Letter Word
If you want to make someone cringe, all you have to do is say the word, "diet," or ask "what diet are you on?" Although there are probably hundreds of "diets" that are advertised as a way to lose weight, these do not define what a biological diet is.
The word "diet," is a noun. In biological and nutritional science, it refers to the "kinds of foods a person or animal eats habitually" (Google Dictionary, 2018). In other terms, a "diet" refers to the selection of food that an animal (or human) eats habitually. Diets can range by species, terrain, habitat, and availability. Through time, many animals have had to increase their food selection to fit their environment. For instance, the species of rabbits that live in the dessert, have learned to add cacti to their list of foods (DessertUSA, 1996-2018). This is a choice that cottontail rabbits who live in the forest do not have available, so they do not even dream of this food choice.
If we look at the concept of diet in it's true biological meaning, we see that it is not an event, but rather a pattern. It is this pattern of food consumption that either energizes our bodies or depletes our energy. It is this pattern of food consumption that either tells our bodies to gain weight, lose weight or maintain. All of these results are not defined by one meal. They are defined by a chain of meals. It is these meals that create our individualized pattern of food consumption, otherwise known as out "diet."
References
DessertUSA (1996-2018). Dessert Cottontail. Retrieved from www.dessertusa.com
Google Dictionary (2018). diet.
Our sources at www.ModernPioneerMom.com offer the following timeline:
1910: Trans fats entered the food supply.
1920's: New methods of food processing were becoming available. This included canned foods and frozen foods. Condiments also became more common.
1930's: As the Great Depression became hit the United States, Americans had to learn to get by with less. This meant that protein had to be reduced from meals while beans, vegetables, and starches were increased as a staple.
1940's: More convenience foods reached the market as food was rationed due to the war. Many farmers began to use fertilizer to their crops. While the fertilizer increased the amount of produce that was yielded, it also decreased the vitamins and minerals in the plants themselves. The US Government subsidized corn and soy crops which increased the use of high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, modified corn starches. The US Government also issued guidelines that stated iron, vitamin B, thiamine and riboflavin needed to be added to grain products. This was implemented to add back some of the nutrients that were being depleted from the produce.
1950's: Fast food restaurants were popping up all over. Processed foods were being mass-distributed. Television added to the popularity of many processed foods. The FDA passed a law in 1958 that stated that all food manufacturers needed to prove the safety of all new food additives. TV dinners gained popularity.
1960's: A process called irradiation was used for the first time to sterilize dried fruits and vegetables. This helped to stop sprouting and control insect infestation in stored foods. Tab and Diet Pepsi came into being.
1970's: Another recession in the US meant that foods became simple and less expensive to prepare. High-fructose corn syrup was on the rise. As a result of the weight that many Americans were gaining, "lite" products were introduced. These products often included added chemicals that were foreign to our bodies.
1980's: Homegrown food consumption was decreasing. Aspartame was approved by the FDA. Ketchup was included as a vegetable in schools per the USDA. The first genetically engineered tomato was developed.
1990's: Microwaves became more of a household product. Law that all packaged food needed to have labels that contained their nutrition and ingredient information. Caloric sweeteners consumption was increasing.
2000: People began to question our diets although we began eating more low-fat, fat-free, and diet foods.
References
Modernpioneermom.com (2012). The food we eat. Retrieved from https://modernpioneermom.com/tag/food-timeline/
The emotion of weight loss
I had wanted to lose weight for years, however every time I started a healthy eating program, I soon found that I was on an emotional roller coaster. One minute I would feel happy and then the next minute I felt sad. I had started to feel as if each fat cell was filled with emotions and I was finding that I needed to deal with them if I was ever going to reach my goal weight. I needed to figure out what was going on.
Sometimes in life, food becomes more than a means to fuel our bodies. There actually I learned that
I found that I needed to explore the reasons why I overate and the role that food played in my life. It seemed that food had become way more than a substance that my body needed to survive. "Food can be way of comforting ourselves, a form of solace, a way of facing up to situations, or confronting what is really going on," (Beaumont, 2015). I
in order to maintain your goals and balance, never let yourself get too hungry, angry, lonely or tired. These are the concepts of h.a.l.t.
When we are trying to eat healthier, we need to take some of the time that we used to spend on eating and replace it with another activity. We need to find out what we really enjoy doing and we need to do it. Whether the activity is exercising, singing, dancing, gardening, painting or reading, we need to spend time doing these activities.
As I sat and planned my meals for the week, I reminded myself that eating these foods is a choice, not a sentence. This is a gift that I am giving my body. As I began to see that it truly was a choice, I became more interested in learning and trying out new healthy recipes. I found that I could learn to make things that were not only good for my body, but yummy to eat. I also found that I actually enjoy cooking sometimes.
I also learned that it is a great idea to see a counselor, therapist or life coach. When we are able to discuss our issues and goals with a trusted person, it can really make a huge impact. Getting to the bottom of the issues that are contained in each shrinking fat cell is not easy sometimes, however this goal is worth it.
I also needed to learn to see myself as I was trying to be. When I closed my eyes, I pictured myself at a healthy weight and I smiled. I imagined moving around and doing the things that I was beginning to find it harder to do with the added weight. I imagined being free.
I also wrote down the reasons that I wanted to eat healthier and lose weight in the first place. I revisited these goals often and I added to them as new reasons came into my thoughts. I again told myself that the choices that I am making each day are my choice. I reminded myself that I am giving myself the best present I could ever give to myself.
I learned to eat slow and to enjoy the flavor of the food that I was eating. I thought about the nutrients that were in each bite. I thought about the textures, as I concentrated on eating slow and chewing my food. I began to see the actual act of eating as a break from the day. I learned that it was the experience of sitting and relaxing while I ate that made me content. I had learned to eat mindfully.
References
Beaumont, A. (2015). Fat is an emotional issue. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/handy-hints-humans/201509/fat-is-emotional-issue
MY FITNESS PAL
As I began my weight loss journey, I knew I needed to count calories and I was not looking forward to it. See, I am "old school." All I could think of is buying a calorie book and having to look up everything I ate each day.
Then, my son introduced me to the free app called, "My Fitness Pal." I downloaded the basic app on my iphone and began tracking my food and water intake each day. I have to say, I love this app! Logging my food is so easy and it is actually fun!
There is an option for a paid version and I have to say, I am seriously considering it. The paid version comes with more technology and information.
We will be discussing this app more in our podcast!~
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