Four Reasons To Eat Breakfast

 

Skipping breakfast is a bad idea

I was quite impressed to read the statistics below, because I am a big fan of breakfast. In fact, I never start  my day without breakfast. 

In the book, I can do this Diet, Dr. Don Colbert recommends that we eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up in the morning.  Moreover, According to the International Food Information Council, there are four reasons why we should eat breakfast:

1. Research shows that eating breakfast can improve memory, attention, problem-solving skills and reading comprehension.
2. A recent study found that 90 percent of people who ate breakfast regularly and who had lost 30 pounds maintained the weight loss for at least a year.
3. Studies have shown that people who skip breakfast have high blood cholesterol levels.
4. A study found that overweight women who ate an egg breakfast had greater feelings of satiety and ate fewer carbohydrates, proteins and fats at lunch.

~Source:School-Age Notes

With Health & Wellness in mind,
Shketa

Why I Stopped Eating Meat and Started Eating More Plant Based Foods

One week ago, I decided to cut dairy and meat out of my diet. I know that was a dramatic diet change. However, It was easy for me to make that decision because of my family history of high cholesterol, hypertension, stroke, diabetes and cancer.

Studies show that many of the illness es that I named above are caused by the foods that we eat. Several years ago my diet consisted of eating lots of fried chicken, bacon and eggs for breakfast, sodas and I loved eating pork chitterlings.

Last year my doctor told me that my cholesterol was too high and that I could lower it with medication or a healthier diet. I decided to eat healthier.

Looking at that list of foods above made me think about how I excited I am that my arteries are no longer at risk of being clogged from the fat that is in friend chicken, bacon and eggs.

In last week's post, I mentioned that I was reading a book titled, the China Study. The China Study covers the facts about foods that contain animal fats and it was enough information in the book to inspire me to cut the meat and daity from my diet and eat more plant based foods including: more fruits & vegetables, whole grains and plant based meat.

Now just in case you are wondering how I did it, I want to share with you what I've been eating to assure that I get enough protein and eating plenty of healthy foods.

I also must add that my decision to cut the meat was a gradual change for my family, however, when I explained to my kids that I want to be around to enjoy my grand kids in my old age, they understood:). Moreover, I want my husband and I both to be healthier as we enjoy our Journey together

My New diet...
 Some of the foods that I eat for breakfast includes: Oatmeal, cereal bar, pancakes, waffles, potatoes, fruit, coffee with almond milk. I assure that I get a grain, fruit and I add a plant based milk in my coffee.

Snack... Whole grain bar and Apple

For lunch... I enjoy a large salad loaded with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, pasta, soup, fruit and water. Other food choices include: hummus dips with crackers, salads, beans, with rice and vegetables.

Dinner...I cook a soy based meat, fish or beans along with grains and fruit. For example: Fettuccine, soy based meat, broccoli and watermelon or Fish, potatoes, salad and cantaloupe.

Evening Snack...Whole grain Crackers with soy cheese and Green Tea

I only choose to eat soy based ice cream when I desire it.

My hope is that I have inspired you to eat and live healthier because your body depends on it. You may not choose to cut meat from your diet, however, I want to leave you with this thought. I once heard Doctor Don Colbert say, " Eat foods that give you life." Foods that give you life are grown from the earth (fruits, vegetables and whole grains)  Check out this video----> http://forksoverknives.com/


With Health & Wellness in Mind!
Shiketa

Lower Your Choslesterol and Lose Weight With A Healthy Diet

I am entering into the second week of a major diet change as I write this blog post. Several weeks before writing this post, I noticed some extra belly fat and I thought it was time to monitor my diet closely.

So, I decided to do implement some natural weight loss remedies including:

• drinking lots of herbal teas
• walking daily
• increasing my intake of water
• reducing the amount of starchy foods that I consumed
• 1 tsp of coconut oil
• Apple cider vinegar and many other remedies

These were remedies that I tried in 2009 and they worked, however, when I stopped incorporating the remedies above...the weight came back.

Several days before writing this blog post, I decided to go purchase a copy of the book, The China Study. My Juice Plus sponsor recommended that I purchase a copy of the book, because she knew that I loved reading about health & wellness.

One year later I decided to purchase the book and it is hard for me to put the book down. In fact, this book has changed the way that I look at food. In the introduction of the book, the author wrote:

"You deserve to know that many of the common notions 

you have been told about food, health and disease are wrong."

Just in case you are wondering why we should believe the author of this book; you must know that the author has over 50 years of experience in research, policy making and deciding which research gets funded and translating massive amounts of scientific research into national expert panel reports.

Moreover, The China Study book has over 750 references that point to ways to less cancer, less heart disease, fewer strokes, less obesity less autoimmune systems disease, less osteoporosis, less Alzheimer's, less kidney stones and less blindness.


The authors of the China Study, T Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell II, believes that there are many things that we must do to lower our cholesterol levels and to lose weight; they are as follows:

1. Stop Eating Eggs
2. Avoid foods that are high in Animal Fat such as: "meat"
3. Eat a plant based diet
4. Consume more whole foods (whole grains, fruits & vegetables)
5. Avoid dairy products (with the exception of plant based milk)

"Studies show that those who follow a whole foods,

low-fat, plant based diet consume fewer calories 

and they weigh less that meat-eating counterparts."

The list above is simply a small overview of what the authors of the book recommends to reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes or even cancer. You are probably thinking, it sounds like I need to become a vegan or a vegetarian.

Call it what you want, however, if you want to lower your cholesterol, lose weight, lower your risk of a heart attack; you must eat a low fat diet, eat more whole foods and cut the foods the foods high in animal fat.

I inspire you to pick up a copy of the China Study today. I am still reading the book and have already made changes in my diet to lower my cholesterol and lose those unwanted pounds. Since I've started reading the book, I have consumed more whole foods,  and not eaten any eat meat since Monday August 29, 2011.

It was easy for me to make the change, because I was diagnosed with high cholesterol at the at of 24 and my doctor told me that it can be reversed with a healthy diet and exercise. I decided to choose a healthy diet over taking cholesterol lowering drugs. Thirteen years later, I am determined to enter into my forties with vibrant health.

As I continue to experiement with the variety of plant based foods, I will follow-up with another blog post, until then, go out and get your copy of the China Study.

Have a Healthy Day!
Shiketa