You are what you eat --

and what you do not eat

You probably have heard many times, "You are

what you eat - and you are what you do not
eat". Believe it.

Again, you will reap what you sow No, you won’t
feel long-term effects from what you eat today.
So, if you splurge on sweets today only, you probably won’t suffer years from now.

However, if you often do that sort of thing, as many of us do, you could be heading for a lot
of trouble. I nearly panicked when my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic. Then, I thought
about what I had been eating recently that could suddenly bring me to that condition.

Oh, that didn’t take long to figure. I had gotten into the habit of eating chocolate candy
bars almost every night. Often I ate two of them. After hearing that bad news about being
pre-diabetic, I quit eating those delicious candy bars. Yes, of course, I occasionally eat one or
half of one, but know better than to get back into the old habit.

I can almost taste those candy bars now. Willpower, willpower, willpower. I will get on to the
next paragraph and, hopefully, soon forget about those ...

You surely know that you must get plenty of vitamins and minerals, but do you know what
foods provide the right ones? Do you also know the amount of those foods to get what you
need? You must also get plenty of fiber and water. So, these ingredients must be consumed
for you to function properly.
Get the real thing.
Sure, popping a few dietary supplements (vitamins) on a regular basis can help. However,
studies indicate that a person can benefit far greater by getting those vitamins and minerals
in consumed foods.
Nutrients are simply ingredients that provide nourishment. Essential nutrients include vita-
mins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, and water.

Beside the above-mentioned terms, you may often hear about polyunsaturated fats and
monounsaturated fats and oils.

Do you really know what they mean? Do you really even care?

Another important matter to consider is the effects of too many vitamins from supplements
(either pills or supplemental drinks). For example, if you consume too much vitamin A, your
body has problems creating vitamin D. Both vitamins are important to your good health.

Colors
Brightly-colored foods usually indicate food rich in nutrients. Of course, we are not counting
food coloring that only makes the food look more appetizing. That does not add to the val-
ue of foods for your body.
Consider red tomatoes, blueberries, and dark green, leafy vegetables. White is sometimes
referred to as pure or purity. However, in nutrition, white can be a bad thing. For example,
be sure to limit your intake of sugar, salt, and flour. Also, beware of brown sugar, although it
may taste so good to you.

White can also be good when referred to drinking milk. Note to those who cannot or will
not drink milk -- a good substitute is low-fat yogurt and cheese.

My Food Plate
Do you remember the old Food Pyramid and the new Food Pyramid? Today’s thing from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture is now called My Plate. Fruits, vegetables, grains, protein,
and dairy are illustrated on a serving plate. Keep in mind that this pictures the ideal plate of
food in a day’s time.

Also keep in mind to eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Don't eat too much from
cans or packaged containers.

It is also very important to keep fats and cholesterol to a minimum.

Buy Organic
Organic foods are processed without synthetic pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides. Go
organic wherever possible. Two more things to avoid are processed foods and artificial
sweeteners. Processed foods have been canned, pre-cooked, or frozen.

Some recommend Stevia as a safe and beneficial sweetener. On the other hand, it is being
evaluated for some negative effects on your body. Check with your doctor first.

One more thing to avoid is Aspartame - the basic ingredient for most artificial sweeteners.
It has more than 90 documented negative side effects. (Yikes!)

Beware of weight-loss diets

Yes, I was once a victim of a quick-fix weight-loss diet. In fact, I tried more than one of
them. I had noticed that I was losing some weight but did not feel right.
Luckily, a legit weight-loss clinic opened near my old office. During a pre-exam, I felt faint
and thought I would pass out on the examining table.

Can you believe that I was instructed to go to the fast-food chain next door every day for
a week, then come back. Why? My body was so run-down and deprived of what it needed.

They thought a fast way to temporarily catch up was to eat fast food. Did you notice that I
said “temporarily”. About a week later I had returned and started their program.

The plan included alternating each week with their food and at-home food that they sug-
gested. After a few weeks, I lost some more weight, but more importantly I felt much
better. (Actually, I had a minor emotional set-back when I discovered I had to get all new
clothing.)

Ah, yes, after I got new clothing, I felt emotionally great again, as well as physically. My en-
ergy and endurance increased as my weight went down. I still remember that great day
when I reached my weight goal. Wow, was I happy, happy, happy!

Keep in mind that in addition to a change of eating habits, I also exercised as

they instructed.

Perhaps you find it difficult to exercise on a regular basis. Ask your physician or weight-loss
clinic representative what exercises you can do to help you get in shape and lose weight.

Summing up, keep it natural and keep it balanced. Here’s to your longevity….and mine!