Changing your food habits? Read this 1st

Here is a list I typed up to help a friend who is changing to what is called clean eating, meaning no processed foods. If you want more info specifically on clean eating look under the link list to the right hand side of the pg. under “Clean Eating” If you already eat clean, have recipes or suggestions or web links Please email me or leave a comment.

1 Just remember KISS = Keep it simple silly!!!
Don’t get overwhelmed. Meaning make one change at a time. Example: Make a menu for one day so you can prepare & shop properly for those meals. One day, that’s all you have to think about! Then try a wk-end, until you find yourself going longer & longer.

I remember when I was cutting out dairy I thought forlornly “this is the last ice-cream cone I’m ever going to have EVER again!” Don’t say things like “ever again” or “never”. By the way, there is non dairy ice-cream you can find in health food stores. I didn’t know this at the time of my above thought.


2 It going to take time. One phase at a time
I’ve been on this health conscious, eating better, journey for over 10 yrs now & I’m still learning. Still room for improvement!


3 Eat real/whole foods!
As much raw as possible!! Why do you need a lot of recipes? Why do you feel the need to cook? It will save you time & energy (w/a reduced electric bill) if you don’t! What we do is cook only the bare necessities. Examples: homemade pizza we melt the cheese then add raw toppings… we cook pasta sauce then add raw veggies, breakfast burritos where we add raw veggies to the fried onions & eggs.


4 Your palette will change over time.
The time line will be different for everyone, depending on how disciplined you are. It’s better to work with your kids palette’s now while they’re young!
Andrew’s ideas: Concentrate on fruits & veggies, spending the majority of your food budget on the fruits & veggies so you won’t be tempted to spend it on boxed stuff.


I respect Mom’s wisdom & resourcefulness for feeding 5 people on one income (including a teenage son) Mom was amazing in her managing the meals & stretching the food out skills. If you know my mom, feel free to call her for money saving & health tips!!!


glitter-graphics.com

Get plenty of Vit. D when trying to conceive

Benefits Of Vitamin D
Healthy Living Articles Health.com

By Erica Kain
With all of the recent news stories about the potential benefits of Vitamin D—namely strong teeth and bones, a reduced risk of cancer, and an improved mood—it should come as no surprise that the vitamin may be beneficial to pregnant women.

But I was blown away by a recent study that showed a connection between IVF success rates and Vitamin D.

Could upping my intake really help me conceive?

The study found that women with a higher vitamin D level in their serum and follicular fluid (the fluid in a developing ovarian follicle) are “significantly more likely to achieve clinical pregnancy” following an IVF-embryo transfer.

Lubna Pal, MBBS, an author of the study and director of the program for polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) at the Yale Fertility Center, cautions that we don’t have enough data to definitively support the connection. However, she theorizes that Vitamin D affects the endometrium (the lining of the uterus), and research suggests that it may stimulate suppressor Th2 cells, which help the body maintain a pregnancy.

The potential correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and failed IVF cycles is a revelation that merits further study, and Dr. Pal says this may help explain why ethnic minorities have lower success rates in IVF. In particular, African American patients were found to have lower IVF success rates, and likewise, they were found to have lower levels of vitamin D. This particular deficiency is a well-known phenomenon, since people with darker skin who live far from the equator are particularly at risk for Vitamin D deficiency.

In the meantime, Dr. Pal warned that women of color aren’t the only ones that need to have their Vitamin D levels checked. According to her, 70-80% of the population are deficient in Vitamin D (which is a shame because there are so many non-skeletal benefits to the vitamin only now being discovered). She advises women to get plenty of Vitamin D when trying to conceive, and once they do conceive, use vitamin D to avert preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

article found here
image from glitter-graphics.com

Free Nutritional Typing™ Test

I took the test! It was easy. Then I was given a list of helpful tips. A lot more info than I was expecting- Great resources! I hope you’ll take a few minutes to find a nutritional plan that will work for you.
To take the free questionnaire follow this link:http://products.mercola.com/nutritional-typing/?source=nl

I subscribe to Dr. Mercola’s e-newsletter & encourage you to as well. What an incredible amount of info I have learned over the years from Dr. Mercola! http://www.mercola.com/
Health Practitioner Referrals

This post & website are not a replacement for a health care provider & the advice given should not be considered a diagnosis or treatment. Seeking a professional care provider is the responsibility of the reader.