Hot Dog!

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I almost feel guilty dedicating an entire post on a blog about healthy living to hot dogs, but let's face it: many of us have kids (or like hot dogs ourselves), and if you buy Applegate hot dogs, they're not nearly as bad for you. (Although, they are still hot dogs...)

I wouldn't recommend eating hot dogs all the time, and the price of the healthy ones helps ensure that won't happen, but when you do indulge, it should be enjoyable! We have yet to find hot dog buns that we can eat, and my kids aren't huge fans of just putting plain hot dogs on their plates. I know, that hardly seems American. Everyone likes hot dogs, plain or not, right? I mean, I used to love hot dogs so much I ate them raw right out of our fridge when I was a kid. How gross is that?

Anyway, I digress. Back to the point. Here are some different ways to cook up hot dogs that will make this indulgent meal a little more fun for your family!

1. Hot dog octupus. Make a lengthwise cut down your hot dog, starting in the middle, then continuing to one end, leaving almost half of the hot dog uncut. Then, make another lengthwise cut down the center of each cut half. when you finish, your hot dog should have 4 dangling "legs." Drop the dog into a pot of boiling water and cook it as you normally would. As you do, the cut pieces will curl up like octopus tentacles.

2. Hot dog squid. Cut hot dogs in half. Before cooking them, insert 100% whole wheat spaghetti noodles into the dogs, then drop them in boiling water and cook as normal. The noodles will soften as they cook but remain intact, so the finished dog looks somewhat like a squid.

3. Breaded and baked. My elementary school cafeteria used to serve hot dogs like this, and they're still my favorite way to eat them! Butter a slice of bread, such as Ezekiel bread, or 100% whole grain bread (watch the ingredients--avoid sugar!) and wrap the slice of bread around the hot dog, buttered side out. You may have to use a skewer or toothpick to hold the bread in place. Bake at 425 until the bread is browned.

What favorite ways do you like to serve hot dogs? Please include them in the comments below.

Prepare to Punt

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We all have those days where something--or everything--goes wrong, and our meal plans don't turn out. Maybe you forget to defrost the entire chicken you planned on roasting for supper, your family ate up several of the ingredients you needed for your recipe and you've already used up your grocery budget, you get unexpected guests, or maybe, just maybe, the "delicious" dinner you prepared actually tastes terrible. Or maybe those things just happen to us.

Anyway, sometimes your day doesn't go as planned and you have to "punt" for supper. In the good ol' days, this might have meant getting a pizza delivered or pulling out a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese, but those days are gone. Right? I keep reading (and I've written it myself) how essential it is to plan out every meal, because if you find yourself hungry and tired with nothing planned for supper, you're probably going to choose what's quickest and easiest, and this might even involve those infamous golden arches.

This is absolutely true, but it's also true that no matter how well you plan, sometimes those well laid plans are going to fall apart, and then what do you do?

We actually have to plan to fail. Plan for those nights when you have to punt. This doesn't have to be elaborate or complicated. You don't have to keep a stack of made-from-scratch lasagne's in your freezer (although, wouldn't that be nice?), you just have to have something. Unfortunately, I've learned this lesson the hard way. I would carefully plan out every meal, and then, when we got stuck in traffic, ran out of ingredients, or something else happened, and I had no "punt" plan, things were not very much fun around here. We would find ourselves completely cooking up an entirely new meal, which we got to eat about the time we wanted to be dropping off to sleep. And then, there were still dishes...a mountain of them, from all the cooking...

So, what does having a "punt" plan look like? It will be different for everyone, but it should absolutely be simple and easy, something you can pull out or whip up quickly in those moments when you're behind, tired, etc. You know what works for your family. This meal does not have to contain all of the elements of perfect nutrition--it's a "getting by" kind of meal, but that doesn't mean it has to be unhealthy. Here are some possibilities for your "punt" meals. Choose just a couple of them or something else you know will work for you, and keep the ingredients stocked, just in case.

1. Breakfast for supper. Whip up a smoothie, toast some Ezekiel bread, or cook up some protein-packed pancakes.

2. Grilled cheese. Ezekiel bread is delicious grilled.

3. Sandwiches.

4. Fruit and cheese.

5. Burritos. I like to keep extra tortillas and refried beans in the freezer, just in case. Defrost them, then stuff the tortillas with beans and cheese and fry in olive oil until crispy.

6. Stir fry. Keep some already cooked chicken or beef in your freezer. Defrost it, then toss it in a skillet with your favorite veggies and spices.

7. Hot dogs. Make sure to look at the ingredients and choose hot dogs without added nitrites, nitrates, or sugar, like Applegate.

What are some of your favorite "punt" meals? I'd love to know! Include them in the comments below.

Recipe Night!

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I love recipe night! Every few months our sponsor, 180 Chiro, hosts a fun evening where you can bring (if you want) some of your own healthy recipes to share. What they really want you to bring, though, is an appetite so you can try out some of their recipes, and the recipes of other people who are also learning to eat healthier.

There's a fun atmosphere of sampling, asking questions, and sharing tips. They'll also send you home with some printed recipes to try! I've gotten some of my favorite recipes from recipe night, and it was really helpful to try out what other people have made and ask questions while I look over some of their recipes.

If you live in the Nashville area, come check it out! You'll have a fun night, and you'll see just how delicious eating healthy can be!

What: Recipe Night

When: April 30, 6:00 p.m.

Where: 180 Chiro
                4091 Mallory Lane, Suite 114
                Franklin, TN 37067

Cost: FREE!!

To sign up, contact 180 Chiropractic and Wellness at 615-595-9063 or info@180chiro.com

Reduce Cleaning Toxins

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I don't know about you, but I spend more than enough money already at the grocery store without spending a bunch of extra money for the greener cleaning products, many which still contain some very harmful toxins.

Ignorance is bliss, I guess, because before I knew how harmful all of my cleaning products were, I used to love running out of Windex so I could pick out the new scent at the store. I truly enjoyed breathing in the articificial clean smell throughout my house when I finished.

Now that I know the dangers, however, like links to cancer and other health problems, I just can't go back, which left me in a tight spot (with a tight budget!) for a little while. I did use several of my own recipes for cleaning products, which worked pretty well, and I do still use some of them, like the homemade kitchen cleaner, but I've also discovered a few other easy, painless alternatives that don't drain my wallet and keep my house clean!

Some of these items, of course, have an upfront cost, but once you have them, you won't find yourself having to purchase additional cleaning products, and they will last a long time. If you're short on cash, consider asking for these items for your birthday or Christmas!

1. Use a steam mop. A friend of mine has a really nice one, with different attachments for different types of floors, corners, etc. but I have a basic Dirt Devil steam mop with a triangular head, which I got a couple of years ago. When you use a steam mop, you're killing harmful germs with the hot steam and you don't need to add any cleaning products. You just pour water in the back. I use it on my wood floors as well as my kitchen and bathrooms. I do occasionally have to hand wipe some corners and hard to reach places, but not too often. The mop does a great job!

2. Discover Norwex. I had never even heard of this company until my mom bought me three of their cloths for Christmas last year. They're wonderful! I have a cloth that I use to wash mirrors and windows, another antibacterial cloth that I use to clean bathrooms, and a dusting mitt. They have a huge variety of other products as well, that I look forward to trying.

3. Use the rinse cycle. Awhile ago, I found a low toxin dishwasher detergent that I loved and that cost about the same as the regular stuff I was already using. However, the manufacturer stopped making it, and the other brands were super expensive, so I tried making my own. In order to make my own concoction work, however, I had to thoroughly rinse my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, then add vinegar. When my mom came to visit, she wisely pointed out that if I was going to go to all that trouble, I could simply wash my dishes with a dishwand, which holds the soap in the handle, place them in the dishwasher, then run the "rinse only" cycle, just to steam them and get off any remaining germs. This was brilliant! My dishwasher now only runs for 5-10 minutes, and I'm not spending any money on detergent! I have had to buy a little more dish soap, but the cost is minimal. I use Ultra Dishmate, which I buy at Kroger for about $3.00. (And, it smells good!) They have a few natural scents, like pear, grapefruit, and almond.

4. Dust with lemon oil. Lemon oil will nourish your wood, keep it from drying out, and give it a beautiful shine. You don't need to use very much of it, either. I literally have had the same bottle of lemon oil, purchased at Wal Mart, for as long as I can remember, and I think I only paid a couple of bucks for it. I think it is older than my kids, which means I've had it at least ten years. I just shake a few drops onto a dusting cloth (which I almost never wash), then dust away. The oil stays on the cloth, which means I don't have to add very much at a time at all. I alternate between lemon oil and the Norwex dusting mitt when dusting. Usually, when the kids dust, I let them dry dust with the Norwex cloth, and when it's my turn, I nourish the wood with some lemon oil.

Not sure why it's important to avoid harmful toxins in cleaning products, or not sure which ingredients to avoid? Check out Avoiding Toxins in Hygiene Products for more information.

Dutch Baby: A Fantastic Breakfast



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I found this recipe in Disney's Family Fun magazine, and it did look like a lot of fun! We're always looking for some new and different things to try for breakfast, so I made a few minor changes to the recipe and served it to my family for Sunday morning breakfast.

Apparently, I should've doubled the recipe, because the whole thing was gone in moments, with everyone looking around and asking, "Is that it? You didn't make any more?" Needless to say, it was a huge hit!

The Dutch Baby is kind of like a baked apple pancake that doesn't need any syrup. According to Family Fun, it's based on a traditional German recipe and was first served, and named, at Manca's Cafe in Seattle.

This recipe works great with apples, but you can also substitute other fruits, like pears, peaches, or plums. I've only made it with apples thus far, but I can't wait to try it with some other fresh fruits this summer!

I should also note that the recipe calls for the eggs and milk to be at room temperature. I failed to notice this the first time I made the recipe, but it still turned out fine.

Dutch Baby

Ingredients:
1 medium apple (or you can use half of a Granny Smith, and half of a Golden Delicious for more a more varied flavor)
3 Tbsp. palm sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Peel and thinly slice the apple. Place the slices in a bowl, then sprinkle 2 Tbsp. of the palm sugar and 1/4 tsp. of the cinnamon over the slices. Gently stir the slices until they're coated with the cinnamon and sugar.

Slice the butter into pats and set them in a glass pie pan. Place the pan in the oven for a couple of minutes until the butter melts, then pull the pan out and tilt it so the melted butter coats the bottom of the pan.

Spread the apples over the butter, then bake for about 10 minutes, or until the apples have softened a little and the butter is slightly brown around the edges and bubbly.

While the apples are baking, toss the eggs, milk, flour, salt, vanilla, and the rest of the palm sugar and cinnamon into a blender. Blend on medium for about a minute, or until everything is well mixed and frothy.

When you pull the apples out of the oven, pour the batter from the mixer over the apples, then place back in the oven. Bake until puffy and golden brown--about 25-30 minutes, then cool somewhat on a wire rack. The Dutch Baby will deflate while it's cooling.

I hope your family enjoys this fun and different breakfast as much as we do!

Are You Toxic?

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We're surrounded by harmful toxins.  They're hiding in our food, our medications, our cleaning products, personal care products, our water, and even the air we breathe!

How do you know how much you are affected, though? Take the quiz, Are You Toxic? to find out.

Check out these facts. Every year in America:

• 4 billion prescription drugs are ingested by Americans
• 70,000 chemicals are used commercially
• more than 3,000 chemicals are added to our food supply
• more than 10,000 chemical are used in food processing, preservation, and storage
• 3 million tons of pesticides are used, with 1,600 chemicals used in their production

There is a major, unseen interference to health that most people are unaware of: toxicity. On April 23, our sponsor, 180 Chiropractic and Wellness, will be giving a free informational talk to help you learn how to minimize toxins and maximize health. When you join them, you will learn:

• common household items and habits that are toxic
• how to create a non-toxic environment for your family
• how to have incredible health without depending on medications
• the science behind your body's natural detoxification systems
• the effects of toxicity in North America over the past 30 years

What: Advanced Talk on Toxicity

When: April 23, 6:00 p.m.

Where: 180 Chiro

                4091 Mallory Lane, Suite 114

                Franklin, TN 37067

To register, contact 180 Chiro at 615-595-9063 or info@180chiro.com

Guest Post: Fast Food Temptation

This is our first guest post, and I'm so excited! Jeremy Pittman and his family have been trying to make healthier choices, and he posted this encounter last week on Facebook. I couldn't resist including it here, because it marks that moment of choice we all face: Will we choose what's easy, or will we choose what's best for those we love?

Fast Food Temptation

by Jeremy Pittman

Last weekend, I was tempted to pull into a well-known fast food restaurant which my daughter says is her favorite (though she hasn't eaten there in 6 months) because we were all hungry and well, quite frankly, it was there. The restaurant is well-known to offer primarily unhealthy food products. As I was about to pull into the ridiculously complicated entrance/exit, I made a choice.  It was the point of no return.

I chose to drive-by, instead of drive-thru. Prompting the question (somewhat disgruntled) from my wife, "OK...where are we going to eat?" (Surely, you are familiar with the "I don't know, where do you want to eat?" conversation.) I said, "I don't know, but not there. I'm just not feeding that to our family. We said we're going to choose better, so here we go." It took only moments to realize that we were going to make a trip to the grocery store after dinner anyway. "Why don't we just go to the store?  We can each pick a piece of fresh fruit, get some "real" cheese, crackers, milk, whatever..." The store was just around the corner, so that's exactly what we did. Milk, pears, plums, apples, mozzarella cheese, etc.  It took about the same amount of time and we spent less...not to mention the savings in fat grams, calories, etc. and addition of nutrients in the food products. We even saw a dear friend, Bill Lovell, that we had not seen in some time.

So, here we go!

Jeremy Pittman, REALTOR®, ABR®, CTG

615-469-1412 direct

615-690-8951 fax

Jeremy@JeremyPittman.com

Jeremy@FindHomesInMetroNashville.com

www.JeremyPittman.com

www.FindHomesInMetroNashville.com

Keller Williams® Realty

5083 Main Street

Spring Hill, TN  37174

615-302-4242

Each office is independently owned and operated.

Sample Weekly Menu

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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Funrefinedfamily.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F04%2Fsample-weekly-menu.html&description=A%20sample%20menu%20of%20a%20family%20avoiding%20processed%20sugar%20and%20flour" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal"><img border="0" src="//assets.pinterest.com/images/PinExt.png" title="Pin It" /></a>

Awhile back, I got a request: What does this healthy eating thing actually look like for your family?

Today, I'm posting a sample weekly menu so you can see how our family does it. Each week looks different, of course, and I'm sure a professional nutritionist would be able to find lots of holes in it, but here it is. You might be surprised at how normal it is!



http://www.flickr.com/, photo by BPheonix


Monday:

Breakfast
Muffins, scrambled eggs

Always serve protein for breakfast!

Lunch
Sandwiches, applesauce

unsweetened applesauce

sandwiches made with Great Harvest bakery bread--no sugar added!
For peanut butter, I mix together raw almond butter and all natural peanut butter with no sugar added.
We buy Kroger brand all-fruit jelly.

Supper
Chicken roasted in crock pot
roasted vegetables

To roast vegetables, cut up whatever fresh veges you prefer (or use frozen) and make a shallow layer in a roasting pan. I use the Kroger brand Key Largo frozen vegetables mix (contains red peppers, orange and yellow carrots, and green beans.) Preheat the oven to 450, then sprinkle on garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and drizzle olive oil over the entire mixture. Stir, then bake for 30 minutes, stirring once after about 15 minutes.

You might also choose to add a baked potato to this meal. We occasionally do that.



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Tuesday:

Breakfast
Smoothies, toast

We use Ezekiel bread for toast. My girls prefer the cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread.

Lunch
Burritos
mandarin oranges

To make homemade burritos (which are super delish!), I make whole wheat tortillas and crock pot refried beans. Then, I just stuff the tortillas with raw cheese and the beans and fry in olive oil for a few seconds on each side.

If you don't want to make your own tortillas, Ezekiel tortillas are pretty good. Many stores carry whole wheat tortillas, but look carefully at the list of ingredients. Most of them are made using damaged oils.

If you don't want to make your own refried beans, make sure to read the label on the can before buying. Many brands add sugar to their beans. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's have canned refried beans without sugar.

Supper
Cheesy Chicken
Steamed peas and carrots

I haven't blogged this recipe yet. Watch for it!

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Wednesday:

Breakfast
Scrambled eggs, cereal

Most cereals use some refined flour and sugar. The only cereals I have found (that don't taste like cardboard) which use strictly whole wheat are the Kashi shredded wheat cereals. Even one or two of these has a very light sweetener added, but the cinnamon shredded wheat is 100% organic whole wheat and cinnamon.

Lunch
Hot dogs
macaroni and cheese
peas

No, this isn't a typo, but what was once a cheap lunch has become a once-a-month special treat! We buy Applegate hot dogs--they are not cheap, but they also don't add any nitrites, nitrates, or sugar. For the mac and cheese, we use Trader Joe's gluten free mac and cheese, and I consider it a splurge. No matter how you slice it, powdered yellow cheese is not the best way to do cheese. I have made a homemade mac and cheese that was fabulous, but it was a little too much work for a hot dog lunch!

Supper
Burgers
Sweet potato fries

We buy grass-fed cows from Collins Farm Fresh Beef, a local farm, and we save a ton of money! When we run out of beef, we buy Laura's Lean Beef at Kroger. This does go on sale! If you've seen the recent news about pink slime, rest assured that Laura's has never added pink slime to their meat.

Oftentimes, we go without buns, wrapping our burgers in large romaine lettuce leaves, but sometimes we use toasted slices of Ezekiel bread or Ezekiel buns.

Sweet potato fries are the best side dish I never knew I liked! I make them by thinly slicing up sweet potatoes, then adding salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, and rosemary. I drizzle olive oil over them, stir them up, then line them up on a shallow baking pan and bake for 20-30 minutes at 425-450, turning once.

Thursday:

Breakfast
Smoothies, toast

Lunch
Pizza pockets
apples

Supper
Honey ginger chicken stir fry

Friday:

Breakfast
Protein packed pancakes
fried eggs

Lunch
Grilled cheese
grapes

Again, we use Ezekiel bread and raw cheese to make these sandwiches. Personally, I don't like eating sandwiches on plain Ezekiel bread, but it is very good grilled or toasted.

Supper
pizza
(sometimes we add a side salad)

Saturday:

Breakfast
Smoothies
toast

Lunch
spaghetti and meatballs
steamed green beans

I make up my own spaghetti sauce recipe, which basically consists of throwing a bunch of spices into a tomato sauce/paste mix and heating. We serve this over whole wheat spaghetti noodles, but Dale and I often just line our meatballs up in romaine lettuce leaves.

Supper
Chicken nuggets
steamed mixed vegetables

Sunday:

Breakfast
Dutch Baby

Watch for this recipe, coming soon! It's like a baked apple pancake...

Lunch
Lasagne
steamed broccoli

To make lasagne, I mix together a couple of old church recipes, eliminating any sugar, and use whole wheat noodles.

Supper
Chicken packets
Fresh fruit

Recipe for chicken packets coming soon!

We also eat plenty of snacks and desserts, but that will have to be covered in another post!

Hint: To drink 8 glasses of water each day, drink 2 full glasses with each meal, then 1 extra glass mid morning and midafternoon.

Have Dinner with 180 Chiro!

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Are you interested in learning more about Maximized Living? Join our sponsor,  180 Chiropractic and Wellness for a free dinner on Monday, April 16 at 6:00 p.m.

As you enjoy some healthy food, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the 5 essentials of Maximized Living, break some myths of nutrition, ask questions, and get to know the fantastic staff at 180 Chiro!

What: Community Dinner

When: April 16, 6:00 p.m.

For more information or to register for this free event, contact 180 Chiro at 615-595-9063 or info@180chiro.com

Cinnamon Vanilla Granola

My family loves to snack. They always have, but I've no longer got a stash of packaged granola bars, fruit snacks, and this and that for them to grab midafternoon when hunger strikes. Our snacks now consist of cheese, fruit, popcorn, and things we make at home.

This week, I came across a fantastic recipe for homemade granola. I've never made granola before--I have several friends who have, but I had always hit the "easy" button and just picked up boxes of it. Of course, now that I realize all the junk that's in those bars, they haven't darkened our doorway in months, but we'd still like to eat it, so I gave this recipe a try.

It was surprisingly delicious, and I felt great giving it to my family and watching them gobble it up, knowing exactly what was in it. I made a single pan of the recipe, but I think next time I will double or maybe even triple the recipe so we can have enough for several snacks.

One thing I loved about this recipe was its flexibility. Amy Green lists specific nuts and seeds to include, but she also says to feel free to substitute them out to suit your tastes. In my case, I substituted a few things, not to suit my tastes, but to suit what actually happened to be in my pantry! Below her recipe, I'll list what I actually put in mine.

One note: Several ingredients listed need to be divided, so read the recipe carefully before throwing everything in.

Cinnamon Vanilla Granola
adapted from the Simply Sugar and Gluten Free cookbook

Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup sliced raw almonds (you could also buy whole almonds and throw them in your food processor to chop them up a bit)
3/4 cup raw pepitas
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. palm sugar, divided
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. honey, divided
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 and line a large, shallow baking pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, and salt. In a medium sized glass bowl, mix together the oil, 1/4 cup palm sugar, and 2 Tbsp. applesauce. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir. Add 1/4 cup honey and the vanilla, and stir again. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine until evenly coated. Make sure to use a spatula to get every bit of the wet ingredients. Spread evenly into the pan, then bake for 30 minutes.

While it is baking, combine in the glass bowl the remaining 2 Tbsp. of honey, palm sugar, and applesauce. After the granola bakes for 30 minutes, pull it out of the oven, then pour the additional wet ingredients on top. Stir well to mix in the additional wet ingredients well, then press the granola firmly back into the pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes longer. Granola should be lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely, then break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

My revised list of dry ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup almond flour
3/4 cup cashews, broken into pieces
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. kosher salt

Changing Your Tastebuds

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Have you ever driven down an old, dirt road that's been so worn down there's just two ruts for tires with grass growing up in the middle? If you want the smoothest, easiest drive, you'll steer your car directly down those two ruts.

Our brains have these old dirt roads in them, too. Those worn roads are called habits. They can be as simple as watching tv before we go to bed, eating eggs for breakfast every morning, or clearing the table before sweeping the floor. When you think a certain way or do something a certain way, it creates a neural pathway in your brain. The more you use that same neural pathway, the more ingrained it becomes, like a worn dirt road.



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This is why breaking habits can be so challenging. It's like trying to drive down that dirt road without putting your tires in the ruts, or starting a completely new dirt road instead of using the worn, comfortable one. It isn't easy, but if you keep going down that new neural pathway, eventually, it will become comfortable and worn, and the old one will get grown over and bumpy, so to speak.

These neural pathways apply to your tastebuds as well. Now, I do believe that sugar addiction is one of the reasons we crave foods with refined sugars and flours in them, but alongside of breaking sugar addictions, we can actually change our habits by using new neural pathways.

If you're one of those people (like me) who thinks that one more day won't matter, that one more candy bar won't make that big of a difference, remember the worn dirt road. Each day you put off changing your habits only makes that rut deeper.

Forging a new neural pathway won't feel natural or easy, but each time you use that neural pathway, it will get better. I won't bore you with all of the examples of ways that I've seen my family's neural pathways altered, but I will say that I've seen it most significantly happen in regards to food. My picky eaters initially ate new things grudgingly because they were hungry and there weren't any other options, then, as I continued to offer these new, different foods, they became accustomed to them and have actually developed a taste for things that have really surprised me. The other day, I overheard my son telling a friend of his how delicious carrots are. Seriously? My kid? The one who refused any and all vegetables just a year ago?

Okay, I can't resist. One other example. (Sorry!) My absolute favorite snack in the world has always been those Reese's peanut butter eggs that show up every Easter. I could down an entire package of them all by myself and not even blink. I loved those things! I haven't had one now in over a year, and honestly, when I walk by them in the store, I'm not even tempted to buy them. Of course, if you unwrapped one and handed it to me, I would probably eat it (let's be realistic here!), but if I start craving a delicious snack these days, that's not what enters my mind. I honestly want to make myself a smoothie, munch on an almond power bar, or bake some healthy cookies. I'm not just saying this because I should--I really do crave different things. I've embarked on some different neural pathways, and they've gotten sufficiently worn in.

Yes, your tastebuds can change, and they will change, if you give them time. You might be surprised at how little you crave your old, unhealthy snacks after awhile, and how new, healthier cravings will replace them.

The Skinny on Fat

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The low-fat diet is one of the worst diets ever, yet most people are still buying into it. This dieting disaster, which has only resulted in bigger, less healthy Americans, all started years ago when people started consuming too many bad fats and a legitimate concern arose about the health of people in our country. However, instead of properly labeling good and bad fats, the government began telling everyone to significantly cut back on all fat for better health, even though there was no scientific evidence to support this.

Here's the problem. Fat is the ideal fuel for our bodies. We need it if we want to function optimally. Our brains need fat, our hormones need fat--WE need fat! When we take it away, we take away our main source of fuel, and then we can't understand it when we feel tired all the time and have a hard time losing weight.

If you've been eating as many low-fat and non-fat alternatives as you can, thinking you're making healthier choices, I've got bad news for you. Most of the lower fat options still have about the same amount of calories in them as the full fat options. The manufacturers just replace the fat with sugar, sodium, or other harmful additives.

We think we're eating healthier, but in reality, we've simply exchanged the best fuel (fat) for an inferior fuel (sugar). We're not giving our bodies enough fat, yet we're loading them down with sugar--most of which we consume unknowingly (check the labels--you might be surprised!) and our bodies have adapted. Most Americans are now burning sugar instead of fat, and sugar is a terrible fuel!!

Want a fuel that burns off too quickly, leaving you with insatiable cravings, mood swings, energy highs and lows, accompanied by tons of health problems? Then fuel up with sugar.

Don't believe it? I didn't at first, either. I'd been so ingrained with the "fat is bad" idea that I really couldn't imagine actually planning to put extra fat in my body. But...I did it anyway, thinking that time would reveal the truth. I increased my fat intake while cutting out the sugar and the initial result was that I felt terrible for several days. Fortunately, I'd been told to expect this, so I wasn't really surprised. I understood that, because my body had become a sugar burner, it was looking for that inferior  fuel to burn, and I wasn't giving it any. 

Then, my body figured it out and started burning fat. I'll never forget when it did. One night, Dale and I took an evening walk around a local park. With each mile we completed, my energy increased. I've never experienced anything like that in my life! Usually, I'd have burned off all of the sugar by then and would be feeling fatigued, but I actually felt better with each mile and wanted to walk farther. Seriously.

We ended up having to stop simply because it was time to go pick up the kids. Life in general has been like that ever since. The energy is fabulous...except when I have a "cheat." Within minutes, I feel sluggish and cranky. It's amazing how much different I feel when I put the best fuel in my body vs. when I put in the inferior stuff.

What about cholesterol? Surely you're wondering how that's doing. Yep, I had it checked, and it's excellent. Not just average, or even good. My entire cholesterol panel was excellent.

So, what does eating a full fat diet look like? A trip to McDonald's for Big Macs?

It's vital that you not only consume enough fat, but also the right kinds of fat. Natural fat. You might be surprised to learn that even saturated fat is all right. It's the hydrogenated oils and trans fats that are the enemy. These fats have been damaged, and yes, they are terrible for you. Yes, they will hurt you. Avoid them like the plague.

Examples of good, healthy fats to consume: olive oil, grapeseed oil, nuts, seeds, coconut oil, full-fat organic or raw dairy, coconut or almond milk, grass-fed beef, eggs from free-range chickens, avodaco.

Examples of bad fats to avoid: hydrogenated oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, safflower oil.

I know it seems completely backwards to eat more fat, but your body needs it! Stock up on good fats for better health.

Burst Training at 180 Chiro!

http://www.flickr.com/, photo by ElvertBarnes

Learning to burst train has revitalized my energy and my ability to fit workouts into my week. No longer do I have to set aside several hours each week to spend at the gym. I burn fat, build lean muscle, and work my heart in just a few minutes a day. I do it all in my own garage without a lot of expensive equipment. In fact, the only exercise equipment I own is a stability ball, a few hand weights, and an old eyesore pink and green aerobic step.

Our sponsor, 180 Chiropractic and Wellness, will be giving a free burst training class next Monday, April 9, at 6:00 p.m. If you live in the Nashville area, you will not want to miss this! Dr. Sweeney has some great information to share and will challenge and encourage you to learn how to make burst training work for you! The best part is that burst training works for all fitness levels. The Maximized Living professionals have helped train elite athletes with their burst training program, T3. I've also seen grandmothers do it. It's easily customizable to you.

Don't miss this!

What: Burst Training Class

When: April 9, 6:00 p.m.

Where: 180 Chiro
               4091 Mallory Lane, Suite 114
               Franklin, TN 37067

To sign up, call 180 Chiro at 615-595-9063 or send an email to info@180chiro.com

Contact 180 Chiropractic for more information.