WEEK 1 A FRESH START

 

I am hoping you are getting excited about getting started. If it is your first time joining us one thing you can work on in the next few days is setting up an account at Myfitnesspal.com

This service is free and you will learn to love it. It is one of those things that gets easier to use the more you use it.

One of the things that will earn you points is recording EVERYTHING YOU EAT every day. THE CHANGE FOR THIS ROUND OF COMPETITION IS YOU MUST RECORD WHAT YOU EAT ON THIS WEBSITE rather than in a notebook or on a scrap of paper.

A few helpful things:
1. If you have a smart phone there is an app to use myfitnesspal on your phone
2. It is OK to write what you have eaten on a paper as long as you enter it into the computer program before midnight each day
3. Take the time now to sign up for the website and to set your goals. You will choose how many pounds you want to lose per week and the program will select a number of calories per day for you to eat.
4. You will earn points every day for entering EVERYTHING you eat on the program and you will earn bonus points every day you stay within your caloric allowance
5. If you exercise the program allots you more calories in your daily amount! Yahoo!
6. The program has a lot of food items from restaurants and grocery stores already entered. As you select those things you eat most often you can save them which makes it way easier the next time to enter what you've eaten. Sounds complicated but it's super easy.
So go ahead and sign up and set up your goals. Wait until Wednesday morning to weigh and measure. That information can be entered here too!

So our BONUS challenge for the first week for which you will earn 35 points for the week is:

1. Set up your account on Myfitnesspal.com and on Wednesday morning begin entering what you eat.
2. Communicate with your partner (in person or by text or e-mail) and talk about your personal goals for healthy living and how you can support each other
3. Read the RULES and FAQS tabs on this blog 

Happy New Year

 

This last year has been a health challenge for me. The end of 2023 I suddenly had a droopy eye. I was sent to the emergency room for tests as they suspected cancer or a stroke. Over the next few months I faced a mis-diagnosis of lymphoma and later a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. I was put on a string of medications that caused extreme fatigue, hair loss, and nausea. My eye continued to droop and I could only drive if I tilted my head way back so I could see through the tiny slit. Little kids even made fun of me "Mommy what is wrong with that ladies eye?" The doctor said the eye was just traumatized and would heal in a few months but I saw no improvement as the months wore on. I sought alternative remedies with regular acupuncture, red light therapy, salt room therapy, sugar free diet, cryotherapy, and mountains of supplements with no improvement. 

I thought maybe I should seek a second opinion but had no idea how to find a qualified doctor. Finally at book club a friend said "I don't know why I hadn't thought about it sooner but maybe you should get my eye doctor to check it out." It was as if a spotlight shone on her when she said it. What a blessing to find a new doctor that diagnosed that the ligament had been severed from the muscle and that was why my eye couldn't open. I would need to continue my medication (to keep the mass that had grown in my eye gland from re-growing) and he would reattach the muscle and ligament but things should improve. 

So here I am with a much improved eye (I have a refinement surgery this week) and a renewed desire to help my body to be healthy.

I read this week that most of those that died from covid had 3 cormobidities. And so it seems if we are healthy when we get sick it is easier to get back to good health. So if for no other reason you might want to join us in our 8 week journey of focusing on our health so that we may have the most healthy and enjoyable 2025. 

Look at the FAQ's and RULES TABS on this blog for more details and then find a female partner (she does NOT have to live in your same area) and let me know that you want to join us (MomSandee@aol.com). The cost is just $5 a week so $40 for the 8 week competition and there are cash prizes for the most successful duos. We would love to have you join us. 

Summer is here!

Isn't summer so much fun? A looser schedule, family trips, time at the pool, sleeping in, summer movies, cooking dinner on the grill etc. etc. 

I'm new to living in a state that actually has seasons and I am loving the anticipation, change and joy of each season. 

But every change brings new challenges and summer is included in this. Some of them can be:

1. Making healthy choices while traveling

2. The treats that come with barbecues, camp outs, travel and family get togethers

3. Maintaining a work out schedule in a time of little scheduling

4.  Drinking water in a season that features cold sodas

5. Fitting in enough fruits and vegetables when you might not be doing the cooking 

ETC. ETC. 

It's all up to you whether you want to try to maintain some healthy habits or just let it all go in the fun of summer. And while you may not want to continue on with the strictness we have focused on for this 8 week challenge. let's spend some time thinking if we can maintain at least a few of these good habits for the rest of the summer. 

Here are a few ideas:

1. Grab some prepared salad and take it along to a family getaway to supplement what the group is eating.

2. Avoid filling up on treats. If the family is cooking s'mores in the evening make sure you have totally satisfied your appetite with healthy dinner choices and remember, make and totally enjoy one delicious S'more with the family instead of eating until you are stuffed.

3. Make sure you always have a purse snack for when hunger hits when you are out and about. Of course apples but why not a small container of cherries, your favorite protein bar or some air popped popcorn.

4. How are you going to fit in exercise? If family activities are going to preclude your gym time why not add some exercise to the fun? Jump on the trampoline with your children or grandchildren, run through the sprinklers, participate in a family softball game, enjoy a walk in nature.

5. Never leave the house without your water bottle. My sister in law has one of those cool ones with the ounces marked off with the clock as a reminder to sip throughout the day which is healthier than one big chug. Add ice and carry with you and make sure you sip throughout the day.

6. Wear sunscreen. Simple. I now at a family reunion trip with 12 adults over 60 and 2 people got bad sunburns yesterday. Yikes- don't we know better by now?

7. Have the wonderful summer treats on hand and ready to enjoy. Don't you love the season in season (and much more delicious)  of watermelon, cherries and berries? I can't give you the name brand because I'm not home but I also have a stock of freezer pops that have no sugar- fruit juice only and are 25 calories. Such a nice healthy treat! 

So our last challenge for this round of competition is to make a summer plan. Think about what you will be doing this summer and make a strategy to include some healthy habits in the plan. You don't need to use any of the ones I listed above. You know your summer fun and challenges just make a plan. 

I want you to list 3 strategies you will include this summer to maintain and enrich your health. To earn the weekly bonus points you need to.

1. E-mail me your 3 point strategy

2. Also share with me what your favorite challenge was during this round of competition 

MomSandee@aol.com

Let's eat more REAL food

 

I don’t know about you but I love looking at other people’s grocery carts to see if they seem to match what is in their carts. And I always feel good when I am leaving the store and my grocery cart is full of mostly “ingredients” rather than highly processed foods.  

Michael Pollan the food writer for the New York Times and the author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food (2 books I love!) believes that most dietary related health problems come from over-consumption of processed foods. One of the guidelines he recommends is to avoid processed foods with more than 5 ingredients. He says “Avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients. The specific number you adopt is arbitrary, but the more ingredients in a packaged food, the more highly processed it probably is. Note 1: A long list of ingredients in a recipe you are preparing is not the same thing; that’s fine. Note 2: Some products now boast, about their short ingredient lists. Häagen-Dazs has a new line of ice creamed called ‘five.’ It’s still ice cream. Same goes for the three-ingredient Tostitos corn chips advertised by Frito-Lay–okay, but they’re still corn chips.”

Pollan goes on to explain that this 5-ingredient limit tends to guide us to rule out foods that are highly processed. He also says we should avoid foods that your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food– Go-Gurt, breakfast cereal bars, non-dairy creamer — stay away!!

I realize this weekly goal may cause you to cut out food products that have six or seven or even eight ingredients that bill themselves as “whole” or what we would consider to be “real food.” What about a bag of trail mix that contains seven different kinds of nuts and seeds? We are going to avoid products like that this week mainly because we don’t want to jeopardize our weekly goal, although, truthfully, that bag of trail mix would probably be perfectly fine. The thing is, when you are exploring a new focus in developing healthy habits you just have to draw the line somewhere. If this weekly challenge gets you to start reading and scrutinizing the ingredient labels on your food then the mission is accomplished.

For our challenge this week (starting Wednesday) 

1. We will not eat any food that we don’t first look at the ingredient list. 
2. We are going to eat Micheal Pollan style by choosing at least one meal per day  (most helpful would be to choose a meal you usually DO eat highly processed foods at) and eat only foods at that meal that contain 5 or less ingredients. For instance if you usually grab a protein bar for breakfast and your bar has more Than 5 ingredients, for this week have an egg or fruit or some other REAL food instead. 
3. For every day check all food labels and choose at least one meal to abstain from products with more than 5 ingredients you will earn the daily 5 bonus points.

What You Probably Won’t find with less than 5 ingredients :

▪ Boxed cereal- It is nearly impossible to find dry cereals at the grocery store that had less than five ingredients. Even Kashi cereals have more than 5

▪ Protein shakes, bars etc- Way more than 5 ingredients. However, Larabars, Trio bars and some others will be OK! Check the labels.

▪ Store bought bread- Most don’t pass the 5 ingredient test. You will probably be able to find bread that meets this guideline at Great Harvest Breads, Costco’s Aspen Mill’s Honey Wheat Bread or perhaps your healthfood store. Of course you can bake your own bread!

▪ Yogurt- Homemade yogurt and perhaps one of the plain commercial yogurts might pass the test but most commercial yogurts contain too many ingredients due to the sweeteners.

▪ Most of my favorite ice creams- Of course you only eat sweets once a week anyway but Breyer’s Natural Vanilla and Häagen-Dazs 5 may be your only choices. It is nearly impossible to find an ice cream that passes this 5 ingredient test. (It surprised me that Breyer’s vanilla flavors like “vanilla bean,” “extra creamy vanilla,” and “slow churned” had extra additives. I couldn’t believe how complicated vanilla ice cream could be!)

▪ Chips, pretzels, crackers- or basically anything that comes in a box.

▪ Most frozen dinners- Many people love these, but way too many ingredients. This week you will be cooking!

▪ Canned whipped cream- You may think Redi Whip or cool whip are “whipped cream” but read the label! Not this week!

▪ Sabra Hummus- Too many preservatives.

What You May Find with less than 5 ingredients:

▪ Fruits and veggies- I just bought some bananas, pineapple, apples, dried figs, peppers, sweet potatoes, corn, and avocado.

▪ Breyer’s Natural Vanilla and Häagen-Dazs 5 Ice Cream

▪ Popcorn

▪ Many Applesauces

▪ Triscuit and Whole-Wheat Matzo crackers

▪ Brown rice crackers

▪ Rice

▪ Most whole wheat pastas

▪ Some Shredded Wheat Cereals

▪ 100% pure maple syrup and honey

▪  Any home baked goods- Anything you bake with natural, whole food ingredients is okay to eat.

▪ Meat/Animal products and seafood (beware some deli meats have many additives)

▪ Oats- I will definitely be making a lot of oatmeal this week!

▪ Milk

▪ Beans- black beans, chick peas, etc.

▪ Dried fruit, Nuts and Seeds

▪ Organic Cheese- I bought some organic sliced Muenster for sandwiches. The non-organic brands had too many preservatives.

Detoxifying your body

In my continued quest for health and healing I have recently been focusing more on detoxing my body. Part of my health journey has included a couple of MRI’s WITH CONTRAST and there are more than a few studies showing bad affects from the gadolinium in the contrast. As I’ve been working remotely with my Florida MD/Naturopath his advice to clear my body of this chemical that can cause anything from skin conditions to brain issues has included:

1. Sauna as often as possible- I’m blessed to have a dry sauna in my basement and I generally spend 30 minutes every morning downstairs sweating away. A sauna session is known to help detox by working the body into excessive sweating using dry heat, which helps release toxins and impurities through skin. There are many toxins that ONLY exit the body through sweat. If you have access to a sauna I encourage you to add it to your daily regimen and note- I let you substitute sauna time for exercise time for your daily points. Also it’s important to wash your skin well after sauna to remove the toxins that sweat has deposited on your skin. I recommend Dr Bonner’s pure-castille soap. 
2. Drink plenty of water- Our challenge requires a good bit of daily water but if possible drink even more. Drinking a full glass of water before you begin a meal can help with detoxification and reduce how much you eat at your meal. 
3. Take Epsom salt baths- Magnesium and  sulphur are critical nutrients our body needs. Unfortunately, they are poorly absorbed through our food.  Soaking in a hot bath with Epsom salts helps significantly as these minerals can easily absorb through the skin.  An Epsom salt bath helps to boost circulation throughout the body, lower blood pressure, relieve muscle pain, and pull toxins from your pores. An Epsom salts bath has also proven to help flush out drugs remaining in the body after surgery. When you bathe forgo the synthetic colors and fragrances in bath products like bubble bath or bath bombs, instead use natural epsom salts and healing essential oils. 
4. Fast- Researchers have found that fasting mice live longer. Other benefits include: helping lysosome remove toxins from cells, stimulating bone marrow stem cell formation, stimulating cell division without mutation or cancer cell formation, improving metabolism and slowing down the aging process. I have done two 3 day fasts in the last couple of years and hope to do another one soon but a 24 hour water fast is a good first step in using fasting to clear your body of toxins. Another strategy is intermittent fasting where you daily restrict your eating to a certain time window like 12-12 (you eat for 12 hours and fast for 12 hours) or 18-6. Use caution in fasting and consult with your doctor before doing more than a 24 hour water fast. 
5. IV Vitamin C- This was something else advised by my MD/naturopath (and something you should do only after checking with a doctor) the benefits include: immune system support, antioxidant, wound healing, iron absorption, boosts energy, collagen production, skin health, detoxification. 

6. Glutaryl antioxidant spray- It’s expensive but part of the regimen my Naturopath/Md advised.  It aids in detoxifying the body of existing free radicals and improving one’s health in both the short-term and the long-term.

So our weekly bonus challenge is to take efforts to detoxify your diet. Choose at least one of these each day to earn the daily bonus points:

1. Sauna for at least 15 or more minutes (note you can count this time as exercise time)

2. Take an Epsom salt bath for 15 or more minutes (you can also count this toward exercise time)

3. Increase your daily water intake by 16 ounces.

4. Restrict the hours you eat today. Keep track and work toward a smaller window of eating and a longer window of allowing your body to heal, clear and detoxify. 

5. Sweat- if you don’t have access to a sauna or bathtub just make a greater effort today to work up a sweat. Exercise harder or maybe outdoors and clear out your body with some good old fashioned sweat. 

 

The benefits of bare feet!

 

Earthing: The Real Health Benefits of Planting Your Feet on Mother Earth

A few weeks ago we spent a few days in Southern California. One of the highlights of the trip for me was a day at Huntington Beach. It was too chilly to swim (I had a coat on) but not too chilly to walk barefoot in the sand. There is just something about walking barefoot on the beach, or running around the backyard with your dog, or swimming in the ocean. When we are connected to nature, we often feel a sense of contentment and wellbeing that we rarely find anywhere else. 

In his book Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? author Clint Ober tells a remarkable story of an elderly man who went from being completely bedridden with advanced rheumatoid arthritis to up and walking around in a matter of days. The only difference? He spent his nights sleeping grounded, connected to the Earth. The man continued to experience improvements, regaining basic abilities like being able to do household chores by himself. 

It sounds like science fiction, but physically connecting your body to the Earth has real healing benefits, even the ability to heal chronic disease. This is called earthing, or grounding. And the story above is just one of hundreds of people that have improved their health by reconnecting to the ground.

What is Earthing or Grounding? 

Earthing, also called grounding, is the process of putting your body in direct contact with the earth — grass, soil, sand, and even bodies of water— to achieve certain health benefits.

The idea is that humans are inherently electrical beings — we need electricity to beat our hearts, pump blood, and perform countless chemical reactions throughout the body. Being mostly water and minerals, we also make excellent conductors. And fortunately for us, we happen to be sitting on a massive source of electrical energy tuned to the exact frequency we need to remain calm, content, and healthy — the Earth. 

Ancient civilizations recognized the healing power of the Earth. They were aware that human health coexisted with the cycles and resources of the planet.

Earthing Benefits

Earthing has real, research-backed benefits that include:

• Reducing inflammation
• Reducing pain, including chronic pain
• Regulating the nervous system and cortisol levels
• Protecting the body from disruptive electromagnetic fields (EMF)
• Reducing jet lag
• Improving blood flow
• Restoring energy
• Improving sleep
• Faster wound healing
• Regulating immunity
• Improving mood
• Reducing blood viscosity (lowering risk of blood clots).

The one requirement to achieve these benefits is prolonged skin contact with the Earth. 

Typically with 10-15 minutes of contact you will begin to experience noticeable benefits such as relaxation and pain relief. Typically, the longer you are connected, the more benefits you will experience, but everyone is different. Either way, those free electrons are going to work in your body as soon as you step onto the grass in your backyard. 

Earthing Products

If you get really interested in Earthing and want to work toward hours rather than just minutes of daily Earthing you might be interested in some of the earthing products that are available. 

These products (which include sheets, pillow cases etc.)  simply plug into a grounded outlet and carry the energy of the Earth to you, whether you’re working at your computer, watching TV, or sleeping. Many people have found them immensely beneficial for maintaining their contact with the Earth and reaping the anti-inflammatory, pain relieving, and mood boosting benefits throughout the day. 

So this week’s challenge is right beneath your feet. For issues like chronic pain, mood imbalances, and even conditions like diabetes and heart disease, simply connecting to the Earth each day can play a huge role in restoring health and wellbeing. 

And so for our weekly challenge you need to spend 10-15 minutes a day (you can count this toward your daily exercise goal if you would like) walking barefoot on the earth- on dirt, sand, rocks, grass etc. 

Happy Earthing. 

A salad EVERY day

 

Here's What Happens to Your Body if You Eat a Salad Every Day

It’s been a crazy few months of healthy journey for me. I started with a droopy eye and worries about aneurysm or stroke. Then I was MISdiagnosed with lymphoma. That sent me on a journey of finding every thing that might bless a cancer ridden body. Everything from chemical free personal hygiene and cleaning products to cryotherapy. But the main focus of cancer healing was eating fresh, whole, organic foods. So I was following Chris Wark’s amazing protocol which included a green smoothie and 2 HUGE salads a day.

Thankfully I’ve moved past my MISdiagnosis of cancer to a probable diagnosis of auto-immune. But guess what? One of our best tools for healing or preventing any disease is eating whole, fresh, (organic if you can afford it) food. 

A study done in 2015 showed only 1 out of 10 Americans meeting the very minimal standard of at least 4 servings of fruits and vegetables a day (I would recommend 12) Salads are a great strategy to raise that number in your diet. 

Kelly Redfield, RD, a registered dietician at WellTheory States "Some foods have a lot of nutrient density, such as fruits and vegetables, which provide the body with loads of vitamins, minerals and fiber.” 

Let’s look at the benefits of eating a salad each and every day.

What Happens to the Body if You Eat a Salad Every Day

1. Your nutrient intake will soar

A 2019 study of almost 10,000 adults found that people who ate salad consumed more Vitamins A, B-6, C, E,  K, folate, choline and other essential nutrients. The results align with an older 2006 study of more than 9,000 women and more than 8,000 men that found that salad-eaters typically had more vitamins C and E, folic acid and carotenoids in their diet.

"Salads often include a variety of vegetables, leafy greens and other nutritious ingredients," explains Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD "These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, providing essential nutrients that support overall health."

2. You'll be more hydrated

Drinking plenty of plain water is helpful but is not the only way to hydrate.

"Our fluid intake not only comes from what we drink, but the foods we eat as well," Milgrim says. "Fruit and vegetables are made of mostly water, so when we increase our intake of these foods, we naturally improve our hydration status."

3. Your gut, pancreas and stomach will thank you

In addition to the nutrients mentioned in No. 1, research and experts have shown that salad eaters get more fiber. 

"Fruits, vegetables, beans, peas and lentils are all fiber-rich foods," Milgrim says. "Whether you’re enjoying a leafy green salad, chopped vegetable salad, bean salad, a (whole) grain salad or even a combination, you’re enjoying an abundance of high-fiber foods."

All this fiber is good for the gut.

"Fiber promotes regular bowel movements, helps prevent constipation and supports a healthy digestive system," Best explains. "It also contributes to the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, fostering a balanced and thriving gut microbiome."

In addition to gut health, 2020 research found dietary consumption of fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables provided other perks, like improved heart and metabolic health (including blood sugar regulation).

"Eating foods high in soluble fiber can reduce the amount cholesterol absorbed from foods, leading to reduced cholesterol levels and improved blood pressure," Milgrim shares.

As for blood sugar: "Fiber slows the absorption of sugars, preventing rapid spikes in blood glucose," Best explains. "This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with or at risk of diabetes or insulin resistance."

4. Your skin will be the best it can be

"Nutrient-dense salads provide vitamins and antioxidants that support skin health," Best shares. "For example, vitamin C from ingredients like bell peppers and citrus fruits aids in collagen synthesis, contributing to skin elasticity. Antioxidants also help protect the skin from damage caused by UV rays and environmental pollutants."

5. Managing weight will become more...manageable

Veggie-rich salads are filling and lower in calories, which can help people lose and manage weight.

6. A small caution about salads 

”The biggest thing to watch out for in salads is dressings," Redfield warns. "Dressings can pack on a ton of unnecessary calories with little nutritional value. It’s easy for hidden sugar, fat, salt and artificial colors, flavors and preservatives to sneak into the diet through dressings."

Stick with a simple, homemade dressing like a mix of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and balsamic vinegar.

Other culprits that add empty calories to salads include croutons, fried anything, and taco shells.

Sandee’s Salad Tips

1. Yes you can eat salad for breakfast. Why not start your day with a power house meal of fresh salad brimming with vegetables?
2. Salad kits can be a fast easy solution to fitting in salads but try to alter them a bit. I always use less than 1/2 the included salad dressing (or make my own) and it is also easy to chop some fresh cabbage and add it to the mix. (Note: cabbage keeps almost forever in your fridge) 
3. Sauerkraut is a great salad add in. The anti-cancer salad I was eating called for a huge scoop of Kimchi or Sauerkraut added to the salad. You would be surprised how much you won’t notice it in your salad and it is a powerhouse of probiotics.
4. You can eat salad while driving. Yes I have purchased a fast food sale in a rush and eaten it (no dressing thank you) with my fingers while driving. 
5. Dressing can be very simple. My anti-cancer diet called for equal parts apple cider vinegar and avocado oil with a variety of herbs as the daily salad dressing. I also enjoy making my dressing with 2 parts gourmet balsamic vinegar and 1 part olive or avocado oil. 

So yes you guessed it our challenge for the week is to eat at least one green salad a day. To earn your daily 5 bonus points you need to include:

1 or hopefully more fresh DARK greens (not iceberg lettuce) and 4 or more fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds or beans.

Happy salads ladies!