Sundays need to be a day of rest for many reasons: We need to rest our bodies and minds. We need to have time to reflect. We need to have time that is not overly planned. We also need to just sit and enjoy our families. I love my family and being with them. Sometimes I look at my grown children and honestly think "How on earth did they turn out so wonderful." I say that because our poor children are projects without manuals and we raise them by trial and error and in ignorance and bliss. That makes them miracles. So...I look at each of them and know that they are simply gifts in my life and that they turned out in spite of me and not because of me. Today I sat in church with all three of them and that was simply a mom moment in itself to see them all married and with their own children. My mom and dad were there too (and coach Jackie:) and it was just nice to be with family. Nothing is better.
Okay FOOD TALK: The more I do this healthy changes thing, the more I am learning to listen to my body. My body really kind of throws a fit, for example, if I try to eat foods that are too heavy. I also can't eat as much anymore and I can't eat fried foods too many times in a week. I'm fine if I use the spray instead of the oil, or if I just grill it (can't wait until BBQ season), but even then, I have to watch the "heavy" foods. You can tell what they are. Listen to your body.
So I decided to look up the healthiest foods and was pleasantly surprised as I love almost every one of them: SALMON-("Salmon is a tasty fish that's chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial fats that can improve heart health. Salmon is also protein-rich."), SPINACH-("Research has shown that spinach aids in the prevention of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, some cancers and cardiovascular disease") , OATMEAL-(The fiber in oats lowers total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, or the bad type of cholesterol.") HONEY-(Honey acts as an antioxidant, a substance that can prevent the effects of free radicals, which we're exposed to from environmental toxins such as tobacco smoke or radiation and which can contribute to disease. Honey also contains oligosaccharides, which increase the number of good bacteria in the colon. The color of honey is relevant: the darker the honey the more antioxidants it contains." BLUEBERRIES- ("Some research has shown blueberries can slow degenerative diseases associated with aging and improve motor skills. Still other studies have shown the fruit to improve urinary tract health.") WALNUTS- (Walnuts are the only nuts that contain a significant amount of omega-3s, and are known for their high antioxidant activity." I just have to say though that I eat them sparingly as they make my mouth sore). http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/super-foods-44030408#ixzz0eukMGQBn
I was surprised to learn that the darker the honey the better. I knew that about lettuce, but I didn't know that about honey. You just have to make sure it's not the cheap honey mix even if it's dark. Another thing I have learned is that you should simply try to eat fresh fruit and veggies every day. I'm going to make my salmon tomorrow and grill it in Pam spray (not oil) with a little orange juice and zesty Italian and a drizzle of lemon juice. I like to sprinkle some parsley on it and I think I'll throw some spinach leaves in too. I have to laugh sometimes when I look at the recipes on some of these "healty" web sites. For example, the salmon recipe I read today called for teriyaki (2500 mg of sodium--how is that healthy). My husband I have been checking the sodium content and Soy Sauce and teriyaki are FULL of sodium. My mom pointed out the cottage cheese has quite a bit in it too which surprised me. I'm not giving up the cottage cheese, but I can live without soy sauce and teriyaki. I am going to try to plan better this week including cooking my lunch in the morning (the salmon) so I can enjoy it later. I'm also going to try to cook a "healthy meatloaf" for the pregnant daughter who needs more than 300 calories per meal (has not been gaining enough per doctor). Wish me luck with that. I am following Raundee's eating "template" and putting what I've learned into it. I need to do a better job of exercising this week as I'm on the healing side of my cold. May the force be with me.
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