Healthy food does a body good!

A friend of mine has been experiencing some serious health issues in recent months. He was admitted into the hospital earlier this year for congestive heart failure. As he was dealing with that, his kidneys decided to shut down and he was put on dialysis. He was released after some time and put on new medication for his high blood pressure, which did not agree with his body and he passed out and broke his leg. His body seem to just have a mind of it's own; it was shutting down. Oh, and now he has been told that he'll need a kidney transplant...and he's only 39-40 years of age.

Our bodies are so amazing yet very complicated. All the intricate makings of our bones, muscles, organs are truly fascinating. It's like a finely created machine. A machine that like any other, must be taken care of and oftentimes, we neglect to do so. My friend who is dealing with these health issues, was overweight, ate foods that were not healthy and did not exercise. This type of lifestyle helps to contribute to the decline of our bodies. Now I am not saying that he is at fault or anything like that but we can help our bodies do better.

Who doesn't love a good hamburger with extra cheese, maybe lots of mayo, and bacon (if you still eat pork-smile). Or french fries smothered in cheese with lots of ketchup. Oooo, oooo how about those cheese biscuits from Red Lobster...mmm, mmm, good! Yes, while these foods taste good and satisfy us for the moment, it really does not do a body good. Full of empty calories and tons of sodium, these foods do not nourish our bodies. That finely created 'machine' has to be treated right and given the proper foods to keep it running at top levels. Think of a brand new car...that new car smell, engine purring like a happy cat and it just being a smooth and easy ride. Well that car has to have an oil change every 3000 miles to ensure the inside keeps running at optimum levels. But even with taking care of that new car, it suffers wear and tear over the years. Same as our bodies.

As you get older, the body tends to reject certain foods because it can no longer tolerate them. You may wonder well why not? I've always eaten my sandwiches with lots of mayo, peppers and cheese. How come every time I do so now, my stomach is in pain and I have severe heartburn? Well, it's your body's way of saying, "Ok, I've had enough. I can no longer sustain nor breakdown these foods anymore." And who's to say that even before when you were eating these foods that your body wasn't reacting? The reaction may have been so subtle, that you just easily ignored it. But as you get older and your body encounters more wear and tear, it begins to reject the foods it no longer has use for or can't tolerate.

So what does that mean? Yes, you guessed it...EAT HEALTHIER! And just because you may be 25-30 years old and you are in good health, doesn't mean you should continue eating like there's no tomorrow. The more you eat foods high in sodium, sugar, empty carbs and tons of calories, you will slowly but surely wear down your body, at a faster rate.

Want to have more energy? Eat LOTS of fruits and vegetables. Cut out all white refined sugars. That means walk by those Oreo cookies, the Haagen Das ice cream and those Entemann's soft chocolate chip cookies. Drink plenty of water; helps reduce water retention and eliminates toxins in the body. Red meat and poultry are good for you, just in moderation. If you need protein, you can get it from legumes, beans and eggs. Once you begin to eat more of these healthier foods, it literally will begin to reverse any damage or wear and tear your body may be experiencing. Trust me, I'm speaking from experience.

I decided to become a vegetarian two years ago and I do feel a difference. I've had some challenges though (high blood pressure, chronic sinus condition) however, these conditions have been managed and easier to deal with since I became more focused on what I was putting into my body. I cut my sodium intake, drastically...a person should have no more than 2400mg per day. My sodium intake is about 1000mg per day. My sinuses, as many of my friends know, has been a life long recurring condition. I realized that there were things I was doing to aggravate it even more: like eating dairy, too much sugar and not drinking enough water. Since I have eliminated my dairy intake (by switching to all soy), cut out any refined sugar products and drink about 1/2 gallon of water a day (yes, 1/2 gallon or more), my sinuses have been better and will get better.

Is eating healthy easy? Hmm, I can say no - lol - because I can tell you that a snickers bar sure taste a whoole lot better than asparagus! BUT, the asparagus will sustain my body 10x better than that sugary, full of calories snickers bar. And it's about wanting to live a longer, healthier life.

Begin today...commit to not eating any sweets, candies or drinking any sodas. Have some fruit throughout the day and see how that makes you feel. Your body is a temple...YOUR temple. And it requires your utmost attention to keeping it in tip-top shape.

I made the committment a long time ago and I do not have any regrets. Especially when I go to my doctor and he tells me my blood work is excellent. There is no better news than that.

Be well and eat well!