Healthy Packaged food choices

My mom sent me this article about packaged foods, what to look out for and what is healthiest.
I found it interesting, especially being a college student, eating always is happening while walking to class or driving in the car.

I think I'll have to print this list out to keep it in my car for future reference.

Visit this link for the list: Shop Smart

sugar substitutes

While there are numerous kinds of sugar substitutes in foods and drinks we consume, though these sugar substitutes can help prevent weight gain in the long run, it doesn't mean you should load up on those substitutes.

Although manufacturers have recognized the common want to lose weight and be healthy, it doesn't mean some of the ingredients in these items are good for you. Also, don't give kids sugar-free drinks, and try to shy away from it yourself.

Even though you may look to a sugar substitute rather than sugar itself, be careful you don't replace it for food.

Also, when the body tastes something sweet, it automatically releases insulin. Sugar and sugar substitutes, when both get into your blood stream, they are processed as sugar anyway.

All in all, take sugar lightly when you think about consuming it. Don't drink too much sugar, and sometimes you won't expect some foods to have sugar when they do. If you buy food with labels on them, be sure to check.

Yuck !

So, the email I got this morning, "Eat This, Not That!" linked to an article about the grossest bugs we don't know we're eating. Pretty nasty. I just thought this article had some good information we should be aware of.

The article said we eat up to one pound of bugs a year...wow. Who would have thought?

Some of those included believe it or not:

1.) Mites: Storage and grain mites can cause the same reactions of dust mites.
These tend to stick to frozen vegetables, as do a lot of these bugs we eat.

2.) Maggots: Gross. They like to hang out in canned foods, like tomatoes, mushrooms, tomato paste and even Maraschino cherries. 20 maggots are allowed for every 100 grams.

3.) Fruit flies: You can just wash them off a piece of fruit...beware of the fruit juice. You can drink five fruit flies with every 8-ounce cup of juice. Raisins also carry fruit fly eggs.

I think that's enough for now...Please read on for some good information to have on hand at  Eat This, Not That!

Adrenals!

DON'T eat this please...

Fight or flight??? Which do you prefer?

Well, our little adrenal glands work hard for us, not only assisting us in this fight or flight situation, but regulating our thyroids, hormones and immunity. Those sound pretty important to me.

To keep healthy adrenals, try to avoid or limit your caffeine and sugar intake. those to substances make your adrenals work hard and sustain high levels of cortisol..keeping them from doing their daily job.

They work best with short term stress, healthy adrenal glands release cortisol to help you deal with stress then bounce back, and continue that process. But, unhealthy adrenals have a harder time bouncing back.

Adrenals that are shot, can take four to six months to fully recover, it honestly depends on how fatigued your adrenals can be. Sometimes kidney infections can be caused by fatigued adrenals, since those organs are neighbors. Be kind to your this organ and you'll be fine.

It can be hard to say no, it' something that we all run into problems with. Especially saying no to those we care for because all we want to do is make them happy and help them. But sometimes we have to think of ourselves and what is healthy for us.

Saying no can do wonders, we've all experienced it. And yet, sometimes, we just feel guilty.
But again, Ellie Krieger has reminded us that it's OK to say no.

If you're not sure how to, just take these suggestions into thought.

• Say "No, thank you" instead: this way you may feel a bit more polite, and still showing the person you're glad they thought of you and it was a nice gesture. You can even throw in, "Maybe next time" if you're just busy and don't have enough time. 
• Ellie suggests throwing in an alternative: if you don't want to do the request particularly, but want to do something else, say it. Suggest that you want to do what you really want to do. 
• If you're comfortable enough, give the reason why you can't help. 
• If anything, clean cut, just say you can't. 
• If you do know someone else who can help, suggest it. Just let the person know you can't help but you know of someone else who can, it may be a good thing for the person you're suggesting.