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I hope you enjoy and find my blog useful. Please feel free to link, comment, or give your advice. Make yourself at home and come back daily as I will be updating daily.
Grace and Peace,
Ed
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I'm a 54 year old Husband, Father of Four Daughters, Pastor and Vice Principal of a private K-12 school on Long Island.

Monday, December 31, 2007

Jack Lalanne


The other night while watching TV with my wife we saw someone I hadn't seen in years. It was Jack Lalanne. I remember watching Jack with my Mom over 45 years ago! He was phenominal then and he is absolutely incredible now! He was to the exercise industry on TV what Julia Child was to the food industry back then. Pioneers! Visionarys! Gurus!

Well of course I was glued to the TV to see what Jack was up to now. The guy and his wife are in incredible health and shape! They were vibrant and filled with energy. Jack and his wife are touting the benifits of juicing fresh fruit and vegetables. You can see their juicer here:

http://www.mypowerjuicer.com/. Jack traces his juicing and healthy lifestyle back to another health guru of old, Dr. Paul Bragg.

http://www.bragg.com/ Dr. Bragg was a natural health pioneer back in the early 1900's.

This article was printed in Reader's Digest 2002 it holds what I believe the simple TIME TESTED truth about health, longevity and vitality. Check it out this excerpt:

by Margot Dougherty

Jack LaLanne, the 93-year-old father of fitness knows-maybe better than anyone else-that there’s no secret potion for health and longevity. Having experimented with all kinds of regimens over the years, he now finds himself back where he started: exercising and eating his greens-lots of them. LaLanne consumes ten raw vegetables and several fresh fruits daily and stays away from sugar, white flour and dairy. “I’m not a suckling calf,” he says. LaLanne is out of bed at 5:30 each morning when he begins his two-hour workout.“When I started, boy, all the betting was against me,” says LaLanne, sitting in the window-lined living room of his home in Morro Bay, a quiet California Oceanside community. “I was the first person to have 80-year-old guys working out with weights. In the 1930s! The doctors said, ‘You guys go to that Jack LaLanne, you won’t be able to get an erection. You older guys will get heart attacks.’ I’d be six-foot-four if they hadn’t beat me down.” LaLanne, five-foot-six, chuckles.

With a recent guest appearance on “Arliss” and a star on Hollywood Boulevard in celebration of his birthday, LaLanne is definitely having the last laugh. Not that he hasn’t changed with the times. Gone are the ballet shoes and stretch onesie. In their place is a cropped black leather jacket, navy knit pants and zebra-print sunglasses. Fresh from an hour of weights and another hour in the pool, he’s downed 40 vitamins and supplements, about six at a time. Now his trusty TV remote is by his side for the big screen that nearly touches the ceiling. “I watch Regis’s show,” LaLanne says. “He was one of my first students. I got him working out about 40 years ago. He still works out. But where Regis blew it, he didn’t go in for the nutrition thing like I do, He had that heart problem.”

Love him, hate him, laugh at him or with him, there’ no arguing that LaLanne is a legend who was decades ahead of his time. He says he’s never had a major illness. He holds Mr. America Best Chest and Best Back honors, and a Guinness world record for his 34-year stint on “the Jack LaLanne Show.” He’s written several big-selling books on fitness, has a website (www.jacklalanne.com) selling his philosophy a video, book and even T-shirt form, crisscrosses the country on the lecture circuit (earning up to $12,500 an appearance) and has a new TV ad promoting early arthritis detection.

Each month he and his wife, Elaine, 81, hit Florida to appear live on the Home Shopping Network, primarily pushing their new power juicer. “I feel so good,” LaLanne marvels. “I’m helping people to help themselves.”The son of French immigrants, LaLanne grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and was, by his account, a skinny, depressed, acne-prone weakling addicted to sugar. “I had blinding headaches and an uncontrollable temper,” he says. “I tried to kill my brother on two occasions.”

At age 15, LaLanne attended a lecture by nutritionist Paul Bragg. “My mom and I came in late, and there were no seats,” he says. “I was hoping we could just leave.” Instead Bragg pulled him onstage. “My life changed in the next few minutes,” LaLanne remembers.So ignited by Bragg’s discourse, LaLanne became a vegetarian and cut out sugar. He bulked up, transforming himself in to the school’s most unlikely football star, and began to spread the gospel of good living. His workout of choice was weightlifting, still a relative novelty. And talk about swimming against the tide: He opened his first health club (a coed gym with broadloom carpeting) in 1936- when Lucky Strikes and martinis were still considered the essential relaxation tools.LaLanne never patented his original weight machines such as the leg extension, but they’re barely distinguishable from what crowd gyms today.

On “The Jack LaLanne Show,” which debuted in 1951, he employed Happy, his white German shepherd, to encourage women to get with the program. “I’d talk right to the kids, because they were the ones watching at first,” LaLanne says. “I’d say, ‘Kids, run and get your mom, and I’ll get Happy to do a trick for you!’”Hollywood got hooked. “Some of the big starts like Betty Grable and Bette Davis used to have coffee klatches and exercise with Jack LaLanne in each other’s homes,” he says. “The papers picked this up. If the stars are with you, everyone’s with you. I lucked out.”LaLanne had indeed made the big time.

To prove the payoff of his own philosophy, LaLanne has marked his birthdays with extraordinary feats of accomplishment. At age 60, he swam from Alcatraz to Fisherman’ s Wharf, handcuffed and towing a 1000-pound boat. In the following years, he pulled off five more variations of that stunt. “Now I want to swim from Catalina to Los Angeles underwater,” he says. “It’s 26 miles. I’d change scuba tanks every two and a half hours. Elaine says she’ll divorce me.”Elaine, who has her own line of hand and body creams as well as several fitness books, enters the living room to see if Jack’s ready for lunch-five sliced fruits and four hard-boiled egg whites. He pulls her down for a kiss, and she then does a mini-arabesque, Fred-and-Ginger style. “Have I to-o-o-ld you lately that I love you?” he croons. Elaine laughs.“What’s that thing you say, air beneath your wings?” she asks.“She’s the strength beneath by muscle, “ says Jack, beaming. Married for 44 years, the couple have three grown children-Danny, a photographer; Jon, who runs a pool maintenance business; and Yvonne, a chiropractor.

LaLanne has made some concessions to the passage of time. “I’m not as strong as I was, naturally,” he admits. “When I was a Professional Mr. America, I weighed 173. Now I weigh 155. But I did that on purpose. Just like my buddy Arnold [Schwarzenegger]. He used to weight 240 and now he’s down to nearly 200. Why do you need all that muscle if you’re not competing? I still do everything I want to do: my chins, my dips, my workout, my swimming. And you’ll notice Elaine’s got a smile on her face. You slow down. But it’s gradual.”

There are no breaks in evidence. And his passion for nutrition remains undiminished. He’s outraged by the eating habits of American children. “Soda pop has nine and a half teaspoons of sugar in it, and you wonder why they’re psycho and getting failing grades,” LaLanne sputters. “You know why there are so many fat kids today? We’re exceeding the feed limit!” He pronounces the word fat with an emphasis that makes it sound like bacon hitting a hot griddle. “Remember, the food you eat today is walking and talking tomorrow,” he likes to say. Or, “Would ya get your dog up in the morning and give him a cup of coffee, a cigarette and a doughnut?”

He’s open to new workout regimens, giving two thumbs-up for TaeBo and yoga. But a certain blonde with a Thighmaster gets only his unmasked disgust. Says Clint Eastwood: “Jack knew the value of exercise and nutrition before it became fashionable.” And LaLanne is still hellbent as ever on getting his message out. “You’ve got to count calories,” he says, hitting a table with each syllable for emphasis. “Otherwise, you cannot lose weight-impossible.”Then again, “You don’t have to be a crackpot about it like me,” he adds. “Just make little changes. Instead of white bread, have whole wheat. Get more chicken, fish and turkey. Add another cup of raw vegetables and a piece of fresh fruit. Exercise 30 minutes, three or four times a week.” To date, he’s his own best advertisement. “I can’t die,” he likes to say. “It would ruin my image.”

Think about it. Two actual people doing what they have been teaching for over 78 years AND IT WORKS! You can't look at them or see their lifestyle and say it dosen't work! And what is it that they say? Plenty of raw fresh organic fruit and vegetables, plenty of fresh drinking water and a minimum of 1/2 hour of working out each day. They have a healthy marriage, incorporate faith in their daily lives, believe in altruism and live their dream of helping others unlock their fullest potential by embracing the simple principals taught by the Bragg's and others.

When it comes to fitness and health, Jack and those that have followed his advice are living proof that living a healthy and fit lifestyle is simple when you follow the basics. Their time tested approach to health and fitness is as relevant and true now as it was 100 years ago! Happy, Healthy New Year!

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Christmas






















It's Christmas at our house the door is opened wide,

It's Christmas at our house don't knock just come inside.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! We started with dinner Christmas Eve...Lobster, Shrimp, Lasagna, Sausage, Beef and desserts.

After setting up the tree we had our first round of present opening yielded gift certificates and clothes. Whew time for bed!

Christmas morning is the main present opening yielding electronics, clothes, games, books and other assorted gifts of love.

Chinese take out for dinner and then off to the church for prayer. A great prayer service the back home and off to bed.
I thank God for His grace to my family and I. It is most wonderful to know that the real reason for this special celebration is to commemorate the Birth of the Saviour of the world Jesus Christ!

I have included a few pictures to show how we share this holiday together.
Grace and Peace,
Ed

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

URI InstaFresh Drying Process


The core of URI International's nutritional program begins with URI Concentrated Whole Food Nutritional Products, proper diet, pure water and exercise. URI's superior whole food concentrates provide a synergistic source of thousands of naturally occurring nutritional compounds that can only be obtained from Live Whole Foods. Their proprietary low-temperature InstaFresh Drying Process concentrates live whole foods and fresh, raw juices into nutrient dense, great tasting, juice powders for the ultimate in all natural, convenient, cost effective nutrition.

For over two decades, David Uri Lebaron, Founder/CEO of URI International, has passionately pursued and perfected a proprietary and revolutionary low-temperature InstaFresh Drying Process that preserves the nutritional integrity of fresh, whole foods. This revolutionary process enables URI to provide a more cost effective and convenient way for you to consume the naturally balanced form of nutrition your body needs.

The InstaFresh Drying Process concentrates live whole foods and fresh raw juices into nutrient dense, unpasteurized, great tasting, juice powders for the ultimate in all natural and convenient nutrition - within 30 seconds! During this 30 second process, the product temperature averages 65 degrees and never exceeds 100 degrees, which is considered an extraordinary achievement in the food drying industry. All of this is accomplished within hours of harvest! The short period of time between harvest and the locking of the natural life force of the whole foods into a powder form is one of the critical reasons why URI International's products are the most nutritionally dense in the industry today!

Using URI's InstaFresh process ensures that the fresh whole food powder concentrates retain much of their naturally occurring, synergistically compounded vitamins, minerals, ORAC value, live enzymes, antioxidants, amino acids, phytonutrients, co-factors, in their natural balance - just as Nature intended! Even the flavor and aroma are preserved. All of this is achieved without pasteurization or the use of any preservatives. The result is a nutrient dense, whole food powder concentrate that is easily broken down and digested by your body.

The benefits of these organic, raw, live whole food powders are as spectacular as the process itself. Many people are reporting that their youthful energy and clarity of thinking is being restored. Most wonder how they functioned without it! The preventative benefits are also exciting. Everyone knows the importance of eating 5-9 servings of fresh, organic, live fruits and vegetables. Now we can enjoy the health benefits of these powerful fruits and vegetables in an affordable powdered form that you mix with your favorite food or beverage. Tomorrow I will discuss the controlled, organic growing process used by URI International and some of the exotic superfoods in their product line.

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

URI International


My next series of blogs will be related to a nutritional supplement company called URI International. I have been using their supplements for about 4 months now and I can honestly say that they are the best supplements that I have ever taken!


Uri International is a manufacturer and supplier of innovative nutritional products with a special emphasis on superior concentrated whole food based nutrition. It was the whole food part that first attracted me to this company. You see, I believe that nutrition should come in it's most natural and organic form to be fully used by our bodies. Synthetic vitamins do not contain the synergy or balance of nutrients that whole food does nor do they include the live enzymes necessary for our bodies to break down and digest the nutrients.

Uri has their corporate offices in Cedar City, Utah which is where they have their processing, packaging and shipping facilities. Only the finest ingredients are used to create each URI International product. URI assures the quality of each ingredient through strict control standards, growing requirements and testing methods. URI's whole food based product line is never pasteurized or irradiated and does not contain any preservatives, fillers, exipients, additives, dairy, MSG or GMO. All ingredients used are either organic, certified organic or are free of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers!

My wife, children and I have been drinking "THE FEAST" and "BEYOND BERRIES" and we can definitely feel the difference. I have shared it with several co-workers and friends who all drink the juice daily. One secretary has said that she doesn't know how she's gone without it! Another said that she never had so much energy midday. She gave up her afternoon nap. You have to try it to experience the benefits yourself. Uri even backs up their wonderful products with a 90 day unconditional guarantee. Simply try this live whole food based InstaFresh juice powder for 90 days and you will see why I believe "THE FEAST" is the most powerful and effective nutritional product on the market! But, if for any reason you are not satisfied, send it back for a complete refund. You couldn't take it away from the people that I have shared it with!

URI International has unlocked the secret process (more on the InstaFresh process in a later post) to real nutrition and getting our 5 to 9 servings of fresh, live, organic fruits and vegetables daily in a powder that is convenient, cost effective, and IT TASTES GREAT! For years I was searching for a decent tasting "green drink" and was taking the latest super berry juices all in an effort to support my body and health with the best that nature has to offer. Finally, with The Feast, I have found what I was looking for in one delicious drink. Compare the label on The Feast with any other supplement. No other supplement has the quality and quantity of LIVE ORGANIC WHOLE SUPER FOODS processed without additives or preservatives and with all of their nutritional benefits kept intact by using URI's proprietary low-temperature InstaFresh drying process.

Stop by my site at http://www.urilife.net/realfoodforlife for a risk free sample and feel the URI difference today! Live nutrition for Live people!

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Holidays


It's really interesting how advertising shapes our culture. I remember growing up and right after Thanksgiving advertisers would begin their CHRISTMAS commercials. Soon after there would be acknowledgement of HANUKKAH and the lighting of the Menorah. Now in an effort not to offend anyone and to make more sales we now have "THE HOLIDAYS".


The United States was not founded on the watering down of our culture and beliefs into something acceptable to all. It was based on freedom! Freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the freedom of religion. What was once a sacred season of celebration and reflection has turned into an almost meaningless "holiday" where everything sacred is lost in a frenzy of commercialized holiday cheer.


It's like having a family of six celebrate their individual birthdays on one day! Let's group them all together and just have one big "holiday". After all we're all celebrating the same thing, right? Wrong! My birthday is the celebration of my addition to my family and the community at large. I am not them and they are not me. We are unique. Variety is good. Each of the "Holidays" that we have grouped together do not celebrate the same thing.


Sure we can group it all under one category "The Holidays" but we lose the importance of what the day or season was about in the first place. Don't tell me that we are all celebrating the same thing. I'm celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world. That has absolutely nothing to do with Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Ramadan or any other religious observance held around this time of year. It's ok that England doesn't celebrate the fourth of July. I wouldn't either if I were them. But they understand our celebration and can join in it with us if they would like to but that doesn't change the reason for the celebration.


I am neither a nationalist nor am I a separatist. I am a Christian wanting to celebrate what I consider to be the most important birth on earth and His name is Jesus. Christmas celebrates His birth. It celebrates the birth of our Redeemer. This is too important of an event to me to celebrate as just a "Holiday". It reminds us that God is with us and that God loves us. All of us! Christians and non-Christians alike. Jesus shed His blood for all men and for that has been given a name that is above all names.


The celebration of Christmas may dwarf the other celebrations going on during this time of the year. But, here in America, there are more Christians than any other religion. I don't think they celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah openly in Pakistan. Not if they want to live. There are still places on the earth today where people are being abused, tortured and killed for believing in Christ. So, in America to be politically correct and to sell more merchandise we celebrate "the Holidays".


Well, they're not totally prohibiting my freedom of celebrating the birth of Christ yet as long as the creche on my private lawn isn't too big and we remember not to wish each other the blessings of Christmas. Better to have a santa and celebrate "the Holidays". We are becoming a nation of politicians without convictions.


May God bless you and yours this Christmas and may you find the joy and peace He came to give!


Merry Christmas,

Ed

Monday, December 10, 2007

Exercise for the Mind


I was watching the Public Broadcasting Network's showing of "The Brain Fitness Program". The Brain Fitness Program explores the brain’s amazing ability to change throughout a person’s life. This phenomenon—called neuroplasticity—is the science behind brain fitness, and it has been called one of the most extraordinary scientific discoveries of the 20th century.

I was fascinated about the topic as I have spent over 20 years in education. As an educator I am aware that with the proper motivation, discipline and materials you can maximize your mental potential. Like a muscle, the brain will change and adapt to stress exerted and become stronger, quicker and clearer.

While this show's intent is to ultimately sell the program, the show is well worth the watch as it has some important and interesting discoveries and research on the subject of keeping our mind in top condition. One of the recommended books is "The Brain that Changes Itself" by Norman Doidge, M.D., a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, researcher, author, essayist and poet. He is on the Research Faculty at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research, in New York, and the University of Toronto’s Department of Psychiatry.

According to Dr. Doidge's book the brain is a dynamic, living organ that can actually change its own structure and function, even into old age. Arguably the most important breakthrough in neuroscience since scientists first sketched out the brain’s basic anatomy, this revolutionary discovery, called neuroplasticity, promises to overthrow the centuries-old notion that the brain is fixed and unchanging. The brain is not, as was thought, like a machine, or “hardwired” like a computer. Neuroplasticity not only gives hope to those with mental limitations, or what was thought to be incurable brain damage, but expands our understanding of the healthy brain and the resilience of human nature.

The book is filled with case histories detailing the astonishing progress of people whose conditions had long been dismissed as hopeless. We see a woman born with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole, a woman labeled retarded who cured her deficits with brain exercises and now cures those of others, blind people learning to see, learning disorders cured, IQs raised, aging brains rejuvenated, painful phantom limbs erased, stroke patients recovering their faculties, children with cerebral palsy learning to move more gracefully, entrenched depression and anxiety disappearing, and lifelong character traits altered.

Another book using these principles is "Balance Your Body, Balance Your Life: Total Health Rejuvenation" by Edward A.Taub, M.D. In this book, Dr. Taub, a board-certified pediatrician and family doctor for more than 30 years, makes total health rejuvenation a very reachable and rewarding goal for anyone, at any stage of life, with his revolutionary approach to nutrition, exercise, and spiritual well-being. Shattering the food myths that perpetuate poor health and obesity, this pioneer of Integrative Medicine and his groundbreaking program Balance Your Body, Balance Your Life introduce the world of wholesome and living foods.

While I underscore the importance of Complete Wholeness and Integrative Medicine I rely and trust in The Father, Son and Holy Spirit for my ultimate well being. I believe in applying yourself to be the best you can be but as a Christian I must totally depend on Christ for my life. Health is not an end in itself neither is balance. It just helps our efficiency so we can be ready and fit for the Lord's use.

As you study these ground breaking discoveries be careful not to embrace the doctrine of humanism or another false doctrine in any form. We can sometimes can lose site of the goal of wellness while chasing after it. The Bible says that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. It says to renew our minds with the washing of the Word of God. It says to test the spirits to see if they are from God.

So, stay healthy in Body, Mind and Spirit. Feed them well. Take care of them. Exercise them. And with God's divine grace and guidance you will achieve your greatest impact on this world and live a full and meaningful life.

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Carbohydrates


Carbohydrates are one of the main types of food. Your liver breaks down carbohydrates into glucose (blood sugar). Your body uses this sugar for energy for your cells, tissues and organs.
Carbohydrates are called simple or complex, depending on how fast your body digests and absorbs the sugar. Carbohydrates can usually make up 50% or more of our diet. The amount of carbohydrates we consume is not the only issue. The type of carbohydrates we consume is equally important!


The Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization jointly recommend that national dietary guidelines set a goal of 55-75% of total energy from carbohydrates, but only 10% should be from simple carbohydrates. I try to stay at 40% complex carbohydrates, 10% simple carbohydrates, 30% lean protein and 20% beneficial fats. For my body type and chemistry this works the best.

Complex carbohydrates can be further broken down to starchy or fiber. Starchy complex carbohydrates include bread, cereal, potatoes, pasta, rice, and legumes (dried peas and beans). Fiber filled complex carbohydrates include bran, whole-grain foods, raw vegetables and fruit (especially the seeds and skins), legumes, nuts, seeds and popcorn. We should include more fiber filled carbs than starchy ones, especially when trying to control our weight.

Simple carbohydrates are predominately sugars and are found in the following forms:

Sucrose: commonly known as table sugar, beet sugar, or cane sugar. Sucrose occurs in many fruits and some vegetables.
Fructose: known as fruit sugar. Most plants contain fructose, especially fruits and saps.
Glucose: sometimes known as blood sugar, sometimes as grape sugar. Nearly all plant foods contain glucose.
Maltose: known as malt sugar. Found in grains.
Lactose: commonly known as milk sugar. It is the principal carbohydrate found in milk.

Table sugar and white processed flour should be eliminated from the diet completely. Their nutritional value is next to nothing and they take the place of other simple carbohydrates like fruit which have fiber, vitamins, minerals and live enzymes. Table sugar and foods loaded with sugar cause a quick insulin response which triggers weight gain. They are empty calories that provide no health benefit at all!

Being Italian I am a carboholic and my body has paid the price over the years. In my teens and twenties it was no problem. The metabolism and life style of an active, athletic young man just burned them away. In my mid thirties however they began to take their toll. Remember that carbohydrates are predominately used to provide energy. As our need for energy (due to a slowing metabolism and usually a more sedate lifestyle) decreases whatever is not used for energy will be stored by the body as fat. So lately it has been less pasta and more chicken. Less rice and more fish. Less potatoes and carrots and more leafy and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.

The body needs a certain amount of carbohydrates to function properly, and insufficient intake may cause fatigue, muscle cramps, and poor mental function. Although carbohydrates are an important part of our diet, the body can produce energy from fat and proteins alone. While this may do for short periods of time, avoiding all carbs will adversely affect your body. Many low-carb diets have been touted as healthy, but if taken to the extreme, they can be very dangerous to a one’s overall well-being. It's important to remember that "low-carb" doesn't mean "no-carb." Be sure to eat moderate amounts of the right type of carbs to keep your body fueled properly.

Grace and Peace,
Ed
http://www.urilife.net/realfoodforlife

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Dietary Fiber


Dietary fiber is the term for several materials that make up the parts of plants your body can't digest. Fiber is classified as soluble or insoluble.

The American Heart Association recommends eating a variety of food fiber sources. Fiber is important for the health of the digestive system and for lowering cholesterol. Foods containing fiber often are good sources of other essential nutrients. Depending on how they're prepared, these foods can also be low in trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Fruits, vegetables, whole-grain, high-fiber foods, beans and legumes are good sources of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.


Dietary fiber intake among adults in the United States averages about 15 grams. The Institute of Medicine recommends consuming 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories you need. So we can see how most of us may be falling a bit short.

When eaten regularly as part of a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, soluble fiber has been associated with increased diet quality and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Soluble or viscous fibers modestly reduce LDL cholesterol beyond levels achieved by a diet low in saturated and trans fatty acids and cholesterol alone. Oats have the highest proportion of soluble fiber of any grain. Foods high in soluble fiber include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries and apple pulp.

Insoluble fiber has been associated with decreased cardiovascular risk and slower progression of cardiovascular disease in high-risk individuals. Dietary fiber may promote satiety by slowing gastric emptying, leading to an overall decrease in calorie intake. Foods high in insoluble fiber include whole-wheat breads, wheat cereals, wheat bran, rye, rice, barley, most other grains, cabbage, beets, carrots, Brussels sprouts, turnips, cauliflower and apple skin.

The proper intake of fiber may help with weight loss. In a recent study of more than 1700 overweight and obese men and women, those with the highest fiber intake had the greatest weight loss over a two year period. One of the reasons that fiber may have an impact on body weight is its ability to slow the movement of food through the intestines. The gel-like substance that soluble fibers form when they dissolve in water causes things to swell and move slower in the intestines. This increase in time that foods stay in the intestines has been shown to reduce hunger feelings and overall food intake. It has also been shown to decrease the number of calories that are actually absorbed from the ingested food. One study showed an increase in the number of calories that were excreted in the stools when high-fiber psyllium gum-based crackers were given in comparison to low-fiber crackers. Whenever fewer calories are taken in, or more are excreted, weight loss will generally occur.

Not only can a diet rich in fiber help with weight control but together with ample water intake it may help relieve symptoms of constipation which over extended periods of time can affect our overall health. Many types of fiber within the intestine bind to water and keep the water within the intestine. The fiber adds bulk (volume) to the stool and the water softens the stool.

The best way of adding fiber to the diet is increasing the quantity of fruits and vegetables that are eaten. This means a minimum of five servings of fruits or vegetables every day. For many people, however, the amount of fruits and vegetables that are necessary may be inconveniently large or may not provide adequate relief from constipation. In this case, fiber supplements can be useful. I recommend Food -N- Fiber by URI International. Food n’ Fiber provides a unique profile of nutrients that are specifically characteristic to nuts, sprouted grains & seeds. This superior blend has extraordinary whole food value and is a rich source of naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, amino acids, phytonutrients, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and protein. Food n’ Fiber provides a highly usable, nutrient dense, vegetarian source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber without additives in a live whole food state. Here is a link to try a risk free sample http://uriinternational.com/wholefood/wholefood_fiber.asp

Because of concern about obstruction, persons with narrowings (strictures) or adhesions (scar tissue from previous surgery) of their intestines should not use fiber unless it has been discussed with their physician. Some fiber laxatives contain sugar, and diabetic patients may need to select sugar-free products.

The fiber should be started at a low dose and increased every 1 to 2 weeks until either the desired effect on the stool is achieved or troublesome flatulence interferes. (Fiber does not work overnight.) If flatulence occurs, the dose of fiber can be reduced for a few weeks and the higher dose can then be tried again. (It generally is said that the amount of gas that is produced by fiber decreases when the fiber is ingested for a prolonged period of time; however, this has never been studied.) If flatulence remains a problem and prevents the dose of fiber from being raised to a level that affects the stool satisfactorily, it is time to move on to a different source of fiber.

Grace and Peace,
Ed


Monday, December 3, 2007

Water


The importance of pure water cannot be overstated! Water makes up more than two-thirds of the weight of the human body. (Water also encompasses two-thirds of the planet!) Without water, humans die in a few days. All of our cells and organs need water to function. Water also serves as a lubricant and is the basis of saliva and the fluids surrounding the joints. Water can also help with weight control as thirst is sometimes confused with hunger and a glass of water can help overcome urges to eat. Water also helps with bowel function and the removal of waste from our body. Our body also uses water to regulate temperature.


So then, how much water is enough? One way to individually calculate how much you need is to take your weight in pounds and divide it by two. The result is the number of ounces of water you should drink a day. In so doing you can assure that this important element to our overall health and fitness is being taken care of. That's a lot you say? Then at least begin to realize this important component to your health and slowly work your way up to that amount. If you are obese then you will have to scale this amount down according to your level of obesity. You can start by using your ideal weight as a starting point and gradually increase as advised by your physician.


The felt improvements to your overall health will be noticeable in proportion to your current level of fitness and hydration. Some dieters notice a benefit in a week or so. Some folks that are constipated notice improvement in a few days. In severe dehydration improvement can be felt within hours. The unfelt benefits of proper hydration are hidden and sometimes never recognized but they are very real none the less!


A word of caution. You can drink too much water but in my 52 years of life I have never heard of anyone I know of even coming close. What type of water should we drink? For optimum health, experts recommend clean, spring water, or filtered water, and some experts advise against drinking tap water, fluoridated or distilled water. For health reasons, some experts advise us all to check the safety of our tap water supply, in order to ensure it is free from heavy metals, bacteria and other contaminants.

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Bloggers With Integrity

Wow! I just received this award from Lady Rose over at http://dietpulpit.com/ . I am really excited about this award! I have only been at this for two months and I have received over 1,000 guests to my blog, and now this. An award from a peer, especially one that is more proficient than you, is a real honor and I accept this as such.

Integrity is such an important charecter trait! Gone are the days when a word and handshake were all that was needed to make a covenant. Now with all of our legal contracts and situational ethics it's getting harder and harder to trust anyone these days! The good news is that as those of us like Rose and others of you reading this blog come together and refuse to allow the prevelant spirit of the day to move us from the position of integrity. Integrity in writing. Integrity in speaking to each other. And integrity in our daily life and the decisions we all must make. Thank you Rose. I will display this award proudly and look for someone to pass it on to.

Grace and Peace,
Ed

Saturday, December 1, 2007

World Aids Day


A fellow blogger wrote, "Dec 1st is declared World Aids Day. Please take the time to remember all those that have died, suffered and still suffering from this horrible disease. I am dedicating 2 of my blogs to this issue. It is estimated (according to the World Health Organization)that around 6,000 children will lose a parent to Aids. Let us hope that one day they will indeed have a complete cure.ONELOVE..IRIE". You can read more from her at http://iriejamaica.blogspot.com/

It is getting so that everyone knows either someone who currently has Aids, is HIV positive or already died as a result of this terrible disease. We must fight back before we lose a whole generation! There are things that can be done!

As an educator I know the value and importance of education. We must get the word out concerning this epidemic. Ways of preventing it's spread, ways of treating this disease, and how it can be avoided. Money must be spent on meaningful educational programs as well as on looking for the cure. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

As a Pastor I know the value and importance of Love. We must pray for those with this terrible disease and do our best to comfort them. We must also pray to push back the powers and principalities that would continue to promote the spread of Aids.

We must also realize that the spread of this disease is not just local but global and that together we must fight it at all fronts. The Bible states that all of creation groans for the manifestation of the sons of God. I believe that as we turn to Christ and allow Him to redirect our paths, together with His grace, we can overcome this hideous disease and redeem these families torn by it's touch.

Grace and peace,
Ed

Upper Room Christian School

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