The time for complicity is over.

Tempting as it may be, we can't blame this all on a conspiracy of health-sapping influences. 

Yes, it is true that we're surrounded by supersized junk foods and sedentary pastimes. Yes, we've been saddled with misleading labels and industry-influenced dietary guidelines. Yes, we've been bombarded by demoralizing media, manipulative advertising, and downright lousy advice.

But still. We've taken a lot of that sitting down.

For too long, we've allowed ourselves to be overprescribed, overfed, underinformed and overindulged. We've been quick to embrace superficial solutions and half-baked ideas.

We've permitted ourselves to be pandered to in the name of ease, convenience and "value" - and we've grown passive, expecting effortless cures to come from the outside.

Conspiracy theories notwithstanding, the greatest threats to our well-being lie in the health-sapping decisions we make every day by default. Because healthy choices have been rendered tougher than they ought to be. And because-like frogs in hot water-we've been willing to tolerate the intolerable.
Until now.

(text from http://revolutionaryact.com/ )

There are powerful social, economic and politcal forces undermining our health

Our culture didn't get this unhealthy by accident. From the processed-food industry to pharmaceuticals, well-funded interests rake in huge amounts of money off our unhealthy population. They've been doing it for decades, and they pay billions of lobbying dollars to make sure they can keep doing it.

These special interests not only manipulate public policy and the media to our disadvantage, they conduct huge misinformation and marketing campaigns designed to keep us buying into products and behaviors that hurt us.

Their message? That their health-sapping options are wholesome, easy, appealing, cool, fun, affordable, delightful indulgences (or absolute necessities) that will make us and our lives oh-so-much better.

And we've taken the bait. We have been brainwashed into adopting daily behaviors and choices that poison our bodies, fog our minds and cost us billions in medical bills.

Here's what those powers-that-be won't tell you: Buy into what currently passes for "normal" in American, and you're unlikely to stay healthy for long.

(text from http://revolutionaryact.com/ )

The way we are living is crazy

The United States currently produces more obese, chronically ill and depleted people than it does vital, fit, resilient ones...and this trend is worsening.

Two out of three U.S. adults is overweight or obese. At any given time, half of us are contending with at least one chronic disease. A growing number of us are reliant on pharmaceuticals whose side effects and interactions undermine our health and quality of life.

Our children, too, are becoming ill and prescription dependent at ever-younger ages, and their life spans are being shortened as a result. 

Enough already! Our collective lack of vitality has become an oppressive source of misery and waste, one that threatens to impede our lives, our liberties, and our pursuit of happiness. 

We can change this. We must change this...together.

(text from http://revolutionaryact.com/)

Being Healthy is a Revolutionary Act

  

For the next few posts, I want to share with you some tidbits from a great website: http://revolutionaryact.com/

(all text will be from this site unless I make note otherwise)

In case you haven't noticed, we live in a society where the idea of health and fitness is wildly popular, but where actually becoming a truly healthy person can be mighty tough to pull off.

There's a reason so many of us are sick, overweight, depressed and stressed out: We're living in a society that is wired up to make us sick, overweight, depressed and stressed out.

We can change this mixed-up reality!

We can reclaim our well-being and create a better, more blissful world. But it's going to take some revolutionary moxie to make it happen.

This manifesto is a collection of ideas, reality-checks and insights designed to help those of us who value our health create and sustain healthy change...even in the face of some daunting challenges.

If you're up for that, way to go, friend --

and welcome to the revolutionary club! 

Here are 10 revolutionary truths that a growing number of us hold to be self-evident.....

(to be continued over the next few posts....I want you to read each one and soak it in. Really think about what is being said and what you can do about it)

Dessert anyone?

My sister is a big fan of chocolate chip cookies. She is also a big fan of eating healthy. She recently ran across this recipe that satisfies both loves!!

Chocolate chip meringues 

I have not made them myself so I'll share her tips from her email when she shared this recipe with her friends: 

"I have been on the quest for a while to find something sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth yet low calorie enough to be able to enjoy! And I try not to consume artificial sweeteners... so its been quite the search. As you all probably know, chocolate chip cookies are my all time favorite food...
I finally found it!!These are SO good!! I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup and they are still plenty sweet. And I did not dust the tops.. its not needed and saves a couple of calories. I would recommend using the mini chips (I used regular so they didn't distribute very evenly, and I only added 1/4 cup. I think you could leave them out altogether and still have a yummy treat, but not quite a chocolate chip cookie substitute). These have the crisp of a cookie, the chocolate chips and are perfectly sweet, they taste just like a cookie! And I guess I made mine smaller because it made 50 which came to 15 calories each!"

ENJOY!

Let's chew the fat!

Let's get one thing straight,  

all fats are not created equal.  

Advertising that something is fat-free or low fat is a popular way to get people to buy processed foods. People are under the impression that fat makes you fat. The human body actually needs some fat to survive. Which kind of fat you consume is the key.

Virtually all foods contain some fat.  It is in foods because both plants and animals use fats as the most economical way to store energy.  It is needed for their growth, development and function when there is a shortage of food supply (or a shortage of sunlight in the case of plants).
We are much like other animals so we do actually need some fat from our diet to survive.  As with most things, too much fat is bad. The fat that you do consume for health needs to be from the Good Fats list.

Type 2 diabetes is on the rise in this country because we are consuming too much fatty fast foods. We all produce insulin (a hormone that escorts glucose into your cells for energy) but when the cells are insulin resistance, they resist that action and glucose builds up in your blood. Why would the cells resist this natural process? Because cells can become clogged with bad fat! 

Trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation, which makes the oil less likely to spoil. Using trans fats in the manufacturing of foods helps foods stay fresh longer, giving it a longer shelf life. You will see this listed as hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oil on processed foods. Avoid it! (I think by looking at that short list you already know that you should)

Animal products are the source of most saturated fat. I have read enough to know that a plant based diet is best for your health. I don't expect you all to become vegetarians but please limit the amount of animal products that you do consume. You can follow a plant based diet and still eat lean meats occasionally if you wish. Notice that fish is on the good fats list under polyunsaturated.

 

Polyunsaturated fats include omega-6 and omega-3 which play a crucial role in brain function and in the normal growth and development of your body. Your body needs them but isn't able to produce them. 

Monosaturated fats are fine in moderation. Just because they are 'good' doesn't mean I suggest you pig out! What I am saying is do not avoid an egg yolk, avocado or peanut butter because you are scared of the fat. It's ok in moderation!

 

Everything in food works together to create health or disease. 

If you are eating for good health for the rest of your life, 

you will never again have to count calories or worry about your weight.