The Healthy Home

"Food means more than nutrition. It means family fellowship and celebration. It means security and comfort. It means cultural identity. It means giving, receiving, and sharing love. It is unrealistic to strive for betting eating for nutrition's sake if these values we place upon food are ignored, overlooked, or sacrified. Therefore, we have approached this subject of eating better in the broader context of the role that food plays in our lives."

~ "A Realistic Approach to  Healthy Lifestyle: Eating Right!" 

by Emilie Barnes & Sue Gregg

I am sure we are all interested in maintaing a healthy home. We have been in the process of upgrading our eating habits for the last ten years! It has been slow steps for our household because we recognize that anything hastily done isn't likely to last in this home. A few steadfast steps towards a healthier lifestyle is more beneficial than the overnight binges which are so easy to collapse. Here are some ideas we have slowly implemented into our home. Though we are not exceptional eaters by any means, this is a good start for those of you who are just beginning to care…

Basic Beginner Steps Toward a Healthier Home

• Eat Fresh and Raw Whenever Possible: This sounds so simple and it is! The less added preservatives and weird ingredients that you can't even begin to comprehend, the better. Cooking from scratch safeguards you from all the added junk. Also, the more raw food placed on the table, the better. Make it a point to add at least one raw dish to every meal in addition to a salad. Some ideas are homemade salsas, guacamoles, and coleslaws.
• Avoid Eating "Out": I hate to be the one to mention this but most restaurants are a for-profit business and their concern is finding cheap food and substitutes in order to make an income. They are not concerned with our health but with their financial reports. The only way to determine the quality of your food is to prepare it yourself. This will also save you money.
• Avoid Pre-Packaged Food: Again, cooking from scratch is the best way to discern what your family is eating. There are times when a packaged item does come in handy but don't abuse this convenience. Again, you will also find this an excellent way to save money since those are the most expensive items on grocery shelves.
• Incorporate Whole Grains Into Your Meals: The way I have slowly achieved this is to replace one cup of white flour with a whole grain counterpart. Keep on replacing these flours slowly in your recipes until you notice a distinct change of taste (then back it off a notch and stop there for awhile). Once you get accustomed to those changes, take it to the next level. This pizza crust recipe is a good example.
• Rethink Sugar: Replace sugar with raw honey, coconut sugar or pure maple syrup. Slowly reduce sugar in recipes.
• Less Carbs, More Protein: This is probably a hard one for many people because carbs are so cheap! For starters, eliminate the need to serve bread at every meal. Add more hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken and fish onto your plates which satisfy your hunger without leaving you sluggish like bread will.
• Use Real Oils: Vegetable oils, shortenings and canola oil are a man-made nightmare for your body. If possible, purchase olive oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil for your cooking and baking. Extra virgin olive oil is wonderful when eaten raw in salads, coconut oil is excellent in baking (and light frying too) while sunflower oil can be used for both.

Yes, we still like our desserts... I suppose it is obvious by some of my posts! However, it is not a daily occurrence but rather a weekend treat. Is it Friday yet???

One older, Bible based book which I really appreciated for its down to earth ideas was "A Realistic Approach to Healthy Lifestyle: Eating Right!" by Emilie Barnes & Sue Gregg. They share "real" ideas for the average American home to incorporate Many books out there are written with great information but let's face it, our husbands would not necessarily go for some of that stuff! (Note: This book was written a while back when soy was considered the wonder food. I do not condone the eating of soy which research has now shown to have a horrific effect on the body if not prepared in a fermented fashion. Read here for more disturbing information.) 

"Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And let your soul delight itself in abundance."

~ Isaiah 55:2 (NKJV)