Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Baby Steps...

Tiffany Higgins is a gem - a real find. I recently attended one of her nutrition seminars & learned a whole lotta about sugar, good fats, grains, recipes...etc... After her lecture I quickly asked if she'd grace us with her wisdom on my new blog. Luckily she's accepted. Take note. Start becoming aware of everything you put in you & your families sweet bodies! Thanks again Tiffany!

Baby Steps to Better Health

By: Tiffany Higgins

There are so many ways we can improve our health that it can get a bit overwhelming at times. How can we promote health with our families and still make food they like? One thing that I try to focus on with families, particularly my own family, is to get sugar out of our diets. I know this is easier said than done and you are probably thinking, yeah right.

Sugar is extremely addictive. When I say I don’t want it in my home this is for my own protection because even my willpower is not always strong against this tasty ingredient. My willpower starts in the grocery store. Start reading your ingredient labels. Any ingredient that ends with “ose” is a sugar. Example: sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, lactose, etc, etc. You can now see that your food may have more sugar than you realized. Sneaky, isn’t it!

Why the worries with sugar? Well, we must understand the pH balance of our blood is very delicate and must remain consistent. When we eat sugar (acidic) Our body must counteract in order to maintain balance. Our body looks to our biggest mineral source: Our Bones. Our bones contain our biggest stores of calcium (alkaline).Our body pulls calcium into the blood stream to keep that delicate balance. Our bodies were designed to keep us alive and are always adjusting but it is apparent that too much acidic food will have a negative effect on the body over time. Ever wonder why so many people have osteoporosis? I think about these type of things all the time. Yes I am a nerd in a big way.

There are many different types of sugars and sugar substitutes on the market today. I try to make it habit to not just think of sweets when I think of treats for my family. Some tips for using sweeteners that I use are:

Try to get as close to nature as possible. I prefer honey and maple syrup for my sweeteners of choice or whole fruits (bananas are amazing)

Try paring the sweet with a fiber or a fat so it doesn’t raise the blood sugar so quickly. (Chocolate is better than hard candy (fat), fruit is better than fruit juice (fiber))

Limit foods in your home that contain sugar in all its forms so you don’t have so much in your diet (Many breakfast cereals contain unbelievable amounts of sugar)

Don’t think of sugar as something you are depriving your family of but something you are protecting them from. I want my children to have strong bones, healthy teeth and retain minerals in their bodies. I feel they are getting a disservice when they eat sugar because it is a false food devoid of nutrients.

I think feeding my family nutritious food is one of the most rewarding things I can do for them. For ideas, pointers, or further info about healthy eating, check out my website. Sugar is just the beginning to many healthy changes you can make for your family. It’s a big ingredient to tackle but it will change the way you look at food. Good Luck!

Recipe Ideas: The way to counter sugar is with high fiber. The following is a cookie recipe that is delicious and your family won’t even know these are healthy.

High Fiber Cookies

1 cup butter (real butter, no fake fats)

¾ cup organic peanut butter (no sugar added, just the peanuts and maybe salt)

1 cup honey (honey is a disaccharide so it takes longer to break down, it also contains digestive enzymes)

1 cup sugar (I use half or substitute maple syrup but I leave that up to you)

4 TBS coco powder

1 TBS vanilla

Cream these ingredients together for about 2 minutes

Add 2 eggs and whip some more

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 cups rolled oats (can break down a little in the blender if you wish)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

½ cup psyllium husks (these are the highest fiber food I know of)

½ cup oat bran (available at sprouts, more concentrated fiber)

½ cup wheat bran (available at Sprouts, more concentrated fiber)

3 cups walnuts (whatever you prefer)

1-2 cups chocolate chips (I like dark or semi sweet), You could also substitute raisins or other dried berries, make what you like

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes

This makes 3-4 dozen and they freeze well. They are so high in fiber that you can’t really binge on these because you are stuffed. I always try to have alternative treats with me when I take my family to events where there are desserts. These cookies are great.

{Thanks Tiffany. Superb!}

2 comments:

  1. That cookie recipe looks yummy! I don't have a sprouts, so I'm going to have to do some detective work to find some of that stuff.

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  2. Sounds great thanks! Sad I didn't win the giveaway!! :(

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