Health Notes #2

The "Chomp and Swallow" Epidemic

A serious new epidemic is claiming thousands of American lives. It is a crisis more life-threatening than nuclear war. Are YOU at risk?

What caused this epidemic?

The American diet has changed dramatically in the past one hundred year. We have gone from potatoes to potato chips, from fresh produce to packaged foods, from pure water to soda pop, fruit drinks and beer. This has affected our health in many ways because it has decreased the fiber content of our food.

Decreased fiber in the diet is one of the key factors in all degenerative diseases as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, bowel cancer and other cancers. Refined foods, artificial non-foods and animal products have replaced the once-common fruits, cereals, whole grain breads, dried peas and beans and vegetables.

Why the change? Fiber-filled foods slow us down because they take longer to chew and we live in such a fast-pace, grab-it, eat-it-quick type of environment now that if it doesn't slide down in a hurry and come ready prepared we don't want it.

Check yourself out on these questions. Do you have lots of indigestion, heartburn, gas? Do you take time to chew your food? Are you eating until you burst? Are you eating between meals, not just junk-food but good stuff too? (We'll talk about that in a later paper.) Are you over-weight? Are you constipated?

A high-fiber low-fat diet has been successful in treating and controlling diabetes in patients requiring less than 20 units of insulin. Obesity is basically a result of not eating sufficient fiber.

Increase the fiber in your diet, and eat your foods as simply prepared and as close to the natural state as possible and you will get all the abundance of fiber that you need.

Why not restore fiber to your diet naturally and enjoy the health that comes with it!

Did you know ..?

The 10 Most Nutritious Vegetables Are ...

1 Broccoli

2 Spinach

3 Brussel Sprouts

4 Lima beans

5 Peas

6 Asparagus

7 Artichokes

8 Cauliflower

9 Sweet Potatoes

10 Carrots

The top 10 Vegetables in popularity are:

Potatoes, Iceberg Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, Carrots, Celery, Sweet Corn, Broccoli, Green Cabbage and Cucumbers.

The top 10 Fruits in popularity are:

Banana, Apple, Watermelon, Orange, Cantaloupe, Grape, Grapefruit, Strawberry, Peach and Pear.

High Fiber Recipes

Apple Bran Muffins

2¼ c. rolled oats

1/3 c. walnuts

2¼ c. bran (not cereal)

1½ t. salt

2T honey or 2/3 c. dates

1/3 c raisins

Mix well then add:

3 c. shredded apple and ½ c. water

Mound this mixture into muffin cups as they will not rise. Bake at 350^o F for 30-40 minutes.

Top-O-The-Morning Cereal

4 c. water

¼ t. salt

1½ c. mixed grains (oats, wheat bran, cracked wheat, corn meal, oat bran, millet, wheat; whatever you like. You can buy a 7 or 5 grain cereal already mixed in some stores.)

Stovetop method: Bring water and salt to a boil. Mix cereals; add to boiling water. Stir until water boils again, then reduce heat and place over a double boiler for at least 2 hours.

Crockpot method: Using 4½ cups water add the rest of the ingredients directly into the crockpot. Start this just before going to bed. Leave it on low all night. In the morning add about ¾ c. chopped, dried fruit, then let the fruit soften in the cereal while you set the table and get some raw fruit ready. You now have a simple high-fiber breakfast waiting for you.