MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2011
"I can't afford to eat healthy." I hear this all the time. It's true, food costs are going up.
For most of our married life, my wife did all the shopping. Now that I have to, I see the increases every time I shop.
While shopping at a big grocery chain, I like to observe what people are buying. Next time you go shopping take a look at what folks have in their carts. It's mostly JUNK.
Billions of dollars are spent on junk food and fast food every year in this country. Because of the lies we've been fed by our government, even when people think they are buying healthy food they buy JUNK. They pay extra for whole wheat bread, low fat food; fruit that's shipped hundreds or thousands of miles, and so on.
There is plenty of good research to prove that eating carbs makes you want to eat more. You get hungry faster and are never satisfied. Again, read the book called "Wheat Belly", you'll find the link in an earlier blog. You can read the first few chapters free on Amazon.com
"Not only do these junk foods and fast foods cost money to eat, but the after-effects of consuming such foods often results in additional money being spent. Indigestion, headaches, colds, hemorrhoids, colitis, and many other ailments may be traced to junk food consumption. The average person may spend another $5 per week just on "medicine cabinet" remedies or over-the-counter drugs for these illnesses that result from such foods.
A year of junk food eating also typically results in about six new cavities and a tooth needing capping or pulling, according to figures from Army dentists. This translates into an average $10 per week for dental care.
We still do not know the costs of medical expenses that accumulate because junk food eaters go to their doctors, nor can we accurately figure in how many lost days of work result from such a diet. Even so, the total costs of eating junk food for a year are impressive. Consider these 'figures:
Annual Costs of a Junk Food Diet
Junk foods $832
Fast foods $936
Drugs and Medication $260
Dental Bills $520
Medical Bills (estimate) $250
Days lost from work (estimate) $350
Total yearly loss of income from junk foods $3,148
By eliminating junk foods from the diet, a person would realize enough yearly savings to purchase a new car every three years. He or she would have more energy, a higher level of health and well- being, and literally extra years to enjoy such benefits. No one really knows how much junk foods shorten the lifespan, but it would probably not be unrealistic to use the same figures that are often quoted for cigarette smokers. Every cigarette smoked means a 15-minute decrease in your life. Junk foods, with all their poisons and additives, may be more harmful than smoking and it would not be unreasonable to assume for every bag of cookies or quart of ice cream, you're knocking off hours, days, and weeks of your life."
From www.dietdoctor.com, the following:
"The problem of sugar and starch"
"All digestible carbohydrates are broken down to simple sugars in the intestines. The sugar is absorbed into the blood, raising the blood glucose. This increases the production of the hormone insulin. And insulin is our fat storing hormone.
Insulin is produced in the pancreas. In large amounts insulin prevents fat burning and stores surplus nutrients in the fat cells. After some time (a few hours or less) this may result in a shortage of nutrients in the blood, creating feelings of hunger and cravings for something sweet. Usually at that point people eat some more. That starts the process again, a vicious cycle leading to weight gain.
A low intake of carbohydrates gives you a lower and more stable blood glucose, and lower amounts of insulin. This increases the release of fat from your fat stores and increases the fat burning. This usually gives fat loss, especially around the tummy in abdominally obese individuals."
OK we know that junk food is bad for us and costs us thousands of dollars a year. We know that eating carbs/sugars makes us want to eat more.
The solution? Simple, eat more meat and less carbs. Here are a few ways to eat better for less.
When you decide to stop buying the junk, you'll free up all that money for good food.
There are ways of buying the good food for less. Many areas have food cooperatives. You join with others in buying food in bulk. Check your area. Try a web site called
www.LocalHarvest.org at,
http://www.localharvest.org/food-coops/
Another great web site is www.eatwild.com. A site where you can buy locally produced food. I've found that I can buy grass fed organic beef, chickens, and lamb at a greatly reduced price. Along with locally grown produce.
You can have fresh greens all year long with inexpensive sprouts.
The cost of sprouting seeds is substantially less than the cost of buying the mature plant at the grocery. A tablespoon of lettuce seeds costs about 60 cents, and provide nearly as much bulk as a small head of lettuce, which can cost around $2.00 at the store.
Another way to obtain good food is through barter. I sell Kentucky Whiskey Barrels, rain barrels, barrel planters, and barrel parts. One day I sent an email to all the stores selling sprouting seeds that I could find on line. I offered to trade my product for theirs. One company agreed and I traded 2 half whiskey barrel planters for a big box of assorted sprouting seeds. I'm going to try the same with other food producers.
Lets talk of the benefits of eating low cost readily available sprouts.
Sprouting Seeds: The Ultimate Food
Sprouts are one of the most alkalising, nutritious and easily accessible foods know to man. Being rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and enzymes, they can be grown easily in four to six days and require no effort and very little cost.
A sprout possesses all of the energy, vitamins and nutrients and power that enables it to be transformed from a small seed into a strong plant. At this stage its nutritional value is at its highest for instance, sprouted seeds can contain 400% more protein than lettuce and over 3900% more beta-carotine.
Also, due to their size and taste you are able to eat hundreds of sprouted seeds at a time. In so many sprouts, you are eating the equivalent of hundreds of fully grown plants all at once – when else would you be able to get the goodness of one hundred mature plants in one meal?!
Studies have also shown that broccoli and other types of sprout contain exceptionally high levels of a natural cancer fighting compound called sulforaphane (20 – 50 times more than in mature broccoli) which helps support antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E.
Sprouted Seeds: Raw, Crisp and Delicious
Sprouts are an alkalizing, living food which continue to grow and gain vitamins after being harvested, which when compared to food bought at the supermarket which begins to lose their nutrient content as soon as they are picked (and are not then consumed for weeks on end) become very attractive – especially if you are trying to add more raw food to your diet.
They are great to be eaten on their own, used in salads and stir-fry's or juiced into your green drink.
Sprouts: Packed With Nutrients
The nutritious value of sprouts is remarkable with sprouts containing a greater concentration of vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes, phytochemicals, anti-oxidants, nitrosmines, trace minerals, bioflavinoids and chemo-protectants (such as sulphoraphane and isoflavone) which work against toxins, resist cell mutation and invigorate the body’s immune system than at any other point in the plant’s life – even when the plant is fully matured.
The abundant enzymes in sprouts also makes them easily digestible as their delicate cell walls easily release elemental nutrients.
Many different types of sprout are available including alfalfa, broccoli, little radish, mung bean and a range of mixes including fitness mix, gourmet mix and aromatic mix.
Bottom line, we spend too much on junk food. Cut out the junk. Spend a little time learning what is good and buy only good food. You'll save money.
Count the Costs. Be healthy. Eat healthy.
