Whether you’re trying to avoid degenerative disease or heal from it, one of the most fundamental nutrition concepts to healing and wellness is eating in a manner that controls blood sugar levels and prevents elevated insulin levels.
In the body, blood sugar is called glucose, the most basic molecule that when combined together in complex molecules makes up the food group called carbohydrates. The foods that make up the carbohydrate group are vegetables, fruits and grains. Remember that carbohydrates are a very important component to any healthy diet and most of us need 30-60% of our diet to be carbohydrates. Healing and wellness depend on you choosing the right carbohydrates in your diet.
Vegetables are our wisest, first choice because they include significant fiber, vitamins, minerals and other essential phyto-nutrients. As a result of their components, they digest slowly, are cleansing to the body and alkaline (or soothing) to the body while offering exactly the foods your cells need for healing, repair and optimal functioning.
Fruits offer another good choice, however since they do contain fruit sugar, or fructose, it is important to respect them and control portions and limit servings to reap the benefits while limiting the sugar intake from them.
Unfortunately, despite what the Standard American Diet suggests, grains are the most damaging and unhelpful food source in the carbohydrate food group. Most of our grains are highly refined, quick to digest to glucose and result in elevated insulin levels. Compared to vegetables or even fruits, most grains, especially wheat, do not offer significant sources of fiber, minerals, vitamins or phyto-nutrients. They are acidic (or irritating) in the body, congesting and for many; the gluten can be very destructive.
I can’t remember my grandmother saying, “Eat your grains.” However, I do remember she always said, “Eat your vegetables. I think the precious lady was right!

Most of us have favorable emotions attached to the sweet taste bud. Sweet foods remind us of love and comfort or grandma and her homemade desserts. Unfortunately, our food industry has capitalized on these emotions in their marketing as well as discovered the financial gain possible through the sale of sweetened foods. Our sweet taste bud has been so incredibly over-stimulated that we hardly recognize or enjoy the other four taste buds that include salty, bitter, sour and savory. Enjoying the foods recommended for life by TWIHW can be best accomplished by getting to know your other taste buds a little bit better. Exploring new foods requires trying different preparations of the same food on multiple occasions and eating slowly with intention to “taste” and “experience” the smell, texture, flavor and overall food experience.

Much of our stress comes from not feeling that we’re in control of our circumstances. One thing you CAN control is what you eat every day. Nutrient and mineral dense foods will support your ability to have a good day and cope with daily stresses. Here are a few good nutrition tips to soothe the stresses in your day:
• “Put your own oxygen mask on before assisting other people” – heard this before? Well it applies to you too. Take care of yourself first when it comes to getting good nutrition. It makes you healthier, better able to help others and you are setting a good example for others to follow.
• Minerals have a relaxing and soothing effect on thebody. Magnesium, potassium, and calcium are just three examples of minerals found concentrated in vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Inside the body, minerals are soothing, alkaline, non-congesting, and relaxing, helping your body to deal effectively with stress and tension. Feeling stressed? Think veggies — not ice cream!
• Avoid processed grains and sugary foods. They create acidity in the body related to congestion, aches and pains, inflammation and degenerative disease. Why add more stress to your body?
• Valerian and chamomile have been used for over 200 years to soothe the soul and reduce anxiety. So take a short break and sit down to a cozy cup of herbal tea with chamomile and/or valerian root extract. Think of 5 things for which you are thankful while you are enjoying your quiet time. Done every night before going to bed, this practice can help with a better night’s sleep too.

Depression continues to be a perplexing and complicated arena and exact causes are not fully understood. But with increasing research and understanding, it is very clear that nutrition plays a critical role.

Chemical imbalances in the brain can be triggered by nutrient deficiencies from a poor diet, too much sugar, alcohol, aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal) and even possibly too many grains in the diet. There are also a number of chemical additives put in our processed and fast foods which may also trigger depression including monosodium glutamate, Acesulfame-K, sodium nitrate, and some food dyes, just to name a few.

Recent studies are pointing to a connection between insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes with depression. This is to suggest that diets high in sugar and rapidly digesting carbohydrates like potatoes, sugars and processed breads and cereals are not only wreaking havoc with our insulin function but are also triggering depression.

So nutritionally, what can you do to ward off depression? Here at TWIHW we would suggest considering a diet that includes plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds along with quality protein and undamaged fats. Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D are both important nutrients in the treatment and prevention of depression so including foods in your diet such as salmon, scallops, tuna, eggs, flaxseed, walnuts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, mushrooms and Brussels sprouts can be very supportive. Avoiding or limiting alcohol and sugar as well as processed grains and fast food would also be wise steps.

Eating whole, real, unprocessed food the way it occurs in nature remains a tried and true way to good health.

It is interesting to note that the reasons we die today are very different than the reasons we died 100 years ago. In the 1900’s, death was frequently a result of a communicable disease such as tuberculosis or the flu. Today, degenerative diseases top the charts and include heart disease, cancer and stroke. Degeneration is the break down and death of cells caused by inadequate antioxidants and an over-supply of free radical or oxidized molecules. These free radicals damage our cells resulting in cell death and tissue damage (degeneration). They also speed the aging process causing age-related problems such as memory loss and wrinkles.
Now, think about the opposite word: regeneration. This suggests renewal, rebirth and the making of new cells. When our body obtains an adequate supply of antioxidants, preventing cell death and tissue damage, cells and tissues are able to multiply, repair, and function optimally. This means we retain good brain function and memory along with soft, elastic skin and good energy levels and a body free of disease. Our hopes of maintaining youth and good cognitive function rests in getting those essential fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds that are host to a multitude of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which fight to destroy free radicals. Working to increase our intake of these essential choices along with quality protein and undamaged fats can result in a sharp mind and a high quality of life as we age.
Contributed by Nancy Mehlert

Do you remember your first day of school? For the first time, you marched into a classroom and you were expected to learn to operate and function along with other children in the classroom. You had to be able to get along well with others, be quiet, sit still, listen, and follow instructions while also functioning with some degree of independence to do your work. Just like kids go to school to be molded and shaped to bring out their best talents, when you eat, your food joins a classroom of other nutrients in the body that work synergistically together to generate energy and optimal functioning for your entire cellular make up. So what happens when you eat foods to which you are sensitive or allergic? Well, that food is the classroom clown or bully who constantly interrupts the smooth operation of the classroom. Less work gets done, fewer results are generated and the teacher is irritated and frustrated. Live well. Eat well. Part of a successful nutritional lifestyle is to know and avoid the foods that disrupt your body’s ability to achieve wellness. Get rid of the bully in the classroom.