11 June 2008: First. Sorry for such a long pause since my last blog entry. Sharon has chastised me and keeps bragging about how she has 7 entries and I only have 2. Well. Let's sort this out. 1st. I have an excuse. I am writing songs in my spare time. 2nd. I, I, well, I don't really have another excuse. OK, down to business. I would like to talk share some healthy wisdom with you.
Golden Rule of Health for Kids #1 : Don't keep junk food in your house! It's real simple. If you want you and your kids to be healthy don't eat junk food. The problem is, if there is junk food in your house, you will eat it sooner or later. Make a rule that whatever you do, your kids are allowed to do (except for the odd glass of wine of course). So that means that if you have a secret stash of chocolate, you must offer some to the kids as well. It is no good saying that it is for adults only. What to do is to explain that eating crap is OK once in a while - it can be enjoyed all the more - but eating junk must not become a daily affair. Make a rule that sweets, puddings, chocolate, fizzy drinks, biscuits, whatever the treat - make it for weekends only for example. Our kids are allowed three sweeties on Saturday. Besides that, they get the occasional dessert or biscuit or whatever.
You have to explain to them that these foods are OK in small amounts, occasionally, when offset by a healthy diet (cooked grains, veg and fruit). But that taken daily cause tummy problems, rot your teeth, and give the body 'empty energy'. Our kids respect this, and so do we. So what's the problem. The problem seems to be that no matter what good sense you have, if the goodies are there, you will go for them. We manage to 'control' our trips to the secret stash, but of course we are more complicated. E.g. "eat lots of junk = feel bad or get spots" etc. Kids don't necessarily feel ill effects or notice them or make the link. Neither do some adults for that matter. Anyhow. The thing is, we are programmed by nature to seek and enjoy sweet and salty and sour tasting foods, especially sweet foods. Why? They are all nourishing. They are what sustains. So the simplest way to prevent you or your kids from eating crap is to stop letting it into your house. Instead, when you go out (assuming this is about 5-10% of your dietary intake - eating out that is) enjoy whatever you like to eat, and yes, have a pudding or a treat. I find this is a simpler way of doing things.
There is of course the idea (I got this from Ayurveda) that if you eat good healthy food most of the time (80% is a good place to aim for) then your body will have less cravings for extreme tastes (sweets, or spicy snacks, or salty snacks etc.). It is as if the body knows when it has been correctly satiated (by good whole food) and that when it is poorly satiated (by junk refined pre-made tinned god-knows-what-else food) you will start to crave strong tastes to compensate for undernourishment you are causing from a diet that lack healthy staples. Many people have told me that after they sorted out their basic diet, they no longer had sweet cravings so often.
On example was a neighbor. She was complaining of cold extremities that stopped her from getting to sleep. So I suggested she drank some fresh ginger root tea. Voila! her problem got better. But what's more, she was pleased to find out that her desire from sweets was drastically reduced and that her canker sores were gone! Simple little thing. Ginger root is a whole food that has a medicinal effect as well. It is a great digestive support, circulatory support and all round good guy, providing you are dealing with some symptoms of coldness, dullness or heaviness, otherwise it might be to heating for you.
Well. I hope this gives you some food for thought.
8 April 2008: Today's revelation is that Satoriz, in Nimes, an organic shop run by an English women is like no other organic shop I have been to in France. There is a certain laid back feeling that is missing from the usual Bio-coop's run by our French friends.
The other thing I was wondering was whether Sharon would actually write anything interesting in her Blog... Hmmm. We shall see.
7 April 2008: Welcome to my blog! It is a new game for me. In theory, I do not have time to write it. But I figure, it might help me unwind! So here we go.
Today I fixed the door to the Pigeonier kitchen - thank God - it has been bugging me for a while. I bet all the people who use it will be grateful. It now closes itself as well - properly!
Oh yes - I want you to know that I have put some of my own songs online: Alex's Music. I have been working on my acoustic guitar style. It is a slow process. Hopefully I will get round to producing something half-descent. Actually, we are thinking of holding a small music festival at Gardoussel each summer. Something to work towards... |
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