Fats are important to brain & nerve development especially in infants & children (vitally important up to 2 years old). Essential fats are necessary for healthy nerve function, healthy skin, & proper wound healing. Healthy fats also help to manage cholesterol & control blood pressure.

Fat molecules are composed of a fatty acid or acids plus glycerol. Fatty acids are basically chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

Saturated fats –Contain the maximum possible amount of hydrogen. Primarily found in animal products including dairy. Saturated fats can cause a rise in blood cholesterol levels. Has been implicated in many of the degenerative diseases seen in affluent countries today.

Unsaturated fats have less than the maximum possible amount of hydrogen

•Polyunsaturated fatty acids (more than one pair of hydrogen atoms missing) corn soybean, safflower, & sunflower.

•Monounsaturated (one pair of hydrogen atoms missing) vegetables & nuts. Olive oil, avocado, almonds & other nuts & seeds.

Trans-fatty acids – when polyunsaturated oils are altered through hydrogenation (a process used to harden liquid vegetable oils into solid like margarine & shortening). Trans-fats have been linked to many disease conditions including cardiovascular disease & cancer. Partially hydrogenated oil (found in most packaged foods today) is also a source of Trans-fatty acids.

I am often asked for ideas on how to transition a family into healthier eating habits. My first recommendation is education! The more you learn, the easier the transition process will be. Be patient with your family and try to work with them to encourage them into better eating habits. Education will be the key for them as well. When I began to make changes, I first started eating better myself. As I prepared ‘my foods’ my children would usually ask “What’s that?” I would let them have a taste, and sometimes they would say “oooo yuck!” (Whole foods don’t always taste good to our junk food taste buds!). But, sometimes they would say “Yummmmm!” I began to purchase and prepare the foods they liked and as I found enough things I knew they would eat THEN I said, “I’m not buying junk foods anymore!” I had a teenager at the time and I did not stop her from buying junk food items with her own money but I would not buy it for her. The younger children didn’t have that as an option, and they adapted very well. I have taken time to find things that they truly enjoyed eating and educated them every step of the way. God has blessed us with creativity in preparing truly delicious whole food - good for you - dishes and desserts. I am thankful to Him for that.

Going through a radical overnight dietary change for a single individual is certainly possible if the person is very motivated, determined and well educated about what they are doing. This type of approach is often needed if a person chooses to use nutrition & lifestyle changes in the process of overcoming a specific health challenge. A quick transition also can help curb food cravings, which can make the process easier. However, making fast overnight changes for an entire family can be a different matter. Each situation is unique, but when trying to change the lifestyle habits of a whole family it is often more successful when approached as a process. Transitioning into healthier eating habits, while educating your family concerning the steps that you are taking, can be a winning combination. Preparing special homemade treats using recipes from a good natural foods cookbook or purchasing healthy snacks at your local health food store - can be a step toward transitioning away from sugar & fat filled desserts. Always read labels! I usually tell people that are learning to read labels “if an ingredient doesn’t sound like a food . . . it probably isn’t”. Even some foods found at the health food store, can contain ingredients that you may want to avoid. The more you read and learn, the more you will be able to spot items on a label that may be harmful. There are many names for highly processed sugars. Learn what these are so that you will be aware of what you are buying. Also, remember that there are many whole-food, nutrient-rich treats that are easy to prepare and are DELICIOUS. There are many recipe books available that will help encourage you and your family with good & healthy recipes.

It is reported that 62% of Americans are overweight with 44 Million being Clinically obese. One half of all mid-age people in America are dieting, while $30 Billion is being spent on dieting annually. More Americans than ever are struggling with this issue and yet the more we “diet” the more overweight our nation is becoming. Weight loss is not usually achieved simply by going on a “diet”. Long term results require lifestyle changes.

People often say, “When I lose weight the doctor said that my health problem will go away”. This thought pattern has caused us to believe that it is the weight itself that causes our ill health. It is also this way of thinking that, in many cases, has encouraged us to go about losing weight in some very unhealthy ways. Lose weight at all costs! Unfortunately many methods of weight loss are counterfeits. Not only can an unhealthy approach to weight loss add to our long-term health problems; they can also add to our long term weight problems. Although they may produce quick ‘results’ up front, this can come at a great cost to our health. Since the underlying factors have not been addressed, the weight often returns – sometimes with interest! Because some weight loss approaches can alter the metabolism, this weight may now be even harder to lose!

While maintaining proper body weight is important to avoiding disease, being overweight is simply a sign or symptom that there are underlying physical imbalances. If the method used to lose the excess weight does not address these imbalances, losing weight can become a long-term struggle. These struggles often bring on feelings of self-condemnation, inadequacy, low self-esteem & other emotional frustrations. Patiently dealing with root issues can bring about success and freedom from these traps.

General Lifestyle Tips to Aid Colon Health

• Slowly increase the intake of high fiber foods particularly from raw fruits & vegetables.

• Eliminate processed grain products from the diet.  Switch to whole grains and consider sprouted grain, wheat-free and/or gluten-free options.

• Reduce or eliminate animal products from the diet [these contain no fiber; dairy products also promote mucous secretion, each increases likeliness of constipation.]

• Drink at least ½ your body weight in ounces in pure water each day. If urine is still dark in color increase this amount further. Caffeine & other substances found in soft drinks, tea, & coffee are dehydrating so these should be avoided. If you choose to drink these add an additional equal amount of pure water for what is consumed.

• Add WaterMax or fresh lemon juice to water to help mineralize the water [be sure to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth after drinking lemon water].

• Exercise increases peristalses. Regular exercise can improve eliminations.

• Take an effective probiotic to encourage a healthy colon environment.

• Consume freshly extracted vegetable juices and/or Barley Max

Additional specific tips for relieving constipation

• Eat a couple of apples per day.

• Drink hot lemon water first thing in the morning and in the evening before bed.

• Drink a glass of water every ten minutes for half an hour to relieve constipation.

• Eat prunes and/or figs.

• Taking a vigorous walk often relieves constipation.

• Take FiberCleanse or psyllium hulls. If constipation has been a long term problem take a small dose [1/4 or ½ of recommended amount] initially and increase amount slowly. Fiber will help to clean the colon, improving colon health but increasing fiber intake too quickly can slow things down initially to be most effective you must start slowly and build up to recommended dosage.

• Deep breathing and relaxation techniques can be useful to calm the nervous system. This may help in situation where an overactive nervous system is involved, which can slow digestion and overall bowel function.

• Using a ‘Chi Machine’ may be beneficial.
• Balance the pH of the body. Acidosis may be a problem.

• Consider a colon cleansing regimen [see 7 day cleanse info sheet] or take FiberCleanse for a specified time period.

• Consider colonic therapy &/or cleansing enemas

What about laxatives?

Because constipation is such a problem in our country there are many laxative products on the market. Laxatives are four basic types of bulking agents, stool softeners, osmotic agents & stimulants. Bulk-forming agents are the only laxatives that are safe for long term use. These increase the bulk & water content of the stools making eliminations easier. The most common bulking agent in supplemental form is psyllium hulls. A healthy food source is ground flax seed which also contains many additional health promoting nutrients. Psyllium hulls or ground flax seed can be taken on a daily basis. All other forms of laxatives [other than bulking agents] should not be taken regularly. Stool softeners inhibit the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins & may cause additional health concerns if taken regularly. Osmotic agents are drugs that can cause dependency [sorbitol, milk of magnesia, citrate of magnesia, & Epsom salts etc.] Stimulants increase peristalsis by irritating the intestinal wall. Long term use can cause the intestinal wall to change color. It is not recommended that these be taken on a daily basis. Cascara sagrada & senna are two natural herbal stimulants that are commonly used for constipation. Although these are more natural than drugs [drugs can also cause additional problems] they should also only be taken occasionally or on a short term basis.

For further information read Colon Health: The Key to a Vibrant Life by Dr. Norman Walker & Prescription for Natural Healing [Constipation; Enemas; Cleansing; Fasting];