All that sounds pretty easy to do most of the time and that's really where it all starts. Like for me, my new resolution is to eat better more often. Now I'm not going to turn into a vegan anytime soon, I still love having my double-double hamburger and fries, but I am starting to eat more stuff that is better for me. More fruits, more veggies and the organic locally grown stuff if its near by and accessible. For those of you that didn't already know, I'm a meat, cheese and potato kinda guy. For years I was notorious for only eating my vegetables during Thanksgiving or Christmas. So I figure that if I eat more "better stuff" then I'd be eating less "bad stuff" and so I would be getting at least a little healthier all time and that's a good start.
I gave it some thought and started to remember what my health teacher (Coach Featherstone) in college told me and the rest of the class. He shared is 888 theory like this: There are 24 hours in the day, 8 hours to sleep, 8 hours to work and 8 hours to play. Sound like theres lot of time for play in the day, but I've been working too much and playing less- I have to work on playing more I guess.
He also said "Fruits are cancer killers and vegetables are energy restorers."Now that I think about my energy level has been down, actually for a long time, possible a few years, I guess it sneaks up on you. So I started doing some research on what kinds of food give you energy and found this write up by Frederic Patenaude. He had a cool little disclaimer that said anyone cold use his article as long as they add the following (so here it is):
“Frederic Patenaude, is the author
of the best-selling e-book "The Raw Secrets". He is currently giving
away free access to his private library of over 100 exclusive articles along
with a subscription to his newsletter Pure Health & Nutrition. Visit http://www.fredericpatenaude.com while charter
subscriptions last.”
"5 Secrets for Higher Energy"
by Frederic Patenaude
All right. Today we're going to talk about energy. Are there
any of my readers who do NOT want more energy? Please raise your hand... no
takers? Okay, let's keep going then.
My “secrets” for higher energy are actually key concepts to understand about
energy. Those concepts are really obvious but often not understood by those who
try to sell us their latest gimmick on how to get more energy.
Here they are...
Secret #1 - Energy Comes From Sleep, Not Food
Every day we go to bed with less energy than we woke up with, and we lay down
for 6,7, 8 or more hours to recharge our batteries. Ideally, this is how our
body is supposed to function.
Although there are different scientific theories on the function of sleep, we
all agree that it is essential to our well-being. Sleep is a time for repairing
and restoring and it is the true source of our energy.
Food doesn't give us energy. Food provides fuel and other raw materials that
the body uses to function. We require energy just to digest that food, and this
is why when someone is sleep-deprived her digestion is greatly disturbed.
Your car may have a full tank of gasoline, but if the battery is dead it won't
start. The same is true for you. You may eat all you want but in the end if you
don't sleep enough to recharge your batteries you won't have energy.
So how much sleep do we need? There is no set number of hours, as each person's
requirements are individual. What you need is *enough* sleep.
The likelihood that you're not getting enough sleep is very high. 56% of the
adult population reports that drowsiness in the daytime is a problem.
If you experience daytime sleepiness or drowsiness, or if you need an alarm
clock to wake up in the morning, you are sleep deprived. If this has been going
on for a long time, then you may have accumulated a large “sleep debt.”
The solution? Pay off your debt. Sleep more.
Secret #2 - A Low-Fat, Raw Diet Gives You More Energy
Did you know that not all of the food that you eat becomes available to you as
food, since digestion itself requires work and therefore fuel (calories)? Is it
any wonder that after a big traditional meal people literally fall asleep? The
digestion of their meal took so much energy that they had to “sleep it off” in
a comatose state!
On the other hand, the digestion of fruit takes literally no energy. Fruit
contains simple sugars that require no digestion. The water it contains also
requires no digestion, as well as the fiber, which is evacuated.
In fact, the sugars in fruit start being absorbed under the tongue as soon as
you take that first bite of peach or melon. It is the ultimate “high-energy
food”: no digestion required, plenty of fuel available.
Raw vegetables also require very little digestion, but what they give us are
mostly vitamins and minerals, as well as water, but very few calories.
Fatty foods as well as starchy foods require more energy to digest. They
require more digestive enzymes, they stay longer in the stomach, and they
require more energy to be available to you as fuel.
It has been my experience that eating a low fat diet composed essentially of
fruits and vegetables gives you more energy, as long as you eat enough fruit to
meet your caloric (fuel) needs.
Secret #3 - Exercise Takes Energy, But You Need It Anyway
We often hear that exercise gives energy. “Exercise more,” they say, “you'll
have more energy.” Right there, there's a big misunderstanding. How could
physical exertion give you energy? It *takes* energy!
After a long day of physical labor, you are more tired than when you just woke
up. All that work took energy to do. And it will take the body a good night of
sleep to recover.
People who are physically active, as well as athletes, need more sleep. Sleep
requirements increase as training intensity increases.
However, the good thing is that by being physically active you increase your
levels of fitness, which will make an impact on your capacity to handle your
daily chores.
In other words, you will have greater physical abilities to go through your day
without getting tired as easily as a sedentary person. The quality of your
sleep will also improve, although you might need more of it.
A fit person will enjoy better digestion, improved sleep, and will feel more
awake during the day, as long as they get enough sleep to recover from their
physical activities.
Secret #4 - Energy Is Not Stimulation
Chronically-tired and low-energy people are always looking for something that
will “give them energy.” They confuse energy with stimulation, and want a quick
fix to feel better now, without thinking about the long-term consequences.
Let's take caffeine for example, keeping in mind that the same principles apply
for other stimulants such as those foods in chocolate or raw cacao,
recreational drugs, Chinese herbs and mushrooms, and any other product that is
sold for the purpose of giving you “a quick boost of energy.”
Caffeine does not give you energy. It is not possible to scientifically measure
any increase in energy when caffeine is consumed. What can be measured are
higher levels of stress. This means that there is an increased production of
stress hormones (such as adrenaline) and there is an increase in blood pressure
and heart rate.
This is because caffeine “stimulates” you. It does not give you energy. You
could say that caffeine “lends” you energy, which you must eventually pay back
at a high price in health.
Let's add to that that caffeine and other stimulants are powerful addictive
drugs. They do not give you any energy at all.
Secret #5 - You Need to Avoid Energy Drainers
If you want more energy, you must avoid the numerous energy drainers: all of
those things that tend to drain your physical and emotional energy, as well as
the things that decrease your motivation to take care of yourself.
Of course, sometimes stuff happens that isn't under your control, such as the
death of a relative, but since your energy is limited it should be your goal to
get rid of as many energy drainers as possible.
Energy drainers include: negative relationships, stressful jobs, pessimistic or
cynical friends and relatives, the news on television, debt or other financial
concerns that cause stress, living in a polluted environment, and many more.
Motivation drainers include: a messy office where you can't find anything, a
long list of to-do's you've been trying to maintain in your head without
success, lack of purpose in life, lack of self-esteem, being unfit and fat
without any desire to exercise, living a life that is incongruent with your
innermost values, and so on.
Actions Steps You Can Take Now to Get More Energy
Go to bed an hour earlier - You might not realize how much sleep debt you've
accumulated. Start paying it off by allowing you an extra hour in bed everyday.
And no guilt please! You're doing this for your health. If necessary, get a
night mask that blocks light in order to fall asleep more easily.
Start a fitness program - Being unfit decreases your motivation and your ability to perform
everyday tasks with ease. In addition to that, you can't be healthy if you're
not fit. The best way to start a fitness program is to start now. Find
something you can do and do it every day. Please stay in tune for more articles
on the topic in future issues of Pure Health & Nutrition.
Discard the use of stimulants - What stimulants do you use to fake energy? Choose the
best for yourself and get in touch with the real source of energy, not the
illusion of stimulation.
Lower the fat content of your diet and eat more fruit - By lowering the fat content of your
diet and increasing your fruit consumption you will have more energy available.
To learn how to do that, please refer to my book “The Raw Secrets.” (http://www.therawsecrets.com)
Identify one energy drainer and get rid of it - The energy drainers are almost too
numerous to tackle all at once. Instead, identify one energy drainer, such as
perhaps a negative relationship, and take the necessary step to get rid of it.
You will feel much better for it.
A final quote to inspire you: "Love the moment, and the energy of that
moment will spread beyond all boundaries." -- Corita Kent, American
Muralist and Printmaker (1874 - 1963)
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| Surfer: Eric Cedeno circa 1998 Ave A Redondo Beach, CA |
I have to admit that even that stuff doesn't sound all that difficult. I know that when I was younger all that stuff was just easy going, almost second nature, but I guess as I get older I have to put a little more effort into things. So I broke down and bought a juicer, the Breville juicer bje510xl. I know it sounds like a nice car, it's not, but it is a pretty cool toy. I can shove a bunch of fruits and veggies into it and just drink the cup and BAM - start getting a little healthier everyday.
I wanted to take my juicer for a test drive, but I didn't have anything to juice so I went out into the world and found the Farmers Market was just a few blocks away on Saturdays. I headed down there with a few extra bucks to pick up stuff to turn into juice. I loaded up my backpack with a bunch of apples, pears, oranges, some carrots, some green stuff that looked like dark lettuce (kale) and some other good stuff that I haven't eaten in years.
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Torrance Farmers Market
Photo by Eric Cedeno |
I got back my house and gave my fruits and veggies a quick rinse and started playing with my juicer. I think it's fun, grinding up veggies and watching all the different covers spit out into the pitcher. When the pitcher was pretty much full I stopped and gave it a taste test- surprisingly delicious! I messed about and added more of fruits to make taste better for me and was really digging it.
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| Surf Nutrition Photo by Eric Cedeno |
Next step after drinking all that more "better stuff" I had to clean it. I hate to admit this but it really wasn't that hard to clean as long as its washed right after you use it. All I can hear is my mom say "I've been telling you that for years! Just do the dishes after you use them and its easy." Ok, so mom was right- this time. And ever since I've been using my juicer I clean it right away and the whole thing from start to finish take me about 25 minutes (grab stuff to juice, cram it into the juicer, drink it, clean it up) plus I can snack on stuff I'm juicing while I'm juicing.
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| Surf Nutrition Photo by Eric Cedeno |
I heard somewhere that above ground vegetables are better for you than below ground vegetables, but I had a hard time finding out why. I found the answer on a website call Old and Sold - Turn of the century wisdom for today. The short answer is the vegetables above ground have more iron and other good minerals than the vegetables below ground. It 's a really technical article, but it isn't really that hard to read after all. I won't blame you if you stop reading from here, but if you really want to check it out- go ahead and take a look:
Nutrition - Food Minerals
( Originally Published 1954 )
Inorganic salts are components of foods that are used for the nourishment of animals and men. As far back as the nineteenth century, food products were being analyzed, since it was then already known that chemistry was a practical science applicable to human and animal well-being. Foods were analyzed as to their different chemical element components.
Today we know much more about this important field. One fact we know is that foods grown in properly prepared soils are better products than those that are not so grown. Plant foods are synthesized from the minerals in the earth, and they are resynthesized in the bodies of grass-eating animals and humans. A better-prepared soil can produce better oranges, better tomatoes, better wheat, better potatoes, etc.
Scientists have studied the relation of food minerals to animal and human nutrition. One scientist named Kellner fed animals with food mixtures from which the minerals had been extracted, leaving only the starch, the fat and the protein. These animals died sooner than other animals who were given no food at all.
The body needs an abundance of potash, soda, lime, magnesia, iron, phosphorus and chlorine. These are found in the plant foods. Iodine, zinc, iron, and copper are also found, in very minute amounts, in some of the vegetables that are commonly used. The human body needs these minute amounts of these precious elements.
The following is a list of the common vegetables that contain these four minerals: spinach, lettuce, leeks, celery, carrots, turnips, radishes, salsify, beets, and cress.
Lime and iron are minerals that are closely associated with the proteins in vegetable tissues. In animals, the lime is chiefly found in the bones; the iron is chiefly found in the blood. When lime and iron are supplied to the body in sufficient amounts, the other vital organic minerals will also be supplied.
The percentage of organic iron in foodstuffs varies with each different food. Egg yolk is very rich in iron; so are lentils. All leafy green vegetables are very rich in good food iron. The body needs iron for the hemoglobin of the blood, which is found in the red blood cells.
There are 25,000,000,000,000 (25 trillion) red blood cells in the adult body. The life span of each red blood cell is about six weeks. During every second 7,000,000 red blood cells die and new ones are born. When plants, vegetables and fruits are grown in a poorly fertilized soil, they are sometimes anemic, somewhat as human beings are when they are poorly nourished.
When human individuals are anemic, they may have a shortage of red blood cells, the number being reduced from four and a half or five million to one or two million. Since the red blood cells are the carriers of oxygen to the tissues, the anemic person may be short of breath because he cannot inhale enough oxygen. He does not have enough red cells; therefore his body cannot assimilate enough oxygen to make him feel good and strong.
For anemic people, the best sources of iron-containing foods are green leafy vegetables, egg yolks and lentils. Medicinal iron is not as readily assimilated by the human body. Liver extract or liver sub-stance is not as easily assimilated by the anemic individual as is the organic food iron found in vegetables and egg yolk.
These statements are based on the writer's practical experience with patients who suffered from anemia. Such patients were built up successfully by extracted raw-vegetable juices, in combination with egg yolks- These mixtures proved more effective in arresting and curing pernicious anemia than the ordinary drug and medical procedures.
The entire adult body contains about forty-four grains of iron. The total weight of the body's oxygen is two-thirds of its weight. The blood is seven per cent of the total body weight. The blood contains 95 per cent of the iron, entrapping oxygen through the red cells in order to carry out waste excretions into the lungs in the form of car-bon dioxide. The lungs carry out a major portion of the body wastes- The body economy is able to carry out this vital process by means of inhaled oxygen, which is then taken by the cellular carbon wastes. The lungs carry out as much body wastes as the kidneys. The kidneys carry out some carbon wastes in the form of urea and uric acid, which arc also carbon waste compounds.
The body requires about ten to fifteen grains of lime, because lime is used as a vehicle for carrying out certain wastes from the body in the form of neutral lime salts.
The body's lime content is about 4-6 pounds- It would take nine years to exhaust all the body's lime; it would take only six weeks to exhaust all the body's iron, if the latter were not replenished by the intake of adequate food iron. The body loses daily about one-seventh of a grain of iron through excretions, whether one eats or fasts. Food iron must replace this loss.
Animals that are fed on iron-free foods die within a month. When the iron content of foods in human consumption is inadequate, disease, characterized by anemia, overwhelms the sufferer disastrously.
The iron requirement of human adults, as well as children, is not difficult to get if the food intake contains one or two glasses of freshly made green raw-vegetable juice. The raw-vegetable juice machine is being manufactured in this country and in others; yet it is not as popular in every home as it should and must become, in order to improve the health of everyone.
The yolk of an egg is an excellent source of organic food iron. The legume lentil is another fine iron food product. It contains as much iron by weight as do egg yolks. Lentils can be used for a variety of very palatable dishes (see recipes). Black olives, almonds and hazel-nuts are also comparatively good sources of organic food iron.
The following is a list of foods which contain good organic food iron:
Legumes 11.350 Greens 6.14 Eggs 5.67 Cereals 3.9 Nuts 3.49 Fruits 1.74 Milk 47 Milk products 1.46
The human dietary must include a major amount of fresh raw vegetables. These should be taken in the form of juice and salads once or twice a day- For a time, the sick must be fed raw salads in liquid form only. Steamed green vegetables are also proper foods—not over-cooked but undercooked. About half the body's daily ration of iron should be supplied from green raw salad, raw vegetable juice, and steamed green vegetables.
The root vegetables are not so rich in iron as those that ripen above the ground. Beet tops are richer in iron than beet roots. Beet tops are a very excellent addition in the making of a raw vegetable-juice "cocktail." The raw vegetable juices are very palatable when extracted together with some fresh pineapple. The pineapple is rich in the minerals such as iron, iodine, and other elements, which we need in minute quantities but which we need very much indeed.
The adult body contains four and one-half pounds of lime, which is one-half of its total mineral content and three per cent of the body weight. Ninety-nine per cent of the body lime is found in the bones and teeth; less than one per cent is in the soft tissues. Animal meat as a source of lime is therefore very poor.
The body loses ten grains of lime daily. The food intake must supply this amount, and a little more. According to Professor H. C. Sherman, half of the people of the United States suffer from lime starvation.
Lime gives solidity and strength to the bones. When the diet is deficient in lime, diseases such as rickets are the result. There are other diseases that are complicated by the body's inability to assimilate food lime. Arthritis is one of them; osteomalacia is another.
Although the muscles require only about one per cent of lime, its deficiency may cause weakness, poor development, and other diseases. The heart is a muscular organ and must have lime for its normal con-tractile function. The blood contains about eight-tenths of a grain of lime to the pint. This amount is necessary for the normal coagulating ability of the blood.
Cow's milk contains fifteen times as much lime as is contained in human milk. Infants fed on mother's milk may get a supplementary ration in a milk formula in order to make up for any lime deficiency. Lime is also necessary to normal cell growth. The daily ration of lime should be about fifteen grains, at least. This can be supplied by a pint of milk and vegetables that are comparatively rich in lime.
The fibrous vegetables such as celery, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli are all rich in lime. Milk and cheese are also good sources of lime. The body must be in good health in order to be able to assimilate food lime. There would be no shortage of lime if the diet were also adequate in iron requirements.
Those vegetables that ripen above the ground carry a high amount of lime, as well as iron, in their composition. When these two minerals are present in the food intake, every other mineral element will also be present in needed amounts.
In order properly to assimilate the food minerals, the body must be as free from cellular and tissue wastes as possible. When the body is free of these wastes, it will also be able properly to assimilate the necessary oxygen from the air by adequate respiration or breathing. In a sense, air is food that is essential to life and health. It is there-fore necessary to practice deep breathing with open window and, as often as possible, to get outdoors in the open air. The sick recover much more quickly and successfully from the acute and chronic diseases if they are provided with well-ventilated rooms at home or in hospitals. This fresh-air requirement is not always met.
Oxygen is very often used in concentrated form for heart-disease sufferers. Oxygen might well be used in cases of pernicious anemia and in cases of other diseases that are characterized by anemia. Cancer is one such disease. Oxygen would help the sufferer enjoy life more comfortably; it may also prolong the life of the cancer patient in the late and incurable stages.
Sunshine is necessary to the healthy and sick body. The solar spectrum contains ultra-violet rays. The food minerals and vitamins of the daily food intake are assimilated better when the nude body is exposed to sunlight or to a lamp of ultra-violet light.
When food intake is planned to contain raw-vegetable salad once or twice a day, raw green vegetable juices twice to four times a day, one or two eggs or egg yolks a day, and two or more glasses of freshly made orange juice, grapefruit juice and raw pineapple juice a day, there will not be any vitamin shortage.
Vitamins in pill and injectable forms can hardly be as potent as vitamins found in the composition of fresh raw vital foods. Foods that are stored in packages, in cans, or in concentrated frozen forms are hardly as potent as the fresh varieties. Food economists, the single person, the housewife, the institutional food craftsman, or even the physician or surgeon who prescribes diets, should bear in mind this fact: Fresh raw fruits and vegetables and fresh raw milk and fresh eggs are richer sources of vitamins than stale and stored products.
There are certain products containing rich sources of the B vitamins, such as dry beans, peas and lentils as well as the grain products, which are not destroyed by aging or storage. Vitamins A, C and D are best obtained from fresh fruits and vegetables. The body can assimilate foods best when it is free from fatigue and weakness.
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| Eric Cedeno and X-Man Torrance Beach 6-30-12 by Dustin F. Meyer |
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Well I can't believe you made it all the way down to the end of this. Thanks for sticking around and hopefully you learned something from all this. Good luck to you and try to get a little healthier each day by eating more of the "better stuff."
