I have a close relationship with my aunt Helyn, who is a very special lady. I have nothing but admiration for who she is and what she has contributed to both her family and community. She has beauty, personality and the ability to know and grow with the times.
She could dance, drive a motorcycle, ride a horse, fly a plane, and was named Minnesota Flying Farmers' Queen. I believe she could do anything she set her mind to, or do anything asked of her. She has dignity, courage, love for life and everyone in it.
And she is unfortunate enough to have macular degeneration.
I can't even imagine how terrible it must be to live with 24 hours per day of diminished vision. Not to be able to see, and to have to rely on one's other senses to do ordinary things we take for granted, would be devastating.
She, however, seems to take it in her stride and never complains.
Why do I mention this? During a recent visit with my mother to the eye doctor, I had to ask, "What can one do that might help prevent or slow the progression of age related macular degeneration?"
The doctor said he was glad I asked, and gave me a list of foods that play an important part in having healthy eyes.
Interesting enough, the list sounded like a pretty good description for all around good health. It largely centers around the produce section, and the fish and meat areas. Or, as they say, "Shop the outside rim of the grocery store." (The stuff you don't need is usually in the middle of the store.)
The top 10 "Eye-Healthy Vegetables" are kale, collards, peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach, green peas, pumpkin, carrots and Swiss chard. The top 10 "Eye-Healthy Fruits" are peaches, blueberries, oranges/tangerines, mangoes, tomatoes, papayas, cantaloupe/honeydew, and avocados. These foods are known to supply nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, lutein and zeaxanthin.
Sources of other important nutrients for eye health include foods rich in zinc, which are Alaskan king crab, lamb, bulgar, lean beef, fortified breakfast cereals, beans, pork, dark meat poultry, whole wheat or buckwheat flour, and pumpkin seeds. While the top 10 “Omega-3 Foods" are salmon, herring, tuna, rainbow trout, sardines, flaxseed, English walnuts, canola oil and roasted soybeans.
Do you remember when you would go shopping for things you needed from the store, and didn't worry about the things you thought you needed?
Once upon a time you didn't need to be a scientist to read the ingredient labels of products! Well, actually there probably wasn't much of an ingredient label on the products because it wasn't necessary. Things were what they were. Now the ingredients go on and on, and probably don't tell you what really is important to know, or are in words that send you to the dictionary or Google™ to find out what it means.
There seems to be a plan to do less labeling. BIG MISTAKE. We need to know what we are eating to make good choices. Too many things sneak through the cracks of deception as it is. Correct labeling makes it easier to find non-GMO, grass fed animals and sugar contents among other things. "Organic" labeling isn't enough.
Another thing which comes to mind is sensible economy in shopping. There are many old fashioned products that are cheaper, safer, and more effective to use than many expensive products on the market today.
For example, vinegar is still a good window cleaner. It is also a good deodorant, and a good fruit and vegetable cleanser. WASH EVERYTHING. I use one part vinegar to 10 parts water. Lemon juice has a number of uses too, and hydrogen peroxide is less caustic than chlorine.
There is also good nutrition news. There has been a change in childhood obesity. Minnesota has been named as one of the states where the rate has dropped. Some of the things mentioned pertain to the food vouchers given to low-income families. The program has been eliminating juice from infant food packages and is providing less saturated fat, as well as making it easier to buy fruits and vegetables.
Another thought comes to mind: I've heard that cancer loves sugar. True or not, it makes it easier to resist food that contains a lot of sweetener, which isn't always listed as sugar but can go by many other names. (There are well over 50. If you have a computer, check it out.) I can't believe that sucrose is in so many containers, especially at care centers. Sucrose is a SUGAR and many people are diabetic or pre-diabetic. Anything ending is "ose" is a sugar. Most of the ones you will find in food are frutose, glucose, galactose, lactose, maltose, dextrose and arabinose.
Anything ending in "itol" is a sugar alcohol. Most sugar alcohols aren't easily digested. Xylitol, mannitol, and others can have laxative effects if you eat too much of them. This list just goes to show you that you really have to read your labels carefully. If you have a computer it is well worth your time to check out the information.
Honey is also 100 percent sugar but our bodies use it differently.
Stevia is a 100-percent-natural zero calorie sweetener which is sometimes blended with dextrose (a natural ingredient) because it is naturally sweeter than sugar. This helps create the perfect balance of sweeteners making it easier to pour and measure. It is suitable for people with diabetes. Call toll free - 1-800-611-7434 or write to Stevia in the Raw Consumer Inquiry Department, 2 Cumberland St., Brooklyn, NY 11205 USA.
For recipes, tips and more on all-natural, zero calorie, naturally gluten free food, go to INTHERAW.com.
Children are smarter than we think and explaining the "sweet situation" goes deeper than we realize.
Stop introducing "pop" in the first place and start diluting fruit juices with water. It really helps the "sweet addiction."
Another explanation for less childhood obesity may be the increase in breastfeeding. Researchers are finding that kids raised on mother’s milk tend to have lower obesity rates. It is known that preschool children who are overweight or obese are five more times likely to be heavy as adults, which means they have a higher risk of chronic health problems.
Eat as though your life depends on it. IT DOES!
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Birthdays and anniversaries:
• Thursday, Sept. 26: Becky Tindal, Tammy Beenken, Lori Klemmensen Suchanek, Marc Horan, Verdel Humberg, Virginia Miller, James Henry Neidermeier, Connie Menefee Calderon, Lee Johnson, Marty & Lee Nelson.
• Friday, Sept. 27: Layla Grace Schultz, Judy Christensen, Naomi Wangsness, Mary Wayne, Gail Farr Christenson, Sara Holmes Wencl, Steve Lageson, Kristin Paulsen Zinke, Jacob Tasker, Chris Ritz, Katie Cameron, Eleanor Rodriguez, Carl Shadden, Daniel Van Kampen, Donna Mae McCamish, Kristin Severson, Lud Borchert, Jocelyn & Jason Heyer.
• Saturday, Sept. 28: Madeline Schei, Kylie Lembke, Denise Hagen Olson, Mary Kasper Therneau, Mitch Vangen, Taff Worrell, Haley Mattson DuBois, Bunny Jepson, Miranda & Isiah Payton, Jerry & Ginger Thompson, Bill & Sharon Vavra, Jill & Todd Kubicek.
• Sunday, Sept. 29: Inez Shaunce, Norrine Jensen, Gail Kaplan, Annette Flugum, Millie Flugum, Ellen Pence, Jenna Quimby, Kevin Klemmensen, Linda Schmidt, Fran Ladlie, Ron & Donna Sletten, Jason & Tara DeWight, Dave & Donna Maixner.
• Monday, Sept. 30: Chloe Walterman, Dean Hunt, Elmer & Joan Vanden Heuvel, Gilbert & Harriet Larson, Todd & Cheryl Utpadel, Amy & Shannon Vander Syde, Aaron & Jean Klemmensen, Tiffany & Luke Mueller, Kelly & Joshua Warke.
• Tuesday, Oct. 1: Kaeli Wayne, Ana Renee Larson, Lois Plunkett, Larry Crabtree, Vince Bergdale, Brian Flor, Melinda Milan, Renae Thompson Weatherley, Lisa Lembke, Carl & Brenda Shadden, Barbara & William Conly.
• Wednesday, Oct. 2: Laurie Jensen, Taya Richards, Amanda Hullopeter, Makayla Vangen, David Lembke, Christopher Bergerson, Adrian Jensen, Andrea Zamora, Wilma Ditlevson, Dawn Hanna, Chuck & LuAnn Hanson, Amy & Alex Kromminga, Brooke & Tim Krohn, Brody & Katie Richards, Bob & Kathy Hanson.
Wishing you a day of fond memories and new beginnings.
