There is a world of controversy regarding dietary fats.  For years we were told to eat a low fat diet, but numerous studies have shown that was faulty advice.  The consensus now is that you do NOT need to limit your intake of fat but you DO need to be careful about the quality of the fat you eat.

Fat is necessary for cooking, for making spreads, sauces, and dressings, and it definitely can make food taste better.  There is a lot of difference, however, between types of fats.  Some keep you healthy and some make it more likely you will end up in a doctor’s office.

The biggest type of fat to avoid is TRANS FAT.  This is a fat that has been altered by partial hydrogenation in order to produce a fat that is malleable and is a solid at room temperature, but will also melt easily.  It will raise your bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower your good cholesterol (HDL) and is not considered to be safe. In 2018 the World Health Organization took steps to begin to eliminate it from the global food supply.   However, it is still found in a lot of commercial baked goods, in stick margarine, in many fast foods that are deep fried, and in some street vendor foods.  If you are in a grocery store, look at the ingredient list and if you see the words “partially hydrogenated” put it back on the shelf.

So what fats SHOULD you keep in your kitchen?  For starters, you want a supply of  minimally processed plant oils.   These can include extra virgin olive oil and extra virgin avocado oil.  Avocado oil, especially, has a high smoke point and therefore is great for pan frying.  Other examples of healthy oils include soybean oil and canola oil, helpful in baking.

Though they are harder to find and may be more expensive, it is better to  purchase oils extracted by “cold pressing” rather than those extracted using solvents.  Though the solvents are removed, traces may remain and the health effects of the solvents are unknown.

So….research continues……….and more information will become known over time, but for now it is felt that minimally processed plant oils will tend to help DECREASE your risk of heart disease.  They will help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise HDL (good cholesterol) …… good to keep in mind when planning menus for next week!

Remember these few TAKE HOME POINTS.

1.  don’t limit fats – it does not prevent disease or make you thin
2.  avoid trans fats (avoid “partially hydrogenated” in the list of ingredients)
3. aim for fats high in monounsaturated or polyunstaturated fatty acids
4. The jury is still out on dairy fats
5.  GOOD oils include extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin avocado oil, soybean oil, and canola oil
6. Good “fatty” foods include tree nuts and fatty fish

My last blog stressed the importance of eating unprocessed food as much as possible.  One of the reasons for this is that when a food is processed, much of the fiber is removed.  It is interesting that most dietary fiber is neither digested nor absorbed!  So why is it so important? It remains in the digestive tract and modulates the digestion of the rest of the food that you eat.

Fiber can be soluble (will dissolve in water) or insoluble.   It affects the consistency of stool, bulking it and making it softer so that it will move more easily through the digestive tract.  It is recommended to get 20-35 grams of fiber daily, but most Americans get nowhere near that amount.  That is a shame since it has been shown to be protective against heart disease, stroke, diabetes and colon cancer.  It helps to prevent constipation and hemorrhoids.  And if you already have diabetes, fiber will help control your blood sugar.

One cup of brown rice (a whole grain) has 3.5 grams of fiber.

One cup of white rice (bran and germ removed) has only 0.6 grams.                      

One slice of whole wheat bread has 1.9 grams of fiber.   

One slice of white bread only has 0.6 grams. 

One medium apple has 4.4 grams of fiber

One cup of apple juice only has 0.5 grams 

So load your plate with lots of beans, fruit, vegetables and grains!  Do a fiber count on what you typically eat in a day and try to get in that 20 to 35 gram range.  Just be careful to increase the fiber in your diet slowly.  If you are not used to eating a lot of fiber your body will need to adjust!

And finally, if you use fiber supplements, be aware that they may contain wood products (“tree fiber”, saw dust).

As always, it is best to get what you need from REAL FOOD!

THERE IS SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR………INCLUDING……..

1. THE MAJESTY OF A THOUSAND TWINKLING STARS……AND THE COMFORT OF ELECTRIC LIGHT THAT HIDES THEM
2. THE WARMTH OF THE SUN’S RAYS…….AND THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE THAT PROTECTS
3. MOUNTAINTOPS…………………TO VIEW THE VALLEY
4. THE INTRICACY AND IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY OF A SINGLE BACTERIUM………AND THE UNFATHOMABLE VASTNESS OF THE UNIVERSE
5. THE DEARNESS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS……………….EACH UNIQUE AND SO WONDERFULLY AND FEARFULLY MADE
6. THE ABILITY TO PONDER AND CREATE AND DISCOVER…………………BECAUSE I’M MADE IN THE IMAGE OF MY CREATOR (Proverbs 25:2)
7. AWARENESS OF MY SINFULNESS AND INDEBTEDNESS……………..AND FOR “PAID IN FULL” FORGIVENESS
8. FREEDOM AND THE HOPE OF PEACE, HARMONY, COMPLETENESS AND TRANQUILITY………SHALOM
9. THE TENT I’M IN………………AND THE HOUSE THAT AWAITS ME (2Corinthians 5:1)
10. AND ETERNAL LIFE ……John 17:3 says ” THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, THAT THEY KNOW YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM YOU HAVE SENT”

It seems Americans are losing two precious traits as a people.  We are losing the ability to LISTEN to one another…and we are losing the ability to ENDURE.  Most of us, no matter where we are from, have in our lineage ancestors of whom we are proud because of what they endured and overcame.  A man or woman who persevered through a tough time and not only survived, but came out better for it.  We admire them.  It is an honor to have them on our family tree!  We learn by listening to their stories and are inspired to do hard things ourselves.

So where is that toughness today?   There are a lot of voices promising us easy roads ahead.  Only a few are warning of clouds and rain.  We are a country divided, and yet it doesn’t seem to bother us.   We aren’t interested in hearing why someone who disagrees with us believes the way they do.  We won’t endure hearing them out.  We would rather have our ears scratched by listening to those who see things from our point of view.  I believe in truth, and am not saying that there aren’t some ways that are right and others that are wrong.  I am just saying, that as a people, I don’t think we are seeking truth anymore.  We refuse to endure sound teaching.  We accumulate for ourselves teachers who suit our own passions.  We would rather believe a myth that suits us than endure learning a truth that doesn’t.  We want the easy way.

Recently we have been celebrating the 50th anniversary of Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. I was 11 when it occurred. My sisters and I were playing outside and did not want to interrupt our play to watch it. Finally my dad brought a TV to the garage snd MADE US watch. I’ve always been grateful for that….and yet….some say it never happened. Really? The people who actually did it are still alive and there are satellite images of flags left behind on the moon as proof.  How can someone not believe?

But then again, none of us will ever forget 9-11 and yet there are some who deny it ever happened.

Or what about the genocide of the holocaust?  Approximately 6 million European Jews were killed and yet there are some who refuse to acknowledge this reality.

But again, there are many who refuse to believe.  Well documented historical facts do not always convince.

Do you want to be fit?  Do you want to FEEL YOUNG, no matter your age?  If you do, you have to resist conforming to what everyone else is doing.  Our current culture values efficiency and ease.   What is the quickest way to get from A to B?  Where is the closest parking spot?  What is the easiest way to the 5th floor?  Where is the most comfortable chair?  So the first thing to come to grips with is this…..

MANY OF THE THINGS THAT INCREASE  OUR EASE AND COMFORT ARE THE ENEMY!

So where to start revising your daily routine?  Let’s start with sitting….and chairs.

Prolonged sitting can lead to health problems and even increased mortality.  Think of that the next time you TV binge!  And that does not include the effects of the chips and sodas.

Sitting for prolonged stretches can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension.  It increases your risk of varicose veins and blood clots.   It is hard on your back.  Working out regularly will not always negate the effects of prolonged sitting.  The only way to avoid the side effects is to get up and move!   Frequently!  Remember that ease and comfort are not your friends!

I am so grateful…and will be eternally grateful…to my risen Lord Jesus for paying for my sins.  He died for me……yes.  But because He rose again, I can live knowing that his blood cleanses me so that I don’t have to carry that awful weight of all my wrongdoing.  That inner turmoil that comes after being torn in two directions and choosing the wrong one……on purpose.   It is never worth the guilt.  But I am such a slow learner.  Thank God He continues to forgive and love me.  I wish the entire world would embrace Him!  May God grant us all repentance and a knowledge of the truth!

There is nothing better than this Jesus!  Search all you like but you will not find anything or anyone more satisfying.  No greater thrill or adventure.  No greater peace or contentment.  I know everyone has to come to this realization for themselves, but it is one of those universal truths.  Jesus fills “the empty.”  Nothing else will.  Nothing else can.

Spring brings gardeners out of hibernation.  Unfortunately, there are hours of weeding in my future…but I love having a small garden near the house. (thanks to my husband….a farmer wannabe)   It’s a fun time, too, to study a little botany.  I’ve been reading about herbs.   Used for both culinary and medicinal purposes, herbs are fun to study and may be easy to grow.

MINT (on my list for this year)

I have read that mint is an herb that can become invasive in a garden, so it is wise to place it in a large pot. (oops…too late…already in the ground…and I had a friend warn me about this too, so we’ll have to replant that one!)  The leaves are great for seasoning and are felt to help indigestion.  Different types of mint have different flavors…..think peppermint, spearmint, etc.

FENNEL (also a new hopeful addition)

Fennel, pictured above, is a herb with yellow flowers. it is a member of the carrot family.   It’s supposed ability to help eyesight was immortalized by Longfellow in a poem in 1842, titled The Goblet of Life.

Above the lower plants it towers,

The Fennel with its yellow flowers;

And in an earlier age than ours

Was gifted with the wondrous powers

Lost vision to restore.

ROSEMARY (been growing beside our home for years)

DILL (already in our garden)

My favorite!  I love it in salads.  However, my family does not like it quite as much as I do so my salad always has more than theirs.  It is a member of the celery family.  A famous member….think Dill Pickles!  And is has some antibacterial activity against Staph aureus.

CILANTRO (also called coriander – growing now)

Again, not much known medicinal use.  But then, again, there may be benefits yet to be discovered!

OK…I’m done.  My green thumb is not very well developed, but I’m trying.