I have had the pleasure of writing for the Fight Girls, featured on Oxygen TV, on eating healthy. The complete article could not be posted to the Fight Girls Oomph website due to its size. I found it difficult to write a brief article for the Fight Girls to eat healthy and any other fight girl out there. So I have posted it here for you all to read. At www.infinitehealthresources.com there is plenty more where this came from.

Fight To Stay Fit

Building a fit, healthy body and focusing on a nutrition plan is harder today than it was fifty to seventy-five years ago.

Obesity, Obesity, Obesity. That is all we hear. The diet business is a multi billion-dollar business with thousands of diets that have no one plan that actually works. These thousands of diet plans fail to provide one basic element common sense eating. Common sense and a little education about food can last a lifetime. However, the diet industry would no longer be a billion dollar industry. So forget about any revelations from them.

So, I am going to give it to you straight, fast and simple. This plan works. I know, my family, wife and four children eat and live this way, always. Obesity, sickness and pharmaceutical drugs are practically non-existent in our home. I could easily right 300 pages on the subject. These brief words about many food topics hopefully inspire you to act and learn more and do more.

The U.S.D.A., (United States Department of Agriculture) provides us with a food pyramid consisting of dairy and meats and having the heaviest concentration at the top with fruits, and grains. Ironically, some of the healthiest people and longest living people in the world have a food pyramid completely inverse to ours. They are the people of the Mediterranean and Asia.

The Mediterranean diet gets a lot of hype in many health magazines. However, this fabulous diet gets little attention in the U.S. mainstream media.

The people of the Mediterranean, Italians, Greeks and French have the second longest lifespan after Japan. Japan, by the way, does not view our food pyramid as life sustaining like their Mediterranean food loving partners.

One has to say, why is this? Well, the U.S.D.A. receives hundreds of millions of dollars from the meat and dairy industries, towards funding for the U.S.D.A.’s daily operations. After all, the U.S.D.A. is there to regulate and maintain the dairy and meat industry. Why shouldn’t those industries pay for all those salaries? The controversy exists, however, as to the favorable status given to those good will industries by the U.S.D.A.

Let me begin with dairy, milk.

We are the largest milk-consuming nation in the world. Yet, our elderly female population has the highest hip fracture ratio than any other non-dairy consuming nation. I thought milk made strong bones! Well, the fact of the matter is, we have been mislead by the American Dairy Council.

The Italians, Greeks, French and Japanese drink little milk. Hip Fractures are minimal in postmenopausal woman compared to their American counterparts. However, the Italian and French do consume cheese. Every ounce of cheese is equal to and 8oz glass of milk. However, they don’t eat cheese everyday. The Mediterranean diet is rich in nuts, vegetables and fish, which contain calcium. In addition, a half hour a day in the sun and some strong physical activity help to build strong bones. The sun’s natural vitamin D is the vitamin that allows the body to absorb the calcium it has consumed.

If you must drink milk or think I am crazy, please drink organic milk-no fat organic milk preferably. Our dairy cows are given such large quantities of drugs-BGH, Bovine Growth Hormone, and anti-biotics – that the benefit of drinking any milk is not worth the health risk. Many children and African Americans are dairy intolerant and often misdiagnosed by many physicians. Pediatricians have found an animal protein in cow’s milk that can actually cause calcium depletion when digested and released through urine.Please note – soda contains phosphorous. Phosphorous depletes bones of calcium. Lose the soda.
Source: Don’t Drink Your Milk: Dr. Frank A. Oski, MD

Let’s talk about meat.

The majority of 500 million or so cows in North America are fed the body organs of other cows. That’s right, and the U.S.D.A allows this. As a result, these animals are given massive amounts of drugs and antibiotics. Before slaughter they are taken off the drugs two to three days to allow the animals to dissipate the toxins before entering the slaughterhouse and our food system. By the way, the U.S.D.A. and FDA approve the levels of drugs considered acceptable. Ever wonder why we have human infections that are immune to many antibiotic drugs dispensed in our hospitals? Infection is the second leading cause of death in an American hospital after malpractice.

Meat provides protein and folic acid. Folic Acid is lacking in a vegetarian diet. Protein is abundant in legumes (beans), fish such as salmon and sardines, which are packed with EFA’s, Essential Fatty Acids, the omega 3, 6 and 9, necessary for excellent cardiac and vascular health as well as healthy body joints and mind. Folic acid can be derived from fortified whole grain cereals.

When eating meat, keep it to once a week. Regular meat consumption can slow down bowel movements. Bowel movements should be no less than once a day, preferably two to three times per day. Please note that all disease originates in the colon. The digestive process and nutrient extraction take place here. When we are not regular, toxins get released through the intestinal wall into our bloodstream and cause us harm, lack of energy and enhance harmful free radical growth, which is the foundation of cancer.

Grilled chicken – the most cancerous meat of all. Sorry to inform the many chicken lovers of this fact. All grilled meat has some level of carcinogenic content. Grilled chicken is the worst.

Grilled Chicken Contains Cancer-Causing Compounds

Health-conscious consumers have long steered clear of the fat and cholesterol in fried chicken. But grilled chicken may be even worse. Cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) have been found in chicken, and the very highest concentrations occur when it is grilled.

Fried chicken is every bit as bad as you thought: A KFC chicken breast harbors 135 milligrams of cholesterol and gets more than half its calories from fat. A typical KFC chicken breast holds 400 calories and 24 grams of fat, including 6 grams of saturated fat, the type associated with high cholesterol levels, breast cancer and insulin resistance. And you don’t want to eat chicken undercooked. At retail stores, salmonella and campylobacter are commonly found on chicken products. These live bacteria easily transfer to cooking surfaces, utensils and hands and can cause a serious intestinal illness. Many consumers have imagined that grilled chicken is a healthier option. But scientific evidence suggests that, when it comes to cancer risk, grilled chicken could be among the worst choices.

Source : Jennifer Reilly, R.D.
www.pcrm.org

Okay. Let’s talk about the diet that will rocket any competitor to the top of their game.

Organic foods need some explaining. Though organic foods are not widely available, you should seek it out whenever possible. Organic simply means a food is grown or an animal is raised without the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer and chemical laden feed or genetically modified feed. In addition to this, crops are rotated to preserve the soil, thereby preserving the natural nutrients found in the soil.

Corporate farming is grown year round and depletes the soil of vital nutrients. A non-organic head of broccoli vs. an organic head of broccoli contains up to 50% less nutrients than its organic equivalent. Organic food may cost more but you will benefit greatly from it. Also, organic food tastes better. Try it and see for yourself.

Conventional foods that contain all those chemicals are a drag on your body. The toxins found in these foods put stress on the body and all of its parts. By eliminating these toxins, our energy level skyrockets as well as all our senses. One must wonder why is it we have the highest cancer rates in the Western World?

Lastly, eat your veggies and fruits any way you can get them.

The argument that Americans are living longer holds true for the folks born in the 1920s, thirties, forties and maybe the fifties. Why? Well, these people did not have McDonalds, Burger King and Apple Bees. These folks ate a well balanced diet. Many ate the food grown from their backyards. This country was largely filled with immigrants from Europe. These people brought those customs and recipes with them. The average man today at age 45 is on at least one pharmaceutical drug, if not, two. By the time he is 55 he will be on four to six pharmaceutical drugs. Why? Because the side effects from pharmaceutical drug use is to give you more drugs to counter-act these effects. Few medical practitioners will never recommend treating disease with proper dieting. They are taught no to do this. By the way, many medical colleges are recipients of hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the pharmaceutical industry.

So, getting back to that 55-year-old man, will he make it to eighty or ninety? Time will tell. It is impossible to feel your best while toxicity from pharmaceutical drug use permeates your body. A forty-five year-old man on life long drugs, such as cholesterol and high blood pressure, deteriorates his health. What kind of shape will that person be in at age seventy-five after twenty-five to thirty years of daily drug use? If illegal drugs cut life short, how can legal drugs extend life?

The people of the United States have forgotten how to cook and eat well. That is it. Period. It is never too late to change ones unhealthy lifestyle to a healthy lifestyle.

Begin by reading labels on the products you purchase to eat at your local supermarket. When I was a young boy, thirty to forty years ago, the average supermarket had eight to ten aisles. Today’s supermarket has no less than twenty-four aisles. I can tell you this as a fact. Eighty percent of what is sold in today’s supermarket is bad for our health. The food industry has created so many products the last thirty to forty years to satisfy corporate shareholders. WE are slowly dieing from all the choices available.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

A food manufacturer’s dream came true by inventing High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – that was developed by a scientist. HFCS neutralizes a chemical receptor in the brain called leptin that receives a signal from the stomach that it is full and to stop eating. Add in the fact that it is a genetically modified seed with built in pesticides by Monsanto and you have the beginning of our obesity epidemic. Coincidence - maybe? HFCS is in every product that contained real sugar. Read the labels. It is in English muffins, breadcrumbs, soda, pancake syrup and regular breads. The list can go on and on.

FD&C Food Coloring Red, Yellow and others. Put it back on the shelf. Poison!

Hydrogenated vegetable oil is another boon to the food industry. This chemical lengthens the shelf life of foods. It is also found in just about everything. This ingredient by itself could survive a nuclear war. There is no end to its life in a solid state.

Let me make one thing perfectly clear. You will never be in any kind of good condition if fast food is part of your diet. However, you can reward yourself on the weekends. A little junk as one or two meals over the weekend can be your reward for living well the other five to six days a week.

Eat to Live.

Start your day with and switch it up every other day with whole grain cereals and berries, organic oat bran cereal with blueberries or strawberries. Other days have an egg sandwich, no cheese or bacon, on whole grain bread. Never eat white bread again for the rest of your life.

White flour has all its nutrients removed and the nutrients are then added back in. This is called enriching. Enriched bread - lose it! Also, white bread is high on the glycemic index. No one should ever be eating high glycemic foods.

Mid morning snack should always be fruits such as granny smith apples and more berries. Lunch should be a vegetable dish with beans such as chickpeas, kidney beans, and soybeans and pasta. Stay hydrated all day – eight maybe ten 8oz. glasses of water.

Dinner is a fish with vegetables. Dinner is also another vegetable with beans and pasta. Forget low carb. I eat pasta two times a day everyday. That goes for my entire family. I lost thirty pounds three years ago and have not looked back. Every dinner should be followed by a salad – Romaine Lettuce. You may add cucumbers and tomatoes. The dressing should be oil and vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or oil and lemon. Drink lemon water with your dinner. It is refreshing and helps clean your blood.

The after dinner salad is an absolute must for digestion and bowel movement. Romaine lettuce is loaded with vital nutrients and calcium as well.

Almonds are a great 9 p.m. snack. I roast mine a little bit. No salt. It is a great source of calcium and fiber. Very filling as well.

Always cook with extra virgin olive oil. Canola oil is okay for frying because it smokes at a higher temperature therefore it cooks faster. It is okay to use extra virgin olive oil for everything. You shouldn’t be frying very much. Get in the habit of cooking fresh lunch every morning. Pack lunch, save money.

If you rotate ten to twelve recipes shown on our website and tips on cooking it can get you started today to live life. You will need to reach your maximum level of strength, endurance, determination and spiritual power. Visit www.infinitehealthresources.com. click on recipes and take it from there. Find out what a serving really is. Learn how to cook.

Please remember. Always go organic whenever possible. Remember this also. Get your veggies and fruits any way you can.

What you put on your body is just as important as what you put in it. Cosmetics are loaded with toxins. Use non-toxic cosmetics. Underarm creams, deodorants and feminine sprays can be loaded with chemicals. Breast cancer is through the roof. All the walking and marching in the world will not stop this nightmare. Individually we can all make a difference. Knowledge is power. Live well, never stop learning. Avoid chemicals in every way humanely possible.

Good luck and good health!

Sincerely,Thomas Affatato
www.infinitehealthresources.com

Referencesr. Earl Mindells, Unsafe at any Meal
Food For Life, Dr. Neal Barnard, MD
What’s In Your Cosmetics, Aubrey Hampton
The Cancer Project, www.cancerproject.org