Au Natural

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Recently I listened to a “talk radio” personality discussing a plan he concocted to lose weight. He discovered a new out patient procedure that involved limiting the amount of food intake, thereby preventing weight gain. I have never seen this individual in person (just photographs, yes he is overweight) but he said he is having the procedure as a “preventative measure.” My personal opinion is that if he is having the procedure as a preventative measure and he is already overweight, what exactly is he preventing?

It has been implied by a number of medical authorities that many of the illnesses we suffer are directly related to our diet, lack of exercise and proper rest. The diet part is the focus of this blog. I know I have mentioned this before in my blogs and I cannot say it enough, a good diet starts with understanding the nutritional value in food. If you do not know what nutrients your body needs, then you must learn. Once you are aware however, you must make a commitment to prepare those foods in a healthy manner. Some have chosen the “raw” route, some have chosen to only eat vegetables, fruits and fish while others have chosen to eat meat in moderation and avoid the “white stuff.” What ever your choice you have to learn to cook and prepare the food. It will not jump out of your supermarket cart onto your plate.

I know this sounds simplistic but it is true. If you are to offer variety to your family you need to find creative ways to prepare food. Do you know how to bake, broil, roast, grill,

braise, steam, boil sauté and poach? Good food is all about creative preparation, even if it is nothing more than a simple salad.

Another option to consider involves making your own condiments. Have you ever considered making your own salad dressings, chutney or steak sauce?

What about tasting and enjoying foods in their natural state? Have your taste buds become so accustomed to artificial flavors, additives and preservatives, that certain foods are no longer appealing without “Ranch” dressing or “Ketchup?” I am not saying all foods are deliciously divine without a little assistance, but you really don’t know unless you try them au natural. How often have we served our children fresh sliced carrot sticks without peanut butter assuming they simply will not eat a fresh sweet carrot? We must learn to give foods a try and let them stand alone.

What will it take for us to get “back to the basics” and start fresh? My suggestion to this radio personality is before you go under the knife; attempt to get back to the basics. Eat a salad with no dressing, make a sandwich with real chicken breast and not that awful cold cut salt infused stuff at the deli; and eat fresh fruit instead of a package of cookies from the “cookie isle.” We are a quick fix society and at some point we will have to understand that nothing worthwhile can or will occur using the quick fix method. Everything we need to survive is already provided, we just need to use those foods as nature intended.