Healthy living is not easy in today’s time. My grandparents lived to be in their mid to late 90’s. They practiced healthy living without really thinking about it.  I was thinking about how they ate compared to how I eat. If I ate like they did, I would weigh 300 lbs! I remember for breakfast my grandmother would cook bacon, eggs, fried potatoes, oatmeal and toast with butter. We always had fresh milk and cream to put in our oatmeal. Lunch and dinner were also big meals with meat and potatoes and fresh vegetables. What kept them from being unhealthy and overweight?  Most all of their food was fresh; not processed, with no added antibiotics or preservatives. They also led a very active lifestyle.

Today, millions of people live in urban neighborhoods and rural towns with limited access to fresh, affordable, healthy food. Those that do have access to healthy, organic foods in the city, find that these foods are often too expensive for their food budget. Busy lifestyles lead many of us to rely on fast food and convenience stores that don’t stock fresh produce. It takes a real toll on our health. As a result we struggle more with obesity and chronic conditions.

Our foods are over-processed, and contain harmful chemicals, antibiotics, and other additives. Poor nutrition can impair our daily health and well being and reduce our ability to lead an enjoyable and active life.

In the short term, poor nutrition can contribute to stress, tiredness and our capacity to work, and over time, it can contribute to the risk of developing some illnesses and other health problems such as:

• being overweight or obese
• tooth decay
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• heart disease and stroke
• type-2 diabetes
• osteoporosis
• some cancers
• depression
• eating disorders.

Steps to healthy living – it’s easier than you think

Take small steps. I would love to tell you I eat nothing but organically grown food. Unfortunately, I like you not only can’t afford it, but also don’t always have access to organic food. Here are a few steps you can take:

• Buy organic when you can, and where it can make a difference. For example, we always buy organic milk and butter. Organic milk and butter are produced without synthetic hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides. The milk is a little more expensive than regular milk but not enough to break the bank. Organic butter is very competitive in price with regular butter.
• Buy organic vegetables when you can. They are only slightly  higher than your regular vegetables. You can even find canned organic vegetables.
• Grow your own organic vegetables. You can do this on your patio or in a very small yard. There are many vegetables that do well in pots.
• Cut back on sugar. There are some healthy alternatives like pure honey, and natural Stevia. You can grow your own Stevia plant in a pot! Stay away from aspartame and its unhealthy side effects.
• Drink fresh, clean water instead of sugary drinks. Try this recipe for healthy water that balances the body’s pH level.
• If you can’t buy organic meats, buy natural grain fed meats without antibiotics. It’s important to read the labels. Not everything that says “natural,” is.
• Switch over to healthy recipes that look and taste good.
• Plan your meals ahead and shop for healthy ingredients.
• Enjoy cooking and eating healthy food with family or friends.
• Take long leisurely walks, have some fun!

Our choices have a major effect on our health and well being. Healthy living helps our mind and body to function as well as possible so we can live, learn, work, and play as well as we can.

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