Doxa

I Corinthians 3: 16-17 (ESV):

¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

In this column, we have been discussing healthy nutrition and how we should care for our bodies, since the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Last week, we talked about how we should avoid eating processed foods.  This week, we will discuss our fat intake.  When we hear the word “fat”, we immediately think of “bad for us” In fact, not all fat is detrimental to our health, and there are “good fats” as well as “bad fats”. Even though good fat has various health benefits, those of us trying to lose weight should watch the quantities that we consume because any kind of fat is high in calories and can compromise our effort to lose weight. However, including some healthy fat in your diet will help your food taste better, which will encourage you to stick to your weight loss plan, help you absorb certain nutrients from vegetables, and can improve your overall health.

Good fats: Not All Fat Is Bad.

The following food sources of fat are healthy for our bodies:

• Olive Oil: This nutrient-filled oil lowers bad cholesterol and blood pressure, and is good for your heart. Canola and sunflower oil are also good for you.
• Avocados:  This fruit is rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that keep eyes healthy; it contains nutrients like folate, vitamins C and E, which prevent cancer, and monounsaturated fatty acids, which lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad) cholesterol and can also help you lose belly fat, a risk factor for heart disease and some fertility problems. Avocado also contains high levels of potassium, protein, and vitamins B6, E, and K, and fiber.  Limit yourself to eating one-quarter to one-half an avocado a day because it is high in calories.
• Oily fish: Oily fish, like wild Alaskan salmon, tuna and mackerel, contains omega 3 fatty acids which are good for your heart, helps maintain a healthy pregnancy, reduces inflammation, improves your brain health, ameliorates your mood and protects against depression. It may also protect against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.  Fish like salmon also contains lean protein and Vitamin D, which boosts immunity and memory. The American Heart Association recommends that we eat at least two servings of fatty fish a week. Canned wild Alaskan salmon is almost as good as fresh. However, you should avoid eating fish that is high in mercury, especially if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.  Tuna steaks, king mackerel and swordfish are among those with the highest amounts of mercury.  Wild salmon is one of the safest choices.  For more information on safe fish, go to ewg.org/safefishlist.
• Nuts: Almonds contain bone-building calcium and stress-relieving magnesium, which may also help relieve bloating and breast tenderness; walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and may reduce cholesterol, help brain function, aid better sleep, alleviate stress, fight cancer and prevent heart disease; pistachios contain heart healthy potassium.
• Low fat /fat-free milk and yogurt: They both contain calcium and protein. Greek yogurt is especially rich in calcium and good for our bones and the fat-free version has twice as much protein as regular yogurt. Fat-free Greek yogurt is also high in probiotics, cultures that help ease irritable bowel syndrome, and may boost immunity.  You should have at least three servings of dairy a day, and Greek yogurt is a good choice.

Bad fats: Be Vigilant, Avoid These!

The following fats clog your arteries, increase your blood cholesterol (adding to the LDL cholesterol produced naturally by your body), lower your good cholesterol, and can lead to heart disease and stroke:

• Saturated fat, present in animal products like poultry, red meat, animal fats, butter, cream, cheeses, and other dairy products made from whole and 2% milk,. Foods from plants that contain saturated fat include coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter.
• Dietary cholesterol contained in foods from animals (see examples under saturated fat above.)
• Trans fatty acids which are found naturally in various animal products and may be worse than saturated fat.
• Other trans fatty acids which are caused by the hydrogenation process. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat, found in baked goods with long shelf life, margarine, shortening, and most processed food, are fats that are solid or semi-solid at room temperature, created when hydrogen is added to unsaturated fat like corn oil. These kinds of trans fats are even more harmful than those that occur naturally.

Here are some practical tips to help you avoid and/or replace bad fat with good fat:

• Use olive or canola oil to cook, and cut down on the quantity of oil used.
• Select butter over most margarines. Butter, even with its saturated fat content, is healthier than most margarines as they typically contain trans fatty acids, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat. However, some soft margarines or spreads (Smart Balance is an example) pass the “bad fat” test and should be used in lieu of butter (read the label carefully before purchase).
• Avoid frying meat, poultry, fish, plantain, potatoes, and yam.  Try grilling or baking instead, using an olive or canola oil cooking spray.
• Remove skin and trim fat from poultry and red meat before cooking; skim fat from stock or use a fat separator to remove fat before using the stock to cook.
• Choose fish and lean poultry; cut down on red meat. Sirloin, tenderloin and grass-fed beef are, however, relatively low in fat.
• When buying ground meat, lean ground beef contains much less fat than regular ground turkey or chicken, which includes fat and skin. “Extra-lean” turkey is your safest bet, but if you can’t find it, buy at least 92% lean ground beef.
• Buy processed foods made with non-hydrogenated oil rather than partially hydrogenated, hydrogenated or saturated fat.
• Avoid French fries and other commercially fried foods, and baked goods like doughnuts, cookies, cakes, crackers, muffins and pies which are typically high in trans fat.

It is crucial that we follow the above health tips, and ensure that our spouses and children do so, too. I hope you will join me again next week to as we continue examining ways that we can improve the bodies that God has blessed us with.

I Corinthians 3: 16-17 (ESV):

 ¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

We continue this week discussing healthy nutrition and how we ought to take care of our bodies, being temples of the Holy Spirit.

We should avoid eating processed foods. What exactly is a processed food?  A broad definition, found in Wikipedia, defines it as the transformation of raw ingredients into food or food into other forms for consumption. For example, removal of an unwanted outer layer, like the peel of an apple or a potato, or the slicing of a potato, would amount to processing by that definition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processed_food.) A narrower, and more practical, definition for our purposes would be that “processed food” is that which contains ingredients that are not natural, which has been chemically altered through additives like flavors, flavor enhancers, binders, colors, fillers, preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc., or which has been manufactured (http://health.amuchbetterway.com/how-do-you-define-processed-food/). The consumption of food containing these kinds of additives may have adverse health effects.  At the same time, processing, although it has its benefits, frequently decreases the nutritional value of food. Fresh food usually contains a higher proportion of valuable naturally occurring (and not synthetic) vitamins, enzymes, minerals and fiber.  Heat, for instance, destroys Vitamin C, and canned vegetables would, therefore, have a lower proportion of natural Vitamin C. 

Whole grains, for example, are better for us than refined grains like white flour and white rice. They contain fiber to regulate our systems and B-Vitamins to boost our brain and provide energy.

If you are trying to lose weight, whole grains are especially beneficial as they keep your blood sugar more stable than refined grains and enhance fat burning.  They are also digested more slowly than refined grains, and keep you full longer.

There are nice tasting whole grain alternatives to your food favorites, like pasta, bread, rice, and even waffles and pancakes.  Instead of eating white rice, try brown rice, which comes in long grain, short grain, jasmine and basmati.  Giving up white rice, for me, is akin to pulling out all my teeth. Those who know my eating habits and preferences well know that I can eat white rice three times a day. Variety for me amounts to eating jollof rice instead of white. However, I have no real excuse because whole grain versions of rice are actually quite tasty. Instead of giving up white rice, or white bread, all at once, you could try gradually supplementing your diet with the more healthy kind.  Speaking of jollof rice, brown rice holds its own very well in the dish and gives it a lovely texture.   If you are feeling particularly adventurous, experiment with other grains like bulgur wheat and quinoa.  

We should avoid other processed foods and drinks like junk, fast and sodium-high foods like donuts, cakes, pastries, cookies, potato chips, fries, pizza, sodas and canned food. Eat healthy snacks like fresh fruits, carrot and celery sticks (without the accompanying and customary dips), whole grain pretzels, whole grain popcorn, nuts (in small quantities because they are high in calories), dried fruits like raisins (within moderation because they are high in sugar) and Greek yogurt (which you should sweeten with fruit, avoiding added sugar).

I will provide one word of caution: watch the labeling on the processed products that you do buy.  You should buy products with ingredients that state whole wheat or whole grain (compare enriched wheat which is actually refined flour). If you are concerned about price, Asian Stores and wholesalers like Sam’s Club sell whole grain rice at fairly reasonable prices. In addition, avoid ingredients like hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat, trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, artificial colors and flavors, and preservatives.

Transforming the way we eat is a gradual process, but taking those little steps will be of long term benefit to our health.

 I Corinthians 3: 16-17 (ESV):

¹⁶ Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Happy New Year!  I pray that 2010 will overflow for you with God’s divine favor, love, peace, joy, prosperity and excellent health. Last week, I talked briefly about God’s mandate, in the Bible verses quoted above, to take care of our bodies, as temples of the Holy Spirit, and about my personal commitment to make healthy living a priority for 2010.

I am glad to report that I have already taken small steps to further my pledge. Between Tuesday and yesterday, I have done three walking/running sessions, each of the last two covering six miles, as part of training for half-marathon (13.1 mile) races (for more information, visit www.charmcityrun.com). I began exploring the idea of training for a half-marathon eighteen months ago, but it was not until last week, Tuesday, that I finally undertook the first outing. During my first session, I would have thrown in the towel but for God’s grace! I arrived a few minutes late at the Goucher College race track in Towson where I had planned to meet up with the rest of the training group and our coach. I encountered a woman who told me that our team mates had already headed out. We set off together, jogging at a low pace, to look for the other trainees.  However, I appeared to have chosen one of the coldest and most bracing nights so far of this winter for my first half-marathon training attempt!  After a few minutes, my companion said to me, “You may run ahead if you’d like.”  I replied truthfully, “I can’t.” At that point, I was breathless and frozen solid, I needed to go to the bathroom, and I was beginning to re-examine my decision to participate. After approximately ten minutes, she began to take the lead- what she had really meant earlier was, lady, I really don’t want to proceed at your snail-like pace, and since I have graciously offered that you don’t have to slow down on my account, likewise, you won’t mind if I take off and leave you behind.  In any case, after several more minutes, she was far ahead of me, and because it was immediately apparent that I would never catch up with her and I had no idea where she was going, I decided that I would reduce my speed, walk as far as the entrance to the campus, which was a good distance away, and then walk back to get my car. 

As I heaved, huffed and puffed on my way back to the car, I came across several groups of runners all racing in the opposite direction, some of whom said “hi” and waved at me in an annoyingly cheery and unflappable manner. Each time I saw a group approaching, I would start to run and put on a cheery and unflappable face; as soon as they went past, I stopped running.  However, when I got to the car, I discovered that I couldn’t bring myself to leave, as that seemed to amount to an unacceptable admission of defeat. I set out again along the route that I had just completed; to abbreviate this tedious tale, I eventually did locate my trainer and team mates and I made the decision that I would stay the course.     

 Making Good Food Choices

I gave my word that, this week, I would start sharing some tips on how to make better food choices. We have documented examples in the Bible about individuals making food choices that were beneficial for them. In Daniel 1:8-15, we read that Daniel requested vegetables and water for himself and his companions instead of the rich food and drink consumed in King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace, which resulted in healthier appearance and better nourishment for them.

Certain foods we will find are key in fighting disease. We should make it a priority to consume nutrient packed fruits and vegetables. Anti-oxidants like flavonoids and vitamins A, C and E, keep brain cells in prime condition, neutralize free radicals that damage them, and improve memory. Blueberries and spinach are examples of powerful anti-oxidants. The B vitamin folate (found in kale and spinach)) also improves brain function and helps prevent birth defects. Lycopene, another anti-oxidant, may reduce the risk of some cancers.  Lycopene is found in tomatoes, especially when cooked or processed, and better absorbed when eaten with healthy fats (I will provide information about healthy fats in a future column.) Beta carotene, found in tomatoes, apricots, mangoes and carrots, may help fight heart disease and protect eyesight. Isothiocyanates, contained in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, fight breast cancer.

Generally speaking, the darker the fruit or vegetable, the more nutrients it contains.  For example, a cup of spinach has about three times as much folate, and nearly eight times as much beta carotene as a cup of ice berg lettuce. However, iceberg has more potassium than arugula lettuce, and romaine has even more, so you should mix dark and light green leaves for maximum protection from disease.

Now that you are totally confused, you only need remember one rule of thumb, which is that colorful fruits and vegetables contain a range of anti-oxidants and nutrients. For maximum effect, on a daily basis, eat a variety of fruits like blueberries, plums, grapes, pineapple, guava, apples, kiwi, and oranges, and vegetables like spinach, broccoli, eggplant, squash, red cabbage, bell peppers, and carrots.

It is worth mentioning that anti-oxidants are also contained in dark chocolate.  Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, reducing inflammation which may lead to heart attacks. Enjoy one to two ounces a day (look for chocolate containing 70% cocoa). Green tea is rich in flavonoids which improve mental performance and may help with weight loss. Coffee also contains anti-oxidants, but be careful about your caffeine intake and choose decaffeinated as far as possible.

Next week, I will continue my discussion of nutritionally beneficial foods. I will leave you for now with the following exhortation from the Apostle Paul:

Hebrews 12:1 

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…”

As you set off to achieve your targets for 2010, whether those goals pertain to improving your Christian journey, ameliorating your eating habits, exercising or losing weight, I pray that God will give you the endurance to persevere in spite of any obstacles, the determination to succeed, and the stamina to keep going even when you are weary.