Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Wishing you a Blessed and Merry Christmas. I am grateful for you and your interest in being a healthier self. Looking forward to 2016, let me know what health area you'd like to learn more about—thank you to those I've already heard from. It would be great to hear what you found helpful from Healthy Journey Cafe this past year (scroll past the Related Posts to add your comments).

I'll be taking a break until after the New Year. Enjoy your Christmas and New Year celebrations with family and friends. Remember to be grateful for the blessings you have and share with those in your community who have little.

I'm thankful for my family and the addition of a new daughter-in-law this past June. What a joy! But we also endured the loss of loved ones this year, leaving holes in our lives that are impossible to fill.

Never the less, we have hope because Christmas is about remembering that God became man in a humble stable in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago. The birth of Jesus marks God's long-planned and foretold redemption of man. Jesus Christ changed the course of history, but most importantly he changed my heart. The grace that God extended to me is available to all who desire His gift of eternal life. God only asks for your heart—that's it! He knows we can't be "good enough." He accepts us as we are—torn, tattered and broken. Really.

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Food Companies Respond to Consumer Pressure

In the short time I've been writing this blog, I'm thrilled to say the tide is turning. Manufacturers have seen a shrinking of their bottom line because YOU have voted with your shopping dollars and shunned foods that contain artificial ingredients (preservatives, coloring, etc) and too much sugar.

Last month an article in the New York Times reported that a seismic shift in how people eat has caused big food companies to scramble. Manufacturers are responding by changing their ingredients to reflect the demand for healthier food.

I originally wrote about the dangers of manufactured food, particularly in breakfast cereals, back in 2011 called The (Mad) Science of Food Packaging.

Let's look at what is coming out of the research labs of the food companies and celebrate the victories consumers have achieved.

In Food Makers Try to Paint With Nature's Palette, the Wall Street Journal reported how food companies were replacing artificial ingredients with real food alternatives in response to consumer demands for ingredients they might "find in their own pantries." The article sites General Mills' experience to change the artificial colors in Trix, a kid's breakfast cereal. The final color palette is minus two colors and looks very different from the un-natural colors of the artificially colored version, but now appears wholesome and natural. A step in the right direction.

Next we'd like to see them labeling any genetically modified ingredients, such as corn in the Trix. Or better yet, replacing with non-GMO sourced ingredients and getting verified by the non-GMO project.

In my blog The (Mad) Science of Food Packaging, I focussed on Kellogg's Froot Loops. Unfortunately Kellogg's is one year behind the progress of General Mills. They still show the same artificial ingredients. Oh wait... I see they changed Blue #2 to Blue #1. You can see the difference between artificial (Froot Loops in the title image) and natural (above in the Trix image and labeling).

I've copied the ingredients below:

Froot Loops Ingredients: Sugar, corn flour blend (whole grain yellow corn flour, degerminated yellow corn flour), wheat flour, whole grain oat flour, oat fiber, modified food starch, soluble corn fiber, contains 2% or less of hydrogenated vegetable oil (coconut, soybean and/or cottonseed), salt, natural flavor, red 40, turmeric extract color, yellow 6, blue 1, annatto extract color, BHT for freshness.

At any rate, we have made a difference. These changes are because of YOU! Give yourself a pat on the back and continue to vote with your wallet.

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Give Yourself a Shot of Health

Instead of medications or getting a flu shot, boost your health with a daily shot of health. Taking two shots a day (even one shot a day) of this health drink—one in the morning and one in the evening—will give your immune system a kick. But don't expect it to make-up for an unhealthy diet of processed foods and sugar. Nope!

Shot of Health

from Ancestral Nutrition

yield ~14 shots

category Drink

cuisine Vegan

ingredients

1.5 C filtered water

7 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (ACV)

Juice of 1 lemon or 1 drop lemon essential oil

1 Tbsp raw honey

5 Tbsp of collagen (if you have it)

directions

1. Combine in glass jar and shake until blended.

2. Store in fridge.

3. Take 1 to 2 shots (one morning, one evening) daily

I just took my shot for today and, I should add, it blows your hair back. Woo!

BTW if you use Bragg's ACV (which I highly encourage), you'll be getting a dose of prebiotics as well. Prebiotics is food for the good bacteria in your gut. For more information on pro and pre-biotics, read What's the Scoop on Probiotics and Prebiotics.

What healthy habits do you use to boost your immunity?

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Wisdom Wednesday

Fight inflammation by choosing the right foods.

Are you tired of having sore and painful joints, catching that perennial cold or flu, experiencing itchy, dry skin, off and on allergies?

You're suffering from inflammation and your immune system is not in top condition.

Eat these foods to reduce inflammation:

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids (salmon, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil)
• Fiber (beans, seeds, fruits and vegetables)
• Herbs (turmeric and other spices)
• Green Tea

Avoid/eliminate:

• Sugar
• Trans Fats (hydrogenated oils)
• Artificial Ingredients

You'll be amazed at how quickly your pains and problems go away.

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