word of the day

14 Steps to Cut Out Processed Food

• Week 1: Two fruits and/or vegetables per meal – Eat a minimum of two different fruits or vegetables (preferably organic) with every breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal.
  
• Week 2: “Real” beverages – Beverages will be limited to coffee, tea, water, and milk (only naturally sweetenedwith a little honey or 100% pure maple syrup). One cup of juice will be allowed throughout the week, and wine (preferably red) will be allowed in moderation (an average of one drink per day).
• Week 3: Meat – All meat consumed this week will be locally raised (within 100-miles of your hometown). Meat consumption will also be limited to 3 – 4 servings this week, and when it is eaten meat will not be presented as the “focal point” of the meal. Instead meat will be treated as a side item or simply used to help flavor a dish.
  
• Week 4: No fast food or deep-fried foods – No fast food or any foods that have been deep-fried in oil.
  
• Week 5: Try two new whole foods – Try a minimum of two new whole foods that you’ve never had before.
  
• Week 6: No low-fat, lite or nonfat food products – Do not eat any food products that are labeled as “low-fat,” “lite,” “light,” “reduced fat,” or “nonfat.”

• Week 7: 100% Whole grain – All grains consumed must be 100% whole-grain.
  
• Week 8: Stop eating when you feel full – Listen to your internal cues and stop eating when you feel full.
  
• Week 9: No refined sweeteners – No refined or artificial sweeteners including (but not limited to): white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, sucanat, splenda, stevia, agave, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and cane juice. Foods and beverages can only be sweetened with a moderate amount of honey or maple syrup.
  
• Week 10: No refined oils – No refined or hydrogenated oils including (but not limited to): vegetable oil, organic vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil, organic canola oil, margarine, and grape seed oil.
  
• Week 11: Eat local foods – Eat at least 1 locally grown or raised food at each meal. This includes, but is not limited to: fruits, vegetables, eggs, grains, nuts, meats, and sweeteners like honey.
  
• Week 12: No sweeteners – Avoid all added sweeteners including, but not limited to: white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, honey, maple syrup, date sugar, maple sugar, sucanat, splenda, stevia, agave, fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and cane juice.
  
• Week 13: Nothing artificial – Avoid all artificial ingredients including, but not limited to: sweeteners, flavors and colors.
  
• Week 14: No more than 5-indgredients – Avoid any and all packaged food products that contain more than five ingredients no matter what ingredients
• http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/steps-to-cut-processed-food.html/?c=sfm
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Tip of the day from the Powell Pack

Check out Heidi Powell's page for her's & Chris's 9-minute missions.
http://heidipowell.net/9045/9-minute-missions/

it works for me

my kind of health food

Is that before or after the "special" ingredient? Just kidding! :o

humor of the day returns

update

Sorry I haven't been on in quite a while. For those of you who don't know what happened, I'm going to recap what has been going on.

On Friday, August 22, Chloe and I were in a car accident. Luckily, she's fine. Chloe's been staying with family while I recover.

My femur broke in 3 places. After the accident, I was air lifted to Iowa City.

Since it was the first time I ever flown, I asked one of the air-medics to take the picture for me.

Had to wait a couple days for an opening in OR, so the doctor put my leg in traction. OUCH!

Here's a cool X-ray of the rod and screws they put in my leg.

My parents and little sister came to the hospital and helped PT encourage me to get out of bed.

Six days after the accident, I transferred to a local nursing home for rehabilitation. Soon, both physical and occupational therapy had me back on my feet... literally. It was really challenging learning how to walk again, then again I enjoy a good challenge.

Friends and family constantly sent encouraging words.

Chloe talked to me on the phone and sent pictures. I miss her so much.

Donated 10 inches of my hair to Locks of Love in honor of K.

Got used to eating healthy in there. Now that I'm home, I can't eat junk like I used to.

But I was also blessed by BFF Karen's cooking once in a while.

Thanks to the Activity Dept, I kept busy. I learned how to crochet, had pet therapy, etc.

Really pushed myself to get better.

Stopped for one last pic w PT & OT, big thanks to them. Heading home.

Got a visit from Chloe, Pop, & cousin Kelli.

Got in-home therapy to help with my next challenge... conquering the hill I live on. I've come a long way, but there's still a bit to go. Chloe will be home at Christmas. Can't wait to see her again. Will keep you posted on my progress.