Stevia - An Alternative to artificial sweet additives.
One of the biggest changes I'm making in my life involves cutting back on diet sodas - predominantly due to the artificial sweeteners in them. This is something I'm doing at Penny's suggestion. We discussed Stevia during the course of the meeting, and on Monday, following returning from a convention I was able to purchase some.
Stevia is a plant that has been used as a 'sweetener' in some form for centuries in some places, decades in others. It's something that is calorie free, carbohydrate free, and can be used by diabetics as it doesn't affect the blood sugar level. There seems to be some troubles with getting it approved in the U.S. by the FDA, as anything other than a 'nutritional supplement'. I've looked at some of the issues that had been allegedly reported, but it turns out they are in fact allegations. There is no proof that Stevia is unsafe in the quantities one uses artificial sweeteners. (Assuming these quantities are small to moderate. Over indulging in anything=bad.) It wouldn't surprise me if the people putting forth the allegations were associated with corporations that would lose money and such, were Stevia to make a splash.
Needless to say - it has a 'sweet' taste. And, having used it - I feel the transition won't be bad at all really. Thoroughly enjoying it. I suggest looking up the benefits of 'Stevia' online, or discussing it with a nutritionist who specializes in whole, organic foods. :)
Stocking the Cupboards - Starting the Process
Last week, I met with the nutritionist Penny Ormsbee whom I'd seen previously in lectures, for the beginning of a personal assessment. It was a very eye-opening experience in as so much as it confirmed some things which I didn't want to consider, in addition to opening me up to other ways of thinking in terms of food and my body as a whole.
There are a number of changes I'm making to what I consume as a whole. Having already moved on to more organic products, some of these changes will be very easy for me to make - so long as I monitor myself. The most difficult change that began today was cutting back on the diet sodas which I consume. I'm limited to right now, one 591 ml (20 oz) bottle of diet soda a day. The goal is to slowly but surely wean off of the artificial sweeteners.
I'm doing a modified version of the Glycemic Index 'diet'. I detest the word diet as it's more of a life plan, and say modified as I'm not going to use a number of the suggestions some authors would have me use due to some of the things Penny and I have discussed. A number of authors on the subject of GI would rather people use products that are neither organic nor particularly good for you in the long run, with long term use.
I will discuss this in more detail as I take notes and come to understand things more myself. I have a number of thaughts on the matter, but none of them are entirely organized as of yet.
Nutrient Deficiencies, Environmental Toxins, and Auto Immune System Issues
Today I went to a lecture at Planet Organic. This Lecture - entitled "What are your Symptoms Telling You?" was about nutrient deficiencies amongst other things.
Penny Ormsbee told us a bit about herself, over the course of the lecture. Between the meat of the lecture, and some of the other topics upon which we briefly touched, I found my curiosity piqued in ways that I didn't imagine it would.
Some of what I learned - most especially with regards to the harmful effects of pesticides and other environmental pollutants upon the body, in addition to the symptoms she herself suffered before her issues were seen to, frightened me. It made me think of my mother - and the many things from which she suffered, and for which I'm still of the opinion she was unnecessarily overmedicated up until the day of her death.
I'm making an appointment to speak with this woman. She works with people from all walks, however she has special interests in working with people who suffer from hypothyroidism in addition to other things. You see, her case of hypothyroidism went undiagnosed to the point that her immune system attacked her body (as a thyroid disorder is a case of an auto immune system malfunction) and out of the four lobes of her thyroid gland, she was left with only one left. When she was finally tested? Her T4 levels? (Normal in Canada being from 0.35 to the 5 range, Normal in U.S being from 0.35 to 3)
74. Wow. Mine was like, somewhere between 18 and 25, which is still very high. When I was diagnosed. Lord.
In any case, the importants of nutritional supplements was made upon me. At one point I thought my uncles and aunts were being a bit silly about it. But, no. No longer. Especially not when someone whose whole life has been turned around by nutrition and supplemental changes, whose problems were more of a more severe nature than my own. It has certainly given me much to think about. Just wow.
Moving from prepared foods to cooking your own.
Prior to being hit with a nasty stomach bug, I was experiencing some symptoms that were beyond the typical acid reflux which has plagued me for the past year. After these symptoms remained - when the stomach bug itself had passed, I went to the doctor - only to be told that it was in all likelyhood that at the age of 26, I had an ulcer. It has taken a week to get my focus on healthier eating back on track, now that I'm capable of digesting foods without having to run off to the bathroom.
So today, I am focusing on looking through some of the cook books I have - in hopes of planning out meals for the week. This will require some grocery shopping and planning, and cooking which isn't bad. It's the portioning, freezing, and cleaning up process afterwards which annoys me. Because in all honesty - after cooking over a stove in an apartment with no air conditioning, who wants to immediately do more work? I'm hoping that with continued focus on eating properly, my energy levels will continue to rise and make me less lax and lazy in this aspect. Because really - who enjoys being lazy unless it's the holiday season?
If there are any suggestions people have with this, they'd be greatly appreciated.
Making the transition to more satisfying foods
I've been in the process of making a transition to 'whole foods' so to speak. By this I mean foods that are less processed, organic, and to some extent leaning towards vegetarian in nature. I do not intend to fully cut meat of any sort from my diet, mind you. I simply have decided to eat less of it and focus on eating less processed foods in general, if I can help it. To this extent I've focused on doing my grocery shopping at two places: Planet Organic Market (formerly known as Great Ocean on Beech and Quinpool) and Pete's Frootique. I have found that by doing this, I avoid a surprisingly large amount of processed foods with excess additives and Gods know only what else. The only drawback to this is that organic eating of any sort can be more expensive. So I've had to learn how to alter my grocery shopping.
Some of the things I've done over the past few days involves using vanilla flavored soy milk in my cereal, for starters - and incorporated meatless hotdogs as a light lunch. I've combined this with v8 and whole grains and light snacks. I also have fruit, like canteloupe and bananas. When I do treat myself, I've adjusted the sorts of treats I allow myself to have. 1/2 cup servings of Mango Kufli (a healthier ice cream alternative) for starters, and an occasional chocolate chip cookie made with spelt instead of the usual white flour.
It's probably the first time that I can remember that a single cookie has satisfied me. Or that any single portion servings have satisfied me for that matter. It's a huge change.
Of course - as with any huge changes, changes in how your body processes food also abounds. And let me tell you, it isn't fun. Not at first. And as I'm at those beginning stages, it certainly isn't pleasant. But I can say my mood is better and that apart from those intestinal issues as a result of those changes, I feel better overall. I'm pleased with this. :)
Enough prattling on for now. More later. :)
Finding that which satisfies
In looking at my own battles with being happy and satisfied with a variety of things, I've come to ask myself what is it that we miss?
These days I've noticed that we spend far too much time indulging in processed foods rather than saving them for the occasional treats. We shun any form of walking or activity for sleep because our bodies feel continuously tired due to the lack of nutrients from a poor diet. But more so than that there are those of us who hold back on pursuing our hopes and dreams because we don't want to be a disappointment to those who've invested their time, their love, and their money into us. In holding back we fail to fulfill our most fundamental needs: being who we are and not what we perceive the world wants of us.
The moment a person enters into this cycle, he or she engages in behavior that denies him or her the things he needs to breathe and focus spiritually as a person. Without the spiritual connection to the very activities that makes him or her whole, a person can lose touch with what it means to be spiritually whole and satisfied.
If you look at it from a more holistic perspective - combining the lack of satisfaction on a body, mind, and spiritual level, you're basically (pardon the expression) screwing yourself over.
How then does one dare to begin doing what is necessary - no matter how difficult or frightening, to begin the process of breaking from that cycle? Perhaps 'daring' to acknowledge those fundamental needs is the very first step. It's something I've been doing as of late. Embarking upon voice lessons and a simple class with the community theater in town. With the encouragement of those in my class and the woman who has become my voice teacher, I have felt encouraged to slowly but surely switch gears into making more in the realm of lifestyle changes and less in the realm of point control (point system for those of you unfamiliar with Weight Watchers). Yoga classes begin next week, and in June I add Tai-Chi as an accompanying form of movement to this.
In the interim? I focus on incorporating more in the realm of whole grains and lean protein sources and food preparation. That is not to say that I am forever ridding red meat from my intake. I'm from Texas - so as you can imagined I am convinced that doing such is impossible. ;) But what I am trying to do is really enforce that concept of making healthier choices. It helps that there is an organic store around the corner from where I live. The people there are very friendly and encouraging in the realm of offering suggestions.
Right now? The plan? More whole grains and beans. Mm.
Hm. Visas and Immigration
I'm rather surprised by the fact that renewing a Student Visa, or procuring a Student Visa with the appropriate credentials is a relatively easy and painless process for Canada. Securing a work visa or something that helps one move towards a permanent residency card is not quite as easy however, which is admittedly a shame.
On one hand, I can understand why they would have such a stringent system. I often wonder if that is by and large part of the reasons why Canada doesn't have as much in the realm of an issue with regards to illegal immigrants. The government seems to put more stock into watching its own borders after all.
With regards to the situation in my birth country, I am of two minds. On one hand, I can see the necessity of the felony status. If someone is caught as an illegal immigrant under this, and should it happen to be a felony, it makes deportation an immediate process. There isn't any lengthy holding procedure - and method by which said individual would go missing for any particular length of time. I see the guidelines as something by which the people can hold the American Government accountable. Because as it stands, due to the Homeland and Security issues, many illegal aliens who are caught are often interrogated, go missing, and treated as a terrorist threat - which I find to be inhumane. If the new guidelines were to prevent something like this occurring, then - I think I would have no choice but to support something like this.
On the other hand however, I was born and raised in Texas. Spanish is my second language - and a language which I started learning words from around the age of 3 or 4, through the help of my father. The whole of the Southwestern part of the United States belonged to Mexico at one point. This, some 200+ years ago. I feel like that over the years, specifically over the last 100 - the local governments of the states in this region have done their damndest to ignore the rich cultural heritage provided by this. The Mexicano dialect of the Spanish Language, in its various forms was the dominant language of the region for some time. So I find it in some ways utterly ridiculous that people are so insistant about keeping borders so very separate.
Having at one point been in a relationship with someone whose brother was a Border Patrol officer that had been told by his boss to do nothing, so they could demand more money from the Federal Government, tells me that the program doesn't require more funding. It requires people who are honest and not going to abuse the system in the manner with this individual chooses to do so.
The United States came about because of immigration, because of people wanting to make a better life for themselves. Needless to say I can't help but stare at the people who would put at end to by and large a legacy that has made the nation what it is. The only real way to stabilize the immigration from Latin America as a whole would be to encourage the election of honest officials whom we a.) don't have in our back pockets and b.) would take the necessary steps to improve the economic well being of said country. Loans upon loans to Mexico will do nothing if it is governed by a corrupt administration who does nothing but fritter it away. Strengthening the borders will do very little to squelch the desire of people who truly want a better life. And for that, I suppose I am glad and relieved. Strengthening the country economically speaking, and helping it become more of a competitor on the global market is really the only long-lasting solution to the current issues facing the region.
Just some of my thoughts on the matter.
Late Night/Wee Hour Musings
The things that will keep you awake when you most want to sleep usually involves a great range of thoughts. I'm not so fortunate. Ye ol intestinal bug has got me going.
In looking over what portions of a resumé I have managed to assemble for the website, I've realized that while I have a great deal of cultural experiences to draw from and skills when it comes to entry level workforce, I don't have a lot of work experience. This is admittedly something with which to be concerned, as many jobs these days want people with 7 or 8 years work experience in a particular field - even for a job as simple as clerical work for a small office. What's becoming the standard for many people approaching graduation from University is to discover that nine times out of ten, their job has nothing remotely to do with their degree. But that the degree itself is essential.
I find that this cycles back into unpleasant situation in which people find themselves underqualified or overqualified for a job due to work experience or a lackthereof alone. Everyone tells you that it is important to pursue higher education. And I do believe that it is very important. But at the same time, I'm beginning to see that unless you are pursuing a career as a doctor or a lawyer, or something that society considers to be 'substantial' the degree which you choose may end up being as worthless as a degree in English and/or Philosophy. Which then brings to mind of the option of Graduate School.
What people have to remember is that a very smart person can be not at all inclined for Graduate School, while a person of average skill and inclination may be a more suitable target. I suppose the bottom line is that not everyone is meant to pursue various things, and because of it their options in the job market is very limited. With the economy the way that it is in the U.S. right now, I am finding myself growing more concerned because of the lack of work related experience. At present, I cannot even pursue an internship due to student visa's and requirements needed within Canada as a whole. So my options in terms of building that experience are limited indeed.
Entry level workforce is all well and good. But if there aren't jobs in said entry level workforce to allow people who are just entering the job market to find something that will put a roof over their head and food on the table with a little on the side so that they're not constantly squeaking by, then ..what is the point of pouring thousands of dollars into these Secondary and Post-Secondary Institutions? I think perhaps it's time that we just more closely examined the system as a whole and see if there's some revamping that can be done, from which everyone can benefit.
Hm.
