Teach your Children
You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers.
So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin.
Teach your children that we have taught our children that the earth is our mother.
Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of earth.
If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.
This we know; the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth.
This we know.
All things are connected like the blood which unites one family.
All things are connected….
All things share the same breath, the beast, the tree, the man;
the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.
Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together. All things connect.
Man does not weave this web of life. He is merely a strand of it.
Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.
– Chief Seattle
Happy holidays! I want to first wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving!
I also want to congratulate many of you on the incredible lifestyle modifications you have reported to me. Blogging and posting semi-routinely takes a lot of energy given my clinical schedule, but hearing about your successes makes the work worthwhile!
Keep those stories coming!
I want to remind you about holiday dietary cultures. While the holidays should be enjoyed as a special time of bonding with family, friends, and loved ones, remember the hard work of diet and habit changes you started this year.
So what is holiday dietary culture?
So often the holidays become a “Green-light” to activate old “Bad Habits” like excessive sugar, starch, or grain consumption. We sometimes feel out of place if we don’t part-take in gorging on foods we have learned do not benefit our health.
Don’t fall victim to the cultural norms of over-over-indulgence during this timeframe. Pick one meal or two meals to splurge, then keep those negative food influences minimal in the diet. Additionally, focus on quality not quantity. Make sure to consume fats and proteins first, they’ll tend to curb cravings for the ever available starches and sweets.
For diabetics or patients with weight issues, this will help keep you on track while not depriving you have simple food pleasures with family.
For my athletes, remember food is fuel. Fuel dictates performance. Bad fuel can take days to a week or longer to “Clear out” of your system.
For best overall performance, health, and long term well-being, sensible dietary habits during the holidays makes sense.
Again, wishing you all the best holiday season!
Stay safe and don’t let dietary culture dictate your choices.