Scare Yourself

I keep telling myself that I am fearless. I repeat to myself “You’re not scared of anything, the worst that could happen is that life goes on.” There’s a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” It sounds easy, but trust me, it’s not. I used to think I did things that scared me all the time, but then when I really took a second and reflected on my life I realized that every time I had backed out of something it was because I was scared.

The thing that scares me the most is social judgement and being vulnerable; people judging me for the way I look or act, and using what they know about me against me. Social judgement is a common fear, especially for people with introverted personalities. You want people to like you for who you are, but if they don’t you immediately find yourself trying to mold your personality into something better. Maybe you don’t know how to talk to people, or maybe you never have the right thing to say.

For me personally, I have good days and bad days. Some days I make it a point to say hello to everyone I see, but some days I avoid people like its my job. Lately I’ve been trying to do things that scare me and not backing out. I hate school dances; I’m going to a school dance this Saturday. I hate being vulnerable; I started a blog and poured my feelings out, then shared them with the internet. I’m scared of getting fat; I started eating like a weightlifter to prove that eating more doesn’t necessarily make you fat. I’m scared of being in front of people in a skin-tight singlet; I signed up for a weightlifting meet and didn’t have a choice.

And the list goes on. I hope you get my point by now. Everyone has fears, and we can try to overcome those fears by scaring ourselves a little bit everyday. You will be surprised at how good you feel when you overcome your personal fears. Maybe you have social anxiety, body image problems, irrational fears, or you are afraid of heights. Finding your fears and conquering them will make you a stronger person.

Search for Happiness

Not too long ago I read a book about Buddhism. I’m not a religious person, but I was raised going to church on Sundays. In school I’d learned about the eightfold path and the search for enlightenment, so I decided to look more into Buddhism. I was hoping that after I read the book I would have all the answers, and my life would be perfect within a few days of practicing this new religion. That’s not the case, but this is what I choose to take from the book:

- Always have friendly thoughts about people and all other forms of life.

This and the next few are from the Eightfold Path. According to the Buddha these are the morals one must live by to overcome the craving for earthly pleasures.

- Speak kindly and truthfully while avoiding bitter words against anyone or anything.

We’ve all done it before; spoke ill of someone behind their back or maybe even to their face. We know it’s wrong, but we do it anyway. However, avoiding saying negative things to or about people will help you be more positive and think positive thoughts.

- One’s time should be used for self-improvement.

Don’t waste your time with negative self-talk or other self-harming activities such as drinking, doing drugs, cutting, etc. Instead try to find small ways to better yourself each day. I know I have a ton of things to work on like being more positive, letting things go, and not taking things personally.

- Earn a living in a way that will not harm others and doing what you love (I added that part).

Don’t let the world tell you who you have to be. Take what you love to do, practice it a little bit everyday, and don’t stop when it gets frustrating. At first you might suck, even if it is something you love to do, but if you keep going your work will become better quality and you will eventually find a way to make a living by doing what you love.

- Keep the right state of mind; self-awareness and compassion.

Practicing compassion towards others is a huge step in bettering yourself. People will want to talk to you and be around you if you act compassionately. Saying hello, remembering people’s names, and giving your full attention are just a few ways to practice compassion.

- Practice meditation.

Zen Stones

Meditation is a great way to heal the mind. I don’t know about you, but my mind is constantly busy with a million different things: my homework, to-do list, blog ideas, books to read, movies to see, who I want to be, what I want to be like, how to get better at this and that… Meditation is an easy way to give it a rest and let it have time to heal. Just like our bodies need rest, so do our minds. It won’t be easy at first, but it is recommended to meditate for at least 20 minutes a day. Clear your mind and focus on nothing, or try repeating your mantra over and over in your head. It is harder than it sounds!

I wrote this as a way to organize my thoughts. Take what you want from it, and I hope it will help you on your search for happiness.

-Liz

Eliminating Bad Food

I eat pretty healthy, which is odd for a teenager. Most people my age eat whatever is available or whatever seems most tasty; nutritional value does not usually come into play. I often get asked why I don’t eat certain things, and sometimes I don’t have the answer. Sometimes I have just read the science behind it in a book, but I don’t fully understand why. In understanding why certain foods are eliminated from my diet I can inform others; maybe even persuade them to look at what they are putting into their body. By writing this blog I hope to clarify why I don’t eat certain things, also to help myself & others understand how certain foods affect our overall health.

Why I choose not to consume artificial sugars or sweeteners:

• super normally stimulating without any nutritional value
• promote insulin resistance (insulin keeps blood sugar levels balanced, high blood sugar can lead to damage in many vital organs)
• promote leptin resistance (leptin keeps body fat stores and energy levels in check, high amounts of leptin can cause over consumption and a screwed up appetite)
• promote intestinal permeability (a leaky gut can let in foreign substances which cause inflammation and lead to chronic illnesses, also very stressful on your immune system)

Why I choose not to drink alcohol:

• I’m under the age of 21
• more empty calories
• it’s an addictive substance for some people
• interferes with normal glucose functions
• known to be neurotoxic (kills neurons that send messages to the brain - which is why people think and react slower when under the influence)

Why I choose not to eat or cook with seed oils:

• contain high proportions of polyunsaturated fat (PUFAs) and omega-6 (good for brain function, but not in large amounts) which promote systemic inflammation
• PUFAs go rancid through oxidation when exposed to light, heat, and air which then causes free radicals to form (too many free radicals can damage cells and DNA)
• contain antioxidants to protect fats from oxidation but not many, so some oxidation still occurs (too many oxidized fats can cause damage to liver & toxic byproducts)
• least stable of all oils - there are many healthier options like olive or coconut oils

Some common seed oils are: canola, chia, corn, cottonseed, flax, grape seed, hemp, palm kernel, peanut, rice bran, safflower, sesame, soybean, sunflower.

Why I choose not to eat grains (even whole grains):

• most fibers, vitamins, and minerals are removed in the refining process
• water is sucked out - sugar, salt, & fat are added to increase palatability
• effect they have on hormones leads to overconsumption, elevated blood sugar levels, reliance on glucose for fuel, increase in body fat, and increased triglycerides in the blood

Whole grains:

• lower glycemic index (GI) than regular grains which means that it raises blood glucose levels slower than regular grains, but a lower GI is irrelevant to good food choices (for example watermelon has a rather high GI of 72, while M&M’s have a lower GI of 33)
• don’t contain a single vitamin or mineral that can’t be found in fruit and veggies (fruit and veggies also both contain higher amounts of fiber than whole grains)
• contain a phytate (antinutrient) that holds on to minerals so they can’t be absorbed and used by our bodies
• contain proteins that can’t be digested properly which then cause inflammation (inflammatory effects include allergies, asthma, celiac disease, lupus, chronic fatigue, and the list just goes on and on…)

*Even gluten free grains contain problematic proteins which is why some people still have unexpected immune reactions to gluten free grains. So gluten is not the only problem with grains.

Why I choose not to legumes:

*Legumes include beans (not green beans), peas, lentils, and peanuts.

• contain large amounts of phytate (the antinutrient that makes nutrients unavailable to us)
• contain short chain carbs (sugars) that aren’t absorbed completely in our small intestine - they act as food for bacteria, the bacteria ferment these carbs which cause gas and bloating

Peanuts (which are not actually considered nuts):

• contain lectin which is toxic when raw, lectin is not destroyed by heat like other legumes are so when lectin gets into the blood it causes an unhealthy immune response

Why I choose not to eat foods containing soy:

• soy contains isoflavones which are a type of phytoestrogen (phyto=plant, estrogen=female sex hormone), our bodies recognize isoflavones as a female reproductive hormone which does not create a healthy hormonal response

Why I choose not to eat or drink dairy products:

• contain bioactive substances that promote aggressive growth (which is intended for young mammals)
• contains biological messages intended for offspring of the same species to double or triple body weight in a short amount of time (human milk intended for infants, cow milk intended for calves)
• casein (makes up 80% of milk protein) causes a specific immune reaction which can lead to headaches, GI upset, asthma, and allergies
• whey (which is a blend of immunoglobulins, insulin like growth factor 1, and estrogen) causes the release of large amounts of insulin when consumed
• Insulin like growth factor 1 is a growth promoter in children, but for adults is associated with the promotion of various cancers
• contains lactose which causes bloating and gastrointestinal upset when not digested properly

*You can find enough calcium in meats, nuts, seafoods, and veggies that you don’t necessarily need milk for calcium. Also the amount of calcium that your body can actually absorb is more important than the amount of calcium in your diet. If you eat too many phytates (antinutrient) you will not be able to absorb as much calcium; but eating good fats and proteins will promote the absorption of needed vitamins and minerals such as calcium.

In conclusion eating unnatural sugars, processed carbs, beans, legumes, and dairy all builds up to cause a leaky gut, autoimmune disease, and sensitivity to certain foods. If you don’t want these negative effects I suggest trying to avoid the majority of these foods as much as possible. The only way to find out how these foods affect you is to eliminate them for a period of time then reintroduce them one at a time. Not everyone will react the same to any one of these food groups. Also I’m not saying that they aren’t ok every once in a while, but why eat foods that make you feel less than optimal when you could eat tons of delicious foods that make you feel great? The only reason to eat something unhealthy is because it tastes amazing, not to fuel your daily processes and not to make you feel better after a stressful day at work. Hopefully this persuaded you to make some better food choices and maybe even gave you some answers to why you haven’t been feeling or performing your best lately. Try eliminating these foods a little at a time and I guarantee that you will be feel more energized, happy, and relaxed in no time.

Bibliography

Hartwig, Dallas, and Melissa Hartwig. It Starts with Food. Las Vegas: Victory Belt Pub., 2012. Print.

This entire blog is based off of the information in their book and the information I have gathered through reading various blogs/articles as well as participating in the Whole Life Challenge.