Health Nut Confessions

I am the health nut of my family. I could feel lonely, but around Austin, I've met more than a few, shall we say, health food "aficionados." Please notice use of the preferable term in place of the commonly used "nuts." Although far from complete devotee, there are several things I do about which I am often asked. And here they are.

Mornings, I take a barleygreen product before eating anything. I learned several years ago in a three-day health minister training I took at www.hallelujahacres.com that having freshly extracted vegetable juices or a barleygreen product does the most good on an empty stomach. Since there is no fiber to digest, the nutrients are free to absorb right through into your bloodstream. There's no better way to get the nutrition in there. If you've ever taken anything "sublingually," or "under your tongue," you'll know what I mean. You feel better right away. I suppose that's why doctors give heart patients the little pill to put under their tongue in case of heart attack symptoms. If I am not feeling well, I juice carrots and drink eight ounces of the freshly extracted, strained juice. No fiber in that either. I would love to say that I juice everyday, but that just doesn't happen. I make it happen, however, if I think my body is needing some help healing or remaining healthy. I can feel when I need it. I think it is a great advantage to listen to the body and follow the lead. Making carrot juice is a bit time consuming and messy to clean up, but it's one of those things that is heavy on work but heavier on reward. And there's no pre-prepared, powder, bottled, or any other kind of carrot juice that is the same as freshly extracted and immediately consumed. I've looked for years and tried them all, but for powerful results, only the best will do. My father calls it a lobster complex. Unfortunately, I have that tendency in other areas of my life as well. That can be expensive. I have to watch myself. Having said all that, the barley green product I use comes from a company that also makes a carrot and a beet juice powder. I do take that daily, and I think it helps, but I use it for maintenance of a healthy system. If things aren't kicking well, I start on the real thing.

After fifteen minutes, I have my cup of hot tea! This is for pleasure, not health, although I have read that tea does have those beneficial anti-oxidants in it. After tea, I have a "Super Food" product and/or a "fiber" product. These go in a drink; a kind of yucky drink, but I believe it helps me so much it is worth it.

I wait at least half an hour and then sometimes I have double-fiber bread toast with lots of REAL BUTTER on it, toasted in the oven like my grandma did it. But sometimes I am too full from all the drinking and so just enjoy cup of tea #2 until lunch. My children almost always want breakfast, but they prefer white toast, like their Daddy. I trick them whenever I can with "white wheat." I'm not sure how much better that really is, but at least the label says it has more fiber than white! What do you think of the REAL BUTTER? Health or pleasure? Pleasure. I don't know of any great health benefits of real butter. If you do, I wish you would comment. I'd love to have a good reason for using four happy pats of butter on my toast. Someone once told me that margarine was only one molecule different from plastic. That threw me a loop. I never looked at margarine the same way again. Then I got to thinking that hydrogen peroxide is only one molecule different from water. I felt better about the margarine then, but I still don't eat it unless there is NO BUTTER in the vicinity.

Before bed, I take one teaspoon Bragg's Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar and one teaspoon raw honey in four to six ounces of warm water. Shaken not stirred. I love James Bond; the old ones a la Sean Connery. I'll let you look up the great benefits of the raw, unfiltered vinegar. Amazing. The drink smells like dirty socks but the flavor of my little evening toddy is very soothing and my tummy loves it. I drink it in the kitchen. My hubby isn't too fond of going to sleep smelling dirty socks.