Our health is very important.  We only get ONE body.  How well we take care of it determines how long we live and the quality of our life.

More importantly, our body is the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells.  So, we should take care of our “house” for Him.  (I Cor 6:19)

In today’s world of fast food, processed food, toxin induced food, and nutrient deficient food, it is hard to get the quality nutrition that our body needs in order to stay healthy.

We are what we eat!

Heart health diseases soar because of improper diets.  Diabetes and obesity numbers in this country are staggering because of improper diets.  America is near the top worst country in the world for these three issues, in addition to cancer.  And, the list goes on…  Everyone is tired of hearing about and trying the latest fad diet.  They already have in their mind that it isn’t going to work, and it doesn’t.

It is time that WE, the people, take our own health into our own hands!  No one is going to care about your health as much as you do.  Doctors can give you good advice, but after you leave their office, it is up to you if you follow it or not.  Beyond the office, doctors do not care.  Do not put your health totally in your doctor’s hands.

It really does not matter how many children or grandchildren that you have if you cannot enjoy them because of your poor health.  It does not matter how many great possessions you have if your health does not allow you to enjoy them.  Good Health cannot be purchased with ANY amount of money.

After keeping up with health issues and health trends for more than two decades, I am convinced that the foods we choose to eat either keep us nourished and healthy or deficient, diseased, and sickly.  Furthermore,  we as a nation have become accustomed to receiving a pill to alleviate a “symptom” instead of seeking a natural remedy or consuming proper nutrition that would alleviate the problem.  In our country, we treat symptoms and not the underlying cause of our disease.  This is a foundational flaw in our thinking concerning health care.  Coupled with that flaw, our pharmaceutical companies fund research for “pills” not “cures.”  No one (except the patient that is sick) wants a CURE because America spends over $1 trillion each year for health care management.

Our bodies are made up of chemicals.  I believe that there are plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, herbs, seeds and nuts) on this earth to take care of anything that is wrong in our bodies.  After all, God created our body to live forever.  Through the years, we have lost some of the information that our ancestors once knew and practiced.   However, scientists are still making discoveries finding chemicals in different plants that help us with health issues today.

All of this being said, what are we to do?  It is easy to get very confused and despondent with all of the information coming out about different foods.   Since the replacement of my mitral valve, my diet is even more important to me than before.  I follow one simple rule regarding the foods that I eat on a regular basis. I ask myself, “Would this food be found in the Garden of Eden?”  For example, spaghetti is not found in The Garden even though it is my husband’s favorite.  Raw fruits, nuts, and vegetables are the absolute best foods for us and have the most nutritional value for our body.  This is what I call God’s food from The Garden.  Ice cream, chips, and cookies, are not found in The Garden.  🙁  Boxed foods, canned foods, frozen food, processed foods, fast food, pizza – none of it is found in The Garden. 🙁 🙁

Using this one, simple rule helps me to avoid reading labels, and shopping all of the middle isles in the grocery store.  Most everything I purchase is located in the perimeter of the store and will not last but a few days. Another good rule of thumb, if the food you purchase can last for weeks or months, it wasn’t found in The Garden.

This week, I am including a very good article on one fantastic food, pistachios.  I hope that you will enjoy adding this nut to your diet.  I also want to encourage you to begin to think about the nutritional value of the other foods that you eat after reading about the nutritional value of the pistachio nut.

One of The World’s Greatest Snacks!
Why pistachios not only taste delicious, but are also jam-packed with nutrition for a lean healthy body, and improved gut-health!

Some people mistakenly think that pistachios are a “fattening” food… but despite having loads of healthy fats, these yummy little snacks can actually HELP you to burn off stomach fat.

Pistachios come in a nice natural tan-colored shell with a mild-tasting, crunchy, green and yellow interior. Nuts have risen in popularity lately, but did you know that pistachios are probably one of the most nutritious of all nuts?

It’s hard to compare anything to the nutritional benefit of nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans… but pistachios give them a run for the money!

• Just a one-ounce serving of pistachios will give you over 30 vitamins, minerals and other super nutrients.

One of the best things about nuts in general, is that they are full of minerals that are VITAL to our body’s proper functioning. And if you have paid much attention to nutrition news lately, you may be aware that minerals are getting harder and harder to obtain from our diet, and many people are mineral-deficient in one way or another.

So what are these great nutrients in pistachios?

Pistachios are full of copper, phosphorus, and manganese (different from magnesium).

Copper is made up of multiple enzymes that help to create many of the necessary biochemical reactions in your body and also forms connective tissue. Manganese also helps form connective and skeletal tissue, and is instrumental in growth, reproduction and (this is good!) carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Phosphorus is very important for strong bones and teeth and works with calcium to prevent osteoporosis.

Other important minerals are magnesium — necessary for more than 300 different important biochemical reactions in your body, and good for your heart and blood pressure; potassium –an electrolyte that keeps the body in the correct acid/base balance and also helps in forming proteins, metabolizing carbohydrates and building muscle.

And there is more to this nutritional powerhouse…

Pistachios are a rich source of B vitamins. B vitamins are essential for good nerve transmission, muscle building, a good mood, lots of energy, and infection-fighting power. They are also one of the highest protein nuts (as well as healthy fats), so they make a great satisfying snack that keeps your blood sugar and insulin at a good steady level.

In one study on pistachios and antioxidants, pistachios ranked up in the group with the highest amount of antioxidant activity above over 100 other foods. Antioxidants help to prevent free radical damage, which saves your cells and prevents aging and disease among other things.

We hear a lot about eye health and nutrients for the eyes lately, and guess what– pistachios contain a generous amount of lutein and zeaxanthin which prevent macular degeneration and other eye diseases related to aging.

• Fiber

Pistachios are full of appetite satisfying fiber — as much as a serving of oatmeal, but without all of the starch that oatmeal contains, which is generally just empty calories unless you’re a super active athlete.

Nuts in general are a great source of fiber, which is valuable for fighting cancer, controlling blood sugar, and aids in a feeling of fullness. Most people only get about half the recommended amount of fiber they need in their diets, so eating pistachios will help add to your dietary intake.

• Pistachios & Gut Health

Recent research has found that pistachios are one of the most powerful foods in the nut family for improving gut health through the unique antioxidants and fibers that feed good bugs in your gut.

A University of Florida study showed that people who ate 3 oz of pistachios for 19 days during the study had improved levels of beneficial gut bacteria, and an increase in beneficial butyrates, which are substances formed from good bacteria that help to heal the gut lining. This study also found that pistachios had more gut health benefits than almonds did.

With the increase in gut disorders and leaky gut lately (which can be a cause of autoimmune issues), this is good news that pistachios can be an important food to help heal your gut.

• Healthy Fats

While eating extremely large quantities of pistachios would be a LOT of calories… the good news is that the protein, good fats and fiber in them are nutritious and satisfy so much of the nutrient needs of your body, it’s VERY difficult to overeat them.

Even when only eating small servings of these nuts, they have been proven to provide a high rate of satiety. Besides, having to shell all those pistachios actually ends up making you eat them much more slowly, so the message to your brain that you are full happens on less nuts than if you were eating something already out of its shell.

Enjoy your delicious pistachios while you are nourishing your body!

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