Since the mid 70’s, this delicious and nutritious drink has been our breakfast almost every morning. The recipe has evolved and morphed over the years, but the basic idea has remained the same.

The idea is to start the day with excellent fuel for the body – something that kick-starts the metabolism and provides a steady supply of energy throughout the day.

It’s easy to make, it’s quick and the variations are endless. After over 30 years of almost daily consumption, we still love it. We still say “Mmm” and “Yumm” a lot, as if it was the first time.

Basic Recipe

We prepare enough for two of us, so that equals a full blender. (We use a Vita-Mix, but any blender works fine.) We drink enough to get full – about 3 glasses – it’s a full meal. That’s probably about 30 to 36 ounces each. It goes down easy and lasts for several hours. There is no energy crash after an energy spike like what occurs with sugary foods. The energy provided by this superfood smoothie is noticeable and steady.

• Basic Ingredient #1: The liquid base is Rice Dream, which is made out of brown rice. It’s available at health food stores, and now many grocery stores too. We get it at Wal-Mart when we can find it. It comes in a blue and white carton. We like to use the vanilla enriched variety for this smoothie drink. Use enough to fill about 1/3 of the blender.

• Basic Ingredient #2: Bananas – 3 large or 4 small. (This gives it the smooth texture and natural sweetness. Tip: Buy ripe ones at a discount, peel them and freeze them – frozen bananas work great in smoothies, and you’ll always have some on hand when you run out of fresh ones.)

• Basic Ingredient #3: Apples – 2 large or 4 small. (Adds to the thickness and provides good dietary fiber.) You’ve heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away – this is a good way to do it.

• Basic Ingredient #4: Green Superfood Nurtitional Product – 2 scoops. (This provides the ultra-nutrition and steady energy.) There are many brands on the market, and we like to use a particular brand for a month or two and then use a different brand for the sake of variety. Each brand has a different combination of nutrients and this “diversity” approach gives us as many different nutrients as possible. We do have a favorite that we keep coming back to – “Green Vibrance,” distributed by Vibrant Health in Canaan, CT 06018. Phone 1-800-242-1835. (Our local health food store was able to order it for us. Our friends buy it online at a discount. They found it with a google search.) Here’s some of the blurb from the label:

“25 Billion Probiotics Per Dose from 12 Strains. Certified Organic Greens, Wild Crafted Herbs, Restorative, Concentrated Superfood . . . Supporting the 4 Foundations of Health: Nutrition, Digestion, Circulation and Immunity with Additional Benefit to All Body Systems.”

There are far too many ingredients to list, but here a few to give you an idea of what’s in the fine, green powder:

Spirulina, (certified organic)
Alfalfa grass juice powder, (certified organic)
Barley grass juice powder, (certified organic)
Wheat grass juice powder, (certified organic)
Chorella, pharmaceutical grade, soft cell
Royal jelly (6% 10 HAD)
Bee pollen
Carrot juice powder
Spinach powder, freeze dried (certified organic)
Silymarin milk thistle extract, 80 % silybin
Ginko bilboa extract
Green tea standardized extract
Grape seed standardized extract
Sea Vegetable Complex (providing 231 mcg. Iodine and trace minerals)

The ingredients go on and on, in these categories:
Nutrient Dense, Healing & Support Foods
Cell Membrane and Nerve Support
High Fiber Foods & Prebiotics
Antioxidants & Circulatory Support
Adaptogens
Immune Support
Probiotic Blend
Enzyme Complex
Phyto-Minerals
Tonics
Palatability Factor (Mango powder, freeze dried – YUM)

The label says a serving size is 11.47g, and there are 60 servings per canister.
Calories: 44
Calories from fat: 7
Calories from saturated fat: 0

It comes with a small scoop.

• Basic Ingredient #5: Oil. (We use flax seed oil as a fall-back option, but our preference is “Udo’s Oil 3•6•9 Blend”). It comes in a bottle, inside a box. From the box: “The ideal 2:1:1 ratio of unrefined omega fatty acids . . . made with organic flax, sesame and sunflower seed oils. Plant-based, fish-free, omega-3. This oil contains the ideal balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids (2:1) for people who want one product that gives them all of the good fats they need, without any of the bad fats they should avoid. Every cell, tissue, gland and organ is dependent upon the presence of essential fatty acids. They are the main structural component of cell membranes and are necessary for cell growth and division . . . Udo’s oil blend is fresh-pressed in a state-of-the-art low heat, light and oxygen-free environment. It has a pleasant, nutty, buttry taste and can be added unheated to foods . . .”

• Basic Ingredient #6: Ice. (We like our smoothie cold, and a few hand-fulls of ice does the trick.)

Recipe Variations

One reason why we love this superfood smoothie so much is because it is so versatile. We enjoy making it different each time just for the sake of variety. Here are some of the variations we enjoy:

Instead of apples, try pears.
Add ¼ cantaloupe.
Try blueberries, strawberries or raspberries. (Fresh is best but frozen works.)
Grapes are good. (Tip: buy loose ones at a discount and freeze them.)
Mangos and papayas make it a tropical delight.

Improvise

There are no rules. Experiment with the recipe until you find your own favorites. We have lots and we keep finding new combinations that are scrumptious – even after 30 years of variations.

Not Just for Breakfast

When we are performing, after the gig, we are often hungry. Before bed is not a good time for a regular meal, although many musicians eat late. Sometimes, we have a small smoothie after the show. It’s satisfying and not heavy on the stomach.

How about lunch in a thermos? Make the smoothie the night before and put it in a portable container. Enjoy it at lunchtime in the middle of your workday. This superfood smoothie is convenient, fast, and will provide you with steady energy throughout the day without the mid-afternoon slump.

How it Looks

If you are new to green superfood, this may take a while to get used to. (Or it may not.) The color is . . . well, it’s green. No matter what you add to the basic recipe, the smoothie comes out green. (The superfood – ingredient #4 is a fine, dense, green powder.) If you use blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or other berries, the green turns into an ugly brownish green – but it still tastes amazing!)

How it Tastes

Great! If you mix it like I recommend with the rice milk, bananas, apples, your other favorite fruits, and the oil, you’re bound to find some fabulous combinations.

How it Feels

Fantastic! Especially when I’m really hungry in the morning, it’s fun to take the first sip, close my eyes, and monitor what’s going on deep inside. It’s almost like I can hear the actual cells of my body celebrating the excellence. They are throwing a party because the nutrition is so complete and so readily available. Sometimes, I can actually feel the energy cruising through my veins. To say you feel your tummy smiling is an understatement. It goes down easy and is very satisfying.

Pass It On

Through the years, we have introduced our suprfood smoothie to dozens of people, but this is the first time I’ve ever written it down.

Whenever we introduce it to someone new, the routine is always the same. Visiting guests will eye our mysterious mugs full of green smoothie with suspicion. The adventurous ones will agree to try a sip. They usually say something like, “That’s GOOD,” as if they expected it to taste like pond scum just because that’s what it looks like. Another sip and they usually ask for their own glass. Then, I’m off to the kitchen to make another blender full.

Once you get past the color, there is no looking back – you will likely enjoy it for years to come, just as we have . . . and your body will thank you for treating it to such exceptional nutrition. Bon apetit.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Did you get something good from this article? You can also enjoy the feeling of giving. Click here to leave a donation for Tupelo. Thank you.

Listen FREE to the song samples below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Miracle in Disguise Synchronicity is such a positive and hopeful idea, it begs the question, "Why not actively look for it and even expect it, as long as it feels good?" http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor11 Take the Plunge Their advice is "for your own good", but the last thing you need to hear is their worst-case scenario. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor11 Fill o’ the Fair This carnival of life is so rich and diverse, let’s squeeze every bit of happiness, joy, and delight as possible out of every single day. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor14 Celebrate Life Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2 Songs by Tupelo
Is Food Your Medicine or Poison? Food is not what it used to be. In the relatively recent past, food was universally recognized as the fruits and nuts that grow on trees, the vegetables that grow out of the soil, plus some fish and game. If you were to take a ride in a time machine and show our ancestors what we eat today, they would recognize very little of it. For the most part, it’s over-packaged, over-processed, over-rated and under-nourishing. Every day, we choose our future health and vitality by what we choose to put in our mouths. Three times a day we have the opportunity to act upon our resolve to experience optimum health and vitality . . . at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bon appetit. Finally the Truth About Diet - The China Study Review Finally, here’s an authoritative diet and nutrition book based on hard science and exhaustive research. This revealing book is written by one of the world’s most respected authorities in the field of nutrition. In his own words, he has been “in the system for almost fifty years, at the very highest levels, designing and directing large research projects, deciding which research gets funded and translating massive amounts of scientific data into national expert panel reports.” There is so much useful information in this book, I consider it one of the most important books I have ever read and give it my highest recommendation. Change your diet and change the quality of your life. Take Time for You Don’t put yourself at the end of the list. You deserve to be first, at least some of the time. Don’t let your entire life slip by with everything else (and everyone else) getting preferential treatment over your most important priorities. Their needs are important, but yours are important too. Celebrate life by taking time for YOU! Articles by Tupelo
Why wait for inspiration to strike? Be proactive, and go get it. Better yet, this newsletter brings it to you. "Inspired on Purpose" newsletter by Tupelo Kenyon contains articles, reviews and resources to supercharge your personal development, inspiration, productivity, abundance and joy. FREE e-book Instant download - when you subscribe. Personal Development Supercharger 101 Tips and Techniques by Tupelo Kenyon It’s FREE. Subscribe now. Enter name and email address below: Name: Email:
Privacy policy: Your email address is secure. I will not sell, rent or trade your information to anyone for any reason. Period. - Tupelo Kenyon

Do your intentions fall short? Do your new year’s resolutions fizzle out year after year?

Do your plans for weight loss and fitness crash and burn in a pile of potato chip crumbs?

Why is it so difficult to follow through and accomplish what you set out to do? Usually, there is one important missing ingredient: personal discipline.

For most of us, the idea of discipline is an external force – it’s something that comes from the outside. For instance, we discipline our children. Most of us are familiar with discipline as a verb (something we do to someone else), but we’re not so familiar with the concept as a noun (something we cultivate from within and apply to ourselves).

“Nothing of importance is ever achieved without discipline. I feel myself sometimes not wholly in sympathy with some modern educational theorists, because I think that they underestimate the part that discipline plays. But the discipline you have in your life should be one determined by your own desires and your own needs, not put upon you by society or authority.” - Bertrand Russel (1872-1970)

Personal discipline is not a common attribute these days, especially in the west. For many, any remnants of personal discipline have been smothered by arrogance, a false sense of invincibility, and the attitude of entitlement. This short-sighted, bloated approach is the expectation that all things should come to you from the outside. Personal discipline is a balanced approach that recognizes that all things come from deep inside. Discipline works from the inside out.

What is Discipline?

Although rare, it’s not a complicated idea. Here’s a simplified look at the concept of personal discipline:

Discipline is a decision made for yourself, based upon the best information available at the time. The information is compelling enough so you recognize that a change in your behavior will enhance the quality of your life. The facts and the prospect of a better life are sufficient to inspire you to make a promise to yourself. Then, personal discipline is simply your moment-to-moment choices that allow you to keep your promise to yourself.

“Your mental attitude is something you can control outright and you must use self-discipline until you create a Positive Mental Attitude — your mental attitude attracts to you everything that makes you what you are.” - Napolean Hill

Weight Loss and Fitness

Here’s an example almost everyone can relate to: Most all of us have fantasized about being slimmer, more fit and healthier. For many, that’s as far as it goes. (But it’s a good start because fantasy is where all fantastic stuff comes from.) Most of us really don’t have the facts or the know-how to follow up on such a vague mental image as “being slimmer, more fit and healthier.” The reason these things rarely materialize for most of us that we are missing one or more key ingredient of personal discipline. Let’s take it step by step.

1. Get the facts. Motivate yourself by saturating yourself with pertinent information. This step provides you with compelling reasons WHY. As an example, thirty years ago when I quit smoking, I went to the library and spent a few hours with medical journals looking at pictures of terminal patients with lung cancer. I left there with very graphic, very compelling reasons WHY to quit smoking. I was motivated. I didn’t wait for those reasons to come to me. I knew how powerful they would be, so I went out and found them. This is the proactive approach to jump-starting motivation and personal discipline. (Back to the example of weight loss and fitness, see previous article, “Finally the Truth About Diet and Nutrition – The China Study Review.” This book will help provide you with compelling reasons WHY.)

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” - Jim Rohn

2. Once you know why, it’s easier to make a good decision. In this example, the decision is to lose weight and be more fit. The reason why is because it will enhance the quality of your life. Spell it out to yourself in specifics, like this:

Being trim and fit will give me more energy. It will make me healthier, and my immune system will be stronger, so I am not susceptible to diseases. The quality of my life will be enhanced, as well as the quantity. Fact: healthy, fit people live longer than unhealthy fat ones. If these reasons are not compelling enough to inspire you, dig a little deeper. Try these:

I choose to be thinner so I look and feel sexier. If you are male, an improved diet can help with virility (or lack thereof) and put the problem of erectile dysfunction to bed without drugs. Get the facts – not the pharmaceutical industry’s propaganda, but study the hard science until you get a clear understanding of how nutrition affects bodily functions. (Again, refer to the previous article, “Finally the Truth About Diet – The China Study Review.” Read the review, and then read the book.)

Whatever motivates you, learn as much as you can to provide yourself with compelling reasons to follow through on your resolve.

If this still isn’t enough, maybe you have some personal image issues that are getting in the way of getting fit, just for yourself. If you can’t seem to do it for yourself, do it for those who love you. These are the same people who will be taking care of you if you don’t do it. Can you do it for them? Does that motivate you?

For example, the protein casein found in dairy foods has been scientifically linked to prostate cancer, as well as other cancers and other nasty diseases. Especially if you have a history or genetic links to any of these conditions, can you motivate yourself to quit putting that stuff in your mouth, for the sake of friends and family? Can you do it for your spouse?

If you get the facts and understand that something is literally killing you prematurely and that ignoring it can make your spouse an early widow or widower, can you squeeze a little personal motivation from that?

If you can’t motivate yourself for you, try this: Do it for those who love you. Your lack of discipline could result in you early demise . . . how long do you want to make them miss you?

3. With these first two steps in place, now you can make a promise to yourself. The objective is to saturate yourself with enough facts and resulting motivation so that you can keep your promise to yourself.

It Gets Easier

Before we actually get around to taking action, our imaginations run wild with terrifying scenarios about how difficult it will be to give up things in our diet. Instead, play the substitution game. Don’t allow yourself to feel deprived. This is all about enhancing your life – not about deprivation. Look for healthy and exciting alternatives. Broaden your horizons to include new things in your diet that you may have never tried otherwise.

Rejoice in the diversity. Feel gratitude for the information that allows you to enhance the quality of your life. And enjoy your new-found dedication to personal discipline and the enhanced self-image and vitality that comes with it. It’s worth the effort.

If you feel yourself beginning to slip by dwelling on a fleeting desire for something you know is not in alignment with the promise you made to yourself, stop. Give it a moment. See that it’s just a mental habit or possibly a physical addiction. It’s not supporting your new image of yourself.

Trust Your Feelings

If you give in to it, how will that make you feel? Is that how you want to feel? Your feelings will give you fool-proof feedback about whether or not any urge is in alignment with your deepest desires. (See previous article, “How Do You Feel – About Inner Guidance.”)

Does your target mental image look fit, slim and energetic? Any craving that flits across your mind that is not in alignment with your target mental image will pass, if you will just give it a little time. Train yourself to wait. When you get a craving, don’t act upon it immediately. Give yourself the benefit of the buffer of time. Every time you demonstrate the upper hand on cravings, it becomes easier the next time.

If you took the time to do step 2 thoroughly, your desire for fitness will be stronger than any fleeting urge to put something undesirable in your mouth. Just because it may be tasty or because you are used to it will no longer be good enough.

Ladies, is a moment on your lips worth a lifetime on your hips? Gentlemen, is a moment in your mutt worth a lifetime on your gut?

You’ve got to want your target more than you want any momentary indulgence. You do that by dwelling on step 2 – why.

If all the usual reasons are not compelling enough to inspire you to take action in sync with your desired objective, play your trump card: If you’re having trouble doing it for yourself, can you do it for those who love you? They will be the ones taking care of you if you break your promise to yourself. They will be your survivors. Can you follow the tips in this article and brush up on your self-discipline skills for their sake?

They’re counting on you. Now, count on yourself!

“In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves…self-discipline with all of them came first.” - Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)

The example in this article is primarily weight loss and fitness, but these three steps of discipline can be applied to all areas of your life. You can cultivate personal discipline to:

• Stop talking too much and listen more.
• Quit lashing out at your kids or spouse.
• Be kind and courteous – even to jerks.
• Be cheerful.
• Turn off the news and allow yourself to gravitate to a better attitude.
• Quit being judgmental.
• Take 3 deep breaths before you respond to a potentially volatile situation.

“Without discipline, there’s no life at all.” - Katharine Houghton Hepburn (b. 1909)

Self Discipline in 3 Steps Review:

1. Saturate yourself with the facts – lots of facts.
2. Make the decision of what you want – spell it out clearly in great detail.
3. Make a promise to yourself, and keep it.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

Did you get something good from this article? You can also enjoy the feeling of giving. Click here to leave a donation for Tupelo. Thank you.

Listen FREE to the song samples below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

	Trash Our Treasures People seem to have a history of awarding seemingly insignificant details with places of prominence in our lives, while ignoring or even destroying the most important aspects. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor2 Time of Our Lives Time is so fleeting, so elusive, it’s good to remember the importance and power of living right now. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor7 Take the Plunge Their advice is "for your own good", but the last thing you need to hear is their worst-case scenario. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHere.html#Anchor11 Celebrate Life Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2 Bubba on the Barbie This is a tongue-in-cheek look at the popular American tradition of the backyard barbeque. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHTu.html#Anchor11 Clean Plate Yodel A vivid childhood memory of the first time I saw people singing and playing music and making people laugh from the stage. At the time, I didn’t know any better and thought, "Hey, that looks like a good job. I wanna do that when I grow up." Well, I never did grow up, just older, and I still don’t know any better. And yes, it is a great job! http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHTu.html#Anchor7 Fill o’ the Fair This carnival of life is so rich and diverse, let’s squeeze every bit of happiness, joy, and delight as possible out of every single day. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor14 Songs by Tupelo
Finally the Truth About Diet - The China Study Review Finally, here’s an authoritative diet and nutrition book based on hard science and exhaustive research. This revealing book is written by one of the world’s most respected authorities in the field of nutrition. In his own words, he has been “in the system for almost fifty years, at the very highest levels, designing and directing large research projects, deciding which research gets funded and translating massive amounts of scientific data into national expert panel reports.” There is so much useful information in this book, I consider it one of the most important books I have ever read and give it my highest recommendation. Change your diet and change the quality of your life. Is Food Your Medicine or Poison? Food is not what it used to be. In the relatively recent past, food was universally recognized as the fruits and nuts that grow on trees, the vegetables that grow out of the soil, plus some fish and game. If you were to take a ride in a time machine and show our ancestors what we eat today, they would recognize very little of it. For the most part, it’s over-packaged, over-processed, over-rated and under-nourishing. Every day, we choose our future health and vitality by what we choose to put in our mouths. Three times a day we have the opportunity to act upon our resolve to experience optimum health and vitality . . . at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bon appetit. How Do You Feel - About Inner Guidance? Is it a hunch? Is it a voice in your head? Is it something you feel? Don’t confuse what you feel with who you are. Once you are able to access this awareness of pure being and identify yourself with it, you won’t get carried away by whatever emotional cloud happens to be passing by. Celebrate life through one of the more subtle forms of communication available to us - inner guidance. Enhance Your Self-Image on Purpose Here are twelve common sense reminders on how to inspire yourself. The word “inspire” derives from root words that mean “in spirit” or “spirit within.” Although there’s always another step to take, these points are a natural result of recognizing and identifying with this realization of who we really are. Persistence and Perseverance for Winners - Losers Just Quit Giving up is easy. Most people make a habit of giving up. In fact, they make a life of it Persistence through a solution-oriented attitude is for visionaries, dreamers and other winners who refuse to take “no” for a final answer. Integrity Through Self-Reliance When you live your life as if the whisperings from your soul really matter, you are living life in your own way, on your own terms, based on your own realizations on what is right . . . what is good . . . and what is true for you. You are tuned into your own station. The signal you are receiving and the message you are broadcasting with the story of your life are both on the same frequency. You are joyfully and gratefully choosing your favorites from the buffet of life. How to Keep Your Word This article is a poignant reminder of the power of your word. Celebrate life by honoring your word . . . and therefore the people with whom you interact. Being Present through Sensuality The idea is to occasionally turn off the senses in order to better tune into the aliveness that lies beyond them. The realization that there is something beyond the world of the five senses can provide an “aha” experience, especially at first. With the senses turned off (or even turned down), there remains a vibrant sense of aliveness - the world of feeling and the realm of being. The Trouble with TV Does TV enhance our life experience or get in the way of living our lives? Celebrate life with this refreshing perspective on the boob tube. Articles by Tupelo
	Why wait for inspiration to strike? Be proactive, and go get it. Better yet, this newsletter brings it to you. "Inspired on Purpose" newsletter by Tupelo Kenyon contains articles, reviews and resources to supercharge your personal development, inspiration, productivity, abundance and joy. FREE e-book Instant download - when you subscribe. Personal Development Supercharger 101 Tips and Techniques by Tupelo Kenyon It’s FREE. Subscribe now. Enter name and email address below: Name: Email:
	Privacy policy: Your email address is secure. I will not sell, rent or trade your information to anyone for any reason. Period. - Tupelo Kenyon

It’s no wonder so many people are confused about diet and nutrition. There are books that support just about any opinion anyone might have about this important subject. Many are based on conjecture, marketing hype, wishful thinking, or hidden agendas.

Finally, here’s an authoritative diet and nutrition book based on hard science and exhaustive research. The author has authored hundreds of scientific papers, sat on numerous government expert panels, and helped shape national and international diet and health organizations. As a prominent research scientist, his numerous experiments are repeatable, peer-reviewed and conclusive.

This revealing book is written by one of the world’s most respected authorities in the field of nutrition. In his own words, he has been “in the system for almost fifty years, at the very highest levels, designing and directing large research projects, deciding which research gets funded and translating massive amounts of scientific data into national expert panel reports.”

My Highest Recommendation

There is so much useful information in this book, I consider it one of the most important books I have ever read.

Through the years, I have read many books on diet and nutrition, but this is, by far, the best. It is truly one-of-a-kind, simply because of the scientific nature of the information presented and the unique life experiences of the author. Never before has anyone had such a clear view of the facts of the relation of diet to disease, and never before has anyone written with such authority and candor about how the game of food is played these days.

The End of Dietary Confusion

The science of nutrition is relatively new, and there has been conflicting information for many years. The author invested his lifetime getting to the bottom of the hard questions of how diet is related to health and disease. His dedication to truth allowed the scientific method to settle the debate once and for all.

“The science is clear. The results are unmistakable. Change your diet and dramatically reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.” – from the back cover of “The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health” by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M Campbell II.

“The China Study” is quite simply the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted. It presents a clear and concise message of hope as it dispels a multitude of health myths and misinformation. It details how and why we are inundated with so many exaggerations and outright lies in the field of diet, health and health care.

Many of us have suspected for years that the food industry, government regulatory agencies, and health care industry doesn’t have our best interests at heart. This enlightening book shines a glimmer of hope as it discloses the straight scoop on what really goes on behind the scenes.

The author pulls no punches but does a fine job of reporting on the facts without sensationalizing the story. He strikes me as a man of integrity who has been able to walk that fine line of working within a system of questionable integrity while serving the public’s interest with his involvement at the very highest levels of scientific research and government policy-making.

The science and the research conclusions have been accumulating through the years, but the average person rarely gets the real information because it has been “buried beneath a clutter of irrelevant or even harmful information – junk science, fad diets and food industry propaganda.”

This landmark book not only discloses the real information but also reveals why and how misinformation dominates our society. As you have probably already noticed, it’s all based on the Golden Rule – he who has the most gold makes the rules.

The Author’s Early Career

Dr. Campbell got his PhD at Cornell and spent some his early career at MIT where he helped discover dioxin, arguably the most toxic chemical ever found. (It’s an ingredient of Agent Orange – a defoliant used in the Viet Nam war.) In early experiments, he showed that nutrition consistently trumped chemical carcinogens. Lab animals that were given mega doses of this nasty carcinogen recovered when given good nutrition. The results were unmistakable.

One group of test animals was given aflatoxin, another carcinogen, and a diet of 20% protein, similar to the Western diet. Another group was given a diet of 5% protein. Every animal with the 20% protein diet had evidence of liver cancer and every single animal with the 5% protein diet avoided cancer. The score was 100 to 0. It doesn’t get any more conclusive than that.

Further experimentation proved that the cancer producing effects of these nasty carcinogens could be rendered insignificant by a low-protein diet.

“In fact, dietary protein proved to be so powerful in its effect that we could turn on and off cancer growth simply by changing the level consumed . . . Not all proteins had this effect. Casien, which makes up 87% of cow’s milk protein, promoted all stages of the cancer process . . . The safe proteins were from plants.” – Dr. Colin Campbell in “The China Study“

This early discovery launched Dr. Campbell into a lifetime career of scientific research of how nutrition relates to disease. What he discovered was a big surprise, even to him. (He was born on a dairy farm, believing his family was one of the privileged few enjoying the best diet known in the world. Milk was central to his early life, and like most of us, he was taught that dairy foods made strong bones and teeth.) Later research proved that this was absolutely wrong!

Why is the Book Called “The China Study?”

I mentioned that Dr. Campbell is one of the planet’s most preeminent experts in his field. He was the director of the most comprehensive study of diet, lifestyle and disease ever done with humans in the history of biomedical research. This huge, unprecedented project was a joint venture between Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. This exhaustive study produced “more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between various dietary factors and disease!”

The scope of this study was enormous. Sixty-five counties in twenty-four of the twenty-seven provinces were included. 367 variables were studied, including such things as mortality rates on 48 different kinds of diseases, 109 indicators in blood, 36 food constituents, 60 diet and lifestyle factors, and 17 geographic and climatic factors.

Dr. Campbell estimates that the Chinese contribution to the project was 5 to 6 million dollars. The U.S. contribution was 2.9 million over a period of 10 years. If a similar study was done in the U.S., it would cost at least ten times as much.

Why China?

Besides the cost, there is a more important reason such a study was done in China. Their diet is vastly different than the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.). Only by comparing such a dramatically different diet to the typical Western fare was Dr. Campbell’s team able to learn such important information. For instance, almost everyone’s diet in America is unhealthy, so it’s difficult to come to intelligent conclusions when there are so few people in the U.S. eating healthy diets for comparison.

“In America, 15-17% of our total calories is provided by protein, and upwards of 80% of this amount is animal-based. In other words, we gorge on protein and get most of it from meat and dairy products. But in rural China, they consume less protein overall (9-10% of their total calories), and only 10% of it comes from animal-based foods.” – Dr. Colin Campbell in “The China Study“

It was interesting to learn that the Chinese people in the study eat about 33% MORE calories than people in the U.S., much less fat, and almost three times as much fiber. The diseases of affluence so common in the West are virtually non-existent in rural China.

After painstakingly analyzing the more than 8,000 significant associations between various dietary factors and disease, the results were conclusive:

“. . . people who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic diseases. Even relatively small intakes of animal-based foods were associated with adverse affects. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest and tended to avoid chronic disease . . .

“The findings also show that heart disease, diabetes and obesity can be reversed by a healthy diet. Other research shows that various cancers, autoimmune diseases, bone health, kidney health, vision and brain disorders in old age (like cognitive dysfunction and Alzheimer’s) are convincingly influenced by diet.

“Most importantly, the diet that has time and again been shown to reverse and/or prevent these diseases is the same whole foods, plant-based diet that I have found to promote optimal health in my laboratory research and in the China Study . . .

“The scientific basis for my views is largely empirical, obtained through observation and measurement. It is not illusionary, hypothetical, or anecdotal; it is from legitimate research findings.” - Dr. Colin Campbell in “The China Study“

Heads in the Sand

There are people who don’t want to admit the truth, no matter how scientifically documented it is. Some people’s income depends upon misinformation. In fact, entire industries are based on our reluctance to act upon what we know to be true. (The tobacco industry, for example, as well as most of the modern food industry.)

The major food conglomerates know that people in the West are easily duped by multi-million dollar advertising campaigns. They are banking on the fact that we are slow to change our eating habits, even when presented with conclusive evidence that our current diet is killing us prematurely and afflicting us with all kinds of nasty diseases.

Still, we feel it is our right, our privilege, and our reward for a successful life to eat whatever we want, whenever we want it. If there is anything worse than ignorance, it is arrogant ignorance. We have been able to excuse our responsibility for our own health by hiding behind our ignorance for quite awhile. Not anymore.

The facts are in. Our Basic American Diet is not only B.A.D., but deadly. The question remains, “How arrogant will we be about remaining stuck in our old ways, even though now, we know better?”

That’s one of the wonderful aspects of freedom – we are free even to ignore the facts, make ourselves sick and kill ourselves prematurely. We are free to have bacon and eggs for breakfast, a McLunch, and beef for dinner while trying to compensate by taking anti-cholesterol medications. In fact, the entire health-care industry, the pharmaceutical conglomerates, and most of the food industry is counting on our arrogance to continue the huge profits made possible by our ignorance and willingness to swallow whatever hogwash their propaganda departments cook up.

The Distasteful Truth

Part four of “The China Study” goes behind the scenes to finally reveal how it all works at the highest levels of science, industry, government and big medicine. This information was eye-opening and enlightening, even though it was disturbing. This book provides a good way to take a peak in the dark corners and learn how all this really works.

Dr. Campbell has been involved at the highest levels throughout his lifetime, striving to remain dedicated to the truth as revealed by science. I am so grateful and impressed at his dedication to make the truth known, even though he’s spent a lifetime surrounded by powerful people whose personal fortunes depend on the status quo. He recognizes that average people like you and I have been bamboozled by these giant profit-making machines our entire lifetime, and he took it upon himself to tell it like it is. Throughout the book, I was repeatedly impressed with his integrity and candor.

“As far as I know, they do not pay scientists to ‘cook the data.’ They do not bribe elected officials or make sorid underhanded deals.

“The situation is much worse.

“The entire system – government, science, medicine, industry and media – promotes profits over health, technology over food, and confusion over clarity . . . My experiences within the scientific community illustrate how the entire system generates confusing information and why you haven’t heard the message of this book before.” – Dr. Campbell in “The China Study“

This refreshing book is like having your own translator. Dr. Campbell analyzes various research projects and brings to light where and how someone with their hidden agenda was able to put their own spin on the results. He has many helpful insights about some of the giants of the food industry, including The National Dairy Council, American Meat Institute, The United Egg Producers and many others. You will learn how these behemoths wield significant influence as they throw around their yearly budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars. You will learn how this money is spent to make sure you believe their product – whatever it is – is “good for you.” In the process, it will dawn on you how their unique spin on the “science” of nutrition becomes the “business” of marketing.

Q: What Builds Strong Teeth and Bones?
A: Cow Milk or Bull Shit?

One of the more appalling examples of abuse involves the dairy industry and America’s school lunch program. Imagine the audacity of subjecting innocent children to inaccurate information with no regard to their health, all in the name of creating lifelong customers.

“The dairy industry has enlisted the public education system as the primary vehicle for increasing demand for its products . . . America is entrusting the important task of educating our children about nutrition and health to the dairy industry . . . Based on the information in previous chapters, you know that if this is what our children are learning about nutrition and health then we are in for a painful journey, courtesy of Dairy Management, Inc. Obviously neither kids or their parents are learning about how milk has been linked to Type I diabetes, prostate cancer, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis or other autoimmune diseases, and how casein, the main protein in dairy foods, has been shown to experimentally promote cancer and increase blood cholesterol and atherosclerotic plaque . . . The dairy industry truly is teaching its version of nutrition to the next generations of Americans. The industry has been doing this for decades, and it has been successful. I have encountered many people who, when they hear about the potential adverse effects of dairy foods, immediately say, ‘Milk can’t be bad.’ Usually these people don’t have any evidence to support their position; they just have a feeling that milk is good. They’ve always known it to be that way. You can trace some of their opinions back to their school days, when they learned there are seven continents, two plus two equals four, and milk is healthy. If you think about it this way, you will understand why the dairy industry has had such exceptional influence in this country by using education for its marketing purposes.” – Dr. Colin Campbell in “The China Study“

Maybe we should form a grassroots movement to modify and clarify their famous advertising campaign. Maybe instead of showing beautiful and famous people wearing a white milk mustache, we should offer a peek at what’s going on inside the body of milk drinkers. Instead of “Got Milk?” . . . how about something like this:

Got Phlegm?
Got Mucus?
Got Allergies?
Got Fat?
Got Casein Overload?
Got Cancer?
Got Duped?
Got Drowned in a Sea of Udder Seepage from the Mammary Glands of Barnyard Bovines?
Got Slow and Stupid Like Baby Cows from Drinking Food Nature Intended for Them -Not Humans?
Got a Problem with That?

Alternative: We’ve been drinking Rice Dream for years. It’s a tasty substitute for the stuff that comes out of cows, and it’s made from a plant – brown rice. Hint: try the vanilla flavor. It’s great in cereal, smoothies and just for drinking. “Original” is good for cooking and whenever the vanilla flavor might conflict with the other tastes. For instance, we use original Rice Dream when making Indian mango lassis. Yum.

The Government’s Take on Food

Do you remember hearing Lincoln’s famous words about government of the people, by the people and for the people? There’s a chapter in “The China Study” making it clear that a century and a half after the Gettysburg address, that same government appears to be of the industry, by industry and for industry. Lots of details shake any confidence you may have once had that government is interested in taking care of the individual. What makes it really scary is this kind of government is business as usual. It’s just the way it’s done.

Big Medicine

It’s not earth-shattering news that the mainline healthcare system has nothing to do with curing anyone of anything. Instead, they are famous for treating symptoms with profitable drugs and expensive procedures. That’s how the medical doctors are trained, so that’s what they do.

They work long and hard going to school and their carrot for all their effort, their upscale lifestyle, is based on the expectation of a lifetime of treating lots of sick people. Curing one of them would cut into their income because they would have one less to treat.

Nutritional Ignorance

Medical doctors know nothing about nutrition – it is not taught in med school – except in the first year as part of other basic science courses.

“It gets even worse! When nutrition education is provided in relation to public health problems, guess who is providing the ‘educational’ material? The Dannon Institute, Egg Nutrition Board, National Cattleman’s Beef Association, National Dairy Council, Nestle Clinical Nutrition, Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Baxer Healthcare Corporation and others have all joined forces to produce a Nutrition in Medicine program and the Medical Nutrition Curriculum Initiative. Do you think that this all-star team of animal foods and drug industries representatives is going to objectively judge and promote optimal nutrition, which science has shown to be a whole foods, plant-based diet that minimizes the need for drugs? Or might they try to protect the meat-centered, Western diet where everyone expects to pop a pill for every sickness? . . .

“So why doesn’t the medical system take nutrition seriously? Four words: money, ego, power and control.” – Dr. Colin Campbell in “The China Study“

Many personal experiences are detailed from Dr. Campbell’s illustrious career, bringing light to just how in-the-dark-ages the medical community is when it comes to healthy diet and nutrition. Nurses know more about nutrition than doctors do, and very few have any interest in it at all. In fact, some view it as a threat and actively discourage any mention of diet because it cuts into their business as usual. Experiences are related where hospital administrators black ball nutritional awareness programs, apparently because of the conflict of interest of where the hospitals make their money – complicated procedures and expensive surgeries, for instance.

To Stay Healthy, Stay Away from the AMA for as Long as Possible

When we recognize the truth about this situation, it helps drive home the point that each one of us is personally responsible for our health. The medical doctors come in handy if a broken bone needs to be set, but don’t expect them to know how to advise you on proper nutrition and lifestyle choices to maintain optimal health. They don’t go to college for eight or ten years studying health – they study disease.

They don’t treat (or profit from) health. They treat (and profit from) the symptoms of disease.

Once that’s understood, you can get on with creating a healthy life with the minimum amount of attention required from the medical establishment.

This is Not a New Idea

The idea of nutrition’s relationship to health goes back a long way. But these days, the truth is well-hidden and confused with conflicting information by those in the business of profiting from our ignorance.

About 2500 years ago, Plato wrote a dialog between two characters, Socrates and Glaucon. Socrates says the people should subsist on simple foods like barley, wheat, olives, onions, cabbage, figs, beans, peas, nuts and berries . . . “And thus, passing their days in tranquility and sound health, they will, in all probability, live to an advanced age.”

Glaucon argues that this is a diet for swine and that the people should instead live in a civilized manner, reclining on couches eating “the usual dishes and dessert of a modern dinner.” He is referring to a luxurious diet of meat and sweets.

Socrates replies, “if you wish us also to contemplate a city that is suffering from inflation . . . we shall also need great quantities of all kinds of cattle for those who may wish to eat them, shall we not?”

Glaucon agrees. Socrates continues, “Then shall we not experience the need of medical men also to a much greater extent under this than the former regime?” Glaucon agrees again.

Socrates observes that this will require more land for raising the cattle. The demand for so much land will produce violence as people attempt to take the land of another. This situation will require a system of justice to arbitrate the disputes. Socrates explains, “When dissoluteness and diseases abound in a city, are not law courts and surgeries opened in abundance, and do not lawyers and physicians hold their heads high, when numbers of even well-born persons devote themselves with eagerness to these professions?” He is saying in such a “luxurious” city of sickness, disease, and crime, doctors and lawyers in great numbers will become necessary and common.

Plato’s dialog does a good job of painting a picture of what a city might look like when the citizens base their diet on animals and sweets. Isn’t it amazing that one of the greatest intellectual thinkers and communicators of all time anticipated the perils of rampant meat-eating and poor nutritional choices 2500 years ago?

“How did Plato predict the future so accurately? He knew that consuming animal foods would not lead to true health and prosperity. Instead, the false sense of rich luxury granted by being able to eat animals would only lead to a culture of sickness, disease, land disputes, lawyers and doctors. This is a pretty good description of some of the challenges faced by modern America! . . .

“How did we get to a place where the companies that profit from our sickness are the ones telling us how to be healthy; where the companies that profit from our food choices are the ones telling us what to eat; where the public’s hard-earned money is being spent by the government to boost the drug industry’s profits; and where there is more distrust than trust of our government’s policies on food, drugs and health? How did we get to a place where Americans are so confused about what is healthy that they no longer care?” - Dr. Colin Capmbell in “The China Study“

Truth is Good

All of this could be discouraging when you realize how corrupt and money-driven our food chain has become. However, I choose to be encouraged and inspired.

I am grateful for the freedom of the press so the truth can be told. Anytime the truth is revealed, there is hope. Before the truth is known, hope is often absent.

Ye Shall Know the Truth, and the Truth Shall Set You Free

Before knowing the truth, we were blind victims of the system. We were simply faceless drones, running through the maze like helpless rats, conditioned by the system to be lifetime consumers adding to the bottom line of several unfathomable mega-corporations. Now that the facts are in and the information is available, we can make informed choices, intelligently and deliberately.

We can choose a lifetime of health and vitality thanks to the dedication to science, truth and integrity evidenced by the author and his life-changing book, “The China Study.”

Pass It On

If you are even remotely interested in your own health and well-being, read this book. When you do, I’d be willing to bet that, like me, you’ll want everyone you care about to read it too. I decided to write this review because I think it is very important information. Also, it’s important to me to do whatever is within my power to live a life of optimum health and independence from the medical establishment.

I care about the truth and am thrilled to find it expressed so clearly and completely. I care about spreading the good news revealed in “The China Study” to everyone I care about. If these things are important to you too, feel free to pass along this article to the people you care about.

There’s an easy way to spread the word at the bottom of this article. Look for the link that says, “Email this article to a friend.” Hopefully, it will help inspire them to read the book too.

For the price of one meal in a restaurant ($16.95 U.S. retail), you can buy this moving book and benefit for the rest of your life – and it can be a longer life as well as a healthier life. This book gives us back our personal power by reminding us that we have the choice to create the quality of life we desire. We make that important choice every time we look down our noses at what’s at the end of our fork.

Here’s the Amazon link to the book:

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Way of the World Life is so huge . . . so diverse . . . the possibilities are literally infinite. What’s the best way to sort it all out and carve out a little niche of our own? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor1 Celebrate Life Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2 Just One Step Just begin. If you will just get underway, the project itself gains momentum and carries you along to its completion. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12 Fill o’ the Fair This carnival of life is so rich and diverse, let’s squeeze every bit of happiness, joy, and delight as possible out of every single day. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor14 Clean Plate Yodel A vivid childhood memory of the first time I saw people singing and playing music and making people laugh from the stage. At the time, I didn’t know any better and thought, "Hey, that looks like a good job. I wanna do that when I grow up." Well, I never did grow up, just older, and I still don’t know any better. And yes, it is a great job! http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHTu.html#Anchor7 Bubba on the Barbie This is a tongue-in-cheek look at the popular American tradition of the backyard barbeque. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHTu.html#Anchor11 Songs by Tupelo
Is Food Your Medicine or Poison? Food is not what it used to be. In the relatively recent past, food was universally recognized as the fruits and nuts that grow on trees, the vegetables that grow out of the soil, plus some fish and game. If you were to take a ride in a time machine and show our ancestors what we eat today, they would recognize very little of it. For the most part, it’s over-packaged, over-processed, over-rated and under-nourishing. Every day, we choose our future health and vitality by what we choose to put in our mouths. Three times a day we have the opportunity to act upon our resolve to experience optimum health and vitality . . . at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bon appetit. (Enjoy soothing instrumental music as you read plus song selections with lyrics related to each article - all free.) The Trouble with TV Does TV enhance our life experience or get in the way of living our lives? Celebrate life with this refreshing perspective on the boob tube. Reverence of Life Through Nature An interesting chance meeting on the beach in Mexico with a shaman put into motion a stream of events that could never have been foreseen. This article explores the seeds of creativity, as well as the celebration of all life through nature. 5 Tibetan Rites - Easy Yoga for Busy People Everywhere you look, people seem to be too busy . . . too busy to take care of themselves and exercise. Here’s a quick solution that you won’t have to force yourself to do. In only 10 or 15 minutes per day, you can stretch your whole body (all muscle groups) and even help rev up your charkas (if you subscribe to that sort of thing). It’s fun, it makes you feel good and you can see the results. Articles by Tupelo
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Food is not what it used to be. In the relatively recent past, food was universally recognized as the fruits and nuts that grow on trees, the vegetables that grow out of the soil, plus some fish and game.

If you were to take a ride in a time machine and show our ancestors what we eat today, they would recognize very little of it. For the most part, it’s over-packaged, over-processed, over-rated and under-nourishing.

Do You Eat to Live or Live to Eat?

With the constant media bombardment of ads for modern “food,” it’s easy to forget the original purpose of food is to nourish our bodies and provide fuel so we can move around. Instead of basic sustenance, the “food” we see on TV is presented as a reward because we deserve it, or as an easy solution because we are too busy to cook. It’s trendy, fun, fast or convenient. . . or anything but nutritious.

Have you ever wondered why you never see TV ads for nutritious food? When was the last time you saw a commercial for an apple or spinach or brown rice?

It’s Not About Your Health

Don’t assume that anyone in the modern day food chain is looking out for your health or has your own best interests at heart. The “food” we see in the media packaged by Madison Avenue with its slick four-color graphics and indestructible shrink-wrapping has nothing to do with nutrition. It has nothing to do with sustenance and nothing to do with providing you with the fuel you need to live a healthy life.

Instead, it’s all about profit. It’s about ease of shipping, maximum shelf-life, minimum risk of spoilage, and what looks best (whether it is or not). Mostly, it’s about money.

It’s not about the money earned by the farmers who make it all possible. Their contribution is minimized along with their profit as they get squeezed out by the giant corporations who control all aspects of bringing their “food” products to market.

Why it’s on TV

The things we see advertised most are the most profitable. That’s why the corporations can pay for the expensive ad agencies and prime-time rates on TV, radio and magazines. They have to make us want their manufactured goods, and brainwash us into believing their products are food. That takes a lot of ads over a period of decades, but their pockets are deep and they are patient.

Poorly nourished individuals get sick and die, but their children get accustomed to this kind of “food” so they will continue to add to the corporate bottom line as their own waistlines continue to expand. It’s important to remember that profit-driven, faceless corporations are driving the entire system from the seeds to our table. To trust their recommendations for our nutrition for today and our health for tomorrow is short-sided folly.

Do They Know Not What They Do?

It’s not necessary to point fingers and place blame and consider these “food” peddlers bad. Many of them are likely unaware of how harmful their garbage really is. Like us, they are caught up in the way of the world at this particular place and time of human evolution. Surely, a few know how destructive their “food” products are and proceed in spite of their shrinking conscience. For others, it’s all they know because they are caught up in the momentum of the system and never paused long enough to question any of it.

Once we start to question the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) that we have been spoon fed since birth, we begin to realize there are alternatives. Even if you are living somewhere else on the planet, your Basic Average Diet (B.A.D.) would be unrecognizable to your ancestors of just a few generations past.

Questions are good – they keep us from being easily shorn sheep and protect us from being the blind following the blind. Here are some good ones to help prime your pump:

• Do I eat to live . . . or live to eat? Why?

• What is high-fructose corn syrup and why is it in so many “foods?”

• Is it wise for me to personally consume 142 pounds of sugar every year (the national average in the U.S. in 2003, according to U.S. News and World Report) and 61 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup? Or do I do this because I am a pawn – a victim of misinformation and brilliant (albeit misplaced) marketing?

• Do I really need my food to be emulsified, coagulated, fortified, homogenized, hydrogenated, refined and colored with red dye number 2?

• Is it a coincidence that the U.S. has the worst diet, the best food industry propaganda, and the most diseases of any country in the world?

• Why do people who eat the most animal based “foods” get the most chronic diseases?

• Why are there more overweight Americas than fit Americans?

• Why do people in the U.S. spend one out of every seven dollars the economy produces on healthcare?

• Why are we so sick?

Three Reasons We Are So Sick

It’s a complex issue and a complicated history that led us to this point, but our alarmingly unhealthy bodies can be traced to three simple mistakes: breakfast, lunch and dinner. What have you been putting in your mouth?

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”. – Hippocrates (c. 460 B.C.) the Father of Medicine

The Composition of Our Bodies – Simplified

Let’s take an objective, purely physiological look at the problem. Our bodies are made of billions of cells. Our cells are created, live and die according to the quality of the nutrients they receive. We provide those nutrients by what we choose to put into our mouths. Garbage in – garbage out. It is physically impossible (miracles not withstanding) to eat a diet of garbage and grow a healthy, fit and trim body.

Has the barrage of media propaganda totally buried our common sense? It goes against the laws of nature to keep sucking up today’s modern, packaged, convenience “foods” and expect to enjoy an energetic life of health and vitality.

Quick Fixes Aren’t . . . and Don’t

We are an impetuous bunch. These days, we want it now. We don’t want to wait for anything. We demand instant gratification. This presents a problem when we approach our state of health and well-being with this quick-fix attitude.

We have been eating a certain way for a lifetime. Most of us adopted many of our parents’ preferences, as well as their incomplete knowledge and peculiar idiosyncrasies about nutrition. It’s not their fault. They learned it from their parents, who were a product of their own culture, just as we are.

Are you desperate for a quick fix? If so, beware, because you are a target for the snake-oil salesmen of the diet industry.

There is no magic pill that will undo the wrongs of a lifetime of bad nutrition. But you can enjoy noticeable results almost immediately by fueling your body with nutrition instead of well-marketed diet products. Those improvements from better nutrition will continue to pay dividends for the rest of your life.

“I’ve been on a diet for two weeks and all I’ve lost is two weeks.” - Totie Fields

Why Fad Diets Fail

How many people do you know who have pledged their new year’s resolution to some fad diet? How many of those people took off weight and managed to keep it off? Fad diets don’t work because they don’t educate people to the underlying problem of poor eating choices that consistently deliver poor nutrition. If you eliminate all the hype and the fluff and the marketing spin, it’s a simple equation . . .

We consume so many calories in a day. Our bodies burn some and store the rest. Are you storing too much? Exercise more or eat less.

Do you feel at ease about your body, or are you prone to dis-ease? Give your body better fuel. Feed it real food that provides real nutrition. Eat more veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, whole grains and plenty of good water. Eat less of everything else. Fresh, raw and organic is good. Refined, processed and packaged is not. Choose real food, provided by your mother earth . . . natural sustenance for these marvelous machines that we call home – our bodies.

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

What is Optimum Health?

Have you ever wondered what perfect health and optimum vitality would feel like? Statistically, especially in the West, we are so far away from that, we would likely be amazed that such a wondrous feeling is possible. Although it is our birthright, these days such an experience does not come automatically, and it does not come easily. Our polluted air and water, depleted soil, and non-nutritious junk-food diets are all working against us. Is it worth the effort?

Granted, it’s easier to ignore proper nutrition and just roll over on the sofa while drinking another soda pop “recommended” on TV. It’s easier to unwrap another snack cake while resigning yourself to another cheap thrill followed by another episode of sugar blues. But, just imagine what it might feel like to have your body firing on all cylinders, functioning at peak efficiency.

Would that make a difference in the quality of your life? Would you feel happier? Would you be more joyous if all your wiring quit misfiring?

What’s Considered Normal and Average Isn’t Good Enough

To me, a body functioning at peak efficiency is a worthy goal. Horrible diets are so pervasive these days, someone dedicated to a nutritious diet is considered an oddball. That’s how bad it is. It’s ironic, but the individual dedicated to personal health is considered weird while the junk-food junkies are considered “normal.” That does not bode well for the future of our race.

I Choose to Believe It’s Getting Better

It is encouraging to me that the tide is slowly turning. There are more and more healthy alternatives on the menus. Organic foods are more readily available and natural food stores are flourishing. It makes no sense to wait for everybody else before commiting to good nutrition. These decisions are made one person at a time when the information is absorbed.

All too often, such a commitment is made after some kind of health crisis. Hopefully, you will take action before anything like that happens to you. Hopefully, you will inspire yourself to make healthy changes because it makes sense and not as a last ditch effort to cure yourself of something horrible. It’s never too late, but it’s so much better to correct your diet before it has a chance to produce one of the many diseases of affluence for which the U.S. has become famous.

Here’s Hoping Pitiful Nutrition Was Just a Passing Fad

I recognize that it might take some time to undo the damage of a lifetime of living to eat, but I also recognize the wisdom of eating to live.

Knowledge is the key, and good information inspires us naturally to take action. When action is driven by a sincere desire to know the truth, the knowledge gained makes it easy to follow through.

There are finally some good books based on scientific method and hard science. Here’s a good place to start: “The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health” by T. Colin Campbell, PHD and Thomas M. Campell II. From the back cover:

“The China Study presents a clear and concise message of hope as it dispels as multitude of health myths and misinformation: if you want to be healthy, change your diet.”

Nobody But You Chooses What Goes in Your Mouth

The field of nutrition is so new, it’s still an art as well as a science. So, it can be fun. Fortunately, I relish variety, so I am eager to try new things. With a foundation of knowledge and understanding, we are no longer helpless victims of the marketing mavens of Madison Avenue when it comes to our food choices. We are no longer victims to fad diets, sloppy science funded by “food” corporations, and misinformation fed to us while promoting their flashy, packaged products.

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” - Thomas A. Edison (1847 - 1931)

We realize if we never see a commercial for something, it’s probably good for us. (Broccoli, mangos, quinoa, and walnuts for instance.) And, we realize we have the choice. Every day, we choose our future health and vitality by what we choose to put in our mouths. Three times a day we have the opportunity to act upon our resolve to experience optimum health and vitality . . . at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bon appetit.

While reading, did you choose to hear the relaxing instrumental music linked at the beginning of this article? To learn more about it, click here.

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Listen FREE to the song samples below . . . chosen to enhance the ideas in this article.

Way of the World Life is so huge . . . so diverse . . . the possibilities are literally infinite. What’s the best way to sort it all out and carve out a little niche of our own? http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescX.html#Anchor1 Celebrate Life Create your own personal celebration of life by your choices, rather than allowing life to be something that merely happens to you, or around you. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor2 Just One Step Just begin. If you will just get underway, the project itself gains momentum and carries you along to its completion. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor12 Fill o’ the Fair This carnival of life is so rich and diverse, let’s squeeze every bit of happiness, joy, and delight as possible out of every single day. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHB.html#Anchor14 Clean Plate Yodel A vivid childhood memory of the first time I saw people singing and playing music and making people laugh from the stage. At the time, I didn’t know any better and thought, "Hey, that looks like a good job. I wanna do that when I grow up." Well, I never did grow up, just older, and I still don’t know any better. And yes, it is a great job! http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHTu.html#Anchor7 Bubba on the Barbie This is a tongue-in-cheek look at the popular American tradition of the backyard barbeque. http://www.somemusicmatters.com/DescHTu.html#Anchor11 Songs by Tupelo
The Trouble with TV Does TV enhance our life experience or get in the way of living our lives? Celebrate life with this refreshing perspective on the boob tube. Reverence of Life Through Nature An interesting chance meeting on the beach in Mexico with a shaman put into motion a stream of events that could never have been foreseen. This article explores the seeds of creativity, as well as the celebration of all life through nature. 5 Tibetan Rites - Easy Yoga for Busy People Everywhere you look, people seem to be too busy . . . too busy to take care of themselves and exercise. Here’s a quick solution that you won’t have to force yourself to do. In only 10 or 15 minutes per day, you can stretch your whole body (all muscle groups) and even help rev up your charkas (if you subscribe to that sort of thing). It’s fun, it makes you feel good and you can see the results. Articles by Tupelo