The man in the mirror - honing in on your health
• BY MATTHEW STANLEY, GENERAL MANAGER ASTORIA COOP GROCERY
t is 2006 and I’m
driving to class. I
stop at a doughnut
shop and pick up
a cruller and a cup
of coffee. On my way
back from class, I pull
into a burger joint and
grab a cheeseburger,
fries and diet cola. Do
you think I was feeling
good by the end of the
MATTHEW STANLEY
day?
And that’s just it. Maybe I thought I did feel
good. But in reality, I think that a lot of us don’t
know what feeling good feels like. It was only
after I started to make changes in my diet and
lifestyle that I started to understand what it means
to feel healthy — to be energetic, well-rested,
positive and able to maintain healthy
relationships.
That last one, healthy relationships, always
reminds me of the Michael Jackson song that goes,
“I’m starting with the man in the mirror.” How can
we create positive daily experiences with our
family and community if we aren’t healthy and
strong ourselves? The song goes on, “If you want
to make the world a better place, take a look at
yourself and make a change.”
So where to start? The following is a list of steps
you can take to start to make improvements to your
health and well-being. I want to mention that is
always important to check with your doctor or a
licensed practitioner before beginning a new diet or
exercise program. But I’ve found these simple steps
can make a big difference in how I feel:
I
Read nutritional labels
It is very important to make a habit of this.
Look to avoid artificial flavors or preservatives,
hydrogenated oils and artificial sweeteners. All
of these things can be associated with not feeling
good, from headaches caused by aspartame to
high blood pressure from hydrogenated oils.
Keep an eye out for added sugars too. You are
looking for any type of “free sugars.” These are
sweeteners that are added to foods, and can
include honey, maple syrup, fruit juices, and juice
concentrates. The Scientific Advisory Committee
on Nutrition recommends that adults consume
less than 30 grams of free sugars per day (7
teaspoons). For kids, no more than 19 grams is
recommended.
Naturally occurring sugars, such as those
found in milk and fruit, are fine to eat plenty of,
as they contain plenty of nutrition, and in the case
of fruit, fiber, to go along with the sugars.
12 • GOOD HEALTH 2016
Eat organic
This is especially important for certain food
categories, including fruits and vegetables and
animal products. At the Co-op, I like to show
shoppers two lists of fruits and vegetables.
First, the Dirty Dozen. These fruits and
vegetable tend to have the most pesticides
sprayed on them and are best avoided.
The Clean Fifteen list contains items that are
typically grown without much need for pesticides
and herbicides. This list comes in handy when
you are shopping on a budget and cannot afford
to buy everything organic. Find the list here:
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean_fifteen_list.
Does eating organic make you feel better?
First, I want to mention that the conventional
apple can contain up to 40 different chemicals on
the fruit’s skin. Most of the chemicals are not
tested for safety in children. If our bodies are busy
processing all these synthetic chemicals, how can
we expect them to stay focused on optimizing our
energy levels and overall health?
Furthermore, a recent United Kingdom study
found that organic meat and milk products
contain 50 percent more beneficial omega-3 fatty
acids than their conventional counterparts. They
also showed that organic crops and crop-based
foods are up to 60 percent higher in a number of
key antioxidants. We’re all leading busy lifestyles
— we need all the help we can get from brain-
nourishing omegas and free-radical scavenging
antioxidants.
Exercise
Back in 2006, I had poor posture and chronic
back pain. I started doing some simple weight
training and resistance exercise. I made a goal to
be able to complete an unassisted pull-up. I built
a stronger core and quickly eliminated the back
pain. You’d be surprised at what as little as five
minutes of light exercise can do for your long-
term health.
You won’t end up with six-pack abs (I
certainly didn’t), but you can build bone density,
reduce risk of injury and stress, improve sleep and
boost energy levels. The best part is that just by
deciding to exercise you boost your happiness.
Overall, these simple changes can really make
a big difference and it is never too late to start.
Changing a habit for as little as a year can erase
decades of bad habits. Our bodies have an
amazing capacity to rejuvenate if we give them a
chance.
So take a look in the mirror and think about
some changes you could make. Your family,
friends, and community will thank you for it. And
practice your Michael Jackson moonwalk, too;
the exercise will be good for you!