Eat the Healthy Way Your Grandparents Did

If you want to be healthier, eat the way your grandparents did, with lots of home homegrown meats and vegetables. If you are not sure what this means, read on...

Meats

Your grandparents (or great-grandparents) raised their own meats or hunted it. They would freeze, can, dry, or salt it down with no preservatives except what nature provided. They also had to know how to use the meats that they didn’t cook fresh. For example, they soaked the salted meat in several changes of water to remove a lot of the salt. And the salt was fresh salt from the ground or ocean, not processed salt. I use a lot of kosher salt or sea salt instead of processed salt. Taste better too!

And speaking of meats, you need to learn to eat all types of meats, not just “red” meat. Plan your meals to include two or three servings of fish each week. Switch out beef with chicken and turkey, pork, or wild game. Seafood has omega-3 fatty acids - which are "good" fats that protect against cardiovascular disease.

Whole Grains

They made their own breads. Again they used whole flour, not flour that had all the goodness processed out of it. Many people ground their own whole grains to make their breads just before they used it... not months in advance to set on a shelf so the nutrients would leech out. I don’t grind my own flour as I don’t use a lot of it and because in the sunny south I have problems getting the whole grains, but I do grind my own dried corn to make corn meal that still had the total nutrients and vitamins in it. I also keep the fresh corn meal in the freezer after I grind it as the meal still has the oil ground into it and the meal will spoil unless frozen.

Vegetables

Your ancestors raised their own vegetables. Their vegetables were fresh from the garden, freshly frozen, canned or dried at the peak of their goodness. Not only are the vegetables better for you, they save you a lot of money. And just in case you didn’t know, there are a world of vegetables besides rice and potatoes. Try them out occasionally to see which you like and learn to incorporate them into your meals. Be sure to add a lot of “colorful” vegetables, as those with more color are better for you. Don’t forget that Mom always said, “Eat your carrots. They are good for you.” Mom knew what she was talking about. Fruits and vegetables provide potassium, dietary fiber, calcium and vitamin D.

Eating Out

Nowhere have I mentioned eating out. While an occasionally meal at a “fast food” place won’t hurt you, eating fast food every day will hurt you. Because of the way fast food places have to make and sell their products, you are getting processed foods that will last a longer table life and may contain preservatives such as MGS. I personally can not tolerate MGS or any of the other preservatives.

I have learned which fast food places – as well as restaurants – I can eat at and which ones I can not. If you are diabetic and/or have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, you quickly learn that lesson. I have also learned to carry something in the automobile with me I can eat if I am on the road... I just have to remember to “rotate” my stash!

You also want to eat less fried foods as you really don’t need all that processed oil in your body. Yes, you need some oils, but most people get more than enough fats in their meals. All fried foods add “fat” to your body. Haven’t you noticed that people that eat a lot of fried foods are “bloated” and tend towards being heavy? Eating lots of fat will do that to you.

Diabetes

If you or a friend or family member has diabetes, remember they don’t need foods that are “white.” White foods are bread, potatoes, rice... you get the point. And no, toasting bread until it is burnt to a crisp does not change the value of the “white.” But people with diabetes tend to forget to eat protein or whole foods every four or five hours. While you may be able to grab a Twinkie or a blueberry muffin, they can’t. They really need something that will control their disease. They also can’t have fruit juice, unless they have taken too much insulin and their sugar level is too low. Most fruits, as well as quick snacks, have too much sugar and will raise their glucose level instead of lowering it. If you need more information about diabetes, check out their website at www.diabetes.org

A Very Important Fact

The most important lesson you need to learn is to eat foods “in season.” In season means eating more vegetables and fruits in the spring and summer and more meats in the winter. Vegetables and fruits are lighter for your body to process in the summer heat, thus staying cooler. Eating more meats in the winter helps your body maintain protein levels and body heat in the winter. Your body has been geared for thousands of years to this routine.