(New guest post by Fran)

Dinner time memories ?

Do you remember sitting at the dinner table pushing those vegetables from one side of the plate to the other, hoping at times that if you pushed it around enough maybe some would fall off the side and get hid under the rim of the plate? Without warning Mom would break into your silent stare, and say “Eat your vegetables”, or “eat your vegetables or no dessert.”

We have heard since we were very young to our eat fruits and vegetables, say no to the sweets, drink more water and exercise. We have heard it so much from so many places it’s like a broken record stuck in one groove playing over and over. We have gotten to the point we give it no mind; it’s just white noise in the background of our very busy lives.

I occasionally gave notice to what I was eating but it was not until a series of events took place in a very small amount of time that the nutrition blindness was lifted.

You would think a heart attack would shake your life up enough to get you thinking about what you were eating. But the truth is denial and or depression after a heart attack can keep the positive changes that need to happen from occurring.

Help was found

For me, it was several documentaries I happen to come across while sitting in the lazy boy, depressed, with my chest aching and everything else as well. I was feeling pretty down to say the least that day.

Flipping through to find something to watch I came across a show that had to do with Alternative health therapies. They were using simple whole fresh foods, mostly raw or juiced. Could it really be that simple ?

As I researched more and explored the information that was being shared, it moved me to the point I could say yes it was time for a major change. The fast food, packaged food, sugar laden desserts and salty snacks are killing me and I am so over the pain in this body. I was all in to see if this would work; it made sense, and what did I have to lose; I already felt pretty crummy at best. I was so ready to feel better.

As I researched each whole food I was now eating I became more excited. I was finding out about the properties of these foods and what they did in the body. Take for example beets, now they could be my new favorite food !

Beets are high in natural nitrates which are converted to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is known to expand the blood vessels so you can enjoy more oxygen, more nutrients and more energy.

Nitroglycerin medication on the other hand also works by relaxing and widening the blood vessels. After my heart attack I was told to carry my nitroglycerin medication with me. I would much rather eat my beets regularly and have some similar things happening in my body and hopefully never have to resort to Nitroglycerin medication.

Come back for more great benefits of  beets as this is only the beginning……