What to Look for on a Food Label

There are still a lot of people who don't read food labels, don't know what to even really look for on the label, or who just trust what the outside of the package says("fat free", "all natural", "whole grains", "heart healthy", etc.).

Well, first of all, one thing to keep in mind is that some of the healthiest foods don't even HAVE food labels-fruits and veggies!

What I think is most important is to buy foods that have the least amount of ingredients possible. This is something I didn't even do until just the last year or so. If the label has a super long list of ingredients that you can't even pronounce, then you probably shouldn't eat it. Even better is to choose foods that only have ONE ingredient. For example, apples, broccoli, oranges, oats, eggs, fresh chicken breast.

Of course, you also want to look at the sugar content, saturated fat, and sodium-you want all of those to be as low as possible. If you are buying mostly natural foods, these will more than likely be pretty low.

As I've said many times before, be careful when something says "fat free"-it does NOT mean that it's healthy. Most of the time, fat free products have added sugar or high fructose corn syrup in them to make them taste good, along with a bunch of other ingredients. I think it's better to have a little more fat than to get something that's fat free with a bunch of chemicals in it. You have to READ the ingredients!

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Putting My Heart Out There

Hey guys. Here's where we're at right now: Matt finished his radiation treatments last week. Did they help? I don't know. He's sleeping a lot more. Having trouble chewing and swallowing. Not eating much. Not talking much, at least not in full sentences. It's just been a slow, steady decline for the last few months. I think it was really too late for radiation....But who knows, maybe it is delaying things. We went in last Tuesday for his infusion and talked with his neuro-oncologist about everything that we've been seeing with Matt, and he decided that we're at the point now where we should discontinue treatments...I feel like it's the right decision, even though it breaks my heart knowing that there is nothing else we can do. But I feel like we've done everything. All the supplements, the diet, the chemo, the radiation... Matt has fought hard. He never gave up hope. He kept the faith. He never complained through any of this. Not once did I hea

People always said That time would heal the pain But how can that be When mine still remains? The tears still fall At just the thought of you So I know that what they say Just can't be true As the years go by I miss you so much still No matter how much time passes I know I always will How are you not here To ease my hurting heart? Never could I have imagined We would ever be apart My world has been shattered A piece of me is gone And all I can do is pray For strength to live on I know that one day soon I will see you again I just have to try to suffer through And make it until then

Why?

Why? Why do I care so much? Why do I make sure they brush their teeth at night so that they don't get cavities? Why do I spend my own money to buy them clothes, toys and decorate their rooms, among other things? Why do I do 5,000 loads of laundry a week to make sure they have clothes to wear to school? Why do I make sure they go to church on Sundays so that they'll be raised to know about Jesus? Why do I try to give them chores and responsibilities so that they will turn out to be decent human beings? Why do I read them a bedtime story at night, even when I'm exhausted? Why do I clean up after them constantly and cook for them and try to always have healthy snacks and food on hand? Why do I go to their sports games and practices, just to feel like the odd man out standing there awkwardly with their bio mom? Why do I give 100% of myself and make so many sacrifices for children I didn't birth? Only to be insulted and told hurtful things? To be made to feel like I'm

Lindsay's Ramblings

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