Wellness Corner:
Almond Joy Joanne Kosta, RN
I remember the first time I met and began to love almonds. It was in the traditional candy bar. Then one day it was in hand dipped chocolate-almond ice cream. And now—almonds have become a staple in my diet.
Almonds are high in protein….rich in healthy fats….taste good….offer a sustained energy boost. They are associated with reduction in total & LDL (the bad cholesterol). They provide instant food without wasted calories when our lives get too busy to plan for meals or snacks and we lean toward something junky and high in calories. I keep them in my desk at work and cupboard at home.
I had lost some weight (wow, what a wonderful change 35 lbs made) but after about a year—must have gotten complacent and started to put some of it back on. During the time that I was skinnier, my cholesterol went into the terrific zone. About a month ago, fully aware I have been traveling a slippery, depressing path, I drug myself to a health fair—ready to face the music—knowing exactly why I had gained weight (lost my walking program due to an injured foot and did not replace it, and went back to overeating--period). I left the nurse prick my finger and awaited the results. I almost fell out of my chair when she gave me the results. The numbers were terrific! I couldn’t begin to find the logic in that—until I remembered—the almonds!
I’m sure I over-eat almonds like anything else--consuming more calories than my body needs. But it isn’t the almonds that are the problem. They are actually part of the solution. They keep my blood sugar stabilized. They help me with quick and sustained energy. They work to keep my cholesterol intact. They are a natural source of vitamin E and other great vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that help keep my body healthy and protected from disease. They are doing a great job. But something else has to change
I am just about (did you hear me say, “just about?”) ready to re-take the bull by the horns. I have blamed the overeating on stress, lack of coping skills, old habits, poor influences, needing comfort, financial concerns, on and on. I think you get the picture. Probably the same reasons and excuses that some of you use. There are a whole bunch of attitudes and beliefs I need to clean up and then set some firm limits on my eating behaviors. But, outside of saying, “One small handful of almonds at a time,” this is one part of my diet that has earned the right to stay.
I buy them raw at the local Aldi’s for a price I have decided to afford on a regular basis. I suggest you try them. Don’t buy the roasted, salted ones. They are said to lose the health benefits in the roasting and may even have rancid fats that can be damaging.
Treat them like gold. You don’t eat the whole bag. You don’t sit in front of the TV with them. But have some a few times each day if you’d like. There is no nut that measures up to the quality of an almond. And yes, I will try to treat them with more respect and not demean them (and myself) by eating too many or dumping in a bunch of cheap chocolate chips. It’s something I’ve got to work on. Ok, now let’s do it!
Ms. Kosta is a registered nurse who received her BSN from the College of Mt. St. Joseph in 1981. She has specialized in the field of prevention, healthy lifestyles, and natural approaches toward wellness. She is in her 14th year as an Independent Shaklee Distributor. You can reach Ms. Kosta @ 419-332-3857 or email her at healthnow@glis.cc
