Lips that touch Swine will never touch mine...

“No lips that touch Swine, will touch mine.”  I stopped eating Pork when I was around 15 yrs old. I remember reading the autobiography of Malcolm X. After reading the life story of Brotha Malcolm (RIP) I decided to do my own research on the pig. Pigs genetically are not made up like other animals and don’t contain the natural cleaning system most domesticated animals contain.  The over consumption of pork products is also one of the major problems causing a number of health issues in the African American community.

Out of the top five meats consumed in the United States, pork is ranked 3^rd.  According to the FDA, in 2010 the average American consumes 55-75 lbs of Pork per year.  In the culinary world we are taught pork needs to cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  However in the industry I have seen a number of people order pork medium and was served what they ordered.  This is highly dangerous because of the internal make up and cleaning system of the pig itself.

Pigs are biologically similar to humans, and their meat is said to taste similar to human flesh.  Pigs have been used for dissection in biology labs due to the similarity between their organs and human organs.  In the past people with insulin-dependent diabetes usually inject themselves with pig insulin.  Pigs are also glutinous animals (meaning they eat until food is gone not until they are full), and will eat any type of food, including dead insects, worms, rotting carcasses (including their own), garbage, and other pigs.

A pig has one- one chambered stomach, unlike other domesticated animals which contain more actual stomachs with different chambers.  This is extremely important when it comes to the processing of the materials the pig eats.  The inability to digest food properly causes a higher number of pathogens to be absorbed in the actual flesh of the animal.  This is where the problem of Trichinosis comes in.

Trichinosis is a condition that stems from the eating of raw or inadequately cooked meat, especially pork. The pathogens imbedded in the flesh from a poor digestive system are digested by humans. Those pathogens then release larvae, which reach maturity and mate in the intestines.  The parasites are then carried from the gastrointestinal tract by the blood stream to various muscles where they attach themselves.  It is estimated that 10%-20% of the adult population of the United States has suffered from some form of Trichinosis at some time.  In the 1960’s, the FDA understand the seriousness of this situation, started regulating what pigs were feed and started forcing farmers to inject there pig livestock with de-wormers.

Similar to humans since pigs have issues with digestion, they have a higher content of salt in their flesh.  This is why people love to cook with pork.  The natural saltiness and sweetness that comes from cooking with pork products is hard to duplicate.  Historically the average price for a pound of pork has been considerably lower than chicken, beef, lamb, or seafood and therefore, for years was consumed at a higher rate in low income areas.  Even in the time of slavery, pig parts were so cheap in value they were given to slaves as food.  From the scraps given beautiful dishes were created, however nutritional wise they were high in fat, sugar and sodium.

The way pork was traditionally used in lower income areas have affected the African American population as a whole.  Because of the extreme use of pork products and sugar we suffer from epidemics like obesity, high blood pressure, and hypertension just to name a few.  

Water: What America is missing

Anyone that knows me, or sees me in the gym, knows I’m the guy with the gallon of water. I first started drinking a lot of water when I was a teenager. I was diagnosed with Graves Disease at the age of 12. Due to that fact, most cold and flu medications were not an option for me. When I would get sick, my Grandmother (RIP) and mother would tell me I just needed to sweat it out. As I got older I realized the more water I drank, the more I would sweat, and I would rarely get headaches. So as a way to keep myself from becoming sick, I would consume large amount of water over long periods of time to keep my system flushed out.

The more I worked out and learned about the body, the more I began to understand the importance of water. Let’s talk about some facts. Depending on body size, most human bodies are 55-78% water. The tissue and organ breakdown is as follows:

·         Muscle consists of 75% water

·         Brain consists of 90% of water

·         Bone consists of 22% of water

·         Blood consists of 83% water

(www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com, Benefits of Drinking Water and How, 2010)

 Although our society is fast paced, the amount of physical activity we actually do has decreased over time. Anyone that works out can tell you there’s nothing better than a fresh glass of water when your heart rate is elevated and you are sweating. The issue is since many people never get to that state, when they consume fluids the taste is more important than the effect it has on the body.  Therefore, many of us reach for the sugar-filled, high fructose corn syrup containing sweetened juices, sodas, coffee, and teas, and water is tossed to the side. Not consuming the proper amount of water can lead to dehydration, which is a huge problem in America today.

 Some studies indicate that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated (A. Roberts, Whatcom Coalition staff, 2007). I know what you’re thinking, “I’m not dehydrated, food contains water, and aren’t sodas, coffee, juices, and teas made from water?” So many variables such as age, weight, geographic area, social, and cultural variables play a big part in determining how much water an individual needs to consume. What is known is that even if an individual eats a perfect diet, they will not consume enough water for the body to function properly.

Dehydration affects the body in a number of ways. Chronically dehydrated people usually have sign that continue to worsen over time. Here are just a few symptoms of dehydration:

·         Tiredness

·         Migraines

·         Constipation

·         Muscle cramps

·         Irregular blood pressure

·         Kidney problems

·         Dry skin

·         Irritability

·         Anxiety

·         Depression

·          Food cravings

·         Allergies

·         Feeling sick when waking in the morning

·         Heartburn

·          Angina

·         Joint pain

·         Back pain

·         Colitis pain

·         Late-onset diabetes

·         Hypertension

Consuming the proper amount of water is key to looking good, feeling good, and living a healthy life. The minimum recommendation for water consumption per day is eight, eight-ounce glasses. The Positive effects of drinking water are countless. Here are just a few:

·         Weight Loss – Americans have become a custom to consuming far more solid foods that the body actually needs. Water acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Consuming water on a regular basis will cause many to feel hungry less. Water also cleans out your digestive system. Since most people don’t consume the proper amount of water, the body is unable to flush out all of the waste products from food. When this situation occurs, the risk of cancer in the bowels, kidneys, intestines, and colon increase dramatically.

·          Prevents headaches – The brain is 90% water. If you don’t supply your body with enough water, your brain cannot function properly.  The result will be headaches or migraines. (A. Roberts, Whatcom Coalition staff, 2007)

·         Healthier skin - Water helps to replenish skin tissues. It moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.

·         Less cramps and sprains - Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, which makes people less likely get cramps and sprains.

 Moral of the story is this. Water makes you and keeps you healthier. We live in a society where when we get aches and pains, we go to the doctor to get medications to mask the symptoms. Our country spends more money on health care than any other country in the world. Is it because we are just more prone to get sick? Not at all, it’s because we don’t take care of our bodies properly. Since children learn how to care for themselves by watching adults, bad habits that we have are learned by them.  Combine the excessive amount of sugar we consume and the lack of water intake of the average American, and you will have a better understanding of why the overall health of our country is steadily declining. 

God has granted each of us one body. It is our duty to care for it to the best of our abilities. Doing the small things sometimes go a long way in creating and maintaining a healthy body and life. Instead of soda, drink water. Instead of giving your children what they want, give them what they need.  Simply drinking the proper amount of water will increase the quality of life for you and your family.

No excuses in 2012

Its 2012! Time to let the past be the past and create a beautiful future.  It’s time to take back control of your body mind and soul. How many times have you looked at old pictures when you were in better shape and said, “Wow I look good…I wish I could get back in shape like that”... My question is why can’t you? Most people create excuses like, “I don’t have time”, “I’m predisposed to be like this”, “That’s just not possible at my age”, and the list goes on and on. What people don’t understand is that instead of making big changes that last for a short period of time, make small changes that will last for longer periods of time. Getting back in shape is a marathon not a sprint. Start by doing simple things like eating out less, cutting out sodas and artificially sweetened drinks, drinking the recommended minimum 64oz of water, or adding some simple cardiovascular exercise to your daily routine. In this world there are so many aspects of our lives that are out of our control, however our personal fitness and the fitness of our families is not. Your physical shape is nobody’s responsibility but yours. So start out 2012 right…remember a healthy body will help create and maintain a healthy mind and in turn will nurture ones struggling soul.