Snack Attack

10^th Jul 2015

The snack is often meal-sized, poor-quality junk food, occurring several times a day. That's not snacking. It's over-indulging in sub-standard stuff, and the result? Indigestion, weight gain, over-taxed liver, sleep problems (diet affects sleep quality), energy slumps, constipation, tummy ache, over-fed and under-nourished, and often just feeling yuk.

And there may be worse to come. With the erratic blood sugar levels and compromised digestive system that overdone poor-quality snacking causes, may come diabetes 2, digestive disorders, bowel problems, skin problems and more. If one body organ isn't working at peak performance, other body organs have to work harder. Body parts and organs work in synergy, so one part affects another. So, if your intestines are in trouble, you could end up with skin problems too, and respiratory issues. It's well-known that screwed-up intestines often result in spot-ridden, sallow-looking skin.

Western medicine believes that each body organ is separate from the others, leaving its specialists to practice in each of the different fields. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body is considered as a whole, with all organs interrelated and affecting one another, so if we look after our liver, which has to process all the food we eat and try to filter out the rubbish, then our skin will glow.

Snacks are meant to be occasional, not frequent. And they can be nutrient-rich, quality foods, which will keep your energy levels stable and your tummy from rumbling at the most inappropriate times. So much better than those packets or lumps of processed, high-trans-fat, high-sugar, high-chemical non-foods, and the coloured poisonous drinks that go with the snacks. Just plain water or a tea is good.

Don't wait till you're hungry before thinking about what to eat, because this is when the snack attacks! Get prepared, and take your own made-up snack with you in a little pot that fits in your bag or pocket. Prepare it the night before. Fill it with ...(not all in the same pot)...nuts and raisins, dried mulberries, a rice cracker with peanut butter, a lump of cheese, dried apricots, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, raw vegetables - carrot sticks, broccoli florets, red pepper slices etc, banana, yoghurt, small smoked salmon sandwich, hard-boiled egg, cottage cheese with diced cucumber, couscous with chopped red pepper (these last two in a small pot, not a large meal-sized container!) and many more ideas for mouth-watering healthy snacks.

Your body will no longer groan and gripe with disgust. Your new snack regime is guaranteed to make you feel satisfied, nourished, with calm insides and proud of yourself.