The 10 Worst Snack Foods

By Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N.S.
http://articles.health.msn.com/id/100099665?GT1=6065

Enter any convenience store in the United States and you'll quickly spot an array of so-called foods that could have come straight off the request list on Lil' Bow Wow's concert rider (I did not make this up. The young rapper's contract states that he must have the following foods backstage: Twizzlers, Doritos, Sprite, Starbursts, Hawaiian Punch and orange soda). But hey, Bow Wow's no worse than Britney, Christina or any teen in any mall anywhere in America. Or their parents.

Snack food in America seems to become more horrible with every passing year. Here's my list of the worst snack foods of all time. (But be forewarned: This list could become outdated the minute the food industry introduces yet another must-have concoction of sugar, chemicals, coloring and grease to add pounds to your waistline while adding nothing to your nutrition.)

1. French Fries
Don't be reassured by the fact that McDonald's is changing its cooking oil. French fries are still starchy white potatoes cooked in hot fat and flavored with chemicals and sugar. Possibly the worst snack food on the planet.

2. Donuts
Fried bread. Need I say more? And if that wasn't bad enough, add a sugary cream filling and a glaze of more sugar on top. Any questions?

3. Chips (Potato or Corn)
These are really just a packaged version of French fries (see #1). However, you can do damage control on this one by switching to baked blue corn chips, available in health food stores. It's still not real food, but it beats the 7-Eleven version any day.

4. Soda
And sorry, this includes the diet kind. Absolutely nothing of any value here, and a whole
lot of chemicals to boot.

5. Cupcakes and Snack Cakes
The creamy filling is fake whipped cream, and the rest of it is sugar, flour and flavoring. You've gotta be kidding.

6. Candy Bars
You might squeeze a gram or two of protein out of the nuts in some of them, but by and large they're a sugar orgy and a nutrition nightmare. Again, you can move slightly up the food chain by switching to one of the "energy" bars. Most are just candy bars disguised as health food but they often have 1/3 less calories, quite a bit more protein and a bit less fat. Don't confuse them with real food though.

7. Pork Rinds
Fried pork skin. Not a good thing!

8. Fat-Free Cookies
These are even more insidious because they pretend to be healthy. Remember, fat-free doesn't equal calorie free. Betcha can't eat just one!

9. Crackers
Trans-fats anyone? Most crackers are loaded with 'em. Read your labels carefully to find the few that aren't.

10. Pretzels
Surprise, surprise. Remember, just because something doesn't have fat doesn't make it good. This is just white flour, water and sugar masquerading as a healthy snack. Fuggedaboutit.

Runner up: Those creamy, carmelly, coconutty coffee mocha-latte-frappe drinks that are taking over the universe. I love my Starbucks too, but 20 ounces of caffeine, sugar, whipped cream and milk taken once or twice a day does not a lean waistline make!
And yes, the calories you drink count.

Yoga Freedom. Health. Abundance. Freedom. (c) 2005. All rights reserved worldwide.

Making Time for Spiritual Practice

Yesterday at a Unitarian Universalist church service I attended, the topic was spiritual practice. It takes on a different shape and form for all of us. Some examples include yoga, meditation, prayer and reading, but others can be dog walking, knitting, painting, or teaching just as much so.

Why is it, then, that despite our practical knowledge that spiritual practice enriches our lives and makes everything worthwhile (or, for some, is the essence and the meaning of life!) -- despite that, it is inconsistent or frequently absent? We are all guilty of this from time to time.
Naturally, the practice should and will go through phases of greater and lesser strength and stamina. The frequency and amount of time spent on these activities stamped "spiritual" will vary week to week, month to month and year to year. Of course.

So how do we make it more consistent, more of a priority?

One simple way is by bringing spirituality and awareness into more daily activities. Household chores, physical hygeine, talking with friends and driving to work can all evolve from mindless tasks to spiritual practices, done for the purpose of doing, not just for the end result.

Another important key is to remember that despite the five minutes, half hour, or two hours that they may "take" to do, these practices are the oil that keep our engines running. Even a few minutes of silent meditation can make a world of difference on a hectic day. Can you rearrange your schedule if necessary to prioritize your spiritual practice today?

Inspiring Quotes for the Week:

-What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness? -Rousseau
-Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul. -E.
Dickinson
-You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -M. Gandhi
-Imagination is more important than knowledge. -A. Einstein


Yoga Freedom. Health. Abundance. Freedom. (c) 2004. All rights reserved worldwide.