Lenora Andrews

End of Echochallenge

I enjoyed this Ecochallenge with all of you. I just want to share a quick Interesting Fact.

Most people think that fat is what contributes to high cholesterol levels. According to Dr. Bobby Price cholesterol is caused by sugar. Most Americans eat 152 1bs of sugar per year. Imagine that is the size of a grown women or man. Excess sugar will be converted into cholesterol. Cholesterol is in every cell of the body.

Consider: What can I do today to decrease my sugar intake?

Good morning Echochallengers.

Hello Ecochallengers!

I hope everyone is having a good week. I have had a few challenges with the health of a loved one being in an out of the hospital several times over the last month and half. One of my daily actions is to write down three things I am thankful for. This helps me to focus on my faith and all the goodness of the Lord.

I just wanted to share a few helpful hints:

1) Download the Ecochallenge to your mobile phone (there isn't an app at this time). You can "Check In" on activity when you are away from work and on weekends. But, as Holly pointed out, you can go back and add activities on the days you weren't able to log in that you missed.

2) I purchased a programmable thermostat that way I didn't have to worry about forgetting to turn the heat or air down (which will waste a lot of energy and cost more money too!). I picked a seven-day one so the days of the week can be set up and the weekend. When not needing heat or air, I just turn it off.

I hope everyone has a good rest of the week.

Good morning ecochallengers!

Food and water Tips:

1) Plan how much water you will drink each day and set goals (ex: I will drink 24 oz every 3 hours; keep the water by you and drink it! Drink water 5-10 minutes before you eat or after you eat, but limit to sipping when you eat.
2) A. Mix up your produce (ex: switch the type of greens you eat and fruit).
B. Eat product while in season (ex: watermelon is no longer in season)
C. Buy produce that has seeds when they are supposed to be there. Seedless varieties can be genetically modified.
D. Buy more whole foods (fruits, vegetables and lean meats if you eat meat).
E. Try a new fruit or vegetable (do some research online to find out what they taste like and the nutritional benefits). I tried something new this year: dragon fruit (see photo)--there are several varieties, and I tried two and really liked both. They contain many antioxidants and fiber which protect your cells from damage and free radicals. The red on the outside one that is white with edible seeds reminds me of kiwi, but isn't as juicy or sweet. The yellow one is juicier and sweeter and has larger edible seeds that are very good for digestion.

Have a good rest of the week!

Hello Echochallengers! What I learned today are about some healthy foods for breakfast: avocados, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, oatmeal, eggs, berries, bananas and green tea. I had an egg/chili burrito and a sweet potato, avocado, orange juice smoothie with a heaping 1/8 tsp. of organic ground ginger, cinammon and turmeric. I got this recipe from Zonya on one of her Youtube videos over a year ago. I omit the addition of an orange because of the increased sugar content. Zonya includes the orange to double the potassium, which I sometimes do. I cannot tolerate bananas as they give me acide reflex. I use avocados in my smoothies to add creaminess and keep them healthy. Have a great day!

Hello all echochallengers! The food video I watched today shared unhealthy food additives we should limit and avoid if possible. I will share five of them: 1) citric acid 2) seed oils 3) artificial dyes 4) msg=monosodium glutamate 5) phylates, parabens and bpa's--What is most interesting is that a lot of these chemicals are banned in other countries, but are readily available in America. Most fast foods contain msg and multiple other chemicals to make the food addictive where you will return again and again. Please check food labels in stores because colored cereals, 0 calorie sodas and many processed foods contain these and they are fed to our children too. These can cause a host of metabolic health issues. I hope these are helpful.

Hello Comerica Team and other Ecochallengers! I hope everyone is having a good week. I just want to share a few tips from a recent food audio on Youtube. 1) For migraine or headaches: Soak feet in a hot foot bath for 20-30 minutes. This can help blood flow move from the head throughout the body and provide relief. 2) Oil pulling: This can help to reduce plaque, oral candida, fight gingivitis, and whitens teeth. You can use coconut oil (can add clove if you wish), olive oil or other oils. Simply use about a teaspoon, place it in your mouth and swish for at least 1-2 minutes (you can do longer such as 5-10 minutes if you can handle this). I am familiar with oil pulling and use coconut oil only and use for about 5-10 minutes. I hope these tips are helpful to someone and everyone has a blessed day.