Say CHEESE . . . It Makes You SMILE!
On my grandparent’s farm in West Virginia, outside the city of St. George to be exact, I learned a lot about reaping what you sow. My earliest memories of the farm occurred during one of our “in between stops” amid our military travels, and it still makes me smile when I think about it. It was on a crisp morning around Easter when I crept to the barn to watch my cousin, Roger, milk “Spot” the cow.
I loved watching the cows get milked because Roger made it worth watching, the cats would come around and Roger would aim at their mouths from a long distance. It was fun watching cats of all shapes and sizes line up in anticipation of that hot frothy fresh milk streaming across the barn over the hay and into their wide open lip-smacking mouths. Roger was a great shot! On this particular morning, my minds focus was “watching the milking”, not on “watching where I was going” and right before I turned the corner to see Roger do his thing, my left foot landed square into the biggest smelliest pile of cow manure on the property – the clean out pile – months and months worth! I was up to my ankle in yuck!
There was no getting out of this one. As I pulled to get myself free I thought of what my parents would say and the “I told you so’s” that were heading my way. With one solid tug, my foot cleared the muck and I landed on the ground at least two feet away from the stench of doom. When I stood up I looked down to survey the damage, the smell was hard to get around but my eyes captured something far worse, something a good washing would not be able to fix… I was shoeless! When I turned to look at the hole my foot made in the mire during my great escape in hopes of seeing a remnant of white shoe, there was no sign that a foot, let alone a shoe, had ever been there. The space filled in as quickly as it had been dispersed. I was doomed! But yet, I smiled.
Not only did I smile, I started laughing so hard Roger, Spot and the cats came to see what the commotion was all about… it was an experience I’ll never forget… so were the extra chores I had to do for the next month to help pay for another pair of shoes. What did I learn from this episode you might ask and what in the world does it have to do with cheese? Simple, I learned if we only seek to find enjoyment in life we will get stuck in the mire waiting around the corner and then we pay dearly for our choices. What about the cheese? Nothing really, only the cow, but you must admit, it was a great story.
Seriously, life on the farm sparked in me an appreciation for hard work, perseverance and a love of home churned butter, fresh milk, and farmed raised eggs, warm from the chicken. I venture to say not everyone reading this article has experienced working in the fields from dawn to dusk or raising cattle, pigs, and chickens to feed their family. Life on the farm with grandma and grandpa made me smile.
We have so many dairy food choices today and believe me, it’s a good thing. As much as I loved the milking process, my young body began rejecting the milk I was so fond of. Like many people today I was lactose sensitive and became at times violently ill when I consumed dairy – but today I can eat dairy in various forms and not suffer at all – You can try incorporating dairy, like yogurt, slowly into your diet with your meals. If you are lactose sensitive and love cheese, choose aged natural Colby or Cheddar…they are very low in lactose. Dairy products also offer a valuable source of cholesterol, calcium, and protein.
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If you are lactose sensitive and love cheese, choose aged natural Colby or Cheddar . . . they are very low in lactose.
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According to the MyPyramid Food Guide, we should be consuming 2-3 servings daily in the milk, yogurt & cheese group. A serving size is 1 cup for milk or yogurt, ½ cup for cottage cheese, ice cream, and frozen yogurt. 1 1/2 to 2 oz for natural cheese and 2 oz for processed cheese. I added in the egg for this grouping, 1 equals a serving.
As you can see from the chart not all cheese or dairy products are created equal. One sign proving cheese appeals to our North American palette is revealed in the high levels of sodium we find in them – it’s a fact, salt makes everything taste better, but it’s not always better for us. Be selective, you have numerous choices when it comes to cheese. You’ll notice also that the calorie count goes up with the increase in sodium – go figure.
Another element on the chart is cholesterol. Cholesterol is needed in our body for many reasons; it’s needed to produce our cell membranes. Our liver produces bile which is important in the digestive process and bile is made from cholesterol. Many hormones are made from cholesterol – including testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. Cholesterol is part of who we are; it’s only when our blood levels of cholesterol get out of whack that we have problems. 25% of our cholesterol comes from our diet, the remaining 75% comes from our liver yet it’s the lower percentage source from our diet that impacts our life in a negative way. When you choose to eat from this food group be sure to choose items low in saturated fat. An example – instead of whole milk choose 1% milk.
Dairy is touted as a “calcium bank”. The need for calcium begins at the pre-natal stage into infancy as it strengthens our bones and teeth – thus the “Cheese makes me smile” comment - and increases into adulthood as we strive to limit the effects of osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) on our elder society. We can get calcium from a variety of sources besides dairy such as green leafy vegetables, salmon and sardines. Change up your sources it adds flavor to your breakfast, lunch, and dinner table – and everyone loves variety.
When we think of protein, red meat, chicken, and pork may come to mind. But, don’t leave out dairy, breads, and our ever popular legumes. Legumes are choice proteins among our Vegan population (I think a heavy dose of fresh fruits and veggies as a meal during the week is good for us – it helps to clean out our system as well) Once again we are offered a choice when it comes to food sources.
So the next time you get together for family portraits and someone calls out, “Say CHEESE!” Remember it’s for a good reason – the calcium in cheese can help build strong beautiful teeth – and yes it’s true, when you say cheese your mouth is in the perfect smile position, funny how that works isn’t it.
Next month I’m going to cover Breads and Cereals. Breakfast the food of champions – check out how easy it can be to improve your child’s health habits over the summer. Talk to you soon – God bless.
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Linda Goldfarb is a Certified Physical Fitness Specialist, Speaker and Syndicated Radio Talk Show Host. You can hear her live every Saturday morning from 8-9am on KSLR, AM630, as she hosts “Not Just Talkin’ the Talk”, a variety talk show that offers listeners the chance to “walk the walk” spiritually, physically, relationally, and emotionally each and everyday. Contact Linda to speak at your next event: linda@lindagoldfarb.com or visit her on the web www.lindagoldfarb.com