I had to post this article today by Dr. Mercola because it's genius and clears up a lot of misconceptions about artificial sweeteners and the very crux of the weight gain tragedy in this country. Every day when I walk through NYC, I see so many people loading up their coffee with Sweet n Low and Splenda, or acquaintances of mine eating Light and Fit yogurt saying they are really into health, or drinking Diet Coke at lunch and all hours of the day or Sugar Free jam, vitamin water, whatever. Even worse, I have heard that many nutritionists and dietitians encourage the use of diet drinks and low-calorie nonsense. Please inform yourselves with this article about the dangers of artificial sweeteners (even that crystalline fructose crap and all the fancy names for sugar in even some "health" drinks...remember, there is no regulation for the phrase "good for your health" on foods and nothing you drink should have more than 12g of sugar per serving and even then consider diluting. In fact, don't drink fruit. Eat fruit.) The truth is that all artificial sweeteners in large, consistent quantities can ruin your health, not to mention stimulate your appetite when you are trying to watch your calories. It's just awful and it's not your fault. We have been brainwashed in this country by the FDA and the diet industry to think that low-calorie sweeteners will lead to weight loss, but that has proved to a political agenda to sell cheap sugars regardless of the fatal health costs. Remember, the diet and weight loss industry is a $30-billion industry where 90% of all dieters on these will-power based diets report gaining all weight originally lost back. If you want to lose weight, upgrade your simple carbs to complex carbs, eat lots of vegetables (make produce a priority), cook at home, eat fresh local stuff as much as possible, get exercise and spend more time eating healthy, whole foods (only ingredient is itself) with people who love and support you for you and enhance your wonderful life and essence on this planet. Beyond dieting and fake sugars is love and adventure, fun and pleasure in simple, traditional foods. Please read this article by Dr. Mercola on aspartame, now AminoSweet (ugh, it's even a gross name) and pass it on to anyone you know who is still using artificial sweeteners or finding versions of aspartame in their foods.
America's Deadliest Sweetener Betrays Millions, Then Hoodwinks You With Name Change
Posted by: Dr. Mercola
Aspartame is the most controversial food additive in history, and its approval for use in food was the most contested in FDA history. In the end, the artificial sweetener was approved, not on scientific grounds, but rather because of strong political and financial pressure. After all, aspartame was previously listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent!
It’s hard to believe such a chemical would be allowed into the food supply, but it was, and it has been wreaking silent havoc with people’s health for the past 30 years.
The truth is, it should never have been released onto the market, and allowing it to remain in the food chain is seriously hurting people – no matter how many times you rebrand it under fancy new names.
The Deceptive Marketing of Aspartame
Sold commercially under names like NutraSweet, Canderel, and now AminoSweet, aspartame can be found in more than 6,000 foods, including soft drinks, chewing gum, table-top sweeteners, diet and diabetic foods, breakfast cereals, jams, sweets, vitamins, prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Aspartame producer Ajinomoto chose to rebrand it under the name AminoSweet, to “remind the industry that aspartame tastes just like sugar, and that it’s made from amino acids – the building blocks of protein that are abundant in our diet.”
This is deception at its finest: Begin with a shred of truth, and then spin it to fit your own agenda.
In this case, the agenda is to make you believe that aspartame is somehow a harmless, natural sweetener made with two amino acids that are essential for health and present in your diet already.
They want you to believe aspartame delivers all the benefits of sugar and none of its drawbacks. But nothing could be further from the truth.
How Aspartame Wreaks Havoc on Your Health
Did you know there have been more reports to the FDA for aspartame reactions than for all other food additives combined?
In fact, there are over 10,000 official complaints, but by the FDA’s own admission, less than 1 percent of those who experience a reaction to a product ever report it. So in all likelihood, the toxic effects of aspartame may have affected roughly a million people already.
While a variety of symptoms have been reported, almost two-thirds of them fall into the neurological and behavioral category consisting mostly of headaches, mood alterations, and hallucinations. The remaining third is mostly gastrointestinal symptoms.
Unfortunately, aspartame toxicity is not well-known by doctors, despite its frequency. Diagnosis is also hampered by the fact that it mimics several other common health conditions, such as:
Multiple sclerosis Parkinson's disease
Alzheimer's disease Fibromyalgia
Arthritis Multiple chemical sensitivity
Chronic fatigue syndrome Attention deficit disorder
Panic disorder Depression and other psychological disorders
Lupus Diabetes and diabetic complications
Birth defects Lymphoma
Lyme disease Hypothyroidism
How Diet Foods and Drinks CAUSE Weight Problems
In recent years, food manufacturers have increasingly focused on developing low-calorie foods and drinks to help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid obesity. Unfortunately, the science behind these products is so flawed, most of these products can actually lead to increased weight gain!
For example, researchers have discovered that drinking diet soda increases your risk of metabolic syndrome, and may double your risk of obesity – the complete opposite of the stated intention behind these “zero calorie” drinks.
The sad truth is that diet foods and drinks ruin your body's ability to count calories, and in fact stimulate your appetite, thus boosting your inclination to overindulge.
Unfortunately, most public health agencies and nutritionists in the United States recommend these toxic artificial sweeteners as an acceptable alternative to sugar, which is at best confusing and at worst harming the health of those who take their misguided advice.
Even More Toxic Dangers of Aspartame
Truly, there is enough evidence showing the dangers of consuming artificial sweeteners to fill an entire book -- which is exactly why I wrote Sweet Deception. If you or your loved ones drink diet beverages or eat diet foods, this book will explain how you've been deceived about the truth behind artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose -- for greed, for profits, and at the expense of your health.
As mentioned earlier, almost two-thirds of all documented side effects of aspartame consumption are neurological.
One of the reasons for this side effect, researchers have discovered, is because the phenylalanine in aspartame dissociates from the ester bond. While these amino acids are indeed completely natural and safe, they were never designed to be ingested as isolated amino acids in massive quantities, which in and of itself will cause complications.
Additionally this will also increase dopamine levels in your brain. This can lead to symptoms of depression because it distorts your serotonin/dopamine balance. It can also lead to migraine headaches and brain tumors through a similar mechanism.
The aspartic acid in aspartame is a well-documented excitotoxin. Excitotoxins are usually amino acids, such as glutamate and aspartate. These special amino acids cause particular brain cells to become excessively excited, to the point that they die.
Excitotoxins can also cause a loss of brain synapses and connecting fibers. A review conducted in 2008 by scientists from the University of Pretoria and the University of Limpopo found that consuming a lot of aspartame may inhibit the ability of enzymes in your brain to function normally, and may lead to neurodegeneration.
According to the researchers, consuming a lot of aspartame can disturb:
*
The metabolism of amino acids
*
Protein structure and metabolism
*
The integrity of nucleic acids
*
Neuronal function
*
Endocrine balances
Furthermore, the ester bond in aspartame breaks down to formaldehyde and methanol, which are also toxic in their own right. So it is not surprising that this popular artificial sweetener has also been found to cause cancer.
One truly compelling case study that shows this all too well was done by a private citizen named Victoria Inness-Brown. She decided to perform her own aspartame experiment on 108 rats over a period of 2 years and 8 months.
Daily, she fed some of the rats the equivalent (for their body weight) of two-thirds the aspartame contained in 8-oz of diet soda. Thirty-seven percent of the females fed aspartame developed tumors, some of massive size.
How to Ditch Artificial Sweeteners, and Satiate Your Sweet Tooth
If you suffer from sweet cravings, it’s easy to convince yourself you’re doing the right thing by opting for a zero-calorie sweetener like aspartame. Please understand that you will do more harm than good to your body this way.
First, it’s important to realize that your body craves sweets when you’re not giving it the proper fuel it needs.
Finding out your nutritional type will tell you exactly which foods you need to eat to feel full and satisfied. It may sound hard to believe right now, but once you start eating right for your nutritional type, your sweet cravings will significantly lessen and may even disappear.
Meanwhile, be sure you address the emotional component to your food cravings using a tool such as the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT). More than any traditional or alternative method I have used or researched, MTT works to overcome food cravings and helps you reach dietary success.
And, if diet soda is the culprit for you, be sure to check out Turbo Tapping, which is an extremely effective and simple tool to get rid of your soda addiction in a short period of time.
Non-Acceptable Alternative Sweeteners
I have written a few articles on fructose earlier this year, and I will be writing many more, so please be aware that I am absolutely convinced that fructose ingestion is at the core of our obesity epidemic.
And I’m not only talking about high fructose corn syrup, which is virtually identical to table sugar. The only major difference between the two is HFCS is much cheaper so it has contributed to massive increase in fructose ingestion, far beyond safe or healthy.
Please understand you need to keep your fructose levels BELOW 25 grams per day. The best way to do that is to avoid these “natural” sweeteners as they are loaded with a much higher percentage of fructose than HFCS.
*
Fruit Juice
*
Agave
*
Honey
Please note that avoiding these beyond 25 grams per day is crucial, even if the source is fresh, raw, and organic. It just doesn’t matter, fructose is fructose is fructose…
Acceptable Alternative Sweeteners
For those times when you just want a taste of something sweet, your healthiest alternative is Stevia. It’s a natural plant and, unlike aspartame and other artificial sweeteners that have been cited for dangerous toxicities, it is a safe, natural alternative that's ideal if you’re watching your weight, or if you’re maintaining your health by avoiding sugar.
It is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar and truly has virtually no calories.
I must tell you that I am biased; I prefer Stevia as my sweetener of choice, and I frequently use it. However, like most choices, especially sweeteners, I recommend using Stevia in moderation, just like sugar. In excess it is still far less likely to cause metabolic problems than sugar or any of the artificial sweeteners.
I want to emphasize, that if you have insulin issues, I suggest that you avoid sweeteners altogether, including Stevia, as they all can decrease your sensitivity to insulin.
Lo han is another sweetener like Stevia. It’s an African sweet herb that can also be used, but it’s a bit more expensive and harder to find.
So if you struggle with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or extra weight, then you have insulin sensitivity issues and would benefit from avoiding ALL sweeteners.
But for everyone else, if you are going to sweeten your foods and beverages anyway, I strongly encourage you to consider using regular Stevia or Lo han, and toss out all artificial sweeteners and any products that contain them.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
If You're Not Part of the Solution, Are You Part of the Problem?
The sad truth is that most Americans eat less than one piece of fruit a day. And, even sadder, is that the three most popular vegetables are iceberg lettuce, tomatoes (either canned or in the form of ketchup) and potatoes. Think about it: when was the last time you saw a government sponsored billboard, commercial, magazine ad promoting exercise, outdoor activity, vegetables, fruit, whole grains (real ones, not Trix, Lucky Charms or Golden Grahams which are included in the food pyramid as healthy, can you believe it?)?? Wait, you never have?! But we all know what it takes to have a happy, healthy person... why isn't this happening on a world-wide scale?
Now think, when was the last time you saw a poster for "Got Milk?" "Pork: the other white meat . . . or their new one, "Get real! or "Beef: it's what's for dinner." Why would a country in the throes of an obesity epidemic not allocate resources to help its citizens with diet and nutrition? Why are fruits and vegetables not subsidized by the government so organic produce, free from chemicals and GMOs not heavily subsidized so everyone can buy cheap, local produce? Why can't we have Trader Joes everywhere and not wait in line outside just to get in and pick through the leftovers of cheap, organic avocados? Why is Michelle Obama thinking of putting taxes on soda and candy to limit consumption and penalize those who lack knowledge or accessible alternatives-- why isn't she banding with the FDA to give millions of dollars to grassroots organizations to get kids out from behind the TV and running around all afternoon? Because that might actually solve the problem at the expense of the drug companies, corn companies, dairy board, meat industry, weight loss industry, and our feeble, for-profit health system???
***Here are a DOZEN STATS that should scare the shit out of you:
1. Overweight people now outnumber undernourished worldwide. The World Health Organization's estimates agree: globally there are about 1 billion overweight adults, and 300 million of them are obese. In contrast 800 million do not have enough to eat.
2. Currently, more than 64% of US adults are either overweight or obese. Nearly half of the children in North and South America will be overweight by 2010, up from what recent studies say is about one-third, according to a report published by the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. “We have truly a global epidemic which appears to be affecting most countries in the world,” said Dr. Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force and author of an editorial in the journal warning of the trend. “They’re being bombarded like they are in the West to eat all the wrong foods. The Western world’s food industries without even realizing it have precipitated an epidemic with enormous health consequences,” he said.
3. The rates of diabetes in this country have more than doubled between 1980 and today. It is likely that the 25% increase in the prevalence of diabetes in the last 20 years in the United States (9) is due to the marked increase in the prevalence of obesity.
4. 44% of American hospitals have fast food restaurants on premises.
5. The average American now consumes more than 100 pounds of sugar and sweeteners per year. In contrast, Americans consume an average of 8 pounds of broccoli.
6. The US spends more than $6,000 per capita on medical care compared with $3,000 spent by the UK, Canada and France, >yet we are the only industrialized nation that fails to offer universal healthcare to all our citizens.
7. More than 61 million people are without access to affordable, essential health services.
8. No standard exists for the phrase "good for your health" on foods.
9. Ensure, a widely distributed "health drink" used in hospitals everywhere has a label boasting, "complete, balanced nutrition to help you stay healthy, active and energetic...number 1 doctor recommended." On analysis, the drink contains four types of synthetic sweeteners and some added vitamins. (Read: it is hyped up sugar water.)
10. The diet and weight loss industry is a $30-billion industry. This industry includes everything from Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, diet pills, artificial sweeteners, diet books, magazines, meal replacement shakes and belly stapling surgeries.) 90% of all dieters of all dieters regain some or all of the weight originally lost.
11. Americans spent $230 billion on prescription drugs in 2005. Between 1999 and 2003, purchases of brand-name drugs increased from $75.5 billion to $141 billion. Spending on generics rose from about $19 billion to approximately $37 billion during the same time period. Every year, 2 million Americans become seriously ill from toxic reactions to incorrectly prescribed medications.
12. Drug companies have the largest lobby in Washington and give generously to political campaigns.
Take Home Message: "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." ~Albert Einstein.
"We do not have healthcare in this country. We have disease management. The biggest crime of the for-profit medicine is the loss of the practitioner-patient relationship and the loss of lifestyle counseling in the doctors office" ~Dr. Andrew Weil
What to do about the health epidemic and the "solutions" that have failed us over and over again in the industry of "modern nutrition?" Find out in my next post.
Now think, when was the last time you saw a poster for "Got Milk?" "Pork: the other white meat . . . or their new one, "Get real! or "Beef: it's what's for dinner." Why would a country in the throes of an obesity epidemic not allocate resources to help its citizens with diet and nutrition? Why are fruits and vegetables not subsidized by the government so organic produce, free from chemicals and GMOs not heavily subsidized so everyone can buy cheap, local produce? Why can't we have Trader Joes everywhere and not wait in line outside just to get in and pick through the leftovers of cheap, organic avocados? Why is Michelle Obama thinking of putting taxes on soda and candy to limit consumption and penalize those who lack knowledge or accessible alternatives-- why isn't she banding with the FDA to give millions of dollars to grassroots organizations to get kids out from behind the TV and running around all afternoon? Because that might actually solve the problem at the expense of the drug companies, corn companies, dairy board, meat industry, weight loss industry, and our feeble, for-profit health system???
***Here are a DOZEN STATS that should scare the shit out of you:
1. Overweight people now outnumber undernourished worldwide. The World Health Organization's estimates agree: globally there are about 1 billion overweight adults, and 300 million of them are obese. In contrast 800 million do not have enough to eat.
2. Currently, more than 64% of US adults are either overweight or obese. Nearly half of the children in North and South America will be overweight by 2010, up from what recent studies say is about one-third, according to a report published by the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. “We have truly a global epidemic which appears to be affecting most countries in the world,” said Dr. Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force and author of an editorial in the journal warning of the trend. “They’re being bombarded like they are in the West to eat all the wrong foods. The Western world’s food industries without even realizing it have precipitated an epidemic with enormous health consequences,” he said.
3. The rates of diabetes in this country have more than doubled between 1980 and today. It is likely that the 25% increase in the prevalence of diabetes in the last 20 years in the United States (9) is due to the marked increase in the prevalence of obesity.
4. 44% of American hospitals have fast food restaurants on premises.
5. The average American now consumes more than 100 pounds of sugar and sweeteners per year. In contrast, Americans consume an average of 8 pounds of broccoli.
6. The US spends more than $6,000 per capita on medical care compared with $3,000 spent by the UK, Canada and France, >yet we are the only industrialized nation that fails to offer universal healthcare to all our citizens.
7. More than 61 million people are without access to affordable, essential health services.
8. No standard exists for the phrase "good for your health" on foods.
9. Ensure, a widely distributed "health drink" used in hospitals everywhere has a label boasting, "complete, balanced nutrition to help you stay healthy, active and energetic...number 1 doctor recommended." On analysis, the drink contains four types of synthetic sweeteners and some added vitamins. (Read: it is hyped up sugar water.)
10. The diet and weight loss industry is a $30-billion industry. This industry includes everything from Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, diet pills, artificial sweeteners, diet books, magazines, meal replacement shakes and belly stapling surgeries.) 90% of all dieters of all dieters regain some or all of the weight originally lost.
11. Americans spent $230 billion on prescription drugs in 2005. Between 1999 and 2003, purchases of brand-name drugs increased from $75.5 billion to $141 billion. Spending on generics rose from about $19 billion to approximately $37 billion during the same time period. Every year, 2 million Americans become seriously ill from toxic reactions to incorrectly prescribed medications.
12. Drug companies have the largest lobby in Washington and give generously to political campaigns.
Take Home Message: "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." ~Albert Einstein.
"We do not have healthcare in this country. We have disease management. The biggest crime of the for-profit medicine is the loss of the practitioner-patient relationship and the loss of lifestyle counseling in the doctors office" ~Dr. Andrew Weil
What to do about the health epidemic and the "solutions" that have failed us over and over again in the industry of "modern nutrition?" Find out in my next post.
Monday, February 15, 2010
What's the Deal with Dairy? Milk, Calcium, and Osteoporosis-True and False
Milk is touted for preventing osteoporosis, yet clinical research shows otherwise. The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, which followed more than 75,000 women for 12 years, showed no protective effect of increased milk consumption on fracture risk. In fact, increased intake of calcium from dairy products was associated with a higher fracture risk. An Australian study showed the same results. Additionally, other studies have found no protective effect of dairy calcium on bone.
Who gets ostoporosis anyway?
Women over 50 who lose weight drastically and older, malnourished, alcoholic men. If you do not fall into these categories, you're probably going to be in the clear.
So where do you get your calcium you wonder? In the words of Annemarie Colbin, Founder and CEO of The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts and author of The Whole Food Guide to Strong Bones, "The same place as cows, elephants and horses. In other words: leafy greens!" (Visit her website, www.foodandhealing.org). Other great calcium sources include cauliflower, parsley, broccoli, kale, almonds, sesame seeds, oysters, soft shell crabs, (edible bones). Also, in order to assimilate calcium, you must have Vitamin D in your diet (from direct sunlight is best) and magnesium, a mineral directly responsible for increasing calcium absorption from blood to bone. Where do you get magnesium? Sea veggies are best, blue-green algae is even better, a wonderful Superfood -(think Japanese men and women in Okinawa, Japan- who never drink milk, but live by the sea, eating veggies and grains until 100 years and over). Think you don't like seaweed? Try dropping a slice of seaweed in your rice next time you cook it...you won't even taste it.
Too much calcium can make your bones more brittle and keep in mind that there is no single, universal calcium requirement true for all individuals.
How can I maintain healthy bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis?
You can decrease your risk of osteoporosis by reducing sodium and animal protein in the diet, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, exercising and ensuring adequate calcium intake from plant foods such as leafy green vegetables and beans. Your joints need movement and flexibility, not calcium, chocolate chew candies.
Many people are concerned with having a low bone density and look for supplements. Here are the risk factors associated with low bone density that your doctor might not tell you: sleeping pills, tranquilizers, smoking, vision problems, overactive thyroid, too much refined food in the diet, not enough protein, not enough vegetables.
Take home message: "A whole food, plant based diet suspends, cures all, and promotes superior physical fitness. Nutrition supported by exercise, water, sunshine is greater than the sum of its parts. It's a biological symphony."
-T. Colin Campbell, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry, author of the China Study, the most comprehensive health study ever conducted. www.tcolincampbell.org
Who gets ostoporosis anyway?
Women over 50 who lose weight drastically and older, malnourished, alcoholic men. If you do not fall into these categories, you're probably going to be in the clear.
So where do you get your calcium you wonder? In the words of Annemarie Colbin, Founder and CEO of The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts and author of The Whole Food Guide to Strong Bones, "The same place as cows, elephants and horses. In other words: leafy greens!" (Visit her website, www.foodandhealing.org). Other great calcium sources include cauliflower, parsley, broccoli, kale, almonds, sesame seeds, oysters, soft shell crabs, (edible bones). Also, in order to assimilate calcium, you must have Vitamin D in your diet (from direct sunlight is best) and magnesium, a mineral directly responsible for increasing calcium absorption from blood to bone. Where do you get magnesium? Sea veggies are best, blue-green algae is even better, a wonderful Superfood -(think Japanese men and women in Okinawa, Japan- who never drink milk, but live by the sea, eating veggies and grains until 100 years and over). Think you don't like seaweed? Try dropping a slice of seaweed in your rice next time you cook it...you won't even taste it.
Too much calcium can make your bones more brittle and keep in mind that there is no single, universal calcium requirement true for all individuals.
How can I maintain healthy bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis?
You can decrease your risk of osteoporosis by reducing sodium and animal protein in the diet, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, exercising and ensuring adequate calcium intake from plant foods such as leafy green vegetables and beans. Your joints need movement and flexibility, not calcium, chocolate chew candies.
Many people are concerned with having a low bone density and look for supplements. Here are the risk factors associated with low bone density that your doctor might not tell you: sleeping pills, tranquilizers, smoking, vision problems, overactive thyroid, too much refined food in the diet, not enough protein, not enough vegetables.
Take home message: "A whole food, plant based diet suspends, cures all, and promotes superior physical fitness. Nutrition supported by exercise, water, sunshine is greater than the sum of its parts. It's a biological symphony."
-T. Colin Campbell, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry, author of the China Study, the most comprehensive health study ever conducted. www.tcolincampbell.org
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Look for the 9 - How to Determine Organic Produce
Look at the Sticker!
Have you every noticed the little stickers on your fruit? Those numbers indicate the PLU. The International Federation for Produce Coding standardizes PLU codes for every grocery store in the country. Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have 4-digit numbers and generally begin with a 3 or 4. Organically grown fruits and vegetables have 5 digits and begin with a 9. I was just in a Gristedes grocery store the other day and saw a bag of "organic pears." I couldn't believe it - organic pears in Gristedes? I was so excited to see the organic produce section expanding at a mega-supermarket like this, BUT... when I looked closer, I saw that even though the bag had the USDA Organic logo on it, the stickers on the individual pears inside the bag started with a 3, which means the pears are conventional, not organic fruit.
BEWARE: Genetically modified fruits are vegetables also have 5 digits and begin with an 8. For example, the PLU for a conventionally grown banana is 4011; for an organic banana it's 94011; and for genetically modified bananas it's 84011.
Five Reasons to Go Organic:
1. Pesticides and Residues. The average conventionally grown apple has 20 to 30 artificial chemicals on the skin, even after rinsing.
2. Organic fruits and veggies have 50% to 60% higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than non-organic fruits and veggies, says the Feb 26, 2003 issue Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. They also have more alive minerals in them that have not been denatured in any way. They often taste better; sweeter and more flavorful. Think how much better a little, bumpy apple off a neighborhood tree or orchard tastes compared to an eerily, monstrous apple at an airport.
3. Organic farming works with the land. Crops are rotated from year to year to allow the soil to retain its nutrients between growing cycles. Animals graze in different areas to let grasses recover and replenish between seasons. Farmers use composting rather than artificial methods. Buying organic supports a way of life - a sustainable food system, a sustainable planet.
4. Pesticides build up in our tissues causing our immune system to weaken over time, allowing other carcinogens and pathogens to affect our health. Pesticides in the immune system have been shown to cause cancer as well as liver, kidney and blood diseases.
5. If you're not eating organic, you could be eating genetically modified foods. GMOs are any organism in which the genetic material has been altered or shuffled around in a way that does not occur naturally. These crops have DNA traits from bacteria, fungi, or other plants that create resistance to pests and diseases. Farmers who use GM crops can spray their fields to kill everything growing in the are except the food crop. (Imagine what is being killed in our bodies when we eat these foods.) The most common genetically engineered crops are canola, corn, soy, and cotton, Often, the government does not require labeling of these foods and considers them safe. Experts estimate that 70% of the foods in grocery stores in the U.S. and Canada contain genetically engineered ingredients. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, problems of the introduction of GMOs into the food system increase toxins to dangerous levels in conventional crops, diminish the natural, nutritional value of many harmless crops, allow for GMO crops to dominate over wild plants, disrupt ecosystems, and contribute to the destruction of our already fragile planet.
-the information from this post was taken from Integrative Nutrition, Chapter 3: What to Eat, When, and How We Eat.
Collect Stickers!
- A Fun Way to Encourage Kids to Eat Fruit and Veggies (and hopefully organic):
When I was little, my brother and sister and I used to collect fruit and vegetable stickers and attach them to our fridge as a collection. Much to my mom's dismay, (she hates clutter) this collage of fruit stickers was a great way to encourage little kids to eat fruit and veggies. I started a similar sticker collection when I was teaching first grade and before I knew it, almost all the class was bringing in fruit at lunch, eating it and then saving the sticker on our fun, healthy me, sticker collection. (We used a big green piece of paper with all the kids names on it instead of the fridge)
We tried to collect a wide variety of stickers (and therefore of produce as well) which was colorful and a lot of fun. The kids learned about new fruits they might never have eaten and their classmates got excited when they had the opportunity to teach them about a kind of melon or an avocado and read the stickers aloud.
By the way, my favorite stickers are for pluots, which are a striated, purple-y, summer fruit - a hybrid of a plum and an apricot - because they have a pink or orange dinosaur as their logo.
Have you every noticed the little stickers on your fruit? Those numbers indicate the PLU. The International Federation for Produce Coding standardizes PLU codes for every grocery store in the country. Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have 4-digit numbers and generally begin with a 3 or 4. Organically grown fruits and vegetables have 5 digits and begin with a 9. I was just in a Gristedes grocery store the other day and saw a bag of "organic pears." I couldn't believe it - organic pears in Gristedes? I was so excited to see the organic produce section expanding at a mega-supermarket like this, BUT... when I looked closer, I saw that even though the bag had the USDA Organic logo on it, the stickers on the individual pears inside the bag started with a 3, which means the pears are conventional, not organic fruit.
BEWARE: Genetically modified fruits are vegetables also have 5 digits and begin with an 8. For example, the PLU for a conventionally grown banana is 4011; for an organic banana it's 94011; and for genetically modified bananas it's 84011.
Five Reasons to Go Organic:
1. Pesticides and Residues. The average conventionally grown apple has 20 to 30 artificial chemicals on the skin, even after rinsing.
2. Organic fruits and veggies have 50% to 60% higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than non-organic fruits and veggies, says the Feb 26, 2003 issue Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. They also have more alive minerals in them that have not been denatured in any way. They often taste better; sweeter and more flavorful. Think how much better a little, bumpy apple off a neighborhood tree or orchard tastes compared to an eerily, monstrous apple at an airport.
3. Organic farming works with the land. Crops are rotated from year to year to allow the soil to retain its nutrients between growing cycles. Animals graze in different areas to let grasses recover and replenish between seasons. Farmers use composting rather than artificial methods. Buying organic supports a way of life - a sustainable food system, a sustainable planet.
4. Pesticides build up in our tissues causing our immune system to weaken over time, allowing other carcinogens and pathogens to affect our health. Pesticides in the immune system have been shown to cause cancer as well as liver, kidney and blood diseases.
5. If you're not eating organic, you could be eating genetically modified foods. GMOs are any organism in which the genetic material has been altered or shuffled around in a way that does not occur naturally. These crops have DNA traits from bacteria, fungi, or other plants that create resistance to pests and diseases. Farmers who use GM crops can spray their fields to kill everything growing in the are except the food crop. (Imagine what is being killed in our bodies when we eat these foods.) The most common genetically engineered crops are canola, corn, soy, and cotton, Often, the government does not require labeling of these foods and considers them safe. Experts estimate that 70% of the foods in grocery stores in the U.S. and Canada contain genetically engineered ingredients. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, problems of the introduction of GMOs into the food system increase toxins to dangerous levels in conventional crops, diminish the natural, nutritional value of many harmless crops, allow for GMO crops to dominate over wild plants, disrupt ecosystems, and contribute to the destruction of our already fragile planet.
-the information from this post was taken from Integrative Nutrition, Chapter 3: What to Eat, When, and How We Eat.
Collect Stickers!
- A Fun Way to Encourage Kids to Eat Fruit and Veggies (and hopefully organic):
When I was little, my brother and sister and I used to collect fruit and vegetable stickers and attach them to our fridge as a collection. Much to my mom's dismay, (she hates clutter) this collage of fruit stickers was a great way to encourage little kids to eat fruit and veggies. I started a similar sticker collection when I was teaching first grade and before I knew it, almost all the class was bringing in fruit at lunch, eating it and then saving the sticker on our fun, healthy me, sticker collection. (We used a big green piece of paper with all the kids names on it instead of the fridge)
We tried to collect a wide variety of stickers (and therefore of produce as well) which was colorful and a lot of fun. The kids learned about new fruits they might never have eaten and their classmates got excited when they had the opportunity to teach them about a kind of melon or an avocado and read the stickers aloud.
By the way, my favorite stickers are for pluots, which are a striated, purple-y, summer fruit - a hybrid of a plum and an apricot - because they have a pink or orange dinosaur as their logo.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Solving the Oil Crisis One Fat Myth at a Time
Fats and Oils
an Integrative Nutrition document, tweaked slightly by me to clarify about expeller-pressed oils...or as my dad would say in a French accent "expelier-pressed" oils. Here is everything healthy nutcases like you an me need to know about fat and oils.
Walk down the aisles of any grocery store and you’ll see packages feeding America’s fear of fats with the NO FAT/LOW FAT claims. Let's set the record straight: not all oils and fats are created equal!
Heavily processed fats and oils used in packaged foods are those fats that our bodies do not know what to do with. Fat from high-quality oils and whole foods are used by our bodies to help keep metabolism steady, nourish our skin, hair and nails and keep enough healthy “grease” in our engine to have the body’s functions work fluidly.
Some of the healthy fats include extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, unrefined sesame oil, ghee (clarified butter) used often in Ayurvedic diets, whole nuts and seeds or nut butter, the fats in whole foods such as avocados and coconuts and the high-quality fats in cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna.
Usage
For sautéing and baking at high temperatures, use butter, ghee and coconut oil because they do not break down under extreme heat. When sautéing and stovetop cooking at moderate temperatures, try an organic extra virgin olive oil.
A simple way to know when you have heated the oil to the right temperature is to place the oil in your cooking pan, turn your stove on medium and heat it until you just begin to smell the aroma. Quickly add and sauté your ingredients. You do not want the oil to ripple or heat to the point of smoking. Nut and seed oils, such as toasted sesame oil, flax oil, walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil and almond oil are best used unheated. Drizzle them on salads, veggies or grains just before serving. Never heat flax seed oil or toasted sesame oil. Selection When selecting oil, buy the highest quality organic products you can afford, since they are the backbone of many dishes. Look for oils stored in dark bottles because oxygen, heat and light promote vitamin loss and rancidity.
Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed (no heat used to extract the oil) and unrefined. Some oils list a date of manufacture and “best used by” date. Words to avoid are "refined, expeller-pressed" or "refined and solvent extracted/cold-processed" (petroleum solvents are used to separate the oil from the food), a process for extraction that is mechanical and involves heat... The exceptions are simply "cold-pressed" but this term is thrown around a lot as a marketing tool, or if you are certain the oil was extracted by an old man cranking coconuts or flax with a hand-machine then you can call it healthy. By the way, if an oil or butter substitute doesn’t say “unrefined” on the label, it is most likely refined. I can say that Spectrum organic products are a safe bet. Personally, I don't like the taste of expeller-pressed mayo, (I just use olive oil on sandwiches now or avocado mushed up and when I do have a mayo-ey sandwich I have it once in a blue moon and have the "bad" kind from a deli or whatever--won't kill ya.) But, obviously, any oil is still healthier than hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, margarine, low-quality butter-fat, of any kind. There are many different sides to the butter, oil debate. I suggest reading literature by Dr. Sally Fallon who eats three tablespoons of butter every morning, (Read Nourishing Traditions,) and then read something by Dr. Neil Barnard (vegan doctor) or David Wolfe (raw foods guy) so you have all sides of the story, then can decide what to eat for yourself, knowing who YOU are better than any research, website, or even world-renowned expert can possibly tell you about you.
Benefits
Our bodies need fat to insulate us and keep us warm and to protect and hold our organs in place. Consuming fats helps us to feel grounded and gives us a sense of soothing comfort. When there is a healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal, it creates a lasting feeling of energy, fulfillment and warmth. Signs of not enough high-quality fats in the diet are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, always feeling hungry after a meal and feeling cold. When there is an excess amount of fats and oils in the diet, especially of the heavily processed and refined kind, a person can experience weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness.
Storage
Keep oils in a cool, dark place—not out on the counter, next to your stove or above your refrigerator, where it tends to be warmer. In most cases, oils are best kept in the refrigerator (especially those that are not to be heated when consumed). Check the label for the ideal storage temperature.
an Integrative Nutrition document, tweaked slightly by me to clarify about expeller-pressed oils...or as my dad would say in a French accent "expelier-pressed" oils. Here is everything healthy nutcases like you an me need to know about fat and oils.
Walk down the aisles of any grocery store and you’ll see packages feeding America’s fear of fats with the NO FAT/LOW FAT claims. Let's set the record straight: not all oils and fats are created equal!
Heavily processed fats and oils used in packaged foods are those fats that our bodies do not know what to do with. Fat from high-quality oils and whole foods are used by our bodies to help keep metabolism steady, nourish our skin, hair and nails and keep enough healthy “grease” in our engine to have the body’s functions work fluidly.
Some of the healthy fats include extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, unrefined sesame oil, ghee (clarified butter) used often in Ayurvedic diets, whole nuts and seeds or nut butter, the fats in whole foods such as avocados and coconuts and the high-quality fats in cold-water fish such as salmon and tuna.
Usage
For sautéing and baking at high temperatures, use butter, ghee and coconut oil because they do not break down under extreme heat. When sautéing and stovetop cooking at moderate temperatures, try an organic extra virgin olive oil.
A simple way to know when you have heated the oil to the right temperature is to place the oil in your cooking pan, turn your stove on medium and heat it until you just begin to smell the aroma. Quickly add and sauté your ingredients. You do not want the oil to ripple or heat to the point of smoking. Nut and seed oils, such as toasted sesame oil, flax oil, walnut oil, pumpkin seed oil and almond oil are best used unheated. Drizzle them on salads, veggies or grains just before serving. Never heat flax seed oil or toasted sesame oil. Selection When selecting oil, buy the highest quality organic products you can afford, since they are the backbone of many dishes. Look for oils stored in dark bottles because oxygen, heat and light promote vitamin loss and rancidity.
Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed (no heat used to extract the oil) and unrefined. Some oils list a date of manufacture and “best used by” date. Words to avoid are "refined, expeller-pressed" or "refined and solvent extracted/cold-processed" (petroleum solvents are used to separate the oil from the food), a process for extraction that is mechanical and involves heat... The exceptions are simply "cold-pressed" but this term is thrown around a lot as a marketing tool, or if you are certain the oil was extracted by an old man cranking coconuts or flax with a hand-machine then you can call it healthy. By the way, if an oil or butter substitute doesn’t say “unrefined” on the label, it is most likely refined. I can say that Spectrum organic products are a safe bet. Personally, I don't like the taste of expeller-pressed mayo, (I just use olive oil on sandwiches now or avocado mushed up and when I do have a mayo-ey sandwich I have it once in a blue moon and have the "bad" kind from a deli or whatever--won't kill ya.) But, obviously, any oil is still healthier than hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, margarine, low-quality butter-fat, of any kind. There are many different sides to the butter, oil debate. I suggest reading literature by Dr. Sally Fallon who eats three tablespoons of butter every morning, (Read Nourishing Traditions,) and then read something by Dr. Neil Barnard (vegan doctor) or David Wolfe (raw foods guy) so you have all sides of the story, then can decide what to eat for yourself, knowing who YOU are better than any research, website, or even world-renowned expert can possibly tell you about you.
Benefits
Our bodies need fat to insulate us and keep us warm and to protect and hold our organs in place. Consuming fats helps us to feel grounded and gives us a sense of soothing comfort. When there is a healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal, it creates a lasting feeling of energy, fulfillment and warmth. Signs of not enough high-quality fats in the diet are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, always feeling hungry after a meal and feeling cold. When there is an excess amount of fats and oils in the diet, especially of the heavily processed and refined kind, a person can experience weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness.
Storage
Keep oils in a cool, dark place—not out on the counter, next to your stove or above your refrigerator, where it tends to be warmer. In most cases, oils are best kept in the refrigerator (especially those that are not to be heated when consumed). Check the label for the ideal storage temperature.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Orgasmic Greens. Just drop in boiling water for one minute and you have the healthiest addition to any meal. Drizzle with olive oil and say wow.
Healthy Shopping Basics
Glorious Greens
Within the fresh vegetable category, dark leafy greens are missing most from the modern diet. At the same time,
they are perhaps the most important group of vegetables to incorporate daily, containing high levels of energy,
nutrients and health-supportive benefits. To the newcomer, these explosions of unfamiliar color, texture and
taste can be intimidating and, in turn, are often passed by.
Selection
Look for bright color and crispness, with no signs of yellowing or decay. To ensure freshness, shop in markets
and health food stores with a high turnover rate. Whenever possible, select greens that are organic and/or
locally grown. There are many types of greens within the leafy green family. Look for many of these greens in
baby form, meaning they have been harvested early. This gives them a gentler, subtler, sweeter taste and
texture.
Bitter Greens
These greens tend to have a more delicate structure, are slightly lighter in color, and have a strong,
bitter, refreshing taste. They can be eaten raw or cooked.
This group includes mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, escarole, chicory
and watercress.
Deep Dark Leafy Greens
These greens can be spotted by their deep, dark, penetrating color. The darker the greens tend to be,
the more fibrous and slightly bitter in taste. Cooking them lightly will ease digestion, and depending on
the technique, can either enhance the bitter flavor or make them sweeter.
This group includes kale (green or purple), collard greens, Swiss chard (green, red or rainbow) and
lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur kale).
Leafy Greens
This last group contains all those that fit in between, some with delicate salad-type leaves, and others
with thicker, more fibrous leaves.
These include beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, red or green cabbage, spinach, parsley,
broccoli and mizuna.
Storage
Green leafy vegetables will keep for up to 2 or 3 days at most. Store them in the salad drawer of your
refrigerator and eat them soon after buying to enjoy them at their best.
When shopping, note that some greens will keep longer than others, so plan to eat your more delicate
perishable greens (such as arugula or dandelion leaves) first. You can save the more durable greens such as
the kales and cabbages for a couple of days later.
Benefits
Green is associated with spring - a time of renewal and refreshing, vital energy. In oriental medicine, green is
related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, with 120 to
190 mg per cup. They're also high in magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a
powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. In addition, they are full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other
micronutrients and phytochemicals.
purifies the blood
helps to prevent cancer
strengthens the immune system
promotes healthy intestinal flora
improves liver, gall bladder and kidney function
lifts the spirit and fights depression
clears congestion (especially in the lungs), and reduces mucus
improves circulation
keeps skin fresh; clears blemishes
The bitter green family is known for its powerful ability to clean out toxins and fats from the body. These greens
can be incorporated on a daily basis by anyone interested in weight loss or in cleansing the body.
Book References
Energetics of Food, by Steve Gagné, pages 197-198
The Self-Healing Cookbook, by Kristina Turner, pages 68 and 70
Healing with Whole Foods, by Paul Pitchford, page 329
Integrative Nutrition, by Joshua Rosenthal, pages 194-195
Greens Glorious Greens, by Johnna Albi and Catherine Walthers
Glorious Greens
Within the fresh vegetable category, dark leafy greens are missing most from the modern diet. At the same time,
they are perhaps the most important group of vegetables to incorporate daily, containing high levels of energy,
nutrients and health-supportive benefits. To the newcomer, these explosions of unfamiliar color, texture and
taste can be intimidating and, in turn, are often passed by.
Selection
Look for bright color and crispness, with no signs of yellowing or decay. To ensure freshness, shop in markets
and health food stores with a high turnover rate. Whenever possible, select greens that are organic and/or
locally grown. There are many types of greens within the leafy green family. Look for many of these greens in
baby form, meaning they have been harvested early. This gives them a gentler, subtler, sweeter taste and
texture.
Bitter Greens
These greens tend to have a more delicate structure, are slightly lighter in color, and have a strong,
bitter, refreshing taste. They can be eaten raw or cooked.
This group includes mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, escarole, chicory
and watercress.
Deep Dark Leafy Greens
These greens can be spotted by their deep, dark, penetrating color. The darker the greens tend to be,
the more fibrous and slightly bitter in taste. Cooking them lightly will ease digestion, and depending on
the technique, can either enhance the bitter flavor or make them sweeter.
This group includes kale (green or purple), collard greens, Swiss chard (green, red or rainbow) and
lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur kale).
Leafy Greens
This last group contains all those that fit in between, some with delicate salad-type leaves, and others
with thicker, more fibrous leaves.
These include beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, red or green cabbage, spinach, parsley,
broccoli and mizuna.
Storage
Green leafy vegetables will keep for up to 2 or 3 days at most. Store them in the salad drawer of your
refrigerator and eat them soon after buying to enjoy them at their best.
When shopping, note that some greens will keep longer than others, so plan to eat your more delicate
perishable greens (such as arugula or dandelion leaves) first. You can save the more durable greens such as
the kales and cabbages for a couple of days later.
Benefits
Green is associated with spring - a time of renewal and refreshing, vital energy. In oriental medicine, green is
related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, with 120 to
190 mg per cup. They're also high in magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a
powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. In addition, they are full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other
micronutrients and phytochemicals.
purifies the blood
helps to prevent cancer
strengthens the immune system
promotes healthy intestinal flora
improves liver, gall bladder and kidney function
lifts the spirit and fights depression
clears congestion (especially in the lungs), and reduces mucus
improves circulation
keeps skin fresh; clears blemishes
The bitter green family is known for its powerful ability to clean out toxins and fats from the body. These greens
can be incorporated on a daily basis by anyone interested in weight loss or in cleansing the body.
Book References
Energetics of Food, by Steve Gagné, pages 197-198
The Self-Healing Cookbook, by Kristina Turner, pages 68 and 70
Healing with Whole Foods, by Paul Pitchford, page 329
Integrative Nutrition, by Joshua Rosenthal, pages 194-195
Greens Glorious Greens, by Johnna Albi and Catherine Walthers
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