Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is another area where people meant to do good things with modern technology (I assume), but just weren’t thinking things through. The reason for genetically redesigning the cellular makeup of crops it to make plants resistant to pests and herbicides. I would imagine that it is cheaper to grow crops that are their own pesticide and that are resistant to herbicides (for weeds) than it is to spray crops constantly.
Contrary to what some are made to believe, GMO is NOTHING like grafting or cross pollinating. It is NOT something that is done naturally; it is a process of forcing genes from one source in to the DNA of another. Biological engineering is NOT safe for us, and it is NOT safe for the environment.
In one test (that I can’t get out of my head), rats wouldn’t touch a biologically engineered tomato. When the rats were finally force fed the tomato, they became very ill. Is this surprising? We are talking about food that isn’t supposed to be palatable to “pests” from a cellular level.
If rats become ill from GMOs can people? I haven't found any information about how much GMOs can be consumed before people can become ill, but it seems like we can eat quite a bit because people eat it everyday. Then again, could this be a part of the reason for the obesity in infants or learning disabilities or other diseases or conditions?
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Why You Should Eat Organic
I have given you many reasons why it is best to eat organic. Pesticides are now the least of our worries. Pesticides can sometimes be avoided by peeling fruit for example. The new kind of pest resistance, cannot be peeled away. The new technology in pest resistance is found in the very cells of the foods that we eat. Genetically modified engineering is now the greatest reason why I urge you to buy organic produce when you can. You have eaten genetically modified organisms (GMOs) before as have I. Most people in the United States and in other parts of the world have as well. Do you know how to tell the difference between a conventionally grown tomato and a genetically modified tomato?
The FDA declares GMOs are safe. Because they feel it is safe, companies don't have to label their fresh produce as genetically modified. So a conventioally grown tomato and a genetically modifed tomato can be given identical labels. An organic tomato by itself may look the same, however, it is usually marked organic and the plu number will start with the #9.
So as you are increasing the amount of fresh foods you eat, please be aware of this. There will be more on GMOs in future posts, in the meantime, please be aware of what kind of fresh produce you buy.
The FDA declares GMOs are safe. Because they feel it is safe, companies don't have to label their fresh produce as genetically modified. So a conventioally grown tomato and a genetically modifed tomato can be given identical labels. An organic tomato by itself may look the same, however, it is usually marked organic and the plu number will start with the #9.
So as you are increasing the amount of fresh foods you eat, please be aware of this. There will be more on GMOs in future posts, in the meantime, please be aware of what kind of fresh produce you buy.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Fiber II
As I may have mentioned, fiber can be found in most earth grown foods (best in whole form) like grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
There are ways to get more fiber in your diet. A friend of mine taught me something in college and I’ve been doing it since. Even my father swears by it. Every morning have a tall glass of water and some fruit before breakfast in that order. I like to have fruit that is fibrous and juicy like mangoes, kiwis or citrus, but I’ll have all kinds of other fruit as well. Have some veggies with lunch and dinner and try to fill half your plate with the fresh vegetables. Snack on fruits and veggies between meals. Try to eat the skin on fruits instead of peeling them. Avoid processed foods like pastas or processed cereals in boxes. Hot cereal made from whole grains would be better. In the morning, usually make some millet, buckwheat, steel cut oats or corn meal with some amaranth and coconut milk. If you are going to have the pastas or boxed cereals once in a while like I do, make sure they are at least made from whole grains and with few ingredients all of which you can recognize (if it contains ingredients that sound like they were made in a chemistry lab, steer clear of it). You can also sprinkle some chia/ Salba seeds on your food for extra fiber and other nutrients.
You know that I love to hear from you. If you have questions, comments, furthermores or extra tips, know that they are all welcome!
There are ways to get more fiber in your diet. A friend of mine taught me something in college and I’ve been doing it since. Even my father swears by it. Every morning have a tall glass of water and some fruit before breakfast in that order. I like to have fruit that is fibrous and juicy like mangoes, kiwis or citrus, but I’ll have all kinds of other fruit as well. Have some veggies with lunch and dinner and try to fill half your plate with the fresh vegetables. Snack on fruits and veggies between meals. Try to eat the skin on fruits instead of peeling them. Avoid processed foods like pastas or processed cereals in boxes. Hot cereal made from whole grains would be better. In the morning, usually make some millet, buckwheat, steel cut oats or corn meal with some amaranth and coconut milk. If you are going to have the pastas or boxed cereals once in a while like I do, make sure they are at least made from whole grains and with few ingredients all of which you can recognize (if it contains ingredients that sound like they were made in a chemistry lab, steer clear of it). You can also sprinkle some chia/ Salba seeds on your food for extra fiber and other nutrients.
You know that I love to hear from you. If you have questions, comments, furthermores or extra tips, know that they are all welcome!
Fiber
We've been talking about decreasing toxicity. At this point you are drinking at 8 -10 glasses of good clean water per day. Clean as in spring or filtered water (and of course you made sure the filter you have takes the fluoride out). This week we talked about decreasing our synthetic and toxic food intake and raising our nutrients. By doing this, you will also raise the amount of fiber in your diet.
Fiber is just indigestible carbohydrates. Why would we need to consume something that is indigestible? Well, for lots of reasons. Believe it or not, these indigestible carbs are necessary nutrients that have a variety of benefits. For one thing, most people understand that it helps to cleanse the system. What many may or may not understand is that helps lower the risk of a variety of diseases or bad health conditions. To name a few, fiber can decrease your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and it both prevents and relieves constipation (according to Harvard School of Public Health).
Harvard School of Public Health says that if the calories that you consume are more than average then you need more fiber. For example, they recommend that teens consume 30-35 grams per day. For most people, the recommendation is 20 grams of fiber per day. Either way, it is recommended that you get obtain your fiber FROM FOOD.
Once again, another source is stressing the importance of getting your nutrients from real food as opposed to a pill or supplement. Because you are decreasing your toxic/synthetic food intake and increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, you are well on your way to getting the fiber that you need in your diet.
Fiber is just indigestible carbohydrates. Why would we need to consume something that is indigestible? Well, for lots of reasons. Believe it or not, these indigestible carbs are necessary nutrients that have a variety of benefits. For one thing, most people understand that it helps to cleanse the system. What many may or may not understand is that helps lower the risk of a variety of diseases or bad health conditions. To name a few, fiber can decrease your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and it both prevents and relieves constipation (according to Harvard School of Public Health).
Harvard School of Public Health says that if the calories that you consume are more than average then you need more fiber. For example, they recommend that teens consume 30-35 grams per day. For most people, the recommendation is 20 grams of fiber per day. Either way, it is recommended that you get obtain your fiber FROM FOOD.
Once again, another source is stressing the importance of getting your nutrients from real food as opposed to a pill or supplement. Because you are decreasing your toxic/synthetic food intake and increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, you are well on your way to getting the fiber that you need in your diet.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Decreasing Toxicity: Increasing Nutrients (continued)
The next step is to decrease the chemical/ refined foods and increase our nutrients. The best way to obtain your vitamins is from food when you can (as you are learning from "Vitamin Code" the book of the month). The vitamin supplements are there because most of us don’t have the time to spend in the kitchen. Even I feel that washing veggies can get tedious, but I do it because it is the best way to nourish my family. You body will not absorb the “enriched” processed food vitamins any better than it will the processed crystallized junky vitamins.
So this week we will work on decreasing our intake of all the junky stuff that just fills our bodies with nothing but toxins. This week we will decrease any trans fats (also known as hydrogenated oils), MSG, BHT, BHA, TBHQ (which eliminates many fast food restaurant all together), aspartame, reduced iron, RDHD (usually found in refined milk), artificial colors and flavors, (be careful of natural flavors too) and high fructose corn syrups. It is good not to get rid of these things too quickly. Take the week (or even take two if you need to, there’s no rush) and finish anything you have in your home with these ingredients. Now, as we decrease the toxins we will increase the nutrients with the new foods that you will buy. Start buying more organic fruits and vegetables. Start trying a variety of organic dark leafy green veggies this week; kales, chards, spinach, broccoli, arugula, dandelions and dark salad greens. If you can’t get into the flavor of the greens, ease yourself into it by juicing them with carrot and apple (see the vitamin juice recipe in Wellness Café on the Whole Health Destinations page). The carrot and apple will sweeten the juice and add extra vitamins. This is how I eased myself into the habit of dark leafy greens, now the very mention of them makes me salivate! Start becoming aware of seasonings too. Be careful of marinades, for they often have ingredients that you are trying to avoid now.
So we are inching closer and closer toward a diet that contains mostly real food! Your body will thank you as mine did and still does!
So this week we will work on decreasing our intake of all the junky stuff that just fills our bodies with nothing but toxins. This week we will decrease any trans fats (also known as hydrogenated oils), MSG, BHT, BHA, TBHQ (which eliminates many fast food restaurant all together), aspartame, reduced iron, RDHD (usually found in refined milk), artificial colors and flavors, (be careful of natural flavors too) and high fructose corn syrups. It is good not to get rid of these things too quickly. Take the week (or even take two if you need to, there’s no rush) and finish anything you have in your home with these ingredients. Now, as we decrease the toxins we will increase the nutrients with the new foods that you will buy. Start buying more organic fruits and vegetables. Start trying a variety of organic dark leafy green veggies this week; kales, chards, spinach, broccoli, arugula, dandelions and dark salad greens. If you can’t get into the flavor of the greens, ease yourself into it by juicing them with carrot and apple (see the vitamin juice recipe in Wellness Café on the Whole Health Destinations page). The carrot and apple will sweeten the juice and add extra vitamins. This is how I eased myself into the habit of dark leafy greens, now the very mention of them makes me salivate! Start becoming aware of seasonings too. Be careful of marinades, for they often have ingredients that you are trying to avoid now.
So we are inching closer and closer toward a diet that contains mostly real food! Your body will thank you as mine did and still does!
Decreasing Toxicity: Increasing Nutrients
By now I’m assuming many of you have started drinking lots of good clean filtered water or spring water and decreased the sugary beverages to a minimum or, better still, you’ve stopped drinking the sugary beverages all together. I also assume that you have started reading the vitamin code and you are learning about nourishment. Well, whether you are there or getting there, you are on a great path toward a strong healthy body!
Stay alert for the next step in decreasing toxicity coming up in my next post. Thank you for reading!
Stay alert for the next step in decreasing toxicity coming up in my next post. Thank you for reading!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
BeWell BookWorms: March Book Club
Welcome my BeWell BookWorms! The book club has finally commenced with "The Vitamin Code," our first book of the month. This book talks about the history of our understanding of vitamins. How is this helpful as far as what we can do to improve our lifestyles? Well, when you understand vitamins, how they work and why the crystallized junk doesn't, you can make the best choices as far as which foods and vitamins supplements to buy. This book will deepen your understanding about why I LOVE kelp, brewer's yeast, Salba seeds and other whole food supplements. It will also explain why it is best to get all of your vitamins from food when you can. It may even help you know what foods and vitamins to bone up on if you are to become ill.
If you go to the BeWell BookWorms page you can find an image of the book. Below the image, there is a place where you can purchase the book. The link to amazon is on this post as well to get you started. Please push the "buy from amazon.com" button for more information. In the future, please refer to the BeWell BookWorms page.
There is a new BeWell BookWorms forum on the Whole Health Destinations page as well. This is so that we can all have discussions about the books that we are reading in the book club and about the lifestyle changes that we are making. You may ask questions and offer insights that you feel may be of help to others. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
If you go to the BeWell BookWorms page you can find an image of the book. Below the image, there is a place where you can purchase the book. The link to amazon is on this post as well to get you started. Please push the "buy from amazon.com" button for more information. In the future, please refer to the BeWell BookWorms page.
There is a new BeWell BookWorms forum on the Whole Health Destinations page as well. This is so that we can all have discussions about the books that we are reading in the book club and about the lifestyle changes that we are making. You may ask questions and offer insights that you feel may be of help to others. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
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