GERMS

As mentioned in the prior post, our family has been sick over the past week. In fact, since both kids are sleeping, I really should be cleaning my entire house that has been neglected

Or catching up on the mountain of laundry in the basement.

Or taking the pounds of tissues we used out to the trash.

Or maybe napping?

Or the grand list of other to-do's.

But there's always tomorrow, right?

And it's raining and dreary here so who feels like cleaning then? More like a cup of tea and a good book? Or should I say a cup of tea and online shopping for Christmas?

Anyway, my severe cold hit me earlier in the week, and yet I had to do some grocery shopping so I loaded my pockets with tissues and chapstick and managed my way through the store.

You know, I'm not normally a germaphobe (liberty with spelling, friends), but there's nothing like blowing your nose every 30 seconds to really make you think about it. Everything I touched at the store, I almost felt guilty about. I couldn't wash my hands every time I had to use a tissue so I'm sure I was spreading my cold to the world. I really thought about it in the produce section of the store. And then, I thought about how little I think about it. How when I'm healthy, I don't really pay attention and stop to think how many people touch things in public places. And where the food has been exactly before it shows up at the store. And how it really IS important to wash produce (I mean I do, but I've been guilty of neglecting that from time to time). Even pre-packed food has been handled by many different people. When you really think about it, YUCK!

And yet, we can't wear gloves our whole lives or little martian helmets or live in a bubble, we have to deal with the germs. They are everywhere, even where we don't realize. And if we're too clean and crazy about avoiding them, we neglect to let healthy bacteria in our bodies and allow our bodies to build its own natural defenses.

But, thinking about it, is really gross. I've heard recently that shopping carts are actually worse than public restrooms as far as germs like fectal material...eewwww! And your kitchen sink is actually worse than your toilet as festering bacteria! Some things I just don't want to know, and yet, I want to be aware of them.

So, I've decided to just be more dilegent about washing my hands, which is one of the best things you can do anyway. And you don't need antibacterial soap, just regular soap and water. Just sing your ABC's or a slow version of "Happy Birthday" and scrub in between your fingers too.

What do you do to stay germ free?

Guess The Product

Anyone up for a game? I'll admit right away I am not the inventor of this game, but find it loads of fun. In Sally Fallon's cookbook (that I have learned quite a bit from), Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, she lists in various spots throughout the book, lists of ingredients to well known products and you read them and try to guess what product she's talking about. It's amazing when you isolate the ingredients, without knowing the product, that it's sometimes challenging to figure it out, but also it makes you THINK about the ingredients, what is really in food, and makes you second guess buying it ever again. Well, unless you're sick as today's post will indicate.

Sooo...here's your challenge for today. Actually this one's pretty easy, but fun nonetheless.

Water, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar syrup, natural and artificial flavor, citric acid, locust bean gum, guar gum, ascorbic acid, carrageenan, natural and articifial color (may contain one or more of the following: annatto, turmeric, caramel, blue 1 & 2, red 3 & 40, yellow 5 & 6).

I'll give you a few minutes.

If you're not sure, I'll give you a few clues as I explain why I'm using this particular product.

My family has spent the past week passing cold germs to each other and it hasn't been fun. I don't sick too often and usually not severe, but this cold really did me in! I could feel my glands popping out of my neck and was desperate for something cold on my throat so I asked my husband to please pick up the above product because I needed something to help! I knew the basic ingredients of this product but it wasn't enough to stop me from eating one.

OK, three. AND letting my kids eat one.

OK, two!

And yes, if you haven't guessed yet, we're talking about popsicles!

I threw the rest out after I remembered the yummy slushies from Laura at

heavenlyhomemakers.com. Check out her blog sometime. She has amazing recipes (that I think she comes up with on her own...amazing woman!) for homemade crackers, soft pretzels, dinners and lunches, all kinds of good healthy stuff. And a great series called "Getting Real With Food" that I enjoy reading. Here's the link for the slushies. Oh, and you can leave out the spinach and use whatever fruit combination sounds good to you! After remembering them and realizing we had frozen strawberries and peaches from the summer, we made some and they felt fantastic on my throat. Then I got the brilliant idea to turn them into popsicles by putting the slushies in little dixie cups. We have a juicer and were making our own popsicles with fresh orange and pineapple juice but these are great because they're already partially frozen and you can put the popsicle stick in right away and not have to remember you have a tray of frozen juice in the freezer.

So try them sometime. You're in for a treat!

Cloth Diapering 101

When I first told my husband I wanted to use cloth diapers after our daughter was born, he told me that was fine, but he would not be changing any diapers, thank you very much.

Now, he's a diaper champ!! He even swishes the poop out into the toilet! (OK, so not to be gross during this post, but it's about diapers so what do you expect?)

Some people think we're crazy to use cloth diapers.

Some people think it's really cool.

I'm amazed by how many people comment about our diapers. Most people have not seen the new and improved versions. When I first started doing research on cloth diapers, I went to ebay because I didn't really think many people used them. I was amazed by how much used cloth diapers were going for. So I wrote down the names of different ones and started to google them to do some research. I thought I was going to have to use a diaper service like my mom did, you know, with the pins and plastic pants. But let me tell you, cloth diapers have been revamped and are so easy to use!

There are lots of cloth diapers out there that I haven't tried and I know many people love but I'll share what kind we use and why we like them so much. We have used Fuzzi Bunz on both our children and LOVE them. So everything I write here is based on our experience with those diapers.

While I'm not a tree-hugger or anything, I do think it's insane how many disposable diapers go to landfills, approximately 27 BILLION diapers a year in the U.S. alone. And they sit for up to 500 years before decomposing...yikes! Even though the instructions on diapers say to dump the waste into the toilet, statistics say that 1/2 of 1% actually do. Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR. Disposable diapers contain traces of toxins and pollutants that can have harmful effects on the body.

The average baby uses 6000 diapers in 2 years which makes an average cost of 1600 dollars. Cloth diapers do vary in cost so figuring out the saving depends on how many you buy and what kind you buy. The average cost of a cloth diaper is about 17 dollars. That sounds like a lot of money and it is a lot up front but over time, the savings do really add up. For my family, we have 3 dozen cloth diapers in 2 different sizes. My daughter is potty-trained and my son can still wear both sizes. We spent a total of about 700 dollars on cloth diapers, cloth wipes, detergent, and a few other supplies. If we went with the average listed above, cloth has saved us a ton of money. Plus, when you reuse them for different children, you really save money because you're getting so much more wear out of them. Wipes add to that cost and if you use washable wipes, you save more money.

For more statistics and break-down of costs, check out http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php. There are some stunning stats on that site with all their sources listed.

There are also diapers called gdiapers which are a compromise between cloth and disposable. They sound interesting but Fuzzi Bunz worked so well for us it didn't seem worth the investment because they are bit more expensive in the long run. I don't know anyone personally who has tried them but I'd love to know if you have.

Cloth diapers are soft against the baby's skin. They are made with fleece that keeps your baby's skin dry. Fuzzi Bunz, like many other cloth diapers, are pocket diapers so basically you put an cotton insert into the pocket of the cloth diaper to catch the pee and the outer part is waterproof so you don't need to put plastic pants on top. The outer part has snaps to fit different sizes of a child so you can use them as they grow. Some other brands of diapers use Velcro. They come in so many adorable colors.

Just look how cute they are hanging out on the line.

A lot of people ask about the smell and do they leak and is it gross to clean them? Most of the time, I don't notice a different smell with cloth unless I leave the diaper on too long. And disposables don't cover up a poopy smell any more than cloth. We store them in a special cloth bag after we use them and for the most part, the bag doesn't smell. In the summer when it's warmer there is more of an odor but we keep the bag in the bathroom and really, it's not that bad.

As for leaks, there is an occasional leak, but nothing out of the ordinary. Usually it will happen if the diaper is not snapped on properly or if it's too big. While I've read that people don't have problems at night, both of our kids got rashes when we used them at night so we do use a disposable overnight. We like the Seventh Generation brand because they are made without chemicals.

Getting rid of poop isn't really a big deal, most of the time you can dump it in the toilet. Yes, sometimes you have to swish it out in the toilet but that kind of stuff doesn't really bother me. When it's your own kids poop, it really isn't so bad. I've told anyone who has ever watched our kids that they can just roll up the diaper with the poop inside and we'll take care of it at home. Some have done that, others clean them out. I guess it's just personal preference. And even though you can't swish out disposables, you should dump the poop in the toilet!

With just one in diapers now and with the amount we have we only do a load or two extra every week. You use a tiny bit of detergent (we bought a special kind) and no fabric softener. You can't wash the diapers with anything else or it will cause pilling. You can line dry them or put them in the dryer. We have very few with staining on them and usually the sun will bleach it out if any is left. It's nice to air them out when the weather is good. We then spend 5-10 minutes putting the inserts in so it really is very minimal extra time to take care of them.

If we go on vacation or go to an amusement park or some place where cloth would not be convenient we do use disposables out of convenience. I totally understand why people choose not to use cloth, but it's worth exploring if you are remotely interested. I really do LOVE using them and would encourage you to do some research if you are curious about it. Or if you currently use them, let us know what you think about it.

Oh, and if you think they look cute hanging on the wash line, just think how cute they'll look on your baby's bottom!

Organic Defined

Did you ever wonder what eating organic food really means? When you see the organic label, what are the requirements?


Organic food must be produced without the use of herbicides, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals. Organic food has been proven to be more nutritious and taste better. Organic farming promotes good enironmental farming practices. The regulations for organic labels are pretty strict so when you eat organic food, you can guarantee better food is going into your body.


Organic food is not genetically-modified. I'm learning a lot more about this and am totally appalled by the trend of food. Genetically modified (GMO) food is food that has been created by a "fake" seed, a genetically produced seed, a copy of the real thing. It has altered DNA of the real thing. The effect of GMO's in our diet are untested. We've been eating GMO food without realizing it. Any food you pick up that is not organic most likely contains food that has been genetically modified. And why?? It all comes back to the same thing...money! GMO food is cheaper to make and mass produce so it's more money for the food companies. Because GMO's have been untested, they are particularly dangerous. In fact, Europe does not accept American GMO imports. Corn and soybeans are one of the largest GMO crops and they are in just about all processed foods in some form or another. Animals eat feed with GMO corn or soy and then it ends up in your meat. The best way to avoid GMO's is to eat whole unprocessed food as much as possible. Buy local and support quality farming.

As you experiment with reading labels and testing out the organic aisle in your local store, use these guidelines:

1. If a food is labeled 100% organic, that means 100% of product must be organic or contain organically produced products.


2. If a food is only labeled "organic," then 95% of the food must be organic.


3. Made with organic ingredients means at least 70% of the food must be organic.


4. If it says "all natural" or made with "all natural" whatever, it means NOTHING. There are no
guidelines for the natural label. So read the ingredients!

5. Conventional produce has 4 numbers on the PLU code. Organic produce has 5 numbers starting with 9. GMO produce has 5 numbers starting with 8. But just because you might only see 4 numbers doesn't mean it's the best for you because it still was produced with pesticides and chemicals. Local and organic are the best!

Some will argue that not all local produce is better for you because farmers might use unsafe practices. I think if you want to know, just ask them. Many farmers use organic practices but are not certified organic because the standards are very high and it is an expensive process. I'd rather buy something local when it's in season then something shipped across the country which uses more energy than a local farmer. But that's just my personal and humble opinion!

Since it's my blog, I get to write that!

Pesticide Control

I know you've all heard about pesticides that affect our food, but what are they really? And how can we avoid them?

Pesticides were created to protect crops from insects and other pests as well as control weeds and disease from hurting the crops. This would lead to increased amounts of production and more money.

But of course, anytime we try to do something that is unnatural, there are quite a few side effects.

One of those is soil degeneration which decreases the quality of the soil making it more difficult from year to year to grow crops. Which decreases the yield of the crop, which goes against the whole reason for using pesticides in the first place.

Another side effect results from human consumption of pesticides: herbicides (weed control), fungicides (mold control), rodenticides (rodent control), insectisides (insect control), and antimicrobials (bacteria control). The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has determined that between 30-90% of pesticides used, depending on what type, are cancer causing. Other side effects listed on their website include nerve damage, birth defects, long-term health effects, and blocking the absorption of nutrients necessary for healthy growth of children. Children can be affected more easily because they are still growing and developing and pesticide damage could cause permanent damage.

Pesticides can be found in fruits, vegetables, and animal products because the animals eat feed loaded with pesticides that builds up in their system.

This next part I'm quoting directly from mercola.com because it was stated so well.

"Of course the EPA notes that the government does regulate pesticides to determine "that they will not pose unreasonable risks to human health or the environment." For food items, the EPA sets limits on how much pesticides can be used and how much can remain on food. However, there is really no way to know just how many pesticides are left on the food you eat aside from having it lab-tested yourself.
Alarmingly, the EPA also says, "You and your family have a right to know under the law that in certain cases, such as economic loss to farmers, a pesticide not meeting the safety standard may be authorized." This means that in "certain cases" unsafe, unauthorized pesticides can legally be sprayed on your food!"

YIKES, right?

So the best way to avoid them is to buy organic fruits and vegetables and free-range meat. More on that on another post. (I think I write that frequently and don't keep up with my promises!)

If you can't afford to switch to all organic produce, check out this great website.

http://www.foodnews.org/

You can download a copy of a guide from the Environmental Working Group that tells you which produce has the most and least amount of pesticides so you know which ones are better to buy organically. For example, bananas and avocados are low on the pesticide list so you could choose not to buy them organically. Peaches and apples are high on the list so are best eaten organically.
Obviously, some people will say buy everything organic, but to me, that's not totally practical so I think this guide is quite helpful.

Cool, right? Enjoy!

I'm It

I was "tagged" the other day by another blogging friend.



This means I'm supposed to post 7 quirky things about myself and then tag someone else.



Hmmm, quirky. Well, I suppose I am quirky in some ways. We're all a little quirky when comparing ourselves to others. Since this is a blog on healthy eating and living, I'll try to relate the quirky things to that topic.



I need to think for a minute.



1. I love the smell of skunk. (OK, I know, nothing to do with the topic. But it's probably the quirkiest thing about me. And no, I wouldn't want to get sprayed by one, I just like the smell in the air. Must be the country girl in me).


2. I like to watch what people have in their shopping carts or on the checkout belt. Not to be judgemental or anything, it's just interesting to see what people buy. Sometimes I try to figure out what meals they might be having. That is, when I'm in line without my kids and am trying to avoid reading the annoying magazine headlines.


3. I never stop to eat fast food. Well, with the exception of when I was pregnant at the same time as my sister and she said she couldn't get enough of McDonald's sweet tea and had a fish sandwich that was amazing. So of course, I craved one too. And then I did get a lot of their sweet tea until my son was born. Maybe that's why he didn't sleep well for the first year? I can't believe I'm admitting that on a healthy eating blog...see, I am normal after all!


4. I love the way my freezer looks with all the meat lined up. We buy a 1/4 cow every year and a lot of chicken at once and use it throughout the year. I love the feeling of knowing it's there for the winter and just the way it looks when I open the door. I know, weird!!


5. I eat avocados with a spoon. I never thought this was strange until a lady I work with commented that she never saw anyone do that before. Yup, just twist, de-seed, and spoon away! And a little Celtic salt makes it all the better!

6. I get REALLY excited when I talk about health stuff with people...hence, the name of my blog. I know it's so boring to many but I love to hear about small changes people are making in their lives. I like to give them little cheers!

7. I have a pin on my bag for school that says, "I Geek Out on Organic Food." I made it when we were in Toronto visiting family. They had some neat stuff set up for kids downtown one afternoon and one of the crafts was to make a pin. Even though it was for kids, I thought it was fun to make one. The pins were pre-made with "I Geek Out on..." I filled in the "Organic Food" part of the button. I think I'm a little extra quirky for not throwing it away and wearing it with pride.

Wow, 7 already! I could put more but then I'd really be admitting some wild stuff so I'll just tag the next lucky blogger...Jaime, you're it!

Living Without a Spirit of Fear

We had quite a scary experience a few days ago.

Not to go on and on but my son had a seizure while at the babysitter's. I left work early and went with him by ambulance to the emergency room, knowing only that he had a seizure, but nothing else.

It's amazing what your mind will do when you don't know what's happening.

It's amazing how it automatically thinks the worst.

I was practically hyperventilating on the way to get him because I couldn't stop going over the "what if's." I won't list them because if you're a parent, you've probably gone over them in your head.

Maybe a few times.

Fortunately we only spent a few hours in the emergency room after doctors determined the seizure was a febrile one, which means it was induced by a high fever that came rapidly. It most likely will not reoccur but we just have to watch him a little more closely with fevers than we would have before. Apparently they are pretty common with young children.

Which only makes me feel a tiny bit better, because really, when it's your child, statistics don't matter.

Reflecting back on the whole experience made me think about something and was reflected in a comment from a friend.

Being a parent opens up a whole new world of fear.

Being a parent is amazing, no doubt. Watching your kids grow and change in front of you and become these independent little people, laughing at the crazy funny things they do, and wanting to give them so much because you love them so much. I have 2 children, the oldest is almost 3, so I haven't been doing this for long. But I don't think that matters. All parents I know, no matter how young or old, with 1 or 5 kids, love their children with all that they have and would do anything for them.

But being a parent can be scary. There is so much in this world that could hurt my kids and so many things that I can't protect them from. When I got the call from the sitter, my heart almost stopped beating and I lost focus on all else. Thankfully, all is fine, but it was a reminder that my world can change in a heartbeat. I could allow myself to be consumed by all the things there are to fear. Why list them? You probably know the list by heart.

But we are not commanded to live with a spirit of fear. We have an Enemy who wants us to be fearful of everything.

Take the economy for instance.

Maybe you feel the same as I do and are tired of the reporting and constant negative environment that has been created through the media. When you are inundated with all of that information, you really can give into the fear and have it affect your life.

Fearful living is not healthy living.

I'm choosing not to give into fear because I know that God loves me more than the lilies of the field and the birds of the air and if he will provide for them, he'll provide for me too.

I'm choosing to not live in fear, but to trust in God.

Some days are harder than others, but I know that trusting God is the only way to survive in this world. I know that my children are not my own, but they belong to God first. For me, there is the constant "giving over" of them to God, reminding me that while they are my children, they are His children, just as I am His child. So while I cannot protect them from everything, I pray for them daily, and trust that He began a good work in them and will be faithful to complete it.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Raw What??

Yikes it's been many days since my last post! But since my readers are few and far between, you probably didn't even notice!

So let's cut to the chase on today's topic...milk.

Milk is a tricky one to me, but since I started this blog with some big ingredients to avoid, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oil, I might as well go for another big one, pasteurized milk.

Yes, good ole' "it does a body good" milk.

Is it really that bad? I mean, it's milk...vitamin D, protein, great with chocolate chip cookies and cereal. So let me break it down for you a little and you can decide for yourself.

Milk from the grocery store is pretty much worthless. Milk from conventional cows, which are cows pretty much raised and abused for their products, have an abundance of things to be concerned about. Here are three things in a nutshell to remember: hormones, antibiotics, and feed.

These cows are given hormones to increase their production of milk. Many cows are forced to produce 3 times as much milk as they are intended to. You might have heard of this hormone, genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone. Some milk that you can buy from local dairies is still pasteurized but will say rBGH free or something like that. I suppose that's a step in the right direction, but not far enough. These cows also need quite a bit of antibiotics from getting sick so often. In addition, cows are designed to feed on grass and just be lazy in the field, chewing on the cud (sounds tempting to me on some days). Conventional cows are given feed, often a genetically modified soy feed, which is not digested in their bodies the way cows were designed to digest grass. Arguments have been made that many people who cannot tolerate milk, perhaps can't tolerate what's in the milk, a result of what the cows were fed. While I'm not necessarily an animal lover, this treatment of cows is horrible and affects the quality of the milk product you drink. All that stuff ends up in your milk and in your body when you drink it.

Pasteurization is the process of heating the milk to destroy bad bacteria, and in the process kills the good stuff too. While most people insist it is necessary, we have much cleaner conditions today than back in the day when pasteurization was invented. If you find a trusted source for milk, sanitation should not be an issue. Pasteurized milk still carries bacteria and has caused salmonella outbreaks. Raw milk will sour naturally, but pasteurized milk, because all the beneficial bacteria have been killed, will putrefy. I used to drink organic milk but after 2 or 3 days the smell was so bad I was wondering what in the world I was really drinking. Pasteurization alters the amino acids in the milk making it less digestible and protein less available. It also changes milk-lactose into beta-lactose which is more rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream and has the same effect that sugar does on your body, raising your blood sugar levels rapidly. Pasteurization also destroys enzymes from the milk that help build calcium in your body. Pasteurized milk is linked ironically to osteoporosis and diabetes, allergies, tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.

If milk is pasteurized, all the natural vitamins have been removed so any vitamins in the milk are synthetic ones that were pumped back into the milk. The less fat in the milk that you drink, meaning you drink 2%, 1%, or skim means there are pretty much no nutrients anywhere. Your body needs the fat to help digest the milk as much as it can. When eating food in it's most natural form, that means the full fat version. If I didn't drink raw milk, I'd try to find some non-homogenized whole milk. If I couldn't find that, well, I'd have to seriously think about what I wanted to do. Some people say if you can't drink raw milk, don't drink it at all!

Homogenization is the straining of fat particles, which takes fat molecules which cannot pass into the blood stream and turns them into the small ones that can which allows toxins to enter the body. Homogenization is linked to heart disease. Raw milk has the cream which rises naturally to the top. I usually pour the cream off and use it in coffee or for cooking when I need cream. Or I put it on my oatmeal in the morning. I wish I could get more cream off the top!

A note on organic milk...some people think it's better because it doesn't have the rBGH and the cows are not treated with antibiotics. True, but it's still homogenized and pasteurized and follows the above reasons for not drinking that kind of milk. Plus it is ultra-pasteurized which is a violent process that heats milk to boiling in a few seconds. Why this process is used I don't know so if anyone else knows, please tell me! I used to drink organic milk, thinking it was better but I can't stand the taste of it now.

Raw milk tastes so amazing, I can't explain it. It's smooth and natural and not thick feeling in your mouth like whole milk. The farm we use sell it in glass bottles. There is something very refreshing about milk from a glass bottle. Plastic and cardboard boxes with milk leave a taste on the milk and it's never quite cold enough.

Some states do not legally sell raw milk. If you live in a state that does, check out this website for sources of raw milk or information on raw milk. If you find a local source you can trust, I say go for it! I'm not concerned about the bacteria and both my young kids drink it and we've never had any problems. I've read that many people who are allergic to milk can handle raw milk.

If you're not ready for milk, maybe try cheese and other products made with raw milk. I think cheeses closest to the source taste best but our local grocery store carries raw milk cheese as well. Any dairy you can buy made from raw milk are going to be better pure sources than pasteurized. Dairy products should always be the full fat versions, anything less than that is processed more in some way and all the original good stuff is removed.

Whew...so was that a lot to take in or what?

I know to some of you this sounds crazy and not a step you are ready for. My advice is to just investigate. If it's something you're interested in pursuing, go for it. If you're not ready for it, just educate yourself so you know both sides and make your decision from there.

I'd love to know what you're thinking!

Show Me the Money, Part 2

I'm not sure if this is really a part 2 of what I wrote before, but as I've been thinking about living a more simple lifestyle, I also want to cook more simple meals. Meals that take only a few ingredients save money because you're not buying as much food to make them. And for working moms like me, save you time in the kitchen and give you more time to play with your kids after work. I'm always up for that.

I know there's a cookbook out there from the same group I mentioned before with the Simply in Season cookbook called More with Less. I don't own it yet, but a lady at our local market carries it so I might buy it from her. All of the recipes have only a few ingredients. As much as I enjoy Rachael Ray and the meals I've made from her cookbook were tasty, they take lots of stuff that I don't often have on hand and end up costing a bit more. If you check out the link, you can view sample recipes.

Soup is a great meal to make that usually takes not too many ingredients and often includes stuff you have on hand. Sometimes the list looks long because of all the seasonings but it's usually pretty quick and easy to make. Soup recipes galore exist online and in most cookbooks you find. Now is a great time of year for soup as the weather is getting cooler. I love a big pot of soup with some warm bread, especially if I have time to make it myself (which hasn't happened recently). Soup is also great because you can either double the recipe and freeze it for some night you don't feel like cooking or just save the leftovers and freeze them. Most soup recipes make a good amount.

I could probably spend a few weeks posting all the soup recipes I love but here are 2 of my favorites!

Lentil Soup (from my mom)
**lentils are great because you don't have to soak them like you do other beans

1/4 cup olive oil
1 diced onion
2 diced carrots
2 chopped celery stalks
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. dried basil
2 cups lentils
8 cups chicken broth
1 14.5oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced spinach or kale
2 TBSP vinegar
salt and pepper

1. In a large pot, saute vegetables in olive oil until tender. Stir in garlic and spices. Cook 2 minutes.
2. Stir in lentils and chicken broth and add tomatoes.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.
4. When ready to serve, stir in spinach (if using kale, you may need to steam a little first). Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper.


Hearty Broccoli Soup (from Simply in Season cookbook)
**I've made a lot of broccoli soups, and this one is my husband's favorite (he's pickier than me when it comes to soup)

2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup minced celery
1 cup water

1. Cook above ingredients for 5 minutes.
2. Add 2 cups chopped broccoli and cook 5-10 minutes.
3. Add 3 cups milk, 2 chicken bouillion cubes and 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce. Heat until boiling.
4. Blend 1 cup milk and 1/3 cup flour until smooth in a small bowl. Stir into soup and cook just until thickened. Turn off heat. (I've also just used heavy cream instead).
5. Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese until melted.

What kind of soup do you like?

Ditch the Water Bottles

Plastic water bottles are so convenient, are they not? Throw one in your bag when you need it, not having to worry about filling up your reusable one, even if it is better for the environment. Plastic bottles fill up landfills at an alarming rate, that' s for sure. While I'm not much for bottled water because all those little bottles add up to a lot more per gallon than gas right now, I did have a few bottles on hand.

After reading this article from Environmental Working Group, I'm going to rethink EVER buying them again.

To summarize, a series of tests were done on several bottled water companies and the tests revealed LOADS of chemicals in bottled water, chemicals that lead to cancer, heavy metals, arsenic, caffeine, Tylenol and many others. These chemicals are basically being accused of bottling tap water and making quite a profit on it. The article is short and even just skimming it will give you enough information to make you not even want to water your plants with it.

But as always, the choice is yours! Let me know if you decide to switch!

And if you find some really cool water bottles.

Reflections

I promise I will get back to writing about food and my thoughts on healthy eating. It's been a little challenging with time in the last week. But my plan for this blog is a place to ramble about healthy eating AND living so I thought I'd share some reflections I had after our family's recent trip to Toronto, Canada to visit my huband's family.

I've always enjoyed visiting Toronto. It is a beautiful city...I love the skyline, the clean streets, the feel and rhythm. It's incredibly multi-cultural, not pockets of ethnicities here and there, but everywhere together. We went to a small park for a few minutes and it was amazing to see about 10 different cultures represented in the 10 children playing there. In the small town we live in with not much diversity, my biracial children fit in well there.

With 5.2 million people it's busy, lots of traffic, lots of having to really watch your kids to make sure they don't run off and you can't see them. Toronto is trying to be a green city so every family has to buy 3 different trash cans, one for regular garbage, one for food and compost, and one for things that can be recycled. At the grocery store, you have to bring your own cloth bags or pay for plastic ones...I like that rule, wish it would catch on here! There's other stuff they're doing, too. Every little bit of saving counts!

Anyway, there is a lot to see and do.

I had an interesting conversation with my brother-in-law, who pretty much knows everything that is happening in the city, knows where all the events are, etc...He was saying how kids today have everything at the touch of a button, the internet, texting, food, cell phones, video games, etc...They don't know what it's like to have to wait for anything. Even my generation has some of these issues (hence, part of the reason for our economic housing downturn). Those who live in Toronto and other large cities, have tons to do. There is always something going on somewhere.

And yet, they're bored.

The day after I got back from Toronto, I was listening to a speaker at a professional development (I am in the education field), and he was talking about the days when he was a kid growing up in the South without much to do. He told stories of what he and his friends did with a cardboard box, the games they invented, how they reused things over and over. He was an amazing storyteller and put a longing in my heart to have lived back then, or experiency that life today.

His story and point were similar to the conversation I had with my brother-in-law. Even with so much around us to do and get quickly, why are people still bored and restless? Why can't we be satisfied with the simple things in life? Why is there such a need for more and more?

I used to come back from Toronto feeling like I was missing something, somewhere. Like I wanted to go and DO stuff. This time, I came back content with my simple life in a somewhat small town. While we live pretty simply, we're not like Laura Ingalls Wilder, mind you, I really want to strive to live MORE simply. To have my kids find joy in the small things, to be creative thinkers and not button pushers. Don't get me wrong, I won't go back to a dial-up modem, but do you know what I mean? Let's just live simply, and stop complicating life with stuff and wanting more. Let's go back to the good ole' days, so to speak, where we had to be more creative and didn't need to have everything immediately.

Am I crazy? Or does anyone else know what I'm talking about?

DETOX!!

I've been away, off to Canada for a few days to visit my husband's family. I really do love visiting Toronto, even though we don't get there that often, and I have a few thoughts to share about our recent visit, related of course to the theme of this blog, on a later post since we didn't get much sleep this weekend. But I digress...

When you eat healthy most of the time, your body gets used to feeling a certain way. And when you go off that track, for purposes of visiting relatives outside of town who eat out in restaurants much of the time, you eat food that say, you wouldn't normally eat. Which was the last 4 days for us. It's amazing how fast your body takes a downhill spiral. My blood sugar is out of whack, I've had an ongoing headache, and not to give too much infomation, but, let's just say my pipes aren't working normally. And I've noticed the same is true for the rest of the family. Because truly, when you eat well, all those things don't happen.

So it will take a few days to get back to normal. And can I just say that eating pretty much whatever we felt like the last few days really wasn't that much fun! I missed our food! Despite eating some greasy food and some fried food and some sweet food loaded with all the things and more that I've written about are horrible for you, it didn't make me feel like I was missing much. Feeling like crap right now...yeah, not worth it!

So all of that is just to say, if you do try to make changes, you should feel differently, for the better. And when you go back to your old ways, you'll notice!

I need to detox!

Show Me the Money

One of the biggest responses I hear when people want to know things about healthy eating is, "How much do you spend a month on food?" Or, "I'd like to eat healthier but it's too expensive." Well, I have a few thoughts on this I'd like to ramble about.

First, I could share how much we spend a month on food but I choose not to. At least not now, anyway. Because, to be honest, I'll bet we all spend around the same amount, give or take a little. No matter how you eat, food costs money. People are complaining about the cost of food nowadays with the economy being what it is and yes, I agree the cost of food has gone up to a degree. But we can control WHAT we buy, and who we choose to give our money to. There are things we buy that people would say, what?? And then other things I put my foot down and say, no, not doing it. So I simply say, if you think it costs too much, don't buy it. Don't complain about it, just don't buy it. I might spend 7 dollars for a bag of grapes and you'd think I was crazy. But you might spend that much for 2 boxes of crackers or 2 bags of chips and I'd say you were crazy too! So, much is in the eye of the beholder.

I think as Americans, we are used to things being cheap...we want cheap gas, food, clothing, the works. Many people in many other countries are not used to things being cheap. So, either buy what you want for what it costs and don't complain, or just choose not to buy it. Seriously, I and some others I know get a little ticked off by people talking about how expensive everything is. We all have a choice about what we spend our money on. We all can adapt our budgets a little to give room for some other things. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.

So, as for food, here's my theory. FOOD is one of the most important, if not THE most important thing we buy. Why? Because we can do without a lot of stuff, like cable TV, getting our hair or nails done, cool electronics, new furniture or cars, or whatever. Even though that stuff is great, I love new clothes by the way and would spend lots of money on them if I had the money to spend, but we don't need them. FOOD, we do need. We NEED to take care of our bodies and food gives us the energy we need and sustains us. Remember back to elementary school where you talk about needs and wants? Food, water, shelter, and clothing (OH, there's my excuse for new clothes!) are our basic needs. So I choose to spend more money on food than other things because I choose to take care of my body in the way I think is best. My hope is that by feeding myself and my family well, we will be less worried about being sick now and later in life and can live an abundant life! What we eat affects our bodies and in turn, how we treat others and how we fulfill all that God has intended for us to be. I know when I eat junk (and I do on occasion), it affects my body entirely differently than when I eat the way God intended for us to eat. I then treat others differently when I don't feel well after I eat that stuff. I just feel yucky and don't have the energy to do what I need to do, whether it be clean the house, work to my full potential, play with my kids, etc...So maybe this is a totally new soapbox, I'm not sure! It's so much a part of how I think these days.

I'd love to have the time (maybe I will someday) to do an experiment and take a typical menu I make and buy the groceries. Then take a menu that uses a lot of pre-packaged food and buy the groceries. Then compare and see what happens. If you want to see what happened when someone else did it, read this article.

Eating the way I talk about does cost money. The ingredients I talked about before, and some other ones I haven't blogged about yet, are cheaper to make and have a longer shelf life than fresh foods which is why you might think they are more affordable. BUT, they are NOT good for you! If you're used to buying certain foods and you try to switch all at once, you will spend a crazy amount of money. But if you make slow, gradual changes like I've talked about, you won't feel it as much. Here are a few other ideas to try to save. But remember, I think food is the most important thing I buy! So think about how important it is to you? To your family?

Here are some tips that work for me:
1. Pre-plan your meals: When you go to the store, buy only what you need for the week or month or however you do your shopping. Take a list or else you'll just pull stuff off the shelves that sounds good.
2. Avoid processed food as much as possible: This stuff really adds up! Try homemade oatmeal (recipe below) or eggs for breakfast instead of expensive cereal.
3. Buy local: In season, local produce, is cheaper than shipped produce or out of season produce.
4. Pack lunch, make your own coffee, eat out minimally: This stuff really adds up to, eating out takes a whopping amount of your money. Add up what you spend in a month on all of it, you might be surprised? Treat yourself on occasion, but have a budget to do it.
5. If you have a freezer, stock up on things that are on sale or look into buying part of a cow from a local farmer (more in a later post). Freeze local produce when it's in season for the winter.
6. Drink water...juice, soda, tea, all that stuff adds up.
7. Avoid going to the "corner store" or gas station...those prices are much higher than a grocery store. Just a few items adds up quickly!

Here are 50 tips if you want more. Those are just a few I use.

Here's one more thought: everything in life has a cost to some degree. Not financial, but a different kind of cost. When we make choices, it costs us something. We move to a new town, take a new job, take a risk in a relationship, tell someone how we feel, etc...Sometimes the choices we make are worth the cost, sometimes, maybe not. Eating healthy adds a cost financially. To me, it's worth it. What about you?

Breakfast Porridge (taken from Sally Fallon...I'll post on her later)

1 cup steel cut oats (you can find these in bulk at most grocery stores, or in a can in your organic aisle)
2 TBSP. yoghurt, buttermilk or kefir
1 cup warm water
pinch of salt
1 cup of water

Mix yoghurt, buttermilk, or kefir in 1 cup warm water. Add oats and soak covered, 7-24 hours. Boil 1 cup water to a boil. Add oats mixture and simmer for 5-7 minutes. A quick, filling, and delicious breakfast! I add cream, butter, and a sweetener, usually rapadura or maple syrup. Choose what you want! YUMMY!

Local Folk

Preplanning meals is very important but also thinking about what kind of food you are making for the time of year is also very important. The concept of cooking "in-season" is such a brilliant idea, and yet it escaped me until very recently. My mom bought me a great cookbook called "Simply In Season" and it has become a new favorite. Traditional cookbooks are organized by category: main courses, soups, appetizers, desserts, etc...This cookbook is organized by season, and lists recipes that contain mostly foods that you can buy when they are in season from a local farmer's market or farmer. Brilliant, right? I wish all cookbooks were organized this way!

When we shop for produce in a grocery store, we are purchasing food that has been shipped from all over the country, or world, which uses a lot of a variety of resources. We don't know exactly how that food is grown, how the soil is prepared, what the people are like who raise it, and how the production of that food affects the land. If we buy from our local farmer, we are not only saving those resources but getting fresher, healthier food and supporting local farmers and community. We are making a statement about how we want our food produced. The more people who pick up on this concept, the greater the support for the local farmer and the less demand for use of resources to ship our food.

While I had great ambitions of starting a small garden this year, it didn't happen. I hope to next summer and despite my lack of a green thumb, I'm optimistic for at least a few things to grow. My family did join a CSA this year, which has been such a neat experience we have loved and will continue in future years. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It is a community of individuals who come together to support a particular farm operation by purchasing a weekly share of the produce from that farm. You pay money up front for the cost of the farming and farmer's salary, and pick up a share each week of produce that has been grown. Typically, a season runs from late spring to early fall. There is satisfaction in supporting a local farmer and having some connection with the land and food you eat. For us, we can see where our food is grown, know the farmers who are tending the land and raising it, ask questions about the food, and share with others in the process. You also share the risk of pests or weather ruining the crops but the benefit of the bounty is amazing. This summer we have had so much produce every week that we've had to search for new recipes. Despite loving fruits and vegetables I've tried many new things this summer that I never had before like bok choy, okra, kale, collard greens, kohlrabi (I didn't even know that word existed before), yellow and orange watermelon, various colors and varieties of tomatoes and eggplant. It's been incredible! Here is a picture of a recent share.

There are over 2000 CSA's in our country! If you don't know of local farmers in your area or if you have CSA's available check out this website: localharvest.org. You can enter your zip code and get all kinds of information about what is available in your area.

Regardless of whether you join a CSA or not, look up where you can go for local produce. Try buying as much as possible in season and limiting what you cook that is out of season. It does save money too because the cost of local in-season produce is much cheaper that buying shipped out of season produce. As much as I want strawberries in the winter, they are too expensive and not as tasty. I'll have to wait until June! Now is the time for me to stock up on apples, make and freeze as much applesauce as possible to last through the winter. I'm also freezing local green beans and peppers. I don't know how to can and I'm sure there is much more I could do but I think that every little thing I can do is better than nothing.

So think along the lines of a local county's theme: Buy Fresh, Buy Local!

What's For Dinner?

Did you ever have this experience??

You're wondering what in the world to make for dinner so flip through a cookbook, find a recipe that sounds good, write down everything you need, go to the store to buy it all and then gasp when you see how much you actually are spending to make it! Does that sound at all familiar or am I the only crazy one who does such things?

Pre-planning meals can be a huge help to make sure this doesn't happen. I know there are some fancy menu planners online but I just use a generic calendar and keep track of what I'm making for the week. I'm only just getting better at this, by the way. I have struggled with pre-planning for a long time. Then at the end of the month, I can look back and see what I've made and try not to repeat everything the following month, since my husband likes variety!

I'm a working mother so it definately is beneficial to me to preplan what I'm making. If I get home from work without a clue what's for dinner it ends up being toasted cheese sandwiches! Sometimes I have to do some prep work the night before so that I'm not trying to do all of it after a long day at work and 2 little kids tugging at me. I like to spend my time in the evening with my family so it can be a hard balance to find. It might mean going to bed a little later so I can stay up and pre-make the meatloaf or the stuffing for peppers or chop vegetables for soup. Eating healthy does require a lot of time to prepare meals, so I try to make as many simple meals as possible that don't require a lot of ingredients. Regardless, making fresh food takes time! But the benefit of eating whole food compared to processed food is worth the effort.

TRANSport That Fat Outta Here!

What is the deal with trans fat, anyway? Have you noticed food packages that say "trans fat free?" Well, in many way, sadly, you can't believe the package!

So what are they? Trans fats are created in a hydrogenation process-by heating liquid vegetable oil (remember, the polyunsaturated fat that's not supposed to be heated?) in the presence of hydrogen to make them solid at room temperature. If you look at food packages you will see "partially hydrogenated oil" or some form of that, on EVERYTHING! Frozen foods like pizza, shortening, salad dressing, all snack foods, white bread, cookie dough products, chips, processed cheese, margarine and "heart healthy" butter, ice cream, candy, all fried foods in polyunsatured oils, and the list could go on.

And what is so bad about trans fat? I'm glad you asked! Trans fats are the artery-clogging fats. They increase your bad cholesterol. Therefore, they increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. The good fats we talked about allow fat to do the job it was intended to do while trans fats help to reverse that process. They are a hot topic these days and many restaurants are being asked to remove them from their businesses. So if you eat the foods listed above on a regular basis, chances are you are eating lots of trans fat! I was oblivious to this fact just a few years ago. Knowing how bad trans fats are help me to stay away from the above listed foods. If you're not ready to go without processed foods, try switching to organic products. While not the healthiest either since they are still processed, they will not have trans fat in them because they won't be made with hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oil.

Why would companies use hydrogenated oil if it's so bad for us?? Great question! The answer is the same for many of the crappy products they use...money and shelf life! I'm sure you're not surprised! It's cheaper to use this kind of oil so they can price their products more competitively (even though it's still expensive these days, no?). And the product can sit on the shelf longer so they won't lose money on a stale product. Have you ever seen the expiration date on many processed foods...they can sit there a REALLY long time!

Again, it goes back to the fact that we want to believe companies are looking out for our health, but really, they are not. Case in point...you will see "trans fat free" labels on a lot of products that list partially hydrogenated oil in their product. Because the government doesn't have strict guidelines on this one, if there is less than 500 milligrams of trans fat per serving, it can be labeled as "trans fat free." But if you take that small amount and add the other small amounts from all the other food you eat with trans fat, it adds up to a lot! I saw a box of Dunkin' Donuts that said "Trans fat free" on the front. Right, we're supposed to believe that? My sister says you can feel your arteries clogging when you eat one but yet it's not bad for us? Hmmm....

All that is to say, read the labels on what you buy! Seems to be a common theme here. I'd love to hear what foods you are finding it in!

I spent way too much time tonight writing about this subject of fat but once I get rolling...sometimes I can't control myself! So I'll give you a break to digest this and I'll try to come back with something a little lighter!

The Truth about Fat, Part 2

Now that we've talked about different kinds of fat, how do we know which kinds to eat and which kinds are good or not good?

I know in some ways it seems crazy to eat more fat, especially if you typically try to eat a low fat diet. I know for myself, the more fat I eat, the fuller I am, meaning overall, I probably eat less than I would if I ate low-fat. Plus, hopefully you read about the benefits your body gets from fat. There are cultures all over the world that eat lots of good fat and are very healthy people. They don't have processed food like we do in America and their health is overall tons better than ours! I've read research (well, OK, only the summaries of research) where doctors say that increasing saturated fat in the diets of their patients improved their overall health, and allowed them to lose weight.

This is not to say if you suddenly decide to drink a jar of olive oil every day you'll suddenly be healthier. Eating the right kinds of fat as well as reducing sugar and refined carbs are important. Also, not all "good fats" are created equally. Cold-pressed oils are better becasue the process doesn't damage the fat and our bodies cannot easily metabolize damaged fat.

So maybe try a few new things, like cooking in butter or coconut oil, saturated fats that are good for cooking. I used to use olive oil almost entirely for cooking but because it is a monounsaturated fat, it is not as preferable to use for heating, especially on a high heat. Now I mostly use olive oil as part of my salad dressing but I do occasionally cook with it or roast vegetables with it. I'm also experimenting with palm oil, a good saturated fat and baking with coconut oil. Other good saturated fats are cream, eggs, meat, and cheese. I havent' posted yet about the kinds of these that are best yet but that's too much for now. Can I just say I love putting butter and cream on my oatmeal...had it this morning! Yummy!

Some monounsaturated fats to try...do you like avocados? My family loves them and they are so filling and delicious. Try them along with a hamburger or on a salad. I give them a sprinkle of sea salt and eat them out of the shell. There are lots of oils I've never tried like almond oil and grapeseed oil but maybe they sound good to you?

Now, the polyunsaturated fats. These again are not used for cooking and many of them do not sound tempting to me like salmon oil, chia seed oil, hemp seed oil and wheat germ oil. I really would have no idea what to do with such things! My family does daily take cod liver oil, right off the spoon. Both my kids, under the age of 3, love it! We buy Carlson Lemon flavored Icelandic cod liver oil and it is such a great supplement with all the benefits of omega-3's. I know it sounds disgusting but it's not so bad. Now, the non-lemon flavor...I can't deal with that one (and I tried) so don't try to be a hero, unless you really want to. I also use flaxseed oil when I make smoothies. I can't drink that one alone either but mixed with something stronger, I can't even taste it at all. I know I listed oils such as safflower, corn, sunflower, and soybean as sources of polyunsaturated fat but they are very high in Omega-6's and are a great source of what leads our diets to a bad balance. All processed foods have these in some form and even organic processed foods don't use the best oil, even if they are organic. So limit those kind of vegetable oils when possible.

Animal products, free range eggs, wild fish, nuts and seeds are all great sources of healthy fat. Maybe you want to try having fish once a week? Or mixing some almonds and sunflower seeds with some chocolate chips or cranberries (hey, I'll give you a break to have something sweet!) Or maybe you'll switch to butter from the horrible substitutes that are out there (more on next post).

Are these oils more expensive? Well, yes, of course, like all things that are good for us. So again, go slow. Pick one thing that sounds good and try it. If you like it, then switch one more. That's the best way to make a positive and consistent change.

Please read the next post about the kind of fat to avoid as much as possible! But I'll leave you with a smoothie recipe from Jordan Rubin. I use this as my base and then change out the fruit or make different flavors. It makes a great breakfast! And full of good fat!

Basic Smoothie Recipe

Mix in a blender:
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, kefir, or coconut milk or coconut water (yogurt and coconut milk are a personal favorite)
1 tsp. organic flax seed oil
1tsp. organic extra-virgin coconut oil
1 Tbsp. raw honey
1 cup fresh or frozen fruit, pref. local or organic (I like using frozen, makes it icier)
1 scoop goat's milk protein powder (a product of Jordan Rubin, but you could omit this)
dash of vanilla extract (optional)
1 raw egg (optional but gives protein and good fat!)

The Truth about Fat, Part 1

One thing everyone, OK not quite everyone, but most people assume when I tell them I eat a little differently is that I must eat a low-fat diet, or a low-carb diet. Yuck to both of those, for the record. Truth is, I eat a lot of fat! My family's diet is actually rather high in fat when you break it down, which is one thing I love about it! The KIND of fat I eat is what is most important because there are different kinds. Not all fat causes us to gain weight, which is great news!

Fats are necessary for our bodies. It can be a solid fat or a liquid fat called an oil. We get fat from our food and it is stored in our body and used for energy. Fatty acids give our bodies insulation and a cushion for our vital organs. All cells in our body need fatty acids to make and build new cells. They are also vital in our nerve impulse transmissions and for brain development.

Fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms filling the available bonds. Most fats that we eat and that are in our bodies are a collection of molecues called triglycerides that is formed from three fatty-acids attached to a glycerol molecule. OK, so I know this isn't biology class but it does help explain different kinds of fats. A saturated fat means the carbon bonds are saturated with hydrogen molecules. This makes them stable and they won't easily go rancid, even when heated for cooking. They are mostly solid at room temperature. The body prefers these to burn for energy. Examples of saturated fats are animal fats from meat, butter, whole milk, cheese, cream and plant sources such as coconut oil.

Monounsaturated fats have a link in the carbon chain where 2 carbon molecules share 2 bonds with each other. This makes them mostly stable like saturated fats and they can be used in cooking as well. They are mostly solid when cold and liquid at room temperature. This would be fats like olive oil and nut oils like almonds, cashews, peanuts, etc...and avocados.

Polyunsaturated fats have 2 or more double bonds in their carbon chain. They are always liquid, go rancid easily and should not be heated or used for cooking, but can be eaten. Oils such as corn, safflower, soybean, and sunflower would be examples.

The two most common fatty acids from the polyunsaturated category probably sound familiar to you, Omega 3 and Omega 6. Because the body cannot make them, they are called essential fatty acids, and must be obtained from the food we eat. I won't go into any more sciencey explanations here but only explain the importance of getting these essential fatty acids in our diet. I know there is a lot of talk out there about making sure we get Omega 3's so here is why. Omega 3 fatty-acids help the arteries and other parts of the body stay free from inflamation so they have been shown to help improve diseases that cause inflammation in various parts of the body such as autoimmune diseases, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Omega 3's also reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and reduce symptoms of depression, hypertension, ADD, joint pain, and other diseases. They strengthen the immune system as well. They protect the nervous system and are crucial in fetal and early childhood development. They can improve cardiovascular health and balance insulin levels. You can get Omega 3's in fatty fish such as salmon and albacore tuna, high omega-3 eggs, flaxseed oil, walnuts and cod liver oil as well as various fruits and vegetables.

The other kind of EFA (essential fatty acid) I'll discuss is Omega -6, found in grains, cereals, baked products, and vegetable oil. Omega-6 is particulary helpful in blood clotting and supports skin health. However, omega-3 and omega-6 must be balanced correctly. Most of us have a diet that is too high in omega-6's. I've read that many American diets have a 20-1 ration (20 omega 6's to 1 omega-3). The ratio should be about 4 parts omega-3 to one part omega-6. If there is too much omega-6's in our bodies, this is a big promotion for disease.

While most doctors will tell you to decrease your consumption of fats, particulary saturated fats, it's not this kind of fat that leads to cardiovascular disease. Eating refined sugars and carbs that build up in our bodies and don't get burned for energy can increase triglycerides that lead to heart disease and weight gain. Fats are an important part of what we eat because they help us absorb nutrients more slowly so we can feel fuller longer. This is one reason most low-fat diets don't work for long periods of time because people are very hungry all the time!

So I think that's enough to digest for now. More on the next post!

Healthier Sugar Substitutes

To summarize the last few posts, sugar in general is not good for our bodies. Sugar, and chemically produced substitutes, can cause a lot of damage. So reducing the amount of sugar we consume is a great idea. Consuming too much of any kind of sugar, healthy substitute or not, can upset your body chemistry. But let's face it, we all will consume sugar in some form so we need to think about some healthier substitutes.

Try to eliminate HFCS, artificial sweeteners, and processed white sugar from your diet. Eat lots of fruit which is naturally sweetened. And, when you want sweetener for baking or tea and coffee, here are some alternatives. There are actually a lot more that I could include but to be honest, I don't know as much about them and these are the ones I use the most frequently or at least have tried at some point. I'll put some links to these products so you can see what they look like. I'm not endorsing the actual sites, but it's just to give you a picture or you can do more reading on your own if one of them greatly interests you.

1. Raw Honey-Honey that has not been heated to over 117 degrees has lots of enzymes that help digest carbohydrates and nutrients as well. There are lots of forms of honey so the closest you can get to raw honey is the best but any honey to start with is good. I love this product called Really Raw Honey. It is amazing! Baking with honey is a little tricky. I've found that unless the recipe specifically calls for honey, you have to really adapt it because honey is more liquidy than sugar. So I'm not quite an expert on that yet, but I'm experimenting and learning. I'll post some recipes in the future you can try. Remember not to give raw honey to infants, though.

2. Maple syrup-Not the kind you buy in the store that has HFCS in it and uses formaldehyde in its production, but pure maple syrup. It is rich in trace minerals. It is a little pricey to buy but the taste is great. Not only good on pancakes, but sweet potatoes and baking as well. I think it's great as a natural sweetener added to plain yogurt. Again, like honey, you have to adapt the ingredients due to the liquid content and it is much sweeter than honey so you don't need as much. Maple sugar is the powdered form of the syrup. It is quite expensive but I buy it to use sparingly to sprinkle on oatmeal or sweet potatoes but it is really sweet and a little goes a long way.

3. Rapadura/Sucanat-I've heard the terms used as equals but they do have some differences and Rapadura is the most pure of all but I use both of them. Rapadura is the commercial name for dehydrated cane sugar juice. You'll see in a lot of organic processed foods they use evaporated cane juice. Rapadura is full of minerals and mimics sugar closely so it can be used in baking and retains its nutrients after baking. I substitute it mostly for brown sugar but have for sugar as well. It is really rich tasting and good on oatmeal and sweet potatotes as well.

4. Stevia powder-a little of this goes a long way. It's not good for baking because it doesn't add bulk but is good for sweetening coffee, tea, and recipes that call for just a teaspoon or 2 of sugar. The taste to me is definately different and not my favorite, but that's just a personal opinion. I'm thinking of trying it again. This one will not spike blood sugar levels.

5. Agave nectar-I really love this sweetener in tea but I have read that the effect on the body is very similar to sugar so it may not be one of the better ones but still a better option than white sugar. It comes from the Agave cactus. It says it's 90% fructose but the more natural fructose, not HFCS. You can use it again in recipes that don't call for as much sugar.

6. Xylitol-Another good sweetener that will not spike your blood sugar level. I found a brand called Spry that makes gum and mouthwash with xylitol. It seems to be good for the teeth because it limits growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay. While I have read some mixed things about xylitol because it is a sugar alcohol, it seems to be overall an OK choice. I like the taste of it but don't use it for baking. Some people have intestinal issues with it, just as a heads up!

While they do sell organic white sugar, it really isn't that much better than regular white sugar. Yes it is organic and yes it is a little less processed but it is still white sugar. I do use organic white sugar in baking sometimes but I'm trying other healthier substitutes in baking to see what the end product is like.

Again, read labels to see what kind of sugar is in the products you buy. Any processed food is going to have several forms of bad sugar. While organic processed food is still processed, the sugar they use will be in a much better form.

There are others if you want to do your own research like date sugar, malted grain syrups, molasses, etc...but again, I haven't used them before. Hopefully this will give you a few ideas to get started! I'd love to hear what you try and what you like!

Just Say NO to Aspartame

Before I post a list of alternative sweeteners, it's been nagging me to make sure I say something about artificial sweeteners. The name "artificial" should make everyone want to run since it is not a natural sugar, not even close. And what companies want you to believe is that the ingredients used to create these sugars are innocent and pure, but when put together, has a different character that wrecks havoc on the body.

One of the biggest ways people cut down on HFCS is to switch to diet soda, thinking that since they are consuming less calories, they'll lose weight. Or switch to foods created with Splenda since it means they can "have their cake and eat it too." The ironic part is that artificial sweeteners increase the craving for more sweets and trick the body into thinking that sweet things have low calories, which causes the consumption of more sweets. I've heard people say that if you absolutely can't give up soda (which you really should), drink regular soda because as bad as HFCS is for you, artificial sweeteners are worse!!

Artificial sweeteners come in pink, blue, or yellow packs as most folks know them by, but they are in so many of the foods we consume that we don't even realize including yogurt, gum, mints, and lots of processed snack food. They are most often listed on ingredients as aspartame. Aspartame which is more commonly known as Nutrasweet or Equal is highly toxic, yes toxic. The heat in our bodies reacts with acids that the sweetener breaks down into which converts to formaldehyde, yes you heard me correctly. It can cause genetic damage as well as neurological damage and damage to the immune system. It breaks down a barrier in our brain which allows toxins to come in. Aspartame has been linked to MANY MANY diseases and conditions including epilepsy, migraines and headaches, depression, autoimmune disease, brain tumors. diabetes, birth defects, and the list goes on.

Splenda, also known as sucralose, does not have as much research behind it and claims it is made out of sugar. And yet, it is still an ARTIFICIAL sweetener and has been linked to many disorders as well including enlarged organs, lots of complications with pregnancy, diarrhea, reduced growth rate, shrunken thymus glands, and others. So don't believe the hype...it is just as bad as other sweeteners.

So, again, read labels. Know what is in the food you purchase!

Pour Some Sugar on Me

SUGAR...oohh, probably my biggest weakness, sweets! There are alternatives, and semi-healthy at that, hooray!

So yesterday, I spoke about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and why you should avoid it. Let's talk a little about sugar in general, shall we?

I think everyone knows that sugar should be avoided, yes? Most people I know would like to cut down the amount of sugar in their diet. But cutting out sugar is easier said than done since it's in just about every food we eat, particulary man-made foods and it comes with all kinds of crazy names...sugar, corn syrup, HFCS, sucralose, sucrose, fructose, etc...Before we can look for some alternatives, I think we need to know WHY something is so bad for us. It gives us a reason to make change!

Sugar can do so much damage to our bodies. If you REALLY want to see some of the data, read this article from a health website I visit often that will give you 76 things sugar can do to your body. http://www.mercola.com/article/sugar/dangers_of_sugar.htm Here are a few highlights...can increase cholesterol, lead to cancer, obesity, poor eyesight, tooth disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, allergies, excema, damage body parts, lead to depression, etc...And yet I don't think most of us need to read all of the information to know it's bad for us. We all know that and want to do something about it. So why is it so hard?

Part of the explanation might be the way insulin works in our bodies. When we eat something high in carbs and sugar, particularly in the absence of fiber that helps digest the sugar and slow down digestion in general, our pancreas releases insulin that tells the body what to do with the sugar. Insulin helps the body lower its blood sugar and balance our bodies. Insulin does a lot of other things in our body but since I'm not a biology major, I can't really remember them all. The overall goal is to keep our insulin levels low. The way to do that is to avoid refined grains and sugar that cause our bodies to release the insulin. Our bodies become resistant to insulin the more it is released which means our bodies will no longer use it correctly or be insensitive to it. This could cause excess blood sugar in the body which could then lead to diabetes or other diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease.

The most important thing I think to remember about sugar and insulin is the cycle we get caught up in when we eat sugar. Here's what happens: Eat sugar (or white flour carb products), drive up blood sugar and gain energy, insulin is released to balance body, blood sugar lowers rapidly inducing hunger, eat something else with sugar to get the energy rush, repeat cycle. So basically, eating sweets makes us want to eat sweets more. Eventually our bodies start to reject the insulin which causes us to have increased blood sugar, increased fat in our bodies, and increased clogging of our arteries leading to increased risk for disease.

WOW, so was that overwhelming or what?? Take a deep breath!

Now, is that to say that I never eat sugar! I wish! I still eat it, although I have found some substitutes that are not as harsh as processed white sugar (more on a future post). But what I will say is that because I do choose to eat the best I can and I have eliminated most white sugar from my diet, my body does react harshly when I eat it. I know exactly how I'm going to feel. So if I CHOOSE to eat it, I pay the price with headaches and energy crashes and sluggish feelings.

If you do decide to cut out sugar or lessen the amount you eat, your body will respond with cravings as it goes through withdrawal...just like other addictions. And yes, our bodies are addicted to it. Be patient, alternatives are on the way!

Oh, and for those of you with questions, I'll post answers as they fit in, or maybe I'll just slip them in just for you!

High Fructose Corn Syrup

So, what I decided to do is write about something that you should try to avoid in your diet. Then in subsequent posts, I'll try to give you some alternatives, OK, not try, I WILL give you some alternatives and if I can't, well, then I won't write about that topic anyway!

I decided to start with high fructose corn syrup, as per request from my granola, earthy, green living younger brother. He also insists everyone needs an organic nerd in their life, like it or not. Jordan Rubin lists "The Dirty Dozen" which are 12 foods he says to avoid ALL the time. So this is one of them, and I have read and heard about it from many other health gurus. I've read a lot about it and the effect it has on the body so I'll explain it the way it makes sense to me and hopefully will make sense to you.

High fructose corn syrup (from here on called HFCS) is a chemically produced sweetener that is chemically produced by a process that converts milling corn to fructose, which is a super, super sweet sugar (note the word chemically used emphatically). Corn is a grain, not a vegetable, and so it is very high in sugar. This process is cheaper than importing real sugar. Because it is cheaper, you'll find it in TONS of foods, and a lot of foods you wouldn't expect to find it. Foods would would expect like soda and processed foods but also in condiments, applesauce, cereal, salad dressing, fruit juice, jelly, and many others. I've read people today eat more HFCS than ever in history! Because corn is one of the major genetically modified crops (GMO), it could contain a toxic mold. More on GMO's later but basically it stands for genetically modified organism meaning it is a man-made version of the real thing.

Some of you are saying, "Fructose, isn't that a good sugar like in fruit?" When you eat fruit, the body is able to digest the fructose because fruit has natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that help digest the fructose. The body metabolizes fructose from HFCS differently from other sugars. It actually turns it into triglycerides which increases risk for heart disease by increasing your LDL (bad cholesterol) and decreasing your HDL (good cholesterol).

If you aren't yet conviced, another reason is that when you eat HFCS, your hormones are not stimulated to tell you when you’re full. While sugar is not good for you, and I will post more on how insulin works in your body, it does trigger something to make you feel more full and satisfied. What happens is that when you eat something with HFCS, your body doesn't feel satisfied so you will keep eating more and more things that are sweet to try to satisfy that sweet tooth desire but it won't be satisfied.

I know most of us would like to believe that food companies are looking out for our best interests and if they say a food is healthy we should believe them. This is becoming one of my biggest pet peeves and this topic will come up again and again in future posts. Food companies want one thing, MONEY! They will use cheap products that are HORRIBLE for your health to make a few extra (or a lot of extra) dollars in their pocket. Read labels! Avoid HFCS when possible!!

So Where Do I Start?

A question that I often get asked by people is, "Where do I begin? What comes first?" I'm sure the experts would have a direct answer to this question, but mine is more simple. Really, I would just pick ONE thing, ANYTHING and make a change. Truthfully, it's too hard to change it all at once. There is too much to change, too much money to spend doing it, and too hard to maintain if you try to do it all at once. So I think the easiest thing to do is make one change, and once you start doing that well, pick something else to change.

That being said, making small changes aren't going to miraculously change your health overnight or suddenly make you lose a lot of weight. But gradually, as you make more and more changes, you will notice a difference in how you feel and you will read ingredients more and think twice before eating something. And yes, sometimes you will choose to eat it anyway. I'm guilty of that. But other times, you will say, "No, it's not worth putting that poison into my body." There's a lot of freedom in being able to make those kinds of choices.

I think when we started this back some years ago, we switched a bunch of things at once, at least some of the time. I know we switched to organic processed foods, meat, and produce. But things like changing condiments, personal care items, dairy, and other stuff didn't come until much later. There is so much to learn and I'm still learning and making changes that I'll share as those topics come up. So don't feel like you have to keep up with all the things I'm going to write about. Maybe one of them will spark your interest and you'll want to try that one out first.

Reminder: Go S--L--O--W--L--Y!! But you can do it! You can make changes! I know you can! And write and tell me all about them...I'll be excited for you!

Getting Started

Hmmm...so I really am not sure where to even start! I have so much I want to write about and I probably should get it organized before I start but then again, it might take me too long to write so I'll just start writing something!

My husband and I started eating and exploring eating more organically about 6 or 7 years ago. It's hard to exactly define what eating "organically" looks like so I'll gradually make new posts that explain the specifics of what good eating looks like. Basically, I take the philosophy of Jordan Rubin. I've read three of his books (he's written a lot), I've done The Maker's Diet and recently, after reading Perfect Weight America, got motivated to start eating the right way again. Alot of what I have learned has been from him, but I do read things from others and this blog will contain a hodgepodge of sources. So things that I write here I won't always credit to one person because I read different things from different people but I'll try to link to sources when I can. There are lots of different people that tell you different things about what healthy eating looks like and you have to navigate through them and find the common threads. I hope future postings will help you see some of those similarities. There are many people who know a lot more than me and could explain things more clearly and in better ways. You could even Google what you want to learn and get lots of information. But as I said before, I feel led by God to encourage others in changing their eating habits.

So, no, I don't consider myself an expert but I do know that eating this way makes me feel a ton better, have more energy, and maintain my weight better than anything else I've ever done in my life. There are certain topics I know a lot about and others I'm still learning about. This idea of eating does go alot against what mainstream doctors and nutritionists will say but it makes so much sense!

The kind of food I'm talking about eating is, well, REAL food. Basically it is food that is created by God for food and in a form intended for the body. It's eating organic or local fruits and vegetables, raw milk products, whole grains, nuts and seeds, grass fed and free range meat, and wild caught fish. Food that tastes amazing and is freshly prepared in it's full fat version as close to the original as possible. Avoiding processed food of all kinds (even organic) is the best.

Now that I've said that, I certainly do not eat this way ALL the time...I'm not perfect. But I do strive to a certain standard. I still love lots of food that I know I shouldn't eat and that will always be a struggle. But most of the time, we eat this way. And it does taste great and you feel amazing. And yes you can still make sweets and desserts...you just alter the kinds of ingredients you use. It's best to make small changes...if you do too much at once it's just too hard to maintain. So hopefully you will keep reading and find some small changes you can make!

OK, so I knew I would start rambling for my first few entries. I'll try to get more organized as I go along!

Welcome to bloggyland

So I'm finally doing it! I've been talking about it, mostly to myself, but I'm finally doing it. I'm thinking if I send this to enough people that will probably not read it anyway, it will help hold me accountable to posting. I really don't know much about having my own blog but I like reading everyone else's so I guess I'll just learn as I go.

Anyway, I have lots of friends who blog about their kids, which I love by the way. I love being able to follow their lives, especially friends who live far away. It's great!

However, this blog is not about my family, but about heatlthy eating and living. I actually feel called, so to speak, to help spread the message of good health and I think this site is a way to help me do it.

That being said, I am not an "expert" by any means, but someone who loves healthy and organic eating, loves learning more about it, loves sharing with others, and really wants to see others make life changes to live a healthy and more abundant life. The information I post will probably "go against the norm" in many ways. It's not solely about losing weight and definately not about eating "low-fat," gross, sorry, but about eating the foods God intended for us to eat.

It will probably take me some time to get organized but I hope you check back and enjoy my ramblings on healthy eating and living.