Sorting Out Organic Food Labels

The Organic Foods industry is gaining momentum! There seems to be an "organic" option for every type of food in the grocery store. But is "organic" worth buying? Are some "organic" products a waste of money?

I read an article this weekend in Dr. Mercola's newsletter that contained some very useful information on sorting out Organic Food Labels. (You can read the whole article here.)

Most of us are financially unable to purchase all of our foods with a Certified Organic Label. We would like to bring home the most nourishing foods for our loved ones, but does it have to be organic?

There has been a lot of debate about whether or not organic foods actually contain more nutrients, but a recent EU study showed that organic foods do, in fact, contain more beneficial components than their conventional counterparts. For example:

• Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
• Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
• Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants

Buying organic does matter! But, not for all foods. As Mercola says, a potato chip is a potato chip whether you start with an organic potato or a conventional potato. Either way, it is still deep fried! And, unfortunately, organic labeling has already been greatly compromised. "Whereas organic foods were once truly raised naturally, on small farms with great integrity, big business has now stepped in and tainted many of the principles upon which the organic label was founded."

So, how do you know which organic foods are worth the extra money? Mercola recommends looking for the USDA Organic seal. He says, "This seal is your best assurance of organic quality. Growers and manufacturers of organic products bearing the USDA seal have to meet the strictest standards of any of the currently available organic labels." In his article, he lists out some of these standards, which you can read here.

Interestingly enough, Mercola also recommends EWG's Organic Buyer's Guide for help in selecting which produce it matters most to buy organic and which we can buy conventionally. Click here to read my post from last March in which I recommended using this great resource.

Are you asking, "So where do I start?" Keep an eye out for the USDA Organic Seal, print out EWG's Guide, and keep in mind these thoughts from the end of Mercola's article:

"Non-organic meats actually have far higher concentrations of pesticides than all of the fruits and vegetables. And the highest concentration of pesticides is actually in non-organic butter. So if you can only buy one organic food item it should be butter. Your next priority would be meats, and once those are addressed, then you’ll want to focus on the fruit and vegetable list [from EWG]."

I hope my brief notes on Mercola's article help you sort out the some of the confusion on buying organic... If you've got the time, check out his full article... there is so much more I could have mentioned, but I like to keep things short and simple.

And, by the way, if you are wondering about my meal plan for this week, I will be late in making it since I won't see what is in my produce box until later tonight. Any suggestions for healthy meals? We're up for something new!

Basic Nutrition 101

Since I quoted from Sally Fallon yesterday, I thought I would continue along that line and share the Weston A. Price Foundation's Basic Dietary Guidelines. (Sally Fallon is the president of WAP.)

I find these 20 health suggestions really helpful. First, they were helpful when I was getting started and needed a solid foundation to build on. They gave me a place to jump in and begin my own research and investigation. Second, they have continued to be helpful as a resource to refer back to every now and again in order to refocus my efforts. So, here they are:

Dietary Guidelines

1. Eat whole, natural foods.
2. Eat only foods that will spoil, but eat them before they do.
3. Eat naturally-raised meat including fish, seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats and eggs.
4. Eat whole, naturally-produced milk products from pasture-fed cows, preferably raw and/or fermented, such as whole yogurt, cultured butter, whole cheeses and fresh and sour cream.
5. Use only traditional fats and oils including butter and other animal fats, extra virgin olive oil, expeller expressed sesame and flax oil and the tropical oils-coconut and palm.
6. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably organic, in salads and soups, or lightly steamed.
7. Use whole grains and nuts that have been prepared by soaking, sprouting or sour leavening to neutralize phytic acid and other anti-nutrients.
8. Include enzyme-enhanced lacto-fermented vegetables, fruits, beverages and condiments in your diet on a regular basis.
9. Prepare homemade meat stocks from the bones of chicken, beef, lamb or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces.
10. Use herb teas and coffee substitutes in moderation.
11. Use filtered water for cooking and drinking.
12. Use unrefined Celtic seasalt and a variety of herbs and spices for food interest and appetite stimulation.
13. Make your own salad dressing using raw vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and expeller expressed flax oil.
14. Use natural sweeteners in moderation, such as raw honey, maple syrup, dehydrated cane sugar juice and stevia powder.
15. Use only unpasteurized wine or beer in strict moderation with meals.
16. Cook only in stainless steel, cast iron, glass or good quality enamel.
17. Use only natural supplements.
18. Get plenty of sleep, exercise and natural light.
19. Think positive thoughts and minimize stress.
20. Practice forgiveness.

These are straight from the book... without my additional comments added, although I could say some things about each of these.

If these guidelines present new information to you, please don't let them overwhelm you!!! I suggest taking small steps. Find a few that you could put into practice for the remainder of this year. Then re-evaluate the list at the New Year and select a few more for the next season. Allow each new practice to become habit before you add in more... but don't stop adding in more!

Off to run around like a chicken with my head cut off until bedtime...

On the Importance of Reading Labels

I was at the grocery store on Saturday morning. I was looking for our usual Kroger Brand Natural Peanut Butter. (I would love to buy organic, but we use multiple jars a week, which would paralyze my food budget!)

Everything was switched around on the shelves, so I couldn't just grab the jar I recognized. I had to find it first... and in doing so, I noticed that Jif now markets a "Natural Peanut Butter." I picked up the jar, just out of curiosity.

I noticed that in small print on the front it said, "90% real peanuts" -- or something very similar. I thought, what is the other 10% if it's not peanuts!?!

So I turned the jar around to read the label. It listed peanuts as the first ingredient. Then sugar. Then "less than 2%" of the following three ingredients: Palm Oil, Salt and Molasses.

Okay. So, I'm figuring that if it is 90% peanuts and less than 2% of the last three ingredients, that leaves at least 8% sugar. Hmmm... I'll be avoiding Jif's Natural Peanut Butter.

So I'm posting this whole scenario today just to remind us that it is necessary to read labels --even if the product claims to be All-Natural. Without reading labels, we may inadvertently bring home much more sugar than we want to! (I've got an interesting post on Sugar up my sleeves... look for it later on this week.)

Oh, and by the way, Jif's Peanut Butter and Honey product is not a good option either, even if we tend to think of honey as a natural sweetener. It actually lists sugar on the label twice... plus it contains "fully hydrogenated vegetable oils."

With Natural Flavors Added

Whew! We had a weekend very full of socializing. Translation: "a weekend very full of food preparation and clean up." Homeschooling with my four is like taking a break from the holiday weekend :D

So I was at the grocery store on Friday afternoon in order to get ready for the weekend to come. We are all out of our grass-fed ground beef, yet I wanted to serve Taco Salad to our company that night. I thought I would just buy some beef from the store.


Well, I could either buy two pounds of regular ground beef or one pound of hormone-and-antibiotic-free beef for about $5. With my family of six, plus our company, I was leaning towards the two pounds. Then I picked up the package. It said: "100% Real Beef with Natural Flavors Added."


Hmmm... can it be 100% beef if you've added something? And what are Natural Flavors anyway?


When I got a moment on the computer, I did a google search, just to see what I didn't buy. (I opted for the real beef and decided to add an onion and black beans with my taco seasonings to make the mixture stretch.)

I already knew that "Natural Flavors" might mean MSG... but was there anything else to know about it?

In my search, I found links to the names for hidden MSG... which I included in this recipe post a while back.

Then, I stumbled across this video clip from a 60 Minutes program. It is about ten minutes long... and very interesting... especially the information about the Glutamate Association. Click here to watch a very informative 60 Minutes commentary on Hidden MSG.

Glad that we have REAL FOOD options,

Avoiding Nine Hidden Toxins

I'm posting another link to a great article today. Have you ever visited Dr. Mercola's website? While I don't agree with 100% of what he says, he does present a lot of really helpful, well-researched information... like today he posted an article on bacteria in our homes. His comments are really helpful. You might want to check out his thoughts on keeping our homes clean... but that wasn't the article I started to post about :D


I subscribe to Mercola's weekly newsletter, which you can do on the front page of his website. I don't always have time to read everything, but I always open it up and scan the topics. Every once in a while I find an article that would be really helpful for someone who is relatively new to healthy living. Today I read a great one! Click here for the full article.


In the article, Mercola comments on a list of nine hidden toxins we would all do well to avoid. Then, he lists four additional hidden toxins he would have added to the list, with his supporting thoughts. Lest you be overwhelmed at the list... he gives this encouragement:


"Unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more difficult to avoid toxins.They’re in everything from personal care products to furniture and building materials....But there’s still plenty you can do, and one of the ways to significantly reduce your toxic load is to pay careful attention to what you eat. And, as an added bonus, when you eat right, you’re also optimizing your body’s natural detoxification system, which can help eliminate toxins your body encounters from other sources."


That's encouraging, isn't it? While we can't avoid all toxins everywhere, we can prime our body for naturally detoxifying from inevitable toxic exposure when we eat right. Sounds like a good reason to feed our families well.


If the list is daunting to you, start with selecting two or three of the listed foods to avoid. Start with a few and find a healthy replacement in your family's diet for those few. Then go back to the list and tackle a few more. Baby steps, right? It's worth it!

Help For Your Children's Lunches

Have you visited Healthy Child Healthy World lately? Dr. Alan Greene has a fantastic post on his blog today. He writes to challenge parents to get healthier with their children's lunches.

First, he explains why. Why do our children benefit from organic foods? Then he explains how. What organic foods are nourishing and packable? He calls it the "Organic Lunchbox Challenge."

It is definitely worth your time. So whether you homeschool or pack a lunch for your child to take to school, take the time to read this blog post. I think we will all glean some helpful information from it!

While we are thinking about lunches, if you have any smart, healthy tips for nourishing children's lunches, please post your ideas in the comments of thsi post. Don't we all need a fresh idea every now and then?

For your children's sake,

Egg Replacer

I would like to share with you a healthy substitution for eggs in baked goods. Understand though that I see nothing inherently wrong with eggs. In fact, I think they are a remarkable food, possessing a combination of nutritive properties not found in other sources.

However, I understand also that we need a suitable egg replacer when there is an egg allergy, when eggs are unavailable or when one is following a physician prescribed, egg-free diet.

What do I mean by suitable replacer? One that is real food AND that does the work of holding baked goods together as real eggs do. I do not consider Eggbeaters real food. Neither do the scientists who performed an interesting study on rats.

The picture below shows two rats from the same litter 6 weeks after birth. The one on the left was raised exclusively on real eggs from birth, while the one on the right was raised exclusively on Eggbeaters. Do you remember that Eggbeaters were advertised as having the same taste and nutrition as farm fresh eggs? Synthetic foods are just not the same!

MK Navidi and FA Kummerow, Pediatrics 53: 565-566, 1974. Thanks to Dr. Stephen Chaney.

So what is my suitable replacer? Well, you certainly couldn't fry this up in a pan, but it works for baking! It is ground flax seed mixed with water. Simple, right? (Stick with me here and I'll show you how it works.) The flax seed has a gelatinous property that will work to hold your baked goods together. And, flax seed is a rich source of fiber and important Omega 3 Fatty Acids. It's good stuff.

A long time ago, I read in Sue Gregg's cookbooks that flax seed could be substituted for eggs. I didn't try it because she gave a recipe for mixing up a whole batch and keeping it in the fridge for your baking needs. I never really had a need to keep the stuff around. However, the other week, I mixed up the first part of muffins only to discover that I didn't have any eggs. Instead of waste the already mixed ingredients, I decided to give the substitution a try. I only wanted enough to replace two eggs, so I had to make some alterations to Sue Gregg's method... later I found out that many people use the same "altered" method.

For every egg you want to replace, use 1 Tbsp of flax seeds, freshly ground...

(I used my coffee bean grinder to mill the seeds into meal.)

Then add 3 Tbsp of water for each Tbsp of flax seed. (I thought that it had to be hot water, but I've done it both ways and it doesn't seem to matter.)

Let the mixture sit for about five minutes, or the time that it takes to mix the other ingredients. Add it as you would the egg.

These are the Blueberry Muffins I made using this Flax Seed substitution. The first time around I made some Orange Almond Muffins. Both turned out very nicely.

Be sure to check out my current giveaway while you're here... it's for an eco-friendly toy of your choice... can't beat that! Click here to enter.

For more Works For Me Wednesday posts, check out WeAreThatFamily.com.

On Tweaking Recipes

It's tough to find good, whole foods recipes. Every once in a while I will find a really useful cookbook. But, it seems like most of the recipes I run across contain ingredients that I am trying to avoid... ingredients that are fractionated, over-processed or man-made.

My overarching principle in selecting and preparing food for my family is to "eat what God made as close to how He made it as possible." In doing so, I serve my family foods that are specially designed with rich nutrients in exact combination with other supporting nutritive factors that are exactly how our bodies need to be fueled. (For more on this topic, read the book What The Bible Says About Healthy Living: Three Biblical Principles that Will Change Your Diet and Improve Your Health by Dr. Rex Russell M.D.)

So what happens on a birthday celebration when my son wants a Coonskin Cap Cake? There is no whole foods recipe out there for that! But, with a little kitchen ingenuity, any basic recipe can be tweaked to fit my health principles. For this one, I started with a Basic Chocolate Cake recipe from a Southern Living cookbook, one that you can tell from the photo is well-worn.

When tweaking a recipe, I take a look at the ingredient list and see what needs to be substituted... things like whole grains for white flour, natural sweeteners for white sugar. Or, for a meal recipe, I will often have to make a from-scratch sauce to substitute for a canned product. If these things seem daunting to you, I recommend just taking an adventurous leap. You may be surprised how quick you learn. And, if you are just starting out, you may want to use 1/2 white flour, 1/2 whole grain as a transition step.

I often substitute applesauce for 1/2 of the butter or oil in a recipe, or I substitute plain yogurt for all sorts of creamy ingredients. I even make yogurt cheese to substitute for cream cheese. I hope to post about a surprisingly healthy and tasty egg substitute very soon. I like to use unsweetened cocoa or unsweetened baking squares instead of melted chocolate chips so that I can add my own choice of sweetener.

So, back to the cake... I melted 4 squares of unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan and set it aside... just like the recipe said. I creamed the 1/2 cup of butter with 2 cups of sucanat instead of sugar, then added the 2 eggs one at a time just like the recipe said. I mixed the melted chocolate into the creamed mixture... just like the recipe said.

Just a side note: I find that darker cakes are more adaptable than light cakes. Carrot cake, Apple Cake, Chocolate Cake, Spice Cakes... they are generally a bit more dense and there are more flavors to cover the more noticeable flavors of honey, maple syrup or sucanat. There is even a Hummingbird Cake in this same cookbook that is a perfect tweaking recipe... it contains carrots, apples, pineapple and nuts.

Next, the recipe called for mixing together 2 cups of flour (I used my freshly ground winter white wheat berries), 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda and 3/4 tsp.salt. I use aluminum-free baking powder, found in the health food section of my grocery store, and sea salt. Also, if you are using honey instead of sucanat, you will want to increase the baking soda by 1/4 tsp. for every cup of honey.

In a separate bowl, the recipe called for 3/4 cup of buttermilk, 1 tsp. of real vanilla, and 3/4 cup of water. I prefer not to buy the buttermilk from the store because of the added ingredients, so I used homemade plain yogurt (my dependable standby). Also, it is worth the extra expense to buy real vanilla rather than a chemical tasting like vanilla... did you know that it is one of the same chemicals used in antifreeze for your car? Interesting, huh!

Just like the recipe said, I alternately added in the flour mixture and the liquid mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Then I poured the batter into a big Pyrex bowl. Because I was baking in an nontraditional container, I had to keep my eye out for when it was done. Actually, I pulled it out and thought it was done, only to put it back in again for a while. Rule of thumb, be flexible while you're recipe tweaking, especially with a first time recipe.

So, while the cake was baking, I made the icing. I used a recipe from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions which was already healthy, but needed to be adjusted for my use. Her recipe for Cream Cheese Icing called for 2 cups of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of butter, 1 Tablespoon of vanilla and 1/2 - 3/4 cup of honey.

I creamed the softened cream cheese until it had no lumps, added the softened butter, the vanilla and the full amount of honey (because I planned to add unsweetened chocolate). Then, I added 1/2 a jar of fruit sweetened marmalade (for the orange kick). It was totally yummy! For each of the shades of brown, I added a different amount of melted chocolate to achieve the right color.

So then I had to put the cake together. I trimmed the upside down hemisphere so that it was the cylindrical shape of a coonskin cap. I cut the cylinder in 1/2 horizontally and spread a layer of icing in between the layers. Then, I used the two trimmed parts, each a semicircle, staggered to make the shape of the tail. Make sense?

I spread the shades of brown in a mottled pattern all over the cap, making sure to leave distinct dark rings on the tail. Then, I made an uneven toothpick comb and tousled up "hair." My husband snapped this shot of my concentration face.

For a final picture of the cake, check out yesterday's post. And, here is what my kids were doing on the other side of the counter... it's blurry, but isn't it a fun picture?

I'll post more about tweaking recipes, but I hope this gives you an idea of where to start. And, I hope it gives you a confidence that you can do it too! The mistakes are part of the adventure, remember?

Florida Orange Juice

There are some things that we can buy organic. And there are some things that we can't. It's all about budgetary constraints and choosing wisely. Since we have to be selective, we want buy organic when it matters most... the items that would contain the highest concentration of toxins if purchased conventionally.

Orange Juice is one of those products that can contain an higher concentration of pesticides. Why? Because most OJ comes from Central American countries where DDT and other American-banned pesticides are still used. So, when we buy a non-organic OJ, we are bringing home the pesticides.

I'll be the first to admit... organic OJ is pretty pricey. So, on this one, we have settled for the middle ground. We buy OJ from Florida Oranges. It may not be organic, but at least it complies with the FDA codes on excessive and previously outlawed chemicals.

This OJ works for me! For more Works For Me tips, visit We Are That Family.

Note: Florida's Natural did not compensate me for advertising their product. In fact, they don't even know I posted this! I only mention their brand because it is what we drink. Pretty simple, huh?

For your health,

Tips From My Kids!

This summer morning turned out immensely better than I could ever have planned for. We have been quite busy so far... so much so that we haven't really had any no-account time. But this morning, I took my cup of NutriCafe and a camp chair and sat out under the canopy of trees we call our "woods." Rainbow and Spiderman were playing a game of stick hockey with bamboo poles and a tennis ball. They creatively made goals out of found logs. It was blissful to sit and watch their joy.

Then Rainbow got whacked with the pole on her knuckle. No serious wound, but she was out of the game for a while. She came and sat down next to me. Spiderman followed, having no one to continue the game with. The little girls were collecting rocks around us. Like I said, this was the kind of morning I couldn't have planned. I just talked with my kids...

After a while, I thought about blogging. I was thinking of what I might write to encourage you today. I decided I would ask my kids. I said, "If you could give one health tip to the moms who read my blog, what would you say?"

Spiderman, who will be seven this month, abruptly said: "Don't eat candy; eat grapes or granola bars instead."

Rainbow, who is nine, thought about it all morning. At lunch, she said: "If you want to help your children be healthy, you can feed them lots of carrots for their eyesight and eggs so they will be smart." (You can read the reasoning behind eggs in this previous post.)

Witzy, who is just four, hummed her little Five a Day song from Signing Times Volume 6. I would love to post a video of it today, but it is not available for public use. Rachel Coleman sings this incredibly catchy song teaching little ones to count to five while they add up their fruits and veggies each day. "Any way you slice it, or dice it, or peel it, it's gotta add up to five a day!" Very cute song... so worth checking out the dvd.

So there you go. From my kids... if you want to help your kids be healthy, teach them to choose their foods wisely, making sure to include at least five fruits and veggies each day. Make it a game... and enjoy the adventure!

By the way, have you ever tried Dragon Fruit? If you haven't, be on the lookout for it. This is just the type of adventure your children will love. Even if they don't love the fruit itself, it is such a thrill to see its scaly pink outer skin and then reveal the beautiful black and white speckled flesh inside.

Enjoying the journey,

Raw Food Diets

I have recently been asked my opinion concerning the current popularity of "raw food" diets. These are diets which include about 90% raw foods, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and a few cold-pressed oils. The remaining 10% of the diet is comprised of a few cooked vegan foods, such as brown rice, potatoes, steamed vegetables or possibly a sprouted grain. No meat, no eggs, no fish, no dairy, no white flour or white sugar, no refined oils, and no soy.

For a bit of personal background here, we followed one such diet for about a year and a half towards the beginning of our marriage. During this time, I delivered my first child. We faithfully drank fresh Carrot Juice and consumed Barley Green. We drank lots of other homemade fruit and vegetable juices. We ate extremely large and varied salads for lunch and for supper. And we tried our best to enliven the fare by employing recipes from a giant raw foods cookbook. We did find a few "desserts" too!

By eating huge quantities of energy giving food, we kept our activity levels high. We were rarely lethargic, as far as I can remember. However, we did have to eat frequently in order to maintain this energy. Our jaws were easily fatigued from all of the chewing. It took us an hour just to chew up our lunch salads! All that said, we were slim, trim and active, eating nothing that would cause digestive sluggishness.

However, during that time, I had great difficulty in consuming enough protein. I tried fervently to combine enough raw foods to support the growing life in me. And I actually remember eating nuts while I exercised just so that I wouldn't get too famished during the exertion. After all my efforts, I delivered a full-term, five-and-a-half-pound baby girl.

At the same time, my husband contracted mononucleosis. We thought that all the mega vitamins we were getting through all our juicing and our impeccable eating habits would have strengthened his immune system. But, looking back, I can see that he also had a greater need for protein so that he could build cells -- everything from muscle cells to immune system cells. Without protein, our bodies can not use all of the other nutrients.

After Rainbow blessed us with her arrival, I experienced a very long, very intense post-partum depression. I read about all sorts of other women who endured the same thing. However, the more I read, the more I realized that my body was crying out for some fats and some proteins in order to properly regulate my changing hormones.

The final straw came when I took my 15-pound-one-year-old to her well baby checkup. The doctor diagnosed her with Failure To Thrive and recommended that I begin to give her some animal products, such as yogurt, milk, butter, fish and chicken. At that point, all three of us began to include some raw dairy products, some fish oil and some eggs in our diet. We have slowly added pastured meat products and more oils.

I believe that this expanded diet has benefited my growing children, my hard working husband, and my own child-bearing self greatly. Of course, we left out white flour, white sugar and other processed foods as far as we have been able. I have never experienced another post-partum depression and each of my children has maintained normal growth expectancies.

All that history laid out, I'll give a few conclusions... or, opinions to conclude:

• First, I do think that a raw food diet serves an excellent purpose for someone who is fighting a major disease or even cancer. Such a diet fuels the body with lots of antioxidants and keeps toxins at a very minimum. It also allows the digestive system to move quickly and thus leave important energy for the immune system to work diligently.
• Second, from my experience, it seems that women in child bearing years, young children and active men have a need for protein and fats that is very difficult to meet with a nearly all raw, vegan diet.
• Third, I must say that being a raw-food-vegan enabled us to purge our diet of so many harmful processed foods. Our bodies were completely cleansed.
• Last, the year and a half on this diet left its legacy on our lives. We live in true appreciation of raw foods and we continue to eat as many foods as possible the way God intended for us to eat them.

I hope my experience might be helpful to some of you who are weighing out the balances. I do see so much merit in what the raw food ministers say. Yet, I also see how valuable some cooked animal products can be, especially for the people in my family. Incidentally, the whole time we ate on this particular diet, my nagging question was, "If we are still supposed to be eating a Garden of Eden diet, why did Jesus feed his disciples fish and bread?"

A Thought About Fruit

You know how it can be coming home to empty cabinets. So, my husband made a quick run to the grocery store last night to help me jump start the week. He brought home the coupons that automatically print out with each receipt. I always take a look at these, even though they are mostly for items that we don't use.

This time, one particular coupon really caught my attention. It was for a new drink that contained juicy bits of fruit. This food novelty is advertised as the "new way to eat fruit." I looked it up online, just out of curiosity. After looking it over, I don't really have a problem with the product. It is a 100% juice blend, and it doesn't contain any unwanted ingredients.

It's just the slogan that tripped up my mind. Since when do we need a new way to eat fruit? Is there something wrong with the old way? In its natural, fresh state, fruit contains many phytochemicals, enzymes and other micro-nutrients that are destroyed with processing. Did we need to find a new way? Is there a need for something more convenient than biting into an apple or peeling a clementine or popping some grapes into our mouths? I guess you don't have to wash a product that comes in a bottle.

Like I said, I don't have any objections to this particular product. I'm just sayin'... why do we need "new fangled foods?" In our family, my challenge is to serve as much food the way God made it as possible. In doing so, we consume a wide spectrum of nutrients that have not even been labeled yet. And, we get them in the precise balance that our bodies require them.

Start a Whole Food Revolution in your family! Eat fresh, whole, raw foods as much as possible. And save the new product coupon for when you are traveling and don't have the luxury of washing your fruit. After all, not all of us have sinks in our vehicles :-)

I have much on my mind to blog about, if I can find the time to sit at the computer with all of our summertime projects and activities. I hope to write my thoughts about "raw food diets," my thoughts for a healthy pregnancy, some ideas for healthy desserts, and a supper recipe... thanks for staying tuned!

Taking A Look At Genetically Modified Foods

Did you know that on May 19th, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) urged doctors to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM foods? Further, they called for doctors to provide educational materials concerning GM foods and the corresponding health risks. Read all about it here.

Did you know that GM foods are banned in Europe? Yet in the 1990s, when scientists from the FDA warned about the potential problems of GM foods and insisted on more rigorous testing, our government decided to promote biotechnology instead.

Did you know that not a single human clinical trial on the effects of GM foods has been published? Yet the resounding evidence from animal testing shows that GM foods can cause infertility, immune dysfunction, allergies, accelerated aging, changes in major organs and gastrointestinal difficulties... just to list a few.

You've heard me stress the importance of non-GMO foods before. I am for real serious about keeping my family away from these hazardous foods. I know that there seems to be so many health steps to take. I do know that this all can be overwhelming, especially if you are just starting to learn about health. But, this is one of the most important health issues today.

Here are three simple things you can do.

1. Educate yourself: I have a very informative, synopsis-type article that I would be glad to email you. If you have ten minutes to read this information, send an email to ae at healthbeginswithmom.com. (You have to use @ instead of the word "at".) Just put "GMO" in the subject line and I will reply with the article. Or, even better, read this book: Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating.

2. Download the Non-GMO Shopping Guide here. This is a bit of good news. There are a handful foods that are the biggest culprits. If you only buy "non-GMO" or "organic" corn, soybeans, canola and cottonseed you will be making big strides. But keep in mind, that means all corn and soybean products... like corn syrup or soybean oil... which we shouldn't be eating anyway. Steering clear of canola and cottonseed oils, which are highly processed, would be a great health benefit whether they are non-GMO or not.

3. Don't stress. Do your best to bring home non-GMO foods by purchasing organic foods as much as possible. Our children depend on our example in healthy living. If they see us fretting, they will give up on health and say it is just not worth it. But, if they see determination mingled with excitement from their mom, they will decide this is all a great big adventure... which it is. Smile at them and enjoy the ride : )

Stocking Up

It has been a very busy past few days. I have been stocking up on our food supplies. With a trip to Earth Fare (our local "healthy supermarket"), a normal grocery store run, another produce box, picking up our grass-fed cow portion, and picking up our pastured poultry today, our freezer and refrigerator are FULL!

It is a good thing we have a "bulk food" budget or this would blow our monthly grocery allotment in just a few days!

I am so thankful to have all of this high-quality, healthy food at our fingertips. Finding all of these resources didn't happen overnight though. It took time to network with people and to find the best sources for the lowest prices. I have always kept my ears open for possibilities. Over time, this has paid off.

What about you? Are you able to bring home foods that would truly nourish your body? Are you still looking for resources? Or are you needing to cut back on your grocery budget to allow some room for bigger purchases? I encourage you to think outside the "grocery store box." Most of the healthiest foods are not found in the supermarket aisles. If you haven't yet found the right food sources, don't give up. Keep up your search. You'll find what you're looking for!

On another note: I have a big surprise up my sleeve! I can't wait to show you! I have a few thoughts for posts this week... but what do you want to read about? Please comment to request any topic or ask your questions. This is a good week for it!

Guide to Buying Organic

"The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides." Environmental Working Group

I am a very strong proponent of buying organic. However, with a family of six on one income, I know buying organic isn't always possible. I have found EWG's Shopper's Guide to be very helpful in prioritizing my organic buying. They have included a Dirty Dozen (foods that are the highest in pesticides and most important to buy organic) and a Clean Fifteen (foods that are the least contaminated and therefore okay to buy conventional). Check it out...

Making Unwholesome Food Inaccessible

Do you remember my Making Wholesome Foods Accessible post? This is step number one in giving your family a healthier diet: Make Wholesome Foods Accessible. If the good stuff isn't relatively easy to reach for, we reach for the junk instead. And, if the children don't have some good options, they will beg for the junk instead too!

Preparing healthy foods will take some time commitment. Don't worry, it doesn't have to drain your whole life. But, realistically, it will take some additional time. Most often, foods that are nourishing are not as convenient as boxed, prepackaged foods. Except for maybe bananas and berries. My suggestion is to set aside a chunk of time each week to do some preliminary food prep. Doing so will make nourishing foods more accessible... and will prevent resorting to less nourishing processed foods.


Mixed Berry Delight
All that being said, here is a corollary:
Make Unwholesome Food Inaccessible

Make the commitment to stop bringing unwholesome foods home. You can do this! Before you grocery shop, make a meal plan -- even for snacks. Write your shopping list only for the items you need for your meal plan. Sticking to your list will ensure that you have everything you need for the week!

Naturally, we are not going to starve ourselves (or our children!), so when there are no chips, boxed cereals, cookies or snack mixes to quickly pull out of our pantry, we will have to follow the healthy meal plan. We will have to pop popcorn, make pita chips, bake cookies or make trail mix. It does take a bit of extra effort. That is why it is so beneficial to have a set aside time to prepare these things in advance, as much as possible.

Have you made a plan for this week's meals and snacks? I will be working on mine and doing my grocery shopping later this evening. If you don't already have a plan in place:

• Create a plan for a week's worth of meals and snacks.
• Shop according to your meal plan.
• Leave the unwholesome stuff and the store.
• Soon after shopping, spend an hour or so preparing some foods.
• Be joyful you've taken another healthy step!
• Get ready to do it again next week!

Do you have a wholesome, quick snack that you could share with everyone? Please comment and add your great ideas!

Photo Credit: Allposters.com

We are a Boxed Cereal Nation

I really hate to post this. I mean, boxed cereal is so perfectly convenient! But since we all care deeply about our children's health, I am going to stick my neck out here. I might step on some toes... but keep in mind, I love boxed cereal too. It's tough to give up! Especially when breakfast needs to be fast! Maybe the soaked granola solution I posted yesterday will soften the blow a little...

We need to stop feeding our children processed cereals. You and me both.

For this post, we are going to set aside the added sugars, BHT, flavors, colorings and other preservatives. We are just going to look at what happens to grain when it is high-heated. Stick with me here... I will give some other solutions in addition to the soaked granola.

Breakfast cereals that are puffed or flaked are made by a process which utilizes high heat and extreme pressure. The high heat destroys a great deal of the grain's naturally occurring nutrients. In addition, it causes the oils found in the grain to go rancid which in turn increases free radicals in our bloodstream. But more importantly, the high heat and extrusion denatures the proteins. Paul Stitt, in his book Fighting the Food Giants, describes the resultant proteins this way:

Proteins are very similar to certain toxins in molecular structure, and the
puffing process of putting the grain under 1500 pounds per square inch of
pressure and then releasing it may produce chemical changes which turn a
nutritious grain into a poisonous substance.

He further writes about a clinical trial in which rats were fed four different diets:

1. plain whole wheat, water, vitamins and minerals
2. puffed wheat, water and the same nutrient solution
3. water and white sugar
4. nothing but water and chemical nutrients

I am so sorry for these rats. The rats on the first diet lived over a year. The rats who were given water and nutrients lived 8 weeks. The rats consuming white sugar lived one month. And the rats on puffed wheat lived only two weeks, even though they were getting the same nutrient solution as the whole wheat fed rats. These results suggest that eating puffed cereal grains is more than a matter of not getting sufficient nutrients. These results suggest that there is something toxic about the puffed wheat.

There have been further tests. And none of them look good for processed cereals. These cereals actually have more adverse effects on our blood sugar than white sugar and white flour. In addition, they have been connected with behavior disorders, kidney, liver and pancreatic dysfunction and other nervous system disorders.

I wish I could sugar coat this (no pun intended). But this is only a brief summary of the shocking evidence. Perhaps in later posts I'll write more about boxed cereals. I think I've done enough damage today.

Just so I don't leave you on a bad note, here are a few ideas for cereal-less, yet still quick, breakfasts. My recommendation is to set aside a "prep" time when you make some of these things ahead so that pancakes can be popped in the toaster, etc on the go.

• Soaked Granola with Milk
• Smoothie with Granola Sprinkles; you could even make it a green smoothie!
• Oatmeal; this can also be soaked overnight with one or two tablespoons of yogurt.
• Eggs and Toast
• English Muffins and fruit
• Toaster Pancakes
• Breakfast Protein Bars; most bars available in stores have a host of unwholesome ingredients. I plan to post my Protein Bar recipe in the weeks to come... stay tuned.

And, of course, I suggest a boiled egg with each of these (minus the eggs and toast, of course!)

If you have wholesome and quick breakfast ideas, post them in the comments! We all could use some fresh ideas :)

Cooking Whole Chickens

Have you ever looked at the price of organic, free range chicken packages in the store? YIKES! Buying healthier meats can put quite a strain on a budget. But, at the same time, commercially farmed chicken can put quite a strain on our body. I mean, we don't really do well with the extra antibiotics and vaccine ingredients. (For a complete list of what's scary about commercially farmed chicken read this.)

Here is what works for us:

I purchase whole chickens from a local farm operation. (Check out LocalHarvest.org for farms near you.) These chickens are much healthier than grocery store chickens, even though they are not as cheap as the whole birds at the market. They are much cheaper than the boneless, skinless packages though!

In order to make the meat go as far as it can, I cook one each week so that I have meat for three meals and stock for rice and soups. Making stock is important. There is more nourishment on a chicken than just the protein in the meat! Preparing a stock to use in other recipes will take advantage of the abundant minerals and other nutritive properties found in the whole chicken.

This may seem like a daunting process, but it actually is quite simple... as long as I remember to thaw out a chicken in time! I just put a chicken in the crock pot with plenty of pure water and let it slowly cook all day long. Vegetables may be added to give flavor and extra nutrition to the stock, but they won't be very palatable after the extended cooking.

At the end of the day, I debone my chicken and divide the meat. We usually eat 1/2 of the chicken with supper that night. And I use the other half in a casserole or other recipe that will give us enough leftovers for two complete meals. Keep in mind that this diced chicken can be used in any recipe that calls for chicken breasts. Last, but not least, I strain the stock and refrigerate it for other recipes as well.

Our chickens cost about $10 each. For three meals and plenty of nourishing stock, we figure it beats the packaged store chickens both for our budget and for our health.

Health Rule of Thumb

If it won't spoil, don't eat it!

Have you heard that one before? I have read it in several places over the years. Last night, I saw it in a magazine article. Since the thought has returned to the front of my mind, I thought I would share it with you.

Think about the shelf-life of the food you eat. Can it sit in your pantry for ages without spoiling? Will bugs eat it? I have heard a story about a lone twinkie that was left on a windowsill in a simple experiment. Seven years later, not a single bug had attempted to eat it. And it looked exactly the same, although it was probably hardened. No mold. No fungus. It was still a twinkie!

While I have not verified that "legend," I've got another story I can support with evidence. A local friend of mine has an 11 year old Wendy's hamburger. The hamburger makes its home in a clear plastic take-out box (not air tight). At first glance, you might guess this burger is just a few days old. People are shocked when my friend reveals how long she has kept it! No spoilage. No mold. It would probably be a little tough if you dared to bite into it! But, the hamburger is still a hamburger. (Just in case you are wondering, my friend uses the hamburger as a visual aid for nutrition presentations. That's why she has it.)

Hamburger

We wouldn't keep a banana for 11 years. We wouldn't keep an avocado that long either. But, we could keep a box of cereal that long. It may be stale, but it would still be cereal. Staleness aside, think about your food. The rule of thumb suggests we eat only foods that would cease to be recognizable in 11 years (or less!). Otherwise, we are eating a highly processed or chemically preserved "food."

I would like to add another element to this rule of thumb. If the bugs won't eat it, leave it alone! Some foods naturally store well for long term. Beans, grains, nuts and seeds would be included in this group. We could keep wheat berries for 11 years, but without properly sealing them, the berries would become a feast for pests. We can learn something from the little critters. They eat real food. We should too.

Keep in mind, a "rule of thumb" is not a hard and fast rule. I can think of some exceptions. For example, Coffee Creamer spoils, but it is a highly processed and fractionated "food." I am sure you can think of more exceptions. But, as a general rule, "If it won't spoil, don't eat it!" can be a simple reminder to choose whole, natural foods.

Photo Credit: Allposters.com

Natural Sweeteners 101

Sugar Cane, Malaysia

I have received a number of questions recently about Natural Sweeteners. Which are beneficial? Which might be dangerous? How do we interpret all of the conflicting information about our choices? Since the inception of this blog, I have been planning to write a series of posts about Natural Sweeteners. Given the steady stream of questions on this topic, I think now is a good time to start!

In the next few posts, I will write some specifics pertaining to several sweetener options, both natural and artificial. Before I do so, I would like to start with the bigger picture. Isn't it always better to step back and really sum things up before we zero in on the details?

I've blogged about What The Bible Says About Healthy Living before. This book was the start of a long health journey for me. It changed my entire health paradigm. In the book, Dr. Rex Russell presents three principles to use in evaluating the diet fads and new-fangled foods that arise almost daily. These principles have proven quite useful for me as no book I've found has been able to cover all the options available. Even if one is able to cover the plethora of products at the time of writing, by the time of publication, several more products make their way into the market. We need solid criteria to decide which products we will buy and which we'll leave on the shelf. That is exactly what Dr. Russell did!

So, let's apply his principles to sugar, sugar substitutes and other Natural Sweetener alternatives. By the way, these are my simple paraphrases of his principles.

1. Eat What God Made. We have been given sweet things to enjoy. "My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste." Proverbs 24:13. Sweetness is a gift! But, just as with synthetic vitamins, artificial preservatives and hydrogenated oils, we encounter problems when we create our own "foods."

2. Eat it as close to the way God made it as possible. Natural foods are truly amazing. I've said this before, but science is still discovering components of raw foods that can not be duplicated in a laboratory. These phytonutrients, trace minerals, enzymes (and things not yet discovered) may be small components of the food itself, but they do irreplaceable work. When we refine or process a natural food, we take away valuable components that were included for a reason. So, for sweeteners, we need to question the manufacturing processes. We need to ask things like: How much was the raw material changed? How high was it heated? Were there molecular restructurings? (I know that last one sounded way scientific, but some sweeteners are totally rearranged!)

3. Eat everything in moderation. Too much sugar, natural or otherwise, is not good for us. Even low-glycemic sweeteners affect our blood sugar levels to some degree. Natural Sweeteners in moderation can be a beneficial part of our diet. But, since we want to keep our blood sugar steady throughout the day, we need to choose sweeteners wisely and eat them sparingly.

I've just scratched the surface here. Stay tuned for Natural Sweeteners 102!

I'd love to know if any of you have read What the Bible Says About Healthy Living. If you have, comment to let me know what you thought of it. Or, if you haven't, comment to share what health books have been eye-opening for you!
Photo Credit: Allposters.com