Aha! Food Favorite Quotes from Weight of the Nation

The HBO documentary series Weight of the Nation is a must watch for all Americans.  Here are some great, important quotes from the series.

“The food industry is marketing the worst products to kids. . . ”

“Toxic advertising that does not include fruits and vegetables.”

“Childhood obesity has tripled in one generation.”

“Children are besieged by an industry that wants them to eat more.”

“1st generation to have shorter life expectancy than parents due to obesity.”

The lesson to be learned is feeding ourselves and our children healthy food is a tough fight in a nation where the food supply is governed by commercial marketing.  You have to be up for the challenge if you don’t want yourself or your kids to pay with poor health later in life.

Food Allergies and The Link to Our Toxic Food Supply

There are a few commonly accepted theories on the recent increase in food allergies in the United States: a “germ” theory which suggests that over-cleanliness is at the root because people are less exposed to allergens (I’m assuming these people don’t breathe or eat much in addition to slathering anti-bacterial gels on their hands, because they live in a bubble, no?), that increased awareness and better science has led to increased diagnosis (maybe a little, we have no way of knowing, this likely constitutes  to no more than a small fraction because the theory does not answer why people are actually developing the allergies), and the little mentioned over-saturation theory where people develop food allergies due to oversaturation of a food in their food supply, meaning increased allergens for example, to a food like rice if rice is the main food staple in a particular geographic location.

It’s interesting that oversaturation seems to make the most sense in explaining the increase in food allergies within our own country given the condition of our food supply, but is infrequently discussed during an epidemic time for food allergies in which emergency room visits for anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction where your body goes into shock, have increased steadily over the years (particularly among young adults, according to the Journal of Allergy and Child Clinical Immunology). What exactly do we have an oversaturation of in our food supply?  Pesticides, hormones, chemical preservatives and sweeteners, genetically modified organisms and antibiotics are used plentifully in our food supply and studies have shown they all have side effects that can lead to digestive and hormonal disruption, neurological disorders, diabetes, cancer and pretty much any other human illness you can think of.

The Big Eight.  They’re not the eight most important of the 10 commandments or five short a baker’s dozen.  The Big Eight refers to what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration tells us are the most common food allergens in the U.S. today: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy beans;  but what the F.D.A. fails to delve into is how the industrialization of the food supply has very likely contributed to the increase of these particular foods as allergens.  The Big eight are stuffed into all kinds of processed foods. Fast food menus are saturated with food allergens. About 80% of foods stocking grocery store shelves are highly processed, filled with preservatives, chemical flavorings and sweeteners, and unlabeled genetically modified material including GM corn and soy, both of which are directly linked to rising obesity rates.

Why is this country producing and consuming so much “corn” and “soy”?  Because the U.S. government subsidizes the growth of these crops, which in turn enables companies like Coca Cola and Burger King to churn out a huge profit on sales of cheap, unhealthy, chemical-laden food. Given that soy is one of the eight most common food allergens identified by the Food and Drug Administration and corn allergy incidence is on the rise, it would be comfortable to argue that over-saturation of these two genetically modified food commodities is also contributing to the rise in food allergies, and consumption of GMOs has been linked to toxic and allergic reactions, infertility, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals according to the Institute for Responsible Technology.

The rise of the Big Eight, the increased prevalence of emergency room visits for food-induced anaphylaxis, the use of unlabeled genetically modified organisms, and the increase in prevalence in food allergies all point to a toxic food supply as a major culprit in the cause of food allergies.

SOURCES:

Simons, F. Estelle R., (2009, December 22).  Anaphylaxis.  Journal of Allergy and Child Clinical Immunology http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(09)02854-1/fulltext

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, (2012).  About Food Allergy.   http://www.foodallergy.org/section/about-food-allergy

PRWeb, (2009, July 22) Corn and Soybean Subsidies Are a Fundamental Cause of Obesity, Says Leading Author Dr. Sears, of MedWell. http://www.prweb.com/releases/lose_weight/diet/prweb2657284.htm

Institute for Responsible Technology, (2012).  GMO Education. http://responsibletechnology.org/gmo-education

Food Facts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, (2012).  “Food Allergies: What You Need to Know”.  http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm079311.htm

Leo Horrigan, Robert S. Lawrence, and Polly Walker (May, 2002).  “Organic Consumer’s Association: What’s Wrong with Agriculture”.  Environmental Health Perspectives V. 110, N. 5 .  http://www.organicconsumers.org/Organic/IndustrialAg502.cfm

Take the Aha! Food Pledge Today

We live in a capitalist country where our only true source of power is in our money. And yet the last thing most of us do is really think about where that dollar goes, how it is spent, what happens to get that finished product, or how that product in turn affects your body. So as you consider how important it is to nurture your health, you need to also ask yourself: How do you want your dollar to work?

PLEDGE:

I _____________ PROMISE THAT I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN IN MY LIFE TO MAKE IT HEALTHY. I WILL DO MY BEST TO REMOVE ALL THE CHEMICALS I AM EATING IN MY FOOD . I AM NOT HAPPY THAT MY GOVERNMENT ALLOWED ALL THESE CHEMICALS/GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS  TO GO INTO MY FOOD SUPPLY AND ONE, BY ONE, I PROMISE TO TAKE THEM OUT TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

I DO NOT WANT TO EAT HORMONES, PESTICIDES, PRESERVATIVES, ANTIBIOTICS IN MY FOOD, NOR DO I WANT TO EAT FOODS THAT HAVE BEEN GENETICALLY MODIFIED. I WANT TO EAT THE NATURAL FOOD THAT HAD ALWAYS OCCURRED IN THIS WORLD THAT GOD INTENDED FOR ME TO EAT.  I WILL MAKE THE SWITCH TO A HEALTHY, NATURAL LIFE EVERYWHERE I CAN.

IF I MAKE ENOUGH MONEY, THERE IS NO EXCUSE. THE HEALTH THAT I GAIN FROM A NATURAL, CHEMICAL FREE FOOD SUPPLY IS NO MATCH IN PRICE TO THE UNHEALTHINESS I WOULD EXPERIENCE IF I DIDN’T.

IF I DO NOT MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE A DRAMATIC CHANGE, I WILL BE SMART. I WILL COMPARE PRICES AND SEE WHAT I CAN DO. BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I DON’T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, THE LEAST I DESERVE IS A HEALTHY, NATURAL LIFE.

I WILL QUESTION EVERYTHING AROUND ME NOT TO EVOKE FEAR, BUT TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR MY HEALTH.

SINCERELY,

YOU!!!!!!!

Let us know you signed the pledge on Twitter, Facebook, or in the comments below! And share the pledge with your friends!  We all have the right to eat healthy, natural food!

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Fun Food Facts! Updated every Saturday

• Blackberries contain quercetin, an antioxidant that acts like a natural antihistamine to reduce allergic inflammation. (from Every Day with Rachael Ray June 2012 issue, p61)

• Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, which is easily burned for energy. An avocado actually has more than twice the potassium of a banana. They also have many health benefits associated with it, and may even help to protect the liver from damage.  (from Dr.Mercola’s Facebook page 5/11/2012)
• Did you know that the skin on kiwi fruit is edible?  Just wipe the fuzz off and you’re good to go1  Kiwi has more vitamin C than an orange and editing it with the skin gets you a total of four grams of fiber.  Not bad for a strangle little brown thing with fleshy green insides!  (from Redbook June 2012 p170)

Got a fun food fact to share? Add it in the comments!

Easy-to-Make Organic Sauteed Spinach

Everyone knows spinach is good for you.  But do you know how easy it is to make sauteed spinach?  It takes little preparation and  budget-friendly at less than $2 per serving using organic spinach. Best of all, it takes just a few minutes to get this tasty superfood on your plate!

Yep, this is all it takes to make sauteed spinach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 4 oz organic spinach, washed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and garlic from a grinder to taste

Stir to prevent leaves from getting stuck to the pot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• add ingredients to a medium-sized pot
• stir spinach, olive oil, and spices well so that all leaves are moist from the olive oil
• heat on high until you hear it start crackling for a few seconds
• lower heat to medium and heat for five minutes or until desired texture is achieved, stirring occasionally

Voila!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great, super-healthy side dish!  You can mix it into pasta or eat alongside your favorite entree.

The Food Revolution: Taking Our Sustenance Back to Its Roots

I was born right-smack in a time when our food supply, and therefore our country’s health as a whole, started moving in the wrong direction.  I was lured to fast food by McDonald’s toys (the mini-Cabbage Patch doll was my favorite) and to microwave meals by cool commercials for Kid Cuisine, and lived off of horrible school meals by day and unhealthy convenience foods by night.  My diet was the result of lack of knowledge and guerilla marketing tactics; I was bombarded into thinking that food was supposed to be fun and had nothing to do with taking care of my body. I’m just one story out of many, many people in this country who have been led in the wrong direction too.

Sure there were granola-crunching hippies who meant well and tried to spread to me the word on harmful pesticides, fake-chemical foods, and SAVING OUR EARTH! That I found them too higher-than-thou to listen to was partly because they were so cultish, partly that they didn’t know how to get through to me, and partly that how I perceive them (nutty, party-pooping, etc.) was a result of how my environment conditioned me. At the end of the day, arrogant or not, I mean they meant well right? Obviously!

As the fields grew sick from being doused in pesticide, cereals became every color on the rainbow in one bowl, packaged convenience foods chock full of chemicals took over the shelves, and became the cheapest most readily-available option, and coincidentally, always seemed to be on sale at the grocery store. You see, genetically-modified corn andsoy is subsidized by the American government and can be crammed into pretty much any fancy, colorful package. Have you noticed the lack of inflation going on fast food?  You can always get something for a dollar; and I can guarantee you that *something* is fully made of GMOs, artificial flavors and colors, preservatives, chemical stabilizers, and way more than you are bargaining for.

I grew more and more ill with digestive issues and allergies over the years and hit my breaking point just as awareness about our unsafe food supply became rampant thanks to social media.  Social media has become the wave and key motivating factor in the shift of demand from Frankenfoods to real, whole, nutritious organic food. And as I took hold of my illness and found that feeding myself a diet that is free of chemicals, preservatives, GMOs,as well as a healthy balance of clean foods, leads to a much cleaner slate when it comes to my health.  Doctors visits are more sparse, digestive reactions are fewer and better controlled, I’ve lost and kept off 40 pounds.

I’m not 100% fixed but I’m working on it. Just as consumer awareness is increasing at warp speed. I know that being healthy takes work, particularly in a society that has thus far been leading us into the opposite direction.  We live in a capitalist country where we VOTE with our wallets.  It’s a matter of supply and demand. Every food purchase you make that is organic grows the pennies in the jar for a healthier country. Each food you eat tells a story about the condition of our environment and our sustenance.  Preserving our earth is not something we should leave to the granola-crunching hippies to preach on.  We need to take back our food supply, one plate at a time.

Healthy, Hearty Gluten-Free side dish: quinoa recipe

Quinoa is a great, gluten-free grain with a slightly nutty taste that is packed with protein and the only grain that is a perfect protein.  Sick of eating rice? There are lots of great  dishes you can make with quinoa.  Here’s my personal recipe.

1 cup organic quinoa

2 cups organic low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp dried onion

3 shakes of turmeric

12 olives

• add quinoa, dried onion and olives to pot
• shake on turmeric
• mix evenly
• add 2 cups low sodium chicken broth and water
• bring to a full boil for 1 minute
• cover and set to medium for 15 minutes or until quinoa is tender and chewy

Enjoy as a side dish or add cooked greens to make a veggie bowl.

100% Natural? Think Again. The Untruth behind Tyon’s Chicken Nuggets Cute, But Deceptive Ad Campaign

A bunch of cute kids innocently talking about how they hate vegetables and other foods. A little one in a green shirt, not a big fan of spinach.  Mushrooms: look like aliens. Yuck! With all these different types of foods bombarding a growing child’s palate, what’s a mom that cares about her kids supposed to feed them? Good thing Tyson’s chicken nuggets are 100% natural, right?

Mom, the reality is the FDA is not doing a very good job in policing Tyson.  Although there are some regulations according to this FDA docket that apply particularly to meat and poultry being free of any ingredients that do not occur naturally in food, I’d like you to take a look at them nuggets’ ingredients and tell me what you think. . .

INGREDIENTS: Chicken, water, salt, and sodium phosphates. BREADED WITH: Bleached wheat flour, water, yellow corn flour, modified food starch, calcium carbonate, wheat flour, salt, dextrose, spice, leavening (sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium bicarbonate), extractives of paprika and turmeric, and natural flavor. Breading set in vegetable oil.

Last time I checked, bleach wasn’t natural. . . And here’s the clincher: with the EXCEPTION of meat and poultry, the natural label is not regulated any differently than other foods.  So the BREADING on these chicken nuggets is NOT 100% natural.  Not even close.  But they can sell it to you as all-natural.  That’s an ugly loophole, don’t you think?

Tyson chicken is not only shamelessly taking advantage of the lack of regulation, they’re actually encouraging you to skip feeding your child poo-poo icky vegetables.  Why feed your child real food when they can have “100% natural” chicken nuggets with highly unnatural breading? Nevermind that these chickens come from factory farms.  The ingredient statement alone proves that they aren’t 100% natural ANYTHING.

Isn’t there a better way to market a food product to children than to tell them to stop eating their vegetables and then downplay your conscience by deceptively telling you their chicken nuggest are all-natural?

Here’s one of the commercials so you can judge for your self.

And another video just to remind you how chicken nuggets are made:

Shopping for Organic Food on a Budget: Eating Healthy Affordably

The most common complaint I hear about switching to organic/healthier food is that it’s too expensive.  It is definitely more expensive, but the reality is you can’t afford NOT to eat healthy because in turn you pay with your health. Fast food marketing campaigns focus on instant gratification at a cheap price. But if you scroll down to their actual ingredient statements (most hide them below a list of “components” so people don’t actually read the ingredients), you’ll find that you’re getting WAY more than you bargained for.  Here are some tips to make the switch more affordable.

• Plan!  Make a grocery list and check weekly sales ads.  Think about what you’re getting and where.
• If something non-perishable looks too pricey at Whole Foods, check online. You have a good chance of finding a better deal at stores like Vitacost and Amazon.
• Daily Deals sites like Groupon or LivingSocial sometimes have vouchers for Whole Foods, local organic grocers, and online stores like Ecomom and Abe’s Market.  These vouchers make shopping organic a killer deal every once in a while.
• Purchase meat in bulk at warehouse stores like Costco.  You’ll find that it is up to twice as much for organic/natural cuts in traditional or natural grocers. Similarly, check for sales on meat at your local grocery store.
• Look at your purchases in terms of price per serving vs eating out.  For example, if I make my famous turkey tenderloins with seasoned potatoes, I’m paying about $6 per person.  A similar meal at Fridays?  At least $10 per person plus tip plus a load of preservatives and GMOs I didn’t ask for.
• Produce is most affordable when in season or at your local farmer’s market. Be aware of cost before shopping at a farmers’market because some of them focus on specialty goods which means they are more expensive than your local grocery store.
• Look for coupons!  You’ll have the best luck online.  Check your favorite organic brand’s site and if they don’t have any available, email them a request.

Some switches to organic mean pennies on the dollar so they’re a no-brainer.  An eight-cent difference on a can of beans?  Come on!  Now you’re just being silly!

Have some tips of your own?  Please share in the comments below!