Monthly Archives: August 2012

Supersize Me – A Review

by health, reviews

Supersize Me
Directed and Produced
  by Morgan Spurlock
Samuel Goldwyn Films,
  Roadside Attractions

Although this film came out in 2004 the information in it is still relevant today. The basic premise of this documentary film is what would happen if you only ate at McDonald's for one month.

Director Morgan Spurlock did exactly that. At the beginning of the film his personal trainer shows that he is in above average shape as compared to the majority of the American public. Some of the rules for Spurlock's McDiet were that he must eat three full meals a day from McDonald's, he could only eat food that came from McDonald's, and that he could only supersize his meal if that option was offered to him (if it was not offered he was not allowed to make that choice on his own).

Within the first week Spurlock gained nearly 10 pounds and began to suffer health consequences. As you watch the documentary, and Spurlock's decline, you are shown how nutritionally deficient fast food is for your body. The more processed the food the less it meets your body's needs. The film is interspersed with some very sobering facts. One of the most eye-opening is that McDonald's calls people who eat a lot of their food heavy users. People eating even more? They are the super heavy users. Heavy, of course, has a double connotation here and the sad choice of the word user speaks to how addictive and unhealthy this stuff really is.

At the end of the film Spurlock is in seriously bad health. It took Spurlock more than a year to lose the weight that he gained in 30 days and to return to a healthy state.

While the film is extreme in that he only ate at McDonald's and did it continuously for 30 days, it clearly highlights not only how non-nutritious this food is but how well entrenched it is in our culture. Most children can recognize McDonald's distinctive golden arches before they are able to talk complete sentences.

McDonald's did remove their supersize option shortly after the movie came out. They also added salads and more grilled options. They claim that these changes had nothing to do with the movie. Whether it did or not the fact remains that this is still an unhealthy meal option that should be avoided. McDonald's themselves states, any processing our foods undergo makes them more dangerous than unprocessed foods.”

 Watch the movie, avoid the food.

I originally wrote this for a private client. They are no longer publishing their newsletter and I am now able to share this review with you.

disclaimer: cmp.ly/5

Sad American Exports

by additives, health
candy | photo: mikebarry

In nutrition circles there is a abbreviation for the standard American diet, SAD.  And SAD it is.  Often overloaded with sugar, fat and/or salt, nutritionally deficient, mostly beige, it's not a health-sustaining, nourishing diet.

It's not a good thing that many of our fast food choices, McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Coca Cola, Pepsi and more have all gone abroad, encouraging obesity and poor nutritional choices.

Now the SAD exports have gone one step further.  Apparently British shoppers have begun to develop a taste for “American” foods; something they call squeezy cheese as well as  jell-o, Hershey's, tootsie rolls and more.  Bringing these products into the grocery stores will create easier access and increase the potential for further destruction of health and nutrition.

Although some of the products may be manufactured slightly differently as I've mentioned in articles before, it can still be an overwhelming deluge of non-healthy food items.  I can only hope that the novelty of having foods from another country will wear off and the British will choose to avoid the over-processed, highly chemical versions of not-food coming to a grocery shelf near them.  I'm sad to think that junk food is one of our big exports, it's not something to be proud of.

Killer At Large – A Review

by health, reviews

Killer At Large 
Directed by Steven Greenstreet
ShineBox Media Productions

There is an epidemic in our country. A disease overtaking the population which is forecast to increase dramatically over the next decade. That disease? Diabetes. According to a November 2010 UnitedHealth report, by 2020 more than 50% of all Americans may be affected by diabetes. This disease could wind up costing our health care system over $3 trillion dollars. And that is simply the monetary cost. The cost to those suffering from this disease is much greater.

Diabetes is a progressive disease that can result in an overwhelming range of complications from fatigue, weakness and weight gain to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, nerve damage and more. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and foot ulcers which often require amputation. Most often diabetes is tied hand-in-hand with obesity. As the rates of obesity in this country soar so do the rates of diabetes and other weight-related illnesses.

Sadly not enough is being done to educate people, especially our youth, about their health. It is a sobering thought that the current generation of youth most likely have a life expectancy that is shorter than that of their parents. It is disturbing to realize that we are surrounded by drugs and surgical procedures but not nutritional education, physical fitness and better food choices. We are assaulted by a host of negative nutritional choices, our physical activity levels have decreased dramatically, and rates for obesity continue to rise.

Killer At Large is a documentary film that looks at this issue. Filmed in 2008 the filmmakers interviewed many public figures including Former President Clinton, Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona (who call obesity “the terror from within”), and best selling author Michael Pollan. Hearing the statistics, seeing the images, this film starkly highlights the overwhelming reality of this epidemic. It is truly disturbing to watch a 12 year old girl receiving liposuction because she believes it is the only way for her to control her weight. This is a tragedy. This epidemic is a crisis.

Watching this film will hopefully encourage people to make changes. To recognize that we make over 200 food choices every day, most of which are unconscious. This film highlights the toxic food environment that we live in and how it affects our society. This awareness is, I believe, the first step toward making healthier life choices which are critical for avoiding obesity and related diseases.

Watch the trailer below and then consider organizing a screening in your community to get started on making a change.

I originally wrote this for a private client. They are no longer publishing their newsletter and I am now able to share this review with you.

disclaimer: cmp.ly/5

Cucumbers

by pickles, recipes, vegetables,

I've picked what I believe is the last cucumber of year from my garden.  The heat and the lessening rain have done a number on the plant which is shriveling and not likely to produce any more fruit.  Of course, there are also no more blossoms, another pretty good indicator.

Although we treat them like a vegetable, cucumbers are actually a fruit, related to melons like cantaloupe.  High in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, cucumbers are a good source of vitamin K which is important to help the body properly utilize vitamin D.

Refreshing, hydrating, and delicious, cucumbers can be prepared a number of different ways, used raw in salads, creamy salads (such as raita or tzatziki), or pickled.

One of my absolute favorite ways to eat them is as a refrigerator pickle because in season I just keep throwing more cucumbers into the jar.  They only need to sit for a few days to be ready to eat.  It's important to remember that because these are not hot water bathed, they will not last outside the refrigerator and even stored in the refrigerator are probably not good to keep for more than two weeks,  I confess I eat them so quickly when I make them that I'm not really sure how long they would last.

cucumber pickles

Refrigerator Cucumber Pickles

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Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 gallon jar - sterilized
  • 2 cups raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1/2 cup pickling salt
  • 1 bunch fresh dill
  • 3-4 cloves garlic cut in half
  • 1 small vidalia onion, peeled and sliced - optional
  • Don't forget the cucumbers

Instructions
 

  • In a medium pan combine vinegar, water and salt
  • Bring to a slow boil, stirring until salt is completely dissolved
  • Remove from heat and let cool completely
  • Add remaining ingredients including onion slices if desired
  • Wash and prepare cucumbers by cutting into slices or spears
  • Put as many as will fit into jar and still be submerged
  • Let sit 2-3 days before eating

Two Angry Moms – A Review

by health, reviews

Two Angry Moms
A-Ray Productions
Director: Amy Kafala

Do you know what your child eats at school for lunch every day? Are you sure? Maybe you are one of those moms who packs a healthy lunch for your kids. Perhaps you allow your child to occasionally get a snack or a special lunch from the cafeteria. Can you be sure that they are making the right choices? Are they trading for other food items with friends? Are they bringing their own money? Are they using the money you may give them for things that you don't approve of?

Schools claim to want to promote “healthy eating” and “good choices.” Sadly all of that goes out the window when the Food Service Company walks in the door. Concerned with only one thing, profitability, they twist the message of healthy eating and then say it is the parents job to teach their kids to make good choices. How can they make good choices, even when taught to do so at home, if they are surrounded by bad ones?

Often the school cafeteria is full of fried foods, artificial colors, preservatives, sugary treats, flavored milks and low nutrition, often non-fresh food. School parties with candy, vending machines in the hallway, ice cream machines in the cafeteria, these all add to the lure of bad choices.

Two Angry Moms is a documentary about what happened when two women, both passionate about the heath of their kids and others, got together and attempted to change the system. Amy Kafala, a Certified Holistic Health Counselor, and Dr. Susan Rubin, Founder of Better School Food, created a grass-roots movement. Going across the country raising important questions about school food and it's impact on education, fitness, as a contributing factor to disease, and as part of forming lifelong health habits. According to their press release there are over 4.3 billion (stop and think about that number for a minute) school lunches served every year.  The two reached out to luminaries such as Chef Alice Waters, Creator of the Edible Schoolyard program, and Chef Tony Geraci, now the Director of Food and Nutrition in Baltimore, among others to highlight what is wrong with the current cafeteria setup and to show how we can all make a difference.  They share the message that it is possible to successfully get real food into the cafeteria and into our kids. Advocating to make a change and help others spread the word they are reaching out across the country.

As stated on their website, http://www.twoangrymoms.org, “Texas Agricultural secretary Susan Combs said that it’s going to take 2 million angry moms to change the school lunch program. Please join us!” Want to learn more? Check out the following organizations, watch the movie trailer, take the School Junk Food Test (you'll be surprised by what you learn).  Then become an Angry Mom (or Dad).

I originally wrote this for a private client. They are no longer publishing their newsletter and I am now able to share this review with you.

disclaimer: cmp.ly/5

Detox Bath

by health, recipes, ,

Baths versus showers

 

There are many ways to “clean up” which can include showers or baths. Many of us tend to take showers rather than baths. For some it's a matter of necessity with no tub available, for others showering is seen as faster and more convenient.  

Yet, taking some time and enjoying a bath can be a powerful way to help balance our bodies.  First there is the slow down, taking the time to soak.  A form of hydrotherapy, that relaxing time goes a long way toward counteracting the hectic pace at which most of us lead our lives.  Baths can also, however, be a great way to help us re-mineralize our system.  This is done through the use of something called a detox bath.

Health benefits of a bath

 

Our skin is our largest body organ, sometimes referred to as the “third kidney.”  What we put on it goes into our system.  This works for both positive and negative ingredients.  Often, we are exposed to many environmental stressors and/or we eat foods that may cause a more acidic body state.  While a bath cannot counteract all of that it can help to balance us.  Many people find that when they take a detox bath, they feel much better and more relaxed.  

It's often recommended to take the bath immediately before bed. In fact one small scale study showed a positive correlation between bathing and improved sleep.  Some participants reported falling asleep faster and researchers noticed that after bathing sleep movement was reduced for the first three hours.

A bath can not only be relaxing but also may have positive benefits for your overall health. These benefits can include improved mental and emotional health, soothe muscle and joint pain, and increase blood flow, thus supplying more oxygen to the periphery areas of the body. One study published in the British Cardiac Society, Heart, found that among middle aged people taking baths was linked to a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease.  All of which adds up to a good reason to include regular baths as part of your self care routine.

What’s in that tub?

 

Many people, when they think about a bath, think about bubble baths.  Those aren’t recommended due to the ingredients.  A much better option is an epsom salt soak.  And while you can purchase scented bath salt products you need to be careful about what the fragrance is made from, what the ingredients are, plus you may be spending too much. As it turns out you can make a simple detox bath at home for pennies.  

While daily bathing is fine and has a variety of health benefits as mentioned above, it is often suggested to not take a detox bath more than 2-3 times a week so as to not overwhelm your system. 

This detox bath recipe includes Epsom salt which helps to soothe inflammation, reduce stress, promote elimination of environmental toxins, and help with re-mineralizing the body with its magnesium content. The baking soda is alkalizing for the skin and many people report the combination to be very soothing.

Detox Bath

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Epsom salts
  • 1 cup baking soda
  • 5-7 drops relaxing essential oil (the most relaxing ones are lavendar*, ylang ylang, sandalwod, geranium, and vanilla)

Instructions
 

  • Run a hot bath and add the ingredients
  • Combine the ingredients and add them into the bath
  • Soak for 20 minutes immediately before bed
  • Take the time to invest in you and your health with a relaxing detox bath.

Notes

Note: Hot baths and sauna bathing are not recommended if you are pregnant, nursing, or have a health condition which might be negatively affected by immersion in high heat.

 

[expand title="Sources"] 

Family Medicine. Four reasons to take a bath. Cleveland Clinic.

Ukai, Tomohiko et al. "Habitual Tub Bathing And Risks Of Incident Coronary Heart Disease And Stroke". Heart, vol 106, no. 10, 2020, pp. 732-737. BMJ, doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2019-315752. 

Kanda, Kiyoko et al. "Bathing Before Sleep In The Young And In The Elderly". European Journal Of Applied Physiology And Occupational Physiology, vol 80, no. 2, 1999, pp. 71-75. Springer Science And Business Media LLC, doi:10.1007/s004210050560. 

[/expand]

august produce guide

August Is Peachy

by fruit, recipes, seasons, summer,

August is National Peach Month. In season and amazingly fragrant, it's difficult to walk past peaches, whether at a farmer's market or in the grocery store, without being tempted to purchase a few. Peaches are a good source of vitamin C and A. They also provide a fair amount of potassium, beta-carotene (which becomes vitamin A), and fiber.  When they are ripe and juicy they are also very hydrating.

There are many different ways to use peaches and to enjoy them. While they're certainly delicious just the way they are, they're also amazing when paired with a good cheese, a dollop of yogurt, or even grilled as part of a barbeque menu.

This particular recipe is one our our summertime favorites and it comes from my mom.  It's simple and so easy to put together. It makes a perfect dessert after just about any meal.

Frenchtown Cobbler

The biscuit topping is modified from a July 1997 issue of Gourmet magazine, while the filling is modified from one found in the July/August 1996 Cook's Illustrated.
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Ingredients
  

  • Topping:
  • 5 Tablespoons cold unsalted organic butter
  • 1 cup Pamela's baking mix
  • 2 Tablespoons organic yellow cornmeal
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup organic whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • Filling:
  • 3-4 peaches, peel, pit, and slice thick
  • 2 cups blackberries, rinsed
  • mix 2 teaspoons organic cornstarch
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon brandy
  • toss with fruit to coat

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
  • Cut butter into pieces
  • In a bowl with a pastry blender or in a food processor blend or pulse together baking mix, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal
  • If using a food processor transfer to a bowl
  • Add milk and vanilla and stir until the mixture forms a dough
  • Drop topping by rounded spoonfuls onto filling (do not completely cover it) and bake in the middle of the oven 40 minutes, or until topping is golden and cooked through.
  • Serve with ice cream or lightly whipped cream

More delicious summer recipes

Here are a few more fabulous summertime recipes

Healthy Watermelon Recipes To Try This Summer

by fruit, recipes, summer

I'm starting to see beautiful personal sized watermelons at the grocery store. They're delicious and a great treat.

One of the most alkalizing foods, watermelon is a refreshing, hydrating, low calorie wonderful addition to summertime menus. High in vitamin A and C while also providing some magnesium and potassium, watermelon is a great antioxidant fruit. It also provides high levels of lycopene which studies have shown to be helpful in preventing various types of cancer. Watermelon appears to also have some effect on lowering blood pressure.

There are many delicious ways to include watermelon into your summertime menus such as making watermelon water ice or granita, making agua fresca, fruit salads, or even a savory sweet salad.  My current favorite fruit salad is rich in lycopene and anthocyanins, those dark rich fruits which are supportive of cognitive function while helping to reduce inflammation in the body.  This salad is refreshing and satisfying, I've even been including it as part of my breakfast for a delicious treat.

Anthocyanin-rich Fruit Salad

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups watermelon, balled
  • 1 cup blueberries, rinsed
  • 1 cup strawberries, rinsed and sliced
  • 1 cup cherries, rinsed, pitted, and quartered
  • DRESSING:
  • 1 small lime
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp poppy seeds

Instructions
 

  • Mix together fruits
  • Mix together dressing in a separate cup
  • Pour dressing over fruits and toss gently
  • Let sit 30-60 minutes in the fridge before serving

After you’ve enjoyed your watermelon there still a very tasty treat available. Pickling the rind is simple and easy to do. It doesn’t take very long and the results are delicious!

It's important to note that although you can process watermelon rind pickle for long-term storage, this recipe is for the refrigerator pickle version which is imho easier and faster.

Watermelon Rind Pickles

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Rinds from 1/2 of a large watermelon
  • 4 cups apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups cane juice crystals or other low process sugar
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • SEASONING: 2 sticks cinnamon or 2” piece fresh ginger or 1 jalapeño (seeded) or 1 lemon thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • When cutting watermelon leave 1/4-1/2” of red flesh on the rind
  • Using a vegetable peeler thoroughly remove the green rind
  • Cut rind into -1 1/2” pieces
  • Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and seasoning in pot (large enough to also hold the watermelon rind)
  • Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt
  • Add the watermelon rind
  • Bring back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes
  • Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature (about) one hour
  • Transfer rind to clean and sterilized wide-mouth pint or quart canning jars
  • Cover with pickling brine (do not include seasonings otherwise the flavor gets too strong)
  • Refrigerate overnight before serving
  • Keeps 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator

The Future Of Food – A Review

by gmo, reviews

The Future of Food 
Written and Directed by Deborah Koons Garcia
Cinema Libre Studio

Released in 2004 the subject matter of The Future of Food is not only still relevant but increasingly important. The film presents a very sobering and disturbing look at how un-labelled, patented, genetically modified (GM) foods have invaded the shelves of our grocery stores. We literally are surrounded by GM without knowing it because unlike Europe, Canada, and other places, there is no labeling requirement for GM.

Focusing heavily on the persecution by Monsanto of Canadian farmers, whose crops were contaminated when GM seed drifted onto their property, the film brings to light the heavy-handed, threatening tactics Monsanto employs to prosecute farmers for theft of patent even though the circumstances were not of the farmer's choosing, were beyond their control, and represents an end to their livelihood as they know it. The film also reveals a truly disturbing picture of the “revolving door” that exists between major agriculture corporations (Big Ag) and the United States Government which virtually assures the hands-off policy that currently exists regarding GM crops. It also highlights the government's unwillingness to investigate and support bio-diversity and sustainable agriculture.

The film starkly points out “whoever owns the seed owns the food” while reminding us that these seeds are originally from nature. However their modification has created huge corporate profits (and greed) and a reduction in bio-diversity which could potentially lead to failures of epic proportions. Monsanto has even created a “suicide gene” which causes seed to terminate itself after one season, thereby blocking reproduction. Many environmental experts are shown expressing their concern should this terminator gene ever successfully cross-breed in the wild.

However it's not all bad news. The film also shows the resurgence of organic farmers and farmer's markets. Highlighting a a grass-roots grocery/consumer opposition to the attempts by Big Ag to control the food supply. After you watch it be sure to visit the Center for Food Safety, The Institute For Responsible Technology, and the Organic Consumers Association to learn more about what you can do to protect yourself and your family. Remember, your food choices are, and should be, up to you. 

The trailer is available on YouTube.

I originally wrote this for a private client. They are no longer publishing their newsletter and I am now able to share this review with you.


disclaimer: cmp.ly/5