Category Archives: Uncategorized

What It Means To Eat Like A Human

by MiraUncategorizedorgan meat, real food, whole food

There is such an overwhelming number of diets out there these days, all claiming to be THE BEST diet that everyone should be following; telling you what foods you should be eating; telling you what to do and when to do it, making it nearly impossible for anyone to really know which diet is actually right for them.

But the bigger issue here, in my opinion, is that none of them seem to be getting to the root of the matter - how we should be eating in order to nourish our bodies.

This begs the question: What are we NOT doing as humans that we should be in order to truly nourish our bodies?

Sure, there are many great conversations these days about what we should be eating, about sourcing high quality seasonal ingredients, pasture-raised meat, and milk from grass-fed cows…

Don’t get me wrong, all of these things are very important!

But there’s another piece of the conversation that seems to be missing—what to do with those raw materials before we put them in our mouths to ensure they’re as safe and nourishing as they can be.

We should be questioning how we feed ourselves and our loved ones... And a very good place to start is to go back to the past.

Now, I’m not saying to go back to exactly how we did things millions of years ago, but we can look at how we approached food in the past (because that’s the diet that literally built the foundation of our bodies and brains) and then formulate it such a way that it applies to today.

How we approached food in the past

Let’s go back 3 or so million years ago when our ancestors were eating only what they could find in their environment. They were designed to get the raw materials they found and process them internally to the best of their ability in order to nourish the bodies and brains that they had.

We’re talking about no technology here whatsoever! They were eating a limited amount of local, seasonal fruits and vegetables—and bugs.

As time passed, they began creating tools for scavenging meat from carcasses that had been killed by another predator - and by doing that, they introduced meat into their diet.

Here’s the best part, and quite possibly one of the most profound moments in our ancestral dietary past, after they got the taste for meat, they started hunting. And let me tell you, there’s a HUGE difference between hunting and scavenging!

Now they were able to have first dibs on whatever part of the animal they wanted to consume. They were able to get the blood and the fat in the organs - and that is where the most nutrient dense bioavailable parts of the animal are. You don’t have to even cook it!

Sure, they were eating the meat too, but it was when the blood and fat in the organs were introduced to our diets that really made the difference because it supported massive body and brain growth, and eventually led to who we are today.

That’s just one example of why stepping back in time is beneficial to understanding our dietary path.

The truth about fats

Society has been telling us that fat is really bad for us for a long time, but the truth is our bodies need fat. Yes, the meaty parts are super yummy, but it’s the fat and the blood that holds the most nutritional value.

Look, I am well aware that the thought of eating organ meats may not sound very appetizing to everyone - but we obviously need to properly nourish our bodies and support ourselves by making sure we are getting the things we need that are the best for us.

Following a healthy, nourishing diet on a regular basis can be hugely transformative.

That’s not to say that if you eat a sugary treat every once in a while that you should be kicked out of the club - but it’s important not to make it a habit to take a cheat day… Instead, have a cheat meal and then get back to your focused and intentional diet.

Let’s talk about how we eat…

First we have our biological nutritional needs, which these days, can really only be met by using technologies that allow us to get nutrients from our environment and transform them into the safest and most nourishing form.

Then we have the other part of eating like a human—we are all emotional eaters.

It’s true! Food is wrapped in everything we are, how we see the world around us, and even how we see ourselves—it’s part of our identity.

Whether it’s family traditions, socioeconomic status, politics, where you live in the world, or what age you are, you convey all of those things to the world every time you take a bite of food.

These things play a very intricate role in how we get our food, how we cook our food, and how we eat our food. You can’t separate these things, you can’t just ignore this emotional side of eating and only eat for your biological nutritional needs. It simply won’t work.

The goal is to get up from the table after finishing your meal and feel better than when you sat down. That’s what real nourishment is all about. Not overstuffed like it’s thanksgiving, not still hungry, just simply satiated and nourished.

And when you really think about it, everything about the meal should have felt nourished. Were there a lot of good conversations around the table? Did everyone sit around for too long?

Everything plays a role in being truly nourished - and if that’s your goal, then health and living your best life will follow.

The Pantry Principle

It is my hope to inspire you to learn about the foods you are eating and making for your family - to learn the basic principles for going to the grocery store and understanding what you’re actually buying.

Never stop learning because it is the foundation behind eating to nourish your body.

Sure, in an ideal world everyone would learn how real, nourishing food is made and make it all from scratch. But even if you don’t learn how to do that - you can learn how to go to the grocery store and buy the foods that you know are genuinely made in a traditional nourishing way.

That's really the key to being immune to flashy advertisements and gimmicks while you walk down the grocery store aisles.

Then you can feel confident knowing that you’re getting the best and most nourishing products to feed yourself and your loved ones, and you’re using your hard earned money to support the food producers that are actually doing their best job.

Healthy Readers Book Club – 2022 Book Review

by Mirareviews, Uncategorizedbook club, Books, review

Happy 2023 - It’s a brand new year and that comes with the profound opportunity to become a brand new you!

What am I looking most forward to this year?

That’s easy! I can’t wait to dive in deep with the Healthy Readers Book Club and all of the amazing books we are going to read this year.

I mean, I just can’t help but reflect on all of the fantastic books we went through in 2022 - there were so many things that really opened my eyes and captivated my interest, so let me share some of the things I liked—and some of the things I didn’t like as much—in the books we covered last year…

There was a stack of them! It was truly an amazing year for the Healthy Reader’s Book Club - we read such an incredible variety of really impressive books.

1. Finding Yourself In The Kitchen by Dana Velden

Starting with Finding Yourself in the Kitchen by Dana Velden. I love how this book started the year out perfectly with its kitchen meditations and information that really makes you think.

Let’s not forget about all of the delicious and good-for-you recipes to choose from!

And believe me there were some really terrific recipes in this book. I have even gone back and made some of them, including the simple weeknight curry, which was explosive in flavor and so easy to make!

Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book was that it was a quick and easy read which made it perfect to kick off the year. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for ways to incorporate more mindfulness into their daily living as well as a few delicious recipes.

2. The Food Explorer by Daniel Stone

Then there was the Food Explorer: The True Adventures of a Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats by Daniel Stone.

This was a seriously transformative book - simply amazing. It reminds us of all the things we take for granted, all the foods that we have that were from other places originally, how they were discovered and shipped back to the United States where farmers were encouraged and taught to grow the, All so that we can stock our pantry with the and now we take them for granted.

Not to mention how the travels and getting the plants back were done during a time when global transport was much more inconvenient and not nearly as easy as it is today… Talk about remarkable things!

Reading about David Fairchild’s adventures, the man who traveled the world to bring us so many wonderful and tasty things was such delight - and so much fun! Isn’t it just the best when you can learn so much from a book and ENJOY it at the same time?

3. Consider The Fork by Bee Wilson

And then of course there was Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson and WOW, another really great book.

This book was AMAZING. We learned so much about technology in the kitchen (which was fascinating to learn the science behind so much of what goes on!), how we eat, and why different cultures eat the way they do. There were also so many interesting little stories, highlights and a plethora of annotations throughout, making it such an exciting and fun book to read.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in food and how our culture came to be…

And again, so many delicious recipes! If you love to read about travel adventures, history, and/or food this is definitely the book for you.

4. The Seven Culinary Wonders of The Word by Jenny Linford

Then we had The Seven Culinary Wonders of the World: A History of Honey, Salt, Chili, Pork, Rice, Cacao, and Tomato by Jenny Linford. Again, more wonderful and delicious recipes - plus truly beautiful illustrations and loads of interesting information.

However, while I really did like this book, I was not so happy with the layout, it was a bit disconcerting.

Let me explain. The recipes were kind of thrown in randomly and I didn’t understand the reasoning behind how they were being inserted. Sure, the pork recipes were in the pork section and so on, but you would literally be reading and then BAM a recipe would be placed right in the middle - so it was just a little strange in my opinion.

But, as I mentioned, there was a lot of really fascinating information about each of these foods plus the really lovely illustration pages that were such a delight to look at - and it was a good book, I just think I personally would have preferred the recipes to be at the end of each section instead of scattered throughout.

5. Waste Uncovering the Global Food Scandal by Tristam Stewart

That leads us to the next book, Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal by Tristram Stuart.

Let me just start by saying, this was a REALLY hard book to read.

But I chose this book for the book club because I wanted us to learn more about this topic. For instance, did you know that 40% of the food that is grown in the world ends up being discarded?

I think the most eye opening takeaway from this book is that the vast majority of the waste is not due to consumer habits—although they are encouraged to bear the brunt of responsibility for it. Sure, as consumers we could do better, but there’s a whole lot more going on in the world of food waste than we realize.

And here’s the thing that really gets me - we’re constantly being told that we need to save more, waste less, reduce, reuse, recycle, etc. But as it turns out, there’s a whole raft of waste happening… from where it’s grown to the manufacturing process to the grocery stores - there must be a better way to reduce the waste! And this book certainly has suggestions about things we can do to help.

For anyone who wants to learn more about food waste and see the bigger picture of what’s going on, this is definitely a book you should read.

6. Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too by Beth Terry

Up next, Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too by Beth Terry. What a great book - but I will note that the most difficult thing about this book was that it took us 2 months to read because it is LOADED with information.

I mean there is A LOT of valuable information, which was a lot to take in. At times it felt like drinking from a firehose to wrap your brain around all of the information, stories, and resources. It’s not a bad thing by any means! Just something to take into consideration.

I will say how appreciative I am about all of the resources Beth put into this book and how mindful she was about everything she was talking about; how she highlighted some of the people who are really making it their mission to help reduce plastic. So inspiring!

By the way, did you know that book covers have plastic in them? I had no idea! But what’s very interesting about this particular book is that they’ve used a paper cover instead and a non-glue binding.

I was so inspired by this book that I actually changed some things in my house based on what I read—and we have decided to definitely incorporate a more plastic-free approach into our lifestyle. This book is now on my resources shelf so I can refer to it over and over as our family works on reducing our plastic habit.

And I must say, out of all the books we read last year, this one had the biggest impact when it came to making lifestyle changes.

7. Eat Like A Human by Dr. Bill Schindler

Now, for my favorite book of the entire year last year, Eat Like a Human: Nourishing Foods and Ancient Ways of Cooking to Revolutionize Your Health by Dr. Bill Schindler.

I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Schindler at a national nutrition conference and was blown away by his talk. Which is what led to my choosing this book for the book club.

How To Eat Like A Human is definitely not a dry, academic tome filled with reams of dusty anthropological data about human development. Instead it is a fascinating journey through our human development wrapped in the adventures and journeys he and his family have been through. It felt very relatable. Plus the book is chock full of recipes—we’re talking upwards of 70 different recipes! Which is not something I was expecting in this kind of a book.

Dr. Schindler has an engaging way of laying out how we eat, how we need to eat, and some of the critical things that are missing in our modern-day diet.

AND how we can make the healthy changes that are necessary for living our best life!

This was really an outstanding book, so well written, filled with interesting information—and that’s why this was my favorite book of all the great books we read last year.

8. Pandora’s Lunchbox, How Processed Food Took Over The American Meal by Melanie Warner

After Eat Like a Human we read Pandora’s Lunchbox: How Processed Food Took Over the American Meal by Melanie Warner, which is a very compelling book sharing about all the different ways our food system gets co-opted by the various things that food producers do to them.

This book is filled with a lot of industry background. I found it intriguing to learn how our food is modified. This in turn helps drive home the point that sometimes our food is changed for the benefit of the producer and it does not necessarily represent such a great choice for the consumer. .

I know what you may be thinking, “Something like this sounds dry and boring to read,” but I assure you, this was not a dry read whatsoever—it was an engaging read and I learned a few new things.

9. Thanks a Thousand, a Gratitude Journey by A. J. Jacobs

Next we read Thanks a Thousand: A Gratitude Journey by A.J. Jacobs, which is another super sweet book.

I just love the way A.J. Jacobs writes, I think I’ve actually read all of his books!

For this book, he had a thought come to him one day about what it would be like to thank a thousand people who were somehow connected to his morning cup of coffee.

Now this is truly amazing, I mean just think about all of the people involved: the lid manufacturer, the cup sleeve manufacturer, the growers, the harvesters, the roasters, and so on. It becomes an enormous chain of people… and most of the time, that whole process tends to go unnoticed in our everyday life.

It was thought-provoking to read about his process in identifying the people connected with his project. Then to read about the journeys he went on to interact with all of those people to simply say thank you.

This story was very moving, and actually helped me to deepen my own gratitude practice, and for that, I am appreciative. It’s a sweet book and a quick read, I highly recommend it.

10. Cooked by Michael Pollan

The last book of 2022 was Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan.

FIrst of all, I really like Michael Pollan and I enjoy his books a lot. He’s such a talented writer, his use of language is just phenomenal!

This book is the story of the incredible journey that he went on to learn about the different elements, and finding a food that represented that element, and then diving into it. The entire thing was so very enjoyable. I think you’ll agree that he is a very amusing writer - in addition to the wonderful information he shares, this book is loaded with laughs!

And the way he presents the information and helps you think about it in a way that you can fully absorb it and learn from it is astounding.

I can honestly say that this was the perfect book to end the year with because it lined us up to think about the way we interact with our food and all of the different elements involved.

I personally also really enjoyed all of the adventures that Michael took us on and all of the hidden gems during the guided Healthy Readers Book Club process. Things like video interviews with various people or different aspects of the science behind what he was talking about. If you’re looking to read about foodie adventures this is definitely a good book to choose.

All-in-all we had 10 AMAZING books last year…

And we have 10 more coming in the brand new year ahead of us!

I hope you’ll join us on this exciting and informative reading adventure this year, become a member of the Healthy Readers Book Club and enjoy the guided process to get to a new level—a deeper dimension—of reading a book and not only enjoying it, but learning from it too.

And be sure to check out some (or all) of these incredible books I’ve mentioned to begin the transformative process of understanding the principles of healthy living and eating!

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the above links may be affiliate links. If you use them, at no extra cost to you, I may receive compensation which helps me continue the work I do for this channel. Thank you for your support.

The Inside Scoop On Digestive Enzymes

by MiraUncategorizeddigestive enzymes, supplements

Have you ever really thought about what it means to digest your food and why is it important?

Digestion is defined as: a person’s capacity to break down food into substances that can be used by the body.

For overall health it is extremely important to properly digest what you put into your body because we are not just what we eat, but what we digest and absorb.

Digestion is both a mechanical and enzymatic process. I’m pretty sure you understand the mechanical process involved: you eat, chew, and then swallow your food. The enzymatic process is often overlooked by many so let’s look into it to learn more.

What are digestive enzymes?

Digestive enzymes are often confused with the digestive acid or gastric acid that is in your stomach which contains hydrochloric acid (HCl). Even though you do need both to properly digest your food, digestive acid and digestive enzymes are not the same thing.

Gastric acid allows you to digest protein, helps with B12 absorption, and can help prevent developing infections and food poisoning. It is found only in the stomach; however, digestive enzymes are found in your mouth, stomach, pancreas, and small intestine and they break your food down into smaller building blocks that your body can readily absorb and use

Why are digestive enzymes important for your health?

If your body cannot produce enough digestive enzymes, you will not be able to truly nourish your body. You can be eating all organic, pasture-raised, and wild-caught foods and still not maintain your health if you are not properly absorbing your nutrients. These digestive enzymes help you absorb the nutrients.

There can be several reasons your digestive enzymes might not be working at an optimal level. This can include lactose intolerance, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, or even cystic fibrosis. Other reasons for enzyme deficiency can be alcohol abuse, protein deficiency, a diet high in refined carbohydrates, high caloric intake, food sensitivities, smoking, antibiotic exposure, and too little or too much exercise. There are also foods and drinks that promote intestinal inflammation which affects enzyme activity negatively - coffee, alcohol, sugar, and highly processed foods.

Another big factor is aging. Unfortunately, as you age, your digestive function can deteriorate.

Types of digestive enzymes

Digestive enzymes are released when we anticipate a meal, smell and taste food, and as the food goes through the digestive process. There are several different types of digestive enzymes, each with its own function. Let’s take a closer look at a few common ones.

Amylase is important for digesting carbohydrates. It begins the breakdown of the starches contained in these foods and converts them into sugar. Amylase is secreted by salivary glands and the pancreas.

Maltase is released by the small intestine and is responsible for breaking down maltose (malt sugar) into glucose (a simple sugar). This glucose is then used for energy or stored for later use.

Lactase breaks down lactose which is a sugar found in dairy products. Lactose intolerance may be caused by having too little of the lactase enzyme in your small intestine. This is a great example why sufficient enzymatic function is so important.

Lipase is responsible for the breakdown of fat into fatty acids and the simple sugar alcohol glycerol. This enzyme is produced in small amounts by your mouth and stomach, and a much larger amount by your pancreas.

Protease breaks down protein into amino acids. They are produced in the stomach and pancreas. Protease also plays a role in cell division, blood clotting, and immune function.

Sucrase is secreted by the small intestine where it breaks down sucrose into fructose and glucose.

This is just a short list of digestive enzymes.

You can see how important digestive enzymes can be to your digestion and overall health.

What if you don’t have enough digestive enzymes?

Some of the symptoms of insufficient digestive enzymes can include

Bloating
Flatulence
Abdominal pain and discomfort
Irritable-bowel-like symptoms
Diarrhea
Constipation
Gut microbiota dysbiosis,
Undigested food in the stool
Stools that float
Feeling full after only a few bites
Food allergies and intolerances

Wow, that encompasses a lot of symptoms!

Getting more digestive enzymes in your diet

You may be wondering how to get more digestive enzymes in your diet. It turns out there are many food sources that can up your enzyme activity for specific enzymes. Many fruits and vegetables have natural enzymes in them which can improve your digestion.

Raw honey has amylase and protease.
Mangoes and bananas have amylase.
Papaya has the specific protease enzyme papain.
Avocados offer lipase.
Sauerkraut can “pick up” digestive enzymes during the fermentation process

What if you need more enzymes than food can provide?

If dietary enzyme support is not enough adding digestive enzymes to your supplementation routine is a good option. It is, however, important to choose an enzyme formulation that has no added filler or artificial ingredients. After all, if you’re trying to improve digestion why would you consume something with no digestive benefit.

I believe so much in proper digestive enzymes and clean formulation that I have come out with my own product called, simply enough, Digestive Enzymes.

(My product, Digestive Enzymes, will be available soon! Please bookmark this page or follow me on social media to stay updated when it comes out.)

Digestive Enzymes contains highly active enzymes with a broad range of specificities to all food preferences. This formula has been carefully prepared to assure maximum quality and nutritional effectiveness with absolutely no fillers!

Check out all the digestive enzymes contained in this product and how it can help your digestion:

Lipase – breaks down fat
Amylase – breaks down carbohydrates
Phytase – breaks down phytic acid which helps release iron and zinc from your food
Glucoamylase – long-chain starches and carbohydrates are broken down into glucose which your body can use
Alpha-galactosidase – breaks down complex carbohydrates such as beans, whole grains, and cruciferous veggies to manage the gas that can be caused by these foods
Macerase – used to break down pectin in fruits
Beta-glucanase – breaks down the cell walls of plants
Lactase – breaks down the lactose sugar found in dairy
Pectinase – breaks down pectin in fruit
Cellulase – breaks down the cellulose of plant cell walls into simple sugars
Diatase – breaks down starch into maltose and then glucose which your body can use as a fuel
Invertase – it is in our saliva and splits sugars into glucose and fructose
Hemicellulase – it is required to break down fiber-rich components of food, converting them to usable constituents

As you can see effective digestive enzymes are necessary for optimal digestion. If you are suffering from any of the digestive symptoms listed above, you may want to consider adding digestive enzymes to your health regiment.

[expand title="Sources"]

Ash, M. (2017, January 11). Digestive enzymes. Clinical Education. Retrieved from https://www.clinicaleducation.org/news/digestive-enzymes/.

Burgess, J., RDH. Digestive wellness – what you need to know. The AFIB Report. Retrieved from https://afibbers.org/resources/digestivewellness.pdf.

Lopez, D.A., MD, Williams, RM., MD, PhD, and Miehlke, K., MD. (1994). Enzymes the fountain of life. The Neville Press, Inc. Germany.s

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Replacing The Mighty Avocado

by Miraproduce, snacks, substitutions, Uncategorized, vegetables, wwmerecipes

Whether you have a general aversion to avocados or just an aversion to their cost — the price of avocados increased 125 percent in 2017 — you have plenty of healthy ingredient substitutions that not only save you money but diversify the taste and texture of a variety of dishes, guacamole included.

Guacamole

Don't let an avocado shortage slow down your guac game. For each avocado used in your guacamole recipe, substitute one cup of steamed, blended spring peas, organic edamame or chopped asparagus. Check out our recipe for Sweet Pea Guacamole below.

Sauces, Dips and Spreads

Avocados give sauces and soups a unique, creamy texture few ingredients can replicate. But that doesn't mean you can't get the same consistency without avocados–you just need to apply a little creativity.

Create the satisfying freshness of your favorite avocado dressing using Greek yogurt, cilantro, and an optional tablespoon or two of sour cream. For every avocado called for in the dressing recipe, substitute ½ cup Greek yogurt and 1 cup of loosely packed cilantro leaves (minced or processed in).
Hummus makes a great substitute for avocado dip on its own, but you can add an avocado-esque touch with a few extra ingredients. To every ½ cup of chickpea hummus, add ½ cup steamed organic edamame, ¼ cup loosely packed parsley leaves, ¼ cup basil or cilantro, 1 teaspoon of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of coconut oil.
Avocado toast went from fad to foodie staple almost overnight. Take the concept a step further with a clever, spreadable substitution, such as a chunky cashew spread. Soak cashews for a few hours and blend until coarse with a little water or stock and your secondary ingredients of choice, such as pesto, steamed squash, nutritional yeast, fresh herbs or chipotle peppers.

Salads

With their lush consistency and laid-back taste, avocados complement just about any salad. No avocados, no fear! Try sliced peaches (briefly steamed), seared artichoke hearts or farmers cheese (for creaminess) in your next salad for an exciting new texture.

Southwestern Food

Southwestern-style cuisine and avocados go hand-in-hand–they contrast the spiciness and hearty textures of tacos, salsa, corn salads and other rustic dishes beautifully. Next time you need avos in tacos or other Southwestern dishes but come up short, try roasted sweet potatoes, roasted chayote squash, queso fresco, roasted cauliflower or oven-fried plantains instead.

Sweet Pea Guacamole

2018-07-28 23:06:11

Save Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups (1 pound) shelled spring peas, steamed for 2 minutes and cooled to room temperature
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ½ cup cilantro leaves, loosely packed
• ¼ cup mint leaves, loosely packed
• 2 ½ tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little more, if needed
• ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded
• ½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Pinch of cumin
• Pinch of crushed red pepper, plus more to taste

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process until nearly smooth.
Adjust the consistency and seasoning as needed with olive oil and kosher salt.

By Mira Dessy. NE

The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

Bacon Broccoli Quiche

by Miraeggs, recipes, Uncategorizedeggs, quiche

One of my favorite ways to serve eggs, is to make a crustless quiche. Quiches are a fabulous way to use up ingredients. And really you don’t need the crust.

This is a version that I made recently. I was able to clean out the fridge of lots of small containers of bits from other meals. You’ll notice that I’m simply recommending 2 cups of add ins rather than sharing individual amounts. Given the flexibility of how quiches work you should feel free to trade out the add ins depending on what you have available.

While this quiche doesn’t come out exactly the same each time if you’re cleaning out the fridge, it’s always delicious.

Bacon Broccoli Crustless Quiche

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Servings 6

Ingredients

8 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard
1/3 cup GF flour (I like Cup4Cup for this recipe)
2 cups add ins
4 slices cooked bacon, diced
Leftover breakfast potatoes
Cooked broccoli
Sautéed onion
Shredded cheddar
Season with salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon parsley flakes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F
Grease 8” diameter casserole
Beat together eggs, milk, and mustard until well combined
Blend in flour until we’ll mixed with no lumps
Put add ins into the mixture and stir just to combine
Add seasonings
Bake 35-40 minutes until top is firm and springs back slightly when tapped

What’s In Season: August Produce Guide

by MiraUncategorizedaugust, seasonal fruits, seasonal vegetables

The bounty continues, and we’re starting to see a little bit of crossover into autumnal crops. I personally find a lot of joy in transitioning foods with the seasons. Enjoying the last of the summer bounty and looking forward to the richness and nutrient density of autumn.

What’s your favorite seasonal food?

Acorn Squash

Butternut and acorn squash are among the types of winter squash that belong to the gourd family, which also includes pumpkin and zucchini.

Winter squashes have many health benefits, such as high levels of fiber to help keep your digestive system in good shape, vitamin A for proper eye function, and potassium, an essential mineral that helps regulate blood pressure.

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is usually a little sweeter and nuttier than acorn squash. The nutty flavor makes butternut perfect as an addition to soups,.

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is usually a little sweeter and nuttier than acorn squash. The nutty flavor makes butternut perfect as an addition to soups.

Like acorn squash, acorn squash is also a winter squash filled with fiber, vitamin A, potassium and minerals.

Apples

With a history that stretches back more than two thousand years, apples have been the apple of our eye since their first introduction to European cultures.

They are eaten fresh and cooked in various ways-- as a sauce or blended with other ingredients for use in desserts such as pies and tarts.

Aside from high fiber content, apples also boast of polyphenols, which may help reduce cancer risk while improving heart health, memory retention ability, and brain function, among several others!

Apricots

Apricots are grown throughout the warm regions of the world, especially in the Mediterranean.

They are low in calories and fat, a good source of vitamin A and C, and packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. These multiple benefits can promote eyes, skin, and even gut health. Not to mention that fresh apricots are a hydrating food.

Apricots can be eaten fresh or cooked and can be preserved by canning and drying. Dried apricots are especially high in iron.

Blackberries

Blackberry bushes grow all over North America (especially in eastern portions), but their favorite place is along the Pacific coast.

Blackberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which help to reduce inflammation in the body. A cup of raw blackberries has 30.2 milligrams of vitamin C or half the daily recommended value. For this reason alone, they've been touted as a superfood.

They are generally eaten fresh, in preserves, or baked goods such as pies!

Blueberries

The Native Americans were the first to recognize blueberries as a versatile and healthful fruit. They used them for medicinal purposes, as a natural flavoring for food, or in pastries like pies and muffins.

Blueberries boast many vitamins, including vitamin C, manganese, iron, plus dietary fiber, which is great at aiding digestion!

Today they're hailed as "superfoods" because of their nutritional value. Fresh berries can be eaten fresh from summertime's harvest while dried ones make excellent flavorings such as sauces with tart lemon juice added in too!

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupes are not only delicious, but they have a variety of health benefits as well. They contain high levels of beta-carotene, which is an important nutrient for eye and skin protection since it is converted to vitamin A in the body.

Cantaloupe has over 100% DV per cup for Vitamin C, meaning that eating one serving will give you enough Vitamin C throughout your day!

This fruit can be enjoyed on its own or mixed with other fruits like bananas, blueberries, strawberries, etc., making it versatile and enjoyable while getting all your daily nutrients at once!

Corn

Corn originated in the Americas and is one of the most widely distributed food crops.

It is one of the most highly genetically modified (GM) ingredients in the United States. Because of the challenges that genetic modification presents for our health and the environment, I encourage people to choose organic corn and only eat it in moderation.

Whole-grain corn is rich in fiber and provides many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Despite the sugar in sweet corn, it is not a high glycemic food, as it has low to medium sugar levels.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are widely cultivated. It contains 96% water but high in many important vitamins, such as vitamin K and minerals.

Eating this incredible fruit may lead to many potential health benefits, including better digestion, balanced hydration, and lower blood sugar levels.

Cucumber is a refreshing summer vegetable. It goes perfectly with BBQs and other hot dishes for an added crunch. It also makes some of the yummiest pickles!

Eggplant

Eggplants require a warm climate and have been cultivated in their native Southeast Asia since ancient times.

They are high-fiber food that has many potential health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and helping with blood sugar control.

Eggplants are a beautiful, versatile vegetable-- they can be baked, grilled, or fried. A staple in cuisines of the Mediterranean region, eggplant is used in classic dishes as the Greek moussaka, the Italian eggplant parmigiana, and the Middle Eastern relish baba ghanoush.

Figs

Fig trees’ natural seedlings can be found in many Mediterranean countries. It is so widely used throughout these regions that it has been nicknamed “the poor man’s food."

The fruit contains significant amounts of copper and vitamin B6. Copper is a mineral that your body needs for the production of red blood cells. It also aids in energy metabolism, and it can help maintain healthy hair, skin, bones, and joints. While vitamin B6 is one of the most essential vitamins to help you maintain a healthy immune system and assist with many bodily processes like balancing hormones, reducing stress levels, and aiding indigestion.

Figs can be enjoyed fresh, dried, or in tea form. Be sure to consume dried figs in moderation because of their high sugar content.

Green beans

Green beans, also called string beans, are a common food in many kitchens across the United States.

These vegetables contain several essential vitamins, including folate, which is 10% of your daily recommended intake value and helps prevent neural tube defects and other birth defects.

You can either blanch them or sauté them to eat raw, and they taste great with melted butter sauce on top!

Kiwifruit

Also commonly referred to as simply kiwi, this fruit originated in China and was originally called Chinese gooseberry. At some point, it transitioned to New Zealand, where it was renamed Kiwifruit. From there, it traveled to California, where it is now a commercial crop.

Kiwifruits are very high in vitamin C, with just one small fruit providing 120% of your RDA. They have a lot of fiber and are also a good source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamin E.

Our favorite way to eat them is to simply cut them in half and scoop them out with a spoon, although kiwi pineapple smoothies are pretty tasty, and kiwi lime pie is a wonderful thing.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is not widely grown commercially but has several health benefits that make it popular in certain regions.

A single cup (135 grams) contains 17% of the recommended daily fiber intake. It also generously provides your body with vitamin C and B6, which supports the immune system, protein metabolism, red blood cell production, among other things.

Kohlrabi can be roasted or baked but keep the cooking simple to take advantage of its crunch and slightly sweet taste.

Lettuce

Lettuce is a nutritious vegetable in the aster family. Although it comes in many varieties, this leafy veggie, in general, is rich in vitamins K and A. Note that red leaf lettuce is higher in antioxidants.

Most lettuce varieties, such as iceberg and romaine, are eaten fresh and often served in salads, wraps, and sandwiches.

Mangoes

Mangoes are indigenous to southern Asia. They are packed with immune-boosting nutrients -- vitamin A, C, K, and E.

Just one cup of mango has 46 mg of vitamin C or 76% of what you should get per day.

Fresh, yellow mangoes are delicious when eaten plain. I love it as part of smoothies as well!

Okra

Okra is native to the tropics of the Eastern Hemisphere, such as in Africa and South Asia.

It is high in vitamins C and K1, which boost the immune system and prevent blood clotting.

This vegetable is somewhat unique as it also boasts protein and fiber, a nutrient that many fruits and vegetables lack.

Cooking okra is simple. It can be sauteed, pickled, or added to soup and stews.

Peaches

Peaches probably originated in China and spread westward through Asia and to the Mediterranean countries before finally reaching other parts of Europe.

Peaches are a rich source of antioxidants that can help protect your body from aging or disease. Plus, they contain a good amount of vitamin A for eye health, especially abundant yellow-fleshed varieties!

They are widely eaten fresh and are also baked in pies and cobblers.

Peppers

Peppers are the fruits of a tropical plant related to chilies, tomatoes, and breadfruit; all three were originally grown in America.

One thing you may not know about peppers? They have 92% water content! The rest consists mainly of carbs with small amounts of protein and fat--making them one very nutritious meal choice for those looking to maintain their weight.

Not only do they provide 169% vitamin C (which is essential), so it's no wonder bell pepper recipes can be found everywhere, from grocery stores on the street corners alike!

As far as eating these babies go, either raw or cooked will work wonders for our bodies’ health.

Plums

Plum trees have been cultivated around the world and grown in a variety of soils. They come from the same family as peaches or cherries.

Plums contain a fair amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Additionally, one plum provides a small amount of B vitamins, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Plums can be eaten fresh, as an after-dinner dessert fruit, or cooked into jam for your morning toast!

Raspberries

Red raspberries originate from Europe or northern Asia and are often cultivated in temperate areas throughout the world. The most common place to find US-grown berries is California, Oregon, and Washington.

Raspberries contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber which can help provide proper nutrition to your diet. They also come with various health benefits, including providing more than half the recommended daily intake for vitamin C.

Raspberries are a popular ingredient in jams and jellies, but they're also delicious by themselves.

Strawberries

As you know, strawberries top anew this year’s''Dirty Dozen" list of produce found with the most pesticides. Again, it’s best to buy these organic and wash them thoroughly before eating to avoid this.

These delicious berries are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, folate (vitamin B9), and potassium. Reduced cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation are just a few of its health benefits.

Furthermore, berries could help prevent spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.

The fruits are commonly eaten fresh, baked, and preserved.

Summer Squash

Squash is considered a vegetable in cooking but botanically classified as a fruit.

Some popular varieties of summer squash include yellow squashes (196 grams provides more potassium than a large banana), zucchini (low-calorie alternatives to noodles), and pattypan (which contains many vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, folate, and manganese).

These varieties can be sautéed, baked, grilled, or used to make casseroles and soups.

Swiss Chard

The name may imply that it originated in Switzerland, but it is native to the Mediterranean region. Due to its enormous cultivation in Switzerland, it was referred to as a Swiss Chard.

These leafy greens are an excellent source of vitamins A and K and nearly fulfills the daily need for vitamin C. Additionally, it is extremely low in calories, making a weight-loss-friendly vegetable.

Swiss chard can be eaten raw in salads, sautéed, or served in soups.

Tomatoes

Labeled as a vegetable for nutritional purposes, tomatoes are fruits native to South America.

They're high in vitamins C and lycopene-- an important phytochemical that helps fight off diseases such as cancer.

You can find them eaten raw atop salads with all sorts of tasty toppings like cheese or avocado, baked into delicious dishes like lasagna or marinara sauce, sun or oven-dried, and pickled. Green tomatoes are also fabulous as a chutney.

Watermelon

Watermelon is native to tropical Africa and cultivated around the world.

Despite its high water content, it's surprisingly healthy with many nutrients such as lycopene and vitamin C!

It can be eaten raw or preserved in pickles for a tasty twist to your typical condiment.

Zucchini

Zucchini is a variety of summer squash. Although it is considered a vegetable, it is classified as a fruit.

It is particularly high in vitamin A and offers several health benefits -- from healthy vision to healthy digestion.

Zucchini is versatile and eaten raw or cooked in stews, soups, salad, and even chips!

When eating fresh, in-season produce, don’t forget to wash it first. Click here to get your toxin-free fruit and veggie wash

Sources

https://blueberry.org/about-blueberries/history-of-blueberries/https://www.britannica.com/plant/blueberry-planthttps://www.britannica.com/plant/cucumberhttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-cucumberhttps://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show?n1=%7BQv%3D1%7D&fgcd=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=25&sort=f&qlookup=&offset=50&format=Full&new=&rptfrm=nl&ndbno=09042&nutrient1=315&nutrient2=&nutrient3=%E2%8A%82=0&totCount=298&measureby=mhttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foodshttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/bell-peppers#nutritionhttps://www.britannica.com/plant/pepper-plant-Capsicum-genushttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-plums-pruneshttps://www.britannica.com/plant/plumhttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/raspberry-nutrition#useshttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/types-of-squashhttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/tomatoeshttps://www.britannica.com/plant/tomatohttps://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/green-beans

What’s In Season: July Produce Guide

by MiraUncategorizedJuly, seasonal fruits, seasonal vegetables

July brings such a treat for our taste buds. There are so many fresh and in-season fruits and vegetables that it's hard to pick just one! With such a bounty of fresh produce available, it’s super easy to eat the rainbow at this time of year.

Here's your ultimate guide to July produce, including nutritional profile, buying tips, and some seasonal recipes.

Apricots

Apricots are grown throughout the warm regions of the world, especially in the Mediterranean.

Apricots can be eaten fresh or cooked and can be preserved by canning and drying. Dried apricots are especially high in iron.

Blackberries

Blackberry bushes grow all over North America (especially in eastern portions), but their favorite place is along the Pacific coast.

They are generally eaten fresh, in preserves, or baked goods such as pies!

Blueberries

Blueberries boast many vitamins, including vitamin C, manganese, iron, plus dietary fiber, which is great at aiding digestion!

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe has over 100% DV per cup for Vitamin C, meaning that eating one serving will give you enough Vitamin C throughout your day!

This fruit can be enjoyed on its own or mixed with other fruits like bananas, blueberries, strawberries, etc., making it versatile and enjoyable while getting all your daily nutrients at once!

Corn

Corn originated in the Americas and is one of the most widely distributed food crops.

Whole-grain corn is rich in fiber and provides many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Despite the sugar in sweet corn, it is not a high glycemic food, as it has low to medium sugar levels.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are widely cultivated. It contains 96% water but high in many important vitamins, such as vitamin K and minerals.

Eating this incredible fruit may lead to many potential health benefits, including better digestion, balanced hydration, and lower blood sugar levels.

Cucumber is a refreshing summer vegetable. It goes perfectly with BBQs and other hot dishes for an added crunch. It also makes some of the yummiest pickles!

Green beans

Green beans, also called string beans, are a common food in many kitchens across the United States.

These vegetables contain several essential vitamins, including folate, which is 10% of your daily recommended intake value and helps prevent neural tube defects and other birth defects.

You can either blanch them or sauté them to eat raw, and they taste great with melted butter sauce on top!

Kiwi

Kiwifruits originated in China and were originally called Chinese gooseberry. At some point, it transitioned to New Zealand, where it was renamed Kiwifruit. From there, it traveled to California, where it is now a commercial crop.

Kiwifruits are very high in vitamin C, with just one small fruit providing 120% of your RDA. They have a lot of fiber and are also a good source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamin E.

Our favorite way to eat them is to simply cut them in half and scoop them out with a spoon, although kiwi pineapple smoothies are pretty tasty, and kiwi lime pie is a wonderful thing.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is not widely grown commercially but has several health benefits that make it popular in certain regions.

Kohlrabi can be roasted or baked but keep the cooking simple to take advantage of its crunch and slightly sweet taste.

Lettuce

Most lettuce varieties, such as iceberg and romaine, are eaten fresh and often served in salads, wraps, and sandwiches.

Mangoes

Mangoes are indigenous to southern Asia. They are packed with immune-boosting nutrients -- vitamin A, C, K, and E.

Just one cup of mango has 46 mg of vitamin C or 76% of what you should get per day.

Fresh, yellow mangoes are delicious when eaten plain. I love it as part of smoothies as well!

Okra

Okra is native to the tropics of the Eastern Hemisphere, such as in Africa and South Asia.

It is high in vitamins C and K1, which boost the immune system and prevent blood clotting.

This vegetable is somewhat unique as it also boasts protein and fiber, a nutrient that many fruits and vegetables lack.

Cooking okra is simple. It can be sauteed, pickled, or added to soup and stews.

Peaches

Peaches probably originated in China and spread westward through Asia and to the Mediterranean countries before finally reaching other parts of Europe.

They are widely eaten fresh and are also baked in pies and cobblers.

Peppers

Peppers are the fruits of a tropical plant related to chilies, tomatoes, and breadfruit; all three were originally grown in America.

Not only do they provide 169% vitamin C (which is essential), so it's no wonder bell pepper recipes can be found everywhere, from grocery stores on the street corners alike!

As far as eating these babies go, either raw or cooked will work wonders for our bodies health.

Plums

Plum trees have been cultivated around the world and grown in a variety of soils. They come from the same family as peaches or cherries.

Plums contain a fair amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Additionally, one plum provides a small amount of B vitamins, phosphorus, and magnesium.

Plums can be eaten fresh, as an after-dinner dessert fruit, or cooked into jam for your morning toast!

Raspberries

Raspberries are a popular ingredient in jams and jellies, but they're also delicious by themselves.

Strawberries

These delicious berries are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, folate (vitamin B9), and potassium. Reduced cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation are just a few of its health benefits.

Furthermore, berries could help prevent spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.

The fruits are commonly eaten fresh, baked, and preserved.

Summer Squash

Squash is considered a vegetable in cooking but botanically classified as a fruit.

All of these varieties can be sautéed, baked, grilled, or used to make casseroles and soups.

Swiss Chard

The name may imply that it originated in Switzerland, but it is native to the Mediterranean region. Due to its enormous cultivation in Switzerland, it was referred to as a Swiss Chard.

Swiss chard can be eaten raw in salads, sautéed, or served in soups.

Tomatoes

Labeled as a vegetable for nutritional purposes, tomatoes are fruits native to South America.

They're high in vitamins C and lycopene-- an important phytochemical that helps fight off diseases such as cancer.

Watermelon

Watermelon is native to tropical Africa and cultivated around the world.

Despite its high water content, it's surprisingly healthy with many nutrients such as lycopene and vitamin C!

It can be eaten raw or preserved in pickles for a tasty twist to your typical condiment.

Zucchini

Zucchini is a variety of summer squash. Although it is considered a vegetable, it is classified as a fruit.

It is particularly high in vitamin A and offers several health benefits -- from healthy vision to healthy digestion.

Zucchini is versatile and eaten raw or cooked in stews, soups, salad, and even chips!

When eating fresh, in-season produce, don’t forget to wash it first. Click here to get your toxin-free fruit and veggie wash

[expand title="Sources"]

https://blueberry.org/about-blueberries/history-of-blueberries/

https://www.britannica.com/plant/blueberry-plant

https://www.britannica.com/plant/cucumber

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-of-cucumber

https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show?n1=%7BQv%3D1%7D&fgcd=&man=&lfacet=&count=&max=25&sort=f&qlookup=&offset=50&format=Full&new=&rptfrm=nl&ndbno=09042&nutrient1=315&nutrient2=&nutrient3=%E2%8A%82=0&totCount=298&measureby=m

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foods

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/bell-peppers#nutrition

https://www.britannica.com/plant/pepper-plant-Capsicum-genus

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-plums-prunes

https://www.britannica.com/plant/plum

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/raspberry-nutrition#uses

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/types-of-squash

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/tomatoes

https://www.britannica.com/plant/tomato

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/green-beans

[/expand]

Benefits Of Skin Brushing

by MiraUncategorizeddry brush, skin, skin brushing

We brush our hair, we brush our teeth, but what about our skin? References to this age-old practice can be found in Ayurvedic, Scandinavian, and Native American traditions. Skin brushing is very invigorating and only should be done in the morning as brushing before bedtime can make it more difficult to get to sleep. Shower or bathe after skin brushing to clear away skin cells or other material loosened by the procedure. Brushing should never be done with wet skin as this can cause stretching. Do not brush skin that has a rash or other damage including varicose veins

Here are some reasons to dry-brush your skin in the morning

Stimulates the lymphatic system and moves fluid
Cleansing your skin removes dead cells
Can improve cellulite by breaking up fat deposits under the skin
Stimulates the liver when the lymph system is stimulated
Increases circulation and helps to open up your pores

How to dry-brush your skin the right way

Start with the feet, brush up each leg several times moving toward the heart
Brush the abdominal area in a circular motion.
Brush from the chin down the neck and chest
Do not brush the nipples as they are too sensitive
Finish by brushing the hands and up the arms

Shower or bathe after skin brushing to clear away skin cells or other material loosened by the procedure. Brushing should never be done with wet skin as this can cause stretching. Do not brush skin that has a rash or other damage including varicose veins.

Hydrotherapy treatment after dry-brushing

Many people like to incorporate hydrotherapy after skin brushing. Sometimes called contrast showering, this is the practice of alternating hot and cold water to stimulate circulation.

Start by showering, and washing, at a comfortable temperature
Slowly increase the temperature to a higher temperature (hot but not scalding) and rinse your entire body, including your scalp
Stay in this hot water for 30 seconds
Reduce the temperature to the coldest temperature you can stand, again rinsing your entire body, including your scalp
Stay in this cold water for 30 seconds
Repeat the hot/cold cycle of water 3-5 times

Hydrotherapy should not be used if you have a heart condition, diabetes, hypertension, hypotension, Raynaud's, or are pregnant unless you first consult your doctor to ensure this is a safe practice. When purchasing a skin brush it is important that each person have their own. Always use a dry soft brush, preferably with natural bristles and a long handle.

The Health Risks Of Fluoride

by MiraUncategorizedfluoride

Fluoride is touted as this wonderful element that is great for our teeth, but have you ever wondered about the history of this halogen? In the early 1900’s a young dentist, Dr. McKay, began his practice in Colorado. He noticed that most the children had brown stains on their teeth. Through the years he and other dentists studied this condition. Dr. McKay spent 30 years working on this. Other areas in the US began to have this challenge also which included Idaho and Kentucky.

As with much discovery in science, as technology advances so does the ability of the scientist to discover more information. By 1931 photospectrographic analysis revealed that the water in these areas contained high levels of fluoride which had affected the teeth of the children. The condition has since been named fluorosis. It can change tooth enamel which can be slight spots, to brown staining, to pitting and all are permanent. It is most prevalent in children. One of the dentists that was studying this condition also found that these children had low rates of cavities.

Testing then began to be done on water to compare various levels. It was determined that fluoride levels up to 1.0 ppm in drinking water did not cause enamel fluorosis in most people. This is how fluoride began to be used to treat cavities.

Adding Fluoride to the Water Supply

With this newfound information, the head of the Dental Hygiene Unit at the NIH set out to determine how fluoride could be added to the water supply in “safe” amounts. What needs to be noted is that fluoride found naturally is in the calcium fluoride form. In dental products such as toothpaste and mouthwash, a pharmaceutical grade of fluoride is used, sodium-fluoride.

What is used to add fluoridation to our water supply is actually an untreated industrial waste product from the fertilizer industry. This can contain trace elements of arsenic and lead. This is a less expensive form to use but is it safe and effective to be added to our water supplies?

In 2011, the amount of fluoride to be added to water was reduced to 0.7 ppm because fluorosis has continued to be found in children. Now you may be thinking 0.7 ppm is such a small amount how can it affect my teeth? Well, it isn’t just from water and dental products that you may be ingesting fluoride.

Other Sources of Fluoride

Fluoride isn’t only added to our water and used in dental care products. It can be found in a number of foods we eat. Plus any item made with water may be a source of fluoride if the water source has not been filtered to remove it. The following items may also be a source of fluoride:

tea
coffee
grapes (this also means grape juice, raisins, and wine)
shellfish
sodas
popsicles
baby foods
broths, and stews

Another Source of Fluoride Can be Bottled Water!

Yes, your bottled water can contain fluoride. It's important to note that if you drink a lot of bottled water not only are you being exposed to BPA (from the plastic), chances are high that you are also consuming fluoride. That's because many bottled water companies actually pull their water from municipal sources which are heavily treated with fluoride.

Here is a source of bottled waters that contain fluoride.

The Cavity Connection

Does fluoride really help with cavity prevention? It is interesting to note that most countries do not fluoridate their water. The United States, Australia, Ireland, Singapore, and Brazil are some that do. Western Europe has rejected the process, yet the rate of tooth decay has declined there at the same rate as the US.

The other interesting statistic is that the rate of dental fluorosis has increased markedly in the past quarter century. Plus fluorosis is not the only concern when it comes to ingesting fluoride.

Fluoride may also become concentrated in the bones, altering the tissue structure, and weakening the skeleton. Fluoride ingestion can cause decreased activity of the free calcium, which is concentrated throughout the body in the teeth, bones, ligaments, aorta, skeletal muscles, and the brain. It has also been found to cross the blood-brain barrier. In fact, long-term fluoride exposure appears to decrease IQ in children.

Thyroid Health

Another area of concern is with the thyroid. A study published in Environment International suggests that there is emerging evidence that shows fluoride is an endocrine disrupter with the potential to disrupt the thyroid. This occurs because fluoride is a negative ion and easily displaces iodine in the body.

Fluoride inhibits iodine uptake, transport, and reabsorption. This is especially important when there is greater susceptibility, especially in infancy and childhood which can influence health outcomes into adulthood.

Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can have serious implications on the health of the baby including the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, reduced IQ, and greater risk of ADHD and ASD. In adults, the loss of iodine bioavailability can lead to lower antioxidant capacity, reduced anti-inflammatory capacity, impaired immunity, and increased risk of cancer. All this emerging evidence that fluoride intake is associated with negative health outcomes suggests that continuing the policy of fluoridation of drinking water maybe contributing to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopment disorders, impaired immune responses, inflammatory diseases, and cancer.

Reducing Your Fluoride Exposure

With all these serious health conditions, it is important to be proactive in eliminating or at least limiting your fluoride exposure.

There are steps you can take to begin this process. The first step is probably the most important one – stop using fluoride-added products. To avoid fluoride, it is important to choose fluoride-free toothpaste and dental health products.

It is also recommended to filter all water that you cook with, drink, and bathe in. There are a number of filters that can remove fluoride from your water. These include whole house filters, which can be admittedly expensive or reverse osmosis under-sink filters, or specialty filters such as a Big Berkey with a fluoride filter. Because water is not the same in every community it's a good idea to choose a filter that's the correct one for your geo-individual location.

Watch this interview with Lara Adler in order to learn more about healthy water or purchase her e-course PURE: Finding The Best Filter, For The Purest Water

It’s also important to avoid using Teflon coated cookware as fluoride can leach from these pans into the food.

The next step is exercise. Exercise helps with overall detoxification especially with sweating. Options can include free-weight training, yoga, brisk walking, and etc. The best exercises are the ones you enjoy and can consistently do while working up a sweat.

As you know I am a big proponent of a healthy, whole food diet and this is also important for mitigating the effects of fluoride. Sticking to whole foods is important as they generally contain less fluoride because processed foods can be prepared with water containing fluoride. If you can choose organic all the better as there will be less pesticides and insecticides that may contain fluoride products. A key to fluoride detoxification is to maintain an alkaline state in your body. It can be helpful to limit acidic foods from your diet.

Real Food Support for Fluoride

There are specific nutrients that can be helpful in decreasing the effects of fluoride in the body. Let’s take a look at a few now:

Calcium is one of the biggest known substances in fighting fluoride. It can sometimes be recommended as one of the treatments of a fluoride overdose from household products such as hydrofluoric acid in rust remover. Food sources include seeds, cheese, yogurt, almonds, leafy greens, sardines, salmon, and any other fish where the bones are edible. Note: if you suspect a fluoride overdose call the Poison Control hotline right away for information and support - 1-800-222-1222
Vitamin D helps with the absorption of calcium. Food sources include wild salmon, herring, sardines, and grass fed/pasture-raised animal products.
Vitamin C is helpful to heal damage caused by fluoride. Food sources include peppers, parsley, kale, kiwis, broccoli, lemons, strawberries, and citrus fruits.
Selenium acts as a free-radical scavenger. This can provide a beneficial effect against fluoride toxicity by maintaining normal antioxidant status plus selenium can directly bind to fluoride. This decreases the high concentrations of fluoride, promotes urinary excretion of fluoride, and provides clinical recovery. Selenium-rich foods include brazil nuts, tuna steak, shrimp, sardines, salmon, cod, cremini mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, and asparagus.

With the rates of dental fluorosis increasing since 1980, we need to take a good look at how much fluoride we are consuming. A very large international study has indicated that cavity incidence is lowest in cities with the lowest levels of water fluoride and with a calcium sufficient diet. This supports maintaining a diet rich in whole foods as they will be rich in antioxidants and nutrients to battle against the fluoride.

[expand title="Sources"]

Is Fluoridated Drinking Water Safe? Harvard Public Health Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/magazine/magazine_article/fluoridated-drinking-water/
Flora, Swaran. (2015). Preventing Fluoride Toxicity with Selenium. Research Gate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289520631_Preventing_Fluoride_Toxicity_with_Selenium
Reddy KP, Sailaja G, Krishnaiah C. Protective effects of selenium on fluoride induced alterations in certain enzymes in brain of mice. J Environ Biol. 2009 Sep;30(5 Suppl):859-64. PMID: 20143719.
Sauerheber R. Physiologic conditions affect toxicity of ingested industrial fluoride [published correction appears in J Environ Public Health. 2017;2017:4239182]. J Environ Public Health. 2013;2013:439490. doi:10.1155/2013/439490
Singh N, Verma KG, Verma P, Sidhu GK, Sachdeva S. A comparative study of fluoride ingestion levels, serum thyroid hormone & TSH level derangements, dental fluorosis status among school children from endemic and non-endemic fluorosis areas. Springerplus. 2014;3:7. Published 2014 Jan 3. doi:10.1186/2193-1801-3-7
Wang, M., and others. (January 2020). Thyroid function, intelligence, and low-moderate fluoride exposure among Chinese school-age children. Environmental International. Science Direct. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019301370
Waugh DT. Fluoride Exposure Induces Inhibition of Sodium/Iodide Symporter (NIS) Contributing to Impaired Iodine Absorption and Iodine Deficiency: Molecular Mechanisms of Inhibition and Implications for Public Health. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(6):1086. Published 2019 Mar 26. doi:10.3390/ijerph16061086
Zelko, F. Toxic Treatment: Fluoride’s Transformation from Industrial Waste to Public Health Miracle. Retrieved from https://origins.osu.edu/article/toxic-treatment-fluorides-transformation-industrial-waste-public-health-miracle

[/expand]

2021 Word Of The Year: Illuminate

by MiraUncategorizedword of the year

The tradition of a new word

It is mind-boggling to believe that we have arrived at the end of another year. I find myself astonished to realize that on a number of levels I am standing at yet another cusp in my life.

Time, of course, is a human linear construct. But even though I tell myself that I still find myself honoring and responding to the rhythms of the seasons and the shifts that come with the calendar.

One tradition that for me has become a truly powerful practice is choosing a word of the year. Just one word that I can call in to be my touchstone, my guiding force. I find myself referring back to it frequently as I go through the year. I also find that when I choose a word, all brand new and sparkly at the beginning of the year, it often has unexpected resonance. I have always found myself astonished by how powerful and impactful the word becomes. In ways I couldn't even have imagined.

Choosing My Word

Although in some years my word flows to me, choosing just one word is never easy. This year was no exception. I was feeling stuck between two words and wound up having a conversation with a friend. She was helping me noodle out why I was considering the words. Then in the middle of our conversation she mentioned the word illuminate and I felt a resonance that let me know that was the word I had been seeking.

As always I turn to the dictionary to find the meaning of the word.

il·lu·mi·nate - (ĭ-lo͞o′mə-nāt′)

To provide or brighten with light.
To decorate or hang with lights.

a. To make understandable; clarify

b. To enlighten intellectually or spiritually; enable to understand:

To adorn (a page of a book, for example) with ornamental designs, images, or lettering in brilliant colors or precious metals.

I'm drawn to the interpretation of brightening with light, both personally, to seek illumination in a variety of ways, and also for the gift of illuminating a path for others, helping them to understand. As always I'm intrigued to see how this word will show up in my life for the year ahead.

Prior Words

Each year as I chose my new word of the year I take a moment to reflect back on the words of prior years. This year I was introduced to the concept that the words stack on top of each other, creating layers or strata, amplifying and supporting the other words in the list. I really like that thought and I'm enjoying looking through the journey of the years that these words represent.

I'd like to encourage you to find a word of your own for the year. If you're looking for a community or for a list of words to choose from, one of my favorite resources is OneWord365. I'd also encourage you to sit quietly with a nice cup of tea, or have a conversation with a friend, and simply ponder. Chances are your word will find you. Then be open to the possibilities that word will bring into your life in the year ahead.

What's your one word?