Are you Trapped by Treats?

Since I am not a big Super bowl fan (sorry about that for those who are) I went to the grocery store to pick up a few items and then to rent a movie.

I was BOMBARDED with processed food the moment I walked in to the store– Super Bowl cakes with multiple ingredients and colored frostings, packaged processed cookies and crackers at sale prices too good to pass up.  Huge bags of popcorn and chips at the end of most aisles along with mega liter bottles of soda and cases of beer.

A few minutes later I was at Blockbuster trying to find a movie.  You’d have to be blind not to run into the supersize boxes of candy, bags of caramel popcorn and multiple combinations to try and “create” an enjoyable movie experience with snacks galore.

As I was walking out of each these stores I couldn’t help but think “why isn’t America more overweight than it is?  I feel like I’m expanding just by walking by all this “food.”

This past week Michael Pollen was a guest on Oprah and stated:

“The American diet is a catastrophe.  We don’t have a health care crisis.  We have a food crisis.  75% of our health care costs are spent on chronic disease linked to the diet…and that is bankrupting us.”

How do you navigate the waters of packaged, processed fake foods with multiple ingredients and keep yourself healthy?

1. Keep it simple:  shop at farmer’s markets and purchase as much of your food as you can – fruits, veggies, eggs, pastured chicken and grass-fed meat
2. Less than 5:  if you buy a food in a package make sure it has less than 5 ingredients and doesn’t have anything you can’t recognize or pronounce.
3. Ask your body:  after eating a food does it make you feel satisfied, nourished and healthy?  Or do you find yourself craving more food, sleepy, bloated and moody. 

Our food supply is complicated and layered and figuring out how and what to consume is not easy.  However, having some forethought before entering a store is a start.  Buying more of your food at farmer’s markets is controlling your environment so you are NOT trapped by food treats.  Treat your body to real whole food…so you can enjoy the day after Super bowl Sunday and not become a statistic of the health care crisis.  Just because something looks tasty at a great price is not always the smartest and best treat for you.

Giving Our Children a Chance at Health

Childhood Obesity Awareness Month Blog Carnival

This article was written for inclusion in the blog carnival hosted by Littlestomaks to promote awareness of childhood obesity as part of the National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Please read to the end of this article to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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 There is a minimum of 47,000 food products on the grocery store shelves across American.  With the bombardment of “kid food”, which includes multiple ingredients, additives and colorings and is not limited to home.  School lunches are packed with sugar, salt, fat and preservatives.  During the back to school season you can find even the “healthier stores” have sections of prepackaged food for ease and convenience. Do our children really have a chance at living a healthy long life?  

Just 50 years ago eating was simple.  You bought your meat from the butcher, grew your own fruits and vegetables and maybe had milk and eggs delivered to your doorstep once a week.  Animals ate what they were historically made to eat–grass and foliage. Our food was grown in an organic state and we cooked from scratch.

Statistics show that one in three Americans born after the year 2000 will develop diabetes and most children will have shorter lives than their parents.

How can our generation take responsibility for our children and ensure their health and longevity?

Here are some steps to take to feed your healthy child:

1.  Limit processed and packaged foods – limiting processed foods lowers the amount of sugar, salt, and preservatives your child is taking in on a daily basis.  If you purchase foods in packages use the “less than 5” rule – choose foods with less than five ingredients that you can pronounce and recognize.

2.  Plant a garden with your child and allow them to help harvest and prepare the produce.  If unable to have a garden, take your child to a local Farmer’s market and have them pick out 2 or 3 of their favorite fruits and vegetables.  If they are involved in the process, they are more likely to want to consume those foods.

3.  Consider purchasing protein from animals that are grass-fed, pastured, organic and free-range – beef, poultry, eggs and dairy as they produce healthy fats which lower inflammation in the body.  Animals that consume corn/grains produce fats that increase inflammation in the body.  Organic foods have fewer hormones, which lowers risk of weight gain and health issues.

4.  Go Homemade- if your child wants to eat cookies, French fries, or other foods with additional salt or sugar, make those foods with them – homemade cookies and fries can be made with healthier ingredients.

These 4 steps can direct your child’s life towards health and longevity.  It may take a little extra time and planning but the rewards for you and your child are life-changing.  Children are precious and we need to give them all the health we can before… it’s too late.

*** Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants: 7 Things Parents Say That Cause Eating and Weight Problems in Kids Michelle May, Physician and author of Eat What You Love Love What You Eat, highlights a few things parents say which can have unintended consequences (@EatWhatYouLove) Childhood Obesity Kia Robertson of Today I Ate a Rainbow suggests that prevention of childhood obesity should start with education and educating parents about basics of healthy eating by breaking it into achievable parts (@eatingarainbow) Childhood Obesity: A Reality Check Dr Susan Rubin, founder of BSF, suggests we change our approach to looking at childhood obesity (@DrSuRu) Childhood Obesity: Prevention Starts in Infancy Nutrition expert Sarah Fennel reminds us that prevention is the best cure and offers a few tips to raise healthy eaters (@FoodFunHealth) Giving Our Children a Chance at Health Registered dietitian Susan Dopart offers tips to parents for taking charge of their child's health in the world of over-processed "kid foods" (@smnutritionist) Healthy School Campaigns Works on Creating Healthy Food Environments A report on Chicago's Healthy School Campaigns (HFC), a non profit dedicated to creating a healthy food environment in schools How to Prevent and Manage Childhood Obesity Registered dietitian Jessica Levinson offers practical tips to prevent and manage childhood obesity (@JLevinsonRD) Lessons I have Learned as a Mom Registered dietitian Alysa Bajenaru shares some of the lessons she has learned that have helped her develop a good understanding of what it takes to feed her kids (@InspiredRD) Looking for a New Trend in Childhood Obesity? Registered dietitian Elizabeth Rahavi of the IFIC brings the focus back on family in the debate about childhood obesity (@FoodInsight) Losing Weight: It Starts in Your Head Registered dietitian Cindy Williams reminds us of the power of attitude and mindset in losing weight and controlling obesity (@nutritionchic) Making the Grade Registered dietitian Sally Kuzemchak evaluates her son's school programs on healthy eating and physical activity (@RMNutrition) Obesity and GERD: A Family Affair Jan Gambino, author of Reflux 101, writes about the link between overweight and GERD Parents, Let's Take a Positive Approach to Childhood Obesity Registered dietitian Ashley Rosales from the Dairy Council of California encourages parents to take a positive approach in helping their kids build healthy habits Revolutionize the Way Your Kids Eat in Five Easy Steps Sociologist Dr Dina Rose suggests we shift our focus from nutrition to eating habits if we are serious about solving childhood obesity (@DrDrRose) Surprising Easy Solution for Preventing Childhood Obesity Research shows benefits of extended breastfeeding in reducing risk of childhood obesity (@TwinToddlersDad) The Problem Behind Childhood Obesity Ken Whitman, Publisher of Organic Connections, points out that our national priorities concerning childhood obesity are misplaced and calls for a renewed focus on the health of our nations kids. Yoga Gets Kids Moving Registered dietitian Danielle Omar has an interesting suggestion for solving childhood obesity - get your kids into yoga! (@2eatwellRD)

Hello Harvest Equals Hello Health

A common question on the forefront of nutrition: “is it that important to eat organic produce?”  If you had asked me this question 10 years ago I would have given you a very different answer than today.  The answer is YES!  Organic produce contains no pesticides which can impact your health while providing a higher nutrient value in your food and life.

Besides consideration of organic, it is equally important to purchase local since the distance it takes for the product to go from the farm to your home makes a difference in nutrients, how many hands the produce has gone through, etc.

With these 2 things in mind I started researching companies that provide sustainably-farmed local organic agricultural products.  I was tired of going to Whole Paycheck and seeing organic apples from New Zealand or other remote countries.  I go to the Farmer’s market regularly but sometimes it would just be nice and convenient if that produce showed up on my doorstep.

Well…the time has come.  A few weeks ago I received a call from Ben Darin.  Ben and his sister started a company called Hello Harvest.  After graduating from College, Ben taught English in Africa to people with AIDS.  During his time in Africa he became interested in healthy eating and fresh local produce.  When he returned to the US he started this great company and found 5 farmers close to his business in Santa Barbara who supplied organic produce.

He drives to Los Angeles on Wednesdays and drops off a substantial box of produce on your doorstep.  Last week I received a box filled with delicious strawberries, cherries, plums, oranges, baby string beans, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce and other tasty foods with a small spray of flowers on top. 

The box contained a good variety, the taste and longevity great and I did not have to travel at all.  And the price was unbeatable - $35 for a box that feeds at least 2 people for a week or longer.  I’m still eating things from my box over a week ago.  Different sizes are available depending on your needs, along with a preference or reoccurrence to fit your needs.

I highly encourage you to try this service to save yourself time and money…besides saving your health and life.  What can beat health, convenience and ease?

What are the Key Organic Foods to Buy?

One question I frequently get asked is:  what are the most important foods to buy organic?  Let’s face it –buying all organic and local foods can be not only pricy but inconvenient.  Going to many different stores and farmer’s markets can take a huge chunk out of your week.

What are the most important things to buy organic if you are on a budget and/or short on time?

1.  Dairy – cows are fed hormones to produce higher quantities of milk and so best to purchase organic milk, cheese and yogurt.

2.  Meat – when you consume meat fed hormones, it is possible to increase the level of inflammation in the body.  In addition, if you are a meat eater and can afford it grass-fed meat (versus corn/grain fed) has higher levels of omega 3 fats which anti-inflammatory versus pro-inflammatory in the body.

3.  Fruits – the most important fruits to buy organic are:

           1.  Apples and Pears

           2. Stone fruits such as peaches

              and nectarines

           3.  Strawberries and cherries

           4.  Grapes

4.  Vegetables - the most important vegetables to buy organic are:

            1.  Carrots and Celery

            2.  Sweet Bell Peppers

            3.  Tomatoes

            4.  Lettuce    

Feed your family the organic and/or local produce and foods you can afford within reason.  Visit the farmer’s markets on the weekends.  You might be surprised how fresh and clean the air feels around the fragrant produce and how delicious healthy food feels on your body!

Obesity or Childhood Obesity in America - What is the Cause?

We all want to know- what is the cause of obesity in America?  Many years ago I heard a brilliant researcher Rick Mattes, Ph.D, R.D. speak to this subject.  He asked the audience “Is it fat in our diet, inactivity or something else?”  Since we have always had fat in our diet and people throughout the ages have been inactive it is neither one.  So what did Dr. Mattes think was the culprit?  Beverages.

If you look at the graphs of beverage consumption in America, it closely follows the rise in obesity.  When I was growing up all there was to drink was milk, water and the occasional soda at a party.  Now the industry has exploded with every kind of beverage imaginable and unimaginable.  Vitamin water, recovery drinks, sports drinks, mochas, sweet coffee drinks.  You name it – it exists.  And what do they use to sweeten these drinks to cut the price points – high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup and other cheap forms of sugar.  Are our bodies supposed to compensate for all this extra sugar?

In fat, our bodies were made to handle natural sugars attached to the form they were found in, according to Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California-San Francisco.  A good example is fruit:  a natural form of fructose that has fiber built into it.  Nature made a way to help us handle the sugar in a food.  In fact, sugar cane is one of the most fibrous foods you can find and would be impossible to eat a large quantity of.

Dr. Lustig recommends the only beverages we drink are the ones I did when I was a child:  water and milk.  Drinking sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange can be quite satisfying and feel like a treat after your body gets used to natural sweetness, a process that can take several weeks and well worth the effort.

In an elaborate video of the cause of obesity in America and beverage consumption (and well worth your hour of watching) Dr. Lustig clearly outlines why fat is not the culprit.  He elaborately shows how manufactured fructose (a process that takes genetically modified corn to produce a cheap form of sugar for manufacturers to use in their products) in the diet actually causes obesity, heart disease and other diagnosis’ you would rather avoid in your lifetime.

Since the government subsidizes corn, wheat and other products, these manufactured fake foods and beverages are inexpensive to make and buy.  A family can feed themselves inexpensively on these “foods” versus eating fruits and vegetables which have become more costly.  Then, to treat the symptom of putting these manufactured foods in our body, we are prescribed expensive drugs for diabetes, high cholesterol, gout, and arthritis just to name a few.

Why treat the symptom, not the cause?  Why not STOP eating or drinking anything with these manufactured sugars and instead consume natural sweet foods of fruits, vegetables, and foods you find in the farmer’s market, or on the periphery of the grocery store?  Staying away from processed foods can make a huge impact on your health.  Remember, it’s prevention, not prescription!