March 2011

The Dark Side Of Bright Food

The Dark Side Of Bright Food post image

Did you ever see little children walking around with multicolored faces after eating some ices or candy that stains their mouth? I just cringe when I see this. And I want to ask the mother why she lets her children eat that toxic junk. But I control myself, smile and walk away. I guess I am just different. When my son was little I never gave him such things. Am I a killjoy? I don't think so.

Zucchini is one of the first vegetables allowed on the SCD or GAPS protocols. It is so easy to digest and full of nutrients. There are many ways to serve zucchini; steamed, grated and sauteed, alone or mixed with other vegetables. It is also a nice addition to soups and stews as it can disintegrate and become part of the gravy, adding nutrients there as well.

Heads up: Look What’s Coming Down the Pike! post image

If it is not already clear to you what stakes Big Ag has in biotechnology, here's what is coming down the pike. There is a new "super alliance" recently formed, called the Alliance to Feed the Future. This new syndicate brings together huge megacompany members such as the Council for Biotechnology Information (whose members include BASF, DuPont, Dow, and Monsanto), with other huge food processing companies like the International Food Additives Council, American Soybean Association, CropLife America (whose website features stories such as "Benefits of Pesticides and Crop-Protection Chemicals") the International Formula Council and the National Association of Margarine Manufacturer.

The Critical Truth About Fat

The Critical Truth About Fat post image

Conventional understanding about fats is based upon a mistake. A giant misconception. An error that has greatly benefited the vegetable oil and food processing industries. Before 1920, heart disease in this country was rare. However, by the 1950's heart disease was the leading cause of death in America. It still is today. If heart disease is, in fact, related to consumption of fats, we would expect it to be lower, as for the last 30 years we have decreased consumption of saturated fats. However, during this same period, we have greatly increased consumption of polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils, in the form of liquid oils and margarine.

Video/Recipe: Salmon Patties for Picky Eaters post image

It is commonly known that salmon contains the very valuable long chain omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. This omega 3 fat is protective to the heart and brain and protective against other diseases of inflammation such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's and rheumatoid arthritis. However it is wild salmon, not farmed salmon that provides these vital nutrients.

It takes a group of focused and concerned people such as those at the Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based food and farm policy group, under the leadership of Mark Kastel (CEO) to catch wind of some of the many unethical tactics employed by food companies.

Video/Recipe: Coconut Flour Bread

The challenges of a gluten-free, grain-free, starch-free diet are many. And one of the first considerations that people need in order to feel that they can actually "do" the diet is to have an acceptable bread replacement. Children and adults alike, crave bread. These are the people that most need to eliminate it from their diet. Unfortunately, our culture is heavily grain/bread/starch based. And this is what gets some people in trouble in the first place. They eat too many carbohydrates that are difficult to digest.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

I really like Jamie Oliver. Some of his recipes are great. But what I particularly like about him is his activism and his commitment to making things better for kids. He is out there teaching kids and families a good message. The message is, freshly prepared foods are necessary to stay healthy.

The childhood obesity epidemic is becoming a grave concern to many health care groups. According to the Center for Disease Control, results from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)—using measured heights and weights—indicate that an estimated 17 percent of children and adolescents ages 2-19 years are obese.

Jill Tieman, the Suburban Food Forager The Wise Traditions Conference session on Social Media inspired a lot of Weston A. Price members to start blogging their passion. Today, we meet one of them. Last week I was a guest blogger at Hartkeisonline. Kimberly Hartke is… Click to Continue →

Simple Steps To Getting Started on Your Real Food Adventure post image

It may feel overwhelming when you look at the whole foods, real foods, Weston Price Foundation (WAPF) recommended approach to improving your health. You will notice that almost everything is home cooked, starting from scratch. There are more steps involved in preparing foods, for example, soaking nuts and grains before use. Furthermore, there are foods mentioned that you never even heard of or were informed are bad for you. This is all true.

Video/Recipe: Minute Mayonnaise

Video/Recipe: Minute Mayonnaise post image

One of the most difficult transitions to make when going to a whole foods diet or SCD/GAPS involves the condiments.  All commercial mayonnaise is made with soybean oil, even when it is called olive oil mayonnaise. Soybean oil is a highly refined oil that is… Click to Continue →

While I don't always agree with Mark Bittman of the New York Times, his article on Feb 16, 2011 about the dangers of GM (genetically modified) foods and the issue of the FDA and the USDA allowing their manufacturers to NOT label them as GM… Click to Continue →