Why I Eat Organic Food

A few days ago the mainstream media released details of a study by Stanford University, in which findings state that little evidence was found organic foods were more nutritious than conventionally grown foods. Ya don't say?? I honestly never thought there was a significant difference nutrient-wise. And by the way, Stanford doesn't define what they mean by "significantly nutritious" in their study.

Why I Eat Organic Food

What I Ate This Week

I was shopping at my local grocery store, filling my cart full of veggies, meats and nuts, when a fellow shopper looked in my cart and commented, "You must be on that Atkins diet." I explained to him that I was not on a "diet," rather a lifestyle that most call Paleo. I told him I don't eat grains such as wheat, rice, or beans and that I get my fiber from all of the vegetables and (occasional) fruit I eat. I told him that I believe most animal fats are good for you. He said that sounded hard and expensive to do and he didn't know what he would do if he couldn't eat bread, pasta, potatoes or rice. I explained that a diet full of vegetables and protein keeps you full and satisfied, and I feel healthier making the change. As most of us who follow Paleo know, most grains lack many nutrients and even contain anti-nutrients like phytates and can actually promote inflammation. In the case of simple carbs like potatoes, white rice and processed flours, they can exhaust your pancreas with over production of insulin resulting in weight gain and degenerative diseases like diabetes. For more information about why grains should not be a staple, check out Mark's Daily Apple article "Top 8 Most Common Reactions to Your Grain Free Diet and How to Respond." I think it covers many of the bases and will help you respond to people who have many questions, especially because grains have been part of our diets for a long time, albeit you are not getting optimal nutrition.

If you've recently decided to start this lifestyle, but need some help through the challenging phase of figuring out what to eat for each meal of the day, this post is for you. Keep in mind that I am not always a die-hard Paleo follower, and some of these recipes may have dairy or the occasional potatoes or rice, but that is usually to accommodate my non-paleo partner (I'm still working on him, wink wink) or for those readers that are just gluten free and not necessarily Paleo.

What to Eat?

Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Oil Giveaway!

Why I Love Coconut Oil

I love me some coconut oil. Using organic, unrefined coconut oil is a large part of my initiative to live a greener, healthier, and more natural lifestyle. Since I started using it about a year ago, I rarely use anything else. It's benefits and uses are endless. I use it for cooking and baking, lip gloss, skin and hair moisturizer, and more. What's great is that there are no icky chemicals and preservatives like many other products on the market. If you ask me, less is more!

Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Oil Giveaway
I'm excited to announce that Tropical Traditions will giveaway a quart of this healthy, unrefined oil to one lucky winner. When you sign up for their newsletter (one of the requirements to enter the contest) you can be the first to receive specials and sales they are offering.

Refreshing Summer Salad Recipe and a Bit On Raw Foods

It's definitely summer and in most cities, temperatures are climbing into the triple digits. Which means that the last thing most people want to do is come home after a hard days work and cook over a hot stove.  I usually want something easy to put together that is light and refreshing, with lots of fresh veggies and a bit of protein to satisfy my appetite.

Salads are an easy meal with little prep time, and an excellent way to get a good variety of your daily raw fruits and vegetables.

Health Benefits to Traditionally Fermented Foods

Did you know that the health of your digestive system is crucial to your overall health? In fact, the two go hand in hand.  About 80 percent of your immune system is thought to stem from your digestive system.

Don't think you have a gut imbalance? Have you experienced IBS or indigestion, constipation, food allergies or hay fever, reoccurring illnesses, depression or a general lack of energy? Research shows that an absence of good gut bacteria (usually caused by a poor diet and the affects of antibiotics - I have personal experience with this) are related to all of these health concerns. And most of us in modern society have taken more of our fair share of antibiotics, which wipe out both bad and good bacteria. There are also recent studies that connect autism with gut dysbiosis.

You might be saying, "I already eat yogurt." Sadly, and although marketed so you believe the opposite, most mass-produced yogurt and kefir products do not contain enough live or active cultures. Most manufacturing processes do a heat-treatment after fermentation for longer shelf life, which kill a large amount of the lactic-acid producing bacteria that is crucial to benefiting our overall digestive and immune health. Not to mention that dairy pasteurization has killed off most of the immune-boosting bacteria, which is why I prefer making my own raw yogurt.  I'll save the topic of raw vs. pasteurized for another blog. These pasteurized milk products are usually filled with sugars and high-fructose corn syrup, which can add to bad bacteria growth.

So what can you eat to promote a healthy digestive system?

Where Does Your Food Come From?

Last night I was pulling produce out of my refrigerator in preparation for dinner.  Most produce I buy organic for health and environmental reasons. But even though I was eating pretty healthy, I looked at the labels on some of the packaging and realized most of the produce has been shipped from Mexico, and in some cases Europe or South America. Eek. It made me wonder how long these veggies had been on a plane or truck, and how much pollution this contributed to the environment. Also, I've realized that some of this produce doesn't last very long in my fridge; carrots and zucchini seem to get rubbery in just a few days after buying, so I have to eat them quick. Who likes spending their hard-earned money only to have to throw out food a few days later? Not me. So what is the solution?