The Unhealthy Truth

Hey guys!

I wanted to let you know about a great book that is a must-read! It is full of great information, it's easy to read, and you can sense her passion through her writing. Robyn O'Brien, a mother of four children who all have food allergies, gives her account on how to deal with them, as well as, providing all sorts of connections and corruption with our food industry. If you are looking for a book to read for the summer, I would highly recommend it!

Besos,

Courtney 

Baby Steps

Hello!


Are you like most people making the switch over to organic but totally freaked out by the cost of it? Well the Environment Working Group (EWB) has come out with an updated list of the cleanest and dirtiest fruits and vegetables this year. This is based on the amount of pesticides these hold. Obviously fruits and vegetables with a thinner skin are going to absorb more than those with a hard outer shell. So here it is!


The Dirty Dozen:
1) Apples                 7) Nectarines
2) Celery                  8) Grapes
3) Strawberries         9) Bell Peppers
4) Peaches              10) Potatoes
5) Spinach              11) Lettuce
6) Nectarines          12) Kale/ Collard Greens


^ So make sure you buy these organically because it means that they were never treated with pesticides/herbicides so you can eat them worry free!


The Clean Fifteen:
1) Onions                 9) Cantaloupe
2) Corn                   10) Kiwi
3) Pineapples          11) Cabbage
4) Avocado            12) Watermelon
5) Asparagus          13) Sweet Potatoes
6) Sweet Peas         14) Grapefruit
7) Mangos              15) Mushroom
8) Eggplant


^ Until you are able to purchase everything organic, you will be okay with eating these non-organically. Most have a protective barrier so little or no pesticides reach the inside. 


I know it's hard to find organic produce in some areas or the cost may scare you off, but think about your health and the health of your family the next time you are at the supermarket. In a recent news, it has been found that fruits and vegetables contain 2+ pesticides each, and there has also been a link made between pesticides and children affected by ADHD. Hufingtonpost.com reports that, "with the latest news that ADHD in children is linked to common pesticides used on fruits and vegetables, it is more important than ever to be aware of what we are putting on our plates. Of the 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides used annually in the US, less than .01% actually reach their intended targets--the bugs! Obviously they are completely contaminating our food, and the consequences are disastrous, with numerous national and international government agencies acknowledging the connection to various health problems--nervous system toxicity, cancer, hormone system effects, and irritation of skin, eyes, and lungs among them." 


Take steps toward a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't have to happen all at once. Look at the things you eat the most or the top 5 things on the "Dirty Dozen" list and start your organic journey there. Good luck to you all! 


Besos, 


Courtney 

E Coli: Corn vs Grass

Hey guys!


So I must say that I have been reading and learning so much information that I feel overwhelmed- in a good way! My head is spinning and my emotions are all over the place, but it's ok because I know that I am supposed to be doing what I am doing! After the European E Coli scare, I really started thinking about why they don't just make a few obvious changes and put an end to E Coli as we know it. I know that it wouldn't be easy because it would affect too many pocketbooks - aka the meat producers and government - but who cares! Is our health and safety really not worth it?


In a 1998! (that's 13 years ago) study done by Cornell, they look the differences in corn vs grass fed beef. I don't know where you are, but in Texas this is a big deal. We are all about eating a big, juicy steak the size of our plate. I, on the other hand, am thinking - and have been thinking for some time - about becoming vegetarian or vegan. Meat has honestly started grossing me out, especially with the amount of information that I have learned!


I want to start out by giving you the overview of E Coli.Their article states that, "E Coli is a normal bacterium in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals, and most types are not harmful." So after reading that, I wondered what could cause it to be harmful. I am not oblivious to what happens in today's beef industry with the over-crowded feedlots, the use of anti-biotics and hormones, and corn fed diets. I feel that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this stuff out, but hey, let's just look at the facts. So how did corn-fed diets for cattle become such the go-to diet anyways? Last time I checked, cows were supposed to eat grass. Well during WWII, farmers were producing more grain than the US population could eat so they started feeding it to cattle. They soon realized that they could fatten them up a lot faster for slaughter with grain (corn). During that time, it would take 4-5 years to fatten a cow to 1,200 pounds, but with the discovery of feeding them corn, it cut the time to 14-16 months. Wow! That is so great, right? Well it sounds great, but what are the effects?


Healthytheory.com states that, "the stomachs of cows are naturally pH neutral. A corn-based diet, however, creates an acidic environment that contributes to a host of health problems. Corn-fed cattle are prone to serious health conditions such as bloat, diarrhea, ulcers, liver disease, and a weakened immune system. To combat these health problems, cattle are continually fed antibiotics, which leads to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that increasingly render modern medicine ineffective." All I can say is... the poor cows! So they are suffering, and we are ruining their digestive and immune systems in the process. Sounds like the kind of cow I want to get my meat from. A sick one. - Total sarcasm. 


I would think we would want them at optimal health so that we can get the healthiest product to feed to consumers, but it's all a money game. So where does E Coli come in with all of this? Well corn leads to a very acidic intestinal tract which is a perfect home for E Coli. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, states that "the lethal strain of E. coli known as 0157:H7 is believed to have evolved in the gut of feedlot cattle. The development of a more acidic environment in cows’ intestinal tracts created an acid-resistant strain of the pathogen, which is able to survive the acidic conditions of the human stomach and prove fatal." In the documentary Food, Inc., Pollan states that switching feedlot cattle to a grass diet would eliminate 80 percent of the E. coli in the cows’ digestive tracts. 


E Coli 0157:H7 can lead to bloody diarrhea and kidney failure in humans, that ultimately, could lead to death if not treated immediately. That's such a scary situation, but it happens more often than we think. Sure, we have had big outbreaks of E Coli here in the States just like they did in Europe, but what people aren't getting is that there are people that die, here in the United States, all the time from E Coli. Just a few weeks ago, a 2 year old girl and her older brother were both hospitalized for E Coli. The little girl did not survive, but her older brother was able to pull through. It's heartbreaking that preventative changes could be made, but they're not. 


Next time you're in the grocery store, look for organic, grass-fed beef. I know you can get it at Whole Foods and other specialty stores. Make sure it's hormone and antibiotic free also. Antibiotic use is another topic that I could talk about forever, but I will shorten it for your sake, and just say that it doesn't help E Coli. At all. Don't let the media and other people make you think that E Coli comes from vegetables or that you should avoid them at all costs either! Vegetables, cannot produce it, but they can definitely transport it if they are contaminated with some corn-fed, E Coli tainted manure. Reduce the risk and eat beef that's grass-fed (or no beef at all). You're less likely to eat an E Coli burger that way!


Besos,


Courtney 

A Need For Change

Hello friends!

We have officially made the move to Houston, and I must say that I have been quite surprised at how well I am liking it so far. I have always thought of Houston as being hot, humid, full of smog, and just kinda gross. That isn't what I have seen so far though. There are so many options when it comes to organic, gluten free, and green living. I love all of the little places that we have discovered just this week. One of the coolest is a bakery called "Gluten Free Houston" which bakes all sorts of bread, pizza crusts, tortillas, sweets, and much more! We went today and bought a loaf of herb and cheese bread, and man it is SO delicious. I haven't had anything like that in about 6 months now so it was one of those melt in your mouth moments!

I have also been doing a lot of research (as usual), I've started reading a new book, and I have honestly been doing some soul searching. I have such a passion for what I write about here, and I want to take my knowledge and somehow use it in my career. I have a few ideas, but I will share those later when I have a more solid plan in place. ;)

One thing that I have been feeling is a little hopeless. I know that the future of our food depends on the demand of the consumers which equals you and me. If we demanded better products, that's what we would get. The problem with that though, is that most people in this country seem to be ignorant to what is taking place in our food supply. That is a problem that must be addressed before anything else can take place. Sure, there are plenty of people who are aware of what's going on, who shop at Whole Foods, and really care about the future of food and the sustainability of our country, but there aren't enough of us. EVERYONE needs to be aware and be proactive in the decisions they make everyday. Don't buy a meal that comes in a box, buy fresh food and prepare a meal that is good for your family. Become anti-preservative, anti-GMO, anti-antibiotics, and anti-hormones. Those were the first steps I took, and it wasn't a hard thing to do at all. Now that I know more, I have become more strict than that, but those few things are a great start to becoming healthy again. Eating what is on your grocery store shelf may or may not be healthy for you and that's the sad truth about it.

I stop and think of all of the Yoplait yogurt, Velveeta mac and cheese, the hormone and antibiotic filled meat and poultry, the bread and pasta, Dr. Pepper, cakes, cookies, etc, etc, etc, that I used to eat and it literately makes me nauseas. The phrase, "if I only knew then, what I know now" definitely applies in this situation. It would apply to your situation or any person that you know, if you would just let it. It's simple things that frustrate me. Why not look at what you're eating as a cause to the problems that you or your children are having rather than running to the doctor for every ache and pain? You have a choice. You can either spend the money now to prevent illness, or you can feed those illnesses and give your hard earned money to a doctor and a pharmacy while still not getting any results. Which sounds better to you? I'll pay extra at the grocery store.

Here are a few examples:
Do you or your children suffer from chronic ear infections? - Dairy allergy, lactose intolerance
Diarrhea, chronic fatigue, joint pain, headaches, etc? - Gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity
Have a peanut allergy, but still having problems? - Soy allergy
Have asthma? - It's probably food related. Look at the top 8 allergens and start there.

There is an array of things that happens to us, but it's usually your body responding and trying to tell you what's wrong. Just listen to it. If you think that these big food, pharmaceutical, or government agencies have your best interest at heart. Think again. They have money in their pockets and nothing in their hearts.

Now that I have rambled my way into an almost-outraged state, please do the right thing and learn about how to protect yourself and how to protect your family. It took me forever to compile that terrible list that I did above because I haven't eaten anything like that in so long, I don't even remember what all I used to eat. I forgot about it and left it for uninformed people to eat. Most developed countries as well as undeveloped countries eat better than we do (not supply, but nutritionally). They care about the health of their people and won't allow them to be exposed to the things we are battling here in the United States. It's a terrible epidemic that needs to be stopped. This quote says it all: "The public would rather believe a simple lie than a complex truth." Ponder that for a little while and decide if you would rather give in or put up a fight. 


Besos, 


Courtney