BEWARE:Big Food's jump onto the "Organic" bandwagon

I was almost fooled until I carefully read the label of Hellmanns Organic Mayonnaise more carefully.The first two ingredients were soybean oil and water. Innocuous, seemingly harmless ingredients until you put the two together and realize they are the components of something health conscious people want to avoid: hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenating the oil by mixing it with water makes it shelf stable so it can sit in a store for months, or even years, without spoiling, but doing so changes it so our bodies don't.know how to deal with it because it is now a transfat.  By listing the oil and water separately, the manufacturer is trying to put one over on an unsuspecting public that is trying to eat better by buying organic versions of whatever staples they can get or afford. Big Food has no soul. Dirty tricks like this are the norm. They don't care if what they are doing is hurting people as long as they can show a profit to their shareholders. Therefore, I say beware any product from one of the Big Food companies that is marketed as "organic." It may contain some organic ingredients, but is probably not going to carry the certification of any recognized authority. My advice, read labels twice before you buy, and don't trust anything from a Big Food company..Why, you may ask would big companies like Kraft or General Mills want to get in on the trend that is growing increasingly stronger of the demand for clean organically grown food? Profits. Organic foods are more expensive to produce due to the lack of use of pesticides and herbicides which usually means a smaller yield per acre ,i.e., higher prices. All the corporations have to do is change their labels and add the word organic to the garbage they produce.

Change your genes to fit into your jeans

      In my last post I said food is information as well as calories. That means that everything we eat sends a signal to our digestive systems telling it how to process what was just ingested. Our bodies are complicated chemical factories, and as such, they need to have directions for what to do and how to do it.
     Contrary to popular belief, the expression of our genes can be changed by what we eat. It is possible to turn genes on and off through the chemical signals sent through our bloodstream in the form of hormones. There are specific strategies for affecting specific gene expression. Doctors who practice functional medicine can do tests to see which hormones are functioning properly. Chances are your family doctor is merely prescribing drugs to control symptoms, not seeking out the source of whatever problem you may be facing. Obesity, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or emotional problems like depression and all the diseases we fear are all affected by what we eat.                The human gut has trillions of microscopic organisms that help us to break down the food we take in and convert it to molecules that the body can utilize. We contain good organisms like lacto bacteria and bad organisms like Candida yeast. These microbes affect us in many way., None the least, they can affect the way our genes and hormones react to what we eat. Each of these groups of micro-organisms has its own likes and dislikes regarding what it wants to eat, and what it wants us to eat.
     To a large extent, the bacteria in our gut control our cravings. Some thrive on sugars (and starches that they convert into sugars) while others prefer protein or fats. Fat, which is what most of our cells use for energy and cell repair, are most easily digested. Carbohydrates and starches are digested in the upper G.I. tract while protein is broken down in the lower. All of this is done with the help of bacteria.
     Too many of the bad bacteria can result in gas, bloating, and many other forms of abdominal distress. Irritable bowel happens when an overabundance of the bad kinds cause perforations in the lining of the gut that allows damaging food particles and other substances to enter our bloodstream. This can cause havoc throughout the body in the form of inflamation that is the root cause of every debilitating disease fron arthritic to dementia to cancer and everything in between.
     We Americans are painfully ignorant of how powerful an effect food has on our every action, emotion, and thought. We cannot rely on the media or government to educate us in this area as they are not reliable. It is only through my own investigation and study that I have come to this conclusion. You have to do the same. Don't just take my word for it. See for yourself, but be prepared for lots of conflicting information. My advice: see what works best for you, and stick to it.

Food is More Than Calories

     The expression, "You are what you eat", is not just an aphorism. It is a fact that most people don't understand or appreciate. Food is also information that tells your cells what to do with it and can directly influence your genes and how they are switched on or off. Sugary foods tell your body to produce more insulin, the fat storage hormone, and tell your liver to store the excess sugar in your blood infat cells fat for later use. However, most of us do not burn off those fat cells because we are not living a lifestyle that permits us to do so.
     People living in the 21st Century are not burning calories like our ancestors only one hundred years ago did. Most of us are sedentary office workers or other that do not get enough exercise to use up all of those excess calories even if we go to a gym or workout at home. Case in point: you would have to spent 6 to 8 hours on a treadmill to burn off the empty calories in one 32 oz. soda.
     In addition, that sugary drink makes us crave more because it does not satisfy our need for REAL nutrition.There are none of the vitamins, minerals or phyrochemicals found in real food like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and berries. The things or bodies really need to survive and thrive.
     Every bite we take sends a message to our digestive tract telling it how to process what we send to it. Fast and highly processed foods bear little resemblance to what we should be eating ,i.e., whole foods that have been minimally processed and without pesticides, preservatives, and artificial ingredients added to make the color more enticing, improve shelf life, or cause an addiction.
     Did you know that sugar is ten times more addictive than cocaine? Yes, you read that right. laboratory tests on mice showed that given the choice between sugar and cocaine, the mice chose the sugar every time. It affects the pleasure centers of the brain in the same way in humans as it does in mice. Several well known doctors have even suggested that sugar should be a controlled substance. I hope this explains where your cravings for sweets originates. Now that you know, what are you going to do about it? You have a choice to make.
     Virtually every major malady causing the health crisis we all face including Alzeimer's,dementia, depression, diabetes, obesity,arthritis, cancer and heart disease can all be trace to a single cause: the toxic Standard American Diet.  You can either change your eating habits or face the painful consequences.

Big Drug Companies vs. Cancer

     All of the big drug corporations are waging a race to find new treatments for cancer. The problem is that they are NOT seeking cures. Treatments that extend life and put more money in their pockets is what they want. It's simple economics. If  they cure the disease, there is no more need for their products. No need = no customers.. No customers = no profits. The truth is: cancer is not only curable, but it is also preventable.
     We have been brainwashed by these companies to believe they, and their drugs, are the only solution to a problem that has been growing over the last half century by leaps and bounds. America and the world has been getting sicker because of a diet our physiology is not designed to handle. The Standard American Diet, SAD, is devoid of real nutrition.
     One hundred years ago, before the era of the big factory farms that produce most of what we eat, people ate fresh food that was in season and preserved by home canning or fermenting what they grew in their own gardens or bought from local farmers at small groceries or markets. They knew what was going into their meals because Mom cooked it, and she would never put in anything that would harm her family.
     Now, that has changed. Everything is pre-packaged in cans,jars and boxes and ready-to-eat by a quick cooking on the range or in a microwave oven. These products are loaded with preservatives and sold in plastic containers that can leach chemicals into the food. They are loaded with sugars and starches that can be easily converted into sugars and high heat processed in ways that destroy the vitamins and minerals which they originally contained. As a result, we eat empty calories that contain little nourishment.
     There is healthy food still available, but it is sometimes out of reach of the average family. People joke about kale and other leafy greens, but they are nutritional powerhouses. Foods of this sort have many cancer fighting micro nutrients in them, and can be prepared easily and economically into delicious recipes that your family will love.
     Big Drug, Big Food, and Big Chemical have joined together in order to ensure Big Profits, and you are reaping the results of what they sow in Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Alzheimer's, and a plethora of other maladies. We, as a nation need to take back the control of our food supply that is at the heart of the problem.
      More on that , later.

The results are in

     A few days ago I posted that I believed I had an indoor air quality problem involving formaldehyde at my apartmrnt and had ordered a kit for testing it. I receieved the testing kit later that day, but I had to wait a day before testing as I was tied up with some important issues that had to be addressed One of the problems eith the testing procedure was the necessity to turn oiff oll air conditioning, fans, etc., for one to two hours prior to the test. There could be no air movement or the test could be skewed.
     I ran the test exactly as the instructions directed, and the results showed that the air in my apartment is at the upper limit for formaldehyde allowed by law which means I have no legal footing proceed with any action against either the builder or the management company. My question is: what is the long term effect on my health living in this environment. My other concern is whether the test was as accurate as it  could have been. My reasoning for this is there appeared to be less of one of the ingredients than required. There were two liquids and a powder involved. One of the bottles appeared to have leaked out some of its contents, Perhaps that could have affected the results. I can't go back to the manufacturer of the kit as they are in China and all of the writing on the box is in chinese.
      I am going to see if I can get an answer from the people from whom I bought it. Hopefully, I can get a knowledgeable answer from them. Otherwise, I shall have to try another option. Possibly a new kit and another test, or a different test altogether.. We shall see.
   

Indoor Pollution: Is it affecting you?

     Most people never think about the quality of the air insde their home until something happens to make them do so. Waliking in from outside and smelling yesterday's fried fish or noticing the aroma of a vase of fresh cut  flowers that your spouse put on the dining room table. In my case, it was when my doctor told me there was formaldehyde in my blood, and she wanted me to take a low dose medication as a precaution to protect my liver. This upset me,because I had managed to improve my health to the point I no longer took any medicines,
     The announcement on the news that Lumber Liquidators, a flooring retailer, was in troible because of laminate flooring they got from China having concentrations of formaldehyde many times the Federal limit was like an alarm bell sounding in my head.. My apartment is in a brand new building with laminate flooring in the kitchen and wall to wall carpeting throughout.  Some carpet adhesives also contain formaldehyde.  I had noticed as I worked in my kitchen that I developed a runny nose after being there for awhile. When I leave the kitchen, the problem stops. A little research showed that formaldehyde vapors attack the mucous membaranes, and, when I questioned my doctor, she said it has to be ingested to show in the blood.  Duh! Isn't breathing ingesting?
     I have not determined if the formaldehyde in my blood is caused by my apartment's environment, yet. But that is soon ro change. I spoke to an environmental testing company, and they said it would cost me $400 to have them do the test. Being on a fixed income and not having money to spare, I went online and found several home testing kits with huge price ranges. I found one I could afford and ordered it. I have, also, asked my doctor to order the same test for me that had discovered the problem originally. I want to have it done before my next visit that is two weeks away.
     Several other people of my acquaintance in the apartments where I live have expressed similar complaints about the way they feel while in their homes. It is easy to dismiss these as the complaints that old people always seem to have, but what if there is a valid reason for them that is going undiagnosed. I will see how the test tutns out in my case, and if it is negative, I shall persue it no further. However, if it is positive, I shall encourage those others to do the same test in their areas. Stay tuned for further developments.

Whyizzit that "Healthy Cooking" recipes have to contain so many outside the supermarket ingedients?

I have an even dozen cookbooks and health related books that contain recipes for delicious meals that the writers claim are easy to make in a short time. However, when one looks at the ingredients list, you find stuff used in the recipe that even the most exhaustive pantry would not contain. I always wonder, "If I leave this out, will it change the taste very much? Will it ruin the dish? Is it rteally necessary, or is it just something thrown in to get you to buy a product that the author promotes on his/her web site?"
     As a result, I have passed over the majority of the recipes I have even if the flavor profiles appeal to me. If I like a particular combination, I may try my own spin on it using most of the ingredients and proportions in the recipe. I believe a recipe is not a scientific formula and should contain only what it really needs. Most people's palates are not so sophisticated that they need a bunch of exotic ingredients that cannot be reasonably found on the shelves of most grocery stores. If yours is, go for it!
     Not everyone lives within a few miles of a health food store or farmers market though those things are beginning to proliferate. I am seriously considering a cookbook of my own based on what I have just said. If a book tells me to incorporate an ingredient for a specific purpose like boosting its fiber content, can't I use some leftover quinoa instead of the more exotic (and expensive) fiber powder. Doesn't that do the same thing? Does it affect the taste? Maybe it does, but is it enough to ruin the recipe? Not if the other ingrdients have strong flavor profiles.
     The way I see it, the problem is that people do not have the cooking skills that were required a few generations back. Fast food and packaged junk have become a way of death promoting easy-way-out living.  Since I know how to cook, I can freely make substitutions without drastically changing the taste of whatever I am cooking. Americans need to get back to basics and learn how to cook.