What did I learn that swayed me?

For one not all meat and poultry is factory farmed. This was huge for me as I learned about cows that lived in nature eating grass (as cows should) instead of soy, wheat, and corn. There were chickens that roamed freely eating grass, weeds, worms and bugs, (as chickens should). These animals were not kept in tight quarters and never allowed to see the sun. Conditions which propelled the animals to a lifetime of illness and therefore antibiotics.  The sun is crucial to the immune system of mammals (vitamin D), and those who don’t see it will suffer from frequent illness.

Just like humans each animal has certain foods that it is designed to run on. A cow has 4 stomachs which are meant for processing grass. When you feed the animal wheat, corn, and soy it becomes sick in the same way a person who has celiac disease (inability to digest gluten) becomes very ill when they eat wheat. Over a lifetime these animals immune systems are weakened to the point of constant illness. The factory farmed solution? Large amounts of antibiotics, which do end up in the consumer’s bellies contributing to antibiotic resistance and a weakened immune system. Thankfully, here in the land of plenty there are countless farms who subscribe to a different philosophy of sustainability and ethical treatment of animals. Luckily, this movement in spreading.

What about the fact that it takes 16 pounds of grain, 35 pounds of topsoil, and 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of grain fed meat. This is awful for the planet and for the animal. Instead of feeding the animals food that they are allergic to they can simply roam the land grazing on what they are meant to eat, grass. Grass-fed meat is rich in vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids which help prevent heart disease, support our cell membranes, maintain healthy joints, skin, and brain. Grass-fed meat also is rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). CLA is a fatty acid that increases HDL (good cholesterol),  reduces belly fat and has been shown to be beneficial in preventing cancer.

Some people ask “what about eating organic meat?” Organic means that there are no chemicals in the feed, but it does not ensure that the animal ate the food that was best for it. Grass-fed meat should not be grain finished. Even though Niman Ranch is of a much higher quality than most meat on the market, they still use grains to fatten the animal up in the last 3 months. This is preferred to animals who never  were free-range, but it is not optimal. That’s the advantage of shopping at the farmers market, you can ask questions and make educated choices. My personal favorite is  the pasture-based Marin Sun Farms. This is an excellent sustainable cooperative. The egg yolks are bright organge (beta-carotene) instead of pale yellow. This is because the chickens eat worms, bugs, and grass which produces eggs with the highest amount of nutrients. The whole chickens make a delicious soup, broth, or roast. I’m even making goat stew and burgers on a regular basis.

Even though I’ve made the switch, I still feel Americans eat way too much meat. Personally I don’t eat it every day, and certainly not 3 times a day. I think as with all food, moderation is the key to balance. No mammals are 100% vegan, not even the deer and the cows. Why? They are eating bugs which do count as protein.  Why is protein (high quality) so important? The body needs protein for growth and repair. Our brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters are made from amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. Imbalanced neurotransmitters can lead to mood swings, depression, ADD, anxiety and a range of personality disorders. When we don’t get enough protein we simply do not have the raw materials that our bodies need to run optimally. If someone does choose a vegan diet, I urge them to skip all those highly refined foods such as fake meat, powders, and bars. A simple protein powder such as hemp or rice works well. Beans, nuts, and seeds are the main protein options for a whole food vegan diet. It is quite a challenge to have the variety that is optimal while staying away from processed foods. It’s also impossible to get enough zinc, and B12 on this diet, so a supplement becomes necessary. This is what really made me think about it different. If it was an optimal diet then all the components would be there. It’s a little easier for vegetarians as  yogurt, cottage cheese, and eggs all count as animal protein. Many are now flexitarian, eating fish and even chicken occasionally.

Whatever combination of food you may choose, always remember to keep it varied. This ensures that the body has all the nutrients it needs to keep you happy, energetic, and healthy!

Try this combination of veggies and meat (or beans if you are vegan/vegetarian) for a tasty meal that makes a yummy lunch the next day. You can double the recipe and freeze some for later use. As with most of my recipes you can switch the veggies up based on the season.

Sho’s quick and easy not-quite shepard’s pie

1 pound ground beef or goat (pasture raised) Vegetarians can use beans.

1 onion

1/2 small head of purple cabbage, chopped

1 large or 2 small heirloom tomatoes, diced or chopped

1 bunch of kale or collard greens, chopped thinly

1 cup yellow string beans

1 large sweet potato

blend of fresh herbs, to taste (any combo of thyme, basil, oregano, and sage work well)

1-2 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp Italian dried herbs

1 tsp himalayan salt, more to taste

1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil

1/2 tbsp butter

optional:  1 tsp cayenne pepper

directions: Place sweet potato in veggie steamer and steam until mushy. Saute the dried spices for minute or two in the ghee or coconut oil. Then add onions and ground beef. Saute on low/med just until meat starts to brown. Add vegetables and fresh herbs. Cook on low until veggies begin to soften, 7-10 minutes.  Then put veggie and meat mixture into a baking dish. Mash the sweet potato adding butter, salt, and pepper. Put sweet potato on top of veggie mixture. Then cover with foil, and bake on 350 for about 25-35 minutes. Pull off foil for last 5 minutes if browning sweet potatoes is desired.

enjoy!

next workshop on November 8th. Detox for life part 2! detox4life.net for more info.

The body has a remarkable ability to heal itself. When it becomes bogged down with multiple medications and fake food it simply cannot run efficiently. I am not here to slam the all medications. I do feel that Western medicine has it’s place. It excels for diagnosis and emergency care. My  concern is related to the use of pharmaceuticals as preventive medicine and as a replacement for a healthy diet and lifestyle.

If someone has high cholesterol they can cut transfats, deep fried foods, sugar, and high fructose corn syrup out of their diet. They can get moving through yoga, walking, or hitting the gym. Yet doctors hand out statin drugs like candy, even for people who don’t even have high cholesterol. Many clients have told me their doctor recommended statin drugs for almost-high cholesterol. This often does not make sense when the side effects are worse than the original problem. In the case of statins it’s memory loss, liver problems, nausea, and muscle pain and weakness. If you really listen to the side effects of most drugs rattled off at the end of the ads it can be pretty shocking; mild to moderate bone pain, bleeding, stroke, loss of consciousness, hepatitis, vomiting, tremors, anxiety and even coma! These lists of symptoms seem like problems most people would like to avoid, yet I’m not sure that people are taking these warnings seriously enough. The marketing of these drugs is a huge part of the problem. The studies proving a drug’s effectiveness are frequently funded by the companies producing and profiting off the drugs. One example is the Jupiter study. It had the makers of a new cholesterol drug exclaiming that everyone, even people without high cholesterol, should be on the drug.

New diseases are even being created to sell more drugs. “Restless leg syndrome?” Try “magnesium deficiency.” Most people are not consuming enough minerals due to too much refined food and not enough fresh green vegetables, and this leads to many imbalances in the body. Magnesium is necessary for the relaxing of muscles: without it cramping is likely. The worse the deficiency, the worse the cramping. I even saw a drug ad for making your eyelashes grow longer. This shows me that as a culture we are much too comfortable with popping pills for everything from shyness to headaches and everything in between. Most of these conditions can be corrected by modifying the diet and lifestyle.

Recently, my grandmother experienced a case of over-drugging which she almost did not survive. She was prescribed a blood thinner, which is often dangerous as they can make the blood too thin. Side effects include coughing up blood, nosebleeds, bloody stools, numbness, chest pains, and confusion. These drugs become even more dangerous when mixed with aspirin. My grandmother was on a painkiller which had a small amount of aspirin in it. Knowing the dangers I was very concerned for her, but I knew I could not convince her to try natural alternatives such as nattokinase, fish oil, and vitamin E. I supported her and hoped for the best. Well, the worst happened a few weeks ago. The intestinal bleeding hit and we were minutes away from losing her. She had to be given CPR and five units of blood. Thankfully she is alright now, and off the drugs. The frightening part is that this is not uncommon. In fact, right before it happened her MD told her to add more aspirin since her painkiller wasn’t working. I nearly hit the roof. Numerous studies have been done showing that blood thinners with aspirin causes intestinal bleeding. Her MD actually told her she could go back on the medication in a few weeks. Thankfully, a different doctor said that since it nearly killed her, maybe she should stay off of it. I am happy to report she is now taking the natural remedies, and is happy to be doing so.

This is just one story. Sadly, I know countless people who have suffered due to over-drugging. Usually someone gets on a medication and then it causes a side effect. Instead of cutting it out or trying something else, another medication is prescribed for the side effect, and so on and so on. The really awful part is that this is happening not for our health, but for money. The doctors get wooed by pharmaceutical reps and get kick-backs for using certain drugs. Some years ago I sprained my ankle and went to the emergency room. The doctor wrote me a prescription for Vicodin. I told him I did not want Vicodin as it is a harsh addictive narcotic. He said sorry this is the only one I can give you. I refused the prescription even with my massively swollen and painful ankle. In the end I took herbs and homeopathy. Not only did my ankle heal, but I didn’t feel like I was spaced out for several weeks like I would have with the Vicodin.

While on the subject of the medical system, I’d like to discuss the sub-standard food served in hospitals. The fact that my grandmother was offered soda and coffee while she was in the hospital for intenstinal bleeding shows me that healing the patients is not the primary focus. Both coffee and soda are very acidic and not recommended for people with ulcers. How can a hospital even serve soda with it’s 11 teaspoons of sugar and extreme acidity? They give cancer patients Ensure shakes, and among the first several ingredients are corn syrup and sugar. Sugar is known to increase cancer risk, so why are cancer patients being given mega-doses of sugar?

Processed foods are full of chemicals and lack the nutrients that body needs. Someone who is in a weakened state needs an even greater amount of nutrients, so why are processed foods even served in hospitals? It’s cheap. Most institutions from hospitals to schools “save” a lot of money serving cheap, artificial food. I believe that the only way this will change is if everyone demands it. The only way that will happen is through education about the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

In the end, if the modern medical system focused on prevention, we could save quite a lot of money  in health care costs. Instead of feeding everyone food that isn’t really accepted as food by the body and then dishing out countless pills for the resulting illnesses, let’s focus on eating a diet rich in whole foods, exercising, and realizing that food is the fuel that drives our body. The quality of the fuel does determine how well the vehicle will run. The time to take back our health and wellness from large corporations and bring it back to ourselves, our families, and our local farmers and markets is now!

Here’s a  healthy and simple summer smoothie recipe. It’s a high-energy, delicious snack or breakfast on-the-go.

healthy antioxidant summer smoothie

1 cup organic plain yogurt

1 tbsp flax meal

1/4 cup organic blueberries–summer is peak season. I just bought a basket for $2.00 at my local farmer’ s market

1 scoop green powder***

1 scoop hemp or rice protein powder or 2 tbsp almond butter

optional: 1 tsp cinnamon or ginger

optional: maca powder. maca is an energizing herb that is also good for stress and hormonal balance. makes any smoothie a power smoothie

directions: Put ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in a glass and enjoy! ***Green powders contain a blend of herbs, fruits, veggies, and superfoods such as spirulina, cholera, and wheat grass. These powders can provide important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which increase energy, vitality, and overall wellness. Here are a few examples: Vibrant Health, Green Vibrance; Health Force, Vitamineral Green; New Chapter, Berry Green.

enjoy!

Is organic and/or locally grown food worth the extra money? Organic food is grown without pesticides. These insect killers aren’t enough to kill a human, but if consumed every day over the course of a lifetime can lead to a wide variety of serious health issues. The liver has to filter everything that we put into our body. If it is constantly filtering out pesticides, then common substances such as pollen, dust, and food can begin to cause allergy symptoms. This is called “total load.” The liver and the immune system get overwhelmed by toxins and suddenly we are having headaches, allergies, digestive and nervous system problems.

Pesticides are not the only culprit. Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are another problem than can be avoided by eating organic food. What is the harm in eating GMOs? Our bodies are designed to get nutrients from a variety of fruits, veggies, animal proteins, etc. When the genetic make-up of food is altered, our body does not recognize the chemical structure anymore. When this happens, our immune system makes antibodies to fight off foreign invaders. Food should never be considered an invader, but when it is, the body essentially attacks itself, leading to allergies and autoimmune conditions such as arthritis and eczema. Another problem is food allergies. If a fruit contains genes from a nut, and you are allergic to nuts, then you could get sick from the fruit and not know why.

If going green is your concern, then think about this: most conventional produce travels thousands of miles before it gets to the supermarket. This requires a considerable amount of fuel. In addition, much of the supermarket produce is picked too early, which means it will not reach its nutritional potential. Produce contains the highest amount of nutrients within a few days of being picked. When food travels across the country, not to mention across the world, it has lost vitality and nutritional value. Locally grown food not only tastes better because it is fresh, it also supports local economies.

Which bring us back to the point about cost. If you have a farmers market in your area, you can get locally grown organic produce for less money than conventional produce in many supermarkets. You cut out the middle man and buy directly from the person who grew your food.

Wow, one simple question led to a good discussion. I encourage you to leave a reply to ask me any questions you would like to see discussed here in the future.

If all this talk about organic food has made you hungry, here is a delicious seasonal recipe for you to try. Use as many locally grown and organic ingredients as possible.

spring-inspired quinoa salad

1 cup quinoa, soaked for at least 7 hours in 3 cups filtered water and 1 tbsp lemon juice, vinegar, or yogurt**

**soaking grains makes them more digestible

1 bunch asparagus, snap off bottoms

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 large lemon, juiced

1 16-oz can Eden brand organic kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup celery, chopped

3 spring onions, chopped

1/2 cup shitake mushrooms, chopped

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 bunch steamed chard, or spinach

2 tsp + 1 pinch Himalyan or sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

directions: Drain quinoa in colander and rinse. Combine the quinoa with 1.75-cups of filtered water and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to boil. Once water boils, reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Place asparagus in baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until tender.

In a cast iron or stainless steel pan, saute garlic, pinch of salt, and 1 tbsp olive oil for 1 minute. Add spring onions, shitake mushrooms, celery, thyme, and sauté until soft.

In a bowl, combine the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Add the kidney beans, sauteed veggies, roasted asparagus and cooked quinoa. Gently combine. Serve over steamed greens. Top with chopped parsley.

Enjoy!