1.      How can the US as a whole feed kids in a more healthy way, and whose responsibility is it (government, families, schools, etc.)?

It’s all of our responsibility. The government should not let toxic substances such as hormones, pesticides, GMOs, artificial colors/flavors, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, bleached flour, and so on be included in the food supply to begin with. These are not what the human body runs on and are direct causes of disease and brain chemistry imbalances. Until that happens, it’s up to families to educate themselves and their children about a healthy diet and lifestyle. If kids aren’t  weaned on fast food to begin with, they won’t know what they are missing. It’s up to the schools to adhere to a higher standard than what the government requires. Children are the future, and they need to eat food that allows them to function at the highest level possible.

2.       What do the panelists think about school foods and should the choices be more healthy and how?

It’s amazing that food that is basically harmful and toxic continues to be served to children (or anyone). In addition to writing to Congress to change the laws, parents need to get more involved. There are organizations that are working toward getting nourishing foods into schools and some are even teaching kids how to grow their own vegetables. Here are some worthy organizations that parents can get involved with: The Edible School Yard,  Sustainable Table, Farm to School, and Enivronmental Education Council of Marin.

3. How can parents  identify and  shop for healthy food?

Education is key. Learning which ingredients are harmful and which will nourish your child is crucial. Keep in mind that real food is what the body requires, so the more you can reduce or eliminate processed foods the better. Avoiding the middle aisles of the grocery store is helpful since that’s where most of the processed foods are.

4.       How can parents prepare healthy meals?

Busy parents need to learn how to prepare simple and nourishing meals. It can be as easy as doubling up on meals and freezing the leftovers for later meals. Invest in a thermos so the kids can bring soup/stew/chili for lunch. Use simple recipes with whole food ingredients.

5.       How can we teach kids about identifying and eating healthy foods?

This is absolutely necessary if we are going to help future generations grow up healthy, well-functioning, and happy. Allow them to be part of meal preparation. Teach them (and yourself) about the seasons and how different vegetables come out at different times of year. Children love color and shapes, so this can become a rewarding family tradition.

6.       What about talking to kids about why healthy eating is important for long-term health, and how do parents to talk to kids about their specific needs (especially if kid is overweight)?

Kids are smarter than people realize. If you explain to them that food is fuel and that they need high quality fuel to feel good and avoid illness, then more often than not they will understand. Most overweight kids don’t want to be that way, and when they find out that changing their diet is not only beneficial for their health but also for their waistline they are often happy to make changes. Education is crucial!

Here is a hot cereal recipe that is nutrient-dense and tastes delicious. If you are too busy in the morning, make it the night before and reheat  it (stove-top) in the morning.

sho’s hearty hot cereal breakfast

1 cup gluten-free oats or 1 serving quinoa or buckwheat hot cereal

water (depends on which grain you are using)

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp nuts

1/2 apple or pear

Himalayan or sea salt

1 tsp black sesame seeds

1 tsp almond or hazelnut butter

optional: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom

directions: Follow the package directions for basic cereal. Substitute 1/4 cup of  the water for coconut milk. Put water, coconut milk, nuts, fruit, salt, and spices in a pot and bring to boil. Then follow the directions on the package. Once cereal is done stir in sesame seeds and nut butter. There are many variations. You can use hemp or almond milk, various nuts and seeds. In summer, blueberries work well.

enjoy!

We live in an incredibly fast-paced world, and people are always looking for convenient solutions to day-to-day living. This is most prevalent when it comes to food. Fast food joints are on every street corner, and there are instant soups, snacks, and ready-made meals lining the aisles of the grocery store. Much of this fast food is prepared using microwave ovens. Nearly every home, restaurant, and business has one. So, why is this is a problem?

Think about this common statement: “I’m going to nuke my dinner.” NUKE??? This is not a term that should be associated with the very fuel that is making our body run. Granted, microwave ovens are not the same as nuclear radiation, but they are using a form of radiation, which modifies the molecules in food. When you put food in the microwave, it alters the chemical structure into something that the body does not recognize. When the body does not recognize a substance, the immune system comes in to fight the invader. This is how allergies and inflammation are created.

Putting food packaged in plastic into a microwave is even more dangerous, since the chemicals in plastic leach into the food. One of the worst offenders is baby formula! The nutrients are changed, and in the process the baby receives a healthy dose of toxins. The liver becomes overloaded, leading to weaker immunity, allergies, eczema, and inflammation. Simply heating water on the stove would do the trick , and really does not take more than 5 or 10 minutes.

What solution do I offer for reheating food, and making food in a hurry?  The mighty toaster oven! It’s not lightning fast, instead of 30 seconds to reheat lunch it may take 5 or 10 minutes. Is that really such a long time to cook food that does not create allergies and inflammation? Using a slow-cooker may seem counter-intuitive for making food in a hurry, but it can save plenty of time. You throw your ingredients in the crock pot in the morning, and come home to a tasty home-cooked meal. You can freeze the leftovers, and use them for lunch or for a quick dinner.

I know everyone is in a hurry, but if we don’t have our health, all that rushing around isn’t going to matter. Our culture has evolved to a point of not putting much importance on eating nutrient-rich food. If we can refocus and realize that eating healthy now saves time on illnesses down the road we will lead much more energetic and vital lives.

sho’s simple stir-fry

1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped

1 onion or leek, chopped or julienned

1 cup shitake mushroom, chopped

1 cup purple cabbage, chopped

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp wheat-free tamari, to taste

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

1 tbsp curry paste

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (more or less, to taste)

salt and pepper, to taste

optional: few splashes, rice wine or apple cider vinegar

directions: Turn stove to low-medium and heat coconut oil and curry paste for 1 minute. Add onion and saute’ until soft. Add shitake and red cabbage. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then add chard and tamari. Cook for  another 5 minutes, and stir in sesame seeds and cilantro.. Chicken, beans, or tempeh  can be added for protein. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.

enjoy!

Many of these types of products are preying on women and the never-ending quest to be skinny. First there is the classically unhealthy weight loss method, diet pills. They range from somewhat scary to WOW, that’s legal? The more innocent ones typically consist of a blend of  natural herbs and vitamins guaranteed to shed the pounds and eliminate hunger. While some of these pills may do just that, the cost is often too high. Diet pills are often “speed” disguised as natural herbs. The most natural products use caffeine-rich herbs such as guarana, yerba mate, and green tea. Blend enough of these herbs with enough bitter orange (contains synephrine, similar to ephedra) and you have a high-speed cocktail guaranteed to throw the body for a loop. Large amounts of caffeine  may speed up your metabolism, but the side-effects are fatigue, anxiety, jitters, and mood swings. Also, when you stop taking these pills the weight piles back on. This is not an effective long-term solution.

Even more worrisome are the over-the-counter and prescription diet pills which are essentially stronger versions of “speed” than their natural counterparts.  They aren’t “just diet pills.” They are addictive stimulant  drugs that have serious side-effects such as heart problems, nervous system damage, adrenal fatigue, tremors, high blood pressure, and seizures. Lately, I have even heard of people abusing ADHD stimulant drugs such as aderall (amphetamine). Once again, these drugs are simply speed, which does reduce appetite but at a terrible cost to the body.

What about the miraculous “Hollywood Lemonade diet”? Well, it is actually a rapid and harsh fast known as the Master Cleanse. This fast has become an extremely popular diet plan since Hollywood celebrities began using it for weight loss. Yes, you will lose some water weight, but as soon as you start eating solid foods again you will put it right back on. Knowing this, some people do this diet continuously, which is essentially a starvation diet. The body has wisdom and when it’s starving it will hold onto its fat stores.

This brings us to calorie restriction diet centers such as Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers. Jenny Craig uses a 1200 calorie a day meal plan and expensive packaged meals. 1200 calories a day is fine for someone that does not move, at all! There is a good reason that people on theyse type of diets are always on a diet. If you make the body think it’s not getting enough nutrients, it will simply hold on to what it has. Weight may shed at first, but it rarely stays off. There is also the mood swings and hypoglycema (low blood sugar) that occurs when people are starving themselves.  Weight Watchers works on a point system (a certain amount of calories equals a certain amount of points). You can eat whatever you want as long as you stay within your points. Aside from the points usually not including enough calories, there is not a focus on the quality of food. The “food” provided through these diet centers is processed to the point that the body hardly believes it’s food. It is no surprise that I often hear that all of the meals taste exactly the same. Well, they are the same blend of barely edible toxic food-like products. Fans of these diets should be happy to hear that they can eat healthy and delicious food in order to lose weight. Go ahead: eat some butter, nuts, or avocados. The fat in these foods will alert your body that is not starving and can let go of some of it’s fat.

Another modern day phenomena are multi-level marketing companies. From miracle supplements to magic juices, these companies claim that what they have is better than what any other company offers. They can be quite convincing, listing studies and research on their websites. Many of these companies become quite aggressive when people question their products. My biggest issue with the supplements that I have seen from these companies is they are often sub-standard products claiming to be the highest quality available on the market.

I can’t talk about fads without mentioning energy drinks. Most of these products come in slick-looking cans and claim to end fatigue and increase energy and vitality. The problem is that most contain too much sugar and caffeine or a wide range of chemicals including artificial sweeteners. The “energy” is coming from sugar and/or caffeine. Even the natural herbs are typically stimulant herbs that contain caffeine. Try taking ginseng, rhodiola, or maca–all herbs that increase energy without any caffeine. These herbs are also adaptogenic which means not only do they provide steady energy, they also help you adapt to stress.

Vitamin water is another popular fad concept. In my mind, this is one of the worst offenders since it leads people to believe that they are doing something healthy by taking their “vitamins”. Sure, there are vitamins in the drinks, but each one contains about 8 teaspoons of sugar (32 grams). By using fructose instead of table sugar, they lead many people to believe that it’s fruit sugar which is considered healthy. The trouble is that the fructose used in most products is simply a highly-refined version of fructose similar to high fructose corn syrup. Even though many of the flavors have fruit in the name, there is almost no real fruit juice in these products. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are best found through food. Second to food would be a high-quality multi-vitamin, not overpriced sugar water. I’m happy to report that in January of this year Coca-Cola was sued over false claims for Vitamin water (they bought the company in 2007).

The bottom line is that there is not  one miracle pill, drink, or potion to cure all that ails you. The best way to prevent disease, feel and look young and vital, is to eat a wide variety of SOUL food (seasonal, organic, unrefined, and local), eliminate processed foods, and eat enough calories to sustain an active lifestyle (this varies from person to person). Exercise is a crucial part of not only keeping a trim figure but also an active mind. Many beneficial brain chemicals such as endorphins are released when we exercise. It’s also important to relax each day; anything from hot baths and reading to tai chi and meditation are helpful. The truth is that quick fixes are just that, and they will not serve you in the long-term.

For real energy throughout the day, try eating this balanced delicious summer-inspired breakfast. Eating a protein-rich breakfast will stabilize blood sugar and reduce mid-morning sugar cravings.

breakie frittata

5-6 eggs (based on two servings)

handful of spinach

1 yellow summer squash

1/2 onion or 1 small leek

fresh herbs such as oregano, sage, basil

1 tsp dried Italian herbs

ghee, butter, coconut oil

Himalyan or sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

optional: salsa and/or sour cream, use as a topping for finished eggs

optional: fresh crushed garlic

directions:  First crack eggs into a bowl and lightly mix with whisk. Add salt,and pepper then set aside. Next turn stove on low-med heat and add ghee, butter, or coconut oil to pan. Once it melts, add salt, pepper, and dried spices. Heat for about 1 minute. Then add leek or onion and saute until almost soft. Next, add yellow squash. After a few minutes, pour egg mixture over veggies and cover pan. Make sure the flame is on low-low medium. The eggs will take about 10 minutes to cook depending on the pan. After about 5 minutes, add the spinach and replace lid back on the pan. Cook on low until eggs are firm. Serve with a corn tortilla, a slice of gluten-free bread, or a side of beans. If time is a factor, you can use leftover cooked veggies. Instead of putting the veggies in the pan first, put the egg mixture in first and then add cold veggies. Put lid on pan and leave about 10 minutes on low heat.

enjoy!

*** Be sure to check out www.detox4life.net holistic  workshop combining chinese medicine and nutrition.