I've decided to treat myself like a client . . . I'm going to take my own nutritional advice. For the last year I've been working but not paying any attention to what I've been eating. So now I'm going to use that expensive juicing machine that has been gathering dust bunnies at the top of my cabinet.
I started juicing on April 3, 2012.
Day One: I went to Russo's (a local produce market) which was a wonderful way to kick it off. It's one of my favorite markets with homemade ravioli, wonderful cheeses and all the pastries you could eat. Unfortunately that wasn't on my grocery list that day! Lots of Kale, radishes, carrots, oranges, strawberries, cucumbers, parsley. You name it.
I brought it all home and started up the Juicer. I made a mess. Not a little mess but a royally big one! I tried running the veggies throught he juicer twice and it simply spilled over onto the counter, floor and myself.
After I finished I drank it down. Not delicious but not too bad either. The most striking aspect was how 'green' it smelled. Like I was drinking a garden.
No energy change but hey, it was only the first day.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Caution: Do This and You'll Likely Gain 15 Pounds Next Year
One of principal arguments food corporations have used to defend high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is that it is chemically similar to table sugar.
Manufacturers have stated repeatedly that HFCS contains at most 55 percent fructose, little different from white sugar's 50 percent fructose makeup.
But as it turns out, the specific amount of fructose in HFCS for any particular food product has never been officially tested. And when researchers tested brand-name sodas, they found that the fructose content is actually 65 percent.
According to Grist:
"Why is this important?
It's because research has shown fructose to be particularly harmful to human health. Unlike excess glucose, which passes through our digestive tract and is excreted, 100 percent of fructose that's consumed is taken up by the liver. Once there, fructose causes increased fat deposition in the abdominal cavity and increased blood levels of triglycerides -- both of which are risk factors for heart disease and diabetes."
This is actually pretty shocking news, and could further explain just why soda in particular is so extremely detrimental to your health. As it turns out, the fructose content of the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) used in many popular soda brands has been sorely underestimated.
Around 100 years ago the average American consumed a mere 15 grams of fructose a day, primarily in the form of fruit. One hundred years later, one fourth of Americans are consuming more than 135 grams per day, largely in the form of soda.
Fructose at 15 grams a day is harmless unless you suffer from high uric acid levels. However, at nearly ten times that amount it becomes a major cause of obesity and nearly all chronic degenerative disease.
Instead of consisting of 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, many of the sodas tested, including Coke, Pepsi and Sprite, contained as much as 65 percent fructose, nearly 20 percent higher than originally believed.
Overall, the mean fructose content of all 23 sodas tested was 59 percent – still higher than claimed by the industry.
How this happened is anybody's guess at this point.
Grist reports:
"[T]urns out that the actual amount of fructose in HFCS in particular food products has never been officially disclosed, just assumed.
... Perhaps it's been a recent development, or perhaps HFCS producers have been making this higher fructose concoction for decades."
These results also raise the question of whether or not HFCS-containing processed foods are also far higher in health-harming fructose than previously believed.
Soda Consumption Drives Obesity and Chronic Disease Epidemics
When you consider that Americans drink an average of 53 to 57 gallons of soda per year (depending on the source of your statistics), this 10 percent difference in actual fructose content could make a huge difference in your health.
Remember, high fructose corn syrup in the form of soda is the number one source of calories in the United States, and it is very likely the primary cause of the obesity epidemic.
A single can of soda per day can add as much as 15 pounds to your weight over the course of a single year, not to mention increase your risk of diabetes by 85 percent.
Additionally, elevated insulin levels – which soda clearly causes – also underlies nearly every chronic disease known to man, including:
•Cancer
•Heart disease
•Premature aging
•Arthritis
•Osteoporosis
From my perspective, there is absolutely NO reason to ever drink soda.
Manufacturers have stated repeatedly that HFCS contains at most 55 percent fructose, little different from white sugar's 50 percent fructose makeup.
But as it turns out, the specific amount of fructose in HFCS for any particular food product has never been officially tested. And when researchers tested brand-name sodas, they found that the fructose content is actually 65 percent.
According to Grist:
"Why is this important?
It's because research has shown fructose to be particularly harmful to human health. Unlike excess glucose, which passes through our digestive tract and is excreted, 100 percent of fructose that's consumed is taken up by the liver. Once there, fructose causes increased fat deposition in the abdominal cavity and increased blood levels of triglycerides -- both of which are risk factors for heart disease and diabetes."
This is actually pretty shocking news, and could further explain just why soda in particular is so extremely detrimental to your health. As it turns out, the fructose content of the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) used in many popular soda brands has been sorely underestimated.
Around 100 years ago the average American consumed a mere 15 grams of fructose a day, primarily in the form of fruit. One hundred years later, one fourth of Americans are consuming more than 135 grams per day, largely in the form of soda.
Fructose at 15 grams a day is harmless unless you suffer from high uric acid levels. However, at nearly ten times that amount it becomes a major cause of obesity and nearly all chronic degenerative disease.
Instead of consisting of 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, many of the sodas tested, including Coke, Pepsi and Sprite, contained as much as 65 percent fructose, nearly 20 percent higher than originally believed.
Overall, the mean fructose content of all 23 sodas tested was 59 percent – still higher than claimed by the industry.
How this happened is anybody's guess at this point.
Grist reports:
"[T]urns out that the actual amount of fructose in HFCS in particular food products has never been officially disclosed, just assumed.
... Perhaps it's been a recent development, or perhaps HFCS producers have been making this higher fructose concoction for decades."
These results also raise the question of whether or not HFCS-containing processed foods are also far higher in health-harming fructose than previously believed.
Soda Consumption Drives Obesity and Chronic Disease Epidemics
When you consider that Americans drink an average of 53 to 57 gallons of soda per year (depending on the source of your statistics), this 10 percent difference in actual fructose content could make a huge difference in your health.
Remember, high fructose corn syrup in the form of soda is the number one source of calories in the United States, and it is very likely the primary cause of the obesity epidemic.
A single can of soda per day can add as much as 15 pounds to your weight over the course of a single year, not to mention increase your risk of diabetes by 85 percent.
Additionally, elevated insulin levels – which soda clearly causes – also underlies nearly every chronic disease known to man, including:
•Cancer
•Heart disease
•Premature aging
•Arthritis
•Osteoporosis
From my perspective, there is absolutely NO reason to ever drink soda.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
And We Are Surprised Why?
Overweight Children Have Eating Patterns Different from Those of Normal Weight Children, Norwegian Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Nov. 9, 2010) — Overweight children reported more frequent intake of healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, fish, brown bread and potatoes as well as low-energy cheese and yoghurt compared with normal weight children. This comes from a recent study from researchers at Telemark University College and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
The study showed that:
•Overweight children drank juice and artificially sweetened soft drinks more often, while the normal weight children drank carbonated drinks and ate unhealthy foods and processed foods such as burgers, sausages, biscuits, processed pizza and sweets.
•The results suggest that both parents and children have increased awareness of food choices when children are overweight.
•The study also showed that overweight children were less physically active and were more likely to have obese parents than normal weight children.
"It is positive that parents and children emphasise healthy food choices. However, it is important to note that the amount of healthy foods must be adapted to a child's activity level to limit further weight gain," said researcher Anne Lise Brantsæter at the NIPH.
"Obesity is a growing problem that can have unfortunate consequences for the children both physically and mentally. There are many contributing factors to obesity and it is important that both parents and children are given good guidance and support early on," added Brantsæter.
How was the study conducted?
The study of eating habits and obesity included 924 fourth graders (9-10 year olds) in the county of Telemark. Nearly half of all fourth graders in the county of Telemark participated when the survey was conducted in 2007. This study has been followed up with new measurements and questions in 2010, and the results from the latest study are now being analysed.
Children's eating habits were assessed by asking how often the child had eaten a variety of foods, both for meals and snacks. The researchers used this to identify eating patterns that reflect which foods are often eaten together. This way of studying diet provides a more comprehensive picture than investigating the intake of individual foods separately.
Public health nurses at the schools weighed and measured the children, while their parents answered questions about their own weight, education and occupation in addition to their children's eating habits and activity level.
The analysis takes into account other factors relevant to children's eating patterns and weight, i.e., parents' educational level, income and employment, and if the parents themselves were overweight.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 9, 2010) — Overweight children reported more frequent intake of healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, fish, brown bread and potatoes as well as low-energy cheese and yoghurt compared with normal weight children. This comes from a recent study from researchers at Telemark University College and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
The study showed that:
•Overweight children drank juice and artificially sweetened soft drinks more often, while the normal weight children drank carbonated drinks and ate unhealthy foods and processed foods such as burgers, sausages, biscuits, processed pizza and sweets.
•The results suggest that both parents and children have increased awareness of food choices when children are overweight.
•The study also showed that overweight children were less physically active and were more likely to have obese parents than normal weight children.
"It is positive that parents and children emphasise healthy food choices. However, it is important to note that the amount of healthy foods must be adapted to a child's activity level to limit further weight gain," said researcher Anne Lise Brantsæter at the NIPH.
"Obesity is a growing problem that can have unfortunate consequences for the children both physically and mentally. There are many contributing factors to obesity and it is important that both parents and children are given good guidance and support early on," added Brantsæter.
How was the study conducted?
The study of eating habits and obesity included 924 fourth graders (9-10 year olds) in the county of Telemark. Nearly half of all fourth graders in the county of Telemark participated when the survey was conducted in 2007. This study has been followed up with new measurements and questions in 2010, and the results from the latest study are now being analysed.
Children's eating habits were assessed by asking how often the child had eaten a variety of foods, both for meals and snacks. The researchers used this to identify eating patterns that reflect which foods are often eaten together. This way of studying diet provides a more comprehensive picture than investigating the intake of individual foods separately.
Public health nurses at the schools weighed and measured the children, while their parents answered questions about their own weight, education and occupation in addition to their children's eating habits and activity level.
The analysis takes into account other factors relevant to children's eating patterns and weight, i.e., parents' educational level, income and employment, and if the parents themselves were overweight.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Gross-McNuggets
This has to be the grossest thing I've ever seen. I knew they (meaning the processing companies who see McNuggets) were doing this BUT to see a picture of it makes me want to hurl. Visit the link posted below to see the picture.
"Say hello to mechanically separated chicken. It’s what all fast-food chicken is made from—things like chicken nuggets and patties. Also, the processed frozen chicken in the stores is made from it.
Basically, the entire chicken is smashed and pressed through a sieve—bones, eyes, guts, and all. it comes out looking like this.
There’s more: because it’s crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia, soaked in it, actually. Then, because it tastes gross, it will be reflavored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color.
But, hey, at least it tastes good, right?
High five, America!"
http://early-onset-of-night.tumblr.com/post/1206666159/say-hello-to-mechanically-separated-chicken-its
"Say hello to mechanically separated chicken. It’s what all fast-food chicken is made from—things like chicken nuggets and patties. Also, the processed frozen chicken in the stores is made from it.
Basically, the entire chicken is smashed and pressed through a sieve—bones, eyes, guts, and all. it comes out looking like this.
There’s more: because it’s crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia, soaked in it, actually. Then, because it tastes gross, it will be reflavored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color.
But, hey, at least it tastes good, right?
High five, America!"
http://early-onset-of-night.tumblr.com/post/1206666159/say-hello-to-mechanically-separated-chicken-its
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monsanto sues Oakhurst Dairy over advertising
Submitted by Drew Kaplan on June 18, 2010
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Oakhurst Dairy Inc. is being sued by Monsanto Co., which alleges that Oakhurst’s marketing campaign that touts its milk as being free of artificial growth hormones is misleading. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, demands that Oakhurst stop advertising that it doesn’t sell milk from hormone-treated cows. It also asks that the dairy stop putting labels on its milk containers reading “Our Farmers’ Pledge: No Artificial Growth Hormones.” Monsanto officials said Oakhurst’s ads and labels are deceptive and disparage Monsanto’s products with the inference that milk from untreated cows is better than milk from hormone-treated cows.
“We believe Oakhurst labels deceive consumers; they’re marketing a perception that one milk product is safer or of higher quality than other milk,” said Jennifer Garrett, director of technical services for Monsanto’s dairy business. “Numerous scientific and regulatory reviews throughout the world demonstrate that that’s unfounded. The milk is the same, and the amount of protein, fats, nutrients, etc. are all the same.”
Oakhurst President Stanley Bennett II said his dairy sells milk without artificial growth hormones because of consumer demands. Oakhurst about five years ago began buying milk only from farms that pledge in writing that they won’t use artificial hormones.
“On principle, it’s also a question of free speech,” Bennett said. “The world seems a little bit discombobulated when somebody attempts to prohibit you from trying to do the right thing.”
Artificial growth hormone is a genetically engineered veterinary drug given to cows to increase milk production. Another name for the drug is recombinant bovine somatotropin, or rBST.
Many people oppose the use of rBST, believing it is linked to breast cancer and premature puberty in children. But Monsanto and others argue that no such link exists. Canada and the European Union have banned the use of the hormone, but the Food and Drug Administration has approved it for use in the United States.
Monsanto, which is based in St. Louis and is the leading producer of rBST, had revenues of $4.7 billion in 2002. Oakhurst, based in Portland, had sales of $185 million, according to Bennett.
Monsanto spokesman Lee Quarles said Monsanto has not filed similar lawsuits against other dairies, but wouldn’t say whether more were planned. Monsanto filed similar suits against two dairies in Illinois about 10 years ago, and both were settled out of court under confidential terms, he said.
The suit against Oakhurst claims unfair competition, unfair business practices and interference with advantageous business relationships.
According to the suit, the business relationships between Monsanto and dairy producers who use the artificial growth hormone have suffered because the farmers will stop using the treatments.
Bennett said his company makes no claims on the science involved with growth hormones. “We’re in the business of marketing milk, not Monsanto’s drugs,” he said.
Earlier this year, Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe rejected a request from Monsanto that Maine abandon its Quality Trademark Seal program that indicates when milk is free of artificial growth hormones.
Monsanto argued that the seal, which was adopted in 1994, misleads consumers into thinking that hormone-free milk is superior to milk using an artificial growth hormone.
http://www.foxbghsuit.com/oakhurstdairy.htm
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Oakhurst Dairy Inc. is being sued by Monsanto Co., which alleges that Oakhurst’s marketing campaign that touts its milk as being free of artificial growth hormones is misleading. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, demands that Oakhurst stop advertising that it doesn’t sell milk from hormone-treated cows. It also asks that the dairy stop putting labels on its milk containers reading “Our Farmers’ Pledge: No Artificial Growth Hormones.” Monsanto officials said Oakhurst’s ads and labels are deceptive and disparage Monsanto’s products with the inference that milk from untreated cows is better than milk from hormone-treated cows.
“We believe Oakhurst labels deceive consumers; they’re marketing a perception that one milk product is safer or of higher quality than other milk,” said Jennifer Garrett, director of technical services for Monsanto’s dairy business. “Numerous scientific and regulatory reviews throughout the world demonstrate that that’s unfounded. The milk is the same, and the amount of protein, fats, nutrients, etc. are all the same.”
Oakhurst President Stanley Bennett II said his dairy sells milk without artificial growth hormones because of consumer demands. Oakhurst about five years ago began buying milk only from farms that pledge in writing that they won’t use artificial hormones.
“On principle, it’s also a question of free speech,” Bennett said. “The world seems a little bit discombobulated when somebody attempts to prohibit you from trying to do the right thing.”
Artificial growth hormone is a genetically engineered veterinary drug given to cows to increase milk production. Another name for the drug is recombinant bovine somatotropin, or rBST.
Many people oppose the use of rBST, believing it is linked to breast cancer and premature puberty in children. But Monsanto and others argue that no such link exists. Canada and the European Union have banned the use of the hormone, but the Food and Drug Administration has approved it for use in the United States.
Monsanto, which is based in St. Louis and is the leading producer of rBST, had revenues of $4.7 billion in 2002. Oakhurst, based in Portland, had sales of $185 million, according to Bennett.
Monsanto spokesman Lee Quarles said Monsanto has not filed similar lawsuits against other dairies, but wouldn’t say whether more were planned. Monsanto filed similar suits against two dairies in Illinois about 10 years ago, and both were settled out of court under confidential terms, he said.
The suit against Oakhurst claims unfair competition, unfair business practices and interference with advantageous business relationships.
According to the suit, the business relationships between Monsanto and dairy producers who use the artificial growth hormone have suffered because the farmers will stop using the treatments.
Bennett said his company makes no claims on the science involved with growth hormones. “We’re in the business of marketing milk, not Monsanto’s drugs,” he said.
Earlier this year, Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe rejected a request from Monsanto that Maine abandon its Quality Trademark Seal program that indicates when milk is free of artificial growth hormones.
Monsanto argued that the seal, which was adopted in 1994, misleads consumers into thinking that hormone-free milk is superior to milk using an artificial growth hormone.
http://www.foxbghsuit.com/oakhurstdairy.htm
Monday, August 23, 2010
Cartoon time!
I laughed when I saw this because it's true . . . much of the appeal of junk food IS in it's packaging. I've fallen for it many times!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
I worked at a Chair Massage event at PUMA in Westford, MA this morning and because it was a health fair they were passing out has these new snacks called 'CAT SNAX 2' that has a mix of healthy hoops (like cheerios SHOULD be), apple, Goji berry, Goldenraisin and almonds. My take is that is should be less hoops & more fruit but they are very filling in small doses. Hiking/biking food! Perhaps emergency snack food for when you're stuck in the car on a long drive.
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