Americans have this obsession with leaves, and it's not a good one. Sure they're fine when they're sitting pretty up in the trees, but as soon as that first Autumn wind blows a few to the ground it's game on! I'm sure most states are the same, with each town having its own rules (or laws) regarding leaf pick-up depending on your area; rural, urban, suburban... whether bagged or simply blown to the curb though it's a tiresome seemingly losing battle.
The bigger question though is not which of the latest and greatest overpriced pieces of equipment should be used (leaf blower, leaf vacuum, leaf bagger, leaf shredder, etc.), but rather why do most people spend so much time trying to rid their yard of this excellent and FREE natural compost resource?
Decomposing leaves feed the soil. That is the trillions of micro-organisms that live in healthy soil. And yet Americans make it their fall mission, waging war on nature's mulch/fertilizer, and not resting until every last leaf has been exiled from their lawn. As a society we'd rather spend hundreds of dollars a year per household putting chemicals down, in the form of weed killer, fertilizer, GMO seeds, or whatever "lawn food" the "experts" claim you need in order to get that perfect lawn.
This is a shameful ridiculous waste of time and resources! In my neighborhood the rule is you blow them to the curb and the town will come pick them up. You won't see any leaves at my curb though, and it's not because my part of the town doesn't have curbs... No, I see leaves as the valuable and precious natural resource that they are. And for this reason I rake up and utilize the bulk of what my yard produces as well as my neighbor's yard (to the right and left of me). Sure, they think I'm the nice helpful guy next door. And a bit crazy I'm sure. But the truth is pains me to see such wastefulness.
So what do I do with all these leaves you wonder (or not)?
I use them in the chicken's winter fenced in area as bedding. Since I give the pasture part of my lawn a rest from the chickens over the winter, and without daily rotation, this smaller fenced in area becomes dirt quite quickly. And bare uncovered dirt is, in any season, defenseless against the harshness of nature (sun, wind, and rain), which ultimately leads to infertile soil. So in an effort to maintain healthy soil and encourage a good microorganism population, I add a nice thick layer of leaves and fall debris for compost and cover. This helps maintain moisture and temperature while preventing the harsh effects of winter; a mud pit when snowing/raining and a frozen desert during the dry spells. This benefits the chickens by helping to maintain a vital food source (worms and insects), while benefiting the soil by providing food (decomposing organic matter and chicken poop) and cover.
So the next time you start to get that fall itch telling you to wage war on the fallen leaves, think twice about your actions. You would be doing your lawn a favor by utilizing the leaves as fertilizer as well as mulch for flower and shrub beds. You would also be doing your wallet a favor by saving money that would otherwise be spent on "lawn care".
Showing posts with label You can do it. Show all posts
Showing posts with label You can do it. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
What we should have learned from the Mayan's
When we think of the great Mayan Empire, as with many of the ancient empires that appeared to be ahead of their time (Egyptians, Aztecs, etc.), we can't help but to get lost in the mystique of it all. We think of all of the great inventions or technological advancements that they displayed whether architecturally, scientifically, and or agriculturally. And because we often get lost in these awe inspiring worlds that they often dominated, we never stop to question whether some of their so called "advancements" may have actually led to their demise.
This very question, "What was behind the mysterious collapse of the Mayan Empire?", has been the driving force behind much research, and recent studies have actually pointed to their environmental impact as the cause.
Sound like a premonition from the great Nostradamus as to the demise of modern society? It should!
It turns out that the Mayan Empire, like many of the "great" empires of our past, had advancements, in one area in particular, in common that had an enormous negative impact on the future of their survival; Agriculture. The farming of annual mono-crops to be exact.
The farming of annual mono-crops, and each empire had their own just as we do today (corn and soy), required (as it does today) unnatural and detrimental changes to the natural landscape in order to successfully yield a bounty worthy of a ruling nation. When we think of something like irrigation, destruction is not what comes to mind. We often marvel at the ability of these ancient civilizations to have irrigated in such a way as to support the hundreds or thousands of acres of mono-crops they farmed, but we don't often realize that it's these advancements that very well may have drained the life from their world as they knew it.
You can't successfully farm the acreage they did (as we do) without deforestation, or without the damning of rivers and rerouting the water as needed, or without the plowing of perennial prairie land or marsh land. And each of these environmentally damaging acts takes its toll on the environment, whether it be diminishing soil fertility, destruction of precious sensitive supporting ecosystems, or changes in overall climate.
Unfortunately though it seems to be human nature to focus (idealize) on the success of a nation and their ability rule, rather than to focus on their demise. If they were so great, where are they today? The same place we will be years from now if we don't learn from past (and present) mistakes!
Factory farming as it's called today, or farming that revolves around and depends upon mono-crops (corn, soy, etc.), cannot support a nation. It can only support its ultimate unavoidable demise. It leads to drastic negative environmental changes, possibly irreversible in our lifetime, but ultimately death and destruction. What we have taken from these deceased empires, the farming of mono-crops on such a large scale, has led to the overly processed high sugary foods consisting more of laboratory invented ingredients than of actual naturally occurring ingredients. It has led to the extinction of hundreds of thousands of species of both plants and animals, as well as to the onset of countless new diseases. It has led to the creation of GMO's and GE foods and animals. It has led to horrific animal and environmental abuse and cruelty that is so carelessly swept aside, all in the name of agriculture. It has led to a sick unhealthy nation dependent upon the pharmaceutical industry for survival. It ultimately will lead to our demise... unless we change!
This very question, "What was behind the mysterious collapse of the Mayan Empire?", has been the driving force behind much research, and recent studies have actually pointed to their environmental impact as the cause.
Sound like a premonition from the great Nostradamus as to the demise of modern society? It should!
It turns out that the Mayan Empire, like many of the "great" empires of our past, had advancements, in one area in particular, in common that had an enormous negative impact on the future of their survival; Agriculture. The farming of annual mono-crops to be exact.
The farming of annual mono-crops, and each empire had their own just as we do today (corn and soy), required (as it does today) unnatural and detrimental changes to the natural landscape in order to successfully yield a bounty worthy of a ruling nation. When we think of something like irrigation, destruction is not what comes to mind. We often marvel at the ability of these ancient civilizations to have irrigated in such a way as to support the hundreds or thousands of acres of mono-crops they farmed, but we don't often realize that it's these advancements that very well may have drained the life from their world as they knew it.
You can't successfully farm the acreage they did (as we do) without deforestation, or without the damning of rivers and rerouting the water as needed, or without the plowing of perennial prairie land or marsh land. And each of these environmentally damaging acts takes its toll on the environment, whether it be diminishing soil fertility, destruction of precious sensitive supporting ecosystems, or changes in overall climate.
Unfortunately though it seems to be human nature to focus (idealize) on the success of a nation and their ability rule, rather than to focus on their demise. If they were so great, where are they today? The same place we will be years from now if we don't learn from past (and present) mistakes!
Factory farming as it's called today, or farming that revolves around and depends upon mono-crops (corn, soy, etc.), cannot support a nation. It can only support its ultimate unavoidable demise. It leads to drastic negative environmental changes, possibly irreversible in our lifetime, but ultimately death and destruction. What we have taken from these deceased empires, the farming of mono-crops on such a large scale, has led to the overly processed high sugary foods consisting more of laboratory invented ingredients than of actual naturally occurring ingredients. It has led to the extinction of hundreds of thousands of species of both plants and animals, as well as to the onset of countless new diseases. It has led to the creation of GMO's and GE foods and animals. It has led to horrific animal and environmental abuse and cruelty that is so carelessly swept aside, all in the name of agriculture. It has led to a sick unhealthy nation dependent upon the pharmaceutical industry for survival. It ultimately will lead to our demise... unless we change!
Monday, April 9, 2012
The medical field is lacking... nutritionally speaking!
After looking over a menu for patients at a local hospital while visiting my wife (following an unfortunate accident), I came to realize one scary fact; nutrition and modern medicine DO NOT go hand-in-hand. The menu read like any typical restaurant menu, with no shortage of elaborate meal options for every course. And like any restaurant menu there were a few healthy choices sprinkled in amongst plenty of unhealthy meal options; soda, sugary deserts, and nothing organic. The most troubling thing however was the 'heart healthy' labels next to unhealthy foods. Now I realize that expecting a hospital to come to the realization that this disturbing global push for the mass consumption of whole grains, an otherwise unnatural food source for the human body to properly digest that has only been a part of our diets since the advent of agriculture (a mere blip on our evolutionary timeline), are more damaging in the long run (promoting inflammation) then they are "heart healthy" is a long shot, but to label everything with the words 'egg substitute' in the ingredients as healthy... disturbing indeed!
With such a disconnect between the medical field and the bodies most basic nutritional needs, it's no wonder why modern medicine falls way short of curing or preventing disease and illness.
A free-range organic egg has more heart healthy benefits than any whole grain meal, let alone whatever egg substitute means... seriously, what is an egg substitute? The truth is a healthy egg (not factory farmed) is rich in Omega-3 (anti-inflammatory), Vitamin D, protein, and healthy cholesterol; and no I did not mistakenly put the word healthy before the word cholesterol. Despite popular belief there is no link between the consumption of cholesterol and or saturated fat and an increased risk in heart disease, and until the medical community connects the dots between the true inflammation causing foods (like grains) and any and all resulting diseases, we as a society will continue to suffer. All of the supporting research has been done and is there for the viewing, but each of us has to be willing (especially those in the "health care" field) to forget what we've been brainwashed to believe and search for the truth.
Now don't get me wrong, I believe that this country has some of the best, if not the best, emergency care you can get. We have access to some of the most talented surgeons and ER techs that anyone could hope for, but once the medical urgency of the patient has been lowered from critical to recovery it's 'proceed at your own risk'.
So we can chose to eat local healthy organic sustainably farmed foods (vegetables, grass fed meats, eggs, and dairy) and get on the road to true recovery; a disease free life!
Or we can continue to blindly support this cancer in our food, medical, and health industries known as factory farming, and continue to suffer all of the unhealthy, unnatural, and destructive consequences that follow in its wake...
With such a disconnect between the medical field and the bodies most basic nutritional needs, it's no wonder why modern medicine falls way short of curing or preventing disease and illness.
A free-range organic egg has more heart healthy benefits than any whole grain meal, let alone whatever egg substitute means... seriously, what is an egg substitute? The truth is a healthy egg (not factory farmed) is rich in Omega-3 (anti-inflammatory), Vitamin D, protein, and healthy cholesterol; and no I did not mistakenly put the word healthy before the word cholesterol. Despite popular belief there is no link between the consumption of cholesterol and or saturated fat and an increased risk in heart disease, and until the medical community connects the dots between the true inflammation causing foods (like grains) and any and all resulting diseases, we as a society will continue to suffer. All of the supporting research has been done and is there for the viewing, but each of us has to be willing (especially those in the "health care" field) to forget what we've been brainwashed to believe and search for the truth.
Now don't get me wrong, I believe that this country has some of the best, if not the best, emergency care you can get. We have access to some of the most talented surgeons and ER techs that anyone could hope for, but once the medical urgency of the patient has been lowered from critical to recovery it's 'proceed at your own risk'.
So we can chose to eat local healthy organic sustainably farmed foods (vegetables, grass fed meats, eggs, and dairy) and get on the road to true recovery; a disease free life!
Or we can continue to blindly support this cancer in our food, medical, and health industries known as factory farming, and continue to suffer all of the unhealthy, unnatural, and destructive consequences that follow in its wake...
Friday, March 30, 2012
Go Green... Grass fed that is!
With everyone eager to hop on the "go green" bandwagon with the hybrid cars, solar panels, recycling, or whatever, I can't help but wonder why some of this collective energy isn't focused in the direction of one of the biggest global offenders of them all... the food industry!
Most people don't think of the food they eat as being one of the leading causes of... well not to sound overly dramatic but what the hell, global destruction. The truth is though Factory Farming causes more pollution (air, water, soil) and is a far bigger driver in the oil dependency market than our cars or trucks.
So why is it then when such topics of discussion come to the "save the planet" table, putting a stop to this destructive demon that rules our food industry isn't at the top of the list?
From a political standpoint the answer would be money, power, political influence... take your pick! From a social standpoint though, that is the average person, the answer is that most don't realize what it takes to get their grocery store shelves packed with all the prepackaged, pre-made, pre-prepared, ready-to-eat factory foods they demand. And factory farming (or industrial farming) is at the heart of it all. So what is factory farming? In a nutshell it can be summed up as corn, soy, wheat, or any other annual monocrop that against nature's will inhabits probably 90% or more of all farm land in this country. Why is it so bad you ask? It simply isn't natural, just look around at any plot of unmanicured land. When it comes to vegetation (plants, grasses, trees, shrubs...) perennial polyculture or verity rules the land. Nature runs a highly efficient waste free process of give and take, and it only works if verity exists (flourishes); if something takes from the soil (nitrogen for instance) than something must give it back.
Its only when humans and their chauvinistic sense of 'what should be' takes action, that this destructive monoculture becomes the norm. Whether it's the average homeowner trying to maintain his or her "perfect" lawn of only Kentucky blue grass, or the farmer who insists on planting only corn, soy, wheat, or canola for as far as the eye can see, the outcome remains the same and it's a losing battle for both the land and humans. The land needs three key nutrients to flourish and it obtains these naturally through it's give and take process; nitrogen obtained either from such plants as legumes (like clover) or from animal waste due to herbivore's grazing (like cows or sheep) and from birds naturally following behind (like chickens), phosphorus obtained from bone decay, and finally potassium from blood. Unfortunately when humans force this unnatural industrial or factory farming approach to an otherwise perfect system we take out of the equation any sort of polyculture and all grazing animals, leaving behind overly tilled (damaged) and infertile soil. The only answer then becomes routine (and ever increasing) use of pesticides and chemical fertilizer, and it takes an enormous amount of fossil fuel to obtain the billions of tons of fertilizer necessary in order to grow anything from this otherwise dead soil.
It's not just the soil being destroyed by this monoculture approach to farming however, with nearly 70% of the monocrops grown today being used as feed crops to feed all of natures grazers and foragers (cows, chickens, pigs, etc.) that we've forced off the land and into concentration camps or CAFO's, the resulting polluting effects are astonishing.
"Factory farming is responsible for most of the man-made methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere, which contribute to 13.5% of the total greenhouse gas emissions primary from animal waste mismanagement and the overuse of chemical fertilizer. And although livestock only contributes to roughly 9% of the total man-made carbon dioxide emissions, this sector is responsible for 37% of all methane and 65% of all nitrous oxide emissions." Food, Inc. a participant guide by Karl Weber
In natures there is no waste, everything goes back into the soil, but in factory farming all of this waste sits in "manure lagoons" where it pollutes the air (as mentioned above) as well as streams, rivers, and eventually the oceans with its toxic runoff.
So what's the answer? If we are going to take ownership of a piece of land no matter how big or small we must take on a steward's responsibility and do our best to mimic nature's no waste process of give and take. We must stop feeding nature's herbivores grain, and allow them to do the job they were put on this earth to do; graze, forage, and fertilize (naturally). We must stop poisoning the land with pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and GM "Roundup Ready" seed and instead welcome a more natural polyculturalistic approach. We must make it our primary goal to build healthy fertile topsoil instead of raping the land of any last signs of life. We must choose to live sustainably! We must support our local organic sustainable farmers!
Most people don't think of the food they eat as being one of the leading causes of... well not to sound overly dramatic but what the hell, global destruction. The truth is though Factory Farming causes more pollution (air, water, soil) and is a far bigger driver in the oil dependency market than our cars or trucks.
So why is it then when such topics of discussion come to the "save the planet" table, putting a stop to this destructive demon that rules our food industry isn't at the top of the list?
From a political standpoint the answer would be money, power, political influence... take your pick! From a social standpoint though, that is the average person, the answer is that most don't realize what it takes to get their grocery store shelves packed with all the prepackaged, pre-made, pre-prepared, ready-to-eat factory foods they demand. And factory farming (or industrial farming) is at the heart of it all. So what is factory farming? In a nutshell it can be summed up as corn, soy, wheat, or any other annual monocrop that against nature's will inhabits probably 90% or more of all farm land in this country. Why is it so bad you ask? It simply isn't natural, just look around at any plot of unmanicured land. When it comes to vegetation (plants, grasses, trees, shrubs...) perennial polyculture or verity rules the land. Nature runs a highly efficient waste free process of give and take, and it only works if verity exists (flourishes); if something takes from the soil (nitrogen for instance) than something must give it back.
Its only when humans and their chauvinistic sense of 'what should be' takes action, that this destructive monoculture becomes the norm. Whether it's the average homeowner trying to maintain his or her "perfect" lawn of only Kentucky blue grass, or the farmer who insists on planting only corn, soy, wheat, or canola for as far as the eye can see, the outcome remains the same and it's a losing battle for both the land and humans. The land needs three key nutrients to flourish and it obtains these naturally through it's give and take process; nitrogen obtained either from such plants as legumes (like clover) or from animal waste due to herbivore's grazing (like cows or sheep) and from birds naturally following behind (like chickens), phosphorus obtained from bone decay, and finally potassium from blood. Unfortunately when humans force this unnatural industrial or factory farming approach to an otherwise perfect system we take out of the equation any sort of polyculture and all grazing animals, leaving behind overly tilled (damaged) and infertile soil. The only answer then becomes routine (and ever increasing) use of pesticides and chemical fertilizer, and it takes an enormous amount of fossil fuel to obtain the billions of tons of fertilizer necessary in order to grow anything from this otherwise dead soil.
It's not just the soil being destroyed by this monoculture approach to farming however, with nearly 70% of the monocrops grown today being used as feed crops to feed all of natures grazers and foragers (cows, chickens, pigs, etc.) that we've forced off the land and into concentration camps or CAFO's, the resulting polluting effects are astonishing.
"Factory farming is responsible for most of the man-made methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere, which contribute to 13.5% of the total greenhouse gas emissions primary from animal waste mismanagement and the overuse of chemical fertilizer. And although livestock only contributes to roughly 9% of the total man-made carbon dioxide emissions, this sector is responsible for 37% of all methane and 65% of all nitrous oxide emissions." Food, Inc. a participant guide by Karl Weber
In natures there is no waste, everything goes back into the soil, but in factory farming all of this waste sits in "manure lagoons" where it pollutes the air (as mentioned above) as well as streams, rivers, and eventually the oceans with its toxic runoff.
So what's the answer? If we are going to take ownership of a piece of land no matter how big or small we must take on a steward's responsibility and do our best to mimic nature's no waste process of give and take. We must stop feeding nature's herbivores grain, and allow them to do the job they were put on this earth to do; graze, forage, and fertilize (naturally). We must stop poisoning the land with pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and GM "Roundup Ready" seed and instead welcome a more natural polyculturalistic approach. We must make it our primary goal to build healthy fertile topsoil instead of raping the land of any last signs of life. We must choose to live sustainably! We must support our local organic sustainable farmers!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Use 'Diet' as a noun not a verb!
If your question is what's the best way to diet in order to lose weight, then my answer is stop using 'diet' as a verb! I know this sounds like an odd way to answer the question, but when diet is used as a verb it might as well be preceded by the word 'fad' and followed by the inevitable and unavoidable sad ending of gaining more weight than you will ever loose... I guess my real answer then is don't diet to lose weight, instead maintain a healthy diet and you will maintain a healthy weight.
Most all diets fail for three main reasons:
Most all diets fail for three main reasons:
- Those "dieting" use the word diet as an ugly verb, dreading the entire process, impatiently waiting for it to be over so then can go back to their normal unhealthy lifestyle. People don't want to change their ways, only their appearance, but at little or no effort from them... this is why diet pills are so popular. Popping pills is a lazy, effortless, unhealthy and unsuccessful solution to a simply problem; an unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy diet.
- Those "dieting" put an unnatural unobtainable label on what it is they are trying to achieve. We must first come to the realization that a healthy diet will lead to a healthy lifestyle (consisting of daily exercise of some kind), which will inevitably lead to a healthy you. If you are truly healthy then your healthy weight will follow. The important thing to remember here is your healthy weight may not be someone else's. The best example of this would be to compare someone form an indigenous tribe (not infected by western civilization) from any warm or tropical climate with someone from an indigenous tribe (once again not infected by western civilization) from an arctic climate. Those from the warmer tropical climate will be naturally thinner than their subzero counterparts, but not healthier. Research preformed on both types of indigenous tribes, over the past say 70 to 100 years, shows indisputably that both are far healthier than any western (or more modern) civilization, with no recorded incidence of the many diseases that go along with our unhealthy lifestyles. Their weight is not a factor.
- All fad diets are simply unhealthy! Even the low carb diets, which might actually have been derived from good healthy accurate intentions, are in my opinion not healthy. I say this because many of them encourage the removal or drastic reduction in the consumption of not only grains and legumes, but many fruits and some vegetables as well. As I've indicated in previous posts, a healthy diet is one that inhibits inflammation (the root cause of all diseases) and promotes a healthy gut. The former requires the removal, or at the very least a drastic reduction, of any food that promotes inflammation, and based on the research this means grains and legumes as well as factory farmed meats (those that are fed corn and soy). Although some root vegetables such as the modern hybridized potato, which can cause some of the same unhealthy conditions within the body as it tries to efficiently digest and metabolize, should be either reduced in their level of consumption or prepared differently. This leads us to the second condition of a healthy diet; one that promotes a healthy gut. Promoting a healthy gut requires regular consumption of and maintaining a healthy environment for healthy flora to flourish, and this can be achieved with fermentation. Fermenting foods not only eliminates anti-nutrients, but also increases the level of nutrients in the food as well as adds a healthy dose of friendly bacteria.
Live healthy and happy!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
GMO vs Nature... Everyone Loses!
So when I saw this headline in today's news: Bugs may be resistant to GMO corn, I had to at the very least make mention of it.
When will people stop and realize that GMO's (genetically modified organisms) are BAD news. Despite what Monsanto, the leading most powerful player in the biogenetics field, and our government who is greatly influenced politically, bureaucratically, and monetarily by this bio-agri mega conglomerate would like us to believe, that GMO's will save the worlds starving nations, such meddling in natures work can only lead to one thing... death and destruction!
The simple fact of the matter is why should the maker of Round-up, a toxic pesticide that's sole purpose is to kill living things, have so much influence in shaping (controlling) the current and future paths of agricultural and medical fields?
Putting aside for a moment the factory farming notion that the industrial and manufacturing approach to agriculture, where the animal (pig, cow, chicken) is the widget, CAFO's (concentrated animal feeding operations) are the assembly lines, and government subsidized GMO monocrops (corn and soybeans) are the cheap labor (in this case food)... putting aside, just for a moment, that any of this is a good idea benefiting anyone other than the few greedy mega-corporations sitting at the top of this manure pile of a mess. Ask yourself this, who stands to gain from all of this? It's surely not you or me...
The truth is giving grains to animals as their primary (and only) food source is not only deadly to the animal, in the case of ruminant, and not only to humans, in the form of chronic inflammatory diseases, but also to the planet! The annual monocrop approach to agriculture, especially on such a global scale, promotes destruction. It drains the soil of any and all nutrients rendering the land infertile. It requires the use of chemical fertilizers in order for crops to grow in these man-made deserts we call the "fruited plains". It requires pesticides to ward off insects that thrive on such nutrient lacking immune deficient plants that would otherwise have a thriving chance in a more natural perennial polyculture approach.
And all of this leads to our current state of agriculture. One where life be it human or grain is manipulated at its very core (DNA) and patented. One where these GMO seeds produce their own chemical pesticide and or seeds that won't grow without being sprayed (with pesticides), pesticide produced by the very company that patented the seed of course (Monsanto). And this greed and power driven nightmare has even led to suicide seeds that won't germinate and therefore cannot reproduce. One where genes that would otherwise cause a tortured animal (say a chicken or pig) to become distressed and aggressive in nature, to instead be indifferent to its immediate environment.
If all of this sounds as appalling to you as it does to me, then do something about it! Buy all your meets, eggs, and dairy products from local organic sustainable grass fed farms! Befriend your local farmers! Know where your food comes from! Demand change!
When will people stop and realize that GMO's (genetically modified organisms) are BAD news. Despite what Monsanto, the leading most powerful player in the biogenetics field, and our government who is greatly influenced politically, bureaucratically, and monetarily by this bio-agri mega conglomerate would like us to believe, that GMO's will save the worlds starving nations, such meddling in natures work can only lead to one thing... death and destruction!
The simple fact of the matter is why should the maker of Round-up, a toxic pesticide that's sole purpose is to kill living things, have so much influence in shaping (controlling) the current and future paths of agricultural and medical fields?
Putting aside for a moment the factory farming notion that the industrial and manufacturing approach to agriculture, where the animal (pig, cow, chicken) is the widget, CAFO's (concentrated animal feeding operations) are the assembly lines, and government subsidized GMO monocrops (corn and soybeans) are the cheap labor (in this case food)... putting aside, just for a moment, that any of this is a good idea benefiting anyone other than the few greedy mega-corporations sitting at the top of this manure pile of a mess. Ask yourself this, who stands to gain from all of this? It's surely not you or me...
The truth is giving grains to animals as their primary (and only) food source is not only deadly to the animal, in the case of ruminant, and not only to humans, in the form of chronic inflammatory diseases, but also to the planet! The annual monocrop approach to agriculture, especially on such a global scale, promotes destruction. It drains the soil of any and all nutrients rendering the land infertile. It requires the use of chemical fertilizers in order for crops to grow in these man-made deserts we call the "fruited plains". It requires pesticides to ward off insects that thrive on such nutrient lacking immune deficient plants that would otherwise have a thriving chance in a more natural perennial polyculture approach.
And all of this leads to our current state of agriculture. One where life be it human or grain is manipulated at its very core (DNA) and patented. One where these GMO seeds produce their own chemical pesticide and or seeds that won't grow without being sprayed (with pesticides), pesticide produced by the very company that patented the seed of course (Monsanto). And this greed and power driven nightmare has even led to suicide seeds that won't germinate and therefore cannot reproduce. One where genes that would otherwise cause a tortured animal (say a chicken or pig) to become distressed and aggressive in nature, to instead be indifferent to its immediate environment.
If all of this sounds as appalling to you as it does to me, then do something about it! Buy all your meets, eggs, and dairy products from local organic sustainable grass fed farms! Befriend your local farmers! Know where your food comes from! Demand change!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
How Local is Local?
I have been asked this question, in one form or another, numerous times when talking about the food that my wife and I eat; how local is local?
When it comes to food my wife and I always choose local organic when possible, but for many foods the definition of local changes slightly with the changing of the seasons. This means during the vegetable growing season as per your geographical location you should buy all your produce grown as close to home as possible; for the North East that means late spring (May) through early-mid fall (October-November). My wife and I are lucky enough to have a wonderful organic farm stand less than 5 min from our house, as well as a farmers market every weekend that hosts many organic farms from within our state. I also believe that during these bountiful seasons it is best to buy what is 'in season' for any particular month, that means spring veggies in the spring, summer veggies in the summer, and fall veggies in the fall. Unfortunately as with any growing season the end is inevitable and that's when we broaden our idea of local. During these "off season" months we keep produce purchases from within the U.S. How fresh can that organic produce actually be if it comes from the other side of the world? This also means some vegetables will have to be passed over until the next growing season since even California does not grow all products all year round. And even some of the ones they do are just not the same; that means no fresh tomatoes in December!
Just on a side note I try to make sure only to buy 'loose produce', nothing packaged in wrappers or plastic boxes, because even with organically grown products of this type when shipped from across the country (or world) they can still use small amounts of pesticides in packaging in order to prevent the item from becoming spoiled or eaten prior to sale.
Meats and eggs are the extreme exception to this rule; my wife and I ALWAYS buy our meats (beef, pork, chicken, and lamb) from local organic grass fed farms. I think this is very important and is the only way to ensure that you are indeed eating exactly what is advertised, and that is healthy meat from an animal that was raised in a healthy sustainable way. Yes you can buy 'all natural' or 'organic' or 'free-range or grass fed' meets from your local grocery store, it's where my journey started all those years ago, but they are not what is advertised and in my opinion do not taste very good. Why? Because these marketing terms like "all natural" or "free range" are skillfully manipulated and under regulated. Although I am not sure what actually constitutes "all natural" it most likely means that some of its ingredients originated from natural sources... so do most all pharmaceuticals but how natural are they? 'Organic' is another term that can be very misleading when it comes to the sale of meats. Organic beef for instance means the cow was fed organic corn and a grain-fed cow is NOT a healthy cow (see an earlier post on this subject). Another term often abused is 'free range'. To qualify for free range status the government says the animal only needs access to the outside, and says nothing about whether there is any viable grass for the animal or even whether the animal ever goes outside. This is why buying this type of meat from the grocery store often equals tough tasteless meat.
So do some investigating and find a local organic sustainable farm near you. I mean even a two hour drive once a weekend is local compared to the 12hr flight that exotic fruit traveled just to enter the U.S.
When it comes to food my wife and I always choose local organic when possible, but for many foods the definition of local changes slightly with the changing of the seasons. This means during the vegetable growing season as per your geographical location you should buy all your produce grown as close to home as possible; for the North East that means late spring (May) through early-mid fall (October-November). My wife and I are lucky enough to have a wonderful organic farm stand less than 5 min from our house, as well as a farmers market every weekend that hosts many organic farms from within our state. I also believe that during these bountiful seasons it is best to buy what is 'in season' for any particular month, that means spring veggies in the spring, summer veggies in the summer, and fall veggies in the fall. Unfortunately as with any growing season the end is inevitable and that's when we broaden our idea of local. During these "off season" months we keep produce purchases from within the U.S. How fresh can that organic produce actually be if it comes from the other side of the world? This also means some vegetables will have to be passed over until the next growing season since even California does not grow all products all year round. And even some of the ones they do are just not the same; that means no fresh tomatoes in December!
Just on a side note I try to make sure only to buy 'loose produce', nothing packaged in wrappers or plastic boxes, because even with organically grown products of this type when shipped from across the country (or world) they can still use small amounts of pesticides in packaging in order to prevent the item from becoming spoiled or eaten prior to sale.
Meats and eggs are the extreme exception to this rule; my wife and I ALWAYS buy our meats (beef, pork, chicken, and lamb) from local organic grass fed farms. I think this is very important and is the only way to ensure that you are indeed eating exactly what is advertised, and that is healthy meat from an animal that was raised in a healthy sustainable way. Yes you can buy 'all natural' or 'organic' or 'free-range or grass fed' meets from your local grocery store, it's where my journey started all those years ago, but they are not what is advertised and in my opinion do not taste very good. Why? Because these marketing terms like "all natural" or "free range" are skillfully manipulated and under regulated. Although I am not sure what actually constitutes "all natural" it most likely means that some of its ingredients originated from natural sources... so do most all pharmaceuticals but how natural are they? 'Organic' is another term that can be very misleading when it comes to the sale of meats. Organic beef for instance means the cow was fed organic corn and a grain-fed cow is NOT a healthy cow (see an earlier post on this subject). Another term often abused is 'free range'. To qualify for free range status the government says the animal only needs access to the outside, and says nothing about whether there is any viable grass for the animal or even whether the animal ever goes outside. This is why buying this type of meat from the grocery store often equals tough tasteless meat.
So do some investigating and find a local organic sustainable farm near you. I mean even a two hour drive once a weekend is local compared to the 12hr flight that exotic fruit traveled just to enter the U.S.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Pesticides and ADHD
How could I not post about this medical headline; Pesticides in food linked to ADHD in kids.
I really enjoy seeing articles such as this coming from the medical community. It takes much longer (if ever at all) for MD's to come to terms with what ND's as well as others following a more natural path have been preaching for some time now... There are no benefits to spraying our food with pesticides that outweigh the negative risks!
The article starts off by pointing out the correlation between the levels of pesticides in our food with the significant increase in children's risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Quoting Phil Landrigan, MD who is a professor and chair of the department of community and preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine; "It's mainly exposure through food. Diet is the driver."
One interesting point made towards the end of the article that is worth mentioning is the dangerous levels of pesticides in processed foods. Most people think about produce when the word pesticide is mentioned, but not usually processed foods even though processed foods probably make up more than 75% of the average American's diet. The point that the article makes is that due to GMO's (genetically modified organisms) in processed foods, primarily Soy and Corn, which have been engineered to by pesticide resistant, are highly sprayed crops contributing to pesticide exposure at dangerous levels.
And to further drive home this point, it's not just processed foods that you should be concerned about; don't forget if you're eating beef or pork or chicken or fish or eggs or any dairy products that come from animals that are not free ranged or grass fed, then you are essentially eating GMO corn and soy because that's exactly what they are being fed.
The only way you can be sure that you are doing all you can do to avoid pesticides in your food as well as making sure you are eating as healthy a diet as possible is to support your local organic sustainable farmers. This is why I continually post on the importance of organic locally and sustainably grown foods as the core of any healthy diet. Organic is important, but local organic sustainable farming takes "knowing where your food comes from" to a much more intimate level.
Remember this; you are what your food eats. If you know exactly what the cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens that eventually make it to your table are eating and how they were raised, and if you know exactly how the vegetables that are hopefully making it to your table were grown, then and only then can you be sure you are eating healthy.
I really enjoy seeing articles such as this coming from the medical community. It takes much longer (if ever at all) for MD's to come to terms with what ND's as well as others following a more natural path have been preaching for some time now... There are no benefits to spraying our food with pesticides that outweigh the negative risks!
The article starts off by pointing out the correlation between the levels of pesticides in our food with the significant increase in children's risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Quoting Phil Landrigan, MD who is a professor and chair of the department of community and preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine; "It's mainly exposure through food. Diet is the driver."
One interesting point made towards the end of the article that is worth mentioning is the dangerous levels of pesticides in processed foods. Most people think about produce when the word pesticide is mentioned, but not usually processed foods even though processed foods probably make up more than 75% of the average American's diet. The point that the article makes is that due to GMO's (genetically modified organisms) in processed foods, primarily Soy and Corn, which have been engineered to by pesticide resistant, are highly sprayed crops contributing to pesticide exposure at dangerous levels.
And to further drive home this point, it's not just processed foods that you should be concerned about; don't forget if you're eating beef or pork or chicken or fish or eggs or any dairy products that come from animals that are not free ranged or grass fed, then you are essentially eating GMO corn and soy because that's exactly what they are being fed.
The only way you can be sure that you are doing all you can do to avoid pesticides in your food as well as making sure you are eating as healthy a diet as possible is to support your local organic sustainable farmers. This is why I continually post on the importance of organic locally and sustainably grown foods as the core of any healthy diet. Organic is important, but local organic sustainable farming takes "knowing where your food comes from" to a much more intimate level.
Remember this; you are what your food eats. If you know exactly what the cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens that eventually make it to your table are eating and how they were raised, and if you know exactly how the vegetables that are hopefully making it to your table were grown, then and only then can you be sure you are eating healthy.
Friday, September 9, 2011
A Natural Approach to Healing
This is a topic I have wanted to post about for some time now, but wasn't really sure how to make the transition from allergy free cooking to natural healing... well I think I have since made that transition over that past few years, so here is my official unofficial introduction.
I have been intrigued by this subject (Natural Healing) for some time now and have been practicing it religiously since I became aware of my food allergies. I have come to understand that any ailment the body is struggling to cope with, whether it be allergy related (both food and seasonal as well as asthma related), structurally based (tendonitis/arthritis/muscle and joint pain/etc.), or disease based (cancer/heart disease/diabetes/etc.) they are all diet related and all have some common link to inflammation.
Our bodies are stressed beyond levels that they were ever designed to be subjected to, and from nearly every aspect of our lives. We live in a very 'man-made' toxic world, and its how our bodies individually deal with these toxins that ultimately dictate our overall health. Whether they are the unavoidable toxins such as pollution from cars, factories, or the billions of tons of jet fuel dumped into the atmosphere every day, or those toxins we can avoid like the cancer causing chemicals in our food, drinking water, hygiene products, cleaning products, and in most all of the everyday products we come into contact with, the truth is our immune systems are being taxed to the extreme and it's our (your) job to do something about it!
I will conclude my introduction into a natural approach to healing with this basic creed for living healthy...
Stay healthy by eating organic locally sustainably grown foods whenever possible and 100% organic GMO free minimally processed foods to complement your diet; use only 100% chemical free organic hygiene products; use only 100% naturally derived household cleaning products, and avoid all products containing toxic chemicals.
I have been intrigued by this subject (Natural Healing) for some time now and have been practicing it religiously since I became aware of my food allergies. I have come to understand that any ailment the body is struggling to cope with, whether it be allergy related (both food and seasonal as well as asthma related), structurally based (tendonitis/arthritis/muscle and joint pain/etc.), or disease based (cancer/heart disease/diabetes/etc.) they are all diet related and all have some common link to inflammation.
Our bodies are stressed beyond levels that they were ever designed to be subjected to, and from nearly every aspect of our lives. We live in a very 'man-made' toxic world, and its how our bodies individually deal with these toxins that ultimately dictate our overall health. Whether they are the unavoidable toxins such as pollution from cars, factories, or the billions of tons of jet fuel dumped into the atmosphere every day, or those toxins we can avoid like the cancer causing chemicals in our food, drinking water, hygiene products, cleaning products, and in most all of the everyday products we come into contact with, the truth is our immune systems are being taxed to the extreme and it's our (your) job to do something about it!
I will conclude my introduction into a natural approach to healing with this basic creed for living healthy...
Stay healthy by eating organic locally sustainably grown foods whenever possible and 100% organic GMO free minimally processed foods to complement your diet; use only 100% chemical free organic hygiene products; use only 100% naturally derived household cleaning products, and avoid all products containing toxic chemicals.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Fresh Organic Free-Range Eggs (part 2)
I wanted to post about feeding practices for free-range chickens, or should I say the obstacles you may encounter when trying to raise them the right way...
With all of the research I've done to date (mostly via the internet) in an effort to give my chickens the most natural life possible, or as Joel from Polyface would say "express their chickeness", I have found that the most useful information has come from the very person I got my 5 pullets from; the same organic sustainable farmer my wife and I buy our table birds and lamb from. His knowledge when it comes to organic sustainable farming is impressive, and unfortunately based on my experiences thus far I can say these practices are not practiced by many farmers. So why do I say this you ask?
When I started this man-chicken venture I was simply looking for a healthy source of free-range eggs for my family. My thoughts were simply; a few chickens, some organic feed, and all of the chemical free grass and clover, worms and other bugs my property had to offer. It didn't take long though before my free-range birds became *free-range birds; with the asterisk denoting "within bounds". Because they frequented my neighbor's yard more then I or my neighbors would have liked, I was forced to buy some electric poultry netting; currently I have 200ft of fence that I rotate when I feel the grass needs a rest. The fence surrounds a mulberry tree, giving them shade over part of their fenced in area, and the tree itself is surrounded by some raspberry bushes and about a 6ft radius of dirt and rocks, giving them an area to take dirt baths, hunt for bugs, and again cool off in more shade. I do plan to increase the size of their fenced in area, but for now the 200ft of fence is all I have to work with.
Since I was pretty satisfied at this point with the 'free-range' part of the equation, my attention quickly turned to their feed. Originally I had them on an organic layer mash that I purchased from a local supply store. Many of the "backyard chicken" books I read said that the "experts" prefer mash over pellets, because they (chickens) would get their fill of pellets too quickly and become bored... Does anyone see what's wrong with this sentence?
A chicken by nature has the right to live out its life as it would in the wild; let the chicken be a chicken. A wild chicken or game hen would never have the chance to be bored, so neither should yours. In order for a chicken to be a chicken you have to give it enough land (per chicken) to graze hunt and forage for food as well as plenty of fresh air, sunshine, and shade or cover when necessary. This means they need to be outside in the elements when they're not sleeping or laying, and from observing my chickens in the short 5 months or so that I've had them I can say that they have yet to look bored to me.
Now back to my feeding regimen... I was unhappy with the organic layer mash that I started with for two reasons; first it contains soy and second the grains are processed. To address my first concern, the soy, because I have a soy allergy and because I feel that soy is the root of all evil (mass produced chemical concoctions being passed off as food) I did not want it being fed to my chickens in any way! My second problem with the layer mash was although the ingredients were listed as "organic" the grains are processed; and just as I've learned with humans all grains should be eaten in their natural whole grain state, the same goes for chickens. A whole grain loses much (if not all) of its nutrients once it is broken down and therefore is not worth the energy it takes to digest this overly processed mash.
So what to do? Well I set out to buy a healthy organic medley of whole grains; whole corn, whole oats, and whole wheat berries. This is where I found it to be easier said than done... After contacting multiple feed distributors in 1-2hr radius I was only able to find one, a co-op less than a half hour from my house, that was able to get organic whole corn; even that took almost a month. This was due mainly in part because their distributors did not carry organic whole grains in their warehouses because no one is buying them. Needless to say I ended up having to get the other two whole grains from the natural health food store that my wife and I do some of our food shopping at. All in all when I did the math, per 50lb bag, the price was comparable to purchasing an organic soy-free layer mash off the internet.
With all of the research I've done to date (mostly via the internet) in an effort to give my chickens the most natural life possible, or as Joel from Polyface would say "express their chickeness", I have found that the most useful information has come from the very person I got my 5 pullets from; the same organic sustainable farmer my wife and I buy our table birds and lamb from. His knowledge when it comes to organic sustainable farming is impressive, and unfortunately based on my experiences thus far I can say these practices are not practiced by many farmers. So why do I say this you ask?
When I started this man-chicken venture I was simply looking for a healthy source of free-range eggs for my family. My thoughts were simply; a few chickens, some organic feed, and all of the chemical free grass and clover, worms and other bugs my property had to offer. It didn't take long though before my free-range birds became *free-range birds; with the asterisk denoting "within bounds". Because they frequented my neighbor's yard more then I or my neighbors would have liked, I was forced to buy some electric poultry netting; currently I have 200ft of fence that I rotate when I feel the grass needs a rest. The fence surrounds a mulberry tree, giving them shade over part of their fenced in area, and the tree itself is surrounded by some raspberry bushes and about a 6ft radius of dirt and rocks, giving them an area to take dirt baths, hunt for bugs, and again cool off in more shade. I do plan to increase the size of their fenced in area, but for now the 200ft of fence is all I have to work with.
Since I was pretty satisfied at this point with the 'free-range' part of the equation, my attention quickly turned to their feed. Originally I had them on an organic layer mash that I purchased from a local supply store. Many of the "backyard chicken" books I read said that the "experts" prefer mash over pellets, because they (chickens) would get their fill of pellets too quickly and become bored... Does anyone see what's wrong with this sentence?
A chicken by nature has the right to live out its life as it would in the wild; let the chicken be a chicken. A wild chicken or game hen would never have the chance to be bored, so neither should yours. In order for a chicken to be a chicken you have to give it enough land (per chicken) to graze hunt and forage for food as well as plenty of fresh air, sunshine, and shade or cover when necessary. This means they need to be outside in the elements when they're not sleeping or laying, and from observing my chickens in the short 5 months or so that I've had them I can say that they have yet to look bored to me.
Now back to my feeding regimen... I was unhappy with the organic layer mash that I started with for two reasons; first it contains soy and second the grains are processed. To address my first concern, the soy, because I have a soy allergy and because I feel that soy is the root of all evil (mass produced chemical concoctions being passed off as food) I did not want it being fed to my chickens in any way! My second problem with the layer mash was although the ingredients were listed as "organic" the grains are processed; and just as I've learned with humans all grains should be eaten in their natural whole grain state, the same goes for chickens. A whole grain loses much (if not all) of its nutrients once it is broken down and therefore is not worth the energy it takes to digest this overly processed mash.
So what to do? Well I set out to buy a healthy organic medley of whole grains; whole corn, whole oats, and whole wheat berries. This is where I found it to be easier said than done... After contacting multiple feed distributors in 1-2hr radius I was only able to find one, a co-op less than a half hour from my house, that was able to get organic whole corn; even that took almost a month. This was due mainly in part because their distributors did not carry organic whole grains in their warehouses because no one is buying them. Needless to say I ended up having to get the other two whole grains from the natural health food store that my wife and I do some of our food shopping at. All in all when I did the math, per 50lb bag, the price was comparable to purchasing an organic soy-free layer mash off the internet.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Homemade Sauerkraut
Why buy sauerkraut when you can make arguably the best tasting sauerkraut you have ever had... and far more nutritious then whatever has been sitting on the grocery store shelf. The ingredients are few and the health benefits many!
Cabbage- 1 or 2 heads (I have since graduated to 4 heads at a time)
Sea Salt- 1tsp per head (or to taste)
patients
Slice the cabbage into the thin strips you are accustom to seeing in sauerkraut. In a large bowl mix together the cabbage and sea salt, really working it with your hands.
What you're trying to do here is use the sea salt as a natural desiccant, drawing the water out of the cabbage, so really squeeze and mash the cabbage with your hands.
Do this once every hour for about 4 hours (the more the merrier), letting it sit out on the counter between each "mashing". Once you have drawn enough water out where the cabbage can be fully submerged in its own juices, it's time to let nature do its thing. Find a container to store the cabbage in like a crock, using something pressing down on top of it to keep it submerged; I use a medium size pyrex bowl with a mason jar filled with water inside the bowl for added weight. Do not cover the outer container that the cabbage is in, since the fermentation process will release gasses that need to escape. Let it sit for about 4 weeks in a cool dry area, and that's all there is to it.
This is a re-post of a previous "Recipe of the Week" that I put on my blog this past fall. I bring this up because even though I am posting this now I recommend making you sauerkraut in the fall/winter when cabbage is in season!
Enjoy!
Cabbage- 1 or 2 heads (I have since graduated to 4 heads at a time)
Sea Salt- 1tsp per head (or to taste)
patients
Slice the cabbage into the thin strips you are accustom to seeing in sauerkraut. In a large bowl mix together the cabbage and sea salt, really working it with your hands.
What you're trying to do here is use the sea salt as a natural desiccant, drawing the water out of the cabbage, so really squeeze and mash the cabbage with your hands.
Do this once every hour for about 4 hours (the more the merrier), letting it sit out on the counter between each "mashing". Once you have drawn enough water out where the cabbage can be fully submerged in its own juices, it's time to let nature do its thing. Find a container to store the cabbage in like a crock, using something pressing down on top of it to keep it submerged; I use a medium size pyrex bowl with a mason jar filled with water inside the bowl for added weight. Do not cover the outer container that the cabbage is in, since the fermentation process will release gasses that need to escape. Let it sit for about 4 weeks in a cool dry area, and that's all there is to it.
This is a re-post of a previous "Recipe of the Week" that I put on my blog this past fall. I bring this up because even though I am posting this now I recommend making you sauerkraut in the fall/winter when cabbage is in season!
Enjoy!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Processing Equals Disaster
With recent headlines like Frozen veggies recalled over glass shard risk or Texas food factory closed, packaged produce recalled I think it only helps drive home the point that food processing, on any level, is an accident waiting to happen; or worse yet death, which is already the case with the Texas food factory... 5 deaths already reported!
For the Texas factory the recall is on fresh cut fruits and vegetables, packaged and sealed and distributed to, get this, restaurants, hospitals and schools!
Can't we buy our fruits and vegetables straight from our local organic farm, where we the buyer actually has an "in person" relationship with the farmer? Where we the buyer brings home this fresh organic produce and then cuts and packages them ourselves?
It is said that in a country that is supposed to be so advanced, that the food industry can be so screwed up, to the point where those that dare venture beyond their local farm for food must approach any aisle of their local grocery store with a "buyer beware" cloud looming overhead.
Sad but true!
Be smart; choose to live a healthy lifestyle! Choose a healthy diet (consisting mainly) of fresh local organic unprocessed foods!
Even if you have to drive an hour or so to the nearest "local organic farm", doesn't it beat the alternative?
For the Texas factory the recall is on fresh cut fruits and vegetables, packaged and sealed and distributed to, get this, restaurants, hospitals and schools!
Can't we buy our fruits and vegetables straight from our local organic farm, where we the buyer actually has an "in person" relationship with the farmer? Where we the buyer brings home this fresh organic produce and then cuts and packages them ourselves?
It is said that in a country that is supposed to be so advanced, that the food industry can be so screwed up, to the point where those that dare venture beyond their local farm for food must approach any aisle of their local grocery store with a "buyer beware" cloud looming overhead.
Sad but true!
Be smart; choose to live a healthy lifestyle! Choose a healthy diet (consisting mainly) of fresh local organic unprocessed foods!
Even if you have to drive an hour or so to the nearest "local organic farm", doesn't it beat the alternative?
Friday, October 15, 2010
Is Cancer a Man-Made Disease?
There are many arguments on either side of this question; with some showing little if any signs of cancer in ancient humans leading to a link between cancer and modern human industrialized society, while others argue that ancient humans rarely lived beyond their 30's which explains the low almost zero rate of cancer within their society.
Michael Zimmerman, a researcher from the University of Villanova, argues this theory saying that "Cancer nowadays is largely caused by man-made environmental factors such as pollution and diet." He goes on to say, "In industrialized societies, cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as a cause of death, but in ancient times, it was extremely rare".
He follows this up by saying, "There is nothing in the natural environment that can cause cancer."
I must say it was nice to see someone within the research community voice such conclusions publicly, and I just can't fathom why the majority of researchers within the medical community can't grasp this notion. It is an indisputable documented fact that prior to being "infected" by the cancer causing ways of the modern western world, societies of humans existed living well into their hundreds; I'm talking 120's and 130's... to us that's unheard of! But to people from Vilcabamba Valley high within the Andes Mountains (just as one example) this was the norm.
This to me rebuts the theory that we suffer from cancer more than our ancient ancestors did simply because we live longer. As man evolved some stayed within small remote communities out of sight from the rest of the world, and some became the industrial society we live in today where man-made pollution and toxins are the norm; and it's this branch that lives with cancer as an epidemic.
The best we can do is to live the healthiest life we can; that means fresh organic fruits and vegetables, natural organic whole grains and legumes, and grass fed meats and free-range eggs. It means limit your exposure to anything toxic; household chemicals and cleaners, cosmetics, soaps, toothpastes, etc.
It's your life; choose to live a long one!
If you would like to read more about Michael Zimmerman's findings, click on "Cancer is a man-made disease, controversial study claims".
Michael Zimmerman, a researcher from the University of Villanova, argues this theory saying that "Cancer nowadays is largely caused by man-made environmental factors such as pollution and diet." He goes on to say, "In industrialized societies, cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as a cause of death, but in ancient times, it was extremely rare".
He follows this up by saying, "There is nothing in the natural environment that can cause cancer."
I must say it was nice to see someone within the research community voice such conclusions publicly, and I just can't fathom why the majority of researchers within the medical community can't grasp this notion. It is an indisputable documented fact that prior to being "infected" by the cancer causing ways of the modern western world, societies of humans existed living well into their hundreds; I'm talking 120's and 130's... to us that's unheard of! But to people from Vilcabamba Valley high within the Andes Mountains (just as one example) this was the norm.
This to me rebuts the theory that we suffer from cancer more than our ancient ancestors did simply because we live longer. As man evolved some stayed within small remote communities out of sight from the rest of the world, and some became the industrial society we live in today where man-made pollution and toxins are the norm; and it's this branch that lives with cancer as an epidemic.
The best we can do is to live the healthiest life we can; that means fresh organic fruits and vegetables, natural organic whole grains and legumes, and grass fed meats and free-range eggs. It means limit your exposure to anything toxic; household chemicals and cleaners, cosmetics, soaps, toothpastes, etc.
It's your life; choose to live a long one!
If you would like to read more about Michael Zimmerman's findings, click on "Cancer is a man-made disease, controversial study claims".
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Ah to be a kid again
As I was walking by a woman's cubical at work this morning I noticed her son (working as a summer intern) had left a McDonald's coffee coolatta next to a bag of McDonald's something or other, and I thought to myself; Ah to be a kid again...
I said this but probably not for the reason that you're thinking. I sometimes wish I was a kid again, not solely for that youthful naive innocence, or that sheer lack of responsibility and stress, but so I could make better smarter healthier dietary decisions. We've all heard someone say, or said it ourselves, "Ah to be a kid again", but it's often in response to the carefree worry-free dietary choices (i.e. junk food). What we often fail to realize, or simply choose not to see, are the detrimental life threatening effects of a poor diet at this age even though childhood obesity and diabetes are epidemics in this country. We assume that a fast metabolism and more active childhood lifestyle (pre-Nintendo that is) will take care of these mistakes, but the sad hard truth is we pay for them when we are older and with interest.
So the next time we see these unhealthy dietary choices being made by children, let's not wish we were that age again simply so we could take part in these unhealthy decisions, but rather use the knowledge you have today, learned either the hard way or through basic curiosity, and not only keep focused on that healthy path you're on but teach these healthy ways to the younger generation before it's too late.
Eat Healthy! Fresh locally grown organic produce, pastured meets, and natural whole grains and legumes; with a diet like that you can't help but be young again.
I said this but probably not for the reason that you're thinking. I sometimes wish I was a kid again, not solely for that youthful naive innocence, or that sheer lack of responsibility and stress, but so I could make better smarter healthier dietary decisions. We've all heard someone say, or said it ourselves, "Ah to be a kid again", but it's often in response to the carefree worry-free dietary choices (i.e. junk food). What we often fail to realize, or simply choose not to see, are the detrimental life threatening effects of a poor diet at this age even though childhood obesity and diabetes are epidemics in this country. We assume that a fast metabolism and more active childhood lifestyle (pre-Nintendo that is) will take care of these mistakes, but the sad hard truth is we pay for them when we are older and with interest.
So the next time we see these unhealthy dietary choices being made by children, let's not wish we were that age again simply so we could take part in these unhealthy decisions, but rather use the knowledge you have today, learned either the hard way or through basic curiosity, and not only keep focused on that healthy path you're on but teach these healthy ways to the younger generation before it's too late.
Eat Healthy! Fresh locally grown organic produce, pastured meets, and natural whole grains and legumes; with a diet like that you can't help but be young again.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Start an Organic Garden
So you've probably heard, from me or from others, that organic produce is a must and that seasonal organic produce is even better. I mean how fresh can those organic pears from Argentina be anyway?
This of course is where "Locally Grown" organic produce comes into play; when it's organic seasonal and grown locally you know it's pretty darn fresh, but can we still do better that?
The answer is yes, it's called your back yard. OK, we all don't have tons of land in which to grow big lush gardens, but that's alright. Your garden can be as big or small as you want it to be, even if that means a few potted organic tomato and pepper plants... it's a start.
You can't get fresher produce than walking out your back door and picking it right before you cook!
Big or small though, make sure your garden is organic. That means buy organic seeds (or plants), and when you replant them into whatever area (yard or larger pot) that will ultimately become their home, make sure you use organic potting soil; and never ever spray them to kill bugs!
So grow some organic veggies and reap the benefits!
This of course is where "Locally Grown" organic produce comes into play; when it's organic seasonal and grown locally you know it's pretty darn fresh, but can we still do better that?
The answer is yes, it's called your back yard. OK, we all don't have tons of land in which to grow big lush gardens, but that's alright. Your garden can be as big or small as you want it to be, even if that means a few potted organic tomato and pepper plants... it's a start.
You can't get fresher produce than walking out your back door and picking it right before you cook!
Big or small though, make sure your garden is organic. That means buy organic seeds (or plants), and when you replant them into whatever area (yard or larger pot) that will ultimately become their home, make sure you use organic potting soil; and never ever spray them to kill bugs!
So grow some organic veggies and reap the benefits!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Snack Healthy
Most people have some sort of sweet tooth, be for something chocolaty or simply for something well sweet. Cravings harmless by nature, but in today's world of chemically infused processed foods there's no longer anything natural about what it is we're craving; and it's the satisfying of these cravings, the unhealthy choices we make, that we end up paying for, for the rest of our lives. It's human nature to be enticed by something sweet or even salty; these qualities do not occur in abundance naturally (without human interference that is), so we're hard wired to take advantage of it when we come across food fulfilling these cravings.
The problem thought started at the same time the "human intervention" reached mass production; when sweet and salty became a dime a dozen, in fact cheaper and more abundant then healthy food. There is more sodium in one serving size of most processed foods (junk food or the so called healthy choices) then our bodies need in an entire day, and with the invention of high fructose corn syrup and other artificial sweeteners sugar is as readily available as water in this country. That is only half the problem though, because it's the quality of these salts and sugars that pack such an unhealthy punch. These are overly processed refined salts and sugars that have absolutely no nutritional value.
Simple sugars are not in way "brain food"... yes the brain fuel is glucose, but complex sugars and whole food sources are what the body wants!
Thankfully there are now snacks available that are actually healthy! These products, mainly found in health food stores, are labeled as "raw" snacks (chips, cookies, bars, etc.) and made with ingredients such as organic sprouted grains, raw honey, dates, coconut... they are extremely tasty and very healthy! So if it's your sweet tooth that needs attention, then satisfy the craving with something that can actually benefit your health.
This is just one of the companies that make these healthy treats; GoRaw.
The problem thought started at the same time the "human intervention" reached mass production; when sweet and salty became a dime a dozen, in fact cheaper and more abundant then healthy food. There is more sodium in one serving size of most processed foods (junk food or the so called healthy choices) then our bodies need in an entire day, and with the invention of high fructose corn syrup and other artificial sweeteners sugar is as readily available as water in this country. That is only half the problem though, because it's the quality of these salts and sugars that pack such an unhealthy punch. These are overly processed refined salts and sugars that have absolutely no nutritional value.
Simple sugars are not in way "brain food"... yes the brain fuel is glucose, but complex sugars and whole food sources are what the body wants!
Thankfully there are now snacks available that are actually healthy! These products, mainly found in health food stores, are labeled as "raw" snacks (chips, cookies, bars, etc.) and made with ingredients such as organic sprouted grains, raw honey, dates, coconut... they are extremely tasty and very healthy! So if it's your sweet tooth that needs attention, then satisfy the craving with something that can actually benefit your health.
This is just one of the companies that make these healthy treats; GoRaw.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
My Soapbox
I'm not one to publicly get on the soapbox and give unsolicited advice to any and all who will listen, which is why I have this blog. This is my soapbox, here for all to read if they choose... no strings, no ties. I am always willing to give advise or talk about what I know and what I've learned to any and all who ask and care to listen, but public debates and or tirades are not my style.
I've learned a lot in a relatively short time, slowly but steadily changing my views and unhealthy ways when it comes to health diet and lifestyle, from the more misguided mainstream way to the healthier more enlightened and eye-opening natural organic way. It started more or less about 4 years ago when I read Kevin Trudeau's "Natural Cures " They don't want you to know about"... it was eye-opening to say the least, and as a matter of fact it was so shocking in an accusing conspiracy kind of way that I was only able to initially "buy into" some of it. It not only caused the start of my transition into a more organic healthy lifestyle, but it caused me to constantly question where the loyalty of the pharmaceutical and food manufacturing companies lied.
Over the next few years I slowly transitioned further as I educated myself with more reading (see my list of informative books) as well as with the diagnosis of my food allergies (soy in particular) that unintentionally yet drastically made one of the biggest impacts on my diet. Unfortunately soy is found in nearly all overly processed prepackaged foods, and THANKFULLY soy is found in nearly all overly processed prepackaged foods! I've said it before... my soy allergy was and is a blessing in disguise!
The next major eye opener on my road to "healthy" was a book by Michael Pollan "The Omnivore's Dilemma". It not only reemphasized the need to be skeptical with the large corporations running our food industry, but to remain aware and to continually educated on the subject. It drove home the importance of Organic Free-Grazed and Grass-Fed meets and eggs and locally grown organic produce of any kind. It helped me realize that although organic is extremely important, it is the true definition of the word that should be understood and practiced and not simply the generic use of the word. I now see that it's inevitable that as organic foods becomes more and more popular and "in demand" by the public that it too can become tainted as the large corporations that currently poison our food supply jump on board driven solely by greed.
If you're not a "reader" and would rather a visual to drive this home then rent the movie "Food Inc", it's not quite as informative but touches on most of the same topics and even includes interviews with Michael Pollan.
The truth is I've come a long way in a short time, but by no means do I feel like I know it all... I'm always learning new things, many eye-opening but all helpful and informative. This lifestyle I've chosen and that my wife and I continue to follow is a passion of mine, a religion if you will, and because without the personal stories and detailed facts I've learned from others I wouldn't know what I know now, I will continue to use this blog as my soapbox for all to read.
I've learned a lot in a relatively short time, slowly but steadily changing my views and unhealthy ways when it comes to health diet and lifestyle, from the more misguided mainstream way to the healthier more enlightened and eye-opening natural organic way. It started more or less about 4 years ago when I read Kevin Trudeau's "Natural Cures " They don't want you to know about"... it was eye-opening to say the least, and as a matter of fact it was so shocking in an accusing conspiracy kind of way that I was only able to initially "buy into" some of it. It not only caused the start of my transition into a more organic healthy lifestyle, but it caused me to constantly question where the loyalty of the pharmaceutical and food manufacturing companies lied.
Over the next few years I slowly transitioned further as I educated myself with more reading (see my list of informative books) as well as with the diagnosis of my food allergies (soy in particular) that unintentionally yet drastically made one of the biggest impacts on my diet. Unfortunately soy is found in nearly all overly processed prepackaged foods, and THANKFULLY soy is found in nearly all overly processed prepackaged foods! I've said it before... my soy allergy was and is a blessing in disguise!
The next major eye opener on my road to "healthy" was a book by Michael Pollan "The Omnivore's Dilemma". It not only reemphasized the need to be skeptical with the large corporations running our food industry, but to remain aware and to continually educated on the subject. It drove home the importance of Organic Free-Grazed and Grass-Fed meets and eggs and locally grown organic produce of any kind. It helped me realize that although organic is extremely important, it is the true definition of the word that should be understood and practiced and not simply the generic use of the word. I now see that it's inevitable that as organic foods becomes more and more popular and "in demand" by the public that it too can become tainted as the large corporations that currently poison our food supply jump on board driven solely by greed.
If you're not a "reader" and would rather a visual to drive this home then rent the movie "Food Inc", it's not quite as informative but touches on most of the same topics and even includes interviews with Michael Pollan.
The truth is I've come a long way in a short time, but by no means do I feel like I know it all... I'm always learning new things, many eye-opening but all helpful and informative. This lifestyle I've chosen and that my wife and I continue to follow is a passion of mine, a religion if you will, and because without the personal stories and detailed facts I've learned from others I wouldn't know what I know now, I will continue to use this blog as my soapbox for all to read.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Cancer... You Can Protect Yourself!
Today I came across this headline...
"Cancer risk from chemicals underestimated!"
This is a very interesting article and a subject that is long overdue for attention and correction. I've been reading about this for years, the amount of toxins that we are exposed to as a result of everyday things, which is one of the reasons for the lifestyle change my wife and I have made a few years ago.
"Although as many as two-thirds of cancer cases are caused by lifestyle choices like smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise, the panel said many avoidable cancers were also caused by pollution, radon from the soil and medical imaging scans... 'With nearly 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States, many of which are used by millions of Americans in their daily lives and are un- or understudied and largely unregulated, exposure to potential environmental carcinogens is widespread,' it adds."
This is a shocking statistic indeed, and I hope it hits home with those who read it.
Eat Healthy!
"Cancer risk from chemicals underestimated!"
This is a very interesting article and a subject that is long overdue for attention and correction. I've been reading about this for years, the amount of toxins that we are exposed to as a result of everyday things, which is one of the reasons for the lifestyle change my wife and I have made a few years ago.
"Although as many as two-thirds of cancer cases are caused by lifestyle choices like smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise, the panel said many avoidable cancers were also caused by pollution, radon from the soil and medical imaging scans... 'With nearly 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States, many of which are used by millions of Americans in their daily lives and are un- or understudied and largely unregulated, exposure to potential environmental carcinogens is widespread,' it adds."
This is a shocking statistic indeed, and I hope it hits home with those who read it.
Eat Healthy!
- Fresh local organic produce (in season is best)
- Organic free grazed chickens, grass fed beef and wild caught fish
- Natural organic whole grains and legumes
- Minimally processed organic foods (no artificial anything)
- Use only Organic cosmetic and hygiene products whenever possible.
- Use only Organic or Biodegradable "Green" Earth Friendly household cleaning products.
- Avoid contact with harsh chemicals of any kind!
- Practice Meditation and or Yoga
- Exercise... Out Side!
- Smile! (let things go... Stress kills!)
- Avoid unnecessary prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs (Look to Natures Medicine cabinet)
- It's really that simple!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
All of the above
So who's to blame when a product marketed and sold as "medicine" ends up doing more harm than good?
Should it be
"a" The company selling this over the counter pharmaceutical drug that by definition is supposed to give relief from whatever unhealthy symptoms you suffer from?
"b "The government agency that is suppose to police this industry and protect the public?
When it's headlines like "FDA found bacteria in lots for recalled Tylenol" that seem to pop up weekly, than the answer is "C" all of the above!
Eat Healthy, Live Healthy, it's that simple!
Should it be
"a" The company selling this over the counter pharmaceutical drug that by definition is supposed to give relief from whatever unhealthy symptoms you suffer from?
"b "The government agency that is suppose to police this industry and protect the public?
When it's headlines like "FDA found bacteria in lots for recalled Tylenol" that seem to pop up weekly, than the answer is "C" all of the above!
Eat Healthy, Live Healthy, it's that simple!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Read Product Labels
More importantly though 'Understanding' product labels, because I don't believe reading them is always the problem. The only bright side to this otherwise shady fad-diet craze that seems to be so popular in this country is that people are indeed becoming more aware of food labels, the problem is by "aware" I mean aware of their existence but not of any real understanding.
It's kind of like the engine compartment of that car you may be driving... you're aware that under the hood is an engine, but there is no real understanding of the basics.
I am constantly amazed of peoples' in ability to locate even the common food ingredient "no nos" like sugar or understand the importance of location for those like salt.
Take Glaceau's Vitamin Water... if you look at the ingredients you will notice the first three listed read as follows; "Vapor Distilled, Deionized, and/or Reverse Osmosis Water, Crystalline Fructose, Cane Sugar". What bothers me is that the marketing departments of these company's think that the average person is so unaware, so caught up in this fad-diet "lose weight quick" with little or no effort craze, and so easily distracted by such simple words like "vitamin" that we wouldn't notice that 2 of the first 3 ingredients are sugar; "Crystalline Fructose, Cane Sugar"! But what bothers me even more is that the average person is exactly that; unaware, so caught up in this fad-diet "lose weight quick" with little or no effort craze, and so easily distracted by such simple words like "vitamin" that they take the bait hook line and sinker.
Just to clear things up overly processed refined simple sugars are never good, so if you see them listed twice within the first three ingredients be wary; especially if the product is marketed as a healthy drink.
Another big thing to look for is the location of salt in the ingredients, and if you're eating process food (organic or no) than there is no doubt salt is in the ingredients and the majority of the time it's in the form of a simple salt (sodium minus any healthy trace minerals). It is important to choose the products that list it near or at the bottom of the list, it can be the difference of 100+ milligrams of sodium.
I want nothing more than to believe that people are not as gullible and easily misguided as these food manufactures would like us to believe; prove me right!
It's kind of like the engine compartment of that car you may be driving... you're aware that under the hood is an engine, but there is no real understanding of the basics.
I am constantly amazed of peoples' in ability to locate even the common food ingredient "no nos" like sugar or understand the importance of location for those like salt.
Take Glaceau's Vitamin Water... if you look at the ingredients you will notice the first three listed read as follows; "Vapor Distilled, Deionized, and/or Reverse Osmosis Water, Crystalline Fructose, Cane Sugar". What bothers me is that the marketing departments of these company's think that the average person is so unaware, so caught up in this fad-diet "lose weight quick" with little or no effort craze, and so easily distracted by such simple words like "vitamin" that we wouldn't notice that 2 of the first 3 ingredients are sugar; "Crystalline Fructose, Cane Sugar"! But what bothers me even more is that the average person is exactly that; unaware, so caught up in this fad-diet "lose weight quick" with little or no effort craze, and so easily distracted by such simple words like "vitamin" that they take the bait hook line and sinker.
Just to clear things up overly processed refined simple sugars are never good, so if you see them listed twice within the first three ingredients be wary; especially if the product is marketed as a healthy drink.
Another big thing to look for is the location of salt in the ingredients, and if you're eating process food (organic or no) than there is no doubt salt is in the ingredients and the majority of the time it's in the form of a simple salt (sodium minus any healthy trace minerals). It is important to choose the products that list it near or at the bottom of the list, it can be the difference of 100+ milligrams of sodium.
I want nothing more than to believe that people are not as gullible and easily misguided as these food manufactures would like us to believe; prove me right!
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