1 in 12 Kids may Have Food Allergies!

A recent headline reads "1 in 12 Kids may have food allergies", and nearly 40 of those affected have severe reactions!

With statistics like this you would think researchers, physicians, and the FDA would put the much needed time, effort, and money into where it's needed the most (our nation's food industry) and fix this broken system that is taking it's toll on an all too trusting public.

I have posted a number of times regarding my thoughts on what I feel is an obvious link between food allergies and the way we (as a society) eat, or more accurately what we're not eating. The average American is an ideal breeding ground for inflammation in all its many forms. This is an indisputable ugly fact with more and more evidence piling up in the form of diseases and disorders; heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, obesity, cancer, food allergies, and basically any other organ/tissue/muscle/tendon related ailment.

The majority of people have 12-20 times the amount of Omega-6 (which promotes inflammation) compared to Omega-3 (one of nature's best anti-inflammatories) in their body, and this equals trouble plain and simple. We live in an a fast paced world of quick and easy ready to eat overly processed pre-made meals that are high in everything that we don't need (saturated fat, sodium, omega-6, and countless cancer causing chemicals) and more or less lacking in anything beneficial to our health.

So what's the answer you ask?

How about this...

1. Eat More LOCAL ORGANIC fresh produce and Eat Less pre-packaged already prepared non-organic "fresh or frozen" vegetables
2. Eat More ORGANIC LOCALLY RAISED PASTURED meats, poultry and eggs and Eat Less of the corn-fed antibiotic and hormone infused non-organic grocery store bought kind.
3. Eat Less processed foods and MAKE SURE those that you do eat are ORGANIC with minimal ingredients.
4. Know Where you food is coming from and DEMAND ORGANIC SUSTAINABLE practices.
5. MAKE MORE meals from scratch and STOP looking for meal shortcuts
   
6. CARE about what you feed yourself and your family and STOP ASSUMING others have your needs and your health in mind.
7. LIVE Happy and Healthy!
   

Wild Food, a "Berry" wise choice!

Wild Food sources may be one of the healthiest choices when it comes to diet.

Although I strongly believe in local organic sustainable farming when it comes to the vegetables, meat, poultry, and eggs that my family and I eat, what can be more organic and sustainable for that matter then wild food?

My wife and I are pretty lucky to have 4 types of fruit baring trees/bushes in our yard; a cherry tree and an apple tree (both very large and very old), 2 mulberry trees (also quite large), and wild raspberry bushes outlining the yard. Unfortunately the apple and cherry trees are so large that birds and insects are the only ones that have dibs on most of the fruit, although we do get some of the low hanging stuff, but the mulberry trees and raspberry bushes are a different story and June is when in all begins!

Now I'm not sure about the apple and cherry trees but I can tell you that raspberries and mulberries do grow wild in my area, so I will focus on them. The black mulberry trees in my yard have already started bearing fruit and my wife and I have taken full advantage of this. They taste great right off the tree, but since we pick them in bulk, we rinse them off and freeze them for later use; usually in shakes or smoothies.

The raspberry bushes are just starting to flower and soon we will be able to harvest them as well. They literally surround our yard and thanks to the many birds that feed on them as well, the bushes will sprout up practically anywhere in the yard if left uncut. Just like the mulberries they are great right off the bush, or frozen for future use!

Now I know not everyone is as lucky as we are to have so many fruit sources in their own yard, but you would be surprised to know how many wild food sources (fruits, nuts, seeds, and plants) may be in your area.

Do your research, and then find yourself a piece of reasonably local untouched chemical free (people free) piece of land in your area... your next meal is waiting to be picked.