Americans confused about what to eat, but why?

Americans confused about what to eat, but why?

Excerpt:
By Deborah Kotz, Globe Staff
I wasn't surprised by a survey released this week by the American Heart Association showing Americans are woefully ill-informed about two things that affect their heart-disease risk: salt and alcohol. While more than three-quarters of the 1,000 folks the AHA surveyed knew that wine was good for their heart, less than a third knew the recommended daily limit -- four ounces of wine for women and eight ounces for men.

My reply to the post:
Why are "we" confused on what to eat?

Ummm...why does the American Heart Association allow a "little red dress" on every diet coke can "in support of women's heart health programs." Hmmmm....and "they" wonder why WE are confused? 

America (and her children) has never been fatter or sicker and strangely we can't seem to figure out why.

Link to complete article:  Americans confused about what to eat, but why? Daily Dose - Boston.com

Why does the American Heart Association allow the "little red dress" on diet coke cans?

Terrific resource to see if the cottonseed oil* in your box of crackers is GMO (Genetically Modified Organism)

http://www.nongmoproject.org/

Look for this label at your supermarkets

*Come to think of it.  Why is cotton in my box of crackers?

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution - LA schools to stop serving sugar-filled flavored milks in school!

Direct from Jamie Oliver...
Dear Food Revolutionary,

Huge news! Last night on the Jimmy Kimmel show, Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District John Deasy announced to Jamie that he's going to recommend that LA schools stop serving sugar-filled flavored milks in school!

Amazing! And it couldn't have happened without your hard work and support.

This just shows that when thousands of us come together to demand for better for our kids, people WILL listen. When the TV cameras go away the Food Revolution will still be there as a powerful grassroots movement working for better school food across the country, but it takes lots of people joining in together to make it happen. 

This is a huge moment to show all your friends what this movement is about. Will you take a quick moment to share Jamie's petition with 2 friends and invite them to join us?

http://www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/sign-petition 

For school children, where's the water?

This is such a terrific article on how our children do not have access to water in their schools.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/04/18/water.school.children/index.html

Here's an idea...Ecowell Vending Machine Dispenses...Water!

p.s.  Who has time to line up for the warm, germ infested drinking fountains when you have five minutes between class?

Do You Know How Many Genetically Modified Foods You're Eating? 8 to Pay Attention To

Hahahahaha­... so true! I used to think that I actually needed a science degree to know that an "organic" apple was better for our kids than a GMO pop tart.

Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food. -Hippocrat­es

Do you really believe that today's undergradu­ate science students know more than the founder of western medicine? And, he wasn't even talking about our factory-fa­rmed, franken food pyramid.

So, goldandmud­d: If we are what we eat....are you cheap, fast and easy?

p.s. Thanks everyone for your kind words. Best health to you all!
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Are Weight Loss and Common Sense at War?

Common sense is not so common. - Voltaire

• Diet coke cans display "little red dresses" asking us to support women's heart disease
• Chocolate milk is offered on high school lunch menus but not water. (Bottled water is extra.)
• It's cheaper to feed our families fake, franken food products than organic apples

Strangely, America has never been fatter or sicker and we can't seem to figure out why.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Calcium supplements: risks versus rewards - The Boston Globe

Calcium supplements: risks versus rewards - The Boston Globe

Okay! Took less than 2 minutes to see that this article is an infomercial for the dairy industry:   

Dr. Tony McKenna of the Fonterra Research Centre, formerly the Dairy Research Institute added, "that dairy researchers had been working for some time with Auckland University's bone research group led by Associate Professor Jill Cornish and Professor Ian Reid."  (Professor Ian Reid is the lead researcher of "the study.")

Now notice what the Harvard Researcher, Dr. Hu, suggests. I think it’s generally a good idea to get as much calcium as you can from food rather than supplements,’’ says Dr. Frank Hu, a calcium researcher and professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.  Interestingly the next paragraph is all about dairy. But, read that same paragraph closely, Dr. Hu never mentions what "food"  groups or specifically dairy for that matter.  In fact, there is no "expert" quoted in that particular paragraph.  It just says: 
Women age 51 and over and men age 71 and over need 1,200 milligrams a day of calcium. Younger adults need 1,000 mg a day. Eight ounces of yogurt, an 8-ounce glass of milk, and a 1.5-ounce serving of cheddar cheese provide 1,000 mg of calcium. Adding a cup of fortified orange juice can get you up to 1,200 mg .


Even more interestingly, here's what one of Dr. Hu's colleagues has to say about cow's milk and dairy: Modern Milk May not be Natures Perfect Food


So, whom to believe?  Best way to build strong bones...exercise! Best way to get vitamin D...15 minutes of sunshine. These suggestions are provided by my oncologist not "industry sponsored research and press releases." I had cancer at age 38 and had no idea that what I was eating could possibly be making me sick. Thankfully changed my diet over 11 years ago and have been healthy ever since. (It was a hormone receptive tumor.)

p.s. The way the article is written, I wonder if Dr. Hu knows his name is "linked to" eating dairy products as a source of calcium?

Chocolate Milk In Schools: Should It Be Banned?

When our teenage daughter goes through the lunch line she CAN NOT get water with her lunch! She is told to take either one of four types of cow's milk or juice. "You have to pay extra for the bottled water. It doesn't count," she's told. Where's the water cooler and a cup? (Not a fountain..­.the water cooler like most office buildings offer to employees.­)

Chocolate cow's milk is the tip of the feed our kid's crap agri-big business, franken food pyramid...

Our friend's 9 year-old was diagnosed as pre-diabet­ic and she had no idea that what he was eating was making him so sick. She had to change what's on their plates. (Thankfull­y, two years later he's fine.) Strangely, every night after his diagnosis, when he'd play baseball or hockey the concession stands would only sell "sugary" sports drinks, candy, pizza and soda. The only thing he could get was water and he can't even get that at school!

Common sense is not so common. - Voltaire
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Chocolate Milk In Schools: Should It Be Banned?

Soda = candy in a can

Chocolate cow's milk = candy in a carton

Check out this link and tell me if it's a thinly veiled commercial to sell more product or an industry that is truly concerned about my children's nutritiona­l welfare?

http://www­.nutrition­exploratio­ns.org/edu­cators/sch­ool-nutrit­ion-lunch.­asp

BTW...how come our elementary school can offer 4 types of cow's milk on the lunch menu but not water? It's 'cuz the USDA see no "nutrition­al value in water." The USDA was created to subsidize farmers not build food pyramids.

Concerned about the kid's getting enough calcium...­give 'em an antacid that has added calcium.  They'll need it after eating the fake, franken food products served in most schools.

p.s. I bought the industries infomercia­ls hook-line and sinker and got cancer at 38! Enough is enough!

Best health always to everyone!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Green Eggs and Ham - "The Dark Side of Food Coloring Dyes"

We won't be decorating Easter Eggs this week...too depressed about all the factory farming that's going on and don't want to support them.  And, since I'm the only one that enjoys an occasional organic, free range, hard boiled egg at our house, I can't waste a dozen eggs.

Link to article on food dyes in our diet

Here's an excerpt  from a terrific post at the Skeptic's Health Journal Club that's appropriately titled "Green Eggs and Ham":

There are seven artificial food dyes allowed on the market currently, however this was not always the case.  Actually, if you can believe it, a total of 12 previous artificial food dyes were at one point in the past approved by the FDA to market, before that agency reversed its previous decisions, (twelve times in a row) and banned those artificial food dyes from the market place when evidence of harm became undeniable.  Wow, what a track record.  Really makes you feel confident about the safety of the currently marketed dyes.

Here's the link to the complete article: Green Eggs and Ham

Frugal Family: School Vacation Ideas that even "most" teenagers will enjoy - Boston Area

p.s. Working this week, but here's some ideas from past experience (skip those that cost $$$):

• Museum Passes: Call your local library and see if they have any last minute cancellations or no shows for the museum passes.  Many museums cater to the school vacation week with special children's and teenager programs

• Might be less expensive to purchase a family membership to area museums that you'll be visiting more than once over the course of a year

• Take Public Transportation in to the city (see details below on a day that even "most" teenagers will enjoy)*

• Walk the Freedom Trail - Freedom Trail* - don't forget a stop in to the Green Dragon so the kid's can split a plate of French fries (yes, SuperMom-in-training's kids eat French fries) and you and your adult travel companion can order a pint of Guinness and maybe even catch a bit of a Sox's game. 

• Take a walk or bike ride around the Charles River bike path - Charles River Pike Path
• Discounted admissions to area museums (take a look at the fine print - most offer a free night or nominal fee, including): Children's Museum - Target $1 Friday Nights Sponsored by are offered every Friday from 5–9pm - Friday nights in the middle of the summer...they have air conditioning. 
• If there's a little more in the budget and you can share a ride to Gloucester: Hammond Castle - (only open for school vacation week on Friday, Saturday and Sunday)

*The following itinerary for a day in Boston (in various forms over the years) has been tested with toddlers in strollers, older/younger cousins, 16 year-old boys, 14 year-old girls, two nine-year old boys, and another adult to keep me company.

Public Transportation (http://www.mbta.com/)

-Take public transportation....it gets everyone in the mood for "people watching."

- Since Boston is a great walking city get ready to hit the streets and wear down your shoes. No parking as close to the mall as possible here. Make certain everyone dresses appropriately as the weather can be a bit unpredictable and change throughout the day. Also, don't encourage the children to walk around the fountain ledges. Several years ago one of our children fell in to the Copley Square Fountain (true story and not the cleanest water in the world) and our party of 15 had to wait while I found a discount clothing store to buy dry clothes. Remember the main rule when traveling with small children, pre- teens, teenagers, adults and seniors: what goes wrong is what we will remember most fondly. 

This Is the Game Changer!

America is hungry for change! SuperMoms-­in-trainin­g unite!

America (and her children) have never been fatter or sicker and we can't seem to figure out why.

We have plenty of advanced degrees telling us everything is fine with our food supply, mixed with a food pyramid that's based on out-of-dat­e science and influenced by agri-big business.

"They" won't stop manufactur­ing this factory-fa­rmed franken food until WE stop buying it.

p.s. Laurie, awesome post! Did you see Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution the other night? Our 17 year old was grossed out at the ammonia used to make most hamburger "meat" fit for human consumptio­n.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Acne: Are Milk and Sugar the Causes?

Dr. Mark Hyman discusses Acne: Are Milk and Sugar the Causes? on The Huffington Post.

Acne: Are Milk and Sugar the Causes?

Let's play a game - "Who is behind the web page?"

Is this a thinly veiled commercial selling a product or are "they" truly  interested in my child's health and well being?

http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/educators/school-nutrition-lunch.asp

Antibiotics and Food Production: Are we Feeding a Health Crisis and Squandering the Cure?

Great post! America (and her children) have never been fatter or sicker and strangely we can't seem to figure out why.

From the antibiotics to growth hormones and geneticall­y modified franken food (GMO), we have plenty of advanced "scientific" degrees along with the USDA and FDA telling us everything is fine with our food supply.

Let's put our money where our mouth is (so to speak) and stop buying and feeding our children this factory farmed franken food!

p.s. Anyone else remember the 500,000,00­0,000 eggs that were recalled last summer from two Iowa "farms?" They can still resell them as long as they're cooked. Any ideas on what menu you think they showed up on?

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Mass. farming group hits Monsanto with lawsuit

Mass. farming group hits Monsanto with lawsuit - Mass High Tech Business News

Don't mess with our Massachusetts Farmers.  Remember the last time? Smell another revolution brewing in Boston...and they need our support!  Do I hear a call to arms?

Driven through the corn fields of the Midwest and six hours later you're still in them. Not here in the Northeast. You'd have traveled through three states and plenty of non GMO, non factory, non franken food, family farms.

Mass. Farming Group Hits Monsanto with Lawsuit

Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution' Undaunted By Obstacles In LA

Dear Joaquin,

This is exactly the problem! Individuals with advanced degrees are telling us that there is nothing wrong with our highly processed, genetically modified, franken food supply while America and her children have never been fatter or sicker.

Next thing you'll be telling us that the Food Pyramid is actually a "healthy" way to eat. The Harvard School of Public Health calls the franken food pyramid: "... based on out-of-dat­e science and influenced by people with business interests in their messages."

Common sense is not so common. - Voltaire
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution' Undaunted By Obstacles In LA

Strangely, in America, we can't seem to figure out why we've never been fatter or sicker. Jamie, can't wait to see the show! I'm psyched the administra­tors wouldn't let you film. It will add to your free publicity and bring about REAL change by exposing the hypocracy.

To several posters, have you ever wondered why your child's school lunch menu can offer four choices of cow's milk (including chocolate) but not water. It's 'cuz the federal government (USDA that reimburses school lunch programs) sees "no nutritional value in water" and won't let it be offered as a beverage choice. (Wonder what industry got that on the menu?)

How can we (parents) establish healthy eating habits when we're up against these subsidized factory farms producing fake frankenfoo­d. (Our 11 year old begged me to make him lunch every day until our school starting serving "real" food.) For some children, lunch is the "healthies­t" meal they'll get all day.

Take a look at what's considered junk food at your school.

Here's a hint: Hi-C Blast (sugar water) vs.Seltzer Water (carbonate­d water)

(check out the link: http://www­.cspinet.o­rg/nutriti­onpolicy/j­unkfoodqui­z.html)

Jamie Oliver and Food Revolution­...you have my vote!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

FDA recalls (not to be confused with USDA)

Wanna see if those "factory fresh" eggs or bottle of pills in the medicine cabinet were recently recalled?*  

I'm always curious why friends have ended up in the hospital with "the flu" and released 24 hours later.  When we matched the Colorado recalls with the time of the symptoms, it was a no brainier...food poisoning.

FDA launches consumer-friendly Web search for consumers during recalls

Excerpt from the FDA Warning Letter:

WARNING LETTER

Ref. KAN 2011-01

Mr. Austin J. Decoster, Owner

Quality Egg LLC

2674 Highway 69

Galt, IA 50101

Dear Mr. Decoster:

The outside access doors to the manure pits had been pushed out by the weight of manure, leaving open access to wildlife and other animals at the following locations: Layer 1, House 1 and Layer 3, Houses 2, 17, 18

Dark liquid which appeared to be manure was observed seeping through the concrete foundation to the outside of the laying houses at Layer 1, Houses 1 through 5, 8, 11, 12, and 14; and Layer 3, Houses 1,8, 13, 17. Standing water approximately 3 inches deep was observed in the southeast comer of the manure pit located inside Layer 1, House 13.

Uncaged chickens were observed in the egg laying operation in contact with the egg laying birds at Layer 3, Houses 9 and 16. The uncaged birds were using the manure to access the egg laying areas.

► The entrance door to Layer 3, House 11 was blocked with excessive amounts of manure in the manure pits.

► There were between 2 to 5 live mice observed inside the following egg laying houses: Layer 1, Houses 1,5, and 10; Layer 2, House 11; Layer 3, Houses 2, 5, 7, 9,11, and 14; and Layer 4, House 3.
► Live and dead flies too numerous to count were observed inside the following egg laying houses: Layer 1, Houses 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12; Layer 2, Houses 7 and 11; Layer 3, Houses 3, 4,5,6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, and 18. The flies were observed on and around egg belts, feed, shell eggs and walkways in different sections of each egg laying house. In addition, live and dead maggots too numerous to count were observed on the manure pit floor at Layer 2, House 7.

*Careful, the website is addicting.

Hormones In Food: Should You Worry?

Thanks for your post!

So true about these factory farms and our health. I had no idea what a hormone receptive tumor was until I experience­d breast cancer at the age of 38. Check out this article from a Harvard Public Health researcher on "modern" milk.

And...she'­s not even talkin' about the cow's with recombinan­t bovine growth hormone (rBGH), a synthetic cow hormone. (For over eleven years now...no more dairy for me!)

Got a hormone receptive tumor?

Common sense is not so common. - Voltaire

About Nutrition
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