Tag Archives: organic

Avoiding GMOs

Posted on November 21, 2014 | Leave a comment

It is a common theme on this site and in practice that we stress the importance of feeding the body with the optimal fuel it needs and deserves.  One of the major stumbling blocks to this can be the consumption of the widespread GMO (genetically modified organism) or GE (genetically engineered) “foods.”

If you are still unfamiliar with or don’t understand what the big deal is, our best, natural fuel and medicine is being altered in a laboratory and then supplied to the masses.  This leaves us masses as the unknowing participants in a science experiment, with us being the Guinea pigs.

For a review on some of the hazards with human consumption of these foods click here: https://clarkechiropracticwellness.com/2013/12/04/whats-the-big-deal-with-gmos/

If you are looking to take a proactive step and limit your consumption of these “frankenfoods” laced with unwashable pesticides and herbicides, here are some tips to move you in the right direction:

Tip #1: Buy Organic

Certified organic products cannot intentionally include any GMO ingredients. Buy products labeled “100% organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic ingredients.” You can be doubly sure if the product also has a Non-GMO Project Verified Seal.

Tip #2: Look for “Non-GMO” Labels

Products that carry the Non-GMO Project Seal are independently verified to be in compliance with North America’s only third party standard for GMO avoidance, including testing of at-risk ingredients. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to providing consumers with clearly labeled and independently verified non-GMO choices. Look for dairy products labeled “No rBGH or rBST,” or “artificial hormone-free.”

Tip #3: Avoid At-Risk Ingredients

If it’s not labeled organic or verified non-GMO: Avoid products made with ingredients that might be derived from GMOs (see ingredient list below). The eight GM food crops are Corn, Soybeans, Canola, Cottonseed, Sugar Beets, Hawaiian Papaya (most) and a small amount of Zucchini and Yellow Squash.

Sugar

If a non-organic product made in North American lists “sugar” as an ingredient (and NOT pure cane sugar), then it is almost certainly a combination of sugar from both sugar cane and GM sugar beets.

Dairy

Products may be from cows injected with GM bovine growth hormone. Look for labels stating No rBGH, rBST, or artificial hormones.

Hidden GM Ingredients

Processed foods often have hidden GM sources (unless they are organic or declared non-GMO). The following are ingredients that may be made from GMOs.

Aspartame, also called
NutraSweet®, Equal Spoonful®,
Canderel®, BeneVia®, E951 AminoSweet®
baking powder
canola oil (rapeseed)
caramel color
cellulose
citric acid
cobalamin (Vit. B12)
colorose
condensed milk
confectioners sugar
corn flour
corn gluten
corn masa
corn meal
corn oil
corn sugar
corn syrup
cornstarch
cyclodextrin
cystein
dextrin
dextrose
diacetyl
diglyceride
Equal
food starch
fructose (any form)
glucose
glutamate
glutamic acid
gluten
glycerides
glycerin
glycerol
glycerol monooleate
glycine
hemicellulose
high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
hydrogenated starch
hydrolyzed vegetable protein
inositol
inverse syrup
invert sugar
inversol
isoflavones
lactic acid
lecithin
leucine
lysine
malitol
malt
malt syrup
malt extract
maltodextrin
maltose
mannitol
methylcellulose
milk powder
milo starch
modified food starch
modified starch
mono and diglycerides
monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Nutrasweet
oleic acid
Phenylalanine
phytic acid
protein isolate
shoyu
sorbitol
soy flour
soy isolates
soy lecithin
soy milk
soy oil
soy protein
soy protein isolate
soy sauce
starch
stearic acid
sugar (unless cane)
tamari
tempeh
teriyaki marinade
textured vegetable protein
threonine
tocopherols (Vit E)
tofu
trehalose
triglyceride
vegetable fat
vegetable oil
Vitamin B12
Vitamin E
whey
whey powder
xanthan gum

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Healthy Alternatives: Grass Fed Beef Stir Fry with Kelp Noodles

Posted on May 22, 2014 | Leave a comment

With the wife preoccupied with our new boy, I figured I should step up on the nutritious suggestions.  We’ve received much positive feedback from Ashley’s previously posted recipes and would love to share more.

My normal regimen (which I’ll start to include as well in an effort to provide ideas and spark your own culinary creativity) consists of various versions of salad, raw veggies, fruits and nuts, hormone and antibiotic free chicken and eggs and your occasional sweet potato, grass fed beef, wild fish or on the go/recovery protein drink.

While preparing a Friday night meal for my wife and I, it dawned on me that I should share these slightly more involved dishes that are great tasting AND nutritious.

So here you go:

GRASS FED BEEF STIR FRY WITH KELP NOODLES

1lb. Grass Fed Beef      (Publix carries multiple brands of this now)

1 Bag Kelp Noodles      (clear noodles, can be found at most health food stores)

1-2 Organic Eggs

 

1 Green Pepper

1 Purple Onion

1 Portable Mushroom

1 Stalk of Celery

1 Avocado

1 Tomato

1 Clove of Garlic

Cashews

(Preferably organic for all the above.  No sense in derailing your honest efforts with a good dose of pesticides and gut/immune system destroying GMOs).

 

Seasoning of Choice for Beef:

Turmeric

Cumin

Ground Pepper

Oregano

 

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Coconut Oil

 

Preheat two pans (preferably ceramic or cast iron, PLEASE avoid cooking with aluminum or non-stick teflon) coated with coconut oil on LOW to MED LOW heat.

Prep Veggies:

Thinly slice purple onion and green pepper

Dice celery, garlic and tomato

Slice avocado

Chop cashews and mushrooms

photo 4

Add beef to one pan and noodles to the other. The larger pan should be used for the noodles.   (I also like to go heavy on the coconut oil in the larger pan.)

Season beef (light turmeric, cumin, oregano, ground pepper: facilitates better turmeric absorption, diced garlic) and mix with spatula.

photo 2

Continuously stir noodles.

(Like my wife, I’m not a big exact time & measurement guy when it comes to cooking. This is fine for personal preparation, but leaves a recipe somewhat devoid of precise steps, so bear with me.)

Once the noodles begin to soften and separate, begin adding veggies (green peppers, onion, celery and mushroom).

photo 3

Don’t forget to keep stirring the meat until it reaches a temperature you prefer.  I prefer a juicy, slightly pink MED RARE, while the Mrs. prefers a more cooked (slightly drier) texture. So naturally we eat the dry meat.

Personally, I prefer the veggies to be warm but still retain that crunch. Once they warm add a raw egg (or two) to the mixture. Stir occasionally as the egg slowly separates and cooks, leaving small sections of egg that is connected to and slightly coating some if your fixings (just like the Thai restaurant, minus the MSG).

Once the meat and noodles meet your desired standards, plate the stir fry (I like to pour some olive oil on the noodles at this point) and cover with the beef.

Top it off with your sliced avocado, diced tomatoes and cashews and you’re good to go.  A delicious dinner that leaves you feeling mentally and physically strong.

photo 5

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Tips to Avoiding Holiday Binge Eating

Posted on November 27, 2013 | Leave a comment

Thanksgiving serves as the official kickoff to the holiday season.  A season filled with family, friends, fun and FOOD.  While I realize that most diets tend to slightly deviate (to put it nicely) during these feasts, here are a few ways that you can minimize the collateral damage that comes with those delicious dishes.

Keep a normal feeding schedule.

I realize use of the word “normal” is relative, but by this I mean getting up in the morning and eating breakfast, lunch and a snack as you normally would.  Avoid skipping regular meals with the thoughts of saving room for later. This primes the pump for some good ol’ fashion holiday binging and all the insulin spikes, abdominal discomfort and guilt that comes along with it.

Don’t feel obligated to jam pack the plate.

Despite what it sometimes turns into, holiday feeding time is not a competition to see who can build the heaviest plate. Take smaller portions and don’t be tempted to get everything on there in one shot.  Allow that turkey to be free range on your plate and breathe amongst the gravy pond, stuffing forest, and field of green beans.
Take your time, enjoy your food and if appropriate, the company.  You can always go back for seconds.  Before going back for an additional helping, relax another 10-15 minutes and converse with the fam.  If that proves to be intolerable, take a timeout and catch a series or two of the traditional Turkey Day football.
The idea here is to allow your body’s built-in signaling mechanisms the time to do their magic.  Many times you may find by waiting those extra minutes, you actually wind up feeling full and satisfied without the additional bombardment.
Go heavy on the bird.
Intelligently approaching the consumption of your macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) can also make a difference.  As we’ve touched on in past posts, each of these macronutrients has a different effect on satiation or feeling full.  Protein has the greatest effect, followed by fat, and then your carbs.
Take advantage of that turkey and ham and TRY to get the majority of your carbs from the veggies.  (SIDENOTE: despite popular opinion, corn is NOT a vegetable, but a grain.  Another topic for another post, but be aware and don’t fool yourself.)
I say TRY because I acknowledge that during these celebrations, the options are plentiful and mostly carb heavy.  Feel free to indulge; it’s the holidays.  Enjoy yourself and treat your taste buds.
Ultimately, almost all of the spread is going to be non-ideal unless you’re privied to grass-fed, free-range turkey, gluten-free stuffing, and organic vegetable dishes. The name of the game here is enjoyment with some degree of preemptive damage control.
Take a lap.
Resist the time coveted tradition of slipping into that upright food coma on the couch after dinner.  Rather than taking a nap to recharge for dessert, grab a seldom seen companion and take a lap around the hood.  Even better, help the maid…errrr MOM…clean up the mess.
Either way, this will allow you to burn some energy, making room for the excess energy you just consumed.  Couple this with adherence to the previous tips and you’ll minimize the longevity of the insulin spike and inevitable, subsequent blood sugar crash which contribute to the urge for a post meal nap as if you just ran a marathon.
I’d like to close by wishing all of you out there a Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you all are blessed with the a sense of gratitude towards life and every aspect of it.  As with all the posts, hopefully you can utilize a tip or two, or at least begin thinking about it.
Enjoy!!!

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