For years, pesticides and chemicals have been seen as the guardians against food-borne illness, and food “going bad.”

All this probably goes double for meat products. So how do you protect foods, in this case pork, from spoiling, and making you sick?

Researchers have an idea, using vegetables.

Organic meat cannot contain contaminates. And traditional curing involves nitrates, a chemical preservative, i.e. an organic no-no.

So if chemical preservative aren’t allowed, vegetable-based nitrates from organic plants is being looked at as a solution.

Items being considered are lemon powder and natural vinegar, even lactic acid, the stuff in milk might work.

What’s spurred the desire to better preserve organic meats is people don’t realize organics usually don’t last as long as regular meat.

So they save them longer than they should, and often abuse them the same as traditional products. You can’t leave organic meat out too long.

But people often don’t realize this, meaning they increase contracting some sort of food-borne pathogen.

Via Newswise.

Image credit: The Pug Father

Billions of people live in the kind of squalor that was eradicated long ago in the rich world. It is a global water and sanitation crisis that deserves our undivided The-issueattention NOW (well, yesterday, to be exact)… especially since there is a lack of political will to push through changes that could benefit the poorest and most vulnerable people. Here are just two shocking statistics:

• 884 million people don’t have clean water
• 40% of the world’s population suffer without a safe toilet, that’s 2.5 billion people!

Fortunately, there are organizations dedicated to providing sanitation and clean water to the world’s poorest people. End Water Poverty is one of them and I am committed to helping them raise awareness about the critical issues and motivating people around the globe to take action.

Here’s one easy way to take action and it will just take a minute or less! Sign the End Water Poverty Petition, urging global leaders to specifically address the lack of toilets. What happens when something as basic as a toilet is unavailable?

• Girls’ educations are ruined due to open, unsafe or no toilets at schools
• 4,000 young children die each day due to unsanitary conditions
• Communities become locked into circles of ill-health, poverty and despair

Want to do more to help? Put November 19th on your calendar: World Toilet Day. Celebrate the fact that you have a toilet — you probably even have two… or more! Organize a public big squat in your community–Here’s how: big squat movement for the toilet-less

Spread the word about this day and the crisis any way you can. If you’re on twitter, follow @EndWaterPoverty @WorldToiletDay and @icount4myEARTH and join us every Wednesday to tweet about World Toilet Day and other world water crisis issues–be sure to use the hashmark #waterwednesday to help earn us Trending Topic status and to make @WorldToiletDay tweets virul. Simply re-tweet our tweets or come up with some of your own. Here are some sample tweets:

• Join a million putting an end to the water and sanitation crisis @endwaterpoverty http://bit.ly/3Q8ces #waterwednesday
• #waterwednesday Celebrate your toilet on @WorldToiletDay – because 2.5 billion people don’t have one! http://bit.ly/3X6wT7
• Urge politicians to stop 4000 child deaths/day @EndWaterPoverty @WorldToiletDay action http://bit.ly/3X6wT7 #waterwednesday
• Did you know @WorldToiletDay is #19Nov? Why should you give a crap? http://bit.ly/PslHg #waterwednesday

If you’re on facebook, join End Water Poverty’s group and invite your friends. OR copy and paste this entire blog entry into an email and forward it to friends, family and colleagues. For more ways to help, go to EndWaterPoverty.org

More facts about the world water crisis:

• More than half of hospital beds in Sub Saharan Africa are occupied by patients suffering from sanitation and water related diseases
• These diseases are the biggest killer of young children, killing over five times more than HIV/AIDS and twice as many as malaria.
• Young girls simply don’t attend as there aren’t toilets at school, or they aren’t safe or private.
• Other girls spend hours of their day walking to fetch water or caring for ill siblings and have no time for an education at all
• In Africa, an estimated 5% of GDP is lost to illnesses and deaths caused by dirty water and the absence of sanitation
• Climate change is making things worse, increasing pressure on water resources.

End Water Poverty is calling for:

• One global action plan for sanitation and water monitored by one global task force
• 70% of aid money for sanitation and water to be targeted at the poorest countries
• Water resources to be protected and shared equitably

Success depends on rich governments protecting good water and sanitation plans from failure due to inadequate financing; and developing countries must commit to implementing these plans. Please sign the petition now and learn about other ways you can take action by visiting EndWaterPoverty.org. If you’re part of an organization, consider joining The End Water Poverty coalition.

4,000 children do not deserve to die each day because they are lacking clean water and sanitation. Together, we can help make a difference.

SIDE NOTE: To get a glimpse at our world water crisis, consider renting the award-winning documentary  FLOW (for love of water) and sharing it with your family.

Listen up, fellow females! 

As we race through busy schedules and cope with a troubled economy, most of us are skimping on simple pleasures and putting our needs at the bottom of the to-do list. 

According to a survey commissioned by Edwards desserts, 90% of us have cut back on indulgences over the last year. In addition: 

• 59% of survey respondents said they’re decreasing the number of events planned with friends.
• 35% are cutting back on even the smallest treats, such as manicures and desserts.
• 94% admitted they handle commitments and other people’s needs before indulging or treating themselves.
• 6% said finances have prevented them from treating themselves as often as they’d like.
• 32% said they have less free time than they did a year ago. 

With the winter holidays fast approaching, enjoying a little “me time” becomes even more difficult. 

“Self-pampering may seem like the last thing on your mind these days, but treating yourself to something special is so critical to relieving the stress of everyday life,” says Heather Reider, cohost of MomsTown Radio.

Bring Nature Indoors 

Nurture your organic spirit by bringing nature indoors, Reider recommends. Cultivate a container garden—either a window box, urn, basket or round fish bowl. 

Display indoors a Bonsai plant, orchid, robust green plant, herbs or tulips. These work well in chilly weather, providing lovely floral aromas and some welcome color on a dark, dreary day.

Playtime! 

Take up an art or other creative project. Spend time painting, drawing, making jewelry or knitting.

Nurture Your Organic Spirit 

• Girlfriend Getaways
• Be Happy—For No Reason!
• Kids Don’t Work Out; They Play
• The Late-Afternoon Binge
• Do the Potter…

Photo courtesy of Fotolia/Edwards

The traditional Mediterranean diet demonstrates how natural and organic foods can improve your health. 

Characterized by daily consumption of olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, it discourages consumption of processed foods and meat. 

Much of standard Mediterranean fare contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain, heart, skin and eye health. Olive oil should replace vegetable oil, whenever possible. 

“If you are going to cook with oil, doesn’t it make sense to cook with one that contains more omega-3?” asks Chef Nick Stellino, author of numerous cookbooks, including Dine In! and Nick Stellino’s Mediterranean Flavors. 

The following guide, courtesy of the International Olive Oil Council, shows you how to substitute organic olive oil for butter (and margarine): 

• 1 teaspoon butter = 3/4 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter = 2¼ teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter = 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup butter = 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup butter = 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2/3 cup butter = 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup butter = 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup butter = 3/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups  butter = 1½ cups olive oil 

Tune in tomorrow for our Mediterranean-inspired recipe for Red Beet and Blood Orange Salad.

Photo courtesy of Pompeian

Sugary soft drinks are nutritionally bankrupt beverages that contribute to obesity, diabetes and rotting teeth. So, why is the American Academy of Family Physicians—a professional organization that boasts of representing more than 94,600 U.S. doctors—crawling into bed with Coca-Cola?

As reported Thursday by Associated Press Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner, the AAFP has signed a six-figure deal with Coke dealers to “fund educational materials about soft drinks.”

“We’ve made a conscious choice to diversify our revenue,” said AAFP President-Elect Lori Heim, MD,  in a press statement.

As a result, some family doctors are canceling their memberships—the only sane bit of news in this story. One can only hope the rest of America’s family docs will protest the alliance and, if rebuffed, follow suit.

FYI: Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent thinks his carbonated cans of empty calories are fine and dandy, and he protested proposed “sin taxes” on soft drinks in an Oct. 7 Wall Street Journal op-ed piece. I can’t wait to see his “educational” materials.

If you enjoy ethnic food, you’re no stranger to cilantro.

From Thai (Thai Roasted Squash Soup) and Indian (Indian Chickpea Dip, Madras Curry Dip for Fish/Seafood) cuisine to Mexican (Golden Guacamole, Harvest Stuffed Squash, Granny Smith Guacamole) and Middle Eastern (Middle Eastern Meatballs) dishes, this fragrant herb is a seasoning staple.

Also called Chinese or Mexican parsley, cilantro is the leafy part of the coriander plant. In folk and holistic medicine, it has been used to settle the stomach, relieve anxiety, lower cholesterol levels, help control diabetes, reduce inflammation and treat infections.

Modern medical research has confirmed the herb’s healing powers. In the August issue of Environmental Nutrition, registered dietitian Sharon Palmer cites cilantro’s antioxidant properties, which “may be due to their rich phytonutrients profile that scientists are beginning to identify.”

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, also discovered that dodecenal—an antibacterial compound found in cilantro—can help kill Salmonella in foods. This finding led them to explore its use as a natural food additive. The researchers found cilantro to be a “potent antibiotic” and encouraged consumers to eat more fresh salsa. That said, they remind us that it’s no substitute for proper food handling.

Tune in tomorrow for our weekend recipe for Chiles Rellenos, which features a healthy dose of cilantro. 

Holiday Gift Books 

• Cilantro Secrets
• How to Grow and Harvest Cilantro
• Super Cilantro Girl (for children)

Photo:

I’m serving a special five-course meal to the intellectually challenged members of Congress who support Big Agribusiness and predatory insurance companies over the health and safety of the American people. 

Let’s review the menu: 

First Course: Double Cheeseburger

 Sourced from: San Diego Meat Co. On Oct. 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) declared a Class I recall on 925 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli.

As a refresher, dear legislators, a Class I recall is defined as “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.” 

Cases of ground beef patties and bulk ground beef were shipped to restaurants and caterers in San Diego. Fly to SoCal, and eat up, guys! You can barf later on Shamu. 

Second Course: Beef Tongue

Sourced from: Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., Milwaukee. The affected 5,522 pounds, recalled Oct. 17, may include tonsils, which means the company failed to comply with USDA regulations. Tongue tissue may be infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad-cow disease). 

No worries, guys. It’s a Class II recall, which means there’s a “remote probability of adverse consequences.” You like to gamble with people’s lives, so dig in! 

Third Course: Chicken & Apple Sausage 

Sourced from: Vatran’s Fine Foods, Inc., Tracy, Calif.  Approximately 11,500 pounds of assorted meat and poultry products were recalled on Oct. 16 because they were produced without the benefit of federal inspection. It’s another high-risk Class I recall, affecting pork, chicken, turkey and lamb sausages, as well as veal frankfurters and other products. Chow down, wieners! 

Fourth Course: Beef Butt Steak

Sourced from: Crocetti’s Oakdale Packing Co. (doing business as South Shore Meats, Inc.), Brockton, MA. Some 1,039 pounds of fresh ground beef patties derived from bench trim, as well as mechanically tenderized beef cuts, may be contaminated with E. coli. The USDA declared a Class I recall on Oct. 26. Hope that nice slab of butt is extra juicy! 

Fifth Course: Meatballs 

Sourced from: Fairbank Farms, Ashville, NY. This is a biggie: a Class I recall Oct. 31 of 545,699 pounds of fresh ground beef products. This one aggravates me even more because it includes Trader Joe’s Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats and the Wild Harvest Natural brand. So far, 28 people have been sickened, and at least one person has died. 

Diner Rules 

You’re expected to clean your plates. Luckily, you have great health insurance—you know, the kind of coverage you refuse to provide to your constituents.

If you’re trying to lose weight, you may be more successful if you partner with a family member or friend who has similar goals.

A study published in the Oct. 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that enrollment with a buddy in a comprehensive program enhanced weight loss among 344 African-American participants—but only if they attended sessions together.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine ran the 2-year study to help participants achieve and maintain a 5%–10% weight loss. The program involved self-monitoring of food intake, physical activity, pedometer use, group sessions with weight and activity checks, and community-based field workshops (cooking demonstrations, gym visits).

After 24 months, those who enrolled in the program with a friend or family member lost more weight than those who entered the program alone.

For Your Organic Bookshelf: You: On a Diet

Many of our nation’s neighborhoods simply don’t have access to supermarkets, let alone fresh organic fruits and veggies. Chips, soda and other packaged, chemical-filled, unhealthy ‘convenience foods’ are cheap and readily available at the corner store…a far cry from the nourishment our body naturally craves, and a key contributor to the obesity epidemic.

The term for geographic food inequity is ‘food desert,’ and it’s defined as a district with little or no access to foods needed to maintain a healthy diet…but often served by plenty of fast food restaurants.  It was coined by Mari Gallagher, a researcher who has delved deep into the topic and found that food deserts exist in every type of community across the U.S — urban, rural and suburban.

I was moved by a profile on Chicago-based Graffiti and Grub and its founder, La Donna Redmond, on CNN last week. Her community garden and store focuses on supplying several low-income Chicago communities with sustainable, organic and locally-grown food. This quote says it all…

“You could find drugs in my community, you could find a gun in my community, but you couldn’t find a tomato.”
-LaDonna Redmond

One of the critical areas of good eating habits is education – ideally from an early age as so brilliantly executed in Alice Waters’ inspirational Edible Schoolyard project. In a similar vein, Graffiti and Grub is focused on ‘providing the hip hop generation with the tools needed for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.’

Kudos to those hard-working advocates committed to changing the food desert into an organic food oasis.

Are you familiar with ‘food deserts’? I’m curious to know whether there is awareness of this issue. Let me know!

When we started our blog in November 2005, my very first post examined a new trend in organic food: flavored milk. Dietitian Julie H. Burns, a nutrition consultant for Horizon Organic, noted:

Moms will love these new products because they’re organic, nutritious and convenient for a lunchbox or backpack. Kids will love them because they’re delicious and easy to drink on the go. Families can help reduce their kids’ exposure to added chemicals in food by incorporating organic products into their diets. An easy way to do that is by providing great-tasting organic foods in your child’s lunchbox.

A day later, we published Organic Flavored Milk: Pros and Cons, in which Chef Ann Cooper, the “Renegade Lunch Lady,” told us:

They’re really no better than soda—except for the calcium. Many have a sugar and calorie content that equals or exceeds that of soda, and they become just another way that we’re teaching our children to drink sweets.

Now, the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), creators of the got milk? advertising campaign, are promoting chocolate milk as the “Official Drink of Halloween.” The newest print ad, which debuted in the Oct. 16 issue of People magazine, features actress Angie Harmon (Law & Order, Women’s Murder Club) and her daughters, all sporting milk mustaches.

“At Halloween and throughout the year, my girls love the flavor of chocolate milk, and I love knowing it contains the same essential nutrients as white milk like calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients kids need to build strong bones,” Harmon states in a MilkPEP press release. “As a mom, it’s important to me that my kids learn healthy habits early—and drinking three glasses of low-fat or fat-free milk each day is one of the best habits I can pass on to them.”

Pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, is also supporting MilkPEP’s efforts.

“With Halloween snacks all around, low-fat chocolate milk is something moms can feel good about sharing with their kids,” says the author of Mommy Calls: Dr. Tanya Answers Parents’ Top 101 Questions about Babies and Toddlers.

“Here’s a spooky fact: Two out of three kids fail to get enough calcium, which is critical to build healthy skeletons,” Dr. Altmann adds. “And studies show that kids who drink chocolate and other flavored milks have higher calcium intakes than those who don’t drink milk. Milk drinkers also tend to drink fewer sugary sodas and fruit drinks and are more likely to be at a healthy weight compared to kids who drink little or no milk.

“Encouraging kids to drink more low-fat milk is a great way to steer them from the nutrient-void temptations at Halloween and beyond,” she concludes. “Chocolate milk and white milk contain nine essential nutrients and are a key component in building strong bones during childhood. Moms can benefit from the calcium and vitamin D in chocolate milk, too.”

How do you feel about flavored milks, including the organic kind? Please share your thoughts.

Photos: Horizon Organic, MilkPEP