Want to lose those last ten pounds? Start reading food labels while you’re doing your grocery shopping, says new research published in the journal Agricultural Economics.
Read More:Better than Dieting? Food Label Readers Weigh Less
Better than Dieting? Food Label Readers Weigh LessSeptember 19th, 2012 - Jill EttingerHow Did America Lose Its Connection With Food?January 22nd, 2010 - Laura Klein
Before asking where it came from, I think we should ask when did this change? How did we become so disconnected from our food? Here are three things/events that I think lead us down this path: The World Wars This made traditional farming methods such as crop rotation and animal fertilization obsolete. It led to the mass farming practices that are practiced today amongst conventional farmers. This new way of farming allowed farmers to grow massive amounts of crops and ship them nationally (and globally). People could now get their (cheaper) produce from a farmer that was hundreds or thousands of miles away and spraying who knows what on it. The Feminist Movement She mentions that the Women’s Liberation movement was positioned as getting women out of the kitchen and into the workforce, which it did. You know what else also happened at the same time? Heavily processed foods started to show up in the stores. Up until that time, women spent time at home preparing meals from scratch for their families. Therefor they had a better connection with their food because they were preparing it. Suddenly someone else was put in charge with this responsibility. Advertising In the case of the chemically sprayed produce, it is positioned as being able to feed more people and a cheaper method. It is also given the name “conventional.” The method that was around for years was given the new label of “organic.” Why not call it what it is? Chemically sprayed. Why was the method that’s been around since the beginning given this new label? Organic is the way that produce has been farmed for thousands of years. As for the Women’s Movement, all of these new processed and packaged foods are advertised as quick and easy because “you don’t have time to cook a meal for your family. We can do it for you. Just pop this in the microwave.” Now instead of chicken with mashed potatoes, homemade gravy and broccoli, families are eating high fructose corn syrup, salt, hormone injected chickens and a bunch of unpronounceable additives. These are all reasons that I started an organic vegetable garden on my fire escape. I’ve also made a New Year’s Resolution to eat more seasonal and locally grown produce. The purpose of this post isn’t to point out a bunch of problems and offer no solutions. There are simple ways that you can eat organic and local on a budget. You can grow your own, join a CSA, join food co-op or go to a local farmers market. Build a relationship with the people that are growing and making your food. Ask them questions about growing practices and where the food came from. You owe it to yourself. Mike Lieberman resides in NYC. He is someone who walks their talk as a living, breathing demonstration of how sustainable living is possible anywhere. Lieberman shows others how they can do the same on his own blogs and writes for others around the web. You can find him at CanarsieBK.com. Read More:How Did America Lose Its Connection With Food?9 Secrets To Eating Healthy For The HolidaysDecember 9th, 2009 - Laura Klein
If you are concerned about putting on the typical 5-10 pounds during the holiday season, follow these 9 secrets to eating and staying healthy. 1. Don’t arrive hungry to any party or event! Snack before you arrive at the party, preferably on something that is high in protein. Healthy proteins include, fish, meat, cheese, nuts. Try raw soaked almonds, they are delicious and you can carry them with you anywhere! This will prevent blood sugar spikes, curb sugar cravings, and you yearning to reach for sweets. 2. Portion Control – Eat like the Europeans do and put smaller portions on your plate. There’s a reason why they are much thinner than Americans. You can always go back for seconds. 3. Eat Slow & Chew Your Food – This may seem obvious, but as we get older and entrenched in our busy lives, most people don’t chew their food enough. Chewing your food is the first stage of digestion. When done properly, it improves digestion and prevents you from packing on the pounds! You also give your brain the time it needs to send you the message, “I’m full!”
4. Eat Your Veggies, Especially Raw Veggies – We all need fiber, especially around the holidays. Raw veggies literally help clean you out. Foods closest to their whole form cause your stomach to work harder. Nutrients enter your bloodstream slower, causing less blood sugar highs and lows. Fiber also slows digestion because your stomach processes it slower. Studies have shown that people who eat a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables have significantly lower cancer rates, and these veggies also help protect against heart disease and encourage weight loss. 5. Replace Sugar in Your Baked Goods with Agave Syrup – A good rule of thumb is, for every cup of sugar a recipe calls for, use 2/3 cup agave syrup and add it to your wet ingredients instead of the dry ingredients. 6. Buy Wines Made From Organically Grown Grapes – There are so many wines on the market that are made with organically grown grapes but don’t brag about it (because of the old stigma attached to organic wines) so start reading labels. I have found that more stores are creating an organic and or sustainable wine section. If you are looking for a wine that does not add any sulfites to it, look for one that carries the USDA Organic label. Frey Vineyards is one of the few that carries the label. They also make biodynamic wines. 7. Make Your Own Salad Dressing - So much money is wasted on monthly grocery bills buying bottled salad dressings – even if it is “low fat,” “lite,” “low-carb.” When manufacturers take something out of a product like fat, they have to replace it with something and usually it’s in the form of chemicals, carbohydrates, preservatives and other junky fillers. Make your salad dressing in bulk for the week and follow my simple steps for a Basic Salad Dressing. 8. Buy Organic Grass Fed Meats for the Holidays! Research is now showing that lean grass fed meat can lower your “bad” or LDL cholesterol levels. Here are just a few of the health benefits of eating certified organic, grass fed meats. Studies have shown that they contain more, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, Health promoting fats like omega-3 fatty acids and CLA – another good fat known as conjugated linoleic acid.
If you eat the average amount of beef that a normal person eats per year, (66.5 pounds a year), simply switching to lean grass-fed beef will save you 17,733 calories a year—without requiring any self discipline or change in your eating habits. That is huge! You may pay a little more, but I bet you will pay less in expensive doctor visits and you might even lose a few pounds. 9. Offer to Bring a Delicious Healthy Dish to Parties – If you know that you are going to a party full of junk food with few to little organic and healthy dishes, bring your own. Chances are the host will appreciate the help and you will have something you can enjoy. Eat Smart, Eat More Organic Food to Save the WorldOctober 26th, 2009 - Laura Klein
According to Time Magazine, our energy-intensive food system uses 19% of U.S. fossil fuels, more than any other sector of the economy. It’s a fact: what we choose to buy and eat can help contribute to a better, healthier way. Organic foods are more gentle on Mother Earth. Consider why:
So yes – support, buy and eat organic. Other top tips for a global warming diet include:
Many people ask me if I eat locally conventionally grown foods, in other words foods sprayed with pesticides. My answer: no. Please don’t ask me to eat foods that have been sprayed with toxic chemicals, even if it is grown locally. If I told you to make a beautiful fresh garden vegetable soup and, oh by the way, pull out the ant and roach spray and lightly give your veggies a fine mist before cooking to ward off any pests that come crawling along your kitchen counter, would you do it? Probably not. What are your favorite global warming diet tips? Share them with others – we love hearing from you! 1Gidon Eshel and Pamela A. Martin, “Diet, Energy, and Global Warming,” Earth Interactions 10 (May 2005) Monitoring Food and MoodOctober 19th, 2009 - Laura Klein
Whole Foods is deeply committed to the concept of community, something I also support via my Green Club. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people offers strength and reinforcement for whatever goals you hope to achieve. In that vein, Whole Foods offers all sorts of super helpful free tips and tools with their Be Good to Your Whole Body series. Their Healthy Mood brochure is particularly interesting, harkening back to the old adage ‘you are what you eat.’ While depression is a very real condition and cannot be ‘fixed’ by diet alone, there’s definitely a link between what you eat and your outlook on life. Here are some of my favorite tips from Whole Foods’ Healthy Mood brochure:
Other top tips for a healthy mood include acupuncture, massages using real essential oils and yoga, breathing and meditation. What nutrition or fitness tips do you tap into to keep your mood elevated? Let us know – we love hearing from you! Read More:Monitoring Food and MoodJunk Food Making Crows SickJune 15th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
And all this food means a lot of waste. Go to any public park or look outside any restaurant and you’ll find a ton of discarded food strewn about. But crows love it! These crafty little scavengers snatch up garbage like a feast, but a diet of fast food and pastries is bad, even for crows. Leftover junk food isn’t nutritious and the chicks of urban crows are smaller and deficient in protein and calcium, compared to crows living in rural areas. Suburban crows eating natural food grow up bigger and stronger. Here’s the problem. Crows are opportunists and scientists suspect they’ll feed their young with whatever is easier to find and cities are hotbeds for scraps of junk. Via Discoblog. Read More:Junk Food Making Crows SickEat Your Obesity-Enhancing Herbicides, Kids!June 8th, 2009 - Laura Klein
This week, I’ve got more fuel for the fire. A recent study about chronic exposure to low-levels of atrazine, the most heavily-used herbicide in the U.S., links it to myriad health issues in lab rats including:
We’ve all heard about our nation’s unfortunate obesity problem; is it any wonder when obesity-enhancing herbicides are ‘baked in’ to our food? Check out the opening comments of the study…
When you opt for organic food, your choosing high doses of nutritionally rich flavors and cancer fighting antioxidants, which adds up to a healthy dose of preventative medicine. When you choose and consume conventionally grown foods you are consuming the toxic traces left behind from herbicides like atrazine…all the more reason to spend a bit more for them at the market – or you can get my free report: The Definitive Guide To Shopping For Organic Foods on a Budget” when you sign up for our free newsletter). Or better yet, grow your own organic favorites or visit your local farmers’ market where you’ll find many pesticide- and herbicide-free fruits and veggies at great prices. I always advise budget-minded readers that if they have to choose only a few organic foods to invest in, they opt for the ones they consume the most. What are your experiences with shopping for organic foods on a budget? Leave us a comment – we love hearing from you! Source: THE SCOOP – May 2009 Organic Center Newsletter Study: Soo Lim et al., “Chronic Exposure to the Herbicide, Atrazine, Causes Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Insulin Resistance,” Plos One, Vol. 4, Issue 4:e5186, April 2009. Read More:Eat Your Obesity-Enhancing Herbicides, Kids!Today’s Teens Slacking on Fruit, Veggie IntakeJanuary 29th, 2007 - Barbara Feiner
“Fruit and vegetable intake is important for the prevention of future chronic disease,” says lead investigator and registered dietitian Nicole Larson, MPH. “So it’s important to know whether intakes of teens are approaching national objectives for fruit and vegetable consumption.” Larson and colleagues from the University of Minnesota undertook the study to examine whether teens in the state were increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables as recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2010 objectives and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The study, part of a larger initiative on factors influencing adolescents’ eating habits, gathered information about fruit and vegetable intake among 944 boys and 1,161 girls in 1999 and again in 2004. The study appears in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. During the transition from middle school or junior high to high school, teens decreased their intake of fruits and vegetables by almost 1 serving per day, Larson and colleagues found—from roughly 4 servings to 3 servings for girls and roughly 2.5 to fewer than 2 servings for boys. They also found that from high school to early adulthood, the teens decreased their consumption by almost the same amount. The researchers also compared consumption of fruits and vegetables between one group of middle adolescents in 1999 and another in 2004. They found that mid-adolescent girls in 2004 consumed almost one serving per day less than girls the same age in 1999. Mid-adolescent boys were also eating about a half serving less of fruits and vegetables in 2004 than in 1999. “This is giving us the message that we need new and enhanced efforts to increase fruit and vegetable intake that we haven’t been doing in the past,” Larson says. “I was surprised by the magnitude of the reduction in fruit and vegetable consumption,” says Karen Glanz, PhD, a professor and research scholar at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, who is not associated with the study. “I wasn’t surprised that there would be a reduction because of the lifestyle of today’s teens.” Dr. Glanz cites the increase over the last 10 to 15 years in the amount, variety and availability of processed and fast food as a major cause of the trend toward less healthful food choices among adolescents. While both Larson and Dr. Glanz say there’s little research investigating exactly why adolescents might be choosing to eat fewer fruits and vegetables, they both agree that just educating teens about healthful food choices is not enough. “Teaching adolescents that fruits and vegetables are healthy isn’t going to help. They already know that,” Dr. Glanz says. “We need to address things going on in the environment, in the community or at home to help adolescents increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables,” Larson adds. Environmental interventions could include increasing the availability and palatability of fruit and vegetables at school, in restaurants and at home, as well as decreasing the availability of less healthful, highly palatable foods. And research shows that more frequent family meals can help adolescents eat more healthfully. “Parental and family attitudes are very important,” Larson says. Note: Because you’re dedicated to organic living, OrganicAuthority.com recommends buying certified organic fruits and vegetables to maximize flavor, while minimizing your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals and preservatives. Read More:Today’s Teens Slacking on Fruit, Veggie IntakeThe Freshman 15—Part 2September 6th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
E = Eat three meals a day to develop a consistent routine and avoid haphazard dining. “I always tell people that they need to have a plan for success, which means planning in advance when and what they’re going to eat,” Dr. Sheehan-Smith says. “Don’t leave it to chance because the choices may be full of calories, fat and sugar, but little nutrients.” A = Ask if there are healthier options when dining on and off campus. Some sample questions to ask yourself: What is my class/work schedule? Based on my class/work schedule, when can I plan my meals? Where—and what—am I going to eat? “I tell my clients that the key to choosing healthy meals and snacks is to try and include a serving from three of the five basic food groups: whole-grain breads and cereals, fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy,” Dr. Sheehan-Smith says. “This eating plan gives you a variety of foods throughout the day and a nice balance of food groups, which will provide a diet more dense in nutrients.” S = Snack defensively to maintain energy, while contributing to overall nutrition. “Avoid vending machines,” she advises. “Bring snack bags of raw veggies and cut-up fruit. Stick low-fat/low-sugar granola bars or cookies in your backpack. Munch on whole-grain crackers with some peanut butter. And if you can manage a small soft-sided cooler pack, then yogurt and cottage cheese can be good snacks—but remember to watch the portion sizes.” Y = Yes to being active, including walking—not riding buses—to class to help manage stress and maintain your fitness level. “Take a P.E. class each semester, or work out at the campus recreation center,” Dr. Sheehan-Smith urges. “Or try playing intramural sports—a great way to meet new friends.” Read More:The Freshman 15—Part 2The Freshman 15—Part 1September 5th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
“On average, kids do gain weight [during their freshman year of college], and it’s because of the change in lifestyle,” says Dr. Janet Colson, a registered dietitian and professor of human sciences at Middle Tennessee State University. “Most incoming college students don’t have mom to pick out their foods for them anymore or pack their lunches, and so they start making unwise choices.” One university study revealed students gain an average of 4 lbs. during the first three months of their freshman year—a weight gain that’s 11 times higher than that for the typical 17- to 18-year-old. “Accompanying late-night study is late-night eating,” Dr. Colson says. “And what do you do when you’re staying up late? You’re eating and adding calories.” Complicating matters are all-you-can-eat campus buffets, which challenge one’s sense of portion control. Many students also opt to ride shuttle buses across campus instead of walking to classes. “We hear students gripe about how far away parking is from campus and all their classes,” Dr. Colson says. “Really, we should be thankful it’s so far away because the exercise is needed.” Tune in tomorrow for Part 2 of this story, which offers four Freshman 15 solutions. Read More:The Freshman 15—Part 1 |
Last month on OATV, 
The holidays are my favorite time of year. I love the holiday cheer, hustle and bustle, and imagining I’m back in my home state of Colorado skiing Vail’s fresh, light powder on Christmas morning. For many however the holidays are full of challenges. As one of my friends said, if you think you are enlightened, go home for the holidays! LOL, (laugh out loud) we all know what that’s like. If you are one of those that has a hard time during the holidays, I encourage you to adjust your focus and focus on the joy and cheer of the season.
The average American’s diet creates one and a quarter tons of carbon dioxide emissions per person every year.1
I love Whole Foods – buying their organic 365 brand is a favorite tip I regularly share with people who are concerned about the 
Last week, I blogged about the 
(Health Behavior News Service)—Despite recent national initiatives to encourage healthy eating habits, teens in middle adolescence are eating fewer fruits and vegetables than in 1999, a new study reveals. And the situation only worsens as they get older.
Dr. Lisa Sheehan-Smith, a registered dietitian and assistant professor of human sciences at Middle Tennessee State University, has come up with a four-step plan for college students who want to avoid gaining the 
