8 Tips to Shake the Salt

The American diet is rich in high-sodium foods and, between processed foods and eating out, we are often getting much more than we need. Some say salt is a substitute for the flavor that used to exist when we consumed fresh, locally-grown produce. Though an easy way to flavor food, salt is a cheap and rather pedestrian flavoring agent.

Excess salt is a danger to the body and the brain. It can raise blood pressure, risk of heart attack and stroke, put a strain on your kidneys, and more. Did you know it can also lead to over-eating and cause weight gain?

Here are some tips to enjoy satisfying flavor in our foods, without added salt.

1. Huddle up with herbs. What cuisines do you enjoy – Italian, Mexican, French, Indian? Choose some herbs that fit the flavor profiles and add them to your dish. For example, oregano, rosemary, and basil are go-to Italian herbs for elevating your pasta dish.
2. Citrus zest and juices. Grate the skin of organic lemons, limes, or oranges for sweet and/or savory meals. Spritz fresh lime onto your tacos or lemon into a lentil soup.
3. Roasted root vegetables. Lightly toss your favorite root vegetables (such as beets, parsnips, etc) in melted coconut oil and roast at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until tender, turning over once halfway through roasting.
4. Eat slowly. Chewing your food well breaks down the carbohydrates, making it taste sweeter. Slowing down while eating introduces your tastebuds to the complex flavors in your food and makes for a more pleasurable meal experience.
5. Caramelized onions. Sauté diced onions in some olive oil, stirring frequently until browned (about 45 minutes to 1 hour). Use in a French onion soup or on rice dishes, burgers or veggie burgers, omelets, and more!
6. Organic food can be more flavorful. Try some organic strawberries or eggs and see if you can tell a difference between them and their conventional counterparts.
7. De-glaze the pan. By simply using some balsamic vinegar, which combines with those sticky brown bits in your cooking pan, you can make a delicious sauce.
8. Spice it up. Cumin adds a depth of flavor to a number of dishes, as does adobo, curry powder and even nutmeg.

Evaluate your salt consumption and then challenge yourself to incorporate one or more of these ideas. Your tastebuds and body will appreciate it.

 

Momcast: Healthy Eating Made Easy

Ever wonder how to navigate peanut allergies, get your children to eat healthier, and what the terms “non-GMO” and “natural” really mean? Check out Dino and Stacy’s most recent Momcast podcast to learn all this and more! Common nutrition myths and who should really be on a gluten-free diet are also discussed.

 

Love: CoreLife Eatery

Remember the beautiful stranger with whom you once crossed paths, only to never see again? This relationship began like a story of star-crossed lovers; luckily the ending here is quite different.

Years ago, while walking around NYC after dinner, we discovered a bright, clean restaurant which had a choose-your-own-adventure style of eating, similar to other ‘fast casual’ restaurants. What stood out to us was that this was all surprisingly healthy food and it was gluten-free (back in the days when being gluten-free was less cool and more of a curse). Having just eaten, we lamented that “NYC has all the cool restaurants” and sadly departed home.

Then last year, Mr. Chef’s family gathering took place at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill and we noticed this CoreLife Eatery sign a few doors down, making a note to return. Alas, being at Polaris, this meant that it was both a trek and easily forgotten with all of the options closer to our doorstep. But then, on what we’re sure was a new moon where the stars aligned perfectly….this email arrived:

“My name is DeeDee Hamric from CoreLife Eatery Polaris. I wanted to reach out to introduce myself and CoreLife! Here at CoreLife Eatery, we strive to bring clean, healthy and great tasting foods to everyone every day. We feature hearty green, grains and broth bowls and all of our ingredients are free of GMO’s, trans fats, artificial colors, sweeteners and other artificial additives. These bowls are packed with powerful proteins, complex carbs and filling fiber as we strive to make the food you eat a true energy source! Are you free anytime next week to meet me for lunch at CoreLife Eatery?”

DeeDee, you had us at “hearty green”…

During our lunches with DeeDee, we’ve explored the menu and the kitchen areas (surprisingly they don’t have a freezer as everything is freshly-made daily) and some of CoreLife Eatery’s food values. DeeDee mentioned that CoreLife Eatery’s meat is pasture-raised, antibiotic- and hormone-free, non-GMO (with some organic, depending on season and availability),….and all menu choices are gluten-free (except for the bread right near the check-out; some items have a potential for cross-contamination so alert the staff in case of a gluten allergy)! While the menu has suggestions of various green, grain, and broth bowls, you can ‘go rogue’ and easily have a customized meal every time you go!

For a visit that was years in the making, let’s just say we are making up for lost time. Being here so often these days, it’s become like the set of the TV show Cheers, a place where “everyone knows your name.” The staff is very friendly and will suggest food pairings or substitutions.

Hungry belly and time-starved? Well, CoreLIfe Eatery just launched a mobile app for easy online ordering; save $5 off your first order!

 

The Truth about Organic Foods – Part II

Today we’ll be following up on our radio show and the previous blog on the topic of “The Truth about Organic Foods” with a focus on creating some action steps. 

Q: This is an overwhelming topic for many people. Where do you start if you just want to reduce unhealthy levels of toxins in your diet?

Being mindful is key. Start by observing (or write a list!) of all the ingredients you are consuming through food or absorbing through your skin. After a day of various meals and skincare products, you’ll have quite a few suspicious ingredients you may want to research and then remove.

Q: Should we grow our own fruits and vegetables when possible?

Most definitely! It’s cheaper, hyper-local, and helps people connect to their food more. Do it if you enjoy gardening and use or have good, healthy soil.

Q: What are some other tips for eating healthy on a budget?

Let’s first say that while pesticides aren’t good for anyone, if you’re a woman of childbearing age or have young children, taking steps to reduce your exposure is especially important. Ideally, all of the food you and your family eat would be organic, but not everyone has access to a wide variety of organic produce nor the funds. A way to save some money and still lower your risk is to focus on purchasing certain organic food, while “settling” for other items that are conventionally grown.

Animal products, like meat, butter, milk, and eggs, are actually the most important to buy organic, since animal products tend to accumulate toxins in their tissues (particularly their fat) from the pesticide-laden feed. This can cause the toxins to be in far higher concentrations than are typically present in ‘conventional’ vegetables. For those on a budget, choose organic animal foods first and then think of produce.

Speaking of produce, check out the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 to see which foods are worth the extra dimes. Here are some other tips:

• Eat seasonally and shop sales at the supermarket.
• Consider buying in bulk. This is the only way we get out of Whole Foods, aka Whole Paycheck, with our retirement account still intact.
• Eat actual whole food, buy less processed items. Standard carrots are typically less expensive than baby carrots and organic oatmeal is generally cheaper than organic oat cereal.
• Consider it an investment in your future. Re-arrange your priorities – you may not need a new purse or an expensive car or clothes. Quality food is worth valuing and placing a higher priority on.

While conventionally grown foods may have a cheaper price-tag but it doesn’t show the TRUE COST of the product when it comes to our soil and water quality as well as our future health-care costs. Short-term, sure you save some money, but your’e potentially losing the long-term game here.

Q: What other resources can you share to help listeners make this easier?

To learn more about organic standards and more, check out National Agricultural Library of the USDA

Grab some non-GMO popcorn and settle in for a documentary! GMO OMG has been hanging out on Netflix and is an easier watch; Genetic Roulette has more scientific information.

Consider meeting your farmer to ensure the produce is grown, or animals raised, without pesticides and GMOs. Check out this national listing of farmers’ markets or Local Harvest.

Eat Well Guide – for a directory of restaurants, farms, CSAs and more.

Q: Any other thoughts to share?

Read food labels carefully. Remember that just because a food item is labeled as organic or including organic ingredients, it’s not necessarily healthy…organic creme-filled cookies are NOT a health food.

Washing fresh fruits and vegetables not only helps remove dirt and bacteria, but it can also reduce pesticide residues, though not all pesticide residues can be removed by washing. Remember that you can’t wash off glyphosate (it gets into every cell of the plant) nor can you wash off GENETIC Modification.

The maxim “ you are what you eat” encourages us to consider the impact that organic and GMO foods can have on our long-term health. Choose carefully- what you put in your mouth ultimately becomes your cells, tissues, and organs.

If you want a different health outcome, change your food. Everything else has a smaller effect. There’s a medical treatment for a bad diet but there’s no cure. Tweet this.

Overall, we want encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetables, regardless of how they are produced. A GMO vegetable is still considered better than a processed, nutrient-poor food like Cheetos.

The Truth about Organic Foods – Part I

We just wrapped up an interview in North Scottsdale, Arizona on “The Truth about Organic Foods” and thought we’d share a sneak peek of information we covered.

Q: What is the definition of “organic”?

The dictionary definition means: “relating to, or derived from living matter.” This could apply to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as well as non-GMO foods…and the nebulousness of the nuance is what confuses consumers. It’s important to discuss the semantics involved with words such as ‘conventional’, ‘natural’, and ‘organic’…none of which contain their commonsense meanings.

Conventional should mean traditional, it doesn’t. Organic should refer to a branch of chemistry. it doesn’t. Natural should mean something like “untouched” or pure. It really doesn’t.

Which word is “best?” Organic, surely. But chemically, this word encompasses everything from poison to cure. [Dog poop is organic matter but we don’t want to eat that! ] If only we could trust the word “natural.”

It comes as no surprise in this linguistic crisis that we equate transgenic biological manipulation to selective breeding, but this is obviously a false equivalence.
We ought to be able to call food “food”, but the very terminology has been warped beyond recognition.

The USDA regulates organic certifications and requires that a product be grown and processed using farming methods that keep biodiversity and foster sustainability in terms of soil, resources, and ecological balance. Synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers are prohibited, although certain approved pesticides may be used. Generally, organic foods do not contain bio-engineered genes, are not irradiated, and do not include industrial solvents or synthetic food additives.

Q: We commonly see the term “natural” on food labels. How does this differ from organic foods?

The word “natural” connotes something healthy and non-toxic but is very overused in marketing and not well-regulated. Petroleum is “natural” but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Also, the words “natural” and “organic” are not interchangeable terms. You might see “natural” and other such claims as “all natural,” “free-range,” “no antibiotics added” or “hormone-free” on food labels. These terms are not regulated and may or may not be truthful. Only foods that are grown and processed according to USDA organic standards can be labeled as organic.

Q: Is it true that genetically modified foods have lower nutrient content?

Some argue that there is little difference between conventionally raised produce and organic, but we have seen scientific research suggesting the genetically engineered food has less nutrients than organic. Also, it makes common sense to those who understand what is done to the quality of the soil and the plant itself when pesticides and genetic engineering are introduced.

A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives looked at the diets of nearly 4,500 people living in six US cities and assessed organophosphate exposure levels, which are among the most commonly used insecticides on US farms. Those who ate conventionally grown produce were found to have high concentrations of organophosphate metabolites, whereas those who ate organic produce had significantly lower levels.

In this way, when you eat organic what the food doesn’t contain is just as important as what it does. This is especially true when it comes to pesticides. These chemicals have been shown to cause cancer, organ [liver, kidney] and blood diseases. They over-work the immune system and our detoxification systems. Pesticides lodge and accumulate in our tissues and can weaken our immune systems, which makes us more vulnerable to other carcinogens and pathogens.

If you don’t want to be a guinea pig in this dangerous experiment, consider opting out and sticking with what nature has provided us with for thousands of years.

Q: Are there any scientific studies that show that organic foods are better for our health?

Some compelling evidence comes a 4-year study funded by the European Union called the Quality Low Input Food (OLIF) Project. The researchers found that organic food is more nutritious than conventionally-grown produce. The organic produce contained more antioxidants and minerals. Milk from organically-fed cows had more antioxidants too.

A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, reported higher antioxidant as well as lower cadmium and pesticide residue levels in organically grown produce.

Organic foods are fertilized in ways that support higher levels of certain nutrients and antioxidants. Plants can produce more antioxidants as a response to stress (i.e. pests).  These foods may be higher in nutrients and come with the added bonus of not being pesticide-ridden.

Food grown in healthy soil, with natural fertilizers and without harmful chemicals (and genetic modification), is going to be more nutritious and less toxic than food grown in the opposite type of situation.

The Person behind the Professional – My Healing Story

A short jaunt over to the “about” tab will give you some of my professional story- the multiple degrees and certifications from such renowned institutions as The Ohio State University, Columbia University, Cornell University, and more. However, client curiosity around why I chose this satisfying profession has led me to share more about the person behind the professional.

“You’re so lucky to be thin and healthy, you can eat whatever you want!”

This phrase has been said to me at various points in my life. I wanted to believe it was true because then I’d only have to stay thin in order to be healthy, right?

Early Life through Adolescence 

Let’s begin at the beginning. As an infant and small child, I had gastro-intestinal issues and was on repeated rounds of antibiotics for both active infections and as a prophylactic measure for something the doctors told my parents I should ‘grow out of’. That never happened. I was painfully poked and prodded, given barium and multiple x-rays, and underwent extensive testing. At age 5, I had major surgery to correct part of my urinary system and we all hoped my problems would be over.

…But they weren’t. Over the years I would intermittently get to live the life I loved – full of energy, activity, and vitality. Other days and weeks, even months, I would go to bed one night and wake up in pain, feverish, and unable to leave the house. If it was a weekend, that was the worst, because it meant me having to wait days to see the doctor while being in acute pain. Sometimes I think about how much of my life I’ve spent curled up on the couch, overloading myself with fluids and prescription medications, and wondering if I’d ever truly be well and free of what felt like a health curse.

An Unhealthy Obsession

Somewhere around ages 15 and 16, I developed disordered eating practices and patterns. As mentioned above, thinness was associated with health and I was also praised and envied by others for being ‘so tiny’. It was rewarding to be small & athletic- I was always the ‘flyer’ in gymnastics as the lightest person in 7th grade gym class but was still strong enough to do 18 pull-ups! As my body changed and I went from 89lbs at age 15 to over 100lbs at 16, I had problems adjusting and, like some others, developed a sense of body dysmorphia. Recruited to run track as a sprinter in high school, I felt the need to be light so I wouldn’t weigh myself down with extra poundage. Eating for athletic performance? I knew nothing about this. Lunch was a Twix bar from the vending machine and an apple; these were justified on vegetarian grounds at the time. My friends and boyfriend were worried about me and, to both my annoyance and twisted sense of pleasure, they gave extra attention to me and my meals. I felt I could better control the stress of school and life if I could just control my weight. Now I can recognize that part of this disordered eating had roots in food intolerances…the so-called healthy cereal, bread, and pasta gave me stomachaches. By eating less or barely at all, I felt better and had more energy. Buuuuut, I still had cravings…

I craved sugar and carbs like an addict. Baking cookies, eating ice cream, and having salty pretzels became a regular occurrence. During one particular day, I couldn’t find the sweet-enough item I was jonesing for so I took a spoon out of the drawer and went straight for the bag of brown sugar in the pantry. That feeling of desperation to get my sugar fix was reminiscent of an addict doing whatever it took to get alcohol, heroin, or meth. I realized this was a problem but felt powerless over my cravings and berated myself for not having enough willpower to stick to my ‘healthy diet’.

Forays into Health Education

As a teenager with aims to become a doctor and a passion for learning about health, I was already building a library of books on traditional and holistic healing theories. Nearly everyone has a go-to health-nut friend and I was that person people would come to about their acne, blood sugar levels, anxiety, depression, and even their parents’ issues. This challenge was enticing to me and I’d go home and look through my library for ideas on how to use nutrition, herbs, and alternative therapies before presenting my findings. I had great faith and quite a lot of scientific evidence that nutrition was a key part of the puzzle; it was just so overwhelming and hard to implement the knowledge. (This is later where behavior change and accountability with my health coaching would come in.)

The College Years & A Turning Point

When starting college, at a youthful time in life that is associated with being at the epitome of health and fitness, I wasn’t feeling it.

Besides the recurrent illness itself still playing into my college years, I also had acne breakouts, skin rashes, stomachaches, constipation, alternating periods of high energy and lethargy, anxiety, depression, hormone imbalances, and my increased weight had my BMI dangerously close to the ‘overweight’ category. For the first time in my life, instead of informing me that I was in the lower percentile for weight and height, I horrifically received a talk from my doctor about the need for ‘diet and exercise’. I threw my hands in the air with exasperation. What did that really mean anyway?

It became apparent to me during my sophomore year of college that I might have to withdraw from the university due to not being able to attend classes more than sporadically. I, the person who loved learning and had been a precocious teenager taking college classes, was about to give up. I put aside my studies in German and political science because I knew I didn’t have another option- I was desperate and compelled to learn more about why my body was so upset.

I did a lot of internet searching while still faithfully visiting my multiple doctors. Between and during fresh rounds of antibiotics, I was learning bits and pieces about gut health, sugar, probiotics, herbs, and medical ‘cures’. Eventually, I took a course in nutrition and had an epiphany. THIS is what I wanted to do with my life. Instead of doctoring with surgery and medications, I could utilize food in helping people heal! But first I had to heal myself and that required a lot more than what I already knew from years of my nutrition hobby. That year, I started my third undergraduate degree- this time in dietetics. I received another small miracle in late 2005 when I visited a website with a link to a nutrition school in Manhattan that offered to educate me on all the different dietary theories and to help me heal my own life so that I could help others heal theirs.

It amazed me that I, a lay-person and nutrition novice, through learning about the human body’s systems and the interactions of nutrition, could put pieces of the puzzle together that my urologist, general practitioner, and OB-GYN could not. It just made so much sense, I couldn’t ignore it.

I stopped relying on doctors to ‘fix me’ and started taking responsibility– for every morsel of food I put in my body, getting enough water, sleep, and exercise, as well as managing stress better. I acted as though my life depended on dietary diligence and application of lifestyle improvements, because it did.

The first time I was able to effectively mitigate a healing crisis with herbs, nutrition and fluids, I was astounded. Maybe I didn’t have an antibiotic deficiency at all – maybe I didn’t need to have my doctor’s phone number on speed-dial…..I scarcely dared to hope that perhaps, just MAYBE, my body wanted to get better and all I needed to really do was pay attention to it and supply it with the tools it needed in order to repair itself.

As I rose into the role of president of my own life, I knew I still needed a cabinet- a group of experts who would help me achieve a higher state of health. I hired acupuncturists & massage therapists and have consistently had a health coach who inspires me and keeps me accountable to my health goals. Having a health-minded partner and friends is huge in this area too. No (wo)man is an island.

Illness and Fear, with a Twinkle of Hope

Having a recurrent illness does a lot of things to you. One of these is creating fear that you’ll always have this condition, pain, and misery.

It did the same to me. Since I had suffered for this long, fear told me my life would probably always be like this. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to hold down a job without running through my sick days like crazy. I had fear that I couldn’t be in a great relationship or see my friends when I wanted to because I never knew when I could count on being well enough. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to travel without bottles of supplements and the possibility of needing to find a store to buy more, or even more dreaded, visiting a doctor.

But, at the same time, I knew health was possible because I had those short periods of true vitality and energy…. and that’s what I would strive for.

The Cost of Illness and Disease

My illness and health conditions cost me (and my parents until age 18) thousands of dollars in the form of co-pays, prescriptions, and expensive tests. It cost me money that I couldn’t earn due to being unable to show up to work as well as college tuition for classes I couldn’t attend.

But not all costs are associated with ones from the wallet. This illness was cheating me out of education and better grades, a sense of security, time with friends, and vitality….it OWNED me. And I was tired of being its sick, sad slave.

How Nutrition Changed Everything

Let’s talk about the diet I had growing up. First let me say that my parents are wonderful people who tried the best they knew how. My mom recounts how, even though she’s not a fan of vegetables, she would always get them in for her pregnancies. We grew up eating ‘healthy’ cereals such as Total, Kix, and Special K with skim milk. Junk cereals were relegated to the weekends along with coveted pancakes and bacon and eggs dishes. Our lunches were not the fruity snacks, white bread sandwiches, and sugary treat meals our school companions had – we had whole wheat bread sandwiches, a piece of fruit, juice or water, and 2-3 small cookies. Dinners might be a stir-fry, pot pies (with trans-fat *shudder*), microwaved meals, pasta, and usually some vegetables at every meal. Snacks were ice cream, pretzels, and occasionally candy such as Snickers or M&Ms. I drank milk, juice, and (not enough) water. When I became a vegetarian, my parents didn’t really know what to do with me. I didn’t either. I just knew meat was out of the question. So I was left with oh-so-many carbs in my very low protein and fat diet (this was the low-fat craze from the ’90s going on.)

I started healing as best as I could during my adolescence but it wasn’t until years later, particularly during my year of school in New York that I made myself and my healing more of a priority. I kept a food journal, had a a health coach who encouraged me and provided ideas and accountability, I did elimination diets/food sensitivity testing and found a few foods that were associated with my digestive issues, skin, and hormone issues. I realized the connection my brain/gut had was real and that my mood improved when I started giving myself better food. Genetic testing gave me an additional layer to my already-healthy-eating plan that has also lead to improved mood, digestion, eye-health, and hopefully decreased risk for diseases.

Food has become the foundation for a healthy life along with lifestyle factors and ‘primary food’ – the areas of life that feed our souls, not our stomachs- including having a meaningful life I love and share with others.

How my Life has Transformed

The tens of thousands of dollars I’ve spent on my education to learn about nutrition as well as self-care has been worth every single penny. I’m glad to continue to invest in myself through buying organic, healthy, anti-inflammatory and genetically-appropriate foods and supplements, to get massage and acupuncture, and….to take rejuvenating vacations. Compared to the dollars spent in co-pays, medication costs, expensive tests, and doctors visits, I now experience less pain, less negative side effects from medication, and waaaay more fun and pleasure.

Through applied, bio-individualized nutrition, the benefits to my health have been: clearer skin (no make-up!), drastically improved stomachaches and digestion, little/no cravings, much better mood and mental outlook, and an increasingly balanced life.

In terms of my illness, the changes I was making in my life started adding up. I could soon go a solid week without another infection, then I slowly reached my first month without a healing crisis. As of this writing, knock on wood, I have been free and clear of the former ‘health curse’ for over 3 years. 

There is a moment in our lives when most of us experience a great shift. Everything changes. For me, this came when I decided I would no longer be a prisoner to this illness and I was willing to do whatever it took to get better. That moment of commitment, as Goethe reminds us, is when the “entire universe conspires to assist you.” The results I’ve experienced as well as my healing team of health professionals and personal relationships are a testament to the veracity of this statement.

A Healthier Obsession

During the deepest and darkest times of my life and with my health condition, food became an obsession. When a person is sick, all they can think about is how they don’t want to be sick and how they can get better. For me, this manifested as anxiety around food (especially low-quality food in social situations) and disordered eating.

These days, quality food is not an obsession. Orthorexia is a real issue, but it’s not one I have. What I do have is a strong set of values and awareness around organic/non-GMO, whole and sustainably grown foods.

Epilogue

Health involves so much more than being thin. I think about what people have told me and how such a simplistic statement puts focus on the wrong areas of life.

Though I find it a bit traumatic to revisit this time in my life and reflect upon the pain and discomfort involved, I let gratitude for my healing overshadow it. I’m so thankful that I’ve healed my body and that this experience has enabled me to empathize with my clients as I empower them to also leave health issues, frequent doctors’ visits, lists of medications, pain, and unwanted weight behind so they can step into the life of vitality they deserve. We all deserve this.

Chipotle Goes Non-GMO!

photo source: babble.com

We at One Bite Wellness are not above eating at fast-food restaurants…as long as they are higher-quality, nutritious meals. Chipotle has always been a favorite and has stood out from other fast food restaurants with its “Food with Integrity” mission to serve local, organic food. Their recent decision to make the transition to non-genetically modified food shows that they are taking bigger steps to provide healthier food to the masses.

Currently, Chipotle is in the process of transitioning to all non-GMO food. They do not have a specified time of when this will be achieved due to the logistics involved with suppliers, product developers, and educating staff. In the meantime, Chipotle is still a great option for a quick meal- especially because it is currently serving organic foods such as their black beans and rice. This restaurant is setting the bar higher for fast food establishments; hopefully it will spur others to join the movement in making our fast-food society a little healthier.