Contact: Barbara Haumann (413-376-1220)
Organic Trade Association (OTA) hails panel for empowering consumers with ways to reduce their cancer risk

GREENFIELD, Mass. (May 6, 2010)—. The President’s Cancer Panel Report released on May 6 exhorts consumers to choose food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers , antibiotics, and growth hormones to help decrease their exposure to environmental chemicals that can increase their risk of contracting cancer. Organic products avoid the use of these chemicals.

“Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing, to the extent possible, food grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers…Similarly, exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feed lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised without these medications,” according to the landmark report, “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now,” submitted to President Obama by Dr. LaSalle Leffall, Jr., an oncologist and professor of surgery at Howard University, and Dr. Margaret L. Kripke, an immunologist at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

“Organic production and processing is the only system that uses certification and inspection to verify that these chemicals are not used on the farm all the way to our dinner tables,” said Christine Bushway, Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

Organic production is based on a system of farming without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) and synthetic fertilizers. Organically produced foods also must be produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering and other excluded practices, sewage sludge, or irradiation. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food. In addition, animal confinement in feedlots is prohibited.

“Consumers should know that organic foods have the least chemicals applied in their production and the least residues in the final products. Thus, those seeking to minimize their exposure to these chemicals and follow the recommendations of the President’s Cancer Panel can look for the USDA Organic label wherever they shop,” said Bushway.

“The American people—even before they are born—are bombarded continually with myriad combinations of these dangerous exposures,” the panel wrote in a letter to President Obama. It added. “The Panel urges you most strongly to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

It added, “Many known or suspected carcinogens first identified through studies of industrial and agricultural occupational exposures have since found their way into soil, air, water and numerous consumer products…Some of these chemicals have been found in maternal blood, placental tissue, and breast milk samples from pregnant women and mothers who recently gave birth. Thus, chemical contaminants are being passed on to the next generation, both prenatally and during breastfeeding.”

“OTA is gratified to see a prestigious scientific panel recognize what the organic farmers and the organic community have realized about environmental health and organic agriculture for decades, and we applaud them for taking on this critical issue,” Bushway added.

The full report is available online.

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) is the membership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers’ associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others. OTA’s Board of Directors is democratically elected by its members. OTA’s mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy (www.ota.com).

by Sherry Dell, PhD, CN

Purple is my favorite color.  This predisposes me to love all things purple.  So when it comes to food, blueberries get my attention for several reasons.  Besides their luscious color and their delicious taste, they are one of the most therapeutic plants on the planet.

Purple and indigo colored food of all kinds is high in a flavonoid called anthocyanins.  Anthocyanins are very high in antioxidants.  Because oxidative stress and the free radicals that are produced by oxidation are linked with so many degenerative processes, not surprisingly, the fruit of the blueberry plant and its antioxidant capacity have been shown in research to reduce aging symptoms in general.

Oxidation essentially wears down the tissues of the body.  Just like your old car that had oxidized or rust spots on it, our bodies can also “rust out.”  Oxidation is caused by everything from just plain breathing to being exposed to toxins either by choice (processed foods, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, etc.) or by environmental features (smog, paint fumes, farm chemicals in food, etc.).

The natural design of our bodies allows these oxidative processes or “fires” to be quenched through the anti-oxidants in our foods.  Water, for example, has very high antioxidant capacity. Measurements vary but below is a list of the 20 highest antioxidant capacity foods as identified by a recent USDA study (1).  Eating from this list is a very good idea for most people.  Notice especially the rating of the blueberry.

1. Small red bean (dried), 1/2 cup
2. Wild blueberry, 1 cup
3. Red kidney bean (dried), 1/2 cup
4. Pinto bean, 1/2 cup
5. Blueberry (cultivated), 1 cup
6. Cranberry, 1 cup (whole)
7. Artichoke (cooked hearts), 1 cup
8. Blackberry, 1 cup
9. Prune, 1/2 cup
10. Raspberry, 1 cup
11. Strawberry, 1 cup
12. Red delicious apple, 1
13. Granny Smith apple, 1
14. Pecan, 1 ounce
15. Sweet cherry, 1 cup
16. Black plum, 1
17. Russet potato, 1 cooked
18. Black bean (dried), 1/2 cup
19. Plum, 1
20. Gala apple, 1

To  be more specific about blueberries (both the fruit and the leaves), research has shown their positive impact on:

A close European cousin of the American blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum and Vaccinium corymbosum)  is called bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus).  Bilberry leaf has been researched to show similar results to the blueberry.

A therapeutic dose of blueberry fruit is one cup per day.  Not a bad prescription, eh?

_{(1) American Chemical Society. “Largest USDA Study Of Food Antioxidants Reveals Best Sources.” ScienceDaily 17 June 2004.}

_{(2) “Anthocyanins and Blueberries,” Nutrition Week, October 3, 1997;27(38):7/Doctor’s Guide to Medical and Other News, September 25, 1997;3.}

_{(3) “Blueberry-induced changes in spatial working memory correlate with changes in hippocampal CREB phosphorylation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels,” Williams CM, El Mohsen MA, et al, Free Radical Biol Med, 2008 May 2.}

_{(4) “Cellular antioxidant activity of common fruits,” Wolfe KL, Kang X, et al, J Agric Food Chem, 2008; 24(56): 8418-26.} 

_{(5) “Blueberries May Reverse Some Aging,” Sison A, Medical Tribune, October, 1999;40(17):4.}

_{(6) “Antioxidant Activity of Berry Phenolics on Human Low-Density Lipoprotein and Liposome Oxidation,” Heinonen IM, et al, J Agric Food Chem, 1998;46(10):4107-4112.}

_{(7) “Blueberry fruit polyphenolics suppress oxidative stress-induced skeletal muscle cell damage in vitro,” Hurst RD, Wells RW, et al, Mol Nutr Food Res, 2010 March; 54(3): 353-63.}

_{(8) “Dietary flavanols and flavanol-rich foods intake and the risk of breast cancer,” Adebamowo CA, Cho E, et al, Int J Cancer., 2005; 114(4): 628-33.} 

Blueberry Smoothy

A simple way to take your “blueberry medicine” is to add the fruit to a protein drink.  Choose a low sugar, low carbohydrate protein powder such as rice, whey, or soy.  Add your protein powder to the blender with 1 cup fresh or frozen organic blueberries.  Perhaps 1 small banana, two or three ice cubes, and then 12-16 ounces water, rice milk, soy milk, almond milk or a mixture of all of the above. 

Blueberry or Bilberry Leaf Tea

A tea is prepared by combining 1 cup boiling water and 1–2 teaspoons of dried leaves and steeping for 15 minutes. Drink 1-3 cups/day to take advantage of the health benefits

“I am the Allower of my own Wellbeing”

A natural health newsletter written by Sherry Dell, PhD, CN

Volume 3, Issue 4
May, 2010

Purple is my favorite color.  This predisposes me to love all things purple.  So when it comes to food, blueberries get my attention for several reasons.  Besides their luscious color and their delicious taste, they are one of the most therapeutic plants on the planet.

Purple and indigo colored food of all kinds is high in a flavonoid called anthocyanins.  Anthocyanins are very high in antioxidants.  Because oxidative stress and the free radicals that are produced by oxidation are linked with so many degenerative processes, not surprisingly, the fruit of the blueberry plant and its antioxidant capacity have been shown in research to reduce aging symptoms in general.

Oxidation essentially wears down the tissues of the body.  Just like your old car that had oxidized or rust spots on it, our bodies can also “rust out.”  Oxidation is caused by everything from just plain breathing to being exposed to toxins either by choice (processed foods, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, etc.) or by environmental features (smog, paint fumes, farm chemicals in food, etc.).

The natural design of our bodies allows these oxidative processes or “fires” to be quenched through the anti-oxidants in our foods.  Water, for example, has very high antioxidant capacity. Measurements vary but below is a list of the 20 highest antioxidant capacity foods as identified by a recent USDA study (1).  Eating from this list is a very good idea for most people.  Notice especially the rating of the blueberry.

1. Small red bean (dried), 1/2 cup
2. Wild blueberry, 1 cup
3. Red kidney bean (dried), 1/2 cup
4. Pinto bean, 1/2 cup
5. Blueberry (cultivated), 1 cup
6. Cranberry, 1 cup (whole)
7. Artichoke (cooked hearts), 1 cup
8. Blackberry, 1 cup
9. Prune, 1/2 cup
10. Raspberry, 1 cup
11. Strawberry, 1 cup
12. Red delicious apple, 1
13. Granny Smith apple, 1
14. Pecan, 1 ounce
15. Sweet cherry, 1 cup
16. Black plum, 1
17. Russet potato, 1 cooked
18. Black bean (dried), 1/2 cup
19. Plum, 1
20. Gala apple, 1

To  be more specific about blueberries (both the fruit and the leaves), research has shown their positive impact on:

A close European cousin of the American blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum and Vaccinium corymbosum)  is called bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus).  Bilberry leaf has been researched to show similar results to the blueberry.

A therapeutic dose of blueberry fruit is one cup per day.  Not a bad prescription, eh?

_{(1) American Chemical Society. “Largest USDA Study Of Food Antioxidants Reveals Best Sources.” ScienceDaily 17 June 2004.}

_{(2) “Anthocyanins and Blueberries,” Nutrition Week, October 3, 1997;27(38):7/Doctor’s Guide to Medical and Other News, September 25, 1997;3.}

_{(3) “Blueberry-induced changes in spatial working memory correlate with changes in hippocampal CREB phosphorylation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels,” Williams CM, El Mohsen MA, et al, Free Radical Biol Med, 2008 May 2.}

_{(4) “Cellular antioxidant activity of common fruits,” Wolfe KL, Kang X, et al, J Agric Food Chem, 2008; 24(56): 8418-26.} 

_{(5) “Blueberries May Reverse Some Aging,” Sison A, Medical Tribune, October, 1999;40(17):4.}

_{(6) “Antioxidant Activity of Berry Phenolics on Human Low-Density Lipoprotein and Liposome Oxidation,” Heinonen IM, et al, J Agric Food Chem, 1998;46(10):4107-4112.}

_{(7) “Blueberry fruit polyphenolics suppress oxidative stress-induced skeletal muscle cell damage in vitro,” Hurst RD, Wells RW, et al, Mol Nutr Food Res, 2010 March; 54(3): 353-63.}

_{(8) “Dietary flavanols and flavanol-rich foods intake and the risk of breast cancer,” Adebamowo CA, Cho E, et al, Int J Cancer., 2005; 114(4): 628-33.} 

Blueberry Smoothy

A simple way to take your “blueberry medicine” is to add the fruit to a protein drink.  Choose a low sugar, low carbohydrate protein powder such as rice, whey, or soy.  Add your protein powder to the blender with 1 cup fresh or frozen organic blueberries.  Perhaps 1 small banana, two or three ice cubes, and then 12-16 ounces water, rice milk, soy milk, almond milk or a mixture of all of the above. 

Blueberry or Bilberry Leaf Tea

A tea is prepared by combining 1 cup boiling water and 1–2 teaspoons of dried leaves and steeping for 15 minutes. Drink 1-3 cups/day to take advantage of the health benefits

By Michelle Mukatis Culitvate Health

I‘ll bet most of you haven’t eaten many turnips in your lives. They grow bitter as they mature and are not widely cultivated, so not highly available. Try a baby turnip, coming into season in early June, and you’ll be hooked. Sweet, juicy and crunchy, you don’t need to cook them to enjoy their flavor. The edible greens are a great substitute for spinach. Color ranges from white to purple-tinged.

Turnips are high in vitamins A, C, E and K as well as folate, iron, manganese and calcium. An interesting note: lower amounts of calcium are found in vegetable sources, however what is there is more absorbable than that in protein and dairy sources, a good thing for vegetarians! Turnips are also a good source of other trace vitamins and minerals and provide excellent dietary fiber and protein.

Turnips grow in rich well-drained soil. They do well in the same bed with onions and peas. Plant seeds as soon as the soil can be worked. Turnips can handle light freezes. Because they are a brassica, rotate related crops so that they are not grown in the same location more than once every three years. The seed packet gives the best planting advice.

Harvest when the roots are 3” or less in diameter. Turnips less than an inch in diameter, can be eaten without peeling. Peel the more mature ones. Then roast, steam lightly, add to pot pies and stews or cook and mash them with potatoes.

If you grow for greens, harvest them while the roots are less than an inch in diameter or greens can be bitter. Steam or sauté the greens, just as you would spinach.

Turnip Parsnip Gratin
Cooking Light, November 2009
8 servings (serving size: 1 gratin)
A mandoline will slice the veggies into uniform thickness and make quick work of it. Use a flavorful aged Gruyère cheese.

3 ¾ c. (1/8-inch-thick) slices peeled turnip
3 ¾ c. (1/8-inch-thick) slices peeled parsnip
6 c. water
Cooking spray
1 c. whole milk
1/3 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. kosher salt
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese
2 T. butter
¼ c. panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Meanwhile, combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes or until almost tender. Drain; let stand 5 minutes. Arrange about½ c. vegetable mixture into each of 8 (5 ½”) round gratin dishes coated with cooking spray.

2. Combine milk, broth, flour, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk until thick. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Spoon about 3 tablespoons sauce over each serving.
3. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko; toast 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over cheese mixture. Place dishes on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 196, Fat: 8.8g (sat 5.1g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.5g), Protein: 7.6g, Carbohydrate: 22.8g, Fiber: 5.3g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Iron: 0.9mg, Sodium: 424mg, Calcium: 236mg
Through Cultivate Health, Michele Mukatis works with individuals who want to improve their health and the health of the planet through gardening, both for landscape beauty and edibles.  She can be reached at www.CultivateHealthColorado.com

By Michele Mukatis, Cultivate Health

There are studies proving that organic produce is more nutritious than conventional. Conversely, there are studies that prove the opposite. In light of that, here are other compelling reasons why you might want to switch to purchasing organic produce.

#1 Organic produce does not use chemical pesticides. Truly, pesticides are meant to kill. There is every possibility that ingesting foods laden with pesticides will compromise your body and could even kill the “friendly” bacteria in your gut that helps you digest food.

Additionally, many pesticides used on crops are dangerous to human health. Many farm laborers on conventional farms must wear protective clothing or they become sick.

#2 Chemical fertilizers are not allowed on organic fields. Chemical fertilizers deplete the topsoil because they give nothing back to the soil and do not promote soil health. The run-off from chemical fertilizers has created a huge dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, which, in turn, compromises the fish we eat. In order to have healthy soil, we need to add back what we take away, which is where compost stars. Additionally, farms
 grazing livestock that use their lands for crop production are healthier than those growing a monocrop with no natural inputs to give back to the soil. Healthy soil means healthy plants that can take better care of themselves when an infestation occurs. 
#3 Organic produce is not genetically modified. We do not know if GMOs are safe for consumption. The crops with the highest GMO use are soy, corn, wheat, rice and cotton, some of which are in most processed products. Because of the health problems our population is facing, it’s a good idea to avoid GMOs until we truly know they are safe.

#4 Organic Foods are actually less expensive. When you consider damage to human health and the environment, we pay somewhere along the line. Most conventional foods are artificially inexpensive because they are subsidized by the government, so you’re still paying for them, just not in the checkout line.
Get to know a local farmer and consider helping on the farm. It’s healthy for your body to be outside and do physical labor and it creates a connection to where your food comes from, the best reason for going organic! 
© May 2010, Cultivate Health LLC, All Rights Reserved Through Cultivate Health Michelle works with people  who want to improve their health an call to schedule a free Health History consultation or to talk about gardening, both for landscape beauty and edibles. www.CultivateHealthColorado.com

By Amy Cook Porter

Okay, I can never resist writing about the obvious, especially if the information comes from a legitimate source and who better to comment on than the the FDA’s weekly press synopsis.

Fresh on their website:

Effects of Switching from Whole to Low-Fat/Fat-Free Milk in Public Schools – New York City, 2004-2009www.cdc.gov/media/mmwrnews/2010/n100128.htm#2
Press Contact: Jessica L. Scaperotti
Press Secretary New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene
(212) 788-5290
These results suggest that substitution of low-fat and fat-free milk for whole milk in schools can substantively reduce student consumption of calories and fat. Changes to the New York City Department of Education’s milk policy greatly reduced the amount of calories and fat available to public school students. Due to the system-wide switch from whole to low-fat/fat-free milk in 2005, a milk-drinking student is exposed to 33 fewer calories and 3.4 fewer grams of fat per school day, or almost 6,000 fewer calories and over 600 fewer grams of fat annually. Annual savings are larger for students who drink white milk (7,000 fewer calories and over 900 fewer grams of fat) and school purchases of milk per student actually increased 1.3 percent after the switch. Given the prevalence of childhood obesity, school milk policy changes are a viable way to reduce calorie/fat exposure without decreasing consumption of important vitamins and minerals.
Anyone who follows a holistic approach notices two problems with the press release.

1. Children over the age don’t need milk, especially at the middle of the day.
2. Why don’t we give our kids milk in the middle of the day, it’s the sugar in milk that elevates their blood sugar and is associated with the calories, not the fat.

Anyone following me over the years has heard my rant as to why water is the best drink for kids at lunch time.  Fruit drinks, flavored waters and teas, and milk all have sugars.  Sugar gives our kids short term energy boosts.  Two hours later, they are tired and dragging.  So what do they want to do?  Eat a high calorie snack to recreate the sugar buzz.  Only this time, it takes more sugar or calories to create the sugar high.

As to the fat issue, reducing fats is dangerous.  Our kids’ bodies are growing as they approach puberty.  Thei bodies needs fats to make hormones.  These need to be good quality fats: fats from range fed cows; organic yogurts and butter, and my favorites – nuts, avocados and coconuts.  Here’s an easy to remember rule for choosing oils: use only oils made from nuts and plants with seeds.  Don’t use vegetable oils.

And my message to the Department of Education, take a refresher biology class.  The solution to the obesity problem is not found in milk.  It’s found in a well rounded diet that includes more fresh fruits and vegetables, less grains, less dairy and more exercise.  It does not come from watering down dairy products.

Presented by: Michele E. Mukatis
One of the most common questions I field is, “How do you eat local in the winter in Colorado?” The answer, while not simple, is that it can be done. I choose to use what I need and supplementwith produce that I’ve frozen from the harvest season and there are a plethora of Colorado-raised foods to seek out right now. If you are a meat eater, of course there are all of the wonderful locally-grown meats available through purveyors like Ranch Foods Direct, Larga Vista Ranch, Frost Farms and Lasater Grasslands Beef You can get highquality, pasture-fed
meats, frozen at their prime, everything from beef and bison to lamb,
pork and chicken. Next, find produce that keeps through the winter. Apples, many kinds of winter squash, root vegetables and potatoes are what people would store to eat through the winter. Their higher natural sugar content gives you an extra boost to help your body manage the cold, dark months. Many greens can handle a freeze, so if you have a greenhouse, a cold frame or some other type of covering, you can harvest fresh kale, spinach and salad greens all winter long.
These veggies provide necessary vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C, E, and K as well as other trace nutrients such as iron,
zinc, potassium, and phosphorus. Greens are great for blood purification and provide lots of energy, so adding those
to the sugary vegetables gives you a nice boost while, at the same time, balances out the heavier tastes of winter. In Colorado Springs, Ranch Foods Direct sells as much local produce as possible throughout the year. They also have a nice selection of value-added products (I know, an industry term) such as salsas, honey, and sauces. The ingredients may not all be sourced locally, but the businesses are likely to be Colorado-based and therefore supporting our local economy more than some of the wellknown picante sauces. Sourcing local foods
takes a little more work than just going to the grocery, but it’s worth it since you get fresher, more nutrient-dense
meals. Searching online or contacting your local Slow Food Chapter,
as well as the Peak to Plains Alliance in southern Colorado is the quickest way. In Denver, the first winter farmers market has opened. In Boulder, there are many farms such as the Cure Farm that grow through the winter and supply the local restaurants like The Kitchen. In Colorado Springs,restaurants such as Pizzeria Rustica and
Adams Mountain Café source locally in the off-season. Create the demand, and it will come! Happy New Year!

For A great recipe by Michele:

http://www.equinaut.net/?p=780

by Michele E. Mukatis

Seasonal availability of foods exists fora reason. Each food’s nutritional components promote seasonal health.For instance, bitter greens help you cleanse and are more readily available in the spring
when your body needs to clean out after the sluggishness of winter.

If you find yourself always hungry, it may be due to a
lack of nutrient density in the food you are eating. For instance, if the food has traveled to get to your market, it loses nutrients, and your body could be asking you to eat more to gain what it’s looking for as far as nutrient content.

This seems to be true in regards to theomegas as well. Omega-
3s are fatty acids found in green plants, fish, specific
seeds and nuts, and animal fats from grazers.They are not as readily available in the winter,when our bodies would slow down and we had less need to be out working hard. Omega-6s are abundant in corn and soy, found in most processed foods.

We use their oils as well as the grains themselves to createcrackers, cookies, salad dressing and sauces. Additionally, animals that grazed would be ready for processing in the fall, after eating a diet high in omega-3s all summer. We could preserve the meat, which would give us the energy we needed to make it through the winter.
Because processed food is available year ‘round, Americans are experiencing what I call nutritional winter. We consume far
higher amounts of omega-6s and are out of balance with their omega-3 intake.

To put this in perspective, omega-3s regulate many of the body’s functions and are the essential building blocks for the body’s cells. They reduce inflammation as well as protect against heart disease and
other chronic illnesses. We need these omega-3s to be more prevalent in our diets from whole foods or supplements. Make no
mistake, however: We cannot live on a diet of hamburgers and French fries, and take supplements thinking that it will make all
the difference.

“How should I get my omega-3s?” you ask.Humans can digest omega-
3s from plants such as flax seed and walnuts, for instance. However, my research indicates that in those foods, it starts out
as an omega-6 fatty acid that our bodies must convert to omega-3
through a multi-step process. If you are vegetarian, it’s a good alternative. If you are not, eat food items in which omega-3s
are already intact: pasture-raised meats, eggs from pastured chickens and cold-water fish with fewer toxicities like herring, canned
light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish.

The more I read and research, the more eating whole foods, available in their season, makes sense. What better way to honor your body and its desire to get energetic or to relax and rejuvenate.

Michele E. Mukatis
Cultivate Health, Owner/Consultant
Peak to Plains Alliance, Administrator
Slow Food Colorado Springs, Steering Committee

By Jason Bussell

Compare the shapes of the average American to the average Asian and you will be quickly reminded that America, with all of its diet fads and super foods, is the most obese nation in the world.  Chinese culture, on the other hand, has adhered for over 4,000 years to a diet plan of balance and moderation and simple principles that we can all practice to live healthier.

If we eat like the Asians, we will look like the Asians (thin).  When they start eating like us, they start looking like us (not thin).  The overriding principles are Balance and Moderation.  You don’t need to eat Chinese food or any Asian cuisine every day.  The various countries cuisines are very different; but they all adhere to the same principles.  They have learned to eat simple whole grains, slightly-cooked vegetables, and a little bit of everything else.   Too much or too little of any one thing is not good.

All foods have upsides and downsides.  A good diet should be like a good stock portfolio, diversified.  If you have the same thing every day, you are overloaded in one sector.  This makes you more prone to the dangers of that sector, and at the same time you are missing out on all the other good things happening in the market.  So like with a good portfolio, you should hedge your bets.  Have smaller amounts of more foods, then no single one can have too great an influence.

White rice is better than brown.  Brown rice is white rice with a thick hull around it.  It is kind of like eating a walnut and not taking the shell off.  There are nutrients in the hull, but they have a very poor bio-availability. Our bodies spend a lot of time and effort trying to break down the shell, which will steal our energy and slow our metabolism.  But since moderation and balance are the principles, don’t have white rice all the time.  Rotate between all the grains (including brown rice).  The more processed a food is, the harder it is for us to un-process; so simple grains should be taken more than breads and pastas.

Cooked vegetables are better than raw.   It is true that cooking slightly will destroy a little of the nutrients (about 10%), but that remaining 90% is then unlocked and available.  Whatever you put in your stomach that is cold and raw, you have to heat and cook.  This takes your time, your energy, and slows your metabolism.  We get all our energy from our digestion.  We want to get the energy and life out of the food and excrete that which we don’t need.  Cooking outside the body lightens the load and then our digestive tract can simply act as a filter: send the good stuff to the tissues, the bad to the tissue paper.  We should eat a wide variety of vegetables, mostly locally grown and organic.

Calories don’t matter.   The average person in China consumes between 25-40% more calories than the average American.  Even the sedentary office workers have more calories and less obesity.  This is because of the kinds of calories they consume and how they are prepared.  Calories ingested from natural sources will give you a more steady release of energy, satisfy your hunger, and facilitate appropriate elimination of waste.  Eating cookies, snack foods, artificial sweeteners, sodas, etc, will spike our blood sugars, make us hungrier, and slow our digestion.  You should never be hungry.  Just keep yourself full of good, natural food.

You should eat a little red meat.  Most Americans have too much red meat and that is clearly associated with myriad health problems.  Vegetarians almost have it right, they just go a little to far.  Giving up meat usually will show a short-term improvement, but almost always will lead to a long-term deficiency.  The Chinese recommend that we get two ounces, twice a week of specifically mammal meat.  A little bit of fish and fowl are good as well, but we do need a little mammal in the rotation.  White meat is not better than dark, chicken is not better than beef, egg whites are not better than yolks.  We should have a little of everything.  One famous Chinese medical doctor wrote the “Vegetarianism is best suited to monks, living in the shelter of a temple, spending their days in seated meditation”.  Those of us with a more active lifestyle need a little more of an active food source.
Regarding the ethics of meat-eating, I believe that God loves carrots too.  Everything has a life-force and wants to grow and reproduce.  So it is not possible to “do no harm” and survive.  Everything has to eat something.  We should always be grateful and mindful for the lives that are given so ours may continue.

Stay away from Dairy.  Dairy is designed by nature for infants to turn into substance in the body.  Humans are the only animals that have dairy after infancy.   Dairy does have calcium, but it is overwhelmed by the amino acid Casein which actually robs the bones of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are a much better source of calcium for our bodies, with less ill effects.

Chinese medicine teaches that in adults, dairy turns into a substance called phlegm.  Phlegm can manifest in many different ways: fat tissue, mucus, sinus infections, mental fog, respiratory problems, skin conditions, and even fibroids and tumors.  A little dairy won’t kill you, but a lot of it is not good.  Your primary beverage should be water (room or body temperature), number-two should be green tea.  Everything else, including coffee, should be occasional.

Try and put these principles to use in your and your family’s diet and you will see the benefits.  Trust what has worked for millennia. Keep it simple, balanced, and moderate.

Jason Bussell is an acupuncturist, herbalist, President of the Illinois Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and author of “The Asian Diet: Simple secrets for eating right, losing weight, and being well.”  He practices with his wife Jeanie in Wilmette and Chicago, Illinois.

By Barbara Royal

Barbara Royal is the founder of The  Soul Restoration Process. She is certified by both the Center at Benet Hill Monastery as a Spiritual Director and Doreen Virtue, Ph.D., as an Angel Therapy Practitioner. She is a BioSpiritual Focusing facilitator and a Master Prayer Practitioner. Barbara offers a free initial consultation and provides her services in person, by telephone and workshop settings. View www.barbararoyal.com for more information.

As I woke up from dozing in my chair the evening of July 27, I caught the tail end of a story on Nightline where a man had lost 135 pounds in 14 months because he had changed the way he looked at food. The commentator said more would be discussed on Good Morning America. So, I turned on the TV the next morning to catch the rest of the story.

It seems research has discovered that compulsive overeating can be controlled by changing the lock your brain has on food, which can be accomplished by looking at food in a different way. According to David Kessler, former FDA Commissioner who reinvented the food label and tackled the tobacco industry,  a national advertising campaign can change our relationship with food, just as his anti-smoking campaign helped change the relationship we had with tobacco.

It is great news that research is showing we can change addictions — in this instance, our dependency on food by looking at it differently – which, as many of us know takes lots of will power and is very exhausting. A national advertising campaign will surely help, but will take many years and many dollars to effect change. Can we afford to wait, considering obesity is the number one health problem in America? Will a national advertising campaign change the sabotaging beliefs and underlying issues that fuel the addiction?

In my work as a Spiritual Director, and based on my personal experience, I am aware it takes more than media and will power to change sabotaging beliefs and core issues. I have come to learn that change comes from a deeper level – it comes from the level of the soul.

God gave each of us the creative attributes of thought, feeling and word. We have available to us prayer, spiritual laws and the wisdom of nature and the human body. With all these gifts and tools at hand, we can change from the level of the soul — and then easily our mind — anything that keeps us from having greater wholeness and healthy, joyful, abundant living.

I was fortunate to discover this during my seeking to overcome childhood trauma, extreme depression, workplace stress and chronic illness; and through formal and informal training. As a Spiritual Director, I have been blessed to teach people how to harness their gifts and tools to heal relationships with friends, family and money; overcome trauma, abuse and physical injuries; achieve wellness; find purposeful work; claim their power over food dependency; and so forth.

So, yes, it is great news that research is showing we can change addictions by changing our mind. This is a major step. But, I believe the world will soon recognize changing the mind is an inside job, and a national advertising campaign will not be necessary for us to know we have all the gifts and tools needed to create a better way of life for ourselves and our world.

Barbara Royal
Spiritual Director
719-687-6823
barbara@barbararoyal.com
www.barbararoyal.com

With more and more symptoms attribute to gluten intolerance, perhaps we and the FDA should look at the definition of whole grains.  Grains that include wheat, corn, soy and any that have been genetically modified should be avoided.

Consult with your doctor before eating this much grain.  Many of the body types and ethnic groups don’t benefit from this much grain.

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You keep hearing that you should eat more whole grains, but what are they? How much should you eat? Eating at least three or more one-ounce equivalents of whole grains daily can reduce the risk of some diseases, according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  These guidelines are published every 5 years by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“So if you want to do yourself some good, eating three or more servings of whole grains each day can help you achieve a healthy diet,” says David Acheson, M.D., the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) associate commissioner for foods.
FDA’s Role
FDA is responsible for regulations and activities dealing with the proper labeling of foods, including ingredient statements, nutrient content, and health claims.
FDA also offers guidance to help manufacturers understand what the agency considers appropriate for statements on food labels, including those related to whole-grain content.
What Are Whole Grains?
Whole grains are cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked, or flaked kernel, which includes the bran, the germ, and the inner most part of the kernel (the endosperm).
Some examples of whole grains include whole wheat, oatmeal, whole-grain cornmeal, brown rice, whole-grain barley, whole rye, and buckwheat. Spelt, often thought of as a unique whole grain, is actually a member of the wheat family.
When trying to select products that contain whole grains, look for those that show whole grains listed first on the ingredient list. The ingredient list on a food label shows ingredients in the order of the most abundant by weight.
For products such as bread or pasta to be labeled whole grain, the grain can be ground, cracked, or flaked, but it must retain the same proportions of bran, germ, and endosperm.
A Daily Dose of Whole Grains
Eating at least three one-ounce equivalents of whole grains per day can reduce the risk of several chronic diseases. Examples of a one-ounce equivalent include:
• 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1/2 cup cooked 100% whole-grain pasta
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice or whole-grain barley
• 1 regular slice of 100% whole-grain bread
• 1 cup of whole-grain ready-to-eat cereal (flakes or rounds) or 1¼ cup puffed
For More Information
Guidance on Whole Grain Label Statements
www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flgragui.html
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/
Date Posted: May 6, 2009