Not so 'super' market

We all need to eat.  We all need to get food in order to do so.  We pop in our car (or on a bike) and head off to the grocery store to get some good eats.

What awaits us is beautifully lined shelves stocked full of our favorite treats.  Bright colors, cool temps, wide aisles and more selections than there are women for Tom Cruise to choose from.  It's all designed to be appealing and trigger impulse purchases.

Do you know there are research and design teams whose sole purpose is to get us to buy their product, regardless of its' potential toxicity?  Companies who make their bread and butter from the average shopper don't give a rat's ass about what they are peddling.  They just want us to BUY, BUY, BUY, so they keep their job.

If you're a savvy shopper, you'll pick up on their ploys and put their product back where it belongs.  Well, ok...so it probably belongs in the trash, but seeing as how most grocery stores aren't keen on  shoppers throwing their goods in the trash...just refrain from buying their trash and put the item back where you found it.

As a savvy foodie (and savvy shopper) I have started looking at most grocery store food as nothing more than child's play.  Would I eat the play-doh french fries...um no, well why should I eat the real french fries?  They are equally nutritional.  Ever think of it like that?

The next time the donut box gets passed around at the office, try seeing the contents for what they are...fake food.  Feel like splurging on a sweet roll with your coffee?  Think again!  It's nothing more than disease, fat, high blood sugar, artery clogging causing crap.  It ain't food!  Most 'super'markets peddle fake food!  What's so super about that?

And don't think by shopping at Whole Foods you'll be as safe as a little kitten.  You still have to put your thinking cap on and discern the crap from the food.  My cap comes in the shape of education.  There are certain guidelines I follow when I'm shopping.   I always flip the item over and read the label.

LOOK FOR - 

• ORGANIC
• GMO - free (Genetically Modified Organism)
• 'Meat that is organic and no antibiotics and/or raised without antibiotics' (Prevention Magazine, November 2012, pg. 16)
• Very short ingredient list
• Coconut oil is a safe oil
• Short shelf life

AVOID - 

• Put item back on shelf if the ingredients read like a novel
• If I see the words 'soy' ANYTHING listed it automatically goes back on the shelf
• Avoid pretty much ALL oils (Safflower, Sunflower, Vegetable, Canola, even Olive)
• Drop item immediately if you see the word 'corn' in any form - usually it'll read 'corn syrup'
• Shop the outside aisles - produce is safe, meat and some dairy
• If something says it's 'low-fat/no-fat' this is an automatic NO-NO.  This will alter your metabolism and the sugar is most likely amped up to make up for the lack of taste.
• Watch out for trick words like "low fat", "no fat", "all natural", "healthy" - 'this will only tell you that no artificial colors or flavors have been added.  
• Don't trust 'anti-biotic free' or 'anti-biotic residues' - these are not USDA-approved terms for meat and should raise a red flag' (Prevention Magazine, November 2012, pg. 16)

Any questions, additions or comments....please share!

Cup of health!

I Love Lucy - Vitameatavegamin!

Do you find that you're feeling tired, run down, listless?  Do you poop out at parties?  Are you unpopular? Well folks...it's not Vitameatavegamin, but the answer to all your problems can be found in this little juicer.

http://www.omegajuicers.com/juicers/vert350-juicer.html

I am not being endorsed by Omega...but I wouldn't be opposed to it.  These are costly little machines, but the benefits outweigh the cost hands down.  My savvy hubby and I saw Joe Cross's "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead" a few months back and we have been juicing ever since.  I like to have one glass a day and my hubby drinks it far more often than I do.  

The taste is something that needs some getting used to, but I have developed a few tricks that kill the bitter and help us enjoy our cup of health.  One essential step with this particular Omega juicer is to strain the pulp from the juice.  Indeed, the machine does separate the juice from the pulp but even with the fine strainer attached there is a fair amount of pulp in the juice itself.  So as I am pouring it into my container I run it through another small strainer.  This produces juice as smooth as silk.  My friend's husband tried a glass, for the first time, and his initial response was, "WOW!  This is great!  There's no pulp."  I had to laugh (to myself) because men just don't dig pulp.  My savvy hubby nearly choked the first time I used our Omega juicer.  It was gross, we were chewing our juice...BLEK!

Juicing has numerous benefits.

• Rapid micronutrient absorption
• Fantastic way to bring more RAW fruits and veggies into your diet.  I mean with all the produce I put into my juicer there is no way I would be able to eat the same amount if it were just sitting on a plate.
• Clearer complexion
• Clearer thought process
• Better sleep
• More energy
• You feel healthy!  I was feeling awful one day, I had a glass and VOILA!  I told my best friend and she said, "Oh!  All you needed was a cup of health!"  We had a good laugh, but she was right.  My body obviously craves health.

Those are just a few I can tell you, off the top of my head.  Now you may be asking, 'what to put into your juice?'.

Spinach, kale, cucumbers, ginger, mint leaves, parsley leaves, apple, orange, pear, celery, carrots, beets, Swiss chard, bok choy, green pepper, broccoli, brussel sprouts, blueberries and lemons.  I find by adding lemons and mint it helps cut down on the bitter taste of the greens.  

If you're seriously into your leafy greens, make sure your juicer can handle them.  Because of their natural courseness, it's critical to invest in a higher quality juicer to tackle them.  I have also found that by following your leafy greens with carrots is very helpful in getting the juice to come out.  Again, I have the Omega and this is true for my juicer.  There are many out there, but I must tell you...YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.  The cheaper the juicer, the lower the quality.  Do your homework before purchasing your juicer. 

If you store your juice in the refrigerator (which honestly is the only way to store it) and the juice turns brown...this means all the good nutrients of the fruits and veggies have died and renders the juice inefficient.  The cheaper the juicer, the less amount of time you'll have with your juice.  

It's quite a time commitment, so my advice is to get a juicer that will allow for a 72 hour window of storage so you won't find yourself juicing everyday.

Produce is pricey and organic can be a bit outrageous.  Please don't let this deter you.  I don't buy ALL organic.  My principle rule - if it can be skinned it doesn't have to be organic.  But if I plop my fruit and veg into the juicer without peeling or skinning, it has got to be organic.

Here's a video from Joe Cross demonstrating a juicer that William Sonoma carries.  Again, I'm not being endorsed by this company either.

It's a time comittment, but I'd rather invest my time in money in my health NOW as opposed to dealing with doctor's and their bills later in my life when my body is falling apart.  Just something to chew on ;)