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Food Favorite: Pomi Tomatoes are BPA-Free

March 6, 2012 0

Since we are on the subject of BPA-free packaging for our foods, I started to think of my favorite foods packaged in BPA-free packaging. The first item that popped into my head is one that we use a lot of in our home, Pomi Tomatoes. While we try to use fresh organic tomatoes in all of our recipes, there are times that we need a good tomato sauce or source of chopped or strained tomatoes that we are unable to find locally.

We found Pomi Tomatoes and have been very pleased with both the quality of their natural tomatoes as well as their BPA-free, sustainably made recyclable packaging. Not to mention, their tomatoes are free from preservatives, artificial colors and don’t have added water. We choose Pomi Tomatoes over other tomatoes packaged in glass, since some of those jars had BPA lined lids. And since many cans have high-levels of BPA – we avoid those too.

PS: We have started to use Pomi Tomato Sauce on our family pizza nights – it is fantastic! 

Do you have a favorite food that you know if packaged BPA free? I would love to hear your suggestions. 

Announcement: Campbell’s Soup Pledges to Go BPA-Free

March 6, 2012 0

Late last year, Campbell’s Soup found themselves under attack due to reports of higher than normal levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in their soup can linings. As you already know, Campbell’s Soup heavily markets their soups to children using fun shapes and familiar cartoon characters on their labeling. With the backing of the Breast Cancer Fund which launched it’s Cans not Cancer campaign, Campbell’s Soup has announced that it will no longer use BPA in it’s soup can linings. In the last several months, over 70,000 letters were sent by supporters, including over 20,000 from Healthy Child, Healthy World – I sent a letter, did you?

Studies have shown exposure to BPA has been linked in lab studies to breast cancer, early puberty in girls, obesity, prostate cancer and more. I am not a fan of plastics in general, however plastics containing BPA are even more frightening to me. As I have stated before, as a family we try to avoid purchasing food products that are packed in plastic or cans with linings. Remember, you vote with your dollar – if you stop purchasing these items, it will have an impact! Mr. Sweet Greens makes most of our soups from scratch and stores them in glass containers – this is one way that we can ensure that the food that we eat isn’t tainted with BPA.

What steps does your family take to remove BPA and other plastics from your foods?

via Forbes
Image via Loop_Oh

What Does Healthy Eating Mean to You?

March 1, 2012 0

I was thinking about the ways that my eating habits have evolved over the years. I have tried many different types of eating including vegetarianism, veganism, and eating only organics and locally produced foods. I have even tried gluten-free eating for a short time. However, when I met the mister my eating habits changed – mainly because he started doing all of the cooking and I quickly realized that there are many foods that I wasn’t consuming that were amazing! And if your husband cooks – you smile, thank him and eat whatever he cooks. Ha!

So, instead of focusing solely on being vegetarian, we have for many years been eating whole, clean foods. Our menus focus on organic plant-based meals with small amounts of whole-grains and proteins mixed in. Think: half of our plates are filled with salad or fresh vegetables, a quarter is a whole grain and a quarter is a protein. Our family consumes a large quantity of beans, lentils, fruit, whole grains, and vegetables – those are the staples in our home. 

However, I have friends and family that view healthy eating in different ways too – I have a friend who eats strictly Paleo, (you only eat foods that could be hunted or gathered). I have several friends that are vegan and vegetarian. I have family members that eat completely gluten-free and others that are lactose and sugar-free. I have a friend who strictly believes in no snacking and eats only fat-free foods and an online blogger friend who eats completely raw -which I find absolutely fascinating! 

This had me wondering what types of healthy eating do you and your family enjoy? Are there any new healthy eating lifestyles that you have heard of that you would like to try? Is there a certain type of healthy eating that has worked for you over the years? I would love to hear your suggestions!

The Best Natural Ways for Cold Sore Prevention and Treatment

February 23, 2012 0

After spending five fun and very long days in the sun with my parents, a large group of cold sores has taken up residence on my bottom lip. I haven’t had a cold sore in years – and I think the cold sores knew it! It seems like every dormant virus in my body has popped up this time. Ha!

As you may already know, cold sores are Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1, which causes sores on your lip, mouth and nose area and generally last 7-14 days. There isn’t a cure for cold sores, however there are things you can do to to extend the time in between outbreaks and ways to treat them when they do occur. This week, I have been researching different natural cold sore prevention and treatment options. Read on to learn how to prevent them in the first place and if do you get a cold sore or twelve – how to treat them naturally.

Prevention:

1. Protect Your Lips:
This is obvious – however, don’t forget your lip balm and sunscreen when heading out for the day. I try to keep lip balm and sunscreen with me at all times. I keep them in the car, in my purse, in my desk, and throughout my home. Get in the habit of putting your lip balm and sunscreen on and keeping them with you to prevent not only cold sores but overexposure to the sun as well.

2. Take Your Vitamins:
While taking a daily multi-vitamin can be beneficial to your health, it can also help in the prevention and treatment of cold sores. Particularly Zinc Oxide and Lysine. However, before adding any vitamins to your daily regimen, you will want to consult with your health care provider to make sure they don’t interact with any other medications or herbs you already take.
 
3. Don’t Set Them Off:
When cold sores aren’t having a party on your lips, they lay dormant in nerves below your skin. There are things that will wake them up, try to avoid these triggers:

– Ultraviolet radiation (such as sunburn) or Cold Weather
– Stress + Fatigue
– Infections, Colds, Flu + Fever
– Menstruation
– Low Immunity

Obviously, some of these triggers are hard or impossible to avoid – however you can limit the amount of stress in your life, boost your immunity, exercise and practice yoga, rejuvenate your entire body and if you have children who suffer from cold sores, get them into a healthy habit too!

The Healing Process:
 
1. Do Not Touch It:
First things first, when you do get a cold sore – do NOT touch it, at all. Do not attempt to pick, pinch or squeeze it, it will only makes it worse. Cold sores are extremely contagious, you can easily spread them to your family members. The key is not to touch the infected area and wash your hands often and thoroughly.

2. Keep It to Yourself:
Since cold sores are extremely contagious, you have to be very careful not to spread them to your family members. Don’t share cups, utensils, washcloths or towels with anyone in your family – and absolutely no kissing! And once the outbreak begins, buy a new toothbrush and when the cold sore is gone, get another another one.

3. Get Pain-Free:
It’s no secret – cold sores are painful! I am not a fan of taking painkillers, so taking one for a cold sore isn’t an option for me. I have been using ice to ease the pain – and that seems to work for me. However, there are many homeopathic options available for you to try. If you have tried one before, I would love to hear your suggestions.

4. Get Natural:
There are many natural remedies for cold sores, I have heard of everything from tea tree oil to milk – from yogurt to licorice. I have been trying a new remedy that I read about this week – I have been applying natural pure vanilla extract to a cotton ball and holding it on the cold sore – and so far, so good. The area is drying out and the cold sores are starting to heal. If you suffer from cold sores, you may want to try a different natural remedy each time you get one until you find one that works well for you.

Do you suffer from cold sores? Do you have a tried and true natural prevention or treatment plan that you swear by? I would love to hear about them, please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

photo via Walt Stoneburner

I’m Still Not Lovin’ It: McDonald’s Drops Use of Ammonia-Based Pink Slime in Hamburger Meat

February 1, 2012 1

I am still reeling from the fact that McDonald’s confirmed that it has eliminated the use of ammonium hydroxide (an ingredient found in household cleaners, fertilizers and some explosives) in it’s hamburger meat, a.k.a. meat scraps. You remember ammonium hydroxide right? It’s that ‘pink slime’ that was flooding the interwebs months ago. You would like eliminating it would make me happy – right? Wrong. I am reeling because why, WHY would they EVER think this was an option in the first place?

Even though McDonald’s denies that its decision had anything to do with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s months-long food revolution campaign to remove ammonium hydroxide ‘pink slime’ meat from the United States food supply – I know better. I give props to Jamie for stepping up and making a large impact on how America views and consumes food. Bravo! According to Jamie he found the use of treated scrap meat “shocking” and that “basically we’re taking a product that would be sold in the cheapest form for dogs and making it ‘fit’ for humans.” Unbelievable.

So let’s get back to this pink slime. In case you aren’t familiar, besides being used as a household cleaner and fertilizer, it also releases flammable vapors which when added to certain acids can turn into ammonium nitrate – an ingredient found in homemade bombs. However, the Department of U.S. Agriculture classifies it as “generally recognized as safe”. Are they crazy? When would it ever be considered safe to consume chemicals found in household cleaners, fertilizers and explosives?

Making Changes at Home

Thankfully eight years ago, after watching Super Size Me – my family dramatically changed the way that we consumed packaged and fast food. Anyone who watched that documentary and saw what happened to Morgan Spurlock’s health after one month of a McDonald’s diet could see that this type of food is not not what we want our families eating. My family took it a step further and removed most of the packaged foods that we purchased and switched to organics at that time. In fact, I think Morgan Spurlock and Jamie Oliver would be happy to hear that we had our own food revolution.

Anyhow, back to McDonald’s – in a statement McDonald’s stated that it stopped using “select lean beef trimmings” – otherwise known as scrap meat soaks in ammonium hydroxide, then ground into pink “meat like” slime at the beginning of last year.

Regardless, my family has not consumed anything from McDonald’s in YEARS and will not in the future. What corners will they cut next since their pink slime cash cow has been taken away?

McDonald’s Isn’t the Only One

As you may know, McDonald’s is not the only fast-food restaurant that has used ‘pink slime’ meat. There are others including; Taco Bell and Burger King. So why am I being so tough on McDonald’s? My main issue with McDonald’s is that they aggressively market directly to children. My own son thinks he will love McDonald’s based on their advertising and I swear once in a while I hear him humming their jingle in the back seat of the car. It infuriates me! Children do not understand the impact that modified, unhealthy foods can and will have on their health – not to mention the impact on our environment. And of course, they are going to want to go to the restaurant that has the latest and greatest toy in the kids’ meal. This leaves us as parents telling our children no to something that they view as healthy and fun.

What Can You Do? 

If your family does consume meats, consider only purchasing meats that are fresh and organic and cook your own meat at home. You can find tips for saving money on organics here and coupons for organics here. Consider eating more fresh vegetarian meals and skipping fast food all together. This way you have more control over what your family is consuming – since ‘mechanically seperated’, ‘meat product’ or ‘pink slime’ will not be on the label of anything that you purchase.

Ammonia-based ‘pink slime’ meats are a HUGE disappointment. Between this, GMO’s, pesticides, artificial ingredients, colors and additives – we are poisoning ourselves and our children – I find this to be unforgivable. 

What are your thoughts?
Has your family unknowingly consumed pink slime meat?

photo credit happymealy

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