Your Right to Know about GMOs

Ever since my dad passed away from Colon Cancer in 2009, I have been cautious about the food I eat and the products I use because I know the chemicals in these foods and products are dangerous and harmful to my health. It was in doing some research about chemicals in the foods we eat that I first discovered the term "GMO". The average person probably has no idea what this term means, but they are most definitely eating it in their foods every day. GMO stands for "Genetically Modified Organism" and they are created when scientists take DNA from one organism or species and and insert it into another in a way that would never be naturally occurring. 

The scary part is that GMOs are everywhere. Almost all of the corn, soy, cotton, canola, and sugar beets grown in the United States are genetically modified to survive being covered in weed-killing chemicals. In the United States, foods that contain GMOs do not need to be labeled. The only way you can ensure that you aren't eating a GMO product is by buying food that is organic, as organic standards ban the use of GMOs. 

This video gives a brief description of the company, Monsanto, that has been responsible for most of the genetically engineered food production and explains why it could be very dangerous to our health. 

Since GMOs have been introduced into our environment in 1996, there have been many increases in numerous health problems in the U.S. "The percentages of Americans with three or more chronic illnesses jumped from 7% to 13% in just 9 years; food allergies skyrocketed, and disorders such as autism, reproductive disorders, digestive problems, and others are on the rise." (Institute for Responsible Technology) 

More Reasons to Avoid GMOs

Look for foods that have these labels at the grocery store or buy your foods from local farmers that do not use GMO seed or chemicals on their crops. I also suggest downloading the Fooducate App and it allows you to scan food labels and will tell you if it is likely to contain GMOs. 

It is so important to be informed about the foods you are putting into your body because what we eat truly does affect every aspect of our health. 

Clean Eating Rules

I know we have all heard of the saying "eat clean", but I don't think people really realize what it means to do so. Eating clean is a lifestyle that maximizes your energy and optimizes your health because the foods you are feeding your body are filled with the things it NEEDS. To make it easier to understand, I wanted to post some clean eating rules that would be easy to understand and follow:

Rule #1. Eat whole, natural foods and try to eliminate or minimize the processed foods you eat.
Processed foods are anything in a box, can, bag, or package. It has little to no nutritional value for your body. You will not feel full from eating these types of foods because they are filled with empty calories that your body will just store as fat.They contain much more sugar, salt, and fat than we need, are packed with questionable additives and preservatives, and are usually filled with trans fats and high fructose corn syrup too-which can all lead to higher risks of developing chronic diseases. 

Rule #2. Choose unrefined over refined foods.
Unrefined carbohydrates are full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which are necessary to give your body energy. Refined carbohydrates have undergone manufacturing processes and are the worst form of carbs you can get because after they have gone through the refining process, many of the nutrients have been depleted. They also can contain dangerous chemicals that can spike blood sugar levels and lead to other health problems. It may not always be possible, but try to eat more whole grains like brown rice and quinoa. Beans and legumes are also important to try to incorporate into your diet as well. 

Rule #3. Include some protein, carbohydrates and fat at every meal.
It is important to make sure you are getting a balance of proteins, fats, and carbs at every meal. A lot of us have diets that lack in protein, but it is so important to include because it is a component of every part of your body. Make sure that you are choosing healthy forms of each to include. Healthy fats are things like: nuts, seeds, avocado, and egg yolks. Healthy proteins include: egg whites, boneless, skinless chicken or turkey, fish, greek yogurt, and cottage cheese. Healthy carbs are fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans.

Rule #4. Watch out for fat, salt, and sugar.
Clean foods are usually naturally low in all of these ingredients, so once you cut out processed foods this rule becomes pretty easy. 

Rule #5. Don’t drink your calories. 

Not only are a lot of drinks out there filled with a ton of chemicals and sugars, but they can add a lot of extra calories a day without you even realizing it because they do nothing to fill you up. High calorie drinks like flavored coffees and soda can add an average of 400-500 calories a day! Make sure you are choosing water first and drink as much water as you can throughout the day. 

I hope these rules help clarify what it means to eat clean! I know it is so hard to eat this way for every meal, every day, but if you start to make small changes and do your best to follow these rules you will notice a difference in how you feel!

Jen

"Healthy" Foods that Aren't Really Good for You

Hi guys! So, I decided to start a blog so that I could share lots of tips and other important information I have learned on my journey to a healthier lifestyle. I will also be using it to post fun teaching ideas that I try or come across, so it will be a cornucopia of ideas for teachers and people wanting to get healthy alike! 

The first topic I wanted to blog about was something that shocked and scared me the first time I really started researching it. Foods on the market that claim to be "healthy" or diet foods are really doing more harm than good for our bodies. Say what?! You mean to tell me that 100 calorie packs aren't good for me? Well, maybe that one wasn't a huge surprise, but lots of others on the list shocked me. Knowing what I know now, I have been slowly transitioning to eating whole foods and less foods that come from a can, box, or package. You might as well just throw any processed food you have out the window and let the birds gobble it up (I doubt they would even want to) because they are just empty calories that do nothing for your body. 

Let me break down the list of the ones that shocked me the most and I will try to explain why they aren't as good for you as you may think they are...

1. Multi-Grain and Wheat Breads


I know what you're probably thinking..."but aren't those better than white breads?" Well, yes I suppose but they really aren't doing much more for your body. Many times these multi-grain and wheat breads are made with refined grains, so you're not getting the nutritional benefit of the whole grain. Make sure you read nutrition labels carefully and if the first flour in the ingredient is refined (it will say "bleached" or "unbleached enriched wheat flour", you are not getting a 100% whole wheat bread. Refined gains have been shown to cause weight gain and give an increased risk of insulin resistance. 

Healthier Alternative: Make sure it says 100% Whole Grain!! That word WHOLE is huge! Whole grain keeps all of the nutrients nature intended which makes it more filling and satisfying than other breads. It also causes less of a sugar spike than refined breads.Whole grains have also been shown to lower your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes (Adult Onset Diabetes).  Look for the stamp of approval on the breads you buy! 


2. Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter is a huge part of my daily diet, and this really all depends on the type of peanut butter you buy. A lot of peanut butters on the market are loaded with sugar or high-fructose corn-syrup, which to be are completely unnecessary because peanuts by themselves are totally delicious. Make sure you read the label to see what is in your peanut butter because the sugary ones will definitely not help your waistline! Also, please don't get reduced-fat peanut butter...they just add more sugar to make it taste decent. 

Healthier Alternative: 

Read the label. Real peanut butter has one, maybe 2 ingredients max- it really shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Look for an "all natural" peanut butter like Smuckers or visit a health food store where they grind and make their own. 


3. "Fat Free" Salad Dressing

Dressing by definition is supposed to be fatty. If you just use a little of it, you get a healthy hit of the fats you need for a balanced diet. Unfortunately, people like to drown their salad in dressing and feel that if they get a fat-free version, it gives them free reign to do so. Nothing is free. All they do is replace the fat in the dressing with carbs and salt, so instrad of pouring a little healthy fat on your salad, you've basically drowned it in sugar. 

Healthier Alternative: 

Make your own salad dressing! It's super easy. One part vinegar and one part olive oil with a blob of Dijon mustard makes an awesome vinaigrette. It's also helpful to put your salad with a little dressing in a seal-able container and shake it up so that it coats everything more evenly without using a ton of dressing. 



4. Flavored Yogurt

Yogurt starts out as looking healthy. It has a ton of calcium and protein as well as probiotics which helps make it easier to digest. Unfortunately, the taste of plain yogurt is bitter so manufacturers load it up with sugar. Take a look at some flavored yogurt labels. The second ingredient is probably sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. 

Healthier Alternative:

Buy plain yogurt and flavor it yourself. A little honey and some real fruit can go a long way in covering up the bitterness.

5. Granola/Energy Bars

Lots of times we think if a granola bar contains fruit or fiber, it's good for us. This is not the case. No matter what the granola bar, it is usually very high in sugar (usually high-fructose corn syrup) and low in nutrients. 


Healthier Alternative: 

If you want a quick snack on the go, grab an apple and some almonds. It has about the same calories, but your body can actually use the nutrients! 


I hope this helps! I know it definitely helped me change some habits that I thought were healthy to ones that are much healthier!