THE DREADED POST

Oh....the dreaded post. I realize that what I am about to tell you will change your life...and I'm so sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news. But ignorance is not bliss in this case.
A couple years ago I read this book. It freaked (major emphasis on the word freaked) me out. It still haunts me. I do not recommend reading it. I wish someone could have warned me. Their whole tactic is to scare you into losing weight. They also believe in a vegan diet, which I do not...and I'll tell you why in another post. But, I did not eat any dairy or beef or poultry for a very very long time after reading that book...mostly because of the graphic images in my head regarding them. Other than those images that I'm super pissed about, I learned some very interesting things. It totally changed my whole opinion on.....drum roll.....milk.







The things I'm about to tell you might really upset you. When I discovered these things....i got the boyfriend- cheating -on -you feeling. I took a long break and then I started doing more research on milk, to make sure what I read was true. It was. Let me educate you. But I'll preface with this: I am not trying to put dairy farmers out of business or have a government bashing party, my only objective here is to educate.

Milk is the most consumed product in America. We grew up on it, I have probably had milk almost everyday. Cereal and milk are probably the #1 breakfast choice. Milk and cookies...everyones favorite....right?? That's why this is so hard...because milk has become a staple in our diets. Why? Well...it does a body good...right? It's the #1 source for calcium and vitamin D right?? Who hasn't heard...drink your milk so you can have strong bones and teeth??? The dairy industry spends millions of dollars just in advertisements every year. In 1996, they spent a whopping $216 million dollars. No wonder it’s embedded in our brains. Okay great, so they do a lot of advertising, smart, really. I mean it works, right?! Watch this.
Well, strap yourself down, cause it's about to get crazy. This is what gets me really pissed…..
The dairy industry spends about $5 million dollars a year on lobbyists and political candidates…including campaign money on certain government officials (US Senator for NV..Harry Reid—contributed $130,000 to his campaign)
In 2009, OUR government gave the dairy industry more than a billion dollars in subsidies. Don’t believe me, here’s the proof:
Okay, now I am pissed, but I’m about to get irate. We’ve been freaking lied to. Remember the food pyramid that you saw over and over and over in grade school and health class…..Yeah, get this... In 1999, the PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) filed a lawsuit against the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) claiming they promote the meat and dairy industry through their Dietary Guidelines and Food Pyramid. The PCRM won in December of 2000. Prior to the lawsuit the USDA refused to disclose such conflicts of interest to the general public. The USDA has a US Dietary Guideline Advisory committee made up of 11 members. SIX of those have financial ties to the meat, dairy, and egg industry.
The only reason that the official government food pyramid features dairy so prominently is because the USDA wants to promote the dairy industry.

I decided to take a look at the US Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee's newly issued (as of June 15th, 2010) Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Here’s what they had to say about milk. If I could enter swearwords, I would. Here’s the link, if you want to read the complete report:

http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-DGACReport.htm


Currently, many children and adults are not consuming adequate amounts of milk and milk products. (do you mean calcium, protein, Vitamin A & D, magnesium and potassium?) NHANES 2005-2006 reported that the mean consumption of calcium does not meet the recommended Dietary Reference Intakes for any age group older than age 12. Research since 2004 shows that the under-consumption of milk and milk products may lead to an increase in cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as an increased risk for poor bone health and related diseases.
Consumption of the recommended daily amounts of low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products (2 cups for children ages 2 to 8 years, 3 cups for those ages 9 years and older) should be promoted. (yet, low-fat and fat-free are hardest for our bodies to digest.)
It is especially important to establish milk drinking in young children, as those who consume milk as children are more likely to do so as adults. Those who choose not to consume milk and milk products should include other foods in the diet that contain the nutrients provided by the milk and milk products group, protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, Vitamin D, and Vitamin A.
……
In addition to providing protein, milk and milk products are a source of many important nutrients, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin A (DGAC, 2005; p. 183). This topic is further discussed in Part D. 2 Nutrient Adequacy. Previous research, as reviewed by the 2005 DGAC, has established the positive relationship between milk and milk products and bone mineral content or bone mineral density. Also milk product consumption has been linked with overall diet quality and the adequacy of many nutrients
Calcium maintains the strength and density of the bones, with 99 percent of the calcium in the body found in bones and teeth. Bone undergoes constant remodeling, a process in which existing bone is broken down and replaced with new bone. Without sufficient calcium in the diet, there is inadequate formation of new bone, resulting in osteoporosis or other bone disease. (IOM, 1997) When dietary intake of calcium is too low, the body will draw upon the calcium stored in the bones which can lead to low bone mass.
Some of the most bioavailable sources of calcium are in milk and milk products. Calcium also is found in dark green vegetables, whole grains, beans and soy protein, but it is not as well absorbed due to the oxalic or phytic acid found in these foods. Other foods may be fortified with calcium and numerous calcium supplements are available. However, calcium naturally occurring in foods is the recommended source. Absorption of calcium varies based on a number of factors, such as the amount consumed at any one time, the age of the individual, and other foods consumed including dietary fiber, phytic acid, and oxalic acid. Calcium status is also affected by the intake of vitamin D, phosphorus, and protein. Vitamin D is especially important in the absorption of calcium.


Take it how you want it. It makes me angry. I could spend hours and hours finding rebuttals against all the claims they make in just that section of the report. But I don't have enough time, and it really exhausts me emotionally.
I did however come across this blog that I LOVE LOVE LOVE about the best place to find your calcium:


Just when I thought I’d wrap this post up I found this information regarding a mom who called her school district to find out where the school lunch food came from:

The hot entrees (generally a protein and a veggie) are assembled in Berkley Ill., and made with USDA commodities. The district receives a "commodity credit" of about $700,000 annually because it participates in the National School Lunch Program. The commodities come from farms throughout the United States.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/category?cat=1680#ixzz13inDIyny

Also, the USDA requires all public schools to serve milk, and any milk alternative requires a note from a doctor. (I don't have any more words to say)

Can you seriously believe what is going on here??????????????????????????

(Take 10 deep breaths-cause I'm not done.)


Can I also mention that lactose in milk is sugar. A lot of trainers (including mine, and this trainer whose diet and fitness beliefs I like) will advise their clients to stay away from milk. On the flip side, some trainers put professional weight lifters on an increased milk intake diet to increase body mass.

ALSO: When we are born, our bodies are equipped with a lactase enzyme that is required to metabolize the milk sugar lactose. By the age of 5, for some unknown reason, our bodies have developed a partial or complete loss of this enzyme. Read more here.

EVERYTHING I have just told you is not even half of it. All the information I’m giving you mostly has come from here. Please read it. There is more you need to know, like exactly what happens to those cows on some of the farms out there. I am way too sensitive to post it. I am totally against animal cruelty. It will make you phyically sick. BUT YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COUNTRY. Because it affects YOU and your CHILDREN.

To sum this whole thing up… I am fed up with our government right now. (PS I LOVE AMERICA). I feel like I did after I watched Hotel Rwanda.... Just yearning to know how or what I could do to make it all better. I feel completely helpless, and that there is not enough I can do. I feel like my voice is smaller than a “Who” in “Whoville” on the little speck in the movie Horton Hears a Who.
But, you have to start somewhere right….please pass this information on and start raising your voice. We DESERVE what is best for us and our CHILDREN. Please educate yourself.
As far as milk intake goes….Do what you want, but only do it because you think it is best for you and your family, not because you’ve done it your whole life and think this is the way it has to be.

If you do decide to keep milk in your family diet.......research the facts of pasteurization and homogenization. Here's a start. I've heard that if milk is your thing....than raw milk is best, whole milk is better, and 2% is good. But don't take my word for it.....research research research.

For me and my family....we drink Almond milk. (not the added sugar kind) And we have no problem getting in or exceeding our protein, calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, potassium, and magnesium. I do keep 1 gallon of milk in our home which we go through in about 2 weeks. I feel like I don't want to all of a sudden restrict it from my children's diets. I don't want it to become the thing they want because I won't let them have it. They actually ask for almond milk. Me and my husband feel like leading by example is the best approach, and our children are excellent eaters. (right mom and sisters?) I am also going to write a post on kids and eating healthy. Until then............
***Let me add, that I am not a pro, and I'm not telling you what you should or souldn't do...this is just information I have found to be very interesting, and I CHOOSE not to drink milk. Remember to decide and learn for yourself what you will CHOOSE to do. If you do decide that milk is not for you, then make sure you remember to get protein, calcium, Vitamin A&D, potassium, and magnesium from other adequate sources.
Eat Clean and Keep it Real my friends!

Hot Citrus Apple Cider

I am a Fall hot drink lover. Hot Cocoa, Caramel Apple Cider from Starbucks, you name it, I love it. Well, this year I have searched and searched and searched for a sugar-free, no preservative, no weird ingredients hot fall drink, and I have failed to find one. I seriously can't believe it. So...I had an epiphany. Create my own! This recipe does require a juicer. I bought mine from Costco in the spring, and it has been a great investment. It's a Breville Juice Fountain JE900. My husbands words after he tried it...."That's Incredible!" Enjoy this all-natural Hot Citrus Apple Cider recipe, and enjoy the fall! (or winter...for those of you who live in colder climates)

HOT CITRUS APPLE CIDER

8 apples, juiced (whole, don't peel or anything)

4 oranges, juiced (skin removed)

2-3 cinnamon sticks

1/4 teas nutmeg

1/4 teas ground cloves

Combine in crockpot on low. Can simmer 2 hours, or all day. Keep lid open for wonderful aroma!

A great Turkey Breast recipe

My mom introduced this to me, and it is absolutely incredible. I've never tasted anything with better flavor. (sorry no picture)


Crockpot Turkey Breast

6-7 lb bone-in turkey breast
4-6 sprigs rosemary (if you live in st. george, you can get this free)
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 TB sugar (you can omit this, or it only equals to 12.6 grams for the whole turkey. That's less than 3 grams a serving)
1 teas Sea Salt
1 teas Coarse Ground Pepper

Cook on low for 4-6 hours

I love this! Makes great leftovers for sandwiches, or to put in salads! And it couldn't be easier.

Food Journal 10/26/10

Laura suggested I post what I ate for a day. I love the idea. I think I'll do this once a week. I try to write down what I eat everyday. At least Monday through Friday. I keep all my pages in a binder, and I love it because when I get in a rut and all of a sudden can't think of any meal options, I scan through my journal, and remember how endless my options are.

Food Journal for Wed, October 26th

Breakfast: Oatmeal cereal (i'll post our recipe later, my hubby created it) with Almond milk

Snack: plum, 2 egg whites (i do not like yolks)

Lunch: Big salad with cucumbers, onions, turkey breast, 2 Tbs of balsamic dressing.

Snack: 1 Tb Organic PB with blackberries (my favorite snack)

Dinner: Whole wheat quesadilla (another hubby recipe). We make 2 full ones, and me, husband, and 2 kids each have a half. Consists of black beans, turkey, green chilies, about 1 oz of cheese (per serving). Also had broccoli.

That was 4 proteins, 3 servings of vegetables, 2 fruits, 2 whole grains, and 2 fats (try to only have 1 fat)

Also, I created a food journal template that looks like this:

If you would like me to email you the document, let me know. Because it is proven you will be more successful eating better and staying on track if you write down what you eat. It helps me remember what else I need to fit in!

Strive for.....

Everyday I try to eat the following:

4 lean proteins (fish, lean poultry, lean meat, low-fat dairy--with some exceptions later, eggs, beans & legumes, & whey protein)

3 vegetables

2 fruits

2 whole grains

1 fat (1 serving equals 2 Tb oil, nut butters, or nuts or seeds, 1/4 avocado.)

WATER WATER WATER

That's actually a lot of food. At first it requires a bit of planning, but it gets easier. And there are so many varieties. Don't forget to enjoy 2 "dirty" meals on the weekend (perfect for Mom's casseroles, eating out, creamy comfort food, and holiday favorites!)
Make yourself a little checklist for the day, so you can remember to fit them all in. I promise you won't be hungry!!
Start slow, don't get overwhelmed. Slowly add these in if you need to. Once you start eating "clean" your body will crave these foods. And when you eat clean everyday, you will notice a difference when you eat crappy fake foods, it's so crazy.
Seriously, no wonder this world is full of cancers, weird diseases, attention deficit disorders, and obesity. This is the way we are supposed to eat. Back to basics everyone, back to basics. Watch the video on my side bar if you haven't already.

Thought you'd like to know

A product is whole grain if the first ingredient on the label is whole grain, whole wheat, or rye. Plain wheat flour is not whole grain.

A Clean Recipe & Somewhere to start

Let me just start out by saying that I read something a couple years ago that completely devastated me. Like it makes me want to cry...that's how bad. It has haunted me ever since. But I can't talk about it yet...I'm just getting out a little warning. Because I'm going to post something in a couple days that might make you pretty upset or angry at the world. At least it did to me. And I am just now finally starting to make the change. (no, I'm not vegan) But like I said, this blog is to get information out there that you might not be aware of and to help educate America on the status of food in it's country. That's all I'm going to say...so stay tuned. I'm working myself up to posting it.

On a lighter note! I have a nummy recipe to share! And some pictures, because I am a visual person when it comes to recipes. But, I do need to preface it with: I NEED A NEW CAMERA. And some tips from my cute sister! Seriously though, I almost never try a recipe unless I see a picture of it first! So here's my amateur pics, and a delicious nutritious recipe!

Protein pancakes: (Servings 2, 2 pancakes each)

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese

2 egg whites

1-2 Tbs cinnamon (I LOVE cinnamon, and it's sooooo good for you, so I add 3)

1-2 teas vanilla

optional: I add a 1/2 serving of protein powder

Blend together. (magic bullet or blender) Cook low and slow. I like my pancakes dry, not ooey and gooey, so I cook mine on a low setting for about 10-15 minutes.

These are so delicious. My favorite way to top these are with sliced bananas & sliced almonds, and fresh berries drizzled with 100% pure maple syrup. (from costco)

If you are wanting to start out eating better heres some tips. Take it slow. Things are going to taste different, and you can't just go and throw out everything in your pantry and start from scratch (unless you really want to). But be realistic. I am still making small changes here and there. That's why I'm calling it a journey. We are lucky though because the world is starting to notice the crap that's out there, and people are responding and companies are forming to bring us wonderful all natural and pure real foods. Costco is really joining this band-wagon too, and I love it. Maybe I'll do a costco post about all the things I now can find at costco that I buy!!

Start label reading. Don't buy something if you dont know whats in it. Stick with the basics. Simplify your meals. Lots of lean proteins, veggies, and fruits. Avoid sugar...seriously it's the devil.

One food item to switch: Peanut Butter.
The ingredients in my new Organic Creamy PB (Kirkland brand...love it) include: Dry Roasted Organic Peanuts and salt.
Check out the ingredients in your other PB...the devil is added to it.
You may need to stir the organic kind...but it's so much better for you.

My new life!

Since having a baby in April, I have been determined to get my body to where I want it. It’s going to be a journey! Until I could start working out after my C-section, I came across some information that really inspired me and was exactly what I knew I could do. Everything was making sense. Then, after 6 weeks I got the okay from my doctor and I hired the best trainer in the world. She’s amazing. She kicks my butt. Everything I was reading, and all that my trainer was telling me (as far as food goes) all came down to what my life now consists of.
I like to call it eating “clean”.
This is what this blog is about: My journey to get my body to the best it can be so I can feel the best I can! I am loving the way I am feeling. So far, I’ve lost all the baby weight I put on plus 10 lbs! But I need to keep going…and I’m so excited!!
I have been doing a lot of research, internet searching, and reading, and I am finding out a lot of fun and interesting things. I am not a nutritionist, dietician, trainer, doctor, scientist, professional food critic, or anything with any degree related to food, but I am a stay-at-home mom of 3 kids, and a wife to a wonderful, supportive, and might I add…sexy man! I am addicted to my new passion of eating healthy- real- foods.
I feel like I have so much to share my brain wants to explode. Things that really excite me, and things that really want to make me yell and scream. Some of the things I will be blogging about include: the fake crappy foods that are EVERYWHERE, the preservatives in your pantry that do really bad things to you, the truth about the government and the food pyramid, the truth about sugar, eating natural foods, recipes I love, ….and the list doesn’t really ever end because I am seriously addicted to my new life and I'm always learning something new!
I honestly feel a lot of angry feelings at how uneducated I have been in the food department. I had no idea that it mattered what food was made of…or better yet, that you could actually eat something that was chemically engineered. That’s not food. Who’s been telling us and selling us all this fake stuff? What happened to our world? (we will discuss that later). Just to give you a little fraction of an inch about how sick and crazy some of the crap we call food really is…listen to this:
The wheat bread (that I thought was healthy) I used to buy listed 25 ingredients, one of which is: calcium propionate....just to name one of many weird things that make up this "bread". Do you want to know what that is? Or more important...do you want to know what that does??? I quote: ..."in a small study in children found statistically significant...CP causes irritability, restlessness, inattention, and sleep disturbance in some children." This information was found by googling the preservative. I got that particular information from Wikipedia. And it goes on to talk about the studies with rats...which make it seem even worse. SICK. SICK. That’s just ONE thing in that bread. Do you want to know what else is frustrating…the 3rd ingredient listed was none other than HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. (we’ll talk about that devil in another post).
This kind of stuff makes my blood boil. It’s stuff I find out like this, that just makes me infuriated, and determined to educate myself and everyone who will listen about how we really should be treating our bodies.
The wheat bread I now buy is made with 6 ingredients—all of which I recognize as real food, and can pronounce. They include: 100% stone ground wheat, water, honey, raisin juice concentrate, salt, yeast. That's it. THIS is REAL FOOD! CLEAN, REAL FOOD!!! Ahhhh, isn't that wonderful?!

Okay, so let me explain what eating “clean” and real means to me. I believe that what I put into my body should be as real and natural as possible. Avoiding preservatives, additives, and dyes. The foods I eat consist of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. That’s it. Real food, the ones God put on this earth for us to enjoy. Now let me explain something else. Because just when you thought life was beautiful with all these nummy foods, the devil came along and gave us sugar. Yep, that white powdery, highly addictive, “dirty” substance. Sugar and I have a love hate relationship. I only love it when I’m eating it. Other than that it haunts my life. It really reminds me a lot of cocaine.

Read this article here to find out how similar they really are.

With that said....everyone has to be a little "dirty" now and then right??? Honestly my husband and I both have serious sweet tooth problems. So this is how I solve that.

I eat "clean" Monday-Friday. It's my job, and I LOVE it. Saturday and Sunday I allow myself a total of 2 "dirty" meals. On my clean days, I don't eat anything with more than 3 grams of sugar in it.

At first, eating this way was hard, probably because my body wasn't used to being treated so wonderfully. But now, my body honestly craves good nutritious food. Real food. I crave fruits and veggies. I honestly believe that this is the way God intended us to eat! To live! I feel so good. And I am passionately in love with real food.
I will be sharing recipes, tips, articles, interesting facts for anyone who is interested and/or shares my passion for real food, fitness, and feeling good!!!

I challenge you to become aware of what you put into your body for a day. And let me tell you when I began discovering all these truths about what I was eating, it really upset me. It still does. I had to change a HUGE part me. I really thought I ate okay. Some of my favorite foods I choose not to eat anymore, but that was a huge step. So remember, if you do decide to join this journey with me, take it slow, and know I understand how depressing learning the truth can be. But, I can honestly tell you, I love my new life, and I love the foods I eat, and the meals I cook..so does my family too!!

Eat Clean and Keep it Real

Jamie