14 walnuts a day could keep the doctor away!

According to research done by the American Diabetes Association, consuming no more than 14 walnuts per day could decrease one's chances of getting diabetes and could help lower your cholesterol. The walnuts have also been proven to rid the body of bad calories to make way for the calories in the walnuts, therefore not causing any weight gain. So go ahead and grab some nuts!

Taking care of your upper respiratory system naturally.

With cold and flu season being in full force, I thought I'd share something more beneficial to our health this week. A lot of people suffer from asthma and other upper respiratory illnesses such as sinusitis, but having a cup of yogurt or some fruits and vegetables can help one to fight these things off and provide your immune system some balance. Yogurt is a probiotic (good bacteria) and provides rich amounts of protein and calcium. Whereas citrus fruits and vegetables like brussel sprouts are good antioxidants and are helpful in alleviating inflammation in your respiratory tract.

How do you like your salmon? ??

The FDA approved genetically modified Salmon for human consumption on November 19th 2015. The company who will be distributing this salmon is called Aquabounty. They altered the salmons DNA to mimick that of a farm raised Atlantic salmon which will grow in market size faster and only half the time it takes for conventional salmon. The good news is that this salmon won't be making it to our plates for another two years and not all grocery chains will participate in selling this item, such as Whole Foods, Kroger and Trader Joes. After learning of this I will not buy anything that bears the Aquabounty logo or name as I prefer natural un-modified foods.

Does coke have the same effects on your body as illegal drugs?

The amount of sugar (10 tsp) in a can of coke poses obvious risks such as obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. But have you ever considered what else coca cola consumption does to your body? Considering it removes battery acid corrosion from your car battery, it is definitely something to think about. According to http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/297600.php coca cola can be compared to heroin in the way it stimulates the brain's reward and pleasure center. I have attached a screenshot of what coca-cola actually does to your body within one hour of consumption.

McDonald's to offer sweet potato fries

In an attempt to offer more health friendlier options, McDonald's has added sweet potato fries as an alternate option to their regular fries. The fries will be offered in Texas chains to start and will hopefully extend to other states eventually. Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A, however once they are fried it kind of takes away the benefit of the sweet potato as it relates to nutrition. I applaud the fast food chain for attempting to revamp their menu options and though I am not a fan of McDonald's for various reasons, kids seem to love this place so offering healthier options seems like a great idea. With people becoming more cautious in their food consumption, if McDonald's plan is to stay relevant then the sweet potato fries is just a start.

Vegans Be Careful!

The vegan lifestyle has become very popular among Americans due to the lack of trust in the federal government and how it regulates the food consumption in America, and for good reason. It has been proven by many studies that this type of lifestyle provides many benefits health wise to the body and also increases one's energy level. With GMO being the topic every time you turn around it doesn't seem like a bad idea, however with everything else, vegetarians should also be careful about their choice of food. A recent article published  by Yahoo Health, https://www.yahoo.com/health/your-vegetarian-hot-dog-may-contain-meat-and-214203888.html , states that Vegetarian hotdogs have been recalled for containing traces of meat such as pork, chicken and even human DNA (totally gross!). Vegetarian hotdogs are usually made from soy and tofu products which have been known to cause abnormal tissue growth in the uterus if consumed long term in high dosages. Personally, I try to avoid anything that contains soy altogether, mostly because I do not like the taste, but to each its own. Whatever one chooses it would be wise to do so in moderation if a healthy lifestyle is what you  are after.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods is a very popular market that people go to for healthier organic food options. They were established in Austin Texas back in 1980 and since then, their motto has been Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet. Per their website, their deepest purpose is to be an organization that helps to support health, well being, and healing of all people, and not just customers but team members, and business organizations in general including the planet. However in recent news via Yahoo's website October 25, 2015, Whole Foods has re-called more than 230 pounds of curried chicken salad and deli pasta because of positive tested samples of Listeria Bacteria. Though there hasn't been any reported USDA illnesses, individuals who may have purchased the salad and or pasta is urged to throw it away. Food safety and handling should be number one priority for anyone who is responsible for the production and promotion of food consumption. I do appreciate this instance being caught before getting too far out of handle, however, I would prefer to see these types of mistakes avoided all together. One of the commenters on the article stated, "I don't trust Whole Foods with anything anymore. Iv'e had bad fish, chicken, and don't trust their "organic" labels." I think most cognizant consumers would just like to have trustworthy food options from reputable markets who truly care about the whole health of their customers as much as they do themselves. Though I can't say that I completely distrust Whole Foods Market, I will say that I will be watching them more closely with a keen eye when shopping there.



https://www.yahoo.com/food/whole-foods-recalls-chicken-pasta-salads-161613253.html
 http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/careers/our-values-and-mission

For The Love of Bacon!

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! First they come for my chicken, and now my bacon, no not my bacon! One thing is certain regarding Americans and that is the majority of us love bacon, the smell, the taste, oh how faithful it is to our taste-buds. But did you know, based on recent research done by the Research Division on the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday October 26, 2015 that bacon, sausage and other processed meats are linked to cancer? This is based off of years of research from animal experiments, cell mechanisms, and studies of human diet health. Well sadly it's time we face the truth about our eating habits and choice of consumption and ask ourselves the ever evolving question, "Do the foods we love, love us back?"

 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-processed-meat-cancer-who-20151026-story.html

How is it that one can grow fruit without seeds? I remember as a little girl, eating fruits like grapes or watermelon while trying to avoid swallowing the seeds. Well those days are no longer if you are buying your fruit from your local grocery store, yeah I know we have organic fruit options but when did it become a choice. Now we have seedless grapes and watermelons etc., I would like to be able to buy natural fruit the way it normally grows in the ground, without being charged extra because of it. If the fruit is not sprouted from a seed how does it grow to become called a fruit. I read an article awhile back that says the fruit codes found on the sticker labels placed on them tells rather or not a product has gmo, is organic or chemical based, but not every consumer is this knowledgeable. Wouldn't it be easier to just tell people in a straight forward manner what it is that they are consuming, like why so hush hush about it or as to speak in code.

As I was scrolling through my timeline on facebook yesterday, I came upon a video of chickens being prepared in China for consumption by the American people. Now aside of the chickens being prepared elsewhere and then imported into the United states, I found it very troubling to watch the chickens being injected with what I assume to be steroids. I watched the chickens grow from about 3 pounds to guessing 9 in a matter of seconds. I am sure this allows for the grocery stores to gain a profit by charging by the pound, but what about the effects that would have on the human body after consuming this chemical based chicken? One of the comments to the online video stated it is safer to own your own chicken farm and you know after watching the video it doesn't sound like a bad idea or going vegan all together. My only struggle is I love the taste of chicken, but will it love me back in the long run.