101 Way to Be A Greener Eater

A great website, Master's In Health Care, came out with a list of 101 ways to go "green". They recommend some simple things we can do on a day to day basis to help not only ourselves but the environment. Here are some of their ideas:

• Cut out pre-packaged snacks.
• Stop using plastic water bottles.
• Keep your fridge clean and efficient
• Use water to cook twice.
• Save take out containers and use them twice.
• Buy wild caught fish.

For more information and a more ideas, visit their blog at  www.mastersinhealthcare.com/blog/2010/101-ways-to-be-a-greener-eater/.

Grass Fed Beef

What's the beef with grass feed beef? Here's a few things to know that may help prove to you, why grass fed beef is better.

Grass feed beef is usually lower in fat than grain feed beef. It has more good monounsaturated oils and stearic acid which can help lead to decreased cholesterol levels

 Omega 3 oils are higher in grass fed beef and they are comparable to the levels found in fish. Omega 3's have been shown to help decrease cancers and they help prevent and treat hypertension, coronary artery disease, and arthritis.

Grass feed beef has larger amounts of Vitamin E and beta carotene. 


Grass fed animals also have one of the highest amounts of CLA (conjugated lineolic acid) which have been shown to both reduce the incidence of cancer and suppress the growth of existing cancers. There have been other studies that have shown CLA to decrease body fat, increase lean muscle mass and lower incidence of diabetes. CLA levels are 30-40% higher in grass finished beef.

Grass fed animals also help the environment by helping reduce land erosion and improving soil condition. Grass feeding animals is good the animals as well. No crowded conditions and less stress for the animals which in turn produces better meat.

How to be Sustainable?

We often hear about being "sustainable" and "sustainable agriculture". I've often wondered, "What can I do to help be sustainable?" I've wanted to know where and what I can do, on top of going through the political route and voting for those who support sustainable living. Tonight, I just happened upon this really neat site that helps you find places that are "sustainable" where you can buy groceries, meat, bakery items, etc. It's called the Sustainable Table and you put in your zip code and it will then list for you all the different shops and growers around your area who are sustainable.

So start small and support local sustainable agriculture.

Egg Recall

The egg recall that happened several weeks ago, brings new light to the fact that it is important to be educated as to what and who controls our food sources. The fact that million of eggs had to be recalled due to a Salmonella breakout signifies that there needs to be stricter guidelines on our production of food. Currently, in regards to chickens and eggs, the goal of the farms is to produce the largest quantity for the lowest cost. Animal and food safety take a back seat in order for the production to reach it's maximum. On most chicken farms, the chickens are put in pins, with no windows and jammed together with hundreds of chickens in a small space. The large amount of chickens makes it difficult for owners to track the health of the chickens, the death of their chickens, the manuer from their chickens and such forth. These conditions affect the health of the animals and therefore begin the spreading of disease.

Organic farms and local sustainable farms, have a decreased risk of disease for their chickens. Organic farms promote the health of their animals because that is what they are designed to do first...not produce a exorbatant amount of eggs.

So if we can learn and move forward from anything from our recent recalls, it is to support our local farms and organic farming- and we'll probably have better luck avoiding the massive recall and outbreaks of the dangerous strains of Salmonella.

OP Pesiticides and Child Leukemia Linked

I had the opportunity to work as a pediactric oncology nurse for 4 years, so this article struck home for me. I have copied a snipit from a article from The Organic Center. Yet another reason to watch what we feed out children.

OP Pesticides Linked to Leukaemia in Children
In yet another important study involving mothers, children and organophosphate (OP) insecticides in Washington State, researchers have reported elevated risk of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALA) in children between three and seven years of age among mothers and children that are more heavily exposed to OPs.
The study documented a connection between OP metabolites in the urine of children and their mothers and ALA risk, but did not find any linkages between household insecticide use and ALA risk, suggesting that the study's findings were likely driven by dietary exposures to OP insecticides.
Source: Karen Millet, "Common Household Pesticides Linked to Childhood Cancer Cases," Georgetown Medical Center Press Release, July 28, 2009.