Health Food Talk

A living creature died for thisA lot of people are going semi-vegetarian these days, or "vegetarian-ish" if you prefer, or the more twee "flexitarian."  And who can blame them?  I read somewhere recently that the United States has one of the worst food safety records and agricultural systems in the world.  The way we treat our livestock is the horror of the world.  We insist on eating acres of meat per person, and we insist that it be very cheap.  
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Would you shop at Wal-Mart Organic?I’m pretty sure that Seattle was one of the first cities in the United States to grasp the importance of eating organic foods. Of course, since the advent of “Whole Foods”, organic foods have hit a good portion of the rest of the country, too, which is probably the reason that Walmart is actually now competing in the organic food industry.

If you think that sounds a little weird, so do I. I just came across an article written in the Atlantic comparing the food aisles of Whole Foods and Walmart in a Boston suburb- and guess what? If the writer is to be trusted, the organic produce in Wal-Mart is not all that bad.
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Stress TableAnxiety disorders of one sort of another effect thousands of people every day and can range from mild, daily stress that seems to be in abundance on Mondays to more severe problems such as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). And while there tends to be an over use of drugs to treat anxiety, there are safer and healthier was of dealing with anxiety including natural options for treating anxiety and altering the way that you eat for a anti-anxiety diet.

The Importance of Diet: Read more

Are you a grapefruit lover? If so, I bow to you. I could never stand the fruit. Sure, it’s just as cute and juicy as an orange, but that acidic sour squirt into your mouth just makes me think I’m slurping battery acid. (Remember when Eddie in Stephen King’s It tells the giant spider, “This is battery acid, you slime!” Yeah, I figured grapefruit juice would work way better than an inhaler.)

Still, if you can tolerate grapefruit—or grapefruit juice—you’re wise to cultivate a daily relationship with the fruit, since it comes with plenty of benefits for your health, such as… Read more

February is American Heart Month, and you probably already know how important it is to exercise, refrain from smoking, and stay at a healthy weight to help your heart maintain its good health. But did you know that you can also increase your heart’s longevity by eating certain foods?

Try integrating one or more of these foods into your diet this month. Your heart will definitely, well, heart you for it.

Salmon. Personally, I hate the stuff, but that goes back a long way, due to some childhood trauma and salmon patties. But if you like fish, this is what your heart wants from your oceanic choices. Salmon is filled with omega-3 fatty acids, which aren’t only great for your ticker—they’re also good for brain power. And if you absolutely hate it (like I do!), try some tuna instead. Read more

It's winter, which means it's cold and flu season. Ergo, at least one out of every eight of you readers are experiencing some kind of viral misery at this very moment. It also means that TV commercials and Internet banner ads are doing their best to sell you some kind of tincture, pill or spray that promises to make your life while sick a breeze, if not outright cure you. Sorry, folks. If there was a cure for the common cold it'd be in lockdown in some billionaire's heavily fortified mansion waiting for customers who are willing to pay a small fortune for the convenience. For the rest of us, battling that blasted rhinovirus requires some time, a little know-how and some positive thinking. Here are some tips to put you on the mend as fast as modern technology will allow. Read more

The term "kombucha" refers to the fermented tea which results from a kombucha mushroom floating in a jar of liquid.  It all begins with the "mother," which is also variously called the "starter," "culture," "mother of vinegar," "mushroom," or "SCOBY."  The last term, an acronym for Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast, is the most scientifically accurate, if the least evocative.

The SCOBY looks like a fat pancake, and floats at the top of the jar.  It bears a physical resemblance to a big flat mushroom, which is why some people refer to kombucha as a mushroom.  But a mushroom is a single fungal entity, whereas the kombucha SCOBY is a collection of several different kinds of bacteria and yeast, all growing together in a spongy mat.
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Most of us realize that fad diets don’t work—and even if they provide temporary results, they don’t offer long-term weight management or support. So why do we keep doing them—paying attention to them when we already know they’re going to fail us (let alone make us more miserable)? We could all vow today to stop granting these diets one ounce of our attention and make real, lasting decisions to keep ourselves healthy and fit. I’m up for it—are you? For starters, we could…

Fill up on clean water. Get a filter (it will save you money and result in a lighter impact on the environment) and drink as much as you like. Replace all of your drinks with water, and drink a glass every time you are hungry before you eat. (If you’re still hungry, grab a healthy snack—but even drinking a glass before a meal will help curb your appetite.) Read more

Although leeks grow year round here in the Pacific Northwest, I associate them with late winter and early spring.  This is when they are at their most tender, and when fresh local vegetables seem like a most precious commodity.  Later in the year they will be bigger and tougher, and more onion-y.  But this is the time of year when leeks are at their best.

The leek is an allium, and thus a cousin to both garlic and onions.  It has a mild taste which is often described as "a cross between onions and cucumber."  Leeks are a delicious substitute for other alliums, and can be used either fresh or cooked.  
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Fisheries around the world are in serious trouble, with many facing a complete collapse due to unsustainable and destructive fishing practices that have wrecked havoc with the ocean's ecosystem and depleted many fishing stocks to near extinction. This can pose a dilemma for those seeking the important health benefits of including fish in your regular diet. So how can you still find ways to fit in the important health benefits of seafood in a safe and ocean friendly way?

To find safe, ocean friendly seafood you need to know three things: Read more