More Than You Bargained For

One of the most frustrating parts of becoming a healthy eater can be navigating the grocery store.  I have frequently mentioned the misleading ways food is marketed and advertised to get shoppers to believe that a product is good for them, when in reality, it is nothing more than an edible chemical experiment.  It’s hard enough to eat healthy without the very people supplying food to the grocery stores trying to sell you food that does otherwise. It’s no secret that the goal of food processors is to grown their bank accounts… and if your waistline grows, too, well they just don’t seem to care.

Would it surprise you to learn that you are not entirely in control of what food decisions you make at the grocery store? Do you think it’s as simple as walking through the aisles at the grocery store, deciding what to put in your cart and buying it?  Even the best-intentioned and disciplined person is not totally in control, and usually in ways they don’t even realize. We make impulse purchases and sometimes end up with things we later realize we don’t want. That’s the unconscious mind at work. The food industry counts on this unconscious buying and they spend $33 billion in marketing to make sure it keeps happening. 

They also spend money inside the store to determine which products get stocked and where. Would it surprise you to learn that food stores make more money from charging food companies for shelf placement than they do from customer purchases?  Prime locations cost more because it boosts sales.  For example, potato chips on a middle shelf sell faster than when put on a high or low shelf and make the store more money. What shelf are your favorite products on?

And then there are the defaults we are faced with. Defaults are what you get unless you actively choose something else. We consume more salt, sugar and fat than we realize because the food companies have increased them in their formulations. They've also changed what we define as normal portions and food pairings. And unless we change our buying habits, we are going to continue to fill our bodies with these excesses and laboratory enhanced foods that sabotage our efforts to eat healthier.

Other carefully planned out details contribute to the over buying, as well. Larger grocery carts, bigger container sizes at self serve counters, larger portions of packaged foods, intentional bakery smells, and in-store cues we aren’t aware of all contribute to us buying food in excess amounts or that we didn’t want in the first place. The bigger the container in front of us, the more likely we will fill it or buy it... and that makes stores more money in the long (and short!) run.

The circumstances under which we shop also contribute to our decision making.  Do you shop after work? Early on a weekend morning? Are you distracted or stressed when you shop? Those situations also contribute to our buying choices. It's no wonder that 60% of Americans struggle with their weight when something as simple as going to the grocery store is so much more complex than it seems.

I came across these facts in a video I recently watched from The Center for Science in the Public Interest called “Anatomy of a Supermarket Purchase”. It’s an eleven-minute video that goes into depth on these and other concepts that food producers and sellers all use to increase sales… All at the expense of our health (and wallets, too!)

Please take time to watch this video! And once you do, make a renewed effort to consider where and what you buy for you and your family to eat.  Take time to visit a farmer’s market, sign up for a CSA produce box, choose foods that don’t need ingredients lists and keep portion sizes under control.  Focus on foods that don't need an ingredients list. Take back control over what goes in your cart.

Greens, water, exercise – three simple things to increase and incorporate into your day to strive toward cleaner eating and to help you Grow in Wellness. 

Start today - don’t let the big food companies have the final say!

*resource: Center for Science in the Public Interest TV 

The Salad Trap

When you hear or think the word diet, does the idea of eating salad soon follow? It is a common scenario to link the two together, but not always the best decision for health or weight loss. Whether you are seeking a healthier way of eating or want to lose a few pounds, and think salads are the way to go, be careful not to fall into "the salad trap". Many salads contain nearly a day’s worth of calories and are full of unhealthy fats and high sodium counts.

Salads are a great way to get your daily dose of greens and veggies, but not all salads are created equal.  Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the worst salad traps. 

California Pizza Kitchen Waldorf Salad has 1370 calories and 28 g. of saturated fat

Cheesecake Factory Caesar w/ Chicken has 1,510 calories.

Red Robin Crispy Chicken Tender salad has 1450 calories and 96 gr. fat

Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad 1380 cal. 99 gr. fat

Yard House BBQ Chicken Salad – 1580 cal.

Baja Fresh Tostada salad – 1120 calories

Wedge Salad  - one of the biggest charades in the salad world. This salad might not have as many calories as the others, but it is nutrient deficient. There is nothing healthy about its ingredients (iceberg lettuce, bacon, blue cheese). It will fill you up with ingredients that don’t do much but curb hunger. 

Deconstructing Ingredients

Here are some of the biggest offenders and healthier alternatives:

Salad dressing is a main killer of a potentially healthy salad.  If it’s creamy, it’s probably not healthy and if it’s fat-free, then it’s loaded with sugar. Even pre-made vinaigrettes have a lot of added sugar (and that means more calories).

·      At home make your own vinaigrette (recipe link) or when eating out, ask for olive oil and vinegar to dress your own.

Salad bars and restaurant salads have a ton of unhealthy ingredients and many have a high sodium content.

·      Select items that are fresh cut and nutrient dense (broccoli, carrot) vs. coming from a can (corn, mandarin oranges). And don’t overfill your plate.

Iceberg lettuce – A "no nutritional value" super cheap lettuce. 

·      Replace with dark green lettuces, spinach or chopped kale (or a mix of those).

Candied nuts – These add sugar and calories.

·      Replace with plain toasted nuts and only use a tablespoon size.

Dried and canned fruit – highly processed and high in sugar.

·      Instead seek out fresh fruit like berries, apples, pears, or pomegranate seeds.

Croutons, fried tortilla strips, fried onions – Having something crunchy in a salad is a requirement for some, but these come with unwanted fats and deficient calories.

·      Get your crunch from things like carrots, jicama, celery or plain toasted nuts and roasted chickpeas.

Cheddar cheese- Cheese in general adds unhealthy fat and a lot of unneeded calories to salads.

·      Leave it off completely. If your will-power is weak, then skip the cheddar and Monterey jack and instead choose cheese from goat’s milk (goat cheese) or sheep’s milk (manchego, feta).  Fresh mozzarella is a good swap, too, just remember to keep portions small (1-2 oz) for any cheese you choose.

Unhealthy proteins - crispy chicken, mayo-laden tuna, chicken or egg salad, salami and bacon all really bring down what could be an otherwise healthy salad. 

·      Choose grilled chicken or salmon for a protein, or keep it vegetarian with black beans, lentils or organic edamame.

Portion size!  Many salads contain nearly a day’s worth of calories and portion size is one of the  contributors.  Ask for a side portion, split with someone else or only eat half.

Other healthy options to add to any salad:  fresh, steamed or roasted vegetables; quinoa, avocado, chickpeas and beets (not from a can!).

Going out to eat? Almost every major restaurant has their menu with nutritional facts available online. Do some homework on your favorites and “know before you go”.  Ask your server about ingredients and don’t be shy to ask for substitutions or omissions.

Eating at home? Make the most of each season by choosing the freshest produce and combine it into a salad with homemade vinaigrette.

Rule of thumb for any salad: lots of dark leafy greens, pile on the veggies, limit the 'extras' and choose dressings carefully. The photo above is a great healthy option :)

Here’s a simple salad recipe to share that incorporates a little red, white and blue for 4th of July…

Fill a bowl with organic spinach and romaine lettuce. Add roasted asparagus, cooked quinoa, avocado, toasted slivered almonds, fresh sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries and some crumbled goat cheese. Toss with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Yum!

Salads are a great way to be creative! What will your next salad creation look like?

What's the Big Deal About Trans Fats?

This is the first time I’ve posted about food related news, but an important decision was made by the FDA and I want to make sure you know a little about it.

The FDA just finalized their decision to ban artificially created Trans Fats in processed foods in the next three years. Hooray! This is a big admit by the FDA who for years has filed artificially created trans fats under “GRAS” (generally regarded as safe) status.  GRAS is their way of saying they ‘don’t really have time to investigate, so we’ll trust the food chemists to tell us they are mostly okay’. For those of you new to this song and dance, take note: the FDA regulates 80% of the food supply and does not test every food. You will find these explanations about GRAS on their website:

“The GRAS notification program provides a voluntary mechanism whereby a person may inform FDA of a determination that the use of a substance is GRAS, rather than petition FDA to affirm that the use of a substance is GRAS.” 

And this one,

“If the use of a food substance is GRAS, it is not subject to the premarket review and approval requirement by FDA.”

Here’s a little summary on how this translates to the grocery store (and your kitchen) shelves.   

What’s an Artificial Trans Fat?   Partially Hydrogenated Oils  (PHO’s) are the main source of artificially created trans fats. They are created in a lab and are used for improving food texture and to extend shelf life of processed foods.

Where would I find it?   In most processed foods. Oreos, French fries, margarines, microwave popcorn, coffee creamers, canned frostings, boxed cake mixes and baked goods, frozen pizzas and other frozen foods. Many restaurant foods will contain trans fats as well.

Why is it bad?   Studies show that eating a diet that contains trans fats leads to higher body weight, heart disease and memory loss. It has shown to raise LDL (bad cholesterol) which can lead to cardiovascular disease.

What can you do?   Read your ingredients list, not just the nutritional facts label.  Avoid products with these words on the ingredients list: “partially hydrogenated” and “shortening”.

Why?   Even if a food claims on its packaging to have "0 grams trans fat”, under current regulations, companies can make that claim if the food contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. But if there is partially hydrogenated oil listed among the ingredients, the product will contain a small amount of trans fat. Selecting foods with even small amounts of trans fat can add up to a significant intake.

What does all this mean to you as a consumer of artificially created food products (aka processed foods)? 

It means that you have to stop believing that every ingredient on a food label is good for you.  Food scientists make a lot of money creating copycat nutrients, chemically altered ingredients, fake flavors and colors all to make processed foods more appealing to you.  It’s the ultimate plastic surgery of our food supply. 

The bottom line… when looking at a product remember the longer the shelf life, the shorter yours. Buy fresh, cook at home as much as possible and say “no” to processed foods for you and your family.

For more information, see the links below.

http://www.cspinet.org/transfat/ 

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/ucm061846.htm#Q2

Sweet as a Peach

Summertime is here and that means peach season is upon us… and I love peach season! You don’t have to live in Georgia to know the joy of a sweet peach. This fragrant, juicy fruit is slightly tart, has soft flesh and each bite gives you mouth-watering flavor.  Peach season is short and they ripen quickly, so they need to be eaten fast. But they are sooo tasty (and good for you, too!) so buy them fresh while you can. 

My favorite? White peaches.  They look similar to yellow peaches with the skin on, but they are a bit sweeter in taste and a little less tart. Peaches are on the “dirty dozen” list, so be sure to buy organic whenever possible.

Just one large peach gives you vitamin A, vitamins C & E (antioxidants), potassium, fiber and has about 70 calories. They are low glycemic (won’t spike your blood sugar) and give the most benefit when you eat the skin. Just make sure to wash thoroughly before eating.

Peaches are great on their own (eat the skin, please!) and can be baked, grilled or diced and served with a dollop of yogurt.  Ripened peaches can be diced and put in the freezer for future use. Besides eating peaches fresh from the farmer’s market, you can blend them into this healthy creamy smoothie for a cool summer treat. 

Have a Peachy Summer!

Ingredients for a Safer Summer in the Sun

I love the beach... soft sand, a good book, warm sun. Just thinking about it, I can already feel the vitamin D soaking in. But too much of a good thing is not good for you. Sunburns aren’t fun and even when you don’t burn, too much sun has other health repercussions.

The National Cancer Institute states that more than 2 million Americans develop skin cancer each year and over the last 35 years the number of melanoma cases has tripled. Don’t become one of those statistics! (more info here)  

Wearing sunscreen is important. Simple, right? Well, it should be, but there is a little more to it.  What’s in your sunscreen matters as much as what is in the food you eat.  And you should not be ignoring either of those things. The reality is, all sunscreens are not created equal.

In order to protect our skin from the sun and risk of melanoma, we have been advised to wear sunscreen year round, ideally a sunscreen with a rating of SPF 30 - 50. When was the last time you shopped for sunscreen? There are dozens of options, all with their own marketing hype to get you to choose their product. Just like my recommendations to read the ingredients list when it comes to food, it’s what is inside the bottle (the list of ingredients) that you need to be concerned with.

According to the Environmental Working Group, some of the most popular sunscreens (translation: Neutrogena, Banana Boat, Coppertone) contain hazardous chemicals like the hormone disrupter, oxybenzone, or retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A linked to skin damage. Some trigger allergic reactions and sprays can be inadvertently inhaled.  SPF claims of greater than 50 are inherently misleading (and are not allowed in Europe, Japan, Canada and Australia). Did you know that SPF’s really only offer UVB ray protection, and little protection from UVA rays that penetrate deep into the skin?

Current law is weak; manufacturers can add nearly any inactive ingredient to their products, even ones that alter body hormones, cause skin damage or cause allergic reactions.

The Environmental Working Group recently posted its 2015 Guide to Safer Sunscreens.  They evaluated 1,700 products.  You can go to their link to see their 2015 Hall of Shame as well as recommended products and further information on sun protection and their Sun Safety Campaign.  The basics? Avoid ingredients like oxybenzone, retinyl palmitate and added insect repellant and instead choose brands with zinc oxide, avobenzone and mexoryl sx on the ingredients list.

Staying protected from the sun is about more than sunscreen.  You can reduce your melanoma risk with these additional measures: wear UV protective clothing, stay out of the sun during the peak hours in the middle of the day, seek the shade of an umbrella or tree, and wear sunglasses. And if you are someone who has a past life of being a sun-seeker, be sure to do a regular skin check and see a dermatologist annually.

Don’t trade one risk for another. Get informed about which sunscreens will give you the best, safest protection from the sun without exposing you to other risks.

Have a Sun-Safe Summer!

*resources: Environmental Working Group, National Cancer Institute

What's in Your Fridge?

As a Health Coach, I frequently observe that people might make big efforts to improve the foods they eat, but fall short when it comes to "everyday" products they use that are far from healthy. Most often this comes from not knowing what to look for on an ingredients list and believing the persuasive wording marketers put on the front of the label.  I asked 50 people to send me photos of their refrigerators and pantries for “the Pantry Project”.

This project is designed to take some of the guesswork out of navigating the grocery store aisles and provides ‘swaps’ of healthier foods for the most common, nutrition-sabotaging items lurking in your kitchen.   

Let’s start with focusing on your refrigerator. After analyzing dozens of photos, I was able to find a trend in improvable refrigerator items.  Here are the top offenders… and healthier swaps to make the next time you shop. With these, or any packaged foods, you need to become an ingredients reader – don’t just read the nutritional facts or you won’t get the whole story!

Ways to Improve What’s in Your Fridge:

1.   Yogurt – STOP buying fat-free, non-fat, 0% fat yogurts, those with high sugar counts and those lacking the presence of live active cultures.  If you eat Yoplait, Danon, Activia, or generic store brands, then you need to make a change. Those brands are highly processed, have too much sugar, not enough protein and are lacking live active cultures in many cases

a.  What to look for – double digit protein, low sugar (but not artificially sweetened!), live active cultures and 2% or whole milk.

b.  What to Buy – ideally, a 2% or full-fat, plain Greek yogurt is your best bet for the right mix of protein, fat and low sugars. Sweeten yourself with fruit spread or raw honey. Look for these brands the next time you shop: Wallaby Greek, Fage, Stoneyfield Organic and Nancy’s Organic. 

2.   Salad Dressings – One of the biggest culprits for unwanted sugars, GMO-oils and other additives is bottled salad dressing.  There were several appearances by Kraft, Wish Bone and Girard’s brand dressings in the pantry photos.  None of these have ingredients that would pass the clean eating test. 

a.  What to buy instead – Well, for starters, try making your own, it is so easy! And there are dozens of recipes online. If you just can’t bring yourself to make your own, then reach for these brands: Tessemae’s (in the refrigerated section), Annie’s Organics, Lucini, Bragg’s or Organicville.

3.   Condiments – there are many purists out there that swear by their Best Foods, French’s and Heinz bottles.  It’s probably not news to you that those brands aren’t made from the best quality ingredients. 

a.  Ketchup is probably the biggest offender since high fructose corn syrup (or corn syrup) is on the ingredients list, so look for an organic brand like Organicville that has healthier ingredients. 

b.  Mayonnaise is loaded with calories, fat and salt and is better left in the jar. Instead, choose to enhance your sandwich with mashed avocado, olive oil, hummus, pesto or plain Greek yogurt that has been mixed with garlic and herbs. Yes, I’m nicely trying to say "ditch the mayo".

c.   Mustards are one of those condiments that you can now find in a variety of flavors.  Look for spicy mustards, seeded mustards and garlic mustards to enhance the foods you eat so you won’t miss the mayo.

d.  Jams and Jellies – You know these are just sugared up fruit, right? There are higher quality options out there that are better for you than Welch’s and Smuckers. Choosing spreadable fruit (with no added ingredients) is optimal. Recommended brands include Crofter’s Organic, St. Dalfour and, Bonne Maman (in a pinch).

e.   Peanut and Almond Butters – choose brands with only nuts and salt on the label.  No sugar, no hydrogenated or soybean oils… simply nuts and salt. Do not stop reading when the front of the label says “natural” – look at the ingredients list.  Even my favorite brands make a version with sugar, so proceed with caution. Choose: Justin’s, MaraNatha or 365 Brand (Whole Foods).  

4.   Eggs – this is probably a very confusing product for most people. Let’s make it simple: chickens are not vegetarians, so eggs from vegetarian fed chickens means chickens are not being raised in their natural environment.  Look for pastured (not pasteurized!) eggs.  That means chickens have been out in the pasture eating bugs along with their feed and in return produce a bright orange yolk, not a pale yellow one.  That’s where most of the nutrients are. Organic, pasture raised eggs contain more vitamin A, E, Omega-3 and beta-carotene than non-pastured eggs and they have been shown to have less cholesterol. Don’t be fooled by the terms “cage free”, “free range”, etc., pastured is key.  

a.  Look for: Vital Farms eggs, check out your local farmer’s market or ask your grocery store if they sell pastured eggs.

5.   Milk and Cheeses – This food group could be its own blog topic so for now I’ll simply say choose organic (from grass fed cows whenever possible) and when organic is not available, be sure to choose milks and cheeses that are marked ‘from cows not treated with rBST or rBGH’(recombinant bovine growth hormone).

6.   Butter – the best butter you can put in your body is that from grass fed cows.  And that means slim pickings (sorry!) as far as brands are concerned.

a.  Why grass fed? Butter from grass fed cows gives you important omega-3’s, vitamins A, E and K.

b.   Choose: Organic Valley, Kerrygold  

7.   Pancake and Waffle Syrup – this is the simplest of categories for me to help you clean up. If your syrup does not say 100% real maple syrup, then it’s just a container full of artificial flavor, highly processed sugar (high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup) and fake ingredients like caramel color and hexametaphosphate. The real stuff is not full of chemicals, is minimally processed and actually has nutrients present like iron and calcium.  Plus, it tastes like maple syrup should- delicious.

a.  Choose 100% real maple syrup. No other ingredients on the label. The darker the color, the stronger the flavor.

Whew, that’s a lot for one day! But all the little things add up to big things and that can make a difference.  The brands I mentioned might not be available in your area so start reading ingredients lists to find brands that have simple, whole ingredients that you can pronounce and recognize. You can also try Thrive Market (link on sidebar) for wholesale prices on some of these items.  If you find brands that make the grade, other than what’s listed here, let me know. In the mean time, just start replacing your not-so-hot fridge products a little at a time and before you know it you’ll have a “cleaner” refrigerator! 

May Madness

There is just something about the month of May that leads me to believe it is going to be an easygoing month, but it always ends up feeling like I’m on the tilt-a-whirl carnival ride. Lots of action, most of it unpredictable and, while it’s annoying at times, it leaves a smile on your face at the end. I have three great things to share with you this week, all the result of a ride that is still not over. March has nothing on May Madness! I wonder what the second half of the month will bring?  Here are a few good things that left a smile on my face. Hope they do for you, too.

ONE - The first is a brand new recipe to make mornings a little more fun.  Ever had a banana split for breakfast? This one is delicious… and nutritious!  Here’s a link to my recent guest post on MindBodyGreen.  I like to make this recipe with the Cinnamon Chia Peanut Butter I blogged about a few weeks ago, but it’s just as delicious with almond butter.  Here you go…  Breakfast Banana Split.

TWO - Since we just celebrated Mother’s Day, I thought I’d share another recent guest post, this time on the FitLife site.  Moms will always give advice and while you might think some of your mom’s advice is outdated, I take a second look at how mom’s wisdom stands true today.  Check it out. I’d love to hear your mom’s favorite words of wisdom, too!

THREE – Thrive Market! My new favorite online market for getting healthy foods at wholesale prices (yes, that’s why it’s on my sidebar :).  Think of it as a Costco for good food… delivered right to your front door.  Thrive Market is an online shopping club on a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. Not just food. They offer beauty, vitamins and household items, too. Chia seeds for under $8, gluten-free search button, staples and splurges… this deserves a look!

Wishing you a week of health and happiness... and not too much madness!

Food for thought…“You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet” – Mark Hyman

Five "get healthy without really trying" Food Swaps

For many people, the thought of cleaning out a pantry or refrigerator’s unhealthy contents and replacing them with healthier versions might seem overwhelming.  And most aren’t aware that many of the store bought, packaged foods that end up in their kitchens aren’t as healthy as the advertisers claim.  The big food companies like Kraft, ConAgra, and General Foods want you to believe that they have your best healthy interest at heart, but that’s far from the truth. For them, it’s about the bottom line – it’s a billion dollar business. The mission of Grow in Wellness is to live a cleaner, greener life, so here’s a quick way to get started.

If you don’t have time to clean out your cupboards, but want to start making some healthy changes here are five places to start:

1.    Trade in your white rice  for brown rice.  It will take a little longer to cook, but the health benefits are worth it. You’ll get fiber, B vitamins, selenium and manganese.

2.    Swap your canola, soy and vegetable oils for expeller pressed olive oil, grapeseed and coconut oil. You’ll be saying goodbye to genetically modified, inflammatory oils and replacing them with oils that are gmo-free and not produced with dangerous chemicals like hexane.

3.    No more Fat-Free dairy!  When fat is removed from a dairy product, something must be added to improve flavor.  Sugar and chemicals are the usual replacements and can lead to weight gain.  Plus, vitamins A and D in milk are fat soluble, which means the fat in the milk increases their absorption. So trade in your skim milk for 2% or whole milk and do the same for your yogurt! Choose a source from grass-fed cows for improved nutrient profile.

4.    Upgrade your greens.  For the healthiest salads and a bigger nutrient boost, trade in your iceberg for darker leafed lettuces like spinach, arugula and romaine. If you really want to add a boost, add a ¼ cup of sprouts or some finely chopped Tuscan kale to the rest of your salad.

5.    Check your peanut butter.  Does your peanut butter (or almond butter) have anything on the ingredients list besides nuts and salt? If you see the word sugar or hydrogenated anything, then put it down and reach instead for a brand that has more integrity. The same goes for other nut butters, too.  Even healthier brands make a version with added sugars so read the ingredients list carefully!

What other foods would you like to know a healthier swap for? Let me know in the comments section and I’ll offer suggestions.

Clean Food Cheat Sheet

I recently spent three days at the Natural Products Expo West (NPEW) and have so much to share! Hours of educational seminars and hundreds (thousands?) of products to check out, mean more info than I can reasonably share with you here in just one post.  So for this week, I’m sharing a quick list of favorite food products. 

It’s no secret that the word “Natural” is a loose term with no meaningful definition (see my earlier post here) and my experience at NPEW just confirmed how much I need to work on continuing to spread the word about paying attention to what ingredients are in the food you eat! Of the thousands of vendors at the expo, just a fraction of the booths had brands I trust or shared new products that passed the “clean ingredients” standard of this blog.  Ingredients like carrageenan, canola oil,  maltodextrin, autolyzed yeast extract and soy protein isolate are far from clean or healthy, but showed up in many products. 

In the interest of time and space, here are some of my favorite brands, in bold, that were at the Expo with a favorite product in parenthesis. Kind of like a little cheat sheet for your next trip to the grocery store. I know it’s much easier to just grab a favorite brand, so here are a few products you can just ‘grab and go’ the next time you’re at the store:

Food Should Taste Good (multi grain chip), The Chia Co. (chia shots, chia pods), Pamela’s (gluten free pancake mix), Go Raw (sprouted seeds for snacking), Lundberg Family Farms (organic brown rice), Bob’s Red Mill (rolled oats and whole grain pancake mix), Niman Ranch (humane and sustainably raised meat products), Amy’s (pesto pizza and Chinese noodles & vegetable with cashew cream), Organic Valley (grass fed butter and cream), Ancient Harvest (new ancient grain hot oatmeal), Late July (organic snacks), OrganicVille/Sky Valley (sriracha and dijon), Sun Warrior (protein powders), Navitas (superfoods), Tava (flavored ghee), To Your Health Sprouted Flour Company (sprouted flours), Alvarado Street Bakery (sprouted sourdough bread), Noosa (new pumpkin flavor in July), Theo (amazing peanut butter cup candy), Mary’s Gone Crackers (new line of thins coming out soon), Celtic Salt (lots of good flavor blends, too),  Silk (cashew milk), Wallaby (awesome organic Greek yogurt and kefir) and...

·      Bliss – well, this doesn’t quite count as grab and go if you live outside of Oregon or Washington, but if you want to try their amazing Cinnamon Chia Seed Peanut Butter bliss, it can be found online and is worth every cent of the shipping cost. It's my favorite product from the Expo - Delicious! (Better yet, if you can't find it, tell your local grocery store to order some for their shelves!)

If you try any of these brands and their products, send an email or leave a comment… reader feedback is always appreciated! Share what your favorites are with Grow in Wellness.

And don’t forget… the healthiest foods are those that don’t need an ingredient label like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

 Coming soon – body care and home cleaning products to help you ‘live green’! 

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Don't Go Down Without A Fight

It’s cold season. And I don’t just mean the weather outside of southern California.  This time of year brings sniffles, sneezes and germs-a-plenty.  While you might do all you can to avoid catching a cold, sometimes one sneaks up on you anyway.  The best way to get the upper hand is to take action right away.

There are the obvious things we all should be doing on a regular basis, regardless if we have a cold or not…  get enough sleep, drink enough water. While those seem simple and insignificant, they are important to your immune system.  For many people, the moment their nose starts to run or their throat gets scratchy they reach for name brand remedies, but those pharmaceutical remedies only address the symptoms.  When you have a virus (which is what a cold is) your body needs support to fight it and heal.  These five suggestions all give your body and immune system key building blocks to speed up healing and reduce the severity of your cold.  If you find yourself with the sniffles, here are a few interventions to start implementing:

1.    Umcka -  When taken at the first sign of a cold, this homeopathic remedy does wonders for lessening the severity and duration. Keep a box on hand all year long.

2.    Oxylent or Emergen-C -  Follow directions and don’t add too much water or you will reduce the strength and effectiveness of the mix.  I prefer Oxylent as it has more zinc, calcium and magnesium than Emergen-C, but whichever you can easily find will help fight your cold.  Don’t drink more than 2 packages per day.

3.    Homemade chicken soup – (try this bone broth recipe by Against All Grain).  Homemade chicken broth contains important minerals that come from the long slow simmering process of making the stock.   After your stock is done (strained and ready to eat) add in chopped chicken and some fresh spinach before eating. 

4.    Teas - My favorite is Triple Echinacea Green Tea by Yogi teas, but there are other great cold fighting teas available.  Try chamomile, peppermint and ginger teas, too.

5.    Apple Cider Vinegar Gargle – for sore throats and coughs, mix 1 tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar (Bragg's brand is my favorite) with ¼ cup of warm water and gargle every few hours throughout day. The vinegar coats your throat and helps fight off germs.

One extra reminder for you…

Wash your hands – frequently! And use - Hand sanitizer  – not just on your hands, but use wipes as well to disinfect door knobs, faucets and handles in common areas of your home to prevent spread of germs.

Stock your cabinet before a cold shows up and be prepared at the onset.  Hopefully you’ll be getting enough sleep, drinking enough water and keeping hands and surfaces clean so you’ll not need to use any of these remedies this season. 

Wishing you a healthy winter!