Health Food Store Tour: Coffee, Tea, and Beverages
Hi there! I’m Christy Goldfeder, Health Coach and writer at Delicious Life Health Coaching and IIN Graduate, Class of 2006. Join me on IIN's virtual Health Food Store Tour, where I’ll give you weekly tips on how to shop healthfully. Come back each week as we stroll through the aisles to discover which foods are the healthiest.
Here’s what I look for when shopping for coffee, tea, or other beverages:
Organic: Crops like coffee and tea are usually sprayed with a number of chemicals. Choosing organic products helps reduce the amount of pesticides and herbicides we consume.
Fair Trade: It’s not always possible to find fair-trade goods. But it’s great when you can because crops are grown in an ecologically sustainable manner, and goods are sold at a price that can sustain communities.
Here are a few healthy beverage choices:
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Coffee: Is coffee good for you? It does have antioxidants and flavonoids. A recent study says that people who drink coffee regularly cut their overall risk of dying. And coffee has also been shown to protect against diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. |
Health Food Store Tour: Dairy and Dairy Alternatives
Hi there! I’m Christy Goldfeder, Health Coach and IIN Graduate, Class of 2006. Join me on IIN’s virtual Health Food Store Tour, where I’ll give you weekly tips on how to shop healthfully. Come back each week as we stroll through the aisles to discover which foods are the healthiest.
Like many foods, dairy can be very nourishing for certain people (like growing babies, people with type-B blood according to the blood-type diet), and not so healthy for others (for example, people with lactose intolerance). Here’s what I look for when looking for dairy and dairy alternatives:
Organic - at the very least, any dairy or dairy alternative should be organic. Conventional milk can contain antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides and herbicides. Plus, the feed that conventionally raised cows eat is often made from GMO grains - which you learned from my last post on meat substitutes.
Organic is better when you’re talking about soy, almond, hemp, or other types of milk substitutes also because of the GMO issue.
Grass-fed - this type of milk is ideal because the cows get to eat what they’re meant to eat - grass. This keeps the animal healthier, and it creates a dairy product that has the right balance of nutrients in it.
Chickens Are Eating Arsenic? Time to Buy Organic
Prozac. Tylenol. Benadryl. Though these may sound like the contents of a medicine cabinet, they are in fact the chemicals that are being routinely fed to industrially farmed chickens. According to Nicholas Kristof’s recent New York Times article “Arsenic in our Chicken?”, it gets worse: researchers have also discovered the presence of arsenic and banned antibiotics in poultry feathers.
As it turns out, feeding chickens trace amounts of arsenic reduces infections and improves the pinkish hue of the meat. Though there’s no evidence yet that these low levels of arsenic are harmful, the practice is still illegal in the E.U. and Canada – and as of last week, Maryland is to become the first state in the U.S. to ban arsenic in chicken feed.
As for Prozac, Tylenol, and Benadryl, Kristof reports that they are all used as sedatives to reduce anxiety among factory-farmed chickens. Crowded and often brutal conditions result in birds that are in constant distress, a state that stunts their growth and results in tougher meat. To counteract the drowsiness caused by these sedatives, chickens are also fed caffeine so they can stay awake longer and continue eating.
IINsider’s Digest: Neal Barnard on vegan health, Chinese Medicine and cancer treatments, and stress makes you sick
The IINsider’s Digest gathers all of the week’s hottest nutrition headlines around the web. In this edition, Integrative Nutrition Grad Nick Valencia speaks on where vegans get their protein in the Miami New Times. Visiting Teacher Neal Barnard is featured in USA Today about a controversial commercial about vegans and extra seating space on airlines. A Chinese herbal combination is found to support cancer treatments. Psychological stress is shown to reduce your body’s ability to fight disease and inflammation.
“Where Do Vegans Get Protein?” A Plant-Eater Answers This Common Question
Featuring IIN Grad Nick Valencia
Miami New Times
Every vegan who's been at plant-eating for any length of time has been faced with this question. Ironically, it often comes from the mouths of the unhealthiest and least conscious eaters in the world, and is directed at lean, immensely healthy and energetic beings.
A novel option for extra space: Pay $10, sit next to a vegan
Featuring IIN Visiting Teacher Neal Barnard
USA Today
Want to avoid being squeezed on your next American Airlines trip? If dietitians at the non-profit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have their way, the bankrupt carrier could raise much-needed cash - and create better traveling conditions for its passengers - by offering a $10 "Sit Next to a Vegan" option on flights.
Chinese Medicine Goes Under the Microscope
Wall Street Journal
Scientists studying a four-herb combination discovered some 1,800 years ago by Chinese herbalists have found that the substance enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy in patients with colon cancer. The mixture, known in China as huang qin tang, has been shown in early trials to be effective at reducing some side effects of chemotherapy, including diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The herbs also seem to bolster colon-cancer treatment: Tests on animals with tumors have shown that administering the herbs along with chemotherapy drugs restored intestinal cells faster than when chemo was used alone.
Healthy Easter Basket Goodies and Gifts
When Easter arrives this Sunday, it’s time to toss the Cadbury eggs, Peeps, jelly beans, and hollow chocolate bunnies. The pastel-colored wrapping of a typical Easter basket can’t hide all the refined sugar and artificial coloring of the usual unhealthy holiday treats. Why not toss together some nourishing goodies and gifts this year instead? These items from the Integrative Nutrition community are perfect alternatives to the standard Easter fare, giving the lucky recipient of your basket a reason to indulge without feeling guilty!
Gnosis: Raw cacoa, superfoods, low glycemic sweeteners, and nutrient-dense fruits, nuts, and medicinal herbs make up the functional chocolate from Gnosis, created by Vanessa Barg. Get festive this weekend with the Golden Chocolate Eggs and Vitality Truffles from the Spring Collection!
Nibmor: Delicious organic chocolate containing no refined sugar, dairy, gluten or GMOs, created by Jennifer Love and Healther Kenzie. Sprinkle a few Nibmor bars throughout your basket, or create a custom case with your favorite flavors!
Health Food Store Tour: Animal Proteins
Hi there! I’m Christy Goldfeder, IIN Class of 2006, and head coach at Delicious Life Health Coaching. Join me on IIN’s virtual Health Food Store Tour, where I’ll give you weekly tips on how to shop healthfully. Come back each week as we stroll through the aisles to discover which foods are the healthiest.
Animal Protein
If you’re eating animal protein, it’s really important to choose meats of high quality. What does that mean?
- Pasture raised – Did the chicken run around the barnyard? Did the cow or sheep graze in the field? When animals get to roam freely, they get more exercise, build a healthier fat and muscle profile, and eat what they’re meant to eat – i.e., insects, grass, and plants.
- Wild – If you’re eating fish, its pasture is the ocean, river or lake. Farm-raised fish get fish chow, usually a concoction of grains, proteins, and additives; they actually have fewer healthy omega-3 fatty acids because of their poor diet.
- Toxin-free – Large fish can contain high levels of mercury, PCBs, and other pollutants. Stick with smaller fish like sardines, anchovies, and smelt to avoid them. With chicken, beef, lamb, and pork, there are antibiotics and growth hormones, which you can avoid with naturally-raised animals.
Check out our post on meat labeling definitions to learn more about terms like "cage-free" and "grass fed," and scroll down to see some of our favorite animal proteins and recipes!
Healthy Living Guide: Long Beach
Welcome to Long Beach California! Home to beautiful beaches, unmatched views of the Pacific, and of course, the Integrative Nutrition Mega Conference! We couldn’t be more excited to be in Long Beach this week, and can’t wait to meet all of you at the conference this weekend. Long Beach is truly a beautiful port town, and a healthy one at that! We’ve put together a list of our favorite healthy restaurants and activities in the area for you, so way not call up a few of your fellow IINers and set a dinner date while you’re in town?
Can’t join us for the Integrative Nutrition Mega Conference? We’ll miss you! But not to fear, we’ve got healthy options in your town too!
Restaurants
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Au Lac This cozy restaurant specializes in “Humanese” food – a term coined by Au Lac’s chef himself. Humanese is the belief that everyone is created equal and we must have respect for all animals, plants, and each other. Au Lac has a Humanese-friendly, vegan and raw menu. |
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Green Temple This vegetarian restaurant is just outside of Long Beach, in Redondo Beach, but it’s worth the drive out of town. The serene atmosphere and delicious, vegetarian menu makes for a delightful dining experience. Even if you aren’t vegetarian, we are willing to bet you’ll want to come back to Green Temple time and time again! |
Do Commodity Crops and GMOs Belong in the New Farm Bill?
Since most agriculture policy expires in September, it’s time for another farm bill— a variety of agricultural and food laws that that impact everything from food safety to how much your groceries cost. While this could be good news for farmers who are happy with the current farm bill (which dates to 2008), not everyone’s excited about doing business as usual.
Why not? Although the most recent farm bill made some strides in favor of organic farming – it had provisions for "new programs and increased spending for horticulture and organic production" and "provided…mandatory funding for growth of farmers’ markets and for transitioning producers to organic production" – some feel these policies are outdated and don’t go far enough.
Healthy Living Guide: Los Angeles
From the New York Skyline to the to the San Francisco Bay, we’ve come a long way since we started our healthy living guides. This week, we’re finally arriving in sunny Los Angeles, California! With its palm tree lined streets, pristine beaches and Louis Vuitton clad celebs, there really is no other city like LA. Once you get off the beaten path (and out of the traffic on the 101) you will find that Los Angeles is so much more than just Hollywood. The city has so many outdoor activities, beautiful year-round farmers markets, and healthy restaurants to offer. Here are a few of our favorite hangouts in LA.
Not in the LA area? Check out our Healthy Living series for options in your area.
Restaurants
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Pressed Juicery Created by IIN graduate, Carly Brien, Pressed Juicery is the best place in all of LA to get fresh pressed, organic juice. Stop into one of their 3 locations for a delicious green juice, or if you're in need of a serious detox, participate in one of their juice cleanses - 6 fresh juices, plus 2 supplemental beverages delivered to you daily! |
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True Food Kitchen At True Food Kitchen, the entire menu is centered on the principals of IIN Nutrition Expert, Dr. Andrew Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Food Pyramid. The menu is packed with healthy whole grains, proteins, and nutrient rich vegetables – you can’t go wrong, no matter what dish you choose! |
Get IINvolved: Now is the Time!
If you are passionate about healthy, sustainable food practices, now is the time to take action!
This coming Monday, February 27th, you have a unique opportunity to join forces with national advocates of healthy eating. This is a chance to call for a healthier future. It's called Occupy Our Food Supply (OFS), and you can help now! Please 'Like' the OFS Facebook page and follow their newsfeed.
What can you do to help fight food practices that are destroying the Earth and our bodies? With your wallet.
Here are a few ideas:
- Buy seasonal whole foods.
- Prepare meals with the most basic ingredients.
- Read packaging and nutrition labels.
