Jan. 28 ~ Toxin of the Day: BHA/BHT

BHA stands for Butylated Hydroxyanisole. It is a preservative that prevents or slows oxidization in fats. (an antioxidant but not the good kind found in fruits and vegetables.) It is more prevalently added to higher fat foods to prevent rancidity. The FDA put it on the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) list, however recommends limiting the consumption and has asked that additional testing be done. That suggests to me that they don't really find it that safe. Closely related to BHA is it's chemical cousin, BHT or Butyl Hydroxytulane. The chemical effects are the same

BHA has been shown in animal studies to cause cancer in at least 3 different species, in different organs in each species. It has also been proven to cause brain damage, upset the endocrine balance, and severe allergic reactions. The US Dept of Health and Human Service is quoted as saying that BHA is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen." BHT is stored in human fat and can be released into the body in large doses during weight loss. It has been shown to increase the risk of cancer in animal studies.

Both of these chemicals are commonly found in potato chips, chewing gum, and vegetable oils. These potential carcinogens are also found in many cosmetic products including lip balm and diaper rash cream for babies.

BHA and BHT are completely banned in Europe and cannot be used in either cosmetics or food. In North America the Cosmetic Safety Database classifies BHA as a "high risk" product and lists the following as indicated health effects:

cancer

developmental/reproductive toxicity

allergies/ immunotoxicity

organ system toxicity

endocrine disfunction

bioaccumulation

biochemical or cellular level changes

neurotoxity/ecotoxicity

I came upon the cosmetic information accidentally but it makes me realize that as we strive for chemical-free foods, applying these same chemicals to our skin may be equally harmful.

BHA and BHT are now on my list of products to keep OUT of my house!

Jan.27 ~ Cheat Meal

I had an unplanned cheat today, and I realized how much I THINK about my food now. Here are the differences:

I had a cheeseburger and french fries today. It is not a healthy meal by any stretch. BUT....

~ I chose a burger that was 100% Angus beef
~ I chose a whole wheat bun.
~ I went to a place that makes their fries from actual potatoes
~ I had every vegetable in the place piled onto my burger
~ Before I even sat down at the table, I threw away half of the French fries.

Before I would have put little or no thought into what I got. Consider the ingredients in these popular French fries.

McPopular fries: potatoes, canola oil, hydrogenated soy bean oil, safflower oil, natural flavors, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid, dimethylpolysiloxane,.

Then these tasty creations are cooked in: canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soy bean oil with THBQ, citric acid and dimethlypolysiloxane.

And then we douse them in salt. Lots and lots of salt.

I believe those might survive a nuclear war.... I think there was something about that in a certain documentary.

So by no means clean was today's cheat meal, but I didn't feel like I poured a ton of chemicals into my body. Just too much fat and sodium. I realize the ability to "unclench" (as my teenager so delicately puts it) from time to time is vital to my long term success.

Jan. 26 ~ The Salad Bar Theory of Feeding Kids

As a mom, one of my biggest clean eating challenges is feeding my often-reluctant children.

To combat this I have developed what I like to call the salad bar theory. You know those huge salad bar/buffet restaurants with the "All You Can Eat" theme? Well, we have that at home quite frequently. We have a basic item and the kids get to add their toppings/add-ins. The only rule is that they must have one food from the protein section and one food from the veggie section. Aside from that, I try valiantly to keep my paws out of it.

This morning I was delighted when DD9 jumped right in to making her breakfast her own creation. It made me realize how easy it is to expand the salad bar theory to all three meals. Here are some examples:

BREAKFAST

Bases: Oatmeal, whole grain toast or English muffin

Proteins: Variety of Nut Butters, Yogurt cheese

Fruit: Thinly Sliced Apples, Smashed Strawberries, Blueberries, crushed pineapple, sliced banana

Toppings: Honey, Maple Syrup, Cinnamon, Chopped nuts

LUNCH

Bases: Wrap, pita or whole grain bread

Proteins: Hummus, Nut Butters, Thin Sliced Poultry or Steak

Veggies: Lettuce or Spinach, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Grated Carrots

Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Oil & Vinegar Dressings, Mrs. Dash, Guacamole, Tzatziki

Salad:

Bases: Lettuce, Mixed greens, Baby Spinach

Proteins: Hard-boiled Eggs, Grilled sliced lean meat, kidney beans, chick peas, tuna

Veggies: Cold steamed broccoli or cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions

Toppings: Clean croutons, Oil and Vinegar dressing, Yogurt dressing, lime juice, chopped almonds or walnuts, dried cranberries, feta cheese

DINNER

Pizza:

Bases: Fresh pizza dough, whole grain pitas, tortillas

Proteins: Refried Beans, Grilled Chicken, Seasoned Ground Meat

Veggies: Pizza sauce, Peppers, Onions, Mushrooms, Pineapple, Grated Carrot, Tomatoes, Spinach

Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Olives, Roasted Garlic, Feta Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Salsa

Tacos or Quesadillas:

Bases: Soft tortillas, tostada shells, hard taco shells, Pita bread

Protein: Refried Beans, Grilled Chicken, Ground Meat

Veggies: Lettuce, Spinach, Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Salsa, Corn, Black Beans

Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Feta Cheese, Guacamole, Plain Yogurt

You could go a lot of different directions with this: stir fries, pasta dishes - the sky is the limit! This type of meal is pretty well the most popular way to go in our house. I often use this method when we have company too - other kids seem to think it is pretty fun to pick their own stuff.

Engage your creativity and try putting out a spread for the kids. If you chop up your veggies and proteins and put them in Rubbermaid containers, you can use the same basic ingredients for several meals.

Jan. 25: Stress

Do you ever feel the victim to so much stress you just don't know what to do with it all? I'm there. Sometimes I actually miss the boost from the nasty white carbs, even though it was momentary. That 20 minutes or so of relief from the stress and anxiety of life would be a welcome relief right about now.

However, I have killed that particular vice with knowledge. Understanding how I will feel afterwards, physically and mentally, means that I don't even get that brief reprieve from life. Understanding the cycle of eating, then crashing, then eating some more, means that it just isn't worth it.

I'm glad, because this way, life is not derailing me from my goals.

I need a better way to deal with stress. The headaches/neck aches that I have been getting are unbelievable in their intensity.

Here is what is going on:

1.) Money problems
2.) Trouble getting work - I've sent off over 100 resumes and no job yet
3.) Problems with my teen daughter - she wants to move in with Dad and it is breaking my heart in two

Unfortunately, none of these problems are easily solvable. There are too many variables. It isn't often in life that I have had issues I could not tackle head on and take care of. That's why this is so tough for me. I'm trying to make a road map to get through it.

1.) Daily exercise, even if only for 10 minutes
2.) Keeping my surroundings tidy and pleasant
3.) Eat well
4.) Sell some things we no longer use on Kijiji and Ebay
5.) Spend an hour a day sending off more resumes
6.) Spending time outside when weather allows
7.)Write it down- I'm making lists and crossing things off, and I'm using this blog and a personal journal to deal with my feelings.
8.) Visiting a chiropractor to see if anything can be done about the neck pain.
9.) Researching and writing my blog - my goal is to one day turn some of this information into a book so that I can reach more people with my message about the poisons in the North American food supply.
10.) Turn off the computer - I tend to play on the computer when I am stressed instead of taking concrete actions.

So you guys can expect entries - lots of entries - over the next little while. I know I will get my feet back on the ground soon. Daisy will get her groove back.

I know that life goes on. It really seems that when my dad passed away last year I totally lost control of my life in my grief. He'd be so disappointed in me, but he would have some great advice if he was here. He was always my touchstone, my tether to reality and practicality.

It all boils down to this: I miss you, Daddy. I'll pull it all back together in memory of you.

Jan. 24: Toxin of the Day ~ Carrageenan

What is this mysterious ingredient I keep finding on the labels of yogurt and ice cream? Is it prime to be a Toxin of the Day?

Yup. Like anything else on the ingredient list we can't picture coming from it's source, Carrageenan is less than desirable for our consumption. It comes from seaweed and is used to increase viscosity in foods. The seaweed is treated with a hot solution of potassium hydroxide, and then the cellulose is removed by centrifugation and filtration. Then through evaporation the cellulose is dried and then ground for commercial use.

Carrageenan is frequently found in dairy products like cottage cheese, yogurt and ice cream, beer, pates, shaved ham, fruit gushers (it's the gel gooey stuff in the middle), toothpaste and soy milk. If you don't want to eat it, you can also locate it in sexual lubricants, where it is being tested for it's ability to protect the user against certain sexually transmitted diseases. Other uses are in fire-fighting foam and shoe polish.

Carrageenan degrades in high heat or acidic settings, forming poligeenan. Animal studies have linked consumption of this substance to gastrointestinal and cancer. Studies have also related it to the worsening of Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms and Crohn's disease symptoms.

The World Health Organization expressed "concern about the potential promotion of colon carcinogenesis by Carrageenans." They also noted more research needs to be done regarding the fact that Carrageenans are a prominent ingredient in some baby formulas. They felt that the current tests were inconclusive regarding the safety of this additive.

Carrageenan starts out as seaweed, which sounds healthy and natural. When I looked up studies, I could not find as much resounding evidence that this one is a killer as many of the other additives I have researched. This is the absolute fact I gleaned from my research: Carrageenan is a Vaseline-like substance that when orally consumed, coats the stomach with an oily greasy residue that may cause gastro-intestinal distress. It may or may not give me cancer, but it is much more likely that it will make me think I am lactose intolerant or suffering from a food allergy when all I am suffering from is an additive reaction. I would NOT feed my babies a formula containing this creation, nor do I plan to include anything with this ingredient in our family meals.

This one might be a bit of a toss up whether or not it's an actual toxin. That being said, I plan to err on the side of safety and wholesomeness.

Jan. 23: Toxin of the Day ~ MSG & Friends

Everyone knows MSG is not good for you. A lot has been written about the terrible migraines that some people get from it. But there are a lot more side effects to MSG than migraines. Further, there are a lot of sneaky names for the substance so that "food" manufacturers can sneak it into their products without touting that they contain Monosodium Glutamate.

MSG is a flavor enhancer obtained by the fermentation of carbohydrates. Initially it came from the fermentation of wheat, but now it more commonly comes from corn, beets, sugar cane or molasses. It is an amino acid called glutamic acid.

The "food" industry uses MSG to mask lower quality (ie, cheaper) ingredients. Studies have been done regarding the addictive quality of MSG. The brain craves it after a while. It gives a new meaning to the ad slogan, "Betcha can't eat just one!"

Serious health concerns surround MSG. MSG is classified as an excitotoxin, which means that it triggers death in certain cells. Concerns include: Seizures, brain cell death, brain damage, allergic reactions, headaches and migraines, strokes, hypoglycemia, and brain tumors. Some studies have suggested excessive consumption could trigger brain issues like Parkinsons and Alzheimers. These studies have not been verified, but if it is a chemical that causes tiny changes in the brain of the consumer, it does not sound that far-fetched. Asthmatic allergic reactions are frequent.

Studies in Asia have concluded that the consumption of MSG may be correlated to a higher BMI. The reason for this? Have you ever had a big Chinese meal and then 2 hours later you are starving? That situation is so common it is almost cliched. It happens because the MSG causes an surge in the production of insulin from the pancreas. The insulin is there to consume sugar, but MSG is not a sugar. You become so ravenously hungry because your body becomes extremely low on sugar.

All of these effects are more pronounced in infants and children. Their little systems can't handle it. Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills says that there is "overwhelming evidence" that MSG can cause obesity and metabolic syndrome in children. Studies on young rats showed lesions on the brains of MSG fed rats, and the inability to learn their way through a maze. Yet, if the labels are read, some BABY FORMULAS even contain MSG hidden under other names. In the 1960s, after a series of Congressional hearings, they baby food manufacturers finally stopped putting MSG in their harmless looking little jars of baby food.

The FDA allows MSG to be in our food. They have added the caveat that the label must state that the product contains MSG. So the "food" industry has bypassed that by inviting MSG's friends to the party. Every label is like a veritable costume ball. First, here is a list of items that are MSG:

Monosodium Glutamate

Glutamate

Hydrolized Vegetable Protein

Autolyzed Yeast

Hydrolyzed Plant Protein

Plant Protein Extract

Sodium Caseinate

Calcium Caseinate

Yeast Extract

Textured Protein (including TVP)

Hydrolyzed Oat Flour

Corn Oil

Now, if that list does not contain enough aliases, I have a couple more lists. These are items that "sometimes" contain MSG or "may" contain MSG:

Malt Extract or Flavoring

Broth

Boullion

Stock Flavoring

Natural Flavors

Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring

Seasoning

Spices

Maltodextrin

Whey Protein and Concentrate

Enzymes

Soy Protein Isolate

Soy Protein Concentrate

This begs the question: If MSG is safe, why do the manufacturers feel the need to hide it under so many different names? Why must I keep a list with me when I go to the grocery store of all the names it may be hidden under? I think this is all quite suspicious.

Because it is a fermentation of natural products the FDA does allow MSG to be considered a "natural flavoring". It IS natural. Natural does not always mean good for us. If it has to be brought forth in a lab and separated, then added to our food, it is not food the way nature intended.

I have to go read some labels in my cupboards now. I think some of this nasty snuff may have snuck into my house under the guise of a natural flavoring.

Jan. 21:Toxin of the Day ~ Sodium Nitrate & Nitrite

Today's lucky toxin winner.....SODIUM NITRATE/NITRITE!

Nitrates and Nitrites (first cousins in the preservative family) are preservatives that are widely used. They are most prominent in processed meats. They add a pinkish color to the meat, which would otherwise be an unappetizing brown or gray. They also inhibit the growth of spores that could potentially cause botulism. They are present in most smoked and cured meats, including but not limited to: ham, bacon, lunch meat, hot dogs, bologna, salami, dry sausage, and fresh sausage.

Nitrates and -ites on their own are relatively harmless. The problems occur when the body goes to break those chemicals down. As they are metabolized they convert to NITROSAMINES, which have been proven to be extremely dangerous. Nitrosamines are linked to stomach cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer and esophageal cancer. In babies, nitrates can lead to a potentially fatal condition called methemoglobinemia. This means that it can cause an issue in the child where the blood is not transporting oxygen to the body's tissues, which can lead to oxygen deprivation and cyanosis.

One extremely alarming study undertaken by the Cancer Prevention Coalition in Los Angeles County stated that children that consumed more than 12 hot dogs per month have 9 times the normal risk of developing childhood leukemia. The statistics were also poor for children whose fathers consumed 12 hot dogs per month during the time of conception. If their mothers consumed hot dogs more than once a week during pregnancy the child's risk of brain tumors doubled.

Also cooking foods containing nitrates using extreme high heat cooking methods like frying can cause the conversion to a more harmful chemical to occur. If you MUST eat hot dogs or pepperoni, boiling is preferable to high heat baking, grilling or frying. (Boiled pepperoni?)

Many vegetables also contain nitrates and -ites. However the vitamins C and D present in vegetables inhibit the metabolizing of the chemical into nitrosamines. So that means our veggie supply is safe.

Strong recommendations have been made against the consumption of nitrates and nitrites, particularly in pregnant or breast feeding women and young children. Some of the organizations making these recommendations are:

The Cancer Prevention Coalition, Health Canada and the American Society for Clinical Nutrition

After researching this, I have to say, bacon has lost a great deal of it's appeal for me.