It's National Coffee Day!

In honor of national coffee day it seems only fitting that today's blog be about coffee! I happen to very much enjoy a cup of coffee but usually I drink it for relaxation like in the morning when the kids are off to school and the babies still in bed and the house is nice and peaceful or in the afternoon at babies nap time. I've only been enjoying coffee for the last couple years since we had our 3rd child and I needed something natural to give me an energy boost. At first I couldn't stand it but drank it only out of necessity but now I have grown to really enjoy my cup of coffee everyday. I do try to limit myself to one cup a day simply because I do not enjoy coffee without cream and sugar in it which makes my cup of coffee have some extra calories. In researching the health benefits of coffee there seems to be many. Below is an article listing some of the health benefits and risks to coffee. As far as I can tell any of the risks are only if people are drinking many cups a day but if it's just a couple it looks like we may be receiving many benefits from our coffee.
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/coffee-new-health-food

I would like to just add that in my opinion it seems like it would be best to drink regular coffee verses decaffeinated. The reasons being that if they are soaking the coffee beans to remove the caffeine surely you are not only losing the caffeine but some of the good things in your coffee like antioxidants, minerals like magnesium and chromium. Also if your decaffeinated coffee is made using the European method then they are putting a chemical on your coffee beans called methylene chloride. If you are interested in the two different processes used to make decaffeinated coffee check out  this link. http://chilipaper.com/FNCC/decaf_coffee.htm

~April~

Wendy's Windex Experiment!

So I'm going to start this blog out with a question! How any times when we make a choice to eat something or feed something to our kids that we know has dyes, or artificial flavors, or artificial sweeteners, or some funny named preservative we cannot even pronounce do we tell ourselves this excuse? Well it's just a little? It only has a small amount of dyes, or artificials, ect.... how much could it possibly hurt? This is where Wendy's Windex experiment comes into play. Last week I was chatting with my long time close friend Wendy and she told me about having a conversation similar to this with some of her friends. When she suddenly got this idea for a word picture. So now I'm going to relay this word picture to y'all!

Things you will need : Windex, a glass, and water.

Step #1 : Squirt one squirt of Windex in glass.

It should look something like this.

Step #2 : Fill glass to the top with water.

The finished results.

Step #3 drink the glass of water(notice I do not have a picture demonstrating this). Why not it only has a very tiny amount of Windex in it? What could it possibly hurt? : )

Now I know you probably would not do this but really if you only did it one time it most likely would do nothing to you but if you drank a glass of water with a squirt of Windex in it everyday or multiple times a day I'm thinking it would have to have some sort of effect on your health. When you think about it this is pretty much what we're doing when we're eating foods with dyes, artificials, preservatives ect.... I thought this was a great word picture and just felt like sharing it. : )

Remember every time you checkout at your supermarket you vote for the quality of food you desire for you and your family.

~April~

The Truth -On Food Coloring-

As we began out research we found that one of the key triggers in behavioral issues in children was synthetic food colorings. On ingredients listings they appear as:
"-Blue No. 1
-Blue No. 2
-Green No. 3
-Red No. 40
-Red No. 3
-Yellow No. 5
-Yellow No. 6"

(Above excerpt taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_coloring )

The Feingold program has proven through studies and testimonies that these food colorings cause behavioral issues through neurotoxicity (brain poisoning) in children but that is not all. Turns out that these food colorings also carry significant health risks along with the slight annoyance of impairing your child's ability to learn and cope with society(insert sarcastic tone here):

"The following is a brief description of some known food dyes that can cause adverse health effects:

-Yellow 5 : breakfast cereals, jams, snack foods, packaged noodles, soups, dry drink powders, candy, pudding. May cause palpitations, hives and itching in children, restlessness, sleep disturbances, asthma and allergic reactions.

-Blue 1: dairy products, jellies, icings, syrups, extracts, drinks and candies. Cause of death in some elderly patients due to enteral (tube) feeding. Banned in many countries but not the U.S. or Canada. This is derived from petroleum distillates.

-Red 3: used in dental labs, printing inks and food dye. Found in candies, baked goods, condiments and snack foods. Has estrogen-like growth stimulatory properties. Significant risk factor in human breast carcinogenesis. Possible thyroid tumors and chromosomal damage.

-Red 40: snack foods. Can cause tumors, lymphomas and adhd in children."

(Above excerpt taken from Food Coloring: Synthetic Food Dye is Hazardous to Your Health http://www.suite101.com/content/food-coloring-a77978#ixzz10eFEnjMI ) Good article BTW!

Studies have shown that the majority, if not all of these synthetic colorings not only cause cancer, but if there are cancerous growths, certain ones feed off of these chemicals much like MSG  (Monosodium Glutymate) will, and cause rapid growth and multiplication in cancerous cells.

"In commercially available FD&C Yellow #5 and #6, benzidine (which causes cancer) has been found in amounts up to 200 times the officially allowed level of only 1 part per billion. FD&C colorings continue to be listed as "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS) despite studies showing neurological effects, DNA damage, and elevated cholesterol.
In 2006, almost 19 million pounds of color additives were certified by FDA inspectors. The FDA receives a "user fee" from the manufacturer for each pound of food dye certified. Note, that means each pound approved, not each pound examined."

(Above excerpt taken from 'Behavior, Learning and Health - The Dietary Connection' - Feingold Assn.)

Our beloved government, looking out for its precious citizens through the FDA has deemed our current list of synthetic food dyes as "safe" for the general public consumption. Gee... Thanks... It appears that logic once again has escaped the minds of our elected representatives. Seems to me when you kill your taxpayers there would be less taxpayers to extract money from and therefore less money for them to carelessly throw to the wind. You would also think that if the citizens were all mentally impaired and sick due to careless legislation and government that it would cost them more of their "throw to the wind" money to take care of the handicapped on the public dole.
The crazy part is, these food colorings are in almost EVERYTHING! You would be very surprised where you will find them. Here are some crazy examples we have run across:

-Pickles - Uh... Why?
-Turkey - Yes, the one you pick up for Thanksgiving. You will find in some cases the "solution" they pack them in will be laden with preservatives and MSG then colored so it looks good between when you take it out of the bag and place it in the roaster..... I was shocked, cuz I thought I was just buying a TURKEY....
-Jams and Jellies - Was horrified to find that my favorite multi-berry jam from Canada had red and blue dyes in it. Did I say I was horrified!
-White Cake Mix - Hello! White cake mix....
-Applesauce
-Guacamole dip
-Yogurt - Healthy, nutritious yogurt.
-Cheese - Not all, but some.
-Macaroni n Cheese

Tons of other items on the shelf in your local supermarket that should not need to be colored.
There are some colorings that are considered natural and safe, these are the most common:
-Caramel coloring (E150), made from caramelized sugar, used in cola products and also in cosmetics
-Annatto (E160b), a reddish-orange dye made from the seed of the achiote.
-Turmeric (curcuminoids, E100)
-Paprika (E160c)
-Elderberry juice
-Pumpkin
-Black Carrot Juice

Weigh the cost next time you shop, every time you checkout at your supermarket you vote for the quality of food you desire for you and your family. Thank God for capitalism!

~Terry~

The flax seed to eggs experiment!

So today on a whim I decided to make my pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. I think the rainy day put me in the mood to bake. Looking over the recipe I realized it called for 4 eggs which I had none of. Before I could get to disappointed I remembered a conversation I had a few weeks back with my friend Wendy. She had told me that she found out by mixing hot water and flax seed you could make yourself a substitute for eggs. I then went to the computer and googled it.
1TBSP milled/ground flax seed to 3 TBSP of very hot water. Mix together and let set for approx. 30 minutes or until it turns sort of gooey like an egg, then just use in place of eggs.
I decided to go ahead and give it a try in my muffins. When I mixed the flax seed mixture in I was a little concerned because it smelled very strong and I did not enjoy the smell at all. By now I figured it was to late to go back and wait for eggs so I went ahead and mixed up the batter and poured it in the muffin cups. I could tell as soon as they finished cooking and I pulled them out of the oven that they did not have that funny smell anymore. My kids had no idea what I had done and could hardly wait to have one. Terry, the girls and myself think they are delicious. I also changed the recipe and traded some of the white flour for whole wheat and traded some of the cooking oil for apple sauce. Below is a picture of the finished results! For the recipe go to our favorite links and click on recipes.

Below is some information about flax seed health benefits.

It may be tiny, but it’s mighty: The flax seed carries one of the biggest nutrient payloads on the planet. And while it’s not technically a grain, it has a similar vitamin and mineral profile to grains, while the amount of fiber, antioxidants, and Omega-3 fatty acids in flax leaves grains in the dust. Additionally, flax seed is very low in carbohydrates, making it ideal for people who limit their intake of starches and sugars. And its combination of healthy fat and high fiber content make it a great food for weight loss and maintenance -- many dieters have found that flax seed has been a key to keeping them feeling satisfied.

Flax Seed Nutrition

Yes, flax seed is high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese, but this little seed is just getting started. There are three additional nutrient groups which flax seed has in abundance, and each has many benefits.

Flax seed is Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are a key force against inflammation in our bodies. Mounting evidence shows that inflammation plays a part in many chronic diseases including heart disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and even some cancers. This inflammation is enhanced by having too little Omega-3 intake (such as in fish, flax, and walnuts), especially in relation to Omega-6 fatty acid intake (in such oils as soy and corn oil). In the quest to equalize the ratio of these two kinds of oils, flax seed can be a real help.

Most of the oil in flax seeds is alpha linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is an Omega-3 which is a precursor to the fatty acids found in salmon and other fatty cold-water fish (called EPA and DHA). Because not everyone is able to easily convert ALA into EPA and (especially) DHA, it is best not to rely solely on flax for your Omega-3 intake, but ALA also has good effects of its own, and definitely helps in the Omega 3/6 balance.
Flax Seed is High in Fiber: You’d be hard-pressed to find a food higher in fiber -- both soluble and insoluble -- than flax. This fiber is probably mainly responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effects of flax. Fiber in the diet also helps stabilize blood sugar, and, of course, promotes proper functioning of the intestines.

Phytochemicals: Flax seed is high in phytochemicals, including many antioxidants. It is perhaps our best source of lignans, which convert in our intestines to substances which tend to balance female hormones. There is evidence that lignans may promote fertility, reduce peri-menopausal symptoms, and possibly help prevent breast cancer. In addition, lignans may help prevent Type 2 diabetes.

Note that a) flax seeds need to be ground to make the nutrients available (otherwise they just “pass through”) and b) flax seed oil alone contains neither the fiber nor the phytochemicals of whole flax seed meal.

To read the entire article by Laura Dolson go to about.com

~April~

Oil mister!

Just a short little note about my oil mister. So I have used the olive oil in the aerosol cans from the baking section for quite a while for spraying my baking pans, barbequeing, ect.... Thinking I've been making the healthier option by buying 100% olive oil instead of some of the other baking spray options. Since we have have been checking all labels even things we think are safe I decided to take a peek at the label. Everything looked pretty good until the end of the ingredients list which says propellant. I have looked up some stuff on it and some people are saying it's perfectly safe because it's just a tiny amount and it evaporates in the air once you spray it but I have learned so many of the things people are saying are safe really are not. So to air on the side of caution I ordered a oil mister off of Amazon and it just came in the mail today. I had one many years ago but once it got clogged beyond fixing I threw it out and never replaced it. I used my new mister tonight while cooking dinner and enjoyed it very much. Another perk is you can fill it with any oil you like.

Encyclopedia

propellant
any gas, liquid, or solid the expansion of which can be used to impart motion to another substance or object. In aerosol dispensers, compressed gases such as nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and many halogenated hydrocarbons are used as propellants. The propellant may remain in gaseous form (nitrous oxide or carbon dioxide), or it may liquefy under pressure.


~April~

My first official blog!

This is my first official blog. Since I do not keep a journal or anything like that, it seems a little strange to just be writing my random thoughts down but I'm willing to give it a try especially since my hubby will not stop asking me if I have blogged yet! So what I have been thinking about today is how a lot of times people think they don't really need to examine what they are eating and possibly try to improve on it because they think they are fine as far as their health goes. Or that their kids are fine. They figure because neither them or their children have any kind of disease that they're alright the way they are. But how do we really know we're alright? We do not know what subtle things the foods are doing to the inside of us. We might not see any kind of results from it for years. Or maybe we do not realize things we are experiencing already are because of the food we are eating. Also do we really know how potentially healthy we could be or feel. If we ate the way God intended, would we have more energy, less head aches, less aches and pains? Would us and our children be smarter and be able to think more clearly? Would people have less infertility issues? Would we get colds and flus fewer times a year? These are just some questions I've been having and thinking about lately.


~April~