Crave Clean New Year's Special!

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Organics

So, what’s the deal with organic?  

Here are some of the main things to know.

1) USDA Organic is the biggest designation we currently have that ensures no pesticides, herbicides, non-organic feed or hormones.

2) Many farmers follow Organic practices, but don’t have the “Organic” designation.  Just ask.

3) There are subtle differences between conventional and organic practices that tend to weigh heavily on peoples preferences.  For example, the hormone estrogen (given to conventionally raised cows to help their growth) shows up in the meat we eat at around 0.3 nanograms per 3oz portion.  A birth control pill is around 38,000 nanograms.  This is a tiny amount, and may or may not matter to you.

4) It’s important to get the correct information, and make informed decisions for yourself and your family.

5) It’s important to know that antibiotics are NOT ALLOWED to show up in any meat or dairy period.  Conventional or Organic.  So the whole deal with antibiotic resistance is a moot point.

Here is my personal opinion.  Why not?  I am all for technological advances and moving forward to make our food healthier.  However, I think we need to go backward, rather than forward on this issue – back in time.

Do you know how many people had gardens and grew their own organic veggies and fruits back in the day?  I remember picking zucchinis in my grandma’s backyard, and let me tell you, there weren’t any chemicals on those plants we had to be careful of.  The soils weren’t as contaminated and food wasn’t as “messed with” in the past.  “Organic” is at the moment, one of the only designations we have to ensure that the food we are purchasing, and that our kids are eating, is without those toxic chemicals.  Organic however is an expensive process to go through for farmers, and some cannot afford to spend the money to have this designation, despite the fact that they do in fact farm organically and treat their animals very well.  This is where our families and our kids have a disconnect with our farmers – we need to connect with them and ask these questions so that we can make sure the food that we are eating is in fact clean and those animals were treated well and not confined to small cages or fed food outside their normal diet.  I would love for your kiddos to know the farmers that grow their apples, and be able to ask the farmers how they make the cheese they eat.  What a fun way to get kids excited about healthy food!

The best way to connect with the farmers is at the farmers markets.  And guess what, its farmers market season again!  I encourage you to seek out your fruits, veggies, meats and dairy at the farmers markets this summer.  This gives you a chance to get closer to your food!  Ask questions about the foods you eat to the farmers & families who grow them.  Below are a list of the local markets, dates they open and where they are located.

Kirkland Farmers Market

Wednesdays, 2-7pm, June 5 – September 25

Marina Park

Juanita Farmers Market

Fridays, 3-7pm, May 10 – October 4

Juanita Beach Park

Bellevue Farmers Market #1

Thursdays, 3-7pm, May 16 – October 10

Bellevue Presbyterian Church

Bellevue Farmers Market #2

Saturdays, 10-3pm, June 8 – November 23

Compass Plaza (Next to BAM)

Mercer Island Farmers Market

Sundays, 10-3pm, June 9 – October 13

Mercerdale Park

Redmond Farmers Market

Saturdays, 9-3pm, May 4 – October 26

Redmond Town Center

Woodinville Farmers Market

Saturdays, 10-4pm, May 4 – October 12

Woodinville City Hall

_____________________________________________________________

For more information, the following contacts were nice enough to fill me in on correct information and would be happy to answer any questions for you!

Jackie Madill, The WA Beef Commission 

jmadill@wabeef.org

Linda Mendoza, RD, The WA Dairy Council

mendoza@eatsmart.org

Bill Vingelen, Organic Farmer for The Herbfarm Restaurant

bill@theherbfarm.com

National Chicken Council

(sorry no personal contact there)

National Pork Council

(have an interview with a pork producer soon!)

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

(lots of contacts here)

Willie Austin

The kids of today need better leadership.  Better role models.  Better confidence.  Better health.  And that starts with us.

I have been pulled toward adolescent health and medicine since I was an adolescent myself!  Its why I chose Vanderbilt for my residency, with their level 1 pediatric trauma center, and its why Ive decided to focus my practice in the area of adolescent nutrition.  This is where I belong.  And in this field, there is no better example for kids, and us leaders within the field, than Willie Austin.

Willie Austin founded The Austin Foundation in 1997 dedicated towards getting kids in Seattle off of the streets and into the gym, surrounded by positive role models and health.  In working with Willie and the foundation on a professional level, Willie became a lifelong friend of mine, and had always been a lifelong friend and mentor to my husband Tyler, who sits on the board for the foundation.

Willie was an example to kids for many reasons, but here are just a few.

Willie played football for the Washington Huskies.  Student athletes are such amazing examples for youth because they have to work hard on the field, take care of their bodies, manage a crazy time schedule and still do well in school!

Willie continued strength training and power lifting after football was over, and eventually became the World Drug-Free Powerlifing Champion.  No cheating, no drugs. Just hard work, dedication, and health. 

Willie saw a need that wasn’t being met in the community, and changed it. Forming The Austin Foundation.  He saw kids who couldn't afford the cost of athletic programs or didn’t have safe access to physical fitness activities.  He saw kids struggling with diabetes, obesity, asthma and high blood pressure who weren’t comfortable in regular gym class settings.  He invited them into his gym, on his time and taught them about their health, their bodies and what they could achieve with hard work, self-esteem and positivity.

Willie was an instructor and coach for the Washington State Special Olympics.  Not only did he help those with able bodies to become fit and healthy, but he worked with those who had even more physical challenges to face. 

Tragically, Willie Austin passed away suddenly on April 24th 2013.  I was and still am devastated, along with my husband and the rest of the community.  His wife Vanisha, gave birth to their first child together, a daughter, Willow Austin, the week following his death.  With the foundation rocked to its core from the loss of it founder, we are now in a position as the community to raise this foundation up, to save it and to make it even better, as a legacy to Willie, and to all the kids he has helped, and whom the foundation will help in the coming years.

I want to be like Willie.  I want to inspire youth to be active, healthy, positive and confident.  I want my kids to be like Willie.  And for that to happen, we need to keep The Austin Foundation, and those like it, around for a long time.

The foundation needs community and financial support.  Crave Health will be donating our allocated charity funds to The Austin Foundation.  I hope that all of you out there and your companies will consider allowing a portion of your allocated charitable funds to go to The Austin Foundation this year, the year they need it more than ever. 

TODAY is Seattle’s “Give Big” day.  May 15^th.  It allows you to donate to foundations through their website, and stretching your dollar by adding to your donation.  I would love to have people GIVE BIG on this day to The Austin Foundation!  Also, the annual fundraising breakfast that Willie hosts every year for the foundation is coming up.  Willie will be there in spirit.  This RUSH (Rise Up & Shine for Health) Breakfast is a great way to meet those involved and learn more about what the foundation is about, and what we are going to do moving forward.  Tuesday June 11^th from 7:30-9am for breakfast before work.

GIVE BIG Campaign Information: May 15th

Austin Foundation RUSH Breakfast: June 11th, 7:30-9am

Natural and Simple Egg Dying

I know the easiest thing to do is go out and get the PAAS packets of dyes, the little wire egg holder and stickers that come in a nice package with a bunny on it for a few bucks.

The problem with that is that those color dyes are the common FD&C colors that you see on labels all the time: Yellow No. 5, Red No. 3, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 2, Red No. 40, Blue No. 1.

These FD&C (Food Drug & Cosmetic) colors are a hot debate in the nutrition world.  Previously banned in several countries in Europe, studies are showing that these color dyes are causing major behavioral issues in children.  Kids with ADD or ADHD are always advised to stay away from color dyes due to its hyper effect on their mood.  There are studies showing these colors can cause symptoms like headaches, GI distress, asthma, etc.

So lets go out of our way and do something simple and natural this year!  Here are a few better ideas.

1) Buy local and use India Tree natural color dyes.  They have an entire egg coloring guide on their website and produce beautiful pastel eggs!

2) Use FOOD!  Beets for hot pink, Grape Juice for lavender, Carrots and Turmeric for yellow, and Blueberries for blue!

3) Use Washi Tape (Japanese Colorful Masking Tape) to cut up and stick on your eggs!  You can find it at any scrapbooking store, Michaels or Target.

HAVE FUN & HAPPY EASTER!!

Ashley

Shamrock "Not-So-Lucky" Shakes

The bright green minty sugar rush known as the Shamrock Shake has been a staple on McDonalds March Menus since the 70’s.  I know it tastes great, but in this case ignorance is NOT bliss my friends.

Yeah, "Lucky You" you get to eat all these chemicals!

The 2013 Shamrock Shake now has added whipped cream and a cherry on top, making a 22 oz Shake worth the following in nutritional cash…

820 calories

135 grams carbohydrates

18 grams protein

23 grams fat (15 saturated, 1 trans)

and 260 mg of sodium

Along with the 800+ calorie hit, we are getting quite a few chemicals!  See red for the most problematic.

Body of the Shake:

1. Milk
2. Sugar
3. Cream
4. Nonfat Milk Solids
5. Corn Syrup Solids – Dried corn syrup
6. Mono & Diglycerides – Emulsifying agents made from fats (may be animal or vegetable derived) by releasing a fatty acid from a diacylglycerol.  The fat from this ingredient is not calculated towards the total you see on the label.
7. Guar Gum – The ground up endosperm of guar beans. This is another form of sugar. It helps to thicken and prevents ice crystal growth.
8. Dextrose 
9. Sodium Citrate – This is what makes “American cheese” kindof creamy and rubbery at the same time. A chemical for emulsification.
10. Artificial Vanilla Flavor – Most artifical vanilla flavor is synthesized from lignin, a chemical compound found in wood.
11. Sodium Phosphate – Salts derived from sodium hydroxide and phosphoric acid. 
12. Carrageenan – Emulsifier and stabilizer extracted from seaweed.  Causes major GI upset in animal studies and has been recommended to be avoided by many MD’s.
13. Disodium Phosphate – anti-caking additive.
14. Cellulose Gum – Thickener that may cause reaction in those with wheat intolerance.
15. Vitamin A Palmitate – Synthetic Vitamin A added back to Milk when fat is removed.

Shamrock Syrup:

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup – Created through an enzymatic process to convert glucose into the sweeter, fructose.  Making it sweeter and more addictive. Also, many health claims including the intake of HFCS in autistic kids causing loss of Zinc and increase in Copper levels in our bodies, making it harder for them to excrete heavy metals. 
2. Corn Syrup – made by treating corn starch with enzymes and/or acids. Mostly dextrose, which is another form of sugar. 
3. Water
4. Sugar
5. Natural Flavor
6. Xanthan Gum
7. Citric Acid – Emulsifying agent
8. Sodium Benzote - preservative
9. Yellow 5 – Most allergenic of all color dyes.  Phasing out of its use is being forced by the European union due to its hyperactivity effects in children.
10. Blue 1 – color dye previously banned in the European Union. May cause allergic reaction in those with pre-existing asthma conditions.

Whipped Cream:

1. Cream
2. Nonfat Milk
3. Water
4. Corn Syrup – made by treating corn starch with enzymes and/or acids. Mostly dextrose, which is another form of sugar. 
5. Sugar
6. High Fructose Corn Syrup – Created through an enzymatic process to convert glucose into the sweeter, fructose.  Making it sweeter and more addictive. Also, many health claims including the intake of HFCS in autistic kids causing loss of Zinc and increase in Copper levels in our bodies, making it harder for them to excrete heavy metals. 
7. Mono & Diglycerides – Emulsifying agents made from fats (may be animal or vegetable derived) by releasing a fatty acid from a diacylglycerol.  The fat from this ingredient is not calculated towards the total you see on the label.
8. Carrageenan – Emulsifier and stabilizer extracted from seaweed.  Has caused GI upset in several animal studies.
9. Polysorbate 80 – Emulsifier. May be harmful in people with Chrons Disease.  
10. Beta Carotene
11. Natural & Artificial Flavors – This is where a lot of things “hide”
12. Mixed Tocopherols 
13. Nitrous Oxide

Marachino Cherry:

1. Cherries
2. Water
3. Corn Syrup – made by treating corn starch with enzymes and/or acids. Mostly dextrose, which is another form of sugar. 
4. High Fructose Corn Syrup – Created through an enzymatic process to convert glucose into the sweeter, fructose.  Making it sweeter and more addictive. Also, many health claims including the intake of HFCS in autistic kids causing loss of Zinc and increase in Copper levels in our bodies, making it harder for them to excrete heavy metals. 
5. Sugar
6. Malic Acid – A sour tasting acid originally extract from green apples.
7. Citric Acid – Emulsifying agent
8. Natural & Artificial Flavorsatural & Artificial Flavors – This is where a lot of things “hide”
9. Sodium Benzote - preservative
10. Potassium Sorbate - potassium salt of sorbic acid, a naturally occurring antimicrobial compound; used as a preservative
11. Red 40 – Originally manufactured from coal tar, but now mostly petroleum. Previously banned in the European Union due to health effects in children.
12. Sulfur Dioxide

Seriously, a cherry on top should not be that complicated.  I propose a healthier St. Patties Day in 2013 – Lets make our own dang shake!

Lucky Shamrock Shake

2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream (homemade in bag or Organic)

1 cup Organic* Milk

¼ cup Organic Half & Half

½ tsp Mint (Spearmint) Extract

4 drops India Tree** Yellow Food Dye

4 drops India Tree Blue Food Dye

*I say organic because we should all be food snobs when it comes to our dairy.  There are a lot of companies that don’t treat their cows nicely, feed them genetically modified corn and shoot them with antibiotics.  So lets give the nice farmers who feed their cows grass and don’t give them unnecessary shots our money ok?

**Also, there are lots of theories that color dyes cause behavioral issues in humans and contribute to worsening symtoms with ADD/ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders, so lets stay away from the checmical food dyes and go with India Tree. They are here in Seattle (down in Ballard) and make their colors from plants.  Nice and natural.

Enjoy!
Ashley

Mediterranean Diet is More than Olives & Nuts

The “Mediterranean diet” has been popular since the 90’s when Harvard did a health presentation based on the diet of Greece and Southern Italy.  This olive oil, tomato and wine diet is what we now refer to as “The Mediterranean Diet” which many authors have cashed in on with books and kitschy programs.

It popped up again this week after another cohort study came out in the New England Journal of Medicine.  The study done in Spain followed 7000+ people (about half men, half women, aged 55-80) and monitored over the course of around 5 years, how many of those people had a “cardiovascular event”.  Some ate a “Mediterranean diet” supplemented with olive oil.  Some ate a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts.  The others were just advised to lower their fat intake.

In the end, there were a total of 288 cardio events (heart attack, etc) that occurred out of the 7000+ people that were followed.  

The group eating the Mediterranean diet plus nuts had 83 events.

The group eating the Mediterranean diet plus extra virgin olive oil had 96 events.

The group told to lower their dietary fat had 109 events.

They confirmed what other studies had shown and what experts have thought for a while now.  Eating a Mediterranean diet lowers your risk of cardio trouble.

Interestingly enough, when a reporter from NPR asked some Spaniards about the study, they agreed – their food is excellent.  But, they also said that even more than the types of food they eat, it’s the climate.

They put more emphasis on following the climate; eating foods that grow in season where they are.  They stated that growing or importing food out of season loses nutrient content and that people were originally designed to eat according to their own climates.  They stressed slowing down to enjoy your food, eating locally and getting out in the sunshine and salt water.

For us Seattleites, we may not have the sun and salt water as much as the Spaniards, but we could do a better job of embracing our climate and eating according to it.

Its March here in Seattle.  The weather is cold and the sun is just starting to peek out more often.  The ground is starting to warm a bit, tulips are blooming and rain is becoming less frequent.  Ideally for us, we need to be eating cauliflower, finishing up apple season, enjoying leeks and onions for a couple more months and start looking forward to asparagus, kale, rhubarb and baby spinach that’s about to be ready for April.

PCC has a great interactive Seasonal Produce Calendar so you can check out what else is fresh:  http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/products/produce/inseason/

So eat your tomatoes, dress with your olive oil, pop a few nuts and drink your wine, but don’t forget to stand in the sunshine and remember that foods, like flowers, have a season.

Ashley