Food Shopping

Seven Simple Steps to a Healthier You and a Healthier Planet

Sep 27th, 2010

Seven Simple Steps to a Healthier You and a Healthier Planet

(ARA) – Americans have traditionally considered the health of the planet and their personal health two distinct subjects. Times have changed. When we consider our personal health, many now see the connection to the environment.

“Most people want to be healthy and live on a clean and beautiful planet,” says Amy Lou Jenkins, a registered nurse who writes about nature and green living for Examiner.com, and who has authored the book, “Every Natural Fact: Five Seasons of Open-Air Parenting” “Now, it’s becoming important to enhance our own health, as we care for our Earth. Fortunately, it’s easy to make green living choices that are good for you, your family and the planet.”

Jenkins offers these seven simple steps that can help you improve your own health, and care for the earth at the same time:

1. Replace car trips with a bike ride or a walk whenever possible.
Every day, Americans’ automobiles pour millions of pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Any step that reduces that output is a step toward better health for the environment. Walking and biking are also great low-impact ways to exercise your muscles, burn calories and deliver cardiovascular benefits. Taking a bike instead of a car for just one 4-mile round trip prevents the release of about 15 pounds of pollutants, according to the WorldWatch Institute.

2. Buy local foods and eat less meat.
Locally grown food requires less fuel to transport and causes the emission of fewer pollutants to arrive at the market than produce grown far from where you live. A meal of meat uses exponentially more water, land and petroleum products than a plant-based meal. The greenhouse gas emission associated with animal feed and animal methane increase environmental damage further. Add to that the water pollution from runoff and land degradation from grazing and you begin to see the enormous ecologic strain caused by a diet rich in meat. Lowering your red meat intake and increasing your consumption of fresh vegetables is associated with improved health, lower incidences of cancer and heart disease and a longer life. In addition, buying local produce will directly benefit your community.

3. Discover solar cooking.
Whether you cook on an electric stove, gas range, gas grill or charcoal grill, traditional cooking consumes fossil fuel. Consider buying a solar cooker and swap out propane and charcoal grills for sustainable solar energy. Solar energy is carbon neutral and ultra clean.

4. Take the stairs.
Elevators use energy all day long and two-thirds of that consumption is used to move people up and down. Reducing the number of elevator trips cuts the amount of energy used. Plus, taking the stairs is an easy lifestyle change that can net a big payoff over time in heart health and weight management. Overall, it is a healthier way to travel.

5. Get into gardening – all year long.
Gardening offers many health benefits, from mental relaxation to light cardiovascular exercise. Indoor gardening with easy hydroponic systems can ensure you’ll have plenty of fresh, nutritious produce – even in the winter. And by traveling from windowsill to plate, instead of being flown across the country or planet, your homegrown produce reduces fuel consumption and pollution.

6. Switch to all-natural products for cleaning, rather than toxic chemicals.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that it has found detergent in 69 percent of streams it has tested and disinfectants in 66 percent of tested waterways. Fortunately, many manufacturers of household cleansers now offer all-natural lines. By switching to natural products – including homemade cleaners made with simple pantry products like vinegar – you reduce your personal exposure to toxic chemicals and help keep them out of our groundwater.

7. Unplug.
American homes consume a staggering amount of electricity every year. Switching off the computer, video games, TVs and cell phones not only reduces your home’s energy use, the electronic silence offers an invitation to family time to reconnect and spend time together. Research shows that healthy relationships and social contacts are associated with long life and happiness.

You can find more green living news at www.examiner.com.

Marilyn Kvasnok

Slow Food ~ The Healthy Alternative to Fast Food

May 7th, 2009

by Marilyn.

3 comments

Alice Waters is a pioneer. She’s been preaching the virtues of cultivating fresh food for decades. Lesley Stahl interviews this world-renowned chef and restaurateur. Alice Waters hopes a slower approach to the food we eat will keeps us healthier and greener.

From the Chez Panisse Restaurant website:
“Alice and Chez Panisse have become convinced that the best-tasting food is organically grown and harvested in ways that are ecologically sound, by people who are taking care of the land for future generations. The quest for such ingredients has largely determined the restaurant’s cuisine. Chez Panisse has tried for years to make diners here partake of the immediacy and excitement of vegetables just out of the garden, fruit right off the branch, and fish straight out of the sea. In doing so, Chez Panisse has stitched together a patchwork of over sixty nearby suppliers, whose concerns, like the restaurant’s, are environmental harmony and optimal flavor.”

Chez Panisse is located in Berkeley, California, but Alice Water’s influence extends far beyond.

Plastic Bags

Jan 15th, 2009

by Marilyn.

3 comments

I’m trying hard to live green, but it’s not easy. I bought green, reusable bags to tote purchases home from the store. It’s becoming a habit to remember to take them into the store. But, I also have to remember to get them back to the car after I’ve used them.

It’s almost impossible to completely get away from plastic bags. The cashiers and baggers automatically start packing orders into their plastic bags. I can’t remember the last time I heard “paper or plastic.” They just put a couple items into each plastic bag. They can’t fill the bags because they tear too easy. So, if I don’t stop them, I end up taking home several bags. Then, I’m compelled to reuse or recycle.

I no longer use a plastic produce bag for each fruit and vegetable that I buy. I keep one of my cloth bags open in the cart and add tomatoes, apples, cucumbers and all the loose items into my bag. Then, at the check out, I set my bag on the counter and give the cashier an empty bag to transfer to as she rings up each item. So far, it’s working well.

Butter vs Margarine

Sep 15th, 2008

by Marilyn.

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I remember when I was growing up, we used butter. I was too young to question it, but I’m sure we used it because it was the accepted spread for toast, frying and other cooking and baking needs.

At some point, we all switched from butter to margarine. It had no cholesterol, so it was supposed to be the healthy alternative. And now, lots of years later, I’m considering switching back to butter. Here’s why . . . Today, margarine has some saturated fat and trans fatty acids – Neither of which are good. Plus, I’m not thrilled with the way it tastes.

And I keep hearing that margarine is just one molecule away from being plastic. I always thought “close” only counts in horseshoes and grenades, so I did some research.

Snopes comment on margarine being one molecule away from plastic is . . .
“These types of statements (even if they were true) are essentially meaningless. Many disparate substances share similar chemical properties, but even the slightest variation in molecular structure can make a world of difference in the qualities of those substances.” The article goes on to say that the same statements about Velveeta Cheese and Pam are false, too. Also, Cool Whip is not close to styrofoam and Cheez Whiz is not 2 ingredients away from garbage bags.

But, I’m not convinced that butter is better because butter has saturated fat. It’s more of a natural food than margarine, but it has cholesterol.

I did a little comparison shopping . . .

Land O’Lakes butter was $3.89 a pound. The ingredients are sweet cream and salt. Then, why does it taste waxy?

The store brand was $3.39 a pound. The ingredients are cream and salt.

An interesting alternative was butter from a local farm. It was a 2 pound roll of butter for $8.49. The ingredients are sweet cream and salt. It came wrapped in waxed paper and could easily be opened in the store. That bothered me. One of the rolls looked like it had already been unwrapped. Was it sampled (yuck!) or dropped?

Even so, I’m stongly leaning toward butter. And I like the one that’s locally churned. If I can purchase one from the back of the shelf that looks untouched by human hands, I just may give it a try.

Marilyn Kvasnok

Shop Around the Food Store

Jul 27th, 2008

by Marilyn.

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There’s a real psychology to the layout of a food store. Most of us don’t pay attention to it, but the placement of every product is carefully planned. Eye level shelves are the premium products. Lower level shelves are for the cheaper products. And the lower level shelves, especially in the cereal aisle, are eye level for kids.

I’ve never been one to breeze thru the food store grabbing things as I go. I spend a good deal of time reading labels, comparing products and determining which size is the best buy. And I use coupons when I can.

Today, I’m more apt to shop AROUND the food store and not walk up and down every aisle. The perimeter of the food store is where all the fresh food is located – The produce, meat and dairy sections. Shopping AROUND the food store keeps me away from all the boxed and canned foods. Those are the products that contain extra salt, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, sugar, chemicals, artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives. Sure I love potato chips, mayonnaise and brownies. But, sparingly. It’s not part of my regular diet.

Over the years I’ve made little changes that have added up to eating much more healthy and simply. I like lots of salad and vegetables. I’ve cut back on meat, especially beef and pork. And food is prepared simply – raw vegetables or lightly steamed or sauteed. I don’t add sauces and gravy to my meals. It cuts down on prep time, but most importantly, I get to really taste each food item.

Marilyn Kvasnok