Organic Nutrition: Foods You Should Buy All Natural

by Maria Rainier

These days, you can get almost anything organic without even going to a specialty store, but the prices are often astronomical in comparison to regular products. Admittedly, organic products are better for you, but not everyone can afford to buy all of them all the time. So if you want to do what’s best for your body and your wallet, check out this list of the top foods that should be purchased organic. I’ve also included a list of foods that don’t need to be bought organic – there’s almost no difference between organic and inorganic for these items. Using this information, you’ll find it much easier to make your selections the next time you’re at the supermarket.

What to Buy Organic

Here’s the lowdown on what you should buy organic. These produce items have been found to have high amounts of pesticides, so getting the organic versions can help decrease the amount of pesticide you’re ingesting.

Meat/Dairy/Eggs: Meats like beef, pork, chicken, and turkey should be bought organic to avoid growth hormones and antibiotics. These additives can be dangerous health threats, especially to those who have low-functioning immune systems. Dairy products and eggs should also be bought organic.

Fruits & Veggies: Peaches and nectarines have very delicate skin that allows pesticides to permeate them easily, so buy them organic. Apples, pears, strawberries, cherries, and imported grapes also have a high likelihood of containing pesticides. As for veggies, buy your celery, bell peppers, lettuce, spinach, and potatoes organic to avoid pesticides and fungicides.

Coffee, Juice, & Baby Food: These are some other items that are best when bought organic. Because coffee is typically imported, it may contain more pesticides than it would if regulated by laws here in the U.S. If you’re buying or making juice and food for your little one, make sure it’s organic, especially if it contains any of the ingredients listed here.

What Not to Buy Organic

Some items just don’t need to be bought organic, so take advantage of the opportunity to buy the less expensive “regular” items instead. The following are fruits that don’t register a difference between organic and inorganic: pineapples, mangos, kiwis, bananas, papayas, blueberries, and watermelon. The main reason is that they have thick skins that don’t allow pesticides to penetrate the fruit. Similarly, these veggies don’t have to be bought organic: onions, avocadoes, corn, sweet peas, asparagus, broccoli, eggplant, and cabbage. Here’s the general rule of thumb: as long as the products you get have thick skins, you can skip the organic label and buy them at regular price. So the next time you’re grocery shopping, take a few minutes to consider your options and choose the best organic products for your family.

Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching various online degree programs and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

This entry was written by scrawford, posted on January 7, 2011 at 3:49 pm, filed under Food, Nutrition, Santa Barbara and tagged , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Connie’s top 10 Ways to “NOT GAIN WEIGHT” during the holiday season

by Connie Trider

1. Keep a liter water bottle on hand at all times! Hunger is often mistaken as thirst!

2. Keep a food journal to keep track of calories. Nibbling calories add up fast!

3. Fill up on steamed or fresh vegetables during the day to ward off hunger in the evenings. Better yet try juicing fresh vegetables!

4. If you drink alcohol, alternate with 8 oz. water with lemon. Lemon is a natural detox agent!

5. Eat a large salad made from vegetables and a low-fat, non-creamy, salad dressing before attending a dinner party. This will help stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings!

6. Be sure to get as much exercise in as possible. Remember, calories in versus calories out is the KEY to not gaining weight!

7. Get plenty of rest and go to bed early when possible. Staying up late adds to late night munching!

8. Atleast twice a week try not to eat after 6:00 pm and not before 6:00 am. This will give your body twelve hours to cleanse itself!

9. Try to be “fully present” and use good listening skills when interacting with your friends and family. This will deepen your relationships and leave you filling warm and loved!

10. Enjoy and remember what Christmas represents and be thankful for all we have! Maybe make a list of what you are thankful for!

P.S. Consider kicking off the new year with a new you! Check out a natural and effective detox system. Make sure the cleanse system you choose cleanses the liver as well! The one that my clients have had the best results with is the True2life 30 day detox system. This is a 7 day detox followed by a 3 week nutrition plan. You can view the system at www.connie.true2life.com, Connie is a Holistic Health Consultant for SOMA GET FIT.

This entry was written by scrawford, posted on December 20, 2010 at 11:02 am, filed under Nutrition, Santa Barbara and tagged , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Lose it! Keep it Off!

I recently read this article in Berkeley Wellness letter about losing weight and keeping it off (stopping the yo yo dieting) and it truly sounded like the workout ‘regime’  I’ve been following with my trainer- Scott Crawford – for over a year. It’s encouraging and exciting to think I will be able to maintain the great results I’ve had – just by continuing to do what I’ve been doing and staying focused. I’ve lost body fat  – and at an accelerated rate when I combined a more structured diet plan with my workouts. We tracked  heart rate, body fat measurements and food journal with Teri Tom, MS, RD – and I dropped from 22% body fat to 16.8% in a month and a half! And the best part about it – I feel great!

The National Weight Control Registry has been looking into information on over 5000 people who maintained a weight loss of at least 30 pounds for more than 5 years.  Here are the successful strategies that these maintainers had for losing the weight and keeping it off:

1. Eat a high carbohydrate, low fat diet. Most calories (55-60%) should come from ‘good complex’ carbs – like whole grains, veggies, fruit and high fiber foods – NOT high sugar foods. 24% of calories come from fat and the rest (16-21%) from protein.

2. Be aware of calories consumed – total calories count – no matter what you eat.

3. Eat breakfast

4. Monitor and watch yourself – weigh yourself once a week and keep a food journal of what you eat

5. Exercise – A LOT – 60-90 minutes a day. Carve out time every day and plan to do something. Look for ways to keep active during the day and walk. Walking is the #1 activity.

And one more point about protein. Most Americans consume way more protein than they need -and you don’t need more protein if you exercise. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults is .8 grams/day for each kilogram (2.2 lbs) of weight. That would be 64 grams for a 175# man and 47 grams for a 130# woman. (1 ounce of chicken  or 1 cup milk = 8 grams) …so it adds up quickly.

By Bonnie Crouse

This entry was written by bcrouse, posted on February 24, 2010 at 9:24 am, filed under Experiences, Food, Life is Fitness, Lifestyle and Spa, Nutrition and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

We are all Different for a Reason

My friend recently sent me a message saying that in the past 15 minutes, she had eaten 5 Cookies and Cream Good Humor bars.  She followed that up with the fact that she went to her freezer for the 6th, but then remembered that she had eaten it for breakfast.

My first reaction to this is quick.  Envy.  Followed by a shaking of my head.

You see, this friend is 5’7″ and weighs maybe 110 pounds.  She is skinny as a rail, and has been her entire life.  I remember when we were growing up together, her mother couldn’t find pants that fit her because she has always been skin and bones.  The pants that fit on her waist were too short.

My second reaction is how actually BAD that is for someone’s body.   All of that sugar and preservatives and colorings and chemicals just isn’t good for you.  Follow that up with the chemistry that then wreaks havoc on the inside trying to deal with all the fat and calories.

I on the other hand have to watch every little calorie that I put in my body.  Always have.  Always will.  I have embraced this as I am who I am and I have the body that I was born with.  My calories just want to stick around – they want to join my thighs.  (In all fairness, my thighs are pretty fun to hang out with… )

So am I happy that I can’t eat a box of ice cream bars?  Yes, actually.  Why would I want to do that to my body?  Perspective is everything and so I am taking this time to be thankful that I am not that skinny girl that can eat whatever, whenever I want.  I have the opportunity to be mindful of what goes into my body.  I wish the same for you.

Melissa Beaugrand, SOMA GET FIT CHEF.

This entry was written by mbeaugrand, posted on February 23, 2010 at 12:03 am, filed under Experiences, Food, Lifestyle and Spa, Nutrition, Santa Barbara and tagged , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

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