Trick or Treat?

It is that time of year when ghosts, ghouls and goblins rule; witches on broomsticks,
haunted houses and horror movies...While all of these things can be scary, they are only

make-believe. Now, let’s talk about things that are super scary and very real. The quality 

of our food is one of the most terrifying realities that we face today.

We are living in a time where our food supply is under siege from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and chemicals. Couple this with the deceptions in food advertising and labeling, and we have the makings of a national and potentially global disaster on our hands. Despite the intense focus on health and wellness in our culture, Americans are not getting any healthier. In fact, our national health is deteriorating. More and more people are developing diseases, food allergies, weight problems, and other ghastly health issues at younger and younger ages. It is not just the kind of food that we eat, but also the quality of our food that plays an enormous role in our overall ability to attain and maintain quality health. Unfortunately, this message is not always clear in government-sponsored health campaigns.

As a health educator and macrobiotic chef at The Strengthening Health Institute, I have been an advocate of organic, GMO-free foods for years. I have always read labels carefully, and have taught my students to do the same. However, food corporations are getting sneakier and hiding the the truth of the ingredients used in their products.

The solution appears to be plain and simple: labels should clearly state whether or not a food contains GMOs. As human beings we have the right to know what is in our food and what is in the packaging materials. Clear labeling allows us to make informed choices of what we want to buy, what foods we want to eat and what we want to feed our children. Yet the sad truth is that the state of California is engaged in a huge political fight about labeling GMOs in foods, and it is only just now that other states are beginning to address the issue of labeling GMOs.

Many countries around the world have passed laws to label GMOs. Many of these countries will not purchase GMO seeds. Isn’t it ironic that here in the United States of America, the land of the free, people have to fight for the right to know what is in their food? By clearly labeling GMO foods, we the people have the power to choose what kinds of foods we feed ourselves and our families. If America is truly the “home of the brave,” then we need to put a stop to the corporations and politicians who are trying to take away our freedom and poison our food. If you ask me, the struggle to know what is in our food is much more frightening than any ghost or ghoul on Halloween night. If you want to find out more about this subject, I highly recommend watching the film “Genetic Roulette” to learn more about GMO foods and their effects on our health and happiness.

BOO!

Monticello and the Case of the Missing Blueberry

One of our last hurrahs for the summer was a weekend trip to visit our family in Virginia.
As “foodies” and staunch advocates of organic gardening, we thought it would be fun to visit

Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello.

We left Philadelphia early and arrived at Nathan and Marina’s home a little after lunchtime. Since we wanted to make the most of our time at Monticello, we grabbed some organic walnuts and blueberries to take along as snacks. 

Look they even have bees!

There is a lot to see at Monticello. We opted for the garden tour. 

All I can say is that Thomas Jefferson was a landscape genius. 

Every aspect of the garden was impeccably designed and well thought out to create an outdoor masterpiece. Thomas Jefferson 

was also into seed preservation and collected many varieties of heirloom seeds from his garden. It is interesting that what one of America’s founding fathers respected the the importance of good food and understood the role it plays in our future. Jefferson had 

the insight to preserve seed quality. Unfortunately, these days many people seem to want to do exactly the opposite of this, thanks to modern agricultural practices and politics.

Summer squash 

Food quality is important to me and I want to know what I am eating;

I want to keep my blueberries pure and free of genetically 

modified ingredients.

And now for the magic question, why the title of this post? Well, one thing about organic foods is that they are not all perfect which is exactly the way food is supposed to be. In a box of fruit you may get two or three inedible pieces as I did with my blueberries. In my effort to separate out my few funky berries, one escaped. We searched the car several times but the berry was never found. I guess it is just one of those unsolved mysteries.

Denny, Susan, Nathan and Marina overlooking the lower garden.

 

Thoughts On Exercise

I think that most people are in agreement that exercise is an important part of healthy living. But how do we decide which exercises will give us the most physical and mental benefits, allowing us to develop good muscle tone and bone density, be flexible, and have strength and endurance? Is there really one particular exercise routine that will serve all of our needs?

Modern society is obsessed with achieving what is perceived as a "hot" body. Image is everything in our culture. People spend large amounts of time and money going to the gym: it is even considered fashionable to have one's own personal trainer. Some people will go so far as to have surgical procedures to attain their idea of the "perfect" body.

I have to ask, is this kind of thinking realistic? Is our obsession with physical perfection actually benefiting our overall health?

Do you really need the bulky equipment, the personal trainer, and the fancy gym to have a flexible, well-toned body? I suppose that it is a matter of preference, but personally I can’t think of anything more boring than spinning on a stationary bicycle or strolling on the tread mill, glued to the TV. We gain much more benefit from choosing an activity that brings us more in touch with our bodies and our natural environment. By this I mean choosing life-related physical activities and other forms of exercise that we enjoy and that allow us to maintain our health.

With that in mind, here are my suggestions for activities that will give you optimal health benefits, both physical and mental.

Walking along the river by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

1. Walking outside
2. Stretching
3. Finding an activity that you ENJOY!

Walking outside:
Taking a daily walk is the most important exercise for everyone.
Walking is a great way to achieve your ideal weight, and clear and calm your mind. While walking is great cardiovascular exercise, you also benefit from the rhythmic aspect of walking: when you walk, you balance the right side of your body with the left side of your body (chambers of the heart, kidneys, ovaries, testicles, lungs, intestines, etc). Walking outside also helps you become more aligned with your natural environment.

A morning stretch at SHI!

Stretching:
I think that stretching is one of the most over-looked aspects of a healthy lifestyle. Stretching is especially important as we mature. Children are always running around, playing, and engaging themselves. However, as we age, we tend to lead more sedentary lifestyles, whether we are sitting at our desk, driving our cars, or performing repetitive physical tasks. This means that we are not using portions of our body on a daily basis. As with anything that does not get used, the less-used portions of our bodies get tight. While proper diet can do a great deal to keep our minds and bodies relaxed, it is often not enough to keep our tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues loose. This is where regular stretching helps us. Regular stretching will keep the less-used portions of our bodies more flexible and will allow us to maintain good muscle tone, which in turn keeps us feeling and looking youthful! If you are looking for some good stretches, I recommend yin yoga, or other gentle forms of yoga.


Finding an activity that you ENJOY:

Picking organic veggies!

Finding an activity that you enjoy is very important. You want to find an activity that allows you to set your mind free and become playful. Some people prefer to find an activity that they do solo, whereas other prefer something that they do with others. Basically, finding something that makes you feel alive is important. How do you determine if an activity is good for you? Forget about calories burned per hour and exertion levels. Ask yourself these questions: do you feel more peaceful and calm after this activity? Do you feel more energetic? How does this activity affect your appetite for healthy food? How does it affect your appetite for life? If you have positive answers to these questions, then it sounds like you have found the right activity. If you feel depleted after your activity, or you find yourself so hungry that you immediately are reaching for junk food, then you should probably try to find something else.

Most of all, have fun and play!