The Green On Produce

I have said many times that going green is possible for anyone who is willing to be creative. However, when you are on a very tight budget, it can be extremely hard to go green in the food department. And, produce is what we will discuss today. Yes, it can be pricey. However, again, if we can be creative and know all our options, we can do this green thing!

Going Green with Produce Tips

• Buy Organic. Yes, pricey. However, only buy in season and only buy local. You will find that it is not as expensive that way. Better yet, grow your own if feasible!
• Wash and Peel. If organic is just not in the cards for you, make sure you wash and peel produce very well.
• Widen the Gap. Eating a wide variety of produce will minimize eating the same bad chemicals over and over.
• Children. Only feed them organic. They matter more than a latte from Starbucks. Invest in their health and development.
• The Most. Whatever produce you notice is consumed the most in your family, consider buying that only in the organic versions.
• Avoid the Worst of the Bunch. If  you cannot go organic, then avoid the following produce items. They have the highest levels of contamination; apples, peaches, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, pears, spinach, potatoes, carrots, green beans, hot peppers and cucumbers. Yeah, I know. Some favorites for you too, eh? Well, make some budget changes and buy the above in organic. It really is the only option. They are way too contaminated for any sane individual to not take notice!
• Go for the Least Contaminated. The following produce still have unhealthy pesticides and chemicals like the previous list. However, they are the least toxic. A few are; onions, avocado, frozen sweet corn, pineapples, mango, frozen sweet peas, asparagus, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli and eggplant.

We need to pay better attention to what we are eating. We especially need to protect our children. Mostly, we need to make changes that will affect the produce industry as a whole. If consumers rise up and say NO MORE, these companies will be forced to make better choices. They will be forced to stop poisoning our food, and contributing to cancer and many other unnecessary diseases!

Think. Pray. Most of all…DO something!

Copyright © Green Christian Network

Stay Green!

               

Avoiding Hidden Chemical Poisons in Our Food and Going for Natural Choices

It’s very scary how much our food has changed in recent years.  Just look at the labels and you need a degree just to pronounce half the ingredients!

Money has become more important that nutrition and keeping foods healthy and harmful chemical free. We must eat. So, food is naturally “big business.” In order to make the most profit, farmers began spraying crops with gallons of pesticides and fungicides.  These chemicals make their way into the food we eat every day.  That’s only a part of it. Don’t even get me started on the food colorings, artificial sweeteners, hormones and antibiotics are all added to our processed foods.

Here’s a jaw dropper…Did you know that potassium bromate is illegal in every country except Japan and the United States?? The reason the rest of the world has banned it is because it is a carcinogen. Do we bother to get on the intelligent wagon? Uh, no! We add it to bread. It gives bread that chewy texture because it makes the bread rise higher.  Hmmm…Knowing this, I would rather eat paper!

The harmful chemicals, additives, preservatives and pesticides that we, as a society allow into our foods can cause serious health issues and even life threatening diseases like cancer.

What can we do to stay ahead of the chemicals in food game??

Learn to read labels. Take the time to understand what additives and preservatives are in the food you and your family eat.

Food Additives and Preservatives

Food additives are quite simply, things that are added to our food.  For example, if you make grape jelly, you will add pectin and sugar. Both would then be considered “food additives.”

Unfortunately, unless you are buying an all natural product, if you buy jelly in the grocery store, the label is likely going to list more than just grapes, pectin and sugar.  There will probably be a slew of big words and ingredients that are not necessarily good for your body. Longer shelf life means fatter wallets.

Some of the many jobs of food additives are:

• Acids modify the flavor and preserve food. Some examples; vinegar, citric acid, and lactic acid.
• Acidity regulators modify the acidity and alkalinity of foods.
• Anti-caking agents keep powders from caking or sticking.
• Anti-foaming agents reduce or eliminate foaming in foods.
• Food colorings and color retention agents enhance or maintain food’s color.
• Emulsifiers allow water and oils to remain combined.
• Flavors and flavor enhancers enhance or add flavor.
• Humectants keep foods from drying out.
• Tracer gas improves shelf life.
• Preservatives prevent food from spoiling. Lengthen shelf life.
• Sweeteners are added to foods for flavoring.

Obviously not ALL additives are harmful. Natural additives are OK. However, you must know the difference.

Dangerous Additives:

• BHT. Causes liver and kidney damage, behavioral problems, infertility, birth defects and cancer.
• Artificial coloring. Causes hyperactivity in children, learning disorders, nerve damage and it may be carcinogenic.
• Artificial sweeteners. Cause central nervous system damage, menstrual difficulties, may affect brain and growth development in an unborn fetus, and may even cause cancer.
• Brominated vegetable. Cause organ damage, birth defects, and growth problems.
• Carrageenan. Causes ulcers and cancer
• Partially Hydrogenated vegetable oils. Associated with heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, and allergies.
• Nitrates. Cause cancer and even death.
• MSG. Causes headaches, reproductive disorders, high blood pressure and allergic reactions.
• Potassium bromate. Causes nervous system, kidney disorders, gastrointestinal issues and cancer.
• Red dye #3. Causes thyroid tumors in rats, and may cause them in humans as well.
• Yellow dye #6. Is a carcinogen and has been found to cause adrenal gland and kidney tumors.

Pesticides In Your Food

As I mentioned earlier, profit is what really matters to the big food manufacturers. We learned how they add harmful additives to our foods. Well, they also harm our food while it is still growing. Pesticides are used to maximize their crops put our health at risk.

The health effects of pesticides depend on the type of pesticide. Some, like organophosphates and carbamates, affect the nervous system. Others can irritate your lungs, skin, or eyes. Other pesticides are carcinogens and cause cancer or affect your body’s hormones.

A chemical like acephate can over stimulate your nervous system causing nausea, dizziness, confusion, and respiratory paralysis or death. Alachlor was classified by the EPA “likely” to be a human carcinogen at high doses, but “not likely” at low doses. Oh, and another one is ethanol, which is generally recognized as a human developmental neurotoxin. YIKES!

Pesticides not only affect the individual who eat them and come in contact with them, they also affect the unborn, resulting in birth defects and neurological problems.

The Top Most Dangerous Produce…aka “The Dirty Dozen”

These are the most likely to have the highest levels of pesticides and harmful chemicals in them.

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Grapes
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes

You should also know that many of these produce items contain pesticides not approved for use on that particular crop.  For example, a pesticide, which is approved for spinach, may not be approved for use on peaches but was nonetheless found on peaches.  Additionally, carrots, green beans, cucumbers, raspberries, domestic grapes, and oranges all rated very highly in the studies for containing pesticides.

I can almost hear the psycho movie theme music in the background even as I write this!  It all sounds just terrible! No worries though! We CAN win this chemical food battle. How? By learning to read food nutrition labels, and by buying more natural and foods. Making a decision to stop buying foods with harmful chemicals. It we, as consumers, make a stand, the food industry WILL take notice and will be forced to make changes!

Simple Choices to Reduce Exposure to Harmful Chemicals while Saving Money on Food Bill.

Read the label. You should be able to recognize every item on the nutrition label.  If you start seeing preservatives, artificial sweeteners and food colorings then place it back on the shelf.

Avoid all processed foods. Anything that comes in a box and has undergone physical or chemical treatment resulting in a substantial change in the original state of the food.  However, there are organic choices that are better for your family…even if the do come in a box.

Avoid the dirty dozen. Buy organic fruits and veggies when you can.  If you cannot buy organic fruits and veggies because they’re unavailable or too expensive, wash them thoroughly and peel your fruits and veggies.

Organic meats and dairy. Farm animals are not only fed antibiotics and hormones to maximize production, they also eat crops contaminated with pesticides.  Buy organic dairy and meats.

4 Tips Saving Money on Organic Food

Buy what is in season. Buying strawberries in December is definitely going to cost you more than buying them in July.  If you find that you need strawberries in December, consider comparing the cost of organic frozen compared to organic fresh, you’ll often find the frozen option is less expensive.

Buy according to your store’s sales. Every week, grocery stores put their produce on sale. If organic carrots are on sale, then add it to your menu for the week.  You’ll save 20% or more on your food bill following this simple plan.

Buy local. Local organic farmers charge much less for their produce because they don’t have to pay for distribution.  Plus, you’re helping to sustain your local economy.

Eat one more vegetarian meal each week. Meat and dairy are the most expensive items on your grocery list.  By cutting back and eating one less meal with meat, you’ll save money. Also, pay attention to your grocery stores sales. Stock up on organic meats when they go on sale.

God Created a beautiful planet with all the food and things we need to live healthy lives. Let’s not allow manufacturers who want to fatten their wallets take that away from us. The best way to stay healthy, make a difference and avoid all the harmful yuck they put is food is to eat more natural, organic and unprocessed foods whenever possible.

Copyright © Green Christian Network

Stay Green!

               

Steam Mops – Economically and Environmentally Sound

I’m not big on having chemicals in my house and when I think of my kids playing around areas that have had chemicals poured on them I just don’t like the idea. Where I used to live there was a ton of carpet throughout the house so cleaning floors never brought this issue up for me, but when I moved it was into a house that has nearly as much tile flooring as carpeted. I immediately began searching for a solution to cleaning the tile flooring without having to use tons of chemical agents with my mop and that is when I discovered the wonderful world of steam mops.

Steam mops provide a way to clean that is not only good on the environment but also easy on your pocket book. You can buy a steam mop for anywhere from $60 all the way up to $300. The one I bought is the Shark Steam Mop and it cost just about $70 – not too shabby for something that you will use for years to come. I bought it through a warehouse store so it came at a great price with extra mop pads to boot.

There are two major features with the Shark steam mop that get my attention – the first is that it functions with nothing but water. You pour the water in the spout, close it up, pug it in, and presto – in 30 seconds it is steamed up and ready to go. No harsh chemicals on the floor to worry about with young children. The steam is very hot – in fact it is so hot that you can get burned if you were to spray yourself with it (so don’t do that). Being as it is so hot it gives piece of mind knowing that the floor is getting completely sanitized in the mopping process – and with such heat it actually dries almost instantly!

The second feature that I love is the mop pads – they are reusable. After mopping you just take it off and pop it in the laundry. It is so simple! There are no pesky pads to wad up and throw away and there are no dirty sponges to deal with – every time you use the Shark mop you get to use a clean pad because you have washed it since the time before. This means you don’t have to keep buying fresh pads – your wallet will thank you!

I’ve looked at many other steam mops and most also have the same features that I love about the Shark. I think when looking to make your household more green you just can’t go wrong with a mop that will keep your family safe from chemicals and save you money in the long run. It’s a win win situation no matter what brand of steam mop you choose!

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

Slow Food

I recently learned about one of the latest crazes in the “green” movement and I thought it was pretty interesting.  It is called “slow food”.  According to Wikipedia, the slow food movement actually began in Italy as a way to “combat fast food”.  The idea was to preserve cultural cuisine.  Since its origins in Italy the slow food movement has spread across the globe as not just a way to cook, but also a way of living – the fresh, true, organic way.

A few of the main things that the slow food way of life encourage are:

• More organic farming - doing away with things such as pesticides.
• Less genetic engineering in products we eat – the slow food movement lobby’s against this.
• Educating people on the risks associated with fast food and other not so wholesome ways of eating.
• Keeping culinary traditions alive, including using fresh and true to the original ingredients.
• Teaching gardening methods to people.

Slow Food USA is a great place to get information on the slow food movement as well as information on local chapters and events (such as a local slow food potluck where you just may get to try something you didn’t even know existed).  The slow food movement helps to create nutrition programs in schools, mobilize youth to help created programs and educate communities, and also form what is called an “Ark of Taste” which lists hundreds of foods that are in danger of disappearing from our grocery shelves – the idea being that if these foods are promoted people will once again buy them and use them, thus ensuring that they continue on in our diets.

This whole movement makes me think about and wonder just how much of what we eat is not in its original form.  I once had a friend tell me she wouldn’t eat corn anymore because it had all been so genetically modified that it wasn’t even what God created as corn to begin with.  If you look around your pantry and refrigerator you would be hard pressed to find something that wasn’t chemically altered in one way or another.  Food has been so altered that most people don’t think it tastes good if it hasn’t been processed a few hundred times.  It’s really sad – I mean, if we all were to be taken back to the Garden of Eden right now we probably wouldn’t want to eat anything God provided because it didn’t come with a list of ingredients a mile long or in a box.  I know that is a bit harsh, but that is how we live these days.  I think it is time for all of us to do an analysis on our kitchens and just what it is we are feeding our families.  Are you up for that challenge?

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

Green Tip – (05/01/09) – Walk for Green Sake!

Not only is walking a healthy thing to do for your heart and body, it is also a positive thing you can do for the environment. How? Well, when we walk more, we drive less. When we drive less, we use less energy, oil, and other harmful things that are not positive for God’s planet.

Make a conscience effort to walk more. Reduce your carbon foot print with a few more walks added to your lifestyle. You will save money, lose weight and impact the earth in a positive way!

Walk to the store when possible. Walk as much as you can. Walk for your health. Walk for the environment. Walk for Green Sakes!

Copyright © Green Christian Network

Stay Green!

               

Green Tip of the Day (3/01/09) – Moms…use clothe diapers.

Sure, this is a little messier than the easier, disposable version. However, do you even realize the amount of disposable diapers that are filling landfills?? Cloth diapers are a choice that every mother should seriously consider. Let’s look at some facts that are quite alarming…

Disposable Diapers Sobering Facts:

• from birth to about 2-1/2 the average child will go through about 7,300 diapers
• the cost for that is about $2600
• 18 billion diapers enter landfills each year
• disposable diapers make up about 3.4 million tons of trash
• health risks such as fertility issues in males, eyes, nose and throat issues and even asthma-like symptoms have been connected to disposable diapers!
• long term negative affects on animal and water life.
• the chemicals that make disposable diapers white increase the risk of cancer
• affect development
• they use more water. yep. you may need to wash cloth diapers, however, way more water is used making disposable diapers!
• a study, conducted by Anderson Laboratories in 1999 and published in the Archives of Environmental Health, found that disposable diapers release chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and dipentene. They have been shown to have toxic health effects, such as cancer and brain damage, when used over time or high exposure.
• they use 1.3 million tons of wood pulp. that’s about 1/4 million trees every year.
• they take up to 500 years to break down.
• more viruses than you want to know about…including polio, survive for two weeks or more after disposed of.

There are many many many more reasons to avoid disposable diapers. However, I think our readers are intelligent and the above information is enough to get you thinking! Research for yourself. You will be shocked!

Go for organic natural reusable cloth diapers. You will not only be helping the environment and saving money, you will also protect your sweet precious love bugs from harm!

Any other comments or ideas on the cloth v/s disposable diapers debate? Post them below!

Copyright © Green Christian Network

Stay Green!

               

Natural Uses for Baking Soda

Baking soda is GREEN! Well, actually it is white. However, it is Eco-friendly!  Baking Soda has more uses than just cooking. It is also an awesome NATURAL product that has many versatile uses!

Below are several natural ways that you can use baking soda in your home:

• Fresh Smelling Carpet. Say goodbye to carpet odors the green way. Sprinkle baking soda liberally on your carpet or rugs. Let stand for 30 minutes. Vacuum.

• Dishwasher. Add some baking soda to your dishwasher cleaner. The baking soda will give your cleaner an extra boost to help get your dishes super clean and green.

• Counters and Floors – Green Stain Remover. Mix equal parts baking soda and salt.  Use the same way you would any other scouring powder. Another option is a baking soda and water paste.  Use it to remove stains from laminate counter tops.  Apply paste. Allow to dry, then rub off and rinse.

• Bites and Sting Relief. Mix 2 parts baking soda to 1 part water. The goal is a paste. Slather on bug bite or sting and immediate natural relief ensues.

• Chicken Pox Soother. Add two Tablespoons of baking soda to lukewarm bath. This is a great way to sooth skin from the irritations and pain of chicken pox.

• Put out the Fire. Most of us know that when the stove catches on fire to throw some salt on the fire. However, baking soda is just as good!

• Pet Odors Be Gone. Sprinkle baking soda in your cat’s clean the litter box. Sprinkle it on pet beds and in crates as well. Anywhere your pet spends a lot of time. It is a natural deodorizer that is safe for your pets.

• Frugal Laundry Soap. Add an equal mixture amount of baking soda to your laundry soap. So that you have 50% baking soda and 50% laundry soap.  This will stretch your detergent AND make your clothes smell fresh and fab!

• Fridge Odors. If you are one of those people like me, who often has items growing green fuzz in your refrigerator, you may want an Eco-friendly deodorizer to place in your fridge. Just open the box top and put the baking soda in the back of your fridge and smell the odors disappear! Make sure you change box once a month or so to KEEP the odors at bay!

• Say Goodbye to Toxic Draino! Baking soda is an Eco-friendly product you can use to  unclog your drain.

Here’s what you do: Pour one cup of regular table salt, one cup of baking soda, and half a cup of plain white vinegar down the drain. Let it do it’s green thing for about 15-20 minutes. Then, pour one gallon of boiling water into the rain. Finally, allow your hot tap water to run unto the drain for a few minutes.

Baking soda is a multi-use green and clean item that is sure to become a must have in your home! This is just the tip of the iceberg to the Eco friendly uses of baking soda! Please take a moment to leave baking soda tips!

Copyright © Green Christian Network

Stay Green!