Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Let Food Be Thy Medicine....Disease or Deficiency?

Recently I have had some health issues. I have been displaying MS type symptoms. I have had red flags in the past, and just ignored them once they subsided, but this go around, it is much much worse, and ignoring it is no longer an option.

My mother was diagnosed with MS about 10 years ago. I saw her take her shots as she was told, but still progressed with her condition (not to mention the nasty side effects that came with those shots). I have decided that I am not going to take the conventional route as far as my battle is concerned. Since there is no conventional cure for MS, I have decided to delve into the "alternative" medicine arena.

As I have been doing research, I have discovered many vitamin and mineral deficiencies that mimic MS as well as a host of other "diseases." And now I wonder, how many of these "diseases" are really deficiencies?

Don't get me wrong, I know not everything can be cured with a diet change, but how much can be? When you go to the doctor for a condition, for the most part they treat an individual symptom and never delve deeper into the person's lifestyle or diet.

Hippocrates once said "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Western society has lost touch with that mind frame. It is as if we don't want to take responsibility for our conditions. It is easier to not make a change, and just turn a blind eye to what changes we could make to better our lives.

That all being said, I am going to post my research on different vitamins and minerals, and the signs of deficiencies. All of this information can be found on various websites and books, but I am compiling them in one place for myself, and for anyone else who wants to use it.

Disclaimer: I am nowhere near a doctor or scientist, just someone trying to find answers independently for an affliction.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Dirty Dozen

There are actually a little more than 12 on this list, because the original list published by The Environmental Working Group grouped a few items together which I have separated on this list.

For those of you who don't know, the Dirty Dozen is a list published yearly by The Environmental Working Group based on the Department of Agriculture's data regarding pesticide residue. The Fruits & Veggies on this list are the worst of the worst.

It is estimated that by buying at least the items on this list organic, you can reduce the amount of pesticide that you consume by up to 80%. 

So without further adieu:


  1. Apples 
  2. Celery
  3. Cherry Tomatoes
  4. Cucumbers
  5. Grapes
  6. Hot Peppers
  7. Nectarines (imported)
  8. Peaches
  9. Potatoes
  10. Spinach
  11. Strawberries
  12. Sweet Bell Peppers
  13. Kale/Collard Greens
  14. Summer Squash
When shopping off of this list, please remember to keep in mind the things you buy that have these things in them. Like Grape Juice and Apple Juice or .....gasp French Fries. Potatoes have a disturbing amount of chemicals applied to them, which means those delicious salty fries, are terribly bad for your health in more ways than the obvious. 


Friday, May 3, 2013

Non-GMO Buying Guide

Found this Non-GMO buying guide and thought I would share. It is at the end of this post.


For those of you not up to date with all the crazy terrible stuff going on with our food supply, a GMO is a Genetically Modified Organism.

These are crops that have been tinkered with by scientist under the guise of improving the food supply or increasing the food supply. Companies like Monsanto create crazy pesticides and for the crop to withstand such harsh chemicals, they have created what many (including myself) call Frankenfood.

Basically, they are taking what God, Mother Nature, whom or whatever you believe in, made, and making it some science experiment. And guess who the guinea pigs are? You guessed it, YOU, ME and YOUR INNOCENT CHILDREN (oh and these rats).





They look happy and healthy don't they? So when people say there is nothing wrong with GMO, take a look at that picture and you tell me if they are safe.

Oh, and did I mention that Monsanto was one of the producers of Agent Orange? Do a Google image search if you want to see the horrors that Agent Orange has done. I will not post any here because they are way too disturbing. I could barely stomach looking at them for a few seconds.

There are two ways to shut down companies like Monsanto.

First, make your voice heard. Yell from the rooftops that this will not be accepted anymore. Tell everyone you know. And join movements like March Against Monsanto, global protest May 25th 2013. I will be at one, I suggest you find an event near you and show the world, governments and Monsanto that we will NOT be their guinea pigs anymore.

Second, and most importantly, protest with the almighty dollar. You can make all the noise you want but if you don't back in up with your $$, companies like Monsanto will not care. You have to show them that we mean business and hit them where it hurts, and that would be their pockets. Support companies that don't use GMOs. Without labeling it is hard to say who uses them and who doesn't, so this list below may help. But at this point, the only way to truly know you aren't getting GMOs is to buy organic.

If you are in Florida, one of the easier ways to buy organic is through Annie's Buying Club. I have been a member for about a month and LOVE it. I did a price comparison guide you can find here. The cost saving for organic was huge, and it was close in price to the non-organic produce. I suggest you check them out. If there isn't a location near you, sign up to be a coordinator and bring them to your town.

If you are in the Seminole, Madeira Beach, West St. Pete area and are interested in joining, leave a comment below. I am trying to set up a pick up spot in our area.

As promised the non-GMO guide.