Healthy Mommy

Environmental Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

2012-01-13T15:28:00.000-05:00

Skip the Burger, Save the Earth :-)

Eating Less Meat Can Help Preserve Our Planet

REDUCE YOUR CARBON (AND METHANE) FOOTPRINT
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the meat industry generates 1/5 of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change worldwide . . . far more than transportation. All livestock greatly contribute to CO2 emissions through their respiratory processes, but also of monumental concern is methane gas (CH4) emissions from their digestive processes. Methane gas is 21 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. With nearly 1.5 billion large ruminants like cows world-wide, both carbon dioxide and methane gas are being emitted into the atmosphere at astounding rates. These rates have been decreasing lately, but are still much higher than our Earth can continue to support, while remain a healthy environment for us.[1]

MINIMIZE WATER USAGE
The water needs of livestock are tremendous, greatly exceeding those of vegetables or grains It takes 1,800 - 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of grain fed beef. With that same amount water, farmers could grow 16 pounds of broccoli, 25 pounds of potatoes, enough soybeans for three pounds of tofu or enough wheat for nearly five pounds of whole wheat bread.[2]

HELP REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE
On average, about 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S. Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein. Moderating meat consumption is a great way to cut fossil fuel demand.[3]

PRESERVE THE RAIN FOREST
Cattle ranching is the largest impetus behind the destruction of the Amazon Rain Forest with deforestation occurring at an alarming rate. From May 20000 to August 2006 alone, Brazil lost nearly 58,000 square miles of forest—an area larger than Greece.[4]

Learn More:
Meatless Monday
Health Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption
Beef Consumption at 50 Year Low

Sources:
[1] http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM
[2] http://www.sierraclub.org/sustainable_consumption/toolkit/choosing.pdf
[3] http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/
[4] http://www.mongabay.com/brazil.html

Health Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

2012-01-13T15:24:00.001-05:00

Meat consumption in the U.S. is down. Are you eating less meat at your house? If so here are some of the benefits that you may experience:[1]

Reduced Cancer Risk
Reduced Risk of Heart Disease
Reduced Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes
Prevention of Long-term Weight Gain and Obesity
Increased Longevity
Improved Nutrition including:

higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium
lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat

Learn More:

Meatless Monday

Beef Consumption at 50 Year Low

Environmental Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

Source:

[1] http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/

Beef Consumption at 50 Year Low

2012-01-13T15:24:00.000-05:00

Meat consumption in the United States dropped for the fourth year in a row with beef consumption at a fifty year low.[1] Whether this drop in meat-eating is due to the global recession or the concerns of better-informed consumers for their personal health and the health of the planet, I hope this trend will continue. The health and environmental benefits of eating less meat are numerous and far-reaching . . . significantly affecting not only the individuals who curtail their carnivorous tendencies, but our planet as a whole and all of its inhabitants.

Learn More:
Meatless Monday

Health Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

Environmental Benefits of Reduced Meat Consumption

Source:
[1] http://www.dailylivestockreport.com/documents/dlr%201-5-2012.pdf

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T22:00:00.006-05:00

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to enjoy some quality time with your loved ones. If you're like most Americans, you probably also overdid it with the Thanksgiving goodies. Did you know that to burn off the calories from the average Thanksgiving dinner you have to walk, jog, or run a full-length marathon? That's 26.2 miles! Even scarier . . . the left-overs! Many of you will eat that same meal again tomorrow and the next day. Unless you're one of those wild and crazy ultra-marathoners (and I know a few of my followers are), I hope you will try to find some balance this weekend . . . a few less left-over Thanksgiving calories and a little more exercise.

The Infographic below breaks Thanksgiving dinner down by calories and by the miles of walking, running or jogging required to burn it off.

Source: newmango.com via Shannon on Pinterest

If you can't read the print, you can click the image for a larger view of the graphic or press Ctrl and + at the same time on your keyboard to enlarge everything on your screen. (Pressing Ctrl and - at the same time will decrease the size when you are done.)

A Thanksgiving Milestone for Me

I thought I'd also share a healthy little milestone that I celebrated today. Today was the 22nd anniversary of the day I became a vegetarian. That's 21 years meat free . . . no red-meat, no poultry, no pork, no seafood. I chose Thanksgiving to officially go vegetarian because there are so many great meat-less side-dishes on Thanksgiving, I figured I would never miss the turkey. I didn't miss it way back then and I never have since.

Source: meatlessmonday.com via Shannon on Pinterest

T-Rex Hates Push-ups!

2011-10-28T23:16:00.004-04:00

I just came across this on Pinterest and I had to share:

Pin It

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Peppers

2011-08-15T18:10:00.003-04:00

My husband whipped these up for us last week and they were so delicious! I could eat them every week! They tasted great reheated over the next couple days for lunches too. They are without a doubt the best vegetarian stuffed peppers I have ever had!

Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Recipe
Makes 8 Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
4 Large Green Bell Peppers
15 MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Patties
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Crushed Red Peppers (Optional)
1 tsp of Salt
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves of fresh Garlic (Minced)
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
¼ C of Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 C Marinara Sauce

Directions:
Wash the peppers and remove their stems. Cut them in half from top to bottom and remove their seeds and veins. Boil the peppers in a large pot for 7-10 minutes, until slightly tender. Remove from the pot and drain. Microwave the sausage patties for 1 minute on each side. Then run the patties through a food processor to form a consistency similar to ground beef. In a large skillet, add 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil and sauté the garlic. Add the crumbled sausage patties and toss. After a couple of minutes, add the Italian Seasoning, Red Pepper, and Salt. Continue to sauté for a few minutes. Add the Parmesan Cheese and toss for a minute. Add 1 Cup of the Mozzarella Cheese and toss until the cheese has melted. Add the Marinara sauce and cook for another minute, then remove the skillet from heat.

Preheat the oven to 350. On a baking sheet, greased with Olive Oil, arrange the Peppers with the open side up, creating small bowls. Stuff the sausage mixture into each of the peppers. Top each evenly with the remaining 1 Cup of Mozzarella. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Muffin Tin Monday

2011-08-08T07:45:00.016-04:00

Have you tried Muffin Tin Meals for your little ones yet? I've seen lots of posts about them all around Blog Land, but hadn't tried them until recently. I only had full-size muffin tins (with 12 cups), so I purchase four 6-cups muffin tins at The Dollar Tree especially for muffin tin meals. The cups in the tins are regular size, but the tins themselves are small (just six cups). At first it was a little bit of a challenge for me to come up with six healthy, balanced servings of kid-friendly foods, but it gets easier and my girls really love them!

Here are a few of the combinations we've tried so far:

1. Morning Star Farms Chik'n Nuggets

2. Carrots

3. Raisins

4.Watermelon

5.Keebler Club Minis Multi-Grain Crackers

6. Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1. Annie's Bunny Grahams Friends

2. Blackberries

3. Chobani Blueberry 0% Greek Yogurt

4. Nature's Promise Organic Unsweetened Applesauce

5. Strawberries

6. Plain Quaker Oatmeal w/Raisins Added

1. Mashed Potatoes

2. Snaps Peas

3. Watermelon

4. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

5. Baby Carrots

6. Mozzarella String Cheese

1. Chobani Blueberry 0% Greek Yogurt

2. Post Banana Nut Crunch Cereal and Milk

3. Grapes

4. Banana

5. Raspberry

6. Craisins

And here's my youngest daughter cheesing like a crazy baby in anticipation of her muffin tin breakfast:

Can you tell she loves them?

Diet Soda Linked to Poor Health

2011-07-01T17:06:00.005-04:00

Pass it on: A new study links the consumption of diet soda to poorer health

I've never been much soda drinker and especially not diet soda except for an occasional Fresca. Over the years, I've watched clients time and time again drink calorie free soft drinks and struggle to lose or maintain weight as much as they would as much as if they were gulping down regular sugary drinks. I never knew why it worked like this or really had any science to back it up. I just figured soda is full of unnatural chemicals so you can't expect your body to react in a natural way to something that is unnatural.

Two new studies on the topic of diet cola were presented June 25th 2011 at the meeting of the American Diabetes Association. Both studies have linked drinking diet soda to poorer health compared with those who don't drink the beverage. People who said they drank two or more diet sodas a day experienced waist size increases that were six times greater than those of people who didn't drink diet soda, according to researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

A second study that found the sweetener aspartame raised blood sugar levels in diabetes-prone mice."Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised," said study researcher Helen P. Hazuda, professor and at the university's school of medicine. "They may be free of calories, but not of consequences."

The human study was based on data from 474 participants in a larger, ongoing study called the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging. In that study, the participants were followed for nearly 10 years. Diet soft drink drinkers, as a group, experienced 70 percent greater increases in waist circumference compared with those who don't drink diet soda. Abdominal fat is a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic conditions, the researchers said.

In the mouse study, researchers fed aspartame, a calorie-free sweetener used in some diet sodas, to diabetes-prone mice. One group of mice ate chow to which both aspartame and corn oil were added; another other group ate chow with only corn oil added.

After three months, the mice that ate aspartame showed elevated blood sugar levels.
"These results suggest that heavy aspartame exposure might potentially directly contribute to increased blood glucose levels, and thus contribute to the associations observed between diet soda consumption and the risk of diabetes in humans," said study researcher Gabriel Fernandes, professor of rheumatology and clinical immunology at the university.

Source: My Health News Daily

Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Burritos

2011-06-20T11:17:00.002-04:00

This recipe is quick, delicious, and very versatile. There are many substitutions or add-ons that can boost flavor, add certain nutrients, or strip it down to an even healthier version. This meal should take about 20-25 minutes to prepare and cook and is simple to clean up after as everything is thrown into one skillet.

Vegetarian Burritos with a side of Vegetarian Refried Beans and Sour Cream

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Sweet Onion (Diced)
1 Can of Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes (Slightly Drained)
10 oz. Vegetable Crumbles (We used Morning Star Farms brand.)
1 Pkg Taco Seasoning
1/2 C Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
Burrito Sized Tortillas
Sour Cream (Optional)
Guacamole (Optional)
Salsa (Optional)
Lettuce (Optional)
Tomato (Optional)

In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the onions to sauté for 3-5 minutes on medium to medium high heat. Stir in the canned tomatoes and continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Stir in the Vegetable Crumbles and the taco seasoning. Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 5 more minutes.

As this simmers, begin to warm the tortillas by first sprinkling with water and then placing them between two paper towels. Microwave the tortillas for 20-25 seconds. The tortillas should be very soft and pliable.

Add the cheese to the veggie mix and stir it in until melted. Spoon about 3/4 of a Cup of the mixture into the center of each tortilla. Fold the tortilla at both ends and then roll it closed. Garnish with Salsa, Sour Cream, Lettuce, and/or Tomatoes.

* Other options to add variety to this meal include stuffing the burritos with Spanish Rice and/or Refried or Black Beans along with the ingredients listed above.

** For a spicier flavor, use Zesty Jalapeno Diced Tomatoes, add Jalapenos to the veggie mixture, or add Tabasco.

*** You can really cut out some calories, fat, sodium and add nutrients by using: Reduced Fat Sour Cream; Reduced Fat Cheese; Reduced Sodium Taco Seasoning, and Whole Grain Tortillas.

Here's what the filling inside looks like right before you fold it up.

A Healthy Last Minute Father's Day Gift -- Only $7

2011-06-19T09:50:00.000-04:00

Looking for a last minute gift for your dad or husband? Give him a one-year subscription to Men's Health this Father's Day! Pay just $7 using promo code DAD to get expert advice on family life, fitness, fashion, and more ($24.94 value)! The Save can even be used to renew an existing subscription as long as same address is used for renewal.

$7 to give health-conscious dads a one-year subscription to Men's Health this Father's Day

Offer expires: 11:59 PM - Jun 20, 2011

The Dirty Dozen for 2011

2011-06-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

Is your produce coated in pesticide? The Environmental Working Group released their 2011 list today of the best and worst fruits and vegetables when it comes to pesticide contamination. You can use this list to spend your money for organic foods most effectively. Print this list and take it to the supermarket with you!

"Eat your fruits and vegetables! The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all. The Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce will help you determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic. You can lower your pesticide intake substantially by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated produce."

EWG's 2011 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Dirty Dozen

Buy these organic

Apples

Celery

Strawberries

Peaches

Spinach

Nectarines

– imported

Grapes – imported

Sweet bell peppers

Potatoes

Blueberries

– domestic

Lettuce

Kale/collard greens

Clean 15

Lowest in Pesticide

Onions

Sweet Corn

Pineapples

Avocado

Asparagus

Sweet peas

Mangoes

Eggplant

Cantaloupe

- domestic

Kiwi

Cabbage

Watermelon

Sweet potatoes

Grapefruit

Mushrooms

4615 Dump Trucks Full of Easter Candy

2011-04-18T12:07:00.002-04:00

This year American will buy an estimated 120 million pounds of Easter candy . . . 90 Million Chocolate Bunnies, 4 Million Peeps, 16 Billion Jelly Beans -- the equivalent of 4615 dump trucks full of candy!!! I can't even begin to calculate how many zillion calories are in all that candy!

Think Twice

2011-04-13T10:12:00.002-04:00

. . . before you pop that candy into your mouth! With Easter fast approaching, you're probably already tempted by all that Easter candy. It's everywhere! But think twice before you pop even one little piece into your mouth! The vast majority of people when asked to estimate their caloric intake (how many calories they ate) versus how many calories they burned off through physical exertion missed by nearly 50% on both, underestimating the calories they were taking in by about 50% and overestimating the calories they burned from exercise or physical activity by almost 50%.

Here's an example to help give you some perspective: The average person has to walk the full length of a football field to burn off the calories in just ONE M&M. On average there are 50-55 M&M's in a small bag. Unless you are planning to spend your day parading up a down a football field, those extra calories are going to end up stored as fat some place where you don't want them. Treat yourself to a small bag of M&Ms or it's caloric equivalent in peanut butter eggs, chocolate bunny ears, jelly beans, peeps, etc everyday and you could gain an extra 24 pounds this year!!!

Backwards is Best!

2011-03-07T11:01:00.000-05:00

Riding rear-facing is safest! One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is keeping your child(ren) safe. Automobile crashes are the number one cause of death for children under fourteen. This makes car safety especially important. Parents often ask, "How soon can I turn my child to face forward?" The universally accepted response is to keep your child rear-facing until AT LEAST one year of age AND 20 pounds in weight. This is the minimum. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other Child Passenger Safety organizations strongly recommend that you to keep your child rear-facing as long as possible, and that may mean up to 35 or 40 pounds for most convertible car seats.

Rear-facing is safest for both adults and children, but especially for babies, who would face a greater risk of spinal cord injury in a front-facing carseat during a frontal crash.
Rear-facing car seats spread frontal crash forces over the whole area of a child's back, head and neck; they also prevent the head from snapping relative to the body in a frontal crash.
Rear-facing carseats may not be quite as effective in a rear end crash, but severe frontal and frontal offset crashes are far more frequent and far more severe than severe rear end crashes.
Rear-facing carseats are NOT a safety risk just because a child's legs are bent at the knees or because they can touch/kick the vehicle seat.
Rear-facing as long as possible is the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and can reduce injuries and deaths.

Sources: www.car-safety.org and www.healthychildren.org

Gross Shopping Cart News

2011-03-01T15:46:00.001-05:00

Fuel for my Germaphobia . . . from MSNBC.com:

"Every day, parents blithely drop their toddlers into the baskets of shopping carts, never giving a moment’s thought to who might have had their hands on the handle last. Preliminary results from a new study show that may be a mistake.

Researchers from the University of Arizona swabbed shopping cart handles in four states looking for bacterial contamination. Of the 85 carts examined, 72 percent turned out to have a marker for fecal bacteria.

The researchers took a closer look at the samples from 36 carts and discovered Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E. coli, on 50 percent of them — along with a host of other types of bacteria.

The study’s results may explain earlier research that found that kids who rode in shopping carts were more likely than others to develop infections caused by bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter, Gerba said.“That’s more than you find in a supermarket’s restroom,” said Charles Gerba, the lead researcher on the study and a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona. “That’s because they use disinfecting cleaners in the restrooms. Nobody routinely cleans and disinfects shopping carts.”

Shopping cart handles aren’t the only thing you need to worry about when you go to the local supermarket, Gerba added. In other research, he’s found that reusable shopping bags that aren’t regularly washed turn into bacterial swamps. “It’s like wearing the same underwear every day,” Gerba said."

I alway try to use disinfecting wipes or a shopping cart cover and diligently wash my both cart covers and my reusable bags. This article made me feel less like I'm being obsessive and more like I'm being proactive and smart!

Meatless Monday -- Black Bean Lasagna

2011-02-21T10:54:00.001-05:00

Years ago, my good friend Michelle made this hearty Mexican-flavored lasagna for me and it's been a favorite of mine ever since. Even your most dedicated carnivores will love it! It reheats well, and in my opinion tastes even better then next day!

Black Bean Lasagna

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 can chopped green chilies
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 c. chopped fresh tomatoes
1/4 c. minced fresh cilantro (optional)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 c. fat-free sour cream
8 oz. Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
Large bottle thick and chunky salsa
12 Oven-Ready, No Boil Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
Non-stick cooking spray

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sautee the onion and garlic for a couple minutes, then add the beans, green chilies, red pepper, tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, and coriander, and simmer for ~15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set bean mixture aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray lasagna pan with cooking spray. Spread 2 to 4 Tbsp salsa in bottom of pan. Layer four lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping. Spread 1/2 bean mixture over noodles, and top with enough salsa to spread an even layer and 1/2 of the sour cream. Top sour cream with 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Repeat noodle layer, bean mixture, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Finish with one more layer of noodles, salsa, and remaining cheese. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is browned on top (~7 to 10 minutes). Let stand 10 minutes before serving (If you don't it will be OK, just liquidy). Enjoy!

50 Ways To Burn 100 Calories

2011-02-15T16:16:00.001-05:00

Only 26 More to Go!

Did you know that you have to burn off and/or cut your caloric intake by 3500 calories to lose one pound? That means if you'd like to lose one pound a week you have to work on reducing your intake or burning off 500 calories a day. This can be accomplished by eating sensibly and doing 30-45 minute cardiovascular workout or you could try some of these amusing methods recommended by Women's Health. Do any five of these to burn an extra 500 calories a day:

Slather on lip balm 765 times.
Relive the '80s: Lip-synch George Michael's "Faith" 16 times.
DVR an episode of "30 Rock" and watch it commercial free.(Laughing for 10 minutes straight can burn 40 calories -- no joke.)
Watch a documentary like "Food Inc.," "The Cove" or "An Inconvenient Truth." (Serious stuff doesn't scorch as many calories.)
Wiggle while you watch TV for 40 minutes: Fidgeters burn up to 350 more calories a day than couch potatoes.
Get off your butt 33 times to change the channel.
Use the remote to channel surf for 68 minutes.
Surf for real for 34 minutes.
Fly a kite for 20 minutes.
Play beach volleyball for 13 minutes.
Bounce a volleyball on your knee 600 times.
Spend 17 minutes wrestling a beach ball away from your boyfriend.
Carry a cooler stocked with three bottles of water, a six-pack, four PB&Js, two oranges, a bag of tortilla chips and 12 servings of salsa for 22 minutes.
Find the perfect teeny-weeny polka-dot bikini: Try on 16 suits (one every three minutes).
Polka for real for 23 minutes.
Do the horizontal polka missionary style for one hour and seven minutes.
Spice things up with 35 minutes of foreplay and 45 minutes of sex in different positions.
Ride him like a cowgirl for 26 minutes (straddling requires more calorie-burning leg work).
Swing a lasso over your head 375 times.
Milk a cow for 34 minutes.
Shear three sheep (six minutes per sheep).
Fish for 41 minutes.
Make like a fish and swim at a leisurely pace for 17 minutes.
Do 250 breaststrokes (about 10 minutes).
Indulge your inner dork and do 27 underwater handstands.
Dog-paddle for 17 minutes.
Walk a toy poodle for 41 minutes (at 2 miles per hour).
Let a Great Dane walk you for 13 minutes (5 mph).
Learn to "walk the dog": Yo-yo for 25 minutes.
Alternate between cat pose, cow pose and downward dog 13 times, holding each for 30 seconds.
Walk up 33 flights of stairs.
Strap on four-inch stilettos and you only have to climb up 25 flights.
Hit the stair climber for 11 minutes.
Push a grocery cart for 45 minutes.
Put a 42-pound 4-year-old in the cart's child seat and push it for half an hour.
Opt for self-checkout: Wait in line for seven minutes, ring yourself up for another 10, bag your own grub and load up the car.
Carry five grocery bags from the car to the kitchen and put the food away, take out the trash, wash the dishes, and wipe down the kitchen counter.
Eat chili for a couple of days: Research shows that chili peppers boost your metabolic rate, burning 50 more calories a day.
Chew calorie-free gum for nine hours.
Wash, halve and seed two acorn squash, then watch them bake for 30 minutes.
Play squash for eight minutes.
Play "Chopsticks" on the piano incessantly for 41 minutes.
Eat four meals with chopsticks instead of a fork: Slowing down can help you consume about 25 fewer calories per meal.
Lift and lower a soy sauce bottle 170 times with your right hand and a wok 170 times with your left.
Take a leisurely walk in the park for 51 minutes.
Walk backward in the park for 43 minutes.
Walk with hiking poles for 22 minutes -- you'll burn 20 percent more calories.
Pole-vault for 17 minutes.
Sing the "Grease" original soundtrack from start to finish.
Degrease by scrubbing in the shower for 15 minutes, then spend seven minutes shaving, three minutes toweling off, four minutes moisturizing, and 20 minutes blow-drying and styling your hair.

Source: Women's Health

Why Wear Organic?

2011-02-09T11:24:00.001-05:00

So I'm definitely guilty of buying organic and all-natural fibers when choosing clothing for my little ones, but not paying much attention when it comes to my own wardrobe. An article in a newsletter from one of my favorite bloggers EcoLogicalMom made me think twice about that this morning. So much so that I wanted to share it with you right away:

7 Reasons to Wear Organics

We all know that organic food is not treated with harmful pesticides, reason why it is delicious (and expensive!). However many of us don't fully understand the benefits of wearing organic clothing. Well, we've done a bit of a research for you, and here are the 7 key benefits of organic clothing you should know:

1. It is reported that cotton crops are the 2nd largest user of agricultural pesticides in the world. Only second to coffee internationally and to corn here in the United States. This means that 25% of the world's insecticides and 10% of the world's pesticides are dedicated to cotton. Four of the top nine pesticides used in treating cotton is considered by the EPA to be highly carcinogenic. These are cyanide, dicofol, naled and propargite. Also, organic cotton is grown on land that is certified to be free from any pesticide, insecticide and defoliants for at least three years. Also, organic fabric contains natural dyes, which are safer for your health and for the environment.

2. When the crops are sprayed it is estimated that only 25% of those chemicals actually get absorbed into the plant. The rest is drifting up to miles and settling on crops that we eat and into water that is a drinking source for humans and animals.

3. Some of the insects that these chemicals are supposed to repel are becoming immuned to these synthetics. This requires that more be dumped onto the plant in attempt to produce the highest yield possible.

4. Organic cotton is hypoallergenic, meaning it doesn't harbor the particles in the air that can make it hard to breathe.

5. Organic fabrics typically absorb moisture more efficiently than non-organic fabrics.

6. When you purchase organic fabric, you're supporting farmers who use products that are safer for the environment. Overall, buying organic cotton helps reduce your carbon footprint.

7. Because organic fabric isn't produced using harmful chemicals and pesticides, it is safer for the men and women who work the land. When you purchase organic fabric, you're supporting safer working environments.

Meatless Monday -- Black Bean Soup & Mini Corn Muffins

2011-02-07T00:55:00.003-05:00

This recipe is from Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons by Nava Atlas. In addition to her many vegetarian cookbooks, Nava Atlas also has a great website called VegKitchen.

Black Bean Soup

6 to 8 Servings

An American classic - robust and brimming with complex flavors. Perfect for cold days spent indoors, this soup is great served with fresh cornbread and a crisp green salad.

Ingredients:
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed and sorted (or four 15oz. cans)
1 cup chopped onion
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large celery stalks, diced
2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup dry red wine or sherry, optional
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
or
1 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon light sour cream
sprinkle with chili powder

Rinse and sort the beans, discarding withered ones and checking carefully for small stones. Soak the beans overnight in a large pot with plenty of water, covered. Or cover with water, bring to a boil, then let stand off the heat for an hour for a shortcut version of pre-soaking. In either case, drain the beans after soaking, and rinse. (Start here and skip the first hour of simmering, if you are using canned beans.) Place in a soup pot with fresh water in a ratio of approximately 3 parts water to 1 part beans. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer steadily for 1 hour. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, seasoning mix, nutmeg, and optional wine. Simmer for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are soft. Scoop out about 1 1/2 cups of the beans with a slotted spoon, avoiding as much as possible scooping out the other vegetables. Set aside. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the solid ingredients, in batches, to a food processor or blender. Use about 1/4 cup cooking liquid per batch. Process until smoothly pureed, (discard the rest of the cooking liquid) then return the puree to the soup pot along with the reserved beans. Season with salt and pepper and return to low heat for 15 minutes. I like to use garlic salt, chili pepper and Tabasco to spice mine up just little bit more! Just before serving, heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the sliced onion and saute over medium heat until golden brown. Garnish each serving with some of the sautéed onion, 2 lemon slices, and some chopped parsley. This soup keeps very well for several days, and the flavor improves as it stands.

Per serving of soup (1/8 of the pot without garnish):
Calories: 217, Total fat: 2 g, Protein: 10 g, Fiber: 12 g, Carbohydrate: 36 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 25 mg

Serve with a nice garden salad and mini corn muffins. If you have a good recipe, I guess you could make these from scratch. I usually just use the little boxes of corn muffin mix. Just blend the mix with water and bake . . so easy. Do read the ingredients on any mix you might buy though as some box mixes including Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix contain animal shortening or lard, which you will definitely want to avoid on Meatless Monday! If you try Meatless Monday and/or this recipe, please leave me a comment telling me all about it!

I'm linking to:

Meatless Monday -- Starts Tomorrow!

2011-02-06T18:17:00.001-05:00

For a while I've been planning to start a Meatless Monday series on my blog, and finally tomorrow I am going to do it! Since every Monday is meatless at my house (I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years.), I have lots of experience going meatless and lots of great recipes to share. I hope you'll join me tomorrow and every Monday!

Why Meatless? Going meatless once a week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel. http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/

Why Monday? Monday is the start of the week. It's the day to start fresh. Most diet and/or exercise plans are started or restarted on Monday. Monday is the call to action built in to every calendar each week. And if this Monday passes you by, next week is another chance to go meatless!

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-monday/

I challenge you to try Meatless Monday at your house!

Great Fitness Deals on Groupon -- Tease Fitness

2011-02-01T13:52:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you can find the best fitness deals or Groupon. I love that this one is right down the street from me. Today's Baltimore Deal: $12 for Three Women's Fitness Classes of Your Choice at Tease Fitness in Abingdon... http://t.co/5dyxIPU

"Tease Fitness's flirty classes offer fun, unconventional workouts to women of every body type and background. Ab-dominant belly-dance classes and torso-enforcing pole-dancing sessions tone confidence muscles and sharpen sass, while lively hip-hop classes and Latin-inspired zumba workouts move limbs to upbeat, slimming rhythms. The schedule is also dotted with high-energy kickboxing and exotic-dance classes, as well as Pilates and yoga sessions in which flexibility fanatics can tone their mortal coils by pondering the paradox of tranquil exertion. The one-hour group workouts are set in clean, spacious, pink-walled studios. Convince your friends to come along, and your posse will emerge with enough collective confidence to make fitting rooms quake so nervously that stores feel it in their boot departments."

9 Things to Stop Worrying About

2011-01-19T00:22:00.002-05:00

Too much stress can wreak havoc on your health. Get answers and stop tormenting yourself over some common health concerns:

Do I really need eight glasses of water everyday?
Will stress turn my hair gray?
Will reading in poor light ruin my eyesight?
Is my daily pick-me-up bad for me?
Must I feed a cold and starve a fever?
Do I need to eat fresh vegetables daily?
Are the eggs I eat going to lead to heart disease?
Can I catch a cold if I'm out in the cold weather too long?
Could my lipstick be making me sick?

This Health.com article answers your plaguing questions:

9 Things to Stop Worrying About - Health.com

Vegging Out

2011-01-11T14:20:00.000-05:00

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2010 data, only six percent of men and four percent of women eat enough vegetables. How sad is that? Especially when there are so many delicious and easy ways to incorporate more veggies into your diet. Of course, fresh local veggies are nice, but when it comes down to it simplicity and speed are huge determining factors for whether veggies make it onto your plate. Frozen veggies are a nutritious and easy alternative! They're inexpensive, last for months in the freezer, and can be purchased already chopped and ready to go! Here's a great article on CNN's Eatocracy with more ideas for incorporating more vegetables into your diet!: http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/01/10/vegetables-eat-them-heres-how/

3 Ball Push-ups!

2010-10-13T12:11:00.002-04:00

Pretty impressive, huh? I love the stability ball for all the training options it provides and for how awesome it is for core training. However, I've seen many a client roll right off the ball on his or her first attempt at ball push-ups, so I think I may not need to invest in two more stability balls for my gym just yet!

Do you want ammonia with that?

2010-10-11T14:08:00.001-04:00

At a meeting this morning, I heard a mom discussing the use of ammonia in beef to kill E.coli. I was shocked and appalled to think of industrial cleaner being regularly used in food. When I came home, I was compelled find out more. Here's what I discovered:

With the U.S.D.A.’s stamp of approval, beef processed with ammonia has become a mainstay in America’s hamburgers. McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast-food giants use it as a component in ground beef, as do grocery chains. The federal school lunch program used an estimated 5.5 million pounds of the processed beef in 2008 alone. Worse yet, beef processed with ammonia has been routinely exempted from testing for Salmonella and E.coli. When testing has been done on the ammonia-processed meat, it has been found to actually have higher levels of both salmonella and e.Coli than traditionally processed meat. Yuck! I'm so glad I'm a vegetarian.

The total lack of concern for the health and wellbeing of consumers by farmers, people in the food industry and the American governement is both scary and terribly disappointing. It's truly horrifying to think of all the toxins that we are consuming and being exposed to unknowingly.

Source: The New York Times: Safety of Beef Processing Method Is Questioned