Organic Eating Check In

Happy Thursday!  It has been about a month since I started to incorporate more organic foods into my diet as a result of reading two books:  Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels and The Hormone Diet by Dr. Natasha Turner.  I have not had an official blood test to see if I have real thyroid concerns, but thyroid issues do run in my family and I am a big fan of preventative care.  I have contacted a friend who has a doctor that she likes and trusts for me to get some blood work done-- the last "doctor" I went to was my work doctor and a complete and total a-hole who didn't give me an accurate test that I trust.  So, until then. . .

I have to tell you, I really feel and see a difference in my body!  The products that I have switched to:  organic dairy (milk, eggs, coffee cream and occasionally organic yogurt- still trying to find a brand that I like as much as Fage), organic meats when possible, organic produce or local produce, organic coffee, filtered water from my Brita pitcher, organic face and body wash, organic body lotion (vanilla by Jason is JUST DIVINE), and organic deodorant.  I am not a huge fan of the deodorant-- I am a sweater!!!

From Jillian's book I have stopped drinking any caffeine after noon.  I struggled with this at first because I always made myself a cup of coffee before my shift at work, but I really have grown used to it.  As a result, I have been sleeping better at night and I have much less breast sensitivity and swelling in my hands and feet due to PMS.  Normally I feel like Violet Beauregard from Willy Wonka ("My daughter's a blueberry!") but not this month.  That is awesome.

My skin also feels smoother and any eczema patches I had seem to be all but gone.  I feel like I have less acne.  I feel less bloated.

I don't know if this is all in my head or really a result of trying my hardest to only ingest the healthiest, my whole foods possible.  I also feel less cravings for the sweet stuff and the salty stuff.  I also have been eating more consistently (especially breakfast) and at more regular intervals.  As a result, I am down a pound or two.

I will keep up this "experiment" for another two to three months and see if the organic lifestyle is really the way to go.  So far, it is a resounding YES!

NY Kids are Fat, Too

I think I am pretty special sometimes because I live in New York City. It is always on TV and movies, a center for culture and excitement, and a great vacation destination for my friends and family. Let's just say not as many people are clamoring for the dream vacation in Oklahoma City (which is very lovely) that I have tried to offer.

I was surprised to see that out of every 10 kids in NY 4 of them are overweight. WHAT? With all the walking and parks and farmer's markets, you'd think that NY kids would be thin as rails. Apparently the overweight epidemic isn't just for the Midwest. It is truly nationwide and it is ridiculous for us (mostly me) to assume that we would be healthy just because we walk everywhere. In fact, NY kids are actually a little fatter.

After I read this report on Medical News Today and this one on CBS New York, I started to look at the little kids in my neighborhood. I saw some chubby bellies, and it wasn't baby fat. I saw a huge line at my neighborhood McDonald's with plenty of kids inside. It made me sad.

I know that parents are struggling financially and that unhealthy foods are cheaper and fill their kid's tummies just as well as more expensive fair. I hate to say it, but the results of the studies were broken into socioeconomic categories: Poorer families have heavier kids. Families living in Corona Park, Queens (a large Latin community) had the heaviest kids, as well as Harlem and Washington Heights (another Latin community).

These families work longer hours for less pay. Their kids don't get to run around and play as much because the neighborhoods are not as safe. I wanted you to know that I am not making a sweeping generalization about these NY neighborhoods-- I checked out this crime map to see what kind of environment these children are growing up in. The richest neighborhoods have the most burglars and robbers and the poorer neighborhoods have the most shootings and assaults. Why go out and play when there is so much danger outside and video games inside?

Hopefully this means that schools will invest in more play and exercise programs. While we are waiting for that to happen, if ever, if you live around a Whole Foods Market they are sponsoring salad bars to be put into schools that are around their locations. If you shop there you can donate $1 or $5 when you check out until the end of September. Another brick in the wall of the Food Revolution! I hope Jamie Oliver would be proud.

Do you have any ideas on keeping kids fit and improving health education? Write 'em down below.