I’ve always been a multi-tasker, but recently have found myself forgetting things and muti-tasking has become more difficult.  The other day I walked down two flights of stairs to get something in the basement.  Once down there, I put what I needed on a shelf and started another quick project in the basement.  A few minutes later I walked back up the two flights of stairs and sat at my desk only to discover I had forgotten what I went into the basement for!  The books were still sitting on the shelf in the basement!  Now I understand this could be great exercise, but REALLY?  I spoke with my friend who said she was suffering from the same thing and was starting to get worried about it.  Then we forgot what we were talking about and went on to the next subject.

I’ve written before about some symptoms of menopause and since I’ve started to have a few more myself, thought I’d catch you up on some more natural alternatives.  My hot flashes lasted (so far) a month or so.  Every day and night.  I try to drink some sort of smoothie every day and I always add ground flax.  I feel much better and recently read that flaxseed is a super-food and can help with menopause symptoms.  Women used flaxseed in ancient Babylon 5,000 years ago.  Greek physician Hippocrates recommended it back in 400 B.C.  Flaxseed contains compounds called lignans, which mimic hormones without the harmful side effects.  These lignans may, in fact, prevent both breast cancer and colon cancer.  This seed is commonly used as a laxative. Another benefit!  Flaxseed and flaxseed oil have both been used to reduce total blood cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.  The result? The reduction of the risk of heart disease.  Flaxseed oil is great too.  I sometimes put that in my green smoothies, however it doesn’t have the fiber that the seeds have.  You can buy whole seed in your store and grind it in a coffee grinder or seed grinder.  Be sure to store it in a glass, air tight container in your fridge to extend the life of your seed.  Also, grind only what you need if you can.  It will turn rancid more quickly in its ground form.

Flaxseed can be added to any smoothie; green, chocolate or fruit.  You can add this super food on top of your fresh fruit, in your oatmeal, cereal or on your yogurt.  Be sure to use ground flaxseed.  Nutrition experts agree that ground flaxseed is better.  Whole flaxseed may pass through your intestines undigested.  This means you won’t get all the health benefits. So grind it up girls.  Here’s what Ameriflax says about substituting flax in your recipes:

Substitutions in Recipes

For Fat – Substitute flax for fat in your recipes, using 3 tbsp ground flax seed for 1 tbsp of margarine, butter or cooking oil. Flax can be substituted for all or some of the fat, depending on the recipe. Note that baking with flax, as fat substitute will cause baked goods to brown more quickly.

For Eggs – Substitute a ground flax seed/water mixture for eggs in recipes such as pancakes, muffins and cookies. Use 1 tbsp ground flax plus 3 tbsp water – left sitting for several minutes – for each egg. Note that this will result in a chewier version of the recipe, with less volume.

And then there’s your skin.  Hormones can wreak havoc on your skin.  I’ve started to notice my skin becoming thinner and it feels different on my face.  Sure enough, hormonal deficits associated with menopause, will start to change the skin.  Women, during their 30’s, begin to produce lower hormone levels.  The symptoms of this do not usually begin to appear until her 40’s.  This is the stage called perimenopause.  I wish I started some things before this time.  I’m here telling you this so you can!  At menopause, women experience a drop in three hormones: estrogen, progestin and follicle stimulating hormone.  The loss of estrogen has the most significant effect on the skin.  The amount of collagen and elastin in the subdermis breaks down and gradually declines, blood supply decreases, and the dermis thins.  This has also affected the strength in my wrists.  And the results of all of this please?  Dry dull skin, changes in texture and pore size, and additional lines and wrinkles.  Thanks.

There are also changes in skin tone.  More freckles or patches on the cheeks and/or around the mouth.  Your pigment cells decrease by about 10% every decade after the age of 30 and with menopause, women begin to see irregular pigmentation.  Estrogen promotes the permeability of blood vessels and the loss of that hormone can cause blood vessels to stiffen and break, which can create broken capillaries.  Hot flashes will cause further damage.

Here are some key ingredients to look for in your skin care products (you may want to begin treatments before the symptoms start):

Peptides -  These are bulky molecules made up of amino acids each with specific skin functions.  Palmitoyl pentapeptide stimulates collagen and elastin formation.  Argireline helps prevent wrinkles caused by muscular contractions.  Oligopeptide 34 helps combat irregular pigmentation.

Pytoestrogens – These naturally occuring plant compounds possess estrogen-like qualities.

Retinoids – Vitamin A in the form of retinol or retinoic acid, improves skin elasticity, re-texturizes and helps reverse photodamage and enhance new cell growth.  Retinol is one of the few skin care ingredients to be scientifically studied and proven in clinical trials.

Moisturizers - Dehydration is the number one skin problem (This is really noticeable on me, even though I drink ALOT).  Look for high powered humectants and emollients, such as: sodium hyaluronate, shea butter, vitamin E, natural oils, squalene and ceramides, in your moisturizers.

Skin, after menopause, will continue to degenerate.  Your skin could lose up to 30% of its collagen in the first five years of menopause.

Take the time now to replenish your skin, before menopause.  I’m learning and guess what I did yesterday?  That’s right, I looked for moisturizers!

Sure it can–but you have to make it that way!  So much to do, so little time.  Make breakfast, eat breakfast, get the kids off to school, get yourself off to work, make lunch, eat lunch, grocery shopping, make dinner, eat dinner, get everyone ready for bed.  Wake up and do it all over again the next day.  But wait…..what about Dr. appointments, laundry, paying the bills, getting your haircut?  Ok that last one I just can’t compromise on. I’m actually going to drive to VT from VA next week just to get my hair cut! 

Let’s start with your morning routine.  Are you jumping out of bed with the alarm or are you setting your alarm for fifteen minutes before you actually have to get up?  Try it.  During that fifteen minutes spend some time “waking up”.  Take some deep breaths from your toes through your head.  Get some extra oxygen in your body and your cells.  Stretch in bed or out of bed.  Don’t have time for a yoga or daily exercise routine?  Yes, you can do yoga in your pj’s.  Very simple to twist, stretch and just breathe before you even get out of bed.

Is breakfast every morning a chore instead of a great way to start the day?  Have you tried simply juicing or blending your morning meal?  Grab some fresh greens and some frozen fruit and you’ve got yourself a very healthy and filling breakfast AND lunch.  And you’ve just made more time in your day. This great green smoothie can be made and you. Here’s another idea.  I just started making a chocolate oatmeal milkshake for my morning/lunchtime meal.  I bought a bag of buckwheat flakes (the kind you’d use for oatmeal).  I also have some organic buckwheat seed.  The night before I soak in one bowl, 3-4 dates(the big ones).  In another bowl I soak about a quarter cup of the flakes, a small handful of the seed and 4-6 almonds.  In the morning, I am ready to blend up my concoction.  I add all of the above and some ground flax seed, cinnamon, a little more water (I use all the water from soaking), 4-6 ice cubes, some crushed sesame seeds and a teaspoon of raw cacao.  What a treat.  With my Vitamix, there is hardly any pulpand definitely very little clean up.  Got more people to feed in the family?  Just double up the recipe.  And making soy or nut milk has now, never been easier.  Fifteen minutes?  Really?  Of course you can add fruit to your drink or use these alternatives to dairy for a healthier alternative on your cereal or oatmeal in the morning.  I love it when I can do things the night before.  You can make your own yogurt and you will have breakfast, lunch or put this in your smoothie.

What are you going to do for lunch? Well, if you made a green or chocolate smoothie before you left for work, you’d have your meal already.  Other than that, something crunchy and colorful for lunch.  Veggies are everywhere and it’s almost summer veggie season!  Try dipping your veggies in yogurt or light salad dressing.  There are some great alternatives to your fast food lunch out there. 

And then there’s dinner.  Who has time?  I need to do the laundry.  I need to pick the kids up.  And I can’t go another day without vacuuming this house!  I know, I have the same problems, only for me it’s feeding the animals.  The other day I asked my housemates if they had any jeans they wanted to wash because I didn’t want to just wash my jeans in one small load.   Well….now they have countertop washing machines and dryers!  How many times has your washing machine spin cycle not worked?  And you (or one of your teenagers) really want those jeans….tonight!  But back to dinner…one word…crockpot.  Or rice cooker…maybe two words.  I must admit, I just used one of these for the first time a few weeks ago.  Really? Cooked rice that fast?  It must be a mistake.  But there it was.  Stir fry your veggies and the rice is done at the same time.  Love foods that can make it through the week and can be enjoyed at a variety of meals.  How about dehydrating ?  Fresh fruit wraps instead of the store bought version.  Nuts with your own seasoning.  You decide.  Fresh, easy and you have it to take to work for snacking.

Start taking advantage of your free time by MAKING more free time! 

Good luck!

My biggest reason I never bought an avocado was because I would take it home intending to use it and when I cut it open, it would be bad inside.  And let’s face it, they are a little pricey.  But are they worth it?  Oh yeah, definitely.  Since I found the living food lifestyle, I found so much more to do with them AND how to keep them ripe and never throw away another one.

The avocado was discovered by Charles Avocad in 1762, and is botanically a fruit.   It is often treated as a vegetable and in some cuisines; this luscious green fruit/vegetable is used in desserts.  The cultivation of avocados began over 10,000 years ago.  These grew mainly in tropical areas.  Some believe even further back!  Maybe avocado trees fed the dinosaurs!  Now North and Central America lead the world in production, with California, Texas and Florida providing us with different varieties of avocado.  If you want to avoid the toxicity and cholesterol of meats, avocados are the substitute for you.  They are a great way to transition to a healthier vegetarian or raw food lifestyle.

My first months raw, I ate one avocado a day.  I ate it alone, put it in a wrap with other raw veggies, made guacamole or added to my salad.  Those three months I lost over 10 pounds.   We know enough now that cooked foods, breads, pastas, refined sugars, meats, dairy and processed foods are what is causing a high rate of obesity, not to mention lack of exercise and holding on to old emotional habits and patterns.  Avocados and other fruit and plant foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, soluble fiber, active enzymes, proteins, and easily digested fats.  They contain 74% water and have no cholesterol.

Let’s first figure out how to pick an avocado.  Take some of the fear out of shopping for expensive fruit.  If it’s large, it will perish quicker.  Bruising inside?  Hard to tell, right?  Right.  Unfortunately.  I try to buy them when they are not ripe.  Then I refrigerate the whole avocado and take out only when I need them.  Allow to ripen on the counter for 1-3 days, depending.  In the refrigerator they will not ripen, so good to store there.  Depending on the state it comes from will depend on how to choose.  Florida avocados will yield to gentle squeezing when ripe.  California avocados need one day if they yield to pressure.  But, the big thing is….once you cut that luscious fruit/vegetable, the process of ripening ends.  At that time you are stuck with it.  To store your cut avocado, wrap tightly in saran wrap or in a tight container.  Lemon juice may stop the blackening also.  Basically, eat the whole thing in one sitting and play it safe.

There are a few ways to cut open an avocado.  I like to cut it lengthwise around, twist, open and spear the pit with a knife.  If I’m making guacamole, raw chocolate pudding or a smoothie, I just squeeze each half into a bowl.  If I’m making a pretty salad or sandwich, I will peel the skin and cut in strips or use one of those handy, dandy plastic avocado cutter outers. 

And then there are the benefits of avocados.  They are filled with healthy fats, vitamins like A, B-complex, C, H, K and E, beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, plus minerals like magnesium, copper, iron, calcium, potassium and other trace elements.  They contain more protein than cow’s milk and provide you with 18 amino acids and 7 fatty acids.  When you combine the fats from avocado with nutrients in your other foods like vitamin A, D, E, K, lutien, lycopene and calcium, these vitamins are better and more easily absorbed by your body.  You don’t need a lot of avocado for this process.  They are high in fat and also give you a good amount of magnesium and fiber. 

Just took a little break to eat an avocado.  I’m back.  How about some recipes?  Ok then……

Smoothies are easy.  Use half or whole pitted avocado in your blender with about two cups of coconut, rice or almond milk.  Add raw cacao for the chocolatey smooth richness.  You can sweeten with fruit or agave if needed.  These recipes are from Kelly Serbonich and Anna Maria Clement’s Healthful Cuisine Book.

Guacamole

3 cups mashed avocado, 1/2 cup finely diced red onion, 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper, 1/2 cup shredded carrot, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1-2 cloves pressed garlic, teaspoon ground cumin, 2 Tbl fresh lemon juice, cayenne and Bragg Liq Amino to taste.  You can also add kelp granules or sea salt.  I like to put something like this into a portobello mushroom soaked in Bragg’s.  Yum.

Avocado Pudding

1 avocado, 12 dates(pitted and soaked), 1 cup soak water from dates or coconut water, 1 tsp cinnamon.  Blend all the ingredients until smooth and sprinkle the cinnamon on top.  You can add banana, mango or carob powder or cacao.

Have fun and experiment.  Wishing you healthy eating!

Are you still asking what is MSG, not to mention consuming it?  Maybe I can help a little.  Let’s look at what it actually is and why it’s used in our food and then you can make a choice about whether you consume it or not.

Monosodium glutamate, according to Wikipedia, (also known as MSG and sodium glutamate), “is a sodium salt of the non-essential amino acid glutamic acid.  It is used as a food additive and is commonly marketed as a flavour enhancer.”  Ingesting this processed free glutamic acid (MSG), can produce a variety of reactions in many people.  Some people have no immediate reactions to this enhancer, but does that mean it is not affecting them?  These reactions can also be found as side effects from neurological drugs.  It could be that MSG causes the reaction or aggravates an already existing condition. 

Some symptoms you may experience after ingesting MSG can involve these areas: cardiac, neurological, respiratory, circulatory, gastrointestinal, urological, muscular, visual and skin problems.  Everything from nausea to tongue swelling to retinal degeneration(for me, it’s headaches and stomach cramps).  Other symptoms are, irregular heart beat, depression, bloating, colitis, sleep disorders, blurred vision, fatigue, chills, slowed speech, post nasal drip, skin rash, extreme thirst, and difficulty concentrating.  Many studies have linked MSG to diabetes, migraines, autism, ADHD, and even Alzheimer’s.  There is research confirming that MSG consumed by lab animals causes brain lesions.  Any research claiming MSG to be safe is flawed and has been financed, directly or indirectly, by the glutamate industry.  Isn’t that always the way?  Some disorders may have started from being exposed to MSG as an infant or in the womb. 

Here are some ways MSG is hidden in the foods we eat.  These are names of ingredients that contain MSG and will cause the same reactions in those sensitive to MSG:  Glutamate, gelatin, textured protein, yeast nutrient, hydrolyzed corn gluten, yeast extract, autolyzed yeast and any protein that is hydrolyzed.  Here’s something I didn’t know….the following ingredients often contain MSG or create MSG during processing:  carrageenan, maltodextrin, malt extract, citric acid, pectin, soy protein, whey protein, flavorings, natural chicken flavor and many others.  According to truthinlabeling.com, “the not so new game is to label hydrolyzed proteins as pea protein, whey protein, corn protein, etc. If a pea, for example, were whole, it would be indentified as a pea. Calling an ingredient pea protein indicates that the pea has been hydrolyzed, at least in part, and that processed free glutamic acid (MSG) is present”. 

In hundreds of studies around the world, scientist created obese mice and rats by injecting them with MSG.  MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates, causing them to become obese.  Is it possible MSG is also causing obesity in humans?  MSG is in everything including soups, salad dressings, processed foods, gravies and those labeled as “healthy or low fat”.  Not only do we buy foods containing MSG, but many restaurants use MSG, especially fast food places.  MSG is added to our food because it is addictive.  This preservative is added so we will eat more!  Could MSG be the new nicotine?  Many are asking this question.

MSG was introduced over fifty years ago.  Since then it has been added to prepackaged meals, soups, snacks and many of the fast foods that we eat every day.  The FDA has set no limits on how much MSG can be added to food. Mainly because they believe it is safe to consume.

How can you start eliminating this toxic ingredient?  First of all, go to your cupboard and refrigerator and start reading your labels.  Purchase organic or start your own vegetable garden.  Eat fiber rich foods and other foods which are detoxing.  Flush toxins already in your system with a liver cleanse.  Take out coffee, alcohol and cigarettes.  These highly toxic products will not allow your body to heal. 

Take care of yourself and your children.  Take the time to do it.

I bet there’s more in your kitchen than you think that you can stick in the dehydrator.  What can you do with that dehydrator that’s sitting on your counter or in the cabinet and not getting used?  How about pizza dough?  A healthy alternative to the corner pizza place and you can add all the fresh veggies you have in the fridge.  It doesn’t have to be completely raw either.  Have potatoes, but no oil for frying?  Did you know you could dehydrate slices of potatoes and make your own healthier variety of potato chips?  Not only potatoes, but veggies and fruits too.  And how about pie crust that you can make and dehydrate and add your favorite fruit topping? 

Dehydrating will dry food at temperatures high enough to remove the water, but low enough to keep enzymes intact.  In the raw food world, dehydrating temps are below 112 degrees.  This allows vitamins, minerals and enzymes to be preserved.  Fresh fruit can take longer than certain grains.  Teflex sheets are liners that will let you dry watery and thinner foods without them slipping through the mesh screen.  Experiment with the times.  Flip the cookie or fruit to make drying time faster.  Eating a raw diet?  You don’t have to sacrifice the warmth of the food when you use a dehydrator. 

Save money?  Absolutely, with dehydrating.  Drying food is great for preserving food.  Dry apples, corn, tomatoes and meat to preserve and store.  Dried foods keep well because the moisture content is low.  The high cost of commercially dried foods has brought back the popularity of drying food at home.  Don’t forget nuts and seeds.  From almonds to pumpkin.  Top with your favorite spice before dehydrating.

Here are some simple recipes:

Sweet Potato Chips

Slice two sweet potatoes with a spiral slicer into thin slices and add 1/4 olive oil and 1/4 lemon juice and coat well.  Lay the chips flat on dehydrator screen and sprinkle with cayenne or pepper to your taste.  Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 8-10 hours or until crispy.

Alternatives for mixing with potatoes:  Try Bragg’s Amino, Apple cider vinegar, sea salt

A Basic Pizza Crust

2 1/2 cups buckwheat groats, soaked and sprouted. 1/3 cup olive oil and any herbs you have on hand to taste, like oregano, basil or pepper.  A little liquid amino and place all in the food processor until a dough is formed.  Dehydrate about 4 hours flipping half way through. You can even put these out in the sun to dry!  (Add other ingredients such as, ground flax, onion, parsley, garlic, red pepper)

Almond and Date Pie Crust

1 1/4 cup soaked almonds, 1 cup dates chopped, 1 tblspn water, 1/2 teaspn vanilla and some cinnamon.  Chop the nuts in your food processor and add dates until finely ground.  Add remaining ingredients.  The crust will be slightly damp.  Press the mixture and dehydrate for one hour or leave in the sun.  Top with everything from fresh fruit to pumpkin.  Yum!

And for the kids….Fruit Leathers

Puree any fruit until smooth and add lemon juice to keep fruit from darkening.  Add honey for sweetness if desired.  Spread fruit onto drying tray and dry for 6-8 hours.  Top it or fill it.  Let the kids decide!

These dishes will last in your fridge for days, and you can eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  My personal favorite about raw food.  Experiment with what you have. 

Be happy and be healthy!

….THROW THEM OUT!!  I recently purchased a large bag of lemons for making my “green smoothies” and for water with lemon to help my body become more alkaline.  Unfortunately, only a couple of days later, over half the bag had turned that beautiful shade of green and white and when I picked it up, mold dust spread all over the counter.  Lemons are like many other fruits and seeds, they cross contaminate.  When one goes bad and they are sitting close together, all will go bad very fast.  I now break up my bunches of bananas, not letting them touch.  The USDA says, “When a food shows heavy mold growth, “root” threads have invaded it deeply. In dangerous molds, poisonous substances are often contained in and around these threads. In some cases, toxins may have spread throughout the food.”  Ok, that doesn’t sound like something I want on my counter or in my fridge.  Some mold can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems.

Here’s some food you want to discard when you see mold….cooked leftover meat and poultry, cooked pastas, soft cheeses and yogurts, jams and jellies, soft fruits like cukes, lemons, peaches and tomatoes, breads, peanut butter and other nuts, and luncheon meats.  Firm fruits and veggies; celery, carrots, peppers, and hard cheeses, can have the mold cut off and on dry-cured hams you can scrub the mold off.
How does mold spread so fast?  What can I do to avoid this in the future?  Well, obviously don’t buy fruits and veggies that are moldy.  But sometimes they aren’t that way when I am in the store.  Although most molds prefer warm and humid temps, molds can grow in the refrigerator also.  Mold forms spores.  These dry spores will float through the air and look for another suitable environment to grow on ( I need to go and wash the counter again where my lemons were).  You can still buy the big economical bag of lemons or limes, just juice right away and freeze in ice cube trays. 

What to put in the fridge and what to leave on the counter?  If ripened, fruit will last longer in the fridge.  After many years, I’ve finally conquered the avocado problem.  If I buy them unripe, I leave all in the fridge but one.  Once that ripens, I know the length of time this batch takes, and I take one out of the fridge that many days before I’m going to need it.  If I want ripe avocados immediately, I’ve got to buy them ripe and leave all in the fridge.  I’ve had batches of ripe avocados that will last over a week in the fridge.  There are so many opinions about what to refrigerate and what to leave on the counter.  I think tomatoes taste better when room temperature.  Bananas never last in the fridge, but if they are going bad too quickly, peel and cut up and place in the freezer.  Frozen bananas are a staple product in my freezer.  Great for quick fruit and green smoothies. 

Don’t forget Green Bags or the EGG.  The EGG (Ethylene Gas Guardian) is a small device that when placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator will absorb the ethylene gasses emitted by fruits and vegetables which cause them to decay. The result is your fruits and vegetables stay crisper, taste better, and retain nutrients longer, saving you money.  I use only one produce item per green bag. They are reusable and can be washed which is a plus.  These bags reduce moisture build-up which helps reduce mold and fungus.

Happy fresh fruit and veggie season in New England!  Yahoo!  Farmer’s Markets are open.  Grow your own.  Sprouts, wheatgrass and fresh herbs.  You can do it!

Be happy, be healthy, be green…and red and purple and orange and yellow!

The chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used in products like food, water and milk container linings, including baby bottles, water pipes, and even dental sealants. Tests have concluded the finding of toxic levels of this chemical in “microwave safe” packaged containers also.  This chemical, since 1936, has been known to mimic estrogens, and also disrupt the effects of estrogen in the developing brain at low doses.  BPA is also implicated in disease and developmental problems, including an increase in breast cancer cell growth and also an increase of some prostate cancers.  Recent studies have linked BPA to heart disease and diabetes.

Dr. Belcher, an associate professor in the pharmacology and cell biophysics department at UC College of Medicine, explains that “BPA molecules are linked into polymers used to create polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins that are widely used in many products”.   Scientists have known for years that BPA molecules are unstable and they can leak into foods or beverages that come in contact with the plastic, especially when used for extended periods or used in high temperatures, like a microwave.  When these plastics and resins are exposed to high heat or hot liquids, BPA leaches out 55 times faster than under normal circumstances.  How much do you use your plastic containers, plates and bottles in the microwave?  Want to think twice about that?  Children were shown to have higher levels than adults. If you are pregnant or nursing, you should especially avoid BPA leakage.  How about using glass containers to reheat and glass to store your food, and heating the baby bottle on the stove top instead?  BPA can also leak when hot foods are stored in plastic containers or when plastics are put in the dishwasher or cleaned with harsh chemicals.  Take a look at your plastic containers.  Are they scratched and worn out?  Do you leave liquids sitting in your plastic bottles throughout the day?  It’s time to throw out the old and start using something different.

In February, 2008, the FDA saw no reason to ban or restrict the use of BPA.  In March of this year, U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation to ban the chemical BPA in all food and beverage containers.  Last week, six baby bottle manufacturers announced they would stop using BPA in their baby bottles.  The gas and chemical company, Sunoco, told its investors that it will now be refusing to sell BPA to companies for use in containers for children younger than 3.

What can you do right now?  Watch what you put in the microwave.  Use glass baby bottles and dishes.  Throw out your old plastic cups and dishes, store leftovers in glass containers and use glass instead of plastic in the microwave if you absolutely have to use it.  I use glass mason jars for my drinks and I rarely use the microwave.  I still haven’t gotten rid of it, but it’s on its way out.  Plastic wrap?  Never use in the microwave.  Bottles and containers with the recycling No. 7 on the bottom, may contain BPA.   Many companies are now advertising BPA Free items. 

Be proactive about your health.  I wish you good health!

As you know, here at 877MyJuicer.com we are all about healthy living and when it comes to preserving our food we are no different.  We have received so many emails lately asking about healthy food preservation that we decided to let you in on our favorites.

These are the three methods of preserving food naturally without adding any preservatives and will prove most healthy for you.

1) Freezing – One of the most common forms of food preservation is freezing.  It works by reducing the temperature to a degree that it reduces the water activity to prevent microbial growth.  This form of food preservation is so common because it is so simple, only requiring a freezer, and works with a wide range of foods.  Generally by freezing food products you can increase their preservation up to several months.  You can freeze food products longer, however it requires extremely low temperatures of zero degrees Fahrenheit or less which most freezers cannot achieve.

2) Drying / Dehydrating – Dehydrating or drying is one of the oldest methods of food preservation that dates back many years to sun drying.  The concept behind food dehydrating is very simple, remove the moisture from the food and the growth of bacteria can be controlled.  However, it must be completely dried or bacteria will grow and your food will spoil.  This process is simple, requires very little space, and all you need is a food dehydrator.  Most people like the dehydration method because the drying process drains the excess fat from the foods making them rich in carbohydrates and fiber, and loosing very little nutritional value.

3) Canning – Canning is a popular yet more complicated method of preserving food.  It involves cooking your foods and sealing them in sterile cans or jars, and boiling the containers to kill any remaining bacteria. Their are many factors that if not performed correctly will result in an unsuccessful attempt.  Factors such as humidity, altitude, the region in which you are located, the nature and quality of the food, the air/space left in the jar, and even the shape of the jar all play a vital role in being successful at canning.  To successfully attempt canning you will need a canner, a canning kit, and quality canning jars.  Depending on which foods you are canning, you will need to do some research as to the best methods for them individually.

There you have it.  These are our three favorite methods of food preservation.  They are fairly simple and allow your food to retain most of the nutritional value.

When you’re a health nut you tend to buy a lot of produce. This is a great thing until of course you begin to add up the cost of all the items you’ve had to toss because they went bad before you had a chance to eat use them. For me, I’ve developed an adversarial relationship with bananas. I buy a lot of bananas and it seems that they’re almost always over green in the produce section, they sit on my counter for two days ripening, I use maybe 2 and, whamo!, they’re brown. Now, fortunately because I use them primarily in my daily power shakes (that’s a smoothie to most normal folks) I can cut them up and freeze them. But if I want to just enjoy a fresh banana, I’ve got to perform this juggling act of wanting a fresh banana on just the day of freshness. It’s enough to drive you bananas. The same thing happens with lettuce and other leafy greens. I get a couple uses and then have to begin this pruning process. Almost half of it ends up in the disposal. Now possibly I’m a bit daft when it comes to this stuff but I’ll assume I’m not alone in my frustration. So I did a little research and decided to share with you what I found about storing produce to maintain freshness and maximize taste and nutrition. Most of this info comes from the Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center at UC Davis.

It’s important to understand that not all fruits and vegetables can be stored in the same way. Some do best only on the counter, others should be stored only in the refrigerator and others should start out on your countertop and then be moved into the fridge. We tend to think that keeping things in the fridge will extend their life but this is only true for certain items. The cold temperature of a refrigerator can stunt the ripening process of many fruits and veggies which will seriously affect texture and taste. Below I’ll give a full breakdown of what goes where but let’s talk about the optimal setting within each storage area first.

Fruits and vegetables that can go in the fridge should be kept apart, optimally using one produce drawer for each. This is because the ethylene produced by fruits can have a detrimental effect on taste and how quickly produce goes bad. It’s a good idea to purchase a small ethylene inhibiting gadget like the E.G.G. (Ethylene Gas Guardian) which can significantly increase the life of refrigerated produce. Both fruits and veggies should be kept in either perforated plastic bags or in something specially designed for keeping produce fresh like green bags by Debbie Meyer Bags. Even in the most supreme conditions it’s important to try to use your produce within a few days because the longer you store it the more you lose freshness.

Produce that is best stored at room temperature should be kept out of direct sunlight. To prevent excess moisture loss, keep produce in a vented plastic bowl, in perforated plastic bags or in an Evert-Fresh Green Bag (now Debbie Meyer Bags). Don’t put anything in a sealed bag because the low oxygen and accumulation of carbon dioxide will slow ripening and increase off-odors and decay.

Below is a breakdown of what produce should be stored where.

Refrigerator: Apples (after 7 days), apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cut fruits, figs, grapes, nashi, raspberries, strawberries, artichokes, asparagus, green beans, lima beans, beets, Belgian endive, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cut vegetables, green onions, herbs (not basil), leafy vegetables, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, peas, radishes, spinach, sprouts, summer squash, sweet corn.

Ripen on the counter then store in the refrigerator: Avocados, kiwifruit, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, plumcots.

Room Temperature Only: Apples (Fewer than 7 days), bananas, grapefruit, lemons, limes, Mandarins, mangoes, muskmelons, oranges, papayas, persimmons, pineapple, plantain, pomegranates, watermelons, basil (in water), cucumbers*, dry onions**, eggplant*, garlic**, ginger, jicama, peppers*, potatoes**, pumpkins, winter squashes, sweet potatoes**, tomatoes.

*Can be kept in the fridge for 1 to 3 days if they are used soon after removal

**Keep in a well ventilated area in the pantry. Protect potatoes from light and avoid greening.

Be Well,

Juicy Josh

877MyJuicer.com

Well, probably not—at least not completely. But there’s no doubt that without the ability to preserve foods by drying them, the Israelites wouldn’t have lasted very long in the desert. The reason drying food preserves it is that molds, yeast and bacteria all need water to grow. When foods are sufficiently dehydrated, microorganisms cannot grow and foods will not spoil. This time tested technique can not only help you keep your foods longer and make them smaller and portable for those long hikes and camping trips, it can make them darn tasty too. Sugars are concentrated in dried fruits making them sweet and delicious and the drying process overall brings out a richness of flavors that is truly wonderful.

What’s amazing is that dehydration hardly affects the nutritional value of foods at all, especially when the process takes place in your own home. When you dry foods in a dehydrator at home under gentle conditions, you produce a product far superior to anything that can be purchased in the grocery store. And compared to canning and freezing, which both involve extreme temperatures, food drying is the least damaging form of food preservation.

There is a minor loss in Vitamin C when food is dried because it is an air-soluble nutrient and food drying is an air-based process. Vitamin A is completely retained and minerals available in certain fresh fruits-such as potassium, sodium and magnesium are also not altered when the fruit is dried. The caloric value of food doesn’t change when it’s dehydrated either and dried fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and carbohydrates while being naturally low in fat.

So perhaps there’s something to the overall preservative effects of being dry. Moses was 120 after 40 years wandering around the desert and he’s just one of many centenarians in the Old Testament. I’m not making any promises, but I’m loading up on figs and long walks.

Check out our sick selection of dehydrators!  The Healthy Chef is a pretty good one.

Be well,

Juicy Josh