What Kind of Poison Did You Eat Today?

Often, we look at certain foods as being "bad" for us because we know they probably have no nutritional value. However, there is a risk that comes with eating that bag of Doritos that's greater than not fitting into your skinny jeans...

Over the last 30+ years, chemicals have found their way into most of our "food" making many people (including yours truly) question its safety. The fact that there has been an increase of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease in our nation may just be a coincidence, but somehow my gut (and many research studies) is telling me otherwise.

Other countries have wizen-ed up. For example, in the UK, if a product contains food dyes, they are required to put a warning label on it. Companies (including American companies like KRAFT) have found ways to produce their products without using the additives in question, to avoid negative labeling. Over here in the US? Its business as usual. The more additives, the better, it seems.
(You can read more about an effort to get KRAFT to stop adding dyes to food marketed towards children here).

Whether you are someone who is wanting to eat a more healthy diet, or simply trying to lose a few pounds, I urge you to stop looking at the nutrition facts and instead start reading the ingredients. Many of our favorite "food" items consist of more chemicals than actual food.

Here is a list of some common chemicals you have probably ingested recently:

List of Common Additives (AVOID)

This list is by no means all-inclusive – it is meant to

give you an idea of how harmful our “food” has become.

Carrageenan – known carcinogen

Aspartame – is linked to diabetes, auto-immune disorders, depression (which can cause you to eat more) birth defects and several forms of cancer. *(Products containing it have a warning printed on the label & it's considered one of the most dangerous substances allowed in our food supply ).

Red #40, Red #3, Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Blue #1: known carcinogens & cause allergic reactions

High Fructose Corn Syrup: a GMO (corn)

Maltodextrin: a GMO (corn)

Citric Acid: a GMO (corn)

Carmel Color: completely artificial, carcinogen known to cause liver, lung & thyroid tumors in mice.

Sucralose (splenda): chemically derived & no nutritional value – likely dangerous

Caffeine: over consumption causes addiction & adrenal fatigue (more pop than coffee – combined with sugar)

Sodium Benzoate: increases hyperactivity in children & when combined with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) it can form a carcinogen, kill DNA cells & accelerate aging.

Natural Flavors: Not regulated. Food scientists can engineer natural flavors to cause the inability to stop eating or drinking. All of the Coca-Cola products listed above have added natural flavors. These flavors scientists synthesize trick your mind into wanting more and more. They don’t want you to have the full essence of the strawberry or real coconut – they want you to only experience the best 1 millionth part of the taste – so you get “addicted” and keep having to go back for more and more, searching continuously for gratification – eating more of that product which in turns fills Coca-Cola’s pocket, as well as other big food companies.

From Concentrate: The juice is heated down to syrup and then reconstituted with water. To keep the flavor consistent – they have to add back in natural flavors and what you end up with is an inferior product that is a mix of several different species of fruit that have lost their original integrity, taste and nutrition.

Cellulose: wood pulp; used as a filler in processed food & can't be digested

Erythritol – a sugar alcohol the body does not easily digest & is linked to diarrhea, headache & other intestinal disorders

Acesulfmae Potassium – negatively effects thyroid gland (which in turn messes with your metabolism) and is likely a carcinogen.

GMO's: linked to obesity, insulin regulation, toxicity, fertility issues, allergic reactions & cancer

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): linked to obesity, eye damage, headaches, fatigue & disorientation, depression, numbness, burning sensation, tingling, facial pressure or tightness, chest pain or difficulty breathing, nausea, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, weakness.

Proplyene Glycol: derived from petroleum & key chemical in anti-freeze.

Azodicarbonamide: causes asthmatic symptoms, increases food sensitivities & is banned in U.K., Europe & Australia.

Cheap Oils (soy, canola, corn): full of Omega 6 fatty acids which increase the risk of inflammation, heart disease, obesity, prostate & bone cancer.

Even though I've become fairly vigilant about reading the ingredients on packaged food, there are still some nasty chemicals that sneak their way into my house from time to time. Here are some of the sneakiest:

* Baking Powder - go check yours now. Does it have aluminum? Some do, some don't. You don't want it.

* Vanilla Extract - even the "real" stuff often has propylene glycol. Yuck.

*Seasonings - It was a full year before I realized that one of our favorite Greek seasoning blends contains monosodium glutamate. Yeah, that's fancy talk for MSG.

*Pickles - Yellow #5 anyone? How about a side of Blue #1? Btw, these are added just for looks.

My point here, is to check everything. It may seem excessive at first, but you never know where those sneaky little chemicals are hiding. After awhile, you'll learn what brands you can generally trust (but still check labels - I've had brands switch things up on me).

Have you been surprised to find chemicals in any of your food?

Meditation Tips For Beginners

When is the last time you did nothing? I'm not talking about watching TV or going to bed early, I'm talking about just - sitting.  The science behind the benefits of meditation is so bountiful I'm not even going to go into the details. Google it if you don't believe me. :-) Personally, I've filed it under "Things We All Should Probably Be Doing" right behind tooth brushing and before cleaning out the lint trap in the dryer. 

I have tried meditation in the past, but always felt like I was doing it wrong. After 45 seconds of deep breathing and trying not to think, I was either asleep (not the goal) or adding to my mental to-do list (also, not the goal). 

Then, I stumbled upon this little gem of a website and discovered there is almost no wrong way to meditate (except for that falling asleep thing) and not being able to totally clear my thoughts was very normal (especially for a beginner). 

I encourage you to read this article series they posted. Be sure to watch the videos - nothing says relaxation like watching happy little monks. :-)  

In addition to the tips the monk videos taught me, I also discovered the "Buddhist Meditation" app (Free) for my Android phone. Here's what I like about it:

• Since I always have my phone with me, I have no excuse not to meditate. 

• It starts you small and works you up gradually. In the picture below, you can see its at level 3 of 10 and the time is 5 minutes. (I think level one starts at 2 minutes, level two is 3 minutes, I believe).

• This app gives nifty little quotes that you can meditate on if you are so inclined. 

• It has a timer. Some people say you shouldn't use a timer, however I'm one of those people who will sit there the entire time checking the clock because I don't want to meditate for "too long." (Lets face it - one of the reasons I meditate is because I'm pretty busy & like the forced downtime. When I'm done here, I've probably got something to go do). 

• The timer has an off switch if you want to meditate longer that day (or just don't like timers). The "alarm" also has different sound options, most of which are fairly gentle. 

• If you haven't meditated in a few days, a reminder will pop up. It even says "please." :-)

So what are you waiting for? No need for incense, fancy pillows, statues of chubby little Buddhas - sitting in a chair will even do the trick. I've even been known to do it sitting in bed. Wherever you do it, you can be sure you're on your way to a more peaceful way of living.



Do you already meditate? Leave your favorite meditation tip below in the comments section. I'd love to hear them!