Thursday, June 3, 2010

A month later

It has been a month since my daughter's new diet.  I see a marked improvement.  She has more energy, a better digestive system and she's hungry.  She is finally eating like a seven year old.
Through this journey I've discovered that the food industry is adding a lot of artificial and unnecessary ingredients to our food.  Recently, I had skipped reading labels for food, assuming that if it says 100% Whole Wheat Tortillas then that is what is in it.  Try reading the label the next time you're at Target, Walmart or any other store.  The main ingredients for 100% Whole Wheat Tortillas are bleached enriched flour and sugar!  There seems to be no one controlling the food labeling for the foods we are provided on our grocery shelves.  The FDA seems to have been either paid off or just not doing their job.  This lack of responsibility now brings the responsibility to us.  We have an added responsbility to our already over extended lives.  We have to make sure what our family eats is healthy and not "enriched" "bleached" and devoid of all nutrition.
It is not an easy task when everyone around you is continuing as they always have.  But remember, they don't have the knowledge you do.  It is now your obligation to inform your loved ones.  Would you let your family eat poison?  Of course not.  This is essentially the same.  The effects are not immediate but then you won't see the effects of a slow poison either.
Start your own research, look up new easy recipes.  Go to your local kitchen store and take the free cooking classes.  It takes a bit of organization but once you have a basic menu of foods that your family likes, you can repeat those.  It becomes easier to grocery shop from there on.  For special ocassions I'll make a dish requiring more effort, but for the everyday its simple things, like baked fish, home-made chicken nuggets, carrots, pickled cucumbers, cheese toast, baked vegetables, veggie burger or pasta.

I will end now with an easy recipe for pickled cucmbers.

Slice cucumbers.  Soak in vinegar and little bit of water.  Add a little salt and minced garlic.  You can put them in a jar and refrigerate.  They're better than store bought with no additives, preservatives or artificial colors.