Is Tyson Chicken Really Antibiotic-Free?

For quite awhile now, when I start talking about the importance of buying (or raising) organic, antibiotic and hormone-free meat - yes, that includes poultry - many people have proudly told me , "my chicken is organic, too... and I buy it at the regular grocery store... WAY less expensive than the health food store, too!" "Awesome!", I say. "I'm SO glad conventional stores are catching on and providing healthier and safer options for the masses."

I asked where to find this "cleaner" chicken in our local 'regular' store, so I could check it out... and hopefully stock up when it's on sale! My savvy shopper friends told me, "Oh, easy! It's right there with all the other packaged chicken from Tyson."

"Tyson?! Why would organic, antibiotic-free chicken be with Tyson chicken???" When I think of healthy options... Tyson doesn't come to mind! Just a personal issue, that's all! Based on what I've read about this enormous company, and others like it, I've not been impressed with their from-the-farm-to-the-table practices. Again, my issue, I'm sure!

Unfortunately, upon closer inspection, I found that these meats were not organic. The day I actually remembered to look for them in the store, they were out of stock. So I asked one of my devout label-reading friends to check it out more closely for me the next time she purchased some.

We discovered that the chicken was only "antibiotic-free". Funny how so many people had interpreted the label (or the advertising) to mean "organic". Ah well, I thought. At least they've cleaned it up a bit... it's better than nuthin'. Anytime we can reduce the amount of toxicity we add to our lives, the better. Eliminating the antibiotics was a step in the right direction.

I had mentally put that issue to rest for several months. Now, enter Dr. Mercola. Yet again, this police officer of the food industry has shed some light on the shady nature of Tyson's marketing approach.

Looks like Tyson's chicken isn't "antibiotic-free" after all. Just a little misleading in the marketing department! You can read about it in the link below.

Personally, I still think it's a better option than plain 'ol conventional chicken, loaded with every chemical concoction known to man. But I do think it's disturbing and downright nauseating how food companies are so willing to put a 'spin' on the truth in order to increase profits. I know it's completely naive of me, but I just wish they'd all tell us the truth!

Crazy, I know!

Here's the link to the Tyson chicken article.

http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/Is-Tyson-s-Antibiotic-Free-Chicken-Really-Antibiotic-Free--61196.aspx

Unfortunately, I'm absolutely certain that Tyson is not the only offending food company. I just found it interesting that this happened to be the one example (Tyson chicken) that I kept hearing about from so many people for so many months... guess their marketing works!

Jenny McCarthy's Autism Crusade is a Continued Success

I just love what Jenny McCarthy is doing these days. She perfectly exemplifies (for me, anyway) the power, tenacity and true grit of a mother who would do anything in the world to protect her child... and to right a wrong.

I see her crusade as an act of love on the grandest scale. Not only for her son, but for children worldwide.

I guess it takes a beautiful, blonde bombshell to finally get people to stand up and take notice of the legal poisoning and deceptive brainwashing of the masses! Hey... whatever it takes! Thank God she's also brilliant and well-researched!

Check out this link to follow along with the story of Evan, her son (and Jim Carrey's). Evan is now 5 years old and is doing remarkably well. Thank God. You can also scroll down to the comments section and click on the link to watch Jenny on the Larry King Show - great segment.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/04/24/how-jim-carrey-and-jenny-mccarthy-s-son-recovered-from-autism.aspx

Are "Organic" Foods and Whole Foods Market Rip-Offs?

A recent article in Dr. Mercola's newsletter got me thinking about organic foods and my favorite grocery store, Whole Foods Market. Here's the link to the article: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/04/17/the-whole-story-about-whole-foods-market.aspx

I've been questioned about the legitimacy of "organic" foods for years. In fact, it seems to be a subject that ruffles many people's feathers! I've often felt under attack because of my support of organic foods. Silly, isn't it?!

Anytime I speak of the benefits of organic foods, there's always a "yeah, but..." in the crowd. Strange.

I like to point out that I have nothing to gain, financially or otherwise, by encouraging my practice members, audiences, clients and friends to eat more nutritious and organic foods whenever possible. (Wish I would've bought stock in Whole Foods Market years ago! Ah, well... hind sight!)

As far as I see it, organic is healthier. Obviously, it has less toxicity and studies show it also has far greater nutrient density.

"How do you know if it's really organic or not? How can I trust those labels?" It's a calculated risk I take! One that I don't lose any sleep over, by the way! I'd rather risk that the broccoli I'm eating, thinking it's organic, maybe isn't organic afterall... rather than eat a bag of Cheeze Its and a Diet Pepsi, knowing full well there's not a shred of health in them! I'll take my chances with the possibly-not-100%-organic-broccoli!

My point is that I don't worry too much about all the politics involved with the organic food industry. Worse case scenario - the "organic" food has now become tainted with some of the toxins found in "conventional" food. I'll suffer through some contamination of my food vs. 100% contaminated!

Is organic healthier? Yes or yes? Of course it is! What on earth is all the whining about???

If some people just don't want to spend the money on it, or don't trust it, fine. Move on. But don't kid yourself that organic isn't any healthier. And why bother picking on the folks that choose organic? Why don't you picket a drive thru lane at the fast food joint!

Next point:

I've always said that no matter where you do your grocery shopping, you can't be an idiot! If you're buying food that comes in a package, then you still have to read the label!

For years, I've talked about doing much of our family's grocery shopping at Whole Foods Market. (enter all the "yeah-but" folks again!) I KNOW that Whole Foods isn't 100% organic. I KNOW that Whole Foods isn't 100% local. I KNOW that Whole Foods isn't 100% free of some of the toxins our governing agencies have approved for our consumption.

I've never, ever once said Whole Foods Market is perfect. I HAVE said many times that it's far better than any other option we have where I live.

Silly to argue that point.

By the way, Whole Foods sells a ton of "less toxic" junk food. It's still junk food. It doesn't create health, it just causes a little less toxicity.

I don't buy everything at Whole Foods anymore. I don't need to... conventional grocery stores are carrying more organic options, often at better prices than Whole Foods.

What I've always looked for is FRESH food, preferably locally grown. That's a little tough in Michigan for several months of the year, but worth the effort.

I understand there are a whole lotta' environmental issues involved when we start buying non-local food. I'm not touching that topic with a 10 foot stick! I'm talking about Nutrition. That's it.

The very best option is always organic AND locally grown. I'd recommend finding a food co-op where you live. Organic one, of course! 'Nuff said about that!

Point 3:

Do I ever purchase non-organic food? Of course! When shopping for my fresh produce, if there's no organic option, or the organic option is wilted or past its prime, or the organic option is insanely priced, then I'll purchase conventional and wash it with a hydrogen peroxide rinse.

When it comes to meat, eggs and dairy, I will NOT buy it unless it's organic (or the cleanest option offered in the marketplace). This, too, I've recommended for years. Just by the very nature of the 'tissue' of meat and eggs, toxins accumulate much more readily in them. It's called bioaccumulation. It's nasty. I gladly pay the price tag for cleaner meats and eggs without a second thought.

While you're at it, if you're already inclined to invest in organic meat and eggs, then you might as well go for it and also make sure your meats (beef and bison) are grass-fed and that your chickens/eggs are free range. Shoot for the stars!

Conventional dairy is just a chemical cocktail of epic proportions! Every single conventional grocery store in my very conservative area has affordable organic dairy options. No more excuses.


So, in order to eat the "cleanest", healthiest foods possible, we should all grow our own produce and raise our own livestock. Year round, I might add.

Until then, I'm OK with trusting the "organic" label for a while longer while I search for my organic farm to purchase!

Creating a String of Pearls

Once again, I've just recently finished going through my morning "ME time"... it's the time of day when my mind is at its "loftiest"! I have great insight and clarity both during and immediately after my rituals. It's an absolutely amazing feeling... especially since there are many other moments during the day that I'm convinced I might just be losing my mind! I much prefer my clear, calm and focused morning brain!

Anyhow, I thought I've been focused on for the past 3 or 4 mornings during my rituals is the thought of "creating a string of pearls" with my children. I had been beating myself up with some mommy guilt about 'reacting' too much with the kids - getting upset with the- spending too much time correcting and disciplining and not making their lives fun enough.

But, I also know in my heart that I have many amazing moments with them. I was becoming frustrated, thinking things like, "why can't we just get through a day without..... (fill in the blank) you guys fighting..... somebody hitting..... sassy talk.... whining... etc. etc."

I was taking it very personally that I couldn't seem to create the perfect, unruffled day with them. Unrealistic, I know. Frustrating nonetheless.

Then it came to me a few mornings ago. The thought isn't new to me, but I was different this time around, and ready to 'hear' the thought differently.

I'm really very good at creating "moments" with the kids. You know, those little specs of time when everything's perfect and happy and loving. Those moments when you feel the deepest connection and joy. The moments when it all comes together - "Ahhhh yes, this is what motherhood is all about!" Personally, in those moments, I fully understand my purpose in this world.

So, instead of trying to create the perfect day, I decided to set my sights a little lower! I'll focus on creating those cherished, loving and totally present moments with the kids... and I'll intentionally create more of those throughout the day. Yeah, that's what I'll do! That's more manageable!

I think of those blissful little moments as the "pearls"- my treasured snippets of love and peace and connection. The more of those pearls I can create (or notice as they are happening), the more beautiful of a necklace I can create.

My wish is that as my children grow up and look back upon their lives, overall, they'll see the beautiful necklace.

My pearls are simple and "do-able" things like: greeting the kids with a smile and hugs and a cheerful disposition, regardless of what I may have been preoccupied with a moment earlier; truly feeling and appreciating their hugs; snuggling at least once a day; saying 'yes' more to their innocent, age-appropriate requests; and making eye contact with them and smiling and following along as they tell me all about their imaginary world!

I'm no perfect mom, but these little items even I can master! (at least most of the time!)

I'm sure I'll need to re-read this post at some point down the road to remind myself of this great insight... I know full well that we need to continue affirming thoughts and habits like these, 'cuz the craziness of life tends to take us off track! 'Tis the nature of the beast!

Mom's "ME Time"

As I sit here typing this post, I'm doing so with much gratitude in my heart. My morning has been calm, peaceful, focused, centered and fulfilling.

That's because my children aren't out of bed yet!!!

Seriously, I recognized many, many months ago, that early morning sleep was a small price to pay in exhange for my personal happiness, emotional balance and spiritual fulfillment.

Some mornings are more of a challenge getting out of bed than others, especially when everyone else is tucked in so comfy and warm, but the return on my investment is incomparable.

Right now, I feel incredibly balanced and complete. I'm perfectly relaxed, yet I have a giddy sense of deep happiness. No, I haven't turned to drugs!

I simply went through my 'list' of morning rituals. I did my affirmations and visualizing. I reviewed my dream board and miracle list. I prayed and asked God to oversee my day and all my wishes. I asked for help where I'm lacking clarity. I gave thanks for all that I have. Then I listened for a 'response'.

This morning I was blessed to have one of those "ah-ha" moments in my quiet time. I turned to my journal and quickly jotted down my new insight. Fabulous!

Now I can't wait for the kids to come downstairs so I can apply my new found wisdom on them!

I just wanted to share a snippet of my morning with you since it's such a vital component of my overall health and happiness. My early morning rituals are my life savers many days! I highly and wholeheartedly recommend that every mom find some "ME time" every single day. Time to think lofty thoughts, pray, listen and plant the mental, emotional and spiritual seeds that you want to see flourish into beautiful things!

(Of course, now my challenge is to maintain this "Zen-like" state when the two nut burgers come loudly racing down the stairs, making all sorts of crazy demands on their mommy! Ah yes, maintaining a state of grace in the midst of chaos is no easy task... but it's a worthy and rewarding challenge!)

Not All Snacks Are Equal!

I think it has become fairly common knowledge that eating healthy snacks throughout the day is a good thing. If you're a person who has previously overlooked the importance of healthy snacking, or has been avoiding snacks in order to "help you lose weight", it's time to re-evaluate.

In fact, small, healthy snacks throughout the day are critically important to maintain a highly efficient metabolism (and to help you burn fat), to maintain stable blood sugar levels, to keep your energy level high and your moods and emotions balanced... the list of benefits of healthy snacks is quite long!

Notice I keep saying "healthy" snacks? Let's talk about that for a minute...

First, let's simply agree that the healthiest food options, snacks or otherwise, are "real" foods - "God-grown" foods. Fresh, not packaged. The purest, cleanest sources, too. You get the idea.

OK, I know that's not always realistic! But we can certainly try to make this a reality for our families... it takes some planning and preparation, but the pay-off is Health. Not a bad return on your investment!

Next, let's talk about what isn't a healthy snack...

Quite often, it's all the convenience foods that come in wrappers or frozen packages. If the goal is to achieve better health, or to lose weight and shed fat, then a great start is to clean all the “bad” snacks out of your kitchen. Toss the cookies, chips, crackers and the cheesecake. Get rid of those chicken nuggets and pizza bagels. It will be much easier to choose healthy snacks if there isn’t the temptation of high-fat and high-sugar snacks lurking around, staring you in the face every time you open your fridge or pantry!

Now that you are staring at your almost-empty pantry and fridge, let's talk about what foods you should stock up on.

'Clean' protein, fresh veggies, fruit and certain nuts are by far your healthiest options. Protein may be meats or eggs - invest in organic, free-range and nitrate-free, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, etc. Whenever possible, choose organic, richly colored and a variety of veggies and fruit. The most nutrient-dense and safest nuts are almonds and walnuts. Choose raw and organic when you can.

Homemade dips, spreads and sauces, like hummus, baba ganoush, salsa, almond butter and guacamole are nutritious and truly healthy choices when you start with the best ingredients. Instead of dipping chips and crackers, try veggies instead. I don't necessarily think that "nature's candy", ie. fruit, needs any dipping... but if the mood strikes, try dipping it in organic yogurt.

One concern I have is the number of times I read and hear "healthy" snack recommendations that are heavily dependent upon grains and dairy. I frequently see foods like whole grain crackers and bread, rice cakes, cereals, milk, cheese, yogurt, hailed as the healthiest choices we could offer our kids, in particular.

This concerns me because our infatuation with grains has directly contributed to the obesity and diabetic epidemics in our society. All grains, whether highly processed and refined or not, affect our blood sugar and insulin levels.

I'm not saying to never eat grains... the organic, sprouted, multi grain choices cause less severe of an insulin reaction and offer more benefit. We just need to take grains out of the spotlight as the best snack choice. They simply aren't. They aren't part of our innate genetic nutritional requirements.

Conventional dairy comes with a laundry list of health problems. Again, I'm not saying "never"... I'm saying decrease the intake of dairy, and when you do eat it, make sure it's the cleanest source possible. Organic, raw and unpasteurized are the ideal choices. I've seen organic dairy options in the most conventional of grocery stores out there! It's now easier than ever to make this one significant upgrade in our food choices. Also, consider healthier options like goat's milk and kefir.

So here are some easy snacks that you can prepare and store, so they are ready to munch on.

Cut Up Fruit and Veggies
You can have all sorts of healthy veggies and even fruit sitting in your fridge, but your family won’t grab it for a snack because it would involve peeling and cutting. Instead they go for a bag of chips or some other ready to eat snack. Make it easy for everyone by cutting up some of the fruit and veggies and keep it in glass containers ready to eat.

In the summer, when berries are plentiful, I love to keep a huge bowl of fresh berries right front and center in the fridge, with a big serving spoon handy. The kids know they can help themselves... fruit by itself or heaped on top of organic yogurt or kefir.

Trail Mix
Make your own trail mix from organic, naturally sweetened granola, almonds or walnuts, and dried fruit. It’s a great snack to just grab and go, or something to munch on whenever the urge strikes. Make up a batch of trail mix and store it in an airtight, preferably glass, container in your pantry or fridge.

Granola Bars
Homemade granola bars are a great snack alternative to cookies and cake. It’s sweet and crunchy, but by making your own, you control what ingredients go in there. Use organic whole grains and dried fruit. Keep the amount of sugar, honey, brown rice syrup, etc. you use on the low end for a healthier treat.

Cooked Chicken Breast
Keep some cut up cooked organic, free-range chicken breast in the fridge for a quick protein rich snack. Add the chicken to a little lettuce for a quick salad, or wrap it with some fresh veggies and sprouts in a lettuce leaf (for a lettuce wrap) or in a tortilla. Make a quick chicken quesadilla with tortillas and a little organic cheese.

We also love the organic and nitrate-free deli meats from Whole Foods Market. The kids inhale this stuff! They love to snack on it rolled up with fancy toothpicks, or cut up and mixed into their salad.

All it takes is a little planning and preparation, and trying some new foods, to get everyone in the family eating healthier snacks.

The Dreaded Phone Call NO Parent Wants to Receive...

Yesterday we got a call from our daughter's school... actually I missed the call when it came in, but checked my message immediately. It went like this, "Hi Colleen. This is ____ from school. Jacqueline has been in an accident, has cut open her head and is bleeding pretty badly. She needs you."

Holy crap! There is nothing that compares to the intensity of emotions that a parent feels when their child has been hurt, or is ill.

Thank GOD my husband was home at the time... I think I would have had a heart attack, had he not been there! We woke our son up form his nap (which is always a lovely experience!), stuck him in his car seat, and drove like he** to get to her school at warp speed.

A little background: this is the THIRD time in a year and a half that this kid has split her head open!!! Unbelievable! I swear, anytime I hear a scream or a cry in a room full of children, I automatically assume that it's most likely my daughter!

Anyhow, ultimately, she's fine. This time, they were able to "glue" her. Good thing - I'm sure I would have passed out if I had to watch the whole needle into her forehead and stitches thing again! Not my strong suit!

Some 'funny' things happened during this little adventure with her yesterday.

First, it was her third time at this emergency clinic... and her fourth time at any doctor's office or clinic since birth. She's almost 6.

She was at a family doc we personally know when she was one. We took her in to confirm that she had Rubella... and wanted a 2nd opinion about whether or not we should proceed with our plans to travel to a seminar the following day. He confirmed that it was indeed Rubella... "most likely contracted by exposure to another child who had been recently vaccinated". He agreed with us that she was absolutely fine to travel, as the virus was already passing through her system quite efficiently. No treatment of any sort - more like a visit with a trusted friend.

Interesting, he also commented on how lucky she was to have contracted this... "Now she's immune for life... easy! 3 days from beginning to end for the virus to pass through the body, then you're done! I don't know we vaccinate for this."

So, when we started this little parade of head injury trips to the emergency clinic, we had to deal with the shock, disbelief, disdain and disapproval of everyone involved in the process - from check in to consultation to examination and treatment to check out.

We just laugh now! We're used to it.

The dialogue usually goes something like this:

"Immunizations up to date?"
"No."
"Pardon?"
"No. She has no vaccinations." (The pen goes down, the head comes up. The look of confusion appears! The entire consultation comes to a screeching halt... and we're only 15 seconds into it... this is gonna' be interesting!)

"What, you don't believe in immunizations?"
"Oh, no. We believe vaccinations are real. We choose not to give them to our children."
"Do you care to explain?"
"No."

(Believe me, we could give you a 12 hour scientific dissertation reviewing and dissecting every shred of evidence and research pertaining to vaccines and their entire progression throughout history... but our daughter might bleed to death in the process! We're not trying to pick a fight here ... can we stop talking about this now???)

"Hmm... " (Head goes down. Writing begins.)
"Immunizations are very, very important you know."
"We've done our research and choose not to. We're here to have her injury treated, that's all."
"So, I suppose you don't want a tetanus shot for the open wound she has, either?" (not the most approving tone at this point.)
"No thank you. Just proper wound cleaning, then whatever she needs - stitches or glue."

"OK. What about previous medical history? Any problems?"
"No."
"What medications does she take?"
"None." (Suspicious eyes comes up from the paper again...)
"Any allergies to medications?"
"None that we know of. .. she's never taken any."

(They're now certain that we have stepped right off another planet!! Guess what? We feel the same!)

We add, "She's never needed any." (hoping to make the note taker feel better!)

... the interrogation goes on for awhile... we're pretty sure the note taker has pressed a secret button to have the police and child protective services come and take us away!!!

Fast forward to dismissal instructions. "If she asks for it, or looks mopey, give her Motrin." My daughter begins to question me... I 'shush' her and say "I'll tell you later."

Moments later, when we've been released, she asks, "What's Motrin?" I tell her. She says, "Why would I give my body drugs when it's already injured and working so hard to heal?" I say, "I'm sure there's a time and a place for Motrin honey... I just can't think of it off the top of my head." She asks if we even have any. Nope.

On our way out, we walked by the vending machine in the waiting room. My daughter turns to me and asks, "Mommy, isn't it mostly sick or injured people who come here?" I answer affirmatively. She astutley observes, "Then they shouldn't have all that junk here for those people to eat. How can their bodies heal properly if they're putting all that junk in?"

Well spoken, little Scar Face! I say, "Someday, when you rule the world, you can fix all that!"

You Drank WHAT???

The other day, my daughter spent a couple of hours playing outside with a friend in the neighborhood. At one point, they went inside her friend's house for a bathroom break. Or, so I thought.

Let me interject a critical piece of background information here....

We have gone over and over the "food and drink" ground rules for visiting a friend's house. Real simple, it's something like this: "Sweetie, you will be offered food and drinks that we don't have at home. As long as you have filled up with health first (eaten clean protein, veggies, fruit and water), then you may try a bit of what is offered, if you choose. EXCEPT when it comes to drinks. ONLY water, unless you know for certain that it's organic 'real' juice, then you may have that. Absolutely no milk, pop, sports drinks or juice drinks."

When she came home from the friend's house, she told me that, while inside their home, she had eaten a few homemade cookies that her friend's mom had just made. OK. Not the healthiest choice, but totally understandable, I thought.

It wasn't until much later that night, in the bathtub actually, that my daughter 'slipped' and told me that she actually had at least 6 cookies!! OK, I can still understand. Afterall, they sounded like really yummy cookies! But, I did remind her that the more toxins you put in, the less health is created.

Then it occurred to me, all those cookies must have made her really thirsty. That's when she dropped the bomb!!

She had 2 or 3 glasses of MILK!!!!

YOU DRANK WHAT???

Oh my goodness... you would have thought she had just confessed to smoking pot with her friends!!! I couldn't believe she would put that stuff in her little body! I was horrified!!!

I'll make the very long version of this story much shorter...

We obviously had three issues:

1) we needed to review making healthy choices even when mommy and daddy aren't around;
2) we needed to have a frank conversation about MILK.

My daughter's eyes just about popped out of her little head when I told her that the milk she had chugged was loaded with drugs! (I had to get her attention!) We talked about the steroids, hormones and antibiotics it's loaded with.

I know she just about threw it up when she heard this!

3) finally, we needed to discuss the contradictory nature of "healthy" food. She was very confused (again) by other people in her life saying that milk is very healthy for her (her friends, other parents, teachers, etc.) and that having cookies, cake and other sweets really isn't so bad.

She looked at me, wondering why her father and I are the only two grown-ups on the planet that disagree! I told her that, unfortunately for her, this was something she'd have to get used to! I told her she could choose whatever she wanted to when she is a grown-up... but for now, it's MY responsibility to protect and enhance her health. Period.

I am absolutely certain that this is only the beginning of our healthy choice journey with our kids! I'm sure we'll be re-visiting this quite often!

Poor kid. I think she's rather have parents that own a candy store!

What Type Of Physical Activity Are We Really "Wired" For?

Earlier this afternoon, my daughter and I took off for one of our adventure walks. It has been such a beautiful spring day here, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to spend some 'girl' time with her, as well as get some exercise in the warm sunshine.

About half way into our journey, I realized how differently a 5 year old and a grown-up approach "exercise"! For years I've read that our hunter/gatherer ancestors moved their bodies in an incredibly varied way... sometimes it was full-out running, either for food or for sake of not becoming someone's food, sometimes climbing, balancing, walking, squatting, jumping, throwing, etc.

It has been said that the average adult 'back in the day' was in the same condition as our modern day elite, Olympic decathletes. Wow, how far we've strayed from our innate movement patterns!

So today, I saw first hand how truly amazing kids are! Left to their own devices, without the distraction of a pesky television or video game, they naturally move their bodies in a much more holistic way than us fuddy-duddy grown-ups tend to.

For a solid hour, this child of mine was performing an entertaining, energetic combination of sprints, skipping, walking, throwing rocks, climbing a tree, rolling down a hill, dancing the "booty-shake", balancing on and walking effortlessly along a fallen tree, puddle jumping, more sprints and WAY more skipping!

It was some of the best and definitely the most fun interval training I've ever done! I couldn't help but think, "no wonder this kid has such a lean, toned body with hardly an ounce of fat on her!"

I think exercise programs should be designed by 5 year olds! We'd all be more carefree, definitely more fit... and we'd certainly smile a LOT more since we'd all be skipping everywhere we go!

Can You Calculate Your Real Age By The Number Of Times You Eat Out Each Week?

Check this out...

Do you enjoy eating out in restaurants? I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoy the idea of a nice dinner in a restaurant... someone else preparing it, setting the table, and doing all the dishes! Aaaahhhh, how relaxing...

BUT, it doesn't really work like that in my real life because I can't effectively come to terms with the amount of toxic, nutrient-lacking "food" served in our local restaurants. It just seems like empty, dead food. Oh sure, some of it tastes totally fabulous... but that has nothing to do with health!

I know this is very much a geographic issue as well. I'm in the wrong town... probably the wrong state to expect wholesome, pure, sufficient, fresh foods!

As I've said before, when our family is headed out to a resturant, I feel the need to plan ahead and make sure the kids and I (my husband is on his own!) have filled up with health first! We have a healthy source of protein and some fresh greens... relieves some mommy guilt!

Plenty of times, I'll pack our own purified water (especially in one particular local town where the city tap water has very high levels of arsenic) and fresh veggies for the kids to munch on while waiting for their meal. I couldn't care less about some of the glares I get from waitstaff... MY kids... their health is MY responsibility.

So, can you actually calculate your real age based upon how often you eat out? The theory, of course, would be that the more you eat out, the less healthy you are, the more accelerated your aging process would be.

Check out this Dr. Mercola link to find out how this is done... and be sure to read his comments after the article!

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/04/01/can-you-calculate-your-age-by-how-often-you-eat-out.aspx