Have you ever had a sneaky suspicion that you would feel a lot better and probably lose quite a bit of weight if you could just quit eating so much sugar?

Do you feel frustrated because you constantly think about food and crave sugary snacks?

Have you gotten to the point where your desire to feel better is outweighing the relative ease of staying the same?

In my experience, when people decide once and for all to eliminate sugar from their diet, they usually start to freak out about how hard it’s going to be. It is easier if you have a strong, compelling reason to step outside of your comfort zone!

If you are considering a sugar detox,  you are probably struggling with one of the following:

• You have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes (90% of Americans have not been diagnosed)
• You have belly fat that you would like to lose
• You are overweight and low-energy
• You always crave sugar and carbs
• You have trouble losing weight on conventional diets
• You eat when you’re not hungry
• You get withdrawal symptoms if you cut down or stop eating sugar or flour

If any of these sound like you, what follows is a comprehensive guide to your sugar detox. I highly recommend you detox for a full 10 days.

1. Make a decision to detox

There are lots of other symptoms you may be dealing with including bloating, gas, reflux, irritable bowel, joint or muscle pain, brain fog, memory or mood problems, sinus or allergy symptoms, and more. You know intuitively that these conditions are not normal and are somehow tied to sugar consumption, so by choosing to detox from sugar, you are making a decision to feel healthy and happy!

2. The Tried and True Turkey Approach

The tried and true turkey is cold turkey. You have to go all the way. There honestly is no half-way for this one if you want to reset your body’s neurotransmitters and hormones.

Sugar, as we know, is highly addictive and lights up the same centers for pleasure in your brain as cocaine and other drugs. It’s a sugar “detox” for a reason! Stop consuming all forms of sugar, flour products, and artificial sweeteners, which cause increased cravings and slow metabolism and lead to fat storage.  Ideally, for 10 days, you avoid any food that comes in a box, can, or package, and any food that has a label. Stick to real, whole, fresh food.

3. Detox your Drinks

We forget that juices, sports drinks, and sweetened teas are just as bad as solid food with sugar or flour. In fact, when we drink sugary sodas and juices all that glucose goes very quickly into your bloodstream, raises your blood sugar, causes your body to release insulin, and ultimately begins the cycle that leads to belly fat and high triglyceride levels! Stats: a 20-ounce soda has 15 teaspoons of sugar; Gatorade contains 14 teaspoons of sugar in one bottle.

4. Protein Power

Lean, clean protein at every meal, especially at breakfast, works wonders for balancing blood sugar and insulin and cutting cravings. Traditional breakfasts based on pancakes, waffles, cereal, and fruit are not part of this equation. You are better off with whole eggs in an omelette with veggies, or even a high-quality protein shake. You will have to plan ahead so you can have nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, chicken, or grass-fed meat on hand for protein at every meal.

5. Eat Green Carbs

Did you know that vegetables are carbs? You get to eat as much as you want. Yep, unlimited green carbs … non-starchy veggies such as kale or dandelion greens, anything in the broccoli family (cauliflower, kale, collards), asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, fennel, eggplant, artichokes, and peppers, to name a few. Go sparingly with things like sweet potatoes and beets.

6. Fat is Your Friend

I’ve said this about a million times, but here I go again. Fat doesn’t make you fat, extra calories and too much sugar does. Fat makes you feel satiated, helps balance your blood sugar, and is necessary for healthy hormone production. Along with protein, I encourage you to include good fats at every meal or snack. Sources of good fats include nuts and seeds (which also contain protein), extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, and omega-3 fats from fish.

7. Be prepared for the 911

To set yourself up for success you need to think ahead and avoid a food emergency when your blood sugar is dropping and you find yourself in a food desert such as an airport, the office, or a maze of convenience stores, fast food joints, and vending machines. You will need to pack yourself a collection of good snacks that will rescue you when things look grim. Look for things like:

• Justin nut butters that come in single serve packets
• Almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds in ziplock bags
• Salmon jerky or turkey jerky
• Fresh fruit or veggies

8. Stress Less

There is a direct link between stress and the hormone cortisol. When you are stressed, your cortisol levels go up. This makes you hungry, initiates that belly fat storage pattern, and leads to type-2 diabetes. The trick here is to be aware that you are feeling stressed out and learn to PAUSE.

Breathe.

Breathe deeply.

Studies show that taking deep breaths activates a special nerve, called the vagus nerve, that shifts your metabolism from fat storage to fat burning and quickly moves you out of the stress state. All you have to do is take a deep breath.

9. Don’t Fuel the Flames

Food allergies and stress can cause inflammation which in turn triggers blood sugar imbalances, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, and type-2 diabetes. The most common sources of inflammatory foods are sugar, flour, trans fats, gluten, and dairy. We often crave the foods we’re allergic to. This might be the perfect time for you to eliminate gluten and dairy for 10 days. Getting off them isn’t easy, but after just 2 or 3 days without them, you’ll have renewed energy, relief from cravings, and will see many of your common symptoms disappear.

10. Sleep it off

Have you ever experienced not being able to lose weight, being stuck on a plateau even though you’ve been doing all the right things, and then all of a sudden you take a couple days off and get plenty of sleep only to find you lost 5 pounds overnight? Sleep is exactly what you need for your body to heal, to reset hormones, and to decrease stress and inflammation. Let’s be honest, most of us are not getting enough sleep. Without the recommended eight hours of sleep,  you experience a rise in hunger hormones, a decrease in appetite-suppressing hormones, and big cravings for sugar and refined carbs. You literally can sleep your cravings and your weight away.

Let us know the results of your 10 day detox!

Sources:

• Foods That Promote Candida Overgrowth and Lead To Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Healthy Sugar Alternatives
• How to Detox Your Easter Candy Candida

Nature provides an amazing array of resources to improve our health and boost our immunity.  Mushrooms are a type of fungus that are enjoyed by people all over the world and renowned for their nutritional benefits.  In recent years, scientists have studied the medicinal benefits of the cordyceps sinensis mushroom.

Mushrooms have been used as food, medicine, poison, and in spiritual mushroom practices in religious rituals across the world since at least 5000 BC.  They have been used in tonics, soups, teas, prepared foods and herbal formulas to promote health and longevity.  The mushroom fungus, Penicillium, was the raw material used to create the antibiotic penicillin, which transformed the medical world.

What is Cordyceps?

This oddly shaped mushroom grows native to China and grows around the Tibetan area.  For years, it was thought to be a living worm rather than a mushroom and was nicknamed the caterpillar fungus as it is seen growing on the sides of trees.  Cordyceps is actually a fungal spore that kills insects such as caterpillars and moths and feeds off their tissues.

The Cordyceps mushroom has been described in old Chinese medical books from ancient times and is also found in Tibetan medicine. Traditional Tibetan healers have recommended Cordyceps as a tonic for all illnesses.  This is because they continually witness how it improves people’s energy, sleep habits, digestion, stamina, libido, and endurance.

Cordyceps first became popular in the western world when the coach of the record breaking Chinese female runners credited it with the team’s extraordinary success.  Today, many researchers believe Cordyceps to be one of the most powerful performance and longevity promoting herbs (1).

Cordyceps Improves Adrenal and Hormonal Health

The adrenal glands are critical for maintaining healthy energy levels, physical and mental performance, and good sleeping patterns.  Adrenal fatigue is a state where the adrenal glands are overworked and unable to perform their functions effectively.  Individuals with adrenal fatigue suffer from low energy, poor hormonal function, and chronic inflammation.

Adaptogenic substance is a term originally defined by Russian scientist Dr Nikolai Lazarev in the late 1940’s following research done on the eleuthero root.  Israel Brekham, PhD and Dr. I.V. Dardymov formally defined adaptogens with three major characteristics:

1. Adaptogens are non-toxic – this means they don’t have harmful effects on the body and are safe to be taken for long periods of time.
2. They produce a non-specific biological response that improves the body’s ability to resist physical, chemical, emotional, and other biological stressors.
3. They have a strong influence on the body towards homeostatic balance. This means that they move the body in the direction of a normal homeostatic set point.  If stress hormones are too high, they lower and stabilize them, and if stress hormones are too low, they raise and stabilize them.

Cordyceps Improves Performance

Cordyceps is shown to help the body produce and balance cortisol and other stress hormones (2).  The adaptogenic qualities allow them to influence the body towards homeostatic balance.  This means that they move the body in the direction of a normal homeostatic set point.  If stress hormones are too high, they lower and stabilize them and if stress hormones are too low, they raise and stabilize them (3).

In a 2003 study, Cordyceps extract was shown to improve a group of rat’s physical performance in an endurance swim by over 16% .  The rats also showed signs of reduced stress during the swim compared to the placebo group (4).

A 2014 study showed that Cordyceps markedly reduced exercise induced oxidative stress in a group of rats.  The study showed that the rats using Cordyceps has significantly increased production of intracellular anti-oxidants superoxide dismutase, glutathione and catalase in their serum, liver, and muscle.  They had considerably lower oxidative stress markers in their serum, liver, and muscle (5).

For more indepth information on Cordyceps, including  the best forms to take it in and the best teas, raw products, and supplements to get online, see my complete article here:

Sources:

1. Traditional uses and medicinal potential of Cordyceps sinensis of Sikkim – National Institute of Health
2. The in vivo effect of Cordyceps sinensis mycelium on plasma corticosterone level in male mouse – National Instite of Health
3. Pharmacological actions of Cordyceps, a prized folk medicine. – National Institute of Health 
4. Antifatigue and antistress effect of the hot-water fraction from mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis – National Institute of Health
5. Polysaccharides from Cordyceps sinensis mycelium ameliorate exhaustive swimming exercise-induced oxidative stress – National Institute of Health

Indigestion can seriously mess you up. I mean, think about it. One of the most important systems that your body has isn’t working properly and starts glitching. There’s going to be some inner turmoil.

If you’re prone to indigestion, you know what I’m talking about. Yeah, you might want to leave it a minute there before you provoke the stink-o-palypse.

So, you want to sort that out ASAP.

Where do you go? You have the option of popping down to your local drugstore, but let’s face it- that binge of chips and cheese you had last night probably has a lot to do with it.

No, this is between you and your gut. There’s no reason to get anyone else involved. So start at the root and get these five superfoods down your chute. They are guaranteed to save you from the embarrassment of the century. Don’t say we never did anything for you.

Moringa

Moringa is one of those old-as-time secrets that we were just extremely slow at catching onto. Indeed, we now know that it’s probably been used as a medicine for indigestion for a millennia. That’s a ridiculously long time to think about.

Because of its high fiber content, it works like a mop in your intestines (and for the boys, around your colon) to clean up any of that extra grunge left over from a greasy diet. Not to mention its anti-bacterial composition, great for ousting any unwanted visitors that get in the way of healthy digestion.

Extra gut perk? Moringa’s packed with isothiocyanates that’ve been shown to act as a natural antibiotic against H. pylori, a pathogen that’s a major cause of gastritis, both gastric and duodenal ulcers, and gastric cancer.

Aloe Vera

Oh, aloe vera. You’re probably more used to smearing this on you whenever you get a bad cut, but aloe vera also has surprisingly good traction inside the body. It contains things called mucopolyaccharides (we’re not even going to bother offering a pronunciation), which are present in every cell of our body and have a ton of vital jobs.

Among these are helping our digestive tract to absorb nutrients, getting body fluids to flow smoothly, and building a wall in the intestines which stops toxic and harmful chemicals right in their tracks. And it’s proven, too; a 2004 study showed that ulcerative colitis patients saw a significant improvement after taking the stuff twice a day for four weeks.

Chlorella

Chlorella is a kind of freshwater algae, originating from East Asia. It’s set apart from other algae thanks to its detoxifying agent, which helps to remove harmful substances from the body- particularly around the liver. Its heavy fiber content helps to toughen up the lining of the intestines and fight constipation head on, keeping your bowels regular and your body feeling feeling much lighter.

Kefir

When people talk about kefir, they’re usually talking about milk with kefir grains added in- known quite simply as milk kefir. But it’s the added grains that make kefir especially beneficial. They work essentially the same as yoghurt- adding more “good” bacteria to crowd the bad, but they have a lot more beneficial qualities than your standard, store-bought yoghurt. They help to soothe inflamed intestinal cells whilst the collection of friendly microflora found sends in new recruits for the battle against harmful gut flora.

Kimchi

Kimchi (pronounced kim-chee) is the national dish of Korea and has seen more of the universe than most of us will ever see. In fact, there was a type of kimchi bred by scientists for the sole purpose of being safe to eat in space!

Loaded with anti-oxidants and with enough fiber to leave your intestines sparkly clean, kimchi offers pure benefits with almost no calories or fat to speak of. Kimchi goes through a process of fermentation that creates helpful bacteria. One of the star players in kimchi is lactobacillus, which helps regulate gut flora.

We all have moments where our digestive system just doesn’t want to cooperate, but you don’t have to put up with it. Changing our diet is probably the most effective way we have of treating indigestion, since a lot of the time the reason our tracts are taking a hissy fit is because we’re not giving them enough of the good stuff!

Further Reading:

• How to Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem
• How to Cure Candida
• The Fascinating Bacteria in our Gut, and How it Affects Our Whole Lives

Recommended Supplements:

• Floramind-Prime by Thorne (Probiotic)
• Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse (cleans intestinal tract, kills parasites)
• Formula SF722 (kills Candida and all other fungi, yeast)

It wasn’t that long ago when we were told saturated fats were bad for us, that they clogged the arteries. Well, new studies have shown that was a myth; coconut oil is good for your health. Common sense should have told us this a long time ago. After all, societies that eat a lot of coconut are populated with some of the healthiest people on the planet.

Now that we are no longer afraid to include it in our diet, we have found we can eat the meat, drink the water, turn it into milk, and squeeze out the oil. Every part is a great source of nutrition. But that’s not the only benefit.

Coconut oil is also antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory. It has a world of uses. Here are a few:

Coconut Oil and Body Care

1. Oil pulling. Swish a tablespoon or so of coconut oil through your mouth for 15-20 minutes the first thing in the morning. This is a great practice for oral health and many claim other health benefits as well (oral health recipes).
2. Brush your teeth with it. Use it plain, add a few drops of essential oil (peppermint, cinnamon, tea tree, oregano), or make your own DIY toothpaste.
3. Use as a carrier oil. Most of the essential oils are too strong to use full strength. They should be diluted with a carrier oil and coconut oil works very well for this purpose. Just add a few drops of the essential oil of your choice to a tablespoon of coconut oil and rub it on your skin (essential oils for infections).
4. Use as a moisturizer. Plain coconut oil is great for the skin. It is said to lighten dark spots and help prevent stretch marks.
5. Make-up remover. Removes all make-up, including eye make-up.
6. Diaper cream. Use on baby’s butt!
7. Hair conditioner. Rub it into dry hair and leave it in for a few hours (shampoo conspiracy).
8. Use as a shave cream.
9. Use as a deodorant (deodorant recipe).

Coconut Oil and Health Care

10. Nail fungus. Add 5 drops of tea tree oil to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Rub into nails (kill fungal infections).
11. Personal lubricant. Does not disrupt natural vaginal balance.
12. Cracked heels. But remember this can be a sign of diabetes. Check your blood sugar and change your diet!
13. Use after the burn cools off.
14. Bug bites. Stops the itching and promotes healing.
15. Chapped lips. Instant moisture. And it tastes good!
16. Use on abrasions. Helps skin heal faster. (Also for perineum post birth).
17. Stops the burning and itching.
18. Prevents and may help reverse Alzheimer’s.
19. Kills topical yeast infections.
20. Kills lice.
21. Soothes eczema and psoriasis.
22. Helps to heal acne.

Pet Care With Coconut Oil

23. Dry or cracked paws
24. Dry noses.
25. Hot spots.
26. Rashes
27. Cuts or abrasions.
28. Helps prevent parasitic infections.
29. Kills yeast and fungal infections.
30. Glossy coat.
31. Better digestion (dog food recipe).

Note: For dogs, one teaspoon per 10 lbs. of weight (or one tablespoon per 30 lbs.). Start with ¼ of the amount and work up to the full amount over a 3-4 week period. Mix it into food.

Household Uses for Coconut Oil

32. Season cast iron pots and pans.
33. Polish metals.
34. Polish furniture.
35. Use on scuffed leather.

There are many more health benefits from eating coconut oil. But remember to always choose organic virgin coconut oil.

It’s great for cooking and it takes very little to sauté a stir-fry. But you can add coconut oil to smoothies, use it instead of butter or margarine, replace other oils in recipes, or just eat a spoonful. Yes, it’s that good for you!

Check out Fight Cavities And Gingivitis Naturally With Homemade DIY Oral Health for a coconut oil based toothpaste and more info about oil pulling. And let us know int he comments below what you use coconut oil for. Enjoy!

Recommended Reading:

• Heal Cavities, Gum Disease, Naturally with Organic Oral Care – Toothpaste Recipes Included
• How To Cook Using Coconut Flour
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• Raw Hummus Recipe

Recommended Products:

• Coconut Oil

Sources:

• Natural Head Lice Treatment with Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar – Wellness Mama
• Twenty Magical Things to Make With Your Jar of Coconut Oil – Natural Living Ideas
• Benefits of Coconut Oil For Dogs – The Dogington Post

Chipotle made waves earlier this year when they announced that they would be eliminating GMOs from their menu. After eliminating GMO cornstarch from its tortillas, the company is now further streamlining its tortilla recipe in an attempt to offer its customers a product as close to a homemade tortilla as possible. From an admittedly short list of eleven ingredients, Chipotle’s downsizing its ingredient list even further to a mere four: whole-wheat flour, oil, salt, and water.

Mass-producing this tortilla presents a number of problems, chief among them taste, shelf life, and logistics. Early test runs have created tortillas with the elasticity needed for burritos and a nutty taste most likely be attributed to Chipotle’s decision to use more health-conscious whole-wheat flour. But when a company is serving upwards of 800,000 tortillas a day, taste and texture are not the only concerns. It needs to produce a product that is consistent and always available. The typical means to increase shelf life would be the addition of preservatives to the product. Being health conscious, Chipotle said no to preservatives and found a solution both simple and elegant: sourdough.

The Oldest Leavened Bread

Fermentation is one of the earliest forms of food preservation. Sourdough has rich history as the first leavened bread, and its use of naturally occurring yeast has made it accessible to anyone since it was recognized. Using this time-tested method for insuring its bread would last longer, Chipotle is able to keep the shelf life its tortillas without lab derived chemicals and provide a healthier product that appeals to the informed consumer.

Lactobacilli bacteria is responsible for the unique sourdough flavor as it ferments the bread, breaking down gluten and other proteins. The bacteria also acts as a probiotic. This breakdown makes sourdough easier to digest than breads made with conventional yeast, making sourdough bread a potential option for those who are unable to easily digest modern bread products.

Of course there are logistical issues, as sourdough requires a consistent temperature, a quiet place to develop, and the time to properly ferment. Starting and maintaining a sourdough culture can be a daunting task. A tortilla factory is accustomed to expanding commercial dough balls with yeast and then immediately pressing, baking, and packaging tortillas for sale. So far Don Pancho Authentic Mexican Foods in Salem, Oregon, which is serving as the test factory, is dealing with the logistics needed for fermentation by designating a separate room where the sourdough cultures can ferment before being shaped and baked. Chipotle plans on perfecting the process then expanding it throughout the entire chain, region by region.

Our Food Conversation

Chipotle’s commitment to serve “Food with Integrity” is the culinary equivalent of the canary in the coalmine – can fast food be both healthy and profitable?

Though the average diner may not have entered the conversation about what’s in our food, where it’s coming from, and what our planet can actually sustain, there is a growing number of people who want quality, healthy dining options.

This conversation needs to continue on an increasingly larger scale. Though Chipotle has always been a part of this conversation due to their transparency, they entered it in a big way when they banned GMOs. It’s up to us to reward this business for its courage and integrity. Remember, as always, we vote with our dollars.

Further Reading:

• Foods That Lead to a Leaky Gut
• Understanding and Detoxifying GMOs
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Is Wheat Poison? What’s Behind The Rise Of Celiac Disease And Gluten Intolerance?
• Fermented Foods Optimize Your Health

Sources:

• Chipotle’s Quest to Develop a Better Tortilla – NY Times
• Tortilla Journey – Chipotle
• The History Of Sourdough Bread – Sourdough

A staple in the Mediterranean, extra virgin olive oil can be found in most dishes originating from the region. The oil is also a main ingredient in the Mediterranean diet that was developed as a way to safely lose weight while improving your overall health. High in essential fatty acids, plant sterols, and even vitamin K, there are several benefits associated with extra virgin olive oil that include its great taste.

Improve Your Immune System

Extra virgin olive oil is high in certain antioxidants that can help strengthen your immune system, along with vitamin E and natural carotenoids. These compounds are necessary for your body to successfully fight off certain cancers and diabetes and prevent inflammation and coronary artery disease. These naturally occurring antioxidants are also responsible for the distinctive flavor of the oil and are also beneficial in helping to prevent some types of degenerative nerve disease.

Relieves Aches and Pain

The nutritious oil is also high in oleocanthal, which acts like a natural pain reliever. This compound mimics the active ingredients found in ibuprofen and is a natural and safe way to ease various aches and pains due to inflammation. Extra virgin olive oil can also help treat the discomfort associated with sore and swollen joints that are usually caused by arthritis.

Weight Loss Aid

With the growing popularity of the Mediterranean diet, many people are discovering the great taste of the extra virgin olive oil, which can make it easier to eat healthily and lose the extra weight. While it is high in fat and calories, it can also help you shed the extra pounds. The calories contained in olive oil are used for energy while the fatty acids are essential for your general health. It can also improve digestive health, which is always beneficial even if you are not trying to lose weight.

Improve Your Sex Life

The compounds found in extra virgin olive oil can also improve your sexual performance, along with your general health. The plant sterols can reduce cholesterol and reduce your risk of developing heart disease while the essential fatty acids improve blood flow and circulation. Increased blood flow can treat several sexual dysfunctions, and prevent any from occurring. When your entire body is healthy, it is easier to have a satisfying sex life.

Prevent Loss of Brain Function

One of the biggest fears people face when they are growing older is the loss of brain function. The vitamin K in extra virgin olive oil has proven to be successful in preventing damage to the neurons, a key step in treating and preventing Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin K can also increase bone density, and prevent osteoporosis.

Reduce Signs of Aging

Along with helping to prevent and treat arthritis, memory loss, and osteoporosis, this healthy and natural oil can also improve the appearance of your skin. The vitamins and plant sterols can help fight the signs of aging, along with minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. High in essential vitamin E, adding extra virgin olive oil to your daily diet can help improve cellular regeneration. This can not only “erase” tiny wrinkles, but the beneficial compounds can also even skin tone for a fresh and radiant appearance.

Improve Overall Health

Along with being an effective weight loss aid, extra virgin olive oil can improve your overall health. The naturally occurring antioxidants can reduce your risk of developing certain diseases while the plant sterols work to lower cholesterol and improve the health of your heart. Essential vitamins improve your skin tone and digestive system while also helping to treat and prevent several health conditions. This delicious and nutritious oil can also improve memory function, along with your sex life.

Summary

It is hard to believe that this natural oil can offer so many health benefits while also making salads, pastas, and even bread taste unbelievable. Used for centuries in the Mediterranean for its nutritional properties, it has now become a popular choice for many people looking to lose weight and improve their health. Extra virgin olive oil can be used in cooking, as a dressing for vegetables and pasta, or to simply dip your bread in. It will improve your digestive system making it easier to lose weight safely, and its natural compounds work to improve the health of your body. As a bonus, this natural oil does not contain any allergens and is generally considered safe for anyone to ingest.

References:

• OliveOil – Wikipedia
• Multiple Articles – Consumer Health Digest
• Multiple Articles – Glozine

In the last few days I have read two articles with snide comments about labeling. One was an article slamming a popcorn company for their non-GMO label, the other criticized companies for putting gluten-free labels on foods that never had gluten in them.

The assumption from both of these writers is that the companies are doing something wrong, that by labeling their products with these “trendy” labels, they are somehow duping their customers.

Let’s look at this from the consumer’s perspective.

GMO-Free Label

Consumer A has learned enough about GMOs to know she doesn’t want to eat them or feed them to her family. While the battle rages on in the media with biotech claiming their genetically modified foods are safe, she has learned that study after study has indicated the long-term, third generational effects of genetically modified foods raise serious concerns – among them, disruption of reproduction.

Biotech firms are so powerful they have blocked every attempt to label GM foods. The only way to avoid GMOs in processed foods is to know that every single ingredient in a food is not GMO. Any non-organic food is likely to have GM ingredients, especially if it contains corn syrup. Since an organic or certified organic label means that 95%-99% of the ingredients are organic, there is still a risk of GM ingredients though admittedly small. Only a 100% organic label protects you from GMOs. So, with no mandatory labels stating that GMOs are included, what is wrong with stating a product is GMO-free?

In the case of popcorn, we are told that 90% of the corn grown in the United States is GMO. This is common knowledge. At this time, popcorn is not a genetically modified food, but this fact is not common knowledge. And with the way things are going, popcorn could easily become genetically modified in the future. So let’s applaud a popcorn company that tells its consumers that its products are not genetically modified, even if all popcorn is still non-GMO.

Gluten Free Label

Consumer B cannot eat foods with gluten. Every time he does, he experiences joint pain, muscle pain, painful weeping rashes, and gastrointestinal problems. He has learned through experience that gluten is hidden in many processed foods. He would have to memorize a long list of ingredients to always avoid it. He truly appreciates finding foods with a gluten-free label and the stores that post a gluten free sign on the shelf. Whether a food has ever been gluten free or not does not concern him. He does not feel it is a manipulation to have a gluten free label on a food, he feels it is a welcome consideration.

Are these companies jumping on the bandwagon with these labels? Yes, of course, they are. But what’s wrong with that?

If every non-GMO food producer put a non-GMO label on their packages, we would quickly defeat the biotech industry’s attempt to keep us in the dark about what we are eating.

Other Labels

A few products found in the health food aisles or health food stores use every label that applies to their product and it makes shopping so much easier for those with food restrictions. What about the person who has a life-threatening reaction to nuts? Or the child who gets a nosebleed whenever a trace of a dairy product is eaten? Wouldn’t it be nice to see all of these labels used whenever they apply?

• 100% organic
• Gluten free
• Dairy free
• Nut-free
• Vegan

And for meat and dairy:

• Organic
• Grass-fed
• Antibiotic-free
• Free-range

Conclusion

In the meantime, it is good to remember that processed foods should be limited if not excluded from a healthy diet. A truly healthy diet consists of 80% or more fresh, raw, organic produce – more vegetables than fruits. Check out the 80% Raw Food Diet for more information.

If you suffer from any chronic illness, learn more about gluten and why it may be in your best interest to exclude it from your diet. Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases will address the basic issues and how to heal your gut.

We should commend any food company that provides additional labels to make our purchasing choices easier. And we should encourage all companies who sell GMO-free foods to advertise that choice with a GMO-free label.

Further Reading:

• Understanding And Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods
• The Dark Act – Deny Americans The Right To Know – GMO Labeling
• How Gluten Can Affect Your Brain, Gut, and Skin
• No More Gluten – How I Found Health After Ms
• The Reasons Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease Are on the Rise