I'm always looking for healthy foods.

I started our journey to healthy when CJ was a toddler and at that time (15 years ago) there were not that many options and what little foods there were, they were hard to find. I would drive anywhere or buy foods via mail if they were organic, gluten-free and dairy free. So you can imagine, my first trip shopping at Whole Foods; I felt like a child on Christmas morning! There were so many healthy choices. I loved it. As I told my story to people and encouraged them to eat whole organic foods, many people said it was just too expensive and hard to find.

How sad that processed foods are cheaper than whole organic foods.

You would think it would be the opposite as processed foods take more time to make and factories and workers are needed. Unfortunately, the low quality ingredients in most processed foods allow for a cheaper price. It doesn't seem fair or make much sense, but it's reality.

We are just beginning to understand and accept the need for whole foods.

Let's face it, people today are used to fast convenient foods so that's what is readily available. It's Economics 101-the problem is supply and demand. There are fewer healthy markets and organic farms so the demand may be getting higher, but the supply is still low, causing higher prices. For example, my cousin had many food allergies and was also not able to eat foods with preservatives when she was growing up in the 1970's. My aunt had to drive 20+ miles to a health food store for things as simple as almond butter or whole grain bread. Thankfully today you can find many stores that sell healthier food choices, but it still may be expensive.

Shopping for organic foods will get even get easier and more reasonable!

Walmart is teaming up with Wild Oats organic foods. This essentially means organic foods will be available in almost every neighborhood. It also means that organic products will be sold for a better price. Consumers will not only have more options on where to buy organic foods, but the competition should bring organic prices down over all. That is a win win for the consumer.

The possibility for more organic foods available to everyone excites me.

The fact that Walmart is branching into organics means that the demand for organic food is not just for the stereotypical health food junkie, but also for the average consumer. This means that more people are aware of the dangers of eating chemically processed and genetically modified foods and want to change their eating habits. I think the competition between Walmart and traditional health food markets will raise awareness even more. My hope is that someone will see organic and non-organic foods side by side, see that the cost is similar and opt for organic. My dream would be that people would then buy fresh organic foods as well. This would also allow organic farmers without GMO produce to become more profitable. People wrongly believe that just because organic produce is more expensive, the farmers make more money. The truth is that it cost more to farm organically. Whole Foods has long held to the belief that they are "the buying agents for our customers and not the selling agents for the manufacturers." Unfortunately for this once food revolutionary "food to fork" market has had their profits slip, as more grocery stores want to provide customers a healthier way to eat. I hope stores like Walmart retain the dignity and hard work of these small organic farmers and help them make more money as well.

What motivated Walmart to add organics?

I'm not sure why and maybe it did have to do with wanting a share of the growing "organic" market. I don't care though because anything that gets people talking about, buying and eating healthy food choices is good. I do find it funny that [http://blog.walmart.com/making-organic-foods-a-reality-for-all]Walmart has a disclaimer stating "This isn't about telling our customers what to eat, nor is it an endorsement of certain foods. It's about leveraging our scale to provide access to the choices that currently elude too many families in our country. It's just one more way we're helping our customers save money so they can live better." I guess they don't want to alienate the people who shop all the rest of the food aisles packed with processed food! Oh well, I will take any amount of health awareness I can get!

There are other ways to buy healthy at a reasonable or cheaper price.

One of the best and most fun (to me) ways to buy organic produce is to shop at the local farmer's market. (There's even a website called [http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/]Local Harvest to help you locate the farmer's market closest to you!) I love getting to know the vendors and learning what's the best produce to buy for the season or even that day. Our early ancestors didn't have food shipped from miles away. Rather, they ate the fresh food available to them and then fermented/cultured and canned their food to eat later. This not only preserved the food, but provided valuable good gut bacteria that helped their immune systems and over all health.

This is one less excuse for not buying organic!

As always, you need to be your own warrior and check the ingredients on everything you buy. Best rule of thumb: if you can't pronounce it or don't know what it is, it's probably NOT good for your gut! Raw, whole, organic, fermented probiotic foods help replenish good gut bugs, amino acids and live enzymes, which you need when you don't eat as well as you should AND even when you do eat well. Fermented foods are as essential to your body as drinking water. Your body needs it to be balanced so your body efficiently absorbs and distributes essential nutrients for all the other foods you eat too. A healthy gut equals a healthy body, mind and life!

Shop well. Eat well. Live well.

By Tamara Yapp

Food is such a basic part of our existence. Our lives revolve around it from our waking moment onwards. Food and feasting go hand in hand and even celebrations all over the world and across all cultures are centred on food. Our ancient Indian scriptures divide food into three categories, such as-

Satvic or pure foods: These are foods that heal, comfort, juicy, smooth and increase longevity, intelligence and strength and are digested well by our system.

Rajasik or the tasteful foods: These are salty, spicy, bitter, salty and can give rise to ill health, grief or discomfort.

Tamasik or the impure foods: These include stale, cold, left over foods, impure and half cooked causing great harm to the mind and the body.

Food is one aspect of our life that we take for granted. We are less mindful of the food that we consume. We leave our body to deal with the constant abuse from our day to day lives and lifestyles. We, humans, without taking our body for granted, need to create health generating systems and build a oneness with food, productive exercises, yoga, corrective breathing and meditation, rest and sleep and be spiritually aware and conscious. These steps translate into better stamina, strength, tone and energy with emphasis on the whole body as an entity, one that accentuates wellness and wellbeing.

The food we eat lays the foundation for every cell and tissue in our body. The purpose of food is to nourish us, build strength and to give vital energy. Digestive harmony is the key for release of this vital energy needed for healthy living. The science of Ayurveda - the creative and constructive life science - says that every part of our mind and body is governed by the DOSHAS - the bio-energetic force or elements that sustain life. Refined, processed and preserved foods are all totally devoid of this nutrition and vitality. Wholesome, raw and natural foods that have absorbed the cosmic energy, and are super charged with ample rainfall and sunshine must be utilized to the fullest for health and wellness.

The father of medicine, Hippocrates said "thy food is thy medicine. You are what you eat and what you eat you become".

To most of us eating good food is just another chore and a trivial thing to do. How many of us are really mindful of the fact that good food performs miracles inside our cells and tissues and is responsible for 80 percent of our transformation. Food has a subtle effect on our minds as well. Food plays a pivotal role in influencing our brain behaviour, our moods, and thought processes and in handling stress. It is these wholesome, natural foods that bestow health and vigour liberating and protecting us from us from illnesses. Studies have shown that there are two dietary processes in the human body-nourishing and cleansing- that need to be regulated with good and sensible dietary habits. If neglected, it can lead to a build up of toxins which are the basis for most mental and physical degeneration.

Health is not just a great body or a zero size figure but covers physical fitness, mind science and spiritual growth and our efforts should be an integrated approach towards wellness. To achieve this eat appropriate foods that do not erode our digestive system. Yes, I mean, go real easy on all those junk foods, soft drinks, stale, cold foods and excessive meat eating and alcohol. Instead, begin to love fruits, veggies, nuts and foods in their natural wholesome form. It is important to 'cater to your hunger and not pamper your appetite.' I am urging you to follow this and not call it a 'diet'. It is not intended for weight loss alone. On the contrary, it is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

So, let us celebrate good health.

How often have you come across the words 'healthy' and 'food' in the same sentence, but chose to ignore it? Despite being aware of the many benefits of eating healthy, I see so many people around me taking their health for granted. Our body is what we make of it. So why fill it with unhealthy food and end up bearing the brunt of it.

Eating healthy has innumerable advantages, some of them being:

1. Helps prevent and control health problems like heart diseases, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes.

2. With good nutrition your body becomes better equipped to deal with stress.

3. Good food stimulates the body to create more killer cells to ward off infections thus promoting immunity.

4. Food provides us with disease fighting antioxidants and can slow the natural process of ageing.

Indian diets, with mindfulness and planning are natural and unprocessed comprising of grains, pulses and dals, fruits and vegetables, nuts and oilseeds; all in adequate amounts to maintain health. Diet and Nutrition are responsible for 70 to 80% of your entire transformation. Food also influences your thought process, attitude and behavior. There are foods which can make you feel high, there are foods which can make you irritable and temperamental, there are foods which can excite you, and there are foods which can relax you.

Indian diets suit Indian population the best depending upon our culture, climatic conditions, atmosphere, pollution etc. Once a while enjoying other cuisines is great, but would you ever want to solely depend on pastas and burgers too often and face the risks attached to consuming such unhealthy, non fibrous foods?

As mentioned above the health risks are plenty! Our diets include complex carbohydrates from jowar, bajra, ragi, whole wheat etc as opposed to the refined carbohydrates. Our diets are designed to protect our hearts with low levels of oils, fats, sugars. In fact our diets strike this perfect balance of all food groups, nothing too much and nothing too little. High sugar intake is proportionate to diabetes, high fat levels can lead to hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, heart diseases, strokes etc.

My golden rules for better health:

Remember, our bodies are tailored to consume what we have been since childhood and what our fathers, fore fathers have been consuming. Our diets of rotis, dals/pulses, veggies, sprouts, salads etc on a daily basis will ensure complete health as opposed to constant consumption of junk foods /burgers/pizzas/excess amounts of cheese, cream etc. Relish on all that you love, but remember, anything too little or too much is equally damaging...

Guidelines for healthy eating and weight management

Follow these golden rules/steps of healthy eating for achieving a healthy weight loss and to maximize your health and longevity:

1. Frequent small helpings of food are recommended. Eat slowly. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs, provides constant energy and maintains metabolism efficiently.

2. Select foods based on your preference and do not worry as much about the number of calories you consume but concentrate on combining the right foods and on the portion sizes. Do not deprive yourselves. This is likely to cause you to eat more the next day.

3. Add a wide variety of foods to your daily diet. Include wholesome foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, sprouts, and whole grains. These foods provide all the essential nutrients and fiber which are necessary for growth, good health and immunity.

4. Drink daily 8 to 10 glasses of liquids like water, and herbal teas. These drinks are fillers are hunger managers.

5. Include fresh fruits, fresh unstrained vegetable juices, vegetable, sprouts, whole grains, nuts and low fat milk/yoghurt.

6. Drink a glass of ginger/green tea after a heavy meal. This hastens digestion and improves metabolism.

7. Consume healthy snacks like salads, crackers, fruits, unsweetened and low fat yogurt, wholegrain biscuits and muffins.

8. Read labels well and choose foods that do not contain chemicals like preservatives and additives. Organically grown foods are a healthier option.

9. Avoid bad fats like butter, cream full-cream milk and rich salad dressings and sauces. Take care not to eliminate sources of good fats like nuts, seeds and olive oils which contain unsaturated fatty acids. Use these foods in moderation.

10. Eliminate white flour products like breads and biscuits, pastas, white rice, processed foods and sugary breakfast cereals. They lack fibre. They also cause a spike in our insulin level leading to fat storage.

11. Exercise on a regular basis. Stretching, yoga, calisthenics, walking and other mild forms of aerobic activities are recommended. These exercises can be done at home or in a gym with guidance. Stress can be reduced through yoga,meditation, good rest and sound sleep.

12. Avoid soft drinks, and juices. Also avoid sweets, desserts and fried snacks. Instead, eat a variety of nutrient dense foods. Limit the consumption of processed foods, fried foods and fast foods. If you must have them, remember to exercise moderation. Moderation is the key when you eat what you want without feeling deprived.

13. Use cooking methods like stewing, steaming, grilling and roasting instead of frying.

Good health is the result of conscious commitment that involves many factors like the food we eat, exercises, mental well-being, rest and sleep. Consistency is the most important factor when it comes to good nutrition. When you are often on the run, you need a plan that you can easily adopt and one that features a foundation of healthy food. Eating frequent well balanced meals is essential for anyone who wants to lose or maintain weight, have energy and stamina throughout the day, boosted immunity, to improve focus and concentration and above all for Mickeymizing your wellness quotient!

Last week it was my Son's birthday and we planned to take the kids for a picnic to the lakeside park. We decided to make a salad and pack some sandwiches & drinks for the picnic. We prepared the sandwiches at night and took along with us for the morning trip. By mid-day we were at the lake. As we spread the sheets on the grass the kids felt hungry and demanding food. As I opened the basket I smelt something weird.

The sandwiches with chicken filling was giving out unpleasant smell. The food had gone bad. To our good fortune we figured out that it had gone bad and decided not to eat it. Such instances happen with each one of us in our day to day life. We often prepare food at home and then take it somewhere else to be eaten. A lot of people cater from home and supply food to people. As the person preparing or handling the food, it is your responsibility to make sure your food does not make the guests ill. Food poisoning is a miserable and potentially dangerous experience.

You will need to take extra care if any young children, pregnant women, older people or anyone who is ill will be coming to the function. This is because if anyone in these vulnerable groups gets food poisoning, they are more likely to become seriously ill. In spite of using fresh ingredients to prepare food, it goes bad so soon. Let's figure out what really went wrong?

The most common errors which lead to food poisoning are:

Poor storage of Food 
Cold foods not kept cold enough or hot foods hot enough 
Inadequate cooking
Not separating raw and ready-to-eat food

Food contamination can happen at any stage be it cooking, transportation and even storage. Inappropriate storage is often reported as the cause of food poisoning outbreak. Food is left unrefrigerated for prolonged period which makes it prone to bacteria infestation. If you are planning to prepare food for a large group ensure that you have an appropriate sized refrigerator and freezer to store food and you use proper wrapping paper and bags to store food.

Raw food and Ready to eat food should never be stored together. This increases the risk of bacterial activity.

Cooked foods that need to be chilled should be cooled as quickly as possible, preferably within an hour. Avoid putting them in the fridge until they are cool, because this will push up the temperature of the fridge. To cool hot food quickly, place it in the coolest place you can find - often not in the kitchen. Another way is to put the food in a clean, sealable container, and put it under a running cold water tap or in a basin of cold water, or use ice packs in cool bags. Where practical, reduce cooling times by dividing foods into smaller amounts.

Once the food is prepared, getting it to where the function is being held can be a problem. This can be particularly difficult when there are large quantities of perishable food involved. Use cool boxes. You will also need to check that the facilities at the place where the function is being held are adequate for keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Adequate fridge and cooker capacity there is just as important as in the home.

Cooking food thoroughly is the key to killing most of the harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning. Large meat joints or whole poultry are more difficult to prepare safely, so take special care with them.After having learnt all this I realized why the picnic food got spoilt. I let the chicken sandwiches out unrefrigerated for way too long and I did not care to separate salads and ready to eat food. I could have used cool box for transporting the food. But I guess we all learn from our bad experiences.

There is an old English saying "Food cooked with passion and served with love tastes divine." Trust me, it is true even today! Every food enthusiast (like you and me) is well aware that the soul of any good recipe resides in the right blend of spices and fresh natural ingredients. But we might sometimes miss upon an even more important ingredient while cooking food, and which more often than not tampers with the soul of our recipe. Yes, I am talking about food safety & hygiene. One has to be very careful while handling food and maintain the highest level of hygiene and food safety in our kitchen and home.

Food contamination can occur at any stage, be it harvesting, processing, preparation, storage or transportation. Foodborne diseases are often common where low standards of hygiene are used. According to data released by World Health Organization, every year foodborne disease causes almost one in ten people to fall ill. These diseases can be deadly especially in children.

There are a few basic rules to be followed while handling food:

Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often.
Separate: Don't cross-contaminate.
Cook: Cook to the right temperature.
Chill: Refrigerate promptly.

Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often.

One must wash one's hands thoroughly with soap before coming in contact with food. This eliminates transfer of germs from your hands to the food. One must wash all vegetables and fruits with cold water before using them. Kitchen counters and surfaces are the key places which if dirty can contaminate food. These places must be sanitized thoroughly along with equipment used for preparing food.

In case you are sick or down with cold and flu you must avoid cooking and handling food. When someone has the symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting or jaundice, they should stay away from the workplace. And if they have a sore throat and fever, they should be restricted from preparing and serving food.This is alarming because these people potentially could have spread disease to the people who consume the foods their establishments were serving. Martin Bucknavage, extension food-safety specialist says,"Foodborne pathogens such as Norovirus, Hepatitis A and Shigella often are spread by sick workers to restaurant patrons through the food." These recommendations are not just for foodservice or retail food establishments but also for people who cook for their families and those who work in child care or elder-care facilities. The use of hand sanitizers and tissue paper should be encouraged in all age groups.

Separate: Don't cross-contaminate.

To avoid cross contamination keep raw and cooked foods separate when storing and preparing. Food should be stored in covered containers in the fridge and put raw meats and poultry in the bottom of the fridge so the juices don't contaminate food on lower shelves. Don't put cooked meat back on the plate the raw meat was on.

Cook: Cook to the right temperature.

If you eat poultry, seafood and meat you must be careful while cooking them. They should be cooked thoroughly at right temperatures before eating. In order to confirm, insert a skewer in the center of the meat and check that there is no pink meat. The juices must run clear. Those are the signs of well cooked meat. In case raw meat is consumed it can lead to food poisoning.

In the past few years microwaves are being used in our kitchens to cook and reheat food. You can cover your food with food wrapping paper of a good quality, which prevents the food from drying out on reheating. Make sure the reheated food is piping hot and the steam is coming out of it. This means you have eliminated the risk of bacteria and other pathogens.

Chill: Refrigerate promptly.

If you are to store your raw food in fridge, wrap it with a food wrapping paper which can absorb the moisture and prevents the dripping of juices and keep it at a temperature lower than 5 degree Celsius. You can help keep your family safe from food poisoning at home. Cold temperatures slow the growth of illness causing bacteria. So it's important to chill food promptly and properly. Refrigerate perishable foods within two hours.
Healthy and hygienic food habits can avert a lot of foodborne diseases. These habits should be inculcated in your daily lifestyle and should be taught to kids as well. It's the small steps which go a long way and make a big difference in your holistic well being.

Before my doctoral program - which required me to narrow down to a specialty (sugar addiction) - I had studied food intolerances.

Many books on the subject start with food reactions, then move into chemicals in our homes and offices, gasoline fumes, and more. Important as those things are, they're not about nutrition.

My interest in food intolerances has always been their link with addiction.

Recently, I "attended" a webinar by J.J. Virgin, whose first book (I believe) was on food intolerances and how to eliminate those foods to improve health and lose weight. The webinar re-sparked my interest in food intolerance and addiction.

Common triggers for food intolerance include chocolate, corn, soy, wheat (or other gluten-containing foods), peanuts, dairy, eggs, sugars and other sweeteners.

What Does Food Intolerance Look Like?

Signs and symptoms can include headache/migraine, joint pains, fatigue, sleepiness, heart palpitations, depression, irritability, stomach pains, bloating, and many more.

Because digested food moves through the bloodstream, the effects of an intolerance can show up virtually anywhere in the body.

Food reactions might be the same every time the food is eaten, such as a rash.

Or the reactions might vary - say, a non-itchy rash one time and itching with no rash another time.

The reaction might be cumulative. Maybe a small portion of the food causes no reaction, but a portion eaten again that day, or several days in a row, does causes one.

Addiction is another possible reaction that may develop over time.

What Causes Food Intolerances?

The causes are many, but let's keep it simple.

One cause is a genetic intolerance or a tendency toward it.

We can become intolerant to a food we eat often or in large quantities. Overeating a food uses up enzymes specific to digesting that food, so complete digestion is prevented.

That may result in improperly digested food particles moving through the digestive tract and bloodstream, triggering an immune reaction. The undigested, unabsorbed food provides no nutrients.

We can also become reactive to a food we eat together with another triggering food. So the list of triggering foods may grow, resulting eventually in malnutrition.

Food Reactions May Change Over Time

The guiding principle of the human body is homeostasis.

When a trigger food is first eaten, the body attempts to restore homeostasis by ridding itself of the offending food. It prevents absorption by attaching antibodies to the partially digested food while it's in the intestine. That might successfully eliminate the food before it can pass into the bloodstream.

If the food does enter the bloodstream, it can trigger inflammation. The acute reaction may be short, and the body may return to homeostasis quickly.

If someone continues to eat a triggering food over time, the body undergoes an adaptation. The immune system may become slower (or less able) to respond. The reaction may now manifest more slowly than the acute reaction. Signs or symptoms may last longer, sometimes hours or days.

How Can That Become a Food Addiction?

The immune response to a triggering food involves a release of stress hormones, opioids, such as endorphins (beta-endorphin), and chemical mediators like serotonin. The combination can produce temporary symptom relief through the analgesic action of endorphin and serotonin, plus mood elevation and a feeling of relaxation.

In that way, eating the triggering food may make someone feel better almost immediately and even think the food is beneficial.

Endorphin release typically involves a concomitant release of dopamine. The combination of those two brain chemicals and serotonin forms what I've always called the "addictive package." Avoiding the food could lead to withdrawal.

After long-term use, someone may eat the triggering food not to experience the pleasure of the chemical "high," but to relieve the distress and withdrawal without it. It's almost textbook addiction.

How Does Intolerance/Addiction Affect Health?

As someone addicted to a triggering food continues to eat more of it, the immune system must keep adapting, and may become hyper-sensitized, reacting to more and more foods - especially those eaten together with reaction-triggering foods, or with sugar.

The constant demand on the immune system can lead to immune exhaustion and degenerative reactions, depending on genetic weaknesses. The signs and symptoms listed above are just a start.

Sugar can be a major player in this because it causes inflammation in the body and makes it more susceptible to food reactions. Eating triggering foods plus sugar can make it even more likely that new reactions will occur.

I recall a book by Nancy Appleton, who suggested that eggs might trigger reactions in many people because they're so frequently eaten at breakfast with orange juice. Cake is another example: sugar plus wheat, eggs, milk.

As the addictions continue, cravings occur, leading to increased consumption. As more and more foods trigger an immune response, the result may be malnutrition, as explained above.

Stats say that rates of food intolerance are rising. My theory is that it's at least partly due to sugar in our diets - including sneaky sugars that are often viewed as healthful, such as agave, fruit, fruit juice, and sweeteners.

Stopping the Cycle

Definitely give up any foods you suspect may be causing any reactions - even if you love them. Think about foods you eat with those triggering foods on a regular basis, and consider eliminating those, as well. Above all, avoid sugar.

Follow this plan, as J.J. Virgin recommends, for 3 weeks.

In the meantime, you may have cravings. If so, use my proven, time-tested recommendation of a teaspoon of liquid B-complex (complete B-complex) to kill the craving within minutes.

At the end of the 3-week elimination, you should be feeling - and looking - much better.