organic food – Organic Healthy Life – Nancy Addison – Nutrition

Fresh organic, non-GMO produce is part of a healthy eating plan and lifestyle. It can be a waste of money if it goes bad before we have a chance to enjoy it.

Storing it properly is important. We go to the store and buy delicious-looking food. But then we get home and end up storing it improperly, or we get busy and forget about it. Then we find our refrigerator having the aroma of over-ripe or rotting fruits and vegetables. One way we can spend less AND eat healthier is by storing our fresh food properly.

Many times we go to the store and see all of the beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables in season and on sale, and we overbuy. So, first, try to only buy what you truly feel you are going to eat in the next few days. Don’t try to buy produce to last for a week. It may not last that long. Some root vegetables can last a month if stored properly, but fresher, more fragile fruits and vegetables will only last about 2-5 days.

If you do buy too much, you can think about making a pie, or doing some canning, or freezing some of your more fragile fruits and vegetables before they spoil. Always store your food in its complete wholeness.

According to food scientist Barry Swanson at Washington State University, if you pull fruits and vegetables apart, you have broken the cells, and microorganisms will immediately begin to grow. Avoid breaking the skin and leave the stem intact.

He also says you should never place fruits and vegetables in airtight bags. That actually will speed up the decay. Be mindful that mold will proliferate quickly in airtight bags and can spoil the whole group of fruits or vegetables. Toss out any spoiled produce immediately, or put it into your compost bin.

Next, make sure you are storing the various types of fruits and vegetables with the right partners. Some give off high levels of ethylene gas (a ripening agent), which makes them and everything around them ripens or decay quickly. You want to keep these types of foods separate from each other.

Put things like kale and spinach in the same bin, and peaches and apples in another. If you put fruit with greens, it will cause the greens to rot or turn yellow in a few days. Greens are very sensitive to the ethylene gas. I have a little product called an E.G.G. (Ethylene Gas Guardian, which is shaped like an egg), and it absorbs the ethylene. I just put it in my bin with the fruits and/or greens.

Of course, if you need something to ripen faster, then you can use this knowledge to your advantage. You can put the one you need to ripen with a fruit that gives off the highest level of ethylene gas.

I also use produce bags by Bio-Fresh and Ever-Fresh. They will absorb ethylene gas and help your produce stay fresher longer. Keep root vegetables (including all kinds of potatoes) in a cool, dark, dry place. They can last up to a month if kept properly. Never store potatoes in the refrigerator, because they will develop a much higher sugar content.

Here is a list of fruits and vegetables, showing the best way to store them. These are high ethylene producers, and you can refrigerate them: apples, apricots, avocados, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherimoyas, cranberries, figs, green onions, guavas, grapes, honeydew, kiwifruit, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, passion fruit, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, prunes, quince, and tomatoes.

The banana is a high releaser and should be stored in a cool dark place outside of the refrigerator.

The following fruits and vegetables are very sensitive to ethylene gas: asparagus, bananas (unripe), blackberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, garlic, green beans, kale, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions, parsley, peas, peppers, raspberries, spinach, squash, strawberries, watercress, and watermelon. Keep them separate from the high ethylene gas-producing foods.

Mushrooms should be stored in a dry paper bag or breathable container and put in a cool place. I’ve been told to gently brush them off under water to clean them before preparing them for consumption.

Try to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables that have been ripened on the vine or on the tree. Tree or vine-ripened foods contain salvestrols, which are compounds that have natural anti-cancer properties. (1)

In fact, the word salvestrol comes from the Latin word “save.” So, growing your own food or buying from a local farmer is one way of getting food that is vine or tree-ripened. Food that is picked green and then ripened on the way to market does not contain these salvestrols.

Organic food is best because it is more nutrient-dense. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides can destroy nutrients in the soil, like sulfur, chromium, minerals, and probiotics, which are vital for our health.

“The Organic Center study found that organic foods were more nutritionally dense in 61% of the cases” and they “found conventional foods to contain higher nitrates, which are widely considered a potential health hazard.” (2)

Farmers’ markets are one of the oldest forms of direct marketing by small farmers. The fresh, organic produce is local, in season, less expensive, fresher, and it’s fun to meet your local farmers. Find a local farmer’s market near you with Local Harvest. Click here for Local Harvest link.

With all the fresh fruits and vegetables enticing us from their bins at the farmer’s market or grocery store, now we can make those delicious meals with our properly stored produce!

Bon Appétit!

Source:

Johnson, Dr. Ben. Qtd. in Bollinger, Ty. (2014). The quest for the cures… continues. (Film transcript). TTAC Publishing.
Steury, Tim. (Winter, 2009). “Is organic more nutritious?” Washington State Magazine.

Nancy Addison is a certified health counselor, nutritionist, chef, as well as a radio show host, who teaches people about living a healthier, happier life through nutrition and lifestyle. She has appeared on NBC, Fox, CBS, and in documentaries ( “Eating You Alive”).

You can reach her on her website, Organic Healthy Life, or find easy, healthy recipes in Nancy’s books (which are half cookbook).

Here is her author page on Amazon. Author.to/nancyaddison

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The information from Nancy Addison and Organic Healthy Lifestyle LLC is not offered for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease or disorder nor have any statements herein been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We strongly encourage you to discuss topics of concern with your health care provider.

Medical Disclaimer: Information provided in this email, article, book, podcast, website, email, etc. is for informational purposes only. The information is a result of years of practice and experience by Nancy Addison CHC, AADP. However, this information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professionals, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. I make no claims about healing anything.

Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty

The author and publisher are not liable for the misuse of this material. This article, website, podcasts, and books are strictly for informational and educational purposes. Nancy Alisa Gibbons Addison offers information and opinions, not a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or healthcare provider before taking any home remedies or supplements, or following any treatment suggested by Nancy Addison or by anyone listed in the books, articles, or other information contained here. Only your healthcare provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

Nancy’s website: https://www.organichealthylife.com

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Weeds, Dandelions and Your Health!

Nancy Addison — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 13:52:15 +0000

It’s spring and our yards and gardens are sprouting fourth with life! So, what is the big deal about weeds?

One person’s weed is another person’s treasured herb.

A weed is simply a plant that is not meant to grow in a certain landscape.

But really, the rainforest is one big group of weeds (plants) that are superfoods!

We need to change how we look at our garden and our health. It is all a matter of perspective. I probably drive my yardman crazy, because I tell him not to cut down my dandelions and other plants that are growing wild around my yard. I let all of my plants go to seed. This means they keep growing until they produce seeds. I let nature take its course, and I have gardens growing all over my yard….an arugula here and a swiss chard plant there. It is fun, and I love seeing where my salad will pop up! I love the wildness of it!

Well, I hear about everyone trying desperately to kill their weeds. Dandelions are apparently one of the ones they target. I know Monsanto has had an advertising blitz, and round-up weed killer has been developed just to stamp out the plant.

Well, in my garden, the dandelion is one of my most treasured plants. I make tea from it, I juice it with my cucumbers and celery, and I also put it in my salads. I noticed the other day that it is right next to the spinach at Whole Foods Market. Dandelion is one of the most healthful plants around! With the high cost of food, you have a very easy-to-grow, inexpensive superfood right in your very own back yard. I use organic, non-toxic gardening supplies from Arbico Organics.

Let me explain why dandelions are so wonderful.

Europeans have used them for centuries in their salads, teas, and food. Dandelions have been known for helping with digestion and liver function. Also, people who have any kind of gall bladder issue, or who have trouble producing enough bile for the digestion of food would really benefit from drinking dandelion tea or consuming more dandelion greens. They help in so many wonderfully amazing ways, so why are people killing them instead of eating them?

Stop killing your healthy salad in your yard…go organic and harvest your weeds! Dandelions…I love them!

To watch my video on Organic Gardening click here!

Please leave a comment and join the conversation!

Everyone would love to hear what you think!

Sign my petition to save the honey bees! Click here to read it.

By Nancy Addison CHC, AADP

Nancy Addison is a certified health counselor, nutritionist, chef, as well as a certified practitioner of Psychosomatic Therapy. She teaches people about living a healthier, happier life through nutrition and lifestyle. She has appeared on NBC, Fox, CBS, and in documentaries (one example- “Eating You Alive”). You can reach her on her website, Organic Healthy Life, or find more easy, healthy recipes in Nancy’s award-winning books, which are half cookbook. Here is her author page on Amazon. Author.to/nancyaddison

Medical Disclaimer:Information provided in this article, book, podcast, website, email, etc. is for informational purposes only. The information is a result of years of practice and experience by Nancy Addison CHC, AADP. However, this information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging.

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Clean Food And Your Health

Nancy Addison — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 23:45:04 +0000

I was reading the other day about “clean eating.”

My client had asked me, if I knew what it was and I really didn’t. I supposed it is certainly better than eating dirty food! So, I looked it up on line.

Apparently it is a term used for non-processed or “fast” food. I guess it is making a come back because a lady, wrote a book for “idiots.” And their guide to eating “clean.” It is a term that has caught the buzz.

Now there are magazines and websites about eating clean The Clean food movement looks like a good movement. It is a movement that was started over the moral values of the times in the sixty’s, when I grew up.

Much of what I talk about in my book and really why I became an organic proponent and vegetarian in the first place is because of the amazing amounts of chemicals and preservatives that are added to food at restaurants and packaging plants; as well as the inhumane treatment of these precious, living creatures.

The “clean eaters’ support eating whole, real food. Makes sense to me! As people have gotten sicker and sicker from eating processed foods filled with additives, preservatives, flavor enhancers, as well as antibiotics and hormones; as a last resort they have turned to focusing on what they put in their mouth.

I know changing what we eat can be really difficult, but when we stick with it for at least two weeks to ninety days, we can regenerate our tastes buds and really made a shift to the new lifestyle, even in our way of thinking. From what I can find on-line, the “Clean Food” movement says they have 7 principles. So, let’s look at those.

Number 1. Eat whole, natural foods and seek to eliminate or minimize processed foods. Well, that is admirable. But watch out for the word “natural.” It can be totally chemically derived and be legally called natural by FDA standards.

Number 2, They say to choose unrefined instead of refined foods. That sounds good.

Number 3. Include some protein, carbohydrates and fat at every meal. That sounds good as well.

Number 4: Watch out for fat, salt and sugar. That is good concept. But really, what you should look for is what kind of fat, salt and sugar it is. So many of these are really not good, but the healthy alternative can be extremely beneficial. I wrote really long chapters on the types of fats, sugars, and salts there are to choose from. I think quality is paramount.

Number 5 They say to eat six small meals throughout the day. I personally disagree with this. This can create weight problems and digestive problems in my opinion.

Number 6 They say not to drink your calories. The basic thought is good, but some of the suggestions for drinks are not a healthy choice in my own personal opinion. I think they can cause allergies and weight gain.

I am not into counting calories. I don’t do it. I think it is really an outdated mode of eating, because it doesn’t take into account the quality of the food as compared the quality of the other food. Calories for white refined flour are the same as calories for whole- grained, organic flour. I don’t believe it is as relevant and people think. I think it also makes eating so much more complicated. I don’t think eating healthy food should be complicated.

Number 7 is to get moving. Well, how can anyone argue with that? Good suggestion.

Well, in conclusion, if you are a clean eater, I would say you are much better off than you might have been previously, assuming you were eating a lot of fast and processed foods and leading a sedentary lifestyle.

I hope this helped you!

If you want to learn more about healing the body and the healing diet, you may be interested in my books/cookbooks. You can find them on my website, www.organichealthylife.com or on my author page on Amazon.

Aren’t you worth it?

Sincerely, Nancy

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