Healthy with Jodi

vitamins

Why Should I Eat Organic? Reasons Why You Should Eat Organic…

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    Importance of Organic Foods

    Organic Foods – Nutrient Density

    Simply stated, nutrient density means how many nutrients you get from a food, given the number of calories it contains. Nutrient density is a simple way to connect nutrients with calories.

    – World’s Healthiest Foods

    What’s In Organic Foods?

    Higher Nutrient Content

    More Vitamins & Minerals per Calorie

    More Essential Fatty Acids & Amino Acids per Calorie

    More Antioxidants per Calorie

    What’s Not in Organic Foods?

    *Acetylcholine Esterase Inhibitors

    Acetylcholine

    Acetylcholine is the body’s most predominant neurotransmitter.

    Essential for Memory Recall & Quick Thinking

    Nutrient Density: Organic Legumes, Vegetables, Fruits

    Acetylcholine Esterase

    Acetylcholine Esterase is the enzyme that clears the neurosynaptic junction allowing for the next impulse to come.

    This is an especially important cycle for inhaling/exhaling during respiration and the contractions and relaxations of the heart muscle.

    ◦Thus Pesticides have an adverse effect upon the Lungs & Heart.

    List of Banned Chemicals

    http://scorecard.goodguide.com/chemical-groups/one-list.tcl?short_list_name=brpest

    Consequently, “The nutritive value of crops and their ability to handle pests and diseases is diminished.” The bottom line, Kittredge says, is, “across the board, our foodstuffs are less nutritious than they were. It’s well documented. Between 1940 and 2009, in a basic salad, USDA records show a 55-70 percent decrease in mineral levels.” – Remineralize the Earth

    We identified 191 matched pairs with valid comparisons of antioxidant, vitamin and mineral levels. Of these, 119 organic samples within the matched pairs had higher nutrient levels, or 62% of the total matched pairs.

    ◦State of Science Review: Nutritional Superiority of Organic Foods – Charles Benbrook, Xin Zhao, Jaime Yáñez, Neal Davies and Preston Andrews- www.orgain-center.org 53 pages

    Why is Vitamin D So Important? Best Sources of Vitamin D.

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      Vitamin D

      Vitamin D is essential to the body.   A few of Best sources of Vitamin D come from shrimp, sardines, cod and eggs. The FDA has set the reference value for nutrition label for vitamin D at 400 IU’s. Therapeutic ranges fall between 400 to 1000 IU’s.

      Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, and actually functions more like a hormone then vitamin. It works with the parathyroid hormone to maintain proper levels of calcium in the blood.

      We need vitamin D to help our bones and teeth. It also helps regulate the growth and activity of cells. Vitamin D also helps prevent excessive inflammatory immune related activity, it builds your immune system and helps protect against disease.

      Vitamin D deficiency results in decreased absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Prolonged deficiency can lead to an impact on your bone mineralization, Thus experiencing bone thinning (osteopenia), bone pain and or soft bones (osteomalacia).

      It is estimated that nearly 75% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D1.  For many people, basking in the sun may not be an answer because of skin conditions and sensitivities. Eating oily fish on a regular basis also may not be an option, much of our seafood is over-fished or contaminated from pollution so it can be difficult to find pure sources. Surprisingly, there are several foods packed with vitamin D that are easy to incorporate into your everyday routine.

      If you think you’re going to get enough vitamin D from the sun you need to have at least 40% of your skin exposed for at least 15 minutes a day.  Otherwise you will need to get your vitamin D from food and or supplementation.

      If you prefer to get your protein vitamins or minerals from a plant-based diet, try mushrooms. 3 ounces portobello mushrooms is 20 cal, 3 g of protein, 1 g dietary fiber, zero cholesterol, 15 mg of sodium, 300 mg of potassium and 4% of your vitamin D for the day.

      Other Great Sources of  Vitamin D:

      Swiss Chard

      Most leafy greens are high in vitamin D, but chard trumps them all.  Add to your omelet or steam with garlic and onions.  Try swiss chart instead of raw Kale in your smoothie and your stomach will thank you for the easier digestion.

      Squash and Pumpkin Seeds

      Go for Raw and sprouted!My favorite variety of pumpkin seeds are pepitas, the shelled pumpkin seed that has been roasted and sometimes tossed with spices and sea salt.

      Beef Liver

      Most people remember (not-so-fondly) being forced to eat liver and onions, but beef liver can actually be delicious. Try it in chili or even mix half beef liver and half bison or beef in your favorite meatball recipe.  Organic is SO Important!

      Mushrooms

      Mushrooms, especially ones grown in sunlight, are very high in vitamin D. Portobello mushrooms are actually considered one of the best vegan sources of vitamin D.3

      Caviar

      It may not be for everyone and it can be quite expensive, but caviar is also high in vitamin D. If you can’t afford a fresh tin of expensive caviar (which typically isn’t sustainable anyways), try fresh fish roe next time you go out for sushi. Many brands carry organic, sustainably roe at affordable prices.

      Almond Milk

      While almonds are very high in vitamin D, many people don’t remember to eat a couple handfuls every day. Try buying almond milk instead of dairy.

      Chicken Liver

      Liver may turn some people off, but they can be so tasty if cooked right. Try it with Black rice, which has sautéed onions, garlic,  peppers, spices and chicken livers.

      Dark Chocolate

      Good news! Dark chocolate that has over 60% cacao content is packed with vitamin D, so the next time you have a sweet craving, indulge in a few small pieces of high-quality dark chocolate, Organic of course! Look for Cacao not Cocoa.

      10 Reasons to Eat Clean

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        eat clean

        1. You’ll become more mindful.
        Which one takes longer and really makes you slow down? Eating clean also means eating with purpose and savoring food. That means a better relationship with everything from radishes and radicchio to red velvet cupcakes (which you’ll no longer crave).

        2. You’ll save money.
        Kiss sick days and medical bills goodbye when you get nutrients from eating clean, real food. Plus, shopping locally and in season makes sense– and cents. Planning clean meals for the week is cost-effective if you make a list and stick to it, as there’s no chance of overspending at the store.

        3. You’ll live longer.
        Study after study has shown that consuming these foods can lengthen your life-span. And in a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, European researchers have found that increasing your produce intake to more than 569 grams per day reduces your risk of mortality by 10 %.

        4. You’ll have better relationships.
        Preparing clean meals takes time, just the kind of time that allows for easy, relaxed conversations with your kids, spouse and other family members and friends. If they’re too busy with screen time to share stove-top time, point them to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2014 study, published in Public Health Nutrition, showing good health comes from home cooking.

        5. You’ll be smarter.
        Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish and nuts keep our minds sharper and our memories stronger by a whopping 24 %, proved a study published in spring 2015 in Neurology. Our brains also function better with nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, as shown in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, while they slow and sputter down when we fill them with sugar (including alcohol), fast food and the wrong kinds of fats. If that’s all too much too think about, remember one point from the Nature Reviews Neuroscience report: A balanced diet means better brain health.

        See also 9 Amazing Brain Boosters to Add to Your Diet.

        6. You’ll have more energy.
        Adam and Eve were onto something when they bit into that apple: Fruit is just one of many clean foods that provide an instant dose of energy. High-fiber fruits like apples take longer to digest and can instantly stave off that afternoon slump while providing critical vitamins for the evening ahead. Other pick-me-ups include quinoa, almonds, eggs, kale, citrus fruit and a good-old-fashioned glass of water.

        7. You’ll be better in bed.
        Mamma mia! Women with metabolic function in Italy and other regions of the Mediterranean enjoy a healthier sex life than those in the US, thanks to the components of their diet– yep, vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and olive oil. That’s what researchers found in a comprehensive study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research.

        8. You’ll help the planet survive.
        There’s an oft-quoted statistic that food travels approximately 1,500 miles from farmer to consumer in the United States. By eating seasonal and local foods, as recommended by Clean Eating, you can help reduce your carbon footprint. As the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported in 2003, “The major threat to future survival and to US natural resources is rapid population growth”and “the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is more sustainable than the average American meat-based diet.

        9. You’ll be stronger.
        The lean protein that comprises part of the clean-eating philosophy builds lean muscle mass and boosts metabolism, found a study presented at The Obesity Society’s annual meeting in 2014. Some mighty choices for your muscles (in addition to animal-based products like chicken, fish and lean beef) include quinoa, chickpeas, nuts, spinach and seeds.

        10. You’ll be happier.
        Food and mood go hand in hand. And the better the food, the better your mood. If you need to brighten your day, go for berries, bananas, coffee, lean proteins, chocolate, omega-3 and turmeric fatty acids, all proven to boost your mental state.

        Healthy with Jodi