Seven months later and I'm working hard to eliminate the last of my baby weight. It is hard work, but definitely rewarding. To be successful, I must be mindful throughout my day of my calories both in and out. To aid in the calories out, I have started a running program. It is very challenging for me, a person who, frankly, is not a fan of running. I know, I'm crazy.
In regards to the calories in, I try to monitor what I am eating throughout my day. I need to sustain my energy level and not starve myself. One of my co-workers had been eating energy bars called Clif Bar's that I was sure must taste like sand. Any healthy, protein-type bars I had ever tried in the past had tasted like yuck. I need all the help I can get to bounce into my pre-pregnancy body. So what the heck, let's try it out. Wow! To my complete surprise, they taste really good! And you know what? They are actually organic. The Clif Bar's come in a variety of flavors, including special holiday varieties such as Spiced Pumpkin Pie and Iced Gingerbread. I can't wait to try those out! Upon further investigation, this family run company has many products targeting very specific populations. The Luna Bar, for example, is made with women in mind, while Clif Kid provides kids with two options to fulfill their daily fruits intake, along with essential vitamins and minerals.
Clif Bar and Company is an environmentally conscious company who respects and appreciates the outdoors. They live their mission daily with bike to work challenges, engaging local farmers, podcasts, and marathon training. I am so happy that trying the Clif Bar led me to learning more about this company. It is inspiring to know that organizations are so passionate about the marriage of health, nutrition, and the environment.
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Shoes and Coffee and Old Town, Oh My!
Over the weekend my family and I spent some time in Old Town Leesburg. It was so beautiful outside, so we decided to meander our way through the historic buildings that are now filled with interesting shops and restaurants. One find I was most interested in was a cute cafe type eatery called Shoe Cup and Cork Club. Besides their yummy menu filled with sandwiches and delicious entrees, they happen to serve organic, free trade coffee and tea. Needless to say, I was excited. So, of course, I had to try a cup and, yes, buy some for my home. As I proceeded to drink my hot coffee on a day that probably beckoned for an iced one, I felt quite accomplished. Like slowly I'm making a difference for myself, for my family, and for the farmers. There seems to be many local restaurants catching the organic bug. I've actually done a search on Yelp, just to see, and I was very surprised as to how many places local to myself incorporate organic one way or another into their menus. What an exciting trend. So, here's to you, Shoe Cup and Cork Club, for adding to the blissfulness of my past weekend. By the way, my coffee was divine!
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://www.shoescupandcorkclub.com/
http://www.yelp.com
Friday, August 27, 2010
Cup O-Joe
Ahhh....the satisfying taste of coffee in the morning. Delicious! Or, the pick me up during a sluggish afternoon. Yum! Coffee holds a big marketplace in our society. Besides having a Starbucks on nearly every corner, I even have one in my place of business. I know, I'm lucky :-) But, did you know that coffee beans are the most chemically treated food in the world? Also, coffee bean trees, which naturally grow in the dense rainforest, are now being eliminated due to an uprise in man produced sun-resistant coffee bean trees. So sad.
So, guess what? There is such a thing as organic coffee. Wow! I really had no idea. These coffee beans are grown without the use of chemicals and in the much needed shade they deserve. Beyond being organically grown, there exists fair trade coffee as well. Much of the coffee trade industry exists of middlemen gaining lots of money and the farmer getting very little. This is in part due to the excessive sun-resistant coffee bean trees. Fair trade coffee allows for minimal transactions between the farmer and the consumer, therefore creating a more stable wage for the farmer.
So, where can we purchase said coffee? Well, there is definitely an online marketplace for organic and fair trade coffee. But what if you want to actually go to a physical store to make your purchase? Both Trader Joes and Whole Foods Market pride themselves on carrying organic products, as well as local fare. And for all of you Starbucks lovers that are shedding a tear, fear not. Starbucks actually serves organic, fair trade coffee. Yea! I cannot wait to try this coffee.
On a side note, a good friend of mine passed away this week. He was only 35 and engaged to be married this November to his wonderful and beautiful fiance. I am deeply saddened and ask that you please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://www.urthcaffe.com/organic.html
http://www.cooperativecoffees.com/resources/papers/organic.html
http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/01-25/organic-coffee-shade-grown-fair-trade-coffee-article.htm
http://www.traderjoes.com/index.asp
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/
http://www.starbucks.com/blog/4745/our-newest-clover-coffee---organic-timor-leste
So, guess what? There is such a thing as organic coffee. Wow! I really had no idea. These coffee beans are grown without the use of chemicals and in the much needed shade they deserve. Beyond being organically grown, there exists fair trade coffee as well. Much of the coffee trade industry exists of middlemen gaining lots of money and the farmer getting very little. This is in part due to the excessive sun-resistant coffee bean trees. Fair trade coffee allows for minimal transactions between the farmer and the consumer, therefore creating a more stable wage for the farmer.
So, where can we purchase said coffee? Well, there is definitely an online marketplace for organic and fair trade coffee. But what if you want to actually go to a physical store to make your purchase? Both Trader Joes and Whole Foods Market pride themselves on carrying organic products, as well as local fare. And for all of you Starbucks lovers that are shedding a tear, fear not. Starbucks actually serves organic, fair trade coffee. Yea! I cannot wait to try this coffee.
On a side note, a good friend of mine passed away this week. He was only 35 and engaged to be married this November to his wonderful and beautiful fiance. I am deeply saddened and ask that you please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://www.urthcaffe.com/organic.html
http://www.cooperativecoffees.com/resources/papers/organic.html
http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/01-25/organic-coffee-shade-grown-fair-trade-coffee-article.htm
http://www.traderjoes.com/index.asp
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/
http://www.starbucks.com/blog/4745/our-newest-clover-coffee---organic-timor-leste
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Farmers Market Delight
This past weekend I visited a local farmers market with my family. The experience was really exciting. There were lots of local farms and businesses displaying and selling their home grown yumminess. There were tons of people and a buzz filled the air as an amateur musician played her guitar. The farmers quickly sold out of popular items like eggs and chicken. These were two items I was also interested in. Now I know to get there sooner!
Farmers markets are a wonderful place to support your community and have some fun! The items sold at the market may even be priced lower than in the grocery store. Score! Farmers markets are also green, but not in the way you would expect. When purchasing produce at the grocery store we (or at least I) don't really think about where they come from. Oranges...hmmm...I guess Florida? So, to get those yummy oranges, for instance, a truck has to make its way to your neck of the woods. By purchasing from your local farmer, you are helping to reduce the pollution caused by the many miles that grocers truck put on just to get you your out of season, out of area, grown fruit. Also, minimal packaging is used when selecting produce at your farmers market. However, purchase from a grocery store, and those fruits and vegetables may be pre-packaged, for convenience, but ultimately adding to our landfills. And remember those oranges? Well, when you are visiting your local farmers market and you don't see those yummy oranges, but you do at the local grocery store, ask yourself why. Either they are out of season or are not grown in your area, hence the many miles put on that grocery store truck. The fact that they may be out of season and still are showing up makes me wonder what is being done to make these fruits and/or vegetables think it is their growing season. Sketchy.
So, as the summer winds down and fall approaches, enjoy your local farmers markets. Try new and interesting fruits and vegetables and have fun!
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://www.loudounfarmersmarkets.org/
http://www.localharvest.org/catoctin-heritage-farm-M24790
http://www.chicamarun.com/index.htm
http://www.localharvest.org/haskins-family-farm-M20435
http://www.potomacvegetablefarms.com/
Farmers markets are a wonderful place to support your community and have some fun! The items sold at the market may even be priced lower than in the grocery store. Score! Farmers markets are also green, but not in the way you would expect. When purchasing produce at the grocery store we (or at least I) don't really think about where they come from. Oranges...hmmm...I guess Florida? So, to get those yummy oranges, for instance, a truck has to make its way to your neck of the woods. By purchasing from your local farmer, you are helping to reduce the pollution caused by the many miles that grocers truck put on just to get you your out of season, out of area, grown fruit. Also, minimal packaging is used when selecting produce at your farmers market. However, purchase from a grocery store, and those fruits and vegetables may be pre-packaged, for convenience, but ultimately adding to our landfills. And remember those oranges? Well, when you are visiting your local farmers market and you don't see those yummy oranges, but you do at the local grocery store, ask yourself why. Either they are out of season or are not grown in your area, hence the many miles put on that grocery store truck. The fact that they may be out of season and still are showing up makes me wonder what is being done to make these fruits and/or vegetables think it is their growing season. Sketchy.
So, as the summer winds down and fall approaches, enjoy your local farmers markets. Try new and interesting fruits and vegetables and have fun!
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://www.loudounfarmersmarkets.org/
http://www.localharvest.org/catoctin-heritage-farm-M24790
http://www.chicamarun.com/index.htm
http://www.localharvest.org/haskins-family-farm-M20435
http://www.potomacvegetablefarms.com/
Monday, August 23, 2010
Buy or Not to Buy
This past week I was on vacation and took a brief hiatus from my blog, but not from my adventure. I made a few discoveries during my break. One of which was cost, cost, cost. I purchased some Horizon Organic Milk, which I must say taste delicious and, as far as I can tell, just like the milk I am use to drinking. However, it was nearly $7. Whoa! Luckily, I signed up through Horizon's website to receive coupons. It's worth it right? Look at the current salmonella egg scare. A couple extra bucks spent toward organic eggs and maybe no one would be sick. It's not the consumer's fault by any means. Tougher regulations and government follow through would have prevented this tragedy from occurring in the first place.
But let's face it, cost does play a part in everything we purchase. So what products are on the must buy organic list? The Daily Green releases a yearly list of produce that is an organic must. The terrible 12 include celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes, and grapes (remember grapes are used to make wine). The majority of these fruits and vegetables have extremely thin skin which allows for pesticides to seep into all of that deliciousness. Sometimes, washing just isn't enough. Also, by removing the skin of some of these fruits and vegetables, important nutritional elements are removed as well.
So, your shopping cart is getting full and the price of your good decision is rising. Although it is always best to buy organic, there are fruits and vegetables that are acceptable to eat that are not considered organic. Due to either a thick layer of protection or just that the produce does not attract pests, these fruits and vegetables will provide you with all of the health benefits they were meant to, as well as save you a little cash in the pocketbook. These money saving gems are: onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mangos, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Yum yum!
While we are all trying to eat safe and healthy food, don't feel too guilty the next time you pick up that avocado or pineapple. Good luck during your next grocery outing!
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
www.horizondairy.com
www.thedailygreen.com
But let's face it, cost does play a part in everything we purchase. So what products are on the must buy organic list? The Daily Green releases a yearly list of produce that is an organic must. The terrible 12 include celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale, cherries, potatoes, and grapes (remember grapes are used to make wine). The majority of these fruits and vegetables have extremely thin skin which allows for pesticides to seep into all of that deliciousness. Sometimes, washing just isn't enough. Also, by removing the skin of some of these fruits and vegetables, important nutritional elements are removed as well.
So, your shopping cart is getting full and the price of your good decision is rising. Although it is always best to buy organic, there are fruits and vegetables that are acceptable to eat that are not considered organic. Due to either a thick layer of protection or just that the produce does not attract pests, these fruits and vegetables will provide you with all of the health benefits they were meant to, as well as save you a little cash in the pocketbook. These money saving gems are: onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mangos, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Yum yum!
While we are all trying to eat safe and healthy food, don't feel too guilty the next time you pick up that avocado or pineapple. Good luck during your next grocery outing!
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
www.horizondairy.com
www.thedailygreen.com
Friday, August 13, 2010
So, What Does This All Mean?
So, we hear the word organic and what are we to think? I assumed that it was healthy, but I really didn't know much more than that. If fruits, vegetables, and meats are to be considered organic by the USDA, those products must have come in little or no contact with synthetic properties during its growth and production. This means no growth hormones, pesticides, or other chemical agents. This also refers to the way livestock are treated. Apparently, many of the animals that we eat are treated so poorly and given food that they are not naturally suppose to eat, just so they can grow larger, faster. This, in turn, allows the farmer to make more money, quickly. This sounds like more money, more problems to me and is a topic I'd like to look into and discuss further in a future blog.
How do we know which foods are organic and which are not? The USDA has created an organic label that is printed on the front packaging of produce and processed foods or may appear on a sign above your favorite fruits and veggies in your grocer's produce section. In order to carry the organic label, a food must be at least 95% organic. For products containing at least 70% organic ingredients, the packaging cannot display the organic label, but may say "made with organic ingredients" and may list those ingredients on the front of the packaging. For those products that are less than 70% organic, the word "organic" may only appear in the ingredients section, specifying those ingredients as such.
Ok. I think I got it. So organic is natural? No. Different. What? Many food manufacturers will use the word "natural" on their packaging to allure consumers trying to make a healthy difference in their lives, or at least that is the way it appears to me. The word "natural" is not recognized by the FDA or USDA. These foods may use plant and animal products, but those ingredients are not necessarily organic. There are no legal repercussions for this misleading marketing, however, it is frowned upon. Wow. That is sad and unfortunate.
With this new found knowledge, I wish you happy shopping during your next visit to your local grocery store.
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004443&acct=nopgeninfo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_foods
How do we know which foods are organic and which are not? The USDA has created an organic label that is printed on the front packaging of produce and processed foods or may appear on a sign above your favorite fruits and veggies in your grocer's produce section. In order to carry the organic label, a food must be at least 95% organic. For products containing at least 70% organic ingredients, the packaging cannot display the organic label, but may say "made with organic ingredients" and may list those ingredients on the front of the packaging. For those products that are less than 70% organic, the word "organic" may only appear in the ingredients section, specifying those ingredients as such.
Ok. I think I got it. So organic is natural? No. Different. What? Many food manufacturers will use the word "natural" on their packaging to allure consumers trying to make a healthy difference in their lives, or at least that is the way it appears to me. The word "natural" is not recognized by the FDA or USDA. These foods may use plant and animal products, but those ingredients are not necessarily organic. There are no legal repercussions for this misleading marketing, however, it is frowned upon. Wow. That is sad and unfortunate.
With this new found knowledge, I wish you happy shopping during your next visit to your local grocery store.
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3004443&acct=nopgeninfo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_foods
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Formula For My Adventure
For the past few years I have heard the word "organic" thrown around a lot. To me, it just sounded like pretentious food. Why spend the extra cash for organic when I can get the same fruits, veggies, and meats for a fraction of the cost? It's what I've always eaten anyway, right? Before Spencer came into our lives I had decided that I would make his baby food when that time arrived. Who knows what manufactures put into the food he would be eating otherwise? Whoa...wait. That was the first time I started contemplating a semi-organic state of mind. Don't we all deserve to eat the best?
The second time, the time that sent me into crazy mommy mode, was very recent. Spencer has been experiencing a lot of dry skin issues for the majority of his life. I figured it was eczema since I suffer from it myself. We have been to the pediatrician, as well as a pediatric dermatologist. We've used steroid cream, hydrocortisone, and tons of Aquaphor. We even tried switching to a hypoallergenic formula thinking he may be allergic to cows milk. When none of those worked, I decided to switch him to organic formula, specifically Similac Organic. As their website states, the formula is made without the use of growth hormones, antibiotics, or other chemicals. Growth hormones...what...eww. Are you kidding me? Well guess what, Spencer's skin has dramatically improved since we made the switch. He's even sleeping better at night. Coincidence? Maybe, but I'll take it.
There are several organic baby formula's to choose from including Similac Advance Organic, Baby's Only Organic, Earth's Best Organic, among others. We chose the Similac brand only because that is what Spencer has been using since birth.
Since making this change for the better, for Spencer, I have been intrigued by this whole organic movement. What I have been reading is interesting, stomach turning, and I feel will be life changing for me and my family. I hope through my blog I can spread some knowledge and help others.
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://similac.com/baby-formula/similac-advance-organic
http://www.naturesone.com/dairy/
http://www.earthsbest.com/products/product/2392310040
The second time, the time that sent me into crazy mommy mode, was very recent. Spencer has been experiencing a lot of dry skin issues for the majority of his life. I figured it was eczema since I suffer from it myself. We have been to the pediatrician, as well as a pediatric dermatologist. We've used steroid cream, hydrocortisone, and tons of Aquaphor. We even tried switching to a hypoallergenic formula thinking he may be allergic to cows milk. When none of those worked, I decided to switch him to organic formula, specifically Similac Organic. As their website states, the formula is made without the use of growth hormones, antibiotics, or other chemicals. Growth hormones...what...eww. Are you kidding me? Well guess what, Spencer's skin has dramatically improved since we made the switch. He's even sleeping better at night. Coincidence? Maybe, but I'll take it.
There are several organic baby formula's to choose from including Similac Advance Organic, Baby's Only Organic, Earth's Best Organic, among others. We chose the Similac brand only because that is what Spencer has been using since birth.
Since making this change for the better, for Spencer, I have been intrigued by this whole organic movement. What I have been reading is interesting, stomach turning, and I feel will be life changing for me and my family. I hope through my blog I can spread some knowledge and help others.
Have a Healthy Day,
Jessica
http://similac.com/baby-formula/similac-advance-organic
http://www.naturesone.com/dairy/
http://www.earthsbest.com/products/product/2392310040
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