5 Easy Kitchen Swaps to dramatically improve family health by Susie Rahaim

1. Get Rid of Processed Foods. Period! All of them! You many have to slowly wean the family off of chips, cookies, cakes, white bagels and breads. You are saving yourself and your family from obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and cancer. Processed food is stripped of any nutrients.

Bottom Line: Throw away the junk food and don’t forget about junky condiments like pancake syrup. Replace white and wheat flour with healthier alternatives such as coconut flour, GF oat flour, quinoa and brown rice. Replace crackers with seeded options such as flax, and real maple syrup instead of pancake syrup. Replace boxed cereals with steel cut oats or chia seed porridge. Most all “kids cereal“ is pretty much dessert disguised as breakfast and why not wheat you are asking? See link below…

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-problems-with-modern-wheat/#axzz2QIMsbOw3

2. Stock your fridge with organic fruits and veggies. If you can’t buy all organic than at least purchase organic for the ones listed below as they are highly sprayed and contain some of the highest amounts of pesticide residue. Otherwise known as the “dirty dozen” by the Environmental Working Group (EFG), apples, celery, sweet bell peppers, peaches, strawberries, nectarines, grapes, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, blueberries, potatoes, green beans. The cleanest, lowest in pesticides and ok to buy non-organic are: onions, sweet corn (though be aware of GM corn), pineapples, avocados, cabbage, sweet peas, asparagus, mango, eggplant, kiwi, cantaloupe, sweet potato, grapefruit, watermelon, mushrooms. Get organic when possible. Let me remind you that pesticide exposure has been linked to cancer, alzheimers disease, ADHD, and even birth defects. Pesticides are also extremely detrimental to the environment.

Bottom Line: Organic produce = healthier safer option for whole family

3. Oil revamp! Stock up on good fats! Its time to trash the margarine, canola, vegetable oil, corn, soy, sunflower or safflower, and shortening/ trans fats (Crisco). Stock up and replace with good healthy fats such as grass fed pastured butter, ghee, coconut oil, extra virgin/pure olive oil, palm oil, and unheated organic nut oils to name a few. Don’t forget to have plenty of raw nuts (preferably sprouted/or soaked), seeds, olives, organic pastured egg yolks, avocado, and coconut on hand.

Bottom Line: The right kind of fats are an ideal source of energy. We need less processed grain carbohydrates and more healthy fats in our diets!

4. Declare your kitchen a Non Genetically Modified Food Zone (NON- GMO). That would be to stop purchasing and boycott products that contain GMO’s. Surprising to some but in the line up are Kashi, Horizon Organic, Cascadian Farm, General Mills, and Odwala juice just to name a few. Instead support companies and buy products featuring the seal of the Non GMO Project or a seal that states made with non-GMO ingredients.

The eight most common GMO’s in the U.S. are corn, soybean, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, most Hawaiian papaya, small amount of zucchini and yellow squash, and dairy products from cows injected with GM bovine growth hormone. Eating GM foods has been linked to altered metabolism, inflammatory kidney and liver malfunction, and reduced fertility. No one really knows the true long-term impact GM foods have on our health.

Bottom Line: GMO = SCARY

5. Get rid of any and all canned food unless the label says BPA free. BPA or Bisphenol A is a coating found in food cans that behave in a similar way to estrogen and other hormones in the body. It is an endocrine disruptor and especially hazardous to babies and young children. Health effects of ingestion of this chemical over time include reproductive disorders, male impotence, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, quality of women’s eggs in terms of reproduction, and breast cancer. Countries like Canada and all of the European Union have banned BPA in some uses. Some brands in the U.S. have stepped up and taken BPA out of their products. They clearly state BPA free on the outside of the can. These companies include Eden Organic, Wild Planet Eco fish, Edward and sons, and even at Trader Joes their corn, beans, seafood and chicken are housed in BPA free cans. Note—à chili and soups are not.

Bottom line: BPA in canned food=BAD 🙁

Briefly want to mention meats, as this is important to your health also. Seek out organic grass-fed beef, organic pastured poultry and pork, and wild caught seafood (no farm raised fish). These meats are better for you and the environment all together.

It’s getting warmer slowly but surely and the snow has melted (at least here in Michigan!) time to open up the windows and don’t forget the kitchen when you spring clean! Use your CMH bracelet each time you make a good swap out in the kitchen.

To contact Susie with questions or content suggestions, email sdrahaim@aol.com.