Uncle John’s Certified Organic Bathroom Reader

My best friend bought me the Uncle John’s Certified Organic Bathroom Reader. Let me tell you how fantastic this book is! It is full of information about the green movement, the environment, organic, and just about anything else you can think of related! I want to share some of the really interesting facts that this company has researched!

“Each month, Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild every commercial airplane in the company” (p. 13).

So keep recycling! Throw those aluminum cans into those blue bins!

“Since they were introduced in 1977, trillions of plastic grocery bags have found their way into lakes and oceans, where they can harm wildlife that mistake them for food or get trapped inside” (p. 145).

This is more incentive to bring those re-useable bags with you to the grocery store. If we all cut down on the amount of plastic bags we are using we can help clean up the environment.

And another plastic bag quote: “Plastic bags are made from ethylene, a byproduct of oil, gas, and coal production – all nonrenewable resources. The petroleum used to make 14 plastic bags is enough to drive a car one mile. What’s more, plastic bags may take up to 1000 years to decompose” (p. 145).

I keep cloth bags in the trunk of my car, in my house, and you can even buy bags that fold up into tiny pouches that can be kept in a purse or in the backseat of a car.

So if you like random facts and information, and are interested in health and the environment, pick up this bathroom reader from Chapters. It will make you laugh out loud, inspire you to make a change, and I am sure you will even learn something from it!

Eating Out

I would love to talk about one of my favorite restaurants here in Calgary. If you have never been to The Coup you are missing out on something great. Many people think that vegetarian meals have to be bland and simple, and the word vegetarian brings up visions of plates of beans and salads. The Coup is dispelling those myths by creating wonderfully delicious vegetarian meals, while promoting whole, organic, and local foods. You can taste the fresh and seasonal vegetables in the dishes! I enjoy supporting local businesses who want to make it easy to eat healthy.

One of my favorite things to eat is the 'el taco', and my meat-eating significant other loves the 'falafel quesadillas'. The soup of the day is always full of tasty spices and seasonal vegetables. And if you want to try something outside of the box order the smoothie of the day and be prepared to be surprised: who would have known that a banana and basil smoothie would have tasted so good?! On the weekends I have often stopped in for a breakfast frittata with organic free range eggs, yams, and seasonal vegetables. It is a great way to start off a busy weekend. They also have a variety of salads to choose from, and if you want to start with an appetizer, try the hummus.

So the next time you feel like going out to eat but want to try something different, check out The Coup at 924 17th Ave S.W., and be prepared to want to go back to try something else!

The Low-Down on Eating Organic

Why is it important to eat organically?

Chemicals and pesticides are applied to crops to help them grow quicker and to ward off pests. Antibiotics are given to livestock to keep them healthy in unhealthy living conditions. The foods we eat have been sprayed and dosed with substances that are foreign to our bodies. Organic farming began when some farmers decided they wanted to protect people and the environment from these compounds.

When you eat organic you are helping to:

• Protect the environment by cutting down on the chemicals released into our ecosystem

• Support farmers who want to return to a natural approach

• Support sustainability in farming-many farmers use crop rotation to keep the soil enriched, aiding in the growth of the food. Crop rotation can also help protect against pests by affecting their cycles.

• Keep chemicals from accumulating up the food chain and into our bodies

How do I know when a product is organic, and can anybody put an organic label on their food?

For a product to be certified organic it must be approved by a government official. Canada has a new organic logo that can be placed on products that are certified organic according to Canadian standards.

Here are some things to help make shopping organic easier. If the product states:

• 100% Organic: entirely organically produced ingredients

• Organic: if the product is at least 95% organic

• Made with Organic Ingredients: if 70% of the ingredients in the product are organic

• Some Organic Ingredients: less than 70%

Also remember that buying something that states the product is free range, naturally grown, or antibiotic free does not mean that it is: these terms are not strictly regulated. The label has to say certified organic or specific standards have not been met.

Where can I start if I want to incorporate some organic foods into my diet?

Eating organic can put a strain on the wallet, and so if you are looking to reduce some of your exposure to chemicals try buying some of the following organic:

Meat is the most important food to eat organic. Animals are often given hormones and other medications that can be present in the meat. The feed the animals consume can also be treated with chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides. Organic farmers use natural breeding methods, try to minimize the amount of stress to the animals, and are generally concerned with animal health and welfare. Certified organic meat contains no synthetic growth regulators or hormones, and there are strict regulations on the environment that the animals live in, for example the animals must have access to the outdoors for a specified amount of time.

Produce:  Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization that strives to help protect public health and the environment through research and public awareness has published information about the amount of pesticides found on products.

Top Fruits             Top Vegetables
Nectarines              Celery
Apples                    Bell Peppers
Pears                      Spinach
Peaches                  Potatoes
Strawberries
Cherries

*Remember that whether you buy organic produce or not, make sure you wash it thoroughly!

Coffee is another product that you may want to buy organic. Since many countries do not regulate the use of chemicals on crops, coffee can have high amounts of these harmful compounds. Try buying an organic fair trade coffee next time you are in the grocery store. This also helps support the farmers by ensuring they are paid fairly for the coffee.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHEMICALS AND THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT? CHECK OUT RACHEL CARSON’S BOOK “SILENT SPRING”, WRITTEN IN THE 1960S, WHICH OPENED UP MANY PEOPLE’S EYES ON THE CHEMICALS THAT WERE ALLOWED TO BE USED IN FOOD PRODUCTION.

ALSO CHECK OUT THE CHECK OUT CANADIAN ORGANIC GROWERS FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EATING ORGANIC IN CANADA.

Carrie Dancey
RHN
Bundles of Energy

I Love Supporting Local

Walking through the Calgary Farmer’s Market in Calgary is one of my favorite things to do on the weekend. It is a way to connect me back to the community I live in. When things get busy in life it is easy to forget how food gets from the farm to the grocery store. I could wander down the aisles of the market for hours, taking in all of the fresh fruits and vegetables, many of which come from local farms here in Alberta. It is a great way to build a relationship with the people who grow the food you eat.

Walk over to the many vendors who provide Alberta raised meat products. There is something great about talking with the person who helped raise or grow the product you are purchasing. I have had many conversations about recipes; they seem to know the best way to prepare their products.

There are many vendors with Alberta and B.C. grown vegetables, some organic and some not. Local artists have beautiful pieces on display that make for a unique gift for someone special. There are wonderful jewelry shops with handmade products for sale, and there is always some form of entertainment to enjoy while you shop.

Some of vendors that I shop at regularly are:
Grazin Acres - Eggs, poultry & grass fed beef

Hoven Farms Organic Foods - Organic meat

Sunworks Farm - Organic meat

Lund's Organic Farm - AB Organic produce

Alf's Greenhouses - AB greenhouse produce

BlushLane - AB & BC produce

The Calgary Farmer’s Market allows us to eat seasonally; vendors will provide foods that are in tune with the season you are shopping in. I love shopping at the Farmer’s Market because I will often discover a food that I have never heard of before. I also get many ideas for lunches and dinners from the different vendors.

Check out the website for directions. It is open for the fall and winter months on Friday and Saturday from 9-5, and Sunday from 9-4. If you have never checked it out you are missing out on a great adventure! Bring many reusable shopping bags…. you’ll fill them up fast!

Thank-You Slow-Cooker!

Have you ever had those days when you get home from a busy day at work and you are craving something warm and wholesome? I have them all of the time, especially during the winter months. I get home, unbundle myself, and stare into the fridge, pondering what I can cook up to keep me warm. Those are the days when I wish that I could snap my fingers and have a nice homemade soup on my table. The slow-cooker may not be magic, but it is something wonderful.

I love cooking whole chickens in my slow-cooker. I pick up a fresh organic free-range chicken from the Calgary Farmer’s Market and throw it in into the pot along with some water and a touch of drizzled olive oil. I add basil, thyme and oregano and freshly cut garlic. I chop green onions and sprinkle them in. You can’t forget the carrots, cut in long slices. Dinner that has simmered for hours creates a lovely aroma in my house, and when I get home I can’t wait to start eating. For me, chicken is a food that gives me strength and energy for the next few days.

Soups are fantastic to make in the slow-cooker. I soak one cup of a dry bean mix over night, and the next morning I add the beans to 1L of low sodium vegetable broth. I put in all my favorite vegetables and simmer for the entire day along with bay leaves, thyme, parsley, cumin, fresh basil, and some dill. Soup is my comfort food: a nice warm bowl makes all my problems seem far away. For a great bean soup try Bob's Red Mill 13 bean soup mix.

I would love to hear your favorite slow-cooker meals!

Healthful Eating; a want or a need?

I listened to a radio broadcast today that spoke about business and launching the right kind of product that your market needs as opposed to wants. The idea was that people think a lot of things are great but are really only willing to spend money on something they need. I thought about this in reference to our business at Bundles of Energy. Are our offerings wants or needs?

According to the broadcast, our service is a want. We teach and support people on a journey, a gentle shift to amazing health. It sounds great but it also sounds hard, expensive and something that can easily be put off. Now what? I could think that nobody will sign up. I could give up. Well I don’t want to do either of those things.

The whole idea of Bundles of Energy is to be proactive. Do you need to eat organic food? No. A body gets by on processed, fast, cheap food. How many of us lived off of Kraft Dinner in university? I guess the question then becomes, are you okay with just getting by?

• How are your energy levels?
• How fit and agile are you in your extracurricular activities?
• How many times have you been sick this year?
• Are you the best you can be?
• Do you want to change these answers or do you need to change these answers?

I decided last year that I needed to change these answers. It was a slow process. It was hard. I did not have the Bundles of Energy nutritionists to help me. I had no idea how to change our diet to wheat and dairy free. It would have been so nice to have help! So I am not going to change our service. I am happy to offer you the help you need, at your pace… the gentle shift to amazing health…

Please comment below. Let us know what you most need help with! We would love to hear from you!

Organic Spotlight

Think eating organic doesn't make a difference? Think again...What you eat today makes a difference in your body today, tomorrow and 20 years from now.

I am not suggesting you suddenly start buying everything organic-the shift required to great eating should be gentle and long lasting. Awareness is the first step, starting with 1 or 2 ingredients each shopping trip is enough to begin making a significant impact. The food choices you make matter to the health of others and to the health of the planet; to you and beyond you. Our futures could depend on it....But don't take my word for this. Follow the link below to an article in today's Calgary Herald:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Honeybees+modern+canary+coal+mine/2462940/story.html

This is an eye opening article about the direct link between honeybees, the billion dollar economic impact they have, and what we choose to eat. It is an excellent look at why what we eat matters on a scale well beyond our own bodies and health.