We’re in a sad state when a fictitious magazine character recognizes the disparity between our diets and our lifestyles before we do. That was the case recently when Mad Magazine’s Alfred E. Newman said, “We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.”

The trend of adding natural ingredients to chemical products, while simultaneously removing them from our diet, is alarming. Now more than ever, people are looking for ways to cut corners and save a little money. However, the food that you feed your family is not the budget area to do this. When we substitute natural foods for convenience foods or processed foods with artificial ingredients, we are setting ourselves up for disaster. 

Food is intended to fuel our bodies with the substances we need for energy, strength and general sustenance, but the eating habits of today are a far cry from meeting these requirements. In spite of more than 1 billion overweight adults around the world, many of us continue to fill our bodies with empty calories. Our daily diets are over-saturated with saturated fats, refined sugars and processed foods, leading to a plethora of health concerns like diabetes, high blood pressure and fatigue, among others.

Though our modern meals are contributing to making us overweight, many of us are also not getting the essentials we need. By eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, we receive the energy to get through our day without crashing or craving unhealthy snacks. When processed foods are the staple, our bodies don’t get key nutrients like fiber or calcium, leading to malnutrition and other health concerns.

Over the long run, the time and money that convenience and fast foods were supposed to save us end up being put toward healthcare costs. Treatment of chronic illnesses as a result of poor nutrition takes its toll on us both physically and financially, in the form of medical bills and stressed bodies.

If life gives you lemons, don’t make furniture polish—make lemonade! It’s time we start taking our health more seriously by creating real meals with natural and organic foods. Let’s create traditions of health starting in our own kitchens. 

For a variety of organic and gluten-free baking mixes to get you started on your way to a healthier lifestyle, or to continue your already organic ways, check out Truly Organic Baking’s online produce store by visiting www.trulyorganicbaking.com. 

 

The beginning of a new year allows for starting anew on aspects of your life which you may find to need revamping. For many people, a popular and beneficial New Year’s resolution is to embark on a lifestyle change. These lifestyle changes can be simple and fun, but for some people, a change in their lifestyle is health related. A New Year’s resolution is something that you commit to for yourself, like a gift to start the new year right. If a lifestyle change to be healthier is your goal, why not resolve to live organically?

Living an organic lifestyle does not have to be a hard thing to accomplish. Following these organic living tips can help you on your way to a happier new year!

Saving Money On Organic Foods Don’t pay full price!
A good start to saving money on organic foods is by looking for coupons in weekly advertisements and booklets. Another way to get coupons is to sign up for mailing lists with your local grocer, natural food store, or Whole Foods. E-coupons are delivered directly to your inbox and you’ll be the first to know about sales. Also, look for lunch and dinner specials at restaurants serving organic.

Know How To Read Organic Labels
Understanding organic labels goes for both organic foods and organic clothing. “Organic” can mean consisting of eco-friendly materials, produced naturally, and free of toxins and harsh chemicals. Organic food labels must have a certified United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic Seal. Only food products labeled “100% organic” and “organic” are allowed this seal. Organic cotton clothing labels: 100% organically grown, undyed, unbleached cotton, and free from chemicals.

Grow Your Own Organic Vegetable Garden
A sure way to know your produce is organic and free of chemicals is to grow them yourself! Start planning your organic garden now for planting in the warmer spring months. Start a compost bin to convert organic food waste into a nutrient rich food for your vegetable garden. Read articles in Organic Gardening for more useful information.

Save The Earth With Homemade Natural Cleaning Products
Inhaling harsh chemical fumes, eyes and throat burning, smell so overwhelming that you have to go outside. These are all effects of using non-natural household cleansers. You can make sure that you and your family are safe from harsh chemicals by making your own natural cleaning products at home! SavewithGreen.com is a good environmentally friendly site for natural cleaning ideas.

Begin the year anew with a New Year’s organic resolution! It’s good for you and good for the environment.

Wishing you the most glorious holiday season and peaceful and healthy New Year!

To put it simply, yes. Organic foods are certified by the USDA once they have met strict growing and processing standards. While eating conventional unprocessed foods such as raw fruits and vegetables is better than eating boxed meals and unhealthy snacks, most of these foods are grown in environments that make them toxic to the body and the planet.

In some cases, organic food may cost more than conventional foods. This is due to the fact that non-organics are treated with a battery of chemicals to increase yield. Herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, rodenticides and fertilizers do “protect” the crops from a variety of issues, but all those chemicals end up seeping into the foods. Ultimately, the chemicals end up on our plates and in our bodies.

Certified organic foods are only exposed to natural or biodegradable treatments, and as a result, the yields may be smaller. To produce a large volume of organic foods, farms must plant more, purchase safer, more costly treatments and be certified in organic processing. These additional expenses are present in the end purchase.

However, you should not let this up-front cost discourage you from organic food, as by removing chemicals, GMOs and other undesirable substances, you are actually saving money. Pesticides, herbicides and other such toxins are created to destroy various parts of the natural cycle. When these chemicals are absorbed into your body by the food you eat, it can cause serious damage. By avoiding these substances, you are preventing future health complications.

In addition to being free of toxins, organic foods are more nutritious. In order for organic farmers to successfully grow crops without chemical fertilizers, fields must be planted with different foods each year. Crop rotation ensures soil will not lose nutrients due to continuous planting of one crop year after year. By nature, foods grown in rotating fields in soils free of chemicals will be much healthier.

The wide range of benefits of an organic diet is well-documented. If you are interested in learning more about organic foods, or how we make our products, look for our weekly blog posts. We want our customers to understand not only where our foods come from, but why we commit to baking responsibly using only organic ingredients.

The biggest value of organically grown food is the reduced impact on the environment. This is essentials for future generations to enjoy the bounty of the earth. The environmental disasters, such as the poisoning of Love Canal in Niagara Falls, NY, clearly show what happens when big business is allowed to destroy the environment at will. While the current usage of pesticides and herbicides may not cause as blatant of damage as Hooker Chemical once did, they are causing significant damage, both to the environment and to our health. One has to question why cancer is one of the leading causes of death in America. A study discussed in the American Journal of Epidemiology (May 1, 2003) found a very strong link between private pesticide applicators’ exposure to Methyl Bromide and Prostate Cancer. Methyl Bromide is used to both as a pesticide and as a disinfectant for storage areas such as grain bins.

Under the United Nations, there is a new program slowly being implemented worldwide called Codex Alimentarius. The ultimate goal of this program is to set up a group of standards to which all food production will follow. While this might sound good, the horror is behind the curtains hidden from view. According to these new standards some of the worst pesticides which have been banned in both the United States and Europe are reintroduced into the food chain. These include DDT and Bromide Ion.

To make things worse, the new GMO foods have been genetically modified to internally produce their own pesticide. Unlike traditional pesticides where only the surface of the produce was affected, the GMO plant metabolically creates the pesticide and distributes it throughout the entire plant system. The dangers of both GMO foods, physically applied pesticides and herbicides not only are causing damage to the environment, but are also potentially hazardous to one’s health. We believe the value of organic foods should be measured by the health of an individual and the benefit to the environment.

Looking to raise money for your school, organization or child’s sports team? Truly Organic Baking is willing to help out by opening up case purchases of their Organic Bakers Basic mixes! Market your Bake Sale as Organic and bring the tastiest of treats to folks who want to help your amazing causes! Even consider an Organic Pancake breakfast day or pizza party using our dough!

If you are interested in purchasing mixes by the case email our sales team.

Special Bake Sale Price :  $29.94/Case (that’s 20% off retail)

Our Product Line: (all Bakers Basic Mixes) : Muffins, Pancakes, Scones, Pizza Dough, Award Winning Banana Bread

]]> http://www.trulyorganicbaking.com/bake-sale/feed/ 0 http://www.trulyorganicbaking.com/meatless-mondays/ http://www.trulyorganicbaking.com/meatless-mondays/#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:47:17 +0000 Kari Ani http://www.trulyorganicbaking.com/blog/?p=265 Continue reading →]]>

There is meat-free momentum building and we are happy to be part of it. Kari Ani Shiozawa, Owner of Truly Organic Baking, is meat and diary free and loves to share her veggie life on Mondays with those taken the Meatless Monday pledge. Here is a quick taste of what this Meatless Monday is all about:

WHAT IS MEATLESS MONDAY?

An international movement to help people reduce their meat consumption by 15% to improve personal health and the health of the planet. We are a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

WHY MEATLESS?

On average, Americans consume 8 ounces of meat per day – 45% more than the USDA recommends. Going meatless once a week can reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It can also help limit your carbon footprint and save precious resources like fresh water and fossil fuel.

WHY MONDAY?

Multiple studies have shown that periodic health prompts lead to positive behavior change. Monday is the beginning of the week, making it the perfect time to reevaluate our choices and set our intentions for the coming days. With a Meatless Monday, you have a scheduled, recurring reminder to start your week off on a nutritious note. And if this Monday passes you by, next week is another opportunity to focus on health!

ON THE MENU TONIGHT

We are going to do pizza night – rolling out some Truly Organic Baking Pizza Dough and adding our favorite toppings (great stuff in the garden). Need ideas check out the summer pizza blog post.

MAKE THE PLEDGE

Make the pledge and join the meatless movement!

Real Simple Magazine had a great article on 10 Organic Foods Worth the Money. During this economy we always get the question about how to be Organic and still live on a budget. We know that with every shopping list there are sacrifices and splurges. We thought this article was a great tool to provide shoppers a resource on produce and foods they should ALWAYS buy Organic! Check it out!

Choose Organic for the sake of the planet™