One Organic Grande Latte Please

Flipping through a magazine recently, I read that one gourmet coffee to go at your local Starbuck's or downtown coffee house costs more than a pound of organic chicken does in most natural products stores. And that got me to thinking about coffee – maybe because I'm drinking coffee right now and maybe because I just wrote a blog about chicken? Who knows? But coffee is something that I need...want...desire...just flat out require to start my day, complete a good meal, or round out a million other instances in my life.

Now not to get into or start the debate on the goodness or badness of coffee – I'm just saying, coffee is good for me. However, my cup of gourmet coffee to-go generally costs a little more than just your standard double mocha frappuccino or grande latte please – because I always request the organic blend of coffee.

Why go organic with the beans? Well, basically for the same reason you choose organic on everything else – no harmful pesticides and fertilizers. Coffee generally is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee will reduce or eliminate the exposure to toxic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. According to the Organic Trade Association, in order for coffee to be certified and sold as organic in the U.S., it must have been grown on land without synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances, there must be a sufficient buffer between the organic coffee and the nearest conventional crop, and the farmer must have a sustainable crop rotation plan to prevent erosion, the depletion of soil nutrients, and control for pests.

In order for a bean to be labeled “Fair Trade” labor and trade standards provide producers with a guaranteed price, which means the farmers are making a living wage and being paid fairly for their crops. All fair trade coffee is not necessarily organic, however, fair trade does require environmental stewardship and approximately 85% of all Fair Trade Certified coffee sold in the U.S. is also certified organic.

For hundreds of years, coffee plants were grown using organic practices, inter-planting coffee with shade trees, composting and eliminating harmful chemicals. These traditional, sustainable plantations often yield the best tasting variety of coffee. Today, however, very few beans are grown using traditional methods. The market is flooded with inexpensive, low quality coffee in “full-sun” coffee fields – which not only are they sprayed and treated with harmful chemicals, it also means deforestation and heavy environmental tolls.

So at the end of the day...or start of the morning, one thing to not skimp on is coffee. Make sure it is organic, preferably fair trade. I promise it just tastes better and you will feel better about drinking it, so brew it up and take a moment to enjoy each and every drop.

All Chickens are Not Created Equal

Last night I was talking to a friend who mentioned a new line of “Hormone-Free” chicken. I had researched that a bit when it first became available because I admit, the low price was intriguing.

Well the first thing I learned was that all chicken is “Hormone-Free.” According to the USDA Food Inspection Safety Service, no hormones are to be used in the raising of chickens. So the new line of chicken – simply slick marketing.

But I wasn’t done looking, nope, I figured since I had been writing about eggs, chickens, canaries and mutated fish, I would continue on and answer as many poultry questions as possible.

According to Delicious Organics, “Organic Chicken” has always been fed only organic grains – which means they are non GMO; no chemicals or pesticides were used on the farm for at least three years, and the feed is routinely checked and verified for organic standards. “Organic Chicken” was NEVER given any antibiotics, hormones or drugs, it was raised humanely and in a stress free environment, and allowed free-range, meaning it had daily access to fresh air and sunshine outdoors – basically, the bird was given room to move in an area that was clean and safe.

Now another common slick marketing trick in chickens can be the word “Natural” which is simply a label for ANY food product that does not contain artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and has been minimally processed – although the definition for “Natural” is moving far away from that – but that’s another post. In this instance, think about it, all chickens are “Natural.”

“Free Range” is another label oftentimes given to chickens – and essentially means that during their lifetimes, they were given room to move. “Free Range” only means however, that they were allowed access to the outdoors. It doesn’t mean that the area was clean, it doesn’t mean that they were not treated with antibiotics or drugs, and it doesn’t mean they were given only organic, non GMO grains.

The last tidbit I picked up from Delicious Organics is in regards to “Conventional Chicken.” These chickens are raised in confined, tight quarters, oftentimes extremely cramped with damp, ammonia-accumulated and polluted environments with no natural ventilation. They are predisposed to stress and sickness because of their living conditions and sickness spreads quickly. They are in turn treated with antibiotics regularly, fed drugs to enhance their growth and additives to enhance their color. They are fed grains and soybeans that could contain pesticides and more than likely are GMO. And if that isn’t enough, they may be fed animal by-products which is certainly not a natural feed for chickens.

Just as I wrote earlier this year in the blog post, An Egg is an Egg Right? Knowledge is Power. And like the egg, all chickens are not created equal. Consider the quality of foods you want to eat and feed your family, shop with discernment and when slick marketing and other healthy sounding terms cloud the issue, do some research before buying.

An Egg is an Egg – Right?

Well, not exactly. Eggs may look like one size, one shape fits the bill, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Your typical grocery store dozen will generally be white on the outside with a pale yellow yolk. The chickens who laid the eggs are generally kept in cages their entire lives, usually indoors in overcrowded conditions.

Keep in mind that the richer the color of yolk – the higher the nutritional value and protein content. A yolk that is pale is well, exactly what the color indicates, weak and not a good choice, whereas a yolk that is golden yellow to almost orange is generally your the best bet.

The cage free variety eggs are from birds raised without cages, but what isn't clear is whether or not the birds were raised indoors or out. The difference between a crowded metal building and a small pasture or outdoor lot can mean the difference between pale yellow yolk or a protein-rich golden yolk.

Free range eggs come from an animal that had some access to the outdoors each day. However, the label “free-range” does not necessarily mean that the animal actually spent any time outside. As long as a door to the outdoors is left open for a period of time, the animal can be considered free range.

Pasture raised eggs come from a traditional farming technique that means the animals were raised outside in a humane, ecologically sustainable manner and eat the foods that nature intended for them. Animals raised on a pasture generally deliver the dark golden yolks that are the highest in protein much more than their counterparts who are being fattened on a feedlot or in a confined facility. The non-confined label can also fall under this heading, and that means the animals were not confined in a feedlot and had continuous access to the outside throughout their lifetime.

When you see an egg with “No added hormones” on the label, don't waste the extra money. According to the American Pastured Poultry Association, by law, hogs and poultry cannot be given any hormones so the label is misleading.

Another common label is “No Antibiotic Use” which means exactly what it says, no antibiotics were administered to the animal during it's lifetime. If an animal becomes sick and requires antibiotics, it will be taken out of the population and treated, but not sold with this label.

100% Vegetarian Fed is another common label which simply means that the animals were not fed any animal by-products (think Mad Cow). This label however does not guarantee that they were raised outdoors or on pasture.

Last but not least, comes the egg that is labeled “Organic”. What that means is that the product, it's producer and the farmer have met the USDA's organic standards are are certified by a USDA-approved food-certifying agency. Organic poultry must be fed only organically grown feed without any animal byproducts and cannot be treated with hormones or antibiotics. In addition, the animals must have access to the outdoors and have access to pasture.

So many eggs, so many choices, but I know in my book, I get farm-fresh pasture raised eggs when they are available, and organic when they are not. Local in my book is king and organic a strong contender. To find a member of the American Pastured Poultry Producer near you, go to www.apppa.org/producers.htm

Special thanks to the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association – www.apppa.org

What is a Life Coach?

There is a lot of confusion around life coaching. Some people confuse it with therapy, others with new age or other “out there” stuff, but in reality, life coaches work with people from all walks of life, and help with all kinds of growth.

Any time there is a gap between where you are, and where you want to be, a life coach can help.

By identifying an ideal goal, whether it is changing careers, finding a healthy relationship, taking a business to a new level, improving professional or interpersonal relationships, or deepening self-understanding, I work to help my clients develop a roadmap and support them as they take the actions necessary to reach that goal. By focusing on my client’s strengths, I help them find their own solutions and share with them my insight and intuition.

Still not sure about this life coaching business?

Well then, let me ask you this, do you have everything you want in your personal life? What about your professional life, is that where you want it to be? If not, a life coach can help.

Knowledge of an issue or circumstance or intention alone does not translate into changing behaviors. I mean, think about it, New Year’s resolutions…how many of those goals stick? Bottom line, if simply recognizing the need to make change equaled a change made, we would all be exactly where we want and need to be!

To reach your goals, whatever they may be, there is a little bit of work involved. And if you need help with your focus and planning your journey to change, a life coach can help. And that’s what I am, a life coach. I am excited each and every time I get to help people think outside the box and find the solutions they need to make their lives something that works for them… here and now.

Stress management, time management, goal setting, it is what I love, and helping my clients find their goals and help them in these key areas as they move forward is what it’s all about.

Seeing is believing, so if you would like to know more about life coaching, feel free to drop me a line.

Best – Melissa

Ho, Ho, Hum...

Tis the Season for happiness, togetherness, giving, receiving. Well you get the hint, “great tidings of comfort and joy.” But what if happiness isn't the prevailing theme? What if loneliness, sadness, and even depression are what you are feeling?

Not only is that not good for your mental health, it is also harmful to your physical well being. In Lessons From The Miracle Doctors by Jon Barron, he points out that depression can by as hard on your physical body as stress, which we all know can be a killer. “Your body is a product of your thoughts. The cells of your body have receptor sites for the various neuro-hormones you produce. Your immune cells, to use just one example, have receptor sites for each of those hormones. When you are happy, you produce a set of neuro-hormones that are picked up by the cells of your immune system. These particular neuro-hormones tell your immune system to jack up – which it does. In other words, happy thoughts improve your health. However, when you are depressed, the opposite happens. The neuro-hormones your body produces literally shut down your immune system. In effect, negative thoughts can actually kill you.”

Spend this day focusing on happy. Look around you and be grateful for the things you do have, give no energy to those things you don't. If you are alone, go to a soup kitchen and volunteer, if you are sad write a list of five things that make you happy. Go to the video store, read a good book, be grateful for the moment. If you spend enough time and energy focusing on what you are grateful for, the things that bring you down will lose their strength. Spend this day in gratitude, your body will thank you for it.

The Gratitude of Thanksgiving

Well here we are, in the United States anyway, with another major Holiday in the rear view and heading full tilt into the Christmas Season. Thanksgiving Day, a day to stop, reflect, and give thanks for all of the abundance around us, to be grateful for our homes, our families.....basically everything that is “good” in our lives.

How very American, to schedule a Holiday to give thanks....when in all actuality, giving thanks should be an every minute of every day occurrence. I know, I know, Thanksgiving is historical in nature, a meal between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans whose land they were just beginning to plunder....a benchmark in the development of our country, yada, yada, yada....but historical aspects aside, let's just take a minute to look at the gratitude of Thanksgiving.

Since Thanksgiving is about togetherness, I think it would be safe to assume that first and foremost, Thanksgiving is about the people. Now those “people” don't have to be family members, and in many instances, you are better off if they aren't, but for me, it is a duality, friends and family.

Family. Yep, I'm grateful for that....but whether it is a late night snack with my teenage son or a meal on the go with my daughter, I am grateful. A nice quiet evening with Gary, or a family birthday or celebration that brings everyone together....I am grateful.

Friends. Well, in most aspects, my friends are my family. They are the ones I turn to when I need to laugh, cry, share and grow. My friends bring me joy, tears, laughter and good times, we dish, bitch, you name it....and for the wonderful, beautiful people in my life that I have the honor to call my friends....I am grateful.

Work. My work is another something something I am grateful for. To have the opportunity to wake up each and every day and get paid to do what I love, what a blessing. Whether it is a day working with words or caught up in research and communication...what a cool thing to be fortunate enough to make a living doing the things I am passionate about. For my work, each and every day....I am grateful.

And Stuff. We are supposed to be grateful for stuff too, right? Well, my home is nice, safe, warm, and a great place to both live and work out of and for that, I am grateful. My car, runs, is comfortable and safe and for that, I am grateful. But possessions can be a tricky thing. A great teacher, Rev. John F. Schulte, once told me that, “Everything in your experience, you share energy with. If it does not serve a purpose or it does not bring you joy – let it go.”

I think that oftentimes, people get caught up in the acquisition of “stuff” and that can blur the gratitude of any day, especially Thanksgiving. Now I'm not sitting here pointing fingers, because the acquisition of “stuff” is something I can be guilty of too. Wishing I had a new house, new rug, new this or new that. But those feelings and drive towards acquiring more “stuff” didn't bring me joy – it made me focus on what I did not have, and in turn I was not grateful for the beauty that was already surrounding me. So what if my couch was old or my end tables didn't match, why did I spend the energy focusing on that rather than the fact I have always had a safe, warm home to raise my children in. Always remember, at the end of the day, if it does not serve a purpose or it does not bring you joy – let it go.

It is the people in your life that truly make a difference, whether friends, family, a neighbor, coworker, or even a kind stranger in the supermarket....look for the good things, the smiles, the thank yous, the things to be grateful for. If you have a warm bed to sleep in, be grateful. If you have a job that meets your needs financially and emotionally, be grateful. If you have good health, be grateful. I could go on and on with this, but the important thing is to find at least five things to be grateful for each and every day. Write them down, refer back to them, and remember, gratitude...always.

Thanksgiving is a state of mind, and the more things that you can reach for and for which you can be truly grateful, the more peace you will have in your life. And as we head towards the frantic pace of the Christmas Season, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Peace one of the themes?

Organic Really Is Better

Well I've been saying it, and while some people agree, other's think that I am a food snob, a person who truly enjoys flaunting my snobbery by paying two or three times more for an organic product than I would for a conventional. Now how paying 5 dollars for a loaf of bread over 2 dollars can be considered a good time is beyond me, but guess what, my buying habits aren't snobbery, organic food really is better.

Jon UnGoed-Thomas recently reported in the Times Online that the biggest study into organic food has found that it is more nutritious than ordinary produce and may help to lengthen people's lives. Funded by the European Union, the four-year study found that organic fruits and vegetables contained as much as 40% more antioxidants, in addition to higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc.

Professor Carlo Leifert, the coordinator of the study, said the differences were so marked that organic produce would help to increase the nutrient intake of people. And while the English Food Standards Agency is reviewing the evidence of the study before deciding whether or not to change it's current stance, “no significant differences between organic and ordinary produce,” Leifert contends that there is enough evidence now to prove that the level of good things is indeed higher in organics.

Imagine that, food grown in healthy soil, lacking all of the pesticides and chemicals from seed to harvest, can actually be healthier for you.....boggles the mind, doesn't it. Taking it ten steps further, organic foods generally (but not always) lack many of the harmful effects of genetic engineering and the thousands of “additives and preservatives” that can make food not so, well food like.

But a word of caution here, not all organic foods are created equally. With the rising popularity of organic products, organic foods have become big business, and we all know what business means to our food supply - some organic standards have been compromised.

Try and buy local when possible, as Dr. Mercola states, “If you want to get the freshest, most nutrient-rich foods available, you simply must seek out real sources close to your home. When I say “real sources” I’m referring to farmers, food coops, farmers’ markets, and community supported agriculture programs. These are the people who are growing your food, and only by speaking with them and establishing a rapport will you truly know if your food is being raised with integrity and health in mind.”

When you do have to hit the supermarket or the local health food store, start with the organic label and know that now when you go through the checkout line, the organic foods in your cart truly will “feed” your family better than anything else in the store.