FIGS!!

 After five years of no fruit, my fig tree is finally producing! Large, sweet, decadent figs! They are absolutely gigantic! Whoo hoo! I'm so excited!

GMO OMG (movie review)

I love a clever title! This 2013 movie is about GMOs (genetically modified organisms) narrated and directed by Jeremy Seifert with facts about how they are used, why they are used, and the ramifications of eating foods grown with GMOs.

He has three of the cutest kids in the universe and he opens the film explaining his unconditional love and desire to keep his children healthy and safe. The movie proceeds with street interviews as evidence no one in society knows what a GMO is and how most of the population eats what they want when they want without question trusting our food is safe. 

He presents some good facts like which American crops are grown with GMOs. One fact that disturbed me but also gave me great hope was how so many countries have actually banned GMOs. It's the USA chemical corporations, like the ever evil Monsanto, that are the ones poisoning us with GMOs and trying to push them into other countries. And the US government does nothing but support them. Anyone who is chemically sensitive knows this, but it was good to be reminded. Can I move to Europe now???

He interviews conventional farmers and their brainwashed ideology on the desperate situation of feeding the world's population. He interviews organic food activists and finally scientists and their research studies on the ramifications of GMOs. Other than the rats with the giant cancerous tumors, he barely mentions associated health issues, but he does say most of the research is done by the chemical companies who purport all is safe so no one really knows anything. (Allergies, asthma, digestive disorders, and even autism are linked to GMOs.) I'm surprised he didn't discuss that health condition where it is thought the GMO spores that infect non-GMO crops are also embedding themselves into human skin causing all kinds of problems...that would make a really good horror movie plot!

My problem with the movie is it has absolutely no passion. I never got the feeling he believed what he was saying nor if there is a crisis. His facts are laden with cartoons that negate the seriousness of the situation. His interviews are bland and questions uninteresting. He never challenges anyone. He talks about the GMOs in the foods we eat and how bad they are for us, but he continues throughout the movie feeding his children junk food as he interviews them on how good it tastes. He teases them about not going to McDonalds and feeds them ice cream. Or he lectures them as they eat on the dangers of what they are eating and as little kids they respond with, "It's so good". Is it just me or is it really bad parenting to be contradictory and confusing? I did like the goggles he creates for his kids to wear to identify GMOs, but again, it's just a joke. At times I enjoyed the humor especially seeing these little babies holding protest signs that said "GMOs" but the humor was usually misplaced, lacked meaning, and only for entertainment. They eat meal after meal of processed, conventional junk as he and his wife talk about how hard it would be to give up these foods. It's really difficult to take him seriously if he can't be bothered to stop his children, who he claims to love with all his heart, from eating the GMO-poisoned food. This lack of passion doesn't live up to the OMG in the title.

I think what might have had more of an impact is if he showed his family actually giving up GMO foods, addressing how difficult this step is in our fast-food culture, adjustments one must make, foods that are safe and edible, and hopefully, by the end of the movie can say if he can do it, anyone can. Instead his message is: GMO's are bad...no one knows this, but even if people know it it doesn't matter and no one really needs to care. 

I find this really irresponsible.

It gets one star for cute kids. Maybe another star for excellent title.

OBESITY

I just watched the television series My 600 lb. Life which is about the four most obese people in the United States. They are all located in Texas which doesn't surprise me as every thing I've read states the southern United States has the heaviest people on the planet. I think Texas and West Virginia are the top contenders for this honor, however, honor is not what I'd call it.

The stories are about four people who are all over 600 lbs., and in one case over 700 lbs. They opt to have gastric by-pass surgery to save their lives and the narrative follows the procedure, recuperation, and weight loss progress. Each case starts with the people complaining how all this extra weight impedes their ability to function. Walking or standing is painful. Moving is painful. Employment is impossible. Recreational activities are non-existent or challenging. Some of them spend their day sleeping or sitting in front of a television. And, of course, eating non stop in great quantities. They are told if they continue being overweight there is a good chance they will die.

This program had to be the most horrifying I've ever seen and has haunted me now for two weeks. I've had appetite control issues all my life and have struggled with weight control for just as long so seeing the worst of what can happen is my ultimate nightmare. I feel really sorry for these people, but I am horrified anyone would allow this to happen to themselves. I know we aren't supposed to victim blame or "fat shame." It's not politically correct. We are supposed to accept people as they are and celebrate diversity. I guess we are supposed to celebrate drug addicts and alcoholics, too. It's a confusing world. But really who is to blame if not themselves? If you've read my previous posts I also blame drug addicts and alcoholics for their choices. There is a difference between diversity and indulgence. How can anyone let themselves go to such extreme and accept such an unhealthy, miserable life?

There were only two vague theories for their obesity. One woman said it was all because she was molested as a child. She believes she purposefully gained weight in order to be unattractive to men. I've heard this before. I don't buy it. First, this woman is married so clearly she wasn't opposed to attracting all men. Second, if sexual abuse is the cause of her obesity, what's the excuse for the rest of her family? They are all obese. The excuse doesn't fly.

The other so-called "cause" for this extreme obesity is a "food addiction". That's what the doctor kept calling it as he instructed them to learn to control it as a life-long affliction. Maybe. But no one ever asks what is the mechanism for the addiction? WHY are they addicted. WHY will they be addicted all their lives? WHY are others not addicted? It's shocking to me obesity is such a common problem in our society, but doctors don't know why or what to do about it other than to cut them open.

So here are my theories:

I used to buy into the excuse that I overeat because of emotional issues. When a doctor informs you as-a-matter-of-fact this is it, the whole reason, you take a pause and consider it. Yeah, OK, maybe I have some childhood trauma I'm holding onto. Maybe self-esteem issues? The problem with this easy theory is everyone in the world has emotional issues so it never made sense because not everyone is fat. I think this is the easy explanation for doctors because it's so universal. Doctors know we can't contest it so it makes the perfect diagnosis for health care providers who are so incompetent they have no other idea. However, a lot of people I know have far more emotional baggage than I could ever imagine and they still manage to stay skinny. Maybe it's gene mutations that affect some and not others?

I had an epiphany when I attempted to poison myself with thyroid medications. I switched from an overeating tendency to ravenous, non-stop, out of control starvation eating. I would make large pots of stews or casseroles and inhale the whole pot in one sitting. I didn't feel good after and I thought I would vomit from the fullness, BUT I was STILL hungry! If there were two pots I probably would have continued eating. I read the medications might have caused "hypopituitarism" which caused my pituitary gland which controls appetite satiety to go wonky. Not one doctor knew what the hell I was talking about. In fact one of them decided I needed dieting advice. She obviously wasn't listening and didn't have the medical experience or cognitive function to understand something called hypopituitarism. As soon as I stopped the medication, it all went away. This was an eye-opener. Doctors are bullshit.

This makes me wonder about the chemicals in our foods, water, and personal health products not to mention the polluted air we breathe. Are they causing our appetite control organs to go haywire? Are they making us addicted to foods that are grown and manufactured with these chemicals. It's a researched fact that gluten makes people hungry. This is why the food industry has added it to nearly every product on the market. It makes us eat more and they make more money. Are people allergic to these chemicals and/or food additives and it makes them ravenous unable to control their appetites creating a "food addiction"?

My first observation was their diets. Everyone of them ate nothing but processed, junk food loaded with chemicals. The worst kind of garbage. Their methods of cooking were anything but healthy with lots of deep-fried saturated fats and sugar-laced sweeteners. I don't think I saw one vegetable or fresh fruit in the entire program. When the doctor stresses they need to eat "healthy", he's not giving healthy dietary advice. They need to eat protein. Protein for these people is going to the refrigerator and snacking on processed cheese or luncheon meats. From the moment they get out of gastric-bypass surgery they are fed JELLO. Eeewww! I wanted to vomit. There was one story where the patient lost a lot of weight and his mother says, "Well, he only eats junk food now but he's lost weight so I don't think it matters. He loves sour cream!" No one in the whole program including the doctors had any concept of nutrition. There was never not a moment I wasn't disgusted knowing how junk food affects one's health. Unless they change to a more nutritious diet, I don't see how they can be successful and this made a quick-fix surgery the only option.

My second observation is the amount of food they eat. Food piled high and so densely the plate surface is not to be seen. Even after they go through the surgery and become used to their small stomachs their portions are still larger than normal. What was really sad is watching them suffer with smaller portions while be forced to watch their inconsiderate family members shovel in bucket loads of junk food right in front of them. That was just cruel. How could these people control their appetites and take charge of their lives when the people they live with are bad influences and lacking in support? One of the mothers kept babbling about how disgusted and angry she was at her daughter's weight gain. First, the mother was incredibly fat, at least 400 pounds, and second, watching her make jokes and humiliate her daughter's effort showed exactly how difficult it would be to successfully overcome a weight problem with that horrible woman for a parent.

My third observation. One of the patients showed the TV audience her purse, or rather large suitcase of emergency supplies for when she leaves the house. She pulls out a bottle of perfume and says she must have it handy at all times because as large as she is, she smells all the time. If you've spent any time on this blog site, you know how perfumes are made with toxic, addictive chemicals that are hazardous to everyone's health. Are they contributing to the obesity epidemic? It wouldn't surprise me.

My final observation was on the incompetence of health care. One of the patients loses a large amount of weight and decides to celebrate with some crystal meth. He begins to lose all muscular movement in his body, then becomes paralyzed, then ends up in a coma. No one knows what's wrong with him until later when someone finally reveals he was using recreational drugs. So on top of all the chemicals in his food, he poisons himself with meth, and pays the price with his health. He ends up in the hospital for a year and they diagnose him with Guillain-Barre syndrome which is an autoimmune disease that attacks the nerves. I just nodded my head not surprised. He's in a wheelchair for the remainder of his story (seven years). What raised my hackles was the statement printed across the television screen that said something to the effect that the autoimmune disease has no connection to his past drug use. WHAT???? I screamed at the television, YOU IGNORANT, INCOMPETENT BUFFOONS!

If these doctors knew anything about autoimmune disease, which they don't, they would know the cause is thought to be 77% environmental, or toxic chemicals. The drugs certainly could have triggered the autoimmune disease and paralysis. The ignorance of medicine never ceases to shock me.

In conclusion, their families are often loving and caring, but rarely supportive for weight control as they are struggling with bad diets and overeating as well. The obese people don't seem to have the cognitive ability to understand nutrition or the capability to read and research to gain knowledge in order to help themselves understand how to eat for health. Do chemicals affect brain function? They sure do! They are addicted to chemicals and junk food and kicking the habit is not easy. They've been stuck in a vicious cycle of failure. Taking steps to rectify the problem is limited to quick fix methods such as surgery which is dangerously life-threatening, but at the time of their decision with death looming due to the obesity, it seems to be a better choice.

It was very sad and disturbing. I kept wanting to scream, NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS FEELING GOOD FEELS!! but they couldn't hear me. I know how hard it is to eat healthy and stick to a diet, but it can't be more difficult than being unable to walk, stand, work, function or being told you could die at any moment.

The Perfect Diet (For Me)

I've been asked about my diet and what I eat. After perusing the too many posts I've written on what I eat, how I eat, how it's changed and what does/doesn't work, I realized I really don't have a clear list of foods and practices. Granted, this is because with all the dietary experimenting I do in hopes of discovering the secret to perfect health, the list gets tweaked all the time. (I'm tweaking it as I speak....) However, this is my basic diet followed by the "rules."

Meat:  Cod, salmon, beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, chicken liver, oysters, tuna

Fruits:  Apples, oranges, avocados, lemons, pears, grapefruit, limes, coconut, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, plums, prunes, cherries

Vegetables:   Lettuce, spinach, arugula, dandelion greens, onions, garlic, peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, celery, squash, peas, green beans

Herbs and Spices: Oregano, basil, cilantro, thyme, black pepper, Himalayan or Celtic sea salt

Nuts: Almonds

Oils and fats: Olive oil, coconut oil, butter, avocados

Other:  Coconut milk, peppermint tea

Notes:

Do not overeat. It creates inflammation and stress on your body triggering autoimmune responses. Eat every two hours to avoid blood sugar fluctuations.

Eat 80% fresh produce (if possible), 20% meat and everything else. Must have a little protein with every meal to stabilize blood sugar.

All food must be organic and fresh. No canned, packaged or processed food.

All meat must be grass-fed, organic or wild-caught. I stay away from canned meats but on occasion I eat tuna. I buy only gluten free, wild caught tuna. Don't trust big-box grocery stores even if they claim it's healthy. Find a food co-op or source you can trust.

Stay away from pork and shellfish because they are toxic. I cheat with oysters but only because I've been told they are the cleanest shellfish and I live in the oyster capital of the world. I don't eat them often, and I don't have problems when I do.

No grains of any kind.

No gluten. Watch for hidden gluten in makeup, body products/lotions, chap stick, hamburger, spices, canned anything including tuna, supplements and thyroid medications.

No dairy.

No sweeteners of any kind including high glycemic fruits: dried fruit, mangoes, bananas, papayas, etc. as they are just as bad.

No high starch vegetables: potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes

Avoid or rotate goitrogens like broccoli, kale, cauliflower, or Brussel sprouts as they decrease your thyroid function. I rotate these things and cook them as cooking decreases the goitrogenic effect.

No mushrooms or fungi.

No legumes like peanuts, beans, lentils. (Fresh green peas and green beans are fine.)

Avoid lectins like tomatoes, cashews, beans, peanuts, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, bananas. Remove peels from fresh fruit (apples) and if I cheat with potatoes or sweet potatoes, remove the peels. This decreases the amount of lectins.

Drink as much water as possible with the goal of reaching the required number of ounces (your weight x .67 = number of ounces per day). Preferably clean water with natural minerals like artesian water. This is important for detoxification and hydration. 

Yes, now and then I cheat. And I pay for it. Sometimes.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire, or, Please Pass the Stupid Chicken

Do you trust the word organic? How do you know if it's truly organic? Or grass-fed? Or gluten-free? If the label says they don't use antibiotics or steroids, how does one really know if this is true?

A couple years ago while on my vacation road trip, I found a product clearly labeled gluten-free. I was excited. When eating on the road, selection is limited. I bought it, jumped in the van, and headed back out on the road. Lunchtime couldn't arrive soon enough and eager to eat a new gluten-free product I almost didn't bother looking at the tiny print. It was labeled as gluten-free because ONE ingredient was gluten-free. But what about that wheat flour on the ingredients list? I later found out if only ONE ingredient is gluten-free, the manufacturers can legally label it gluten-free. HOW IS THAT LEGAL?

I've had a lot of people tell me they can't tell the difference between organic food and conventional food. To them it all tastes the same. A few people have told me they think organic produce tastes better. Maybe. My problem is I feel lousy if I eat conventional food. I'll never forget the severe intestinal cramps I got from eating conventional watermelon. I thought my insides were imploding. Same with conventional raisins and Brussel sprouts. It makes me wonder if all these people who have been diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) are just reacting to the pesticides and poisons? Dietary advice includes NOT eating most fresh fruits and vegetables. Hmmm...

So what am I supposed to think if my clearly labeled organic, natural, no artificial ingredients, raised without antibiotics chicken gives me unbearable migraines and nausea? I think most people would blame it on anything else, but I know better. So is this false advertising? How can I prove it?

I bought this chicken at another co-op, one not known for it's impeccable standards. My co-op doesn't sell this brand. It wasn't the first time I bought Stupid Chicken, and not the first time I had migraines and nausea right after eating it that lasted all night, but I was blinded by the sale price. So what does "air-chilled" mean? Is that code for gassed? Chemically-induced refrigeration? What am I missing? The labeling is misleading.

During the same visit to the co-op with questionable standards I also bought a small container of bulk Kalamata olives. The fact they tasted wonderful, better than my own co-op's olives, should have been a clue. I had nightmares and strange, vivid dreams all night. The ingredients include olives, water, salt, oil. Hmmm...what kind of oil? Crude oil? Pennzoil? Sometimes I'm just too trusting. Just because it's being sold in a co-op as a bulk product doesn't mean it's safe.

And then there is Simple Truth Grade B Maple Syrup. My co-op was closed on New Year's Day so I went to the local big-box grocery store. They had a bottle of this grade B maple syrup for sale in their "health" department. Ingredients: organic maple syrup. The label looked fine. I get it home, pour a little out. It's too light in texture and color to be real Grade B which is raw, unprocessed, organic maple syrup. This has the consistency of corn syrup. I stick my finger in it. It tastes like corn syrup! So what is this? Did they cut real Grade B maple syrup with something else? Can they claim it to be Grade B if only a small portion of it is Grade B? Or did they process it just a little and they are lying?

Aren't there labeling laws in our country? It irritates me to no end we can't trust money-hungry companies to tell the truth and their best practices include screwing over the customer for a few extra bucks. But organic is the new catch word. Like natural, it means nothing. For anyone who is chemically sensitive, it's a experiential learning process with dire consequences and lots of wasted money.

Chemical sensitivity is expensive!

HOW Do I Eat This Thing?

To aid in fat digestion I am to eat bitters and artichokes. Well, I've never eaten an artichoke in my life and have had little desire to do so. Hmmm...does my body know something my brain doesn't? Artichokes are nightshades so there is some controversy. Some people tolerate them very well and others not so much. Maybe they'll end up like the parsnip experiment and create a whole lot of misery for me? Or not? I appreciate my doctor understanding my aversion to pills and opting to go the food route for natural healing so I will be brave. A little at a time.

I bought a can of artichokes hearts. They have a metallic taste and I'm pretty sure it's the canning process or the citric acid they use for a preservative. Yuck. An hour after I ate a few bites the back of my head started pounding. Artichoke-induced headaches? Maybe. Too coincidental to think otherwise.

So I bought a fresh artichoke! Can't get anymore natural that that. I asked the produce woman if she knew how to cook them and she went into great detail exclaiming how wonderful they are if you are so inclined to work at it. I got home and researched online. I'm going to add here it shouldn't be so hard to eat a food...

I followed steaming directions and for thirty minutes boiled the hell out of it. With the artichoke stem soft and squishing, I placed it on my plate, and with great anticipation proceeded to peel away the leaves.  So...WHAT do I eat? The produce woman said not to eat the hairy parts. OK. I don't want to eat the hairy parts. I'm not seeing what I'm supposed to eat! I've heard one must use their teeth and scrape the meat off the leaves. There's nothing on these leaves! They are skinny and hard!

I have failed in my artichoke-for-digestion experiment. Maybe that's a good thing?

Menu Samples for the Paleo/Hashimoto's Diet

WARNING: This menu list is outdated and only represents an early version of my diet. I no longer eat so much dairy (creates fatigue), absolutely no dried fruits (creates exhaustion), and no broth (yuck...besides it's high in glutamates and I belief I have a glutamate sensitivity). Check out the index for "Paleo-Hashimoto's Diet" and the most recent menu/diet sample should be at the top.

Here's what a typical food journal looks like for someone on The Paleo Diet with a Hashimoto's Twist:

DAY 1

1 cup of chicken or beef broth

3 boiled eggs
1 cup of green peas

1 cup yogurt with
1 peeled and shredded apple

1 handful of raw almonds
1 orange

1 cup chicken or beef broth
2 cups of salmon rice casserole (salmon, Thai rice, red peppers, onions, garlic, broccoli, fresh oregano, olive oil, sea salt and pepper)

1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup raw almonds

1 hamburger patty cooked with olive oil, garlic, sea salt and pepper
1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon mustard
1 slice raw onion
1 cup cooked carrots

4 tablespoons of almond butter


DAY 2

1 cup of homemade chicken or beef broth

4 ounces of cod, baked in coconut oil
3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup of zucchini sauteed in olive oil

1 slice of cantaloupe
1/2 handful of raisins

1 handful of raw pecans
1/2 apple

2 cups Thai chicken (chicken sauteed in coconut oil with garlic, onions, green beans, broccoli, a bunch of fresh basil, a handful of fresh oregano, jalapeno peppers, with coconut milk and red chilies)

1 avocado

4 ounces salmon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup green peas

4 tablespoons of almond butter
1/2 apple

Here are more rules:


Drink chicken or beef broth with every meal.

Eat some kind of protein every two hours.

Eat lots of veggies with protein.

Eat one veggie raw or almost raw with every meal.

Don't eat fruit with a protein meal unless it's high-glycemic then you need to eat with protein to keep blood sugar from spiking.

Don't cheat.

Don't break the rules.

Obviously I cheat and break rules a lot, sometimes just to be defiant. When I first started this diet I had no idea what to eat and how to make it taste not so bland. Vegetables not dripping with butter are really dull. Meat without the fancy sauces or paired up with a tasty side dish are boring. Dessert? What's that? Boredom is painful when seeing others enjoy their decadent dishes or watching people in restaurants eating gourmet food without restraint, worry or care. Hating what you have to eat is a real motivation killer for any diet.

This is why I break the rules. If I didn't now and then I'd give up. I shouldn't have processed condiments like mayonnaise and mustard, but I buy the organic kind, very expensive,  free of garbage, soy and sugar and I don't eat them often or in great quantity. Sometimes I buy dates or corn chips because one more day of snackless existence would send me over the edge, but that's rare. I've kept raisins although they are dried fruits high in natural sugar because they are high in iron and I pair them up with nuts.

About once a month I buy oysters or prawns and eat them just for a treat. They are high in the minerals and since I don't take supplements, this is justifiable so I don't feel too badly. Often I drink some kind of fresh fruit or vegetable juice at night, again for vitamins. I'd like to drink homemade chicken broth with every meal, but that would involve taking the time to cut up a whole lot of chickens too often to keep myself stocked up with stock. I run out too fast, because of this, I am very selective when I choose to drink the broth.  When I cheat I reduce the diet to a basic Paleo diet without the Hashimoto's Twist and I do it so infrequently, I don't think it causes much of a problem.


BUT on the positive side, I have not once cheated with gluten! I think that would be a deal breaker. I don't eat gluten, restaurant food, junk food, chocolate, soft drinks, caffeine, rarely if any kind of sweetener, hardly any dairy (yogurt), and rice is really the only grain and I don't eat it that often. Even with the rules I break,  it's a darn healthy diet. Nevertheless, willpower is a daily endeavor.

Can't Have This...No Matter What!

As I make my recipes in the next few weeks, I'll post them. They are quite easy. I know what it's like to start this diet and wonder if anything will ever taste good again.

Entertainment, Part Four: Restaurants vs. Home-Cooked Meals

I loved going to restaurants. The convenience of having someone cook for you and serve you was an incredible luxury. You didn't have to clear the table or wash the dishes. Getting dressed up and sitting among other dressed up people...who reek of chemicals. I can't count how many restaurants I've had to leave because of the toxic smell of hostesses, waiters or other hungry customers.

Yum...Why only once a year?

 

Aside from the stink, restaurant food doesn't always taste that good. Most dishes are over-salted, over-processed, pre-made and taste like they've been frozen for a year. Microwaving has replaced traditional food preparation methods because it saves time. Never mind the radiation! Chemical sensitivity forced me to re-discover the joys of healthy living including cooking from scratch right in my own home.

Remember the days when home-cooked meals were the standard? Yeah, I don't either. I do remember my grandparents cooking meals together and my mother teaching me to make scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast when I was eight years old. I have vague memories of real food: roasts, stews, casseroles, but I grew up in the age of processed food so even those traditions were quickly phased out in lieu of TV dinners and fast food. The only time we expected anything home-cooked was at Thanksgiving, and that wasn't even a guarantee. Learning to appreciate fresh, organic food and making meals at home was an adjustment in time, money, and effort, but so worth it in terms of quality and health.

My favorite childhood meal.

I love ethnic food and new taste experiences so I found a creative way to replace restaurant dining in my new chemically-sensitive life: cultural experimentation. Every winter I choose an ethnic culture and test recipes. It's quite a challenge. One year I made all Thai recipes. I have to say, I make Thai food better than any Thai restaurant in my area. Another year I made Indian food and the following year, Mexican food.


Then there was Puerto Rican food. I could NOT find ingredients! Someone told me there are only about five thousand Puerto Ricans in my corner of the country so specialty ingredients are not high in demand. I considered finding substitutes, but that rarely works and I didn't want to come away with the experience thinking I didn't like Puerto Rican food because I cut corners. Disappointed, I eventually gave up. But, there is a whole world of epicurean delights I have yet to discover. It's like fragrance-free traveling in your kitchen.

Battery-operated Candles

Next step, invite guests over for some sampling and re-create a restaurant atmosphere. Of course, you'll need to find some quality, fragrance-free people which might be close to impossible. OR treat yourself! Set the table, turn on the electric candles, play delightful digestive-enhancing, ethnic music, and dress in your finest. Take yourself to dinner...in your own home.

This last winter I experimented with grain-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free cooking due to this bizarre new diet I'm trying. I thought ethic food was challenging! It's definitely not as fun as traditional cultural foods, but with so many restrictions, restaurant food is impossible.

Ice Tea with a Side of Spit

These days restaurant dining is overrated. An article was recently featured online about a McDonald's worker getting caught spitting in a customer's ice tea. We hear these stories all the time! Yet with blind trust we still think it's safe to eat food from restaurants without knowing what is going on in the kitchen. Deep-fried rats in chicken nuggets. Nose-blowing too close to the grill. Fecal contamination in Dairy Queen ice cream. Remember the kid who bathed in a sink at Burger King? There are too many crazy people working in the food industry. Why are we so lazy we prefer restaurant food to home-made food? Shouldn't home-cooked meals be the standard instead of the exception?

I say we all join the Slow Food Movement. Started in Italy in 1986 as an alternative to the fast food industry, the movement promotes home-cooked meals, supports local farming, and encourages sustainability through preservation of traditional cuisines.  I'm fairly certain it was inspired after watching McDonald's take over Europe as there is nothing quite as disturbing as seeing the Golden Arches alongside an ancient Roman ruin! The world could use some slowing down.

This makes me hungry....