What We Ate Wednesday 10/17

Sorry for slacking on Wednesday posts, we just haven't had anything spectacular. Tonight was spectacular. We had Civilized Caveman's avocado and sun dried tomato stuffed burgers with a cucumber tomato salad.

Without a grill, the burgers were a little too rare for me. Next time I'll just make burgers and top them with the avocado and sun dried tomato mixture. I imagined these would be amazing with a pile of caramelized onions. Next time. 

The salad was a quick throw together of the leftover avocado mixture, cucumber, tomato, avocado cubes, and a splash of balsamic vinegar, sea salt, pepper and oregano. 

Our Journey- Part Two: Just Eat Real Food! (wheat isn't real food!)

The most difficult and rewarding part of our journey has been eliminating wheat, sugar and all processed foods. It didn't happen overnight, but I'm so grateful to have taken these steps.

I was the chubby kid who ate Hamburger Helper for dinner with soda. My single dad struggled to feed us healthy foods. I was 14 when I figured out that Corn Nuts and a Slurpee from the snack cart at school was cheaper than the meals I could purchase, and I could save the extra money to buy music CDs. This was also around the time I decided to become a vegetarian, despite my total lack of interest in vegetables. My diet for 14 years consisted mostly of pasta, cheese, and other white foods.

Fast forward 15 years, one baby and a failed marriage later, and I was exhausted, overweight and unhappy. Looking back, I believe that’s when my adrenal glands really started to crash. I developed horrible acne, and my hair began to fall out. I tried every face cream on the market but it only got worse. I went to a dermatologist who put me on antibiotics and back onto hormonal birth control. When this didn't help, I finally went to a naturopath. He suggested I had Candida overgrowth, possible food allergies, WAY too much stress, was drinking too much caffeine, and I was not getting enough sleep. I decided to eliminate dairy from my diet, which helped a lot, but not enough. (Read about the dairy journey here)

I was a busy single mom relying heavily on packaged convenience food. I felt like a zombie and a hypocrite because the life I was living was not in line with my values, and I knew that I would feel better if I took the time to clean up my diet. I started reading about local economies and farmers markets and homesteading.

In 2011, I considered a detox or cleanse – but wasn't interested in starving myself. Then a friend encouraged me to try a whole-food paleo approach for 30 days and see how I felt. I began to eat simple, whole foods, as high quality as possible. I ate meat, eggs, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and oils. I ate when I was hungry, and stopped when I was full. I didn't measure or track anything. I ate fruit when I craved sweets.

I was inspired by the simple cooking recipes I found online and started to think this could be just what I need to learn to cook, support local economies, and improve my health all at once. I read Robb Wolf’s The Paleo Solution from cover to cover and was fascinated by how much sense it all made. I began to understand the biochemistry of why my body felt the way it did, and how to fuel it properly. I learned that grains are highly processed foods, which cause systematic inflammation that leads to many symptoms and diseases. I learned how the government had come to endorse following a low-fat diet that kept the food and pharmaceutical companies rich, and the people sick and fat. I also got over my fear of healthy fats, after learning what “healthy fats” really meant. I learned to ignore most conventional nutrition wisdom, and really start thinking and learning for myself. This way of eating felt perfectly aligned with my values – and I never once worried about becoming another one of those annoying women who are always dieting or weighing themselves. Within two weeks my mental fog was gone, my skin was clearing, and I had boundless energy. The cravings faded away and I began to really enjoy cooking and eating real food.

This is not some fad diet - it is a well-researched lifestyle change. I went for it and have NEVER looked back. I started with an average of three meals a day and a few snacks, but quickly noticed I very often wasn’t hungry, and dropped snacks. I fell in love with the farmer’s market and couldn't get enough new nutrition knowledge. I slowly added grass fed beef and pastured pork into my diet a couple of times a week.

Within a month of eliminating gluten and sugar, Man Cub was having an easier time in school. When he was two years old, I eliminated dairy from his diet and his asthma and eczema went away completely. At age five, I had begun to slowly add dairy back into his diet. When I really started paying attention and understanding how food impacts mood, I realized that, although it no longer triggered his asthma, it made him feel emotionally out of control and clogged his sinuses. Without dairy and gluten he was more focused and more in control of his impulses and his emotions. It took a while to work up to a full change, but he now avoids sugar as well, and embraces healthy whole foods and snacks with enthusiasm.

In the first four months, I went from 185 pounds and size 14 to 145 pounds and a size 6, without much exercise at all - and without the obsessive diet brain. My skin was softer with a more even tone and fewer wrinkles. My hair was softer, growing in stronger than ever. I was cooking great meals, packing my lunches, and learning more every day about nutrition. I felt satisfied, and it got easier every day.

In 6 months, I had more energy that I knew what to do with – so I started working out. I added walking and dancing to my routine a few nights a week, and tried Crossfit and LOVED it. My weight began to shift again. I built muscle, lost inches, and dropped fat. A year and a half later, I’m down to a fit size 2. I lift weights and do high impact intensive training 2-3 times a week, and really enjoy pushing myself to be stronger and have more stamina. My mood and focus are fantastic!

My sister joined me and lost 30 pounds. My dad joined me and has lost over 20 pounds and reversed his type two diabetes. I’m still learning every day, and taking stock of my values. I've planted two gardens and a window herb box. I bought a juicer and I enjoy juicing greens in the morning. I’m having so much fun learning about nutrition and alternative health, I’m planning to go back to school and provide health coaching. I work with children with disabilities and meet kids every day who are struggling. I believe that a diet of whole foods that eliminates allergies can make a difference in everyone’s lives. My dream is to help families of children with disabilities through holistic treatments that include diet interventions.

It’s not always easy making big changes, but I've never regretted putting myself first and making positive changes for my own health and well being. I've connected with my local community and I can honestly say I can’t remember the last time I bought a Coke, Nestle, or Monsanto product. I have joined a local produce buyers club, become a regular at the farmers market, joined a CSA at a neighborhood farm that also donates to my son’s school, and even joined in with friends to pool our money together to buy a ¼ cow from a local butcher. I swap and share fish and veggies with my neighbors and barter work exchanges. I’m so much happier, healthier, and closer to my dreams than I ever thought I could be, in just one short year

Always keep evolving! 

Kellie

Our Journey: Part One- Dairy Elimination

I thought I'd spend a couple of posts taking about how far we've come as a family and what we've learned though trial and error and a whole lot of research. It's been about four years now since I began researching nutrition and holistic wellness. We've used diet, supplements, exercise and self care to improve focus and attention problems, asthma, recurring ear and sinus infections, eczema, aggression and mood regulation, acne, weight, and a pile of other ailments and risk factors. I'm going to start with how dairy elimination changed our lives, because that one change led to all the rest, and really saved us. In future posts, I'll share more about how eliminating allergens and dyes sealed the deal, and learning about micro-nutrients, home remedies and vitamins has prevented any further illness.  

Baby Blues
When Man Cub was born, his frenulum (that little flap of skin that ties your tongue to the bottom of your mouth) was tight, and he had a hard time breastfeeding. I tried so hard: pumped, used some crazy plastic nipple guard contraption and tubing, mothers milk and voodoo, but he just wasn't getting it. I supplemented with formula, and my milk dried up around 6 months. He developed dry skin and sad little baby coughs. By the time he was on formula only, he had eczema, and had been to the hospital several times for ear infection and a wet, scary cough. He was diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease, and given a nebulizer and steroid inhalers. I've always been a little skeptical of western medicine, but when your baby can't breathe.... you do what they say. I also began to research. 

The first important fact I learned was that certain racial ethnic groups (of which my son belongs) have a higher likelihood for milk sensitivities. The second critical tidbit was that milk allergy is responsible for many respiratory and sinus symptoms. This was enough for me to make a switch. Unfortunately, one critical fact I missed is that soy milk contains a protein that is very similar, and babies who cannot tolerate a milk based formula often cannot tolerate a soy formula either. Because of this confusion, it was unclear until much later what we were dealing with. Most people are familiar with the gastro-intestinal symptoms of lactose (the sugars in dairy products) intolerance: gas, bloating, and diarrhea. What many don't know is that some people have in insensitivity to the protein called casein in milk, and this reaction causes a histamine reaction that can involve skin (hives, rash, eczema), mood (aggression, fogginess, exhaustion), respiratory systems and sinuses. When the respiratory system becomes irritated it produces extra mucus, causing congestion and a rattling cough. 

Elimination Miracles
By age two Man Cub had gone through 4 ear infections, numerous sinus infections, eczema, and was taking two inhaled medications 4 times per day. He was also having terrible gas and bloating. He had the classic allergy eyes (dark under eye circles). After talking with a second pediatrician, I decided to try further elimination. 

I removed all dairy products from his diet and by day three, all symptoms were GONE! 

No kidding. He stopped wheezing, sniffling and coughing, and his skin began to clear up. By day 10 his skin was soft and smooth. When I added milk back to his diet, he wheezed on the third day and I cried my eyes out because I knew I had found the answer, and it wasn't drugs. Man Cub ditched all his medications and creams in another two months, and has never needed them since. 

About 3 years later, I learned another powerful lesson. My pediatrician kept telling me that dairy was important nutritionally and that I should try re-introducing it into his diet because most dairy allergies go away by age 3. Again, I fell into the hands of western medicine and diet, and quickly learned that the protein in dairy makes Man Cub... MEAN! Yes, that's my scientific conclusion. Any time he drinks milk or eats cheese, he gets a headache, runny nose, and loses all ability to reason or handle his emotions. He becomes a puddle on the floor because he can't find an orange crayon, or his apple has a bruise. He screamed at me when he dropped a glass of water. So I did what any mother should... I supplemented his calcium in other ways, banned dairy from our house and we lived happily ever after. 

Some people who are sensitive to casein can tolerate yogurt or cheeses but not milk, while others (like me) can't tolerate any of it. We use almond or coconut milk, and avoid products containing casein and all the other sneaky names for dairy. Some ingredients and foods that contain milk are:

• casein, calcium casein, casein hydrolysate, magenesium casein, potassium casein, rennet casein, sodium casein
• dairy products like cheese, yogurt, milk, pudding, sour cream
• butter, butter flavoring, butter fat, butter oil, artificial butter flavor
• lactalbumin, lactoalbumin phosphate, lactaglobulin, lactose
• margarine
• non-dairy creamers
• whey, whey hydrolysate

Mom is always last to take care of herself
All this time, I had been suffering from really bad acne, fatigue and problems focusing. I really thought I had ADD. I visited a naturopath who suggested I eliminate dairy as a first step. *face palm* How did I not connect those dots? Well I finally did it, and my acne got much better, my energy returned, and I could focus. What I learned from my elimination trial is that dairy makes my face flush and my skin crawl ever so slightly. So of course I was distracted! A deep cystic zit with every re-introduction was enough to help me kick that dairy habit. Here's a great article that explains the link between milk and acne better than I ever could. 

If you or your children suffer from any of the following symptoms, consider going 10 days without any dairy products at all to see how you feel. Then, add milk once a day for 10 days and see if symptoms return. You could also get tested with a skin prick or blood test, but it's not uncommon to have a false negative and still be sensitive. Man Cub tested negative, but a wise doctor reminded me that moms know best, and if he gets sick every time I feed him a certain food.... I don't need anyone's permission or approval to stop giving him that food. 


A. Symptoms of Lactose intolerance:

• Gastrointestinal symptoms like:

• Nausea

• Bloated stomach (abdomen)

• Diarrhea

• Chronic flatulence

• Constipation

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Malabsorption disorders like:

•  Nutrient deficiency including anaemia, dehydration, bone density loss

• Mood swings, Depression

Symptoms of Casein AllergyB. Symptoms of Casein allergy:

• Skin allergy symptoms like itchy skin, Eczema

• Spontaneous vomiting

• Headache, sinus pain

• Chronic fatigue and lethargy

• Leaky Gut - intestinal damage leading to malabsorption disorders

• Respiratory problems like Coughing, asthma, bronchitis

(Source: Foodintol http://www.foodintol.com/dairy-intolerance)

Here's where it get's a little more complicated....

"The symptoms of Dairy intolerance are just like symptoms of Fructose intolerance and Gluten intolerance, they all overlap. All food intolerance symptoms - if left untreated - become worse with age. So just because you have these symptoms - it does not mean you have Dairy intolerance"

Here's another site with tons of information about dairy sensitivity

Next post, I'll share how removing gluten took our health to another level, and what we've done to repair the damage. 

  

Week in review

Sorry guys, I've been really lazy busy lately and didn't get around to posting the last two Mondays and Wednesday. School is back in full swing, man cub is still sugar free and eating healthy lunches. He is reading labels and actually policing the rest of the house "hold on, let me see that...you can't eat this, it's got 500 mygrams of sodium!" Ok, so here's a quick run down:

What We Ate Wednesday 9/12/12
Our last Wednesday meal wasn't that spectacular, but desert was a huge hit. We had chili like glazed salmon with cauliflower "rice" and a citrus avocado salad (orange segments and about a 1/4 cup orange juice with avocado, red onion and greens)

Dessert was also simple but pretty delicious: grilled peaches and pineapple with coconut whipped cream. I sprinkled the peaches with cinnamon and grilled till they caramelized on my little George Foreman. To make the topping, chill one can of full fat coconut milk for at least an hour . Open the can and drain out the water, leaving only the thick milk. Whip with a drop of pure stevia extract and a dash of vanilla. (I used the Trader Joe's coconut cream, and left a tiny bit of water to blend it up)

Moving Monday 9/17/12
I walked man cub to school and ran about 600 stairs along the way...and that's all. I was weak from fighting off an illness, and I know to listen to my body and not push.

What We Ate Wednesday 9/20/12
I think I need to change food posting day. My boyfriend's day off is Wednesday, and fish and eggs are the only protein he eats...so Wednesdays are a little repetitive. We had more salmon. This time it was blackened with a mix of paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. I made a simple green salad, and the most amazing brussel sprouts EVER. No, seriously, these are so good we made another batch for lunch today. Here's the recipe. I ate too fast and forgot a picture, but I found brussel sprouts on the stalk and got excited enough to take a picture. I honestly never knew how they grew, so this made me feel all warm and connected to my food.

So that's my update... you can sleep peacefully now. For making you wait, I'll add a bonus recipe for the sushi I made this weekend for the boyfriends work lunch:

Tuna California Roll

2 sheets nori seaweed
1 can tuna
1 avocado
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 of a medium cucumber, julienned
1 tablespoon mayo (here's a great recipe for mayo with healthier oils and no weird GMO ingredients)

Optional condiments: coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

I made two versions of this sushi. For the first, I simply placed tuna, avocado, carrots and cucumber in the seaweed and rolled it up. I wish I had a sushi mat but I make due with foil. I find that the seaweed is easier to deal with if you splash it with a little water just before rolling, and seal the edge of the roll with more (warm) water. Cut into pieces about and inch long.

I used unsalted tuna, and found the first batch a little bland, so in the second round I mixed it with the avocado and a little mayo, then topped it with carrots, more avocado and cucumber. I sprinkled these with some seasoning salt, but that added kind of a weird non-sushi favor that I wouldn't recommend. Stick with the traditional aminos (gluten and soy free soy sauce alternative), wasabi and ginger.

Enjoy!
Kellie

Moving Monday 9/10/12: A for Effort

I have a bad habit of over confidence. I start out my workout feeling like an Olympic body builder and often have to swallow my pride and downgrade to a workout that's slightly more realistic (wimpy).

Today was one of those days. I planned my workout based off of a crossfit workout posted on Facebook that looked like this:


I knew I couldn't do those weights, so I adapted it a little to match my abilities (the super strong abilities in my head, that is). 

I made it two rounds before realizing there was NO. WAY. I felt totally defeated. But then, I thought of you all. 

I decided that instead of giving up, I'd put my ego and excuses aside and scale down. I traded handstand push-ups for regular push-ups, then girl push ups in rounds 4-7. I traded 80 lb dead lifts to single leg dumbbell dead lifts and finally to 25 pound lunges, and pull-ups for situps.

It took me 35 mins with all the changes and breaks, but what's important is that I finished. I haven't been so proud of a mediocre workout in a long time. Persistence and effort will always count for something. 

So, if all you can do right now is 7 rounds of 7 steps, go do that...because we've all seen those memes that say "It doesn't matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everyone on the couch"!

With sweat, 

Kellie

Quick Candida and Detoxing Guide

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”

― Hippocrates

I've struggled with very mild candida overgrowth and leaky gut symptoms (flushed face, fatigue, acne) off and on for a year or so, and learned a lot in the battle to heal my gut.  Luckily, I haven't had any icky symptoms since I changed my diet about a year and a half ago, but I'd be heading down that path if I wasn't listening to my body and dropping the dried fruits and sweets (including natural sweeteners). After years of hormonal birth control, daily antibiotics for my skin, and high stress.... I am especially sensitive to candida overgrowth when my diet becomes too high in sugars. I'm always surprised that health focused communities and practitioners don't talk about this common problem more often. So often when I talk to friends about nutrition, I hear them complain of similar symptoms, and so I thought I'd share a quick overview and some resources. 

Let's start by defining the problem. Candida albicans is a yeast that normally lives within the digestive tract and vagina. When a body is properly nourished, there is a symbiotic balance between beneficial probiotic bacteria, and the immune system functions well to keep candida levels at bay. However, when the body is overly stressed, the immune system can be suppressed, and ecessive sugar in our diets can feed those bad critters. This creates the perfect environment for yeast to thrive and overgrow. Antibiotics or hormonal birth control can contribute to the killing of beneficial bacteria and encourage yeast overgrowth.

Most people are familiar with the symptoms or oral or vaginal yeast infections. Few are aware of the more subtle symptoms of candida overgrowth in the intestinal track for both men and women that disrupt many of the body's systems. Candida overgrowth can wreak havoc on energy levels, skin, fat storage, and moods.

Symptoms of candida overgrowth

• Fatigue
• Itchy skin
• Acne
• Headaches
• Mood dis-regulation
• Depression
• Memory and concentration problems
• Sinus infections
• Fungal infections
• Intense sugar cravings

What's even more frightening is that those little buggers can overpopulate and actually permeate the gut. When yeast particles start wandering around other parts of the body, the immune system attacks, causing even more sensitivity and allergic reactions. This is called leaky gut, and if you ever want to get really disgusted and motivated to drop the wheat and sugar... look it up or click the link above. (Food and waste in your bloodstream is NEVER a good thing... trust me on this one).

Diet to manage candida

Lucky for me and others who suffer from chronic candida overgrowth, these little buggers can be killed off with a healthy diet of whole, fresh foods, low in sugars and yeasts. Until I switched to a whole foods diet that does not include dairy or grains, I was getting terrible acne and a mild yeast infection every month at the beginning of my cycle. With a strict sugar free clean diet, my skin looks great and I've always got energy to spare. Avoid sugars, alcohol and refined carbohydrates. These foods feed the bad bacteria and compromise your immune system. 

Cook with coconut oil daily. "This is because coconut oil is high in both lauric acid and caprylic acid, which both have antiviral, antimicrobial and antifungal properties. These components of coconut oil target harmful bacteria but leave friendly bacteria alone, which helps balances the flora in the digestive system. They also kill off excess yeast and other fungal overgrowth in the body. Studies in Iceland and Nigeria show coconut oil is an effective agent for killing off candida yeast." Elizabeth Walling, Natural News (more info here)

Adding beneficial probiotics by eating and drinking fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchee or kefir helps to create a balance in the gut and can heal damage over time. I brew my own coconut water kefir, but you can also buy it at the health food store, or eat fermented foods. Probiotic capsules can help, but fresh probiotic foods are more likely to contain enough live bacteria to get through the tough journey through stomach acid and into your intestines. A recent research project from Bastyr University showed that most probiotics on the shelf don't contain as many live bacteria as they claim to, due to die off in manufacturing and shipping.

Drink plenty of water! If you're going to be killing anything floating around inside your guts... you want to wash the remains out, right?!!!! The die off of massive amounts of bacteria can produce the Herxheimer reaction, a collection of crappy symptoms that make you feel worse before you get better. Stick with it, die off symptoms mean your treatment/diet is working... you'll feel spectacular after about a week. Drinking lots of water speeds healing by helping the body to detoxify. 

Supplements and topical treatments

L glutamine is another great tool in my toolbox. This amino acid works in two ways to combat candida overgrowth: one by squashing sugar cravings within a few minutes of breaking a cap under my tongue, and two by healing gut damage over time.

Oil of oregano is an anti-fungal that is also helpful. This stuff is very powerful so you'll need to buy a diluted oil, or mix with olive oil. It can be applied topically to skin, or take0n internally daily for prevention. (on a side... it also helps cure acne, and studies have shown it safe and effective in treating numerous other ailments. More here)  I read up and found lots of mixed messages about whether or not it kills good bacteria, so I only use it as a short term helper when I have symptoms, then stop and replenish good bacteria with probiotics.  

Apple cider vinegar can help by balancing the body's PH and creating an environment where healthy bacteria thrive and candida doesn't. It also contains natural enzymes that are beneficial in the healing of the gut. The most common recommendation is 1-2 tablespoons a day. You can get this in by adding it to your foods, or by slamming a shot of ACV or mixing it with 12 oz of water. I'm not going to lie, I can't stand the taste of it, and I'm not consistent, but I always fee better when I add apple cider vinegar to my diet. 

My battle with candida proves over and over that a clean diet of healthy whole foods is the answer to every ailment from mood to acne to fatigue. When I eat crap, I feel like crap, and then I have to "treat" myself with herbs and gross vinegar. When I JERF (Just Eat Real Food!), my body and I are great friends. But since we are all human, and coconut ice cream happens... I hope I have helped you understand what's going on and prepare for plan B: Detoxing. 

Happy healing,

Kellie 

What We Ate Wednesday: School Lunch Rant Edition

September's goal is to eliminate sugar from the man cub's diet, and in general promote better eating habits for him. We've done a bit of experimenting this summer and proven beyond any reasonable doubt that sugar is evil. It makes everything harder for him. When he is on sugar, he has less control of moods, everything is harder, and everyone is more annoying. Sugar messes with endorphins and produces insulin spikes and crashes that make him a nasty little Dr. Jekyl (Sorry folks, that's about as scientific as I get at this late hour... it's bad stuff... watch this if you don't believe me), and now that he's learned to recognize that feeling in his body, he's happy to avoid it. He is reading nutritional labels and turning down candy from friends. I'm so proud of him!

I pack his lunch everyday with healthy foods, and this year I bribed  invested in an awesome lunch box to make all the little Lunchable-eaters jealous.

Today, I packed pepperoni (from a local farm), organic popcorn (non-gmo), grapes, carrots and dip, and a few banana chips. Here's a picture of tomorrow's lunch, and his super cool lunch box.

 Speaking of school lunches.....

It's the start of a new school year, and I'm reminded again of how ridiculous the USDA's school lunch program is. Feed The Animal just hosted THIS guest post on his blog, highlighting a mom's frustration over tiny portion sizes and lunch box police. I previously directed a preschool that contracted with program, and I'm guilty of signing the contracts for reimbursement through this program, and so I shall present to you one of my favorite rants......why the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program should be reformed.

1. (This should really be the only reason needed) They feed poor kids toxins for breakfast and wonder why we see disparities in academic outcomes between socioeconomic groups. 

The program serves meals in schools, childcare facilities and adult daycare facilities across the nation, including over 31 million children who qualify for free and reduced meals. Socioeconomic status is a strong predictor of academic performance for students across the nation. Students in affluent communities generally outperform students in poverty. It is a well known phenomenon that there is less access to healthy foods in low socio-economic neighborhoods, and children living in poverty are often reliant on school lunch programs for the bulk of their daily food access. So then, with everything we know about the effects of nutrition on brain development, shouldn't ALL children have access to a nutrient dense diet, free of neurotoxins and chemicals? Low in sugar and high in protein with fresh fruits and vegetables? These foods are known to increase satiety, increase brain development, and stabilize moods, as well as boost immunity and reduce disease risk factors (which are also higher for children in poverty)? Instead, the CACFP meal pattern requires children be served one fruit (canned or frozen is acceptable) and one grain, with a serving of milk every day for breakfast. At worst, gluten is a neurotoxin, at best, it is HIGHLY irritating to underdeveloped intestines, and one of the 6 most common allergies. Milk is another top allergen, known to cause brain fog, congestion, sinus and ear infections, asthma, eczema and hives. Children of color are over represented in the free and reduced lunch line, so while Johnny from the valley is eating eggs at home for breakfast, Jose is getting frosted flakes and an ear infection in the cafeteria. Lunch is not much better, with low quality foods allowed, and very small portion sizes. In the CACFP program, french fries are a vegetable, and chicken nuggets are the norm, and a burger contains 26 ingredients. It seems an interesting coincidence to me that children of color (who are over represented demographically in free and reduced lunch programs due to higher rates of poverty) are also under performing in school when compared to their white counterparts as a whole. 

2. Power and money should not over-ride unbiased nutritional research

But they do. Dairy and grains are big business, and with massive overlap between the USDA and food company executives and lobbyists, it's no surprise that the government would like the nation to eat more of those foods. Piles of research have shown that low-fat, high-carb diets void of nutrient dense foods are not suitable for healthy human beings' optimal health. Grains, dairy and sugar are highly inflammatory and lead to most of america's disease epidemics. GMO fruits and veggies are likely to contain much less nutrition, and require the kidneys to process more pesticides, among many other downsides. Food companies cater to schools with special CACFP labels, and low bulk pricing for low quality foods such as "processed cheese food" and "mechanically separated meat". 

3. Pizza is not a vegetable!
'Nuff said.

4. Almond milk is not a pharmaceutical

The CACFP meal pattern for fluid milk requires fluid milk with every meal. Childcare centers and schools get reimbursements for each meal served that meets their requirements. If a parent wishes for their child to not be offered milk, the school loses money unless the parent can provide a doctor's note to prove there is a medical reason for the substitution. Even then, in most states, the substitution does not count towards a reimbursable meal unless the substitution is soy milk. Why? Because soy (the second largest crop in the US) producers funded research showing their product contains similar nutrition. Never mind that it is not suitable for young children to consume, due to the disruption of hormones. My child attends a before and after school program that participates in the program for breakfast and snacks. Because he is allergic to dairy, I provide almond milk. I am required to provide the substitution, along with a doctor's note. They lose money because they cannot claim reimbursement for his breakfast, and they actually record each time they "administer" his "dose" of milk on a medication form.  

Sigh.... end rant. I feel sad for all of the kids who eat toxic sloppy joes, and hope that one day people will have enough education about heath and nutrition to stand up for better meals for our children. In the meantime...I'll keep packing the awesome lunch box and teaching my guy how to make his own healthy choices. 

Cheers from my healthy family to yours!