Hi Gratitude Gourmet Readers! In case you didn't know, Gratitude Gourmet has a list of highlighted Health and Wellness Articles on this Page. Cheers to your Health! :) Hailed as the first place winner for the “Best Health and Nutrition” cookbook at the 2012 annual Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, “Gluten Free Mediterranean Gourmet Cuisine", written by Aslihan Koruyan Sabanci, is the first book to offer gluten-free recipes based not only on delicious Turkish Cuisine but also on factual nutritional analysis. She also discusses How to have a Healthy Immune System. You can also find several vegetarian recipes and make many of these vegetarian or vegan if needed. Following two years of extensive research, each recipe chosen for Sabanci’s book includes nutrition charts as well as vitamin and mineral values determined by medical specialists and nutritional scientists which include carbohydrates, fat, protein, fiber, folic acid, calcium, vitamins D, E, A, B1, B2, niacin, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. The finished product is a beautiful 320-page book enhanced with full color photographs of over 150 tried and tested, easy and tasty Mediterranean Cuisine recipes all made from accessible ingredients. “While compiling my recipes into a book, I wanted to include useful information for food-sensitive people like myself,” says Sabanci. “I hope my book will be beneficial not only to people who are gluten-sensitive, Celiac Disease patients and their families, pediatricians and gastroenterologists, but to a global readership that is fond of Mediterranean and Aegean cuisines and want to eat healthfully and deliciously.” Her nutrition tips to create a Healthy Immune System include: - Eat regularly - Eat a variety of foods - Decrease the consumption of fat - Consume Omega 3 fatty acids (I recommend flaxseed and walnuts) - Consume less sugar and sweetened foods - Avoid too much sodium - Consume more liquids - Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables - Consume more antioxidants - Avoid processed foods - Consume organically grown foods in their season - Get Sun for Vitamin D - Consume fermented products Try this Recipe: Kabak Tatlisi (Pumpkin Dessert with Cream, Walnuts, and Strawberries) Like Gratitude Gourmet's Health and Wellness Articles and Videos? Donate Bitcoin via the Button below to support our work. Thanks! Gratitude Gourmet is excited to be celebrating our 5 year anniversary in May, and to celebrate, we are giving away a ticket to the June 8, 2013 See Jane Run SF Bay Area Half Marathon and 5K. Just tell us on our Gratitude Gourmet Facebook Page why you want the ticket by May 8, and a winner will be randomly selected and receive an online coupon code for a free ticket. Good luck!! :) Image: Sincerely Nuts Did you know some great attributes of pistachios include: - 6gms of protein per serving - 3 grams of dietary fiber, or about 12% of the daily value per serving - 100mg of omega-3s per ounce which helps reduce bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol - Vitamin B6 which is essential to make the protein in your red blood cells Sincerely Nuts carries Pistachios Meats Roasted (Unsalted) which are my favorite for that snack, salad, or ice cream! :) Share on our Gratitude Gourmet Facebook Page your favorite Pistachio preparation and/or recipe with us. Becky Foust Pilates Spring is Almost Here! What are you doing to Get In Shape for the Season? Becky Foust Pilates has a great 60 Minute Amazon Instant Video. Becky is a popular and caring Lake Tahoe, California Pilates Instructor and teaches tourists from around the world. Download Here. We Wish you Great Health and Wellness! Gratitude Gourmet is excited to be listed in the March 2013 Edition of On Q, the KQED Member Magazine (on page 2)! As a KQED Perks Member and/or fan, you receive Free Shipping on Gratitude Gourmet Chocolate. Order Here. Image Credit: KQED On Q March 2013 Gratitude Gourmet, your sustainable lifestyle destination, is pleased to be a Bay Area Green Business offering science and health news, and interviews and reviews of inspiring brands and entrepreneurs. We're proud to offer gourmet, California-made fair-trade Chocolate. Contact us here for special orders. Thanks for your continued support of Gratitude Gourmet!! Hi Gratitude Gourmet Readers! We wanted to ask you a big favor. Do you like our Gratitude Gourmet Content, including Health, Environment and Policy Posts and/or Chocolate? Please write us a brief recommendation on our Facebook Page (right side). Do you have a Pinterest Page? Please Like and Repin our Gratitude Gourmet Pinterest Pics as well. Thanks very much in advance! :) Many people have told me that reading John Robins' Diet for a New America changed their lives by teaching them about factory farming, and as a result, they radically changed their food choices. John Robbins has just released a 25th Anniversary Edition Diet for a New America - How Your Food Choices Affect Your Health, Your Happiness, and the Future of Life on Earth with a new Epilogue discussing Climate Change and additional Health Data. I'm very happy he has updated his book with this information, and more people at all levels of society are realizing the environmental and health consequences of our governmental food and agricultural policies, business strategies and personal choices. We must all continue to make changes and the right investments very quickly on all these fronts. Ocean Robbins, John's son, has also written a new article called: Diet for a New America: How the Food Movement is Gaining Strength, and it is below for your reference (published with permission). By Ocean Robbins Our food chain is in crisis. Big agribusiness has made profits more important than your health — more important than the environment — more important than your right to know how your food is produced. The United States now spends nearly 20% of GDP on health care, and levels of obesity, diabetes, and chronic illness are higher than ever. But even as so many people are suffering, beneath the surface, a revolution has been building. From rural farms to urban dinner plates, from grocery store shelves to state ballot boxes, people are rising up and taking action. We’re beginning to reclaim our food systems and our menus, and we’re taking responsibility for our health. In the seven years after my dad and colleague, John Robbins, released the first edition of his landmark bestseller Diet for a New America in 1987, beef consumption in the United States dropped by 19%. The National Cattlemen’s Association, not pleased, pointedly blamed Diet For A New America. Since then, beef consumption has continued to slowly drop, while organic food sales have increased over 26-fold, to now exceed 4% of market share. This year marks the release of the 25th anniversary edition of Diet For A New America, and it couldn’t come at a more opportune time. People are taking an increasing interest in the way that the animals raised for food are treated. In fact, a poll conducted by Lake Research partners found that 94 percent of Americans agree that animals raised for food on farms deserve to be free from cruelty. Nine US states have now joined the entire European Union in banning gestational crates for pigs, and Australia’s two largest supermarket chains now sell only cage-free eggs in their house brands. The demand is growing for food that is organic, sustainable, fair trade, GMO-free, humane, and healthy. In cities around the world, we’re seeing more and more farmer’s markets (a nearly 3-fold increase in the last decade), and more young people getting back into farming. Grocery stores (even big national chains) are displaying local, natural and organic foods with pride. The movements for health food are growing fast, and starting to become a political force. Earlier this year, California voters put an initiative on the ballot that called would have mandated the labeling of food containing GMOs. Monsanto and their buddies in the pesticide and junk food business were forced to spend $46 million burying California’s voters under an avalanche of deception in order to narrowly defeat California’s Proposition 37 in the November election. Although they won the battle, more than 5.5 million California voters had come out in favor of the “right to know”. It was clear that the natural foods movement was becoming not just a lifestyle choice for a few hippies, but a political force to be reckoned with. Now organizers in 30 other states have begun building GMO labeling campaigns, and efforts to improve treatment of animals, to make factory farms pay for the pollution they produce, and to reform the food offered in school lunches are all gaining strength. What You Can Do Go to the movies. Eric Schlosser’s Food, Inc., Drs. Caldwell Esslestyn and T. Colin Campbell’s Forks Over Knives, and Jeffrey Smith’s Genetic Roulette are some of the most popular and insightful films currently on the market. Boycott the bad guys. Many people are choosing to boycott companies that oppose labeling of GMOs, that treat farm animals cruelly, or that profit from the sale of junk food. Other consumers are choosing to buy from the good guys. For example, the non-profit Non-GMO Project, which offers a 3rd party certification program, has now verified 764 products, and had a record-shattering 189 new enrollment inquiries in October. You can also check out the farmer’s market nearest you. Sign petitions for GMO labeling. Want to work for policy change? A team of organizations, led by Care2 and the Food Revolution Network, have launched a petition demanding that Congress label GMOs, and it has already generated more than 57,000 signatures. And last year’s JustLabelIt petition to the FDA, which generated more than 1.3 million signatures, is being revived in hopes that the FDA might eventually dig itself out of Monsanto’s back pocket. Get politically engaged. For the passionate activist, there’s always more you can do, like lobbying your member of Congress, your mayor, your governor, your local media outlets, or your relatives. You can also join the Humane Society's campaign for farm animal protection, or Farm Sanctuary's work for animal welfare legislation. Get engaged and informed. For a directory of organizations working for healthy, sustainable and humane food, as well as free access to dozens of cutting edge articles and tools to help you make a difference, you can join the Food Revolution Network. Or check out the newly released 25th anniversary edition of Diet for a New America, the book that helped to launch the modern food movement. Big agribusiness would probably like us all to sit alone in the dark, munching on highly processed, genetically engineered, chemical-laden, pesticide-contaminated pseudo-foods. But the tide of history is turning, and regardless of how much they spend attempting to maintain their hold on our food systems, we will prevail. --------- Additional Gratitude Gourmet Reading: John Robbins, Farm Bill & Prop 37 GMO Right to Know Scientist Update We wanted to thank you for your support of Gratitude Gourmet. Since we launched in May 2008, we've featured news on sustainable food policy, science, health and inspiring entrepreneurs, and fun events and giveaways. We've also received a great response on own fair trade chocolate line & healthy food snack boxes launched last year. Thank you for your great feedback and support along the way, including your Facebook comments! We hope our Gratitude Gourmet news has provided helpful food perspectives for you and your communities. Our tagline from the start has been 'Fun, Sustainable Lifestyle' and that's the theme we've worked to maintain. Would you like to see additional story ideas and themes? Have a favorite Thanksgiving Veggie Recipe you'd like to share? Please leave a comment on Facebook and let us know. Thanks and we wish you a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving! :) Helen Clark Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator and Former New Zealand Prime Minister, spoke at Stanford University on the topic: Why Tackling Climate Change Matters for Development. She discussed current food shortages, water scarcity, and human health challenges as a result of climate change. I highly recommend you watch the full video recording and/or read the full text of her speech on my Clean Tech News site HERE. Please Share. Roxana Witter, MD, MSPH Colorado School of Public Health, recently spoke at the American Public Health Association Conference October 30, 2012 on the topic: "Comprehending Health Implications of Natural Gas (NG) Development Through Public Health Research". She covered current Public Health Research, Hazards to Public Health, Water Studies, Air Quality, Suspected Effects on Pets and Humans, Climate Change, and Planned Research. I originally published the article on my Clean Tech and Green Business site, and here is the link for your reference. Fredi Kronenberg Stanford School of Medicine Fredi Kronenberg is a Stanford School of Medicine Physiologist with expertise in women's health and alternative medicine and is very involved in bringing healthy food and Information to hospitals and health professionals. Our video interview is in two parts below, and here are some highlights. She mentions "there is a tremendous surge of interest in bringing healthy food to hospitals...however, a missing piece of the equation is that Doctors are not trained in Nutrition and Food." She says that "what you eat affects gene expression so just because you have a particular genetic propensity doesn't mean that you will get that particular condition because you can, in fact, impact that by the food you eat, so it's really critical that doctors learn more about food." "We know now that there are particular foods, for example, that help Cancer patients and many illnesses which are inflammatory-driven. There are certain foods that promote inflammation and certain foods that reduce inflammation...Tumeric (curcumin) is one of the most anti-inflammatory herbs and spices we know, and it's valuable for Cancer patients and other patients that have inflammatory-driven conditions." Over the last 10 years, she has worked with Dr Andrew Weil in these areas, and they have also established a 2 1/2 day Annual Conference for Doctors, Nurses, and Health Care Providers which presents the latest research in nutrition and specific health conditions, and how food can prevent and treat conditions. She says, "why not use nutrition to control diabetes and cardiovascular disease first?" There are no donuts served at this conference, and the food is healthy. More information is on their website at http://nutritionandhealthconf.org In addition to this conference, she's working on a new initiative to bring in Chefs to Stanford University who can produce food that has the herbs and spices especially made for Cancer patients, create a conference and bring experts to it. She's looking for funders, and if you're interested, please contact her at fk11 (at) stanford (dot) edu Part 1 of 2Part 2 of 2I featured Becky Foust's excellent Pilates Class on Gratitude Gourmet last year. I was so impressed with her class that I produced a video and it has recently been released on Amazon Instant Video! Check it out here! She's a talented lady whom I admire very much! I have mentioned to Erica Weirich MD, Director, Global Health Research Foundation www.ghrf.org and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine Stanford University School of Medicine, that she will win a Nobel Prize someday. In this video, you will see her recent visit to Bhutan and Nepal sharing the 'Patient Outcomes and Environmental Monitoring System', In Nepal, even though there is significant deforestation, the villages are committed to keeping their Valley Poacher-Free. Great News! Thank you to our Gratitude Gourmet Readers for entering our Veggie Broccoli Recipe Contest!! Here are the Entries in Order of Submission: 1. Dragon Rice Bowl with Marinated Tofu by Leanne Vogel 2. Baked Broccoli and Tomato with Garlic Oil Sauce by Hidemi Walsh 3. Wilted Broccoli with Fig- Apple Vinaigrette by Donna-Marie Ryan 4. Noodle Stir Fry by Amy Clouser 5. Malaysian Tofu and Broccoli Curry 6. Roasted Broccoli & Raisins by Mary Marlowe Leverette 7. Super Easy and Great Tasting Recipe by MB Food-Creations 8. Mushroom Stroganoff by Laura Francis 9. Dreamy Broccoli Risotto by Kay Kuebler 10. Oven Roasted Broccoli by Sherri Logan Williams 11. Broccoli & Cranberry Slaw by Robert Priddy Now: Vote (Like) Your Favorite Recipes on this Facebook Page by April 30 - Just click on each picture and 'Like' your favorites! The Recipe with the most likes by April 30th wins!! (Note: some folks didn't have a food picture so their Facebook picture was uploaded instead.) Good Luck to Everyone and Share with your friends and have them vote on this Gratitude Gourmet Facebook Page by April 30th! You can Like as many as you want and if you try some recipes, comment on them on Facebook and let us know your thoughts on flavors, taste, creativity etc! Have Fun and Happy Cooking! The WorldWatch Institute released a new Report stating the global population of farm animals increased 23 percent between 1980 and 2010, from 3.5 billion to 4.3 billion. They say these figures continue a trend of rising farm animal populations, with harmful effects on the environment, public health, and global development. Here are the Details of the Report: Both production and consumption of animal products are increasingly concentrated in developing countries. In contrast, due in part to a growing awareness of the health consequences of high meat consumption, the appetite for animal products is stagnating or declining in many industrial countries."The demand for meat, eggs, and dairy products in developing countries has increased at a staggering rate in recent decades," says report co-author Danielle Nierenberg, director of Worldwatch's Nourishing the Planet project. "While industrialized countries still consume the most animal products, urbanization and rising incomes in developing countries are spurring shifts to more meat-heavy diets." "Farm-animal production provides a safety net for millions of the world's most vulnerable people," says Nierenberg. "But given the industry's rapid and often poorly regulated growth, the biggest challenge in the coming decades will be to produce meat and other animal products in environmentally and socially sustainable ways." Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), or factory farms, are the most rapidly growing system of farm animal production. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 80 percent of growth in the livestock sector now comes from these industrial production systems. CAFOs now account for 72 percent of poultry production, 43 percent of egg production, and 55 percent of pork production worldwide. But CAFOs produce high levels of waste, use huge amounts of water and land for feed production, contribute to the spread of human and animal diseases, and play a role in biodiversity loss. Farm animal production also contributes to climate change: the industry accounts for an estimated 18 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, including 9 percent of the carbon dioxide, nearly 40 percent of the methane (a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide), and 65 percent of the nitrous oxide (300 times more potent as carbon dioxide). The environment is not all that is at stake with this rapidly shifting means of food production; factory farms pose a serious threat to public health as well. Diets high in animal fat and meat----particularly red meat and processed meats, such as hot dogs, bacon, and sausage----have been linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. Although CAFOs originated in Europe and North America, they are becoming increasingly prevalent in developing regions like East and Southeast Asia, where environmental, animal-welfare, public health, and labor standards are often not as well-established as in industrialized regions. The report stresses that to prevent serious human and environmental costs, policymakers will need to strengthen production regulations around the world. Further highlights from the report:
Hi Gratitude Gourmet Readers! We'll be four years-old in May!! Has Gratitude Gourmet impacted your life in some way through the information we provide on health, food and drink news, science, etc? Please share your thoughts on this blog post or on our Facebook Page. Thanks very much!! :) The Healthy Eating Plate, created by experts at Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, points consumers to the healthiest choices in the major food groups. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate, they say, fails to give people some of the basic nutrition advice they need to choose a healthy diet. They also state The Healthy Eating Plate is based exclusively on the best available science and was not subjected to political and commercial pressures from food industry lobbyists. More vegetables are needed, since Americans are deficient in vegetable consumption and drinking water is best. Some Vegetable Recipes are on the Harvard website. If you're looking for weekly or monthly Healthy Food Deliveries in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Gratitude Gourmet. What are your thoughts on the Healthy Eating Plate? California Walnut Orchard Visit 2011 Here's our group picture during our 2011 California Walnut Harvest Event. Below you'll also find videos of the Orchard Owners describing the Walnut Harvest and Walnut Shaker Vehicle, along with more photos from the event. After this Tour I appreciate even more both the Walnuts and the hard work the Orchard Farmers do. Also note the heart-shaped Walnut. (It's an interesting coincidence that Walnuts are also heart-healthy). During this Visit, I asked Dr. Roizen why there are more folks allergic to Peanuts vs Walnuts, and he mentioned that when people are exposed to hydrogenated oils such as in many peanut butters, more people seem to have allergies to peanuts. Basically eat closer to the whole food - Good Lesson. Enjoy the California Walnut Orchard Visit Article! All California Walnut Harvest 2011 Stories and Videos by Gratitude Gourmet
1. Dr Roizen speaks on US Health, Disease Reversal, Genes & US Economic Competitiveness 2. Dean and Deluca's Chef Touhy’s Walnut Emulsion Recipe 3. Chef Cindy Pawlcyn's Turkish Walnut-Garlic Spread with Hot & Sweet Peppers & Pomegranate Syrup 4. California Walnut Orchard Visit - Farmer Introduction - Walnut Shaker 5. Chef Todd Humphries Recipes: Celery Salad & Walnut Bread Pudding 6. Videos: Trefethen Winery Stories - California Walnut Harvest |