FOODS FOR LIFE GUIDEBOOK
Common Sense Guide
to Whole Foods

Foods for Life Excerpt about Organic Foods

Organic farmers follow environmentally responsible business practices. Organic cows are free of antibiotics used as routine prevention. In comparison, 82 different drugs, including RBGH, are found in conventional dairy farms.

Ounce for ounce, organic fruits and vegetables are twice as rich in certain nutrients compared to non-organic produce, according to a recent study reported in the Journal of Applied Nutrition.

Thought-provoking figures about our food supply:

More than 20,000 pesticides are registered for use in the United States.

75% of the chemicals, 2.2 billion pounds annually, are used on more than 900,000 US farms at an annual cost of about $8.3 billion, according to the Pesticide Action Network.

Pesticide sales have increased more than 2,700% since 1962 and US users now account for one-third of the world pesticide market.

NBC News recently reported that 9000 people die each year in the US due to food related illness.

Our exposure to man-made chemicals in the food we eat is suspected of being a major factor in today's increased risk to cancer.

The Environmental Working Group found that "more than half of the total dietary risk from pesticides...was concentrated in just 12 crops. The pesticides that were found in these foods are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as probable human carcinogens, nervous system poisons and endocrine system disrupters."

Groundwater contamination caused by pesticides has spread pollutants to the world's rivers, lakes and oceans, killing fish, wildlife, and aquatic plants.

Greenpeace states that "numerous studies show that many pesticides cause health problems ranging from such long-term chronic effects as cancer, genetic damage, birth defects, harm to the immune system, kidneys and liver, to short-term acute effects such as nerve damage, dizziness, nausea and fatigue."

Some experts believe certain agricultural chemicals, such as toluene, can be toxic to fetuses.

Sixty percent of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides and 30% of all insecticides are considered carcinogenic by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

A 1987 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report estimated that 20,000 cases of cancer a year can be linked to US pesticide use.

Health experts long have warned of the dangers of high-fat foods that can lead to heart disease or cancer.

New studies show that each fatty bite may also carry a dose of highly toxic chemicals.

Man-made chemicals, including traces of highly carcinogenic dioxins released into the environment, are turning up in fast-food and grocery store staples such as meat, fish and dairy products at levels that exceed US government standards by 200% or more, according to
studies.

"In industrialized countries you can avoid the intake of dioxins, to a certain extent, by eating food that is low in fat, " says Dr. Arnold Schecter, an international medical expert on dioxins and an advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO). "But it is more desirable to avoid producing dioxins in the first place."

Dioxin is a toxic waste product formed when municipal and hazardous waste is burned, and when chemicals containing chlorine, such as pesticides and paper products, are manufactured. This product ends up in the food chain. When an animal eats food that contains this toxic chemical they accumulate in the fat.

WHO and the US Environmental Protection Agency agree that dioxins cause cancer.

"Besides cancer, minute amounts of these chemicals have been shown to lead to nervous system and liver damage, as well as to mimic hormones that disrupt reproduction and human development," says Schecter.

"It is known that every person in every industrialized country has dioxins in their blood...96% of the general population's exposure to dioxins is through food," Schecter said.

While vegetables and fruits contained trace amounts of these chemicals, the dose was significantly less than high fat foods.

Advocacy groups such as the American Public Health Association (APHA) believe that governments should be doing more to protect
people's health, especially in light of these new scientific findings.

Birth defects, learning disabilities and other development problems have been linked to dioxin exposure, according to the studies. This is because these chemicals "mimic" or "block" estrogen and progesterone, natural hormones that instruct the body on how it should develop. "In just six months of breast feeding, a baby in the United States will, on average, consume the EPA's maximum lifetime dose of dioxin", Schecter says. Dioxins are highly persistent in the environment and extremely resistant to chemical or physical breakdown.

Twelve highly contaminated foods:

In addition to fiber, a known cancer fighter, fruits' and vegetables' beneficial nutrients include antioxidant vitamins such C, A and E, the minerals selenium, zinc, copper and manganese, and other antioxidants such as beta-carotene.

Cruciferous vegetables, which get their name from the four-petaled crosslike flowers their plants produce, are rich in anti-cancer agents, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

As an added plus, beans and whole grains and pasta are high in fiber, which not only enhances their ability to prevent heart disease, but also may help prevent other illnesses such as colon cancer, diverticulosis and diabetes. The typical American eats 10 to 15 grams of fiber a day, but the National Cancer Institute recommends a daily consumption of 25 to 35 grams -- equivalent to approximately six servings of whole grains, bread, cereal or legumes and four servings of fresh fruit and
vegetables.

Fluoride

In July of 1997 NFFE (National Federal of Federal Employees) co-sponsored the California Safe Drinking Water Initiative with other environmental professionals. The NFFE stated:

Sprouting

Sprouts provide super nutrition for pennies, harvest quickly, and can be grown anywhere. Sprout additions to salads, steamed vegetables, stir fry, tofu, cereal, breads, biscuits, cupcakes, muffins, beverages, sandwich fillings, and soups add color and super nutrition. Sprouting jars and lids are available at health food stores. Add raw sprouts to all types of salads.

Blend sprouts into cream soups or add them just before serving. Add sprouts to vegetable juices, casseroles, or any vegetable dish. Wheat sprouts add nutrition and texture to breads, rolls, muffins or pancakes. Grind sprouts and add seasonings to make sandwich spreads or sprinkle them over sandwich fillings.

Sprouting Instructions

Place whole, untreated, organic seeds or beans in a clean, wide-mouthed jar.

Soak the seeds in purified or distilled water
overnight.

Cover the top of the jar with a screen, cheese cloth,or sprouting jar lid. Secure the lid and drain the water from the jar into a vegetable stock jar. Label the stock and refrigerate for soups, sauces, or to feed your plants.

Distribute the seeds or beans around the walls of the jar evenly. Lay the jar on its site or tilted at an angle to allow the water to drain. Place the sprouting jar in a warm, dark place.

Rinse sprouts daily, draining excess water

After the sprouts have grown to their maturation length, put the jar in the sunlight for the sprouts to develop chlorophyl

The following seeds make excellent sprouts.
Be sure to use untreated, preferably organic, seeds:

Alfalfa Seeds:
These small seeds are the highest sprout source of minerals, protein, vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E and K and can be enjoyed in salads, sandwiches, spreads, breads and casseroles. Two tablespoons of alfalfa seeds produce about one quart of sprouts. Since alfalfa seeds are very tiny, you should use a cover for the sprouting jar that has very small holes so the seeds do not fall through. Sprouts take about 4-5 days to reach maturity and should be placed in direct sunlight on the day of harvest in order to increase the chlorophyll content.
(Note that a few physicians, including Andrew Weil, MD, do not recommend using these seeds.)

Black-eyed Peas:
When sprouted, black-eyed peas contain lots of proteins, minerals, and vitamins A and C. One cup of peas yields about one quart of sprouts. Since the peas swell during the overnight soaking, allow ample room in your sprouting container. These sprouts have no hulls to wash away and can be harvested and eaten on the third or fourth day. Some people report that these sprouts taste like raw, fresh peas in a pod and they make a nutritious addition to any dish.

Garbanzo (Chick Peas):
These sprouts are close to a complete protein and also contain many minerals. They have a nutty flavor suitable for marinating or as additions to salads or loaves. Three-fourths of a cup of chick peas makes about one quart of sprouts. They will be ready to harvest and eat in 3 to 5 days.

Lentils (red or yellow):
These sprouts produce a tasty, protein and mineral rich addition to soups, salads, spreads, breads or loaves. One-half cup of lentils yields about 1 quart when sprouted. They
sprout to maturity in 3 to 4 days (1/4 to 1/2 inches in length).

Mung Beans:
Often referred to as "bean sprouts" in Oriental recipes, these sprouts contain protein, vitamins A and C, along with calcium, phosphorus and iron. One-half cup of Mung beans produces one quart of sprouts and they reach maturity in 3 to 4 days. You can wash away the hulls before serving or storing for later use. Grow them in the dark, away from sunlight and soak them one minute before draining each day.

Radishes:
These flavorful, red sprouts contain potassium and other minerals. One-fourth cup of seeds yields about one quart of sprouts after 3 to 5 days. When the sprouts are 1/2 to 1 inch in length, rinse the hulls away and eat.

Soybeans:
One cup of soybeans yields about one quart of sprouts after 3 to 5 days. The are high in protein, vitamins A, B - Complex, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Sunflower Seeds (hulled):
It is advisable to grow sunflower seed sprouts to 1/2 inch in length. They are high in minerals, proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins D and E.

Wheat Berries:
This grain is the berry which is ground up to make flour. Sprouted, they contain protein, vitamins B-complex, C and E. They can be harvested in 2 to 3 days or grown for 4 to 7 days to produce wheat grass which can be juiced or eaten for its high chlorophyll content.