Reducing and Removing Chemicals from My Diet

GUILTY~ For years we’ve all known that there are all kinds of chemicals in our foods. Even me...I feel a bit guilty for buying things when I had no idea what long-term effect the products would have on our health. I, like millions of others, did what was convenient and cost efficient.

Let’s forget that the FDA regulates these chemicals for us to eat—they let us ingest all kinds of junk for one reason- food is a BIG business…period!
Just one tiny example is yellow 5…found in hundreds of products such as commercial eggs (it’s the dye in poultry feed to make the yolks yellower), most candies, cake mix, gum, sports drinks, and on-and-on...anyway, it is tartrazine, a benzene product…benzene is naturally found in, and synthesized from, the processing of petroleum, which of course comes from crude oil. It used to be used in gasoline but The Fed made them stop using because it is a known carcinogen. But they can put it in our food—right?!
Enough of that for now, back to the point…

Well, I recently really applied myself to making an all-out consorted effort to eat freshly cooked meals and reduce chemical in-take as much as possible. Of course, unless I make everything from scratch and make sure to use one hundred percent organic (not in my budget) foods, I won’t be able to remove every chemical, but buddy…I can greatly reduce what we’ve been putting in our mouths. Hopefully I can be rid of some horrible headaches that I get every once in a while and help our bodies cleanse out the build-up of chemicals in the process.

For the sake of JMC and what growth time he has remaining, my grandgirls and grandson as well as my own health, I have made changes for a better, healthier living.

I found this awesome website, Center for Science in the Public Interest, that has a ready list on their Chemical Cuisine page…a “Summary of the Safety of All Additives”, which helps me to look for chemical that are safe, chemicals to cutback, some to use with caution, and those to avoid altogether. Click here for their Chemical Cuisine page:  Center for Science in the Public Interest

If this small post helps even one other person, it has served its purpose.

Healthier choices mean healthier, longer lives. =}

To President Obama - Come on!

Dear President Obama,
(Not formal formatting in order comply with a White House limit of 2,500 characters.)

I am an American citizen, & I have never been more ashamed of the office of President. I’m still shaking my head in disgust & bewilderment. Just how foolish & ignorant do you believe the American people are? How many insults are we expected to take? 

I don’t believe a single word that came out of Ms. Fluke’s well-versed “testimony” & neither do most Americans; that you would call her is embarrassing! 

The law students at GT can’t afford contraceptives? Really? There are numerous places to obtain contraceptives around GT. Some young women suffered incomprehensible harm from lack of access to contraceptives, really? She WAS a law student- show us the well-disciplined study & research that proves her claims. I'd like to ask their families "Your daughters & sisters were so gravely ill & you didn’t help pay for medicine that would have kept them healthy? Really?"

I’d tell those families, Ms. Fluke, & you, Mr. President about my sister. When she was ill we, her family, stepped up to help ease the financial burden so that she & her husband could pay for other parts of her medical care. No one called my sister anything, but she sure would have felt better if the President had called her to give her a word of comfort...she was FAR more worthy of a call from the you than Ms. Fluke will ever be. My sister died on the day she was to have a double lung transplant because there was not enough coverage left on her insurance to go forward with the surgery. (And no, I do not want mandated insurance!) 

My sister, Lisa, 1958-2007

Why did you call Ms. Fluke? 'Cause she was called a bad name, because her feelings were a little out of twitch? Really? Then WHY didn't you call Michele Bachmann after she had (and continues to be) called slanderous names publicly; by multiple media personalities as well as many members of the democratic party?? Both of these women are U.S. citizens who should be able to give their opinion as well as express their thoughts without being shredded to pieces by defamation of character. Yet Michele Bachmann, a mother of small children and a member of the United States House of Representatives for crying out-loud gets nothing? Where are the apology and call to comfort a woman who truly has been morally based, truth bearing, & patriotic?

Our government has become a big business & is way off of its plum line. Is it any wonder our government is so far off center when you are so far out of touch with the vast majority of Americans & care little for Constitutional liberties?

Lord Jesus Christ, help our country!

Stop All Bullying

My sweet young friend, Megan White, posted this onher FB status a short while ago and it bears repeating...it may sound harsh, but bullying is nothing more than hatred with a lesser name. Bullying is a harsh reality for those who know its pain and is all too often brought to public attention after after the fact. As we've witnessed in many school shooting cases, the root cause of escalated revenge has been bullying. Thank you Megan for reminding all of us.

From Megan (not the original author):

"The boy you punched in the hall today.
Committed suicide a few minutes ago.

That girl you called a slut in class today.
She's a virgin.

The boy you called lame.
He has to work every night to support his family.

That girl you pushed down the other day.
She's already being abused at home.

That girl you called fat.
She's starving herself.

The old man you made fun of cause of the ugly scars.
He fought for our country.

The boy you made fun of for crying.
His mother is dying.

You think you know them.
Guess what? You don't."

The only way to turn the tide is to stop the insanity. If you witness bullying (this includes adult bullying) and do nothing to intervene you are part of the problem. If you know a bully and you don't try to reach them with understanding and wisdom or at least tell an adult or someone who can help, you are part of the problem. Silence is the worst enemy-- speak out for the sake of those who are too fearful to speak out for themselves. Situations do not change on their own- people make choices first and then things change.

I am a teacher and I've been teaching a long time. I have always had a zero tolerance policy against bullying. How about you?

 

Children learn to bully and that their poor behavior will be tolerated well before they begin attending school. If you know a parent whose child is exhibiting bullying behaviors, talk with the parent or redirect them to professional parental counseling to get help. Let's stop bullying before it reach kindergarten.

Citation Note: Ok, I do not know who the originator of the poem is; however, should it be you and you can prove it, simply message me the proof and I'll be more than happy to give you the appropriate credit due. But it nevertheless deserves to be shared.