If you had a mission statement for how you want to eat, what would it be? How do you think about food?

Tackling the subject of diet is always a weighty topic. However, what are your food rules? I am thankful to a few food evangelists over the years, including authors and friends across the country, who have helped me completely change the way I think about food. These individuals—such as Budge Collins who has shared hundreds of copies of The China Study with our family and others—helped fuel a personal obsession with nutrition, food books, and food documentaries.

Michael Pollan is also an author who has had an impact on my life. I read Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food years ago and have borrowed his “eater’s manifesto” for this blog title. It is brilliant in its simplicity. “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” The first two words are really important. Eat real food. Whole foods (not whole pizzas or whole bags of Doritos.) Real food from the perimeter of the grocery store, not from a bag or box. Just enough. Mostly fruits and vegetables.

In all of my reading throughout the years, there is a message, as well. And the message isn’t gimmicky—it’s not about being skinny or losing weight. It’s not about finger-wagging, or inciting a nanny state (i.e., having the government telling you what to do). It’s not about taking on the sugary beverage industry, demonizing certain foods, or even the marketing of food to kids. Those are just distractions to make us forget about the real benefits of eating healthy. It’s about personal choice. We get to choose foods that we know are good for us. We get to reduce the chances of chronic disease and optimize our own health.

• 39.8% of adults are obese, affecting 93 million Americans
• 69% of adults are overweight
• 18.5% of children are obese, affecting 13.7 million children and adolescents
• 115 million Americans are diabetic, or pre-diabetic
• More than one million people die every year from heart disease and cancer, referred to in the medical profession as “lifestyle diseases”
• The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2008 US dollars; the medical cost for people who have obesity was $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.
• Only 5–10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90–95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle. Of all cancer-related deaths, almost 25–30% are due to tobacco, as many as 30–35% are linked to diet, about 15–20% are due to infections, and the remaining percentage are due to other factors like radiation, stress, physical activity, environmental pollutants etc.

This means that cancer and heart disease are preventable diseases for many. Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. And this is coming from a southern girl who used to eat Cheetos and Diet Coke as food staples and was teased about her enthusiastic love of bacon at her wedding! Today, chopped vegetables and/or fruit are offered at nearly every breakfast, lunch, and dinner we have, and fresh foods are loaded into our shopping cart. We’re not vegan, but we’re aware of what is good for us and what really isn’t.

Don’t let “perfect” get in the way of good. It’s an evolution—modifying your diet, little by little, until you crave mostly healthy foods. In all, I can’t tell you how much I have changed on the subject of diet, and it has changed my life and changed the way our family eats. Still not convinced? Let’s expand some of these concepts.

Eat food.

Essentially, try not to eat anything that would make your Grandmother ask, “What is that?” and don’t buy food where you buy gas. Try to avoid eating processed foods. This can be tricky for a family on the go, but once you start eating more and more whole foods, your body will crave whole foods. Serve oatmeal and blueberries for breakfast, instead of sugary cereals, and the pickiest of kids will catch on. Serve salmon, broccoli, and mashed potatoes for dinner, instead of eating fast food, and everyone can feel better and healthier.

Not too much.

Think about the eating habits that make you oblivious to portion sizes—grazing in front of the TV or computer, eating chips straight out of the bag, not putting your food on a plate. I am guilty of all of the above, and these are hard habits to break.

Our visual perception of appropriate portion sizes can be affected by our habits and environment, too. Food commercials and restaurant offerings want to make us feel like we’re getting value. Abundance is good! More is better! With that, one meal at The Cheesecake Factory normalizes portions for one that should be feeding a family of four. Good thing they offer unlimited bread, too.

Moreover, a sensible portion of meat is about 3 to 4 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards (or the palm of your hand.) Yet ordering Prime Rib at Outback Steakhouse will get you 12 ounces of meat, 1085 calories, and 89 grams of fat. And that’s without any of the sides! Portion distortion is alive and well in restaurants and at home.

Here are some portion guides for foods that we eat every day, reminding us that it’s not just “what we eat” but “how much” we are eating. So, how much should we be eating?

• 1 1/2 – 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 cups of vegetables.
• 5-8 ounces of grain, half from whole grains.
• 3 cups of nonfat or low-fat dairy foods (or non-dairy products)
• 5-6 1/2 ounces of protein (meat, beans/plant protein, and seafood) each day.
• No more than 5-7 teaspoons of oils, mostly from plants, fish, and nuts.

How many Americans are getting 3 and 1/2 cups of vegetables per day?

Mostly plants.

I love this topic because it gets people fired up! Billionaire couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z started a controversial contest challenging fans to go vegan with the ultimate prize of winning concert tickets for life. In the meantime, the respondent non-vegans (Team Meat), sat back, chomped on a steak, and made fun of the whole process on social media with stinging comments. Who knew people were so defensive about their right to eat meat?

Where are you on the spectrum from vegan to proud flesh eater? My position is somewhere in the middle, with the advantage going to eating your greens. Let’s look at both sides.

Team Vegan

• Sometimes just the word “vegan” can be off putting (is that a planet?) And celebrities touting “clean” eating sound so uppity. Are the rest of us not eating locally-sourced, chef-prepared meals⁠—dirty?
• Cutting up fruits and vegetables is time-consuming and perishable foods are expensive. You can get a cheeseburger at McDonald’s for $1, and a Bacon McDouble for $2. Yet today, a red pepper at price-leading Walmart costs $1.50 (and you have to cut the thing up.) This is how busy families understandably get away from eating fruits and vegetables.
• FInally, how do we help close the socio-economic gap with fresh foods?

Team Meat

• I get it. It’s much cooler to brag about the delicious brisket you just sizzled to perfection than to tout the broccoli you just steamed. But then I think about everything that I have read, how we are made, and what we were designed to eat? Mostly plants.

In Dan Buettner’s, The Blue Zones (a book sharing secrets from the world’s longest-lived people), it is suggested that we eat a mostly plant-based diet and try viewing meat as a condiment, or to be used for special occasions, as is the prevailing attitude in many of the healthiest populations around the globe.

If meat is your plate’s anchor (and we all have that choice), try to focus more on the “adding” part (veggies) and less on the “subtraction” part. Add dark, leafy greens and fresh vegetables to as many meals as possible. Swap a veggie tray in as your family’s favorite appetizer. The point of this whole discussion is that we all need to eat more fruits and vegetables and less processed, fast, convenient food for a longer, healthier life.

Team Longevity

• Now that’s a team that everyone can join!

Thoughts on food for you? Would you like to change some of your eating habits?

The post 3 Simple Rules for Eating: Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants. appeared first on UPKiQ.

The best sunscreen for children is a hat and sun shirt (and shade, of course.) After that, there are many types of sunscreens to choose from. However, what sunscreens are both safe and effective for kids?

Let’s take a “parent’s dive“ into the world of sunscreen (not too much info, but enough to understand what we’re putting on our kids), including the good, the bad, and practical considerations of sunscreens. Some of the information might surprise you.

The Good

Sunscreens Work. Use them.

Both chemical and mineral-based sunscreens protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Some of the chemical ingredients under review have been used for decades.

The Bad

Chemical ingredients in sunscreens are under review by FDA in 2019, and some of the ingredients in sunscreens are being evaluated for use in and around coral reefs.

What is the FDA’s rationale behind the extra scrutiny on ingredients? According to agency officials, we now know more about how chemical ingredients get absorbed into the skin, and we are using these products a lot more today in larger quantities (study in JAMA.)

Other organizations, such as the government and legislative bodies protecting coral reefs, are also banning certain chemical sunscreen ingredients.

• Hawaii: In May 2019, the state of Hawaii passed legislation banning over-the-counter sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate.
• Key West: Key West also banned the same ingredients, oxybenzone and octinoxate, to protect the Great Florida Reef.

The Practical

Wearing sunscreen is more important than analyzing ingredients, but we are learning more.

Sunscreen 101: Chemical vs. Physical Barrier

Sunscreens are classified as Over-the-Counter (OTC) drugs with the FDA, and they are to be differentiated into “physical barrier” and “chemical” categories.

• Mineral-based formulas, or physical barrier sunscreens: these sit on top of the skin and reflect the sun’s UV rays. The minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are preferred to chemical formulas, since they are not absorbed into the skin. Zinc oxide is preferred to titanium dioxide, due to its broad-spectrum coverage, although many “natural” sunscreens contain both. The rub with physical barrier sunscreens? Mineral sunscreens often leave a white film that many find difficult to rub into the skin.
• Chemical sunscreens: these sunscreen formulas get absorbed into the skin. The chemical formulas then absorb the UV rays, convert them to heat, and release them from the body.

Is Sunscreen Safe? 2019 FDA Review of Sunscreen Ingredients

There are currently 16 active ingredients allowed in sunscreen. A 2019 FDA update on sunscreen regulation proposes that:

• Only two ingredients – zinc oxide and titanium dioxide – are generally recognized safe and effective.
• Two ingredients – PABA and trolamine salicylate – are no longer generally recognized safe (thankfully, you won’t find either of these ingredients in sunscreen sold legally in the U.S.)
• There isn’t enough information to decide whether the remaining 12 are safe and effective at this time. The FDA is gathering more information.
  • Ingredients commonly used in the U.S.: ensulizole, octisalate, homosalate, octocrylene, octinoxate, oxybenzone, avobenzone.
  • Ingredients not frequently used in the U.S.: cinoxate, dioxybenzone, meradimate, padimate O, sulisobenzone.

The Bad: Concerns About Oxybenzone

The most common chemical sunscreens typically include a combination of two to six of the following active ingredients: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. Oxybenzone is most often flagged as the most worrisome member of the group, due to concern that it gets absorbed through the skin more than once thought and it is potentially an endocrine disruptor (interfering with the normal functioning of hormones, including estrogen.) For this reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises against using sunscreens with oxybenzone, if possible, because the endocrine systems of fetuses, infants, and children are rapidly growing and developing.

Another report in the journal Reproductive Toxicology suggests that pregnant women who use sunscreen with oxybenzone daily might absorb enough of the chemical to increase the risk of a birth defect called Hirschsprung’s disease, a condition in which children are missing nerves in the lower colon or rectum, preventing normal stool movement through the bowel.

Sunscreen Ingredients to Minimize or Avoid (for those concerned about chemical exposure)

• Chemical ingredients: oxybenzone first, then avobenzone and octinoxate.
• Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (tiny particles that penetrate the skin and cause inflammation; look for “non-nano” mineral sunscreens)
• Spray sunscreen (flammable; risks of inhalation with children)
• Retinyl palmitate or retinol (good when used for anti-aging properties at night, bad when retinol meets the skin and the sun)
• Parabens (preservatives linked to hormone disruption)

Also, check your child’s sunscreen ingredients in the EWG Skin Deep database. Make sure that your precise sunscreen is on the list, as desired. Note: Some brands will game the system by creating one or two formulas with a “1” or “2” low hazard rating and then market the whole line as “EWG rated and approved.”

Why are babies and young children more sensitive to chemicals in sunscreen?

Babies and young children have sensitive skin that is easily irritated by the chemicals in adult sunscreens, and infant skin is three to five times thinner than adult skin. Look for sunscreens that protect against both UVA rays (responsible for skin cancer) and UVB rays (responsible for sunburn), also called broad-spectrum protection. Know that if you see an SPF above 50, it is likely a chemical-based sunscreen.

Some Form of Sunscreen is Better Than No Sunscreen

Keep in mind that even with recent news coverage about chemical sunscreens, experts agree that applying sunscreen to protect against sunburn and skin cancer outweighs the risks of chemical ingredients. Just a few blistering sunburns as a child can double your chances of developing a serious form of skin cancer, and more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.

Furthermore, large physician groups, such as the American Academy of Dermatology, are still recommending chemical sunscreens for reducing the risk of skin cancer, preventing sunburn, and decreasing the signs of aging on your skin.

Best Sunscreen Recommendations for Babies and Kids (from the Environmental Working Group)

The Environmental Working Group offers 27 sunscreens as their “Best Scoring Sunscreens for Kids.” However, that is way too many sunscreens to sort through, so here are some of the more affordable and/or well-reviewed brands.

The following contains affiliate links.

Here are the brands individually (all with an overall score of “1” and a green rating for ingredient hazards and UV protection; they also had to pass the 2019 FDA proposed standards.)

Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sensitive Skin Zinc Oxide Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50

Badger Active Baby Natural Mineral Sunscreen Cream, SPF 30 (scores high for ingredients and efficacy with EWG and Consumer Reports)

Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen Lotion, Baby, SPF 30+

Coppertone Pure & Simple Kids Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50

Goddess Garden Kids Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50

Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50 (the stick is also well-reviewed; gets a 3 on EWG)

Supergoop! Sunnyscreen Lotion, Babies + Kiddos, SPF 50

thinkbaby Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50+ (First sunscreen to pass Whole Foods Premium Care requirements, but expensive for bigger kids.)

Some of the EWG’s Worst and Most Toxic Sunscreens (marketed to kids):

Click on the link to see the reasoning behind the score.

• Banana Boat Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 100 (Score 10)
• Banana Boat Kids Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 100 (10)
• Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen Lotion Spray, SPF 50 (7)
• Coppertone Kids Sunscreen Spray, SPF 50 (7)
• Coppertone Kids Wet Protect Sunscreen Spray, SPF 50 (7)
• CVS Health Children’s Clear Spray, SPF 50 and 70 (7)
• Equate Baby Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 70 (7)
• Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Stick Sunscreen/Spray, SPF 70+ (7) Surprise! This is a favorite for many.
• Up & Up Kids Sunscreen Spray, SPF 50 (7)

Other EWG “Red Zone” Sunscreens (scoring 7-10, not kid-specific)

Click on the link to see the reasoning behind the score. Note: The blue-bottle Ultra Sheer Neutrogena scores surprised me, as well. I really like the “feel” of the sheer sprays. Ugh.

• Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunscreen, SPF 60+ (10)
• CVS Health Sensitive Skin Sun Lotion, SPF 60+ (10)
• Panama Jack Sunscreen Spray, SPF 70 & 85 (10)
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen Spray, SPF 100+ (10)
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen, SPF 85+ (10)
• Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Spray, SPF 15, 30 & 50 (7)
• NO-AD Sun Care Sport Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 50 (7)
• Neutrogena Wet Skin Sunscreen Spray, SPF 50 & 85+ (7)
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen Spray, SPF 30 (7)

Best 2019 Sunscreens (According to Consumer Reports)

Here are the Consumer Reports Best Sunscreens of 2019, in categories:

• Best lotion
• Best spray
• Best sunscreen without oxybenzone
• Best mineral sunscreen

Note: Consumer Reports prioritizes efficacy over ingredients. This is the statement on their testing criteria: “We check to see how well sunscreens protect against the types of rays that cause sunburn, skin cancer, and skin aging—and whether you can trust the SPF number on the label.”

Best Lotion Sunscreens

La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Melt-in Sunscreen Milk

BullFrog Land Sport Quik Gel SPF 50 sunscreen

Best Spray Sunscreens

Trader Joe’s SPF 50 Spray Sunscreen (*buy this at TJ’s for $6, not Amazon for $16-17)

Banana Boat SunComfort Clear UltraMist Spray SPF 50+ sunscreen

Best Sunscreens Without Oxybenzone

Walgreens Hydrating Lotion SPF 50 (buy at Walgreen’s)

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance Lotion SPF 50 sunscreen

Best Mineral Sunscreens

Badger Active Baby Natural Mineral Sunscreen Cream, Unscented SPF 30

California Kids #supersensitive Lotion SPF 30+ sunscreen

Note on mineral sunscreens: I am including the following quote from Consumer Reports to help you think more about the efficacy of sunscreens. Because of the thick, white film of mineral sunscreens, parents can often be lead to think that these sunscreens are superior for UVA and UVB protection (i.e., thinking that you might need less, or thinking it’s expensive therefore it must work better, etc.) However, after years of in depth testing, Consumer Reports has found the opposite to be true.

Sunscreen Tips and Tricks

• Wear swim shirts, clothing, hats, and sunglasses with UV protection.
• Seek shade between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Choose a physical sunscreen with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, if possible.
• Always select a sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection.
• Choose SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 30 or higher. Remember that SPF protection does not increase proportionally with the SPF number (e.g., SPF 30 absorbs 97% of the sun’s rays, while SPF 50 just 98%.)
• Be generous when using sticks (studies show that consumers apply too little sunscreen and underestimate effective protection when using sticks.)
• Expiration dates: The FDA requires that all sunscreens retain their original strength for at least three years. However, if the expiration date has passed, throw it out.
• Apply early: your skin can take up to 30 minutes to absorb sunscreen.
• Re-apply every 2 hours, says MD Anderson. Every 60-90 minutes if swimming, sweating, or using a spray.

I hope this provided a fairly balanced look at sunscreens and that we all feel a little more knowledgeable. Do you have any additional sunscreen tips to add?

Related content: What is Your Skin Care Routine? Skin Care Tips and Tricks

The post How Safe is Sunscreen? Best Sunscreens for Kids appeared first on UPKiQ.

Do you wish that your child loved to read? Are you concerned that your child is spending too much time in front of the TV and video games and not enough time reading?

This is a concern for all parents in the digital age, and perhaps in the midst of our busyness, we rely too heavily on our schools to develop reading skills for our children. However, a child spends approximately 900 hours per year in school and 7,800 hours outside of school. Where is there more time available for unstructured reading? Who has a greater influence on this part of our child’s education?

I get it that some kids are naturally drawn to reading while others are not quite as enthusiastic. However, what can we do to help our child develop a love of reading?

Have a Growth Mindset

• Do you have a growth mindset about learning? Do you believe that any child can learn, despite all kinds of obstacles and challenges? I do. Some readers are fast. Some are slower. However, every child can become an enthusiastic reader with some encouragement and an environment that supports reading.
• “Growth Mindset” is based on the work of Stanford University psychologist, Carol Dweck, and explains that students’ mindset (how they perceive their ability) plays a critical role in their motivation and achievement.

• Fixed mindset: “I don’t like to read. I’m not a very good reader. I will never be able to read that thick book.”
• Growth mindset: “If I put in effort and read every day, I will grow as a reader. If I practice and learn strategies to read section by section just 20 minutes a day, I will be reading big chapter books by year end.” Environment and mindset make a difference when it comes to learning and reading.

Read Aloud at Home

• There is no app to replace your lap.
• Make positive associations between reading aloud and spending time together as a family each night. The hugs, the snuggles, the giggles. There is nothing like reading with a child in your lap.
• Try to have a family read-aloud book going throughout the year. Once we graduated from reading board books and early readers to our kids, we started reading a chapter each night from longer stories whenever possible.

Encourage Learning for Everyone

• Set aside time to read yourself (Amazon’s 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime is a great place to start.) Turn off the TV. Let your child see you reading for pleasure, for work, and for keeping up with current events. If books aren’t your thing, read magazines, special interest articles online, or read yesterday’s news in the newspaper.
• Learn with your child. A fun strategy could be to visit the children’s non-fiction section of the library with your child, just to learn about a lot of topics that you didn’t know much about previously. Read these books together. Jeopardy champion James Holzhauer, who admits he was “never a diligent student,” says if you want quick knowledge? Go to the children’s section. Since he couldn’t get interested in most adult reference books, he thought, “What is the place in the library I can go to to get books tailored to make things interesting for uninterested readers? Boom. The children’s section.”

Keep Books in the House and In the Car

• Put book shelves in the play room (Hello, IKEA!) and large book baskets in your child’s room (for easy tossing and clean-up). Keep books in your office and personal library space.
• The car may be tricky for kids who experience motion sickness. However, reading in the car makes our afternoon activity time much more efficient. Before taking off for dance lessons, basketball practice, or errand running, I’ll say, “Go grab some books.” The books get read out loud (during a sibling’s activity) or read in the car in transit. The minutes add up, and with books in the car, you have instant entertainment on the go.

Decorate Your Book Nook

• Make a book nook for your child. Put fun lights above her bed or on the wall. Add plush bean bags, or make a reading fort or tee pee.
• Make sure that your child’s room has a comfy chair that is large enough for a parent and child to sit and read.

Keep Books on the Brain

• Ask your child “What did you read today?” instead of “What did you do at school today?” Talk to them about the books they are reading at dinner.
• Pick out books to give as birthday gifts to friends.
• Have your child start a “book club” with fellow readers.

Go to the Public Library

• Make this outing a regularly scheduled event and books become a part of your child’s life. Have your child decorate a sturdy box (we use a banker’s box with handles) and tape an envelope to the side for library receipts. This box can be used each time that you visit the library. Our public library lets us check out up to 100 items each visit, so we need that receipt! We have had the box below for many years.

Download Overdrive and Libby

• Never buy books again with Overdrive and Libby. Overdrive is the classic app that transfers library ebooks to many different devices, while Libby is the newer, faster digital portal for iOS and Android. Link your library card to these apps, borrow ebooks, and then instantly send them to your child’s Kindle or other devices. In larger metropolitan areas, you might have to work hard “holding” books prior to check out, due to high demand.

Get Creative for Non-Readers

• Buy a Kindle or download books to an iPad for your screen warrior and visual learner. Swiping pages with large print can be tactile and interactive for kids who otherwise might not pick up a book.
• Listen to an audiobook in the car for more aural learners. Borrow audio books from the library or use the free app Audible.com.
• Sign up for a reading class. Our school offers a “Go Wild for Reading!” class after school that includes Skittles, outdoor play, and games that make reading fun! They had my child at Skittles.
• Read books aloud on a topic that your non-reading child loves. Read a Fortnite tips and tricks book for your gaming obsessed teen. Read aloud to your children while they do the dishes or other chores. There is no age limit to parents reading aloud.

Have Fun (Read Silly Books)

• Let your child read what he or she wants to read. Fluffy teen romance books are encouraged. And while Captain Underpants, Rainbow Magic Fairies, and The Great Hamster Massacre may not scream sophistication, there is a reason these books are so successful. Kids love them! The sillier, the better, especially for newer readers who can’t seem to find their niche.

Screen Books for Older Kids with Common Sense Media

• What catches a kid’s attention isn’t always what is best for them. For older kids, monitor and screen what they are reading by using Common Sense Media. This family-friendly non-profit reviews books, movies & TV shows, apps and games, so that you don’t have to – making sure to point out what is age-appropriate entertainment for kids.

Create Routine (D.E.A.R Time)

• Establish D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) time in your home, especially during the summer. If weeknights are too busy with homework and activities, pick a day, such as Sunday, for the whole family to sit and read for 30 minutes to an hour, as desired.

Do you have any favorite rituals in your home to get everyone reading?

The post How To Help Your Child Develop a Love of Reading appeared first on UPKiQ.

It’s that time of year, again, and I really enjoy cooking Thanksgiving dinner. So I thought I would share a few recipes. First up, is a side dish or condiment that will wow your guests, and it only takes about 15 minutes to make.

Ingredients

• 1 package cranberries 12 oz.
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 1/3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 orange zest
• 1/3 lemon zest
• 2/3 tsp fresh ginger

Open the package of cranberries and place them into a saucepan. Add 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 1/3 Tbsp lemon juice, and 1/3 cup sugar.

Zest the orange, lemon, and fresh ginger root on to a clean cutting board using a kitchen zester, such as the Microplane kitchen tool shown. Add the orange, lemon, and ginger zest to the cranberries in the saucepan.

Set on medium heat. Bring to a boil.

Stir the cranberry sauce, as the cranberries burst. Reduce heat, if needed.

Use a spatula to break down the cranberries further, if you prefer smoother sauce. Add a touch of sugar, if the sauce is too tart. When your cranberry sauce has reduced and thickened, it should look like the picture below.

Transfer to a bowl.

Be sure to double the recipe, if you would like leftovers for turkey sandwiches. You will be surprised how quickly this cranberry sauce disappears!

Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Kim It’s that time of year, again, and I really enjoy cooking Thanksgiving dinner. So I thought I would share a few recipes. First up, is a side dish or condiment… Food Thanksgiving, cranberry sauce European Print This

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 package cranberries 12 oz.
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 1/3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 orange zest
• 1/3 lemon zest
• 2/3 tsp fresh ginger

Instructions

1. Open the package of cranberries and place them into a saucepan. Add 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 1/3 Tbsp lemon juice, and 1/3 cup sugar.
2. Zest the orange, lemon, and fresh ginger root on to a clean cutting board using a kitchen zester. Add the orange, lemon, and ginger zest to the saucepan.
3. Set on medium heat. Bring to a boil. Stir the cranberry sauce, as the cranberries burst. Reduce heat, if needed.
4. Use a spatula to break down the cranberries, if you prefer smoother sauce. Add a touch of sugar, if the sauce is too tart.
5. Transfer to a bowl.
6. Be sure to double the recipe, if you would like leftovers for turkey sandwiches. Enjoy!

The post Thanksgiving Recipes: Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce appeared first on UPKiQ.

I am naturally a curious person, and when it comes to food that is going into my body? I want to know as much as I can. Thus, in writing these articles, my goal is not be inflammatory or alarmist, but to be as informed as possible. I watched my Dad spend a year and a half dying from cancer, and it wasn’t pretty. So when it comes to any debate on potentially carcinogenic chemicals used on our food (more than 80% of all genetically modified crops grown worldwide have been engineered for herbicide tolerance), why wouldn’t we question what’s in our food?

Headlines About Glyphosate and GMOs

Recent news headlines have been plentiful on this topic—and they are head-scratchers. “$2 Billion Verdict Against Monsanto Is Third to Find Roundup Caused Cancer” and “Bayer Commits $5.6 Billion to Glyphosate Alternatives Amid 13,000 Lawsuits Over the Weedkiller” followed by “The EPA Says that the Glyphosate in Monsanto’s RoundUp is Safe.” How confusing! Is it safe, not safe? What are we supposed to believe?

While I cannot possibly separate out all the details of the science behind glyphosate and GMOs, I can rely on common sense to help guide me.

1. As a mom, if I have a choice between choosing GMOs and non-GMO foods for my kids, I will choose the option closer to nature every time. Nature vs. Bayer/Monsanto? Why is this even a debate?

2. If I learned one thing in business school, it is that the world is all about incentives. And the incentive driving the production of GMOs is money. Ten companies control about 90% of the global agro-chemical market, and they have one driving force. GMOs are not about feeding the world, or making more nutritious crops for our health.

In the 1960s, Africa, a land of vast agricultural potential, was a net food exporter. Today, Africa imports 25% of its food ($35 billion, estimated to rise to $110 billion by 2025) and suffers from recurrent famine and food deprivation. Remind me how these companies are feeding the world with GMOs? And how is insecticide injected into the seeds of my food “healthy?” More on that below.

What are GMOs?

Did you know that 70-80% of the processed food in the supermarket is genetically engineered? Genetically Modified Organisms are plants or animals that have been modified in a laboratory with DNA from bacteria, viruses, or other plants and animals. These combinations of genes do not occur in nature.

Most GMOs used today are made to either: 1) withstand the application of an herbicide, such as Monsanto’s RoundUp Ready® crops, or they 2) produce an insecticide within the crop, such as Monsanto’s Bt corn.

• Bt corn is genetically modified to have a natural bacterial toxin found in the soil inside the corn kernel. This toxin is inside the seed to attack the crop’s biggest predator, the corn rootworm. In the case of Bt corn, the corn itself is registered as an insecticide, and the USDA reports that 80% of the total planted acres of corn is Bt corn (Bt-corn receives its name from the donor organism, Bacillus thuringiensis, while HT-corn is herbicide-tolerant.) ¹³⁸

Other issues with these types of GMOs are: 1) they make crops even more resistant to herbicides, requiring farmers to spray more chemicals on the plants (good thing Monsanto owns the seeds and the RoundUp), and 2) they create super pests, or super worms. Rootworms immune to Bt corn are on the rise, causing more RoundUp to be sprayed and soil-insecticide revenues at American Vanguard, FMC Corp., and Syngenta to climb sharply, due to “increased grower awareness” about rootworm resistance. Do you see the cycle?

Glyphosate (the key ingredient in Roundup®)

Though the EPA claims it is safe, Monsanto’s glyphosate-containing herbicide, RoundUp, has been making headlines, due to its underestimated toxicity. RoundUp is a common household weed killer and the most widely used herbicide on wheat and soy crops in the United States. Farmers use RoundUp not only to kill weeds but also to speed up the dry down process for wheat (i.e., reaching 20% moisture for harvest.)

Glyphosate has been linked to birth defects and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in addition to other diseases, and in 2015, the World Health Organization determined that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Don’t you just love the terminology? This stuff in almost all of your food might be bad for you. Levels of glyphosate are now ten times higher versus decades ago, due to GMO, herbicide-resistant crops.³²

So just how many of our crops are genetically engineered?

• Cotton (cottonseed oil): 96% of total acreage is GE
• Soybeans: 94% of total acreage is GE
• Corn: 93% of total acreage is GE

How do I avoid GMOs?

Since you do have a choice, you can either buy organic foods, or look for the Non-GMO Project label to minimize glyphosate and GMOs in your diet.

Pay special attention to:

• Breakfast cereals
• Oatmeal
• Granola bars
• Corn chips/snacks
• Baking mixes and flours
• Corn tortillas
• Infant formula
• Meat substitutes/tofu
• Soy “dairy”

• Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s tries to source non-GMO products, however some third party products may contain GMOs. The meat, eggs, milk, honey, and seafood may also contain GMOs in the form of animal feed fed to the animals before slaughter or harvest.
• Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods Market claims that GMOs are too pervasive to avoid, however they support Non-GMO Project verified labeling.
• Costco. While Whole Foods is often recognized for its progressive inventory, Costco is actually the largest retailer in organic food sales (where you can find low warehouse prices on name-brand organic products, if you can stomach the quantities.)

Finally, it is nearly impossible to avoid all GMOs, but when shopping for our family, I try to buy non-GMO verified or organic foods and snacks as much as possible.

The post OMG(oodness): Why You Should Care About GMOs appeared first on UPKiQ.

I saw this Mark Zuckerberg poster in our children’s school one day, and thought…these words are so true. The world is changing rapidly, and it is difficult for the curriculum in our schools (and even for us parents) to keep up.

So, here’s a short film to get inspired about our kids learning a superpower that still isn’t robustly taught in schools today. Even if your child may not specifically desire a career in computer science, the future of most careers will be tied to the digital world. So enjoy! The film is from Code.org, starring Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, will.i.am, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, and others.

Why teach coding for kids?

The need for some things will never change, such as teaching our kids basic life skills and the need for empathy and character development. However, some things have changed, and our children will be greatly advantaged to have an understanding of how to talk to computers.

Coding teaches kids that logical, step by step actions can be used to solve problems. Coding also helps develop a multitude of skills: critical thinking and reasoning, perseverance through trial and error, math skills, and building blocks needed to learn a new language. You don’t have to be a savant to help introduce your child to the basics of coding.

What is Coding?

Coding is the act of writing instructions for a computer to make it do a task. For a computer to work properly, its program or instructions must be written in a language that the computer can understand. There are different computer languages, such as HTML, JavaScript, and Python, and these languages convert instructions written by people into binary code, or the strings of ones and zeroes that tell computers what to do.

Skip cartoons, start coding.

We also know that our children are already attached to screens for large amounts of time each day. Why not have them creating and learning to code rather than passively watching TV shows or playing video games? The hard part is that it takes constant monitoring, at least it does in our household.

Now, let’s get our kids inspired to learn the basics of programming with these free or low-cost websites and apps. We’ll just cover the major programs to keep things simple.

Visual Block Programs

Drag and drop visual block programming platforms are designed to be fun and easy. These are building block platforms for kids until they graduate to more advanced text-based programs.

Code.org

Code.org is a great starting point for introducing parents, teachers, and student to all kinds of resources for coding. Don’t worry about feeling like a novice here (we all have to start somewhere!) Just explore the website and appreciate this amazing non-profit that is trying to encourage all students, including diverse populations, to learn computer science. Hour of Code activities for pre-readers to grades 9+ can can keep your child programming for more than just an hour. Courses are also offered from Code.org and other third parties.

Scratch and Scratch Jr.

Developed by the MIT Media Lab, Scratch (ages 8-16) and Scratch Jr. (ages 5-7) are block-based programming languages for children. With Scratch’s visual programming language and online community, your kids can create their own interactive programs, storylines, games, and animations and share them with others around the world. The Scratch FAQs should answer many questions that you might have and the Scratch video tutorials are also helpful.

Tynker

Tynker is also a programming platform designed to be simple enough for kids to learn quickly. Instead of typing in the source code, kids can visually drag and drop blocks of code to create games and programs. Tynker also incorporates Minecraft, a kid favorite, into its coursework and introduces Python and Java coding to students. Cost-free options with Tynker are limited, but they do offer sales on their individual and family plans (offered quarterly = $20/month, or annually = $10/month, or lifetime membership = $240.)

Text-Based Coding Programs

These programs are for older students and adults who would like to go from non-technicals to coders.

Codeacademy states on their website that “if you know how to read then you can learn to code.” Just tell them what you are interested in learning— development (HTML/CSS, Javascript), programming and computer science (Python, CMD LINE), or data science (Python. SQL)—and they will introduce a curriculum of online tutorials.

Known for their challenging math games and programs, the Kahn Academy non-profit also offers computer programming courses for free.

Code Avengers is a subscription-based coding program that gets pretty good reviews. This award-winning program is designed to teach coding to absolute beginners, which makes it great for kids, and it also progresses to more challenging coursework for more advanced students.

Other Free Coding Websites and Apps

Daisy the Dinosaur

Daisy the Dinosaur is a free app that introduces the basic concepts of coding to children ages 5-7. Daisy’s Free Play Mode allows for some experimentation.

Kodable

Award-winning curriculum for kids ages 4-10. Teaches kids coding from zero to Javascript with the fuzzFamily of fuzzy aliens.

Hopscotch

Your kids will have fun making games and playing them with Hopscotch ages 4-11. This app is free with in-app purchases.

GoldieBlox: Adventures in Coding – The Rocket Cupcake Co.

GoldieBlox: Adventures in Coding – The Rocket Cupcake Co. leads users ages 4-7 on a mission to help lead character Goldie deliver cupcakes.

Lightbot

Lightbot : Code Hour is a programming puzzle game that uses programming logic to solve different levels. The app states that any child K-12 can play, but some of the higher levels are pretty challenging.

Cargo-Bot

Cargo-Bot is a puzzle game that challenges your brain, as you program a robot to move crates. Best for older kids ages 10+.

Additional coding for kids resources

Common Sense Media Coding Apps and Websites for Kids

IDTech Summer Program Locations

Grades K-5: Courses by Code.org and Other Third Parties

Grades 6-12: Courses by Code.org and Other Third Parties

Minecraft: Hour of Code Tutorials

Dance Party: Floss, Dab, and Code a Dance Party with the Latest Hits

The post Coding for Kids: Free Websites and Apps That Teach Programming appeared first on UPKiQ.

Want to know the very first item that was put into our home, before we even moved in? A water filter. I am often teased about my water quality report sleuthing when we move, however remember my rule of thumb for skepticism about the world around us? If something is directly going into my body, I want to understand what is in it. So without getting too boring or too scientific, I would like to share a few basic steps that can help us all be “water aware.”

Learn What is in Your Tap Water

Tap water suppliers (municipalities and such) all have to provide water quality reports each year. Bottled water providers do not. So find out what is in your drinking water by researching your city’s report, or having your well tested.

• EWG Tap Water Database: Input your zip code into the Environmental Working Group Tap Water database and find out all kinds of information (my city had 8 contaminants detected above health guidelines.)
• EPA Safe Water Drinking Act Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR): Find your local CCR, or annual water quality report.

What are Some Contaminants You Should Worry About?

• Lead (Flint, Michigan knows all about this one; toxic at very low doses; often leaches from older piping)
• Chlorine and Chloromines (these are disinfectants added to the water supply to reduce bacteria and viruses; they react with organic matter in the water, like decaying leaves, to create harmful byproducts)
• Mercury (high levels over time are linked to kidney and nervous system damage)
• Chromium, especially chromium-6 (cancer-causing chemical made famous by Erin Brockovich)
• Fluoride (this one is controversial; too much added to water is linked with neurological, immune, and gastrointestinal damage)
• Aluminum (special attention is being paid to links between dementia and communities with high levels of aluminum in the water)
• Arsenic (a cancer-causing heavy metal that leaches into water from the ground or from industrial waste)
• Perchlorate (widespread toxic chemical, used in rocket fuel, explosives, and road flares, can interfere with thyroid hormone production; notable because the EPA is still developing a standard for regulating in drinking water)
• Nitrate (found in most fertilizers, manure, and liquid waste discharged from septic tanks; particularly hazardous for pregnant women and infants, as nitrate impairs the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen)
• Herbicides/Pesticides (runoff in agricultural areas can be harmful)

Filtered Tap Water is Best

Drink filtered tap water. Cook with it. Fill stainless steel or BPA-free water bottles with it. Once you have read your local water report, you can match filters with local contaminants, if desired. Caution: A CCR may tell you about your water but does not include what is coming out of your pipes. Lead and other substances can leach from pipes, joints, and fixtures in older homes. If your home was built before lead-free pipes were mandated in 1986, a test is the best way to assess your home’s water quality. First Alert sells a basic Drinking Water Test Kit that many people find handy. You may also have your drinking water tested by contacting a laboratory certified by your state or territory.

Beware of Bottled Water

One summer while living in New York City, I was walking to work and looked down an alleyway only to see a guy filling a cooler of plastic water bottles with water from a hose coming from the side of a building. He was charging $3 per bottle to thirsty passerby. That’s quite a profit! The same pretty much goes for your favorite bottled water companies, as studies have shown that most bottled water is no different from tap water. The EWG found 38 contaminants in 10 popular bottled water brands with bottled water containing ”disinfection byproducts, fertilizer residue, and pain medication.”

Need more reasons to drink filtered tap water? Bottled water costs more, and water bottles and plastics are a major source of consumer waste. Globally, we are using one million plastic water bottles per minute, and 91% of those are not being recycled, despite being highly recyclable. Plastic bottles are commonly made from polyethylene terephthalate (Pet), which can take up to 400 years to decompose! That means that a water bottle hypothetically thrown away by colonists in Jamestown would still be around today.

Water Filtration Systems

Did the contaminants on the EWG report make you think twice about the water you are drinking? For starters, you can always buy a well-reviewed water filtering pitcher, such as the ZeroWater 6-Cup Pitcher or Brita 10-Cup Everyday Water Pitcher. Then I would prioritize installing a water filtration system in your home over many things, especially if your annual water quality report is poor. If you are pregnant, or mixing formula for an infant, I would also highly recommend using filtered water.

You can choose from many options of water filters: pitcher, on-faucet, countertop, under sink, in-line refrigerator, shower, and/or whole house filters.

• Carbon filtration systems: Pitcher and tap-mounted carbon filtration systems are affordable, and they help reduce exposure to lead and the contaminants that are byproducts of the process used to clean municipal tap water. Always change the filters in your water filtration systems regularly.
• Reverse osmosis systems: these cost more but may remove higher levels of contaminants, such as arsenic and perchlorate. Always be sure to read the small print with filtering systems.

If you want more information about purchasing water filters, you can check out the EWG Water Filter System Buying Guide, the Consumer Reports Water Filter Buying Guide, the Amazon Water Filter Best Sellers list (based on sales, updated hourly, just remember that consumers are not hydrologists/read other reviews), or a water filter guide from Lowe’s, if you prefer a brick and mortar store review with products.

Hopefully these tips are helpful. Do you feel more water aware?

Related Content: OMG: Why You Should Care About GMOs, Organic Foods: Are they safer? More nutritious? Worth the cost?

Other Water Filtration System Recommendations

Best Water Filters on Reviews.com (12 water filter systems reviewed)

• PUR 3-Stage Horizontal Water Filtration Faucet Mount – The Best Water Filter
• Culligan FM-25 Faucet Mount Water Filter – The Best Budget Filter

Healthy Kitchen 101 Under the Sink Water Filtration Review

• Home Master Artesian Under Sink Water Filter – Best to Buy in 2019
• iSpring RCC7AK Drinking Water Filter System – Best Value RO System
• APEC Top Tier Alkaline Mineral pH+ 6-Stage – Best for Alkaline Water
• Home Master TMHP RO Filter System – Best for Well Water
• CuZn UC-200 Under Counter Water Filter – Best non RO Filter

Healthy Kitchen 101 Best Residential Water Filtration Review

• Aquagear 8-Cup Water Filter Pitcher – Best for Family of Three
• Big Berkey Water Filter 2.5 Gallon System – Best Countertop Filter
• Home Master Artesian Reverse Osmosis – Best Under-Sink Filter
• Culligan FM-15A Faucet Mount Filter – Best Faucet Filter
• Home Master HMF3SDGFEC – Best Whole House for Well Water
• Home Master TMHP HydroPerfection – Best Undersink for Well Water
• Fleck 5600SXT 48,000 Grain – Best Softener for Hard Water
• AquaBliss High Output 12-Stage – Best Shower Head Filter
• Sawyer Products PointOne Squeeze – Best Mini Filter for Backpackers
• Travel Berkey Water Filter Stainless Steel – Best Portable Filter for Car
• Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump – Best Pool Water Filter
• Pelican NaturSoft Salt-Free Water – Best Softener for Small Pools

Healthy Kitchen 101 Best Whole House Water Filtration Review

• Aquasana EQ-1000 Whole House Filter System – Best to Buy in 2019
• Home Master HMF3SDGFEC 3-Stage System – Best for Well Water
• Home Master HMF2SMGCC 2-Stage System – Best for Tap Water
• 3M Aqua-Pure Whole House Filtration System – Best Inline Water Filter
• DuPont WFHD1300B Whole House Filter – Best for Value

The post What’s in Your Tap Water? appeared first on UPKiQ.

I understand that every family cannot make room in an already tight budget for organic foods. However, I am overwhelmingly convinced that organic foods in key food groups are worth every penny, especially for pregnant women and children.

But that doesn’t mean the debate isn’t complicated. Who isn’t drawn to cheaper, conventional strawberries that look exactly like the organic ones at the supermarket? The conventional ones may even look nicer! For many, the extra expense may not be worth it, and it is more important to eat fruits and vegetables, than to eat organic fruits and vegetables. However, there is another story when it comes to synthetic insecticides and pesticides, GMOs, synthetic growth hormones, and antibiotics used to stimulate the growth of livestock. Organic practices prohibit these things.

What is conventional food?

Conventional foods, including produce and animal products, allow for the use of synthetic insecticides and pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, antibiotics, growth hormones, chemical additives, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). These chemicals are used in food production for two major reasons: to make food look appealing and to make it as cheaply as possible. Unfortunately, speeding up animal growth and producing aesthetically pleasing fruits and vegetables comes at the expense of our health.

What is organic food? 

Organic food is required
by the USDA to be produced without bioengineering or genetically modified
organisms (GMOs), antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, synthetic
fertilizers, sewage sludge, ionizing radiation, and manmade pesticides.

Who should eat organic foods?

Pregnant women and young children are two vulnerable groups that could benefit the most from eating organic foods.¹²²

• Children are not “little adults.” Their body systems are not fully developed like adults.
• Environmental chemicals can disrupt and alter the way genes work from the embryonic phase through early childhood, causing developmental defects.
• A baby’s blood-brain barrier is leaky or more permeable than an adult’s, allowing toxins to reach the nervous system more easily.
• A baby’s blood does not contain certain components, such as serum proteins, that help prevent toxins from reaching susceptible organs.
• A baby’s ability to metabolize, detoxify, and excrete toxins, especially in the first months of life, is different from an adult’s (e.g., kidney and liver systems are not fully developed).
• Children eat fewer types of foods, making them more susceptible to certain crops (e.g., corn and soy in chips and crackers, apples, potatoes, etc.)
• Pound for pound, children eat three to four times more food and drink 2.5 times more than adults.
• The EPA reports that known carcinogens average 10 times the potency for infants up to age two years, while other chemicals may be up to 65 times more powerful when ingested by a young child versus an adult.¹²³

Testing of conventional foods

Results from the testing and monitoring of conventional foods (e.g., checking pesticide levels) are often controversial because it is very difficult to isolate chemicals in food production. With so many foods produced, used and ingested in combination with another, the bar for banning a single pesticide or toxin is extremely high. Overwhelming evidence must be provided to spark action. Media reporting on conventional foods is also tricky. There is a great deal of financial stake in the perceived safety of our food and the integrity of the agencies monitoring our food. Organic food is also more expensive than conventional food, making the issue politically charged.

What about reports that say organic foods are no better than conventional foods?

The nutrition debate. In 2012, a Stanford University team conducted a meta-analysis of several decades’ worth of research and concluded that organic foods are no more healthful or nutritious than conventionally grown foods, setting off a firestorm in the media. The study agreed that organic produce has lower levels of pesticides.

Other research studies have shown small increases in the nutritious properties of organic produce, especially flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties.

What does the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) say about organic foods?

The AAP weighed into the organic debate in October 2012, one month after the Stanford report, stating that organic foods have lower pesticide levels and may reduce diseases linked to antibiotic resistance. The AAP could offer no clinically relevant nutritional advantage of organic over conventional foods. The AAP urged that eating healthy food is more important than debating organic or conventional, but subtly agreed that organics are a better choice.   

What is my conclusion about conventional vs. organic foods?

Nutrition isn’t the issue. It’s about the stuff sprayed on our food. It’s about synthetic hormones used to plump up animals faster, causing early puberty in our daughters and higher rates of breast cancer. It’s about antibiotics in livestock production, creating a surge of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals. It’s about GMO seeds creating unstable plant combinations that do not occur in nature making super pests and super weeds that require more chemicals to be put in the soil and sprayed on our food. It’s about chemically-treated sewage sludge (human and industrial waste) that is spread over conventional crops for fertilizer and dust control.

Is organic food production perfect? No. Are all naturally-sourced pesticides harmless? Probably not. Are organic farmers trying to cut costs and generate profits just like conventional farmers? Of course they are–and we must continue to monitor these companies by voting with our dollars. However, I am still convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that many organic foods are better for our long-term health than conventional foods, especially for vulnerable groups.

Differences between organic and conventional farming methods

Why does organic food cost more?

Organic farms are typically smaller than conventional farms, and they do not benefit from economies of scale, as larger growers do. Smaller organic farms may not receive generous federal farm subsidies like larger, commodity-based farms. Growing organic food is also more labor-intensive. However, while conventional foods are less expensive up front, conventional farming does not account for costs “on the back side,” such as environmental cleanup, potential health risks, and future health care costs. In general, organic prices reflect the price of growing food.

Which organic foods should I prioritize?

• Dairy
  (Milk/Yogurt/Butter/Cheese)
• Eggs
• Beef
• Chicken
• Pork
• Fish

Antibiotics and added hormones to our foods have been linked to the following:

• Early puberty in girls: In 1900, the average age for menstrual period onset was age 14. Today, there is a surprising rise in girls entering puberty between ages seven and eight. A Pediatrics study of 1,239 adolescents found that 10% of Caucasians and 23% of African Americans had begun puberty by age seven, twice the rate seen in a 1997 study. By age eight, 18% of Caucasian girls and 43% of African American girls had reached early puberty.¹²⁸ Early puberty is associated with increased breast cancer risk.¹²⁹
• Cancer: Certain cancers, such as breast and uterine cancers, increase with longer exposure to estrogen and other hormones. Did you know that six different types of steroid hormones are currently approved for use in beef cattle and sheep by FDA? Estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone acetate, and melengestrol acetate. Estradiol and progesterone are natural female sex hormones, testosterone is the natural male sex hormone, and the final three are synthetic chemicals that enhance animal growth. The hormone drugs are formulated as pellets and placed under the skin of the animal’s ear.¹³⁰
• Antibiotic-resistant infections: Superbugs are popping up in hospitals at an alarming rate, due to infections that are difficult to treat because of antibiotic resistance. The CDC issued a report in 2013 indicating that the U.S. could face “potentially catastrophic consequences” if it does not combat the issue. 23,000 people are dying per year as a direct result of antibiotic resistance, while 14,000 illnesses are linked to related infections, costing the U.S. $23 billion annually. Remember those back side costs of conventional foods? While it is unclear how much agriculture has contributed to the increase, livestock antibiotics (the primary suspect) are passed to humans in traces that have been linked to strains of extremely resistant bacteria.¹³¹
• Foodborne illnesses: Food-related illness linked to antibiotic-resistant bacteria has climbed noticeably in recent years.
  • In 2011, there was a multi-state Salmonella Heidelberg outbreak from ground turkey.
  • In 2012, Cargill Meat Solutions conducted a ground beef recall, and in 2013, there was a significant salmonella outbreak credited to Foster Farms tainted chicken.
  • In 2018, JBS Tolleson recalled 12 million pounds of beef for salmonella fears, as well.

Pesticides and insecticides

Now that we have a better understanding of our meat and dairy industries, let’s look at some considerations of pesticides and insecticides in food crops, such as fruits and vegetables.

• AAP statement on pesticides: In a December 2012 report, the
  AAP made specific recommendations to reduce children’s exposure to pesticides
  based on the premise that “prenatal and early childhood exposure to pesticides
  is associated with pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function, and
  behavioral problems.”¹³²
• Link to
  ADHD: A 2010 study from Harvard University found that kids with
  above-average pesticide exposures are nearly two times as likely to have ADHD
  as children with undetectable levels.¹³³
• Link to
  lower IQ: Several studies link prenatal pesticide exposures with decreased
  cognitive development on multi-ethnic populations. One study found a seven IQ
  point deficit in children whose mothers had the highest quintile levels of
  pesticides in their urine during pregnancy.¹³⁴
• Increased risk for children: Children
  play on lawns and on floors, and they tend to put objects in their mouths,
  increasing exposure to pesticides used in the home and on yards. Home pesticide
  use overall has been linked to childhood cancers such as soft tissue sarcomas,
  leukemia, and cancer of the brain.¹³⁵

If I am budget constrained, which fruits and vegetables are worth the organic cost?

The Environmental Working Group prioritizes twelve fruits and vegetables each year that are worth buying organic. This group estimates that you can reduce your pesticide exposure by 80% by choosing organic versions of these foods.¹³⁶

The Dirty Dozen

These are fruits and vegetables that are worth buying organic in 2019.

• Strawberries
• Spinach
• Kale
• Nectarines
• Apples
• Grapes
• Peaches
• Cherries
• Pears
• Tomatoes
• Celery
• Potatoes

The Clean Fifteen 

If you are on a tight budget, don’t waste your money buying these organic foods. The clean fifteen are the least likely to have pesticides detected on the parts you eat after typical washing.

• Avocados
• Sweet
  Corn
• Pineapples
• Cabbage
• Sweet
  Peas (frozen)
• Onions
• Asparagus
• Mangos
• Papayas
• Kiwi
• Eggplant
• Grapefruit
• Cantaloupe
  (domestic)
• Cauliflower
• Sweet
  Potatoes

Other organic priorities

Families may want to prioritize foods that are particularly popular with kids by putting these organic, non-GMO foods at the top of the grocery list.

• organic baby food
• organic peanut butter
• organic ketchup
• organic apples
• organic grapes
• organic potatoes
• organic dips and salad dressings (avoid cottonseed,
  corn, and soy-modified oils)
• 100% olive oil (70% of the worldwide extra
  virgin olive oil is estimated to be watered down with cheaper GMO oils).¹³⁷

Did You Know?

Decoding the Stickers on Fruits and Vegetables

The stickers or labels attached to fruits and most vegetables in the
supermarket have a function beyond helping to scan prices at the checkout
counter. By reading the stickers or price look up (PLU) codes, you can tell
whether your food is genetically modified (GMO), organically grown, or conventionally
grown.

• Four
  numbers: If there are four numbers in the sticker code, this product is
  conventionally or traditionally grown using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. The last four
  numbers of the PLU code represent the kind of vegetable or fruit. For example,
  all conventional bananas have a code of 4011.
• Five
  numbers and the number starts with “8”: A five digit PLU code beginning
  with an “8” signifies that the fruit or vegetable is genetically modified (GMO).
• Five
  numbers and the number starts with “9”: A five digit PLU code beginning
  with a “9” signifies that the fruit or vegetable is organically grown.
  Remember: eight I hate, but nine is fine.

Buying organic food on a budget

If you live in California, you are in luck, because organic and conventional foods are fairly close in price. However, buying organic food week after week for the rest of the country can be a real drag on your wallet. Here are some tips for organic shopping on a budget.

• Have a positive outlook about paying up for good food. Pay up for what goes into your body and cut costs on what is just stuff.
• Grow your own organic garden for the foods and herbs that you enjoy.
• Search LocalHarvest.org to locate farms, farmer’s markets, and Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs in your area.
• Shop at local farmer’s markets or local fruit and vegetable stands.
• Buy a share in a Community-Supported Agricultural (CSA) program. These programs typically cost $300 to $500 for a growing season (i.e., May through September), with cost depending on the number of family members to feed, such as one to three, three to six, etc. A growing season might typically extend from the summer months for most items and into the fall for other fruits and vegetables. Depending on your location, some offer weekly, monthly, or seasonal shares. 
• Join a co-op. A food cooperative is a member-owned business that provides food and groceries at a discount. Search CooperativeGrocer.coop or OrganicConsumers.org for food co-ops in your area.
• Buy organic fruits and vegetables in season. Negotiate a discount at a local farmer’s market for buying in bulk. Then freeze the leftovers.
• Start a buying club with your friends. Talk to a local co-op or meat farmer about buying a bulk order and splitting it with friends.
• Take a trip through an area with family farms and stock up. When our family lived in Washington DC, we used to take coolers and drive through the Shenandoah Valley countryside, collecting grass-fed beef and organic poultry, pork, and eggs with local prices solidly beating out urban farmer’s market prices.

What if prices for organic fruits, vegetables, and meats are still out of my budget? How do I reduce toxin exposure with conventional foods?

Even if foods purchased are not organic, consumers should pay attention to how their food is sourced. For example, fresh produce from a roadside stand or produce labeled as “local” in the supermarket is probably a good option. Also, to help reduce repetitive exposure, shop at different stores and buy different varieties of foods. Place fruits and vegetables under running water and scrub them with a brush. For pregnant women and young children, cut out the cores and peel the skins from Dirty Dozen foods.

• For apples and pears, cut out the fruit’s core, top, and bottom.
• For strawberries, cut out the stalk and core (the white part).
• For peaches and nectarines, peel the skin.
• For grapes, avoid imported grapes during the winter months since international pesticide allowances are higher than domestic standards.
• For bell peppers, buy red, yellow, and orange varieties, which are typically grown in hothouses, rather than green peppers, which are grown in the outdoors.
• For leafy greens, remove the outer layers.
• For fish, beef, pork, and poultry, peel away the skins and extra fat, which typically have the highest concentrations of pesticides and environmental residues.

Natural Means Nothing

Understanding marketing terms

Expect that many of these labels will leave you scratching your head. For marketers, the key is to advertise at least one good health claim to distract you from other concerns. 

• 100%
  Organic. All ingredients must be certified organic.
• Organic.
  If you see the USDA Organic seal, this product has 95% or more organic content.
  USDA-certification for organic meat forbids the use of growth hormones,
  antibiotics, genetically modified feed, or animal by-products in raising the
  livestock. Beyond those practices, it does not address the treatment of the
  animals or the specific feed.
• “Made
  With” Organic. At least 70% of the product must be certified organic
  ingredients. These products cannot use the USDA Organic seal.
• Grass Fed
  or 100% Grass Fed. These terms imply that USDA grass-fed beef has only a
  grass diet and access to pasture year-round, while an organic pasture diet may
  be supplemented with grain. The grass-fed label does not limit the use of
  antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides.
• Cage
  Free. This term means that laying hens live outside of cages, typically in
  a barn, warehouse, or enclosed building. Cage-free does not mean that hens have
  access to the outdoors.
• Free
  Range. Producers must demonstrate to USDA that poultry has access to the
  outdoors. There are no USDA requirements for time granted outside or for the
  quality or size of the outdoor area.
• Humane.
  Many labeling programs make this claim; however, the USDA does not regulate
  this term or other similar labels such as “old fashioned,” “pasture-raised,” or
  “low stocking density.”
• Natural
  or All Natural. For meat, poultry, and eggs, the USDA requires these products
  to be minimally processed; however, there are no specific guidelines.
  Therefore, “natural” and “all natural” are marketing label favorites because
  they imply everything and mean nothing.¹⁴⁰

Related Content:

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The post Organic Foods: Are They Safer? More Nutritious? Worth the Cost? appeared first on UPKiQ.

Don’t get me wrong. Moving is hard. I crave stability for my children, and I want them to feel loved wherever they are. However, as life would have it, I have moved eighteen times since leaving home at age eighteen. All of my worldly possessions have fit inside a pickup truck, and we’ve had corporate moves in an eighteen wheeler. Either way, when you spend thirteen years in the military and then join a mobile job market, moving is not always a choice. Here are some things that I have learned along the way.

Life is a series of tradeoffs.

In a nutshell, you can’t have it all. Affordable housing, abundant jobs, no traffic, excellent public schools, convenient shopping and full amenities—pick two, maybe three. However, all of these things do not exist in one place.

Living in a big city is exciting, and there are unlimited amenities and cultural resources, such as museums, plays, and parks. Restaurants are abundant, and there is never a shortage of things to do. But housing is expensive, and traffic can be unbearable. There are expectations that one will stay in the office well into the evening hours, with barely a nod to family dinners and bedtime routines for kids. However, living in a smaller city or town can be an adjustment, too. Traffic is manageable and family life is culturally encouraged, but the weekends and summers are slower with fewer options for entertainment and enrichment. Women are viewed differently. Life is a series of trade offs.

When you live in San Francisco, you crave cheaper housing. When you move out to the suburbs, you miss walking to your favorite restaurants. When you move to the middle of the country, you love the pace but you miss the beach. There is no perfect place to live. So perhaps we should not spend too much time and energy dreaming of greener pastures. The truth is, there’s a little bit of green and a little bit of yellowing grass in every pasture. And if you ask me, you can put up with a lot anywhere when you are sharing life with people you love and appreciate (the military is brilliant at cultivating this shared purpose.) Thus, when people ask me, “Which do you like better? Boston or Oklahoma? New York City or California? Florida or North Carolina?” My answer is simple. 1) I like the places where I felt deep connections to people. 2) Each place has value; they are just different.

Moving helps you better define “home.”

When you have moved a lot, you realize that home is wherever your friends and family are—home is not necessarily defined by a house or street address. Home isn’t defined by government jurisdiction or political views. Moving helps clarify this point, as you learn that you can make a home anywhere. I learned this spending major holidays on an aircraft carrier, or at “home” eating Thanksgiving dinner far from my hometown with friends (who were like family.)

Moving helps you understand our need to belong.

In any given place, there are two kinds of people—natives and transplants (insiders and outsiders.) The natives were born and raised in one place, and they know everything about that place. They perfected the local system, and they are the system. Transplants have less attachment to these systems. In larger cities or communities where every other person is a transplant, this is not such a big deal. In smaller communities, you can really become aware of what it feels like to be in the outer circle. This need to belong is profound, and it holds true across the generations, whether your child has moved to a new school or your grandmother is adjusting to a nursing home.

When you have been in one place for a long time, you may not even notice these subtleties. However, moving has made me much more empathetic to this cause, and makes me want to help everyone feel like an insider. Showing up brand new somewhere can make you feel really insecure and vulnerable. When I see a family who looks new or different, or if someone is standing alone nearby, I want to say hi and let them know that they are important. They are insiders with me.

Everyone has a need to belong, and I have moved around enough to know that the barriers we put up and the pecking orders that people try to establish just do not matter. We are all human beings worthy of love and belonging, regardless of where we came from.

Moving helps you to be more creative.

Every new idea is pretty much a reworking or recombination of a previous idea. New inventions, songs, or pieces of art are likely to be inspired by something that already exists. Therefore, you would assume that the more places and ideas that you are exposed to, the more material that you have to springboard and come up with new ideas, or different ways of looking at things. Moving and travel have definitely helped me to be more insightful by just looking at the world in different ways.

You put less stock in material things.

When you move on to a ship, off a ship, and on a ship again, you learn that your material things are only so important. The same has occurred as we have packed up the family for various job opportunities. Paring down is a constant process, and we still have way too much stuff!

Nevertheless, when you have to move that stuff, you think differently about it. You question it. You clean it. You assess whether it is still working or not. This is a healthy practice, as living in one place for a really long time can help us amass an exorbitant amount of stuff.

The tradeoffs of moving.

Not everything about picking up your life and transferring it to another place is glamorous. First of all, moving is stressful. It can also be lonely, as you struggle to grow roots before picking up and moving on to the next place. Consistency is important, especially with kids.

Those who move frequently may also find it more difficult to be content in life. This can be a good thing (Are you constantly striving to be better?), or it can also be unhelpful (If you are always dreaming of another place, it can be difficult to enjoy the moment you are in. Remember those elusive greener pastures?) Moving as a family also complicates matters, as one place may be great for some family members but not others. As with everything in life, there are positives and not-so-positives with moving.

Love your neighbor first. Try to appreciate our differences.

Overall, I wouldn’t trade my experiences moving for anything, despite the inconvenience, adjustments, and even loneliness. My empathy spectrum is wide, and I have a heart for all kinds of people in lots of different places with different perspectives. I appreciate urbanites loving the excitement and thrill of their cities, and I appreciate those in rural America preferring a simpler life. Thanks to moves from red states to blue states to purple states, I see why Democrats might see the world as they do, and Republicans the same.

See, being a geographic mutt isn’t so bad (although just mentioning politics in a post has already made me sweat.) Perhaps we should talk about how much I love the food from all of the places I’ve lived? Hmmm. Shall we start with lobster, fried chicken, or steak?

Are you considering a move? Have you moved a lot?

The post Life as a Geographic Mutt: What Moving a Lot Has Taught Me appeared first on UPKiQ.

 Admittedly, saving money is a bit of a sport for me. I have a hard time buying anything when it isn’t on sale or doesn’t have coupons stacked upon coupons with free shipping, of course. Sometimes this can be distracting to the purchasing process; however, the savings do add up.

Here are some of my favorite tips for purchasing items and saving money online.  

Watch Out for Dynamic Pricing, Price Discrimination, and Price Steering

Did you know that some people pay more than others when shopping online? Are you purchasing an item using a desktop browser or mobile phone? What kind of phone do you have? Did you access the online retailer through a deal website or a luxury website? Is your location data available (what is your zip code?)

Dynamic pricing is a term that describes how companies change the prices of products based on different inputs estimating customer demand (using both web data, such as time of day, location, page views, cart abandonment, previous consumer behavior, etc. and sales data, such as inventory, competitors’ pricing, etc.)

Where does this information come from? With modern web browsers, companies can collect all kinds of information about you and how you browse and shop online by using tracking cookies and other tools.

Not all cookies are bad. Authentication cookies are commonly used to know whether a person is logged into an account, which is necessary for security and communicating sensitive information. Cookies can also be convenient, saving items in our shopping cart and helping us remember login information. However, tracking cookies, especially third-party tracking cookies can be questionably more intrusive, compiling long-term records of our browsing histories. Cookies can also be read by third-parties, like Wi-Fi hotspot providers, which is a good reason to put your browser in private mode whenever you are in public places.

What can we do to protect against dynamic pricing and price steering?

• Clear your browsing data and cookies before making purchases. Believe it, or not, previous purchases of luxury items can drive up the price points and offerings of future purchases. Offerings also might be priced higher for users with a Mac IP address (WSJ article on how Orbitz discovered that Mac users spend up to 30% more on hotels and are steered to pricier options.)
• Log out of your accounts while shopping and price comparing (including Gmail, Amazon Prime, Facebook, individual store logins, etc.).  
• Switch to private or incognito mode.
• Shop with online retailers in the evenings and during lower demand hours. Online prices are likely to be higher Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. when customers shop during weekday office hours.
• Shop and price compare using three different methods: a desktop browser, private/incognito mode, and on a mobile device.

Compare Prices

Search for your product on Google (the Shopping tab) and compare prices, or try a browser add-on application, such as PriceBlink. Use your phone to compare prices when in store vs. online. Show the clerk any pricing discrepancy that is lower online and request the same discount in store.

Always Use a Promo Code or Coupon

Online Promo Codes: Don’t purchase anything online without searching for a promo code first. Deal and coupon websites like SlickDeals.net and RetailMeNot.com are favorites for coupon codes. Entering an online retailer through a coupon website link also signals that you are looking for a deal.

Search for online/mobile coupons while in-store: Always search for a coupon online before you check out at the store. You can also use competitor’s coupons at many stores. For example, most Lowe’s will accept Home Depot 10% off coupons and vice versa (Lowes and Home Depot are two Top 10 retailers in the U.S, and purchases made here can be big ones.)

Use Credit Card Shopping Malls and Match Credit Card Rewards to Purchases

Credit Card Shopping Malls: As a former military member, I hardly purchase anything without going through the Navy Federal Credit Union or USAA special member malls for savings. These offer multiples of points for purchases and other percent-off discounts.

Think about which credit card is optimized for certain purchases. In other words, some of your credit cards may offer more points or rewards for certain purchases, such as restaurants and travel, Amazon.com/Whole Foods purchases, gas purchases, Costco purchases, using airline cards to cover baggage fees, etc. This requires some thought when paying for things in store (Which card do I use?), however you can easily register the proper credit card with online retailers.

Here are a few examples:

• Chase Sapphire card offers 2X points on travel and dining.
• Amazon Rewards Visa offers card members with an eligible Prime membership 5% back at Whole Foods Market simply by using the card for purchases. This is in addition to 10% off sale items for scanning your Prime ID.
• Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi offers 4% on gas up to $7000, including Costco gas and 2% cash back on all Costco and Costco.com purchases (annual fee is waived with Costco membership.)
• Capital One Venture Rewards with $0 annual fee offers 10X on hotels.com
• Discover It Cash Back earns 5% cash back at different places each quarter like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, and more.
• Certain airline cards will cover baggage expenses with use. For example, you can use a Delta Skymiles Credit Card and your first bag is free (for up to 8 additional passengers on the reservation).

Use Cash Back Services, such as Ebates, Honey, and Dosh

These services exist to directly market to consumers. Ebates, Honey, and Dosh offer deals at major retailers, and if you use the application to make purchases, the service takes a cut and you get cash back.

• Ebates: Find coupons and earn cash back at over 2500 stores when you shop at Ebates (now owned by Rakuten.) Stores pay Ebates a commission for sending you their way, and Ebates shares the commission with you as cash back.
• Honey: Honey is a free browser extension that automatically finds and applies coupon codes at checkout for over 30,000 shopping sites. It also instantly finds better prices on Amazon (since they change daily) and offers Honey Gold at many stores for American, Canadian, and UK members. 
• Dosh: We use Dosh, an app-powered service, that links up our credit card “securely” and offers cash back with each purchase automatically (not just from online retailers but brick and mortar stores, as well). This means that every time we shop at Sam’s Club or get gas at a Chevron station, we get a notice of a Dosh percentage cash back. Essentially, we are selling our consumer information to Dosh and who knows what else, but at least we are getting back some of the profits.

Leave Items in Your Online Cart

Sometimes coming back to an item a second or third time during a single browsing session will signal that you are willing to pay more. However, leaving items in your cart for a noticeable amount of time may signal that you simply need a nudge to purchase. Thus, some retailers will issue price drop alerts, or offer coupons to purchase items remaining in your cart.

Save Direct Mail Coupons (next to your computer) and Set up Alerts for Sales

Have one inbox for coupons that come via snail mail. Place them next to your computer so that you will use them when shopping online. Take a photo of direct mail coupon codes with your phone for on-the-go use.

Set up calendar alerts for major sales at stores you love (holiday weekends, anniversary sales, etc.) For example:

• Nordstrom: The 2019 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale will be from July 19 through August 4, 2019.
• REI: Save up to 30% during the Biggest Sale of the Year, May 17–27, 2019. Become a member and get 10% back on most purchases. Register your child for a membership and receive additional coupons.
• Amazon: Amazon Prime subscribers will start seeing Prime Day deals at 12:00am PST on Monday, July 15th, and they will last through 11:59pm PST on Tuesday, July 16th, 2019.
• Land’s End: Three-day holiday weekends are generally good sale times at Land’s End.

Download the App for the Stores You Shop at the Most

Target Cartwheel app: Download the app to your phone, and put coupons for the items you’ll be buying on your shopping list. When you checkout, just present the bar code the app gives you, and the discounts for the items on your list will be applied.

Walmart’s App: Buy groceries through the app and pick them up at the store for free. Save household favorites to the app, such as diapers or toilet paper, for quick re-orders and pickup. Save time and skip the line by adding pharmacy access to your app account for easy refills and Mobile Express pickup.

Whole Foods Market app: Scan your Prime Member QR code each trip to receive an extra 10% off on sale items.

Stack Offers

Go to Groupon and find a restaurant you have wanted to try. Perhaps use Ebates or Dosh to get cash back. Search for other special offers on the restaurant website for meal options. Use a credit card that offers 2-3X dining points for the meal.

Okay, this stacking business is getting obnoxious, but enjoy the savings!

The post How to Save Money Shopping Online  appeared first on UPKiQ.