by Dina Eliash Robinson
Who knew that going from ‘farming’ to ‘agribusiness’ would end up poisoning consumers and polluting the environment? A perfect case of good intentions paving the road to… well, you know… Because while agricultural mass-production is the benign Force that makes farming more profitable,and foods more affordable–as well as plentiful enough to alleviate world hunger–Big agribusiness also keeps a foot on the Dark Side by playing fast and loose with consumer and environmental health.
Quantity vs. Quality — Ever since cultivation has become mechanized and the land fumigated within an inch of its life, more, bigger and prettier foods with longer shelf-lives are being produced. Quantity and good looks,however, have come at the expense of natural flavors and nutrients—much of them lost because of current food processing practices. No amount of sugar, salt, MSG or hot sauce could replace Mother Nature’s own seasoning. Nor could vitamins and supplements entirely make up for all the essential minerals and other elements lost in the over-chemicalized agricultural process.
Fortunately, organic foods contain both the flavors and nutrients that earlier generations took for granted.
Defensive Eating – The good news is that we are waking up to the damage done to our health and environment by pesticides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, bioengineering, ionizing radiation technology, chemical preservatives, growth hormones, antibiotics and other garbage with which ‘conventionally’ produced foods are sprayed, fed and artificially bred.
We know about the cancer-causing chemicals and Bovine Growth Hormones. The former are coating most fruits and vegetables, while the latter are fed to livestock—along with antibiotics, the overuse of which breeds antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’ in both animals and humans. We know about the carcinogenic benzene and other ‘new’ chemicals known as ‘radiolytic’ products found in beef that has been irradiated (and intentionally mislabeled as ‘pasteurized’). We even know about the GM (genetically modified) rice engineered to produce human proteins found in breast milk and saliva. At blog-post time, this ‘Frankenstein Food’ is set to be approved for commercial production. To know more about food additives, go to: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/foodaddi.html
But back to the good news: Consumers are beginning to push back the toxic tide by making healthier choices—in short, eating ‘defensively.’ Their hunt for organics and careful scrutiny of food labels has triggered a media frenzy about healthy living. All this helps keep the food industry honest when listing ingredients, and pressures it to keep pace with the growing demand for safe and health-promoting foods and environment-friendly practices. As this trend continues, not only farmers but many others involved in the production, packaging and transportation of organic foods are eager to adopt the FDA’s strict and labor-intensive practices to qualify for its coveted “USDA – ORGANIC” certification label. For more information, go to: http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexNet.htm
The latest fad among health-food fans and celebrity chefs of gourmet restaurants is to visit and shop at organic farms. Those, that is, who live or work within a reasonable distance of one. Many return—not only to buy fresh produce, eggs or cheese, but also for the thrill of finding exotic ingredients (along with recipes for their preparation); and to learn about the science and challenges of organic farming. Visitors notice that— in the absence of toxic crop-dusting, medicated livestock and the foul runoff they generate—the air is cleaner and the soil more fertile; that honeybees, ladybugs and other helpful insects are thriving; and in nearby waterways, healthy aquatic life is holding its own. For more information, go to: http://www.organicconsumers.org/
“Frankenstein” Grains – After sifting through data produced by both independent and industry scientists—including population test results—I have come to believe that organic grain products are safer to eat than genetically engineered “Frankenstein” creations. Not only are some people allergic to bio-grains, but there have been clear and public admissions by a number of scientists involved in their development, that we won’t know for decades whether or not these products are safe, or might cause health problems for consumers in the long run.
Determined to protect the health of their populations, most European and some Asian countries have barred all imports of bioengineered grains from the U.S. In fact, they have to contend with crowds of demonstrators on the rare occasions when some genetically altered product gets through their customs and is found near farms or markets. You might have heard of the uproar triggered by the so-called ‘golden rice,’ a Vitamin A-enhanced grain intended to compensate for some Third World diets lacking that nutrient.
Even American consumers fly off the handle when they think their food supply might be threatened by plants crossed with bacteria, viruses or other genetic material. Not long ago, headlines alerted us that a small amount of experimental rice that had not even reached the pre-FDA approval stage somehow got out of the lab and into circulation.
Organic farmers are the quickest responders to food alarms. They go into emergency mode the moment any GM grains are discovered near their fields.
An Antidote to Paranoia — Knowledge is power. The better informed you are, the more tools you have with which to protect your and your loved ones’ health. Only don’t get hooked into getting all your information from a single source, or even two—that’s dangerous. Read what many different sides are trumpeting about nutrition and food safety.
For example: Notice the glaring contradictions between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “FDA / IFIC Brochure of January 1992” on “Food Additives” and the comprehensive report of food safety entitled “CSPI’s Guide to Food Additives,” posted on the web site of the Center for Science in the Public Interest http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm.
Read this and other material critically. Read between the lines, keep up with new discoveries and draw your own conclusions. Above all, use your commonsense, trust your instincts, and don’t become a fan(atic) of any camp. Adopt defensive eating habits—but since not everything can be foreseen or prevented, maintain a reasonable balance between risk and caution to avoid obsessing about either.
To put everything into perspective and let you sleep at night, it’s good to know that 100% organic foods have only existed until human beings figured out ways to increase their crop yields. Around 2500 B.C., for example, Sumerians used sulfur to control pests; while about 900 A.D., arsenic was found by Chinese farmers to be a more effective pesticide. In the 1700s, kerosene was tried, and 50 years ago, DDT became the miracle pesticide throughout the world. Fortunately, we are beginning to develop a better relationship with Mother Nature.
The rapidly growing demand for organic foods is benefiting farmers and the environment in the U.S., as well as in Chile and other countries that got the message and decided to board this profitable bandwagon by developing their own organic agri-business. Whole Foods Supermarkets, Trader Joe’s, Jimbo’s Naturally and proliferating local Farmers’ Markets are weaving a nutrition-blanket around the country. Even Starbucks is using its bean by offering organic coffee, and commercial chains such as Vons supermarkets, Costco, and Wal-Mart are also getting into the game. With this many players, the already small (if any) price differences between organic and conventionally produced foods are soon bound to disappear.
Until then, remember that protecting your health, and that of your family, also protects your and the nation’s pocketbook. Not only are healthcare expenses going through the roof, but loss of income due to illness punches a hole in everyone’s bank account.

By Catharine L. Kaufman—a.k.a. The Kitchen Shrink
When I was pregnant, the local fishmonger refused to sell me swordfish, explaining that this humungous, bottom feeding creature was loaded with mercury and PCBs. My subsequent research revealed that the former was found to cause brain damage in both fetuses and young children, and PCBs have been linked to cancer in humans and animals. Needless to say, I’ve been avoiding such potentially toxin-loaded bottom feeders as swordfish, striped bass and eel ever since.

I’ve also been keeping clear of shark, tuna and other giants known to accumulate high levels of mercury in their bodies from eating large quantities of smaller and less contaminated fish.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, when shopping for fish and seafood, consumers are advised to select a catch low in contaminants and high in Omega 3 and other nutritional value, while also taking into consideration the species’ existing level of sustainability.

Photo: Will Hyler

Among the ones listed by the NRDC as containing the lowest amounts of mercury are anchovies, sardines, herring and salmon—for which all of us at FreeRangeClub reserve our top recommendation, with some caveats:

• That they all be wild caught, not farmed (be aware that the designation “wild” by itself without the “caught” could still mean farmed);
• that both the salmon and sardines come whole—meaning with their calcium-rich skin and bones included—and the sardines preferably packed in pure olive oil— (our top choice is the Omega-3-rich Crown Prince brand Brisling sardines from Scotland, as well as a few Norwegian imports);
• that canned salmon also be wild caught (we usually choose the economic 14.75 oz. can of Pink Salmon from Alaska, sold at Whole Foods Markets); and
• that the herring we buy be kept in the store’s refrigerated section, packed in glass jars, with onion slices, in vinegar or wine—and that herring packed in cream sauce be avoided if possible.

Other catch recommended by various sources as low in mercury, include domestic crab, crawfish, North Atlantic chub mackerel, ocean perch, wild caught salmon, calamari (squid), shrimp, Pacific sole, tilapia, whitefish, fresh-water trout, Dungeness crab, sablefish or black cod from Alaskan and Canadian waters, as well as Maine lobster and pink shrimp from Oregon. Salmon and shrimp, alas, have been severely depleted by over-fishing, so don’t be surprised if wild caught are hard to come by.

Fishermen have been sounding the alarm long before consumers became aware of the over-fishing problem. The Pew Environment Group (PEG) is leading the fight for conservation and the rebuilding of endangered fish populations to sustainability levels. Aware of the stakes that fisheries as well as coastal economies have in the success of this rescue mission, the legendary New England fishing industry is fully engaged and lending its expertise and energy to the effort. Organizations such as the Midcoast Fishermen’s Association and New England Fishery Management Council are coming up with creative ways to restore their members’ depleted livelihoods and the viability of fishing fleets.

This spring of 2010, events are organized to help link fishermen with chefs and the food community, to set up a system whereby restaurants, farmers’ markets and other retailers could buy seafood directly from those who catch it. A perfect solution to one of the problems our FRC researchers have been struggling with: Providing consumers with reliable information about where, when and under what conditions was their fish caught, handled and stored.

But since most of us don’t live in New England, we must rely on reports from—we hope—reliable sources about the safety of various seafood. For example, our research shows that Alaskan cod, halibut, mahi-mahi, lobster, monkfish, sable and snapper have ‘moderate’ levels of mercury—which warns me to serve these choices no more than twice a month. It’s good to know that such caution and restraint will actually help these over-fished species to recover and become a sustainable food source again.

To my great regret, however, I’ve had to completely give up eating such favorites of mine as grouper, Chilean sea bass, yellowfin tuna, orange roughy and bigeye ahi—all because their mercury levels are off the charts.

To compensate for their loss, I’ve learned to adapt some recipes to fool my family’s taste buds. Take my Salmon and Sardines Salad (You can find it in the salads category of our Healthy Recipées section), which I substitute now for the tuna salad most of us grew up with. All the ingredients I combine with the wild caught salmon and sardines are organic —not only because they are healthier and more nutritious, but also noticeably better tasting.

If you are a fishing enthusiast who likes to catch your own in coastal waters, be mindful of sewer breaks and other pollution alerts before casting those lures. Best to check your state or regional advisories, too.

What’s Different About Farm-Raised Fish & Seafood? Growing demand for fish and seafood has led to over-fishing that has driven some once plentiful species to the brink of collapse. Scarcity and the promise of higher profits have prompted the establishment of commercial aquatic farms consisting of giant nets and other environments in which fish and various kinds of seafood are raised. Unfortunately, many of these farms are overcrowded, necessitating the use of fungicides, antibiotics and other medications to keep the stock alive and in reasonably presentable shape for sale. Feeding the stock cheap, toxic and often inappropriate foods that cause biological anomalies in the farmed species, further increases profitability.

Some aquatic farms are run with conscientious efforts to raise healthy stock with high nutritional values, while others cut corners and shortchange their customers. So let’s use our purchasing power to influence the industry to improve its practices by avoiding farm-raised fish and asking retail fishmongers to post their suppliers names.

Brain Food — Convinced that fish was “brain food,” my Mom cooked seafood feasts several times a week, in the firm belief that it would make me a straight-A student. It worked—or I had just worked harder to hide my suspicion that this was an old wives’ tale. But since recent studies have proved my mother right, I’m cooking up a storm of Omega-3-loaded fish and seafood dishes to help my kids ace their SATs.

Got to admit I’m also psyched by reports about the beneficial (read, rejuvenating) effects a fish-rich diet has on the aging brain—not to mention the protection Omega-3 fatty acids confer upon our cardiovascular systems. Brilliance and heart-health is well worth the small effort it takes to make informed (wild caught) choices and cook up creative recipes for our twice a week, family fish-fests.

The World Is Your Oyster—Except in Months Without “R”s — The rule of thumb that certain shellfish should not be consumed in months that have no “R” in the names—i.e., May through August—probably arose because of the pesky summer blooms of toxic red algae known as “red tide,” that overrun coastlines and poison oysters, clams, mussels and everyone and everything that eats them. One frequently hears of food poisoning outbreaks among people who ate locally harvested shellfish, especially along the Pacific coast. So be super-careful when consuming shellfish in the summertime.

The U.S. Fisheries and Aquaculture Department assures us that farmed mussels are actually safer than wild ones found in the salty (and sometime contaminated) waters of the Pacific and Atlantic, since mussel farmers maintain clean environments and provide their filter-feeder shellfish with appropriate, non-toxic food that is free of chemicals. While so far we have no contrary information, I for one tend to take such generalized claims with several grains of caution. My standing advice for eating these bivalves is: Moderation. Also, stop eating at the slightest twinge of discomfort.

Fish Tips:
1) Whether live, fresh (shucked), frozen, cooked or smoked, always buy shellfish and finfish from reputable markets.
2) Since PCB’s and other contaminants are mostly stored in the fatty tissues of fish, peel away the skin where the fat is abundant, and grill so the fat renders off. Deep-frying is not only a very unhealthy choice from the get-go, but it seals in toxins as well. 3) When cooking bivalves, the shells should open within 5 minutes. If not, chuck it.
4) Refrigerate seafood immediately when you get home and cook and eat it within two days. Live lobster and crab should be cooked the day of purchase.
5) Seafood and fish should be cooked like Baby Bear’s porridge— just right. Crustaceans become rubbery when overcooked, unsafe and mushy when undercooked. Generally, cooking fish as opposed to eating it raw or rare will reduce contamination levels by 30 or more percent.

As a consolation prize for burdening you with caveats and safety tips, click here for my favorite recipe of fresh Asian Salmon Cakes—found under Entrées in our Recipes With Pizzazz section. You won’t have to fish for compliments with this one.

For comments, critiques or more recipes, feel free to e-mail me here at our FreeRangeClub site (dinatalk@gmail.com), or directly at kitchenshrink@san.rr.com

By Sandi Star, CCN

After struggling for over 40 years with chronic migraines, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), muscle and joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, asthma and a slew of other ailments, I decided to investigate—and if possible, help to heal—the root cause of my condition, rather than just obsess about its frustrating and debilitating symptoms. I was tired of relying on doctors to give me answers and tired of the medications they prescribed—which were aimed at relieving the symptoms, but instead, only added side affects and little relief.

Yet, after more then two decades of being committed to health and fitness—during which I lost close to 50 pounds and 5 dress sizes—I still had all the chronic conditions that played havoc with my life. Although I didn’t know enough about food intolerance or allergies to connect them to my problems, I knew there had to be some key elements in my diet that needed to be changed and was determined to find out what they were. Eventually, I discovered that my body could neither tolerate nor process dairy products and the gluten found in grains.

At first, not only did I find it hard to believe that these could have such a serious impact on overall health—let alone be the direct cause of my diseases—but that my doctor never saw the connection when he diagnosed me with Sjögren’s Syndrome. In addition to being an autoimmune problem, Sjögren’s is also one of the many symptoms of Celiac disease. Some of the others include:

• Fatigue
• Addison’s disease (a hormonal disorder)
• Gastrointestinal distress (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, reflux)
• Headaches (including migraines)
• Infertility
• Mouth sores
• Weight loss and gain
• Inability to concentrate
• Moodiness and depression
• Amenorrhea—i.e. interrupted or delayed menstrual cycles
• Bone, joint and/or muscle pain
• Dental enamel hypoplasia (defect)
• Stunted growth (unusually short stature)
• Seizures
• Tingling numbness in the legs.

Eliminating gluten and dairy products from my nutrition plan proved to be the key to my healing process. Soon, the migraines, IBS and many other symptoms stopped, inflammation was reduced and I was able to keep the Sjögren’s Syndrome under control. Even better, I was able to eliminate all medications and use food and natural remedies instead to supplement nutrition and promote overall health.

Thrilled and energized by my recovery, I dove into studies, became a clinical nutritionist and started Karmic Health (www.karmic-health.com), so I could help others afflicted with food allergies and sensitivities by sharing with them my experience, education and passion in the field of nutrition and functional medicine.

In Part II of this series, I will outline the process that took the health community half a century to understand the importance of gluten and dairy as triggers of a wide array of diseases. The next article will provide more detailed information on the various ways some of us digest, assimilate or react to wheat, from the scary-sounding leaky gut syndrome to the most extreme case of Celiac disease.

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Sandi Star, CCN is the founder of Karmic Health (www.karmic-health.com), a consulting organization specializing in nutrition-related diseases. Working with those afflicted with Celiac disease, autism and autoimmune disorders, Sandi provides expert guidance in lifestyles free of gluten and dairy-casein, as well as other triggers of food allergies and sensitivities. Sandi graduated from The Natural Healing Institute in Encinitas CA., with a degree in Clinical Nutrition, and is continuing her studies in Clinical Herbology. She has hands on experience and a true understanding of many health issues and has dedicated her life to helping others reach their optimal health.

1 pound of fresh wild caught salmon filet, skin removed and set aside
1 tablespoon olive oil, and extra for baking
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of wasabi mustard
1/8 teaspoon Turmeric powder
A sprinkling of dry dill
2 scallions, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Salt and Cayenne pepper to taste
Japanese Panko breadcrumbs
Place the salmon in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add oil, juice, mustard, scallions and other ingredients and pulse again until blended well. Add the breadcrumbs until the mixture becomes a firm texture for forming patties. Mold into the patty size of your choice. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an oven-proof (Pyrex) baking dish liberally with olive oil and place salmon cakes in it, careful that they don’t touch. Slice salmon skin into strips and season with soy or Worcestershire sauce and place between patties. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through (test by cutting into one patty at its thickest spot. Flip over once for even color.
Garnish with sesame seeds, Daikon radish slices, more scallions, wasabi mustard or teriyaki sauce. Enjoy!

One can of Wild Caught Salmon (whole, with its calcium-rich skin & bones)
One tin of Wild Caught Sardines in Olive Oil (whole, with skin & bones for better nutrition—Recommended: Brisling “Crown Prince” from Scotland, or Norwegian sardines);
1-2 hardboiled eggs
2 tablespoons organic mayonnaise with olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon Turmeric
1/8 teaspoon red paprika
1/3 teaspoon dry basil
1/3 teaspoon dry dill
1-2 tablespoons capers
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Shake or pinch of Cayenne pepper (as hot or mild as you prefer)
No added salt needed.
In a large bowl, collect: salmon, sardines with the olive oil in which it is packed, shelled hardboiled egg(s) and other ingredients. Mix well (easiest by using your hand). Add more mayo if mixture seems too dry. Store in smaller bowl in coldest part of the fridge. Serve a mound of this Salmon/Sardines Salad with fresh veggies & crackers, or in sandwiches.