GMO Foods to Watch Out For – Most Common GMO Foods

There’s been a lot of buzz about GMO foods and they are certainly behind a lot of controversy, but what exactly are GMOs – and why are they harmful?

Interfering with nature yields bigger crop

GMO refers to any organism that has had its genetic makeup altered.  Unfortunately, many foods we eat every day are foods that have been genetically altered to increase yield and be more pest and disease resistant.  The long-term health effect of these foods has not been sufficiently studied, leading many to choose to avoid exposure as much as possible.

Not everyone is convinced of the safety of GMO foods and several countries have banned them outright, or at least require labeling.  The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has issued repeated warnings about the links between GMO’s and numerous health conditions.  Many consumer groups and activists have pushed for stricter regulation in the US to no avail.

The Most Common GMO Foods

The most abundant crop next to soy

Corn: Corn is one of the most abundant GMO crops grown in the US, second only to soy.  Any product with “high fructose corn syrup” is like from a genetically modified source.  If a product has glucose or fructose on the label, chances are it also comes from genetically modified corn.  Read labels carefully and avoid anything that has these ingredients if you want to avoid exposure.

Soybeans: Soy is the most prevalent GMO food in America today.  Up to 91% of soy is genetically modified to be herbicide resistant.  Most soy products, including soy milk, tofu, and other processed foods have been genetically altered.

Milk & Dairy: Chances are if you drink non-organic milk it has come from cows fed an abundance of  GMO corn. There are a few issues with this.  First of all, cows do not naturally eat corn.  Secondly, cows kept in feedlots are pumped full of antibiotics and growth hormones to combat infectious disease and increase milk production. All of this leeches into the milk and dairy products you consume. If you choose to eat dairy or drink milk, be sure it’s organic and “grass fed”.  If you can, find a local farmer who can sell you raw, organic milk and dairy.

Canola Oil: This is possibly one of the worst GMO products on the market and it is widespread in many products.  Canola oil has always been a genetically modified product. It is developed from the rapeseed plant.  Rapeseed causes numerous health problems, but the claim is canola oil is safe to use since it is modified to no longer be rapeseed, but canola.  Canola stands for “Canadian oil low acid”. Canola oil inhibits metabolism and depletes vitamin E.

Cotton: Cotton has been engineered to resist pesticides and up to 88% of cotton on the market is genetically modified.  Cottonseed oil is a product in many foods including mayonnaise, salad dressings, pastas, margarine and commercial baked goods.

Most of the base crops in the US are now genetically modified, and unfortunately, modified meat products are likely just around the corner.  As of December 2012, a genetically altered Salmon is in line for FDA approval, potentially opening the doors to future animal products.

It can be incredibly difficult to avoid GMO foods because they are used in so many products. Labeling isn’t required in the US and Canada.  Consumers are exposed to these foods daily, without the information they need to make an informed decision.  The best way to avoid GMOs is to buy organic.  Organic foods are required to be processed without bioengineering.  Also, avoid processed foods as much as you can. Nearly all of them contain GMOs.

Paying close attention to the foods we eat has a tremendous impact on our families’ health and well-being.

May every step you take be healthy!

Best Regards,

Debbie Estis Greenspan
Founder/CEO/Mom
Dr. Doormat, Inc.

10 Steps to Protect Against Foodborne Illness

Statistics show that most of us will, at some point, come down with some type of foodborne illness in our lifetime. According to WebMD, 1 in 6 Americans contract a foodborne illness every year. Of those, “128,000 people are hospitalized, and 3,000 people die each year after eating tainted food.” Even though most cases of foodborne illness are not life threatening, it’s a good idea to try to avoid getting sick by following a few basic food safety practices. Read on to learn how to lower your risk of foodborne illness both at home and while dining out.

Food Safety At Home

Color-code your towels. Keeping the towels you use in different parts of the home is more hygienic and can prevent cross contamination. For example, you might use white towels in the kitchen, yellow towels in the bathroom, and orange towels for cleaning other parts of the home.

Wash your hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water before and after handling any food – particularly raw meats, fruits and vegetables.

Clean all produce – even organic. Fruits and vegetables can harbor dirt, pesticides, and even germs and viruses from other peoples’ hands. Fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw are especially important to clean well.

Disinfect tabletops and countertops with vinegar before and after eating or cooking.

Thoroughly wash all dishes in hot, soapy water.  If you wash your dishes by hand, sanitize cutting boards and cooking utensils with vinegar as well.

Don’t leave leftovers sitting out after grocery shopping or serving a meal. Refrigerate and freeze foods right away.

Don’t thaw meat on the kitchen counter. Instead, use the refrigerator or cold running water. Use a meat thermometer when cooking to ensure that your food is cooked thoroughly.

Staying Safe While Dining Out

Dining out without side effects

Wash your hands (after you order!) You probably already wash your hands before eating at a restaurant – only to come back to the table to grab the very dirty and unwashed menu. Wash up after ordering to keep your hands clean.

Skip the lemon.  While you might enjoy a slice of lemon in your water or tea, skip them when dining out. One study found that 75% of lemon wedges carry illness causing germs and bacteria. The truth is, restaurant staff are not always as hygienic in their food preparation as is ideal and it’s inevitable that someone’s unwashed hands will dip into the lemon wedge bin to garnish a drink – it just happens. Skip the lemons.

Give the booth a wipe down. Carry sanitizing wipes in your bag to give chairs and booths a quick once-over before you sit down. While the tables are washed between each party, sometimes the seating is skipped! You can avoid carrying home a lot of germs and pathogens on your clothing by using this tip.

Foodborne illness isn’t fun – follow these tips to stay safe and protect your family.

May every step you take be healthy!

Best Regards,

Debbie Estis Greenspan
Founder/CEO/Mom
Dr. Doormat, Inc.

Toxins in the Home: Detox and Green Your Home

Rid yourself of harsh chemicals when you clean.

Those striving to eliminate toxins from the home often find that it’s more of a journey than a destination. It seems there’s always something more that can be done to make the home safer, cleaner, and healthier to live in.

Read on to learn a few ways to detox and “green” your home that many people tend to overlook.

Harsh Chemical Cleaners

Are you using harsh cleaners like oven cleaner or Drano? These can be replaced with more natural, non-toxic alternatives. SlightlySteady offers a natural way to clean the oven, while it’s common to use boiling water as an alternative to unclog drains. Commercial products exist, as well.

Shop Germ-Free

When’s the last time you washed your bags?

Most people end up getting sick after catching something from germs and viruses they come into contact with while out in public shopping, eating, or taking part in other activities. Well, you could be bringing home more than you bargained for from the grocery store if you don’t wash your reusable grocery bags on a regular basis!

Choosing reusable bags is a great choice to make for the environment, but be sure to wash them as you use them so that they don’t harbor harmful germs and get your family sick. Your food offers a direct path for germs to enter the body, so hygiene is super important in that area.

According to The Kitchn, “A study released a couple years ago gave scary figures on the bacteria levels of reusable bags, but ultimately concluded that shoppers just need to keep their bags clean. Machine- or hand-washing bags ‘reduced bacteria levels to almost nothing,’ they reported.”

Clean Kids

Finally, take a moment to think about what your kids are bringing home from school and daycare not only on their hands and clothes, but coats, backpacks, books, and other supplies. Be sure to clean these items thoroughly on a regular basis – inside and out!

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This adage applies to the home as well – it’s more efficient to eliminate toxins from the source than it is to clean and remove them from the home. Keeping things clean on an ongoing basis (using nontoxic cleaners, of course!) is the best way to detox your home overall.

May every step you take be healthy!

Best Regards,

Debbie Estis Greenspan
Founder/CEO/Mom
Dr. Doormat, Inc.

Love Your Body, Home, and Family!

Valentine’s Day, make the decision to LOVE yourself and your family by caring for your body and your home!

Love yourself with whole healthy foods.

Have you ever heard the saying, your body is the temple of your spirit?  Google it and you’ll probably find a variety of passages and links to religious sites.  I grew up hearing my father say this many times and although he is not a religious person he is a big believer in caring for his body and teaching his children to do the same.  I catch myself saying this to my kids at least once a week.  Remember, your body is the temple of your spirit, not a garbage can.  Make good choices!  Love and respect yourself through the long journey of your life on earth, and on and on.  Sorry, I don’t want to bore you with my Mommy Spiel.   Whatever it takes to make the spiritual connection with our mind and body is a personal choice that is taught or acquired.  Some more practical advice for treating our bodies as the temples they are – not defiling them by eating too much or by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol excessively, or practicing any other unhealthy habits.

What does it mean to view your body as a temple? Think about it this way: would you enter G-d’s home and make a big mess, throwing garbage around and vandalizing it? Of course not – in the same way, your body is a gift that is meant to be cared for.

Avoid processed food and toxic chemicals!  The store name Whole Foods evokes a sense of unadulterated whole foods not processed.  Don’t be fooled by boxed products labeled organic and yet they too can be processed.  Even at Whole Foods you have to carefully navigate through the store choosing between conventional (pesticide treated) produce vs. organic.   Choose fresh, whole, organic food for you and for your family. Keep your body’s home in good condition by making healthy choices like exercising regularly and reducing your exposure to toxins (like those found in many cleaning products).

Living a Healthy Lifestyle

When you view your body this way and start to treat it as a temple of your Spirit, you’ll see your health improve, your energy increase, and your body image improve. Your spiritual life is not a separate issue from your health and wellbeing – it’s all connected.

May every step you take be healthy!

Best Regards,

Debbie Estis Greenspan
Founder/CEO/Mom
Dr. Doormat, Inc.

Avoiding the Flu – Easily Overlooked Areas

Every year like clockwork, a new strain of the Influenza virus makes its rounds, leading many people to take precautions against illness. Some get the flu shot, while others rely on more natural preventative measures.

Whether you take either of these approaches, one thing everyone needs to pay attention to is good hygiene. Practicing good hygiene can have a significant impact on inhibiting the spread of illness.

Aside from the basic practices of hand washing and staying home when sick, don’t overlook these commonly ignored sources of contamination during flu season:

• 

  Germs at your fingertips!

  Clean the knick-knacks. When you stop to think about it, there are a lot of little items we touch and use every day that don’t always get cleaned on a regular basis! Remote controls, car keys, your cell phone and electronics all harbor a lot of germs when they aren’t cleaned often.

• Toys. Similarly, your kids’ toys should be cleaned on a regular basis or the germs will thrive. Involve your kids to teach them the importance of good hygiene.
• School supplies. It’s well known among parents that illness spreads like wildfire in schools. During flu season, take extra care to avoid bringing home the bug on your kids’ school stuff. Clean out the backpack and wipe down books and supplies regularly.
• I make it a rule that when we come home we wipe our shoes on our antimicrobial treated  doormat, put our coats and hats away and go wash our hands with soap and water.  That includes guests too.  It really helps.
• Shop smart. Even sick people need to eat – that’s why grocery stores are an incredibly easy place to contract an illness. Wipe down your shopping cart with antibacterial cloths, wash your grocery bags often and as always, wash your food before you eat it!
• Give the car a good clean. Vehicles are often neglected when it comes to cleaning, so take the opportunity to give it a thorough clean – there’s no better time than when an illness is going around.
• Do not share utensils or drinking glasses. Eating in public places? Ask the waiter for a cup of boiling water and let the utensils soak for a minute or two and wipe down before using.  Why risk the obvious.  A little action and awareness can go along way in keeping the family healthy all winter long.

May every step you take be healthy!

Best Regards,

Debbie Estis Greenspan
Founder/CEO/Mom
Dr. Doormat, Inc.

Indoor Smoking – Just Say No!

smoking effects all of the people and pets around you.

It’s impossible to deny the dangers associated with smoking cigarettes for both smokers and the people around them. We all know that secondhand smoke is harmful, but less obvious is just how easy it is to pollute your indoor air with cigarettes. Just one or two cigarettes will do significant damage. Even if no one in your immediate family smokes, it’s critical to set boundaries with visitors that might be smokers.

Those who are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke are small children and the elderly. While it can be awkward and feel confrontational to set these boundaries – especially with certain family members! – you protect the health of your whole family by doing so.

What Are the Dangers of Secondhand Smoke?
There are some pretty alarming statistics linked to secondhand smoke alone:

• 20-30% increased risk of heart disease
• 20-30% increased risk of lung cancer
• Increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome for babies exposed to secondhand smoke
• More frequent ear infections in children exposed to secondhand smoke
• Increased risk of ADHD in children exposed to tobacco smoke

Designating an Ideal Smoking Area

A Japanese designated smoking area.

Contrary to what some people believe, opening a window does not eliminate the risks of indoor smoking in the home or vehicle. In an ideal world, no one would smoke cigarettes at all. Until that day comes, it’s wise to have a designated area for smokers to go. The ideal place is an area that diminishes the risk of others being exposed to the secondhand smoke.

The following guidelines from the EPA can help you determine where that might be near your home:

• Should not be near any entryways, windows, or air ducts into the home.
• Should not be near anywhere children play.
• If outdoors, should not be anywhere where airflow directly affects entryways or windows.
• If indoors, such as a shed or detached garage, should be well ventilated. Consider adding a smoke-reducing air purifier to indoor smoking areas.

Steps to Reduce Third Hand Smoke
It’s important to reduce exposure to third hand smoke as well. Third hand smoke is the residue left on a person’s body and clothes after smoking. We’ve all had that experience where you’re standing next to someone and you just know they are a smoker or spend a lot of time with one! That’s third hand smoke at work.

To lower that chances of third hand smoke entering the home, ask guests to wash their hands when they come in from smoking. Also, consider keeping a coat hanger just outside the door by the doormat rather than inside, to lessen the amount of third hand smoke enters the home on clothing.

Setting these boundaries with your family or other people in your life might not be the most fun thing in the world to do, but your home will be a much healthier place to be when all is said and done!

May every step you take be healthy!

Best Regards,

Debbie Estis Greenspan
Founder/CEO/Mom
Dr. Doormat, Inc.

Why Wash Your Hands?

The brave and forward thinking Dr. who discovered that washing hands reduces deaths and infections

I was searching around the internet about a year ago and wondered who the first person was that figured out we should wash our hands to reduce the spread of germs.  I also figured out why the popular brand of hand sanitizer is called Purell.  I came across this story and wanted to share it with you.

In 1847, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis pioneered the prevention of transmission of disease by washing hands (Prophylaxis), reducing the mortality rate due to Puerperal Fever from 12% to almost ZERO by enforcing the washing of hands with chlorinated lime.

At the time, Dr. Semmelweis’ hypothesis was considered extreme and was widely rejected and ridiculed. When he refused to compromise his beliefs, the hospital that employed him was pressured into terminating his clinical privileges. Semmelweis’ sole “crime” was that he proposed a contrarian idea to current thinking, which directly challenged the (incorrect) current medical theories of his time.

Despite the continued ridicule, hostility, and unemployment, Dr. Semmelweis tirelessly promoted his theory, sometimes denouncing physicians who refused to wash their hands as irresponsible murderers. His contemporaries eventually concluded that he was crazy and, in 1865, committed him to a mental institution where he was beaten to death by guards.

Proved the germ theory of disease

Dr. Semmelweis’s theory was considered irrelevant, until Louis Pasteur connected germs to disease, and Prophylaxis is now considered standard practice around the world. The 1800s medical community’s refusal to consider his theories earlier clearly resulted in the continued unnecessary spread of disease and death throughout the world.

Backward and reactionary thinking did not die with Dr. Semmelweis in 1865. Highly qualified and competent physicians, scientists, healthcare personnel, and government employees continue to suffer similar retaliation throughout the United States, which is why organizations like Semmelweis Society International and the Alliance for Patient Safety participated in the recent Whistleblower Week in Washington.

The Semmelweis Society International annually recognizes individual Healthcare Providers, Researchers, and associated personnel, who have regularly challenged the status quo, who have reported issues, often controversial issues, regarding patient health and safety. Semmelweis Awardees have often had to endure the tyranny of threats and retaliation, and actual financial ruination, in some cases. Without these courageous individuals, progress and innovation in medicine, public service, and industry is inhibited, or negated.

May every step you take be healthy!

Best Regards,

Debbie Estis Greenspan
Founder/CEO/Mom
Dr. Doormat, Inc.