Comprehensive holistic health wellness evaluations, information on natural health alternatives for specific ailments, yoga, Reiki, Quantum-Touch®, meditation and breath work available via email and/or telephone and in private sessions in our Washington, D.C. location.
Comprehensive holistic health wellness evaluations, information on natural health alternatives for specific ailments, yoga, Reiki, Quantum-Touch®, meditation and breath work available via email and/or telephone and in private sessions in our Washington, D.C. location.
Comprehensive holistic health wellness evaluations, information on natural health alternatives for specific ailments, yoga, Reiki, Quantum-Touch®, meditation and breath work available via email and/or telephone and in private sessions in our Washington, D.C. location.
 Comprehensive holistic health wellness evaluations, information on natural health alternatives for specific ailments, yoga, Reiki, Quantum-Touch®, meditation and breath work available via email and/or telephone and in private sessions in our Washington, D.C. location.
Comprehensive holistic health wellness evaluations, information on natural health alternatives for specific ailments, yoga, Reiki, Quantum-Touch®, meditation and breath work available via email and/or telephone and in private sessions in our Washington, D.C. location.
 Comprehensive holistic health wellness evaluations, information on natural health alternatives for specific ailments, yoga, Reiki, Quantum-Touch®, meditation and breath work available via email and/or telephone and in private sessions in our Washington, D.C. location.


Understanding food labels...
 

Deciphering nutrition and packaging labels

The first step in eating a healthful diet is purchasing healthy food. In fact, one of our Top 10 Holistic Health Tips is to purchase organic food as much as possible. This way, you can be sure that what you're eating does not contain residues of unhealthy chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones and other unnecessary substances. It's also gentler on the environment.

 

We know, though, that it isn't always possible to purchase organic. And just because it's organic does not necessarily mean that it's good for you. This is why understanding nutrition labels on food products is so important. Below are some tips that will help you to make smarter purchases at the grocery store. We also offer 1-2-3 Let's Shop, a 30-minute educational seminar focusing on cultivating healthy shopping habits. For individuals or groups. Read more.

 

Look at the serving size. This is where most people get tripped up. One package or one container almost never equals one serving size. For example, a serving size of juice or soda is 8 ounces but is usually sold in 12-or 20-ounce cans. Snack food can be a mine field: one serving of chips is usually just 15 of them, a serving of cookies is 2-3 treats. So not only do you have to do some math to calculate the calories you're consuming, you also have to adjust the information for every other category on the label. In other words, if a can of soup has 800 grams of sodium per serving and there are 2.5 servings in the can then your big bowl of soup has 2,000 mg of sodium--practically the total amount you should get in one day--if you eat the entire can.

 

Read the list of ingredients. A good general rule of thumb is to avoid purchasing products with a long list of unpronounceable, unknown, often "chemical-sounding" ingredients. Do not buy anything with partially hydrogenated oil (see below). Also pay attention to the order of the ingredients on the label. They are listed in order of highest amount to lowest. So if sugar is listed first that means there is more sugar in the product than any other ingredient. 

 

Be mindful of the calories. How many calories you should consume in a day varies with age, height, physical activity and special needs. Most adults will be in the 2,000 calories/day ballpark. This is why reading the serving size information is so important. The frozen pizza you just ate is 600 calories a serving and since there are three servings in the box you've just consumed a day's worth of calories. Weight management is important to maintaining health so be conscious of what you're eating.

 

Check the amount of sodium. Eating foods high in sodium has been linked to cardiovascular problems so limit your daily sodium intake to 2,300 mg or less. There is often a lot of sodium in canned foods, especially soup and beans. Again, remember to check the serving size when you make your calculation.

 

Check the fat content. Do not buy anything with any amount of trans fat, which is created when liquid oils are hardened to extend their shelf-life. It is harmful, unhealthy and unnecessary. In fact, Denmark has banned it from processed food altogether and New York City is also considering a ban even in restaurants. Baked goods, including cookies and crackers, and microwave popcorn often contain these unhealthful substances. Look for partially hydrogenated oil on  the list of ingredients. 

 

Check the fiber. Aim for 35 grams a day to keep you digestive system healthy.

 

Check the protein. Most people eat too much protein, which requires calcium to digest. If you eat too much protein you can pull calcium from your bones, weakening them. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, you only need 9 grams per 20 pounds of body weight.  

 

Educate yourself. Visit the FDA's website on nutrition labels for an illustrative discussion of a nutrition label.

 

Understand product packaging labels. It's not uncommon to see a product label with the words "All natural" or some similar-sounding, good-for-you slogan. But what do they really mean?

 

         Reliable:

  • USDA Certified Organic: foods must be produced without antibiotics, hormones, genetic engineering, radiation or synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

  • Bird Friendly: ensures that growing techniques for coffee and chocolate provide ample habitat for birds.

  • Certified Humane Raised and Handled: sets treatment standards for livestock above what is required by law, including prohibiting the use of growth hormone and non-therapeutic antibiotics, requiring exercise space and stricter environmental standards.

  • Green Seal: Sets standards and certifies a wide range of eco-friendly  products and in doing so considers the environmental impacts of a product from manufacturing to use to disposal.

  • Forest Stewardship Council: Certifies wood products harvested from well-managed forests.

  • Fair Trade: Ensures that a minimum price or living wage has been paid to farmers and other workers. Coffee, tea, chocolate, mangoes, bananas and pineapples are part of the program. Be cautious of products labeled "fairly traded" or something similar-- it's not the official seal.

          Not very meaningful:

  • Free range: Applies only to poultry, not eggs. It requires that chickens be given access to the outdoors for an "undetermined period each day." 

  • Natural: Not regulated.

  • Hypoallergenic: No official definition and no independent certifying agency.

  • Antibacterial: Although the term is regulated it has different meanings depending on the product.

  • Cruelty Free: No official definition and no independent certifying agency.

  • Non-toxic: No official definition and no independent certifying agency. 

For more information about understanding product labeling visit the Consumers Union Guide to Environmental Labels.

 

 

 

Comprehensive holistic health wellness evaluations, information on natural health alternatives for specific ailments, yoga, Reiki, Quantum-Touch®, meditation and breath work available via email and/or telephone and in private sessions in our Washington, D.C. location.


Comprehensive holistic health wellness evaluations, information on natural health alternatives for specific ailments, yoga, Reiki, Quantum-Touch®, meditation and breath work available via email and/or telephone and in private sessions in our Washington, D.C. location.