3 BIG ffffaaatttt NO's!!!

Today I was pondering about my top No-No's (diet-wise)... and while my basis for this blog always supports the organic low-grain, low-carb, and low-sugar lifestyle, I still managed to come up with 3 other big NO's-and for good reason.  I'll post what these are and why below-and as always, it's not to judge, and it's not to say I haven't had these in my lifetime, but I definitely try to avoid them as much as possible.  We should all be very weary of them, especially in daily consumption.

Just Say NO to:

1. Any Artificial Sweeteners, in particular: ASPARTAME (found in equal, diet coke/pepsi, etc...)

• has been called the most dangerous food additive around despite FDA approval
• linked to many everyday symptoms such as fatigue, depression, and migraines
• linked to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, parkinson's, and alzheimer's 
• is known to be most dangerous once ingested and heated over 86 degrees F (doesn't bear well for the avg. human body temp of 98.6)

**And while Starbucks, etc. tend to use Splenda (sucralose), this isn't the best choice either.  Remember, these are manmade chemicals-see healthier alternatives at the bottom of this post.

2. SOY (ANYTHING) Wait-isn't soy healthy??  Aren't edamame and soy milk awesome parts of my diet?  Well, no, not in the least, but it's not our faults for believing so.  The soy campaign was going strong for quite awhile, and looked at as a "health food" we should all turn to, even for infants!  Unfortunately, in recent studies, soy has been shown to majorly mess with hormones (skyrocketing estrogen in particular) and is equivalent to ingesting many birth control pills-not cool at all.  The problem is that most soy is genetically modified (contains GMO's); even organic soy, though, has issues.  It's the fermented, unprocessed soy products that are the only safe choices, such as tempeh and miso, which many of us aren't going near.

3. NITRATES (most cold cuts!!!! and most cured meats-just check the ingredient list) Nitrates are a lot more common than we would imagine, and they are no joke.  A summer hot dog is yummy, as is pepperoni pizza-I get it-but the cancer risk alone is enough for me to stay away from all of the above PLUS any cold cuts.  There are a few exceptions, such as organic nitrate-free meat, hot dogs, and uncured pizzas-again, check the ingredient list.  Nitrates are linked to cancer, tumors, and much much more-especially in children.

While this is a somewhat depressing post, there are ways to avoid the 3 NO's:

• Use a touch of raw honey, organic agave, or organic stevia to sweeten  
• Use organic whole or raw milk in moderation, or try some coconut or almond milk  
• Look for nitrate-free cold cuts, hot dogs, & sausages, grass-fed & free range organic meats, and uncured pepperoni (all of which are becoming very popular at your conventional food store, if not-they're all at the health food store)

***bonus NO:  artificial colors, especially caramel color (found in soda and bottled skinnygirl margs), which have been linked to cancer***

If you consume these on a daily basis is it time to freak out and dwell??  NO!  If that were the case I'd never have moved on and have created this blog!  Life is a learning process, and as I discover more about the TRUTH, the more I will share-do your OWN research, and cut these out if you can.  If not, lowering the intake is the next best thing.  Never dwell, just do the best you can for yourself TODAY-I try-Stay Chic, Stay Healthy;)... Oh, and thanks for reading!