I’ll start off by saying that yes, right now, I’m being bullied.  Last I checked I’ve been out of school for some time so I wasn’t really expecting it.  I also wasn’t expecting, but am not surprised by, the source of the bullying.  I can’t get into too many details but I’m not the only one and people who are much more vulnerable and scared than I are also being bullied.  In reality it’s been going on for some time now.  And the bully?  Someone who is supposed to be protecting them and working for them … thus I am nothing if not ROYALLY PISSED OFF!

So what does all this have to do with Green Food for Beginners?  My first reaction, after the anger, was somewhat atypical … instead of my body craving the usual crap, sugar filled comfort food, I wanted something green.  My actual thought process was … I need to eat some kale … yes I’m currently concerned for my state of mind … but it’s as if my body said “give me fuel, something I can use to fight with.”  Insert Popeye joke here … (Damn!  You know the programmers of this blogging platform are of a different generation when Popeye isn’t in the dictionary!  I would think they’d at least be proper cartoon aficionados …)

Thus the other night I created something yummy with kale and what little I had in the fridge.  Fortunately I still have a few bags of tomatoes left from last summer!

I bought a bushel basket of organic plum tomatoes late last summer and pureed them in a food processor then bagged the raw puree and froze it … other than taking out the tough bits of tomatoes as I popped them in the food processor that’s all I had to do … it does make for an interesting sauce … lots of little red bits of tomato skin float about in your dish.  At least it adds some flair.

Anyhow, I cooked down the tomatoes with some garlic puree  then used it as the liquid for some quinoa and once the quinoa was done I stirred in some chopped up kale.  It was tasty and simple and turned out like this:

Sorry!  Just realized how smudged my camera lens was … too snotty to care though!  I also added a little EVOO to the mix and had a sweet, yummy dish to fortify me for the battle ahead.

Green food doesn’t have to be complicated.  You can literally throw greens into almost anything.  Just cook them till their somewhat soft but still bright green.  Alternate with salads so you get both the raw and cooked benefits of your green food and you’re covering all your bases!  A friend whose family are dutch once introduced me to a traditional family dish that involved mashed potatoes mixed with kale and sausage on the side (or if you’re like me and really lazy mashed potatoes (sweet potatoes would be even better) mixed with chopped up kale and ground pork with some sausage like seasonings.  Better for you and easier to clean up!).  A simple, traditional dish that fortifies you, is flavourful and gets you through the winter months when local food is often down to a few choices like potatoes and kale … hence the traditional part of this dish.

The importance of eating real food and green food is pretty huge (just in case I haven’t told you already )!  If you’re sick, stressed, working towards a goal, working on getting fit, burning the candle at both ends (or all of the above) feeding yourself food that will help your body keep itself healthy is key.  I recently caught a TV interview with Stephen Lewis (That man is ridiculously amazing by the way!  I’m lucky to have grown up in a household where we watched him whenever he was on TV) where he discussed the continuing work he’s doing to help stop the spread of HIV and Aids in developing countries (yes you can take a wild guess as to whose show it was …).  He made a point that even if children are being treated for HIV/Aids they still need nutritious food for the treatment drugs to work (and these days the drugs really do work).  Their little bodies require real food to help them stay strong and to help their bodies physically use the medication they’ve been given.

It’ll not only keep you healthy but real food and green food will also keep you sane!  If your eating crap your brain won’t function and you won’t have the capacity to react and fight back when bullied, no matter what age you are.  If you’re concerned about your kids being bullied in school … feed them well.  Same goes if you’re told they’re the ones doing the bullying.  Sugar and refined foods will mess with their bodies biochemistry.  If their biochemistry (all the important chemicals/hormones making their mind/brain/body work) is off then it will lead to lower self-esteem, inability to concentrate and behavioural issues.  Feeding them real whole foods (many of which should be green … and yes … good luck with that!) and getting them outside to exercise (brisk family walk before dinner anyone?) will help them cope with their feelings and behaviors in more constructive ways.  It will help them stand up for themselves and others and it will help them realize there are better ways to express their anxiety than bullying.  It will also help with depression, acne, body image, you name the teenage issue and it will help!

If you’re one of the many marginalized folk in society without the funds to purchase real food you’re not going to have the energy or brain power to fight back when your rights are being ignored (let alone being strong, sharp and healthy enough to go out and find work).  It’s why programs like FoodShare, The Stop and Food Forward are constantly working to get fresh, real, whole foods to those that need it.  It’s why so many people have worked with Put Food In The Budget to write about their experiences of living on food bank rations for a week.  It’s why the Daily Bread Food Bank in Etobicoke has started a garden on site.

With all the crap going down in the world this week it’s been heart breaking, educational and inspirational.  50 workers in Japan risking their lives to save millions from nuclear meltdown after the quakes and tsunami.  Uprisings in Libya where the current dictator Gaddafi is slaughtering his people … but they refuse to give up (if you want the facts and up to the minute information about what’s happening in the middle east follow @acarvin (Andy Carvin is a National Public Radio Senior Strategist) on Twitter).  Elections in Haiti and Egypt … the list goes on.  It makes me think that what’s happening to me is so small and insignificant … except … We’re Canadian.  This sort of bullying isn’t supposed to happen here.  Also, it no longer has as much to do with me as it has to do with the vulnerable and scared people whose voices are being suppressed or simply ignored.

A last little note … if “you” are reading this and have made it this far … a little reminder:  The MORE free time I have on my hands, the more I’ll be able to do and … the LESS my hands will be tied when it comes to voicing my concerns.  Somethin’ to think about!

Pass the kale please …

So I’m starting a series of posts to help me, you and everyone in between get more green stuff in our meals.

If you were to only look at the stuff available in your supermarket you might think there’s hardly any variety available in green leafy things.  Well, when it comes to the supermarket, you’d be right!  They’re biggest priority is always transportability.  If it’s too easily squashed (something that goes great with green stuff by the way!) then it’s not going to be found on the shelves or it’ll be horrifically over-packaged.

However, as usual, I digress … Lets start with the basics.  Here’s a great list of leafy green veggies that are usually available in your local grocery store.  It’s from the Eat Right Ontario website.  Note that this list doesn’t include lettuce (or spinach for that matter).  There are so many types of leafy greens to choose from.

Now here’s a few links to a variety of seed sellers with plenty of green veggies you can grow.  You’ll see there are more varieties of green veggies than you could ever imagine.  Don’t forget to check your local, organic farmers market too.  They’ll often carry a number of varieties of greens that you won’t find in the store.  Now we know this is just scratching the surface!  But it’s a great beginning …

So what else, aside from leafy greens, can we consider green veggies?  broccoli, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans, fiddleheads and artichokes are just a few.

And starting off with some of the simplest ways to eat leafy greens …

As usual there are plenty of salad options to choose from.  The organic baby spinach, arugula and mesclun mixes available at most stores are a great place to start your salad.  Try skipping the regular lettuce.  If you must (or need to extend your salad to feed a larger crowd) pick up a head of green leaf, red leaf or boston lettuce … they have at least a little more umph to them as opposed to iceberg.  May I also suggest put the flavour in your salad with foods like berries, dried (unsweetened) cranberries/fruit, nuts, seeds, cheese, herbs (fresh herbs help up your green veggie quota!), and other colourful veggies!  If you’re relying on your salad dressing to add all the flavour then you’re most likely using one full of sugar, salt and other garbage ingredients.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), vinegar (apple cider (organic with a “mother” (kinda gross looking but adds good stuff to it) is best!), balsamic, red wine), maybe a little garlic, mustard or herbs are all you need to finish a great salad.

Cooking your greens – most basic way, a quick stir fry.  Wash your greens and shake off most of the water.  Roughly chop and set aside.  In a large frying pan heat 1 tbsp of EVOO over medium heat.  Add minced garlic and onions/shallots and cook until transparent, starting to turn golden brown.  Place your greens in the pan and start stirring.  Once they’ve wilted but are still bright green you’re ready to go.  The bright green colour is key … cook beyond that and you lose a lot of the vitamins and minerals.

Another easy way … dump them in your soup.  Usually the firmer they are the longer they’ll need to cook.  For example baby spinach can be added just as you’re taking the soup off the stove to serve, cabbage … that’ll take a few minutes longer.

Anyone else have favourite ways to cook your green stuff?  I think next time we might tackle sprouts!  It really can be good for you and simply, really good . . .

But as with all other uphill struggles . . . the guys that are killing us with the crap they produce have all the money to advertise and keep squashing the rebellious voice.  Usually trying to make the science backed, common sense voice seem like hippy, extremest freaks in the process.  Something to think about . . . it’s our money they’re using to spread their propaganda (sorry, I hate to tell you it’s really the only word that fits!).  It’s our money they’re using to create cheaper and cheaper fillers and sweeteners that are killing us and our kids faster and faster. It’s our money they’re using to create ads promoting this poison to our kids.

Trust me when I say I’m not a hippy  …  I’m not an extremest  …  I’m lucky enough to be well-educated and to know where and how to look up relevant information and can use common sense, reason and previous research experience to determine if what I’m reading is valid.  That is an important point because if you live in a poverty-stricken area your education and the tools to learn/research are often lacking, let alone simple access to a grocery store to buy an apple (Yay South LA for banning more fast food joints and only letting in grocers … please make sure they have a decent produce aisle!).  You have much less training and education to rely upon when attacked by the massive media machine of the big food companies.

As with most of the “mainstream” folk out there I like clothes and high heels and makeup (this confession will most likely ruin my reccer rep.  Also would like all of those products ethically made without chemicals that will disrupt my endocrine system, cause cancer or flat-out kill me!  I do wonder how big business sees that as too much to ask . . . heaven forbid the all mighty dollar be shunned for the health, safety and quality of live of actual human beings) but with my profession I generally only get to express this when I have an opportunity to play “dress-up.”  I do find it interesting that the community I relate to the most mentally, emotionally and ethically is at the somewhat opposite end of the spectrum of my entertainment and fashion sense interests (not to worry, however, as you will NEVER EVER see me in gladiator sandals . . . I don’t care how ripped and gorgeous Gerard Butler was in 300 . . . that is no reason to inflict gladiator sandals on the world).   I love technology and movies and music just like I love wilderness and hiking and digging in the soil.  One of the best ways to really enjoy feeling clean is to get good and dirty

Now that we’ve established that the majority of us voicing our concern about the crap found in our food system are “normal” folk the question is once again posed . . . how do you get the idea that sugar is addictive, so please stop feeding so much to your kids . . . into the mainstream?  Tobacco was beaten . . . we know it’s dangers and now have protection against it (now if someone here in TO would actually enforce the move the hell away from the front door when your smoking, yes I know it’s flippin’ cold outside but I’m sorry I love my lungs too much to inhale your gross crap, bylaws that would be lovely!).  We’ve even managed to declare BPA and Phthalates as toxic here in Canada.

So the question is how do we battle big food business dollars and bring about the idea that butt loads of sugar and other garbage in our food is bad for you?  Making a stink about it certainly helps . . . better nutrition education for EVERYONE from kindergarten kids to doctors would also help.

Keep plugging away at it and hope that the squeaky wheel really does get the grease . . . Is that really our best bet . . .

I will admit a few things have suddenly brought about this post . . . One . . . I have to do something to fill the time while listening to the Strombo show on CBC Radio 2 – Atlantic timezone version online (I’m freakin tired and can’t contemplate staying up any later than necessary to listen to the local Toronto CBC Radio 2 station – see sore-ass back noted above) . . . needless to say my laptop speakers SUCK so I need to stay either relatively close to hear or completely tethered to my laptop by my earphones.

Two I had a slight epiphany in the hall while digging that massive bottle of ibuprofen out of my bag.  It had to do with my horrible all or nothing type of perfectionism personality . . . yes you heard me . . . I am a perfectionist but here’s the catch – it has to be perfect or I don’t bother at all . . . This is a habit that should be broken, or at least tamed!  Hence the title of the post.  While watching the mostly fun (with a couple of bombs that I totally knew would be bad *ahem* Confessions of a Shopaholic *ahem*) DVDs I rented this week I checked out the special features like the blooper reels etc.  I’m one of the lucky one’s that can watch the “how they did it” features and not have it ruin . . .

OK, hold on a moment . . . I can usually type through most music but apparently not rap . . . Beastie Boys = fun but very distracting . . .

. . . the movie for me.  A phrase used by most Directors that pops up in these features and especially in the blooper reels is “Back To One.”  This is the standard direction given when the cast needs to reset back to the begining so they can take another run at the scene.  I think you might be getting the picture here.  It doesn’t have to be perfect I just have to keep going back to one when things start going pear-shaped.  Time for me to take another run at my scene . . .  This is a good time to note that this is not a new year’s resolution . . . they have a ridiculous tendency to be broken.

And finally . . . We had our last family Xmas get together of 2010 this afternoon.  We like to spread things out We had a pretty good turnout including a rare siting of my cousin living out Kingston way.  Said cousin and I have led a similar path in life in that we were the “husky” ones while our younger siblings were the skinny ones.  You should see his little sister . . . even after the birth of her adorable little girl . . . you couldn’t tell that she’d been pregnant!  Well now he’s the skinny-ass one, looking great and running marathons.  That was definitely a good kick in the ass

Interestingly enough with my new interest in Twitter and the people I’m following . . . Sugar is Bad! is a big theme.  Over processed foods are often discussed and denounced.  I was beginning to wonder if adding . . .

Huh!  Again with the rap.  Thoughts about rapping about napping just snap my concentration streak.  I’ll be back in a moment . . . Ok Broken Social Scene I can write to . . .

. . . my voice to the din was pointless.  But the thing is, I still don’t see enough people writing about the addictive nature of sugar.  I think it’s truly the biggest reason people gain back any weight they lose, even when people have worked crazy hard (which to be honest I haven’t . . . yet) to lose 100 plus pounds.  It’s also the biggest factor influencing our ever-growing obesity epidemic here in North America.

Once you hit that weight loss goal you think . . . now I can treat myself . . . and you should.  Just not with sugary food.  Have a really good ridiculously expensive steak.  Hit the spa, go golfing at a high-end resort, do anything but have that piece of cake.  If you do have that sugary delight remember that it can start you back down a path that can ultimately hurt you.  That’s when you have to go Back to One.

Is it wrong that I like Cee Lo Green’s song F*$& You mostly due to the Gwyneth Paltrow episode of Glee . . .

So speaking of sugar is bad etc., etc. and Strombo . . . his guest tomorrow night is Dr. Ali Zentner.  Check out her bio.  Very inspiring and looks like a show I might have to watch (her show . . . it’s inevitable that I’ll watch GST)!

Ow! Ow! Ow! Man I slouch too much . . .

So what I’m getting at here is that I don’t like my personality or in actual fact, the lack there of, when I’m doped up on sugar.  The thing is . . . that’s not me.  Think of it this way . . . when a person has too much to drink it changes and affects their personality.  Same with eating too much sugar, only for me it shuts down my personality.  It’s practically gone and this isn’t good!

The “real” me has only begun to surface again in the last few years and honestly . . . I kinda rock!  I mean there is a serious do-gooder in here just waiting to be unleashed upon the world.

There have always been hints of it there . . . my love of nature and the jobs I’ve chosen.  Lifeguard/Swimming Instructor, Backpacking Coordinator and Nature Specialist, Lakehead Footpatrol/Special Events Security (University walk home service), Nature Interpreter and Raptor Centre Interpreter,  Program Specialist for the Children’s Garden and Exploring Toronto Programs.  All focus on getting kids outside and in touch with nature (or walking people home safely in -60° Celcius weather.  Even when there’s bears on campus!).  It’s proven that kids need to be in touch with/understand nature to be healthy and to one day have them save the planet.  It is after all their planet we’re killing.

Even when it comes to music and tv I’ve always had a knack for finding the fight the good fight type songs and shows.  My favourite Corey Hart song (shut up!) as a kid was not the ever popular Sunglasses at Night, no, for me it was Never Surrender.  Favourite Pet Shop Boys song (yes my friends were all about the Alternative Rock at the time and seeing as how I didn’t have an older sibling to guide me along the true path of Classic Rock . . . I went with what they were listening to . . .) It’s Alright.  Followed by Always On My Mind as a close second (Sorry Elvis’s version actually comes in at number 3 in my favourite versions of that song . . . Willie Nelson rings in at Number 2).  Today Raise a Little Hell by Trooper is on constant replay in my head and on my iPod.  Ali in the Jungle by The Hours . . . just ask yourself that question!  The lists on the Soundtrack in My Head (which really needs updating!) also help illustrate this point!

Give me a show with a cute smartass (super smart smartass is super bonus points) trying to save the world (or his part thereof, her can of course work too – Bones, Voyager, Cagney and Lacey, The Bionic Woman, etc.) and I’m onboard!  M*A*S*H, CHiPs, Barney Miller, The Six Million Dollar Man, , The Greatest American Hero, the Dukes of Hazzard (Not the recent remakes!!!!!! ok so the smarts might not have been there but . . . the were cute and always willing to help people down on their luck, even when being chased by Boss Hogg and crew.  Uncle Jesse was always there to support and/or keep everybody in line!  Plus while Daisy may have been mostly known for her “Daisy Dukes” she was almost always an important part of the plan with whomever her cousins were trying to help while driving a Plymouth Road Runner, a Jeep named Dixie or every once in a while the General Lee . . . and she generally kicked ass!), Simon and Simon, The A-Team, MacGyver (General Jack O’Neill had his moments too!), Quantum Leap (ok Al was the smartass but Sam was super smart and trying to save the world so they balanced each other out!), Due South, Supernatural, NCIS (actually even Los Angles), Flashpoint, Firefly, Castle, Republic of Doyle, I’m thinking you’re getting the idea here and I’m really starting to veer off point . . . oooo have to add Hawaii Five-0 and go with both versions (although I can’t really remember much of the first . . . just the theme song which is apparently burned into my brain . . . and while yes the second is crazy over the top . . . it’s totally worth watching due to casting alone ).

I’ve never been a fan of bullying, always wanted to help save the planet and want to help our kids have a brighter future with better education (it’s appalling the state of the schools on the majority of the Aboriginal/First Nations Reserves here in Canada . . . WTF?!  How can we leave any kid behind when it comes to education?!) and real food.  I’m pissed at how governments are currently siding with corporations instead of keeping the health and safety of citizens their first priority (Ahem! BP! etc., etc., etc.,).

When I’m doped up on sugar (and it truly is a doping  or getting drunk on sugar) I don’t do the simplest of things.  Mostly because I can’t be bothered to or my brain has simply shut down and can’t function or think and that’s a problem.  It’s not just a problem for me but for my family, friends, my co-workers, my community and every potential person I could help or educate somehow.  I’m tired of having this shut down and turned off feeling all the time!

We’re at that point in our world where there’s no time for any more excuses.  . . . the environment’s in the toilet, our kids are sick from the crap they eat and the chemicals in everything they touch or that goes on their body, there are still women and children here and abroad being oppressed and abused, bullying is still an issue in our schools and apparently in our government.

I really have to pull my shit together cause right now . . . we need all hands on deck . . .

Yikes!

Here’s a good link though . . . it’s a helpful one . . . one that I often refer back to these days!  I may some day tatoo it on my forearms . . . and maybe forehead . . . How to stop the sugar cravings . . . written by another self professed sugar addict.

If you have a minute while you’re here . . . you should also check out my new work blog . . . wicked good recipes will be showing up shortly!

And don’t forget to vote . . .

Ah lovely . . . big business trying to kill us and take all of our money . . . again . . . does this really surprise us?  Apparently the USDA in the states is currently pushing the consumption of more cheese.  Why is this significant?  Especially coming from someone who has often in the past been the queen of dairy consumption herself?  Because the USDA has a massive conflict of interest on the go here.  The USDA is in charge of the nutrition guide down in the states and is also in charge of fighting the obesity epidemic.

All good things right?  Ah, but not so fast . . . the USDA must also promote the interests of US agriculture.  So the dairy industry is spending a tonne of cash lobbying the USDA to promote more consumption of cheese as a great source of calcium, because everyone’s drinking less milk . . . blah, blah, blah, while neglecting to highlight the through the roof saturated fat and sodium content. So the USDA is promoting it . . . but of course suggesting MODERATE consumption.  Dr. Marion Nestle puts it so well when she says:

So let’s talk about “moderation,” a word that I find hard to use without irony. The pizza illustrated in Michael Moss’s article is described as a “thin-crust medium pie.” The diameter is not given, but one-fourth of the pie contains 430 calories, 12 grams of saturated fat (20 is the daily recommended upper limit), and 990 mg sodium (the upper limit is 2,300).

Who eats one-quarter of a pizza? Not anyone I know. So double all this if you share it with a friend. If you eat the whole thing–and why do I think that plenty of Domino Pizza customers do?–you are consuming more than 1700 calories, nearly 4,000 mg sodium (that’s 10 grams of salt, by the way), and 48 grams of saturated fat. This is enough to make any nutritionist run screaming from the room.

Think of the amount of sugar in dairy.  All that lactose, still sugar.  Sugar is addictive, hence my love of cheese . . . and pretty much anything dairy related.  To the point where it’s practically killing me to write this post . . . I’m hungry and all I can think about is the amazing different artisanal cheeses available out there today.  One cheese I have to avoid like the plague, cause I can easily eat the whole ball in one go . . . Mozzarina Mediterranio made by Saputo.  Wow . . . tangenting away . . . so why do we eat the whole pizza?  It’s the trifecta of all things bad for you – fat, salt and sugar.  The sugar in the cheese, the over processed white bread crust, the salt, the sugar in the sauce, the greasy fat floating on top, you name it.  We’re sugar addicts.

We’ve managed (here in Canada even more so) to divide church and state because it’s not in our best interest, as a continent with such a diverse religious community, to allow religion to influence our government . . . so why haven’t we done the same with corporate and state?  Once again . . . isn’t the government supposed to protect us?  Not allow money hungry corporations to drain our pockets while slowly killing us with their products?

Something that Dr. Nestle mentioned in her article as well is the fact that cow’s milk is meant to be consumed by baby cows, not by human beings.  This is not the first time I’ve heard this sentiment and I’m sure it won’t be the last.  The more you start looking into who’s paying for the scientific research, the more you realize something might be a little screwy with the science behind certain “scientific” claims.  For instance the more you follow the money paying for the “climate change doesn’t exist” propaganda, the more you realize that these people are being paid by the big oil and polluter companies and have no real, respected scientists in their corner.

The fact that everyone just assumes that dairy is the only “real” way you can get your daily recommended calcium is mostly thanks to the money the dairy associations of North America have put behind this idea.  There are other ways to get your calcium and if you stop eating sugar and over processed foods your body can actually use the calcium you take in to keep your bones strong and your teeth healthy (amongst the hundreds of important things calcium is used for in our body), instead of trying to use it to digest the loads of sugar we’re eating.

So my plan to give up dairy, mostly due to my love of butter, cheese and all things lactose, is not so scary after all.  This will happen as soon as I can ween myself from my morning latte of course.  Damn that organic, shade grown, fair trade coffee-house that’s 5 minutes from my apartment!!!  I’ve done pretty well so far.  I’m managing to make that the only dairy I consume in a day.  And yes . . . I have finally done it . . . I’m jumping back on that infamous wagon.  Fun fact – you’d be surprise how many wagons I’ve actually physically jumped/ridden on . . . either expounding the joys of Maple Syrup (in all fairness the sugar was a good preservative.  The maple sap itself is a great source of vitamin C . . . also a great laxative too . . . just sayin’) or watching bison creep closer and closer to my completely unprotected back . . . Ok and back to the topic at hand . . . yes I’m back to eating real food and really watching what triggers the downfalls.

Here’s the catalyst that helped get me going again . . . that little jumpstart often needed in these situations . . .

Ow!

Yes, that is another hole in my head (it’s one you can actually consider as a hole in your head, much closer at least than the rest of them on the outside of the ear).  I know I’m old enough to know better . . . but something had to give!  It seems to have worked as well.  (OK I don’t know what the heck Buddy’s chasing in his dreams right now but his usual yips and sighs have escalated to snorty almost growls . . . you should see the look of disgust on Jack’s face right now, after all his sleep is being completely disturbed!)  Honestly, it doesn’t really hurt that much . . . hence the reason there are so many spiky faced kids out there today.

So here’s to real food and no more holes in my head . . . there’s only so much room left before I start looking like a spiral note-book . . .

Being a kid means going out to play with your friends, running around and being silly, playing games, making up stories and checking to see who has the biggest scrape on their knee or who can burp the loudest.  It does not include bullying and bad behaviour.

I was bullied as a kid for being fat (what’s even sadder is I had a huge crush on one of the bullies and all the bad things he’d say to me – still didn’t make me stop crushing on him . . . why do girls do that?  Is it the whole negative attention is better than no attention at all thing?) but I was lucky enough to have a great family support system (my Dad’s answer to dealing with one of the bullies was to essentially beat him up . . . even at the tender age of 11 I knew that really wasn’t the answer . . . I also know my Dad ment well and thought he was teaching me how to stand up for myself) and by the time I reached High School I was even luckier to have a great group of friends that stood by me and were always there for me.

Kids are not mean . . . adults certainly can be and they often let children get away with testing their boundaries.  Once children know what they can get away with . . . they run with it.

Can we please start paying attention to what we tell our kids and what we allow them to say so the next generation doesn’t need a video like this?

It can be done people and yes it should be done through our government.  They’re supposed to protect us, work for us and if you want to get right down to the bottom line . . . spend our money wisely.  OK . . . once you’re done laughing at that last thought, think of it this way . . . Here in Ontario thanks to our wonderful (yes it really needs work but trust me the alternative is DEADLY!) universal health care the government spends a butt load of our money on treating preventable diseases, ones that with the proper food and exercise can be completely avoided.  So it is their job to protect us from these “dealers” and save us a few bucks in health care down the line.  Canada recently took a baby step in the right direction by banning BPA, saving us from serious future endocrine disruption issues.  Now if we can only get them to do the same about junk food in our school cafeterias, the tailings ponds in Alberta and the other deadly chemicals still found in our air, water and soil . . . we’d be all set.

Here’s another fun article about where they grow our junk food written by Margaret Webb.  I was going through research for work and found this slightly older Jem.  I may have posted this before but it’s definitely worth another look!

This blog post relates all too well to the need for fast food and junk food bans.  It’s also now the basis for my page on processed food.  Written much more clearly and most importantly concisely!

Oh look . . . an article about chemicals that make you fat . . . cause pollution is just not enough of an achievement for the big chemical companies any more.

There was an article out this week about how alcohol is the worst of all addictive substances out there.  Worse than heroine, cocaine, pot (I’d certainly say worse than pot . . . I’ve never run into an angry, violent pothead) due to the havoc it wreaks on one’s family, one’s body and one’s life.  That and because it’s legal . . . it’s available everywhere.  How’d you like to bet that in the near future sugar and junk food are going to top this list for the addictive substance that causes the most harm . . . remember at least with alcohol there’s a “token” drinking age.  We feed babies cookies and cake and ice cream and cereal bars . . .

Last but not least . . . get off your ass . . . lord knows I need to . . .

Not to worry, I’m not going to make this too long but there are many stories to tell at the moment.  With Halloween approaching (the best holiday of them all!) this one is a cute story on grist . . . kids giving out fair trade chocolate to the houses they trick or treat at.  For stunningly good fair trade, organic, raw, whole food, sell your own sweet little Grandma for, chocolate in TO check out ChocoSol.

Now this one gives a whole new meaning to plastic poo!  Or more specifically turning poo into plastic.  Can you imagine?  As someone that has to drive by the Humber sewage treatment plant every day, I`m all for this idea!  For a truly scary picture check this out . . . upper right hand corner . . . zoom in if you dare!

This link is just simply the coolest thing I’ve seen in a long time.  I want one . . . and it’s recycled/reused   The question is . . . which one?  Check out the case in the photo for the Oct.  22  post.  Plus what about the next possible find?  Who knows how many great old suitcases are out there?

You may have noticed a new twitter feed up on the right there . . . please feel free to follow me.  I don’t know if I can promise to be overly interesting but it`s a great way to get out the links that I always find, send home and then never post!  I usually use twitter for news info . . . really!  Honest!  It is an easy way to follow the news.

Ok I’ll leave it at that for now . . . Happy trick or treating!  I still have no idea what costume I`m wearing.  Let`s hope no more weather bombs hit between now and Sunday night . . .