Tread Earth Lightly

Big Sugar - The truth & history of sugar.

    Sugar and I don't mix, literally! Myself a Type 1 Diabetic, for the past 10 years now, I continually try to stay away from eating too much of it. However, I have a sweet tooth, or two, the size of Texas. If I don't get a sugar fix at least once a day I get cranky (just ask my husband). Though I try to eat homemade, organic, and mostly vegan sweets it is all still too much. After seeing this documentary below I have found another reason why sugar is not so good. And that reason is morality! The ethical and moral treatment of others and land. In this documentary the history of sugar and it's relationship with slavery, poverty, obesity, money, and politics are explained.

    Unfortunately it is a hard truth to swallow, but it one that must be eaten (No pun intended). I do believe that, even considering the predicament we as a human race are in, we can change and free ourselves from 'Big Sugar.' It starts with us as consumers and as parents and mentors. We can begin to stop buying the unethical sugar companies' products and make an effort to buy more responsibly farmed/manufactured sugar. Also, we can teach our future generations about the truth when it comes to sugar consumption and health. It is up to us! The dollar goes a long way especially when we use it in the right direction. Enjoy the film and please share your thoughts.

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Dr. Vandana Shiva Interview

Maybe it's because I am of Italian decent, or that I am diabetic and have to be very conscious about what I eat, but when I hear about issues dealing with our food I get all fired up. Here is an amazing interview with Dr. Vandana Shiva from Cooking Up A Story, in which she discusses genetically modified food/seeds, organic farming, and world hunger. Please visit Cooking Up a Story for more details on this interview and much, much more! It is one of my favorite sites!

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POM WONDERFUL JUICE REVIEW

    If you are anything like me then you had no idea what a pomegranate was until you found out about POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate juice. I remember that the bottle, obviously, was what caught my eye. It reminded me of a genie bottle. Actually, if you think about it, maybe it is like having little genie inside, considering all the health benefits that are in pomegranate juice.

    Well, anyway I decided to try it and of course I had to get one of every flavor they make. Cherry/pomegranate is my favorite. The blends of pomegranate and the other juices helps to take away the tartness that sometimes regular pomegranate juice has. It's also not very easy to eat the actual fruit of a pomegranate; drinking the juice is much easier. Plus, it has more health benefits than plain old orange or apple juice. All in all POM Wonderful is a great change for the old flavor palette, and your immune system.

Turn Your Yard into an Edible Landscape

This is the most beautiful yard I have ever seen, and I have seen allot of them. My dad made lawns look spectacular for over 20 years, but not the earth-friendly way. More like the spraying of nasty chemicals way. Trust me we had many "discussions" about these so-called safe chemical fertilizers and such. My dad never thought they were bad of course. Good thing he sells insurance now, I guess.

Mark Bittman - What's wrong with what we eat?

I saw a interview recently, on Cooking Up a Story, with Mark Bittman and it reminded me of the one I saw on Ted.com a few months ago. In this video Mark Bittman discusses what's wrong with the way we eat. It's an enlightening, down to earth look at what our food was and what it is today.  Mark is an author, journalist, and tv personality. He currently writes for the New York Times and is the author of How to Cook Everything, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, and his latest, Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating (just to name a few). He also writes a blog called "Bitten."

What are your thoughts on food? Do you cook often or not at all? Do you have any simple ways of cooking and what are your best, easy recipes? Let us hear what you have to say.

This video is 20 minutes long, so I hope you can stay and watch the whole thing. If not please come back to finish viewing. And remember to leave a comment or two. Thanks!

North Carolina- Laughing Seed Cafe

    We recently visited Asheville, North Carolina and have some great experiences to share. First, is The Laughing Seed Cafe. It is a great vegetarian restaurant in downtown Asheville. If you are from or have ever visited Monmouth County NJ it is alot like The Down To Earth Vegetarian Restaurant in Red Bank used to be. RIP Down to Earth.

    The Laughing Seed Cafe has a great menu selection along with options for the kiddies (a plus in our book). With a beautiful and fresh atmosphere we recommend this tasty restaurant for lunch or dinner (with or without the kids). Not to mention there is something for everyone raw, vegetarian, vegan...even our meat eating parents were satisfied!! Below is a video featuring this wonderful eatery. If you are ever in Asheville we highly recommend you stop by The Laughing Seed Cafe.

For more info vist:Laughing Seed Cafe

More Restaurants Need to Do THIS!!

This is a great story about a restaurant in Portland Oregon that composts it's leftovers instead of sending them to the landfill. They do this with the help of a city recycling /composting program. We need this everywhere!!

Any thoughts on how to get this happening in NJ?

Simply Raw

Click Here to See the Trailer for "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days"

An excellent documentary about how raw foods can reverse diabetes. As a Type 1 Diabetic I learned a great deal from this documentary and try to implement as much raw food as I can into my diet. Though, it is not always easy. I hope to one day go through this program myself at The Tree of Life Rejuvanation Center. But until then I have this wonderful video and Dr. Gabriel Cousens book There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-Day+Program. If someone you know or love has Diabetes please pass this on. There is no better gift than the gift of life and good health!