FOOD JOURNEY
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 FOOD JOURNEY

WITH RAUL
Welcome to Food Journey with Raul!
Getting started is always the hard part.  With the mountain of data available online today, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin.  Think of the content below as the wading pool to optimum health.  I have researched various foods, including many food ingredients,  (aspartame, MSG, sucralose, omega 6 oils, toxins, preservatives and additives, just to name a few), from some of what I believe to be America’s top doctors, nutritionists, experts and other wise folks.  I have cross checked my research to come up with my own conclusion that there are many foods in our current food supply that are not safe for me to consume.  I use my research and understanding of the effects that these foods and ingredients have on my health so that I can avoid consuming them as much as possible.  My journey continues as I keep researching foods for my  personal health and enjoyment!  I hope you will be able to find your own journey to better health and wellness as I have.  Check back often, and follow my blog as I will continue to post more information regularly! 

Raul Rivera Food Journey with Raul


Health Disclaimer:  It is your right to educate yourself in health and medical knowledge, to seek helpful information and make use of it for your own benefit, and for that of your family.  You are the one responsible for your health.  In order to make decisions in all health matters, you must educate yourself.  The views expressed by Food Journey with Raul are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical advice, but simply to offer knowledge and suggestions that will help you choose to make physical and mental changes in your own body to heal yourself.

HOME PAGE TOPICS:  My Lunch - Frankenfood Treats - Grains - Grass Fed Meats - Gluten - Turmeric - Beet Juice - Quinoa - Smoothies - Nuts - Watermelon - Organic Coconut Oil - Ghee - Red Palm Oil - Cod Liver Oil - Organic Olive Oil - Trans Fats - Omega 6  Vegetable Oils - Cod Fish Taco - Organic Cabbage Tacos - FDA - Healthy Snack - Organic ? - Frozen Pizza - Organic Chicken Broth - Soups - Corn Chips and MSG - Meet David Hammond - Mercury Poisoning - Freebasing Mother Nature - Aloe Vera - Organic vs. Non Organic - Male Fertility - Wild Seafood - Raw salmon - PLU Label - Fluoride Side Effects - Aspartame Laced Gum - Home Cooking - NYC Breakfast - Paleo Breakfast - Home Cooking Puerto Rican Cooking - Sugar - Artificial Sweeteners - Maryland Classic Style Crab Cakes - Home Cooking - American Style Sushi - Vietnamese Style Summer Roll. Last updated 1-14-16 (Organic Ghee, Books Splenda and Sweet Poison, New Artificial Sweetener (ADVANTAME), Red Palm oil, Baby Soy Formula, Blog Talk Radio Page) 

"Cori gives me a little more insight into the human condition.  A person physically stripped of the ability to talk, move, see or feel never lose one's identity, or sense of self.  So, imagine, for a moment, yourself suffering a similar fate.  It's just you and the disabilities that make it harder to be you.  The choices you make when faced with these circumstances can have a tremendous range of consequences.  Nothing seems fair at the time, of course.  If you leave yourself open and allow for all possibilities for recovery, there is still no guarantee that you'll get better.  But, on the other hand, if you resign yourself to your fate, you are guaranteed to get worse."
JT Waldron, Tucson, (AZ June 2005 Through the Shadows, p. 4) http://www.sweetremedyradio.com/ 

"Asking the right questions of yourself opens a world that never inhabited your nightmares.  Be ready to hold confusion tightly around the collar, as those to whom you were taught to listen give you poison with a rationale, betray you with the kind authority you think you need.  Listen logically, without prejudice.  The apple in a bowl of fruit casts the shadow of Goya - the other side of sickness.  I embrace the expectation of my life.  This betrays knowledge, betrays disease, betrays the wheelchairs of our bad dreams."
Cori Brackett (Through the Shadows, p. 35)
http://www.sweetremedyradio.com/

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I currently live a grain free, gluten free, dairy free life style.
                                                                                         Cyrex Laboratories

"The technological  processes used today for "safety," cosmetic, productivity, and convenience purposes turn much of what we eat into poison.  With the thought, "If it's good for the baby, it must be good for us," we started drinking milk and using it to make a hundred other foods.  We became the only mammals that drink milk after we stop nursing from our mother's breast.  And we go even farther, we steal the milk from different species.  It's like putting jet fuel in a motorcycle; it damages the engine.  Worse, now that milk is full of hormones and antibiotics, a questionable argument becomes undeniable.  Milk is poisoning us. 

Clean By Dr. Alejandro Junger, M.D.


***CAUTION***
Baby Soy Formula: 
Why soy formula even organic is so dangerous for babies?  Here is a article from the Weston Price A. Foundation (Tragedy and Hype: third international soy symposium). 
   


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Soy Baby
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Made with GMO ingredients and dairy from cows treated with hormones.
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Here are just a  few of the many excitotoxins found in baby formula.  Corn maltodextrin, vegetable oils, soy, safflower, sunflower, hydrolyzed soy protein isolate, lactose, whey protein concentrate.

Circumcision:  The Hidden Trauma How an American Cultural Practice Affects Infants and Ultimately Us All Ronald Goldman, Ph.D. Foreword by Ashley Montagu, Ph.D.  Circumcision Resource Center

Summer dish:
During the hot summer days, I like to put together a few of my favorite cold ingredients from my local health food store for lunch or dinner.  Here, I have put together some spicy seaweed with shrimp and a side of avocado (farmed shrimp) and a Seafood salad with a side of Kimchi with organic olive oil for added dressing (farmed shrimp). 

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Seaweed, shrimp, and avocado
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Seafood salad with a side of Kimchi


Frankenfood Treats!
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***CAUTION***
Have you ever stop to thing what is put into some of these cakes?  I have put together a few of the cakes I would consume without thinking twice about what was in the ingredient list!  I have included a few of the many excitotoxins found in them in the captions below the pictures,  Please get familiar with them as I have!  I have no doubt that they are extremely toxic to eat!  When eating these fake treats think of the Glycation effects that will take place in your body, not to mention all of the GMO, sugar, and flour which will cause your pancreas to go into emergency mode and start to over shot high amounts of insulin just to keep you from dieing!  At first glace you may see cakes but if you ask me,  all I see is sugar and excitotoxins food like products.  
   

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ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR), SOYBEAN OIL, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL AND COTTON SEED OIL, TBHQ, CITRIC ACID, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS.
SERVING SIZE 1 CAKE (47) GRAMS CALORIES 180
FAT CAL. 60
TOTAL FAT 7 GRAMS
SAT. FAT 3 GRAMS
SODIUM 130 MG
TOTAL CARB. 27 GRAMS
SUGAR 17 GRAMS
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ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR, CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND COTTON SEED OIL, ALUMINUM, PHOSPHATE, EMULSIFIERS, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE,    YELLOW # 5 AND RED # 40, CITRIC ACID.
SERVING SIZE
1 CAKE (43) GRAMS CALORIES 150
FAT CAL. 35
TOTAL FAT 4 GRAMS 
SAT. FAT 1 GRAM
SODIUM
150MG
TOTAL CARB. 28 GRAMS
SUGAR 17 GRAMS
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ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, SOYBEAN OIL, TBHQ AND CITRIC ACID, DEXTROSE, MONO-AND DIGLYCERIDES, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS.
SERVING SIZE 2 CAKES (80) GRAMS
CALORIES 360
FAT CAL. 160
SAT. FAT 13 GRAMS
SODIUM
260 MG
TOTAL CARB.
46 GRAMS
SUGAR
33 GRAMS
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ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR, DEXTROSE, DIGLYCERIDES, CORN SYRUP, SODIUM CASEINATE, MONIFIED CORN STARCH, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, WHEAT GLUTEN, SOY FLOUR.
SERVING SIZE 2 CAKES
CALORIES 280
FAT CAL. 80
TOTAL FAT 9 GRAMS
SAT. FAT 4 GRAMS
SODIUM 190 MG
TOTAL CARB 46 GRAMS
SUGAR
24 GRAMS 

Grains!
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Grass - it's what's not for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A cow's life span grass fed vs. grain fed:

A grain fed cow's life span is 3 to 4 years before being sent to the slaughterhouse.  A grass fed cow's life span is 20 years, before dying of natural causes.  Eat grass fed meats only and be sure to ask your butcher if the meat is grass finished!
(fed grass throughout the life of the cow)   


"You fatten cattle by feeding them lots and lots of low-fat grain.  How do you fatten humans?  Same way: you feed them lots and lots of low fat grain.  So if you've been eating more pasta and bread (both made from grain) than ever before, and you're still gaining weight, think about those grain-fed cattle the next time you sit down to a big plate of pasta."  Dr. Barry Sears, Ph.D.

(Enter The Zone, pg. 9. 1995) http://zonediet.com/

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Heart healthy whole grains (Not!)
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No grains please!
"With GMOs wreaking havoc on our digestive systems, its no wonder Gluten intolerance is on the rise."
(unknown)


Grass Fed Beef Liver, Bison, Beef Stew:

Under U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations, grass fed means that grass and forage are the feed source for ruminant animals (such as cattle, sheep, bison and llamas) for the duration of their life after weaning.  Animals can't be fed grain or grain byproducts.  They must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season.  Hay, silage, crop residue without grain, cereal grain crops in the pregrain stage and other roughage sources are acceptable feed.  For a better definition of grass fed or organic meats please visit the Mayo Clinic. I mostly eat free range chicken and wild seafood but I do enjoy red meat twice a week only if the red meats are organic and grass fed finish! Below are some of the grass fed meat I have eaten in the past.  Due to the murky wording of grass fed meats and/or organic meats, please make sure to do extra research on the best red meat and the best poultry to eat!    


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Organic grass fed beef liver
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Organic grass fed bison
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Organic grass fed beef round stew
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100% Grass fed beef. 90% lean 10% fat. Born, raised and harvested in the U.S.A.
Here is a great book I love called The Vegetarian Myth - Food, Justice, and Sustainability by Lierre Keith, a former long time vegan.  Be sure to pickup a copy!

Gluten!
The research along my food journey had me thinking back when I was a young boy growing up in The Bronx.  I never saw so much bread and wheat products sold throughout New York City.  Today you can find hundreds of shops and street carts/vendors selling bagels, muffins, cupcakes, pretzels, cookies and even pretzel dogs.  I personally took the photos throughout New York City.  Notice the many different items for sale; or is it just one item?  wheat/sugar.
In effect, wheat is an appetite stimulant: It makes you want more cookies, cupcakes, pretzel, candy, soft drinks more bagels, muffins tacos, submarine sandwiches, pizza.  It makes you want both wheat-containing and non-wheat-containing foods.  And, on top of that, for some people wheat is a drug, or at least yields peculiar drug-like neurological effects that can be reversed with medications used to counter the effects of narcotics.  Dr. William Davis,M.D.  (Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health)  http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/  
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Wheat shop
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Wheat dog
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Making dough
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Hot dough
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One of a kind?
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Rolling in dough
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Wheat dealer
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Never before seen in supermarkets, gluten free section!
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Cashing in the dough.

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Kale, cucumber, broccoli, carrots, celery, cilantro, turmeric, juiced (all organic). The chemicals in turmeric may decrease swelling (inflammation).  I enjoy using various organic spices and seasonings which have played a big part in my journey!  For a list of the many great products from Simply Organic, check out their website at: Simply Organic

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Please check out this great article at Mother Nature Network: 22 Surprising Uses for Turmeric.

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Watermelon (non organic), tomato, cilantro, beets, parsley, carrots, ginger.  I like to spice up my juice with a half inch of ginger.  Made with a juicer.

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Ginger powder for smoothie drinks (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe).  I like adding half of a teaspoon to many of my smoothies.  Ginger info by Simply Organic.


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Baby greens, frozen blueberries, frozen mango chunks, cilantro (all organic) in a blender.
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Baby greens, frozen blueberries, frozen mango chunks, cilantro (all organic) in a blender.
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Baby greens, frozen blueberries, avocado in a blender.
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Kale, carrot, banana, frozen blueberries with a dash of organic turmeric in a blender.

***Caution***
Protein Powders:  Below I have added four of the dozens of protein powders I have found along my food journey (whey protein isolate, soy protein isolate, whey protein, and whey protein concentrate).  My consumption of protein powders thankfully was not much, however knowing from what I have read there is no doubt in my mind these powders are dangerous to consume.  Many of the ingredients included in the ingredient list belong to the MSG family no big surprise, what was a bit shocking to me was the fact that I could not find one single product without the excitotoxins sucralose and acesulfame potassium in each of the products I checked.  Imagine yourself following the direction on the bottle and creating your own toxin protein sake, would you still dare drink it knowing the difference? When you ingest liquid  protein smoothies laced with excitotoxins in liquid from they are more completely absorbed by your gut for a higher and faster flooding of excitotoxin into your blood stream.  I would love to tell you consuming protein smoothies are safe and would love to drink them myself, however I still have haven't found a safe product to consume.  Currently I chose to eat my proteins from organic meats, whether I'm working out or just have dinner at home.
                               

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Milk protein isolate, maltodextrin, sunflower oil, canola oil, sucralose.
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Hydrolyzed whey protein isolate, natural and artificial flavors, sucralose, soy lecithin.
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Whey protein isolates, whey protein concentrate, natural and artificial flavors, sucralose, red #40, soy.

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Organic beet juice.
Organic Sugar Beet:

This section of the page is still being edited 1/14/16

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Organic white quinoa with organic free range scrambled eggs and green onions.  There are more than 100 types of quinoa.  Quinoa or White Quinoa is the most common kind of quinoa available in stores, so you'll often see it just called quinoa.  Sometimes it's also called ivory quinoa.  Quinoa actually isn't a grain.  It is in the seed family.

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Frozen blueberries
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Frozen strawberries
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Frozen mango
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Frozen bananas
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Frozen watermelon
Smoothies made with a mixer:
Here is an easy starters list for smoothies that I continue to enjoy:
Choose one or more of the frozen blueberries, strawberries, chunks of mango, pineapple, bananas.  I like buying organic bananas and cutting them into chunks for freezing.  I place them in a BPA free zip lock bag or container for freezing.  Add nuts for a creamer taste.  Try a few organic Brazil nuts, (Brazil nuts provide a rich natural source of selenium), or a small hand full of cashews.  (Did you know that cashews are not a nut but are in the seed family?)?  I like buying bags of baby mixed organic greens like kale, spinach or chard.

The baby herb mix bag is also a really great choice!  The baby greens have smaller fibers which make for more of a smoother smoothie.  I suggest half of a cup of any one of your choice of berries or fruit with your choice of mix greens.  Shoot for a 20% fruit and 80% veggie ratio.  I enjoy a 10% fruit and 90% veggie ratio for a lower sugar containing smoothie, also make sure to check your frozen fruits - bags because some come with added sugar. I only buy fresh organic or frozen berries and fruits when making my smoothies!).  When using non frozen berries, fruits or veggies you can place them in a bath of ice water for 20 minutes before making your smoothies. Liquids to use: well water is best.  Check out Find a Spring   for the nearest spring well by you totally free!).  Fluoride laced tap water is a no no!  Unsweetened organic coconut milk is my second choice over water.  I do not drink any store bought sugarier liquids. Store brought sugarier canned or bottle drinks can average between five to eighteenth teaspoons of sugar if not higher. If you must use sugarier canned or bottle drinks when making your smoothies please keep in mind the health benefits of drinking juices or smoothies are lost.  The high sugar juicing and smoothie making revolution will take the place of the high sugar soda and juice manufactures.  The benefits of juicing and smoothies are with in the leafy green plants and vegetables so please consider in keeping your drinks low of all sugars!    


Spices: I like adding half of a teaspoon of organic turmeric, but be careful, excessive use of this spice will make for a pretty bad tasting drink!  Mind you, I shoot for nutrition first, not taste (turmeric is a great anti inflammatory!).  I never drink soy milk or organic soy milk, (there is no such thing as organic soy milk due to the processing method used), because its loaded with lots of unhealthy properties (glutamate and phytoestrogens to name a few...guys, can you say man boobs?).   Here is a great extractor for making all kinds of smoothies.  I personally love the Nutribullet extractor.  You can      click on the link for more information.
Raul Rivera      

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GMO cottonseed oil.
Whole cashews roasted & lightly salted with sea salted: I keep my consumption of nuts and seeds to a minimum, but when I do eat them.  I make sure to never buy or eat any nuts or seeds that have been soaked in GMO oils like cottonseed, soybean, and any of the inflammation causing omega 6 oils.  In the picture above I have placed 1.oz of raw cashews on a sheet of brown paper notice how glossy and oily the cashews and paper are.
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Peanut butter:

Hydrogenated vegetable oils, cotton seed and soybean (GMO).   Many of the popular brands of peanut butter are made with partially hydrogenated oils
better known as "Trans Fats." Buy organic peanut butter is your safest option when its comes to buying peanut butter.

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Brazil nuts:  For a creamer tasting smoothie, I like to add between 2 to 3 Brazil nuts to my smoothies. Brazil nuts are naturally high in selenium. However, because they also contain phytic acid, I keep my Brazil nut consumption low.  I also enjoy adding walnuts, pistachios and cashews. (Cashews are not a nut, but are in fact a seed.)  

For more information on nuts and phytic acid, click here: The Weston A. Price Foundation  



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Use the rind when juicing watermelon, (but make sure to cut out as much of the skin as possible), because 60% of the L-citrulline is in the rind. L-citrulline is a naturally occurring amino acid found in food such as watermelons and are also made in the body. Our bodies change L-citrulline into another amino acid called L-arginine and which help make nitric oxide.   L-citrulline might help increase the supply of ingredients the body needs to make certain proteins.  It may also help open up veins and arteries to improve blood flow and reduce blood pressure.
Made with a Juicer


PictureCoconut Oil
Organic, unrefined, expeller pressed virgin coconut oil pictured to the left.  Refined coconut oil is also great for cooking due to it's higher smoke point. I personally take 1 to 3 teaspoons of unrefined coconut oil daily due to the many benefits of this marvelous oil.  I love adding a teaspoon of coconut oil to my bone broth, made with chicken, fish or beef bones.  Bone broth should always be made with organic, free range chicken bones, wild fish bones or grass fed beef bones.  I am a big fan of coconut oil.  Here is a link to The Coconut Oil Miracle Fifth Edition by Bruce Fife, N.D.
http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/index.htm
                     
I enjoy oil pulling.  For a full description on oil pulling, please check out this link: Oil pulling by Dr. Bruce Fife   

Due to the possibility of oil blending when buying cheaper non organic oils, and/or contaminants of any GMO  oils like vegetable, corn, soy bean, canola etc., I make sure to only buy 100% organic olive oil, organic avocado oil or organic red palm oil.  Be sure to look for the word organic on the bottle.  I also never buy oils in metal cans or containers.

***Caution***
I MAKE SURE TO NEVER CONSUME PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OILS KEEP IN MIND PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OILS
  EQUAL TRANS-FATS.  If a product reads zero trans fat, this does not mean it is Trans Fat Free!
 



PictureGhee
Organic Ghee: use it in place of butter or vegetable oil for cooking, baking, or sauteing and surprise your family and friends with this delightful treat. I also eat a teaspoon or two a day to help incorporate more healthy animal fats into my diet. This Ghee has been a bit hard to find, but I have finally found it.  It's made from pastured cows and raised without GMO feed. This Ghee is also casein and lactose free. Try sauteing 1 1/2  pounds of wild shrimp with one teaspoon of  Ghee and one teaspoon of coconut oil, the taste is amazing!


PicturePure Tallow


Pure Tallow made with 100% Grass-fed beef. I truly believe in eating lots of healthy fats in my diet. Pure Tallow is wonderful for high temperature cooking or just eating right from the jar. Tallow is not easily found yet in health food stores, believe me I have checked all over New York City for it I got mine from a cool website called Fat Works  


PictureRed Palm Oil
Organic red palm oil is great for cooking.  With a high smoke point and a buttery taste, it can be used for sauces, sauteing and baking.  Red palm oil is also naturally rich in vitamins A and E.  http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/article%20red%20palm%20oil.htm


PictureCod Liver Oil
Unflavored cod liver oil: I personally take between 2 to 3 tablespoons of cod liver oil daily.  To avoid any excitotoxins, additives or preservatives, I make sure to always buy the unflavored version.  I also really like taking fermented cod liver oil.  However, it is harder to find at my local health store so ordering online is best. Please check out: Green Pasture Products at: http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Home/index.cfm


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100% Organic Olive Oil.
Organic olive oil: I  make sure to only buy 100% organic olive because of so much talk throughout the internet of the  possibility of blending of unhealthy GMO oils and omega 6 oils like canola, sunflower, vegetable and soybean oil.  I feel it is a safer bet to just buy olive oil in the organic version only.  Look for the word organic or for the USDA green and white  label  on the glass bottle.  I also do not like to buy olive oil in metal cans due to possible leaching of metal from the can mixing with the oil. 
 

Omega 6 vegetable oils:
Vegetable, corn, soy, and canola oils are extremely harmful to the body.  It is very easy to consume high amounts of these oils which can be found in breads, chips, fried foods and most processed foods.
***Caution*** Poison!

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Vegetable oil (omega 6)
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Poison
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The trifecta plus one.
Here are a few easily found foods with high concentrations of omega 6 oils: Mayonnaise, potato chips, salad dressing and many fake butters are made with these omega 6 oils (soybean, corn, canola, and vegetable oil).  Be sure to check the ingredient list or better yet buy real grass fed butter. For raw grass fed butter please visit the link for more on raw butter: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/why-butter-is-better
(FDA) What is the meaning of 'NATURAL' on the label of food? From a food science perspective, it is difficult to define a food product that is 'natural' because the food has probably been processed and is no longer the product of the earth. That said, FDA has not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives. However, the agency has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances. Also check out this great article from the Weston A Price Foundation called The Oiling of America.      
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Trans fats
Partially hydrogenated oils: Keep in mind, partially hydrogenated oils equals TRANS FATS!  If a product reads "zero trans fat", this does not mean it is  trans fat free!  The label on top comes from a very popular cookie sold door to door. be careful when they come a knocking!  Not to mention all of the other ingredients cleverly mixed along with the vitamins.  Tricky little devils I say!
(carrageenan (E407) included)
"What we see depends mainly on what we look for."
John Lubbock


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Cod fish taco: Cilantro with red onion and chipotle sauce.  I use to enjoy making all kinds of tacos (fish, shrimp,chicken) at home.  I have now stopped making them due to a few of the ingredients I like to avoid: GMO corn tortillas (grain), GMO soy bean oil (found in the sauce).  One of the cooking steps in making my taco included burning the tortillas over an open flame on my stove range, creating burn marks on them which are a known carcinogen!  What is a carcinogen? Please visit the link at: American Cancer Society

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I do not mean to brag but OMG!
Home made organic cabbage tacos made with 100% grass fed beef:
I decided to make my version of a gluten free taco replacing the corn tortilla with a organic red cabbage leaf.  I was pleasantly surprised how I did not lose any of the texture of a traditional corn taco, yummy.  Ingredients: garlic, cilantro, red onion, romaine lettuce, plum tomatoes, fresh lime, guacamole, and habanero sauce.    

FDA Trans Fat: The link below provides information relating to content on the food section of FDA.gov about trans fat.  There are links for consumer information, guidance documents, other industry information, science and research reports and resources from other sites.  Trans fat is a specific type of fat that is formed when liquid oils are turned into solid fats such as shortening or stick margarine.  During this process, (called hydrogenation), hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to increase the shelf life and flavor stability of foods.  The result of the process is trans fat:  http://www.fda.gov/food/populartopics/ucm292278.htm

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Coconut snack for when I'm on the go or for when I'm just sitting around at home. I use the back of my heavy stainless steel kitchen knife to split the the coconut in half, then with the tip of the knife I remove the meat.  I make sure to split the coconut over a large bowl to catch the water of the coconut. I then strain the coconut water with a fine strainer before drinking.  I put all of the coconut meat into a BPA free zip lock bag or container and store in the refrigerator.  It keeps well for a few days.

For other good fats, click here:
earthopensource for the article "Why you need to eat more lard (and 5 other healthy fats)."


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Roasted mature coconuts soaked in fresh, young coconut milk, roasted with a touch of salt and sugar.
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Toasted
Healthy snack: Toasted and roasted coconut chips easily found at your local heath food store.
  •  All Natural
  •  Vegan
  •  Non-GMO
  • Dairy-Free
  • No Cholesterol
  • Good Source of Fiber  

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Frozen pizza:
Vegetable with green and red peppers, mushrooms, onions and olives.    

MALTODEXTRIN, XANTHAN GUM, NATURAL FLAVOR, CARRAGEENAN. CRUST: WHEAT FLOUR (GMO), MALTED BARLEY, SOY LECITHIN, SOY LECITHIN, (GMO), SOYBEAN OIL (GMO), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORNSYRUP.
SERVING SIZE 1 (159 GRAMS)
CALORIES 330 FROM FAT 130
TOTAL FAT 14 GRAMS
SODIUM 850 MG
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATES 43 GRAMS
SUGAR 3 GRAMS
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CAUTION! I ask you to be very careful removing the meat from the coconut. This takes some practice. I'm happy to say I still have all nine fingers!  


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Organic cold pressed avocado oil is quite simply the healthiest edible oil available.  It contains the highest levels of heart healthy monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids, (which lower blood cholesterol), the highest levels of alpha and beta-carotene, beta-sitosterol (which protects against heart disease and cancer), twice the lutein of olive oil, (which protects against macular degeneration and blindness), the highest levels of essential vitamins and minerals, and is loaded with the powerful antioxidant and free-radical absorber, vitamin E.


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Carrageenan (E407)
Organic does not mean it is free from excitotoxins:
I think coconut milk is so delicious.  Being a fan of organic unsweetened coconut milk, it was sad to see carrageenan (E407), another excitotoxin, included in the ingredient list.  If you happen to buy a product with an excitotoxin and do not check the ingredient list but see it when you arrive at home,  please keep in mind you have the right to return the unopened item back to the store for a full refund.  Be sure to tell the store to please stop selling such products.

Soups

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Home made organic chicken broth!
Home made chicken bone broth made with organic free range chicken bones.  I love to add a teaspoon of organic, unrefined coconut oil to my broth along with a dash of organic sea kelp.  For the marvelous health benefits of bone broth please visit the  the provide link:  The Weston A. Price Foundation  http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/broth-is-beautiful/
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Yeast extract part of the MSG family!
Organic Chicken Broth:
I came across a chicken broth product labeled "organic" at my local health food store. Chicken broth is often used as a soup base in many of my favorite soups. But it was actually laced with yeast extract (MSG). I highly recommend making organic chicken broth at home, even though it entails some work.  It is by far, the better choice! During my research, I learned to keep an open mind about all foods, including the organic ones. I discovered that excitotoxins can easily be found in organically processed products as well.  


Canned soup and other culprits:
I was unknowingly a big consumer of MSG laced soups in the form of cans and other processed soups.  I was one who never cared to fully read the ingredient list on the back of the cans or items, only reading the yummy front of the labels with taste in mind.  Early in my food journey, I came to learn the many different names of MSG, (umami, yeast extract, hydrolyzed protein, whey protein, autolyzed yeast to name a few), which can actually be found in processed soups. I have added a few labels of some popular canned soups below. Thanks to the The Truth in Labeling Campaign we have access to a great list of the many places where MSG is often hidden.  I have added the two page PDF list to my download page.  Please download and share with your family and friends.

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Chunky grilled chicken and sausage gumbo:
Monosodium glutamate, spice, carrageenan, natural flavor, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, flavoring, yeast extract.  
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Home style savory chicken with brown rice:
Flavoring, spice, yeast extract, carrageenan, wheat.
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Vegetable:
High fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, flavoring, spice, hydrolyed yeast, yeast extract.
(sodium 1600mg per can)

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Classic chicken noodle:
Monosodium glutamate, carrageenan, flavoring, canola oil.

Self serve soup stations:
Below are rows of varieties of soups which can be found at your local deli, grocery stores, restaurants and even your local health food store.  Keep in mind, many of these soups come right from cans/bags and are ready to eat once they have been poured into pots and heated up for sale.  At least with the canned soups above, you have an ingredient label to read from.  I personally will not eat soups from any of these establishments because of the risk of consuming unknown excitotoxins. If you must eat these soups, ask the head cook or store manager for a full list of the ingredients in the soups!     
       
   
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I also would like to personally thank Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, M.D. for writing his great book Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills.  Below I have added a quote from his book.  Be sure to pick up a copy - it's a must read!  I have also stopped consuming canned and processed soups because of MSG and excitotoxins.  I now only consume soups I make myself.  Below are just a few of the yummy soups I love making!

"Adults, including pregnant women, frequently ingest large concentrations of MSG and other excitotoxins in their food.  In one study it was found that some restaurants add as much as 9.9 grams of MSG to a single dish, enough to produce brain damage in experimental animals.  Liquids containing MSG, such as soups, are absorbed faster and more completely than solid foods. Experiments have shown that MSG in a liquid form is much more toxic to the brain than when included in solid food."
Dr. Russell L. Blaylock,MD (Excitotoxins The Taste That Kills) http://www.russellblaylockmd.com/

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Home made tomato soup with colossal shrimp and a dash of  extra virgin olive oil. 

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Home made carrot and parsnip soup with a dash of extra virgin olive oil.

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Home made tomato soup with colossal shrimp and a dash of extra virgin olive oil. 

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Home made tomato soup with wild sea scallops and a dash of  extra virgin olive oil.

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Seafood soup: shrimp, mussels, blue crab, sole, carrots, parsnip and celery with organic spices.
(This picture does not do justice to what a great soup this is!).


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Home made tomato and basil soup with salmon and a dash of extra virgin olive oil.


Raw Salad 

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My new hand crafted salad bowl made from Acacia Hardwood.

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Hand crafted salad bowl made from Acacia Hardwood.


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Turkey skins with two slices of turkey breast and avocado.  I also enjoy eating many above ground plants and avoiding all refined carbohydrates to help my body reach state of ketosis.    


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(MSG) the real answer to why you can't have just one chip!
A super popular corn chip laced with one of the many excitotoxins found in the food supply, mono-sodium glutamate (MSG).  It appears that the partially hydrogenated oil (trans fat) that I have seen in the past has been removed from the ingredient list.  I will continue to keep a look out to see if this ingredient will be added back onto the list.  04-04-2014.
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Corn Chips!
Monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Learn how MSG tricks your brain into loving junk food. http://healthfreedoms.org/2014/05/09/learn-how-msg-tricks-your-brain-into-loving-junk-food/

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Meet David Hammond, recovering from industrial lead and mercury poisoning, author of the remarkable new book Mercury Poisoning: the Undiagnosed Epidemic.  For a pdf version of this article, please head over to my download page.


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Mercury poisoning: The shocking truth about mercury fillings. For safe removal of amalgam fillings, please check out the international academy of oral medicine and toxicology at:  IAOMT

"The reason I cite these cases is not to compare high-level mercury exposure to low-level but first, to emphasize the destructive nature of mercury on the nervous system, and second, to point out the danger caused by the American Dental Association’s (ADA) refusal to publicly state that dental amalgam fillings contain a high level of mercury, and that the mercury escaping from them can cause serious harm to humans.  Removing amalgams without taking special precautions dramatically increases mercury blood levels for over a month.  One study found that immediately following removal of amalgam fillings, plasma mercury levels rose three- to fourfold and tissue levels rose by 50 percent.  Also, such a concentrated release of mercury vapor can severely exacerbate per-existing neurological conditions.  The removal of dental amalgam fillings should only be done by a dentist trained in its safe removal. The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology has a very specific protocol that must be followed to prevent dramatic rises in mercury levels that can follow attempts to remove mercury amalgams by conventional means.  I would suggest that you call the IAOMT office for a list of names of dentists in your area using this approved method of filling removal." Dr. Russell L. Blaylock,MD (Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life) http://www.russellblaylockmd.com/

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"Freebasing mother nature"
Joe Cross
Made with a Juicer

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"Freebasing mother nature"
Joe Cross
Made with a Juicer

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I love cutting out the flesh of one large stem of aloe Vera and adding it to one gallon of spring water.  I let the water sit in the refrigerator overnight, shake well and have a glass or two per day.  Aloe Vera is packed full of ingredients, with more than 200 that are beneficial in healing and restoration.  They include minerals, enzymes, vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids, polysaccharides, fatty acids and more.  All these are packed into the gel and constitute about 1% of the gel.  The rest of it is just water.  Aloe Vera is a great digestive cleanser so drink up!  Checkout the top 12 benefits of Aloe Vera by Laura Dawn at Happy and Raw

Organic vs. Non-Organic Fruits and Vegetables: What to buy, you ask yourself?  I personally love buying mainly organic.  However, there are times when it is just fine to buy non-organic fruit and vegetables.  Not all fruits and vegetables are chemically treat the same.  Here is a great website to compare.  Enjoy!  Environmental Working Group

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Organic cilantro, organic baby mix herbs, chunks of organic mango with non-organic pineapple chunks.
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Organic cilantro, organic baby mix herbs, chunks of organic mango with non organic pineapple chunks.

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Romaine Lettuce
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Broccoli
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Swiss Chard
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Red Bell Peppers
To help cut down of exposure to pesticide and herbicides, I eat lots and lots of organic foods!  75% of non - organic foods contain ingredients from GE (genetically engineered foods) so I eat organic as much as possible!
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Wild filet of sole with oyster mushrooms pan cooked with low to medium heat.
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Wild filet of sole with oysters mushrooms.
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Wild filet of sole with oyster mushrooms in a toasted veggie wrap. Pan cooked (low to medium heat) with a bit of organic extra virgin olive oil, seasoned with a mix of organic spices. Veggie wrap was made with 89% organic ingredients.
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Wild filet of sole with oyster mushrooms in a toasted veggie wrap.

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Male Fertility: Up your low sperm count with organic figs.  If the data on this is wrong, figs are still super yummy and way better than man made junk candy.  Think of them as nature's treat.  Enjoy!


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Wild Seafood: Baked salmon with colossal shrimp, extra virgin olive oil, (sea salt and cracked pepper to taste).  No need to over do it with herbs and spices.  Keep in mind, less is more!  Farmed seafood will never taste like the real thing, so keep it wild.

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Raw salmon: Ceviche de salmon with lime, salt, olive oil and crack pepper (fared salmon).

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How to read the PLU labels on your foods:
 
5 numbers starting with a 9 means organic.
4 numbers starting with a 3 or 4 means conventionally grown with chemicals
5 numbers starting with a 8 means GMO (genetically modified organism).
Never buy GMO foods!  Vote with your wallet.

(GO ORGANIC - I FIND THE PRICE TO BE JUST A $1.00 MORE THAN THE CONVENTIONALLY GROWN STUFF.)


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Fluoride Side Effects: Discoloration of teeth, acute poisoning, birth defects, osteoarthritis, bone and uterine cancer, immune system suppression, perinatal death, gastrointestinal disorders, lowered IQ, vomiting and diarrhea.  I personally like to use a fluoride and sulfate free toothpaste.  I also like to make my own homemade toothpaste.  You can find many easy to make recipes online.  Here are 3 great homemade toothpaste recipes from a great website I love called Mother Nature Network.  Enjoy!

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Aspartame laced gum!
Who knew Aspartame came in so many colors.
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Aspartame-laced gum:
I was a big consumer of popular brands of gums so easily found throughout New York City in newsstands, drugs stores, etc. - all for the low cost of $0.35 per pack (5 sticks per pack).  

Phenylalanine is 50% of aspartame; even a single dose of aspartame raises the blood level of phenylalanine.  In large quantities, phenylalanine breaks down further into diketopiperazine – a brain tumor causing agent.  The aspartame molecule also contains methanol, which can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses.  Because it is metabolized much more efficiently by rodents than humans, testing and research on rats alone is not sufficient to verify the safety of aspartame for human consumption.  Excessive levels of aspartame in the brain cause serotonin levels to decrease, leading to emotional disorders like depression.  Also, it is important to keep in mind that aspartame releases as you chew gum.  It is not filtered by the digestion process, but more easily absorbed directly into your brain through your mouth!     


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Home made tomato sauce with jumbo scallops and extra virgin olive oil.

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Home made tomato sauce with jumbo scallops and extra virgin olive oil.


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Home made shrimp with white wine ginger and garlic sauce. (1)

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Home made shrimp with white wine ginger and garlic sauce. (2)

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Home made shrimp with white wine ginger and garlic sauce. (3)

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Home made spaghetti sauce. (1)

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Home made spaghetti sauce. (2)

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Home made spaghetti sauce. (3)


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A Typical New York City breakfast eaten at cafes:
Here is how I currently break down a few of the ingredients of this typical breakfast eaten at most cafes:
Bacon processed with nitrates and preservatives that, when absorbed by the human body, converts into N-nitroso, a possible carcinogen.  French Fries fried in omega 6 oil (GMO) which easily help create inflammation in the body (many diseases are caused by chronic inflammation).  Also, potatoes are a poor choice for diabetics because they are considered a high glycemic food. When they are heated to over 248 degrees, acrylamide is formed, another probable human carcinogen.  Eggs that are non organic from sick caged chickens fed a high grain diet.  Please see the link for salmonella and eggs: FDA Recall of Shell Eggs.  White toast made from bleached GMO wheat flour, another poor food choice for anyone diagnosed with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance.  Grape Jelly packet includes high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
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Home made Paleo breakfast: Uncured bacon, (free of nitrates and nitrites, without antibiotics or preservatives), organic baby mushroom and brussels sprouts.  I chop up all the ingredients, then add the bacon with a tablespoon of organic coconut oil (optional) to a non stick pan, cooking the bacon until gold brown.  I add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!
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Organic uncured pork bacon, white button mushrooms, brussels sprouts. 
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Lightly stir fried shrimp with peppers and oyster mushrooms in extra virgin olive oil.

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Stir fried shrimp with broccoli, peppers and garlic in extra olive oil.


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Home made baby cremini mushrooms with wild salmon and lemon dill stuffing.  I no longer bake with aluminum foil.  Try glass or stainless steel  cook ware. 

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Home made baby cremini mushrooms with wild salmon and lemon dill stuffing. 


Puerto Rican Cooking

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Mofongo with shrimp, scallops in a buttery garlic sauce  with a side of avocado: Some of my past cooking.  Mofongo is a very typical Caribbean dish in which the main ingredient is green plantains.  It is very popular in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and other nearby islands, as well as in any community around the world where Puerto Ricans can be found.  It can be served by itself, with other main courses or with several different kinds of "stuffing" that can turn it into a main course all on its own.

Puerto Rican Pasteles: are a traditional Puerto Rican Christmas dish.  The pasteles are similar to Mexican tamales, but stuffed with pork stewed with rich sofrito.  They are wrapped inside a banana leaf and boiled.

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Before wrapping
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Fully cooked and unwrapped
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Before wrapping
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Fully cooked unwrapped and ready to eat with a side of avocado.
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Before wrapping
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Pasteles: tied in pairs (total 64)

The Spanish Section: This section is under construction 1/14/16

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As I was told by a professor of nutrition at New York University after one of my lectures, the kind of change I'm advocating could take a lifetime to be accepted. That is simply too long to wait to get the right answers to these critical questions.  So this book was written in part to speed up the process.  I offer here the arguments against the conventional wisdom distilled down to their essence.  If they certainly could be right, then let's test them, and let's do it sooner rather than later.
Gary Taubes (Why We Get Fat and What to do About it, p. X )

Heart surgeon speaks out on what really causes heart disease!  For full viewing of this great article by
Dr. Dwight Lundell click here.

PictureSweet poison! 4 grams equal 1 teaspoon of sugar.


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Liquid poison! one can of cola has 39 grams of sugar the equivalent of 9.79 teaspoons of sugar.
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Sweet Misery!
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Is sugar really safe to eat? cancer cells feed on fructose, study finds.  healthfreedoms.org   

***Caution***
Artificial Sweeteners:
  Aspartame was the very first excitotoxin that gave life to my food journey.  I can still recall when my nutritionist told the class, when I asked her if she herself consume aspartame. I was expecting a yes but to my surprise her answer was that aspartame has not been proven to be harmful.  As the class ended the nutritionist personally told me in the future if I had a question to write it down for her on a sheet of paper WOW! was my next thought. I have no doubt aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, canderel, neotame, acesulfame potassium and the newly added sweetener advantame  are super toxic chemicals, which no human should be drinking or eating.

I also learned that these poisons are  in over 9,000 + food products (diet soda, chewing gum, candy, cakes, yogurts, even in vitamins) so if you think you are not consuming them, because you do not drink diet soda think again.  I regained my health by eliminating these poisons, I stay clear of these poisons now and forever as they continue to be added to the food supply.  I would like to invite you to the wonderful website crated by Dr. Betty Martini called Mission Possible World Health International here you find lots and lots more on aspartame and then some!

Canderel - Sold in Asia, Europe, the middle east and Africa, and Mexico.  It is the leading aspartame - based sweetener in France (where it was launched in 1979 and the United Kingdom (since 1983).  Equal - First sold in the United States in 1982, this brand is also sold in Australia and India.  Equal sweet - Sold in Argentina. Nutra sweet - Used as an ingredient in many processed foods, drinks and tablets, in 1997 it also began to be marketed as a table sweetener in the United States. 
                                      
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Maryland classic style crab cakes: Being a lover of seafood I loved making home made crab cakes. I unknowingly was using many unhealthy ingredients here is a short checklist included in the store bought seasoning packet I would used. Dextrose (suspected of containing lesser amounts of MSG), Yeast, Spices (part of the MSG family).  I was also using  a very popular mayonnaise which was laced with many excitotoxins. GMO soybean oil, Sugar made from GMO sugar beets, EDTA, chemical preservative made from formaldehyde and cyanide, natural flavors (part of the MSG family), Egg from sick and grain fed chickens. I thought it was my cooking that was so yummy, never knowing it was the excitotoxins really bring out the best in the taste.  Note the seasoning packet was high in sodium with a whopping 1,440MG which I would add to one pound of crab meat.
               
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Cakes
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Pasteurized crab meat
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Seasoning packet.
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Crab cakes pan fried in omega 6 oil.
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Green onions
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Mayonnaise "Bring out the Best"

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Shrimp in white wine cream sauce.

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Mussels in white wine clam sauce.

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Mussels in white wine and cream clam sauce.

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Home made spaghetti sauce, little neck clams, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil.

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Home made spaghetti sauce, little neck clams, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil.


American Style Sushi
I still enjoy making sushi but due to the rice and added excitotoxins I almost never eat it.  I think of sushi making like art work one can eat!  Please note, sushi can still be made without the added excitotoxins.  However when eating out, you run a risk of consuming excitotoxins without having a label to read from.  Ask your sushi master for a full list of the ingredients.  If a list can not be provided, lean on the side of caution and assume it is laced with excitotoxins! 
No wonder it tastes so yummy!  Sushi anyone?

***Caution!***

The imitation crab meat and the eel sauce (pictured below) was laced with mono-sodium glutamate (MSG).  Many of the excitotoxins found in sushi can be easily found in the yummy sauces. 

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California maki with flying fish (made with sushi grade A salmon). Imitation crab meat laced with MSG!
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California maki with flying fish (made with sushi grade A salmon). Imitation crab meat laced with MSG!
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California maki with flying fish (made with sushi grade A salmon). Imitation crab meat laced with MSG!
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California roll with flying fish (made with sushi grade salmon).
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Before rolling yellowfin tuna maki.
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Yellowfin tuna maki.
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California maki.
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Rolling
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Cutting the maki.
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Eel maki.
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Sushi eel maki with eel sauce. (Eel sauce laced with MSG!).
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Sushi eel maki with eel sauce. (Eel sauce laced with MSG!).
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Eel cucumber and cream cheese maki.
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Spicy crab meat maki with flying fish roe with a spicy mayo sauce. (Imitation crab meat laced with MSG!).
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Tempura shrimp maki with eel sauce. (Eel sauce laced with MSG!).
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Prep work for making shrimp tempura requires inserting a tooth pick along the back side of the shrimp before cooking to make the shrimp stay straight.
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Tempura Shrimp. (Farm raised shrimp).
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Tempura Shrimp. (Farm raised shrimp).

Temaki hand roll with imitation crab meat, masago, spicy mayo sauce and avocado.  The imitation crab meat was laced with mono sodium glutamate (MSG).
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Wild blue swimmer crab lump meat is what I use to replace the processed imitation crab meat laced with (MSG) when preparing my new sushi and summer roll dishes.    
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Temaki hand roll with imitation crab meat, masago, spicy mayo sauce and avocado. The imitation crab meat was laced with monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Vietnamese-style summer roll
***Caution!*** The imitation crab meat (pictured below) was laced with mono-sodium glutamate (MSG). The shrimp pictured was farm raised.
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Vietnamese style summer roll.
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Vietnamese style summer roll, wrapped in rice paper with an organic romaine leaf, steamed shrimp (farmed), vermicelli rice noodle, carrots, cucumber, imitation crab meat with avocado. (The imitation crab meat in this wrap was laced with monosodium glutamate MSG).
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Vietnamese style summer roll, wrapped in rice paper with an organic romaine leaf, steamed shrimp (farmed), vermicelli rice noodle, carrots, cucumber, imitation crab meat with avocado. (The imitation crab meat in this wrap was laced with monosodium glutamate MSG).

More to come! Food Journey with Raul  Friday May 9, 2014

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