Optimum Health for the 21st Century & Homemade Paleo Salad Dressing

“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food."

Do you ever wonder why our Biblical ancestors seemed so much healthier than people today?  Why is it that carrots are large and orange, strawberries are the size of golfballs, and tomatoes the width of pork chops? Is it true that bigger is really better? Do vibrant colors really indicate higher nutrition content? Also, if there are really 400 varieties of bananas around the world, why do we only see one in our grocery stores today?

To put it simply, before the Agriculture Revolution, civilizations did not have a choice as to whether they were going to harvest cherry sized apples, scrawny purple carrots, or blue corn.  Despite the fact that some of these were difficult to peel, slightly bitter, and smaller in size, people relied on these sources for survival.  Subsequently, these native varieties were significantly higher in protein, fiber, omega fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.

So what happened? Well, we humans got opinionated and decided that forging and hunting for food was not on our agenda. Skilled farmers decided that they were only going to cultivate the most "tasty" versions of food. Next, scientists began experimenting and using breeding techniques in order to mass produce the foods people loved.  By the time the 21st century rolled around, the ability to create new varieties in a matter of hours was obtained through foreign gene insertion (Aka GMO).  Today, a food is deemed a "triumph" if it is disease resistant, attractive, and pleasing to eat, not nutrient dense or disease curing.

So besides the health reasons, in what way do we humans suffer from the lack of wild fruits and vegetables?  One thing that man-made hybrids sold nation wide cannot offer us is simple, FLAVOR!

Every wonder why "pick your own" blueberries taste 10x better than store bought varieties? Well, due to monstrous farms producing an over abundance of American "dream food," long distance shipping became a necessity.  In order for a food to be "shipment worthy," it must be able to be dumped, banged, and machine-handled without ever showing signs of bruising or decay. It must be able to look fresh after up to 6 months in a warehouse, the time in which it endures before appearing on a store's shelf.  It is during this time period that all phytonutrients and natural sugars that once occurred in the plant to make it taste good, vanish. This oxidation process of a plant, in which it slowly burns up its active antioxidants, results in a tasteless, bland, and pale product.  The only way to stop a plant from naturally burning off its compounds is to limit the amount of oxygen and sunlight it encounters.  Therefore, brightly lit, grocery store conditions are fresh fruit and vegetables worst enemy, as they contribute to the rapid removal of their key benefits. 

So what can we do to combat the over-industrialization of our food, the very thing that is supposed to keep us alive?  Really, the answer is quite simple, EAT LOCAL!  Seek out the closest farmer's market or stand in your area and replace your store bought boxes of wilted spinach for handpicked, locally grown, fresh bundles of greens.  It is important to not let the lack of "organic" labels keep your from buying these foods.  Though the "organic" usually identifies something as the best option, an apple picked even one day prior to when it is being sold at the farmers market, has the potential to be 10x more nutrient dense and healthy than an organic, store-bought version from Whole Foods.  However, don't get me wrong, if locally sourced ingredients are not available in your area, Non-GMO, Organic products are the next best option.  If you are into growing your own food, purchasing heirloom seeds and gardening your own food is even better!  Either way, whether you are supporting hard working farmers, or doing the labor yourself, filling your body with the freshest foods possible will help maintain your state of health.

*If you are one of those people that claims to care less about eating anything "good for you," eating local food is still the best option.  No one in their right mind can deny that they would rather eat something bland over a food that is delicious in both texture and flavor!

Interesting Facts:

• Garlic: when raw and fresh, contains antioxidants proven to prevent and fight against diseases. *In order to keep these components alive when cooking, chop and allow it to sit aside for 10 minutes before exposing it to heat. 3 cloves of garlic has the same amount of antibacterial activity as one standard dose of penicillin. 
• Lettuce/leafy greens: to slow the process of oxidization, wash and dry freshly bought lettuce, rip it into pieces, and place into a sealable bag pricked with 10-20 tiny holes.  The lettuce will have 4x the amount of antioxidants as when it was first picked. This is because as a defense mechanism, the lettuce quickly creates extra phytonutrients. If you do this, try and eat the lettuce within the week, as its key nutrients will be oxidizing quickly:  *Dark red varieties contain the same antioxidants that give blueberries and strawberries their vibrant colors. These anthocyanins fight cancer, lower blood pressure, and slow memory loss. 
• Onions: the stronger the flavor, the more antioxidants present.  Green onions in particular are medicinals in Chinese medicine, and have 20% more antioxidants and phytonutrients than a regular, sweet onion.  Both garlic and onions have been used as stamina enhancers for Egyptian slaves, olympic athletes, and civil war soldiers. 
• Artichokes: despite their pale complexion (that is due to the invisible pigment of certain polyphenals), are one of the most nutritious foods. 
• Tomatoes: Smaller & sweeter tomatoes, such as the Cherry, are highest in antioxidants. *Simmering tomatoes (such as a spaghetti sauce), for many hours, actually triples the amount of lycopene present.
• Corn: though once moderate in nutrients, todays corn is stripped of all protein and anthocyanin compounds, and is infused with 40% more sugar. 

• Peaches/nectarines: looks for white flesh varieties, which are 2x higher in bionutrients than yellow flesh kinds.   
• Berries: though full of antioxidants when raw, they are significantly multiplied the longer cooked.
• Grapes: Dark red or even black such as Concord are highest in antioxidants, while Thompson Seedless have little to no resveratrol content. 
• Carrots: keep them whole before cooking to allow the carrots to become sweeter, while also strengthening their ability to fight cancer.
• Watermelons: when left out on the counter for many days after purchasing, they significantly increase in nutritional value.
• Mangoes: contain 5x more vitamin C than an orange.     
• Apples: purchase fruit with bright red flesh all over, as this bright color indicates much sun exposure to the plant that, in defense, created more phytonutrients.       
• Plums: blue, black, an red options are higher in antioxidants than yellow and green varieties.    
• Melons: Honeydew and casaba are least nutritious, except for the orange-fleshed variety, which has significant more beta-carotene than other melons.                                                        

"Eating on the Wild Side," by Jo Robinson, is one of the most intriguing books regarding food and how its changed over the many years of mass-production.  She covers almost every vegetable and fruit available, how ancient civilizations used it, how we can ensure we are growing the original, "wild" varieties, and how to "reclaim the nutrients and flavor we've lost."
I highly recommend reading it, and if you wish to get an inside look as to the topics covered, please visit the following link and locate podcast #14: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/revolution-health-radio/id372257397?mt=2*Visit Jo's website for many other useful and informative resources such as, finding farmers in your area, the whys behind grass-fed meats, and the health benefits of eating this way. 

Wayne from Wayne's Organic

Putnam Farmers Market

Typical farmers market run

The Putnam market, along with the Coventry farmers market, are some of the best sources of affordable, locally farmed food in CT.  The farmers are very friendly, and the food available is super tasty.  Who wouldn't take advantage of this easy resource?! To find out more information, including vendors and selling hours, click on the named links above.  Some items that you are bound to come across in abundance at a farmers market are greens, cucumbers, and radishes.  Since this post is advocating the eating of local foods, I decided to post a simple salad dressing to go with it.  The best thing you can do after purchasing fresh veggies is go home and make a huge salad! In all honesty, the natural flavors are so great, there isn't any need for a dressing.  However, I have been making homemade dressings for my family for some time now, and they all agree that they reign high over store bought versions. As a note, we store ours in a glass bottle similar to this one.

Italian Herb Dressing 
Print Recipe
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 
• 1/2 lemon (juiced)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard *Omit for AIP
• 1-2 tbsp raw honey
• 1 1/2 tsp Real salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel *Omit for AIP

Process:

• Place all ingredients in a blender (I use the MagicBullet), and blend until fully incorporated. 

Recipe Notes
The herbs, garlic, and onion listed can easily be changed to the fresh version.  If you are without certain ingredients, simply substitute with what you have on hand. Experimenting with different flavors and ingredients is one of the many joys of preparing salad dressing at home...Have fun with it, you will be pleasantly surprised as to how quick and simple it really is! 

(Pin Post For Later) 

Genesis 1:29 "Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."