Organic- we all know about organic fruits and vegetables, but do we ever really consider organic meat? Grass-fed meat is something within the last year that I’ve started to adapt into my eating routine. There’s no reason not to eat grass-fed and the benefits are outrageous. Of course there’s the old-timer knowledge not to eat too much red meat, that it’s bad for cholesterol (same crap as with eggs). I try to eat red meat at least once a day; preferably grass-fed (or I eat venison obtained through my own hunting endeavors). I can tell the difference (and it upsets my stomach a little) when I eat grain-fed cattle. I’ve already talked about us not eating grains, so why would we abdicate feeding it to our meat sources, when they weren’t evolutionary developed to eat that way either. Grain-fed produce is seriously lacking in nutrients as well!
Why am I so adamant about grass-fed meat? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits. It’s high in “good fats”, such as
omega-3 (which we’ve been over again and again, but it is that important; we’re striving for that 1:1 ratio). It contains three times more omega-3 than conventional store bought meat (which is also extremely high in omega-6). What does this do? Once again, omega-3 is great for heart health (lower blood pressure and decreased risk of heart attack) and brain health (lower risk depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease). In addition, it may reduce the risk of certain cancers and in some animal studies it has shown that higher levels of omega-3 may result in cancer patients having a better response to chemotherapy. One report I read claimed that eggs from pastured hens can contain as much as 20 times more omega-3 than factory hen eggs (Wow)! It also claimed that 40% of Americans don’t get enough omega-3’s and that 20% had levels that could not be detected! That’s insane, so doesn’t it make since to make the effort to try and increase your intake (besides grass fed, you can increase fish (although you have to be leery of contamination there) or with fish oil). In case I haven’t convinced you yet there are more reasons to eat grass-fed! It is one of the best sources of
conjugated linoleic acid or CLA (it contains 5 times the amount found in traditional meat). What’s so great about this? It may be one of the best defenses against cancer. In animal studies, small amounts of it have been shown to reduce tumor growth. In addition, in a Finnish study, women with high CLA had a 60% lower risk of breast cancer than those with lower levels! Let’s not leave out that vitamin E in grass-fed cattle is four times higher (great antioxidant linked with lower risk of heart disease and cancer). Not enough? Grass-fed beef is
lower in calories. A 6 ounce grass-fed steak has 100 fewer calories than a traditional 6 ounce steak. It claimed that by switching to grass-fed people could save 17,733 calories a year (that’s six pounds alone, eating the same thing just a different source)!
Now that I’ve convinced you that you’re only going to eat grass-fed meat, we can get down to basis of this article; where to find it in the Midwest. Although most may be under the impression that eating organically is more expensive (in two weeks I’ll run a special on the cost of eating organically), really it’s worth all the added health benefits. I’m going to be featuring three local farms that I’ve dealt with, but if you’re not based in the Terre Haute area, I would recommend searching at local farmer’s markets or at the grocery store look for labels that say USDA organic or grass-fed. I also stumbled across a website
eatwild.com, which had a state-by-state list of grass-fed farms (this would probably be the best source to find sources in your area). Buying from local farms also supports local economics and is more beneficial to the environment (if you live from a green perspective) and to the animals because they’re raised in a less-stressful environment. Grass-fed meat tastes differently because they are a product of their environment. Also since they tend to be leaner than most meats they need to be cooked at lower temperatures, for a shorter time. Ok so let’s get down to it and see some of these farms, so that we can see were our meat is coming from!
First farm that we visited was
Royer Farms in Vermillion County, owned and operated by Nikki and Scott Royer. Their twin sons living on the farm makes the sixth generation on the farm (it's been in their family since 1874). They have pastured hogs, chickens, sheep, cattle, and turkeys. Their meat is butchered mostly by a local butcher (just down the road from their farm). A great way to purchase the meat is in wholes like 1/4, 1/2 or whole animals. They sale it per pound of meat, and not by carcass weight, because they view that as fair (they strive to work with their clients to give them what is best for them; including cuts too). They asses what the family needs (like size) to determine what is best. They were the only farm we visited with lamb products. Generally pig yields 100+ lbs of meat, sheep about 50-75 lbs, and cows around 300 lbs. Like I said their animals are pasture raised, with access to grass and rotational grazing (they're also given pellets with protein and vitamins). Electric fences are set up for an area of grazing, rather than just the whole field (the animals will just pick over and not eat everything, so by giving them smaller patches at a time they forced what is there (plus it's better for the fields that way too). They also sell eggs (both blue and brown eggs). About 15% of their cattle our 100% grass-fed, the other percent have access to corn (although they would rather raise only 100% grass-fed). They have a variety of products and cuts (including bacon and sausages as well). If you want to visit them to get product call or email ahead of time, but I would recommend purchasing their products at Baeslar's or at fresh markets. It's great that they sell products at Baeslar's because of convience (anyone can go at any time that they need and find their products). If you have time on the weekends to go to the market then that's great too! Saturdays you can find them at the Terre Haute market (June- October 8 am- noon), Broad Ripple market, or at the Fischer's market (these last two are great for our Avon based clients). You can order through their website as well at royerfarmfresh.com. They were great to visit, they believe strongly in what they do, and about raising animals they way they were meant to be raised, and providing quality products for the clients.
Next we have
L & A Farm located just over the border in Illinois (don't worry though they have their products butchered at a USDA certified location so they can sell in Indiana and Illinois). It's owned and operated by Brian and Andrea Lau, and Kevin and Joyce Augustus. Not only do they have chickens, cattle, and now turkeys, but they also have vegetables. Their 5 acres of gardens have green beans, tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, and more. They grow everything from their own seeds to greenhouse to the field. They rotate their meat animals and veggie farm (to fertilize and break the weed cycle). They get 200 meat chickens from a hatchery, where they keep them in a breeder for 3 weeks before they're put onto grass, then after 7-8 weeks they're ready for process. They're kept in by an electrical fence which is portable to allow for rotational grazing. They also have two different kinds of egg chickens, and they're licensed to sell retail and wholesale (you can find their eggs at Baeslars). They just recently got turkeys for the first time. They're still in the breeder house, but will soon be moved to grass, where they hope to have as much success with them as with the chickens (they have had great success with their fencing and few preditor problems). Next we saw the cattle, which are again controlled by fencing to decipher how much grass they eat. This way they're forced to eat everything and it's better for the grass. They joked that they view themselves as grass-farmers, that the cattle just happen to be there to even out the grass. They also don't use any antibiotics or growth hormone, so however long (even if it takes 2 1/2 years) the animals need to reach full size, then that's all that matters. They're very passionate about their business and have an open door policy (but be polite and email or call ahead of time). They realize the health benefits of grass-fed meat, but they believe in raising animals the way they were meant to be raised (letting a chicken be a chicken). During the summers they sell their products at the Paris and Terre Haute markets on Saturdays. You can also find them outside of Terre Haute location. Visit their website l&afamilyfarms.com to check out more information and pricing on products.
: The farmland has been in their family since 1851 when David and Magdalena Jergelehner moved from and bought 104 acres in Clay County, now five generations later it's owned and operated by Alan and Mary Yegerlehner. In the 90's they began switching to a more pastural farming system. IN 1998 they eliminated all grain, and the cows graze all year round. They strive to raise the cows on a natural seasonal cycle. In addition to selling grass fed meat, they also make raw chesses (I'll write another blog on raw cheese because if you eat cheese, raw is the way to go). They have a variety of grass-fed (jerky, salami, and pepperoni as well) in addition to whey-fed pastured pork and pasture-fed veal. You can go to their on-farm store (with fridges full of salami's and cheeses, and freezers full of meat cuts). They also sell at the Bloomington and Zionsville markets. Check out their website
http://www.swissconnectioncheese.com/ for more information.
Final thoughts: I loved visiting these farms. I know for ost it's not convient to visit fams, but it's great to see where your food is coming from and how it's raised. The farmers are passionate and truely care about not only quality product, but also in raising their animals in a stressed-reduced, natural environment. Once you know what to look for (again I highly recommend the eatwild.com) it's not so hard to find. Check farms, markets and groceries. So support your local economy and give yourself a yummy healthy meat option.
A lot of people think that they need to stay away from nuts; they're too high in fat (although we know fat is not bad) or too high in calories. Today I'm here to tell you how wonderful almonds are (although technically they're not nuts, they are the seeds of almond fruit). Better than the other foods that we've looked at because they're not seasonal, you can buy them year round (although they are freshest in mid-summer). They're versatile and can be served sweet or savory! So why so much hype for almonds? They are high in monounsaturated fat (like we discussed in olive oil). Monounsaturated fat intake is associated with a reduced risk in heart disease. It has more though to help with the heart than just fat, though. Almonds are great sources of magnesium (a lack of which promotes free radical injury to the heart) and potassium (an electrolyte involved in nerve transmission and muscle contraction, including the heart). One study showed that eating nuts four times a week helped lower the risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease. They help to lower LDL (bad cholesterol levels) levels. Eating in whole form is best though. Flavonoids in the skin work with vitamin E in the meat to more than double the antioxidants, and reduce LDL's resistance to oxidation by 53.8%. I am adamant about controlling insulin levels (which is why I don't consume foods like grain, starches, and sugars which spike blood glucose levels), but almonds have been shown to decrease a rise in blood sugar after meals. One study showed that eating more almonds at a meal actually lowed the GI (glycemic index) of the carbohydrates in the meal, thus preventing the spike in blood glucose levels. Greater yet is almonds affects on weight. A study showed that eating a low calorie diet incorporating almonds vs. a low calorie diet with complex carbohydrates helped shed pounds 39% more efficiently! In addition to a 96% reduction in diabetes medications, compared to 50% by the other diet. You won't gain weight eating almonds either. In Spain people who ate almonds two times a week were 31% less likely to gain weight than those who didn't consume any. Just one ounce of almonds a week for women has been shown to reduce the risk of gallstones by 25%. It just keeps getting better too, because they are great sources of protein (7.62 g in 1/4 cup) and we discussed the importance of protein on Monday. Almonds are great! They're easy to transport or add to any dish (add some to sliced apples and cinnamon or to a salad, even better with olive oil as dressing). Next week we'll delve further into almonds and explore the world of almond products, like almond butter or almond mill. Until then grab a handful and enjoy, your heart will love you for it; as well as your waist line!
We're going to keep it nice and simple today, with something most people should know about: multivitamins. Multivitamins are a supplement for everyone, but it's even more important for those without a varied or well-balanced diet (because they're not getting enough vitamins through consumption). When there's a deficiency then we are at risk for illness.Humans need 13 essential vitamins (A, C, D, E, K, B12 and 7 B complex vitamins). A multivitamin is important because it improves overall functioning and boosts physical and mental health and well-being. Also it's great because it combats stress (we've talked about the repercussions of stress) and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Studies in the elderly have shown they can improve immune function, thus reducing infectious disease. We focus on it because it's important for those training to take a regular vitamin. Training increases free radicals, when we're involved in an exercise program we should increase the intake of antioxidants like beta-carotene, and vitamins C and E to ensure healthy strong bones and joints. Others who should take multivitamins regularly are those older than 55, consume lots of alcohol, those with busy lives, who have colds, smokers, athletes, and routine aspirins. Pregnant women could use a multivitamin the most though, because it's important for them to pass on those essential vitamins to their unborn child. When looking for a multivitamin, buy from a trusted source. They make a variety of vitamins for different age groups and categories (like men,women, or pregnant women). Try to buy liquid multivitamins because they have been proven to absorb 5 times more efficiently than pill vitamins. It's simple and straight forward (something we all should know), take a vitamin for overall health benefits.
Last week we discussed the first part of my exercise routine-slow aerobic activity. Today we're going to look at the other part, which is sprinting. Once again I'm going to reiterate the downfalls of high intensity aerobics. Honestly who wants to run for at least a half hour at time! I don't find that enjoyable, I'd rather spend less time doing sprint work (it's far more enjoyable); getting more results and better health benefits. We'll do a recap though of the pitfalls of long duration high intensity aerobics. It requires large amounts of carbohydrates (which I don't promote the consumption of starchy, grainy and sugary foods), promotes hyperinsulinemia (over production of insulin), increases production of free radicals, and for some it can increase cortisol levels (check last Thursday article). Humans were made for low aerobic activity or for "fight or flight" (sprinting). Look at our ancestors. They spent all day performing their daily routine (low aerobic) and when they needed to survive (whether they were hunting or being hunted) they would call on their ATP-PC system to provide a short burst of energy to escape the lion. What's even better is that the initial ATP burst generates a growth spurt that creates leaner, stronger muscles. Sprinting has other benefits as well: increases aerobic capacity, increases insulin sensitivity, increase muscle fiber strength, increases number and size of muscle mitochondria, increases growth hormone production, increase VO2 peak, and lowers blood pressure. A Scottish study showed that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is productive in raising metabolism, and for bettering insulin action and glucose clearance. A seperate study at McMaster University in Canada showed that sprint training provided improvement structure and function of heart vessels. What kind of sprint training should you do then? I do sprint training 2 days a week (Tuesday and Saturday mornings). I do six 100's on the track and then I take my shoes off and do four barefoot sprints in the grass. I like to do progressive sprints so that I only sprint all out the last 20 meters or so. The barefoot running I do only at half speed because I want to avoid injuries and the grass has holes and can be uneven, so that turning an ankle is easy. I have worked up to this load; someone just starting should ease into. Start out with two or three and ease your way up. Besides the fact that we were made for these short bursts, look at runners. Compare a sprinter to a long distance marathoner. Hopefully you recognize Usain Bolt up above (the fastest man in the world). He has lean and strong looking muscles compare to that of a long distance runner. Long distance runners tend to be less muscular and can even appear somewhat sickly. Pesonally I think I would rather spend less time training at higher intensity and look leaner and stronger!
