Genetically Modified Foods. Yep, You're Eatin' Them.

Sup, buddha babies?

I've spent my January studying for a short Engineering Ethics class. I did a research project on GMOs and made a lovely presentation for the class. I feel like a illegitimate psuedo-expert on the stuff!

The main issue with GMOs in our food supply is that we have no consent over it. You're eating them. If you eat anything canned or boxed, you're probably eating GMOs. If you eat anything made with soy, you're probably eating GMO. 86% of our corn is GM'd. 93% of our soy is GM'd. Other countries are concerned to the point that they require labels or even BAN GM foods entirely in their country.


click here to see a list of GM foods available on the market.

How are GMOs bad?
People don't like GMOs. There are several health reasons all speculations from correlations (allergy increase) & animal studies (more animals get sick or die when fed GM foods). There is one human study that shows there is some gene transfer (so the GM food genes transfer to your body's bacteria). The study seems really inconclusive of its significance. There are also environmental concerns. And the companies involved in this industry have pulled some nasty moves, but I'll just stick with the health.

How can I avoid them?
You'll hear a lot of people talk about GMOs negatively. And just say "don't buy them!" In order to make sure you're not being a part for the GMO industry, you have to make sure when you buy any of the food on the list or any food (processed or whatever) that has any of those derivatives as an ingredient says "GMO-free" or "organic". If you eat meat or animal products, make sure they are GRASS-FED and/or FREE ROAMING (not "free-range", yes "free-roaming") and organic.

I ain't got money or time for that.
Some of us aren't quite that hard-core about our food purchases. I, personally, feel that people who need to stay away from GMOs the most are those with food allergies and digestive issues. If you're serious about reducing your symptoms in regards to that, I really urge you to do your best to stay GM-free.

And with that, I leave you with this track :3

My Thoughts on Food

So in my last post, I said I would tell you abit about what happened to my whole food thing.

I did start cooking for myself. Cooking vegetables and such. I tried to experiment with some simple recipes and smoothies. Which usually turned out to be disasters. :/ Mhm. Ahem, well...

I was doing more research about ADHD and my allergies. Come to find that the raw food diet has cured so many people of so many conditions. I've been seriosly considering going raw.

Okay, so my opinion about this is going raw for the sake of going raw is really ridiculous and kind of stupid. I get annoyed by people who do cleanses for the sake of doing a cleanse or being 100% raw 100% of the time. It doesn't make sense. I feel like these kind of drastic things are for people who are trying to "fix" something. And I have something to fix.

However, more and more I become very indifferent about my ADD. Okay, so it takes me 4 hours to do a 30 minute assignment? I don't care anymore. My allergies have been getting a lot better since I've been doing the Neti Pot and local honey. And I am currently being fed food from the cafeteria. So my food adventures are kind of on hold for now.

Anyways, I need to get back to studying. Just wanted to update a little bit. :)

The Darker the Berry, the Sweeter the Juice

I've been so busy with school, but now it's spring break. I have time to relax and update this blog! I also want to note that a friend and I are going to attempt a research project that I will be telling you about later.

I was going through my usual articles and I've decided to abide by a rule I just now made up:

THE DARKER IT IS, THE BETTER.

For example, if you have the option of a dark grape or a white grape, eat the dark one:
See this article

Or if you have the option of red beans or black beans... eat the black one!
See this article

Can you think of any other foods that this rule applies to?

Raw Food Diet?

I hear RAVING reviews about the raw food diet! Check out all these happy people!

It seems like the first 2 weeks are rough, but once you get past it... your life might be changed completely. I MIGHT do this one day. But now, I am really convinced that most of your diet should be vegetables.








Of course, there are people who are AGAINST the raw food diet, but I see way too many energetic happy people to not wonder that there is something to this.

I Bought Maca

So, I've given up on my diligent hair adventure. After a summer of incredibly growth and satisfaction, things seem to be slowing down. It could be stress. Now that I am in school. Even though I have been trying to reduce stress, living with my parents is not easy. Every single day... I don't even have to have DONE anything. They find SOME reason to make me feel bad about myself. Its incredibly annoying and it is very stressful. To come home and have someone ask you questions about things that happened a month ago because they are wanting to berate you and psychologically beat you into being whatever it is they want you to be.

I am still going to put on my calendar when I do chemicals... ugh. Let's not even talk about chemicals. I /really/ want to do a 3 month stretch. The only thing in my way is my mother. I've been putting my foot down more and more and more. I've been releasing more and more of my ideas. Where as before, I'd hold back to make tension less, I have been slowly increasing tension whenever she asks me something that has to do with my desires or beliefs. Last time, we went a month and a half. Hoping to double that this time.

So yes, I will still calendar chemicals, hair braiding, and take photos of growth. But that's it. No more "challenges" or obsessing over taking something every single day. I have my list of things to do and I will take them and not feel bad for missing a day.

But I have a new pill to add to my regime. As if the 2 - 4 wasn't bad enough.

MACA!

It will supposedly enhance my womanly shape (rounder hips and breasts) and give me more energy! And a few other benefits, but those two are the main reasons I bought this. On top of the fact that I have high testosterone levels and I get hormonal acne.

Equinox

Wow. After taking a peek inside Lululemon, I got a free guest pass for a gym called Equinox. Y'all, this gym is unlike any I've ever seen. It is so beautiful and artsy inside. And the music they play over the loud speakers is exactly what I listen to in my free time (MIA, Santogold, Of Montreal, Black Eyed Peas, etc.). Its one of those places that the actual places looks just as good as the photos of it. --- Actually, scratch that. I'm not even going to put photos of it because the photos of it online do not do this place justice. I'll rephrase it... the warm fuzzy feeling you get from looking at the website (www.equinox.com) is the same feeling you get when you're actually inside it.

It has a rather large price tag on it, as you can imagine. But definitely just go in to SEE this place if you're into awesome looking businesses.

Here is a list of classes I've taken so far:
Skinny Jeans Workout
This was a leg intensive workout. It really did a good job on getting to every bit of my BUTT muscle! T_T Ow! You don't need shoes for this workout and a girl even came in already wearing jeans for the work out. This is definitely a toning-oriented workout.

SILER-Centric Pilates
This was my first Pilates class. Yeck! I don't like Pilates! Its another one of those things that requires strange positions and "you shouldn't feel any _____ in your ______. If you do, you're doing it wrong" and I feel doomed to always be "doing it wrong" forever. It starts out with a lot of strange leg work, then arm work (I HATE arm work), ab work, then ... I don't even know. Its pilates on a cushiony mat. And I probably will never do this again.

Commotion!
Phew! Now, THIS is my kind of workout! It is basically circuit training. We start at 1 station for 2 minutes then keep switching. Take a break, then do them all again for 1 minute. Take a break. Then do them for 30 seconds. Its great for someone like me who gets bored easily and also loses endurance very quickly! Its a cardio and strength/toning.

Hip Hop
Aheh, naturally, I was quite into THIS class. Its hip hop dance lesson. The style of dance was actually really jazz-y and feminine. I wouldn't recommend this class for dudes, hehe. I had a lot of fun. I noticed my choreo skills have improved a lot, especially my ability to improvise and play around with the choreography!!

I also found out that I am probably lactose-intolerant. Milk makes me want to barf (hence, I only drink 1/4th of any starbucks drink I order). I found out their hot chocolate is essentially milk and mocha which made me go "NO WONDER I COULD ONLY TAKE 5 SIPS WITHOUT WANTING TO BARF!". They replaced milk with soy milk and I was able to finish my whole drink. This settles it. We, humans, are not supposed to be drinking cow-milk, anyways!! Its a cause of ADD and acne in some people. I'll do more research on this later.

Fast Food Everywhere!

It is REALLY hard to stop eating fast food and unhealthy foods here at school! Because EVERYONE is ALWAYS eating it!

I feel like I need to make sure I always have with me my healthy alternative otherwise I will succumb to my surroundings. Also, I need to do my best to stop eating the free pizza and cookies the school organizations give out all the time! Yikes! This is so hard! Especially when you want to be money-saavy!

On the up side, I just found my school's organic community garden! I was so excited! I am not sure who runs it or if we get to cook with the veggies or anything, but I will do my best to find out!