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Romaine Lettuce is Safe Again

May 17, 2018 By Dr. Turshá

According to the CDC, it is now safe to eat Romaine Lettuce again.

If you recall, there have been a string of illnesses relating to people trying to do what is right and healthy by eating more leafy green veggies, namely by eating more salads. Unfortunately, because the romaine lettuce that came out of Yuma, AZ was contaminated with e Coli, over 170 got very ill, and one person passed away. These illnesses happened all over the U.S. After some investigation, it was found that all of the contaminated lettuce came from a farm in Yuma, a tiny town in Arizona.

How do we know it’s safe?

One thing to keep in mind when considering if you want to risk eating romaine lettuce again is this: ALL fresh produce has a shelf-life. It can only be on the shelf for so long before it starts to whither and go bad. For romaine lettuce that is 21 days.  In just 3 short weeks, all the lettuce in your fridge is no good if you have not yet eaten it (so eat up!) The reason why we can start to trust this 21 day rule for this particular batch of lettuce is that the growing season in Yuma is officially over and the last batch of lettuce is well over 21 days old.

What to do if you are still worried

If you are still worried about eating romaine lettuce, here are 3 tips that can help you ease your fears and know that the fresh greens that you are eating are safe.

  • Buy from local farmers: by getting your produce from a local grower, you are likely to have food that was grown with more care. This is also usually more tasty because it is picked at the peak of ripeness.
  • Buy from smaller farms: by purchasing your food from smaller farms and gardeners, you are less likely to have the conditions that can lead to contamination of e Coli.
  • Eat a variety: I heard someone once say that they couldn’t eat a salad because they didn’t want to eat romaine lettuce. PLEASE remember that there are more salad greens that just romaine! Broaden your salad experience by opening your eyes and your pallet to experiencing different salad greens on your next plate.  Here are just a few examples of leafy salad greens that you should try:
    • Red Leaf
    • Green Leaf
    • Butter Lettuce
    • Baby Chard
    • Baby Spinach
    • Bok choy
    • Arugula

You should also consider trying different pre-made salad mixes like Spring Mix or one of the blends with Arugula or Dandelion.

There’s no limit

There’s really no limit to how you can vary up your salad experience. You don’t have to fear eating Romaine lettuce and you don’t have to stop eating salads. Just start eating a greater variety and know that you are doing good for your body!

Want delicious and easy salad dressings?

If you’d like to make your salads even better, read  THIS and THIS about making your own salad dressings!  And if you’d like over 100 easy-to-make salad dressing recipes, get my new book Get Dressed Up!  You can purchase your copy HERE!!

Filed Under: Get Dressed Up!, In The News Tagged With: dr tursha hamilton, drtursha, Get Dressed Up, health, salad, salad dressing

To Organic or Not To Organic

May 6, 2018 By Dr. Turshá

To Organic or Not To Organic

When people decide to get healthy and eat clean the very first thing that most people usually do is give up meat. Mostly red meat, but sometimes also pork, chicken, and seafood.  After the meat goes, it’s usually the desire to eat organic. The question is always, “to organic, or not to organic?”  One big reason why people choose to go organic is because they believe that organic is the ULTIMATE version of ‘healthy’. The reason most people don’t actually go organic is because it can be more costly, unfortunately. But other people will weigh the risks vs the benefits and decide to go organic.  So, what should you do?  Let’s explore.

But What is Organic?

First, let’s talk about what organic is NOT!  Organic does not mean the same as “Healthy”.  There is no guarantee that something that is organic is going to be healthier than something that is not. This is where the controversy lies with regard to whether or not we should eat organic or not.  The reality is that understanding whether or not something is healthier for you is more nuanced. It is much more than putting a word or a label on it.

The official USDA definition of organic is this:

  • Produce: fruits and veggies are labeled organic when they have been proven to be grown in soil that had no “prohibited substances” for at least 3 years prior to harvest. This means that in general, no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides were used to grow the food.
  • Meats: organic meats were “raised in living conditions that accommodating their natural behaviors”, were allowed to forage for some portion of their food, was given organic feed, and is free from antibiotics and hormones. This means that the cow, for example, was allowed to graze on some grass, and was given organic food while not being injected with antibiotics or any kind of hormones.

Is Organic Healthier?

Organic is definitely a healthier option. In my opinion, it is food the way it was intended. When food is not grown with extra chemicals or tampering (genetically modifying it) then it’s easier for your body to recognize it and process it to get the nutrients out.

Organic foods MAY have more nutrients, but how much nutrition that is in a food depends on the soil that it was grown in (healthier soil makes healthier foods) as well as when it was harvested (vine-ripened foods generally have more foods and better flavor than those that were picked un-ripe and ripened on the shelf).

Isn’t it more expensive?

Many times organic foods are more expensive, but there are many factors that contribute to this.

  1. Organic certification is a costly process. The farmers that do it have to pay a LOT of money to get that designation, so it is passed down to the consumer, YOU.
  2. A big reason your conventionally grown food is usually less expensive is because it has been subsidized by the government. Meaning that the government pays the farmer for part of your food. This doesn’t happen with organic foods so you have to pay ALL the costs. Not just the remaining cost after subsidization.
  3. Food is supposed to have an expiration date. Since it does, that means that your food that it grown without certain chemicals will likely go bad before the other type (and that’s not a bad thing!)
  4. Food is often eaten out of season. If the season for a food is not now, then it will be more expensive because it has to be shipped from further away. You are basically paying shipping and handling for that fresh fruit in December that only grows in the Summer.

These are just a few reasons why organic food seems to be so much more expensive than other. There are ways that you can begin incorporating more Organic foods into your diet without breaking the bank.  Stay tuned for the “Dirty Dozen, Clean 15” blog post coming soon!

Do you incorporate organic foods into your diet on a regular basis? Why or why not?

 

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: dr tursha hamilton, drtursha, Get Dressed Up, salad, salad dressing

Top 5 Tips to Make Perfect Salad Dressing

April 29, 2018 By Dr. Turshá

If you’ve been reading my last few blogs, you know that I’m like really, REALLY into making my own salad dressings these days… like REALLY into it!  I mean, it’s just so easy and the end results are usually so amazing that I can’t understand why I wouldn’t want to make my own!  But, you may not quite be where I am. You might still be a little intimidated by the whole process. OR you may have not even thought much about it because it seems like such a daunting task (hint: it is NOT!).  So if you are one of those people that are not on the salad dressing train, I’m here to help you out. Here are the 5 top tips that I’ve learned to make PERFECT salad dressings every. single. TIME! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Get Dressed Up!, Health Tagged With: drtursha, Get Dressed Up, salad, salad dressing

4 Must-Have Flavors of a Great Dressing

April 22, 2018 By Dr. Turshá

To make a great salad dressing there are a few things that you MUST consider.

You MUST consider that there are 4 flavors that need to be in each dressing, sauce and marinade that you make in order to make it successful. Understanding this will greatly speed up learning curve, elevate your culinary skills and make you a salad dressing MASTER in no time flat. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Get Dressed Up!, Health, Yum! Tagged With: drtursha, Get Dressed Up, holistic health, salad, salad dressing

You Should ALWAYS Make Your Own Salad Dressing

April 15, 2018 By Dr. Turshá

There are MANY reasons why you should make our own salad dressing.  Like… a LOT of reasons, but here are 11 of my top reasons why you should begin to make your own. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Get Dressed Up!, Health, Yum! Tagged With: drtursha, Get Dressed Up, holistic health, salad, salad dressing

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