Choosing the Right Toothpaste for your Family

Have you really looked at the back of a tube of toothpaste lately. I decided to for today's post and felt a little confused. Let's see...dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, sodium lauryl sulfate, cellulose gum, flavor (??), tetrasodium pyrophosphate, fluoride, sodium saccharin...and the list goes on. I'm no chemist so I had to head over to Wikipedia to check out what all this means. I found that one of these chemicals is an inorganic form of calcium and phosphate - the same form found in alot of kidney stones; one of the chemicals could cause mouth or "canker" sores; one is an ester of sulphuric acid and has been deemed "highly irritating" to skin and mucus membranes; another removes calcium and magnesium from your saliva to prevent tartar build-up (does that seem strange to anyone else - I might need that calcium and magnesium); and of course one is a known carcinogen (points if you guess the right one). I was bothered by what was listed on the toothpaste tube, but what bothered me more was the generic term "flavor" on the tube. Where does the "flavor" come from? Then there is the fluoride debate and studies are showing that fluoride may actually be harmful over time by causing flourosis. That coupled with a 2005 World Health Organization report that countries that fluoridate their water and toothpaste have the same rates of dental decay as countries that don't.

After looking at commercial toothpastes, I turned to a few natural toothpastes that my family has been using and really like. My kid's love Tom's Silly Strawberry. I mean seriously, they will go in the bathroom and brush their teeth without me asking and sometimes several times throughout the day. For myself and my husband we have used Tom's Whole Care and Nature's Gate Cool Mint Gel. For the most part, these brands rate much better. Their flavors are clearly listed and they are from natural sources. We really like the taste and I can get my kids to brush with them. Unfortunately, they still contained a few suspect ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate, calcium glycerophosphate, methylparaben, and zinc citrate trihydrate. Alot of natural toothpastes also contain fluoride.

I feel the need to say something here especially as I've spent some time this week reading about the 1,4 Dioxane controversy as it relates to natural lotions and soaps. Much of the cosmetic ingredient industry goes unregulated, but all companies, natural or not, must bring a product to market that will have a shelf life of 3 years. It must go three years without molding or growing bacteria. This is nearly impossible to do with a natural ingredient that was created to start decomposing as soon as it is picked or harvested. These companies add things (usually chemicals) to prevent this decomposition from happening. Natural companies mostly try to add safe things to do this. We don't always know if a product is safe or not. I'm not excusing deception or purposely adding known harmful chemicals to products. I guess I'm wondering if the trade-off for purchasing convenient commercially prepared products will always be some exposure to chemicals? Today it is 1,4 Dioxane, but the next preservative, emulsifying agent, or thickener is already out there and we think it's safe and it probably isn't. It follows my good, better, best theory. It's good to brush your teeth with something, even if it's commercial toothpaste :). It's better to brush with something more natural like Tom's or Nature's Gate. It's probably best if you have the time and resources (and you can get your kids to brush with it) to make your own toothpaste that doesn't have to last 3 years and doesn't have extra preserving ingredients.

And on that note...I found this recipe for making your own toothpaste. I think I might try it!

Ingredients

Baking soda (It's a natural cleansing agent and it polishes and whitens your teeth as well)

Table salt

Hydrogen Peroxide (This will naturally disinfect your teeth)

Stevia (This is optional, but will naturally sweeten the mix)

Peppermint oil (This is also optional as a flavoring agent.)

1. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into a mixing bowl.


2. Add a dash of salt.


3. Add 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide.


4. Add 1 drop of peppermint oil.


5. Add a dash of stevia (more if you want it sweeter).


6. Mix it all up until it becomes past like. You may be to add more hydrogen peroxide to get the right consistency.


7. Store in a glass jar to keep it from drying out.

Note: If you aren't a big fan of peppermint, try ground cinnamon or vanilla extract.

If you are looking to whiten your teeth - check out Shannan's post on Eco-friendly Beauty Tips which includes a recipe for natural teeth whitening.

I have to tell you that this post did not go where I was hoping. My intention was to guide you to a few natural toothpastes and somehow I ended up on a "soap" box. :) I considered scrapping the whole idea, but thought you might be trying to make some of the same decisions that I am and I hope the information was helpful. By the way, here is an interesting website I found while researching this post that describes certain beauty and cosmetic ingredients and rates their safety. Very helpful!

Karla

Improving Your Child's Nutrition

A couple weeks ago my girl's preschool did 'Healthy You' week. I took this as an opportunity to introduce the other preschool moms to Living A Whole Life so I made a little flyer and took in some business cards. This immediately sparked conversation about how they could get their kids to eat better. In some ways I found it difficult to provide general information. Each child is different and each family is at a different level of nutritional awareness. Ever since, I have been thinking about what moms and dads can do to encourage healthy eating and what some of the roadblocks are that stop them from doing so.

Give your children the gift of good nutrition. Teaching your kids to eat healthy now is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. It is right up there with love, self esteem, and a good education if you ask me. As some of you already know, this is not an easy gift to give. It takes some extra time and effort to both shop for and prepare healthy foods (mostly because it is not a habit for us either) and to get your kids to eat them. So the next time your kids are begging for sugar cereal at the grocery store, be strong and remember that the gift you give them today will last a lifetime.

Start talking today. Whether your child is 2 or 12, it is important to start talking to them about good nutrition today. Yes, I know old habits are hard to break, but if you engage your child in the converation about why eating healthy foods is important they may be more willing to try a few new things. For example, I have always made a big deal about growing up strong and smart with my girls who just turned 5. At a very young age we made jokes about how treats or chips go to our butts, but good foods like fruits and veggies go to our brain, our muscles and our bones. They still ask me where certain foods go and giggle in anticipation of the answer. Older kids may relate to getting better grades or getting better at their favorite sport.

Model the behavior. Monkey see, monkey do when it comes to smaller children. Changing your child's mind will not happen with words alone. You must personally jump on board by, as Ghandi says, "being the change that you want to see in the world." For instance, sorry in advance J, but Karla and I have a brother-in-law who is a really picky eater. He turns his nose up at tons of different kinds of foods without thinking of how that looks to his children. Today at 10 and nearly 8, they too are extremely picky eaters. Hmmm.

Now I will let you in on a little secret (glad my kids can't read too well yet)...I don't like raw tomatoes. I love them cooked, but still with as many times as I have tried them, I just don't like 'em raw. The key here is, my kids have no idea that I don't like them. I have never spoken the words or made a big deal of it at all. They love raw tomatoes and want to eat them off my salad all the time. What a nice mom I am, I let them have my tomatoes every time!

Make gradual changes (sneaky if you have to). You can't expect your kids to react well to a complete eating overhaul all at once. You wouldn't like it if someone did that to you, so make changes slowly. A couple good places to start: if you are a white bread family, make sandwiches with one piece of white and one piece of whole wheat bread and eventually change it all over to whole wheat. Or, if your kids eat peanut butter and jelly a couple times a week like mine do, mix equal parts regular peanut butter with natural peanut or almond butter. Get them used to the no sugar nut butter and eventually switch completely. I am actually in the process of changing the peanut butter right now. I'll let you know how it goes over.

Encourage your kids to try new things. Now this can be a toughy for a lot of adults let alone kids. I am a firm believer though that if you don't try it you won't know if you like it. When the girls were really little, like 2 1/2 or so, we would make salmon and call it salmon-chicken. They knew they liked chicken so they tried it. We have since dropped the chicken, they know it is fish and it is family favorite. Side note: I wasn't a big fan of salmon because my mom often made salmon patties which smelled really bad to me growing up. My husband got me to try the real thing and I love it! Tip: Try the 'no thank you bite' rule. Put the new food on your child's plate and if they refuse to eat it ask them to take at least one bite and then they can say 'no thank you' to the rest. This encourages an open mind without the pressure of having to eat it all and who knows they may like something.

Don't make dinner a battleground. I know it is frustrating when kids don't like what you made or won't eat what you think is a decent amount of food, but try to stop yourself from letting mealtime turn into wartime. Let your child know that this is what is for dinner and that you hope they will at least try it. I would encourage you to introduce new things a little at a time and always make sure there is at least one item on your child's plate that you know they will eat. Do not bribe them to eat in order to get a treat afterward. This sets a bad precident. And, once dinner is done (no more than a 1/2 hour) just remove their plate from the table and call it good. A fight over food every night will do nothing but escalate a battle of wills and associate bad feelings with dinnertime for everyone.

There is no clean plate club at our house either. I want my children to rely on their bodies to tell them when they are full, not me. On the other hand, I have one little wild girl who needs some encouragement to eat so she usually gets stuck having to take 2 or 3 more bites of certain things before she is officially done. I think she just plans for it now. She often asks if she needs to take 1, 2 or 3 more bites of something. FYI, the answer is always 3.

Good luck!
- Shannan

What's In Your Medicine Cabinet??

Tea Tree Oil

A really great natural remedy to keep on hand for home emergencies is a small bottle of Tea Tree Oil. Tea tree oil is a pale essential oil taken from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia which is native to the northeast cost of New South Wales, Australia. Tea tree oil undiluted has a very strong camphoraceous odor (or as my husband described it "like gasoline"). No really it's not that strong. This oil has several very helpful uses around the house.

• It's an antiseptic for wound disinfection, insect or spider bites;


• It's an anti fungal that can be used to treat athlete's foot and fungal nail infections;


• Shampoos with 5% tea tree oil effectively treat dandruff and even kill lice;


• It's a great treatment for acne and general skin care. Add it to your bottle of oil when doing the oil cleansing method for even greater results;


• It's a great topical anti-viral treatment, especially when used for the herpes virus, cold sores, chicken pox, shingles blisters, and warts; and


• tea tree oil can be used in mouth wash for dental and oral health; or as a gargle for colds, and sore throats. It's important to remember not to swallow the gargle as tea tree oil is harmful when swallowed;

Pick yourself up a bottle of this wonderful home remedy. You can add it to your shampoo; dilute with distilled water, or cold pressed vegetable oil to make a rinse or salve. You can add a teaspoon of tea tree oil to a cup of water or natural soap for a wonderful disinfectant spray or wash that will even kill mold or mildew around the house.

One word of caution, tea tree oil is harmful when swallowed. It has been reported to cause drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, coma, unsteadiness, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset, blood cell abnormalities, and severe rashes. It should be kept away from pets and children.

Karla

Avoiding Healthy Eating Sabotage

We have all heard of friends and family sabotaging someone's diet when they are trying hard to lose weight, but do any of you feel that your healthy lifestyle is ever unwittingly sabotaged by those around you? It happens to me every once in a while and today was one of those days. Not a big deal, but it got me thinking about why people care at all about what I do or don't eat.

As a stay-at-home mom, I have control over the food I buy and the food I eat. I don't have the issues of lunch out with customers or traveling. I hold my diet to a fairly high standard and although I am not always perfect (and never will be), my bad eating today is nothing like my bad eating was 10 or 15 years ago. So why do I bring all of this up?

Even with the knowledge and self-control I have on a daily basis, I still fall into situations where I actually feel pressure to compromise my eating habits to please others. Kristen's Raw mentions in her book, The Easy Way to Get Started & Succeed at the Raw Food Vegan Diet & Lifestyle, that people feel that their way of life is under scrutiny when you choose to eat a certain way. She says that many people will assume, from your dietary choices, that you think you're somehow superior to them...not just their food choices, but actually them. I think in certain instances, this is definitely true.

When I first told some of my friends that I was going to study holistic nutrition and started changing my diet, they would often ask me if I would eat certain foods or when we were out to dinner if I could find something to eat on the menu. I became a little defensive (okay a lot defensive), somewhat self-conscious and always made a point to eat something everyone would consider normal. This I feel is my problem though, not theirs. If I am convinced that the way I eat is the right way for me, why would I ever compromise?

The same goes for my children's diet - yet another thing that I have control over most of the time. I tend to feel like the mean mom if other kids are getting juice or a soda with their dinner and I insist on water. Believe me my kids don't mind half as much as grandma does. But, it is also grandma who I want to let spoil my kids, it's her job, so I let it go and deal with the sugar buzz later.

My point, stick to your convictions. No need to be rude or condescending regarding what anyone else eats, just do what is right for you. Others are commenting or judging for their own reasons whether they feel inferior, threatened in some way or most likely just don't want to feel judged for making the choices they make. Also understand that anyone who does make a conscious effort to change their eating habits whether it be giving up sugar or alcohol, eating Raw or perhaps avoiding meat is doing it for themselves and probably isn't too concerned about what others are eating.

For me, I need to come up with a positive friendly response when people say things like, 'oh just have a little bit, it won't hurt you'. This is the sort of thing that makes me doubt myself and eat something that I know I really don't want. Maybe it is just as simple as no thank you. No explanation required.

Remember though, if you do cave, like I did today, there is always tomorrow!

- Shannan

Spirulina

Well readers, I think I've sunk to a whole new level! I have been adding pond scum to my smoothies! :) I've been hearing about spirulina from various sources and I finally broke down and bought some with my last coop Frontier order. I've spent this week researching it and putting it in my smoothies and I have to say that I am really impressed! Here is a little bit of what I learned.

What is Spirulina?

Spirulina is a microalgae that thrives in hot, sunny climates and in alkaline waters around the world. It is a blue-green algae and when I say blue-green - it's like something from outer space. My smoothies have glowed this week! It is somewhat of an unusual specimen because it is considered somewhat above plants as it doesn't have the hard cellulose membranes characteristic of plant cells or a well–defined nucleus

History of Spirulina

Interestingly, spirulina has been used as a food source/supplement for centuries. It is believed that the Aztecs harvested it around the 16th century and made it into cakes which they called Tecuitlatl. Literally translated this meand stone's excrement. Very nice! I assume or at least hope this is because it is an algae and it probably accumultated on rocks in the lake where it was harvested! Spirulina may have an even longer history in Chad, dating as far back as the 9th century and is still in use today. They make it into

dried cakes called Dihé, which are used to make broths for meals, and also sold in markets.

Nutrients: Spirulina's nutrient content amazes me. One tablespoon of this can serve as a tremendous nutritional supplement.

• Protein: Spirulina has 20 times as much protein as soybeans growing on an equal-sized area of land. It is a complete protein, containing all essential amino acids, though with reduced amounts of methionine, cysteine, and lysine when compared to the proteins of meat, eggs, and milk. It is, however, superiour to typical plant protein, such as that from legumes. Spirulina is 65-71% complete protein. In comparison, beef is only 22% protein.


• Essential Fatty Acids: Spirulina contains a nice array of EFA's which are so important for overall health. It has Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic (LA), and arachidonic acids. (AA), Stearidonic acid (SDA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).


• Vitamins: Spirulina also contains a nice array of vitamins, especially B vitamins. They include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinamide), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), B12 (cobalamin), vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E. A teaspoon of spirulina contains 2.5 times the RDA of vitamin B12 and contains over twice the amount of this vitamin found in an equivalent serving of liver.
• Minerals: Spirulina is a rich source of potassim and also contains calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, sodium and zinc.
• Chlorophyll
• Phycocyanin: This is a blue pigment that is found only in blue-green algae that has increased the survival rate of mice with liver cancer in laboratory experiments.

Natural Healing

• Aids in protecting the immune system. There is some evidence that spirulina increases production of antibodies, cytokines (infection fighting proteins), and other cells that improve immunity and help ward off infection and chronic illnesses such as cancer.


• Helps the body absorb minerals


• Spirulina is great during a fast as it supplies nutrients in a naturally digestible form that are needed to cleanse and heal while curbing the appetite.


• Beneficial for those with hypoglycemia between meals because of its high protein content. It actually helps the liver and pancreas to regulate blood carbohydrate levels. There is emerging evidence that it may also help those with type 2 diabetes by reducing fasting blood sugar in as little as two months of use.


• A study using animals showed that Spirulina helps prevent heart damage caused by chemotherapy using Doxorubicin without interfering with its anti-tumor activity.
  In another study participants exhibited significant changes in cholesterol and blood pressure including lowered total cholesterol; increased HDL cholesterol; lowered triglycerides; and lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Wow!


• Spirulina reduces the severity of strokes and improves recovery of movement after a stroke


• Another great benefit for all of you work-out fiends is that spirulina will help prevent skeletal muscle damage. The Chinese and Cuban Olympic teams eat the stuff daily.


• Spirulina may reverses age-related declines in memory and learning.


• Some studies suggest that spirulina may protect against allergic reactions by stopping the release of histamines (substances that contribute to allergy symptoms, such as a runny nose, watery eyes, hives, and soft-tissue swelling). I found alot of material and testimonials to this effect when researching this piece.

How to use Spirulina

Spirulina is marketed in several ways. It can either be found in pill, powder or flake form. If you opt for the pill form, a typical recommended dose is about 3000 mg a day broken up into 3 doses. Many just use the powder or the flakes and add it to their smoothies and use it as a nutritional supplement. I'm a fan of using it this way. As with any food or supplement, eating spirulina in it's real unprocessed form offers the greatest potential benefits. Now saying that, I was a little overwhelmed by the, shall we say, briny smell of spirulina when I opened the bag. I'm told I will get over that and even come to enjoy the taste of spirulina in time. For now and for all of you other first time users - I would recommend adding the powder to something else with a strong flavor. Spirulina is extremely low in calories - 26 per tablespoon. It's also packs a whopping 5 grams of protein per serving. Wow!

One small word of caution is needed. Spirulina may contain heavy metals absorbed from the water where it grew. This can be very taxing on your liver to the point of causing damage. As with anything I recommend, make sure you know and trust your source that you buy spirulina from.

So help me out all of you experienced spirulina users!!! Other than adding it to smoothies...how do you take your spirulina?

Karla

Simply Delicious

As I sat eating my salad for lunch today (the same salad I eat most days for lunch), I came to a conclusion regarding food, recipes, healthy eating and cooking in general. Simple is usually better for me and my family. I am always trying new recipes, running to the store for special ingredients, slaving in the kitchen, and making a mess for little more than a look of "this is okay" to maybe a "this is good". It is not that they don't appreciate my effort (okay, maybe the girls don't really understand), but most dishes are just not earth shattering and probably won't be made again.

What my family does enjoy and actually comments on usually ends up being the simple recipes with fresh ingredients and great natural flavors. I guess I shouldn't complain, makes my life easier. So, of course I want to share some of our simple family favorites with you.

Breakfast: I have to qualify this as my favorite breakfast food. I eat it almost every morning and would choose it over a big greasy breakfast at the local coney island anyday.


Shannan's Oatmeal
1 serving Quaker Oats (1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 cup boiling water)
Handful of dried cranberries
Handful of walnuts
Large dash of cinnamon
Spoonful of ground flaxseed

Snack: Snacking can be dangerous for a lot of people. No matter what time of day you are rummaging around in the cupboards, fresh salsa and my favorite torilla chips are always a great option.


Simple Salsa
1 3/4 cups diced tomatoes (about 1 large tomato)
1/4 cup diced white onion (about half of an onion)
1 finely chopped fresh jalapeno (seeded for milder salsa)
1 tsp. course salt
Cilantro (optional)

Stir ingredients together. Refridgerate for 1 hour before serving to let the flavors develop.

My favorite chips: Trader Joe's Veggie & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips - mmmm good.

Main Dish: I am very lucky, I know, that my 5-year-olds love salmon. We eat it regularly and this is a truely simple, delicious and easy recipe.

Garlicky Broiled Salmon and Tomatoes
4 6oz. pieces of salmon fillet
4 medium tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon paprika, hot if you prefer
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
8 sprigs fresh thime (I have used rosemary instead as well)
4 cloves garlic, sliced

Heat broiler. Place the salmon and tomatoes, cut-side up. in a broilerproof roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle salmon with paprika.

Drizzle the salmon and tomatoes with the oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Scatter the thyme and garlic over the top.

Broil until salmon is opaque throughout and the tomatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Side Dish: Kids love fries, actually we all love fries, but these are definitely healthier and taste great. They go with everything and add tons of color and flavor to every meal.


Parmesan Rosemary Sweet Potatoe Fries
About 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into fries)
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (or if you're in a hurry like I usually am store bought shredded parm. works just fine)

Put ingredients in ziploc bag and toss to coat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil (I spray mine with oil so they won't stick)
Cook for 20 - 25 minutes, turning about halfway through. Fries are done when thar are browned around the edges. Transfer immediately to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm.

Alternative - just toss in olive oil and some seasoning salt. We love them that way too!

Treat: I gave up refined sugar a little over two weeks ago so there are not cookies or ice cream treats on my menu. Instead I have been eating what described to me as 'nature's candy' by my Raw friend Kristen. They are suprisingly sweet and satisfying.


Dates
Just buy a package of whole pitted dates and eat 2-3 after your meal if you are feeling the need for a sweet treat. Dates are full of antioxidants and have zero fat.



I hope you will find some of our family favorites as simple, delicious and nutritious as we do!

- Shannan

Sources: Martha Stewart, Real Simple Magazine, Sarah's Cucina Bella

Calcium

Often when discussing foods and herbs I tell you what nutrients they contain. Today, I want to go a little deeper and talk about a particular nutrient so that you can understand it's importance and tell when you are deficient in it. I'll try to do this from time to time so that our discussions will make more sense. Today I want to start with Calcium. Everyone has heard of calcium and it's amazing ability to build bones, but it has so many other functions in the body. Calcium has been called "the knitter". It gets this reputation because it is the leading element in promoting healing or "knitting" anywhere it is necessary. Here is an interesting fact, a person weighing 150 pounds contains approximately 3 pounds, 12 ounces of calcium in their body.

Functions that Calcium Serves in the Body

• Builds bones and teeth and heals all tissue;


• Helps scars heal;


• Essential in forming hemoglobin, blood-clotting, and maintaining the alkalinity of the blood;


• Fights germs, scurvy, and infection;


• Present in cartilage, fluids, certain tissues;


• Soothes nerves;


• Prevents asthma, hay fever, tuberculosis and rickets.

Signs of Calcium Deficiency

• Dental cavities; following a whole foods diet rich in calcium can actually reverse and repair existing cavities. It's important to note that a diet high in sugar will cause calcium to precipitate out of bones and teeth. When the teeth are weakened, germs can penetrate the teeth and cause cavities.


• Lack of strength;


• Fear and indecision;


• Aches, pain, and fatigue;


• Profuse perspiration;


• Lack of willpower;


• Hemorrhaging and anemia;


• Cramps in calves; "growing pains" in children are attributed to the need for more calcium;


• Boredom or brain fatigue;


• Digestive problems;


• Bone softening and osteoporosis;


• Rickets or scurvy;


• Lung ailments;


• Fevers and abscesses; difficult to heal wounds can turn around by increasing calcium in the diet;


• Menstrual disorders; especially hemorrhaging and cramping. (Menstrual blood contains 40 times the calcium of regular blood, so excessive flow will quickly deplete calcium.

One thing to note is that the endocrine system is largely responsible for controlling the absorption of calcium. If the endocrine system is out of balance, signs of calcium deficiency may develop. We struggle in developed countries with endocrine imbalance due to diets high in sugar and processed foods and enormous amounts of stress. It's so important to balance your Endocrine system to keep all of your body systems functioning properly.

There are several other important things to keep in mind regarding calcium. Cooking breaks down much of the calcium in food. Food prepared raw or lightly steamed is more nutrient dense. Cereals, prepared by slow-cooking or steaming are excellent wources of calcium. There is 40% more calcium in the outer leaves of cabbages and most lettuces.

Highest Calcium Foods

Here is a great list of foods that contain the most calcium. Agar, almonds, avocados, barley, beet greens, beans, blackstrap molasses, bran, brazilnuts, broccoli, brown rice, brussel sprouts, buckwheat, raw butter, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cheeses (hard and cottage: raw), chia seeds, coconut, yellow cornmeal, raw cream, dandelion greens, dulse, egg yolk, figs, filberts, fish, gelatin, greens, Irish moss, kelp, kohlrabi, lemons, lentils, raw milk, millet, nettles, oats, onions, parsnips, prunes, rice polish, rhubarb, rye, sesame seeds, walnuts, watercress, wheat (whole).

I love that list! Just when you are wondering how you will supplement your diet with more calcium, you realize that you have so many choices and things to experiment with.

Have a great day and enjoy!

Karla