Tag Archives: #wellness

Organic Aroma Essential Oil Diffusers: Healthy and Beautiful!

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As someone who lives as healthy a lifestyle as possible….but also tends to burn the candle at both ends between working, momming, blogging, and trying to actually spend quality time with my husband, relaxation is super important to me. Even finding 10 minutes to meditate early in the morning with my essential oils while everyone is still snoozing (because I can’t run at 9.5 months pregnant), but before I get ready for work is huge for me, and it helps to keep me in check all day.

I was approached by the folks at Organic Aromas to try out their product, and I am always pretty hesitant with new products claiming to be healthy, as many “healthy” products on the market aren’t usually all they claim to be, but I kept and open mind, and am so glad I did! Organic Aroma essential oil diffusers are nebulizing oil diffusers; they use no candles, no open flames, and no water. I really don’t have open flames in my house at all (mostly because I have a toddler running around), but I also don’t like the idea of breathing in fumes of any sort, for me, my kids, my husband, or my pooches. IMG_3192

So how does it work?

On a very basic level, pressurized air from the base of the product, using air current and pressure from a smaller glass tube filters into the larger glass reservoir, from the solid wood base, and out the top of the diffuser. The essential oils are atomized (nebulized) and come out of the top of the diffuser in a light mist in their pure form. On the wooden base of the diffuser, there is a knob to diffuse the oils higher or lower, based on your personal preference, however I find that diffusing on the lower end is perfect for my personal use because the oils are use din a concentrated form.

Why is this beneficial?

Using these diffusers is a cleaner way to aerate your essential oils. There is no dilution of your essential oils (they are pure) and not heated to change the chemical composition, and there is no contact with any plastics that could emit other fumes or change the oils in any way. You are getting air with lightly diffused essential oils, and you can decide if you want the scent lighter or heavier, but either way, it is a cleaner way to utilize essential oils. Some people argue the benefits of essential oils, I am not looking to argue, I believe in their use and benefits, and using them in their purest form is the best way to utilize them.

Added benefits?

The diffuser is super easy to clean, and it is gorgeous. I love the addition of my diffuser to any room I put it in. It usually stays in the living room, but on those unicorn days (when I have time to take a real life bath and truly relax) I bring it in to the bathroom and I use my Eucalyptus oil and I feel like I am in the spa…and I pretend that I don’t hear anyone asking for mommy or practicing their knocking on the bathroom door (at least for a few moments!) Diffuser

I love the morning bloom blend of oils from Organic Aromas, is my morning go to for meditation. It is a mix of sweet orange, Ylang Ylang, Egyptian Geranium, Jasmine, Elemi, and Palmarosa, and it helps to jump start my day.  I feel mentally prepared and ready to attack my day and the challenges ahead after my meditation, and the morning bloom has been a much loves addition! Of course, you can always use your own mixes and favorite essential oils, but you do want to make sure that they are pure and organic. After all, you are using the cleanest way to nebulize your essential oils, so you should use the cleanest and purest oils that you can.

If you are looking for ways to be healthier at home, or add the use of essential oils to your home life, I really encourage you to check out these great products at Organic Aromas, and start to see the life changing benefits of pure essential oils!

Yours in Good Health,

B

Boogie Wipes: To Wipe out Kiddo Cold and Flu Germs

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Knowing that I am both a nurse and a mom, the folks over at Boogie Wipes® sent me some samples to use with my little one, which is awesome because I actually already used Boogie Wipes for her, and now I was just able to stock her diaper bag with all of their goodies we could take them on the road, but I also get to share how they can help keep your child healthy also.

Boogie WipesWinter is always a time when we are indoors more because it’s cold (especially for those of us who live on the East Coast) breathing in re-circulated air, which put us at a higher risk for contracting the common cold and flu viruses…and spreading them to others. And just like for adults, there are some pretty easy and key tips for trying to keep our babies as germ free as possible too. We had a cold ravage our house recently, but miraculously, the baby didn’t get more than a few sniffles, and I have to thank breast milk and Boogie Wipes for that! I know that the power of antibodies in breast milk rather speaks for itself, but why Boogie Wipes? Boogie Wipes are not only wipes for stuffy and crusty little noses, that helps to gently soften and dissolve the boogies away with a gentle normal saline infusion and fresh scent, but there is also Boogie Mist, a gentle saline mist that can be spritzed up the nose to help break up and soften mucous crusts in the nose, and also dissolve it. Boogie Mist can help to keep nasal passages moist and yet clear of mucous (boogies) to prevent post nasal drip, which is one of the leading causes dry coughs in the winter. And for my little girl, it gave me piece of mind that her nasal airways were free and clear so she could suck on her pacifier to soothe herself to sleep, feed without breathing issues, and she would be able to breathe freely and sleep all night, so she could fight off any bugs. The fresh scent of the Boogie Wipes (there is also a grape scent) made it more enjoyable for my baby, who actually liked getting the little spritz up her nose, and she loves the wipes as well, and knows them by scent…I get a big smile when the Boogie Wipes come out, as opposed to a head turned to the side!

Even if you don’t have any illnesses spreading through your home, the use of Boogie Wipes and Boogie Mist can help to prevent colds and illnesses and keep your child healthy. Boogies in the nose, are one of the bodies first line of defense in preventing viruses into the body, and by wiping them off and dissolving them away, we are assisting our children in gently removing the risk of a virus right at the source before it has a chance to infect. Also, if a stuffy nose is keeping your small child from breathing properly at night, they will not sleep well, and that is a benefit to no one (and I am sure a crabby baby is the last thing anyone wants, if you can prevent it!) so Boogie Mist can help to open up those nasal passages and allow for improved breathing. Plus, normal saline is so gentle on the skin, that it has no negative side effects, it is one of the most gentle substances you can put in or in your body.

Also, one of the hardest (near impossible) way to prevent colds is keeping your kids hands away from their mouths and keeping them clean (and I am saying that as the mother of a 6 month-old who is teething and shoving everything she sees in her mouth). It is inevitable that kids will be kids and they explore with their hands by touching things, and that stuff always seems to make it to their face to rub something (an eye, nose, mouth). One great way for a quick clean, especially if you don’t want to put an alcohol based cleaner on your childs hands, is to use a Boogie Wipe, as it is infused with normal saline, which won’t damage the skin, and is safe for them to then put into their mouths: it’s a win/win!

Between the safeness, effectiveness, and the great scents that my baby loves, I think that every mom should stock up on Boogie Wipes and Boogie Mist to try to ward off those nasty winter bugs!

Yours in Good Health,

 

Ebola: Is the threat real? What you need to know

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Talks of Ebola are all over the news, especially since a couple of U.S. health workers in Africa have been transferred back to the U.S. for treatment, and these are the first known cases of Ebola on U.S. soil ever, it’s understandable that people are concerned. Here’s the straight scoop, on what Ebola is, how it is transferred, and what you should be concerned about: no hype added!

Ebola viron credit: npr.org

What is Ebola?

Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) is a virus that is very severe and many times is fatal in humans and primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimps), and it is caused by the Ebola virus, which not too much is known about. There are many presumptions, that the virus was somehow transferred from a primate to human, but the true source of the virus is unknown; it started showing up in 1976 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and has shown up on and off ever since in Sudan, Gabon, The Ivory Coast, Uganda, and the Republic of the Congo.

What are the symptoms?

The EHF virus can incubate from anywhere from 2 to 21 days, which means that an infected person might not know that they are infecting others because they have mild symptoms at first, and then very acute (sudden) symptoms:

– Sore muscles

– Fever

– Headache 

– Sore throat

– Weakness

Which can then be followed by:

– Diarrhea

– Vomiting

– Stomach pains

And some patients will have acute onset hiccups, skin rash, red eyes, and bleeding (both internal seen through your poop, and external like nose bleeds or bruising.) It is difficult, based on current case studies, to understand why some patients die from EHF quickly, and others are able to recover, but it may be related to when they are seen for their symptoms. And while there is no cure, patients with EHF that get supportive treatment (treatments for their symptoms, like fluids for fever and loss during vomiting and diarrhea) early, may be better off in their fight against the virus.

How is it transmitted and prevented?

Since it is truly unknown how the first cases appeared, it is only assumed how it occurred, some routes of transmission have been studied and shown in labs, and clinically, but others we are still learning about. It is thought to be transmitted by exposure to blood, mucus, vomitus, stool, or saliva from an infected person. Many times in African settings, these patients are cared for my family members when they first become ill, and without knowing the virus, the family members then become infected and when they get to a healthcare setting, there is often no option for gloves, gowns, etc. that are used in most modern-day healthcare settings to prevent the spread of disease.

I have seen articles that are saying EHF is spread through breathing the same air as an infected person; in one research setting, one type of EHF was presumed to have been spread this way through primates, but it has never been seen in clinical setting in humans to spread this way. I am not saying this will never be the case, but at this time, it has not been shown as a source of transmission, so there is no need to walk around with a mask on and HEPA filter!

Am I at risk?

In every day life, you are at minimal risk for exposure to EHF, and you should just wash your hands frequently, especially when around people with colds or other illness, just as you normally would. If you go to a hospital, healthcare practitioners have been well versed in looking for signs and symptoms, early diagnosis of patients, and ensuring that the patients will not infect other patients, or healthcare workers, by wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. Also, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is tracking all patients being screened and sending updates to all hospitals within the U.S. frequently; if there are other infections, the CDC will quickly trace the trends and increase protective measures.

Should I be worried?

The short and long of it? No. You should not be worried about the movie ‘Outbreak’ or ‘Contagion’ essentially happening on U.S. soil. There are two cases of people who have been brought to Atlanta, where CDC staff are assisting in treatment and studying reactions, which will only benefit all of us, and they are overly protective to prevent any spread of the virus. Also, they have used an experimental drug on the two patients that were flown to the U.S. (prior to their departure from Liberia) that appears to have killed off the virus already, which is amazing in the fight against EHF!

People travel all over the world for business, to visit family, etc. and we cannot prevent world travel, but making people aware of the signs and symptoms, and how it is transmitted can help the spread. There may be a moratorium of travel for people who live in areas with increased rates of EHF in the future, but for now, knowledge is power, and if you are worried or concerned, go see your Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) so they can also put your mind at ease. If you have travelled to the areas with current outbreaks (updated by the CDC) be aware of the symptoms noted above, and see your HCP for screening, if you have any of the symptoms.

Short of that, don’t put your life on hold because of an Ebola outbreak, but pay attention to any updates by the CDC for outbreaks and new prevention tips!

Yours in Good Health

B

Garlic Scapes: A powerful little veggie

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The garlic scape is a vegetable that not a lot of people seem to know about…but those of us who do, we buy them up as soon as we see them, and gobble them up just as fast! They are very unique little veggies, not only because of their shape and flavor, but because of the amazing nutritional value and their versatility too!

Garlic ScapesWhat are Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes are the curly, green, and quite odd-shaped stems that grow out of garlic bulbs to start flowering. Most farmers tend to cut them off to allow the bulbs to grow larger, and those stems are quite tasty! What do they taste like? Think a milder garlic flavor mixed with the consistency (not flavor) of asparagus. You can eat them raw (add a chopped scape to a salad for a different flavor), sautéed, grilled, or make them into a pesto. (We made a pesto the other night that really knocked the families socks off…so you can always blanch the scapes before making into a pesto to make it a little less intense!)

Garlic Scape Pesto:
1/2c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2lb garlic scapes (chopped to break them up)
drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Combine all in a food processor, drizzle in EVOO to get the perfect consistency (like a regular pesto). And you’re done!  Enjoy what you want, and freeze the rest for up to a month.

Garlic Pesto

Garlic Pesto

Why are they so great?

Garlic scapes have many of the same benefits of regular garlic, and are full of antioxidants that help to decrease inflammation, which can help to prevent high blood pressure (which leads to heart disease), and high cholesterol.  Antioxidants are also claimed to help prevent cancer cells from forming, so they have that going for them too. They also have pretty high levels of vitamin C, calcium, fiber, and at only 30 calories per serving, that’s one powerful punch of nutrition!

Where can I find them?

if you belong to a CSA (Community Sustained Agriculture) and get boxes of local veggies, you might see these guys pop up every now and again for about a month (right now is high season, or you can find them at farmer’s markets, and basically anywhere that sells local farm fresh foods. On occasion, a larger store, like Whole Foods will have them, but not likely for long because they are bought up quickly.  They can stay in your fridge for about a few weeks and still stay fresh, but if you love them, and just want a break for a bit during the one month they are usually available, you can freeze them and thaw them out when you are ready to get your scape on!

Go find some, give them a try, and let me know what you think!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Preventative Care For Moms….on ScaryMommy.com

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Moms (and Dads) are overworked, stressed, and care so much for others that they forget to do what they need for themselves.  Find out what you need to get checked out, and what you can hold off on at scarymommy.com

Yours In Good Health

B

Tick Repellents for Humans and Dogs: Made at Home!

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After writing about Lyme Disease and the transmission, I thought that I should also share some alternative tick repellents that you can make at home that are chemical free, as opposed to those that are costly, based off of chemicals, and can be ruin your clothes….and get all over the house (especially with pets!!) Here are a few tick repellents that you can make at home, and these primarily are for ticks and may/may not prevent against fleas and mosquitos, but so worth the few minutes it will take you to make them to ward off nasty ticks! These can be used on their own (a few drops between your dogs shoulder blades and at the base of the tail can ward off ticks for the days adventure, and a few drops around your ankles, inside your wrists, and behind your ears, will not only smell good but can prevent those nasty ticks from hopping onto you and biting your skin) OR mixed and placed in a spray bottle with 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of water and add about 20 drops of these oils:

1. Rose Geranium Oil: a natural tick repellent, do not use on cats, but dogs and humans can have at it!

2. Eucalyptus Oil: relaxing and refreshing, eucalyptus oil can also naturally ward off ticks and fleas.

3. Peppermint and Citrus Oils: When mixed together, it gives off a very clean but intense scent that can ward off ticks. TickRepellent

These oils mixed with the vinegar/water solution can be sprayed on hair, clothes, and skin, of humans (adults and children alike) to repel ticks and can be reapplied liberally.  You can also spray on your dogs, I would check with a vet before using any of these on pregnant animals (I am obviously an animal lover but it’s not my area of expertise!) The oil and essential oils cut the vinegar smell for us, but the ticks can still smell it and they will be repelled. You can also add the essential oils just to an oil base (almond or olive oil) but there is a risk that you can ruin clothes, so stick to just spraying your hair and skin (and beware of nut allergies with children- so if you use on your animals, make sure to warn people before letting their children pet your animals!)

Give it a try, it is way better than putting chemicals all over your family, and furry family members too!

Yours in Good Health

B

Beware: Heroin now has a Higher Risk of Death

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Heroin, for a long time, has been one of the most addictive street drugs available. With large numbers of users, a high rate of addiction, and a low rate of recovery, it is feared by many, but there is now a new reason to be fearful of the drug: it’s being laced and now has a higher rate of overdose.

What’s the scoop?

Lots of heroin that’s on the streets now is laced with Fentanyl, a drug that is commonly used in hospitals for acute pain control for procedures and post-operatively, but it is making heroin 50 to 100 times stronger, and even the most experienced drug users are overdosing due to the addition of this pain killer. In some areas, the heroin is labelled as having additives, and in other places, it is just being sold as heroin and the people purchasing the drug are not aware of the potentially deadly addition. Granted, one could make the argument that any time you are purchasing heroin to inject directly into your bloodstream you are taking potentially dangerous drug, which is a completely accurate description, but long-term users tend to know how much they can shoot and don’t commonly overdose. Adding in Fentanyl to that dose that long-term users take regularly, can lead to an immediate overdose.Heroin

Over a three month period, there were more than 50 deaths spreading over 3 states…and the numbers are rising. In the state of Rhode Island alone, there have been just shy of 100 deaths since the start of 2014 and more than 500 overdoses of this fatal heroin/Fentanyl mix treated by emergency personnel, to the point that now police are carrying Narcan (a quick acting antidote to opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, which can buy time to get a victim to an Emergency Department for further treatment.)

Why is this such a Public Health Crisis?

There are more and more people with prescription pill addictions, who are able to talk HCPs into prescriptions due to pain, or they are purchased over the internet, or off the street, and heroin is essentially a cheaper version of these pain pills. They are all opiates, and work very similarly on the body, but sadly, heroin tends to be cheaper and easier to get than prescription pills. So, the average heroin addict might be the middle class man in a suit next to you at the grocery store….not the homeless person you might assume to be a drug addict. With more and more people turning their prescription pill addiction into a heroin addiction, we have  a problem on our hands, and when they start dying before they can even seek help due to a lethal mixture of heroin and Fentanyl that they are taking by accident, we have a huge problem on our hands. The deaths from heroin and other opiates has doubled over homicides in most cities and now that it is being more openly reported, we are all realizing it is a national problem that is hitting small towns as much as it is affecting cities.

If you, or someone you know has a drug addiction, be aware of the risk every time you (or your loved one) buys heroin, know there are places to get help: SAMHSA (substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), Recovery.org, and Narcotics Anonymous are some to start with, but you can also go to your HCP for help with addiction or a local emergency department, and for an immediate overdose, you should call your local emergency services (911 in the US).

Keep your eyes open, if you are a parent or if you suspect a friend or a loved one has an addiction. Talk about the risks, get help yourself on how to work with addiction (Nar Anon Group sessions can be a good start), and get on the road to recovery and prevent an untimely death from this toxic mixture of drugs.

Yours in Good Health

B

Oil Pulling: Does it stand up to the hype?

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Oil pulling has been at the forefront of health and wellness news lately, it seems like everyone is talking about it, everyone is doing it, and everyone is claiming all sorts of health benefits from preventing heart disease, to correcting hormone imbalances, to preventing migraines, to curing a hangover. If that’s all true, great, sign me up! But are these claims all true and it is healthy for everyone?

What is Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling is a practice that is around 3,000-5,000 years old, started in India (an Ayurveda traditional medicine practice), that has most recently gained the attention of some celebrities, so to some it seems like a rather new phenomenon. It is based on the idea of a daily health routine that aids in cleansing the body. Oil pulling should be performed after brushing and flossing your teeth, to remove the larger debris and loose plaques, so the oil can be used in a clean oral environment. Most often using sesame oil, as it has antimicrobial properties (meaning: it can kill off some harmful bacteria), you can use one of two two techniques to oil pull:

1. Fill your mouth with oil and just keep it in your mouth for up to 5 minutes then spit it out.

2. Put roughly 30ml of oil in your mouth and swish and gargle (as you would a mouth wash) and spit out.Oil Pulling

What does it do?

Since the oil has an antimicrobial properties, by letting it (either actively- swishing- or passively) get between your teeth and into your gums, it helps to decrease the bacteria content in your mouth and saliva (which has been shown in a couple of very small studies), which would lead to less plaque formation and your teeth and gums and prevent bad breath (bacteria is most often the culprit for bad breath). Decreasing bacteria leads to less inflammation in your mouth, and theoretically, this would lead to less cavities, and improve gum health (think less bleeding gums and possibly decrease risk of gingivitis). It can also help with prevention of canker sores, or any other small oral ulceration due to bacteria. Mostly, this occurs because oil is lipid (fat) based, and will leave a slight coating on your teeth and gums which helps prevent bacteria from sticking there, along with the antimicrobial properties.

Does it work?

This obviously has been a part of Eastern Medicine for a long time, and there are some benefits of decreasing bacteria in your mouth such as decreased inflammation and bacteria counts, along with improved breath,which has been shown in small studies of oil pulling. That being said, using a chlorhexidine based mouthwash can also give the same benefits (think GlyOxide).

There have been numerous other claims that it is a full body cleanse and draws all toxins out of your entire body, which various people have claim leads to migraine prevention, hormone imbalance correction, improve kidney function and vision, prevent insomnia…and the list goes on.  These things, have not been shown to be due to oil pulling, and the claims are pretty far fetched.  However, I am sure that some people really believe this, and the mind is a very powerful thing, so if you oil pull and feel better from whatever ailments you have, great.

There are no negative side effects from oil pulling, besides having to swish with oil (which doesn’t taste great) daily, so if you are interested in giving it a try, go for it! You will most likely improve your oral health, but as for everything else…there is nothing to prove those benefits will occur, so don’t be disappointed if your life doesn’t change completely!

Yours in Good Health

B

You Don’t Believe in Vaccinations?

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Measles outbreaks have been on the rise, after the virus was nearly eradicated in the United States, in 2000. Mostly these infections are on the rise because of people choosing not to give vaccinations to their children, for whatever reason. Measles is a very serious virus, and it is most dangerous to children under the age of 5, and as more and more children have been vaccinated worldwide, the rate of death from measles dropped off, but it is now becoming more of a threat. Regardless of the reason/s that you don’t think that you should get vaccinations, you cannot deny that denying vaccinations not only puts your child at risk, but others as well, and measles outbreaks are becoming more and more frequent.

What are Measles?

The measles are a virus, also known as rubeola, that usually has four stages, over a course of two to three weeks, and with varying symptoms from first exposure (which occur over 7 to 14 days) such as: fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, pink eye (inflamed eyes), tiny white spots with bluish centers in the corners of the inside of the cheeks (AKA Koplik spots), and a large blotchy skin rash.

The three stages:

1. Incubation Period: from 7 to 14 days after first exposure, you may have no symptoms at all, as you have been exposed and the virus is just starting to take shape.

2. Early Symptomatic Phase: You start to develop some generalized symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose. You might think that you have a regular cold at this point, unless you happen to notice Koplik spots.

3. Acute infection: after 3 days of the generalized symptoms, a red bumpy and blotchy rash will start on the face and around the ears to the hairline, which will spread down to the neck, chest abdomen, then to arms and legs.  At the same time as the rash is spreading, an intense fever to 104F-105F will also occur. This phase can last for about a week.

diseases.net

diseases.net

4. Infectious State: you may not feel sick or that you have the measles 4 days before you see a rash, but that is when you are able to spread the virus to others, and you remain infectious to others for up to 4 to 7 days AFTER the rash has completely gone away. It is easily spread from person to person through coughing, touching mucus in any form (sneeze droplets, etc.), and from inhaling the exhalation from an infected person. The virus can stay alive on a surface for several hours and can infect a person through rubbing eyes, nose and/or mouth.

Why is it so serious?

There are some complications that can occur, which can lead to long-term health issues or lead to death: bacterial ear infections, swelling of the brain (encephalitis), bronchitis, pneumonia, and can lead to serious complications in pregnant women. Some of these can be very hard to treat due to the concurrent infection, but encephalitis can be very serious leading to death if the brain swelling is uncontrolled, and the complications with pregnancy can be very severe for the fetus.

The up-side:

If you have not been vaccinated, and find out that you have been exposed, within 3 days of exposure, you can receive the measles vaccine, and if you do get the symptoms of the virus, they are very mild and there is less of a risk of the other complications. Usually when these outbreaks occur, the sources are quickly located and the news and other sources are very good about getting the word out about possible exposures, so if you think you have been exposed, get vaccinated.

You don’t have to get vaccinated, but if you do end up getting infected, the risk of transferring the virus to others is very high, and the exposure to small children and those who may be immune suppressed due to cancer, medical treatments, or older age, can be deadly. As a favor to yourself, and to those around you, no matter what your beliefs are, think about getting the vaccine, and vaccinating your children, it could be the difference between life or death.

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Is Quorn Really Healthy?

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Many people ask me about Quorn™ and whether I think it’s healthy or not. The first time I heard about it, I had no idea what the person was talking about and had to do some research. Once I looked into it, and started asking around, I realized it is much more popular than I had imagined, and it kind of made me feel like I was living under a rock. I was a little shocked at all the controversy here in the US over this mycoprotein meat substitute though.

from www.quorn.com

from www.quorn.com

What is Quorn™?

Quorn™ is a meat substitute that is a mycoprotein (which merely means it’s a protein from a fungus: think mushrooms). These mycoproteins were first cultivated in the 1950’s-60’s for animal and human feeding, in case there was a shortage of protein availability (I have no idea why this was a huge concern, but apparently it was in some circles.) Thus, the process was created, and proteins were derived from fungus, but it is a created biomass, so it isn’t actually grown in nature, it is created in a lab. The fungus that Quorn™ is made form is not actually a mushroom per say, but it is of the same genus, and it is fermented through a patented technique, and Quorn™ is made. Quorn™ is a high protein, low-fat, low-calorie, and high fiber alternative to meat, that supposedly has the same texture, and similar taste to meat (I haven’t eaten it, but all meats taste differently, so I’m not too sure about that claim.) The Quorn™ product was first sold in the UK in the early 1990’s, the rest of the EU in the late 1990’s, and came to the US in the early 2000’s. Currently you can buy Quorn™ in specialty made food items, or just frozen as itself in which you can add it to your own meals in place of meat.

What is the controversy?

There were three main issues that came to pass when Quorn™ hit the market: it was claiming to be “a mushroom based product”, it was also claiming to be vegetarian but used non-free range eggs (AKA battery eggs) in processing, and there were fears it would cause allergic reactions. The mushroom base allegations, were legitimate in that the proteins are created from a fungus that is not a mushroom, technically, but who wants to read “this is a fungus based product” on their food? I wouldn’t reach for that first, I will be honest with you. But, Quorn™ changed it’s labeling to remove that statement altogether, and it is not described anywhere on the Quorn™ website what it is actually created from (which is in no way a negative, just an interesting side note.) The Quorn™ company worked with the Vegetarian Society to start using free-range eggs, and obtain their seal of vegetarian approval, so while it is not vegan (some products also contain milk), it is considered a vegetarian product. The final claim about allergies, was truly unfounded; there was one asthma attack related to the product, but there are many other products on the market with a much higher allergic reaction rate, such as soy, wheat, etc. Besides the Vegetarian Society, the other claims were made by a competitor in the market, so while they may have had some merit, it was more to give negative press to the product.

Final Verdict?

I have never eaten Quorn™, but I do know many people who do, as an alternative to meat and to decrease their fat and calories in meals. Personally, I stick to lean meats and vegetarian meals, I don’t usually even add tofu to meals because I get protein in other ways, but I think that it is a viable alternative for vegetarians looking to add more protein and for those looking to cut calories. I try to eat a clean diet that is minimally processed, and Quorn™ is clearly a lab created processed food, however, this is something that can be very effective to help with calorie reduction in dieting or for adding lean proteins on the go (if you don’t have time to prepare meals, the high protein pre-packaged ones seem pretty easy.) While I don’t consider it an option or me, I think it is a “healthier” alternative for  those who eat a high fat, high cholesterol diet and are looking to decrease fat and calorie intake. If you eat Quorn™ as a staple, give some  feedback for the rest of the readers!

Yours in Good Health

B