Whole Grain Momma

Flax Seed Oil (also known as Linseed Oil) is highly recommended for the general well being and whole body nutrition and is considered to be nature's richest source of omega-3 and omega 9 fatty acids. Omega-3 Fatty acids are required for the health and proper functioning of almost all body systems. Flax seed oil contains, essential fatty acids, along with fiber, protein, B-Vitamins, lecithin, potassium and zinc.

Flax Seed Oil has many benefits and many nutritionists believe that it could be the most important supplement a person can take next to a multi-vitamin. It controls high blood pressure, helps to lower cholesterol, guards against heart disease, shortens recovery time for fatigued muscles after exertion, increases the body's production of energy and also increases stamina. In addition to these benefits, Flax Seed Oil helps to stimulate fat cells and increases the metabolic rate making it easier to burn off fat.

Unfortunately many of us do not get enough of our daily essential fatty acids requirements which means we need to supplement.

How much Flax Seed Oil should you take a day? The recommended daily dose for the average person is 1,000 mg one to three times a day. This can easily be achieved by adding Flax Seed Oil to some of your favorite meals during the day. Add it to your oatmeal for breakfast or in a smoothie during lunch.

Where can you buy Flax Seed Oil?? Luckily many grocery stores and whole food markets carry it now a days so it shouldn't be hard to find!

It's that time of the year where Farmers Markets are springing up all over. Want to know where you can find one close to you? Visit http://www.localharvest.org/ to find the nearest market.

Before heading out to your local Farmers Market make sure you know what's in season right now. Below is a list of the fruits and vegetables currently in season:

• Apricots
• Berries: blackberries
• Berries: raspberries
• Berries: strawberries
• Cherries
• Grapefruit
• Melons: cantaloupe
• Melons: honeydew
• Melons: watermelon
• Peaches
• Rhubarb, field

• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Avocado, Haas
• Beans, fava
• Beans, green
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbages
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Celeriac / celery root
• Chard
• Corn
• Fennel
• Garlic, green
• Greens: arugula, dandelion, fiddlehead ferns, lettuces, mizuna, mustard
• Kale
• Mushrooms, morels
• Onions, fresh/spring
• Onions, sweet: Vidalia
• Peas: edible pod
• Peas: English / shelling
• Potatoes, new
• Radish
• Ramps
• Salad mix
• Sorrel
• Spinach
• Squash, zucchini

It's amazing how changing one small habit can have such a large impact on the environment. I have to admit I have been guilty up until recently of going through quite a large number of plastic water bottles a month even though we have a water filter at home. Yes I know it's a terrible thing to think where these bottles end up and the damage they cause to the environment which is why I decided to switch to a reusable water bottle instead.

There are many reasons to ditch the plastic bottles aside from their effect on the environment. Using and re using these bottles have some effects on your health as well. Plastic bottles contain BPA which leaches out during everyday use. High levels of BPA have been linked with infertility, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. You are probably wondering just how much exposure are you really getting from a water bottle. Does it matter? Even the smallest amount of exposure can create long term health issues so why risk it?

You have alternatives and you should definitely explore them. There are many reusable water bottles out there for sale. One alternative is a SIGG – Swiss Engineered Water Bottles . These bottles are made out of a single piece of pure taste neutral aluminum. Another option is the Wellness H2O bottle. This bottle is made of LDPE (low density polyethylene) plastic, which is BPA-free.

Here are few other suggestions:
Blue planet: www.blueplanetwater.com/q&a.html
Biota : www.biotaspringwater.com
Born free: www.newbornfree.com
Klean Kanteen: www.kleankanteen.com

So why not ditch the plastic bottles once and for all and do something good for yourself and the environment?

We started today on our pre detox regimen. We are cutting back on certain foods such as all dairy, certain fruits and veggies, meats, condiments and sweeteners. This was a lot harder than expected because a lot of things are excluded from your diet even while you are in the pre detox stages. We have two more days of the pre detox and then on to the real thing!

Welcome to my blog! I decided to start this blog because I realize my family and I need to make some lifestyle/health changes now that we have brought a little life into this world. We have always considered ourselves an earth conscious family who try their best to live green and purchase organic products. However I recently realized after having a baby that there is so much more we can be doing not only to help the environment but to better our health and our lifestyle. We want to make sure our little boy grows up understanding how to make the most out of the natural resources the earth provides for us and how important it is to have a growing respect for those resources as well. I realize this will not be an easy task due to the massive amount of non friendly overly commercialized products that are so readily available to us but it is something we have committed ourselves to following.

In this blog I will be documenting our experiences with organic foods, organic baby products, do it yourself concoctions and many other things. So feel free to join us as we embark on this journey to Walk With Mother Earth..