The media has been ablaze lately with two stories related to the meat you eat, and red meat has ended up on the losing side of a bloody battle. Enjoy this summary of recent events with our view on the topic.

"Pink Slime"
It all started with articles revealing the frequent use of "pink slime" as an unlabeled filler in beef. It's made from fatty meat trimmings left over after other meat cuts have been removed from the cow. The trimmings are heated to about 100 degrees F and spun in a centrifuge to reduce fat. Because these trimmings come from dirtier areas of the cow that are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria, the resulting mix of lean trimmings are exposed to ammonium hydroxide gas to kill bacteria like E.coli and salmonella. The sanitized trimmings are compressed into blocks and sold for use in ground or processed meat.

This cheap filler is added to meat without any labels telling the consumer it's there. You won't find "pink slime" on any ingredient list. The company that makes it calls it "lean, finely textured beef", but you won't find that on the label either. The government doesn't consider the ammonium hydroxide to be an ingredient, and otherwise considers the processed trimmings a "healthy" form of lean beef. What's to label? Lean beef is healthy.

Major grocery stores continued to say "yum."

With an overwhelming sound of disgust (and perhaps regurgitation) from Americans, McDonald's and other fast food chains quickly sent out press releases that they would no longer use "pink slime" as a cheap filler in their meat. Unfortunately, major grocery stores continued to say "yum." A report noted several major grocery stores consider it to be healthy and would continue to add it to their meat without labeling it. The USDA reportedly purchased 7 millions pounds of the "healthy" product and noted it would continue to be a part of school lunches.

It was only a matter of time before the grocery store owners noticed the full disgust of the American public. Most major grocery stores (including Safeway, Kroger, Supervalu, and Giant Foods) now will stop selling "pink slime", but noted they will sell the rest of their current stock. Others including Walmart and Sam's Club noted they will start selling meat without it, but will not stop selling meat with it. The USDA has even stated that schools may choose whether they want to feed their students with the product to keep costs low. Some districts have publicly stated they will no longer feed students "pink slime".

It looks like Americans' backlash is winning this war, but don't expect "pink slime" to completely disappear from the American diet any time soon. And if you're expecting a label now, we wouldn't bet our lean, finely textured beef on it.

Red Meat & Cancer
In other news, research reported the link between consumption of red meat and cancer. An observational study looked at the reported diet of several thousand Americans and their health history over 22-28 years. There were no groups fed meat compared to groups living on veggies. It was simply an observation trying to link health conditions and diet. Researchers noted an increase in cardiovascular disease and cancer death for those eating red meat. Case closed, right?

Not all red meat is created equal.

Not so fast. Not all red meat is created equal. Research has noted a significant nutritional difference in beef raised on a pasture compared to beef raised on a factory farm. Pastured cows eat primarily grass and develop a healthier fat composition. Their meat actually contains more healthy omega-3 fats, which have been reported as good for the heart and brain, among other benefits. It also contains more CLA, a fat that has been linked to a reduced risk of cancer. In contrast, cows fattened up on cheap grains, injected with hormones, and fed antibiotics tend to have much fattier meat and the type of fats in their meat is more harmful. This rather major detail was overlooked in the study.

Based on common sense and quality research, our doctors find grass fed or pasture-raised beef without additives can play a role in a healthy diet. Local farms provide a good source for this healthy meat.

There are plenty of excuses for not eating healthy. The most common complaint is that it costs too much. Most won't argue that they could actually save money in the long run by avoiding expenses for health problems related to unhealthy eating. But what about right now?

Here's 7 tips to help you spend less now (and later) while eating healthier.

1. Buy Vegetables in Season - they are generally cheaper in season because there's more to go around. In February that includes: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, kale, leeks, lemons, oranges, parsnips, rutabagas, tangelos, and turnips. In March look for: artichokes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnips, pineapples, radishes, rutabagas, and turnips. Watch for those sales in the produce aisle and stock up.
2. Buy Frozen Vegetables - most frozen veggies are just about as good as fresh ones. Fill the freezer so you always have some around without worrying about them going bad. It's best to avoid canned fruit & veggies with added salt and sugar.
3. Drink Water - quit wasting your money on "performance enhancing" sugary beverages. Do you really need an energy boost to be able to flip through TV channels faster? Water is the best and cheapest drink on earth. Use a filter on your tap and fill up a metal bottle instead of buying plastic bottles each day. Most bottled water is just tap water in disguise.
4. Grow a Garden in Your Yard - buy a few packs of seed for only a few dollars and fill your table with fresh, chemical-free produce during the summer. If you're really dedicated, you could stretch our growing season from early spring to late autumn with insulating covers or frames. Don't forget fruits. Strawberries and raspberries spread each year (unless you cut them back), providing an abundant harvest of delicious berries with little work.
5. Grow a Garden in Your House - whoever said you need a yard for a garden? With a jar, water, and seeds, you can make sprouts year-round with little effort. Some of the most common seeds for sprouting are alfalfa, broccoli, radish, red clover, and mung beans. Many more types can be sprouted. Seeds cost only a few dollars per pound, but can produce heaps of sprouts.
6. Shop at the Local Farmers' Market - snag great deals buying local produce straight from the farmer. You get better quality food that's fresh in season. The best deals come in the last hour or so when everyone wants to clear out their stock.
7. Pick Your Own - local farms offer opportunities to pick your own fruit or veggies at a reduced price. This is a great chance to stock up. Take the whole family and make an adventure of it.

You don't have to be rich to eat healthy. It just takes a little effort, but it's worth it.

Pop Quiz: Who consumes the most antibiotics in this country?
A. Humans
B. Livestock (including the animals we eat)
C. Cousin Bob, he's always sick with something

It has been reported that more antibiotics are consumed by our farm animals than by humans in the US. Our last blog post discussed the efforts of the the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to help physicians reduce the use of antibiotics for children and adults. Unfortunately, the farm industry has been slower to respond.

The CDC reported in 2005, "In the United States, data on the quantity of antibiotics given to food animals is not available to the public or to government agencies. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, about 25 million pounds of antibiotics and related drugs are used every year in livestock for nontherapeutic purposes. The Animal Health Institute estimates that 20.2 million pounds of antibiotics were produced for use in farm and companion animals in 2003."

Why are so many antibiotics being used on farm animals (and what are "nontherapeutic purposes")?

The CDC reports, "Antibiotics are used in food-producing animals for three major reasons:

1. Antibiotics are used to treat sick animals.
2. Antibiotics are used in the absence of disease to prevent diseases during times when animals may be susceptible to infections. This use affects a larger number of animals, because it usually involves treating a whole herd or flock, which increases the likelihood of selecting for organisms that are resistant to the antibiotic. In these two examples, high doses of antibiotics are used for short periods of time.
3. Antibiotics are commonly given in the feed at low doses for long periods to promote the growth of cattle, poultry, and swine. In the 1950s studies showed that animals given low doses of antibiotics gained more weight for a given amount of feed than untreated animals. Exactly how this occurs is unknown. This effect appears to be less effective or absent in animal production settings with good sanitation."

Do you notice anything odd here? While doctors recommend humans take antibiotics only when they are sick with a bacterial infection, our animals are given antibiotics to prevent infections and to cause them to gain weight (more pounds = more $$$). Often farmers are not therapeutically treating sick animals. They are using antibiotics to fatten up animals quicker, and as an easy way to keep them from becoming sick. The Union of Concerned Scientists notes, "This type of 'disease prevention' is a crutch that allows [factory farm] operators to avoid good husbandry practices that could avoid and manage disease outbreaks responsibly, and is the ideal breeding ground for antibiotic-resistance."

Based on the CDC's information above, we can assume the farms using antibiotics to fatten their animals must not provide "animal production settings with good sanitation", otherwise this wouldn't work. A sanitary environment seems like a reasonable "good husbandry practice" to expect from farms. Other issues involve crowding the animals in limited space and feeding them unnatural foods (primarily corn-based diets) that tend to bring on these diseases.

Because of increasing antibiotic use, the CDC is concerned about growing resistance to antibiotics and started "Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work On The Farm". The CDC notes, "Antibiotic resistance is a food safety problem for several reasons:

1. Antibiotic resistance is increasing to some antibiotics...commonly used to treat serious infections caused by bacterial pathogens frequently found in food, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. Each year, several million people in the United States are infected with [these bacteria]...
   
2. More people may become ill. Ordinarily, healthy persons who consume a few Salmonella may carry them for a few weeks without having any symptoms, because those few Salmonella are held in check by the normal bacteria in their intestines. However, even a few antibiotic-resistant Salmonella in food can cause illness if the person who consumes the contaminated food then takes an antibiotic for another reason. The antibiotic can kill normal bacteria in the gut, letting a few Salmonella that ordinarily would be unlikely to cause illness, take over and cause illness...
3. The food supply may be a source of antibiotic-resistant genes. Harmless bacteria present in food-producing animals could be resistant, and humans could acquire these bacteria when they eat meat products from these animals. Once ingested, resistant genes from these bacteria could be transferred to bacteria that cause disease. Quantifying the extent to which this contributes to a food safety problem is difficult."

How do resistant bacteria spread from animals to humans?

The CDC notes, "Resistant bacteria may be transferred to humans through the food supply or direct contact with animals. For example, Campylobacter lives in the intestines of chickens. People get Campylobacter diarrhea primarily from eating undercooked chicken. In 1989, none of the Campylobacter strains from ill persons that CDC tested were resistant to fluoroquinolone antibiotics. In 1995, the FDA approved the use of fluoroquinolones in poultry. Soon afterwards, doctors found Campylobacter strains from ill persons that were resistant to fluoroquinolone antibiotics."

What does the CDC say about this health risk?

"The use of antibiotics to promote growth is widespread in food animal production. Antibiotics used for growth promotion increase the pressure for bacteria to become resistant. To address this public health problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that antibiotics not be used for this purpose. It is determined that this practice is unsafe for the public's health (World Health Organization)."

There is growing agreement that farmers should at least stop using antibiotics as a cheap way to fatten their livestock, and we may see legislation to stop this. It will be harder to convince factory farms to give up using antibiotics as a preventive health measure. They would have to provide a more sanitary environment with more space for the animals and provide healthier feed to keep them from becoming sick. That costs money.

The best way to encourage positive change is by avoiding meat grown with antibiotics. We recommend looking for meat that is grown without antibiotics (or hormones) to avoid any potential harm to your health. Organic foods are grown without the chemicals or medication. Pasture-raised or grass fed animals are even better. Farms will only produce what sells, so buy the good stuff.

Find more information about this topic on the CDC's website.

With organic fruits and vegetables now sold in almost every grocery store, is it time to take a bite?

Today's fruits and vegetables are regularly doused with a variety of toxic chemicals to keep pests away. Over 50 different pesticides are found on peaches alone. More consumers are choosing organic to avoid potential risks. But when do you get what you pay for?

The Environmental Working Group has performed an analysis comparing pesticide levels in common fruits & vegetables sold in America. The resulting Shopper's Guide to Pesticides "ranks pesticide contamination for 53 popular fruits and vegetables based on an analysis of 51,000 tests for pesticides on these foods, conducted from 2000 to 2009 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal Food and Drug Administration. Nearly all the studies on which the guide is based tested produce after it had been rinsed or peeled."

The EWG Shopper's Guide has developed two lists to help you know when buying organic is worth the money. The Dirty Dozen includes produce covered in high concentrations of a chemical cocktail (even after rinsing and peeling). The Clean Fifteen include the cleanest produce that have the least amount of chemical residue.

_The Clean Fifteen:                The Dirty Dozen:

1. Onions                             1. Apples
   
2. Sweet Corn                      2. Celery
3. Pineapples                       3. Strawberries
4. Avocados                         4. Peaches
5. Asparagus                         5. Spinach
6. Sweet Peas                      6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Mangoes                           7. Grapes (imported)
8. Eggplant                           8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Cantaloupe (domestic)       9. Potatoes
10. Kiwi                               10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Cabbage                         11. Lettuce
12. Watermelon                    12. Kale / Collard Greens
13. Sweet potatoes
14. Grapefruit
    
15. Mushrooms

Go Forth & Be Fruitful. What we recommendation when considering organic produce:

1. If you love apples (celery, strawberries...) and eat a lot of them, buy them organic as much as possible.
   
2. Don't want to pay for organic? Just eat more on the clean list and avoid the dirty dozen.
3. Still don't want to pay for organic? Plant a garden and grow your own produce without chemicals.
4. Buy produce from local farms that may not be certified organic, but avoid using chemicals.
   
5. Eat more fruits & veggies regardless. The beneficial nutrients outweigh the risks from pesticides.

Sometimes to find the best food, you have to go straight to the source - the farm. Healthy food comes from healthy farms that raise produce & animals without chemicals or unnatural practices. We're fortunate to have a growing list of farms around Canton & Stark county that care about the food they produce. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to find these farms.

We've done the work for you. Explore our list of local farms for chemical-free produce & animals, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry & eggs, minimally processed dairy, and other farm fresh products.

We recently added two local farms that are a great addition to the group:

Creekview Ridge Farm is in its first year of production in Minerva, Ohio. They are starting a CSA and attending the North Canton and Alliance farmers' markets. You buy a "share" for a certain length of time (typically the summer and/or fall season), and they deliver a week's worth of fresh vegetables in season (or eggs) to a drop off in North Canton or at McMichael Chiropractic every week. "It's a cool way to learn about new vegetables, see who is growing them and form a relationship with farmers who are very passionate about their mission."

Brown Bros. Farm is located in Paris, Ohio and provides chemical-free, pasture-raised poultry. "Our birds are given full access to the outdoors were they can eat as many bugs, grass, etc. that they desire. The only time our birds are penned up is at night for protection from predators. Our birds are raised and processed without any chemicals, antibiotics or growth hormones." They sell chicken, chicken burgers, chicken bratwurst, and turkey.

Take advantage of our great local resources to provide the healthiest food for you and your family. You can often find these products at local farmers' markets, but it's always a good idea to visit the farm you buy your food from so you can see how it's raised and where it's coming from. Find more local farms around the country at www.localharvest.org.