Subway's sandwiches have what?

So I don’t know whether or not you’ve heard about the latest news about Subway’s sandwich bread, but if you haven’t let me catch you up. Well, sixty-six thousand people have petitioned for Subway to remove an ingredient, called “azodicarbonamide”, from their bread. That chemical is found in things like yoga mats and shoe rubber. 

Subway responded by saying the chemical is approved by the FDA and the USDA, but they gave into the protests, nonetheless, and are in the process of removing the chemical from their bread. Interestingly, only the Subways in North America use azodicarbonamide in their bread. It would be illegal to serve the bread with azodicarbonamide in Europe because it has been banned due to research that discovered that the chemical could cause asthma, allergies, and respiratory issues. The use of azodicarbonamide is banned almost everywhere else in the world except for the United States. 

Let’s talk about azodicarbonamide

Azodicarbonamide is a toxic and flammable chemical that is found in yoga mats and the rubber at the bottom of our shoes. It looks like a funky yellow powder. "The principal end use of azodicarbonamide is as a blowing agent in the rubber and plastics industries.” But Subway uses the chemical in the dough to make the bread light and fluffier. Let’s risk possible respiratory problems for fluffier bread, right? I also want to know who saw azodicarbonamide and said “let’s put some of that in bread”.  So, why in the world does Subway’s bread have the ingredient? Last time I checked you didn’t need that nasty tongue-twister of a word to make bread. All the ingredients to make bread are actual foods that I can pronounce like eggs or flour, and I’m pretty sure you won’t find either of those in a yoga mat. Other major fast foods companies like McDonalds, Burger King, and Dunkin Donut’s all have foods containing the harmful chemical. Subway isn’t the only one!

The use of azodicarbonamide in bread is illegal in Europe and Australia

What I find interesting is that Europe and Australia have already banned the use of azodicarbonamide. The United Kingdom has actually stopped producing azodicarbonamide. Instead, they import it from another country so they don’t have to deal with manufacturing the chemical. Why are food companies in the US still using it? Also, I think there’s something wrong with the FDA and the USDA. I have heard story after story of things that are “FDA approved” that have actually been harmful. Just because something is FDA approved does not mean it’s good for you. I think it's unnecessary to use azodicarbonamide. Sure, it might make bread fluffier but I'd rather have bread with normal fluffiness than have abnormal fluffy bread and health problems.

Subway has been labeled as the “healthy fast food option”, but I think it may be time to rethink that statement. It's funny that Subway's motto is "eat fresh", yet they don't use fresh ingredients. Never assume that what you’re eating is truly healthy. Make a point to read labels and research what’s going into the food you’re eating. You might be surprised what you find. 

If you are interested in learning more or signing the petition against the harmful ingredient used in Subway's bread go to this link: http://foodbabe.com/2014/02/04/launching-petition-subway-will-finally-hear-us-loud-clear/. 

-Amanda 

Sources:

-http://www.inchem.org/documents/cicads/cicads/cicad16.htm#PartNumber:2

-http://business.time.com/2014/02/06/subway-chemical-bread-yoga-mat-rubber/

New Year's resolutions are not overrated

Lately, New Year’s resolutions have become labeled as dorky. Or some people just don’t even try to make resolutions because they know that they’ll give them up faster than the time it took for them to come up with them. But what’s wrong with setting goals? Coming up with resolutions just shows that you’re open for improvement. It shows that you want to change for the better. There’s nothing dorky about that at all. I want to encourage you to make a goal or a whole list of goals. It can be something as simple as flossing everyday or something more elaborate like running a marathon. 

Make some short term goals

Sometimes, making resolutions can be overwhelming because your list consists of items like learn "10 new languages" or "defy the laws of gravity…two times". But it’s okay to set goals that you can accomplish in a month. They can be things like “do 10 push-ups in a row” or “finish a whole book”. 

Remind yourself of your goals

Try keeping your list of resolutions somewhere in your room or on your computer desktop. These resolutions are for the year of 2014, not just the first week. Seeing your goals everyday will remind you what you want to accomplish. 

Go out and actually accomplish your goals

Lots of us set goals but end up forgetting them halfway through January. We give up because we’d rather just take the easy route and go back to our bad habits and sedentary day-to-day patterns. We hardly make an effort to go through with our goals. What’s the point of setting goals if you don’t physically try to accomplish them? Don’t second guess yourself or talk yourself out of your resolutions. Don’t overthink it. Set goals and work hard to accomplish them. Then when December 31st comes around, you can celebrate the many things you were able to achieve throughout the year. 

Here are some goals that anyone can strive for. They are free and make a great impact on your health.

Drink more water

I cannot stress enough how important drinking water is for your health. It is recommended everyone drink at least 8 cups of water everyday, but go ahead and drink more if you want. If you don't like drinking plain water all of the time feel free to mix it up and try making your own lemonade and teas, and I don't mean powdered lemonade! Stay hydrated people!

Get more sleep

This is yet another important thing all of us need. I love sleeping. We should aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, but there’s nothing wrong with getting more. Sleep allows our bodies to rest and recover from our day activities. I find that turning off my electronics and reading a few minutes before bed helps me fall asleep pretty quickly. 

Exercise

The word exercise can make some people cringe. They start imagining endless hours of cardio on a treadmill or elliptical. Exercise doesn’t need to be that way. Just get outside and start moving. You can take a walk around the block, play frisbee, go for a jog, or even ride your bike. The possibilities are endless. Exercise doesn’t have to be a boring routine. Make it enjoyable. 

I hope this post has been helpful for you and it has motivated you to make some goals and stick to them. I wish you a happy 2014! (and 2015….and 2016…etc…)

~Amanda 

50 things to do when you're bored

Cheerios commercial sparks controversy

I was astounded to read on the news how this Cheerios commercial became controversial. In the commercial, an adorable little girl asks her moms about whether or not Cheerios are good for your heart. When the mom confirms that fact, the little girl leaves the room. In the next scene, we see the dad wake up from a nap with a bunch of Cheerios on his chest.

My initial thoughts about the commercial

When I first saw the commercial I thought it was very cute. I don’t usually pay a lot of attention to commercials because there are so many dumb ones on TV nowadays. But, this commercial stood out to me because it was sweet and creative. I had no idea about the controversy it sparked until I read an article about it online a few weeks later.

Why was the commercial controversial?

The commercial was controversial because the family in the commercial is a mixed-race family. Yeah, you read that right. There were so many racist comments when the commercial was posted to the Cheerio’s YouTube channel that its comment section was disabled.

Camille Gibson, VP marketing for General Mills, stated they chose an interracial family because “Ultimately, we were trying to portray an American family, and there are lots of multicultural families in America today”. 

Did you know that the statistics for the number of interracial couples in the United States are at an all-time high? Today, 1 in 12 couples are of mixed-race. 

Nearly two-thirds of Americans said it “would be fine” with them if a member of their own family were to marry someone outside their own racial or ethnic group, according to a 2012 Pew Research study.

I still don't understand why the commercial was such an issue for some people. As for me, I love the commercial, and I give it an A+!

~Amanda

17 things I've learned in 17 years

So the other day, I saw a post online about "24 things I've learned in 24 years" and thought I'd write my own version of the post, but with 17 years. Below are the 17 things that I've learned in the 17 years I've been alive. Enjoy! 

1. Your past has shaped you, but you shouldn’t dwell on it.

2. Most people are too focused on themselves to focus on you, so don’t worry about what other people think of you.

3. Your parents aren’t always right but they are 99% of the time. 

4. There are some things in life that you just won’t want to do, but you’ve got to suck it up, do it, and move on. 

5. Don’t take everything so seriously; laugh a little.

6. Two words: Hakuna Matata

7.  It’s okay to cry.

8. Money can buy a lot, but it can’t buy happiness.   

9. Exercise isn’t just about looking good on the outside. Your body will thank you for it. 

10. Trust in God at all times.

11. Happiness is a choice. You can choose to live a bitter or joyful life.

12. You can never know too much. Spend more time reading and learning instead of watching mind-numbing tv shows and cat videos.

13. Try something new every once it a while. 

14. Smile more often. You never know if your smile will make a stranger’s day. 

15. Get off the computer!  

16. You are what you eat. 

17. No matter how many difficulties and hard times you go through, you will be ok.  

The 17 lessons listed above are things I've learned but haven't quite mastered yet. There's so much you can learn everyday if you are open to learning and improving.

~Amanda

The pressure put on people to be perfect

What's wrong with the media these days? 
Lately I've seen how the media these days have portrayed women. It's worrying me. Nowadays, women are expected to look perfect and speak perfectly and wear perfect, expensive clothing and eat salad. Let me tell you something, we are not perfect, nor should we even have to strive for perfection. (But, there's nothing wrong with salad, just know that, we girls, can shovel food down.) Magazine articles and pictures tell us otherwise. There are creams and ointments and pills being sold by the gallon that have been "proved" to take away those spots or wrinkles or little gray hairs or extra pounds. Those spots and wrinkles are considered ugly by today's standards. But, it's natural! If God did not want us to have wrinkles and pimples then he would not have created us with those little imperfections. It doesn't mean that buying those creams and ointments makes you a bad person. But, there may be a problem if those creams and ointments become something you just have to have. I'm not saying makeup is something we shouldn't use. But, when makeup starts to define how you see yourself that's when you need to question why you're using it. 

What's with women's magazines?

I cannot begin to tell you how ridiculous women's magazines are these days. All of those pictures in those magazines are completely edited on Photoshop. Celebrities are not perfect. They are human. They have skin problems and imperfections. You just never get to see the "real" them because every picture taken of them is hauled into a lab of "experts" who edit every facet of their appearance. Magazine articles don't even talk about REAL problems. They just talk about things like how to "tone" your arms (whatever "toning" is) and make your skin perfect. Or, my personal favorite, "how to get a boyfriend". Just stop. They talk about guys like they're all the same, but they aren't. And vice versa. They talk about women like they're all the same. But we aren't! We have different body types and hair textures and personalities. 

So girls (and guys)…don’t pay attention to the media. 

They have changed the definition of beauty. You don’t have to be skinny to get a guy. You don’t need hundreds of dollars worth of beauty products. And, you don’t need tips from celebrities on how to look like a million dollars. Beauty doesn’t come in a bottle or a pill. As cliché as it may sound, true beauty comes from within, so don’t let anyone tell you different. 

~Amanda 

Eat Real Food

I’ve been learning a lot about food for the past few months. I’ve learned what GMO is and how our country makes food. I’ve also learned about the importance of eating real food. 

What is real food?

The dictionary says that “real” means “something that is not fake or artificial”. Food means “something that nourishes or sustains in a way suggestive of physical nourishment”. Therefore real food is food that is minimally processed and maintains its natural integrity. Let me give you some examples. An apple is real food. A packet of oreos, on the other hand, is not real food. Steak is real food, while Twinkies are not. So is bread real food? No, it isn’t. 

Why is wheat bad for you?

This could be debated but the thing about bread is that the wheat in most breads are highly processed. Most breads have “enriched flour”. The flour that you buy in the supermarket nowadays is wheat that has been ground and later the factory adds bleaching agents in order for the flour to be white. Those bleaching agents are harmful for our bodies. Also, “vitamins and minerals” are added to the flour for it to be legally called “enriched flour”. Part of making the flour is refining the wheat. When the wheat is refined you strip away pretty much all of the nutrients the grain had in the first place. This is how much is taken away when the grain is refined:

• Half of the beneficial unsaturated fatty acids
• Virtually all of the vitamin E
• Fifty percent of the calcium
• Seventy percent of the phosphorus
• Eighty percent of the iron
• Ninety eight percent of the magnesium
• Fifty to 80 percent of the B vitamins

In the end, bread is just not good for you because it contains little to no nutrients that your body really needs. So why consume something that is actually harming you? I haven’t even talked about how wheat contains gluten which a lot of people are unknowingly sensitive to. Gluten intolerance isn’t some “Hollywood fad”. Grains in general can be harmful because they give you an insulin rush which later crashes and leaves you feeling tired. You can read more about grains here: (http://wellnessmama.com/575/how-grains-are-killing-you-slowly/). (The title of the post is a little depressing, but it has some great information.)

Why is it important to eat real food?

Our bodies are designed to consume real food. We weren’t designed to lounge in front of the TV and shove handfuls of Doritos into our mouths. And we most certainly weren’t designed to go through the McDonalds drive through and order ten pounds of food with no real nutrients but being careful not to forget that Diet Coke. Real food has the nutrients that your body needs. 

Have you ever had a bag of chips or candy and said that you were “only going to eat one”. Yeah, it happens. Then an hour later you have an empty bag, a guilty conscience, and an unsatisfied appetite. The thing is, you can’t just eat one. Your body is looking for that nutrients and it isn’t getting it from the chips, so you just want more. Real food satisfies your body. It has natural vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Eating processed junk won't give you the nutrients your body needs and will leave you feeling gross and groggy. 

How I eat…

I aim to eat as much real food as I can. I try to eat Paleo. Paleo is a lifestyle change of eating real food. It just has a fancy title. With Paleo you steer clear of grains, sugars, beans, and processed junk. I do “cheat" every once in a while. I don’t like to think that I’m being deprived. But, honestly, after I cheat I pay for it later. My stomach isn’t so happy. With Paleo you can eat fruits, vegetables, some nuts and seeds (peanuts are not nuts, they are legumes), and meats. You also try to cook with coconut oil instead of vegetable oils. Paleo is a little more than changing how you eat. There are other things that are part of being Paleo. But, I'm not going to get into that today. Here's a great post about Paleo: (http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/). 

Should you eat real food?

Yes! I challenge you to try to eat real food for at least two weeks and see how you feel. I’ve been eating this way for almost a year and I can say that I’m never going back. I feel better overall. I recover from my workouts faster, and after I eat I don’t feel so weighed down. Also, my skin has never looked better! Try researching Paleo online and see what you find. And, if you do Paleo and it doesn’t work for you, that’s ok. At least you tried it out. If you want to check out some pretty neat blogs and websites from people that eat real food check these out:

• http://www.nerdfitness.com 
• http://wellnessmama.com
• http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz2jWIQDai3
• http://www.draxe.com

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what you think about eating real food and your experience with eating healthier.

~Amanda

Sources:

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Flour.html#b

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/26/The-Little-Known-Secrets-about-Bleached-Flour.aspx