Blog Posts by ecomii.com

by Vincent Pedre, M.D.

The Holidays are upon us and once again food, drink and sweets will be plentiful. The mere presence of these holiday treats in the office can challenge your willpower and lead to bloating, constipation, indigestion and heartburn.

Often this leads to the kitchen-sink mentality. You've already done it, so why not throw all vestiges of willpower out the window and continue to indulge, vanishing all hopes of that 'bikini' body with each tasty morsel.

Before you resign yourself to Holiday bloating, heartburn and a ten pound weight gain, try these simple tips to keep your taste buds pleased without feeling it in your waist.

1. Eat first, not last. When you're going to holiday parties, never go hungry. Don't drink alcohol before you eat. By eating small, healthy snacks like an apple, carrot sticks or hummus before the event, you will avoid being ravenous when you get there.

2. Plan ahead for a big meal. Pace yourself. Try a

Read More »from 7 Tips to Beat the Holiday Bloat

by Marie Oser

As temperatures descend into winter, a warm pot of soup cooking on the stove is a warm and wonderful welcome home.

Inexpensive, tasty and plentiful, this ancient protein is believed to have originated in Asia. Thought to be one of the first agricultural crops, archeologists have found evidence that lentils were eaten as much as 13,000 years ago.[1]

Lentils are rich in protein and fiber, much of which is heart-healthy soluble fiber, very low in fat and packed with iron, folate, phosphorus and potassium. All of which makes lentils a healthful alternative for meat-eaters.

Lentils are wonderful in stews, salads and homemade veggie burgers. There are many varieties of lentils with differing characteristics, the most common being brown, green and red.

Brown Lentils - The most common, brown lentils are widely available at supermarkets, health food stores and independent groceries. Brown lentils cook in 20 to 30 minutes, hold their shape well and have a

Read More »from Easy, Satisfying and Delicious, Lentil Soup is a Nutrition Powerhouse

By Green Diva Meg

I don't know about you, but all this news about arsenic in rice is a bummer for this gluten-free green diva! I LOVE rice, and it is the basis of most of the grain alternatives I've turned to to avoid gluten - ugh.

Now, I realize that not ALL rice is laden with arsenic, but this is all a good lesson in not relying heavily on any one type of grain or food too heavily - moderation and variety are probably always key to balancing out some of the harmful effects of any one food.

>> 5 SUPER NUTRITIOUS FOODS TO KEEP IN THE GREEN DIVA PANTRY

>> QUINOA: THE COOL NEW CARB!

In the fall and winter months, our family has become attached to our pot of brown rice pilaf that I make every week. My standard brown rice pilaf is eaten on its own, mixed with other soups or stews and obviously goes as a side dish with many meal menus. So, what's a green diva (or dude) to do? I've turned to the highly-acclaimed, super food known by the Incas as the

Read More »from The Mother of All Grains for a Safe, Gluten-Free Alternative

By Debbie Friend MSc

We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine. It is easy to comply with this Rx when we are enjoying a good comedy or reacting to a funny joke, but it can be nearly impossible to follow this recommendation when we're just not feeling up to it. Or is it?

Laughter Yoga is challenging this notion. Laughter Yoga is a body-mind practice that combines simulated laughter exercises with gentle breathing techniques to teach the body how to laugh without relying on jokes or humor. You don't have to be happy, in a good mood or even have a sense of humor to participate and enjoy the many mental, physical and emotional benefits of Laughter Yoga. When you engage in a session you simply fake it 'till you make it and in time the motion will lead to emotion.

>> SUSTAINABLE YOGA APPAREL: WHAT TO LOOK FOR

>> WHAT'S YOUR DHARMA? YOUR PURPOSE... LOOK TO THE YOGAS!

Laughter is visually contagious. When we see other people laughing, it's natural

Read More »from The Health Benefits of Laughter Yoga - It’s No Joke!

By Sherry Brooks

Finding the right kind of healthy, simple and delicious breakfast to keep you full and flying high until lunch without piling the on the pounds is a wonderful trick to have up your sleeve.

Some breakfasts, such as cold cereal can digest too quickly and leave you feeling light-headed and flighty by mid-morning. Adding a handful of raw nuts to your morning cereal bowl helps, but you will most likely still burn out before lunch.

Traditional breakfast foods, such as eggs, bacon and hash browns are so heavy that they bog you down, can make you sleepy and certainly don't promote a healthy lifestyle.

Some Like it Hot - But Healthy!

If you like a warm breakfast, there are delicious vegan options that are comforting and affordable and will keep you full and feeling great until lunchtime.

My favorite was discovered while traveling and is an easy and delicious plant-based day-starter at home or on the go.

A charming little restaurant in New York

Read More »from Best Vegan Breakfasts, Tasty and Satisfying

By Michael Greger, M.D.

Most of the population in the U.S. suffers from an acute diarrheal illness, every year. According to a recent survey, most people correctly identified food as the most common source of infection, but fewer than half (45 percent) believed it legal for grocery stores to sell meat with food-poisoning bacteria on it.

You can't sell unsafe cars and you can't sell unsafe toys; how could they possibly sell unsafe meat? They do it by blaming the consumer.

In this two-minute video, Unsafe at Any Feed, one USDA poultry microbiologist said, "I think the consumer has the most responsibility, but refuses to accept it "Raw meats are not idiot-proof. They can be mishandled and when they are, it's like handling a hand grenade. If you pull the pin, somebody's going to get hurt."

So it's our fault if we get sick. That's like a car company knowingly selling cars with faulty brakes and then blaming tragedies on parents for not putting their kids in

Read More »from Why is it Legal to Sell Unsafe Meat?

by Green Diva Meg

WARNING: this is an opinion piece. I will try to present facts, but I'm not an unbiased news source.

Oh boy. Whether you are rooting for the guy who got Clint Eastwood to babble to an empty chair (Mitt Romney), or the guy who is tap dancing as fast as he can in the White House to the "be patient. hope is on the way" song (President Barack Obama), you know this is a critical crossroad in our country's history. The ideologies of the two main political parties have gotten so strange that by 50-year-old standards Obama would be considered conservative and Romney wouldn't be taken seriously at all.

I was always a Hillary gal, but in 2008, I rallied behind the man of hope and was surprisingly inspired when he indeed took office. The country was hitting some harsh realities and the mere whiff of hope and change created a magical sense that we could suck it up and go through our growing pains and band together to become a stronger nation again. Lots of airy

Read More »from Obama Vs. Romney on Environment and Energy

by Green Diva Meg

I was introduced to a wonderful new film project that Mariel Hemingway is behind called Stop Monsanto. I'm excited about the film and hope you will be too. I had the opportunity to correspond with Ms. Hemingway about the film and the issues behind it (GMO/GE food). But first, let's just do a little GMO 101 . . .

What are GMOs? One of my very favorite writers, Nancy Dreyfus, did a guest post for TheGreenDivas.com, which is a thorough 101 on GMOs, called Waiter There's a Fish in My Tomato. I HIGHLY recommend reading this well-researched and documented article. In the meantime, here's her definition of GMO:

A genetically modified organism (GMO, also called "genetically engineered") is a plant, animal or microorganism (eg, bacteria) that is created by means that overcome natural boundaries. Genetic engineering involves crossing species that could not cross in nature.

If you haven't heard about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or Genetically Engineered

Read More »from Mariel Hemingway on GMOs and Why We Need to Stop Monsanto