Happy New Year! I hope everyone has a healthy, prosperous, loving, fun, adventurous and fulfilling 2024!
Thank you to all of my subscribers for reading my blog. I appreciate all of you and your interest in learning about how to improve your health and matters that are important to your health.
Update on the toxic coating ‘Apeel’
Since May of 2023, I have been writing and sharing about the toxic coating ‘Apeel’. I am happy to say the word is getting out about it and the feedback from the public has been that we do not want this toxic coating on our produce (no surprise there).
Here is the latest from the Organic Consumers Association:
…We Confirmed Apeel Isn’t Allowed in Organic
On May 26, 2023, after you had sent them thousands of emails, the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), finally had an answer for the question, “What was a mysterious fruit coating backed by Bill Gates and the World Economic Forum that makes out-of-date fruit appear fresh, doing on certified USDA Organic fruit?”
The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) said it never approved Organipeel as a fruit coating, only for post-harvest handling, so the use on organic fruit was out of compliance.
After that (and thousands of emails from you), most of the organic fruit brands that said they were using Apeel, including Stemilt and Starr Ranch Growers, stopped.
The last hold-out we know of is Limoneira, one of the largest U.S. growers of lemons, including organic. Limoneira doesn’t grow every lemon sold in the world, but CEO Harold Edwards’s goal is to “coat every lemon in the world with Apeel.” Limoneira signed an exclusive licensing relationship with Apeel Sciences on May 11, 2023.
Ask Limoneira: What’s So Apeel-ing?!
Tell Limoneira what you think about the toxic coating they want to put on every lemon in the world. https://advocacy.organicconsumers.org/page/53432/action/1?ea.url.id=2231136
Plus watch the video about how Mark Hyman is backing the toxic coating ‘Apeel’. Video is at the bottom of the blog.
And now for something completely different:
Being in nature is one of the most healing things you can do for your body. Earthing has become very popular lately because of all the positive effects on your health. I try and get out into nature as often as possible. My favorite place to get out into nature is The Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is like heaven to me. There are far less people and way more wild untamed areas of wilderness and more wild animals. So when I became aware that a part of the Upper Peninsula is being destroyed, I wanted to share to inform everyone what is going on. It is happening in The Porcupine Mountains, one of our state treasures. This pertains for more than just Michigan residents because this area, The Porcupine Mountains is a huge tourist attraction for Michigan. Lake of the Clouds, which is in the Porcupine Mountains, is the most photographed place in Michigan. I have been there many, many times and enjoyed the pristine wilderness, the long hiking trails, the beautiful shore of Lake Superior and the quiet, peacefulness of the forest.
Picture of Lake of the Clouds below.
Website to explain what is going on in the Porcupine Mountains:
https://protecttheporkies.com/
Quote from the website: “Let's be clear: the Porkies are not just any park. Last year, it was ranked by Yelp.com and TripAdvisor as "the most beautiful State Park in the country." It is the largest State Park in Michigan and one of the only State Parks in the country which has a designated Wilderness Area. Most importantly, the Porkies hold the largest tract of mixed old growth forest remaining in the Midwest.”
They want to create a Mine in the middle of the Porcupine Mountains
There has never been a sulfide mine which did not contaminate (1, 2). The proposed Copperwood Mine would be the closest sulfide mine to Lake Superior in history. Lake Superior is 10% of the world's surface freshwater. The implication of these three facts alone is more than sufficient grounds to demand an immediate halt to the project.
The Mine's entrance road is just a fifteen second drive from Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, ranked in 2022 as "the most beautiful State Park in the country." The Porkies are the largest and most beloved State Park in Michigan, and, outside of the much less accessible Isle Royale, the Park represents the largest designated Wilderness Area in Michigan. Its borders also hold the largest mixed old-growth forest remaining in the Midwest, including the largest population of old growth Eastern Hemlock trees, which have been all but decimated out east by the woolly adelgid.
Sign the petition to stop this!
This is a comprehensive video of what is going on in the Porucpine Mountains. Please watch.
Coming in 2024:
REAL FOOD with Chef Val - Radio Show
Wed. Jan. 3 - 1 to 1:30 PM (ET) - Listen LIVE or to the recording after broadcast. New Year New Healthy Whole You!
Whole Grains - Vegetables - Organic Food - Plant based - Whole Foods - Fermented Foods - Sugar free - Vegan
Tune in as I discuss how to start on your journey to eating healthy. Plus how to stay on that journey if you have already started.
Listen here: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/macrovalrealfood/2024/01/03/real-food-with-chef-val
The best way to learn about healthy food and to support my business is to attend a cooking class.
Sauerkraut and Naturally Fermented Foods Cooking Class
Wed. Jan. 17 - 6 to 8:30 PM (ET)In Person $60.00 - Virtual $50.00
Learn how to make Sauerkraut from scratch. Plus Pressed Salad and Naturally Fermented Pickles, Fennel and Beet. Attendees in person will be able to take some of the Sauerkraut we make in class home to let ferment for themselves. Attendees virtually can make the fermented foods along at home during the class. A list of supplies and ingredients will be sent in advance of the class.
Sign up here: https://www.macroval.com/cookingclasses.htm