I have some great news to share. As I have been trying to figure out how I am going to channel my passion and help more people I applied to become a certified "Functional Medicine Coach," and I was accepted into the program. I start February 1st, and will be back in "school" for a year. I have some other good stuff in the works around becoming certified in Mind-Body Medicine as well. I am beyond excited and look forward to sharing the journey with you.
I knew I had to get back to blogging when within the same week I had two totally unrelated people in my life (one a high school friend, and the other a newer friend) ask me the same question..."What kind of cookware do you use?"
In my attempt to keep blogging "doable" for me, especially now that I will have homework, I will do my best to keep these posts shorter, pointing you to the resources that will help you learn more. To find out more about the toxins lurking in your cookware, this article by Dr. Axe (one of my fave docs) is a great starting place. You might be surprised, or even overwhelmed, by the information, but once you know better you can do better. From this point, forward is all that matters.
As far as what I have in my kitchen, though it may not be the most perfect thing out there, I use ceramic coated cook/bakeware. I can't say for sure what the healthiest brand is. I think this is a space that could really use a lot more attention, but for now we will just choose as best we can. The most important thing is knowing what to stay away from (teflon, etc.) I was happy to see Dr. Mercola adding his efforts, but I can't say for sure what his products are like, because I have never used them. Lots of other countries are putting safer products out there, but they are harder to get for the time being.
For baking/cookie sheets I have the "Orgreenic" Ceramic Jelly Roll Pans, but there is some debate over if the material/product actually lives up to its name (this happens a lot, so don't just believe in a product that has "Organic" in its name) - and they are no longer available, so hmmmmm? I am still looking for a good replacement. A good idea is to use parchment paper or a silicone sheet over the surface for extra protection. My favorite parchment, and additional kitchen products (like the sandwich/snack bags we use), comes from "If You Care." For pots and pans I have the "WearEver Pure Living" ceramic sets. I purchased them from Amazon.
Other brands I would consider:
- GreenPan
- xtrema
*Don't forget to pick up some great silicone cooking spoons, etc. to use in your ceramic pots & pans! You definitely don't want to use metal or anything harsh, and also in an effort to preserve your cookware stack them with a cloth in-between (I like to use old dishcloths/towels).
*Don't forget to pick up some great silicone cooking spoons, etc. to use in your ceramic pots & pans! You definitely don't want to use metal or anything harsh, and also in an effort to preserve your cookware stack them with a cloth in-between (I like to use old dishcloths/towels).
Of course glass is usually a safe way to go (check lead levels), and some people love cast iron. Some articles claim that stainless steel is a good option, but a lot of times it has ingredients in it like nickel, which many are sensitive to. If you have heavy metal toxicity/burden, then you want to avoid such products. You can find this out through Functional Medicine/Naturopathic testing. Way before I ever had such testing I knew I couldn't tolerate nickel, or lots of metals, because my skin would blister, ooze, and turn green from jewelry made from those materials. That's a big reason I use bamboo cutlery much of the time, because every time you eat you could be exposing yourself to something that doesn't agree with your system, and that is an added burden your body does't need. Listen to your body's messages!
I hope this article points you in some helpful directions to green up your kitchen and keep yourself and your loved ones as healthy as possible!
I got some valuable points through this blog. Stockpots
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