Cost-conscious consumers who want to add organic produce to their shopping carts can usethe environmental working groups buying guide to determine which food selections make themost sense. The EWG guide identifies the top 12 fruits and veggies that are most oftencontaminated by pesticides. DIRTY DOZEN – Buy Organic CLEAN FIFTEEN – Okay to buy conventional

MSG stands for monosodium glutamate — it’s a flavor enhancer commonly added to foods to bring out a savory, umami taste (the same flavor found in mushrooms, soy sauce, and meats). Foods ALWAYS contain free glutamate when these words are on the label: Foods made with the following products OFTEN contain free Glutamate:

Food labels are designed to list their ingredients in the order of the highest amount used within that food. If “Sugar” is the first ingredient listed, then sugar makes up the highest single percentage of any ingredient. Be aware of products that use multiple ingredients that do the same function, such as foods that will list “high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sorbitol, and sucrose” all within the same label. These are all sugars and we must take all of them into account. General Rule of Thumb: Eat as natural as possible. Organic is Best. Sweeteners: Avoid:

Produce Deli / Salad Bar: Great way to try a new vegetable if it’s chopped up at the salad bar or make a healthy pizzatopped with a variety of produce items at the salad bar. Meat/Fish Seafood: Dairy: Freezer: Bakery Inner Aisles: Can be hard to navigate and filled with foods that are full of chemicals and preservatives. To navigate, stick to the these items:

WATER Lack of water can send the message that you are thirsty and on the verge of dehydration. Dehydration can manifest as a mild hunger, so the first thing to do when you get a craving is drink a full glass of water. Excess water can also cause cravings, so be sure that your water intake is well balanced. EMOTIONAL NEEDS Being dissatisfied with a relationship or having an unbalanced exercise routine (too much, too little, or the wrong kind), being bored, stressed, uninspired by a job, or lacking a spiritual practice may all cause emotional eating. Eating can be…