Ms. Lee Says - ACCHS Chemistry

" Crop rotations , largely abandoned by industrial agriculture, typically increase yields to 20 - 30%." This claim within the article was one of multiple surprising things shared. My honest truth is I am very very very disengaged from what it takes to grow food. Living in Monterey offered my the opportunity to see the hard work which goes into harvesting berries. I also had the chance to regularly eat some of the most affordable and tasty avocados, artichokes, and other produce. I literally have no clue what a farmer needs to do in order for their crops to yield a bountiful harvest. As far as I was concerned it was a combination of magic and hardwork from migrant workers. It's disheartening to know we are leeching nutrients from our soil and decreasing yield by not rotating crops. As a population we have become incredibly spoiled. A lot of items are year around. I  read Healing with Whole Foods to discover which items are in season or not. Personally, I prefer to decreas...

LOL a better question may be what groups are in my cabinets. I am very mindful when purchasing items which require refrigeration. I do the pasture raised eggs, organic fruits, vegetables, and sauces. Most items in my fridge are Group 1 and Group 3. The whole fruits and veggies fall into Group 1 and the sauces fall under Group 3. The only meat allowed in the home is fresh or frozen fish which falls under Group 1 or 2. The second we step away from my fridge and into my cabinets its a processed food party. There are the occasional bags of fresh uncooked beans, rice, yams, and garlic. There is an unbalanced amount of Group 4 ultra processed foods. Funny thing is I thought I was making healthier options. I purchase spinach pasta, vegan pesto,  organic tortilla chips, and similar Group 4 foods with an organic veggie base. Looking into the depth of my cabinets helped me realize I need to consider buying some of my grains more selectively. I should stick to the bulk bins or purchase items ...

I had a dog in the house from birth to 4 years old. I started developing allergies around the age of 7 and again during undergrad. Reading the article Can Dogs Keep Kids from Getting Allergies made me wonder if allergies would be part of my today if I continued to have a dog throughout my life. Theoretically speaking a dog can only expose the household to contaminants based in the local environment. There is a possibility I have a richer microbiome for San Bernardino County, CA. Shortly after moving to locations such as Orange County and Monterrey County, then I developed resurgence of nasal allergies. As one moves from Southern CA to Northern CA multiple factors change such as local agriculture, environmental moisture, pollutants, wildlife activity, pollen, and trees. While living in Monterey, my housing was next to a huge wildlife preservation. All I knew was life in the suburbs, major cities, and desert. In Monterey from the land to the sea everything was new to me. I saw luscious ...