SIGNAL: Your ears and/or throat are itchy.
POSSIBLE MESSAGE: You’ve got candida overgrowth.
The average American eats approximately 150 pounds of sugar or one of it’s forms a year. A small amount of candida (a yeast like fungus living in the gut) is normal. However, it feeds on sweets and refined foods and can quickly rise to unhealthy levels.

Other signals you could have related to candida overgrowth are mood swings, fatigue, weak immune system, weight gain, thrush (white coating on the tongue) and frequent yeast infections.

LISTENING RESPONSE: The best and quickest way to get candida under control is to starve it. Remember that it flourishes in the presence of sugar…all sugars including fructose. Cutting off the food supply, fruits and juices included, as well as processed foods will often times bring the count back to a normal range.

SIGNAL: Headaches
POSSIBLE MESSAGE: Drinking too much diet soda, or dehydration.
Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, can trigger a range of headache symptoms. Studies show that aspartame is a neurotoxin. Further studies are being conducted to understand the effect it has on damaging nerve tissue. Current studies have already concluded that it disrupts the nerve signals that enable the brain to properly register satiety (the sensation of hunger). The main toxin is methanol, which is broken down into formaldehyde in the body. Other symptoms might be cravings of sweet or salty foods, inability to focus or irritability.

Your body is primarily made of water. If you are not daily replacing the water that is needed by the fluids of the body it can not regulate and adapt as easily as it needs to in order to maintain health. One of the first symptoms of dehydration is a headache between the eyes. If dehydration continues the pain will continue to spread. Other symptoms that suggest dehydration are infrequent urination, dark yellow or smelly urine, cracking lips or dry skin. If you are thirsty, you are well into the dehydration process.

LISTENING RESPONSE: When the urge for a diet soda strikes, try drinking sparkling mineral water with either a lemon or lime wedge, a small amount of unsweetened 100% fruit juice, or a couple of drops of flavored stivia added to it.

The best way to determine if you are drinking enough water is to measure it. Get a glass or stainless steel jar and put a specific amount of clean water in it. Count how many of these containers you consume in a day. A good rule of thumb for moderately active people is to drink half their body weight in ounces. So if you weight 150 pounds you need to drink a minimum of 75 ounces of WATER a day. If you are more active you need more than 50%.

SIGNAL: Eczema or Acne
POSSIBLE MESSAGE: You are eating something that doesn’t agree with your digestion system. When you are ingesting a food you that you don’t tolerate very well it causes a chronic irritation and inflammation to the stomach and lining of the intestines. Eventually there is enough irritation to cause small holes, allowing undigested foods, proteins, and bacterias to leak out of the gut and into the bloodstream.

A skin rash, including acne, is a sign that the body is trying to get rid of these toxins by bringing them to the skin and sloughing them off.

LISTENING RESPONSE: Start eliminating one food at a time from your diet for a period of 10 days. Pay attention to how your body changes during that time. Then try eliminating another food. The most common foods that are irritating are: wheat, sugar, dairy, soy, corn and yeast. Or you could do allergy testing through kinesiolgy.

SIGNAL: Fatigue
POSSIBLE MESSAGE: Too much caffeine.
Dr. Hass, a physician with a natural medicine approach, explains it simply like this: “Caffeine goes to an already low energy bank account and tries to lend it a little extra energy for the short term. But it’s getting that energy from your own stores, meaning you have less and less on reserve, leaving you less able to generate your own energy on an ongoing basis.” Too often we rely on caffeine to stimulate our adrenal systems to get us going or get us through an event. Therefore we deplete the system’s ability to regulate and produce the correct hormones. Other symptoms suggesting too much caffeine are jitters, agitation, insomnia, heartbeat irregularities, and frequent urination.

LISTENING RESPONSE: Limit your daily intake of caffeine to no more than 300 mg daily. A 12 ounce cup of Starbucks daily brew packs on average 260 mg. The same size black tea contains about 100 mg, and green tea approximately 50 mg. Caffeinated soft drinks range from 40-55 mg in a 12 ounce serving.

Secondly, get more sleep and relaxation as well as examine your diet to see what your actual nutritional content is that you are using to rejuvenate your body.

By listening to the signals your body is giving off you will probably be able to make some major changes in its efficiency. However, if you need some help fine tuning some areas, we are here to help. Give us a call and ask how we can help. 703-246-9355.

Chocolate comprises a complex medley of chemicals that give rise to its unique taste, texture and aroma. Chocolate has orosensory properties that enhance our urge for sensory gratification: Simply seeing or smelling it can trigger cravings.

Like drug addictions, food cravings alter potent neurotransmitters that regulate mood. Cocoa butter changes from solid to liquid at mouth temperature, providing the characteristic melt-in-your-mouth quality. This sensation causes the brain to release a flood of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, producing temporary feelings of warmth and euphoria.

The sugar in chocolate stimulates serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and provides a sense of calm and well-being. Within minutes of consumption, the chocolate eater may feel a balmy glow. Chocolate may help chase the blues by raising serotonin levels, though the science behind the “serotonin hypothesis” has been mixed (Parker, Parker & Brochie 2006).

Chocolate contains psychoactive agents that can change mood. Theobromine, a chemical similar to caffeine, is absorbed quickly, mildly stimulating the nervous system to increase the heart rate. Chocolate nibblers may enjoy a mild energy surge. Some professed “chocolate lovers” may actually be in love. Chocolate is rich in phenylethylamine (PEA) another stimulant. PEA levels are enhanced in people in love, so eating chocolate may temporarily mimic the love vibe.

Chocolate can be rich in calories, but there are health benefits associated with eating moderate amounts.

Dark chocolate:

• Is packed with protective antioxidants like flavonoids, which may reduce the risk of heart disease (Corti et al 2009).
• Reduces blood pressure, inflammation, platelet clotting and stroke risk in women as shown in reports done in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
• Is an excellent source of magnesium and copper, both essential to bone health, cell function and neurotransmitters.

An ounce of dark-chocolate indulgence may be just what your body needs!  The key word here is…ounce.  Even though chocolate may be good and even good for you, it still has a fairly high caloric count.  So, please use common sense when the craving arises.

The EMDR technique uses a natural function of the body, rapid eye movement, or REM, as its basis.  The human mind uses REM during sleep time to help it process daily emotional experiences.  When trauma is extreme, this process breaks down and REM sleep doesn’t bring the usual relief from distress.  This is where EMDR becomes helpful.

The technique does two very important things.  First, it “unlocks” the negative memories and emotions stored in the nervous system, and second, it helps the brain to successfully process the experience. 

The immediate benefits of EMDR are simple and straight forward — offering relief of emotional distress and the elemination of the debilitating effect of unresolved past trauma.

The longer term benefits of EMDR therapy include the restoration of each patient’s natural state of emotional functioning.  This return to normalcy brings with it a greater sense of personal power, more rewarding relationships, and a more peaceful life.

To review the clinical studies and their results visit: http://www.emdr.com/general-information/research-overview.html#randomized

To get more information or to schedule an appointment to experience the benefits of EMDR in your life call us today at 703-246-9355.  Ryan Gorman, our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner is passionate about this therapy. She has seen amazing results with people who have suffered long enough.

 We’ve taken a few minutes to assemble a comparison of some of our local fast food and family restaurant menu items to raise your awareness of what you are putting into your body. 

Cheeseburger:    McDonald’s        Burger King         Red Robin  

                                    540 cal                         760 cal                         931 cal

                                    29 grams fat                 47 grams fat                 60 grams fat

Did you know that at most places you can ask that your burger be made “protein style” which means without the bun and sauces which will reduce your calories and fat significantly?  For instance at Red Robin’s the gourmet cheeseburger protein style has 461 cal and 32 grams of fat.  As you can see, less than half the calories and almost half the fat. 

Turkey Sandwich:     Subway 6”          Panera                        Quizno’s

                                                                    Sierra Turkey            Chicken Carbanara

                                        330 cal                 840 cal                             1510 cal          

                                    8.5 grams fat          40 grams fat                 82 grams fat

Tacos                           Taco Bell              Baha Fresh            Chevy’s

                                    Grilled steak            Grilled Steak             Grilled Chicken

                                    Fresco Style                 Baha Style                    Dinner

                                    290 cal                         230 cal                         911 cal

                                    7 grams fat                   8 grams fat                   41 grams fat

When you’re choosing tacos save on calories and fat by choosing corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas. Also, have it served fresco or baha style, meaning no cheese or sauce but a chunky tomato salsa instead.  This is a much healthier way to go.

Salads                          McDonald’s               Wendy’s                     Chipotle

                                    Chicken Asian              Mandarin Chicken        Chicken

                                    390 cal                              570 cal                             485 cal

                                    12.5 grams fat              25 grams fat                 21 grams fat

The tricky part of dealing with salads is the dressing.  For instance, this Wendy’s salad, 110 calories and 10 grams of the fat come from the dressing.  The healthy thing about the Chipotle salad is that you can pick and choose what to put on it.  This combination has black beans, chunky tomato salsa, and guacamole (which has healthy oils) therefore providing plenty of flavor without a dressing. 

May we suggest that if you know you are going to have a busy day tomorrow that the evening before you take a few minutes to cut up an apple, peel an orange, chop some celery and carrot sticks.  Be sure to sprinkle a little vitamin C powder on your sliced apples to keep them from turning brown.  Then place in individual baggies.  Store these in a soft sided cooler along with a small bottle of nut butter for dipping.  Also, take along cheese slices or cubes and raw almonds.  This way when you are in a hurry or can’t get away from your desk you have a healthy lunch or snack and won’t need to get caught in the 911 hunger run to the closest fast food drive through.  Your blood sugar and your entire body will thank you. 

For more healthy ideas about nutrition contact Dr. Lucky Bennett, ND at 703-246-9355.

SIGNAL: Your ears and/or throat are itchy.
POSSIBLE MESSAGE: You’ve got candida overgrowth.
The average American eats approximately 150 pounds of sugar or one of it’s forms a year. A small amount of candida (a yeast like fungus living in the gut) is normal. However, it feeds on sweets and refined foods and can quickly rise to unhealthy levels.

Other signals you could have related to candida overgrowth are mood swings, fatigue, weak immune system, weight gain, thrush (white coating on the tongue) and frequent yeast infections.

LISTENING RESPONSE: The best and quickest way to get candida under control is to starve it. Remember that it flourishes in the presence of sugar…all sugars including fructose. Cutting off the food supply, fruits and juices included, as well as processed foods will often times bring the count back to a normal range.

SIGNAL: Headaches
POSSIBLE MESSAGE: Drinking too much diet soda, or dehydration.
Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, can trigger a range of headache symptoms. Studies show that aspartame is a neurotoxin. Further studies are being conducted to understand the effect it has on damaging nerve tissue. Current studies have already concluded that it disrupts the nerve signals that enable the brain to properly register satiety (the sensation of hunger). The main toxin is methanol, which is broken down into formaldehyde in the body. Other symptoms might be cravings of sweet or salty foods, inability to focus or irritability.

Your body is primarily made of water. If you are not daily replacing the water that is needed by the fluids of the body it can not regulate and adapt as easily as it needs to in order to maintain health. One of the first symptoms of dehydration is a headache between the eyes. If dehydration continues the pain will continue to spread. Other symptoms that suggest dehydration are infrequent urination, dark yellow or smelly urine, cracking lips or dry skin. If you are thirsty, you are well into the dehydration process.

LISTENING RESPONSE: When the urge for a diet soda strikes, try drinking sparkling mineral water with either a lemon or lime wedge, a small amount of unsweetened 100% fruit juice, or a couple of drops of flavored stivia added to it.

The best way to determine if you are drinking enough water is to measure it. Get a glass or stainless steel jar and put a specific amount of clean water in it. Count how many of these containers you consume in a day. A good rule of thumb for moderately active people is to drink half their body weight in ounces. So if you weight 150 pounds you need to drink a minimum of 75 ounces of WATER a day. If you are more active you need more than 50%.

SIGNAL: Eczema or Acne
POSSIBLE MESSAGE: You are eating something that doesn’t agree with your digestion system. When you are ingesting a food you that you don’t tolerate very well it causes a chronic irritation and inflammation to the stomach and lining of the intestines. Eventually there is enough irritation to cause small holes, allowing undigested foods, proteins, and bacterias to leak out of the gut and into the bloodstream.

A skin rash, including acne, is a sign that the body is trying to get rid of these toxins by bringing them to the skin and sloughing them off.

LISTENING RESPONSE: Start eliminating one food at a time from your diet for a period of 10 days. Pay attention to how your body changes during that time. Then try eliminating another food. The most common foods that are irritating are: wheat, sugar, dairy, soy, corn and yeast. Or you could do allergy testing through kinesiolgy.

SIGNAL: Fatigue
POSSIBLE MESSAGE: Too much caffeine.
Dr. Hass, a physician with a natural medicine approach, explains it simply like this: “Caffeine goes to an already low energy bank account and tries to lend it a little extra energy for the short term. But it’s getting that energy from your own stores, meaning you have less and less on reserve, leaving you less able to generate your own energy on an ongoing basis.” Too often we rely on caffeine to stimulate our adrenal systems to get us going or get us through an event. Therefore we deplete the system’s ability to regulate and produce the correct hormones. Other symptoms suggesting too much caffeine are jitters, agitation, insomnia, heartbeat irregularities, and frequent urination.

LISTENING RESPONSE: Limit your daily intake of caffeine to no more than 300 mg daily. A 12 ounce cup of Starbucks daily brew packs on average 260 mg. The same size black tea contains about 100 mg, and green tea approximately 50 mg. Caffeinated soft drinks range from 40-55 mg in a 12 ounce serving.

Secondly, get more sleep and relaxation as well as examine your diet to see what your actual nutritional content is that you are using to rejuvenate your body.

By listening to the signals your body is giving off you will probably be able to make some major changes in its efficiency. However, if you need some help fine tuning some areas, we are here to help. Give us a call and ask how we can help. 703-246-9355. Also check out our event page on our facebook page to see what classes we are offering to help you make those necessary changes.

The study that appears in the February issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggests that Physical activity may reduce the risk of dementia-related death. 

Researchers assessed the health of more than 45,000 men and nearly 15,000 women, ages 20 to 88 years, in the United States and grouped them into one of three fitness categories — low, middle or high.

After a follow-up of 17 years, about 4,050 participants died. Of those deaths, 164 were attributed to dementia. Of those 164 deaths, 123 of the people were in the low-fitness group, 23 were in the middle-fitness group, and 18 were in the high-fitness group.

“Following the current physical-activity recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine will keep most individuals out of the low-fit category and may reduce their risk of dying with dementia,” stated Riu Liu, a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and author of the research. 

So what are those physical activity recommendations for healthy

adults? They recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (working hard enough to break a sweat, but still able to carry on a conversation) five days per week, or 20 minutes of more vigorous activity three days per week.

Examples of typical moderate- intensity aerobic exercises are:

• Walking

• Running

• Stair climbing

• Cycling

• Rowing

• Cross country skiing

• Swimming.

In addition, strength training should be performed a minimum of two days each week, with 8-12 repetitions of 8-10 different exercises that target all major muscule groups of the body.

You don’t need to join a gym or buy expensive exercise equipment to meet these requirements.  This type of training can be accomplished using body weight, resistance bands, free weights, or medicine balls.

In a previous blog I talked about other ways to protect the brain from demintia, http://www.nhwellnesscenters.com/blog/lifestyle-wellness/372/.  It mentions research showing how 45 minutes of walking briskly, three times a week increased brain function as well as other hints. 

Isn’t

In fact 6.5 percent of the 111,556,000 pounds of beef, around 7 million pounds, that the USDA has contracted to buy this year for schools will come from Beef Products Inc.; a company who estimates that its ammonia-based beef is approximately 70 percent of the ground beef sold in the United States.

Because there are no federal labeling requirements for beef treated with ammonia hydroxide, it will be difficult for parents to know exactly which meat is being served in their child’s cafeteria tacos or hamburgers.

You can read more about this at http://www.thedaily.com/page/2012/02/01/020112-news-pink-slime-1-2/ or http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/pink-slime-fast-food_n_1237206.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003.

These reports are two more reasons why it would be wise to start buying local grass fed meat.  When buying local you can ask specific questions about the processing and handling of the meat you are eating.  Here are a few more reasons to eat local.

• More nutritious
• Environmental advantages
• Farmer advantages
• Natural Diet because the animals have a natural diet
• Most healthy choice

No matter where you live there are options for purchasing locally grown food and grassfed meats, eggs and milk.  Go to http://www.eatwild.com/products/index.html and choose your state to see what is available in your area.

After doing so, you may want to pack your child’s lunch when sending them off to school….unless they like “pink slime”.

CHNUCKY CHICKEN NOODLE  (OR RICE) SOUP

Combine first 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from broth, discarding celery but reserving the broth.

Skim fat from broth. Add 2 cups water and next 8 ingredients to broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and ladle into bowls.  Then enjoy!

SPLIT PEA (WITH CHICKEN OR NOT)

In last weeks post I talked about how healthy legumes are for us.  Well here is a recipe that uses the healthy legume and also the nutrious olive oil mentioned in the post.

2 cups green split peas
6 cups vegetable broth (organic and check sodium content)
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4–1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 large carrots,chopped  

3 boneless skinless organic chicken breasts cooked and chopped. (if desired)  This is added after the puree process of the soup. (I like to make sure I’m getting an extra serving of protein in my dishes.  Helps build strong muscles.)

1. Heat the olive oil over medium/low heat in a large saucepot. Add the onions and cook on low for about 20 minutes, or until the onions have started to turn a golden brown color—just be careful not to burn them! Your goal is to caramelize the onions for maximum flavor. Be patient; it can take a while.

2. Once the onions have turned golden, add the split peas, carrots, broth, and spices, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 35 minutes, until the peas and carrots are tender.

3. Carefully pour soup into a food processor or blender and whirl on high for a few seconds so everything is smooth and pureed. Pour soup back into the saucepot and add the chopped chicken.  Reheat then ladle into bowls for serving.

BROCOLI AND CHEDDAR SOUP

Again in last weeks post Heart Healthy – Body Healthy Foods, I mentioned the healing properties of broccoli.  So let’s look at a lighter version of one of my favorite soups.

2 tablespoons cocunut oil                                                                                             1 medium bunch broccoli, chopped into 12 oz. florets
1 russet potato
1 yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon course ground sea salt
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (if avoiding gluten add another potatoe or use corn starch for thickening,)
3/4 cup 2% organic milk or if you prefer use unflavored almond milk
3 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth (look at sodium content)
2 cooked skinless boneless chicken breasts chopped (if desired)

Blanch broccoli by placing it in purified boiling water for 30 seconds. Immediately drain and rinse with clean cold water. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, melt coconut oil. Peel and chop potato (s) into small 1-inch dice. Sauté both the potato and onion in butter for about 6 minutes, or until the onion starts to become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Then mix in the dry mustard, cayenne, and salt. Toss to coat.

Add flour or corn starch paste and stir well. Pour in the broth and add back the broccoli florets. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potato is tender. Slowly pour in the milk and add the cheese, stirring to melt.  I prefer to add only half the cheese now and then garnish each bowl with a little when served.

Carefully pour the hot soup into a blender and process for 10 seconds, or until slightly smooth with just a few chunks remaining. Pour soup back into the pot and keep warm until ready to serve.

The healthier choice twist I use is to add a serving of diced chicken breast and a sprinkle of the grated cheese on top of the soup when I serve it.                                                                                               

Hopefully you can see how using these recipes you can easily add the healthy foods mentioned last week into your regular routine of cooking this winter.  I suggest you double the recipe and save the leftovers to take to the office with you for a healthy lunch. 

Heat up, lighten up and enjoy!

A review of 67 studies show that diets high in soluble fiber, like that found in steel cut oats, lower total “LDL” (the undesirable) cholesterol.  Steel cut oatmeal is a slow digesting carbohydrate that digests and delivers nutrients without spiking blood sugar levels.  In short, when we have multiple blood sugar spikes the body produces fat, especially visceral (organ) fat.  Any excessive fat on the organs is unhealthy.

Fresh, cold water fish, not farm raised, high in Omega oils such as salmon have been proven to strengthen the heart and protect the body.  Fresh, not farmed raised is important because you don’t want to ingest the antibiotics and hormones used in farm raised fish.

Get a little nutty.  Selecting raw nuts such as almonds, walnuts and macadamia provide the body with healthy much needed monosaturated fats.  However, you need to make sure they are raw and not processed in oils or have added salt or sugar.  Many people say they raw nuts are too bland.  What you will find is the less salt and sugar you eat, the more your tastebuds will begin to recognize sutle flavors.  The tastebuds can become desensitized from salt and sugar. 

Add a little extra virgin olive oil, coconut or seseme oil to your diet.  There has been extensive research showing monosaturated fats help lower the “LDL” (undesirable) cholesterol.  When cooking with oils remember that seseme or coconut oil can withstand much higher temperatures than olive oil. So reach for those two when cooking and the extra virgin when seasoning salads or veggies.

Add some color and sweetness by eating berries.  All berries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, you name it, if it is a berry it lowers inflammation in the body and boosts cardiovascular and brain function.  WARNING:  Please remember that berries are on the dirty dozen list so when purchasing this item you want to be sure you buy organic.

The next suggestion comes from reports showing that people who ate  beans or lentils four times a week had a 22% less chance of having heart disease than those who ate them less than once per week.  If you are one of the many humans who have a difficult time digesting this healthy food try soaking the beans or lentils overnight in purified water.  This helps remove the husk from the legume decreasing enzyme inhibitor.  You can also try using a bean-zyme anti-gas digestive enzyme such as Beano. 

Go green and I don’t mean environmentally.  Go dark green as in broccoli, spinach and kale.  These foods are rich in anti-inflammatory and detoxifing ingrediants as well as highly alkaline.  Disease flurishes in an acidic environment so eating foods that are high on the alkaline scale help create an environment where disease cannot thrive. 

If you are trying to make healthy choices and changes in your diet we suggest taking simple steps.  Try adding two of these foods to your regular diet each week or two.  Start by eating them a couple times a week.  Within two months you will have incorporated all of these healthy ideas into your regular shopping list and meal preparations.  Then you will be ready to make some other simple changes. 

Here’s to eating healthy in 2012!!

I spoke with the owner of one of the major seed companies in the Midwest who produce GMO seeds and distribute them all over the world.  He explained the importance of GMO seeds for food production in countries where starvation is a majore issue, such as India, Peru and China.  The original idea was to engineer a seed that was nearly indestructible and would therefore produce food even under extreme weather conditions of drought, heavy rains, or poor soil.  As I listened to him, I could see the advantages of this scientific wonder. 

However, there is the flip side to this coin.  When someone starts messing with nature and especially DNA sequencing there are risks involved.  The risk we as humans are involved in is ingesting large amounts of this food that then begins to effect our cells and eventually our DNA sequencing.  You see this idea of out smarting mother nature took hold and is now used with seeds all over the world including out homeland. And since, we are what we eat, we need to be careful of the food we purchase. 

Rather than go into extensive reasons why you might want to say “NO!” to GMO I will refer you to http://www.saynotogmos.org/.  They discuss why this solution will not feed the world but also explain about the safety, or lack thereof, of GMO foods. 

What I would like to focus on here today, is where you can look for healthier alternatives to food purchasing so you can avoid GMO foods.  Right now there is little regulations or requirements for companies to inform the public if they are using GMO in their production of food.  Therefore, buying local is a safe way to avoid the pitfalls of non-disclosure. 

The following sites will not only give you ideas of local farms, farmers markets (some are year round), and stores, but also include restaurants, and bed and breakfasts that serve healthy non-GMO foods. 

http://www.localharvest.org/ gives information on CSA, Community Supported Agriculture, as well as a data base accessible through a zip code or city/state entry to local farms and farmers markets.

http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?pd=Home goes beyond farms and farmer’s markets to give you restaurants and bed and breakfast establishments that support CSA and non GMO foods.  Again these are accessible by zip code or city and mile radius you are willing to drive.

http://buylocalfood.org/page.php?id=193&PHPSESSID=1bb2e6521ac3da9eb552cfd123756fee is a great source for eating local year round…..even in the winter.  It also includes delivery sources and recipe suggestions. 

Hopefully you will take a few minutes to browse these websites getting ideas and suggestions for switching over to a healthy and locally supported way of eating.