"Whole Grain" Cereal, what a seller!

I have not written in a long time now. For some reason I made excuses to myself that I was too busy while doing things I did not really want to be doing. I think everyone experiences this once in a while. I am back now to focusing on what I love!

Inspired by the General Mills Breakfast Cereal Commercial I saw the other day I can do nothing but write about it. First, watch this:



Whole Grain in Lucky Charms Cereal! Wow, what a seller. It is frightening to me that probably well over 50% of the target audience for this commercial now will actually buy into this. They truly believe that for example Lucky Charms is a nutritious cereal which is good and save to feed to your kids. After all the advertisement says that all these "kids" cereals have at least (and I quote): "8 grams of whole grain and a good source of Calcium". The add further portrays active kids, which obviously are at the top of their game! They have just accomplished a goal (mostly indicated by all the winning metals around their necks) and they are of course happy and smiling.

I went to General Mills official website and checked out the actual ingredients of the most sugary Cereal I personally have ever tasted. Of course their claim is correct and yes, the main ingredient of their cereal is "Whole Grain Oats" which is followed immediately by Marshmallows (made out of sugar and coloring), followed by more Sugar, some Oat flour, Corn Syrup (Sugar), Corn Starch and so on...

One of the ingredients, even I, the foodie and Nutrition geek, was not aware of: "Trisodium Phosphate", what the heck is that???

It is listed as the seventh of the main ingredients. On a Google search the first thing that comes up is that Trisodium Phosphate is a degreaser, cleaning agent, stain remover and, yes, also a food additive. It's other description name is: "E 339", a substance s that by itself should never be consumed (poisonous), will not give a specific taste to the food it is added to and is solely used for technological food making reasons (for example to make appearance better).

General Mills says in a letter:

"TSP is used as a buffer to adjust the acidic nature of the cereal dough. In home cleaning products TSP is used in large quantities. In our food products we use very small amounts. Theoretically, any food grade base could be used: sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, ammonium phosphate, etc. At General Mills we have found that TSP works best in our particular products, and has been approved as safe for use in food by the Food and Drug Administration."

Lets focus back on the sugar in our "healthy 8 gram of whole grain" Cereal, the oh so Luck Charms. Sugar, the one thing we keep telling our kids to not eat too much of is found in overwhelming amounts in this cereal. So if you would like to give yourself or your kids a little sugar shock high of some processed white sugar, this is the way to go...NOT!

Especially for kids at an early age, who still learn eating patterns for the first time, this is crucial. We all know eating loads of sugar will make us hungry for more.... sugar! Blood sugar rises unnaturally by feeding our body factory produced sugars. Once the sugar high wears off we need more fuel to come back to that sugar high. The cycle will never stop until we feed our body proper nutrition!

What about plain whole grain Oatmeal with a Banana for breakfast? That is truly something that will give you natural Vitamins with sugar inside the fruit that no machine produced!

Here is actually the whole commercial voice over in writing, just because i think it comes across a little better in writing of how vague the statements made in the General Mills Cereal commercial really are:

"To do well, kids need to eat well; and eating well means getting enough whole grains and calcium. At General Mills big G kids cereals can help: Did you know it's the only leading line of kids cereals with at least 8 grams of whole grain and a good source of calcium? Cereals they already love like Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Give your kids more of what they need to be their best. Grow up strong with big G kids cereals!"

Please do not listen to this and think it's good for you or your kids: It's NOT! Feed your kids right and feed yourself right and do not believe the vague non statements that this cereal commercial makes.

:0) Frieda Online

Post and such ;0)

what was different today is that I actually meant to write about a differnt subject... The recovering of the Password got me... Google has the Power ;0)

Public Reviews

I just watched a Michael Douglas film: "Beyond A Reasonable Doubt". I watched it for the only two reasons that it was an instant Netflix movie and that it had a description that sound like this: "Michael Douglas stars as corrupt district attorney Mark Hunter in this remake of Fritz Lang's noir classic about a reporter, C.J. Nicholas (Jesse Metcalfe), who sets himself up as the prime suspect in a murder he didn't commit in order to expose Hunter's misdeeds. Nicholas's plans go awry, however, when Hunter discovers the trap and destroys the evidence that would exonerate the cub reporter. Amber Tamblyn and Orlando Jones co-star."

Now this a movie you kind of have to see for what's to come next. Only after the fact can you truly appreciate the following: A wonderful review by a fellow Netflixer that I read AFTER I sat through the whole movie. A review that made me break out in ridiculous laughter attacks. Thank you Netflix user gkl 446015! Enjoy:

"I have never felt the need to write public reviews. My feelings, good or bad, were never strong enough to warrant one. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, however, is quite possibly the worst movie ever made. I have no idea how they got Michael Douglas to participate because ever aspect of this movie is awful: writing, acting, editing, lighting, directing... Anything that a movie can do poorly, this movie does poorly. Michael Douglas does great with his Michael Douglas-ness but the words he was given are just so dumb and terrible and awful. This movie has absolutely no redeeming qualities, I'm embarrassed for everyone involved in making it. The deep seeded hatred I have for this movie is difficult to fully convey but suffice it to say that by not renting this movie you are actively taking a step to better the overall quality of your life." - gkl 446015

OK, so maybe don't watch the movie. In case your ever made to watch it though, just come back and read this beautiful review again and you just might burst into tears from laughing so hard.

:0) Frieda Online

Inspiration Point!

"Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue." - Buddha

:0) Frieda Online

Hiking with a river crossing ;0)

This Sat we hiked 10 miles up to Mount Zion....

All of you that know I am afraid of hights (if I show it or not...). I would like to qote something a coach of mine wrote to me after this last hike:

"I was sharing with several of you that I am very afraid of edges and that was the biggest challenge of TNT Hike for me! While we won't see the same kind of edgy trails we did this week in future hikes, it is always good to have a back-up plan should you get into a fearful situation. I have a "mantra" I say in those spots. I had it on a card in my pack during my trip to Half Dome. Here it is (thanks to Frank Herbert's 'Dune' series):

The litany against fear:
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its
path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain."

Thank you Tanis! :0) I did never know that Tanis was afraid of hights... I guess we both hide our fears well ;0)

Thank you so much!

:0) Frieda Online

Temescal Canyon - The Rain!

It was raining on the way down... slippery mud... definitely a do-not slip-now challenge! Good news: Saw my first Los Angeles rabbit ever! Big, beautiful, brown rabbit, yes!

:0) Frieda Online

7.3 Miles in Topanga = a click in my brain!

When I first signed up with "Team In Training" to go hiking and help raise money for the "Leukemia & Lymphoma Society" (LLS), I did it to get to know new people, climb on top of some great mountains for some awesome views, and to do some good for society at the same time. Or so I thought...

It was not until the hike we did yesterday in Topanga Canyon that my brain clicked into a place I had not been in a while, because I try to avoid the subject:

I wanted to bring my mom back to life... and that was the true and real reason I signed up for this all along!

I never really had made this connection before as my mom had not died of any form of blood cancer, but it still was cancer. Now, anyone that has had anyone in their family die of a cancer knows that there is always the hope in back of anyones mind, that maybe if more research had been done on this specific form of cancer, a life of a loved one could have been saved!

It really sucks loosing people, especially good friends that are family. I wish for nobody to have to go through the pain and hurt a cancer patient and their loved ones go through... Ever!!! That is why I believe strongly in the work of LLS! They have achieved major breakthroughs in the research of cancer. I have met people that would not have been able to be alive today without the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's help!

I know that it is hard to grasp things as a whole in our world. For most it is easy to not care about people dying, that they did not know. Yet, so many have loved ones that are sick or have died of this crazy disease:

If you have someone you know that had battled with cancer of any kind, please help me in my efforts to raise money for LLS. For a donation on your behalf I will embroid the name of that person you know into the shirt I will be wearing to climb Half Dome. I will honor that person with every step I take to the top of the mountain sending them strength for their recovery or in my moms case, honoring her name for the great woman that she was!

Thank you!

:0) Frieda Online