Dr. Greene’s Organic Journey

Organic in 2008

Food trends are very interesting to watch and this trend is dear to my heart (and stomach).  So what’s changed in organic since I started my journey?  Here’s the short list:

1. Organic foods can be found in more places.  When I started, I was very limited to “organic only” stores and a few restaurants.  Now I find organic selections popping up in mainstream stores and restaurants every where.

2. The general public is becoming far more aware of organic. There are still big gaps in understanding. Myths and misconceptions still abound, but we’ve made real strides.

3. As the green movement takes center stage, people are starting to recognize that choosing organic foods is central to a green lifestyle – not only in reducing the use of fossil fuels and the proliferation of toxins in our air and water, but also in enhancing the brimming biodiversity of our soil and the life that depends on it.

4. Research is starting to show that conventional industrial agriculture reduces the nutrient value and taste of our foods, while organic agriculture increases them. And these trends build over time, as we improve or deplete the soil.

5. People are starting to value both organic (how food is grown) and local (where food is grown). Both can be important pieces of a diet that is sustainable for us and for our planet.

6. Organic: it’s not just produce. Families who drink milk are recognizing that organic milk is a priority choice. Ditto for eggs, butter, meat, and cheese.

7. Organic isn’t considered “fringe” any more. The wonderful New York Times article on Dr. Greene’s Organic Rx (ranked #4 health story for all of 2007 based on volume of comments) is a great example.

8. I can find most food ingredients I want certified organic (or wild) during some season of the year.  When I started this journey there were some ingredients that I just couldn’t find. New things are becoming available all the time and now I can cook almost anything I desire – if I plan ahead. My 12-year-old son just cooked a 5 course French meal for the family.  It was an assignment for his French class, but he insisted that it be 100% organic.  Not easy to do, but what a great meal!!

9. Travel is becoming easier.  Sterling Airlines announced an all organic option on flights.  It’s only in Europe now, but that’s a big step forward. And in the  US, more airports have something organic available.

10. For better or worse, there are a lot more processed foods available with USDA organic certification. I’m excited about some of these (organic whole grain bread, organic tomato ketchup and organic peanut butter are real steps forward). I don’t think we need organic junk food, but this trend shows that organic is becoming something conventional wants to imitate.

Bon Appétit, Organic Style!

Organic Find(s) Part 3

Not all great organic restaurants are “high end”.  In fact another of my Bay Area favorites is very reasonably priced.  Hidden City Café serves breakfast and lunch for around $8.50 per person.  They have a wide variety of organic dishes on the menu, which changes seasonally.

It’s a little hard to find (truly hidden), small (so you may have to wait on a busy weekend morning), and can be chilly (so wear layers), but certainly a great organic find. 

We live in the East and this little find is perfect for breakfast or lunch meetings (for business or pleasure) with people from the Marin side of the Bay.  In fact, my extended family is from the North Bay so we met at Hidden City Café this year for Father’s Day Brunch.

Their address is 109 Park Place, Point Richmond, CA and their phone number is (510) 232-9738.  You’ll want reservations on the weekend and tell them “Dr. Greene sent you!”.

Organic Find(s) Part 2

Since I live in the San Francisco area I’m very familiar with Bay Area restaurants. I apologize in advance if this list is San Francisco-centric, but since it’s a great place to visit (and do business) you may have an opportunity to check out several of these hot spots, even if you don’t live in the area.

Three of my favorite eateries are owned by the amazing Jesse Cool. Cool Café, located on the Stanford University campus inside the Cantor Center for the Arts, JZCool in downtown Menlo Park, and Flea Street Café also in Menlo Park.

The setting for the Cool Café is one-of-a kind. You can dine on an outdoor patio (weather permitting) over looking original Rodin sculptures. Great food with many organic dishes available and the settling will blow you away. It’s a little tough to find, but well worth the hunt -- 328 Lomita Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94305, They have limited hours of operation so call for hours and directions -- 650-725-4758.

JZCool was recently re-invented as a Jazz and small plates foodery. We attended the jammed-packed opening and hope to go back often for the great food and music. It’s located at 827 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 94025. Call for hours -- 650-325-3665.

Jessie’s fine dinning establishment is Flea Street Café, located at 3607 Alameda de las Pulgas Menlo Park, CA 94025. In case you don’t know "las pulgas" means "the fleas". Fortunately we’ve never seen fleas anywhere near The Flea Street Café", but we have had some amazing organic meals there. It’s and hour from our home, but my family took me there for my birthday last year – it’s that special! Call ahead for reservations -- 650 854-1226 and be sure to tell them Dr. Greene sent you.

Organic Find(s)

There are a lot of lists of great restaurants available online.  My favorite is The Chef’s Collaborative.  They specialize in fresh, local, sustainable restaurants.  Many of the chefs listed on this site use organic ingredients whenever possible.  Before I go to any of these restaurants (really before I go to any restaurant) I call ahead to see if they have organic options on the menu for the date I want to visit.  Some do.  Some do not.

Over the last two years (yep, I will have been exclusively eating organic, wild, and home grown foods for two years on Oct. 17!) I’ve discovered a host of amazing places.  To celebrate my two year anniversary I’m going to spend the month highlighting some of my favorites.  These are in no particular order – except when I find them in my notes as I go back in time, so come back often to get the whole list!

Let’s start with one of the highlights from the last two years – Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur, California.  Last year Cheryl and I attended the Organic Farming Research Foundation fund raising dinner that was held at Lark Creek Inn.  The evening was lovely, the food was great, but this story doesn’t stop there.  That night we bid on and won “An Organic Evening at Lark Creek Inn” in the silent auction.  Just a few weeks ago we used the “Organic Evening” to celebrate my new book coming out. 

WOW! Chef Erica Holland-Toll and the entire staff absolutely amazed us.  The atmosphere was elegant, the service was top notch, and the food was fabulous.  This was one of the finest dinning experiences I’ve had in my entire life – organic or otherwise!

Call ahead to make reservations (415 924-7766), ask about organic foods for the evening you want to visit, and tell them Dr. Greene sent you!

Celebrating the Holidays, Organic Style

As I write this, I'm sitting on an airplane watching the Food Channel experts preparing the “ultimate-easy” Holiday Feast. It's easy only because they're demonstrating how to make most of the feast a day ahead. It's ultimate because it's absolutely over-the-top. My mouth is watering while I drink my sparkling water! As I think about this feast, I'm aware that many more of the wonderful ingredients used in a holiday meal are available as USDA certified organic than just one year ago - right after I started my own organic journey.

I'm so appreciative of the organic, healthy, nutritious foods now available. And as we anticipate gathering with family for our traditional holiday feasts I'm thankful that I won't have to skip some of my all-time favorites, just because we can't find the organic ingredients. I'm also aware that some of our old favorites might benefit by changing to more nutritious alternatives.

Here are our plans for the holiday season:

• For our immediate family, we will have a 100% organic feast. Our menu may not be, strictly speaking, traditional, but it will include our favorite foods -- fresh. seasonal, local fruits and vegetables, and warm drinks like fresh-pressed spiced apple cider.
• We celebrate the holidays with both our extended families. Cheryl's family has a potluck dinner. For that gathering, we'll bring along several organic dishes so I can have a complete meal without requesting that anyone else change their normal recipes. There are some great cooks in that family, and it's hard to miss out on some of the dishes that I used to enjoy, but it's also important to me not to inconvenience others because of my 100% commitment to organic.
• My own extended family has more traditional holiday meals. Our menu will include turkey, dressing, and all the trimmings. We will bring a couple of organic dishes to these meals, but several of the members of my family contribute organic dishes and my wonderful mother works very hard at preparing food that everyone can enjoy. They are also very tuned into eating organic, so it's not a big switch for them.
• During the season we will undoubtedly participate in several holiday parties. If parties are being held in restaurants, we might not be able to provide our own organic options. But over the last year we've found that more and more restaurants are offering some organic options. By calling ahead we can find out in advance if there will be anything I can enjoy at the party. If not, it's important for me to eat before going to the party so that I don't spend the party hungry and eyeing the foods I can't have.
• When the parties are at friends' homes, we'll bring along a few of our special holiday treats to share with everyone. What better way to celebrate than by sharing great organic, nutritious, foods with family and friends!

Here are a few holiday ideas:

• A tray of cheese and crackers. I love Sharp Cheddar Cheese and Doctor Kracker Organic Four Seed crackers. Or if your tastes run to milder cheeses, try Monterey Jack and Late July Crackers.
• A bowl of organic mixed nuts. I love Orchard Valley Organic Nuts.
• Crisp fresh apples and caramel sauce. We take along a cutting board and an apple-slicer so guests can slice their own apples and dip them at the peak of freshness. My favorites are Fuji Apples and Santa Cruz Organic Carmel Sauce.
• Horizon Organic Cream Cheese with organic dried cranberries stirred in, and Nature's Path Organic Lemon Poppy cookies (these are really a cross between a cookie and a cracker and the taste mixes very well with the cream cheese.)
• A big bowl of unpeeled Organic Satsuma Oranges and bowl of Santa Cruz Organic Chocolate dipping sauce. These are very easy to peel, so instead of peeling them in advance, we take along a bowl for the peels and let the party-goers peel their own.
• A fondue pot, cheese fondue, and LaBrea Bakery Organic Wheat French Bread or Rudi's Sourdough Bread cubes. For extra flavor (and nutrition) add fresh winter vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and sweet fruits like apples - all organic, of course.
• Horizon Organic Cream Cheese and Organic Crystallized Ginger and Nature's Path Organic Ginger Spice Cookies.

Alan Greene, MD, FAAP

Slip-Up

Today was the first known slip-up of the second year of my organic journey. But the real slip might not be what you think.

I'm in Oregon tonight on a college visit, and when I mentioned that I was only eating organic food a local parent enthused about a quick spot to pick up a delicious, fresh, organic burger. And I was hungry. When I approached the counter to order, I asked whether the burgers were truly organic, and the cheerful cashier assured me that they were.

The burger was delicious. As I was finishing, I read their literature and learned that they described their burger as fresh, local, sustainable, 100% natural, and made from cows on 100% vegetarian feed.

It wasn't organic. The cows probably weren't grass fed. They were likely fed genetically modified corn. Whatever the feed grain, it was probably grown with pesticides. I'd like to think that the cows weren't injected with genetically engineered hormones, but the 'natural' designation by itself conveys no such promise.

But let me be straight with you: when I was eating the burger, part of me (that I wasn't listening to) knew that it wasn't organic. I used the reports of two well-meaning people to dodge my conscience. I purposefully didn't push the issue.

Why not? As near as I can tell, four factors, four slips, all working together, made me more susceptible to semi-believing burger misinformation.

1) I was really hungry. Normally, I try not to skip meals unintentionally. Beyond this, I try to eat a little something tasty and healthy between meals (like a crisp organic apple or a handful of organic nuts) so that when mealtimes roll around, it is easier to make wiser choices and to enjoy smaller portions. When I had my 'natural' burger dinner, I had not had an afternoon snack - and I had missed lunch on the plane. My last 'meal' had been a couple of pieces of fruit in the morning. A.M. oranges and bananas are not enough to prevent my evening hunger drive from trying to exert its authority.

2) I was unprepared. I hadn't planned ahead. Normally, I carry a few portable, yummy organic food items with me -- or at the very least some organic trail mix or an organic energy bar -- just in case nothing suitable is available. But when I dashed out the door to the airport in the morning, I left home empty handed.

3) I was late. I love the slow food movement. It's a shame to rush the pleasure of eating good food. But this evening, I had just a few minutes to gobble my dinner before seeing my son on stage in a Tennessee Williams play. I couldn't be late. And by the time I ate, if I didn't eat at this restaurant, I wouldn't eat.

4) I was eating alone. Breaking bread together has been a powerful social interaction for as long as there has been society. When I share a meal with others, I'm more likely to be conscious about what I'm eating.

I didn't recognize this lining up of forces. If any one of the above four hadn't been present, I don't think I would have settled for that burger. If I wasn't in such a hurry, I would have looked for something else delicious, even if I were hungry and unprepared. If I had been prepared, I would have had something with me even if I had been late and hungry. If I wasn't so hungry, I believe I would have waited for supper after the show, even if I had been both late and unprepared. And if I had been with family or friends, I would have waited, even if I had been hungry, late, and unprepared.

My hope is that now, having reflected on this four-fold pattern, I'll be careful not to let them all happen at once. And even when they do, I hope I'll recognize the trap and be able to avoid it.

And I think this applies to more than just food.

Alan Greene MD FAAP

One Year Later ...

I can’t believe that a year ago I jumped off the conventional food grid and into the wild and wonderful world of eating 100% organic. It has been a real adventure and as with most such quests, it hasn’t always been easy.

I made my family promise to continue to enjoy their favorite restaurants, even if the only thing on the menu I could order was a bottle of sparkling water. This hasn’t always been easy for them or me. At times they’ve refused to go where I can’t eat and at times I’ve sat and watched them enjoy wonderful meals only to grab an organic energy bar a little later.

I’ve lost a lot of weight and gained some of it back. At first I was without food fairly often, but as more and more of my friends and business associates learned of my adventure, I began to be treated to amazing organic feasts. At one meeting, two different parties arranged for me to have a special organic dinner brought in so I actually had TWO full meals (both delicious).

One of the huge side effects is that I feel great. I need less sleep, get sick less often, and (so my wife tells me) have very soft skin. In general, I’m more vigorous. As a study group of 1, I’m not going to make any scientific claims, but as an individual, I know I feel better, healthier, more alive.

I’m often asked what I’ve learned and so here is my top 10 list:

Continue Reading

One of the Hardest Subsitutions ...

Originally, one of the hardest organic substitutions for me was changing to organic wines. You might think this one would be easy for me. I was especially motivated to make this switch because my wife Cheryl’s childhood bedroom was just a few feet from rows of grape vines. One of her most haunting childhood memories is the spray rig coming on Saturday mornings to blast the vines with pesticides. I learned about the pesticides used on grapes before I learned about many others. I usually prefer big red wines. I wanted to love the organic versions, but I didn’t. So, staying true to my organic pledge, I began to drink only certified organic wines…but to me they just didn’t compare to the complexity of other reds I had enjoyed. Then I made my discovery.

I was invited to bring my favorite “big” red wine to a gathering of e-healthcare pioneers for a tasting/contest. I admit it. I felt ashamed of my organic options. My friends and colleagues are connoisseurs with attitude (“friends don’t let friends drink merlot”). My bottle of inexpensive grocery store organic wine already paled against their dusty bottles, some of which cost $100 and up.

A few hours before the contest began I was talking with one of the real wine experts (not to say snobs) about organic wines. And that’s when I learned the trick with organic wines. He recounted to me, “You know, the best glass of wine I ever had was made before World War II—which was before pesticides were used commonly—and when I first took a sip it was almost undrinkable. But after letting it sit for 6 hours it was easily the most delicious wine I’ve ever had. Perhaps your organic wine just needs to breathe for awhile before being enjoyed.”

Always excited to try new things, we opened up my bottle of wine to let it breathe. Six hours later, the taste test began. And much to the surprise of every wine aficionado there, my twelve dollar bottle was the clear favorite and winner.

Thanks to this experiment and discovery, I now look forward to sharing and enjoying organic wines with my friends and colleagues. This story exemplifies that we need to learn more about how to store, prepare, and use organics for best effect, but most importantly it just shows the facts; organic tastes better.

Alan Greene, MD, FAAP

The Organic Vacationer

I can’t believe that it’s summer … again – where did the time go?  When I started my organic journey last fall, I didn’t even think about vacationing organic style with a family of six.  The purpose of this experience isn’t to make anyone feel bad for not eating 100% organic (it’s an extreme life style and I know it!) so before launching out I made my family promise not to avoid their favorite non-organic eating places on my behalf.  Unfortunately, they haven’t been that good at it -- or perhaps fortunately, for their health and my eating happiness.  But now it’s vacation planning time and I need to make some extra preparations.

A number of years ago we began the tradition of going to the same spot every year for our family vacation.  We love the ocean, so selected a seaside retreat and all treasure the relaxed atmosphere and long walks on the beach.  Unfortunately it’s secluded spot with limited eating options.  Fortunately, our accommodations include a kitchen, so I’ll be checking on organic markets as well as organic restaurants.

My first step was to call the retreat center to find out if they served any organic food.  After several rings, a friendly trainee answered and, you guessed it, she didn’t have a clue about organic options.  She transferred me to someone who would know – but that person didn’t answer.  After 32 rings, I hung up. 

She didn’t think they offered any organic options, but offered to check with the food and beverage manager.  Of course, he was out, but after only four rings I had the opportunity to leave a voicemail message.  Let’s see if he calls back.

Good news -- the director of food services called back within 30 minutes.  Bad news – they offer no 100% organic food options.  They try to use organic ingredients in dishes when they can, but nothing is 100% organic.  He did offer to research local options and mail me a packet of info including maps.  It’s a good thing I started calling over a month before our trip.

If I weren’t committed to eating 100% organic I might give up -- perhaps I should be committed.

By inputting the zip code for where we are staying I found 15 stores that carried organic products.  The closest is over 10 miles away from where we’re staying, so we’ll have to plan ahead and pick up food on our way in.  With just these two printed pages, I’m well on my way to an organic vacation!

I then spent about half an hour trying all the search words I could think of to come up with organic options.  At first I had trouble, because I was using search terms that were too narrow.  But when I opened up the criteria (not just searching on organic +the specific location where we’ll be staying, but organic +the state where we will be going), I found a large variety of co-ops, farms, natural food stores, cafes, and restaurants and was able to use the organic pages to find ones that are close to where we will be.  Interestingly, some of our traditional favorites list organic options on their menus.

It looks like the most valuable find will turn out to be the local organic market/coop: “We are more than a great store; we are a community for, by, and of our member-owners, providing organically- and/or locally-grown fruits and vegetables, organic herbs and spices, fresh sandwiches, healthy snacks and deli foods, pastas, rices, nuts, dried fruits, … and organic meats... We care about community, and sustainable living. We invite our customers to visit us via bicycle or bus, though we also do have parking available; bring their own bags for carrying groceries, if they wish to do so, or to use our supply of recycled bags at our cash registers.”

This market sounds like gems I have found all across the country, from small towns to big cities. My plan is to make this co-op my very first stop. Besides picking up supplies, I’m looking forward to picking up valuable conversations with staff, members, and other shoppers. As I’ve found in many other co-ops, these promise to be people in the know. If you haven’t shopped at a co-op recently, you may want to do a search for the one closest to you.

I’m very excited to find out that there is an abundance of organic food available -- even on vacation.  The big lesson I’m learning is that eating organic does take advanced planning and a little persistence.

When we return, I’ll let you know how it goes, but I’m sure we’ll have a great time.

Alan Greene, MD, FAAP

Dr. Greene’s Organic Adventure Continues

I am now entirely off of the conventional food grid - everything I eat is organic. Once the decision was made to embark on this journey, it was time to restock our pantry and our fridge for all-organic  cooking.

Don't get the impression that most of my meals are homemade feasts. We lead busy lives, so most of my meals at home are small and simple -- maybe just a crisp organic apple and some Raw Sharp Cheddar Cheese slices, or organic walnuts and green beans, or organic almonds and yogurt. But my wife Cheryl is an amazing cook, and I have fun trying things in the kitchen , so we average about one full homemade meal a day, many of them breakfasts or brunches.

One of the best early finds on my all-organic adventure was a book by Jesse Ziff Cool called Your Organic Kitchen - The Essential Guide to Selecting and Cooking Organic Foods. Jesse has an amazing restaurant, The Cool Café, that's located on the campus of Stanford University just a short walk from the clinic where I see patients. Everything there is delicious, as well as local, seasonal, sustainable, and/or organic. It's a campus hotspot for people who love great food, whether they are thinking about organic or not. When I saw Jesse's cookbook I knew it would be a great roadmap for my home organic dining experience. It's packed with simple, delicious recipes arranged according to what ingredients are fresh and in-season throughout the calendar.

But when I set out to cook, I discovered how much I really needed to change out in our family pantry and fridge. The milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs we got were already organic, except for a few artisan cheeses. Most of the fresh produce at home was already organic as well. But many of the prepared and frozen foods, as well as sauces, dressings, condiments, beans, breads, nuts, dried fruits, mixes, and flours needed to be replaced .

There were a lot of last-minute trips to the market in those first weeks, as each time I tackled a new recipe I found myself running to the store to pick up an item or two I had taken for granted. For one thing, I realized that very few of the herbs, spices, and extracts in my pantry were organic. None of the nearby stores had a complete selection, so I've now got a hodgepodge in the pantry: organic black peppercorns from Simply Organic, organic cayenne pepper from Frontier Culinary Spices, organic rubbed sage from Morton and Bassett Spices, organic vanilla extract from Flavorganics, and organic thyme leaves from McCormick Gourmet Collection. I even bought my first-ever basil plant! It took some time, but the re-spicing of my life is pretty complete.

In the first week , I made a yogurt mistake. I picked up a yogurt from a well-known organic yogurt companies, and enjoyed it heartily - only to notice on closer inspection that it was all natural - not organic. I felt horrible, but I learned from my mistake. I've become a much closer reader of labels than I ever was. So have my kids, who point out, “Dad, those crackers are made with organic wheat flour - they're not certified organic. Put them down!” I've learned to look for the USDA Certified Organic seal, or the Oregon Tilth seal. And I've come to trust a few brands that are “all-organic, all-the-time”.

I can't remember having such a great time eating at home. Our pantry and fridge have made the transition. We're sharing a bounty of wonderful, organic whole foods . Some meals are elaborate; most are simple; all leave me feeling better than I have in years. But we'll talk about the surprising effects on my mind and body next time…

Alan Greene MD FAAP