Category Archives: About Me

Busy Bee and D4D!

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My non-blogging summer goes a little something like this:

I’m working three different jobs/internships in three different cities. There is not one day that I don’t drive my little, red Civic at least 120 miles! I’m tutoring two “precious,” loud teenage boys, working for an online farmers market delivery service in San Francisco called LolaBee’s, and I’m planning the 5th Annual 5K Fundraiser for Dogs4Diabetics (D4D).

Now, I know what you must be thinking, why don’t I still have time late in the night to quickly write a post … well … I’ll admit it, when I finally get the chance to relax, usually around 12 am, I tend to spend my time reading the addicting Fifty Shades series … And I know you secretly are as well!!

On another note, what I really want to share with you today is a little different than my usual toxic knowledge. I wanted to take this time to share with everyone why I want to be involved in D4D and why you should too.

My baby brother, Dylan, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 6. He is the strongest, bravest person I know! Dylan not only has to monitor his blood sugar throughout the day, measuring his food intake and pumping his insulin, but he also has to estimate the impact of physical activity and stress on his body’s blood sugar chemistry. It’s tough!!!

A little over a year ago, he was gifted a Dogs4Diabetics service dog, and let me tell you, he was ecstatic!!! And for a good reason too, Celeste, his dog, is a miracle. She is on alert 24/7 and has the ability to sense changes in blood chemistry that occurs as Dylan’s blood sugar begins to rapidly drop–which can result in seizure and even death in a matter of minutes.

Whether she is alerting at a SF Giants baseball game or waking my parents up at 4 am because my brother’s blood sugar is dropping, she is always by my brother’s side. They complete each other and support each other through thick and thin. Which is why I’m so passionate about planning the 5th Annual Walk!

To learn more about D4D, please visit their site at dogs4diabetics.com.

And lastly, here’s a quick description of the walk, see below:

5th Annual Walk for the Dogs

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Heather Farms Park/Sports Basement Parking Lot

(1881 Ygnacio Valley Rd.)

Registration 8:00AM

It’s that time again! It’s time for the annual Walk for the Dogs! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 11th and come out and join our canine heroes for a morning of fun! You can now register online on the D4D website. The registration fee is $30 and will include a 2012 5th Annual Walk T-shirt, a complimentary raffle ticket, and a goodie bag. If you haven’t joined us for this event in the past, we will have entertainment, refreshments, prizes, our amazing dogs and other furry friends!

Don’t want to register?? Not in the area?? You can still donate to this great cause! We are also tax-deductible, Employer ID #20-2250869.

Thanks for stopping by, and remember, keep your diet naturally colorful!

Come back soon, I’ll be sharing a little something, something about my other internship, LolaBee’s, the online farmers market delivery service in San Francisco.

About Me

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Hi! I’m Amanda.

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I’m a 20 something, food-loving, and super busy college student. I’m lactose intolerant, but love cheese on my sandwiches. I’m a “vegetarian” who still occasionally eats chicken and adores fish!

65184_10200192144026693_1515387166_nAnd I absolutely LOVE to cook but can’t seem to find the TIME while pulling all-nighters for my Bio-Chem classes, workouts, work, and sorority events. I also need to make some time for my friend, family, and favorite TV shows … obviously!

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So what do I do? I, like most other college students, buy pre-made, frozen meals or processed snack foods filled with those mysterious ingredients that are frequently ignored. And being the health freak that I am, I’m always looking at food labels, mainly to see what the calories are and if the product contains milk. And when looking through the ingredients, I always come across certain ingredients that I can’t even pronounce and I’ve taken a whole year of Organic Chemistry already! Additionally, I’m kind of a “Trader Joe’s Snob.” I go at least once a week and stock up on all their frozen, pre-made meals, mainly because they are absolutely delicious and because they say “organic and/or no preservatives” on the package. I then go home and literally shove them into my small, already-full, shared apartment freezer.

photo-72 I’ve always thought of myself as extremely healthy and conscious of what I’m putting in my body… But it’s all a lie! I buy products that say organic, I buy products that say no preservatives, and I buy products that say “natural”… but what does that really mean????

Hint: The word “Natural” is not regulated by the FDA!

So, what’s the point of this blog? Well, I’m currently a fourth year now at the University of California, Davis, pursuing a BS in Environmental Toxicology with a Food Toxicology emphasis. With “Toxic Foodie” I hope to show you what foods really are “better” for you, what’s really in the food we eat, and how to read labels. Don’t let the food industry control you!

In addition, I will keep you updated on what is happening in the food safety world and what I’m currently learning in my Food and Toxicology courses (ETX/FST 128—for all you Davis students interested in my material, TAKE THE CLASS).

All in all, I’m here to expose what these mysterious ingredients really are; what are you really putting in your body???? So, here’s my journey, enjoy!