I've always heard about eating seasonally, but I never thought much about it. Lately, I've been reading more and more on the subject. For now, let's talk about the basics.

Winter time is upon us. It's a season where we tend to hibernate (and eat!) a bit more; for comfort, for warmth, and for energy. Winter foods tend to be heartier, and we replace salads and lighter fare with soups, stews and roasted veggies.

I decided that instead of focusing on foods I shouldn't eat, it was time to look for foods to include. One of the diets (or rather, eating lifestyles) I hadn't paid much attention to was macrobiotics. This holiday, I read two books: Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics by Jessica Porter, and The Macrobiotic Path to Total Heatlh by Michio Kushi (one of the main innovators of the macrobiotic movement) and Alex Jack.

Missing that deli meat sandwich? Craving that submarine you used to buy? Perhaps this will help.

Take a look at Mystery Meat Macrophotography by Mike Adams. Mike does macro photography, which basically means really, really, really close up images. In this collection of pictures, he takes you closer than you've ever wanted to get to some processed salami, then some sausages, and finally hot dog wieners. As he goes along, he lists the ingredients for each and tries to point out what the array of colours and textures might be that are appearing within the meat.

In 2001, the UK tightened hygiene protocols and lengthened pasteurization (heat-treatment times) on dairy farms. This was in response to scientific studies that suggests exposure to a bacterium called Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (MAP) (which is also called Johne's disease) may play some role in chronic illness, which causes abdominal pain, diarrhoea and fatigue.

Ah cheese. I love cheese. Almost as much as bread. Mmmm, bread and cheese. See? It's so deliciously bad it's distracting me. Why is a woman with many intolerances talking about cheese? Mainly because I know for some people there may be exceptions to the can't-eat-it rule and I want to make sure people know about them. But don't send me angry emails for giving false hope if you are not the exception.

I've said it numerous times, but thought it was worth mentioning again that each of us are different when it comes to food intolerances and what we can or cannot eat. Just as our personalities differ, so do our digestive tracts.

Name the fast food chain, and I can guarantee they have a sign up that says "We are currently not serving tomatoes". I find this interesting because unlike our neighbours to the south, we don't have a salmonella problem with crops grown here in Canada (so far). Which brings me to today's rant.

Those of you who are super sensitive to lactic acid or even the smallest trace of molds, look away. Don't read this blog. It will only make you sad.

The rest of you, especially if you can tolerate naturally fermented foods, come sit by me and read about my newly added item on my personal 'friendly cheat' list.

Check out the beef stew recipe in the Can't Eat It Recipe Book. I don't have a picture of it for my blog because...well...I ate the stew before I thought about it. It's yummy, hearty and satisfying.

The Internet is a dangerous source of information. You could be getting complex financial advice on stocks and investments from Ted who actually plucks chickens for a living (not that there's anything wrong with that, but chances are, Ted doesn't have a background in finance and hasn't bought a stock in his life). And unfortunately, you wouldn't have any idea because Ted's comments are presented well on a website.