Friday, August 31, 2007

"NEW LINK BETWEEN CANCER & MOBILE PHONE USE"

A study has found that exposure to mobile phone signals from a handset for just 5 minutes stimulated human cells to split in 2. This is a natural process during cell growth but is also central to the development of cancer.

The 6-year 'Mobile Telecommunications & Health Research Programme' is expected to present its final report in September. Official guidance that mobile phones were safe was based on the idea that human cells would only be damaged by heat from mobile phones. But the new evidence supports the position that mobile handsets can trigger potentially harmful cell changes without temperature changes.

Professor Rony Seger, cancer researcher at Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, found cell damage after just 5 minutes of exposing cells to such radiation. He identified the production of Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) - natural chemicals that stimulate cell division & growth. Cancer develops when the body is unable to prevent excessive growth & division of cells in the wrong places.

Are you worried about the safety of mobiles. www.telegraph.co.uk/news

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted

Hey everybody,

I'm on vacation until Monday. In the meantime, feel free to check out past posts, like the very lovely Pesto one located directly below this letter.

Oh, and come on back for next week's articles, including:

Behold! The Great Zucchini (Bread)!
Broiled Eggplant Japonaise: Ugly, but Good
and
When Frugality Pays Off: See Ya, Sallie Mae

Hearts,
Kristen

Light Pesto: The Miracle of Basil

If fresh basil was a person, it’d be George Clooney, Olivier Martinez, and that dude from Under the Tuscan Sun rolled into one beautiful, musk-scented studmuffin. I’d date it. I’d marry it. I’d trail it from junior high class to junior high class, silently willing it to notice me, until, in a fit of pubescent insanity, I dropped a love letter in its locker.

If fresh basil was a drug, I’d be Keith Richards, Keith Moon, and Stevie Nicks rolled up into one mega-burnout. (Hopefully with Stevie’s hair.) I’d smoke it, apply it to brightly-colored stamps, ingest it in ways that couldn’t be printed in an Ozzy Osbourne memoir, much less a family-friendly blog. (Ooo...scary.)

If fresh basil was free and abundant all year around, I’d put it on pasta. I’d put it in bread. I’d put it in ice cream, cheesecake, and breakfast cereal. I’d mix it with peanut butter and make PB and J and B sandwiches. I’d have grillz made of it, so every time I licked, chewed, or breathed, fresh basil would infuse me with pungent green goodness.

Alas, fresh basil is none of these things, so I must be contented with the occasional tomato sauce, pasta salad, and scrumptious, delectable pesto.

Made with basil, garlic, parmesan, some sort of nut, and an inground pool’s worth of olive oil, pesto’s calorie and fat content is usually meteoric (i.e. 230 calories, 21 grams of fat per ¼ cup). Yet, there is a way to lighten the load considerably.

This recipe, courtesy of Weight Watchers, is a nice stand-in for the butt-conscious. First, it replaces most of the olive oil with chicken broth, cutting the fat by about 60%. Second, the abundance of fresh basil gives it a clean, earthy taste (if those even go together), meaning you won’t miss the absent oil. Finally, the lighter consistency doesn’t sit heavily in the tummy area, giving you more time to soliloquize about fresh basil. If Ebert was here, a thumb up would be forthcoming.

A word of caution about the garlic, though – two raw cloves go a LONG way. If you’re concerned about your breath/makeout potential, use a single one.

Light Pesto Sauce
4 servings – scant ¼ c each
Adapted from Weight Watchers.

2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 cups basil leaves, fresh
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (or homemade broth)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 medium garlic clove(s), peeled (depending on how much you like garlic)
1/2 tsp table salt

1) Over medium heat, toast pine nuts in a small pan for about 3 minutes. Toss frequently so they won't burn.

2) Pour pine nuts into a food processor. Add basil, broth, cheese, oil, garlic and salt. Process until it's the smoothness and thickness of your liking. If you like, let it stand overnight for melding/thickening purposes. (It’s better the next day. – Kris)

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
104 calories, 8.8 g fat, $0.83

Calculations
2 Tbsp pine nuts: 135 calories, 13.7 g fat, $1.00
2 cups basil leaves, fresh: 23 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.48
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken stock: 43 calories, 1.4 g fat, $0.12
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese: 83 calories, 5.5 g fat, $0.52
1 Tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
2 medium garlic clove(s): 10 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1/2 tsp table salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 414 calories, 35 g fat, $3.31
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 104 calories, 8.8 g fat, $0.83

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Tuesday Megalinks

I’m away Thursday and Friday, so please enjoy these ever-so-lovely entries in the meantime:

Consumerist/Spoofee: How to Pick a Good Watermelon
Quick! Read this before the season’s over and we have to make do with the cool, refreshing taste of turnips.

Freakonomics Quorum: What is the Right Way to Think About the Obesity ‘Epidemic’?
A.k.a. “Are We Fatties? Discuss.”

Get Rich Slowly: The Grocery Game AND Grocery Store vs. Farmers Market: Which Has the Cheapest Produce?
I link to GRS so often for two reasons:
A) JD is a thoughtful, technically solid writer, and,
B) He focuses a good chunk of the blog on food.
Check out his archives for more mealtime wonder.

The Simple Dollar: Getting Over the “Taboo” of Generics and Store Brands

That stuff about Get Rich Slowly? The same goes for Simple Dollar.

Frugal Upstate: Frugal Potluck or BBQ Food: Fruit Kabobs – Fun, Festive, and Frugal
Let it be known: everything tastes better on a stick.

Bibilical Womanhood: Frugal Fridays – Grocery Shopping
Just 24, Crystal feeds her family of four on $35 a week. I couldn’t feed myself for that much at her age. Lady has her stuff together. Cute kids, too. (Scroll down for the post.)

Top Chef: Anthony Bourdain’s Blog
Cheap? No. Healthy? Nuh-unh. Pulitzer-worthy food writing from a globe-spanning culinary artiste who names his posts after Traffic and Clash songs? You betcha.

Midtown Lunch: Day in the Life - Muhammed “Kwik Meal” Rahman
Neat behind-the-scenes look at an NYC cart vendor who works 16 hours a day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year so workers can have inexpensive, relatively healthy lunches (minus the white sauce).

Free Money Finance: Carnival of Personal Finance
CHG’s an editor’s pick! Woo, I say, woo! Other notable entries include:

FILAM: 89th Festival of Frugality:
CHG’s Beef series made it into the “Frugal Food and Nutrition” section, along with:

`

Monday, August 27, 2007

Stock in the Name of Love: Chicken Stock from Scratch

When I was first told that homemade stock was tastier, cheaper, and easier than buying a big ol’ can, I almost burned the messenger for blasphemy. (I couldn’t help it. I was feeling burny.)

Since the urge to set things aflame never fully subsided, I decided to test it out on said homemade stock. I grabbed a chicken skeleton, some leftover skin (both from Marcella Hazan's Roast Chicken with Two Lemons), and stuck it all in a pot with a few vegetables and some water. An hour later, the arson urge was gone, the apartment smelled like Per Se (er, not that I’d know), and I was beating The Boyfriend off with a ladle.

In other words, the stock was stellar, and I was a moron.

Since then (let’s call it “last week”), I’m a homemade stock convert. My freezer’s full of stock popsicles (stocksicles), and a pesto recipe has already benefited greatly from the brew. Going forth, I’ll use it whenever possible.

A quick note about the attached recipe: though Calorie King estimates homemade stock at 43 calories and 1.4 grams of fat per cup, it’s really tough to compute the count accurately. Subsequently, I left those numbers out of the calculations (though I’m guessing both are pretty low).

Chicken Stock
Makes 7 cups
Adapted from Tyler Florence.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, cut in large chunks
2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
1 onion, halved
1 garlic bulb, halved
1-1/2 lbs reserved chicken bones and various parts
2 quarts cold water
4 sprigs fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

1) In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you're afraid of the garlic burning, add it during the last 30 seconds.) Add chicken bones, water, parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Turn heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock into a large bowl. Throw the solids out.

2) Place in fridge overnight. Skim out anything on top before bagging/storing it. Will keep for a few days in the fridge or an eon in the freezer.

Approximate Price Per Serving
$0.23

Calculations
2 tablespoons olive oil: $0.16
2 carrots, cut in large chunks: $0.24
2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks: $0.25
1 onion, halved: $0.18
1 garlic bulb, halved: $0.25
1-1/2 lbs chicken bones and parts: FREE (leftover from paid-for chicken)
2 quarts cold water: FREE
4 sprigs fresh parsley: $0.15
4 sprigs fresh thyme: $0.30
2 bay leaves: $0.10
TOTAL: $1.63
PER SERVING (TOTAL/7): $0.23 `

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Magnetic fields detrimental to blood pressure

This article dates to about 2000 or before. Cell phones started appearing in 1985 depending on the country of use. Cell phone use has skyrocketed as has hypertension and other health problems.

In 2003 I presented a program to health care professionals discussing EMF as a cause of modern and mostly undiagnosable disease. With the accumulation of research on the impact of EMF and health, I still do not believe I am off course in my thinking.

Cells phones carried by doctors contribute to higher infection rates in hospital. EMF contributes to asthma because the non-ionizing redaction from cell phones attracts particulate matter, causing it to adhere to lung tissue.

Hands free gadgets used in cars create a very high amount of EMF radiation that can lead to accidents and poor driving decisions.

I recommend an air tube head set which can be purchased from CHI, as can our book, Blood Pressure Care Naturally.
Recent German research shows the magnetic fields emitted during phone use may be detrimental to those having high blood pressure.

LONDON --- Mobile phones, an essential accessory for millions of people, could increase blood pressure significantly, German researchers said yesterday.

In a letter in The Lancet medical journal, Dr Stephan Braune of the University Neurology Clinic in Freiburg, Germany said that radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by the telephones pumped up the blood pressure of 10 young volunteers who took part in a study.

Dr Braune and his team attached the phones to the right side of the volunteers' heads and switched them on by remote control at various intervals. they measured their heart function and blood pressure (BP) while they were standing and lying down.

They measured their heart function and blood pressure (BP) while they were standing and lying down.

There was no sound so the volunteers did not know when they were being exposed to the EMF.

The researchers found that 35 minutes fo radio-frequency EMF caused "increases in resting BP between five and 10 mm HG". An average good blood pressure is 136/75 mm HG.

The finding could have adverse effects on people sufering from high blood pressure or hypertension, an important risk factor for heart disease and stroke which are leading causes of death in most developed countries.

The researchers said the increase in blood pressure probably resulted from constriction of the arteries by the radio frequency electro-magnetic fields.

According to a report early this year in the Medical Journal of Australia, a sharp rise in the incidence of brain tumours there may be linked to the use of mobile telephones.

Cancer specialist Andrew Davidson of Fremantle Hospital in Western Australia said the state's cancer registry had revealed a 50 percent rise in the incidence of the disease in men and a 62.5 percent increase for women in the decade from 1982.

"It is conjectured that the rise in incidence is related to the use of analogue mobile phones in the late 80s," Dr Davidson wrote in a letter to the journal.

But former Telstra telecommunications scientist Bruce Hocking said that on the evidence so far, there was no proven risk of brain cancer from mobile phones or other communication devices.

Mobile telephones have been linked to a variety of health problems ranging from fatigue, headaches to burning skin, but there is still no proof that the gadgets pose any serious health risks -- REUTERS, AFP.

Author's comment: One way to minimize risks is to purchase an external ear-plug accessory for your phone.

The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://www.geomancy.net/resources/art/art-handphone.htm

Friday, August 24, 2007

Health Freedom: Beware of False Messengers

Please read this carefully and distribute widely if you values your right of access to health care of your choice.

For more information see these key sites as well,
pFAM Health
International Advocates for Health Freedom
Byron Richards

ANH Rebuttal to NSF

The following is an email reply from our international affiliate, Alliance for Natural Health in response to another health freedom organization sending misinformation in regards to the recent win in Europe. We agree with ANH’s position of not contributing to the dissention in the health freedom community, but occasionally, such erroneous information is published that it needs a rebuttal. The following is ANH’s response to Dr. Rima Laibow/Natural Solutions Foundation email sent on Tuesday evening, August 21, 2007 regarding the recent ANH victory in Europe. To view NSF originial email blast, please click here.

eBLAST 23 AUGUST 2007
IMPORTANT HEALTH FREEDOM INFORMATION. PLEASE FORWARD VERY WIDELY

anh_logo.gifIt is unusual for the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) to get involved in disputes between the many factions in health freedom. We are, above all, an alliance and are working hard at forging bonds and affiliations with other health freedom organisations in different parts of the world so that we, together, can be more effective in our work. In the USA we are formally affiliated with the American Association for Health Freedom and the Health Freedom Foundation (www.healthfreedom.net). Additionally, we work closely on Codex issues with the National Health Federation, which is the only health freedom organisation to have official observer status— and thus enabling it to speak—at Codex meetings.

However, a situation has arisen that forces us to clarify a deeply misleading commentary by one particular organisation, the Natural Solutions Foundation. Should such a clarification not be of interest to you, you of course need read no further.

Subscribers to the Natural Solutions Foundation e-list will have received an email from Dr Rima Laibow, the organisation’s founder, today about which we wish to provide important clarification. We feel compelled to make this clarification as Dr Laibow has, unfortunately not for the first time, seriously confused her facts.
What Dr Laibow of Natural Solutions Foundation Said

Dr Laibow opens her email with the title “Reading the Fine Print to Get It Right!”. Regrettably, however, there appear to be such fundamental misunderstandings in Dr Laibow’s email that we can only presume she has not taken her own advice. On a more serious note, Dr Laibow’s communication also serves to provide much greater confusion – the very thing she professes to help eliminate – and it begs the question of why she did not instruct her legal counsel to communicate with us before issuing such a distorted view of the actual circumstances in Europe with regard to our recent actions on food supplements.

In her mailing, Dr Laibow, described the recent clarification by the European Commission brought about by the ANH’s legal challenge and subsequent filing of dossiers on natural sources of vitamins and minerals, as a “nano victory”. To us that means she thinks it’s a small victory, but we suggest you make your own mind up, when you read the section beneath the next sub-heading. It is interesting that Dr Laibow does not refer to us directly, presumably because she is fearful that it might drive further interest towards our many and diverse health freedom activities in different parts of the world. Dr Laibow’s interpretation of the recent progress is that “natural source[s of] supplements are no longer in danger, now they are considered as foods” and she goes on to say “We agree with the basic [sic] principle: supplements are foods and therefore considered safe.” But is she confusing ‘safe to health’ from ‘safe from regulators’? Dr. Laibow also doesn’t appear to appreciate that food supplements in Europe are already regarded as a category of food, but the recent European Commission decision makes natural sources of vitamins and minerals food ingredients, which require no proof of safety before going to market, rather than food supplement ingredients (vitamins and minerals), which require evidence of proof of safety. Creating this evidence can be prohibitively expensive for many supplement companies.

Dr Laibow continues by outlining in a grossly inaccurately manner, the background to our case in the European Union (EU) - again making no mention of the name of our organisation - and even cites her endorsement of our December 2004 critique to the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization on planned Codex approaches to nutrient risk assessment. It seems that she might be looking for praise or credit, but she doesn’t seem to have realised that the document she endorsed has absolutely no link with our actions on natural sources. Dr Laibow’s signature on our 2004 document also represented the first time she became known to us, and we should point out that our Board subsequently requested that we remove her from the list of endorsees on the grounds of her lack of credibility and accuracy on Codex issues.

Dr Laibow’s fundamental misunderstanding of events in Europe appears be based on her apparent gross confusion over the differences between work we are doing, 1) help prevent a ban on ingredients such as natural sources of nutrients, and, 2) maintaining dosages of nutrients, which are at serious risk of being limited to non-therapeutic levels by flawed, scientifically irrational approaches to risk assessment and management.
What has ANH actually achieved in relation to natural sources of nutrients

The victory to which the ANH lays claim is that our strategy has caused the European Commission to agree that natural sources of vitamins and minerals will no longer need to go through a complex, often prohibitively expensive safety evaluation process conducted by the European Food Safety Authority. This was going to be required to get the ingredients on to an allowed (positive) list. However, the European Commission has accepted now that natural sources of nutrients don’t need to be processed in this way and can simply be used in the same way any food ingredient can be used. There remains a compulsion on the manufacturer that the product is safe, just in the same way that a baker needs to be sure his loaf of bread is safe. This position is actually quite different from many EU Member States’ interpretations of the requirements and is the exact opposite of a position made by the legal unit of the European Commission over a year ago (the legal unit now being a signatory of the reconsidered position).

Our press release on the European Commission’s altered position on natural sources of vitamins and minerals can be found at: http://www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=news&ID=288
Curdled milk or synthetic vitamins?

Dr Laibow refers to a quote from Gilbert & Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore: “Things are seldom what they seem, Skim milk masquerades as cream”. Having read her email, we would suggest that the milk has definitely curdled. Her confusion over natural and synthetic vitamins would be a clear example of ‘curdled milk.’

Dr Laibow says: “Natural source nutrients are safe, beneficial and extremely important to the health of people eating modern industrialized foods and living in a toxic world. Synthetic ingredients are not the same as natural ones, although our FDA has taken the unscientific position that they are the same.” ANH says: we agree, generally, with Dr Laibow on this one point – although one might assume that her previous psychiatry practice would have been rather dependent on synthetic vitamins, which have been a staple in the field of orthomolecular medicine. However, in the context of what’s going in Europe, the key point is that the European Commission was, until our recent action, treating natural sources of vitamins and minerals in the same way as synthetic ones. This meant you needed to prove that the ingredient was safe—often a prohibitively expensive process—before it could be used in a supplement. Now natural sources of vitamins and minerals will be treated as foods, rather than as food supplement ingredients, where it is assumed they are safe as these natural sources of nutrients have been part of our food supply for many thousands of years. In our book, this is a real win for nature, for natural health and, of course, for health freedom. We can only think that Dr Laibow perceives it as a “nano victory” because she does not fully understand the facts of the case, as suggested by her own description of products on her e-commerce site (see below).

Dr Laibow says: “As an aside, the Natural Solutions Foundation feels so strongly about this that we provide an online store, www.Organics4U.org , where you can access totally organic, all natural nutrients for yourself and those you care about.” ANH says: we have reviewed Dr Laibow’s e-commerce site and immediately viewed a host of ingredients in products which appear to be synthetic in origin, rather than natural sources. We suggest that unless Dr Laibow can substantiate that all ingredients selling on her site, such as ascorbic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, sodium selenite, L-arginine, thiamine hydrochloride, hydroxycobalamin, folic acid and vanadyl sulphate (to name but a few) are “all natural” and not synthetic, Dr Laibow might have to accept that she has ‘curdled the milk’ and is confused over the differences between natural sources of nutrients and synthetic nutrients.
Onwards and Upwards

We hope that this mailing helps to clarify a situation that Dr Laibow and her organisation has muddied. Dr Laibow has previously asked ANH as well as other organisations and Codex experts to make her aware of inaccuracies in what she has said or published. Despite several attempts at drawing her attention to specific examples of misinformation in her materials, she appears to have done little or nothing to rectify them. We therefore draw attention to this new incidence of inaccuracy publicly, in the hope that, in future, the Natural Solutions Foundation will begin to research its articles and speeches more carefully.

We are deeply committed to our work in helping to carve out a scientific and regulatory system that will allow for the expansion of natural health, so that it can ultimately become the rightful heir to mainstream healthcare. To this end, integrity and accuracy are two of our most important tools. On this occasion, we have felt compelled by the actions of the Natural Solutions Foundation to protect our integrity and the accuracy of information surrounding our recent legal activities on European food supplements. We also call on the health freedom community to be responsible in its outputs so that we can work together more effectively in our common goals.

In health, naturally

The ANH Core Team

Cheap Healthy Vacation Food: 61 Tips for Travel Eats on a Budget

(Usually, I post a recipe on Fridays, but I wanted to get this in for the pre-Labor day weekend. Look for Chicken Stock on Monday and Light Pesto next Wednesday instead.)

As the summer draws to a close, several bajillion Americans (self included) are itching to get the hell out of work; to soak up the last lingering rays of another warm season gone by.

Also, they’re hungry.

Transportation and housing aside, food’s a major budget concern when planning a vacation. Since most travelers are just trying to find a decent, affordable meal, nutritional considerations nearly always fall by the wayside.

What follows, then, is a plan: the ultimate guide to saving dough on food while you’re away, with extra emphasis on healthy options.

BEFORE YOU GO

1. Research. Dear god, you must. Citysearch, Frommers, Zagat, and Lonely Planet are just a few sites that highlight inexpensive, nutrition-conscious restaurants all over the U.S. Local newspaper sites and area-based blogs can point you the right way, as well.

2. Check for coupons and certificates online. Restaurants.com and eBay can help. Signing up for Entertainment Books is also a big boon to savings, while you’re at it.

3. See if your company can get you a deal. “Some restaurants shave 10% to 25% off the meal cost” claims USA Today. Check with HR before departure, and you might be able to score a bargain.

4. Consider an all-inclusive. Lots of resorts and cruises incorporate the price of meals in their room packages. While you might still be stuck paying for drinks, this can save hundreds in the long run. Most provide tons of healthy chow, too.

5. If you’re a foodie, travel during Restaurant Weeks. Now in Boston, Baltimore, Philly, DC, Atlanta, Dallas, Sacramento, Toronto, Puerta Vallarta, and New York City, Restaurant Weeks provide fantastic deals on four star restaurants. Seriously, we’re talking $20 for lunch at Nobu. Open Table is a phenomenal resource for this.

6. Look for festivals. Upon arrival in Little Rock, Arkansas, my roadtripping friends and I were greeted by Riverfest, a weekend extravaganza of food, music, and people-watching. Needless to say, we skipped lunch and grazed on corn, tomatoes, and good, cheap beer. Check Festivals.com or call the Chamber of Commerce for dates and possibilities.

7. Take Rachael Ray's advice with a grain of salt. While I don’t harbor the dislike some foodies have for the catchphrasey Buffalo doyenne, she cut some corners and tends to tip insufficiently on her $40-a-Day show. There's good stuff there, just beware of going too far in your quest for affordability.

8. Sign up for frequent flier miles. Some credit card companies will give them to you for dining at certain restaurants. Put your stomach to work.

GETTING THERE: IN THE AIR

9. Don’t buy food at the airport. Ludicrously expensive and often poorly made, airport food can cost you precious calories and cash.

10. Skip the plane chow, too. Airlines need money for gas, and they’re taking it out of your meal budget. Why pay $8 for a sandwich you might not even like?

11. Bring an empty. The TSA will confiscate full water bottles, but not empty ones. Slip one into your bag, and fill it using the airport tap. Voila! $2 saved.

12. Carry snacks. Even if it means raiding the local drugstore, packing your own bites will save big bucks, satisfy cravings, and keep the calorie count down.

GETTING THERE: ON THE ROAD

13. Bring a cooler. Fill it with ice, drinks, fruit, cut-up vegetables, cold cuts, bread – anything easily assembled that can be used for an in-vehicle bite or roadside picnic. You’ll conserve time and cash, and it’s easier to regulate what you eat.

14. Create a Port-o-Kitchen. Stuff a small plastic with meal-making necessities. Travel board poster MJ Hardy brings “a plastic container with a lid that I fill with a small paring knife, wine opener, small can opener, a couple of place settings of study plastic silver ware, packets of salt, pepper, other condiments, individual wet naps, and an assortment of zip lock bags, etc. I then put a small stack of paper plates and napkins in a large zip lock bag, a small plastic cutting board and a partial roll of paper towel.” Handy!

15. Freeze a thermos or two. Fill a reusable plastic water bottle with the drink of your choice and freeze it overnight. After it defrosts in the car, and you’ll have a cold beverage at your disposal.

16. Make a big bag o’snacks. On a recent road trip through the South, my friend S brought a massive backpack of granola bars, baked chips, granola bars, Smartwell cookies, and granola bars. It kept us happy and full for those eight-hour stretches through Oklahoma. Pretzels, nuts, baked chips, low-fat cookies, beef jerky, and popcorn are good, lighter choices here, as well.

17. Consider kids’ meals. If you have to resort to fast food, they’re cheaper and generally healthier than adult meals. Don’t try it at a fancy sit-down eatery, though. Not classy.

ACCOMMODATIONS: SHORT-TERM (ONE AND TWO-DAY STAYS)

18. Book places with free breakfast. When continental and buffet breakfasts are built into the overnight fee, everybody wins. Bed and breakfasts are, of course, included in this category. Grabbing an extra orange or apple for a snack can’t hurt, either. While you’re at it…

19. See if there’s free lunch and dinner, too. According to a USA Today article, one diner “says he stays at Red Lion hotels and fills up on the free food -- popcorn, nachos or hot dogs -- served during happy hour.” I’m still trying to find the health benefit from that, but the savings are pretty obvious. Of course, if neither of the previous pair of tips apply …

20. Pack your own breakfast. Oatmeal, cereal, English Muffins, and fruit are simple to pack and prepare, and they don’t need massive storage or bizarre cooking utensils.

21. Use your ice bucket. If you don’t have a cooler or fridge for leftovers, the ice bucket is a decent shotgun substitute. Wrap food tightly, though.

ACCOMMODATIONS: LONG-TERM (MORE THAN TWO DAYS)

22. Get a room with a kitchen. Cooking your own meals is the #1 cost-cutting measure whenever and wherever you travel. It makes it ten times easier to monitor your own nutritional intake, to boot. Pack some home-bought provisions or pillage the local supermarket for deals.

23. Ask personnel to empty the mini-fridge before you get there. This way, there’s no temptation from incredibly pricey shots of Jager, and you can stuff it with your own nutritious repasts.

24. Buy beforehand in bulk. If you’re gonna be there awhile, you may as well stock up. Just make sure you have enough storage space.

25. Pack your coupons. Hey, you never know.

26. Check the ‘net for circulars of nearby grocers. Depending on where you’re coming from (say … NYC), supermarkets local to your destination can have much cheaper food than your hometown grocer. Circulars will help procure deals, too. Keep in mind though, it might be best to …

27. Bring condiments from home. Staples like butter, olive oil, and mustard are often costlier than the main meals themselves. If you think you might only use a little of something, portion it out into Tupperware and throw it in the car.

28. Save leftovers. They’re not just for Wednesday night post-work dinner anymore. Whether you’re cooking in your room or ordering out, the extra can feed you for at least one more meal.

RESTAURANTS

29. Browse brochures and newspapers. Often placed in or around rest stops, hotel front desks, and your room, they're chock full of discounts and coupons for local joints.

30. Avoid eateries located by major attractions. I work in a high-tourism area. (Let’s call it Schtimes Square, Schnew York.) The food here is easily twice what you’d pay in any other area of the city, and generally, the quality is the pits. Walking two blocks from a landmark, monument, or sightseeing highlight (say, Schtimes Square, Schnew York) can automatically save 50% off a bill. Special note: in foreign countries, beware of “touristy restaurants with ‘We speak English’ signs and multilingual menus” cautions the Chicago Times’ Rick Steves. They know the game, and will frequently charge more.

31. Don’t eat at restaurants INSIDE tourist traps. Again, pricey. This goes for museum cafes, theme park diners, Graceland, and their ilk. Wait until you’re well outside, then run. On the same note …

32. Skip the dinner shows. Remember the strip club guideline here: The entertainment might be eye-popping, but the food sucks. While you’re crossing things off the list …

33. Eschew mid-scale dinner chains. If you’re vacationing somewhere renowned for its food, stay out of Applebees, Chili’s, Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden, TGI Fridays, Bennigans, Hooters, Pizzeria Uno, Sbarro, Ruby Tuesdays, Red Lobster, Outback, and their ilk. Not only are their prices higher in tourist destinations, but the signature food is rarely health-minded. (Cracker Barrel excepted. Because it is awesome.)

34. Eat a fantastic lunch instead of a costly dinner. A mid-day meal can run half the price of a late-day one. The food is the same quality level, and you’ll often consume less calories, since eateries tend to serve lighter fare for lunch. This goes especially for upscale restaurants.

35. Go ethnic. The best Indian food I ever had was in Glasgow, Scotland. As travel writer Tony Robinson puts it, “Eating in ethnic neighborhoods provides great local color, a chance to meet interesting people, and very low prices as well.” A fabulous learning experience, ethnic food is also frequently less fattening than American meals.

36. Hit the buffet once a day. Inexpensive and full of options, buffets are a stellar choice for the health-minded. Odds are you’ll be able to skip another meal, as well. I think my parents go to Vegas for this sole reason.

37. Ask for discounts. Are you a Senior, Student, or member of a large group? Excellent. You might be eligible for a chunk off your final bill. “But be warned,” says Steves, “because the United States doesn't reciprocate, many countries don't give their standard senior citizen discounts to Americans.”

38. Doggie bag it. In the U.S., anyway, eat-out meals can be twice the size of a normal, human-appropriate serving. Conserve money and calories by bagging half and stowing it for another meal.

39. K.I.S.S. Really, this is applicable in any restaurant, but coffee, appetizers, and a fourth bottle of wine are just adding to your bill and your waistline. If you really want to conserve, split an entrée and drink water.

40. Pay attention to in-season specials. Cheaper, fresh-food-oriented, and often specific to region, the specials give you a great taste of local favorites.

41. Go before the crowds get there. He’s done so well so far, I’ll let Rick Steves explain why: “Most countries have early bird and ‘Blue Plate’ specials. Know the lingo, learn your options, and you can dine well with savvy locals anywhere in Europe for $15”

EATING ON THE FLY

42. Pretend you’re a native. Order like a Parisian. Buy groceries like a Londoner. Grab fish from a Seattleite’s favorite market. Making these simple shifts in thinking will help you garner tasty chow for optimal cash.

43. Hit up an open-air market. Popular in Europe and the U.S., you can score artisanal-quality foods for much lower prices than at a restaurant. Exotic cheeses, crusty breads, cured sausages, fresh fruit – it’s all at your fingertips. I survived in Spain almost entirely on baguettes, cherries, and Nutella, and damn, it was good.

44. Have a picnic. Instead of dining in an upscale boardwalk joint, set a blanket up on the actual boardwalk. Steves (again) says, “$15 buys a hearty picnic lunch for two anywhere in Europe.”

45. Ask a local. A citizen will know far better than any guidebook about where to buy the most delicious, most frugal food, and many will be flattered you thought to explore. If you’re feeling shy, though…

46. Follow the home crowd. Workers, old ladies, moms with strollers, and people who obviously live in your travel destination know where to go. Search for long lines and indigenous-looking folks, and you’ll walk away a sated winner.

47. Eat on the street. If you’re unsure about buying from vendors, travel writer Cindy Meyers suggests you “head towards the stand that's the most crowded, find out what everybody's nibbling on, and then point to what you want if you don't speak the language.” Worried about being inadvertently poisoned? Then go with Budget Travel Magazine, which advises: “request that your food be cooked fresh for you. A hot grill will usually eliminate any microscopic bugs that are present. And a plate of steaming noodles is safer than food left out for hours at a hotel buffet."

48. Be a mallrat. U.S. Food courts are a cornucopia of culinary choices. If you go a little before closing, you might even score a deal. See? Sometimes rampant materialism is a good thing.

49. Skip lunch. A big breakfast and nice dinner mean you can probably get by with a nutritional, filling mid-afternoon snack for the rest of the day. Grab some trail mix or a piece of fruit if you’re feeling peckish.

50. Starch yourself silly. Thrifty, tasty, and easy on discerning bellies, most travel destinations in the world offer some sort of on-the-go starch. Pasta, bread, rice – whatever – the stuff’s universal.

BOOZE

51. Smuggle your own. Especially in non-inclusive resorts, alcohol prices can be super-high. Either bring stuff in bulk from home (a la Trader Joe’s) or find an on-the-road liquor supplier to raid.

52. Go early. Happy hours are a great deal in most major American cities, and HappyHour.net is a good place to start.

53. Try the house wine. Frequently served in a full or half carafe, its freshness and lower price makes it a good buy. Go with red for heart benefits.

54. Sidle up to the bar. According to the oft-cited Rick Steves, “Throughout southern Europe, drinks are cheaper if you're served at the bar rather than at a table.”

55. Stick with local brews. Budget Travel Worldwide claims when traveling abroad, “an imported spirit will be triple the cost of the local tipple,” meaning a Dos Equis in Mexico will be a better buy than a Labatts in England. Lite beer will often be $1 less, as well.

56. Look for drink specials. Quarter drafts, Ladies Nights, and 2-for-1 deals are just a few of the lovely night-out offerings that can save cash on vacation. Check the local independent paper, or scan bar and club windows for ads.

57. Avoid foofy concoctions. They’re expensive and laden with sugar. Consider: a single pina colada has more than 400 calories, while a margarita can run over 300.

58. Don’t drink at all. The best booze control method is abstinence, no?

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST …

59. Tip where customary. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out, and you probably can’t afford to be on vacation.

60. Loosen up a little. Whether you’re on a diet or just hesitant to taste something with tentacles, vacations are a one-time deal. You may never get the opportunity again, so go for it. (In moderation, of course.)

61. Get out there and eat. A healthy chunk of travel is experiencing local culture, and that means food. So be thrifty, but have a bite or two in town.


Sources:
  • Button, Kimberly. “Save Money on Vacation Dining,” Bella Online. bellaonline.com/articles/art8245.asp
  • “Eating Well on a Travel Budget,” Budget Travel Worldwide. budget-travel.brilliant4biz.com/Budget_Travel_Dining_Out.html
  • Hardy, MJ. “Tips for Saving Money on Food and Restaurants: Post #16 of 41,” Frommers.com. September 2003. frommers.com/cgi-bin/WebX?13@59.NqW9bnEq2r0%5E0@.eeb2bad
  • “How to Eat Street Food Without Ruining the Trip,” Budget Travel. June 2007.
    budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2007/05/07/AR2007050700783.html
  • Khan, Salina. “Eating on the cheap while traveling takes some creativity,” USA Today. October 1999.
  • Maio, Kathy. “Tips for Saving Money on Food and Restaurants: Post #24 of 41,” Frommers.com. September 2003. frommers.com/cgi-bin/WebX?13@59.NqW9bnEq2r0%5E0@.eeb2bad
  • Martin, James. “Saving Money on your European Vacation - 12 Frugal Vacation Tips,” About.com. goeurope.about.com/cs/travelbasics/a/saving_money.htm
  • Meyers, Cindy. “Eating Well on a Tight Travel Budget,” BootsnAll Travel. March 2005.
    bootsnall.com/guides/05-03/eating-well-on-a-tight-travel-budget.html
  • Robinson, Tony. “How To Save Money On Food When Traveling,” SavingAdvice.com. savingadvice.com/forums/travel-vacations/14017-how-save-money-food-when-traveling.html
  • Steves, Rick. “The Thrifty 50: Rick Steves' budget Europe tips for 2007,” Chicago Tribune. March 2007.
  • Wolf, Jennifer “Saving Money on Your Family Vacation,” About.com. singleparents.about.com/od/cuttingcosts/ss/save_vacation_3.htm

`

Thursday, August 23, 2007

A bit more of an advisory please

This recent FDA alert is very important.

It is a bit late in my mind. The first thing I thought of when I read it several days ago was why is it an issue after-the-fact.

Where are the minds of the doctors and other controlled substance prescribers giving nursing mothers a script for this drug.

This clearly reinforces my recent correspondence to the FDA: too many prescribers are not participating in legally required informed consent explanations of the risks and benefits of drugs.

This almost smacks of an attempt to promote "bad mother" propaganda. The story line might be something like "Somnambulent mother on codeine trying to care for her nursing baby, both at risk of grave harm.

And what about the doctor? What about the pharmacist? Seems like mainstream medicine and Big Pharma are off the hook again.

CPS is probably drooling a this one.

Anyone ever hear of a hot water bottle?
FDA Public Health Advisory
Use of Codeine By Some Breastfeeding Mothers May Lead To Life-Threatening Side Effects In Nursing Babies

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Public Health Advisory with important new information about a very rare, but serious, side effect in nursing infants whose mothers are taking codeine and are ultra-rapid metabolizers of codeine. When codeine enters the body and is metabolized, it changes to morphine, which relieves pain. Nursing mothers taking codeine may also have higher morphine levels in their breast milk. These higher levels of morphine in breast milk may lead to life-threatening or fatal side effects in nursing babies.

More information from the FDA including Drug Information, Public Health Advisory, Questions and Answers can be found at thier web site, FDA.gov

Noise pollution and health

By any standard noise is annoying. I'd say the decibel level of city life is a bit more than I can take too much of since I live in a rural community of under 1000 people.

The other day a friend of mine near the Portland-Vancouver metro area suggested to a friend of hers driving to Pullman to visit his daughter at college. While her friend visits Cougarland, my friend would stay here.

In the conversation, he said, "There's nothing there!"

She replied, "That's why she (referring to me) lives there."

I guess noise is in the eye of the beholder.

Now today, for instance, I went to town, and as always, I am happy when I start heading home. It's the quiet you know.

No road rage for me amidst the 20,000 or so who inhabit that town about thirty minutes away.

Noise is a vibration. Its the vibration that constantly hack at your nervous system and lead to stress. The insidious, silent killer, about as deadly as diesel exhaust.

It could be today that it is deadlier because of the added stress caused by cell phones, cell towers, and wi-fi everywhere...

Pack up and head on out to the country, we have great home made pies at the cafe and real ice cream milkshakes.

And you will treasure the quiet, just like I do.

Noise of modern life blamed for thousands of heart deaths

· Stress of exposure adds to risks, says WHO report
· Light traffic is enough for chronic levels at night

* Alok Jha, science correspondent, The Guardian, Thursday August 23 2007

Thousands of people in Britain and around the world are dying prematurely from heart disease triggered by long-term exposure to excessive noise, according to research by the World Health Organisation. Coronary heart disease caused 101,000 deaths in the UK in 2006, and the study suggests that 3,030 of these are caused by chronic noise exposure, including to daytime traffic.

Deepak Prasher, professor of audiology at University College London, told the New Scientist magazine: "The new data provide the link showing there are earlier deaths because of noise. Until now, noise has been the Cinderella form of pollution and people haven't been aware that it has an impact on their health."

The WHO's working group on the Noise Environmental Burden on Disease began work on the health effects of noise in Europe in 2003. In addition to the heart disease link, it found that 2% of Europeans suffer severely disturbed sleep because of noise pollution and 15% can suffer severe annoyance. Chronic exposure to loud traffic noise causes 3% of tinnitus cases, in which people constantly hear a noise in their ears.

Research published in recent years has shown that noise can increase the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenalin in the body, even during sleep. The longer these hormones stay in circulation around the bloodstream, the more likely they are to cause life-threatening physiological problems. High stress levels can lead to heart failure, strokes, high blood pressure and immune problems.

"All this is happening imperceptibly," said Prof Prasher. "Even when you think you are used to the noise, these physiological changes are still happening."

The WHO came to its figures by comparing households with abnormally high exposure to noise with those in quieter homes. It also studied people with problems such as coronary heart disease and tried to work out if high noise levels had been a factor in developing the condition. This data was then combined with maps showing the noisiest European cities.

According to the WHO guidelines, the noise threshold for cardiovascular problems is chronic night-time exposure of 50 decibels (dB) or above - the noise of light traffic. For sleep disturbance, the threshold is 42dB, for general annoyance it is 35dB, the sound of a whisper.

Ellen Mason, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Our world is undoubtedly getting busier and noisier. Some people find noise pollution more stressful to live with than others do. Noise cannot directly kill us, but it may add to our stress. Occasionally, stressful events can trigger a heart attack in someone with underlying heart disease. We know that stressed people are more likely to eat unhealthily, exercise less and smoke more, and these can increase the risk of developing heart disease in the first place."

Mary Stevens, policy officer at the National Society for Clean Air, said of the study's results: "We welcome this because one of the problems with noise is that it's one of the areas that local authorities get most complaints about and it's a big draw on their resources. But, unlike air quality, it hasn't been taken that seriously policy-wise because there [wasn't] the link between noise and health."

Ms Stevens said that there were many options for reducing noise. Traffic could be quietened if more cars used low-noise tyres and councils installed low-noise road surfaces, for example. And coordinating roadworks by utility companies would also prevent the proliferation of potholes, another source of noisy traffic.

The EU has already issued a directive that obligates European cities with populations greater than 250,000 to produce digitised noise maps showing where traffic noise and volume is greatest. "[The research] all supports work going on at the moment to manage traffic noise, which is driven by the environmental noise directive," said Ms Stevens.

Cheap Healthy Beef Part II: Beef Tips

For more information and recipes, check out Cheap Healthy Beef Part I: Recipes and Methodology.

First, "Hi!" to all the folks linking over from A Good American Wife. Blogmistress and fellow foodie Anne penned a super-nice post about CHG, for which I should give her many cupcakes. If you haven't seen AGAW yet, please check it out. The writing is aces and the recipes are to die for. (See: Rice and Eggs.)

Now - business. Yesterday, we set off on quest to find relatively inexpensive, lean cuts of bovine. Today, some tips to keep in mind:

PURCHASING

Know how to spot bum beef. This tip sheet from the Beef Council is a great resource, including who-knewisms like, “Fresh ground beef does go through a number of color changes during its shelf life,” and “Choose steaks, roasts and pot roasts that are firm to the touch, not soft.” I can only hope that, “Purchase before or on the ‘sell by’ date printed on the package label” is a given.

London broil is a preparation, not a cut of beef. Whenever you marinate, broil, and slice a steak across the grain, that’s London Broil. It’s a cooking method. However, supermarkets often call any slice-able steak (Top Round Steak, Chuck Shoulder Steak, etc.) a London Broil since it allows them to group inferior cuts of meat under the same name. For instance, according to Cook’s Illustrated, a Top Sirloin Steak will make for good London Broil, and a Chuck Shoulder Steak a not-so-good one.

A Flank Steak is rarely a Flank Steak. Flank Steaks are tender, flavorful cuts from the underside of the cow (the flank), and usually go for upwards of $5 or $6 per pound. But more often than not, grocery stores advertise a lesser cut of meat like Top Round Steak or Sirloin Tip Steak as Flank Steak. They’re fine on their own, but if you want the higher-quality Flank Steak, make sure that’s what’s on the label. Actually…

In general, beware of misleading labels. As highlighted by the Flank Steak/London Broil brouhaha, cheaper, less tasty cuts of meat are frequently labeled as more flavorful, expensive ones. Always check so you know what you’re buying.

PREPARATION

ALWAYS eat beef in moderation. In addition to its general deliciousness, beef is a decent source of zinc, iron, protein, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorous, niacin, vitamin B6, and riboflavin. However, to stave off that heart attack, keep in mind that 12 ounces of beef is still 12 ounces of beef, no matter how lean the cut may be. Excess consumption has been tied to obesity, cancer, and a billion other problems.

Trim visible fat. Like chicken, the fat content of beef is greatly reduced when you cut off the globules you can see. Even if they’re left on for the cooking process, chopping ‘em later will help your heart.

Keep it clean. Beef is a Petri dish for food-borne illnesses. To reduce the chance of catching some exciting new strain of meatotchulism, soap your hands often, don’t let raw beef touch other foods, and wash cooking surfaces and utensils constantly. Oh, also …

Keep it cold. There are a thousand reasons for this (the foremost one being certain death), so I’ll again let the Beef Council explain the whys and hows of handling raw meat.

ADDITIONAL LINKS

Get Rich Slowly has a fantastic post about the benefits of buying meat in bulk.

Hillbilly Housewife tells us how to make our own leaner ground beef.
`

Skin Cream Alert

From Hippocrates Health Centre of Australia we received a report on the consequences of using Aldera cream for skin cancers, warts and genital warts, molluscum, actinic keratosis and related issues.

Aldera Side effects - http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/imiquimod_ad.htm

We believe it is important to inform readers about the concerns with this product.

3M Pharmaceuticals are flogging ALDARA, a "cure" for skin cancer and genital warts, that can have cataclysmic side effects -- anaphylactic shock, irreversible autoimmune disease and even death.

The medical establishment and the media won't help -- Big Pharma are too rich and powerful. Only people power can stop 3M and the other multinationals in their greedy quest to dominate our fragile planet. Please help us spread the word. Click here for the truth about Aldara and send to everyone you know.

Asia urged to use vitamins and minerals to battle malnutrition

From the Flour Fortification Initiative (FFI)
"Malnutrition can cost the global economy between 180 to 250 billion dollars in healthcare costs over the next decade, the group said."

And at the same time the US FDA, Canadian Health Protection Board and other similar agencies are acting to block your access to vitamins and minerals that do protect your health.

I wonder what the cost in the US is from the nutritional deficiencies caused by prescription drugs?

Maybe you should wonder too...

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The new diabetes generation and more

Adult psychiatric drug for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.

Here's what most people on this drug don't get told...

www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/risperid.htm
Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis

Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo. RISPERDAL®(risperidone) is not approved for the treatment of dementia-related psychosis (see BOXED WARNING).
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)

A potentially fatal symptom complex sometimes referred to as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) has been reported in association with antipsychotic drugs. Clinical manifestations of NMS are hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and evidence of autonomic instability (irregular pulse or blood pressure, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and cardiac dysrhythmia). Additional signs may include elevated creatinine phosphokinase, myoglobinuria (rhabdomyolysis), and acute renal failure.

The diagnostic evaluation of patients with this syndrome is complicated. In arriving at a diagnosis, it is important to identify cases in which the clinical presentation includes both serious medical illness (e.g., pneumonia, systemic infection, etc.) and untreated or inadequately treated extrapyramidal signs and symptoms (EPS). Other important considerations in the differential diagnosis include central anticholinergic toxicity, heat stroke, drug fever, and primary central nervous system pathology.

The management of NMS should include: (1) immediate discontinuation of antipsychotic drugs and other drugs not essential to concurrent therapy; (2) intensive symptomatic treatment and medical monitoring; and (3) treatment of any concomitant serious medical problems for which specific treatments are available. There is no general agreement about specific pharmacological treatment regimens for uncomplicated NMS.

If a patient requires antipsychotic drug treatment after recovery from NMS, the potential reintroduction of drug therapy should be carefully considered. The patient should be carefully monitored, since recurrences of NMS have been reported.
Tardive Dyskinesia

A syndrome of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements may develop in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs. Although the prevalence of the syndrome appears to be highest among the elderly, especially elderly women, it is impossible to rely upon prevalence estimates to predict, at the inception of antipsychotic treatment, which patients are likely to develop the syndrome. Whether antipsychotic drug products differ in their potential to cause tardive dyskinesia is unknown.

The risk of developing tardive dyskinesia and the likelihood that it will become irreversible are believed to increase as the duration of treatment and the total cumulative dose of antipsychotic drugs administered to the patient increase. However, the syndrome can develop, although much less commonly, after relatively brief treatment periods at low doses.

There is no known treatment for established cases of tardive dyskinesia, although the syndrome may remit, partially or completely, if antipsychotic treatment is withdrawn. Antipsychotic treatment, itself, however, may suppress (or partially suppress) the signs and symptoms of the syndrome and thereby may possibly mask the underlying process. The effect that symptomatic suppression has upon the long-term course of the syndrome is unknown.

Given these considerations, RISPERDAL® (risperidone) should be prescribed in a manner that is most likely to minimize the occurrence of tardive dyskinesia. Chronic antipsychotic treatment should generally be reserved for patients who suffer from a chronic illness that: (1) is known to respond to antipsychotic drugs, and (2) for whom alternative, equally effective, but potentially less harmful treatments are not available or appropriate. In patients who do require chronic treatment, the smallest dose and the shortest duration of treatment producing a satisfactory clinical response should be sought. The need for continued treatment should be reassessed periodically.

If signs and symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear in a patient treated with RISPERDAL®, drug discontinuation should be considered. However, some patients may require treatment with RISPERDAL® despite the presence of the syndrome.
Cerebrovascular Adverse Events, Including Stroke, in Elderly Patients With Dementia-Related Psychosis

Cerebrovascular adverse events (e.g., stroke, transient ischemic attack), including fatalities, were reported in patients (mean age 85 years; range 73-97) in trials of risperidone in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis. In placebo-controlled trials, there was a significantly higher incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events in patients treated with risperidone compared to patients treated with placebo. RISPERDAL® is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis (See also BOXED WARNING, WARNINGS: Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis.)
Hyperglycemia and Diabetes Mellitus

Hyperglycemia, in some cases extreme and associated with ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar coma or death, has been reported in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics including RISPERDAL®. Assessment of the relationship between atypical antipsychotic use and glucose abnormalities is complicated by the possibility of an increased background risk of diabetes mellitus in patients with schizophrenia and the increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus in the general population. Given these confounders, the relationship between atypical antipsychotic use and hyperglycemia-related adverse events is not completely understood. However, epidemiological studies suggest an increased risk of treatment-emergent hyperglycemia-related adverse events in patients treated with the atypical antipsychotics. Precise risk estimates for hyperglycemia-related adverse events in patients treated with atypical antipsychotics are not available.

Patients with an established diagnosis of diabetes mellitus who are started on atypical antipsychotics should be monitored regularly for worsening of glucose control. Patients with risk factors for diabetes mellitus (e.g., obesity, family history of diabetes) who are starting treatment with atypical antipsychotics should undergo fasting blood glucose testing at the beginning of treatment and periodically during treatment. Any patient treated with atypical antipsychotics should be monitored for symptoms of hyperglycemia including polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, and weakness. Patients who develop symptoms of hyperglycemia during treatment with atypical antipsychotics should undergo fasting blood glucose testing. In some cases, hyperglycemia has resolved when the atypical antipsychotic was discontinued; however, some patients required continuation of anti-diabetic treatment despite discontinuation of the suspect drug.
PRECAUTIONS
General
Orthostatic Hypotension

RISPERDAL® (risperidone) may induce orthostatic hypotension associated with dizziness, tachycardia, and in some patients, syncope, especially during the initial dose-titration period, probably reflecting its alpha-adrenergic antagonistic properties. Syncope was reported in 0.2% (6/2607) of RISPERDAL®-treated patients in Phase 2 and 3 studies. The risk of orthostatic hypotension and syncope may be minimized by limiting the initial dose to 2 mg total (either QD or 1 mg BID) in normal adults and 0.5 mg BID in the elderly and patients with renal or hepatic impairment (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION). Monitoring of orthostatic vital signs should be considered in patients for whom this is of concern. A dose reduction should be considered if hypotension occurs. RISPERDAL® should be used with particular caution in patients with known cardiovascular disease (history of myocardial infarction or ischemia, heart failure, or conduction abnormalities), cerebrovascular disease, and conditions which would predispose patients to hypotension, e.g., dehydration and hypovolemia. Clinically significant hypotension has been observed with concomitant use of RISPERDAL® and antihypertensive medication.
Seizures

During premarketing testing, seizures occurred in 0.3% (9/2607) of RISPERDAL®-treated patients, two in association with hyponatremia. RISPERDAL® should be used cautiously in patients with a history of seizures.
Dysphagia

Esophageal dysmotility and aspiration have been associated with antipsychotic drug use. Aspiration pneumonia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with advanced Alzheimer’s dementia. RISPERDAL® and other antipsychotic drugs should be used cautiously in patients at risk for aspiration pneumonia. (See also BOXED WARNING, WARNINGS: Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis.)
Hyperprolactinemia

As with other drugs that antagonize dopamine D2 receptors, risperidone elevates prolactin levels and the elevation persists during chronic administration. Risperidone is associated with higher levels of prolactin elevation than other antipsychotic agents.

Hyperprolactinemia may suppress hypothalamic GnRH, resulting in reduced pituitary gonadotropin secretion. This, in turn, may inhibit reproductive function by impairing gonadal steroidogenesis in both female and male patients. Galactorrhea, amenorrhea, gynecomastia, and impotence have been reported in patients receiving prolactin-elevating compounds. Longstanding hyperprolactinemia when associated with hypogonadism may lead to decreased bone density in both female and male subjects.

Tissue culture experiments indicate that approximately one-third of human breast cancers are prolactin dependent in vitro, a factor of potential importance if the prescription of these drugs is contemplated in a patient with previously detected breast cancer. An increase in pituitary gland, mammary gland, and pancreatic islet cell neoplasia (mammary adenocarcinomas, pituitary and pancreatic adenomas) was observed in the risperidone carcinogenicity studies conducted in mice and rats (see PRECAUTIONS – Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility). Neither clinical studies nor epidemiologic studies conducted to date have shown an association between chronic administration of this class of drugs and tumorigenesis in humans; the available evidence is considered too limited to be conclusive at this time.
Potential for Cognitive and Motor Impairment

Somnolence was a commonly reported adverse event associated with RISPERDAL® treatment, especially when ascertained by direct questioning of patients. This adverse event is dose-related, and in a study utilizing a checklist to detect adverse events, 41% of the high-dose patients (RISPERDAL® 16 mg/day) reported somnolence compared to 16% of placebo patients. Direct questioning is more sensitive for detecting adverse events than spontaneous reporting, by which 8% of RISPERDAL® 16 mg/day patients and 1% of placebo patients reported somnolence as an adverse event. Since RISPERDAL® has the potential to impair judgment, thinking, or motor skills, patients should be cautioned about operating hazardous machinery, including automobiles, until they are reasonably certain that RISPERDAL® therapy does not affect them adversely.
Priapism

Rare cases of priapism have been reported. While the relationship of the events to RISPERDAL® use has not been established, other drugs with alpha-adrenergic blocking effects have been reported to induce priapism, and it is possible that RISPERDAL® may share this capacity. Severe priapism may require surgical intervention.
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)

A single case of TTP was reported in a 28 year-old female patient receiving RISPERDAL® in a large, open premarketing experience (approximately 1300 patients). She experienced jaundice, fever, and bruising, but eventually recovered after receiving plasmapheresis. The relationship to RISPERDAL® therapy is unknown.
Antiemetic Effect

Risperidone has an antiemetic effect in animals; this effect may also occur in humans, and may mask signs and symptoms of overdosage with certain drugs or of conditions such as intestinal obstruction, Reye’s syndrome, and brain tumor.
Body Temperature Regulation

Disruption of body temperature regulation has been attributed to antipsychotic agents. Both hyperthermia and hypothermia have been reported in association with oral RISPERDAL® use. Caution is advised when prescribing for patients who will be exposed to temperature extremes.
Suicide

The possibility of a suicide attempt is inherent in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar mania, including children and adolescent patients, and close supervision of high-risk patients should accompany drug therapy. Prescriptions for RISPERDAL® should be written for the smallest quantity of tablets, consistent with good patient management, in order to reduce the risk of overdose.
Use in Patients With Concomitant Illness

Clinical experience with RISPERDAL® in patients with certain concomitant systemic illnesses is limited. Patients with Parkinson’s Disease or Dementia with Lewy Bodies who receive antipsychotics, including RISPERDAL®, are reported to have an increased sensitivity to antipsychotic medications. Manifestations of this increased sensitivity have been reported to include confusion, obtundation, postural instability with frequent falls, extrapyramidal symptoms, and clinical features consistent with the neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

Caution is advisable in using RISPERDAL® in patients with diseases or conditions that could affect metabolism or hemodynamic responses. RISPERDAL® has not been evaluated or used to any appreciable extent in patients with a recent history of myocardial infarction or unstable heart disease. Patients with these diagnoses were excluded from clinical studies during the product's premarket testing.

Increased plasma concentrations of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone occur in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance <30 mL/min/1.73 m²), and an increase in the free fraction of risperidone is seen in patients with severe hepatic impairment. A lower starting dose should be used in such patients (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).
Laboratory Tests

No specific laboratory tests are recommended.
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility
Carcinogenesis

Carcinogenicity studies were conducted in Swiss albino mice and Wistar rats. Risperidone was administered in the diet at doses of 0.63, 2.5, and 10 mg/kg for 18 months to mice and for 25 months to rats. These doses are equivalent to 2.4, 9.4, and 37.5 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) for schizophrenia (16 mg/day) on a mg/kg basis or 0.2, 0.75, and 3 times the MRHD (mice) or 0.4, 1.5, and 6 times the MRHD (rats) on a mg/m² basis. A maximum tolerated dose was not achieved in male mice. There were statistically significant increases in pituitary gland adenomas, endocrine pancreas adenomas, and mammary gland adenocarcinomas. The following table summarizes the multiples of the human dose on a mg/m² (mg/kg) basis at which these tumors occurred.

Multiples of Maximum
Human Dose in mg/m²
(mg/kg)
Tumor Type Species Sex Lowest
Effect Level Highest No-
Effect Level
Pituitary adenomas mouse female 0.75 (9.4) 0.2 (2.4)
Endocrine pancreas adenomas rat male 1.5 (9.4) 0.4 (2.4)
Mammary gland adenocarcinomas mouse female 0.2 (2.4) none
rat female 0.4 (2.4) none
rat male 6.0 (37.5) 1.5 (9.4)
Mammary gland neoplasm, Total rat male 1.5 (9.4) 0.4 (2.4)

Antipsychotic drugs have been shown to chronically elevate prolactin levels in rodents. Serum prolactin levels were not measured during the risperidone carcinogenicity studies; however, measurements during subchronic toxicity studies showed that risperidone elevated serum prolactin levels 5-6 fold in mice and rats at the same doses used in the carcinogenicity studies. An increase in mammary, pituitary, and endocrine pancreas neoplasms has been found in rodents after chronic administration of other antipsychotic drugs and is considered to be prolactin-mediated. The relevance for human risk of the findings of prolactin-mediated endocrine tumors in rodents is unknown (see PRECAUTIONS, General -Hyperprolactinemia).
Mutagenesis

No evidence of mutagenic potential for risperidone was found in the Ames reverse mutation test, mouse lymphoma assay, in vitro rat hepatocyte DNA-repair assay, in vivo micronucleus test in mice, the sex-linked recessive lethal test in Drosophila, or the chromosomal aberration test in human lymphocytes or Chinese hamster cells.
Impairment of Fertility

Risperidone (0.16 to 5 mg/kg) was shown to impair mating, but not fertility, in Wistar rats in three reproductive studies (two Segment I and a multigenerational study) at doses 0.1 to 3 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) on a mg/m² basis. The effect appeared to be in females, since impaired mating behavior was not noted in the Segment I study in which males only were treated. In a subchronic study in Beagle dogs in which risperidone was administered at doses of 0.31 to 5 mg/kg, sperm motility and concentration were decreased at doses 0.6 to 10 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis. Dose-related decreases were also noted in serum testosterone at the same doses. Serum testosterone and sperm parameters partially recovered, but remained decreased after treatment was discontinued. No no-effect doses were noted in either rat or dog.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Category C

The teratogenic potential of risperidone was studied in three Segment II studies in Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats (0.63-10 mg/kg or 0.4 to 6 times the maximum recommended human dose [MRHD] on a mg/m² basis) and in one Segment II study in New Zealand rabbits (0.31-5 mg/kg or 0.4 to 6 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis). The incidence of malformations was not increased compared to control in offspring of rats or rabbits given 0.4 to 6 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis. In three reproductive studies in rats (two Segment III and a multigenerational study), there was an increase in pup deaths during the first 4 days of lactation at doses of 0.16-5 mg/kg or 0.1 to 3 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis. It is not known whether these deaths were due to a direct effect on the fetuses or pups or to effects on the dams.

There was no no-effect dose for increased rat pup mortality. In one Segment III study, there was an increase in stillborn rat pups at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg or 1.5 times the MRHD on a mg/m²basis. In a cross-fostering study in Wistar rats, toxic effects on the fetus or pups, as evidenced by a decrease in the number of live pups and an increase in the number of dead pups at birth (Day 0), and a decrease in birth weight in pups of drug-treated dams were observed. In addition, there was an increase in deaths by Day 1 among pups of drug-treated dams, regardless of whether or not the pups were cross-fostered. Risperidone also appeared to impair maternal behavior in that pup body weight gain and survival (from Day 1 to 4 of lactation) were reduced in pups born to control but reared by drug-treated dams. These effects were all noted at the one dose of risperidone tested, i.e., 5 mg/kg or 3 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis.

Placental transfer of risperidone occurs in rat pups. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. However, there was one report of a case of agenesis of the corpus callosum in an infant exposed to risperidone in utero. The causal relationship to RISPERDAL® therapy is unknown. Reversible extrapyramidal symptoms in the neonate were observed following postmarketing use of risperidone during the last trimester of pregnancy.

RISPERDAL® should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Labor and Delivery

The effect of RISPERDAL® on labor and delivery in humans is unknown.
Nursing Mothers

In animal studies, risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone are excreted in milk. Risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone are also excreted in human breast milk. Therefore, women receiving risperidone should not breast-feed.
Pediatric Use

The safety and effectiveness of RISPERDAL® in pediatric patients with schizophrenia or bipolar mania have not been established.

The efficacy and safety of RISPERDAL® in the treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder were established in two 8-week, placebo-controlled trials in 156 children and adolescent patients, aged 5 to 16 years (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY - Clinical Trials, INDICATIONS AND USAGE, and ADVERSE REACTIONS). Additional safety information was also assessed in a long-term study in patients with autistic disorder, or in short- and long-term studies in more than 1200 pediatric patients with other psychiatric disorders who were of similar age and weight, and who received similar dosages of RISPERDAL® as patients who were treated for irritability associated with autistic disorder.

The safety and effectiveness of RISPERDAL® in pediatric patients with autistic disorder less than 5 years of age have not been established.
Tardive Dyskinesia

In clinical trials in 1885 children and adolescents with autistic disorder or other psychiatric disorders treated with risperidone, 2 (0.1%) patients were reported to have tardive dyskinesia, which resolved on discontinuation of risperidone treatment (see WARNINGS – Tardive Dyskinesia).
Weight Gain

In long-term, open-label trials (studies in patients with autistic disorder or other psychiatric disorders), a mean increase of 7.5 kg after 12 months of RISPERDAL® treatment was observed, which was higher than the expected normal weight gain (approximately 3 to 3.5 kg per year adjusted for age, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention normative data). The majority of that increase occurred within the first 6 months of exposure to RISPERDAL®. The average percentiles at baseline and 12 months, respectively, were 49 and 60 for weight, 48 and 53 for height, and 50 and 62 for body mass index. When treating patients with RISPERDAL®, weight gain should be assessed against that expected with normal growth. (See also ADVERSE REACTIONS.)
Somnolence

Somnolence was frequently observed in placebo-controlled clinical trials of pediatric patients with autistic disorder. Most cases were mild or moderate in severity. These events were most often of early onset with peak incidence occurring during the first two weeks of treatment, and transient with a median duration of 16 days. (See also ADVERSE REACTIONS.) Patients experiencing persistent somnolence may benefit from a change in dosing regimen (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION – Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder).

Hyperprolactinemia, Growth, and Sexual Maturation

Risperidone has been shown to elevate prolactin levels in children and adolescents as well as in adults (see PRECAUTIONS - Hyperprolactinemia). In double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of up to 8 weeks duration in children and adolescents (aged 5 to 17 years) 49% of patients who received risperidone had elevated prolactin levels compared to 2% of patients who received placebo.

In clinical trials in 1885 children and adolescents with autistic disorder or other psychiatric disorders treated with risperidone, galactorrhea was reported in 0.8% of risperidone-treated patients and gynecomastia was reported in 2.3% of risperidone-treated patients.

The long-term effects of risperidone on growth and sexual maturation have not been fully evaluated.
Geriatric Use

Clinical studies of RISPERDAL® in the treatment of schizophrenia did not include sufficient numbers of patients aged 65 and over to determine whether or not they respond differently than younger patients. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between elderly and younger patients. In general, a lower starting dose is recommended for an elderly patient, reflecting a decreased pharmacokinetic clearance in the elderly, as well as a greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION). While elderly patients exhibit a greater tendency to orthostatic hypotension, its risk in the elderly may be minimized by limiting the initial dose to 0.5 mg BID followed by careful titration (see PRECAUTIONS). Monitoring of orthostatic vital signs should be considered in patients for whom this is of concern.

This drug is substantially excreted by the kidneys, and the risk of toxic reactions to this drug may be greater in patients with impaired renal function. Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, care should be taken in dose selection, and it may be useful to monitor renal function (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).
Concomitant use with Furosemide in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis

In two of four placebo-controlled trials in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, a higher incidence of mortality was observed in patients treated with furosemide plus risperidone when compared to patients treated with risperidone alone or with placebo plus furosemide. No pathological mechanism has been identified to explain this finding, and no consistent pattern for cause of death was observed. An increase of mortality in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis was seen with the use of RISPERDAL® regardless of concomitant use with furosemide. RISPERDAL® is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis. (See BOXED WARNING, WARNINGS: Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis.)
Next: Risperdal - Overdosage & Contraindications »
« Previous: Risperdal - Side Effects & Drug Interactions
FDA Approves Adult Psychiatric Drug for Use on Adolescent Patients
(AP) 02:23:21 PM (ET), Wednesday, August 22, 2007 (WASHINGTON)

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a widely used adult psychiatric drug for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.

The action permits use of Risperdal for schizophrenia in youths aged 13 to 17 and for bipolar disorder in those aged 10 to 17, FDA said.

It was approved last fall for treatment of irritability in autism.

Risperdal, manufactured by Janssen, L.P. of Titusville, N.J., is the No. 3 anti-psychotic drug, with $2.3 billion in sales in 2005, according to the pharmaceutical data company IMS Health. Janssen is a unit of Johnson & Johnson.

Risperdal was approved for use in adults in 1993.

Until now, FDA said, there has been no approved drug for the treatment of schizophrenia in youths and only lithium is approved for the treatment of bipolar disorder in adolescents.

The dose approved for youths is slightly lower than the adult dose, FDA said.

Drowsiness, fatigue, increase in appetite, anxiety, nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, tremor, and rash were among the most common side effects reported, the agency said.

Cheap Healthy Beef Part I: Recipes and Methodology

Tomorrow … Cheap Healthy Beef Part II: Beef Tips

(Writing this article involved more research than all of my college papers combined. That’s either terrible statement about the quality of my public university education, or a wonderful one about the complexity of cow.)

My goal with this post (my goalpost?) was to find inexpensive, high-quality, lean cuts of beef, and then list several recipes that best demonstrate their qualities. What I found instead was this:
  • There are approximately 46,000 cuts of beef.
  • Those cuts have 46,000,000 different names.
  • According to federal guidelines, only 29 of them are lean.
  • Their prices vary greatly.
  • The quality and flavor of each is highly subjective.

Yikes. To narrow down the results, I needed a system. So, I started big.

Step one was listing every cut of beef I could find. The Hormel and Beef Council websites were particularly helpful here. I not only learned the eight basic parts to a cow (chuck, ribs, short loin, loin, round, flank, plate, and brisket - see below), but a gazillion ways to butcher them. Not too shabby.

From that master list of 54 cuts, I narrowed it down to the 29 leanest, conveniently provided at the Beef It’s What’s For Dinner website. By federal guidelines, these have to have less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 100 grams of cholesterol per three-ounce serving.

Now, it got tricky. Since I had a feeling taste would be the toughest, I started hunting for prices, which are, of course, subjective by region. BeefRetail.org helped out, as did online circulars and grocers like Peapod and Fresh Direct. This not only eliminated every cut from the Short Loin section, which can easily run up to $20/lb, but surprisingly, flank steak, which can go for $10/lb. (More on that tomorrow.) After chopping everything over $5/lb, I was down to 19 cuts.

Finally, the taste. It’s argued by cooks, beef lovers, and (stunningly) the Beef Council that any piece of cattle can be braised, roasted, pan fried, grilled, barbecued, stewed, or broiled into submission. And you know what? It’s true. BUT Cooks Illustrated (via the continually awesome Get Rich Slowly) found three of those cuts to be of unusually high quality and flavor: Top Round Roast, Flap Steak, and Top Sirloin Steak (and roast).

So, in desperate, cattle-filled conclusion, what follows are healthy, inexpensive recipes for the 19 cheap, lean cuts, with CI’s favorite three leading the pack. While I tried to keep cost and nutrition in mind, I take no responsibility for taste.

COOKS ILLUSTRATED FAVORITES

Top Round Roast
Epicurious: Classic Sauerbraten
Cooks.com: Coby's Pot Roast French Dip Sandwiches
Cooks.com: Sauerbraten
Cooks.com: Crock Pot Beef Deluxe (um … use at your own risk)
Cooks.com: German Goulash (again … good luck)
Cooks.com: Barbecue Beef

Flap Steak (aka Flat-Bone Steak, Pin-Bone Steak, Round-Bone Steak, Wedge-Bone Steak, Beef Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Flap Steak*, Flap Meat, Butcher’s Cut)
Recipe Zaar: Easy Carne Asada
San Francisco Gate: Bi-Rite’s Carne Asada and Beef Stir-Fry with Seared Broccoli & Kumquats
Juejuebie: Iron Mate D's Drunken Flap Steak Roast with Gunpowder Spice Rub

Top Sirloin Steak/Roast (aka Sirloin Butt Steak, London Broil)
Beef Council: 30-minute Beef Paprikash
Beef Council: Asian Beef & Vegetable Stirfry
Beef Council: Beef & Vegetable Skillet
Beef Council: Beef Kabobs w/Parmesan Orzo
Beef Council: Beef Pepper Steak

Beef Council: Beef & Potato Kabobs
Beef Council: Beef Steak w/Brown Rice & Vegetables
Beef Council: Beef, Pasta & Artichoke Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Beef Council: Easy Asian Stir Fry
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Sirloin & Farmer's Market Skewers
Beef Council: Harvest-Thyme Beef Sandwiches
Beef Council: Spicy Portuguese Beef Steak Kabobs
Beef Council: Steak & Tomato-Basil Pasta
Ellie Krieger: Cowboy Steak with Coffee and Chili Rub
Ellie Krieger: Chili-Rubbed Steak Tacos
Eating Well: Thai Beef Salad
Eating Well: Southwest Steak & Peppers
Epicurious: Grilled Beef Steak Vericiano
Epicurious: Sirloin Steak with Tomato and Cilantro Sauce
Epicurious: Marinated London Broil with Lemon and Garlic
All Recipes: Garlic Top Sirloin Pot Roast

AND THE REST…
(Please note that the classifications and groupings are the Beef Council’s, not mine.)

Mock Tender Steak (aka Chuck Fillet Steak, Fish Steak, Chuck Tender Steak, Shoulder tender, Petite filet, Tender medallions, Chuck clod tender, and Shoulder petite tender)
Beef Council: Braised Beef with Tomato-Garlic White Beans

Shoulder Center (aka Ranch Steak)
Beef Council: Beef Kabobs w/Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Beef Council: Cucumber Ranch Steaks
Beef Council: Gorgonzola-Topped Beef Steaks
Beef Council: Pepper-Rubbed Shoulder Center Steak
Beef Council: Peppered Steaks with Caramelized Onions
Beef Council: Szechuan Beef Stir-Fry

Chuck Shoulder Pot Roast (aka Chuck shoulder roast, English Roast)
Beef Council: Mediterranean Braised Beef
Eating Well: Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions
Epicurious: Red Wine Pot Roast with Porcini

Chuck Shoulder Steak (aka Chuck clod arm steak, Clod Steak, English Steak, London Broil, Shoulder Steak Half Cut chuck for swissing, Boneless shoulder cut, Shoulder Center Steak, Cut Steak, Shoulder Petite)
Beef Council: Chimichurri Beef Shoulder Steak
Beef Council: Gazpacho Steak Salad
Beef Council: Greek Shoulder Steaks
Beef Council: Plum Marinated Steak

90-95% Lean Ground Beef (aka Ground Sirloin)
Beef Council: Baked Italian Meatballs
Beef Council: Beefy Mexican Lasagna
Beef Council: Chili Beef Express
Beef Council: Oriental Express Beef Lettuce Wraps
Beef Council: Ranch Burgers
Ellie Krieger: Three Bean and Beef Chili
Ellie Krieger: Greek Style Stuffed Peppers
Ellie Krieger: Sloppy Joes
Epicurious: Cabbage Stuffed with Beef, Zucchini, and Herbs
Epicurious: Hearty Moussaka with Low-Fat White Sauce

Tri-Tip Roast/Steak (aka Sirloin Steak, Top Sirloin Cap Steak Culotte, Triangle Steak)
Beef Council: Beef Tri-Tip with Rosemary-Garlic Vegetables
Beef Council: Chili-Crusted Tri-Tip Roast
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Tri-Tip with Tropical Fruit Salsa
Beef Council: Peppery Beef Tri-Tip with Skewered Vegetables
Epicurious: Tri-Tip Roast with Parsley Cherry Tomato
Epicurious: Barbecued Tri-Tip with Caramelized Red Onions
Epicurious: Wood-Smoked Tri-Tip with Sicilian Herb Sauce
Epicurious: Marinated Tri-Tip with Chinese Mustard Sauce and Roasted Green Onions and Mushrooms
Epicurious: Harissa-Crusted Tri-Tip Roast
Epicurious: Grilled Tri-Tip Roast with Tequila Marinade and Cherry Tomato Relish
Epicurious: Cumin Beef Kebabs

Sirloin Tip Side Steak
Beef Council: Basic Guidelines

Round Steak (aka Full-Cut Round Steak)
Epicurious: Skillet Sauerbraten
Epicurious: Spicy Steak and Corn Soft Tacos
All Recipes: Slow Cooker Tender and Yummy Round Steak
All Recipes: Asian Beef with Snow Peas

Top Round Steak (aka Top Round London Broil, Inside Round Cut)
Beef Council: Chipotle Salsa Steak
Beef Council: Chipotle-Marinated Beef Flank Steak
Beef Council: Greek Beef Salad
Beef Council: Grilled Steak with Mango Salsa
Beef Council: Little Havana Grilled Beef & Potato Salad
Beef Council: London Broil
Ellie Krieger: Grilled Thai Beef Salad
Ellie Krieger: Fettucini Bolognese
Eating Well: Cowboy Steak
Epicurious: Linguine with Steak and Peppers

Round Tip Steak/Roast (aka Ball Tip Steak, Beef Sirloin Tip Steak, Breakfast Steak, Knuckle Steak, Sandwich Steak, Minute Steak, Tip steak)
Beef Council: 15-Minute Beef
Beef Council: Ancho Chili-Rubbed Beef Roast
Beef Council: Onion 'N Pepper Beef Steak Sandwich
Beef Council: Sesame-Soy Beef Stir-Fry
Beef Council: Steak Kabobs & Wild Rice with Mushrooms

Eye Round Steak/Roast
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Eye Round Steaks with Garlic-Yogurt Marinade
Beef Council: Mediterranean Eye Round Steaks
Epicurious: Roast Beef for “Beef on Weck”
Epicurious: Spiced Roast Beef and Vegetables
All Recipes: Apricot Marinated Eye of Round Roast

Bottom Round Roast (aka Round Roast, Bottom Round Pot Roast, Bottom Round Oven Roast)
Beef Council: Garlic-Herb Crusted Beef Roast
Eating Well: Flemish Beef Stew
All Recipes: Bottom Round Roast with Onion Gravy (should be 7 or 8 servings)

Bottom Round Steak (aka Western Griller, Griller Steak, Outside Round, Western Steak, Swiss Steak)
Beef Council: Serve-A-Crowd Beef Steaks
Epicurious: Filipino-Style London Broil

Sirloin Tip Center Steak/Roast (aka Breakfast Steak, Knuckle Steak, Tip Center Steak , Round Knuckle Peeled, Round Tip Steak)
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Steaks with Ancho Chili Rub
Beef Council: Peppered Beef Steaks with Caramelized Onions

Brisket Flat Half (aka Brisket Flat Cut)
Eating Well: Braised Brisket with Root Vegetables
Epicurious: Sweet and Sour Brisket
Epicurious: Beef Brisket with Pearl Onions and Baby Carrots
Epicurious: Brisket with Portobello Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries
Epicurious: Brisket with Leeks and Dried Apricots

Shank Crosscuts
Epicurious: Beef, Barley, and Vegetable Soup
Epicurious: Garlic-Braised Beef Shanks
Epicurious: Spicy Beef Shanks with Julienne Carrots

Tomorrow, in addition to links, I’m going to go into everything else I learned about buying beef on the cheap. And, holy mother of god, it’s a lot.

 
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Macys Printable Coupons