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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
City Kitchen Chronicles: Potato Leek Soup with Kale
City Kitchen Chronicles is a bi-weekly column about living frugally in Manhattan. It's penned by the lovely Jaime.Since cleaning up my apartment a few weeks ago for my birthdahousewarming party, I’ve been eager to get people in here. My dad’s actually never seen my apartment, and that’s in the works, but this past weekend I had the pleasure of a sleepover with my on-break-from-college sister, M.I had a pair of tickets to a play Sunday night, so when I was home for Chinese food and a movie over Christmas (I’m not kidding – we actually do this, and we’re not the only ones – it’s a fun cliché!), I offered my spare ticket to M, and invited her to stay over. (Maybe the best perk about working in theatre is that most offices, including mine, close down between Christmas and New Year’s.) “Is there...
Tuesday Megalinks
This week it’s recaps of 2008, strategies for 2009, and 2010 solid posts from the Serious Eats team. Also of note: I am the only person working on the entire island of Manhattan today. (Meaning: no summaries for this time around. Somebody's gotta keep this city running!)CNN: 10 Healthiest DietsCulinate: The Eco-Kitchen – How to Green Your Cooking SpaceDelish: Healthy Holiday RecipesElastic Waist: What Does Dress Size Have to Do With Body Happiness?The Epi-Log: What Farmers Want Consumers to Know – Parts 1 and 2Jezebel: New Year, Same Ol’ ResolutionsThe Kitchn: Fast! Easy! Quick! Recipes for Weeknight Cooking - Best of 2008The Kitchn: More With Less - Frugal and Budget Cooking - Best of 2008The Kitchn: Soups for Every Season – Best of 2008New York Times: Is a New Food Policy on Obama’s List?Serious...
Posted in: LinksMonday, December 29, 2008
Laxative Colonoscopy Prep Products and Kidney Damage
Laxatives are one of the most commonly overused products sold to consumers, over-the-counter (OTC). These same products, and others available by prescription only, have caused serious side effects associated with kidney damage (nephropathy) and dehydration.The products are particularly risky for the elderly and people with existing heart, kidney and some gastrointestinal problems.Since colon cancer prevention and screening are important health concerns, consumers are encouraged to be educated about using these products.Osmolar Phosphate Laxatives: Keeping Water in its PlaceOsmolarity is a fancy word that refers to a basic rule of physics and biology and it is about how fluids - in this case it’s water – move in and out of cells based on the presence of electrolytes, most often sodium and potassium....
North African-Style Chickpea Salad and Lessons From 2008
Boy, 2008 was weird, wasn’t it? I can’t remember a year that’s been more at odds with itself. But there were lessons (note: I almost typed “lesions”) to be learned. Like:1) When playing Hide and Seek with a three-year-old, it’s perfectly acceptable to hide by standing directly in front of the child. He’ll get a kick out of it, and you won’t risk not being found.2) Unemployment is fun and educational! For one thing, you discover that your city block is 12,000 times more terrifying during the day, when the junkies roam freely and yell at stoplights. For another thing … actually, that’s it.3) “When are you guys getting married?” is the most headache-inducing...
Friday, December 26, 2008
Patient Consent Update Needed Now
The following two paragraphs come from the January 2008 issue of my newsletter, herbalYODA Says!"herbalYODA Says! Volume 5, Number 1 – January 2008The Importance of Informed Consent Informed consent, according to the University of Washington's School of Medicine, "is the process by which a fully informed patient can participate in choices about his/her health care. It originates from the legal and ethical right the patient has to direct what happens to (their) body and from the ethical duty of the physician to involve the patient in (their) health care." Informed consent is the cornerstone of ethical conduct in health care. Written consent does not take the place of a patient fully understanding a proposed drug or treatment. Rarely does a person who may have language or illiteracy concerns...
Sniff Your Way to Brain Power
This list of essential oils and their benefit for your brain was something I developed over a decade ago for a class I was teaching for Elders and for use in care centers for people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I also taught this in the Corporate Wellness Programs that we sponsor; this program was presented first at Boeing. It has been presented to numerous companies since then.I searched it out from my old files because of the number of reports recently about peppermint. As I always have suggested, using a diffuser of some type is the best method of dispersal, but you can use something as simple as a cotton ball in a small glass votive holder and place it on your desk at work. Periodically add a few drops of your choice of essential oil, changing the cotton ball when you change...
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
2008 Food Quotes of the Year: Zing!
With Christmas on the horizon (seriously, it’s riding a horse and headed straight for us), we’re taking a short break from CHG’s usual seriousness (er … yeah), and instead presenting a retrospective of our favorite Thursday Quotes of the Week. Enjoy!FOOD QUOTES: FAIRLY PROFOUND“Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.” – Oscar Wilde"Too few people understand a really good sandwich." –James Beard“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” -Anthelme Brillat-Savarin“I was 32 when I started cooking. Up until then, I just ate.” – Julia Child“So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being.”...
Posted in: LinksOur Greeting to You
"Nothing that I can do will change the structure of the universe. But maybe, by raising my voice I can help the greatest of all causes - goodwill among men and peace on earth.” - Albert Einst...
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Low Cholesterol Does A Body Bad - Once More, with feeling
UPDATE: Women in Government have a new ad campaign to push you to get cholesterol testing. This same organization has been behind the Gardasil propaganda campaign. For women especially, it is very important to get proper thyroid testing, as an imbalance raises cholesterol. It is much more important to test for triglycerides as too high a level (>150) can greatly increase your risk of death more than any other indicator.COQ10 (Ubiquinol) and CHF: CoQ10-H2™ Found to Be Better Absorbed in Heart Patients Idebenone is a less expensive supplement that may act like COQ10 and be effective for some people.This new study, with a reasonable sample size, unlike most studies I review, raises concern over low cholesterol levels. As someone who has been a skeptic on the cholesterol drug mania for so very...
A Natural Lesson for Hyperhydrosis
A fellow who works for Oprah as a producer asked Dr. Oz about his sweaty palms today. I was holding my breath that Mehmet just might have offered up a natural and effective treatment that is effective and inexpensive. He didn't.I was pleased that he opted against the sympathectomy, which he gave as the last option of the three he suggested, including Botox.And of course there are problems with Botox and the surgery.I was surprised that he failed to suggest acupuncture which would be a good approach for re-balancing the sympathetic arm of the autonomic nervous system, or a very effective herbal treatment.It was good that he mentions thyroid and pancreas concerns because these can be involved.He didn't mention the nutritional approach that re-balances your biochemistry. He did offer that reducing...
Tuesday Megalinks
In today’s links: last-minute Christmas gift ideas, healthful foods, and best of all, lots and lots of booze. Merry *hic* Christmas, everybody!Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood: Make it From Scratch FestivalFeaturing more cookie recipes than you can shake a stick (of butter) at, plus Leigh’s fabulous craft post from last Thursday.Chow: The Year in Food 2008From Rachael Ray’s terrorist scarf to Michael Phelps’ 4-billion calorie diet to Julia Child: International Spy, Chow has a rundown of every food story that mattered this year. And remember: 2008 was fleeting, but bacon is forever.Chow: 10 Little LuxuriesAttention, tardy gift-buyers! These small...
Posted in: LinksNot Green: Digital TV Arriving with Environmental Bang
The information in the following quote comes from an article published in the Chicago Sun Times in 1999.In just a few weeks all US TV viewers will be forced to accept HDTV, and perhaps they have not been provided with this information.Hard to fathom with all we already know about birds and bees being severely impacted by cell towers.Not to overlook the health issues already known about cell towers and the phones, what might we not know about the DTV towers? Is there a coming epidemic of undiagnosable illness around the corner as well?Millions of the migratory birds, which yearly travel through Chicago from as far north as Canada to as far south as Peru, are being killed off by rapidly rising cellular telephone towers and new digital television antennas blocking their paths, wildlife experts...
Monday, December 22, 2008
American Chop Suey and a Tale of Two Dinners
This weekend, I made a pair of vastly different meals: Pork Shoulder with Guinness, Dried Cherries, and Sweet Potatoes from Daniel Boulud’s 2006 Braise cookbook, and American Chop Suey, from my favorite long-defunct food blog, Words to Eat By.The first dish took more than five hours and ran about $20, while other was finished in 45 minutes and cost a little over $5. Both were tasty and satisfyingly filling – perfect comfort foods for -47°F. Alas, only one will make frequent repeat performances, and it ain’t the dinner with 14 ingredients, all found in different stores (a.k.a. the pork thingie).Don’t get me wrong, I really liked Boulud’s recipe....
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Gary Null Video on FDA and other good videos
Prescription for Disaster is an in-depth investigation into the symbiotic relationships between the pharmaceutical industry, the FDA, lobbyists, lawmakers, medical schools, and researchers, and the impact this has on consumers and their health care. During this thorough investigation, we take a close look at patented drugs, why they are so readily prescribed by doctors, the role insurance companies and HMO's play in promoting compliance, and the problem of rising health care costs. We examine the marketing and public relations efforts on behalf of the pharmaceutical companies, including sales reps, medical journals and conferences. Further, we look at alternatives to traditional pharmacology and drug therapy, such as vitamins and nutritional supplements, and why they are often perceived as...
Friday, December 19, 2008
Scents for Cents
UPDATE: Related articlesFresh scents may hide toxic secret Fresh, clean air does not come in a can Pet Health--------------------------------------------------------------------------------I have a friend whose house used to be full of those scent sprayers plugged into every wall outlet in her house. This made it almost impossible for me to ever visit her. As she was always complaining of headache I mentioned that she could try using pure essential oils in a spray bottle and it would work better and be healthier, as well as save her a lot of money.After the switch she told me about all the headaches cleared up and how much better she felt.It isn't just that these products contain endocrine disrupting chemicals, they are also replete with formaldehyde and petroleum distillates. All of these...
Estrogen in moisturizers may worsen breast cancer
UPDATE: December 19This report totally overlooks the effect of these chemicals on women's health. It looks as if all women effected by breast cancer need to write their representatives in Congress, and the EPA.Hormones Should Be Analyzed TogetherScientists to EPA: Risks of Chemicals That Alter Male Hormones Should Be Analyzed Together Concluding that nearly everybody is exposed to a mix of chemicals that could be damaging male reproductive health, a national panel of scientists on Thursday advised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift its focus and group them together when judging how much of a danger they pose.I have referred more than once to the preeminent work of Judi Vance and her 1990s book, "Beauty to Die For". This work began the trail of others that has slowly come forward...
Testing Hormone Bending Ingredients Should Not Be Sexually Biased
The fact that the EPA would exclude women from their proposed testing of the risks and hazards of pthalates is unconscionable. Chemicals are equal opportunity toxins....Hormones Should Be Analyzed TogetherScientists to EPA: Risks of Chemicals That Alter Male Hormones Should Be Analyzed Together Concluding that nearly everybody is exposed to a mix of chemicals that could be damaging male reproductive health, a national panel of scientists on Thursday advised the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shift its focus and group them together when judging how much of a danger they po...
Jet Lag: Natural Cure Safer Than New Drug
UPDATE: 28 December - It appears that quite a few people are looking for a garlic remedy to help with jet lag. I find it a rather curious use of garlic, but after some research I found that it is a ginger-garlic mix that may help. The writer advises that it is very important to stay hydrated and avoid coffee, carbonated beverages and alcohol when flying. This same suggestion is what we have advised for decades when flying. The air circulation system in aircraft is dehydrating as are the aforementioned beverages. Water, tomato or apple juices are better choices.It seems to that the same pre-flight and post flight dosing schedule we suggest for the B complex and other vitamins in our jet lag remedy are followed: Take on two days before flight, the day of flight, and the day after flight.It also...
Holiday Cheer or Holiday Hangover
In 2004 I put together an herbal product to address the issue of binge drinking in response to the college binge drinking problem. At the time I lived in an area with two universities, each having a well known "party" history.The herbal combination worked very well for those who tried it, and the best part was that it made you not want to drink so much.Even one college tavern offered it to their late night party crowd along with a vegetable juice drink blend I created to help with avoiding that after-drinking, next morning hangover. This process was short circuited after a business that was selling the product decided to attack me by using baseless and fabricated mis-information. Their point was to avoid paying a rather large debt legally owed to the non-profit organization that publishes...
Shaksouka? I Barely Even Know Ya! (Sorry.)
It’s snowing like mad outside, the office is unusually quiet, and A Charlie Brown Christmas is playing quietly on my cubicle computer. In a way, this is the holidays in all Big Apple workplaces: peacefully festive, with a tinge of melancholy. Or, maybe everyone’s just hung over from last night’s Christmas party. Take your pick.Like every other place in America, it’s been slightly-to-mostly insane over here lately, what with card sending, gift shopping, tinsel hanging, funeral attending, and getting papers/projects/life in order for the ever-approaching New Year. There haven’t been many hours left for cooking, either, save for today’s dish, Shaksouka,...
