Oprah can have an impact on this health issue

I've been writing on the HIV/AIDS issue for some time. My interest has been to get Bill Gates to come forward with enough funding to run a study to show the effectiveness of four simple and inexpensive supplements that may stop the progression of HIV to AIDS.I've posed this because Gates is caught up in the vaccine folly and so far has been unwilling to consider that there may be a much more effective and useful approach to this major manufactured global health concern.Surely this effort can be assisted by Ms. Winfrey. Her interest may not be so constrained by formality and status quo pressures as Mr. Gates.Isn't this one of those "Just Do It" moments?HIV increase most among young black men, June 30, 2008 ATLANTA, June 30 (UPI) -- The number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses from 2001 to 2006 among men...

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Now that Bill's retired, here's something good he can spend money on

Top Economists List Vitamins for Children as World's Top Priority Posted Tuesday, June 24, 2008 The Copenhagen Consensus Conference, a gathering of some of the world’s top economists, ranked supplying millions of malnourished children with vitamin A and zinc the number one world priority, beating out issues related to global warming, terrorism, AIDS and others. It was estimated that supplying the world’s 140 million undernourished children with vitamin A and zinc would cost just $60 million, but would create benefits of $1 billion through better health, fewer deaths and increased future earnings.The Copenhagen Consensus Conference, which meets every fourth year, is a gathering of 55 of the world’s top economists and specialists in the ten key challenges. A roundtable analysis of the issues...

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You Say it’s Your Blogday: CHG's Top Ten Recipes

WOO! We made it! A year ago today, CHG launched with a smile, a strategy, and a semi-sensical mission statement. While world wide web domination is probably a couple of years in coming, we've carved out a neat little niche in the highly competitive arena of health-and-frugality-oriented food blogging.So, thank you to everyone – all 158,126 of you – who’ve popped in over the last 12 months. I’ve really enjoyed writing for and learning from you. Y’all are aces.And! Thank you to the 1,551 websites, blogs, and people who’ve sent traffic this way, especially MSN Smart Spending, Get Rich Slowly, Paid Twice, Frugal Hacks, A Good American Wife, Money...

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Posted in: About Cheap Healthy Good

Submit to Coercion or Else

It is a sad state of affairs when the day comes that parents who have every right to question their child's pediatrician, as well as their own chosen health care provider, are being subjected to a philosophy and culture of coercion, just because they are exercising that right.In case the AAP forgot, their position on vaccines is blatantly in violation of informed consent rules. AAP Leadership Fights Informed Vaccine Choices by Barbara Loe Fisher (NVIC)www.vaccineawakening.blogspot.comwww.NVIC.orgwww.Stand UpBeCounted.org In another fit of pique aimed at the growing number of vaccine-educated parents questioning pediatricians about the safety of vaccines, the largest private medical organization representing medical doctors treating children - the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) - recently...

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Big Pharma Spends Big for Favors From Congress

Pharmaceutical Lobby Spent Big in 2007Overall, 374 out of 435 members of the House and 91 out of 100 senators received donations from the pharmaceutical and health products industry.By Todd Neale, Staff Writer, MedPage TodayJune 25, 2008WASHINGTON, June 25 -- The pharmaceutical lobby, Washington's largest, increased its spending by almost a third -- to $168 million -- from 2006 to 2007, an analysis showed.Pharmaceutical companies and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) have spent more than $1 billion over the past decade on lobbying activity, according to an analysis conducted by the Center for Public Integrity.Add on another $21.1 million from medical device and other health product companies and their associations -- the Biotechnology Organization and the Advanced...

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Zucchini Mushroom Crumble: a Day in the Life

I love food blogs. Oh, the actual meals are nice, but beyond that, I really dig learning about folks’ day-to-day experiences making them. It’s a neat little window into lives totally different from mine, and truly, kind of awe-inspiring. (Note: I would have said “amazing,” but am actively trying to abolish it, since it’s the most overused word in the English language. Gandhi? Amazing. Cat socks? Not amazing. Seriously, folks.)Take the fancier food blogs. They make something as mundane as dinner prep seem so idyllic, like there’s art in the air and deliciousness hovering over every well-tended garden. Really, some’re like reading an E.M. Forster...

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Posted in: Mains,Sides,Vegetarian

Veggie Might: Pasta with Nettles, Sorrel, and Lemon (Stinging Nettles - Ouch! Mmm!)

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.Interjections (Hey!) show excitement (Yow!) or emotion (Ouch!).They’re generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point, or by a comma when the feeling’s not as strong.My first trip to the CSA meeting place had me buzzing with feelings: curiosity (How does this thing work exactly? Will I meet the farmers?!), excitement (Sorrel, dandelion greens, and grape leaves! Oh my!), and anxiety (Ugh! My nemesis [Yes, even I, dear reader, have a nemesis.] might be there.).I fastened the basket to my handlebars and zipped down to the...

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Posted in: Mains,Pasta,Sides,Vegetarian,Veggie Might

WI-FI and WI-MAX Risk Your Health

A number of years ago, at least four, I presented a program to health care professionals on the risk of EMF to health. My topic was more about the inability to diagnos many health problems because the mainstream medical field had not inkling that EMF would be a cause.I developed my presentation from a proven fact that doctor's cell phone were transitting infection and interfering with medical equipment. Interference with medical equipment also came from Cellular and Digital antennae, some located on hospital and health care buildings.Personal cell phone, Blue Tooth, WI-FI, hot spots and other EMF (microwave ovens) uses are a major contributor in this discussion.Now more science comes to my rescue."Even the most seductive technology will interact in the tightly-coupled healthcare world in...

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Fourteen percent of people admitted to hospital have addiction problems

Taking an extremely in-depth continuing education program some years ago I commented to my mentor that I believed in every case of chemical addiction there is a very serious spiritual issue not being addressed. I suggested that in every 12 Step program the focus should shift to working Step 12. Of course this is the toughest one of all and that's why most never get there. Not only are the counselors unable to deal with this but the system petpetuates itself by keeping affected people about Step 4. In reality this is undermining the issue for the sake of keeping a job or a program alive.I come by my comments honestly. I worked in chemical dependency programs for both children and adults.The worst was a program for adolescents where the woman in charge of delivering nursing care was complicit...

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CHG Favorites of the Week

Food Blog of the WeekAapplemintSprinkled with beautiful pictures of exotic locales and colorful, tasty-looking dishes, Aaplemint, though infrequently updated, is worth a gander just the same. Kate’s food seems to specialize in out-of-the-ordinary ingredients, like jasmine and (for real) aloe. It’s a lot of baked goods, but there are other treasures here and there, as well.Food Book of the WeekThree Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin"The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take a tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family,...

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Posted in: Links

This Puzzles Me

I just wonder how Gardasil can be just fine if you are age 11 to 26, but can't be used if you are 27 to 45.But then I don't beleive Gardsil is safe or sane for ANY woman, young or old. The risks are just too high and the beenfits are just too low.Merck's Gardasil not cleared for older women Wed Jun 25, 2008U.S. regulators have told Merck & Co they cannot yet approve Merck's application to expand marketing of its cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil to an older group of women, the drugmaker said on Wednesday.Merck had applied for the use of Gardasil in women ages 27 through 45. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a letter regarding the application that it has completed its review and there are "issues" that preclude approval within the expected review time frame, Merck said."It's...

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Understanding the Childhood Obesity Epidemic Part III: Small-Scale Solutions

Earlier this afternoon, CHG posted the wide-scale solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic. Now it’s time for the personal solutions – stuff you can do everyday to make sure kids are growing up healthy.Also included are two things you absolutely shouldn’t do, because they need to be mentioned, too.SOLUTIONS – SMALL-SCALE1) Walk the walk. Kids learn behavior from their parents. If mom and dad don’t eat healthy or exercise, their children won’t either. Or, as Time Magazine's Lori Oliwenstein puts it, “If your daily diet revolves around bologna, potato chips and Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream eaten straight out of the carton, guess...

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Posted in: Health

Understanding the Childhood Obesity Epidemic Part II: Wide-Scale Solutions

Last week, CHG posted the first of a three-part series on our overweight kids, examining the causes and effects of America’s growing youth. Today, it’s all about the solutions, both on a mass and personal scale. We know some are already working, since according to Time Magazine, “for the first time in decades the increase in U.S. childhood obesity leveled off [in May].” And with more of these ideas implemented, it can only get better.Right now, we’ll examine the larger-scale solutions. The personal ones are coming later this afternoon. As with Part 1, if anyone has suggestions or comments, please pass ‘em along. I’d love to read/add.SOLUTIONS...

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Posted in: Health

City Kitchen Chronicles: Kale Chips

City Kitchen Chronicles is a bi-weekly column about living frugally in Manhattan. It's penned by the lovely Jaime.Last night I got home at 10pm, after a reading of a new play and treating myself to a late dinner of Greek yogurt and raspberries at Whole Foods. (Oh, delicious unfrugal sin.) Once I got home I wanted nothing more (well, nothing that wouldn’t involve feats of teleportation or lottery-winning) than to check my email, read a few blogs (this is what I do without cable) and go the heck to bed. But even in my sleepy stupor, I knew what I had to do. I had few-days-old kale in my fridge, and nothing for lunch the next day. It was now or...

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Posted in: City Kitchen Chronicles,Desserts and Snacks,Vegan,Vegetarian

Tuesday Megalinks: The George Carlin Edition

Oh, man. First Tim Russert, now George Carlin? If Springsteen goes next, I'm moving to Mars. Either way, as tribute to the most important comedian in American history, each of today's links will be followed up by a Carlin quote instead of the usual description.Broke Grad Student: Festival of Frugality #131 - Summer Savings Edition"Ever wonder about those people who spend $2 apiece on those little bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backward."Casual Kitchen: Cooking Like the Stars? Don’t Waste Your Money“Whenever you see the word cuisine used instead of the word food, be prepared to pay an additional eighty percent.”Chow: Cooking With Summer...

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Posted in: Links

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and a Very Barefoot Contessa Weekend

I'm writing this late Sunday night, as Jet Blue has stranded The Boyfriend and I in Virginia. Not that I mind. His mom, brother, sister-in-law, freakishly adorable nearly-two-year-old nephew, and freakishly adorable brand-new nephew are all here, and they're nifty people. We've spent the last three days in a whirlwind of swimming, learning the letter B, and eating our faces off. It's not a bad life, man.Off the six meals we've cooked so far, a whopping four have come courtesy of Barefoot Contessa. I LOVE INA GARTEN. This has been stated and restated in this blog, but the adoration/near-obsession can not be adequately documented, no matter how...

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Posted in: Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian