Published on November 15th, 2008
Organic, free-range, or factory farmed—according to a new study conducted by UC San Diego’s School of Medicine, all red meat and milk spurs the growth of cancerous tumors.
Researchers found a non-human cellular molecule called N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) inside human cancerous tumors. The study, published Friday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that the molecule causes inflammation and further cancer cell growth.
As it turns out, that molecule is found solely in animal-based food products like dairy and red meat. Perhaps PETA was right to suggest meat-eaters deserve higher insurance premiums.
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Published on November 13th, 2008
Nanoparticles emitted by common kitchen appliances are more abundant than previously thought, leading for an urgent call for more research on health implications.
In 150 experiments using gas and electric stoves and electric toaster ovens, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are working to determine their impacts on indoor levels of nanoparticles.
Previous studies measured particles with diameters greater than 10 nm, but the technology used in these experiments allowed researchers to measure particles as small as 10 times the size of a large atom, called ultra-fine particles (UFP).
“The results of this test,” said researcher Lance Wallace, “should affect future studies of human exposure to particulates and associated health effects, particularly since personal exposure to these indoor UFP sources can often exceed exposure to the outdoor UFP.”
Other recent research has demonstrated the difficulty of mapping out the health effects of nanoparticles. Even if a certain nanoparticles do not appear to be toxic, the interaction between the nanoparticles and other compounds in the human body can potentially cause serious problems to cell functions.
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Published on November 11th, 2008
I had the opportunity to visit my very favorite food shopping spot - the Berkshire Coop Market. It is in Great Barrington Massachusettsand if you haven’t been to either Great Barrington or the Coop, I recommend planning a visit on your next trip in New England. I have to drive 150 miles to go shopping there, but I make the trek from time to time, under the guise of ‘visiting friends’, but there is always a trip to the Coop as a priority.
When I used to live up there in the 1980s and we were the experiential ‘green’ community, I not only became a member of this burgeoning food coop, I ended up as president of the Board of Directors for a year or so. I was young, energetic, enthusiastic and still unmarred by realities that can make a person cynical about such things.
Back then, the Coop was in the basement of an old granary. It was cold, damp and full of love (and spiders). We dreamed of a store where we could have a cafe and freshly baked products and room for lots of locally grown produce. I helped build up the membership significantly back then, but I moved away and left the dreaming to those left behind. I visited of course, but essentially lost track for quite a number of years.
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Published on November 9th, 2008
Take your health and beauty to the next level with superfoods!
From dietitians to raw food gurus, superfoods have been promoted as the fountain of health and youth.
While I can’t vouch for the fountain of health and youth claim, I have experienced the extra vitality that comes from eating these nutrient-dense foods.
There is no formal definition for the term superfoods, but they are generally described as being especially nutritious, with bio-active compounds and special health benefits not available from other foods. Superfoods are the foods with high levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants, and they possess a superior nutritional profile.
Adding some of these foods into your diet is one more way to support your body’s natural health and beauty.
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Published on November 6th, 2008
5 million people in the United States have heart failure.
550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.
More than 287,000 people in the United States die each year with heart failure.
The estimated direct cost for heart failure each year is $29.6 billion in the US alone.
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Published on November 6th, 2008
Author and food educator, Cynthia Lair and her family have fun sharing recipes and methods for cooking whole, sustainably produced and locally grown food through their informative and quirky Internet videos. Their website is CookusInterruptus.com.
Poor Cynthia starts every video happily offering us some nutritional details of whatever food she is preparing or just informing us about and just when she is warming up (pun intended) her husband or daughter rambles into the kitchen on some unrelated business. It is cute and speaks to the tagline of the site, ‘How to cook fresh local organic whole foods despite life’s interruptions.’
Cynthia offers us a versatile Quinoa salad . . . and we get to meet her husband Steve too!
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Published on November 5th, 2008
Here are a few known healing properties of common foods you may be tempted to enjoy at fall festivities:
Cranberries: As you may already know, cranberries are body purifiers, low in calories, have no fat and are a nice source of Vitamin C. This health blog states:
“some of the health benefits of eating cranberries:
* prevent bacteria in the bladder, kidneys and prostate
* supports optimum urinary tract health
* may prevent kidney stones
* have both antiviral and antibacterial properties
Here are some fun facts about cranberries:
* More than 85% of the weight of cranberries is water!
* Native Americans used a brewed a cranberry mixture to draw poison from arrow wounds..”
Tomatoes: Pureed, cooked, stewed, in sauce, stored as a sundried treat or marinade, lycophene rich tomatoes are super healing for the body. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on November 3rd, 2008
Originally recommended to me by Reenita when I was asking about a tummy healer, Tulsi tea has proven to be one of my favorite refreshments. Organic India makes a variety of chai, green, jasmine and more, and it is a known comfort in India. Called Holy Basil, this tea aids digestion, and overall internal health for a healthy external glow. My choice Tulsi tea now is Organic India, please see their admirable vision and mission:
“To be a vehicle of consciousness in the global market by creating a holistic sustainable business modality, which inspires, promotes and supports well-being and respect for all beings and for Mother Nature.”
and, Read the rest of this entry »
Published on November 1st, 2008
Researchers at Kingston University in London have found something surprising in wine: heavy metals. The researchers, Professor Declan Naughton and Dr. Andrea Petroczi, used an EPA testing method to look at the health risks (yes, you read that correctly) from drinking wine.
Red wine has been extolled for its health-benefitting properties in recent years, and may even protect people from food-borne diseases. Wine has been investigated as a possible disinfectant by a researcher at Oregon State University, and has even been found to potentially fight tooth decay. So, with all that good, there has to be some bad, right?
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Published on October 30th, 2008
© Bernd Juergens | Dreamstime.com
Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Beet
Leery of the leek? Afraid of asparagus? Broccoli your personal Boggart? It seems witches are not the only green thing that scares us. You are not alone. According to a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Medicine, fewer than a third of us eat enough fruits and vegetables daily.
Perhaps it’s time we faced our deep-rooted fears?
Number 5: Beets.
I clearly recall making little towers of canned, pickled beet cubes. I don’t remember eating them more than once. It was a long, long time before I faced down a beet again as an adult. As my first season participating in the Eat Local Challenge and as a member of a CSA, I felt compelled to cook whatever came in the weekly box in whatever way I could to make it palatable.
What I found out was, they are pretty good. That, indeed, everything not in a can tastes a whole lot different. Beets are especially good roasted and especially good for you as they are rich in the same anthocyanin compounds like wine and berries.
And the Top Four Are … Read the rest of this entry »
