Eggs, Yolks and All, Are As Good For You As Apples

Eggs and Coffee? I should live long and have a sound mind.

Hey folks,

For years there has basically been two groups. Those that HATE Coffee, and tell you, you will DIE, or become sick, if you drink it. Another that says Coffee is good, and has many Health Benefits. I prefer to agree with the latter.

For years we have also been told that the Whites of the Egg we love so much are OK, but you better not eat the Yolks. They are EVIL and will raise your Cholesterol, and increase your risk of Heart Disease. They have Products out there that even take all the work away from you. You can buy Egg Whites only. You can order Egg White Omelets. I know people who do. As for me? I love the Yolk. I love ordering Sunny Side Up or Over Easy nine out of ten times I eat Breakfast out. I MAKE Sunny Side Up Eggs and Hard Boiled Eggs all the time.

So seems that all those years of people skipping the Yolk, was wasted. Not only is the Yolk NOT bad for you, seems that a whole cooked Egg is actually as Healthy for you as an Apple. Yup. An Apple. Are you buying this? According to Shine - Are Egg Whites Healthier Than Whole Eggs? By Details Magazine Posts By Details Magazine | Healthy Living – Thu, Mar 29, 2012 2:21 PM EDT by Mike Dawson. I love the way he wrote this, by the way.

The yolk has been the enemy of breakfast for years-but no more, my egg-white-omelet-ordering friends.

Like most of you, I ditched the yolk thinking I was lowering my cholesterol, helping my ticker, and staying lean. But it turns out those yellow-less free-ranges were doing more harm than good. Here are three reasons to go for yolk (boo!) when you eat eggs.

First, assuming you are not obese, eat relatively well, and work out at least a little, a few or more whole eggs a week aren't going to lift your bad cholesterol levels.

Second, whole eggs are packed with protein, good fats, vitamins, and nutrients that have been proven to help boost your brain. Some studies suggest they may even guard against dementia.

Hey, so does Coffee. Eggs and Coffee? I should live long and have a sound mind.

Third, last year a study at the University of Alberta, home to one of the world's leading food-science programs, discovered that cooked whole eggs, yolk and all, are equal to apples in their antioxidant potency, and these robust antioxidant properties may actually help ward off heart disease and cancer.

Time to rethink that brunch order, buddy.

{Laughing} So have at it my Friends. Order those Eggs, yolks and all, a big cup of Coffee, and enjoy. You are doing your body and apparently Mind good. Be right back.
Peter

Sources:
Shine - Are Egg Whites Healthier Than Whole Eggs?

Pink Slime Update, Plants Close, Company Blames YOU

Really need a theme song for this Segment.

Hey folks,

Time for what is growing into a regular Segment here at the OPNTalk Blog. Pink Slime Update. I knew when I first started looking into this it would be big. I had no idea HOW big it would become. I originally thought it was McDonald's only, well, Fast Food in General all do about the same things, so others would not surprise me. But then we learned it's in our Schools and in our Stores. There is a chance you may have it in your FRIG. You may have bought what you were lead to believe is "healthier" ground Beef, only to learn that "lean, finely textured beef," is nothing more than a code word for Pink Slime. The same process they use to make Dog Food.

So you spoke up. Some of you YELLED. Last Sunday I reported to you that Stores All Over Country Pulling Pink Slime. They have stopped selling it all together. Except Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. This is why I will shop elsewhere.

So what happens when you have a Company, that has LIED to people over the years, HID what they are actually doing, and people find out? What do you do if you have a Company that makes a Product that no one buys? Yup. You go bye, bye.

So "Beef Products Inc.," the maker of Pink Slime, and Regina Roth, the VP of the Company, are closing Planets, laying off workers, and blaming YOU! {Laughing} I kid you not. Remember Ms. Riley? She was the one back on Sunday, March 18, 2012 OPNTalk -
Pink Slime WAS Dog Food who, when asked why not Label Packages to let people know they were eating Pink Slime, said...

"What are you asking me to put on the label, its beef, it's on the label, it's a beef product, it's says beef so we are declaring … it's beef,"

Well, Ms Roth just repeated the line. She said..

"What should we label it? It's 100 percent beef What do you want us to label it? I'm not prepared to say it's not beef because it's 100 percent beef."

NO it's not Ms Roth. It's GARBAGE. It's filler to extend Profit. It is NOT Beef. But we know this now, so I doubt you need worry about it. No one is buying it anyway.

So according to ABC News - 'It's 100 Percent Beef': Company on Defensive as It Closes Plants By Jim Avila ABC News – 5 hrs ago

After two weeks of no comments, Beef Products Inc., the maker of "lean, finely textured beef," a product now known by the critics' term for it, "pink slime," came out swinging today during a news conference to announce the temporary closing of several facilities.

The company said that it was suspending all operations at three of its four plants in Texas, Kansas and Iowa. Its headquarters in Sioux City, S.D., would remain.

It said today that it would continue to pay its workers for 60 days as it launches a public relations program designed to restore confidence in its product.

"After that 60-day period is over, if we haven't been able to resume operations again by then, we believe we won't have a decision other than to formally terminate those employees' employment," said Rich Jochum, the company's corporate administrator.

{Laughing} So we are going to LIE to you some more over the next 60 days and hope you buy our Product. If you don't YOU are responsible for all these people losing their Jobs. YOU are responsible for this.

The company blamed social media and news organizations, specifically ABC News, for what it called a gross misrepresentation of its product and process.

"What should we label it? It's 100 percent beef," asked Regina Roth, the company's executive vice president. "What do you want us to label it? I'm not prepared to say it's not beef because it's 100 percent beef."

She said that the company would "attack" the misconceptions in consumers' minds through social media.

"What we're going through is not something any other companies want to … have to endure," Roth said.

Good lick with this. The Stores are not going to buy it. We are not going to buy it. YOU lied to people for years, "90 percent Lean?" uh, Pink Slime. Healthier, less fat, MORE EXPENSIVE for less REAL Meat. No Ms Roth, YOU are to blame. And as much as you say it's One hundred percent beef, others disagree.

Two former scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture who reviewed the product advised against using it in ground beef and told ABC News that it was not the same as ground beef.

"It's not fresh ground beef. It's a cheap substitute being added in," microbiologist Gerald Zirnstein said.

The scientists added that the filler was not as nutritious as ground beef, though the company disputed that. An industry website noted that a side-by-side comparison of nutrition labels showed "90 percent lean beef trimmings and 90 percent lean ground beef have substantially identical nutritional value. And all USDA certified ground beef [with or without lean finely textured beef] found in your grocery store is considered to be a good or excellent source of 10 essential nutrients including protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins."

An Industry Website said. They say so, so, just except it.

The low-grade trimmings used to produce lean, finely textured beef come from the parts of the cow most susceptible to contamination, often close to the hide, which is highly exposed to fecal matter. But because of the treatment of the trimmings - after they have been simmered in low heat, separating fat and tissue using a centrifuge, they are sprayed with ammonia gas to kill germs - the USDA says it's safe to eat.

It goes on to talk about the Stores and the Schools. So there you have it. It's your fault folks. But they will give you just 60 days to change your mind. Or YOU will be responsible for all these fine people losing their Jobs. I don't know about you, but I know I'm not eating Dog Food anymore. If you want to buy this garbage, go to Wal-Mart and Sam's. They still sell it. Probably dirt Cheap too.
Peter

Sources:
ABC News - 'It's 100 Percent Beef': Company on Defensive as It Closes Plants

Stores All Over Country Pulling Pink Slime

Pink Slime Update

Hey folks,

Because of YOU. Well, the New Media that first reported this, then the Mainstream Media that came kicking and screaming along, reported that McDonald's was using Pink Slime. Garbage that should be thrown away, that they use for DOG FOOD, McDonald's was putting in their Burgers and even Chicken Nuggets. They say they have stopped because of YOU.

Then we learned that SCHOOLS were using Pink Slime. While deeming a Turkey on Wheat as not healthy enough, replacing it with Pink Slime Nuggets. Serving Pink Slime Burgers. They now have a choice, because of YOU.

Then we learned that the Beef People refuse to label their packages with Pink Slime, because they "Say it's Beef, it's Beef." {Sigh} We learned that the same process used to create Pink Slime is what they use for Dog Food. YOU said enough is enough. YOU started contacting your Local Grocer and YOU started saying "I will not longer buy Beef in your Store."

Now? Chains: Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw's/Star Market, Shop 'n Save, Kroger Co., Stop & Shop, Giant, Weis, Safeway, The Food Lion, have ALL said no more Pink Slime filler Beef. Public Outrage has changed their minds.

According to USA Today - Kroger, Stop & Shop join 'pink slime' exodus

NEW YORK (AP) — Supermarket chains Kroger Co. and Stop & Shop said Thursday they will join the growing list of store chains that will no longer sell beef that includes an additive with the unappetizing moniker "pink slime."

Federal regulators say the ammonia-treated filler, known in the industry as "lean, finely textured beef," meets food safety standards. But critics say the product could be unsafe and is an unappetizing example of industrialized food production.

Any doubt that it was YOU that, uh, helped their decision making process?

The Kroger Co., the nation's largest traditional grocer with 2,435 supermarkets in 31 states, also said it will stop buying the beef, reversing itself after saying Wednesday that it would sell beef both with and without the additive.

Yup. They changed their mind. Wonder why? {Smile}

Earlier Thursday, Stop & Shop said that while the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said the product is safe for consumption, it will stop selling the beef due to customer concerns. Stop & Shop is a unit of Dutch supermarkets owner Royal Ahold NV and operates 400 stores in the Northeast U.S.

The chains joined Safeway, Supervalu and Food Lion, among others, who have said they won't sell beef with the filler.

"Our customers have expressed their concerns that the use of lean finely textured beef — while fully approved by the USDA for safety and quality — is something they do not want in their ground beef," Kroger said in a statement. "As a result, Kroger will no longer purchase ground beef containing lean finely textured beef."

"Lean finely textured beef?" It's GARBAGE. It's DOG FOOD. It's not even MEAT. All these Stores are making the right decision here. Any doubts it was the New Media?

Though the term "pink slime" has been used pejoratively for at least several years, it wasn't until early March that social media suddenly exploded with worry and an online petition seeking its ouster from schools lit up, quickly garnering hundreds of thousands of supporters.

This is a growing trend, because of you. Oh, Wal-Mart? You are NOT too big to NOT be effected. Do the right thing and stop sell this Garbage to your Customers. But look and this..

Winn-Dixie, Bi-Lo, and Giant/Martin's, which operates Giant Food Stores and Martin's Food Markets and in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, all said Thursday they will no longer sell beef with the additive.

BJ's Wholesale Club Inc. also said it will stop selling beef products with the additive, starting April 7 for fresh products and April 20 for frozen.

Whole Foods, A&P and Costco said they have never sold beef products with the additive.

On Wednesday, Supervalu Inc. — which operates stores under the Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher's, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw's/Star Market, Shop 'n Save and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy banners — said that customer concern prompted it to stop carrying products containing the filler.

Delhaize America, the U.S. unit of Belgium's Delhaize Group, also said Wednesday that its Food Lion, Hannaford, Bottom Dollar Food and Sweetbay chains have made similar decisions.

And Safeway Inc., which operates the Genuardi's and Dominicks chains, as well as Safeway stores, also said Wednesday that it has announced it will stop selling fresh or frozen ground beef with the filler.

Do what you want folks, but there is a whole lot of other places out there that you can buy your Beef from. You do not have to buy it from Wal-Mart. They just want the Cheapest Product, hence the most Profit. It truly is a shame what Wal-Mart has become.

So Pink Slime is doing what it should. Going back to being Dog Food. Or sold in other Countries. Or in Wal-Mart. But YOU have made this happen. Keep up the good work.
Peter

Hummus, not Just Middle Eastern Anymore

A healthy Snack. Try it sometime.

Hey folks,

If you have known me longer than the past couple of years, you know that my Wife Laura is a Vegan. One of the things I love is trying new foods. Always have. But then again, if you know me, you know I love Food in general. (Smile) That's why I spend time in the Gym.

One of my favorite Snacks of all time is Chips and Sour Cream and Onion Dip. I remember about 15 years ago, my Mentor in the Hotel Business was talking to me about my Weight. I was about 230 at the time. All Stomach pretty much. You see, I quit Smoking and went from 180 to 230 in about Six Months time. He asked me why I did not drink Diet Soda as apposed to regular. I hate the taste was my answer. He then asked what my favorite Snack was. I told him, Chips and Sour Cream and Onion Dip. I will never forget the way he laughed and said, "Why not just drop a scoop of pure FAT in a bowl and eat that?" He told me I should try Salsa. Maybe Join a Gym while I'm at it.

Over the years, I did. I did switch to Diet Soda. I did stop eating McDonald's for my daily intake. I started to get healthy. I started to feel better. Well, I went through a Divorce, moved to Florida, picked up Smoking again, and pretty much went back to doing whatever I wanted. However, I did not change trying to eat healthier, nor did I stop going to the Gym. Then I met my Wife now.

She told me that she was a Vegan. I had no idea what that means. Then I learned over time, that being a Vegan or Vegetarian is not just eating twigs and berries, that there really are GREAT Dishes that can be made. I'm now 249, but is mostly muscle now. And I will admit, though I still eat meat, mostly Chicken, I look forward to "Meatless Monday."

One of the things she got me to try was Hummus. I LOVE HUMMUS. Roasted Garlic and Basil. Sun Dried Tomato. Straight up Hummus. A healthy Snack. Try it sometime. I even tried, and now can't get enough, Hummus and Avocado Sandwiches. Trust me on this.

So in today's Health and Science Segment, I wanted to check out the Health Benefits of Hummus. Is it healthy for you? According to Eating Healthy Foods .org - Take the Healthy Dip – Benefits of Hummus PLUS Unique Recipes

Thinking of making a healthy dip? Then why not try hummus? This centuries-old recipe come from Midwestern origins and is commonly composed of mashed beans, spices and other common ingredients like lemon, salt, garlic, or olive oil. Although you can buy a ready made hummus from groceries and supermarkets, homemade hummus is healthier and fresher. Besides, hummus will set you back at around 6 USD for as little as 20 grams.

I've had Hummus from every store and Restaurant around. Trust me, make it yourself.

That’s expensive especially when you are planning a party. Doing your own hummus recipes (see below for some unique ideas) will certainly save up on the costs and you’ll never run out of dip to serve. Eating healthy foods such as hummus can be easy if you plan.

Traditionally made of chickpeas (also known as garbanzos), lemon juice, garlic, and tahini, this dish has suddenly become a world-wide delight. When enjoyed with raw veggies, whole wheat pitas, or whole wheat crackers, the benefits of hummus are wonderful enough to justify its consumption on a daily basis.

Homemade hummus benefits differ greatly from their store-bought counterparts. While the store bought varieties are filled with sour cream, an ingredient nearly everyone recognizes as fattening, the homemade versions are full of healthy proteins, healthy fats, and tasty spices. Furthermore, homemade hummus has a low Glycemic index, meaning it breaks down more slowly, and releasing glucose more gradually into the bloodstream. Hummus is also rich in vitamin C due to the lemon juice component. It also provides other benefits like copper, manganese, iron, and molybdenum to strengthen the immune system.

Nearly every ingredient has a benefit worth mentioning:

First, the chickpeas: These little white beans are full of protein and nearly void of saturated fats or cholesterol. They can help stabilize blood sugar and prevent the buildup of plaque on your artery walls. With this many benefits from the staple ingredient in hummus, you can eat the dish without fear. Chick peas are also rich in protein and amino acids.

Tahini: Another ingredient that is good for you is the tahini. Tahini is also known as sesame butter, and while it is known for its high fat and calorie count, the good news is that

1)there is only a little tahini in each serving of hummus (how fortunate for us hummus lovers!)

2)most of the fat is unsaturated fat (the good kind); and

3)tahini is high in both calcium and protein.

Lemons and garlic: more staples found in traditional hummus, are greatly valued for their abilities to fight off invasions of viruses or bacteria, their high anti-oxidant properties, and their cleansing virtues as well.

But before you run to the refrigerator for another bite of healthful hummus, stop–there is one possibility that hummus may not be for you. Be honest about what you are eating with it. Are you using it as a dip for your favorite brand of fried potato chips? Throw out the hummus. It will merely be more calories on top of the chip pile. If, however, you enjoy it in the typical Arab custom, such as in pitas or as a dip for veggies, by all means enjoy the meal without guilt. One of the best and tastiest ways to enjoy hummus is slathered inside a whole wheat pita with tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, sprouts, and cucumbers. This sandwich will not only be tasty–it will be healthy, filling, and energy-boosting at the same time. Or add a bit of red pepper flakes to your hummus, as well as a bit of cumin and chili powder, to make a fiery-tasting dip for crudites.

Hummus is not only easy to make–it is filling, and can be used in a multitude of sandwich combinations. It is healthy, and full of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. it is tasty, with infinite variations on flavoring. And best of all, it lasts for many days in the refrigerator, so it will always be available when you need a bite to eat.

There are several different hummus recipes that you can try, the basic ingredient are mashed chickpeas, Tahiti or olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Doing your own hummus, you can be assured of what ingredients will be going into it, and best of all, no preservatives!

If you are tired of the same old traditional food you should try something different: you can create some unique hummus recipes that will delight your family and friends.

I'll be honest, I WILL be trying all three of these..Can't wait.

Unique Hummus Recipes:

A hummus sandwich is quick and easy to prepare and you do not have to be a master chef to make one. If you love beefsteak tomatoes this dish will become an absolute favorite.

Grilled Beefsteak Tomatoes with Hummus and Arugula

Prep Time 15 Minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients
4 Slices 12 grain wheat bread
4 Tbsp hummus
1 Large ripe Beefsteak tomato
2 Slices Swiss cheese
1 Cup arugula
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions
Slice the tomato and set aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Assemble your sandwiches with cheese, tomatoes and arugula and place in the hot oil. Grill and turn when it starts to brown. Serve with additional hummus for dipping if desired.

If you are looking for a great dip try mixing hummus and artichokes. The flavors work well together and taste delicious on flat bread, crackers or in a sourdough bread bowl.

OK. I'll give you FOUR Recipes..

Delicious Hummus and Artichoke Dip

Prep Time 15 minutes
Serves 10

Ingredients
2 jars of marinated artichoke hearts
2 cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained
6 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Cloves crushed garlic
3 Tbsp tahini

Directions
Place artichoke hearts, tahani and garbanzo beans in a food processor. Blend and add olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Continue blending until smooth.

If you are making your own hummus, you do not have to use Tahini paste or sauce. It is delicious, but if you are looking for a hummus recipe without tahini that is lower in fat you might want to try this.

Black Bean Hummus Tacos

Prep Time 35 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients

Taco Recipe
1 Can black beans
1 Can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
2 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp dried parsley
2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
2 Cups diced cooked chicken
1 Cup shredded red cabbage
4 Corn tortillas
1 Cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Salsa Recipe
1 Large can diced tomatoes
½ Cup diced fresh cilantro
¼ Cup diced canned jalapeno’s
½ Spanish onion sliced
1 Tbsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions For Salsa
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate before serving with your delicious black bean and hummus tacos.

Directions For Taco’s
Place the black all of the ingredients except for the chicken cilantro and cabbage into a food processor. Blend until creamy. Heat the tortillas in the oven for about 5 minutes. Remove and fill with the chicken, hummus and cabbage. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

And number four? Hummus and Avocado Sandwiches. Hummus, Avocado, Honey Wheat Bread. I like mine with Onions, but if you do not like Onions, leave them off.

The next time you are looking for an unusual hummus recipe use your imagination. This delicious paste will go with almost anything. Try it on toast or use it as a base for your next chicken lasagna. You will be surprised at how versatile garbanzo beans can be.

OK I will admit this too. Never heard of Chicken Lasagna. I think I may pass on that one. But I love Hummus. Trust me folks. If you never had Hummus, you need to try it. At least once. Better for you than all those Fatty Snacks you have been eating. And it TASTES GREAT too.
Peter

Pink Slime WAS Dog Food

More evidence that the New Media makes a difference.

Hey folks,

For years, McDonald's and others, stretched their Profits, by stretching their Products, by adding what has become known as Pink Slime. They did this under the Radar. No one knew about it until the New Media starting talking about it. Then, reluctantly, for whatever reason, the Mainstream Media started talking about it. Now McDonald's have stopped using it.

Then we learned from the New Media, that Kiddies were going to School and having their Lunches, Turkey on Wheat, thrown out because it did not meet Federal Guidelines. In their place? Chicken Nuggets. Now commonsense told us all that this is patently absurd. Chicken Nuggets healthier than a Turkey on Wheat Bread? But then we learned that guess what? Schools are using Pink Slime as well.

Like with McDonald's, now the Mainstream Media is reporting on the Pink Slime in Schools. Like McDonald's, Schools are coming under fire for using it. Now, Schools have a choice. According to ABC News - 'Pink Slime' Will Be a Choice for Schools By Ben Forer | ABC News – 10 hrs ago

ABC News has the learned that on Thursday the U.S. Department of Agriculture will announce that starting this fall, schools will be able to choose whether or not they buy hamburger that contains lean finely textured beef known as " pink slime."

The announcement comes one week after ABC News reported on the beef filler commonly known as "pink slime," which is found in 70 percent of the ground beef sold at supermarkets.

"It kind of looks like play dough," said Kit Foshee, who, until 2001, was a corporate quality assurance manager at Beef Products Inc., the company that makes "pink slime." "It's pink and frozen, it's not what the typical person would consider meat."

It's NOT Meat.

Foshee said that he was fired by BPI after complaining about the process used to make the filler, and the company's claims about it. Since then, he has spoken out against the product.

J. Patrick Boyle, president of the American Meat Institute, defended the practice as a way to safely use what otherwise would be wasted.

It SHOULD be wasted. It's GARBAGE!! You know why they came up with this. Profit. That's it. It is MEANT to be thrown away.

"BLBT (Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings) is a sustainable product because it recovers lean meat that would otherwise be wasted," he said in a statement.

However, the substance, critics said, is more like gelatin than meat, and before BPI found a way to use it by disinfecting the trimmings with ammonia, it was sold only to dog food or cooking oil suppliers.

{Laughing} Wait!!! They turn Dog Food into People Food. By using Ammonia? {Laughing} So Turkey Sandwich BAD. Dog food? OK. They should be forced to label,,Oh wait. They do not want to do this. I wonder why.

But Boyle said, "The beef trimmings that are used to make BLBT are absolutely edible" and Janet Riley, senior vice president of public affairs for AMI, said there was no reason to label beef that contains "pink slime."

"What are you asking me to put on the label, its beef, it's on the label, it's a beef product, it's says beef so we are declaring … it's beef," she said.

NO IT'S Not. You do not want to put it on the label because you KNOW no one will ever BUY IT! You Twit. You are using a process that originally reserved for Dog Food. You really think anyone will buy this. You see folks, another reason I'm glad I do not eat Beef any more.

The low-grade trimmings come from the parts of the cow most susceptible to contamination, often close to the hide, which is highly exposed to fecal matter. But because the treatment of the trimmings - simmering them in low heat, separating fat and tissue using a centrifuge and spraying them with ammonia gas to kill germs - the United States Department of Agriculture says it's safe to eat.

ABC News traveled across the country to the meat section of grocery stores to see if it's in the ground beef they sell. At most stores it was impossible to tell for sure whether the beef contained the filler. At one store there was no way to tell from the labels, and the butchers did not know the answer.

There is only one way to know for certain that "pink slime" is not in your beef: If your meat is stamped USDA Organic, it's pure meat with no filler.

Otherwise, you can't know from the packaging because "pink slime" does not have to appear on the label. And the USDA is giving no indication it will force meat packers to lift the veil of secrecy any time soon.

Do what you want folks. As for me and mine, we will stay Dog Food Free. Well, unless we get a Dog.
Peter

More Evidence The ELMM Diet Works

Have you tried the newest Diet out there?

Hey folks,

You all know that I talk about Health and Science all the time. You know I bring you the latest Studies and question the relative facts. We talk Food here all the time as well. One of the things that most of us have in common, no mater Sex, Race, or Religion, we do not want to get, stay, Fat. We all think from time to time that we could lose a couple of Pounds. Some of us need to lose a bit more, just for general Health reasons.

There are many people out there that KNOW this. They have decided to make a living, in some cases, and very GOOD living, exploiting this fact. Oh, some may do it because they truly care. But most do it for the Profit. Promise someone they will fit into Jeans they wore before the two kids and 20 years have passed, and they jump at it. Tell someone they will DIE if they do not loose X amount of weight, they will buy your Product.

Have you tried the newest Diet out there? Did it fail? Try THIS one. Did it work? What about THIS one? Loose some weight? Did it come back? Take this Pill. Eat these Prepackaged Meals. Drink these Shakes. Eat these Cookies. Yes, there is a Cookie Diet out there.

As you know, I eat what I want. Everything in moderation. You also know, I only pitch ONE Diet. Guaranteed to work EVERY TIME it is tried, by EVERY ONE. I have taken some heat on this, every time I mention it. Can you guess why? Barring any extreme Medical Condition, this WILL work for you. And the best part? It's FREE!! As a matter of fact, it will SAVE you money in the long run. What's it called? The ELMM Diet. Eat Less, Move More.

It is really simple to understand. If you burn more than you take in, you loose weight. If you are burning what you take in, you stay the weight you are. If you take in more than you burn, you GAIN Weight.

In today's Health and Science Segment, we learn that there is even MORE evidence that this is one hundred percent true. According to the AFP - Sedentary life amplifies obesity genes: US study AFP – 11 hrs ago

A sedentary lifestyle can amplify a genetic disposition to obesity, but just walking briskly, and briefly, each day can cut that effect in half, a new study showed Wednesday.

"This is the first study that directly looked at the effect of the sedentary behavior of television watching on the body mass index (BMI) of individuals with a genetic predisposition to obesity," said study author Qibin Qi authors at a conference by the American Heart Association this week in San Diego, California.

Why do you think we have so many Fat Kids. Instead of going out and playing, they are sitting in front of Computers, Video Games, and TVs. Not to mention they are eating Garbage.

To combat the results, Qi said a one-hour daily walk "reduced the genetic influence towards obesity, measured by differences in BMI by half."

The study involved 7,740 women and 4,564 men, with researchers collecting data on their physical activity and TV watching two years prior to assessing their BMI.

The average American watches television for about four to six hours each day, noted Qi.

I'm not sure about that? I would suggest that the Computer is most likely were most sit for 6 hours a day. But you get the point.

The BMI indicator is the ratio of weight in kilograms (pounds) to square of height in meters (inches) -- on this scale, a score of 30 or more is considered obese.

The genetic effect on BMI was seen as "more pronounced in people who spent 40 hours a week watching television than those who spent an hour or less, 0.34 versus 0.08 kg/m2," according to the study.» The recommended walking exercise was associated with 0.06 kg/m2 reduction in the genetic effect on BMI, said researchers, who presented their report at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2012 Scientific Sessions conference in San Diego.

Remember the Swimmer, what's his name? Yeah, Michael Phelps. Remember HIS Diet? He ate EVERYTHING. His Breakfast would make me sick. But yet? Not an once of fat on him. Why? He burned it all off. Once again folks, the formula is indisputable. If you burn more than you take in, you loose weight. If you are burning what you take in, you stay the weight you are. If you take in more than you burn, you GAIN Weight. If you want to loose weight, Eat Less, Move More. It really IS just that simple.
Peter

Sources:
AFP - Sedentary life amplifies obesity genes: US study

School Lunches Meet Fed Guidelines with Pink Slime?

Seriously? You have to ask..

Hey folks,

You all know the story. I posted it here. OPNTalk - Chick Nuggets Healthier Than Turkey or Salami on Wheat. This is where the kid went to School and had her lunch thrown out because it doesn't meet Federal Guidelines. Then as a substitute, she is given Chicken Nuggets.

So the Agent order her to get Chicken Nuggets. Breaded and processed garbage. At a COST to the Parent by the way.

This is just a misunderstanding folks. No big deal. Do not worry about it. The media got it all wrong. Really?

Then we learned that this was NOT a one time event. There was another incident.

So we were lead to believe that the School System, having to meet or exceed Federal Guidelines, must be serving nothing but the most Healthy Food they can produce. Right? Well, according to, {Laughing} I know I know. But according to the, I'm having a bit of a hard time saying this straight. Hey, A broken clock is right twice a day. According to the
Huffington Post - Pink Slime For School Lunch: Government Buying 7 Million Pounds Of Ammonia-Treated Meat For Meals

Pink slime -- that ammonia-treated meat in a bright Pepto-bismol shade -- may have been rejected by fast food joints like McDonald's, Taco Bell and Burger King, but is being brought in by the tons for the nation's school lunch program.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is purchasing 7 million pounds of the "slime" for school lunches, The Daily reports. Officially termed "Lean Beef Trimmings," the product is a ground-up combination of beef scraps, cow connective tissues and other beef trimmings that are treated with ammonium hydroxide to kill pathogens like salmonella and E. coli. It's then blended into traditional meat products like ground beef and hamburger patties.

"We originally called it soylent pink," microbiologist Carl Custer, who worked at the Food Safety Inspection Service for 35 years, told The Daily. "We looked at the product and we objected to it because it used connective tissues instead of muscle. It was simply not nutritionally equivalent [to ground beef]. My main objection was that it was not meat."

SO? They are not even serving REAL Meat. That Chicken Nugget that they seem to be hell bent on feeding Kids? Well, that ain't Chicken.

Custer and microbiologist Gerald Zernstein concluded in a study that the trimmings are a "high risk product," but Zernstein tells The Daily that "scientists in D.C. were pressured to approve this stuff with minimal safety approval" under President George H.W. Bush's administration. The USDA asserts that its ground beef purchases "meet the highest standard for food safety."

Great. Our kids are being FORCED to eat a "high risk product."

Controversy surrounding "pink slime" stems from various safety concerns, particularly dangers associated with ammonium hydroxide, which can both be harmful to eat and has potential to turn into ammonium nitrate -- a common component in homemade bombs, according to MSNBC. It's also used in household cleaners and fertilizers.

In 2009, The New York Times reported that despite the added ammonia, tests of Lean Beef Trimmings of schools across the country revealed dozens of instances of E. coli and salmonella pathogens.

Between 2005 and 2009, E. coli was found three times and salmonella 48 times, according to the Times, including two contaminated batches of 27,000 pounds of meat.

A public outcry against the "slime" is led perhaps most prominently by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who had also successfully waged war against flavored milk in Los Angeles schools and continues a crusade for healthier school lunches.

News of the USDA's plan to bring 7 million pounds of "pink slime" to school cafeterias nationwide comes just weeks after the government announced new guidelines to ensure students are given healthier options for school meals.

Yeah right when they started throwing away kiddies HOMEMADE Lunches and giving them this Crap.

The new standards call for more whole grains and produce as well as less sodium and fat in school meals. While the measures mark a step forward from previous years, they still compromise amid push-back from Congress to keep pizza and french fries on the menu -- counting both the tomato paste on pizza and the potatoes that make fries as vegetables.

{Laughing} Salt bad. Fat bad. Pink Slime GOOD?

Still, some schools -- like several in California -- have taken the matter into their own hands, and have found ways to profit from those efforts. Umpteen school districts have taken part in a decade-long initiative, supported by a philanthropic organization, that provides schools with equipments and chefs who teach cafeteria workers to cook from scratch and produce fresh meals.

A recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that more than a third of high school students were eating vegetables less than once a day -- "considerably below" recommended levels of intake for a healthy lifestyle that supports weight management and could reduce risks for chronic diseases and some cancers.

Who is paying for all this? Great idea, but can we really afford it? Anyway, there you go. Homemade Lunch BAD. Pink Slime, good. According to the Federal Government I guess. Right?
Peter

Sources:
Huffington Post - Pink Slime For School Lunch: Government Buying 7 Million Pounds Of Ammonia-Treated Meat For Meals

Fish May Help Protect The Mind

Can't hurt to add some to your Diet.

Hey folks,

Our friends over at the Alzheimer's Association sent this to me. It's from Health Day. Seems eating more Fish, may help protect your Mind. Your mental functioning, memory, thought process, etc. This is good news for those that are getting up there in age. It may help stave off Mental Decline.

According to HealthDay - Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Protect the Aging Brain Those who consumed the most did better on tests of mental functioning, study says By Carina Storrs HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Feb. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Middle-aged and elderly adults who regularly eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids may slow the mental decline that leads to dementia, according to a new study.

Researchers found that people with the highest blood levels of these essential fatty acids found in fish such as salmon and tuna were more likely to perform well on tests of mental functioning and to experience less age-related brain shrinkage.

You know. My friend Rich Stevens has an ECELLENT Recipe for Salmon. You cook it in the Dish Washer. True. I think you can still find it over at his Blog. Yup. You can find it HERE.

"We feel fatty-acid consumption exerts a beneficial effect on brain aging by promoting vascular health," said the study's lead author, Dr. Zaldy Tan, associate professor at the Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research and the division of geriatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles. This might include reducing blood pressure and inflammation, he added.

Previous research linked dementia risk with the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in blood plasma, which reflects how much people had eaten in the past few days. But in the current work, researchers could estimate the amount of omega-3s that participants had consumed in the past several months by looking at how much had built up in their red blood cells.

"This represents their average intake of fatty acids, not just a snapshot," Tan said.

The study, published in the Feb. 28 issue of the journal Neurology, did not prove that omega-3 fatty acids prevent mental decline, merely that there may be an association between consumption of fatty acids and brain health.

For the study, researchers measured the red blood cell level of fatty acids in 1,575 dementia-free people whose average age was 67. About three months later, participants underwent mental-functioning tests and MRI scans that examined brain size and blood supply in the brain.

The participants were in the Framingham Offspring Study, which is predominately white. Whether the association would apply to other ethnic and racial groups needs to be explored, the authors said.

The researchers found that those with the lowest levels of omega-3s had worse scores on tests of visual memory, attention and abstract thinking than people who ranked in the top 75 percent for fatty-acid levels.

Adults in the bottom 25 percent also tended to have smaller brain volume overall. The decrease in brain volume was enough to make their brains appear two years older than those of people in the top three-quarters for fatty-acid levels.

Brain scans also showed signs of less blood supply in the brains of people with the lowest omega-3 levels. This suggests they may play a role in promoting general vascular, or blood vessel, health in the brain, similar to how they are thought to help heart health, rather than acting on just one brain area, Tan said.

The researchers took into account various health and lifestyle factors, including age, education and body mass index, to explore whether other differences among the people with low levels of omega-3s could help explain their more rapid brain aging.

But after controlling for those risk factors, "the difference [in brain aging] is still there so we conclude that omega-3 fatty acids likely explain them," Tan said.

Tan added, however, that it remains possible that factors they did not control for, such as fruit and vegetable consumption, are really responsible for the brain benefits. Another possibility is that the slight mental decline that the people in the older brain group were experiencing caused them to eat less healthy omega-3-rich foods, instead of vice versa.

"This is a strengthening of the argument that people with less [omega-3 fatty acids] have higher risk of dementia," said Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, associate professor of clinical neurology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.

But questions remain over whether fatty-acid levels really influence changes in brain size, Scarmeas added. A clinical trial comparing high and low intake of omega-3s in relation to brain imaging would help answer those questions, he said.

In the meantime, fish is "a good prescription for other things and we have a hint it might be helpful for the brain," Scarmeas said.

That the current study reported a difference in brain health between people with omega-3 fatty-acid levels in the bottom 25 percent and top 75 percent suggests that there is a threshold level of consumption to attain brain gains.

A previous study in which participants filled out food surveys found decreased risk of vascular brain problems among those who ate at least three servings of fish a week.

More information
Find out more about brain health at the Alzheimer's Association.

SOURCES: Zaldy Tan, M.D., associate professor, Easton Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research and the Division of Geriatrics, University of California, Los Angeles; Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, associate professor, neurology, Columbia University, New York City; Feb. 28, 2012, Neurology

Last Updated: Feb. 27, 2012
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

So with most of these things, some say yeah, some neh. However, it makes Logical Sense. Can't hurt to add some to your Diet. I know I should. Not a big cooked Fish person. Love Sushi, Lobster, Shrimp. ETC. But regular cooked Fish? I guess I have to work on that. Not just for this, but for the other Health benefits Fish can provide.

Be right back..
Peter

Sources:
HealthDay - Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Protect the Aging Brain

Chick Nuggets Healthier Than Turkey or Salami on Wheat

So says the Food Police.

Hey folks,

What is in a Chicken Nugget? Do you know? You may not want to look it up. Here is a tip for ya. It ain't healthy. Remember that story we just did about the Chicken Nugget Diet? Trust me folks, if you like Chicken Nuggets, or you are eating Breakfast, wait until you are really ready to know before you check it out. What's in Chicken Nuggets?

Now lets talk Turkey. White meat, carved, or in this case most likely sliced, on Wheat Bread, with Cheese. A Banana. Juice. Which do you think may be healthier? Nope. Not according to Federal Guidelines. I guess.

You've heard the story by now.

“The girl’s turkey and cheese sandwich, banana, potato chips, and apple juice did not meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, according to the interpretation of the agent who was inspecting all lunch boxes in her More at Four classroom that day.”

So the Agent order her to get Chicken Nuggets. Breaded and processed garbage. At a COST to the Parent by the way.

This is just a misunderstanding folks. No big deal. Do not worry about it. The media got it all wrong. Really? According to The Blaze - Exclusive: 2nd N.C. Mother Says Daughter’s School Lunch Replaced for Not Being Healthy Enough Posted on February 17, 2012 at 12:31pm by Madeleine Morgenstern

North Carolina officials have said there was a misunderstanding when a preschooler’s homemade lunch was sent home for not meeting certain nutritional requirements, but now a second mother from the same school has come forward exclusively to The Blaze to say the same thing happened to her daughter.

Diane Zambrano says her 4-year-old daughter, Jazlyn, is in the same West Hoke Elementary School class as the little girl whose lunch gained national attention earlier this week. When Zambrano picked Jazlyn up from school late last month, she was told by Jazlyn’s teacher that the lunch she had packed that day did not meet the necessary guidelines and that Jazlyn had been sent to the cafeteria.

The lunch Zambrano packed for her daughter? A cheese and salami sandwich on a wheat bun with apple juice. The lunch she got in the cafeteria? Chicken nuggets, a sweet potato, bread and milk.

{Sigh} You know, if this ever happens with Josh or Eli, the OPNTalk Blog may have to take a bit of a hiatus. I will be looking for someone to bail me out of Jail most likely. Can you imagine this. You want your Kiddies to eat healthier. You take the time and the money to buy stuff to make for your Kid's Lunch. They come home with a Bill for $1.50 for Chicken Nuggets because the School did not like what you sent? They would have to pry me off the Ceiling.

“She never eats breakfast or lunch at the school,” Zambrano said of her daughter during an interview with The Blaze. “We always wake up early and make her lunch.”

It happens “every so often”

That day, Zambrano said she picked Jazlyn up from school and asked if she ate her lunch.

“She’s not picky about food but you have to be on top of her,” she explained.

When Jazlyn said she didn’t eat what her mother had made her, Zambrano went to her teacher and demanded to know what happened. She said the teacher told her an official had come through that day to inspect students’ lunches and that those who were lacking certain food groups were sent to the cafeteria. After she received her cafeteria food, the teacher told Zambrano, Jazlyn was told to put her homemade lunch back in her lunchbox and set it on the floor.

Zambrano said the teacher told her it was not the first time student lunches have been inspected, and that officials come “every so often.”

Part of a regular program?

The policing of children’s food at West Hoke has been portrayed as an isolated incident, but a curious memo Jazlyn brought home to her mother seems to point to something more.

The memo Jazlyn brought from the school outlines the necessary nutritional requirements students’ homemade lunches must contain: two servings of fruit or vegetables, one serving of dairy, one serving of grain and one serving of meat or meat substitute. Included with the memo was a separate sheet, this one a bill for the cafeteria food Jazlyn was served.

The memo, dated Jan. 27 with the subject line “RE: Healthy Lunches,” was signed by school principal Jackie Samuels and said, while “we welcome students to bring lunches from home … it must be a nutritious, balanced meal with the above requirements. Students, who do not bring a healthy lunch, will be offered the missing portions which may result in a fee from the cafeteria.”

Zambrano, who’s volunteered at the school in the past, said she was never told about any such nutritional requirements before her daughter’s lunch was replaced.

“That‘s not really the school’s responsibility,” she said, adding she’s extremely health-conscious and doesn’t feed her daughter junk food or let her drink soda — or even eat the tater tots or other fried foods often served in the cafeteria.

“They give the choice of pizza and hot donuts…none of that is healthy,” Zambrano said.

According to the program requirements for North Carolina’s pre-kindergarten program, schools “must provide breakfast and/or snacks and lunch meeting USDA requirements during the regular school day.”

The partial or full cost of meals, the requirements state, “may be charged when families do not qualify for free/reduced price meals. 
When children bring their own food for meals and snacks to the center, if the food does not meet the specified nutritional requirements, the center must provide additional food necessary to meet those requirements.”

The school’s reaction

Reached Friday morning, a representative from the Hoke County School Superintendent‘s office denied knowing anything about what happened with Jazlyn’s lunch and said they had no record of a complaint. Reached again, a different representative said they had “no information at this time” about the situation. A West Hoke Elementary official similarly denied any knowledge and referred all questions to the school district.

Principal Samuels previously told the Carolina Journal he “didn’t know anything about” parents being charged for cafeteria meals after the first preschooler’s mother — who has not been identified — came forward.

Bob Barnes, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, told the McClatchy News Service Thursday that the first preschooler to make headlines just misunderstood her teacher when she thought she was told to ditch her homemade lunch for one from the cafeteria: the cafeteria items were only meant to supplement the food groups missing from the homemade lunch.

“We are not the lunch bag police,” Barnes told McClatchy. “We would never put a child in any type of embarrassing situation. But we are responsible to see that every child gets a nutritious meal.”

No you are NOT responsible to override the Parents choice of meal. Yes. I get if you are making the Lunches, you must follow guidelines. Still, calling Chicken Nuggets Nutritious is a bit of a stretch, but I get that. However, if a Parent CHOOSES to send in a Lunch, you are NOT to interfere with that Parent Child Relationship. You have NO Authority to do so.

Barnes confirmed there was an agent from Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Child Development and Early Education at the school Jan. 30 who examined six student lunches and determined one did not make the nutritional cut — presumably the first little girl whose story made news.

Zambrano said she‘s not positive which day Jazlyn’s lunch was inspected, whether it was Jan. 27 — the date the memo was issued — or Jan. 30. Either way, one of two conclusions seem plausible: more than one student’s lunch was changed, or an official inspected student lunches on more than one occasion — which Zambrano said Jazlyn’s teacher told her had been the case.

In a statement to The Blaze, the Division of Child Development and Early Education said it is investigating what happened but flatly denied any of its employees or contractors “instructed any child to replace or remove any meal items.” The division issued a similar statement to McClatchy even after Barnes said it was one of their agents who examined the lunches.

“It is not DHHS’ policy to inspect, go through or question any child about food items brought from home. The facts we have gathered confirm that no DHHS employee or contractor did this,” the statement said.

Edited by Jonathon M. Seidl.

So I guess in Today's Health and Science Segment we learn that Chicken Nuggets are HEALTHIER than White meat Turkey on Wheat. I guess we learn that, just like with everything else, the Government thinks it knows better than US. As for "The facts we have gathered confirm that no DHHS employee or contractor did this,” there appears to be several Kids and Parents that would disagree.

This is a no brainer folks. Chicken Nuggets are NOT the most Healthy choice for Lunch, Dinner, whatever. Parents the which to keep their kids away from Breaded Processed Garbage have a RIGHT to do so. What say you? Do the search. Check out Chicken Nuggets. You decide.
Peter

Sources:
The Blaze - Exclusive: 2nd N.C. Mother Says Daughter’s School Lunch Replaced for Not Being Healthy Enough

Chocolate Cake For Breakfast?

You heard of eating Dessert first. Right?

Hey folks,

I love food. You all know that. I eat whatever I want. Everything in Moderation of course. Not to mention that I am also a firm believer and partaker in the ELMM Diet. {Eat Less, Move More} So knowing all that, if you are like me, you LOVE Dessert.

When talking about Dessert, there are many Schools of thought. One of my favorites? You heard of eating Dessert first. Right? That way you always have room. Well, there is a new Study out there that says you should REALLY eat it first. For Breakfast. Yup. For Breakfast. AND according to the Study, it will help you lose weight. I repeat, Chocolate Cake for BREAKFAST, to help you lose weight. Not kidding folks.

According to the UK Telegraph - Chocolate cake breakfast could help you lose weight Friday 10 February 2012 Eating chocolate cake as part of a full breakfast can help you lose weight, say scientists.

It sounds too good to be true but new research says having dessert - along with the traditional fry up - burns off the pounds.

Morning is the best time to consume sweets because that's when the body's metabolism is most active - and we have the rest of the day to work off the calories, a new study shows.

Eating cookies or chocolate as part of breakfast that includes proteins and carbs also helps stem the craving for sweets later.

Hey maybe Bill Cosby was right?

Researchers split 193 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults into two groups who consumed either a low-carb diet that included a 300-calorie breakfast or a balanced 600-calorie breakfast that included a chocolate cake dessert.

Halfway through the 32-week study both groups had lost an average of 33 lbs per person. But in the second half of the study the low-carb group regained an average of 22 lbs per person - while the dessert gorgers lost another 15 lbs each.

At the end those who had consumed a 600 calorie breakfast had lost an average of 40 lbs more per person than their peers.

40 pounds? That's not insignificant. Who knew?

Although both groups consumed the same daily total calories - the men 1600 calories per day and the women 1400 - "the participants in the low-carbohydrate diet group had less satisfaction and felt that they were not full," said Professor Daniela Jakubowicz.

Their cravings for sugars and carbohydrates were more intense and eventually caused them to cheat on the diet plan.

This also suggests that the dessert group will be more successful at keeping the weight off, said the researchers whose findings are published in journal Steroids.

Prof Jakubowicz said: "But the group that consumed a bigger breakfast, including dessert, experienced few if any cravings for these foods later in the day."

Prof Jakubowicz, of Tel Aviv University, said attempting to avoid sweets entirely can create a psychological addiction to these same foods in the long-term.

A meal in the morning provides energy for the day's tasks, aids in brain functioning and kick-starts the body's metabolism, making it crucial for weight loss and maintenance.

And breakfast is the meal that most successfully regulates ghrelin, the hormone that increases hunger, said Prof Jakubowicz.

While the level of ghrelin rises before every meal, it is suppressed most effectively at breakfast time.

Basing their study on this fact, the researchers hoped to determine whether meal time and composition impacted weight loss in the short and long term, said Prof Jakubowicz, or if it was a simple matter of calorie count.

She said one of the biggest challenges that people face is keeping weight off in the long-term. Ingesting a higher proportion of our daily calories at breakfast makes sense.

It's not only good for body function but it also alleviates cravings. Highly restrictive diets that forbid desserts and carbohydrates are initially effective but often cause dieters to stray from their food plans as a result of withdrawal-like symptoms. They wind up regaining much of the weight they lost during the diet proper.

Ultimately this shows a diet must be realistic to be adopted as part of a new lifestyle. Curbing cravings is better than deprivation for weight loss success, said Prof Jakubowicz.

You know, I will admit something. All through this Article I was waiting to see the "BUT" or "HOWEVER" with another expert calling this Study Flawed or that eating Sweets are bad for you in general. ETC. Yet. Nothing. Just eating Cake and Sweets in the Morning may actually be GOOD for you. Now this is a Study I can believe in. (Smile)
Peter

Sources:
UK Telegraph - Chocolate cake breakfast could help you lose weight

Chicken Nugget Diet

This one hits close to Home.

Hey folks,

This one goes out to all the Parents out there. Are your kids Picky Eaters? My 6 year old Son Joshua is. He likes three things. Pizza, Fish, Chicken Nuggets. Trying to get him to eat anything else is quite the chore.

Well in today's Health and Science Segment, I want to tell you a story of a Girl named Stacey Irvine. Stacey, like many other kids, is a VERY Picky Eater. What is her Diet? Chicken Nuggets. That's it. Well, perhaps some Fries. She even says flat out she "can't eat anything else." So? What do you get from a Diet of nothing but Chicken Nuggets? If you are like, now 17 year old Stacey, you get Hospitalized.

According to Take Part - Child Abuse? 17-Year-Old Drops After Eating Only Chicken Nuggets Since Age 2 Sarah Fuss posted on Feb 3, 2012

Stacey Irvine looks surprisingly well for a 17-year-old who's eaten only chicken nuggets since she was 2. But when she recently went to the hospital after passing out from struggling to breathe, doctors told her that she absolutely had to eat more healthily.

"She's been told in no uncertain terms that she will die if she carries on like this, but Stacey says she can't eat anything else," her mom, Evonne, told U.K.'s Daily Mail. "It breaks my heart to see her eating those damned nuggets. I am at my wit's end. I'm praying she can be helped before it's too late."

Stacey claims never to have tasted fruits or vegetables, but admits to sometimes eating fries and toast. "McDonald's chicken nuggets are my favorite," said Stacey. "I share 20 with my boyfriend, with [fries]." She also enjoys nuggets from KFC and the supermarket.

Evonne says her two younger children eat normally, and that she's tried depriving Stacey of food to force her to expand her repertoire.

My other Son Eli, will eat ANYTHING. Sweet, Sour, Spicy, anything we are eating, he wants to try it. We have found ONE thing he does not like. Green Beans.

In the hospital, Stacey was injected with much-needed vitamins and doctors found that she suffered from anaemia and inflamed veins on her tongue due to her obsessive diet.

It's hard to imagine that in the 15 years since Stacey tasted her first nugget at McDonald's, her mom has been unable to influence her to eat the minimal level of nutrients necessary to sustain a human being. Do you think this level of leniency qualifies as abuse? How have you gotten your kids to expand beyond their comfort foods?

Now the Author of this Piece, Sarah Fuss, seems to think that this IS Child Abuse and the Mother should be, what? Held accountable? So I did what I do not do all that often. I checked out the Comments. This one is great.. According to someone named Randy Scott posted on Feb 3, 2012

If her mother has tried everything she can to get her to eat other foods how can it be abuse? Also, if her mother has to force feed her, at what point would people start calling THAT abuse? You can't have everything, and you can't save everybody.

I tend to agree with him on this. But it also brought to mind THIS. Remember this?

"Never force feed, bribe, or plead with your child to eat. Guilt doesn't work either. Saying, "There are thousands of starving children in the world, and you should be grateful to have something to eat," is just not going to register with a young child. Force feeding is really a form of abuse. Stop and think of someone doing that to you. Bribing only teaches a child how to be manipulative. For example, "If you eat all your supper, I'll take you to the movie." If you're not careful, your child could be demanding a new car before too long! Pleading is just downright humiliating for the parent, and for the child, quite amusing as she sees how much control she has over her parents. All of these behaviours teach a child that there are always conditions attached to food, and eating becomes a very negative experience for her."

Yup. In the world of Psychobabble, "Force feeding is really a form of abuse." That's right Mom. Telling your kid to eat healthier food could be considered Child Abuse. So what is a Mom to do? If your kid is Obese, or someone deems him / her that, they can now come and take them right out of the house. If you allow your kid to only eat Chicken Nuggets, and they collapse, you are accused of Child Abuse. We won't even get into the Spanking thing. If you ask them what they want, what do you think they will say? They'll tell you what they want. SO?

At least my Son likes Pizza and Fish. We've recently started to add more Fish to his diet. I don't know, Stacey Irvine looks pretty healthy to me. But then again, I wasn't there. Is it possible that there was / is something else going on with her? Child Abuse, I think not. Good for her? I think not. But in a year she will be an Adult, and she will eat whatever she wants. Just like me.
Peter

Sources:
Take Part - Child Abuse? 17-Year-Old Drops After Eating Only Chicken Nuggets Since Age 2

Fried Food Not A Direct Cause Of Heart Risk

Well, who knew?

Hey folks,

Most of you know I try to eat more healthy than I use to. You know I pay attention to Health News that is out there, and I bring it to you. We have talked about how this study shows you that this or that is bad for you today, tomorrow? Well, then it's not only OK, but it may even be good for you. Then again, with some of these studies, one has to wonder WHY they even did them in the first place. They go on and on for Pages and at the end they say things like, "We are not sure." Or, "Study does not prove or disprove original belief."

So I have told you many times, everything in moderation. If you are gaining wait, the best Diet in the World, works every time it is tried, on every one. The ELMM Diet. Eat Less Move More.

Then you get stuff like this. {Smile} There is no direct correlation between the amount of fried food people eat and their risk of Heart Disease? According to The Slide Show - Fried food not a direct cause of heart risk, new research finds By Eric Pfeiffer The Sideshow

A new study has found that there is no direct correlation between the amount of fried food people eat and their risk of heart disease. Instead, the research found that long-term heart risk depended more on what kind of oil was used in the cooking process — olive oil and sunflower oil are considered the healthiest.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, studied the eating and cooking habits of 40,000 people in Spain for nearly 15 years. The Mediterranean diet favored by most individuals in the study leans heavily on fried foods, particularly fried fish, but also the healthier olive and sunflower oils for the frying.

So as long as I Fry the Oreo in Sunflower Oil, it's all OK? Just kidding folks...

The Telegraph reports that study participants were then broken into four different groups, based on how often they ate fried foods. Over the course of the study there were 606 medical cases linked to heart disease, but those results were fairly evenly split between the four subsets. More from the study:

"In a Mediterranean country where olive and sunflower oils are the most commonly used fats for frying, and where large amounts of fried foods are consumed both at and away from home, no association was observed between fried food consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease or death."

Professor Michael Leitzmann from Germany's University of Regensburg said in the study that two similar research projects found comparable results showing no direct correlation between fried foods and heart disease.

"Taken together, the myth that frying food is generally bad for the heart is not supported by available evidence," Leitzmann wrote."However, this does not mean that frequent meals of fish and chips will have no health consequences," noting that the fried foods have higher calorie counts and are linked to obesity and high blood pressure.

Well, of course. If you eat an insane amount of anything, it will have a negative effect on you. If you eat Fast Food, say once in a while, a month, or even once a week, it's OK. Eat it Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, yeah, you may have an issue.

Now, before you throw caution to the wind and sign a Jumbaco petition, bear in mind that not only do those fatty foods contain more sodium and calories, most Americans use less healthy oils to fry their foods. And even more damaging, re-used cooking oils reportedly contain higher levels of saturated fats, which are linked to poor heart health.

Well, is this NOT why they are posting the Study. Use healthier Oil?

As Victoria Taylor, senior heart health dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, told the Telegraph, "We currently recommend swapping saturated fats like butter, lard or palm oil for unsaturated fats as a way of keeping your cholesterol down and this study gives further cause to make that switch...Regardless of the cooking methods used, consuming foods with high fat content means a high calorie intake. This can lead to weight gain and obesity, which is a risk factor for heart disease.

{Laughing} so even though this Study says Fried Food does not cause Heart Disease, the Author must not like the findings, has to add this? "Regardless of the cooking methods used, consuming foods with high fat content means a high calorie intake. This can lead to weight gain and obesity, which is a risk factor for heart disease."{Laughing} Moderation folks, moderation. And healthier cooking Oil. It's all good..
Peter

Sources:
The Slide Show - Fried food not a direct cause of heart risk, new research finds

Can Coffee Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?

Well, here we go again.

Hey folks,

Lets see. Coffee =

Good at preventing some Cancers.
Reduce the odds of having a Stroke.
May reduce Blood Pressure.

But WAIT.....

Coffee may CAUSE Cancer.
May RISE Blood Pressure.
You MAY hear Voices in your head.

The Stroke thing?

Jury is still out on that one. For now. My point is, one day it is GOOD for you, the next it's BAD. Now we learn that Coffee may actually help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes? According to Health Day - Can Coffee Really Thwart Type 2 Diabetes?By By Serena Gordon

THURSDAY, Jan. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Your morning "cup of Joe" may do more than deliver the jolt you need to get going -- it may also help you stave off type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.

But, before you pour yourself a second cup know this: The study authors said their research was done with cell cultures and there's no proof yet that coffee has any ability to keep type 2 diabetes at bay.

{Laughing} So WHY DO THE STORY!?!?!? Why publish the Study? I love it when I read stupid stuff like this. The Headline: "Can Coffee Really Thwart Type 2 Diabetes?" Second Paragraph? No proof whatsoever if it will or won't?

Past research has suggested a link between coffee and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and now Chinese researchers behind the new study think they may know why that may be so. They found three major compounds in coffee that may provide potentially beneficial effects: caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeine.

But wait,,, It DOES?

"These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of coffee consumption on type 2 diabetes mellitus may be partly due to the ability of the major coffee components and metabolites to inhibit the toxic aggregation of hIAPP [human islet amyloid polypeptide]," Ling Zheng, professor of cellular biology at Wuhan University in China, and colleagues wrote.

Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) is a substance normally found in the pancreas, according to background information in the study. Sometimes, however, abnormal protein deposits (toxic aggregation) arise from hIAPP. These abnormal deposits (amyloid fibrils) are found in people with type 2 diabetes, the study authors said.

The researchers wondered if blocking formation of these deposits could help prevent or treat type 2 diabetes, the more common form of the blood sugar disorder. The next step would be to find a substance that might prevent these deposits.

In 2009, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that people who drank the most coffee seemed to have the lowest risk of developing type 2 diabetes. That study reported that with each cup of coffee consumed daily, the risk of type 2 diabetes dropped by 7 percent.

OK. Lets see, average of 12 Cups per Pot, Three to four Pots a Day. I consume somewhere around 36 to 48 cups a DAY? Well, ONE of my cups is like 2 to 3 normal ones, but still. So? Reduce 7% per cup? So my Percent of NOT getting Type 2 diabetes is like 252 percent?

So, the researchers behind the new study conducted laboratory experiments to see if compounds found in coffee could inhibit the production of the abnormal protein deposits associated with hIAPP.

Caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeine -- the three most common components in coffee, the study authors said -- helped reduce the abnormal protein deposits, but caffeic acid appeared most effective.

"Our results suggest that caffeic acid had the greatest effects in the major components of coffee. The rankings for beneficial effects of coffee compounds against the toxic hIAPP aggregation are caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid and caffeine," Zheng and study co-author Kun Huang, professor of biological pharmacy at the Huazhong University of Science & Technology in Wuhan, explained in an email interview.

Because decaffeinated coffee contains even higher levels of caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid than caffeinated coffee, the beneficial effect may be even stronger for decaffeinated coffee, they added.

You can keep the Decaf. I only drink the High Octane stuff.

The investigators pointed out that this work has only been done in cells, so it's not clear if this is how coffee might help prevent diabetes in the body.

A U.S. diabetes expert was guardedly optimistic about the study's conclusions.

"Scientifically, this is a very nice paper, but it has its limitations," said Dr. Vivian Fonseca, president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. "This was done in cells, not in animals or people. We also don't know if the [abnormal deposits arising from hIAPP] are the most important thing in the development of type 2 diabetes, or if it's something that develops later."

In addition, Fonseca said, the study that found a link between a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and coffee was an epidemiological study. That means the study couldn't prove cause and effect, only that there was an association between those two factors. It could be that people who drink coffee have other habits that lower their risk of diabetes.

The bottom line, said Fonseca, is it's way too soon to make any recommendations about drinking coffee to prevent diabetes. But, he added, "if you want to prevent diabetes, there are some very straightforward things to do. You can walk for 30 minutes most days of the week, and reduce calories a little bit and reduce your weight a little."

I have the Walking thing down. I will enjoy doing the Coffee thing. I will still go to the Gym. Oh wait,,this is not good news for me...

Zheng and Huang also pointed out that their study looked strictly at coffee. "Our study does not imply that the cream and sugar served with coffee will be beneficial for type 2 diabetes," they said.

All well, I guess I'll revert back to what I have always said. I'll Eat, or in this case, DRINK, what I want..{Smile} Be right back
Peter

Sources:
Health Day - Can Coffee Really Thwart Type 2 Diabetes?

A Good Night's Sleep?

If you are like me, it can be elusive.

Hey folks,

I don't sleep anymore. I really don't. Between 8 and 10 pm, if I am sitting in my lounge chair, attempting to watch a little TV with the Family, I pass out. I mean TOTALLY out. My Wife gets me barely awake enough to go to bed. Out again. But therein lies the problem. Two to Three Hours later, I'm WIDE AWAKE!!

This can go on for weeks. Day after day with an average of 3 Hours a day of ACTUALLY hard sleep, with the rest of the night being nothing more than a crapshoot. Hey, at least I do not Sleep Walk anymore, well, while actually ASLEEP.

So my Wife, getting concern because she remembered THIS....

Being clear about the effects of the sleep deprivation is very important. It will decrease the immunity of the body and weaken the resistance of various diseases. You can find that the people who suffered from sleep deprivation are easy to fall ill. Also, it can lead to memory loss and headaches, this is very serious because it may affect your work, think about the situation that if you always forget the task which your boss have told you, you may get fired. It can affect your life, your work and your study directly. What’s more, sleep deprivation will cause an autonomic disorder which is a visceral dysfunction syndrome, including the function of the circulatory system, digestive system disorder and sexual dysfunction, as a result of this disease, as you know heart disease or stomach illness. What I want to say is that the effects of the sleep deprivation are huge. Hong Kong University researchers recently found that sleep deprivation may lead to ulcers and even cancer. They carried out experiments on two groups of mice, one group of rats live in the drums for 7 days, researchers play the drums continually, so that these rats can only have an hour a day to sleep, the researchers discovered the cancer gene on the stomachwall of this group of rats.

If symptom of sleep deprivation last a long time, it will cause senile dementia, or premature aging even shorten life spans, when these happened, I have to say that your whole life has been destroyed totally. For the children, the sleep deprivation effects will affect their growing and development. In a word, sleep deprivation has great impact on all aspects of our life, so pay attention to this and prevent it early.

So she goes out and gets me "supplements.com/Melatonin-TR-5mg-100-Tablets-p-19117.html">Natrol Melatonin TR" with Vitamin B6. I will let you know if it works for me. However, by chance, I guess, I get this in the Emails. It's from Dr. Connealy. Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy attended the University of Texas School of Public Health and the University of Chicago Medical School. She then completed her post-graduate training at the Harbor/UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Connealy is the Medical Director of the Center for New Medicine in Orange County, California and the Author of the Newport Natural Health Letter. Here it is...

Dear Sleepless Reader,

Are you finding it increasingly difficult to enjoy a good night's sleep?

Do you go to bed feeling dead tired, yet unable to get to sleep? Or do you fall asleep quickly, only to wake up a few hours later? Do you feel like, no matter what you do or what trick you try, you can't get a good night's sleep?

If so, you're not alone.

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that 60 percent of men and women experience sleep problems almost every night. And research conducted at Harvard University concludes that 7 out of every 10 adults fail to get the quality sleep they need.

The lack of good, consistent sleep causes more health problems than you may realize.

When you don't get a good night's sleep -- meaning at least 8 hours of restorative sleep -- you do more harm to your body than just creating those bags under your eyes. Without those 8 hours, you are compromising the functions of every cell in your body, making it extremely difficult for you to maintain good health.

While you go through the various stages of sleep each night, your body is doing anything but resting!

It's repairing muscles and tissues damaged throughout the day, releasing hormones you need to regulate aging and appetite, storing your memories, providing energy to your brain, and boosting your energy supply.

These unconscious activities affect every aspect of your physical and mental health, and they have a tremendous impact upon your quality of life. Getting a good night's sleep every night is not a luxury, it's a necessity.

Here's why sleep problems worsen with age...

I know that you are not choosing to get a poor night's sleep. When this issue comes up with my patients, I often hear, "Dr. Connealy, it's not like I want to wake up in the middle of night! It's just that, no matter what I do, I cannot seem to sleep through the night."

Well, the problem is all about declining melatonin production, which happens to us all as we age. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the body that has a vital connection to sleep. As Mother Nature would have it, melatonin is released in response to the daily cycle of day and night. Production is highest between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. -- right around bedtime.

However, as you age, your production of melatonin decreases. It happens to all of us, and it clearly explains why you may never have had any sleep difficulties for your entire life, only to start experiencing trouble sleeping, seemingly for no reason. Low melatonin production can leave you struggling to get to sleep and waking up earlier and earlier every morning. If the problem isn't addressed, before you know it, you are living life everyday, feeling like you've been up all night.

YEAH!!! There now..

Before things get any more exhausting, you may need a little extra help. Fortunately, I have found a safe and natural solution that can help overcome your declining melatonin production.

But first, let me explain why not all melatonin is created equally. . .

The secret about most melatonin supplements...

You probably know that many doctors recommend the hormone melatonin as a supplement to their patients struggling with sleep issues. I, too, am one of those doctors.

However, after researching many of the melatonin products on the market, I found that the bulk of them have one significant drawback. Because your body burns through standard melatonin formulations within three to four hours after taking them, when you take many of these products you'll wind up wide awake at 2 or 3 in the morning when they wear off.

Fortunately, I'm excited to say, I've found a solution I want to share with you -- I call it "The 8-Hour Sleep Solution", and it is a totally unique supplement formulation that includes a slow-release type of melatonin that works throughout the night, not just for four hours.

I'm not attempting to take anything away from the good Doctor here, but the one my Wife got me is slow release also..

Now, I'm sure you're wondering...

"What's so special about this Slow-Release Melatonin?"

The melatonin in most products is released all at once, thus putting you to sleep rather quickly.

While this sounds wonderful, the problem is that before long, you will wake up and, if you're like many of the patients I've worked with over the years, you'll find it very difficult to get back to sleep.

What's unique about my product is that the melatonin isn't released all at once. Rather, it is slowly released over an entire night, allowing you to remain in a deep sleep for up to 8 hours. This gentle, steady flow of melatonin virtually ensures you get the full night's sleep that you need to function well and feel your best the next day.

Additionally, the 8-Hour Sleep Solution with slow-release melatonin is non-habit forming and has no side effects, as melatonin is a gentle, naturally occurring hormone in the body.

But melatonin alone isn't the answer. There is a surprising second ingredient you need for deeper, restorative sleep.

You might never have guessed but calcium, yes calcium, is also required to get the restful night's sleep your body needs.

Wait....Yup. It has Calcium also...

Studies show that calcium has a profound impact upon the quality of your sleep. In fact, a study published in the European Neurology Journal reported that your body's calcium level is higher during the deepest phases of sleep than during any other phase. This is important to know because it is during these deepest phases that you get the restorative sleep your body needs to stay well.

Researchers also concluded that disturbances in sleep are, in part, related to a calcium deficiency -- which makes the unique formulation of The 8-Hour Sleep Solution even more effective. Not only does it include the melatonin you need to get to sleep and stay asleep, but it also includes calcium to help ensure that you have a restful night of sleep.

It is a known fact that calcium helps your brain to use the amino acid tryptophan, which is famous for its ability to help induce sleep. Keeping your calcium level up with The 8-Hour Sleep Solution is important, not only to your bones, but also to your ability to get the sleep you need!

This is the sleep solution so natural, Mother Nature would -- and does! -- use it.

When I'm discussing health concerns with my patients, I work very hard to determine the best advice to give, so I oftentimes ask myself, "What would Mother Nature say?"

In other words, before I prescribe any drug and before I recommend any medical procedure, I first seek the safest, most natural and effective remedies available -- just as Mother Nature would.

That's why I'm so excited about The 8-Hour Sleep Solution. It is the key to safe, effective, and non-habit forming relief from your sleep issues -- and it's as close to nature as you can get.

Now you can fire those sheep!

No longer will you have to drink warm milk or count sheep to get the sleep you need. Those days, my friend, can finally be over for you, with help from The 8-Hour Sleep Solution. And, fortunately, our full refund policy makes it very easy for you to give it a try.

Please place your order immediately. You can begin taking it right away, and start experiencing consistent, restful sleep night after night. If you find that The 8-Hour Sleep Solution doesn't help you, just send it back. We'll promptly refund your money, with absolutely no questions asked.

I'm happy to offer this guarantee because I'm certain you'll find that this product will help you, just as it has helped me, members of my family, and so many of my patients.

So yeah, she is plugging a Product here. My Wife got mine from Walgreen's. I think they sell it at Walmart also. Not CHEAP. Like $10 bucks for a Hundred Pills. But if it works GREAT. However, if you do not want to throw the $10 Bucks away on a MAYBE, you could order directly from Dr. Connealy and Newport Natural Health also for $10 Bucks. Difference is, if you are not satisfied, she will refund your money..

I'm going to try it. If you are having problems sleeping, perhaps you may want to look into it as well. Be right back.
Peter

Sources:
Newport Natural Health - The Secret of getting 8 hours of Restorative Sleep a night by Doctor Leigh Erin Connealy MD