Food Friday: Campfire Cooking

Summer is in full swing and this is the weekend to be out by a campfire. That is because the weather is fine, the nights are mild and the Perseid meteor shower is coming. 

Cooking on a fire is truly gratifying from a five senses point of view. The crackling fire is beautiful, the smell is delicious and the taste is unmatched in the kitchen.

It is hard not to be relaxed by a fire. You just can’t rush it. If you try, you’ll literally get you or your food burned. 

Those unfamiliar with fire making need to start by checking their local agencies regarding fire regulations. These my vary by your season and location. You may need to go to a public park or a campground. Or you may need to use a barbecue. Whatever you do, keep it simple and friendly, since that is part of the charm. If possible, give each person some hands on responsibility for their food. 

How is food on the fire cooked ? Well for starters, the same rules of food safety apply over a fire. Keep cold food cold and hot food hot. Check the link below for more details on that. Meanwhile, consider all the ways you can cook over a fire: 

• Food goes on skewers and is set on a grill.
• Food goes directly on a grill. 
• Food is placed on skewers and held over the fire.
• Food is cooked in a pan on a grill. 
• Food is cooked in a Dutch Oven in coals. 
• Food is cooked in foil packets or in its own skin in coals. 

However you cook it, the same rules of safe cooking apply. You must ensure fire safety and food safety. Make sure you have a source of water and that you are not at risk of losing control of your fire. Make sure you have all the right tools so that you will not be tempted to use your hands and burn yourself. Regarding food safety, you must stack the deck in your favor to make sure all foods are thoroughly cooked and yet not burned. Some of you will recall that black char contains unhealthy chemicals. More on that in the link below.

http://drginanelson.com/drginablogs/2015/6/11/food-friday-healthy-barbecue-grilling-and-picnics?rq=barbecue

How can this be accomplished ? 

• Precook foods that take a long time. 
• Cut foods into easily cooked piece sizes. 
• Do not mix short and long cooking foods in one packet. 

Here is my modest album of campfire recipes on my Pinterest: 

https://www.pinterest.com/drginanelson/campfire-recipes/

Truthfully, I am not much of a recipe user anymore. Dutch oven recipes are like crock pot recipes but take less time. Foil packets for grilling are pleasing single serving mixes of fruits vegetables and meats cut small and generally marinated with a basic vinaigrette or butter. Grilled food is similar, but more lightly dressed so as not to burn, and placed on a skewer or on a grill directly. Oh and, if Pinterest is any indication, everything is wrapped in some sort of bacon.  Dessert and treats are less familiar to me, although I have made nice s’mores with good chocolate in my day. Even more intriguing are fruits dipped in marshmallow cream or doughs wound onto skewers and roasted directly over the fire, things I have yet to try. 

About the real dessert: the Perseids are an annual meteor shower, my favorite. It is generated as we pass through the tail of the comet Swift -Tuttle. The shower comes out of the northeast, and as the name suggests, out of the sky in the region of the constellation Perseus. If you are not familiar with the night sky, I recommend getting an app to help. I have had several such apps, but right now am using SkySafari, the cheap version. With it, you can point your screen of your device ( phone or tablet) at the sky and see the same segment of virtual sky, but WITH LABELS ! This year the Perseid forecast is for 200 meteors per hour, which is at least twice the typical average. This is because, this year earth orbit is nearer to the center of the comet tail than usual. 

So take advantage of this good fortune and check out the beauty of the summer sky. And get back to the primitive pleasure of sitting around the fire with friends and family to eat good food and relax. 

Food Friday: Delicious Dietary Fiber

We have all heard of the health benefits of fiber. You would be surprised by just how much fiber can do for you. But to get the benefits of fiber, you will have to learn a little about what it is and how it works. 

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate from plants. We are unable to digest it. But before you write it off as empty filler, consider how and works. Remember too, that our systems evolved to process our foods in the presence of lots of fiber. 

Fiber comes in two kinds, soluble and insoluble fiber. As the names suggest, soluble fiber mixes with or absorbs water, and insoluble fiber just passes through the system unaltered. 

What good could this possibly do? 

Soluble fiber

Soluble fiber softens the stool and helps it pass smoothly.  In this way it prevents constipation and all the complications from that. It binds cholesterol helps more it be eliminated. In this way, soluble fiber is heart healthy.

Soluble fiber buffers blood sugar spikes and may help control diabetes. And yes, it makes you feel full so you eat less. 

Good sources of soluble fiber are oatmeal, nuts, beans, apples and blueberries. 

Insoluble fiber 

Insoluble fiber is what your parent used to call roughage. It makes you feel full and helps discourage overeating. It bulks up the stool and protects against both diarrhea and constipation. 

Good sources of insoluble fiber are seeds, whole wheat, brown rice and even popcorn. 

According to the Institute of Medicine, Americans only get 15 grams of fiber per day in their diet. Men should get 38 grams and women should get 25 grams. Perhaps our lack of fiber has contributed to our many digestive complaints and the obesity epidemic.

These portions of fiber seem like a lot. However, if you eat the recommended numbers of servings of fruits vegetables and whole grains in a day, you most likely have it covered.

We have a long way to go, but thankfully high fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains are readily available and fun to eat. 

References: 

http://www.webmd.com/diet/insoluble-soluble-fiber

http://www.healthcastle.com/fiber-solubleinsoluble.shtml

http://www.uccs.edu/Documents/healthcircle/pnc/health-topics/Soluble_Insoluble_Fiber.pdf

http://www.everydayhealth.com/ibs/soluble-vs-insoluble-fiber-for-ibs.aspx

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983

Wellness Wednesday: Healthy Bowels

What affects our health, how we feel, and how we look, but is rarely discussed ? You guessed it: Bowel movements, or lack or them, or problems with them. Today we will give some attention to the humble colon, indeed the whole female pelvis, as we contemplate the well being of this part of the body. 

Those of us that operate on the female pelvic organs the uterus tubes and ovaries can tell you that they are in close proximity to the bladder and the colon.  In fact, they are sandwiched between the bladder in the front and the colon (large bowel) in the back. Constipation can affect the way the uterus and bladder feel and function, and visa versa. 

Definition

A common definition of constipation is bowel movements less than every three days. The American College of Gastroenterology defines constipation more completely, factoring in all sorts of problems with bowel movements, such as straining, small or hard stools, a sense of not being able to empty the bowels, or difficulty passing stool. Bloating, abdominal pain and excessive gas are also related issues.  

Risk factors

Risk factors for constipation include being a woman, being pregnant, being older, dehydration, low fiber diet, being sedentary. 

Causes

The basic cause of constipation is an unduly slow passage of stool through the bowel such that the stool becomes hard and relatively dry. This slow passage may be caused by a blockage in or near the colon such as a tumor, or a narrowing of the bowel from a stricture or a scarring of an anal fissure.

Since the colon moves stool forward using muscular contractions, poor muscle function can cause constipation. This can be from problems with the nerves that innervate the colon, such as in diseases like MS, stroke, and spinal cord injury. The colon muscles also function poorly if they do not contract and relax normally, or if the surrounding pelvic muscles are weak. Weak pelvic muscles can be caused by injury at childbirth, overweight, poor conditioning, poor posture, or all of the above. Hypothyroidism and diabetes can cause constipation. 

Constipation can also be caused by medications, most famously narcotic pain medications and sedatives. Certain high blood pressure, antidepressant antacid and allergy medications can do it as well. Diuretics like caffeine and alcohol can cause constipation. 

Poor bowel habits can start a vicious cycle of constipation. Ignoring the urge to go for reasons of convenience or modesty leads to more time for water to be extracted from stool, a harder stool, and a more difficult passage. The urge to go may even go away, compounding the problem. 

Poor dietary habits are probably one of the most common causes of constipation. A diet high in saturated fat and sugar can predispose to constipation. A diet low in fruits, vegetables and fiber will surely cause constipation. 

Complications

Untreated constipation may damage the area around the anus, either by producing sore dilated veins (hemorrhoids) or by causing small tears (anal fissures). The pressure and straining associated with constipation will worsen the condition of the pelvic muscles. It may do this to such an extent that the bladder may also start to have problems emptying, holding urine in, or both ! Constipation may even predispose a person to frequent urinary tract infections. 

Evaluation

Persons suffering from constipation should not suffer in silence. Constipation is one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor. The workup of constipation consists of a history, physical exam, and possibly some imaging procedures. 

Treatment

Treatment is determined after the workup is complete. Taking care of serious pathology is critical. But this is less common than lifestyle factors. Dietary and activity changes are front and center in the treatments for most people. Fiber, both soluble and insoluble, are key, along with ample hydration all through the day. Supplements of fiber are widely available if patients just cannot seem to get the right foods into their diet. Finally enemas and medications can be utilized. 

Enemas and suppositories can be used for serious cases. Other classes of medications can be useful, but one must be aware of how they work. 

1. Stool softeners like Colace do just that. 
2. Bulking agents like Citracel or Metamucil hold additional water. 
3. Osmotic agents like Milk of Magnesium chemically hold water in the colon. 
4. Stimulant laxatives like senna or bisacodyl stimulate the colon muscles to contract more. 

The first two are generally safe for everyone, but the last two should be used with the supervision of a doctor, since there can be medical consequences. Laxatives should be used with great caution, since they can even be addictive like narcotics, with more and more being required to get the desired effect. 

Those with pelvic floor dysfunction can be treated with pelvic floor physical therapy. More and more medical communities are incorporating this treatment modality into their centers. This is key since these issue disproportionately affect women. These women have often curtailed their work, social lives, or exercise because of problems with bowel and bladder, and this is a significant loss, especially when treatment is available. 

Stay tuned for this week’s Food Friday, when we will explore the dietary remedies for constipation in more detail. 

References:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/constipation/basics/definition/con-20032773

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/constipation_in_adults/article_em.htm

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/constipation/Pages/overview.aspx

http://patients.gi.org/topics/constipation-and-defection-problems/

Medical Monday: Breaking News from the World of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The news this week is dominated by virus science.

The first United States baby with Zika related microcephaly has been born in New York City. While this is not surprising, the fact that many women are ignoring Zika related travel warnings is. This summer, over 2000 pregnant women traveled to Zika affected areas and have com back requesting testing. In many cases, they are traveling to the Dominican Republic. AS f the present, cases from the Dominican Republic account for more than a fifth of all US cases. The CDC(Centers fro Disesase Control) and the American Academy of Pediatrics are grappling with how to develop protocols to care for infants who will be born with microcephaly. These infants have serious mental and physical disabilities since the higher portions of the brain are underdeveloped. 

Florida is one of the most vulnerable states in the Union to the Zika virus. Authorities estimates over a quarter of a million women are at risk in Florida. Various research indicates that a Medicaid expansion there would help reduce the risk of pregnancy women to Zika. There is also a push to require employers to take measures to limit their pregnant employees exposure to mosquitos. 

As of mid July the CDC is tracking around 1300 cases of pregnant women with Zika. Fourteen were sexually transmitted, and the rest acquired through travel. 

There is also a Utah case on record this week of a man who acquired Zika through close family contact. He was taking care of an elderly man who had acquired Zika due to travel. 

Hepatitis C is on the rise, both in women of reproductive age, and not surprisingly, in their children under 2. There is no vaccine yet for Hepatitis C, but very recently, a very good treatment has been released. 

In other viral news, work has been done showing that certain vaginal flora (Prevotella BIVIA) make it easier to transmit HIV. However, a silicone ring imbued with antiviral drug may help reduce the risk of transmission. Pregnant women with HIV have now been shown to do better if their therapy is continued postpartum. 

Finally, in some other good news pertaining to viruses, the American Cancer Society has endorse the vaccination of all preteens, boys and girls against HPV (Human papilloma virus.). 

Say tuned for more riveting news from the word of Ob/Gyn next week on Medical Monday. 

Food Fridays: Summer Eating Digest

Summer cooking and eating is a special case. Here is a handy review post for you to access all of your summer tips I have written so far in one convenient place. Some are for safety, and some are for taste. You’ll be glad you looked at this quick review. Click on the links to see more. 

The Picnic Post:

http://drginanelson.com/drginablogs/2015/6/26/food-friday-picnics?rq=food%20safety

This has the most explicit information on food safety in the site, plus some helpful links. 

The Healthy Barbecue Post:

This is right on time for your next outing. There’s a fair amount here about how not to burn the house down or end up in the emergency room. 

http://drginanelson.com/drginablogs/2015/6/11/food-friday-healthy-barbecue-grilling-and-picnics?rq=barbecue

The Summer Drinks Post:

 You not find beer or sugary soda in this eclectic list. 

http://drginanelson.com/drginablogs/2015/7/10/food-friday-drink-?rq=cold%20drinks

The Cold Food Post:

This is a recent post here in case you missed it: 

http://drginanelson.com/drginablogs/2016/7/1/food-friday-hot-weather-cold-food?rq=cold%20food

The Salsa Post:

This is one of my favorite older posts I really enjoyed making: 

http://drginanelson.com/drginablogs/2015/9/10/food-friday-the-healthy-junk-food?rq=salsa

The Cold Dessert Post:

http://drginanelson.com/drginablogs/2015/8/28/food-friday-cold-desserts?rq=cold%20desserts

Anybody hungry yet ?

( My apologies to those in the Southern hemisphere who are in the middle of their winter.) 

Food Friday: Cooked Vegetables

In my quest to help people enjoy good nutrition and attain a healthy weight, I have discovered several challenges. Some particular challenges are processed food high in processed carbohydrates, bad fats, sugar and salt, drinks like soda. People consume these, though almost everyone knows they’re bad for you. On the other hand, everyone knows veggies are good for you. And yet, they are seldom eaten by those who really need them.

People don’t use vegetables because they don’t know how to obtain and prepare them. I call this poor vegetable literacy. The exception is of course simple salads. Everyone in America knows salads are healthy, but most salads are so small and plain that they are hardly nutrient dense. I have posted before about hard salads and also about salsas. Our post today is about cooked vegetables. 

Cooked vegetables are easy to prepare. As with other foods, they can be steamed, sautéed, broiled, baked, and grilled. There are only a few vegetables that I do not serve cooked. They include lettuces, radishes, and cucumbers. Otherwise, vegetables can be divided into the following categories: 

• Cooking greens
• Root vegetables
• Squashes
• Nightshades 

Cooking Greens

These include collard greens, spinach, kale and chard. How you prepare then depends on whether they are hard or soft. If they are soft like spinach or chard, then you can simply sauté them. If they are hard, lightly steam them first, them saute in butter, or olive oil. Do not salt or pepper them until they are wilted or you will overdo it. Dress lightly with seasoned rice vinegar or a squeeze of lemon. You may also prepare them with other things like bits of prepared meats, red pepper, or tomatoes. Warning: they cook down dramatically. 

Root Vegetables

These include carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, and rutabaga. Some would include kohlrabi. They are best roasted or sautéed.  They can also be steamed to reduce saute time. Most of the work is in the cleaning. All but the smallest and most tender need be peeled. Once sliced, they can be roasted in a hot oven (425) with olive oil salt and pepper. You can roast them in foil with butter or oil or roast them on a shallow pan to get them almost crispy. They can be steamed and then sautéed in a pan with olive oil or butter and flavoring. They then benefit from a sauce. My favorite sauce for root vegetables is herbs, butter, orange and a little honey or agave. The orange is conferred with a tablespoon of frozen orange juice concentrate. I like them cooked until fork tender. 

Squash

Here are some healthy carbs. They are vitamin rich too. Since I am impatient and like shorter cooking times, I often peel and cut up my squash. They can be steamed or roasted, then dressed like root vegetables. They can also be made into soup when blended with broth, milk, sour cream or even parmesan cheese. Acorn squash make little bowls when cut in half and the seeds scooped out. For those, I fill them with slivered almonds, dried fruit soaked in wine, mushrooms, onions, and fresh fruit like apples. Then I bake them in moderate heat (350) until soft, which takes the better part of hour. Softer squash like zucchini can be grilled, sautéed quickly in a pain with other vegetables, or tossed into a spaghetti sauce or soup. 

Nightshades

These include tomatoes and eggplant. Eggplant is underutilized. When roasted it has significant umami, that meaty satisfying savory-ness. Tomatoes have to be one of my favorite foods. I like them fresh, roasted or dried. They are full of vitamin C and lycopene. They enhance the flavor of other vegetables almost universally. They are good alone.

Learn to love cooked vegetables. Eat them by the plateful. They will love you right back.  

Food Friday: Family Dinner

It’s summer and the kids are home. Why not take advantage of their company and get serious about some awesome family dinners ? Sounds like fun, right ? But it’s much more. According to a considerable body of research on the subject, family dinners are important to well being. (Reference: thefamilydinnerproject.org)

Family dinners are associates with the following findings: 

• Better academic performance 
• Higher self esteem
• Greater sense of resilience 
• Lower risk of substance abuse 
• Lower risk of teen pregnancy 
• Lower Risk of depression 
• Lower likelihood of developing an eating disorder 
• Lower rates of obesity 

Let’s think about why. 

The family dinner is a testing ground for the performance of a family group as a team. And yet, pulling it together to make a family dinner is not all that hard. It is within most every person's or every family's reach. Engineering the family dinner is an exercise destined for success. Most people are grateful when someone makes them something to eat, no matter how simple. It is a primal act of caring, usually free of strings, that one person does for others. Thus a dinner is easy to produce and easy to accept. 

Children and teens can and should help prepare the dinner, even if is just setting the table. They learn preparation and cooking skills, and they learn to pitch in. They also learn that if they don’t pitch in, they will stand out. 

The family dinner is a time when most families put aside conflict, since conflict at the dinner table just doesn’t work. The ritual and the food cause us to make a deliberate change in our behavior for the better. We cease to be isolated individuals and come together to make something more, a family or a even a social group. Thus, it is very hard for someone to be lonely at the table. At the table, it is graphically obvious that you come from somewhere, and that you have a place. 

Our family table has extended into the adulthoods of our children and to the younger cousins and their friends. We are very lucky in that regard. Most of them have gone off to college and have come back, bringing spouses, girlfriends, friends and grandchildren in tow. They have each developed family table specialty skills. Echo bakes and is an award winning amateur chocolatier. Forest is lately enamored of our Instant Pot, a cool pressure cooker, which enables you to make impressive meals with little planning or tending. Geri does veggies and my son in law does smoked meats and salads. Vale is smoothie man. Hanna my niece is a cake decorating expert. They are all serious students and professionals, but they have all come to be serious foodies too.

Stepping back, I see that no matter what their fancy, the whole thing is one big shared hobby, and when we do food, everyone is pretty happy. A happy hobby. Moreover, while it was simple and easy when they were little, they have, on their own, leveled up, as the gamers say. They relish the acquisition of skills needed for their culinary hobbies, and that gives them social confidence. Finally, they relish the presentation of their dishes to others. The “ breaking of bread” has always been a bonding experience and in a family this is nothing but good. 

Think about all this this summer, when your kids are around more, and hopefully you have a little more time. All you have to do is start something fun in the kitchen. Put your heart into and it and invite others to join in the process of creation. It will take on a life of it’s own.  

Food Friday: Kitchen Gadget Heaven

I have a kitchen gadget fetish. But I am not ashamed. Food…including the taste, the process, and the nutrition, is very important to me. It is worth my time and money. I have my priorities. Over time, I have learned what I really need in the way of kitchen gadgets. I would like to share my thoughts with you, so you don’t end up spending your money on stuff you don’t use. 

Good kitchen equipment is nice, but not essential to delicious healthy food. Many memorable meals were made in tiny European kitchens or over an open fire by a river with very little in the way of gadgetry.

Some basics as needed, and most can be obtained at your local goodwill store. Moreover, parents and family are usually willing to part with older serviceable items like blenders, thus making it possible for them to get the latest greatest model. Use your ingenuity, save up some money for nice things, and place food and food preparation high on your list of priorities. Food is a critical part of your health and cuisine a delightful part of your social life. 

Must have

• dishes
• flatware, i.e. knives, forks, etc.
• all purpose glasses, for hot and cold, the ideal being for both, i.e. Picardie glasses (repurposed jam jars for cups, anyone ? )
• saucepan
• frypan, nonstick
• ladle
• spatulas
• knife set
• usable cloth napkins
• pitcher
• roasting pan
• covered casserole pan, stove to oven
• potholders
• dishtowels
• cutting board
• cookbooks or internet access
• set of preparation bowls
• measuring sets: quarts, cups, teaspoons and tablespoons.

Nice to have

• serving dishes and utensils
• table wear such as table cloths
• toaster
• blender
• hand blender
• slow cooker
• sushi roller
• yogurt maker
• ice cream maker
• air popcorn popper  
• dedicated freezer
• panini press
• waffle iron

Objects of Desire

• barbeque or grill
• Cuisinart food processor
• Kitchenaid Mixer
• Vita Mix Blender
• wood burning pizza oven
• pressure cooker

My new favorite gadget is my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. It is the opposite of a slow cooker. It is a fast cooker, but the result is the same: tender flavorful meat from inexpensive cuts, and rich well developed sauces. For a long time I had the great idea to set food cooking in the slow cooker before I went to work, and when I returned 8-9 hours later, it would be all nicely done. Well, that did not materialize for a variety of reasons. I failed to prep the night before. I worried about burning the house down when I was gone. I didn’t want to leave it overnight, or I thought I might not come home as planned.

When Michelle Tam of Nomnompaleo.com turned me onto the Instant Pot, I knew it was a match made in heaven. I could come home from work anytime and have a thoroughly cooked hearty meal ready in thirty minutes or less. Last night I spent 15 minutes of prep time on a brand new recipe,  threw raw chicken thighs in the instant pot with sauce and onions, and 15 minutes later I had steaming fragrant lemongrass coconut chicken that seemed like it had simmered all day. Everyone was intrigued and there were no leftovers. 

Cooking is one of the best hobbies, along with fitness. I have prepared a little collection for you to illustrate just how I feel about the the tools of the cooking trade. Enjoy ! 

Food Friday: Portion Sizes

For something so critical to nutrition and well being, I am surprised I haven’t written about this yet. We talk about what to eat, and when to eat. But this discussion is nowhere near complete unless we talk about how much to eat. And how much can be very subjective. Estimates of portion size can be critically flawed. Sometimes when I listen to patients recount dietary history, it sounds correct, and yet they are not losing weight as one might expect. I think in many cases this is because portion size may be underestimated, sabotaging their efforts. 

It’s no secret that portion sizes in restaurants and grocery stores have purposely catered to our gluttonous tendencies. Portions have grown to more than twice of those in the 1980s. Even our plates and cups are bigger. This keeps us coming back for more and allows them to charge us more. A win win right ? Not for us. Obesity is a huge public health problem, and one that has both physical and psychological consequences. 

Let’s examine various methods of portion size management, and you can see what can work for you.

1. Know your calorie requirements. Use the handy calculator in the link. 

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calorie-calculator/itt-20084939

2. Have a general sense of your nutrition proportions: ( These are from the US FDA, the Food and Drug Administration.)

3. Check reference or for labels to check the size and specifications of a serving size. Compare this to what you need for your meal or snack. Serving size on the container does not necessarily equal recommended size .

4. Have a set of measuring cups and spoons. Have a small kitchen scale. Until your are familiar with common units of measure, measure and weight things. Here are some common measures of volume: 

2 Tablespoons = ping pong ball

1/2 cup =tennis ball

1c = baseball 

5. Avoid eating out. If you do, order small portions and just eat part of it. 

6. Buy in bulk but repackage in smaller quantities and do not eat from the bag. 

7. Don’t skip meals 

8. Do eat in between meal snacks which pair protein with produce. 

9. Use smaller plates and make sure your plate is at least half filled with green vegetables before you take other dishes. 

10. Avoid doing other things while eating. 

11. Eat slowly. Your brain takes at least 15 minutes to register that you are full. 

12. Stop eating when you feel 80% full. 

Part of the pleasure of eating is the taste and the company you eat with. But I would like to point out that the pleasure of eating also involves knowing that what you are eating is good for your body. Finally part of the pleasure of eating is knowing you have not eaten too much. Watch portions sizes, and your meals with will be better than ever. 

Food Friday: Nutrition Reminders

In the office, most patients show understanding of good nutrition. And yet, when at home they say they have trouble actually eating healthy. The frustrates them and mystifies me. I would like to help. Sometimes I'd like to just come home with them to show them how easy it is to make it work. But that isn’t exactly practical. Instead I’d like to come up with something tangible that would remind them of all the principles and tips they have learned, so they can put them into practice. 

Sometimes I think this could be done with an attractive nutrition art poster to be displayed in the kitchen. Sometimes, I imagine kitchen linens featuring helpful suggestions in clever graphics, e.g. “ Eat your greens ! “ For quite a while I have been imagining a deck of cards. Each card would feature one nutrition reminder. 

The reminders would have to be attractive, both visually and tangibly.The principles they conveyed would have to be simple and clear. Right now I am trying to cook up a list of catchy little reminder phrases which will help people have an enjoyable and easy time making good nutrition at home. I would like to devote this post to sharing what I have so far, and to solicit your input about what reminders you could use. 

Here’s my list so far: 

• 3m3s
• Bring your Own Bags 
• Buy in Bulk
• Buy in Season 
• Buy Local 
• Celebrate 
• Cook from Scratch 
• Cook With Kids 
• Don’t buy Junk 
• Dress the Table 
• Drink Tea
• Drink Water 
• Eat Cultured 
• Eat Fermented
• Eat Low Glycemic
• Eat Salads
• Eat the Rainbow 
• Eat While Grains 
• Explore Cooked Vegetables 
• Eat Healthy Fats 
• Eat Fresh or Frozen
• Eat with Friends
• Eat Fresh Fruit 
• Eat Organic
• Eat Sustainable Fish 
• Explore Paleo 
• Grown Your Own Food 
• Hara Hachi Bu 
• Keep Sharp Knives
• Keep Your own Recipes 
• Know Your Farmer 
• Make Extra Dinner 
• Nuts to You 
• Order Your Way 
• Pack Your Lunch 
• PPP
• Purchase Good Containers
• Read Labels 
• Read Cookbooks
• Resect Food Allergies and Intolerances 
• Prep Your Breakfast 
• Share Recipes
• Share Your Garden Surplus
• Shop Twice per Week 
• Sit Down for Meals
• Spice it Up 
• Take Food Pictures 
• Use a Kitchen Scale  

I would really appreciate any other ideas you have about what might help make good nutrition happen for you. Meanwhile, if you haven't already, check our the blog on the website and scroll back to see the last several Food Fridays for more cooking inspiration. 

Food Friday: Better Carbs

Authorities agree that we consume too many carbohydrates and that this has contributed to the obesity epidemic. However it’s easy to eat plenty of carbs, lose weight, and have lots of energy if you just shift the way you think about them. 

When most people think about carbs (carbohydrates) they think of starches like white potatoes, grains like rice, and of course wheat products like bread, tortillas and pasta. But carbohydrates also comprise sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, etc, and all the products which feature them prominently, like conventional soda, frappes, and lattes. These sorts of carbohydrates are unhealthy because they jet sugar into your bloodstream much faster than you can utilize it and it ends up being stored as fat. The fat ends up having a variety of toxic effects down the line. Even the white flours, pastas, rices and white potatoes do this. The white flour and white rice have been denatured of their fibrous structure and because of this breakdown very quickly into sugar. 

Whole wheat flour and brown rice are commonly thought of as better carbs, and they are, but not as much as you might think. Their glycemic index (rate at which they break down into sugar) is not that much better than their white counterparts. These should be utilized by people of normal weight and body composition with high energy requirements. This would include adolescents and athletes.

It has been shown that consumption of 2-3 servings of whole grains per day reduces risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer and obesity, compared to rates in those that don’t eat these. The precise reason for this is unclear, though it may well be because of the fiber and additional nutrients that whole grains contain compared to refined (denatured) grains.  It is a sad commentary that the presence of 2-3 servings of whole grains per day constitutes a measurably higher caliber of diet than our general population’s diet.

Certainly whole grains are not the only readily available dietary source of fiber and nutrients. What if, in an imaginary prospective research study, conventional eaters were compared to those with 2-3 servings of whole grains per day, AND against those with an equivalent amount of fiber, BUT in the form of vegetables and fruits? I suspect that the third group that took their carbs as fruits and vegetables would do even better. I feel confident in speculating like this because, as a rule, produce (vegetables and fruits) is considerably more nutrient dense than whole grains. Depending on the particulars, they have fiber, vitamins, minerals, but also other types of nutrient such as healthy fats and antioxidants. Moreover, they have even lower glycemic indices. 

So, I propose that we learn to take most of our carbs as produce. What ? No bread at dinner ? No pancakes or cereal at breakfast ? No bread for sandwiches at lunch ? People are sure they will starve. What they will do is lose some of their belly fat. They will lower their blood sugars. Pregnant women will gain less excess weight, and be less likely to have gestational diabetes. They will also spend more money and time on food. But, they could also be spending money on treatments for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and worse. 

There are other differences that should go along with this approach. Portion sizes usually need to be larger. Additionally, there should is more emphasis on healthy fats such as coconut oil for high heat and olive oil for low heat and dressings. Also, from a culinary standpoint, there should be a greater utilization of flavors such as spices, garlic, lemon, chili and so on.  Healthy sauces and dressings figure more prominently. and Finally, there is more emphasis on lean meats, poultry and cold water fish. 

I wanted to take this post and show you how this might look. I think that while you will find it completely different, you will find it rather appealing. 

Breakfast idea: 

I would pair this with a small bowl of fresh fruit. 

Lunch: 

Stiff leaves of romaine make a crunchy manageable container for savory contents, much like a taco shell. 

Dinner:

These are cauliflower mashed “ potatoes”, also known as “faux”  potatoes, which can be served as a side dish at dinner, drizzled with olive oil or butter.

These are zucchini noodles which just need a hearty meat sauce.

Dinner is in some ways the easiest, since you still have your “main dish” and your salad. All you need is another cooked vegetable, like these vegetable fries, and perhaps some fresh fruit. 

There are an infinity of substitutions like this. When families are transitioning from conventional diets to more of a paleo style diet like this, they may find it politic to try to make their new healthier dishes resemble old conventional ones. Eventually, this pretense can be abandoned, as more exciting approaches to healthy cooking are discovered. Check out any number of the new Paleo cookbooks out there. For more information, see the last four Food Friday blog posts on food inspiration. 

Wellness Wednesday: How to Tell if You’re a Workaholic

Most people say they are busy. But are they ? Americans are famous for being workaholics (fully 25 % of us). How busy is too busy ? 

I would like to present my thoughts on the issue. Then I would like to present some other sources which are more authoritative.

It is important to understand what is not too busy. If you work full time, but have no time to work out or see your spouse, and yet you have time to game, watch TV or get a professional pedicure, you are not too busy. 

You are not too busy if you find that working at your desk leads to hours of randomly surfing the web or checking social media. You can only assess yourself once you have cut all the unintended time wasting from your life. If you are mindfully watching a film, or checking specific things in social media for a few minutes, that is fine and does not count as time wasting. 

So let’s say you have optimized the way you work and spend your time (a topic for another day). Let’s say you have reviewed your schedule and have decided that everything on it is important and nothing can be cut. Then you have met the “ inclusion criteria” and can ask yourself these questions: 

• Am I getting less than 7 hours of sleep on a regular basis ? 
• Do I feel a constant sense of frustration at not getting things done ? 
• Do I lack time to work out for 30 minutes per day ? 
• Do I lack time to eat three healthy meals and snacks ? 
• Am I getting sick too often ? 
• Is the quality of my work getting lower and lower ? 
• Am I neglecting important relationships ? 

If you met the inclusion criteria and you answered yes to any of these things, you should consider thinking about whether you are overcommitted. These would be the relevant endpoints for me, after 54 years of living with, working with and being an overcommitted person. 

WEBMD

http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/are-you-a-workaholic?page=2

This article places workaholism in its psychiatric context. It is a compulsion to go work, combined with discomfort when not working. So it is much more than working hard, or working a lot. They site signs like trouble delegating, thinking about work while on vacation, or neglecting one’s nonworking life. They indicate that cognitive behavioral therapy and support groups can be helpful. 

US NEWS 

http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/17-signs-you-might-be-a-workaholic/2

This feature described signs you might be a workaholic. Noteworthy signs including having no hobbies, working through lunch every day, coming to work when sick, being accessible to work all the time, and consistently overbooking. 

The WORKAHOLICS ANONYMOUS site is a real eye opener. 

http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/10-literature/24-twenty-questions

Surprises in their list of 20 questions include "Do you regularly underestimate how long something will take the rush to complete it ?” This is a more in depth read and I recommend it. 

FORBES 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahlee/2014/10/20/5-signs-you-might-be-a-workaholic/#430847d833d1

Forbes showcases a very worthy article about work-life balance, citing some interesting statistics including the following : "Americans put in more hours than workers in other wealthy countries and are more likely to work nights and weekends.” They alsogive an introduction to Bryan Robinson’s book “ Chained to the Desk”, which is available on Amazon. 

The follow up articles in the same series 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahlee/2014/10/20/6-tips-for-better-work-life-balance/#5ae8fd25dbc9

details 6 tips for a better work like balance. The two tops which appeal to me the most are “ Letting go of perfectionism” and “ Limit time wasting activities and people”. 

SCIENCE DAILY

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/workaholic.htm

This site highlights some more surprising aspects of workaholism including the observation that workaholics lose track of time. They also highlight some chilling aspects of workaholism including the problem in Japan, where early death related to workaholism has its own word, karoshi. We all know that workaholism takes a huge toll on mental and physical health, but death by karoshi is hard to fathom. 

I am going to strive in the next few weeks to make my posts more brief. I will feature more outside sources. It is my hope that these posts will be easier to write and easier to read. This is one step I will be taking toward a better work like balance. 

Send me your thoughts on the matter. I would love to see what you think. 

Food Friday: Cookbooks

Todays's post is the last in a series of 4 posts about cooking inspiration. It is about cookbooks. As I survey my wide ranging cookbook collection, I can see that they sort themselves into a few key categories: 

Reference Material- These are books that encyclopedically categorize a small category of foods or ingredients, ie. The Spice Bible.  

Do it Yourself Cookbooks- These are books which have recipes and methods for making that which we commonly think of as " store bought" stuff.  These books often collect food preparing techniques which are in danger of being lost from the general population. How many of you know how to make crackers, cheese, pickles or ice cream ?   i.e The Home Creamery by Farrell Kingsley. 

Cookbook travel- These books explore a region dish by dish. They are often noteworthy for their fabulous photography.  i.e. My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz

Health related cookbooks- These are focused on foods, dishes and menus which have health benefits. There are many such books claiming this feature, but not all actually have it. I have included a few which I think have genuine health benefits.  i.e. The Autoimmune Paleo cookbook by Mickey Trescott, NTP. 

Coffee Table Cookbooks-  These books are typically large format, and magnificently photographed. They are sumptuous tomes which are meant to be works of art in and of themselves. Example: Culinaria, eds. Andre Domine, and Michael Ditter

Chef Based Cookbooks- These feature one famous chef who gives presents their unique recipes but also their versions of the classics, i.e. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Childs. 

Category Cookbooks- These are cookbooks which focus on a particular category of cooking, i.e. The Essentials of Roasting by Williams Sonoma. 

Comprehensive Cookbooks- These are cookbooks which aspire to cover everything comprehensively, ie. The Best Recipe, by Cooks Illustrated. 

Here are some homegrown photos of my cookbook shelves as they are tonight. 

My personal favorites shift every few months. Right now, I am biased toward the health related cookbooks since I believe more and more that one can make healthy food delicious. We understand more than we ever have about food science and human nutrition, and many well educated and creative writers are producing excellent cookbooks by marrying this information with their skill and taste in cuisine. 

I also believe that once you taste healthy food from well written recipes, that you will not be able to go back to ordinary unhealthy food. 

With this in mind, I am going to plug one cookbook series and two particular books by different authors as my top choices at this time: 

The Jonny Bowden series on The Healthiest Foods

Paleo Takeout by Ross Crandall

Nom Nom Paleo Food for Humans, by Michelle Tam and Henry Fong 

I love all the online recipes and sites. But sometimes, the large glossy photos and thoughtful prose in a traditional paper cookbook is uniquely satisfying. Paper cookbooks also permit annotation. I can tell you all of mine are written in, with dates, who I made the recipe with, and any modifications I saw fit to make. 

Take a walk on the culinary wild side, and read a good cookbook. Better food is pleasant step toward better health. 

Food Friday: Food in Literature

This is the third in a series of four posts about food inspiration. The first was on food websites, and the second on food movies. This one is about food in literature. 

The body of food literature out there is astounding. It is generally nonfiction, however some fiction does food so well the I shall include a sample of it here. In my research for this piece, I discovered not only new food writing to complement what older material I have unearthed throughout the years, but books about writing food writing. I also discovered food writing collections, and “best of” food writing collections. That’s how popular it is getting. 

We will start with a selection from fiction: children’s fiction. If you have not read Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, you should. It is a classic children’s book despite the unfortunate TV series from the 70s. The descriptions of prairie meals or the maple syrup collection have stayed with me to this day. 

In college I was a vegetarian for two years. I was interested in this from an environmental standpoint. By some calculations the energy and water needed to produce a feedlot beef gram of protein was much greater than that to produce a gram of plant based protein. Also I lived in Synergy, a vegetarian row house at college where they knew how to combine foods to make complete proteins. At that time, the culinary bible in my life was Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe. This book connected the dots between bringing food to our table and the environmental consequences to soil, water, air and people along the way. Fast forward to the present and you can read very well written, researched and photographed books on the same subject, chief among which are books by the wonderful Michael Pollan. You cannot go without reading these. 

My soon to be husband lived in Synergy with me. We married after my fourth year and moved to the north woods, where he became a professional outfitter. There we got our cake and ate it too in the form of sustainably produced wild game, mostly elk and deer. To this day, we eat it almost exclusively, except for salmon and organic chicken. 

I became a young mother, and like all young mothers, read books to my children. Among them were the lovely Brambly Hedge Series books by Jill Barklem. I don’t know who was more fascinated, me or my daughter Echo. The illustrations and prose were exquisite, and conjured little mouse size kitchens full of flour sacks, jams, preserves, drying herbs and wheels of cheese. The author went beyond that and described the elaborate country picnics of the mice, with their fruity gelatin molds, pies, tarts, and syllabubs. 

Upon my arrival to the countryside, I had to learn a number new skill sets beyond parenting. Chief among them were gardening and cooking. I had come to the marriage with one Good Housekeeping cookbook from my mother. It was no nonsense with good illustrations, and from this I learned that I could hardly abide a cookbook without illustrations.

I read about cooking. I also read about gardening. I discovered you could read about gardening and cooking at the same time if you read about kitchen gardens, or potagers, as the French call them. I acquired a divine volume entitled The Art of French Vegetable Gardening, by Louisa Jones et alia. I pored over its pages and tried, with no money, to make my garden look the same as the potagers within the walls of ancient french castles, a noble effort indeed. 

I discovered food writing in earnest. I discovered there was such a thing as a food writer, and read Ruth Reichl’s Comfort Me with Apples. Ms. Reichl was the last editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, and now makes food shows at PBS. She introduced me and all her readers to a world of food writing. 

Meanwhile,our sons were born, and their literary mice were warriors, not bakers. They loved the Redwall series. This series caught on with all my kids, and as they worked their way through over twenty volumes, they often made mention of the magnificent feasts within those pages. Indeed, our son Forest and I wrote to the British publishing company for the Redwall series offering to develop recipes for a Redwall cookbook. They wrote us a very warm but formal letter back indicating plans for such were already underway. A couple years later, one appeared in bookstores. You can still find it on Amazon as the Redwall Cookbook. 

Our family meals became very important to us. The idea of a family meal was very old. However it came into popular modern focus again with the advent of the Slow Food Movement. A book of the same name appeared by an Italian author Carlo Petrini, and I devoured it. It was a counterpoint to the fast food culture that American had become. 

Food was very international for us. It was a form of armchair travel. We were very busy with young children, med school and residency and we did not vacation much. Learning about food and making it from my own garden gave me some of the same satisfaction. Accordingly, I fed this interest with some of the most famous food writing, Pater Mayle’s A Year in Provence. 

I have always been a lover of all things French. This is because my French teacher in high school was very dear to me. She was an important figure in my life, and I keep in touch with her to this day. Somehow, magically, she was able to teach me discipline with affection. Not surprisingly, she was very strict in class, and made us learn the language and culture very well. So naturally I gravitated toward books about french food.

This brings me up to the present day. On my active shelf I have several books about French food, the voluminous Julia Child volumes, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, French Women Don’t Get Fat, by Mireille Giuliano and The Sweet Life in Paris, by David Leibowitz. Of course a couple of these are books by Americans about French Cooking. To read a French book in French about French cooking is another matter for another day. 

I will leave you with something sweet to finish. I love to read about cooking. I also love to give books about cooking. Regular readers will also recall that l adore chocolate. Naturally therefore I love to read books about chocolate, its origins, production, etc. I once gave all my children a great coffee table book about chocolate, called The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Chocolate, by Christine Macfadden and Christine France. The next Christmas, I forgot and gave it again. Would you believe the next Christmas I gave the eldest the same book once more ? Such is the nature of adoration. 

Until next week, happy reading. 

Belated Food Friday: Food Movies

We are one day behind, both today and tomorrow. Thursday night I attended an unexpected emergency, and through much ado, all is well. However between that and the birthday parties, family slideshows, and wedding showers this weekend, we are a bit behind. So I am going to release a fun "Food Friday" now, and Tuesday the belated Medical Monday. The rest of the week I will be devoted to by niece's wedding, which will be held at our farm. I may send out some more fun posts. 

Why watch movies about food ? Food is something we must deal with everyday. It can be a chore, but it needn’t be. Movies about food tell the stories of how food came to be as it is today. Food movies remind us about what and who it takes to put it on our table. They also serve to inspire us to make better and healthier food for our families. 

There is a dark side to food in the developed world. There are numerous documentaries which go into this. Here is a site which catalogs and reviews them. 

First we Feast

I would like to focus on a celebration of food, and the people who make it.  Here is a great “beginner’s”  collection of food movies which I have seen. I have tried to provide a little introduction so you can chose mindfully. I have also included viewing source options. Do not be put off by other languages. The subtitles are easy to get used to and it is fascinating to hear the other languages in the setting of what is happening. 

• Haute Cuisine - (French with subtitles) (Netflix)- chronicles the career of one of the personal chef’s of the president of France. 
• Chocolat- (English) (Apple movies) Art House film with a all star cast including Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche- set in France - about a newcomer whose beautiful bakery inspires the villagers to enjoy life. 
• Chef- (Netflix)- unmissable sweet story about a single dad who is a chef, his young son and their transition to a food truck business
• Like Water for Chocolate - (Netflix) (Spanish with subtitles) - fanciful earthy tale about a family with a daughter who can infuse her feelings into the food she cooks. Great fun. 
• Babette’s Feast (Apple Movies) (Danish and French with English Subtitles)- Period piece movie about a French housekeeper and cook who moves to Denmark two live with two old  puritanical sisters. Her cooking is transformative. 
• Julie and Julia - Delightful account of a New York woman who blogs about cooking every dish is Julia child’s cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. 
• Ratatouille- Charming Pixar film about a rat who wants to become a 5 star chef. 
• The Hundred Foot Journey - Must see culture clash tale of an Indian family, their restaurant, and a french chef.  A visual feast. 
• Burnt (Apple Movies) - Drama/Comedy about a narcissistic two star Michelin chef who has to grow up to get his third star. Stars Bradley Cooper. 
• JIRO Dreams of Sushi - (Japanese with English Subtitles) Documentary about the greatest sushi chef in Japan 
• The Ramen Girl- (Amazon video) ( English and Japanese with subtitles) Heartwarming comedy about an young American Woman in Japan who is determined to learn the art of making traditional ramen. 

Series: 

• Giada DiLaurentis (Food Network) glossy production, pretty Giada and simple Italian dishes 
• The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten (Food Network) - Beautiful streamlined classic recipes 
• Tastemade - Sourced-(internet and Apple TV) engaging series of shorts by Aussie hostGuy Turland about classic ingredients and how they are sourced. 
• Chef’s Table - series of different chefs and their unique contributions. (Netflix) 
• Cooked - MIchael Pollan - unparalleled photography, food science and delicious food (Netflix) 
• The Mind of a Chef - David Chang; origins of classic dishes and travel to their geographic and cultural origins (Netflix) 

Some of these series are complete and some are ongoing. These are generally much shorter than full length movies and are great to watch if you don’t have much time. 

So I recommend tucking in to these food movies. Just make sure you get out of the theater and into the kitchen yourself, even if your dishes don’t look exactly like the ones on the screen.  

Food Friday: Food Inspiration, Part 1 of 4

I love food. I love healthy food. But sometimes I need food inspiration. I would like to turn to my four big sources of food inspiration: 

• food websites
• cookbooks
• food in literature 
• food movies 

This week we will touch on food websites. 

First and foremost, there is Pinterest. This is a free online general pinboard where you can create your own page full of albums and “pin” items from anywhere in the internet or from Pinterest itself. It is your all purpose infinite online scrapbook collection. More often than not, it is my first stop when searching for a specific recipe. Sometimes I just need inspiration and will just scroll through my own extensively curated food albums. It takes about 5 minutes for me to go from unmotivated to excited when I check Pinterest. 

Other general resources are food.com, foodnetwork.com, and epicurious.com. Of these, epicurious is my favorite. That is because it is a knowledge rich site. Sure, it has gorgeous  graphic design and photography. Additionally, it is well organized and is geared to someone who truly wants to learn to cook well. There are numerous tips, tricks and educational resources. There is also a free membership, and this enables readers to collect their favorite recipes on the site. Epicurious is a site I have used for years, but apparently it won a Webby award in 2015 for best site in the food and drink category.

AmericasTestKitchen.com and CooksIllustrated.com get the highest marks for being instructional, but they lack the high style and visual appeal of epicurious.com. If you want to understand technique, or the science behind cooking, go here. 

Saveur.com deserves mention as an old and fascinating resource. The magazine has been one of my favorites for many years. Saveur is distinguished by its philosophy of setting food into it’s cultural and geographic context. Reading Saveur is a good bit of culinary armchair travel. To introduce you, check out their page on the best culinary blogs of 2015: 

http://www.saveur.com/saveur-blog-awards-2015-voting-closed

I should say that there are many beautiful websites and blogs out there which I will not showcase. That is because I am going to try to highlight sites which feature healthier cuisine. Many of these are vegetarian or vegan. I will include them, since current evidence based guidelines recommend we consume more plant based foods. However, I will also feature Paleo sites, which I believe are even better. 

The Paleo movement is amusingly misnamed since it has little to do with what Paleolithic people (cavemen) ate. The Paleo diet is devoid of grains and legumes (beans, soy and the like) , as well as modern processed foods and sometimes even dairy. There are many versions of the Paleo diet. At its worst, it is trendy nonsense. At its best, it is allergen free, and rich in healthy animal proteins, healthy fats, and  nutrients and fiber from fruits and vegetables. 

A new favorite for me is Paleo Magazine. A good place to start is their list of the top 10 Paleo Blogs on the Web: 

https://paleomagonline.com/top-10-paleo-blogs-on-the-web-2014/

My favorite on the list is Nom Nom Paleo.

I would also like to mention an important site on Paleo food which goes into a fair amount of medical science. This is

thedomesticman.com

It’s young author Russ Crandall had a life threatening bout with autoimmune disease. The Paleo diet helped in his recovery. He is medically literate and goes to some length in his books to explain the connection, which is that in some people, the Paleo diet can help reduce intestinal hyperpermeability and inflammation. 

I am going to conclude with a couple other specific favorites. First is the “eat" section of Greatist.

greatist.com/eat

Their site is beautiful and evidence based. Finally, there is

theforestfeast.com.

For sheer beauty, you should go here.

I hope, from now on, the question “ What should we have for dinner ?" is a pleasure rather than a pain. 

Food Friday:Spring's First Fruits and Shopper’s Lists

This week the morels came out. Morels are the spirit of the forest rising up after spring mist and sun in close succession. They are hidden in plain sight. They are jewels amidst dung, a mushroom, not to be cultivated, and bringing the highest prices of anything in a northern hemisphere vendor’s stand. 

We gathered them as a seasonal rite, and to celebrate the birthday of a friend which comes at this time. They require a bit of esoteric knowledge, lest they be confused with inedible or poisonous varieties. They are not to be eaten raw. They are best cooked in butter and allowed to hold their own next to something simple like steak. 

To enjoy them, we must be sure we must of their origin and provenance. The effort we spend is in proportion to our enjoyment. By contrast, how is it that we give so little care to our everyday food ? 

Today’s post is a cautionary note about food safety. More than that, it is an invitation to experience our daily food more fully. You have probably all seen the bumper stickers “ Who’s your farmer?”. This is a valid question. It is both important and fascinating to learn about the origins of food. Once you learn about the different ways food is produced, including the conditions of the farms, factories and people involved, you will most likely care. What you will find is that the bad is really bad, and the good is really good. The obtaining, preparing, serving and eating of food becomes something greater, and something of which you can be proud. And, somewhat incidentally, the food is better. 

As a relevant side note, when you eat food of this quality, it will enhance your health. Since high quality natural food is best prepared simply, it is generally healthy. It is more expensive, and not the kind of thing one overeats. You will be too busy savoring it. You will be come interested in quality not quantity. Most likely, your weight will gravitate toward normal if it is not already there. 

I was hoping to also find some wild asparagus in the fields. Plus, strawberries and rhubarb are due soon. But I am impatient, and have been looking at strawberries in the stores, both organic and not. So, naturally, I was interested when a headline flashed onto my newsfeed: 

The #1 Most Contaminated Fruit You’re Buying Is...

I clicked on it, only to find that the answer is strawberries. The link led me to an articles about two very important lists which I want to share with you: 

The Dirty Dozen

and

The Clean Fifteen

These are lists produced by the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org), a nonprofit which is endorsed by The American Academy of Pediatrics. They strive to educate and protect the public from pesticide residue in food, and they use USDA ( US Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) data to do it. 

The Dirty Dozen is the 12 most pesticide laden produce items in stores, in order of contamination. The Clean Fifteen lists the fifteen least contaminated non-organic produce items. Of course, the ideal is to buy organic. But if you cannot, you should avoid the items on the Dirty Dozen. If you can only buy a little bit of your produce as organic, then concentrate on the ones high on the Dirty Dozen list. Conversely, you can feel reasonably good about buying non-organic produce if you choose from the Clean Fifteen. You can download these lists for free on ewg.org. Take your hunting and gathering to the next level. 

A Belated Food Friday: Probiotics, Prebiotics and Synbiotics

What are they ? 

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast which are good for health. The most common is lactobacillus - found in yogurt and fermented foods like kefir, and sauerkraut. Bifodobaceterium is another and is found in some dairy. 

Prebiotics non digestible carbohydrates that act as food for probiotics. Probiotics are dietary substances that favor the growth of beneficial bacteria rather than harmful ones. 

Synbiotics are products that combine probiotics and probiotics. Foods like yogurt have both the organisms and the carbohydrate and so are symbiotic. 

The FDA regulates all these like foods rather than drugs, and has not certified them for treatment of any medical condition. however research suggests some helpful effects. 

What do they do ? 

Probiotics and probiotics help us digest and move food though our gut. Undigested or poorly absorbed food can cause problems such as inflammation, gas and cramps. By helping to normalize digestions, research suggests probiotics and probiotics can help the following: 

• ease IBS
• ease inflammatory bowel disease 
• slow infectious diarrhea 
• slow antibiotic related diarrhea 
• help eczema 
• prevent vaginal infections 
• prevent allergies 
• foster mouth health 

Should you use them ? 

People who are healthy can use probiotics and probiotics without problems. They have few side effects except gas. On the other hand, those that have serious medical problems should consult their doctor before using them. No one should substitute complementary therapies such as these for prescribed conventional therapies. 

Their exact mechanism of action is unclear. What is clear is that we live colonized with organisms. It is also clear that some populations of organisms are healthier for us that others. Probiotics, probiotics and synbiotics move us back towards a spectrum of organisms which foster better health. 

You can get probiotics as tablets or “ shots” i.e. tiny concentrated drinks. However, my favorites are plain homemade yogurt, kefir, and all kinds of sauerkraut. Smoothies made with plain yogurt or kefir with whole fruit have a delicious tanginess. I like to enjoy my probiotics. 

References: 

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/features/what-are-probiotics

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/probiotics/faq-20058065

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm

Wellness Wednesday: Wellness While Gardening

Gardening does not strike anyone as a particularly dangerous pastime. However there are a few tips and one critical point I’d like to share on the subject. 

I have been a committed gardener ever since I got married 33 years ago. It has been a soul feeding pastime for me. Gardening has gone hand in hand with family time, from the hands on science education for our kids to our present day culinary pursuits. 

I have gotten sunburns, rashes, cuts, scrapes, slivers and mosquito bites.  I have gotten dirty and dehydrated. I have lifted too much. I have risked heat stroke and frostbite. Thank goodness I have not gotten any ticks. But these are the concerns at hand. If you check the CDC (Centers for disease control ,they cover the list of precautions that would have prevented all these ills, and I will recoup them dutifully here. But there are a couple surprises, and at the end, one BIG POINT. 

• Your clothing and hat should protect against weather, insects, chemicals (even organic ones) sun and yes, dirt. Dirt is full of pathogens like various fungi, tetanus and toxoplasmosis. This is of special concern to those who are pregnant or have compromised immunity. Play in the dirt with gloves.  
• Make sure your every ten year tetanus shot is up to date. 
• Your skin should be protected by sunscreen or insect repellant as indicated. 
• Your hands should be gloved no matter what. Did I mention the gloves ? 
• Your eyes should be protected from flying debris and dirt. You are not pulling enough weeds if you do not have dirt flying toward your face. 
• Have water with you and hydrate throughout the day. Dehydration happens faster than you think. 
• Know the fertilizers and supplements you are dealing with. Read all labels and follow all directions. 
• Know your equipment, and make sure it is in good working order. If you are using sharp objects or powered equipment, keep your attention on what you are doing and keep small children out of harm's way. 

Here is the BIG POINT, and I will plead with you on this. Use organic methods. Please. The whole point of gardening is to get closer to nature and to produce something wholesome you can eat. Please do a little reading, and welcome yourself into the immensely gratifying world of organic gardening. If there is one thing that will save the world, it might be this. 

I am not even going to begin to address all the safety concerns of gardening any other way, such as with conventional herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. It would take too long and it would be depressing. So, get yourself one of the many excellent organic gardening resources, like maybe a book, the internet, or maybe your grandmother.  It doesn’t matter if you do container gardening in the middle of a cityscape, or if you have a farm. Chose this life affirming hobby, and do it in a life affirming way. 

Stay tuned next week for another Wellness Wednesday. 

Food Friday: Chocolate

I’m devoting a whole post to chocolate. That’s how strongly I feel about it. The great Spring celebrations of Passover and Easter are coming up and it is time to think about festive foods. 

In our house we take our chocolate seriously. You might even say we are chocolate snobs. Our snobbery has been fostered by two things: our affinity for France, and our pursuit of fine organic foods. 

For my daughter’s graduation from high school, I took her to France. We wanted economical flights and lodging, and so we went during the drizzly spring break. We arrived shortly before Easter Sunday only to find the southern French countryside greened, blooming and decorated.

It turns out that in France, Easter is a bigger communal holiday than Christmas. Every storefront was beautifully decorated. The bakeries, pastry shops and chocolate shops were full of dazzling creations - figures of every sort, made in bread or chocolate, then festooned with sugar formations and woven ribbons. Chocolate was absolutely central to the Easter celebrations, and we saw chocolate like we had never seen before. 

Now we make our own creations at home. We feel fortunate if we just get it tempered correctly. To make our own, we have had to learn all about it. We have learned about the equatorial, often war torn regions where it  grows, and we have learned about the farming and labor practices entailed in chocolate production. We have learned that to get organic chocolate, we pay more, but that the workers involved get a better wage, and the land is left unpolluted. 

It turns out that these days, westerners like us have come to recognize the value of country specific cocoa beans. When I attended one chocolate tasting demonstration, even I could tell the difference in the tastes. 

But what about health ? Could all the health claims about chocolate be true ? As always, the devil is in the details. Healthfulness is compromised when lots of milk fat and sugar are added and when the chocolate is overly processed, (i.e. Dutch or alkali processed). It turns out chocolate needs to be appreciated almost like coffee beans, in its dark, somewhat bitter form, and certainly with its own fat, cocoa butter, which has its own health benefits. 

According to the clevelandclinic.org, cocoa beans confer healthfulness via the following compounds they contain: flavonoids, antioxidants, and flavanols. These potent compounds combat oxidative stress. This means they neutralize damaging compounds called free radicals which may accumulate the body. They can also, by various mechanisms, favorably impact lipids, lower blood pressure, and improve blood flow. 

Current recommendations provide for taking about 1 ounce of dark chocolate a few times per week. At my office, we always keep some on hand, “ for medicinal purposes only” : ) . 

Stay tuned for more holiday food info next week on Food Friday. 

 more reading : 

Metro UK

Medical News Today