Saturday, August 29, 2015

Enemies




management trainee



value of $



M. King



Murder



The inhumanity of humanity is that someone's life does not matter if it interferes with someone else's.

Olive Oil Compounds Kills Cancer

Olive Oil Compound Kills Cancer Cells in 30 Minutes

Olive Oil Compound Kills Cancer Cells in 30 Minutes
Extra-virgin olive oil may rapidly kill off cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact. 
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) already has a reputation as a superfood.  It contains an abundance of antioxidants that are proven to confer health benefits.
Studies show that one phenolic compound in EVOO – oleocanthal (OC) – provides many of the health benefits we see from diets rich in EVOO like the Mediterranean diet.
Recently researchers put oleocanthal from EVOO to the test against cancer. They found that OC can induce rapid death in cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact.
The researchers from Hunter College, Rutgers University, and the Monell Chemical Senses Center investigated the effect of oleocanthal on prostate, breast, and pancreatic cancer cells.  They found that OC induced the loss of cell adhesion within as little as 30 minutes.  Within 24 hours 100% of the cancer cells were non-viable.
Oleocanthal works on lysosomes within the cancer cells.  Lysosomes are small organelles which are the cell's first line of defense against viruses and bacteria.  They are also the place where cells store waste.  Cancer cells have fragile lysosomal membranes compared to healthy cells. The OC breaks open the membrane around the lysosomes in cancer cells but leaves noncancerous cells intact.
Previous studies showed that oleocanthal from EVOO acts as a potent antioxidant as well as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent.  It also protects the brain by altering the neurotoxins beta-amyloid and Tau that are associated with Alzheimer's disease.
[Editor Sayer Ji's Note: One of the common criticisms against using so-called in vitro studies, that is, studies involving cells, to determine the value of a potential drug or natural compound in cancer research is that they don't necessarily apply to larger biological systems like tissues and whole organisms. While this is generally a fair assumption, in the case of foods like olive oil which attain direct contact with epithelial tissues in the alimentary canal (i.e. mouth to anus) upon common dietary consumption/exposure, the in vitro research may have special carry over of relevance in to in vivo systems, especially epithelial cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.]
Olive oil has been called the ancient fountain of youth.  It lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, olive oil turns off the genes that turn on heart disease and inflammation.
But the bad news is that olive oil prices are spiking.  Poor harvests in Spain and Italy last year have led to a shortage of extra-virgin olive oil.      
That means more producers may be tempted to adulterate the oil to boost profits.  In past years, some producers have been caught adding cheap hazelnut, soy, or sunflower seed oil to bottles labeled "extra-virgin."

The term "extra-virgin olive oil" is legally regulated.  The term was invented in the 1960s when stainless steel milling technology allowed for the production of different grades of olive oil.  Extra-virgin olive oil can only be made from mechanically crushed olives.  It can't be refined in any way by chemical solvents or high heat.  It has to pass a chemical test.

But it also has to pass the smell and taste test by experts.

69% of Supermarket EVOO is Not Extra-Virgin

When the Olive Center at the University of California at Davis tested extra-virgin olive oils on supermarket shelves, they found 69% didn't pass the smell test and 31% were oxidized or had poor chemical quality.
They also tested 15 samples of extra-virgin olive oil from restaurant suppliers.  They found 60% failed to qualify as extra-virgin.  One even contained canola oil.
Why does it matter?  Quality counts when it comes to olive oil's health benefits.  Olive oil goes rancid quickly and loses its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  Bad olive oil actually adds to your body's burden of free radicals and impurities. 

Whose extra-virgin olive oil can you trust?   

Recently, Bertolli and Whole Foods' 365 brand 100% Italian olive oil both earned quality seals from the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA).   Pompeian is the second largest olive oil bottler in the U.S. and the only one that has undertaken to voluntarily comply with the USDA's olive oil quality standards.  It has earned both USDA and NAOOA quality seals.

How To Find The Best Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Here's how to make sure you're getting the best olive oil for your money:
  1. Check the Date. Olive oil is a fruit juice and should be fresh.  Look for an expiration, harvest or press date.  Use it within two years of harvest.
  2. Look for a Quality Seal. Check the website of the NAOOA to see if your olive oil is listed.
  3. Dark Glass Bottles.  Light causes olive oil to oxidize and go rancid.  Buy your oil in dark bottles or metal containers. 
  4. D.O.P. Certified Italian Oil.  You might think your olive oil is Italian but it probably isn't.  About 40% of bottles labeled "Italian" originated in other countries like Spain, Greece, or Tunisia.  The label should disclose the origin of the olives used. If you really want oil from Italian olives look for oil designated D.O.P. (Protected Designation of Origin).  It means the olives are grown, harvested, processed and shipped from the place listed on the label.
  5. Beware of Bargains.  Extra-virgin olive oil is expensive to produce and ship.  You get what you pay for.  
  6. Avoid "Light" Olive Oil.  Light and extra light olive oil is highly refined.  It has little flavor and is almost clear in color.  It has the same number of calories and none of the health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil. 

For more information visit Green Med Info's page on olive oil.

12 Ingredients You Should Never Eat

Make sure these "Dirty Dozen" ingredients aren't in your favorite foods.
August 26, 2015 0 Comments

The group's new Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Additives is designed to help people figure out which additives to avoid  & why.

EWG's Dirty Dozen Ingredients:
1. Nitrites + Nitrates
Nitrites and nitrates, often added to cured meats, including hot dogs, sausages, and lunch meats, made EWG's list because they are classified as probable human carcinogens when ingested.
2. Potassium Bromate
Used to help dough rise during baking, potassium bromate really has no business in your bread because California has declared it a known carcinogen. Toxic to kidneys and shown to cause DNA damage, small but still detectable amounts have been found in fnished bread products. Both the United Kingdom and Canada ban the use of potassium bromate in food.
3. Propyl Paraben
Used as a preservative in things like tortillas, muffins, and food dyes, this ingredient is a hormone-disrupting chemical. It's a testosterone killer and has been shown to decrease sperm counts in animal studies. A 2001 study also found that propyl paraben accelerates the growth of breast cancer. More recently, a 2013 study found it damages female fertility. 
4. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Hiding out in all sorts of foods, including chips and preserved meats, the National Toxicology Program classifies BHA as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."
5. Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
EWG says rats fed BHT have developed lung and liver tumors. BHT has also been shown to cause developmental effects and thyroid changes in animals, suggesting that it may be able to disrupt endocrine signaling.
6. Propyl Gallate
Another problematic preservative used in fats like sausage and lard, this ingredient is linked to rare brain tumors in rat studies. Some studies suggest it disrupts normal hormone functioning, too.
7. Theobromine
The creator of this ingredient, sometimes used in baked goods, used a government loophole to deem the new ingredient safe, despite the fact that the Food and Drug Administration doesn't even know if the ingredient is truly safe. "Theobromine is an example of how the GRAS [generally recognized as safe] regulatory system is broken and badly in need of reform," says Renee Sharp, EWG's director of research. "Companies are resorting to their own experts and paid consultants for safety approval of food additives, and not the government. This practice has to change."
8. Secret Flavor Ingredients
"The truth is that when you see the word 'flavor' on a food label, you have almost no clue what chemicals may have been added to the food under the umbrella of this vague term," EWG notes on its website. "For people who have uncommon food allergies or are on restricted diets, this can be a serious concern."
Secret flavors can also contain solvents, preservatives, or other questionable ingredients. (Even "natural flavors" can contain synthetic chemicals, including solvents. Certified-organic "natural flavors" cannot, though.) To avoid these, choose fresh, organic whole foods as much as possible.
9. Artificial Colors
Completely unnecessary and used for cosmetic purposes only, artificial colors in food aren't worth the risk. Some caramel colors are contaminated with cancer-causing 4-methylimidazole, while others are linked to hyperactivity in children.
10. Diacetyl
Diacetyl, which sometimes shows up as butter flavoring on microwave popcorn labels, is linked to a severe and irreversible occupational respiratory condition that can cause scarring in the lungs. In fact, former workers at microwave popcorn plants have such damaged lungs they are on wait lists for lung transplants. Make your own popcorn to avoid this nasty ingredient.
11. Phosphate-Based Food Additives
Often found in highly processed foods and baked goods, phosphates are among the most common food additives. That's upsetting, given their ability to damage the kidneys and other organs, particularly the heart. (Phosphates also make you age faster.)
12. Aluminum-Based Additives
Aluminum builds up in the body, particularly your bones, and could trigger Alzheimer's disease.
To help find healthier foods in the supermarket, use EWG's newly released Food Scores database and mobile app. The database houses information on more than 80,000 foods and 5,000 ingredients from about 1,500 brands. "It is clear that people are craving this kind of information about their food," says Ken Cook, president and cofounder of EWG. "Lobbyists for the food industry have long sought a permissive approach to the use of food additives. As long as their views hold sway at FDA, we advise people to use Food Scores and our new Dirty Dozen Guide to make smarter decisions for their families when they shop."
This article originally published on Rodale Wellness.

Learning to Live Happily Even After

According to former Columbia University professor and cultural anthropologist, Ruth Benedict, shame differs from guilt in that guilt is something we are likely to feel when we violate our own core values, disturbed that something we have done is fundamentally bad and wrong. Shame, however, is something we feel when we have violated the external rules and expectations that society has placed upon us, leaving us feeling as though who we are is fundamentally bad and wrong.

As modern and worldly as most of us are, we collectively still cling like barnacles to our fairy tale aspirations, as well as to our covert assumption that if a romantic relationship ends for any reason other than one or both people die, that that relationship is a failure. Yet the myth of happily ever after was actually created when the life span was less than 40 years of age. And as much as we all love riding off into sunsets, it may be time to revisit the standards to which we hold ourselves and others accountable when it comes to dating, mating and marriage.

Dr. Helen Fisher, professor at Rutgers University and renowned relationship anthropologist reports that serial monogamy has now become the new norm, suggesting that most of us will have two to three significant relationships in our lifetimes. Just as it was once the norm to meet and marry your one true love, it's now just as normal to not mate for life. With over 40% of first marriages, 60% of second marriages and 70% of third marriages ending in divorce, maybe we need to start recognizing it as normal to change our primary partners through our various stages of life? In an age where we up-level just about every aspect of our lives to keep pace with our ever-evolving life conditions--- our work environments, sleeping habits, child-rearing practices, workout routines and diets--perhaps we should also consider up-leveling our outdated and overly simplistic models for romantic love. Putting aside our escapist fantasies of the lives we wish we were living, in favor of a more wholehearted vision that is relevant to the lives that we are living.

A recent New York Times article reports that for the first time in recorded human history more people over 50 are divorced than widowed. It's my hope that we can begin a conversation about how to end our romantic unions with decency, respect and honor rather than assume them to be failures and slink away with our tails between our legs. Rather than define the value of our relationships by the overly simplistic question, "How long did it last?" that we instead begin asking questions like, "How did I expand my capacity to give and receive love in that relationship?" or "What beauty and goodness were created as a result of that union?" and "What have I learned about love that I can now apply moving forward?"

It's my theory that inside of the happily ever after myth and our collective assumption of failure, that we never actually learned how to complete our intimate unions in a way that allows us to do so with dignity, honor, respect and yes....even love.

Given that the majority of us will experience one or two major breakups over the course of our lifetimes, learning to consciously uncoupling so that we and those we love can live happily even after, may just be the next stage of our collective evolution.

Katherine Woodward Thomas, M.A., MFT is a national bestselling author, a licensed marriage and family therapist and author of the upcoming book, Conscious Uncoupling: 5 Steps to Living Happily Even After (Harmony, Sept. 22, 2015). For more information please go to ConsciousUncoupling.com

20 Questions to as Before You Marry

Do NOT Marry Someone Until You Can Honestly                   Answer These 20 Questions

About to say "I do"? Our friends at YourTango share the questions you should be able to answer honestly before you make it to the altar.
You *must* have these internal conversations before walking down the aisle.

Maybe you've been together a while and are considering taking a big step, or perhaps you just started seeing one another and aren't sure if you should stay the course.

Whatever your situation, a check-in is never a bad thing. Read on for 20 tough questions to ask about your relationships before moving forward.

1. Is for better or worse making me better or worse?
Does your partner encourage you to be your best self, or does he or she get intimidated by any triumphs and feel more secure when you're not putting your best foot forward?

2. Do we really accept one another?
There will always be things you want to change about the people in your life, but no one should be in a situation where they feel they aren't allowed to be authentic and accepted as the unique, special (yet flawed) person they are.

3. Who am I?
How can you know if your partner is a good match if you have no idea who you are?

4. Am I happy to be in this relationship?
The idea of sharing a life together is not to find someone to complete you or make you happy. But let's face it: being unhappy at home can seep into other areas of your life . . . and fast. If you're always fighting or just generally not feeling great about your twosome, it doesn't mean you have to bail out (counseling might be a good option) but marrying someone in the hope that it changes things is a bad, bad idea.

5. Am I feeling trapped?
Do you really want to be in this relationship the majority of the time or do you find yourself wishing for a way out? Do you stay because you've invested time or are you really invested in your mate?

6. What am I doing to hold us back?
Maybe you could be more attentive, more thoughtful, quicker to let things go, or the first to bring up going to counseling. Whatever it is, take this as your sign to step up.

7. Is this relationship balanced?
Do you feel you're both on the same page in terms of compromise, care, support and sacrifice? Or is one of you doing most of the giving while the other just sits with their hand out?

8. Can we have fun together?
Have you ever seen two people sit across from one another in silence at brunch as though they are being forced to walk through their day together? Not. fun.

9. Can we have fun apart?
Co-dependency ain't cute, y'all.

10. Why am I in this relationship?
Is it because you respect, love, trust, and value the person you are with? Or because you're afraid of being alone, worried about finances, or have built a life you're scared to leave?

11. Where is this going?
Living in the "now" is great, but eventually the partnership will need a plan or someone will begin to feel anxious.

12. Do I really trust my partner?
For some, the immediate response to this can be devastating. If you're one of them, it's time to ask why and how you can begin to build or rebuild trust. Without it, there's no chance.

13. Am I with a good person?
Knowing what you know about your partner today, would you vouch for them if they were a friend?

14. Am I attracted to my partner?
Physical attraction is hardly the most important component in a relationship, but forcing yourself to be in a relationship with someone who you're not attracted to — just because it's comfortable or "perfect on paper" isn't fair to anyone. You will feel resentful and they will feel rejected.

15. Am I a parent or a partner?
Taking care of someone you love is a great thing to do, but when you feel like you're raising a boyfriend — or worse, a husband — things get a little complicated. You'll resent his childish ways. Who wants to sleep with their mom?

16. Does my partner have my back?
Do you feel like you're a part of a loyal team who stands up for one another, supports one another, and shows a united front (even when the other is not around)? Or, do you feel like you're constantly being thrown under the bus by your mate?

17. Are we looking in the same direction?
Some couples avoid having the big talks (religion, marriage, babies) because they think that, somehow, these things will just "work themselves out." By the time they realize they won't, they're in a complicated, painful situation that leaves one (or both) feeling a little bit duped.

18. Are we growing together?
Being a human being living on this earth, we all have a right to grow and develop, and create a full life for ourselves. Are you and your partner still indulging in your passions (individual and shared) and growing as individuals?

19. Am I still me?
Being in love with someone should not require changing our identity to fit someone else's idea of who we should be, on any level.

20. What is my gut telling me?
You have intuition for a reason. Listen to yourself.
Brenda Della Casa is the author of Cinderella Was a Liar, the managing editor of Preston Bailey, A Huffington Post blogger, and the founder of BDC Life In Style. She is usually found in the gym hitting the speed bag to Eminem, having a wine-down with friends, or writing with her beloved Chihuahua, Tony Che Montana, by her side.
Check out more stories like this from YourTango:

Friday, August 28, 2015

Vegetarian Jewish Comfort Food by > Yvette Alt Miller

Hot, soothing dishes from around the Jewish world.

As the temperature dips low try some new, comfort foods from around the Jewish world. All these recipes are soothing & rich, & either parve or diary. As they say in Israel, bitayavon (bon appétit)!

Transylvanian Green Bean Soup (Untergeschlugenah)

Washington-based, cookbook writer, Joan Nathan recalls asking the late, Rep. Tom Lantos –the only Holocaust survivor to ever serve in US Congress – if he represented this dish from his childhood in Hungary; “Did he ever!” Nathan recalls:it was his favorite as a kid.
This vegetarian soup is colorful and tasty on cold, Winter, days & all year round.

5 cups vegetable broth or water
2 lbs. fresh Green Beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 T butter
2 medium, Onions, diced (about 2 cups)
2 T unbleached, all-purpose flour
Lemon juice to taste
Dash of Sugar
Salt and freshly ground, Pepper to taste
Paprika to taste
½ cup chopped, fresh Parsley
1/2 cup snipped fresh dill
Sour cream for garnish (optional)

Bring the broth or water to boil and add the beans. Simmer about 5 minutes.
Remove Pepper's outer skin, scrape out pith and seeds. Grate by hand or use grating blade of a food processor. Add to the soup & simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until Beans are tender. You can use roasted & peeled, Peppers instead.

Heat Butter in a small, fry pan & sauté Onions until translucent. Stir in flour & cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add flour-thickened, Onions to broth & bring to boil. Adjust seasonings with Lemon Juice, Sugar, Salt, Pepper & Paprika to taste. The final soup should be a little sweet & sour.
Just before serving, add the fresh Parsley and Dill. Serve as is or with a dollop of sour cream.
Makes 6-8 servings. (From The Foods of Israel Today by Joan Nathan, Alfred A. Knopf, NY: 2001.)
====================
                                   Roasted Garden Egg (Jamaican Eggplant) Puree
Jews have lived in Jamaica ever since arriving with Columbus; later on, Jewish merchants from Syria and Lebanon settled in the island too. Jews are credited with introducing the Eggplant to Jamaica; it’s called “garden egg” locally, and enjoyed in this richly satisfying pate.

2 small Eggplants, peeled and sliced lengthwise
½ t finely chopped scotch bonnet (habenero) pepper, cored and deseeded
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Green Onions, chopped
1 T fresh Thyme Leaves
3 T Vinegar
4 T Vegetable Oil
2 t Soy sauce
Salt and pepper

Place Eggplant slices in a shallow dish. Mix all remaining ingredients together & spread over the slices. Leave to marinate for 2-3 hours.
Cook in medium 180*C/ 350* F/ gas oven for 1/2 hour, or until slices are tender & cooked through.
Puree the slices in a blender or food processor, turn into a bowl and season to taste.
(From The Festive Food of Jamaica by Tessa Hayward, Kyle Cathie Ltd., London: 1996)
-------------------------------------------------
Fish Curry  The Bene
Israel community of India dates back Mileneum. 
Although most members have moved to Israel in modern times,  traditional recipes endure.          

This soothing, Curry can be made more less or spicy by adding or removal of Chilies from the recipe.
½ fresh Coconut, Brown skin removed & cut into  pieces, or 1 cup dried coconut & ½ cup coconut milk (buy unsweetened Coconut Milk)

2 cups fresh Coriander
1 or 2 Green Chilies, cut open and seeded (use less for a less-spicy dish)
1 t Cumin 
6 or 7 Garlic Cloves, crushed
3 T Sesame, Peanut or Vegetable Oil 
½ t Turmeric
½ Lime or Lemon juice
Salt
 ½ lbs (750 g) White - Fish Fillet
2 cups (500 ml) Water

Put the Coconut, or dried Coconut and Coconut milk, in the food processor with the coriander, Chilies, and Cumin, and blend to a paste. Fry the garlic in the oil very quickly until it is only barely colored. Add the Turmeric and Coconut paste and stir a minute or two & add water.

The Lime or Lemon Juice, and some salt to taste. Stir & bring to boil, then put in the Fish & simmer 10-15 minutes, or until the Fish is cooked.
Serve hot with rice. (I prefer Basmati for an extra-special flavor.)
Serves 4.  (Adapted from The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden, Alfred A. Knopf, NY: 1996)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moroccan Minestrone
This rich, vegetarian soup, popular with the Moroccan Jewish community, contains different exotic spices from its familiar Italian counterpart.

2-3 t Olive Oil
1 large Onion, chopped
2/3 cup coarsely chopped, fresh Cilantro or Italian Parsley
One 14 ½ oz can vegetable broth (1 ¾ cups)
1 quart water
2 large Carrots, diced
2 ribs Celery, sliced
1 t ground Cumin
2 cups small Cauliflower Florets
2 T Tomato Paste
One 15 oz can Chickpeas, drained
1 cup couscous, plain or whole-Wheat
Salt and freshly-ground Pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Heat oil in a large saucepan, add Onion & 1/3 cup Cilantro & sauté 3 minutes over medium heat.  Add broth, water, Carrot, Celery, & Cumin & bring to a boil.
Cover & simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Then add cauliflower & cook 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Stir in Tomato Paste, then Chickpeas, and return to a boil.
Stir couscous into soup & bring just to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes.
Stir in remaining Cilantro. Season with Salt, Pepper, & Cayenne. Serve hot.
Makes 3 main-course or 4 or 5 first-course servings.
(From 1,000 Jewish Recipes by Faye Levy, EDG Books Worldwide, Inc., Foster City, CA: 2000)

Rebecchine de Jerusalemme (Italian Stuffed Polenta Fritters)
> This filling
> dish has been a favorite of the Jewish community in Italy
> for generations.
> 250g (1 ½ cups) polenta (cornmeal)
>
>
>  30-45ml (2-3 T) tomato puree (paste)
>
>
>  30-45ml (2-3 T) diced ripe fresh or canned chopped
> tomatoes
>
>
>  30ml (2T) chopped fresh rosemary
>
>
>  30-45 ml (2-3 T freshly grated Parmesan or pcorino
> cheese)
>
>
>  130g (4 ½ oz) mozzarella, Gorgonzola or fontina
> cheese, finely chopped
>
>
>  Half vegetable and half olive oil, for frying
>
>
>  1-2 eggs, lightly beaten
>
>
>  Plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
>
>
>  Salt
>
>
>  Diced red (bell) pepper, shredded lettuce and rosemary
> sprigs, to garmish
> In a
> large pan, combine the polenta (cornmeal) with 250ml (1 cup)
> cold water and strir. Add 750ml (3 cups) boiling water and
> cook, stirring constantly, or about 30 minutes until the
> mixture is very thick and no loner grainly. If the mixture
> is thick but still not cooked through, stir in a litte more
> boiling water and simmer until soft. Season.
> Pour the
> mixgture into an oiled baking dish, forming a layer about 1
> cm (1/2 inch) thick. Lightly cover the polenta, then
> child.
> Using a 6-7.5
> cm (2 ½ - 3 inch) plain pastry (cookie) cutter or the firm
> of a glass, cut the polenta into rounds.
> In a small
> bowl, combine the tomato puree with the diced tomatoes.
> Spread a little of the mixture on the soft, moist side of
> the polenta round, sprinkle with rosemary and a little of
> the grated and chopped cheeses, then top with another round
> of polenta, the moist soft side against the filling. Press
> the edges together to help seal the sandwiches. Fill the
> remaining polenta rounds in the same way.
> Heat the oil
> in a wide, deep frying pan, to a depth of about 5 cm (2
> inches) until it is hot enough to brown a cube of bread in
> 30 seconds.
> Dip a
> sandwich into the beaten egg, then coat in the flour. Gently
> lower it ingto the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes, turning
> once. Drain on kitchen paper (paper towel). Cook the
> remaining polenta sandwiches in the same way. Serve warm,
> garnished with pepper, lettuce and rosemary.
> Creamy
> Rice Pudding
> Evelyn Rose,
> the doyenne of British Jewish cooking, was given this recipe
> by her mother, who learned it at the Jews’ School in
> Manchester before the First World War.
> 2 oz (1/3 cup) Carolina (short-grain or pudding)
> rice
>
>
>  1 oz (2 T) butter
>
>
>  1 pint (2 ½ cups) whole milk
>
>
>  Pinch of salt
>
>
>  1 oz (2 T) light brown or white sugar
>
>
>  Pinch of nutmeg
> Wash the
> rice in cold water and drain well. Use half the butter to
> grease a 1-pint (2 ½ cup) pudding dish. Put the milk, salt
> and the rice in the dish and leave for 1 hour to soften.
> Preheat the oven to Gas No. 2 (300 F / 150 C).
> Stir the
> sugar into the rice and add the remaining butter cut into
> tiny pieces. Scatter with the nutmeg. Bake for at least 2
> hours, stirring occasionally for the first hour, then leave
> to allow a golden-brown topping to form.
> Serves 4.
> (From The
> New Complete International Jewish Cookbook by Evelyn
> Rose, Robsson Book, London: 1997)
> Vanilla
> and Cinnamon Challah Bread Pudding
> Canadian
> Cookbook author Marcy Goldman calls this rich pudding
> “pure challa ambrosia”.
> 10 cups challah chunks or cubes
>
>
>  1 ½ cups (one 12-oz can) evaporated milk
>
>
>  1 cup whole milk
>
>
>  1 cup half and half
>
>
>  8 eggs, lightly beaten
>
>
>  1 cup granulated sugar
>
>
>  ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and
> cooled
>
>
>  2 t vanilla extract
>
>
>  1 t ground cinnamon
>
>
>  2 t baking powder
>
>
>  Pinch of salt
>
>
>  2 cups peeled and coarsely chopped apples
> (optional)
>
>
>  ½ cup raisins (optional)
>
>
>  Confectioners’ sugar and ground cinnamon, for
> sprinkling
> Preheat
> the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch baking
> dish.
> Place the
> bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix
> together the evaporated milk, whole milk, half and half,
> eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and
> salt. Pour this mixture over the bread cubes and let stand
> for 10 minutes. Fold in the apples and raisins, if using.
> Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and dust the top
> with a little confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon.
> Bake until
> lightly golden (35-45 minutes). Cool about 5 minutes before
> serving. This can be served warm or cold.
> (From
> Jewish Holiday Baking by Marcy Goldman, Doubleday,
> New York: 1996)
>  


>  This article can be read online at:
>  http://www.aish.com/f/r/Vegetarian-Jewish-Comfort-Food.html.



>  Click
> here to receive more inspiring articles like this.

>
>  Author Biography:
> Yvette Alt
> Miller earned her B.A. at Harvard University. She completed
> a Postgraduate Diploma in Jewish Studies at Oxford
> University, and has a Ph.D. In International Relations from
> the London School of Economics. She lives with her family in
> Chicago, and has lectured internationally on Jewish topics.
> Her book Angels
> at the table: a Practical Guide to Celebrating Shabbat
> takes readers through the rituals of Shabbat and more,
> explaining the full beautiful spectrum of Jewish traditions
> with warmth and humor. It has been praised as
> "life-changing", a modern classic, and used in
> classes and discussion groups around the world.

>

>    
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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Top 3 Remedies For Blocking Neuropathy Pain

Top 3 Remedies For Blocking Neuropathy Pain

  • In Health And Fitness
  • 8:25 PM, Feb 23
  • By Takeshi Shibuya
Neuropathy is a blanket term used to describe a number of issues with the nerves. Although most cases of this disease are found in those who have diabetes, neuropathy can be the result of several different types of other medical conditions. Peripheral neuropathy is also common, afflicting either the sensory, autonomic or motor nerves. Any one of these nerve types can be affected, but when only one nerve is involved, the proper term is mononeuropathy.


Polyneuropathy is the correct term when several different nerves are affected at the same time.
People who suffer from the symptoms of neuropathy -- pain, tingling, numbness and open sores are among the most common -- can seek various forms of helpful treatments. A newer method of treating these symptoms is a treatment protocol called Tesla Technology, in which circulation is improved to affected extremities by creating deep muscle and blood vessel contractions. By improving circulation, pain, tingling and numbness are alleviated by providing the hands and feet with oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood. Another more recently launched treatment is a wearable device called the NeuroMetrix Sensus, which wraps around one leg and reduces symptoms via electrical stimulation of the nerves. Various medications ranging from antidepressants to anti-seizure medications are used to reduce neuropathy symptoms, as are advanced treatments such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and plasma exchange therapy. Surgical procedures can help when other courses of treatment fail.
Although neuropathy can't be cured, various non-invasive natural remedies are also helpful in relieving symptoms. Most of these fall under the top three remedies of improving nutrition, physical therapy and the use of supplements. Nutrition plays a vital role in treatment, and correcting vitamin deficiencies or removing certain foods from your diet -- such as those with gluten, refined grains or added sugar -- can help to reduce and prevent neuropathy flare-ups.

Physical therapy can help to enhance circulation and maintain muscle strength, while acupuncture can help relieve symptoms while improving patients' states of mind. Supplements are also helpful to many people with neuropathy; fish oil and Alpha lipoic acid supplements have been shown to reduce pain, burning, numbness and other neuropathy symptoms.

Recognizing the symptoms of neuropathy is key to getting timely treatment. Suffering from bladder issues is another sign that you might be suffering from neuropathy, and changes in blood pressure that cause dizziness is another red flag that warns of a potential problem. While there are usually a number of medical conditions that highlight the underlying causes like alcoholism, diabetes and inherited disorders, there are instances where the medical reason cannot be found. It's important to keep in mind that if you think you might be suffering from neuropathy, early diagnosis is the key to finding the treatment that works best. 

The Acid-Alkaline Myth: Part 2

The Acid-Alkaline Myth: Part 2

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In Part 1 of this series, I talked about why the basic premise of the acid-alkaline theory is flawed, and I showed that the evidence doesn’t support the idea that a net acid-forming diet is harmful to bone health. Now I want to look at the effect of dietary acid load on other health conditions.
Can the acidity or alkalinity of your diet affect your risk for muscle loss, cancer, and more? Tweet This

Muscle Wasting

There is some research claiming that acid-forming diets cause muscle wasting, and the proposed mechanism is similar to that of the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis. Some researchers hypothesize that in order to eliminate excess acid and maintain homeostasis, the kidneys must steal amino acids from muscle tissue. (1, 2) Just as a higher acid load increases calcium in the urine, it also increases nitrogen in the urine, leading some to believe that an acid-forming diet causes net nitrogen loss. However, some of these studies neglect to measure nitrogen balance, so this is not necessarily true. (3, 4) In fact, one study showed that a higher acid diet improved nitrogen balance! (5) This theory also does not acknowledge that protein, although it’s acid forming, actually increases the body’s ability to excrete acid. (6) Finally, the one observational study concluding that alkaline diets improve lean muscle mass didn’t even measure the overall acid load of the diet. (7) Instead, they used potassium intake as an approximate measure, and just assumed that the observed improvement in muscle mass was due to the diet being more alkaline. This, in addition to the limitations that always accompany observational data, makes the evidence less than convincing, especially since the clinical trials have conflicting results.

Cancer

One of the more popular claims of the alkaline diet is that it can cure cancer. Proponents say that because cancer can only grow in an acidic environment, a net-alkaline diet can prevent cancer cells from growing, and can eliminate existing cancer cells. This theory is incorrect for a few reasons. First of all, the hypothesis depends on the ability of food to substantially change the pH of the blood and extracellular fluid, which I’ve already shown is not the case. (8, 9, 10) Second, cancer is perfectly capable of growing in an alkaline environment. The pH of normal body tissue is 7.4, which is slightly alkaline, and in almost every experiment done with cancer cells, they are grown in an environment at that pH. (11)

Now, cancer cells do tend to grow better in an acidic environment, but the causality is reversed. Once a tumor develops, it creates its own acidic environment through up-regulated glycolysis and reduced circulation, so the pH of the patient’s blood no longer determines the pH of the cancer. (12) It’s not the acidic environment that causes the cancer; it’s the cancer that causes the acidic environment. To top it all off, the only comprehensive review on ‘diet-induced’ acidosis and cancer did not even acknowledge this as a valid mechanism by which an acid-forming diet could increase cancer risk. They discuss a few biological pathways that could potentially link dietary acid load and cancer, but they admit that it’s mostly speculation and there’s no direct link. (13)

Other Effects

There are a few observational studies attempting to link acid-forming diets with hypertension, but the results are mixed. (14, 15) There’s also limited observational data associating higher acid loads with things like high cholesterol, obesity, and insulin resistance, but there are no proposed mechanisms or clinical studies to validate the hypotheses. (16, 17)

There are a few review papers examining the effect of acid-forming diets and health, but as you’ve seen above, the evidence they have to review is sparse. (18, 19, 20, 21, 22) If you read these papers, you’ll notice that whenever they cite trials showing the deleterious effects of acidosis, those trials were done on patients with chronic kidney disease or diabetes-induced acidosis. In the studies done on healthy people, they’re given ammonium chloride to induce acidosis. What you won’t see are clinical trials showing health consequences from purely ‘diet-induced’ acidosis. (Perhaps because ‘diet-induced’ acidosis doesn’t exist!) You’ll also notice that the strongest two hypotheses deal with osteoporosis and muscle wasting, and that links with other diseases are speculative or based on observational data. And although conflicts of interest don’t necessarily mean their conclusion can’t be trusted, it’s interesting to note that one of these reviews was funded by “pH Sciences®,” which “develops and manufactures patent-protected ingredients that safely and effectively manage biological pH levels.” (23)

In sum, I am not convinced that an acid-forming diet has negative effects on healthy people, based on the science. But just to be sure, it’s always a good idea to observe healthy cultures to see if there’s any anthropological evidence to support or refute the hypothesis.

Evolutionary Data

There are a few studies where researchers attempted to approximate the net acid load of Paleolithic diets. One estimated that 87% of pre-agricultural people ate net-alkaline diets, and proposed this discrepancy with our modern diets as a possible reason for our declining health. (24) However, a more recent study estimated that only half of the world’s hunter-gatherer societies eat net-alkaline diets, while the other half are net acid-forming. (25) They reason that the other estimate is likely accurate for our earlier ancestors, because their tropical habitat would’ve provided ample fruits and vegetables. This idea is confirmed by another analysis that showed increasing acid load with increasing latitude. (26) Even without the study, it stands to reason that as humans moved into less hospitable environments, the animal content (and acid load) of their diet increased.

Given the subpar clinical science on this topic, I think the evolutionary argument is far more convincing. If half of the world’s hunter-gatherer populations avoid the ‘diseases of civilization’ on an acid-forming diet, it would seem that acid load has little to no bearing on overall health. For some case studies, we can always look to Weston Price’s work to see quite clearly that acid-forming diets are not detrimental to health. Based on Price’s descriptions, many of the traditional diets he studied would have been primarily acid-forming, including the Swiss, the Masai, and the Inuit. Yet despite their high intake of animal foods or grains and their comparatively low intake of fruits and vegetables, they maintained excellent health.

Conclusion

I don’t deny that many people have seen significant health improvements when switching to an alkaline diet, but there are many possible reasons for this not having to do with pH balance. Eating more fresh produce is rarely a bad idea, especially when it displaces nutrient poor processed foods. A person switching to an alkaline diet would significantly reduce their consumption of grains, which could cause dramatic health improvements for somebody with a leaky gut or gluten sensitivity. Dairy would also be minimized, which would help those with dairy sensitivities. And although pure sugar isn’t an acid-forming nutrient, many laypeople claim that it is, so alkaline diets tend to contain far less sugar than a standard Western diet.

Between the scientific evidence (or lack thereof) and the anthropological research, I think we can be confident that the acid load of our diets doesn’t negatively impact healthy people. For those with renal failure or similar conditions that affect kidney function, it’s a different story—there’s certainly room for manipulation of urine pH in the treatment of those conditions. But for someone with functioning kidneys, there should be no concern that an acid-forming diet will harm health.

Now I’d like to hear from you: what are your opinions on the acid-alkaline diet theory? Have you ever tried eating an alkaline diet, and if so, did you experience health benefits? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Acid-Alkaline Myth: Part 1

The Acid-Alkaline Myth: Part 1

According to the theory, it is in our best interest to make sure we eat more alkaline foods than acid foods, so that we end up with an overall alkaline load on our body. This will supposedly protect us from the diseases of modern civilization, whereas eating a diet with a net acid load will make us vulnerable to everything from cancer to osteoporosis. To make sure we stay alkaline, they recommend keeping track of urine or saliva pH using handy pH test strips.
In this two-part series, I will address the main claims made by proponents of the alkaline diet, and will hopefully clear up some confusion about what it all means for your health.
Will eating an alkaline diet make you and your bones healthier?

Foods can influence our urine pH

Before I start dismantling this theory, I want to acknowledge a couple things they get right. First, foods do leave behind acid or alkaline ash. The type of ‘ash’ is determined by the relative content of acid-forming components such as phosphate and sulfur, and alkalis such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. (1, 2) In general, animal products and grains are acid forming, while fruits and vegetables are alkali forming. Pure fats, sugars, and starches are neutral, because they don’t contain protein, sulfur, or minerals.

It’s also true that the foods we eat change the pH of our urine. (3, 4) If you have a green smoothie for breakfast, for example, your pee a few hours later will likely be more alkaline than that of someone who had bacon and eggs. As a side note, it’s also very easy to measure your urine pH, and I think this is one of the big draws of the alkaline diet. Everyone can probably agree that it’s satisfying to see concrete improvements in health markers depending on your diet, and pH testing gives people that instant gratification they desire. However, as you’ll see below, urine pH is not a good indicator of the overall pH of the body, nor is it a good indicator of general health.

Foods don’t influence our blood pH

Proponents of the alkaline diet have put forth a few different theories about how an acidic diet harms our health. The more ridiculous claim is that we can change the pH of our blood by changing the foods we eat, and that acidic blood causes disease while alkaline blood prevents it. This is not true. The body tightly regulates the pH of our blood and extracellular fluid, and we cannot influence our blood pH by changing our diet. (5, 6) High doses of sodium bicarbonate can temporarily increase blood pH, but not without causing uncomfortable GI symptoms. (7, 8) And there are certainly circumstances in which the blood is more acidic than it should be, and this does have serious health consequences. However, this state of acidosis is caused by pathological conditions such as chronic renal insufficiency, not by whether you choose to eat a salad or a burger. In other words, regardless of what you eat or what your urine pH is, you can be pretty confident that your blood pH is hovering around a comfortable 7.4.

A more nuanced claim has been proposed specifically regarding bone health, and this hypothesis is addressed somewhat extensively in the scientific literature. It supposes that in order to keep blood pH constant, the body pulls minerals from our bones to neutralize any excess acid that is produced from our diet. Thus, net acid-forming diets (such as the typical Western diet) can cause bone demineralization and osteoporosis. This hypothesis, often referred to as the ‘acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis,’ is what I will discuss for the rest of this article. I’ll address some of the other health claims in part two.

The kidneys – not bone – regulate blood pH

While more reasonable than the first claim, the acid-ash hypothesis seems to completely disregard the vital role the kidneys play in regulating body pH. The kidneys are well equipped to deal with ‘acid ash.’ When we digest things like protein, the acids produced are quickly buffered by bicarbonate ions in the blood. (7) This reaction produces carbon dioxide, which is exhaled through the lungs, and salts, which are excreted by the kidneys. During the process of excretion, the kidneys produce ‘new’ bicarbonate ions, which are returned to the blood to replace the bicarbonate that was initially used to buffer the acid. This creates a sustainable cycle in which the body is able to maintain the pH of the blood, with no involvement from the bones whatsoever.

Thus, our understanding of acid-base physiology does not support the theory that net acid-forming diets cause loss of bone minerals and osteoporosis. But just for argument’s sake, let’s say that our renal system cannot handle the acid load of the modern diet. If bones were used to buffer this excess acid, we would expect to see evidence of this taking place in clinical trials. Alas, that is not the case.

Clinical trials do not support the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis

At first glance, some of the studies may look convincing, because higher acid diets often increase the excretion of calcium in the urine. Some researchers assumed that this extra calcium was coming from bone. (8) However, when calcium balance (intake minus excretion) was measured, researchers found that acid-forming diets do not have a negative effect on calcium metabolism. (9) Some studies found that supplementing with potassium salts (intended to neutralize excess acid) had beneficial effects on markers for bone health, which would tend to support the acid-ash hypothesis. However, these results were only observed in the first few weeks of supplementation, and long-term trials did not find any benefit to bone health from these alkalizing salts. (10)

Finally, even though the hypothesis holds that higher intakes of protein and phosphate are acidifying and therefore detrimental to bone health, multiple studies have shown that increasing protein or phosphate intake has positive effects on calcium metabolism and on markers for bone health. (11, 12) Summarizing the clinical evidence, two different meta-analyses and a review paper all concluded that randomized controlled trials do not support the hypothesis that acidifying diets cause loss of bone mineral and osteoporosis. (13, 14, 15)

So, it appears that neither physiology nor clinical trials support the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis. But again, just for argument’s sake, let’s suppose that these trials are imperfect (which they are, of course; no science is perfect!), and thus we can’t depend on their conclusions. If the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis were true, we would expect to see an association between net acid-producing diets and osteoporosis in observational studies. Yet again, this is not the case.

Observational studies do not support the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis

Observational studies have not found a correlation between dietary acid load and bone mineral density (BMD) or fracture risk, nor have they found a correlation between urine pH and BMD or fracture risk. (16, 17, 18) Additionally, higher protein intakes are correlated with better bone health in multiple studies, even though high-protein diets are generally net acid forming. (19) In fact, animal protein in particular (the most acid-forming food of all) has been associated with better bone health. (20, 21) Imagine that! One study included in a recent meta-analysis did find an association between higher protein intake and greater risk for fracture (22), but compared to the numerous more recent studies showing the opposite, this evidence isn’t very strong. Overall, the acid-ash hypothesis of osteoporosis is not supported by physiology, clinical trials, or observational data.

Hopefully I’ve given you a decent understanding of how our bodies handle pH balance, and have reassured you that you don’t need to worry about the acidity of your urine with regards to bone health. Click HERE for part two where I tackle some of the other claims of the alkaline diet!