School Shutdown? When should flu be the trigger? November 8, 2009

Your child’s school was just closed due to an outbreak of flu. Instantly you wonder about the dangers of  exposure–will you child show flu symptoms? Should you see your ped? Do you need the H1N1 vaccination? Is everyone over-reacting?

“Currently many U.S. schools don’t have specific or consistent algorithms for deciding whether to shut down,” says epidemiologist John Brownstein, PhD. “They don’t always use quantitative data, and it may be a political or fear-based decision rather than a data-based one.”

The Children’s Hospital Boston  recently reported a study led by Brownstein and Anne Gatewood Hoen, PhD of the Children’s Hospital Boston Informatics Program, in collaboration Asami Sasaki of the University of Niigata Prefecture (Niigata, Japan), tapped a detailed set of Japanese data to help guide decision making by schools and government agencies. The analysis was published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the November issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Sasaki, Hoen and Brownstein analyzed flu absenteeism data from a Japanese school district with 54 elementary schools. Japan makes a good model for studying influenza in schools because it closely monitors school absenteeism due to flu, requires testing for the flu virus in students who become ill, and has a track record of instituting partial or complete school closures during outbreaks. Tracking four consecutive flu seasons (2004-2008), they asked what pattern of flu absenteeism was best for detecting a true school outbreak — balanced against the practical need to keep schools open if possible.

“You’d want get a school closed before an epidemic peaks, to prevent transmission of the virus, but you also don’t want to close a school unnecessarily,” explains Brownstein. “We also wanted an algorithm that’s not too complex, that could be easily implemented by schools.”

A school outbreak was defined as a daily flu absentee rate of more than 10 percent of students. After comparing more than two dozen possible scenarios for closing a school, the analysis suggested three optimal scenarios:

1. A single-day influenza-related absentee rate of 5 percent
2. Absenteeism of 4 percent or more on two consecutive days
3. Absenteeism of 3 percent or more on three consecutive days

The scenarios #2 and #3 performed similarly, with the greatest sensitivity and specificity for predicting a flu outbreak (i.e., the fewest missed predictions and the fewest “false positives.”) Both gave better results than the single-day scenario (#1). The researchers suggest that scenario #2 might be the preferred early warning trigger, balancing the need to prevent transmission with the need to minimize unnecessary closures.

“Our method would give school administrators or government agencies a basis for timely closure decisions, by allowing them to predict the escalation of an outbreak using past absenteeism data,” says Hoen. “It could be used with data from schools in other communities to provide predictions. It would leave decision-making in the hands of local officials, but provide them with a data-driven basis for making those decisions.”

Last spring, during the early days of the H1N1 influenza pandemic, the CDC recommended first a 7-day school closure, then a 14-day closure after appearance of the first suspected case. Later, as more became known about the extent of community spread and disease severity, the CDC changed the recommendation to advise against school closure unless absentee rates interfered with school function. CDC’s current guidelines (10/21/09) don’t provide a specific algorithm, but state that “the decision to selectively dismiss a school should be made locally,” in conjunction with local and state health officials, “and should balance the risks of keeping the students in school with the social disruption that school dismissal can cause.” When the decision is made to dismiss students, CDC recommends doing so for 5 to 7 calendar days.

 Learn more about the study, its researchers, and sponsors here.

Tips and thoughts on a gluten-free Thanksgiving November 2, 2009

Managing a gluten-free diet is tough at the best of times. In even the most innocuous foods may lurk soy sauce (made with wheat) or mystery fillers in those fabulous eggs you ate at that cute brunch spot. Traveling to visit friends and family over Thanksgiving holiday presents an obstacle course for staying gluten-free.

Your best defense is to host Thanksgiving at your place, with you doing all the cooking yourself. Of course, delegate others to set the table and wash the dishes! Just because you want to eat right through the holidays, doesn’t mean you must become a martyr.

I love what Gluten-Free Girl says about living with gluten intolerance  around the holidays. ”I’ve had requests for gluten-free cinnamon rolls, mincemeat pie, stuffing, and gravy. Everyone, it seems, wants to eat exactly what he or she ate as a child — before the celiac diagnosis — and have it taste exactly the same.

The thing is, everyone, it will never taste the same. No matter how good your pumpkin pie recipe with a gluten-free crust, it will never taste like the pie you ate as a child. It could taste even better. But it won’t taste the same.

Early on in this gluten-free journey, I decided that longing for the same old foods with gluten-free ingredients was like longing for a boyfriend I had broken up with. It never works.”

Celiac.com offers some helpful advice for surviving the holiday:

• A gluten-free holiday dinner starts with a gluten-free turkey. Believe it or not some brands of turkey do contain additives that are not gluten-free—so, like everything else, read the ingredients and use Celiac.com’s Gluten-Free Ingredient Lists or Gluten-Free Shopping Guides to help you shop.
• Don’t risk gluten-based stuffing in your turkey. Instead, try this gluten-free stuffing recipe.
• Gravy is easy: Use a gluten-free gravy recipe.  Remember, bouillon cubes can often be a source of hidden gluten in holiday meals so be sure to use gluten-free bouillon cubes.  To thicken your homemade gravy you can use corn starch or arrowroot flour.
• Gluten-free holiday side dishes are easy: Browse Celiac.com’s extensive listing of gluten-free recipes to find side dishes that will impress anyone—celiac disease or not. (My own website, UnassumingFoodie.com also has several amazing Gluten-Free and Low-Glycemic dishes!)
• Order gluten-free baking ingredients and other hard-to-find items like prepared gluten-free pies ahead of time for convenience—this will allow you to spend more time with friends and family rather than spending all of your time in the kitchen! Many excellent prepared gluten-free products can now be ordered and delivered directly to your door from places like the Gluten-Free Mall..

For more info: 

 

Gluten free, kid tested, and foolproof recipes for special diets (Part 1) For many children, gluten intolerance is typically demonstrated as “off-the-wall irrational” behavior. A father of a gluten intolerant child… »

Gluten free, tested, delicious recipes for special diets: Soup and salad (Part 2) A recent Mayo Clinic study found a dramatic increase in the number of cases of gluten intolerance; Interestingly, the group most affected is women in…»

Gluten free, tested, delicious: Recipes for special diets (Part 3) It is better to pay the grocer than the doctor. According to Dr. Eydi Bauer, author of the must-read new book, Life After Bread, in the US, we spend… »

Gluten free, foolproof and kid friendly: Delicious desserts for special diets (Part 4) Gluten sensitivity is a neurological disease. With symptoms including diarrhea, bloating, cramps and general weakness, we don’t readily consider out… »

Green home makeover? 10 Eco-chic furniture tips October 30, 2009

This story appears in my Green Living column on Examiner.com.

Obsess about style, yet crave functionality? Greening your home shouldn’t mean giving up your aesthetic, or necessarily even adopting a new perspective. One person may relish a rough-hewn jute while another demands smooth, luxurious fibers. Whether you prefer wood, metal, cloth or plastic, you will be pleased to learn there is an eco-conscious company manufacturing stylish furniture pieces for virtually every taste and, yes, budget. 

Jacob Gordon at the fabulous website Planet Green compiled an excellent list of points to consider before obtaining your next piece of furniture. The following are excerpts:

1. Choose certified sustainable wood When cave people realized that boulders weren’t the most comfortable things to sit on, wood was almost certainly where they looked. The world needs more trees, not less, so practices that lead to deforestation aren’t any good. Not only do trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, they keep the surface of the planet cool, they hold soil together so it can stay rich, and they provide the habitat that animals, insects, birds, and other plants call home, not to mention they support many people’s livelihood. Simply put, don’t mess with the trees. There are sustainable ways to harvest wood, however. Wood from sustainably harvested forests, sustainably harvested tree farms, and reclaimed wood are the main sources. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and its largest forest certifier, the Rainforest Alliance, is the most widely used standard for sustainable forestry.

2. Furniture made with reclaimed materials If wood is taken care of, and sometimes even if it isn’t, it can last a really, really long time. Let’s make good use of all the wood that’s already out there. Reclaimed wood usually comes from old furniture, houses, or other built things that are ready for some friendly reincarnation, from flawed wood, or from scraps from a factory that makes other stuff. Some reclaimed wood even comes from logs that sunk to the bottom of rivers as they were being floated downstream to the sawmill, or from the bottom of man-made reservoirs (check out the Sawfish). Either way, furniture made from reclaimed wood is a great example of resource efficiency, but usually comes in shorter supply. The Rainforest Alliance has a Rediscovered Wood Certification label to look for.

3. Bamboo represents a family of grasses that range in size from tiny to huge, and in color from lime green to maroon stripes. It is incredibly fast-growing and versatile and has become the unofficial poster material of environmental designers and builders. Bamboo can be flattened into flooring, molded into furniture, pressed into veneers, sliced up to make window blinds, or hey, you can just build your whole house out of it. Using bamboo in buildings earns architects and builders LEED points. Most bamboo comes from China and is grown with few of no pesticides. Because it is so fast growing, it is much easier to maintain healthy bamboo forests. This also means it uses a lot of water, however, and harvesting too fast can deplete soil fertility. Some growers do use pesticides and other chemical inputs, however, so keep that in mind. But for the most part, bamboo is one of the greenest materials around.

4. Recycled/recyclable metal and plastic Since both metal and plastic are recyclable, at least in theory, these can be considered eco-friendly materials for furniture. More and more furniture is being made from recycled plastics and metals as well, like the recycled aluminum Icon Chair. Recycled materials require less processing and fewer resources, and help support the market for recycled materials. Technologies are always improving, meaning that recycled plastics and metals are always going up in quality.

5. Recyclable and disassemblable Good eco-friendly furniture should lend itself to easy repair, disassembly, and recycling. Products certified by MBDC’s C2C (Cradle 2 Cradle) product regimen are a perfect example, like certified office chairs from Herman Miller and Steelcase. These products can be easily taken apart, sorted into their constituent parts, and recycled at the end of their useful lives. When buying furniture, stay away from “monstrous hybrids”, pieces that are an inseparable amalgam of materials. If they can’t be taken apart it’s probably a sign that they can’t be repaired very well either.

6. Look for furniture that’s durable and fixable One of the most important but often overlooked aspects of green products (and this definitely goes for furniture) is durability. If something is tough and/or can be readily repaired, this lessens the chance that it’ll end up in the landfill, and could easily save you money in the long run, even if it’s initially more expensive. Even recyclable materials if they break (and can’t be fixed) require energy and other resources to reprocess and then replace. Durable goods that will last a long time can be passed on from person to person. Even if your style changes and that kitchen table isn’t your thing anymore, a good strong table will almost always be appealing to someone else, while a broken (and unfixable) one probably won’t. When it’s time to part with your possessions, think of Craigslist, Freecycle, or eBay, and find it a new home.

7. Low-toxicity furniture When you buy a piece of furniture, bring it home, and set it down in a room, it doesn’t just sit there. No matter what it’s made out of, chances are, it’s offgassing (or releasing substances into the air). Almost everything offgasses, which isn’t necessarily bad, but synthetic materials or those treated with synthetic substances can offgas chemicals which are toxic. Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are the most common family of chemicals that are offgassed and have been linked to birth defects, endocrine disruption, and cancer. Flame retardants and formaldehyde are common VOCs offgassed by furniture. Especially if your home or office is well-insulated (which it should be for energy purposes) toxins can’t get out easily. In fact, studies have shown that air quality inside your house (or car) is often worse than outside. Everyone should be conscious of the kinds of chemicals they bring home, but especially if you have kids, pets, or other family members who are low to the ground and prone to licking things. There are some good ways to help maintain good indoor air quality when it comes to furniture choices.

Greenguard is a certification which ensures furniture is low toxicity. Herman Miller, Haworth, Knoll, and the more affordable Izzydesign all offer Greenguard certified furniture options. Also, look for furniture that is untreated or treated with natural substances, like natural wood finishes, or naturally tanned leather. Organic cotton is also less likely to be treated with toxic stuff. Another great way to dodge toxic chemicals is to buy furniture that is vintage or second-hand and has already done most of its offgassing (just make sure it doesn’t carry anything worse, like lead paint). You can tell intuitively that new things offgas more actively–just think of that new car smell.

8. Buy vintage With all the slick, mod, “eco” brands jumping into the market it can be hard to keep in mind that pre-owned goods can be the most green purchase of all. Vintage and second-hand and furniture requires no additional resources to manufacture, is often locally sources (cutting down on transportation), is pre-offgassed and eases the load on the landfill. Quality vintage furniture can also have excellent resale value (sometimes selling for the same price it was bought) which certainly can’t be said for most new furniture, green or otherwise.

9. Buy local Just like the food on the dinner plate, we might be amazed how many miles the constituent parts of a piece of furniture might have had to travel in order to reach us. If possible, source furniture close to home. This will support the local economy, small craftspeople, and decrease the environmental cost of shipping (not to mention the other kind of cost).

10. What to do with it when you’re over it When it’s time to bid a chair, table, bed, or dresser farewell, make sure it goes to a good home. Sell it on Craigslist, eBay, or the local paper, give it away via Freecycle, or include it in your next yard sale. Putting it safely on the curb with a “free” sign on it can also do the trick. If you are the crafty type, lots of furniture can be repurposed into new functions or just freshened up with new paint or finish. No sturdy artifact should have to live out eternity in the landfill. Think about refurbishing old furniture or entirely repurposing other objects, like this bathtub turned arm chair. The Spanish group Drap-Art has a reuse festival that is ripe with ideas.

Chair pictured above by KnollStudio.

Follow me on Twitter! @RebeccaLacko

Winner for Greesnburg GreenTown’s Chain of Eco-Homes Competition After the town of Greensburg, Kansas was completely devastated by a Level 5 tornado in 2007, the town of 1,200 residents agreed to rebuild itself…  »

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10 natural remedies for Fall allergy sufferers October 29, 2009

While Fall has finally arrived, pollen, ragweed, and mold are still taking their toll on allergy sufferers.  According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, approximately 20% of Americans suffer from allergies and another 20% suffer from hypersensitivities to food, and environmental substances.

So what can you do about Fall allergy symptoms? ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner, Dr. Ian Wahl, DAc, LAc, CH is a Doctor of Acupuncture and herbalist who specializes in the treatment of children and adults with allergies and hypersensitivities. Dr. Wahl offers relief to sufferers with 10 tips breathing easier this season:

1) Take a whole food based Vitamin C. Vitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine. Dr. Richard Podell, author of When Your Doctor Doesn’t Know Best: Errors That Even the Best Doctors Make and How to Protect Yourself, recommends 1000 milligrams of vitamin C (Ester-C) twice daily to help with allergies and asthma.

2) Magnesium eases breathing. Some immunologists suggest taking 400 milligrams of magnesium daily helps with nasal allergies and breathing problems. Taking more than that can cause diarrhea. If you want to supplement your diet with magnesium–rich foods, the best sources are nuts, beans, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and bananas.

3) Wear sunglasses when going outside. Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, creates a certain amount of photosensitivity. Wearing sunglasses helps reduce your sensitivity to light and thus helps your eyes from excessive watering.

4) Bring a cold pack. When you are at an outdoor sports event, periodically place a cold pack over your eyes and on your face to reduce inflammation and help relieve some of your symptoms. 

5) Drink a lot of cool water. Rehydrating is one of the best ways to eliminate toxins from your body. It cools you down and provides some symptom relief.

6) Stay away from dairy If you have hay fever, eating dairy will produce even more phlegm and make you feel worse.

7) Use your bathroom exhaust fan when taking a shower. This will help prevent to growth of mold in the shower. Replace your liner every month or two, if you have mold sensitivities or asthma.

Keep your dryer vent clear. Build-up of lint in the dryer vent will cause an excess of dust in your house. Have your vents cleaned regularly to avoid aggravating your allergy symptoms.

9) Get rid of clutter. Allergy sufferers need to be especially careful about controlling dust in their homes. Clutter is a major source of dust and dust mites.

10) Get tested for food allergies. Many people who have allergies are also sensitive to different foods. These multiple sensitivities build on each other and stress the immune system. Find out what foods you are sensitive to and either eliminate them from your diet or get treated for them so you can eat those foods symptom-free.

For more information, please visit www.chicagohealers.com. Dr. Wahl’s practice, Wahls of Wellness is located at:
3375 N. Arlington Heights Road, Suite A
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
847-392-7901

Cost saving E-Cloth microfiber cloths offer best green household cleaning Several months ago, I was asked to test the E-Cloth, a series of job-specific microfiber towels that require only water to clean every surface inside… »
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Dr. Lauren Feder to offer 3 LA-area Safe Vaccination Lectures October 27, 2009

There is a growing movement among parents to question the safety of such standards as vaccines and antibiotics. 

Dr. Lauren Feder, author of The Parents’ Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations, presents three Los Angeles-area workshops for parents who are seeking optimum health for their children. Dr. Federer will present an overview of health, disease and each vaccination, including pros, cons, risk, benefits and prevention of vaccine side effects. Syllabus included.

Patients of all ages often ask Dr. Robert and Carri Tanaka of Natural Life Chiropractic this question: ”what do you think about vaccinations?” The Tanakas encourage all families to “get education from multiple resources on this important topic. One person we look to and trust is Dr. Lauren Feder. Dr. Feder is a Los Angeles-based doctor and, in our opinion, her lecture is a must for any parent to be, or person concerned about their families health.”

Dr. Feder’s lectures sell out quickly, so early registration is highly recommended.
Cost: $25 per person, $45 per PARENT couple.

See below for details on locations and times. NOTE: Dr. Feder will have books on hand as well as homeopathic flu remedies for sale. Please bring cash for these items. The Swine Flu will also be addressed.

For more info on this topic, for vaccine exemption forms and more, visit www.nvic.org.

Location: Belly Sprout
Saturday, November 7, 2009
10:30am – 12:30pm
426 W. Commonwealth Ave.
Fullerton, Ca. 92832

Location: Golden Bridge Yoga
Sunday, November 8, 2009
1:30pm – 4:30pm
6322 De Longpre Ave.
Los Angeles, Ca. 90028

Location: Yo Mama Yoga
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
6:30pm – 8:30pm
1404 3rd Street Promenade, Suite 204
Santa Monica, Ca. 90401

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Dustin Maher wants to know your goals and dreams. They’re different, when you stop to think. October 22, 2009

I don’t remember how I came to know of Dustin Maher, but what struck me right away about this ambitious, success-oriented personal trainer was his radically different approach to exercise–and the fact that his niche is singularly focused on moms, and our desire to get back into shape after pregnancy and stay in shape throughout our busy lives. As with male gynecologists, I understand how they might “know a lot” about the subject matter, but how can they really know? (And does it matter?)

I took a chance and signed up for his e-newsletter, and was surprised that the very first one was a video of his appearance on a news program. He was explaining to an anchor/new mom how to deeply contract her stomach muscles, instead of doing crunches. I love this concept for a few reasons; 1. Crunches are one of the worst exercises for the post-partum woman. Unless you are holding your abs rock-tight toward your spine, you may very well be crunching them into a muffin shape! 2. Holding in your abs tightly can be accomplished while doing pretty much anything: driving in the car, brushing your teeth, holding and feeding your baby, standing, sitting, you name it. And they’re easier to remember to do than Kegels–you’re reminded about your tummy every time you do up your pants! and, 3. Holding your tummy tight makes both your stomach and your lower back stronger (what new mom couldn’t use a little help with her lower back?) When you have a strong core, you stand up straighter and taller–you look better, and you feel better when the body is in alignment.

Speaking of being in alignment, it seemed to me that Maher and I were. Then, just after a meaningful Sunday at church, where we were pointedly asked to consider our visions for our lives, to explore our dreams and what goals we might set to achieve them, Maher posted an article about just this idea.

“I had a mini epiphany this weekend,” he shared after reading an article written by Greg Justice of AYC Personal Training, “about the difference between goals and dreams.”

“You hear me talk a lot on this blog about setting goals. I believe so much in goal setting as one of the most powerful tools to helping you go from where you are now, to where you want to be in the future.  But this article I was reading talked about how we set goals in order to achieve our dreams. It is our dreams that should really get us excited and keep us motivated!” Maher said.

He challenged readers to offer three goals and resulting dreams, first allowing readers to hear his.

Goal: To eliminate my knee issues/pain.

Dream: To be able to play recreational basketball, football, and any other sport for many more decades.  To be able to hike some of the highest mountains in the world, to be able to play with my teenage kids and be able to beat them!

Goal: Achieve 4% body fat

Dream: To place in the top 5 at the world fitness modeling championships in Vegas (unfortunately with my elbow this will have to wait a year)!

Goal: To help transform the lives of 1,000,000 moms.

Dream: The overwhelming satisfaction of knowing that I not only empowered them to be the best they could be, but also played a role in helping the kids of the moms live a much healthier and fitter life. 

Now it is your turn!  Also please consider the following question: If all your goals were achieved and became reality overnight, when you wake up tomorrow morning what would your life look like?

Goal: To finally lose those last 8 pounds that have held on since my last pregnancy (How can I be so close to my goal weight yet see no change when I’m constantly working on it?)
Dream: To feel honestly beautiful within my own body. To love and accept myself, and reflect that self-acceptance in my relationships with others.
Goal: To teach my children proper eating habits and a love of nutrition
Dream: To have them enjoy cooking with me, and exploring new recipes, tastes and culinary experiences as a family.
Goal: To write a book from the heart. To work fearlessly and joyfully–with gratitude.
Dream: To know success and enjoy success as a result of my decision to work diligently and share what I’m learning and care about most.

How about yours?

Kid-Friendly Gluten-free DESSERTS! October 19, 2009

Gluten sensitivity is a neurological disease. With symptoms including diarrhea, bloating, cramps and general weakness, we don’t readily consider out tummy pains to be affecting our brain. However, as Dr. Eydi Bauer relates in her new book, Life After Bread, any organ or system in the body supplied by the brain and the nerves can be damaged by gluten sensitivity. This means that all systems can be affected–digestive, nervous, reproductive, musculoskeletal, as well as your psychological functioning.”

Dr. Bauer goes on to report how studies estimate as many as 40% (almost half!) of the US has antibodies against gluten, suffering a wide range of symptoms most have just come to consider “normal.” She adds that, “Celiac disease (a manifestation of gluten intolerance) is now being called the most common and most under-diagnosed autoimmune disease of our time.” 

Below are some tested and delicious gluten-free dessert recipes. (Looking for more great recipes? Check these out! Gluten free, kid tested, and foolproof recipes for special diets (Part 1); Gluten free, tested, delicious recipes for special diets: Soup and salad (Part 2); Gluten free, tested, delicious: Recipes for special diets (Part 3).

Autumn Harvest Raw Apple Pie with Almond-Date Crust Get the kids to help with this one, using the time together for a short history lesson about how food was gathered and prepared when Grandmother (or Great-Grandmother) was young.

Carrot Pudding (Gajur Halvah) This rich carrot dessert, which is popular throughout Northern India and Pakistan, became an obsession of ours when I was pregnant with my oldest son, Joseph.

Raw Brownies with Icing Treat yourself to some Scharffen Berger cocoa powder. Green and Black’s makes a nice organic one. Navitas makes Raw Cacao Power, perfect for the purist. (The extra cost for your luxury cocoa splurge is justified by your savings in flour, eggs, butter and milk!)

For more info: Dr. Eydi Bauer suffered from undiagnosed chronic health problems for over 20 years. Today, she is a holistic doctor and chiropractor practicing in Mendocino, Calif. The author of the new book Life After Bread, Bauer says, “Gluten intolerance is a serious and widespread nutritional problem that is causing an incredible array of health problems in America. It is also largely unrecognized by the Western medical Establishment. Learn more here.

Gluten free, kid tested, and foolproof recipes for special diets (Part 1) For many children, gluten intolerance is typically demonstrated as “off-the-wall irrational” behavior. A father of a gluten intolerant child… Keep Reading »

Gluten free, tested, delicious recipes for special diets: Soup and salad (Part 2) A recent Mayo Clinic study found a dramatic increase in the number of cases of gluten intolerance; Interestingly, the group most affected is women in… Keep Reading »

Gluten free, tested, delicious: Recipes for special diets (Part 3) It is better to pay the grocer than the doctor. According to Dr. Eydi Bauer, author of the must-read new book, Life After Bread, in the US, we spend… Keep Reading »

Gluten free chicken recipes with style and substance October 13, 2009

It is better to pay the grocer than the doctor.

According to Dr. Eydi Bauer, author of the must-read new book, Life After Bread, in the US, we spend “twice as much on healthcare as any other country spends, yet we’re generally in poorer health.”

Dr. Bauer states that, “we are becoming sicker because of what we eat, and common foods are often the source of our health imbalances. Every street corner offers both the posion (gluten) and a pharmaceutical remedy for the resulting pain and discomfort … We need a paradigm shift.”

Here are some easy and elegant chicken recipes from The Unassuming Foodie:

• Divine Basil-Walnut Chicken Usually, the purchase of fresh basil results in homemade pesto. I have to admit, however, that pine nuts do very little to inspire me. Walnuts, on the other hand, can reduce the damaging effects of fats on blood vessels according to a 2006 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, can lower LDL cholesterol by 10%, and taste downright gorgeous, especially when roasted.
• Arugula, Feta, and Olive Stuffed Chicken Thighs Given the choice between Greek or Caesar salad, do you always spring for the Greek? When you breeze past a display of gourmet olives at your neighborhood deli or upscale grocer, are you instantly intrigued? This is for you!
• Stuffed Chicken with Fresh Sage in Prosciutto Envelopes This recipe is so impressive-looking and utterly satisfying, I’ve served it at a formal Christmas Eve dinner, and conversely I’ve chopped into tiny pieces to my 13-month-old, who shows increasingly good taste.
• Crusty Herbed Chicken  This is similar to a breaded and spiced, fried chicken dish—without the fat and flour!
• Roast Chicken with Smoked Paprika and Fresh Thyme Spanish Smoked Sweet Paprika is also known as Pimenton de la Vera, Dulce. It is a popular ingredient in many Mediterranean recipes, and its flavor is essential for authentic Spanish cooking.

For more info: See more delicous and creative gluten-free recipes at Unassuming Foodie. Learn more from Manhattan Gluten-Free Food Examiner Bernice Mast, Low-Carb Lifestyle Examiner Jimmy Moore, and Atlanta Gluten-Free Food Examiner Alicia King.

Gluten free, kid tested, and foolproof recipes for special diets (Part 1) For many children, gluten intolerance is typically demonstrated as “off-the-wall irrational” behavior. A father of a gluten intolerant child… Keep Reading »

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More About: health · Living Simply · Alternative Medicine · Gluten free lifestyle

Creating Family Traditions: Make your own, have fun, and grow closer October 12, 2009

We all have a handful of cherished family memories—things we did with our family which comforted us when we were little. These traditions may have included decorating the Christmas tree, or visiting a special relative in the summer, or even humorous and mundane things like a certain dish mom used to make—terribly.

Why not begin creating your own special traditions? They can be solemn or downright silly, whatever suits your brood. I’m going to use this page to begin a list of ideas of creative new rituals to try with my kids and husband, to build lasting memories, learn more about them and the things they value, and to simply share quality time with the people I love most.

Her are some ideas:

1. Create a Family Phrase Book.

Rather than downloading and printing pics for the photo album, why not start a compendium of all the cute, zany, hilariously unintelligible and downright heart-melting things your kids say? (This idea comes from my inability to assemble a scrapbook, overridden by my desire to remember all the precious moments. My husband keeps our photos organized on the computer, not to worry!)

• “Hey, do you want to go to Christmas? Get your raincoat!”  Now that Joseph is three, his imagination has run wild. His “raincoat” was a scarf he’d pulled from the front hall closet. Hey, I’d love to go to Christmas. (Joseph, age 3)
• “I can feel my poops in my nose.”  Joseph rather poetically said this when he caught the aroma of, well, his toots. It took us a moment to decipher it, and then we all cracked up. (Joseph, age 3)
• “I can’t want it!”  This was his rendition of “no thank you” for a while. Can a person not be able to want something? We finally convinced him to decline in a more dignified manner, but to this day, my husband and I replace “no” with this puzzling phrase. (Joseph, age 3)
• “I make you beautiful, mommy.”  This was Joseph’s reassurance to me one day when I was disappointed about something. I don’t remember what the let-down was, but I am certain that whatever beauty I have, my family is responsible for it. (Joseph, age 3)
• “I made a rainbow by planting seeds and sprinkling with milk.” Joseph said this after seeing a rainbow one morning. (Joseph, age 4)

2. Play “Something Nice Happened Today!”

This is a fun twist on counting our blessings. It requires little ones to think about the events of the day, and pick out the highlights. It builds a sense of abundance and joy. Life looks pretty good when you consider how many wonderful things happen every day. Remember, this exercise has nothing to do with “big” things like winning the lottery or getting a raise, or a puppy, or what-have-you. This is about finding joy in the everyday. For example:

• “I met a new friend at the park and we played pirates!”
• “I wrestled with Daddy and I won!”
• “I drew pictures with my crayons, and built a spaceship with my Legos.”
• “I took my race cars into the bubble bath!”
• “I read a new book.”

Moms and Dads can offer their own blessings. These can be as simple as saying “I saw you sharing with your brother and helping him” to something much more meaningful. The significance of this to share with your child what you consider a blessing, what is important to you. Showing gratitude for your child’s contribution to your life firms your bond and increases self confidence.

3. Keep record of the most unexpected moments of parenthood

When you were pregnant, you spent hours thinking about how life with baby might be. When your little cherub arrived, reality turned out to be a lot more work—and a lot more unexpected!– than you ever imagined. Children love to hear stories about themselves, especially things that happened when they were “little”—the sillier the better!

• Total obsession with Star Wars. My husband brought home the Star Wars Lego Wii game, long before either my 2- or 4-year-old were old enough to see the movies. It stirred something very deep and primal in them. They are absolutely obsessed with using “the forest” (the force), spaceships, planets, and “wight sabers.” At night, they request the Star Wars theme-song in place of lullabies, and wish ardently to collect all the Star Wars Legos kits that are find beyond their intended age range.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month October 8, 2009

As many as one in eight American women will develop breast cancer at some point in her lifetime. While we can’t change our genetics, we can do a great deal to reduce the risk of breast cancer with lifestyle changes. There are no foods, beverages or magic pills proven to prevent breast cancer, says Dr. Margaret Lewin, Medical Director of Cinergy Health, but we can reduce the risk. 

Data from multiple American and international studies show that simple lifestyle changes can make a significant impact on our health. Here are some important steps women can take:

• Get our weight down and keep it down to a Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 25. For example, a woman 5’2” tall should weigh less than 136 pounds, 5’7” less than 159. Obese women have higher body fat stores, a magnet for estrogen.
• Cut fats out of our diets, specifically Trans, saturated and omega-6 (sunflower, safflower, corn, cottonseed) fats. Aim for a diet with fewer than 30% fat calories. Graphs of breast cancer incidence in countries around the world are nearly identical to the fat intake in those countries: the higher the fat intake, the higher the incidence of breast cancer.
• Reduce dietary “white” carbs (potatoes, sugar, flour, rice) – which can induce hormone changes increasing cellular growth in breast tissue. Replace them with whole grains, beans and legumes. (Click here for delicious, elegant, gluten-free recipes.)
• Load up on fruits and vegetables, especially dark, leafy greens; cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage); berries, cherries and citrus fruits.
• Eliminate alcohol – or keep it down to one small drink daily (not the same as abstinence during the week and seven drinks over the weekend!).
• Exercise regularly – at least 30 minutes a day of moderate aerobics, such as brisk walking. The higher our body’s muscle mass, the lower the fat stores. (Read Get seriously fit–Outdoor bootcamp routine.)

 

Finally, should we be destined to develop breast cancer, finding and treating it early can be life-saving. Many authorities recommend routine yearly mammograms starting at age 40, adding an ultrasound for those women with ‘dense’ breasts, and even an MRI for women at super-high risk. Since cancers can develop before your next scheduled exam, use your fingertips to examine your breasts every time you shower or bathe. Don’t make this a scary exercise: trust that your fingers are very smart at recognizing changes. See your doctor as soon as possible should you note such changes, even though more than 80% of breast lumps are totally benign. We can’t prevent breast cancer, but we can markedly reduce our risks with lifestyle changes; and early detection and treatment can be life-saving.

Check your Body Mass Index.

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