One of the most widely used pesticides in the world has been linked to brain, intestinal and heart defects in fetuses, according to the results of a scientific investigation released Monday. According to the study authors, the doses of herbicide used in the study “were much lower than the levels used in the fumigations,” and so the situation “is much more serious”.

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Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of the most common and hazardous food additives on the market. MSG is reportedly more toxic than alcohol, tobacco and many drugs. MSG is an excitotoxin, so it tricks your brain into wanting to eat more and more foods containing the ingredient, even if you are already full. Side effects of MSG include: obesity, eye damage, headaches, depression, fatigue and disorientation. Food manufacturers know that health-conscious consumers try to avoid MSG, so it is oftentimes not listed in a product’s ingredients. MSG is banned in organic foods.

Here’s a list of ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:

Autolyzed Yeast — Calcium Caseinate — Gelatin Glutamate — Glutamic Acid — Hydrolyzed Protein — Monopotassium Glutamate — Monosodium Glutamate — Sodium Caseinate — Textured Protein — Yeast Extract — Yeast Food — Yeast Nutrient

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1-1/2 cups Millet flour
1/2 cup soy flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder (non-aluminum)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon orange flavoring
1 cup water or orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cups brown rice syrup or honey (or substitute Stevia)

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix all liquid ingredients together, then add to dry ingredients. Put mixture in well-oiled muffin tins. Makes 12 muffins.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until done.

1 cup millet, uncooked
3 cups water
2 cups black beans, cooked
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, (or substitute green onions), chopped
1 medium cucumber

Dressing
1/3 cup water
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin

Cook the millet in 3 cups of water until water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Fluff with fork and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, combine millet, black beans, tomatoes, and onion.

Peel several strips from the cucumber (it should look striped) and cut it lengthwise into four pieces. Remove the seeds and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Add the cucumber to the salad.

Mix all dressing ingredients until well blended and pour over the salad, tossing to blend. (Experiment with the seasonings to suit taste.) Cover and refrigerate until the salad is well chilled. Serve on lettuce leaves or stuff into pita bread.

The little stickers on fruits and vegetables have digits that let you know whether they’re conventionally grown or organic, and if they’re genetically modified (GM). There are many benefits to knowing this information:

Here’s what you should look for:

Sources:
Ideal Bite January 30, 2009

Read Dr. Mercola’s take on GMO foods here:

I routinely tell my kids to pass when they are offered hand sanitizers. Not only are we forcing germs to get stronger and more resistant by using all of the anti-bacterial products that we use, we are also doing our bodies a disservice by exposing ourselves to more chemicals that will stress our immune function instead of just making choices that build our immune system so we can naturally withstand germs on a daily basis.  If we are in a situation that requires instant sanitation and good old water isn’t around, I will have them use either a special essential oil blend i carry in my purse or we will on occasions use a silver gel on our hands. The gel you can purchase here, or contact me, I can order it for you and I also carry it in my office.

Healthy Blessings, Shari

Beware of Alcohol Poisoning via Hand Sanitizers   By Dr. Ben Kim on March 05, 2009

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Some brands of hand sanitizers, including gels and wipes, contain levels of alcohol that can potentially cause alcohol poisoning if ingested.

This warning is especially relevant for parents and teachers at day cares, preschools, and elementary schools, as young children who don’t know better than to lick curious-smelling substances from their hands can experience alcohol poisoning from accidental ingestion of common hand sanitizers like Germ-X and Purell.

Common symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:

• Dazed, glassy-eyed look
• Wobbly gait
• Mental confusion
• Fussiness
• Exhaustion
• Weakness

Hand sanitizers that contain alcohol should never be accessible to children without supervision. And whenever possible, it’s best to use plain soap and water to promote good hygiene rather than rely on gels and wipes that contain alcohol.

Many years ago, I worked at a multidisciplinary clinic where a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine routinely recommended using rubbing alcohol as an agent to apply various herbs to the skin of patients. Unfortunately, it took a young child patient to suffer serious alcohol poisoning for that practitioner to understand the dangers of using any substance with alcohol around the mouth and other major pores.

Please share this warning on the potential dangers of using hand sanitizers and other substances that contain alcohol with family members, friends, and any teachers and day care staff members that you know. Thank you.

By Dr. Ben Kim on April 07, 2009

The secret to mouthwatering falafel pitas is a rich, creamy tahini dressing – be sure to make some along with this recipe, and don’t be shy in dolloping it on before devouring these healthy falafels.

Ingredients:

1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 a cup of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of tahini (sesame paste)
2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 a teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of cumin
6 whole grain pitas
Olive oil

Garnishes:

Cucumber slices
Tomato wedges
Chopped green onions
Shredded romaine lettuce

Directions:

1. Steam peeled and diced Yukon gold potato until tender.

2. Combine cooked potato with chickpeas in a bowl and mash together until well homogenized.

3. Add onion, parsley, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, turmeric, coriander, and cumin and mix well.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put pitas on a baking tray and allow them to warm up in the oven – it’s best not allow them to get crispy.

5. Use your hands to roll chickpea mixture into small balls – about the size of small figs or walnuts. Place balls on a baking sheet that has been greased with a thin layer of olive oil. Bake balls for 15 minutes. Turn them over and bake for another 15 minutes.

6. To serve, open each pita and fill with 2-3 falafel patties along with garnishes. Add a generous dollop or two or three of tahini dressing. And feel free to add some hummus as well for extra richness and healthy protein content.

Enjoy this super delicious and healthy falafel pita recipe.

Tahini Dressing Recipe

Ingredients:

2 heaping tablespoons of raw, organic tahini
1/2 clove of garlic
Juice of 1/4 of a lemon
Sea salt, to taste
Water

Directions:

Blend all ingredients, adding water slowly until desired consistency is reached.

More than half of the baby shampoo, lotion and other infant care products analyzed by a health advocacy group, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, were found to contain trace amounts of chemicals that are believed to cause cancer. Some of the biggest names on the market, such as Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo and Baby Magic lotion, tested positive for 1,4-dioxane or formaldehyde, or both.

The chemicals, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has characterized as probable carcinogens, are not intentionally added to the products, and are not listed among ingredients on labels. Instead, they are likely byproducts of the manufacturing process. Formaldehyde is created when other chemicals in the product break down over time, and 1,4-dioxane is formed when foaming agents are combined with ethylene oxide or similar petrochemicals.

The organization tested 48 baby bath products such as bubble bath and shampoo. Of those, 32 contained at least one of the chemicals, and 17 tested positive for both chemicals.

Read more here.
Sources:

Washington Post March 13, 2009

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics March 12, 2009