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Careful With That Cookie Dough: Holiday Food Advice

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With the season of baking in full swing, we need to be reminded of a few proper food handling techniques that can make a healthier holiday season and less trips to the urgent-care for tummy troubles.  There are also a number of seasonal favorites that require either special ingredients or a specific handling method that I’ve found ways to make healthier.

I recently saw a news report discussing the importance of not eating cookie dough.   As you may know cookie dough contains raw egg which has been linked to salmonella outbreaks in the past.  However, the flour itself has recently been found to have traces of E. Coli.  This is especially important with prepared, refrigerated cookie dough which can often be mistaken as safe because of quality control during production. Consumers should also be aware of pre-made dough, since these products go through the same basic process as at home, only on a much larger scale.   It’s also important to clean the surfaces the cookie has come in contact with to prevent cross-contamination.

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Since I’m on the topic of egg safety, let’s not forget a seasonal favorite, Eggnog.  While I find it a guilty pleasure for the calories, I’d love to make this myself but didn’t know how to do so safely. The idea is to cook the eggs well, at least to 160 degrees and chill well overnight afterwards. I found a delicious recipe that avoids any contamination issues, and one that is kid friendly.  Let me know how your works out in the comment box below.  Enjoy!

 

NanoFilters: A Clean Water Solution

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Lately we’ve heard many reports on the status of our water supply.  Too few people in the world have access to clean drinking water.  In just 1.5 minutes 13,000 people will become gravely sick and 4 children will die due to this problem. As it stands now, only 1 in 8 people do not have access to clean potable water which translates to about a billion people.  Until recently there seemed no real answer to this issue. In fact, as the population has increased combined with an increasingly difficult political, environmental and economic world, access to clean water supplies has only gotten worse.

Unequal access to clean water supplies as shown above

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Despite our planet being 2/3 water, most of the fresh water present is trapped in glaciers and ice caps, much of it being too remote to access.  It either comes in the form of inconveniently timed monsoons, torrential storms, hurricanes and the like and or at inconvenient locations.  In fact, one of the problems we’re having recently is the increase in weather activity which results in an increased need for on-the-spot potable water. As demonstrated during Hurricane Katrina,  a developed country like the U.S. would presumably not have a problem getting drinking water to the masses and yet it took 5 days to get fresh water to people at the Superdome.   Having ‘ridden’ through Hurricane Ike in 2008, I have vivid memories of hurricane prep that involved stock-piling water in jugs or purchasing cases of bottled water that would sit in storage for just such an event.  This becomes a regular practice if you’re living in vulnerable areas of the world that are prone to these kinds of severe weather patterns.

A village near the coast of Sumatra lays in ruin after the 2004 tsunami that hit southeast Asia

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It took 5 days for fresh water to reach people at the Superdome after Katrina

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Til now the main sources of fresh water filtration have been in the form of large-scale processing plants such as desalination or facilities requiring established energy sources not readily available in third-world countries. Fortunately there are a few really usable products available on the horizon that would not only solve the immediate problem of storm-stricken populations’, but could solve the problem in developing parts of the world.

The most recent item that caught my eye is the Lifesaver Water bottle. The Lifesaver Water Filter bottle by Michael Pritchard was developed after he witnessed in frustration the events that followed the 2004 Tsunami and 2005 Hurricane Katrina. Both situations occurring either in a developing part of the world where resources were limited or in a developed 1st world country that no one thought could be so adversely affected.  The main problem he sought to resolved was how the majority of filters currently on the market only filtered down to 200 nm (nano-meters) which is the size of the smallest bacteria (such as tuberculosis) and the smallest virus is 25 nm (such as Polio). Obviously this means contaminated water even after standard filtration.  The Lifesaver can filter down to 15nm which means every virus and bacteria can be filtered, with only clean water left behind.  The portability of this and similar products allows for a wide variety of applications which would provide not only much-needed water in crisis situations, but would save time, money and resources normally spent transporting large quantities of bottled-water.

no more Montezuma's revenge for the soldier in the field

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These new technologies would also be usable in military environments where troops are located in remote sites as well as recreational purposes for hiking, scouting and general outdoor use.

Scouting and hiking require a reliable water-filter

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As these filtration technologies advance, so does our ability to those most in need in dire circumstances. However, its cost-savings should appeal to the emergency-management community and to anyone looking for an affordable, green and convenient solution to the ever-present water supply issue.  We all share a better quality of life from these advancements.

 

 

 

Food Therapy: Different Ways To Treat Illnesses

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I love the fall and the colors of the seasonal changes. The kids are actually able to enjoy a little more time outdoors with the cooler temperatures. I’m not crazy however, about the onset of stuffy noses and coughing that usually accompanies their activities. This is no doubt brought on by more frequent exposure to germs at school as well as the body’s adjustment to temperature differences while going in and out-of-doors.

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While I typically use teas and the like for standard treatment, my usual stand-by comfort food would be chicken soup.  As it was and continues to be reported time and again, the origin of this food therapy can be found as far back as 800 years ago when the  Jewish physician Maimonides recommended the use of  chicken soup as a remedy for upper respiratory congestion which explains the cliche ‘jewish penicillin’ that persists today.

Why this particular remedy is so effective as a folk remedy for generations is substantiated by Dr. Stephen Rennard out of the University of Nebraska Medical Center.  He discovered after testing multiple samples of his wife’s old-world chicken soup recipe revealed a decrease in inflammation of the mucous-membranes as a result of the slowing of certain white blood cells called neutrophils to the resperatory areas.  This inflammatory response results in a cascade of other symptoms from swollen airways and nasal passages to increased mucous that results in the obvious unpleasantness of a cold. The soup brings with it this decreased inflammation as well as increased hydration and increased air flow from the nasal passages from the heat of the liquids and the broth itself.

Similarly, another study showing further benefits from other substances such as curcumin (the key to the yellow color in turmeric) and black pepper, ingredient particular to the soup.  Black pepper was also found to decrease inflammation due to Caryophyllene, a substance that gives the pepper the distinctive ‘kick’.  Additionally, turmeric, which I’ve found makes the soup golden and all the more appealing, was found to stop melanoma by Dr. Bharat B. Aggarwal during a study done at MD Anderson Cancer Center  in 2005.

The benefits of various food additives and the combination of ingredients in familiar favorites comfort foods turn out to be some of the best medicine. Kids are less likely to turn up their noses to a warm bowl of comfort food than the typical over-the-counter and prescription remedies available.  If you have any favorite family recipes that have brought relief and comfort, please share them in the comments below.  Good health to you and yours!

Seasonal Weight Gain: there is hope

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As we approach  a season of  emphasis on food, staying on a diet or weight-loss program can seem daunting.  The ever-present temptations, quantity and variety of foods, especially the carb-heavy stuffing, potatoes and pies create challenges to our waistlines. You may also feel helpless when get-togethers consist of time spent around a table schmoozing with family and friends.  You may also be sitting for hours unaware that your caloric consumption has possibly been enough for two or more days. So, it’s a little reassuring that while we languish in guilt over our attempts to lose weight this time of year, recent research has emerged to validate the difficulties we have in our battle of the bulge.

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  A multi-national study at King’s College, London has revealed that a gene named “KLF14″ linked to Type II diabetes and cholesterol acts as a ‘master switch’ that can control the behavior of other genes throughout the body including BMI, cholesterol, insulin and glucose levels.  As fat has become the focus for so many disorders ranging from obesity to heart disease and diabetes, this gene could be targeted in future treatments to curb this current medical epidemic.

Another genetic revelation came in the form of a study out of  the University of Scotland at Dundee. This study which focused on children, showed how the FTO gene commonly referred to as an ‘obesity gene’ can influence one to choose more calorie-dense foods, not neccessarily a larger quantity of food. This gene is found in roughly 74% of Americans of European origin and can make someone crave 200 more calories a day over someone without this gene giving credence to the idea of some people being more prone to being over-weight.

help is on the way

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 However, before you throw up your hands in defeat, another study involving over 200,000 adult subjects revealed that simply increasing physical activity can alleviate the obesity-causing effects by about 33% in adults with the gene.   The idea of controlling intake and increasing activity once again rings true.

So, while you enjoy a large family feast, you can focus on how to increase your activity level by remembering all the shopping and errand running that awaits you. Mall-walking and bargain-hunting takes on a whole new meaning. It’s easier to find the time by including your exercise activity in your daily routine. This takes some of the stress out of squeezing in a few hours of exercise and provides encouragement to those of us strapped for time.

a 40-minutes mall walk can burn calories.

Small things like parking the car farther out and walking a lap or two prior to shopping the box-store or mall can have favorable results.  My husband lost 40 lbs in 8 months just using this method along with watching his calories.  I shared in his ‘errand-running’ and  enjoyed an increased endurance in the process.

Approaching this winter with an encouraged outlook towards calorie-intake and activity can fuel a more successful New Year’s weight-loss resolution.  Just remember where you parked your car.

A Guide To Travel Nursing Jobs

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The “Guide To Travel Nursing Jobs” presents data obtained from Onward Healthcare’s nationwide base of travel nurses including motivational factors in choosing a travel nurse career, age demographics, benefits information, and social media usage. In addition, the guide highlights the salary info for travel RNs as well as a timeline of the travel nursing process.

It “Mite” Cause Problems

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Google image search for scabies. Do not want.

It appears that members of the University of Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club have been dancing with scabies, and therefore ballroom classes were canceled at Bierman Field Athletic Building this week after one member received the disturbing diagnosis.

Jessica Lussenhop’s post tells us, “Scabies are a kind of mite that tunnel into the skin, and cause itching and some pretty grody-looking rashes.”

This tiny parasite wreaked itself into the lives of a family over the summer 2010 as well, as I learned when I read about Taylor Rios and her little girl, age 1.  There were several medical staff members to thank by the time this ordeal was diagnosed and treated, because scabies is not what is necessarily expected when a quick spreading rash shows up during the summer season:

Ms. Rios made her acknowledgements in her 7/29/10 post: “I would also like to thank Dr. Coldwell at Hill Country Memorial Hospital in Fredericksburg, Texas for not giving up on finding the cause of this rash. Many doctors would have shrugged and sent her him with benadryl.  Dr. Coldwell kept at it for 2-3 hours searching for the answer. Thank you so much, Dr. Coldwell and Hill Country Memorial Hospital for your hard work, persistence, and dedication.”

For our grandmas and grandpas among us, an explanation from the Dermatology Times was published online on 11/1/2010 to support caregivers who should be on the look out for pests as a cause of itching, which could signal the beginning of a serious health issue if ignored or misdiagnosed:

“Geriatric patients, especially those in nursing homes, may be susceptible to a higher incidence of scabies than the general population,” Dr. Bikowski [Joseph Bikowski, M.D., a dermatologist in Sewickley, Pa.] says. “(Physicians) always have to look for scabies, which may present as minute burrows in the palms of the hand, the wrists and the other usual locations. In the nursing home population, scabies may also present with lesions on the trunk as well as the scalp. The lesions are usually from 4 to 6 centimeter papules.”

Fall Back – On Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 2 a.m

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Louisville South KOA

Louisville (KY) South KOA

Fall Back – On Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 2 a.m

Daylight Saving Time is the plan to keep us productive in our day-to-day lives.  This is in the sense that the daylight hours of the day are maximized when the afternoon light shines as brightly as possible as long as possible.  When we shift the hour behind in the autumn season – “fall back” – the sky stays lit until 5:00pm well into December, where I live on the -85° 38′ longitude line.  The spring forward time change has the complementary effect in the morning hours, as well.

Matt Rosenberg of Geography.about.com states, “The change to Daylight Saving Time allows us to use less energy in lighting our homes by taking advantage of the longer and later daylight hours.”

U.S. Daylight Saving Time

Year Spring Forward Fall Back
2004 2 a.m. April 4 2 a.m. Oct. 31
2005 2 a.m. April 3 2 a.m. Oct. 30
2006 2 a.m. April 2 2 a.m. Oct. 29
2007 2.a.m. March 11 2 a.m. Nov. 4
2008 2 a.m. March 9 2 a.m. Nov. 2
2009 2 a.m. March 8 2 a.m. Nov. 1
2010 2 a.m. March 14 2 a.m. Nov 7
2011 2 a.m. March 13 2 a.m. Nov. 6
2012 2 a.m. March 11 2 a.m. Nov. 4
2013 2 a.m. March 10 2 a.m. Nov. 3
2014 2 a.m. March 9 2 a.m. Nov. 2
2015 2 a.m. March 8 2 a.m. Nov. 1
2016 2 a.m. March 13 2 a.m. Nov. 6

Meeting in the middle with high quality exercise experience

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The latest project for Social Media Mom is getting involved with a new high quality exercise experience with Community of Movement.

Moms are particularly vulnerable to their exercise getting lost in the shuffle. That’s why we created our phone programs. Community of Movement provides the motivation and accountability to do what you want, where you want, when you want.

Simply call in on your self-chosen scheduled work-out days and times, enjoy a 5 minute motivating “pow-wow” with your community leader and Mom “workout buddies,” jump off the phone for 50 minutes, doing the exercise of your choice, and afterwards, call back in for 5 minutes of connection and accountability letting everyone know you did it! Simple as that!

The benefits that come from consistent exercise are truly irreplaceable. We encourage you to join one of our communities today and give yourself the gift of an energetic, healthy, and happy YOU!

When you are on the phone and you can hear people saying, “I’m going to go for a walk” or “I’m going to do some stretching,” you kinda feel like, “I better do something because everyone else is doing something.” I know that after I hang up the phone I better be doing something; I can’t cheat.

Ann, Stay at Home Mom – San Francisco CA

Narrowing The Information Divide: Seniors And Health Information

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Recently while visiting my mother, a Type-II diabetic, I noticed several things about her health and dietary behavior. But, what started out as casual observations about her health issues became a real interest in learning about other areas of life and why she wasn’t getting much-needed information and help that could improve her quality of life. Her’s is not a solitary story, but a generational one and a problem I wanted to get to the bottom of.

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I was frustrated to learn that the apparent lack of access to pertinent health information is a symptom of a greater problem 55+ population. The idea of being ‘older and wiser’ may be true in terms of life-experience but the speed and methods of information that is dispensed today, particularly in areas of health and wellness is at a quicker rate than ever. This information gap seems to be emanating from a generational digital divide and intimidation of the current computer and internet technology as was indicated in a recent study in France as well as a Pew report below.

65+ are the most under-served age group for important medical info online

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Everyday there are new health breakthroughs especially in the areas of longevity and aging. It’s at the point now where access to vital information is no longer a luxury, but an absolute necessity. For example, because of a terminal lung-disorder, my father-in-law was able to participate in an experimental drug trial for a new medication that my husband found out about only after  researching it on the web. It seemed to me that his pulmonologist would have known about this first, however even many doctors, especially older ones are at risk of being caught in this information gap.

The solution starts with helping older adults with computer literacy.  A trend towards “reverse mentoring” is being implemented in some workplaces such as GE, HP and Cisco. This method allows older adults, in this case, executives or older workers to team up with younger adults to be ‘tutored’ in recent technologies and social media among other things. This method can extend into the retirement population as community centers are now offering classes and workshops in everything from computer literacy to how to use smartphones.  There are now online resources for the rest of us in helping our older family members and friends in getting up to speed on these devices.

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Those of us with this valuable knowledge can help close the ‘digital divide’ that may exist for many older adults we care for. It can have life-saving consequences and result in a better quality of life.  Case in point:  my father-in-law was not only able to connect with and participate in that clinical trial, he helped advance the research necessary toward pending FDA approval for this much awaited medication.  Furthermore, he found his condition was nearly halted by the success of the drug and now he’s able to enjoy more time with his family and silly pics of the grandkid’s via email.

 

Diabetes and diet: Smaller is better

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We often think of the traditional mealtimes as a 3-a-day routine.  Assuming there is a decent breakfast, the common logic is to follow about 6 hours later with a sizeable lunch accompanied by the usual ‘food-coma’.  There are the usual cravings between meals which we’ve been conditioned to accept as normal.  Furthermore, we’re bombarded with countless ads for quickie supplements and drinks to get past that  low energy/between-meal slump. By the end of the day, we’re still expected to finish with a on-the-large-side dinner, often consisting of the usual meat and potatoes, or if time doesn’t permit, the ever-dreadful fast-food drive-through beckons.

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With diabetes however, it’s important to re-evaluate how to view meals and mealtimes diffently than before .  A study published in 2001 in the British Medical Journal explored this issue and despite the 15-minute discussion it evoked, the subject is just as relevant today. It’s difficult to re-think eating habits and bad ones still persist.  The idea of between-meal snacks in fact should be instead thought of as meals, just smaller, with a total of 5 to 6 meals distributed throughout the day. Ideally the suggestion from experts is having a small meal every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. This also has an added benefit of helping you lose weight by keeping you feeling satisfied throughout the day with your body’s blood sugars evened out. You’re much less likely to either binge in a rage of hunger or reach for that candy bar or coke while in the grips of a cold-sweat, nausea-inducing blood sugar drop. Not coincidentally, this same study also showed that eating these multiple smaller meals had a 5% lower overall cholesterol (including the LDL, the bad cholesterol) compared to those eating only one or two meals regardless of calories consumed.

Smaller meals during the day become a kind of "grazing" .

While at first it may seem all your focus is on food all day. It helps however to think of this routine like  ’grazing’ since the calories consumed are done so in smaller quantities but in a more uniform pattern.  The easiest way to do this is slashing each larger meal in half instead of just adding a couple of extra snacks. This way the calories you’re already consuming will result in less blood-sugar highs and lows and keep you sane all with minimal cravings.

Happy grazing!