Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, celebrate fall, and enjoy the bounty of nature and the company of family and friends.
I love this holiday because it’s so important to take a break from focusing on all the problems in our world and in our lives, and spend time reflecting on
the good in the world. There’s much to be grateful for, even in hard times.
As a vegetarian cook I follow the traditional Thanksgiving meal quite loosely. The palette of my presentation will definitely abide…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on November 23, 2009 at 6:00am —
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Millions of Americans live in poverty, more families are suffering and hunger is seen growing.

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Poverty and hunger are problems that many Americans relegate to the Third World. But the steady growth of poverty has left millions of American families afraid they won't have enough…
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Added by Susana on November 17, 2009 at 1:26pm —
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There are many compelling reasons to exercise. Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the incidence of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. It improves mental health, fosters strong muscles and strong bones. It also makes most participants happier and improves our looks.
Physical activity also burns calories. In the past few decades exercise has therefore become one arm of the two pronged approach to combat overweight and obesity. Exercise is the calories expended in the equati…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on November 9, 2009 at 6:00am —
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We are now hearing daily about organic foods and why we should purchasing and eating them. For years, our food has been sprayed and fertilized with syntheic chemicals. According to the USDA, Organic farming has become one of the fastest growing areas over the past decade. Between 1990 and 2002, certified organic farms doubled in acreage and doubled again between 2002 and 2005.
Even with this many acres in organic farm production, organic foods are sometimes hard to find at your local grocers. T…
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Added by Lynn on November 3, 2009 at 10:50am —
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If the photo of this golden, brown delicacy wasn’t enough to whet your appetite, let me describe the smell: It’s the essence of childhood dreams, the aroma of pleasure itself. At least for me.
Clearly I’m digressing this week from veggie and whole grain recipes and the science of healthy living to the aroma of…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on November 2, 2009 at 6:00am —
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Do you live in a healthy neighborhood?
Is there such a thing as an unhealthy neighborhood?
Personal choice has a big impact on many aspects of our health, but do we really have the wherewithal to choose our lifestyle, or do most of us fall into a pattern determined by what’s easy to do and what everyone else is doing? Sure, there are a few motivated individuals who swim against the stream and set their own trend. Most of us don’t. Whether we realize it or not, we follow the lead of our parents…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on October 26, 2009 at 6:00am —
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You know you should be reading food labels, but what’s the point if you don’t know what you’re looking for? Let me give you a few guidelines you can follow to make food labels work for you.
1. Select foods with less SODIUM than the following amounts per serving:
Frozen or packaged dinners – 500 mg
Microwave Popcorn – 350 mg
Desserts & Cookies – 250 mg
Cheese – 200 mg
Chips, Pretzels – 200 mg
Bread, Crackers, Rolls – 140 mg
2. Select foods with less FAT than the following amounts…
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Added by Lisa Nelson on October 20, 2009 at 10:00pm —
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Coca-Cola’s CEO Muhtar Kent recently wrote a much viewed
op-ed in the
Wall Street Journal titled “Coke Didn't Make America Fat,” in which he claims Americans need more exercise, not another tax, and should “enjoy the simple pleasures of a Coca-Cola.”
While it’s perfectly understandable that Mr. Kent would fight the soda tax idea—not because it threaten…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on October 19, 2009 at 6:00am —
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Ingredients
1200 g peeled, cored and coarsely chopped, ripe pears
400 g rice malt syrup
juice of 1 lemon
half a teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Makes about 2 jars, 350 g each.
Directions
Put the pears in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the malt syrup, lemon and cinnamon and toss until combined. Let the fruit marinate for 30-40 minutes then start to cook it over medium heat, stirring occasionally. As soon as the pears start to liquify, change the heat to low, add th…
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Added by cotto e crudo on October 10, 2009 at 5:22pm —
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I have tried a lot of things to try and reduce my cravings. Anybody have any advice for controlling your cravings?
Check out my blog post about cravings: http://www.shar-on-nutrition.com/?p=316
Feel free to comment! :)
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Added by Sharon Porter on October 7, 2009 at 8:15am —
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I’ve always wondered why banana bread is called banana
bread and not banana
cake.
Is it because it’s baked in a bread pan, and not in a round pan? Is the name designed to make us feel be…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on October 5, 2009 at 5:30am —
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I'm a new member here and this is my first post. It's exciting to find some more health nuts....er friends. I joined because I am a health blogger and wanted to connect to my blog articles, but it's even better that I get to connect with others with the same interests.
Alkalarian, what's that?
I'm an Alkalarian, or as some call it, Alkavorian. It's also known as an acid alkaline diet. All it means is I eat and drink mostly green! Yeah, it doesn't sound good does it? But, if you learn so…
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Added by Deborah Oakes, NPS on October 3, 2009 at 10:11am —
5 Comments
A survey of 2900 individuals found those living near more fast food restaurants and convenience stores to be 25% more likely to be obese. The Canadian survey looked at food sources within 800 and 1600 meters of homes. If there were more grocery stores versus restaurants/convenience the likelihood of obesity decreased. The link between restaurants/convenience stores versus grocery stores also decreased with distances greater than 1600 meters.
This was a short survey I found interesting and decid…
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Added by Lisa Nelson on October 1, 2009 at 9:30pm —
3 Comments
I’m very skeptical of promises that sound too good to be true.
No field is as rife with these as the diet industry, where new dream diets are invented daily and claim to have found a magic trick allowing us to eat as much as we want yet lose weight.
But here’s one worth checking out: Can eating more fruit help you shed weight?
This diet is worth a second look because we have many
other good reasons to increase our fruit consumption—fruit and vegetables are an important component of a…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on September 28, 2009 at 6:30am —
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If you strive for optimal health, consider adding a whole food supplement to your daily regimen. However, you must be a savvy shopper to make sure you select a supplement that lives up to its claims. . .many are a waste of money! Things to look for:
1. Independent research - This means the company selling the product did not conduct the research.
2. Double blind, placebo controlled studies - This means neither the "patient" nor the doctor knew if they were taking the supplement or a sugar pill…
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Added by Lisa Nelson on September 22, 2009 at 4:30pm —
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A
recent New York Times article says the debate over a tax on sugary soft drinks is starting to fizz over.
The story quotes President Obama as saying taxing sugary drinks is an idea worth exploring, and that “every study that’s been done about obesity shows that there is as high a correlation between increased soda consumption and obesity.”
A…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on September 21, 2009 at 6:00am —
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The American Heart Association’s (AHA) new
guidelines published in late August were a refreshing point of clarity contrasting with the vagueness typical of nutrition advice designed not to offend any major food lobby.
The new statement, published in
Circulation, replaces AHA’s hazier 2006 one to “minimize the intake of beverages and foods with added sugars,” and provides detailed guidance by recommending an…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on September 14, 2009 at 6:11am —
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I can’t believe the summer vacation is over and kids will be going back to school this week. This summer went by way too fast!
I was happy to get a letter from my daughter’s elementary school announcing new snack policies—the school will not be giving out
any more snacks, will not give food as incentives, prizes or rewards, and birthday celebrations at school will become "food free." Parents are being encouraged to send healthy snacks from home, including fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on September 7, 2009 at 6:39am —
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One of the best ways to improve your health, save a few bucks and help your local community all at the same time is to engage in buying local. This holiday weekend, take time to search out a local farm market, pick-your-own farm, food co-op or festival with locally produced goods. These are often the best places to get the produce, meats, eggs, dairy etc. of highest quality nutrients & freshest natural ingredients. You will be doing your health some good, saving a few bucks by eliminating th…
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Added by TC on September 6, 2009 at 8:37am —
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A recent study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, found that a high intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains and low intake of sodium, sweetened beverages, and red and processed meats was associated with reduced ri…
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Added by Ayala laufer-Cahana MD on August 31, 2009 at 6:00am —
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