Saturday, July 23, 2011

Metal Water Bottles May Leach BPA

The estrogen-mimicking pollutant traces to a polymer resin lining affected bottles
By Janet Raloff
When metal 'looks' like plasticSome aluminum water bottles host a lining that contains—and leaches—BPA.iStockPhoto

Consumers who switched from polycarbonate-plastic water bottles to metal ones in hopes of avoiding the risk that bisphenol A will leach into their beverages aren’t necessarily any better off, a new study finds. Some metal water bottles leach even more BPA — an estrogen-mimicking pollutant — than do ones made from the now-pariah plastic.

That BPA doesn’t come from the metal, by the way, but from an epoxy-resin lining that is based on BPA’s recipe.

That’s the bad news.

If you’re willing to spring for name-brand bottles, however, several included in the new study either did not contain a resin liner or did not contain one that leached BPA. These data suggest such products would be a better bet for individuals who are especially risk averse. But BPA leaching by even the worst performing water bottles was low, observes toxicologist Scott Belcher of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, an author of the new study.

“Low is a fair characterization,” he says. “Infinitesimally low and irrelevant is not fair,” he adds, because there are so many potential sources of the pollutant in the human environment “and this is just one.” Moreover, his team confirmed, temperature abuse could — and did — exaggerate BPA releases by otherwise low-emitting bottles.

Belcher’s group has for years been testing the effects of BPA on heart-muscle cells. This work has shown that in rodent hearts, BPA exposures foster potentially life-threatening arrhythmias. And the risk intensifies in the presence of estrogen. (The team’s published data suggest that owing to the levels of estrogen present in women, the addition of substantial BPA via the diet might be capable of provoking such arrhythmias.)

After having a number of individuals plead with his team to test whether ostensibly BPA-free water bottles really were devoid of the pollutant, Belcher and his colleagues agreed to perform a series of tests. The researchers used old (but unused) polycarbonate and resin-lined aluminum bottles that they had closeted away several years earlier, along with new BPA-free “Tritan” plastic bottles (by Nalgene), stainless steel bottles (by Sigg) and new “EcoCare” resin-lined aluminum bottles (by Sigg). They also purchased some new aluminum water bottles from a major discount retailer.

After cleaning each unit, the scientists stored room-temperature water in three bottles of each type for five days. In an additional set of experiments, Belcher’s team filled the bottles with boiling water (which tests by others had shown could boost BPA leaching) and then let the water cool to room temperature over the next day.

Levels of BPA were below the limit of detection for the new Sigg and Nalgene bottles, the scientists reported early online July 8 in Chemosphere.

By contrast, the old polycarbonate bottles leached 0.17 to 0.3 nanograms of BPA per milliliter of water during the room temperature tests. The old aluminum bottles with an epoxy-resin liner (which looked golden orange) leached 0.59 to 0.14 nanograms per milliliter. Brand-new epoxy-resin-lined aluminum water bottles leached substantially more — up to six times more BPA than the worst-leaching polycarbonate bottle and more than 10 times as much BPA as the polycarbonate-plastic bottle that had leached the least.

Oh, and the hot-water test: It quadrupled BPA leaching over what occurred when water had been kept at or below room temperature.

Belcher says he was pleased to see that the bottles that had been sold as BPA-free in fact did not leach the steroid-hormone-mimicking pollutant. But he also cautions that at present, “BPA-free doesn’t really have a meaning, other than being a marketing tag.” There are no regulations to limit which products can make that claim, he explains. And that’s important because some resins don’t contain BPA as a direct ingredient, but during breakdown might release the chemical or a biologically similar cousin.

For now, he notes, it appears that consumers can get a good gauge of whether bottles contain a BPA-based resin by inspecting the inside of the metal vessel. A golden-orange coating points to a material that can shed BPA, Belcher says; a white coating doesn't.

But what these experiments don’t establish is the absolute risk associated with use of drinking from bottles that leach BPA.

Recent animal studies, including a pair I reported on a couple of weeks back, indicate that exposures to BPA in the womb can rewire the developing brain in ways that alter gender-specific behaviors. Even in children, prenatal exposures to this chemical have been linked with a gender-bending of behaviors.

But no one has yet demonstrated the long-term importance of such changes. There’s the presumption that they’re deleterious and could ultimately affect gender identity or reproduction. There’s also, however, the possibility that such changes, though measurable, hold no more biological significance than whether a baby is born with brown eyes versus green ones.

So those who subscribe to the precautionary principle may want to withhold judgment. And, of course, keep abreast of the developing science reported here and elsewhere.

-Navan Foods Newsletter, July 22, 2011

Thursday, July 21, 2011

5 Healthy Grilling Tips

Before firing up the grill, check out these simple tips for safe, healthy, eco-friendly grilling.

1. Grill with gas. Charcoal grills emit nearly three times the carbon emissions as propane grills. And standard briquettes, made from compressed wood byproducts, contain polluting additives. Crave that charcoal flavor? Get two smoke boxes (available at hardware stores); place them between your cooking grate and the burners or heat stones, away from the grill center. Fill with additive-free lump or natural-hardwood charcoal; light before you ignite the propane. (Eco-bonus: When cool, use the lump charcoal ash to alkalize garden soil.)

2. Clean regularly. Keeping your grill grate clean yields tastier, healthier food, plus it prolongs the life of the grill. Before heating, remove any ash, scrub with a wire brush, and then lightly brush the grate with vegetable or olive oil to keep foods from sticking. After cooking, lower the grill lid for about 5 minutes (with the heat still on, if using gas). Turn off heat and scour the grate again with a grill brush.

3. Think ahead. Remove meats and seafood from the fridge about an hour before grilling so that it comes to room temperature, ensuring the center will cook through.

4. Be ready. Grilling is fast. Before you grill, prepare all side dishes and salads. Set the table. Have beverages ready. And be sure all seasonings, grill tools (tongs, basting brush), oven mitts, and platters for the finished food are within easy reach. Never reuse the platter or bowl that held the marinating, raw meat or fish.

5. Make sure the food is properly cooked before you bring it to the table. Cut into meats, if necessary, to ensure they are cooked through; or use a meat thermometer.

-Delicious Living Magazine, July 21, 2011

Hidden Copper Overload

The copper connection to low thyroid, fatigue, anxiety, and insomnia.
Diagnosing copper overload is more of an art than an exact science. Ironically many people who have copper overload don’t initially test high in copper—at least 50% of my clients don’t—when they take a Tissue Mineral Analysis. Their metabolism is so depressed that the copper is tightly stored in tissue and hasn’t yet been released into circulation and deposited in the hair.

Yet, if they begin treatment for copper overload, eating a low-copper, high-zinc diet and taking supplements to boost their metabolism, copper will be mobilized from storage deports and show up in high amounts on a Tissue Mineral Analysis conducted within two months.

Since initial testing is simply not as sophisticated as the wisdom of our own bodies, taking my Copperhead Questionnaire will help you to better assess common symptoms and indicators associated with copper overload. If you answer “yes” to three or more questions in the quiz, some degree of copper overload is likely present:

1. Do you eat frequent light meals, but still lack energy? Meals consisting of legumes, whole grains, nuts, and especially soy products are healthy for some people, but not for those with copper overload.

2. Does your mind tend to race, even when your body is exhausted? Copper is a brain stimulant—it speeds up mental processing, so high levels usually lead to racing thoughts. But high levels also tamp down the thyroid and adrenal function, which are the glands most responsible for metabolism, and giving us our get-up-and-go.

3. Do you consider yourself a highly creative person, but one who is frequently anxious and drained of energy? Individuals who have high tissue copper levels tend to be right-brain dominant, thus they are intuitive, emotionally oriented, and artistically inclined—and tend to overdo it.

4. Do you tend to daydream and live in your head? People with copper overload sometimes are so overly creative that they become wrapped up in their thoughts and daydreams.

5. Do you frequently experience insomnia because your mind simply won’t calm down? Copper is a brain stimulant, so excess copper typically interferes with sleep.

6. Are you prone to emotional and physical highs and lows? Often people with copper overload are so stimulated by their creative ideas that they become emotionally and physically hyperactive for a while, drawing on borrowed energy despite their fundamental fatigue.

7. Do you have frequent cold and flus, slow wound healing, lack of taste or appetite, or white spots on your fingernails? These are all typical signs of a zinc deficiency—a common factor that leads to the development of copper overload. Zinc is the mineral antagonist or balancer to excess copper.

8. Do you suffer from any of the following conditions—migraine headaches, hyperactivity, panic attacks, mood swings, depression, premenstrual tension, or skin problems—for which no underlying cause has been identified? Women with high levels of copper in their body frequently experience these symptoms.

9. Do you have high estrogen levels or use birth control pills, estrogen replacement therapy, or a copper IUD? Estrogen and copper levels tend to go hand in hand in the body—as the level of one rises, the level of the other tends to rise, too.

10. Do you either crave or adversely react to high-copper foods such as legumes, whole grains, nuts, chocolate, soy products, avocados, and black tea? Individuals with copper overload tend to either crave foods high in copper (like those listed) or have adverse reactions to them.

11. Do you have areas of dark pigmentation or skin blotches on your face? Copper dependent melanin influences the color of hair, as well as the color of skin. Dark areas of pigmentation or skin blotches on the face are often signs of hidden copper overload. This unusual pigmentation is most likely to occur during pregnancy, when estrogen and copper levels rise.

Supplement Your Diet

A hidden place you may be ingesting copper is in your multivitamin. Copper-free multiples are hard to locate because even in the natural health industry, few people know about the problem of copper overload (meaning that most natural-product manufacturers don’t make copper-free products). I became aware of this problem when I learned that I had copper overload many years ago. As a result of my frustration at not being able to find a product that met my needs, I worked with UNI KEY to develop a copper-free multiple.

The supplement I developed, the Female Multiple, is completely free of copper and scientifically designed to meet the needs of women. I recommend it for all women who are tired and know or suspect that they have copper overload.

For those of you who are interested in having testing done, keep in mind that—as with most other tests—it’s helpful only if the results are evaluated correctly. I recommend UNI KEY’s Tissue Mineral Analysis. It measures levels of 29 major nutrient minerals and 8 toxic metals, is simple to do with speedy results, and comes with my personalized recommendations specific to you.

Take this advice from a fellow “copper head” and don’t allow preventable ailments to continue. With simple dietary and lifestyle change, you can cop out on copper. For more information on copper overload, please refer to my book, Why Am I Always So Tired?

-Edge On health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Fruit Flushing for Summer Detox

Cool down and lose weight with fruit!

Juicy, succulent fruits, especially berries of all kind—like raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries—are the perfect antidote to rising temperatures. But blueberries, especially, are quite the superfruit these days. In honor of the beautiful blues, July has even been named “National Blueberry Month.”

With an ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) score of 6552, one cup of blueberries can take care of your minimum daily recommendation of antioxidants and then some. (Of course other berries are also good alternatives, especially blackberries [5347 per cup], raspberries [4882 per cup], and strawberries [3577 per cup].) Blueberries are a standout because not only do they provide more antioxidant power than most other popular fruits, but they also contain a significant amount of both antibacterial and antiviral compounds—which protect against heart disease and cancer. High in fiber, blueberries also contain tannins, which serve to cleanse the digestive system. Plus, they promote a healthy urinary tract by preventing bacterial growth. No wonder they have their own “month”!

Fat-busting berries are simply bursting with vitamin C, which stimulates the production of carnitine, an amino acid that boosts metabolism by carrying fat to the mitochondria in your cells, where the fat is converted to energy. Researchers have also found that insoluble fiber in berries prevents their total calories from being absorbed, making them the ideal skinny-fruit ingredient in your daily smoothies.

On my Fat Flush Smoothie Shakedown you are invited to partake in two filling fruit smoothies as a central part of the program. The Fat Flush Kit offers advanced detox support for cravings control and turbo-charged fat metabolism taken with the smooothies, snacks, and one full meal

Here’s the basic smoothie recipe:

Ingredients:
8 ounces water or cran-water*
1 scoop Fat Flush Body Protein
1 serving fresh or frozen fruit (the berries of your choice)
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil
1 tablespoon flax or chia seeds
Ice cubes (optional)

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a blender until smooth, then add flax or chia seeds. Don’t skip the flaxseed oil—it’s essential for long-lasting satiety.

*1oz. 100% unsweetened cranberry juice to 7 oz. of water

-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

Leonardos Pizzeria

Leonardo's Pizzeria is proud to offer
Gluten Free menu items!

Now everyone can enjoy Vancouver's Best Pizza! Every small pizza on our menu is available on our delicious Gluten Free crust. If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, use our build-your-own option and enjoy your own pizza creation! Either way, you're sure to find an option that will not only satisfy your dietary needs, but your taste buds as well.

We are also proud to offer Redbridge Gluten Free beer, which is brewed with sorghum rather than wheat and barley. Our other Gluten Free options include Coca-Cola products and wines from our neighbors at English Estate Winery. At Leonardo's you'll find plenty of refreshing beverage options to compliment your pizza.

We look forward to serving you! And remember, you can always call in your order ahead of time, and we'll have it ready when you get here. Use the coupon below to enjoy some extra savings on your pizza!



$2 off any Gluten Free Pizza!
Limit one coupon per visit. Not valid with any other offer.
Coupon must be presented at time of purchase.
Offer Expires: 8/31/2011

Leonardo's Pizzeria
16505 SE 1st St Vancouver, WA 98684 (360)253-2394

Friday, July 15, 2011

Hydrochloric Acid, Your Alkaline Ace in the Hole

"The forgotten genie for weight loss and more.
It takes the right acid to create systemic alkalinity—the key to health, longevity, and weight loss.

Yes, you heard that right. I’m talking about HCl here, the only acid your body actually produces on its own that is not a byproduct of metabolic waste. It may sound counterintuitive, but although HCl is an acid, it’s the key to the proper alkaline/acid balance—which is seriously deficient in anyone beyond the age of 35. A lack of iodine, salt, B vitamins, potassium, and/or too much stress are common culprits of inadequate HCl production.

But, acid into alkaline—how could that be?

The right amount of HCl in the stomach triggers the pancreas to produce large amounts of alkalinizing bicarbonates that signal pancreatic enzymes, which can only activate in an alkaline medium. It is also absolutely necessary for the production of the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK), which helps the gallbladder to release bile for fat emulsification. Without sufficient HCl, bile production can be hampered from doing its job because if there is not enough bile produced, fat cannot be emulsified. It’s as simple as that.

If you have a roll of fat at your waist line, your liver has stopped processing fat and begun storing it. Only when you bring your liver back to full function—with the aid of HCl—will you lose this fat.

And what will you gain?

• Increased absorption of muscle building protein that increases metabolic rate by 25%.
• Complete assimilation of calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, B12, and folic acid, as well as fifteen minerals and eight essential acids.
• Relief of asthma (especially in children) and edema along with mucus congestion.
• Better oxidation of painful lactic acid in tissues.
• Increased kidney and liver function.
• Elimination of boils, abscess, rosacea, and rashes—which are unresponsive to other therapies.
• Heartburn relief.

Since we are in the midst of summer outings, don’t leave home without HCl. It is the most effective anti-bacterial agent I know of. Outside your body, it could literally burn a hole in a tablecloth or eat right through an iron nail. Within your stomach, it acts as a natural antibiotic—your first line of defense against toxic invaders, especially bacteria you are likely to encounter when traveling. It helps to neutralize pathogenic organisms, along with yeast and Helicobacter pylori—the bacteria associated with ulcers. It’s even been used to neutralize the venom of snake bites to prevent infection!

This information may seem new to you, but decades ago Dr. Hugh Tuckey and his wife spent thirty years conducting independent research on HCl, research which has tragically been forgotten. They discovered that a lack of HCl was the underlying cause of many digestive and immune-system ailments, along with bad breath and dark circles under the eyes.

Should you take HCl? Take the HCl challenge! Before the next meal you eat, take a hydrochloric acid supplement that contains at least 500 to 550 milligrams of betaine hydrochloride and about 150 milligrams of pepsin. The brand I recommend is UNI KEY’s HCL+2. After you’ve taken your first HCl tablet, notice how you feel. If you’re producing enough stomach acid, taking this supplement will cause you to feel a bit of pain or warmth in your stomach. You can relax—your stomach acid is sufficient to digest the food you’re eating.

If you don’t notice any symptoms or any worsening of the symptoms you already have, increase your dose to two HCl tablets at the next meal. If you’re still symptom-free, or if the symptoms you’ve already experienced haven’t gotten any worse, continue upping your dose a tablet at a time. As soon as you feel a burning sensation or warmth, you know you’ve gone too far. Drop back to the previous dosage and continue taking the supplement as needed. You can work up to eight pills a day.

After four months, you might experiment with reducing your HCl dosage. If you get good results, continue to reduce your intake of HCl until you are no longer taking it. If your symptoms return, go back to your previous dosage."

-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

Thursday, July 14, 2011

GIG Pancake Breakfast

The GIG Pancake Breakfast at Lingonberries Market
has been CHANGED from this Saturday, July 16th to Saturday,
August 20th, 8am-10am. Let's hope for better weather!

Sorry for the inconvenience and we hope to see you there!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

How To Get More Fiber

Fiber-rich foods (such as chia seed, berries, beans, oats, and jicama) may protect against heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, all while helping keep you regular. Unfortunately, adults get an average of only 15 grams of fiber daily—less than half the recommended amount.

If you’re falling short of your daily fiber quota—at least 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men—you could be missing out on more than just roughage. “Eating a variety of naturally fiber-rich foods helps people be healthier even if they’re not focusing on fiber, per se,” says Diana Fleming, PhD, coauthor of The Full Plate Diet (Bard, 2009). Not only do high-fiber, low-fat whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans and other legumes help sate hunger, they’re also packed with minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial plant nutrients.

No wonder studies suggest such foods may protect against heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, all while helping keep you regular. Unfortunately, adults get an average of only 15 grams of fiber daily.

Chia seeds

A mere 2 tablespoons of these tiny seeds boast 6 grams fiber—that’s more than any other whole food, including flaxseed. (And yes, chia seeds come from a field-grown version of the same plant [Salvia hispanica L.] as the pet-shaped planters.) Animal studies suggest chia could help lower triglyceride levels and increase HDL (good) cholesterol, says Wayne Coates, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Arizona. Preliminary human studies suggest the seeds may also help control appetite, reduce inflammation, decrease blood pressure, and moderate post-meal blood sugar surges.

Fit them in: “Chia seeds are essentially flavorless, so they can be added to almost anything, from salads to smoothies,” Coates says. “And chia seeds have a soft seed coat, so you don’t have to grind them.” He adds them to peanut butter sandwiches for extra crunch.

-Delicious Living e-news

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Toxic Travel

How to avoid bringing home surprising souvenirs.

Getting away for a much needed vacation is the highlight of many people’s summer, but unwittingly being exposed to toxic invaders can leave you with a ruined trip and a problem that follows you home. You’re not a party pooper if you take precautions—you’re a smart traveler. Check out some of these ways to safeguard your long-term health by avoiding pathogens away from home.

Don’t share your phone. A microbiologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson found that 50 percent of the cell phones he examined tested positive for MRSA. Don’t lend yours out, and don’t borrow anyone else’s.

Check for creepy crawlers. Immediately after walking into your hotel room, check for “bed bugs” in your mattress. Signs include blood stains, a nauseatingly sweet or usual aroma, or even a black trail of stains, which is usually a sign of left behind fecal matter. If your mattress even hints of any of these, ask for a different room immediately and repeat the process.

Disinfect your hotel room. Have you seen those scary reports of what really lurks on the hotel bedspreads? Well, every surface of a hotel room is the same—phone receivers, TV remotes, temperature dials, door handles, the bathroom counters, you name it. Make it a habit to walk through and wipe down every surface you might touch with antiseptic wipes, repeating several times during the duration of your stay. And never use the glasses on the sink—reports have found that even at upscale hotels those glasses are rarely ever cleaned, let alone sanitized, between guests.

Use your own pen. When you’re at the bank or in the checkout line, you may be tempted to use the pen provided. Don’t—it may be teeming with bacteria. Make a habit of using your own pen in all such public signings.

Keep your nails short and trim often. Superbugs have been found to hide under long fingernails—don’t give them a place to take up residence.

Step away from a flushing toilet. The spray from a toilet flush can splatter residue of superbugs like E. coli. Get away from the toilet as quickly as possible once your press the handle to flush.

Wash children’s hands when leaving a petting zoo. Otherwise, they can pick up parasites and infections. Also, if you have a baby or toddler, keep pacifiers tucked away in a sealed plastic bag while in the park and keep close watch to prevent any fingers from finding their way into mouths before you can find your way to a sink.

Apply hand gel, early and often. A few small travel-size bottles of antiseptic hand gel, stashed in your coat pocket, purse, or gym bag will keep them handy for you throughout the day. Whether it’s using a handrail to board a bus, sliding your hand on a banister, punching sticky buttons in an elevator, exchanging money at the newsstand—you name it, you have countless reasons to apply the hand gel daily. Get the moisturizing kind so you don’t dry out your hands with repeated applications. Look for natural antibiotic hand gels that are made with essential oils, like tea tree, as opposed to alcohol.

Just in case. You can really put your mind and body at ease by being proactive and using My Colon Cleansing Kit. This thirty-day program provides advanced, safe, and gentle colon cleansing, while targeting accumulated waste, microorganisms, and toxins you may encounter in your travels. It includes three time-tested and unique herbal products designed to help eliminate parasites while recolonizing your system with friendly probiotics to promote a clean colon that’s inhospitable to pathogenic organisms. It includes Para-Key, Verma-Plus, and Flora-Key. I would begin the program at least 5 days before your designated trip and continue throughout, or at least begin when you return home for a grand total of thirty days. If you still have unresolved symptoms from minor to major GI distress, diarrhea, constipation, and/or allergies, cough, wheezing, and increased mucus then you may want to consider completing another course of treatment. By the way, you should not use this kit during pregnancy or while nursing.

I have literally counseled hundreds of people who have never been “quite right” after a vacation to an exotic locale, the islands, the mountains, or a camp out. Don’t let a fun-filled getaway turn into a microscopic nightmare. Implement these tips—as well as general hygiene and hand washing—for stress-free fun in the sun.

-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

Any Help You Can Give Us?

Our Annual GIG Pancake Breakfast is this Saturday, July 16th
from 8am-10am and we need volunteers to help in any way they can.
If your passion happens to be flipping pancakes, please let us
know and we will happily put you to work. We would really
appreciate your help in making this fundraiser a success! Thank
you very much for your support and we look forward to seeing you
there!

Please call Kristi at 360-695-0862

Simple Squares

Sweet Press:
ABC's Good Morning America Health: New Health Food Trends Worth Trying...
NaturalNews.com Review: Simple Squares, a delicious raw food bar with...
Purely Delicious Magazine: Going Raw...

Simple Squares - The Healthy Alternative To Candy
Simple Squares® are all natural, savory-sweet, nut and honey confections infused with vanilla and herbs. Gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, soy free. No refined sugars. Kosher. Raw. Made with organic ingredients. Rosemary, Sage and Coconut flavors.

www.simplesquares.com

Sunday, July 10, 2011

GIG Pancake Breakfast

Who: Southwest Washington Gluten Intolerance Group

What: Fundraiser Pancake Breakfast

Where: In front of Lingonberries Market

When: July 16th, 8:00AM - 10:00AM

Why: Because it supports your local Gluten
Intolerance Group and is a delicious chance to try pancake mixes from Laurel’s
Sweet treats, Bavaria Mills, and Bob’s Red Mill. Egg-free and dairy-free
pancakes will be available. Breakfast will also include sausages, orange juice
and coffee.

How Much:
$5.00 per adult
Free for children 5 and under
$12.00 max per family

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Bakery On Main

TrueBar Fruit & Nut Bars

EAST HARTFORD, CONN., June. 6, 2011- Bakery On Main has recently unveiled a new product, True Bar. This bar has nothing to hide with its six exotic flavors that will leave any consumer’s taste buds wanting more. With its clear packaging, consumers are able to see the natural ingredients right in front of their eyes.

This is good news for anyone who follows a gluten free diet, and that’s a growing population. Now it’s not only individuals with Celiac Disease (who must adhere to a lifelong gluten-free diet), but also:

• People with gluten intolerances

• Those with Autism who eat a gluten free casein free (GFCF) diet in an attempt to reduce symptoms

• A growing number of athletes who have adopted a gluten free diet to improve performance

• People who have tried it and stuck with it because they report feeling better eating less or no gluten

• Anyone looking for a quick, healthy snack on the go

Bakery On Main True Bar Gluten Free Granola Bars are a good source of Fiber and Omega 3, made with many low-GI ingredients, non- GMO, dairy and casein free. These bars are also low in sodium with no transfat or cholesterol and certified gluten free and Kosher Parve.

The six delicious flavors are: Hazelnut Chocolate Cherry, Walnut Cappuccino, Fruit & Nut, Raspberry Chocolate Almond, Coconut Cashew, and Apricot Almond Chai.

The suggested retail price is $1.99 per bar, these are currently available on our website and will begin appearing on store shelves in September.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Pamela's Single Serve

Enjoy Pamela's Single Serve Baking Mixes

Enjoy your favorite Chocolate Brownies in about a minute with Pamela's Instant Gratification Brownies, made from Pamela's Chocolate Brownie Mix in a single serve pack. Simply mix and bake in your microwave or toaster oven for a delicious brownie anytime!

Delight in your own stack of Pamela's Pancakes with Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix in a single serve pouch. It's easy, just mix with oil and an egg and bake on a warm griddle. These are perfect for those on the go, college students, travelers and anyone who wants to make a quick stack of pancakes!

Now available at Lingonberries Market!

Mercury Rising

"All fish should be poison free, says Orli Cotel, deputy communications
director of Sierra Club. Sadly, we know they're not. How do fish become
contaminated in the first place? Coal-fired power plants are the largest
man-made source of mercury emissions in the United States, and once the
neurotoxin enters the water, it's practically impossible to eliminate
from the food chain. The EPA is proposing a nationwide cap on mercury
pollution, and Sierra Club is now offering to test samples of your hair
to reveal how much is in your body. Simply fill out a form at sierraclub.
org/mercury and, for $20, you'll have an answer within weeks. If your
levels are high, rest assured that mercury cycles out of the body within
a few months."

-Prevention Magazine, August 2011

Thought For The Day

Do something nice for someone everyday. An act of kindness
can turn a life around...not only for the recipient, but for
the person who makes the decision to reach out.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Are You Your Blood Type?

Your body knows best.
Quick, what’s your blood type? Are you an O, A, B, or AB?
I think that your blood type could be the missing link to why you are not losing weight and are vulnerable to certain diseases. Since I wrote my book Your Body Knows Best over fifteen years ago, I’ve come to believe that blood types have just as much to do with what not to eat as with what should be eaten. The answer lies in the lectin connection.

Blood types are part of the immune system, you see. They react to foreign substances like lectins, which are protein antigens that—similar to little strips of Velcro—also bind to the surface of blood cells. Left to their own devices, lectins wreak havoc on your unsuspecting body. They can cause intestinal damage, disrupt digestion and absorption, cause nutrient deficiencies, food allergies, gas, mucus, fatigue, achiness, headaches, anemia and fatigue, and clump, then destroy blood cells. There are 65 lectins that are known to bind specifically to the ABO blood types. As a result, foods containing blood type specific lectins should be avoided in those blood types.

Here is a run-down of the key facets of the blood type science:

Type O – The original “caveman blood type,” 44% of the population is Type O. A high protein, low carbohydrate diet suits Type O people the best. They do not do well with dairy products, grains, and legumes, which came about in the later agricultural stage of human development. Because they tend to be overly acidic, they also need to stay away from coffee and black teas. More so than any other blood type, Type Os have a greater predisposition to have gluten intolerance or full-fledged celiac disease. This is caused by a genetically inherited metabolic inability to digest foods that contain gluten—the protein fraction of the grain that gives it its resilient quality—found specifically in wheat, rye, barley, and kamut.

Coincidentally, these grains are the “new” foods that were introduced into the human diet only 10,000 years ago—long after the first appearance of the Type O individual. Symptoms of severe gluten intolerance include osteoporosis, alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Another side effect is malabsorption of vitamins, resulting in chronic deficiencies that can be the cause of depression, fatigue, and a lack of motivation, as well as more serious diseases like cancer. Gluten sensitivity has been implicated in chronic canker sores, and a myriad of digestive disorders from intermittent constipation to diarrhea.

I always prescribe high intensity and vigorous exercise to my Type Os, which can help ward off depression (a common occurrence among this type). I also suggest that the anti-inflammatory Inf-Zyme Forte be taken between meals to reduce inflammation from dietary discretions.

For the Type Os that tend to be sugarholics (or anyone else, for that matter), I recommend Y-C Cleanse. This homeopathic formula balances intestinal yeast to help reduce sugar cravings and relieve signs of Candida overgrowth, such as bloating, gas, headaches, moodiness, and mental fog.

Type A – The second most common blood type is Type A (occurring in 42% of the population). While the typical Type O is a meat eater, a typical Type A thrives on a more vegetarian diet. However, these veggie lovers should keep in mind that tomatoes and other night-shades (like eggplant) are “no-nos.” Type As need to ensure that their diet is balanced and they are ingesting enough protein—especially because they innately veer away from animal foods. This is why I always suggest at least two Fat Flush Body Protein smoothies (made from GMO-free rice and yellow peas) per day with my Type A clients.

One of the reasons I found the research on blood types to be so fascinating is that while I was working on my book about intestinal parasites, Guess What Came to Dinner, I learned that type As are at a higher risk for giardia, a common waterborne microscopic invader. It may be the genetic lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach of Type As that makes them so susceptible. This is why I also typically recommend at least 1-2 HCL+2 tablets for Type As after a heavier animal protein meal (like fish or poultry). Their digestive problems, as well as their rosacea, really seem to decrease with the addition of HCL.

This blood type can also benefit from adding Y-C Cleanse to their daily regimen as they seem to have a particularly sensitive immune system and often suffer from systemic Candidiasis.

Type Bs are just 10% of the population. People with this kind of blood type digest almost all kinds of foods pretty well, including fermented dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese. They do not do well with chicken, lentils, corn, peanuts and sesame seeds. They also seem to be major cortisol secretors and do not cope as well as the other blood types when it comes to stress. This is why I suggest an adrenal supplement to all of my Type Bs. They were the motivation behind the formulation of Adrenal Formula, which I take myself (I am a B).

Type ABs are just 4% of the population. They are rarest blood type of all and resemble type As in many respects, except that they can often digest dairy products. This blood type seems best suited for a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian diet routine and should take HCL+2 (like their type A counterparts) when consuming heavier protein foods.

In Japan the study of blood types and its impact on personality is serious business. In general, the Japanese researchers have found that Type Os are goal oriented and enthusiastic, while Type As are more detail oriented and fastidious. Type Bs tend to be creative and unconventional, whereas Type ABs have a great spiritual sensitivity.

Tell me, does your blood type accurately represent you?

-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman

Zucchini

"Zucchini are so plentiful right now that farmers' markets
and neighborhood gardeners are practically giving them away.
For the best of the bounty, choose smaller vegetables up to the
size of a large banana: bigger ones can be tougher and less sweet.
Store them in a plastic bag on a shelf in the fridge for about
4 days. More than delicious, zucchini contain lutein, a compound that may
protect your eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration."

-Prevention Magazine, August 2011

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Gut Health

Belly doing flip-flops again? For most people, abdominal upset is an occasional fact of life. “It affects everyone some of the time, and some people all of the time,” says Victor Sierpina, MD, professor of family and integrative medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and author of The Healthy Gut Workbook (New Harbinger, 2010). In fact, one in three adults has a digestive disease, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), food intolerances, or leaky gut syndrome. The rest of us have periodic bouts of heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating.

To understand why tummy troubles are so common, try to visualize this: The gastrointestinal tract—mouth, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines—has an absorptive surface the size of a tennis court. “It’s one of the major routes where the outside world meets the inside of our body,” says Angelica S. Vrablic, PhD, manager of nutrition research for NBTY, a dietary supplement manufacturer. It’s exposed to toxins, allergens, viruses, and bacteria, as well as food. Good thing, then, that 70 percent of immune cells are in the GI tract, ready to defend against anything that comes in. The downside to this hypervigilance is that the digestive system’s reactions to invaders—real or perceived—often cause unpleasant symptoms.

Aging tends to aggravate the situation: Declining production of stomach acid—which helps activate enzymes—tends to mean weaker digestion. Ironically, you feel stomach acid more as you get older. “The valve between the stomach and esophagus gets weaker and floppy,” Vrablic says. This lets stomach acid splash up, leading to heartburn and reflux. Proton pump inhibitors—drugs like Prevacid and Prilosec—tend to worsen the cycle, and should be taken only as a last resort. Blocking stomach-acid production relieves irritation and may give the GI tract a chance to heal, but it also allows bacterial infections to thrive (which means food doesn’t get broken down as well) and may lead to more serious problems.

-Delicious Living e-News, July 2011

Beauty From Within

For Howard Murad, MD, it’s clear: the fountain of youth is water. “We have so many new technologies, treatments, concepts coming out, but more and more chronic disease,” said Murad at the NutriCosmetic Summit keynote presentation in Las Vegas yesterday. “There are hundreds of theories on aging and disease. But I believe that the one thing that transcends all of these, the final common pathway, is intracellular water.”

Howard Murad, MDIntracellular water, or the water that supports your body’s cells, is the foundation of Murad’s new book, The Water Secret (Wiley, 2010) and his Inclusive Health Program, which considers three elements when evaluating skin and overall well-being: Topical (lotions, serums, etc.), internal/systemic (diet and supplements), and emotional (stress reduction, including cultural stress from technology overload or working overtime). “The skin is connected to every cell in the body. We can’t make it healthy by putting on a cream or ingesting a nutrient, but by addressing every system—every cell.”

Murad refers to Aristotle’s properties: We are hot and wet when we are young, cold and dry as we age. In his program, this translates to the decrease in collagen and intracellular water that we experience as we get older, making skin more susceptible to environmental damage and visible signs of aging.

It might be with a high school student suffering from acne. It could with be a 50-something wanting to improve overall health. But Murad’s goal is always the same: to make cells stronger by increasing intracellular water, which he says will improve health and aesthetics. “The goal is to strengthen cell membranes both internally and externally.”

But while staying hydrated can support your cells, the solution isn’t necessarily drinking eight glasses of water a day, a recommendation based on research from 1945, according to Murad. “You can utilize foods for water,” he said, getting H20 in its “structured” form in beans, fruits, and vegetables, which also harbor the nutrients that will help boost intracellular water and collagen production. His program and products have also pinpointed the most promising skin-protective, collagen-boosting nutrients: glucosamine, Vitamins B and C, lipids, and amino acids. After all, the water that protects your cells may be his key to healthy aging, but “water is just water unless we add nutrients to it.”

-Delicious Living e-News, July 2011

Outback Fundraiser

Due to restaurant and mall renovations, the Outback Fundraiser
scheduled for September 17th has been changed to Saturday, November 19th.
If you have already purchased your tickets, they will still be good on
the 19th. If you can't make it on the new date, you will be able to
get a full refund. So sorry for the inconvenience!

Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you
on Saturday, November 19th.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Portion Telling

Practice savvy portion control.
Humorist Carl Ottavi once said, “The popularity of dieting proves that people will go to great lengths to avoid going to great widths.” But despite the myriad of diets and fitness info out there, worldwide obesity is on the rise. In fact, seven out of ten Americans are overweight or obese. In today’s petrochemical world, the fatter you are, the more toxins you’re retaining, which is why a detox program—like Fat Flush—should always accompany weight loss.

One very simple underlying reason explains why Americans are getting fatter. Over the last three decades portion sizes (think bran muffins and bagels) have slowly but surely doubled (or quadrupled!) in size. Even our dishes have become larger—by several inches in fact—so we can pile on more food. This began in the early 80s when food companies began making larger portions, so people naturally ate more and their waistlines expanded.

Instead of counting calories—which I never believed in anyway—it’s so much easier to smart-size your diet. Eat lots of veggies and about 6-8 ounces of lean protein to trigger the fat-burning hormone glucagon, which mobilizes fat from storage. Use this guide to size up the most commonly over-consumed foods—fats, fruits, and starches. When I review personal diet histories, these food groups are the single biggest diet culprits, either through omission or plain excess.

Slimming Fats
Fat is your BFF when it comes to weight loss. The right kind of fat provides the “satiety factor” and is the most potent blood sugar stabilizer of all. In many cases several of these oils are natural anti-inflammatories that also inhibit weight gain and help to balance hormones. About 2 servings daily is all you need to meet your body’s requirements. Each food source is broken down to the equivalent of one tablespoon of oil.

• Hi-lignan flax oil, fish oil, extra-virgin olive oil, macadamia nut oil, or coconut oil (1 tablespoon); nut or seed butters—peanut, almond, sesame, or tahini (1 tablespoon); avocado (1/2 small); almonds (7); cashews (5); peanuts (10); pecan halves (4); macadamia nuts (3); walnuts (4 or 1 tablespoon chopped)

Fruit
Fruits are loaded with enzymes, minerals (such as potassium), vitamin C, and fiber—which are potent disease fighters and natural cleansers for the system. Each fruit portion size listed is about 10 carbohydrate grams. Enjoy at least 2 servings each day and take advantage of the succulent summer fruits.

• Plums (2); apple, pear, nectarine, peach, or kiwi fruit (1); grapes (10); cherries (12); melon (1 cup); blueberries (3/4 cup); raspberries (1 cup); strawberries (1 1/4 cup); grapefruit, papaya, mango, or banana (1/2); unsweetened applesauce (1/2 cup); raisins (2 tablespoons); unsweetened orange juice or grapefruit juice (1/2 cup); apple juice (1/3 cup)

Starchy Vegetables, Grains, and Beans
Each serving is equal to about 15 carbohydrate grams. This group adds up very quickly, so if weight loss is your goal, keep to about two servings per day. For weight maintenance and heavy workouts, up to four servings will fuel your body. Keep in mind that a total of 60 carb grams per day is what it takes for some individuals with a sluggish metabolism to lose weight.

• Winter squash (1/2 cup); peas (3/4 cup); corn (1/2 cup); butternut or acorn squash (1/2 cup); baked potato with skin (1 small); pumpkin (3/4 cup); sweet potato (1 small); parsnip (1 whole); rutabaga (1 small); chestnuts (4 large or 6 small); cooked brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, or whole grain noodles (1/2 cup); whole grain bread (1 slice); small tortilla (1); air-popped popcorn (5 cups); whole grain pita pocket, whole grain English muffin, or whole grain bagel (1/2); beans—navy, lima, kidney, black, pinto, garbanzo, soy, lentils, or split peas (1/2 cup)

Just remember, size matters. When you are on portion control, you will be setting a strong foundation for staying thin and healthy for life.

-Edge On Health, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman,

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Save The Dates For GIGSWWA

August 20, 2011 - Pancake Breakfast at Lingonberries Market

September 17, 2011 - Monthly Meeting

October 15, 2011 - Samplefest

November 19, 2011 - Outback Fundraiser

More information to follow...

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Truly Tropical Smoothie

"Just combine:
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 banana
1/4 cup water
1 cup ice in a blender; process until smooth.
Then pour into a glass and drink up. Each smoothie
has only 106 calories."

-Health Magazine July/August 2011

The New "IT" Fruit

"Move over acai! The latest superfruit du jour is the exotic-
looking dragon fruit, which is grown in tropical climates and
has been popping up in everything from cocktails to teas to
vitamin-infused water. While its taste is subtle- some describe
it as a cross between a kiwi and a melon- it's loaded with
nutrients including fiber, vitamin C and other antioxidants."

-Health Magazine July/August 2011

A Cool Deal

Hurry into Lingonberries Market where all of the
ice cream is 25% off! Yummy!

Friday, July 1, 2011

Udi's

Dear Udi's Gluten Free Friends:
With July 4th only a few days away, grilling season is in full swing!
We know you guys can't wait to get your hands on our new Hamburger and Hot Dog Buns because as soon as they hit store shelves, they are gone.
Thank you so much for this overwhelming response to our new products.
Please be aware that because of the high demand, there may be times when you can't find our buns in your local store. The entire team at Udi's is working closely with your favorite retailers to re-stock shelves as quickly as possible.

Thanks again,
Udi's Gluten Free
www.UdisGlutenFree.com