Still sick

I saw the Doctor and Practitioner today. According to them, I-m still sick. I-m going to be sick, probably for a while. Some of my symptoms are chronic, meaning they could last forever, specifically the inflammation from my graft vs. host disease. I-m getting an appointment scheduled with an optometrist at Mass. Ear and Eye for the inflammation in my eyes causing grittiness, pain, and possibly visual impairments. I-m told he-s really good. I-ll take it. Everybody I have been sent to has been good so far. I mean really good, rock star, celebrity, top of their game style. I-m in good, capable hands. I-m getting my liver checked next week, sometime, at Dartmouth. My liver enzymes today were. . . . . . bad. A test for liver enzymes shows a level of breakdown happening within the organ, or simply put, failure. The enzymes include aspartate aminotransferase (AST or SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT or SGPT). These enzymes are normally contained within liver cells. If the liver is injured, the liver cells spill the enzymes into blood, raising the enzyme levels in the blood and signaling the liver damage. If any of you are freaking out and are needing specific numbers, here it is: My AST is 98 (9-30 is normal) and my ALT 94 (Good range 7-52). My alkaline phosphatase is up. This is a blood test that measures the amount of the enzyme ALP (alkaline phosphatase). When this is present in large amounts, it may signify bone/liver disease or a tumor. Damaged or diseased tissue releases enzymes into the blood, so serum ALP measurements can be abnormal in many conditions, including bone disease and liver disease. Serum ALP is also increased in some normal circumstances (for example, during normal bone growth) or in response to a variety of drugs. Okay. Screech. Halt. Rewind. I said it. You read it. Go ahead and reread. My alk phos is 307. That could mean a tumor. It could also be a side effect of my medications or the transplant itself. What I need to immediately stop doing is insulting my liver. I-m not talking about drinking or forcing toxins into my body. I-m saying I need to stop forcing it out. No more osteopathic/acupressure stimulation with acupuncture every other week directly targeting my liver. I-ll still get the services, but be more gentle. Definitely no more homeopathic German Bio Tinctures that none of us really understand EXACTLY what it is doing to my body, especially ones that stimulate the lymphatic system or contain low dose live viruses. No need to freak out, I never tried the live viruses. I get the rationale. It still scares me. The rationale is similar to vaccinations. You reintroduce viruses slowly into your system to gain immunity without suffering the effects of exposure. I would have taken doses that could comfortably be prescribed to a 6 month old. When I first tried this, I was given adult doses, but things have changed. I added these medications slowly, week by week, to know if something caused a reaction. I can-t tell you if what I took catapulted my disease throughout my brand, shiny, new immune system, but if it did, I wouldn-t be any more worried than I would be with one tumor. My cancer goes away, easily. It just always comes back. It-s a ferocious, persistent little bugger, just like its host. Aunt Pauline took me to the health food store after our appointment. We had a bonding day. Pauline always has been a Grade A caretaker. The idea behind the health food : I don-t want my body to work any harder processing what I eat than it has to. Every little piece of energy that is taken away from fighting my disease to process something difficult, like grease, or molecularly altered to a naturally unrecognizable state, such as trans-fats, is lost ground in my fight against cancer. However, I need to pack in food. I am not trying to be the next America-s Top Model. I need to weigh in at more than 106 lbs. That-s a loss of 12lbs since January. It-s a loss of three lbs. since last Tues. However, I did measure in at 166cm at the hospital, maybe I can sneak into model range height somehow. I could take up yoga and stretch myself. I-d be okay being a poster child for cancer. So at least, I got a lesson in shopping for natural foods. I-ve never been to a natural food store or co-op outside our local Granny-s Garden, which is great. I was a little overwhelmed, almost shocked into buying nothing. It was like the first time I went into a Bodega in the Bronx. It was a culture shock. There were all these foods I didn-t recognize. I wouldn-t know what to do with them. THEN I got asked if I had my mask on because I had to protect against allergies like it was COMPLETELY NORMAL. It was a signal saying "it-s-okay-to-be-an-allerginphobe-in-here." Seriously, air borne allergies to things like latex and peanuts are very scary. Those allergies kill people. I would be grocery shopping with my mask on if I had to be scared of a peanut lurking around every corner. I think I fit in there. So, in summary of my trip, I am sick. I-m going to be watched closely. I-m going to watch myself closely. I-m going to finish the cephalosporin I-m on for my pneumonia. I am NEVER EVER going to EVER miss a dose of my Bactrim, which I haven-t, but I gave my word specifically to love and cherish this medication, which prevents against PCP pneumonia. I can use my albuterol rescue inhaler. I-m going to put drops in my eyes 4 times a day, minimum. I am NOT going to beat on my liver with hands, needles, or weird German medications, even though I think it-s one of my toughest organs and I know if I ever lost it, I could have a piece of Heather-s. I-m going to relax and eat and drink. And I-m going to get better.

A natural food junkie at McDonald's

A natural foods junkie at McDonald's He couldn't imagine anything good about fast-food places - until he took his son to one. By Mark Klempner from the March 24, 2009 edition They say that having kids changes everything, and it's true. Before becoming a parent, I never ventured into fast-food places. Actually, as a natural foods enthusiast who purchases local, organic food as much as possible, I avoided them altogether. But a shift occurred when my mother suggested we stop at Wendy's because it had a place for my 3-year-old son to play. She ordered a coffee, I drank an orange juice, and my son immediately became absorbed in swinging on a set of soft monkey bars, making friends with several other toddler monkeys in the process. A few days later, we stopped at a McDonald's with an indoor play area. My son soon settled into a seemingly endless loop of climbing up to the top of a big, blue spiraling tube and then sliding down. Every few minutes he would run over and take a drink of my water, and then disappear until I saw him beaming at me from behind one of those Plexiglas portals. Soon he was at the bottom again, sweaty and wanting more water. When he needed to use the restroom, I was surprised to find child-size fixtures alongside the adult ones. This might not seem like a big deal, but in all my years of going to vegetarian restaurants and natural foods markets, I never remember seeing a kid-friendly bathroom. Surely, the people who work at such places are more likely to know about Maria Montessori and her belief that children need exactly these kinds of accommodations in order to feel comfortable in the world. Yet, it appears to have been McDonald's that introduced this innovation, as well as the PlayPlaces, into the world of commercial eateries. And so I have had to revise my opinion of companies I formerly viewed in an entirely negative light. And I expect I'll keep taking my son to Wendy's, McDonald's, and Burger King. Not that they'll make much money off us: We've yet to consume anything other than bottled water, juice, and milk. But if they're so - dare I say it? - enlightened about things like kid-friendly bathrooms, they might eventually catch on and see that organic, whole foods are the way to go. Hey, if Ford and GM are finally going to offer hybrids and electric cars, then anything is possible. Meanwhile, my wife is concerned that our toddler might get indoctrinated into unhealthy eating or "branded," just by spending time in fast-food places. I'm not worried about that for the time being, because he's never expressed an interest in eating at any of them, and, in fact, he doesn't even seem to be able to tell them apart. The other day, referring to the aforementioned McDonald's, he said, "You know that Wendy's near my school that serves a lot of junk? Can you take me there to play?"

Market targets special health needs or just desire to eat better

Elbert's Natural Food Market Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. Phone: 471-5071 Additional stores that focus on organic and heathy foods: Adele's Naturally, 2704 Lincoln Ave., 471-3144 Adele's Natural Foods, 3415 N. First Ave., 467-0295 Paradise Organics, 2700 Indiana 261, Newburgh, 842-0820 River City Food Co-op, 100 Washington Ave., 424-2735 Catherine "Charlie" Elbert Moran is a tiny young woman with curly hair, a quiet voice and a sweet laugh. She holds an accounting degree, is an entrepreneur, wife, full-time mother and business manager. She also has an allergy to MSG and tries to limit wheat in her diet. Organic asparagus Catherine "Charlie" Elbert Moran often carries her son Keller around with her as she performs her duties in Elbert's Natural Food Market. AIMEE BLUME / Courier & Press Catherine "Charlie" Elbert Moran often carries her son Keller around with her as she performs her duties in Elbert's Natural Food Market. DENNY SIMMONS / Courier & Press Autumn, left, and Wyatt Winternheimer, 5, get help from Charlie Elbert Moran, right, as they pick out a new box of vitamins at Elbert's Natural Food Market at 5614 East Virginia St. in Evansville, which Moran owns and operates. Winternheimer is careful about the products Wyatt uses because of his medical needs. Organic asparagus, left; organic wheat grass, below Organic romaine lettuce, below STORY TOOLS

Weekly / Daily Free Newsletter

MÜller told to cease misleading 'natural' ads By Lorraine Heller, 27-Mar-2009 Related topics: Financial & Industry, Food safety and labelling Dairy firm Müller Dairy UK must withdraw TV and print ads for a brand of its children's yoghurt products after the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that they made misleading 'natural' claims. The investigation followed a challenge from competitor Yoplait Dairy Crest, which took issue with the claims made in the Little Stars ads: '100 percent natural ingredients' and 'a helping hand from mother nature'. The issue stems from a lack of clear regulations governing the use of the term 'natural'. In the UK, there is currently no definition of the term for use on foods, but the Food Standards Agency (FSA) does set out some best practice guidelines in its 'Criteria for the Use of the Terms Fresh, Pure, Natural Etc in Food Labelling' (2002). Interpretation of guidance Müller's ads for its Little Stars range of children's jellies, fromage frais, yoghurts and yoghurt drink products claim that they contain as little as five ingredients, all of which are "pure and natural". Text accompanying the ads states "100 percent natural". In its complaint, Yoplait questioned whether the natural claims were "fair and accurate". Specifically, it took issue with the blackcurrant juice and orange juice from concentrate, inulin, corn starch, gelatine and colour additives (annatto, carmines and beetroot extract) in some of the products, suggesting that these may not accord with FSA's best practice guidelines. In Müller's response, the firm explained it had sought, as far as possible, to "use only natural ingredients which a consumer could easily recognise and understand and which might even be used in home cooking." The company said the '100 percent natural ingredients' claim meant that all the ingredients in Little Stars were natural, not that each individual ingredient was '100 percent natural', and said its target audience wanted products free from artificial additives and artificially produced ingredients. Müller also pointed FSA document was 'best practice' guidance for marketers and did not have a mandatory or legal status. Breaching codes ASA upheld Yoplait's complaint, concluding that the ads breached broadcast codes for 'misleading advertising' and 'truthfulness'. The agency said that the term 'natural' in relation to food ingredients was only legally defined in EU legislation when applied to flavourings, tuna and bonito and mineral waters. FSA's best practice guidance for food labelling indicates that 'natural' means "produced by nature, not the work of man or interfered with by man". The term relates to both the origins of an ingredient and the processes to which it might have been subjected. Specifically, it would be considered misleading to use the term to describe foods or ingredients that used chemicals to change their composition or comprised the products of new technologies, including additives and flavourings that were the product of the chemical industry or extracted by chemical processes. For example, processes that could not be considered natural include: Concentration, pasteurisation, sterilisation, bleaching, oxidation, smoking and tenderising with chemicals and hydrogenation. The ASA concluded that Müller's TV and print ads must not be shown again in their current form. To read the full complaint and assessment , click here .

Organic Foods vs. Conventional Foods

By Erika Bizousky Pd. 1 You're standing at the grocery store with two vegetables that look almost the same. The only difference is that one has a "USDA Certified Organic" sticker on it. So what's the difference between the 'conventionally grown' vegetable and the 'certified organic' one? There are many differences and similarities between these two foods, but which one is better for you and which should you choose to buy? Here is a good article that represents this issue: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255 First, we should recognize how each of these foods is produced. The conventionally grown fruit has chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth, while organic farmers use natural fertilizers such as manure or compost. To reduce pests and disease, conventional farmers spray insecticides on their plants. Organic farmers used birds, insects, or traps to reduce pests and disease without the use of chemicals. Another difference is that conventional farmers also use chemical herbicides to manage weeds, and organic farmers either hand weed, till, or mulch to control their weeds. As you can see, the differences are mainly in how they are farmed. Organic and inorganic foods also have some similarities too. One of the most important similarities is nutrition. According to the USDA, no conclusive evidence shows that organic food is more nutritious than conventionally grown food. Although, some studies say organic foods are higher in antioxidants because of the lack of additives, pesticides, and MSG, according to The Soil Association. However, both of the foods meet the same quality and safety standards set by the USDA. Lastly, organic and conventional foods both have positives and negatives. Both might look the same, but did you know conventional foods are cheaper than organic foods? Conventional foods also last longer than organics because they often have waxes or preservatives on them. Organic foods do not have pesticides on them though. Conventional foods do and can have residue on them. This poses a small health risk with conventional farming. Organic farming is also said to benefit the environment by reducing pollution. If you'd like to be more eco-friendly, I suggest purchasing organic products. Most people say they cannot taste any difference between organics and non-organics, but that may be different for everyone. In conclusion, organic foods and conventional foods are both good to purchase, but I would buy organic foods. Even though they cost more, I would rather spend a little extra money to help the environment than buy cheaper foods that use pesticides. These can cause harm to the environment and possibly even the consumer. It is your own choice whether to buy conventionally farmed products or organic ones, but I hope I helped by telling you of the information needed to make a good decision. Resources supporting organic food: http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/nutrition/pros-cons-organic-foods-00313.html http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/14739.php Resources supporting conventional food: http://www.scionline.org/index.php/Pros_and_Cons_of_Organic_and_Conventional_Agriculture http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/organic-farming-no-better-for-the-environment-436949.html

The Newest Trend In Natural Drinks

Natural drinks including water with added flavor or sports drinks with added vitamins, seems to be the newest trend in healthy eating and a simple Google search will let you know just how many companies are jumping on this money making band wagon. Natural & Fresh Food & Drinks tracks the widespread take-up of the healthy eating trend, its active adoption by two-thirds of all consumers and how this has in turn created the large, fast-growing market for natural food and drinks products. As consumer-s attitudes and beliefs evolve the report examines how the latest market developments will create winners and losers over the next five years. Consumer interest in health is up around 80% of US and European consumers report that they are concerned about food and health issues and two-thirds have taken active steps to eat more healthily in the past year alone. Eating fresh food is the key this is believed to be important by a staggering 90% of people. Increasing the interest of consumer in fresh buying food is not matched by new product launches in fact seven percent of new products were marketed in 2000 as fresh, which had fallen to four percent in the year 2006. But since "˜fresh- can cover a number of possible consumer benefits there are many ways of developing relevant products in the future. From virtually nothing in 1980, organics accounted for 4% of new product launches in 1990 and 7% by the 2006. This remarkable growth in product availability is of course mirrored in the sales statistics: organics in the US and Europe grew from a US$18bn (EUR15bn) market in 2000 to US$32bn (EUR25bn) in 2005. However the latest member of the healthy and fresh food tend is one which seems to be only going north. This includes mixes to add to your own bottled water, bottled water with added favor or carbonation, and drinks with added vitamins. A large assortment of calorie free flavors to flavor sparkling water to great taste is sold at http://allfreightfree.com. Even there are cola kings taking a plunge into market of natural product. Pepsi Raw is the new carbonated soft drink from Pepsi. Pepsi Raw, a new carbonated soft drink that does not have artificial ingredients will be introduced by Pepsi Cola. If you enjoy the carbonated cola drinks, you may want to try the new drink which comes from Pepsi UK and will be initially be available in UK only. Staff members at the UK upscale pubs and clubs, where the natural drink is being released, are receiving training on how to serve the drink.If the natural Pepsi Raw stood winner in its areas (including seven major British cities), then the drink will make its market further in the whole country and in other countries too. The seven cities where the carbonated drink can be found include London, Manchester, Glasgow, Brighton, Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool. Coca Cola will surely be watching to see if this natural trend is a success for Pepsi. The fruitier flavor of Pepsi Raw is reportedly an excellent drink on its own or as a mix for spirits. Hence, the release of the product in the clubs and pubs in important to the acceptance of the drink as a natural carbonated mix alternative. The color of the drink is a dark brown compared to the blackish brown of a regular Pepsi cola drink. Unlike the artificial-chemical-filled version of Pepsi, the natural flavored Pepsi Raw does not have the regular arsenal of artificial colors, higher sugar content and acidic ingredients that are contained in the regular Pepsi cola drink. Pepsi Raw has such natural ingredients as can sugar, coffee leaf, natural caramel coloring, apple extract, grape tantric acid, natural gum Arabic and sparkling water. In comparison, the ingredients of regular Pepsi include high fructose corn syrup, sugar, artificial colorings, phosphoric acid, caffeine, citric acid and natural flavors. With less carbonation, the drink does not have as much of a fizz factor. However, the natural Pepsi raw contains nine fewer calories than the unnatural version, which has 126 calories per 300-ml can. From last ten years the famous beverage company Pepsi has not launched any major product. The natural Pepsi Raw soft drink is a great new direction for the Pepsi Company. If Pepsi Raw is a success, then Pepsi will be a major player in the business of natural carbonated soft drinks.

10 DIY Bentos: Animated Food From Anna The Red

Japan takes the cake, or the Bento, when it comes to food art. In fact, presentation is nearly everything in Japanese cooking. Bento, an art form that can be traced back about 900 years, is hot right now, and getting hotter as Japanese natives teach the rest of the world how it's done. "Anna The Red," a Japanese-born New Yorker, is such a wonderful teacher that you can easily learn how to create your own bento. Bento, usually a packaged or boxed lunch in Japan, is an artistic presentation of food, generally consisting of rice, a fish or meat, and vegetables -- pickled, cooked, or raw. It sound like kids would naturally reject this kind of meal, but actually, one of the goals of bento is attract children to healthy eating. The art of kyaraben, or charaben, is in creating well-known characters or cartoon figures out of healthy foods -- like this Wall-E bento below -- so that kids will have fun eating them.   1. Wall-E Bento, Anna The Red     Here are a few more of the many kid-friendly characters Anna The Red has created (and eaten) for kids in the U.S.   2. Rayman Raving Rabbids Bento, Anna The Red This game gives hours of pleasure to kids and there are even action figures available for the younger ones. Here's an action figure they can eat! By the way, if you create the figures in the second photo, who's to know that they are not Easter bunnies?         3. Head Crab Bento From Half-Life, Anna The Red For the "adult" game players, you might want to try some Half Life characters. Here are yummy potato salad balls with french fry legs that serve as the centerpiece crabs.       4. Calvin And Hobbes Bento, Anna The Red Have you ever seen such cute Calvin and Hobbes portrayals? The rice is naturally colored with ketchup. Anna The Red is big on natural; she even gives away her secrets for natural food colorings.         5. Onigiri Big Mouth Girls Bento, Anna The Red Onigiri are Japanese sushi molds, which look like they would come in very handy in shaping your characters. The girls' faces are primarily made of rice balls, egg, cheese, and ham.       6. Where The Wild Things Are Bento, Anna The Red Aww. They do look good enough to frame, but Anna The Red promises they were eaten. One book and DVD that your children will long remember, the characters of Bernard, Max and Moishe from Where The Wild Things Are will surprise and delight your kids.       7. Cooking Mama Bento, Anna The Red What an inspiration for kids to learn to cook. Not just Cooking Mama, but eating her likeness. Anna The Red makes her recipes for bento easy enough for kids to make with you.       8. Battlestar Galactica Bento, Anna The Red True to the show, everything in this Battlestar Galactica bento has no corners. Anna The Red, who designs most of her bentos on paper first, used all her creativity to actually make what she drew; but of course having her as your pioneer, it will be much easier for you.       9. Spirited Away Bento, Anna The Red Spirited Away is one of several animated Japanese films by director Hayao Miyazaki and it is available in English and French, as well as Japanese. The voices in English are created by several well-known American actors. The Spirited Away bento has the sweetest characters!       10. No Face, Kodama, and Makkurokorosuke Bento All Hayao Miyazaki characters from his animations: No Face, the poignant central figure of this bento is from Spirited Away; Kodama, the white spirits, are from Princess Mononoke; and Makkuro Kurosuke are little soot spirits from My Neighbor Totoro.     Interested in lessons for beginners? Anna The Red has a about as live a blog as a chef can have at her site. Her photographer (alias web-designer, bento taster, and boyfriend) presents great step-by-step photos and Ms. Red writes the descriptions with her whole heart. There are dozens more incredible bento recipes on her website and many are for Japanese kyaraben! Her site is easy to navigate with great graphics that let you know what ingredients are in each piece of a bento by just pointing to them with your cursor. It is hard to believe that Anna The Red and her photographer work on Anna The Red's Bento Factory in their spare time and that her lessons are avaiable to everyone for free!   Sources: Anna The Red's Bento Factory, IMDB, Wikipedia See Steve's Japanorama blog to learn more about the wonderful joys of Japan! Make sure you check out his write-up of the Obama character bento.