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Fat Factors - New Wave of Research

Fat Factors - By ROBIN MARANTZ HENIG, New York Times, Published: August 13, 2006

It's clear that diet and genes contribute to how fat you are. But a new wave of scientific research suggests that, for some people, there might be a third factor - microorganisms.

Get the article here (click the link in the upper right corner to skip the ad and go right to the article)

Fat Factors - By ROBIN MARANTZ HENIG, New York Times, Published: August 13, 2006

It's clear that diet and genes contribute to how fat you are. But a new wave of scientific research suggests that, for some people, there might be a third factor - microorganisms.

Get the article here

Trading a Paper Clip for a House

Here's an interesting article about a Canadian internet blogger who bartered a red paper-clip for a house in Kipling, Sask. And now he's got a book and movie deal to tell the story of how he did it. What's interesting to me is that he has succeeded because he's thinking outside the box and he's making it fun. Instead of thinking of all the ways this is a ridiculous idea and how it will never work, he's having fun with it and taking action.

Cooking Cute - Packing Bento

How to eat less and enjoy it more….pack bento!

I found an interesting blog site that shows you how to package food-to-go so that it looks appealing and cute. It’s called packing bento. Your kids will love it and so will you.

When food looks good and is attractively displayed, we're more likely to savor it and eat slowly. Beautiful food helps us slow down and focus on eating. We're also more likely to be satisfied with less food. Packing bento is a way to eat smaller servings without feeling denied. The pleasurable appearance of the food captivates us. We engage and enjoy - that's a great combo for eating less and enjoying it more.

If your lunch looked like this, would you enjoy it more?

Traditionally bento food is Japanese, but the author of the site includes all types of foods in her bento packing. Be sure to visit the gallery so you can see all the fabulous pictures of bento. Click on the photos to see them lifesize. Beautiful.

Here’s the description of what bento is and how to pack bento.

On-the-Go Raw Food Energy Bars

If you find yourself out and about and you start to get hungry, don't pull into a fast food restaurant or stop at a vending machine. Open your purse, glove box, backpack, or gym bag and pull out a raw food energy bar like a Larabar or whatever your favorite brand is. These bars are called food bars because they actually contain food - usually only 4 - 6 ingredients (fruits, nuts, spice), period. They do not contain any preservatives, additives, flavorings, or anything processed. Plus they're raw which helps to preserve the nutrients.

Their special packaging keeps them fresh for several months. In the interview linked below, the CEO explains how the packaging keeps them fresh.

One of the most popular flavors is apple pie which is made of dates, walnuts, unsweetened apples, almonds, raisins, and cinnamon. And that's it. Unbelievable when you're used to seeing a list of 20 items in the typical snack bars. This bar has 190 calories but it's pure food, no junk calories.

Thinkorganic! is another brand I've tried. Cherry Nut (220 calories) has organic cherries, organic dates, organic raw walnuts, and organic raw almonds.

Beware - these energy bars do not taste like candy bars (thank goodness!) And they aren't cheap because they're made with high quality ingredients. I've bought them on sale anywhere from $1 to 1.50 each.

If you're adventurous, you can experiment and make your own. Or you can cut out the middle man (the food processor) and just baggie up some fruit (any dried fruit), nuts and seeds and you're good to go!

If you aren't usually hungry for breakfast, pack a food bar and a little yogurt or a piece of fruit. It goes down easy.

These food bars are a healthy snack option. Ask that they be added to the vending machines in your building. We've heard that healthy foods don't sell in vending machines. But because these bars are trendy (as well as nutritious), I think they'll sell! Ask for them.

More Articles on Food Bars
Article about the Organic Food Bar
Interview with Lara Merriken, CEO of Larabar
Larabar - energy and meal replacement review

Health & Wellness Podcasts

If you prefer to listen to health information rather than read it, you're in luck. I found a podcast directory. Here's the link: http://coaches.aol.com/directory/podcasts

If you prefer to read, you can get a text version of the interviews. The text button is right next to the audio button.

Why We Eat Junk Food & Sugar

Recently I've been thinking a lot about pleasure. Spring just says "pleasure." We have many opportunities to appreciate the cool mornings, warm afternoons, beautiful fragrant flowers, new growth, robin and other bird songs. We also get to enjoy chaotic weather and storms - lightning that lights up the sky in powerful ways, clouds that grow meanacing and dark, rain that beats down with a vengeance. All these things are awe inspiring. The power of nature is something to behold.

Spring invites us to enjoy our senses - sight, smell, taste, touch, sound, and the 6th sense that to me feels like a tea bag steeping. The flavor and body of the tea develops imperceptably. There's an added richness and fullness that's hard to describe. Do we accept the invitation to notice and enjoy spring?

We live such fast-pace lives that we miss many opportunities to enjoy everything around us. Our senses can become numbed because they aren't called upon to hunt, gather, and navigate through the day. We end up being pleasure deficient.

So what do we do? We've come to believe that the fastest way to get pleasure NOW, is to eat something. So we get up from our computers and head to the vending machines looking for a quick pleasure fix to satisfy our senses. A candy bar, soda pop, or something salty can quickly "fix" us.

But fortunately, so can a piece of fresh fruit! Unlike junk food, you truly can experience a piece of fruit with all of your senses - enjoy the color, smell the sweetness fragrance, feel the plumpness, and taste the tart or sweet juices. Refreshing, satisfying, and amazingly good for you.

Next time you need a pleasure rush, eat a piece of fruit--especially fruit that's grown locally because that fruit will be the freshest, sweetest, and most satisfying.

Rethinking Breakfast and Lunch

If you're wondering what you should eat for breakfast, the following article may help you sort out the confusion. It takes an interesting approach to breakfast.

http://www.yogajournal.com/health/853.cfm

And here's an interesting article on lunch:
http://www.yogajournal.com/health/1622.cfm

Earth Day - Saturday, April 22

I love Earth Day. It's one day a year that we think about the Earth and all its many wonders. I wish we thought about the Earth every day. But we live our busy lives mostly indoors, protected from the elements and separated from the day-to-day changes in seasons. It's good to celebrate Earth things and learn how to protect our health and environment. Here are highlights of some events and resources:

If you work in Topeka, join the Department of Health & Environment in celebration of Earth Day:

Friday, April 21
11am - 2pm rain or shine
South lawn of our state capitol

• Free Pizza Hut pizza while it lasts
• Free Pepsi products
• Many Displays
• Recycling drop off for cans, plastic, newspaper, old cell phones, computers, e-waste collection

Links to Several Earth Day Resources

• http://earthday.com/do/Home
• http://kansas.earth911.org/usa/master.asp
• http://www.earthday.net/
• http://www.worldwildlife.org/earthday/
• http://www.earthsite.org/
• http://earthday.envirolink.org/

Do something to enjoy the earth today . . . and every day.

Were you aware that:

• More than 315 million computers are expected to become obsolete by the year 2004, containing an estimated 1.2 billion pounds of lead, 2 million pounds of cadmium, 400,000 pounds of mercury and 1.2 million pounds of hexavalent chromium. This makes small business computer recycling a paramount necessity.
• Household Hazardous Waste, is the EPA's term for that old monitor or computer that you have sitting in your closet or garage.
• More than 20 million PCs became obsolete in 1998 -- but just 14% of those were recycled or donated. Through the end of 2002 that number estimate to be over 80 million.
  In 1992, the Environmental Protection Agency banned cathode ray tubes from landfills because of their high amounts of lead. An average computer monitor contains about 8 pounds of lead. Lead can also be found on computer circuit boards. The mercury, lithium, and cadmium found in many PC batteries are toxic at high levels. Other toxins, such as PCBs, are used in computer capacitors and are also hazardous.

The resource sites listed above will tell you how and where to recycle these kinds of things. Check it out. There are many local options.