Got your attention?

I am not the fear-mongering type, believe me... this is really just a friendly public service announcement and a reminder that it's always a very good idea to WASH YOUR PRODUCE!!

I'm writing this on behalf of a friend who has only just recovered from a three-week vacation to gastrointestinal hell (and this, a mom with four young children and a full-time job).  After extensive, um, testing, it was determined by her doc that she more than likely had a rotovirus. However, upon receiving the results of one last test, the results showed that she was actually infected with Cyclospora.. a nasty parasite that typically lives on raspberries and blackberries, something that my hapless friend had just been enjoying.

A simple google search will inundate you with many websites and resources out there dedicated to the various illnesses and plagues that can befall you as a result of ingesting unclean and improperly handled food, possibly enough to discourage you from ever eating again. So, I'll leave the research to you. But I will just remind you one more time... organic or not, packaged or loose, hand-picked or shipped a million miles, please do yourself a favor and take the extra few minutes to soak your fresh fruit and veggies in clean water before serving them. My friend will assure you that it's well worth the effort.

Bon Appetit! :) 

"One of the best things terrorists could do is just build more fast-food restaurants, maybe add another pharmaceutical company, have a couple more infomercials, and encourage people to eat the way they eat now, and everybody's gonna be dead in hundred years..."

This powerful documentary emphasizes the importance of healthy, clean food and the growing consequences of our distastrous medical system. The video can be viewed online for $4.95, or purchased as a DVD.

View the trailer here:

You are what you eat

Looking to learn more about improving your health through better eating, but unsure how to start? 

Here's a plug for macrobiotic chef, Melanie Brown Waxman. I ran into Melanie at this past weekend's KWF Wellness Day.. you would never know that this energetic, radiant woman, in addition to sustaining a thriving business, is mother to seven, yes, seven children! If that's not a testament to her work and healthy lifestyle, I don't know what is.

Melanie is offering an ongoing cooking class entitled, "Let's Love Cooking!" in Lionville, PA, on Tuesday evenings from 5 to 8 pm. From her flyer:

"Menu planning, quick dishes, living foods, setting up the kitchen and culinary skills will be discussed/demonstrated. Classes will include: Sushi and other grains. Miso, vegetable and bean soups. Fabulous bean, tofu and tempeh dishes. A wide selection of vegetable dishes from hearty stews to salads. Sugar-free desserts including fruit crumble, strawberry parfait and cookies. Plus special remedies and teas. All levels of experience welcome. a full meal from soup to dessert will be shown.  Drop in for one class ($45) or sign up for three and receive a discount ($40). "

Also, Melanie is offering a "Spring into Summer Cooking" class on Sunday, June 15th from 10 am - 1 pm. "Learn marvelous ways to stay cool in the hot months of summer. This class will demonstrate a variety of cooking styles, dishes and ingredients that will also help you to keep strong and energetic while the sun is shining." 

Class size is kept small to be able to give personalized attention, so sign up early. Call Melanie at: 610-594-6557 to register.

And be sure to visit her lovely website for more info, recipes and photos of her beautiful family.  

Do you want to be healthy? Drinking soda is bad for your health in so many ways; science can't even state all the consequences. Here's what happens in your body when you assault it with a Coke:

Within the first 10 minutes, 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. This is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake, and the only reason you don't vomit as a result of the overwhelming sweetness is because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

Within 20 minutes, your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes, caffeine absorption is complete; your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream.

Around 45 minutes, your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain - a physically identical response to that of heroin, by the way.

After 60 minutes, you'll start to have a sugar crash.

 (From www.organicconsumers.org... link to article here)