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What Restaurants don’t want you to know: Hear it straight from the staff

December 7, 2009 in Uncategorized | No comments

All of these are worth a read if you go out to eat… I would hope that some of the better quality places don’t do some of these things.  There are some great things to know in order to treat your waiter better too.  Here is a taste, then follow the link to read ‘em all:

What You Don’t Want to Know
5. When I was at one bakery restaurant, they used to make this really yummy peach cobbler in a big tray. A lot of times, servers don’t have time to eat. So we all kept a fork in our aprons, and as we cruised through the kitchen, we’d stick our fork in the cobbler and take a bite. We’d use the same fork each time.

6. If you make a big fuss about sending your soup back because it’s not hot enough, we like to take your spoon and run it under really hot water, so when you put the hot spoon in your mouth, you’re going to get the impression—often the very painful impression—that your soup is indeed hot

- 30 secrets your waiter will never tell you

The Future of Food: VIDEO

December 2, 2009 in Health | No comments

Skin’s healthy glow comes from inside, not outside

November 25, 2009 in Health | No comments

Have you ever noticed how people who eat only junk food and sit at a computer all day, never getting exercise have an unattractive hue to their skin? Of course there is your classic world-of-warcraft shut-in who’s diet consists of doritos and ice cream. What is it about their skin that makes them unattractive?

Research out of Bristol and St. Andrew’s, UK has shed light on the link between an attractive skin color in humans and the lifestyle that goes with it. As no surprise to the health nut, maintaining a nutritious diet and getting regular exercise determines the attractiveness of one’s skin tone.

“We knew from our previous work that people who have more blood and more oxygen color in their skins looked healthy, and so we decided to see what other colors affect health perceptions. This has given us some clues as to what other skin pigments may relate to a healthy appearance.”

Science has already clued us into the harmful damage sun exposure does to the skin cells.  Also, with the recent findings in other studies suggesting that spray-on tanning may cause lung cancer, it is perhaps fitting to revisit the basics of human health.  Your skin is a walking billboard of your internal health.  So don’t fry your integument in the sun and don’t spray chemicals on it either.  If you eat healthy, clean foods and get exercise you won’t have a need to change your skin color artificially.

Read more at Science Daily

What is really in Cool Whip?

November 17, 2009 in Health | 1 comment

Foods like this never find their way into our home, but it is still fun to see what disgusting crap goes into “food” like Cool Whip .  This Thanksgiving, will you be eating food or “food”?

From Wired Science

No-Impact: Baby Food Jars vs Ziplocks

October 16, 2009 in No-Impact Living | No comments

Ok, for some things the handy ziplock bag is nice, but have you ever considered using a small glass jar or even a baby food jar instead?  They work great for carrying nuts in (and you can portion your food out knowing how many ounces each jar holds).

Ziplocks cost money.  Every bag you use and throw away is about 7 cents/bag.  That bag goes to the landfill and is never used again.  When I was growing up my mother used to wash ziplock bags by hand and reuse each one about 10 times before throwing it away.  I’ll give her brownie points for effort, but there is a simpler and healthier way to say goodbuy to needless plastic baggies.  Baby food jars!

Ok, so if you make your baby her own food or you don’t have a baby, you can do a few things.  Find a friend with a baby who is willing to save their jars for you.  Or, if you buy spices in glass jars, save the glass containers. When shopping at the grocer, buy products in glass containers instead of plastic (like salsa, sauces, oils, canned fruit).

Depending on the size of your baby food jar or alternative jar, you can use it for things like nuts, peanut butter on the go, dressing or oil for a salad on the go, the list is endless…

From right: 8oz baby jar with nuts, 4oz jar with walnut oil for salad, 4oz jar for all natural peanutbutter

From right: 8oz baby jar with nuts, 4oz jar with walnut oil for salad, 4oz jar for all natural peanutbutter

If your jars get too dirty to clean by hand, just boil some water and sterilize the jars and their caps for a fresh start!  (and remember to let your boiling water cool so you can give your garden or house plants a drink)

Excuse me, there is Mercury in your Corn Syrup

September 10, 2009 in Environmental, Health | No comments

So corn syrup, otherwise known as HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) has gotten a lot of bad rap lately.  Corn syrup is in loads of processed foods and drinks contributing to obesity,diabetes, DNA damage, and unhealthy eating habits in the majority of Americans.  HFCS is made from the same type of corn crop that is used to make Ethanol used to fuel E-85 vehicles.  But recently, we may have yet another reason (like there aren’t enough) to avoid Corn Syrup.  In a recent TreeHugger piece, David Friedlander unveils the ugly truth about mercury in corn syrup:

According to a recent Mother Jones article, in 2004 when FDA researcher Renee Dufault found mercury in HFCS samples from leading manufacturers, they did what any agency looking to protect public health would do: they asked her to stop her inquiry.

The source of the mercury is thought to be lye, which is used to separate the cornstarch from the kernel. Many chemical companies make lye by pumping salt through large vats of mercury. That mercury-laced lye is most likely the same lye used in processing corn to make HFCS.

After the FDA tried to stymie Dufault’s inquiry, she decided pursue the matter further, sending the original 20 samples to be retested; nearly half of the samples contained mercury. This past January, Dufault published her findings in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health.

Read more…

Can We Change our Genetic outcome by eating healthy?

September 9, 2009 in Health, Science | No comments

Experts say “yes”.  Eating healthy and including foods that aid the body in maintaining healthy cell structure and blood flow can change your otherwise “predisposed” genetic code.

Eat Well online resource

May 6, 2009 in Sustainable Living | No comments

This website allows for an easy zip code search to find local organic and sustainable markets, restaurants and farmers in your area!

Eat well Guide