Research: HIV unaware of many of the scams vaanimassa, Bisexual Men Gay

1 in 5 Sexually active gay and bisexual men in America, is HIV-positive but that 44% of them do not know it, Show the most recent information. A fifth of all sexually active gay men in the U.s. are HIV-positive, to combat and prevent disease (CDC), and a staggering 44 percent of centers have been unaware of it.

CDC researchers concluded that 21 American cities of more than 8000 is gay and bisexual men, after testing.

Racial differences

White gay and bisexual men between the ages of 30 and 39, was found to be the absolute most infections, even though the amount of per capita (16%) was lower than that of a black and a gay and bisexual men in Latin. The number of Black HIV infections had the highest per capita, 28%. Gay and bisexual young Hispanic men and the number of infections was 18%.

Nearly half of HIV-positive men (44%) did not know they were infected. Young gay and bisexual men of color were the least likely to be aware of their infection.

Socio-economic factors

Researchers found the socio-economic situation and the link between HIV and gay bisexual males. Higher levels of education and income were less likely to be infected and they were more likely to know their status.

HIV infection among gay and bisexual men, the highest it came to Baltimore, 39%, the researchers found. Atlanta was the lowest, only 6% of the announced. Greater than 25% of the total number of infections found in Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Miami and New York.

Bisexual men had received the highest speed is likely to become infected with HIV appear to the end user, the number of factors such as sexual partners. Heterosexual men, compared to the number of HIV-infection found 44 times higher.

The relaxed attitude

Because the drugs developed to successfully manage HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV), AIDS, and many persons have survived for decades, the idea has grown that HIV-positive diagnosis does not longer was once thought to be the abolition of the death penalty. However, more employees die as a result of HIV and AIDS each year in the US--irtiotto statistics.

The fact that so many HIV-positive people unaware of their condition underscores aggressive testing programs and continuing education about this disease and the need for a horrible.

Book review the planet wholesomeness of meals

02 Jan 2009, 03: 24 GMT

By Jonny Bowden, PhD (CNS)
Reviewed By Rita Jenkins

Jonny Bowden had me polymeal. Yet so much to offer in this--you want to add enough of the concept of "cookbook," I hardly know where to start. So I just linked to my journey of discovery on healthy meals and we hope that, on its own.

First, it has the look and feel of this volume. I admit that I am not the cover art to pay-it is probably one of my least favorite things Max to learn more about this book. But I like the hefty size and 368 pages durable stock and when I started flipping through them, I was BEWITCHED by Photography. Polymeal lush photographs of each, and almost every recipe is included in the dish, antique Tableware and utensils are fresh marine Pachanga picture. Throughout the two-page spreads are stunning photographic-quality state-of-the-art coffee table, in fact, the livestock grazing on lush: pastures, salmon leaping Icy River drive, a colorful spices sacks, excellent cranberry bog, so rich soil in the status field, you can almost feel the wonderful goodness and dripping with an Pomegranate. Photography theme is clear: simplicity and purity of the reverence and unspoiled land is the bounty it provides only. read the EXCERPT

When drinking, healthy meals, reading began and I must say the Earth is a page turner. It is like sitting on a stool, is your kitchen Bowden, the upper-left corner of the chatting amiably about the wonderful qualities as a meal, you can gather its ingredients. He tells you you fat, Why all the evil, why sugar has been quite a lot (and what happy, you can instead), why the grains are overrated, why fiber is fabulous, omegas, and so on, and is quite wonderful meals-all of which, in turn, these concepts are important in the context of the realities of delicious.

I was already familiar with the idea of a polymeal, but you have seen the first cookbook, which provides them with the set. The idea is to combine the ingredients that boost heart health issues such as fish, garlic, almonds, fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate and red. Bowden still, even though the export, such as anti-cancer properties of foodstuffs, foods that boost the immune system, fight inflammation, food, foods that fight against obesity-and much, much more. His partner, Jeannette Bessinger, CHHC, thank you for these foods are combined with innovative recipes that even moderate skills can enjoy putting cook together.

It was only when read every word of this cookbook that I really began to experiment with the recipes are not stopped. When you are preparing for more than a dozen of these dishes, healthy meals, a planet, I can say is intended to spend much more time than many of my kitchen shelf, other books, including the counter.

My Favorites are real food-brownies-flourless, sugarless, and keep track of the orders you have made in the dates, garbanzo beans, cocoa, agave nectar, eggs, and a few other ingredients. Of holiday gifts and haven't found anyone of these failed delight. Also, in particular, my family, enjoy the tamari-orange salmon, delicious dal, red beans and rice, chili, cashews and brassicas and chicken curry. This book is a good mix of meatless and meat-based recipes, which works very contradictory our herd. (I've tried some meat recipes fit for vegetarians and found them in our fully customizable.)

I like flax pancakes in principle, but the execution is disappointing. They taste just fine, but they are very dry. Still, I intend to keep them and to experiment with (thermophilus) before I get to the right of these cakes.

This Cookbook contains tips, notes, and some useful reference materials (in particular, I like the healthy oils chart), with the pantry-lists each component items, which make shopping easier. Fans can find a lot more Bowden's www.jonnybowden.com Web site.

I have a few minor quibbles healthy meals on Earth. Surprisingly it does not contain the standard information for each recipe's nutritional. This is something I'm really a health oriented Cookbook.

In the event of a conflict between the olive oil for one bothers me. The oils in the direction of the chart contains useful, "do not use extra virgin [oil] cooking; heat to create free radicals. " Yet after a recipe, recipe calls for Heating extra virgin olive oil. I assume is a matter of degree-to keep the oil from reaching its state-of-the-art, non-smoking section-but the chart is not to say that.

The following is a Word, the opinions of the users of the system, this cookbook recipe, featuring: skip each prep times. If you do not with Iron Chef kitchen stadium at your disposal, you can do much better to assessed their own planning these sometimes wildly Optimistic guidelines. If a mere 10 minutes you can assemble the dozen ingredients; Our finely Onion; Peel and grate finely 3 T ginger; Our finely Garlic Clove on 4-5; sort, rinse and drain a cup of lentils; wash, stem and Our 3/4 c. Cilantro; seed and dice 3 plum tomatoes, then more power to you.

Again, I am so into healthy meals on earth that I picked up two other Bowden because of books--150 BBC planet--and that the most effective natural Cures on Earth with equal enthusiasm recommends that, as the case may be.

I look forward to a satisfactory cooking and cuisine as used in this book. I'm going to try to roasted Swede chips to the next. Yum.

Book review Conquer the Fat-Loss code

I'll begin with a caveat: I'm late to the "fat-loss code" game. My radar isn't fine-tuned to the next new thing in the diet world. I have read quite a few books on diet and nutrition over the years -- perhaps that's why I've become somewhat suspicious of them. Having never seen her first one, I decided to explore Wendy Chant's second diet book, Conquer the Fat-Loss Code, because I happened to stumble upon it, and it really did strike me as different from typical books in the category. When it comes to books on losing weight, that alone makes it stand out.

When I say it seemed different, I don't mean just at first glance. Every diet plan attempts to differentiate itself -- why else would anyone pick it up? However, most diet books follow a fairly straightforward formula: Promise an innovative new approach; persuade the reader that this time it's going work; present the plan.

What's Wrong With This Picture

The new approach section is usually the most interesting in any diet book. That's where you get the rational explanation for why everything before has failed, but this time, you're holding the key to success in your hands.

The persuasive section gives you an injection of emotional confidence to layer on top of all that good information. Depending on the skill of the author, you either become drawn in or feel the whiff of a used-car salesman. This is usually the make-it-or-break-it part of a diet book.

Then comes the actual plan. For chronic dieters, this section tends to be a big, fat disappointment. Most plans are the same. Boiled down to their essential elements, most are calorie-restriction diets accompanied by tired advice about exercise. Sometimes there are some diagrams of really fit cartoon people doing squats and such.

Duh.

These plans work, as any dieter will tell you -- up to a point. Typically, there's a lot of water loss in the initial days of the diet. Then there's some actual weight loss. Then the dieter hits a plateau, and the weight-loss grinds to a halt. The dieter becomes frustrated and gives up. The weight piles back on. It keeps piling on. The dieter's body has gone through a famine, and it's determined to protect itself for the next one that comes along. It layers on the fat, and the unhappy dieter ends up heavier than before.

Some Causes for Skepticism

I turned to Wendy Chant's diet plan before reading the book, because I didn't want to waste my time. What I saw there was something that really did seem different. Weird, but not in a goofy way. More like in a good weird-science way.

Since I'm not a nutritionist, I can't actually vouch for the science underlying Chant's plan, but what struck me was that it addresses the body's tendency to adapt, and it does so in several different ways. All of them have to do with tricking your metabolism so that it doesn't go into starvation mode/fat storage cycling.

Chant's plan seemed ridiculously complicated to me at first glance, and I've got to say, there are foods in it I normally would not consume or recommend (e.g., artificially flavored and sweetened products).

It can be very repetitive. I would never want to eat turkey three times in one day. I don't understand why Chant considers that a good idea, but whatever.

Some of the recipes strike me as gross: to wit, "egg poppers," which are basically cold, hard-boiled egg whites. Yuck. Way too many egg whites in this program, period, if you ask me. Double yuck.

Still, I thought there was something intriguing about the plan, and the book made sense to me in a way that didn't make me feel I was being verbally assaulted by a diet huckster -- so I decided to suggest it to my sister, who was in the market for something new and different in the way of a diet plan.

A New Hope

After years of yo-yo dieting, my sister had given up on dieting altogether -- but not on wanting to lose weight. Wendy Chant's program seemed less like a diet and more like a strategy to me, so I called my sister, and we brainstormed about it.

After reading the book herself, she was game to try it -- or at least, a version of it. Her version broke a lot of Chant's rules -- but considering that they're more or less offered as guidelines, not rules, we both thought that seemed OK.

Number one, she gave herself a real cheat day once a week, as opposed to what I would consider the program's weekly "indulgent" day. For my sister, Saturday wasn't about splurging on a dessert or a glass of wine -- she decided to eat whatever she pleased, all day long, and wash it down with an entire bottle of wine if the spirit moved her. She reported that her first cheat day was a gorge-fest, but after seeing what that did to her progress on the scales, she found she could self-regulate and be more or less measured on her subsequent cheat days. She says it's her own personal learning curve.

Number two, she quickly gave up on the exercise plan, and I fully supported that decision. Not that I'm opposed to exercise -- far from it. I just don't think anyone should have to follow a specific diet plan AND a specific exercise plan at the same time. I say, step up your activity with things you enjoy, or put off the exercise part until later -- after you've lost a few pounds and you understand how the diet works, and you're ready to crank things up to the next level.

Number three, she substituted like crazy. She made sure she was substituting a food of similar value -- e.g., chicken or fish for turkey, green beans for asparagus, etc. She just didn't want to go into obsession mode, thinking she had to run out to the supermarket if she didn't have exactly what the plan called for on hand.

Number four, she didn't eat everything. Said she just couldn't. I think eating more frequently is something worth shooting for, but five or six times a day is tough to fit into any schedule, so I sympathize. I don't think I would be in the mood for a Crystal Light protein powder "shake" or a handful of egg whites before bedtime either.

My sister says she stuck to the spirit of Chant's plan, if not the letter, and the reason I'm enthusiastic enough to highly recommend this book -- yes, indeed, I do HIGHLY RECOMMEND it -- is that her experience has so far borne out my expectations.

Qualified Success, Unqualified Optimism

You'll have to look at the plan yourself to really understand what I'm getting at -- I still think it's terrifically complicated, but I now believe it has to be. It seems that alternating the types of food you eat according to this program can trick your body into metabolizing food more efficiently. It's not just about calories in and calories burned, folks. It really isn't.

My sister's results? A steady loss of 2 1/2 lbs. per week for five weeks, which I consider a healthy and sustainable weight loss. She has three more weeks to go on her version of Wendy Chant's eight-week plan, and says if she drops another 7 1/2 lbs., she'll be delighted.

Then you can keep watching this space for updates to see if my sister succeeds at adapting the program further so that it can become a lifestyle that lets her keep the weight off. As everyone who's ever dieted before knows -- that's really the trick.

One more thing: Although I was unimpressed by many of the recipes in this book, I tried several, and some of them are quite good. You really should try the fake French toast. Strange, but tasty.

Token fat girl Cook along

I've been wanting to do some sort of a Cook together for a very long time and just never knew how to go about doing it. Basically, I think cooking is fun and hope you do too (at least a little!) and I'd love in the kitchen with you a few times a month.

Here is my idea: I will bring a recipe to start (down the road I like suggestions take!) as an association. We have a week complete the recipe and post our results (with photos) on the same day.

Make the recipe a little more fun, I like a challenge for the recipe: you need an Artichoke in your recipe, use a local element or Bento box style must be made. I encourage all their own for the recipe and find ways around it works individually. For example: makes it vegan, gluten-free, made with whole wheat pasta, make it deconstructs, change the fill miniature, make it etc. to low calories.

Everything you have to do is leave a comment in this post, let me know, and I'll link to your blog to reveal day!

Our first task begins January 20th Thursday, making following Thursday (27) reveal day! Sure the recipe at all times to make during the week, only that you plan your entry for Thursday.

Here is our first recipe:

Bosnian PITA with spinach filling

Challenge: You have source or organic ingredient in the recipe at least one locally.

Time to these furnaces fire!

Which

Zenergy winner + exercise thoughts

(1) I feel much better physically. I have no idea what I cradle, but I feel good me. My body is better, I feel just good move.

(2) It's not easier.Only since (almost) two weeks of consistent exercise and I am still sweating and pushed me as I was so hard on the first day. These are always slightly easier, my lines are a little deeper and I better moves.

(3) I will still not to exercise. Is it so shocking, isn't it? I will not exercise. At all. That makes me laugh, because I think my whole life I was waiting to turn into someone who wanted to. The truth of the matter is that you does not exist. I don't want. I wanted to die tonight. I wanted to yesterday or the day before. I craved runs before, maybe twice, but I think the argument with the fact that there be no tag if the clouds part and I want to exercise. So know that-I just have to do it anyway.

4 I exercise, even if the conditions not ideal.Some days I am really sore on other days I exercise until 10 pm, and occasionally I'm eating dinner or getting ready for the day to exercise. We have a large living room, but we move the couch out of the way and to push coffee table aside. I am writing this as a reminder to me: I can exercise even if conditions are perfect. You will never be. I need no more living, the right program to put a gym membership or the right shoes. I never did.

(5) I'm still fat. Guess Hey self, what? You're still fat! And you thought all you had to do was a few weeks hard exercise and you would be done? Nope. I am still the same clothing as I last month. And I agree with all this fine. At least I'm writing it as a hint, that it is okay. I am trust my process. I am trust, I do what I must do to a healthier person.

I'm okay with who I today, as long as do everything in my power, I take care of me. A healthy person today to be tomorrow. That's all I can hope that. It's okay that I still fat. This is done in two weeks or two months.

And fun stuff. I'm sure we all life and interests outside have our try healthier itself to be and I want to here what you in recently. What books you read or shows you watch or your closet organization.

Here it what I'm into lately:

Grey's Anatomy - I just finished season two and I'm shamefully addicted. It seemed just like my kind of show, and now I find late at night or early in the morning you myself. Getting my fix Meredith, Izzie and George.

Finishing up my Valentine's line early next week come to jewelry!

Genealogy: We had tested our DNA from 23andme.com (nope you pay me or questions to write) and just got the results of this week. They say things like genetic diseases you are vulnerable descent and other tidbits forever, like what color eyes have your future kids (blue for us). This results driven us ancestry.com give a try and oh my Lord, it is so much fun. I have my mom's dad's line all the way back to the massive tracks. Turns out, with the King of Sweden on a straight line from my grandfather connected I. I wanted to do since I was a kid, but never knew how to get started. I can never sleep why sleep when I can figure out that unlicensed I used a thousand years ago?

Gene research obstacles in cancer cell growth

It is well established that cancer cells feed on blood sugar, but it is not only the nutrient they require. Another important source of energy is Glutamine and new cancer research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers ' studies and online journal nature, shows how the promotion of cancer gene, called the "Myc" directs its use.

The findings could offer a new approach towards the cancer.

The research team will explore how the Myc genes contribute to the growth of the cancer when it is actually surprising discovery: gene increases cancer cells, the use of Glutamine, Chi v. Dang, MD, PhD, Professor, Johns Hopkins, onkologian.

Experts joined the group in the effort of the protein for proteins, which corresponded to the Myc Cancer Researchers examined human. Myc genes in cells on or off, and eight of the proteins found in mitochondria, which are displayed in the cell, in response to a separate gene.

One of the proteins, which corresponded to the Myc gene glutaminase (GLS) supports cellular energy production. Cancer growth slowed significantly, when researchers removed the GLS.

On the basis of a previous investigation, Myc genes were found in the group is not influenced by GLS directly, but rather affects the Hematology Johns Hopkins, Associate Broker-"something that in turn controls GLS," according to Ping Gao, PhD, research.

That "something" turned out to be some of the microRNAs, small RNA that can bind to bits, and prevent the RNAs, which include instructions for making proteins. Two of microRNAs is called "miR23a" and "miR23b" link in the Myc GLS expression.

The researchers intend to continue their exploration of research mice to see if a GLS may interfere with the growth of cancer.

"If we know how the cancer cells from normal cells, how they can make use of energy and nutrients, we can identify new pathways for designing drugs that target the less side effects," said the Gao.

Happiness is my life

The wife of the brother of a coworker is having a good day? If so, that is good news for you. Happiness is catching, researchers have found-and their values, not just the effect of the transitional period, the laughter of the crowd, or a high spirits. A recent study shows that people who are virtually strangers in may affect other moods, so long as one year.

Nicholas Christakis, physician and social scientist, Harvard Medical School and James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego, Professor at the Department of political science, explore the spread of happiness in a social network through and learned that it passes only to the person, but also for people of up to three degrees removed--friends, that is to say.

The researchers took note of the information, known as the Framingham Heart study, and were again almost 5,000 people who had responded to the questions put to them by the subjective, their feelings of happiness, more than 20 years--a social network, whether they felt hopeful for the future, for example.

It is not surprising the people closest to each other, was the largest effect on happiness levels. But the people who were so far removed, they may have never even met, was also not detectable effects.

More happy relationships in person was likely to end the individual was, Fowler and Christakis are complied with.

In this work the takeaway? We do not fully meet the essential requirements on their own happiness in the control. It does not depend solely on their own choices, actions and experience. Emotions are, what is required by Christakis "collective existence."

Unhappiness is also "contagious," the researchers noted, but it appears there is a lot less impact on the social network members.

Simple supper: Rosemary pot roast and Hasselback potatoes

There are three reasons why I love this dinner is quick, easy and tasty. I have the pot roast in the crock pot 10 am and leave on a low boil for about eight hours. It turned out that incredibly flavorful and tender. I love Rosemary, so that helps.

Here's what I did (if you can call this a recipe also), I put a medium sized Chuck Roast in the crock pot. Generously sprinkled with sea salt, pepper and Rosemary on both sides. Drizzled with olive oil and add about 1-2 cm of water. Place and a half on low until the last hour, and then I met up to high heat. There is a small trick pot roast tender: let Cook until there are fork tender. If the meat easily not, break apart it needs more time to cook.

The Hasselback potatoes were simply too: set your oven temp. to 425 degrees. Potatoes thoroughly to wash and then cut thin slits Nov. careful not to cut in half. Place the garlic in the slots you like. I used garlic gold on top (olive oil and garlic mixture) with some sea salt. Let Bake until you soft 40-45 minutes. I had developed this bakery while I, which was a nice reward. I topped with butter after they came out of the oven.

Love thing I about these potatoes is that there no room for overeating. I have enough for us (and others for lunch today) and that's it. The problem I have with mashed potatoes is that I eat could you until I to turn into a real potato.

Add some spinach, almonds and dressing raw on your plate, and you're set!

Grapefruit juice: A photo story

I had some very ripe grapefruit sitting on the counter and I wanted something refreshing before my workout.

Perspective projection

Ever wonder if you are on your size is? What if I went through high school as the skinny cheerleader or the girl who actually had a prom date? I was a while ago said that the reason why I'm so "interesting" is my weight. I say so many people slightly interesting, because I can remember how are interesting and informed for me. I call myself... interested more than anything else.

I'm curious, I love to learn, I am passionate and I'm thrilled. Most of the time. But I wasn't sure like this in high school. I was like most girls-obsessed with boys (borderline stalker) and cry about drama with friends. I watched every episode of Dawson's Creek and loved, ride in the car (up, down Windows music) with my friends. I have all of your notes to prove. I was not I wasn't academic sports, I was not artistic, I was pretty average across the Board. I had always been a creative streak, and the desire to learn but as I grew up those wishes were somewhat burned out with the desire to fit.

But then I went to College and realized it was better to be unique and interesting, just like everyone else to be. Want to fit, one thing was slow I in high school to leave. My dreams got bigger, and began my desire to learn and try something new. I did a lot in College, I found my way in New York City (via my now-husband) and I have interesting friends. I am happy with who I am now more than any other time in my life, but I noticed that I accept not comfortable am that I am, who I am because of my weight. I don't use disrepute that I got with my weight okay.

I am who I am because I listen to my heart. I hear my instincts. Because I trust my path. It is not because I have to shop in the plus size.

My point of this post, at least one of you is that for a long time I believed this lie about me. I felt I needed to worry about being overweight us anything except my look. I thought only shallow people cared to how you looked. And then it hit me: this is not at all. I have many friends, many of which healthy and well rounded. You are more at home learning or create as just the latest reality drama.  They are curious, thoughtful and intelligent.  It is not just about caring about your appearance, it comes to your health care and there is absolutely nothing about the flat.

Came when I brought up this interview with Josh, we concluded that it who are unattractive people thick and thin, and everything in between. It has to do, where you are ready to go in life where you're willing to take, if you hear yourself when you learn to enjoy your dreams. The size of your dress or trousers, or whether to wear glasses.

Weekend success

I am still and full of energy to get things done and prepare a new week! Thank you so much once again for your comments — there are truly wonderful (intelligent, thoughtful) some reading this blog, and I am so grateful. Really appreciative.

It is Saturday morning and I planned a great post, but I have so much I want to do and want to share a little accountability.

Today I am's going after a seminar about the local bee with a friend and then go to your home. A little bit of bridal shower planning include that I got on.

But before that I want to really done a lot in the kitchen. My goal is to create an environment for weight loss success. This will organize file and include food prep. I dreams of being able to reach in the fridge and have many fixtures for a salad at my fingertips.

The current exercise will include a visit with Billy blanks and tomorrow we went to the gym for strength and the treadmill.

I would like to bake some menu planning for the week, some bread to do. I would like to plan for the week and I want to make a meal it as easy as possible for me.

I want to start planning to organize the bedroom and garden. Yes folks, this year (as of two years) I will have a successful garden. I have a garden. I say this over and over. I have no idea how garden and it is always so scary to me. I say this I live in a city, and I have no yard space for such adventures round. BUT we have small rooms that can be converted into a garden. Urban gardening in a small town. I want to for the food, but also for the exercise and feel to make it happen. Eat foods we grew, there is a kind of satisfaction in that. So planning is happening. Planning and learning.

What else? I did some freelance work to finish and some jewelry orders out. Other than that I want to catch up with my reading and to relax a little.

Here is a very good weekend! See you tomorrow...

Feel free to sharing your great weekend plans in the comments, I'd love to hear you.

A clean kitchen and dining room space

I have been spending much time for some pre - spring cleaning and things are really good feeling in our home. Cleaning + daily exercise makes me I feel on the right track. I started a good scrub with the kitchen and dining room, down and reorganization needed. Things really get out of control during the holidays and I'm always motivated to cook more, when everything is clean and OK. See:

After taking these photos, I realized that it looks more complex than it, feels in the photos. Empty and clean sink!

Cutting boards mixer, fruit stand, Bento box, one of my many salts and a photo of Simon (the cat).

Cook books and cooking magazines.

And the dining area (next to the kitchen):

And there you have it. Our small, but powerful (that's what you said!) Kitchen and dining area. I love our home so much, this room was one of the reasons why I fell in love with our House. It feels like us here.

Back to the grind

Hello Monday! I have to say this: I (with my husband) worked six days last week and it was awesome. Most days we worked out in the morning and a couple of days we worked out in the evening, but we did it! We were pretty much everyday sore. Madness was majorly ass-kicking. By far is the hardest training I have ever made. Ever. We cry out to Shaun T while the suicide drills. I Shaun t., hate you but I love you too.

I like the schedule that we set up: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: madness. Thursday is an hour of Yoga and an hour of strength, and we then finish with madness on Friday and Saturday. Our goal is the 60 days worth of madness and start outside running again when it gets warmer.

I'm staying away from the scale for a while, and hope to find it again in mid-February or March. Honestly, and say this makes it even seem crazy but often the reason why I give up on diet and exercise so soon, because I see no immediate results on the scale. This is true for me crazy, but something.

For example, last week, I have my butt with exercise. I was consistent, I ate well, I cooked at home I count a lot and calories tracks. I worked for it. But in my mind, I think, "Okay, I worked hard, I 50 lbs still lost?" or "How could I lose not 10 lbs this week?" It's so crazy, but I let the scaling guide me more than my actions. I am interested in the results, and if it - don't display the scale I give up.

So, I don't know what I have weight, or how much water or weight I lost. And I don't know for at least another month. I am my actions can guide me now. I trust that I'm doing the right things for the results I want. Moving more + eat less. That's all I can hope that. And I had a real moment with me when I said "if I only 40 lbs lose this year, that'd be great".

So I said this was another week action objectives. Six days of exercise last week. Count and tack calories and often to cook.

What are your objectives of the action this week?

Diet food vs. health food

I am here! I have it on Wednesday without blogging, but I have to share so much. I restarted Madness with Josh. We started very day four made last year and then I got sick and then we never did it again.

We started Monday evening with the fitness test, which was not easy, but I was a little upset to see that my numbers in some areas than others were high. They provide you with some 60 days calendar to the check every day that you complete a new session, so it's really satisfying off each completed day cross.

I am very sore, but I feel so good in the morning exercise, it really sets the tone for the day.

Thus brings that me to my next topic. Eat. I've done, really well with tracking my eating and trying to cook at home and eat vegetables and fruits. I spent a good chunk of the weekend and last week cooking and trying new recipes, I hope to share this week.

I've been thinking a lot about "Diet eat", and I realized that I eat diet hate, but I love health food. Diet food for me is all in a package that has a weight loss claim (low fat! low calorie! low carb! lose 6 pounds in two weeks!). Diet soda, bars, shakes, cookies, crackers, margarine, cereals etc.

Today I had a salad for lunch that I would call, health food, diet does not eat. This is food preserved and satisfies me. You can feel me emotionally and physically. It does not need is delicious, and a lot of calories. 400 to be exact.

Okay, yes it looks serious dressing! Here the pass is below my salad:

Organic/local mixed green, local feta organic Bacon, 2 local hard boiled eggs, 1 T slices almond and 2 T yogurt dressing.

But it's not just about salads, dealing with healthy food, we with our own hands to make. There must be no great demands. The lettuce didn't promise I would lose weight on the package. The eggs, cheese or bacon. It's just. And it's good.

That was a scholar a lesson today.

TFG: Cooking together: Bosnian PITA with spinach filling

 

FYI: This is a lengthy post, you will find this weeks Cook Along challenge at the bottom.

This is what I know for sure: cooking is important. I believe in food, I believe in cooking, I believe in working for delicious, healthful and satisfying food. Cooking at home is cheaper than eating out and you will always know exactly what you're eating.

And so the Cook Along (or cookalong) was born out of this belief. The belief that getting in the kitchen will somehow make me a better person. I know this to be true. There is a satisfaction that I cannot explain in words that comes to me when I've prepared a meal. Some strange force that makes me feel human and whole when I shop locally. Cooking makes me feel like I have the power to change my life and the world around me.

Our first recipe is called a Bosnian Pita (phyllo) with Spinach Filling. I first heard about this recipe from a readers travels to Bosnia. I fell in love with her pictures of this traditional dish. You can read more about it here (thanks Wikipedia!). Frankly, it looked delicious and I wanted to know how to make it.

Recipe is here: Bosnian Pita with Spinach Filling

My challenge for this recipe was to use at least one local or organic ingredient. I encouraged everyone who joined in to make this recipe to their taste.

While the steps may seem long it took me about 20 minutes to prepare and another 45 minutes to bake.

I began by sprinkling salt on local/organic spinach and set aside for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes it up, take fists of spinach and begin squeezing out the water. There will be a lot of water! This step prevents the filling from being bitter. I found that microwaving the fresh spinach for 45 seconds helps in the wilting process.

In another bowl I mixed one local egg, 1/4 C sour cream, 1/2 lb. feta cheese, and one cup cheddar cheese. Mix spinach in.

I then rolled out one package of thawed phyllo dough and covered with a damp cloth to keep from drying out.

I then placed one phyllo sheet in a 9x13 pan and brushed with olive oil. Crumble the spinach/cheese mixture on top. I found that it didn't spread well so I used my hands for this step.

Top with another sheet of phyllo. Brush with olive oil and repeat, layering with spinach and then phyllo dough, like lasagna, until you run out of filling. Make sure you finish with phyllo dough. I used about 3 more sheets of brushed dough to complete the dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

I skipped the last step of mixing milk and sour cream and pouring over top and baking for another 15 minutes.

Slice and eat! I have to say that I will most likely make this recipe again, but more for a special treat. I could see this making a nice appetizer. It's delicious and impressive looking. Next time I would add less salt to the spinach as I found the filling to be a little too salty. I would also use 3-4 sheets of phyllo on the bottom before adding the filling. I loved the feta in this dish! It is also nice reheated.

I also thought the prep was minimal, it really only took a few minutes to put together before it was in the oven.

***********************************************************************************

My friend Ashley also participated via email, she made spinach pockets!

As soon as I saw Lorrie's post on making spinach pie, I was in.

When we were young and living in Huntington, a town sadly devoid of any Greek restaurants, we would look forward to the city's annual Greek festival every September.  Spanakopita and baklava sundaes were my weakness.  I never tried making it at home, though, because it seemed to be a multi-step process, not worth the time and effort in the end, because I'm not a huge spinach fan.  But somehow, spinach in spanakopita is okay.

But Lorrie is one of my best friends, and because of the miles separating us, I always try to do things that she dreams up to keep us connected.

So on Sunday, I made some spinach pie.

I ended up buying puff pastry sheets instead of phyllo dough, mainly because I didn't want to go to an actual grocery store on a Sunday.  I bought some nice frozen organic spinach, sheep's milk feta, a couple of organic lemons and some puff pastry sheets from Trader Joe's.  Then I headed home to make some pocket pies.

(Sidenote on the pocket pies: It's known among my friends and boyfriend that I enjoy pretty much any type of food item in a pocket.  Even Hot Pockets, embarrassingly enough.  But burritos, empanadas, spring rolls, dumplings, etc - all of these things are more than welcome in my mouth.  And I was planning for the spinach pie to serve as lunch while I was at work this week, so I wanted something easy to transport as well as easy to eat.  And thus, pockets it is.)

I started by first thawing the spinach, then squeezing out the water handful by handful - this took awhile.  Did you know spinach water is a nice shade of green?  To this, I added a bit of light sour cream, crumbled feta, some part-skim mozzarella (not a lot of that), an egg, some salt and pepper, minced garlic and a zested and squeezed lemon.  I thought the lemon might brighten up some of the flavors and add more of a Grecian taste to it.  I rolled a sheet of puff pastry out just a little and cut into nine squares.  A bit of filling, then I folded them over lengthwise and sealed with an egg wash.  Baked at 400 degrees Farenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry was golden brown.

As I said up above, I'm not a huge spinach fan.  And honestly, I wasn't the biggest fan of my pockets, mainly because I could reallllly taste the spinach.  I should have used more feta - I barely used 2 ounces.  But the lemon did add a nice tang.  And they really transport well - I have a couple of nice, easy-to-transport lunches for the week, and that was my ultimate goal.  Looking forward to Lorrie's next cook-along!

***************************************************************************************************

And a special thanks for all of you who joined in!

Krissie: Growl in my Tummy

Stacy: Race to Fit

Rachel: Treadmill Truth

LeAnn: Losing the Chunk

****************************************************************************************************

January 27th Challenge!

Post Date: February 3rd 2011

Details: We will have one week to complete the recipe and then post (with photos) our results on the same day.

To make the recipe a little more fun I will post a challenge for the recipe such as: you must use an artichoke in your recipe, or use one local ingredient, or it must be made bento-box style. I encourage us all to make the recipe your own and find ways to make it work individually. For example: making it vegan, gluten-free, made with whole wheat pasta, make it miniature, deconstructed, change the filling, make it low calorie etc.

All you have to do is leave a comment in this post letting me know you're in and I will link to your blog on reveal day!

Our  assignment begins Thursday January 27th, making the following Thursday (the 3rd) is reveal day! You can make the recipe at any time during the week, just make sure you schedule your post for Thursday.

Here is this weeks recipe:

Greek Gyro!!

I'm sure we've all had these at one point or another. They are usually pita bread filled with lamb, beef or chicken and vegetables and topped with tzatziki sauce.

Challenge: You much make at least one component from scratch. This means, that you can make the meat filling, the pita bread or the tzatziki sauce yourself. Or you can go crazy and make them all! I did find beef gyro meat at a nearby ethnic food store, so it's out there.

Here are some recipes: (you can use your own)

Traditional Gyro Meat

Gyro Meet with Tzatziki sauce- Alton Brown

Pita Flat Bread Recipe

Time to fire up those ovens!

Power oatmeal

I have eaten this oatmeal and shut down for about three weeks now. I love oatmeal in the morning because it's so darn filling, but my previous recipe of brown sugar demands. And because unsweetened Oatmeal Food feel like Oliver Twist would leave me, I decided to add a banana and some raisins.

I call this power oatmeal because it makes powerful feel and because it Zenergy power ball features. Power ball, power ball!

Okay... here's how I do my oatmeal:

1/2 C old fashioned oats and 1 C. unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk

Add in a pot. And hey, I today morning snapping photos I realized that my breakfast not one but three Christmas presents functions! Find a stainless steel copper rimmed pot from my sister. Thanks sister!

By using this rad bird bowl of my mother!

Once the Oatmeal starts boiling, add a banana and 1 / 8 C raisins hacked. Stir. Let boil for another two minutes. My trick Oatmeal is perfect, you take the heat before you think it looks done. Cooking will oatmeal continue in your bowl, so if you take it off the heat when it's still runny it (not dry) consistency will companies the perfect. I learned this the hard way. I always thought that I not oatmeal do, until I did.

I have a Powerball in the microwave for about 15 seconds to soften (probably this is not recommended, but I'm a rule breaker). I like the best almond and coconut flavors. You feathers, are filled with natural things like dates, almonds and cacao which I much to enjoy.

Here is the Powerball! Sent me by the owner of the company Peggy Sue Honeyman Scott (try say that ten times fast). What I like about you is that you hands-on with promoting your business. They turned to me personally in November and even a nice little note with your Zenergy power ball included. I like that I personally like. And I like the power ball in my oatmeal.

Top with a little shredded, unsweetened coconut, if that's your thing.

And enjoy with a nice glass of grapefruit juice in your special Floyd stem wear. Another Christmas present from my sister in law. This is the proof that if you a gift me I use actually it... A lot.

So because Peggy Sue so awesome, one of my readers made you a sampling of your send Zenergy power ball, a great breakfast honestly by themselves or make snack. I've known that you eat during dinner.

Just leave a comment and I will a name by random draw and you need to send you out!

What are you favorite oatmeal toppings?

Public health officials ylireagoida swine flu?

Only weeks after the spread of influenza a (H1N1)-commonly referred to as "swine flu" caused local alerts for public health emergencies at the international level, the questions are whether and to what extent the public resulting from the outbreak of the disease and unknowingly launched an unnecessary overreacted and undesirable behaviors.

This is important for the development of the debate recognised David p. Fidler, Indiana University., Maurer School of Law, and the author of the law, James Louis biosecurity Calamaras, Professor of Global Age: biological weapons, public health and the right to rule.

However, people should be wary of hype about the outbreak and answers to a simple led ostensibly "panic" in public health, he cautioned.

"We have seen the irrational responses to public health warnings on the influenza A (H1N1), whether or not we have a ' very concerned ' emergency rooms or burdening a ban on pork products from countries affected by the imports from the countries of new viruses," said Fidler.

"Some of the estimated overreaction and sometimes unavoidable when societies deal with the serious communicable disease threats, because such threats are answers to some common questions about causes, in the context of the often very uncertain, as the case may be, has been the case with this new influenza virus," he observed.

"Unlike the Hurricane or tornado, where the damage is geographically limited, easily perceived and experienced on a regular basis, in particular, certain communicable diseases, avian influenza, may appear unexpectedly and spread quickly and silently throughout the community, the nation and the planet, and the researchers before political decision-makers fully understand the threat," explained Fidler.

"Microbial threats often cause a collective fear, which makes the promotion of the response is based on the best available science and public health principles, difficult," he continued.

"However, as a result, compared to the experienced anthrax in 2001 and 2003 SARS epidemic since climatic conditions, I am sensing a lot less panic and more caution," noted Fidler, "which reflects part of the preparations made by Governments at all levels of the potential for pandemic influenza. (I) be released at the end of the outbreak, if this is our remaining, whether the action in the field of public health countermeasures for appropriate instead of counting and — thousands of killed influenza virus, the fear is that we are not enough. "

The new findings, it should be noted the lid of the HRT

The investigation has once again against the replacement hormone therapy results in a damning that millions of women continue to facilitate the Menopause symptoms will appear on the screen. In short, women who took estrogen plus progesterone for at least five years was more likely to get breast cancer; they were also more likely to get the other, more serious, they eat; and they had a greater risk of dying from them.

These were published this week by the American Medical Association, Journal of the study of the main conclusions.

Findings are based on monitoring the health of women in 11 years at the initiative of the research, which was found in 2002, that the use of HRT in long-term ovarian cancer, breast cancer, increased and strokes among other ill effects on the incidence of more than 12,000 attendees.

A study on the aborted when these findings came to light, and everyone stopped taking hormones; However, the researchers continued to keep track of participants.

The latest study contradicts previous studies, which found that HRT is associated with increased risk is used, only one more treatable, aggressive tumours that some doctors are considered to be more than minor problems. For the first time, researchers found the Artificial and the link between the risk of death.

Guessing game

All of the different categories of breast cancer increased in women who used HRT and eat as a group, they were more advanced. Twice as many of them died in the WHI participants who took a placebo instead of the HRT.

Rowan Chlebowski, MD, the Institute in Los Angeles biomedical research, which was created in the last analysis, it is said that even though the death risk is low-2.6 per year-10 000 is real.

Sales fell in the 2002 report of the HRT, but millions of women doctors still prescribe, betting that lower doses of shorter times can be detrimental to their patients. Is not, however, the validity of the research to support this approach.

You want to die?

Replacement hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms seemed to be one of the wonders of the modern world, when it first became available. Some women these symptoms can be severe-even deletion.

No woman has ever died in Menopause yet. Opinion Doctors need to get the most out of yourself free from large pharma and patients wishing to pill to cure whatever ails them--even if it means the pressure applied by rolling the dice.

Menopausal women who seek relief from import duties as a result, the symptoms may be a small percentage of the die, but for those who represent a small slice of humanity, the consequences are truly remarkable.

Not only should drug prescribed, if you want to relieve pain or otherwise, if the death can be the result of State-of-the-art-with the exception of patients who are already on the carpet, or whose life really is not worth living without it.

In rare cases, the standard in question meets the menopausal distress.

Hot Flashes vs. Breast Cancer-why are doctors still defining the HRT?

Researchers are once again pointing to strong evidence that the use of hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, to treat the symptoms of menopause may cause breast cancer. At the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on Saturday, study authors presented their analysis of data from 15,387 women who participated in the Women's Health Iniative study of combination hormone therapy (estrogen plus progestin).

They reported that risk of breast cancer increased upon beginning use of the therapy and fell when women stopped taking the pills. At the highest risk point, women who were using the therapy had twice the breast cancer risk of a matched group of women who were not.

With this strong evidence in hand, the researchers concluded that women should be encouraged to use HRT "only if needed for menopausal symptoms, and for the shortest time possible." Even women who took HRT for short periods of time were shown to have heightened breast cancer risk. Why, then, are these researchers and the federal government and doctors all over the US still pushing these pills at all?

In the first place, why are the normal changes that occur in women when they stop menstruating referred to as "symptoms," as though menopause were a disease? Could it possibly be a strategy to encourage women that something is going wrong in their bodies that needs medical attention?

Sure, there are discomforts associated with hormonal changes. Menstrual cramps can be debilitating too, but I doubt that anyone would advise their teenage daughters to take pills that might cause cancer in order to alleviate their pain.

Hot flashes are normal. Some women are impacted more than others -- but they are not the symptom of a disease state, and they will never kill anyone. Hormone replacement therapy might.

Women should educate themselves about menopause and ways to relieve associated discomforts without taking pills that could lead to life-threatening disease.

There are natural approaches that may be useful -- for example, plant-based estrogens and supplements such as black cohosh. In general, physicians and other health authorities are hesitant to recommend them, saying they're unproven and might entail health risks of their own.

Of course, there's little incentive to spend millions of dollars to research these cheap and widely available alternatives -- they offer no potential profits for pharmaceutical companies.

Women who are interested in pursuing alternative routes to relieving their menopausal discomforts should learn for themselves how diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices may help. They might also want to consult an alternative health practitioner about acupuncture treatments, herbal supplements or other natural therapies.

It's time to stop relying on the advice of mainstream medical professionals and government officials who cannot seem to divorce themselves from the interests of the big pharmas. Join the discussion! Send your comments to Daily News Central.

Please indicate whether your message is "public" or "private." Public messages may be posted on this site. Private messages will not be published.

COMMENTS From Khalid Mahmud, M.D.

As an oncologist well versed in the subject, I would like to emphasize that this is merely an extension of the 2002 WHI study of women receiving PrmPro, a combination of Premarin and Provera. These are drugs chemically different from the natural hormones that exist in a woman's body. All "experts" produced by the media who insist that these are the same things as natural hormones are dead wrong. There are multiple side effects of these drugs, particularly Provera, which have been well documented in the literature, and may lead to complications such as heart attack, stroke, other thromboembolic phenomenon and cancer.

On the contrary natural progesterone has been shown to have anti-breast cancer activity. One large study of French women published in 2005 [the International Journal of Cancer; 114:484-454], clearly demonstrated that women receiving Provera had a 40% increased in the risk of breast cancer, but those who received natural progesterone had a 10% decrease. Natural progesterone [identical to that in the human body] has been available for 60 years, but ignored by the U.S. medical community. Given the U.S. industry interest, it may take another 60 years before studies like this may appear in the U.S. In the mean time women should seek out healthcare professionals who have really studied and learned to use natural hormones in natural ways. From Elaine A:

About 15 years ago I read the Harvard Nurses Study which basically said that women taking hormone replacement therapy were at a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

I had spoken to four gynecologists prior to this about the hormones they prescribed for me, altho' I had NO symptoms going through menopause. Neither did my mother 93 and my grandmother passing at 85.

Every doctor I spoke to pressed me to continue with the HRT. I had taken them for six years and decided on my own to stop taking them. I am 73 and so glad I listened to my intuition! From J Atkinson:

Until, my doctor took me off, of H R T, because, of the risk of breast cancer, I had taken it for over twenty years, I was very upset when he took me off, because I felt wonderful the whole time I was on it, always well, full of energy and and full of the joys of spring, but since coming off of H R T I've aged very quickly, never been well , just have never felt the same. From Anonymous:

As a professional health care journalist who has researched breast cancer and hormone therapy quite extensively, I am amazed at the media's perennial failure to mention the role of bio-identical hormone therapy, or BHRT, as an effective means of preventing breast cancer and restoring women's health without the heinous side effects of HRT. Most searches, however, will reveal ominous reports to the contrary, obviously funded by pharmaceutical companies that stand to lose billions from the use of BHRT - as this article so accurately points out. Albeit true, the vague directive for women to "educate themselves about menopause" will only lead the majority to the Internet and women's magazines, all glutted with misinformation about breast cancer, BHRT and HRT, thanks to writers' relying on FDA, AMA, big pharma and similar sources for their research. Millions of baffled women paying outrageous health care premiums are desperately relying on this propaganda for the "education" they should be receiving from brainwashed doctors beholden to a system earning excessive profits from their patients' unnecessary pain, anguish and expense. Today's reporters and writers must read in between the lines to uncover the truth behind the "facts" and ask tougher questions of doctors and medical sources since we, not the high-priced physicians, are now responsible for this educational healing that the medical profession ought to provide. Perhaps it is the doctors who require the greatest education of all. From Mary, a woman interested in her own healthcare:

It's all about results based on use of combined estrogen-progestin in PEMPRO. PEMPRO. A single drug prescribed for this study and then these fear envoking generalities made for all women by the outcome of this single drug. It's another reason women must become better educated about our own health care. So women..do your research. Spend some time reading. One size in clothing does not fit us all; why should we expect only a single HRT to be available. Any why the fear of PEMPRO or nothing. I'm sorry but if it was Cialis or nothing the Viagra people would be screaming. In fact, if it were a matter of I'm sorry all you ED gentlemen...but "hey, it's natural so get used to it...or chew on this plant leaf, you'll feel better" There should have had comparison research (to natural estradiol and natural progesterone) done years ago. Is there a fear of class-action suits from this? If only this one drug was used in this study and it was found that all these women got cancer and then when it was halted the rate of cancer dropped off...wow. I'm surprised that hasn't come up. From Efthimia T. Leonardi, PhD:

Why are docs prescribing HRT? Because the "natural remedies" don't work for many people. Further, teh WHI was a deeply flawed study. Most women in the study were well into their 60s and 70s and were prescribed HRT later in life, not during the onset of menopausal symptoms. Please go and read the baseline characteristics of the patients in the original study population. They were old and thus already at increased risk From Jane:

I took HRT for 5 years and got breast cancer. My physician only stopped the prescription after I called her & told her of my diagnosis.

It is 14 years since I had mastectomy, radiation, chemo, and tamoxifin and I still do not know whether the cancer will return. From Carl Grey:

Why do so many people equate all estrogens as bad for women?

The WHI used Premarin, made from Horse Urine and Prempro-Horse Urine plus a progestin that the rest of the world has rejected as fairly dangerous.

Other estrogens, i.e., transdermals are made from soy.

Does it take a government study to see that their might be a difference between urine from an animal or a plant based drug?

When you lump all estrogen as bad becausae of the WHI, you benefit Wyeth because they can use that in the law suits against Premarin and say that they did not know that all estrogen was a causative factor?

I am not an attorney, but women need estrogen for way more than hot flashes, but certainly not for life. Read up on estrogen and why the rest of the world uses estrogen but not like the US.

The scientists and physicians that developed and prescribed Premarin in the 60's-90's were 90% men.

Is there a connection there that women should consider before throwing out all estrogen vs the drug made by the Fen-Phen company?

Let's consider some facts here:

1. The majority of the women in the WHI study were obese.
2. The majority of those women were smokers.
3. The estrogen drug in the study was made from Horse Urine.
4. The other drug, Prempro, is rarely used in any other country than the US, but sold by Wyeth in the US.
5. Many European studies (much larger in size), using a plant based estrogen, have not produced the same negative results as the WHI.
6. U.S. Dr's have ignored the studies in Europe for years and continued to prescribe oral horse urine vs. the safer soy based products ands the male OBGYN's are just now starting to try them, and only because they are fearful they are now going to be sued.
7. Women need estrogen for much more than hot flashes- i.e., brain function, tissue strength, memory, heart function, etc.
8. Women may need estrogen supplements for a few years, possibly 2-5 years. What women don't need is a drug derived from horse urine, made from the same company that pushed Fen-Phen when they knew it's dangers. Why do women want estrogen prescribed by a male OBGYN who doesn't know anything about women's bodies, but believes that the answer to women's health is to surgically remove any problem they have?

The best thing for women's health is coming, and it's the fact that the majority of new OBGYN Med school grads are female. From Dr. Craig Chandler, Board Certified Obstetrics and Gynecology

I only send a comment because your article starts with "News You Can Trust". Unfortunately you are not supplying news just rhetoric and down right lies. The WHI study is very flawed, and does not take into account the age of the patients in the study. Vitamin and alternative pill manufactures make millions on there stuff and they are held to no standard at all. Drug manufactures are highly regulated. Herbal supplements have been studied, and the lack of quality is down right amazing. The variation in what the product contains from manufactures is astounding and the difference in one pill to the next is even more disturbing. If you want plant estrogens all of the western drugs are made from plant estrogen except for Premarin which is made from horses. If you want plant estrogens at the dose provided by the health food store I suggest going to you doctor and getting a sample, crush it into hundreds of small pieces and take a piece a day. You will be getting the same amount of estrogen as with a supplement and not making either company rich.

Birth control pills, as you suggest causing cancer have been proven over and over in large controlled studies NOT to cause breast cancer and actually reduce the incidence of ovarian and uterine cancer by many fold, so yes I would suggest taking hormones to control mensural symptoms ( I am an expert).

On the last note I do think you got some things right. You should take a little medicine as possible for every ailment. Don't take HRT unless you have significant symptoms. You should be cautious of herbals and megadoses of vitamins, because they are more dangerous than most people think. Ephedrine is my favorite example, hundreds of teens died taking this herbal remedy before the government made it illegal. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle are good for all stages of life. Hope this helps. Almost everyone providing medical services does so to help their patients. Making the profession into a bunch of greedy idiots just makes you look illegitimate and biased. Doctors are not allowed to profit from prescribing certain medications, so why would we be so interested in making drug companies millions?

All this is falling on deaf ears I am sure, at least until YOU get sick. If someone you love does gets breast cancer, if detected early the cure rates are very good. Despite your harsh words I am sure hundreds of health care professionals will come to your aid and do the very best to extend you life on this earth. From JE, medical student

Kathy,
So that you are aware, it is certainly taught in medical school that we listen to our patients and that we be open and enougaging toward effective alternative therapies. I for one have frequently and positively counseled patients on alternative therapies and their risks and benefits. This is not however what the crux of my response pointed to and I am sorry that you missed the point of my posting. While an examination of alternative medical treatments for perimenopause is useful and may definitely be effective for some women, I was disappointed that Ms. Jenkins did not divulge ALL of the findings of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) -- the study that she cites and utilizes as the basis for her argument. Rather, Ms Jenkins presented an incomplete picture of the WHI findings, out of context and omitting important corollary findings. Such reporting does a disservice to readers who may be less informed that yourself and may take what Ms. Jenkins reports at face value without knowing all of the facts (see my previous posting). The fact of the matter is that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not as clear-cut an issue as Ms. Jenkins would lead her readers to believe. Moreover, while your personal experiences are definitely noteworthy, they are the experiences of one woman. Alternative therapies are great for many patients, but they are NOT without their own significant risks and side-effects (they are not FDA regulated so none of this infomation appears on the packaging). The efficacy and side effects of any therapy, whether "alternative" or "mainstream" should be rigerously tested before its results are presented to the public in their ENTIRTY. From Pat S:

I have been on HRT for 14 years. I am on as low a dose transdermal patch as possible to just prevent symptoms. I also take a natural progesterone capsule and testosterone as needed for libido. The problem I have when my estrogen level becomes too low is severe palpitations. I tried to go without the estradiol and the palpitations became so bad I felt ill from them. As soon as I brought the level back up to my normal dosage, the palpitations stopped. I am sure most women do not have this problem but for me I feel it is a toss-up between the heart problem and breast cancer. Should I quit using the HRT and take heart medication? Who knows. In addition to that problem, also without the HRT, my eyes and skin become drier than they are now, I have headaches, hot flashes and I don't sleep well. I am sure there are others like me, albeit they are probably few and far between. From Kathy Chiavola:

This article is right on. At age 56, last summer, I experienced terrible hot flashes, sleepless nights, rapid pulse, emotional swings, etc. I researched non prescription options and began taking black cohosh, dong quai, chia seed, borage seed oil and cod liver oil tabs every day. After three days of that regimen I noticed improvement and after five days, nary a "symptom". I've been "symptom" free for five months, even after discontinuing the cohosh and dong quai.

My doctor was very interested in what worked for me and encouraged me to keep it up. Too bad they don't teach this in medical school. From Larry Francis, Bartlesville, OK:

Evidently, you haven't heard that reduced stress will relieve tension headaches, but we take medications for that. Exercise and a proper diet can keep your arteries clear, but we are encouraged to take statins. The problem with hot flashes and other "symptons" of menoopause is that they can be extremely uncomftable and the women experiencing some of the worst will do most anything to be rid of them.

Maybe an alternative medication can be developed so that you don't have to use HRT. But telling women to use natural approaches while she is living is a 300F oven is probably not any more realistic than telling our teen generation to exercise and eat proper diet to get rid of obesity. From JE, medical student:

I am not sure what Ms. Jenkins credentials are, I doubt however that she is a physician.

The Women's Health Initiative and other studies have in fact only demonstrated an increased risk of breast cancer in women taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) when it is taken for 5 or more years. Accordingly, gynecologists are advised by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to prescribe the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time necessary -- but less than 5 years -- to relieve symptoms of perimenopause (specifically, vasoreactive symptoms and urogenital atrophy). These same studies that Ms. Jenkins cites show that the increased risk of breast cancer with HRT is actually reversed after HRT is discontinued. I would advise Ms. Jenkins to do all of her homework before providing her readers with incomplete information. Read up on ACOG's recommendations and read the entire study that you cite and you will see that HRT, though it may have some drawbacks, is a viable and often advisable therapy -- even for our own daughters.

Foods containing due to fear of salmonella in peanut butter up

Recalls of products were announced would butter is Friday and Saturday, as the US Food and Drug Administration continued to search for the cause of a nationwide salmonella stellar outbreak implicated in six deaths and 474 illnesses so far.

Iowa-based Hy-Vee, Inc. is a member of the Saturday issued a voluntary recall of bakery products containing would butter that might be tainted with salmonella.

Kellogg Company is Friday, announced a voluntary recall of certain crackers and cookies because the would butter in the products could be contaminated.

The Hy-Vee and Kellogg actions came in response to an announcement Thursday that the Would is a Corporation of America had expanded an earlier voluntary recall to include all would butter produced on or after August 8, 2008, as well as all would paste produced on or after September 26, 2008 at its Georgia facility.

The FDA said Thursday that Georgia is the plant was a possible source of contaminated products would be. The PCA facility manufactures would butter and would paste for use in a range of products including cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream.

Common symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea (possibly bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Rarely, the salmonella organism can invade the bloodstream and produce severe illnesses such as infected aneurysms, endocarditis and arthritis. Salmonella infections are the most dangerous to young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Hy-Vee products subject to the recall (all sell-by dates): Would Butter CookiesMonster CookiesPeanut Butter, Reese's Pieces CookiesPeanut Butter Chocolate Chip CookiesLunchbox Reese's Pieces Would Butter CookiesPeople Chow CookiesLunchbox Party Mix and Assorted Truffle Fudge

Kellogg products impacted by the recall were produced on or after July 1, 2008: Austin Quality Foods Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter--would be all sizes Austin Quality Foods Cheese & Crackers Would ButterSandwich-all sizesAustin Quality Foods Mega Stuffed Cheese Crackers with Peanut Butter-all Would sizesAustin Quality Foods PB & J Cracker Was--all sizesAustin Quality FoodsSuper Snack Pack Sandwich CrackersAustin Quality Foods Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers-Would-all sizesAustin Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter-all Would sizesAustin Quality Foods Reduced Fat Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich would be CrackersAustin Quality Foods Reduced Fat Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter Sandwich would be FoodsCookie/CrackersAustin Quality PackAustin Quality FoodsVariety PackKeebler Cracker Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers-Would-all sizesKeebler Toast & PB n J Flavored Sandwich ' Crackers--all sizesKeebler Toast & Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers-Would-all sizesFamous Amos Would Butter Cookies (2-and 3-ounce) Keebler Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies Would (2-ounce)

Study finds Suicide risk teens who see themselves as Overweight

If the obesity epidemic is associated with many physical health concerns not enough worrying new survey shines light alarming mental health connection: teens who are overweight have higher risk of suicide attempts. Even the teenagers, who only believe themselves overweight--but not actually is, on the contrary, suicidal behavior more researchers found.

The research, which appears online in the journal, examined the health of young people for more than a high school high school students (BMI) body mass index (BMI) and the relationship between the risk of suicide attempts, and rapid response to soaring food prices, as well as the relationship between suicide attempts, and the higher risk was found in both cases.

Contrary to what the researchers had originally expected Association was so strong that the girls for boys leads to investigation by Monica said Swahn, PhD.

"This is a significant concern because of the increasing numbers of children and young people are becoming overweight and obese," said Professor Swahn, associate, Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University.

"Mental health problems and distress that some young people, which are overweight face ... will still be largely unaddressed, but gives" Swahn told the Daily News Central. "We usually need for mental health and prevention of views and to underestimate the scope and range of necessary services."

Reality vs. perception

Study participants responded to the survey question, "How can you describe your weight?" They can choose from five answers: very underweight, slightly underweight, overweight in the correct weight, slightly or very overweight, Swahn said. "Our analysis we looked at those who said they were somewhat or very overweight to determine their suicide attempts to increased risk. Our research shows that those who think that they were overweight were about 40% more likely to also report suicide attempts. "

Hatim Omar, MD, Chief of Medicine Division, Kentucky youth, said his own experience has led him to believe that the risk of obesity increase the risk of depression and suicide. "Teens are prone to development," he said, "the actual changes in their lives, or the weight of the detected problems, including depression and suicide, and to increase the risk."

To understand these organizations can assist in suicide prevention and the development of appropriate strategies according to the researchers.

"We cannot concentrate solely on prevention strategies, which are overweight and who are concerned about their weight, but we also do not need to include youth, who feel that they are overweight, although they may not be" Swahn said.

Societal pressures

"Young people feel very pressured to fit to fit the specific and limited to the ideals of beauty," he adds.

"Unfortunately, the society, as we are very active on the beauty and, in particular, the weight," he said. "Weight gain and weight is the pervasive problems faced by many of us. So, of course, these issues are linked to our prosperity and our mental health. Our findings as a sad aspect is that it is not only to those who are actually for the prevention of overweight, which have increased risk of suicide attempt, but also for those who consider themselves for the prevention of overweight, even if they are you really overweight, has increased the risk of suicide attempts. These observations should respond to body image and body ideals of social structures associated with a very strong influence. It is also important points out that our investigation revealed the overweight and suicide attempt was an important link between the boys and girls. "

Omar said that "this study adds another wake-up call, providers, parents, teachers and society screening of depression and suicide risk, the need for teenagers with the real effects of compromise or all behaviors."

Depression signs

Several common symptoms Swahn pointed to parents and caretakers can be find: persistent sad or irritable mood, once enjoyed activities; Psychomotor agitation or retardation or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of interest; feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt; recurrent thoughts of death or suicide; difficulty concentrating; difficulty in sleeping car, or oversleeping; energy; a significant change in appetite or weight of the body.

"If five or more of these problems are more than two weeks, it is very likely that a person who has been diagnosed as depressed," Swahn said.

What should be the role of parents, teachers, health professionals and other appropriate feedback teens weight and body image? Whether nurturing health and fitness, on the one hand, and on the other hand, there is a conflict between self-esteem?

"It is very important that we find a balance between promoting healthy dietary habits and exercise the welfare and run quick fixes too loudly, weight and body to achieve unrealistic ideals," said Swahn. "All of us, parents, adults, educators and healthcare professionals have in promoting healthy development of young people to play an active role in support of healthy diet and exercise often.

External influences

"However, it is important to recognize the many external influences, which deal with our eating habits," he continued. "I've just read Dr. [David] Kessler of the new book, the End of Overeating, which is a fascinating account of how the food industry, advertising industry has been almost impossible for some people to monitor their food intake. The food is packaged and sold to manipulate a way to add sugar, salt and fat, which leads to most of us wants more proportions and weight gain has slowed down. This is particularly heavy influence on our children, who are growing and all of these messages, it is common ground between the exposed that we need to serve our children. "

A study on factors of future research, recommend and encourage the study and the actual weight and their role in the functioning of the suicidal.

"Not a growing empirical evidence, that there is a strong relationship," said Swahn, "and that the concern about weight can help in the event of an emergency, and suicidal behavior. Ideally, future research should disentangle these associations ... and also to examine the factors that can mitigate the risk that perceive themselves overweight. "

For brisk Walk each day to leave Common Cold Bay

The cure for the common cold is found: engage. OK, that is a duplicate. However, new research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine show that active, Fit people suffer fewer colds and they tend to be less severe. Parents, also male, and married to reduce the frequency of the survey seemed to participants in the middle of the cold, but physical activity and Fitness on trumped-up charges of all other factors.

The Reason? Study author Dr. David Nieman Appalachian State University and colleagues offered one explanation is that the Rehearsal on the immune system to promote, give a temporary increase in immune cells cause around the body's circulation.

In addition, the researchers "stress hormones, which can prevent the fines and the pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines, indicative of the intense metabolic activity, are not in the normal exercise of the right to moderate aerobic," wrote.

Levels of returns they noted, but each is represented by a surge in the functioning of the immune system function, taking place in the line of defense against the stronger, the severity of the infection and to reduce the total number of bacteria and bakteeritautien about three hours after the attacks.

Add activity, less coughing and sneezing

Researchers tracked 1,000 adults, aged 18 to 85, 12 weeks 2008 respiratory health.

The participants shall be informed of how often they engage in aerobic exercise, and they are classified according to their own Fitness levels, 10 points on the basis of a scoring system.

They also gave scientists their lifestyles, diet, and any recent stressful events that may have contributed to the effectiveness of their immune system responses.

The research took place in the autumn and winter months. Cold symptoms were more prevalent in cold season--which take place at an average of eight days in autumn and winter (13) during the day.

The participants, who is said to have used at least five days, and watch yourself Fit reported symptoms of a much less frequent cold-43 46% less, is accurate--than those who only managed is physically active once a week or less frequently.

For those who think, the fittest will be informed of the sympoms 41% less than their counterparts, but fits in a less to those who reported being Most reported problems with 31% less.

One vulnerability research scientists had acknowledged that it did not adjust the exposure to pathogens.

"Average" person who is resident in the United States captures two to four colds a year. Children are more vulnerable to colds, catching 10 six each year.

Common cold in the United States economy costs around 40 billion dollars a year, the researchers noted.

Other reasons for moving

But if you are not a customer is motivated by other security measures to improve the economy, here are some other benefits of exercise, says Mayo Clinic: improve your mood by encouraging the development of the brain chemicals that help you feel calm, joyful and relaxed; to help prevent depression; to enhance the low self-esteem;Combats chronic heart disease by helping to reduce the blood pressure; It enhances the low "good" cholesterol and triglycerides, which decreases the plaque; reducing the buildup will help prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain cancers; to help you manage your weight-enough said; the energy level by providing more relevant oxygen and nutrients for your tissues; to promote better sleep can improve concentration and productivity; to improve the gender-enough said.

Last but not least, says Mayo Clinic is that it is fun to use. It does not necessarily mean that decision-making processes--physical activity that you find enjoyable.

So if you want to toss around the football, dance, or push your grandkids, you may be swings, enriching their life in many ways and can look forward to fewer sniffles.

Poor sleep linked to the BMI, the higher

A "good night's sleep" may be more important than we think. In addition to allowing us to feel rested, energetic and clear-thinking, studies have shown that there are connections between sleep and heart health. There also has been research demonstrating that sleep may affect body weight.

The latest to shed light on the sleep-weight connection is a study presented Sunday at the American Thoracic Society's 105th International Conference in San Diego, which indicates that body mass index, or BMI, is linked to length and quality of sleep in a surprisingly consistent fashion.

Researchers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center analyzed the sleep, activity and energy expenditures of 14 nurses who had volunteered for a heart-health program, part of the Integrative Cardiac Health Project.

The program included nutritional counseling, exercise training, stress management and sleep improvement.

The subjects were categorized either as "short sleepers" or "long sleepers." The short sleepers tended to have a higher BMI, averaging 28.3, compared with the long sleepers, whose average BMI was 24.5, according to lead investigator Arn Eliasson, MD.

The short sleepers also had greater difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, he reported.

In spite of sleeping less, the overweight individuals in the study were more active than the normal weight participants by about 25 percent, and they burned almost 1,000 more calories per day, the study found.

Dr. Eliasson suggested that stress could disrupt the length and quality of sleep, as well as increase eating and other behaviors contributing to weight gain

Also, getting less sleep appears to cause a reduction in leptin, a hormone that triggers the feeling of fullness, perhaps causing short sleepers to eat more.

Leptin's Role

That raises the possibility of using leptin supplements to curb overeating.

"It is conceivable that leptin may become an agent that can be administered to help with weight management, but we are not there yet," Dr. Eliasson told Daily News Central. "Science is still sorting out the role that leptin plays in weight management and its variation with sleep."

He compared leptin to melatonin, in terms of the current level of scientific understanding of their roles.

"Melatonin pulses at predictable times that coincide with sleepy times of the day," noted Dr. Eliasson. "However, melatonin administration is not a reliable soporific agent. So what gives? Rozerem (ramelteon, a melatonin receptor agonist) has made it to market to help with sleep but it is less reliable for regulating sleep and inducing sleep than other agents like the new benzodiazepine receptor agonists. We know even less about leptin at this time."

Given the low likelihood that any magic pill will soon hit the market to make up for the effects of short sleep on body weight, one solution might be to get the proper amount of sleep. However, it can be tricky to figure out how much sleep you actually need for optimal functioning.

Calculating Sleep Needs

"Sleep needs vary greatly by individual, and there is no single good test to measure what an individual's sleep need is," Dr. Eliasson said.

On average, adults need regular episodes of about 8 hours 15 minutes per 24-hour period -- but that's a statistical average. The range is much broader: 4 hours to 10 hours, depending on the individual. Children require about 9 hours, and teens may need a little more. By adulthood, adults generally need about 8 hours per night, according to Dr. Eliasson.

Contrary to common belief, aging in itself doesn't reduce the amount of sleep required, he noted. Other things may conspire to interfere with a regular schedule of night-time sleeping though, such as medical conditions, orthopedic issues, medications, mental health and living circumstances -- whether one has to get up at the same time each morning to go to work or is retired, for example.

The result is that older people often break up their sleep into shorter episodes at night combined with daytime napping.

If you want to pinpoint the ideal amount of sleep for you, Dr. Eliasson suggests a six-month experiment: Attempt to get very regular amounts of a certain length of sleep for a few weeks, and keep a diary recording how you feel during that period. For example, get 7 hours of sleep per night for three to four weeks, noting what time you go to bed and get up, when you nap, and how you feel. Keep those regular sleep hours on week days, weekends and holidays. Then, expand your sleep time to 7 hours 20 minutes per night for three to four weeks recording similar variables. Then, expand to 7 hours 40 minutes per night for three to four weeks, and so on. Over six months, you will be able to zero in on the amount of sleep needed to feel rested and be functioning in peak form.

"This sort of experiment takes a lot of dedication and time, and not many people are willing or able to make this happen," Dr. Eliasson observed.

Primitive Biology

James Gangwisch, a post-doctoral fellow in psychiatric epidemiology at Columbia University, led an earlier study that found a relationship between sleep and obesity. He hypothesized that sleeping less might trigger our bodies to store more fat because we're still functioning biologically like primitive humans.

Early humans may have slept less during the long days of summer when food was plentiful, Gangwisch suggested, and their bodies may have then stored extra fat in anticipation of the winter, when food would be scarce. Perhaps the bodies of short sleepers now function as though it's perpetually summer, and they're always storing as much fat as possible.

"The theory involving storing fat in the summer during periods of short sleep appeals to common sense and is a tidy way to explain why short sleep may favor weight gain," Dr. Eliasson commented. "It would be lovely to have some measurable hormones or transmitters that would put names and faces on the characters of this unfolding story. Give science another five to 10 years!"

Future Research

Dr. Eliasson intends to continue researching this subject through the Integrative Cardiac Health Project at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

There are currently plans in the works to evaluate the impact of stress reduction on sleep. Researchers will employ mechanisms such as exercise, meditation, acupuncture and acupressure to reduce stress and assess the effect on sleep induction, sleep duration, and energy expenditure. They hope to make their findings known in the next year or two.

Work in this field goes far beyond helping people achieve the pleasant aftermath of "a good night's sleep."

A body of research over the past decade has established that sleep has "a huge impact" on heart health, Dr. Eliasson pointed out.

"The association applies to both sleep quantity and sleep quality," he said. "Not getting enough sleep makes people vulnerable to heart attacks and stroke -- perhaps mediated through impact of insufficient sleep on glucose metabolism, cholesterol levels, and stress hormones. Likewise, poor quality sleep as demonstrated by the paradigm of sleep apnea increases risks for heart disease and stroke as well.

"The statistics are staggering," Dr. Eliasson continued, "in that more than mild sleep apnea -- moderate and severe sleep apnea -- is associated with a three- to four-fold increased chance for developing heart disease and a five- to six-fold increased chance for stroke.

The heart of many issues in the open statement leaves for Omega-3

A new study of the heart benefit from using the omega-3 enriched margarine for the patients, who previously suffered heart attacks, the end result is disappointing results, but its design was erroneous.

Researchers in the Netherlands, 3 1/2 years by the research concluded that circulatory deaths caused by, including but not limited to, the interest rate was much the same, whether the participants were consuming omega-3 fatty acids in ravinnossaan in addition, the doses, or not.

4,800 Attendees were mostly men, 60-80 years old. All were in the course of the investigation, in view of the lifestyle and to regulate the blood pressure and cholesterol levels in order to prevent clotting time.

 

 

Daan Kromhout human nutrition in Wageningen University, the conclusions of the Sunday breakdown of the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Stockholm.

Even if the value in the face of research may seem suggests that omega-3 supplementation provides a cardiovascular health, interest may be justified on the basis of the conclusion should not be, for several reasons. If the amount of supplementation may be too low. An average of 18.8 grams per hectolitre of 100% of patients are consumed per day, which gave them an average of 150 mg of dokosaheksaeenihappoa (DHA), both of which will be derived; combined with Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) 226 grams margarine or alpha linolenic acid (ALA)-1.9 g is found in plants. These quantities shall be considered as "low-dose". Heart patients often are recommended to take omega-3, 1 000 mg/kg bw/day.Supplementation can be provided too late for most of the research participants. For many years had they intervened many of them experienced heart attacks, and at the beginning of the investigation. However, it is the heart of the transaction as soon as the patient is particularly vulnerable period.Some patients will benefit from supplementation. Large heart events for women, which are consumed in the AREA, as well as among diabetics study was "the edge of the substantial reduction". Ventricular arrhythmia Supplementation seemed to protect against events, researchers said. Unlike the omega-3 supplement pill in the form of a State-of-the-art in the light of the study is required for patients to consume food, margarine, so secondary were--and that was usually the bread. The investigation did not take into account for the weight gain or increased blood pressure possible negative effects from eating extra bread, critics have noted. Patients ' heart-protective measures with regard to the strength of the lifestyle is overshadowed the low-dose supplementation.The research was carried out among the population, which typically consumes a lot of fish, which contain the natural omega-3. Supplementation may be more useful for people who eat more meat and less fish (typical in the U.s.).The research was not designed to consider, omega-3 supplementation for people who have never had a heart attack or other serious circulatory population benefits the heart.

It is likely that more research is warranted to provide a clearer picture of supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and the relationship between the health of the heart.