Happy Healthy Long Life

Cleaning Up My Kitchen - Clearing Out the Bisphenol-A and Other Lurking Toxic Chemicals

  "We don't make recommendations to the public but it's pretty clear what the sources of Bisphenol-A exposure are - either drink containers or food cans. If people are concerned they have the option of eliminating the use of those products."

-Dr. Michael Shelby, Director, Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction-

Photo by Trey Ratcliff

For Part II of this post see:  ADD, Autism, Hyperactivity, Behavioral Problems? Could BPA or Phthalates in Cans, Plastics, Carpets & PJs Be Responsible?

OK, I give up!  Since November there has been one article after another warning of the dangers of bisphenol-A (BPA), the chemical used to make hard clear unbreakable plastic.  BPA has been banned in baby products in Europe since 2006.  Canada just conducted a risk assessment of the chemical and is in a 60 day public comment period before it also bans its sale in baby products. 

As for the US, don't expect the EPA or NIH to do anything soon.  Since 1997 over 100 articles  have documented its toxicities. Because of strong lobbying on the part of the plastics and chemical industry, the most our governmental agencies will admit to is possible adverse effects in laboratory animals, but they still claim there's not enough data to prove adverse effects in humans.  To read more about this in the Washington Post, click here.

WHERE IS BISPHENOL-A FOUND?

Illustration by Washington Post

BPA is in the hard clear plastic found in Nalgene sports bottles, plastic baby bottles, dental tooth sealants, some water filtering pitchers and in the lining of most soft drink and food cans. (*Eden Organic Beans come in BPA-free cans) I knew about the Nalgene.  I never knew about the cans.
You can identify some products made with BPA by the  "7" recycling symbol, but "7" is just a catch-all code for "other" & not all "7's"  have BPA.  To make matters more confusing not all BPA products will even have the symbol on them, e.g. cans.

WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT BISPHENOL-A?

Animal studies show potentially cancerous changes in the mammary and prostate tissue of animals when they ingest the same small amounts of BPA that humans ingest. Diabetes and behavior problems have been linked to BPA, as well as decreased testosterone levels in men, breast and uterine cancer in women.  It's long been known as an "endocrine disrupter", which means it interferes with the body's hormonal balance.

Women who are pregnant or of child-bearing age, and babies and young children are most at risk.

When it's ingested by pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants and young children it can potentially cause the most damage.  A fetus or infant is growing rapidly & when it's zapped with even a tiny dose of a harmful chemical at the "wrong time", problems can occur.  Rapidly dividing and differentiating cells in the presence of toxic chemicals are a bad combination.

Reports by both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) & Commonweal, a California non-profit environmental and health group, have shown that almost all of the people they test have BPA in their blood & urine.  Fortunately the chemical leaves our bodies.  The problem is that we are exposed to it continually. 

WHAT AM I DOING ABOUT IT?

I'm following the advice of Linda Birnbaum, the Director of Experimental Toxicology for the EPA. She's been researching "endocrine disrupting" chemicals for over 30 years.  She happens to be a big believer in paying attention to what chemicals do to animals.

"When you see a compound causing effects on multiple kinds of animals on several different tissues, it's likely it will cause problems in humans!"

Here's what Linda suggests:

• Only use stainless steel water bottles.  I've dumped my Nalgene, and I'm trying to wean myself off of plastic "bottled water".  I couldn't find any stainless steel bottles at local stores like Whole Foods or Dick's.  I ordered four 27 ounce Klean Kanteen sports-top bottles from Karst Sports, for $14.60 a bottle with free shipping & no tax.  It's food grade stainless steel, 100% non-leaching and light-weight.  I did have to get used to the fact that you can't squeeze stainless, like you can plastic.
• Don't heat up any food in the microwave in a plastic container.  I'm using Pyrex or regular microwave safe dishes to reheat foods.  I'm not using any plastic wrap to cover foods that I reheat. Often I cover them with a plate.  I'm on the look-out for assorted sized Pyrex containers with lids to store my leftovers & transport food in my lunch box.  In the meantime, I have a Pyrex bowl in my desk drawer at work for reheating food.

Here's what Lou Guillette suggests.  He's the Distinguished Professor of Zoology at the University of Florida at Gainesville and one of the first scientists to discover the toxic effects of plastic leaching into our water:

• No microwaving in plastic.
• No teflon coated pots & pans.  This is next on my to-do list!
• Use filtered water at home.
• He's conscious that every chemical we use, from driveway sealants to prescription drugs releases toxins into our environment.
• Don't despair, he advises.  Our liver is designed to filter toxic chemicals.

MORE TIPS TO LIMIT YOUR CHEMICAL EXPOSURE:

• Reduce your use of canned food.  Eat more fresh, frozen, or aseptically boxed foods.
• If you use hard polycarbonate plastic food or water containers DO NOT heat them. DO NOT clean them in the dishwasher or wash them with harsh detergent. DO NOT use them for warm or hot liquids.
• Nalgene now has BPA-free water bottles made with safe #2 HDPE plastic.  For more information click Here.
• Safer plastics (at least for now) are labeled with the "recycling code" #1 (PETE), #2 (HDPE), #4 (LDPE), and  #5 (PP). The  #1 plastic used for bottled water is FOR ONE TIME USE ONLY!
• Do not put hot foods or liquids into any plastic containers.
• It's OK to freeze liquids in plastic bottles, contrary to any online reports.  Freezing retards the release of chemicals.
• Remove plastic wrap on food you are thawing or reheating.
• #3 recycling code plastics may contain another unsafe chemical known as DEHA.  Avoid it.
• Phthalates are another chemical group to watch out for.  They may increase the risk of reproductive system birth defects and hormonal alteration in baby boys, and reproductive problems and hormonal changes in men. They are thought to be the cause of thyroid problems in cats. It's found in the brand names of Teflon, Gore-Tex, Stainmaster  (all PFCs) and in flame retardant fabrics (PBDEs).
• Check nail polish labels for phthalates which is used to prevent cracking.  Avoid.
• Avoid any personal care products with synthetic fragrances.  They may contain phthalates.

CHEMICALS LURKING IN OUR FOOD. WHICH ORGANIC FRUITS & VEGETABLES ARE WORTH THE EXTRA COST?  HERE'S A HANDY LIST TO HELP YOU DECIDE.

• The Environmental Working Group has published a wallet guide that ranks the top 43 fruits and vegetables in order of the highest to least amount of pesticides found in each.  It's a great way to decide when to buy organic, when to buy conventional.
• I'm going organic for peaches, apples, strawberries, lettuce & spinach.
• For the wallet list click here.
• For the full report click here.

Additional references:
Commonweal Biomonitoring Report:  Taking It All In: Documenting Chemical Pollution in Californians Through Biomonitoring

A Hard Plastic Is Raising Hard Questions  NYT 4/22/08

Toxicology Letters 176(2):149-156, Jan. 2008 Bisphenol-A

Environmental Working Group information on phthalates.

Environmental Working Group Report on Polluted Pets. High Level of Toxic Chemicals Contaminate Our Pets. Many believe our pets are a sentinel for the chemicals we are absorbing in our homes. 

The National Geographic Green Buying Guide 

Monday Morning Quarterbacking the Passover Seder with a Little Help from Men's Journal by Way of the New York Times

“At the right levels, stress is a good thing.  It shows you care and can cause you to work harder"
                -Nicole Cusik, Men's Journal-

This year was my turn to host the Passover Seder.  Weeks before it arrives I'm in a generous, "bring it on baby", I-can-do-it-all, let's invite everyone kind of delirium.  Kids our coming in from DC & NYC.  Mother-in-law from Florida.  The Cincy sib & family.  In-town friends & relatives.

Two weeks before Passover arrives reality starts to sink in.  Gotta get the guest rooms in order.  Clean the house.  The endless food shopping for a week's worth of Passover-approved food.  Get out the good dishes.  Plan the menu.  Orchestrate the Seder.  Enough haggadahs for everyone?  Plan the reading passages for the 4 hour Seder.  Set up the card tables for extra seating.  Lug up the extra chairs from the basement.  Iron the table cloths and napkins. It can go on and on.

I've done this for at least 30 years, not counting all those times when my generous friends and family have taken their turns to host. Oh how I love & appreciate being a guest!  So....why doesn't it get easier?  Is it possible to pull off Passover without the stress?

This morning,  the-morning-after, I finally had a chance to kick-back & relax with the New York Times.  Got a chance to read Paul Brown's article "Don't Stress Over Stress" .  He starts out with a great synopsis of Nicole Cusick's recent article from Men's Journal and after going through my own Seder stress I deem this to be practical wise advice.

• Embrace the pressure. “At the right levels, stress is a good thing,” Cusick writes. It shows you care and can cause you to work harder. “It may seem obvious, but being conscious” of the symptoms of stress is the first step in calming down.   I wish I had read this 2 weeks ago.  It's so encouraging.  Instead of feeling guilty and upset with myself for feeling stressed & pressured about celebrating a meaningful holiday with my favorite family and friends, I would have "embraced the stress!".  I care a lot about my guests.  I care a lot about making a meaningful celebration.  I care a lot about making sure everyone is going to be comfortable, inspired, well-fed and be happy to return.  Of course Seder brings stress and Passover brings pressure.  Next year I'm embracing it.  Hope it will calm me down!

• Work out. People in better shape have more confidence at crunch time.  Yes and no.  Sometimes getting in that work-out has to drop by the wayside when you have limited hours to get everything done.  I thought I'd get to work-out on most days this week, but it just didn't happen. I've exercised only 2 out 7 days this week and I'm feeling it.  Amazing how even a few days off brings on a little lower back stiffness, a little achiness and a drop in my usual good mood groove.  It makes me acutely aware of how important exercise is to my well-being.  But honestly, it's hard to know if working out when I'm under a deadline is stress-relieving or stress-inducing.  Would I have felt more relaxed if I took the time to exercise this week, or would I have been more stressed because it would have cut into my Passover prep time?

• Prepare. No surprise here. The more you have practiced, the more confidence you will have.  True!  Practice makes "good-enough" perfect.  Every year I fine tune the Seder.  It's all about the prep.  I know my limits, so this year I took a couple days off of work to give myself time to do it all.  I always underestimate the time it takes. This year I added 2 new tweaks that made things work more smoothly.   

          1.  Except for the soup (which was hot & healthy), all the dinner foods were healthy, prepared ahead of time and best of all--could be served at room temperature!! Trust me, when you have a 2.5 hour Seder before you serve the meal, it is really hard to keep everything "warm/hot" and not "dried out". And I like to sit at the table, not continually running back & forth into the kitchen to check on the status of everything. 

Poached salmon with lemon mint tzatziki sauce, Inca Quinoa Salad, Susan's Seductive Strawberry Salad, Spinach, Fennel, Leek Matzo Ball Soup, Salmon and White Fish "Gefilte Fish" Cakes , and egg salad in roasted new potato shells.  All done ahead. All served cold or room temperature.

          2.  Have all the food cooked and table set the day before.  Even with all that done, the last minute preps took up most of the day of the Seder.  I actually thought I'd have the whole day to laze around and visit with my house guests. As it turned out, I was grateful to have the extra time to get "everything else" done.  The kind of chores I usually think take no time, took most of the day. It was great to have the cushion of time.

• Think positive thoughts. If you visualize success, the odds of it occurring increase. “Negative ruminating may prime you to fail.”  Sometimes that is easier said than done.  The food part is easy to be positive about.  Having everything flow easily and worrying that the Seder will engage a group of diverse age and observance levels is something I haven't learned to "let go of" yet.           The lesson here for me:  I can't worry about pleasing everyone.  Just do the best you can.  I'm not responsible for everyone else's good time. 

• Try meditation. “Researchers from the University of Wisconsin found that meditation can improve your focus — beneficial when preparing for a stressful event.”  I agree 100%!  Maybe I didn't exercise like I should have, but I did meditate this week.  I am not a regular meditator, but I pull it out of "my bag of tricks" when I'm under stress & when I need to "recharge".  You don't need a lesson to start meditating.  I just go to the guest bedroom, set a kitchen timer for 30 minutes, get comfortable by propping up my back on a Back Jack, wrapping up in a cuddly blanket & slowly breathing in and out. Count the breaths on the exhale & when you get to 10 start counting again.  That's all you have to do.  When I notice I've lost count & I'm up to 21, I say, "Oops, & start over with one".  When I notice I'm thinking about a recipe, I say "Oops, & start over with one".  By the time 30 minutes has passed I'm rested & relaxed and feel as if I had a nice nap.  Try it!

• Learn from mistakes. For those who still let their nerves get the better of them, take solace in this:  “Ironically, it’s people with more cognitive ability, more working memory, who tend to choke under pressure,” says *Sian L. Beilock, a University of Chicago professor.  I checked out Sian's article and it's that old counter-intuitive conclusion.  Under low pressure, smart people use all their smarts & problem-solve beautifully.  Under high pressure, smart people freak out, take short-cuts & screw things up.  The trick is to convince yourself "you have nothing to worry about" and "you have all the time in the world".  "Don't worry - be happy"  and then "Do your best!"

Parting thoughts:  I just came across this quote that says it all.

“The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

*Beilock, S. L., & DeCaro, M. S. (2007). From poor performance to success under stress: Working memory, strategy selection, and mathematical problem solving under pressure. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 33, 983-998.

What the Experts Recommend - Their Favorite Vitamins, Supplements, Foods & Health Tips

"Vitamins are essential nutrients that allow our bodies to function in an optimal way.  That becomes the crux of the controversy. How much is enough - how much is too much?"
  -Joe Graedon, Pharmacologist, The People's Pharmacy-

Monday morning drive time. I love it.  It's uninterrupted time to feed my brain with NPR's Morning Edition or podcasts, and this Monday I hit the mother lode.  WCPN's Sound of Ideas had an hour long program on vitamins and nutrition with two of my favorites, Joe Graedon of The People's Pharmacy, Nancy Clark, a sports nutritionist, and Dr. Susan Joy, a specialist in Sports Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. A pharmacologist, a nutritionist and a doctor walk into a radio studio, and they all have a different point of view!

Of course I arrived at work a half hour before the show ended.  No problem.  WCPN streams all their programs and I got to hear the whole broadcast yesterday.  You can hear it too, by clicking here.   Only problem is, these three experts had so much great information to share that I ended up with 6 pages of notes. 

Today's post will just be Joe Graedon's gems. He's the well-known pharmacologist who teaches at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, writes the syndicated column and website, The People's Pharmacy, and has authored many books. I like Joe because first and foremost he's a scientist and skeptic. He scrupulously  follows the medical literature, yet he has a huge following so he gets actual feedback from a tremendous number of people about what works and what doesn't.

Like everything in the area of nutrition, exercise & health, most of this you've probably heard before, but if you're like me, it helps to hear what the experts do when it comes to their own health.

Joe Graedon's gems:

1. Vitamin D.  The need to take it is incontestable.  Study after study shows it makes strong bones, reduces common cancers, has anti-inflammatory properties which  improve arthritis, prevents type-2 diabetes, and reduces depression.  Most of us are deficient, especially those of us living in gray Northern climates.  It's actually a hormone that is produced when the skin is exposed (without sunscreen) to sunshine.  For adequate doses you need to be in the sun for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a week.  Joe recommends 1000-2000 IUs a day of D3.  Outside of sunshine & supplements it's only available in oily fish or fortified milk, and 1 glass of milk usually provides only about 200 IUs.  I plan to get my levels retested in a couple of weeks, now that I've upped my intake of Vitamin D3.  For my earlier post on Vitamin D, click here.

 

2. Fish oil.  This is Joe's favorite, and mine too! He likes fish oil for its anti-inflammatory properties, which doesn't usually get a lot of press.  Most people just don't eat enough fish to get the adequate anti-inflammatory benefits.  Here's how it works. Fish oil can significantly diminish the production and effectiveness of various prostaglandins which are naturally occurring hormone-like substances that  accentuate inflammation.  That's a good thing! Joe says most athletes rely too much on "Vitamin I" or ibuprofen for aches, pains & injuries, which can raise blood pressure and are hard on the stomach.  He adds (and pay attention to this one!) that Joe Maroon, the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers advocates against ibuprofen for aches & pains, and advises his team members to get an adequate intake of fish oil.  Not only does it reduce pain and inflammation, but it lowers triglycerides, which are often elevated in football players who eat diets high in refined sugar and carbs.

 

3. Vitamins/Minerals your body lacks if you're on medication. Even if you eat a healthy diet, if you're on certain meds, you might be deficient in specific vitamins & minerals. If you're taking a diuretic for high blood pressure, you're going to need more magnesium.  If you're taking a prescription or over-the-counter stomach acid suppressant like Nexium or Prilosec, for heartburn or acid reflux, you're going to have a hard time absorbing Vitamin B12.  Your diet alone will not provide you with enough B12!  If you're on a statin like Lipitor or Pravachol to lower your cholesterol, you're going to be deficient in Co-Enzyme Q10.  Statins prevent the body from making Co-Q10, which is an essential nutrient for the body, almost like a vitamin.  The joint pain and muscle aches some people experience when taking statins, particularly at higher doses, is because of diminished Co-Q10. He recommends 100-200 mg or more of Co-Q10 for anyone taking a statin, depending upon how high a statin dose you are taking. Consult your doctor regarding any of these!

 

4. Best supplements & home remedies for joint pain & joint health. Lots of repetition here, but worthy of mentioning again.  When it comes to joint pain, Joe's a big fan of Co-Q10 (if you're on a statin), fish oil, Vitamin D, and magnesium.  He also recommends 2 weird natural cures that have helped many, and won't cause harm.  A box of golden raisins soaked in gin and taken in a dose of 9 raisins a day is something he says many swear by.  Also, Certo, which is a plant pectin used for making jams & jellies mixed with grape juice seems to help many others. There are many "recipes" for this, but one variation is mixing 1 TBS of Certo with 8 oz. of grape juice.  Click here  for more info. As for glucosamine chondroitin, Joe won't come right out & say it's worthless, but the data hasn't supported the benefits to the degree that its enthusiasts do.  His advice: if it works for you great, keep taking it, but it's not his top pick.

 

5. Top food recommendations: Eating 5+ servings of fruits and veggies a day is the best free-radical quencher you can take.  Free radicals are the highly reactive molecules in our body that can damage healthy cells. He's a huge fan of anything with a lot of color, especially in the carotenoid family, like tomatoes, squash, red bell peppers, kale, mustard and beet greens, and broccoli.  He advises eating fish, especially salmon at least 2 times a week, drinking red wine or pomegranate juice and eating lots of broccoli. Boy, I wish I liked that veg. I must have the TAS2R gene.

 

6. Breakfast tips. Make sure you're not eating a breakfast of just carbs, like cereal & fruit.  It will raise your blood sugar and insulin levels. Not a good thing.  He encourages us to include protein with any carbs we eat for breakfast, and to make sure the carbs are whole grain to slow their absorption & keep our blood sugar steady.  He often eats cottage cheese & fruit for his breakfast.

 

7. Magnesium.  Another fave, because it lowers blood pressure, lowers LDLs (the bad cholesterol component), improves the LDL/HDL ratio, prevents the oxidation of LDL, promotes arterial function, has anti-inflammatory properties, relieves muscle cramps and prevents migraine headaches for some.  This is a mineral that most of us are deficient in. It's my number 2 personal favorite!

 

8. Check the reliability of any supplements you choose to take. Check the Consumer Labs website to find out the reliability and safety of the vitamins and supplements you are taking.  They've done a lot of analysis on supplements and you'll be able to find out which brands are better than others.  The good news is that most of them are just fine.  For the link to Consumer Labs, click here.

 

9. Beware of celebrity endorsements & be aware of generic drugs.  Beware of celebrities endorsing any drugs,vitamins or supplements, especially if it's a paid advertisement.  Remember Dr. Jarvik's Lipitor endorsement? It's no longer published.  As for the generics, Joe receives reports from people around the country who experience problems when they switch to a generic drug, from a brand name that had worked well for them in the past. Note that this is only for a few generics. He has some concerns about the equivalences of some generic drugs. From his experience he thinks the FDA is too short-handed, and can't be relied upon 100% in monitoring & testing the generics.  Just take it as a warning if your generic isn't working the same as a brand name product.

This post represents the opinions of Joe Graedon. None of these vitamins or supplements should be taken without advice from your own doctor.  Many can interact with medications, causing dangerous side effects.  For instance, no one with heart failure or chronic recurrent angina should ever take fish oil without a doctor's advice and supervision. Buyer beware, and error on the side of caution.  Food is always the safest "medicine". 

Stay tuned for Tips from Nancy Clark & Dr. Susan Joy later in the week!

 

What Kids & Grown-Ups Need to Know-My Top Picks from the New York Times Contest

"I know that I'm dying, so here's what I want to tell my children."

  -Randy Pausch, Computer Science professor at Carnegie-Mellon-

By now I'm sure you have all heard of Randy Pausch. He's the 47 year old beloved Carnegie-Mellon professor who was asked to give a "last lecture" last September after he learned he had pancreatic cancer and only months to live. 

Dr. Pausch is a handsome young-at-heart favorite professor and his "last lecture" has circled the internet since September.  His new book was excerpted in the April 6, 2008 Parade Magazine & he was featured on a recent Diane Sawyer TV special.

I first heard about Randy through Tara Parker-Pope's Well column in the New York Times, last September. To read her column & get a link to Randy's last lecture, click here.

Because he knows he only has months left to share with his three young children, who are now 1, 3, & 6, he has written a book for them.  It's a collection of the life lessons he won't have a chance to teach them himself.

In Parade Magazine, he lists his top 7 lessons he leaves behind for his children. For a link to the Parade article and the lecture, click here.

• Always have fun
• Dream Big
• Ask for what you want
• Dare to take a risk
• Look for the best in everybody.  If you wait long enough, people will surprise  & impress you.
• Make time for what matters
• Let kids be themselves

It would be hard to add to Randy's Seven, and I by no means want to take anything away from his list. Everyone's list is always going to be different, anyway.  Last Monday morning, 4/7/08 in her Well column, Tara Parker-Pope presented a contest called "What Kids Need to Know".  She asked readers to submit the best advice they ever received from their parents, or the best advice they would give to their kids.  As of today there are over 450 posts.  To see all the posts click here.  The winners will be announced the week of April 14, 2008.  The winners were announced on Thursday, April 17.  Here's the link:  Best Advice in the "Things Kids Need to Know" contest.

I'm a big fan of the "BEST ADVICE YOU EVER GOT" kind of advice. The posts to Tara's column are a treasure trove of the best-of-the-best wisdom from a vast cross-section of just-regular-folks.  I've saved the entire column so I can get inspired whenever I choose.  Believe me, I can only keep 3 bits of advice in my head at one time, so this will take me a lifetime to digest. I even made my own contribution, #26.

I picked out the best for me, when there were only about 250 of them.  All of us will be inspired by something different. Here are my top picks in the order they were submitted:

**If anyone makes the journey over to the WELL post, please return & share what comments you liked best that I didn't include. Just click on the "comments" at the end of this post. It's really tiny! It's fine to just include the number if you don't want to "cut & paste".**

The single best piece of advice I ever got (from an aunt) and one I’ve passed along to others is “If you fake an emotion long enough you start to feel it.” It’s helped people through rocky points in their marriages, through difficult job situations, through the adjustment periods in new parenting etc. Its corollary is “act as if” and you can change a situation (as if your relationship is happy, as if you feel competent, etc.)

— Posted by Reba

Be with good people.
--Posted by Karen

no matter what, be open to new ideas.

surround yourself with people who are willing to discuss, even argue, a different position; it will either open your eyes to a whole new way of thinking or it will solidify your views on life.

in the words of John Wooden: “once you’re through learning, you’re through”

— Posted by Chris

My father told me right before I got married, “you can be right, or you can be happy”. And trust me, it’s the best advice I ever got.

— Posted by Joshua

“Activity and sadness are incompatible.”

I think this was a quote my mother heard somewhere. It has served me well, over and over, throughout my life.

— Posted by Michele

But the primary lesson I learned from my Mom –“There has to be a solution” — is one that I will always hold on to.
-Posted by Julia Schopick-

Some of my top picks to pass on:

1. Before you get angry, stop a moment and ask yourself if what the person (spouse, friend, sibling) just said/yelled at you is something you have said to yourself. If so? Do not react, remove yourself from the situation and reflect.

You cannot change anyone, but miracles happen when you change yourself.

2. Listen to your spouse. Shut up and listen, every day, for at least a half hour a day. Ask pertinent questions. Remember the answers. Keep notes if necessary. Your children depend on your relationship with your spouse. Make sure your marital relationship is solid and your kids will be fine. (For men: if your wife is looking miserable, ask her to tell you what’s wrong and keep asking until she spills her guts. WHATEVER it was, it will no longer make her miserable because she has talked about it with you. This is the magic key to making women happy. Flowers are always nice too!

3. Rest. Sundays are good if only because other people may be doing the same thing. But any day is fine. Rest is essential to everything else you care about. Without rest, the fragility of your life will be front and center; with rest, you have a savings account of energy from which to draw to help out others. Make it religious in the sense you ALWAYS take rest at least once a week.

4. Create happy memories. With your friends, your spouse, your children. It is a creative act that requires attention and energy. Plan picnics, walks in the park, anything at all that is a surcease from the grind of life.

5. Have kids do the dishes and clean their rooms. They learn how to do chores, and peace reigns. (Also, either parent can supervise dishes.)

6. Never give your child a car.

7. Teach your kids how to bake bread. If you don’t know how, learn together. It costs pennies to make a loaf of bread. Bread dough can be used to make pizzas, again for a dollar or two. It can be the difference between starvation and survival in their future when there’s too much month to the end of the money. It is also soothing and fun. It is also a way to attract friends when they are older. No one can resist a loaf of freshly baked bread.

— Posted by Meg Tufano

I would pass on my Grandfather’s wisdom which he had up until he died at 97:
*meet each day with an open mind and heart.
*stay curious and you will gain new knowledge every day.
*if you don’t know,if you need help, ask!
*be playful,smile,laugh.
*read
*take regular nature walks.
*take care of yourself.
*respect yourself and others.

— Posted by Carolyn

As a child who worried about things like, what if I don’t know where the bathroom is at the beginning of the school year? Or what if I don’t have a friend at camp? My Dad would advise me “that we’ll cross that bridge when we reach it”. I find myself handing out this advice to my worrisome seven year old. Its really not worth our energy if we haven’t reached the bridge. I still try to follow this advice when I find myself consumed with one of my “what if?” worries.

— Posted by Juliet

2008
12:03 am

1. Turn off the TV and the computer and get outside and blow the stink off yourself.
2. Write that thank-you note right now. I mean it.
3. Responsibility isn’t given; it’s taken.
4. Study at least one foreign language.
5. The world is a lot bigger than whatever it is you’re complaining about.
6. You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat people who aren’t of much use to them.
7. There is no limit or cap on good fortune in the world. So learn to be genuinely happy when good things happen for other people (whether you think they deserve it or not) and good fortune may happen for you (whether other people think you deserve it or not.)
8. Do not sell any of your old rock concert t-shirts on ebay until you are over 40. You’ll thank me later.
9. If you’re bored you’re probably boring.
10. Call your mother.

— Posted by emefem

Life isn’t fair.
But it is fascinating.
Don’t complain.
Enjoy the journey.
And keep learning.

— Posted by Shulamit Widawsky

Wisdom I would pass on:

***Be protective of your sleep***

Took me years to figure out that most of my psychological problems were due to sleep issues. I will definitely counsel my children about good sleep hygiene from a young age! Will also preach to them about avoiding caffeine!

— Posted by Jenny

my father, a physician, died last summer. i am also a physician and learned the essence of how to take care of people from him. “there but for the grace of god” was one of his many important teachings. you don’t need to be a physician to learn this. we are all vulnerable and we all need to treat each other kindly and with love. dad lived that every day of his life–i am doing my best to emulate him.

btw, i was in randy’s class in college although we didn’t know each other–i want to send my thoughts and energy to him.

— Posted by c bernstein

Tell your kids: Be a really good friend to the people you deeply care about. When they get in trouble, go out of your way to be there for them. Listen to their problems, stay all day and take care of them, take care of their kids, help them get some sleep, cook them some meals, tell them how much you love them and all the reasons why. You will never regret this.

-Posted by Ayana

After my son died, I felt the power of regret, and resolved to always act on my good and generous impulses. This is not always possible, but it is a good rule of life, which I have tried to teach to my children.
-Leslie Ehrlich

dont yell( be calm)
dont tell(be discrete and trustworthy)
be grateful as hell(humble and grateful)
have a good life

— Posted by dick bohanon

2008
12:22 pm

My father, who died of pancreatic cancer 18 years ago (shocking that the prognosis is not any better with the passing of almost two decades) told me two things that I have steered by:

1. You must always have hope.

2. Build your life around the things you are good at and enjoy doing.

— Posted by Jean Shields Fleming

This Belly Fat is Going to be the Death of Me and Now I Finally Understand Why

"The take-home message is that it's not what you weigh, but it's where you carry your weight in midlife."

        -Rachel Whitmer, 

Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA-

In the past six weeks there have been 4 major studies all telling us what we already know.  This belly fat is going to be the death of us, yet!

No exaggeration here.  That jiggly poochy stuff that appears around our middles in midlife is now blamed for strokes in women ages 35-54, increased dementia in later life, dying earlier from cancer or heart disease, increasing your risk of metabolic syndrome and type-2 diabetes. And you don't have to be overweight for it to cause you trouble!

So what's so special about belly fat & why does it do so much damage?  This was news to me and I heard a great explanation from Dr. Erminia Guarneri, who is the co-founder & medical director of the Scripps Center of Integrative Medicine & an attending cardiologist at the Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, CA.

Belly fat is completely different from the subcutaneous fat that surrounds our bodies. It's called omentum, and it acts just like an organ, secreting its own chemicals and hormones like adipokines that produce angiotensin II, that raises blood pressure. It also secretes tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 6, and C-reactive protein which lead to high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high cholesterol and inflammation that damages our brains & blood vessels.

Inflammation, high blood pressure & high cholesterol are all associated with heart disease, aging, Alzheimer's, stroke and cognitive decline.  Big surprise!  And I almost forgot to mention--the belly fat puts mechanical pressure on the kidneys, further raising blood pressure.

STUDY 1.  Belly fat & stroke. Dr. Amytis Towfighi, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Southern California, reported at the February 2008 International Stroke Conference that there has been a tripling of stroke in middle-aged women age 35-54 in recent years.  Her research group compared two studies - one conducted from 1988-1994 and one conducted from 1999-2004.

Her group controlled for all the usual suspects, when it comes to stroke, like diabetes, cholesterol, & high blood pressure, and Dr. Towfighi said, "The one thing that was driving this increase in stroke risk was the waist circumference and body mass index."

• Women are heavier on average than they were even a decade ago.
• Our waist sizes have increased by almost 2 inches as compared to a decade ago.
• Stroke prevalence tripled in  middle-aged women, double the prevalence of men.
• Even if you're just moderately overweight, you increase your stroke risk.

STUDY 2.  Just a Little Belly fat & heart disease/metabolic syndrome & type 2 diabetes. Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a cardiologist with the Mayo Clinic reported at the April 2008 American College of Cardiology meeting on his findings that more than half of us with normal weight, are in fact part of the  "NORMAL WEIGHT OBESE".  You may look "just right", and your doctor might say "your weight is fine", but if your body fat is over 20% for a man, or over 30% for a woman, you're not all right.

Don't confuse body fat with your Body Mass Index (BMI). To find your body fat you would need to be checked on a special scale, or have your waist measured with fat calipers.  This is best done at a reputable gym or doctor's office.  So why is a higher fat percentage a problem?  Same old story. It puts you at risk for heart disease, type-2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.  That little bit of extra fat just changes your blood chemistry, upping your cholesterol and leptin, the hormone that regulates your appetite.

If you tend to put that fat on in the middle (belly fat) watch out!  Dr. David Katz, the Yale University nutrition expert says, "Even a small amount of extra fat where it matters most can wreak havoc. Excess body fat in the belly is a menace, whatever your weight."

And by the way, a fit muscular woman could have a high body weight, but if her fat content is low, she's perfectly healthy.  It's not about the weight - it's all about the fat, especially in your belly.

STUDY 3. Belly fat & dementia. Rachel Whitmer, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, reported in the March 26 online issue of Neurology on her study that followed 6,583 Kaiser Health Plan members.  The study began in the late 1960s and early 1970s and measured the abdominal fat of this large group of 40 and 45 year olds.  She followed up with them between 1994 and 2006 when they had reached their 70s and beyond.

Back in 2005 Whitmer had previously reported that senior citizens who were overweight at middle age were 74 percent more likely to develop dementia.  This new study specifically looked at whether belly fat was the culprit.

• Those people who were obese and had the most belly fat in their 40s were 3.6 times more likely to develop dementia than those with the least amount of belly fat.
• Those who were overweight--a step below obese--and had large bellies in their 40s, were 2.3 times more likely to develop dementia.
• 21 percent of those with high levels of belly fat developed dementia.
• The belly fat dementia connection persisted, even when researchers adjusted their statistics to take into account the effect of stroke & diabetes.

STUDY 4. Belly fat & death from cancer & heart disease. Dr. Cuilin Zhang, of NIH's Kennedy-Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, published his study online April 7th, in  Circulation. This was one of the largest extended (16 years) investigations of abdominal fat, following 44,000 women in the Nurses Health Study.  The NIH press release said:

"Women who carry excess fat around their waists were at a greater risk of dying early from cancer or heart disease than were women with smaller waistlines, even if they were of normal weight."

• Waist size equal or greater than 35 inches doubled the risk of premature death by heart disease compared to women with a waist size less than 28 inches.
• Waist size equal or greater than 35 inches  doubled the risk of premature death by cancer as compared to women with a waist size less than 28 inches.
• Women who were obese (a BMI over 30) & had a greater waist circumference were at the greatest risk.
• Women are advised to maintain a waist size of 30 inches or less, and a Body Mass Index between 18.5-24.9.

I can think of about 4 women over 50 who have flat bellies.  Most of them are vegetarians who eat fish, vegans, and dedicated exercisers.  In case you think getting your waist measurement under 30 inches in middle age is easy, the measurement is around the belly-button which can add an inch or two to what you think your waist is.  Isn't it interesting that we're likely to be given a prescription for high blood pressure and high cholesterol without coaching & direction to reduce belly & body fat, the main drivers of inflammation and many of our chronic diseases?

Recap on the goal numbers for women:  Waist size of 30" or less, Body Mass Index 18.5-24.9, Body Fat 30% or under.

Most people would think my weight is just right, I eat mostly veg, and I'm definitely a dedicated exerciser, but after reading these studies, I now know I have some serious whittling to do around my waistline!  I'm motivated!  Is anyone else surprised by their measurements?

Don't Leave Home Without It! The Must-Haves in My Travel Bag

   "Just because I'm traveling doesn't mean I have to eat junk and stop exercising."

         -The Healthy Librarian-

On the road again!  Whether I'm traveling for business or pleasure, for a weekend or a week I've got about 10 must haves in my travel bag. Especially if I'm going to be stuck in a hotel room and not have access to a kitchen.  In no particular order, here's  what goes in my bag.

1. My IPOD Nano.  The best $138 purchase I ever made.  Got it at Costco.  I may be the only person I know who has no music on her IPOD, but this little gizmo keeps me well-informed, educated, entertained and enlightened.  I load it up with my favorite podcasts, and listen to all my NPR favorites on my time.  Before my Nano, it was only catch-as-catch-can to hear Diane Rehm, This American Life, or Science Friday, and forget about Krista Tippett's thought-provoking Sunday morning show, Speaking of Faith.  No way am I listening to the radio at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning! And then there are all the amazing books that I never had time to read.  I download one a month through Audible.com.  Right now I'm listening to The Book Thief (fiction) and Three Cups of Tea  (non-fiction).  With my loaded Nano, I'm set for car or plane travel.  I even have a walking and exercise companion, and who cares if there's a plane delay! The variety of podcasts available for free is beyond anything you can imagine, including lectures from Stanford University and Harvard Business School.

 

2. Dr. McDougall's Breakfast Cups.  If I don't want to fuss at all, and I want a fast, delicious, non-dairy, organic, high fiber, nutritious breakfast, this is where I turn.  Every hotel room has either a coffee maker to boil water, or you can get some boiling water at the hotel restaurant.  They come in these flavors: Cranberry Muesli (made with organic grains), Organic Maple 4 Grain with Real Maple, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, and Peach Raspberry Oatmeal and Barley.  Just add hot water to the fill line & there you go.  Each cup says it contains two servings, but that's ridiculous.  They only say that so dieters won't freak out that the calorie count for a full healthy filling cup comes to 260-320 calories.  They must think 130 calories sounds better.  You'll get about 8 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein.

 

3. Flax Meal or Ground Flax Seed.  I never travel without a ziploc bag of this stuff.  Not only is it a great portable source of omega-3's and healthy cancer curbing lignans, it has soluble and insoluble fiber.  I just add 2 tablespoons to my cereal, or mash it into nut butter spread on top of toast, or sprinkle it on a salad. It will keep you regular, and everyone knows that travel can be your worst enemy in "that department".  I've shared this stuff with very grateful fellow travelers at a medical mission in Honduras and at a meditation retreat in New York. 

 

4. Running shoes & exercise clothes.  Pretty obvious!  But still, no matter where I'm going there will be someplace to work-out, or at least to walk.  Having comfortable shoes, a sports bra & work-out pants or shorts will get me on the treadmill if there's a gym, or allow me to power-walk, not just stroll, if I'm outside.

 

5. My Polar F6 Heart Rate Monitor.  Before you scoff & think I've gone off the deep end with this, hear me out.  This is one of the best birthday presents I've ever gotten and I wouldn't travel without it.  A heart rate monitor is one of the best exercise motivators around.  I helps you stay in the right heart rate zone for you- it keeps you honest - and it keeps track of how long you've exercised, how many calories you've burned, and how many times you exercise during the week.  You'll see how hard you really are working because your heart rate will be staring you in the face.  For years I've worked out without a monitor, and now that I have one, there's no going back.  Besides, it will keep you from working out too hard if it's humid or you're tired.  When your heart rate starts flashing you're working too hard, and you can slow it down!  Even Dr. Roizen, the wellness guru recommends this as a "must-have".

 

6. My favorite vitamins & supplements.  I've really grown to believe in the "whole food" over the vitamin/supplement model, but I still have a few favorites that I always travel with.  Using a trick I learned from my dear friend Babs, I divide each day's vitamins into a separate ziploc bag, so I'm not fishing around in one bag for what I want each day.  Oh, I guess I could use one of those daily pill cases, but they're so darn tiny.  My must haves are:  Vitamin D (1000 IUs); magnesium citrate (200 mg. 1 in a.m., 1 in p.m.); Citracal with D (calcium); a Centrum Silver multivitamin that I take alternately with a B-50 complex ; Omega Brite (pharmaceutical grade omega-3s). For "Why Vitamin D is My Favorite" click Here!

 

7. Zicam and my Sinucleanse Neti pot. This is my insurance policy just in case I start to feel the sniffles coming on.  Nothing will ruin a trip more than getting a cold. I don't know about you, but travel can be stressful for me.  All that rushing around getting ready, and I never sleep well the night before I have to leave on a trip, especially when I have to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to get to the airport on time.  Nothing makes you more vulnerable to a cold than stress and flying on an airplane.  Zicam & my neti are my security blanket.  And they don't sell them in Honduras, that's for sure. For more on why I use Zicam & Sinucleanse click Here!

 

8. Larabars .  By far one of the healthiest pre-packaged snacks around.  It's billed as "The Original Fruit & Nut Food Bar".  It's vegan, it's kosher, it's gluten free, it's raw, it's unprocessed, need I go on?  Right now I'm looking at Cashew Cookie (just cashews & dates); Cherry Pie (just dates, almonds & unsweetened cherries); and Apple Pie (just dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins & cinnamon).  Calorie count ranges from 180-210; protein count from 4-6 grams; with 3-4 grams of fiber.  Whole food, just fruit  & nuts & it will kill the munchies until you can really eat.

 

9. Dry roasted almonds.  Another portable snack to have on hand, just in case.

 

10. A half cup of almond butter & 4 slices of Ezekiel bread/or Rye Crisp Crackers.  Just in case you need a quick breakfast, lunch or snack. The almond butter stores easily in a Glad Ware mini-round container.  Almond butter on Ezekiel bread, sprinkled with flax meal is a great breakfast.  My husband takes almond or peanut butter & La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortillas when he backpacks.  They don't need refrigeration and they pack a protein & fiber punch.

 

When Things Fall Apart - The Prayer That Gets You Through - Thank You Terry Pluto

"On the surface, nothing changed.  Inside, I did.  -Terry Pluto-

Things fall apart.  Our parents and kids and spouses and friends get sick.  Or they die.  We lose our jobs, our houses, our health insurance.  Then there's divorce, disappointment,  depression, disillusionment.  Bad things happen to good people.

What do we do?  Last Saturday, Terry Pluto, a gifted sports writer, who also writes a column on faith & spirituality for The Plain Dealer, delivered a KEEPER, no matter what your religion or lack thereof.

"When my father had a stroke that disabled him and robbed him of his speech, I prayed for a miracle.  Then I prayed that he would die quickly, so that he would not endure a silent life in a wheelchair with so much of his old life gone.  And selfishly, I wanted it over because it made my life harder.

After a year, neither prayer was answered the way I wanted.

Someone once told me, "Prayer often does not change the situation, but it does change how we think and feel about it.  So keep praying."

I began to pray, "OK, God, get me through this."

It's a prayer I've heard from cancer patients, from parents of adult children who are having problems, from people who find themselves without a job, a spouse, even hope.

About four years after my father's stroke, I  finally was living in "Thy will be done" territory.  I figured I might as well go along with what God was doing because it was not about to change.  My father died six months later, and those were the best six months we had.

On the surface, nothing changed.  Inside, I did."

Wednesday night, when I walked into our den, my husband was transfixed on a PBS special, Caring for Your Parents.  It's a 90 minute documentary  by  filmmaker Michael Kirk that premiered on April 2.   In PBS fashion there are sure to be many repeats. It follows the struggles of five families caring for their aging parents and I urge everyone, whether you've  been there, are there, or will be there, to see this.  To check times, or watch online, you can click HERE!

From Michael Kirk the producer:

• I've watched caretakers take on so many burdens that their own health is jeopardized, and I've also seen wonderful transformations where children & parents talk, really talk, for the first time in their lives.
• I saw love in action.  I saw that the caregivers who could transcend their own needs (a lot of the time) were the beneficiaries of a very positive experience-and so were their parents.
• I also saw the effects of stress and emotional strain on the health of caregivers.  It is too big a job for one person. 
• Bring patience and your best self to the task.  Take care of yourself physically, don't believe a magical transformation is going to take place and start with the realization that as long as your parents are capable of making decisions they should be allowed.

And in the words of my favorite Jewish Buddhist grandmother Sylvia Boorstein, speaking at a multi-faith baccalaureate ceremony at Stanford University:

May our lives go well, may we be happy, may our dreams come true. May we stay awake and alert, may we stay friendly, may we stay amazed.

The Juicy China Study Part II - NFL Star Tony Gonzalez and My Green Smoothie Adventure

"OK, this is working.  I have so much more energy when I'm out there."
-Tony Gonzalez, Vegan NFL Player-

It's been three weeks since nutrition guru Dr. T. Colin Campbell came to speak at the Wellness Grand Rounds at the Medical Center where I work. (for my post about his visit, click here! )

*To read my 5 month update on the Green Smoothie adventure from 8/9/08, Click Here!

Have I become a vegan?   Not exactly, but I've made a delicious change.  Here's what I've added to my list of Top 12 Super Foods that I eat almost everyday: GREEN SMOOTHIES. It's all because of Tony Gonzalez.  Let me explain.

My interest was piqued when Dr. Campbell said KC Chief's NFL star Tony Gonzalez decided to start a vegan diet after reading only 40 pages of The China Study.  Gonzalez had learned about Campbell's research on a plane flight last Spring when his seat mate turned down a meal offered in first class.  When Gonzalez asked him why, he told him about Dr. Campbell's research "showing that people who eat mostly plants have fewer deadly diseases than those who eat animals."  Gonzalez started a vegan diet immediately, and according to Dr. Campbell he had his best season ever, breaking his touchdown record before mid-season, and his career reception record. 

Since I'm a nosy & skeptical librarian, I had to verify Dr. Campbell's story, and sure enough I got the full Tony Gonzalez story from a January 25, 2008 Wall Street Journal article that you can read here!   It's a great article, with a lot of supplementary nutritional advice from sports nutritionists, so I highly recommend taking a look at it.

First of all,  247 lb. Tony is the NFL's highest paid tight-end and his "biggest thing is strength."  Sports nutritionists usually recommend that athletes get lots of protein to rebuild muscles, and big doses of vitamins and minerals. The KC Chief's training table serves up 3500 calories per athlete a day, with  choices  like eggs, sausage and prime rib. Tony was going to have quite a challenge on his hands to eat vegan.  He needed lots of calories, and lots of protein.

Turns out Gonzalez quit eating meat & dairy "cold turkey", without getting advice from a nutritionist.  BIG MISTAKE!  Three weeks later he'd lost weight & strength.  100 pound dumbbells that he could easily throw around before, now felt like lead weights.  "I was scared out of my mind", he said.  Before quitting his vegan diet, he called up Dr. Campbell who put him in touch with Jon Hinds, a vegan and former strength coach for the LA Clippers basketball team.  His suggestion:  more plant protein, like soy, beans, or a rice/ pea protein powder of all things.  But the Chief's nutritionist, Mitzi Dulan still didn't think that was enough, so she convinced Tony to add just a little bit of chicken and fish into his diet.

I was happy to hear Mitzi's recommendations, because, frankly I like salmon, tuna, and my turkey sandwiches. By the way, I've got a great source of mercury-free, environmentally friendly canned tuna that I'll share in another post.  I'm not ready to go vegan quite yet. 

The WSJ article had a sample of Tony's daily menu and that's where I first learned about GREEN SMOOTHIES.  Coincidently, last December my husband and I went to a Food Network Expo where we saw the master of all smoothie machines demonstrated, the Vita-mix.  You throw in any fruit or vegetable you can think of, add some ice or water, and voila, you have delicious, nutritious smoothies, soups or whole fruit sorbets. 

He was ready to buy one on the spot.  "Hey let's splurge & give this to ourselves as an anniversary present.  It's coming up next week. Perfect timing!", he said. (Oops, I guess he hadn't gotten a gift for me yet.)  In my typical, annoying I-have-to-research-everything-first-style, I replied,  "Let's think about it.  We can always get it later. What's the  rush?"

The week before I even heard Dr. Campbell speak, on the spur of the moment I shouted into my husband's office, "Hey, why don't you just go ahead & order that Vita-mix.  He did, and it arrived three days after I learned about the mega-virtues of vegan, and Tony Gonzalez' GREEN SMOOTHIES. Perfect timing!

We've been making them ever since.  I can't believe how easy it is to throw in all my favorite super foods, like kale, swiss chard, citrus, carrots and berries, & in literally, two minutes a quart of delicious "whole-not-extracted" juice is made.  The Vita-mix blends it all up, so you have the whole fruit and vegetable, complete with the fiber.  And  the clean up is a breeze.  I know I sound like a commercial, but it's that easy!  And it's a lot easier to sip 12 servings of fruits and veggies throughout the day than eat and prepare the equivalent number of salads and cooked greens. I'm not going to make any miracle claims of boundless energy, lustrous hair or increased memory powers.  I felt good before GREEN SMOOTHIES, and I feel good after.  It's just an easy-efficient way to eat right.  If anything, I'd say I have less appetite (or maybe just less room) for junk.

The combinations of fruits and vegetables that you can mix in are endless, but to keep it super healthy, and to keep the calories within reason my emphasis is on the power greens, like kale, spinach & chard.  More fruit=more calories. Here's what I'm going to mix up today:

2 1/2 cups of spinach

2 1/2 cups swiss chard

4 large carrots

1/2 red grapefruit

1 red apple

Nutrition Facts for Green smoothie wt chard spinach carrots apple red grapefruit Serving Size: 1 recipe Amount Per Serving Calories 199 Total Fat 1.4g       Saturated Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 339mg Carbohydrate 48.6g       Dietary Fiber 12.1g       Sugars 21.1g Protein 6g Vitamin A 567% Vitamin C 182% Calcium    19% Iron 25%

It's about a quart's worth and enough for a mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and on-the-way-home snack. It's especially good after a work-out. It fills me up, tastes yummy & I'm getting amazing amounts of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.  My husband adds a tablespoon of Vegan Rice Protein to his shake and has it for breakfast on his way to work.  Each tablespoon adds 12 grams of protein & 55 calories.  Not bad.  Soy protein disagreed with him, but the brown rice protein has been fine. And if I need it to be sweeter, I've added stevia, maple syrup or super ripe fruit.

If you'd like to see a short video on how easy it is to make, check this out:

Here's the link if the video doesn't work for you:

Green Smoothie video