I have in front of me a web update on Connecticut’s ban on soda and junk food. The memo, dated May 24th, states that Connecticut will likely adopt the most far-reaching ban in the U.S on soda and junk food in our public schools.

A study released by the American Psychiatric Meeting has brought to their attention the dangers of soda to children. In addition to current obesity, dental cavities and diabetes risks, sodas also have the problem of being high in caffeine.

The APA reported that behavioral problems were rated 432 % worse on days that first graders drank sodas with caffeine than on days when they consumed caffeine-free sodas. For a closer review, you can read more at Public Health and Law, a weblog of the Public Health Advocacy Institute.

After an eight hour debate, lawmakers in Connecticut’s House voted 88-55 to pass a law banning sodas and junk food in cafeterias, vending machines and school stores. In addition, twenty minutes of outside activity or gym time would be required for children from kindergarten to fifth grade. The bill now heads for Connecticut’s Senate where it is expected to pass.

Since legislative support is needed for an effective junk food ban in schools, many other states’ individual school districts who proposed similar bans have, unlike Connecticut, lacked initiative. Everywhere else, cafeterias still look like a mall food court. Removing junk food and soda out of California would be similar to removing quills on porcupine.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to try and introduce wholesome foods into the school system when bad diets have dominated most of the children’s lives. Often educators themselves rely on high-fat diets just to have more energy in their day. If you have been raised on sugar-frosted flakes, the thought of 5 minute cooked oatmeal just doesn’t have much appeal. Having 1% milk instead of soda would have a similar outcome.

We need more responsible grown-ups to set good examples and who are willing to give up their junk diets. They need to stress that a good life does not come from expensive cell phones or a $100 pair of shoes. A good life comes from waking up exhilarated, having a waistline that is flat and having a true commitment to a healthier life. Our rewards in life are most often acquired by self-discipline and motivation of the human spirit.

I am waiting for the education community’s reaction to Connecticut’s bold action. Will it become a joke for popular personalities to make? Will someone in schools in other states realize the danger zone these children face as they eat junk food that merely add pounds and deduct years from their future. Obesity and diabetes are both problems that are growing bigger everyday. Everyone could take some action, even in a small way, towards a healthier school for the future!

CAMPING WITH A COW: Summer is right around the corner this means it’s time for picnics and camping. Often difficult to find a grocery store when you need milk so bring your own cow from home. Freeze your own milk in plastic jugs (remove 8 oz) before placing it in the freezer. If your picnic is closer to home you can use smaller containers if the distance is further use a bigger jug. It will remain cold for a few days.

RETAINING ICE CREAM QUALITY: Have you ever opened your ice cream carton to find that the inside looks like a roto-rooter has gone through it and much of the ice cream had oxidized and got dried on the edges? You wouldn’t leave a car without protection so trash your ice cream contents. Thist works best with square containers. First, find 3 square plastic containers 6” x 6′’. Open the sides of the carton. With a sharp knife, cut your solid ice cream into 3 parts and place it into each container. Then cover it with a plastic wrap to further prevent freezer burn. This method retains quality of product and it makes it easier to regulate portions.

FLAX EQUALS LAX: You don’t need harsh laxatives or jellied fiber cocktails to maintain good colon health. Bran muffins are only good if you make them yourself because store-bought muffins are very high in calories. If you add about 3 tablespoons of ground flax meal to your pancakes, waffles or any type of muffins, meatloaf and bread you will have just added nature’s laxative. I recommend buying seeds and grind them just before you need them. Not recommnded is flaxseed oil because it quickly becomes rancid even if refrigerated. Bulk flax seeds are quite cheap compared to flax meal which is expensive. They both do the same job. If you add flaxmeal to oatmeal and cream of wheat before cooking. You will also enjoy the the same benefits.

BRAWNY AND BACON: these two were meant for each. As you know bacon comes with a vein of pork fat along with that sweet smoked taste. Not to worry just sandwich those raw slices between double paper towels and microwave The cooking time will vary as to the thickness of the bacon and speed of your micro-wave. Package directions can be misleading. You should start low and add seconds as they are needed since too many seconds will simply yield burnt bacon. Turkey bacon requires far less time then standard bacon. Properly nuked it removes 70% of the fat but not the flavor.

TO HASTEN RIPENING: undoubtedly most of your fruit will be green when you buy it. Some will never ripe stage but hopefully most of it will. One method of speeding the process is placing the green fruit in a paper bag with apples. Since apples contain natural ethylene they will hasten the ripening of other fruits that are next to them. Also works with a tomato. Besides a soft touch, a ripened fruit will yield an aroma.

INSTANT MASHED: those white flakes in a box ( must be unflavored ) are good for things besides mashed potatoes. They are excellent for thickening soups. I use them sprinkled among my raw sliced ( soon to be scalloped) potatoes as they work better than white flour which can come out as lumps. Also can be added to raw veggies pancakes in addition to the pancake flour. Also can be added to gravy or real mashed potatoes that you overmilked or have to much liquids. Buying flavored dry potatoes merely adds to the basic price
which you can easily flavor yourself with fresh additions.

Metabolic Syndrome is a largely unknown disease – any information about it is usually located on those obscure pages of the newspaper few readers go far enough to find. However, this particular affliction seemed interesting enough to me to inspire further research.

Metabolism is the process by which the body chemically absorbs our food. When the body receivs more food calories than it needs it simply goes to storage. Eventually the body’s ability to put this surplus to proper use becomes a huge metabolic problem. Science describes Metabolic Sydrome as the body’s inability to use insulin properly and eating more than the body requires.

The US estimates that 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 8 children have metabolic syndrome primarily from overeating and a lack of exercise. This is a big jump from the previous decade. The condition is usually marked by a visibly large waistline accompanied by diabetes, high blood pressure, and most likely high cholesterol. Persons with this condition are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. Currently Americans are spending about $4,116 on prescription drugs that treat Metabolic Syndrome, making up $4 out of the $10 that a recent study showed Americans spend on prescriptions. And the number of afflicted seems to rising as ready to eat meals have not tailored menus for more sensible calorie reduction so overweight people simply add more weight. No one seems to be offering many alternatives. Add those all-you-can-eat restaurants and 700 calorie burgers I don’t think we’ll see a reduction of bulging bellies in this decade.

This condition 40 years ago was first referred to as Syndrome X but in recent years it has become known as “metabolic syndrome”. Three weeks ago the first international symposium on Metabolic Syndrome was held in Berlin. Dr. Staurt Weiss, director of the Diabetes Education Center, hopes that naming this condition will bring about new awareness. Early aggressive treatment could prevent possible diabetes and heart disease if action is taken in early stages. Metabolic Syndrome could easily override the medical capacity that is needed to care for them if the current rate of the problem continues. It is a scary thought but it’s the way of today’s world and lingering undisciplined consumption of edibles.

Update!:

CDC SPOKESMAN RETRACTS EARLIER STUDY

It is quite easy for the general public to be confused – Americans are often cloaked in a maze of confusing health information. In a June 2nd 2005 press relase the Center of Disease Control (CDC) said that their earlier study had been flawed and it is not OK to be overweight.
One report published in April said obesity accounts for a mere 25,814 deaths a year – vastly lower than the 365,000 deaths a year estimated just months earlier. The Harvard School of Public Health, The Cancer Society, and the American Hearth Association all agreed that obesity is a factor which greatly aggravates many other health issues.

The CDC, in their earlier study, concluded that obesity is not dangerous and that being a little plump might actually lower your risk of death. At a recent news conference, CDC chief Gerberding acknowledged flaws in their study and said CDC would try to get back on track.

Now, where would this nation be without the watch dogs examining these reports and trying to find the truth? Particularly when the Center of Disease control gives us all the OK to be a little bit overweight! It doesn’t take a 6th grader to figure out that a 200 pound person is already in trouble.

We should take this as a reminder to caution ourselves against the claims on made by “diet” food and pills – there is no magic bullet, only a lot of snake oil salesmen and bogus nutritional studies. One should always be on the lookout for truthful knowledge, which isn’t often advertised on the evening news or in the newspapers.

Of course if you can handle Fear Factor bug eating scenes and fingers falling in the nations food supply, how the industry removes flesh from animals shouldn’t shock or nauseate you at all. It seems to be the direction of world wide news these days, murder, mayhem and maggots!

Lately, I began to real labels and question everything that written on them.For instance, this very cheap package of hot dogs I bought at a local Graveyard Grocery (my pet name for stores that sell surplus and old grocery items). Eight hot dogs for a dollar – how can they make them look so good for so little?

These are the ingredients : MECHANICALLY SEPARATED chicken and turkey,pork, water , corn syrup, salt, potato starch. contains 2% or less of beef, dextroseflavorings, oleoresin of paprika, sodium potassium lactate, sodium diacetate sodium nitrate, sodium phosphate and Vitamin C. Now the real mystery of this packet is what do all the strange ingredients really mean? I can assure the average shopper has no idea why nor will they take the time to investigate. So I have done it for you.

Firstly, why do some cured meat products say mechanically separated as the first ingredient but others which are more expensive do not carry these words? Simple explanation: economy – you’re getting animal paste versus hand-sorted cuts of meat. To produce mechanically separated meat products, the carcass (after removal of the spinal cord and bone) of the animal is then compressed by intense pressure into a meat paste. This paste is now turned into low cost hot dogs, bologna, et cetera.

There are no current statistics as to how many plants use MSM in America but the abundance of cheap hot dogs indicates the number is pretty high. Well, this way we utilize our meat supply there is always a chance that a fraction of spinal and brain tissue is not removed, and that possibly infected prions (found only in spine and brain tissues) could find their way into the food supply. Therefore it cruical that they be completely removed before processing.

In Europe, 101 people were infected with vCJD (human similarity of mad cow) after consumption of MSM products. This happened in 1996 when 10 persons were afflicted with a neurological disease after eating meat with diseased proions that came from brain or spinal tissue of animal meat processed into various cured meats products. Since then apparently, new laws and precautions have been put into place but perhaps they are not enough. For complete assurance of safety, the entire spinal cord must be removed preventing any diseased prions entering the cured meat supply.

The Center of Science in the Public Interest who has thoroughly investigated this subject feels that we need to urge the USDA to require meat companies to remove neck bones and spinal columns (including spinal cord) from carcasses before processing them by MSM and AMR systems. Find complete details in a review of today’s subject on their website, http://www.cspinet.org.

In the meantime, it appears your hot dogs are perfectly safe to eat, but just keep in mind after bone is gone there is still a lot of chicken and cow parts that are ground into gruesome gruel and highly seasoned with mountains of salt and paprika and other life sustaining chemicals. BON APPETTIT !

MY FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS: While these are exactly thought of as basic
major appliances they are down right great helpers in anybody’s kitchen today.
Perhaps,you may have them in your stored along with the potato peelers and
the measuring spoons. I chose three of my favorite useful items to share with you.

My most recent addition is a manual OIL MISTER which is not anything new ( sort of homemade version of
Pam) do it yourself self spray. It’s been around for quite some time. However in the meantime some one has truly perfected it. This new style sprays in a fine mist form whereas the old version was more like a squirt. My new mister allows me to fill with my own oil. It is recommended that you use smaller quantities of oil and that you should clean it periodically with hot water and light soap. You also have knowledge of exactly what kind of ingredients it is that you are spraying on surfaces.

This particular model is called Cuisipro and was advertised quite heavily on line however it always seemed
to be (out of stock). I found mine in a Roseville, Ca nieghborhood house wares store called “Harper’s Ferry” Sometime you get that urge to go in to real store and just browse among the myriad of new kitchen gadgets that you might miss just looking on line. I am sure this new mister will be around as long the public has this
obbession to spay everything and likes a more environmentally friendly way to do it!

KITCHEN SHEARS are probabl y the most misundertand tool in the kitchen and should never be confused
with regular scissors . I am ashamed to admit I didn’t learn their full potential until I became a private chef. Once I was out cooking meals in quantity and time was of the essence, it was there I learned of their time cutting value. For instance, to deliver fat-free and gristle-free chicken for my clients meals, kitchen shears cut through the parts of a chicken faster than any knife. If I needed parley or fresh herbs, the shears were the way to go. Food processor chop beauifully but they not mince well. Food trimming is best performed
with quality kitchen shears. Need to sterilized after fresh poultry and meat trimming. Have sharpened from
time to time. They are great kitchen helpers.

MANDOLINE is highly advertised on the net and you will see prices starting at $20 and can go up to $200.
I have a modest $30 model which was a handy tray underneath tocatch the finished product. My common usage is for sliced potatoes as I am great fan of scalloped potatoes. Also when I make ratatouille, I like super thin slices of eggplant and onion , my mandoline allows me to do this. If you are looking for fine shreds of veggies to put into soups, this tool will help. A great way to impress those normally finicky anti-veggie eaters to come around, place across top of salads. Grated veggies are ideal for placing into gelatin molds. And many other countless usages…it doesn’t music but your meals will sing its praises.

COMIING…….YOUR CHOICES OF OUR MOST WORTHLESSS TOOLS & APPLIANCES, this is your call, tell me about your favorite white elephants…… and worthless kitchen tools. Maybe you got a George Forman grill
or bread maker you might be able to sell on E-bay. Maybe an electric knife still sitting in the box you got
for Christmas maybe 10 years ago. Perhaps a couple of crockpots ! Please write and tell us about them OK …sks/white elephants@minnick.com