Healthy Tidbits about Honey

 (HealthCastle.com)
Antibacterial

Studies have documented the ability of some types of honey to inhibit growth of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The mechanism by which honey acts as an antibacterial agent is not fully understood. First, the sugars in honey draw away moisture, which helps inhibit bacterial growth. In addition, honeys with strong antibacterial activity contain compounds that are known to be toxic to bacteria, such as methylglyoxal in manuka honey or hydrogen peroxide in others. Interestingly, a 2011 study out of the University of Amsterdam that compared the antibacterial activities of two medical-grade honeys found that the antibacterial activities of manuka honey continued even after the methylglyoxal was neutralized, meaning there were other unknown factors that contributed to the antibacterial capacity.

Antioxidant

Raw unpasteurized honey contains various phytonutrients that have been shown to exhibit anti-cancer properties. However, processing and heat applied during pasteurization destroy most of these phytonutrients. A 2009 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that darker honeys such as buckwheat, blueberry, manuka, or eucalyptus exhibit higher antioxidant levels than lighter-colored samples.

Throat-soothing or cough control

The throat soothing properties of honey are not well-explained scientifically, but ask most singers and they swear by singers’ tea (which counts honey as one of its main ingredients) for irritated throat or squeaky voice. Many of us resort to hot tea made with lemon and honey for soothing relief of sore throat and coughs. A 2007 study from the Pennsylvania State University that compared buckwheat honey and the cough medicine dextromethorphan found that parents rated honey favorably in relieving nighttime coughing in children with upper respiratory tract infections.

Prebiotic

A prebiotic makes your gut environment hospitable to friendly bacteria. Certain types of honey contains oligosaccharides, which appear to facilitate the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut. Some types of honey have been shown to contain friendly bacteria. However, a 2010 study in the British Journal of Nutrition found no significant change in the levels of friendly bacteria in the gut of healthy volunteers after daily consumption of honey for 4 weeks.

The Bottom Line

While honey (in particular, raw, unpasteurized honey) contains trace amounts of various compounds that exhibit beneficial properties, it is important to note that nutritionally its role is limited to a carbohydrate that contributes calories. You get more antioxidants and vitamins from fruits and vegetables. From a food safety perspective, infants under one year of age should not be served honey because of the risk of infant botulism.

Healthy BBQ Tidbits

It is BBQ time coming up and these are good tips to remember when cooking our favorite meats over the open flame.

(Berkeley Wellness)
You may be looking forward to firing up your barbecue grill this Memorial Day weekend. But grilling meat exposes you to potentially dangerous chemicals.

Grilling, frying, broiling and other cooking methods that expose meat to extremely high temperatures create potentially cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). This is especially true when the meat is charred or overcooked. Moreover, when fat drips on the heat source, the plumes of smoke can coat meat with other dangerous chemicals. The worst offenders are fatty, well-done beef, pork and lamb, but even poultry and fish produce HCAs when seared.

What if you love grilling? Here are ways to reduce the risks:

• Choose lean cuts of meat and trim any visible fat.

• Marinate meat. Researchers have found that this can decrease HCAs by more than 90 percent. Use combinations of beer, cider, vinegar, citrus juices, mustard, herbs, and brown sugar.

• Precook in a microwave or oven and finish on the grill.

•Use lower heat. Turn down the gas or wait for the coals to burn less hot. Don't cook directly over the heat source.

• Flip the meat frequently to avoid charring, and grill just until the meat is cooked through and safe to eat. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.

• Go vegetarian. When veggie burgers, tofu, and vegetables are grilled, there is little or no formation of HCAs.

• Stay upwind from grills to avoid breathing in smoke, which also carries health risks. No smoke is good smoke.

Grand Canyon Tour

We just came back from our road trip to Bryce National Park, Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon. Awesome trip the views are indescribable! We started our trip in Las Vegas picked up our rental car and drove from there. We decided to spend the first night at the Mirage and see the show Beatles Love which was fantastic! But I must say the best dinner we had for the whole trip was at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. Ron had the rib eye steak and I had the pork loin. Both were perfectly cooked! Every meal paled in comparison.

For dessert I could not resist the Churros with chocolate sauce!

Blue-Green Algae

 I use a protein powder that I like that contains spirulina, Hmmm, wonder if it is worth it. I guess it can't hurt.

(Berkeley Wellness)
Blue-green algae are among the most ancient life forms on earth. They are now also popular dietary supplements, with almost limitless claims made for them.
There are many kinds of algae, and though Cyanobacteria (the scientific name for blue-green algae) were once grouped with true algae by biologists, they are now recognized as a separate phylum. They contain protein, some vitamins and minerals, and other compounds. They are rich in chlorophyll, a pigment that enables plants to manufacture sugars from solar energy. But there’s no convincing evidence that chlorophyll does anything for the human body.
While algae are an essential part of the food chain, blue-green algae (also known as pond scum) are not generally eaten by other aquatic organisms. The question is whether they provide any special nutritional or medicinal benefit to humans.
The two main types of blue-green algae are Spirulina and Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA), both naturally present in lakes and streams. Blue-green and other algae are used as human food as well as animal feed in China, Japan, and many other countries. They are also sold as capsules, pills, and powders in health-food stores and drugstores and on the Internet. In this country AFA is harvested chiefly from Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon, where it is freeze-dried and turned into capsules.
Skimming the health claims
Blue-green algae supplements are said to be nutritionally superior to ordinary foods, and medicinally superior to drugs. Marketers promote blue-green algae as a treatment or preventive for everything from heart disease and cancer to hyperactivity in children and Alzheimer’s disease, but there is no credible research to support these claims. The algae do, of course, contain nutrients, which vary, depending on where the algae grow and other factors. In any case, the supplements usually contain only tiny amounts of algae.
There has been some interesting research on blue-green algae in recent years. For instance, a small study from Korea found that elderly people with diabetes who took Spirulina supplements had reductions in blood pressure and blood cholesterol over a three-month period. Other small studies have found that Spirulina could reduce nasal symptoms in those suffering from allergic rhinitis.  But this is preliminary research and does not support the extravagant claims made by marketers of the supplements.
It’s well known that blue-green algae can produce micro­cystins and other toxins that can contaminate drinking water and, in large amounts, make people sick and kill livestock and pets. Over the years Health Canada (which functions similar to the FDA) has tested a broad range of algae supplements for microcystins. They found no toxins in Spirulina, though other blue-green algae products sometimes contained them. Health Canada warned against giving non-Spirulina algae products to children.
Bottom line: You don’t need blue-green algae supplements. Even if they are pure and free of toxins, it’s a stretch to think they’ll keep you healthy. Get your nutrients from vegetables and fruits, which taste better and cost a lot less than algae.

Healthy Tidbits

(Dr. Weil)
Cleaning Your Kitchen

The kitchen can be an overlooked source of household germs. The ever-present kitchen sponge is a likely culprit: its moist environment can breed bacteria, molds and other pathogens. Sinks and drains are also typically germ-ridden, as are handles on the refrigerator and microwave, cutting boards and dish towels. You can help reduce germs in the kitchen by washing your hands before and after handling food (for home use, plain soap works just as well as antibacterial versions, and is better for the environment); replacing sponges frequently, or running them through the dishwasher weekly; and wiping down the sink, counters and other surfaces that are touched often with a solution of 3/4 cup bleach to a gallon of water. If you wish to avoid synthetic chemicals, add 50 drops of tea tree oil (found in health food stores) to a vinegar-water solution.

Locana Positano

Yesterday we tried a new bistro style restaurant in San Carlos called Locana Positano on Laurel St. We know the owner, Enzo, from his wonderful restaurant in San Mateo called AcquaPazza. Fabulous, well his new bistro is also fabulous! We shared a crispy thin crusted pizza with a scoop of luscious mozzarella, arugula, and super thin sliced prosciutto in the center. Wonderful! Because it happened to be Mother's Day we were treated to a sweet citrus/cinnamon ricotta stuffed pastry. I can't wait to go back there for dinner!

Meatballs

Here is a new meatloaf/meatball recipe that was my favorite so far. My substitutes are in parenthesis. I like making the meatballs because I can freeze what we do not use for another dish.

 Ingredients

• • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 slice bread, crust removed (1 1/2-inch)
  • 1 pound ground pork(omitted, I used beef)
  • 1 pound ground veal or beef(I used all beef)
  • 1/3 pound mortadella, minced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons white or red wine(optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
2. Heat the milk in a small pan until warm but not scalded. Turn off the heat. Place the bread in the milk and let sit to absorb the milk, turning once, about 1 minute per side. Remove the bread to a board, finely chop it, and place the bread in a large bowl. 
3. (I chopped all the ingredients, except the beef, in a Cuisinart then added to the beef in a large bowl.)
4. Add the pork, veal, mortadella, onion, parsley, cheese, nuts, garlic, eggs, wine, salt, and pepper to the bread. Using your hand, mix to combine completely. Form into an oval-shaped loaf and place in a large baking dish. Cook for 55 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. 
5. (I made large meatballs and baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.)

© 2011 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. All rights reserved.

Back Pain?

We all have back pain on occasion and when I saw this article I thought it was worth sharing.  I plan to check into this method. 

( Berkeley Wellness)
Chronic back pain is often hard to treat. But rather than sit it out, you might want to try movement training, such as the Alexander Technique.  
At one time or another, almost everybody has low back pain. It’s a major cause of missed work and disability. Though injuries and overexertion can cause it, many people have no idea how they injured their backs. Often MRIs and other imaging tools reveal no abnormalities in painful backs, while images of painless backs may show abnormalities. In about 10 to 20% of people with low back pain, the condition becomes chronic. This limits work, play, family life, and exercise.
Many people think that the best cure is bed rest or just sitting still, but this is not true. Study after study has shown that bed rest is the worst thing for low back pain, and that exercise can help. Indeed, studies show that exercise is one of the few clearly effective treatments in the long run.
New plan found to help
It’s encouraging news that a team of researchers in England, as reported in BMJ,  came up with a promising plan. Their well-designed clinical trial included 579 people (aged 18 to 65) with chronic or recurrent low back pain, all otherwise healthy. Several approaches were combined and compared: therapeutic massage administered in six sessions, an exercise program (brisk walking), and lessons in the Alexander Technique. This is a method of improving posture and reducing muscle tension, among other things, and requires formal training.
The outcome was pretty clear: those who learned the Alexander Technique (with or without the exercise program) experienced the greatest and longest-lasting improvements in physical functioning, as well as the most pain-free days. Massage, as well as exercise by itself, provided smaller, shorter benefits. People who had six lessons in the Alexander Technique and followed the exercise program did as well as those who had 24 lessons and no exercise.
The Alexander Technique is not the only such approach—Feldenkrais, McKenzie, and Pilates are other types of movement training that show promise—but this is the best evidence so far about any movement therapy and back pain.
So what is the Alexander Technique?
Developed over a century ago by F. Matthias Alexander, the technique is neither massage nor exercise, nor physical therapy, but individualized training to improve posture, muscle tone, and movement. A teacher observes you carefully in each session, advising you on ways to move, sit, and stand efficiently, without undue strain. Alexander originally intended the technique for singers and actors needing to reduce vocal tension. Over the years it has been adapted as a treatment for various kinds of musculoskeletal pain.
What you can do: If you have chronic or recurring back-pain, brisk walking for 30 minutes five times weekly (as in the study) is a good idea for many reasons, and you don’t need a trainer. Massage is also worth trying. Lessons in the Alexander Technique may run to $100 a session—not always covered by insurance. Some physical therapists are certified in the Alexander Technique, and a referral from your physician may mean that insurance would cover the lessons. The American Society for the Alexander Technique can refer you to a certified teacher in your area.