Blue Diamond Almond Breeze

While shopping at the whole foods store today, I bought Blue Diamond Almond Breeze. It is a non-dairy beverage made from real whole almonds. It comes in original, vanilla and chocolate flavor. I have read that it tastes good, let's see.

Snack on Almonds

Almonds posses a very high nutritional profile and are revered for their ability to strengthen the body and soothe mucus membranes. They are a healthy snack and that they have been proven beneficial for weight loss.

Studies indicate that almonds may provide important nutritional support to combat diabetes, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, inflammation and obesity.

Almonds are a source of nutrients that can facilitate weight loss and can help your heart. When overweight Americans used about a 2/3 cup of almonds per day as part of a weight-loss diet, they increased weight loss by 62 percent more than when following a standard weight loss diet and had a 50 percent greater reduction in waist circumference.

Exciting research that shows almonds may help to fight The Insulin Resistance Syndrome, also called the Metabolic Syndrome, which affects 40 percent of U.S. adults.

There are many recipes that you can add almonds to. Also tastes good in salads.

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If possible almonds should be purchased in their shell. This helps to ensure that your almonds are fresh and not rancid. Almonds should be soaked to improve their digestibility and nutrition profile.

Soaking also removes harmful tannic acid and enzyme inhibitors. Soak in cool water and if possible drain the soaked water after 20-40 minutes. Add fresh water and continue the soaking for another 8-12 hours.

Being that the almond skin is potentially irritating to the lining of the stomach and intestines the almonds should be blanched (following soaking).

Tulsi Green Tea

For over 5000 years, Tulsi (Holy Basil) has been one of the most cherished of India's sacred healing plants. Known to maintain general well-being and restore imbalances of the body and mind to a natural healthy state, the legendary Tulsi is honored and used daily by millions.

It is believed to open the heart, bring peace of mind, and bestow love and devotion. Modern scientific research confirms that Tulsi reduces stress, enhances stamina, strengthens immunity, improves metabolism, slows aging, reduces inflammation, protects against radiation, prevents gastric ulcers, lowers fevers, improves digestion and provides a rich supply of antioxidants and other nutrients. Tulsi is especially effective in supporting the heart, blood vessels, liver and lungs. Tulsi promots calmness and clarity and is rich in natural antioxidants.

Mythical Unicorn

A deer with a single horn in the center of its head — much like the fabled, mythical unicorn — has been spotted in a nature preserve in Italy, park officials said Wednesday.

"This is fantasy becoming reality," Gilberto Tozzi, director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato, told The Associated Press. "The unicorn has always been a mythological animal."

The 1-year-old Roe Deer — nicknamed "Unicorn" — was born in captivity in the research center's park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence, Tozzi said.

He is believed to have been born with a genetic flaw; his twin has two horns.

Calling it the first time he has seen such a case, Tozzi said such anomalies among deer may have inspired the myth of the unicorn.

The unicorn, a horse-like creature with magical healing powers, has appeared in legends and stories throughout history, from ancient and medieval texts to the adventures of Harry Potter.

"This shows that even in past times, there could have been animals with this anomaly," he said by telephone. "It's not like they dreamed it up."

Single-horned deer are rare but not unheard of — but even more unusual is the central positioning of the horn, experts said.

"Generally, the horn is on one side (of the head) rather than being at the center. This looks like a complex case," said Fulvio Fraticelli, scientific director of Rome's zoo. He said the position of the horn could also be the result of a trauma early in the animal's life.

Other mammals are believed to contribute to the myth of the unicorn, including the narwhal, a whale with a long, spiraling tusk.

Salmonella Tomato Cases Jump

The number of people known to have fallen ill after eating salmonella-tainted tomatoes has now jumped to 383 in 30 states plus the District of Columbia, U.S. health officials announced Wednesday afternoon.

"The marked increase is not due to new infections but mainly because some states improved surveillance in response to this outbreak and laboratory identification of many other previously submitted strains has now been completed," said Casey Barton Behravesh, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a teleconference. "We now have reports of at least 48 persons being hospitalized due to this illness."

The ages of the patients ranges from under 1 to 88 years old, and 47 percent of them are female. The most recent onset of illness was June 5; the outbreak was first discovered in April.

"We are continuing to receive reports of ill people," said Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC's division of foodborne, bacterial and mycotic diseases. "We do not think the outbreak is over."

Tauxe also could not say if the outbreak had peaked yet, given that some states are still catching up on necessary laboratory work. "I would say that the majority of new cases had onset around three to four weeks ago, but some new cases onset in the last two to three weeks that might suggest that there are still some cases continuing to occur," he said. "It's too early to call the peak, and we certainly cannot say that it's over."

Officials have still not zeroed in on the exact source of the contamination, although tomatoes from Mexico and Florida are the likely culprits, said Dr. David Acheson, associate commissioner for food protection at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Still, Acheson seemed less certain than he has in the past that the exact source would ever be identified. "I have to acknowledge that we may not ultimately know the farm where these came from," he said. "But we're continuing to go flat-out, assuming we are going to get to that point."

A cluster of nine cases still holds promise for helping to break the deadlock. But a second patient has retracted the original information he or she gave the FDA on where contaminated tomatoes were eaten, basically rendering that particular "trace-back" effort worthless, officials acknowledged.

Acheson would not confirm that this cluster of nine cases was the same as a cluster being investigated in Chicago that originated at the Adobo Grill restaurant.

Meanwhile, restaurants and supermarkets across the country are starting to sell and serve tomatoes again. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that McDonald's restaurants are bringing back some tomatoes, as is Wendy's and Burger King. Yum Brands, which owns Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, is also bringing back tomatoes from "safe" areas, the newspaper said.

"I can't speak to why one chain is going back and one isn't," Acheson said. "From a food-safety perspective, I'd like retailers to put tomatoes on the menu but make sure they come from a safe place. They do need to know their suppliers."

Acheson also said that the FDA has asked for authority to take action to prevent future outbreaks. "We have put the word out that we need authority to require preventative control," he said. "Exactly what that would look like would depend exactly on what the legislation looked like. But at a high level, we feel we need preventative control for high-risk foods, and tomatoes and other types of fresh produce would be part of that."

Currently, the U.S. agriculture industry relies on a set of voluntary "good practices" to ensure food safety.

"We have asked for authorities, and we don't yet have them. What we're looking for here is mandatory. There would be no voluntary about it," Acheson said.

In other developments, New York City has linked seven cases of illness to salmonella-contaminated raw tomatoes, according to Bloomberg.

And the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported on its Web site that more than 8,000 people may have actually been sickened in this salmonella outbreak. The explanation: "Based on earlier extensive studies and extrapolations, the CDC has estimated that for every one case of salmonellosis reported, there are 38 additional cases that are not reported," according to the newspaper site.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea in humans. Some 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States each year, although the CDC estimates that because milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections may be 30 or more times greater. Approximately 600 people die each year after being infected.

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The Benefits of Yogurt

Have you noticed that the yogurt section of most grocery stores has practically taken over the dairy aisle? It’s getting harder to find more traditional dairy foods, such as cottage cheese and sour cream, amid the sea of yogurt options. But it only makes sense that a food with as many health benefits as yogurt be given prime real estate in the supermarket.

And just what are the health benefits of yogurt? Read more...

Watermelon Packs A Mean Punch

It's hard to beat a slice of watermelon at a holiday picnic. One can almost taste the sweet red flesh and feel the fruit's succulent juices dripping down your chin.

Nutrition experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center say you shouldn't fret if your seed doesn't arc its way into the watermelon seed-spitting record books. The fleshy fruit is a nutritional award-winner on its own.

One 2-cup serving of diced watermelon contains loads of vitamins A and C, no fat and only 80 calories. It's also packed with lycopene, an antioxidant which may aid in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

"Watermelon is a great fruit to help you hydrate and cool down in the summer heat," said Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Also, since it's mostly made up of water, pureed watermelon makes a refreshing drink."

UT Southwestern Medical Center
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75390-9060
United States
http://www.utsouthwestern.edu

Sun Protection for Children

Sun damage in childhood is one of the most important causes of skin cancer in adults. Not only is children's skin more vulnerable to damage by the sun's rays, but people on average get 80% of our lifetime sun exposure by age 18. Bad sunburns in childhood risk the later development of malignant melanoma (the most dangerous type of skin cancer). The less dangerous forms of skin cancer are due to long term, regular sun exposure. People who work or play outdoors and overexpose themselves to the sun will develop wrinkled, freckled dry skin and eventually skin cancers. People who vacation at the shore, or lay out on weekends will risk melanoma. Read more...

Picnics, baseball games, pools, and beaches -- parents and kids are gearing up to head out for fun in the sun. But too many parents still aren't adequately protecting either themselves or their children from the sun's harmful rays.

A new study shows that although parents are aware that sun exposure is dangerous, kids wearing sunscreen spend much more time in the sun than kids who don't, even though sunscreen provides only partial protection. What's more, many parents still emphasize the importance of that tanned look. Read more...

Protect Yourself From The Sun

Summer is a great time to have fun outdoors. It's also a time to take precautions to avoid sunburns, which can increase your risk of skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays appears to be the most important environmental factor involved with developing skin cancer. During the summer months, UV radiation tends to be greater.

To help prevent skin cancer while still having fun outdoors, regularly use sun protective practices such as

• Seek shade, especially during midday hours (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.), when UV rays are strongest and do the most damage.
• Cover up with clothing to protect exposed skin.
• Get a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head, ears, and neck.
• Grab shades that wrap around and block as close to 100% of both UVA and UVB rays as possible.
• Rub on sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher, and both UVA and UVB protection.

It's always wise to choose more than one way to cover up when you're in the sun. Use sunscreen, and put on a T-shirt... Seek shade, and grab your sunglasses... Wear a hat, but rub on sunscreen too. Combining these sun protective actions helps protect your skin from the sun's damaging UV rays.

UV rays reach you on cloudy and hazy days, as well as bright and sunny days. UV rays will also reflect off any surface like water, cement, sand, and snow. Additionally, UV rays from artificial sources of light, like tanning beds, cause skin cancer and should be avoided.

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