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KISS Diet: "Eat This Not That"
2008-03-30 19:45:00
You have likely heard of the hot-selling book "Eat This Not That: Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More!," by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. It is currently #6 on Amazon. If you haven't, you might want to pick up a copy. The logic behind the book, which is very, very simple, is that you choose food A over B when eating out, knowing that you can save hundreds of calories, whereas in the past you merely choose whatever without making life-impacting comparisons. Over a year's time you can save 1,000s upon 1,000s of calories that otherwise would have been consumed unnecessarily. Enjoy!!!
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Treat Yourself Right with DHC
2008-03-29 01:57:00
DHC is a leading Japanese skin care company. DHC sells its products in the U.S. via mall kiosks and also by phone (catalog) and online. Visit DHC online and you can request a catalog with four samples and if you pay $2 (credit card) you can receive the samples and a $5 gift certificate with your catalog. What's more is from your first order and for every order thereafter, you always receive four free samples of your choosing. Free shipping is available on orders over $75, a little steep, but maybe not a problem depending on what you want to order. I almost forgot to mention there's also "loyalty" and "volume" discounts. On my first order I received a nice volume discount! I assume I'll be eligible for a future "loyalty" discount and maybe even another volume discount. I like DHC more than other skin care companies' products not only because of their quality, but also because across the board there has never been anything that irritated my skin. DHC is inspired by olive oil and ...
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For-Profit Mindset May Kill "Essential" Oils
2008-02-15 05:37:00
This, like the preceding post, comes from the latest Frontier Co-op e-newsletter.Essential Oils Effective Against MRSAResearchers at the University of Manchester say they have found that three essential oils used in aromatherapy kill MRSA and E.coli -- as well as many other bacteria and fungi -- within just two minutes of contact.While Staphylococcus aureus are commonly occurring bacteria found on the skin, the methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain is resistant to many of our most powerful antibiotics. MRSA is an especially serious problem in hospitals where people are in close proximity and many have their defenses weakened by illness. For a small number of patients, infection with the bug may be life threatening.The researchers say complete information -- including the names of the three oils -- will be released when the trial has been completed. Unfortunately, the research has struggled to find funding because the naturally occurring essential oils cannot be pa...
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The Herbicide - Diabetes Link
2008-02-15 05:33:00
The latest Frontier Co-op e-newsletter has a short note on the link between herbicides and diabetes and how obviously, there's much less to worry about when consuming organics.The American Diabetes Association has released a study showing that herbicide exposure can cause high levels of blood sugar and insulin -- both of which can lead to Type II diabetes and drastically shorten life. Pregnant women have a 2.2-fold higher risk of developing gestational diabetes when they are subjected to excess exposures according to the study. Men showed a 47 percent increased risk.The classes of compounds known as organochlorines are especially harmful. Although it is banned in Europe, 76 million pounds of the organochlorine atrazine are applied to U.S. foods each year. The most obvious way to limit the health risks of herbicides is to grow crops organically.
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Count Calories Online
2007-11-25 17:59:00
A recent Wall Street Journal article had three links to websites for looking up calorie and nutritional information.* Calo rieKing database -- nutritional information for 50,000+ generic and brand-name foods, including meals at 260+ fast-food chains* Dietfacts.com -- information for 449 restaurants* Fast Food Facts -- $6.99 for printable guide with nutritional facts for 3,000+ menu items at 30 chainsThe WSJ article says: "Watch portion sizes. A plain pizza slice may appear to have 320 calories, but only if it's 1/12th of a pie."
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Lead in Lipstick Part II -- "A Poison Kiss"
2007-11-25 17:48:00
About a month ago I posted about a study of lead levels in lipstick by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. See: "Lead in Lipstick ?"If you want more information you can go straight to the source. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has a pdf report, "A Poison Kiss ", with results by manufacturer/brand and type. Skip to page 10 for the brand results.Here's an excerpt from the report why you should be concerned about lead:Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems such as lowered IQ, reduced school performance and increased aggression. Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure because lead easily crosses the placenta and may enter the fetal brain, where it interferes with normal development. Lead has also been linked to miscarriage, reduced fertility in both men and women, hormonal changes, menstrual irregularities and delays in the onset of puberty. Lead builds up in the body over time and lead?containing lipstic...
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Apple Cider Vinegar for Shinier Hair and More
2007-11-20 21:33:00
A recent edition of Glamour contained an interesting tip for shinier hair:?Combine a mix of one tbsp. apple cider vinegar and 16 oz. water through damp hair; shampoo.? Let?s give it a try!By the way, according to Wikipedia's entry for "vinegar", there are such related medicinal uses as lowering cholesterol, blood glucose control and diabetic management, diet control (increases food satiety, meaning you feel fuller with less food consumed) and jelly fish sting treatment, as well as a number of other traditional/anecdotal treatments.
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The Power of Broccoli for Women
2007-11-20 19:42:00
The December 2007 edition of Glamour magazine (Glamour.com) has a short mention on the "Good news about a women's cancer."A Harvard Medical School researcher says extra broccoli may help ward off ovarian cancer. New data from a study show women who took "kaempferol" (a chemical found in broccoli, tea, blueberries and kale) had a 40% lower risk of the disease compared to those who ate "very little" of it. Pending further research, the "risk reduction is on par with the powerful cancer-preventing benefits of the Pill."See also: The Best AntioxidantsAnd if you're interested see Glamour's 20 (More!) Sex Dos and Don?tsThese were too hot to print in our magazine survey of more than 10,000 women and men. How do you answer these slightly naughty questions?
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Nonstick Pots and Pans, Do's and Don'ts
2007-11-20 01:44:00
Good Housekeeping's Nov. 2007 edition has a 6-point list of "cook-smart precautions" when using nonstick:1. Never preheat an empty pan2. Don't cook on high heat (manuf. advice: don't go above medium)3. Ventilate your kitchen4. Don't broil or sear meats5. Choose a heavier nonstick pan6. Avoid chipping or damaging the pan -- NY State Dept. of Health: if pans chip or flake, they may be more likely to release toxic compounds; if a pan becomes damaged, throw it out!Original Good Housekeeping article: "Nervous About Nonstick?"Two of Good Housekeeping's product selections (links to Amazon product page):WearEver Excellence -- "Tops Overall"Revere Copper Advantage -- "Great Value"
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The Best Antioxidants
2007-11-19 22:35:00
The latest edition of Frontier Coop's newsletter has a short segment on antioxidants.A 2006 research report published in the American Journal of Clinical Research analyzed antioxidant capacity in 1,113 foods and found that ground cloves has more antioxidants than almost any other food. Herbs and spices account for eight of the 10 highest foods ranked by total antioxidant capacity. (emphasis added)Fruits with the highest antioxidant capacity:Black raspberriescranberriesraspberriesstrawber ries A single serving of any of these fruits delivers all of the antioxidants needed in a day.Antioxidants provide important health benefits including helping fight/prevent cancer, disease and slowdown the effects of aging.

Dr. Oz on Oprah; New Book: YOU: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Exten
2007-11-18 18:48:00
Many of you have probably heard of Dr. Oz. He's gained a lot of popularity from his appearances on the Oprah Show and from books he's published with Dr. Michael Roizen. (See below) Dr. Oz is even on XM Satellite Radio (channel 156). Dr. Oz is extremely knowledgeable and shares his expertise of medicine and related subjects such as dieting, anti-aging, etc in a very easy-to-understand, straight-forward manner.In a recent appearance on the Oprah Show he commented that health care in the U.S. is so expensive, say twice as expensive compared to the U.K., because Americans are twice as sick.All of his books are definitely worth reading if you haven't already...Here's his latest book:His earlier books include:
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Lead in Lipstick?
2007-10-25 16:35:00
Here is another article from less than two weeks ago with disturbing news complicating the ways we try and stay beautiful.Reuters published an article, "Lipstick s contain lead, consumer group says: More than half of name-brand products have detectable levels," saying a report by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, found more than half the lipsticks tested contained lead and some popular brands including Cover Girl, L'Oreal and Christian Dior had more lead than others.That is absurd! And it seems the story is old news and was either not read/heard by too many or already forgotten. Hey, what's to worry about a little bit of lead on your lips!?And very interesting, the case of lead in lipstick is not a typical situation where "you get what you pay for."The coalition said that some less expensive brands it had tested, such as Revlon, had no detectable levels of lead, while the more expensive Dior Addict brand had higher levels than some other brands.Read the article (click here) for scar...
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Soaring Dental Fees in USA
2007-10-25 15:48:00
I just wanted to share this saddening article by The New York Times from a couple weeks back, "Dental fees are soaring; so is U.S. tooth decay."
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Avon for Men -- Derek Jeter's 'Driven' Line
2007-10-01 00:21:00
An article by the Associated Press is showing up in newspapers across the U.S. about Avon 's embracing of men as an increasingly important customer. See for instance, "The Avon Rep Has a Mustache." The AP article notes:Sales to men and an increasing number of products for them has helped Avon's bottom line, with sales growing from about $6.2 billion in 2002 to $8.7 billion in 2006.Overall sales of one category, skincare, shows just how big the market is for women and how growth for sales to men is increasing it about twice the annualized growth rate (6.0% vs. 3.1%).U.S. sales of men's skincare products totaled $68.9 million in 2006, up from $45.8 million in 2000. In comparison, women's skincare sold about $2.1 billion in 2006 and $1.7 billion in 2000, according to NPD.NY Yankees baseball star player Derek Jeter has created the "Driven" line of men's products (see picture above), including cleansers, cologne, aftershave and deodorant. The cologne is Avon's best-selling men's fr...
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Beware of MSG and Other Allergies to Food
2007-09-23 17:10:00
There are people who have a reaction right after consuming food they are allergic to, while others have a reaction several hours later or even a day or days later. That is why a lot of people don't even recognize that they are allergic to certain food.If you suffer from any kind of symptom, I recommend you try an allergy test.Also, run (don't walk) to the library and get some books and read up. Find the right book for you. I would not rely on any doctor 100 percent. What I don?t like about Western medicine is when a problem is found, the source of the problem is not attempted to be cured; rather the solution is easy, take a lot of medicine.I was very shocked to see how big the drug industry is in the U.S. compared to Japan. And how drugs advertisements are everywhere and I see more sick people in general here than in any other countries I've visited.In a magazine that I was reading today, I happened to notice an article about a 40 year old reader that was questioning if her min...
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List of Food, Beverages, Ingredients Containing MSG (including Processed wi
2007-09-23 16:20:00
Following my finding out of my allergy to MSG, here's a list of food that always contains MSG [sources FDA and "Food Allergies" by William E. Walsh, M.D.]:Ingredient s that always contain MSGCalcium caseinateSodium caseinateGelatinGlutamate/glutamic acidMonopotassium glutamateMonosodium glutamateHydrolyzed soy/Vegetable/etc. proteinTextured proteinAutolyzed yeastYeast extractYeast foodYeast nutrientIngredients, food and beverages that might contain MSG or that were processed with MSGBouillonBrothCarrageenanEnzyme-modifie d foodFermented foods and beveragesBeerBourbon/Scotch/Whiskey/Brand y/WineOther alcoholic drinksFlavors and flavoringsNatural flavoringsNatural beef flavoringNatural chicken flavoringNatural pork flavoringSmoke flavoringBarley maltMalt extractMalt flavoringMaltodextrinPectinProtein-fortif ied foodsTextured proteinSeasoningsSoy extractSoy proteinSo protein concentrateSoy protein isolateSoy sauceStockUltrapasteurized foodsWhey proteinWhey protein concentrateWhey protein ...
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Important 'Low-GI Diet' Update
2007-09-23 15:44:00
On Friday, I said I would have some important upcoming topics, as a result of a week-long struggle with food allergies.First, I'd like to recap my experience, with my Low-GI diet.As I said before, I managed to lose 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) in three days, which is amazingly fast, since I had never been able to lose so much that fast. And then one day, I felt extremely tired and I was bloated. I thought this two-week no-carb diet was not going to last very long, because: I felt so sick and in addition, my weight rebounded, my stomach and legs were swollen; and I remembered a time in high school when I was suffering from many different kinds of allergies. When I was in a high school, I used to go to Eastern medicine doctors and I was told not to consume anything with additives and any meat or dairy products, until told I can start eating again. Well, after a strict diet, I got well and eventually went back to my old habits. Then, when I was in a college, I started to have bad aller...
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Upcoming Topics: Food Allergies
2007-09-22 01:03:00
In coming days I will be discussing a very important topic: food allergies.It has been a long and frustrating week for me as I've been suffering from food allergies and been trying to come up with a solution for my diet.I think I have found some extremely useful information that may be of help to some readers. In some cases, you may have been suffering like me, without knowing the cause, and be surprised to learn it is rooted in your diet.Future topics will include:Food allergiesMSGWheat Gluten
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Low-GI Diet Update
2007-09-15 22:39:00
So far I have been sharing my daily Low-GI diet menu with you, including photos of my meals. First, I want to say I have lost 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) in three days since starting!Secondly, I want to let you know I will no longer talk about my daily menu, since it will essentially be very similar to what I have been eating the past three days. Use those menus as a guide and innovate as necessary.Lastly, please DON'T mistake this Low-GI diet with Atkins' diet. You should not be eating as much meat and dairy as you want. Instead, you should be sure to eat a lot of vegetables, "low-fat" dairy products and drink a lot of water/tea. I personally drink a lot of herb tea.Good luck!!!
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How to Get Rid of Wrinkles
2007-09-15 22:29:00
I want to share a natural beauty tip to get rid of wrinkles. Specifically, to get rid of face wrinkles.This is an easy, natural and economic way to get rid of wrinkles.Grind some tea leaves (fresh is better than old), You can use Macha (green tea) powder tooMix flour and water with the ground tea leaves/powder until it becomes like a clay pasteMake a week's worth of pasteStore it in the refrigeratorDo a face pack, leave for 10 minutesRinse off with waterApply facial lotion / follow your normal facial routine such as putting on lotion or cream, etcYou should notice results in a week.
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Diet: Third Day Menu
2007-09-14 08:47:00
I am now in the third day of my Low-GI diet, or "Strict no-carb diet".Here's the menu for day 3:Breakfast- Sliced tomatoes- Sliced cucumbers- Shredded cheese on sauté mushrooms Lunch- Cottage cheese- Broccoli and cauliflower- Kombu (see picture to the right) mixed with sea food* I will discuss Kombu in a separate post soonDinner- Celery sticks and sliced tomatoes- Cabbage with sausage (soup)See the menu for day 1, see the menu for day 2, see the Low-GI diet rules and the Low-GI diet plan.
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Diet: Second Day Menu
2007-09-13 05:46:00
I am now in the second day of my Low-GI diet, or "Strict no-carb diet".Here's the menu for day 2:Breakfast- Cottage cheese- Vegetables with Shrimp- Sliced tomatoes- Sliced cucumbersLunch- Salad- Peas- ChickenDinner- Okara- Kombu with crab meat- ChickenSee the menu for day 1, see the Low-GI diet rules and the Low-GI diet plan.
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Harajuku Fashion
2007-09-13 02:11:00
You might have heard of the word "HARAJUKU" (?? in Japanese), because of Gwen Stefani's track "Hara juku Girls." (Scroll down from hyperlinked page for sampler, track #7) Harajuku is actually the name of a place in Tokyo, Japan, known internationally for its style and fashion.I found this cute sock from Harajuku. When you visit there, you can find a lot of unique and original clothes and accessories.People are so original -- you can spend all day just watching people! Click this hyperlink of Google Images of keyword "Harajuku" for a basic idea.
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Diet: First Day Menu
2007-09-12 18:55:00
I started my "Strict no-carb diet" yesterday (Tuesday) with a slice of apple pie, since I bought a whole pie the day before I decided to go on a diet. So let me enjoy that slice of pie before I start?. Here's the menu from my first day of dieting:Breakfast- Plain yogurt- Vegetables with ShrimpLunch- Tomatoes- Piece of chicken- Yellow peppers and broccoliSnack- Homemade soymilk (drink)Dinner- Salad- Vegetables with sausage- Apple slice- Cheese slices
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How to Make Okara Diet Cookies
2007-09-12 00:28:00
In Japan, Okara diet cookies have been a huge hit. They are sold in many different flavors with really low calories. The Okara cookies will give you a sensation of being full, so they will prevent you from over-eating and they also help with constipation. The retail Okara diet cookies are usually expensive, but if you make the cookies yourself, it is actually very cheap!Here is one recipe I made that I think has the lowest calories but tastes great.Okara 100g (3.5 ounces), *Use Okara that is well wrung.Whole wheat flour 60g (2 ounces)Honey 3 TbsRaisins 30g (1 ounce)Cinnamon 1/2 tspMix all the ingredients and separate them in a "bite-size" by handBake them at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes.See the two pictures below:
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How to Make Tempura
2007-09-11 23:15:00
This post is about an original recipe of mine that I would like to share with you, especially if you have a picky eater in your family.I have a two-year old, who is a SUPER picky eater.What I do is use Okara to make Temp ura and simply add any kind of vegetables that she likes or that I want her to eat.By the way, this Tempura which I will teach you how to make, is good for anyone who is allergic to eggs and it is a good meat substitute for vegetarians.Homemade Tempura RecipeHere is how you can make the Tempura batter:2 Cups of flour 1 Cup of Okara1 Cup of waterSalt and pepper to tasteMix the batter until smooth, but don?t mix too much because the Tempura will come out hardNext, add shredded vegetables and fry batter with non-stick pan, or if you are concerned about oil or calories, you can also bake them just like you make cookies.My daughter and husband love these healthy Tempura ? before I finish cooking, half of the Tempuras are gone.Please see the photo.Image of Carrot Tempura a...
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Best Way to Make Soymilk and Okara
2007-09-11 22:43:00
If you want to know my honest opinion about making soymilk and Okara, I strongly recommend you use a soymilk maker. It is so much easier and faster to make.The SoyQuick Soymilk Make r SDZ4 is the only model I have used and it works good. The machine will wring the pulp automatically! When I purchased it, I also bought a tofu maker kit, but I haven't used it yet ....
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How to Make Soy Milk
2007-09-11 22:20:00
Today, I made some soy milk.I usually use a soymilk maker, SoyQuick Soymilk Make r SDZ4, which I bought from Amazon.com, but you can still make it if you have a blender and cheese cloth.The recipe is really up to you, along these lines:Soak soybeans over nightDrain and put into blenderAdd water 4 to 5 times more than soybean portionBlend until smoothPour into pan and cook under medium heat until it bubbles up (Watch closely and stir well)When it bubbles up, turn off the heat and let it cool until its cold enough to touchUse your cheese cloth to separate soymilk and OKARA-Soy pulp. (Warning: wait until it has cooled down)Here is how I made my soy milk today.Instead of using a blender or my SoyQuick Soymilk Maker SDZ4, I used my Cuisinart DLC-5 7-Cup Food Processor. It is one of my favorite kitchen appliances -- I also used the Cuisipro Donvier Yogurt Cheese Maker to separate soymilk and Okara. This is for making yogurt cheese, but I think this works really well to separate Okara and...
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Low-GI Diet Rules
2007-09-11 19:03:00
Rules for my Low-GI diet.Control sugar intake, including: white rice, bread, noodles and some fruits and vegetables.Choose GI below 60. If you eat high-GI food, consume with fiber, which will prevent your blood sugar from shooting up.Drink more than half a gallon of water. After a couple of days from your diet start date, your fat will burn rapidly and your body will need more water. The key is to drink slowly: water, tea and herb tea without sugar.Consume a lot of fiber. You will need about 25g of fiber a day. Fiber will slow down the absorption of sugar and keep the blood sugar level more stable and prevent from storing fat in your body. In addition, fiber will help relieve constipation and give your stomach a full sensation. Do not avoid fat intake.First two weeksLimit your sugar intake to no more than 50g a day. An Ideal menu is Meat or Fish + Eggs + Vegetables. Stop eating before you are totally full.After two weeksFrom the third week, your body has transformed into a fat bu...
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Low GI Diet Plan
2007-09-11 16:37:00
Last night, I was surfing the web searching about dieting on Japanese sites. And I found a very interesting article that caught my attention. It was about a so-called "2-week strict no-carb diet." It sounds just like Atkins! (For ref. see Atkins diet related publications and reviews on Amazon; and Dr. Atkins' forthcoming book.) But from the third week, you will switch to a Low GI diet until you achieve your ideal weight. From that point, you can increase your carb intake little by little and keep track of your weight until it stabilizes. When you don't gain back your weight (rebound), that will be your essential carb amount necessary to maintain your ideal weight. To be honest, I was never interested in Atkins diet because I did not want to live with a fear of carbs and not being able to eat any. But if it is only for 2 weeks, I can do it. Also, a Low GI diet will help me have good, healthy eating habits. And what really made sense to me, was you can increase your carb (sugar) ...
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