A Gift to Remember

Organic baby clothes individually wrapped to look like flowers. Gorgeous and so unique! Versions for boys and girls, sizes 3 to 6 months. 

By Nikki Gift Baskets, sold through Amazon

Keeping Babies Away from BPA and Phthalate

Some of the major concerns with pacifiers and teethers are BPA and Phthalate chemicals found in plastics, proper teeth and gum development, choking hazards, etc. The NTP (National Toxicology Program) reports that BPA is more likely to leach from worn plastic items like a trusted pacifier.
Check out these suggestions from Dr. Greene to keep your baby safe:

·         Pay special attention to the plastics that go in the mouth, especially those used to store, heat, or serve food and drinks. Chemicals in the plastics can leach out and enter your child. Notice the recycling symbols on the bottoms of many plastics. Opt for symbols 1, 2, 4, or 5. Or choose brands like BornFree, where the entire line of toddler sippy cups, pacifiers, baby bottles and plastic water bottles are free from BPA, phthalates and PVC. Or skip plastic, and go with something like glass or stainless steel.

·         Pacifiers come in different sizes to accommodate babies’ different sizes. Most newborns do best with pacifiers designed for newborns, and preemies with those designed for preemies.

·         Pacifiers come in many shapes and sizes. Orthodontic pacifiers have been scientifically designed to support the shape of babies’ developing palates and jaws. The flattened shape not only simulates the shape of a mother’s nipple when flattened in the mouth, but also encourages the most natural sucking action to help proper oral development.

·         The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry solidly prefers pacifiers to thumbs for meeting children’s sucking needs (because pacifiers are easier for parents to control). I think pacifiers and thumbs are both fine – but bottles should never be used as pacifiers (this can cause terrible tooth decay). Nor should pacifiers be used to say, “quiet down!” without words, or as replacements for noticing babies or their needs.

·         Keep in mind that manufacturers are not required to label their products with materials used or recycling codes. If you find an unmarked product, be sure to contact the manufacturer to confirm.

·         If parents are worried about plastic teething rings, they can fall back on the old standards of letting babies suck on cold, wet cloths or fabric teethers.

Source: www.5wpr.com

50 Women Game Changers in Food: #17, Dorothy Hamilton

If you're interested in a career in the food industry, then you might consider buying a book called Love What You Do. After all, our game changer of the week, Dorothy Cann Hamilton, wrote the book and parlayed her wanderlust and love of food into a successful career. 

When Ms. Hamilton was in high school, she dreamed about going to Europe. Being a determined woman, she got a student loan and went to college in England. While there, she befriended some French girls and during their visits to France, she got hooked on French food.Then came the Peace Corps in Thailand from 1972 to 1974 where she was introduced to Asian cuisine. When she finally returned to the US, without job skills or opportunities, her father gave her a job at his trade school. Dorothy worked her way up and eventually became an expert in student financial aid. She was invited to see the top trade schools in Europe and France, where she saw the top professional cooking school, run by the French government.

Inspired by these premier vocational schools, Ms. Hamilton convinced her father they should create a culinary trade school in NYC. They actually paid the French government for the curriculum, brought over the teachers and the French maintained the quality control. So The French Culinary Institute was born in 1984. Quite a success story!

Hamilton was the creator and host of Chef’s Story, a 26-part television series, which debuted on PBS in April 2007, and the author of the companion book, Chef’s Story. Her book on culinary careers, Love What You Do: Building a Career in the Culinary Industry was published in the fall of 2009.

Most recently, she was inducted into the Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America by the James Beard Foundation and was nominated for the Entrepreneur Award of Excellence by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She has been knighted by the Association Internationale de Maîtres Conseil dans la Gastronomie Française, inducted into the James Beard Foundation Hall of Fame and awarded the Silver Spoon by Food Arts magazine in recognition of her leadership in the American restaurant community.

Because Dorothy Hamilton is not a chef, finding a recipe today was difficult. However, I ran across an interesting article in Food and Wine where she discussed a problem we all have: watching our weight while still enjoying food. She turned to the staff at FCI to help her.
André Soltner, the dean of classic studies at the FCI (and the former chef and owner of Lutèce) offered the following recipe. 

While preparing the artichokes is a bit time consuming (To see how I prepare my artichokes, click HERE; I don't clean them the way the recipe suggests.) keep in mind you can refrigerate the leftovers. I halved the recipe and ate it for two dinners and a lunch. With certainty this is not the most colorful or enticing dish to photograph, but I'll definitely make it again. The flavor of the broth was sensational.  
(One serving is 193 cal, 8 gm fat, 1.1 gm saturated fat, 23 gm carb, 5 gm fiber)

Artichoke, Cauliflower and Mushroom Barigoule 
Recipe courtesy André Soltner, the dean of classic studies at the FCI

Ingredients:
1 lemon, halved, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
8 large artichokes 
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
1 large white onion, thinly sliced 
3 small carrots, thinly sliced 
5 small garlic cloves, halved 
2 bay leaves 
2 thyme sprigs 
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds 
1 1/2 cups dry white wine 
1 1/2 cups water 
3/4 pound cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (4 cups) 
3/4 pound white mushrooms, quartered if large 
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:
Fill a large bowl with water and squeeze the lemon halves into it. Using a sharp knife, halve the artichokes crosswise. Discard the tops. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, pull off the outer green leaves until you reach the tender yellow leaves. Scrape out the hairy choke with a melon baller or spoon. Trim and peel the base and stem, then quarter the heart and add the artichoke quarters to the bowl of water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes. 
In a large deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and carrots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme and coriander seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, water and the 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the carrots are barely tender, about 3 minutes. 
Drain the artichokes and add them to the skillet along with the cauliflower and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook over low heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Transfer the vegetables and broth to shallow bowls and serve. 

Make Ahead. The barigoule can be refrigerated overnight. Warm before serving.


Join Mary from One Perfect Bite and all the other participants in this fun series.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast 
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets 
Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Nancy - Picadillo

Week: Sunday, October 2 to Saturday, 8

This seems to be on a better road now and with 20000 hits in ten days reach we can sure help in the dance community. Meanwhile, we have analyzed a little more and find that some organizations "think" that we derive a lot more from them, than they get from us. Wrong, wrong, wrong and I am just wasting my time with them. They simply do not understand blogging and it is better if we do not bother until they know better.

"It's the most unhappy people, who most fear change."

This latest scheduling now seems to fit in better for the reader/dancers of this blog. The dancers now have a lead of two days to fit into their plans for the coming week of fun. It has always been very simple. The men are looking for places where there are women. The women are looking for places where there are men. That is the direction of this blog.

Social Media is it and perhaps only four people on the Island of Oahu know what that means. It seems to be a well kept secret throughout the island. However in the West it looks very promising and some people are getting an understanding of the benefits to their organization. At the moment our biggest gap is the upper Moanalua Corridor.

"(They Long to Be) Close to You" by The Carpenters

Sunday, October 2.

Sunday, October 2,
Bachata Party

with Salsa No Ka Oi at the
famous Dream To Dance Studio.

Monday, October 3.
Dance Honolulu,

No class at Washington Intermediate
Instructors, Line,
Roxanne Kaino
International Style:
Reggie Gascon and Gayle Kawahakui.

Tuesday, Oct 4. Dance Hawaii Kai Review night at Koko Head School
American Social Instructors Sally Forges, Vicky Visoria
Merengue, American Social Waltz

Wednesday, Oct 5.
Dream to Dance Studio, classes
No dates on Debbie's flyers. Maybe a little paragraph now & then, specially for our readers/dancers.

Thursday, Oct 6.
Salsa No Ka Oi, Charlie and Amy
at Dream to Dance Studio

Friday, Oct 7.

Greg Henry and his Salsa gang
at the Honolulu Club.
There may be no bar there anymore.

Saturday, October 8th.

DJ Rod and the Salsa gang at the
Dream to Dance Studio.

Unfortunately, I will not attend a few dances until I get my new camera. The only ones, so far, to pick up on the action of contributing photos is Kapolei Chapter HBDA. And of course everyone benefits and the hits go through the roof. Kapolei Chapter is now well known throughout the islands. This will take time for the wheels in other clubs to understand.

Dance Web sites are strictly "niche" but the one above is very much into "content." If they had a counter they would be right up there with our good blogs. They cover a wide field of dance schedules, very necessary information for all the reader/dancers.

Short Introduction about tonsillolith

Introduction - tonsillolith? Tonsilloliths, also known as tonsil stones, are irregularly shaped, whitish/yellow, foul-smelling globs of mucus and bacteria that get caught in the back of the throat.

The tonsil stones form in the tonsil crypts which are simply small pockets or divots that appear in everyones tonsils. The scientific name for these white globs is tonsilloliths.

Here is the specific method I used to get rid of tonsil stones
It is only recently that the oral care community has begun to understand what these white spots actually are - many people have reported that their dentist told them that they were just extra food debris, which is not true!
These tonsillar stones don't do any physical harm, and sporadically coughing them up doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with you. However, they can be annoying (who wants to cough one up while they are kissing someone?), and sometimes they are an indication that you have tonsilloliths and bad breath.

If you have ever broken open a tonsil stone, then you know that they smell absolutely terrible! The smell is actually caused by a combination of volatile sulfur compounds (methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide), post nasal drip, and bacteria.

They will only form in people who still have their tonsils; however, that does not mean that you should run out and get your tonsils removed! Not too long ago, they were routinely removed for being swollen and inflamed. What was not understood then was that the tonsils' sole purpose is to prevent organisms and bacteria from traveling deeper in the throat.

Tonsilloliths are not something that you have to live with - there are various treatments to get rid of them, without having your tonsils removed (which can be dangerous as people get older).

Alternative Health News

Are Cooking Oils excellent for You

Are there any oils I should keep away from totally? Yes, The bad type of oil is an element in packaged foods including some stick margarines, baked goods, chips, crackers and candy.

I’m talking about partially hydrogenated oils—or trans fats, which is how they’re listed on Nutrition Facts panels on labels. Partially hydrogenated oil is vegetable oil that has been chemically altered so it’s less likely to spoil. Food manufacturers often add it to their products because it can help foods stay fresh longer.

But even in very small amounts, partially hydrogenated oil can wreak havoc on your heart health. It lowers levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol and raises LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and it even increases your risk for diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 1% of your total daily calories come from trans fat. This translates to less than 2 grams for women, who typically need fewer than 2,000 calories per day. If a food contains trans fat, it’ll be listed below Saturated Fat in the “Total Fat” column.

For the record, which is better: butter or olive oil?

From a health standpoint, olive oil is the better choice. But butter still has its place. All oils are a mixture of fats including monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA)—but in each
oil (and in butter, too, which is basically a solidified oil), one type of fat dominates.

Olive oil is predominantly rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which decreases your risk for cardiovascular disease by lowering LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol. On the other hand, butter is mostly saturated fat, which increases LDL cholesterol and causes inflammation in your body. So generally, it’s best to use olive oil.

However, the distinctive smell, flavor and consistency of butter works best in certain baked goods—including cakes, cookies and pastries—so it’s OK to make these occasionally and enjoy the butter. Another butter-vs.-oil difference: Because butter is solid at room temperature, you have more control over how much (or how little) of it you spread on bread; with olive oil, it’s difficult to gauge how much oil is absorbed. So dip lightly!

What’s the difference between regular olive oil, virgin and extra-virgin?

Simply put, olive oil is made by crushing olives to make a paste that’s then put under a press. If the oil that comes out has a low acidity and a good taste and smell, it’s labeled extra-virgin or virgin. (Virgin is slightly lower quality than extra-virgin.) These types are ideal to use for bread dunking, drizzling on veggies and other foods, and making salad dressings, since their delicate flavor and aroma will be lost when heated (some chefs still prefer to use extra-virgin for cooking). The deeper the color, the more intense the olive flavor.

If the oil is highly acidic or not great quality, it’s refined and mixed with virgin or extra-virgin oil to make “regular” olive oil; this all-purpose oil is good for cooking.
The heart-health benefits of all types of olive oil are pretty much the same, although the virgin and extra-virgin ones have extra antioxidants.

How can oils be healthy if they’re so fattening?

Oils may be “fattening” in the sense that they’re pretty high in calories compared with other foods. All oils have around 120 calories per Tbsp, so you can easily gain weight if you use too much. Even butter has fewer calories than oil (100 per Tbsp of butter) because of its water content. What’s more, “whipped” butter sold in a tub has even fewer calories—about 60 to 70 per Tbsp, thanks to the air that’s been incorporated into the mix. And tub “light” margarine spreads have only 30 to 50 calories per Tbsp.

But since oils contain fats that are good for you, you’re better off getting that 120 calories from a healthy oil rather than stick or tub butter. By the way, if you’re inclined to cut out fats entirely, don’t: We do need some fat to be healthy. Without it, our bodies can’t absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K, and we miss out on fatty acids that are essential for the health of your skin, hair, heart and brain—and just about every other part of your body.

How should I store oils?

Heat, light and oxygen degrade oils, which makes them turn rancid more quickly and actually promotes the formation of cancer-causing compounds called free radicals. The more polyunsaturated fats an oil contains, the more susceptible to rancidity it becomes.

Oils rich in PUFAs, such as walnut and flaxseed, are best stored in the fridge in tightly capped containers. MUFAs, such as those found in olive oil, are a bit more hardy, but you should still protect oils that contain them by keeping the lid on tightly and storing them in a dark place far from the stove or other heat source. Saturated fats, such as butter, can withstand more heat, light and oxygen, but you should still refrigerate sat-fat–rich butter, because it contains milk solids, which can go rancid. If you store oils correctly, most will last about six months to one year.

When you’re shopping for oils, reach for bottles at the back of the shelf, since that’s where they are more protected from harsh lighting that can make them go bad. Check the bottle for an expiration date (most oils have one), and every time you open a bottle, give it a whiff to make sure it doesn’t smell rancid.

Alternative Health News

Exercise Can Strengthen the Brain

Yet, another huge benefit from exercising! From the NYTimes...

"Like muscles, many parts of the brain get a robust physiological workout during exercise. “The brain has to work hard to keep the muscles moving” and all of the bodily systems in sync, says J. Mark Davis, a professor of exercise science at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina and senior author of the new mouse study, which was published last month in The Journal of Applied Physiology. Scans have shown that metabolic activity in many parts of the brain surges during workouts, but it was unknown whether those active brain cells were actually adapting and changing.

To see, the South Carolina scientists exercised their mice for eight weeks. The sedentary control animals were housed in the same laboratory as the runners to ensure that, except for the treadmill sessions, the two groups shared the same environment and routine.

At the end of the two months, the researchers had both groups complete a run to exhaustion on the treadmill. Not surprisingly, the running mice displayed much greater endurance than the loungers. They lasted on the treadmills for an average of 126 minutes, versus 74 minutes for the unexercised animals.

More interesting, though, was what was happening inside their brain cells. When the scientists examined tissue samples from different portions of the exercised animals’ brains, they found markers of upwelling mitochondrial development in all of the tissues. Some parts of their brains showed more activity than others, but in each of the samples, the brain cells held newborn mitochondria.

There was no comparable activity in brain cells from the sedentary mice."

Source: NYTimes.com