MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Linder

Deborah Linder, DVM, MS, DACVN Research assistant professor Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine Tufts University and Associate director of the Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: In our experience with our own therapy animal program, Tufts Paws for People, we have seen facilities and organizations put animals and people at risk by not following rigorous health and safety policies, and this certainly was confirmed by the results of our study. Lax health and safety policies typically arent intentional but occur as a result of enthusiasm for therapy animal programs without being aware of potential risks and what questions to ask. Also, its not just obvious problems that can occur, such as bites or allergies. It also can be an animal spreading infections due to diet or inadequate grooming, or unwanted stress on the animal.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Response: To us, the most important findings are that while most facilities allowed therapy animals to visit, they didnt always have strong policies in place to ensure programs that were safe and effective for both the people and the animals. Many facilities assume that a friendly animal or any therapy animal organization will have liability insurance, strong training and testing programs, and rigorous health and grooming requirements. But this study shows that this is not always so. Since there are no national requirements for therapy animal organizations or programs, its incumbent on facilities to carefully think through policies for animal visitation!

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report? Response: Ask questions! You cannot assume that any program is safe without asking about the health and safety policies, insurance coverage, and rigorous training and evaluation of therapy animals. We recommend people be aware and follow the expert guidelines that are out there. Some therapy animal organizations have standards that can address the important issues, but this study shows that you cant assume that all organizations do. We register our therapy animal teams through the national organization Pet Partners because they currently have the most rigorous guidelines and policies for therapy animals (www.petpartners.org).

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: There are many benefits of animals and we certainly dont want to discourage facilities from developing animal visitation programs. However, the most important thing that a facility can do is ask questions and create policies that safeguard themselves, their residents, and the animals participating. There are two guidelines available and weve created a free manual that walks facilities through developing a program including what questions to ask: http://hai.tufts.edu/paws/download-the-manual/. I think the next step for research would be to assess outcomes of animal-assisted interventions, particularly cost-effectiveness studies to determine the optimal role of human-animal interaction in healthcare settings when done safely.

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Response: We were very surprised about a relatively new pet food trend of feeding raw meat-based diets that is without any documented health benefits and can have serious health risks to animals and to people. This includes the risk of bacterial infection since up to 48% of raw meat based diets can be contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella. This is a serious risk in the general population, but especially in healthcare facilities where residents can be immunocompromised. Unfortunately, our study showed that 70% of therapy animal organizations allowed animals eating raw meat-based diets to visit facilities. Most facilities dont think to ask about the diet of animals visiting their facilities.

(Disclosures: Deborah Linder, Megan Mueller, Lisa Freeman and Debra Gibbs are registered animal handlers of Pet Partners [whoever is doing interview], and Lisa Freeman is a member of the Human-Animal Bond Advisory Board for Pet Partners.)

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:

Linder, D., Siebens, H., Mueller, M., Gibbs, D., Freeman, L. Animal-Assisted Interventions: A National Survey of Health and Safety Policies in Hospitals, Eldercare Facilities, and Therapy Animal Organizations. American Journal of Infection Control, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2017.04.287

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

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Originally posted here:
Animal Visitation Programs Can Raise Infection Risks In Health Care Facilities - MedicalResearch.com (blog)

Take a shot of bourbon.

Likely, youll feel an immediate burn in your mouth and throat. Give it a few seconds. Your body temperature starts to rise. Your cheeks flush.

If you take another drink, there might be some dizziness, too.

There are effects of drinking alcohol that you can feel pretty much immediately. But theres an entire field of study that takes a harder look at the effects of alcohol under the surface specifically when it comes to the bacteria in our guts.

And you should care what happens to your gut bacteria because disturbing it could lead to short- and long-term health problems,from digestive issuesto tissue damage.

Thats where Louisville doctor Craig McClain comes in. His NIH-designated Alcohol Research Center at the University of Louisvilleis one of only 20 in the country. There, he conducts research assessing how food and drink can impact our intestinal microbiome, or gut bacteria.

And his work, he and others hope, could lead to new treatments for liver disease associated with alcohol consumption.

So, I am a gastroenterologist, and normally we think of the gut as having a bunch of different functions, McClain says. The stomach starts to break down food, has a lot of acid in it and the small intestine does mainly absorptive functions, so thats where most of your nutrients are absorbed. And then the colon kind of regulates water absorption.

But something McClain says many people dont realize is that this entire tract is lined with bacteria. Lots and lots of bacteria.

There are more bacteria in our GI tract than we have cells in our body, he says. There are more genes in the bacteria a hundred times more than we have genes in our body. So in a way, we are just kind of a receptacle for our gut bacteria.

You might hear the term bacteria and think of something dirty or sickness but McClain says our gut bacteria are totally natural, and theyre even helpful. They play an important role in the immune system, make critical nutrients like vitamin K, maintain gut barrier functions.

Now, when the bacteria gets altered inappropriately, called dysbiosis, then you can have big problems, he says. Nutrients play a critical role in happy bacteria, and our whole focus is looking at kind of alcohol-nutrition interactions with a focus on the GI tract.

While alcohol has calories bourbon has about 145 per serving McClain says alcohol has no critical nutrients in it, but that doesnt mean it cant affect our gut bacteria.

Too much alcohol can disrupt your normal bacterial homeostasis, so you get overgrowth of bacteria and not enough good bacteria, he says. And the tight junctions in the GI tract that keep bad stuff out get leaky, and junk goes across.

According to McClain, this leaking might explain some basic things like some hangover symptoms. But learning more about how the bacteria respond to alcohol can have bigger health effectsas well.

In a paperhe co-wrote in 2015, McClain found that liver diseases resulting from chronic alcohol consumption and excess fat in the diet are also associated with changes in the intestinal microbiome.

For example, alcoholism seems to change the composition of the intestinal microbiome to include bacterial species that produce more alcohol, plus other toxic compounds, that can cause inflammation and tissue damage.

This is a new area of study that may lead to new treatments for liver damage that results from alcoholism and excessive dietary fat.

We actually have a study looking at people with alcoholic liver disease where theyre randomized to either get a placebo or probiotic, good bacteria for the GI tract, McClain says. And so were part of an NIH trial looking at that right now.

For now, the study is still underway. In the meantime, McClain saysaccording to current research, moderate drinking has no real effect on the microbiome, so you can safely raise an occasional glass to gut health.

Excerpt from:
This Is Your Gut Bacteria. And This Is Your Gut Bacteria On Bourbon - 89.3 WFPL

Your yoga teacher drinks it and youve seen every color and flavor of it under the sun at Whole Foods yep, were talking about kombucha. If youve ever picked up a bottle of the stuff, you might be mystified by its appearance. What is this cloudy, mystical beverage all the health nuts cant stop raving about? Is it glorified sparkling water with a $5 price tag? Luckily, were here to guide you through fact and fiction so you can decide whether to add some booch to your diet.

Kombucha is a type of fermented tea not exactly what youll be drinking from a bottle of Lipton. WebMD explains its made by adding bacteria to green or black tea. From here, the concoction ferments into a tart and vinegary mixture, and juice is then added in for flavor. This process makes the beverage highly acidic, but the additional flavorings and sugar can actually make it quite delicious. Many are divided on the taste, though it has a very love-it-or-hate-it quality thats has been as highly debated as the flavor of IPAs and cilantro.

So, now that you know what everyones putting into their bodies, its time to figure out if its actually worth the hype. Heres what we know so far.

We all could use more probiotics in our diet. These good bacteria, Mayo Clinic explains, are similar to whats already in your body, and youre probably not getting enough of them naturally. By taking a supplement or eating probiotic-rich foods like kefir, kimchi, or yogurt, you can repopulate your gut with the good bacteria necessary for proper digestion and a healthy immune system.

Many types of commercially-available kombucha claim theyre chock-full of probiotics. But heres the thing not all probiotics are the same, and only some really provide any benefits. Everyday Health explains, for this beverage to have probiotics that actually help you, they need to be of a particular strain and able to survive past a certain shelf life. Otherwise, despite what the kombucha company may say, the drink doesnt offer any benefits from the bacteria.

Heres the thing about brewing your own kombucha many people do it safely and successfully, but there is a chance your homemade concoction can make you seriously ill. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reminds us of two women in who were drinking kombucha they made from the same base for two months straight in 1995. One of these women fell seriously ill, and the other died. Though its not totally clear if the tea was completely to blame here, let this serve as a cautionary tale.

Lifehacker explainsthe fermentation process used in making kombucha that allows the good bacteria to grow can also be a haven for nasty microbes. The good news is your highly acidic end product makes it hard for the bad bacteria to live. Still, there have been multiple reports of illnesses, so you might want to stick to the store-bought stuff.

If youre a soda drinker looking for a healthy alternative to your everyday indulgence, kombucha may have caught your attention. Theres even a company that offers root beer- and cola-flavored products to make you feel like youre not missing out on your favorite fizzy drink. But you might not realize some brands contain quite a few grams of sugar. Most flavors ofKombucha Wonder Drink, for example, contain up to 24 grams of sugar per bottle thanks to the addition of cane and fruit juices. Thats a little less than the amount of sugar found in six Oreos.

There are a lot of brands that do contain 5 grams of sugar or less per bottle, like GTs Organic Kombucha drinks. Just make sure you read the labels before buying.

You probably have that one friend who guzzles kombucha like water but you dont want to follow in their footsteps. While drinking the fermented tea from time to time isnt likely to give you any issues, WebMD warns you can experience an upset stomach if you drink too much of it thanks to its high acidity.

Its also worth noting there are traces of alcohol in kombucha. While it wont give you any type of buzz, you should certainly avoid the drink if youre sensitive or allergic to alcohol.

Its true a lot of people report feeling amazing after their glass of kombucha. Reporter Allison Young from Rodales Organic Life drank it every day for a week and said her cravings for Diet Coke were gone and her digestion improved. And the drink was particularly popular in the 90s among HIV-positive folks looking for an immune system boost. Most of its just hype, though. Andrea Giancoli, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told NPR, Theres really very little evidence to support any kind of claims about kombucha tea.

Heres the upshot: Even if its not a magical elixir, it is a pretty tasty and refreshing low-calorie beverage that could possibly have benefits we just dont know about yet. And thats worth something.

Many people can drink kombucha without an issue, but there are certain circumstances that warrant opting for another beverage. WebMD suggests those who are breastfeeding or pregnant should stay away from it due to the bacterial content. And diabetics might also want to be careful, as kombucha can affect blood sugar levels.

While a lot of people drink kombucha in hopes for better digestion, you should also be careful with this idea. Those with IBS may experience discomfort due to the teas caffeine content, and drinking it when you have any kind of upset stomach certainly wont make you feel any better.

Read more here:
Is Kombucha Really Good for You? Here's What You Need to Know - The Cheat Sheet

Replacing foods high in saturated fats with those that have unsaturated fats can reduce a person's chance of developing heart disease as much as cholesterol lowering drugs known as statins, according to new advice from the American Heart Association.

This would mean, for instance, swapping that steak for a healthier avocado, using canola oil instead of butter, and not eating carb-filled junk food.

The new guidance from the heart association is not a leap from past direction, but the group sought a fresh look at the evidence in light of some newer, less scientific studies and dietary fads that officials feared were confusing the public.

How the message about diet is received by patients will largely depend on their doctors' delivery.

While most physicians would agree that heart health depends on a good diet, some suggest there is a bit more wiggle room than the heart association advisory suggests. Other doctors and health care providers believe the advice does not go far enough in explaining what foods can truly protect their patients from heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death.

"This tries to put it all in perspective the view from 10,000 feet but sometimes food can still be controversial," said Dr. Michael Miller, director of the University of Maryland Medical Center's Center for Preventive Cardiology. He served on the heart association panel that made the recommendations published this month in the journal Circulation.

It's long been known that consuming less saturated fat lowers people's LDL, or so-called bad cholesterol, which clogs arteries and causes heart attacks and strokes. But the heart association finds that this is only the case when saturated fat is replaced with unsaturated fat and not refined carbohydrates that contain sugar but no fiber. Both unsaturated fat and fiber have been found to help lower cholesterol.

The group says some newer studies mucking up the healthy heart message didn't consider these dietary replacements.

The guidance should be useful to doctors in advising patients, said Miller, who is also a professor of cardiovascular medicine, epidemiology and public health in Maryland's School of Medicine. But he's not a stickler on eliminating all saturated fat. He advises moderation instead.

That means a small, fist-size steak once in a while, two egg whites for every one yoke and even a bit of coconut oil, a culinary darling of late that is mostly saturated fat.

"If you're good most of the time, allow yourself one unhealthy breakfast, lunch and dinner a week," he said. "But don't go nuts and eat a 24-ounce steak."

He also emphasizes making lifestyle changes such as adding regular exercise and reducing stress. He wrote a whole book on the subject called "Heal Your Heart."

Anne Butta credits a good diet, low in calories, salt and fat for the good health of her father, John Henry "Hank" Butta, who visited with Miller recently.

Butta, the former CEO of C&P Telephone of Maryland, now part of Verizon, and the great-great grandfather of four, is trim and quick witted at 89 years old.

The Highlandtown native said he grew up eating big Italian dinners and evolved into a "meat and potatoes" guy. He worked a lot and also spent time serving on advisory commissions for former Gov. William Donald Schaefer, as well as refereeing football games and playing golf.

In 2010, he needed triple bypass surgery. This led him to a diet low in calories, salt and fat, although, he still has the occasional treat at home or restaurant.

"One time a month," he said about how often he now eats a steak. A decade ago, it was "every other meal."

Miller approved of that schedule. He summed up the heart association advice this way:

Replacing 10 percent of calories from saturated fats (red meat, butter, palm oil) with polyunsaturated fats (safflower and corn oils, walnuts and salmon) reduces risk of heart disease by 50 percent.

Replacing 10 percent of calories from saturated fats with monounsaturated fats (canola and olive oil, almonds and avocados) reduces risk of heart disease by 30 percent.

Replacing 10 percent of calories from saturated fats with complex carbohydrates (whole grains, beans and vegetables) reduces risk of heart disease by 18 percent.

Replacing 10 percent of calories from saturated fats with simple carbohydrates (sugary foods and soft drinks) does not reduce the risk of heart disease.

Still, not all doctors think this is the right message.

Dr. Dana Simpler, an internal medicine doctor at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, said the consequences of a poor diet can be so dire that she believes the heart association report was a missed opportunity to warn people about how much all their food matters.

She joins other doctors who advocate for a whole-food, plant-based diet, for which she said there is evidence of reducing the chance of a first or recurrent heart attack close to zero.

That means eating foods that are not processed and have little to no sugar, salt or added oil.

"It continues to surprise me that the AHA makes such modest diet recommendations for preventing our number one killer heart disease," she wrote in an email. "Simply substituting saturated fats (bacon, red meat, butter) with unsaturated fats (vegetable oils) reduces heart attacks by 30 percent, but, what about the other 70 percent that still have life threatening heart disease?"

She conceded that a plant-based diet is not easy to follow, "and many people may decide it is too hard for them, but at least let the American public know that there is a diet that will prevent and reverse heart disease almost 100 percent."

Dr. Seth Martin, co-director of the John Hopkins Hospital's Advanced Lipid Disorders Center, said he'd like all his patients to eat so well but said "perfection" is tough to achieve. He encourages them to do what they can, from starting with one change or adopting the Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet, which both center on low-fat, whole-grain and plant-based foods.

The new heart association advice will help him steer patients to food they can substitute for what they should give up.

See the rest here:
Heart healthy diet as effective as statins, American Heart Association says - Baltimore Sun

At Jon & Vinnys in Los Angeles. Photo: Bradley Meinz

As the co-founder of Clique Media Group the parent company behind WhoWhat Wear, Byrdie, MyDomaine, Obsessee, and College Fashionista Hillary Kerr has been on a mission to democratize and modernize the fashion industry since starting her company in 2006. (She just launched a mobile shopping app and a clubhouse for College Fashionistas members.) Kerr, who lives in West Hollywood, has a very Los Angeles diet, filled with kale salads and vegan chocolate mousse, but she mixes it up with vodka-sauce pizza and Russ & Daughters spreads (shipped in from New York, natch). Read all about it in this weeks Grub Street Diet.

Thursday, June 15 Im in Ojai at the Ojai Valley Inn for the last day of our annual executive retreat, which means my last day of quasi-decent resort food. I get up at 7 a.m. and head to the gym for 30 minutes. Before our day of meetings starts, I grab a turkey sausage, egg, and cheese on an English muffin, a small cup of blueberries, and a black, unsweetened iced tea at the hotel coffee shop.

We break at 12:30 p.m. for lunch, which is an assortment of salads, sandwiches, and a huge basket of fries. Naturally, I only want the fries, but Im an adult, so I load up my plate with an arugula salad; a mini caprese salad with cherry tomatoes and cherry bocconcini; half a bacon, turkey, and lettuce sandwich; and some fries. I dont love the turkey, so I take it out, add in the cherry tomatoes, and have a semi-BLT. Theres some sort of brownie situation for dessert that I try a bite of, but its not great, and I know Im going to feast tonight, so I leave it alone.

After a couple of brutal hours in traffic, I get home from Ojai and get ready for an earlyish dinner at one of my favorite places in Los Angeles: Jon & Vinnys. Its right by our house, and its definitely my go-to spot for work breakfasts and indulgent dinners. Tonight, Im particularly excited because my husband, Jonathan, and I are having dinner with one of my oldest, dearest friends from college and his new fiance. Theyve never been before.

Jon & Vinnys is truly special; the chef, Courtney Storer, is a wonderful human who makes the most insanely delicious pastas, pizzas, salads, and desserts, and the wine list is just gem after gem. I also love Helens, the tiny jewel box of a wine store in the back of Jon & Vinnys, which is my favorite place to buy bottles. We end up getting a chilled bottle of Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino.

Aside from the wine, we order a feast: a gem-lettuce salad with Calabrian-chili dressing and bread crumbs; mozzarella sticks (the best Ive had since I was a kid); the El Chaparrito pizza with homemade chorizo; the Ham & Yeezy pizza with ham, vodka sauce, smoked mozzarella, and pickled fresno chilis; ranch dip for the crusts; the brilliant spicy fusilli; the cacio e pepe bucatini; meatballs with ricotta and garlic bread; and the chicken cutlet with a chicory side salad. Oh, and a chocolate-vanilla soft-serve twist. We make it through almost everything, but I send both pizza halves home with my friends. Cold pizza is my favorite breakfast, but it seems like the generous move, since its their first time.

My husband and I pass out almost immediately upon returning home, and sleep the good sleep of a thousand carbs.

Friday, June 16 My alarm goes off a little before 7 a.m., and I rush around trying to get ready before an 8 a.m. doctors appointment. I dont have time for a proper breakfast, but my husband makes me a to-go cup of tea and I eat a handful of raw almonds in the car on my way.

Im meeting a dear friend who works for Valentino for lunch, and we end up at one of our comfort spots: Du-pars in the Farmers Market on Third and Fairfax. Its an old-school diner thats been there since 1938, and we always get the same thing: a short stack of pancakes (possibly my favorite in L.A.) and a patty melt, both of which we share. Its a working lunch, and the bad thing is, we have so much to discuss; we end up leaving half the pancakes on the table, which makes me feel weirdly guilty. Im also drinking a ton of water, as per usual.

Ive decided to cook tonight, since Ive been on the road all week and am heading to New York in a couple of days, so I start searching for something thats heavy on greens and light on delicious carbs.

I crack open Melissa Clarks new cookbook, Dinner, and pick something almost at random before heading to the grocery store. Shes such an amazing recipe writer, and her recipes work practically perfectly for us 95 percent of the time. (I allow that the 5 percent error might be in my execution, rather than her skills.) Since my husband tends to work late on Fridays, I pick something that I will enjoy knocking out on my own: speedy roasted chicken with garlic, rosemary, and mustard. Im also making a big dinosaur-kale salad to go with it, also one of Clarks recipes and probably the thing I make the most. Because Im not a monster, and also have no willpower, I pick up a pretzel-bread baguette at the store, and use part of it to make croutons for the salad. Best of all: Jonathan gets home early enough to cook with me, which just makes everything better, as hes great at it. This dinner, plus the finale of House of Cards, is exactly what we need after a long week.

Saturday, June 17 Alarm goes off at 8 a.m. because I have a workout class that morning. I have the usual: a small handful of almonds and a cup of breakfast tea. I take a liter of water to class with me, and its gone by the time I get home. Im lightly starving at this point, but I must get ready for my business partners baby shower, so I dont have much time. I throw half of a container of Fage Greek yogurt into a bowl and wash a big handful of blueberries, which also go into the bowl, along with some leftover toasted coconut flakes. Ive never liked the flavor of coconut, but when its toasted, I am quite into it.

After getting ready and finishing wrapping presents, I head to Katherines baby shower, ready for lunch. Im in luck! The shower has made-to-order street tacos, so I get a chicken and a steak taco with onions, cilantro, and radishes, along with some grilled veggies and a little rice and beans. Its hot as hell, and Im driving, so I opt for fizzy water over the fruit-and-tequila drink. There are all kinds of gluten-free desserts, and I end up eating an oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookie (which is a little healthy-adjacent for my taste; if youre a cookie, be a cookie, you know?) and some strawberries, blackberries, and pineapple (perfect). Its the ideal baby shower: no games, no balloons, no presents, just good people and good food. I approve. I spend the rest of the afternoon being lazy (translation: reading magazines on the couch) and purging my closet, as you do. Lots more water along the way, as you do.

We have dinner plans with two of Jonathans friends. They are a Taurus-Virgo couple, just like us, but the real reason we get along is that they are just exceptional humans. They are the easiest semi-vegans in the world, and have taken us to some amazing places that youd never know are vegan, which is apparently the highest compliment. Normally, that phrase makes me roll my eyes, but in this case, its true. The destination tonight is Elf in Echo Park for veggie-forward food with a slight Moroccan vibe.

We start with their special watermelon, mint, and Feta salad, and then eat market greens with grilled halloumi, with oranges and cumin almonds. We have salt-cured potatoes that come with a mojo-verde sauce, which is kind of like the perfect mash-up of pesto and chimichurri. We order roasted oyster mushrooms with eggplant pure; fresh pasta carbonara; risotto with grilled pimento and smoked vegetables; and a khachapuri with muhammara and fresh greens, which is some sort of pastry-tart situation with marinated Feta, smoked mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, and red peppers. Its a lot, and truthfully, theres probably more Im missing. We end with a vegan chocolate mousse thats deliriously good, though Im admittedly a sucker for anything chocolate.

Jonathan and I had secret plans to visit one of our favorite taco trucks Taco Zone for late-night mulitas (theyre like small quesadilla sandwiches, if you havent had one), but were so stuffed, we cant muster the strength. We are sad, but resigned.

Sunday, June 18 Sunday is normally our farmers market day, but I wake up dreaming about the tortillas from Burritos La Palmas, which are Jonathan Golds favorite flour tortillas in L.A., if one Pulitzer Prizewinning mans opinion matters to you. While Burritos La Palmas is an hours drive from our place, sometimes the tortillas are sold downtown at Grand Central Market, at the Chiles Secos stand. This seems like a more reasonable food journey, so after my husband makes us coffee, we set off, day-dreaming of tortilla (or at least I am).

Disaster strikes: The women manning the stand tells me that theyre not selling tortillas right now. Fortunately, I am consoled by pupusas at Saritas Pupuseria. Id never had a pupusa until I started dating my husband, and now Im moderately obsessed with them. He orders us a handmade bean, cheese, and pork pupusa, with extra pickled cabbage and hot sauce on top. It is heaven, and makes up for the lack of tortillas.

On our way out, we stop by Clark Street Beard, which makes my favorite bread in the city. One of Jonathans colleagues is having a pool party, and I decide to bring one of the beautiful seeded loaves as a hostess gift (along with a bottle of Champagne, because manners). I also end up buying a pain au chocolat, a loaf of Danish rye, and a baguette for no real reason other than gluttony and desire, both of which I have in spades. Before heading to the party, I eat some more blueberries and share the pain au chocolat with Jonathan, and by that, I mean he gets two bites.

At the pool party, there is a full-on spread from Russ & Daughters: tons of bagels, lox for days, and like nine kinds of cream cheese. Jenni, our hostess with the mostess, loves food the way we do, and has a huge pitcher of Bloody Marias waiting on the kitchen counter, along with a big bowl of cold ros and white wine. Theres also a box of apple fritters and old-fashioned cake doughnuts from Bobs Coffee & Doughnuts from the farmers market, not that I notice.

After a couple of hours, we head home for a productive afternoon. Well, productive for Jonathan, who is working on the theme music for my upcoming podcast for MyDomaine.com, which is called Second Life. I spend the afternoon on the couch, catching up on magazines and a Veep binge. As for dinner, Ive been dying to try Fat Dragon, which is a new Chinese place in Silver Lake. I end up eating a boatload of their Persian-cucumber salad, which is spicy and fresh and fabulous, some honey-walnut shrimp, and noodles with mixed veggies and chicken. Its delicious; well definitely eat here again.

Monday, June 19 Back to regularly scheduled programming! I like routine, so as per usual, I get up at 7 a.m., eat a few almonds, grab a bottle of water, hop into my car, and head out for a tiny-trampoline workout class. Yes, I am an adult woman who bounces on a personal trampoline for fitness, and I love it. Dont knock it till you try it.

I race home, hop in the shower, and make breakfast a piece of that amazing Danish rye bread from Clark Street Bread, toasted with Rodolphe Le Meuniers beurre de baratte. I buy it at Cape Seafood and Provisions, which is Michael Cimarustis incredible shop, and its worth every penny. Its the same butter they use at Providence and Petit Trois, and its like the Alec Baldwin of butter it just makes everything significantly better. I also eat the final handful of farmers market blueberries before they go soft.

I spend the morning in meetings, on calls, and doing interviews, and then run out for a quick lunch with Courtney Wartman, who is our VP of business development. We decide to pop out and have our meeting over lunch at Cecconis. We get crudits with avocado-and-chickpea dip to start, and then I have the Tuscan-kale salad with almonds, apple, parmigiana, and chicken. Nine times out of ten, youll find me eating a kale salad for lunch during the week, mostly because I dont want to think about it.

The afternoon is spent in more meetings, and working on the upcoming podcast, and then I cut out a little early to go home and pack for my trip to New York tomorrow. On my way home, I pick up chicken thighs, lemons, and preserved lemons because I want to make a recipe that Jenni the pool-party hostess recommended strongly. Its a recipe from Food52 by way of Canal House, and its dead simple, but takes a little time, so I want to get them on the stove before I start packing. Im also making another kale salad, and use the baguette to make garlic croutons; I can make it with my eyes closed at this point. The chicken thighs are incredible and my favorite kind of cooking: low fuss, high impact.

Tuesday, June 20 Im flying to New York, which means a 4 a.m. alarm for a 6 a.m. flight. Not my favorite time of day, but what can you do? Skipping my normal breakfast, I eat a fruit plate on the plane, some Greek yogurt, and drink yet another breakfast tea. Since Im doing some on-camera work tomorrow morning, I drink two liters of water on the plane.

By the time I land in New York and get to the Bowery Hotel, Im ready for dinner, and I consider my options. I have another 5 a.m. call time tomorrow, and a bunch of writing to get through before bed, so I decide to stay in, which is a wise but painful choice. My favorite delivery order is a salad, deviled eggs, mini-waffles, and a piece of fried chicken from Root & Bone, which is around the corner from the hotel, or scallion pancakes and dumplings from Mimi Chengs, but the salt factor makes me slightly nervous. Cant be puffy for the cameras, so I end up ordering the chicken paillard with an arugula-and-cherry-tomato salad from room service.

The room service at the Bowery is one of the reasons I stay here; its delicious, fast, and they charge you normal restaurant prices, not crazy room-service prices. Since I have been good tonight, I plan to Postmates scrambled-egg gougres, an everything croissant, and a couple of crullers from Daily Provisions tomorrow. Dont worry, thats not all for me; the crullers are for my husband. Yes, Im planning on taking pastries on the plane back to L.A. tomorrow afternoon. Thats normal, right?

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The stainless-steel Blanda Blank might come with a bonus feature.

Just in time for summer.

The accident that killed a French fitness model has happened before.

The tech giant has the chance to help the grocery chain get back to its original mission, while still keeping an eye on the future.

A company has developed a low-morphine version.

In the City Point development.

The highest and best use of carrots is roasting, not with seven other things, but alone, whole with a lot of butter.

Well still be very much a part of Casamigos. Starting with a shot tonight. Maybe two.

Duane Sorenson will open Puff Coffee in Portland this November.

Outdoor patios, great rooms for escaping the humidity, and dives where you can be left alone.

It disappointed investors with this development in an SEC filing.

See the article here:
Clique Media's Hillary Kerr Feasts on Red Sauce in LA - Grub Street

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See the rest here:
Do the risks of a gluten-free diet outweigh the benefits? - New York Daily News

The paperback cookbook published by Arsenal Pulp Press in late 2015 is essentially sharing native foods and showcasing how popular and healthy they were to indigenous ancestors in the Americas. AuthorsLuz Calvo and Catriona Rueda Esquibel will be sharing their political vision for the book this weekend at The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center.

PartnersCalvo and Esquibel (both professors at California State East Bay and San Francisco State University, respectively) tackled "Decolonize" as a passion project that took nearly seven years to complete. After a 2006 breast cancer diagnosis for Calvo, the pair decided to take a hard look at what they call traditional foods in the landscape of Mexican-American cuisine.

Though both were practicing vegetarians long before Calvo's diagnosis, Esquibel recalls looking at work being done by food writers that concentrated on plant-based diets within the confines of European and Mediterranean fare.

During their* experience with cancer treatment, Calvo says the diet focused on European sensibilities that weren't always appetizing. "I knew kale was good for me, and broccoli, but it was torture to me. It made me sad," Calvo says.

Their vision for the book was to help others re-indigenize their diets. With Calvo as the cook and Esquibel as baker, the two fleshed outtheir concept over the course of three summers. Pitching the book to mainstream presses was an entirely different story as they were often met with criticism of the book being "too niche," or lacking mass appeal. Calvo recalled racist rejection letters from publishing houses that argued natives were often "malnourished."

They widened their net and eventually clicked with Vancouver's Arsenal Pulp Press, an independent publisher that supports books on native cook by queer authors.

The result is a lauded tome broken downinto 12 chapters with topics ranging from decolonization that sets forth the books mission trifold. Calvo and Esquibel honor ancestors and future youth though native foods by recognizing food as medicine. They stress flaws in the standard American diet filled with processed foods. And finally they point to the Latino/a Immigrant Paradox as a reason to re-indigenize with urgency.

The paradox cited by researchers points to a decrease in immigrants' health the longer they stay in the states. During their book tour, as people share their food stories, Calvo notes that indigenous food is often shamed. Yet, eating thesame ancestral foods in poverty before coming to the U.S. is often what protected immigrants from diabetes and other maladies.

A chapter in the book is devoted to helping readers become more familiar with Mesoamerican ingredients such as achiote (or annatto), allspice berries, amaranth, avocado leaves, beans, butter, raw cacao, cashews, chaya ("tree spinach"), chayote, chia (not just for smoothie bowls, it turns out), fresh and dried chiles, fresh and frozen corn, masa, honey, hibiscus flowers, epazote and more. Not all ingredients are entirely new either the sweet potato and cabbage slaw tacos are a hit and easy to make. From there, chapters are divided by antojitos, ensaladas, sopas y guisados, platos fuertes, tacos, a la carta, salsas, postres (because we all need a little dessert in our lives), bebidas and desayunos.

What Calvo and Esquibel get oh-so-right is their mellifluous writing and improvisational style. "Luz doesn't use recipes," Esquibel says.

Moreover, though they encourage getting back to the land (Calvo also maintains a expansive garden filled with herbs, beans and hens for eggs), they acknowledge the cultural shift that's taken folks away from knowing where indigenous foods like esquites and verdolagas come from, while also pointing out market culture can be traced as far back to daily life in Aztec Tenochitlan.

"Our book provoked discussions among family members... [it] opens discussions about ancestral foods that nobody necessarily recognized as super valuable, and that's powerful thing for families," Calvo said.

"Decolonize Your Diet" is simple to follow and perfect for beginner cooks to understand, which seems to be a purposeful addition by the authors.

"Not everyone learned to cook from their grandmother," Esquibel said. "There were some things we had to learn how to make ourselves and now it's our turn to teach them to the next generation."

In fact, Calvo wasn't always a pro tortilla maker. Delving into fresh maiz andnixtamalization (the process of soaking and cooking maiz into an alkaline solution for consumption) took several attempts with misshapen tortillas before feeling comfortable enough firing up the comal with confidence.

Meet Calvo and Esquibel this weekend, first for a platica and book signing at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center on Friday at 7 p.m. and on Saturday at 7 p.m. for a panel discussion withRebel Mariposa of La Botanica, and Ale Tierra of Mama Tierra and Food Not Bombs SA, moderated byLilliana Patricia Saldaa, a Chicana activist scholar raised in San Antonios Southside.

922 San Pedro Ave., (210)228-0201.

*The article has been edited to reflect Luz Calvo's preferred pronouns.

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Esperanza Peace and Justice Center Welcomes "Decolonize Your Diet" Authors - San Antonio Current

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Many people suffer from depression. In as much as the causes of this mental disorder remain largely unidentified, numerous therapies have been advanced. Mental health experts have been trying to advance therapies that provide a longstanding solution to this disorder. Public awareness has equally been raised in an effort to address the social stigma that is associated with depression.

A study spearheaded by Deakin University researchers indicate that an improvement in ones diet can go a long way in treating depression. Deakin Food and Mood Center Director Prof. Felice Jacka, opines that the study will definitely offer a new approach in the treatment of depression.

For a while, it had been hypothesized that there is a link between peoples risk for depression and the quality of their diet. The situation cuts across different geographical regions, age groups, and cultures. In addition, healthy diets have typically been associated with a lower risk of depression. The study is the worlds first randomized trial and sought to test whether there is a correlation between improved diet quality and low depression levels.

The Trial

During the trial, adults who are affected by major depression were recruited and unsystematically assigned to receive either support from clinical dietitians, or social support for three months. The social support group was headed by trained personnel whose role was to lead discussions on neutral topics that were of interest to participants. This was done to ease the symptoms of major depression. The dietary intervention group was headed by nutritionists whose role was to guide participants about healthy diets.

The nutritional group received info and assistance aimed at augmenting the quality of their diets. Emphasis was placed on increasing the consumption of fruits, veggies, whole grains, olive oil, lean meat, nuts, and fish. Consumption of unnatural foodstuffs such as sugary drinks was discouraged. Both groups underwent equal seven hour-long sessions during the course of the trial.

The trials results were recently published and indicate that subjects who were placed in the nutritional intervention group had an impressive reduction in depression levels compared to those who only received social support. (add this in?: At the end of the trial, a third of those in the dietary support group met criteria for remission of major depression, compared to 8 percent of those in the social support group. ) Prof. Jacka states that the results of the trial cannot be adequately explained by body weight or physical activity. Those who adhered to the nutritional program more closely had the lowest depression levels at the end of the study.

New Insights into the Treatment of Depression

The trials findings will offer therapists a new dimension as far as treating major depression is concerned. Mental disorders are the main cause of disability. Up to half of those who are affected by depression will be helped by dietary control. The trials results will spawn other numerous benefits considering that depression escalates the risk of common physical disorders such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Besides lifestyle diseases, depression has also been linked to inflammation and the health of micro biota in the body. Both of these are linked to ones diet. The trial suggests the adaptation of healthier lifestyles as a natural way of reducing the devastating effects of major depression. It similarly suggests the addition of clinical dietitians to psychotherapy teams since it can help those who suffer from depression. Therefore, an improvement in the quality of ones diet goes beyond the treatment of major depression. It is a crucial determinant of physical and mental health.

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World-First Trial Shows Improving Diet Can Treat Major Depression - Anti Aging News

TAHLEQUAH Americans think of themselves as can-do people, but there is a battle they have been mostly losing for decades.

Today, 70 percent of Americans who have attained the age of 20 are overweight, and 38 percent are obese. A result of such flabby numbers has been widespread dieting, with mixed results.

A diet that has gotten some headlines in recent years is the ketogenic, or keto, diet. There is nothing new about its driving mechanism: the reduction of carbohydrate consumption. The Atkins diet of the 2000s also urged dieters to cut down on carbs, as does the low carb, high fat diet.

Atkins and LCHF can attain what the keto diet also seeks: ketosis, where the body obtains some energy from water soluble ketone bodies in the blood, as opposed to using blood glucose through glycolysis.

Health food stores are often visited by people following low-carbohydrate diets.

People can ask for the keto bowl, but we call it the Protein Fat Bomb, said Eric McKee, who runs the kitchen at Oasis Health Foods. We use turkey or chicken usually turkey. It has coconut oil, which is a healthy fat. Some people have a personal preference for something like avocado.

McKee said creating a keto diet dish is difficult because carbs are ubiquitous.

The Protein Fat Bomb is not on the menu, McKee said. People have to ask for it, and we can tailor it. They usually want some modification. Sprouts have a few carbs, but they add a lot of flavor. Cheese is also good. I think it is also important to use ingredients that are delicious by themselves, so you can use them in other ways.

A number of Oasis customers are on the keto diet, and McKee said those who decided to follow it are taking on a serious regimen.

The keto diet is pretty hardcore and challenging, he said. If you absolutely have to lose weight, it is one way to do it, and we are a great place to find foods to follow the diet. Also, you need to have some carbs, and when you first go on the diet, your body has to adjust, anda person can almost feel sick. We can help with the carb crash.

Though low-carb diets have enjoyed popularity for some time, they are not without controversy. While the diets have not been condemned outright by medical groups, there is skepticism.

The keto diet is recent, and there are few statements about its effectiveness, but commenting on low-carb diets in general, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wrote in 2005 that they are not conducive to long-term weight management.

The American Heart Association believes high-protein diets are tough on the heart, the American Dietetic Association stated in 2003 that too many calories of any kind cause weight gain, and several foreign health services have taken similar positions.

Conversely, the American Diabetic Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians, while not offering enthusiastic support for low-carb diets, have acknowledged them as a method of losing weight in the short term.

Since carbohydrates cause blood sugar to spike, most doctors advise diabetics to limit their intake.

A lot of people want to lose weight, said Kenneth Gibson, D.O., of the NeoHealth clinic in Hulbert. Let your doctor know if you plan to change your diet, and the diet should be monitored to adjust for any missing nutrients.

Heather Winn, family and consumer sciences educator for Oklahoma State Universitys Cherokee County Cooperative Extension Service, endorses a rainbow diet with sensible portions.

As Extension educators, we recommend the diet on MyPlate.gov, Winn said. It suggests a variety of lean meats, all different colors of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. You want to eat a lot of different foods, but also try to limit fat and sugar intake. They have long lists of foods for each category, and they promote a healthy diet, especially for children. We recommend these foods unless otherwise directed by your physician.

Winn also pointed to the necessity of being active. Calories ingested must be used.

Part of what we do is teach yoga for kids and we have lots of programs in the schools, she said. We go to the Head Starts and day cares. Not only do you need to eat healthy, but the calories in need to be equal to calories out to maintain a healthy weight.

Whats next

A group of local residents has begun following the keto diet. In a few months, the Press will report on their progress.

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'Keto' diet good for quick weight loss, but caution advised - Theadanews