July 29, 2008
Truvia, natural, no-calorie sweetener hits the markets this fall
Agribusiness giant Cargill Inc is starting to roll out Truvia, its natural, no-calorie sweetener on Wednesday, and expects the product to be on grocery shelves across the U.S. sometime this fall.
Truvia is made from certain compounds in the leaves of stevia, a shrub native to Paraguay, and will provide a natural alternative to artificial sweeteners including Sweet ‘N Low, Equal and Splenda.
Truvia also will be used as a sweetener in beverages and foods — such as yogurts, cereals and snack bars — in early 2009, Snyder said.
Coca-Cola Co co-developed the product with Cargill and has exclusive rights to use Truvia in beverages. Rivals including PepsiCo Inc and Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc are working on their own versions of natural, no-calorie sweeteners.
July 19, 2008
Natural health industry wins fight against Canadian government!
OTTAWA — In a surprising about-face, Health Minister Tony Clement has agreed to key demands of the natural health products industry after the sector launched a grassroots campaign against restrictions on homeopathic medicines and herbal remedies in new legislation.
When Clement proposed amendments to the Food and Drugs Act in April, natural medicines were lumped in with pharmaceutical drugs, raising concerns they would be subject to the same type of oversight. He now admits it was a mistake not to create a separate category under the law.
The government is now proposing to insert a definition of natural health products into the Food and Drugs Act to “clearly recognize” that they’re distinct from foods and drugs under the law.
And as a lower-risk product than prescription drugs, the government is proposing other changes to make it clear natural medicines will follow a different process to get to market.
July 15, 2008
The 20 Healthiest Foods for Under $1
Food prices are climbing, and some might be looking to fast foods and packaged foods for their cheap bites. But low cost doesn’t have to mean low quality. In fact, some of the most inexpensive things you can buy are the best things for you. At the grocery store, getting the most nutrition for the least amount of money means hanging out on the peripheries—near the fruits and veggies, the meat and dairy, and the bulk grains—while avoiding the expensive packaged interior. By doing so, not only will your kitchen be stocked with excellent foods, your wallet won’t be empty.
U.S. Government Ignores Flu Vaccine Death
Federal health officials on Sunday will call together some of the world’s leading experts on an obscure disease to discuss the controversial case of a 9-year-old girl from Athens, Ga., who became autistic after receiving numerous vaccinations.
But the government has so far kept quiet a second case that some say is more disturbing and more relevant to the meeting.
On Jan. 11, a 6-year-old girl from Colorado received FluMist, a flu vaccine, and about a week later “became weak with multiple episodes of falling to ground” and “difficulty walking,” according to a case report filed with federal health officials and obtained by The New York Times.
The girl grew increasingly weak and feverish and “became more limp, appears sleepy, acts as if drunk,” the report said. She was hospitalized and underwent surgery and was finally withdrawn from life support. She died on April 5, according to the report.
July 13, 2008
Chill Out with These 6 Simple Freezer Treats
It’s getting to be unbearably hot in many areas of the country, and frozen treats are a healthy way to cool off. With ice cream bars running $5 a small box locally, I went on a search to find inexpensive, alternative recipes to feed our family. What I found were six surprisingly easy ways to stock my freezer on the cheap!
Frozen fruit bars – These are my favorite, and unfortunately, they are the most costly of all my freezer-case passions. Choosing bars with no sugar or organically-grown will cost you more, so why not make them yourself? Here is a super recipe from SparkPeople to get you started (you can omit the sugar, add 100% fruit juice to help in the blending process, or substitute organic fruit.) Sticking to one or two kinds of fruit keep them simple and yummy!
- Blend 2 cups cut-up summer fruit (strawberries, peaches, watermelon, etc.) in a blender until smooth.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons water (or juice), if necessary. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Cover and blend until well mixed.
- Pour into molds and freeze until solid.
July 10, 2008
What You Should & Shouldn’t Buy Organic
Organic food may be the better and safer choice when it comes to feeding your family, however it can also be costly and cause heavy damage on your wallet. Follow these guides on what you should and shouldn’t buy organic.
July 8, 2008
Summer Lemonade Boosters
When life hands you a hot day, you naturally make lemonade. As the summer wears on, though, you may long for a bit of extra zip, so add some ginger here, a little mint there, and you’ll have something to help you forget all about the heat.
July 5, 2008
101 20-Minute Dishes for Inspired Picnics
THERE is something both innocent and exciting about a picnic, even if you are only packing a few things at the last minute and heading down the street to the park. It may be nothing fancier than bologna or tuna salad on white bread, but you’re still likely to have a good time, which is probably why many of us remain devoted to the same picnic foods we’ve eaten all our lives.
But at some point, you may get the urge to vary the menu a bit. With that in mind, I’d like to make a few — or, actually, 101 — suggestions, ranging from snacks to dessert. With a little shopping, a little effort, and 20 minutes or less for assembly, you can create the kind of carry-out food that will put the local prepared food shops to shame while saving you a small fortune. No matter how faithful you are to your old favorites, I’ll bet you will find something intriguing here.
July 1, 2008
The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating
Here is a great list of some of the healthiest foods that are EASY to find!
April 27, 2008
Vaccine-autism question divides parents, scientists
At 13, Michelle Cedillo can’t speak, wears a diaper and requires round-the-clock monitoring in case she has a seizure. While her peers go to school or the mall or spend time with friends, the Yuma, Arizona, teenager remains at home, where she entertains herself with picture books and “Sesame Street” and “Blue’s Clues” DVDs.
Michelle has no idea she is at the center of a court case pitting thousands of families of children with autism against the medical establishment. A number of prestigious medical institutions say there is no link between vaccines and autism. The families believe vaccines caused their children’s autism, and they’ve taken their case to court.
“I think there is a link,” says Theresa Cedillo, Michelle’s mother.
Theresa and her husband, Mike, say their only child was a happy, engaged toddler who responded to her name, said “mommy” and “daddy” and was otherwise normal until she received a measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine at 15 months.
They believe the MMR vaccine, combined with a mercury-containing preservative found in that and other vaccines at the time, drastically altered the course of their daughter’s development. Within days of receiving the injection as part of the normal course of vaccinations, Michelle suffered from a high fever, persistent vomiting and problems with her digestion. Worse still, her parents say, Michelle stopped speaking and no longer responded to her name.
“I thought it was because she was so sick. I thought certainly she’ll start talking again,” Theresa recalls. “You think you’re dealing with something that’s going to come and go, and you’re going to get your child back, and you don’t.” Michelle has since been diagnosed with autism, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and epilepsy.
