Health Tip: Laughter is Good for You
Laughter May Lower Heart Attack Risk in Diabetics
Laughter is a sustainable way to lose weight and get happy and the only energy it costs is your own (or your friends that are making you laugh’s time and energy). But basically, laughing is good for you and low-impact on the environment.
Look at children and how their laughter explodes from their insides as they fall into uncontrollable hysterics that inevitably leads to streams of tears drenching their cheeks.
Now look at adults who find something funny and “appropriately” give off a little giggle as they simultaneously place their hand to their mouth as if to hide their outward expression of positive emotion. What exactly morphed inside us that made us become so honestly boring? Do you even remember a time when you were literally incapable of stopping your snort-filled, tear-sopped laughter that worsened with every glance of your friend?s equally hysterical face to the point that the only way to regain composure was to physically remove yourself from the situation?
The next time you feel a serious laugh coming on, open your mouth wide and let your laughter roar! If for no other reason, let it out so you don’t have to let out your pants. What I mean is—laughter is actually a calorie-burning exercise (not to mention a natural stress-reliever).
Yes, when you laugh you burn calories, boost your immune system, calm your muscles, relax your mind, reduce physical pain, and lower blood sugar levels. And unlike pills, laughter has no negative side effects.
Here’s how laughter can help you naturally lose weight and be healthier
Add laughter to your workout regimen. Laughing provides a natural cardiovascular workout for your insides, increases your heart rate and circulation, and toning to your abdominal muscles. Dr. William Fry of Stanford University says, “Laughing heartily five times a day has the same beneficial effects as ten minutes on a rowing machine.” What?s more? 10-15 minutes of solid laughter can burn 50 calories which can translate to 4.4 pounds in a year—hey, every little bit counts!

Could olive oil be the key to weight loss? Scientists discover even the SMELL of it can make us feel full
Olive oil could aid weight loss by making people feel fuller for longer and by staving off hunger pangs
During research, aroma extracts from the oil reduced the study group’s calorie intake by nearly 200 a day
People who ate olive oil infused yoghurt had higher levels of the hormone serotonin in their blood
By EMMA INNES
PUBLISHED: 14:09 EST, 15 March 2013 | UPDATED: 16:56 EST, 15 March 2013
Olive oil could aid weight loss by making you feel fuller for longer, according to a new study
Putting olive oil on the dinner table could help you stay slim – because the smell makes us feel full.
The discovery comes after scientists tracked volunteers who ate a 500g yoghurt every day for three months.
Some had added olive oil, while others included rapeseed oil, lard or butter.
Those who had olive oil ate fewer calories overall, and none put on weight. Blood tests showed they had higher levels of serotonin, a so-called satiety hormone that makes us feel full.
Scientists at Munich’s Technische Universitaet and the University of Vienna said this was due to an aroma compound not found in other fats and oils.
They were able to recreate the results by adding the aroma compounds – but not olive oil itself – to yoghurts.
The aroma extracts from olive oil can leave us feeling fuller, cutting our calorie intake by almost 200 a day, they said.
German and Austrian scientists made the discovery after testing the appetite-suppressing properties of four different fats – olive oil, lard, butter and rapeseed oil.
The team at the Technical University of Munich and at the University of Vienna asked volunteers to eat half a kilo of yoghurt enriched with one of the four fats daily alongside their normal diet.
After three months, it was discovered that adding olive oil had the biggest effect on satiety – the feeling of being full.
Study author Professor Peter Schieberle said those who ate the olive oil yoghurt were found to have higher levels of the hormone serotonin – which controls the feeling of fullness – in their blood.
He added: ‘Subjectively speaking, these participants also reported they found the olive oil yoghurt very filling.
‘During the study period, no member of this group recorded an increase in their body fat percentage or their weight.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2293948/Could-olive-oil-key-weight-loss-Scientists-discover-SMELL-make-feel-full.html#ixzz2RFWv85zT

Spanish: curcuma
German: kurkuma
French: curcuma
Italian: curcuma

Turmeric is native to southern India and Indonesia, where it has been harvested for more than 5,000 years. It has served an important role in many traditional cultures
throughout the East, including being a revered member of the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia. Much of its recent popularity in the west is owed to new research that has highlighted
its therapeutic and healing properties.A member of the ginger family, now cultivated widely in India, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, turmeric is used throughout southern Asia. It is the underground rhizome of a robust perennial plant that grows to a height of about three feet. Its flavor is peppery, warm and bitter while its fragrance is mild yet slightly reminiscent of ginger, to which it is related. Although available fresh, the rhizome is most often sold dried and ground to a powder. It adds a warm, mild aroma and distinctive deep yellow-orange color to foods. It has been long been used in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine for healing and as a condiment.

Nutritional Profile: Turmeric is an excellent source of both iron and manganese. It is also
a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, and potassium.

Holistic benefits: Turmeric is the wonder of all wonders – a heating spice for the body, turmeric contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is a strong antioxidant. Every teaspoon of it has medicinal value. Enjoy!

Rosemary, thyme and other spices appear to be potent insect-fighters and could offer a new form of organic pest control.
The next generation of pesticides might smell as sweet as rosemary, cinnamon and thyme.

These spices, among others, are proving to be potent insect-fighters that are gentle on the environment and safe for humans, said entomologist Murray Isman, of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Speaking yesterday at a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, D.C., Isman said that insects are also less likely to develop resistance to spice extracts than conventional chemicals.

The concept is not new: For centuries, people have been using oil extracts from pungent plants to protect their food. Now, scientists are finally figuring out how these essential oils get their pest-battling powers and how people might better harness them.

“There was some magic in how nature has gone about doing this,” Isman said. “Our research is trying to figure out which essential oils work best for which applications.”

Spice plants get their strong odors from their chemical structure: They consist of small molecules that evaporate easily. Oil extracts from these plants are commonly used to flavor foods and add fragrance to shampoos, candles and other products.

Their chemical structure also allows spice extracts to easily penetrate cell membranes in places like the brains of bugs. In recent years, scientists have identified two types of messenger molecules in insect brains that essential oils tamper with.

By blocking or over-stimulating these molecules or their receptors, essential oils cause insects to become hyper or fly away. At high enough doses, Isman said, some oils can even fry an insect’s nervous system.

People, pets and other animals don’t have the same messenger molecules in their brains, making extracts that harm insects safe for us. Scientists are now eyeing these brain processes as targets for synthetic pesticides.

“Some of these essential oils have really outstanding repellency,” said Joel Coats, an entomologist and toxicologist at Iowa State University in Ames. “If we can understand how they work at a biochemical level, we may be able to use them more readily, and that’s a really important step right now.”

Isman has spent a lot of time dissecting the mysteries of rosemary, which is a particularly powerful neurotoxin for many insects. Previous work has shown that rosemary oil contains some 80 or 90 chemicals, 10 of which make up more than 90 percent of what’s in there.

Isman and colleagues tested the toxic effects of each of those top 10 by creating artificial oil extracts that contained the other nine, then applying each mixture to spider mites. The researchers were able finger three chemicals that were most potent, three or four that had small effects, and three or four that didn’t seem to do much to the mites at all.

When the scientists tested a mixture of just the top three chemicals, though, the result was only 30 percent as toxic as real rosemary oil.

“There is some internal magic to that mixture of compounds that defies trying to tease them apart,” he said. “There is some benefit to using the natural mixtures as they come out of the plant.”

Over time, insects also appear unable to develop tolerance to the synergy involved in nature’s complex combinations of chemicals, even though they become rapidly resistant to conventional pesticides.

There are already insect repellants on the market that contain rosemary, peppermint, cinnamon, thyme and other odiferous oils, but scientists still can’t predict which extracts will work on which insects. Even closely related insects respond differently to the same extracts.

To know for sure what will work best in any given situation, scientists might have to test each type of extract on each type of insect. Coats is also working with computer software that predicts which extracts will be most potent based on their chemical structures.

As experiments continue, data already show that mixing essential oils with conventional pesticides allow farmers to use half as much of the conventional stuff while still getting the same results.

For the organically-minded, the future of pest control keeps smelling better and better
From:http://news.discovery.com/human/evolution/spices-pesticides-bugs.htm

Check out this study reported by CNN. The most important meal of the day is NOT breakfast! The largest meal of the day should be before 3pm. Contrary to many other studies about dinner, supper and breakfast. A late lunch is the time when you should consume your biggest meal.

05:01 AM ET

Meal times may affect weight loss success

Losing weight may not be just about WHAT you eat but WHEN you eat it, according to a new study. Participants in the study who ate a bigger meal later in the day lost less weight than those who ate earlier.

Study authors Marta Garaulet and Dr. Frank Scheer, director of the medical chronobiology program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, followed 420 people in Spain during a 20-week weight loss treatment program.

The participants were split into two groups – early eaters who ate lunch before 3 p.m. and late eaters who ate lunch after 3 p.m. In Spain, lunch is the biggest meal of the day, comprising about 40% of a person’s daily calories.

The early eaters, on average, lost 25% more weight than the late eaters over the course of the study, according to Scheer.

The study authors found no difference in the groups’ weight loss based on breakfast and dinner timing. They also looked at energy expenditure, dietary composition, appetite hormones and sleep duration. These factors were similar in both groups, leading the authors to conclude that the timing of the large meal was the source of the sluggish weight loss.

The study was published Tuesday in the International Journal of Obesity.

Behind the results

Did you know your fat tissue has a built-in clock? In fact, the majority of cells in your body run on a 24-hour schedule, Scheer says.

The combination of all these body clocks is called the circadian system, and it’s controlled by a group of cells in your brain’s hypothalamus. But the “clocks” in individual organs’ cells can be altered by daily activity that doesn’t affect the control center.

For instance, researchers have found that feeding animals during abnormal times can “reset” the clocks in their liver and pancreas, which are key to optimizing metabolism. When this happens, the brain’s central clock remains on schedule. This can result in a de-synchronization between the two.

“That then could lead to abnormal weight gain or a decrease in weight loss,” Scheer says.

Part of this could be due to the body’s ability to handle glucose, the type of sugar that usually comes from carbohydrates. Late eaters in the study showed significantly higher HOMA levels, an index of insulin resistance that’s used to identify diabetes.

Your system is better able to cope with higher glucose levels in the morning, Scheer says, extracting sugar from the blood to use as energy. “The same meal load later in the day would not be received as well.”

Genetic link

Researchers have identified several genes that may play a role in obesity and sleep cycles – i.e. whether we’re early risers or night owls. One gene called the CLOCK gene affects our circadian rhythms. A rare variant of the gene – the “c” allele – has been linked to obesity.

This minor allele was more common in the study’s late eaters. This gene could cause them to want to eat later in the day, Scheer says.

Another explanation

The late eaters in the study often ate less for breakfast or skipped breakfast all together. Past studies have shown that’s a recipe for diet disaster. Fasting for too long can put the body into so-called “storage mode.” People who skip breakfast are also more likely to overeat later, although the study authors did not find a significant difference in the overall calories both groups ate.

Takeaway

There are limitations to these results. The study was observational, meaning the researchers asked participants to record their own meals. Observational studies can link two items – like meal times and weight loss – but can’t show cause and effect. The study needs to be verified with a randomized controlled trial.

That said, planning your meals for earlier in the day couldn’t hurt.

“We should really seriously consider the effect of not only what we eat, but when we eat,” Scheer says.

Try to follow the King, Prince, Pauper rule: eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.

Post by: Jacque Wilson — CNN.com Health writer/producer
Filed under: Diet and Fitness • Healthy Eating • Weight loss

Green vegetables and Leafy Vegetables – This includes spinach, kale, collard greens, watercress and even avocados. They contain folic acid, helpful in the production of red blood cells and genetic material. Folic acid also promotes development of a healthy nervous system, and prevents neural deficiencies in the fetus after conception””and it’s extremely important for healthy sperm production.

Nuts and Seeds – This includes walnuts, almonds, pecans and all seeds like safflower and sunflower seeds. The have essential fatty acids and Vitamin E which are essential in the production of healthy cells.

Citrus Fruits – Oranges, Kiwi fruit, grapefruit and other citrus fruits all have very high Vitamin C content. Vitamin C enhances sperm motility by preventing sperm clumping. It also enhances ovulation and release of the egg from ovaries.

Pigmented Vegetables – This includes orange or red hued vegetables like carrots, pumpkins, and all varieties of squashes. These have beta-carotene which is a healthy source of Vitamin A. This vitamin is essential for maintaining healthy tissues in the reproductive organs as well as being essential for developing healthy brains and eyes!

Salmon – This fish contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, which assist hormone production. In addition sperm is largely made up of this type of fatty acids as is the embryo’s developing nervous system.

Pineapple – This is the best known natural source of Manganese, a very important mineral. Manganese activates enzymes in the body that trigger production of various reproductive hormones. Low levels of manganese are associated with difficulty conceiving. Pineapple also contains great amounts of enzymes, which aid digestion.

Chilies – Spicy foods containing red chili peppers increases blood flow around the body, ensuring that the reproductive system gets a healthy supply. Chilies also stimulate endorphin production, associated with stress release and a feeling of calm relaxation, which greatly increase chances of conception.

Studies Suggest Forgiveness Has Health Benefits

What is forgiveness?

Generally, forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. The act that hurt or offended you might always remain a part of your life, but forgiveness can lessen its grip on you and help you focus on other, positive parts of your life. Forgiveness can even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurt you.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you deny the other person’s responsibility for hurting you, and it doesn’t minimize or justify the wrong. You can forgive the person without excusing the act. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace that helps you go on with life.

What are the benefits of forgiving someone?

Letting go of grudges and bitterness can make way for compassion, kindness and peace. Forgiveness can lead to:
• Healthier relationships
• Greater spiritual and psychological well-being
• Less anxiety, stress and hostility
• Lower blood pressure
• Fewer symptoms of depression
• Lower risk of alcohol and substance abuse

How do I reach a state of forgiveness?

Forgiveness is a commitment to a process of change. To begin, you might:
• Consider the value of forgiveness and its importance in your life at a given time
• Reflect on the facts of the situation, how you’ve reacted, and how this combination has affected your life, health and well-being
• When you’re ready, actively choose to forgive the person who’s offended you
• Move away from your role as victim and release the control and power the offending person and situation have had in your life

As you let go of grudges, you’ll no longer define your life by how you’ve been hurt. You might even find compassion and understanding.

Read more: Mayo clinic study

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/page-not-found/404

Organic Standards in Danger—Unless You Make Your Voice Heard
March 5, 2013
It’s like they’re saying, “Ssh! If we keep quiet enough, nobody will complain!” Let’s not let them get away with it. Action Alert!

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will hold its spring board meeting in April. As you probably know, NOSB is the governing board created by Congress that reviews all synthetic and non-organic materials proposed by Big Farma before they can be used in organic farming or food production.
For thirty days before each meeting, the public is supposed to be invited to scrutinize and comment on the topics that will come up at the NOSB meetings—a wide range of issues that significantly affect organic standards—and the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) is supposed to announce it. This time, however, the NOP failed to send out any public announcement about the thirty-day comment period, not even in their own e-newsletter, before the comment period began. The Cornucopia Institute discovered information about the April meeting, buried deep in the NOP website, after the comment period had already begun. Two days after the Cornucopia article appeared, NOP made the public announcement through their Organic Insider newsletter, costing stakeholders valuable time. Had this information been buried by mistake or on purpose? We don’t know.

Thank goodness Cornucopia discovered it, because public comment is vital to keep the NOSB accountable in the face of an increasingly cozy relationship between NOSB and Big Farma, and a serious dilution of organic standards. For example, the list of synthetic ingredients that are allowed in Certified Organic products is growing. As we reported previously, in 2002, the NOSB allowed only 72 chemicals. Since then, over 250 more chemicals have been added.

The majority of organic brands are owned by the biggest food manufacturers, and some them have seats on the NOSB. In 2011, a General Mills executive was on the board, and this year an exec from Driscoll’s, which markets both conventional and organic berries, held a seat on the board that was supposed to be filled by a farmer. After public outcry she resigned—but rejoined the NOSB in a different capacity.

Issues discussed in the NOSB meeting ahead could seriously undermine organic standards—unless you and other grassroots activists are willing to voice your strong objections:

•How to control GMO contamination of organic seeds? Seed purity is especially important to prevent “creeping contamination.” Not only should there be stricter protocols to ensure pure organic seeds, there should be systematic testing of organic seeds for GMO contamination as part of the certification process. And biotechnology companies should be held accountable for any GMO contamination of organic seeds—even if it was unintentional. Under current organic rules, there are no strict practices ensuring that organic seeds are not contaminated with GMO. GMOs are considered an excluded “method” that should be prevented by best practices, but the actual organic product itself is not tested for GMOs. Testing usually occurs when there is “reason to believe” that organic food is contaminated with GMOs.
•How to deal with GMOs in vaccines? Under current organic regulations, animal vaccines using GMOs are not allowed, unless specifically approved by the NOP. However, the NOP hasn’t identified which vaccines contain GMOs in the first place, resulting in GMO vaccine use and weak enforcement. The NOSB will discuss how to identify GMO vaccines; we believe it should it be defined as any technology that creates a targeted change or mutation in the genome; it certainly shouldn’t be something that is evaluated on a case-by case basis, another option that is being considered. We strongly oppose any GMO vaccines in organic livestock.
•Should “confidential business information” (CBI) be allowed in a petitioner’s request for a synthetic chemical to be added to the organic “allowed” list? Currently, CBI is not disclosed in the technical evaluation report of a chemical, and it’s not available to the NOSB, much less to the public. But such CBI could include important information regarding environmental and health effects of a chemical. We strongly support prohibiting CBI in petitions to ensure transparency in the process—especially if the CBI pertains to serious environmental and adverse health effects. This may also have the positive effect of deterring companies that have something to hide.
•Should a fruit antibiotic that adds to the “superbug” problem be allowed for two more years? The NOSB is considering whether to extend the withdrawal date for the antibiotic oxytetracycline, which is used in apple and pear production to prevent fire blight. It’s sprayed on trees, which exposes bacteria in the orchard and especially the soil to the antibiotic, and directly contributes to the “superbug” issue we’ve told you about—the creation of drug-resistant bacteria. There was a lot of public push-back against placing this on the allowed list in the first place. The board wants to extend the withdrawal date to 2016 and add a phase-out plan, even though organic standards require that practices and inputs must maintain or improve the natural resources of the operation, including soil and water quality. We do not support extending sunset date of oxytetracycline.
•Should sugar beet fiber be allowed in organic food to increase overall fiber content? Most sugar beets are GE, so we oppose such a proposal, and would insist that the final product be tested for GMO. We’re also concerned that the process for adding sugar beet fiber to organic food doesn’t follow organic processes.

At the last NOSB meeting, ANH-USA strongly opposed allowing dangerous synthetic chemicals in organic food, including organic baby formula. And the board rejected most of these chemicals.
It’s important that we all participate in this process to uphold organic standards and prevent corporate interests from destroying truly organic food. Organic certification is often the only thing consumers can use to distinguish between healthy, sustainable food and industrial farmed foods, most of which contain GMOs.
Action Alert! Send your comments to the NOSB and tell them your stance on each of the agenda items above. Please send them your message today!

Sign the online letter today!

click here:  https://secure3.convio.net/aahf/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1402

A message from Dr.Tom:

“I just took action…and urge you to do so also… for Full Disclosure of Food Ingredients”

“Since 1906, the original Food and Drugs Act, passed by Congress on June 30 and signed by President Theodore Roosevelt, prohibits interstate commerce in misbranded and adulterated foods, drinks and drugs. The Meat Inspection Actwas passed the same day, after shocking disclosures of insanitary conditions in meat-packing plants, and the use of poisonous preservatives and dyes in foods.

“Americans, like citizens around the world, deserve honest labeling of food sources and ingredients, regardless of the current determination of safety and effectiveness by science.

“If Congress fails to enact the omnibus 2013 Appropriations Bill addressing tax and spending cuts before January 1, 2013, then the Bush-era Budget Control Act of 2011 goes into effect by default.

“There is a strong possibility a rider which would protect GMO manufacturers from labeling disclosure would be attached to the default Budget Control Act.

“Please join me in requesting US Representative DeFazio and Senators Boxer & Feinstein in opposing that any GMO-Manufacturer protecting rider be struck from the Bush-era Budget Control Act of 2011, should Congress fail to enact a new Appropriations Bill by year end.

“You may use the form letter supplied by Alliance for Natural Health by clicking this link – it only takes about 30 seconds and you can read the legal and regulatory positioning within the letter.”

READ MORE: gmo-riders-could-be-back-in-fiscal-cliff-funding-package

Now, take this simple test to guage your current relationship with the 6 tastes. Answer the questions as quickly as possible~What are~

2 foods that are Sweet

2 foods that are Sour

2 foods that are Salty

2 foods that are Bitter

2 foods that are Pungent

2 Astringent foods

*examples given below

Taste Test Examples:Sweet: bananas, apples Sour: lemon, yogurt Salty: you guessed it…salt! Bitter: spinach, coffee Pungent: garlic.onions, Astringent: chic peas, lentils, black tea

Sweet, sour, and salt ALL increase body tissues. Bitter, pungent, and astringent ALL increase energy and keep weight down. Which tastes do you most commonly consume?

Eggs are full of high quality protein and omega-3s. They are a good source of B12 (riboflavin) and B2, B5, and D. Boiled eggs make a great snack. One boiled egg contains 20% of our daily-recommended amount of tryptophan. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in production of energy and helps alleviate memory problems and symptoms of depression.

Bananas give mood lifting power with their combination of vitamins B6, A and C; fiber; tryptophan, potassium, phosphorus, iron, protein; and healthy carbohydrates. When we eat a banana, we get a quick boost from the fructose as well as energy from fiber, which helps prevent a blood sugar spike and ensuing drop in energy and mood. Vitamin B6 helps convert tryptophan into mood lifting serotonin.

Banana Curry

Ingredients:
4-5 firm, not too ripe bananas, 1-2 tbsp. of ghee, 1 tsp. of whole cumin, 1 tsp. of ground ginger, ¼ tsp. of red chilli powder, 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. of ground tumeric, 3 tbsp. of water, 150g of sweet cream, a pinch of salt

Preparation:
Peel and slice the bananas. Heat the ghee in a pan and roast the tumeric in it. Add the other spices, banana slices and water and cook for approx. 3 minutes.

Sluggish Digestion:TRY pickled ginger before each meal

Migraine Headaches:Try: Fatty fish such as trout, sardines, and herring

Menstrual Cramps:Try: Flax seed

Joint Pain Try: Berries

Fatigue Try: Quinoa (keen-wah)

Heartburn Try: Ginger

Irritability Try: chocolate

Bad Breath Try: Green Tea

Gas Try: Peppermint tea ,fennel seeds

September 20, 2012

By Sonya Lunder, EWG Senior Research Analyst and Dawn Undurraga, EWG Nutritionist

Although scientists and government regulators have long known about the ever-present threat of arsenic in our diet and water, it was unsettling when two major reports came out on the same day (Sept. 19) reminding us of the risk and the need to do what we can to minimize it.

Yes, arsenic. It’s a naturally occurring mineral with a long history as a murder weapon, and, paradoxically, as a medicine, too. In some parts of the world, contamination levels are so high in food and water as to cause epidemics of skin, bladder and lung cancer. In the United States the effects might be harder to see, but they are still there. In 2001, the National Academy of Sciences estimated that people drinking arsenic-contaminated water at 10 parts per billion would have a 1-in-300 risk of developing cancer over their lifetimes. Recent research suggests that people ingest about that much arsenic in a just a half-cup serving of rice, not an unusual amount for millions of Americans.

The two new reports came from the US Food and Drug Administration and the highly regarded Consumer Reports magazine, and both focused on the worrisome amounts of arsenic in rice and popular rice-based processed foods.

Environmental Working Group agrees that there’s reason to be concerned. Many rice-based foods and some fruit juices have arsenic levels much higher than are allowed in drinking water. And contrary to some denials from the food industry, the contamination does include the form of arsenic that poses a serious risk to our health. It’s long overdue for federal agencies to set health-protective limits on arsenic in food, but they are not moving quickly.

In the meantime, here are some easy-to-use tips on how you can reduce your, and your family’s, exposure:
•Limit rice consumption. Try alternative grains such as quinoa, barley, grits/polenta, couscous or bulgur wheat.

The testing done by Consumer Reports confirmed that rice has much higher concentrations of arsenic than other grains, fruits and vegetables. That’s partly because rice is sometimes grown in fields that have been treated with arsenic-based pesticides in the past, but in many cases it’s because rice plants have a natural tendency to take up and concentrate naturally occurring arsenic in the soil and water. The FDA says it needs to test 1,000 more rice samples to clarify which rice-growing areas present the greatest risk of contamination. But consumers can take protective steps while the FDA collects data and ponders regulation – a process that could take years.
•If you’re preparing rice, rinse it thoroughly. Boil brown rice in a lot of water (as you do with pasta).

There’s good research indicating that you can lower the amount of arsenic in rice by 30-to-40 percent if you take this simple step (the more water the better). Here’s a recipe. Unfortunately, white rice doesn’t hold up well to this kind of cooking, but you can reduce arsenic levels somewhat by rinsing white rice before you cook it.
•Vary your diet. Look for alternatives to rice-based processed foods such as breakfast cereals, rice flour, rice pasta, rice cakes and crackers.

Growing awareness that many people are sensitive to the gluten in wheat-based processed foods has led to a proliferation of rice-based products, but they’re not the only option. Good alternatives to Rice Krispies-type breakfast cereals include toasted oats, puffed corn or whole grains such as millet. You can also find flour mixes that contain no rice or gluten for baking.
•Limit products that list rice syrup as a sweetener.

You don’t think of rice as a component of snack and nutrition bars, but a recent study by scientists at Dartmouth College found high arsenic levels in processed foods sweetened with brown rice syrup, which are often aimed at the “natural” foods market. EWG has concerns about the study and its interpretation in the media, the underlying issue of brown rice syrup remains. Read labels to avoid this sweetener wherever possible.
•Check your drinking water.

Arsenic taints drinking water in many parts of the United States. Check EWG’s Tap Water Database to see if it’s been detected in your water. If you drink well water, contact your local health department to find out if arsenic could be a problem in your well, or get it tested – it’s not expensive and it’s worth the investment.

What parents can do to protect babies and children:
•Instead of rice cereal as the first solid food for babies, try orange vegetables such as sweet potatoes and squash, bananas and avocados.

Parents were once advised to start infants with fortified rice cereals, which were touted as non-allergenic and nutritive, but nutritional guidance is shifting. With some exceptions, parents are no longer being encouraged to delay introducing potentially allergenic foods. Soft fruits, vegetables or even meats are great first sources of complementary nutrients for a breast- or formula-fed baby.
•Switch to non-rice baby cereals such as oatmeal or mixed grains.

Powdered cereals are convenient and often used to thicken baby purees, but Consumer Reports found more than 95 parts per billion of arsenic in every brand of infant rice cereals it tested, nearly ten times the legal limit for drinking water. Look for non-rice whole grain or oat cereals, or make your own by blending oats in a food processor and then cooking them with water.
•Limit certain fruit juices to a maximum of one-half to one cup a day.

Arsenic-based pesticides were used on fruit orchards in the early 1900s, and soil contamination remains an ongoing source of arsenic in tree fruits and grapes. Testing shows that some samples of apple, grape and pear juices and juice blends have moderate amounts of arsenic. And there’s another reason that pediatricians recommend limiting any and all juice in children’s diets: They’re high in sugar and can crowd out other foods that provide essential nutrients.
•Avoid brown rice syrup as a sweetener in processed kids’ foods.

The arsenic in rice is concentrated in rice syrup, which is sometimes used as a sweetener in snack bars, non-dairy beverages and one brand of toddler formula. In previous testing, the one toddler formula made with rice syrup, Nature’s Gate toddler formula, had high concentrations of arsenic in its dairy- and soy-based formulas. Consumer Reports noted that the company has recently found a source of rice syrup that is processed to remove arsenic for its dairy-based formula. (Look for use-by dates of January 2014 for Dairy with DHA & ARA, or July 2015 for Dairy.) Apparently the company has not yet addressed the issue of arsenic in its soy formula.
•Do not use rice milk as a dairy substitute for cow’s milk.

Britain’s Food Safety Authority cautions parents to avoid rice milk as a dairy alternative for toddlers from age 1 to 4½. Consumer Reports tested two common brands for arsenic and found that all samples exceeded EPA’s drinking water limit of 10 parts per billion. The range in rice milk was 17 to 70 parts per billion.

Look for other non-dairy drinks and make sure they don’t list rice syrup as a sweetener. In many cases, dairy-sensitive children can be given water and other dietary sources of calcium instead of a highly processed dairy substitute.

Hand Care
Because the skin on our hands is relatively thin, it’s one of the first places to show signs of aging. Try Ayurvedic beauty expert Pratima Raichur’s all natural treatment:

Bedtime Hand Mask: Make a mixture of 1 tablespoon of almond oil (which is nourishing) and 1 teaspoon of buttermilk (which is an astringent, gentle exfoliant), and massage it into your hands. Cover them with cotton gloves and go to sleep. In the morning, remove the gloves and rinse your hands. “This will help keep your hands soft and young-looking while strengthening the nails,” she explains.

Foot Care
By living indoors and wearing shoes during most of our waking hours, we have become more distanced from our feet than our ancestors, who knew the value of caring for their feet after a hard day’s work. Try these remedies:

Heel Soother: If your heel is dry and callused, Monisha Bharadwaj, author of Beauty Secrets of India, suggests blending 3 tablespoons of coconut milk (which has nourishing properties) with 1 teaspoon of chickpea flour (which acts as a “skin polisher”) into a fine paste and leave it on your heels for 15 minutes.

Foot Bath: For tired, dry feet, mix a handful of sea salt, 5 drops of clove oil, and 1 tablespoon of castor oil in a shallow bowl of warm water and soak the feet until the water is cold. “Salt and clove boost the circulation and castor oil softens hard skin on the heels and soles,” says Bharadwaj.

Tempeh

1 cup

41 grams protein

Seitan

3 ounces

31 grams protein

Soybeans, cooked

1 cup

29 grams protein

Lentils, cooked

1 cup

18 grams protein

Black beans, cooked

1 cup

15 grams protein

Kidney beans, cooked

1 cup

13 grams protein

Veggie burger

1 patty

13 grams protein

Chickpeas, cooked

1 cup

12 grams protein

Veggie baked beans

1 cup

12 grams protein

Pinto beans, cooked

1 cup

12 grams protien

Black-eyed peas, cooked

1 cup

11 grams protein

Tofu, firm

4 ounces

11 grams protein

Lima beans, cooked

1 cup

10 grams protein

Quinoa, cooked

1 cup

9 grams protein

Tofu, regular

4 ounces

9 grams protein

Peas, cooked

1 cup

9 grams protein

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), cooked

1/2 cup

8grams protein

Peanut butter

2 Tbsp

8 grams protein

Veggie dog

1 link

8 grams protein

Spaghetti, cooked

1 cup

8 grams protein

Almonds

1/4 cup

8 grams protein

Soy milk, commercial, plain

1 cup

7 grams protein

Soy yogurt, plain

6 ounces

6 grams protein

Bulgur, cooked

1 cup

6 grams protein

Sunflower seeds

1/4 cup

6 grams protein

Whole wheat bread

2 slices

5 grams protein

Cashews

1/4 cup

5 grams protein

Almond butter

2 Tbsp

5 grams protein

Brown rice, cooked

1 cup

5 grams protein

Spinach, cooked

1 cup

5 grams protein

Broccoli, cooked

1 cup

4 grams protein

Potato

1 med.
(6 oz)

4 grams protein

Sources: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, 2005 and manufacturers’ information.

The recommendation for protein for adult males vegans is around 56-70 grams per day; for adult female vegans it is around 46-58 grams per day.