Roasted Walnut Oil

The best thing you will ever eat, is Trader Joe's Roasted Walnut Oil. Hands DOWN. This morning, I poured some of this nutty-tasting, clear, light oil all over my spelt and bulgur wheat (best results come from pre-soaking the bulgur the night before, and pre-cooking the spelt either day of or night before). The walnut oil and grain consistency is heavenly. But Trader's Roasted Walnut Oil is incredible with almost anything. I soaked the remainder of a piece of bread in some of this stuff and it tastes better than any oil I've ever tried. Plus, it's healthy!! Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. I've acclimated my tastebuds to the oily alcholic taste of flaxseed oil, which is also a great source of the omega-3's, but if you're not a fan of flax or fish oils, and don't seem to enjoy chomping on whole walnuts, Roasted Walnut Oil is the answer. I could also see this oil pairing well with a vegetable salad, or mixing it in a tuna or chicken salad. You must buy Roasted Walnut Oil immediately. I have yet to try a different brand because the first time I ever experienced Roasted Walnut Oil was only two days ago when I purchased it from Trader's. No matter the brand, I don't think I will ever have a cabinet devoid of Roasted Walnut Oil again!

Mister Multi-task

In 1765, the sandwich was invented by John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, who gave the food its name. The Earl used to order roast beef between pieces of toast for a snack while he was at the gaming tables, it allowed him to keep one hand free to play while he ate.

Gym Woes

While I was rowing, I couldn’t concentrate because of a rotund woman [with what seemed like hotdog rolls for ankles] on a nearby elliptical machine. Slowly bopping up and down, she tilted her head in my direction and revealed an enormous toothy grin. I tried not to look over at her; however, that required some severe tilting of my neck to the left, which would not only cause a strain, but also make me look like an idiot. I couldn’t imagine what was so funny watching me row. Rowing is typically not a very humorous activity. I got up off of my machine, no longer able to ‘bear the stare.’ I hopped on a bike adjacent to the woman’s elliptical. I looked out toward the rowing machine—maybe there was a ‘kick me’ sign or a beehive under the wheel… All I could see was Conan on the TV above. And low and behold… I grinned.

Chirashi

For dinner tonight, I ate sushi with my parents. Eating with them is fun—mainly because, one, they order more than three human bodies can comfortably hold in one sitting, and two, they aren’t possessive over their food (which enables me to eat about a ¼ off mom’s plate, and then a ¼ off of dad’s). We ordered in tonight from a local Rockaway restaurant called, Osake. When eating with the ‘rents, I tend to adopt animalistic tendencies that I wouldn’t normally use in public. For example, I enjoy using chopsticks. But at home, I take complete comfort and pleasure in grabbing a thick piece of tuna with my little hand, smearing and smooshing it all around in soy and/or miso sauce, and then—only after it’s all “gujed-up,”—will I toss it deep into the back of my throat and feel it’s sliminess slither all the way down my esoph. Tonight I had Chirashi with brown rice—very easy to grip with the bare hand. See attached image.

New Favorite Blogs:

http://www.roboppy.net/food/
www.megnut.com

I want to eat with these women!

Plasmodium malariae

Infected RBCs

This is just the P. malariae-- not nearly as deadly as the full-blown malarial species of P. falciparum and P. vivax. Imagine what that'd do to you......

H. pylori

You do NOT want this.

My Bday in BED (4-29-06)

Location:
BED 530 W. 27th St. bet 10th and 11th, New York, NY

Some favorite pics from the night...

























GUEST LIST

Who's in BED?

I'll see you in BED!
104

· Marissa Beck (The Organizer)
· sheena.sahibdeen (+ 1 guest) (04/28)
You know I be there :) We're bringin it back this weekend!!!
· stephenmdalton (+ 1 guest) (04/28)
· michael_vinograd (04/28)
· joshua.b.cooper (+ 2 guests) (04/28)
· goombaa415 (04/27)
yo marissa i need a bed so hook me up babe
· chelseaegreene (+ 10 guests) (04/26)
Why on earth would I miss my Jewfrican sisters b-day party. You always come through for me so of course I want to get into bed with you. My husband and I and a few other sexy bedders will be joining us to celebrate you. And yes we want a bed of our own. Oh yea and I've got the cake covered.
· michelle (+ 1 guest) (04/25)
Feliz cumpleanos a mi cacuete!
· Jon (04/25)
· Matt (+ 22 guests) (04/24)
Heck yeah... anything to get into bed with the diesel beckanator. begly and i will be rolling 23 deep, so be prepared to get wild
· jmenezes (04/23)
· adamschneider.adam (04/23)
· sylvia.alonso (+ 1 guest) (04/23)
happy birthday!!!
· jvnyc5 (+ 1 guest) (04/22)
· dia (04/22)
· Stephanie (+ 1 guest) (04/22)
· lordnap20 (04/22)
· Erica (+ 3 guests) (04/22)
Let's relive the madrid craziness of your bday 2 years ago! YOU'RE 23! YOU'RE 23!! WOOO
· jatallah (+ 1 guest) (04/22)
Of course I'll be there puella
· alexeiw (04/22)
I can't wait to go to bed with all 48 people who have replied! I'm going to be pretty tired by the end of the night :-)
· afriedel (04/22)
· Joe Pontone (04/21)
· joe.clemente (+ 2 guests) (04/21)
· Reid (+ 1 guest) (04/21)
Bad Joke Kate, we all know you get no bunns. Camilo I dont know who your 2 guests are cause you only have one friend and I am already going (The AE does not count as 2 guests dick). Sorry about all this Riss, but I will be there.
· kate.rosenbaum (+ 3 guests) (04/21)
This location is perfect!!! Now I won't have to travel far to bring a guy back to "bed" with me. Ha, I crack myself up.
· donvincez (04/20)
· ianschimmel (04/18)
nigga bear, just got sunday the 30th off so im def coming. i might bring a little honey with me if its alright. prolly wont happen but just in case. well see if she keeps behaving. haha. see you soon baby!
· ravenallegra (04/18)
wooooooohooooooooo
· mdeccles (+ 1 guest) (04/18)
· gabyacalderon (04/18)
count me in b'day girl!
· crincon (+ 2 guests) (04/18)
with or without reid "i cream my pants over finance" ross, ill be there.... happy bday
· kelsey seals (+ 1 guest) (04/17)
wouldn't miss it ....nos vamos a la cama!! haaa
· cyrielle.jean (04/17)
deffff!!!
· lauren (04/17)
I be there!
· joncandidi (04/17)
· rachelcamilleyoung (04/17)
happy b day marissa! see u there....
· luke.murumba (04/17)
· ani.bagdasarian (04/16)
ohhlalala-- I'll be there my precious little chinchilla!
· gbuscaino (+ 3 guests) (04/16)
· dnicoledavis (04/16)
ill be in the city that weekend, yay!
· douglas.cress (04/16)
Vladimir Krestovich will be in attendance.
· snbeck683 (+ 2 guests) (04/15)
wouldn't miss it!!
· hall.colleen (04/15)
I'm in NYC this weekend!!!! But I'll def come back in 2 weeks just to be in Bed with you!
· melissateich (04/15)
i'm there !!! :)
· margo.rivera (04/15)
How is this night different than any other night??

Scallions

I just don't care how healthy scallions are. I don't care if they provide 997 IUs of Vit A, if they're a good source of folate, or if they're part of the healthy onion fam. Okay, GREAT, they provide more Vit C and beta-carotene than a full-grown onion. Wonderful, they're simple to cook with. Fabulous, they're easy to grow. But WHO REALLY CARES about how healthy these little green rascals are when they turn your fresh, neutral-tasting mouth into a warm, potent, lingering bath of "onion-ous" steam?

They look harmless, don't they. Don't be fooled. Chowhound's General Topics message board reveals:

"I'm a Chinese-American who grew up with Chinese cooking at home and loves all sorts of Asian cuisine. But I hate scallions, and can never order in an Asian restaurant without asking the staff, "can you make it without scallions?" Scallion pancakes, negimaki, blech! Then scallions started turning up in Italian pastas...aargh. My friend once made me an anti-scallion t-shirt."

And there you have it, folks. This smart person recognized the truth. Scallions are fooling people everyday. They know they are life's best kept secret upon how to scare away a flock of fellow friends... They want you to be alone, all alone. They haunt you while you sleep. Suddenly, scallion-breath will jolt you awake and no longer will you be able to re-kindle your pleasant dream about frolicking in the strawberry fields. You have been beaten. Scallions will win over us all if we don't put an end to their lure. They mask the truth behind a bland miso soup, a creamy cream cheese, an egg-white omelet... They're just a deceptive ploy to knock out any other taste bud in your mouth-- all so that Little Miss Scallion can govern your oral empire and take over the world!!!!!!!

METS, game 10. It's so addictive I just had to come back...

M-E-T-S

Peter and Margo : it got COLD...

The Game.

Pete, Margs, Doug, Me.


NYM vs. ATL. What did we do? WE WON 4-3, yes we did. In addition, we, (and when I say we, I mean: Doug C., Margo R., Pete S., and Yo) , learned the beauty of aluminum Bud bottles. Only it was too cold to appreciate the temp-control capabilities that the bottle so brilliantly demonstrates when in scorching heat...

MISTER MET

THIS IS MR. MET. He's probably some recent college grad.

Today, Teich and I went to game 9, Brewers v. Mets. Mets won 9-3, YEAAAA.

GREAT day for a game. Sun was shining, crowd was loud, fans as loyal as ever. Teich cracked peanuts all over the floor.

It's a good year to be a Met fan, let's go!

Bodies, the Exhibition

Went to BODIES, the exhibition, down at the South Street Seaport. Remarkable. A med-school student's study-haven. Words can't justify the likes of this exhibit. Nor do these pictures. But they're pretty good!

Here are some professional pictures taken off the internet. Some were taken at the exhibition down in Tampa, FL.


Night View from South Street Seaport taken with my cell, a little blurry.
My BODIES partner in crime, Doug.
This one is a definite favorite of mine. Because the muscles are peeled away from each other, you can see exactly where the origins and insertions occur.
This guy is split apart down the middle! And what's amazing is that it's all symmetrical. It's a cool shot because you can really see all of the organs well and how each fits together. You can also see just how gigantic the liver is compared to the rest of the organs.
Man with prosthetic skull, chin..
"The cadavers in 'Bodies' are preserved using a process called plastination, or plasticization. In the process body water and fats are replaced with liquid silicone rubber." -- John Roachfor National Geographic News
August 29, 2005

Smoker's lungs. UGHHHHH!!!!!!!

JACK LA LANNE

In the March/April edition of WebMD magazine, Michael W. Smith, MD interviewed Jack La Lanne, “the godfather of fitness,” and finds out his opinion on American health and fitness. Personally, I found the article to be both inspiring and comical. Below is the interview, plus my comments.

Michael W. Smith, MD: You had the first nationally syndicated exercise show on TV. What's been the biggest change in the U.S. attitude toward exercise since you became one of its first advocates?

Jack La Lanne: I had the first, modern health spa in the world --- 1936, can you believe that? I was the first one to have women working out with weights. Now, everything is fitness. Still, there are more fat people in America than there's ever been in our history.

Marissa Beck: Jack, you da man. Because of you, I am a jacked Arnoldina Schwarzenegger.

MWS: What's been the biggest change in nutrition?

JLL: I've been preaching this message about eating more fruits and vegetables and natural foods for 75 years. They used to call me a crackpot. Now the doctors are recommending it. It makes me feel so good. I feel like I've won a battle.

MB: Yes. You have won. Look at you; you’re in better shape than 75% of America’s college-age students!

MWS: You are almost 92. What's your current fitness routine?

JLL: I get up at 5 a.m. and work out for two hours. I lift weights for an hour and a half and I spend another half hour in the pool. I never miss my workout. And I hate it.

MB: I wanna know what you’re doing in that gym for an hour and a half. Back squats or something? WOW!

MWS: Did Jack LaLanne really just say he hates working out?

JLL: Yes! But I like the results. You've got to use your mind and body every day. You've got to sacrifice. It's use it or lose it. Life is wonderful. Life is fantastic. Anything in life that's meaningful, you've got to work at it.

MB: Best advice I heard in awhile. Reread that!!

MWS: How is your health right now?

JLL: Couldn't be better. I keep my wife smiling occasionally. Not like I did when I was 21, but everything still works.

MB: HOLD UP, back UP… “Everything still works.” If you’re still roughin’ it in between the sheets, Jack, I guess we know your secret. The real question is: who’s the wild, rabid animal you married?

MWS: What's the best health advice you've ever gotten?

JLL: I attended a health lecture when I was 15. I'll never forget it. The gentleman speaking said, "Anything in life is possible if you make it happen. You can be born again if you start eating properly." He got to me, boy. My eyes opened up. I was a full-blown sugarholic. That's why I dropped out of school for six months when I was 15. I was a trouble-maker. I was contemplating suicide. And when I quit eating sugar, my whole life changed. Boom! I started eating natural foods in their natural state. I wanted to be an athlete. I wanted the girls to like me. I wanted to have a nice body. I wanted to get rid of the headaches. And this man said I could do it.

MB: WHO IS HE??? TRACK HIM DOWN! Get that gentleman-speaker in ALL the American schools! I don’t care if he’s 124 years old!

MWS: What's your health philosophy?

JLL: I tell people living is a pain in the butt. Dying is easy. It's like an athletic event. You've got to train for it. You got to eat right. You got to exercise. You've got to have goals and challenges. Forget the good old days. What you do this moment controls the next moment. Your health account, your bank account, they're the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out.

MB: I like you Jack. A lot. Can we run away together?

MWS: What's your best health habit? Your worst?

JLL: My best is what I eat and the exercise. My worst is --- I don't have any.

MB: OH come on, you liar. You have to have ONE you’re not thinking about. I know. You don’t get much sleep because you’re rompin’ your wife every night. WOOP WOOP!

MWS: What do you eat for breakfast every day?

JLL: I eat two meals a day. At my 11 a.m. meal, I have a bunch of fruit, three to four pieces. And I'll have four egg whites. Would you get your dog up in the morning and give him a cup of coffee and a cigarette and a donut? Why, you'd kill the dog. You'd be amazed at how many people in America get up with a cup of coffee, a cigarette, and donut. And then they wonder why they're sick and tired. It's the wrong fuel for the human machine.

MB: Yeah, I agree about the dog. But what about YOU? Fruit and egg whites? Is that the magic food? Hey, I’m not arguing. You’re 92, I’m 22…

MWS: Do you take vitamins or supplements?

JLL: You kidding? I've been taking vitamins since I was 15 years old. I started juicing when I was 15. Have you seen my juicer commercial? That's one of the most successful things in the history of television.

MB: What do you take? Living pills? Enlighten us all.

MWS: Is it hard to go out to eat and follow your diet?

JLL: [My wife] Elaine and I eat out at a different restaurant every night of the year except Christmas and New Year's. I get there and I say, "I want 10 raw vegetables. I don't care what it costs." I don't tell my stomach I'm a poor man. I have a piece of fish, 3 or 4 ounces, and a salad. I bring my own soup because the soups in restaurants are terrible. And a banana or an apple. And maybe a glass of wine. I drink half red and half white zinfandel.

MB: Jack, that’s all nice for Seniors to do. But see how many friends I have left if I start traveling with soups and bananas. My snacks in tub-a-wares are hard enough!

MWS: What's your favorite part of your body?

JLL: I have never liked any part of my body. Even when I was Mr. America and won all those contests. When you get satisfied, you give up. Keep the carrot in front of the horse.

MB: Hmmm, I disagree. I like my nails, and I haven't given up. You better believe I maintain these beauties.

MWS: What do you look for in a doctor?

JLL: I go for younger ones. They're all up to date with the new things.

MB: HAHAHHAHA. Now we know why your wife has her umph.

MWS: What disease would you like to see eradicated in your lifetime?

JLL: Heart disease. That's one of the No. 1 killers. It comes from being f-a-t. F-a-tal. People need to make good food choices.

MB: TRUDAT

MWS: What is the solution for a fitter America?

JLL: It's in the schools. You've got to teach kids about nutrition, exercise and how it will make them more beautiful. You've got to teach it like everything else. What the hell good is all your money and education, if all you end up with is a Ph.D. and you're constipated, you've got no energy, your sex life is gone? The only important thing in life is your health and your body. Can you make love to your money?

MB: This is the truest statement I have ever heard. He speaks like it is. Kids don’t think health is the #1. They think $$ is. Here's what I think about business-high rollers. They make tons of money working long hours, working like dogs... They end their days with a wadful of cash in their pockets, but they have to use most of it later on in life to fix all of the health problems that they could have easily prevented earlier on in their lives if only they took some required personal time out during the day for themselves. I say, PUT SOME SAVINGS INTO THE HEALTH BANK ACCOUNT, TOO!

For the full interview, go to www.webmd.com and search "Jack La Lanne"

Two favorite sites of the day:

Grocery Store Wars.. Join the Organic Rebellion

Look closely...

Got Flava?

David Burke, a leading NYC chef (now inventor), created what he believes to be the next best thing to chocolate cake. Sit down, drum roll your thigh, and take a deep breath…

A “SPRAY” chocolate cake!

Need I say more?

I should probably end this blog entry RIGHT ABOUT HERE.

But I’m just so excited right now I could hardly contain my typing-fingers.

Just imagine... A luscious piece of chocolate cake in your mouth, without the cals, carbs, cholesterol, sugar, or fat. Finally, you can have your cake, eat it too—AND get out of jail for free! And according to Burke, it will, “…eliminate your cravings.”

Well, put aside your chuck-box full of Hydroxycut, Hollywood Miracle Diet, and Wow potato chips, and sign up for the FLAVA ride!!!

Can’t stand the sarcasm? Neither can I.

Ready for… the catch?

You’re probably now expecting me to berate Burke’s Flavor Spray, tear apart every last ingredient that could possibly be inside of this chemically loaded squirt gun, and put him to shame…

Well, lucky you, I do not have the ingredient list in my pocket for an on-hand attack. But I do have a list of countless flavors that I am thrilled to ridicule at my leisure. And boy do I have the leisure…

I haven’t tried a “flavor spray,” myself, nor do I have a dying urge to run out and load up my cabinets with them, but I'll play the role of the unfair critic anyway.

Here are a list of some of Burke's fine Flavor Sprays (and my very informative commentary)

1. Parmesan Cheese Spray – Riiiight, you try to convince Mama Italiana to have her Rigatoni à la Spray…

2. Pesto Spray – sure, I could see this working—if you add in your own pine nuts and oil, that is…

3. Smoked Bacon Spray – the spray has to be better than the real thing…

4. Caramelized Onion Spray – Who cares?

5. Ketchup Spray – Why?

6. Buttery Spray - Didn’t we have enough when I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® came out with “spray butter” ? Apparently not…

7. Memphis BBQ Spray – Okay, you tell one of your BBQ buddies to substitute “spray” on their ribs, that’ll go over well.

8. Ice Blue Salt Spray – What the %$*# is this? Do I spray this into my pool?

9. Apple Pie Spray – What are you, an All-American traitor?

10. Pepper City Spray – can I use this instead of Mace?

11. Raspberry Bubblegum Spray – Clue a girl in, this spray goes on… ???

12. Marshmallow Spray – Can I toast this?

13. Cheesecake Spray – no comment.

14. Chocolate Fudge Spray – next.

15. Kiwi Spray – I’m confused. This WONDROUS fruit is cholesterol-free, saturated fat-free, high in fiber, high in vitamin C, a good source of potassium, a good source of vitamin E, sodium-free… and you want to spray it?

16. Mango Spray – ditto.

17. Pinapple Spray – sacrilege.

18. Blueberry Spray – have fun missing out on one of the world’s healthiest foods…


References:
(http://www.flavorspraydiet.com/shop.html)

AFLATOXIN

That sounds scary, doesn’t it? AFLATOXIN. Especially in cap locks. AFLATOXIN. That’s what they do to you, the “health field.” They make you sick to your stomach worrying about all of the potent carcinogens out there, such as AFLATOXIN, to the point where all of the worrying, stress, anxiety, and unnecessary vigilance your body undergoes is probably just as damaging as the actual ingestion of the carcinogen, itself.

What is AFLATOXIN, you wonder? To be precise, it is produced by a couple of fungi, namely, Aspergillus Flavus, and is a naturally occurring mold (or as we health professionals like to use in order to scare people: TOXIN) found on food products such as peanuts, corn, and peanut butter. It’s also been said to linger on pecans, pistachios and walnuts, in addition to milk, grains, soybeans and some spices.

Scared already? Let’s thank our favorite health “expert,” Dr. Weil, a leader in the current health-anxiety-movement, aka, FREAK people out 24 hours of the day and make TONS of money off of it.

According to Dr. Weil’s Q&A segment on his homepage, published October 22, 2002, “Aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen, known to cause liver cancer in laboratory animals and may contribute to liver cancer in Africa where peanuts are a dietary staple.”

Thanks, thanks for the update. Clearly, now that you have told me this pertinent piece of information, I will stay far, far away from anything that could contain AFLATOXIN so that I may reduce my cancer risks… As a matter of fact, while I’m at it, why don’t I also read up on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Report on Carcinogens, headed by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which I have trusted as a very reputable source, and figure out all of the other crap that’s going to kill me. To name a few:

Saccharin, Ethyl acrylate, Environmental tobacco smoke, Tobacco smoking, Smokeless tobacco, Consumption of alcoholic beverages, Solar UV radiation and exposure to sunlamps and sunbeds, Crystalline silica, Strong inorganic acid mists containing sulfuric acid, Dyes metabolized to benzidine, 1,3-Butadiene, Cadmium and cadmium compounds, Ethylene oxide, Tamoxifen, Diesel exhaust particulates, Isoprene, Chloroprene, Phenolphthalein, Tetrafluoroethylene, Trichloroethylene. (Reference: 2000. Fact Sheet: The "Report on Carcinogens" - 9th edition. National Institutes of Health news release. (May 15). Available at http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/may2000/niehs-15.htm.)

Like most health info out there on the internet, news papers, magazines, I feel like our fears about aflatoxins, amongst many other carcinogenic substances, have been severely exaggerated. I am not taking anything away from the possibly carcinogenic effect of aflatoxin. Nor am I going to start smoking a pack of cigs per day and sit out in the sun for hours without consciously being aware that, yes, I am indeed killing myself.

But MY GOD, scare us and scare us some more so that we may become lab rats, ourselves, testing our own skin, hair, intestines, feet, and nails for fungi and tumors and lesions so that we can live our lives in constant fear and look up to Dr. Weil like he’s Big Brother.

Using the same safety measures as we would with any type of fresh food that we eat, I’d say that the moral of this story is to check your food for mold, sniff it for weird fungi-like odors, and put your goddamn peanut butter in the fridge!!!!!!!!!

Do our Bodies have "Body-Wisdom" ?

Last night, I sat in on a nutrition course at Columbia University in Teachers College. The course was called: Food, nutrition and behavior. It focused on the physiological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors that affect eating behaviors and the development of individual and cultural food patterns.

It certainly had me thinking about whether or not humans have the ability to physiologically self-select certain foods. In other words, do humans have the natural ability to know which nutrients their bodies are deficient in, and can humans naturally choose these nutrients in order to avoid deficiency. Koala Bears are more specific eaters—they eat eucalyptus leaves. Pandas eat bamboo. There is no need to self-select. Humans, rats, and cockroaches can eat everything. This is why the “body wisdom” argument is valid. Having not read any of the research, the discussion still sparked some thoughts on my end:

1. If one were to contend that we do have this so-called "body wisdom," I think the answer could be found within taste. If "we eat what we like," then, aside from our knowledge-base about foods and how we use this knowledge to select foods, our tongues do much of the choosing for us. Maybe some tongues have a keener internal detector and recognition system than others! MAYBE, Darwin's survival of the fittest arguement is "fitting." Those with the "superior taste buds," (who enjoy the taste of avocado, olives, whole grains…etc) perhaps are more predisposed to healthier eating. I don't know, just a thought.

2. Now we add in the knowledge factor, and using this knowledge about foods to our health advantage. People could be conscious about health foods and its effects—AND STILL NOT SELECT A NUTRITIOUS DIET. Does this have to do with body wisdom and where does psychology come in? How do we distinguish between physiological hungers for specific foods from mental hunger for specific foods?

3. How do guilty pleasures fit into this puzzle? Although some would certainly beg to differ, I don't think we have physiological NEEDS for chocolate, and yet the "mental deficiency" is so powerful that it can be misinterpreted as a physiological need or DEPENDENCY. Maybe this should fall under the relationship between tastes of foods to neurological responses…

4. Also, when given an array of choices, kids opt for the sweeter tastes of milk and fruit. This could in part be due to the sweet palatable tastes of the lactose and fructose sugars. But what if kids' body-wisdom is directing them toward the foods that they need most. I actually feel that kids DO have body wisdom here—aside from taste. Since kids' bodies are constantly growing and need more energy, their bodies might internally select foods that will convert into quick energy. This way, kids can match their nutritional needs with their energy needs. Therefore, I really think a strong argument can be made for physiological self-selection of food, at least in this case.

5. Animals try to avoid deficiency. Understandable. Random choice allows animals to fulfill certain deficiencies. Absolutely. Based solely upon this exact principle, restrictive diets will NEVER work. Providing this simple, logical, and yet influential piece of information can perhaps help the Great Dieters of America.

Eating Contests

My friend, Raven, and I were watching Nathan's Famous Hot dog Eating Contest and all of the work that goes into it prior to competition. In one word: it's INTENSE. There is a method to the madness, or as I like to put it, an art to "stuffing one's face."

The good competitors know that they need to adequately prepare their stomachs for the massive quantities of food that will enter into it. This means inflating it with excessive amounts of water, fibrous foods, and anything else that distends the stomach.

Kobayashi, aka "The Tsunami," secured his fifth straight win on July 4, 2005, by consuming 49 Nathan's Famous hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes. Although he weighs in at only 144 pounds, he has mastered the art of food stuffing. According to Kobayashi, this is because he is an ultra fitness and health buff. He believes that in order for his body to metabolize and stuff in the food, he needs to be in excellent condition.

Okay, is it me, or... WHEN DID SOMEONE NEED TO BE ULTRA FIT TO STUFF THEIR FACE PROPERLY???????? Call me bizarre, but isn't ultra fat more fitting??????

I was also under the impression that larger individuals do not have proper amounts of the hormone "leptin," (from the Greek leptos, meaning thin) which is involved in the important effects in regulating body weight, metabolism and reproductive function. So, wouldn't Kobayashi's lean, muscular body have lots of this hormone???? Wouldn't his body physically be unable to consume as much as the 280 lb pack of meat to his right???

In any case, I guess our bodies have physical limits. Some have seemingly transgressed these, h0wever.

If you haven't already figured it out, I really like food.

But I also like the way people relate to their food--culturally, nutritionally, emotionally...

I've noticed that our culture is continuously trying to use food as a vehicle for new trends, weight loss, weight gain... And suddenly, we find ourselves believing every fad diet, Hollywood drink, or "bun" machine that will magically erase the years of pie and cake from your thighs-- in, oh, about three days.

How convenient. So convenient, YOU FORGOT TO LOSE.

Adopt a "my way or the highway" mentality. Don’t allow these crazy new OR old diets get in the way of your own lifestyle and the way you want to eat. Don’t be scared that you’re eating the wrong thing, or doing the wrong thing. Unless you are licking the nonstick spray off your pans, I’m sure you’ll survive. Granted, there are a number of foods out there on the shelves that actually HAVE the same ingredients in them as a nonstick cooking spray—but unless you live in a bubble of people that all share the same values on food, exercise and diet, it is very rare that you will be able to stick to a restrictive meal plan that these fad diets advocate.

AMERICA is a mixing pot of ethnicities, cultures, foods, people—we are not one nation under the same religion, with the same dietary values. The beauty of this country is that so many cultures ARE actually surrounding us. Sure, you may find picky food connoisseurs attack a restaurant for failing to produce an "authentic" Peking duck, as it lacks proper amounts of bitterness to the sauce... But otherwise, how wonderful it is that we can join a diverse population, by the culturally different types of food we eat.

The POINT is that when we live in a culture that embraces myriad foods, it isn’t too realistic to restrict food groups and the like (unless, of course, you have cornered yourself off from the magical and diverse world we have out there, in which case you are depriving yourself in more ways other than "dietetically.") Macrobiotic diets are definitely healthy. Diets that emphasize whole grains, vegetables and legumes are certainly something to strive for. Limiting saturated and trans fats in the diet is surely something to take note of. The amount of nutritional information out there is endless—anyone can look up how to eat healthily. You don’t need a diet or book or nutritionist to tell you that part. Then what’s stopping America from just doin’ it already?????

EVERYONE has their own ideas on that one. Processed foods, oversized portions, lack of physical activity, lack of education, sugar, trans fat, you name it…yada yada yada. All of these answers are probably correct. But before I put my two cents on the table, let me propose this question to my inquisitive reader: When you have Q-tips in your draw the size of a large shoebox, do you think twice about using two or three or maybe even four? What do you do when there is A LOT of something around you? Conserving some for later isn’t usually your first thought. A family-styled meal of raviolis comes out of the kitchen at Mambo Italiano’s. First thought? “There’s enough ravioli’s here for my family, the fam to the right of us, AND for the army in Iraq.” So you pack about 15 of them in your mouth, and waddle out of the restaurant blaming the cooks for serving so much pasta.

Wouldn’t it be GREAT if we could just blame the cooks at restaurants? Problem is, when they actually serve you a regular portion of, let’s say, a piece of fish, you’ll be rattling off your mouth post-meal about how expensive the place was, “for two measly bites of a piece of salmon!” And so when you get home, you scarf down the icecream in your freezer to equal out the calories you lost at your proportionally correct meal at dinner.

Now if only you had realized that you CAN save some for later. The “save some for later” notion is something anyone can do. Carry around a small tub-a-ware if your eyes are larger than your belly, and fill it up—for later! Maybe later, you’ll realize you were full off of a certain amount… We forget the power of the doggy bag.

Moderation is the word we all are sick and tired of hearing. But it’s a good word. The phrase ALL things in moderation—the biggest oxymoron of them all—is truly "moronic." SOME things in moderation would make the phrase candid. There will always be that moment when family dinners overwhelm you. Hence, SOME.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE:

You are like a snowflake, thank you comedian Lewis Black, and you are different from the other snowflakes. So what makes you think you can have the same eating plan as me? Or him? Or her? Or your mother? YOU CAN’T!! You can’t, my friend, you can’t. So don’t try to follow Cousin Emma, stalking her in order to mimic her “dietal” habits! Because have you forgotten? Emma is allergic to peanuts and can’t eat peanut butter. That’s a shame… Peanut butter is good, healthy too—and you sure like peanut butter. So have the thing! Just EAT IT! Eat it and forget about it. It digests, it does so like this: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx!!!!!!!