BLOGshare!: Do You Want To Eat 'Pink Slime' In Your Meat???

BLOGshare!: Do You Want To Eat 'Pink Slime' In Your Meat???: The USDA is reportedly set to announce that schools will be able to opt out of serving burgers made with the additive nicknamed "p...

Do You Want To Eat 'Pink Slime' In Your Meat???

The USDA is reportedly set to announce that schools will be able to opt out of serving burgers made with the additive nicknamed "pink slime" (which does not look like soft-serve ice cream). (Beef Products Inc / Associated Press)

"Pink slime" -- the ground beef additive maligned by a celebrity chef and incorrectly depicted in an Internet image as a fluffy pink concoction resembling soft-serve ice cream -- may not be appearing on your child's lunch tray come fall.

And that would be news to celebrate were it not for a new study suggesting, as The Times recently reported, that all red meat is bad for you anyway.

A spokesman with the USDA'S Food Safety and Inspection Service confirmed to The Times that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be making an announcement Thursday concerning the food additive and the national school lunch program.

An Associated Press report earlier in the day, citing an unnamed official at the USDA (apparently no one wants to be tainted by "pink slime"), said the agency would announce that schools will be able to choose between 95% lean beef patties made with the additive or bulk ground beef without it -- that is less lean.

Apparently, you can't have your non-pink-slime beef and have it be lean too.
Chef Jamie Oliver has said that what the USDA and the meat industry call "lean beef trimmings" really are "all of the bits that no one wants." Then ammonium hydroxide is mixed in to kill bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella.

Steven Cohen, director of media relations at the International Food Information Council, a Washington-based nonprofit backed by food, beverage and agricultural companies, recently provided some information about the ammonium hydroxide process. Tidbits include:

--Ammonium hydroxide was affirmed safe by the FDA in 1974 after an extensive review.

--Ammonium hydroxide is used as a "direct food additive" extensively in items including "baked goods, cheese, chocolates" and more.

So why are so many people appalled by its use in food?

Likely because ammonium hydroxide is also used as a "sanitizer in many household and industrial cleaners."

Yep, that'll do it.

So, which is worse -- leaner beef with the FDA-approved additive? Or the alternative?

The Times has calls and emails out to several food industry sources and is awaiting opinions.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-pink-slime-usda-announcement-20120315,0,6500521.story

BLOGshare!: New Study Says ALL Red Meat Is Bad For You

BLOGshare!: New Study Says ALL Red Meat Is Bad For You: Eating red meat — any amount and any type — appears to significantly increase the risk of premature death, according to a long-range study...

New Study Says ALL Red Meat Is Bad For You

Eating red meat — any amount and any type — appears to significantly increase the risk of premature death, according to a long-range study that examined the eating habits and health of more than 110,000 adults for more than 20 years.

Eating any amount and any type of red meat increases the risk of premature death, a new study says.

For instance, adding just one 3-ounce serving of unprocessed red meat — picture a piece of steak no bigger than a deck of cards — to one's daily diet was associated with a 13% greater chance of dying during the course of the study.

Even worse, adding an extra daily serving of processed red meat, such as a hot dog or two slices of bacon, was linked to a 20% higher risk of death during the study.

"Any red meat you eat contributes to the risk," said An Pan, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and lead author of the study, published online Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Crunching data from thousands of questionnaires that asked people how frequently they ate a variety of foods, the researchers also discovered that replacing red meat with other foods seemed to reduce mortality risk for study participants.

Eating a serving of nuts instead of beef or pork was associated with a 19% lower risk of dying during the study. The team said choosing poultry or whole grains as a substitute was linked with a 14% reduction in mortality risk; low-fat dairy or legumes, 10%; and fish, 7%.

Previous studies had associated red meat consumption with diabetes, heart disease and cancer, all of which can be fatal. Scientists aren't sure exactly what makes red meat so dangerous, but the suspects include the iron and saturated fat in beef, pork and lamb, the nitrates used to preserve them, and the chemicals created by high-temperature cooking.

The Harvard researchers hypothesized that eating red meat would also be linked to an overall risk of death from any cause, Pan said. And the results suggest they were right: Among the 37,698 men and 83,644 women who were tracked, as meat consumption increased, so did mortality risk.

In separate analyses of processed and unprocessed meats, the group found that both types appear to hasten death. Pan said that at the outset, he and his colleagues had thought it likely that only processed meat posed a health danger.

Carol Koprowski, a professor of preventive medicine at USC's Keck School of Medicine who wasn't involved in the research, cautioned that it can be hard to draw specific conclusions from a study like this because there can be a lot of error in the way diet information is recorded in food frequency questionnaires, which ask subjects to remember past meals in sometimes grueling detail.

But Pan said the bottom line was that there was no amount of red meat that's good for you.

"If you want to eat red meat, eat the unprocessed products, and reduce it to two or three servings a week," he said. "That would have a huge impact on public health."

A majority of people in the study reported that they ate an average of at least one serving of meat per day.

Pan said that he eats one or two servings of red meat per week, and that he doesn't eat bacon or other processed meats.

Cancer researcher Lawrence H. Kushi of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland said that groups putting together dietary guidelines were likely to pay attention to the findings in the study.

"There's a pretty strong supposition that eating red meat is important — that it should be part of a healthful diet," said Kushi, who was not involved in the study. "These data basically demonstrate that the less you eat, the better."

UC San Francisco researcher and vegetarian diet advocate Dr. Dean Ornish said he gleaned a hopeful message from the study.

"Something as simple as a meatless Monday can help," he said. "Even small changes can make a difference."

Additionally, Ornish said, "What's good for you is also good for the planet."

In an editorial that accompanied the study, Ornish wrote that a plant-based diet could help cut annual healthcare costs from chronic diseases in the U.S., which exceed $1 trillion. Shrinking the livestock industry could also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and halt the destruction of forests to create pastures, he wrote.

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-red-meat-20120313,0,565423.story

'Cars Land'---Opening June 15th at Disney California Adventure!

Yesterday, Disney President and CEO Bob Iger and I stepped behind the construction walls at Disney California Adventure park for a hard-hat tour of Buena Vista Street and Cars Land, two of the most significant elements that will cap off our multi-year expansion of the park. Led by the extraordinary team of Imagineers working on this project, Bob and I were completely blown away by the level of artistry, creativity and attention to detail of the work done so far and can’t wait for all of our Disneyland Resort guests to finally experience it firsthand.

Our day started on Buena Vista Street where we rode the iconic Red Car Trolley, explored the storefronts that line the street and then continued on to the Carthay Circle Theatre, the new icon of Disney California Adventure park. This new entrance to the park will transport guests to a romantic, idealized version of 1920s Hollywood when Walt and Roy Disney first arrived in California to begin their careers as filmmakers. Buena Vista Street will be the perfect place for guests to shop and eat, watch the parade, or just sit and soak up the atmosphere.

Then we headed to Cars Land, and when we got to the entrance of this all-new, 12-acre land, Bob and I both stopped to simply take in the stunning view before us. From the majesty of the Ornament Valley Mountain Range in the distance to the craftsmanship of each of the buildings in Radiator Springs, Cars Land is going to be a truly spectacular addition to the park.

We wandered down Route 66 looking at all of the familiar hot spots from the films that are just about complete – Ramone’s House of Body Art, Flo’s V8 Café, the Cozy Cone Motel and Luigi’s Casa della Tires, just to name a few. We ended the tour with a test ride on two of the new attractions in Cars Land, Luigi’s Flying Tires and Radiator Springs Racers, which are both going to be huge hits with our guests.

As we approach the finish line of our expansion of Disney California Adventure park, I am extremely proud of the passion, creativity and innovation that have gone into this entire project over the last several years. When we’re done, this park will be a testament to what we at Disney Parks do best – connect our guests to the iconic stories, characters and music they love…making memories that will last a lifetime.

And now for some big news – I’m pleased to officially announce that the grand opening of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and Carthay Circle Theatre will take place on June 15, 2012!




http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2012/03/taking-a-tour-of-cars-land-buena-vista-street-and-carthay-circle-theatre-opening-june-15-at-disney-california-adventure-park/?CMP=SOC-DLRUSENFY12Q2FBDM0283

Would Piers Morgan have thought Kirk Cameron equally brave if his comments were racist instead of homophobic?

Kirk Cameron: GLAAD's Campaign Against His Antigay Remarks

As a response to antigay remarks made by former teen idol Kirk Cameron during a talk show appearance last night, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has launched an online action for people to show their disapproval.

During an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan last night, the former Growing Pains star-turned evangelist said he views homosexuality as being "unnatural... detrimental, and ultimately destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization." Cameron spoke out against same-sex marriage, saying, "Marriage is almost as old as dirt, and it was defined in the garden between Adam and Eve. One man, one woman for life till death do you part. So I would never attempt to try to redefine marriage. And I don't think anyone else should either."

Herndon Graddick of the media watchdog group immediately issued a statement, saying “With an increasing number of states recognizing marriage equality, Americans are seeing that marriage is about committed couples who want to make a lifelong promise to take care of and be responsible for each other and that gay and lesbian couples need equal security and legal protections. That’s not ‘redefining’ anything.”

A page titled Where Are They Now is now on GLAAD's website and encourages readers to make their disagreement with Cameron's comments known. The page includes link to a petition to sign, notifying Cameron that he is no longer your idol and it's time for him to grow up.

GLAAD also lists actors who once costarred with Cameron on Growing Pains, but who support LGBT equality, including Brad Pitt, Leonardo Dicaprio, Hillary Swank, and Joanna Kerns. The site also includes information from a Field Poll released last Wednesday that reveals 59% of California voters now approve of same-sex marriage.

Watch Cameron's interview here.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2012/03/03/Kirk_Cameron_GLAAD_Campaign/

Marine kiss: Photo called both a beginning and 'closure'

Sgt. Brandon Morgan, right, is embraced by his boyfriend Dalan Wells in a helicopter hangar at a Marine base in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii upon returning from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan in this photo shot Feb. 22. It's gone viral after first being posted to a Facebook page. (David Lewis / Associated Press)

In just under a week, a photo of a Marine sergeant kissing his boyfriend after returning from a six-month deployment to Afghanistan has been "liked" on Facebook more than 42,000 times and garnered more than 10,000 comments -- most of them supportive.

Sgt. Brandon Morgan, a 25-year-old from Oakdale, Calif., returned to Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Feb. 22 from his third deployment in four years and was met by his boyfriend, Dalan Wells.
A friend snapped the photo, which depicts Morgan with his legs wrapped around Wells, an American flag in the background.

It was later posted on the "Gay Marines" Facebook page; from there, the photo went viral.
"It's a homecoming picture -- gay, straight, lesbian, no matter who you are, love is love," Morgan told Hawaii TV station KHON. "We haven't fought for more rights or better rights than others. We fought for equal rights, and now we have them."
Homecoming photos of military members are common, but Morgan and Wells' photo is among the first showing a gay couple expressing affection since the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy five months ago.

In December, two female sailors in Norfolk, Va., shared a homecoming kiss that landed on the front page of some U.S. newspapers, including the Seattle Times and the Virginian-Pilot. The two had been chosen by raffle for the Navy's "first kiss" honor, and the ship's commanding officer said at the time that the crew's reaction was positive.

That media coverage led to a barrage of commentary -- both positive and negative. But in Morgan's case, the photo was circulated largely without the help of print media, with thousands of people sharing the photo and with blog posts calling attention to it.

Morgan told the Associated Press he didn't intend the photograph to go viral and that he looks forward to such homecomings becoming commonplace.
“We all know this will die down and become the norm. It is the norm — everyone is allowed, no matter who you are, to have a homecoming now,” he told the wire service.

The founder of the Facebook page, Brett Edward Stout, a former Marine, posted a video message after the photo began circulating. He explained that the page, created while the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was still in place, was intended to give gay military members a voice.
"What I didn't expect was that the page did have one last role to play in the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' fight: closure," Stout said. The photo of Morgan and Wells, he said struck "close to home" and gave gay military members "catharsis."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-gay-marine-kiss-20120302,0,2473199.story

Addictions: How DO You STOP That??!

Almost every day I hear a friend—or a patient—talk about being “addicted” to something: chocolate, exercise, email, a TV show. Are these really addictions? No—not if you follow the classic definition of addiction—but they’re still potentially problematic.  

 

Let me explain: Addiction, by definition, means being psychologically and physically dependent on something. If you’re addicted to alcohol, tobacco or drugs, for example, you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms like a rise in blood pressure, nausea, sweating and tremors if you stop taking it. That’s because these substances change body and brain chemistry.

Nowadays, many people also use the term “addiction” to refer to a “need” to repeat a behavior such as gambling, eating, having sex, exercising, working, shopping or surfing the Internet. These things are technically compulsions, not addictions. If a compulsive gambler doesn’t get to the casino, he might feel uncomfortable, but he’s not going to get the shakes.

Of course, a compulsion can be quite serious—just imagine a gambler who finds himself in significant debt or someone who keeps having affairs despite the toll that it’s taking on her marriage. The important question isn’t whether something really is an “addiction,” but whether or not it’s having a destructive impact on your life. If you’re simply a zealous fan of Glee, it’s probably not destructive (unless you’re so obsessed that you’re missing your best friend’s wedding to watch the show). But plenty of compulsive eaters and shoppers can wreak havoc on their health, relationships or financial security.

One of my patients, Kate (names have been changed to protect privacy), often spoke of her intractable shoe addiction. An outgoing woman in her mid- 40s, she revealed that she had many more shoes than she could use or afford— and yet she found it nearly impossible to pass up a pair that caught her eye. When she was stressed out, she bought shoes. When she felt sad, she bought shoes.

If Kate forced herself not to buy shoes for a week or two, she did not get physically ill. But she was rarely able to resist shoe shopping for much longer than that, even though she had racked up so much debt that her family was in danger of losing their house and her husband was thinking of leaving her.

Another patient, a 33-year-old woman named Meg, came to me as a “last resort” before getting gastric bypass surgery. A compulsive eater, she had been secretly eating entire bags of candies, cookies and chips for years. She frequently ate until she felt sick. As soon as she finished cramming in the food, she was immediately overcome with guilt. She knew that overeating was slowly killing her, but she couldn’t stop.

What causes compulsions?A number of different factors—biological and environmental—can play a role. First of all, we think there is a genetic component, since compulsive behaviors seem to recur in families. Meg, for example, mentioned that her 15-year-old son was playing video games day and night, and his grades, friendships and sleep habits were suffering—all signs that he was developing a compulsion, too. An imbalance of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters may also be to blame. And you can also be genetically predisposed to having this imbalance.
Compulsions also often go hand in hand with anxiety and depression. The excitement of gambling, the comfort of eating, the high of the purchase all temporarily drown out feelings of sadness and worry. But of course as soon as the moment is over, that bad feeling returns, and so does the urge to repeat the soothing behavior.

Experts also think that in some cases, compulsive behaviors trigger the same neurological pathways and pleasure centers in the brain as drugs do, hence the feeling of a “high” when you perform them. Unfortunately, the more you activate those pathways, the stronger they become, making it extremely difficult to quit. Your environment makes a difference, too. If you saw your mother relieving tension by repeating a behavior (like cleaning, shopping or eating), you might do the same.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with occasionally (or even regularly) enjoying many of these behaviors. So how do you know when it’s crossed the line? Ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you preoccupied with planning and doing the behavior?For example, are you having trouble concentrating on and/or are behind at work because you’re spending time shopping online and/or taking long lunch breaks to shop?
2. Is the behavior negatively affecting one or more areas of your life?Are you fighting with your husband over debt you have from shopping?
3. Are you secretive about the behavior most of the time? Do you keep the shopping bags in the car and sneak them inside later?
4. Have you tried your best to stop the behavior but couldn’t (or stopped for a bit only to restart)?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be struggling with a compulsive behavior and need some help.

Though seeing a psychotherapist is likely your best bet, there are some things you can try on your own:

Start by admitting that you have a problemYou can’t address quitting until you’re honest with yourself. In this same vein, it can be very helpful to tell someone else (like a spouse or close friend) that you think you have a problem. This makes it more concrete and easier to deal with. And it makes you more accountable for taking steps to change it.

Think about what’s driving the behaviorUnderstanding the reasons and emotions behind your behavior will help you focus on working through those issues. Are you hitting the gym night and day to avoid looking heavy as you age? Are you constantly surfing the Internet because you’re feeling depressed and lonely and want to be distracted by something?

Try to interrupt or at least postpone the behaviorIf you find yourself going to check Facebook yet again, try to hold back for one hour. You don’t have to postpone it longer and longer each time. It’s better to be erratic about it, so the next time delay by 2 hours, then 10 minutes, then a full day. This helps you feel some control over the behavior; the point is to remind yourself that you’re in charge, not your compulsive behavior.

Change the way you do itIf you can’t stop eating sweets every day, try having an apple or granola bar every time you want that candy bar. (You’re still eating, but you’re eating something else.) Do your exercise routine out of order. This can help shake up the ritualistic nature of compulsive behavior—which is part of why we keep going back to it; it becomes a habit.
For some compulsions (like gambling or eating candy), you may find that it’s best to stop doing it completely because even a little bit of it will throw you back into a pattern.

 

Finally, if you feel you need more help, consider seeing a therapist. A combination of psychotherapy— to understand the roots of the behavior— and cognitive-behavioral therapy—to give you tools to change the actual behavior—is often what works best. In Kate’s case, we were able to work through her shoe-shopping compulsion by focusing on her underlying depressed mood. She still struggles from time to time, but she has greatly benefited from individual as well as group therapy sessions (not dissimilar to AA).

Sometimes, medication can also help. If a compulsive behavior is serious and doesn’t get better with talk therapy, a psychiatrist may prescribe an antidepressant. These drugs affect levels of serotonin and norepinephrine—two brain chemicals that have been linked to compulsive behavior as well as the anxiety and depression that may accompany it.
Gail Saltz, MD , a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital, a TODAY show contributor and author of Becoming Real and Anatomy of a Secret Life

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/42382372/ns/today-today_health/

5 Things NOT To Do On Airplanes!

Every time you get on an airplane, it's a crap shoot. No, I'm not talking about safety but rather the person you'll be sitting next to. All walks of life end up flying at one point or another. Maybe you're stuck sitting next to someone who doesn't quite understand that his actions impact others around him. Or maybe YOU are that person.

 

For that reason, I thought it would be fun to go through the top five things you really shouldn't do on an airplane.

1. No bare feet -- It should go without saying that being cooped up on an airplane with others mere inches from you is painful enough with everyone clothed. Just because it's a long flight does not mean you can get as comfortable as you get at home. Sure, go ahead and kick your shoes off, but you better be wearing socks. And if your feet smell, put those shoes right back on to make sure that you contain the stink. This one applies in all classes. I was in business class on a flight last year where the seats were angled out. Sure enough, a guy across the way put his bare feet right up there for all to see (and smell) as they walked down the aisle. Don't do it.

2. Don't abuse the recline -- Coach passengers have few things that they can control in the flying experience, but one is the angle of their seats. For most, there is a realization that if you recline your seat, it will impact the person behind you. There are those few gems out there, however, who simply don't care and jack that seat back as far as it will go. You have the right to recline, but try to be considerate. Don't be that guy who sees a cart rolling down the aisle with dinner on that long flight and decides to lean back. It's hard enough to eat on an airplane, but it's impossible with the seat bending back into your face. (Note: Some airlines have seats that recline into themselves, so go ahead and recline away in those. You'll only impact your own legroom.)

3. Don't be an overhead hog -- Everyone knows that there is likely going to be more demand for overhead bin space than actual space up there, so why not do your part to help get as much up there as you can? Put your roller bag wheels-in instead of sideways, if it fits. Don't take up a ton of space by placing a coat along the entire bin, as I've seen almost any time the temp dips below 50 degrees. More important, if someone asks if she can move your bag around to try to fit her own, let her. Think of it like a big Tetris puzzle, and you don't want to leave an empty space.

4. No talking loudly to strangers -- There are some people who love to talk to their seatmates on airplanes; there are others who dread the thought. There's nothing wrong with talking to your seatmate if there's a mutual interest, but keep the volume down to avoid bugging those around you who really don't care where you're from and what you do for a living. And just because you're talking to someone doesn't mean that he wants to talk to you. Be very careful to observe the warning signs -- fidgeting, quietness, looking away from you, opening a magazine, etc. Some people aren't rude, but they don't want to talk to you. Take a hint.

5. Don't make dumb jokes -- It's amazing how many people out there still think it's funny to say, "I've got a bomb," or something equally stupid. Oh sure, it's hi-larious to you, but it's only going to get you thrown off the plane and into heavy questioning. You might have no better way to spend your time, but when you delay that flight, you'll have a hundred or more new enemies who wish you'd never boarded.
This list is far from exhaustive. Just let your conscience guide you (if you have one). Be nice to people and respect the rights of others and you'll all be much happier when you get where you're going.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/21/travel/snyder-airline-passenger-behavior/index.html