Trans-Fats-A Country in Denial

To illustrate the ugliness that money changes peoples values, there is a nutritionist I bump into occasionally who works for a grocry chain and the soy council that constantly berates me when I talke negatively about trans fats. One day she got so infuriated that she danced up and down, red faced with spittle coming out of her mouth. She wanted to know where I got my information regarding trans-fats as well as High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). I told her the FDA and the USDA and she vehemently asserted they are all wrong. I can certainly sympathize with the nutritionist also paid by a grocer that carries millions of dollars worth of product loaded with trans fats and HFCS. Historically, money distorts ones thinking. We should be committed to despensing the latest, incouraging health news, hot off the griddle.

I am pleased to announce that the State of California just became the first state to ban artery clogging trans fats from restaurant food. On December 5, 2006, the Board of Health approved an amendment to the Health Code to phase out artificial trans fat in all NYC restaurants and other food service establishments. It is now in full effect.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/15/health/webmd/main2185844.shtml

Chef Wendell

www.wendellfowler.com

Hot Dogs Kill Children

During these dog days of summer, we worship the grilled American icon on a white bread bun: the Tube Steak.

Sing along. Do you wish you were an Oscar Meyer Weiner? The dog kids love to bite? When I think of a hot dog, I think of Oscar Meyer. Frankfurters, however, originated in Frankfurt, Germany in 1852.

Today, beloved Wieners are served in 95 % of the homes in the U.S.A. Japanese owned Seven-Eleven is North America's number-one retailer of hot dogs, selling approximately100 million each year. NASA even approved hot dogs as a regular item on Apollo moon flights, Skylab missions & space shuttle flights. Babe Ruth once sucked down 12 hot dogs along with 8 bottles of soda between games of a double header. He was reportedly scurried to the hospital after the game with a severe case of indigestion. Ya think? Isn’t gluttony, one of God’s Seven Deadly Sins? Proverbs 6:16-19.

Yes, I’m aware the Good Book says not to pass judgment on one another, so I‘m calling this, ‘Privileged Information: on a need-to-know-basis’.
Three different studies have come out in the past year, finding that the consumption of hot dogs can be a risk factor for childhood cancer. The worst meat goes into hot dogs—animal cheeks, lips, ears, scrotum, and rear ends. These byproducts should be thrown away; instead they pump them full of nitrates, sodium and dyes. Without the red color produced by the nefarious preservative, hot dogs would be brown.
In Denver researchers studied childhood cancer cases and discovered that children born to mothers who consumed hot dogs one or more times weekly during pregnancy, doubles the risk of developing brain tumors. Children who munch hot dogs one or more times per week that were cooked by Dad were at higher risk of brain cancer. I feel compelled to share my research with you, because I care.

Weenies contain less protein in 3-1/2 ounces than any other meat source. The ‘offal’ list of ingredients; 56 percent water and up to 3 percent offal, along with powdered bone, fat and a delightful assortment of additives to combat botulism.
The Cancer Prevention Coalition says that as frankfurters cook, nitrites combine with amines naturally present in meat to form nasty carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. It is suspected that nitrites can combine with amines in the human stomach to form N-nitroso compounds. These compounds are known carcinogens and have been associated with cancer of the oral cavity, urinary bladder, esophagus, and brain. Why not sip an embalming fluid Martini? We place this into our Holy Temple? Yikes.
Source: The Onion and www.preventcancer.com/patients/children/hotdogs.htm

MSG is used as an unlisted flavor enhancer in hot dogs. According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, an author and neurosurgeon, there is a link between sudden cardiac death, particularly in athletes, and excitotoxic damage caused by MSG and artificial sweeteners.
If hot dogs are labeled all-meat or all-beef, they must contain at least 85 percent meat or beef. The all-meat version can contain a blend of beef, pork, chicken or turkey and of course, succulent, edible offal. Sandi and I eat Smart Dogs by Lightlife. Soy Smart Dog Dogs are packed with 8 grams of soy protein and tomato pulp used as a coloring agent rather than nitrates and food colorings. Recent English studies discovered food colorings intensify aggressive behavior in children and adults with ADD or ADHD. The meat-free pups do not grill very well, so boil, not microwave and don’t make a big deal out of it. Be lovingly sneaky.
The sensible solution? Read ingredient labels, and avoid hot dogs, bacon, or Jerky that contain nitrites. Nitrite is also used for its red color.

Not all hot dogs on the market contain nitrites you might consider becoming an agent of change by contacting your local school board to find out whether your children are being fed nitrite hot dogs in the cafeteria. Diplomatically request they serve nitrite-free hot dogs
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. Romans, Chapter 14:

What Employees Really Want

www.the-papers.com July 2008

SENIOR LIFE.

HEALTH & FITNESS
By Wendell Fowler: What employees really want

By JULIE YOUNG
Feature Writer
Wendell Fowler truly believes in the adage "You are what you eat."
Speaking before 170 people at the Indiana Chamber on June 10, the motivational
speaker, chef, humorist and Senior Life correspondent talked about the importance
of living well, especially during these difficult times. "Employee wellness is a
hot topic these days as health insurance rates keep going up," he said.

While many Americans may want to blame the insurance companies, the heart
of the problem lies with the individual who suffers from poor nutrition and a lack of
physical activity. As a result, now more than ever, Americans are at greater risk for
developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke along with some forms of cancer.
"Wellness is more of the absence of disease," he mused. "It is a state of well-being
that comes from the ripples in our pond of health decisions each day."
Drawing from his own experiences. as a smoker, alcohol drinker and an admittedly obese individual, Fowler said he was lethargic at work, unproductive and unable to reach his full
potential. Eating "dead food" which stunted his mental growth.

At one point, he was diagnosed with terminal viral cardio myopathy and told he
would die. Soon. Clocking in at 285 pounds, Fowler knew he was a French fry and a cocktail
away from a long "nap" after his physicians said his heart looked like Jell-O. The news
was all the motivation he needed to lose 100 pounds and get a new lease on life.
"I didn't know I could write, let alone win nine national awards and publish
four books. I was simply an average chef, but as a result I've now written five books, speak
to corporations, have a syndicated health column and host a successful TV segment on
CBS, WISH-TV."

Fowler said health and wellness is an issue many industries are taking seriously.
Restaurants are addressing consumer and government concerns about obesity and
health in a variety of ways. So, restaurants are changing their menus to appeal to
nutrition-conscious consumer. To meet legislative mandates, many city governments are passing legislation banning trans fats in restaurants.

"Employers are becoming more aware that obesity, diabetes and a lack of exercise are adversely affecting the health and productivity of their employees and ultimately, the business bottom line," he said.

Thanks to this knowledge, what they may not be able to offer in insurance benefits,
companies are putting together work-site-based health promotion and proactive, reward based wellness programs to help support employees as they move toward towards a healthier lifestyle.

"When I catered for the NBA for 16 years, it was interesting to track what each team ate and then kept tabs on their standings in the win/loss column. Sure enough, the teams that
continually ate deep fried this, unctuous meats, and gravy, the State Beverage, lost-after
all. Head lettuce salads and vegetables were for sissies,"Fowler noted. Chef Wendell said eating healthy does not mean foregoing our favorite things. When men and women choose to change their diets, most eat less of what they perceive as harmful, rather than more of something beneficially healthful. Businesses are responding to the issue and Fowler said employers ,are becoming acutely aware that education is crucial since medical costs for so many companies can consume half of the company's profits. "Knowing what to eat and why has a far reaching effects on the whole business," he said.

Jennifer Gillis, manager and conference center meeting planner for the Indiana
Chamber of Commerce said participants who attended the Indiana Employer's Summit
on Soaring Health Care Costs enjoyed Fowler's speech and embraced his passion for
his work.

"What struck me was his enthusiasm on his topic,"she said. "He knows what he is talking about and he is certainly interested in the health and well-being of employees and how it can benefit
a company. l heard from a lot of people that they enjoyed hearing what he had to say."

Diabetic Recipe-Jicama, MandarinOrange, Berrys

Chef Wendell: Jicama-Orange Salad with Summer Berries

Chef Wendell shows Daniel Miller how to make Jicama-Orange Salad with Summer Berries.
http://www.chefwendellfowler.blogspot.com/
(Low-Glycemic-Appropriate for Diabetics)
Yields: 8 servings

We already know the magic of eating berries off the vine. The anthocyanins, which give them their deep color, are the hero's that are brimming with phytochemicals, especially, antioxidants which protect us from cancer, age related eye disorders, and a constellation of degenerative diseases. Blueberries are dirt cheap, so lower your shopping bill and keep your loving family healthy at the same time. Berries can be tossed into granola, smoothies, yogurt, stir-fry, but NOT with COOL WHIP. PLEASE!!! Wash them first then eat them like candy. They also protect against colon and ovarian cancer.Berries are also loaded with vitamin C, manganese, fiber, and vitamin E.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup lime juice-FRESH
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. chile powder
1 pound of Jicama, the Mexican Potato
Mandarin Oranges, drained
2 minced green onions
Blue and Red Raspberry's for garnish
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the lime, salt, chile powder and cayenne together.
Add the peeled and diced Jicama, oranges, green onions and toss to coat.
Place into a pretty glass bowl, and top with berries.
Serve chilled-Do not attempt to mix the berries into the salad. They will break down and ruin the look of the colorful dish.
Nutritional Highlights of Jicama:
Jicama (raw, sliced), 1 cup (100g)
Calories: 46
Protein: 0.86g
Carbohydrate: 10.6g
Total Fat: 0.11g
Fiber: 5.8g
Excellent source of: Vitamin C (24mg)

Health Benefits of Jicama:

Sweet Jicama is a large root vegetable with a thin brown skin and a moist, white crunchy flesh.
Asthma---Vitamin C, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory- A large study has shown that young children with asthma experience significantly less wheezing if they eat a diet high in fruits rich in vitamin C.
Scurvy Prevention-Vitamin C
Capillary fragility--Eating plenty of flavonoids- and vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables helps to support the structure of capillaries.
High homocysteine-- A controlled trial showed that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables containing folic acid, beta-carotene, and vitamin C effectively lowered homocysteine levels.
Multiple sclerosis (MS)--In one survey, researchers gathered information from nearly 400 people (half with MS) over three years. They found that consumption of vegetable protein, fruit juice, and foods rich in vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium correlated with a decreased MS risk. Wonderful news.

Peace, Love, and Understanding

Chef Wendell

www.wendellfowler.com

Kids and Cholesterol Drugs--Wake UP!!!!!!

For the last 15 years I have watched children gorge themselves with nutritionally vacuous foods with "parental encouragement". Inevitably, eating against our nature weakens an already obese nation. We must transcend this destructive mentality! Our Holy Temple is a precious gift.

"It's easy on me", remarks Mom. However, the trade off for poor parental role modeling is slowly killing the very children we so dearly love.

WAKE UP, AMERICA. BACK OFF ON THE ANTI-DEPRESSANTS AND START GENUINELY CARING FOR YOUR CHILDREN; BEGINNING WITH EDUCATION.

Perhaps now Doctors will take notice. This horrific, borderline child abuse is preventable. Whole foods is what our cells need to stay healthy and be a normal weight . That's what makes it so sad. Tough love looks like a good start. You can do it.

Cholesterol Drugs For Kids Recommended
CHICAGO, July 7, 2008
(CBS/AP) For the first time, an influential doctors group is recommending that some children as young as 8 be given cholesterol-fighting drugs to ward off future heart problems. It is the strongest guidance ever given on the issue by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which released its new guidelines Monday. The academy also recommends low-fat milk for 1-year-olds and wider cholesterol testing. Dr. Stephen Daniels, of the academy's nutrition committee, says the new advice is based on mounting evidence showing that damage leading to heart disease, the nation's leading killer, begins early in life. It also stems from recent research showing that cholesterol-fighting drugs are generally safe for children, Daniels said. Several of these drugs are approved for use in children and data show that increasing numbers are using them. "If we are more aggressive about this in childhood, I think we can have an impact on what happens later in life ... and avoid some of these heart attacks and strokes in adulthood," Daniels said. He has worked as a consultant to Abbott Laboratories and Merck & Co., but not on matters involving their cholesterol drugs. Drug treatment would generally be targeted for kids at least 8 years old who have too much LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, along with other risky conditions, including obesity and high blood pressure. For overweight children with too little HDL, the "good" cholesterol, the first course of action should be weight loss, more physical activity and nutritional counseling, the academy says. At Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C., pediatric cardiologist Craig Sable is seeing kids as young as 5 and 6 with cholesterol problems, reports CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes "I think the sheer number of children that are overweight, are less active, and have significant levels of cholesterol has grown exponentially since I started practicing 13 years ago," Dr. Sable said. Pediatricians should routinely check the cholesterol of children with a family history of inherited cholesterol disease or with parents or grandparents who developed heart disease at an early age, the recommendations say. Screening also is advised for kids whose family history isn't known and those who are overweight, obese or have other heart disease risk factors. Screening is recommended sometime after age 2 but no later than age 10, at routine checkups. The academy's earlier advice said cholesterol drugs should only be considered in children older than 10 after they fail to lose weight. Its previous cholesterol screening recommendations also were less specific and did not include targeted ages for beginning testing.

CBS News medical correspondent Emily Senay says that it is likely there will be some controversy surrounding the safety of using statins and other cholesterol-fighting drugs on such young patients. "There have been recent studies done on children that suggest they are safe," Senay said on CBS News' The Early Show, "but I imagine a lot of people are going to have a problem with that in that these drugs have not be studied long-term in children." Dr. John LaRosa, who studies statins, told Cordes that he's surprised by the new guidelines. "We have very little evidence that it does any good to start lowering cholesterol with drugs in children to prevent something that might not happen for 20 or 30 years down the line," Dr. LaRosa said. Because obesity is a risk factor for heart disease and often is accompanied by cholesterol problems, the academy recommendations say low-fat milk is appropriate for 1-year-olds "for whom overweight or obesity is a concern." Daniels, a pediatrician in the Denver area, agreed that could include virtually all children. But he said doctors may choose to offer the new milk advice only to 1-year-olds who are already overweight or have a family history of heart problems. The academy has long recommended against reduced-fat milk for children up to age 2 because saturated fats are needed for brain development. "But now we have the obesity epidemic and people are thinking maybe this isn't such a good idea," said Dr. Frank Greer of the University of Wisconsin, co-author of the guidelines report, which appears in the July edition of Pediatrics, the group's medical journal. Very young children are increasingly getting fats from sources other than milk and Greer said the updated advice is based on recent research showing no harm from reduced-fat milk in these youngsters. With one-third of U.S. children overweight and about 17 percent obese, the new recommendations are important, said Dr. Jennifer Li, a Duke University children's heart specialist. "We need to do something to stem the tide of childhood obesity," Li said. Li said that 15 years ago most of her patients with cholesterol problems had an inherited form of cholesterol disease not connected to obesity. "But now they're really outnumbered" by overweight kids with cholesterol problems and high blood pressure, she said. Dr. Elena Fuentes-Afflick, a pediatrics professor at the University of California at San Francisco, also praised the new advice but said some parents think their kids will outgrow obesity and cholesterol problems, and might not take it seriously.

"It's hard for people to really understand" that those problems in childhood can lead to serious health consequences in adulthood, Fuentes-Afflick said.

Chef Wendell

www.wendellfowler.com