Health for life

Man. If the links are any indication, its gonna be a good weekend. I can feel it, folks. Happy June.

1) stonesoup: the absolute beginners guide to the art of seasoning [5 ingredients | 10 minutes]
Man, this blog just keeps getting better. Today, it’s on seasoning your food well, and what to do if you under- or overdo it.

2) NY Times: Saving Time and Stress with Cooking Co-ops
Oo! I love this. It’s like a potluck, but in take-home Tupperware. Sure, there are drawbacks (one dastardly participant relied too much on Hamburger Helper), but cooking one meal for many, and then getting six meals back, seems like an all-around win. (Photo is from the piece.)

3) Casual Kitchen: On the Benefits of Being a Part-Time Vegetarian
The CK household cut their meat intake by a few meals per week, and the benefits have been totes faboo. Here, Dan explains why, what happened, and how you might embark on the same glorious path.

4) NY Times: Food is the Thrill at Some Bachelor Parties
Move over strippers, here come Bruschetta Chicken Dippers. Or something. Point is, engaged peeps are apparently forgoing traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties for full-on gourmet experiences. Is it because Americans are getting married at more advanced ages, thus reducing the demand for some chick/dude in spangled undies to flash her/his bosoms/pecs? Beats me. I just want some pork belly.

5) Get Rich Slowly: The Battle of the Bulge, and the Battle of the Budget
On the link between debt and fat, and how going cold turkey may not be the best approach for either. You’ve heard the message before, but never in so entertaining and thorough a manner.

6) Salon: The dark side of the farmers market boom
Are farmers heading to cities to sell their food, leaving their less affluent neighbors to make do with Wal-Mart tomatoes? Sounds nefarious. Salon explores.

7) Consumerist: Restaurants Want You To Spend More, But Wont Stop Selling Cheap Food
Oops. You know all those dollar menus and special deals that fast food joints offered during the recession? Now that our collective money situation isn’t quite so dire, restaurants are having problems weaning customers off the bargains and on to more profitable meals. Not so good for business.

8) CNN: McDonald’s Warned: Drop the Toys or Get Sued
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (or CSPI, presumably) might/is sue/suing over the inclusion of toys in Happy Meals. They claim tiny Buzz Lightyears and Shreks entice kids to choose unhealthy food. As an ex-McDonald’s employee, I can only say … I guess? I don’t recall. It was 1996. Bringing them up from the basement was a big pain in the tuchus, though.

9) Food Politics: Alaska Fishing Politics – Fish Processing
Marion Nestle is doing a blog mini-series on the fishing industry in our northernmost state. It’s more complicated than you think, and an interesting microcosm of our issues in the lower 48.

10) Chow: 9 Cooking Apps Worth Downloading to Your iPhone
Dunno if this applies much for the frugalists out there, but Husband-Elect would become Ex-Husband-Elect if I didn’t link to these apps. (He loves apps. Apps, apps, apps. It’s all I ever hear about. “Hey honey, did you get those apps?”)

HONORABLE MENTION

Eatocracy: 5@5 - Chef Eric Ripert
See? Hot, world class French seafood chefs make mistakes, too. (Photo from site. Also? Humina.)

Epi-Log: Volunteer Options for Food-Loving Teens
Hey kids! How are you spending the summer? Here are four food-type volunteering organizations that could use your free time.

Hillbilly Housewife: Spring Cleaning One Room at a Time – the Oven
I move to a new apartment every year specifically so I don’t have to do this. Then, last month, it caught up with me. The experience was … I don’t remember. I blocked it out.

The Kitchn: 10 Ways to Use Pesto Besides Pasta
You knew “sandwich spread” was gonna be in there, but the rest are pleasant surprises.

Serious Eats: Supreme Court Makes its First Ruling Genetically Engineered Crops
It’s a strike against Monsanto … I think.

Slashfood: Throw That Wrapper Away or Pay
Lawmakers in San Francisco might start taxing fast food customers for garbage disposal. It’s half environmental measure, half fundraiser for the city. But is it right?

AND ALSO

Cracked: The 10 Most Important Things They Didn’t Teach You in School
For MADs snotty younger brother, Cracked sure has some spectacular web pieces. This one is no different, with #10 and #9 being must-reads. (Due warning: Theyre profane must-reads, but must-reads nonetheless.)

Thank you so much for visiting Cheap Healthy Good! (We appreciate it muchly). If you’d like to further support CHG, subscribe to our RSS feed! Or become a Facebook friend! Or check out our Twitter! Or buy something inexpensive, yet fulfilling via that Amazon store (on the left)! Bookmarking sites and links are nice, too. Viva la France!

This isnt going to surprise anyone: Diabetes is getting more costly to treat, both for individuals, and for the nation as a whole.

A study last month in the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that drug costs for type 2 diabetes just about doubled in the six short years between 2001 and 2007 (from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $12.5 billion in 2007).¹

The costs are increasing because more people are being diagnosed with diabetes, and because the cocktail of drugs patients are being prescribed is getting more complex. In 1994, 82% of patients were being treated with just one diabetes drug. In 2007, only 47% received one diabetes drug.

The cost of the drugs is rising too. The average price of a diabetes-related prescription rose from $56 in 2001 to $76 in 2007. Keep in mind, thats $76 per prescription and by 2007 more people were being written more than one prescription. (Those are averages. Many drugs are more costly, e.g. a one-month supply of Januvia is going for $181 at Drugstore.com.)

This study just looked at drug costs. According to Merck spokeswoman Amy Rose, drug costs represent less than one-fifth of the total public health costs of diabetes. The bulk of costs, more than 80%, were due to hospitalizations and outpatient care - areas of treatment that are also experiencing price increases.

Theres an alternative, but according to Dr. Stuart Weiss, an endocrinologist at New York University Medical Center, its not being embraced:²

"Diet and exercise is the best thing we can do for our diabetic patients, but they are not very comfortable accepting diet and exercise as the treatment for diabetes."

"There is no medication that cant be overwhelmed by a bad diet."

The findings in this report beg the question:²

"Are these changes going to lead to overall significant improvement in the outcomes that matter to patients and their doctors?"
- G. Caleb Alexander MD, lead author and associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago

The jury is still out on that.
________
¹ National Trends in Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, 1994-2007, Archives of Internal Medicine

² Cost of Diabetes Care Has Doubled, Washington Post, October, 2008

You guys? I think this is the strongest link roundup ever on CHG. Everybody (EVERBODY), all across the internet (EVERYWHERE) was totally on their games (GAMES). Read on, and have a lovely weekend.

1) New York Times: 101 Fast Recipes for Grilling
Just in time for Independence Day, Mark “The Minimalist” Bittman comes through with a barbecue brainstorm of epic proportions. Read it and weep. Or eat. Or weepeat, which is when you eat and cry at the same time. I’ve done it with blueberries. It wasn’t pretty.

2) Money Saving Mom: How to Start Your Own Produce Co-op
Guest poster Deja Armstrong smashes a home run with this fab post about families going in together to save on produce. Her plan is logically laid out and looks to be quite the money saver. If you have a craving for bananas and a willing neighborhood, it’s a must-read.

3) Casual Kitchen: Why Reducing Food Waste is Harder Than it Looks
Super-interesting take on the relationships between ood borne illness, sell-by dates, and the sheer quantity of wasted food in America. Just a great piece, with a neat follow-up: When Do You Throw Out Food?

4) Lifehacker: Low or No-Heat Meals for Easy Summer Cooking
This tip-and-link-filled post ties in beautifully with CHG’s No-Cook Month. Um, seriously, we might not even need to have it now.

5) Surviving and Thriving: Don’t Hate the Payer, Hate the Game
First, mad props for that title. Second, Donna’s using her coupons, AND she’s going to call the cashier out if the register makes an error, AND she’s occasionally using change to buy something. If you don’t like it, get delivery at home, yo. (Note: I agree with her on all of this.)

6) BuzzFeed: 12 Terrifying Jello Recipes
AUGH! What is this horror? NOOOOOOOOO. Wait. Huh? Oh. Mmm … Tongue Mold.

7) Get Rich Slowly: Slow and Steady – More Thoughts on Physical and Financial Fitness
GRS Staffer April Dykman adapts JD’s 12 core beliefs about money to pertain to weight. And they fit beautifully. My fave: “It’s more important to be happy than to be skinny.” WORD.

8) USA Today: Native Americans embrace tradition to defeat diabetes
Here’s a shocking statistic: 16% of American Indians have diabetes.
Here’s an encouraging solution: A movement is starting. Many communities are changing their diets, buffets, and restaurants to include traditional, produce-heavy dishes. Awareness, she is being raised.

9) Wise Bread: How to Split Food Expenses With a Significant Other
Husband-Elect and I do this: I buy the groceries, keep a record of receipts, and send him an e-mail entitled “Billz” at the end of the month. Then he pays me and we drink wine. How do you guys handle food costs? (Actually, this may be a great post for a later date. What think you?)

10) The Atlantic: How Supermarkets Could Fight Obesity
Wow, this is neat. Grocery stores are starting to address how they can market healthier foods to potential buyers. The key issues: “How can we turn grocers considerable merchandising skills to help slim us down? With supermarkets arrays of sampling programs, displays, interactive shopping carts, and shelf signage, can we not more easily capture shoppers attention to purchase healthier foods?”

HONORABLE MENTION

The Atlantic: A Wild Foods Library – 11 Books for Foragers
From Hunter Angler Gardener Cook guru Hank Shaw, a collection of books for find-your-own foodies.

Consumerist: How Do UPC Codes Work?
The more you know.

Crop Mob
If you feed hipsters, they will help you harvest your food. (Related: If you build it, he will come.)

Health: The 50 Fattiest Foods in the States
New York is well represented by Nick Tahou’s Garbage Plate, boasting an astounding 93 to 203 grams of fat per order. Holla, Rochester!

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook: Dining on Daylilies
Did you guys know daylilies were edible? I didn’t. (P.S. This blog is generally incredible. If youve never been, make haste!)

The Kitchn
15 Fresh Picnic Salads for the 4th of July
A Roundup of Illustrated Recipes
How Should I Store Leftover Tomato?
Two recipe comps and a good answer to a nagging question.

Mother Jones: Is Washing Out Sandwich Baggies a Waste of Time?
MoJo concludes that it’s worth it, environmentally speaking. Calculations and reasoning inside!

Politics of the Plate: Recession Ends for Organic Dairy Farmers
Diary farmers were hurting badly a year ago. Now they’re on the rebound. Thanks, economy! (Scroll down to see.)

Serious Eats: How to Start Your Own Compost Pile
It’s a little more complicated than chucking food scraps into a big mound. But not much.

This Mama Cooks: Healthy summer salads for Fourth of July – eat your red, white and blues!
Look at all the pretty colors!

Time Out New York: Cheap Eats
My fellow Empire Staters! The issue is out. Grab a fiver and get chomping.

Urlesque
27 Pictures of Clothing Made of Food
Topless Jack Nicholson Eating a Sandwich, Sunning Himself, Becomes a Meme
Link #1: I wasn’t sure if this would be worth, but Cloris Leachman’s leafy green dress is genuinely beautiful, as are many of the following foodie fashions.
Link #2: You want the sandwich? YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE SANDWICH.

Village Voice: Susan Spicer, New Orleans Chef, Sticks It to British Petroleum
The oil spill is wrecking her business, and Chef Spicer wants retribution. Man, I hope she gets it.

Words to Eat By: Christine’s Asian-Inspired Noodle Salad
The recipe looks good, and so do the tips for feeding small children by guest writer Christine Gross-Loh.

Zen Habits: Eating Healthfully – A Long Term Vision
Leo’s site recently made Time’s Best Blogs of 2010 list. And while this is a guest post, it’s still a good example of why readers keep coming back. Thoughtful, calm, and measured, it’s whole-life-long approach to food should become a mantra.

AND ALSO

Hyperbole and a Half: This is Why I’ll Never Be an Adult
Suite Judy Blue Eyes, I love this blog. Another winnah from Allie Brosh, who describes my work tendencies exactly and hilariously.


Thank you so much for visiting Cheap Healthy Good! (We appreciate it muchly). If you’d like to further support CHG, subscribe to our RSS feed! Or become a Facebook friend! Or check out our Twitter! Or buy something inexpensive, yet fulfilling via that Amazon store (on the left)! Bookmarking sites and links are nice, too. Viva la France!

In November 2012, a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Hass Avocado Modulates Postprandial Vascular Reactivity and Postprandial Inflammatory Responses to a Hamburger Meal in Healthy Volunteers, was published in the journal Food and Function.

This UCLA pilot studyi on 11 healthy men (18-35 years old,) on two separate occasions, found that eating one-half of a fresh medium Hass avocado with a burger (90 percent lean), rather than eating a burger alone, may curb the production of compounds that contribute to inflammation. Inflammation is a risk factor that may be associated with heart disease.ii

Specifically, the pilot study of 11 healthy men suggests that fresh Hass avocado, when eaten with a burger may neutralize Interleukin-6 (IL-6) - a protein that is a measure of inflammation - compared to eating a burger without fresh avocado.i The researchers observed a significant peak (approximately a 70 percent increase), of IL-6 four hours after the plain burger was eaten, but less effect on IL-6 (approximately a 40 percent increase) over the same time period when fresh avocado was eaten with the burger.i Additionally, the study found that when fresh Hass avocado was eaten with the burger it did not increase triglyceride levels beyond what was observed after eating the burger alone, despite the extra calories and fat from the fresh avocado.i Elevated triglyceride levelsiii are associated with heart disease.

The pilot study also reported that the difference in peripheral arterial blood flow (the movement of blood to different parts of the body, as measured by PAT), a predictor of vascular health, after eating the hamburger meal compared to the hamburger-fresh avocado meal was approaching statistical significance (P=.052). PAT scores significantly decreased (signifying reduced blood flow) only after the plain burger was eaten (approximately a 27 percent drop, on average) compared to a burger with fresh avocado (approximately a 4 percent drop, on average, signifying less reduction in blood flow).i This suggests the addition of the fresh avocado may have mitigated a larger reduction in blood flow. However, additional studies are needed.

These are initial findings from a single study of 11 healthy men that provide promising clues and a basis for future research to determine whether avocados can play a role in the areas of vascular health and heart health. "This study supports the hypothesis that fresh Hass avocado, may help support normal vascular function, which is important for heart health," said David Heber, MD, PhD, primary investigator of the study. "After eating a burger with one-half of a fresh medium Hass avocado, some of the after-meal effects observed after eating the plain burger, specifically inflammation and narrowing blood vessels, were reduced within hours, and triglycerides did not increase beyond what was observed after eating the burger alone.

Whether youre a seasoned athlete, a weekend warrior, or totally laid-back when it comes to exercise, knowing how to protect your knees from damage can mean the difference between a fulfilling lifestyle and longterm, strained mobility.
"Suddenly, I heard a pop and it felt like my knee bent sideways. The pain was so bad I just fell and crawled away
The Los Angeles fashion designer who skates under the name Iron Maiven tried to keep going. "I took one more stride and my knee just let go again. The doctor immediately said, I think you tore your ACL."
Piplica had experienced some warning signs during her previous season of skating as captain of her team, but she ignored them for the most part. "I had tremendous pain in my leg anytime Id squat down so I just kept my right leg straight. But I never saw a doctor for it. I just assumed, Im in a contact sport and this is what
happens,”

Knee deep: A complex and vulnerable joint

Her torn ACL diagnosis confirmed, Piplica quickly learned how susceptible the knees can be to injury. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, these joints are responsible for sending nearly 15 million Americans to the doctor every year.
And its not just athletes who suffer. Knee problems can happen to anyone.
"Because theyre the main hinge between the ground and the rest of your body, the knees serve as your wheels that get you around and allow you to be active,” says University of Pennsylvania orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Nicholas DiNubile, MD. "Life can really go downhill when you damage your knees,” says DiNubile, who is a spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and author of FrameWork - Your 7-Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones and Joints.
Bound by an intricate system of ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscle, the knee is highly prone to injury. Its a complex hinge where the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone), fibula (next to tibia) and kneecap all come together.
"Its hard to find the right balance between mobility and stability; the knee needs to move back and forth, twist a little, and pivot too,” DiNubile says. The knees ligaments can tear, its tendons can swell up, osteoarthritis can take hold, and even everyday wear and tear can ruin a perfectly good set of knees.
Here are six pitfalls you can avoid to save your knees.

1. Ignoring knee pain.

An occasional ache here and there is common.  "But knowing when you can and cant ignore pain is key,” says sports medicine specialist Jordan Metzl, MD, from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Metzls rule of thumb: When the pain limits your ability to do what you normally do, you need to have it checked out.
"If your body is sending you signals, you need to listen to them.  If they persist, you need to have it checked out
For Piplica, exploratory surgery revealed a torn meniscus she had endured in the past -- unbeknownst to her -- followed by the more recent ACL tear.
"In hindsight, maybe that first injury could have been repaired earlier, although I dont know if I could have avoided this one altogether,” she says.  "At least I would have been more caul."

2. Being overweight.

Every pound of body weight yields five pounds of force on the knee, so even 10 extra pounds can put a considerable load on those joints.
Being overweight also increases your chances of osteoarthritis in the knee, a common and often disabling form of arthritis that wears away the knees cushiony cartilage.   Excess pounds also cause existing arthritis to worsen more rapidly.  According to the CDC, two out of three obese adults suffer from knee osteoarthritis at some time in their life.
Although diet and exercise are critical for weight loss, its a double-edged sword.
"If your knees hurt, its harder to lose weight through exercise,” says Metzl.  So he recommends activities that go easy on the knee.
For example, opt for a stationary bike over running on the treadmill, and walk on a flat surface instead of hilly turf.  If youre a die-hard treadmill fan, then go for longer sessions of walking punched with brief intervals of brisk walking or running every three to five minutes, DiNubile says.

3. Not following through with rehab and rest.

The rest and rehabilitation period after a knee injury is critical to avoiding future pain or reinjury.  Depending on the type of damage and treatment, recovery could last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months.
"During the rehab period, you need someone to help you tell the difference between something that just hurts, and something thats going to do you harm,” says DiNubile.
He tells WebMD that many of his young athlete patients are too eager to return to regular play as soon as they stop limping.  He advises patients to work with an orthopedic surgeon, a sports medicine physician, a physical therapist, an athletic trainer, or some combination of these pros, in order to ensure proper focus is placed on gradually strengthening the knees.

4. Neglecting your ACL.

One of the most commonly injured ligaments in the knee, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is responsible for about 150,000 injuries in the U.S. every year.
As Piplica learned firsthand, sports like roller derby that involve quick cuts, twists, and jumping, put the ACL at higher risk for rupturing.  More traditional high-risk sports include soccer, basketball, football, and volleyball.
Women in particular have a two- to eight-times higher risk for ACL tears compared to men, mainly because the way women naturally jump, land, and turn puts greater strain on the ACL.
These specialized techniques are effective in reducing risks of knee injury by almost one-half, according to a 2010 review of seven neuromuscular training studies.
"Given what we know in how useful it can be in reducing ACL tears, its irresponsible of coaches and parents to not require athletes to undergo neuromuscular training,” says DiNubile.
He recommends that athletes of any age who play ACL risk-prone sports should seek help from an athletic trainer or other trained professional to help avoid this debilitating injury.

5. Overdoing it.

"You make gains in fitness when you work hard and then allow your body to recover.  You cant do a hard workout every day," Metzl says.
A sudden increase in intensity or duration of exercise can cause overuse injuries from repetitive strain.  Tendonitis and kneecap pain are common symptoms in the knee.
Pushing too hard is also related to overtraining syndrome, a physiological and psychological condition among athletes in which they exceed their ability to perform and recover from physical exertion, often leading to injury or lowered performance.
Be sure to include stretching exercises before and after working out.  And follow hard training days with easy ones so your body can recover. 

6. Overlooking other muscles around the knees.

Weak muscles and lack of flexibility are primary causes of knee injuries, according to the Mayo Clinic.  When the muscles around the kneecap, hip, and pelvis are strong, it keeps the knee stable and balanced, providing support by absorbing some of the stress exerted on the joint.
DiNubile stresses the importance of building the quadriceps and hamstring muscles, as well as proper strengthening of the bodys core muscles, including the obliques, lower back muscles, and upper thigh.
His favorite tool to help accomplish this strengthening is a Swiss medicine ball. Other exercises to try are knee extensions, hamstring curls, leg presses, and flexibility exercises.
Piplica recalls realizing just how weak some of her leg muscles were.
"Roller girls are striding out so much with their outer leg muscles, but we arent necessarily working our inner knees," she says. "I remember when I would run for exercise, my calves and shins would hurt so bad. That surprised me, because I thought if anything was strong, it was my legs.”
Piplica says she wishes she had been better educated about crosstraining activities for roller skaters, and what muscle groups they need to focus on to keep their knees healthy.
As she awaits surgery to repair her torn ACL,  that her perspective on long-term care for her knees has definitely changed.
"Half of me is frustrated about not being able to skate sooner, but the other half knows how important it is to get better so I dont do this again.  Im 27 years old with a serious knee injury preventing me from moving around.  So I need to look beyond just skating, skating, skating.  I dont want to have knee problems when Im 40 or 50 because Im not giving my body the kind of attention it needs right now

Sorry I’ve been a bit incommunicado this week, folks. I was babysitting my brilliant, blue-eyed cousins while their mama gave them a sibling. (More on this in next week’s Ask the Internet.) But hey! Look! Links!

ETA: You guys! Ack. Weve been made aware of the problem with the non-disappearing ads on Explorer. Were currently working to make it go away. Apologies for that.

1) Get Rich Slowly: Extreme Personal Finance – Eating Well on One Dollar a Day
Whoa. This is hardcore. “On the final day of his project, Jeffrey summarized his purchases. During the month of May, he spent $27.08 to purchase $597.96 worth of food.” Well worth the read.

2) The Kitchn: 15 Essential Dips and Spreads for Summer Parties
OMG, it’s a dip bonanza! I’m printing this out and spooning with it for a few hours. If you need me, hit my cell. Or make me some pita chips.

3) Related posts:
Money Saving Mom: 28 Extreme Measures We Took to Stay Out of Debt
Get Rich Slowly: Surviving and Thriving
Link #1: Wow. These are some of the more radical steps Crystal and her husband took to stay debt-free while he was in law school. I can relate to some of them – not owning a car is pretty easy in Brooklyn – but others … just wow.
Link #2: Donna had $130 to her name after her divorce, but scratched and clawed her way to solvency and peace. Quite a tale, yo.

4) Related posts:
Hillbilly Housewife: Nutritious And Frugal Food Choices That Stretch The Family Budget
Frugal Dad: How to Stockpile Food for Survival
Link #1: What are the absolute baseline foods you need if disaster should hit your pantry? Can you afford them? Will they provide decent nutritional value? HH has ideas.
Link #2: A nice companion piece to HH’s post. This could be particularly relevant to folks in Louisiana right now. Jeez, what a mess.

5) New York Times: In New York, Local Meat is Easier to Find
Based on the title, you’d think we have cows and chickens wandering the streets of Brooklyn, waiting to be hit by Chinese delivery trucks and turned into kebabs. Alas, that ain’t it. In reality, we have a big number of fabulous farmers markets, a bunch of regional breeders/farmers, and a population that’s clamoring for more (and has the money to pay for it). Is this the changing face of meat? Hope so.

6) The Kitchn: From Our Readers - Tips for New Graduates and New Cooks
High school and college grads! Are you being freed into productive society, with little idea of how to boil water, much less make a decent pork chop? Never fear. This neat roundup of I-Wish-I-Knew-Then cooking ruminations should help.

7) Casual Kitchen: Why Do Products Go On Sale?
Man, what a great question! And what a thorough, informative answer about one of the reasons. Really, this explains a lot about Honey Bunches of Oats.

8) Associated Press: Millions forced to wait for food stamps benefits
The backlog in food stamp applicants has left quite a few families without means of feeding themselves. Texas, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and bizarrely, Rhode Island, are among the states hardest hit. (Apologies. I just never think of bad things happening to Rhode Island, probably since it’s only slightly larger than my living room.)

9) Slashfood: Zero-Waste Living – Could You Do it?
When we began eating healthier (dried goods, more veggies, etc.), we reduced our trash by a huge amount. But reducing it entirely? Is that even possible? As it turns out, maybe.

10) New York Times: Study Examines a Diet From TV Ads
What’s wrong with food advertising? This: “If Americans ate only foods advertised on TV, a new report says, they would consume 25 times the recommended amount of sugar and 20 times the amount of fat they need, but less than half the dairy, and fruits and vegetables.”


HONORABLE MENTION

Chow: The Top Grocery-Store Etiquette Gaffes
In the center of Brooklyn, there’s a Pathmark that doubles as the starting point for the Apocalypse. (Consumerist has written stories about the Target next door, where Satan buys his discount furniture.) I wish everyone that’s ever visited would read this column.

Consumerist: Which Food Brands Are You Most Loyal To?
291 comments, and it’s looking like Heinz and Diet Coke prevail.

HuffPo: Consumer Reports Gives Top Rating To 7-11 Chardonnay
Woo hoo! White wine and taquitos, together at last.

Money Saving Mom: Time-Saving Tips for Cooking from Scratch
Good tips and link roundup about ways to save time and money in the kitchen.

The Simple Dollar: Summer Meal Series #1 – Honey Mustard Chicken Strips
Trent’s posting an inexpensive, taste-tested, child-friendly recipe every week all summer. This is his first foray. Looks pretty good.


AND ALSO

Neatorama: Rice University Students Invented Salad Spinner Centrifuge to Detect Anemia
A few days ago, I read an article about prep school boys who set up a Fantasy Sex League, assigning values to girls/classmates based on appearance and sexual acts performed. It made me sick in the WHAT IS WRONG WITH HUMANITY type way. (P.S. Way to go, guys! Those organizational skills should come in really helpful after your first rape convictions.)

Then, immediately after, I read the Neatorama piece, about college students at Rice University who were challenged to create “an inexpensive, portable tool that could diagnose anemia without access to electricity.” So, they made a centrifuge out of a salad spinner. It’s now being tested in Malawi and Swaziland, and it made humanity okay again. Woo hoo! Yay kids!

Thank you so much for visiting Cheap Healthy Good! (We appreciate it muchly). If you’d like to further support CHG, subscribe to our RSS feed! Or become a Facebook friend! Or check out our Twitter! Or buy something inexpensive, yet fulfilling via that Amazon store (on the left)! Bookmarking sites and links are nice, too. Viva la France!

Sweet readers! I missed last week’s links due to fun family things/receiving the most awesome meat thermometer in history. Subsequently, this week’s links are bigger than anything, up to and including certain Guatemalan sinkholes. Buckle up!

1) Forbes: Snake Oil in Your Snacks - Foods masquerading as drugs have become a $160 billion business.
Have you ever bought bread because it says “OMEGA 3!” on the package? Or yogurt that claims to help your immune system? Yeah, me too. But this spectacular article on the largely unsubstantiated health claims made by food manufacturers might convince you to shelve those products permanently. Absolutely required reading.

2) Men’s Health: 20 Worst Drinks in America 2010
Jaw dropping! The amount of sugar in one Dairy Queen Moolatte is roughly equal to that found in one dozen Bavarian Crème Dunkin Donuts. (Note: As is my understanding, these aren’t the caloric equivalents, in which other ingredients factor, but the sugar equivalents. It’s an important distinction.) (Still pretty shocking, though.)

3) Deadspin: The Public Humiliation Diet – a How-To
Hilarious dude’s take on a 60-pound weight loss. Surprising how many strategies line up with what’s proven to work (weigh yourself, eat quality sweets, etc.) Due warning: obscenity abounds, but it’s for a good cause.

4) Seattle Times: An unemployed restaurant critic finds a different kind of culinary satisfaction
He used to have a $1300/monthly expense account for restaurants. Now he’s on food stamps, happy with whatever comes his way. Ed Murrieta’s story is alternately moving, sympathetic, and lately, disturbingly relatable.

5) Jezebel: Famous Foodie Has a Problem with Feminists
Love Jez, hate this piece. Pollan might have a somewhat unrealistic view of a working class family’s day-to-day existence. (The guy teaches at Berkeley. What do you want?) But it’s glib, sensationalist, and dangerously misleading to interpret his message as, “Get back in the kitchen, broads!” Painting him as a lady hater misses the forest for the dang trees.

6) Get Rich Slowly: Get Your Kitchen Gadgets for Less at Your Local Restaurant Supply Store
Fortunately, NYC is crammed wall-to-wall with these things, where you can buy whisks, graters, knives, and pots for a fraction of what you would at Crate and Barrel. (Not to be confused with Cracker Barrel.) Checking your ‘hood for one will be worth the research.

7) Wise Bread: Bargain Shopping at Whole Foods – 12 Strategies for Success
Whole Paycheck (note: Whole Foods) is intimidating to a lot of us (note: everybody), but WB (note: Wise Bread, not Warner Brothers) has some excellent pointers (note: devious tips) on how to buy there without losing your shirt (note: Whole Foods does not actually hold topless contests).

8) stonesoup: How to Stock a Minimalist Pantry
A.k.a. What to Do With Your Kitchen When Space and Time are More Limited Than You’d Like. Eat your heart out, Bittman. (P.S. Obsessed with this blog lately. Look around if you get the chance.)

9) Chow: When Are Cheap Eats Too Cheap?
Apparently, there’s a lower limit to what fast food joints can charge for their goods. Because when you offer a double cheeseburger for less than $1, it’s not profitable anymore. Incidentally, what goes into a double cheeseburger that costs less than a buck? Do we really want to know?

10) Slashfood: The Bad Tip Follow-Up
What Can I Get You Folks, about restaurant etiquette, is Slashfood’s best recurring feature. Last week, it tackled The Bad Tip: should a waiter ever ask a customer why he got stiffed? I say … no, but I can be convinced otherwise.


HONORABLE MENTION

The Atlantic: Cheap Chickens and Industry Fat Cats
Think what you will about the immigration debate, but: the reason many of us can afford decent food at all is because illegals work tirelessly to give it to us for negligible money and zero benefits, while corporate interests make millions off of their backs and our paychecks. Wanna fix things? Start with the Chairman of the Board, who buys golden toilets while the rest of us scrounge for coupons.

Casual Kitchen: How to Master the Last Minute Meal
It’s 6pm. You’re hungry. You don’t know what to make for dinner. What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?

Chow
Babies in Bars
Hey Stranger, Help Me Start a Business
Refrigeration Reformation - What should stay cold, colder, and coldest in your fridge
Link #1: Sweet Home Alabama, anyone?
Link #2: How to fund food startups.
Link #3: Learn to arrange your fridge for maximum efficiency.

Food Politics
The Bisphenol A saga heats up
Dismal Reports on Dietary Supplements
Food Politics: The Slaughterhouse Problem
Link #1: More on the canned goods controversy, and a neat tutorial from Slashfood on how to avoid the stuff.
Link #2: News flash! Gingko biloba, St. John’s Wort, and other supplements are more useless than a cotton spork.
Link #3: Problem - we have a lot of humanely-raised animals, and no place to make them into meat.

Jezebel: Your Fetus Can Taste Your Food
Ooo! Neat! A study found that, “Infants whose mothers ate a lot of fruit during pregnancy are more accepting of fruit when it is introduced to them during weaning.” Subsequently, eating produce during gestation could mean your baby will dig healthy foods.

The Kitchn: Bring Back Home Ec?
Come for the post, stay for the 76 comments. (Note: I took Home Ec in high school, learned very little, but think we need it anyway. Howzabout you?)

Low-Calorie Diet: 4 Healthy Foods You Thought Were Junk
Oh, beef jerky. You complete me.

Man vs. Debt: Eating Yourself Into Debt
If you’re wondering how much bad food can ultimately cost you, this should inform/give you a heart attack.

Money Saving Mom
Being Frugal in a High Cost of Living Area
Play the Drugstore Game
Link #1: Live in the big city without going broke! Read this!
Link #2: Good reminder why shopping at CVS, Walgreens, etc. can mean big savings.

Neatorama: Figs and Wasps
Do you really want to know about the wasps that live inside figs? Yes and no. On one hand, EEK! On the other hand, they need each other to survive. No harm, no foul.

New York Post: Crooks to cooks - Rikers has Top Chef con-test
Love this story about young inmates training to cook in a professional setting. The best rehab.

New York Times
Digital Meal Planning
Their Future, Made By Hand
Link #1: Nice review of the Emealz online meal planning system, which looks like it might be worth the dough.
Link #2: We’re here! We’re unemployed! We’re making you an empanada!

Politics of the Plate: Regional, Not Local, Sourcing May be the Solution to Our Broken Food System
Think local, eat regional. Makes sense.

Serious Eats
10 Tips to Take to the Farmers’ Market
How to Make Risotto
Studies Continue to Prove: Nuts, in Moderation, Are Really Good For You
Link #1: More tips for your weekly jaunt.
Link #2: surprisingly healthy, always impressive.
Link #3: Mmm … psmashios.

stonesoup: The Number 1 Mistake of New Vegetarians and How to Avoid it
In short: you gotta plan for this, yo.


AND ALSO

Serious Eats: A Pint With David Flaherty, Terroir/Hearth
This is my friend Dave! He is awesome.

Epic Win FTW: ATTACK!
Heh. Heh heh. Heeeeeee. Hee hee hee. Heh.


Thank you so much for visiting Cheap Healthy Good! (We appreciate it muchly). If you’d like to further support CHG, subscribe to our RSS feed! Or become a Facebook friend! Or check out our Twitter! Or buy something inexpensive, yet fulfilling via that Amazon store (on the left)! Bookmarking sites and links are nice, too. Viva la France!

You probably know some of the leading risk factors for osteoporosis -- being female and past menopause, smoking, or having a small frame. But did you know that some fairly common medical conditions are also among the causes of osteoporosis bone loss?

If you have one of these conditions, either because of the disease itself or because of the medications you have to take to manage it, you face an increased risk of developing osteoporosis:
1. Diabetes Mellitus and Osteoporosis

For reasons scientists still dont fully understand, people with type 1 diabetes tend to have lower bone density.

Studies show that people with type 1 diabetes may have low bone turnover and lower than normal bone formation.

"It seems that high blood sugar may shut down bone formation, just as with steroids," says Beatrice Edwards, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine and director of the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Since type 1 diabetes usually develops in childhood, when the body is still building bone, someone with type 1 diabetes may never have the opportunity to reach their peak bone density.

Even if their bone mass isnt that much lower than normal, people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have a much higher risk of fractures than other people, adds Edwards. 
2. Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Nearly 3 million adults in the U.S. have either lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Both of these diseases are autoimmune conditions, in which the body attacks its own healthy cells and tissues, causing inflammation.

Any chronic inflammatory disease can put you at greater risk of osteoporosis, says Edwards, because it appears to increase the rate of bone turnover, in which old bone is replaced with healthy new bone. People with both lupus and RA usually take corticosteroids for an extended period of time to manage their symptoms. Long-term use of steroids such as prednisone is also a leading cause of osteoporosis, possibly because they slow the activity of bone-building cells.

Lupus is a particular problem because it is common in women between the ages of 15 and 45 -- often during the peak bone-building years up to age 30. "Anything that impedes the growth of bone during these years puts you at greater risk for osteoporosis," says Edwards.
3. Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland -- a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the neck -- becomes overactive and produces too much thyroid hormone.

"Hyperthyroidism increases the number of bone-remodeling cycles you go through," explains Edwards. "And after age 30, every bone-remodeling cycle is inefficient. You lose bone mass rather than building it. So the more cycles you go through, the more bone mass you lose."

Hyperparathyroidism, a similar condition involving related, but different glands, also ups the risk of osteoporosis.

4. Celiac Disease

A number of digestive disorders, such as Crohns disease, can be causes of osteoporosis. Perhaps the most common such cause, says Edwards, is celiac disease, an allergy to a protein called gluten that is often found in wheat products.

Left untreated, celiac disease can damage the lining of the digestive system and interfere with the digestion of nutrients -- including the calcium and vitamin D that are so important to bone health. So even if youre getting the recommended daily amounts of calcium and vitamin D in your diet, if you have celiac disease, you probably dont have enough of those nutrients in your system, and you likely have low bone density.
5. Asthma

Asthma itself does not increase your risk of developing osteoporosis, but the medications used to treat it do. Approximately 20 million people in the U.S. have asthma, including some 9 million children under the age of 18.

Many people with asthma use corticosteroids -- such as asthma "inhalers" -- to help control their disease. During asthma attacks it is not uncommon to start drugs like prednisone for small periods of time. These are very effective in relieving the shortness of breath and wheezing that are common with asthma or emphysema, but they may also contribute to bone loss and osteoporosis.

"In addition to this, many young people with asthma may have more difficulty participating in some activities, which means they might not get as much weight-bearing exercise as they need to help build bone," says Andrew Bunta, MD, associate professor and vice chair of orthopaedics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
6. Multiple Sclerosis

Asthma and multiple sclerosis are two very different conditions, but there are very similar reasons why they both increase the risk of osteoporosis. Like people with asthma, people with multiple sclerosis take steroid-based medications to help manage their symptoms, and steroids are associated with bone loss. Since multiple sclerosis also affects balance and movement for many people, someone with MS may find it more difficult to get as much weight-bearing exercise as they need to in order to build and maintain bone.

"Anything that impedes your ability to walk accelerates bone loss," says Edwards.

If you have one of these conditions, how can you help protect yourself from osteoporosis? First, dont assume that your doctor will take care of it for you.

"When you are troubleshooting a primary condition like MS, asthma, or lupus, youre not thinking about the side effects. Osteoporosis can take a back seat," says Felicia Cosman, MD, medical director of the Clinical Research Center at Helen Hayes Hospital in Haverstraw, N.Y., and an editor of Osteoporosis: An Evidence-Based Guide to Prevention and Management. "Thats understandable -- but you dont want osteoporosis to add more disability to an already disabling condition."

So if the doctor treating your celiac disease or rheumatoid arthritis hasnt already brought up osteoporosis with you, ask to discuss it. Depending on your age and your specific condition, you may have several options to help prevent osteoporosis symptoms:

    * Get an early bone density test. Doctors dont usually recommend bone density tests for postmenopausal women, but if you have one of these conditions, you may need to be monitored more closely, and treated for bone loss more aggressively.
    * Push for more vitamin D and calcium in your diet, and supplement. Edwards recommends that people with conditions that accelerate bone loss get at least 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium and 400 to 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D from food and supplements. Look for low-fat dairy and fortified foods.
    * Consider getting the vitamin D levels in your blood measured. "Thats not a specific recommendation from the National Osteoporosis Foundation, but it makes so much clinical sense," says Cos man. "Because vitamin D levels vary so much between individuals, its hard to know how much supplementation is needed to reach sufficient levels."

People tend to lose muscle mass as they age; researchers are investigating ways to delay or counteract age-related muscle loss. A study conducted by the Exercise Metabolism Research Group at McMaster University suggests that current guidelines for meat consumption are based on the protein needed to prevent deficiency without consideration for preservation of muscle mass, particularly for older individuals who are looking to maintain their muscle as they age. This research was published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

Thirty-five middle-aged men (~59 years old) participated in a study that found that eating a 6-ounce serving of 85% lean ground beef resulted in significant improvements in the rate of muscle protein synthesis following exercise. The investigators measured muscle protein synthesis (MPS), which is essential to the body’s ongoing growth, repair and maintenance of skeletal muscle in men who did and did not lift weights. What researchers determined was that the quantity of beef needed for optimal MPS for this age group is double the current recommended serving size of meat.

“Canadas Food Guide now suggests that consuming about 3oz (0.80 g/kg/d) of meat per serving is adequate to provide protein at the recommended level,” says Dr. Stuart Phillips, the study’s senior author and a researcher with the Exercise Metabolism Research Group at McMaster University. “However, our work shows that the quantity of beef needed to maximize the renewal of new muscle proteins was at least 6oz in middle-aged men. Our findings have clear ramifications for the current recommendations regarding protein to prevent muscle loss in aging.”

The article “Dose-dependent responses of myofibrillar protein synthesis with beef ingestion are enhanced with resistance exercise in middle-aged men” is available Open Access in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2012-0092

Health-conscious individuals understand the importance of Omega-3 fats for cardiovascular and brain health. Conversely, Omega-6 fatty acids from corn, safflower and soybean oil sources are known to lead to systemic inflammation and free radical proliferation when consumed in an unbalanced ratio with Omega-3 fats.

As Ive talked about in previous posts, the government began making dietary recommendations in 1977, beginning with Senator George McGoverns Dietary Goals for the United States.  The torch was then passed to the USDA in 1980, which began drafting dietary recommendations every five years.  The most recent USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans came out at the end of 2010.  For all intents and purposes, the recommendations have changed very little since 1977.  Lets look at some of the specifics of the governments advice here, and well see if Americans have been following it over the past few decades.  First on the list, avoid foods high in saturated fat.  This includes eggs (which everyone has been afraid of since that Time magazine article), red meat, and full-fat dairy.  And when you cut something out of your diet, you have to replace it with something else, right?  The government advised that we eat more starches, grains, and vegetable oils in the place of these high-saturated fat foods, along with more low-fat meats like chicken and fish.  Well, it turns out that Americans have been following this advice. Here are a few graphs showing the recent dietary trends:





Since the 1970s, we have done exactly what was recommended for us to do.  Weve eaten fewer eggs, and keep in mind also that the egg data does not take into account the countless yolks that are thrown away for fear of their artery-clogging capabilities.  Until recently, an egg white omelet was a stupid idea, and rightfully so; it tastes awful.  Weve reduced red meat consumption and replaced it with chicken and fish.  Red meat has become a poster boy for our health problems, but its consumption has declined as Americans health has deteriorated over the past few decades.  Whole milk consumption has declined immensely.  Americans drink only about 1/3 of the whole milk that they did in 1970.  It appears as though most Americans have switched over to low-fat or fat-free milk, which have both increased dramatically over the same time period.  And then we come to grains, flour, sugar, and vegetable oil.  All three of these have been on the rise in the American diet over the past few decades.  Remember, the Dietary Guidelines recommended that we increase our grain consumption, and we did just that.  Unfortunately, in our attempt to avoid animal fat, we also consumed more sugar.  Sugar was something that was not stressed in the early Dietary Guidelines, but more recently the USDA has begun to recommend reducing sugar intake.  As for vegetable oil, I could not find a graph showing its consumption, but since it didnt exist before the mid 20th century and now its considered an essential cooking item, its safe to assume its consumption has increased exponentially. 

So... we followed the advice that was provided to us.  We ate less red meat and saturated-fat-laden foods.  We ate more grains and flour products.  We chose low-fat protein sources like skim milk and chicken breast, and we cooked with vegetable oils.  Well, heres what happened:



Obesity gone wild.   The first graph is from 1985, which was the first year obesity statistics by state were recorded.  In 1985, no state had an obesity rate over 14%.  Actually, data wasnt available for every state, but West Virginia, which has the highest obesity rate today, was under 14% in 1985, so chances are that was just about the highest in the country.  In 2009, only Colorado had an obesity rate under 19%, and there were 9 states with an obesity rate over 30%.  You could say, based on these numbers, that the obesity rate in America has approximately doubled since 1985, maybe even more than doubled.

But dont say its because were eating too much red meat and saturated fat, because we arent.  Grains, sugar, and other carbohydrates are the foods that have been on the rise in America during this period in which obesity took off.  Besides, we have been eating red meat and saturated-fat-containing foods for millions of years.  The obesity epidemic, and the heart disease epidemic for that matter, only began in the 20th century.  As Sean Croxton of Underground Wellness always says, you cant blame new diseases on old foods.  I agree completely.  The culprits here are not red meat and eggs.  It is our overconsumption of grains, flour, sugar, and vegetable oils that is at the core of our health problems.

But what about the heart disease epidemic?  Did the recent dietary change prevent heart attacks?  It actually may have.  Heart disease rates have leveled off since the mid 1970s (see graph below).  Of course, there are other factors involved here, like the fact that everyone and their mother is on statin drugs, which may help prevent heart disease.  Im not sold on statins at all, but there is some evidence that its probably helping a few people prevent heart disease deaths.  It is important to note, though, that we are only talking about heart disease deaths.  Is a diet that can reduce your risk for heart disease, but increase your waistline and make your more susceptible to cancer, really the ideal diet?  I dont think so....


Now here we are in 2011.  The newest Dietary Guidelines have just been released, and weve still got a food pyramid that is based on a nutrient-poor food (grains) that hasnt been consumed for 99% of human history.  But what else is our government to do?  We as humans made a decision 10,000 years ago to commit to a grain-based diet when we adopted agriculture as our means for food production.  We sacrificed our health in return for the ability to support a greater population.  As a result, our modern government is obligated to support a diet that can feed the ever-increasing population; a diet based on grains that are high in calories and can be mass-produced fairly easily and inexpensively.  The USDA Dietary Guidelines will NEVER adopt a lower carb Paleo Diet mindset, regardless of how clear the science is.  Firstly, such a stark change in ideals would admit that theyve been wrong for the past three decades.  Secondly, it would ruin the agricultural industry.  Thirdly, eating an optimal human diet is just not possible for everyone to do with our current population.  Like I said, we made the decision to eat a grain-based diet when we decided to adopt agriculture. 

So, to conclude this six-part Historical Context series, THIS is why I reject the low-fat concept, THIS is why I think the Dietary Guidelines are ridiculous, and THIS is why I eat the way I do.  I hope my position is more clear now.  Thank you and goodnight.