Nourishing Your Kidneys and Aging with Grace

Ah, winter. It seems to really hit only after the holidays, when the long nights of January march on and the credit card bills come due. The sage consolidates energy in winter, becoming more internally focused, quieter, and listening more. Cooking more, too: long simmered soups and stews, roasting, baking, even a little deep frying (in fresh oil with a high saturated fat content, like lard or coconut oil, of course) are all appropriate to warm our bodies in wintertime. Traditional Asian medicines teach that winter is the time when the energy of the kidneys predominates and it is beneficial to nurture these organs. The kidneys are known not only to govern urination but to be the root and foundation of the body’s energy, showing that the ancients understood the functioning of the endocrine system and recognized the location of the adrenals on top of the kidneys. Kidney energy governs metabolism, reproduction, development, and aging, and weak kidney energy often shows in low back and knee pain, bone problems, frequent urination, and fear.
Kidney nourishing foods include all beans (even string beans!), especially those dark in color, seaweed, parsley, millet, wild rice and other dark grains, walnuts, black sesame seeds, yams, organ meats (only from sustainably raised animals, of course), oysters, clams, crab, lobster, and pork.

The kidney energy governs the deepest forms of internal fire and water in the body. If our internal fire, known as kidney yang, is weakened by chronic stress, overwork, or aging, symptoms such as coldness, pallor, low back and knee pain, impotence/infertility, frequent urination, low libido, edema or asthma might ensue. Kidney fire naturally declines with age, and traditional medicines have many remedies. Foods which nurture the yang include warm spices such as cloves, fenugreek, fennel, anise, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, rosemary, dill, caraway and cumin, as well as black and aduki beans, lentils, oats, spelt, sweet brown rice and quinoa, citrus peel, dates, cherries and raspberries, walnuts, parsnips, parsley, mustard greens, winter squash, cabbage, kale, onions, garlic, leeks and scallions. Animal foods are powerful yang tonics and people with yang weakness should eat 1-3 servings of high quality animal foods a day, including organic or pastured chicken, organ meats (especially kidneys), lobster or crab, shrimp, wild salmon, trout and lamb.

Our deepest internal water, our yin, can also become depleted by stress, overwork and aging. When our internal coolant gets depleted, we may experience dizziness, ringing in the ears, dry mouth and throat, thirst, low back pain, night sweats, menstrual irregularities, agitation, irritation, nervousness, insecurity and fear. Wheat and wheat germ, bulgur, tempeh, millet, barley, rice and amaranth, beans, asparagus, eggplant, potatoes, and beets, seaweeds, raw cheese, goat cheese and cultured organic dairy products such as yogurt and kefir, shellfish, sardines, organic or pastured eggs, duck, pork, organ meats, and fruit such as apples, berries, lemons, grapes, mulberries and melon are all wonderful kidney yin foods. One should avoid too many warming spices, excessive exercise (especially Bikram yoga!), and stimulants.

An even more esoteric, yet fundamental, aspect of the kidney energy is the storage of the jing. The jing is our deepest essence, akin to the energy savings account of the body. The quality and quantity of our jing determines our health, lifespan and aging process. Our daily energy is drawn from the air we breathe, the food we eat, and, when these are insufficient for our needs, from our reserves of jing. Jing is depleted by stress, fear, overwork, excessive ejaculation or childbearing, toxin exposure, and excessive sweets or protein in the diet. Jing cannot be replaced, but it can be enhanced through meditation, tai qi, qi gong and yoga, and by eating certain foods, many of which are high in essential fatty acids, B12, and vitamins A and D. These include chlorella, spirulina, blue-green algae, barley and wheat grass, fish, liver, cod liver oil, kidney, bone and marrow and the broth made from these, placenta, almonds, raw milk and cheese, ghee, nettles, royal jelly, bee pollen, chicken, mussels, and herbs such as gouji berries, tu ci zi, shu di huang, gui ban, and lu rong (ask your herbalist about these!). Of course, only high-quality, organic or pastured substances will truly nourish the jing. In addition, appropriate jing tonics should be selected based on your constitution and energetic patterns.

Three Treasures Stir Fry
Adapted from Nam Singh, L.Ac. Shitake mushrooms support the immune system, walnuts are nourishing to the kidneys and lungs and are high in omega 3 fatty acids, and gouji berries are high in vitamin A and antioxidants, and nourish the liver, kidneys and eyes. Serves 4 as a main dish.

10 Shitake (black mushrooms, soaked)
1 cup walnuts, soaked overnight if possible
1 cup gouji berries
5 slices fresh ginger root
1 lb. Chinese long beans, string beans, snap peas or snow peas
1 tablespoon coconut oil, pastured lard, sesame or olive oil
¼ cup sake, mirin or white wine
2 tablespoons tamari or shoyu
1 teaspoon kuzu or arrowroot
Toasted or black sesame oil for finishing

Soak the mushrooms in a dish of hot water for 20 minutes, then drain the water and set aside. Remove the stems and slice the mushrooms. Wash and cut the long beans, if using. Toast the walnuts lightly in a toaster oven or dry pan until crispy. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or wok, then sauté the ginger slices for 1 minute. Add the beans, and sauté for 2-3 minutes depending on toughness. Add the mushrooms, mirin, and allow the vegetables to cook by steaming. Soak the gouji berries in hot water for a minute, and then drain. When the beans and mushrooms are tender, add the gouji berries and shoyu. Dissolve the kuzu or arrowroot in hot water and add to the pan to thicken the sauce. Stir in the walnuts, and finish to taste with sesame oil. Serve hot over rice.

ANNOUNCEMENT: I'll be teaching a class on aging and Chinese medicine this Saturday from 1-3pm at the Immune Enhancement Project in San Francisco. Contact IEP at 415-252-8711 to sign up.

Creamy, Dreamy Soup

As the temperature in the Bay Area reaches its annual nadir, I have changed my daily lunch salad into a daily lunch soup. One of the quailities most sought after in soup is creaminess. While in the Occidental soup traditions this was often accomplished with butter and cream (which is a fine way to do things) there are so many other ways to make a soup rich, creamy, dreamy.

• At the end, stir in crème fraiche, sour cream, yogurt, cream, milk, soy, hemp or almond milk. Raw and/or cultured creams add beneficial enzymes and bacteria to support digestion. Or, uree toasted cashews with soy milk for a super rich cream to stir into a soup. Stir in almond butter, or blend in peanut butter to a yam, winter squash or carrot soup for protein and creamy goodness. Spice this one with pumpkin pie type spices and chili for a take on African groundnut soup.


• You can partially puree a chunky soup to give it body. Or puree a handful of cooked rice or oatmeal with part of a chunky soup and add it to the soup as a whole. Cook a handful of rice, barley or rolled oats into a soup. Or add cooked beans of any kind (white beans are nice), whole or blended, to give more thickness.


• White miso is mild and sweet and will impart flavor and a hint of creaminess to most soups. Dissolve the miso in cold water, stir into the soup at the end, and don’t let it boil (which kills off the beneficial bacteria and can make it bitter).


• Starchy vegetable purees can work well also. Potatoes, rutabagas, celery root or winter squash can go in a soup or be added as a puree to improve the texture. I once had a wonderful cream of rutabaga soup with the root cooked in a light veggie stock and pureed with a cashew cream (see above), salt, nutmeg and white pepper. A humble vegetable turned divine!


• The ubiquitous tomato can add flavor and body to the broth of almost any soup. Instead of canned (usually imported) tomatoes, in winter I like to soften locally-produced sun dried tomatoes in water, and blend or chop them to go in soups. But I like to challenge myself to make rich-tasting thick soups without tomatoes.
  

When in Doubt, Make Soup

The making of soups and stews is a culinary technique, a health practice, and a way to save time and money in the kitchen. Cooking ingredients together in a watery base makes their nutrients eminently available for the body, maximizing the ease of digestion. A batch of soup can be cooked and will improve over a few days’ time, or can be frozen for future meals. Soup in a thermos is easily transported to work or school and can save you a lot of money on dining out!
My studies and experiments in soup and stew making over the years have led me to discover the five elements of soup. All the elements need not be present in every good soup, yet most good, traditional soup recipes contain at least three. They are:

The high notes:
· Spicy/aromatic: These flavors and aromas brighten the energy of a soup, and hit your palate first. Onions, garlic, pepper, celery, fennel, leeks, spices such as curry, and red and black peppers are aromatics. Sometimes they are cooked into a soup, sometimes they are sprinkled on at the end. (LUNG organ/METAL element in Chinese medicine)
· Bitter: Bitter greens lift and lighten flavors and awaken the appetite. Stir in spinach, arugula, kale, watercress in the last few minutes of cooking, or sprinkle on parsley, cilantro, citrus zest, etc. as a finishing touch. A great way to work more greens into your diet. (HEART/FIRE)
· Sour: Can give a lift, or a kick to the top end of a soup. Lemon, lime, or best yet, ferments like sauerkraut or unpasteurized vinegar, are wonderful here. (LIVER/WOOD)
The middle tones:
· Sweet: the body of the soup. Most likely, the middle tones are whatever you used most of in the soup, carrots, chicken, potatoes, carmelized onions, etc. Many of these foods are complex carbs with a sweet flavor. Or they may be thickeners, such as rice or noodles, which give a broth body and make the soup a meal. (SPLEEN/EARTH)
· Fat: is the carrier of flavor. It may be used in sautéing the ingredients, as in ghee, coconut oil or lard, or it may be used as a finisher, such as crème fraiche or butter swirled in at the end of the process. (LIVER/WOOD)
The baseline:
· Salty/umami: is derived from the flavors of mineral-rich stock or bone broth, miso, tamari, fish sauce or seaweed. It gives depth to the soup, making it satisfy and nourish us, literally, to the bone. (KIDNEY/WATER)

White Bean Kabocha Stew
1 cup Great Northern Beans or other white beans
1 strip kombu seaweed, about 6”
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons olive oil, ghee or pastured lard
1 cup coarsely chopped leeks
1 cup tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 cups Kabocha squash, chopped into 1 1/2” cubes
½ cup coarsely chopped celery leaves
1 tablespoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup green beans, trimmed
2 pinches crumbled saffron threads (saffron is a digestive aid, fights inflammation and “seems to convince human cancer cells to induce their own death”)
Garnishes: watercress, cilantro, basil, pesto…

Soak the beans overnight in cool water. Place them into a 2-3 qt. saucepan with the kombu, bay leaf, carrot, celery, and onion, with water to cover by about 1 ½ inches. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beans are almost tender, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid, and remove the bay, carrot, celery and kombu. In a heavy soup pot, heat the fat. Add the leeks and sauté until they are beginning to turn golden, then add the tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes. Pour in enough water to cover the vegetables, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the Kabocha, celery leaves, salt and a few grindings of black pepper, and reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or so. Now add the green beans, the white beans and their cooking liquid along with the saffron. Simmer for 15 minutes or until all is tender. Correct the seasoning, and serve with the optional garnishes. You can use almost any seasonal vegetables in this dish.

Curried Chicken Coconut Soup

Like many chicken soups, the inclusion of chicken meat in this is totally optional. The really beneficial part of the dish is in the broth, made by long-simmering a chicken carcass in water with a splash of vinegar. Of course, you could use veggie stock for a vegetarian version. In that case, substitute some miso for the fish sauce to get the important umami tones.

2 tablespoons coconut oil, ghee or lard
1 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2-3 slices ginger, cut in tiny matchsticks
1 cup shitake, maitake or other mushrooms, sliced
1 qt. chicken stock (or Magic mineral broth or other stock)
1 yam, diced
1 daikon radish, sliced
¼-1 tsp Thai curry paste
1 can coconut milk (not lite!)
1-2 teaspoons fish sauce or tamari
1 Nappa cabbage, sliced thin
1 bunch watercress, coarsely chopped
Juice of 1-2 lemons or limes
Garnish: cilantro, basil, chili oil, etc.
Heat the fat in a large soup pot, then add the onion, and begin to sauté until it is turning golden. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for a few moments more. Next, add the mushrooms and cook and stir until they begin to slightly brown. Add the stock and bring the soup to a boil. Add the yam and daikon and simmer for 10 minutes or so until they begin to get tender. Meanwhile, dissolve the curry paste in a little of the coconut milk, then add this and the rest of the can to the soup. Simmer 5 minutes more or so, and then add the fish sauce or tamari and cabbage. When the cabbage begins to wilt, taste and correct the seasonings. Stir in the watercress and lime juice at the last minute, serve chopped with any of the optional or other garnishes. Variations? Endless.

Bone Broth

Start by collecting bones. A chicken carcass, the center bone of a lamb roast, small bones from chops, big bones by the bag from the Farmer’s market or your meat CSA, any or all of these will do. Put them in a big plastic bag in your freezer. Whenever you eat sustainable meat or any meat, add those bones to your collection. If you are shy when dining out, tell them the bones are for your dog. When you have enough to fill your crock pot or stock pot ½ to 2/3 full with bones, go ahead and empty your bag into the pot, cover with cold water and add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Let it sit at room temperature for an hour, letting the acid begin to bring all those good minerals out of the bones and then bring to a boil and simmer for a really long time. For mostly chicken bones, cook at least 24 hours. For mixed bones or others, 2-3 days is good. Let your stock cool a bit and then strain. Don’t worry if it looks disgusting at first, strain in a fine strainer and then place the stock in a container in the fridge until the fat hardens a bit at the top. Scoop most of it out, as this is not the finest fat from the animal (I give the extra fat to the city for composting) and pour the stock into jars, old yogurt containers or ice cube trays and freeze, labeled for later use. With stock and cooked beans in the freezer I know that soup, the staff of life, is always close at hand.

I'll be co-teaching a soup workshop in December:

Cooking at the CoG: Ways with Soup

Friday Dec. 4th 7pm
Join CoG members and cooking teachers Vanessa Barrington and Nishanga Bliss in an exploration of the many ways of making economical, nourishing, delicious soups. Veggie stocks and bone broths, the wonders of miso, cream soups and bean soups, soups and fermentation, recipes, and much much more! Bring a mug and spoon for tasting. FREE! Visit http://thecog.org/ for more info.

About my co-conspirators: Vanessa Barrington is a writer, a chef, and a CoG member.Read her blog here: vanessabarrington.typepad.com Susan Fleming is a graphic designer, a food enthusiast, and a CoG member.Visit her design studio here: www.adelinedesign.net

Fall Foods to Strengthen the Lungs

Fall is the season which Chinese medicine associates with the metal element, the lung organ, nad the energy of letting go. This time of year we prune away the excesses of summer like we prune a fruit tree after it bears, consolidating our energy, focusing on what is most important, and preparing for winter. It is also a time of year when our lungs are vulnerable, and it is easy to catch a cold or flu. The flu shot is just one of many ways to protect yourself. I've been eating a lot of the wonderful Shoo Flu sauerkraut our neighbors at Cultured make with star anise and gouji berries for immune enhancement.

Many of the foods we find at the farmer’s market at this time of year help our bodies fight the effects of breathing polluted air and exposure to pathogens. Onions, garlic, and other naturally spicy foods are thought to be protective to the respiratory system. Dr. Irwin Ziment, a professor at UCLA, based on the finding that Hispanics who smoke in the polluted Los Angeles area have a surprisingly low rate of lung cancer, routinely prescribes chilies for respiratory problems (Pitchford, 2002). In addition to chilies, radishes, turnips, ginger, cabbage and white pepper are considered mildly spicy in flavor in Chinese medicine and will help strengthen the lungs. Modern research has validated the age-old remedy of chicken soup for fighting respiratory infection and it is even more effective with the addition of garlic and chilies (Ziment, 2006). Many common culinary spices, like turmeric, ginger, fennel and rosemary, have been found to have cancer-fighting properties as well (Aggarwal & Shishodia, 2004). Pears and Asian pears are another traditional remedy for lung irritation from illness or pollution, and can help soothe a dry cough.

The fall season brings the nut harvest. Fresh nuts are wonderful sources of vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Vitamin E has been shown in numerous studies to help protect the lungs from the ill effects of breathing contaminants. Look for walnuts, almonds, pecans or other nuts that grow in your area, and buy them freshly shelled or shell them yourself to get the most benefit. Soaking nuts overnight before roasting, grinding or cooking them into foods will make them easier to digest and increase their nutrient value. Cold-pressed oils such as sesame, olive and walnut, avocados and freshly ground whole wheat flour (available at the farmer’s market in my area!) are other good sources of vitamin E.

Selenium is an immune-stimulating, cancer protective mineral. It is found in many whole foods, especially those grown in selenium-rich soils. Good sources include whole wheat, liver, butter, lamb, nuts, and brown rice. Ellagic acid, related to flavonoids, blocks the cancer-causing actions of many airborne pollutants, but is destroyed by heat. It is abundant in raspberries and blackberries and also found in other berries, most fruit, and nuts, such as walnuts and pecans. Fiber is found in most whole foods and helps to eliminate some pollutants, although excess fiber, as from fiber supplements, can block mineral absorption. And of course mushrooms of all varieties are well known immune enhancers. Mushroom soup anyone?
Keeping our diets focused on whole foods from quality sources like the farmer’s market will help keep you healthy into the winter months.

Chemical Soup: Exposures in my Average Day

Product	Contents	EWG Risk	Comments
Tom's of Maine Natural Care Antiplaque Toothpaste	Ingredients from packaging: Calcium Carbonate, Glycerin, Water, Xylitol, Hydrated Silica, Zinc Citrate Trihydrate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Peppermint (Mentha Piperita) Oil, Carrageenan (Chondrus Crispus), Sodium Bicarbonate.	2:10	Tom's of Maine is now owned by Colgate/Palmolive. But, the chemical of most concern is peppermint oil, which I'm not worried about.
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap--Peppermint	Water, Saponified Organic Coconut and Organic Olive Oils, (w/Retained Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Mentha Arvensis Extract, Organic Peppermint Oil, Citric Acid, Vitamin E	2:10
Tom's of Maine Deodorant Stick Unscented	PROPLYENE GLYCOL, WATER, SODIUM STEARATE, ALOE (ALOE BARBADENSIS) GEL, WITCH HAZEL (HAMAMELIS VIRGINANA) WATER, LICHEN (USNEA BARBATA) EXTRACT, GLYCERYL LAURATE, CORIANDER (CORIANDRUM SATIVUM) FRUIT OIL, CHAMOMILE (CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA) FLOWER WATER.	2:10	Chemicals of most concern are propylene glycol and glyceryl laurate, both penetration enhancers which can cause skin irrtiation. All other deodorants in the database have a rating of 2:10 as well.
Alba Botanica Terratint Lip Balm, Blaze	Active Ingredients: zinc oxide 5.1% Ingredients: organic cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, organic olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, organic beeswax, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, silica, calcium sodium borosilicate, organic mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, polyhydroxystearic acid, triethoxycaprylylsilane, tocopheryl acetate, extract of calendula officinalis flower and echinacea purpurea. May Contain: mica, iron oxides, titanium dioxide.	3:10	Chemical of highest concern is tocopheryl acetate, an ester of tocopherol and aceitic acid which functions as an antioxidant, but there is "strong evidence" of human skin toxicity.
MAC Amplified Cream Lipstick	RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL; DIISOSTEARYL MALATE; TRIOCTYLDODECYL CITRATE; LANOLIN OIL; CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE; EUPHORBIA CERIFERA (CANDELILLA) WAX; OCTYLDODECANOL; OZOKERITE; SILICA; POLYDECENE; BIS-DIGLYCERYL POLYACYLADIPATE-2; POLYETHYLENE; MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX (CERA MICROCRISTALLINA); TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) GERM EXTRACT; GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) SEED EXTRACT; HORDEUM VULGARE EXTRACT; ASTROCARYUM MURUMURU BUTTER; TOCOPHERYL ACETATE; SQUALANE; CHOLESTEROL; CERAMIDE 3; ALUMINA; LINOLEIC ACID; VANILLIN; MICA; TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891); IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499); CARMINE (CI 75470); BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090); RED 6 (CI 15850); RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850); RED 28 (CI 45410); RED 30 (CI 73360); RED 33 LAKE (CI 17200); YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140); YELLOW 6 LAKE (CI 15985); YELLOW 10 LAKE (CI 47005)	4:10	Whoa! Long ingredient lists in makeup, as in food, are probably very bad. And to think I eat several tubes of it a year! Time for an upgrade. Biggest concerns: polyethylate, a moderate immune system toxicant, aluminum, FD&C and D&C colors, which I avoid in my foods but here they are in my lipstick!
Yoanna's Earth Minerals Powder Bare Beige	mica, kaolin, magnesium carbonate, zinc stearate, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, simethicone, dimethicone, isododecane, iron oxide	not in database, but ingredients range from 1-6:10	Most troubling is zinc oxide, widely used as a sunscreen, but with concerns about bioaccumulation and cancer promotion. Last week I had a physical and my doctor recommended daily sunscreen, based on skin damage I already have. But all sunscreens have concerns about human and environmental toxicity. I ordered one that checked out pretty well on Skin Deep.
Earth science Clarifying Facial Wash	ALOE JUICE, GLYCERINE (VEGETABLE), COCO-BETAINE, COCOAMPHOCARBOXYGLYCINATE, PANTHENOL, CUCUMBER EXTRACT, SEA KELP EXTRACT, BIRCH BARK EXTRACT, ROSEMARY EXTRACT, HYALURONIC ACID, ZINC SULFATE, CITRIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, GRAPEFRUIT SEED EXTRACT, ALLANTOIN, LAVENDER EXTRACT, ASCORBIC ACID, FRAGRANCE.	5:10	The dreaded "fragrance" is the chemical of highest concern here: a vague category that includes lots of endocrine disruptors, cancer promoters and other nastiness. I've since switched to a locally made, chemical free brand which is not listed on the data base.
Ecover Dishwashing Liquid--chamomile and marigold	Plant based anionic and non-ionic tensio-active surfactants, water, milk whey, plant based fragrance, extracts of chamomile and marigold, salt, citic acid and 100% biodegradable preservative	n/a
Biokleen Cleaner and Degreaser	surfactants, water conditioners, and degreaser from coconut, grapefruit seed & pulp extract, orange peel extract, linear sulfonate, filtered spring water	n/a
Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent	Sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium silicate, zeolites, fatty alcohol ethoxylate, polyglucose, magnesium sulfate, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium percarbonate, carboxymethyl inulin, carboxymethyl cellulose, protease, cellulase, oleic acid	n/a
water (from ulitility company report)	aluminum, chloramine, fluoride, acrylamide, haloaceitic acids, trihalomethanes, aluminum, chloride, sulfate, boron, chlorate, N-Nitrosodimethlylamine (NDMA), copper, lead, may contain other inorganic, synthetic organic and volatile organic contaminants		From http://ebmud.com/water_&_environment/water_quality/annual_ report/2008_annual_water_quality_report.pdf
water (other possible contaminants)	pharmaceuticals, triclocarban, triclosan, pesticides, etc.		Source: EPA
West Berkeley air	Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Ethylene dibromide, acetaldehyde, perchloroethylene, 1.1.2.2.-Tetrachloroethane, naphtahlene, carbon tetrachloride, bis(2-ethylhexylphthalate, p-Dichlorobenzene, ethylidene dichloride, chromium 6, ethyline dichloride, 1,3-Dichloropropene, acrylonitrite, vinyl chloride, arsenic compounds, methylene chloride, propylene dichloride, cadmium compounds, ethylene oxide, nickel compounds, trichloroethylene, lindane, hexachlorobutadiene, benzyl chloride, etc.		This list includes only contaminants linked to increased cancer risk, There may be many others.

 

Whoa! I consider myself a pretty low maintenance girl. For example, I make my own shampoo. But I do use a few products on my body and in my house most days. And, however green they may appear to be, they contain chemicals. I got the risk data from the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database, check it out here: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/. I'll be making a few upgrades! The most troubling lists are from my sources of air and water. Hopefully the majority of contaminants are filtered out by my water filter, but the air in my industrial part of town is a problem. Doing an exercise like this makes one wonder how people avoid getting cancer. Increasingly, they don't avoid it. Cancer rates are rising, and it is now estimated that 1 in 3 men and 1 in 4 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes. I was at a Chinese medicine conference over the weekend and I went to a class taught by a seasoned practitioner who works using Chinese herbs for cancer. Her basic message: we all need to be practicing cancer prevention. Diet and lifestyle, along with environmental advocacy, are the major ways to do so. See my post on air pollution for some specific cancer fighting foods. Aside from organic vegetables and fruits, we tend to forget that organic, grass-fed animal products can be a source of many cancer fighting compounds, such as vitamins D and E, omega 3 fatty acids, and conjugated lineoleic acid (CLA). Visit Jo Robinson's excellent site for lots of research on the benefits of these foods here: http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm.

 

Eat Your View

Labor Day is fast approaching, and it is the climax of Slow Food USA's Time for Lunch campaign, when over 200 Eat-Ins will take place across the nation. An Eat-In is "one part picnic and one part sit-in." Picnics and potlucks will happen in every state, with the goal of urging Congress to make big changes in the Child Nutrition Act, up for reauthorization this fall. In the past, the act has ensured that the commodities of industrial agriculture are dumped on our children in the form of yukky school lunches. I believe that is was within this law that ketchup was officially declared a vegetable in the Reagan era. With the winds of change blowing today, we have a chance to make some big changes and get schoolchildren eating real food.

My son started school in Berkeley this week, where local food, school gardens, and an organic salad bar are already in place. Outside the bubble, most of the nation is still eating tater tots for lunch. Imagine what will happen if all the nation's schools start sourcing local food, and all 30 million public school kids get the benefit of eating real food at school.

If you've been paying attention, you've figured out that the Farm Bill (subsidized corn and soy, etc) is one of the major buttresses of the miserable status quo around food and health in our nation. Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack has stated that it can only get changed (reauthorization occurs next year) if there is a mass movement supporting that. I believe the movement is already happening, but it needs to become visible. Shopping the farmer's market is not enough! I say, join every food-related organization you admire and get active. Slow Food is a great place to start. You can join Slow Food in September for a donation of any amount, by following this link: https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5986/t/6238/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=1166

I'll be at the Eat In in Berkeley on Labor Day. Check out the Time for Lunch campaign site to find one in your area: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/about/. Another cool idea: register your Labor Day picnic, potluck or party with Slow Food and turn it into an Eat In. All you have to do is take a photo and send it to Slow Food.

What to bring to the potluck? A dish I've been loving now grew out of this summer's mighty effort to start liking melon. I was turned off it years ago by those nasty fruit cups with underripe melon balls you get at restaraunts and hospitals. Every summer Full Belly farm has put melons in my CSA box and I've given them away. But this year, I gave it a go. Could I learn to like it? Melon and proscuitto was good, melon chunks with mint and feta pretty nice, but watermelon and tomato salad, on a hot day, I can say I really like. I found this recipe in the wonderful book Seasoned in the South by chef Bill Neal of Crook's Corner, Chapel Hill, where I ate on my summer vacation, "a temple of Southern cooking" and sustainable to boot.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

5 cups watermelon chunks
1 ½ lbs. very ripe tomatoes
½ t salt

1 T sugar (I use honey)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup strong flavored olive oil

Toss the melons and tomatoes with the sugar and salt. Let sit 15 min. Fold in onions, vinegar and oil. Serve very cold.