A rose by any other name

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet"

Translation: What matters is what something is, not what it is called.

I was cursed with an English name I hate. I can't remember a time in my life that I didn't hate my name. I've changed it slowly over time; first changing my middle name to the name I prefer. Then marrying and changing my last name (let's be honest, I've changed my last name several times using this method.) Now I want to drop the hated first name and go by the preferred name. Result: Mama is mad at me.

It really doesn't take much to make my mother mad at me. It's a simple fact of life - Mama will be angry with me more times than she's pleased. But now I am committing the unpardonable sin - wanting to change the name she gave me.

I tried explaining how I felt about my name. She even agreed that the name I prefer is pretty. However, she gave me my name and my rejecting it translates to my rejection of her. My Auntie even tried explaining how my mother and father pondered long over what name to give me and then bequeathed me with the name that they liked best. Apparently, my liking the name doesn't enter into the equation.

So now I'm on Mama's black list. Again.

Shakespeare doesn't exist in my mother's universe.

At times like this I feel like an alien in my own family.

Food for thought

This has been a busy day with cooking, gardening, cleaning up mud that Odin has tracked into the house (multiple times, of course, since I can't get Odin to cooperate and wipe his feet before coming back into the house), studying for school, going to school and planning for tomorrow (and tomorrow is going to be a very long day.)

SO

Here are several of my favorite quotes. Let me know if any of them strike a note with you.

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”

"If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, then you haven't been watering your side enough."

"Persistence is a unique mental strength; a strength that is essential to combat the fierce power of the repeated rejections and numerous other obstacles that sit in waiting and are all part of winning in a fast-moving, ever-changing world."

"If you know what to do to reach your goal, it's not a big enough goal."

"Whether you think you can or you can't, you are right."

"Life gives back exponentially what you put into it."

White Bean and Ham Soup recipe

Easter this year was lovely although wet here in Wahiawa. Our main course for dinner was a glorious spiral cut, bone-in ham. Now that the ham has been cut off the bone, this recipe is a perfect way to utilize both bone and some chopped leftover bits of meat. And by the way, this soup freezes beautifully.

White Bean and Ham Soup

Container: large heavy stock pot
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2.5 hours
Serving Size: 12 ounces
Servings: 8

Ingredients

16 ounces dried Great Northern beans
1 cup diced sweet yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth or stock
2 bay leaves
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
2 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 pounds to 2 1/2 pound ham shank
1/4 teaspoon black ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

Soak beans overnight in salt water, drain.

In bottom of stock pot, add oil and sauté onions and garlic over medium heat until softened (about 4 to 5 minutes). Remove from heat.

Add remaining vegetables, seasonings, ham shank, drained beans, and chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 1 1/2 hours.

Remove ham shank from soup. Allow ham shank to cool slightly. Remove meat from bone. Discard bones, fat, and skin. Add meat to soup.

Continue cooking on simmer for an additional 30 to 45 minutes or until beans are soft.

Molasses Crinkles Cookies recipe

I've been making these cookies for decades. They make such marvelous snacks with a glass of milk.

Molasses Crinkles

¾ c shortening
1 c brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
¼ c molasses
2-¼ c sifted flour
2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
Granulated sugar

Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses thoroughly. Blend all dry ingredients; stir in. Chill.

Heat oven to 375°. Roll dough in 1 ¼" balls. Dip tops in sugar. Place balls, sugared side up, 3" apart on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle each with 2 or 3 drops of water. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or just until set but not hard.

Makes 4 doz. Cookies.

That Anxious feeling

Anxiety issues have plagued my family for generations. I guess we're a jumpy bunch. Fortunately, I've had only one anxiety attack in my life. My children haven't fared as well; a few have suffered through multiple attacks over the course of growing up and as young adults. Anxiety is now beginning to show up in my grandchildren.

The web article 5 Natural Remedies for Anxiety describes panic attacks this way: The anxiety attack is the body’s fight or flight mechanisms thrown into over drive. This over reaction can cause a jittery sensation, a feeling of loss of control, dizziness, sweating, a rapid heart rate and rapid respiration. And, as I've experienced it, it can make you feel like you are dying.

As I've researched this topic I came across fascinating information from the Denver Naturopathic Clinic about a neurotransmitter called GABA (Gamma-Amino Butyric acid for those who want the whole enchilada.) I was struck by the relationship between GABA and glutamates (a previous posting on MSG). Glutamates cause neurons to fire (in the case of MSG and aspartame, to fire excessively) while GABA inhibits firing.

The article also states: "Without GABA, nerve cells fire too often and too easily. Anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, seizure disorders, and numerous other conditions including addiction, headaches, Parkinson's syndrome, and cognitive impairment are all related to low GABA activity. GABA hinders the transmission of nerve impulses from one neuron to another. It has a calming or quieting influence. A good example to help understand this effect is caffeine. Caffeine inhibits GABA release. The less GABA, the more nerve transmissions occur. Think what too much coffee feels like: that is the sensation of glutamate without enough GABA."

The odd thing is that glutamine is a precursor of GABA. I had confused MSG and glutamates. Ah ha! They are not the same thing.

According to Glutamine: The Essential "Non-Essential" Amino Acid "Glutamate" as it functions within the body does not mean monosodium glutamate. Monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid-just as sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate are salts of ascorbic acid. Thus, MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, while "glutamate," as the term is used most often these days, is the ionic form of glutamic acid. True, the body can use MSG as a source of glutamate, but there is also all that sodium coming in, perhaps causing sodium/potassium imbalance, dehydration, and disturbances in the constriction and dilation of blood vessels.

I'm thinking that many of our problems were actually caused by eating MSG-laden foods and then trying to cope with the resulting panic attacks afterward.

(Valerian Root, American Ginseng, green tea, vitamin B6 appear to increase GABA levels.)

The safest way to naturally boost your mood, and balance your brain chemistry is to eat food that increase the production of key neurotransmitters. And in the case of GABA, that means eating more complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs increase glutamine, an amino acid and precursor, (precedes the creation of) GABA. Try Introducing GABA-friendly foods into your diet and avoid eating excessive simple sugars, white flours and wheat products (besides whole grains).

According to Dr. Braverman, author of "The Edge Effect," the following foods are high in glutamic acid/glutamate (forms glutamine, precursor to GABA):

* Almonds, tree nuts
* Bananas
* Beef Liver
* Broccoli
* Brown Rice
* Halibut
* Lentils
* Oats, whole grain
* Oranges, citrus fruits
* Rice bran
* Spinach
* Walnuts
* Whole wheat, whole grains.

For years we've used sublingual drops of Bach's Flower Remedies as a quick anxiety remedy. I used Rescue Remedy on Butterfly to calm her when she was little. The spray and drops don't taste very good and can be a pain to give an already out of control child so I'm overjoyed to see that there are now Bach Flower Pastilles - a (reportedly) delicious tasting chewable tablet. Yea!

The Bach Flower Remedies website says this about Rescue Remedy: The 5 Bach Flower Remedies in Rescue Pastilles are especially suitable when feeling impatient, irritated, nervous, spaced out, losing your temper, feeling numbed, lacking concentration, feeling an oncoming anxiety attack, post-traumatic stress or if experiencing suicidal ideations. That's a pretty broad spread on the anxiety spectrum, but this natural alternative to prescription drugs does work well.

Another home remedy we used for anxiety and depression was peanut butter on whole wheat toast. I wasn't sure WHY it worked, it just did, and rapidly to boot. Now, you get to know why it works: Peanut butter provides vitamins A and E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, fiber, and the phytochemical resveratrol. The whole wheat toast provides B vitamins along with small amounts of other nutrients. Together they provide GABA-boosting nutrients that quickly inhibit the rapid neuron firing that seems to cause panic attacks.

My Only Son has managed good control of his anxiety over the years by engaging in strenuous exercise. He rock climbs, long distance cycles, hikes and stays generally physically active. The exercise has kept him fit and mentally stable. This method would undoubtedly work for everyone if we would have the same self-discipline.

Holistic Online gives this advice:
Refined, white flour and sugar products, and processed foods starve the body of B vitamins. This weakens the body and promotes feelings of anxiety. Sweet foods are especially harmful, since their digestion causes a dramatic drop in blood sugar which can be experienced as apprehensive jitteriness.

Take a healthy, whole foods diet containing fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts and whole grains. It is the best insurance against attacks of anxiety. Fruits and vegetables are best eaten raw, such as in a salad. (Many vitamins and the enzymes are destroyed by cooking.)

Make sure your diet contains foods rich in the B vitamins, such as whole grains, nuts, green, leafy vegetables, nutritional yeast, eggs and fish for healthy nerves.

Oats are important for the nervous system. Hazelnuts are a valuable healing food for the nerves, most effective when freshly ground. Honey dissolved in warm milk also has a calming effect on the nerves.

Food to eat to reduce anxiety and maintain a calm state

Wholegrain cereals	Asparagus	Garlic
Eggs	Fish	Molasses
Wheat germ	Carrots	Onions
Swiss Chard	Spinach	Papaya
Celery	Apricots	Avocado
Bananas	Broccoli	Yogurt
Raw nuts/seeds	Seaweed	Garlic

There are specific nutrients which can decrease anxiety. These include:

Magnesium – aids with muscle relaxation, maintenance of the heart muscle, neuromuscular transmission and widening of the blood vessels. A deficiency of magnesium can cause:

* Agitation
* Anxiety
* Behavioral disturbances
* Confusion
* Cold hands and feet
* Depression
* Insomnia
* Restlessness

B Complex Vitamins – these are the spark plugs for our body. They help provide energy by acting with enzymes to convert major nutrients such as carbohydrates to energy forms. They are important for the normal function of the nervous system and are helpful in bringing relaxation or energy to individuals who are stressed or fatigued. A deficiency of certain B vitamins will cause:

* Fatigue
* Irritability
* Nervousness
* Depression
* Insomnia
* Loss of appetite

Calcium – works with maintenance of electrolyte balance, muscle contractions, nerve transmission, regulation of cell division, hormone secretion and bone and teeth formation. A deficiency can cause:

* Agitation
* Depression
* Heart palpitations
* Insomnia
* Irritability

Bourne, E.J. in his book 'The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook',( 1995), outlines how stimulants, salt, preservatives, hormones in meat, and sweet refined foods can potentially exasperate your anxiety.

Iron deficiency

My Number Two Daughter is a vegetarian. She's also pregnant with her first child. She and her husband keep crazy schedules with school and work and it means that cooking nutritious meals takes a backseat to convenience (just like life for most of us.) Not surprisingly, she's anemic. So this blog post is dedicated to her.

Why do we need iron?
• Iron is involved in the electron transport system. This system controls the release of energy from cells.
• Iron is required for red blood cell production.
• Iron is required for a healthy immune system
• Iron is responsible for transportation of oxygen throughout the body.

In human bodies, iron is what helps transport oxygen to other parts of the body. High iron content in the body results in cell growth and differentiation. Most iron (70 to 95 percent) in our bodies is present in hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying pigment and predominant protein in red blood cells. Iron is also found in myoglobin - an iron-containing protein found in muscle fibers that transports oxygen within muscles and acts as an emergency oxygen storage for the rest of the body. Iron also makes up part of many proteins and enzymes in the body.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. Although full-blown anemia is rarely evident, partial deficiency is widespread. Women are more prone to iron deficiency than men. Iron consumption may be enough, but iron absorption may not be. The first symptom of iron deficiency is tiredness. The rest are extreme fatigue and feeling of weakness, lack of stamina, headaches, insomnia, breathlessness, loss of appetite, pallor, brittle hair, hair loss, irritability, smooth/reddened/sore tongue, thin/brittle/white finger nails, low blood pressure when changing position from sitting to standing up, pica (the development of an appetite for unusual substances such as paper or clay products) and pacophagia (the development of an appetite for ice).

Our iron absorption depends on the form of the iron. The iron from animal sources, known as heme iron, is absorbed easily by the body. The iron found in vegetable sources, known as non-heme iron, is less available to the body. The amount of iron absorbed from vegetarian foods is around 1 - 10% , while it is 10 - 20% from animal foods.

The following factors will increase the iron absorption from non-heme foods:

• A good source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - i.e., oranges, grapefruits, tomatoes, broccoli, and strawberries, eaten with a NON-HEME food
• A HEME and NON-HEME food eaten together
• A NON-HEME food cooked in an iron pot, such as a cast iron skillet

The following factors will decrease non-heme iron absorption:

• Large amounts of tea or coffee consumed with a meal (the polyphenols bind the iron).
• Excess consumption of high fiber foods or bran supplements (the phytates in such foods inhibit absorption).
• High intake of calcium - take your calcium supplement at a different time from your iron supplement.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for iron for non-vegetarian pre-menopausal women is 18 mg/day. The RDA for non-vegetarian men and post-menopausal women is 8 mg/day. Because of iron absorption issues in a healthful, high-fiber vegetarian diet, the RDAs for vegetarians are higher - 14 mg/day for vegetarian men and 33 mg/day for vegetarian women. The upper level of intake should not exceed 45mg/day.

Top Ten Iron-Rich Foods

• clams, cooked, 3 oz (23.8 mg)
• tofu, 1/2 cup firm (13.2 mg)
• raisin bran, ready-to-eat, 3/4 cup (4.5 mg)
• sirloin steak, cooked, 3 oz (2.9 mg)
• shrimp, cooked, 3 oz (2.6 mg)
• black beans, boiled, 1/2 cup (1.8 mg)
• chickpeas, canned, 1/2 cup (1.6 mg)
• turkey breast, 3 oz (0.9 mg)
• bread, whole wheat, 1 slice (0.9 mg)
• chicken breast, skinless, 1/2 breast (0.9 mg)

**** Spinach is NOT a good source of iron. Spinach contains about as much iron as any green vegetable, but it also contains oxalic acid which blocks about 90% of the iron from being absorbed.

Iron-Rich Foods

Food	Serving Size	Iron Content (mg)
Cereal, ready to eat, fortified	1 cup	1 to 16
Clams, canned	1/4 cup	11.2
Beef liver, fried	3 oz	5.3
Braunschweiger	2 oz	5.3
Molasses, blackstrap	1 tablespoon	5.0
Baked Beans	1 cup	5.0
Oysters, cooked	1 oz	3.8
Baked potato, with skin	1	2.8
Soup, lentil and ham	1 cup	2.6
Burrito, bean	1	2.5
Soup, beef noodle	1 cup	2.4
Rice, white, enriched	1 cup	2.3
Ground beef, lean	3 oz	1.8
Apricots, dried halves	10	1.7
Bread, whole wheat	1 slice	1.2
Broccoli, fresh cooked	1/2 cup	0.7
Egg	1	0.7

Also, Vitamin C enhances iron absorption from plant sources, so it is a good idea to drink orange juice with iron-rich foods. Keep in mind that drinking tea with meals can act as an iron blocker. Other iron blockers include carbonates, oxalates, and phosphates. Foods that contain these iron blockers include cranberries, rhubarb, spinach, and soda.

MSG and the Butterfly

Butterfly has been having headaches for the past several years. We knew that dehydration and not eating regularly would give her headaches, but we finally realized that she'd get them after eating certain foods, too. Reading food labels led us to realize that MSG was a problem. We tested this theory over and over and realized that MSG-laden "foods" ALWAYS gave her headaches. Of course, we cut out everything containing MSG as much as we could, but she'd still occasionally get them.

This year the headaches have ramped up to migraine-like, debilitating, vomit-inducing, stay_in_a_dark_room_and_cry type of headaches. They seemed to occur every time she ate school lunch or school breakfast. They didn't happen when she ate home-cooked meals and snacks, only when she ate junk food or processed food (are they the same thing?) and now school "food".

So Butterfly is no longer allowed to eat school prepared meals. I am amazed that there's so much processed food served at school (chicken patties and nuggets, pizza, hamburgers, fish burgers, etc.) - apparently they are all made with MSG of some sort.

Butterfly still gets to have comfort foods; musubi, oven-fried chicken, peanut butter sandwiches, pizza, and stuff like that - but they are all homemade and I KNOW the food has no glutamates of any sort in them. She also gets fruit and vegetables, cheese sticks, yogurt, salads, and desserts (as you can imagine, there are a lot of brownies, chocolate cake, and chocolate chip cookies.) I'm pretty sure she eats healthier when the food comes from home. The bonus is NO HEADACHES!

After researching glutamates and MSG in particular, I am now realizing why she might still be getting some of those headaches: I'm missing the "hidden" sources of MSG. She got another headache this afternoon after eating potato chips that doesn't list MSG, but does list torula yeast. I thought I was doing a good job of giving her something safe to eat. Ha! Wikipedia defines torula yeast like this: Torula, in its inactive form (usually labeled as torula yeast), is widely used as a flavouring in processed foods and pet foods. It is produced from wood sugars, as a by-product of paper production. It is pasteurized and spray-dried to produce a fine, light grayish-brown powder with a slightly yeasty odor and gentle, slightly meaty taste.

The following quote is taken from The Health Ranger, "If you're looking for hidden forms of MSG chemicals on food labels, look for yeast extract and torula yeast, and anything that is hydrolyzed or autolyzed. Autolyzed or hydrolyzed vegetable proteins are also hidden sources of MSG, according to Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of "Excitotoxins," and perhaps the world's top expert on neurotoxic substances found in the food supply."

So I'm going to have to do a better job of reading labels and, of course, making most of our food from scratch so I'm sure of what ingredients are going into our meals. I'll now be posting snack food recipes along with the main course recipes and desserts.

Here's a little more info on glutamates:

Most people who are affected by glutamates will experience symptoms shortly after eating foods containing MSG. Typical symptoms include numbness on the back of the neck, shoulders and arms; people can have a sense of generalized weakness, and heart palpitations can occur. Other symptoms include facial pressure, headaches, nausea, chest pain and drowsiness.

What Foods to Avoid This website has a HUGE listing of fast foods, processed foods and the companies that intentionally hide MSG in their food products.

Food Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG :

Monosodium Glutamate, Autolyzed Yeast, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Protein, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Plant Protein Extract, Sodium Caseinate, Calcium Caseinate, Yeast Extract, Textured Protein (Including TVP), Hydrolyzed Oat Flour, Corn Oil

Food Additives That FREQUENTLY Contain MSG:

Malt Extract, Malt Flavoring, Bouillon, Broth, Stock Flavoring, Natural Flavors/Flavoring, Natural Beef Or Chicken Flavoring, Seasoning, Spices, Maltodextrin and Whey Protein

Food Additives That MAY Contain MSG:

Carrageenan, Enzymes, Soy Protein Isolate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Concentrate

Read more: http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/msg-reaction.html#ixzz0jvCTDJdq