What's Your Organic Food IQ?

Are you aware and informed about the health and environmental issues associated with food? Do you know what the difference is between organic and natural or the difference between grass fed and free range? The dailygreen.com has come up with a Green Food Quiz. To take the quiz and see what your Organic Food IQ is, click here.

For the consumers guide to a greener revolution, check out thedailygreen.com where you can find tips and advice on living healthier.

Posted by Sharon A. Wyse L.Ac.

New to Mitamins?

Patients will often ask me what vitamins I would recommend for their ailment or what vitamin brand I think is the "best." I recently came across a website that I think may answer both questions at once. Mitamins.com offers custom made vitamins to patients that are tailored to address their personalized health concerns.
While I have not tried Mitamins yet, I would recommend the site for patients to read up on what dietary vitamins/minerals are good for the condition they are trying to treat.

To read more about the Mitamins company or which vitamins would be beneficial for you specifically please click here

posted by Sharon Wyse L.Ac.

Ten Zen Rules

Soyen Shaku was the first Zen Buddhist master to teach in the United States and became the leading academic on Zen Buddhism in the West. In 1893 he taught about karma, non-violence, an end to war, and tolerance of other religions. He also lived his life by 10 simple rules:

1. Upon awakening, quit your bed at once, like discarding a useless pair of shoes.
2. In the morning, before dressing, light incense and meditate.
3. Eat at regular intervals and only to the point of satisfying hunger.
4. Retire at a regular hour.
5. Receive a guest as when you are alone. Be alone as if you had received a guest.
6. Be aware of what you say. Say only what you would do.
7. Do not forego opportunity, nevertheless, think twice.
8. Do not regret the past but look instead to the future.
9. Have the fearless heart of a hero and the loving heart of a child.
10. When you retire to sleep do so as if it is your last night.

Posted by Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac., who had a hard time living up to rule #1 this morning.

Aroma-Rama: Natural Air Fresheners

I subscribe to the 7th Generation e-newletter. This week's issue had a great article about natural air fresheners. Click here to read the article.

Be Well, 

Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac.

Use of a fan reduces SIDS rates.

Today the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine published a study which showed that using a fan in the babies room while they sleep reduces the incidence of SIDS related deaths by a whooping 72%. Of course parents should still lie infants on their back to sleep to reduce the possibility of SIDS . There have been other studies that show the use of a pacifier also reduces the incidence of SIDS.

Lullaby and G'nite,

Juliette Aiyana, L.Ac. Mom to 6 month old Nathaniel who just so happens to sleep in a room with a ceiling fan on ever since he was born.

NYC Health Dept. Launches Calorie Education Campaign

PRESS RELEASE FROM www.NYC.gov

October 6, 2008 – “Read ’em before you eat ’em,” the Health Department advises in a new campaign launched today to help New Yorkers make the most of the city’s calorie-posting rules. Under the New York City Health Code, chain restaurants are now required to post calorie counts for food items on menus and menu boards. The rule took effect this summer, after a federal court upheld it and an appellate court refused to delay enforcement while the industry tries again to overturn it. The new campaign – five ads appearing in 1,000 New York City Subway cars for the next three months – is designed to help New Yorkers see how quickly fast-food calories add up. Many are unaware that a typical adult needs only 2,000 calories a day to maintain a steady weight. Even fewer know how easy it is to overshoot that goal while eating on the go. The campaign shows how deceptive appearances can be. One poster shows an apple raisin muffin that looks harmless but carries a stout 470 calories – nearly a quarter of an adult’s daily allowance. “If you’re eating it as a snack,” said Cathy Nonas, director of the Health Department’s Physical Activity and Nutrition program, “you may want to split it with a friend.” Nonas, a registered dietician, will host a blog on calorie counting later this week at nyc.gov/health.  “Many people end up overweight just by going with the flow,” said Nonas. “Now that this information is available in chain restaurants, it’s easy to make healthier choices. Once you set a daily calorie budget, there are lots of ways to live within it.” As the new ads make clear, you don’t have to give up all indulgences to eat fewer calories. By ordering a diet soda and a small order of fries with your cheeseburger, for example, you can cut the caloric impact by half – from 1,250 to 670. The Health Impact of Calorie Listing in Chain Restaurants Obesity is a leading cause of preventable death in NYC. Eating too many calories causes weight gain – which can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and other serious health problems. New Yorkers eat more than a third of their calories away from home. To help them make healthier choices in restaurants, the New York City Board of Health passed a regulation requiring chains to post calorie information on their menus and menu boards. When people have access to calorie information, they use it. Health Department surveys have shown that when restaurant patrons use calorie information in deciding what to order, they average nearly 100 fewer calories in each meal purchased. The Health Department estimates that posting calories on menu boards and menus will reduce the number of people who suffer from obesity by 150,000 over the next five years, preventing more than 30,000 cases of diabetes. To learn more about a healthy diet, physical activity or how to lose weight, please visit nyc.gov/health.