2009 October | Fitness and Freebies Blog

Witches Brew

Happy Halloween! Here are a couple quick-to-whip-up recipes for your Halloween celebration!

Witches Brew

2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange sherbet
1 liter bottle ginger ale
Combine pineapple juice and sherbet in a large punch bowl. Gather the guests to watch the eerie mixture bubble and boil when you pour in the ginger ale. Serves about 15.

Bloody Popcorn

Ingredients:
Popcorn
Butter
Red food color

Pop the popcorn however you usually make it. Melt the butter and add some red food color to turn it to “blood”. Add the bloodied butter to the popcorn and toss to coat.

Find more in our Holiday Recipes Section!

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October 31st, 2009 Posted by fitnfree | Kitchen Creations | no comments

Recall: Corn Products

Mrs. Rios Corn Products Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Whey in Flour Tortillas

Mrs. Rios Corn Products in San Angelo, Texas is recalling its flour tortillas because they may contain undeclared Whey. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to Whey run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

All of these products except Sanitary Flour Tortillas were distributed in Texas through convenience stores, supermarkets and restaurants. Sanitary Flour Tortillas were distributed to Sanitary Tortilla Factory in San Antonio, Texas.

La Bonita Flour Tortillas come in a 22-ounce, clear plastic package, 10 count, marked with a best buy date between 10/26/09 through 12/11/09 and can be identified by its red label.

La Grande Flour Tortillas come in a 28-ounce, clear plastic package, 12 count, marked with a best buy date between 10/26/09 through 12/11/09 and can be identified by its green label.

Mrs. Rios Corn Products’ 6 count Burrito Tortilla comes in a 17-ounce, clear plastic bag with yellow printed company logo and a best buy date from 10/26/09 through 12/11/09. The 12 count Burrito Tortilla comes in an lb.12-ounce clear plastic bag with blue printed company logo and a best buy date from 10/26/09 through 12/11/09.

Bernard’s Quality 8” Press Flour Tortillas, 11 count, come in a 22-ounce clear plastic bag with green and red Bernard’s Tortillas company logo. This product is packed in a Bernard’s Tortilla Factory box with 24 11-count packages. The best buy date is 10/26/09 through 12/11/09.

Bernard’s Quality 6 ½” Press Flour Tortillas, 20 count, come in a clear plastic package. The 20 count bags are packaged in a Bernard’s Tortilla Factory box with 15 20-count packages per case. The best buy date is 10/26/09 through 12/11/09.

Sanitary Flour Tortillas come in a 20-count and 25-count package. The 20-count package has 14 packages to a case and the 25-count package has 16 packages to a case. Both products have the word Sanitary printed on the bottom flap of the box.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered that the Whey-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of Whey.

Mrs. Rios Corn Products will no longer be using Whey in the production of our flour tortillas.

If you are allergic to Whey and have any of these products, please return them to the point of purchase or contact us directly at 325-653-5640 between the hours of 8am-5pm central time.

Source: FDA

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October 30th, 2009 Posted by fitnfree | Food Alerts | no comments

Energy Drinks

There has been some recent concern over calls to Poison Control Centers due to “caffeine intoxication,” with media articles citing an increase in consumption of energy drinks by teens and children as the culprit. However, the majority of calls were actually related to people consuming dietary supplements containing caffeine, as opposed to energy drinks. Many of the reported effects occurred when caffeine was combined with other ingredients and then ingested along with other pharmaceuticals.

Although studies suggest that most of these calls to Poison Control Centers are actually not from consuming energy drinks, if you have children, you should talk to them about practicing moderation in all aspects of their diet and lives, including consuming moderate amounts of caffeinated foods and beverages. These beverages are designed to provide an extra energy boost, which many teens and children should not need, as they are young and naturally energetic. However, having one energy drink for enjoyment from time to time should not harm a healthy individual.

Doomed to be Obese?

Are you doomed to be overweight? Are all your relatives overweight so you feel this is the hand you were dealt? Judging from the statistics, you might understandably think so. Fifty to eighty percent of children of overweight parents will become obese, versus only about nine percent of the children of lean parents.

Heredity may dispose you to to be obese, but it is one medical condition that can be completely controlled by each individual. This isn’t to say it won’t be more difficult for some than others, but ultimately we all have the final say-so in whether or not we become obese. Researchers are constantly trying to determine just how genes may trigger someone to be overweight and how genetic factors interact with environmental influences to promote obesity.

There has been much speculation that obese children and adults may have lower metabolic rates than lean people but recent studies do not support that data. The influence of genes may be more subtle. Genetic factors may manifest themselves in such ways as making you like sweets or fats more than another person. They also may play a role in your willingness to exercise, but one cannot forget environmental factors.

If you were brought up on fatty foods and sweet desserts, you would naturally be more inclined to follow a similiar diet as an adult. The same applies to exercise. If you weren’t brought up in an atheltic environment or one that endorsed exercise as a way of life, it is only natural you would not be inclined to exercise, either.

The bottom line? You do have the choice. People do have control over whether or not they become obese and if they do, they have the choice to make changes to correct this difficult dilemna. It does require life time changes, which is not always easy to do. You need self discipline, motivation and determination. Therefore, knowledge of how to go about incorporating the proper changes is imperative as well as your attitude in applying those changes.

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October 26th, 2009 Posted by fitnfree | Weightloss Wisdom | no comments

Soy in the Kitchen

Try these delicious, whole soyfoods for a rich source of isoflavones.

Raw Soybeans*

Isoflavone content per gram: 2 to 4mg

Culinary Suggestions: Boil, steam or microwave in or out of the pod. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt to make a great finger food. Shelled edamame can be added to salads, used as a side dish or pureed as a dip.

Tofu**

Isoflavone content per gram: 30 to 40 mg

Culinary Suggestions: Cube into salads, add to soups, stir-fry, or grill and puree and puree as a pudding, dip or smoothie.

Soy Milk

Isoflavone content 1 cup: 30 to 40 mg

Culinary Suggestions: Pour over ready-to-eat cereal, stir into oatmeal or use in pudding, tapioca or sauce/gravies.

Tempeh***

Isoflavone content 1/2 cup: 30 to 40 mg

Culinary Suggestions: Ideal for grilling, sauteing and baking into casseroles.

Soy Flour

Isoflavone content 1/2 cup: 60 mg

Culinary Suggestions: Use when making bread, cakes, muffins or cookies.

*Raw soybeans are also called edamame.

**Tofu is the curd of soaked soybean milk. It comes in different textures: extra firm, firm, soft and silken.

***Tempeh is a firm, meat stand-in made from fermented soybeans and packed with protein and fiber.

Source: U.S. Soyfoods Directory

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October 22nd, 2009 Posted by fitnfree | Food Facts | no comments

Plum Organics Recall

Plum Organics Voluntarily Recalls Select Batch of
Apple & Carrot Portable Pouches Due to Potential Health Risk

Plum Organics ™ announced today that it is taking the precautionary measure of voluntarily recalling one particular batch of its 4.22oz. Apple & Carrot Portable Pouch baby food with the best by date May 21, 2010 and marked with the following universal product code (UPC) #890180001221 located on the bottom of the package. These pouches are sold individually at Toys-R-Us and Babies-R-Us locations nationally.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with this product and no other Plum Organics products are affected. As a further precaution, samples from every Plum Organics product manufactured before and after this batch were tested and found to be within quality standards.

The recall was undertaken as a precaution due to the risk of potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism, a serious and sometimes lifethreatening condition. Consumers should not use these products, even if they appear to be normal, because of the possible health risk. Symptoms of botulism poisoning in humans include general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

“The product did not meet the FDA guidelines for proper acidity level,” said Dr. Paul Gerhardt, a Food Science Ph.D. and member of the Plum Organics action team. “Though the risk of illness from this one batch is minimal, Plum Organics is taking the extraordinary step of recalling all Apple & Carrot Baby Food Pouches with best by date May 21, 2010.”

“As a mother, the safety and satisfaction of our customers and their children is my highest concern,” said Plum Organics Founder Gigi Lee Chang. Due to a mixing error during production, one batch of this product was improperly blended. As a result, it did not meet our company’s standard for quality. We are taking the extra step of recalling all Apple & Carrot Portable Pouches with this date to eliminate any question in the minds of consumers about the safety of our products. Plum Organics was founded on the vision of superior quality and nutritious baby food; we are committed to these values and our consumers.”

Consumers who have purchased the Plum Organics Apple & Carrot pouch-based baby food with a best by date May 21, 2010 and with the UPC # 890180001221 can return the product for a full refund at any Toys-R-Us or Babies-R-Us store.

The recall is being undertaken with the knowledge of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

Consumers with any questions are asked to call 888-974-3555 between the hours of 8 am – 5 pm PST, or email info@plumorganics.com.

Plum Organics is the leading premium organic baby food brand in the nation.

Plum Organics

Source: FDA

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October 20th, 2009 Posted by fitnfree | Food Alerts | no comments

Don’t Sweat Salt

UC Davis nutrition researchers are challenging the decades-old conventional wisdom that we should watch our salt.

The controversial article, published this week in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, found that humans naturally regulate their sodium intake, rendering government intervention useless.

“Our sodium intake is regulated by the brain, and your brain won’t let you go very far outside of that boundary,” McCarron said. “You may eat that whole bag of chips, but it just means that as you sit down you’ll unconsciously go toward foods that are lower in sodium.”

Source: Don’t sweat your salt intake, UC Davis study says

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October 19th, 2009 Posted by fitnfree | To Your Health! | no comments

Faulty Food Supply

America’s Faulty Food Supply System

The U.S. system of food safety is convoluted. The responsibility is divided up between 12 agencies – and none of the 12 are held completely accountable.

The big players on the federal food and drug safety scene are the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. The FDA oversees all domestic and imported food sold in interstate commerce, including eggs, but not meat and poultry. The FDA is also charged with enforcing the food safety laws, reviewing food production plants, recalling unsafe products and educating consumers. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service oversees domestic and imported meat and poultry, as well as processed products containing meat and poultry, and processed egg products. Other agencies have food safety roles too, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cooperative Extension Service, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Customs Service and state and local governments. It’s not hard to see how such a fragmented system causes problems. Can it be remedied?

Some groups are pushing for a merger of agencies into one that’s responsible for all food safety, thereby eliminating inefficiencies of duplication. The Gov’t Accountability Office proposed the single agency idea a full 10 years ago. Since then, however, inspector jobs have been cut, funds diminshed and the number of large-scale outbreaks have increased.

Change, it seems, is sorely needed – and not the kind of “change” we’re seeing in gov’t now; POSITIVE, productive and cost effective change.

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October 18th, 2009 Posted by fitnfree | Food Facts | no comments

Slenderizing Tea

If you love tea…

If you need to lose weight…

If you don’t like pills…

We’ve got a perfect and affordable solution!

Slender Pu’reh Tea.

Used for centuries in China as an aid to digestion and boosting metabolic rate, Slender Pu’erh Tea is not your average green tea formulation.

Made from 100% pure Pu’erh, Slender Pu’erh Tea is completely free side effects, making it the perfect weight loss solution for those on medication or otherwise worried about their health. In fact, instead of having to worry about your health as you drink this delicious herbal tea, you will be able to experience instant satisfaction of increased health and vitality.