 |
|||
|
|||
 |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||
|
The Chinese New Year, with all of its traditions and
specific décor and festival significance, makes me
think about what traditions I have kept or begun in my
life, as an adult.
I remember some of the traditions of my family, growing up Italian/Albanian American! My family would eat spaghetti and meatballs (turkey meatballs that is, we didn't usually eat red meat) every Sunday at around 2pm. Then, without fail, I would always get a spaghetti and meatball sandwich the next day for school, in my lunch bag. Every Christmas morning I would wake up and, being the youngest in the family, would be the designated family member to hand out all the presents from under the tree, one by one, circulating through each person. And on New Year's Eve we would usually eat lobster (my favorite tradition!). Now that I am an adult and have my own life, I wonder what my traditions are. I am single, without any children. I think that makes somewhat of a difference. I believe it is much easier to start or have a tradition with other people involved. The one tradition that comes to mind is of an event that has transformed itself into a tradition among some very good friends of mine, Linette and Amy. Every year Amy, Linette and I get together for a Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner and exchange gifts. We rotate houses every year, when we can, and bring our usual fair of turkey and all the fixings, appetizers, desserts and drinks. We usually know, at this point, who is bringing what as we all are good at certain things. Amy makes the best apple pie (a great recipe, from her mom, that takes a lot of patience). She also makes great stuffing and egg nog that is out of this world! Linette makes a really juicy turkey, great appetizers (including baked brie, which she adds some kind of jam to that makes it cheesy and sweet, yum! and creamy spinach dip in a bread bowl), and homemade cranberry sauce. I on the other hand make the "different" appetizers every year, along with the vegetables and usually a pasta salad that everyone seems to enjoy. Our tradition, as most do, centers around food! That's okay by us though, we all love to eat really good food. The gifts that we exchange are not for us but for our pets! Amy with three dogs, Linette with two dogs and two cats and I with three cats make up a lot of toys, catnip, and bones to be gifted. We have a limit of money that we spend and we try to find the most unique or useful things that we can, within our budget. All in all, we have a really great time. This year we added a "Sex and the City (HBO series) Marathon" to the mix and watched an endless amount of episodes while we ate all of that scrumptious food! The best part is that we put our busy lives aside, catch up and spend some quality time with each other. Apple Pie ingredients - $10.00 Turkey and fixins' - $75.00 Sex and the City box set - $150.00 Spending time with old friends - PRICELESS I am thinking about starting some other traditions. One that keeps coming to mind is going for a spa day with Amy, Linette and another good friend, Libby, at the beginning of every year to "start fresh" again. We have to work on that one. I'll keep you posted! Think about what traditions you have in your family or with friends. It's important for your spirit, as it brings happiness and togetherness back into your life. With all the technology today, decreasing our actual need to interact from one human to another, we need these traditions to bring us back again to a more humanistic place and help nourish our souls. |
||||
|
||||
|
||
Image: Agon-shu's Yamabushi, or 'Mountain Ascetics'
"Where's the rat?" (" New Year of the Rat in Kyoto") By Miriam Stollar The rat's image hardly conjures up positive connotations in the West. For obvious reason- one of the important chapters of high school history focused on how many millions of people the rats killed by spreading plagues. Well that was not the exact wording, but the historical accusation was hardly veiled - it was all the rats' doing. In Asia the rat necessitates a much more complex character assessment. In ancient times, the rat was welcomed as a bringer of protection and prosperity. Possibly aggressive, greedy, or manipulative qualities may mingle or overlap with, or be erased by, justice, generosity, and charm. (And it is not only because I am born a Rat that I am emphasizing the latter qualities.) Both intelligent and cunning, rats are considered highly ambitious and strong-willed, as well as energetic, versatile, and well-adaptable. While January's New Year celebrations and its hang- overs are long gone, the Chinese lunar calendar ushered in the new year this past month, on February 7th, this year marking the Year of the Rat. In Chinese astrology, the twelve signs are based on the year, rather than the month, of birth. Twelve animals complete a twelve-year cycle, the Rat heading the first year of the twelve-year cycle. In ancient times, all animals were called by Buddha to a New Year's meeting, however only twelve arrived. The years of the cycle were named after the twelve animals in the order they arrived- Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and, lastly, the Pig. Why was the Rat first? And, cat-lovers will ask, where is the cat? Apparently, the Rat tricked the cat, who had asked the Rat the timing of the meeting. The Rat deliberately misinformed the cat, who therefore missed the meeting, and the Rat arrived first. But let's put all character assessments aside- While Japan adopted the Western calendar in 1873, the lunar New Year is still marked traditionally by Setsubun, literally 'Season Division', the first festival of spring in Japan. (An idea noteworthy for its optimism, while somewhat incongruous with the plentiful snow that has unabashedly continued to fall after this traditional marking of spring.) The Setsubun spring ceremonies involve colorful demon exorcisms and rites in which one's own past, as well as that of one's ancestors, is purified by fire rituals. The family sings together, "Out with the demons, in with happiness," throwing soy beans around the house to bring good luck and avert ill fortune. Throughout Kyoto's temples and shrines, varied Setsubun rituals drive away demons and scatter beans in the air for the good luck of all onlookers. While the demon costumes are spectacular, they not only represent evil beings and ill fortune to be warded off, but also, in Buddhist thought, symbolize our own inner demons of greed, anger, and discontent. The Kinpusenji New Year ritual at Yoshino Temple, Nara, is remarkable in that the monks, rather than shouting the usual "Out with the demons, in with happiness," shout instead "In with happiness, in with the demons," in unusual benevolence. The demons are then so moved by the compassionate words of the monks that they repent of all their sins and reform themselves into good beings. The touch of a reformed demon is said to bring happiness for the whole year. Agon-shu's spectacular Hoshi Matsuri, or Fire Ceremony, with two enormous bonfires, held to be the largest fire rite of its kind in the world, allows a rare chance to participate in a dramatic ritual of purification and atonement. While the Setsubun New Year festivities are the highlights of February in Kyoto, one of the beautiful aspects of Japanese festivals is the way they continuously remind one to appreciate and honor those small, everyday things we tend to take for granted. February 8th marked Hari Kuyo, ('Pins and Needles'), the day of celebrations at the temple enshrining the deity of needle work and entertainment. On this day, a send-off ceremony for old needles is held. Professional seamstresses as well as housewives stick their used needles into a piece of konnyaku, a rubbery food made from the starch of a plant root. Prayers are then said over the needles, and a sweet sake drink is served. The Setsubun message is clear enough- Welcome the spring (even in the snow) and the New Year (whether it starts in January or in February) by being compassionate and welcoming even to those 'external demons' that torment us sometimes, and who knows, maybe they are just waiting for a few kind words in order to change their colors. Look inside at those 'inner demons' with resolve to reform them to compassion, contentedness, and non- attachment. Appreciate all those little things in life, from needles to shoelaces to hair combs (I missed the hair comb send-off ceremony a few months back) and, in case it sounds too serious, don't forget to have fun through it all - throw some beans- or some other small, unharmful objects- wildly around, dress up in something ridiculous, and have some good laughs! -a Rat in Kyoto |
||
|
|
||
|
As I page through my month-to-month calendar I
begin to see that the next few months are getting very
busy with deadlines, packed schedules, weekend
events and plans, and Spring and Summer activities
that I'd like to try and plan, including a vacation. This
is when I start having expectation anxiety about what I
need to complete before this month ends or the next
one begins. For some of you it means planning out
the summer because your kids are out of school and
you have to figure out what the heck you are going to
do with them. With all of this in your mind, and the fact
that you, just like me, probably work a full-time job,
you really need to prioritize your activities. Why is this
important to do early? Because you end up, as
everyone does, having the unforeseen event happen
that wreaks havoc on your well-defined schedule.
Sometimes those unforeseen events are mandatory
and sometimes it is just guilt from your place of
business, family or friends to fit things into your
overstuffed schedule. It is at this point that your
stress starts mounting and you feel overwhelmed
when you add the scheduled extras to your hectic
family life, your fulltime job, and the fact that your kids
are home and running around the house. This is
when stress begins to infiltrate itself into your physical
being and you get tired, cranky and unusually short
tempered. It also affects your mental well being with
depression, anxiety and the feeling of being
overwhelmed.
Have you ever heard that comment from people that say, "if you want something done, ask a really busy person to do it." Well it may be okay to ask that person if they can do something but I bet they are really busy and probably mostly anxious and overwhelmed about their deadlines too. So now who do you ask for help? It is at this point in the game that you decide, instead of benching yourself from overwork, to get back out there and play even harder, trying to fit everything into the overstuffed schedule. Inevitably, a strike out or an injury will occur because you are worn thin. In life, this is the time when your body says, "I am done" and you end up with a horrible cold. Instead of getting your worn down body and tired mind to that point in the game, bench yourself and sit out an inning. One of the main reasons why people end up very stressed and overworked is because they don't know how to say the tiny, little word, "no." It is one of the most important words you can learn to say, without guilt. If you really believe that something, at that time, will cause you more stress or headaches to complete it, then don't do it. If it is at all possible to even make that decision. Most people want to do every event they can and help people when they can but in many cases it is not feasible. So when you are overwhelmed, and more and more things are piling up in your schedule, decide whether you can even say no to the overflow of events and then make the decision quickly. The longer you deliberate over a decision, the harder it will be to make a good decision and the more stressed you will become. When you say no, you will realize it is just one less thing to add to your crazy schedule. You'll eventually find time to go to that event or see those people again. And most importantly, you will preserve your sanity and well- being in the process. Now that's hitting a homerun. |
||
|
|
||
Blood Oranges (Citrus Sinensis)
A variety of orange, blood oranges are smaller but look like a normal orange from the exterior. It is the interior of the orange that makes them so fabulous. The inside of this appropriately named blood orange is blood colored. The juice of the orange is sweet, somewhat bitter as well, but less acidic than regular oranges. The dark flesh is due to the presence of anthocyanin, a pigment common to many flowers and fruit, but very uncommon in citrus frit. The degree of coloration depends on its growing environment; getting enough light, the right temperature, and its variety. The blood orange probably originated in Sicily, Italy and continues to maintain the largest production of blood oranges, but now they are grown in various locations, including the US. In Sicily, the production is almost exclusively in the Etna Volcano region. Blood orange cultivators developed a particular pool of antioxidant compounds that act as protection for the fruit against extreme area changes, due to the volcanic soil. There are three main varieties of blood oranges, including but not limited to, Tarocco (native to Italy), Sanguinello (native to Spain), and the newest variety, Moro. Blood oranges are a good source of Vitamin C. The fruits red pigment is an antioxidant that reduces the risks associated with age-related illnesses. These unique oranges contain about 130% of the recommended amounts of Vitamin C- which reduces the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer, and "bad" cholesterol build up. One medium orange contains 260mg of potassium and 28% of recommended dietary fiber and is a great source for iron, calcium, and vitamin A. Red oranges have also been shown to be effective in reducing free radical damage in humans with low antioxidant capabilities; such as smokers, diabetics, and professional athletes. You can also work a good amount of calories off if you squeeze them yourself! Enjoy the uniqueness and vibrancy of these little red oranges in some scrumptious recipes below. RECIPES Grilled Mahi Mahi with Blood Orange Sauce and Salsa 4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets Coarse salt 1 tablespoon olive oil Salsa: 4 blood oranges, peeled and sectioned 1 bunch cilantro, leaves only, roughly chopped 1 Arbol chile 1 small red onion, julienned 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper Sauce: 1 cup blood orange juice (about 6 blood oranges) 2 shallots, finely chopped 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes Sprinkle fish with salt, brush with oil and grill until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. To make the salsa, combine the blood oranges, cilantro, Arbol chile, onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside. To make the sauce, simmer blood orange juice over low heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and reserve. In a small saucepan, combine shallots and red wine vinegar and reduce over low heat. Add white wine and reduce again. Stir in cream and heat just to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in butter piece by piece until incorporated. Stir in reserved blood orange syrup, strain sauce and keep warm. To serve, place fillets on individual plates, spoon sauce over fish and top with salsa. Blood Orange, Radicchio, Endive and Olive Salad 3 blood oranges 1 medium head radicchio, leaves separated 1 bunch fresh arugula, tough stems removed 1/2 red onion, cut into thin slices 1/2 cup seeded black olives, such as dry cured or Kalamata 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic or sherry wine vinegar Salt and black pepper 4 ounces goat cheese Cut off both ends of the oranges, then cut away the peel and bitter white pith. Over a small bowl to catch the juices, cut between the membrane and flesh to remove the orange segments. On a large serving plate decoratively arrange the radicchio and arugula, alternating the colors, then top with the onions, orange segments and olives. Whisk the olive oil and vinegar with the reserved orange juice to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and drizzle over the salad. Top with crumbled goat cheese and serve. Blood Orange Mojito 1 blood orange, cut into 32 pieces 32 fresh small basil leaves or mint leaves, reserve a few for garnish 16 teaspoons natural raw cane sugar (demerara sugar) 8 to 10 cups small ice cubes or chipped ice 8 tablespoons basil syrup, recipe follows, or simple syrup 2 cups light rum 2 cups seltzer water or sparkling water Sugar cane sticks, for garnishing Place pieces of orange in each of 8 (12-ounce) rocks glasses, and top each glass with a couple basil leaves or a mint leaves. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of cane sugar in each glass and, using a muddler, crush the orange pieces while bruising the basil with the sugar. Fill each glass just below the rim with ice (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups in each glass). Add a tablespoon of the basil syrup and 1/4 cup of the rum to each of the glasses. Use a shaker to vigorously shake the contents of the glass together for at least 30 seconds. Pour the mojito back in the glass, and top off the glass with seltzer or sparkling water. Place a sugar cane stick in each glass. Garnish each drink with 1 of the remaining basil or mint leaves. Serve immediately. Basil Syrup: 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup water 1 cup packed well-washed fresh basil leaves Place the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat, and add the basil leaves to the saucepan. Allow the syrup to sit for at least 1 hour before straining through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the basil leaves. Store the syrup in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Syrup will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks. Yield: about 2 cups If you have any great recipes with your favorite foods, please send them to me and I will include them in this section of an upcoming issue. Or if you have any suggestions about what veggie, fruit, herb etc. you'd like to know more about- Just email me at tina@yogabean.net. Thanks! Recipes furnished by www.foodnetwork.com, Emeril Lagasse (my favorite chef!) |
||
|
|
||
|
I am sure everyone has heard about the horrific
occurrences of inhumanity and degradation towards
beef cattle in California and the 143 million pounds of
frozen meat recalled from schools and supermarkets
across the country. Below is the official recall letter
from the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company.
http://www.wes tlandmeat.com/ I can tell you, being a past vegan (don't eat anything with eyes except potatoes) for many years, that this is not the first documented case of cruelty to animals in processing plants or on farms. This inhumanity has been going on for years. It is a disgusting reality. A lot of people are blaming not only the meat company, which I have heard, through the grapevine, has closed its doors- where all the cattle they were currently processing went, I am not sure- but they are also blaming the workers. I agree at the pointing of fingers in all directions but I will say the blame rests in the company that allows workers to treat these over- stressed animals in such a way. Rest assured though, this is not a singular occurrence. This cruelty has been, and still is, going on for decades. It can almost seem bigger than we are if we think about what to do next to try and change what is happening. Well it isn't. Fortunately there are many non-profit organizations out there that are trying to combat this type of cruelty. I would say the most publicly known non-profit that is increasing its efforts and awareness nationally would be PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). http://www.peta.o rg/index.asp is their website. Please go to their website and donate or buy some of their products so you to can help stop this needless cruelty. On their website you can also learn how to shop with knowledge and compassion or become a vegetarian or, even better, a vegan. PETA has been in existence for many years, doing such wonderful work, with the help of many volunteers, supporters, and activists. With more than 1.8 million members and supporters, Peta is the largest animal rights organization in the world. Their Mission: PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry. We also work on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of beavers, birds and other "pests," and the abuse of backyard dogs. PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns. From your kitchen to your wardrobe, you can act locally to affect what is happening globally. Try going online and joining a blog to help keep you strong in your pursuit to be as compassionate as you can while you are on this earth. Here are some examples of blogs that you might find to be interesting. http://blog.peta.org/ http://al mostvegetarian.blogspot.com/ http://urbanve gan.blogspot.com/ There are so many blogs on compassion for animals, vegetarianism and veganism that you should take a look for yourself by using the link below and searching by keyword. http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch? hl=en Don't forget, my website has a blog on it as well where you can post a comment. www.yogabean.net Hope to hear from you. Stay strong, eat green, and hug your pet. Start today. If anyone has any ideas that they would like to share with the Yoga Bean crowd, just email me your ideas and I will print them in the next issue or send as a supplement even earlier. tina@yogabean.net |
||
|
|
||
Gardening with Children
This spring, why don't you introduce a child to the joys of gardening? There are many aspects of gardening that children love: playing in the mud, learning about bugs, getting dirty, creating, destroying (pulling weeds), exploring and learning. Introduce them to the magic of growing a plant from a seed. Help them create their own hideaway. Whatever you do, keep it fun and allow the child to participate in all phases of the project including planning-let them make it their own. Be sure you pick a project that is appropriate to the child's age and interests. I still get excited by the magic of a seed sprouting. Most children find it fascinating too. If you are picking seeds for a young child to grow, large seeds that germinate quickly are best because they are easy to handle and don't require too long a wait before sprouting. It's also good if you can pick a plant that may lead to further projects, like something edible or maybe a gourd that can be turned into a bird house. Sunflowers are a great plant to have a young child start from seed-large seeds, good germination rate, fast growth, a large showy plant, and it produces edible seeds for people and/or birds. You can also save a few seeds for the following year. Other good choices for a young child are beans (bush or climbing), pumpkins or winter squash (if you have a large space), nasturtiums (edible showy flowers), and cherry tomatoes. Lettuce seeds are small but they sprout fast and can be nibbled soon after. They also come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. Neither snapdragons nor lamb's ears are edible or will lead to further projects, but both really appeal tactilely to children. Older children may enjoy plants that take more patience. Plants that produce their edible parts below the soil line-such as potatoes, carrots and radishes-can be a lot of fun to grow. Children of all ages also like to grow unusual vegetables, whether they are a different color than normal or a different size/shape. Beans and cauliflower both come in purple varieties. Tomatoes can be red, orange, yellow, striped or with black tones, round, pear- shaped, oblong or squat, and their sizes can range from that of a blueberry to something you hold with both hands. Carrots can be red and may be long and thin, short and stubby, or even round. Potatoes can be blue. Pick up a seed catalog and have fun picking out plants together. Who knows, you may even get your child to eat vegetables that they otherwise wouldn't have approached, because they grew it themselves. If you are only starting a few seeds, it will be easiest to keep a close eye on them if you start them indoors and let them grow on the window sill first before planting them outside. Personally, I've also found sunflowers are best started indoors-otherwise my neighborhood squirrels think I've put the seeds out just for them. If you are planting a large quantity of seeds, start them either indoors or out according to the directions on the packets. I find it easiest to start my indoor seeds in a biodegradable pot because it minimizes the trauma to the roots when the plant is put into the ground outdoors. However, any container that holds soil and has holes in the bottom to allow excess water to drain out will work. If you are interested in showing your child what the seed is doing before it sends a sprout above the soil, try growing it with a damp paper towel. You can do this in one of two ways-either place a damp paper towel against the inside of a jar and place the seeds between the glass and the towel, or fold the seed loosely in the towel and open up the towel occasionally to check the seed. The towel serves to keep the seed consistently moist without drowning it. In the case of the jar setup, a little water in the bottom of the jar will wick up the towel, keeping it moist. As an alternative to picking out whichever seeds are appealing, children may enjoy planning for a theme garden. There are quite a number of possibilities here, appealing to a range of ages. You could create a fragrance garden, growing only plants that have a smell. You could only pick plants that mention an animal in their name, such as lamb's ear, cock's comb, hen and chicks, and butterfly weed. You could create a pollinator's garden, selecting plants that attract bees and butterflies or maybe even hummingbirds. You could plant a garden containing only plants that your ancestors ate, or those that are original to a particular area. Your garden can be whimsical, such as creating a fairy garden, or can be educational, involving scientific or historic research. The choice is up to you and your child. There are a number of other garden related projects for kids, too, that don't have such a focus on plants. It is easy to create a sunflower fort, a bean teepee, or a garden tunnel. All make great summer hideaways. Learning about plants and how they grow is a "side effect" of any of these projects. Don't forget to include your child in all parts of the project. To create a sunflower fort, select a tall growing variety or two of sunflower. Draw out the walls of the fort in the dirt, making sure to note the doorway as well. It can be any shape or size you want-if you are uncertain, try a 4'x6' rectangle. Plant the sunflower seeds about 6" apart where you have located the fort walls. Staggering a double row of seeds will give you a denser "wall." Remember what I said about squirrels and sunflower seeds earlier? Since this probably qualifies as more seeds than you want to start indoors, try covering the planted seeds loosely with cheesecloth or other thin fabric, burying the edges of the cloth. Remove the fabric once the seeds sprout. If you wish to add a roof to the fort, once the sunflowers get tall you can grow a vine like beans or morning glories up the stalks. Encourage them to grow across the roof by gently tying twine between the sunflower tops. The vines will continue to grow on the twine. A bean teepee is similar to a sunflower fort. Start by making the teepee frame out of long bamboo stakes, long straight branches, or similar objects. They should be at least 6' tall. Tie the tops of the stakes together and make sure the bottoms are stable on the ground. Again, don't forget to leave a space large enough to serve as a door. Plant 4-5 bean seeds at the base of each stake and keep them well watered. The beans will grow up the stakes, creating a shady hidden retreat. For more color or to add variety, grow an annual flowering vine either with the beans or instead of them. Morning glories, moonflowers, hyacinth bean (Dolichos lablab), scarlet runner bean and cardinal climber are all good choices. A garden tunnel is a similar idea too. For a garden tunnel, the supporting structure is heavyweight wire mesh cut into a rectangular shape. Two sides of the rectangle are buried in the ground, with the mesh between them curved into an arch. A taller tunnel may require supporting ribs made of bamboo or similar flexible material. Any of the vines mentioned above can be grown on the garden tunnel. Cucumbers or smaller winter squash or smaller pumpkins can be grown on the teepee or tunnel, as well. Large squash/pumpkins will be too heavy. Remember that cucumber plants typically have a prickly texture and will be better when there is plenty of room between the walls. For non-plant projects that can be done in a short amount of time, try creating a scarecrow for the garden, a toad house or a bird bath. A basic toad house can be made by turning a terracotta pot upside down. Either use a chipped pot or create a door in the wall of the pot. Decorate the house however you wish. Toads will appreciate the cool, damp darkness and in return will patrol your garden for bugs. A simple bird bath can be made from a water-tight plant pot saucer. Place it on the ground in an open area or create a stand for the bath. Keep a shallow amount of water in the bath. Don't forget to clean the bath regularly and change the water, otherwise you will create a mosquito breeding pond instead. Above all, have fun! Some web resources: Good general gardening with children sites, including help planning lessons: Colorado Master Gardener's children's section: http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4DMG /Children/children.htm KidsGardening.Org: http://www.kids gardening.com/ The Kids Garden: http://www.the kidsgarden.co.uk/ Earth Easy's Gardening with Children page: http://www.eartheasy.com/grow_gardening _children.htm Gardening with Kids: http://www.gardening-with- kids.com/I llinois' My First Garden site: http:// www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/firstgarden/ Texas' Kids Gardening Resources: http://ag gie-horticulture.tamu.edu/county/smith/kids.html Gardening Projects: Seeds of Change Garden: Lists "Old World" and "New World" edible plants, with a few recipes. http://www.mnh.si.edu/archives/garden/welcom e.html Site that lists a number of gardening projects: http://www.homeandfamilynetwork.com/ gardening/kids.html Escapade Direct, another extensive list of projects, good photo of a sunflower fort, bean teepee and garden tunnel: http:/ /www.escapadedirect.com/ouac.html HGTV-Pizza Garden: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ gardening/article/0,,HGTV_3546_1369536,00.html Don't forget to explore all the books out there on this topic, too-check you local library. Your local cooperative extension and Master Gardener program are also good resources. Happy gardening! Bryn Richard is a licensed landscape architect with a strong interest in sustainable design. She can be reached at Bryn@BlueTrillium.net and welcomes your questions and suggestions for further articles. |
||
|
|
||
|
What is Calcium?
Calcium is the most common mineral in the human body. Almost all the calcium that we have in our bodies is found in our bones and teeth. Only about 1% of this calcium is circulating in our blood and tissues and as such, levels need to be maintained in a very narrow range for optimal health. The recommended intake for: an adult 19 to 50 years is 1000 mg per day For those 51 and older it is 1200 mg per day. For children the requirements are: 1 to 3 years 500mg per day, 4 to 8 years 800mg per day, 9 to 13 years 1300 mg per day and 14 to 18 years 1300 mg per day. As one can see, it is important to have adequate dietary calcium as a child and adolescent. Why do we need calcium in our bodies and why is it important? Clearly it is important for our structure, as it is the major element in our bones and teeth. It also plays a role in constriction and relaxation of blood vessels, along with nerve transmission and muscle function. Additionally, it is important for enzymatic reactions in our body. Calcium is also an integral player on the team of bone health. Bones continue to add mass until age 30 in most persons, creating a time called "peak bone mass." The stronger the bones are at age 30, the less bone loss will occur as a person ages. Therefore, it is important to maximize bone growth throughout childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. This can be accomplished by consuming adequate Calcium and Vitamin D during these periods and by maximizing bone mass by partaking in weight bearing exercises such as walking, running, yoga, dancing, aerobics, skating and weight training. This will help to prevent osteoporosis(fragile bones) later in life. The relationship between calcium and osteopenia (weakening bones) and osteoporosis (weak bones) is direct. If calcium intake is chronically low, if vitamin D intake is chronically low, if calcium is poorly absorbed or if there is excess calcium secretion, then the body resorts to breaking down the calcium in the skeleton. This action predisposes the body's bones to Osteopenia (low bone mass). If low calcium is not corrected, then osteopenia progresses to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a concern because it is associated with hip and other fractures. Each year about 5 million people suffer from fractures due to osteoporosis. How do we obtain Calcium? In the USA, dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese are the major sources of calcium in our diets. Additional natural food sources such as kale, broccoli, and spinach provide calcium, but at a decreased concentration, Also, many foods are fortified with calcium such as orange juice , soy beverages and cereals. Here are some examples of good sources of calcium in various foods: Yogurt plain 8oz - 415 mg Milk whole 8oz - 291 mg Orange Juice fortified 8oz - 200 to 260mg Spinach ½ cup cooked - 120 mg Soy milk fortified 8oz - 80 to 500 mg Cheddar cheese 1 ½ oz - 306 mg Calcium can also be obtained through commercial preparations. The two main forms of supplemental calcium are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate is the most common supplemental form. It comes in various amounts with the most common being 250mg and 500mg. It also comes in 200mg and 300mg amounts as the brand name "Tums." There are also combination forms of calcium partnered with Vitamin D, the most popular is "Os-Cal." This combination is a convenient way to take both calcium and Vitamin D in one shot. When taking calcium supplements, it is suggested that one take no more than 500 mg at a time, with meals, in order to maximize absorption. Can a person take too much calcium? As with anything, too much can be a problem. The recommended dose for an adult age 19 to 51 is 1000 mg per day and the upper limit of tolerability for an adult is considered to be 2500 mg per day. I once had a patient who decided that they had some symptoms of low calcium. Without getting a blood test or consulting a doctor,they decided to begin calcium replacement therapy. This patient also decided that if 1000mg of calcium per day was good 3000mg were better. After about one month the patient's symptoms had gotten progressively worse, not better. Ironically, her symptoms were mainly eye muscle twitching and tingling of the arm muscles. These symptoms are in line with those of elevated blood calcium rather then low blood calcium. Ultimately the patient came to the office and, after blood work was done, it was discovered that the patient's calcium level was too high. Discontinuing the calcium supplement relieved the symptoms and eventually the calcium level returned to normal. What sort of variables affect Calcium absorption? Calcium absorption declines with age, alcohol consumption, and caffeine intake. However, caffeine has a minimal effect on Calcium absorption. It is suggested that one cup of brewed coffee causes a loss of only 2 to 3 mg of calcium. a loss which can be easily offset by adding a tablespoon of milk to the coffee. Pregnancy makes calcium absorption more efficient. Therefore, the requirements are not increased in pregnant women. Additionally, Vitamin D helps improve calcium absorption. How does one know if they have low calcium or resultant osteopenia or osteoporosis? You can request that your doctor perform a serum calcium and/or an ionized calcium blood test. The serum calcium test can be ordered alone and is normally part of a larger group of blood tests call a "complete metabolic panel." Many times this larger panel will be ordered during a routine annual physical. The normal range for serum calcium is 8.8 to 10.3 mg/dl. You can check your bone density to see if you are osteopenic or osteoportic through various bone density tests. All of these bone density tests compare your bone density to that of a 30 year old male or female of optimal bone density. The resultant score is given as a "T" value. A "T"score of -1 and above indicates a normal bone density while a score of -1 to - 2.5 indicates osteopenia. A score below -2.5 indicates osteoporosis. These lower scores mainly occur in older adults and post menopausal women. What are some of the symptoms of low calcium? Most people with slightly low calcium have no symptoms. However, those with a more advanced calcium deficiency can experience numbness and tingling in fingers and toes, muscle cramps, convulsions, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, muscle pain, tiredness, confusion, decreased appetite, and heart palpitations. In conclusion, as always, if you suspect that you have symptoms of low calcium ask your primary care doctor for a blood test. Provided that you don't have a disorder in which you cannot absorb calcium well or one that causes you to lose calcium, a well balanced diet will provide you with all the calcium you should need on a daily basis. If you are considering a supplement, calcium carbonate is fine. The dose shouldn't be more than 500mg at a time and it should be taken with a meal. Until next time, fly low and avoid the radar. |
||
|
|
|
|
Don't forget, please send this to your friends and family so that everyone can be a part of the Yoga Bean family. Talk to you soon!
Sincerely,
Tina LeMar
Yoga Bean
email:
tina@yogabean.net
phone:
610.805.6724
|
|
