Peachtree Health

ChooseMyPlate.gov is a great Healthy Eating Resource

2012-01-29T00:32:00.000-08:00

There's tons to check out on ChooseMyPlate.gov for healthy eating. Including: download-able info sheets, planning guides, tips to eating healthy on a Budget and more. You should take a minute to check it out.

http://www.choosemyplate.gov

Here's what you'll find...

The 3 P’s - Plan, Purchase, and Prepare Food on a Budget
The reminders help you stay within your food budget.

Smart Shopping for Veggies and Fruits
Get the fruits and vegetables you need without breaking the bank!

Eating Better on a Budget
These 10 tips will help you stretch your food dollars.

Sample 7-Day Menu
This sample weekly menu meets all nutritional needs at a cost below current average food costs

Eating Healthy on a Budget – A Consumer Economics Perspective
Can people eat healthier and spend less money?
Are fruits and vegetables so expensive that people cannot afford to eat a healthy diet?
How can people actually know what foods are healthful choices and that they are likely economical as well?

Read a USDA Economist’s View: Nutrition Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

Also check these materials from other agencies:
Eat Right When Money’s Tight
30 Ways in 30 Days to Stretch Your Fruit & Vegetable Budget
SNAP-Ed Connection Recipe Finder
Search recipes by various categories – including cost per serving or per recipe.
Iowa State University Extension’s "Spend Smart. Eat Smart."

CNN Reports that the USDA issues new rules for school meals

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is the first time in 15 years that school launches have been overhauled. Recent numbers show that about 17% of children in the United States are obese. The new nutrition standards are largely based on recommendations by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, as part of efforts to curb childhood obesity.

With the help of Michelle Obama's campaign against childhood obesity, school menus will change to reduce sodium, sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats to add fruits veggies and whole grains. Milk will also change from whole to 1% milk. This is due to new government regulations this week.

Under the new rules, school meals will have calorie minimums and maximums per meal based on the child's age. For kindergarteners to fifth-graders, meals must contain 550 to 650 calories, and for 9th- to 12th-graders, meals must have 450 to 600 calories.

Kevin Concannon, the USDA under secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, said he wasn't concerned with the tomato paste controversy at this point. If you're unfamiliar... a controversy erupted in November after Congress decided that two tablespoons of tomato sauce was good enough to categorize a slice of pizza as a vegetable. RIDICULOUS!

Food and beverages sold in vending machines will also have to meet nutritional standards. First lady Michelle Obama and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled the standards Wednesday. The USDA offered a weekly sample lunch menu with before and after comparisons as well.

Read More

Household Chemicals Could Possibly Diminish Immunity

2012-01-25T12:21:00.000-08:00

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams reported last night that children's vaccines could be reduced in effectiveness by chemicals (PFC's) in common items in the household. Effects could cause vaccines to be up to 40% Less effective. They are found in containers, non-stick cookware, and beauty solutions. In 2015, the EPA has plans to have PFC's worked out of the system... which is good, but beware until then. See the video of the broadcast Online.

Prescription Drug and Over-the-Counter Drug Voluntary Recall: Possible Drug Mix-up

2012-01-10T06:07:00.000-08:00

Companies/Manufacturers:

Novartis
Endo Pharmaceuticals

Problem:

BROKEN PILLS
MISLABELED PILLS
PILLS IN THE WRONG BOTTLE

Summary:

Machinery problems at a drug manufacturing plant prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to warn patients of a possible mix-up affecting various prescription pain medications and over-the-counter drugs.

Affected Items:

The over-the-counter drugs involved in the recall were manufactured at a Lincoln, Nebraska, facility which also produced various prescription pain medicines for Endo Pharmaceuticals, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

These pills include Percocet, Opana and Percodan, if you take medication produced by them... the FDA advises that you visually inspect the pills.

Consumers who have select bottles of Excedrin, Bufferin, NoDoz and Gas-X, produced by Novartis, are being told to discard or return the products in a voluntary recall that started Sunday.

Specifically: Excedrin and NoDoz products with expiration dates of December 20, 2014, or earlier, as well as Bufferin and Gas-X Prevention products with December 20, 2013, or earlier expiration dates.

For More Information, click Here and Here for an additional article to see CNN Reports.

Tyson Fresh Meats Recalls 40,948 Pounds Of Beef Products On E.coli Risks

2011-12-21T09:21:00.000-08:00

Nebraska-based Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. is recalling about 40,948 pounds of ground beef products, on suspected contamination with E. coli O157:H7 bacterium, the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said.

10-pound chubs of "Chuck Fine Ground Beef 80/20" is what's being recalled. Read More Here or See Video on CBSnews.com.

Infection often causes severe, acute hemorrhagic diarrhea (although nonhemorrhagic diarrhea is also possible) and abdominal cramps. Usually little or no fever is present, and the illness resolves in five to 10 days. It can also be asymptomatic. To learn more about E.coli, check out the info on Wikipedia.

A Russian man was caught on Friday trying to bring 90 kilogrammes of butter over the Swedish border to Norway

2011-12-14T15:56:00.000-08:00

Why is a man trying to smuggle 90 kilos of butter to Norway? Crazy enough, Norway is experiencing a shortage of butter as a result of a fad Low Carb High Fat diet craze in the country. Stores are rationing out butter and the black market for the food is tremendous. One person reports "I've seen an ad where they wanted 5,000 kronor ($740) for a box of butter." Sounds insane! (But it's true). The country's "reserve" of butter is sold down right before the holiday, upsetting culinary holiday traditions.

The Local Reports... "A Russian man was caught on Friday trying to bring 90 kilogrammes of butter over the Swedish border to Norway without paying the custom duty. And the emerging black market is making some attempt to make some well-needed money before Christmas by auctioning out their butter online. " Read More

CNN Reports... "A rainy summer reduced the quality of animal feed, decreasing milk production in Norway this year by 20 million liters (5.3 million gallons) compared with the same period last year." Read More

MSNBC Reports... "Butter is now selling on Norway's top auction website, with a 250-gram piece starting at around $13, roughly four times its normal price." Read More

If you can get butter into Norway right now and sell it, looks like you'll make a killing!

12 Foods for Breast Cancer Prevention

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

EverydayHealth.com Reports... "Loading your plate with a rainbow of fruits and veggies is the foundation of a breast cancer prevention diet, and these same food choices can also help you live better after a breast cancer diagnosis." This is good information for all women to know, the short of it is: broccoli, garlic, pomegranates, walnuts, fish, flaxseed, soybeans, orange fruits and vegetables, berries, green tea, tumeric,

Read More to find out why...

In related news, Dr. Oz talks about breast cancer prevention (Read More)

FDA warns against HCG hormone diet pill fad

2011-12-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

My Health News Daily reports that "weight-loss products containing the hormone HCG are illegal and potentially dangerous, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said today, and consumers are advised to steer clear of the oral drops, pellets and sprays that can be found online and in retail stores."

Major grocery stores and drugstores like Publix, Walgreens, and CVS have sold over the counter drops containing HCG... if you have purchased and/or are using one of these... this article is a must read! The FDA, along with the Federal Trade Commission, issued warning letters on December 6, 2011 to seven companies selling over-the-counter, homeopathic weight-loss products marketed as containing HCG. Read More

7 Foods You Should Never Eat

2011-12-12T20:53:00.000-08:00

FOX NEWS Reports that... Food scientists are shedding light on items loaded with toxins and chemicals--and simple swaps for a cleaner diet and supersized health.

Clean eating means choosing fruits, vegetables, and meats that are raised, grown, and sold with minimal processing. Often they're organic, and rarely (if ever) should they contain additives. But in some cases, the methods of today's food producers are neither clean nor sustainable. The result is damage to our health, the environment, or both. So we decided to take a fresh look at food through the eyes of the people who spend their lives uncovering what's safe--or not--to eat. We asked them a simple question: "What foods do you avoid?" Their answers don't necessarily make up a "banned foods" list. But reaching for the suggested alternatives might bring you better health--and peace of mind.

The following foods are listed:

1. The Endocrinologist Won't Eat: Canned Tomatoes
2. The Farmer Won't Eat: Corn-Fed Beef
3. The Toxicologist Won't Eat: Microwave Popcorn
4. The Farm Director Won't Eat: Nonorganic Potatoes
5. The Fisheries Expert Won't Eat: Farmed Salmon
6. The Cancer Researcher Won't Drink: Milk Produced With Artificial Hormones
7. The Organic-Foods Expert Won't Eat: Conventional Apples

Read more to find out why...

Is natural gas really a clean fuel? A Possible Problem in Wyoming...

2011-12-09T20:51:00.001-08:00

CNN Money reports that the EPA sounds an alarm on "fracking" in Wyoming. What is fracking? It's a a controversial method of extracting natural gas from the ground. The Environmental Protection Agency said this week that chemicals from "fracking" have polluted groundwater in Wyoming.

The article reads... "The findings represent the first time in the heated debate over fracking that the agency has drawn such a connection, which has long been claimed by environmental activists.

In a statement released on Thursday, the EPA said a study had found that groundwater in an aquifer around Pavillion, Wyoming, contained 'compounds likely associated with gas production practices, including hydraulic fracturing.'"

Read More

Yawns more contagious among friends

2011-12-08T16:51:00.001-08:00

Next time you catch yourself yawning, look around: Did anyone close to you let out his or her own sleepy "ahhh"? Turns out, close friends and family are more likely than acquaintances or strangers to catch someone's yawns, a new study finds.

Read More

Report: Certain environmental exposures can increase breast cancer risk

2011-12-08T07:55:00.001-08:00

A report, released by the Institute of Medicine on Wednesday, says there are steps women can take to reduce their risk of getting breast cancer that is associated with environmental exposures.

The IOM says there are several environmental factors that can increase a woman's chance of getting breast cancer. According to the report, "Breast Cancer and the Environment," exposure to ionizing radiation (that's radiation associated with diagnostic tests such as mammograms, X-rays and CT-scans) is one such environmental factor.

Learn More

Birth Control Pills May Keep Nuns Healthy, Study Says

2011-12-08T07:19:00.001-08:00

Nuns should be offered the contraceptive pill, on health grounds, since it would cut their risk of getting cancer, according to a study in The Lancet.

The vow of chastity taken by the world's 95,000 Catholic nuns carries with it an increased risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancers – all of which are more common in women who do not have children.

Read more...

Kids’ Cereals Pack More Sugar Than Twinkies and Cookies

2011-12-07T16:20:00.001-08:00

More than three-quarters of the cereals assessed fail proposed federal nutrition standards

CONTACT: Sara Sciammacco: 202.667.6982 or ssciammacco@ewg.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 7, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Parents have good reason to worry about the sugar content of children’s breakfast cereals, according to an Environmental Working Group review of 84 popular brands.

Read About it

Baltimore youth use yoga lessons on -- and off -- the mat

2011-12-07T16:05:00.001-08:00

As reported by the NBC Nightly News today... "In lieu of naptime, one group of West Baltimore students is finding peace with 'namaste' -- the Hindi greeting that yoga practitioners know well." Read the Article

Why is arsenic in our juice?

2011-12-03T08:10:00.001-08:00

You've probably heard recently about there being arsenic in our apple juice. Articles (like the one at the link below) are all over the web after a report was released saying that "recently tested 88 samples of locally purchased apple and grape juices from stores in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. They found that 10-percent of juice samples had arsenic levels that exceeded federal drinking water standards", the article is at:

Dr. Drew Article

Arsenic has been in our ecosystem for years and it's known about in the food industry. It's in our juice and water because it's in the ground water and soil that plants are grown in, it's just in the ecosystem... and can't truly be avoided. The important thing is that there is organic and inorganic arsenic, inorganic being the harmful type that can hurt you (organic being basically "harmless", as the FDA puts it). Inorganic arsenic exposure has been found to lead to cancer. Some of the inorganic variety is out there because of pesticides used in the 70's.

Here's what the FDA posted about it on their site:

FDA Notification

For those followers of Dr. Oz, he seems to have started some of the buzz. His website tells of 10% of juices sampled (apple and grape) found 23 parts per billion arsenic in the juice (well above the allowed 10 parts per billion standard for water). Here's the link to his national investigation:

Dr. Oz Campaign

Consumer Reports posted the following article about "Where Apple Juice Comes From":

Consumer Reports

Site Maintenance

2011-08-08T21:53:00.001-07:00

We're doing some moves and changes... if you site the site hop-skip-and-jump for a couple days, don't worry, we're on it!

New Layout

2011-08-06T18:51:00.001-07:00

We've moved oir site and updated the look... Hope u like. We'll be adding content back shortly!

- Tamara Taylor

Invitro Meat Production

2011-06-02T00:02:00.001-07:00

Evidently... We're only about a year away from invitro produced ground meat... According to a UK company called New Harvest. I must stress that besides the obvious 'gross' factor, there's a risk that u cd eat this without knowing it. Be warry... Fast Food companies dont have to state their suppliers for the public... I can only hope that the FDA makes regulation that any company using this type of highly-controversial and unnatural food product be mandated to clearly state that its in use in their food (if the FDA approves its use in the US at all). Politics however may keep this mum for a long time! (Especially if it cheap!)

More information available HERE!

- Tamara Taylor

Be ready for disasters w/ Bottled Water, Shelter, First Aid and Non-perishable Emergency Food Supplies

2011-03-14T21:08:00.001-07:00

So the disaster in Japan has got me thinking... I should be more ready for a natural disaster. This includes having supplies like water and food on hand, available at any and all times... in case of emergency (and lack of drinkable water and edible food). There needs to be some type of supply of non-perishable food that can be kept and prepared without electricity + a storage of bottled drinking water to use in case power and/or shelter in knocked out for some awful period of time. Being in Florida, you'd think I'd done this already... haven't.

So, a good friend of mine shared with me a website that's quite useful for such a thing... called beprepared.com! Sounds easy to remember, but when I'd gotten this site before I didn't write it down bcs I thought I would remember and I didn't. Folks, write it down or click on the link and save it to your bookmarks! There's necessary stuff we need to have on hand at all times... food, water, some form of shelter (maybe a fold away tent or something and blankets). It would also be a good idea to have a bunch of first aid (medical help seems hard to come by in emergencies (and supplies).

Keep important documents and medical records in a fire-proof water-tight safe or container as well. Maybe a bunch of you have already done this, but for some reason I've unreasonably put it off (no longer). If you're not ready for a disaster yet... get prepared!

More articles to come... stay tuned (PeachtreeHealth.com is back up and running! Now published out of Jacksonville, Florida)!> :O) Website updates and new links coming soon!

Does Slimquick work?

2011-03-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm getting ready for a cruise and need to shed the winter tummy (also known as ice cream before bed while watching movies!). Aaaaaaaaaaaahhh!! So I've perused the shelves at my local drugstore and found what seems to be the best option for my focus (lose belly bulge and slight thigh enlargement) and Slimquick seems to be the pick. It boasts that I can lose 25 lbs but I don't need all that, a simple 5-8 lbs around the middle = cool. So I'm gonna try it and you'll keep you updated.

The website is myslimquick.com if you want more detailed marketing info and I chose it bcs it seems to help burn fat. BEWARE... there is caffeine involved, not my favorite thing, but whatever... not a long term solution. I'm running three times a week and doing sit ups and stretching daily (not to mention I work on my feet all day)... I think w/ the extra boost I'll easily be able to get the results for bikini wear! Check it out if you want or wait for my update... Midwest has a while before it warms up (but me down here needs to be ready!)

Update 3/21/2011: Due to a work related injury I was unable to finish my entire Slimquick regimen with diet and exercise as planned. Thus, I will have to redo this experiment w/ the weight-loss pill at a later time! (Stay tuned).

The top foods you should keep in case of an emergency

2010-08-03T10:21:00.001-07:00

Great article...

Fueling your body during an emergency is very different from your everyday diet. Because you’ll probably expend more energy than you normally would, you should eat high-energy, high-protein foods. And because you have a limited supply, the higher-quality foods you eat--and the less of them--the better. “In a disaster or an emergency you want those calories,” says Barry Swanson, a food scientist at Washington State University . “You want some nutrients and some fiber—something to keep your diet normal"... Click Here to Read More

Back Up Again

2008-12-18T17:43:00.001-08:00

Sorry about the inconvenience, we had our site go down! But we're back up and running and will re-publish our issues and relaunch the online magazine articles. Thanks a lot, everyone, for your support!! :O)

Updating

2008-09-11T05:49:00.000-07:00

We're currently updating and working on the site, sorry we haven't had the last few issues of the magazine out on time... we will be back up and running after we get some "bugs" worked out. :O)

Check this Out

2008-08-01T10:18:00.001-07:00

Look at your favorite Food Chains... see who makes the GRADE!! Healthy Options and Calories explored. http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/11230/americas-bestand-worstrestaurants/

Claim your refund for useless Airborne cold supplement

2008-03-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

What's up w/ Airborne? Does it really work? Well after a report by ABC NEWS a class action lawsuit against the company ensued... and the company, although admitting no wrong doing, has agreed to settle. A fellow blogger tells all... Read it Here.

Alcohol Allergies - FOXNews.com

2008-03-05T05:44:00.000-08:00

Vido Link:
Allergy - FOXNews.com

Another Reason To Exercise: It Gives You Energy

2008-03-05T05:42:00.001-08:00

FoxNews.com reports "When you are feeling chronically fatigued, chances are high the last thing you want to do is exercise. However, a new study shows that a little exercise might just be what you need" Click Here to Read More...

Friends and Family LAUNCH!

2008-02-22T07:03:00.000-08:00

The LAUNCH of our Friends and Family sign up has begun!! For the next week... we are signing up friends and family to Peachtree Health Magazine. Our first issue, March 2008, will be released directly to all subscribers... get signed up now to receive it on time: CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO PEACHTREE HEALTH

Our Website is Up!

2007-10-13T10:51:00.001-07:00

Our Official Website is now up: Click Here For Our Home Page

ConAgra Finally Pulls Pot Pies Off the Shelf

2007-10-13T06:39:00.001-07:00

Can't believe it took them so long to do so, but ConAgra finally asked retailers to pull their pot pies off the shelves after numerous cases of food poisoning were reported after eating their products. The company even closed down a plant in fear of spread of salmonella poisening. Click Here to Read More.

Important Notice: Children's Medication

2007-10-12T05:42:00.001-07:00

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Voluntary recall of numerous popular infant/toddler cold medications. Medicines may be dangerous to children if missused. FDA has not made a decision as to whether inadequate product labeling needs to be changed... stating "consult a physician" as a dosage amount for children under the age of 2. Industry professionals warn that overdosing children with these types of medications may be dangerous, possibly fatal. Click Here for Details!

Welcome to Peachtree Health

2007-08-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

We're up and running... after months of hard work, research and development... Peachtree Health, Atlanta's new guide to healthy living, is finally here. Stay tuned for the latest in health news, events, nutrition smarts and healthy living tips!!