McIdiots Do It Again

Our friends at the golden arches have really outdone themselves this time.  I'll give you the cliffnotes version.

Over the past three years, this adorable teen named Lauren McClusky has put on a series of benefit concerts that she decided to name McFest. McClusky's McFest - makes sense right?  Well, McDonalds isn't too pleased, and little miss Lauren has found herself in a McFeud.  The burger giants are claiming trademark infringement because they pretty much believe they have rights to all things "Mc".

Lauren tried to protect the name, but McDonalds filed in opposition. Now a good portion of money that Lauren raised for Special Olympics is now going towards legal fees.  :(

Seriously, McDonalds? Fighting with a teen who's actually trying to do good in the world? Really classy.

McBoycott, anyone?

Big Money In Hospital Births

The other day, I watched a movie that I found to be an extreme eye-opener called The Business of Being Born. As its title suggests, birthing in this country is a BUSINESS. 
This movie is available via instant play on Netflix and for a whopping $6 on Amazon.com 
Remember Ricki Lake? She's in it! Check it out and let me know what you think. 

More Business for Big Pharma

Just what we needed right?

It looks like with teen obesity on the rise, we're seeing an increase in teen cholesterol levels too.  It was inevitable. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Thursday that one in five American teens has unhealthy cholesterol levels (a major risk factor for heart disease in adults).  Heart disease still remains the leading cause of death in the United States.

What does this mean? More clients for Big Pharma! I bet they're laughing their way to the bank now.  Presently, there are quite a few drugs used to control cholesterol levels in adults - so why not use them for teens too?

Is anyone seeing the trend here? We know that those who are obese have a higher risk of having increased levels of "bad" cholesterol - in turn, putting them at risk of developing heart disease. Doesn't it seem more logical to target the obesity (the cause) than trying to alter the levels (the effect).
I suppose it make sense their way when money is more of a priority than the well-being of our country. 

24 ways to improve your health and happiness in 2010

Still trying to get a good start to your year? I found a great list of things to do to improve your health - courtesy of Mike Adams of Natural News. Which of these have you already started doing? Which do you think you'll adopt?  Are there any that you can't imagine doing? Leave me a comment!

#1 - Replace sodas or soft drinks with tea or water.
#2 - Commit to eating one raw fruit (or serving of vegetables) at every meal.
#3 - Add just 5 minutes a day to your exercise routine. Don't have an exercise routine? Start with 5 minutes a day!
#4 - Get more sunshine!
#5 - Learn some Pilates. It's probably the #1 exercise system for core strength and flexibility.

Cow Remains + Window Cleaner = A McDonalds Hamburger

 No, I'm not joking.

I'm so disgusted that I can't even type right now.

In a nutshell, burger giants like McDonalds and Burger King are purchasing "beef" (extra cow parts and trimmings) to use for their hamburgers. Before they get shipped off, they're injected with ammonia. You know...that stuff used in household cleaning products - mainly glass and window cleaner.

Surely, the USDA is outraged and is going to put an end to this ASAP, right? On the contrary, my friend. Ammonia kills ecoli, so this makes the beef safer to eat (according to them).

When are we moving out of the country again?

Speckled Pick! Tea Candy

I have a serious sweet tooth and I love green tea, so you can imagine my excitement when I ran across a bag of what's called Tea Candy by Bali's Best at Whole Foods this weekend.  With cane sugar, tapioca, tea extract, and natural green tea and lemon flavors as the top 5 ingredients, I definitely don't feel guilty about indulging.

I'll warn you, though-  I was expecting Werther's Original-colored candy (as pictured on the bag). To my surprise, I was greeted with this with this really ugly hunter green color. It was sort of freaky, but the candy is pretty tasty. You should give it a try :)

Green Smoothie Recipe

This is one of my favorite combinations.

I don't ever measure my ingredients when I make smoothies, so I'm totally making this up on the spot. Hopefully this doesn't taste horrible. Please give me feedback so that I can tweak if it does.

First, blend:
2 cups of fresh spinach (loosely packed)
1/3 cup apple juice (organic and not from concentrate, if possible)

Then, add and blend:
1/2 cup frozen bananas (or 1 raw banana...don't forget to peel it ;) )
1/2 cup frozen strawberries (frozen is key because it serves as your ice)
5 tablespoons ORGANIC yogurt (plain or vanilla)

Voila!

Again, don't come cursing me out if the measurements are totally wrong.  I just toss stuff in my blender normally and it usually tastes delish.

Music Therapy

Feeling stressed? Listen to music!

Listening to music does wonders to alleviate stress.  Experts suggest that the rhythm or beat of music has a calming effect (even if we're not conscious about it).

Music has been found to reduce heart rate and promote higher body temp - an indication of the onset of relaxation.

I found a really fun mix (for those of you pop fans out there). It's essentially a mashup of the top pop songs of 2009.

Relieve some stress by partaking in some pop music therapy. Enjoy!

Would you like a side of diabetes with that?

This seems like a no brainer,  but for those of you who still insist on chowing down on a burger or fried chicken for every meal, chew on this...

Studies have shown (I could have told you this without the study, but people can't seem to function without proof) that regularly eating fast food can greatly increase your risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes (and becoming obese).

Reports reveal that African American women, in particular, that eat fast food burgers or fried chicken at least twice a week are forty to SEVENTY percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those women who did not consume those foods.

This seems to be pretty obvious, right? Then why on earth do fast food giants like McDonalds and KFC still have so much control over our food?! Clearly not enough people know that they are among the causes of America's diabetes and obesity epidemics. Spread the word.

Get Dirty!

When my husband and I started talking about health and children, I'd always tell him that I planned on giving our children dirt as soon as they were born. I'm sure that if anyone heard me say that, they'd call me crazy. However, my "crazy" plans do have some merit.

A study was conducted at the University of California San Diego found that children who are too clean are actually more susceptible to developing inflammation and disease - namely asthma and autoimmune disorders.  They also tend to be the ones who have a higher rate of allergies.  Using cleansers, soaps, and hand sanitizers excessively can actually increase those chances because they kill off important bacteria on our bodies. 

Moral of the story: Don't be afraid to let kids dirty! When the hubby and I start having kids, I'm sticking to my plan! (Maybe not exactly, but in some capacity)

Image courtesy of Christendomreview

Britney Spears Likes Alternative Medicine

This just in:  Pop princess, Birtney Spears, is currently training to become a masseuse! Ooo.

Sources reveal, “Britney wanted to focus her attentions on a new hobby and that’s massage. She has always been interested in herbal and alternative medicines. Now she has undergone a herbal detox and had a three-hour class about what oils work on various skin conditions.”

This makes me happy. It's always nice to see when celebs show interest in alternative med.  Mel Gibson, Madonna, and Gwenyth Paltrow are other celebrities known to be fans of natural medicine.

I hope this craze becomes contagious and spreads throughout all of Hollywood. What an impact that would have on us common folk. Just say no to drugs!