Basic Pursuits

According to a recent study, honey is damn good at killing bacteria that grows in our sinuses.

"...honey was significantly more effective in killing both planktonic and biofilm-grown forms of the bacteria, compared with the rate of bactericide by antibiotics commonly used against the bacteria."...

Here's a list of really good chow.

• Beans
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Oats
• Oranges
• Pumpkin
• Salmon
• Soy
• Spinach
• Tea (green or black)
• Tomatoes
• Turkey
• Walnuts
• Yogurt

Make these foods the basis of your diet and soon you'll be among the healthiest people on the planet.

'Superfoods' Everyone Needs

People have thought for a while that omega3 fatty acids are good for the brain. Now according to Science Daily, researchers have proved it.

UCLA scientists have confirmed that fish oil is indeed a deterrent
against Alzheimer's, and they have identified the reasons why.

Specifically,

More good news for flaxseed eaters. Researchers at Duke say that the little jewels "stunt the growth of prostate tumors."

Earlier studies showed that men who took flaxseeds along with a low fat diet experienced shrinkage in prostate tumors. This study demonstrated that taking the flaxseeds alone shrunk the tumors. Therefore, it's the flax. Just the flax, ma'am.

I have had a small jar of capers in my pantry for at least a year. So I was excited when I ran across this article touting that they are "...an unexpectedly big souce of natural antioxidants that show promise for fighting cancer and heart disease..."

Having always been a capers fan, my reaction was to throw a tablespoon of capers into a serving of my Smoky Salmon Tuna Spread. I liked the outcome which I enjoyed on a sandwich.

It has long been suspected that eating protein induces a feeling of satiety. I noticed 20 years ago that diet specialty foods from Jennie Craig always had added protein. Protein's suspected ability to make the dinner feel full is probably the key to the success of the Atkins (low carb). Eating protein, many concluded, makes you feel full and you eat less.

An outstanding source of protein is the humble chicken egg. It's a well balanced protein and can be refined from accompanying saturated fats by separating the white from the yolk. The yolk is where the fat is.

Last night I seasoned six egg whites with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Mrs. Dash's table seasoning. I used a tablespoon of canola oil to saute two scallions and about a tablespoon of shallots. Then I scrambled everything together with the eggs.

Flax seeds have been for centuries thought to be a super food. Perhaps it's because they are so rich in Omega3 fatty acids.

Researchers at the Society for Integrative Oncology recently found a potential new use for the virtuous little seeds. Two tablespoons per day cut the incidence of hot flashes in half in menopausal women. The researchers noted that the sample size in their experiment was small and more work needs to be done.