Making Stress-Free New Year's Resolutions

Your New Year's Resolution is supposed to help you help yourself in some way. You often use them to break a bad habit, or to promise to make some improvement in your life or lifestyle such as eating healthier or exercising more often.

The goals and ideas and promises are always good, so why do New Year's Resolutions often cause so much stress or fail after the first couple of weeks in January?

Here are few of the pitfalls and how you can avoid them. If you do these things between December 26 and December 31, you will be well prepared to follow through and successfully accomplish your resolution goals.

1. The goal is too vague.

Many people say they want to lose weight, find a better job, spend more time with their family. Here is one I am seeing quite a lot now: Resolve to reduce stress!

All of these are great goals for sure! You are on the right track for wanting to pursue them, but my first questions are how, where, when, what?

Lose how much weight? Where are you going to look for that better job? When are you going to spend more time with the family? What are you going to do to reduce stress?

Without specific details, numbers, directions, times and dates, plans of action, you are setting yourself up for failure (which, by the way, causes more stress!).

Sit down now and make a detailed plan. The act of writing it down actually helps to make you goals and plans real, too. Some people go so far as to make it look like a written contract. Words on a page solidify the ideas in black and white (or whatever colors of ink and paper you use), and makes them real. A written contract with yourself, or even just a list that you frequently review, will help keep you on track so that you may successfully fulfill your promise to yourself.

Another important point: Do review the list or contract, or your goals and efforts may be forgotten in the shuffle of everyday living!

2. The timeline is unrealistic.

Losing ten pounds in three days probably isn't going to happen. Spending more time with your family at the busy time of year for your business probably isn't going to happen.

Making resolutions that you know you can't keep is a big source of stress….huge source of stress….and though your heart is in the right place, your head has to be on board for the plan, too.

While I am completely in favor of following through with intuitive goals, those sparks of ideas that hit you like a bolt of enlightening lightening (which are often messages from your body telling you what you need to be healthy), you do need to follow some logic and reasoning in fulfilling the goal.

If you make a plan as outlined in #1 above, you will avoid the pitfall of trying to do much too fast or too soon, and avoid the disappointment of missing your goals.

3. You need help.

Sometimes the help you need is as simple as a reminder to keep you on track, so write that list or print that contract with yourself and post it where you will see it on a daily basis. Enhance it, make it pretty, frame it and hang it on a wall! The more it attracts your attention, the more energy you will put into it, the more likely you are to succeed at your goal!

If you need ideas on how to fulfill your goal, check it out online. The internet is an incredibly diverse research tool. You can find many practical suggestions not only on this blog, but other websites, message forums, and even discussion groups through Google and Yahoo, MSN and others.

If you like (or need!) to be around others, pursuing your goals with friends or other like-minded people could help keep you on track. Being part of a group is a very powerful motivator and energy enhancer that should not be underestimated or overlooked. See my previous article on the benefits of group practices: Qigong Group Practice: It Does A Body Good!

You might need the input of a professional if the "how to" of your goal is still elusive. See a nutritionist if you need to, contact a personal trainer, a life coach, or a stress management consultant like me! We are here to help you. We have many techniques available for all sorts of people and lifestyles. We want to help you overcome your challenges and reach your goals.

Happy Holidays!

Antibacterial products and probiotic supplements: save money and your health – don’t use them

Probiotic Bacteria…Yum!

Some people are going to be surprised at the advice to avoid antibacterial products and probiotic additives and supplements, but there are several very good reasons to do so.

What prompted my interest was the first line from this news story: "Bugs in baby food? Microbes in your milkshake? Relax, this is not the latest tainted food scare — it's a growing trend in foods designed to boost health, not make you sick." ("Products with good bacteria get popular" By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer, Mon Dec 10, 2007)

The vision that popped into my mind was one of a young mother, tv advertising in the background, spraying her baby with the newest antibacterial product safe enough to use around baby, and then feeding her child with this expensive, and unnecessary probiotic baby food to replace all the bacteria in her child she had just killed with the antibacterial product.

Do you see where this is going, and why I am against using both these products?

First, what do they mean by probiotic and antibacterial? Call this "Bacteria 101."

Pro – for, supportive of
Anti – against, opposed to
Biotic – of or pertaining to living organisms (i.e. bacteria)

So, probiotics support bacteria, and antibiotics kill bacteria.

Now that you know what you are looking for, take a look at probiotics. This excerpt is from the "An Introduction to Probiotics" page of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

"Probiotics are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut. They are also called "friendly bacteria" or "good bacteria."

Yes, folks, bacteria, that very same stuff you pay top dollar to kill with antibacterial soaps, wipes, and sprays.

Here are two of their Key Points:

· "There is limited evidence supporting some uses of probiotics. Much more scientific knowledge is needed about probiotics, including about their safety and appropriate use.

· "Effects found from one species or strain of probiotics do not necessarily hold true for others, or even for different preparations of the same species or strain."

Some foods that contain naturally-occurring "friendly bacteria" are fermented items like yogurt, some cheeses, and sometimes pickles.

However, the experts do not agree that supplemental probiotics are effective at all, and they don't agree on which bacterial strains may be effective in delivering the proper amounts of "friendly bacteria" to your body.

There is one very large, red letter, bell-ringing question that everyone should be asking. I am. Are you? What is the "proper" amount of "friendly bacteria" you should be taking? No one knows, and you may be doing far more harm than good by ingesting these untried and possibly untrue supplements.

Now, why do you think you need these products in the first place?

Probably because you believe your body is low or lacking in the friendly bacterial you need to be healthy.

Why is that?

Probably because it is being killed by antibacterial products that destroy all bacteria, not just the unhealthy, disease-causing bugs. Not only that, by killing all bacteria in your environment, you are not giving yourself the small amount of exposure you need to build your immune resistance to bacteria.

Some exposure to environmental bacteria acts like a natural vaccine. When exposed to a small amount of bacteria, your body builds antibodies that will rid you of any disease-threatening bugs. If you are never exposed to a germ, you build no natural resistance. When you are then exposed to bacteria that you have built no resistance against, you get sick.

There are four things happening here:

1. stress suppresses the immune system

2. you are not giving your immune system the opportunity to build resistance to unhealthy bacteria

3. you are using antibacterial products that kill the friendly bacteria you do need to be healthy

4. antibacterial products probably contribute to the evolution of "super-bugs," germs that are resistant to antibiotic treatments.

Antibacterial products in everyday, home use is actually unhealthy, and one expert from John's Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health advises most people to avoid them.

Here are a few answers to questions on antibacterial (antimicrobial) products from Rolf U. Halden, PhD, PE, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Excerpts from "Cleaning Up Antimicrobial Hand Soaps" Please read this carefully and share it with your friends and relatives!

Office of Communications and Public Affairs: What are some of the concerns over the use of antimicrobial soaps?

Rolf Halden: One concern is that antimicrobial hand soaps may contribute to the rise of germs that are resistant to treatment with antibiotics. Most antimicrobial soaps use either triclosan or triclocarban as an ingredient to kill microorganisms. Triclosan is labeled a biocide, which means that it uses a non-specific mode of action to kill microbes. It is thought to destroy biological structures at random. [It kills good bacteria as well as bad bacteria. ~M~] Triclocarban resembles triclosan in structure and function.

Non-specific cell damage is not the only mode of action, however. Recent investigations demonstrated that triclosan also targets a specific site in the fatty acid synthesis of microorganisms. These studies can help to explain why laboratory bacteria exposed to triclosan were observed to develop cross-resistance to 7 out of 12 antibiotics evaluated—a finding interpreted by some scientists as a red flag and a harbinger of more drug-resistant microbial infections in humans. [I found this shocking….over half the antibiotics evaluated no longer kill the bacteria! ~M~]

OC&PA: Do these chemicals have negative environmental impacts?

RH: Triclosan has been detected in fish and in breast milk. This is not a big surprise since it shares similarities with other chlorinated organic pollutants, such as dioxin, PCBs and DDT. My laboratory group has detected triclosan and triclocarban in surface water, aquatic sediments and in municipal sludge, a sewage treatment by-product that is used extensively as agricultural fertilizer. Due to their persistence, both chemicals are widespread environment pollutants, detectable in about 60 percent of U.S. streams.

Triclosan is a pre-dioxin. It contains small quantities of toxic dioxins and can be converted to form additional dioxins when irradiated with sunlight. Triclocarban is a suspected carcinogen that can disintegrate to release two carcinogenic substances for each molecule converted. [Bold emphasis added by Michelle]

OC&PA: If these compounds are harmful, why would they be allowed in soap?

RH: When assessing the health risks of antimicrobial chemicals for use in cosmetics and other personal care products, we usually look at dermal exposure, absorption through the skin, which is very limited and thus considered safe given the data available today. However, since these chemicals are persistent environmental pollutants, other potential routes of exposure may exist. Antimicrobials may function as "chemical boomerangs" that, following disposal into wastewater, can come back to us contained in food and drinking water. This route of exposure is less well understood and needs to be studied further. While the “useful” lifespan of these compounds is measured in seconds or minutes, their environmental half-lives extend to weeks, months and even years, depending on whether they reside in water, soil or sediment. Unless chemical production is being reduced, we will continue to detect these compounds in the environment as well as in food and breast milk. [Bold emphasis added by Michelle]

OC&PA: What did the FDA panel conclude?

RH: Concentrating on product efficacy, the panel concluded that use of antimicrobial personal care products offers no benefit over use of regular soap and water, based on the available science. Studies conducted to date were either inconclusive or not properly designed to show a true benefit from these products. [Bold emphasis added by Michelle]

OC&PA: Is there anything you would like to add?

RH: We as consumers buy antimicrobial products to stay healthy. In our desire for protection from potentially harmful germs, we often fail to consider the risks inherent in both the chemical exposure we voluntarily subject ourselves to and the potential increase in antibiotic-resistant pathogens in our household, workplace and the environment. In the absence of a known benefit, it is difficult to justify taking any additional risks. Regular soap and water have worked for centuries and there is no scientific evidence that this winning combination will lose its punch anytime soon. [Bold emphasis added by Michelle]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friends, you don't need to spend your hard-earned money on probiotic foods and supplements that are of questionable value. Instead, find healthy and holistic ways to reduce stress so that your immune system functions at peak efficiency. A healthy immune system is the answer to probiotic and antibacterial use.

Avoiding toxic, antibacterial products will not only save you money on the products and the supplements you buy to reverse the effects of random bacteria killing, they will save your health and the health of the environment. Without them, your body will work holistically, as Nature intended, to build resistance to disease as well as generate the friendly bacteria you need to be healthy.

For non-toxic, natural ways to clean your home, read my article on the "Health Hazards of Housework and Chemical Cleaners" which contains a list of environment-friendly and people-friendly cleaning products.

Health hazards of housework and chemical cleaners

Personally, I see this as the perfect excuse to give up housework. Cleaning is one of those "vicious cycle" sort of things. . . every time you do it, it just needs doing again a few days (or minutes!) later. Add to that, the smell from many cleaning chemicals does make you ill. (Many of them make me either nauseous or gasping for fresh air, or both.)

I seldom use prepared chemical cleaners any more, and the following story is a good reason you shouldn't either!

Housework could pose health hazards, study says

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071012/hl_nm/housework_hazards_dc

Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:14 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Housework might be bad for your health, according to a study suggesting that tidying up as little as once a week with common cleaning sprays and air fresheners could raise the risk of asthma in adults.

Other studies have linked these types of products with increased asthma rates among cleaning professionals but the research published on Friday indicates others are potentially at risk as well.

Exposure to such cleaning materials even just once a week could account for as many as one in seven adult asthma cases, the researchers wrote in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

"Frequent use of household cleaning sprays may be an important risk factor for adult asthma," Jan-Paul Zock, an epidemiologist at the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, who led the study, wrote.

Asthma is an inflammation of the airways with symptoms that include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and chest tightness. More than 300 million people worldwide suffer from the condition.

Using data collected from 22 centers in 10 European countries, the researchers studied more than 3,500 people over a nine-year period to see how many developed asthma and whether cleaning could be a cause.

Two-thirds of those in the study who reported doing the bulk of cleaning were women and fewer than 10 percent of them were full-time homemakers, the researchers said.

The study found that the risk of developing asthma increased with the frequency of cleaning and the number of different sprays used but on average was about 30 to 50 percent higher in people exposed to cleaning sprays at least once a week.

While air fresheners, furniture cleaners and glass-cleaners had the strongest effect, the researchers said the study did not determine what biological mechanism sparked the increase.

[Does it really matter "what biological mechanism sparked the increase"? Wouldn't it just be smarter to give up cleaning to avoid those toxic chemicals?

Ok, you really can't give up cleaning altogether, but you can use products that clean without making you sick, especially at this time of year when time is precious but you still want everything to be perfect.

What to do about it? Below you will find some valuable and natural alternatives to toxic cleaning chemicals. I have listed a few of the ideas that seemed most useful to help you prepare your home for holiday entertaining, but do visit the "eartheasy: Ideas for environmentally sustainable living" website to see more ways to protect your health by cleaning with natural products. Not only are these better for you, they are better for the environment, too!

I have not used all of the formulas listed below, so do be careful if you try them.

Of course, using these safer, natural products isn't all work! At the end of the post you will find some fun things to do with natural products that you can't do with the other kind!

~Michelle~ ]

Non-Toxic Home Cleaning

http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

Homemade Substitutions:

Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.

Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.

Borax - (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.

White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.

Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body. See http://drclark.ch/g)

Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.

Formulas:

Combinations of the above basic products can provide less harmful substitutions for many commercial home products. In most cases, they're also less expensive. Here are some formulas for safe, alternative home care products:

(Note: These formulas and substitutions are offered to help minimize the use of toxic substances in your home, and reduce the environmental harm caused by the manufacture, use and disposal of toxics. Results may vary and cannot be guaranteed to be 100% safe and effective. Before applying any cleaning formulations, test in small hidden areas if possible. Always use caution with any new product in your home.)

Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of children.

All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. Store and keep. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, etc.

Another alternative is microfiber cloths which lift off dirt, grease and dust without the need for cleaning chemicals, because they are formulated to penetrate and trap dirt. There are a number of different brands. A good quality cloth can last for several years.

Air Freshener: Commercial air fresheners mask smells and coat nasal passages to diminish the sense of smell.
• Baking soda or vinegar with lemon juice in small dishes absorbs odors around the house.
• Having houseplants helps reduce odors in the home.
• Prevent cooking odors by simmering vinegar (1 tbsp in 1 cup water) on the stove while cooking. To get such smells as fish and onion off utensils and cutting boards, wipe them with vinegar and wash in soapy water.
• Keep fresh coffee grounds on the counter.
• Grind up a slice of lemon in the garbage disposal.
• Simmer water and cinnamon or other spices on stove.
• Place bowls of fragrant dried herbs and flowers in room.

Bathroom mold: Mold in bathroom tile grout is a common problem and can be a health concern. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Wait at least one hour before rinsing or using shower.

Carpet stains: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water. For a heavy duty carpet cleaner, mix 1/4 cup each of salt, borax and vinegar. Rub paste into carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum.

Dishwasher Soap: Mix equal parts of borax and washing soda, but increase the washing soda if your water is hard.

Dishwashing Soap: Commercial low-phosphate detergents are not themselves harmful, but phosphates nourish algae which use up oxygen in waterways. A detergent substitution is to use liquid soap. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of vinegar to the warm, soapy water for tough jobs.

Disinfectant: Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 3 cups hot water. For stronger cleaning power add 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use non-aerosol spray bottle.

Drain Cleaner: Pour about 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, then 1/2 cup vinegar. The resulting chemical reaction can break fatty acids down into soap and glycerine, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. After 15 minutes, pour in boiling water to clear residue. Caution: only use this method with metal plumbing. Plastic pipes can melt if excess boiling water is used. Also, do not use this method after trying a commercial drain opener--the vinegar can react with the drain opener to create dangerous fumes.

Floor Cleaner and Polish:

vinyl and linoleum: add a capful of baby oil to the cleaning water to preserve and polish.
wood: apply a thin coat of 1:1 vegetable oil and vinegar and rub in well.
painted wood: mix 1 teaspoon washing soda into 1 gallon (4L) hot water.
brick and stone tiles: mix 1 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon (4L) water; rinse with clear water.
Most floor surfaces can be easily cleaned using a solution of vinegar and water. For damp-mopping wood floors: mix equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water. Add 15 drops of pure peppermint oil; shake to mix.

Furniture Polish: For varnished wood, add a few drops of lemon oil into a 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and spray onto a soft cotton cloth. Cloth should only be slightly damp. Wipe furniture with the cloth, and finish by wiping once more using a dry soft cotton cloth.

For unvarnished wood, mix two tsps each of olive oil and lemon juice and apply a small amount to a soft cotton cloth. Wring the cloth to spread the mixture further into the material and apply to the furniture using wide strokes. This helps distribute the oil evenly.

Metal Cleaners and Polishes:

aluminum: using a soft cloth, clean with a solution of cream of tartar and water.
brass or bronze: polish with a soft cloth dipped in lemon and baking-soda solution, or vinegar and salt solution.
chrome: polish with baby oil, vinegar, or aluminum foil shiny side out.
copper: soak a cotton rag in a pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar. Apply to copper while hot; let cool, then wipe clean. For tougher jobs, sprinkle baking soda or lemon juice on the cloth before wiping.
gold: clean with toothpaste, or a paste of salt, vinegar, and flour.
silver: line a pan with aluminum foil and fill with water; add a teaspoon each of baking soda and salt. Bring to a boil and immerse silver. Polish with soft cloth.
stainless steel: clean with a cloth dampened with undiluted white vinegar. Mold and

Mildew: Use white vinegar or lemon juice full strength, with small amount of salt. Apply

Oven Cleaner: Moisten oven surfaces with sponge and water. Use 3/4cup baking soda, 1/4cup salt and 1/4cup water to make a thick paste, and spread throughout oven interior. (avoid bare metal and any openings) Let sit overnight. Remove with spatula and wipe clean. Rub gently with fine steel wool for tough spots. Or use Arm & Hammer Oven Cleaner, declared nontoxic by Consumers Union.

Permanent Ink Markers: These markers contain harmful solvents such as toluene, xylene and ethanol. Use water-based markers as a safe substitute.

Scouring Powder: For top of stove, refrigerator and other such surfaces that should not be scratched, use baking soda. Apply baking soda directly with a damp sponge.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse. A mixture of borax (2 parts) and lemon juice (one part) will also work.

Tub and Tile Cleaner: For simple cleaning, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water. For tougher jobs, wipe surfaces with vinegar first and follow with baking soda as a scouring powder. (Vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly.)

Water Rings on Wood: Water rings on a wooden table or counter are the result of moisture that is trapped under the topcoat, but not the finish. Try applying toothpaste or mayonnaise to a damp cloth and rub into the ring. Once the ring is removed, buff the entire wood surface.

Window Cleaner: Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter (qt) warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Don't clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, or streaks will show on drying. The All-Purpose Cleaner (above) also works well on windows.

Fun Stuff!

Of course, using these safer, natural products isn't all work! Here are some fun things to do with natural products that you can't do with the other kind!

Dancing Raisins http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/AngelUnits/OneHour/KitchenScience/KitchenLessonA.html

Make your own volcano http://library.thinkquest.org/5008/Volcano.htm

Blow up balloons http://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/teachers/nwhs/jvenables/Demonstrations/Kartik/BalloonConstruct.htm

Gratitude and Thanksgiving

I will be away from my blog for the week before and the week following Thanksgiving, and I can't think of a better thought to leave you with over the Thanksgiving holiday than "Gratitude" by James Harvey Stout (deceased), philosopher and observer of life.

(I will be checking email, so please do leave comments if you like.)

This excerpt is one of many thoughtful and thought-provoking essays in Mr. Stout's Human Handbook, his "encyclopedia of life," available for free in its entirety on the Tools For Transformation (Trans 4 Mind) website. http://www.trans4mind.com/jamesharveystout/

I wish you a happy, abundant, and gratitude-filled Thanksgiving.

~Michelle~

Gratitude

By James Harvey Stout

What is gratitude?

1. It is our natural response when we receive something of value. This acknowledgement occurs in various areas of life:
• Mental. We acknowledge that we have received a valuable object. And we strive to perceive the giver of the object (although the giver might be an unknown person, or an inscrutable deity). In contrast, an ungrateful person does not acknowledge the value nor the giver. Gratitude is primarily an experience of the emotions, while the mind is experiencing "appreciation" and "significance."
• Emotional. Gratitude is a response of happiness and warmth when we receive something of value. But the emotion does not occur only within us; we also seek to evoke that happiness with the giver -- perhaps by smiling, and saying, "Thank you."
• Physical. It is a sense of commitment to give gifts in return. Gratitude is a bonding among fellow humans in a world where our material needs are fulfilled by one another.
• Spiritual. Gratitude is our childlike thankfulness for the miracle of life and for the amazing capacity of life to satisfy our needs. Because we enjoy this flow of life, we are grateful for the things which we receive, and we are also grateful for opportunities to give. Gratitude does not occur simply because we gave or received a material object; instead, gratitude is ultimately based in the joy of participating in life. Thus, we can be grateful to someone even if we paid for the person's service; this gratitude is toward life itself, as it satisfies our needs through this person. In gratitude, we transcend the material transaction, to experience spirit itself.

The benefits from gratitude.

1. Gratitude generates a pleasant sensation within us. When we are grateful, we experience happiness, fulfillment, peace of mind, and a flow of love (which is the literal "flow" of spiritual substance from us to the other person or object).
2. Gratitude offers a means by which we can counteract unwanted psychological states, such as these states:
• Greed and envy. Gratitude helps us to achieve emotional satisfaction in the ownership of our current possessions; gratitude is a type of "savoring." If we do not achieve emotional satisfaction with our current possessions, we futilely try to achieve that satisfaction with the mere ownership of more possessions; thus, we experience greed and envy. But we will never feel contentment with regard to our goods until we savor them, through emotional actions such as gratitude.
• Worry and fear. Gratitude helps us to be more aware of the many gifts which we receive; therefore, we do not worry as much about the flow of gifts which will occur in the future. When we are grateful, we dwell on the present moment, and the goodness of the past, instead of the uncertainty of the future.
• Grief. As we recognize the many gifts which we receive, we enhance our ability to release the things which have disappeared from our life, and to turn our attention to the current flow.
• Vanity. Gratitude reminds us that we do not live alone; we survive only because we are constantly receiving goods from people, from nature, and from spirit. We experience humility as we view the awesome movement of goods into our personal world. Gratitude helps us to perceive ourselves as a part of a benevolent system. We become more conscious of the many things which we receive from other people, from nature, and from other sources. And we notice the times when we give within this system. As we pay attention to the giving and receiving, we realize that we are not alone, but rather that our lives depend on the perpetual giving of others -- and we might feel a deeper responsibility to give more of ourselves, to contribute to the process. Albert Einstein said, "A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depends on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the measure as I have received and am still receiving."
• Depression. In depression, we have difficulty in seeing the value in the world around us. Gratitude can minimize the effect of depression by reinforcing the goodness.
• Repression. Repression occurs when we refuse to view particular conditions because those conditions cause discomfort. In contrast, gratitude introduces a pleasant sensation into our experience, so that we allow ourselves to perceive the conditions, even though the experience is a mixture of the pleasant and the unpleasant.
3. Gratitude helps us to see the positive value in circumstances. In unpleasant circumstances, we can be grateful for an opportunity to learn a difficult lesson, or to balance a "karmic" condition (which has been the result of the previously implanted elements in our archetypal fields). Even if we do not perceive a positive value in these circumstances, we have faith that life is ultimately good -- and we are grateful for that goodness. Many people are unhappy when they pay bills; other people are happy, because they dwell on their gratitude for the things which they have purchased.
4. Gratitude increases the possibility that we will receive more goodness in our life. We can see this effect upon various aspects of life:
• People. When we express gratitude in actions and words (e.g., "thank you"), people are rewarded for their generosity; thus, they are more likely to be generous again.
• Spirit. In our expression of gratitude, there is a flow of spiritual substance from us to a person or object. Whenever we increase that flow, we increase our life in every way: more energy, more awareness of intuition, etc. Because we understand this dynamic, we can express gratitude for things which we have not yet received; we know that our gratitude helps to increase the flow (which is likely to include the thing for which we are expressing gratitude-in-advance).

Techniques of gratitude.

1. Archetypal field-work.
• Self-talk. For example, "I appreciate all of the good things in my life." "I enjoy thanking people for their kindness."
• Directed imagination. We can visualize ourselves receiving valued items, and then smiling, or saying, "Thank you."
• Energy toning. We generate the energy tones of joy, delight, pleasure, etc.
• The "as if " principle. We act as if we are grateful when we receive items of value. The actions might include a smile, a hug, and particular words (e.g., "This is a wonderful gift!").
2. Intuition. When we receive a valued item, intuition can guide us in our response (including the particular words). Intuition can also determine the item's value to us, in terms of its enhancement of our life.
3. We can develop our ability to perceive the goodness in our life. Throughout our day, we are continually giving and receiving -- often without noticing these occurrences. If we decide to have an "attitude of gratitude," we become aware of more of the people and the subtle events in our life. This creative "game" can be played during stressful times, and also when we might otherwise be mentally bored -- while driving, while standing in a line, etc.
4. We can offer gratitude in various aspects of our lives.
• We can be grateful to many things: a person, a deity, nature, life itself.
• We can be grateful for many things: our home, food, comforts and pleasures, well-being (material, emotional, mental), physical health, sensory delights (e.g., delicious food), friends, clothing, life itself.
5. We can say, "Thank you," when someone gives something to us. And we can write "thank-you letters" to people. We express can gratitude for the gift, and for the person who gave us the gift.
6. We can acknowledge holidays which are focus our attention on gratitude. For example, in the United States, the citizens celebrate Thanksgiving, and Veterans' Day (when we express gratitude to veterans who have defended the nation).
7. We can "say grace" before we eat a meal. From a materialistic viewpoint, saying grace is illogical; we have no reason to be grateful for a meal for which we worked to earn the money -- but the idea of saying grace is to acknowledge that our own efforts might have come to fruition only because of the supplemental factor of spiritual "grace" (which is the unearned goodness in our life). We can say grace before every event, not just meals.
8. We can make a list of things for which we are grateful. We can even have a "gratitude journal," in which we note each day's gifts.
9. We can develop our self-esteem. We cannot feel gratitude if we do not feel that we are worthy of the gifts.
10. We can review our unpleasant memories, to find factors for which we can be grateful. In retrospect, we might realize that the circumstances were a necessary part of our education in life.
11. We can achieve a balance in gratitude.
• We can be grateful for the things which we possess, while still working toward additional goals. For example, we might be grateful for a "B" grade on a difficult exam, but we still strive for an "A" grade on the next exam.
• We can be grateful for the things which we receive, while still being discriminating. For example, we would not be very grateful if an employer pays us $1 for a full day of work. We naturally respond to the value of the object, particularly if we exerted an effort to obtain that object and we expect something of equal value. We can be objective about the objects which we receive, while still appreciating various other factors:
• We can appreciate the attempt of the person to give what is meant to be given (even if the person's greed or other dysfunctional archetypal-field constellations block the flow of materiality and spiritual substance to us).
• We can appreciate our opportunity to participate in life, while we (and other people) explore our intuitive perception of spirit's dynamics by which we all distribute the goodness of spirit itself in the realms of mind, emotions, and physical existence.

What Chemical Is In You? ABC News Story

Here is a link to the ABC news story I caught online earlier today. "What Chemical Is In You?" http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3848254

(Come back after you watch the video)

In a nutshell:

Chemicals are showing up inside our bodies:

chemicals from plastic bottles
chemicals from lining of food and soda cans
chemicals from nail polish
chemicals from shampoo & conditioner

[I have to wonder: Did anyone seriously think that chemicals in everyday items wouldn't be absorbed by our bodies? Environmental pollutants like these are probably the biggest threat to your health today because you aren't even aware of the threat.]

The most shocking fact from the news story:

Scientists believe one chemical group – the phthalates – have caused male bass in the Potomac River to grow eggs in their testes. [Now there's a normal development, right?]

Here are the three chemicals being measured for levels absorbed by your body:

Phthalates
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
Bisphenol A (BPAs)

Here is the rest of the story that the news didn't cover; some facts about these chemicals and their safety or lack thereof:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalates

As of 2004, manufacturers produce about 363 thousand metric tonnes (800 million pounds or 400 000 short tons) of phthalates each year. They were first produced during the 1920s, and have been produced in large quantities since the 1950s, when PVC was introduced. The most widely used phthalates are di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP). DEHP is the dominant plasticizer used in PVC, due to its low cost. Benzylbutylphthalate (BBzP) is used in the manufacture of foamed PVC, which is mostly used as a flooring material. Phthalates with small R and R' groups are used as solvents in perfumes and pesticides.

Phthalates are also frequently used in nail polish, fishing lures, adhesives, caulk, paint pigments……

Controversially, phthalates are still being used in modern pop-culture electronics. Notable recent examples include Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPod, and personal computers. The company has been criticized by environmental supporters claiming that tests on a commercially purchased iPhone returned "toxic" levels of the chemical, prompting public declarations for change due to its associated hazards. ^[3].

Health effects

Phthalates are controversial because high doses of many phthalates have shown hormonal activity in rodent studies. Studies on rodents involving large amounts of phthalates have shown damage to the liver, the kidneys, the lungs, and the developing testes. In addition, a recent British study showed that the phthalate di(n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) or its metabolite monobutyl phthalate (MBP) suppresses steroidogenesis by fetal-type Leydig cells in primates as in rodents.^[4]

2004 - a joint Swedish-Danish research team found a very strong link between allergies in children and the phthalates DEHP and BBzP.^[5]

2005 - A study by Swan et al. reported that human phthalate exposure during pregnancy changed an anogenital measurement in the baby boys later born, a change that in rodents exposed to phthalates is associated with genital abnormalities. ^[6]

In the study at the University of Missouri in Columbia and other centers, urine samples were collected from pregnant women in four United States cities. All were found to have levels of phthalate residues in their urine.^[7] Upon birth of the children whose mother's urine had been previously measured, the genital features and anogenital distance were measured and correlated with the residue levels in the mother's urine. In boys, the highest levels of residue were seven times more likely to have a shortened anogenital distance.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybrominated_diphenyl_ethers

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDE, are a flame retardant sub-family of the brominated flame retardant group. They have been used in a wide array of household products, including fabrics, furniture, and electronics. There are three main types, referred to as penta, octa and deca for the number of bromine atoms in the molecule. After studies in Sweden found substances related to PentaBDE accumulating in breast milk and other tissues, Sweden reduced the use of this substance. A follow-up study has in the meantime indicated declining levels.^[1]

The European Union has carried out a comprehensive risk assessment under the Existing Substances Regulation 793/93/EEC of Penta-, Octa- and DecaBDE. As a consequence the EU has banned the use of Penta-and OctaBDE since 2004.

Health concerns

Since 1998, there have been concerns raised about the safety of PBDEs after Swedish scientists noticed substances related to PentaBDE were accumulating in human breast milk.^[5] Based on a comprehensive risk assessment under the Existing Substances Regulation 793/93/EEC, the EU has banned the use of Penta- and OctaBDE since 2004.^[6]

Some studies in Canada have found notable concentrations of PBDEs in common food products such as salmon, ground beef, butter, and cheese.^[7] In Canada there is no set limit for what upper amount of PBDEs in the human body is still considered to be safe, but there remains concern in the general public that the PBDEs are having harmful effects on human health and the environment.

Environmental organizations argue that all PBDEs should be banned as they aren’t needed and replacements are available.^{[citation needed]} But, the electronics industry claims that PBDEs are applied to most newly manufactured electronic assemblies such as printed circuit boards and capacitors and thus are vital to their business.^{[citation needed]}

There is growing evidence that indicates these chemicals may possess liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity, and neurodevelopmental toxicity.^[3]

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

Health risks

Bisphenol A is known to be an estrogen receptor agonist, which can activate estrogen receptors, leading to similar physiological effects as the body's own estrogens.^[3] The first evidence of the estrogenicity of bisphenol A came from experiments in the 1930s in which it was fed to ovariectomized rats.^[4][5] Some hormone disrupting effects in studies on animals and human cancer cells have been shown to occur at levels as low as 2-5 ppb (parts per billion). It has been claimed that these effects lead to health problems such as, in men, lowered sperm count and infertile sperm. Recent studies have confirmed that bisphenol A exposure during development has carcinogenic effects and produce precursors of breast cancer.^[6] Bisphenol A has been shown to have developmental toxicity, carcinogenic effects, and possible neurotoxicity.^[7][8] Recent studies suggest it may also be linked to obesity by triggering fat-cell activity.^[9]

Bisphenol A has been known to leach from the plastic lining of canned foods and, to a lesser degree, certain plastics that are cleaned with harsh detergents or used to contain acidic or high-temperature liquids.^[17] Infants fed with concentrated (canned) infant formula have among the highest exposures of anyone eating canned foods. Infants fed canned formula with polycarbonate bottles can consume quantities of bisphenol A up to 13 µg/kg/day.^[18] The chemical is found in most people that live in developed countries at low concentrations. Debate continues on what is the safe limit of this compound. Within the United States, an exposure of up to 50 µg/kg/day (50 ppb) is considered safe - satisfying a thousandfold margin of safety^[13] - by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.^[19]

(In recent years, the EPA has been more favorably disposed to the corporations than the environment. You decide how far you want to trust what they consider "safe" levels of toxic substances.)

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Given the statistics in my post "Very Scary Statistics" about the astronomically rising incidents of cancer, autism, depression, bipolar disorder, ADD/ADHD, and the deplorable state of general health in the United States, it would be my guess that the three substances mentioned above, among other "safe" chemicals, are creating illness the likes of which we have never seen before, and cannot control.

Unfortunately, it's probably not possible to completely avoid exposure to these toxic substances. The best we can do is to avoid the use of plastic food containers, avoid canned foods not only because of the plastic lining but the aluminum cans which have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease. Cook and store food in glass containers. Finally, get lots of sunshine to keep up your Vitamin D levels so your body won't be as stressed out by the chemicals to which you are exposed.

If you remember to do that, you will be helping yourself and your children to Live Long and Prosper.

Argue Healthy to Reduce Stress and Heart Disease

With the holiday season fast approaching, most people who already have too-much-to-do find themselves with a lot more too-much-to-do. It's awfully easy to get tired, cranky, irritable, but you feel you have to hold it all in for the sake of the peace, or the family, or the neighborhood, or even the world!

However, if you are a woman, bottling-up your anger or keeping quiet to keep the peace is just about the worse thing you can do for your health. Consider this study on the risk of heart disease in women who shut-up and shut-in their feelings:

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(Begin quote from NCBI and Pub Med)

Marital status, marital strain, and risk of coronary heart disease or total mortality: the Framingham Offspring Study.


Eaker ED, Sullivan LM, Kelly-Hayes M, D'Agostino RB Sr, Benjamin EJ.

Eaker Epidemiology Enterprises, LLC, Gaithersburg, MD 20882, USA.


OBJECTIVE: To determine if marriage and marital strain are related to the 10-year coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence or total mortality. Research has demonstrated associations between marital strain and prognosis of heart disease, but little research has addressed the association between specific aspects of marital strain and incident CHD.

METHODS: From 1984 to 1987, 3682 participants (mean age 48.5 +/- 10.1 (standard deviation) years; 52% women) of the Framingham Offspring Study were examined; measures of marital status, marital strain, and risk factors for CHD were collected at the baseline examination. The present study describes the 10-year follow-up for incident CHD and total mortality.

RESULTS: After adjusting for age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, cigarette smoking, diabetes, and total cholesterol/high density cholesterol, the married men compared with unmarried men were almost half as likely to die during follow-up (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.54; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34-0.83). Women who "self-silenced" during conflict with their spouse, compared with women who did not, had four times the risk of dying (HR = 4.01; 95% CI: 1.75-9.20). Men with wives who were upset by work were 2.7 times more likely to develop CHD (HR = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.22-6.03). Marital happiness, satisfaction, and disagreements were not related to the development of CHD or death in men or women. [Bold emphasis added by Michelle]

CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that marital communication, conflict, and strain are associated with adverse health outcomes. Further research into the influence of marital stress on health is merited.
PMID: 17634565 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
(End quote)
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What to do about it? Well, here is an article by Dr. Laura Berman outlining ways you can speak up for yourself, get your point across, and keep both your heart and your relationship healthy.

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How to Argue...and Actually Improve Your Health

By Dr. Laura Berman Posted Fri, Oct 12, 2007

Is being nice bad for your health?

A recent study in the July report of Psychosomatic Medicine found that married women who bottled up their feelings after an argument were four times as likely to experience declining health as women who expressed their feelings openly.

This reluctance to express emotions and communicate openly is referred to as "self-silencing," and it has a devastating effect on our physical and emotional health. In fact, self-silencing has been linked to depression, eating disorders, and heart disease.

Despite these negative side effects, many couples still refrain from communicating honestly with their partner -- particularly if the needed communication is anything less than pleasant. Couples may fear expressing anger or sadness to their loved ones, as it may come across as criticism or judgment. However, without this crucial candor, relationships suffer and emotions fester.

So how can you communicate with your partner in a way that is kind but effective?

• Be Authentic. When couples argue, they tend to get caught up in the "who, what, when, and why" of the argument, rather than truly expressing what the argument really makes them feel. Instead, couples should be more descriptive of their feelings, because that's the crux of the issue. For instance, rather than "I can't believe you were late for dinner and didn't call me! This is just like last month when you [insert past indiscretion here]." A better way to truly express your real feelings about your partner's lack of punctuality would be to say, "It makes me sad when you are late and I don't know where you are. I get worried and feel sick to my stomach."
• Fight to Love, Not to Win. If you get into an argument with your spouse with the intention of proving how "right" you are, the argument will never be resolved. Instead, make love your goal during the dust-up. All couples fight, but there is a way to fight with harmony in mind. Insulting your partner, bringing up past fights, giving the silent treatment, or pretending like nothing is wrong are ineffective ways to solve an argument and merely add fuel to the fire.
• Keep It Sweet. Utah researchers found that marital arguing style has a correlation to couples' heart health. Couples who argued with hostility (Think remarks like, "Don't you know anything, you idiot?") were more likely to experience poor cardiac health than couples who argued with kindness (Think remarks like, "What you said just now hurt me. Can we talk about it?"). This type of composure during an argument is certainly easier said than done, so have a few safety mechanisms in place ahead of time. For instance, agree to take a breather for 30 minutes when arguments start to spiral out of control, or use a safety word (perhaps a funny reference to your favorite comedy) to defuse the situation.

Lastly, be sure to end each argument or cold spell with your spouse with affection and gratitude. It is easy to forget appreciation and love when you are in the middle of a fight with your partner, which is why it is so important to express these emotions after the issue is resolved.

Friday Food Pharmacy: Red meat that's good for you: buffalo, elk, deer, maybe even beef

For quite a while now we've been warned to eat little or no red meat, but here is a surprise: there are red meats that are actually leaner than white-meat chicken! (Note: we're not talking about beef.)

According to the Yahoo food blog "Beauty Eats" by Real Age (in an article quoted below), buffalo is actually the leanest meat you can eat, followed closely by elk and deer.

I've written before about what I believe are the advantages of following an ancestral diet, and if you are of Native American or Northern European ancestry, your ancestral diet contained a lot of red meat. The staple meats in the Native American diet (depending on location) were buffalo or deer, and Anglo-Saxons (northern Europeans in general) ate elk and deer meat. According to archaeological evidence, those folks ate an abundance of red meat, and they didn't have the cholesterol problems we have today!

Why is that? Because the type of red meat we eat most often is not right for us. No wonder grain-fattened beef causes all sorts of health problems (not to mention the pharmaceutical additives given the cows which we absorb in record quantities). People whose ancestors were northern Europeans haven't evolved to eat beef…it's not in our ancestral diet. (However, if you do eat beef, make sure it's grass fed, not grain-fed! Grass-fed beef actually contains the Omega-3 fatty acids that are good for you! There is more info below on beef.)

Compare these charts on beef, deer, elk, and buffalo meat from the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

I compared the full charts (not shown here) and found that the minerals, vitamins, and amino acids were comparable for a serving of each of the four meats when roasted. The real story is in the "Proximates" as shown below.

Deer has 61% fewer calories (kcal) than a serving of roasted beef tenderloin (filet mignon), and elk and buffalo do even better. All the beef-alternatives are slightly higher in protein, too. A serving of beef eye of round is only slightly higher in calories than deer, elk, and buffalo.

Deer meat, the highest of the three (deer, elk, and buffalo) in Total lipid (fat) is only one-one-hundredth of a gram higher than white meat turkey. Filet Mignon (statistically comparable to beef chuck, and top sirloin) has over 475% more fat than the serving of deer meat! (12.98 g. compared to 2.71 g.) At best, the lowest amount of fat I was able to find in a serving of beef (eye of round) was still 50% to 100% higher than the amount of fat in the same size serving of deer, elk, and buffalo meats.

Note that there is no refuse with the game meats, either!

Cut of beef with the lowest fat content:

Beef, round, eye of round, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, all grades, cooked, roasted

NDB No: 23598 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)
Refuse: 9% (Bone and connective tissue, 1.21%, separable fat, 7.42%)

Nutrient	Units	Value per 85 grams	Number of Data Points
Proximates
Water	g	55.69	20
Energy	kcal	144	0
Energy	kj	603	0
Protein	g	25.27	20
Total lipid (fat)	g	4.00	20
Ash	g	0.98	20
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	0.00	0
Fiber, total dietary	g	0.0	0
Sugars, total	g	0.00	0

Typical beef:

Beef, tenderloin, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, prime, cooked, roasted

NDB No: 13260 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)
Common Name: Beef Medallions, Filet Mignon
Refuse: 25% (3% connective tissue, 22% separable fat)

Nutrient	Units	1.00 X 3 oz ------- 85g
Proximates
Water	g	47.63
Energy	kcal	217
Energy	kj	907
Protein	g	23.41
Total lipid (fat)	g	12.98
Ash	g	0.99
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	0.00
Fiber, total dietary	g	0.0
Sugars, total	g	0.00

Game Meats

Game meat, elk, cooked, roasted

NDB No: 17167 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)
Refuse: 0%

Nutrient	Units	1.00 X 3 oz ------- 85g
Proximates
Water	g	56.34
Energy	kcal	124
Energy	kj	519
Protein	g	25.66
Total lipid (fat)	g	1.61
Ash	g	1.12
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	0.00
Fiber, total dietary	g	0.0

Game meat, deer, cooked, roasted

NDB No: 17165 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)
Refuse: 0%

Nutrient	Units	1.00 X 3 oz ------- 85g
Proximates
Water	g	55.45
Energy	kcal	134
Energy	kj	562
Protein	g	25.68
Total lipid (fat)	g	2.71
Ash	g	1.29
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	0.00
Fiber, total dietary	g	0.0

Buffalo meat:

NDB No: 17157 (Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion)
Scientific Name: Bison

Common Name: buffalo
Refuse: 0%

Nutrient	Units	1.00 X 3 oz ------- 85g
Proximates
Water	g	56.56
Energy	kcal	122
Energy	kj	508
Protein	g	24.17
Total lipid (fat)	g	2.06
Ash	g	1.34
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	0.00
Fiber, total dietary	g	0.0
Sugars, total	g	0.00

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BEEF

Here is a bit of info on beef explaining why it's not as bad as you've been told as long as the cow is allowed to get its natural diet of grass in the natural setting of a field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_fed_beef

While grass-fed beef contains less total fat compared to grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef and dairy contain higher levels of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and the Omega-3 fatty acids ALA, EPA, and DHA.^[1] While the research on CLA is unclear with regard to humans, it has shown many positive effects in animals in the areas of heart disease, cancer, and the immune system.

Grass-fed beef has a much different flavor and texture than grain-fed beef. A high-grain diet is responsible for intramuscular fat in beef, called marbling. As a consequence, grass-fed beef produces less "juicy" steaks than conventionally raised beef.

It is indeed possible to produce well marbled, juicy and tender beef with a 100% grass diet but it requires more resources and it can be difficult to produce consistent results. Specifically, grass-fed cattle need to be slaughtered at 24-30 months, as opposed to 18 months for typical feedlot beef. Also, after slaughter, the carcass ought to be "dry-aged" for 21 days, which was the common practice back when hanging beef was shipped via refrigerated rail car from, say, Kansas City to New York. Presently, feedlot cattle are taken to slaughter at 18 months and cut, boxed and shipped in a matter of minutes. ^{[citation needed]}

1. ^ http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/food_and_environment/greener-pastures.pdf, p. 58

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Finally, here is the feature article on the red meats that are good and good for you, the article that prompted me to research deer, elk, and buffalo:

Red Meat that Makes You Skinny?

Beauty eats: Posted Mon, Oct 29, 2007

Lamb chops or pork chops, bison burgers or veal breast, round roast or Porterhouse steak? Sure, you know meat’s high in cholesterol and saturated fat and that it's less healthy than fish and poultry, but what if you really, really need to tear into some red meat now and then

Use this guide to find the slimmest, trimmest cuts and kinds. Now enjoy--not just the flavors, the health benefits: Most meat is rich in top-quality protein, iron, zinc, B12, and other nutrients that aren’t easy to get elsewhere.

What’s the leanest meat of all?

We hope you’re ready to expand your dinner horizons because bison (aka buffalo) is the big winner. (Deer and elk are right on its hooves, er, heels.) Believe it or not, bison has slightly less fat and fewer calories (2 grams and 122 calories per 3-ounce serving) than skinless light meat chicken (3g and 144 cals). Plus, it’s a terrific source of protein (24g) and iron. The taste? Similar to beef, though slightly sweeter and richer. Try your own burger recipe or this grilled buffalo steak dish.

Bonus: With bison (wild game, too), you aren't exposed to the cancer-linked growth hormones and antibiotics administered to farm-raised cows. [Emphasis added by Michelle]

Things that go “Mooo!”

Beef and veal are skinniest when they’re loin or round cuts, such as beef bottom sirloin (6g fat, 150 cals) and top round veal (3g, 128 cals). Avoid veal cutlets and breast meat.

If you prefer pork...

Choose leg cuts, such as ham, or loin, as in boneless sirloin pork chops or top loin chops (both have about 7g fat and 170 cals).

Lamb lovers

Try cuts from the shank half of the leg (if labels aren’t clear, ask the butcher). Well-trimmed shank-half cuts have 5-6 grams fat and about 155 calories per serving.

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So, when looking for something interesting for dinner, look beyond the "usual suspects"…you'll be glad you did!