David’s Organic

My friend who is putting me up since the split is on a losing streak. He has lost his marriage, both parents, and brother in the past four years, and last year his ex left the area and has made visitation difficult.

Perhaps a very wise, healthy and well-counseled person could get through all that unscathed, but that’s not Marc.Unfortunately, he’s been in the hospital three times over the past year for anxiety and depression and is also battling thyroid and cardiovascular problems.

This morning was particularly difficult for him. At 5:30am, he awoke stressed and I gave him a quick massage and reassured him. At 6:30 a better massage, and lots of deep breathing. He managed to shower and dress, and went down to cook him a proper breakfast. Fresh miso soup with winter squash and green cabbage, leftover brown rice and azuki beans, and fresh steamed broccoli and radishes. He complained that it looked like a dinner, but he ate it. A few minutes later he walked to the train, and I promised to take him to the gym for a steam after work.

I predict he’s going to have a better-than-expected day. Prayers might help.

Today’s column comes from Dr. Robert Cohen…Not a Good Day for Cheeseheads

“Listeria organisms excreted in cow’s milk escaped

pasteurization, grew well at refrigerator temperatures,

and were ingested by consumers.”

– New England Journal of Medicine, 1985

On Saturday (November 28, 2010), Saputo Cheese pulled their

dairy products from supermarkets. At the same time, Whole

Foods stores have pulled cheddar cheeses from their markets.

Why?

Got Listeria?

Should you eat listeria-infected cheese, it can take 45 days

for those bacterium to make you very ill. So, sometime

between Christmas and until up to two weeks aafter New Year’s

day, here are the symptoms you might experience, accordng to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA):

“Listeria contaminated foods may cause listeriosis, a disease

that usually causes mild flu-like symptoms in healthy

individuals; however in immune-compromised individuals,

meningitis and blood poisoning can occur. Pregnant women

are also considered a high-risk group, as listeriosis can

also result in stillbirths.”

You will neither see nor taste the tiny listeria bacterium.

Listeria is colorless and odorless to human senses.

Do you imagine that six weeks after eating tainted cheese

from tainted milk, you will make the connection from one

potentially lethal meal?

The solution? Come to terms with the following: Traces of

listeria or salmonella or E. coli is the rule when it comes

to milk and not the exception. The Food and Drug Administration

has set a policy of allowing 19,000 germ cells of dangerous

bacteria which come from cow colons in each liter of milk

which you will consume if you’ve not yet eliminated

that disgusting food group from your diet?

Why do they do this? Because if they were to ban these bacteria,

they would have to immediately recall 9-million dairy cows and

end the dairy industry.

Robert Cohen
http://www.notmilk.com

Getting a dose of my own medicine I guess. Wife wants a divorce after 16 grueling years. Breathing and chewing…

Finally got the seaweed-lotus-shiitake-carrot dish that Masao’s Kitchen makes so well. The key is to cook the lotus longest, then seaweed, then carrots and (soaked) mushrooms, add some shoyu, cook some more, then add a touch of ginger juice at the end. Yum, and great for the lungs, bones, mood and skin!!

As the nights get colder, we tend to make our homes air-tight, but that’s not always the best for our lungs, mood or thinking. I like to open the window a crack at 4am or whenever I stir before waking, and deepen my breaths until rising. Try it!