Thanks, Mark–

I worked hard on it.

Cheers–

MRE 

Hi Diana–

Let’s put it this way, I’m no fan of soy.

Best–

MRE

Hi Kathy–

Thanks for the comment. I would be very careful with the manure.

Best–

MRE

I recently got a blood sugar monitor because I figured the way my parents eat they must be flirting with diabetes. Turns out though, they have passed the fasting glucose tests I’ve given them (barely). So, I wanted to get their 2-hour post-prandial glucose measurement. I’ve read about the glucose drink but I wasn’t sure exactly what it consisted of (just 50g of sugar water or something?). What sort of drink or diagnostic meal would you suggest I use to test them?

Neal

Hi Neal–

The sugar drink is called glucola. I don’t know if it is available to the public or not, but you could try to track it down. You can make your own by mixing 50 grams of glucose, which can be purchased in bulk at most natural food grocers. As an alternative, I’ve read that since some people gag on the taste of glucola (I don’t find of offensive), 18 Brach & Brock jelly beans can be eaten instead (not the black ones).

Good luck.

MRE

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/us/24spinach.html?ref=health

This kind of portrays the parents as the “health-nut” types who would be in to eating whole grain.

Hi Martha–

I don’t know if they would improve once they got to death’s door with a low-carb diet or not. Somehow I kind of doubt it. Once the kidneys start to go, you’re in real trouble.

Thanks for the article.

Best–

MRE

Hi Gary–

Glad you found it informative.

Best–

MRE

For several years my husband and I have been buying almost all our meat, eggs, and produce from the Moore Family Farm in Watseka, IL, which has a listing on the Eat Wild website you linked to.

I highly recommend buying one’s meat and/or produce from regional, small farmers. The meat we eat comes from happy, grass- or otherwise-naturally-fed animals. I’ve visited the farm and have seen my future pork chops dashing around their very large, outdoor pen, have seen the cattle, lambs, chickens, and turkeys in their outdoor accommodations, and have seen the fields of produce. I cannot tell you how wonderful it feels to me to sit down to a meal in which I know where every bit of it came from, and to be able to do this frequently.

And of course, the food tastes ever-so-much-moreso than anything we ever got at a grocery store. Those are really EGGs and CHICKENs and PORK CHOPs. I don’t have to worry about any “solutions” being injected into the meat or where it’s been or who has handled it. The food is absolutely delicious and it doesn’t even seem like I need to eat as much of it to feel satisfied (wonder if there’s any science on that?).

We buy extra meat all summer and stock our freezer for the winter. We have a subscription for eggs year-round (just have to go someplace to pick them up). The produce only lasts from May to December, so we do actually have to buy at the grocery store if we want “fresh provisions” during the rest of the year. But there’s a lot I simply won’t put up with and will do without rather than eat whatever they’re selling at the grocery store (like strawberries).
–Anne

Hi Anne–

You are on the right track. I’m a firm believer in buying locally and MD and I do as much as possible. The food always tastes better and is better for you. I always say that the single best thing you can do for your health is to spend more time in your own kitchen. A corollary to that is to spend more money at your local meat and produce outlets.

Best–

MRE

Dr. Eades, since were on the subject of corn, I was reading recently that when corn is on the stalk it is a vegetable, but when it’s off the stalk it’s a grain. Another answer I read was that when it’s soft its a vegetable, and when it’s hard it a grain, or something like that. This seemed a little odd to me. So, how are food groups truly demarcated, and where does corn fall? Thanks,

Neal

Hi Neal–

I don’t know about the on-the-stalk-off-the-stalk difference as far as being a grain or a vegetable. It looks a lot more like a big stalk of wheat to me than it does a cucumber plant, so I’ll go with grain. The USDA food database lists it both ways.

Best–

MRE

Farmers fed cows cannabis

Five Romanian farmers are being investigated after police discovered they were feeding their cows cannabis.

The farmers from Romanesti in Botosani county, told officers the drug helped the cows produce more milk.

The farmer aged between 57 and 82, claim they didn’t know they were doing something illegal by growing the drug in their field

Farmer Ion Astarastoaie said: “We grew it because the cows seemed to like it, and happy cows give more milk.”

Hi MrF–

Thanks for the anecdote. I’m sure the cows were extremely happy. And since THC is fat soluble, I’m sure the folks drinking the whole milk and cream were too.

Cheers–

MRE

In any case, I think the NYT has a great point regarding how a change in animal diet doesn’t always come with great benefits for us.

Hi Gabe–

I suspect that you’re right. Back before everyone knew that H. pylori was the cause of ulcers, I always treated patients with gastric/ulcer pain with low-carb diets and it almost always resulted in an improvement if not an outright cure. I almost never had to give Tagamet or other such drugs.

Best–

MRE