The WELLalarm Blog

Blog Review: Junkfood Science

I read a lot of health-related news stories and I probably take their accuracy for granted too often. Did the reporter cherry-pick data points from a report? Does the reporter understand the subject well enough to represent it correctly? It's hard to know without examining the study or report itself. Lately I've been following up my health news reading with a perusal of the blog, Junkfood Science.

I found Junkfood Science while reading about a story that made headlines a few weeks ago, new clinical guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics calling for cholesterol screenings in children from age two and serving only low-fat dairy from age one, and approving cholesterol-lowering drugs for children. Junkfood Science made a strong, multi-faceted case for why the cholesterol guidelines are alarming.

The author behind Junkfood Science is Sandy Szwarc, MSN, RN, CCP. It is her mission to examine health-related stories reported in the mainstream media. As she puts it:

Science is being misused for marketing and political purposes. Evidence is being distorted and bias has inundated media, research, government policies and clinical guidelines... And all of this is costing, frightening and hurting people... I believe people deserve to know the truth and not be taken advantage of, needlessly terrified or put at risk.

Szwarc brings with her the weight of her 30-plus years as a health professional: as a nurse, researcher, and most recently, a writer. She is a contributor to science and policy institutes in Washington D.C. She has over fifteen years' experience in professional and consumer medical publications and she has published articles in magazines and newspapers such as The Washington Post, Saveur, Los Angeles Times, and Gourmet.

Junkfood Science jumps into plenty of controversies and Szwarc has some very strong opinions. Many of the posts are about debunking long-held beliefs about health, such as advice to drink 8 glasses of water a day and to limit salt. Szwarc even takes on sugar.

It only takes a few minutes of reading to discover Szwarc's opinion on nutrition in the media: we worry too much about fats, cholesterol, and obesity. In fact, she fears our obsession is unhealthy, teaching counterproductive attitudes towards food and even depriving people of much-needed benefits from fat in food. Szwarc joins other writers like Nina Planck and Connie Leas who believe that the dangers of high-fat foods and of obesity are overblown and that it's more beneficial to just relax and enjoy a wide variety of foods.

In a post on a Time Magazine article about school lunches, Szwarc takes on the calorie/fat/salt-limiting approach to healthy eating, pointing out assumptions not supported by evidence. What's missing from the article, she says, is "the scientific information that could help parents and young people better understand the range of nutrients growing bodies need, and the heartening information to help them develop healthier, more relaxed relationships with food, eat normally and enjoy food."

I want to believe... and because Szwarc take such a thorough and critical look at the evidence, I find myself being persuaded by her point of view much of the time.

Most posts on Junkfood Science are on the long side. This is not the place for a quick read. Then again, her purpose is to inform, so she's giving you as much information as possible. There are no tags or archives, which makes searching for topics somewhat harder, though you can do the usual blogger search. Towards the bottom of the page you will find the "Obesity Paradox Series," a collection of Junkfood Science posts addressing the topic of obesity. 

Now when I read an article about children's diets or the dangers of cholesterol I wonder, "hmm, what does Suzy think?" I don't always have the time to find out, but I'm glad there's a knowledgeable, critical thinker out there reading health reports with a grain of salt.

The Raw Food Diet

This midsummer heat in New York has me contemplating a raw foods diet. How can anyone cook in this heat? And why do so many people find the raw way so exhilarating? 

Contrary to its name, the raw food diet does not consist entirely of raw foods. Actually, foods can be cooked, but only up to 116 degrees F, and that cooked food cannot comprise more than 75% of your overall diet. Ideally, a raw food diet is free of all processed foods.

So what can you do with your food if you're following a raw food diet? Juice it, dehydrate it, sprout it, and blend it. Given the heat restriction, many people who follow a raw food diet are also vegetarian. (Some raw foodies do eat sushi and steak tartare.)

Raw food practitioners believe that high-heat cooking and other processing destroys the nutrients and enzymes in food and can even cause harmful effects. Enzymes are considered the "life force" of foods, thus the use of the term "living foods" in raw food diet literature. Advocates of the movement claim that a raw food diet can raise your energy level, improve your skin quality, help you lose weight, aid your digestion, and fend off illness.

I think it is wise to limit your intake of processed foods and I can see how changing from a generally unhealthy diet to a low-fat diet consisting largely of nuts and fresh produce would dramatically improve your health. That said, the raw food diet seems a little extreme to me and I do not entirely trust the health claims. I know from reading nutrition books like Marion Nestle's What To Eat that your body will actually absorb nutrients more completely from certain foods only if they're cooked.

A raw food diet could be harmful to young children, the elderly, and people with other health issues (and most raw food practitioners would agree with me there). Regardless of your age or health, it's best to talk with your doctor before starting a raw food diet.

Perhaps you are ready for a challenge? Maybe you want to experiment with a new way of eating? With your doctor's blessing and careful attention to nutritional balance the raw food diet could be an exciting adventure... or just an awful lot of work.

If you are curious about joining the raw food movement, you can read up on it in Raw Food Life and Raw Guru.

For support there's Living and Raw Foods, an online community.

According to a study on the raw foods diet by the Journal of Nutrition, the diet has some health benefits but also some adverse effects.

Steve Pavlina's experiment with raw food was mostly positive and this Nature Mom loves raw food.

Be aware of the myths behind the raw food diet.

Image via Green Is Sexy.com.

Is your birth plan realistic?

When I was pregnant with my son I became obsessed with labor. It wasn't enough to attend birthing classes, I read everything I could get my hands on about labor, especially about "natural childbirth." I decided I needed a birth plan to communicate my vision of childbirth to my midwife and the hospital staff.

A birth plan is a document in which you describe what you want to happen during  your labor. My birth plan consisted of a long list of what I did and did not want to happen. In a nutshell, I wanted my labor to be as free of medical intervention as possible. I wanted to deliver without an epidural, standing upright, singing "I am woman hear me roar" if I could manage it, and I wanted to hold my slimy, newborn baby immediately after his birth. Most of all, I wanted to have full control over my labor.

(Image of Tlazolteotl, the goddess of childbirth, via College of the Sequoias.)

I presented this list to my midwife, a member of a practice I had chosen specifically for its woman-friendly approach. She looked at me like a time-traveller from the 1940s. Of course I could roam freely while I labored! Of course they would not be administering an episiotomy, or using forceps, or whisking my baby away from me! But... no one has full control over her labor.

At this point I began to feel a little foolish about my starry-eyed birth plan. But have a chat with a few of your mom friends and you'll see why some of us worry about what happens when the hospital takes over. My friend, Lindsey, delivered her first baby with a Planned Parenthood midwife. It was an empowering birth. The next time around she had health insurance and an ObGyn, but she was needlessly (it turns out) put on bed rest for the last two months, induced to fit her doctor's schedule, given a colossal dose of pitocin, ignored when she asked to have it turned down, and then was given an epidural so strong she couldn't feel a thing, even when it came time to push. She was immobilized for most of her labor.

(Image via Hmmbilical.)

"I felt gypped," she says, "gypped out of the last two months of my pregnancy. Gypped out of going into labor naturally.  And gypped out of a natural labor. I hated my second birth and felt resentful for months."

Lindsey had a birth plan; it just wasn't respected. But even when your midwife or doctor respects your birth plan, things don't always go as you expect them to. Some babies insist on getting into breech presentation and then wrapping their umbilical cords around their necks. (The little anarchists!) Labor is full of surprises. So what's realistic? How do you create a birth plan that's flexible but also true to your vision?

"I did have to let go of a lot of my expectations about how birthing would go," says my friend, Jane, about her birth plan. Hers was idealistic, too, but I think the most helpful section is this paragraph:

Because this is our first child, we do not know for sure what the whole thing will be like, and how we will feel.  We would like our childbirth team to be flexible and accommodating of our feelings and—perhaps changing—wishes.  No matter the eventual course of events, we would like consistent positive reinforcement and good vibes from all members of our childbirth team.   

Ultimately, I think a birth plan is an important exercise to help you think about how you want to give birth, and it's a great conversation starter with your midwife or doctor. Talk about the kind of birth you want to have. Make sure he/she understands your priorities, but understand that you may have to let go of some details. Hopefully, and that's a big hopefully, you can find the right practitioners who are also covered by your health insurance. (Sigh.) Under the best circumstances, your doctor/midwife/labor nurse can be your advocate through the process, without your having to wave a piece of paper at the hospital staff as you're wheeled into the labor room. 

As for my labor story: I had excruciating back labor. Surprise! I was lucky to get a labor nurse who had dealt with her own back labor -- twice, and drug-free. She was incredibly supportive. I managed my labor until an unfortunate taste of hospital soup set me vomiting for 20 minutes and stalled my labor for two hours. My midwife suggested pitocin, I asked for an epidural, and after an hour's nap my labor got started again. The epidural wore off just enough so I could feel myself dilating (from 4 cm to 10 cm in 30 minutes) and I could push productively -- that I could definitely feel. My husband cut the cord and I got to hold my son for a minute before he was cleaned.

I felt good, over all, about my birth experience. I know I got lucky -- with my reaction to the drugs and with the supportive midwife and labor nurse. However, I think educating myself and talking beforehand with my midwife played a large role in shaping my birthing experience.

There are several web resources available to help you create your own birth plan. Many of them are a little like What To Expect When You're Expecting: an invitation for neurosis. Don't obsess! Remember, this is just something to get you started thinking and talking.

i parenting

Baby Zone

Baby Center

She Knows Pregnancy and Baby

Feng shui and your health

I want my home to be my sanctuary, a place where I can rest, feel safe, and feel nurtured. Since I do a lot of work at home, I also want it to be a place of inspiration and energy. So I've been looking into feng shui. At the simplest level, feng shui is just a 3,000-year-old Chinese practice of living in harmony with your environment.

I'm less interested in the spiritual aspects of the practice, but on a practical level I do think you can apply some of its principles to enhance your health. With these thoughts in mind I've compiled my own list of practical feng shui tips for good health.

1. Get rid of clutter. This is so hard to do, but I think it's the most important step. Just on the most basic level, having outdated medicine, old cosmetics, dust, and broken furniture and appliances is bad for your health! De-cluttering, on the other hand, can make you feel more relaxed and in control of your life.

(Image via Hub Pages.)

2. Add plants. As with pets, I feel like plants are good for my mental health. They also add fresh oxygen and some even clean the air a little. Feng shui practitioners have all sorts of rules about what kinds of plants bring what kind of energy; I think it doesn't matter as long as the plants are easy to care for and are themselves healthy. (I'm planning on posting about indoor plants soon, by the way.)

(Image via Feng Shui Notes.) 

3. Contemplate furniture placement. There are complicated feng shui rules when it comes to furniture as well. However, I think it's helpful just to have a look around your home and think about the arrangement of your furniture. Is it easy to navigate? Do you trip over your coffee table every day?

4. Chose colors carefully. Color therapists have a lot to say about how colors affect your mental health, but I think we all have our own individual responses to colors. This is just something to think about before you go crazy with the purple paint. (Gorgeous... and probably most effective in a seldom-used room.)

(Image via Domino Magazine.)

Space clearing can be a significant component to feng shui. I don't think it's for me; that said, I do respect the psychological power rituals can have for many people.

Here are some other feng shui links you may find enlightening.

Feng Shui tips for health

Make your home a feel-good sanctuary

From Apartment Therapy, 10 easy feng shui tips for the bathroom, 10  easy feng shui steps for the kitchen, and 10  easy feng shui steps for the bedroom

This Domino Magazine video on feng shui is fun.

Mineral sunscreen coupons and discounts

Don't you love it when the summer goods go on sale? And don't you love that the sales start when we still have two more months of hot weather?

Even though we should all be wearing sunscreen year-round, sunscreen has a funny habit of disappearing from shelves once September rolls around. Maybe you should stock up now! I've done a search with one eye on discounts and the other eye on Skin Deep ratings.

Here's the biggie: Amazon is offering $25 off select sunscreen orders of $50 or more via coupon code JUL08SUN. (Includes free shipping.) Fallene sunscreen looks like the safest and most effective choice of the selections.

Barnacle Kove sells EWG-approved Mexitan sunscreen lotions. Receive $5.00 off the total purchase price of $25.00 or more using coupon code L8RG8R.

Coolibar is having an end-of-summer sale now. They carry Blue Lizard and Vanicream, along with protective hats and clothing. Shipping is free on orders of $50 or more.

Click here to get 10% off KINeSYS sunscreen using coupon code 10p55dc99. Free shipping on orders over $45

Drugstore.com has many sunscreens on sale, including my picks, California Baby and Vanicream.

It costs $47 for the Environmental Working Group to analyze each sunscreen. You can help them keep up the good work and make a donation here.

Keep in mind, sunscreen is becomes less effective as it ages, so you may not want to buy an entire years' supply!

(Image via Discovery Education.)

Blog Review: MizFit

Since fitness blogger MizFit has been stopping by to say hello here at WELLalarm I thought I'd check out her blog, MizFit Onilne. What a treat! MizFit Online is almost like having your own personal trainer, giving you tips and encouraging you to keep going.

MizFit actually is a personal trainer offline with her own boutique studio and she shares her experience with the world at large through her blog. Her philosophy is that "the key to lifelong fitness success is a healthy helping of education, motivation and HUMOR." All three definitely come through on the blog.

One of the best things about MizFit Online are the videos. Every week MizFit does Monday Face Time, in which she talks directly to us with her musings or suggestions. In other videos she demonstrates the most effective way to do certain exercises, which I find especially helpful. She recently compiled several of these demonstration videos in this post. 

Tuesday is Tips/Trends day. On Tuesdays MizFit may give you a tip, like stocking your car with healthy, non-perishable snacks so when you're too busy to eat properly you won't be tempted to nosh on junk food. Or she may discuss a trend, like this hilarious rant about celebrities who make much ado about eating before their magazine cover shoot.

MizFit also loves food. She often uses the phrase "clean eating," which means consuming "High quality foods which are as free as you can get them of not-found-in-nature additives." Her philosophy is that clean eating is more satisfying -- MizFit does not believe in going hungry! She sometimes hosts guest chefs who share their favorite healthy recipes.

Regardless of the subject, MizFit keeps the tone fun and light. When I saw the post title "Don't Lie" I thought it would be about being honest with yourself about your health goals, etc. Nope. It's about Valerie Bertinelli's appearance on an episode of Oprah and the silly fitness vest she introduced. I love those kinds of surprises -- and I love that MizFit 1) admits to occasionally watching Oprah and 2) doesn't think you need the vest. Some of her readers did think the vest is a good idea, and that's all right with MizFit, too. She's here to support you in your quest to find the right kind of fitness for you.

Vaccinations and autoimmune diseases

A few weeks ago I posted on the issue of chicken pox vaccinations for children. I got an interesting comment that brought up the issue of heavy metals in vaccinations, so I thought I'd open the topic up for larger discussion: how safe are vaccines? Are they worth the risk?

As I say in my comment, I take this issue very seriously. Vaccinations have been linked to autoimmune diseases. In 1976, one type of influenza vaccine was clearly linked with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), which is related to my own illness, CIDP. (See this article on adverse effects of vaccinations on the CDC's website.)

That said, the risk of developing GBS from the current flu vaccine is about 1 or 2 cases per million people vaccinated. This is much lower than your risk of developing severe influenza if you are not vaccinated. According to Neurologist Gareth J. Parry, "It is importantly remember that the risk of developing new GBS, having a recurrence of GBS or developing a relapse of CIDP are all considerably greater following an infectious illness such as influenza than it is after vaccination."

As for the issue of heavy metals, the ingredient in question is thimerosal, a mercury compound used as a preservative in some vaccinations. Thimerosal in vaccinations has been linked to autism. The medical establishment reports that the evidence is inconclusive; however, many parents of autistic children say symptoms arose shortly after a vaccination. In fact, thousands or parents have filed lawsuits making that claim. The lawsuits are still pending, but it does look like more research needs to be done on this subject. (Read what the National Autism Association has to say about thimerosal.)

Meanwhile, according to the FDA thimerosal has been removed from or reduced to trace amounts in all vaccines routinely recommended for children 6 years of age and younger, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine.

I do think a great deal more research needs to be done on the safety of vaccines. However, I still believe that we should vaccinate against severe diseases like polio and smallpox. The health risks of not vaccinating are too great. Take a look at what the CDC says would happen if we did not vaccinate against severe illnesses.

What do you think? Has the rise in autism and other autoimmune diseases made you nervous about vaccinations? Do you feel there are some vaccinations that are not worth the risk? Where do you go for vaccination information?

By the way, I found this Cookie Magazine article on the vaccination debate and this their interview with Amanda Peet -- and the ensuing debate -- interesting.

Yoga is Not About The Clothes... But A Cute Outfit Helps

I know that when you're practicing yoga you're supposed to be focused on your breath, and on meditation, and all things Zen. But don't you, occasionally, happen to see an absolutely smashing outfit on the yogi three mats down and wonder where she got her gear?

I've been looking around for some fun yoga separates, pieces that are pretty and original but absolutely functional. There's some funky clothes out there that look fabulous but also seem so tricky they might get in the way of my practice -- I'm thinking of you, Thai fisherman pants! So here are some lovely and simple options.

I simply adore the clothes at Marika. Don't these Sedona pants look comfy? I like the colors and the contrast stitching, too.

I also love J Crew's yoga line, which has a lot of yoga classics, like these fold-over pants.

Doesn't this yellow jacket just give you a warm, sunny feeling? But the color is actually called "sour lemon." Perfect...

I like the embellishments on these mobility pants from Be Present.

These white shorts with a floral design up the side in organic cotton from Gaiam are perfect for outdoor summer yoga.

Not that you need pockets in yoga, but these Lucy spa capri pants are an alternative to the usual super-sleek yoga pants.

There are fabulous yoga t-shirts galore on the market, perhaps too many! My favorites have feminine graphics that are striking but not too distracting. I also like a close-fitting shirt, so my shirt doesn't fall over my head during downward-dog pose.

Marika has a fabulous eoc-friendly line. I like this pretty notch tank.

Lucy has a lot of groovy "art" tees, like this crystalina tee.

The extra long kyota tank is perfect for keeping your muffin top to yourself. (It's a beautiful muffin top, you just don't want to share it.) This long layering tank from Marika will do the same trick for you.

I love the wash and the ruching on this ombre sleeveless top.  (Get it? Ommmm-bre? Oh never mind.)

 

Here's another ombre wash shirt from Barefoot Yoga.

A lot of yoga tanks are made with a built-in bra, which is always welcome. This Eva top is also made with "moisture management" fabric in case you sweat a lot. I don't know that I need a sweat-catching tank, but I love the graphic look.

This burst tank from PrAna looks like pure joy.

Prana has a few collections pages where you can see a full range of color-coordinated separates. They also a small maternity line, though for a maternity tee I'd just go with the long kyota tank above.

Of course, you don't have to get your yoga shirt from a yoga shop. The world is filled with fun, close-fitting shirts, like this bicycle rider from Nonchalant Mom.

Last but not least, here's one for fall -- this cute yoga girl long-sleeved tee I found on Etsy.

By the way, if you're in New York City OM Yoga will be holding free yoga classes at Union Square Park this Thursday, July 24 from 2-3:30.

Not in New York? You can still get a free yoga class every day online at Yoga Today. (Thanks to Jane Maynard via Design Mom for the tip!)

Guest Post by Carl Sander of PeoplesMD

I'm so excited to feature our first guest post! Today's post is by Carl Sander, founder of PeoplesMD. After reviewing PeoplesMD last Thursday I wanted to read Carl's thoughts on Micro-Communities. Enjoy! SC

The Birth of Micro-Communities If you’ve ever searched for health and wellness information online, you know that finding the right resources for your unique issue can be a long and frustrating process. Sites like WebMD do a great job of meeting textbook health needs, but they simply aren’t equipped to handle the specific nuances of many health inquiries or the unique personalities and interests of health searchers.

Recently, consumers have begun to take control of their search for health and wellness information by forming thousands of ad-hoc Micro-Communities: communities based on unique, yet shared, aspects of health. Micro-Communities come in many forms (blogs, forums, social networks, support groups). By focusing on specific, personalized alliances among users, Micro-Communities change the very nature, availability, and distribution of health information as we know it.

You Are Unique, But on the Web, You Are Not Alone. If there’s one thing the web has taught us, it’s that while you may be unique, you are definitely not alone -- especially when it comes to health. If you search hard enough online, you can find health and wellness Micro-Communities for everything under the sun: Men and Post-Partum Depression, Lesbians with Breast Cancer, Soccer Moms and MRSA. There’s little question that we derive tremendous value from connecting to other people who are exactly like us, and the web celebrates precisely these types of connections.

Micro-Communities are engaging because they honor the fact that there’s a lot more to health and wellness than science and technology. They’re relevant because, in the real world, issues like co-conditions, health insurance, employment, income, age, gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity, to name but a few variables, play important roles in our health choices. Micro-Communities recognize the value and impact these factors have on our health. As Micro-Communities grow from tens to hundreds and now thousands of individuals, they’re fast becoming highly engaging and relevant places to find answers and support for any health or wellness challenge.

The Real Potential of Micro-Communities Have you ever wondered why content on most health websites looks so similar? The reason is it often comes from the same sources. For years, a small number of medical content providers (e.g., ADAM, Thomson Multum, FirstData) have licensed the same content to many sites. Few people challenged the authority of these content providers and it was cheaper for websites to license data than to build their own unique information resource. Enter Wikipedia. In less than 7 years, Wikipedia has exceeded over 2 million entries and has proven that user-generated content can be high quality and trustworthy.

In contrast to the often-static information from medical content providers, Micro-Communities have immense potential to create Wikipedia-like health and wellness knowledge that’s not only relevant and credible, but also highly personalized. For this to happen, all health stakeholders (not just consumers) will have to embrace the future of online Patient Education: a highly informative, constantly evolving online experience that engages patients and caregivers by recommending resources that are both specific and dynamic.

Patients and caregivers aren’t waiting for the medical community to get comfortable with the idea of online Patient Education. Instead, they’re using Web 2.0 tools to forge Micro-Communities, and they’re starting to take Patient Education into their own hands by finding, sharing and rating the best health and wellness information on the web.

Facing Challenges. The main challenge faced and posed by Micro-Communities is precisely what makes them compelling in the first place: they’re micro, a subset of a larger group of individuals (Pregnant Women over 40 → All Pregnant Women). But to become truly credible and dynamic information sources -- immune to dominance by only a handful of vocal members -— Micro-Communities have to reach a size and scale that establish their stature as trustworthy and helpful resources. To do so, they need educated consumers and engaged professionals (those with the most knowledge and sensitivity to patient and caregiver needs) to contribute openly, honestly and regularly.

If there’s one thing the web has taught us, it’s that old models of thinking, of searching, and of communicating need to evolve or they risk becoming obsolete. Unfortunately, there remains a lot of fear attached to online medical information. Many online health publishers fear losing control over health information. Many doctors and other health professionals fear liability. Insurers fear transparency. Advertisers fear negative adjacency. And a diminishing segment of consumers fear loss of privacy. These stakeholders remain attached to old models of thinking (and old sources of revenue). By staying fearful, they jeopardize their ability to engage consumers in a meaningful way, and to mobilize the web to deliver nuanced, personalized and dynamic Patient Education.

Micro-Communities will truly flourish and reach their highest potential when more health stakeholders recognize that the fear of online health information is really a fear of change. Our medical system will be stretched to the limit in the coming decades, as there is less elbow-room in the waiting room. By recommending great online information and providing ongoing support, Micro-communities can’t fix healthcare in America, but they can make a difference. What more can we ask of them?

Carl Sandler is (predictably) the CEO of a new health site called PeoplesMD, where Micro-Communities create insiders’ guides to thousands of health and wellness topics. He can be reached at carl@peoplesmd.com.

Friday Links: Love Your Summer Produce

Image via The New York Times

Do you know my least favorite thing about summer in New York City? The hot, humid weather. On the other hand, one of my favorite things about summer in the city is all the fantastically fresh produce spilling out of greenmarkets and groceries everywhere I go. Just when I least feel like cooking (ugh, heat!) there's all this great food I can either eat as is or in a salad!

I whole-heartedly concur with this Washington Post article about eating fruits and vegetables. Along with exercising, eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is probably the best preventative medicine out there.

Guess what's in Jonny Bowden's list of the 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating? That's right, mostly fruits and vegetables.

A raw beet slaw is pretty easy, but if and when I feel like cooking I'd like to try Mark Bittman's beet rosti with rosemary.

As for cabbage, Kalyn Denny posted some fresh takes on cole slaw on Blogher.com. Check out the additional recipes in the comments section.

By the way, blueberries are in season right now! They're good as a topping on your cereal or just by the handful as a snack.

Vital Juice has a list of what's ripe now along with suggestions for each fruit or vegetable. Roasted tomatoes sound good, but I love my tomatoes Spanish style -- just chopped up and marinated in olive oil and salt. Heirloom tomatoes are just around the corner. I can't wait! If you're in California you can enjoy them now.

I know that organic is usually the best choice (especially if it's also local), but it's not always an available and especially not always affordable. If you're wondering how to prioritize your organic spending, see the Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce.