Author: Staff (Page 74 of 158)

French McDonald’s McDo it Better!

January 26, 2012 / Staff

The French do fast food better than we do!

Not only are the restaurants designed better but the food is locally grown and the restrictions on meat insure grass fed antibiotic free, chlorine free food.

The French simply will not allow poor quality.

And McDo is no different!

There is a lesson to be learned here and holding the food industry accountable is a big part of that.

French cattle are all grass fed, which many argue makes them tastier. Growth hormones are illegal here and each animal has a passport showing where it was born, raised, and slaughtered, according to McDonald’s France. That’s called traceability, and we don’t yet have such a national system in place.
As for chicken nugget lovers, French chickens, unlike some of their American counterparts, are not rinsed in chlorine to disinfect them. The regular use of chlorine in the U.S. chicken industry is why poulet americain has long been interdit in the European Union.

Check out the photos below to see what raising the bar looks like.

Quality Control

French McDonald's McDo McDonald's McDonald's food McDonald's in France

Common Chemicals Threaten Vaccine Effectiveness

January 26, 2012 / Staff

Chemicals can make vaccines less effective in children.

Environmental pollutants such as PFCs have been used in nonstick coatings, stain-resistant fabrics and some food packaging for decades and have been detected in blood tests of children.

Normally, a vaccine causes the production of lots of antibodies to a specific germ. But Grandjean says the response to tetanus and diphtheria vaccines was much weaker in 5-year-olds whose blood contained relatively high levels of PFCs.
“We found that the higher the exposure, the less capable the kids were in terms of responding appropriately to the vaccine,” Grandjean says. The results raise the possibility that “the immune system is not really developing optimally.”

Quality Control, Research, Wellness

children's health environmental pollutants PFC's toxins vaccines

No Link Found Between Junk Food in Schools and Childhood Obesity

January 25, 2012 / Staff

Although it is counter-intuitive to everything we think we know, there has been no direct link found between junk food sold in schools and obesity.

The researchers compared children’s weight in schools where junk food was sold and in schools where it was banned. The scientists also evaluated eighth graders who moved into schools that sold junk food with those who did not, and children who never attended a school that sold snacks with those who did. And they compared children who always attended schools with snacks with those who moved out of such schools.

This being said, there must be some logic to the connection of a poor diet and ill health.

Nutrition, Quality Control, Research

childhood obesity obesity school lunch school lunches

Organize Your Mind And Your Life Will Follow

January 25, 2012 / Staff

By organizing your mind your life will fall into step.

Margaret Moore’s book “Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life” written with Dr. Paul Hammerness, offers tips to help you to become more organized and more fulfilled.

The connection between disorganized minds and unhealthy habits is compelling. The National Institute of Aging concluded from a recent study that symptoms of a disorganized mind, namely impulsivity, chronic negativity, high stress and multitasking, all correlate with higher weight. For example, adults in the top 10% rating for impulsivity (most impulsive) weighed an average of 24 pounds more than those in the bottom 10% rating for impulsivity.
Whether or not you have an organized mind depends upon your ability to “drive” your attention and keep it focused when you’re under pressure or faced with challenging conditions.

Managing stress, staying focused and knowing when to “put on the brakes” are just a few strategies endorsed to help you to organize your life.

Quality Control, Research, Resources, Wellness

ADD ADHD management skills mental health organization stress management

Why Stop Smoking Now?

January 24, 2012 / Staff

Many people continue smoking even after a cancer diagnosis.

As hard as it is to believe the addiction to nicotine is stronger than than the will to live.

Some people just give up and some are fatalistic but the urge to smoke is overwhelming.

Researchers looked at 2,456 lung cancer patients and 3,063 colorectal patients and discovered that at time of diagnosis, 38 percent of the lung cancer patients and 15 percent of the colorectal patients were smokers.
Lung cancer patient Toni Manes continued to smoke after her diagnosis.
Five months later, despite a cancer diagnosis, 14 percent of the lung cancer patients were still lighting up (ditto for 9 percent of the colorectal patients).