Pistachios May Take Bite Out of Cholesterol

Pistachios could help lower cholesterol, according to an industry-funded study presented Monday at the Experimental Biology meeting in Washington, D.C.

"Pistachio amounts of 1.5 ounces and three ounces (per day) -- one to two handfuls -- reduced risk for cardiovascular disease by significantly reducing LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, and the higher dose significantly reducing lipoprotein ratios," study author Sarah K. Gebauer, a graduate student in integrative biosciences at Penn State, said in a prepared statement.
The multi-week study, which received funding from the California Pistachio Commission , concluded that three ounces of pistachios a day reduced LDL levels by 11.6 percent, total cholesterol levels by 8.4 percent, and non-high density lipoproteins (non-HDL) by 11.2 percent. Levels of non-HDL are considered reliable predictors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

The researchers also said that a handful of pistachios provide the same antioxidants found in dark, leafy vegetables and brightly-colored fruit.

"Our study has shown that pistachios, eaten with a healthy heart diet, may decrease a person's CVD risk profile," primary investigator Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton, distinguished professor of nutrition at Penn State, said in a prepared statement.

Source : http://www.forbes.com

Study: Marijuana Damages Brain

British doctors took brain scans of 15 healthy volunteers given small doses of two of the active ingredients of cannabis, as well as a placebo.

One compound, cannabidiol, or CBD, made people more relaxed. But even small doses of another component, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, produced temporary psychotic symptoms in people, including hallucinations and paranoid delusions, doctors said.

The results, to be presented at an international mental health conference in London on Tuesday and Wednesday, provides physical evidence of the drug's damaging influence on the human brain.

"We've long suspected that cannabis is linked to psychoses, but we have never before had scans to show how the mechanism works," said Dr. Philip McGuire, a professor of psychiatry at King's College, London.

In analyzing MRI scans of the study's subjects, McGuire and his colleagues found that THC interfered with activity in the inferior frontal cortex, a region of the brain associated with paranoia.
"THC is switching off that regulator," McGuire said, effectively unleashing the paranoia usually kept under control by the frontal cortex.

In another study being presented at the conference, a two-day gathering of mental health experts discussing the connections between cannabis and mental health, scientists found that marijuana worsens psychotic symptoms of schizophrenics.

Doctors at Yale University in the U.S. tested the impact of THC on 150 healthy volunteers and 13 people with stable schizophrenia. Nearly half of the healthy subjects experienced psychotic symptoms when given the drug.

While the doctors expected to see marijuana improve the conditions of their schizophrenic subjects — since their patients reported that the drug calmed them — they found that the reverse was true.

"I was surprised by the results," said Dr. Deepak Cyril D'Souza, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University's School of Medicine. "In practice, we found that cannabis is very bad for people with schizophrenia," he said.

While D'Souza had intended to study marijuana's impact on schizophrenics in more patients, the study was stopped prematurely because the impact was so pronounced that it would have been unethical to test it on more people with schizophrenia.

"One of the great puzzles is why people with schizophrenia keep taking the stuff when it makes the paranoia worse," said Dr. Robin Murray, a professor of psychiatry at King's College.

Experts theorized that schizophrenics may mistakenly judge the drug's pleasurable effects to outweigh any negatives.

Understanding how marijuana affects the brain may ultimately lead experts to a better understanding of mental health in general.

"We don't know the basis of paranoia or anxiety," said McGuire.

"It is possible that we could use cannabis in controlled studies to understand psychoses better," he said. McGuire theorized that could one day lead to specific drugs targeting the responsible regions of the brain.


Source : http://www.foxnews.com/

Parkinson's May be Prefaced by Depression

Depression, measured by antidepressant use, may be an early symptom of Parkinson's disease, reported investigators here.

A nearly twofold additional risk of the disease emerged if patients were taking antidepressants in the year before a diagnosis of Parkinson's, compared with those not taking antidepressants, reported Miguel A. Hernan, M.D., Dr.P.H., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues.

"Use of antidepressants is associated with the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, both in men and women, in younger and older individuals," they wrote in a poster to be presented May 1 at the American Association of Neurology meeting here. "This association is only apparent in the year before the onset of Parkinson's disease, suggesting that depression can be an early symptom of the disease."

The investigators emphasized that they were looking at antidepressants as a marker for depression, and not as potential causative agents.

Although several studies have discerned a link between Parkinson's disease and depression, "the limited sample size in previous reports has precluded subgroup analysis and an accurate timing of this association," the authors noted.

They conducted a case-control study drawing on information from the General Practice Research Database, which covers more than three million patients in the United Kingdom.

They identified 1,052 cases of Parkinson's disease, and matched them by age, gender, and general practice with 6,634 controls. Patient use of antidepressants before the onset of Parkinson's was determined through computerized records. The authors also conducted a medical record review on a sample of computerized Parkinson's cases, and confirmed the diagnosis in more than 90% of those with two or more prescriptions for anti-parkinsonian drugs (e.g., dopamine agonists).

They found that compared with patients who never used antidepressants, current users of antidepressant had an odds ratio for Parkinson's disease of 1.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 2.3, P<0.0001). In contrast, there was no significant difference in Parkinson's disease risk between past (but not current) users of antidepressants and never-users (odds ratio 1.1, 95% CI, 0.8 to 1.4, P=0.08).

The risk for Parkinson's disease was similar whether the antidepressant users took a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor or tricyclic antidepressant. Men and women who took antidepressants had equivalent risks for Parkinson's, and risk did not change across age groups, the authors wrote.

"When we assessed the risk of Parkinson's disease according to time elapsed since last use of anti-depressants, the increased risk was only evident in the first year after stopping taking this treatment, but not later," the authors wrote.

"This should not be interpreted as evidence that antidepressants cause Parkinson's disease," said Dr. Hernan. "The relationship is only apparent in the year before the onset of the disease, which suggests that depression is an early symptom of the disease."

Source : http://www.medpagetoday.com/

Why alcohol boosts breast cancer risk: study

A study in mice shows that moderate alcohol consumption stimulates the growth and progression of breast cancer by fueling the development of new blood vessels -- a process called "angiogenesis." It does this by boosting expression of a key growth factor known as vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF.

Drinking alcohol -- even moderate amounts - is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer in women. A recent study found that 60 percent of breast cancer cases in women worldwide were attributable to alcohol consumption. But the mechanism(s) of alcohol-induced breast cancer are poorly understood.

Dr. Jian-Wei Gu and colleagues from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson examined the effects of alcohol on tumor growth and progression of breast cancer in mice.

For 4 weeks, 6-week old female mice consumed regular drinking water or water containing 1 percent alcohol, which is equivalent to about 2 to 4 drinks in humans. In week 2, the animals were inoculated with mouse breast cancer cells.

"We found after about 4 weeks that breast tumor size almost doubled in mice that drank alcohol compared to control mice given plain water," Gu noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health. Moderate alcohol intake also caused a noteworthy increase in tumor blood vessels compared with no alcohol intake.

The team also observed a significant increase in VEGF levels in the tumors of mice consuming alcohol compared to the tumors of control mice.

"VEGF can promote the formation of new blood vessels," Gu said. "This suggests that alcohol can induce tumor angiogenesis."

He presented the research at the American Physiological Society's annual meeting, part of Experimental Biology 2007, underway in Washington DC.

Source : http://uk.reuters.com/

Green Tea May Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis

Green tea, already touted for its cardiovascular and anticancer benefits, may also help ease the inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.

The study was conducted in the laboratory, and its findings are preliminary, stressed lead researcher Salah-uddin Ahmed, an investigator at the University of Michigan Health System, in Ann Arbor.

"It's too early" to fully recommend green tea to ease rheumatoid arthritis, he said, but the study "is a starting point."

Ahmed was scheduled to present the research Sunday at the Experimental Biology meeting, in Washington, D.C.

For the study, Ahmed isolated cells called synovial fibroblasts from the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These cells form a lining of tissue surrounding the capsule of the joints.

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, this lining is inflamed, leading to long-term joint damage and chronic pain. About 2.1 million Americans have rheumatoid arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

Ahmed's team next cultured these cells and exposed them to the active ingredient in green tea, a compound named epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Next, the cells were stimulated with a protein of the immune system known to play a role in causing joint degradation in rheumatoid arthritis. The protein is called cytokine interleukin-1 beta or IL-1B.

"IL-1B is a major player in mediating cartilage degradation," Ahmed explained.

In an earlier study, Ahmed's team found that fibroblasts pretreated with EGCG and then stimulated with cytokine IL-1B were better able to block IL-1B's ability to produce damaging proteins and enzymes. Those proteins and enzymes can infiltrate the joints and cause the cartilage breakdown seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

In the more recent study, the researchers focused on whether EGCG had the ability to block the activity of two potent molecules, IL-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), which also play a role in breaking down bone in an RA joint.

The two molecules were suppressed by the EGCG, Ahmed's team found. While he said it is difficult to quantify exactly the effect of the suppression, the EGCG "blocked them significantly," he said.

EGCG also blocked the production of prostaglandin E2, another compound that can cause joint inflammation.

One expert said the new green tea study was intriguing. "This study is very specific," said Stephen Hsu, an associate professor of dentistry, molecular medicine and genetics at the medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

In his own research, Hsu has found that green tea may help protect against certain autoimmune diseases, in which the body triggers an immune response, basically attacking its own cells. Hsu studied EGCG's effect in helping to inhibit an autoimmune disorder known as Sjogren's syndrome, in which the salivary glands are affected, and in lupus, in which the skin is affected.

The new research by Ahmed is one of the first to focus on rheumatoid arthritis and green tea, Hsu said. If it bears out, it could be good news for rheumatoid arthritis patients, perhaps offering them a non-drug option to keep pain under control, he said.

Ahmed cautioned that it's too soon to advise rheumatoid arthritis patients to drink green tea. On the other hand, drinking green tea certainly wouldn't hurt, he said, since it is known to have many health benefits and no known side effects.

He said people might want to try drinking three or four 8-ounce cups of green tea per day. "Try different brands," he suggested. The flavors may taste slightly different. "Drink it continuously throughout the day," he said, to keep blood levels more constant.

And you might want to consider popping some tart cherries along with that tea, according to another study presented at the same meeting.

In the study, conducted by another team of University of Michigan researchers, powdered tart cherries appeared to lower total cholesterol and blood sugar and help the body handle fat and sugar -- at least in animals.

Source : http://www.forbes.com/

FDA Is Strongarming The Vitamin Industry

If you are like me and enjoy taking supplements as part of your low-carb lifestyle, then you will definitely want to read this World Net Daily story about something the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is currently proposing that could directly impact your life. This may sound like a very sick joke, but it is DEAD SERIOUS!


According to FDA Docket No. 2006D-0480, aka the "Draft Guidance for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration," the government agency would take over regulation of all vitamins, supplements, and any other natural health remedies. What would this mean? Well, any natural remedy items, even bottled water, would then be considered "drugs" coming under the strongarm authority of the FDA.

In fact, pretty much anything and everything that can be used to treat disease would fall under FDA control. Here's the language they use in this draft proposal:

Biologically based products include, but not limited to botanicals, animal-derived extracts, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, prebiotics and probiotics, whole diets and “functional foods.” A botanical product intended for use in treating a disease would be generally regulated as a drug. “Functional foods” may be subject to FDA regulation as foods dietary supplements, or drugs under the Act.

If the manipulative and body-based practices involve the use of equipment (such as massage devices) or the application of a product (such as lotion, cream, or oil) to the skin or other parts of the body, those products may be subject to regulation under the ACT.

Does all this sound preposterous? Think again. Imagine this:

Do you own a home gym for medical purposes? It would need FDA approval for use or commerce. How about heading down to your local drugstore to find your favorite vitamins? Good luck because the FDA would need to give their go-ahead. In fact, any store caught selling vitamins without the FDA's magic stamp could be prosecuted for "practicing medicine." Yikes!

FDA Commissioner Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach has put this draft guidance on the fast-track for implementation, but they are soliciting feedback from concerned citizens through May 29, 2007. The original date was set for Monday, April 30, 2007, but they decided to extend it for an additional month since there has been such an outcry from the public. You can send your concerned comments and reaction to the FDA about this by using their feedback form.

With one out of every three Americans using nondrug treatments for their health at an estimated cost of $5 billion annually, it appears the FDA is watching out for their buddies in the pharmaceutical industry. The medical establishment doesn't like the fact that people are getting healthy without the use of their overpriced medications. Sure, there are SOME drugs that do some fantastic work, but a lot of people find equally effective relief from all-natural homeopathic remedies.

Ever since I've been taking supplements like so many do on a daily basis as part of my low-carb lifestyle, I have not had to see the doctor because I haven't been sick. That's a fact that apparently doesn't sit too well with the medical profession. It's not all of them, but the people in powerful positions are none too happy that they're losing out on "business" from people who are supposed to be sick. Twisted, ain't it?

We've already seen severe restrictions to vitamins in our neighboring countries Mexico and Canada as well as in Europe where you even need a prescription from a doctor to have access to them. EEEEK! Don't you know the FDA would love to bring this policy to the good ole United States of America. They've been working on it for a while now.

I've previously blogged about the concerted effort to outlaw vitamins in this country before, but the FDA has stepped it up. What makes this bad is the outright corruption that already exists in that government entity and it's well-documented. Can you say Vioxx? Or their approval of the wheat gluten imported from China that was responsible for the pet food contamination that killed thousands of beloved pets? Shall I continue?

From allowing spray-on viruses for luncheon meats to their controversial approval of a risky over-the-counter weight loss drug, the FDA is no friend of the natural health community. Why else would they describe livin' la vida low-carb as "sheer nonsense?" Oh yeah, that's right, eating this healthy is a threat to the drug companies, too!

If you care about this issue as much as I do, then leave your feedback for the FDA TODAY! You have until May 29, 2007 to voice your concerns about this important issue. Let Commissioner von Eschenbach hear from us all!

Source : http://www.commonvoice.com

More Young Children Suffering From Tooth Decay

Most Americans are taking better care of their teeth, resulting in improved dental health, but tooth decay in baby teeth among children is increasing, according to a new report.

In fact, decay in baby teeth among 2- to 5-year-olds has increased from 24 percent to 28 percent from 1988 to 2004, the federal report found.

In addition, a racial and ethnic divide exists when it comes to dental health.

"This report shows that while we are continuing to make strides in prevention of tooth decay, this disease clearly remains a problem for some racial and ethnic groups, many of whom have more treated and untreated tooth decay compared with other groups," Dr. Bruce A. Dye, the report's lead author, said in a prepared statement.

Dye was to present the findings Monday at the annual meeting of the American Association for Public Health Dentistry in Denver. The report, titledTrends in Oral Health Status -- United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2004, is based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics

The report does highlight significant improvement in several areas. Tooth decay in permanent teeth has decreased for children, teens, and adults. And, 38 percent of children and teens aged 12 to 19 have had dental sealants, a plastic coating that protects against decay.

Yet, the report notes gaps in dental care based on race and ethnicity. For example, 31 percent of Mexican-American children ages 6 to 11 had decay in their permanent teeth, compared with 19 percent of non-Hispanic white children.

There were also income-related disparities in care. For families with incomes below the federal poverty line, 12 percent of children ages 6 to 11 had untreated tooth decay, compared with 4 percent of children from families above the poverty line.

"Although preventive measures, such as dental sealants, have been widely available for years, we need to focus our efforts on reaching children living in poverty who stand to benefit the most from them," Dr. William R. Maas, a dentist and director of the CDC's Division of Oral Health, said in a prepared statement. "This report challenges us to increase our efforts to reach those most in need with effective preventive measures, and to provide guidance and health education to others, for instance, smokers whose oral health can greatly benefit from quitting."

Dr. Mary Hayes, a pediatric dentistry spokeswoman for the American Dental Association, called the increase in childhood cavities "discouraging." She noted that children are snacking more, particularly sweet snacks, which increase the risk for tooth decay.

Also, young children can't effectively brush their teeth, Hayes said. "I see parents who are still surprised that if their child is two, three or four, that they have to brush their child's teeth in order to do a proper job," she said. "A young child does not have the fine motor skills to clean their teeth. They can put the toothbrush into their mouth, but they don't clean off the plaque."

And, even though baby teeth are replaced by permanent teeth, it is important to keep them clean and cavity-free, Hayes said. "The baby teeth are the pattern for the permanent teeth," she said. "Studies have shown that if you have a lot of decayed baby teeth, and you leave it that way, that's the kind of mouth for permanent teeth you are going to have. The baby teeth set up the bite you are going to have with the permanent teeth."

Hayes said parents and politicians need to put more emphasis on dental health. "We need to get policymakers not to diminish the value of dentistry relative to health," she said. "Medical care, especially for the disadvantaged, does not mean no teeth. The teeth are part of the body, we all go together -- the teeth come with the body."

Among other findings in the report:

Tooth decay in permanent teeth of children ages 6 to 11 decreased from about 25 percent to 21 percent, and among teens it decreased from 68 percent to 59 percent.The use of dental sealants increased from 22 percent to 30 percent among children and from 18 percent to 38 percent among teens.Moderate and severe gum disease declined from 10 percent to 5 percent among adults 20 to 64 years old, and from 27 percent to 17 percent among seniors. For seniors, complete tooth loss decreased from 34 percent to 27 percent. Sixty percent of adults reported seeing a dentist in the past year (1999-2004), compared with 66 percent during the previous survey (1988-94).

More information

To learn more about children's dental health, visit the U.S. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

SOURCES: April 30, 2007, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report,Trends in Oral Health Status -- United States, 1988-1994 and 1999-2004; Mary Hayes, DDS, pediatric dentistry, and spokeswoman for the American Dental Association, Chicago

Source : http://www.washingtonpost.com/

Teaching Old Mice New Tricks Opens Door to Lost Memories

Mice with induced brain atrophy that were exposed to new toys and playmates in an "enriched environment" were able to build new pathways to faded memories.


add your knowledge Add Your Knowledge™ Additional Alzheimer's Disease Coverage

BOSTON, April 30 -- Mice with induced brain atrophy that were exposed to new toys and playmates in an "enriched environment" were able to build new pathways to faded memories.
Action Points

* Explain to interested patients that this report reflects preliminary research in mice. It does not report a clinical treatment to restore long-term memories in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

The research by Li-Huei Tsai, Ph.D., of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and colleagues, implied it may be possible to recover long-term memory in humans with dementia.

Compared with control mice, animals that were placed in enriched environment cages for four weeks demonstrated marked recovery of long-term memory, they reported online in Nature.

Moreover, memories were recovered despite the fact that enriched and non-enriched mice "have a similar extent of neuronal loss and brain atrophy," Dr. Tsai said.

The enriched environment did not trigger new neuronal growth but appeared to correlate with "sprouting of dendrites, an increased number of synapses, and reinstated learning behavior and access to long-term memories," they wrote.

"This is exciting because our results show that learning ability can be improved and 'lost' long-term memories can be recovered even after a significant number of neurons have already been lost in the brain," Dr, Tsai said.

The findings also hint that Alzheimer's disease doesn't wipe out memories, but rather, blocks access to them, she added.

Additionally, the team found that giving mice histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors produced the same beneficial effect as a cage full of new toys.

"To our knowledge, HDACs have not been used to treat Alzheimer's disease or dementia," Dr. Tsai said. "Future research should address whether HDAC inhibitors will be effective for treating neurodegenerative diseases."

The MIT team used CK-p25 Tg mice, which are genetically engineered so that expression of p25-a protein implicated in a number of neurodegenerative diseases--can be switched on or off with a doxycycline diet.

They trained the mice to avoid electric shocks and find their way around mazes to reach food and then induced the brain degeneration via the p25 protein switch. After six weeks, the mice couldn't remember what they had learned.

These mice were randomized to enriched environment or control. After four weeks, the mice in the enriched environment remembered the maze and shock test much better than controls. Mice in the enriched environment also demonstrated the ability to "learn" new things.

Dr. Tsai said the results suggest that the effect of an enriched environment "is likely to be mediated, at least in part, by elevated acetylation of histones H3 and H4, which initiates 'rewiring' of the neural network."

The authors noted that a recent report in the Journal of Clinical Investigation described apparent axonal regrowth in a brain-injured man who was in a minimally conscious state for 20 years.

"Thus, re-establishment of a neural network may allow recovery of long-term memories not only in rodents, but also in humans," they wrote. "If so, this suggests that using small molecules that target HDACs in patients with dementia could facilitate access to long-term memories."

Source : http://www.medpagetoday.com

Tony Snow: 'Are we winning the war?'

Tony Snow, the White House press secretary who will face chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer, returned to work today with an emotional report on his own condition and a quick reminder of the reality that faces the White House, embroiled with congressional leaders in debate over the war in Iraq.

Snow, who was treated for colon cancer in 2005, will face a new regimen of chemotherapy for cancer that has reappeared in his liver -- involving a treatment that wasn't available to him two years ago. That therapy starts Friday. Snow returned to the White House podium this morning, after a month away.

"I'm not going to tell you how it's going to work out because I don’t know,'' said Snow, parceling out words between pauses to contain his emotion. "We obviously feel optimistic… Faith, optimism and love will be part of it… I am unbelievably lucky and unbelievably blessed… and happy to be back.''

It didn't take long, of course, for work to inject itself. After several minutes of on-camera comments at the occasion of his first appearance in a month, the television cameras came down for the informal "gaggle'' that the press secretary conducts with reporters off-camera. Today, as war protesters assemble outside the White House to unfurl a banner ridiculing the "Mission Accomplished'' banner that greeted the president aboard an aircraft carrier four years ago tomorrow, a reporter asked Snow: Are we winning the war?

"Are we winning the war?… Yeah, exactly, welcome back,'' he said. "You know… we're fighting the war. The only way to lose the war is to walk away from it… The notion that somehow the United States walks away and there are no consequences is the sort of thing that doesn’t make any sense…The fact that it is difficult does not mean we should walk away from it…. If we turn tail, what it means is we weaken ourselves.''

Snow's own personal battle resumes on Friday, with a sense of awe over the speed at which medical technology is advancing: "I'm taking a cancer cocktail this time around, a chemo compound, that was not in broad use two years ago,'' he said. "Not everybody will survive cancer,'' he allowed, with some advice for fellow sufferers of cancer. ''You've got the gift of life… Take advantage of it.

"I'll try not to get choked up…'' he said at the start. "I'll go slow…

"You never anticipate this stuff. It just happens,'' he said, attempting to thank people in the press briefing room for their support during his illness, failing at the words and throwing a simple thumb up.

"I'm a very lucky guy,'' Snow said. "I know the first reaction of people when they hear the word cancer is, uh-oh…. '' Some small cancers were discovered in exploratory surgery last month, he said, and "we are going to attack them using chemotherapy.''

And yet, business looms, with President Bush awaiting a $124-billion war spending bill that includes timelines for withdrawals of U.S. troops – a bill he plans to veto. Hoping to move on to a bill without limits, the president plans to meet with congressional leaders on Wednesday.

"He does feel positive and optimistic that we will get an acceptable bill,'' Snow said – unable to predict when the bill will arrive from Capitol Hill for the promised veto.

"It's now been passed for five days,'' Snow said. "We're not sure why it's been so difficult to convey it one mile up Pennsylvania Avenue… They passed it five days ago… I could walk down and pick it up today…

"The president understands that people wanted to make a political statement – fine,'' Snow said. "Let's go ahead and get on with this and get the bill passed'' to the White House.

Snow's message for Congress: "A clear veto message has been out for over a month… A symbolic vote has taken place… Come back and do your real work.''

And, so it, seems it's business as usual again at the White House.

Source : http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/

White House spokesman back at work after cancer surgery

White House press secretary Tony Snow wasted no time jumping into the political fray on his first day back on the job Monday.

An absence of five weeks after undergoing cancer surgery didn't mean forgetting any of the White House talking points.

Asked what President Bush will do with Democratic legislation that calls for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq to begin in October, Snow said, "He vetoes it. Democrats will have made their political point. Now they can do their job." (The battle between the president and Congress over Iraq)

Snow called for a "clean bill" that does not impose "artificial timelines" or benchmarks.

"The problem with benchmarks at least as it's described is something where it doesn't even matter if there is progress, it doesn't matter if there is success," he told CNN's "American Morning." (Watch Snow's interview with CNN's John Roberts Video)

On the subject of benchmarks, Snow said, "The Democratic Party hasn't even made its own for legislation this year."

He became the latest member of the administration to insist that the president did not use former CIA Director George Tenet's "slam dunk" comment as the reason to invade Iraq. (Full story)

"The fact is the best intelligence we had indicated weapons of mass destruction, but obviously we haven't been able to find them," Snow said.

In March, Snow took time off as White House spokesman to undergo exploratory surgery, which found a recurrence of cancer. Doctors determined the cancer had spread to his liver, the White House said.

Snow said he has recovered from the surgery and will now start receiving chemo treatments every other week for four months.

Snow, 51, was treated for colon cancer in 2005, at which time his colon was removed.

Colon cancer is something Snow has had to deal with before. His mother died of the disease at age 38 in 1973, when he was 17.

Snow said he is optimistic that he will be able to "turn what used to be a fatal disease into a chronic disease."

The mere mention of cancer used to cause absolute panic, but with medical advances, what used to be incurable is now curable, the White House spokesman said.

"There are a lot of people with situations worse than mine that have been living 20, 30 years by simply dealing with it with regular chemo," he said. "They've been leading full and happy lives, and that's certainly what I hope to be doing."

Source : http://www.cnn.com/

Prostate test could be more accurate

Johns Hopkins researchers say they have devised a more accurate blood test for prostate cancer that could eventually replace PSA screening, flagging more malignancies while reducing the number of false alarms.

The scientists, who reported their findings today in the journal Urology, say the test could spare thousands of men painful biopsies that turn out negative every year.

"We're biopsying a lot of men who don't have prostate cancer," said Dr. Robert H. Getzenberg, director of urological research at the Johns Hopkins Brady Urological Institute. "Now we may be able to save men from undergoing biopsies or unnecessary surgery."

Getzenberg said the test - which requires more study of its effectiveness - can also distinguish between cancers confined to the prostate and those that have invaded surrounding tissue.

Such information could help doctors and patients decide whether to begin treatment immediately, monitor the cancer's progress before treating it or forgo therapy altogether, he said.

The simple blood test looks for a protein called EPCA-2, which is produced only by the nuclei of cancerous prostate cells.

Getzenberg and seven colleagues tried the screening test on 385 men for the study but are also in the midst of larger trials. If successful, they could prepare the test for government approval 18 months from now.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cancer killer of men in the United States, accounting for more than 30,000 deaths annually, according to the American Cancer Society. Only lung cancer kills more.

A quarter-century ago, a blood test that looks for a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) revolutionized the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Doctors finding elevated levels often recommend biopsies, painful tests in which a needle is inserted into the gland several times to withdraw tissue samples for analysis.

When biopsies turn up evidence of cancer, doctors often suggest the removal of the prostate.

Early warnings from PSA tests have resulted in skyrocketing numbers of prostate cancer diagnoses and a decline in the number of deaths.

But the tests have also proved controversial. The PSA is elevated not only in men with prostate cancer, but also in those with prostate infections or benign enlargement of the gland, a common condition. Critics have argued that the test is overused, leading to needless biopsies, surgery and radiation treatments.

In their clinical trial, the Hopkins doctors found that the new test misses few actual cancers and is far less likely to raise the specter of cancer in patients who are actually healthy.

Previous studies have shown that PSA tests flag about 85 percent of true cancers. The new test flagged 94 percent of cancers in the Hopkins trial - a difference that Getzenberg called "incremental."

The more important contrast is the rate of "false positives," elevated levels in patients who are actually free of cancer, he said.

"The first thing we want to do is get rid of the unnecessary biopsies," said Getzenberg. "We're now doing six biopsies to find one [cancer]. In the U.S., about 1.3 million men are going to undergo prostate cancer biopsy [in one year] to find about 230,000 who have prostate cancer."

Previous studies have found false-positive rates as high as 85 percent with PSA screenings. All told, 25 million men in the United States have had prostate biopsies that showed no evidence of cancer. In contrast, false positives occurred in only 3 percent of men with elevated EPCA-2, according to the Hopkins study.

The clinical trial also produced an unexpected result, he said. Mildly elevated levels of EPCA-2 indicated prostate cancer that was confined to the gland, while higher levels signaled cancer that had spread beyond the organ.

Learning that the cancer is confined can have a profound impact, he said. For some men, especially younger men, it may signal an ideal time to have the prostate surgically removed - before the cancer has spread.

Others may decide on a course of "active surveillance," postponing treatment while keeping a watchful eye for signs that the cancer threatens to break out.

The test has drawn a mixed reaction, with some experts hailing it as a significant step forward and others saying it still leaves important questions unanswered.

"A more accurate screening test will reduce the number of men who undergo needless biopsies and will increase the number of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer," said Dr. Howard Parnes, chief of prostate and urological research in the National Cancer Institute's division of cancer prevention.

But, said Parnes, it could also lead to a larger number of men diagnosed and ultimately treated for slow-growing cancers that never would have caused problems in their lifetimes. No one has yet found biomarkers that can accurately forecast whether a man's prostate cancer will ultimately kill him.

"You may be able to identify people in whom a cure is possible," Parnes said. "But it doesn't tell you in which patients a cure is necessary. How many of those men don't need to be cured? How many were overdiagnosed?"

The questions, he said, are of more than academic interest. Despite surgical innovations, some patients are left impotent or unable to control their bladders. Radiation can cause bowel problems.

But Dr. J. Brantley Thrasher, a spokesman for the American Urological Association, said the test holds great promise. By reducing the number of false positives, the test answers the greatest shortcoming of the PSA test, he said.

Prostate cancer by the numbers

Each year:

• It kills about 30,000

• 1.3 million men undergo prostate cancer biopsy

• 230,000 found to have prostate cancer


Source : http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.prostate26apr26,0,5722684.story?page=2&coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

Panel Urges Junk Food Ban in Schools

Vending machines and snack bars selling sodas, candy, and high-fat foods like potato chips should be banned from public schools, according to standards recommended Wednesday by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

The group's report, commissioned by Congress, says schools should adopt common standards limiting food sales to fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole-grain snacks. The standards would also limit portion size and the calorie, sodium, added sugar, and fat content of food sold to kids.

Federal standards already regulate the nutrition content of school lunches served from cafeteria kitchens. But the government maintains only very loose rules for food sold at a la carte snack bars as well as snack and beverage machines.

The report's authors said their recommendations were meant to both promote healthy eating and to displace the junk food currently on sale in vending machines and snack bars at many American schools.

They also said the report should be a help as the nation struggles to find answers to rising rates of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents.

"Because foods and beverages available on the school campus make up a substantial proportion of the daily calorie intake, they should contribute to a healthy environment," says Virginia A. Stallings, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania and chairwoman of the panel that wrote the report.

The recommendations would also ban high-sugar sports drinks from elementary and middle schools. Those drinks, along with some snack foods including baked potato chips and pretzels, would be allowed in high schools, but only during limited times after class hours, the report states.

Some states, including California, have passed laws limiting junk food sales in schools. But many others have not. Individual school districts are mandated by law to come up with student body nutrition plans, but the plans range widely in quality and depth, experts say.

The IOM's committee members said a single standard, whether adopted by Congress or by administrative regulation, is required.

"There is such a huge variety in levels of commitment to nutrition standards," says Rosemary Dederichs, a panel member who is also director of the food services department at the University of Minnesota.
Voluntary Pledges by Industry

Major snack food and beverage companies recently launched voluntary pledges to limit junk food sales in public schools. Wednesday's recommendations are slightly more strict in that they urge limits to portion sizes and other factors not included in the industry pledges.

In a statement, Alison Kretser, senior director of nutrition and health policy for the Grocery Manufacturers of America, said the IOM report "shines an important spotlight" on childhood obesity. But the report "ignores the tremendous progress that has been made in recent years in improving the school food environment -- changes that were developed as the result of dialogue and collaboration between the food industry, educators, parents, and health groups," she said.

The recommendations cannot be enforced unless government entities -- most likely Congress -- step in to enact them.

Lawmakers favoring federal nutrition standards for all school food said Wednesday's report would bolster their cause.

"Voluntary guidelines were a good first step," Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, told reporters.

"The health of our children is too important to leave to unenforceable voluntary guidelines," said Harkin, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee. The panel has jurisdiction over school nutrition programs.

Abortion not linked to breast cancer

An abortion or a miscarriage does not increase a woman's risk of breast cancer, according to results released Monday from a decadelong study of 105,716 women.

The findings are the latest, and perhaps most convincing, in a series of studies that have discredited a concern used by anti-abortion activists to dissuade women from having the procedure.

"It's important for women to have the facts," said Dr. Karin Michaels of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Michaels is lead author of the study.

A 2003 expert panel convened by the National Cancer Institute concluded that no evidence supports a link between abortion and breast cancer, she said, "and our study is very much in line with that."

But Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, took issue with the findings. The cancer institute "must suspect a link, or else they know that a link really exists," she said. "Why else would they continue to pay for these studies?"

Lyme Disease on the Rise

Lyme Disease is a growing problem across the country, and Pennsylvania is no different. More people and pets are being diagnosed with the tick-borne disease every year.

Playtime isn't quite the same for York County resident Gail Sheffer and her nine year old golden retriever mix, Caleb. They both have been battling Lyme disease for years.

It started with a rash on her leg for Gail. She says she started getting the classic symptoms like joint pain, migraines, chronic fatigue, and flu-like symptoms.

Caleb was diagnosed with a simple test at the vet, but for Gail, it took several months for her diagnosis.

Then her husband and two daughters learned they also had Lyme disease. The family spent nearly $20,000 on medical care last year, the eldest daughter had to drop out of college, and physical therapy, along with lots of antibiotics have become a way of life.

Gail says she wants people to know, in general, the sooner they are treated, the better off they'll be.

If you're going near woods - or any rural area - it's a good idea to keep your legs and arms covered, use an insect repellent with Deet, and keep grass short in your own yard.

Camp Hill Animal Hospital's Dr. Shawn Crawford says he used to recommend treatment during the warmer months but now says it's necessary all year round. There are two options for pets - a vaccine and topical applications like Frontline. Dr. Crawford says he recommends both.

Gail has started a support group for people battling Lyme disease. They meet every third Sunday of the month from 3-5 p.m. at the Country Meadows Retirement Community in Shiloh.

Some vets say a mild winter here in New England could lead to a bigger flea and tick season this year. That's because warmer temperatures make it easier for the pests to reproduce. 7's Dylan Dreyer has more on how to keep your best friend bug-free in this week's "Protecting your Pet."

They bite, they carry disease, and they just plain old bug your pet.

"You'll see that they're itchy, and they're scratching," said Dr. Kathy Tator, a dermatologist at Angell Animal Medical Center.

Flea and tick season is back in New England, and the dangers are great, especially for Lyme Disease.

"The same ticks that can bite your dog can also bite people, and they can also transmit some of the same diseases to people," Dr. Tator said. "It can cause a scab or temporary swelling at the site of the bite."

In addition, fleas can lead to allergic reactions and a lot of discomfort.

"The moment they get bitten, they are going to try to chase that flea off themselves by licking or chewing behavior," Dr. Tator said.

Vets say a year-round flea and tick control product is the best protection. But be sure to always check your pet regularly for any crawling critters.

"Especially focusing on areas like the top of the head and around the neck," Dr. Tator said.

If you do find a tick on your pet, some vets suggest the best way to remove it is to use tweezers to slowly pull it out. After removing a tick, you should watch the area closely for the next two weeks and check with your vet if any irritation occurs.

If you find fleas on your four-legged friend, vets suggest a flea comb or bath. And with fleas, it's not just your pet that needs to be treated.

"It's also important to treat the home environment for fleas, because the majority of the flea population is going to be in the carpeting in the furniture and all the areas that your pets are sleeping," Dr. Tator said.

But vets say the best defense is a good offense. Keep a close eye on your pet, not just during flea and tick season, but all year-round.

Discuss Lyme disease with vet

Recently, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine collaborated with its members and released a “Consensus Statement on Lyme Disease in Dogs: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention.” This statement was released to aid veterinarians on establishing protocols relating to canine Lyme disease and to bring some continuity of care to the veterinary community.

Changes in management that may affect your dog involve dogs that test positive for exposure to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi. Positive-testing healthy dogs that have no signs of Lyme disease need not be treated with antibiotics. This is the vast majority of dogs that are exposed to the bacteria. Some owners may still opt to treat with antibiotics, and this can be an individual decision.

• Dogs that are positive testing and have signs of Lyme disease, such as fever, swollen and painful joints, should be treated with 30 days of antibiotics.

• All dogs that test positive should be followed closely for protein in the urine, an early sign of a more serious kidney form of Lyme disease.

• Dogs that test positive also may not benefit from vaccination. These dogs have already been infected and will remain so for life. Since most dogs show no signs of illness once exposed to the bacteria, vaccinating to prevent re-infection, although possible, has not been studied and its benefits at this time are unknown.

If your dog has tested positive for Lyme exposure in the past, vaccination is not advised at this time. Urine samples should be brought to routine exams to evaluate for protein content. If protein is found in the urine, further tests may be needed. Dog owners need to discuss this with their veterinarians.

As noted, these are only guidelines and may change over time with further research and medical developments. Your veterinarian can help keep you informed of changes in the management of canine Lyme disease. Be sure to discuss this with your veterinarian as it applies to your dog’s health care.

Lyme Disease Doctor Facing State Medical Hearings Over Antibiotic Prescription

The eighth hearing before a state panel on whether to revoke the medical license of Dr. Charles Ray Jones on Thursday was more like Jerry Springer than a sophisticated medical debate over how to diagnose and treat Lyme disease.

The case against the Hamden doctor was triggered by a long-running feud between ex-spouses in Nevada over the education and health of their two children - acrimony recounted before the state Medical Examining Board during the hearing.

But the board's decision on Jones' professional fate will have major repercussions on how the tick-borne disease is diagnosed and treated in Connecticut and across the country, doctors and Lyme disease advocates say.

The Department of Public Health says Jones violated standard of care practices by diagnosing Lyme disease and prescribing antibiotics to two Nevada children he had not yet met and continued long-term antibiotic treatment, despite test results which did not show evidence of infection of the Lyme bacterium.

However, dozens of Lyme disease advocates who turned out to support Jones on Thursday and hundreds of others who have donated to his legal defense fund believe otherwise. The case has attracted national attention because advocates for Lyme disease patients believe that existing diagnostic tests are flawed and that the medical establishment has ignored evidence that antibiotics can eradicate debilitating neurological symptoms associated with chronic Lyme infections.

Much of the testimony Thursday involved messy details of a decade of strife between Jeff and Robin Sparks following their 1996 divorce. Jeff Sparks, whom the DPH flew in from California to testify, told the panel he was particularly angry at his ex-wife's decision in the spring of 2004 to home school their then-11-year-old son, who was exhibiting behavioral problems in school.

His ex-wife, Robin Sparks, who had been flown to Connecticut from Nevada by the Jones defense team for an earlier hearing, testified that her son not only had a dramatic drop in his grades but also experienced a host of symptoms like joint pain, night terrors, nose bleeds and sensitivity to light. Believing her son might be suffering from Lyme disease, she eventually sought help from Jones.

Jeff Sparks said, however, that his son exhibited none of those symptoms during his twice weekly visits with his son and daughter. Yet in March 2004, Jones wrote a letter to school officials in Carson City, Nev., suggesting the child might have Lyme disease and might benefit from home schooling.

Jones did not examine the boy until May of that year.

Backed by dozens of supporters in a crowded conference room at DPH headquarters in Hartford, Jones testified that his diagnosis of Lyme disease was provisional and that the letter was intended to suggest home schooling would be appropriate if the diagnosis was confirmed.

Sparks would later file a complaint against Jones with DPH, prompting the hearings.

Jeff Sparks also told the panel that his wife had previously claimed to be suffering from a host of ailments such as the rare blood disorder lupus, brain tumors and late-stage ovarian cancer - all of which ended up to be false claims. She also incorrectly said their son was suffering from epilepsy and even breast cancer, Sparks testified.

Attorneys for Jones asked Sparks about his ex-wife's allegations of child abuse, lack of child support and refusals to pay medical bills for his children.

Sparks denied those allegations Thursday.

DPH says Jones diagnosed the boy as having Lyme disease without having seen him and later prescribed long-term antibiotic therapy without evidence that the boy had been infected with the Lyme bacterium. Jones also prescribed antibiotics to the daughter, again without having examined the child, the DPH alleges.

Jones said Thursday he did extend an existing prescription by phone for an oral antibiotic for the son, who had a lung infection. However, Jones said, he only began treatment for Lyme disease after examining the boy in May. Jones' lawyers contend the boy got dramatically better after receiving antibiotic treatment.

Jeff Sparks acknowledged his son did perform better in school after antibiotic treatment but suggested it was for a different reason. He and his wife attended school with their son for several days a week for more than a month, and his behavioral problems abated, he said.

Lawyers for both sides expected to have a final hearing on the Jones case next month before the medical examiner's board begins its deliberations on Jones' license.

Contact William Hathaway at whathaway@courant.com.

Lyme Disease Vaccine Proteins Patented

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and others at Stony Brook University have received U.S. Patent Number 7,179,448 for developing chimeric, or "combination," proteins that may advance the development of vaccines for Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the U.S., causing approximately 25,000 new cases each year. Early symptoms of the disease, which is spread by the bite of an infected deer tick, include a bull's-eye rash at the site of the bite and flu-like symptoms. If not promptly treated with antibiotics, it can lead to more serious symptoms, including joint and neurological complications.

The genetically engineered proteins combine pieces of two proteins that are normally present on the surface of the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, but at different parts of the organism's life cycle.

Brookhaven biologist John Dunn, a researcher on the BNL Lyme disease team states, "Combining pieces of these two proteins into one chimeric protein should trigger a 'one-two-punch' immune response more capable of fending off the bacterium than either protein alone."

This research was funded by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research within the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science and by the National Institutes of Health.

'Tick Talk' at the Camden Public Library on May 1

Dr. Beatrice Szantyr of Lincoln, Maine will present a slide show and discussion on Lyme disease at the Camden Public Library at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1. She will focus on awareness, risk factors, prevention, and symptomology of the disease. Dr. Szantyr is a board certified internist and pediatrician who has spent several years researching and educating about Lyme disease in New England. Lyme disease is the #1 vector borne disease in Maine and the United States!

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that causes a rash and flu symptoms, and can affect the joints, heart, and nervous system. Lyme disease was first recognized in 1975 after a cluster of arthritis cases appeared in rural communities surrounding Lyme, Connecticut. Cases have now been diagnosed throughout the US and Europe, with particular concentrations in New England and the Middle Atlantic states. Lyme disease can usually be cured with antibiotics, especially in the early stages.

Lyme disease is transmitted from bacteria carried by ticks. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, the spiral-shaped bacteria that are carried by Ixodes ticks. Humans can be infected when bitten by infected Ixodes ticks, which are associated with white-tailed deer and the white-footed mouse. People who live or work in areas surrounded by woods or overgrown brush, and those who visit natural areas for recreational purposes are at greatest risk for acquiring Lyme disease. In the U.S., ticks thrive during the warm-weather months of April through September. Ticks favor the moist, shaded environment provided in leaf litter or low-lying vegetation in wooded, brushy, or overgrown grassy habitats.

After being outdoors, inspect yourself for ticks. Adult ticks that transmit Lyme disease are not much larger than a pinhead. Biting ticks in the nymphal stage are even smaller. They tend to hide in protected areas, such as the scalp, groin, or armpits. If you find a tick, remove it properly. Take a shower, and use a washcloth to dislodge unattached ticks from your skin (it takes several hours for the tick to attach once it lands on the skin). If you find an attached tick, try to grasp its head with fine tweezers, and remove the entire tick without crushing it. Wash the affected area and your hands afterwards. If there are parts of the mouth remaining in the skin, leave them alone, disinfect the skin, and wait for the parts to be expelled naturally. Lyme disease is most easily diagnosed if the characteristic rash appears. Your doctor will look for a characteristic rash of at least 5 cm, especially if you know that you were exposed to a tick. Unfortunately, sometimes the rash does not appear, or may pass unnoticed.

According to the PDR website (Physicians Desk Reference), laboratory tests can be helpful in confirming a diagnosis. It may be necessary for a doctor to examine bacteria from your rash to make a diagnosis. Unfortunately, making a definitive diagnosis in this way is problematic in later stages after the rash has cleared, or for those who never develop a rash. Lyme disease is usually completely curable, especially when treated in its early stages. Patients usually get well rapidly and completely. When treated in later stages, most patients do recover, but it may take longer and can occasionally require another course of oral or intravenous antibiotics. A small percentage of such patients continue to have persisting joint or neurological problems despite extended treatment.

A bout with Lyme disease does not protect against reinfection from another tick bite. If you continue to live, work, or visit outdoor areas where ticks live, ask your doctor about whether you would be a good candidate for the Lyme disease vaccine. Find out the latest information on Lyme disease in Maine and how you can learn to work and play in our wonderful environment safely at the Camden Public Library on May 1.

Tick season brings Lyme disease fears

The warm weather we've all been waiting for is arriving, and people won't be the only ones stretching their legs this weekend.

The tick season is upon us, and health officials are urging residents to take precautions to minimize exposure to the insects, which can carry Lyme disease and other illnesses.

The Lake County Health Department and the Lake County Forest Preserve District have initiated a tick survey to get a grasp on the prevalence of deer ticks, the species that can carry Lyme disease, in Lake County.

Mike Adam, senior biologist with the Health Department, said that past surveys have never turned up a tick infected with Lyme disease in Lake County, but the discovery of two deer ticks by forest preserve employees last year led to a call for a new survey.

"This is the time of year when ticks will be most active, looking for a blood meal," Adam said. "I think people should take precautions. Just being aware of it for yourself and your family."

Adam said have been 34 reported cases of Lyme disease involving Lake County residents over the past 10 years, but it isn't clear how many of them, if any, picked up the disease locally.

There are two species of ticks in Lake County, the American dog tick and the deer tick. Dog ticks are one-quarter-inch long as adults, much smaller as juveniles, and are dark reddish-brown with irregular silvery patterns on their back. Dog ticks do not carry Lyme disease. This species is the most common tick found throughout Illinois.

Deer ticks are much smaller, about one-eighth-inch as adults. These ticks are dark brown to bright red, have black legs and are rare in Lake County. Deer ticks can carry Lyme disease.

Symptoms of Lyme disease may include one or multiple "bull's-eye" rash or lesions (generally seven to 14 days after the tick has consumed a blood meal) accompanied by fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and/or joint aches. If you experience any of the signs or symptoms seven days or more following a known tick bite, you should consult your physician and explain that you were bitten by a tick.

Warning About Ticks and Lyme Disease in Bay Area

The threat of ticks and Lyme Disease has grown in the Bay Area with the spring weather we're experiencing, according to the California Department of Health.

Health officials are most concerned with the tiny Western Black tick nymph, said health department spokeswoman Ann Kjemtrup.

The nymph is about the size of a sesame seed and is found in the wooded areas in Alameda, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties.

"Where people might encounter them is sitting on logs, for example, carrying firewood," said Kjemtrup. "And when you sit on them or pick up firewood, these little guys can then attach to you."

These ticks carry bacteria responsible for Lyme disease which is a treatable disease characterized by flu-like symptoms and fatigue.

Kjemtrup advised that people headed into wooded areas protect themselves by wearing long sleeve shirts and longs pants and by using insect repellent containing DEET.

What happens if you do end up with a tick bite?

"Get a small pair of tweezers and go right down to the mouth part where the tick is attached to the skin, almost grabbing a little piece of your skin at the same time," said Kjemtrup. "Pull gently and firmly straight out."

Watch the bite area for at least three days. If you develop a rash in the bite area, see a doctor.

Why Crohns Disease And Nutrition Go Hand In Hand

The biggest problem caused by Crohns disease the impaired function of the digestive system. Because most cases of this condition begin within the intestines, the body is unable, at times, to pull what it needs from the foods you eat each day. There are many times whenCrohns disease and nutrition supplements, along with diets and stress relief go hand in hand.

When the body is not getting what it needs, it begins to rely on the fat stores for what it requires. Crohns s...

Gluten Free Oats becoming successful business for local family

Oatmeal, bread, and flour are all things that we enjoy and take for granted, but for people with Celiac Disease all these foods and food products cannot be digested because the ramifications of eating these could cause abdominal pain, bone and joint pain, fatigue, anemia, or something even worse. The cause of this is Gluten, which is an amino acid that is found in rye, wheat, and barley. It affects the intestines of one out of one-hundred and thirty-three people that are allergic to it. Before, people with Celiac Disease had only one option and that was to eat a gluten free diet, but one entrepreneur who suffers from the disease had had enough and set out to correct the problem.

Forrest Smith was just a freshman when he received a project from the Future Farmers of America and this was to start up his own business. Armed with a small loan, he set out researching a business that could be started using what he had. After relentlessly researching business ideas, which Forrest assured me was the hardest part, he decided to start a business selling gluten free oats around the Powell area because there was no one selling this product except for a small business that was located in Canada. Even after the project was over Forrest and his parents, who also both suffer from Celiac Disease, continued his business all the while expanding it. Today, Forrest and his parents ship their product all around the U.S., a little in Canada, and they even had an order from Taiwan. Now he and his parents are learning to ship internationally and the only problem with this is that the shipping costs are too high.

In Gluten Free Oats, Forrest’s business, his parents are part owners of the business because at the time Forrest was too young to take out the loans needed to run and maintain the business. Forrest also said that he continued to start up the business because his father always had the saying “mind over muscle,” which means that being the manager of a business is better than working for one. Gluten free oats are actually just plain oats with the exception that the oats with gluten receive it from the wheat, rye, and barley they are grown next to. Farmers grow oats next to the plants because it is cheaper, but in raising gluten free oats the oats have to be raised separately and harvested with inspected machines that have not been used to harvest anything other than the oats. This is because the machines will transfer other seeds and plant parts to the oats.

Forrest’s business has sparked interest amongst the public, and he has appeared in several newspaper and magazine articles. The most recent publication Forrest has appeared in was an agricultural magazine called “Out Here” in which he talks about his business and his disease. He has also appeared in articles in the Cody Enterprise, The Powell Tribune, and the Billings Gazette.

Diet cause of common disorders

Unexplained weight loss, diarrhoea, iron and folic acid deficiencies are often ignored as common medical symptoms. However, the next time you experience one or more of these, scan your diet, because it could well be Celiac Disease you are suffering from.

You’re not alone if you feel ill or fatigued after eating wheat, rye, barley, and oat products. Millions around the globe become breathless, fatigued, have stomach upsets or intestinal problems since they are sensitive to gluten, a protein found in these cereals.

The incidence of this malabsorption syndrome or Celiac Disease, a life-long condition accompanied by a wide range of symptoms, is on the rise in Calcutta, warn doctors and dietary experts. The fact that many may have latent disease with absence of frank symptoms further complicates matters, they say.

“Celiac Disease is no longer a problem typical of the West and is manifesting itself in a large section of the wheat-eating Indian population. The prevalence is growing in Calcutta too, with anaemia and growth retardation often the two tell-tale symptoms,” says Mahesh Goenka, head, gastroenterology, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals.

The condition damages the lining of the small bowel, which affects the absorption of food. A gluten-free diet is the only long-term treatment for Celiac Disease, confirms nutritional therapist Prithpal Singh. Complete removal of gluten from the diet allows the gut to recover to normal over a period of time, he adds.

Since obvious symptoms or damage may not occur at the exact time of consumption, there are lots of people allergic to wheat/gluten and hence, keep unwell, but are not aware of their allergies, observes dermatologist and allergy specialist Sachin Varma.

While an initial serological screening can be performed to identify Celiac Disease, an endoscopy and biopsy would be required to confirm the finding, declares Goenka.

Even as gluten intolerance is reported to be on the rise, the good news is availability of food alternatives on Calcutta’s retail racks claiming to be free of wheat, gluten, dairy, lactose, casein, yeast and even egg.

“Now, there are brands like Orgran, which produces a comprehensive range of natural gluten-free foods,” says Deepak Saraf of Health Shoppe, “India’s first one-stop, self-help alternate-care” store. The Rowland Road outlet offers alternatives like grain pasta, crumbs and crispbreads.

Food allergy is caused when the immune system “mistakes the proteins in food as a dangerous substance” and produces antibodies to fight it, triggering a reaction to that particular food, according to alternative food expert Sunira Chamaria of Sunira Food Products. The company’s Heal’thySelf range is “devoid of allergens as far as possible”.

Ashburn woman dedicates self to getting information to celiac disease patients.

When Ashburn resident Genevieve Hneich was diagnosed with celiac disease four years ago, she did not sink down into depression, she did not wonder "why me?" Instead she began doing research on her disease and became armed with information.
"My way of coping was to learn as much as I could about celiac," she said.

New Disease, New Challenges
Ashburn woman dedicates self to getting information to celiac disease patients.
By Erika Jacobson
April 11, 2007

For More Information
To learn more about celiac disease, its symptoms and efforts to create awareness, visit www.celiaccentral.com.


Photo by Erika Jacobson/The Connection
Amanda Davis, left, and Genevieve Hneich run a focus group for people living on a gluten-free diet.

When Ashburn resident Genevieve Hneich was diagnosed with celiac disease four years ago, she did not sink down into depression, she did not wonder "why me?" Instead she began doing research on her disease and became armed with information.
"My way of coping was to learn as much as I could about celiac," she said.
Now the Venezuela native is doing what she can to pass the information on to those who need it. As a master's candidate in George Washington University's public-health program, Hneich is specializing in health promotion, learning how to implement health plans and increase patient advocacy in the medical profession.
"I want to help people," she said. "I want to work with people," she said.

CELIAC DISEASE is a genetic digestive disease that damages the small intestine and makes it difficult for the board to absorb nutrients from food. Patients with celiac disease cannot properly process a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye and barley. When they eat foods with gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine and the tiny, fingerlike protrusions on the lining of the small intestine, called villi, are destroyed. Because villi absorb nutrients from food into the blood stream, celiac patients become malnourished even while eating normal amounts of food.
"I remember the first time I had to call Starbucks and make sure their soy milk was gluten free," Hneich said. "You really have to decipher the labels of everything you eat."
Hneich said celiac disease is one of the most misdiagnosed diseases. Symptoms can appear to resemble everything from Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis to irritable bowel syndrome, which was Hneich's first diagnosis.
"All the symptoms a very easy to confuse with something else," she said. "You can also be asymptomatic"

ONE OF THE biggest problems facing celiac patients today is the lack of information available to them, Vanessa Maltin, director of outreach and programming for The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, said.
Approximately 2.2 million people across the country have been diagnosed with the disease, with another 500,000 expected to be diagnosed within the next five years as awareness rises.
Maltin said some of the reasons doctors do not think to test patients for celiac disease is that they are not very familiar with the disease. Maltin said raising awareness can be as simple as going to doctors' offices to leave brochures.
"A majority of cases being diagnosed is patients going to their doctors and asking to be tested," she said.
The reason behind the lack of information available to medical professionals could be the fact that there is no real medical research going on to find a cure.
"There is no pharmacy behind the disease," Maltin said. "There is no pill I can take to get better. Gluten free food is my medicine."

TO HELP RAISE awareness, Hneich is dedicating every part of her graduate work to celiac disease.
"Every time I can get celiac involved in a class project, I do it," she said. "I would like to really use [my work] because I feel like it is needed."
In her public-health marketing class, Hneich is coming up with a strategic plan to get information to health-care professionals at George Washington University's hospital. Hneich is working on a grant for the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness for her class in planning and implementing health promotion programs. The grant would provide funding to implement programs to teach health-care professionals about the disease. In her qualitative methods class, she is running two focus groups for local people who are living on a gluten-free diet. In the focus groups Hneich is trying to get a feel for where patients get their information, where they shop for food, what local resources they use and how their lives have changed since going gluten free.
"Even after a patient is diagnosed, resources are really limited," Maltin said. "It can be very hard for new patients."
Hneich's partner in two of her projects, Amanda Davis, a dietician also in George Washington's health promotion program, said she joined Hneich's projects because she knows how hard it is for someone without the disease to help a celiac patient.
"As a dietician I can see there is big need for information," Davis said. "I only had about two hours of training on it. It was when I got my first celiac patient that I had to do all the footwork to find out what it really was."

HNEICH SAID it can be difficult to get people unfamiliar with the disease to take her seriously.
"Sometimes I feel like people are thinking I just came up with a new disease," she said.
With all of the struggles to get information about celiac disease to the people that need it, Hneich said her work has also helped her come to peace with her own diagnosis.
"We study a lot of theory, which helps me understand why I would want to cheat on my diet, even though I know what effects it would have on me," she said. "I understand why people work the way they work."
Nowadays, Hneich said food rules her life, between making sure she always has something with her that she can eat, to having to plan ahead of time in order to eat at a restaurant or shopping for food.
"I am constantly thinking about food, I am always thinking about it," she said. "For me food is a must. But I learned you can be in complete health if you learn to stick to your diet and you take charge and learn about it."
It is her own experience that gives Hneich the motivation to keep working on raising awareness and making sure information is out there for newly diagnosed patients.
"I know now that this is what I am supposed to do with my life," she said.

Celiac Disease : A Hidden Epidemic

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects nearly one in every hundred people. Unfortunately, 97 percent remain undiagnosed and untreated. They continue to suffer from gastrointestinal complaints, fatigue, headaches, joint pain, anemia, and itchy skin conditions -- to name just a few of the symptoms. These people consult numerous doctors, who prescribe drugs and diets that may alleviate some symptoms, but rarely work for long. If you are one of these people, the real answer to your medical problems may lie in this book.

Celiac disease is a hereditary condition that damages the lining of the small intestine so that it cannot properly absorb the food that you eat. Without essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrition, the entire body begins to suffer. Because of its autoimmune nature it also sets off reactions that reverberate throughout all the organs of the body. This is a disease that you do not outgrow -- it often returns years later with more significant symptoms. The true medical impact of celiac disease is just beginning to emerge. This is the first authoritative guide on how the condition is properly diagnosed, treated, and managed. It examines the latest research into its many manifestations, with chapters devoted to each complication and to related diseases. These include infertility, other autoimmune conditions (for example, type 1 diabetes and thyroid disease), peripheral neuropathy, liver disease, and even cancer. It also devotes an entire section to coping with the psychological aspects of a chronic illness and the gluten-free diet. This "inside-out" examination and explanation of the disease is a must-read for both patients and the medical community.
> read full review at Amazon.com

Curiously Scrumptious Cookies for People with Diabetes and Celiac Disease

Curious Cookie makes some really good cookies. I had intended to eat one while writing this review, but curiously, there were none left. The staff had eaten the entire sample pack.

The cookies are concocted with pure, natural ingredients like Madagascar vanilla and Bavarian chocolate, but without trans fats, chemicals, genetically modified ingredients, or preservatives. In short, they have lots of good stuff and none of the bad stuff, a rare combination indeed.

As a thoughtful gesture for those of us who tend toward gluttony, Curious Cookies are individually wrapped, thereby encouraging us to eat one cookie at a time rather than an entire box at one sitting.

There are two special cookie lines, one for people with diabetes and one for people with celiac disease.

Suitable for people with diabetes are the sugar-free, low carbohydrate cookies made with Splenda, which have only 11 to 13 grams of carb per cookie. They come in flavors of Coconut, Ginger, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Macadamia Nut and Mocha Chocolate. Calories counts range from about 120 to 130 per cookie; (They’re not fat-free, that’s for sure.)

For people with celiac disease, the gluten-free line is also lactose- and casein-free. These cookies are available in Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Lemon Chocolate Chip, Ginger Cranberry and Chocolate Chip, and have about 21 to 22 grams of carb per cookie. Calorie counts range from about 140 to 170.

Children’s Hospital and Senior Centers Embrace Gifted Lady's Gift Basket Donation Program

The Gifted Lady Gift Basket Donation Program is in it’s infancy but Ramona resident, Kimberly Yow, says it’s off to a great start! The program benefits Seniors and Children. So far, Kimberly has contacted three San Diego County care facilities to coordinate delivery of anticipated donations. All three care centers; Rady Children’s Hospital, Ramona Senior Center and the Poway Senior Center, have embraced the donation program and are welcoming donations with open arms.

The gift basket donation program was originally set up for the benefit of Seniors utilizing Senior Centers and for Seriously Ill Children. The program was just expanded to also accept donations of plush animals for displaced children that are awaiting placement in a foster home. Kimberly says, “an unexpected gift really can mean a lot to a Senior or Sick Child that needs cheering up or to a Displaced Child that is scared and confused”.

Donations can be ordered through special sections on GiftedLady.com titled “Donations for Seniors” and “Donations for Children”. These sections include hand selected food gift baskets and plush animals that are appropriate for donating to a child or senior center program. Once your donation order is placed, Gifted Lady contacts the donation center of your choice to coordinate delivery and ensure that your gift is received by the intended department. Donations can be shipped anywhere in the 50 United States and it is Gifted Lady’s goal to touch thousands of seniors and children across the nation with a gift that delivers a Smile and Ray of Hope!

Gifted Lady Gift Baskets personally donates within their community and they also donate to your donation efforts by offering the items on their website at a reduced price. Kimberly says she believes that everyone truly likes to give to others and this will make it more affordable and easier for people to do so.

To find out more about this Nationwide Gift Basket Donation Program or to “Send A Smile” to someone that could use some cheering up or comfort, visit www.giftedlady.com/donation.php or contact Kimberly Yow, Gifted Lady Gift Baskets, P O Box 3882, Ramona, CA 92065, 760-788-8114 or 800-836-9322.

About "Gifted Lady" Gift Baskets and Greeting Cards!
We Provide Gift Baskets with a "Wow" Factor That Will Make Any Recipient Smile! Whether you're looking to send a personal gift or a 'corporate' style gift to a client or business contact, Gifted Lady has what you need. Our wonderful Gift Basket Donation Program gives you reduced pricing on gift baskets that are donated to Senior Centers, Sick Children and Displaced Children. With our awesome greeting card service you can customize a card online and it will be printed, stuffed & mailed by someone else! It’s a great system that helps you increase your referrals by keeping you connected with prospects and clients.

At Gifted Lady our specialty is helping you stay in touch with friends, family & business contacts and Helping You Make People Smile! We'd love to hear from you & help you too!

New Ways to Express Your Condolences

Mourners in every faith appreciate the thoughts, prayers and condolences of family, friends and colleagues. A desire to pay respects and offer condolences in an appropriate way has lead many people to use the Internet for this information. The Challah Connection, an online purveyor of kosher sympathy gift baskets, offers several new gift baskets that help friends, family and colleagues express their condolences to Jewish friends and family.


New Ways to Express Your Condolences

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The Challah Connection, an online purveyor of kosher sympathy gift baskets, offers several new gift baskets that help friends, family and colleagues express their condolences to Jewish friends and family.

Westport, CT (PRWEB) April 23, 2007 -- Mourners in every faith appreciate the thoughts, prayers and condolences of family, friends and colleagues. A desire to pay respects and offer condolences in an appropriate way has lead many people to use the Internet for this information. The Challah Connection, an online purveyor of kosher sympathy gift baskets, offers several new gift baskets that help friends, family and colleagues express their condolences to Jewish friends and family.

"When my friend's grandmother passed away, I wanted to send a sympathy basket or something to his family to let them know that I was thinking of them at their time of loss," Robert Melillo, 35, Brooklyn, NY explains. "Since his family is Jewish, I wanted to make sure I didn't send something inappropriate or send it at an inappropriate time."

Men and women around the nation are faced with this dilemma nearly daily. The desire to learn more about the Jewish customs pertaining to mourning, the burying of the deceased and the Shiva period has lead many to turn to the Internet for information.

"It is heart-warming to see so many of our clients turning to us for guidance when buying sympathy baskets," Jane Moritz, owner, Challah Connection, explains. "We have added a good deal of information on our website about the Jewish mourning tradition and continue to add more. We take the time to help clients choose the right sentiment in a gift card, or answer any questions they have about the Jewish traditions for burial and Shiva, as well as other Jewish customs."

In fact, The Challah Connection has obtained a reputation for helping people send appropriate sympathy gift baskets and kosher food gifts to families during the Shiva period (the seven day mourning period in the Jewish faith). The website's ability to help people learn more about the Jewish traditions of mourning, coupled with the ability to order appropriate items to pay respects has helped the company build a loyal following.

"It's nice to see a company that isn't just out to make a quick buck. I think it's great when a company is willing to contact you and alter or cancel an order if the effect of the order is inappropriate for its intended purpose, that's just great," Melillo explains. "I buy great sympathy baskets from the site regardless of religion, their baskets are always just the right sentiment."

Everyone is faced with loss in their family and in the families of friends, loved ones and colleagues. The ability to go online to find information on how to properly respect the memory of the deceased and his or her family has put many minds at ease during a difficult time.

About The Challah Connection
The Challah Connection, based in Westport CT, is a leading online provider of kosher gift baskets for all occasions including sympathy, holiday, birthday and more.

With an emphasis on quality -- both in the goods produced and in every aspect of customer service -- The Challah Connection has become a premier provider of kosher gift baskets, gifts and baked goods.

Ideal gifts for those who keep kosher and for anyone who values high quality baked goods and other treats, the creations of The Challah Connection are appropriate for all occasions.

Fast, on-time delivery and attention to detail in presentation has built a loyal customer base around the world.

Town rallies behind family of transplant recipient

Ever since community members heard York High School senior Jason Durkin required a bone marrow transplant after being diagnosed with aplastic anemia, they have rallied behind him.

Hundreds turned out to a local bone marrow drive in January, while students from his class donated the proceeds from a school dance to pay for some who wanted to register at the drive.

"Everybody has done everything that they possibly can," Mike Durkin, Jason's father, said Sunday. "I don't think the community support could be any better."

Jason received his transplant on March 30 from a donor who lives in Europe.

Yet, as Jason was transferred this weekend from Children's Hospital of Boston to the Ronald McDonald House for an expected stay of 10 days to two weeks, community members once again are rallying.

York resident Dwyer Vessey, who is the wife of Mike Vessey, Jason's high school hockey coach, has been heading the "Durkin Family May Basket."

Armed with a four-page "wish" list, Vessey and other volunteers, such as parent Jean Quinn, have been pulling together gift certificates from area businesses and individuals for the Durkin family to use during Jason's recovery.

It is expected Jason will be on social restrictions — or limited contact with people — for six to nine months. During that time, community members would like to provide a few extras for the family — from a few nights out to specials on dining in.

The plan is to present the basket the first week of May — with gift certificates and gift cards for lawn mowing, take-out food, cooking and the like.

"People just want to do what they can," Quinn said. "They want to help in any way they are able."

Vessey has set up the drive, which is accessible through her own e-mail or through a Web site that allows friends and family to monitor Jason's progress.

"People have gone above and beyond for us," Durkin said. "And fortunately we've been able to keep working."

Durkin and his wife, Sharon, have each taken turns working a different half of the week and staying in York with their other two children, Chris and Lauren, while the other parent stays with Jason.

"Now there's really nothing people can do," he said. "Continued prayers would be great."

But many want to do even more — as evidenced by the growing May Day basket.

This might be the start of a street food revolution.

Toronto City Councillor John Filion's first move to bring more ethnically diverse street food to Toronto may sound like a grander version of Taste of the Danforth.

But behind that festive plan are some high-profile chefs who have joined Filion in turning up the heat on the enemy – provincial food regulations that date from 1984.

"This city is trying to be world class, but on this subject we are so ghetto," Guy Rubino, executive chef at the restaurant Rain, told the Toronto board of health Monday.

Filion got the board's approval to ask the province to consider changing its rules to allow more variety on the street. He has also approved a plan to hold a special event or two this summer that would showcase the possibilities for Toronto street food.

Mobile food preparation premises, which include vending carts and burger and chip wagons, must meet restaurant standards, plus added requirements.

Where a cart vendor trying to serve empanadas or falafels runs into trouble is a subsection that says "food shall be prepared within the premises and served to the public by persons working within the premises."

Basically, you can't prepare anything outdoors – at a vending cart – except "where food preparation is limited to the reheating of pre-cooked meat products in the form of wieners or similar sausage products to be served on a bun."

Those regulations baffle these six chefs, who have tasted everything from frog legs porridge to dog meat stew in their travels around the world.

The Star asked them to carve out their plan for improving Toronto's street food.

Pat Riley, 41 - Chef at Perigee Restaurant
With a Lebanese mother and a Canadian diplomat father, Pat Riley hopped around the world — Singapore, Colombia and England — before settling into Toronto.
No wonder he’s taken with the idea of a food scene where you don’t have to settle down to eat.

“In Singapore, in the day time they don’t even stop to eat,” Riley says. “They grab something here, they grab something there.
“We can only ever get better here when we have more types of choice.”

Riley thinks vendors would help keep people moving to see Toronto’s sights. He believes tourists now are disappointed with what they find on Toronto’s streets.
“We have a lot of people coming here for tourism and I think it’s a big let down when you’re walking around and all you can get is a hot dog,” he says. “People view us as a very kind of distinguished city, I think, and we don’t have (street food) to match it.”

Kibbeh, minced lamb stuffed inside a bulgur pastry, is a common food in Lebanon that Riley says would be great tasting and easy to carry if provincial regulations were changed.

He thinks standards should be maintained, like those set for restaurants that regulate the storage and handling of food, but laws should be opened up to allow more than just weiners and sausages be sold.

“I think the mechanism for delivering the thing is not what’s important, as long as it’s monitored,” he says. “When it becomes available you’ll see all kinds of people rush to do it. There’ll be good and bad things like there always are, but there’ll be more variety for sure.”

Favourite Street Eat: Grilled Kibbeh. Considered to be Lebanon’s national dish. Ground lamb meat, peppers and onions mixed with bulgur wheat, a pinch of ground cinammon and chopped parsley, flattened into a 2’ ball and stuffed with a date and pine nut mix.


Susur Lee, 49 - Chef/owner Susur and Lee
It was crunchy and salty, like popcorn.

But a giant black beetle isn’t exactly what Susur Lee considers great theatre fare.

But this was Thailand, and Lee just had to try the fried beetles, next to a bucket of fried worms and other insects.

“It’s not like I woke up in the middle of the night needing another one,” says the Hong Kong native.

That’s the strangest street food Lee ever tasted, but he’s also been smitten by fried stingray in chili sauce on a banana leaf in Singapore. In Toronto, Lee says he’s concerned that his teenage boys have no healthy options if they’re looking for a quick bite on the street.

“In my mind I say, `Street food? It’s junk food,’” Lee says. “You want to serve street food, it has to be good and clean food.”

He’d put slow-cooked vegetables on the streets, along with fresh sandwiches and Asian salads. But he’s really excited to see what vendors might do.

Toronto’s street food has the potential to be internationally recognized, he says.

“Every city in the world, they should have something to highlight what they have,” Lee says. “Paris, you’ve got fashion, you’ve got perfume.

“Every city has its specialty of highlights and I think Toronto should have that too.”

Whatever the changes, Lee says they must be done with the environment in mind. He favours street foods that don’t require much packaging.

Favourite street eat: Grilled skate (young stingray) on a banana leaf in Singapore. This seafood is served with a spicy sauce that includes hot red bird’s eye peppers, calamansi limes, shallots and dried shrimp paste.


Didier Leroy, 51 - Chef/owner Didier Restaurant
The first hot dog Didier Leroy tasted was also the last.


“The relish, I think, is very disgusting,” says the French-born chef. Leroy says he’s prepared to stand on the front lines to bring Toronto more diverse street eats.


If the provincial regulations change, Didier says he’d set a crepe cart out front of his restaurant. Passersby might even get their ham and cheese crepe served to them by Leroy himself.


“I think this is a part of the show,” he says. “I think the idea is for people to see us doing something like that, to attract them. To show them that for good and healthy (food), the chefs, they are co-operating.”


Crepes, he says, “can feed you but you don’t have to become fat with it.”


Leroy, who came to Toronto from his home country of France 20 years ago, says opening up Toronto’s street food is a chance to not only showcase the city’s culture but also to show off made-in-Ontario produce.


In France you can get fresh-squeezed fruit juice from local producers, he says. “We live here and what we want is to promote the produce we have here.”


Favourite street eat: Crepes. Served around France, a crêpe complète containing ham, shredded cheese, and an egg provides a filling, nutritious lunch. Sweet tooths will go for dessert crepes with fruit or chocolate.


Chris McDonald, 49 - Chef/owner Cava
A hot dog is “perfect street food,” says Chris McDonald, a mustard squirt of irony in his tone.


After all, it can be eaten standing up, held in one hand and it leaves no mess behind.


“But it’s limited,” McDonald says, “when you can take a plane and fly for an hour or less to New York and get anything you want on the street.”


McDonald, who worked as a chef in Mexico for two years, says healthier choices such as tacos or shishkabobs wrapped in a bun could spice up the city’s street life and heat up its tourism industry.


“It would better reflect the multicultural mosaic that we have here, which is evident in the markets, but not on the street,” McDonald says. “We are very impoverished, from a tourism level, here.
“I’ve been in the restaurant business for 25 years and compared to Montreal, for instance, there’s not really a lively street scene here. And I think when there’s street food ..... it means people stop and linger.”


McDonald supports thorough inspections of vendors selling these new foods, but he says that with ice or a refrigerator at a cart, “I don’t see it as a safety issue any more than there’s a safety issue in restaurants.”


There are lots of tasty drinks McDonald had in Mexico that he thinks could be a hit here, such as horchata, a rice drink blended with sugar and cinnamon. But he says a Corona would suit him just fine. “I would love to see a future where on a hot summer day in Toronto in Nathan Phillips Square, for instance, you could get marinated ceviche and a chilled beer. ”


Favourite street eat: Anticuchos. These spicy skewered kebabs, made with beef hearts, squab hearts, a lean leg of venison or in a vegetarian version, are sold from push carts throughout Peru.
Guy Rubino, 39 - Chef/owner Rain restaurant

At a night market in Hong Kong, Guy Rubino held a lacquered duck head while a street vendor and his family watched with eager anticipation.

"I took it and I looked at it, and said `Oh my God, this is it,'" Rubino said. "I bit into it and it was really good. You bite it like it's corn on the cob."

Rubino, who co-hosts the Food Network show Made to Order with brother Michael, has been among the most vocal advocates for diverse street food.

His show has taken him across Asia, where the street-food markets are vibrant. Rubino says Toronto could be like that, with people out walking and enjoying the city instead of making a beeline to their destination.

"All I'm really hoping for is we see the beautiful diversity of what our culture in Toronto is about," says Rubino. "If we just lift this stupid law, you'll see what Toronto is made of."

He envisions a system where street food is made from scratch in a kitchen and kept warm at the vending cart until it's served.

In Singapore, "in most cases the stalls are so small it is impossible to do it on-site. The idea is you get a home-cooked meal on the fly ... served on the street. That is why this is so exciting; if this law changes we could have the same opportunity."

Rubino says the vendors and consumers would share a sense of pride in the city.

In Asia, street vendors are characters, the purchase of their food a "humane and connecting exchange."

"They're proud of what they do, as opposed to walking up to a hot dog stand and ... guy just hands it to you, you exchange the money, put on your condiments and walk away."

Favourite street eat: Red Snapper Fish Curry Singapore style. The snapper fillets are cooked on a skillet in a complex coconut-milk sauce with mussels and mangosteens.