Photo by Flickr User west.m

A short piece of news last week, one with a lasting effect on the web, was an attempted  social media campaign by McDonald’s, which has now been dubbed the #McFail. McDonald’s took advantage of the social network Twitter’s promoted tweet program, where companies can pay to have branded blurbs running amongst organic content.

Seems like an easy thing for marketers to adopt. However, McDonald’s program didn’t exactly go as planned. when their hashtag, #McDStories, were used against them. The fast-food conglomerate had intended to tell happy, wholesome stories about how their food is made, but Twitter users had other ideas in mind, posting comments about heart attacks and well, the benefits of McDonald’s while under the influence. For example, a tweet from @PETA encouraged McDonald’s to come back with:

That posting is absolutely FALSE McNuggets are NOT made from mechanically separated chicken. Only USDA inspected white meat.

Whoops. McDonald’s original tweet, “When u make something w/pride, people can taste it,” can still be seen at the top of the hashtag results page, however, that position is a benefit of being a “Top Tweet,” which may not be a title McDonald’s necessarily wants anymore. Top Tweets become so based on an algorithm created by Twitter based on extremely high engagement when people do a search for a term, in this case #McDStories, most likely to see the humorous non-sponsored Tweets circulating.

I guess next time, if you’re a company which is a “lightening rod in the first place,” it might be best to just make a commercial next time.

By Flickr User Sarah_Ackerman

There’s nothing quite like sitting down at a nice Thai or Japanese restaurant and sipping on a warm bowl of miso soup. It’s equally nice to enjoy this dish from the comforts of your own home, especially on a rainy or sick day when you want nothing more than to be curled up in sweatpants with a movie or a good book. Unfortunately, miso can often be misleadingly made with a soup base called dashi, which is a mixture of water, dried seaweed and fish flakes.

The good news is that this simple and delicious comfort food can be recreated as a vegan soup with very little effort. Typically,  pair the soup with a nice, fresh Asian salad or vegan lettuce wraps.

When you’re feeling the blues or needing a little pick-me-up, just go to your fridge and use whatever vegetables and protein products you have on hand to fuel your miso.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Silken tofu, or whatever tofu you have on hand. Silken makes the miso more closely resemble the restaurant-style dish
• 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
• ¾ c. green onions, chopped
• 6 medium-large white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 TB miso paste. South River organic sweet white miso paste is one that can last for decades in your refrigerator.
• 2 large vegan bouillon cubes or 2 TB Better Than Bouillon paste. Follow instructions on container.
• 1 dash sea salt
• 4 – 6 c. water

First, slice your vegetables. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you like. Celery works well, as does seaweed, or any variety of mushroom.

Drain your tofu and cut into tiny cubes.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Once your water is boiling, dissolve the miso paste in the water. Stir.

Add your vegetable broth or vegan bouillon. Stir.

Add carrots and/or other vegetables (not your green onions or mushrooms) and let all the ingredients reach a full boil again. This will soften your vegetables. Once your miso is to this point, bring to a simmer.

Just a couple of minutes before serving, add the green onions. sea salt, and mushrooms.

Then add the tofu.

Let ingredients cook for 2 -3 minutes to allow the flavors to mix together, and serve!

Makes 4 – 6 bowls.

Photo by Flickr User marcn

A year ago, Bill Clinton made headlines for his “almost vegan” diet. Now, he is in the spotlight again for his diet, claiming he is now 100 percent vegan.

PETA’s “Person of the Year” appears to be living up to his title by sharing his message about the health benefits of a vegan diet.

“I had played Russian roulette because even though I had changed my diet some and cut down on the caloric total of my ingestion and cut back on much of the cholesterol in the food I was eating,” Clinton said, according to the Boston Herald. “I still – without any scientific basis to support what I did – was taking in a lot of extra cholesterol without knowing it. So that’s when I made a decision to really change.”

Some studies have shown that vegans have a lower risk for developing diseases like cancer, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Bill Clinton not only wants to improve his own health but also the health of others. The Clinton Foundation has teamed up with the American Heart Association to provide better school lunches and promote exercise.

Egoscue is a natural method to treat chronic pain that is increasing in popularity across the country. The treatment of pain by this method is based on the belief that the chronic pain you are experiencing now is likely the result of a series of small events that occurred throughout your lifetime.

History

Pete Egoscue founded The Egoscue Method (also known as the “Pain Free” method) in the early 1970s. Pete had been injured badly in Vietnam while serving in the Marines. Doctors and medical experts were unable to alleviate his chronic, persistent pain. Pete’s motivation to treat himself came when a fellow soldier said those in the medical ward “either get better or die.” Pete knew the basics of anatomy and physiology, but he consulted Grey’s Anatomy to obtain a full understanding. In fact, he read the entire medical book several times through. What he discovered is that pain and posture and strongly related and that the site of the pain is not always the source of the problem. For example, a chronic shoulder problem may be caused by a posture imbalance in the hips. Many traditional medical fields will focus on x-rays and physical therapy just of the shoulders.

When Pete treated his own injuries, he developed The Egoscue Method Clinic in San Diego, California where he treats patients and teaches others to become Egoscue Specialists.

Theory

Egoscue is designed to treat musculoskeletal pain without drugs or surgery. It was designed with three principles in mind.

1. Muscles move bones. Bones do not move muscles.

2. The body is a unit. Everything works together. If you sprain your ankle, you whole body is affected, but just your foot.

3. How well the four load-bearing joints of your body (shoulders, hips, knees and ankles) line up vertically and horizontally will determine how well your body weathers the aging process.

After a postural assessment, Egoscue treatment includes a set of gentle exercises that are meant to realign any areas out of alignment. The specific exercises will vary depending on each individual’s body alignment.

Photo by Flickr User Slagerman

For years natural health enthusiasts and environmentalists everywhere have griped about government food subsidies. It seems that now the knowledge has caught on with the general public. From articles in the Washington Post to this week’s story on Salon.com, the media is getting the word out that government subsidies are not helping the American people, and in fact, they are dramatically hurting our health.

According to the Salon.com article, “the tale of the American diet is a story of the worst form of corporatism — the kind whereby the government uses public monies to protect private profit.”

Billions of taxpayer dollars are used to subsidize specific commodities, such as corn, soybeans, wheat and dairy. These are some of the primary ingredients in unhealthy junk food. Thus, critics argue, federal subsidies help keep unhealthy foods cheaper than healthy options.

Ever wonder why food products are making the shift from sugar to high fructose corn syrup? Over the past decade, more than $50 billion federal money has gone into the corn industry, keeping prices for corn low. Therefore, when you’re shopping, the conventional, sweet products with high fructose corn syrup will be cheaper than the product made using natural ingredients. While consumers may have made an informed, healthy choice 10 years ago, in today’s economy more and more people are reaching for the cheapest product.

The federal Farm Bill expires in 2012, and congress will revisit government policies concerning food subsidies.

Photo by Flickr User La Grande Farmers' Market

With the wide availability of grocery store produce, it’s easy to forget, or not even be aware of, which foods are in season. In fact, younger generations may not have enough grown up with a garden in their backyard. They may not have experienced the first summer asparagus that pop up or know the feeling of picking strawberries straight from the plant. Modern food processing and international distribution ensures that even in the winter months, fresh strawberries from Florida will be available in grocery stores nationwide.

Of course, it would be very difficult to eat only in-season foods. However, by focusing your eating foods that are grown in the particular season you are in, it is more likely that the foods will be fresh and contain a higher amount of nutrients.

Although it can vary depending on what part of the world you are in, here are some general guidelines to use for choosing in-season foods.

In spring, focus on:

• Leafy greens
• Swiss chard
• Spinach
• Parsley
• Basil

In summer, choose light options including:

• Strawberries
• Apples
• Pears
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Corn

In the fall, looks for fall harvest foods such as:

• Sweet potatoes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Squash
• Pumpkin

In winter, when many gardens are bare, choose easily-stored root vegetables including:

• Potatoes
• Onions
• Nuts

Local farmers markets or Community Supported Agriculture programs are the best sources for in-season, fresh foods. On average, a food product travels around 1,500 miles to reach your plate from the spot where it is harvested. Along the way, fuel is consumed and nutrients are lost. In addition, farmers have to pick the foods well before they are ripe, which is when they reach their peak nutrition and taste. In a country where raw, whole fruits and vegetables seem to be eaten sparingly, consuming them at their peak taste level could do wonders for upping fruit and vegetable consumption.

Photo by Christian Revival Network / Flickr

Words can have an indescribable way of transforming someone’s mood or outlook. Here are some of our favorite inspirational quotations. Enjoy!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Helen Keller

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

“There are no failures – just experiences and your reactions to them.” – Tom Krause

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

“Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.” – Leonardo da Vinci

Photo by Christian Revival Network / Flickr

“There isn’t a person anywhere who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can.” – Henry Ford

“Believe deep down in your heart that you’re destined to do great things.” – Joe Paterno

“There is no failure except in no longer trying.” – Elbert Hubbard

“Enjoy each moment as it happens. Your life is made up of one moment after another, either lived or lost.” – Cindy Francis

“Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.” – Dale Carnegie

Photo by Dainis Matison / Flickr

“The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground.”

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.” – G.B. Shaw

“There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream.” – Author Unknown

“If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.” – Buddhist Saying

“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.” – William Feather

Photo by Christian Revival Network / Flickr

Forks Over Knives

Currently in theaters, Forks Over Knives explores the claim that most degenerative diseases in today’s society can be prevented, alleviated and even reversed by the adoption of a whole foods, plant-based diet. Inspired by T Colin Campbell’s groundbreaking The China Study, filmmaker Brian Wendel interviews a range of health experts, including: T Colin Campbell, PhD; Caldwell B Esselstyn Jr, MD; Neal Barnard, MD; John McDougall, MD; and other renowned medical doctors. Roger Ebert recently gave the film a glowing review and concluded, “The bottom line: I am convinced this message is true. A plant-based, whole foods diet is healthy. Animal protein is not necessary, or should be used sparingly, as Asians did, as a flavoring and not a main course. This adds the advantage of allowing us to avoid the chemicals and carcinogens pumped into livestock and poultry. Fast food is lethal. Parents who feed it to their children are helping them get hooked on fat, salt and sugar addiction. The facts are in. Didn’t I warn you to stop reading?”

Super Size Me

Morgan Spurlock’s Super Size Me came out in 2004. For the documentary, Spurlock ate only McDonald’s food for 30 days. Before going on the McDonald’s binge, Spurlock had a complete health assessment. After consuming three McDonald’s meals a day for 30 days – and supersizing the meal when asked by McDonalds employees – Spurlock went back in for tests to see how his health had changed. Spurlock, 32 years old at the time, ended up gaining 24.5lbs and his body mass increased by 13%. His cholesterol soared to 230, and he experienced mood swings and fat accumulation in his liver. Spurlock created the experiment and documentary to bring light to the growing obesity epidemic in the United States, and how the fast food industries contribute to the problem.

Planeat

Another recent film that is based on the findings of T Colin Campbell is Planeat. The film, created by Shelley Lee Davies and Om Shlomi, features interviews with scientists, farmers and chefs in order to show the global, environmental, health and culinary benefits of gravitating towards a plant-based diet.

Food, Inc.

Food, Inc. also examines issues in our food industry that have effects on our health, the environment, the economy and workers’ rights. The film looks at factory farming, pesticides in food, genetically modified foods, farm worker mistreatment, cloned livestock, food labeling, obesity and the global food crisis. No longer does our primary food supply come from the farmer down the street. Rather, the film argues that our food industry is controlled by a handful of corporations that care more about profits than human health or the environmental impacts of their business. One critic described Food, Inc. as, “An eye-opening expose of the modern food industry, Food, Inc. is both fascinating and terrifying, and essential viewing for any health-conscious citizen.”

Flickr Creative Commons User EvelynGiggles

While it is clear that reusable bags have reduced our reliance on and use of plastic shopping bags, earlier last week the Mother Nature Network discussed an interesting topic: “Are reusable bags doing the good we think they are?”

Most people are likely to own a few reusable bags. These bags may have been bought at a store, given away at a green event or offered as a goodie bag. The point of reusable bags is to help us all use less plastic and paper bags, but are these reusable bags ending up in landfills or collecting dust on a shelf?

Long gone are the days when reusable bags were isolated in the aisles of Whole Foods. Nowadays, you can purchase them at virtually any grocery store or Walmart.

The Bag Matters

Not all reusable bags are created equal because some reusable bags are not made with environmentally-friendly materials. Bags made from recycled plastic are much better than bags made with PVC and died with chemical color dyes. While PVC requires less petroleum than many other polymers because 57% of its mass is chlorine, and it is such a durable material that it is not biodegradable. PVC material will retain its form for decades, and even then, will only break down into smaller pieces.

When manufacturing PVC material, dioxin is created. Dioxin is a deadly poison and is considered a “cumulative toxin” because it stays in the body for a long time.

Solutions

Own a few reusable bags, keep them in your car and use them. If forgetting them is a problem, purchase the reusable bags that collapse and can be kept in a purse. Also, if you have plenty of reusable bags at home, stop accepting free bags if you know they won’t be used and give the excess reusable bags you current own to friends and family members who will put them to use.

Another way to limit packaging waste during grocery trips is to look beyond the bag and examine your purchase. Are you purchasing processed foods with a lot of packaging? Are they foods that could be purchased from bulk bins with reusable containers?

From a legislative standpoint, a few cities have started to enforce plastic bag bans. Among the most notable include the cities of San Francisco, San Jose and Palo Alto, and, of course, the entire country of Italy! Talk about great motivation for remembering your reusable bags!

jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos

Health experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) warn that a form of “superbug” that enables bacteria to be resistant to antibiotics poses a global health risk.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the “superbug” is called the New Delhi metallobeta-lactamase, or NDM-1 for short. It is an enzyme that destroys a specific type of antibiotic that is often used in hospitals for infections.

Experts worry that NDM-1 is prevalent in sewage and drinking water in Delhi, India. Its spread is a result of sewage contamination into the residents’ tap water.

“It’s not enough to hope that we’ll have effective drugs to combat these infections. We must all act now to safeguard this important resource,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Thursday.

In a press release, issued by The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), a warning was put out:

“Infections are becoming increasingly resistant to existing antibiotics, while the number of new antibiotics being developed has plummeted. IDSA warns that unless sweeping actions are taken now, the future could resemble the days before these miracle drugs were developed. People will die of common infections and many medical interventions we take for granted – surgery, chemotherapy, organ transplantation, and premature infant care – will no longer be possible.”

IDSA President James M. Hughes, MD, FIDSA states that for the last 70 years, the medical community has mismanaged the use of antibiotics. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when germs change and are able to resist drugs, reducing and eliminating the drugs’ effectiveness. This is occurring more frequently due to an overuse of antibiotics, antifungals and other medications that are being prescribed too liberally to patients. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of antimicrobial drugs are inappropriately prescribed in US hospitals and doctors’ offices.

The IDSA states that quick actions needs to be taken by Congress to reverse this trend and ensure antibiotics will be available to future generations. They suggest creating incentives for antibiotic research, more funding for antibiotic research, and promoting sensible antibiotic use.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stresses that antibiotics should only be prescribed when needed.