Electric Shock Therapy For...Potatoes

Here are some scientists with nothing better to do.

They decided if we can boil them, mash them, back them and even make them into hash, why not zap them with a jolt of electricity?

Japanese researchers did just that, and they found that the current boosted the antioxidant levels, potentially providing a new way to make potatoes more nutritious. The electricity seems to mimic environmental stresses that normally push the potato plant to produce antioxidants and prevent oxidative damage to its cells.

Thanks Alice Park at TIme

Migraines and Magnesium

So many people suffer from migraines. There seem to be as many causes – or potential causes as there are sufferers. Most of which doctors and patients can never identify. I figure it can never help trying something that might potentially work.

This month in Men’s Health, I read that a drop in magnesium can cause migraines. Alexander Mauskop, M.D., director of the New York Headache Center says blood vessels in your brain constrict, and receptors in the feel-good chemical serotonin malfunction. The result can be a migraine.

He recommends 250mg daily in addition to magnesium in your diet. Foods rich in magnesium are very healthy – leafy greens, whole grains, pumpkin seeds, coffee and nuts.

Destinations "Calories for a Cause" - Workout Fundraiser for SAFE in Hunterdon - Get Involved!

On September 23, Destinations is hosting “Calories for a Cause” Workout Fundraiser to Benefit SAFE in Hunterdon.

Sign up to participants and collect pledges and donations. Workout sessions are available from early morning throughout the day and into the evening. The 55 minute workouts will be in a small team training format. Destinations’ world-class trainers will donate their training time and skills to this effort. There will be live music from local musicians.

Themed T-shirts are available for purchase for $15.

Local businesses can contribute through sponsorships, pledges, and by encouraging their employees to participate in exercise sessions.

Participants should sign up in advance for a workout session time by calling 908.782.6555 or emailing caloriesforsafe@destinationspfc.com. Pledge applications for individuals and information about corporate sponsorship are available at either Destinations or SAFE and can be downloaded from the Internet at www.destinationspfc.com. All proceeds go to SAFE.

Hot Showers and Dry Skin?

I knew that conventional soaps slough off skin cells that trap moisture and wash away important skin oils – enter the era of body washes.

It now seems even the hot temperature of the water could be doing more harm than good.

What is recommended -quick lukewarm showers using an emollient rich cleanser. Pat yourself damp dry (like some clothes dryer setting) to let your skin absorb some of the remaining moisture and apply a moisturizer.

Gives new meaning to a cold shower. :)

Thanks Isaac Neuhaus, M.D. assistant professor of dermatology at the University of California at San Francisco

Help Support An Important Local Non-For-Profit Win $20K With an Online Vote

YOUR Vote Can Help the South Branch of the Watershed Association win $20K!


Tom's of Maine voted for SBWA in their “50 States For Good” program - now you can too. Your vote will help put SBWA in the running to win $20,000!

So just by voting, you can contribute to SBWA without having to open your wallet!

Tom’s of Maine selected 41 organizations from across the nation as finalists in their “50 States for Good” program. Five of those organizations will receive $20,000, based on the number of votes they get from the public. Won’t you help us be one of those five?

All you have to do is go to www.sbwa.org and click on the green “VOTE NOW” button. You are encouraged to vote every day until September 10, so please do! Your show of support will help us continue to protect and enhance the water resources of the South Branch of the Raritan River.

Share with all your friends!!! Thank you!

The Dreaded After Dinner Mint

Just like Monty Python said, it might not be great to eat that after dinner mint. It seems they may trigger heartburn. After a large meal, pressure builds in your stomach. Mint is a muscle relaxant and man induce acid reflux by flipping open the sphincter between your stomach and the esophagus.

Avoiding heartburn: Slim down your portions and eat slowly.
Eat those mints at your own risk! :)

Thanks to Scot Lewey, gastroenterologist at Rocky Vista University