Health Cafe Journey

Here's a great soup to get your fall in gear. It's simple (if I make it, you can bet it's easy to prepare). I made this soup while visiting a friend who moved away. Two other friends and I flew to Southern California to enjoy a few days with a girlfriend who moved closer to her grandkids—her son needed help and she rose to the challenge. I offered to cook all the meals during the visit because I've learned that I won't get decent food (or any food... hello, breakfast is the most important meal of the day) unless I step up. Thrilled about having me cook for them, they were eager to see what and how I cooked. It's just easier for me to cook than give the cook instruction for my eating lifestyle . In this case, the cook was primarily my friend's husband and he wanted to learn more about eating healthier. I sent a shopping list of groceries to get ahead of us arriving. We would stop for the rest of the items on the way from the airport at their local Trader Joe...

Studies continue to expose the ill-effects of artificial sweeteners. Besides research that claims these fake sugars add weight rather than help you lose weight, the latest study shows that artificial sweeteners (saccharin — in the pink packets of Sweet’N Low, sucralose—yellow packets of Splenda, and aspartame —blue packets of Equal) caused a change in gut bacteria that led to a glucose intolerance. In plain talk that means you can be on your way to getting Type II diabetes. Not to mention that disrupting the gut bacteria (the essence of your immune system) is dangerous business. Do you need any more evidence that diet drinks and using artificial sweetener instead of real sugar* is NOT okay? The issue should be settled. Stay away! * We'll tackle real sugar in another post.

We will never forget that Tuesday when an ordinary morning was attacked by evil and changed America forever. It punched a hole in the fabric of our security. Up to then, most felt America was invincible. Many families have a story to tell about that day. For those who lost loved ones, the story may still hold a painful grip on hearts—even thirteen years later. We have vivid memories of exactly what we were doing when we heard the fateful news. What were you doing? Bob and I were up early that morning preparing to go to the airport in San Francisco to pick up our son, Nur, and his half-brother, Daak, returning from three weeks in Japan. Showering and getting ready to leave, we listened to the news and made passing glances at the TV that sat in the corner between the bedroom and bathroom. We began to linger in front of the screen when the news broke that a small plane apparently hit one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Once cameras televised the scene, we were hooked—seeing ...

What does a bully look like? Pretty ugly when they blindside you, yelling unfounded accusations in your face. Really? Why does a 50-ish man find it necessary to scream at a women sitting in her camp chair visiting with a friend. It happened to me last night while waiting for the band to start at an outdoor free concert. My husband was at the restroom at the time of the instigating incident. When Bob returned, he was puzzled to find our friend arguing with the bully (never argue with a bully—they don't listen and reason is not a trait they embrace). What is it that makes grown people turn on anger like that? This guy was p^@*&%. He accused me of moving his camp chair from the spot where he placed it 90 minutes earlier. Really? First of all I did not touch his chair (if it truly was his chair). Second, why would he accuse me out of hand like that? Third, why wouldn't he just pick up his chair and move it back to where his group of friends were and not make a scene? Instead he...