Rights for Mother Earth

I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of politics. Politicians rarely work for the common good and instead focus on personal gain, and the whole lot of them make me want to admit defeat and start my own sovreign nation on a remote island somewhere tropical. Since that's never going to happen, I make due and do my part by voting and signing petitions and whatnot.

Today I read this article that made me want to hug a politician. Granted, it's not an American politician, but this gives me hope. According to the article, in Bolivia, they are working on passing a bill that will grant Mother Earth the same rights as humans. The belief system of the indigenous people includes a goddess who is similar to the Greek goddess, Gaia, whom we often refer to as Mother Earth. They are granting her the rights to live without being polluted, and the right not to have genetic modifications (meaning no GMOs!), among others.

I know there are going to be a lot of skeptics and naysayers, but I say it's about time the people in charge of our world take a stand for the planet. We only have the one, and it has selflessly given our species everything we could ever possibly need. Still we demand more while giving back nothing and in fact, causing harm. Of course Bolivia will face some challenges, which is always the case when you drastically alter the status quo, but I think they can pull it off. Hopefully they will be a role model for the rest of the world, and we can all work together to undo the harm our species has caused to the planet.

Acupuncture in the Military

This morning I woke up to a story on NPR about how the military is starting to use alternative therapies for pain management: The Weight Of War: New Efforts To Treat Pain. Acupuncture is extremely effective at treating pain and often works where other therapies have failed. I am absolutely thrilled that the military is hiring acupuncturists, and I hope to see this trend grow.

I was surprised to learn that soldiers' and veterans' health insurance doesn't cover acupuncture at this point in time unless they go to a military hospital where it is offered. Maybe it's just me, but I think our soldiers and their families should be given every opportunity to receive the best possible medical care. They put their lives and bodies on the line so that the rest of us don't have to. I won't be practicing until 2013, but when I do, I plan on offering reduced rates for anyone who has served in the US armed forces.

Cure for Diabetes?

Recent research is found a "potential cure" for Type I diabetes. The article here. They have found that glucagon suppression may enable diabetics to go without insulin.

This is a topic that is very close to my heart, and I think this news is absolutely thrilling. Insulin-dependent diabetes can become horrendously debilitating, even when the people who have it diligently regulate their blood sugar levels and carefully regulate their diets. It would be absolutely amazing if this works.

Thanksgiving and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and you know what that means... FOOD! Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry! Delicious. This is the first year I'm both gluten-free and dairy free, so a few changes have to be made to the traditional family feast. Fortunately, my mom is gung ho about making sure I can eat. Today, I'm making vegan garlic mashed potatoes because my mom is completely baffled that one can make mashed potatoes without copious amounts of dairy. I went to the farmers market on Sunday to get 3 lbs of my favorite potato variety (German Butterballs - the only butterballs I'll be eating tomorrow, I'm happy to say) and a spicy garlic variety. Have I mentioned that I love living in a city with year-round farmers markets? Because I do.

Of course, with all the feasting going on, it's important not to lose focus and make sure you're getting healthy, sustainable food. Take Part has an article on 10 Tips for a Sustainable Thanksgiving. If you haven't found one already, it's probably too late for a heritage turkey, but it's something to think about for next year.

Although it's so simple, I feel a little silly posting it, here's my recipe for vegan garlic mashed potatoes. Sorry for the lack of hard numbers - I've never measured anything when making it.

Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
Potatoes, washed and chopped into smallish chunks - as much or as little as you want to make. I like the German butterball variety, but you can use any kind you want (I don't like yukon golds because they get really slimy)
Garlic - 1 - 2 bulbs. For a smaller amount of potatoes, use a smaller amount of garlic. Keep in mind that roasting it gives it a milder, sweeter flavor
Olive oil
rice milk, or your favorite milk substitute.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
optional: herbs to taste - I love fresh minced rosemary, but use your imagination

Preheat oven to 350.

You can prep your garlic in 1 of 2 ways.

Method 1 - take all the cloves off the bulb and peel them
Method 2 (my preferred method because it's way easier) - chop the top of the bulb off, cutting off the top portions of the cloves

wrap the garlic in foil drizzled with olive oil (I like to use just enough to cover the garlic). Put in an oven safe dish (so the oil doesn't spill all over your oven) and bake for 30 minutes or until the cloves are tender and brown.

While the garlic is cooking, boil your potatoes until soft. I like to leave the skin on, but that's a matter of taste. If you are not using organic potatoes, you should always peel them because the skins soak up pesticides. The smaller you've cut the potatoes, the less time they will take to cook. I find that it usually takes 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and put in a mixing bowl. Add your roasted garlic (if you want some whole cloves of garlic, reserve some until the end). If you kept it in bulb form, you can squeeze the cloves out - but be careful - it can be really hot! I use a low tech potato masher because I like chunks. You can also use a ricer or egg beater, or even an immersion blender. Add some olive oil and mix. I probably use 1 1/2 Tbs per pound of potatoes, but it's really a matter of taste. Start adding your milk substitute and mix. The trick to getting a great texture is to not be afraid of adding more liquid. Add a bit at a time and mix until you get the desired consistency. I always end up using a lot more than I would have thought necessary. I like to add my seasoning while I'm adding the liquid, but you can probably add it at any point during the process.

I find that this recipe makes potatoes that are perfect and delicious on their own, but of course, you can add gravy, cranberry, and turkey.

Variety:
For an interesting variety that's also a complete protein, mix in cooked quinoa. It gives the potatoes a fun texture and a more complex flavor. I love using rosemary when I add quinoa.

Does Your Doctor Eat Right?

My best friend sent me a link to this New York Times article about doctors who are trying to get the word out about eating well. The sad truth is that medical doctors don't get much, if any, education in nutrition, and many of them eat unhealthy diets.

My favorite quote from the article is, "Food is at the center of health and illness, he argues, and so doctors must make all aspects of it — growing, buying, cooking, eating — a mainstay of their medical educations, their personal lives and their practices."

I would argue that this is true of anyone in the medical profession - not just doctors. Most people in the US have absolutely no idea what they should be eating because we're not educated about it, and our culture encourages us to eat the worst possible food. We look to our health care providers to tell us what is healthy, and if they don't mention diet (which most of them won't), then it's easy to feel like whatever you're doing is fine.

If you're feeling completely overwhelmed about your diet and what you should be eating, I strongly recommend seeing a registered dietitian (RD) in your area. They are wonderful resources for all food-related issues, from obesity to food allergies, and a lot of insurance plans will cover a few visits.

Killing Ourselves with Speed

Here's a great article about the current trends in cooking. "It’s time to take a step backward when it comes to technology and get better acquainted with our ingredients."

I know I'm guilty of being lazy in the kitchen, but when I do cook, I make every effort to use fresh, organic, local ingredients, and it's amazing how much more delicious it is than getting something pre-made.