Alice's Sharebook 

February is National Sweet Potato Month

Source: www.flickr.com

Celebrate Sweet Potato Benefits

February is National Sweet Potato Month and the sad thing is the consumption of sweet potatoes is going down. This celebration like say a rice festival encourages new and different recipes and ways to enjoy this delicious vegetable!

Now November is being considered to be national Sweet Potato Month so we may get to celebrate sweet potatoes and the ages they have been around twice this year. Many think sweet potatoes are only for special occasions when it really needs to be a part of our daily diet or at least several days a week.

Sweet potato's great color is a hint to its elevated content of Vitamin A in the variety of beta-carotene. A sweet potato contains over four times the needed daily allowance of Vitamin A, a strong antioxidant that protects against free radicals and helps fight against smoking-related diseases like emphysema and lung cancer. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of Vitamin C and the trace mineral manganese.

As earlier articles I have written on certain foods, sweet potatoes have a positive effect on blood sugar. With a high concentrate of fiber, complex carbohydrates and carotenoids, they help steady blood sugar levels. Since they also lower insulin resistance, they are believed to have anti-diabetic properties. The significant fiber content lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease, too. A medium potato provides us with well over our Daily Value of vitamin A need; which plays a main role in the health of our eyes, skin, skeletal, soft tissue, and teeth.

The orange variety is often called a yam in parts of North America, but is not; with the yam being native to Africa and Asia and rare in North America. The yam is said to have menopausal benefits and benefits of many kinds pertaining to women so that was disappointing to hear.

Still; sweet potato is certainly an important food to make our life healthier. With diabetes being so great in the US it is certainly a great prevention that we should not hesitate to add along with the lung, visual and many other benefits. Let's learn more though!

Happy National Sweet Potato Month!

Source: www.flickr.com

Sweet Potatoes in America

Over 40% of the US supply of sweet potato is grown in North Carolina. That is a great thing and check with your grocer to see where yours comes from. If you are from the US just have US only! Just one small way to help America, simple as it is and know what we are consuming. You can see many of these growers right online! You can even see all the different kinds they have.

There is the Beauregard, Carolina Rose, Carolina Ruby, Cordner, Hernandez, Jewel and N.C. Porto Rico 198. These are a native crop in North Carolina grown in the Coastal Plains. The American Indians were growing sweet potatoes when the English first hit their shores and they have been here since prehistoric times. It is believed that dinosaurs may have eaten delicious sweet potatoes. You think?

After two years of letter writing and a lot of hard work, a fourth grade teacher and her students who took interest in getting the sweet potato the state vegetable; got the bill passed in the General Assembly's summer session of 1995. They aroused the interest and support of a whole community. Finally the sweet potato was named the Official Vegetable of the State of North Carolina!

Sweet potatoes are grown mainly in the Coastal Plain areas of North Carolina; Johnston, Nash and Wilson counties producing the most sweet potatoes. Sampson, Columbus, Wayne, Harnett, Cumberland, Edgecombe and Duplin counties also grow sweet potatoes; Johnston County being the number one producer of sweet potatoes. They do best in these counties because the sweet potato is a root crop and is more suited to the sandy warm soil of this area.

Purple Sweet Potato

Source: www.flickr.com

The Purple Sweet Potato - Extra Benefits

The purple sweet potato has Anthocyanin which gives it its unusual violet color. This sweet potato contains antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties similar to red wine. There are many species of these sweet potatoes and most would be very important in the diet for more than just special occasions. We need to put these in our diet right away…and keep them there!

Studies are showing it is important to have some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits of sweet potato. They say that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our intake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil is suggested providing the 3.5 grams of fat.

Being low in sodium, sweet potatoes are cholesterol free, fat free, high in fiber, containing minerals and vitamins A, C and E. Leave the skin on for more nutrition.

Also it is claimed some nutritional benefits from sweet potatoes may not be achieved unless you use steam or boil cooking method. I prefer the steamed and it only takes a few minutes to tenderize beautifully and deliciously!

Persistent, Poisonous, Problematic: Pesticides by Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D.

Shortly after Michelle Obama planted an organic garden on the White House lawn, she received a letter from the Mid-America Crop Life Association. (1)

The letter reminded the First Lady that "crop protection technologies" (Read: pesticides) are "supported by sound scientific research and innovation," and are important in "feeding our country."

Whoa! This sounded like pesticide PR to me.  Sure enough, the Association's officers and board members include individuals from Monsanto, Bayer, Dupont and Syngenta – agro-chemical corporations who profit from pesticide sales.(2)

Of course, Mrs. Obama knows better. Let's stand with her to help more parents understand the unintended consequences of pesticide use, and how these chemicals could harm our families' health.

The Pesticide Action Network of North America defines pesticides as "chemicals designed to kill plants, insects, rodents, fungi, etc." However, PANNA adds: "due to their very nature, they can be hazardous to human health and the environment. "(3)

Pesticides that destroy unwanted pests can also kill pollinators and other beneficial insects, pollute rivers and streams, and create hazardous environments for wildlife and humans.

Pregnant women, infants and children are especially vulnerable to pesticides' effects. Compared to adults, children eat more, drink more, and breathe more air in proportion to their body size. Plus, young, developing bodies are less able to break down and excrete toxins.(3-7)

Overall, human health risks associated with pesticide exposure include: asthma, autism, birth defects, cancers, diabetes, insulin resistance, mental retardation, neurological disorders, and obesity. (3-8)

Some pesticides mimic our natural hormones and can interfere with normal sexual development, reproduction and fertility. Exposure to these endocrine disruptors contributes to declining worldwide rates in fertility, sperm counts and male offspring. Some studies show that organic farmers and men who eat only organic food have healthier sperm and /or higher sperm counts as compared to conventional farmers who use pesticides and eat conventional diets. Endocrine disrupting pesticides have also been linked to fetal loss, birth defects, and earlier onset of puberty among girls (menarche). (8)

Even when pesticide residues are present at levels lower than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's stated "level of concern," endocrine disruptors pose human health risk because they are biologically active at extremely low and previously undetected levels.

Tell the EPA: “Protect Our Environment – Reduce Global Warming Pollution!”

Dear Alice Diane,

Submit your comments and add your voice to the public record in support of reducing greenhouse gas pollution! We must act now to protect our future from the worst effects of global warming.

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued an "endangerment finding" that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases represent a significant threat to public health and welfare. The EPA is accepting public comments on this finding until June 23—this is the first time the public has been asked whether we want to limit greenhouse gas pollution.

Add your voice to the public record! Submit your public comments today.

The EPA's finding, based on tens of thousands of public comments and years of work by EPA's career staff, recognizes that the increased flooding, droughts, wildfires, spread of disease, and heat waves that accompany global warming will harm people. We finally have an administration that elevates science over politics when it comes to the environment.

Right now, America has the opportunity to establish itself as a global leader on clean energy. By shifting to clean energy, and cracking down on the corporations that pollute the water we drink and the air we breathe, we will create economic prosperity, reduce our dependence on oil and coal, while tackling global warming at the same time.

We need to demonstrate overwhelming public support for reducing greenhouse gas pollution. Please submit your comments today.

Do you know someone else who cares about protecting our future for our children and the natural world we depend on? Help us to spread the word:
 Tell-a-friend!
Please use Tell-a-Friend instead of forwarding the message. The links in this message have been personalized for you.

Trouble with the "Take Action" links in the message? Try cutting-and-pasting this link into your web browser: http://audubonaction.org/campaign/epa_endangerment

• Quote of the Week: Doctors Call for Ban on Genetically Modified Foods
• Alert of the Week: The American Dietetic Association Buries Organic Nutrition Facts
• Organic Nutrition News of the Week: Why Government Nutrition Programs Shouldn't Ban Organic
• OCA Web Forum Posting of the Week: Silk Soymilk Packaging Scam
• Plunder of the Week: Judge's Ruling Fuels Meltdown in Organic Dairy Industry
• Health News of the Week: Study Raises Fresh Questions about the Safety of Water Fluoridation

On May 19, 2009 the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) released a landmark position paper signed by physicians across the U.S. calling for a moratorium on GE foods:

"Avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible... Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food... There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation...The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies."

Learn more

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. Its opinions influence health care professionals, the media, and state and federal policies. While ADA claims it is committed to "improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy," its perspective is clearly being influenced by corporate agribusiness. Although the ADA has nothing to say about the abundance of scientific studies exposing the dangers of genetically engineered foods , the organization's own Marianne Smith Edge has been giving anti-organic keynote addresses at meetings of state dietetic associations across the nation. The ADA's own studies in 2007 and 2009 revealed that plants cultivated in organic systems contain higher levels of nutrients, yet the ADA's website claims, "nutritionally there is no evidence that organic produce is better or safer than conventionally grown produce." It's time to expose the ADA's bias. Use OCA's handy online tool to click and send a pre-written "letter to the editor" to your local media outlets.

Learn more and take action

A growing number of states have been preventing WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) recipients from purchasing organic products based on three major excuses: the 'high' cost of organics, a supposed lack of scientific evidence that organic produce is more nutritious than its conventional counterparts, and recipient preferences (see how your state stands on this issue here). OCA is taking this issue to Congress, to demand that the federal government acknowledge the benefits of an organic diet when the Child Nutrition Act and WIC are reauthorized this year. Chantal Clement, graduate student and OCA intern, debunks the myth that there's no difference in the nutritional value of organic and non-organic food here:

Learn more

-A new Organic Trade Association report reveals sales of organic products in 2008 grew 17.1% over the previous year. Organic food sales grew more than three times the rate of nonorganic food sales.

-According to the Journal of Applied Nutrition, organically grown fruits and vegetables have significantly higher nutritional content than conventional produce: "Organically grown apples, wheat, sweet corn, potatoes and pears were examined over a 2 year period and were 63% higher in calcium, 73% higher in iron, 118% higher in magnesium, 178% higher in molybdenum, 91% higher in phosphorus, 125% higher in potassium and 60% higher in zinc than conventionally grown produce." In addition, organic meats were not only found to be leaner, but also have about five times the omega-3s.

-In a conventional diet, we are exposed to over 70 pesticide-related pollutants on a daily basis. A recent 2009 report found that switching to an organic diet reduces pesticide exposure by over 95%.

-The Environmental Working Group published a list of the 12 most pesticide ridden foods based on 87,000 tests. Nectarines, peaches, apples, strawberries and imported grapes topped the list. The most pesticide-free non-organic produce includes onions, avocados, and sweet corn.

Learn More

The OCA web forum is an online community of like-minded people sharing thoughts about the wide variety of topics you regularly read about in Organic Bytes or on the OCA website. The web forum now has over 4,500 members and nearly 10,000 posts. One of those recent posts was from a user named Tedalan:

"I was very involved in the creation of Silk Organic Soymilk when it was first designed and manufactured. Steve Demos was very committed to Silk being Non-GMO, Organic and Vegan. Suddenly, when buying Silk at Whole Foods, I discovered that none of the Silk flavors in half gallon containers were certified organic. The cartons look exactly the same as before with the exception/removal of the USDA Organic Seal and the word "organic" before soybeans in the nutritional panel. This is a very sneaky way for a manufacturer to discontinue Non-GMO Organic soybeans in the manufacture of their product. I also wonder why Whole Foods continues to sell this product without a warning sign."

Join the Discussion in OCA's Blog and Web Forum

We want to continue fighting the good fight, as well as bringing you Organic Bytes, but we need your donations to survive these financially difficult times. If you enjoy Organic Bytes and believe the world is a better place with OCA's nonprofit work, please consider donating today. Any size donation is helpful and appreciated.

Donate

1) Plunder of the Week: Judge's Ruling Fuels Meltdown in Organic Dairy Industry
Last week, a judge in federal district court in St. Louis, rejected 19 class-action lawsuits filed by consumers who are claiming fraud in the sale of "organic" milk coming from one of the giant operations.
Learn more

2) Health News of the Week: Study Raises Fresh Questions about the Safety of Water Fluoridation
"A new cancer study from India suggests that fluoride is a contributing factor to osteosarcoma, or bone cancer - but just how much fluoride intake causes the uncommon disease is not clear..."
Learn more

3) Website of the Week: The Organic Center
Peer-reviewed scientific studies on the benefits of organic farming.
http://www.organic-center.org/

4) Organic Transition News of the Week: Report-- Agriculture Holds a Key to Solving Global Warming
A new Worldwatch Institute study indicates greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 25% by implementing some basic changes to the world's food production practices.
Learn more

5) Web Video of the Week: The Colbert Report Looks at Industrial Agriculture
One of the most important tools in any activist's belt is a little levity. Check out this Comedy Central clip to see Steven Colbert and Eric Schlosser debate factory farms, GMOs, and the monopolization of food.
Watch

• Learn more about OCA related action alerts and other news in NJ here.
• Join NJ discussion groups in our forum.
• Post events in NJ on our community calendar.

Health system reform is all over the media—from newspapers to TV to Twitter. So far, details have been sparse on the various plans being developed in Congress. That will soon change, however, and you need to be prepared, because the goal of both the U.S. House and Senate is to pass their versions of health system reform by the August recess!

Many of the health system reform plans being proposed would build on Medicare as a foundation—and that foundation is crumbling because of an archaic system currently in place. This system is scheduled to cut Medicare physician payments by more than 20 percent Jan. 1, 2010, with repeated annual cuts coming after that.

These proposed cuts are a huge problem for patients—and for many families—because they will prevent doctors from taking on new Medicare patients, discourage many from investing in new health technology and make some think about closing their medical practices altogether.

Please take (less than!) a minute to watch Dr. Cynthia Bradford, of Oklahoma City, Okla., talk about health system reform—and why you should be involved.

 

>Health Care Reform>Federal Budget>Equal Pay Day>HHS Secretary>Family Tax Credits>Pharmacy Refusals>Washington Round-Up>Facebook>Donate Now>On NWLC's Blog>Upcoming Webinar>In the News>A Platform for Progress>Check Your Subscriptions>Spread the Word>Connect with Us

Help NWLC make a difference for women and families by making a contribution today.

Victory That Will Increase Access to Emergency Contraception!

"A federal district court has confirmed that the FDA put ideology before science when it decided to limit non-prescription access to emergency contraception to individuals 18 and older..." Read more

Medicaid Family Planning: Expanding Access to Affordable Health Care for Women and Families (Wednesday, April 15)

When the Stork Carries a Pink Slip (New York Times)

Obama Weighs Patient Rights vs. Doctor's Conscience (Christian Science Monitor)

Girls' Sports Opportunities MIA in City Schools (Women's eNews)

Check out NWLC's Platform for Progress, with concrete proposals and steps that should be taken by the new Congress and Administration in the areas of education, employment, basic economic security, health, and legal rights.

Are you getting the e-mails from NWLC that most interest you? Please take a moment to update your subscription preferences.

Please forward this e-mail to your friends, family, and co-workers — and encourage them to sign up to receive the NWLC Update in their own inboxes.

This week and next, Members of Congress will be in their home districts for recess — and this is an important opportunity to make sure they hear the health care reform message at home. Health care reform that meets the needs of women and their families must become a reality this year. Our partners at Health Care for America Now are holding events with lawmakers across the country to make sure they know that we need real health care reform. More than 15,000 people from across the nation will be joining events taking place in cities near you over the next few weeks. It is important for your Members of Congress to see you face-to-face and to hear your voice to drive home the message that America wants real health care reform now.

Last week, both the U.S. House and Senate cleared a major hurdle in the effort to pass a progressive budget that marks the first step in making critical investments for our nation’s future and lays out a plan for long-term economic growth. There are several differences between the House and Senate budget resolutions. So as the process moves to the next step, a conference committee to resolve the differences, we’ll be watching to make sure that the budget supports action on women’s priorities and pays for these investments in a fair and responsible way: by cutting corporate subsidies, closing corporate tax loopholes, and beginning to make the very wealthy pay their fair share of taxes.

Equal Pay Day, April 28, marks the point in 2009 when the average woman’s wages finally catch up with what the average man earned in 2008. Women still earn only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men — and for women of color, the numbers are even worse. We're fighting to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill currently before the Senate that would build on the success of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and deter wage discrimination against women. Also, on Equal Pay Day, NWLC is leading efforts to raise a united voice in support of fair pay by inviting bloggers, as well as Facebook and Twitter users, to post on the issue.

The U.S. Senate is now considering the nomination of Governor Kathleen Sebelius for U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services. Sebelius is superbly qualified for the position. She has a strong record demonstrating that she understands the needs of women — including in health care, early education, and other critical areas. As head of HHS, Sebelius will have a major impact on the well-being of women and families, especially in light of her key role in the development and implementation of health care reform. Senate committees held hearings on her nomination last week, and a vote is expected soon.

The federal tax filing deadline is only a week away — and it's vital that families in your community have the information they need about the state and federal tax credits for which they may be eligible. Families may be able to receive thousands of dollars under the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Earned Income Tax Credit — and, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, individuals and families may be eligible for a refundable First-Time Home Buyer Credit.

Many pharmacists are still refusing to fill valid prescriptions for contraception and sell emergency contraception over the counter. But with your help, we can make sure that every woman gets the health care she needs. We're working with state and federal advocates to establish policies protecting access to contraception, fight pharmacist refusal legislation, and educate the public about pharmacy refusals.

Here are some of the other recent happenings in our nation's capital:

• President Obama recently signed an Executive Order creating a White House Council on Women and Girls, which is designed to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and ensure that all agencies consider the ways in which their policies affect women and families.

• The Obama Administration has taken the first steps to rescind the Department of Health and Human Services' "midnight regulation," which undermines women's access to vital health care services and information. Tell the Administration to rescind this unconscionable rule.

• The Senate is considering the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to be Assistant Attorney General of the vitally important Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice — but the far right has been generating calls against her nomination. Urge your Senators to support Johnsen's nomination.

• The High School Sports Information Collection Act, recently introduced in the Senate, is intended to strengthen Title IX. Please urge your lawmakers to support this bill.

To make sure you are receiving the latest alerts on the legislation and policy developments that interest you, please update your e-mail preferences.

For members of Facebook.com, it's easy to keep up with the latest developments on the issues that affect women and families. When you become a Facebook "fan" of the National Women's Law Center, you'll receive regular updates on NWLC's work and up-to-the-minute information on our latest resources.

>Health Care Reform>Federal Budget>Equal Pay Day>HHS Secretary>Family Tax Credits>Pharmacy Refusals>Washington Round-Up>Facebook>Donate Now>On NWLC's Blog>Upcoming Webinar>In the News>A Platform for Progress>Check Your Subscriptions>Spread the Word>Connect with Us

Help NWLC make a difference for women and families by making a contribution today.

Victory That Will Increase Access to Emergency Contraception!

"A federal district court has confirmed that the FDA put ideology before science when it decided to limit non-prescription access to emergency contraception to individuals 18 and older..." Read more

Medicaid Family Planning: Expanding Access to Affordable Health Care for Women and Families (Wednesday, April 15)

When the Stork Carries a Pink Slip (New York Times)

Obama Weighs Patient Rights vs. Doctor's Conscience (Christian Science Monitor)

Girls' Sports Opportunities MIA in City Schools (Women's eNews)

Check out NWLC's Platform for Progress, with concrete proposals and steps that should be taken by the new Congress and Administration in the areas of education, employment, basic economic security, health, and legal rights.

Are you getting the e-mails from NWLC that most interest you? Please take a moment to update your subscription preferences.

Please forward this e-mail to your friends, family, and co-workers — and encourage them to sign up to receive the NWLC Update in their own inboxes.

This week and next, Members of Congress will be in their home districts for recess — and this is an important opportunity to make sure they hear the health care reform message at home. Health care reform that meets the needs of women and their families must become a reality this year. Our partners at Health Care for America Now are holding events with lawmakers across the country to make sure they know that we need real health care reform. More than 15,000 people from across the nation will be joining events taking place in cities near you over the next few weeks. It is important for your Members of Congress to see you face-to-face and to hear your voice to drive home the message that America wants real health care reform now.

Last week, both the U.S. House and Senate cleared a major hurdle in the effort to pass a progressive budget that marks the first step in making critical investments for our nation’s future and lays out a plan for long-term economic growth. There are several differences between the House and Senate budget resolutions. So as the process moves to the next step, a conference committee to resolve the differences, we’ll be watching to make sure that the budget supports action on women’s priorities and pays for these investments in a fair and responsible way: by cutting corporate subsidies, closing corporate tax loopholes, and beginning to make the very wealthy pay their fair share of taxes.

Equal Pay Day, April 28, marks the point in 2009 when the average woman’s wages finally catch up with what the average man earned in 2008. Women still earn only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men — and for women of color, the numbers are even worse. We're fighting to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill currently before the Senate that would build on the success of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and deter wage discrimination against women. Also, on Equal Pay Day, NWLC is leading efforts to raise a united voice in support of fair pay by inviting bloggers, as well as Facebook and Twitter users, to post on the issue.

The U.S. Senate is now considering the nomination of Governor Kathleen Sebelius for U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services. Sebelius is superbly qualified for the position. She has a strong record demonstrating that she understands the needs of women — including in health care, early education, and other critical areas. As head of HHS, Sebelius will have a major impact on the well-being of women and families, especially in light of her key role in the development and implementation of health care reform. Senate committees held hearings on her nomination last week, and a vote is expected soon.

The federal tax filing deadline is only a week away — and it's vital that families in your community have the information they need about the state and federal tax credits for which they may be eligible. Families may be able to receive thousands of dollars under the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Earned Income Tax Credit — and, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, individuals and families may be eligible for a refundable First-Time Home Buyer Credit.

Many pharmacists are still refusing to fill valid prescriptions for contraception and sell emergency contraception over the counter. But with your help, we can make sure that every woman gets the health care she needs. We're working with state and federal advocates to establish policies protecting access to contraception, fight pharmacist refusal legislation, and educate the public about pharmacy refusals.

Here are some of the other recent happenings in our nation's capital:

• President Obama recently signed an Executive Order creating a White House Council on Women and Girls, which is designed to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and ensure that all agencies consider the ways in which their policies affect women and families.

• The Obama Administration has taken the first steps to rescind the Department of Health and Human Services' "midnight regulation," which undermines women's access to vital health care services and information. Tell the Administration to rescind this unconscionable rule.

• The Senate is considering the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to be Assistant Attorney General of the vitally important Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice — but the far right has been generating calls against her nomination. Urge your Senators to support Johnsen's nomination.

• The High School Sports Information Collection Act, recently introduced in the Senate, is intended to strengthen Title IX. Please urge your lawmakers to support this bill.

To make sure you are receiving the latest alerts on the legislation and policy developments that interest you, please update your e-mail preferences.

For members of Facebook.com, it's easy to keep up with the latest developments on the issues that affect women and families. When you become a Facebook "fan" of the National Women's Law Center, you'll receive regular updates on NWLC's work and up-to-the-minute information on our latest resources.