Food High In Fiber

Despite record levels of obesity in children and their family members -- and the health problems associated with excess weight -- school fundraisers regularly pressure children and their families to buy and consume junk.It's time for that to stop.Other aspects of the school environment are already improving. Schools are removing soft drinks from vending machines and lunchrooms are cutting the sodium and bad fats in the meals they serve.They have to.When Congress renewed funding for federal child nutrition programs in 2004, it for the first time required that school districts participating in the national school meals program put into place new wellness policies addressing nutrition and physical activity. Wellness policies must include guidelines for all foods served on school grounds during the day, with input from students, parents, school administrators, food-service workers, the school board and the public.Guidelines agreed on for school districts have to conform to -- or do better than -- federal-level guidelines for healthy eating.Foods served outside the school, however, are exempt.

Lilly Announces Changes For Storage of Diabetes Medication

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved new storage instructions for a diabetes medication developed by California-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Company. BYETTA injection pens can now be kept at a room temperature not to exceed 77 degrees F after first use. The new instructions will be provided to patients and healthcare professionals during the next few weeks.

Source: Inside INdiana Business
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Japanese takeout restaurant and grocery store to open

Haruki East, a Japanese restaurant on Wayland Avenue, will open Haruki Express, a small takeout restaurant and Japanese grocery store, at 112 Waterman St. in about a month, said manager Kazu Kondo.

The location, adjacent to Subway, will offer Japanese cuisine - mainly sushi - prepared on site for prices similar to those at the Wayland location, where a sushi entree costs about $10. There are no "definite" plans for food delivery, Kondo said, adding that he does not know how many people the location will be able to serve in a day.

Ben Wong, owner of Thai restaurant Spice - located nearby at 110 Waterman St. - said he wasn't worried about competition because Thai and Japanese cuisine are different. "I like it," Wong said of the new Haruki site. The restaurant is owned by his friend, Haruki Kibe.

Food safety budget leaves a bad taste

In just the first two months of 2007, more than two dozen food safety alerts have been issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One of those warnings, about peanut butter contaminated with salmonella that has sickened more than 300 people, got wide media attention. Others slipped by with little publicity, including: California cantaloupes (salmonella); processed green bean casserole (Listeria); egg-free pasta (containing eggs, a problem if you're allergic); Little Debbie Nutty Bars (metal particles); imported herring (uneviscerated, posing botulism risk). Or this one, Earth's Best Organic 2 Apple Peach Barley Wholesome Breakfast Baby Food. Neither wholesome nor fit for babies, it could cause botulism, the FDA warned.

While that partial list is admittedly unappetizing (details and other warnings available at www.fda.gov), it illustrates a growing problem with the safety of our food.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Ongoing events, workshops and a whole lot more

To submit your event listing, please e-mail event details and contact info to calendar@sdcitybeat.com. The deadline is Thursday, 5 p.m. the week prior to publication on Wednesday. Please include street address, neighborhood and phone number for events. No phone calls, please.

LIVE COMEDY NIGHT at Moondoggies, 832 Garnet Ave, Pacific Beach, 858-483-6550. From 10 p.m. to midnight every Tuesday, amateur and semi-professional comedians from Los Angeles and San Diego perform live stand-up comedy.

Diabesity: the modern scourge

MADHUMEHA (DIABETES Mellitus) and obesity, described by our ancient physician Charaka, at about 400 to 500 BC have become global health problems afflicting millions of people worldwide. In his Charaka samhita he observed that madhumeha was prevalent in those who indulged in excess intake of milk, curd, jaggery, sugar, meat of animals from marshland, cereals that are less than a year old and recently distilled alcohol, laziness, excessive sleep and inactivity. Causes for obesity Charaka attributed indolenence and gluttony as important causes for obesity. Charaka visualised the link between obesity and diabetes, but modern medicine established the mechanism involved in diabetes causing obesity. Obesity is defined as excess body fat relative to the weight. Genetic susceptibility plays a role both in diabetes and obesity but it is modifiable by environmental circumstances and individual life style choices; described as "genetic loads the gun and environment triggers it off." Major factors The profound changes in the eating habits, rapid industrialisation, mechanisation of agriculture, lack of physical activity and stress of modern life have all contributed to the epidemic of diabetes and obesity.

I-NEWS ONLY: Awards Show Makes Wine, Food Festival Even Better

MIAMI -- As if food and wine prepared by some of the best in the business in enough, the Food Network Wine and Food Festival is adding an awards show to the winning mix.

Asda bosses 'kept in the dark' over out-of-date food on shelves

BOSSES at supermarket giant Asda were not kept informed about the scale of the problem of out-of-date goods left on its shelves, a court heard yesterday.

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