Red Cross Collections at Allegany Store

We recieved a Thank-you note from the Red Cross (the note is hanging in front window of the store if you wouls like to see it). Thank you your generosity, we helped raise over $1317 dollars! (and that does not include what you gave online!)...so THANK-YOU!!

BBC NEWS | Health | Peanuts rich in 'good chemicals'

More confirmation that peanuts are good for you!

From the BBC: BBC NEWS Health Peanuts rich in 'good chemicals':

"A University of Florida team says peanuts are rich in antioxidants which protect cells from damage linked to heart disease and cancer. Peanuts also contain high levels of protein and 'good' monounsaturated fat."

Interestingly, the anti-oxidant properties are increased by roasting.

Lead author Steve Talcott:

"Compared to foods long-considered rich in antioxidants, mostly fruits and berries, peanuts come out somewhere in the middle. "They're no match for the foods at the top of the scale, such as pomegranate, but they do rival other foods that people eat just for their antioxidant content."

George W. Carver would be so proud!

Revealing Trans Fats: increased transparency

I love transparency. As many of you know I teach Finance at St. Bonaventure and in class we are always saying that more firms should make their financial statements easier to follow (more transparent) so that all investors know what is going on at the firm. When this happens, you get much more ethical behavior and often a higher stock price (but of course managers can not hide their actions as easily.)

So with that idea of more information being good in mind, let's examine what happened after the Food and Drug Adminstration required new labeling that will soon include a separate listing of trans fat.

(For those of you new to the blog, Trans fat is bad news. It is partially hydrogenated and in my mind the worst kind of fat you can consume. For more on it click here).

From the AP:

"The nation's food companies are stirring up new recipes for everything from Oreos to SpaghettiOs to get rid of trans fat, the artery-clogging ingredient that must be listed on food labels next year."

Moreover, we may soon have a shortening that is without transfat. "The J.M. Smucker Co. introduced a version of Crisco with zero grams trans fat. The new product comes in a green tub — a color consumers equate with being healthy."

The new Crisco is not yet available in our area, but rest assured, as soon as it is, we will have it in our stores.


Moral of the story: transparency is good, transfat is bad. :)

Folic acid may reduce blood pressure

B vitamins had been shown previously to reduce heart attacks, so this may not be an enormous surprise, but it is still very good news :)

Forbes.com:

"Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that women who consumed high levels of the B vitamin from food and supplements significantly reduced their risk of developing hypertension"

As the Forbes article points out:

"It is important to emphasize that our study, although providing evidence of the link between folate and blood pressure, is not proof that folate can be used clinically to lower blood pressure."

"Studies show folate can decrease the risk for neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida. In addition to supplements, good dietary sources of folate include leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and turnip greens, fruits, dried beans and peas." [and orange juice!]

From MSNBC:

"The study, published in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association, was based on data from thousands of nurses whose health histories were tracked for years.

Among 93,803 women aged 27 to 44, those who consumed at least 1,000 micrograms a day of total folate -- in foods and supplements -- had a 46 percent decreased risk of hypertension compared with those who consumed less than 200 micrograms a day, the study found."

The New York State Department of Health has a good list of foods with high levels of folic acid.

MayoClinic.com - Clean your hands: A simple way to prevent infection

Want to stay healthy? Wash your hands! I am often dismayed at the number of prople who overlook this simple (and easy) rule.

MayoClinic.com - Clean your hands: A simple way to prevent infection:

"Yet it's one of the best ways to avoid becoming ill with an infectious disease, such as a cold, the flu or infectious diarrhea. This simple habit is cleaning your hands (practicing hand hygiene), and it calls only for soap and warm water...."

USATODAY.com - Revised food pyramid to emphasize calories, exercise

I was somewhat encouraged by the new governmental recommendations that came out on food and exercise. While definitely not groundbreaking, the strictness is surprising.

USATODAY.com - Revised food pyramid to emphasize calories, exercise:

By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY

"The government, alarmed by Americans' increasing weight, took its boldest step yet to fight the problem by issuing new dietary guidelines advising Americans to exercise about an hour a day, eat more fruits and vegetables and slash their intake of the trans fats found in processed foods."

Of course some are claiming the recommendations are too tough. For instance an hour a day may be more than needed:

""Seeking an hour of exercise is "too daunting," says obesity expert James Hill of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. "We can't even get people to do 15 minutes, and now we're asking them to do an hour.""

and 5-13 servings of fruits and vegetables is a significant increase:

"The guidelines also call for five to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and cutting back on sugar. Past rules called for five to nine produce servings."

Gee, have you heard this anywhere before? Exercise, eat better, and watch your calories. All good advice!

10 Overlooked Reasons to Quit Smoking

10 Overlooked Reasons to Quit Smoking

WebMD provides 10 often overlooked reasons to quit smoking. For instance arthritis, blindness, colon cancer, and impotence are some of the reasons that many forget.