Striving4Zen

Leggings are showing no signs of losing their stride.
As hosiery vendors prepare for the spring 2007 market, they are optimistic cropped tights will continue to be key sellers going forward, as the trend is just gaining traction nationwide. Providing perhaps even more reason for optimism is that sweltering temperatures and humidity in New York over the last two weeks haven't prevented women from hitting the streets wearing the footless style.
Vendors say new designs for spring will incorporate brighter colors, feminine touches like lace detailing, lighter-weight deniers and shapes that are shorter to hit right at the knee. "Leggings are still going strong," said Susan Reese, vice president of sales at Soxland, a manufacturer here. "We're showing them in prints and with lace borders."
http://www.wwd.com/issue/photospread/107965

Popularity Dialer: If you’ve ever wanted to be rescued from a blind date or spark a little jealousy, check out this fun new phone project. Created by two students at NYU’s famed Interactive Telecommunications Program, users can elect to be called at a particular time, so as to appear popular or busy. And if you’re bad at faking conversation don’t worry, as a prerecorded voice talks to you, complete with appropriate pauses and questions to help make the call seem more “natural”. Currently, the creators are paying for the calls out of pocket, but they are also seeking sponsors to help keep it going. A great idea for a creative brand, opportunities include adding a “sponsored by x” at the end of the call or having banner ads on the site itself. For more info, write to contact@popularitydialer.com.

http://www.adl.org/main_Israel/crisis_faq.htm

Consumers are increasingly aware that fruits and vegetables contain disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants, but they do not realize whole grains are often an even better source of these key nutrients. Moreover, whole grains have some valuable antioxidants not found in fruits and vegetables, as well as B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber.
The medical evidence is clear that whole grains reduce risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Few foods can offer such diverse benefits.
People who eat whole grains regularly have a lower risk of obesity, as measured by their body mass index and waist-to-hip ratios. They also have lower cholesterol levels. Because of the phytochemicals and antioxidants, people who eat three daily servings of whole grains have been shown to reduce their risk of heart disease by 25-36%, stroke by 37%, Type II diabetes by 21-27%, digestive system cancers by 21-43%, and hormone-related cancers by 10-40%. See the latest research on whole grains and health by clicking here.

Labels: health food, nutrition, Whole grains

If the first ingredient listed contains the word "whole" (such as "whole wheat flour" or "whole oats"), it is likely -- but not guaranteed -- that the product is predominantly whole grain. If there are two grain ingredients and only the second ingredient listed is a whole grain, the product may contain as little as 1% or as much as 49% whole grain (in other words, it could contain a little bit of whole grain, or nearly half).
If there are several grain ingredients, the situation gets even trickier. For instance, let's say a "multi-grain bread" is 30% refined flour and 70% whole grain. But the whole grains are split between several different grains, and each whole grain comprises less than 30% of the total. The ingredients might read "Enriched white flour, whole wheat, whole oat flour, whole cornmeal and whole millet" and you would NOT be able to tell from the label whether the whole grains make up 70% of the product or 7% of the product. That's why we created the Whole Grain Stamp program.
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/Consumer%20Guide.html#IdentifyingWG

Labels: health food, nutrition, Whole grains

This is a great article on the dilemma we face when trying to be healthy, moral and responsible for our food choices.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/18/AR2006071800309.html

Organic Alcohol: UK company Maison Jomer is producing award winning organic spirits that alcohol connoisseurs are saying are the smoothest on the market. No fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, or pesticides are used, thereby enhancing the natural flavor. Keep an eye out for their Juniper Green, the world’s first organic London Gin, and U.K.5 organic vodka.
Lavender: We expect to see a lot more lavender-infused food and beverage products, ranging from waters and candy to chocolate and alcohol drinks. We loved the Lillie Belle Farms lavender-infused caramels with Fleur du Sel salt and the Apothecary’s Garden lavender-infused candy. The Seattle-based beverage company DRY Soda Co. offers an all natural lavender soda. We may even see a renewed interest in the similarly-flavored Choward’s Scented Gum and Violet Mints.
Products to look out for:
Crispy Fruit: The ultimate healthy snack, these freeze dried fruit slices, available in Crispy Apples, Crispy Apricots, and Crispy Peaches, have only 40 calories, 7 grams of sugar and zero fat. Currently available in places like Garden of Eden in NYC and Yummy Foods in LA, we expect that this low calorie treat will gain more mass popularity, especially with parents looking for kid-friendly healthy alternatives.
Kickbutt Amped Energy Ballz: Just like all the energy drinks on the market at the moment, Kickbutt energy balls offers many of the same ingredients (Guarana extract, Ginseng, caffeine, B vitamins) in the form of bite-sized chocolate flavored balls. Designed for vending in gumball machines, we expect to see these available in places where people are looking for more energy, such as the gym, gas stations, and shopping malls.
Ice Rocks: While we see these spring water ice cubes not only as a status symbol ($3.99 for 48 ice cubes) among “luxurists”, they also may become a popular safety precaution for travelers who want clean ice for their drinks. (Hey, people used to think nobody would buy bottled water.)
Fear Factor’s Crunchy Larva: Perhaps you have tried the Bug Pops and the Cockroach Bites, but the real challenge is the Crunchy Larva, 100% real bugs in bbq, cheddar, and spicy Mexican flavors. These are bound to be a Halloween must-have among tweens.
Cocoa Coal Lesser Evil Popcorn: This popular gourmet popcorn is coming out with the ultimate Christmas stocking stuffer. Playing on the Santa saying of “have you been naughty or nice”, this popcorn is both: rich flavors, but all-natural and low-fat.

Someone should make a sequel to the current art-house documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" called "Who Killed the Rechargeable Battery?"
I'm not talking about car batteries, but everyday household batteries. After all, they've been around for decades, and yet the overwhelming majority of us still buy one-time-use batteries and then send them, by the billions, straight into landfills.
Fortunately, Duracell has lately been increasing distribution of its best rechargeable batteries, which had previously been suspiciously out of stock any time you tried to find them. The excellent Duracell 30-Minute Charger with 4 AA NiMH Rechargeable Batteries kit is now consistently available from Amazon—and big retail chains including Walgreens are regularly stocking extra AA and AAA batteries for this unit. The Duracell 30-Minute Charger safely gets the job faster by, in part, cleverly incorporating a cooling fan right into the unit so the batteries don't get scorchingly hot (which happens with other fanless quick-charge units) as they're getting power crammed back into them.$29 at amazon.com.• Buy it online

For back-to-school 2006, it's time to give ripped jeans a rest and go skinny instead.
Looks will be less flashy, with more tailored, tighter silhouettes, analysts said. Colors will be darker for tops and bottoms, with tops seeing longer lengths. The inspiration: Seventies with a dash of fashion sophistication. Although denim will continue to be a major focus for fall, styles will be cleaner, darker and skinnier. Graphic Ts will be an important item, but instead of youthful, bright colors, they will come in shades of dark brown, with silver, gray and gold accents. Overall, consumers will see more neutral colors, grays and an emergence of shades of purple, analysts predicted. One of the most influential trends will be the rocker style.
http://www.wwd.com/issue/article/107640?page=1

America's appetite for organic food is so strong that supply just can't keep up with demand. Organic means food is grown without pesticides, fertilizer, hormones, antibiotics or biotechnology.
''We're doing a lot of scrambling,'' said Sheryl O'Loughlin, CEO of Clif Bar Inc. ``We have gotten to the point now where we know we can get a call for any ingredient.''
Organic products still have only a tiny slice, about 2.5 percent, of the nation's food market. But the slice is expanding at a feverish pace. Growth in sales of organic food has been 15 percent to 21 percent each year, compared with 2 percent to 4 percent for total food sales.
The number of organic farms -- an estimated 10,000 -- is also increasing, but not fast enough. As a result, organic manufacturers are looking for ingredients outside the United States in places like Europe, Bolivia, Venezuela and South Africa.
That is no surprise, said Barbara Robinson, head of the Agriculture Department's National Organic Program. The program provides the green ''USDA Organic'' seal for certified products.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/14981821.htm

Supplements should not include:
any vitamins or minerals which cannot easily be excreted if they are in excess of your body’s needs. The most common components which are included in excess are:

● Vitamin A. This fat soluble vitamin can accumulate in your tissues, causing nausea, bone fractures and pain, and skin problems. A good supplement will contain carotene or beta carotene instead of vitamin A, because your body can convert them into vitamin A, and any excess is easily excreted.

● Iron. This mineral tends to accumulate in the body rather than be excreted, and in excess it can be dangerously toxic. Women can lose iron in their blood during their period, but men have no such outlet. Menstruating women, particularly those who are vegetarians, can take a supplement containing up to 10 mg. Some people need iron to combat anaemia, in which case it should be taken as a separate tablet.

● Copper. The majority of the population have excess copper in their bodies. If a supplement contains copper, it should be no higher than 10 mcg.
http://www.growyouthful.com/tocressupp.php

To sprout a grain, seed or bean, first wash them and then soak them in cool to tepid, preferably spring water. Soaking time varies between 4 and 12 hours, depending on the size and hardness of the seed. Large hard beans such as garbanzo beans need 12 hours, whereas small soft seeds like buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa and many vegetable seeds only need 4 hours. Ideally, rinse them and change the water every couple of hours while they soak.

Successful sprouting depends on a number of factors:

● The freshness of the seeds and how "alive" they are. Many seeds, especially if they have been imported, have been irradiated. Others are just old
● Whether the seeds are broken, discoloured or chemically treated
● The water's pH, mineral and salt content
● The water's temperature.

Cold climate grains such as oats can even be sprouted in your refrigerator.
After the initial soaking, keep the seeds damp. I put them in a large sieve, and rinse them under the tap a couple of times a day. You can also put them in a jar, with a piece of material over the top, tied on with a string or rubber band. The seeds need to be kept damp and aired, but not wet, otherwise there is a chance of mould or spoiling. Some seeds, such as sunflower, start to sprout in a few hours. Others take more than a day. Within 2 - 5 days most seeds and beans are ready. They are ready when the root (not the shoot, which is longer) is the length of the seed. I have had sprouts starting in 8 hours using top quality sunflower seeds. At the other extreme, large cannellini beans can take two or more days to begin.

July 7, 2006 -- KELLY Clarkson has agreed to promote her own flavor of Vitamin Water. The only catch is the company won't announce the deal until the "American Idol" winner loses some more weight. Last year, 50 Cent endorsed his own flavor of the trendy sports drink, which is said to have 50 percent of the daily vitamin requirements. The muscular rapper actually looks like he's in robust health. Clarkson looks like she could lose a few pounds. Since the brand is all about fitness and health, she's been put on a strict diet and the deal is secret until she slims down.
http://www.nypost.com/gossip/pagesix/thin_or_else_pagesix_.htm

July 6, 2006 -- The world's most famous white bread is going brown.
Wonder Bread has announced new "whole grain" loaves will hit supermarket shelves soon.
The new bread won't replace the traditional white loaf, but will offer a healthier choice.
But "whole grain" doesn't equal "whole wheat."
"It would have to be 100 percent whole wheat to be something I'd really endorse," said Sharon Akabas of Columbia University's Institute of Human Nutrition.
http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/wonder_goes_with_the_grain_nationalnews_heidi_singer.htm

Skinny jeans have been all the range since last year, but are soon to be replaced by the ‘boyfriend’ jeans.
What are ‘boyfriend’ jeans, you may ask? In fashion circles it is a term coined at a looser silhouette in denim, defined by a straighter leg, higher rise and more relaxed fit. Loose fitting in the same sense as wearing you’re boyfriend’s jeans.
These baggier jeans are the antithesis of tight, spray-on denim and are all the rage for Autumn/Winter 2006. Stores around the UK have been ditching the skinny jeans look to gear up for the new trend, which has started already. Brands such as Marc Jacobs, Chloe and Zac Posen are leading the way, however more mainstream brands such as Levi’s. G-Star and Replay have introduced boyfriend-fit jeans as the look is set to be much more commercial.
....One thing is certain, the skinny jeans, whilst they look great on Kate Moss and Nicole Ritchie, look out of proportion on anyone with hips or a fuller figure. On trend for Autumn/Winter is a new layering and looser silhouette, which includes turtlenecks under dresses, oversized knits over leggings or jeans, a subdued bohemian look that is more chic than hippy, more loose than fitted.

http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/business/