2006_08_01_archive

Looks yummy--into the blender with it

...Did you know the FDA has real, human women cooking up America's

favorite dishes in a church kitchen in Missouri--so they can pull them

apart and see if any contaminants got in?

...Sometimes the women think it's a waste of food. But they follow the

FDA's recipes to the letter.

...The ingredients are purchased in a range of cities.

...Four times a year, FDA employees go to the store in different

cities and spend $3,000 per city on food.

...The ladies, who are in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s, cook it into

meatloaf, cookies, all the favorites, as specified by the govt. Then

giant blenders grind the results into mush to be tested for 300

pesticides, dioxins, metals like mercury, and industrial chemicals.

...They also count nutrients, such as folate, in the food.

...A few parts per billion--equivalent to a kernel of corn in a silo

45 feet tall--can be picked up.

...This is nothing compared with what falls in later from messy

kitchens or disaffected waitstaff, but we appreciate the effort,

ladies.

posted by Star Lawrence @ 7:01 AM 0 comments

Dads get "pregnant," too

...Men joke about how there would be no people if men had to give

birth (probably true), but many men actually do experience some

symptoms of pregnancy.

...The French dubbed it "couvade syndrome," from the French for hatch,

which is couver.

...In a Canadian study, 34 couples from childbirth classes were

hormone-tested, before the birth and after.

...The researchers came to the couple's house, took the two in the

kitchen immediately and drew blood from both.

...Then they handed each a soft doll wrapped in a blanket with baby

scent on it (from a hosp nursery). As they two held the "babies,"

tapes played of unconsoled crying and then a 7-minute video of a a

newborn trying to nurse, while the teary-eyed Dad watched.

...If either put the doll down, this was noted.

...After 30 minutes, more blood was drawn.

...Men were asked about any symptoms they had been having. Two or more

meant men had couvade.

...Basically, the men and women had similar rises and falls in

hormones.

...Men with more pregnancy symptoms had higher prolactin levels and

greater drop in testosterone.

...Men with positive feelings about being a Dad experienced the most

marked changes, which included mood swings, weight gain, cravings,

headache or toothache.