Does Your Food Contain Heavy Metals?

What do lead, mercury, and arsenic have in common? They are all ingredients used in most artificial Food coloring. For example, FD&C Red Number 3 contains lead and arsenic; while FD&C Yellow Number 5 contains lead, mercury and arsenic. Studies have shown that lead and mercury are not only absorbed when ingested, they are also absorbed through the skin. How prevalent is artificial Food coloring? Just look in your pantry or your medicine cabinet. Everything from sports drinks, cereals, lotions, and shampoos to over the counter and prescription medicines contain artificial food coloring. Following are some examples of commonly used items that contain artificial food coloring: Food Items
Gatorade Fruit Punch - Red #40 Plain M&Ms - Red 40 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1 Lake, Red 40, Blue 1 Kraft Macaroni & cheese - Yellow 5, Yellow 6 Eggo Waffles - Yellow #5, Yellow #6 Fruit Loops Red - No. 40, Blue No. 2, Yellow No. 6, Blue No. 1 Nutrigrain Blueberry Bars - Red 40, Blue 1 Strawberry Pop Tarts - Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1
Cosmetic Items
Johnson Baby Shampoo - D&C Yellow #10, D&C Orange #4 Johnson Baby Lotion - D&C Red 33 Dora Foam Soap - May contain FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Yellow 5 Disney Chapstick - D&C Red No. , FD&C Blue 1 alum lk Crest Kids Sparkle Paste - FD&C Blue #1
OTC SuppleMentation/Medicines
Flintstones Vitamins - FD&C Red #40 Al Lake, FD&C Yellow 6 Al Lake FD&C Blue #2 Tylenol Plus Cold Infant Drops - Red #33 and Red 40 Delsym Cough Medicine - FD&C Yellow 6
Artificial food coloring has been implicated in several studies as a potential catalyst for ADHD. The Journal of DevelopMental & Behavioral Pediatrics published information regarding 15 trials with 219 particiPants - all were double-blind cross-over trials. Just by eliminating artificial food colorings from their diet, children's behavior improved significantly. Furthermore, eliminating food colorings from the diet was one-third to one-half of the size of improveMents typically seen with ADHD medication therapy. In addition, an article published in The Lancet in September of this year also confirmed a link between food dyes and ADHD.

Several studies also point to the link between lead and ADHD. One of the most recent was published in The Journal of EnvironMental Health Perspectives. According to the Journal, children with blood lead levels of more than 2 micrograms per deciliter were four times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than children with levels below .8 microgram per deciliter. The government's acceptable blood lead level is 10 micrograms per deciliter. The study estimates that more than 5 million 4-15 year olds in the U.S. have levels higher than 2 micrograms per deciliter. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, estimates one out of every six children in the United States has blood lead levels in the toxic range.

What Can We Do? The first step is to remove colors from your environment. This can be difficult since colors are pervasive, but there are alternatives. For instance, if you need food coloring, health food stores sell colors made from food - turmeric, blueberry, beets, etc. These can be used to make play dough as well as to color foods. Health food stores also make available muffins, toothpastes, snacks, chocolates, drinks, and OTC medications that do not contain colors. Whole Foods has a policy to not sell anything with artificial food coloring. Trader Joe's does carry a few items with artificial food coloring, such as candy and a cleaner, but overall, there are very few products in the store with artificial food coloring. Cooking and eating as many meals as possible at home is also a step in the right direction. You can control what you put in your food. If you need to obtain medication and are not sure if it contains colors, you can check online at http://www.rxlist.com.

If your medication is made with colors, contact a compounding pharmacy to see if they can compound without all of the colors. A list of compounding pharmacies can be found at http://www.iacprx.org.

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Barcelona Yacht Charter

Barcelona is situated in the province of Catalunya on the Costa Brava on the eastern coast of Spain. It lies between the rivers Llobregat and Besòs where they discharge into the Mediterranean Sea. To the north is the Costa Brava while the Costa Dorada lies to the south.

Barcelona is one of Europe's most popular city destinations with several million tourists every year. Only Paris, London and Rome have more visitors. View; The Barri Gòtic or "Gothic Quarter" is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. Many of the buildings date from medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settleMent of Barcelona; Works by Antoni Gaudí, including Sagrada Família, the international symbol of Barcelona, Park Güell, Palau Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Vicens, Casa Batlló, Crypt in Colonia Güell. All are part of a World HeriTAGe Site; Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner. A notable feature is La Rambla, a boulevard that runs from the city centre to the waterfront, thronged with crowds until late at night and lined by florists, craft sellers, cafeterias and restaurants. Barcelona contains seven beaches. Sant Sebastià and Barceloneta beaches are the largest, oldest and the most frequented beaches.

Most charter boats make thier home in Puerto Olimpico and from there it is possible to go either north and explore the Costa Brava and towns such as Tossa de Mar, Palamos, L'Estartit, Cadaques, Llafranc and San Feliu. Or south on the Costa Dorada and the see the towns of Castelldefells, Garraf, Sitges, Villanueva y Geltru, Torredembarra and Tarragona

What You Need - Experience, Qualifications, Visa RequireMents, etc. - For bareboat charters it is necessary for the skipper of the boat to hold an ICC or equivilant

Charter Season - The main charter season runs between May to October with July and August being the peak months. These two months also see the biggest crowds and the lightest winds. Consider the shoulder season for a charter. Less crowded, comfortable temperatures and a better chance of wind for those who like to hoist a sail from tie to time.

Weather - Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, humid winters and warm, dry summers. Its average annual temperature is 20°C (68°F) during the day and 11°C (52°F) at night. Average annual sea temperature of sea is 18°C (64°F). In August, the warmest month, the typically temperature ranges from 25 to 31°C (77 to 88°F) during the day, about 20°C (68°F) at night and the average sea temperature is 25°C (77°F). Sunshine hours are 2,524 per year, from 138 (average 4.5 hours of sunshine/day) in December to 310 (average 10 hours of sunshine/day) in July. Average relative humidity is 72%, from 69% in July to 75% in October. Thunderstorms are common from mid August until November. Though Barcelona is normally not a windy city, it is affected by sea breezes from May to September

Time Difference - UTC +1

How to Get There - Barcelona El Prat Airport is located 12 km (7.5 miles) southwest of the city. The Airport mainly serves domestic, European and North African destinations, also having flights to Southeast Asia, Latin America and North America. Major carriers include; Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air Berlin, Air France, Alitalia, American Airlines, British Airways, Scandinavian Airlines, Delta Airlines, EasyJet, TAP Portugal, Lufthansa, Ryanair, Spanair, Swiss International Air Lines, Vueling. Barcelona also boasts an extensive motorway network and is the hub of a high-speed rail network, particularly that which links France with Spain.

Currency - Euro

Language - Spanish. English is widely spoken

Food & Drink - Traditional Catalan cusine relies heavily on ingredients found along the Mediterranean coast, including tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, aubergines, red peppers and artichokes, wheat products - bread and Pasta, olive oils, wines, legumes - beans and chickpeas, various of Pork preparations, chicken, lamb and Fish like sardines, anchovies, tuna, and cod and different sorts of cheese. Inland dishes tend to feature meat with particular emphasis on Pork-intensive preperations while Food on the coast features much more Fish. The traditional Catalan cuisine is quite diverse, ranging from Pork-intensive dishes cooked in the inland part of the region to fish-based recipes along the coast.

Suggested Itineraries & Routes - Head North on the Costa Brava for 1 week.

Day 1 - Barcelona - Join the boat in Port' Olympic. The marina is surrounded by good restaurants but some distance from the centre of Barcelona.

Day 2 - Port' Olympic - Tossa de Mar - 40 miles. Head NE. An important and very attractive anchorage. It is exposed to winds from the NE to SE and should be avoided if there are strong winds from this direction. The anchorage dates back to Roman times who called it Turissa. There are many interesting places to visit including a Roman villa, the Old Town, and a fine Baroque church. Like all of the Costa Brava there is a good deal of development but the rocky coast and local building regulations have prevented the extremes that can be seen further South. There are numerous attractive calas to the north, particularly Cala Bona.

Day 3 - Tossa de Mar - Palamos - 15 miles. Palamos is a fairly large town and has two marinas, one within the fishing harbour at the northern end of the bay, and another round the corner to the North. Both are very busy and booking ahead is recommended. It is famous locally for its fishing fleet and for the prawns that they fish. You can also anchor in the bay or consider going to nearby Calella de Palafrugell, a smaller and prettier anchorage. There are also other beaches and calas on the way that are worth investigating.

Day 4 - Palamos - L'Estartit - 20 miles. L'Estartit is situated at the far end of Pals Bay and has one of the areas best marinas. Just offshore are the Islas Medes, an underwater nature park, rich in diverse marine life and corals. You can take a glass-bottomed boat trip round them. The nearby town of Torroella with its leafy avenues and narrow streets is worth a visit, as are the medieval towns of Pals and Peratallada. The anchorages of Aiguablava and Sa Tuna, between Palamos and L'Estartit, offer some protection and are wonderfully scenic.

Day 5 - L'Estartit - Llafranc - 10 miles. Head SE back down the coast. Llafranc is one of the prettiest little towns along the coast. The marina is nearly always full and the beautiful bay offers little in the way of protection from almost any wind. However if the weather permits this is well worth a stop. The Hotel Llafranc and the Hotel Levant both have excellent beach side restaurants and there is a charming square beside the Llafranc where you can have a drink and tapas overlooking the lovely bay.

Day 6 - Llafranc - Blanes - 25 miles. The harbour is shared by yachts and fishing boats. It is busy in the summer and it is wise to book ahead. The town and surrounding area is pleasant. Visit the botanical garden, the 14th century church and the ruined palace. The view from Castillo de San Juan, on the hill behind the harbour, is worth the climb. To the W of the harbour is a fine sandy beach.

Day 7 - Blanes - Port' Olympic - 25 miles.

Day 8 - Disembark at Port' Olympic, Barcelona

History of the Area - Barcelona was founded by the Romans in 15BC. The city was conquered by the Visigoths in the early 5th century and by the Arabs in the early 8th century. It was re-conquered in 801 by Charlemagne's son Louis and was then ruled by the Counts of Barcelona. In 1137, Aragon and the County of Barcelona merged and the territories were known as the Crown of Aragon. The forging of a link between the Crowns of Aragon and Castile, in 1469, marked the beginning of the city's decline. Barcelona was always the stronghold of Catalan separatism and was the centre of the Catalan Revolt (1640-52) against Philip IV of Spain. The great plague of 1650-1654 halved the city's population. The Napoleonic wars left the province ravaged, but the post war period saw the start of industrialization. The resistance of Barcelona to Franco's coup d'etat led to the autonomous institutions of Catalonia being abolished and the use of the Catalan language in public life was suppressed. However Barcelona remained the heart of a region which was relatively industrialised and prosperous. And saw large-scale immigration from poorer regions of Spain, particularly Andalucia, Murcia and Galicia. In 1992 Barcelona hosted the Olympic which helped revitalize the city

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Pasta

Pasta

The Pasta is not just for Italians. People all over the world a good plate of it. And actually, if you want to be technical, is not the origin of Pasta in Italy, but from China, but that's not the point or the center of this article. Our mission is to make aware of all the different types of Pasta dishes and Pasta can be enjoyed.

Probably the most common Pasta dish is spaghetti. Probably there is no child in the world who does not like spaghetti and meatballs. AsIn fact, this dish is so popular that even put in cans now. Just take a can of Spaghetti-O, and see for yourself. But the spaghetti is not very well something that you must leave. Their quality of spaghetti to come in a box and must be well cooked, not just thrown in the microwave. Cook the spaghetti is a matter of taste. Some people like it very closely, while others prefer a little 'longer, about 10 minutes or so cooked. The less you cook the more difficult it isbe digested. Just a warning.

There are also many types of spaghetti, as the thickness of each thin filaMent. If you check your supermarket, you are probably about six or seven different thicknesses of spaghetti, linguine, including the fact it is a plate of spaghetti, noodles, to find the most complete.

It is one of the very different taste though? Well, yes and no. Depending on the brand of spaghetti and what kind of grain is done, there may be slight The differences in taste. But the truth is that the taste of your spaghetti to go to learn more about what it takes to go out with, above or below. The dough is versatile and there are many dishes you can make out.

But the spaghetti and linguine are not the only forms of Pasta you have available. There are also macaroni, which is great for making Chop Suey and, of course, every child's favorite dish, macaroni and cheese. While it is probably easier, brochures>Kraft Macaroni And Cheese and cook it up, there's nothing wrong with making home made.

But getting back to all the things you can do with Pasta, while there are just way too many to list all the dishes, there are a few that are quite popular besides the old spaghetti and meatball standby.

For starters, there's the classic dish, linguini and claim sauce. This is something that you will find in your finer Italian restaurants and pizzerias. It's not suggested you order this dish from an American restaurant as it's not likely to be all that good.

Then of course there is the very popular Pasta primavera, which actually didn't come into vogue until the 1970s, at least in America. This is actually an Italian-American dish. Pasta primavera has everything but the kitchen sink thrown into it, including tomato, broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, Snow peas, mushrooms and a ton of other ingredients. Preparing this dish is not for those who have just made their first hamburger. This one takes skill.

And the list of pasta dishes goes on and on. It's a favorite of just about everybody, which explains why there are so many of these dishes available.

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