BiG TeA PaRtY is about a style of living.
A funky, elegant, healthy and ecological lifestyle that is attainable by everyone.
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Each day BiG TeA PaRtY searches the news, medical and science journals, and the internet to bring you the most interesting articles on health, the environment and sustainable living.
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TODAY’S UPDATE: FOOD, HEALTH, DIET: FORGET LOW CARB, HIGH PROTEIN. INSTEAD USE THE GLYCEMIC INDEX TO HELP YOU MAKE SMART FOOD CHOICES. Article written by: ELIZABETH FIEND
The Glycemic Index is a scientific measurement of how rapidly foods release their sugars into your blood. It’s an invaluable, easy-to-use tool for maintaining or getting to a proper weight. Forget diets. Get jiggy wit’ the GI instead. The concept was popularized in diets like Atkins, The Zone and The South Beach Diet which center around the philosophy of low-carb/high protein. The problem with these diets is that they rely on too much protein and not enough fruits and vegetables to keep you healthy in the long run. Carbohydrates are found in foods like bread, pasta, cake and fruit as these foods contain sugars. Foods that are low in carbs are fish, meat, cheese; these foods contain fat and protein. When you eat a candy bar, you are essentially pouring spoonfuls of sugar into your bloodstream. You spike, suddenly you got energy up the wazoo! And then, just as suddenly, you crash and burn, losing energy and feeling hungry again, even though you just consumed a zillion calories an hour ago. You eat more, you get fat and grumpy and soon you have no girlfriend. Time to turn to the GI. If you use the Glycemic Index to help you make food choices you’ll feel fuller longer because your blood sugar will stay relatively stable before eating, after eating and in-between meals — and this will help you to eat less. When you eat less, you weigh less. Love, Elizabeth Fiend (Full article) “Join [Organic Consumers Association] in celebrating Fair Trade on May 10, 2008! Fair Trade means a fair price for farmers and artisans, a better future for our planet, and a tastier, higher quality product for you.
On Saturday, May 10, Organic Consumers Association will join with people from 70 countries worldwide to celebrate World Fair Trade Day and highlight the importance and benefits of Fair Trade.
Fair Trade enthusiasts worldwide will host Fair Trade food tastings, house parties, speakers, festivals, concerts, and fashion shows.
We’re trying to set the World Record for the World’s Largest Fair Trade Coffee Break: At 3pm Eastern/Noon Pacific, Fair Trade supporters around the world will take a break to enjoy a cup of Fair Trade coffee.
Go to your Organic Consumers Association state events page to find Fair Trade events near you.” (Presented by VaLerie K) FOOD, THE ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMICS: Fertilizer: Soaring Food Prices, Key to Health, Bad for Environment. Source: The New York Times
The demand for fertilizer has been driven by a confluence of events, including population growth, shrinking world grain stocks and the appetite for corn and palm oil to make biofuel. But experts say the biggest factor has been the growing demand for food, especially meat, in the developing world. Environmental groups fear increased use, particularly of nitrogen fertilizer made using fossil fuels. Because plants do not absorb all the nitrogen, much of it leaches into streams and groundwater. That runoff has long been recognized as a major pollution problem, and it is growing. A barometer of the pollution is the rising number of dead zones where rivers meet the sea. In the Gulf of Mexico, for instance, nitrogen runoff from fields in the Corn Belt washes downstream and feeds plant life in the gulf. The algae blooms suck oxygen from the water, killing other marine life. More than 400 dead zones have been identified, from the coasts of China to the Chesapeake Bay, and the primary reason is agricultural runoff, said Robert J. Diaz, a professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.“Nitrogen is nitrogen,” Professor Diaz said. “If it’s on land, it produces corn. If it gets in the water, it produces algae.” This month, a United Nations panel called for changes in agricultural practices to make them less damaging. The panel recommended techniques that offer some of the same benefits as chemical fertilizer, like increased crop rotation with legumes that naturally add some nitrogen to the soil.” (Full article). Love, Elizabeth Fiend
HEALTH: ALLERGIES ARE THE LIES THE BODY TELLS ITSELF article written by Elizabeth Fiend
 What do vaginal dryness, lousy driving, methamphetamine, cocaine, steroids and Kleenex all have in common? You guessed it: this article is going to be all about seasonal allergies. Allergies are caused by a body’s misplaced, overblown reaction to something that in reality isn’t harmful. When this happens the culprit is called an allergen. Pollen is an allergen, though it’s a harmless substance, not poisonous in any way to humans. But for a growing number of people, pollen, mold, animal fur and dust mites trigger an unnecessary, and unfortunate, attack by their immune system. The result of this attack is an allergic reaction — nasal secretion, itchy throat, eyes, and ear canals, sneezing, tearing eyes, stuffy nose and ears. Allergies also make some people tired, cranky, impair memory and concentration and prevent sleep.(full article) HEALTH, NUTRITION: The Wisdom of Poo You read it right, I did not leave the ‘h’ off the end by mistake. This is not about a cute absent-minded bear, it’s about poop. The nature of your bowel movements is one of those general indicators that can alert you to problems or reassure you of good health. So pay attention people, there’s messages in them there poops. ciao, VaLerie K “The GI tract is a processing unit that metabolizes all of the nutrients you take in and eliminates all of the body’s waste,” explains Dr. Amy Foxx-Orenstein, president of the American College of Gastroenterology. “What comes through it is reflective of how well or how ill the body is.” [TO READ FULL ARTICLE & FOR GRAPHIC POO DESCRIPTIONS CLICK HERE] ENVIRONMENT, ANIMALS, HEALTH: High Levels of Toxic Industrial Chemicals Contaminate Cats and Dogs.  “In the first study of its kind, Environmental Working Group found that American pets are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic industrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people. Just as children ingest pollutants in tap water, play on lawns with pesticide residues, or breathe in an array of indoor air contaminants, so do their pets. But with their compressed lifespans, developing and aging seven or more times faster than children, pets also develop health problems from exposures much more rapidly. The National Research Council has found that sickness and disease in pets can inform our understanding of our own health risks. And for anyone who has lost a pet to cancer or another disease potentially linked to chemical exposures, this sentinel role played by pets becomes a devastating personal loss. As cats meticulously groom themselves, they lick off accumulated dust that studies show can be contaminated with the neurotoxic fire retardants PBDEs and reproductive toxins called phthalates that were found in the cats we tested. A dog eating scraps from the floor may also swallow dirt and dust tracked in from the outdoors and contaminated with heavy metals and pesticides. A flea collar can spew droplets of insecticide that can be lethal to cats. Dogs and cats often eat food processing and packaging chemicals that contaminate their food, day after day and year after year, resulting in cumulative exposures with unknown health risks. Chew toys might contain plastic softeners, foam beds might be infused or coated with fire retardants and stain-proofing chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects, and plastic water bowls might leach hormone disruptors.” Love, Elizabeth Fiend (Full article) BiG TeA PaRtY EVENT: at SQUEAKY WHEEL BUFFALO MEDIA ARTS CENTER
SCREENING OF: BiG TeA PaRtY’s Chew on This! Chew On This! is full of Philly food facts and fun fur hats, plus a visit from one of America’s greatest thinkers (and eaters) Benjamin Franklin. Part game show, part food show and all parts fun, this episode is a feast of eye candy and an earful of information. Click here to purchase CHEW ON THIS! as part of the compilation video Cha Ching SUSTAINABILITY, ENERGY, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY, COW PADS:
TOP 5 Weirdest Ways to Power Your Home - It’s time for some more kooky, wild, yet surprisingly sane ideas for generating and capturing energy. Energy is all around us, there’s no need to dig it up out of the ground - that is SO old hat.
 Just in case you missed earlier BiG TeA PaRtY posts on innovative energy sources, you may want to check them out. ciao, VaLerie K Leg Brace Generates Power, presented by Elizabeth Fiend “As solar panels and wind turbines become more and more commonplace in homes, it appears that green energy is finally moving into mainstream. But lest you fear that solar power is becoming too played out, there are still plenty of TRULY ALTERNATIVE energy sources to out there to sink your trendspotting teeth into. From kinetic energy to sound-power and even natural waste (yes, poo), there are more and more creative, weird, and super-promising ways to deliver all the power you need from renewable energy sources all around us. Here are our top 5 Really Alternative Energy Sources…” [read article] HAPPY EARTH DAY!
RECIPE: ORANGE CREAMSICLE CAKE, RECIPE BY ELIZABETH FIEND
A favorite childhood memory of mine was running outside when the ice cream truck came around my Quick and easy. Dress up a store bought cake or if you have a favorite recipe, make your own angel food cake. You’ll get raves, trust me!! Only takes 1/2 hour (with store bought cake). THIS CAKE JUST SCREAMS SPRING!! MAKE THIS CAKE FOR YOUR NEXT PARTY OK, a cake’s a cake. It’s dessert and there’s no denying it. But I’ve made this cake more healthful by incorporating two pounds of fruit into the recipe. (I must be a genius!) Plus I’ve lightened up the custard filling by using yogurt and mascarpone cheese, a soft, sweet Italian cheese with half the calories of butter. And — angel food cake contains less fat than most other cakes. Love, Elizabeth Fiend (recipe) PUBLIC HEALTH, KIDS: When kids are offered healthy snacks, they eat them!!!
What have they got to show for it? The number of kids who got fat during the two-year experiment was half the number of kids who got fat in schools that didn’t make those efforts. Schools are ideal settings for programs that target childhood obesity, the researchers noted. Children spend long hours each day at schools and eat lunch and often breakfast at school. For the study, changes were made to the food in vending machines or the cafeteria in five of the schools. Juice, water and low-fat milk replaced sodas. Snacks had to meet limits for fat, salt and sugar. Students who ate healthy snacks got raffle tickets to win prizes such as bikes and jump ropes. “We found when you give children healthy choices, they pick them,” said Grace McGinley, school nurse at Francis Hopkinson School, one of the test schools.” Love, Elizabeth Fiend (Full article) HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT: MANY COMMON CLEANING PRODUCTS ARE TOXIC, MAKE THE SWITCH TO NATURAL CLEANING PRODUCTS NoW!! GUIDE TO CLEANING PRODUCTS: article written by ELIZABETH FIEND It’s spring. This season of renewal brings with it the tradition of spring cleaning, making now as good a time as any to switch to all things natural. I’m talking about cleaning products — for your home and your body. All types of non-toxic cleaners for your home are now available in conventional supermarkets: glass, drain, dishwasher, dish soap, laundry, shower, even toilet bowl cleaners. Most are competitively priced or cost just a tad bit more than chemical-based cleaners. Theses natural cleaners are conveniently located right next to the toxic ones, or maybe on a shelf not quite at eye level. Why make the switch? VOCs — Volatile organic compounds — are gases emitted from some liquid or solid chemicals. VOCs are emitted from the very same chemicals that are included in many cleaning products, disinfectants and air fresheners. They’re in your dry cleaning too. Not to mention their presence in other common household products like paint, varnish, craft and hobby materials. They’re also found in scads of personal care products like cosmetics, body soaps and shampoos, and baby products. [Today I’m just talkin’ cleaning. But be forewarned: In the future I’ll do an in-depth report about all types of personal care products and cosmetics. It’s bad news. Very, very, bad.] Open the windows! (Seriously.) The EPA estimates that VOCs are present in the air indoors, that is, in your home, in concentrations up to 10 times higher than outdoors. These toxic gases have short- and long-term negative health effects including headaches, irritation to eyes, nose and throat, nausea and most alarmingly, damage to your central nervous system, liver and kidneys. (FULL ARTICLE) BY ELIZABETH FIEND Soy to the World! BY ELIZABETH FIEND
FOOD: You wait and wait, eagerly anticipating your favorite time of the year, and suddenly, it’s here! April is National Soy Month, the most delicious month of the year! Soy is one hell of an amazing plant, one that’s been part of the human diet for over 5,000 years. But it’s much, much more than just veggie burgers. The soybean is also used as food for livestock and it has all the properties of petroleum — except unlike petrol, soy is biodegradable.Wow, doesn’t knowing that you could fuel up your car or feed your cow with it make soy even more mouth-watering, appetizing and desirable to you? This bean’s potential is astounding. So if soy is so good, why does it have such a bad rap with the American public? In the early 1970s, the health food movement emerged big time. Propelled by granola-eating, Earth Shoe-wearing, anti-war hippies, it got a “liberal” stigma, which is really nonsensical yet has persisted. Soy is also linked to vegetarianism, which is not the case in any other part of the world. And what can I say, Americans hate vegetarians. (Full article and two tofu recipes) Love, Elizabeth Fiend Did you know you can search the BiG TeA PaRtY Sustainable Living Resource Center and go straight to the articles, news and tips you want to know about? Yes, it’s true. Look to the upper right hand corner– see the SEARCH box on our tool bar? Type in your query and you’ll get a list of related articles. Try searching TOXINS, SOY, or even the name of BiG TeA PaRtY’s lovely editor VaLerie K to see all her articles. Give it a try, we have loads of interesting, on target, thoughtful, cutting-edge information for you. Love, Elizabeth Fiend SUSTAINABLE LIVING, RECYCLING:
ClOtHiNg SwAp by VaLerie K Guess what! BiG TeA PaRtY, always ahead of the curve, already has a video about clothing swaps on our compilation tape OOLONG. Click HERE to see “All Girls Clothes Swap”, hosted of course by ELIZABETH FIEND, shot by me, VaLerie K, as guest cameraperson. Check it: there are handy tips at the end of the article for having a successful clothing swap of your own. Host a swap and report back, ok? Now, on to the article…. Not to BRAG or anything, but I think I was the first to host a clothing swap in my crowd of girlfriends back in 1988 or so. 20 years later, we are still doing it. We just had a clothes swap last weekend. We do it, oh, about twice a year, usually when the one of us who has been itching to purge their closet the longest can’t stand it anymore. I searched Wikipedia for ‘clothing swap’ and sure enough, there was a definition right there. I surfed around and found many sites and posts, and though there are variations, the gist is the same everywhere. A group of people gets together. Everyone brings clothes, accessories and other items still in good shape that they are no longer using. Everyone looks through everyone else’s stuff and takes what they want at no charge. Whatever’s left at the end of the swap gets donated to a charitable org like Good Will, United Way or charity thrift stores, women’s shelters, places like that. [read article]
Alternative Gift Registry Getting married? Having a baby? Just want to encourage your friends to buy you presents through a Gift Registry for no particular reason beyond the joy of giving? Live your ideals, share them with those who would shower you with gifts by using the Alternative Gift Registry. ENERGY: The anniversary of Three Mile Island is upon us, the near nuclear super-disaster in the middle Because we’re nearing peak-oil the nuclear energy issue is being revisited. STOP!!! Today I have two articles for you. One from the director of The Public Citizen’s Energy Program. The other is a recap of the whole Three Mile Island debacle. “It’s almost as if the Bush administration forgot what happened March 28, 1979, when feedwater pumps failed at Three Mile Island nuclear plant near Harrisburg, Pa., leading to a partial core meltdown and the release of significant amounts of radiation. Prior to this event, mounting public concern and disastrous cost overruns led to the cancellation of most proposals for new reactors. Three Mile Island was the final blow…. Almost 30 years later, the flaws that halted interest in nuclear power have not changed. Cost, security, safety and waste proliferation are lingering problems that have yet to be resolved.” Love, Elizabeth Fiend (Full articles) MEDICINE: The Selling of Sickness article written by Elizabeth Fiend. Pharmaceutical companies It’s called disease mongering. Our government helps out by encouraging, actually rewarding, corporations in the health care sector who pursue for-profit activities. Health care is now called an industry. We can’t blame this one on Bush either, it was the Clinton administration which allowed the loosening of regulations regarding direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical marketing. These pills cost a hell of a lot of money, too. Inappropriate prescriptions for high-profile drugs cost us millions each year. These new drugs, targeted at basically healthy people, are rapidly eroding the health and prescription drug insurance systems. These new designer prescription drugs also take attention away from down-to-earth, non-pharmacological strategies for healthier, happier living, such as exercise and diet. Often, these are enough to nip the problem in the bud. Love, Elizabeth Fiend (Full article) TECHNOLOGY: Storing wind under water? Sounds like a strange concept, What’s the wildest energy-generating strategy you’ve heard - - leave a comment on the main article page, we love to hear from you! ciao, VaLerie K “Seamus Garvey wants to “store the wind”. He believes the future of energy is storing it as compressed air in giant bags under the sea. And a major power company has invested in the scheme. Professor Garvey, a long-time proponent of compressed air, feels vindicated by the research grant. He said: “As the country and the whole world moves toward using more renewable energy, we’re going to need energy storage.” His idea would utilise familiar renewable sources - wind, waves and tidal power. But Professor Garvey does not believe we should be forced to “use it or lose it” when conditions are best. Energy would instead be used to compress and pump air into underwater bags, anchored to the seabed. When energy demand is highest, the air would be released through a turbine, converting it to electricity. [READ FULL ARTICLE] Explore more of BiG TeA PaRtY’s Resource Center by clicking on the underlined words. See other news, views, updates, recipes and useful information on how to live the good life. HEALTH: “Modern medicine can keep people alive into their 9th and 10th decades, when in years past How do you feel about assisted suicide? Is some way to gracefully end one’s life important to a sustainable future? Leave comments after the jump. Love, Elizabeth Fiend (Full article) Hey, check out the BiG TeA PaRtY Resource Center’s section on THE ENVIRONMENT. Click here to get there.
GARDENING: Although there’s still a chill in the air and a bit of winter left, if you want to do a garden this year, start now. That’s right. The key to gardening is to be on top of everything. Gardening is based around the weather and the weather waits for no man — or woman. Please enjoy my article about the do’s and don’ts of ordering from garden catalogs. And take a look at some photos from my garden! Love, Elizabeth Fiend (Article)  RANDOM LINK OF THE DAY: Check this out. Click here dude.
HEALTH, MUSIC: This is very cool research, if a bit preliminary. It’s about the healing properties of MUSIC. Anyone who has ever loved music has felt its power, and anything that helps people heal physically while reducing the need for medication is A-OK with me. Speaking of music, check out the source of all BiG TeA PaRTY tracks: MoRE FiENdS. Love, VaLerie K “Listening to music makes us feel better - but many doctors are now beginning to believe that it does much more. There is emerging evidence that it can bring about physical changes to the body that can improve our health. The Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London has regular performances - and has seen impressive results. A scientific study by the hospital has found that patients who listen to live music need less drugs and recover more quickly than those who do not. According to Dr Rosalia Staricoff, who carried out the study, there is growing scientific evidence that music aids physical changes which can help heal the body. She said: “The physiological benefits have been measured. Music reduces blood pressure, the heart rate, and hormones related to stress.” [READ FULL ARTICLE] RANDOM LINK OF THE DAY: Check this out. Click here. ENVIRONMENT: BATTLEFIELD EARTH. The War on Pollution or Pollution from War. Article Written By ELIZABETH FIEND Sadly, we hear each day about the horrible human toll of war — the body counts, the amputees learning to cope, the countless and nameless children ravaged by the violence, rendered orphans or worse. War is hell on earth, of course. But war is also hell on The Earth, too. You may not be aware of just how toxic and devastating is the footprint that the military-industrial complex leaves behind on Battlefield Earth. Agent Orange, rocket fuel, lead, mercury, petroleum, asbestos, countless carcinogenic solvents. This toxic stew settles into the soil in which we grow our food, seeps down into the water we drink and floats unseen in the air we breathe making us sick — terribly sick – and killing many of us, or leading to birth defects, cancer, miscarriages, and kidney and thyroid disease. Twenty-nine million Americans – that’s about one in every 10 — live within 10 miles of a toxic military site. That is, a site that’s already been labeled under the Superfund Program as being a top priority for toxic-waste cleanup. There are many, many, more sites that haven’t yet been certified. (Full article) FOOD PRICES: Scary news about the rising costs of food. Food prices will continue to rise at an alarming rate. RANDOM LINK OF THE DAY: Click on this link and go somewhere for a change. Click here. SUSTAINABLE LIVING: GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER a Man From the Past, Hero For Today’s Sustainable Life Movement. Article witten by ELIZABETH FIEND
Although his contributions were born of economic necessity, his ideas are my ideals. Here is a man whose work exemplifies so much of what we’re trying to get back to today. If he was alive he’d be a guru to the sustainable movement, the slow food movement, the holistic movement, the recycling, conservation and environmental movements. He understood the interconnectedness of things, and that ignoring this would have disastrous results. He was a smart guy, maybe a genius. But because of the color of his skin he had to struggle to educate himself; he had to sit at the back of the bus and had to stay in the servant’s quarters in fancy hotels even though he was the key-note speaker. He never received adequate funding or payment for his work. Today he’s trotted out in 5th grade classes as a great African American. But I think he should be regarded as an inspiration to us all and as a great man, period. (Full article by Elizabeth Fiend) HEALTH: The Importance of Hand Washing to Our Health. And the Dangers of Antibacterial Soap. By ELIZABETH FIEND Wash Your Hands! The single, most painless way to stay healthy and to stop the spread of illness to others is to wash your freaking hands.
Unwashed hands kill a lot of people each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that poor hand washing contributes to almost half of the 9,000 deaths caused each year by outbreaks of food-borne illnesses like salmonella, shigellosis, hepatitis A and E. coli. More people are killed by germs in hospitals each year than by fires, car crashes and drowning combined, and the government has estimated that about 20,000 of those deaths might have been prevented by the simple act of proper hand washing. Wash Your Hands! (full article) Sustainable Technology: Fabric that creates energy. “Someday, your shirt might be able to power Scientists have developed a way to generate electricity by jostling fabric with unbelievably tiny wires woven inside, raising the prospect of textiles that produce power simply by being stretched, rustled or ruffled by a breeze. The research, described in the journal Nature, combines the precision of ultra-small nanotechnology with the elegant principle known as the piezoelectric effect, in which electricity is generated when pressure is applied to certain materials. While the piezoelectric effect has been understood at least as far back as the 19th century, it is getting creative new looks now, as concerns about energy supplies are inspiring quests for alternative power sources. For example, a Japanese railway has experimented with mats, placed under turnstiles, that translate the pressure from thousands of commuters’ footfalls into usable power. French scientists have proposed capturing energy from raindrops hitting a structure with piezoelectric properties.” Love, Elizabeth Fiend GLOBAL ECONOMY: This is not good news. This is definitely not leading us to a sustainable future. “Abu Dhabi has about 9 percent of the world’s oil and 0.02 percent of its population. The result is a surfeit of petrodollars, much of which is funneled into a secretive, government-controlled investment fund that is helping to shift the balance of power in the financial world. … ADIA is the largest of the world’s sovereign wealth funds, giant pools of money controlled by cash-rich governments, particularly in Asia and Middle East. But Abu Dhabi, the wealthiest of the seven Arab emirates, says little about its fund. Few outsiders know for sure where ADIA invests — or even how much money it controls. And secrecy breeds hyperbole; some estimates of the fund’s size surpass $1 trillion.” Norway controls the second largest fund, but China, Russia, Kuwait, Singapore also control funds which are estimated to reach the $12 trillion mark by 2015. The Abu Dhabi fund is one of the biggest investors in hedge funds. Hedge funds exist solely to make money, they produce no goods, contribute nothing tangible to society. Political worries. Economic worries. It’s time to start worrying for sure. Love, Elizabeth Fiend (Full article) Explore more of BiG TeA PaRtY’s Resource Center by clicking on the underlined words. See other news, views, updates, recipes and useful information on how to live the good life. HEALTH: OMEGA-3 and Flax, Keeps You Lubricated From the Inside Out
Vitamin F is more commonly known as a group of three EFAs, or essential fatty acids. If you’ve ever heard the phrase fish is brain food, EFAs are the reason why that’s true.There are three essential fatty acids we require for optimum health. Omega-3, -6 and -9. These fatty acids are required by our bodies to maintain healthy brain, cell and blood function as well as healthy immune, digestive and nervous systems. The “essential” means that this is a nutrient our bodies need but can’t manufacture. EFAs must come from a food source. Our ancestors got their essential fatty acids from eating fatty fish, placenta, eyeballs, testes, brains and other organ meats. Chances are you’re not eating enough of these foods to fulfill your body’s essential fatty acids needs. Due to changes in our tastes, coupled with our over-consumption of processed foods, the balance of essential fatty acids in our diets has become skewed towards excessive amounts of omega-6 and 9, and we’re just not getting enough omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly recommended for pain relief, especially pain linked to inflammation like arthritis. They reduce pain by flushing out the waste that’s accumulated and gotten stuck around your joints. But they do more, much more for you. ENVIRONMENT: This is some pretty scary news outta the world of geology. Geologists say “Naming such a new epoch would also recognize that humans now share responsibility with natural forces for the state of our planet’s ecological environment.” Right, that’s where the scary part comes in. We’re in charge of planet Earth and we suck. The International Commission on Stratigraphy will decide if it is indeed warranted to establish this new period. But most agree, Earth has taken a distinct and never before seen geological turn and there’s no turning back the clock. (Full article) Love, Elizabeth Fiend HEALTH: This update is about a recent study on women’s hormones, and since estrogen treatment (aka estrogen replacement therapy) is mentioned, I have one proviso: unfortunately science just doesn’t understand enough about hormones, and every time medicine messes with our hormones there are unforeseen negative consequences.  In 2002, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), shut down their study on post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy, because the study revealed an associated risk of breast cancer, stroke and heart attack. Need I say more about the importance of extreme caution? Luckily, there are lots of alternatives for dealing with the symptoms of menopause and its three sisters - peri, pre and post - but that’s a different update. I will, however, leave you with these words from Dr. Weil, renowned health adviser and integrative medicine guru: “Many women do quite well without any medical intervention for menopause treatment. Following an anti-inflammatory diet, getting adequate aerobic exercise, and relaxation practices can help address the many practical problems that menopause can bring.” If you have info on this or want to share your favorite remedy, leave a comment - we love to hear from you! ciao, VaLerie K [read article] RANDOM LINK OF THE DAY: Click on this link for a treat. Who knows where you’ll end up? Click here, or here or even HERE! FOOD, TECHNOLOGY: GENETIC ENGINEERING (GM or GMO) of plants and animals has caused Splicing genes and dicing DNA may someday end world hunger, cure disease and protect the environment. But what offers promise in the lab is troubling in the open fields of the world’s farms. Once a mistake is unleashed into the environment there is no certainty it can EVER be undone. FRANKENFOODS, foods made through genetic modification, are here! Genetically engineered crops have only been planted since 1996 but already account for 60-70% of the food in the grocery store. These foods include dairy products; beef, pork and chicken raised on genetically modified feed; peanut butter; salad dressing; muffins; bread; cake; candy; chocolate bars; protein bars; veggie burgers; corn chips; French fries; cereal; tomato sauce; soy sauce; canola oil; Bacos; soda; beer; fruit juice; non-dairy creamer; pasta; Nutrasweet; corn; squash; potatoes; soy; strawberries and lettuce; not to mention non-food items like detergent, soap, aspirin. . . . Genetic engineering is driven by industry, the bio-tech industry. Farmers, consumers aren’t asking for genetically modified foods and products. It’s time to slow down, evaluate the consequences of genetic engineering before it’s too late. A big thanx to GMWatch.org for sorting through everything, keeping track and reporting to us about all the amazing non-gmo scientific advances in farming and food production across the globe. This list proves that we do not need to genetically engineer plants to solve the world’s food problems. (See list of the non-gmo accomplishments of 2007) Please enjoy some of my drawings too! Love, Elizabeth Fiend Research on this topic introduced me to telomeres, which coat the ends of chromosomes and grow shorter as we age. Longer telomeres = longer life. But more importantly, I found lots of cool microscopic photos of telomeres - science can be so pretty. The wormy-looking things are the chromosomes, the bright dots at the tips are the telomeres. Suddenly I want to go to a rave, not sure why. Since BiG TeA PaRtY is all about lifestyle tips as well as informative news flashes, here’s the advice part: GET OUT OF YOUR CHAIR. Walk somewhere instead of driving. Take the steps instead of the elevator. Ride a bike, skate, swim, run, cartwheel, dance. If you are science-savvy and can elaborate in layman-speak, or have anything else to say about telomeres, please add a comment. ciao, VaLerie K “A [King’s College London] study of 2,401 twins found those who were physically active during their leisure time appeared biologically younger than their sedentary peers… The King’s team…particularly focused on telomeres, the repeat sequences of DNA that sit on the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from damage. As people age, their telomeres become shorter, leaving cells more susceptible to damage and death… The most active people had telomeres of a length comparable to those found in inactive people who were up to 10 years younger, on average.” [full article] ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT: The Prez is all hyped up on biofuels. Yeah, well it’s a “Clearing land to produce biofuels such as ethanol will do more to exacerbate global warming than using gasoline or other fossil fuels, two scientific studies show. … One study — written by a group of researchers from Princeton University, Woods Hole Research Center and Iowa State University along with an agriculture consultant — concluded that over 30 years, use of traditional corn-based ethanol would produce twice as much greenhouse gas emissions as regular gasoline. Another analysis, written by a Nature Conservancy scientist along with University of Minnesota researchers, found that converting rainforests, peatlands, savannas or grasslands in Southeast Asia and Latin America to produce biofuels will increase global warming pollution for decades, if not centuries.” (full article) Explore more of BiG TeA PaRtY’s Resource Center by clicking on the underlined words. See other news, views, updates, recipes and useful information on how to live the good life. |
“Some kinds of fertilizer have nearly tripled in price in the last year, keeping farmers from buying all they need. That is one of many factors contributing to a rise in food prices that, according to the United Nations’ World Food Program, threatens to push tens of millions of poor people into malnutrition.
block. I would always get the Orange Creamsicle ice cream bar. Orange sherbet coating over a rich creamy vanilla ice cream bar, this treat always spelled carefree days to me! I’ve duplicates these flavors as a refreshing, fruit filled cake. Yes, there really are two pounds of fruit in this cake!!!
“Five Philadelphia elementary schools replaced sodas with fruit juice. They scaled back snacks and banished candy. They handed out raffle tickets for wise food choices. They spent hours teaching kids, their parents and teachers about good nutrition.
a LINK OF INTEREST from 
of Pennsylvania. After being only half an hour away from a totally nuclear melt down, nuclear energy passed out of fashion because of scares like TMI and Chernobyl.
invent a need, then establish a market for a new blockbuster drug. They incessantly target the health care industry — doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical foundations, etc. — and through relentless, sophisticated lobbying establish the “disease” as significant and treatable in the minds of these professionals.
but research is going forward on this innovative energy idea.
they would have succumbed to any number of conditions. Now a small but growing number of these people are asking why. What is the point of living so long if you can no longer enjoy living? What is the point of living until your mind turns to marshmallow and you are reduced to an existence that is less than human?”
But if you’re middle class or lower you can bet your salary won’t be increasing at the same rate. This is NOT a sustainable situation. I’ve laid out for you some of the reasons why food prices are skyrocketing. The reason you’re salary isn’t increasing is simple: GREED of the bosses, they’re keeping most of the money for themselves.
George Washington Carver knew the importance of the small family farm and of community service; he believed that we should look to nature for advice instead of trying to tame it to our will; he knew that eating healthy, nutritionally sound home cooking was vital to good health and that wastefulness is a bad thing.
your iPod - just by doing the normal stuff expected of a shirt.
Rich people, rich corporations and now rich governments are gaining control of unprecedented global wealth, land and communities. And the take over is happening quickly. 
Never even heard of vitamin F, have you? Well, that’s why I’m here.
allergic reactions and even death in humans. It’s killed beneficial insects and is creating herbicide tolerant weeds and pesticide resistant insects.
dumb idea. Biofuels will not be the way to go. Cutting down on energy use; being smarter with energy use; harnessing wind, sun, water for energy; some bio fuels and even those made from algae; manufacturing more efficient cars and other high energy guzzlers; building green homes — these are a few of the ways to go. A combination of strategies is what we need to stop the pending threat of global warming, not investing all our energy into one problematic solution. Love, 
BiG TeA PaRtY produces edge-u-cational videos for television, the classroom, home use and public screenings. We also write informational articles, develop delicious and healthy recipes, play in our gardens, take lots of still photos and create music!
Our primary focuses are having fun, good nutrition, health, the environment, sustainability and the DIY, ‘do it yourself’ philosophy which embraces the power of the individual.
Read the articles written by BiG TeA PaRtY host Elizabeth Fiend, check out important stories in the news, look at our photos, listen to our music and watch our videos.
Support our cause, make a donation to BiG TeA PaRtY!
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[Above Photo By: GRETJEN CLAUSING.] Roker on the Road TV shoot in Elizabeth Fiend’s kitchen. Says Al Roker “Big Tea Party host Elizabeth Fiend is a star in her home town of Philadelphia. She has her own cooking and lifestyle show called Big Tea Party. But it’s not like any tea party I’ve been to. Unless of course you count the Mad Hatter.” From “Roker on the Road” Food Network.Green Tea Party: It’s Elemental was created specifically for use in the classroom to teach school-age children how to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Great for the whole family to watch together or for kids to watch alone.
Unconventional Coverage: the Message & the Means was filmed at the 2000 Republican National Convention, the first time Bush was elected president! Winner: Best Documentary award, 2001, Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema, Festival of Independents.
Sk8 B-Lo I-95 is BiG TeA PaRtY’s video on the Philadelphia diy skate-boarding scene. Filmed on location at world famous Love Park and FDR Skate Park. Screened as part of ESPN’s X-Games Tube Action Sports Film Festival.
Our video on gun violence was an International Finalist in Adbusters Creative ResistanceCampaign.
Is A Women Run Collective Producing Independent Media Since 1998
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Photos By: JEFF DUCKWORTH; ELLEN REYNOLDS; ALLEN FIEND
ELIZABETH FIEND: WRITER, HOST
VALERIE KELLER: EDITOR
GRETJEN CLAUSING: CAMERA
BiG TeA PaRtY is the recipient of several grants including a WYBE, public television, production grants; Puffin Foundation grant for continued, progressive media education; The Leeway Foundation’s, Window of Opportunity Grant; Philadelphia Independent Film and Video Assoc.’s subsidy grant; GreensGrow Philadelphia Project grant for dedication to green lifestyles.
Become more sustainable.
Craft your life so it has less of a negative impact on future generations.
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