Column

Ken Burns may have outdone himself with the 7 part series on PBS entitled “The Roosevelts.” What a job! Having spent so many of my early years with FDR as president, I thought he would be our president forever. Four terms of office! Can you believe it? Let’s do some FDR.

1. As with all Presidents, FDR threw out the first ball at the beginning of each baseball season for the Washington team in the American League. Although he could not put much on the ball due to his disability, local sportswriters thought he was one of the best pitchers on the woebegone team. The Washington team now is called the Nationals. What were they called in FDR’s time?

2. Just as much a member of their family as Franklin and Eleanor was their little dog. What was his name?

3. FDR was president through troubled years, including the Depression and World War II. He buoyed the spirits of Americans with a regular Friday evening radio show in which he just talked very reassuringly to the people. What was this radio broadcast called?

4. It sits at Jack London Square today. It was the Presidential yacht for FDR. What is its name?

5. We call it Camp David today. It was renamed by Dwight Eisenhower after his son. It is the presidential retreat. What did FDR call it?

6. Campobello Island in New Brunswick was an FDR favorite from childhood. Who played FDR on the stage and in the movie “Sunrise at Campobello?”

I always relish the gentle change of seasons, but the transition from summer to autumn may be my favorite time of all. Nowhere is this evolution more apparent than at the farmers’ market, where the vibrant shades of summer produce are gradually replaced by soft golden hues that mimic the colors of autumn leaves. We now have the opportunity to savor the last of the vine-ripened tomatoes while we celebrate the arrival of fall’s winter squash and fuzzy kiwi fruit. The best of both worlds.

Crisp mornings, shorter days, and cozy evenings at home rekindle my nesting instinct. No trip to the farmers’ market is complete without a wreath for the front door; an armload of unripe persimmons destined for display in a favorite blue and white china bowl; or a family of big bumpy pumpkins and other winter squash to decorate the front porch. But if you consider winter squash to be purely decorative, you’re missing out on a lot.

Everybody seems to understand summer squash. There’s nothing terribly mysterious about zucchini. But winter squash? Not so much. Summer squash is harvested while the skins and seeds are still young and tender. Winter squash have mature, hard rinds and seeds that require toasting to be edible. That’s as complicated as it gets. Sure, winter squash can be huge and unwieldy, but all that’s needed to unleash the magic is a sharp knife and a bit of confidence…which comes easily with a little experience.

Look for squash with no nicks, soft spots, or signs of decay. Uncut, their thick shells form a protective barrier around the flesh so they remain fresh at cool room temperatures for months….which makes those temporary decorative uses around the house not so frivolous after all! Winter squash should be refrigerated only after it has been cut. If you want to prepare for the months ahead, cooked, pureed squash can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Winter squash is amazingly versatile: cut it into cubes, seasoned, and roasted for gluten-free “croutons”; pureed for soups, or added to minestrone or other soups; sliced or cut into chunks for a side dish; added to lasagna or other pasta dishes; or paired with fresh sage and used as a filling for ravioli. Please also know that when pureed and seasoned, like pumpkin, butternut squash makes an incredibly good pie.

Friends seem to congregate more than ever this month, as our calendars begin to fill with gatherings of every variety. What to serve? Nothing is more familiar—or easier—than a quesadilla, but add an unexpected ingredient and these little triangles of gooey goodness jump to the next level.

This version was inspired by something I ate at a cozy little café in a coastal town in Washington state. I’m not instinctively drawn to coffee joints that serve nothing but their take on vegetarian food, but it was the only place open on this cool and drizzly afternoon. I still remember the look of barely-concealed horror on my (non-foodie) friend’s face when I ordered the day’s special, a butternut squash quesadilla. Although it was indeed served on a nasty whole wheat tortilla with far too little cheese (or maybe some crazy cheese substitute), I knew the flavor combination had definite possibilities. And so I got to work.

These make a zesty appetizer to serve with cocktails; or a perfectly satisfying light lunch, served alongside a big tossed green salad. They’re so good, you may even convert a horrified friend.

Quesadillas with Butternut Squash and Chiles

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing the griddle
6 ounces peeled and seeded butternut or other winter squash, coarsely grated or finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons seeded and finely chopped jalapeño or serrano chile pepper
1 garlic clove, minced or crushed through a press
1 to 1 1/2 cups (4 to 6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 (7-inch) flour tortillas
Chipotle Crema and fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the squash and season with salt and cumin. Cook, stirring, until just tender, for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the green onions, jalapeño, and garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat.

2. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat until hot. (Alternatively, cook quesadillas one-or-two-at-a-time in large skillet.)

3. Brush the griddle lightly with oil and add the tortillas, leaving some space between them. Spread one-fourth of the squash mixture over half of each tortilla; then sprinkle evenly with cheese. Fold the tortillas in half.

4. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until lightly browned, before flipping them over with a spatula. Continue cooking until the cheese is melted and bubbly-hot on the inside and the tortillas are lightly browned on the outside, for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a cutting board.

5. Using a pizza wheel or a large knife, cut each quesadilla into 3 pie-shaped wedges. If desired, pipe or drizzle a bit of Chipotle Crema over the top of each wedge. Sprinkle with coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, or garnish the platter with cilantro sprigs. Makes 12 wedges, to serve 3 to 4.

To make Chipotle Crema:

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sour cream and a pinch of salt.
Mix in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (to taste) minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce. Stir until blended. Use at once, or cover and refrigerate.

Variations:

–If you still find corn at the farmers’ market, slice the kernels from one large ear and add them to the squash mixture before cooking.
–Grated zucchini or thin shreds of kale also make delicious additions. (And are an easy way to sneak more vegetables into your diet.)
— Adding well-drained cooked black beans to the squash mixture provides additional fiber…and the appropriate color combination for Halloween!
–This recipe is easily doubled, making it ideal for casual gatherings with friends….or snacks for little boys and ghouls.

If you’re looking to expand your entertaining repertoire—and have a lot of fun in the process—check out Peggy Fallon’s upcoming class at Draeger’s Cooking School at Blackhawk on Tuesday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m. For more information go to www.draegerscookingschool.com, or call 1-800-642-9463 ext. 261.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well.

Q. Last fall, we had a problem with raccoons as they tore up the lawn to feast on the grubs. I’d like to discourage the raccoons early on this year. Is there an easy way to tell if the lawn grubs have returned?

A. Grubs are immature beetles found in the ground, and are usually white in color. As the grubs mature, they begin to feed on the grass roots, killing patches of the lawn in the process. The damage is visible from late summer through the fall. The damage normally starts next to cement or a hot concrete edge and quickly spreads outwards toward the center of the lawn. The dead grass easily peels off the soil surface exposing the grubs. Grubs can still be present in undamaged grass; hence the raccoons return. There is a simple test for the presence of grubs using detergent and water. With stakes and string, mark off two by two foot squares. Mix two tablespoons of a liquid soap or detergent in a bucket of water and pour the solution evenly over the areas. I’d set up several test sites. The sites can be any area where the turf has turned brown and a normal area. Keep a close eye on the surface for the next ten to fifteen minutes. The detergent agitates the grubs forcing them to the soil surface. Typically, more than five grubs per quarter-square foot warrants treatment. The organic solution for grubs is to apply Beneficial Nematodes. Beneficial Nematodes kill all the soil insects except earthworms. They’re applied with a tank sprayer. Beneficial Nematodes done early on will rid the area of all the soil insects and force the raccoons to look elsewhere for a new food source. Another solution is Bayer Season Long Grub Control. It can be applied as early as May or June and provides grub control over an extended period of time. Both these products do not provide immediate results but takes seven to ten days for them to be effective. Unfortunately, the raccoons can do a lot damage in that time period so it’s suggested to start early with your controls.

Q. This spring we had two old Chinese Elm trees removed from our yard. I had expected that the roots would eventually die once the trees were gone, but now we have tree shoots sprouting up over twenty feet from the original tree site and in the middle of the lawn. I’ve sprayed the shoot(s) with Roundup, and that takes care of them, but shortly afterwards new shoots appears. Is there a product I can use to treat the roots so they die and dissolve?

A. Elms, Poplars, many fruit trees, and others will send up copious suckers when the main tree is cut down. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to the problem. Spot treating the sprouts and digging those out in the turf are the only solution. It’s a war of attrition. I wish I had a more positive answer but there isn’t one.
Buzz Bertolero is Executive Vice President of Navlet’s Garden Centers and a California Certified Nursery Professional. His web address is www.dirtgardener.com and you can send questions by email at dirtgarden@aol.com or to 360 Civic Drive Ste. ‘D’, Pleasant Hill, California. 94523 and on Facebook at Facebook.com/Buzz.Bertolero

Throughout history eyebrows have played a significant roll in fashion and identifies the era in which women lived. When we tweeze and define our brows, we are actually taking part in a long, long history of facial grooming. During the Renaissance, women shaved their eyebrows off completely, while the colonial elite in 18th-century America preferred to make their eyebrows more pronounced by adding coal to give them more definition.

More than ever, eyebrows are the focus in beauty today. How to capture the correct brow style for our generation is as important as the right way we update and apply make-up to the eyes and lips.

Eyebrows are a very significant aspect of our appearance. They are one of the most distinctive features that make up our faces. Eyebrows are also one of our most expressive facial features. Brows help us signal emotions, but they’re also on autopilot: as the pitch of your voice rises, so do your eyebrows and visa-versa. Not only do they signal our responses, when you make an expression without thinking, such as when you’re surprised, eyebrows move in a way that’s symmetrical to each other. Conversely, when you make what’s called an, ‘intended’ expression, like suspicion and curiosity, your brows will furrow asymmetrically.

A study done by MIT found that people had more trouble correctly identifying the faces of people they knew when they were presented with images of them missing their eyebrows. Thus, researchers concluded that brows might be more important for facial recognition than the eyes themselves. One of the clearest ways to tell somebody what you’re thinking is to simply move your eyebrows up or down; we all know what different eyebrow positions mean.

Your brows say more about you than you know. According to face experts, the type of eyebrow you have defines who you are. Curved eyebrows indicate someone who is people-oriented and needs real-world examples to understand a problem. While straight eyebrows with a slight arch imply that someone is more direct, factual, and logical, thriving on technical details. Angled eyebrows show someone who likes to be right and strives to be mentally in-control, no matter the situation. Unkempt eyebrows could give a person the persona that he doesn’t care and could be aloof. Happy face eyebrows or rounded eyebrows can make you look mad or mean even if you’re not.

Having your eyebrows shaped professionally is key. Whatever the shape everyone is individually different with their own personality. You cannot find your ideal shape with an eyebrow stencil or by reading a magazine.
Having a professional with expert knowledge and experience in eyebrow shaping is one of the best beauty assets you can have and is as important as washing your face.

Discover your own eyebrow personality by seeing a professional today. So few women know how to shape their own brows but it is one of the most important things you can do. Paying attention to the smallest of details tells a lot about who you are. A Confident, refined, sophisticated, and a modern girl.

Life always seems to be better in hindsight. I’m thinking of 25 years ago when the music was better and so was the traffic. Not only that, but as a nation, we each weighed an average of 25 pounds less. A lot of very competent people have tried to figure out why, but they stop thinking when they see that we are eating from 200 to 400 more calories per day now than we did then. The assumption is that this is just a calorie issue, but nothing could be further from the truth — the source of the calories matters. We now know that the additional weight doesn’t come from eating extra fat or from protein. It comes from eating carbohydrates, pure and simple.

You’ve heard about the formula for weight loss of “calories in equals calories out,” right? Well, that formula is wrong. We have biochemical processes that burn or store energy and some of us store much more than others, making that equation far too simplistic.

The formula I use is:

Calories in (-) Fat storage = Calories out (feel good energy)

Since we all store or burn different levels of fat, our food intake will need to be different in order to live the same happy, energy-filled life. In some ways the drive to overeat is really a drive to increase our energy because our storage is just too efficient, leaving us feeling like we need to eat more.

It turns out that much of our increased carbohydrate intake over the last 25 years is in the form of soda and fruit drinks, (you might have heard that drinking one can of soda per day will equal 15 ½ pounds of fat gain in one year.) It turns out that the carbohydrate contained in these drinks, and many other foods we commonly eat, is FRUCTOSE. This empty, non-nutrient sugar is in the form of high fructose corn syrup (sucrose). It is incredibly cheap and is in everything from pretzels to catsup – essentially every processed food.

Here are the big problems with Fructose:

• Fructose is 7 times more reactive than glucose with advanced glycosolated end products, which is another way of saying that it ages the insides of your arteries and causes heart disease.

• 30% of our intake of fructose will become fat.

• Fructose does not suppress the hunger hormone (Ghrelin), so you will eat in spite being full.

• Fructose does not stimulate insulin or leptin, the hormone that tells your brain that you are getting fatter, and so you eat more.

• Fructose is metabolized in the liver and one result is an increase of uric acid that causes gout and also results in high blood pressure by blocking an enzyme for nitric oxide.

• Fructose increases insulin resistance and triglycerides and non-alcoholic fatter liver.

• Fructose changes the way the brain perceives your energy reserves. Essentially, you may think you are starving, so you eat more.

• Chronic use of fructose causes high blood pressure, obesity, cardiovascular disease, lipid problems and type II diabetes.

What to Do

• Get rid of sugared liquids- there is no such thing as a good sugar beverage
• Eat carbohydrates with fiber-an essential nutrient
• Wait 20 min for second portions – to get the “I feel full” signal

The good news!

There is an antidote to fructose. In nature, fructose is always accompanied with fiber, like in the case of sugar cane. That is why fruit with meals is usually OK because it limits the fructose you can take in, unlike fruit juice, and is accompanied with fiber, a nutrient that helps gut bacteria and slows the surge of the sugar rush.

Getting a grip on fructose is only one facet of a total health program, one that encompasses life style habits, diet and your individual chemistry. With appropriate blood and adrenal testing, natural treatments for weight gain are very effective.

Dr. Don Davis, D.C., DACNB is a BOARD CERTIFIED CHIROPRACTIC NEUROLOGIST in Walnut Creek. He has been serving individuals with insomnia for 30 years. For information about how you can get a free consultation with Dr. Davis, call (925) 279-4324 (HEAL). Visit us at WalnutCreekThyroidInstitute.com

What’s the main difference you notice between the make-up you do for yourself at home and that of celebrities who are getting it done professionally? Many people might say it’s the level of skill or product being used, but we’ve noticed something else: eyebrows. The way your eyebrows are shaped and colored can make a huge difference in the way that your face looks.

Eyebrows have the amazing ability to change up your look depending on how you style them. I know, styling eyebrows sounds a bit silly, but believe me, it’s true. Your eyebrows essentially shape your face, so depending on how dramatic or soft of a look you want, a large part of that goes into how you present the brows.

Typically women (and men) will combine waxing and tweezing their eyebrows to get the shape they are looking for, but great results can still be achieved with just tweezing if you are sensitive to wax. Right now, the bold brow is so in, many women are actually growing theirs out so that they can have them professionally shaped to achieve the look.

Our eyebrow specialist, Hannah, recommends staying on top of your brow game with regular tweezing of the extra hairs that grow in between waxing and to add powder or brow pencil to fill in any blank spots you might see. Filling in the blank spots will create a more solid brow foundation and can give you a really bold, sassy look but it can also soften up your face as well. It’s all in the eye(brow) of the beholder! Hannah often stresses the importance of the eyebrow to her clients by calling them the “little black dress of the face” – they are the essential basic that every woman should have down!

Tinting your brows is also an option for those who don’t want the daily maintenance of filling in your brows with pencil or powder. This option can last anywhere between two weeks to one month, so you’ll be good to go with a lasting look.

Give us a call to book an eyebrow consultation with Hannah at 925-362-9892. We also offer other waxing and shaping options for your other beauty needs!

Whether or not you’re Godly or Atheist, I think we can all agree that man did not create man. One thing man did create was arrogance. In a chapter in my book, Why?, entitled “Left Brain vs. Right Brain Thinking”, I attempt to explain why this defect has become such an obstacle to progress in healthcare. Put arrogance, politics, and greed together and you have what it takes to change what should be health care into disease care.

The purpose of health care should be to strengthen and to promote excellent health, not to interfere with it. One of the wonderful results of these practices was reported in the JAMA that up to 225,000 deaths per year were from “iatrogenic causes” (results of the treatment by physicians).

Let’s take a look at one example of deliberate deceit created by the medical industry: the creation of phony names for diseases of the immune system. This industry would have us believe that Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, Scleroderma, Lupus, Psoriasis, Asthma, Addison’s Disease, and many, many more, so called diseases, are all separate entities and must be treated by the current “standard of care”. This standard usually includes a number of specific drugs, all having side effects.

I have had many patients in my practice who suffer from osteoarthritis who have been told by their rheumatologist that diet has nothing to do with their arthritis and drugs were the only way to help them. Over 50 years ago Dr. Colon Dong wrote a book entitled, New Hope for the Arthritic, which clearly demonstrated that diet was an incredible tool in the treatment of this disease.

I highly recommend a relatively new book, The Code of Life, by Dr. Ronald P. Drucker. In this book Dr. Drucker describes the complexity of the immune system and how easily it can be damaged by our habits and life styles. One hugely significant factor is the unavailability of the nutrients necessary to maintain this magnificent guardian of our well being. Our farming methods do not replace the depletion of important minerals in the soil; and then add a diet of processed foods, which further deplete our food of nutrients; and one wonders how we survive. Actually, a lot are not surviving, but that makes for a very healthy pharmaceutical industry and full, profitable hospitals.

It has become quite clear that those of us who want not only good health, but a vital livelihood, really must become proactive in our pursuit of knowledge and demand that we have access to the essential phytonutrients we need. I would like to see a sign at my farmers market stating that the soil in their farm has had mineral replacement and with what minerals. What is really important to understand is how delicate the immune system is, making it vulnerable to something as simple as taking antacids for acid reflux. Once part of this system is hurt, a domino effect can occur, making the immune system unable to respond to even a simple challenge.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if part of our public education, K through 12, included learning about that incredible gift we were given, our body? It would be so much more difficult for the medical, big pharm and political complex to deceive the public into believing them.

The second addition of my book on this subject, Why? is now available. Please visit my website at drbrownwhy.com. In this site I will attempt to keep you informed of new developments in alternative medicine. I am also making myself available for talks on health.

What is Golfer’s Elbow?

Golfer’s elbow, or medial epicondylitis, is similar to its counterpart, Tennis elbow. The primary differences between these conditions are the location of the pain and the activity that leads to injury. However, both conditions are caused by overuse of the muscles and tendons of the forearm, leading to inflammation and pain around the elbow joint, commonly called tendonitis. Golf is one common cause of tendonitis, but many other sports and work related activities can cause the same problem.

The cause of golfer’s elbow can vary from a single violent action (acute injury), to more commonly, a repetitive stress injury where an action is performed repeatedly and pain gradually develops. In an acute injury of the elbow, inflammation occurs without substantial tissue damage. However, in a repetitive stress situation, a person may experience damage to the tendon and surrounding soft tissue causing tissue degeneration over time. Inflammation from an acute injury often responds quickly to rest and anti-inflammatory treatment. However, if the injury is due to tendon tissue degeneration, treatment will be longer and will be focused on improving the strength of the tendon as well as rebuilding tissues.

Golfer’s Elbow Symptoms

With golfer’s elbow, pain is on the inside of the elbow, usually during or after intense use. Typically the pain increases during wrist flexion or pronation and often radiates to the forearm. Because this frequently occurs in golfers, it has become known as “golfer’s elbow”. However, it is also known as “pitcher’s elbow”.

Treatment for Golfer’s Elbow

Golfer’s elbow does not usually cause any long-term disability. However, the condition may become stubborn and proper rehabilitation will help alleviate the symptoms and get you back to life again.
Rest and Reduce Inflammation: The first step a person should take if tendinitis is suspected is to stop the activities that cause the pain and inflammation in this case, rest the arm. Use a topical cream containing Arnica to begin to reduce the inflammatory process quickly.

Laser Therapy to Heal the Damaged Tissue

Ending the pain caused by golfer’s elbow requires healing the damaged tissue. Class IV laser therapy is an excellent method for this, because it is presently the only form of therapy that can both reduce inflammation and heal tissue simultaneously. Laser treatments at Align Healing Center are done with the K-laser 1200 a Class IV Laser. This laser does not cut or burn but is gently absorbed by the tissue. During Laser Therapy the infrared laser light interacts with tissues at the cellular level, increasing metabolic activity and improving the transport of nutrients across the cell membrane. This initiates the production of cellular energy (ATP) that leads to a cascade of beneficial effects, increasing cellular function and health. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness, scar tissue, and pain.

Correct the Mechanics of Motion

Assessing the forearm, elbow, shoulder, and spine for proper postural feedback is done to diagnose and correct improper alignment. After proper alignment is restored, specific muscular taping is applied to improve circulation and insure proper motion on a daily basis. Lastly, specific strengthening and stretching exercises are given. By strengthening the muscles and tendons involved with golfers’ elbow, you can prevent the problem from returning.

At Align Healing Center we are having great success treating golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, sciatica, shoulder and neck pain, migraines, arthritis, carpal tunnel, post surgical pain, sports injuries and more; even long-term residual pain. Arthritis and degenerative disc disease sufferers can see long term benefits from this treatment without any of the negative side effects experienced with the long term use of medications.

Dr. Niele Maimone, DC is the owner and founder of Align Healing Center in Danville, California. She has been active in our natural health & wellness community since 1999. For more information or to set up a consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com.