That's my opinion, and it's very true.
Number Eight ©September, 2000 ••••••• Don Harthcock, Editor
OpinionSoup may contain language and topics unsuitable for children.
"'Who's running this damn railroad?' That's the question we ought to be asking." ~Don Harthcock
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HEALING & ETHICS - Do these two go together? |
KALE - In the South, they're Collards. |
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NITRATES & NITRITES - when "cured" means "carcinogenic" |
ORGANIC FOOD - Not in my town, you don't! |
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POISON HEMLOCK- Socrates raps. |
QUINCE - in my own back yard |
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RED PEPPER -from head to toe, a real cure-all |
SUSHI - Have it your way. |
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TIENCHI - better than aspirin, but harder to find |
UGLI FRUIT - It's very hooglie, Mon! |
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VEGGIES IN GENERAL - Mom's Commandment: Eat Your Vegetables! |
WESTERN DIET - Fat Americans pig out, get fatter. |
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YAMS - I'd sooner eat cardboard. |
ZEN - Not in my town, you don't! |
None of the statements made in this publication have been evaluated by the FDA, nor is that likely ever to happen. This publication is not meant to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Since this publication is not intended to be diagnostic or prescriptive, the authors assume no responsibility for any adverse reactions resulting from the use of any information contained in it.
Personal From Donny
photo courtesy emergency-nurse
To paraphrase Maimonides freely but faithfully: God has endowed humanity with the ability to relieve suffering; healers can diagnose disorders and apply medicines whose powers we have discovered.
Even in the time of Maimonides, it seems, health-care protocols were only reactive. Apparently, some of the great thinkers of old believed that God neglected to endow humanity with the ability not to get sick in the first place; a belief that lingers, in spite of its repudiation by Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine.
It was not God, however, who instructed those early healers that they should get filthy rich for their efforts; this is a latter-day embellishment to the healing arts, engendered by such factors as elitist medical schools, the AMA, the IRS, raw, rabid, ravenous greed, spurious medical malpractice suits (actively encouraged by many lawyers), medical malpractice insurance itself, and the fact that many young doctors start their practice about $100,000 in debt.
Certainly, many doctors are faithful to "First, do no harm," but I believe that many more of them have edited Hippocrates facetiously and sarcastically, changing this ancient maxim to "First, make sure they can pay."
Add to this the un-Godly belief (seldom expressed openly) that smart people have the right to oppress and victimize those who are not so smart (the classic formula for insurrection, rebellion and revolution, any of which could ruin your whole day).
The God-given Practice of Medicine, once considered a Wonder, is now taken for granted by many of us. Also taken for granted is the idea that we should have to pay, and pay, and pay. We install aggressively pro-active professionals like Alan Greenspan to guard the economy, but in the health-care arena we license foxes and weasels to care for the chickens.
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- You can have mine. Really.
Brassica oleracea acephala of the Mustard Family is known in the South as Collards. This dark-green (or bluish-green) vegetable green was originally called Cole, or Colewort. Cole became Kale (in Scotland); Colewort became Collert (in Britain), then Collards (in America). Many diehard veggie freaks make a distinction between Kale and Collards...both are non-heading cabbage, truth be told, of a somewhat vague Mediterranean origin. This vegetable was well-known to the ancient Greeks and Romans.
For taste, Kale is Donny's least-favorite dish of greens; I find them coarse and metallic. Some people love 'em, though, and that's what makes the world go 'round: balance, harmony, give-and-take, electro-magnetism, gravity, and Collards. Undeniably, Kale is one of your best sources of Minerals and Vitamins A & C.
It is often the case that "poor people's foods" (such as Collard Greens, Pintos and other dried beans) are very Rich in nutrients. This is certainly the case with Kale, which is an anti-cancer bonanza. In addition to the cancer-fighting Vitamin A, Kale is very high in Calcium. Botanical Calcium is perhaps superior to dairy-derived Calcium, and certainly it has none of the second-hand diethylstilbestrol or antibiotics which you might find in milk and cheese.
Kale is very rich in anti-cancer carotenoids, especially Beta-carotene. It is also high in chlorophyll. Kale can be eaten raw, steamed, blanched or in stir fry, and you can have mine. Really. I want turnip greens in winter, and mustard greens in the spring.
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- "Well, Damn! Is ANYTHING safe to eat, anymore?" ~my nephew
Nitrates are food preservatives found in some cured meats. Avoid Nitrates; they may give you symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis! They also break down into Nitrites, sometimes combining with secondary amines to form nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic. See Sodium Nitrite.
Nitrites: Ditto. See Sodium Nitrite.
One of my relatives recently said to me, "Well, Damn! Donny, is there anything safe to eat? This seems like a whole lot of trouble and speculation, to me."
You know that Donny does not back up. So let me say something even more radical, controversial, and possibly even unpatriotic. HEAR ME WELL: WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD, HEALTH AND NUTRITION, MOST AMERICANS ARE INCREDIBLY IGNORANT, SELF-INDULGENT, AND JUST PLAIN LAZY!
Nine times out of ten, diseases which could be avoided are NOT avoided, because of misplaced priorities and laziness. Do you love your family? Then PROVE it!
"Well now, Donny, I just can't quite completely believe all the things you say. The Government wouldn't allow all this stuff on the market if it made you sick, like you say."
BULL! You just want to buy things that are the cheapest, stay in your same old comfortable rut, keep up your same old TASTE ADDICTIONS, and sit in your favorite chair watching mind-rotting television; that's YOUR problem! I LOVE YOU, CUZ, BUT YOU ARE LAZY AND STUPID!
WHEW! I think I'll go to the store now and buy some nice, shiny apples! See Waxed Produce.
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- "I'm not paying $2 a pound for ugly apples!" ~my niece
Click on the pic to find organic food.
Organic Food sermons fall on deaf ears in places like the city where I live, and I'll tell you why. First, there is very little of it to be had, in my town. Second, it costs more; that is an important food-buying criterion in economically-depressed areas such as this one. Therefore, I am reduced to singing to the choir; only those of you who already know this tune will care to hear it again.
Verse 1. Plant-foods that have been grown with pesticides, contain pesticides.
Verse 2. Pesticides directly and indirectly cause cancer and other diseases of the blood and organs.
Verse 3. Pesticides accumulate in your tissues, causing your immune system to be overworked; other carcinogens and pathogens are then given better playgrounds in which to develop and affect your health adversely.
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- Not my cup of T.
image courtesy Weed Science Society of America
This deadly poisonous European plant, Conium maculatum, now widely naturalized in North America, yields (what else?) a Deadly Poison of the same name, chiefly remembered as the poison that Socrates was made to drink, in 399 BCE.
Socrates was put to death for "corrupting the minds of Athenian youth," but if he lived today he would probably be either a talk-show host or a rapper. He'd probably call himself Socra-Tease. Or Socra Tea. Maybe Socra T.
I think Rap is OK as an art form, by the way, but I despise a lot of rappers. Street-corner punks spouting self-serving dime-store philosophy are not my cup of T. I'm into instrumental jazz. May I recommend a little Miles Davis?
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- Peerless Pucker Power
Cydonia oblonga is a small tree native to western Asia. It was naturalized in temperate zones throughout the world because of the high pectin content of its fruit. Inedible raw, Quinces were very popular when people did a lot more preserving and home jelly-making than they do now. The invention of Sure-
Gel® also added to its demise.
You can sometimes find old Quince trees at old home sites, where nobody lives anymore. And in my back yard. My sister and I have argued for three years over this bush. I called it a Hawthorn; she said it was Indian Something-Or-Other. This year, it made three Quinces.
Quinces are intensely aromatic and will make your house smell delightful. They can be eaten cooked, and their most common use is in apple pies or alongside roasted meats. You are warned never to bite into a raw Quince, as its powerful astringency can actually make you unable to speak.
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RED PEPPER (Cayenne, Chiles, All Hot Peppers)
- Columbus' Second Major Substitution
Known to Indigenous Peoples even in pre-Inca days, Red Peppers were brought back to Europe from Cuba by Christopher Columbus (who discovered Cuba in 1492, as everyone knows). Cayenne, or Red Pepper (Capsicum frutescens), is a wonderful, wonderful plant, the fruit of which is no less than a gift from God via Native Caribs and Central Americans. Capsicum Pepper, a shrubby New World native, is in no way related to Black Pepper, a viney Asian herb of the Piper genus.
Columbus had promised Queen Isabella of Spain that he could find a route to India and its Black Pepper. When he failed to do so, he tried to cover his ass by referring to Indigenous Peoples as Indians and referring to Capsicum as Pepper. Columbus was never to know the value of his discovery; he truly got stiffed royally on that deal. He should have said, "To Hell with Spain!" and declared himself King of the Caribbean.
Pepper plants are very easy to grow; they just need sun, water, and a little fertilizer. They can be bought in the Spring at numerous places (Wal-Mart, Kmart, any farm supply store, virtually any place that sells plants in the Spring), and they actually look nice in their own little spot in your back yard. You'll need to stake them, or they'll fall over. If you just want to buy your Peppers at the market, OK.
Hot Peppers do not upset your stomach; they are, in fact, a digestive aid. Hot Peppers contain various Phytochemicals including Capsaicin, now being marketed commercially in ointments or salves for relief of arthritis pain. These constituents also help increase circulation, dilate arteries and reduce blood pressure.
Very effective stimulants, Hot Peppers aid digestion, cleanse the circulatory system, ease congestion, feed the Heart, heal ulcers, lower cholesterol, numb pain (including headaches and toothaches), prevent the spread of infection, rebuild damaged tissue, regulate blood pressure and elimination, relieve arthritis, speed the healing of wounds, stop diarrhea and hemorrhaging, strengthen the pulse, and thin the blood. This herb/food/medicine will definitely de-bug your personal computer! For more hot information, call 800.CAYENNE.
The only problem is, they're Very Hot (in and out; both your tongue and your rear-end will notice). Take Capsicum in gelatin capsules, eat 'em raw, or cook them in stews, with meats, in fried rice or stir fry.
They also make great "Pepper Sauce" when you put 'em in a bottle, add vinegar and wait about six days. If you eat turnip greens, which you should do (my dear mother Daisy called them "stomach greens"), you MUST have Pepper Sauce, or you just don't know what you're doing. This sauce is sold commercially as "Peppered Vinegar." It is different from the reddish "Louisiana Hot Sauce" so popular in Cajun and African-American cuisines, but it is essentially the same.
- "Hey, you forgot to cook this." ~Terry Bradshaw
A Japanese dish, Sushi is cold, cooked rice wrapped in Seaweed, dressed with vinegar, and topped with fish, salmon roe, a quail egg or a vegetable. With Avocado it is called California Roll. Sushi is served with a smear of Wasabe (a green horseradish-mustard combo that will make your eyeballs blaze). Click on the pic (right) to go to cooking.com and learn a bit more about sushi.
Donny was one-upon-a-time the maitre d' at Yoshi's, a small, trendy Japanese restaurant in Coral Gables, Florida. One night a Black Cuban patron wandered in, saw Oriental decor and epicanthic eyes, and ordered Fried Rice.
"Fried Rice is Chinese food, Sir," my haughty young Anglo waiter informed him.
Yoshi overheard. "Don't worry; I fix; I fix," he said, beaming.
When I told this story to Billy, my Casino Boss, he said, "Oh, was Yoshi Jewish?"
A Jewish, Buddhist, gay Japanese chef? In Coral Gables, it could happen.
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- What's better than Ginseng? Pseudo-Ginseng.
As Radix pseudo-ginseng, Tienchi is botanically similar to ordinary Ginseng. Most Chinese herbalists regard it as THE BEST health-preserving herb, we are told.
A powerful energy booster and blood purifier, Tienchi is considered to be peerless in reducing anxiety levels. It increases blood flow to your heart and increases oxygen levels in your blood. It reduces chest pain associated with heart distress, it lowers blood pressure, and it dissolves blood clots. Tienchi is said to lower Cholesterol levels "significantly."
Often hard to find, Tienchi is sometimes available in Asian markets as a whole root, sliced root, or in capsules. As it is very bitter, capsules are the easiest way to take it.
**WARNING** THIS IS AN ABORTIFACIENT HERB. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT TAKE TIENCHI IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, AS IT IS KNOWN TO CAUSE SPONTANEOUS ABORTIONS.
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- Pronounced "hooglie" in Jamaica
Ugli Fruit (Citrus paradisi x C. reticulata) is what you get when you cross a Grapefruit with a Mandarin Orange. The very tasty flesh is sweet/tart, and the outside looks like a scruffy orange-green laundry bag without enough clothes in it. Sort-of the Shar-Pei of fruits, I guess you could say, except that they were bred unintentionally.
Citrus varieties cross-pollinate all the time, as do Peppers (they just don't care). This
particular botanical accident happened in Jamaica, whose human inhabitants are also widely cross-pollinated, also accidentally in some cases, I'm sure. It's a small country. Ugli Fruits were found growing wild in the Jamaican hills about 75 years ago, and at this time only Jamaica exports them. It's sort-of like Vidalia Onions in Vidalia, and Smith-County Watermelons in Smith County, only they're not called Jamaica Fruits. Because they're hooglie, Mon! And, they're expensive, at almost $3 apiece.
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VEGETABLES (Generally Speaking)
- Your Mother was right about THIS, too!
My mother was no scientist, but she knew a thing or two. For your good health, Donny passes Miss Daisy's advice on to you: Eat at least two different vegetables every day (Leafy Greens, Onions, etc.). They are your tastiest sources of Fiber, Minerals and Vitamins.
Especially important are Leafy Greens (for Calcium et al), Broccoli or Brussels Sprouts (for Vitamin C and more), Cabbage and Onions (to protect against cancer), and Carrots (Beta-Carotene).
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- Anyone for thirds?
Not Donny, Pancho and Lefty having beans in the chaparral; I'm talking about the characteristic diet of modern Western societies, which is diametrically opposed to what they eat in the inscrutable East, which Donny finds inscrutable not in the least. The Western Diet is high in Refined Carbohydrates, Fat, and Processed Foods; it is low in Fiber. Here in the West, we have Cancer, Diabetes and Heart Attacks, diet diseases of affluence which are less common or rare in the East.
So it's better to be poor, or at least less-affluent? For some disciplines, yes, it is; that's not the point, however. Poor people in America eat just as stupidly as anyone else (check out the shopping carts of Food Stamp recipients if you don't believe me - they are invariably piled high with expensive, fatty meats and processed junk food).
The point is, it's better to be SMART and disciplined about what you eat. In America, we are far too CASUAL about eating; we just graze on whatever is handy. In the South especially, most good-old-boys care little about what they eat - so long as it's greasy, tasty, unhealthy, meaty, and, most importantly, lots of it.
The #1 Most-Hated Food in America is Broccoli (thank you very much, George Bush), one of the tastiest and most healthful foods to be found. Jonnie and Donny are crazy about Broccoli; what about you?
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- "I yam what I yam, and that's all what I yam." ~Popeye
pic courtesy Oregon State University (they sure look like Sweet Potatoes to me)
The Yam is a West African native, genus Dioscorea, and a distant cousin of the Tropical American Sweet Potato, genus Ipomoea. Yams and Sweet Potatoes are ABSOLUTELY not the same, even though the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that Yams in the marketplace must also be called Sweet Potatoes. Don't hold me to it, but I think this has something to do with taxes. Because of this requirement, grocery store employees, even Produce Managers, do not know the difference between Sweet Potatoes and Yams.
In Yazoo City, grocery store employees do not know the difference between dog poop and shoe polish, but that has more to do with Public Education than with the USDA. Sometimes when I unpack my groceries I notice that the bag boys do not know the difference between bread and canned vegetables. See Public Education.
Straying even further from Yams for a moment: the USDA also has declared the Tomato to be a vegetable, which it is not. This is also a tax matter. Tomatoes are considered to be fruits everywhere else in the world, and in strict confidence Donny informs you that Tomatoes are actually berries.
Whereas Sweet Potatoes are moist, sweet, and very high in beta-carotene, Yams are dry, starchy, and quite low in beta-carotene. Sweet Potatoes (at home in both tropical and temperate climates) are grown all over the southern United States; Yams, requiring a strictly tropical climate, are imported from the Caribbean. I can think of better things to import from the Caribbean.
I have known farmers who said they were growing Yams, but it just ain't true, Lou. To begin with, Sweet Potatoes are grown by planting slips; Yams are propagated from pieces of the tuber. See Sweet Potato.
The African Dioscorea species is thought to be about 50,000 years old, and South American (Peru, Ecuador) Sweet Potatoes are thought to be even more ancient than that. By the way, Peru (not Ireland) is also the original home of the common spud, an entirely unrelated Nightshade plant.
The name "Yam" evolved from the West African word "Nyam," meaning "to eat." This is also the source for the phrase "yum-yum" and the word "yummy." Yams were brought to America as "food for slaves," along with black-eyed peas, okra (Ngumbo), and other West African foods.
Do you remember the Little Rascals episode where the Wild Man kept saying "Yum-Yum, eat 'em up," as he devoured everything the kids gave him? I can see Spanky and Alfalfa right now, eyes wide, as the Wild Man ate dozens of eggs, shells and all, and entire bolognas.
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- The sky is blue; the grass is green.
Alan Watts said, "Zen is a way of liberation, concerned not with discovering what is good or bad or advantageous, but with what IS."
Watts has also described Zen as the religion of no-religion.
OpinionSoup is published by Don Harthcock. OS#8 ©September, 2000, Don Harthcock & Brian McLeod. Reproduction of any part of this copyrighted publication for commercial purposes is prohibited. Taping to refrigerators, posting on bulletin boards or emailing to friends is cool.
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