I do have a few notes to go by this week - oh, well... they are not notes really just a list of one word items. I have to tell you this first. As I was falling asleep the night before last - after posting about people eating too much, I thought, "Oh dear. I may have just contradicted myself." Had I not just written that I prefer to eat often? So before getting to the O&Es let me clarify - my mini meals are generally 2 to 4 hours apart :)
Milk vs CT: To be honest, I didn't pay attention to the full story but I wrote myself this note because I heard a newscaster (CNN or NBC) or someone the anchor was interviewing - equate the radiation found in milk in Japan to a CT scan. I heard a person say that drinking a glass of the radiated milk a day for a year would equal the amount of radiation in a CT scan. WELL! well - what does that mean exactly... recall that the machine used and the organ scanned will impact the amount of radiation absorbed. Also note, the radiation news from Japan has been discussed as milisierverts - that should sound familiar to you. Even knowing that the amount of radiation per CT can vary, there has been growing concern about cumulative effects (adding up over time) of the medical scans. Thus attempting to ease a person's mind by telling them not to worry about the milk because it is like getting a CT can, is well, thoughtless AND stupid. [it's my blog I can say stupid!]
Pills: In a nearby city - near to where I live in NC, there was a pill drop off today or maybe it was yesterday. It was sponsored by a police department. The drop off was for both prescription and over the counter medications. The medications could be expired, no longer needed, or just in need of disposal. No questions were asked during the drop off. The reason I mention it is two-fold. The programs are meant to reduce prescription drug abuse AND improper disposal of medications and supplements. Why do you think the disposal of these chemicals is a concern? It is because ground water contamination - or any body of water - can occur and then we end up ingesting the chemicals in our water and foods. This is not a good thing and it IS a real thing - if not, they wouldn't set aside times to collect the pills from you. Please then, don't flush or pour down drains. When in doubt - just keep medications until you visit your doctor or pharmacist and ask if they will dispose of them for you. It is equally important that you DO get rid of them as our youth seem to like to take things just for the "high" and as pain relievers are quite amply prescribed, this is also a real problem.
CVS: I am engaged in work to address a lack of access to healthy foods in neighborhoods. When a neighborhood does not have a grocery store (within 5 miles) which provides produce, for example, it is termed a food desert. A great program that helps communities address these issues in rather creative ways is the Healthy Corner Store Network. I am passionate about updating existing stores - stores that are already within walking distance of homes. For example, a convenience store. I had not thought of drug stores, but today I went by CVS and two groups of kids were walking through the parking lot with bags of chips and soda. That is exactly why we need to get healthy foods into the stores that kids are already patronizing.
EEEOW: Even if I did eat meat I think I would scrunch my nose up at this ad. I was on my Yahoo page earlier today and there was a Groupon advertisement in the corner. The picture was of three big, juicy (?) burgers and the caption was Holy Cows! I guess the excitement was about the great deal that you could get on those burgers... but really? holy cows?
TCC: This is completely a Greensboro NC promotion but there must be similar ones where you are - a challenge to "share the ride and clean the air." I took the pledge. You can read about it here.
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