Happy Late Christmas!

Hoping all my readers had a blessed Christmas, we sure did. My brother in law is living with us for awhile so our house has been busy with fun. I will be taking the rest of this Holiday week off blogging but will be back next Wed and ready for a whole new year of blogging!

You Are Where You Eat

My husband and I have not eaten fast food in many years. We have lots of reasons that I won't bore everyone here with but one big one is...well...it's not food that is good for you!

I came across this article today about a new Canadian study that has come out about the relationship between a cities obesity rate and the number of fast food joints. I dare say it is probably not much different for US Cities!

EDMONTON -- If you live in a Canadian city that has more fast food places, you are at a higher risk for obesity, new research from the University of Alberta confirms.
For every extra fast-food restaurant per 10,000 people, a city's obesity rate goes up 3%, said Sean Cash, a health economics professor who drew up an obesity map that plotted obesity rates and the density of the top 10 fast-food chains in Canada.
"The strong relationship really suggests that access to fast food may indeed be one of the issues that may explain increasing obesity rates," Mr. Cash said of the study he presented earlier this year at conferences in Denmark and Oregon.
"We were surprised by the strength of the relationship, but we weren't surprised to find that there was a relationship. "This has been a likely culprit that has been discussed quite a bit over the last few years. This provides support for that view."
Mr. Cash, colleague Ellen Goddard and graduate student Ryan Lacanilao used the 2005 Business Location Database to determine the 10 fast-food chains with the most outlets across Canada. Tim Hortons, Subway, McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, A&W, Dairy Queen, Harvey's, Wendy's, Burger King and Domino's Pizza came up as the winners.
The researchers then used obesity data from the Canadian Community Health Survey released last year and matched up the data for Canada's major metropolitan areas.
Maritime residents were generally fatter and had more fast-food outlets. St. John's, N.L., for instance, has an obesity rate of 36% and 3.5 fast-food joints per 10,000 people. Saint John, N.B., ranked close with a 35% obese rate and access to four outlets per 10,000 people.
Hamilton and Windsor in southern Ontario also ranked high in obesity and fast food outlets.
Mr. Cash found no similarly strong link between obesity levels and longer commuting distances or income levels.
"I wouldn't say our study proves anything," said Mr. Cash, noting some cities buck the trend.
Halifax, for instance, has a low 18% obesity rate, but has almost four fast-food outlets for every 10,000 people. But almost 30% of Oshawa residents were obese, though they had access to only 1.8 fast-food places per 10,000. "It doesn't mean having access to a fast-food restaurant causes obesity, but it does suggest there's a relationship that we should be taking into account if we're trying to take action to lower obesity rates in Canada."
Calgary and Edmonton were fairly similar with just over three fast-food outlets per 10,000 people, but Edmonton pulled ahead in the obesity rate, with 20% obese compared with Calgary's 26%.
"As my graduates like to say, this might explain the relative difference in the merits of Edmonton versus Calgary hockey teams," Mr. Cash said.
"I think the fact that there is similar availability of fast food, but that we have lower obesity rates in Edmonton, suggests the importance of other lifestyle factors. We have less traffic congestion here; maybe people are more active."
Mr. Cash isn't calling for a ban of fast-food restaurants, but believes city planners should make public health a factor in planning, just as they consider environmental impacts and traffic congestion.

"There are more McDonald's restaurants in Manhattan than anywhere else in the world"

Morgan Spurlock - Movie Super Size Me

I realize this is not a usual post but I just had to pass it along anyway!

Ever wonder where all the stuff you own, buy or throw away comes from or goes to? I do it often, especially all of the plastic bags people use everyday, but that's not what this post is about. I came across this site and the story of a short 20 minute documentary by a woman named Annie Leonard. She wondered the same thing, where does all of our stuff come from, how do we get it and what happens between its making and our buying. She spent 10 years researching it and put together this great little film. You can watch it online or order yourself a copy. I guarantee it will most likely change the way you think about your stuff. Or least make you wonder if you really need it all anyway.

"There are two ways to get enough: one is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less"
-G.K. Chesterton

Thank you!

Big thanks to whomever nominated Livin The Life for the best blog of the day. I got an email telling me I won! Thank you to all my readers. May you be blessed with wellness!

Green Cleanin

So over the years I have phased out many conventional products out of our home. One of the 1st things that I switched was my cleaning products. This was a hard one as I knew nothing about natural cleaning products and wondered if they would really "do the job". However if you think about it people cleaned their houses with things as simple as water and baking soda for years and years. Now you walk into a Target and you can't even focus there are so many shelves of cleaning products.
So, little by little I started trying new products. Some worked, some......well, left much to be desired. Then I tried one brand that I have stayed with ever since. Seventh Generation gets its name from the Gayaneshakgowa, the Great Law of Peace of the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. Providing wisdom to its people and the inspiration for our own country's constitution, the Gayaneshakgowa says that "in our every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations. The idea that things we do, will affect generations to come now embodies all of the products they make. From household cleaner, to toilet paper to canvas bags their products are of the utmost quality and of the most natural ingredients. Best of all they combine the most wonderful scents into their products like lavender and mint and orange. Your underwear never smelt so good!
This holiday they have a great promotion going that I thought would be perfect for someone wanting to get started using alternative cleaning supplies. The free and clear starter kit comes with glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner, laundry and dish soap and a great canvas tote to start carrying your groceries in, all for $34.99. I'm even thinking of buying myself one for Christmas!

"In our every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations"
Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy

Chic Eco Cards

So one wonderful thing that has happened over the last few years is the growing selection of Eco products. Specifically ones that are actually stylish and worth buying.

I am always on the lookout for such products. I just came across this great new site from a fellow blogger, Jennifer at Earth Friendly Weddings.

Check out these ultra hip cards, printed on 100% recycled paper, from Jennifer at Made By Girl.

I have a few of my favorites on this post and she has tons more to choose from. If you don't have your holiday cards yet or just want to tell your significant other something special here is a great way to do that.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Amazing Recipe Post!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH BLUE CHEESE AND PECANS

So we are in full winter veggie mode now which for many of us means lots of potatoes, squash and winter root vegetables. After about my 5th time of roasting potatoes or squash I realized I was sooo over roasting for awhile. So I went to one of my favorite chefs, Nigella Lawson's site to look for some new ideas for cooking winter vegetables. There I came across a recipe for a dish I made for Thanksgiving and whoa did it turn out awesome.

This has many strings to its bow: it serves as a vegetarian alternative; it adds the right balance of mellow warmth and tang to any plain wintry dish; it is a good whole meal on days when you just feel fleshed-out.

4-pounds 8-ounces butternut squash

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 stalks fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup pecans

1 cup crumbled Roquefort or other blue cheese
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Halve the squash, leaving the skin on, and scoop out the seeds, then cut into 1-inch cubes; you don't need to be precise just keep the pieces uniformly small.
Put into a roasting tin with the oil and strip about 4 stalks thyme of their leaves, sprinkling over the butternut squash. If you can't get any fresh thyme, sprinkle over dried.
Roast in the oven for about 30 to 45 minutes or until tender.
Once out of the oven, remove the squash to a bowl and scatter over the pecans and crumble over the cheese tossing everything together gently. Check the seasoning and add the last couple of stalks of thyme torn into small sprigs to decorate.

"Good olive oil, good butter, milk - they give food taste and depth and a richness that you can't reproduce with low-fat ingredients"

Nigella Lawson