Lipids, Glorious Lipids: Part I

Most of you know I spend my Sundays from 4-7 talking to people at the Elephant Pharmacy in Berkeley about skin issues. I love doing this because it is the one day out of the week that I actually get to have face time with my many customers, and I am always enriched by the experience and gratified by how much I learn from them. Last Sunday I saw quite a range of skin problems; one young woman with severe adult acne, another young woman with combination skin (breakouts on her forehead and clear everywhere else), another young woman with congested skin (consisting of tiny blackheads that pretty much covered her face) a woman in her 30’s with intermittent eczema, an older woman with very dry skin, and finally someone who thought she had rosacea. I was struck by a common denominator in these varying skin concerns-the problem that I am coming to believe underlies most of the benign skin abnormalities I see. It has to do with what is called the “lipid barrier” of the skin, and what happens when it is compromised.

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench.
She didn’t move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn’t acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK.

The Case for Real Food

Is there more to a carrot than beta carotene? Is lycopene the best we get from tomatoes? And when we heap our plates with salmon, are we serving up something other than omega-3s?

For years the scientific community has viewed individual vitamins and nutrients as the best that food has to offer. Nutrition studies have isolated beta carotene, calcium, vitamin E and lycopene, among other nutrients, in order to study their health benefits in the body.

Hey soccer moms-it’s time to suit up for the sports season! Whether softball or soccer, sports fields are filling with players and spectators. And if you’re like me, you belong to the unsung sports hero hall of fame: Moms who tote kids to games, and also sign on for providing post-game snacks.

When it’s your turn to provide snacks, make yourself MVP (most valuable parent) with homemade treats that will score with kids. Some tips I’ve collected over the years for winning treats include:

• Practice portion control: Wrap goodies for easy distribution-make a party mix and portion into snack bags; purchase small apples that are easy to eat.
• Allow for post-game appetites: Don’t underestimate ravenous appetites that need post-game refueling; when in doubt make an extra batch of treats.
• Remember to rehydrate: Be sure to bring a big cooler of water, with disposable cups, sports drinks, or provide 100% fruit juice drinks.

Nothing could be easier than bars made from press-into-the-pan refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough. For super-streamlined transport and serving, bake in a disposable aluminum pan. Party mix is a classic favorite with my sports team members, and a breeze to stir together-no stove required!

Score big with fun-for-kid snacks and winning after-sports and after-school ideas at www.VeryBestBaking.com.