Smorgasbord – Something to think about – When you are booking your summer holiday! Social media and home security.

It is that time of year when our thoughts turn to summer holidays and booking a couple of weeks away. Unfortunately most of the peak summer weeks are more expensive than at other times of year, but there are also other costs to take into account resulting from our online exposure.

We have all read the stories in the press of teenagers planning a get together whilst parents are away for the night and five thousand turn up on the doorstep and then trash the house.. Every parent’s nightmare.. Yet we adults also have to be careful about what we post on Facebook that might invite unwanted guests into our home. We also have to be savvy about what we post while we are away as this too might end up costing you thousands.

Apart from swearing children to secrecy about their much anticipated two weeks away from August 1st to all their friends. (I a m not suggesting for a minute that they might harbour criminal intent), we also need to guard against announcing our time away online to our ‘friends’ on Facebook and other media. I am always clear when I am going away that there is someone in the house, electrified fencing and a python loose in the garden!

via Smorgasbord – Something to think about – When you are booking your summer holiday! Social media and home security.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Music Column with William Price King – Madonna – Part Two – The 1980s

William Price King now picks up the story with Madonna’s in what was to be a highly successful rise to fame in both the music and film industry in the 1980s.

In 1981, Madonna decided to go solo and hired manager Camille Barbone of Gotham Records to help her get her singing career on track. Camille showed Madonna how to navigate the male-dominated world of the music business, and helped put together a studio band that accentuated the budding star’s hip style.

“Everybody” was released on October 6, 1982, by the Sire label as her debut single. By incorporating R&B infused beats in the music and not including her image on the cover artwork, marketing for the song, gave the impression of Madonna as a black artist. That impression did not last long as Madonna would later convince Sire executives to shoot a music video for the song. The low-budget video, directed by Ed Steinberg, showed Madonna and her friends in a club singing and dancing to the song. The video helped to further promote the song and Madonna as an artist.

Critically, “Everybody” did not receive any acclaim and failed to enter the official Billboard Hot 100 chart. It did, however, appear on the dance charts. The song helped Madonna achieve her first appearance in a dance magazine.

via Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Music Column with William Price King – Madonna – Part Two – The 1980s

Smorgasbord Afternoon Video – The generosity of a crow… sharing his bread.

This crow shows his generous nature by sharing his bread roll with a creature that might well have been destined for his dinner.  It says mouse but I think it might be big enough to be a rat….Amazing.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Music Column with William Price King – Madonna – Part Two – The 1980s

Madonna is a multi-faceted artist and social activist, no stranger to controversy, but who has always been true to the image that she created as a teenager and young performer.

As a singer, songwriter, actress and astute businesswoman, Madonna has been referred to as the “Queen of Pop” since her debut as an artist in the 1980s. She has pushed boundaries both in her lyrics, music and visual performances and has no problem with changing directions whilst maintaining her dominance in the music industry. She has delighted and frustrated music critics, but has often been credited by other artists as an influential force in their own music.

The songs that Madonna has written and produced, are evidence of that influence and popularity with her fans. Many have topped the charts such as “Like a Virgin”, “Papa Don’t Preach” and “Frozen”.  Her music career was just one area where she excelled, taking on lead roles in critically acclaimed films such as Desperately Seeking Susan and Evita. For her role as Eva Peron, Madonna was awarded a Golden Globe for Best Actress.

As a business woman, she founded her own entertainment company Maverick including a record label in 1992. She has also ventured into fashion design, health clubs and film-making. Madonna is also the author of a series of children’s books, including the latest released in December. The English Roses.

William Price King now picks up the story with Madonna’s in what was to be a highly successful rise to fame in both the music and film industry in the 1980s.

In 1981, Madonna decided to go solo and hired manager Camille Barbone of Gotham Records to help her get her singing career on track. Camille showed Madonna how to navigate the male-dominated world of the music business, and helped put together a studio band that accentuated the budding star’s hip style.

“Everybody” was released on October 6, 1982, by the Sire label as her debut single. By incorporating R&B infused beats in the music and not including her image on the cover artwork, marketing for the song, gave the impression of Madonna as a black artist. That impression did not last long as Madonna would later convince Sire executives to shoot a music video for the song. The low-budget video, directed by Ed Steinberg, showed Madonna and her friends in a club singing and dancing to the song. The video helped to further promote the song and Madonna as an artist.

Critically, “Everybody” did not receive any acclaim and failed to enter the official Billboard Hot 100 chart. It did, however, appear on the dance charts. The song helped Madonna achieve her first appearance in a dance magazine.

“Like a Virgin” was written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, and produced by Nile Rodgers, and was chosen for Madonna by Michael Ostin of Warner Bros. Records after listening to a demo sung by Kelly. Musically, “Like a Virgin” is a dance-oriented song, composed of two *hooks. Madonna’s voice is heard in a high register while a continuous arrangement of drums are heard along the bass line. The lyrics of the song are ambiguous and consist of hidden innuendo, interpreted in different ways. “Like a Virgin” received positive reviews from contemporary as well as past critics, who frequently called it as one of the defining songs for Madonna. It topped the charts worldwide.

The song’s music video portrayed Madonna sailing down the canals of Venice in a gondola, as well as roaming around a palace wearing a white wedding dress. With the video, scholars noted Madonna’s portrayal of a sexually independent woman, similarity of a man wearing lion’s mask to that of Saint Mark, and the link between the eroticism in the video and the vitality of Venice. Family groups sought to ban it as they believed the song promoted sex without marriage. On the other hand, Madonna’s public persona of an indomitable, sexually unashamed, supremely confident woman was widely accepted by the younger generation who emulated her style and fashion. Scholars have credited “Like a Virgin” as the song which cemented her position as a pop culture icon.

*hook – A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to “catch the ear of the listener.” The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock, R&B, hip hop, dance, and pop.

“Material Girl” is from Madonna’s second studio album “Like a Virgin” (1984). It was released on January 23, 1985, as the second single from the album. The song was written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans, and produced by Nile Rodgers. Madonna explained that the concept of the song was indicative of her life at that time. She felt that “Material Girl” was provocative in its content and was attracted to it. The lyrics are very materialistic, with Madonna asking for a rich and affluent life, rather than romance and relationships. She said, “I’m very career-oriented. You are attracted to people who are ambitious that way, too, like in the song ‘Material Girl’. You are attracted to men who have material things because that’s what pays the rents and buys you furs. That’s the security. That lasts longer than emotions.”

The music video was reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the 1953 film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” The mimicked scenes are interspersed with scenes of a Hollywood director trying to win the heart of an actress, played by Madonna herself. Discovering that, contrary to her song, the young woman was not impressed by money and expensive gifts, he pretended to be penniless and succeeded in taking her out on a date. During a 2009 interview with “Rolling Stone,” Madonna was asked to speak about her first feelings after listening to the demos of “Like a Virgin” and “Material Girl.” Madonna responded by saying, “I liked them both because they were ironic and provocative at the same time but also unlike me. I am not a materialistic person, and I certainly wasn’t a virgin, and, by the way, how can you be ‘like a virgin?’ I liked the play on words, I thought they were clever. They’re so geeky, they’re cool.”

Madonna also starred in her first mainstream feature film,“Desperately Seeking Susan,” (1985), and performed the soundtrack’s single, “Into the Groove,” which hit No. 1 on the U.S. dance charts. Her next single “Crazy for You“, which she performed for the 1985 film “Vision Quest,” also became a No. 1 hit. She then started her first music tour, The Virgin Tour.

“Papa Don’t Preach” from Madonna’s third studio album “True Blue“ (1986), was written by Brian Elliot with additional lyrics by Madonna. The song’s musical style combines pop and classical styling, with lyrics which deal with teenage pregnancy and abortion.

Released as the album’s second single in mid-1986, the song was a commercial success. It became Madonna’s fourth number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, and performed well internationally, reaching the top position in the United Kingdom and Australia. It was well received by music critics and was frequently cited as a highlight in the album. The music video, directed by James Foley, shows Madonna with a more toned and muscular body, and cropped platinum blond hair trying to tell her father about her pregnancy. Shortly after its release, the song caused heated discussions about its lyrical content. Women’s organizations and others in the family planning field criticized Madonna for encouraging teenage pregnancy, while groups opposed to abortion saw the song as having a positive pro-life message.

As the song’s popularity increased in the United States, so did the criticism and support it received from groups concerned with pregnancy and abortion. In July 1986, shortly after the release of the video for “Papa Don’t Preach,” Madonna commented on the controversy surrounding the song, to music critic Stephen Holden from the “New York Times”:

“Papa Don’t Preach” is a message song that everyone is going to take the wrong way. Immediately they’re going to say I am advising every young girl to go out and get pregnant. When I first heard the song, I thought it was silly. But then I thought, wait a minute, this song is really about a girl who is making a decision in her life. She has a very close relationship with her father and wants to maintain that closeness. To me it’s a celebration of life. It says, ‘I love you, father, and I love this man and this child that is growing inside me’. Of course, who knows how it will end? But at least it starts off positive.”

Read the reviews and buy the music of Madonna: https://www.amazon.com/Madonna/e/B000APIQE2

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All Madonna’s books can be bought here: https://www.amazon.com/Madonna/e/B018GACIKA

More information and source:Wikipedia Madonna

About William Price King

William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.

His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.

While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.

His debut jazz album was entitled “Home,” and was a collection of contemporary compositions he composed, with lyrics written by his wife Jeanne King. His second album was a Duo (Voice and Guitar) with Eric Sempé on the guitar. This album included original songs as well as well known standards from contemporary jazz and pop artists. The “King-Sempé” duo toured France and thrilled audiences for more than three years before going their separate ways. King has formed a new duo called “Clear Cut,” and is now exploring new ideas, in a smooth jazz/soul/folk direction.

In addition to singing and composing, King has been collaborating with author Sally Cronin over the past few years on her blog “Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life,” with the series “A Man And His Music – Jazz, Contemporary, Classical, and Legends” and now, the “William Price King Music Column.” Working with author Sally Cronin has been an exhilarating experience in many ways and has brought a new dimension to King’s creative life. King has also created a micro blog, “Improvisation,” which features and introduces mostly jazz artists from across the jazz spectrum who have made considerable contributions in the world of jazz; and also artwork from painters who have made their mark in the world of art. This micro blog can be found on Tumblr.

His vocal mentors are two of the greatest giants in jazz, Nat King Cole and Mel Tormé. King has a distinctive wide-ranging voice which displays a remarkable technical facility and emotional depth.

William Price King on Tumblr – IMPROVISATION – https://williampriceking.tumblr.com

Connect with William

Website – http://www.williampriceking.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WilliamPriceKing
Twitter – https://twitter.com/wpkofficial
Regular Venue – http://cave-wilson.com/
ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/william-price-king/id788678484

You can find previous artists featured in these two links

Jazz, Classical and Contemporary: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/william-price-king-a-man-and-his-music-jazz-contemporary-classical-and-legends/

And the Music Column: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/william-price-king-music-column/

Thanks to William for his wonderful contributions and to you for dropping in today. See you next week for the next chapter in Madonna’s life.

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Carol Taylor’s Food Column – Exotic Fruits.

Welcome to this weeks food column with Carol Taylor who is going to share some exotic fruits and wonderful recipes to include them in our diet.

Carol Taylor’s Food Column – Exotic Fruits.

Good morning from sunny Thailand and it is getting hotter here now…interspersed with some lovely tropical storms and is that thunder loud much louder than I remember it being when I lived in the UK something to do with the heat I think…but it certainly makes you jump…

Last week’s post featuring an Indian curry was very well received it seems many of you like it hot!

I was going to give you some recipes for homemade curry powders this week however I don’t want to give you curry overload…lol I will save those for another time, this week I have a selection of Thai fruits a couple of which I could buy in the UK maybe you can let me know which ones you can get where you live???

Easter however is just around the corner and Easter Sunday falls on April 1st this year so I guess some Easter recipes it is next week …Who likes Hot Cross Buns???

I can’t remember the last time I had an Easter egg they are but just a distant memory… so if anyone would like to me send one it would be very gratefully accepted…lol

Star Fruit or Carambola as it is also known as is a lovely vibrant yellow and due to its distinctive ridges when it’s cut it resembles a star hence its name.

It is a very pretty tree and has lovely flowers which Lily always picks for me when she finds them on the ground… I usually put them in my bathroom sink which makes it look very pretty and smells lovely…

The fruit when it comes is also such a lovely lemon colour..a very pretty fruit…

The entire fruit is edible it has a firm, crunchy flesh and is quite juicy. The taste is likened to that of a grape.

It can be made into relishes, preserves and juice drinks.

Star Fruit Relish:

Ingredients

• 8 cups of star fruit, thinly sliced and any seeds removed.
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp whole cloves tied in a muslin bag and slightly crushed.
• 4 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg( optional)

Let’s Cook!

• Wash and thinly slice the star fruit removing any seeds. Cover with the cider vinegar and stand overnight.
• Drain the vinegar add sugar, salt and clove bag. Cook gently until the relish starts to thicken then allow to stand overnight.
• In the morning remove the spice bag and reheat the mix after adding the nutmeg if used and bring back to the boil.
• If you plan to store the star fruit chutney then omit the nutmeg as it will turn the relish a brown colour although it does add another dimension to the taste.
• Put into hot jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
• Enjoy with some cold meats or on bread and butter.

.Thai Cherry…Although, it looks like a tomato to me that is where the resemblance ends.

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked as can the seed of the cherry.

This recipe is for pickled Thai cherries.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of pitted and washed cherries.
• 1 lime
• 2 stalks of lemon grass crushed
• 4 pieces of dried ginger( galangal)
• 10 dried birds eye chillies
• 2 cups of vinegar
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of rice vinegar.

Either one large mason jar which holds 4 cups or 2 smaller jars sterilised.

Let’s Cook!

• Zest your lime and add to a mason jar with lemongrass, ginger and chillies.
• Put both vinegars, sugar and juice of the lime into a pan and on a medium heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved when the vinegar is warm add the cherries and cook for 4 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon put the cherries into the jar, then strain the vinegar and pour over the cherries any remaining vinegar put in a clean bottle and use for salad dressings or marinades.
• Seal the jar and leave for 4-6 weeks for the flavours to develop.

Enjoy!

Some interesting facts on the uses of the bark and leaves.

Gum is obtained from the bark and chewed also the juice from the bark if applied externally to the back is said to give some relief from the pain of a backache.

Both the fruit and leaves also produce a green dye.

The seeds are used in the production of necklaces by the ethnic tribes in Northern Thailand.

This tree has hard, strong aromatic wood which is glossy and the branches are used for walking sticks.

A little warning:

This fruit belongs to a genus where most if not all its members produce hydrogen cyanide which is a poison which gives almond their characteristic flavour.

The toxin which is found mainly in the leaves and the seeds is easily detected by its bitter taste. The quantity is too small to do any harm but a very bitter seed or fruit should not be eaten.

Salak fruit or snake fruit is a fruit which is very common in and around South East Asia.

A species of the palm tree it belongs to the Arecaceae family. The fruits grow in clusters at the base of the palm. It is also known as snake fruit because of its reddish-brown scaly skin. The fruit inside is sweeter than honey and sour like pineapple and very juicy.

Because the flesh is slightly acidic it makes your tongue tingle. The fruit grows around the base of the tree so often when you buy it fresh they can be covered with dirt a little like potatoes when you dig them up…

They are also quite prickly to the touch and there is a knack to opening them but like everything once you have mastered that it is quite easy.

This evergreen tree produces fruit all the year round.

It is quite beneficial as eye medication and is also known as the memory fruit.

It can be eaten fresh or cooked. It is also sold in cans.

It is also sold as candied fruit.

Unripe it can also be pickled.

To pickle Salak.

Let’s Cook!

It must be peeled and deseeded. Soaked in a water and salt solution for 1 hour, rinsed and drained.

Resoak again for 1 hour, then wash and drain.

Put in a vinegar, salt and water solution which has been boiled and cooled and let to stand for 1- 2 days before eating.

N.B. Make sure your fruit is very fresh or the jam with have a dusty taste..not nice at all.

Rambutin is one of the first fruits we ate when we very first came to Thailand and it is also one I was able to purchase in the UK.

Native to south-east Asia this lovely fruit has almost a soft silky feel when you touch it and looks very pretty. Similar to the Lychee, Longan and mamoncillo fruits it has a sweet tasting grape like flavour.

It has a leathery red skin covered with soft, fleshy spires hence the name which means ” hairy.” In Vietnam, it is called chom chom which means messy hair.

The peeled fruits can be eaten raw or cooked and are often used in fruit salads or made into a syrup to flavour whipped cream or cocktails.

Although grown all over South- east Asia, Thailand is the largest producer.

The rambutans are made into jams, jellies or canned in syrup.

Rambuten contains diverse nutrients in modest amounts. Vitamin C, Calcium and iron.

Like many other fruits and vegetables, the skin has been used to treat dysentery or chronic fever. The leaves are also made into a paste by mashing the leaves, adding water and squeezing out the extract then applied to the forehead this paste is also a great hair conditioner.

Boiling the tree roots to make a tea is also used to treat fevers.

How to open it?

Put your thumb nail into the skin and squeeze and turn the fruit the fleshy fruit will just pop out.

Rambutan Jam.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of peeled and seeded Rambutan
• Juice of a large lemon
• 2 1/2 cups of sugar.

Blitz Rambutan in the food processor …I leave mine a little chunky then put all ingredients in a pan. Bring to the boil and simmer on medium until the sugar has dissolved. Turn down and simmer 15-20 minutes until the mix has thickened. Make sure you don’t let the sugar caramelise.

Put in sterilised jar.

This is lovely instead of apple sauce on meats.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about some of the Thai fruits I get here please let me know which ones you get where you live…

And don’t forget any unusual fruits or veg send me a picture and I will see what I can find out…

Next week it will be some Easter goodies including Hot Cross buns.

Thank you for reading and I would like to say welcome back to Sally after her short break from the blogsphere she said she had a fun time and I am sure we will hear some tales from Sally…

Until next week xxx

You can find my previous columns in the directory: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/carol-taylors-food-column-2018/

My thanks to Carol for another fascinating look at foods that may not be a regular part of our diet, but certainly, those that are available in shops in the UK would make for a delicious talking point at your next dinner party… Pass the Rambutan Jam would you darling…....

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology:  https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

New additional Blog: http://myhealthyretirement.com/welcome-to-orienthailiving-my-first-post/

Blog: https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

If you have missed previous posts in the Cook from Scratch series you can find them here: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/cook-from-scratch-with-sally-and-carol-recipes/

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Getting to Know you, here, there and everywhere – Guest contributors and Social Media update.

It is three years since I shared my main social media sites and also I wanted to update you on the ways that you can become a guest or be promoted here on Smorgasbord.

You will have seen that I refer to the blog as a magazine, and that is because it is now contributed to by some very special and talented writers. I really want the blog to reflect the opinion, work, expertise and talent of others so that readers get a much wider range of subjects to choose from. Since the beginning of the year I have introduced columns on specific topics, written either by myself in the case of health, or by some fantastic contributors who are experts in their field.

If you would like to write a column on a subject close to your heart… then I would love to hear from you. You can choose the interval between them but suggest that monthly would be a good place to start. Please contact me on sally.cronin@moyhill.com so that we can chat about it.

via Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Getting to Know you, here, there and everywhere – Guest contributors and Social Media update.

Smorgasbord Health Column – Turning Back the Clock – Chapter Four – The Immune System

Chapter Four – The Key to Health and Anti-Aging is a powerful Immune System.

Over the last three chapters I have looked at the main contributory factors associated with aging. In this chapter I am going to explore the necessity of having a functioning and thriving Immune System and how we can eat food to achieve that.

Why is the Immune System so important in preventing premature aging?

In a nutshell, if your immune system is not functioning well your entire body, including the tissues, organs and systems suffer damage and cannot repair themselves. Additionally, you are wide open to bacterial, viral and toxic invaders who are looking for a nesting site. You have what they need to reproduce and thrive, but they need to make some adjustments when they arrive. They like a lovely acidic, toxic, waste filled environment without too much oxygen. They are particularly fond of a new home that does not have troublesome neighbours such as anti-oxidants and they prefer a quiet life without too much exercise so that they get on and breed. They are a “class act” and make sure that they give you something back in the form of rent. Frequent Colds and Flu, Thrush, skin complaints, fatigue and stomach problems. If you are a really up-market landlord and are offering premium accommodation they will pay you back with Arthritis, Rheumatism, Osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and Cancer.

via Smorgasbord Health Column – Turning Back the Clock – Chapter Four – The Immune System

Smorgasbord Health Column – Turning Back the Clock – Chapter Four – The Immune System

Over the next few weeks I am going to be sharing my book on anti-aging.. Turning Back the Clock. Some of the strategies have been included in other posts on the various areas of health that can accelerate the natural aging process, but in this book I bring them all together. Some of you may have already followed the series that I posts in February 2016, but I hope enough time has passed for you to find it worth another look.

This is a natural anti-aging programme. We all age but many of us are assisting the process with diet and lifestyle choices. This book takes a look at the physical, mental and emotional aspects of aging and how a little attitude adjustment goes a long way!

Chapter Four – The Key to Health and Anti-Aging is a powerful Immune System.

Over the last three chapters I have looked at the main contributory factors associated with aging. In this chapter I am going to explore the necessity of having a functioning and thriving Immune System and how we can eat food to achieve that.

Why is the Immune System so important in preventing premature aging?

In a nutshell, if your immune system is not functioning well your entire body, including the tissues, organs and systems suffer damage and cannot repair themselves. Additionally, you are wide open to bacterial, viral and toxic invaders who are looking for a nesting site. You have what they need to reproduce and thrive, but they need to make some adjustments when they arrive. They like a lovely acidic, toxic, waste filled environment without too much oxygen. They are particularly fond of a new home that does not have troublesome neighbours such as anti-oxidants and they prefer a quiet life without too much exercise so that they get on and breed. They are a “class act” and make sure that they give you something back in the form of rent. Frequent Colds and Flu, Thrush, skin complaints, fatigue and stomach problems. If you are a really up-market landlord and are offering premium accommodation they will pay you back with Arthritis, Rheumatism, Osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and Cancer.

Not the sort of tenants one is looking for then?

No they definitely are not. The trouble is, of course, that most of them are squatters and should not be there in the first place. Most of us are very careless about our property and leave the back door and sometimes the front door wide open.

So how does a properly functioning Immune System protect us?

The immune system is not just about our internal defences. It actually has a pretty formidable array of physical barriers that are designed to keep pathogens, which are all harmful substances out of our bodies.

The skin is our main external protector. If it is not damaged it will not allow harmful toxins to enter the bloodstream. The problem is that of course it is porous and is designed to allow fluids in and out through the pores. So, any substance that touches your skin, such as chemical preparations can pass right through. For example; if you use strong household cleaners these contain highly toxic substances that will pass through the dermal layer and store in the tissues causing anything from a mild rash to a violent allergic reaction. This is why you must wear gloves when using them. Many of us react to perfume, cosmetics or even simple hand-creams that our body obviously thinks of as toxic.

If you cut yourself-then germs can pass through directly to the bloodstream and from there they have complete access to the rest of your body.

We have special hairs and mucus tissues in our nose, mouth and throat that are designed to catch anything harmful.

If toxins get as far as our stomachs, then acid and enzymes will react and cause you to get rid of the problem. Our lungs too have a very sophisticated defence system that will make you cough it up.

Should any harmful bacteria, virus or toxin get past these barriers then we have a very complex system of cells and antibodies that will rush to our defence.

The liver is of course the place where most of these toxins are going to pass through, and it has specific enzymes designed to destroy them so that they can then be evicted from the body.

What are the effects of Free-Radicals on how quickly we age?

If you cut an apple and effectively damage it, within a few minutes it will begin to turn brown. If you leave it long enough the tissue of the apple will begin to break down and you will end up with a liquid, bacteria covered, and unidentifiable lump on your cutting board.

That just about sums up what free-radical damage does to your body. Just to get a little more technical for a few seconds. We bandy about the phrase “Free-Radicals” as if they are some dissident political group or schoolyard bullies. Like most bullies they are missing something and want yours.

In this case a free-radical is a molecule. A normal molecule has an even number of electrons and is considered stable. Free-radicals on the other hand have an uneven number of electrons and are unstable. They are desperate to be like the normal molecules so they have to steal from them to get another electron. This of course means that they have created another free-radical. More and more cells become damaged and leave the body open to most diseases from cardiovascular to cancer.

Like the apple, the damage is a kind of oxidation, which is the action of adding oxygen to a substance (essentially the same as rusting!)

Aren’t some Free-radicals important for the body?

Ironically, yes. The immune system uses some free-radicals to go and steal an electron from harmful molecules that have entered the system illegally. Problem is, like everything else in the body, we need balances and checks. The Free-Radical police are anti-oxidants and if you have not got enough of them then the free-radicals become vigilantes and go after everything that moves.

Also, we create free-radicals when we exercise energetically and take in additional oxygen. These then assist with the metabolism of foods that enter the body. Again if the balance between these and anti-oxidants is not correct more free-radicals are created than are needed.

What particular part do Free-radicals play in aging?

The free-radicals cause cells to oxidise and die. The major damage is done to our DNA, which results in mutations and death of the cells. Our body does produce anti-oxidants and enzymes that can repair this damage if we eat healthily. However, as we get older so do our cells and it becomes harder to repair them and they die. This is aging! These cells that are dying are in our skin, tissues and organs such as the heart, brain and liver and every system that keeps us alive.

What other area of the Immune System is important to help with anti-aging?

We have a number of safety regulators in the body that are designed to deal with intruders, and if their health is not maintained we become very much more susceptible to disease.

Apart from our bloodstream we have another network throughout our bodies, which is called the Lymphatic system. This system runs throughout the body, and is a little like a railway network with stations along the route, which are called glands. You will often hear people say that their glands are up!

The main ones are the Lymph Nodes in your neck, under your armpits and in your groin. The lymph fluid, which is called plasma, travels along the network, reaches one of the stations and drops off any harmful bacteria in the node. The lymph system contains a number of cells that sound like something out of James Bond movies: B-cells, Killer T-cells, Helper T–Cells, Macrophages and Lymphocytes and these and all other blood cells are produced in our bone marrow; which we hear a great deal about in relation to transplants.

All these cells have specific roles to play but for example the lovely macrophages swallow bacteria and kill them.

When it comes to aging, I think we all know how it feels to be drained of energy, getting continual infections, suffering the pain of degenerative diseases like arthritis. These in themselves make us feel old. But of course all these infections are adding enormous stress and strain to the body and are damaging the tissues in our body at the same time. Although our body is programmed to regenerate over our lifetime, each cell only has a number of times that it can regenerate. If you wear out that system of regeneration when you are too young you are going to age.

In addition, when our body is stressed on a continuous basis, our glands will secrete hormones to counteract the inflammation and adrenaline to enable us to cope. This wears out the organs and they suffer damage and disease.

Where do we start when building up our Immune System?

The first place that we need to start is by gently detoxing our bodies of the accumulated waste. For anyone that has been eating more fruit and vegetables, cutting down on the processed sugary and high fat foods and drinking more natural fluids such as water, that process has already begun. Hopefully problem foods like stimulants and alcohol have been reduced so there are fewer toxins entering the body. The anti-oxidants in the diet are boosting the immune system and you should be achieving a much healthier balance.

In addition to a daily diet of fresh unprocessed foods, particularly vegetables you need to take in foods that will absorb toxins and move them through the body efficiently.

For example I recommend that all my clients start the day by having some fresh lemon juice in hot water – this is excellent for your liver to help it detox. If you add a teaspoon of honey that will help your intestines too. Have a glass of carrot juice mixed with unsweetened apple juice a day will support the detox function of your liver and bile ducts. Also a medium glass of cranberry juice can help keep your urinary tract and therefore your kidneys free of infection.

You should be eating brown rice regularly and certainly a large tablespoon every day is excellent for keeping waste moving through your system as it should. There is a plan for a gentle detox at the end of the book which is easy on the body but effective in getting rid of unwanted visitors.

Is it ever too late to start this?

The really good news is that if you are not already dead you can do something about it. Sounds awful, but even if you are already in your 70’s and 80’s you still have trillions of cells left that can be nourished and repaired and still have reproductive life in them. The real key for managing the aging process is to stop the damage right now.

You can start by embracing the healthy eating plan you will find later on in the book, which is packed full of wonderful anti-oxidants. The main anti-oxidants are Vitamins A, C, E and Beta-carotene, which is the precursor of Vitamin A. There is also Selenium, Zinc and Bioflavonoids. The more brightly coloured fruits and vegetables you consume the more anti-oxidants will be available to your immune system to fight the damage caused by free-radicals.

You should also drink plenty of fluids including water to flush any toxins out of your system and other fluids such as green tea, which are full of anti-oxidants.

You will also be eating a high percentage of your foods unprocessed and from plant sources, which is creating an alkaline environment that germs cannot survive in.

Apart from food is there anything else we can do to protect our Immune System?

Exercise will move toxins out of your body provided you are drinking sufficient fluids. If not, you will know about in the form of lactic acid and muscle cramps. Exercise also pumps oxygen into the body and although this creates free-radical activity, other harmful bacteria and viruses do not like an oxygen rich environment and die. So provided you are taking in sufficient anti-oxidants taking exercise is fantastic.

We have to learn how to relax so that our bodies can rest. Being young at heart and full of vibrant energy is exactly what we are aiming to achieve. But at the same time we have to allow time for our bodies to recover from activity and rebuild its defences. You cannot run any living system without down-time otherwise you will damage all the components.

Take a nap. Make sure you get the right amount of sleep. Take a day off and do something completely different and go out and enjoy a quiet dinner for two etc.

Avoid toxins and germs. Do not put yourself in harm’s way. Use gloves when you are cleaning, wash your hands before preparing food. Wash food if you are not going to peel it.

Do not store household chemicals under your sink in the kitchen, try and put them into an outside storage area.

Although it is wonderful to kiss our friends and shake hands, that is how germs are spread by touch more so than inhaling. So wash your hands several times a day.

Get fresh air at least once a day for 45 minutes and in a the next chapter I am going to show you how breathing and doing some very simple exercises each day can help boost your immune system and minimise damage to your cells and organs of your body.

©sallycronin Turning Back the Clock 2014

You can find the previous chapters in this directory: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/turning-back-the-clock-anti-aging-programme/

A little about me from a nutritional perspective. Although I write a lot of fiction, I actually wrote my first two books on health, the first one, Size Matters, a weight loss programme 20 years ago. I qualified as a nutritional therapist and practiced in Ireland and the UK as well as being a consultant for radio. My first centre was in Ireland, the Cronin Diet Advisory Centre and my second book, Just Food for Health was written as my client’s workbook. Here are my health books including a men’s health manual and my anti-aging book.

All available in Ebook from:  http://www.amazon.com/Sally-Cronin/e/B0096REZM2

And Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sally-Georgina-Cronin/e/B003B7O0T6

Comprehensive guide to the body, and the major organs and the nutrients needed to be healthy 360 pages, A4: http://www.moyhill.com/html/just_food_for_health.html

Thank you for dropping in and if you have any questions fire away.. If you would like to as a private question then my email is sally.cronin@moyhill.com. I am no longer in practice and only too pleased to help in any way I can. thanks Sally

Smorgasbord Health Column – Hydrogenated Fats in our Foods – and how to avoid them. Sally Cronin

In the last few years there has been a complete reversal by governments and experts on how much fat and carbohydrates we should be eating. The information and advice is often confusing but research is definitely coming down on the side of good fats.. and that we should be including enough of them in our diet to keep us mentally and physically well.

Later in the week I will reshare the post on Essential Fatty Acids which includes a very important component of our overall health – Omega – 3.  But first a look at the fats we should be avoiding…

Hydrogenated Fats in our Foods – and how to avoid them. Sally Cronin

As humans we have consumed red meat, eggs and dairy products for many thousands of years. It is only in the last century that medical science has been able to identify and put a name to many of our medical conditions which does not mean that they did not exist before.

There are no doubt heart attacks and other problems associated with dietary deficiencies or excess occurred in the past, but we will never really know their causes. We can only go on what we have discovered now and use that to our advantage by working to prevent conditions such as cholesterol, which are silent killers.

via Smorgasbord Health Column – Hydrogenated Fats in our Foods – and how to avoid them. Sally Cronin

Smorgasbord Health Column – Hydrogenated Fats in our Foods – and how to avoid them. Sally Cronin

 

In the last few years there has been a complete reversal by governments and experts on how much fat and carbohydrates we should be eating. The information and advice is often confusing but research is definitely coming down on the side of good fats.. and that we should be including enough of them in our diet to keep us mentally and physically well.

Later in the week I will reshare the post on Essential Fatty Acids which includes a very important component of our overall health – Omega – 3.  But first a look at the fats we should be avoiding…

Hydrogenated Fats in our Foods – and how to avoid them. Sally Cronin

As humans we have consumed red meat, eggs and dairy products for many thousands of years. It is only in the last century that medical science has been able to identify and put a name to many of our medical conditions which does not mean that they did not exist before.

There are no doubt heart attacks and other problems associated with dietary deficiencies or excess occurred in the past, but we will never really know their causes. We can only go on what we have discovered now and use that to our advantage by working to prevent conditions such as cholesterol, which are silent killers.

My grandfather was a master butcher. He dropped dead one Sunday morning; 50 years ago in the process of bending down to pick up his paper. He had eaten red meat not just once but often twice a day in large quantities. He was 95 years old and had never had a day sick in his life. He not only ate huge amounts of meat but he also ate lots of fresh vegetables and fruit from his garden. He ate butter, cheese and eggs from the local farm daily and drank lots of tea. His housekeeper cooked everything fresh everyday and did not buy any processed foods. He walked everywhere even in his 90’s and had a wonderfully healthy appetite until the day he died.

I would suggest that if a nutritionist today were analysing his daily intake of fats, carbohydrates and calories without knowing his personal details, they would probably be horrified and assume that he was overweight and loaded with cholesterol. So what might be the difference between this robust healthy man eating all the cholesterol-laden foods daily and our diet today that is causing high levels of LDL cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and heart attacks? The answer lies in your packaged food products in your fridge or larder.

What is the real danger in our foods?

There is an estimated 50,000 foods that have hydrogenated fat as an ingredient. The average daily consumption is around 5gms and it only takes 1gm to elevate LDL (lousy cholesterol) levels.

Here are a few interesting facts that I have found out about the hydrogenated fats that are now such a huge part of our modern day lifestyle.

Western diets have always contained a relatively large amount of red meat; in fact evidence very strongly suggests that we ate only raw meat and fish from the very start of our existence.

In 1978 a Dr. Mary Enig proved that cancer rates were directly related to consumption of vegetable oils (including hydrogenated fats) and total fat intake, but NOT related to animal fat consumption. This has since been confirmed by other researchers who have undertaken very in depth studies.

Ischemic heart disease was virtually unknown until the 1940’s when hydrogenated fats were introduced.

Little or no research was undertaken before introducing hydrogenated fats into our diet as to the long-term effects they might have. In the last few years however, compelling evidence proves the negative effects of hydrogenated fats, especially for coronary heart disease. In fact it has been proved that it has the exact same effect as saturated fats on heart disease and in addition they raise the levels of LDL in the blood to a far greater extent than saturated fats whilst actively reducing the healthy cholesterol, HDL.

Hydrogenated fats are synthesised plastics that bear no relation to natural fats from plants or animals.

When the dangers were realised the food manufacturing industry began a marketing campaign that is still prevalent today that amplified the dangers of eating animal fats and promoted the healthy benefits of eating processed foods with LOW Fat contents.

How does Hydrogenation work?

Trans fatty acids or hydrogenated fats are created when manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats. They do this by forcing hydrogen at a very high temperature (250-400degrees C) and pressure into the liquid oils usually with a catalyst such as nickel or platinum over a period of several hours. The hydrogen atoms attach themselves to the molecules in the liquid oil resulting in an unnatural mixture that becomes a trans fatty acid or hydrogenated fat.

Why do they do this when they could us natural plant oils and animal fats in their products?

Solid fat is easier to work with in food manufacture than liquid – think about making cakes, biscuits and pastry.
Shelf life is increased; one of the reasons they believe is that bacteria is too intelligent to eat the stuff so leave it alone.
It provides a cheaper source of fats for their products.

What about the impact on our bodies of consuming excessive amounts of hydrogenated fats?

We rely on a certain amount of fat in our diet to provide us with many nutrients that are essential for our growth and metabolism. B vitamins are essential for our health and are present in both animal protein and plant sources – if your entire diet comprises processed foods produced with this artificial fat then you will not be consuming sufficient of these nutrients. Vitamin E, which is in olive oil in abundance, is essential for fighting the effects of free radicals. This is another vital nutrient that would be lacking in your diet. Folate (growth and healthy cell reproduction), Biotin (normal growth, skin, hair, nerves and bone marrow health), Vitamin D (bone growth and balancing minerals such as calcium), Choline (brain health) Inositol (calcium metabolism and insulin) and Co-Enzyme Q10 (anti-oxidant and energy production) are just some of the nutrients that would be lacking in a totally processed food diet.

What foods are hydrogenated fats mainly found in?

The most common is of course margerines and other spreads that are not pure butter. They are hidden in most processed foods such as soups, crisps, crackers, biscuits, bread, pastries, pizza and even some cereals.

If you are buying pre-cooked fried foods it will more than likely have been prepared in hydrogenated fats such as Fish and chips, Fried chicken etc.

So do we stop eating all these foods that contain hydrogenated fats?

To be honest that would be virtually impossible. However, over the last nine months I have encouraged everyone who is following the healthy eating plan to dramatically reduce their intake of all processed foods. The emphasis has been on eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables with lean meat fish and poultry all prepared with home made sauces made from fresh ingredients.

That is a very good start. I use butter sparingly because there is no doubt that saturated fats if eaten in excess will have an effect on your general weight and health.

You cannot cut processed food out completely but do try and limit your intake. As I keep repeating – look at your labels when you are buying foods and think about what has actually gone into the manufacture of this particular delicacy is it real or manufactured?

Last year I teamed up with Carol Taylor for a six month series on Cooking from Scratch using fresh produce. I also included the health properties of the main ingredient to demonstrate how powerful an individual food can be.

https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/cook-from-scratch-with-sally-and-carol-recipes/

We unfortunately have moved out of the kitchen into the supermarket for convenience and if we went back to my Grandfather’s lifestyle, every biscuit or cake he had with his afternoon tea was home-made using butter and eggs straight from the farm. His lifestyle was a combination of physical activity walking several miles per day and natural food products.

Simple really.

Next time the good fats and in particular Omega- 3 one of the Essential Fatty Acids.

A little about me from a nutritional perspective. Although I write a lot of fiction, I actually wrote my first two books on health, the first one, Size Matters, a weight loss programme 20 years ago. I qualified as a nutritional therapist and practiced in Ireland and the UK as well as being a consultant for radio. My first centre was in Ireland, the Cronin Diet Advisory Centre and my second book, Just Food for Health was written as my client’s workbook. Here are my health books including a men’s health manual and my anti-aging book.

All available in Ebook from:  http://www.amazon.com/Sally-Cronin/e/B0096REZM2

And Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sally-Georgina-Cronin/e/B003B7O0T6

Comprehensive guide to the body, and the major organs and the nutrients needed to be healthy 360 pages, A4: http://www.moyhill.com/html/just_food_for_health.html

Thank you for dropping in and if you have any questions fire away.. If you would like to as a private question then my email is sally.cronin@moyhill.com. I am no longer in practice and only too pleased to help in any way I can. thanks Sally