Majority of American women, including moms, find it difficult to introduce more wholesome snacks into diet; seek more on-the-go options. According to a new survey, nearly all American women (92 percent) report that they are trying to bring better food choices into their homes, yet two-thirds agree that they sometimes find it difficult to introduce more wholesome foods into their diet and their family's diet. Additionally, the majority of women (88 percent) agree that they wish there were more on-the-go wholesome food options out there.  The survey was conducted by Back to Nature--but my major question is what does it mean---really mean--- to be "wholesome?"  Every product wants shoppers to believe that their product is "wholesome." But does that mean it's healthy or better for you?  I took a peak at Back to Nature's web site, and they promote: No high fructose corn syrup. No hydrogenated oils. No artificial preservatives or flavors. Made with organic bananas, organic oatmeal and real walnuts.

If you look at the ingredient list--it's not like I was blown away by it's all natural "wholesome" properties. Is it better than other similar products? —probably, but it’s still not great.  Keep in mind, there is no definition of wholesome, and don't let marketers take advantage of your desire to eat and live a better life.

The subject of a recent NY Times article is weather the new trend in NYC of drinking milk right from the cow is worth it.  FYI, pasteurization is the heating of milk to kill viruses and other harmful organisms. It’s an interesting story. Read Here (NY Times Free Subscription Required) This is the story lead: THERE was the name of a Web site scrawled on cardboard and quickly torn to bits by an anonymous farmer in the Greenmarket at Union Square. Then came the paperwork, legal enough presumably, to protect the source of the illicit substance. Finally, Yaron Milgrom-Elcott received the monthly drop site: an address near Chelsea, open for two hours, show up or lose the white stuff

American women have gotten fatter as it has become more socially acceptable to carry a few extra pounds, according to a new study. Florida State University Assistant Professor of Economics Frank Heiland and Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Economist Mary Burke studied body weights among American women in the 30- to 60-year-old age bracket from 1976 to 2000. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, they found that the weight of the average woman increased by 20 pounds, or 13.5 percent, during that period. There was disproportionate growth among the most obese women as the 99th percentile weight increased a hefty 18.2 percent, from 258 to 305 pounds.

The researchers also looked at self-reports of women’s real weights and desired weights. In 1994, the average woman said she weighed 147 pounds but wanted to weigh 132 pounds. By 2002, the average woman weighed 153 pounds but wanted the scales to register 135 pounds, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Green tea could hold promise as a new treatment for skin disorders such as psoriasis and dandruff, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.Researchers studied an animal model for inflammatory skin diseases, which are often characterized by patches of dry, red, flaky skin caused by the inflammation and overproduction of skin cells. Those treated with green tea showed slower growth of skin cells and the presence of a gene that regulates the cells’ life cycles.

“Psoriasis, an autoimmune disease, causes the skin to become thicker because the growth of skin cells is out of control,” says Dr. Stephen Hsu, an oral biologist in the MCG School of Dentistry and lead investigator on the study published in the Aug. 18 edition of Experimental Dermatology. “In psoriasis, immune cells, which usually protect against infection, instead trigger the release of cytokines, which causes inflammation and the overproduction of skin cells.”