The Magic of Ginger

Posted by Neill Abayon

At least once a week, I have a craving for sushi and not just because I grew up loving California rolls, sliced fresh tuna, and crab salad. In fact, my favorite part of the raw Japanese meal by far has to be the little lump of often peach-colored pickled ginger that sits in the corner of the plate. Snapping up the slices of ginger from all of the plates on the table in one delicious yet spicy mound is the best part of my night. I never really thought that consuming that much ginger could be preventing future body pain, I just love the taste. The good news is that this wonderful root can actually help lessen a whole host of ailments.

Ginger is commonly used in cooking as well as for medicinal purposes. Ginger, also known by its Latin name Zingiber officinale, is often used in Asian cultures as a way to treat nausea or stomachaches usually associated with post surgical symptoms, pregnancy, chemotherapy aftereffects, or motion sickness. This reason may be why it is served with sushi—although it is called Gari instead of ginger when used in this manner—besides its original intention as a palate cleanser.” Many American dietary supplements contain ginger for its anti-nausea and vomit relief.

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U.S. Kids Increasing Daily Snack Consumption

Posted by Neill Abayon

Historically, cultural generations in America have been defined by multiple names, each representing something different about that generation. For instance, the G.I. Generation, also dubbed the Greatest Generation by journalist Tom Brokaw, includes those born from around 1916 to the mid-1920s and who came of age during the Great Depression. The Baby Boom Generation is the generation born between 1946 and the mid-1960s, a time marked by an increase in birth rates. Those born between 2000 and 2009 are being referred to as Generation Z, as well as Generation I, Digital Natives, the Internet Generation—various names given them due to their status as the first generation to grow up almost entirely within the Digital Era. But if they continue their current snacking habits, Generation Z may become known as the Generation of Non-Stop Nibblers.

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Lyme Disease Rears Its Ugly Head…Again

Posted by Neill Abayon

While April showers may bring May flowers, it also signals the onset of allergy season and a surge in deer ticks, particularly on the East Coast. The mild winter (or some believe global warming) has led to an increase in reported cases of Lyme Disease, which is transmitted by infected ticks.

While deer ticks can infect at any time of year, they tend to hibernate under the snow in the winter. With a lower than average snowfall, the melt is on and deer ticks are experiencing a resurgence in both animals and humans. Hospitals, doctors, and veterinarians on the Eastern seaboard have seen a dramatic increase in the number of patients with tick bites. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) considers the East Coast from southern Maine to northern Maryland a high-risk area for Lyme Disease.

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