Kitchen Wisdom for Better Health

B'SD

21 Tishrei, 5779

Today is HaShana Raba, and the anniversary of when I began to see in color years ago. I make a festive meal in the sukka to celebrate that miracle.

Tonight begins the fantastically festive Simkhat Torah holiday. It will close the Jewish New Year season on a high, happy note with robust singing, sweet prayers for the well being of the world at large and for the individuals seeking personal blessings from Above.

I want to share a message that I received earlier today, and my response to it. There is a multi-faceted reality to my recovery story. Many of the kitchen wisdom for better health strategies that I used have helped other people before and I after I used them:

QUESTION:

Hi Yocheved,
I know that you have been through a lot with your health issues, and I believe you said that because of them you are careful with the materials you use regarding food. So I wanted to ask if you have a recommendation regarding what is best to use in terms of frying pans and pots and the like and preferably where to get them in Israel.

I don't want to use teflon coated products or similar materials but I've also seen articles complaining about some ceramic products as well as aluminum or copper makes... I feel a bit lost and stuck. It feels like you can't buy anything without there being a health issue. And I'd also like something that cooks food well and can be cleaned easily if possible.

So... I thought you may be able to point me in the right direction... Suggestions?

My RESPONSE:

Cast iron (IKEA), lead-free porcelain 

and lead-free enamelware 

(quality shops such as L'Gaat B'Okhel. 

Try IKEA, too), Pyrex for fried and 

regular cooking (HaStock and Stock Max 

sell them affordably!). 

If you use  aluminum baking sheets, 

please line them with organic baking paper 

sold at Nitzat HaDuvdevan. 

Aluminum leaches into cooking foods 

and is a long-known culprit in promoting 

dementia. 

I find copper problematic but if you find some 

copper utensils bearing a legitimate 

certification of safety, use them. 

If you fry foods you'e automatically 

creating a chemical called acrylamide 

(please read

 https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/acrylamide.html, 

and http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=260).

I HIGHLY recommend that you sprinkle turmeric 

into the food before it begins to cook. 

Turmeric is a known cancer preventer. 

You can try to strike a balance when preparing 

fried foods as a treat. I don't recommend eating 

fried foods more than once weekly, 

and minimizing that to maybe 5-6 times yearly.

I banned plastic from my kitchen. 

Storage containers are made of Pyrex, 

lead-free ceramic, or lead-free porcelain. 

Cutting boards are made of wood which I oil for 

long-lasting integrity. DO NOT bake in 

synthetic silicon bake ware. Your cakes 

will leave their oiled porcelain enamel pans 

just fine. Paper baking cups for muffins 

and cupcakes are wonderful, but make sure 

that you're using baking cups, 

not decorative paper cups 

which will be absorbed into the 

batter and hard to peel away later.

Please do me and yourself a favor: 

Need to know how to cope with YOUR medical challenge? 

BUY http://booklocker.com/books/3067.html

All the best,

Yocheved Golani, Content provider and editor
http://www.linkedin.com/in/yochevedgolaniink
Mental Health columnist http://www.e-counseling.com/author/yocheved/

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