This week I am going to reveal a startling fact — that being sufficient in bacteria … the healthy ones called probiotics … is critical for proper brain function and emotional wellness. While this connection might be difficult to comprehend, it is supported by scientific research. It is well accepted that probiotic bacteria are necessary, essential requirements for digestive health and overall wellness and prevention based on their ability to produce nutrients such as vitamins and short-chain fatty acids.

Research tells us that the intake of probiotics has been associated with beneficial effects on the immune system, such as improved disease resistance and diminished risk of allergies.¹ Therefore being deficient in probiotics would make one more susceptible to infections. Just how does this affect brain function and emotional wellness?

Evidence has demonstrated a link between serious psychiatric problems and microbial infections. An article in the April 17, 2008 issue of Scientific American states that “studies have repeatedly linked schizophrenia to prenatal infections.” It says that “the strongest evidence pertains to schizophrenia, but autism, bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder have also been linked to bacterial, viral or parasitic infections in utero, in childhood or in maturity.”

This has been supported by more scholarly research entitled “Are some cases of psychosis caused by microbial agents: A review of the evidence.”²

More significant, clinical experience has demonstrated that some of these same psychiatric conditions can be improved with the re-establishment of the normal intestinal flora (probiotics). British researcher Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, MMedSci (neurology), MMedSci (nutrition) states that “an autistic child needs a very special nutritional management, a major part of it being putting his gut flora right…in order to rebalance the gut flora it is essential to use a strong multi-strain probiotic.”³

She continues to say “probiotics are the absolute foundation but they must be the right sort and that means a multi-strain product containing soil bacteria”. To elaborate, this type and source of probiotic that we are designed to benefit from come from soil, fruits and vegetables not dairy, soy, corn or wheat. So if you are using yogurt, goat’s milk or another source that contains the above no-no’s, you are doing yourself a disservice. In addition, added ingredients such as sugar, artificial sweetners, colors, flavors and preservatives should be avoided.

It’s important to consume probiotics from birth. But we consume less than one-millionth the amount of healthy probiotic bacteria required to maintain a healthy intestinal ecosystem.

Colonization of the human gut with probiotic bacteria begins with the first exposure to the flora of the birth canal (crucial for development of the immune system) and a deficient probiotic profile of the mother, non-vaginal births, use of antibiotics and the level of artificial hygiene are known to exert a significantly negative influence on the number and species of microorganisms that colonize the newborn gut.

Also, modern human diets — deficient in fruit and vegetable fiber and toxic from dairy, refined sugars, alcohol and prescription drugs and animals treated with antibiotics — result in lowered rates of probiotic bacteria and higher survival rates of harmful or pathogenic illness-causing bacteria and yeasts, not to mention the modern farming, food processing and food preparation methods.

Premier multistrain probiotic formulas contain nine of the most essential species of beneficial bacteria: Lactobacillus (L.) plantarum, L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, L. casei, L. salivarius, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium (B.) bifidum, B. longum, B. breve. These strains have been isolated from healthy Swedish volunteers and were among the most common bacteria in the food of our healthier ancestors.⁴

More research suggests probiotics have the potential to lower systemic inflammation, decrease oxidative stress, improve nutritional status and correct bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.⁵ These positive changes have been linked to increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports the survival of existing neurons (nerve cells) and encourages the growth of new neurons and synapses (connections between neurons).

These same researchers suggest that — because patients suffering from depression have been shown to have altered gastrointestinal (GI) function and lowered omega-3 fatty acid status — supplementation with probiotics and omega-3s might be an important addition to standard care.⁶ Research also indicates that probiotic bacteria require sufficient omega-3 fatty acids and sufficient raw fruit and vegetable intake (fiber) to survive.⁷

Clearly the most logical approach is to be sufficient in these essential nutrients to promote health and wellness and prevent illness.

Deficiencies in probiotic bacteria are linked to greater risk of illness throughout life:

• Infants and children: diarrhea, candida (yeast infection), digestive disorders, immune & vitamin deficiency, allergies, eczema, asthma, dermatitis
• Teens and adults: candida, digestive disorders, immune and vitamin deficiency, fibromyalgia, systemic infections, high cholesterol levels, cancers, heart disease
• Seniors: candida, digestive disorders, immune & vitamin deficiency, bladder and systemic infections, high cholesterol levels, cancers, heart disease

Focusing on wellness and prevention — rather than the treatment of disease — is the most logical way to better health. When you are sufficient in what your body needs and avoid those things that are toxic, you will naturally gravitate towards health and vitality and away from illness — it’s that simple. Until next time, live innately and get and stay well.

For recommendations on the best probiotic bacteria choices for your family, call me at 518.383.5595, email me at forlifetimewellness@yahoo.com or visit my website at http://www.ForLifetimeWellness.com.

John Ferguson D.C. is a wellness chiropractor in Clifton Park and a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

Citations:

1. Ezendam, Nutr Rev, 2006, Jan;64(1):1-14
2. Yolken and Torrey, Molecular Psychiatry, 2008:13
3. Campbell-McBride, CAM journal, 2003
4. Bengmark, S. Immunonutrition: Role of biosurfactants, fiber and probiotic bacteria. Nutrition 1998:14
5. Logan and Katzman, Medical Hypotheses, 2005:64
6. Logan and Katzman, Medical Hypotheses, 2005:64
7. Bengmark, S. Nutrition, 1998:14

For more information:

• Ferguson Family Chiropractic, 54 Crossing Blvd. Suite H (behind the clock tower), Clifton Park, 383.5595
• Ferguson Family Chiropractic Facebook page
• International Chiropractic Pediatric Association

Of course, she has also gotten them to eat vegetables they never realized they were eating.

Fitz, founder of the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club, tries to make healthy food fun and tasty for children. That means popsicles made out of fruit and veggies snuck into all sorts of recipes. She takes her recipes and cooking demos to school and community groups throughout Price Chopper’s market area.

At 10 a.m. June 28, she will be presenting “Kids can cook: heart-healthy summer snacks” at the Sylvan Learning Center in Clifton Park. The interactive workshop — cosponsored by the American Heart Association — is free, but reservations are required and can be made by calling 373.7995.

Jodie Fitz of Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club enjoys teaching children how to eat healthy.

One of her secrets to getting kids to eat healthy is to get them into the kitchen and involved in the cooking.

“I love to get them involved in the process and to introduce them to new tastes and flavors,” Fitz said. “I like to treat the kitchen as a science experiment.”

Part of that came from her experiences as a mother of 3.

“They’re not perfect eaters,” Fitz said. “But they tend to eat healthier because of what they grew up with.”

Like flying saucers — turkey burgers with spinach inside them — or popsicles made of fruit and yogurt that after some thought she decided was OK for breakfast.

“My daughter loves telling the kids at school that her mom lets her have popsicles for breakfast,” Fitz said.

Each month she prepares 3 Kids Cooking Club recipes that are fun yet healthy. This month’s recipes are apple-topped muffins, grilled pizza and cinnamon-tortilla dippers.

Another healthy-eating tip she recommends is giving dishes a fun name. For example, she makes “bunny food” — a broccoli-and-carrot pizza that gets children to eat vegetables.

“The kids I was cooking with loved it,” she said. “They had a blast, and it got a thumbs up, the kids’ sign of approval.”

Bunny food

1 cup carrots, shredded
2 cups broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons Price Chopper olive oil
1 large carrot, peeled
8 oz Price Chopper mozzarella cheese, shredded
Price Chopper pizza dough, fresh

1. Place the carrots, broccoli, and garlic in a skillet with 2 Tbs. olive oil . Saute on medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Take a large baking sheet and using a paper towel, rub a very light layer of olive oil onto the pan. Set aside.
4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into one large circle, approximately 16 to 18 inches. Using a pizza cutter cut off the top of the circle removing approximately 3 to 4 inches.
5. Roll the large circle to even off the cut area and transfer the large circle to baking sheet towards one side to leave room for bunny ear pizza dough. Take the remaining dough, cut in half, and roll each half on the floured surface to form two oblong pieces. Attach them to the circular dough to create two bunny ears and a head.
6. Using a paper towel, rub a small amount of olive oil onto the dough. Top with the vegetable mixture and then with the cheese. Cut the large carrot into pieces to create two eyes, eye brows, nose, mouth and whiskers to top off the bunny food. Bake until the bottom is brown; approximately 20 minutes.

For more information:

• Jodie Fitz’s blog
• Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club
• Sylvan Learning Center, 10 Maxwell Drive Suite 106, Clifton Park, 373.7995
• American Heart Association, 440 New Karner Road, Albany, 869.4042

And they can get ice cream to boot.

Sunday marks the 15th annual Sundae on the Farm, and for the second time it will be at ArnoldHaven Farm at 1298 Sacandaga Road in the town of Charlton. The event runs from noon to 4 p.m.

© David Coleman | Dreamstime.com

“It’s a great way to learn about what farmers do to produce milk and the food we eat,” said Paula Schafer, a senior resource educator with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County.

There will be guided tours of the farm’s dairy facilities, horse-drawn wagon rides, children’s activities, a farmers market (including plants and flowers for sale), a sheep-shearing demo and live music by the Two Bits String Band, a folk/acoustic/roots music group out of Easton.

Area chefs will provide cooking demos with an emphasis on local foods. At 1 p.m., Paul Tersico of the Charlton Tavern will prepare New York strip steak with caramelized apples, bacon, onions and cheddar. At 2:15, Sandy Foster of the Village Pizzeria & Ristorante will make pasta with goat cheese. Finally at 3:30, Corey Masten of Millstone Food and Spirits will offer strawberry shortcake.

At 2 p.m. there is a spelling bee and at 3 an ice-cream eating contest.

All day long there will be ice cream and pie for sale. It’s $1.50 for a dish of Stewart’s ice cream, and an extra 50¢ will make it a sundae. A piece of pie from Smith Orchards and Bake Shop costs $1.50, and for $3 you can have pie à la mode. Hot dogs, hamburgers, water, milk and coffee are also available.

The extension organizes the annual event to show the importance of agriculture to the county, which has seen its number of farms decrease from 1,800 50 years ago to 641 today. ArnoldHaven — established by James and Bertha Arnold in 1914 — is 1 of the survivors.

But the past 4 years have been tough for the dairy industry. The costs have gone up, while the prices farmers receive for milk has remained flat. Often what the farmers get barely — if at all — pays the bills.

“We don’t set the price of milk. We have to take what the market provides,” Arnold said. “That’s part of being a dairy farmer.”

Arnold said consumers can help farms survive by watching where the products they buy come from. Too often, he said, shoppers don’t realize the food they buy — even milk products — come from outside the United States.

“We’ve had years where there are low dairy prices, but they’re importing milk from Russia,” said Arnold, who added shoppers should especially look at the labels on canned and powdered milk. “Right now it’s important to support the dairy farmers and realize the struggle they’re going through.”

For more information:

• SaratogaFarms.com
• Two Bits String Band

That’s because today is the day the Country Drive-In opens.

For Lena Riberdy, it starts her 22nd season at the establishment.

“I’ve never had another real job,” she said, adding that the other jobs she has had were during the winter while the Halfmoon landmark was closed.

Lena Riberdy has worked at the Country Drive-In for more than half of its 41 years. She is entering her 4th season as co-owner of the Halfmoon eatery.

Loved it so much that 4 years ago she became a co-owner of the business, which is entering its 41st season this year. She had been talking to owner Hugh Mariacia for a few years, and finally he thought the time was right to take on a business partner.

“He had started getting into other things and decided it was time to let me in,” Riberdy said.

Despite the 12-hour days, Riberdy couldn’t think of anything she’d rather do. While she appreciates the winter break after all of the hard work during the season, soon she longs to be flipping burgers and mixing shakes.

“It’s a long 6 months,” she said. “I need a little bit of a break, but after about 3 months I’m itching to get back.”

During the summer, her children will sometimes come to work with her, and often her husband will stop by to have dinner with her. But even when her family isn’t visiting her at work, she still considers herself with her second family while she’s working — that’s how she feels about the drive-in’s employees and customers.

“I lot of our customers, they’ve been coming since I was a kid working here,” she said. “They’ve become like family. They’ll see me out shopping and stop and say hello.”

In fact, in the community she is somewhat of a celebrity. One day she was visiting her daughter’s grade-school class and started talking with another parent about what each other did for a living. Riberdy mentioned she co-owned the Country Drive-In.

“She said, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re like famous,’” Riberdy said. “I got a little embarassed.”

That’s how much the business means to the community. Even before it opened on Monday morning, customers were lining up to place their orders. And last week, customers were calling to mind out what the season’s first flavors of the week would be. (In case you’re wondering, they are mint ice cream, orange sherbet and cappuccino frozen yogurt.)

“We’re really a community place,” Riberdy said.

It’s not the only one. Other seasonal drive-ins and ice cream stands are also opening for the spring, each with its own set of devotees.

Pirates Hide-Out Ice Cream & Grill opened on March 19, and Giffy’s Snack Shack will open this Friday. DeVoe’s Rainbow Delights will open the week after Easter, though the exact date will depend on the weather. PJ’s Bar-B-Q at Exit 13N will open on April 17.

For more information:

• Country Drive-In, 1455 Vischer Ferry Road, Halfmoon, 371.3455
• Devoe’s Rainbow Delights, 1569 Route 9, Halfmoon, 371.4033
• Pirates Hide-Out Ice Cream & Grill, 175 Guideboard Road, Halfmoon, 373.8438
• Giffy’s Snack Shack, 1759 Route 9, Clifton Park
• PJ’s Bar-B-Q, 112 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs, 583.7427

Or at least a sweet business relationship.

Park 19 was chosen to provide cookies for gift bags given to Oscar dignitaries staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. Each bag included gems and jewelry, gift certificates, clothing, skin-care products and more. One of the bag’s 42 items was a Park 19 cinnamon bun cookie. Among the recipients were Sunday night Oscar winners Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock and Mo’Nique along with celebrities Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Foxx, Susan Sarandon and James Cameron.

“Each gift bag is worth $7,000,” Park 19 owner Jenn Savino said. “It’s so cool.”

Even cooler would be if some if the gift bag recipients become regular customers.

Park 19′s trip to LA began with an ad Hollywood Baskets placed in a public-relations publication seeking contributors to its first swag bag for the Oscars. Somehow news of that ad reached one of Savino’s friends, who called her with information about the proposal.

Soon Park 19 cookie samples were on their way to California. There they quickly passed the high standards of Hollywood Baskets founder Lisa Gal and her staff.

“We see a lot of different products, but these cookies are amazing,” Gal said. “They taste amazing, they’re so unique, and they’re really inexpensive. There’s nothing like them out here.”

Gal — whose company creates thousands of gift baskets each year for celebrities such as Teri Hatcher, Oprah Winfrey and Ashley Judd along with Disney Studios and the casts of “The Lovely Bones” and “The Ugly Truth” — assembled her staff to pick the flavor for the swag bags.

“They all really liked the cinnamon bun cookie,” she said. “By a mile that was the flavor they chose.”

Gal was at a disadvantage during the selection process. Because of a serious nut allergy, she was unable to try all of the samples.

“I loved the smores cookie. It was my favorite. I love smores, so I loved it,” she said. “I also really liked the red velvet cookie.”

Gal loves the cookies so much that she is adding them to her regular offerings. She said in her business it’s important to pay attention to each item that goes into a basket because clients are counting on her to make a good impression for them.

“We want everything in our baskets to meet the highest quality standards,” said Gal, who plans to feature a special Park 19 homecoming gift on her company website.

That’s good news for Savino, who is in the process of moving Park 19 to a new facility with plans to increase production.

“The goal is to expand the business quite a bit,” she said.

Hollywood Baskets would be happy to be a part of that.

“We’re really glad we found Park 19,” Gal said, “and we’re really glad they found us.”

Swag bag recipients:

• Best actor winner Jeff Bridges
• Best actress winner Sandra Bullock
• Best supporting actress winner Mo’Nique
• Best actress nominees Gabourey Sidibe and Carey Hannah Mulligan
• Best actor nominees Colin Firth and Morgan Freeman
• Best supporting actor nominee Stanley Tucci
• Best supporting actress nominees Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and Maggie Gylanhall
• Best director nominee James Cameron
• Best original song nominee Maury Yeston
• 2004 best actor winner Jamie Foxx
• 1996 best actress winner Susan Sarandon
• Avatar stars Zoë Saldaña and Stephen Lang
• Avatar producer Jon Landau
• The New Tenants producers Erika Hampson and Sam Bisbee
• Pixar CEO Simon Bax
• TV personalities Oprah Winfrey and Ryan Seacrest
• Entertainment Weekly editor Jess Dorman
• Four Seasons LA general manager Mendhi Eftakari
• Swag bag giveaway winner Terri Williams

For more information:

• Park 19 Cookies of Saratoga, 664.4300
• Hollywood Baskets, 2219 West Olive Avenue Suite 131, Burbank, Calif., 800.379.8219
• Four Seasons Hotel, 300 South Doheny Drive, Los Angeles, Calif., 310.273.2222
• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, 8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Calif., 310.247.3000

On Tuesday, the mall announced that Alpin Haus had decided to open its store in Clifton Park — becoming the latest success in DCG Development’s renovation of the facility since purchasing it in 2006.

“We just showed them a number of benefits to Clifton Park,” said Rick Eaglestone, DCG’s marketing director.

The shopping center is on a hot streak. A Chipotle Mexican Grill just opened, and a Buffalo Wild Wings is scheduled to open in late summer or early fall. A freestanding Olive Garden will be built with plans to open next year. Not bad for what was once considering a struggling mall.

“It’s wonderful for the people of Southern Saratoga County,” Eaglestone said.

The more Alpin Haus thought about where to put its store, the more Southern Saratoga made sense.

“It’s right in the sweet spot of where we need to be,” Alpin Haus president Andy Heck said, citing Clifton Park’s location between Albany and Saratoga Springs.

The store — a swimming pool and ski shop — is due to open in May. Heck said his company likes that there isn’t much competition in the Northway corridor between the two cities.

“There’s nothing really in Latham and Clifton Park,” he said.

While Alpin Haus likes the promise of the area’s future growth with the coming of GlobalFoundries, the company is excited about the region’s current demographics.

“There are an awful lot of active people in that area,” Heck said.

Eaglestone said that more and more businesses are coming to appreciate Southern Saratoga’s demographics and potential. That means more of them are considering locating in the area and at Clifton Park Center.

“We’re working on a number of new stores. Some more nationals, but we’re not close enough to talk about them yet,” Eaglestone said. “I think it’s going to pick up even more.”

For more information:

• Alpin Haus, coming to Clifton Park Center in May
• Clifton Park Center, 22 Clifton Country Road, Clifton Park, 371.7010

The program aims to start in the high schools by getting students and teachers to dump their biodegradable waste in compost bins in the cafeteria. From there, the organic matter would be taken to be composted in large bins called Earth Tubs. If health regulations permit it, the compost would be used in an organic garden to grow food for the cafeteria.

The grant proposal was written by 7 seniors in Shen East’s public-affairs forum class — Alex Lessard, Meghan Patenaude, Liam Morris, Jon Harrison, Emily Hensler, Jianing Xie and Robbie Callen. The idea started as a required class project in the fall.

Shenendehowa high school students receive a $77,137 check from State Farm to start a composting program for the school's cafeteria.

“We wanted to change the way the school dealt with waste,” Patenaude said.

The students were vexed that the cafeteria was using styrofoam trays instead of a more environmentally friendly option. That started them thinking about the entire waste problem at lunchtime. They also learned that the school’s environmental science classes were looking at composting.

Just as the PAF students were beginning their class in the fall and thinking about ways to deal with the issue, they received word that State Farm Insurance was giving away $5 million in grants for service-learning initiatives. There was just one problem: The grant application was due in a couple of weeks.

“We really didn’t think about it,” Morris said. “We just worked.”

Worked after school. Worked on weekends. Worked as much as necessary to get the proposal written and submitted on time. With research help from more than 100 students in the environmental science classes, the proposal was 1 of just 82 — and 1 of only 3 from New York — out of 1,200 applications in the United States and Canada to be funded.

“I’m proud of Shen,” said State Farm vice president Vance Yoshikawa, who presented a check to the students at a ceremony Monday. “Shen was the only school in upstate New York that got any money.”

Because State Farm receives grant recipients to provide both service and learning, the students plan to use composting as a way to teach others about the importance of minimizing waste in order to protect the earth.

“Our goal is to incorporate as much as we can into the curriculum,” Harrison said.

“We want to buy small Earth Tubs to take to the elementary schools to give students there an idea what composting is about,” Hensler said.

“We’re looking forward to being leaders in the environmental movement,” Xie said.

For more information:

• Shenendehowa Central Schools
• Shenvironment website
• Shenvironment blog
• State Farm Youth Advisory Board
• Earth Tubs

As a chiropractor who has taken care of hundreds of children over the past 5 years and done extensive research into wellness nutrition, I am very concerned with the increasing use of artificial sweeteners — especially by children. The most widely used of these is aspartame — marketed as NutraSweet and Equal and found in a lot of reduced-calorie products. Aspartame containing products can also be identified by the information statement “Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine” on the package.

At a World Environmental Conference in the late ’90s, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that there was an increasing epidemic of multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus caused by an unknown toxin. It was soon discovered that the toxin in question was aspartame.

When the temperature of aspartame exceeds 86° Fahrenheit, the wood alcohol (methanol) in aspartame converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which then causes metabolic acidosis. If you think this is not a problem, think again. Body temperature hovers around 98.6°F — perfect conditions for aspartame to be converted to formaldehyde. This affects the retina of the eye — not a pleasant side effect.

Formaldehyde is in the same drug class as arsenic and cyanide — deadly poisons. It is also used to embalm corpses and as a preservative in vaccines. It has no business being in your child.

Aspartame changes the brain’s chemistry and has been responsible for many neurological problems such as seizures, manic depression, rage and violence. This methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis, so people were diagnosed with MS in error.

In the case of systemic lupus, it is becoming rampant — especially among Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. It is triggered by aspartame. With continued use, it can be life-threatening. When kids get off aspartame, those with systemic lupus usually become asymptomatic, but the disease cannot be reversed. Those diagnosed with MS, when in reality the disease is methanol toxicity, have noticed most of their symptoms disappear.

Justin Dumais, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist, suffered with Grave’s disease, an autoimmune disorder, caused by use of diet colas with aspartame. Just months before the Olympic trials, Justin began to actively seek nutritional help in recovering from his diagnosis. He cured his disease in six weeks by simply removing aspartame from his diet, cleansing and restoring his depleted nutrients. Did Justin really have Grave’s or merely aspartame disease?

If your children are suffering from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting pains, numbness in the legs, cramping, dizziness, headaches, joint pains, depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision or memory loss, they may be suffering from aspartame disease.

This product is being marketed to children as a weight-loss sweetener. Nothing could be further from the truth. Aspartame actually makes one crave carbohydrates. Dr. H.J. Roberts, a diabetic specialist who is an expert on aspartame poisoning, stated at a congressional hearing that the average weight loss was 19.75 pounds in people who stopped taking this chemical.

Dr. Russell Blaylock, a neurosurgeon, said it stimulates the brain — causing brain damage of varying degrees.

Why has this chemical not been taken off the market? The manufacturer funds the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association, the American Congress and the Conference of the American College of Physicians. Need I say more?

For safe and sweet alternatives to aspartame, you can try: fructose, stevia, brown rice syrup, barley malt, honey, dark molasses and saccharin. These are all available at your local health food store or aisle.

Be aware of the following products that commonly contain aspartame: breath mints, carbonated soft drinks, cereals, chewing gum, flavored syrups for coffee, flavored water products, frozen ice, frozen ice cream novelties, fruit spreads, sugar-free gelatin, hard candies, ice cream toppings, no sugar added or sugar-free ice creams, powdered iced tea, ready to drink iced tea, instant cocoa mix, jams, jellies, juice blends, juice drinks, maple-flavored syrups, meal replacements, mousse, no sugar added pies, non-carbonated diet drinks, nutritional bars, powdered soft drinks, protein nutritional drinks, pudding, soft candy chews, sugar-free chocolate syrup, sugar-free cookies, sugar-free ketchup, table-top sweeteners, vegetable drinks and drinkable, fat-free and sugar-free yogurts.

For additional reading, I recommend “Sweet Poison” by Dr. Janet Starr Hull.

The best advice is to read all the labels on anything you buy for your safety and your children’s safety. Let’s take care of our kids.

John Ferguson D.C. is a wellness chiropractor in Clifton Park and a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

For more information:

• Ferguson Family Chiropractic, 54 Crossing Blvd. Suite H (behind the clock tower), Clifton Park, 383.5595

The dish — like the St. Patrick’s Day parade — is an American invention. It was created by immigrants, likely in New York or Boston. Back in the old sod, beef would have been too rich for the Irish. They would have eaten pork bellies instead.

Chef Christopher Tanner, whose grandfather is from Ireland, enjoys cooking cuisine from the country.

On Feb. 25, Tanner — who has worked in restaurants over the country before returning home to the Capital Region — will be teaching a sold-out class about Irish cooking at Spoon & Whisk in Halfmoon. In April, he will be back at Spoon & Whisk for a class about vegetarian breakfasts.

On Saturday, the American Culinary Federation hot-food competition team he advises at SCCC will be doing a garnishing demonstration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations will be accepted toward a culinary scholarship, and there will be drawings for door prizes.

“The cuisine is actually a little bit lighter than people think, and it has more of a variety,” Tanner said about Irish cooking, “The country is very well know for cheese, which most people in America don’t know. The cheddar cheese is phenomenal, and they make this incredible butter.”

While corned beef isn’t really Irish, Tanner said the country’s other culinary stereotype — potatoes — is true.

“If you want to go for the true Irish setting, it would be pork and potatoes,” he said. “A lot of root vegetables, too, and cabbage was done in different forms.”

Tanner has a special interest in Irish cooking. His grandfather is from Ireland.

“My last name, Tanner, is actually Irish,” he said.

Tanner recently helped oversee an Irish cuisine week at SCCC’s Casola Dining Room. The facility allows the college’s culinary arts students to practice in a restaurant setting. Each week the menu — which allows diners to chose 1 appetizer, 1 entrée, and 1 dessert– focuses on a particular cuisine. Lunches ($16) are available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with dinners ($22) being served on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Reservations are available 2 weeks in advance, and Tanner said they go in minutes.

“We pretty much book up in the first hour,” he said.

Boxty potatoes recipe (serves 6)

½ pound grated russet potatoes
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
Salt (to taste)
3 tbsp bacon fat

1. Wrap the grated potatoes in a clean towel or several layers of cheesecloth. Working over a medium bowl, tightly twist the ends of the towel in opposite directions to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set the bowl of potato water aside for 10 minutes.
2. Put the grated potato into a large bowl, add the mashed potatoes and mix well to combine thoroughly.
3. Carefully pour off and discard the liquid from the bowl with the potato water, leaving a layer of thick white potato starch at the bottom. Add the starch to the potato mixture, then add the flour and baking soda and season to taste with salt. Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 or 2 minutes or until a thick dough forms.
4. On a lightly floured surface, press the dough with your hands into a disk, then roll it out into a circle about ¾-inch thick. Using a cookie cutter cut into 3-inch rounds.
5. Melt the bacon fat in a large sauté pan. Add the boxty in a single layer and fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown.

For more information:

• Chef Christopher Tanner’s “Gastronomical Inspirations” blog
• Chef Christopher Tanner’s Wikipedia page
• Casola Dining Room, Schenectady County Community College, 78 Washington Ave., Schenectady, 381.1391
• Spoon & Whisk, 1675 Route 9 Suite 108, Halfmoon, 371.4450

Of course, if your sweetheart is a sweetie, Park 19′s Valentines Day cookie collection includes the more tame varieties of chocolate-covered strawberry, strawberry dark chocolate chunk and strawberry white chocolate chip.

How did a chili pepper end up in a cookie?

“We wanted to created something new and different,” Park 19 owner Jenn Savino said. “If you like spicy, you would like that cookie. It’s one of our quirky cookies.”

Quirky cookies were how Savino got started in the business, beginning with the world’s first pretzel chocolate chunk cookie.

“One day I was making cookies. I love salty, so I decided to throw some pretzels in the dough,” she said. She and her friends loved the result. “That was the jumping-off point to creating unique cookies.”

Since then, she has created a bunch of unusual varieties, including 2 more world’s first — cinnamon bun cookies and peanut butter banana crunch — along with flavors such as red velvet, Bolton Landing smores, crème brule, Nutella, pancake breakfast with bacon, sweet Saratoga chip and nutty oatmeal apricot.

Park 19′s cookies are getting noticed nationwide. In addition to being mentioned in several online Valentines Day gift guides, they were featured as present picks on morning TV shows in New York and Philadelphia. Before that, they were featured in Modern Bride magazine and on Fox Business News. But the high point was being featured on the Rachael Ray Show.

“That was really exciting,” Savino said. “They contacted us, so we sent them some samples.”

Park 19 isn’t the only local bakery to be offering Valentines Day cookies. Dolce and Biscotti’s holiday specials include frosted Valentine cookies in vanilla and lemon flavors along with Valentine cookie bouquets and Valentine Italian cookie platters. The bakery also offers Valentine cakes (flavors include chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, red velvet, white, carrot, lemon cake, ginger molasses, rum , orange cream and banana) and Valentines cupcakes in the same flavors. And there are also chocolate-covered strawberries.

At Cinnamon & Spice Bakery in Clifton Park Center, owner John Zumbo doesn’t plan too many Valentines Day goods.

“It’s more of a candy holiday,” he said.

Still, the bakery — which will be open on Valentines Day — will have cakes with red and white frosting and a midnight mocha cake.

“Anything chocolate works for Valentines Day,” Zumbo said.

For more information:

• Park 19 Cookies, 75 North Main St., Mechanicville, 664.4300
• Dolce and Biscotti, Town Center Plaza, 1603 Route 9, Halfmoon, 280.6173
• Cinnamon & Spice Bakery, Clifton Park Center, 22 Clifton Country Rd., Clifton Park, 383.5878