Broccoli & Mushrooms With Garlic Brown Sauce

Broccoli & Mushrooms With Garlic Brown Sauce

I Love Chines food and this is a grate dish!!! - Marinating followed by dehydrating softens the broccoli and onions nicely, and the mushrooms are just yummy.

2 servings

2 heads broccoli

8 oz mushrooms

1 medium onion

sesame seeds

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp agave

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

red pepper flakes to taste

Mix together the olive oil, agave, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Chop the broccoli into bite sized pieces, and diced the onion. In a Zip Bag, put the broccoli, mushrooms and onion. Pour the marinade over, shake to coat, and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.

An hour before serving, dehydrate on plastic or teflex sheets. About an hour should make these warm and slightly softened. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and, if you like it spicy, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Mango Bread

Mango Bread

Makes 1 loaf

2 cups Sprouted spelt

1/2 cup chopped apples

1/2 mango, peeled and seeded

2 large dates, pitted

1/3 cup fresh- squeezed-orange juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup maple syrup, agave or honey

2 tablespoons mango cubed

2 tablespoons apples or other fruit, diced

In a food processor, puree the ingredients except mango and fruit cubed and dice.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir the cubed mango and diced apples.

On a solid dehydrator sheet, form the pureed dough into a loaf about 1 1/2 inches tall, 3 1/2 inches wide and 6 inches long. Dehydrate at 90° for 13 to 17 hours. When you take the loaf out of dehydrator it should be crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.

And definitely make more than one bath! is really good!!!

Coming Soon!!!

Since an image is worth a thousand words... coming soon!!!!!

Raspberry Salad

Cashew Cheese

Spinach Cream Soup

Mango Bread

lasagna

Breakfast Buckwheat Coco Puffs

Breakfast Buckwheat Coco Puffs

4 servings

ingredients

1 cup buckwheat groats, soaked

2 ripe bananas

3 tbsp carob chips or carob powder

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

Rinse one cup buckwheat groats and then soak in about two cups water for 5-6 hours or overnight. Rinse the buckwheat groats well.

In a food processor with the S blade, add the banana, carob or carob powder, vanilla and salt. Process for a minute or two until very creamy. Fold into the buckwheat groats. Then spread the mixture in clusters about 1/4 inch thick on the teflex or plastic sheets in a dehydrator. Dehydrate for about 4 hours, then turn over and dehydrate for another 2-3 hours. Serve with 1/2 cup almond milk.

Very Berry Salad

Very Berry Salad

Ingredients for 1-2 servings

-150 gr wild blackberries
-250 gr strawberries, halved
-1/2 pomegranate, seeds
-1 bunch arugula leaves
-2 tbsp raw sesame seeds
-2 tbsp raw pine nuts
Minty Vinaigrette
-2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
-5 tbsp olive oil
-1 tsp agave syrup
-pinch of salt
-fresh ground pepper
-5 fresh spearmint leaves

Add all the salad ingredients in a bowl.Blend the dressing and pour on the salad. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and pine nuts. Enjoy!

Almond Crackers and Cheese

Today I did this great crackers for the first time and they are really good.

The reason is because this weekend I will tray to make some Raw Cheese for

the first time I will let you know how it goes.

Almond Crackers

1 Cup almond flour - Almond pulp is the pulp left over from making almond milk. Alternatively you can just grind up some almonds in a food processor.

1/2 cup pecans

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup flax meal or golden flax meal for a lighter color

1 medium zucchini, peeled & roughly chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

*Grind all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

*Spread thinly on a non-stick dehydrator sheet.

*Dehydrate for 2 hours, remove from non-stick sheet and score into individual crackers.

*return to dehydrator on a mesh tray until crispy.

Cashew Cheese

You'll be pleasantly surprised!

First time doing Raw Cheese and I'm truly surprise how good it taste, is very good with Almond crackers, I'm going to try to do some Raw lasagna with this cheese.

Spicy BBQ Kale Chips

Their flavor is so wonderfully complex; a perfect balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. "These are incredible! ". That and the fact that I

love them these Spicy BBQ Kale Chips are Good! ;-)

Spicy BBQ Kale Chips

1 head organic kale, torn

2 chipotle chilis, soaked (seeds removed)

1/2 cup soaking water from chipotle chilis

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons nama shoyu/tamari

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch cayenne

1 cup sun- dried tomatoes , soaked

1 cup soft dates

- Blend all ingredients in a high - speed blender until smooth.

- Thoroughly combine the kale a sauce in a bowl until all the kale is coated.

- Evenly scatter the kale on a non-stick dehydrator sheet in a way that will allow the air to circulate around it.

- Dehydrate at 105 degrees F for around 10 hours. Remove from the non-stick sheet, transferring to a mesh sheet and continue dehydrating until the kale is completely dried out.

Russell James, recently applied his culinary expertise to this popular snack. (Make sure to watch his video here!)

Almond Milk

Almond Milk

Next on our 'to make' list was Almond Milk. We blended Almonds, (soaked overnight), with water, at a ratio

of roughly 1 cup almonds to 3 cups water. We squeezed the pulp in a mesh bag (a lot of people use the Nut Milk Bag, but a simple cheesecloth or paint strainer will do as good a job for a fraction of the price!) You can then save

the precious pulp to make all sorts Great recipes. You can use it

in pretty much any recipe that calls for almonds, such as cookies or

breads. Some recipes even call specifically for almond pulp.

Another option is:

1 1/2 cups soaked almonds

3 pitted dates, soaked or 1 tablespoon agave nectar

2 1/2 cups water

Place the almonds, dates and water in a blender and process until smooth. We squeezed the pulp in a mesh bag . Discard the pulp left in strainer. Transfer the milk to a sealed and store in the refrigerator. Almond milk will keep for five days. It will separate , so shake well before using.

The five golden rules of food combining

Food combining

The five golden rules of food combining

1. Never drink with meals. Drink half an hour before a meal, and leave it as long as possible after a meal, at least two hours ideally, before drinking again. Why? Because you want the digestive juices to work perfectly, and they can’t do a proper job if you dilute them. If you have been drinking your two liters of water every day since reading part one, you should now be rehydrated, or getting there, and will be in the habit of drinking throughout the day, and not waiting until you feel thirsty. Thirst is a sign that you are already dehydrated, and you’ve left it too long. However if you do feel thirsty, on occasion, that should be your priority, whatever the period since you ate.

2. Eat concentrated protein at separate meals from concentrated starch. Why? Because a potato needs different digestive enzymes from a plate of nuts, and if you mix them up neither item will be thoroughly digested. When you consume concentrated proteins, combine with a big salad and do the same when you consume concentrated carbs. Just don’t mix the two together. This habit is easy to get into and you will feel so much lighter and more alert after eating.

3. Eat fruit separately, and certainly never as dessert. You can get away with a simple fresh fruit starter if you leave 20 or 30 minutes before eating the main course. Why? Because fruit digests much more quickly than fats, proteins and starches, and if you mix them none of it will be thoroughly utilized.

4. Eat the sweet fruits (e.g. bananas, dates, figs, ripe mangoes) separately from the acid fruits, e.g. most of the berries, and all of the citrus fruits. The ones in the middle, the sub acid fruits (apples, pears, peaches and the like) can be mixed with either the sweet fruits or the acid ones.

5. Eat melons on their own. They digest more quickly than anything else.

Eggplant Carpaccio - Appetizers

I love eggplant her is a grate recipe:

Eggplant Carpaccio

1 large eggplant

2 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive

2 clove garlic

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 Tsp. Himalayan salt

1 cup chopped basil

1-Prepare eggplant by slicing 1/2 inch off the top and bottom. Slice eggplant, place in a medium-size bowl

2- In blender, combine olive oil, garlic, and salt and puree into garlic oil. Pour mixer over top of eggplant and toss until well coated.

3- Place eggplant on dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110° for 2 hrs until soft and juicy. drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Finish with chopped basil and enjoy!

Apple - Walnut Bars Trail Mix Bar

We love hiking, too! Whenever we have the chance to spend our days in nature, we go hiking.

Is great for exercise and also to expend time as a family.

Hiking is a popular, inexpensive way to get out and take a break from daily life. The health benefits of hiking are both mental and physical. The health benefits of hiking are numerous and undisputed. Of course, the only way to benefit from them is to head out and start trekking along.

This is a great recipe for a Trail mix bar

Apple - Walnut Bars

5-6 medium apples

2 cups raw walnuts

1 cup raisins or currants

1/2 cup raw agave nectar

1 table spoon ground

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1- Core apples, using a hand grater or food processor, until you have 3 full cups.

2- Grind the walnuts to a medium coarse meal in a food processor or nut and seed grinder.

3- Put the apples, walnuts, raisins,agave,cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir well to blend. The mixture will be wet.

4-With your hands, form bars about 2 inches wide by 3 inches long by 1 inch tick. place the bars on the screens, allowing at least 1 inch between pieces. dehydrate at 105° for 20 to 24 hrs.

Zucchini Flax Wrap

This is a very versatile wrap that can be used for up to 30 days after preparation. Be sure to store it in the refrigerator, is very good for burritos.

Zucchini Flax Wrap

2 Large Zucchini

1 1/2 cups ground golden flaxseed

2 Tbsp. dried Italian seasoning

2 cups water

1 clove garlic

Blend all ingredients well in a blender until thick and creamy.

Flaxseed will cause the mixture to thicken, so be sure to transfer to covered dehydrator trays as quickly as possible. dehydrate at 110º for 4-6 hors.

Buckwheat Breakfast

Buckwheat Breakfast

This is a great Breakfast

2 c. buckwheat groats - 8 soaked pitted dates

1 c. each apple or pear juice and sprouted buckwheat
1 apple, coarsely diced
2 T. shredded coconut
In a large bowl, cover buckwheat groats and dates with water and soak overnight at room temperature. Drain buckwheat and dates, reserving 1 cup of liquid. Blend reserved liquid, buckwheat, and dates together with apple juice and apple. Top with coconut, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add other dried fruits, nuts and seeds to taste. Serves 2.

Top 10 Reasons to Banish Soda - by Shilo Urban

Soda is the unofficial drink of America. While in most other countries they enjoy a tiny bottle of the sweet stuff as an afternoon treat, here in the States we consume bucket-size Big Gulps on a daily basis, sell cans of the sticky syrup out of machines at elementary schools and treat free refills at dinner like a God-given right.

Soda is liquid candy. Actually, soda is a frothy mix of carbonated water, caramel coloring, phosphoric acid, natural flavorings, high fructose corn syrup and caffeine.

That is a pretty potent combination, and one we all know and love. However what you might not know is what those ingredients do to the human body. It’s not pretty, which is why doctors and nutritionists across the board agree that there is almost nothing redeeming health-wise about soda pop.

Drinking soda is just a bad habit, and one that you can break. Need a reason to put down that can? Here are ten.

1. Soda increases the risk of obesity. New studies have proven what has long been thought: people who drink a can or more of soda per day are almost a third more likely to be overweight. A can of soda contains 120 to 190 completely empty calories, and by promoting weight gain, soda also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, an ailment that has tripled in our country over the last 30 years.


2. Soda is highly acidic and may cause osteoporosis. The pH level of soda water is roughly the same as vinegar; it is the most highly acidic beverage you can buy. Pour pop on metal and it will rust. Acid oxidizes things, and once inside your body, the high level of phosphorus actually leaches calcium from your bones, contributing towards osteoporosis. Broken bones are more common in children who drink a lot of soda versus those that do not.


3. Soda makes you burp and fart. Unless you are a 7^th grade boy, you probably want to avoid introducing extra flatulence in your life.


4. Soda is a sugar bomb that throws your body system off balance. One can of soda is packed with twelve teaspoons of sugar, more than the recommended amount for an entire day. Consuming this much sugar at once prompts your pancreas to produce a ton of insulin, which weakens the immune system and leaves you susceptible to disease.


5. Soda rots your teeth. The phosphoric acid that causes metal to rust also dissolves tooth enamel, especially when combined with sugar. Once you lose tooth enamel, there is no going back- just a lifetime of brown smiles.


6. Diet soda is still soda. Many people think diet soda is a healthy alternative to regular soda due to its lack of sugar, however this is not true. Artificial sweeteners interfere with your natural ability to regulate caloric intake; your body only recognizes ‘sweet’ and will crave more. In the body aspartame breaks down into methanol, a type of alcohol that the ancient Egyptians used for embalming, and saccharin is a petroleum derivative known to cause bladder cancer in rates. Thirsty?


7. Soda is the drink of sheep. Americans overwhelmingly drink soda for one reason: because it’s there. Soda is everywhere: vending machines at the office, restaurant tables, grocery store checkout lanes, preschool parties, bluegrass music shows – where there are people, there is soda. Soda is always convenient to grab when you are thirsty, and drinking it is a habit requiring little thought process, only herd-like behavior. If everyone was consuming a beverage known to cause massive health problems, weight gain and belching, would you drink it too? Don’t jump off the proverbial cliff- you are smarter than that.


8. Sodas with caffeine are addictive. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and can cause insomnia, stress and of course- the jitters. This addictive substance is also a diuretic, which can cause dehydration and frequent urination, putting your kidneys into overdrive (which can cause kidney stones) and prompting your liver to turn any extra sugar into belly fat.


9. Soda companies market unhealthy drinks to children. Soda marketers spend almost $500 million per year to reach children and adolescents- more than any other category. Do you really want to support an industry like that? Didn’t think so.


10. Soda replaces healthier beverage options. Guzzling soda all day instead of drinking organic milk, green tea or fruit juice not only dumps plenty of junk into your body, it also denies you the nutrients you would have received from the healthier beverages. Soda has no nutritional value whatsoever.

TIPS ON KICKING THE CAN:

Although giving up soda completely is a worthy goal, going cold turkey can be a bit daunting. You don’t have to give up soda completely to make a drastic change in your health.

• “Rethink” soda as a special treat, instead of a thirst-quencher or mealtime beverage. Enjoy soda on rare occasions, like with popcorn for a night at the movies. Drink it slowly and savor every sip. Change the way your mind perceives soda, and your body will reap the benefits
• Ditch diet soda. Don’t kid yourself- it is really bad for you. Instead, drink all the green tea and fresh water you want, and throw in a slice of citrus if you need a flavor kick.
• Just don’t buy it. This one smart move will keep the liquid candy out of your house and out of your body.
• Clean the toilet. Soda works fantastically to clean the toilet bowl, so try it out for a first-person look at its corrosive qualities. Still not convinced? Soda will take the rust off your car’s bumper as well.

Sources:

Public Health Advocacy

UCLA

Egg recall expanded on salmonella fear - Another good reason!!!

latimes.com

Egg recall expanded on salmonella fears

A second Iowa producer recalls 170 million eggs shipped to 14 states as long ago as April after tests show possible salmonella contamination.

By P.J. Huffstutter and Andrew Zajac, Los Angeles Times

August 21, 2010

In another blow to the nation's $6-billion egg industry, a second Iowa producer issued a recall of 170 million eggs that could be contaminated with salmonella — bringing the total number to more than half a billion.

The eggs were produced by Hillandale Farms of New Hampton, Iowa, and packaged under at least five brands and had been shipped to 14 states, including California.

The company said in a statement Friday that laboratory tests of its eggs from two of its plants had confirmed some illnesses and that the eggs "have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella."

The producer said that the eggs were produced and packaged as early as April 10 until as recently as Thursday. The federal Food and Drug Administration said it was investigating the circumstances of the latest recall.

This marks the second time this week that a large Iowa producer has recalled eggs due to concerns over Salmonella enteritidis. Earlier this week, Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, expanded its recall to 380 million eggs, which federal public health officials believed may be linked to 1,000 or more salmonella infection cases nationwide.

"I don't know what's caused this current situation, or what the tie is between the outbreaks in these two farms, but we need to find out," said Howard Magwire, a vice president of the national trade group United Egg Producers.

Late Friday, Cal-Maine Foods Inc., the nation's largest egg seller and distributor, said it was recalling about 9.6 million eggs related to this week's recalls, the Associated Press reported. It wasn't immediately clear which Iowa producer supplied the Cal-Maine eggs.

The eggs recalled by Hillandale Farms were sold under the farm's own name and the brand names Sunny Farms, Sunny Meadow, Wholesome Farms and West Creek and were distributed to grocery wholesalers, retail grocery outlets and food service companies in California, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin, the company said in a statement.

The eggs were packaged in six-, dozen-, 18- and 30-egg cartons, and in cases of five dozen, the company said. Other eggs were packaged in 15- and 30-dozen tray packs.

The company said that consumers who bought these brands should check the egg cartons for two key identifying stamps. One is the number of the plant in which the eggs were produced — P1860 or P1663. The second is the so-called Julian or packing date codes — in this case, ranging from 099 to 230 for cartons with a plant number of 1860, and from 137 to 230 for cartons with a plant number of 1663.

On Thursday, federal officials warned that the number of cases of people sickened by contaminated eggs will probably grow amid the recall, one of the largest of its kind in recent history. The salmonella outbreak occurred as new FDA egg-safety rules came into effect in early July, which require producers to do more testing for salmonella and take other precautions. The rule is intended to reduce the risk of salmonella infections in eggs.

A spokeswoman for Wright County Egg said this week that the company was in compliance with the rule when it officially went into effect on July 9. She declined to say whether the firm was following the guidelines on July 8 or earlier. Industry officials on Friday said that egg producers in California and elsewhere had begun implementing these measures months ago.

"Everyone has known that these rules were coming and started adapting to them," said Debbie Murdock, executive director of the Assn. of California Egg Farmers.

This week, FDA officials said that the new rules could have helped prevent the salmonella outbreak: From May through July, 1,953 salmonella cases were reported, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. That number — compared with the average 700 cases reported in the same time frame of the last five years — alerted federal officials to the seriousness of the outbreak.

But Magwire pointed out that the FDA hadn't done any inspections at either Hillandale Farms or Wright County Egg plants, as the agency is still in the process of training inspectors.

There have been financial ties between the people who own and operate Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms.

Wright County Egg is headed up by Austin "Jack" DeCoster, whose Galt, Iowa, operation is where the initial 380 million recalled eggs were produced.

In 2003, DeCoster made a $125-million investment in Ohio Fresh Eggs — a company co-owned by Orland Bethel, who is also the owner of Hillandale Farms. Ohio state officials questioned the investment, but a state court ultimately ruled there was no wrongdoing.

An Ohio Agriculture Department spokesman said Friday that DeCoster was still an investor in Ohio Fresh Eggs. DeCoster did not return calls for comment.

Calls to Bethel's offices in North Versailles, Pa., and in Iowa were not returned.

DeCoster is well known to agriculture regulators. His various farm operations have been cited for violations of immigration and environmental laws. In June, a DeCoster egg farm in Maine agreed to pay a $36,000 in fines and restitution and donate $100,000 to the state's Department of Agriculture to settle charges of cruelty to animals following a hidden camera investigation by an animal rights group.

Hillandale Farms is located about 170 miles northeast of the Iowa capital, Des Moines. Julie DeYoung, a company spokeswoman, said the company has egg farms in West Union and Alden, Iowa. She said the firm has common ownership with Hillandale Farms of Pennsylvania — the nation's third-largest egg farm — but the two corporate entities are separate.

But both the Iowa and Pennsylvania businesses, under the combined name Hillandale Farms, are named as defendants in a sweeping federal class-action lawsuit that accuses several major egg producers of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act by conspiring to reduce egg output, and therefore drive up the price of eggs at the grocery store. According to the complaint, egg producers including Hillandale Farms and egg trade groups blamed rising consumer prices between 2004 and 2008 on the growing cost of chicken feed.

Instead, court documents allege, the producers and industry officials were actually covering up a conspiracy to delay or reduce chick hatching, manipulate the export of eggs to reduce domestic supply and kill off hens to reduce egg supplies in the U.S.

The case also charges that producers such as Hillandale used laws regarding animal-husbandry regulations — such as California's Proposition 2 — to decrease the number of birds and use that decreased numbers to enhance an egg drought.

United Egg Producers is one of the trade groups named as defendants in the case. Magwire declined to comment on the litigation.

p.j.huffstutter@latimes.com

azajac@latimes.com

Copyright © 2010, Los Angeles Times

Is the Raw Diet Biblical?

A question that often gets tossed around in regards to diet and health is “What Are Humans Supposed to Eat?” What do you think?

Coming soon!!!

Coming soon!! here are some of the new recipes that we made in the last few weeks

Buckwheat Granola - Raw Tacos with mole sauce and Raw tortillas

Mexican tomato lime soup Raw sandwich with corn salad - Corn Salad - Raw Wild rice - Oatmeal with fruit

Thai Noodle salad

Thai Noodle salad

2 tablespoon almond butter – 1/3 coconut oil –

1-tablespoon amino acid – 1 tsp coriander – 1 red jalapeno pepper- 2 tsp lemon juice – 1/3-cup water - Mix all ingredients on a blender.

Kelp noodles

½ cup basil - ½ cup greens

Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets

J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Jul;109(7):1266-82.

Position of the

American Dietetic

Association: vegetarian

diets.

Craig WJ, Mangels AR; American

Dietetic Association

Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI, USA.

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegandiets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes. A vegetarian diet is defined as one that does notinclude meat (including fowl) or seafood, or products containing those foods. This article reviews the current data related to key nutrients for vegetarians including protein, n-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, and vitamins D and B-12. A vegetarian diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients. In some cases, supplements or fortified foods can provide useful amounts of important nutrients. An evidence- based review showed that vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate inpregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. The results of an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians also appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lowerrates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Features of a vegetarian diet that may reduce risk of chronic disease include lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy products, fiber, and phytochemicals. The variability of dietary practices among vegetarians makesindividual assessment of dietary adequacy essential. In addition to assessing dietary adequacy, food and nutrition professionals can also play key roles in educating vegetarians about sources of specific nutrients, food purchase and preparation, and dietary modifications to meet their needs.

Americans

Eat Themselves To Death

Government: Obesity, Inactivity Nearly As Deadly As Tobacco In U.S.

By Bootie Cosgrove-Mather AP) Inactive Americans are eating themselves to death at an alarming rate, their unhealthy habits fast approaching tobacco as the top underlying preventable cause of death, a government study found.

In 2000, poor diet including obesity and physical inactivity caused 400,000 U.S. deaths - more than 16 percent of all deaths and the No. 2 killer. That compares with 435,000 for tobacco, or 18 percent, as the top underlying killer.

The gap between the two is substantially narrower than in 1990, when poor diet and inactivity caused 300,000 deaths, 14 percent, compared with 400,000 for tobacco, or 19 percent, says a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"This is tragic," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, CDC's director and an author of the study. "Our worst fears were confirmed."

"It's going to overtake tobacco" if the trend continues, Gerberding said. "At CDC, we're going to do everything we can to prevent it," she said. "Obesity has got to be job No. 1 for us in terms of chronic diseases."

The researchers analyzed data from 2000 for the leading causes of death and for those preventable factors known to contribute to them. Like tobacco, obesity and inactivity increase the risks for the top three killers: heart disease, cancer and cerebrovascular ailments including strokes. Obesity and inactivity also strongly increase the risk of diabetes, the sixth leading cause of death.

The results appear in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials discussed the findings Tuesday at a Washington news briefing where they announced a public service ad campaign using humor to get Americans to pay attention to the dangers of inactivity and obesity.

"I am working very hard at CDC to walk the talk," Gerberding said in a telephone interview, noting efforts the agency has made at CDC offices to improve the health of its 9,000-plus employees.

They include putting music, lights and fresh paint jobs in stairwells to encourage employees to use the stairs for exercise. Also, besides the current indoor smoking ban, CDC will ban smoking from outside all of its buildings starting later this year.

In order, the leading causes of death in 2000 were: Heart disease, cancer, strokes and other cerebrovascular disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, unintentional injuries, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, Alzheimer's disease, kidney disease, and septicemia.

The underlying preventable causes of death were, in order: tobacco, poor diet and physical inactivity, alcohol, microbial agents, toxic agents, motor vehicles, firearms, sexual behavior and illegal drug use. Together, these accounted for about half of all 2.4 million U.S. deaths in 2000.

An editorial accompanying the study in JAMA says national leadership and policy changes are needed to help curb preventable causes of death.

"After all, wisdom is knowing what to do next. Virtue is doing it," said editorial authors Drs. J. Michael McGinnis and William Foege. McGinnis is with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Foege is with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/09/health/main604956.shtml