Dining Out For Life...fundraiser for A.I.D.S. on April 28th! Subaru sponsored!



If you're planning to head out and dine around town on April 28th, why not participate in an annual event - "Dining Out for Life" - which is co-sponsored by Subaru?

Participating restaurants - over 3500 in number around the United States - are donating a generous percentage of each meal served on that day to an AIDS service organization.

Last year more than 250,000 participants helped raise nearly $4 million dollars!

In exchange for their financial support restaurants are listed in a city wide marketing campaign in an effort to increase customer traffic.

Dining Out For Life® was created by an ActionAIDS volunteer in Philadelphia in 1991.

Since then, dozens of high profile personalities have stepped up to promote the worthy cause.

For example, Ted Allen - the host of Food Network’s hit series "Chopped" - has been quite vocal about the project for good reason.

"It s more important than ever to keep HIV/AIDS on the front burner. Too many people think it's a minor problem solved by swallowing a few pills. It isn't. Second, while supporting local restaurants, chefs, and restaurant workers, Dining Out for Life donations help those right in the same community. Finally, the event gives everybody a chance to make a meaningful contribution to the cause in such a simple way," he noted in a recent press release."

Although much about the disease has changed over the past 30 years, the fact remains that an estimated 1.2 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, nearly half without appropriate healthcare.

With one in five people not even realizing they are infected, it is estimated that 60,000 new HIV infections will occur in the U.S. this year, with the majority under age 29.

Now is the time for caring individuals to step up-to-bat!

“This country is trying desperately to recover from the recession, and the people who used to donate or volunteer at food banks and soup kitchens now are struggling to feed their own families. It is more important than ever for those of us who are able, to donate time and resources.”

Participating Restaurants

http://www.diningoutforlife.com

Facebook Chat

http://www.Facebook.com/DineOut4Life

Twitter Chat

http://www.twitter.com/DineOut4Life

See 'ya at one of the participating restaurants on the 28th of April, eh?

http://www.thetattler.biz



Lindsay Lohan...cooking therapeutic! Trial looms on horizon!

Lindsay on path to recovery!

 

On a rare occasion, troubled starlet - Lindsay Lohan - threw open her doors and invited a film crew in to shoot an exclusive interview with "Extra" (Tabloid News Show).

In recent days, her handlers have run interference with the press - especially when it came to one-on-one interviews - in view of pending legal matters before the court.

In the comfy environs of her home near the beach, the "Mean Girls" star let it slip - for starters - that she loves to cook.

"I find it so therapeutic," she fessed up matter-of-fact.

The stylish sexpot doesn't appear to be packing on any extra flab, in spite of tasting the dishes, during the course of whipping 'em up.

In fact, in contrast to drug-addled bad-boy - Charlie Sheen - Ms. Lohan looked fresh-faced and relaxed as she spoke candidly before the camera.

Lohan, about half-way through the tell-all, was quick to underscore that she's anxious to get back to meaningful work.

Of course, that tough proposition will depend on the power-players in Tinsel Town (is she an insurance risk?) and a Judge presiding over an upcoming trial which looms on the horizon in respect to a felony charge of grand theft.

Ms. Lohan is quite adamant that she intends to "face the music" - and a take a shot at a played-out court-room drama - rather than accept a plea bargain which includes a stint at the local jail.

The ball may be in the recovering addict's court, though.

Over the weekend, it was revealed that her accusers may have sold an incriminating piece of evidence in the case (a video which allegedly caught Lohan in the act of lifting a one-of-a-kind piece of jewellery valued at $2500.00) which may have harmed their credibility and tainted the prospects of a guilty verdict at trial.

There may be some wiggle room for Ms. Lohan, after all!

News at 11!

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Charlie Sheen "winning"?

Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital...a threat to patients! Dr. Sassan Davoudi a Quack! Hazardous facilities! Wrong diagnosis!

A coat of paint may cover a multitude of sins!



If you're thinking about heading over to the "Emergency" Department at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital at 1300 N. Vermont Street in Hollywood, you may want to reconsider the trek if you value your health and well-being.

Patients have complained about hazardous facilities, incompetent "quacks" such as Dr. Sassan Davoudi and Dr. Joseph M. Nussbaum, bumbling Nurses who bruise patients because of sloppy handi-work and a devil-may-care attitude, and dishonest misrepresentations about the Hospital's "mission" to provide quality care.

For instance, when one ailing individual limped into the lobby of emergency complaining of severe chest pains, they were forced to cool their heels for over two 1/2 hours before any hospital personnel made any professional effort to hustle them back to an examination "cubby-hole" for an EKG or timely X-ray to determine the severity of the problem.

In contrast - hospitals in the general vicinity in Los Angeles - usually give a green light and special priority to potential heart-attack victims (for obvious reasons).

When an individual is finally admitted after long delays at the run-down facility (and an excessive amount of paperwork has been shoved in their pain-ridden faces to fill out) they are subjected to a wild hair-raising ride in a wheelchair outside - sometimes on an icy cold eve at an ungodly hour - to a make-shift X-ray examination room which has been set up slap-dab in the parking lot behind a rusty chain-link fence in a cramped trailer.

Once on the threshold, the inexperienced Nurse proceeds to precariously hoist the patient up onto a crudely-crafted ramp at the door of the rickety shelter, where they are rolled inside for a chest and/or body scan.

Until Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital erects a structure (indoors) that meets the building codes required by California's State Medical Board (and City Officials) patients will continue to be vulnerable to the potentially dangerous hazards.

Talk about negligence and a wanton disregard for patient safety!

In fact, one nurse confessed that one bleak night, he broke a toe after tripping over debris scattered on the pathway to the poorly-constructed outdoors lab.

Elsewhere on the premises, after a few vials of blood were helter-skelter drawn from another patient (which resulted in unsightly bruises on their arms), they were solemnly informed that they were suffering from diabetes.

When the charge noted there had never been any history of the ailment in their family - or even a hint of symptoms either - the inexperienced hospital worker simply shrugged and uttered under their breath in a hushed tone:

"Maybe your blood sugar is just high tonight for some reason."

At this juncture, the diagnosis was deleted from the patent's medical record, with little ado.

Say what?

It was evident to the patient, at this point, that the technician was unqualified for their post!

But, the shoddy unprofessional conduct did not end there, not by a long shot!

One patient languished in "Emergency" for ten hours or so, before the Hospital staff finally wheeled him up to a room outfitted for two.

The sorry individual was suddenly aghast to find themselves dropped on a bed and left to reckon with an obviously mentally-deranged patient who screamed out incoherently at the top of his lungs every few minutes or so.

Then, the physician on duty - Dr. Sassan Davoudi (a bizarre-looking man with bushy eyebrows and eyes that blinked every second-or-two like a spooky old owl) - stumbled in looking for all-the-world like some dishevelled bum.

To make matters worse, the physician was unable to speak fluent English, or effectively communicate to the startled patient in a calm professional manner.

On one occasion, when Davoudi opened up his yap, he barked out orders to the patient in a disturbing demeaning fashion.

"Stand up," he demanded.

When the patient attempted to carry out the demand, he lost his balance, and fell plunk-down onto the bed unmade bed.

In spite of the obvious, the doctor bellowed out more orders, with little regard for the well-being of the patient grasping for oxygen on the bed.

In the midst of attempting to walk across the hospital room - as instructed - the Doctor suddenly waved the sick patient off.

"You're okay. Get dressed. Go home," he growled at the shocked patient, before he strolled out the door never to be seen again!

Then, the situation turned from bad to worse.

For example, when a male nurse briskly waltzed in with discharge papers (and a curt demand that he exit the hospital room immediately), the disoriented patient informed the employee that he was too weak to comply with the request.

At this point, on the heels of a call to Financial Services, a rude African American woman by the name of Gabriela Duran-Lopez (with no noticeable manners or sense of professionalism) strode into the room and warned the patient that if they did not get dressed - and exit - they'd be charged $2,500.00 for an overnight stay.

"Cash," she barked at the startled patient.

Shocking behaviour - especially when you consider the "Mission" statement the Hospital Director has set forth in the patient manual bedside - at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital.

It reads as follows:

"For more than 80 years, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center has been helping the Hollywood community and surrounding areas, serving your medical needs (!) and those of your loved ones. 

Our medical center strives to distinguish itself as a leading health care provider, recognized for providing quality (!), innovative (you betcha!) care in a professional (!) and compassionate (!) manner.

What a load of bullsh**, eh?

But, the shocking conduct of staff at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital didn't end after the demand for cash was made.

Unable to comply with the request - the patient humbly asked that he be permitted to stay over - until friends (or family) could arrange to pick him up bright-and-early the next morning.

When Ms. Duran-Lopez noted that she would call Social Services for a quick resolution to the problem, the nastiness escalated, go figure!

Angered by what she perceived as a refusal to leave the premises willingly, a nasty butch-looking woman - by the name of Clarissa (from Social Services) - stormed into the room armed with threats.

"If you don't get dressed and leave immediately, security will escort you to the door," she growled angrily.

Calls to Supervisor - Linda Kaye - were left unreturned!

Outrageous unprofessional behaviour when you consider the Social Services blurb in the patient guide which stated as follows:

Social Services

The Social Services Department assists all patients with emotional, social, and economic problems related to their healthcare (!).

The Department's mission is to provide consultation to family members, caregivers, and significant others to ensure ongoing support vital to a patient's well being (!!!).

Special focus and attention are given to patient and families who are at high risk for problems of adjustments, safety, economic hardship, life-threatening illness, and other severe psychological stresses related to health condition. 

Several reasons a patient may need Social Services include:

*Acute grieving, depression, and anxiety
*Suicidal/Homicidal ideation, gravely disabled
*No known family or support system
*Victims of abuse, physical/emotional/sexual neglect/violence by caretakers
*Family behaviour adversely affecting patient welfare and care (!!!)
*Older adults (70+) with multiple physical needs and psychological needs
*homelessness (!!!)
*Substance abuse

Bottom line?

Lies! Lies! Lies!

It's all a public relations ploy, dude.

Coincidentally, I just read a report in the San Francisco Chronicle this past week, that the early discharge of patients is becoming a major problem - enough so, in fact - that the State Medical Board may step in to rectify the growing problem.

For example, it was announced that any Hospital that releases a patient prematurely - who is later forced to return to emergency for additional care - would be levied a penalty.

I am in accord!

In fact, in view of the breaches of professional ethics at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital (formerly known as the Queen of Angels), I expect their facility will be at the top of the list!

In the final analysis, it is also evident from the aforementioned facts, that the Nurses at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital are negligent, unprofessional, and derelict in their duty when it comes to fulfilling their "mission".

In fact, their staff are a menace to the community.

Avoid this medical facility like the plague!

http://www.thetattler.biz



Patient care?

Dr. Ning Tang...incompetent unprofessional MD! Threat to patients & medical community!

There's nothing worse than a silly barely wet behind-the-ears (thirty-something) incompetent female doctor - with an ugly misplaced ego - acting like she has a big swinging dick between her legs as she traipses around hospital environs dispensing medical advice sure to cause irreparable harm to her patients.

Such is the case with a loser by the name of Ning Tang (M.D.) - a demented general practitioner - who is under the wild delusion that she is God's gift to the medical profession.

For starters, Ms. Tang has a lousy bedside manner.

Frigid is, as frigid does, but - in her instant case - an ice Queen demeanour is a detriment to the well-being of  individuals in her precarious charge.

If it weren't for misguided referrals from staff at the  UCSF Emergency department, it is doubtful she'd have a practice.

On the contrary,  she'd be wrapped in a straight jacket  in an insane asylum.

When a doctor - over the best interests of their client, lashes out in self-defense (and acts cruelly and deceitfully with the specific aim of gaining the upperhand to compensate for their insecurity) - it's time the State Medical Board issued a slap on the wrist and revoked the medical license to practice.

Or, have the professional standards sunk that low in recent days, as Obamacare looms on the horizon?

In the instance of Ms. Tang, obviously management at UCSF was desperate, and was forced to scrape the barrel to meet their quota.

Ms.Tang wasn't hired on because of skill, intelligence, or a keen ability to smooth over troubled waters with her patients in their darkest hour of need.

If there is plague to avoid in the community, it is the one with a plaque on the flimsy hospital door which reads:

Ning Tang M.D.

M.D. stands for malpractising dimwit (a threat to civilized society).

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Sugar: Killing Your Skin From Within

I'm sure you've all seen or heard about the reports published a few weeks ago on the effects of sugar in our diets. Most of us think of fat as our number one enemy to looking good and feeling healthy, but evidence shows that sugar in our diets will prematurely age skin, as well as contribute to causing other conditions such as tooth decay and diabetes. Sugar is proven to be as addictive as heroin, with tests showing withdrawal symptoms like headaches, cravings and forgetfulness when it's removed from the diet. Have you ever felt like that after a bowl full of broccoli?

So what happens when we consume sugar? The basic science is that sugar is energy in one of its simplest forms. This means that the body can instantly absorb it without having to convert it or break it down into a usable format, which is why we so often reach for a chocolate bar when we're tired or need an energy boost. But did you know that it takes only half a teaspoon of sugar to pick up our energy levels, when the average chocolate bar contains seven teaspoons? After eating such quantities of sugar, our bodies need to control this energy spike, so insulin is produced to regulate our blood sugar levels. Insulin promotes the storage of fat, so a diet high in simple sugars will mean that you're more prone to weight gain, putting you at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Is that chocolate bar sounding less appealing now?

If that wasn't enough to put you off, how about the fact that sugar contributes to skin ageing? According to Dr Frederic Brandt, "In a nutshell, sugar hastens the degradation of elastin and collagen, both key skin proteins. In other words, it actively ages you." This process occurs because sugar consumption triggers a process called glycation, where sugar binds to the collagen and elastin fibres in our skin, making them less elastic until they break. The collagen and elastin proteins then mutate, resulting in the formation of new molecules called Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) which destroy the stronger type II and type III collagens, leaving skin without its spring. What this basically means is that skin sags and wrinkles because there is reduced collagen and elastin to prevent this from happening. Estimates say that a diet without sugar helps people look up to 10 years younger!

I've always known about the health impacts of sugar, and thought that I had a fairly healthy diet (despite my love of white pasta). After researching the impact of sugar on the skin, I have to say, I was shocked to realise that my love of fruit, honey and even the occassional diet drink and glass of wine are all contributing to my continued cravings for the sweet stuff.

Consequently, I have cut down on all sugar sources over the past six days (although I am still keeping some fruit in my diet), and I have to say, I feel great. I am a big advocate of a balanced diet which in my opinion has to include carbohydrates (unless you have a medical reason to exclude them), so I have swapped refined white pasta and rice to the wholewheat 'as nature intended' versions, the teaspoon of honey I have in my daily berry smoothie has been replaced with a squeeze of agave nectar which tastes as delicious as it sounds, and the cans of Diet Coke I would treat myself to every now and again will be skipped to ensure that their artificial sweeteners don't continue to fuel my cravings for sugar.

Here are my top tips for cutting sugar out of your diet:

1. Even those of us who consume relatively little sugar will find this a struggle for the first few days. Headaches and cravings are all likely on days 1-3, and you may feel like crap by day 4. But by day 5, you'll have increased energy and will start to wonder what you ever saw in sugar!

2. If you already consume a lot of refined sugar, this is going to be a tough one. Instead of cutting it out completely and going cold turkey, do it stage by stage. For example, if you have more than one sugary snack per day, try replacing one of those snacks with a slice of wholemeal toast with a thick spread of humous, or a handful of unsalted brazil nuts or almonds, which are packed with good fats and will release energy slowly. If you have one sugary snack a day and don't want to stop straight away, buy a smaller version (i.e. swap a Mars bar for a KitKat - there's no way I'm recommending you eat half and store the rest of it for tomorrow as chocolate can speak to you from the fridge!) for the first few days and then switch over to the snacks suggested above. For sugary drink lovers, fill a two litre bottle of water and drink from that all day. When your energy dips, reach for nuts or seeds instead of the Coke.

3. Check the labels on EVERYTHING you buy, and avoid processed foods as much as you can. Any ingredient that ends is '-ose' is a sugar (i.e. glucose, fructose) and is therefore to be avoided. Fruit juices should be cut out wherever possible, and healthy looking snacks like dried fruit are one of the biggest sugar fiends, so avoid them if you're serious about this! Nothing is safe from sugar: check your 'healthy' breakfast cereals and even your loaf of bread. Sugar is added to so many more products than you would expect!

4. Get organised: plan your weekly meals (including lunches at work) and shop for ingredients at the beginning of the week, including buying a good stock of snacks. Knowing what you're going to eat for every meal and being prepared will mean that you are less likely to order a pizza because there's nothing to eat.

5. Swap refined, white carbs for their wholewheat equivalent. Yes, brown rice takes ages to cook, but some genius realised that it can be frozen, so buy yourself a bag and don't give me any excuses about not having time :) The texture and nutty taste can take a little adjustment at first, so plan meals with tasty sauces like a homemade chilli con carne with rice (or 'chilli con Quorn-ay' as the meat-free version is known in our house!) or a pasta bolognese. Remember, pre-prepared sauces will often contain sugars, so source some good recipes (I'm happy to help with this).

6. Cook with beans, lentils and pulses wherever possible, as they are a great source of energy and very filling. Lentil and vegetable soup, a bean stew or even a delicious cassoulet will be great, easy meal options. I tend to throw a tin of butter beans or a few handfuls of red lentils or barley into most of the soups I make, making them go a little further and giving a healthy boost at the same time.

7. Avoid everything with Nutrisweet, Xylitol and other artificial sweeteners like Canderel and Sweet & Low. Keeping those in your diet ensures you're still receptive to sweet tastes, and will consequently continue to crave them. Use agave nectar to sweeten yoghurt, herbal tea and smoothies.

8. Picking up on your snack supply, keep wholewheat crackers like Ryvita, humous, olives, unsalted nuts and seeds, vegetable sticks (carrots, celery and cucumber with humous makes a yummy snack) and cottage cheese at home and work so that you're always able to pick up a healthy snack wherever you are - remember what I said about dried fruit, so don't be tempted! Don't overdo the nuts. Although they contain good fats, fat is fat when consumed in large quantities. A handful counts as a portion, and you should avoid having more than that in a day. I have two snacks a day - one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon - between my three meals and this keeps me ticking over.

9. Most importantly, eat a healthy, balanced breakfast. I make my own oat and berry smoothies using frozen berries, a handful of oats, a tablespoon of natural Greek yoghurt, oat milk and a squirt of agave nectar to balance out the natural tartness of the ingredients. I'm happy to supply the recipe if you'd like it! Other good breakfasts would be a bowl of porridge, wholemeal toast with humous or scrambled eggs: basically anything that has a good balance of carbs and protein.

10. Take it as an excuse to cut out caffeine as well. You may lose the will to live after the first few hours without sugar and caffeine, but so many good things will be happening to your body alongside this natural energy boost that you may as well try and take advantage of this!

11. If you do get a hideous craving and can't escape it, put half a teaspoon of sugar under your tongue. This is enough to boost your energy without continuing the pleasure cycle of devouring your favourite choccy.

12. Cut down your alcohol intake as much as possible, particularly reducing consumption of beer and wine. I'm not saying rule it out: work, the boss, kids, telesales calls and our beloved partners all play their part in pushing us toward the Chablis, but keep it to a minimum, and save that glass of vino for special occasions. Weight loss will follow!

Finally, have a look at the following sugar contents and imagine what each of those teaspoons is doing to your skin and your body. Not so delicious, is it?

550ml bottle of Coke - 14 teaspoons of sugar
One slice of cheap white bread - up to 3 teaspoons of sugar
Average chocolate bar - 7 teaspoons of sugar
250ml shop-bought smoothies - often up to 7 teaspoons of sugar
Takeaway sweet and sour chicken - a whopping 19 teaspoons of sugar

I'm not saying that I'll manage to resist a nice square of chocolate every now and then, but I think knowing the facts will help me to keep to one square rather than a 1kg slab!!

Did you know about the ageing effects of sugar and will you be cutting it out of your diet? Would you like any more info on meal planning/recipes to help you in your sugar free quest?

Image courtesy of 2dayblog.com