Does Uncle Sam Care?

Sometimes, I think Uncle Sam only pretends to wish us well.

Something came in the mail from Uncle the other day. It is titled "Healthy is as Healthy Does." It enumerates all the things one must do to stay healthy during the colder months of the year. The piece suggests we should stay safe, be active, eat well, get enough sleep, be properly hydrated and wash our hands! SIDEBAR: Wash our hands? Does our aging Uncle Sam fancy we are still in Kindergarten? END SIDEBAR

Of course, as we might anticipate, Uncle thinks we need flu shots. I won't go there. I have ranted and raved sufficiently on that subject. But in all honesty, if Uncle wanted us truly to be well, that business about flu shots could have been left off the list and eliminated altogether.

There is a whole section in Uncle's letter dealing with Power Foods. Blueberries are good for a flavenoid boost. SIDEBAR: Who can afford to buy blueberries? END SIDEBAR

Another way to ramp up the favenoid factor is dark chocolate. Uncle consider dark chocolate will lower blood pressure and keep the arteries from plugging up. That's good news!

Sweet Potatoes, if you eliminate the marshmallows and roast them with a little olive oil, will nourish you with fiber, carotenoids, vitamins. They can be steamed, too. Uncle failed to mention that sweet taters are THE most nutritious veggie of all veggies. They also failed to mention how scrumptious sweet potatoes are.

Broccoli will add nourishment to your diet because you can enjoy this treat by steaming, sauteeing, or munching it as a raw delight. It can be dressed up with cheese or enjoyed 'naked'. Uncle Sam did not mention the undressed vegetable; he did mention the President who does not like the green goody.

Nuts have had a bad reputation for oil but almonds, for example, have high protein and mineral content. They are filling without the side effect of spoiling your appetite for dinner!

Spinach will provide you with iron, B Vitamins and fiber. It is yummy raw, cooked-add a dash of rice vinegar to perk up the flavor-or creamed. Uncle Sam never even mentioned that spinach is a whole food...

Using whole grains-organic if it's available to you-will provide rib-sticking nourishment that satisfies your palate.

Here are other foods Uncle Sam names as nutrition boosters and whole foods: citrus fruits, salmon, tomatoes, dry beans.

But Uncle never once mentioned a real Power Food: ENZYMES. We use this superfood in many ways and our favorite comes from barley grass. It is a fine powder that adds oomph to salads, fruit sauces, juices, even rice milk!

In our little kitchen I cooked some organic Northern beans this week. After these beauties were cooked I stored them in their own juice in the refrigerator to be used as needed. They made a fine addition to salads, skillet suppers, and a rich, wonderful soup. To have complete protein beans must be paired with grains. I often prepare a potful of brown rice to be stored for later use. Brown rice scattered across a bowl of fresh salad greens, topped off with barley grass powder is a really nice addition.

Well, it's true that Uncle Sam tells us some good things. And he did say something about Water. But he supports a center for disease control which is really an agency to manage disease...

I think Uncle Sam is out of my loop. He did not mention even one word about Energy Medicine. If YOU want the straight skinny about health care, not disease management, go here: The Healing Codes .

Connie Baum