Anemia

So, I started to get worried this past weekend/week because I've been sooooo tired and lethargic. My birthday is coming up--is it age? Will life just hold less energy from here on out? Low energy is DEPRESSING. Well, I figured it out. I'm constantly running anemic, even when I eat meat, but trying to go semi-vegetarian without iron supplements and then just coming off my menstrual cycle totally depleted me of iron. I've never been able to donate blood because I always test as anemic when I try, my mother and sister run anemic as well. I hoped on WebMD (something a med-school friend of mine loathes) and one other factor leading to anemic hit me bam in the face: Celiac Disease contributes to anemia. I've been both going vegetarian and misbehaving on the Gluten front lately, perfect recipe for anemia for me. Now, WebMD was clear that one ought not to take Iron supplements without supervision because it is a heavy metal. So, I'm just going to double up on my multi-vitamin which has 33% of your daily needed iron in it for a few days and eat red meat and orange juice (vitamin C helps you absorb iron) and STAY AWAY FROM GLUTEN. I have a doctor's appointment in July, so I'll bring up the iron issue then, as well as celiac disease. Meanwhile, I'm hoping to get back some energy and get on the work-out train (seriously this weekend, I thought I was coming down with the flu and I crashed a couple times taking extreme napping to a new level and all this week I've had serious trouble muster the energy to do daily work-tasks). So, life is less bleak now that I've figured it out.

So here are some quick facts about anemia from WebMD:

What is iron deficiency anemia?

Iron deficiency anemia occurs when your body doesn't have enough iron.

Iron is important because it helps you get enough oxygen throughout your body. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a part of your red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen through your body. If you do not have enough iron, your body makes fewer and smaller red blood cells. Then your body has less hemoglobin, and you cannot get enough oxygen.

What causes iron deficiency anemia?

Iron deficiency anemia is caused by low levels of iron in the body. You might have low iron levels because you:

• Have heavy menstrual bleeding.
• Are not getting enough iron in food. This can happen in people who need a lot of iron, such as small children, teens, and pregnant women.
• Have bleeding inside your body. This bleeding may be caused by problems such as ulcers, hemorrhoids, or cancer. This bleeding can also happen with regular aspirin use. Bleeding inside the body is the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia in men and in women after menopause.
• Cannot absorb iron well in your body. This problem may occur if you have celiac disease or if you have had part of your stomach or small intestine removed.

What are the symptoms?

You may not notice the symptoms of anemia, because it develops slowly and the symptoms may be mild. In fact, you may not notice them until your anemia gets worse. As anemia gets worse, you may:

• Feel weak and tire out more easily.
• Feel dizzy.
• Be grumpy or cranky.
• Have headaches.
• Look very pale.
• Feel short of breath.
• Have trouble concentrating.

Babies and small children who have anemia may:

• Be fussy.
• Have a short attention span.
• Grow more slowly than normal.
• Develop skills, such as walking and talking, later than normal.

Anemia in children must be treated so that mental and behavior problems do not last long.

All Natural Attune Mango Peach Bar

The All Natural Attune Mango Peach Bar is describe as a Granola Probiotic Wellness Bar with 5X the like cultures in yogurt.

Here is the Nutritional breakdown

Serving size: 1 bar (40g)
Calories: 170
Fat: 7g
Sat. Fat: 3g
Sodium: 90mg
Carbs: 22g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 10g
Protien: 5g

Taste test:

First impression: It is too sweet. The mango peach flavor has a "medicine" taste. After eating 1/4 of the bar. My tummy began to gurgle and I wanted a bathroom back. So I stopped eating the bar.

Marissa Jaret Winokur Tries to Say 'No' to Fries

The Tony-winning actress, 36, recently admitted that though she didn't give birth to her 11-month-old son Zev (who was carried via a surrogate), she has put on pounds since his arrival. "You don't actually have to carry the baby to gain the weight," Winokur tells PEOPLE.

Now on a mission to get back in the shape she was in while appearing on Dancing with the Stars, Winokur (whose Oxygen show premieres June 29) has returned to exercising and has a goal: to appear in a bikini in the pages of PEOPLE.

Here is another person whose fitness goal is to be in on display in a bikini. Why can't more people have goals like:
1. I want to play with my kids in the park
2. Fit into the skinny people coffin ( my personal goal)
3. Shop in the mall all day with out taking a break.
4. Walk into my closets and know that all my close fit after a weekend with friends.

I think the bikini goal is causing a lot of heartache for the American dieter and I am going to say to all those who are wondering:

It is OK to have a weight loss goal that doesn't include a bikini.

Quotables

"Fitness - If it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body."
~ Cher

Food Blogging: Friday Lunch & Dinner

I started to set out for a walk outdoors, but it was oppressively hot, then I thought maybe I should walk in Heartland Park, tree lined and cooler, but then I realized I didn't have any water to take or pockets to keep my keys in, so then I realized, "hey, I have a treadmill" so I watched Gilmore Girls while I worked out on the treadmill for 40 minutes. After that, I had lunch out on the back patio, near my garden. I had a cup of tomato-roasted red pepper soup and a veggie burger on one of my GF flax waffles. The veggie burger was a Southwestern Sunshine Burger. It was lovely. In the picture, you'll see the tail of my cat--outside the table is her domain.

Here is a spinach/cheese enchilada that I made a few weeks ago and froze and some green beans steamed and then seasoned with a cilantro salsa. The cilantro salsa was PERFECT on the green beans. I highly recommend it.

Angelina Jolie: I'd Be "Less Self-Destructive" If Involved in Charity Early

Angelina Jolie thinks her childhood would have been very different if she'd learned the lessons from her role as a UN Goodwill Ambassador at a younger age.

"I think it would have got me through my youth easier," Jolie said in an interview with Ann Curry that aired on the Today show this morning. "I would have been less self-destructive."

I think one can be grounded and a good world citizen without being a UN Goodwill Ambassador. Anyone who learns they are not the center of the universe, be it in there household or town can be ground.

MeMe Roth, Again...

MeMe Roth, the self-professed anti-obesity advocate who doesn't eat anything in a given day unless she's run four miles and who equates over-eating with rape (see earlier post here), is back at it again--not fighting for for health, but grabbing press space in order to share her disordered views. This time, its about the food in schools.

Now, I have to say that I think that the school lunch program needs A LOT of work--let's try for a bit more high-nutrient foods rather than the swell, salt, fat, and white flour that is standard fair. But Roth's problem isn't the school lunch program, after all her kids probably don't go to public schools, but rather the cupcakes and other treats served occasionally in schools. She instructs her children to place any unauthorized food in a plastic container, bring it home, and then she determine where or no they can eat it. She also, apparently caused the police to be called when she stole all the dessert toppings at a YMCA sundae bar, causing a scene. She wants to institute a rule where all parents have to sign permission slips whenever the students will be served cupcakes for a classmate's birthday or candy on Halloween.

Now, I understand some of where she's coming from--there can be a lot of sweets in schools. From what I understand, many elementary schools have instituted policies where instead of celebrating birthdays in class on an individual basis, cupcakes will allowed in once per month to celebrate all the childrens' birthdays in say April or November. That seems like a reasonable compromise and getting rid of vending machines is another big step in making schools healthier. But, I have to say, it seems like her behavior, forcing her children to fear sweets, is eating-disorder promoting. Okay, she's their parent, she wants little anorexics, many might say, and maybe so, but she wants to force her views, make her rules (the permission slips, tupperware, etc.) the rules for everyone's child. Systematically, it is much better to help children understand the nature of "treats" which by their very name are only to be had occasionally! Children get this, let them have cupcakes once in a while. Help them learn how to have a balanced diet.

p.s. original story here!

Overweight Better than Skinny

In yet another peer-reviewed, medical study, people who are overweight, but not obese live longer than skinny people (they also live longer that the obese, but very skinny people die sooner than obese people). Its a Japanese study, reported by an Australian paper. Here's some of the dish:

People who are a little overweight at age 40 live six to seven years longer than very thin people, whose average life expectancy was shorter by some five years than that of obese people, the study found.

"We found skinny people run the highest risk," said Shinichi Kuriyama, an associate professor at Tohoku University's Graduate School of Medicine who worked on the long-term study of middle-aged and elderly people.

The study was extensive and conducted by the ministry of health in Japan (similar to the NIH in the U.S.). The study's finding regarding the vulnerablity of the thin to earlier death was even found when they took out smokers or other health factors that might contribute to low body weight. Now, we are talking about those with a BMI under 18.5 to denote "very skinny" but that does account for the vast majority of models and many other beauty emblems promoted by the unhealthy fashion and entertainment industries.

The study's author warned readers if they were of normal weight, not to go out and seek to put on extra fat, but they did encourage the very thin to do so. This is the second or third story I've seen that talks about the slightly overweight as the winners in longevity. Perhaps "normal" ought to be extended to include this weight range? If its healthier, if one can expect to live longer, why isn't the slightly overweight considered normal weight? I think that the way we talk about weight and how it relates to health is tricky and it belies myths and prejudices about fat and what it takes to be in shape.

Food Blogging: Breakfast Friday

So, I thought I'd try to make a "green monster" smoothie--that is, add something green to my smoothie like I've seen amongst other food bloggers. I meant to have glorious baby-spinach salads this week, but alas, life got demanding and lunch became a frozen meal Monday-Thursday. Today I'll have a salad. Anyway, baby spinach is only good for a week, a week and a half before you need to cook it. Another way to get those glorious greens is to put them in your morning smoothie. Above, you'll see baby spinach, 1/2 banana, blueberries, strawberries, a bit of whey protein, ground flax (1Tb), yogurt (a few tablespoons) and milk. Blend it all together and you get:

It didn't really turn green, did it.

Then tragedy struck and I dropped it on the floor--on the carpet, slippery sides of the glass and all, but it (the glass--purdy glass) shattered and smoothie go boom. Also, it looks quite gray here, which is what the spinach did to the drink--not green, but gray.

So, not to be defeated, I made another and put it in a pastic cup. The carpet has been thoroughly clearned with resolve, so hopefully a stink will not manifest. I'm going to take a vigorous walk and then mow the lawn. After that, I'll do some more arm-weights.

Food Blogging: Thursday Dinner

It may not photo well, but it was delish. I made a mustard sauce out of some brown spicy mustard, soy sauce, honey, Chinese five spice powder, and a bit of milk and I put that on a 4oz piece of wild caught Alaska salmon and baked it. Also featured on the plate, cauliflower surprise (via the South Beach diet, thank you) and some sauced eggplant (yum!). Not pictured is dessert, which was a gluten free coconut and butterscotch blondie, from Veggie Girl. I made a batch a while back and they are in my freezer. I don't know the calories on them, but I cut them up into tiny pieces, so four would make up the size on one panera size brownie, for example.

Food Blogging: Thursday Lunch

So, life gets in the way and sometimes the evil frozen meal is the better of two evils. Here is the Lean Cuisine Salmon with Basil Spa Meal. Its not bad, 220 calories, with 19 grams of protein to help make one full longer. Thus far today I seem to be a processed/fast food blogger--eek. Let's see if I can actually prepare a good meal for myself from scratch tonight (and hopefully cut up the watermelon I have waiting for dessert).


Here it is up-close.

Food Blogging: Thursday Breakfast

Here's today's breakfast, Thursday. I was in a hurry, so I stopped off at Starbucks (for much needed caffeine) and get a skinny hazelnut latte and a English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich, low-fat turkey bacon and egg. Looking it up later, I should have got the spinach/feta wrap because it has 100 less calories, but still not as bad as anything from McD's. Whole grain, muffin after-all and lowfat TB. Still, NOT GLUTEN FREE and my tummy is feeling it.

Random Food Blogging

Okay, well, I'm trying to get back on the food-blogging train, I kept track pretty well over the weekend, but this week, until today, here's my shady record. Starting with today's entry, it will be more linear and accurate. Anyway, above you'll find breakfast from Monday--GF flax waffles with almond butter and nanner.

Here's Monday' s lunch (its not as bad as it looks) Amy's Original cheese enchilada, chips, anda diet coke--okay, diet coke evil, yes, but I needed the caffeine.

Here's Wednesday's lunch, which is actually leftovers from Tuesday's dinner, which was roasted veggies (yellow squash from garden, red pepper, eggplant, and portabello mushrooms made with olive oil, Italian herbs, kosher salt and ground pepper) and some left-over stuffed chicken breast.

Here is last night's dinner: Ethnic Gourmet's chicken pad-tai, with added extra asian veggies. Calorie wise, way better than take-out.

Weekend Food Blogging: Sat's Lunch & Dinner

I love Sunshine Veggie Burgers--good source of vegetarian protein and GLUTEN FREE! Yay, quite a few vegetarian burgers have tons of seiten or Wheat Gluten concentrated as their main protein source, which hurts my tummy. Above is the Southwestern burger, in the pan.

So, I had the Sunshine burger on a gluten-free cheese biscuit (which really didn't work as a bun) with a piece of fat-free swiss cheese, and some tomato/roasted red pepper soup from Pacific. Delish, though the biscuit burger bun didn't really work, it sort of conveyed the idea.

Then I went out to India, here is the (not gluten free) naan bread and rice. I still ate the naan, though I shouldn't, but too good not to.

Here's the Lamb Pasanda and Saag Paneer we* shared, Indian food--SO GOOD.

* By we, I mean my friend Kate and I--who will hopefully be joining us as a co-blogger at FFFB.

Weekend Food Blogging: Sunday's Smoothie

In order to reap the rewards of flaxmeal (particularly the omega-3's), one needs to add it to their food ground, but flaxmeal can go rancid fairly quickly, so its best to keep the flax intact, as seeds and then ground them up a bit a time, all stored in the fridge or freezer). So, here I have a designated coffee grounder just for flax/seeds and I've ground up a bit of the good stuff for my smoothie. Above is the whole seed, below, the ground meal.

Now, one note: ground flax is fairly caloric, so one or two tablespoons at most is probably a good idea for a smoothie. I use one.
I didn't have any milk in the house, so I broke out the Almond milk, which I usually use for curries, but it can be good in Smoothie's as well. I have to admit that I do prefer cow's milk or soy milk in my smoothies, but almond works well when you also add yogurt and banana.

Here's the blender, strawberries, blueberries, 1/2 a frozen banana, 1/4 cup yogurt, almond milk for desired consistency, and 1 Tbsp ground flax.

Here is the finished product in a purdy glass. I haven't had a smoothie in a while because I hadn't ground up any flax--which takes like 1 minute longer--but when I have to leave by 6:20 a.m. for work, it feels too hard :) Smoothies, particularly when made with a bit of protein powder, always fill me up. They are perfect for summer. I'm going to try a few green smoothies pretty soon and the folks over at Amazing Grass are going to send me some free samples to try/review.

Weekend Food Blogging: Saturday

Breakfast was a Flax/Wheat-free/Gluten Free waffle with some Justin's squeezable Almond/Maple Butter with nanner. I also had English Breakfast tea--made per usual with a bit of half/half and raw sugar.

Lunch was two homemade chicken tacos, made with baked chicken tenders (seasoned with cilantro salsa), a corn/black bean mixture, avocado, over two corn tortillas, seared in a pan with some Pam spray. Delish!

Dinner was baked mustard/honey chicken thigh (skin removed) cauliflower surprise (thank you South Beach diet cookbook), and some yellow squash steamed, then mixed with some spaghetti sauce.

Harvest Time at the White House Garden

This week, Michelle Obama welcomed children from D.C. schools to come help harvest the bounty from the White House Kitchen Garden. These same kids helped start the garden, after all, so its only fitting that they get to reap what they sowed!

The harvesting will go on throughout the season and this recent crop mostly consisted of lettuces and herbs. The veggies will be a bit latter in the season (as will my veggies, though I did get a yellow squash from my garden this week). The kids helped make salad with homemade dressing and they learned to roast chicken, seasoned with fresh herbs from the garden.

Not all observers were happy. Maureen Dowd (probably one of the most vapid individuals to ever get a coveted opinions column at the NY Times) opined:

"Even as he grows arugula in the White House vegetable garden, Barack Obama never again wants to be seen as the hoity-toity guy fretting over the price of arugula at Whole Foods. That is why the president ends up sending mixed signals on food."

What are these mixed signals, you might ask? Well according to Dowd, Obama and Michelle have also indulged in the occasional "regular guy meal" aka a cheese burger and fries. Obama is well known for eating healthfully on the campaign trail and one of his aides joked that he (Obama) would be happy with salmon, brown rice, and broccoli everyday.

Hello, the occasional indulgence tempered by general healthy eating is called: A BALANCED LIFESTYLE. This is not a "mixed message," Ms. Dowd. You are just trying to conflate balanced eating with political disingenousness, a theme you seem to carry over into all your "cultural" criticisms of Democrats (don't forget, a big part of her career was made as someone claiming to be a Democrat who just happened to hate the Clintons).

After citing the usual scare statistics about how fat and lazy Americans are, she then lectures Obama on having the tenacity to ever eat a burger on camera. She says:

"The president should forgo the photo-op of the grease-stained bovine bag and take the TV stars out for what he really wants and America really needs: some steamed fish with a side of snap peas."

This "essay" is fairly incoherent. Dowd seems to be shocked that people can actually eat healthfully most of the time and have a burger on occasion. Then she tries to prove that Obama is a dietary liar, accusing him of fey eating habits, it seems, and then posing with greasy food. Then she lectures the President on not putting forward his healthy eating habits front and center, even while his wife sponsors an organic kitchen garden, promotes healthy eating among children, and talks about local agriculture. Its all really ridiculous and a shame that such an incoherent hater gets so much press space.

Another critic of Michelle's gardening project is Jeffrey Stier of the American Council on Science and Health, a stooge for big-agribusiness. His quote is laughable, so I have to share it in full:

"People are going to eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Cancer rates will go up. Obesity rates will go up. I think if we decide to eat only locally grown food, we're going to have a lot of starvation."

He actually claims that the local food movement will result in starvation and cancer--ha. So, eating fresh, organic, local ingredients will kill us all, huh? Essentially, he's saying that the local food movement will try to totally dismantle the current world wide food market, commodity crops, and big-agribusinesses grip on our food system. Goodness, I could only hope so. Obviously some of what we've created in terms of international and national food systems is good--getting produce to Alaska in winter is nice, nicer if it wasn't totally dependent on fossil fuels, but still, 100% local, everywhere is not the local food movement's aim. Like with our energy market, a mixed methods approach is best for agriculture as well. Stier's quote is laugable, yes, but it is a sign that big-agribusiness is starting to try to fight local initiatives, coops, and CSA's. How they might do this, besides the recent HFCS ads and Monsanto campaigns, could also include the legislative process to try to make it harder and harder for home gardening, family farms and small farming operations, which is a real threat. But with an ally like Michelle Obama, and her garden behind us, well, yes we can win this battle for our health!

Hills Star Admits to Bulimia, Triggered by "Skinny" Costars

Hills star Stephanie Pratt opens up for the first time in the new issue of Us Weekly about hating her body and her terrifying secret struggle with bulimia -- sparked, she says, by the pressure of appearing alongside her super-thin friends on the hit MTV reality show.

I don't think anyone causes you to have an eating disorder. But I do think when celebrities lie about how they do no exercise and eat pizza all day in order to be a size zero, it does cause people believe they have to go to extremes to achieve the same look.

If the Celebrities start getting real like Mariah Carey. She says, she swims, eats broth and lettuce, & drinks a little champagne to look like her. Or like Halle Berry, who said even she had to lose another 15 lbs off her already skinny self to fit in the Catwoman outfit. I think people could honestly decide if they want to put in the work to get the body or deal with what they got.

Nia Vardalos Opens Up About Pressure to Lose 40 Pounds

"I am embarrassed to be in the position of answering questions about my body again. On the publicity tour of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, I was asked over and over again, if, as the writer, I felt it was a fair depiction of real life to have someone of my er, below average looks, hook up with hottie John Corbett.

"It's been years, and I have sat through many a movie like Sideways, where nobody blinks an eye when Paul Giamatti gets together with gorgeous Virginia Madsen. And, then Knocked Up...well, the visual of Seth Rogan on top of Katherine Heigl made me put the popcorn down and reach for my purse. Not because I was grossed out, but because I knew the film was about to stop and Ashton Kutcher would now jump out and go 'Aha, you've been Punk'd, that would never happen.' I waited. But no Ashton. The film went on. And many a reviewer, who probably look like sweet Seth (yes, even the women) gave it a thumbs up."

She makes such a good point. Hollywood double standard is out of control. Overweight sloppy men are always hooking up with hotties. More examples:

• King of Queens
• According to Jim
• Yes, Dear

Alison Sweeney Chooses Wii Over the Gym for Fitness

Alison Sweeney says this about the Wii Fit:

"It's just a good example of how you can really get it done at home," she says. "You don't need to have a big fancy gym membership. One of the things we talk about on The Biggest Loser all the time is just how difficult it is financially to lose weight sometimes. And that isn't an excuse anymore. There are really reasonable options."

I still don't think a Wii is the most economical exercise.

Here is the breakdown
EA SPORTS™ Active game is $59.99
EA SPORTS™ Active Accessory Pack $19.99
Wii system base price $249.99

In my opinion walking and calstenics are still the cheapest exercises.

Support a Public Option in Health Care Reform

It is my position, and the position of most progressives, that there will be no substantial health care reform WITHOUT a public option in the mix of reforms, regulations, and options for individuals and families. The primary argument, made unfortunately by my Senator, Mitch McConnell, is that the private sector can't compete with a public options because the private sector's primary interest is profit, and the public option would focus on actual health care (okay, he didn't add the last bit, but that is the logical implication).

Personally, I would prefer a single-payer system like the National Health Service in Britain or better yet, the the Swedish or French systems, but just getting a public option on the table is going to be a battle, though Nancy Pelosi said the other day that, "a health care overhaul that did not include a public option wouldn't make it through the House because it "wouldn't have the votes." That is good to hear! Thank you, Speaker Pelosi.

So, I urge all of the readers here to consider going to the Congressional Website and plug in your zip code, which will give you your Representative and contacting him/her and asking them to support a PUBLIC OPTION as part of the Health Care Reform Legislation in the coming weeks and months. Without a public option, there won't be health care reform, just an additional band aid put on the hemorrhaging artery of failed health care in America. I just wrote Ben Chandler and it took maybe three minutes.

I'll cover more of the healthcare reform debate as it evolves over the coming months.

Posting Schedule

LisaD will be on vacation this week and Thealogian will be at a retreat Wednesday & Thursday, though I promise several posts over the weekend and back to a better schedule starting the 15 of June. I want to start garden blogging here and do more food-blogging as well as general health posts. We'll be back in full-swing soonly.

peace

p.s. I just wanted to share an official picture of Garden Kitty (Calliope) who will feature in many posts about the garden to come because she is my helper--really, she believes that, do not disabuse her of that conviction.

More on Tracy Anderson and Anorexia for Chuckles?

The Indianapolis Monthly online has a long and sordid story detailing the legal and moral misdeeds of celebrity trainer, Tracy Anderson. Financial mis-dealings, potential fraud, bankruptcy, dodgy health practices, leaning on charisma, and more. Anderson, 32, and 90lbs is a "perfect size zero" and as we at Fat Feminist Fitness Blog have discussed before, she claims that "anyone can look like Madonna" with her method. Its worth the read, but more important her example is worth the lesson: her primary business strategy seemed to be to project a perfect image, to "fake it until you make it" of sorts, but on the backs of others, bleeding some business partners and lovers dry in order to get into the upper eschaleons where she could then befriend Hollywood types that could help her make her brand. Do you really want to entrust your health to Ms. Anderson or other celebrity trainers who push the boundaries of sensible diet and exercise? Hopefully not. Yet another reason NOT to follow trendy diet or fitness routines--find what is healthy and doable for you, but please, don't listen to Ms. Anderson just so you can "look like Madonna."

Oh, and this follows on the heels of another terribly depressing article featured in that denizen of trash, The Daily Mail. Liz Jones, a self-professed anorexic discusses the "horror" of trying to eat "like a normal person" for three weeks. Its a disgusting ploy by her employers at the Daily Mail to show how funny it is for a woman with a serious eating disorder (serious mental health condition) to be forced to eat scones. Jezebel has a responsible discussion of the article, honestly, it was too much for me to take in the original, so trigger warning.

One of the most heart-breaking quotes:

"Being this way made me not just socially awkward, but unlovable: I've always hated being touched, hugged, naked, half-dressed on holiday, in case I'm found wanting, in case someone felt or saw an extra ounce of flesh. Being this thin meant I never got pregnant; I have menstruated perhaps half-a-dozen times in my life...In fact, I was always fearful of getting pregnant because the thought of my stomach growing fat, of stretch marks and a big bum, was not a price I was willing to pay for a child. The whole process seemed messy, dirty, greedy."

This woman doesn't need press space, she needs serious care--private, medically accurate, care. Menstruating only a few times in life, multiple hospitalizations, panic inducing fears of food, etc. These are not just "boderline" as she calls them, symptoms, but full blown anorexia. She's 40, but its not too late for her to get help and its certainly not to late for publications like the Daily Mail to get a sense of ethics and not exploit the sick for truly sick gags--like "how funny would it be to make an anorexic eat scones and jam?"

Lisad00 On Vacation

Hello everyone. I will be on vacation for a week. When I return I will have tons of commentary. So keep checking in.

Ed Westwick Peeved Over "Fat" Rumors

Listen up, Upper East Siders: Chuck Bass isn't chubby.

Asked to name the craziest rumor he's heard about himself, Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick tells E! News: "That I'm fat!"

"It was something like 'the wardrobe department on Gossip Girl has to keep changing his clothes due to his expanding waistline,'" he added, referring to an April In Touch tabloid report. "It's ludicrous!"

Hollywood has gone crazy. Ed Westwick is no where close to being the 500 lbs teens featured on the Discovery Health channel. He is not even John Candy fat. Hollywood has just lost it. Even men can't escape the crazy anymore. I guess that is why so many are striving to be metro-sexual these days.