Sometimes we can improve our health in little ways that don't require any heroic sacrifices on our part.  In the midst of really tightening up my diet for the New Year by cutting out even little challenges like dried fruit that worked their way into my diet around Christmas I finally scored a win I have been chasing for over a year.  What am I talking about?  Frying pans.  Why frying pans...?

About a year ago I read an article about people's pet birds dying if they were near the kitchen while the owner was cooking with Teflon coated frying pans.  Now I have always loved the non-stick properties of Teflon, so this news was disturbing.  It seems that when Teflon is heated to above 482 degrees it releases a toxic nerve gas that is powerful enough to kill birds.  Birds have been used to test for poisonous air in many situations (like mining) for hundreds of years.  If the bird keels over it is time to get out of the area.

Normally Teflon is a very stabile and inert substance - which is what makes it so good at repelling things like fried eggs or dirt.  It is used everywhere these days.  It is Teflon that makes your carpet repel stains.  Every threaded pipe uses Teflon tape to lubricate and seal the joint.  It is used to make waterproof clothing and even replacement arteries in surgeries.  So Teflon is good stuff, except when it breaks down in high heat condi

tions.  A cooking pot used to boil water or cook stews is not a concern, as it does not get hot enough to cause the Teflon to break down.  But a frying pan can get hot enough to cause a problem in normal use.

So shortly after this news made the public wary of Teflon frying pans, a whole lot of companies started coming up with "green pans" that had no Teflon but were still supposed to be non-stick.  Well I have bought several of them and they all stuck horribly (or at least worse than my stainless steel pans.)  Recently my mom received a very fancy enamel coated frying pan that was supposed to be non-stick and it was the worst yet.  Ever the optimist, I recently ordered two new options I found on Amazon.  These both claimed to be coated with a ceramic that would act like Teflon without any of the 'dying horribly from poison gas' concerns.

They work!  After a long string of losers, suddenly two pans in a row work beautifully.  The first one to arrive was a cheery red pan with an Italian sounding name, Bialetti, (made in China).  The inner ceramic coating was a pure white - different looking.  I got the small 8-inch pan and found my fried eggs just slipped right out onto the plate when finished.  Like Teflon, you have to avoid metal instruments or you will scratch it.

The second pan to arrive (brilliantly named The Green Earth PanThe Green Earth Pan) was a brilliant lime green on the outside and a more typical black inside except that the cooking surface was covered in dimples.  The manufacturer claims these dimples catch moisture and form little cushions of steam to keep the food "floating" above the pan surface.  This black surface is also a ceramic and has to be cared for just like Teflon.  It also passed the fried egg test with flying colors.  I thought I was going to have to settle for my stainless steel, but now I can enjoy the luxury of stick free cooking and simple cleanup, all while protecting myself from the dangers of Teflon poison gas.  I can breathe a sigh of relief.

Speaking of luxury cooking brings to mind one other bonus find from Amazon this last week - ghee.  I have used ghee (clarified butter) as the fat source in most of my recipes ever since I found out I am sensitive to coconut and therefore coconut oil.  In my anti-inflammatory diet protocols I caution you to use only ghee, coconut oil, or olive oil, as your major fat sources - never vegetable oils or seed oils as they promote inflammation.  Well ghee just tastes a lot better than olive oil to me.  I wrote a newsletter a couple months back giving a step by step guide on how to make your own ghee.  Realistically most of you are not willing to go to that much effort.

I have been searching for an inexpensive source of ghee for you, and I found it last week on Amazon.  At this price it is hardly worth it to make your own ghee.  Here is where you can get some: Spicy World Ghee

This has been a kind of a shopping guide newsletter, but how we shop directly affects our health.  I can tell you all day what to eat to get healthier, but if you do not know how or where to get that food I am wasting my breath.  Here is to your good health.       

 

 

david@fairoakshealth.com

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About Dr. DeLapp

Dr. DeLapp has been a philosopher, non-force Chiropractor, medical intuitive, and health innovator for over 30 years.  He began experimenting with  medical intuition in 1972 while studying physics at UC Davis.  In addition to physics he designed and completed an individual major in the philosophy and psychology of education.  Shortly after he choose to pursue a career in the only truly health oriented profession available at that time, Chiropractic.  He graduated with honors in 1981 with his doctorate and opened a private practice. 
Since that time he has continued his research into the effects of consciousness and learning on health. 
He developed the Biomagnetic Retraining system for correcting movement abnormalities. 
Since 1991 he has focused on developing a powerful system for uncovering and assisting the mind-body connection in health and personal growth.  The in-depth coaching, guided by the subconscious direction from the body, is called Heartflow and the simpler mind-body retraining for health and unfoldment he has named Gracework.  Both are available at Fair Oaks Health.

Dr David DeLapp DC
Chiropractor

Ellen Flowers FGM
Spiritual Life Coach

 

Somatic Therapies

 

Lorena Morales