Greetings! My friend Howie Axelrod of Ashland, is a great guy and a world traveler. His nature photographs will be on display from Jan. 19 through Feb. 28 in the ground floor gallery at the Ashland Library at 66 Front Street, Ashland, MA. This is the 3rd consecutive year that the library has displayed my work. (Mon Closed | Tu-Th 10am-8pm | Fri 2pm-5pm | Sat 10am-5pm | Sun Closed This show highlights men, women and children from around the globe, often in native dress. Subjects include Maasi tribesmen and tribeswomen, children living in jungle huts along the far reaches of the Amazon, a shaman at work in a Guatemalan street market, colorful Kuna Indian men, women and children of the remote San Blas Islands, even a snake charmer in a Moroccan souk. People are Howie’s natural and favorite subject. His photographs portray the boundless diversity that we as humans bring to this planet. It is Howie’s wish that your mind and heart are touched in the same way that meeting and photographing the people of planet Earth has enriched him. Please forward me your natural ideas that deserve some attention. Sincerely Yours, David Kagan, B.S., M.B.A, Health Educator david www.kaganmedia.net Staples In Every Kitchen If you believe in balanced eating, perhaps you also believe that Salt (yang) and Sugar (yin) can be our downfall. While a diet rich in whole grain products and well cooked vegetables, beans and soups, etc. is great, sometimes this is not possible, or conflicts with our desire to eat socially. When this happens, there are many foods and remedies that can help. We all should know about them and keep them on hand. A few staples… 1) Umeboshi Plums-In addition to being wonderful for creating delicious dishes, sauces and dressings, these are like nature’s tums. After a rich meal (salty or especially sweet), they can fix an acid condition in minutes. They are expensive, but last a long time. Available at Whole Foods and online. Avoid those with MSG. 2) Daikon (Japanese white) Radish-These are long and sometimes have greens on the end, and look like horseradish. They are spicy, especially the fat ones, and when finely grated. Mix with shoyu (healthy soy sauce) and serve with animal foods (e.g. Japanese restaurants), or afterwards. This helps to digest animal fats. Also great cooked, pickled and dried, or in stirfries and soups. Available at Whole Foods or Asian groceries. 3) Kuzu Root-This white rock (or powder) is found in abundance down South in Louisiana, and eases digestion after oily foods. Mix a heaping teaspoon with water, add to a pot with an 1/2 cup of water and heat stirring constantly. If you want to counter salt, add a 1/2 cup of apple juice, cook one minute and drink. If you want to counter sugar or oil, add umeboshi plum (and no apple juice), cook for a minute, then add a few drops shoyu and drink. Eases constipation, and digestion. Effective when done upon rising.