How happy is your kitchen?

In Eastern and Oriental traditions, the fourth day of the New Year is a time reserved for cooking a wonderful and festive meal, as well as for acknowledging the kitchen, the one room that nurtures and nourishes us. Many Eastern cultures hold a deep belief that there are spirits in every room of the home.

According to ancient legend, the most influential spirit of any home is thought to reside in the kitchen, so in the cultures that believe such things, they are taught to 'talk' to their kitchens. They will greet their kitchens with a hearty and happy 'good morning' and they'll do whatever it takes to make sure that their kitchen spirits are healthy and happy. The belief goes that if the kitchen is happy, then you will be as well. So be sure to send love to the kitchen as you cook your culinary heart out today.

Also be sure to offer the scents from the fabulous food to the spirits who watch over you and yours. If you want to take this effort a step further you can also affix a small mirror behind or on the backwash of the stove. This appliance is said to be the 'cooker' in the kitchen, the one thing that makes sure that your food sustains and fills you. Placing a mirror in this particular space is said to double the abundance from the cooker and bring you health, happiness and prosperity, three things you'll want seconds and thirds of!
Daily Feng Shui Tip by Ellen Whitehurst

I work better when I am comfortable, too

COMFORTABLE COWS INCREASE MILK PRODUCTION

Using sand as a cow bed instead of straw and remodeling their cow houses for improved comfort has increased milk production, says Farmer Garrick Hall of Hall Jersey’s in Cove, Utah in this month’s edition of Food Nutrition & Science. The September issue features an interview with Hall as part of its monthly article on how farming efforts directly relate to our food supply.

Phil Lempert, founder of Food Nutrition & Science and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com comments “It’s fascinating that a cow or any animal with improved comforts can increase profitability for a farmer and improve the quality of our food supply. This dialog is important to help us better understand the food chain and keep it thriving and safe.”

With more than 26,000 subscribers that are mostly retailers, Food Nutrition & Science is a free monthly newsletter with articles relating to retailers, manufacturers, farmers, nutritionists, educators, government agencies and more. It’s also a newsletter that services members of the National Grocer Association and offers breaking food news and articles on food safety and industry-wide green initiatives.

In addition to farming article about Hall, this month’s publication also features a study on consumer attitudes toward genetically modified foods. According to a study from Wageningen University in The Netherlands and published in Food Quality and Preference last month, consumer attitudes toward genetically modified products could be more favorable when driven by personally relevant benefits.

“The study found that acceptance of genetically modified food as a process increased with perceived personal benefits – in this case a reduction of allergic reactions to apples,” said Lempert. “With the increase in food allergies, perhaps people will be more open to genetically modified foods and this will certainly impact farmers, scientists, retailers and consumers.”

Other articles this month include research results of a study examining the purchasing behaviors of college students when food items were labeled indicating the products healthfulness; results from an Independent Grocers Survey detailing net profit margins; and an article on how to deal with picky eaters from Nutritionist Beth Stark.

For more information or to subscribe to Food Nutrition & Science, please visit www.FoodNutritionScience.com.

Read articles by Madelyn Miller at www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.carladynews.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com