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Asclepeion Center News
From Ron Murray
- Fall 2006
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With that big cooking holiday coming, we decided to publish an article on cookware in our Fall newsletter. There are some potential risks in cookware materials. Materials used to make pots, pans and bakeware can enter the food we eat. The following is a summary of various types of cookware and how to use them safely.

Aluminum: Foods cooked and stored in aluminum can react with the metal to form aluminum salts that we then ingest. Although there is no definitive link, these salts have been associated with impaired visual motor coordination and Alzheimer’s disease. If you must use regular aluminum cookware, keep them in good condition: the more pitted and worn out pot, the more aluminum will be absorbed. Also, the longer food is cooked or stored in aluminum, the greater amount gets into the food, so minimize food storage and cook time with these types of pots. Avoid cooking highly acidic foods like tomato sauce in aluminum pans. Manufacturers of aluminum warn that acidic foods may cause more aluminum than usual to enter the food.

Anodized Aluminum: This is aluminum that has been treated to develop an aluminum oxide coating on the surface of the cookware. The manufacturers of Calphalon, the best-selling brand of anodized aluminum cookware, claim that a final stage in the process seals the aluminum and prevents any leaching into foods. Because of the aluminum oxide coating (which is very hard and non-reactive), this type of cookware doesn’t react to acidic foods. Therfore, if you chose to use aluminum cookware, anodized aluminum is the best choice for cooking sauces with tomato, wine, vinegar and lemon.

Stainless Steel: This cookware is made by mixing steel with chromium and nickel. Stainless steal is generally thought of as safe unless you have an undiagnosed allergy to nickel (which has happened). Small doses of chromium are good for your health, but it can be harmful in higher amounts. One meal prepared with stainless steel gives you about 45 micrograms of chromium; the safe intake range is about 50 to 200 micrograms a day, so keep those numbers in mind if you cook exclusively with stainless steel.

Nonstick Pans: There are two issues with nonstick pans that should be mentioned. The first is that they can become scratched and the prefluorocarbon resin (the coating) can chip off and end up in your food. The FDA maintains that this substance will pass through your body and do no harm. The other concern has to do with the fumes that the coating emits under high heat. The FDA reports that the only time the nonstick coatings are at risk is when they are heated to temperatures greater than 482 degrees Fahrenheit. In this case, the coatings can give off irritating or poisonous fumes. Out of caution, DuPont refuses to license housewares manufacturers that produce Silverstone (a popular prefluorcarbon brand) burner bibs because these pans can become extremely hot. If you use non-stick pans, keep them safer by not scrubbing them with abrasive scouring pads or cleansers.

Cast Iron: Cooking with cast iron provides a source of an important nutrient, iron. Some nutritionists suggest that foods cooked in unglazed cast iron contain twice or more the amount of iron they would contain otherwise. Uncoated cast iron is a great choice for browning, sautéing and baking. To prevent rust damage, the inside of cast iron cookware should be coated frequently with unsalted cooking oil. Also, cast iron should not be washed with strong detergents or scoured, and it should be wiped dry immediately after rinsing. Best routine is to wash the cast iron skillet lightly, dry it with a towel, and then season it with some cooking oil.

Enameled Iron: This is cast iron coated with a porcelain enamel. It is safe to use for all types of cooking. There is no lead or cadmium used in the enameling process today.

Crock-pots: Lead is used in some glazes for these slow-cooking pots. Tests done by the FDA found that the amount of lead that leached into food “did not exceed FDA standards.” If you are concerned about lead in your food, use an enameled cast iron Dutch oven or glazed terra cotta cookware for slow cooking.

Glazed terra cotta, and Glazed Ceramic: Safe for cookware, plates, mugs, serving platters, etc. Just be sure that the label reads, “Safe for food use” and try to avoid using pottery items such as pitchers and mugs from Mexico or Latin America due to the potentially high levels of lead.

Glass: Oven safe glass is safe to use.

Plastic: Using plastic containers and wrap for anything other than their original purpose can cause health problems. With wrap, the concern is that food may absorb some of the plasticizer, the material that helps make it flexible. This is most likely to happen at high temperatures, when microwaving, or with fatty or oily foods like cheese and meat. Only use plastic wrap in the microwave if it says it is microwave save. This rule applies to plastic containers as well.

Bamboo: Bamboo steamers and paddles, as well as wooden spoons, chopsticks and crockery are non-reactive and are considered to have no harmful effects during cooking. Bamboo steamers are dishwasher safe.

Cooking and storing tips to reduce toxicity:
  • Store your food in glass, not plastic (when possible)
  • Do not use Styrofoam cups for drinking (especially hot drinks!)
  • When cooking, keep your kitchen well ventilated
  • Plastic cookware handles that get too hot may emit toxic fumes. Choose cookware with handles that stay cool on the stovetop for a reasonable amount of time but are oven-safe (e.g. glass ceramic or stainless steel tubular)
Heel is one of the largest homeopathic pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world, with distribution in over 60 countries. “Heel” stands for Herba est ex luce, which translates to “plants come from the light.” Heel conducts continuous clinical research and scientific investigations to determine product efficacy and safety. We are proud to introduce Heel’s first sleep aid, Neurexan. Neurexan is for the temporary relief of insomnia, restless sleep, and an overactive mind. Neurexan combines four all-natural, active ingredients in a gentle formula to help align your “body clock.” These ingredients have been used for centuries in both the botanical realm as well as in homeopathy for insomnia and other sleep disturbances.

Safe and effective for:
  • Sleep Disturbances
  • Insomnia
  • Restless & nervous sleep
  • Stabilizing the body’s natural day and night sleep rhythm

    • Why you should use Neurexan:
  • An all natural approach
  • Non habit forming
  • Suitable for long-term use
  • No known side effects
  • No known drug interactions
  • Doctor formulated
    		•
    With the cool weather coming in, there is nothing like a warming massage. Our staff person, Toni Walter, BA, LMT, is not only an accomplished massage therapist but also has recently taken CranioSacral Therapy I through The Upledger Institute. So you can now receive a little cranial work along with your massage with Toni. Lisa Pawar-Grimaldi, BA, LMT, continues to offer her soothing and healing combination of, massage, cranial and lymph drainage work. For an appointment call 301-495-0933 x4#.
    I entered my daughters home to the sound of 4½ year old Sarah sobbing and wailing. “What’s wrong?” I asked my daughter Katheryn, who was looking a bit bedraggled. I had to tell her that she couldn’t pull a chair up to the hot stove while I was cooking and she insists that she wants to help me cook.” By this time my son in law David had entered the scene. Sarah ran to him, threw her arms around his legs and said, “Daddy please, please tell Mommy that she can’t say no to me anymore - it’s just too upsetting to me!” Of course, we all tried not to laugh and Dave talked with her about how "no" is sometimes necessary. Life eventually returned to normal with Sarah on Daddy’s lap at the computer and Katheryn cooking in the kitchen.

    The episode, though, really made me stop and think about how difficult it is for all of us to receive a “no” when we really want a “yes” and about the different ways that we as adults handle receiving a no response. I, for example, am always a little shocked, disappointed, and in that energy make some attempt to turn it around to my getting my own way. Sometimes I get stuck and sometimes I accept. Occasionally, I can turn the experience into an opportunity for an equally good but different “yes” response (i.e., a closed door encourages me to look for another door).

    It might be interesting for you to look at your earliest memories of being told a strong “no” and your feelings around it. You could begin by remembering the felt sense of the last time someone told you no about something that you really cared about and how you experienced it in your body. Then track that felt sense back to the earliest time that you can remember and think about how that early experience has shaped the you of today.
    I am larger and better then I thought. I did not think I held so much goodness.
    ~ Walt Whitman

    I’ve been thinking lately that for us to radically accept life, we need to see clearly the full truth of it. I have always thought that our spiritual task was to see the world as it is and still be able to move through it with an open heart. However, seeing the world as it is means seeing not only the vulnerability and suffering of ourselves and others, but also seeing the strengths, good fortune, and the basic goodness of ourselves and others – particularly ourselves.

    Even when we may feel ashamed or depressed, resentful or insecure, we must not give up on ourselves. Forgiveness of self and others releases the armor of resentment and blame that surrounds our hearts and often prevents us from feeling the goodness in ourselves and others. Maybe we can all set an early Thanksgiving intention to reconnect ourselves to the goodness and loving awareness that is our true nature – to the healing power of our own compassionate presence.

    Thanks to Tara Brach, Ph.D. and her thoughts published in Radical Acceptance that inspired this column
    At the Asclepeion Center for Body Mind Healing we strive to dwell ever more deeply in the tradition of honoring both Asclepeius, the Greek god of healing, and Hippocrates, the Greek physician, father of traditional medicine. Our aim is to wisely blend all potential aids to bring people ailing in body, mind, and spirit back to optimum health.

    Enjoy a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

    Ronald Murray P.T., N.D., Dr. of Integrated Medicine
    Wendi Evans P.T.
    Jackie Hutchison MPT, BCIA-PMDB
    Hannah Bradford B.A. L.Ac.
    Toni Walter B.A., L.M.T.
    Lisa Pawar-Grimaldi B.A. L.M.T.
    Alyse Shockey N.D.
    Wendy Van Zile L.M.T., Office Manager
    Nancy Mathews B.A., M.Div., Staff
    Lisa Wimenitz B.A., Staff
    Sharles Patterson, Staff

    Thank you for continuing to let us serve you!

    Warmly,
    Ron and the Staff
    Asclepeion Center for Body Mind Therapy

    phone: 301-495-0933

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