Hoppin John Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
• 2 small smoked ham hocks or meaty ham bone
• 2 medium onions, divided
• 3 large cloves garlic, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 can (10 to 14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with chile peppers, juices reserved
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced
• 2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 green onions, sliced

Preparation:

In a large Dutch oven or kettle, combine the black-eyed peas, ham bone or ham hocks, and 6 cups water.

 

Cut 1 of the onions in half and add it to the pot along with the garlic and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until the beans are tender but not mushy, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the ham bone or hocks, cut off the meat; dice and set aside. Drain the peas and set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaf, onion pieces, and garlic.

 

Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is almost tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

 

Mince the remaining onion then add to the rice along with the peas, tomatoes, and their juices, red and green bell pepper, celery, jalapeno pepper, Creole seasoning, thyme, cumin, and salt. Cook until the rice is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced green onions and the reserved diced ham. Serve with hot sauce and freshly baked cornbread.

 

Source:  http://southernfood.about.com/od/blackeyedpeas/r/bl80308c.htm

Elton John and David Furnish have a son via Surrogate

Finally, Elton John can call himself a father.

The pop rock superstar and his long-time husband, David Furnish, announced to US Weekly, that they have had a child via a surrogate mother in California. Their son, named Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, was born on Christmas day, and weighed seven pounds and 15 ounces.

"We are overwhelmed with happiness and joy at this very special moment," the new fathers told the magazine. "Zachary is healthy and doing really well, and we are very proud and happy parents."

It's been a long road for John and Furnish in their quest to be fathers; in 2009, they were denied the right to adopt an HIV-positive toddler from the Ukraine, due to John's age and the country's lack of recognition of civil unions rendering him single by their laws.

John said that he still planned to support the child and his brother financially, and now has a son of his own, too. And one with the name Levon, one of John's many well-known songs.

Source:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/27/elton-john-david-furnish-have-son-via-surrogate_n_801803.html

Raynaud's syndrome

Help for Cold Hands

Dealing with cold hands from time to time is normal. But if your fingers are constantly cold or stay chilled long after the rest of your body warms up there could be a problem.

Relief is possible from some unlikely treatments.

The Midwest winter makes keeping our hands warm a challenge. But what if your digits get icy cold and seem to stay that way for hours? Some people even have the problem all year round. It was happening to Erinn Connelly.

"Started with the two right fingers here. These two digits started turning snow white in July. Just the tips and then it started working its way up," said Connelly.

Connelly says she's always been a person who chills easily. But when her hands started changing colors she knew it was serious. She is now getting relief at the Cold Hand Clinic at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

So, how do you know if your cold hands are a sign of something more?

"Cold hands after a cold exposure is a normal, physiological phenomenon. However, it should not take more than 20 minutes to warm your hands," said Dr. Nadera Sweiss, rheumatologist, University of Chicago Medical Center.

When the body is chilled, smaller vessels in the skin constrict and blood is redirected from the arteries near the surface to those deeper in the body. For most people, once they get back in a warm environment normal flow returns. But hands that don't warm up could be a signal of a problem with your blood circulation or the vessels.

"There are multiple diseases that could cause cold hands," said Dr. Sweiss.

Heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, arthritis, anemia, underactive thyroid, diabetes, even smoking or injury can be the underlying cause. Autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma and lupus can also affect the hands. And one of the more common vascular diseases linked to cold hands is Raynauds. It's what Connelly was finally diagnosed with.

Doctors even suspect the decreased blood flow from Raynaud's disease was affecting other parts of her body and may have been responsible for six miscarriages she suffered in between her successful pregnancies.
Raynauds causes smaller arteries to narrow limiting blood circulation. And one unlikely treatment: Botox. The same medication used to smooth wrinkles can temporarily stop vessels from constricting. Connelly says her hands are pinker and warmers since getting the shots in October. Doctors are now trying it on her cold feet.

"Botox can paralyze the blood vessels and allow them to dilate and allow more blood to flow to the fingers," said Dr. Sweiss.

There are no FDA-approved treatments for cold hand syndrome so physicians may use medications off label such as Botox, Prozac and even impotence drugs such as Cialis or Viagra seem to help get the blood flowing in the hands. In the most serious cases surgery is also an option.

Besides being an annoyance and painful, the lost circulation can lead to ulcers and gangrene.

"Even if you have a minimal problem, you could get that treated and live a more fuller life," said Dr. Ginard Henry, plastic surgeon, University of Chicago Medical Center.

Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago also has a cold hand clinic.

Having chilly hands isn't reason for alarm. It can be a normal physiological response. Doctors say just being stressed out can make your hands cold. It's time to seek medical guidance, according to experts, when the problem doesn't go away. And one thing doctors stress is if you have an issue with cold hands prevention is key. Once you let your hands get cold, you're making yourself susceptible to problems.

Source:  http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/health&id=7835476