>Thank you for your thorough and honest comments on yesterday’s poston animal research. I was anticipating a lot of negative comments so either 1) only scientists reading my blog 2) PETA is crazy or 3) you got the gist of what I was trying to say.
Either way, I hope that I was able to show you another [positive] side of animal research.
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Well, I finally have a few days off. It comes at a good time because my family decided to surprise us with a visit. Made my MONTH!
But I’m starting to come down with a cold 😦
So a get-better-vitamin-packed-protein-smoothie it is!
>I’ve been debating posting this topic for some time now because I know it’s near and dear to many hearts. I anticipated many quick judgements and a whole slew of negative posts but decided to roll with it because I think many of you may be misinformed….
The other day, while shopping I came across this gem and without thinking, I said to myself “Ughhh I HATE Peta“.
Now don’t get me wrong, I eat vegan/vegetarian 85% of the time, don’t wear animal fur, and DO support animal rights. What I don’t support is Peta’s interfering with everything if an animal is involved. I find them outright obnoxious, to the point where I can’t take anything they say/do seriously.
Remember this?
PETA called the fly swat an “execution” and wanted the President to show a little more compassion to even the least sympathetic animals. source
Of all things that bother me about PETA, is their interference on research using animals.
Now before you freakkkk on me, hear me out. There are a few factors you must consider. And I challenge you. For, the best debater knows the other side [and knows it well].
1.I amnot referring to the testing of cosmetics, perfumes, etc. I am referring to life-saving drugs such as chemotherapy and antibodies, that treat terminal illnesses like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and save lives.
The astonishing conservation of gene function across vast evolutionary distance has made animal models more useful than we have imagined and probably accelerated biomedical research by decades, if not centuries” – Dr. Nancy Hopkins, professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
2.Most “animal research” is done in fruit fliesand zebra fish
Dr. Hopkins’ research using zebrafish has shown that “many of the same genes that cause cancer in humans can also cause cancer when introduced or mutated in fish. And in some instances zebra fish have advantages over mouse models, because fish tumors contain an abnormal number of chromosomes, which is common in human tumors but not mice “. source
3.Every drugon the market (from aspirin to chemotherapy) must be tested before providing to humans because dosing and determining side-effects are crucial. A side effect of unknownconcentration is often death, if provided in the incorrect dosage.
There is no way (and correct me if I’m wrong), you would volunteer yourself or a loved one to take a new drug that’s never been tested in a mouse and just “hope for the best”. Your chance of survival, since most drugs are extremely potent until dosing is established, would be extremely slim. In other worlds, a concentration of 1mg of drug X does not equal 1 mg of drug Y, even if the drugs are similar. One could offer no therapeutic benefit while the other could kill you.
4. There is no other alternative [yet]. If there was a way to create an artificial cell that contained functional DNA, RNA, proteins, transcription factors, signaling pathways, organelles (you get the picture), we would use it.
If you can artificially create this (image of ONE cell), you’ll win the next Nobel.
5. Scientists don’t want to test on animals. If your loved one was dying, I’m sure you’d prefer her radioactive drug to be tested in a zebra fish or mouse before her. Scientists are people too. They have hearts and souls. No one LIKES doing animal research, but no one also likes seeing millions of children and adults die each year from terminal diseases.
6. Scientists don’t just put drugs into dogs, monkeys, horses, etc.They start with single CELLS.
Here’s how it goes:
A scientist wants to test drug X (a new chemo drug) to see A) if it works and B) if it kills the right cells (cancer cells and not healthy cells). The scientist first adds drug X to a variety of cancer and healthy cell lines, each grown in a separate petridishes.
Cancer cells growing in flasks
If the results are statistically significant, the scientist would move onto other cell lines. If those results were good he/she might look at the drug in fish. If those results look good he/she might design a mouse study, then a rat study, etc. The chances of a drug getting past a rat model are very slim, because there aremany safeguards in place, numerous regulations surrounding the ethical treatment of animals, and for the simple fact that most new trials fail before moving past the mouse phase (i.e. don’t yield good data).
7. There are numerous safeguards, laws, regulations, committees, etc. that work closely with all research institutions to insure the safety and well being on animals while fostering the continued growth of biomedical research. For example, mice undergoing surgery as part of a study are subjected to the same pain-reducing measures applied to humans (anesthesia, etc.)
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So what am I trying to accomplish by posting this? I didn’t mean to turn this into a “I hate Peta campaign“, because I know they do some good things. I wish other pro-animal rights groups that are in existence (there are MANY, just only known to the science-world) would come into the public eye so Peta wasn’t the only one making “news” headlines. Because there are a lot of great groups out there, ones that work closely with scientists generating groundbreaking research.
Still have questions? Does any of this surprise you? If you are still against all animal research, would you refuse a life-saving drug?
>Hey guys, hope you had a nice holiday weekend. For those of you back to work, welcome back. For the lucky rest of you taking off time until New Years, I am envious.
I worked 12.5 hours day – long, I know. I posted on Twitter that I’ve been walking [fast] for the last 12 hours and no matter how many times I do it, it doesn’t get [physically] easier. 8 hour shifts on the unit (I work on a transplant floor of a hospital) go by sooo fast. It’s the last 4 hours that test my perseverance 😉
So now I’m home, cuddled up on the couch with a glass of vino…
And patiently waiting while Kels (sister) cooks dinner. Life is good, my friends. Who doesn’t like to be waited on, right? In the meantime, I decided to take some pics of Michael with my new camera…
This one cracks me up.
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Dinner was pretty fantastic. Kelsey’s scallops are to-die-for.
Lightly seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and tossed with fresh garlic.
Served with red quinoa and roasted asparagus
Quinoa (boil until soft)
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup organic chicken broth (can use veggie)
1/4 t cumin
pinch cayenne
sea salt
black pepper
Asparagus
Steam until soft
Toss in diced garlic, evoo, s/p
Satay until garlic is roasted
Broil 5 mins until crispy
Love.
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Well I’m off to bed, have to be on the [hospital] floor for 7am! eek. See you tomorrow..
>To those that celebrate, Merry Christmas! If you don’t celebrate, I hope you were still put in the holiday spirit 🙂
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This year I was not able to attend my family’s annual Christmas Eve bash because I had to work. At first I was very upset by this, but the day turned out to be quite a surprise. In the days leading up to Christmas my patients would ask me whether I was traveling home to be with my family. When I replied “no” and that I was spending it with my sister and boyfriend here in DC, they felt sorry for me. Yes, the patients, many of whom have spent months in the hospital away from their families, felt bad for me. This made me really consider what they’re going through.
To spread a little extra cheer I purchased new apparel…
Christmas scrubs!
As it turned out, working on Christmas Eve was my pleasure. Spreading a little extra cheer and hope for the [very] sick patients on my floor was the best Christmas present I could have asked for.
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When I returned home from my 12 hour shift, the Manfriend greeted me with champagne…
…and an elaborate dinner
5 courses, 5 wine pairings.
How am I so lucky?
I didn’t take pictures of each dish, but I did capture one and I promise the recipe for this amazing salad in the very near future…
Boston bib lettuce
caramelized pecans (homemade)
Mandarin oranges
onions
blackberry vinaigrette (homemade)
What a guy 🙂
* * * *
After waking this morning afternoon, I made brunch (protein pancakerecipe here)
We opened presents and watched holiday movies all day ❤
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How did you celebrate Christmas?
If you don’t celebrate, did you get into the holiday spirit?
The first trip was incredibly successful. On the list:
– Mom – Dad – Brother – Sister-in-law (to be) – Michael (puppy) – Secret Santa
Kelsey (sister) was my shopping buddy. We even hit up Dog Fish Ale House for dinner. If you’re a beer drinker and from the DC/VA/MD are, chances are you drink this stuff. I, on the other hand, am not a beer drinker. I never did like the taste. Wine is my thang.
We started with a bottle of Cabernet recommended by the server:
It. was. disgusting.
I’ve never sent back wine before (unless it was corked) but this one tasted like sugar-y, syrup-y, grossness. I do not recommend.
This one, on the contrary, was pretty fantastic:
Dinner was good. Kels and I split the grilled salmon:
Veggies sauteed in olive oil rather than butter
And seared ahi tuna:
And a side of steamed spinach (drizzled in EVOO, lemon, S&P)
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TodayI had the day off. I woke around 10am, caught up on the news, and made a breakfast classic..
After digesting, the Manfriend and I jogged to the gym (1 mile each way), then I BodyPumped while he lifted and jump roped (fun fact: my brother and bf are crazy-good jump ropers)
We lunched on Soup courteous of Amy then I hit the streets for day #2 of holiday shopping. Fortunately Georgetown has amazing stores so I didn’t have to walk far. And after 2 shopping trips, I finished the Manfriend’s gifts and I’m D-O-N-E!
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For holidays, birthdays, etc., are you an early-bird shopper or procrastinator like me?
>In the spirit of confessions, I have another one..
Ihaven’t started Christmas shopping yet. Whoops. But today’s the day. Before I head out for my run, I wanted to share a few favorites I’ve been enjoying recently..
Peanut Butter & Banana oats
1/3 cup oats (soaked in 1 cup almond milk overnight)
1/4 cup egg whites
1/8 cup peanut flour
banana
stevia
cinnamon
pinch sea salt
peanut butter drizzle
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Trader Joe’s Lentil Vegetable soup
I add:
pinch cayenne (for heat)
1/4 t cumin (because I love it)
2 T nutritional yeast (for added protein)
*total protein for meal = 25g!
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Tea at bedtime
A hot shower + tea puts me in the sleepy mood
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What have you been enjoying lately?
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Completely unrelated but if you want a good laugh…
Oh, I completely forgot to post a picture of our massive tree! Since we’re all working over Christmas (unfortunately hospitals are still open on holidays, heh), we figured it’s go big, or go home!
Pic doesn’t do justice on it’s size
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After a long day (errands, gym, then work 3-11:30pm), I made a snack plate of veggies, hummus, turkey slices, and cottage cheese then prepared a beverage because although I had to work, it’s still Friday night, right?
Skinny Margarita
2 oz clear tequila
1/2 oz triple sec
~3 lime wedges
dash stevia
splash soda water
splash OJ
Love.
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Alright I’m headed to bed, it’s been a long day. Have a fabulous weekend!
>Like the title? I promise an explanation in a sec…
Today I had the day off. That meant what it usually does: Waking up around 10am, making breakfast and a big ole mug of coffee, catching up on the news and my favorite blogs, then hitting the gym. Today was no different. Is that weird? Do you have a “routine” on your days off?
Breakfast was Raspberry Vanilla Oats
1/3 cup oats
1 cup almond milk
1 t chia seeds
1/2 t flax seeds
stevia, cinnamon, nutmeg
1/4 cup raspberries
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (added after cooking)
pecans to garnish
I didn’t capture any pictures of my coffee but I can estimate for you my caffeine intake was quite high today. It was one of those mornings. I did capture a nice pic of our back deck..
We have SNOW in DC!
Now onto the R&R of the day…
Confession #1: My sister and I recently reached a milestone. We successfully re-watched all 10 seasons of [the old-school] 90210:
Now let’s do some math:
10 seasons x 30 episodes/season = 300 episodes 300 episodes x 45 mins = 225 hours or 9.33 days of 90210!
Why am I admitting this again??
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For lunch I was in the veggie mood..
Veggies and hummus
And then snacked on yogurt and fruit…
1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt, frozen raspberries, frozen pineapple, stevia
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When my eyes were ready to bleed from watching too much Donna Martin, I ventured to the gym for a 30 min spinning class followed by BodyPump. I seriously can’t get enough BodyPump. I love feeling STRONG!
After a muscle-pumping sesh, I refueled with an easy peasybig bowl of thai curry veggies & chickpeas:
Step #1: Boil veggies
Butternut squash, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans
Ok, and now for Confession #2: I’ve been reading a lot of other blogger’s winter skincare routines. It got me thinking: What’s my skin care secret? And then I immediately thought, do I want to share this secret? Not because I want to keep the magic to myself, but because it’s a little embarrassing. If you happen to watch Real Housewives of NJ, you know that Caroline shaves her face because she claims it keeps her face super soft and is the best exfoliant that she’s ever tried. Well I have a problem, I have the worlds most dry nose. No matter what I do, it’s always flaky in the winter months. So I figured, why not shave my nose? I tried it, and viola! I’ve been doing this once per month all winter and no more flaky dry skin on my nose! TMI?? Perhaps!
>Hi everyone! Sorry I haven’t posted in a few days, I’ve been quite busy. So a little rewind is in order….
Sunday was one of those “perfect days”. You wake up early and efficiently spend 100% of every minute doing something that makes you happy. Sunday morning, the Manfriend and I ran the Jingle All the Way 10K together.
It’s one of my favorite races, but this year, it was…
Rainy!
We ended up running 8.2 miles because parking was ~1 mile from the start/finish lines, and it was just waaaay too cold to walk.
Done. And soaked!
Allllmost to car
As soon as we got home I took a looooong HOT shower until I could feel my toes again. And then the most beautiful and glorious thing happened…
A nap! Now you must know, naps are my thing. In college and grad school I napped between and after class all the time. I was usually up late studying and up again early for 8am class, so I had to squeeze them in when I could.
Why do I love napping so much, you may be asking? Because I have mastered the perfect nap.
Steps: #1 Take a hot (and possibly lengthy) shower or bath #2 Towel off then dress yourself in a warm [dry] robe. I prefer floor length. #3 Wrap hair in towel #4 Have a snack if you’re hungry (after the race it was hot tea + Greek yogurt w/ fruit for me) #5 Turn on fan to eliminate noise if needed #6 Use hair towel to cover pillow case #7 Set an alarm (or 5, if you’re like me) #8 Drift away in your warm and cozy cocoon
Mmmmmm.
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When I woke, it was time to get baking for the DC Blogger Cookie Exchange! The Manfriend offered to help, so we blasted holiday music and got cooking! I found about the event last minute so Lisa was so nice to let me come to her apartment packed with tons of other foodies 🙂
On the menu (1 of 3 cookies I made):
Dark Chocolate & Coconut Macaroon Cookie Balls
(Refined-sugar, butter, oil, and gluten-free!)
Secret ingredient (makes em extra moist):
In a large bowl, combine:
1.5 cups coconut flour
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 eggs
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 cup almond milk
dark chocolate chunks
stevia (~7 servings)
1 t vanilla
1/4 t sea salt
coconut milk (to moisten, ~1/2 cup)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F
Spray baking sheet with baking spray
Roll into cookie balls
Bake for ~10 mins or until cooked throughout (bottoms become slightly browned)
Line new pan/plate with parchment paper (sprayed with cooking spray)
Dip 1/2 cookie ball in melted dark chocolate
Let cook until chococlate hardens
Savor.
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I saw some familiar faces and met so many new friends! Thanks again Lisa for hosting us! We chatted over wine, spiked cider, appetizers, and more cookies than I’ve ever seen in my entire life! It was a blast 🙂
I thought the excitement was done for day until I arrived home to a lavish dinner prepared by the Manfriend.
Biochemista 
