Bacon IS a Miracle Food!

I don't know about you, but there is nothing worse than a bad hangover. Well, so I've heard. I've never had one. You probably don't believe that, but since my mom reads my blog, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I'm sure that you've also heard all the supposed cures for a hangover . . . taking a couple Tylenol before bed, drinking a ton of water before sleeping, greasy spoon food first thing in the morning, more drinking immediately after waking, etc. But we all know that while some of these ideas may work once, they don't really work long term or with any consistency.

But now comes news out of Great Britain that a cure for the common hangover has been discovered! What is the cure? A Bacon Sandwich! God love the Brits!

What do you think? Does this work?

Bacon sandwich really does cure a hangover
A bacon sandwich really does cure a hangover - by boosting the level of amines which clear the head, scientists have found.
Telegraph.co.uk, April 8, 2009

The reaction between amino acids in the bacon and reducing sugars in the fat is what provides the bacon sandwich with its appeal Photo: GETTY

Researchers claim food also speeds up the metabolism helping the body get rid of the booze more quickly.

Elin Roberts, of Newcastle University's Centre for Life said: "Food doesn't soak up the alcohol but it does increase your metabolism helping you deal with the after-effects of over indulgence. So food will often help you feel better.

"Bread is high in carbohydrates and bacon is full of protein, which breaks down into amino acids. Your body needs these amino acids, so eating them will make you feel good."

Ms Roberts told The Mirror: "Bingeing on alcohol depletes neurotransmitters too, but bacon contains a high level of aminos which tops these up, giving you a clearer head."

Researchers also found a complex chemical interaction in the cooking of bacon produces the winning combination of taste and smell which is almost irresistible.

The reaction between amino acids in the bacon and reducing sugars in the fat is what provides the sandwich with its appeal.

Ms Roberts said: "The smell of sizzling bacon in a pan is enough to tempt even the staunchest of vegetarians. There's something deeper going on inside. It's not just the idea of a tasty snack. There is some complex chemistry going on.

"Meat is made of mostly protein and water. Inside the protein, it's made up of building blocks we call amino acids. But also, you need some fat. Anyone who's been on a diet knows if you take all the fat from the meat, it just doesn't taste the same. We need some of the fat to give it the flavour."

She explained that the reaction released hundreds of smells and flavours but it is the smell which reels in the eater. "Smell and taste are really closely linked," she said. "If we couldn't smell then taste wouldn't be the same."

Miracle on the Hudson

Flying terrifies me. I don't like to give up control in general and always feel like I am doing that each time I'm getting on a plane. I don't know the pilots. I don't know the maintenance crew. I don't know the flight tower personnel. I don't understand how a metal tube that weighs 1 million pounds can be sustained in the air and not fall to earth in line with the laws of gravity. Random birds can bring down a plane. And yet I'm supposed to simply trust that I'll get from point A to point B safely.

Tonight, however, I feel a bit safer. Even though the general consensus is that today's US Airways flight from LaGuardia to Charlotte, North Carolina was brought down into the frigid Hudson River by a flock of birds (I don't think it was a flock of seagulls, but one never knows), the pilot and crew managed to get all 155 passengers safely off the plane with no major injuries. I've heard everyone was off the plane in 90 seconds, which is amazing to me, but I can't find it in writing.

The crew and pilot acted heroically.

We truly saw a Miracle on the Hudson today. I feel just a bit safer about flying tonight. Not that I'm going anywhere.

Pat Robertson Loves Barack???

Well, this explains why it's so damn cold in Chicago. Hell has officially frozen over.

Crazy Evangelical and Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson gives Bush a "C-" and then goes on to say he had "grave misgivings" about Obama, but is "remarkably pleased" with Obama" and believes "he has the makings of a great President."



It's a true Christmas miracle.

Must See TV! - "Marathon Love"

Gather the family around the TV on Sunday night and grab the Kleenex. In the midst of all the economic woes, we need a good heartwarming story and I think this is it. Triumph over tragedy. Miracles. A true love story.

A 'Love Story' runs through Tinley Park
Prime-time documentary follows couple's journey after devastating 1987 crash
By Bonnie Miller Rubin Tribune reporter
December 12, 2008

If the steady drumbeat of bad news—the economy, the weather, the governor—has taken its toll, gather the family around the TV Sunday night and watch "Marathon Love," the perfect antidote to relentless gloom.

The documentary, which airs at 7 p.m. Sunday in Chicago on the Discovery Health Channel, chronicles the journey of Jamie and Lynn Parks of Tinley Park, whose lives took a tragic turn in 1987, just months before their wedding. That's when Lynn McGovern's life was shattered in a horrific car accident en route to a White Sox game, suffering a devastating brainstem injury that left her cognitively impaired and unable to walk.

It would be 17 days before the 24-year-old opened her eyes and another seven months before she uttered a word. Well-meaning friends told Parks he should bail out while he still had the chance.

"I said, 'You've got to give me a better reason,' " said Parks, a mailman, who documented his fiance's arduous recovery with thousands of hours of home video.

The couple ended up tying the knot in 1994—almost seven years and thousands of hours of physical therapy after their original date. Watching the bride tentatively walking down the aisle—her father holding on to one arm, her brother on to the other—will have many viewers reaching for the Kleenex box. That might have been a fine time to roll the credits, but the nuptials represent only the first of many finish lines they cross together. An avid runner, Jamie started pushing his wife in her wheelchair rather than leave her alone during runs. (While he's at work, her mother and an aide are with Lynn, who still endures hours of therapy daily.)

Through sun and sleet, the Parkses became a fixture in their subdivision, waving to neighbors as they pass by. He entered some 5K and 10K races, eventually working up to marathons. Only now, they are joined by their "miracle baby" Annalyn, 9, who acknowledges that her parents "are pretty cool."

Along the way, there were setbacks, but last April, Jamie Parks—now 47—achieved the pinnacle of his running career: the Boston Marathon. At mile 20, Lynn talked her husband up Heartbreak Hill. In the documentary, the runner scoops up his daughter at the last quarter mile and the three finish the race together (time: 3:25:45)—a lump-in-the throat moment. Think "Rocky" meets "Love Story."

Ruth Rivin, executive producer for LMNO Productions, first heard about the Parkses in 1997. She featured them in a short segment for a show. When she heard that they qualified for the Boston Marathon, she remembered the home videos and embraced the chance to tell their story.

"It is extremely unusual to have such a treasure trove of documentation," she said. What moved the producer to share their story was that the couple "reminds us what is really important," Rivin said. "Boy meets girl. They fall in love. They stick together through whatever life throws their way. Simple, and yet so profound."

For his part, Jamie Parks is still not sure why such doggedness is worthy of prime time. "My wife is the real inspiration. If it weren't for her, I'd just be a mailman who runs," he said.

400th Post! And It's A Miracle!

This is the 400th post I have written for Little Merry Sunshine since July 1, 2007 - a short 16 months and 6 days! Congratulations to me! I have to admit, when I started, I didn't know if I'd have the discipline to write regularly. It's safe to say now that I was wrong. Writing LMS has given me a great outlet when I feel stressed or when I want to share something from my day or a soapbox to share my political beliefs. Sometimes I rely on others for my ideas, sometimes I simply reprint their posts if I think they can say it better than I can, but I prefer to share my own thoughts.

Today, for example, has been an incredibly stressful day. There's some stuff going on in my family that has taken a great deal of my attention and today was no exception.

Just when I thought today was a lost cause I called Nana. It's been a couple of weeks since I've spoken to her and as I've discussed before, she has been steadily going down hill the last couple of years. When I last spoke with her, she could say my name and also knew my voice, which was a vast improvement.

This afternoon's call took my breath away. As the nurse took Nana the phone, I heard her say "Frances, your granddaughter is on the phone." The next words I heard were from my Nana, "How's my granddaughter, Jessica?" A whole sentence! But it didn't stop there. We had a whole conversation and she didn't rush off the phone. She was 100% in the present, remembered our last conversation, and knew about the Presidential Election. I told her I was there, in Grant Park, and I could hear the smile on her face. We talked for about 5 minutes and I promised to call back in a day or two and I will.

I can't explain why after 18 months her voice is suddenly strong again, she is completely in the present, and she's no longer muttering incoherently. All I know is that it's a miracle. There may be some medical explanation, but I don't care. God does work in mysterious ways.

I've missed my Nana and although I know she will never be the woman she was again, I love having her mostly back.

Big News! Nana Knew Me!

This is such huge wonderful news that I had to take a break from my break to share!

I try to call Nana regularly, but it's really difficult because most of the time she is asleep. When I am lucky enough to get her on the phone, she doesn't seem to know me.

But Friday was her 92nd birthday and it was important to me that I speak to her. So I've been calling multiple times a day hoping I might find her awake. Finally, late this afternoon I called and the nurses were just getting ready to take her to dinner, so she was awake. I could hear the nurse telling her she had a phone call, but for some reason, the nurse didn't tell Nana who was calling.

"Hello Nana" I said, without identifying myself. I wasn't being mean, she interrupted me before I could get the words out.

"Hi Jessie" was her immediate response. She hasn't been able to say Jessica in probably a year.

The two most beautiful words in the world.

I then told her I loved her, wished I could wrap my arms around her and hug her, and was very happy to hear her sweet voice. She didn't want to talk, so our conversation was over.

But she knew me.

For the first time all year without prodding from the nurse or my mom or me. Nana knew me.

Nana's 92nd birthday was Friday, but I received the gift.