Being from tropical South East Asia, I'm quite ignorant about the fruit called pomegranate. According to wikipedia:

A pomegranate is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing to between five and eight meters tall. The pomegranate is native to the Middle East, and has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, North India, the drier parts of southeast Asia, peninsular Malaysia, the East Indies, the Mediterranean and Southern Europe and tropical Africa.[1] Introduced into Latin America and California by Spanish settlers in 1769, pomegranate is now cultivated in parts of California and Arizona for juice production.[2]

Now...research indicates that the pomegranate has the capacity of antioxidant that is two or three times higher than that of red wine and green tea. They have very high content of punicalagins, a potent anti-oxidant component found to be responsible for its superior health benefits. They are also a good source of vitamin B (riboflavin, thiamin and niacin), vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus.

These combination and other minerals in pomegranates cause a powerful synergy that prevents and reverses many
diseases.

ChicagoHealers.com Dr. Melody Hart, PhD, N.D. provides the following common ailments that are known to react positively with the use of pomegranate or its juice:

• Anemia: Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon with a little honey to a cup of pomegranate juice. Can be beneficial for women after monthly loss of blood due to menstruation.


• Anti-aging: We all know that anti-oxidant is highly effective in helping to protect the skin from free radical damage known to cause signs of aging.


• Asthma: The high content of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in this fruit is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. It can greatly reduce wheezing in young children with asthma.


• Atherosclerosis: The highly cleansing power of this miracle juice scrubs away the old build-up of arterial deposits, reducing the risks of heart diseases and stroke.


• Cholesterol: Drinking juices high in anti-oxidant has been proven to fight the oxidative stress that is the main culprit in oxidizing the LDLs in the blood.


• Dysentery: Drinking fresh pomegranate juice is an excellent remedy to soothe the pain and inflammation caused by severe diarrhea with blood and mucus in stools.


• Immune booster: The anti-oxidant nutrients in pomegranates are critical in building up your immune system. Drink juice high in anti-oxidant when you feel a cold coming.


• Morning Sickness/nausea: Mix and drink an equal amount of honey with pomegranate juice for relief.


• Sore Throat: The anti-inflammatory agent in pomegranate juice significantly reduces soreness and redness in the throat.

Wow. I learned something really important as I write this one. Now if only I can find a bottle of pomegranate juice around here...;)

According to Pediatrics, more than 10,000 children under 14 go to the emergency room each year after choking on food, and up to 77 die. 17% of food-related asphyxiations are caused by hot dogs. Despite the fat, sodium and preservatives, both kids and grown-ups just love hot dogs.

In lieu of the asphyxiations of youngsters due to hot dogs, pediatricians want warning labels on hot dogs. Moreover, they want a hot dog redesign. Just to make it choke-free.

Said Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio:

"If you were to take the best engineers in the world and try to design the perfect plug for a child's airway, it would be a hot dog. I'm a pediatric emergency doctor, and to try to get them out once they're wedged in, it's almost impossible. No parents can watch all of their kids 100% of the time. The best way to protect kids is to design these risks out of existence."

Though Smith says he doesn't know exactly how someone would redesign a hot dog, he's certain that some savvy inventor will find a way.

Is it really a redesign that's needed? Or should we just watch our kids while eating and tell them to eat and chew their food carefully?

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