“On May 11, the White House announced it was targeting a new threat to America’s health and security. It wasn’t some rogue nation or terrorist organization, or a newfound disease or environmental threat. It was a class of chemicals that are making Americans fat. They’re called endocrine disrupting chemicals, or EDCs. And chances are you’re eating or drinking them right now.

The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity released a report called “Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation.” In the report they list endocrine-disrupting chemicals as a possible reason for increased obesity in the country and describe how scientists have coined a new term for these chemicals — “obesogens” — because they “may promote weight gain and obesity.”

What does this mean for you? It means that weight gain is not just about calories-in versus calories-out.”

Read More Here: http://shine.yahoo.com/event/loveyourbody/why-you-cant-lose-those-last-10-pounds-1964849/

Salmon for Life

By Abu Abdulllah Smarte

I love eating salmon. There’s nothing more satisfying to my taste buds than biting into a piece of barbecued salmon with seared glaze. So, there I was one day sitting face to face with my prepared, and soon to be digested, feast in a quiet section of an upscale restaurant – a true salmon lover’s dream. As I lunged forward with my knife and fork, it happened. Introspection. The one word that a connoisseur of fine food dreads since, ideally, nothing, not even thoughts, must stand between the food and the grumbling stomach.

I am not sure when introspection struck. It may have been sometime between my hasty grab for the cutlery and my lunge towards the salmon with a salivating, wide-eyed, and a deranged expression on my face. In any case, I had to stop my forward attack and retreat beyond the trench, formed by the gap between me and the ledge of the restaurant table. Ok, I told my introspective self, let’s just deal with what’s on your mind so I can satisfy my biological urge for the grilled-to-perfection salmon.

Life nearly anywhere today is accented by a constant struggle between what one should do or how one should act as a Muslim and the expectations of our society. For example, the prospect of praying on a regular basis may, for some

Muslims, result in a conflict between what they should do, i.e. pray, and the expectations of the society, i.e. spending the lunch time socializing and making weekend plans with your co-workers while being oblivious to the afternoon prayer time. Or, staying away from places where there are Islamically unlawful activities being practiced, e.g. a bar, and declining a boss’ personal invitation to a party at the local sports bar. So, what does all this have to do with a salmon, you ask? Well, one of the key steps to formulating the right decision given a plethora of choices is knowing and recognizing your priorities.

You would not be reading this article if you had a budget presentation to the board of directors due in an hour. Nor would you be reading this article if you had left something frying on the stove. Recognize what and when to

prioritize. As a Muslim, the responsibility to the Creator always takes priority over all other aspects of life. Responsibility to the Creator generally entails being aware and observing the commands and laws of the religion. So, kindly excusing yourself from lunch with your co-workers for 10 minutes as you go and pray or graciously declining your boss’ invitation (and perhaps even suggesting an alternate venue) would be indicative of a Muslim recognizing his or her priorities.

But, you ask, remember the salmon? Ok, ok. Let’s bring this around to the salmon before it gets too cold to be of any culinary value. One of the most remarkable things about a salmon’s life is its fantastic journey to its mating grounds where it lays its eggs.

A salmon reaches these mating grounds by traveling hundreds of miles upstream, against rapids and short water falls. Many salmons die in this arduous journey. Some may die while struggling to reach their mating grounds by attempting to jump against a short water fall and landing on rocks and others may die due to fishing or natural predators. However, these real and ever-existing dangers do not discourage a salmon from ever attempting to reach its mating grounds.

The salmon recognizes the importance of reaching its mating ground and prioritizes it over all other things. Its focus remains unwavered even at the cost of personal safety. It may be worthwhile for a Muslim to learn a lesson from his or her counterpart in the water- both often times swim upstream, each in their own environments; both may jeopardize valuable things in the process of achieving their goals; and both must maintain focus and prioritize their life in order to succeed.

As I cut through the fine exemplar of prioritization and focus, I can’t help but feel a new admiration for the salmon. Perhaps I need to come here more often to learn from this sage, one that not only induces deep introspection but also a torrent of digestive juices .

Exercise as Part of a Healthy Halal Lifestyle

-Jamie Amina Teal-

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem

Is it correct to equate a healthy lifestyle with a halal lifestyle? Most Muslims probably rarely think of healthy life choices in this way and yet both the Qur’an and the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (saw) point in this direction.

The Muslim is not left to wonder about which ways of cleanliness, eating, or sleeping are best for him. Islam gives thorough instructions for cleaning the body throughout the day for times of prayer and before and after eating. The hadith relate instructions about how much food and drink to consume at any given meal, how often it is appropriate to eat meat, and the best way to eat while fasting. Even sleeping comes with a set of guidelines demonstrating the best positions for resting and the suggested time for a nap during the day.

In all of this, Allah (swt) has made it clear that part of our Deen is not only to nurture and groom the soul, but equally to nurture and groom our bodies. To this end, it becomes important to examine the subject of exercise. For many and various reasons, it is crucial to keep the body in good working order.

For our general well-being, for improving stamina, for maintaining a healthy weight, and for strengthening the bones and muscles, participating in a regular exercise regimen is key. The various body systems all benefit from the improved flow of blood and oxygen that vigorous exercise can provide. It is important to note that this is just as important for the women as for the men. Each of us has a responsibility to maintaining ourselves.

Men necessarily bear most of the heavy physical labor of the Ummah, from building and repairing our masjids to burying the dead. Allah (swt) has also commanded them to provide for their families and rewards them for being faithful in this. Whether they are actually slaughtering meat and raising crops of vegetables or working daily in an office to earn a wage that will purchase these essentials, it is in the best interest of earning this provision that a man keeps himself in good health.

The sahaba (ra) used to participate in games and races, which not only strengthened the bond of brotherhood and allowed for good recreation, but also helped to keep their bodies in strong physical condition. Today we find that many of our brothers meet regularly with others from their local Islamic center or Muslim Student Association to have a game of soccer or basketball. This seems like a perfect way to continue this Sunnah in spending time with fellow Muslims and developing physical strength.

As for our women, they should not feel that they are excluded from the requirement to exercise either. Allah (swt) has encouraged our women to bear children and raise them with loving care. The physical burden of completing pregnancy and childbirth is as much an athletic event as any. Both require the woman to build her strength and stamina in order to create a safe and healthy experience for the mother and her child and to sustain the woman through the years of caring for the child.

Apart from raising children, women also need to develop high levels of energy for taking care of their daily duties around the home. Many young women entering marriage have little idea of the strength they will need to complete all of the tasks that are due on them each day between laundering and house cleaning and cooking. It is something they learn quickly and would do well to stay in shape for.

Last, but perhaps not least, for the married brothers and sisters among us it is wise to exercise in order to keep ourselves fit and attractive for our spouses. Inevitably with age, each of us will weaken somewhat or add on a few pounds. However, that process can be held in check to some degree with good exercise and healthy eating and sleeping routines. Our Prophet (saw) used to run races with his wife Aisha (ra), and this is a good example to us that husbands and wives should have fun together and encourage each other in such activities.

For men and women living busy lives, it may seem difficult to find the time to go out for a jog or join a team sport after a hectic day in the office or of chasing children around the house. However, when a person has the intention in his heart of doing something for the sake of Allah and starts with “Bismillah,” then he soon finds that it was easier than he anticipated. Feeling tired or lazy should not be an excuse for letting ourselves fall into poor health. The Prophet (saw) used to make dua, “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from inability and sluggishness…” (reported in Bukhari by Anas ibn Malik).

Taking care of the body that Allah (swt) has given us to live in here on earth potentially gives us a longer life to earn His (swt) favor with good deeds and righteous living as well as making our time here easier and more comfortable for us. May Allah (swt) grant us strength and help us to maintain it.

Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 medium onion, diced

Taco seasoning

Emeril Lagasse’s Essence spice mix (optional)

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Minced garlic

1/2 diced onion

1 cup salsa

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1 cup of water

1 cup crushed tomatoes, or jarred strained tomatoes

Shredded colby jack cheese

Corn tortillas

Sour cream

Handful of cilantro, chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the filling, saute the diced onions in olive oil until cooked through.  Dice the chicken breast and add it to the onions, cook until there is no more pink.  Add the taco seasoning and Essence, season to taste.  Turn off the heat and stir the cottage cheese.

To make the sauce, saute the garlic and diced onions in olive oil.  Turn off the heat.  Add 1 cup of salsa. Dissolve 3 Tbsp of tomato paste into 1 cup of water, add to pan. Add 1 cup of crushed tomatoes.

Coat the bottom of a casserole dish with a thin layer of sauce.  Place the tortillas on a counter top.  Place some filling and cheese on each tortilla, roll and place in a casserole dish.  The rolled tortillas can be placed upside down and close together to prevent them from opening.  When the casserole dish is filled with rolled tortillas, top it with the sauce and then the shredded cheese.  Place the enchiladas in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Garnish with sour cream and the chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Afghan/Desi/Chinese Chicken Noodle Mix

Created by Chef S.

Instructions:

Onions (fry with a little bit of vegetable oil)

After they look a bit brown and caramelized, add a little bit of blended garlic, blended diced peppers, and blended ginger. Right after you stir it once or twice, you add the marinated chicken. (Marinate the pieces of chicken breast with soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, salt, red pepper, and chicken masala.)

Add a little water to it so that it isn’t dry since very little oil is used. Then add very very little salt, a little more red pepper, chicken masala, soy sauce, and then stir. Then add water to it, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce again. The water/sauce is most important because you mix it with everything to give it the flavor, so you need to make sure you have enough water for your spaghetti, pasta, noodles, etc. Then just let the chicken cook in it for a while till it is ready. You will have to keep adding a little more water in case some of it goes away while chicken is still cooking. The more water you add, the more soy sauce, teriyaki, spices, and everything else you add to keep the flavor balanced. You just need to keep tasting the water to make sure it has the right and balanced taste insha’Allaah.

(Be sure to check on the chicken being cooked or not. Have a volunteer sibling or someone in the family always check if your meat is ready).

I use pasta because the first time this was made was on accident and I didn’t have anything but pasta and now I just use pasta every time. You can use any type of spaghetti or even shells, anything.

Have the pasta cooking on the side insha’Allaah and make the pasta how you would make any other pasta.

In the end, once it is all cooked, combine it and mix it all together and then you will have this dish ready insha’Allaah.

Note* There is no measurement of spices and everything, just do what suits your taste of food best insha’Allaah.

Husain Abdullah is approaching his most challenging month of the football season.

That’s when the Minnesota Vikings backup safety observes Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting and prayer. As a practicing Muslim, Abdullah will not eat or drink at all during daylight hours for the 30-day period that begins Wednesday.

Even while sprinting in the heat and humidity during drills, sometimes in full pads, Abdullah is adamant about his faith. He will not allow himself so much as a cup of water until the sun sets and before it rises.

“I’m putting nothing before God, nothing before my religion,” Abdullah said. “This is something I choose to do, not something I have to do. So I’m always going to fast.”

Read more here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5itX3GrXmH9LY-XCGF79lNSEe9HWwD9HFGSM00

DEARBORN, Mich. — A Michigan high school football team is holding preseason practices in the middle of the night to help its Muslim players practice both faith and football.

The predominantly Muslim squad from Dearborn says the nocturnal regimen is a way for players to eat and drink while observing the holy month of daytime fasting known as Ramadan that started last week.

Read more here: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highschool/news/story?id=5467167

When we, Muslims, live halal, people will notice it and respect it. And when enough of us do that, stories like this will pop up in the media!

If you’re a smoker and want to quit take some advice from Mohammed Ameen. He gave up smoking and went on Hajj with the money he saved!

He is now urging other people to make the most of the month of Ramadhan and quit the deadly habit for good.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/bBzxsK

The Personal Relationship Between a Scholar and His Student

Imam Ahmad used to mention the virtues of his sheikh, Imam Ash Shafi’ee to his wife. He would mention to her the extensive and superb knowledge of Imam Ash Shafi’ee as well as his taqwah (i.e. piety). Imam Ahmad invited Imam Ash Shafi’ee to come visit him at his home. When the time for dinner arrived, Imam Ash Shafi’ee ate until he was full and went to the guest room for some sleep.

The wife of Imam Ahmad said to him: “O Ahmad! Is this the same Shafi’ee that you used to tell me so much about?“

Imam Ahmad said: “Indeed he is!“

So she said: “I noticed three things about him worthy of criticism! Firstly, when we served him the food, he ate plenty of it! Secondly, when he went into the guest room, he went to sleep without standing up to perform the night prayer (i.e. tahujjud)! Lastly, when he prayed Salat ul Fajr with us, he did not perform ablution (i.e. wudhu)?!”

So Imam Ahmad went to Imam Ash Shafi’ee to ask him about these three matters his wife noticed. Imam Ash Shafi’ee said to him, (the way a father would explain to his son): “O Ahmad! I ate plenty because I know for certain that your food is halal (i.e. permissible islamically) and you are a generous man! And the food that comes from a generous man is a cure, while the food that comes from a stingy man is a disease!

However, I didn’t eat plenty of food in order to achieve my fill; rather I ate plenty of your food in order to derive the cure from it! As for the reason I didn’t stand up at night to perform the night prayer, when I laid my head down to get some sleep, I looked and all I could see was the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) right in front of my face! So I deducted 72 fiqh related benefits from them for the Muslims to benefit from. Thus there was no opportunity for me to stand and perform the night prayer!

As for the reason why I prayed Salat ul Fajr without performing ablution, by Allah! My eyes never tasted the sweetness of sleep in order for me to renew my wudhu!! I was awake the whole night, so I prayed Salat ul Fajr with the same wudhu I had for Salat ul Isha!!!“

[Collected by Al Hafidh Ibn Hajr in Fath ul Bari concisely and by Abu Nu’aim in Hilya tul Awliyaa’. Translated by Abu Azzubayr Shadeed Muhammad on 3/30/2010 in the City of Riyadh Saudi Arabia]

Daniel Carlat is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine. Two years ago, Daniel Carlat wrote a piece in the New York Times Magazine called Dr. Drug Rep, in which he told his story of being paid to push the anti-depressant Effexor to his colleagues.

Carlat joined Fresh Air contributor Dave Davies to talk about his new book, called Unhinged: The Trouble With Psychiatry. But the book isn’t just concerned with the influence of drug companies in the profession.

Carlat believes in prescribing medication, but he says too many psychiatrists have all but abandoned talk therapy — leaving in-depth interaction with patients to others — while they pursue medical fixes for mood problems and mental disorders….

Read More: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128107547