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It was a great day in Cuenca. As usual, I woke up alert, the sun was shining and continued until mid-afternoon (although there would be rain later from the clouds that formed to the east). I met with my tour guide friend, Juan, to arrange the details of a trip to the...
What was life like in Ecuador prior to antibiotics? In a word: short. For people with bacterial infections, life was cruel… but of course, not just in Ecuador. As described by the American Chemical Society, “Before [penicillin was introduced] there was no effective...
Editor's note: Michelle's Foods of The Americas series continues this week with the third of four fascinating accounts of the tomato's impact on global cuisine. Click here to read Part I about the surprising origins of the tomato, and click here to read Part II as it...
As I knelt on the dew freshened grass, I was sure fairies and hobbits would soon be about. It was gnomish here too so I couldn’t rule them out. Positioning myself more in the midst of things always provides a different perspective. I dropped lower and began inching...
By Ranelle Kirchner There's more to citrus than just Vitamin C. We don't hear as much about the other health benefits and reasons to celebrate citrus, so, today, I'm going to do my best to redefine everything you thought you knew about citrus, and hopefully increase...
By Christine Stiparo We choose the foods we eat for a variety of reasons. Taste and convenience seem to top most of our lists, but healthfulness, enjoyment, and affordability are part of it too. We all have different needs, and knowing what those are and how to fill...
By Sarah Knapton The MMR vaccine is linked to lower rates of autism, the largest ever study has shown, as parents were urged to ignore anti-vaccination campaigns and make sure their children had the jab. The new study by Danish researchers found children who had the...
High blood pressure is a global health crisis. The worldwide prevalence of hypertension has soared past 1.39 billion persons, more than 31 percent of all adults. Take this quiz to see how much you know about high blood pressure. The most common symptom of high blood...
By Michelle Bakeman Two centuries after the tomato was introduced to Europe, finally victorious over years of attempted character assassination, the fruit began to win a place of honor in the kitchens of the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. The Spanish, French,...
There’s a saying attributed to more than one male philosopher that says, “Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you’ve fed him for a lifetime.” Education is no doubt, important. It is a key component of lifelong success. It’s...
Why are some people so susceptible to quackery? I was thinking about this recently when I spied a social media query from a local expat looking for a “natural healer” or “someone in alternative health” who had “some type of machine” that would test her. I thought,...
By Ranelle Kirchner Food waste is a huge problem. This has been true for years. In fact, we waste 150,000 tons of food per day here in America. But, the good news is, there is plenty we can do, as we cook and create, to help mitigate the effects of food waste, and cut...
If you’re like most people, your New Year’s resolutions include eating healthier and getting more activity. Maybe you want to lose weight? If your first resolution was to “go on a diet” then what is the ‘best’ diet? Many use the word ‘diet’ as a verb, as in...
I hadn’t been in Ecuador for a very long time before I was able to put together ways for Edie and I to get to the country cheaply and easily. Our HiLux, El Fantasma, was yet to join our family. We were using city and inter-provincial buses along with mixtos to bring...
By Michelle Bakeman The following is my English translation of a poem by my favorite Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda, which expresses his adoration and mine for the tomato, something foodies everywhere will appreciate. Ode to the Tomato The street was overrun with...
‘Energy bars’ can contain as much sugar and fat as a candy bar – it’s a flavorful fact that can derail a diet. Another word for energy is calories, so the manufacturer might as just well say ‘calorie bar’ as ‘energy bar’. A calorie is a measurement, just like a...
We’ve all heard that breakfast is the important meal of the day, and surely there are benefits. And as a dietitian specializing in weight management, I’ve worked with my patients and clients to create healthy meal plans, typically including breakfast. Studies, even...
They were headed somewhere important. You could tell that by the way they moved. Actually, they sort of swayed but it was with purpose and determination. They were certainly syncopated in their movements and that made me smile. I fell in behind them. The mid-morning...
Can you banish belly fat by going on a “flat belly” diet? Will eating more fat help you lose belly fat? Will that popular (and costly) supplement “bust” your belly permanently? Take this quick True/False quiz to see how much you know about belly fat and weight loss....
It has been three months since my last column and I have been sitting here in front of my computer screen for two hours trying to decide how to begin this one. Even if I don't write regularly, my life does go on so here are some things about that life that have...
Week of September 20
Ecuador turns to industrial power cuts to protect Mazar and keep homes from going dark.
Ecuador raises its 2026 growth forecast, but El Niño could spoil the outlook next year.
Cuenca retirees challenge medical and therapy changes at IESS senior center.
