Monday, September 15, 2008

Top 10 Food Allergens part 3

Here are 2 more food allergens that may be 'hidden' causes of stress, weight gain, digestive problems or mood swings.


Eggs - This is definitely one of the least common food allergens, but is a problem for many people, including children. If you don't know about possible food allergies you might have, remember what I told you before: use a food journal and record your response to eating eggs. If you feel great, energized and don't show any reaction, then you should be good to go.


The best way to cook eggs are soft boiled, poached of fried in butter or coconut oil. I suggest only eating scrambled eggs or omelets once in awhile.


Soy - If you have been reading my blog for awhile then you should be familiar with certain myths and misconceptions about food & Nutrition. Soy is probably the biggest 'health food' myth today. Soy is linked to infertility, breast cancer, hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer and many other disorders.


Not only is it the 2nd most common food allergen, but its a nasty little bean that has been shown, in hundreds of epidemiological, clinical and laboratory studies that it is linked to:

Malnutrition
Digestive distress
Thyroid dysfunction
Cognitive decline
Reproductive disorders
Infertility
Birth defects
Immune system breakdown
Heart disease
Cancer

And NO, Asians don't eat nearly as much as Americans are - not even close.

Here are some myths & facts about soy you might not know about:

Men who eat soy-based foods may be harming their fertility after a study found a link between soy-rich diets and lower sperm counts.

Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.


Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.



Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.

Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.



Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.

Truth: Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.



Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.

Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12



Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system. Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.



Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.

Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.



Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.

Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.



Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol improves one’s risk of having heart disease.



Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.



Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.

Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.



Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease in later life.



Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.



Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.

Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce his virility.



Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.



Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.



Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.

Truth: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.

Taken from http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz


Soy Dangers Summarized
taken from http://www.westonaprice.org

High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.

Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.

Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.

Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.

Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.

Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D.

Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.

Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.

Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.




Until next time
have a great week and PAY ATTENTION to how you react to food!

Antonio

Friday, September 12, 2008

Top 10 Food Allergens part 2

Ok, so there are more than 10 on this list so I will post shorter blogs and give you great info so you can LEARN and see if you have any problems with nay of these foods.

Also, everything on the list is not really a food, but, the point is this: there are foods that trigger serious health issues in many people and these may be 'hidden' sources of stress or weight gain.

If you have been working out and 'eating right' (whatever that means) and your still not getting results, simply use a food journal and see what's going on after you eat and this will clue you in to possible problematic or allergenic foods.

What's next on the list?

Caffeine - similar to alcohol, there are a lot of false teachings in the media about this stimulant. Caffeine is a stimulant that disrupts your metabolism and triggers your 'fight or flight' (which is an emergency response system, not a daily lifestyle system) into FULL EFFECT.

Personally, I have never seen anyone in NYC who drinks coffee that isn't experiencing some type of negative consequence of drinking coffee.

Typically, people argue that there is some health benefit or they read some article that touted the benefits of coffee. What they fail to realize is that, like alcohol, even if there were some benefits, the negatives FAR OUTWEIGH any of these mythical benefits.

Caffeine is a stimulant that triggers the release of cortisol (stress hormone) that is associated with practically every disease known to mankind.

The primary reason people drink it in NYC is beaucase they are sleep deficient and exhausted. Sleep deficiency, although popular, is not cool, nor healthy and makes you age prematurely. Whenever you drink coffee to 'get you going' - you continue a cycle of exhaustion that gets harder and harder to break as you age.

And for my friends who are drinking coffee to help with 'number 2' (going pottie)....the caffeine is one of the main reasons why you cant go in the first place, fyi.

The other reason is because it dehydrates the human body, despite what the NY Times coffee addicted 'health reporter' says.

Coffee beans are also the most heavily sprayed crop on the planet and the acids in the beans are damaging to your digestive tract.

Enough said?

If you really want to drink coffee, at least find some good organic stuff and dont drink it on an empty stomach.

Seriously though, caffeine addiction is a widespread problem and a MASSIVE factor in hormonal imbalance (depression), burnout and weight gain.

Want to improve your health, look good and not age prematurely???? Ditch the drug addiction.

Oh, and for the hundreds of people that may say something like 'I got headaches last time I tried to quit' --> Getting headaches is not a reason for continuing your caffeine addiction. Headaches are a symptom of drug withdrawal and there are many things you can do to alleviate this. But any addiction comes with a price and if getting headaches is a minor consequence, than thats something you will have to deal with.

Peanuts - I am aware that most Men's Health and Shape magazines tell you that peanut butter is a good source of protein and when I was a teenager I thought the same thing. I have since discovered that not only is it a common food allergen, but its also a very low quality food source and loaded with mold. That's right. Even the healthy versions are full of nasty little critters that can make you sick.

Peanuts are also difficult to digest for many people. Want a better alternative? Try almond butter. You can also find cashew nut butter or macadamia nut butter and they are absolutely fantastic! Unless of course you can tolerate tree nuts...

Tree Nuts - as long as you dont have a nut allergy, most other nut butters are better than peanuts. However, another common food allergens are tree nuts.

Here is a list of common tree nuts and foods or products that may contain them:

Cashews
Pecans
Macadamia nuts
Almonds
Pistachios
Brazil nuts
Pine nuts
Hazelnuts
Walnuts
hickory nuts
Beech nut*
Butternut*
Chestnut*
Coconut*
Ginko nut*
Lichee nut*
Pili nut*
Sheanut*


natural nut extract
artificial nuts
nut meal
caponatanut meat
nut oil
nut paste (such as almond paste)
gianduja (a nut mixture in some chocolate)
nut pieces
pesto
mandelonas
marzipan/almond paste
nan-gai nuts
nougat
pralines
nut butters

Other names for tree nuts
Anacardium nuts
Mandelonas (e.g. peanuts that have been altered to look and taste like tree nuts)
Marzipan (almond paste)
Nu-Nuts ™ (e.g. peanuts that have been altered to look and taste like tree nuts)
Nut meats
Pinon

Common Sources/Foods Containing Tree Nuts
Artificial nuts (peanuts altered to look and taste like almonds, pecans and walnuts)
Baked goods (cakes, cereal bars, cookies, doughnuts, energy/granola bars, muffins, pastries)
Baking mixes, cereals, crackers, muesli
Coffee grinders
Dressings/gravies
Chinese food
Gianduja (chocolate and chopped nuts mixture found in premium or imported chocolate and ice cream)
Ice cream/frozen desserts/frozen yogurts/sundae toppings
Natural flavorings and extracts
Nut butter
Nut-flavored coffee/liqueurs
Sauces (barbecue, pesto, Worcestershire)
Salads (Waldorf salad, curried chicken)
Spreads (almond paste, cheese, chocolate nut, nougat, Nutella)
Trail mixes

Non-food sources of tree nuts
Hacky sacks
Bird seed
Cosmetics, hair care products, lotions
Pet food


As always, use extra precaution when eating out at restaurants or eating foods prepared by others.

*As of 10/2006, the FDA has added these as tree nuts for the purposes of FALCPA (Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act).


Here is a great resource, provided you DONT HAVE ANY NUT ALLERGIES and CAN DIGEST THEM WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/
www.sweetwatermarket.net
www.bluemountainorganics.com

These are great websites with awesome products - check them out.

Untill next time
Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Top 10 Food Allergens

Are you ready to discover the 11 most allergenic foods and see if any of these
are causing you to be fat, bloated or fatigued?

Why is it important to know about food allergens??? Just ask yourself these questions...

Are you sick of getting bloated?

Have you struggled with anxiety or depression and can't figure out WHY?

Have you struggled with skin issues and acne?

Are you trying to lose weight but nothing seems to be working?

Do you often get that late afternoon energy slump?

The answers to these and many other similar questions have EVERYTHING to do with what you are eating.

More often than not, most people are eating crappy foods to begin with.
What also happens quite often is people who are trying to be healthy and lose weight are eating foods that trigger all sorts of health problems as a result of food allergies, sensitivities and intolerance.

I'll give you the list of foods and I suggest you pay attention over the next
couple of weeks and see how you react after you eat these foods.

This is one of the many reasons why Food Journals work so well.
Not for counting calories or obsessing over what you eat. But for paying
attention and noticing how you react to certain foods.

You might be surprised to find that some of these common 'health' foods are
anything but healthy.

The most common allergenic foods are:

Gluten - a protein found in wheat and most grains. Gluten is implicated in every single digestive disorder I have seen. Gluten is found everywhere, from BBQ sauce to 'whole grain' energy bars and everything in between. It is also responsible for all kinds of
neurological dysfunctions and mood imbalances.

Pasteurized Dairy - this is a HOT topic! I will cover more of what you need to know in the next few newsletters...you may want to hold off on your low fat yogurt (which is nothing more than glorified junk food) and get ready for this one!

Sugar - not just white table sugar, sugars come in many shapes and sizes.
Did you know that ALL Carbs are sugars? And
not everyone tolerates the carbs the same way?
Did you know that sugar acts the same on the brain as cocaine? Imagine
mixing it with caffeine and other synthetic ingredients and feeding it to
children? Actually, you don’t have to imagine. It’s happening right now.
I wrote a controversial article on the topic of marketing sports drinks to kids
that was immediately BANNED by some major corporations...wait till you hear
about this one!

Alcohol - yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Red wine has antioxidants,
right?

Well, possibly...but more importantly, did you know that it also contains
yeast, sulfur dioxide, histamine, additives and don’t forget about the pesticides
used to grow the grapes. Millions of people have been led to believe that
the antioxidants in wine are very healthy and in fact, I hear people use this alcohol industry marketing tool to justify their drinking habits.
Yet most fail to realize that when the food itself causes bloating, it ruins your ability to digest and utilize the antioxidants properly and sine it also contains all these other nasty, allergenic ingredients, the drawbacks far outweigh the benefits. ...and let's not forget about the 'intoxication' part (key word being 'toxic') of drinking.

Did you know that what causes you to wake up around 4 am after a night of drinking is
the same thing that can make you fat and age prematurely?

Ever stop and think about the health consequences of being bloated for an
entire day after a night of drinking?

Your body is a beautifully designed, dynamic system of systems and when an
allergenic food gets into your body - all hell can break loose in many ways.
The list of problems associated with food allergies, intolerance and sensitivities is enormous.

The dramatic results people experience when they finally realize these issues and stop eating problematic foods are absolutely amazing.

I am going to save the rest of the list for the next newsletter, but don’t
worry. It will come much sooner than the last two. My new blog, cookbook, videos and forum are all 98% finished and will be up later this week...its really exciting and I hope you all will get involved in the forum discussions.

In the meanwhile, if you really want to get healthy and lose fat and look like
a superstar....use a food journal and pay attention to how these foods treat
your body and mind.

Talk soon
Antonio

Have a great week and stay tuned for my new blog and video updates!!!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Food Mood Connection part 2

Do you know anyone on a ‘special diet?’

I don’t mean the obnoxiously trendy ‘drop a dress size in one week’ weight loss quick fixes that we see everyday in magazines & TV.

I am talking about really specialized and therapeutic nutrition programs like gluten free, casein free, anti-inflammatory, anti-candida, elimination or rotation diets?

People usually go on these programs to correct some sort of health problem –typically a digestive dysfunction, neurological condition or disease.

Experts in functional medicine and cutting edge nutritional science have been using these therapeutic nutrition programs for years with great success. Some of these approaches have also been used successfully by alternative and holistic experts in health and nutrition.

Many people who don’t feel well and who have chronic digestive issues, cravings, addictions, mood imbalances as well as infants with developmental issues (or who are constantly getting sick) have found relief by eliminating certain foods from their diet.

Also, some people go through several doctors and didn’t get an answer as to why they don’t feel well. They eventually find their way to a real expert that helps them discover certain foods that trigger reactions.

Some food proteins are allergenic and when someone eats them, they usually see a myriad of immediate issues like runny nose, throat swelling, asthma, wheezing, sneezing, skin rashes (hives, eczema), nausea and diarrhea.

These are less immediate but very common results from eating problematic foods:
Digestive Dysfunction (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, reflux, IBS), headaches, inability to focus (ADD/ADHD type behavior), fatigue, mood swings, joint pains, unexplained weight gain/loss, infertility, muscle aches and pains.

For people with celiac disease, anaphylactic shock and death can occur from an allergic reaction to gluten.

People who continue to eat foods they are intolerant to typically end up with more serious conditions, including:

Anemia
Psychological & Behavior dysfunction (schizophrenia, depression, inability to focus)
GERD & Dyspepsia
Headaches & migraines
Higher mortality rates
Infertility, miscarriage, low birth weight babies
Neural tube defects due to folate deficiency
Nutritional deficiencies
Intestinal cancers
Multiple food intolerance
Osteoporosis, osteopenia

People who want to get to the bottom of their unusual health issues have to search high and low because of at least 5 reasons:

First, the majority of mainstream nutritionists and doctors in the US are really unhealthy themselves.

Second, many people accept small signs of poor health as ‘part of life’ or believe that’s ‘normal’ to feel like crap, have bad skin, be bloated, fart and feel foggy headed or depressed.

Third, modern medicine is not designed to address the root cause of health issues – it is designed to suppress symptoms or ‘manage’ disease.

Fourth, most people are totally unaware of how their food affects their mood, energy and overall health until they get sick or a disease. Even then, some people would rather die than change their diet & lifestyle.

Fifth, because we eat often, it takes a big commitment and a skilled eye to find a food culprit.

Don’t forget there are also over 3000 chemicals added to our food supply and 400 pesticides in use today.

Are you starting to see the big picture?

My next blog will list the most common food allergens and certain foods that people eat often that are causing all sorts of problems...

talk soon
Antonio

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Food and Your Mood

Do you want to know how food affects your mood?

Do you want to know the truth about why so many people are overweight, overwhelmed, exhausted, depressed, anxious, moody and craggy all the time?

It's true....it's scary as hell, but its true.

The FDA, you know, that jolly group of healthy, vibrant, compassionate individuals who loves us so much, allows 3000 chemicals in our foods - from food additives, colors, flavor enhancers and other strange things.

There are also 400 pesticides as well that are known to cause serious damage to your hormonal system and nervous system.

The craziest thing is this --> no one knows what happens when you mix these pesticides together or when you combine this noxious bug killer cocktail with the food additives.

Did you know there are laws governing the waste and removal of these poisons - laws specifically governing the mixing of these chemicals when they are disposed of -- but mixing them on our produce when they spray them seems to be ok. Way to go FDA!

If you didn't know - your moods are controlled by your hormonal and nervous system.

If you are eating foods that you are sensitive to - including any number of these harmful chemicals, or combination thereof, you can experience digestive issues which will inhibit the absorption of the foods you ate which means your body doesn't get what it needs to have normal function.

In fact, it may be getting what it needs to be dysfunctional.

Even if it your digestion isn't affected, you could be ingesting multiple chemicals that directly affect your brain function.

You know what's interesting?

The experts that are reversing autism and developmental disorders in children and helping people recover from serious life threatening diseases like cancer --> you know, the ones you don't hear about on TV, one of the first steps they have their patients do is eat organic, whole foods to get the chemicals out of their foods.

The next step is to eliminate foods that are common allergens.

Its easy to see how important foods are when we think of diseased or developmentally challenged people or children.

But what about the rest of us?

The absolute most important step anyone who wants to improve their health and lose fat and have normal brain function is to simply Go Organic.

What's more important than eating organic fruits and vegetables - is finding meats and fats that are grass-fed and organic.

Animals and humans store toxins (chemicals) in fats. That's right - the more fat a person or an animal is, the more toxic they are.

So eating meats and fats (eggs, butter, beef, lamb, chicken, etc) that are GRASS FED are better than meats that are only labeled 'organic.'

But if can only afford one or the other -- if you have to choose between organic produce and meats - choose meats.

I will have a list of the least sprayed produce in my book so you can still choose some produce that is non-organic if you have to and be safe.

One of my favorite places to get grass-fed meats is here in NYC at the Union Square Green Market.

For those who don't live in the Big Apple, check out: http://www.eatwild.com/ and you can find a source in your area.

For my readers and friends who live outside the USA, please send me your favorite website that you use to find grass fed and organic foods! I appreciate it!

If you choose grass fed meats whenever you can - you will be taking a massive step in reducing your exposure to these toxic chemicals.

Also m the more these smaller family run organic farms that have animals that are grazing on grass (as they are supposed to be) -- the less support these mega corporations that are producing crappy foods will have which means the organic industry will only continue to grow and that means it will become much easier to find organic and grass feds foods everywhere!

Stay tuned as next post will cover common food allergens that are producing allergic reactions, digestive dysfunction and brain chemistry imbalance in 90% of the client I have worked with in NYC - which means, it may also be happening to you.

Eat Clean - Go Organic and Grass Fed!

Peace
Antonio

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Real Nutrition , Fitness and Wellness on YouTube

You may know that I have a few books coming out...my main one is 'Fat Loss Psychology' and its gonna rock the weight loss world. Actually, that's not too hard to do. But it will be good...really good.

I started compiling videos on You Tube that I found to be valuable for my clients and anyone who gets the book so they can actually learn the truth about health, weight loss and wellness.

There are some that are really cool, some that are educational and others that are inspiring.

They are all related to AUTHENTIC, TRUTHFUL health, fitness, wellness and weight loss topics.

Real Experts who get real results with real people -- not chubby desk jockeys who work for Shape magazine, The New York Times or CNN.

Check it out--> CLICK HERE

How Food Affects your Mood

FACT - Most people are obsessed with fat: gaining fat, losing fat, looking fat, looking skinny, 'does this make me look fat?', 'she's too skinny', 'is that fattening?' yada, yada, yada...

But another, much more important topic that affects every aspect of everybody's life - from their mental/emotional state to their energy levels, to their inability to lose lose fat - is how their foods affect their moods.

Your moods are governed by your emotions.
Your emotions are governed by your hormonal system.
Your hormonal system is how your entire body communicates with itself.

So, if you eat foods that negatively affect your hormonal system - WHICH HAPPENS OFTEN FOR MOST PEOPLE MOST OF THE TIME - then you will naturally have imbalances in all your body systems and this shows up in mood imbalances as well as body fat and the inability to lose fat.

Weight loss is governed by you hormonal system.
Only idiots, journalists (who know nothing about health, yet write about all the time) and people who are genuinely misinformed still believe the oversimplified concept that in order to lose weight you must eat less and exercise more.

However, the human being is way too dynamic and beautiful to be compressed into a simple mathematical equation.

Many people, women in particular, suffer unnecessarily from what I call 'false moods' - imbalanced perceptions, anxiety, depression, inability to focus and also endure cravings, addictions and insomnia --> issues that are correctable through nutritional therapy.

Hormonal imbalance --> which stems from nutritional deficiencies related to:
- Poor food choices
- Poor eating strategies
- Unmanaged stress
- Digestive dysfunction

Over the next few newsletters, I will share with you some of the most common
culprits that cause your 'feel good' hormones and neurotransmitters to become depleted which in turn make people crave junk foods and support addictive behaviors and cause weight problems and mood swings.

Not surprising if you follow my blog, many of these foods are what you see in the popular magazines, the USDA food pyramid and recommended by many so-called 'experts'.

I will also cover which particular foods balance your biochemistry and positively affect your mood, ending cravings and restoring healthy mental/emotional states.

I will tell you which foods & strategies supply the necessary ingredients to improve your cardiovascular health, brain and nerve function, eye & vision health as well as your ability to stay lean and enjoy radiant skin and vitality.

By the way, I cover all these foods in my upcoming cookbook (which is done by the way) and should be launched in the next couple of weeks around my birthday!

So stay tuned...