9 minute read
Greg Budell
(WARNING! Much of what you read here could be totally wrong by the time you read it. Then again, maybe not)
March began in such glorious fashion!
Yes, the Corona Virus story was rearing its ever- growing and malignant head. If you remember, March was launched with news of exploding job growth, soaring financial markets and prosperity. Baseball was 2 weeks into playing spring training games, with a new season set to start on the 26th. March Madness was set to start at midmonth! Things seemed really upbeat!
With a week left to go in March, Covid-19 wiped out jobs, stocks and grocery store shelves. The baseball season will start on the 26th- we’re just not sure if it will be April, May or March 26, 2021.
March Madness played out at your nearest grocery store.
A term I’d never heard before, “Social Distancing” is the new norm in a matter of weeks.
I can’t believe I’m writing this! Perspective. The worst pandemic has been media-fueled fear. Had we gone this berserk with social distancing and 55 gallon drums of Purell last fall, 30 million people (including my daughter) might have escaped the seasonal flu. We’ve lived with these situations for many years without crashing our economy, limiting freedoms and unconscionable hoarding.
Did you ever think we’d be told to wash our hands while singing “Happy Birthday”- after we graduated kindergarten? The last time I wore a surgical mask was the day I held my newborn, Janelle (pictured). Now I see them everywhere. I’m not going there. Germs have been, are now, and always will be a part of life. Last I checked there’s no mustard gas floating around. What makes this particular mutation of the flu the Disease That Closed America?
BOOMers know fear is a healthy thing. It’s why we’re cautious around hot stoves, moving vehicles and slithery creatures. Life is a process of learning what to fear (touching electrical sockets, parental discipline and your team not winning the Iron Bowl- which I believe WILL be played this year).
This novel virus has produced epic Coronaphobia.
Americans love their toilet paper. COVID-19 does not cause diarrhea, nor did it cut off our running water or electricity. A quick and cleanly hot shower will work fine if the only thing on the holder is a cardboard tube featuring a few shreds from the Roll That Used To Be.
Breaking News for the horrible hoarderstowels can be washed and re-used.
I mean, dang- our parents went through a horrible depression, a World War and severely rationed items like butter and sugar- for 4 years. We’ll get through this, sooner than later.
There is only one cure for fear- LOVE.
While I’m certain there will be a baby boom by the time our January BOOM! rolls out, that’s not the love I’m referencing. A recent study said the average couple takes about 21.5 minutes for, uh, that. With all the self-quarantining going on, it barely makes a dent in the cabin fever sweeping America.
I’m an expert on fear. One of the benefits of addiction recovery is conquering it. In rehab, we were taught that FEAR is an acronym for False Expectations Appearing Real. Our inability to keep fear in its place leads to subduing it with chemicals of one kind or another. For normal people a drink or beer helps. For people like me, one is too many and a thousand is never enough.
In my case, fear drove me into a homeless, friendless, bankrupt bum. I was at war with life on life’s terms. When I completely and unconditionally surrendered by accepting my absolute powerlessness over any drugPEACE broke out! Amazing how that works.
In the process, it becomes easier to see some sun breaking through the Corona Cloud. Things will be different, largely in a good way when this thing ends!
We’ve been given a great taste of socialism during this trying time. Socialism historically, has taken a greater toll in lives than this or any other flu, combined. We got to visit Venezuela temporarily, without requiring a passport.
We live in America, where bread waits for us. COVID-19, and the ensuing hysteria emptied shelves in a way most have never seen. It was like the entire country was prepping for a Category 10 hurricane! We have a new perspective on people we took for granted. In particular, our truck drivers deserve a day of national recognition. They are America’s circulatory system. Trucking is not a job for the weak.
"Greg and Janelle, 3/12/90"
It’s tough, grueling work but they kept the supply chain going. Panicking consumers put undue pressure on that chain so we had shortages.
While we’re at it, farmers, grocers and the people who fill the shelves deserve our applause- along with those who worked at warp speed to process an agitated public through checkout lines that never seemed to end.
Our medical community- trying to treat people and provide care under the most pressure it’s seen in history- kudos to our docs, nurses and assistants!
While the media treated us to videos of box-store brawls, most people were reaching out to family, friends and vulnerable people offering help. My radio team moved to doing a 7-day morning show. The goal was to help facilitate those in need, those offering help, while trying to keep folks informed with the truth and some lighthearted humor. The appreciation from our audience has been overwhelming. We worked for free, but ain’t it funny how we all felt so rewarded after every show!
Somehow, in the midst of pandemic insanity, that little baby in the picture turned 30 in March and we had a phenomenal, happy celebration.
My wish is that captured moment is the only time she ever sees me wearing a medical mask.
Take care! OK Boomer? And I mean it.
If you have a comment on this column, email me at gregbudell@aol.com. It's still fun to hear from new people!
Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, Roz, and dogs Hershey and Briscoe. He’s been in radio since 1970, and has marked 15 years in the River Region. He hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas & Jay Scott, 6-9 AM Monday-Friday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6 PM for Happy Hour with sidekick Rosie Brock. Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com
Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented, raw drink, slightly alcoholic, lightly effervescent, made from sweetened black or green tea. Commonly drunk for its reported health benefits. Sometimes the beverage is called kombucha tea to distinguish the name from the kombucha culture of bacteria and yeast. Certainly it is true (and has been said here before) that the Western diet is so high in dairy and complex carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, etc.) that we need to eat more fermented foods (or drinks) to balance that out, so whether it’s eating more pickles or sauerkraut or trying a glass of Kombucha a day, you take your pick!
Kombucha is produced by fermenting tea using a "symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast" (SCOBY) commonly called a "mother". The microbial populations in a SCOBY vary: the yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with other species, while the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic acid (and other acids). Although a SCOBY is commonly called tea fungus or mushroom, it is actually "a symbiotic growth of acetic acid bacteria and osmophilic yeast species in a zoogleal mat [biofilm]". If just the name hasn’t put you off, take a look at a photo! (I won’t scare you off here.) The living bacteria are said to be probiotic, one of the reasons for the drink's popularity.
The exact origins of kombucha as a drink are not known, but it is thought to have originated in the area of Northeastern China. There are records indicating it was traditionally consumed there thousands of years ago, but there’s also evidence that it existed in Russia and eastern Europe. I guess the term home brew did not just apply to beer, wine and versions of moonshine. Kombucha is now homebrewed globally, and is also sold commercially by various companies, with great success. It is in fact one of the largest produced drinks in the world at this time. Numerous claims have been made for health benefits from drinking kombucha. These include claims for treating AIDS, aging, anorexia, arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, constipation, and diabetes, but there has been no scientific research done to support any of these claims. Don’t let that put you off though, there are many homeopathic remedies that are not proven by science, it does not mean that they do not work, it just means that no pharmaceutical company has invested billions to do the research into them (yet).
The main advantage of Kombucha is its assistance in keeping your gut healthy – if you have learned just one thing in the last few years from reading these articles, it is that keeping your gut healthy is KEY to your overall health.
Kombucha is rich in probiotics and antioxidants. It contains the “healthy” bacteria that your gut tract needs to absorb nutrients and fight sickness. Eighty per cent of your immune system is located in your gut. It is also considered the second largest part of the nervous system, second only to the brain. Many people believe that drinking Kombucha regularly can help maintain a healthy gut which in turn promotes a string immune system and good overall health.
In addition to all that, Kombucha only has about 25 calories per 8oz serving – even the flavored ones (and I would recommend you try those first :) So it’s a great alternative to soda and does not have all the nasties that diet drinks can have.
My husband and I have been trying it for the last week or so. I actually like the light effervescence. Soda has too much for me (even if I could cope with all the other bad things soda has) and many have ginger in them, which I love and is a great digestion aid. We will continue to try it and keep you posted on any notable health differences.
One last word of warning as there are so many people out there making this at home (you can buy a Scoby on Amazon!) - There have been rare cases of serious adverse effects, including fatalities, from the beverage, most probably arising from contamination during home preparation. As with all home brews, it is critical to keep all equipment sterile, which can be difficult in a regular home. The potential harms of drinking home brewed kombucha therefore may outweigh the unproven benefits, but there are so many commercial options out there now that if you are going to try it, try one of those.
