Locally-owned garden center has new look for weekend celebration of Earth Day 2013

COAL VALLEY, IL - Corn Crib Nursery, a local, family-owned garden center, will premiere an updated shopping experience by welcoming area families to celebrate Earth Day weekend at an open house April 20th and 21st.

Located just two miles south of Quad City International Airport at 6924 Route 150 in Coal Valley, IL, Corn Crib Nursery will host the event Saturday, April 20th from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday, April 21st from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

In celebration of Earth Day, events will be scheduled both days to help Quad City Area residents learn about new plant varieties and tips for starting and maintaining a garden. The kids' area will discuss "How My Garden Grows" with the opportunity for children to make and take home a free starter tomato plant. Full event details are available at www.corncribnursery.com.

The updated shopping experience throughout the full-service garden center will make it easier for customers to get everything they need for their gardening projects while still enjoying the same level of knowledge from the experienced staff. Also, a unique selection of gifts and décor as well as the complete line of Primo Grills and Smokers will be featured.

Corn Crib Nursery began in 1972 as a seasonal, open-air market and sod farm. In 1980, the business constructed its first permanent buildings and became a year-round, full service garden center including design services. Locally owned during its 41-year history, it now welcomes a third generation from the White family to the staff.

While open year round, Corn Crib has seasonal hours. To check on current hours and more, call (309) 799-3745, visit www.corncribnursery.com or "like" us on Facebook - Search: Corn Crib Nursery.

Bacon has always been popular, but now it's the standard by which many express affection with the ubiquitous online meme: I love you more than bacon.

It's considered by many to be the ultimate food indulgence, but according to Dr. John Salerno, a protégé of "Atkins Diet" creator Dr. Robert Atkins, bacon is one of the healthiest foods you can eat.

"Many think of bacon as one of the guiltiest pleasures possible, but it has also been shown to alleviate the effects of diabetes, heart disease and strokes," says Dr. Salerno, author of "The Silver Cloud Diet," (www.thesilverclouddiet.com). "Nitrate-free bacon is an excellent source of high protein, low-carbohydrate energy that helps to reset the metabolism, and it's filled with amino acids delivered without the risk of dangerous levels of mercury, which can be found in many fish."

Need more reasons to love bacon?

• It has a 4:1 ratio of protein to fat;
• It contains choline, which boosts memory and healthy brain function;
• It's composed of monounsaturated fats, the kind that contains lots of healthy fat-soluble vitamins and minerals
• It's a potent source of oleic acid and saturated fats, which help reduce levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL), lower triglycerides, and raise HDL - commonly referred to as the good form of cholesterol.

Dr. Salerno says there are other indulgent-yet-healthy foods out there, including:

• Butter: Butter contains the highest amount of butyric acid found in a natural food source. Butyric acid is recognized for its roles in cellular health, antioxidant protection and metabolic properties; it also increases energy and may prevent cancer. Butter derived from natural, grass-fed animals is recommended.

• Barbecue: Add sauces and condiments and this American favorite will have more starch and sugar than Salerno recommends. But the main ingredient - meat - speaks to the heart of a low-carb, high-protein diet. Grass-fed hamburger meat and organic, hormone-free chicken provides the nutrients your body needs. Stay away from the buns, sugary condiments, sauces and marinades, and you can enjoy a healthy barbecue.

• Omelets: Eggs contain lots of cholesterol and saturated fats, which have been demonized throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Fortunately, we know there is such a thing as good cholesterol and fat. Packed with vitamins, minerals and one of the best-absorbed proteins we can feed our body, any negatives associated with eggs are far outweighed by the benefits. Natural, unprocessed cheeses and cream add to the nutritional value of an omelet.

• Chocolate ice cream: Ice cream made with organic egg yolks, heavy cream and a small amount of stevia herb for taste, instead of sugar, is actually a healthy dessert. Fats are fine, with the exception of trans fats, so long as dieters control their carbohydrate intake. Humankind did not evolve with the vast amount of foods today that contain complex carbs and hidden sugar. Our bodies are used to high amounts of natural fat and a limited amount of unprocessed carbs.

About Dr. John Salerno

A board-certified family physician, Dr. John Salerno has been pioneering complementary medicine for more than 20 years. Best known for his Silver Cloud Diet nutrition program, anti-aging supplements, and natural therapies, Dr. Salerno has crafted original treatment plans to restore human health. His publications and professional studies have made him a popular expert on the physiology and assessment of many complex medical conditions. Dr. Salerno was a protégé and colleague of prestigious Dr. Robert Atkins and served as a clinical preceptor at the Yale University School of Medicine for three years. He has worked with Hollywood actress/author Suzanne Somers (bioidentical hormone replacement therapy pioneer); actor Steven Cannell; and president of the International Congress of Integrative Medicine, Dr. Hiroyuki Abe M.D.

April 3, 2013–Attorney General Eric Holder recently told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the size of big banks has "an inhibiting influence" on the government's ability to prosecute their criminal activity. "I am concerned that the size of some of these institutions becomes so large that it does become difficult for us to prosecute them when we are hit with indications that if you do prosecute, if you do bring a criminal charge, it will have a negative impact on the national economy, perhaps even the world economy," he said.

It's unclear just how big a bank has to be to be considered un-prosecutable, but HSBC's recent settlement for enabling drug cartels and rogue states to launder money suggests that even they, the ninth largest U.S. bank by assets and many times smaller than the biggest banks, are too big to prosecute. By facilitating deregulation (Gramm-Leach-Biley Act), bailing out insolvent institutions (TARP) and voting against limits on bank size, Congress has allowed these banks to grow as big as they currently are.

Data: MapLight has analyzed reported campaign contributions from the political action commitees (PACs) of the nine largest banks, by total assets, to current members of Congress since Jan. 1, 2003.

• In total, the PACs of the top 9 banks have given $17,019,505 to current members of the 113th Congress.
• Bank of America has given the most, at $3,381,157.
• HSBC has given $1,141,211.
• House member Spencer Bachus* has received $399,500 from the PACs of the top 9 banks, more than any other current member of Congress. Bachus is also the top recipient of money from HSBC, with $34,000 in contributions.

To download a spreadsheet of this data, click here.

*Spencer Bachus is the Chairman Emeritus of the House Committee on Financial Services.

Methodology: MapLight analysis of campaign contributions from the political action committees of the nine largest banks, by total assets, to current members of Congress since Jan. 1, 2003, based on latest available data from FEC as of 4/1/2013.

A link to this report can be found here.