SynapseThursday, December 12, 2013 synapse.ucsf.edu Volume 58, Number 13

The UCSF Student Newspaper

IN THIS ISSUEEvents » PAGE 2News Briefs » PAGE 3Puzzles » PAGE 10

FOODGerman Punchbowl A traditional flaming drink to light up your holidays » PAGE 7

SCIENCE MOMFeeding BabyDad prepares all of baby’s organic, hormone-free, locally grown food » PAGE 5

FOODThe Food Issue

I had never heard the term “foodie” before moving to San Francisco. As a former

fat kid, I couldn’t understand this pride with which San Franciscans declared themselves gourmets, or “foodies.” What was this strange world in which people were so in-vested in what we eat?

As the days grow shorter and plastic bins are filling with canned goods, many have be-gun to overindulge in holiday treats and diet options plaster the news. I am reminded again that food is much more than sustenance.

Food is a cultural experience, an ethical dilemma, a health hazard. Food is delight and nostalgia and shame. The breadth and com-plexity of this week’s special “Food Issue” is proof.

Our writers have scoured The City for cu-linary treats and now share their reviews and personal holiday recipes. (Try saying “feuer-zangenbowle” ten times, fast.)

We’ve got tips for your holiday cookie-decorating party, and our resident “Science Mom” writes a funny and heart-warming piece about her husband’s forays into making organic baby food.

And we take a scientific look at gluten-free alternative diets.

In these pages, we also present the darker side of food culture. The ethical debate about genetically modified (GM) foods rages, and the obesity epidemic leads UCSF’s anti-sugar warriors to call for a ban on sugary beverages.

While some struggle with consuming too much, others may go hungry in light of recent cuts to the federal food stamps program. Oth-ers still face psychological battles over food, as one student explores in a courageous personal essay about bulimia.

This holiday season, in this city of food-ies, I hope we can take a moment to reflect on that which sustains us, whatever that might mean.

Jenny QiExecutive Editor

Small plate at InnerFog Bar & Kitchen. See Page 7. Photo by Michelle S. Nettesheim

2 | December 12, 2013 | synapse.ucsf.edu

EVENTS

Journal Club

MISSION BAY EVENTSSYNAPSE NEWSPAPER Friday, Dec. 13, noon-1 p.m., Graduate Division. CC-310, Mission BaySynapse is looking for Mission Bay and Parnassus writers, bloggers, photographers and designers. Come to the lunch meeting, share your story ideas and enjoy a free lunch. RSVP to synapse@ucsf.edu.

MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES Friday, Dec. 13, 1-2 p.m., Helen Diller, 160, Mission Bay The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) for the UCSF Muslim community every week. Join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer, lunch and socializing. All are welcome.

MISSION BAY RIPSFriday, Dec. 13, 4-5 p.m., Genentech Hall Auditorium, Mission BayRIPS is a seminar series where one student and one postdoc present their current research. Talks are 15 minutes in length and are preceded by a 20-minute social. Snacks and beverages are provided.

MISSION BAY FARMERS’ MARKET Wednesday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Gene Friend Way Plaza, Mission Bay Shop healthy, shop fresh, shop California-grown at the UCSF Farmers’ Market every Wednesday (rain or shine). Sponsor: Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association.

EVERYDAY ERRANDS: HOLIDAY WRAP-A-THONWednesday, Dec.18, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Genentech Hall Atrium, Mission BayThursday, Dec.19, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Orthopedic Institute Atrium, Mission BayTake advantage of this annual opportunity for free holiday gift-wrapping! Contact your site representative to make an appointment today. Gift cards, See’s Candies and movie tickets can be delivered to your gift-wrapping location and be picked up during your appointment time. Everydayerrands@ucsfmedctr.org.

PARNASSUS EVENTS

YOUNG LAKOTA SCREENINGThursday, Dec. 12, 5:30-7 p.m., Health Sciences West, 300, ParnassusThe Native American Health Alliance and Medical Students for Choice will be co-hosting a screening of Young Lakota. The film follows the political awakening of three young people on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and the story of Cecelia Fire Thunder, the first female president of their tribe, who defied a South Dakota law criminalizing abortion and attempted to build a women’s clinic on the sovereign territory of the reservation. The film explores the challenges young Native American women confront in accessing reproductive health services, and the unique situation faced by members of federally recognized, sovereign tribes.

CHANCELLOR’S CONCERT SERIES FEATURING THE IVES QUARTETThursday, Dec. 5, noon-12:45 p.m. Cole Hall, Parnassus The Ives Quartet performs a program celebrating the bicentennial of Verdi’s birth,

featuring his String Quartet in E Minor. The Chancellor’s Concert Series on Thursdays is a great place to take a break from classes while listening to classical music. Seating begins at noon. If you are unable to come, you can now listen to the music through live stream. This concert is free.

MUSLIM FRIDAY PRAYER SERVICES Friday, Dec. 13, 1-2 p.m. , Medical Sciences, 163, Parnassus The Muslim Community at UCSF holds regular Friday prayer services (Jum’a) for the UCSF Muslim community every week. Come join your fellow brothers and sisters for prayer, lunch and socializing. All are welcome.

CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY AT UCSF AND VOCAL CHORDS: 2013 WINTER CONCERTSaturday, Dec. 14, 3-5 p.m., Cole Hall, ParnassusFree chamber music concert featuring performances by talented UCSF students, residents and staff. Program includes works by Brahms, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich and Ravel.

ENTREPRENEURS’ CLUB: FROM TECH TO GENETIC TESTING: A PERSONAL JOURNEYMonday, Dec. 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Library, CL 221, ParnassusMatthew Rabinowitz, PhD, CEO of Natera, will talk about his path from a Stanford engineer to a successful tech entrepreneur, as well as what it takes to be successful in the diagnostics space. Stay after the talk for a holiday party to celebrate an exciting year for the Entrepreneurs’ Club. Pizza included! Sponsor: Morgan Lewis. eventbrite.com/e/entrepreneurs-club-from-tech-to-genetic-testing-a-personal-journey-tickets-9406333597.

GOSPEL CHOIR AT UCSFMonday, Dec. 16, 6-8 p.m., Millberry Union Conference Center, ParnassusJoin the Gospel Choir at UCSF for its annual holiday concert of festive holiday music. A reception will follow.

EVERYDAY ERRANDS: HOLIDAY WRAP-A-THONMonday, Dec. 16-Tuesday, Dec. 18, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., ACC, Lobby, ParnassusThursday, Dec. 19-Friday, Dec. 20, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., ACC, Lobby, ParnassusTake advantage of this annual opportunity for free holiday gift-wrapping. Contact your site representative to make an appointment today. Gift cards, See’s Candies and movie tickets can be delivered to your gift-wrapping location and be picked up during your appointment time. Everydayerrands@ucsfmedctr.org.

BLOOD DRIVE AT UCSF PARNASSUSTuesday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., in Front of Millberry Union, ParnassusSchedule your life-saving appointment with the Blood Centers of the Pacific when they visit UCSF. Just go to the website, click on Donate Blood, and enter the sponsor code “UCSFparnassus” to book your appointment for December 17. You will receive an additional 2000 Hero Points, which can be redeemed for a variety of rewards, including two sets of two movie passes if you book ahead of time. Please be sure to eat a good meal and drink plenty of water before donating,

and bring identification. Appointments encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.

SONGS FOR THE SEASONWednesday, Dec. 18, noon-12:45 p.m., Cole Hall, ParnassusJoin Campus Life Services for its annual holiday concert, featuring the San Francisco Opera Guild Singers. A treat not to be missed! Complimentary eggnog, hot cider and cookies will be served. First come, first served. Free and open to all.

PARNASSUS FARMERS’ MARKET Wednesday, Dec. 18, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., ACC, 400 Parnassus Ave. Shop the Farmers’ Markets on Wednesdays to pick up locally grown produce and more. Sponsor: Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association.

SYNAPSE NEWSPAPER Wednesday, Dec.18, noon-1 p.m., Millbery Union 123W, ParnassusSynapse is looking for Mission Bay and Parnassus writers, bloggers, photographers and designers. Come to the lunch meeting, share your story ideas and enjoy a free lunch. Email for more information and to RSVP: synapse@ucsf.edu.

UCSF RUN CLUB Wednesday, Dec. 18, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Millberry Union Central Desk, ParnassusPlease drop by and join UCSF Fit & Rec for a run! Each Wednesday night, the Run Club runs various distances (from 3-6 miles) at 9 to 11 minutes per mile.

VOCAL CHORDS A CAPPELLA, CALL FOR MALE VOICESWednesday, Dec. 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Health Sciences West, 301, ParnassusDo you enjoy singing? Vocal Chords A Cappella is seeking tenors, baritones and basses. Rehearsals every Wednesdays 6:30-8:30 p.m. Contact Jamie Wong at Jamie.Wong@ucsf.edu. facebook.com/VocalChordsUCSF.

J-1 ORIENTATIONThursday, Dec. 19, noon-2 p.m., Medical Sciences, 20, ParnassusJ-1 immigration regulations mandate that all new J-1 visa holders who have started their appointment at UCSF must attend one orientation. At orientation, you will learn about traveling during your program, employment and reimbursement policies, extending your program, and other helpful information about living in San Francisco and doing research at UCSF. Bring your passport and your DS-2019.

H-1B ORIENTATIONThursday, Dec. 19, 1-2:30 p.m., Medical Sciences, 22, ParnassusAll recent H-1B holders at UCSF are required to attend an H-1B orientation. You will learn about traveling while on an H-1B, how to apply for an H-1B visa stamp at a U.S. Consulate abroad, how to maintain your status, and many other things you need to know while living and working at UCSF under an H-1B.

MEN IN NURSING: HOLIDAY POT LUCKThursday, Dec. 19, 6-9 p.m., Community Room, Mission BayYou and your family are cordially invited to bring your favorite dish and kick off your holiday spirit. Bring a gift (no more than $10) for the White Elephant gift exchange if interested in participating. Register: raymond.nation@ucsf.edu.

CHANCELLOR’S CONCERT SERIES FEATURES MUSAICThursday, Dec. 19, 12:15-12:45 p.m., Cole

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Hall, ParnassusThe men’s a cappella group Musaic performs classical and popular songs to finish off the fall season of the Chancellor’s Concert Series. The Chancellor’s Concert Series on Thursdays is a great place to set up your laptop and study or just take a break from classes while listening to classical music. Seating begins at noon. If you are unable to come, you can now listen to the music through live stream: http://bit.ly/CLSConcertSeries.

OFF-CAMPUSHEALTH TECH INTEREST GROUP AND CDHI MIXERThursday, Dec. 12, 6-8 p.m., InnerFog Wine Bar, SFJoin the Health Tech Interest Group and CDHI for a mixer to mingle with interprofessional students, faculty and digital health entrepreneurs. This is a great chance to catch up before the holidays and learn about startups and opportunities (think side projects, summer projects, fourth-year projects). eventbrite.com/e/health-tech-mixer-tickets-9581611859.

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: HOLIDAY BAZAAR NIGHTLIFE Thursday, Dec. 12, 6-10 p.m., Cal Academy, Golden Gate ParkA merry marketplace of giftable treasures from 40-plus local merchants, all curated by SF Bazaar. Find a little something for every person on your list at this one-stop holiday shop. Get down to the signature repertoire of jazz-laced house and down tempo tunes with a DJ set from Mark Farina. http://bit.ly/NightLifeTickets, http://bit.ly/CLSDiscounts.

OFF THE GRID: UPPER HAIGHT Thursday, Dec. 12, 5-9 p.m., Stanyan and Waller Streets, SFOff the Grid is a roaming mobile food extravaganza that travels to different locations daily to serve delicious food, with a free side of amazing music, craft and soul.

LIGHTED BOAT PARADEFriday, Dec. 13, 5:30 p.m., Fisherman’s Wharf, SFGet in the holiday spirit with more than 60 boats adorned with holiday decorations and lights. These spectacular boats will parade along the waterfront for your viewing pleasure. http://bit.ly/1bdmEqD.

STUDENT ADVOCATES TO THE REGENTS (STARS) APPLICATION Deadline: Friday, Jan. 10 at 5 p.m. Becoming a StAR gives students the opportunity to meet and directly interact with UC Regents to address student priorities during the Regents’ meetings. ucsa.org/updates/apply-to-be-a-student-advocate-to-the-regents/.

UCSF EXCLUSIVE: SPORTS BASEMENT SHOPPING SPREEThursday, Dec. 12, 5-9 p.m., 1590 Bryant Street, SFReceive 15% off all purchases with your Fitness & Recreation membership card or UCSF ID. First 100 shoppers get an additional $5 off during the event, upon signing in. Spend $100 for a chance to win $100 Sports Basement gift card. Five percent of purchases support member events. Beverages and snacks provided.

FREE SYNAPSE CLASSIFIEDSUCSF students and staff can now post online classified ads for free on the Synapse website. All you need is an @ucsf.edu email account. Try it out! synapse.ucsf.edu/classifieds.

synapse.ucsf.edu | December 12, 2013 | 3

STAFFYi Lu | EDITOR

Jenny Qi | EXECUTIVE EDITOR Alexandra Greer | SCIENCE EDITOR

Angela Castanieto | ASSOCIATE EDITORAkshay Govind | ASSOCIATE EDITORSteven Chin | MANAGING EDITOR

Victoria Elliott | COPY EDITORAbout Synapse is the UCSF student-run weekly newspaper, which runs on Thursdays during the academic year and monthly during the summer. Synapse seeks to serve as a forum for the campus community. Articles and columns represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Board of Publications or the University of California.

Submissions Announcements and letters should be submitted six days before publication. All submissions can be either emailed or mailed. All material is subject to editing. Letters to the Editor must be signed by the author.Subscriptions Subscriptions cost $20/year ($40/outside US).

Advertising Paid advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of Synapse. Synapse and its editorial board reserve the right to decline advertisements promoting false or misleading claims, known health risks, or content deemed by the editors to be antithetical to the interests of UCSF students or the UCSF community. Synapse does not accept advertisements from tobacco or alcohol manufacturers, or sexually oriented personal ads. Synapse reserves the right to run any ad with a disclaimer.

500 Parnassus Ave. Millberry Union 108W

San Francisco, CA 94143tel: (415) 476-2211 | fax: (415) 502-4537

synapse@ucsf.edu

SynapseThe UCSF Student Newspapersynapse.ucsf.edu

NEWS BRIEFSStructure of Key Pain-Related Protein Unveiled

In a technical tour de force, UCSF sci-entists have determined, at near-atomic res-olution, the structure of a protein that plays a central role in the perception of pain and heat. Led by UCSF postdoctoral fellows Erhu Cao, PhD, and Maofu Liao, PhD, the new re-search will offer fresh insights to drug de-signers searching for new and better pain treatments, but it also is a watershed for the field of structural biology, which aims to dis-cover how proteins are physically constructed in order to better understand their function.

Until now, the method used in the new re-search, known as electron cryo-microscopy, or cryo-EM, was not thought to be capable of visualizing small proteins in such great detail.

“The impact will be broad,” said electron microscopist Yifan Cheng, PhD, UCSF associ-ate professor of biochemistry and biophysics and co-senior author of two new papers that report the structure of the protein, known as TRPV1 (pronounced “trip-vee-one”), at a res-olution of 3.4 angstroms.

Cardiovascular StudyWins Approval FromAmerican Heart Association

UCSF’s Health eHeart Study, an ambi-tious technology-based cardiovascular re-search study, has garnered the support from the American Heart Association, the largest U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to re-ducing disability and deaths caused by cardio-vascular disease and stroke.

This UCSF-developed study, funded in part by the Salesforce.com Foundation – har-nesses the power of online and mobile tech-nology to gather cardiovascular data from study participants through devices such as smartphone apps, ECG smartphone cases and portable blood pressure cuffs.

In less than nine months since its March 2013 launch, the study has already enrolled more than 5,000 people, a feat that would take several years to achieve in traditional clinical research studies. The goal is to enroll 1 mil-lion participants from all over the world.

“In my 30-year career as a researcher and physician, I’ve never seen a study as innova-tive as the Heart eHealth Study,” said Elliott Antman, MD, president-elect of the Ameri-can Heart Association and co-chair of the study’s Scientific Advisory Committee.

UCSF Wins $9.45 Million GrantTo Transform TreatmentOf Prostate Cancer

UCSF has been awarded a major federal grant to “transform and revolutionize” the treatment of prostate cancer, the second most common form of cancer among American men.

The grant, totaling $9.45 million over three years, is intended to overhaul through precision medicine the clinical management of prostate cancer, particularly for men newly diagnosed with the disease.

In the project, scientists will develop and validate a novel risk-prediction model to pro-vide better information about the patient’s true risk of cancer progression.

For the second component, the UCSF team will implement a decision to support intervention to help men better determine whether to treat or to monitor their disease. Featuring a secure website and live coaching support from genetic counselors, it will pro-vide patients a highly personalized summary of their cancer risk and management options.

Currently, many men undergo avoidable treatment for prostate cancer.

NEWSNew Precision Medicine Lecture Series Wraps Up

NEWSAIDS Exhibits at the UCSF LibraryBy Peggy TahirContributing Writer

The UCSF Library is currently host-ing the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) “Surviving & Thriving: AIDS,

Politics and Culture.” The exhibit highlights the stories of people involved in the AIDS cri-sis.

It covers the history of the epidemic, in-cluding the scientific discovery of the AIDS virus, and the effect of the epidemic on indi-viduals and the country as a whole. It high-lights the U.S. government’s initial resistance to the epidemic and inaction during the ear-ly years of the crisis, under President Ronald Reagan.

President Reagan did not publicly address the AIDS crisis for five years, and it was only 10 years after the outbreak of the epidemic that the U.S. Congress passed legislation pro-viding AIDS treatment for low-income and under-served citizens.

Political activism eventually led to chang-es in the testing of AIDS drugs, and to the provision of new methods of treatment, as well as allowing for women with AIDS to re-ceive treatment.

The initial def inition of the dis-ease did not acknowledge the possibil-ity that women could suffer from AIDS. As a result, they were not allowed to be given the diagnosis if they had contract-ed the disease and could not receive access to care even as they perished from AIDS. Many dedicated health professionals and

activists continue to work together to find new ways to care for those with HIV/AIDS and to prevent the disease from spreading.

The exhibits will be on display until Jan-uary 4, 2014, at the UCSF Library, Parnas-sus Campus, main floor http://bit.ly/ucsflib.

By Chris FooStaff Writer

A group of pharmacy school students organized a lecture series this fall to educate the UCSF community about

precision medicine, an emerging field that uti-lizes the latest in medical technology and ge-nome sequencing to analyze risk factors and prevent disease. Lecturers included scientists

Adjacent to the NLM exhib-it (http://1.usa.gov/19mQCbV) is another exhibit, The UCSF AIDS History Project: Documenting the Epidemic, http://bit.ly/ucsfAHP.

UCSF AIDS History Project

The UCSF AIDS History Project (AHP) began in 1987 as a joint effort of historians, archivists, AIDS activ-ists, health care providers and others to secure historically significant re-sources of the response to the AIDS crisis in San Francisco.

The UCSF Archives and Special Collections began receiving grants in 1991 to collect and describe materi-als related to the epidemic.

The AHP contains records from community-based organizations and other agencies; diaries and per-sonal papers of AIDS activists; pa-pers from local health practitioners who worked with AIDS patients or in HIV/AIDS research, and papers and ephemera collected by journal-ists and social scientists.

Materials from several AHP col-lections are displayed in the exhib-it, and additional materials may be

viewed by appointment in the Special Collec-tions Reading Room. This exhibit will be dis-played at the library for the next six months.

Peggy Tahir is on the staff of the UCSF Library.

Poster from the AIDS History Project — Ephemera Col-lection, MSS 2000-31. Courtesy of UCSF Archives and Special Collections.

and clinicians from Genentech and 23andMe, who spoke about their work and how their companies are impacting health care.

Most recently, Dr. Bruce Conklin, of the Gladstone Institutes, gave a presentation on pluripotent stem cells and their therapeutic applications. By analyzing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) mechanisms that influence pluripotency, Dr. Conklin hopes to identify new avenues to treat cardiovascular disease,

by altering disease-state phenotypes to re-semble those of healthy controls.

“I liked how Dr. Conklin explained how his research can enrich patients’ lives,” said first-year pharmacy student Jason Kirkwood. “As a student, I think it’s important to see re-al-world applications of the things we learn in the classroom.”

Dalga Surofchy, also a first-year pharma-cy student, added, “I found the series to be a powerful introduction to the variety of efforts occurring in the field of pharmacogenetics. I am very excited to be a student at an institu-tion that plays a pivotal role in personalized medicine.”

Second-year pharmacy student Dor Keyvani, who was one of the organizers of the lecture series, said the presenters enjoyed interacting with the students.

“They all come from industry, so they don’t get a chance to talk about the work they do,” he said. “This lecture series was a great chance to tell people about their work and be proud of it.”

Dr. Esteban Burchard, the faculty mem-ber leading the lecture series initiative, was pleased with the outcome. “This is our first, and we will get out some of the kinks on the next round,” he said. “The turnout has been great and diverse, with people from all schools.”

Keyvani and Dr. Burchard hope to ex-pand their efforts on campus next year. possi-bly establishing an official registered campus organization (RCO) to promote precision medicine beyond the School of Pharmacy.

With the RCO, the organizers hope to create a space on campus for people to ex-press their ideas and thoughts related to pre-cision medicine. Furthermore, they hope it will spark an interest in students to conduct their own work in the field of precision medi-cine, whether scientific research or organiza-tional outreach. If you are interested, contact Dor.Keyvani@ucsf.edu.

Chris Foo is a first-year pharmacy student.

4 | December 12, 2013 | synapse.ucsf.edu

Photo courtesy of Dr. Remen

NEWS

From Test Tube to Kitchen Table: OBR-Bay Debates GMOs

MIND&BODY

Superheroes vs. Healers

By Amy SteinbergContributing Writer

Lately, I’ve been surrounded by talk of superheroes. In the same way that learning a new word makes you hy-

persensitive to its sounds, I’m convinced that everybody around me is indicating their ac-quisition — or loss — of superhuman powers.

It started a few weeks ago. As part of the MS1 curriculum, each student is expected to interview a hospitalized patient in front of his or her peers. The exercise is terrify-ing, to say the least, but a recent trip to the wards launched our group into the captivat-ing world of an ex-law-enforcement agent ful-ly equipped with a handle-bar mustache and a gregarious belly laugh.

As a true crime-fighter, his superhero nar-rative was nearly complete, but with one small hitch: He was sick. Very, very sick. A mere plot twist in any regular superhero series was a brutal jolt back into the reality of blue, stained hospital curtains and runny hand san-itizer. He was scared and alone and human, looking for connection in us, other non-su-perhumans.

I then began noticing other things: a dis-cussion I overheard on the molecular feasi-bility of Spiderman’s genesis, a joking remark about disguising ignorance with a white-coat-wearing alter ego, a preceptor dubbed the “Su-perman of Hearts.”

You get the idea.In any case, it has made me start to re-

flect on this construct in medicine, perhaps because a part of me came to medical school thinking it would be a type of superhero acad-emy. Not that I wanted to rise to fame and status with a sparkling insignia, but more be-cause I wanted the manual to some magic bag of tools for helping people to feel better.

And, in a lot of ways, it hasn’t been far off: I’ve learned mechanisms behind so-called

miracle drugs, I’ve begun the tedious audi-tory training to distinguish heart sounds, and I’ve learned to say, “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

Walking out of the room after that inter-view, however, made me realize that maybe this isn’t such a good thing. One of the rea-sons we love superheroes is because we ad-mire courage.

This is, of course, the ultimate paradox: true courage requires the possibility for dev-astating loss, for utter vulnerability, some-thing that superheroes never truly have. We admire them for both their humanity and bravery, yet they don’t suffer the necessary fear or pain to warrant those supreme de-scriptors.

What we as humans experience every day, conversely, is scary, messy, and unimaginably painful — the honest prerequisites for cour-age and humanity.

The man we interviewed epitomized this definition of brave, and he deserved some-thing more than, “I’m so sorry to hear that.” He needed a counterpoint to his vulnerability, some nod to human camaraderie in the face of sickness and fear.

But when I tried to think of a way to ac-knowledge this terrifying loneliness or to say that we struggle together, I quickly realized that I don’t know how. Perhaps even scari-er, I’ve started to fill this void of not-know-ing with automated responses and generic phrases.

So, where is the class that teaches us to be better than superheroes, to be human? Enter The Healer’s Art.

The Healer’s Art course began at UCSF in 1991 as a way to help first-year students find and maintain meaning throughout their professional endeavors. Dr. Rachel Remen, Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Depart-ment of Family and Community Medicine, created the course and has offered it at UCSF for the past 23 years. In that time, the course

has expanded to over 70 medical schools, re-ceiving widespread acclaim and media atten-tion. The class allows students to engage in small-group reflections and discussions ad-dressing the following topics: “Retaining Your Wholeness,” “Sharing Grief and Honoring Loss,” “Allowing Awe in Medicine” and “Ser-vice as a Way of Life.”

On January 9 from noon to 1 p.m. in N-217, Dr. Remen will give an introductory lecture titled “The Art of Medicine: Remem-bering That Who You Are Is as Important as What You Know.” The lecture is an opportu-nity to learn more about The Healer’s Art and is open to the public. Lunch will be provided.

The Healer’s Art elective is being offered this winter (FCM 171.01) for 1.5 units, and will meet from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on the follow-ing Wednesdays: January 15 and 29 and Feb-ruary 5, 12 and 26. For more information, contact: amy.steinberg@ucsf.edu.

Amy Steinberg is a first-year medical student.

Dr. Rachel Remen teaches The Healer's Art course.

By Benjamin CohnStaff Writer

With the global human population in excess of 7 billion, some feel that meeting our growing food needs will require an agricultural revolution made

possible only through enhancement of crops by genetic modi-fication (GM).

Proponents claim that genetically modified foods will be more nutritious, more resistant to pests and produce higher yields. Others worry that the health, environmental and polit-ical risks of the introduction of transgenes are still too poorly understood to accept GM food into the food supply.

Oxbridge Biotech Roundtable recently invited local ex-perts to UCSF to discuss the benefits and concerns surround-ing genetically modified foods. Guests included Antony Evans, founder/CEO of Glowing Plant; John Hamer, Investment Di-rector for the venture capital arm of the chemical and agricul-tural biotechnology company Monsanto; Linda MacDonald Glenn, Fellow for the nonprofit Institute of Ethics and Emerg-ing Technologies; and David Zilberman, UC-Berkeley Chair of the Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics.

Future-proofing the food supply

According to the World Health Organization, a ge-netically modified organism, or GMO, is an organism whose DNA has been altered in a way that does not oc-cur naturally. In contrast to traditional breeding, this is typically achieved using molecular biology to intro-duce genes from other species (“transgenics”) or from other individuals of the same species (“cisgenics”).

In some cases, the goal is to increase agricultural yields by making crops more resistant to herbicides, insect pests, bacte-ria, viruses, fungi and even frost. For example, genes isolated from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis are commonly intro-duced into corn and cotton to confer resistance to destructive beetles and flies. By lowering the need for pesticides, develop-ers hope to provide economic value to farmers and reduce the environmental burden of large-scale farming.

In other cases, the desired effect of the genetic modifica-tion is a bigger or more nutritious product, such as fast-matur-ing salmon or Vitamin A-enriched rice. Genetically modified organisms have also been developed for medical or health applications, such as goat-milk engineered to produce anti-clotting factors or soybeans that have been engineered not to carry common allergens.

What’s the catch?

Some feel that the promised benefits of GM food technol-ogies cannot compensate for the potential risks, which could include consumer health effects, environmental impact and economic/political considerations. For example, transgenic proteins could cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

Safety testing requirements, however, require rigor-ous analysis of GMOs for potential allergens before they are brought to market for human consumption. Indeed, no GM food product currently on the market has ever been docu-mented to produce allergic reactions and, in some cases, de-velopment of GM foods was abandoned when in vitro and skin-prick tests revealed that they had allergenic potential.

Because GM crops are planted in fields like conventional crops, and often alongside them, environmental concerns have

been raised. These include the possibilities of gene escape and outcrossing with local plant species, as well as off-target effects on non-pest insect populations and resulting negative effects on biodiversity. In addition to studies of nutritional value, tox-icity and allergens, GMO developers are also required to con-duct environmental risk assessments of new GM products.

Critics also express concern about the potential consol-idation of control over the food supply by agricultural cor-porations, imposing on farmers the need to purchase seeds annually from a supplier, and the effects of cheap GM food on non-GM market prices.

David Zilberman noted that, paradoxically, the priorities of producers and consumers are not always aligned. A glut of cheap GM wheat, for example, would cause prices to plummet and entail a loss of profits for farmers. Discussions about GM foods have thus been highly politicized over the years.

Regulatory oversight

In the United States, new GM foods are subject to strict regulatory oversight under the combined purview of the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

After thousands of studies and decades of research and testing, there appears to be broad scientific consensus that GM foods approved for market pose no greater risk to consumers than their wildtype counterparts. In a 2012 statement issued by the Board of Directors of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the authors wrote:

“Every other respected organization that has examined the evidence has come to the same conclusion: consuming foods

GMO » PAGE 10

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synapse.ucsf.edu | December 12, 2013 | 5

By Debbie RuelasStaff Writer

When it comes to baby food, I married a complete and total hippie, although this really only applies to our baby’s

food, and not at all to what we, as parents, consume. For instance, before we

had a kid, there was the inci-dent at Trader Joe’s when I lazi-ly tossed some organic 29 cent bananas into the cart, instead of going out of my way for the non-organic 19 cent bananas.

“Who cares about 10 cents?” I said. My husband and I were both grad students at the time, and he absolutely cared about 10 cents. To my surprise, having a child trans-formed my penny-pinching husband into an organic-only, hormone-free, locally grown, “Does this have nitrates?” farmers’-market hippie.

I can understand this im-pulse. As parents, we try so hard to give our children the best. Even before our babies are born, mothers are careful-ly monitoring their nutrition and avoiding dangerous food and drink.

After our babies are born, the amount of milk intake can be an issue of great preoccupa-tion for parents, particularly for a baby that is being exclu-sively breastfed. For breastfed babies, there’s not an exact way to measure the amount going in, other than looking at the amount coming out.

Then as a baby transitions to solids, there are foods that babies should not eat, like honey, cow’s milk or soy milk. There are also foods that can cause allergic reactions, like eggs, milk, peanuts, fish and shellfish. These foods should be introduced one at a time. One can see how feeding your child the first foods, although exciting, can also be daunting.

Anyway, one day, the hippie comes home with a mini food proces-sor under his arm and announces that we will be making all our own baby food. I didn’t take issue with his declaration at the time. Like most things baby-related, it seemed easy in theory.

In the beginning, we would mash a slice of avocado, or puree a ba-nana. Babies eat so little at first, so food preparation isn’t all that time-consuming.

Gradually, our kid began eating more and more. Eventually, pre-paring separate meals every day got to be a lot of work. Even though we tried freezing baby food, the freezer would quickly get filled with food that our kid refused to eat.

You just can’t reason with babies. Even though it’s a $25 free-range, organic chicken stew with veggies that took you several hours to make, just like that, they will spit it in your face.

And then they’ll laugh. After one too many days of wiping homemade, organic, whole-

fat yogurt off the kitchen tiles, I decided that I’d had enough. I went to the store to buy one of those food pouches that I had seen on the playground. They are basically plastic pouches filled with baby food, and on top there is a twist-off cap that reveals a spigot.

So, you take the spigot and stick it in the kid’s mouth. Then you squeeze the pouch and the food squirts direct-ly into the kid’s stomach. I brought this home to test, and my kid loved it! It was so easy and clean, too. Everything was totally groovy, until the hippie came home and saw the empty food pouch in the trash.

I watched his face turn from confusion to horror as he realized that his baby boy had been fed processed baby food — from a plastic pouch!

My husband calmly ex-plained to me that part of the reason that he wanted to make all the homemade baby food was because he felt like it was a good way for him to play a larger role in feeding our son. When a baby is younger and being exclusively breastfed, fa-thers can sometimes feel left out.

Ultimately, we decided that my husband would prepare all the baby food, and take care of most of the feedings. This gave him more bond-ing time with our baby, and helped him feel more useful.

I felt grateful to have a husband who really wanted to be more in-volved in caring for our child. His support is a major reason why I am able to maintain my sanity as a mother and grad student.

In terms of organic food, my husband’s penny-pinching side even-tually murdered the hippie within him, and now we use the Environ-mental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list.

These are lists of fruits and vegetables that are known to contain ei-ther the highest (Dirty Dozen) or lowest (Clean Fifteen) levels of pes-ticide residues. We use these lists as guides to determine which foods to buy organic (ewg.org/foodnews/).

Debbie Ruelas is a sixth-year BMS student.

SCIENCE MOM

Feeding Baby

Photo by flickr/DoNotLick

One of the bars at Bourbon and Branch, styled after Prohibition-era speakeasies, serves stiff, but pricey, drinks.

REVIEW Bourbon and BranchBy Alexandra GreerScience Editor

Entering the reservations-only room of Bourbon and Branch is like a scene out of a Prohibition-era movie. You ap-

proach the nondescript door with your posse in tow, unsure whether it’s the right entrance. You glance around nervously, checking to see if you’ve been followed by locals trying to sur-reptitiously join you.

There’s nothing but a doorbell at the en-trance, no signage. You buzz, and for a while, nothing happens. Maybe you become a bit anxious, but you manage to keep your cool. Finally, someone opens the door, stares at you for a second, and asks “Password?”

At Bourbon and Branch, there are actu-ally two bars, only one of which requires res-ervations. A third, called the Wilson Room, is technically operated next door, but you can

also make reservations there via the Bourbon and Branch website.

Together, they offer a panoply of thought-ful, original, tasty and powerful mixed drinks with a variety of spirits — though the special-ty is arguably whiskey and bourbon.

While B&B is on the pricey side for stu-dents on a budget, with drinks in the $10-$12 range, it’s a great place for special occasions.

Bourbon and Branch is styled after Pro-hibition-era speakeasies: The rooms are dark and tastefully decorated, music is quiet, so you can actually converse, and cellphone use is strongly discouraged. Together, they make for a cozy environment to enjoy a few drinks with company.

The crowds at Bourbon and Branch are also varied. Groups celebrating a special event are mixed in with casually dressed cou-ples and small groups. In the Library, reser-

BOURBON AND BRANCH » PAGE 11

OPINION

Ban Sugary Drinks from UCSF CampusBy T. Booth HaleyStaff Writer

The time has come for society to start regulating sugar. Ask any professor in any health field if there are negative

effects from excess sugar consumption, and the answer will be a universal and resound-ing, “Of course!”

I’m not here to convince you that sugar is bad for us; the question now is: How do we change our culture of consumption to pro-mote a healthier society?

The problem is huge and complicated. All modern cuisines use sugar to some degree, and most processed foods contain sugar. Po-litical barriers exist too. The lobbies of cane and beet sugar growers and producers of corn syrup influence many senators, who resist any changes to current agricultural subsidies.

Reducing sugar at those system-wide lev-els is daunting — we should start instead with activism at the local level. It is time for UCSF to take the lead in modern food policy. It is time for UCSF to ban sugary drinks from its campuses.

Why start with drinks? We can’t, and wouldn’t want to, ban all sugar from campus. So, how do we allow reasonable sugar con-sumption while discouraging excessive sugar consumption? Also, we have to show respect for individual autonomy: If people want to consume unhealthy things, it is ultimately their choice.

However, what we can do is get rid of the most sugary items and make access to un-healthy choices less convenient.

Sugary drinks are among the most offen-sive, and it’s easy to measure how much sugar they contain.

Drinks represent a category with clear boundaries, whereas sugary foods are a gray area. Ban candy, then you should also ban chocolate chip cookies, ban cookies, then you should also ban biscotti, ban biscotti, then you should also ban zucchini bread, etc.

Coca-Cola has 3.25 grams of sugar per ounce. That’s 39 grams for a 12-ounce can. That’s 10 packets of sugar per can. Most peo-ple would not blithely consume 10 packets of sugar at a sitting.

The insidious thing about beverages is that, being liquid, they slip down our throats so quickly, we aren’t as aware of their toxic

SUGARY DRINKS » PAGE 8

Illustration by Jillian Varonin/BMS4

6 | December 12, 2013 | synapse.ucsf.edu

Photo courtesy of Hannah Patzke

A Flaming German Holiday Punchbowl

By Hannah PatzkeStaff Writer

As the weather grows colder and Christmas approaches, I look forward eagerly to one of my favorite holiday traditions. Feuerzangenbowle, which I’m told translates to “hot tong punch or hot punch bowl,” is a time-honored holiday tradition in Germany.

I was first introduced to it at a holiday gathering of friends five years ago, and it quickly became one of our yearly traditions. Much stronger than its more widely known counterpart, mulled wine (or Glühwein), flaming hot tong punch packs quite a kick, and sets the holiday spirit alight.

Feuerzangenbowle is commonly enjoyed among friends on a cold night (with no plans to drive afterwards). My German friends tell me some people watch the traditional movie Die Feuerzangenbowle while consuming this beverage, but I have not yet added that aspect to our tradition.

The recipe is quite simple and may be varied to your taste.

Ingredients

•2(ormore)bottlesofredwine(Ipreferfruityandspicywines)•Severalorangescutintowedgeswithwholeclovesinsertedintothewedges•Cinnamonsticks•Cardamomandallspicetotaste

•Lemon,raisins,cranberriesandotherfruitsasdesired•Rum(151proofpreferred)•1Zuckerhut(Germansugarcone/loaf)Thezuckerhutcanbeboughtonlinefromavari-

ety of sources, but it is easily homemade as well. Just take 1 cup of sugar and mix with 1 tea-spoon of water until well blended. Then press into a conical mold (a fluted beer glass would work here) and let dry for a day or two.

Directions

Place all ingredients into a pot and heat without bringing to a boil. The longer the ingredi-ents simmer together, the stronger the flavor.

When the mulled wine has melded all the flavors, it’s time for the fire.Suspend a cone-shaped (or rather Christmas-tree shaped) loaf of sugar above the pot on

something nonflammable. This can be accomplished with metal tongs (thus the name). Pour rum over the sugar and light it on fire. The flaming sugar will drip down into the wine

in a glorious display of blue and orange flames. The fire dances across the top of the wine be-fore finally extinguishing itself.

After the sugar has all melted into flames, the Feuerzangenbowle can be imbibed for a won-derful night of frivolity and fun.

Hannah Patzke is a first-year student in the Advanced Practice Public Health Nursing Program.

Carsten Hoffman ladles 151 rum over the flaming Zuckerhut sugar cone, then watches the flames of the Feuerzangenbowle rise up.

OPINION

The Monsters in My FridgeBy Anonymous

Eating used to be simple. I think that past tense is something most people

could agree with. I remember a time when I wasn’t con-

stantly planning my meals out in my head or worrying about how much exercise I would have to do to counter an irresistible free treat offered to me by a well-meaning friend.

I remember a time when my body would tell me, via loud, annoying gurgles, that it was time to fuel it and then tell me when it was satiated, and I would heed those cues easily.

I remember a time when I didn’t feel self-conscious about my body and what assump-tions people would make about me based on my size. But that was all years ago, and the memories of food as a physiological necessity and not as an enemy seem like a dream.

Now, what I remember most clearly is the exact moment that my binge-eating disorder started.

I was at my physician’s office for what would turn out to be my last routine physical before I left home for college.

The scale, which by that point in my life had become nothing more than a bearer of bad tidings, had just registered my weight at a number I had begun to think was impossible for me to reach.

After charting this new number on a line graph of my weight, my doctor turned to me and said, “You need to eat more.” Apparently, I had lost an alarming amount of weight in

the short period since my last appointment. Her words lodged themselves firmly in-side my brain. She was giving me permission to give in to the cravings I had been ignoring for months, as I struggled to reshape my body into an image I considered perfect.

At the beginning of that school year, I had decided that I no longer wanted to be the biggest person in my group of friends (un-beknownst to me, some of the friends I was comparing myself to were anorexic, a reflec-tion of the horrific levels of low self-image that adolescent girls have these days).

By the time I got to that particular doc-tor’s appointment, I had been through a round of the Special K challenge; was engag-ing in vigorous exercise daily; had stopped eating many of my favorite foods; was only having one serving of food at dinner, even if my body was begging me for more fuel; and had stopped having my period, something I was very happy about.

And even though I still saw myself as be-ing too fat, seeing that number on the scale and hearing my physician’s command to eat flipped some sort of switch within me.

That night at dinner, in a crowded restau-rant and in front of my family and a few of my friends, I had my first binge. No one com-mented on my excess intake, and to me, this served as emphasis that I should listen to the doctor’s orders. I needed to eat more.

It’s been around six years since then, and I’m still trying to become friends with my food. College was a nightmare eating-wise, with the all-you-can-eat dining facili-ties giving me the excuse to eat my feelings and fears, with no worries of judgment (I

was just getting my money’s worth, right?). Support has also been hard to find. Most-ly because I still believe it is merely a prob-lem of self-control (I’m training to be a health care professional, and yet I can’t buy into the knowledge that bulimia is an actual disease).

But also, because it’s hard to explain pre-cisely how a binge takes away all ill feelings for its duration or the high that happens when you “negate” that binge by resisting food for the next few days afterward.

Life’s better now that I have tried new things and found ways to distract myself from using food as a crutch.

I get the most frustrated by the vast amount of often contradictory information on nutrition and exercise floating around. Six small meals a day or three normal ones? Three reps of eight, using a weight I can bare-ly lift, or 100 pulses with a five-pounder that will still leave my muscles burning? Is meat good or bad?.

It’s hard to prescribe yourself a healthy lifestyle when no one agrees on what exact-ly that is.

I still struggle with finding balance and not feeling the need to eat the whole pack-age of crackers if I’ve already broken my meal plans by having five. But I don’t berate myself as often as I used to if I’m feeling a certain way. I try to acknowledge the feeling and ac-cept it, rather than using food as an escape.

There are still bad days, of course, but they are far less frequent than the good ones. And I’m sure that’s all that anyone else, with an eating disorder or not, could say anyway.

The writer is a student at UCSF.

NEWS

This Thing Is Gluten Free Does that mean it’s good for me?By Akshay Govind

Gluten, from the Latin word for glue, is a mixture of proteins found in ce-real grains, and is responsible for the

elastic texture of dough. The most commonly discussed proteins are gliadin and glutenin in wheat, but there are similar proteins in rye, barley and oats.

Many people report that their intake of grain products appears to have noticeable physical effects on their health, and while gluten has a well-understood role in celiac disease, its role in the nonspecific set of in-testinal and non-intestinal symptoms known as “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” (NCGS) is poorly understood and quite controversial.

FODMAPs and other components of wheat

Wheat consists of proteins, carbohydrates, small amounts of fat and trace amounts of other substances. Although gluten is the main storage protein of wheat, there are also non-gluten proteins, including alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors. The carbohydrates within wheat consist of both digestible long-chain types and indigestible types, known as fod-maps.

Fhqwhgads? No, FODMAPs. Ferment-able, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols, which are

GLUTEN FREE » PAGE 9

synapse.ucsf.edu | December 12, 2013 | 7

OPINIONCuts to SNAP Benefits Threaten Food Security in UCSF’s BackyardBy Yi LuEditor

As UCSF students, staff and faculty make the final push toward winter vacations,

many of us will be going to bed with gluttonous dreams of baked ham and Linzer cookies. But with the recent reductions in the feder-al food stamps program, with more cuts possibly to come, families in UCSF’s backyard will be struggling just to put food on the table.

According to the San Francis-co Food Security Task Force, 13% of residents in District 5, which en-compasses the Parnassus campus, are living below the federal pover-ty line, with incomes of no more

than $23,550 for a family of four. However, since the cost of liv-ing in San Francisco is so high, any household of four whose income is less than twice that amount is con-sidered to be at risk of food insecu-rity, with uncertain or inconsistent access to enough nutritious food. This applies to a whopping 28.5 per-cent of the district.

Resources for food-insecure in-dividuals include food pantries, free dining rooms and benefits from CalFresh, California’s food stamp program. In 2009, in the midst of a severe economic recession, Con-gress passed the American Re-covery and Reinvestment Act, colloquially known as the stimulus,

which increased benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for all participat-ing households.

With these expanded funding levels, the maximum benefit for a household of four based on the US-DA’s calculations for a bare-bones diet was $668 a month, or about $5.60 per person, per day.

Although SNAP benefits are meant to supplement, not replace, food spending, the astronomically high cost of living in San Francisco leaves residents less money to pur-chase nutritious food. In addition, in the past three years, the consum-er price index for all foods and bev-erages has risen 5.3 percent, making

it even harder to stretch food dol-lars at the supermarket register.

Given that 28.5 percent of indi-viduals in UCSF’s backyard are at risk of food insecurity, chances are that you will encounter someone in your day-to-day life who is food in-secure — your next-door neighbor who is only eating two meals a day, the library custodian who is eating mostly starchy foods to tide him over for longer, your homeless pa-tient who is not sure where she will find her next meal after discharge.

Due to Congressional inaction, $5 billion in benefits from the 2009 stimulus expired on November 1 of this year, the first time that SNAP benefits have been cut for all par-

ticipants nationwide. For a fam-ily of four, this meant $36 less per month. Based on the USDA’s budget of $1.70 per meal, this means a loss of 21 meals.

More cuts are on the horizon. Congress is currently trying to pass an extension of the farm bill, which governs a huge swath of food and agricultural policy. A key point of contention is the extent of cuts to the food stamp program, with the Democrat-led Senate passing a bill reducing SNAP funding by $4.5 bil-lion over 10 years and the Repub-lican-led House voting on a bill reducing funding by $40 billion

SNAP BENEFITS » PAGE 11

REVIEW

InnerFog: A Cozy Inner Sunset RetreatBy Angela CastanietoStaff Writer

Nestled on Irving Street in the chilly Inner Sunset, the InnerFog Wine Bar & Kitchen provides a snug, invit-ing place to duck into and retreat from its namesake,

which often blankets the neighborhood. InnerFog opened a few years back, serving just wine, beer

and a small but inspired selection of cheeses. However, it re-cently underwent an extensive makeover due to flooding. The new InnerFog, which reopened in May, now offers wine on tap, a largely locally sourced small plates menu and an ex-panded selection of bottled wines and beer.

InnerFog’s clientele includes professionals, UCSF students, faculty and your typical Inner Sunset dweller. As someone who fits into those last two categories, I had visited InnerFog a number of times pre-flood to sample the wine and cheese.

On my first post-renovation visit, I was happy to see that aesthetically, not much had changed. Save some new art-

work and a slick stainless wine tap, it felt like the same cozy wine bar. Taste-fully decorated with warm col-ors and dark woods, it was still the perfect

environment for sipping one of their California red blends while watching the N-Judah train rumble by. However, be-hind the scenes and under the bar, lots had changed.

The newly installed draft system offers four draft wines (a rosé from Broc Cellars and three reds), and six draft beers (in-cluding Rodenbach Grand Cru and British-made Meantime IPA, which isn't widely available in the United States).

Owner John Nettesheim also brought on chef Larry Pias-kowy, once a manager at Cowgirl Creamery's Sidekick cafe in the Ferry Building, to run the bar-snacks program. The menu consists of two flatbread choices and nine cold plates.

Starting off small, I ordered a cheese plate for old time’s sake. Now relegated to a single item on the menu in place of the previous regionally themed list of cheeses, the es-

tablishment made sure to make this cheese plate count. Each cheese, including the nutty, slightly grassy Mont-gomery’s cheddar and the earthy, creamy Red Hawk from the local Cowgirl Creamery, was delicious with the honeycomb, walnuts and crackers served with it.

The oysters, sourced from Washington and sampled on another visit, were refreshing and a blast to eat, since each one came with its own mignonette. I also tried the burrata, which was rich and buttery, with a sweet touch from the saba.

Lastly, I had a chance to try what is probably my favorite menu item — the steak tartare, which is a bit spicy and topped with a quail egg. Delicious.

For more substantial fare, I turned to the flatbreads. I only had a chance to try the smoked duck flatbread, which was nonetheless sizable and is definitely something to be shared if you are combining it with other small plates.

The duck and cheddar were layered on a light, crisp crust, and their stronger flavors were allowed to stand out. Roast-ed potatoes gave an added level of texture. It was a perfect complement to the peppery Brutocao Zin, one of their tap selections.

In fact, each time I visited, the staff members were very generous with their time in providing suggestions for wine, based on my tastes. Since the food menu is designed to work well with most of the wines offered, I didn’t feel the need to request specific pairings, but I am sure that they would have helped if asked.

The staff ’s accessibility and general friendliness adds to the overall comfortable atmosphere of the bar. It’s no wonder the popularity of this place has steadily grown over the years, since each change so far has been a welcome addition to its overall charm. Here’s to hoping it sticks around to keep add-ing warmth to the Inner Sunset for years to come.

Angela Castanieto is a fifth-year Tetrad student.

Photo by Ted Estelle

InnerFog545 Irving St, San Francisco(415) 682-4116innerfogsf.com

Monday-Saturday Opens at 4 p.m.Sunday Opens at 3 p.m.

The charcuterie small plate at InnerFog comes with coppa aged pork, La Quercia prosciutto, Speck smoked ham and is acccompa-nied with mustard, pickles and mostarda.

InnerFog, which reopened in May, now offers wine on tap, a largely locally sourced small plates menu and an expanded selection of bottled wines and beer.

Photo by Michelle S. Nettesheim

8 | December 12, 2013 | synapse.ucsf.edu

Tandoori fish is the signature dish at Guddu de Karahi. Photo by Sam Lee/MEPN1

Photo by Alexandra Greer/BMS6

FOOD A Guide to Throwing a Cookie Decorating PartyBy Alexandra GreerScience Editor

As December becomes the month of solid back-to-back holiday par-ties, I often struggle to find my place

amidst a sea of excellent party hosts. I’m not the fanciest, I don’t have the biggest apart-ment, and I definitely don’t cook meals for large crowds. So what’s an aspiring holiday party host to do?

One available niche I’ve snagged for my-self is “Christmas cookie baker,” which makes for a great holiday party that’s both easy and memorable. With some simple preparations, you can host a holiday cookie decorating par-ty that all your friends will be looking for-ward to.

1. Make cookies

Bake both sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies for some variety before guests arrive. You can go as simple or as complex as you’d like.

On the simple end, you can always buy premixed dough, slice into circles and bake as is, to give your guests a simple decorating challenge, or buy a cheap set of cookie cut-outs to take it one step further. Make a maxi-mum of seven cookies per expected guest. For 10 expected guests, that makes for 70 cookies, which should be covered by one batch each of sugar and gingerbread cookies.

2. Icing and Sprinkles

I always make my own cookie dough from scratch à la Joy of Cooking and then use store-bought icing; I find this gives me a nice combination of super sweet icing with not-too-sweet cookies, but it’s up to you!

To decorate cookies, I buy three tubs of commercial icing, and split them into small

cups with food coloring (red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple,and white). Create make-shift pastry bags out of Ziploc bags by cutting a tiny hole in the corner of a bag. This works very well for small detail work.

I encourage my guests to bring their own sprinkles or special decorations. I now have a solid stash of sprinkles from past guests that we can all use next time around.

3. Play space I set up work areas on my coffee table

and in the kitchen, because my apartment is on the small side. This works well for a group of about 10. Guests can use plastic knives to spread icing onto cookies on paper plates.

4. Drinks

For beverages, I encourage my guests to bring an ingredient for their favorite holiday beverage, such as wine, eggnog base, rum or whiskey. I add spices and add-ons to make mulled wine (cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, etc.).

5. Music Music is easy to plan with options like iTunes radio and Pandora, which have great Christmas music stations.

6. DecorationsDon’t forget to throw up a few strings of

Christmas lights. Now, you’re ready to host an awesomely Christmas-themed party!

Alexandra Greer is a sixth-year graduate student in the Biomedical Sciences.

REVIEW

Guddu Brings Great Pakistani/Indian Cuisine to the Outer SunsetBy Sam Lee

If you’re a fan of Pakistani/Indian cuisine and interested in finding the best place in San Francisco, then look no further than

the Outer Sunset.Guddu, aka Zulfiqar Haider, is the for-

mer owner of the famed Lahore Karahi in the Tenderloin, which he sold after eight years. He has re-emerged from hiding to start dish-ing out his culinary masterpieces yet again at Guddu de Karahi.

The signature dishes are the tandoori fish (tilapia marinated in homemade herbs and spices) and the shahi paneer (lightly fried cheese cooked with nuts in tomato sauce), which is utterly the best paneer in the city.

Notable dishes include the lamb vindaloo (boneless lamb cooked with potatoes and spicy sauce), chicken tikka masala (seasoned chicken in same sauce as the shahi paneer) and the garlic naan. Each dish has a unique flavor profile, and you can really taste all the unique spices.

Honestly, everything here is fresh, deli-cious and wonderfully made from scratch by Guddu himself. This can be a good and a bad thing. It’s good in the sense that all the food is consistently made and individually unique.

He closely guards his secret recipes like the Soup Nazi in Seinfeld. The bad thing is that you’re going to have to patiently wait for your food to arrive at your table. So expect to wait at least 30 minutes to an hour to savor the delicious aroma from the sizzling pan of tan-doori fish to hit your tabletop.

If you think that great-tasting Pakistani/Indian food must come with a premium price tag, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Most dish-es range from $7.99 to $12.99 — and even on a student budget, that’s pretty reasonable.

The only negative here is the service is lack-ing. Hopefully you won’t mind filling your own cup of water or free chai and getting your own silverware. Many locals believed this location was cursed, the space reincar-nated numerous times in the form of Hawai-ian, Japanese and Korean restaurants. It may have finally reached a state of nirvana with Guddu’s presence.

Sam Lee is a first-year student in the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing program.

Guddu de Karahi1501 Noriega St. (between 22nd & 23rd avenues), San Francisco(415) 759-9088Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

sweetness, especially when they’re carbon-ated.

Apple juice is no better, with an equal amount of sugar per ounce, 3.25 grams. Snapple, made from nearly the worst stuff on Earth, is close behind, with 2.875 grams of sugar per ounce.

Even Vitamin “Water” contains 1.625 grams per ounce! So, while soft drinks are the most problematic, these other sugary bever-ages are also implicated (see http://www.sug-arstacks.com/beverages.htm).

Ultimately, an arbitrary line must be drawn, for example, by banning all drinks with more than 1.5 grams of sugar per ounce. People who crave sweeter drinks, of course, will always be able to bring their own sugar with them and add as much as they like.

Nevertheless, being the first medical cen-ter to take this step would have enormous impact. Modelling healthy habits should be part of every health care program, and UCSF could be a beacon to inspire other institutions in similar sugar-reduction plans.

We already have on our campus some leaders in the anti-sugar movement. In the February 2 issue of Nature, Robert Lustig, MD, Laura Schmidt, PhD, MSW, MPH and Claire Brindis, DPH, published an article about sugar in the modern diet and its direct connection to the worldwide health crisis of obesity and related diseases.

I call on these visionaries to lead the charge for the campus-wide sugary-drinks ban.

T. Booth Haley is a fourth-year dental student.

Sugary Drinks » FROM PAGE 5

Some of the key ingredients for a cookie decorating party.

synapse.ucsf.edu | December 12, 2013 | 9

MAMA M.

Beating the Winter BluesDear Mama M,

As the holidays are getting near

again, I get so depressed. I don’t know why, but I do.

Do you have any advice to help me get out of the seasonal depression?

I don’t want to take medicine, and I re-ally don’t think I need therapy. I just want to get through it with a better attitude. I actual-ly don’t think it’s possible, but any ideas you have would be appreciated.

Sincerely,UNhappy Holidays_______________________________

Dear Unhappy,

I am extending open-hearted compassion for your struggle. The winter sea-son can be incredibly tough for everyone, in different ways.

What could be a valued time of introspec-tion and loving kindness, instead feels like a capitalistic debacle. We don’t seem to be able to avoid the looming and often emotionally charged family dynamic, not to mention the cheesy Hallmark expectation to be joyful.

You are among the majority who suffer during this time, sweetheart. This is a tumul-tuous time, sugar, filled with obligations and bizarre shopping rituals, so try to give your self some love.

I also want to say out loud that the fact that you took the time and energy to write in to Mama M. means there is a part of you that remains outside of the struggle. You have an internal witness who is receptive to support.

This is a good thing. I spent an entire day on the couch at Thanksgiving reading old New Yorkers, and nothing bad happened to me.

According to the National Institute of Health (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686645/), seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects 6 percent of the U.S. popula-tion. Another 14 percent of the adult U.S. population suffers from a lesser form of sea-sonal mood changes, known as winter blues.

Personally, sugar, I like the expression “winter blues.” It normalizes it somehow and adds a dash of color. I think if we were sup-posed to be happy 365 days a year, then we would not have such complex emotional sys-tems.

If you are suicidal, unable to get out of bed, have feelings of worthlessness, changes in appetite or changes in sleep patterns, these can be symptoms of major depression, and I urge you to get help.

Really, sweetie, please do not suffer alone; there is help out there for you. (sciencecafesf.com/2009/04/07/resources-for-depression/).

But, if you are experiencing malaise, a general sense of fatigue, hopelessness and/or judgment for your emotional state, then per-haps a shift in consciousness is your medi-cine. First, take a minute to be very honest about your baseline emotional state, because this will normalize what is typical for you.

Who are you? What is your natural tem-perament? Your constitution? If you are a

pretty joyful, social, energetic person who dips into the blues in the winter season, per-haps this is your body giving you permission to lie low, recharge, and learn more about yourself.

Depression, when brief and mild, can be a gift to your soul — which, believe it or not, is desperate to evolve.

Evolving is hard to do without self-reflec-tion. Modern life tends to be crammed and happening at the highest speeds. There is so little time in most of our lives to do “Noth-ing.” Doing Nothing has enormous benefits for you, sweet Unhappy one.

Doing Nothing gives you time to align with yourself, to become congruent with the person you want to be, to find peace in all of your emotions.

We, as humans, spend so much time run-ning from discomfort and running toward “happiness.” But what if all the emotional states had equal weight? What if everything you felt had value?

I want you to find peace, sweetheart. I wish I could remove your suffering. But, suf-fering can be instructive… useful… it can point you in the direction of love and under-standing and knowledge and growth.

Don’t fight your feelings. Lean into them and use them to guide you into change and growth. The feelings are there to stimulate you to do what needs to be done, to change some thoughts and attitudes and behaviors, maybe….

To grow into who you are supposed to be-come. Sadness is a force that can generate an impulse for change, and that can be a good thing, sugar.

If you are feeling down, and tired, and are trying to push yourself to feel joy or to get into the “Holiday Spirit,” then loving-kind-ness may be your path. The part of you that reached out to share your struggle is your guide. Listen to your inner wisdom.

I want to share a poem with you that someone shared with me when I was suffer-ing from the blues and my own beliefs that I

should not feel this way. Try to accept that it is OK to not-be-happy right now, and try to welcome the sad feelings in.

Listen to them, hear what they are guiding you to do. It could be that, if you stop fighting the feelings, and if you listen to them open-heartedly, you may see a door into a new way for your life to change.

Or you may see that your life is perfect as it is. This poem helped me to find gratitude in the discomfort of depressive thoughts and feelings.

With much respect,Mama M.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.Every morning a new arrival.A joy, a depression, a meanness,some momentary awareness comesas an unexpected visitor.Welcome and entertain them all!Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,who violently sweep your houseempty of its furniture,still, treat each guest honorably.He may be clearing you outfor some new delight.The dark thought, the shame, the malice.meet them at the door laughing and in

vite them in.Be grateful for whatever comes.because each has been sentas a guide from beyond.

— Jelaluddin Rumi

Mama M. and her editor are health pro-viders at UCSF who understand the challenges facing health professionals. This column offers students honest, compassionate advice, wis-dom and love. All communication is confiden-tial. Names and identifying information will be withheld to maintain anonymity. Send letters to MamaM.synapse@gmail.com.

short-chain carbohydrates and related alco-hols that are poorly absorbed in the small in-testine and can act as a substrate for bacterial metabolism and growth, leading to fermenta-tion and the release of gases.

This can lead to luminal distension, which can stimulate the gut and explain several functional GI complaints. Proper exploration of the other substances in wheat is warranted before settling on the claim that gluten is re-sponsible for everyone’s symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Across the world, irritable bowel syn-drome (IBS) is thought to affect roughly 10 percent of the population. It is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, dis-tension and altered bowel habits in the ab-sence of other specific pathology.

No single biological abnormality can ex-plain these symptoms, and some patients have diarrhea-predominant IBS, while others have constipation-predominant IBS. Overall, it is thought to be an inappropriate response to sensory input to the intestine. Since luminal distension is a major stimulus to the gut, via stretch receptors, the ingestion of fodmaps will aggravate symptoms, and in several stud-ies, diets low in fodmaps have been shown to provide relief of functional gut symptoms in patients with IBS. Reducing fodmap intake has become an increasingly common ap-proach to management of IBS in many coun-tries.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, primarily of the small intestine, caused by a

reaction to gliadin. The enzyme tissue trans-glutaminase modifies this protein, and the immune system cross-reacts with the small bowel tissue, causing an inflammatory reac-tion, leading to flattening of the intestinal villi (elongated projections that increase the intes-tines’ absorptive surface).

This may manifest as abdominal pain or discomfort, malabsorption of nutrients or vi-tamins, diarrhea or constipation, any of sev-eral somatic complaints, and eventually even osteoporosis or certain types of lymphoma.

Diagnosis is performed using a combina-tion of serum markers and small bowel bi-opsy, and current prevalence estimates are between 1:70 and 1:300. If you have been di-agnosed with celiac disease, yes: gluten is bad for you. Don’t eat it. But you knew that al-ready. Let’s move on.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS)

Patients are considered to have NCGS if celiac disease has been excluded and their in-testinal IBS-like symptoms markedly improve on a gluten-free diet (GFD).

In some experimental models yet to be confirmed in human tissue, gluten has been suggested to cause low-grade intestinal in-flammation, increased epithelial permeabili-ty and altered protein expression in cells that resemble human gut epithelium.

Certain animal models of NCGS have demonstrated some changes in gut neuromo-tor function and microbiota, independent of intestinal inflammation.

There is an abundance of at times contra-dictory data attempting to characterize geno-typic and immune markers of patients with NCGS, looking at cell surface antigens or markers of innate immunity.

There are also cohorts with diarrhea-predominant IBS patients whose symptoms have been followed on gluten-free diets. The

aggregate of these data has been largely in-conclusive, either due to conflicting results, methodological weaknesses or the inclusion of some patients who would no longer meet the criteria for NCGS.

One of the major flaws of the above-men-tioned studies was the failure to isolate gluten challenges from other components of wheat, most notably fodmaps. A group in Australia has recently conducted a randomized, dou-ble-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a single dose of fodmap-free gluten over six weeks, while otherwise continuing a GFD.

The gluten group had greater gastrointes-tinal (GI) symptoms and tiredness within the first week. There were no other marked lab abnormalities, and this was considered the first specific evidence indicating the existence of NCGS.

The same group conducted a follow-up study. Following a two-week run-in period on a low fodmap diet, 37 patients with NCGS and IBS who were symptomatically controlled on a gluten-free diet underwent a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of three diets: placebo, low-gluten (2g/day) and high-gluten (16g/day).

Participants would try one diet for one week, followed by a two-week washout peri-od, and then switch to the next diet. Symp-toms consistently and significantly improved on restriction of fodmap intake, but worsened during each dietary treatment period, irre-spective of the amount of gluten in the diet.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, ran-domized re-challenge was then done in 22 of these patients, and they were randomized to receive gluten, whey or a placebo for three days each. The reproducibility of symptom in-duction was not found to relate to which pro-tein they got. In fact, only two participants had symptoms induced in the gluten arm, and they were not the same two who had a posi-tive response to the high-dose gluten in the

seven-day trial. A very high nocebo effect was found in both trials (where an inert substance causes worsening of symptoms).

It is possible that fodmaps are responsible for the typical symptoms of NCGS, or it may be that gluten becomes a trigger only in the presence of dietary fodmaps.

Current reviews on NCGS suggest that the significant nocebo effect recognized in patients who have already been on a gluten-free diet make this population an unreliable group to evaluate.

Instead, IBS patients who are previously naïve to a GFD may be a more informative study population. Because the evidence does not even truly single out gluten as a causative agent, some suggest the disorder be renamed “non-celiac wheat sensitivity.”

In summary, we really do not have hard evidence that gluten is responsible for the complaints people often associate with it. This does not, however, mean it is all made up. Remember, it was once thought that pep-tic ulcer disease was primarily psychogenic, and we now know it to be related to the bac-teria H. pylori.

As clinicians, it would be premature to suggest to our patients that we know gluten to be a trigger for the laundry list of problems with which it has been linked in the lay press, such as intestinal symptoms, skin problems, fatigue, headaches, weight gain and autism, but it may be reasonable to try a low fodmap diet (which will overlap greatly with a low-gluten diet) for those with diarrhea-predom-inant IBS.

Finally, if you do not have celiac disease, IBS or NCGS, gluten is probably fine for you, and bread is delicious.

Akshay Govind is a third-year resident in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Gluten Free » FROM PAGE 6

10 | December 12, 2013 | synapse.ucsf.edu

PUZZLES

Week of 12/9/13 - 12/15/13

ACROSS1 Wind catcher5 Save for later

10 Heavy drinker14 Orchestral

heavyweight15 Solitary sort16 Unfooled by17 Desertlike18 State flower of

New Mexico19 Febreze target20 Headquartered22 Get the picture23 Prominent24 Yuletide song26 Hunter's quarry28 Hide-hair link31 Ragtime dance33 Doris or Dennis36 Part of a

conductor's cry38 Write a check

for later40 Blacken 68 Italian auto 10 Not all there 39 Beaver's project41 Take unrightfully maker 11 Edit menu option 42 Tofu source 43 Molecular bit 69 Relinquish rights 12 Pack away (var.)44 Taxing job? 70 "Star Wars" 13 Saddle feature 45 Type of milk46 Not susceptible captain 21 Word after 47 Cheesy 48 Do-over, in 71 TV sports stage or screen sandwich

tennis award 23 Hoarded 50 Musical span49 Type of speaker 72 Beginning 25 Software buyer, 52 Full of passion51 Restroom sign 73 Kind of child usually 54 Rodeo rope52 Former Italian 27 Brief break 55 Out of the

money DOWN 28 Like Steve woods53 Con's quarters 1 Wild guess Urkel's voice 56 Auspices55 Fluid with 2 Mystical glow 29 Past plump 57 Haul in

antibodies 3 Heron's cousin 30 Comical tribute 59 X or Y, in 58 Dracula, at times 4 Weighed down 32 Reject rudely geometry60 Talk smack to 5 Stallone 33 Bit of info 61 Familiar with64 Cruise film, nickname 34 Make good 62 ____ and void

"Rock of ____" 6 Muss, as hair 35 Saudi Arabia's 63 Where Paris 65 28th state and a 7 Fairytale starter neighbor took Helen

Michener title 8 Nerve ending 37 ___ we there 65 Terrible age?67 Boot attachment 9 Baseball stat yet? 66 Movie backdrop

by Margie E. BurkeThe Weekly Crossword

Copyright 2013 by The Puzzle Syndicate

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16

17 18 19

20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

36 37 38 39

40 41 42 43

44 45 46 47

48 49 50 51

52 53 54

55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63

64 65 66 67

68 69 70

71 72 73

Week of 12/9/13 - 12/15/13

Edited by Margie E. Burke

HOW TO SOLVE:

(Answer appears elsewhere

in this issue)

Solution to Sudoku

Copyright 2013 by The Puzzle Syndicate

Difficulty : Medium

Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham www.phdcomics.com

title: "A Guide to Academic Relationships" -­ originally published 11/4/2013

containing ingredients derived from GM crops is no riskier than consuming the same foods containing ingredients from crop plants modified by conventional plant improvement techniques.”

Even so, some groups have called for mandatory labeling of all foods containing GM ingredients, ostensibly to aid in consum-er choice. Indeed, similar laws have already been put into place in the European Union, Australia and India.

A 2012 California ballot initiative that would have required GM labeling was nar-rowly defeated in a statewide election, the opposing effort being led by Monsanto Com-pany, among other big industry supporters of genetically modified foods.

In the statement noted above, the AAAS differentiated between labeling intended to protect public health (e.g. food allergen in-formation) and labeling intended to aid con-sumer decision-making (e.g. “Kosher” or “USDA organic”), noting that legally man-dating labeling of GM foods could “mislead and falsely alarm consumers.”

Ultimately, the issue seems to be one of trust. While recombinant DNA technolo-gy used to produce GM crops is also used in development of medicines and therapeutics, people are generally more accepting of drugs prescribed to them by their doctor.

In the case of GM foods, consumers may be naturally distrustful of profit motives. John Hamer acknowledges that Monsanto missed a key opportunity to educate consumers about the science involved, leading to years of stig-ma and misinformation.

On the other hand, Antony Evans envi-sions a world where gene-hacking one’s food is no longer the exclusive domain of big agri-cultural companies, and where farmers could engineer blight resistance genes into their own crops as needed.

By “democratizing” the technology, he says, the link between the science and the people could be restored.

Benjamin L. Cohn is a fourth-year BMS student.

GMO » FROM PAGE 4

synapse.ucsf.edu | December 12, 2013 | 11

THE STRENGTH TO HEAL

To learn more, call (650)347-3967 or visitSan Mateo Medical Recruiting Center400 S. El Camino Real, STE 450San Mateo, CA 94402Email: usarmy.knox.usarec.list.9e3j@mail.mil

You can begin training for the career you’ve always dreamed of withfinancial assistance from the U.S. Army. Through the Health ProfessionsScholarship Program (HPSP)*, you could be eligible to receive a fulltuition scholarship for an accredited medical program.

The HPSP provides reimbursement for books, laboratory equipmentand academic fees. You’ll also receive a sign-on bonus of $20,000 and amonthly stipend of $2,157. During breaks, you’ll have the opportunity totrain alongside other members of our health care organization.

starts with our scholarship.

*Certain requirements and eligibility criteria apply.©2013. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved. Information subject to change.

www.goarmy.com/amedd.html

Capt. Ana Morgan, M.D., HPSP Medical RecipientBrooke Army Medical Center, Texas

ARTS&CULTURE

Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna is Other Worldly

By Joy ChangStaff Writer

Amaluna is the fusion of the words ama, meaning mother, and luna, which means moon. The story unfolds on a mysterious is-land that is governed by goddesses and guid-ed by the cycles of the moon.

Prospera, the queen of the island, orches-trates her daughter Miranda’s coming-of-age ceremony with a rite that upholds femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance.

In the wake of a storm called up by Pros-pera, a group of young men lands on the is-land, initiating an epic, emotional story of love between Prospera’s daughter and a brave young suitor. The couple face numerous de-manding trials and overcome daunting chal-lenges before they can achieve mutual trust, faith and harmony.

Cirque du Soleil is presenting Amaluna, directed by the Tony Award-winning Broad-way director Diane Paulus at AT&T Park, through January 12, and audiences should

prepare to be amazed under the blue-and-yellow Big Top.

This story is remarkably translated onto the Cirque stage. Cirque’s dynamic and im-peccable performers execute thrilling acro-batic feats, using aerial straps, a Chinese pole, an aerial hoop and a large water ball.

In one of the most mesmerizing stunts, the Balance Goddess erects a precarious mo-bile structure of large palm fronds, resem-bling a large animal skeleton. At another high point, the Moon Goddess appears on a cerceau, or aerial hoop, bestowing her bless-ing as Miranda performs a challenging hand-balancing routine before diving and snaking through the water ball.

Amaluna’s meticulous choreography, re-markable stunts and empowering theme offer a fresh take on the Cirque du Soleil show. The experience is truly out of this world.

Joy Chang is a second-year dental student.

Cirque du Soleil’s dynamic and impeccable performers execute thrilling acrobatic feats in Amaluna.Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

over the same period. It is estimated that the House bill would remove 3.8 million people from SNAP.

Of course, food stamps are not the only tool, and may not even be the best tool, to ad-dress food insecurity.

True, there are able-bodied men and women on the food stamp rolls, although they only make up 10 percent of the feder-al program and are usually only eligible for three months of benefits. (Fox News and oth-er conservative media outlets had a field day reporting on a San Diego surfer who used his food stamps to buy lobster and sushi.)

True, there are many structural problems making it difficult for families to prepare nu-tritious meals. In UCSF’s District 5, for ex-ample, more than 1,000 housing units lack complete kitchens, and cannot prepare any-thing requiring more than a hotplate or a mi-crowave.

True, 40 percent of the food produced in the United States is uneaten, with the average American household throwing out 25 percent of the food and beverages it buys.

However, with longer-term policy solu-tions nowhere to be seen and many house-holds still hurting from the economic downturn, minimizing cuts to the federal food stamp program will help ensure that families continue to have access to nutritious food both here in the UCSF community as well as nationwide.

So as you enjoy this special food issue of the UCSF Synapse and prepare to gather around the holiday table with your family and friends, take a moment to consider the people in your day-to-day life here at UCSF who de-pend on SNAP benefits for their basic needs. Then pick up the phone and call your local representative to urge him or her to fight for maintaining funding for food stamps in the next farm bill.

Yi Lu is a second-year medical student.

Snap Benefits » FROM PAGE 7

vations are not required for standing room at the bar, and you get the same ambiance and the drink offerings as in the reservations-on-ly rooms.

While this is certainly a perk of the Li-brary, it can often get crowded. This means the one small bar at the end of the room can get easily overwhelmed making complex bev-

erages for a large crowd. It’s probably best to make a reservation.

This will get you a seat at one of the many tables or a seat at the bar separate from the Library. Waiters will take your order from their drink menu of 20-odd pages, and can help out if you need suggestions.

The bartenders are extremely knowledge-able about their craft and are happy to talk shop with customers sitting at the bar. I’ve gone with reservations three times, including once at the bar, and have enjoyed myself thor-oughly each time.

When you make a reservation, you’ll have to decide how long you plan to spend. This is an important decision, because you don’t want to get halfway through a drink and then have to move to the often cacophonous Li-brary to finish up.

In my experience, plan to take 45 minutes to an hour if you want to enjoy each drink properly. Also, keep in mind that Bourbon and Branch doesn’t have any food options.

One drink I’ve enjoyed with friends is the Frank Lloyd Wright, a combination of bour-bon, whiskey, pear liqueur, nocino (a walnut liqueur) and bitters — a little sweetness, smo-kiness and spice all in one.

The menu is so expansive that you should have no trouble finding something to your taste.

So if you’re looking for a nice place for a special occasion, make a reservation at Bour-bon and Branch through the website, set aside a couple of hours and write down the password somewhere you can easily find it. Nobody wants to be left standing outside the speakeasy door.

To make reservations, go to bourbonand-branch.com.

Alexandra Greer is a sixth-year Biomedical Sciences student.

Bourbon and Branch » FROM PAGE 5

Bourbon and Branch 505 Jones St., San Francisco(415) 346-1735bourbonandbranch.com

Reservations recommendedMonday-Sunday 6 p.m. - 2 a.m.

12 | December 12, 2013 | synapse.ucsf.edu

Solutions

Week of 12/9/13 - 12/15/13

Edited by Margie E. Burke

HOW TO SOLVE:

(Answer appears elsewhere

in this issue)

Solution to Sudoku

Copyright 2013 by The Puzzle Syndicate

Difficulty : Medium

Veggie-Yum Burger

3 Ingredient Recipes

You can afford on student loans

Protein

The The Sweet

Skinny

The

The Appetizer

College Dude’s Bean DipSpring Break Salad

Finals Week 5-minute Cookie

You’ll need: 1 small can of chili 1 brick of cream cheese 1 small jar of salsaWhat to do: Heat oven to 350̊̊˚̊̊. Place block of cream cheese in the center of a casserole dish, pour chili and salsa over it. Bake uncovered for 20 min. Let the pan rest, mix it up, and pour in appetizing bowl.

You’ll need: 1 small sweet potato 1 c. cooked black beans 2 cloves garlicWhat to do: Bake the sweet potato, peel off its skin, and mash it like crazy in a bowl. Add the black beans, and mash some more until decently smooth. Crush garlic with a fork until pasty, add to mixture. Shape into patties, and sizzle in an oiled sauce pan on medium heat.

You’ll need: 1/2 c. olive oil 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar 1 head of lettuceWhat to do: Mix the olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Wash the lettuce and break into bite size chunks. Pour mixture over lettuce and eat up!

You’ll need: 1 c. rolled oats 2 bananas 1/4 c. chocolate chipsWhat to do: Preheat oven to 350˚. Peel and mash the bananas, add in oats. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Spoon onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10 min.

In embracing my grad student identity, I began a search of potluck-worthy recipes that I could afford and claim as my own.

Disclosure: friends, remember those muffins I “made” for our first-year BBQ? Yeah...but no. My roommate, with the eggs and cream of tartar, baked those for me to pawn off as my own. I was desperate guys!

So what went wrong that afternoon before the BBQ? Why am I the one always signing up for the utensils and napkins? Why do I avoid cooking from scratch?

Because I can’t afford the flour, sugar, vanilla, cream of tartar, baking soda and paking powder, milk and eggs that otherwise I don’t consume, powdered sugar and sprinkles, yeast, specialty nuts, and basically any ingredient that’s not a staple in my diet. For me, bringing in a batch of cookies is a $30 endeavor.

Here are the results of my quest. They have become my go-to recipes until I graduate.

Created by Ilka Felsen

You’re Funding Fun! A portion of every dollar you spend at campus retail vendors helps support Arts & Events at UCSF

Get a gourmet taste of Italy. panini, insalate, zuppa, hot pasta, gelato, dolci

We offer student discounts.

Millberry Union, Plaza Level415.681.9925

Mon-Thu, 6:30 am-6:00 pmFri, 6:30 am-4:00 pmClosed Sat & Sun

Free Online Classifieds for UCSF Students & Staff on Synapse

Who needs CraigsList when you can post FREE classified ads on the Synapse website?

All you need is a ucsf.edu email account.Go to synapse.ucsf.edu/classifieds to sign up today!