It can sometimes be difficult to adopt a healthy life style, especially with the abundance of additives and processed food. Prices are also usually higher. Beans and legumes, which are rich in fiber, minerals and plant-based proteins, make a great staple food. It’s more complicated to choose between dried beans and canned ones, so Tasting Table asked registered dietitian Angel Luk for her advice.
Luk explained that “nutritionally they are very similar, but canned food will typically have more sodium due to the processing required to make it shelf stable.” Excess salt consumption can raise blood pressure in people with high blood-pressure. Too much sodium causes fluid retention, which can lead to increased blood pressure. If this is the case, you can buy dried beans and soak before cooking. Adding soaking to your diet is a great way to get healthy food into your body.
Luk noted that soaking dry beans is a hassle for those who are intimidated to cook or busy with other things. “I don’t want anyone to be denied the benefits of plant protein by forcing them to use dry.” She suggested that you buy canned beans with lower sodium and then rinse them before use. Next, you need to decide which beans are best for your goals.
Beans of all types are good for you, especially popular varieties like kidney, navy, pinto and black beans. Angel Luk’s personal choice was soybeans. She said that they have an amino acid profile complete and are high in iron, fiber, and protein. There are many ways to prepare them.
She said, “I grew up eating it as an Asian and it is delicious. It’s also very versatile.” I think that taste and variety are important in health promotion because we cannot always focus on the nutrient content. According to Luk’s Portfolio Eating Approach, soy protein can reduce LDL cholesterol up to 30%.
There are many healthy and tasty options when choosing the canned beans. You can find 20 delicious bean recipes and 12 canned beans to keep in your pantry. These include dishes such as a pumpkin and black beans casserole, pan-fried Chinese Green Beans, and vegetarian white bean pie with a crisp puff pastry topping.

Here is the newsletter’s bonus question. Slate’s parenting column, Care and Feeding offers advice on raising children. Do you have a question to ask Care and Feeding? Send it to us here.
Please Feed and Care for Your Pets
We live in an urban area with my wife, Lillian. We have two children: “Carter” (age 1) and “Emerald” (4 years old). Emerald is fascinated by pigeons, which are plentiful in the area. Emerald loved it when pigeons perched on her hand last week. We regularly feed the birds in the park. When my wife watched the video, she wasn’t thrilled.
Now she wants us to stop feeding the pigeons! Emerald used some hand sanitizer after she finished her work, so what’s the problem? Isn’t my wife being irrational?
Bye-Bye Birdie
Dear Birdie,
When I first read your email, I thought that you were being irrational. I couldn’t imagine pigeons sitting on the hands of your daughter. Since then, I have been educated by many pigeon lovers who enjoy these birds as much as your daughter. I am now a convert to my prejudice. They can spread disease but the risk is more from the dust that comes from scrubbing up the dried pigeon waste than from the birds. Hand-washing is important after touching them. It’s not illegal to feed pigeons in NYC but the practice is discouraged, mainly because leftover food attracts rats. “Feed a Pigeon and Feed a Rat” is a city slogan. In light of all this, “allowing my child to hold and feed pigeons”, or “forbidding her from holding and feeding pigeons”, are two reasonable responses to the pigeon issue. But! It’s worthwhile to try to convince her to change her mind about pigeons and join the team that is OK with feeding and/or holding pigeons. You could do your own research on pigeons and come up with an idea that would benefit Emerald, the birds, and you.
–Logan
Slate’s Parenting Tips
How can I move on in my relationship with her? In the last five weeks, she hasn’t spoken to my husband or me, nor asked about our daughter. It’s not hard to guess why: She decided last year that she would take a beach trip for a whole week this summer, but she chose a location three hours from our home. My family and my brother’s family were expected to go with her without any coordination.

Louisiana officials reported that this year, five people died after being infected with Vibrio Vulnificus. This bacteria is a flesh eating bacteria which thrives on warm waters and brackish ones.
In coastal waters there are naturally occurring Vibrio bacteria. People can become infected when they touch an open wound or eat undercooked shellfish (especially oysters). Health officials reported this week that four more people were infected with the disease and hospitalized.
Officials said that all nine cases of seawater exposure reported in Louisiana are associated with the wounds.
Vibrio is more prevalent from May to October when the seawater is warmer. Climate change has led to outbreaks in areas that were once considered too cold for the bacteria to survive, like Long Island Sound.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have calculated that Vibrio cases in the United States could rise by 50% by 2090 as compared to 1995 due to higher sea temperatures.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vibrio is one of 12 Vibrio species that can cause vibriosis in humans. Vibrio Vulnificus, for example, is the most prevalent. According to the C.D.C. The C.D.C.
The C.D.C. said that one out of five Vibrio-vulnificus patients dies, often within days or weeks after becoming sick. said. Diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea are all symptoms of infection. Infections that spread to the bloodstream can cause low blood-pressure and skin blisters.
All the Louisiana patients were suffering from underlying conditions that can lead to severe complications or infections.
Vibrio Vulnificus has been reported in other states this year. According to the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Department of Health, there have been two deaths in Florida from this pathogen. One in Marion County, Central Florida, and another in Palm Beach. The Florida Department of Health reported that 14 people have fallen ill with the pathogen in total. Researchers in New York reported in April that they detected Vibrio infected water near the Long Island coast.
Florida officials have warned about the increased risk of infection after extreme weather conditions, like hurricanes or storms which push brackish waters inland. Vibrio-vulnificus was responsible for 19 deaths in 2024, when Hurricane Helene hit and Milton hit.
Louisiana health officials warned people to avoid brackish and salt water if there were open wounds. They also advised them to thoroughly wash their hands with soap if possible. The officials also advised people to thoroughly cook their seafood, and keep it separate from the juices of raw fish and seafood.

State health officials announced on August 6 that five people had died from bacteria that cause flesh-eating infections in Louisiana so far this year.
The Louisiana Department of Health has reported that nine Vibrio-vulnificus cases have occurred in Louisiana in 2026. Officials said that all nine patients were suffering from underlying medical conditions. They had also been hospitalized following exposure to seawater.
The Vibrio-vulnificus bacteria is sometimes called the “flesh eating bacteria”, because it can cause an infection to eat at the flesh surrounding a wound. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infections can happen when a wound exposed to brackish or salty water occurs where fresh and salty water mix.
Louisiana officials have warned residents that the bacteria is more prevalent as water temperatures rise along the coast. Officials said that the number of cases in Louisiana is higher than it was in previous years. Louisiana had an average of 7 cases per year and 1 death during the 10 previous years.
Florida reported the second Vibrio-vulnificus death in Florida this year.
What is vibrio-vulnificus or “flesh eating bacteria”?
The bacterium Vibrio Vulnificus can cause vibriosis. This can in turn lead to necrotizing faciitis.
This potentially deadly infection may quickly cause tissue damage, blisters and low blood pressure. It can also lead to organ damage, severe sepsis, and even death.
Vibriosis is a serious illness that can lead to intensive care and limb amputations. The CDC reports that 1 out of 5 vibriosis patients die. This can happen within a few days or hours after becoming ill.
Health officials report that the bacteria is found more in coastal waters from May through October when temperatures are higher.
The CDC says that cases may increase following tropical storms or hurricanes as the storm surge can push seawater to freshwater. The CDC warns that eating seafood raw or uncooked, especially oysters, can cause infection.
The Cleveland Clinic says that different types of vibrio cause different infections. Vibrio vulnificus is responsible for the “most severe forms of vibriosis.” Health officials claim that another type of vibrio bacterium causes cholera.
The Mobile County Health Department in Alabama has recorded 10 vibriosis cases this year. In 2026, the Mississippi Department of Health recorded two cases.
Other states, including Connecticut, Maryland New Jersey New York, North Carolina, and New Jersey have also reported Vibrio in the past.
Vibrios vulnificus symptoms
According to the CDC and the Louisiana Department of Health, symptoms of vibriosis usually begin within 24 hours of exposure.
Symptoms include:
Fever and chills
The rash or reddened, swollen or warm patch that causes rapid spread and pain
Blisters filled with fluid and discolored skin
Diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting
Low blood pressure is often accompanied by fatigue, weakness and dizziness.
Confussion or altered mental states
Rapid heartbeat
What you can do to prevent ‘flesh eating bacteria’
Swimming is a great way to:
If you have an open wound, avoid entering brackish or saltwater. This includes fresh tattoos or piercings as well as minor cuts and scrapes.
Even if it is not your intention to come in contact with raw fish or coastal waters, you should cover any wounds that are open with waterproof bandages. Storms can cause flooding, which exposes you to the bacteria.
After contact with raw or coastal seafood, wash the exposed skin immediately with soapy water.
Wear protective clothing and shoes if you’re at risk. This includes people with conditions such as liver disease, kidney failure and diabetes.
The CDC recommends that you avoid eating seafood.
Before eating, cook seafood including oysters.
Surfaces that have been in contact with seafood or its drippings should be thoroughly cleaned.
Hands should be thoroughly washed after touching raw seafood. Wear gloves if you’re at risk.
Contributing: C.A. Bridges and Mary Walrath Holdridge, USA Today NETWORK-Florida

Is anyone coming?
As I looked around, I grabbed at my tummy and clutched it tight. Nursing students were nearby, moving quickly through the crowds of emergency patients checking vitals and calling to one another. The bleeding patients screamed, “Help Me… Can Someone Please Help Me?” around me.
A young student nurse told me, “We called OB/GYN and they will be here as quickly as possible.”
I closed my eyelids and let out a sigh. I could hear the sound of help approaching.
My hand, which was searching for my baby’s bump to reassure me at one point – I could not tell you when – found something else. The patch was square, small and discreetly adhered to my skin under my maternity t-shirt. It released a constant dose of estrogen into my bloodstream.
It’s because I wasn’t pregnant. I was the opposite. In the grips of menopause and playing a woman pregnant in a simulation for a nursing program, I played a desperate mother. What about the bloody victims calling for help? The mannequins’ pleas for help were broadcast remotely through microphones in a nearby control center. What is my baby bump? The prosthetic was velcroed into place.
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One of the directors in charge called out “Thanks to everyone”, causing some of us break into nervous laughter.
This part was true. The most urgent need was financial assistance. This simulation was just one of the many part-time positions I had taken after my menopausal-related symptoms, which led me, in part, to leave my job as a full-time medical writer, months earlier, forced me into quitting.
National shortages of the $160 estradiol patch were in effect. Before I could get one out of my pocket, I called several pharmacies. Last time I was this desperate to get something so scarce, I was in 5th grade when I competed against every kid in class to win a Cabbage patch Kid. Now it seems that we have grown and become hormone patch children.
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You’d need to look back several years to understand my situation — underemployed, menopausal and incubating an imaginary baby.
Truthfully, I was spoiled by the pandemic.
Although I won’t say that I liked the pandemic (I’m thinking of you Zoom shareholders and plan-cancellers who have been doing this for years), I did find some silver linings. The pandemic, as my mother used to call it, had masked the pain of me and other women who were going through “the change in life.” Menopausal signs and symptoms appeared so slowly in my case that I was unaware of them at first. As I’d never had a baby, or given birth to one, I didn’t feel any particular sadness about my uterus closing. As a woman whose only knowledge about menopause was cringy jokes involving hot flashes I wasn’t prepared for all the symptoms that could be caused. Itchy skin? Joint pain? Heart palpitations? ADHD getting worse? Really?
The pandemic, however, had put everything on hold, and my work-life balance leaned more towards life. We were not only allowed, but also required, to take our laptops outside to identify white-breasted Nuthatches. The pandemic shouldn’t have been necessary, but it was. For women who were struggling with the realities of nest-leaving kids and elderly parents, this slow, gentle environment offered an oasis to cope.
When the N95 masks finally came off, and the companies started to re-integrate their employees into daily life, I was unable to switch from a gardener’s apron to a suit jacket.
My company suddenly moved me out of the position I had held for many years, one that I was comfortable in and knew very well. I found myself completely lost. This was my second major life change, and I thought that two were enough.
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Whereas my previous job consisted in writing feature articles — a task that fit my strengths well — now I’m tasked to summarize highly technical scientific manuscripts on gastroenterology. I was also expected to use a carefully selected selection of emojis in social media posts that promoted these stories. The daily balancing act between a Ph.D. researcher’s functional intelligence and that of a toddler with sugar overload was a challenge.
Even though I had been vacillating a lot on my own, it was not surprising. Later, I realized that I had been experiencing the classic symptoms of menopause, including brain fog, insomnia and memory problems. The anxiety, oh my! The anxiety!
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It never occurred to me (or even to myself) to tell anybody at work about what happened. Gen X women are me. Gen X is known for many things, but one that’s not so great is the tendency to suppress our emotions in order to appear “low-maintenance”. Our parents taught us to be tough and swallow our hurt, then wash it away with the water in the backyard. Then I “hung on” and didn’t say anything. What could I have even said? What was I thinking at that time?
The day that I realized I couldn’t keep going is a memory I will always cherish. It was my much-anticipated holiday and I was getting ready for a trip to the seaside. All of a suddenly, there was a ping. My boss sent me a message in my inbox. The notification flagged one of my posts on social media for different keyword and emoji offenses. He copied the entire team.
Here’s what I found out: He wasn’t mistaken. My work was affected by my struggles, which were real. My employers saw me as a worker who was struggling to adjust badly to a small workplace change. But from where I was sitting, I looked like a hormonally-adjusted mess having a private midlife crisis in front of all my colleagues.
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It would be nice to think I could have brushed it aside and enjoyed my beach day. Perhaps a previous version of myself could. This version of myself could not.
Postcards in souvenir shops said “Wish You Were Here!” and I immediately felt called out because I wasn’t there.
The words came to me like a banner in the sky, promoting clams all you can eat. Not today but very soon.
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Not long after, I did.
There was no plan other than some freelance clients and a small 401k. I also had a vague or delusional belief that taking risks would pay off.
It didn’t pay off immediately. To cheer myself up I went for long walks, but came home in tears. My cautious explorations of LinkedIn were hampered by the fact that any job opportunities had been taken and any information on which potential employers had seen my profile was expensive.
One night I was watching “Jeopardy!” and learned about standardized patients, people who are trained to mimic medical situations for students clinicians. Then I found an ad for help and sent in my application.
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This work appealed in an embarrassing way. It was not just about the money. It was expected that someone in the group would listen carefully, take notes and ask follow-ups. It was the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. After feeling invisible and untethered for months, getting paid to receive empathy made me feel like a million bucks.
Later, I learned that the decision to leave my “real job” wasn’t so unusual as I thought. A Korn Ferry 2023 survey found that 13% of women had quit their job due to menopausal symptom, with an additional 15% seriously considering it. We still treat this like a personal failure rather than as something systemic. I don’t think my employer was particularly brutal or negligent. This is the exact point.
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The HR representative, a woman of my same age, shared with me a laugh about our menopausal-related symptoms during my exit interview. She asked me what I thought about companies offering more support to women who are going through menopause at work. She smiled the same way that people do when they are in agreement with you, but cannot take action.
The next phase of my life is still a mystery to me. I only know that I will continue writing. It has not been an easy few months. The past few months have been filled with insomniac worries about financial ruin at 4 am, an identity as erratic as my hormonal fluctuations, and a voice inside me accusing that I was not just someone who quit but that I had quit. I look and feel like a thousand years older because of my insomnia and anxiety.
Still, I don’t regret my decision. My equilibrium is slowly returning. Slowly, the supplemental hormones begin to work. Bylines for freelancers are beginning to pile up. While I wait, I continue to muddle through and hope for the best.
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In that simulation the nursing student with the big eyes told me to relax, because help would be on its way. For a brief moment I was relieved, even though it was all a sham.
Most of us want nothing more than that. It’s important to have someone listen to us, who won’t change the topic or squirm. It’s not important that we are the first priority, but it’s also crucial that we’re not the last.
Still waiting.
Jennifer Byrne, a journalist and freelance writer, has published in The New York Times and The New Yorker. Her work also appeared on The Boston Globe and The Boston Globe’s The Cut. The New Jersey Council for the Arts awarded her a prose fellowship for 2022. She’s currently working on a memoir. She is from New Jersey.