Restaurant Review 4: How Hot Is Too Hot?

What I know about Mongolia:
1. Genghis Kahn created the empire, which became the country.
2.  They have good food. 

How do I know this?  Well the first one is thanks to Wikipedia and google.  :)  The second one I experienced firsthand when I was taken to HuHot Mongolian Grill. 

Okay, so you walk in.  It's this nice place with a nice atmosphere... good music playing.  But the most impressive thing that catches your eye is the round grill.  You can't wait to see it up close.  But before you wander up to it; a host comes up and seats you. 

That was my first impression. 

Once seated, Drinks and appetizers are ordered.  (By the way, they have the cool drink machine that can get you several unique flavors of any soda.  I ordered a Peach Sprite!)  As far as PKU proof appetizers are concerned there's only one: Spring Rolls.  (Since its a buffet, I skipped the appetizers and moved on to the main course.) 

Which is the best part of the whole meal.    The server gives everyone a bowl and you head a build-your-own-Asian -food -bowl Station. 

First, the noodles.  They have 3 types including egg noodles.
Second, veggies.  Fill the bowl up!  They have all sorts of grill-able veggies. 
Third, ladle the sauce on.  Choose a sauce... or a variety of sauces!   I was told 5-6 ladles of sauce is enough.  Any less and it'll burn onto the grill.  Don't know what sauces are PKU proof?  They list ALL the ingredients RIGHT there on the signs!!! (Oh and they also list how hot each sauce is.)

Then comes a cool part.  You give your bowl to a griller.  He dumps it onto the grill.  It's way cool to watch him work!  And sometimes, to clean the grill he sets it on fire!  SO COOL!

Then you try it.  If you don't like it... you can tell the server and he'll take it away.  And you can try again! 

It's a lot of fun! As well as really tasty! 

I like it a lot! (As you can tell.) 

Only problem... it's pretty expensive.  Dinner is $13 each.  Lunch is $8.49 on weekdays, $10 on weekends.     

Well, I guess it IS a buffet. 

How does it rate on the PKU friendly scale? 

• Well based on the many different options they give you as well as labeling the sauces...  I'd have to give them 8/10.  They could have more PKU friendly appetizers and desserts.  But they scored pretty good.  And I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone craving Asian food anytime.  :)

*Sorry about this post being late, and not as well-done as usual... I'm currently working on a big project.*   

 

Basic PKU Genetics

PKU is a Genetic Disorder. 

It's literally a mistake in the DNA causing a mutation of sorts to occur.  This mutation happens in the PAH gene.  Usually the gene converts phenylalanine into nutrients we can use.  Ours can't. 

The mistake is genetic.  That means it carries on down the generations from parent to child.  It is also recessive.  It needs both parents to "carry" the gene in order for it to be apparent in the child.  If one parent is not a carrier, then the gene is smothered by the dominant gene.

So to get a PKU kid you need each parent to be a carrier.  Simple. 

But what happens when the PKU kid grows up and starts their own family?  What happens to the genes then? 

Well, that depends on the person they are marrying.  I drew a couple pungent squares to illustrate the concept.  (excuse my not so good pictures)

First off:

• The non-PKU gene is a "X"
• And the PKU gene is a "x"   

A non carrier will have "XX"
A carrier will have "Xx"
A PKU'er will have "xx"

First diagram: If a PKU'er marries a PKU'er

 

Looking at the diagram you can see that each kid will have a 100% of having PKU.

 

 

Second Diagram: If a PKU'er marries a Carrier

Looking at the square you see that each kid will have a 50% chance of having PKU and a 50% chance of being a carrier.

 

Last Diagram: If a PKU'er marries a Non-Carrier

Each kid will have a 100% chance of being a Carrier.

 

Now, look at the way I worded each chance.  "Each kid."  It's like rolling a dice.  If you get a 6 on one roll, does that mean you can't get a 6 on your next roll?  No.  For each and every child there is the same amount of chance that they will have PKU as they will be a carrier (at least if you marry a carrier). 



So, basically.  Those are the statistics for a PKU'er who decides to get married and have a family. 

Genetics is fascinating.   

Have a wonderful week!

Explaining PKU: In 3 Different Ways

How does one accurately describe PKU without misleading people?  How does one brush off the subject, because they have somewhere to be?  How does one give enough information without making the listener's head explode? 

In general, what does one say when someone asks about it?

This is a problem that I'm fairly confidant every PKU'er has pondered.  (And if not they are now.)

Well, how much time do you have?  And how well do you know them?  (Imagine giving the person next to you on the bus a detailed explanation.)  And how interested are they really?  (What if they ask just to be polite?)

Here are 3 different ways to describe PKU going from general to detailed. 

1. PKU For That Total Stranger On The Bus
• Phenylketonuria just means I have to be on a low protein diet.  (And beans and soy and tofu are still high in protein!)
2. PKU For Polite (but Clueless) Friends
• Phenylketonuria is a genetic disorder where I can't digest proteins as fast as other people, and the excess proteins block my brain synapses.  What it basically means for me is that I have to limit my protein intake with a special diet.  I count how much protein I get a day, just like some people count calories.  I just stay in a range of _______ (equivalents, mg, however you count it) and I'm fine.  :)     
3. PKU for PKU Enthusiasts (that may or may not be out there)
• Phenylketonuria is a genetic disorder where my body can't digest a certain amino acid: phenylalanine.  (Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.) Phenylalanine is used to make Tyrosine, which is very important.  That's why I drink my (insert whatever you call your formula here).  It gives me the tyrosine that I need, as well as other nutrients that I don't get because I'm on a low-protein diet.  I need to be on a low protein diet because the phenylalanine (as it builds up) leads to high Phe levels in the bloodstream.  Which leads to problems with thinking and behavior.  That's the reason why I need to get  my blood tested frequently.  So I can adjust my Phe intake as I live.  If I go off-diet it can lead to brain damage.  Which is pretty scary so I want to stay on diet.  But thanks for listening and thanks for really caring about my diet.  It really means a lot to me to have someone who really wants to understand. 

There!  Now you have a way to describe PKU in most situations.  :)  And worst comes to worse, and they just don't understand... tell them to google it.  OR EVEN BETTER!  Give them my blog address!  They can read this and problem solved. 

I was just reading back and I really like that PKU Enthusiasts reply... now all I need is for someone who knows nothing about PKU but really wants to know everything about it to come up and talk to me.  Haha.  :) 

Anyways, have a good week.  And be happy knowing you have a ready made speech for the next person who asks about PKU.  :)  Smile!
  

Kryptonite

My Kryptonite is Math. 

That's not so unusual; it's a lot of people's Kryptonite. 

Recently I read an article that indicated that math is the Kryptonite of most Classic PKU'ers (which I am).  (the article is: http://pkuinfo.org/_media/pku/antshel_2010_mgm.pdf )

And it doesn't seem to be a coincidence!    

We all know that PKU affects the logic and math center of the brain first.  But the people in the test were already diagnosed and treated early on! 

Here's the abstract of the paper:

• Despite having average intellectual abilities, academic difficulties are relatively common in children and adolescents with PKU. These academic difficulties may be a function of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), executive functioning deficits, and processing speed deficits, all of which are known to affect academic performance in non-PKU populations. This review focuses on what is currently known about academic performance in youth with PKU and offers suggestions for future research.

Basically what they've found is that treated PKU'ers that do well in school still have problems with math.  If you look closer at the article it says that they don't really know the reason why PKU'ers have issues with math in particular.  But a logical guess (based on non-PKU people) is that it has something to do with ADHD, or processing deficits, or something like that. 

Here's my own experience with Math and PKU:

     As a kid I had a set-back with math.  I moved from one school district to another and the curriculum didn't quite match up.  As a result I learned my times tables in 5th grade... with help from my parents.  By 6th grade I had pretty much caught up.

    Then middle school arrived and so did Algebra.  I was an average student.  I had trouble with tests, but my teacher was willing to work with me.  And I was fine.  In 9th grade that teacher even invited me to be a special program where you take 2 math classes in 1 year.  (Apparently my CRT scores were pretty high)  I was the worst in the class.  But I still passed. 

     High school.  10th grade I took Pre-Calculus.  It was a rule that year that you couldn't have lunch unless you got at LEAST an 80% on your tests.  I spent pretty much every lunch that year in the math classroom, trying to pass each lunch.  It was embarrassing!  I had to take each math test at least 3 times to pass it.  And by that point I'd just memorize the questions.  The next year, I repeated PreCalc, I chose to.  I didn't want to be in AP Calculus unless I KNEW how to do PreCalc.  They had changed the rules for that year.  (Thank goodness!)  And to pass you had to have a test score that corresponded with how much homework you turned in.  That year my math teacher (different guy) just let me fix my mistakes on my test and turn that in. 
 
    12th grade.  I took AP Calculus.  I got good grades (despite my pathetic test scores).  And I flunked the AP test. 

From my experience I have observed a few things.  I would understand the problems in class.  I would understand it on my homework.  And yet... I wouldn't remember it on my test.  I took the ACT test twice.  The first time: I got a 24.  The second time: I got a 21.  Now I didn't study at all for the 1st one.  But the second one I did!  And still got a lower score.

It was like I had good math days, and bad math days.  And I had no way to predict what it was going to be!  It was frustrating!  I began to loathe math! 

But, it seeing this article... helped me understand that it wasn't all me.  Yes it was partially me.  I still needed to study.  I still needed to try my best.  I couldn't blame the PKU for everything. 

     It's small setback.  A little bit of Kryptonite. Kryptonite hasn't killed Superman yet.  So I guess I'll just have to live with it.  And become a little stronger, just to compensate.