4 Steps to Help Kids Make
Healthier Fast Food Choices
Written by Beth Sumrell Ehrensberger, MPH, RD of HealthCastle.com
Published in March 2010
Kids Fast Foods (HealthCastle.com) March is National Nutrition Month – and what better way is there to improve the status of the nation's nutrition than by helping our kids make healthier food choices? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Even worse, the prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008.
There are many reasons experts believe that obesity in kids is on the rise but, obviously, food choice is a major part of the concern. These days, most of us are living in fast-forward. And, unfortunately, fast food is waiting on almost every corner to fuel up our fast-moving lives. For kids, especially, a trip to a fast food restaurant can also be a big treat that is sure to bring a smile.
High Calories in Kids' Meals
Those colorful, cute bags and boxes complete with a toy inside can pack serious calories. The bad news is, in some places, just one meal can pack almost 1,000 calories – nearly the amount recommended for some elementary-aged kids to eat in a whole day. Take, for example, the popular McDonald's cheeseburger happy meal. If you choose an order of small fries as the side and a carton of 1% chocolate milk as the drink, the meal weighs in at 700 calories (and 9 grams of saturated fat!). There's nothing kiddie about that! Sonic's grilled cheese, orange slush, and tots meal from the kids' menu has nearly 800 calories – and significantly more if you load the tots up with the options of chili or cheese.
4 Steps to Help Kids Make Healthier Fast Food Choices
* Skip the kids' meals.
Don't feel compelled always to order the foods from the kids' menu. In fact, expanding the options beyond those made especially for kids can help broaden your kid's tastes while leading them to a wider range of better choices. Though the portion sizes are larger, you can choose a healthier meal and split it between kids or share with your child. Make it a goal to start early if you can, introducing your child to the tastes of healthy foods on the regular menu, so later the draw of the kids' menu isn't so strong.
* Set an example.
You can't order a double burger value meal with fries and then select grilled chicken and carrot sticks for your kids and expect them to be happy about it. Kids learn the most by example, so be prepared to make healthy choices yourself. Your payoff is that you rehab your own diet, and teach your kids something valuable in the process.
* Exercise options.
Fries are part of childhood, and certainly part of the fast food experience. Help your child understand that many of the choices on the fast food menu are to be eaten only occasionally. Also, to prime them for a lifetime of making moderate choices, and since many fast food kids' menus now allow you to build your meal, help them learn the concept of creating a healthy meal around a splurge. For example, if your child chooses a burger, the trade off is skipping the fries and ordering the apple slices or a banana instead.
* Choose a chain with an emphasis on health.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest published a report in August 2008 showing that many of the restaurants they examined had kids' meals that exceeded 430 calories per meal. Of those restaurants, Subway was the chain with the lowest percentage of their meals exceeding that number. The Fresh Fit for Kids menu is a great way to eat fast food and keep it healthy. Kids can choose among three options of small subs, a side of apples, and either a 1% milk or juice box to wash it all down.
The Bottom Line
Fast food menus for kids have made improvements, but they're still not perfect. Helping your kids understand how to make better choices on a fast food menu as well as teaching them that sometimes it's just better to eat at home are healthy habits that can set up a lifetime of good nutrition.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Best Morning Juices
The Best Morning Juice Choices to
Start Your Day Off Right
Written by Gloria Tsang, RD of HealthCastle.com and Christina Newberry
Published in June 2008
best morning fruit juice(HealthCastle.com) It's probably already a part of your morning routine – you reach into the fridge and pour yourself a nice, refreshing glass of juice. If you're like most people, the juice in your fridge is OJ. But did you know that there are lots of other juice choices that could be pouring many more nutritional benefits into your glass?
Top 5 Morning Juice Choices
* Concord Grape Juice: You've heard about the French Paradox and the health benefits red wine offers. Red wine might not be the ideal way to start off your morning, but you can get the same benefits by drinking a glass of concord grape juice. Concord grape juice ranks the highest in antioxidant activity among 13 juices tested, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in March 2007.
* Wild Blueberry Juice: Wild blueberry juice also packs a serious antioxidant punch. The USDA's database of antioxidant values for various foods places blueberry juice at the top of the list among more than a dozen juices tested, and wild blueberries have been shown to have even more antioxidant capacity than cultivated blueberries. Blueberries also have anti-inflammatory properties.
* Cranberry Juice: A new study from Tufts University and Boston University suggests that two servings of light cranberry juice cocktail can increase artery dilation and blood flow immediately after consumption because of the natural flavonoids cranberry juice contains. The study also suggests that cranberries may have beneficial effects on cholesterol, blood pressure, and the prevention of blood clots, all risk factors for heart disease. Since cranberries are naturally tart, most cranberry juice products are indeed "juice cocktail" with added sugar. Choose "non added sugar" juice if possible.
* Cloudy Apple Juice: "Cloudy" apple juice is a form of this popular morning juice that contains more apple solids that the usual clear kind. The extra apple solids mean that cloudy juice has up to four times more polyphenols, a group of antioxidant plant compounds, than clear juice. And in a study reported in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture in January 2007, cloudy juice was shown to be a more effective "scavenger" of harmful free radicals.
* Fortified Orange Juice: If you prefer to stick with the old stand-by - OJ - look for a kind that'd fortified with calcium, or plant sterols, which help lower cholesterol. There are many different options available, so shop around until you find an orange juice that packs maximum nutritional punch while getting your morning off to a sunny start.
Start Your Day Off Right
Written by Gloria Tsang, RD of HealthCastle.com and Christina Newberry
Published in June 2008
best morning fruit juice(HealthCastle.com) It's probably already a part of your morning routine – you reach into the fridge and pour yourself a nice, refreshing glass of juice. If you're like most people, the juice in your fridge is OJ. But did you know that there are lots of other juice choices that could be pouring many more nutritional benefits into your glass?
Top 5 Morning Juice Choices
* Concord Grape Juice: You've heard about the French Paradox and the health benefits red wine offers. Red wine might not be the ideal way to start off your morning, but you can get the same benefits by drinking a glass of concord grape juice. Concord grape juice ranks the highest in antioxidant activity among 13 juices tested, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in March 2007.
* Wild Blueberry Juice: Wild blueberry juice also packs a serious antioxidant punch. The USDA's database of antioxidant values for various foods places blueberry juice at the top of the list among more than a dozen juices tested, and wild blueberries have been shown to have even more antioxidant capacity than cultivated blueberries. Blueberries also have anti-inflammatory properties.
* Cranberry Juice: A new study from Tufts University and Boston University suggests that two servings of light cranberry juice cocktail can increase artery dilation and blood flow immediately after consumption because of the natural flavonoids cranberry juice contains. The study also suggests that cranberries may have beneficial effects on cholesterol, blood pressure, and the prevention of blood clots, all risk factors for heart disease. Since cranberries are naturally tart, most cranberry juice products are indeed "juice cocktail" with added sugar. Choose "non added sugar" juice if possible.
* Cloudy Apple Juice: "Cloudy" apple juice is a form of this popular morning juice that contains more apple solids that the usual clear kind. The extra apple solids mean that cloudy juice has up to four times more polyphenols, a group of antioxidant plant compounds, than clear juice. And in a study reported in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture in January 2007, cloudy juice was shown to be a more effective "scavenger" of harmful free radicals.
* Fortified Orange Juice: If you prefer to stick with the old stand-by - OJ - look for a kind that'd fortified with calcium, or plant sterols, which help lower cholesterol. There are many different options available, so shop around until you find an orange juice that packs maximum nutritional punch while getting your morning off to a sunny start.
CHINESE SALAD DRESSING
Chinese Salad Dressing
This makes a lot of dressing so you can cut it in half. Also feel free to adjust the seasoning to your taste.
¾ cup rice vinegar
1/3-cup soy sauce
1/3-cup sugar –I use less sugar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
2/3-cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp sesame oil
3 tsp of peanut butter
Mix well. Pour over your favorite medley of salad fixings. I love this dressing over a Chinese chicken salad with cooked Top Ramen noodles.
This makes a lot of dressing so you can cut it in half. Also feel free to adjust the seasoning to your taste.
¾ cup rice vinegar
1/3-cup soy sauce
1/3-cup sugar –I use less sugar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp of toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
2/3-cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp sesame oil
3 tsp of peanut butter
Mix well. Pour over your favorite medley of salad fixings. I love this dressing over a Chinese chicken salad with cooked Top Ramen noodles.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Fish To Avoid
From Dr. Weil's newsletter...
I have long recommended fish as part of a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet. Yesterday's Daily Tip covered my first choices for healthy fish - those rich in omega-3 fatty acids. However, not all fish provide the same benefits, and some species should be limited or avoided altogether. I suggest minimizing your consumption of the following:
1. Large predatory fish. Shark, swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and white (albacore) tuna may have high levels of mercury. Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of contaminants, and should avoid these species. (Small-catch tuna is OK, as it has high levels of omega-3s with less risk of contaminants.)
2. Omega-6 rich fish. Farm-raised tilapia is one of the most highly consumed fish in America, yet it has very low levels of beneficial omega-3s and very high levels of potentially detrimental omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory, and inflammation is known to cause damage to blood vessels, the heart, lung and joint tissues, skin, and the digestive tract.
3. Farmed salmon. Avoid farmed salmon (also called Atlantic salmon), which is what you typically find in supermarkets, restaurants and fish markets. While less expensive than wild salmon, farmed salmon has a less favorable ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats and may contain residues of antibiotics and other drugs used to treat diseases in fish farming pens. What's more, levels of PCBs and other contaminants in some farmed salmon have been found to be much higher than those found in wild salmon.
I have long recommended fish as part of a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet. Yesterday's Daily Tip covered my first choices for healthy fish - those rich in omega-3 fatty acids. However, not all fish provide the same benefits, and some species should be limited or avoided altogether. I suggest minimizing your consumption of the following:
1. Large predatory fish. Shark, swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and white (albacore) tuna may have high levels of mercury. Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of contaminants, and should avoid these species. (Small-catch tuna is OK, as it has high levels of omega-3s with less risk of contaminants.)
2. Omega-6 rich fish. Farm-raised tilapia is one of the most highly consumed fish in America, yet it has very low levels of beneficial omega-3s and very high levels of potentially detrimental omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory, and inflammation is known to cause damage to blood vessels, the heart, lung and joint tissues, skin, and the digestive tract.
3. Farmed salmon. Avoid farmed salmon (also called Atlantic salmon), which is what you typically find in supermarkets, restaurants and fish markets. While less expensive than wild salmon, farmed salmon has a less favorable ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats and may contain residues of antibiotics and other drugs used to treat diseases in fish farming pens. What's more, levels of PCBs and other contaminants in some farmed salmon have been found to be much higher than those found in wild salmon.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Controlling Your Appetite
(Berkeley Wellness Alerts)
Great article...
Do You Need an Appetite Adjustment?
If you’re trying to lose weight and calorie counting hasn’t worked, making changes in your environment and behavior may help keep your appetite in check. Here’s a look at what drives overeating and how you can gain control.
• The volume of a meal. We tend to eat about the same amount of food regardless of its calories. Thus, many weight-loss plans stress foods that have a lot of volume relative to their calories (that is, bulky foods with more water and fiber and less fat, such as fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, and cooked whole grains), in place of low-volume, calorie-dense foods (such as cheese and crackers).
• Specific food components. There’s some evidence that, for many people, foods high in protein increase satiety more than high-carb foods. For example, an egg breakfast may keep you full longer than a bagel breakfast.
• Palatability. Most people find foods high in fat and sugar more pleasurable. It’s theorized that sugar and fat activate the brain’s “reward system” and blunt the body’s normal response to satiety signals, thus making it easier to overeat.
• Portion size and visual cues. Many people eat to “clean their plates,” relying on visual cues rather than hunger to tell them when they are done. In a “bottomless bowl” experiment, people who ate from soup bowls that automatically refilled (without them realizing it) consumed 73% more soup.
• Distraction. Eating while watching TV, working, or engaging in other tasks can make you eat more. When distracted, you are more likely to use visual cues rather than hunger/satiety signals to tell you when to stop eating.
• Variety. The greater the variety of foods, the more people tend to eat. Eating the same food dulls the palate, and you become satiated sooner. Introduce a food with different sensory qualities, however, and appetite returns, which may be why there’s often “room for dessert.”
• Emotions and social circumstances. People often eat for reasons other than hunger—when they are stressed, depressed, angry, lonely, even happy and excited. And they often eat because of social pressures, such as at parties, or simply because it is mealtime.
Putting it into practice
Use small plates, bowls, and cups; buy single-serving snacks, or portion out servings in small bowls or plastic bags; avoid all-you-can-eat buffets; and don’t eat in front of the TV or computer, or while reading or driving. Perhaps most important, practice mindful eating. This includes eating slowly, taking pleasure from each bite, and being aware of your surroundings—and eating only when you are hungry.
Great article...
Do You Need an Appetite Adjustment?
If you’re trying to lose weight and calorie counting hasn’t worked, making changes in your environment and behavior may help keep your appetite in check. Here’s a look at what drives overeating and how you can gain control.
• The volume of a meal. We tend to eat about the same amount of food regardless of its calories. Thus, many weight-loss plans stress foods that have a lot of volume relative to their calories (that is, bulky foods with more water and fiber and less fat, such as fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, and cooked whole grains), in place of low-volume, calorie-dense foods (such as cheese and crackers).
• Specific food components. There’s some evidence that, for many people, foods high in protein increase satiety more than high-carb foods. For example, an egg breakfast may keep you full longer than a bagel breakfast.
• Palatability. Most people find foods high in fat and sugar more pleasurable. It’s theorized that sugar and fat activate the brain’s “reward system” and blunt the body’s normal response to satiety signals, thus making it easier to overeat.
• Portion size and visual cues. Many people eat to “clean their plates,” relying on visual cues rather than hunger to tell them when they are done. In a “bottomless bowl” experiment, people who ate from soup bowls that automatically refilled (without them realizing it) consumed 73% more soup.
• Distraction. Eating while watching TV, working, or engaging in other tasks can make you eat more. When distracted, you are more likely to use visual cues rather than hunger/satiety signals to tell you when to stop eating.
• Variety. The greater the variety of foods, the more people tend to eat. Eating the same food dulls the palate, and you become satiated sooner. Introduce a food with different sensory qualities, however, and appetite returns, which may be why there’s often “room for dessert.”
• Emotions and social circumstances. People often eat for reasons other than hunger—when they are stressed, depressed, angry, lonely, even happy and excited. And they often eat because of social pressures, such as at parties, or simply because it is mealtime.
Putting it into practice
Use small plates, bowls, and cups; buy single-serving snacks, or portion out servings in small bowls or plastic bags; avoid all-you-can-eat buffets; and don’t eat in front of the TV or computer, or while reading or driving. Perhaps most important, practice mindful eating. This includes eating slowly, taking pleasure from each bite, and being aware of your surroundings—and eating only when you are hungry.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thoughts
(Terri Trespicio)
Take the guilt out of pleasure. Sometimes the thing you want most is just what you need.
Invest in experiences, not just objects.
Real intimacy is expressed not with more words but with meaningful ones. (or meaningful actions)
To find your strength push past your comfort zone.
Sometimes getting lost is the only way to figure out where you really are.
Take the guilt out of pleasure. Sometimes the thing you want most is just what you need.
Invest in experiences, not just objects.
Real intimacy is expressed not with more words but with meaningful ones. (or meaningful actions)
To find your strength push past your comfort zone.
Sometimes getting lost is the only way to figure out where you really are.
Trusted Web Sites
Recommended sites when looking up medical information...
Medicinenet.com
Mayoclinic.com
Medlineplus.com
Medicinenet.com
Mayoclinic.com
Medlineplus.com
Breast Feeding
(Elizabeth Barker)
If Breast feeding is a mother's little helper in weight loss, it may also be your secret little robber in bone loss. Your new job as milk supplier steals around 200 mg a day from your calcium stores, affecting your bones-unless you exercise, according to new research from the American College of Sports Medicine, In a one -month study, breast feeding mothers who worked out had a significantly smaller drop in bone - mineral density (compared to a sedentary control group) and lowered their body fat without dieting. The weekly regimen included three 45 minute bouts of weight-bearing cardio and three strength-training sessions.
Again this validates how exercise is so important to staying healthy. But new Moms, with their Doctors advice, should make sure they are getting enough calcium every day.
If Breast feeding is a mother's little helper in weight loss, it may also be your secret little robber in bone loss. Your new job as milk supplier steals around 200 mg a day from your calcium stores, affecting your bones-unless you exercise, according to new research from the American College of Sports Medicine, In a one -month study, breast feeding mothers who worked out had a significantly smaller drop in bone - mineral density (compared to a sedentary control group) and lowered their body fat without dieting. The weekly regimen included three 45 minute bouts of weight-bearing cardio and three strength-training sessions.
Again this validates how exercise is so important to staying healthy. But new Moms, with their Doctors advice, should make sure they are getting enough calcium every day.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Healthy Tidbits
Dark chocolate
Rich in antioxidant flavonoids, this deceptively decadent sweet may help improve your good and bad cholesterol and reduce your blood pressure. One ounce contains 136 calories and 8.5 g of fat, so nibble just a little. A great combination: shaved or melted dark chocolate over raspberries or strawberries for a light and healthy dessert.
(Prevention Magazine)
I always love a new way to eat chocolate!
Rich in antioxidant flavonoids, this deceptively decadent sweet may help improve your good and bad cholesterol and reduce your blood pressure. One ounce contains 136 calories and 8.5 g of fat, so nibble just a little. A great combination: shaved or melted dark chocolate over raspberries or strawberries for a light and healthy dessert.
(Prevention Magazine)
I always love a new way to eat chocolate!
Healthy Tidbits
Dates
These chewy fruits aren’t much to look at—plain and brown and a little sticky. But pop one in your mouth and you’ll be rewarded with a sweet taste and delightful texture. Their palate-pleasing nature, combined with a generous supply of fiber (7 dates supply 4 g), makes them a perfect diabetes-friendly snack. They’re also jam-packed with antioxidants—with more per serving than grapes, oranges, broccoli, and peppers, according to one study.
How to eat them: Stuff dates with pecan or walnut halves for a satisfying snack, or toss them into breads and cookies.
(Prevention Magazine)
Dates are a great snack and you can substitute them for other dried fruits in just about any recipe. I buy a variety of dried fruits from Sigonas when I have a chance and cut them up into bite size pieces and them mix them together to make my own mix. Then you can add them to your cereal or cottage cheese or yogurt.
These chewy fruits aren’t much to look at—plain and brown and a little sticky. But pop one in your mouth and you’ll be rewarded with a sweet taste and delightful texture. Their palate-pleasing nature, combined with a generous supply of fiber (7 dates supply 4 g), makes them a perfect diabetes-friendly snack. They’re also jam-packed with antioxidants—with more per serving than grapes, oranges, broccoli, and peppers, according to one study.
How to eat them: Stuff dates with pecan or walnut halves for a satisfying snack, or toss them into breads and cookies.
(Prevention Magazine)
Dates are a great snack and you can substitute them for other dried fruits in just about any recipe. I buy a variety of dried fruits from Sigonas when I have a chance and cut them up into bite size pieces and them mix them together to make my own mix. Then you can add them to your cereal or cottage cheese or yogurt.
Healthy Tidbits
Oats
Like barley and beans, oats are a diabetes power food because of their fiber content—a half cup of instant oats provides 4 g. Research shows that oat lovers can also lower total and “bad” LDL cholesterol and improve insulin resistance. All the soluble fiber oats contain slows the rate at which your body can break down and absorb carbohydrates, which means your blood sugar levels stay stable.
How to eat them: The easiest way is straight from your cereal bowl, but you can also sneak oats into all kinds of recipes, from pancakes to meat loaf to cookies.
(Prevention Magazine)
Try the thick cut or rough cut oats, Bob's Red Mill brand are great!
Like barley and beans, oats are a diabetes power food because of their fiber content—a half cup of instant oats provides 4 g. Research shows that oat lovers can also lower total and “bad” LDL cholesterol and improve insulin resistance. All the soluble fiber oats contain slows the rate at which your body can break down and absorb carbohydrates, which means your blood sugar levels stay stable.
How to eat them: The easiest way is straight from your cereal bowl, but you can also sneak oats into all kinds of recipes, from pancakes to meat loaf to cookies.
(Prevention Magazine)
Try the thick cut or rough cut oats, Bob's Red Mill brand are great!
Healthy Tidbits
Beans
Beans have more to boast about than being high in fiber (plant compounds that help you feel full, steady blood sugar, and even lower cholesterol; a half cup of black beans delivers more than 7 grams). They’re a not-too-shabby source of calcium, a mineral that research shows can help burn body fat. In ½ cup of white beans, you’ll get almost 100 mg of calcium—about 10% of your daily intake. Beans also make an excellent protein source; unlike other proteins Americans commonly eat (such as red meat), beans are low in saturated fat—the kind that gunks up arteries and can lead to heart disease.
How to eat them: Add them to salads, soups, chili, and more. There are so many different kinds of beans, you could conceivably have them every day for a week and not eat the same kind twice.
(Prevention Magazine)
Beans have more to boast about than being high in fiber (plant compounds that help you feel full, steady blood sugar, and even lower cholesterol; a half cup of black beans delivers more than 7 grams). They’re a not-too-shabby source of calcium, a mineral that research shows can help burn body fat. In ½ cup of white beans, you’ll get almost 100 mg of calcium—about 10% of your daily intake. Beans also make an excellent protein source; unlike other proteins Americans commonly eat (such as red meat), beans are low in saturated fat—the kind that gunks up arteries and can lead to heart disease.
How to eat them: Add them to salads, soups, chili, and more. There are so many different kinds of beans, you could conceivably have them every day for a week and not eat the same kind twice.
(Prevention Magazine)
Best Cooking Oils
(Body and Soul Magazine)
Oils tend to get a bad rap. Sure, they increase the fat content of a dish -- but not without adding flavor and, in many cases, a host of good-for-you benefits. In fact, incorporating the right oils (those low in saturated fats) into your cooking can help reduce cholesterol, prevent cancer, and even boost the health quotient of many ingredients. (Foods containing vitamins D and E, as well as lycopene, get better absorbed when paired with a fat.) Although organic varieties don't add any nutrition per se, they do cut down on toxic chemicals and pesticides. These six qualify as health superstars.
Walnut Oil
What: With its delicate, roasted tones, walnut oil is considered the gold standard of culinary oils. As such, it costs a bit more than other oils, so use it sparingly. Because it has a relatively short shelf life, make sure to keep walnut oil in the refrigerator to prevent it from going rancid.
Why: Walnuts contain omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), as well as magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E.
How: Serve walnut oil cold or barely warmed to preserve its slightly nuanced flavor.
Olive Oil
What: Extracted from the olive tree's fruit, it has an almost grassy flavor. Opt for extra virgin and virgin, which are mechanically extracted without chemicals or added heat.
Why: High in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, olive oil contains antioxidant-rich plant compounds and has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Virgin and extra-virgin olive oil generally boast greater antioxidant properties than the regular variety.
How: Virgin and extra-virgin olive oil work best in low- and no-heat cooking; regular olive oil is more heat-stable. A good test for all oils: If it smokes, the heat is too high.
Canola Oil
What: A current darling among top chefs and home cooks because of its neutral taste and tolerance to heat, canola oil makes an excellent all-purpose oil.
Why: High in unsaturated fat, canola oil also maintains a low saturated fat content of just over 7 percent. Using canola oil sparingly may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
How: Canola oil works best in high-heat cooking as well as in baking.
Flaxseed Oil
What: This rich, nutty-tasting oil is extracted from the seeds of the flax plant. Look for unfiltered varieties, which contain more nutrients, and store in the refrigerator to preserve flavor.
Why: Like walnut oil, flaxseed oil is a great source of ALA, making it an excellent alternative for those who don't eat enough fish. ALA appears to have anti-inflammatory properties and may also help lower blood pressure.
How: Flaxseed oil doesn't hold up to heat. Use it in dishes like pesto or hummus.
Peanut Oil
What: Derived from one of America's favorite snack foods, peanut oil's rich flavor is suitable for everyday use.
Why: High in monounsaturated fats, peanut oil contains the heart-friendly phytochemical resveratrol (also found in red wine). Resveratrol has antioxidant properties and may help in the prevention of breast and other cancers.
How: Often the deep-fry oil of choice due to its ability to handle high heat, peanut oil works equally well in stir-fries.
Grape-Seed Oil
What: A byproduct of winemaking, grape-seed oil brings a clean flavor that shines in many dishes.
Why: Grape-seed oil delivers big on vitamin E and flavonoids, antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of stroke and coronary disease. Manufacturers often use the harsh chemical hexane to extract it; look for organic or expeller-pressed varieties.
How: It's ideal for sauteing because of its resistance to high heat. Grape-seed oil also makes a delicious salad dressing.
Text by Merrill Stubbs
Oils tend to get a bad rap. Sure, they increase the fat content of a dish -- but not without adding flavor and, in many cases, a host of good-for-you benefits. In fact, incorporating the right oils (those low in saturated fats) into your cooking can help reduce cholesterol, prevent cancer, and even boost the health quotient of many ingredients. (Foods containing vitamins D and E, as well as lycopene, get better absorbed when paired with a fat.) Although organic varieties don't add any nutrition per se, they do cut down on toxic chemicals and pesticides. These six qualify as health superstars.
Walnut Oil
What: With its delicate, roasted tones, walnut oil is considered the gold standard of culinary oils. As such, it costs a bit more than other oils, so use it sparingly. Because it has a relatively short shelf life, make sure to keep walnut oil in the refrigerator to prevent it from going rancid.
Why: Walnuts contain omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), as well as magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E.
How: Serve walnut oil cold or barely warmed to preserve its slightly nuanced flavor.
Olive Oil
What: Extracted from the olive tree's fruit, it has an almost grassy flavor. Opt for extra virgin and virgin, which are mechanically extracted without chemicals or added heat.
Why: High in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, olive oil contains antioxidant-rich plant compounds and has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Virgin and extra-virgin olive oil generally boast greater antioxidant properties than the regular variety.
How: Virgin and extra-virgin olive oil work best in low- and no-heat cooking; regular olive oil is more heat-stable. A good test for all oils: If it smokes, the heat is too high.
Canola Oil
What: A current darling among top chefs and home cooks because of its neutral taste and tolerance to heat, canola oil makes an excellent all-purpose oil.
Why: High in unsaturated fat, canola oil also maintains a low saturated fat content of just over 7 percent. Using canola oil sparingly may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
How: Canola oil works best in high-heat cooking as well as in baking.
Flaxseed Oil
What: This rich, nutty-tasting oil is extracted from the seeds of the flax plant. Look for unfiltered varieties, which contain more nutrients, and store in the refrigerator to preserve flavor.
Why: Like walnut oil, flaxseed oil is a great source of ALA, making it an excellent alternative for those who don't eat enough fish. ALA appears to have anti-inflammatory properties and may also help lower blood pressure.
How: Flaxseed oil doesn't hold up to heat. Use it in dishes like pesto or hummus.
Peanut Oil
What: Derived from one of America's favorite snack foods, peanut oil's rich flavor is suitable for everyday use.
Why: High in monounsaturated fats, peanut oil contains the heart-friendly phytochemical resveratrol (also found in red wine). Resveratrol has antioxidant properties and may help in the prevention of breast and other cancers.
How: Often the deep-fry oil of choice due to its ability to handle high heat, peanut oil works equally well in stir-fries.
Grape-Seed Oil
What: A byproduct of winemaking, grape-seed oil brings a clean flavor that shines in many dishes.
Why: Grape-seed oil delivers big on vitamin E and flavonoids, antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of stroke and coronary disease. Manufacturers often use the harsh chemical hexane to extract it; look for organic or expeller-pressed varieties.
How: It's ideal for sauteing because of its resistance to high heat. Grape-seed oil also makes a delicious salad dressing.
Text by Merrill Stubbs
Monday, March 22, 2010
Carcinogens From Barbequing
I highly recommend this book, "Positively Ageless" by Cheryl Forberg, RD
(from her book)
Don't overcook your meats!
There are 2 types of chemicals that can develop when cooking over high heat, I am talking about barbecuing. HCAs (heterocyclic amines) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)... HCAs are formed in muscle meats at high temperatures. PAHs result from fat dripping on to hot coals during grilling or barbecuing, which creates smoke and fire that then collects on the meat. Both of these chemicals are suspected to be carcinogenic in humans. To reduce the amount of these chemicals in your food, stick with cooking methods that don't char your food. When you do use a grill, drain and blot away any excess oil if marinating the meat. Place your food on foil to prevent fat from dripping on the coals, and cut off any portion of food that gets blackened from fire and smoke.
I know that is a bit discouraging since we all BBQ quite a lot, but just make sure not to place meats directly over the flames or cook 'indirect' on the grill.
(from her book)
Don't overcook your meats!
There are 2 types of chemicals that can develop when cooking over high heat, I am talking about barbecuing. HCAs (heterocyclic amines) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)... HCAs are formed in muscle meats at high temperatures. PAHs result from fat dripping on to hot coals during grilling or barbecuing, which creates smoke and fire that then collects on the meat. Both of these chemicals are suspected to be carcinogenic in humans. To reduce the amount of these chemicals in your food, stick with cooking methods that don't char your food. When you do use a grill, drain and blot away any excess oil if marinating the meat. Place your food on foil to prevent fat from dripping on the coals, and cut off any portion of food that gets blackened from fire and smoke.
I know that is a bit discouraging since we all BBQ quite a lot, but just make sure not to place meats directly over the flames or cook 'indirect' on the grill.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Gout
Article from Dr. Weil's newsletter.
Gout is a very painful condition that most commonly affects the joints in the big toe, though it can also occur in ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, elbows and insteps. Being on your feet and walking all day can aggravate symptoms, but regular, daily exercise (especially biking and swimming, which put less pressure on the joints) can actually help in the long run.
Symptoms and Causes
In most cases, gout is an inherited metabolic disorder in which high concentrations of uric acid circulate in the blood. As it accumulates, uric acid can form needle-like crystals that deposit in joints, causing swelling and discomfort. Uric acid is a byproduct of protein metabolism, and people with gout should avoid a particular class of proteins called purines that occur in many foods, including organ meats, sardines, anchovies and lentils, as well as in alcoholic beverages.
Certain drugs can also increase your risk of gout because they affect the amount of uric acid in the system. These include salicylates (the active ingredient in aspirin), vitamin B3 (niacin), and diuretics that may be prescribed for high blood pressure, edema or cardiovascular disease. Cyclosporine, a drug used to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ, can also increase the risk of gout, as can Levodopa, which is prescribed for Parkinson's disease. Being overweight, drinking excess alcohol, and exposure to lead in the environment further raise the risk.
Gout is usually treated with non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs or with injections of cortisone to reduce the swelling.
Nutrition and Supplements
While there are no herbs or supplements that can quell an attack of gout, acupuncture can be very effective in reducing symptoms. In addition, the following recommendations may minimize – or help to avoid – the need to take prescription drugs.
* Eliminate coffee and caffeine (caffeine and related drugs can raise uric acid levels).
* Reduce inflammation. Enjoying a cup of red or purple fruits a day, especially cherries, will provide antioxidants as well as help reduce inflammation and flare-ups. Omega-3-rich foods such as walnuts, freshly ground flax seeds and fish oil capsules are especially helpful.
* Drink plenty of water to help flush uric acid out of your system and prevent the deposit of urate crystals.
* Minimize alcohol consumption. It promotes development of uric acid crystals and can cause dehydration and irritate the urinary tract.
* If you're overweight, try to lose the excess pounds (reducing your weight sensibly may lessen your gout symptoms, but fad dieting may boost uric acid levels).
* Never take protein supplements.
As far as general diet is concerned, the best advice is to avoid foods high in purines (cut back on red meat, and choose protein sources with a low purine content such as poultry, dairy products and soy) and follow a balanced, low-fat diet with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Gout is a very painful condition that most commonly affects the joints in the big toe, though it can also occur in ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, elbows and insteps. Being on your feet and walking all day can aggravate symptoms, but regular, daily exercise (especially biking and swimming, which put less pressure on the joints) can actually help in the long run.
Symptoms and Causes
In most cases, gout is an inherited metabolic disorder in which high concentrations of uric acid circulate in the blood. As it accumulates, uric acid can form needle-like crystals that deposit in joints, causing swelling and discomfort. Uric acid is a byproduct of protein metabolism, and people with gout should avoid a particular class of proteins called purines that occur in many foods, including organ meats, sardines, anchovies and lentils, as well as in alcoholic beverages.
Certain drugs can also increase your risk of gout because they affect the amount of uric acid in the system. These include salicylates (the active ingredient in aspirin), vitamin B3 (niacin), and diuretics that may be prescribed for high blood pressure, edema or cardiovascular disease. Cyclosporine, a drug used to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ, can also increase the risk of gout, as can Levodopa, which is prescribed for Parkinson's disease. Being overweight, drinking excess alcohol, and exposure to lead in the environment further raise the risk.
Gout is usually treated with non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs or with injections of cortisone to reduce the swelling.
Nutrition and Supplements
While there are no herbs or supplements that can quell an attack of gout, acupuncture can be very effective in reducing symptoms. In addition, the following recommendations may minimize – or help to avoid – the need to take prescription drugs.
* Eliminate coffee and caffeine (caffeine and related drugs can raise uric acid levels).
* Reduce inflammation. Enjoying a cup of red or purple fruits a day, especially cherries, will provide antioxidants as well as help reduce inflammation and flare-ups. Omega-3-rich foods such as walnuts, freshly ground flax seeds and fish oil capsules are especially helpful.
* Drink plenty of water to help flush uric acid out of your system and prevent the deposit of urate crystals.
* Minimize alcohol consumption. It promotes development of uric acid crystals and can cause dehydration and irritate the urinary tract.
* If you're overweight, try to lose the excess pounds (reducing your weight sensibly may lessen your gout symptoms, but fad dieting may boost uric acid levels).
* Never take protein supplements.
As far as general diet is concerned, the best advice is to avoid foods high in purines (cut back on red meat, and choose protein sources with a low purine content such as poultry, dairy products and soy) and follow a balanced, low-fat diet with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Safe Non-Organic Produce
From Dr Weil's Newsletter...
Last Saturday's Daily Tip listed 12 fruits and vegetables that tend to contain significant pesticide residues when grown conventionally, and I advised buying organic versions. Today I list 15 that pose little threat of pesticide contamination.
I have long recommended choosing organic produce as the best way to reap the health benefits of fruits and vegetables without exposing yourself to potentially harmful pesticides. Until more manufacturers adopt organic practices, however, organic foods are likely to remain more expensive than non-organic choices (unless you grow them yourself, a practice I heartily recommend).
If organic produce is cutting into your overall budget, it's okay to prioritize a bit and use non-organic varieties of the fruits and vegetables listed below, which tend to contain the least amount of pesticides. You should still make it a habit to wash them thoroughly before eating or cooking to remove dirt and bacteria. According to the Environmental Working Group, these are the fruits and vegetables least likely to be contaminated
1. Onions
2. Avocados
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapples
5. Mangos
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomatoes
15. Sweet potatoes
Last Saturday's Daily Tip listed 12 fruits and vegetables that tend to contain significant pesticide residues when grown conventionally, and I advised buying organic versions. Today I list 15 that pose little threat of pesticide contamination.
I have long recommended choosing organic produce as the best way to reap the health benefits of fruits and vegetables without exposing yourself to potentially harmful pesticides. Until more manufacturers adopt organic practices, however, organic foods are likely to remain more expensive than non-organic choices (unless you grow them yourself, a practice I heartily recommend).
If organic produce is cutting into your overall budget, it's okay to prioritize a bit and use non-organic varieties of the fruits and vegetables listed below, which tend to contain the least amount of pesticides. You should still make it a habit to wash them thoroughly before eating or cooking to remove dirt and bacteria. According to the Environmental Working Group, these are the fruits and vegetables least likely to be contaminated
1. Onions
2. Avocados
3. Sweet corn
4. Pineapples
5. Mangos
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomatoes
15. Sweet potatoes
Friday, March 19, 2010
Protein After Exercise
Do You Need Extra Protein If You Exercise?
Many athletes and exercisers think that consuming extra protein will help them build muscle and improve performance. They don't need those t-bone steaks or protein supplements.
Even if you are a vigorous exerciser or athlete, chances are you already get more than enough protein. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for adults is 0.8 grams of protein a day for each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. That’s 64 grams of protein for a 175-pound man and 47 grams for a 130-pound woman (an ounce of chicken or peanuts or cup of milk has about 8 grams of protein).
If you exercise regularly you may need a little more protein than the RDA, but most Americans already get more than that; many get twice the RDA without trying. Even weight-lifters and endurance athletes generally get enough protein, simply because their higher-calorie diets supply it. Athletes on low-calorie diets and people who eat no animal foods may need to make more of an effort, though.
Some studies suggest that the timing of your protein might make a difference, however. While eating carbohydrates immediately after intense exercise replenishes glycogen (the storage form of glucose, used as fuel during exercise), adding a little protein to the mix seems to benefit muscle as well.
A study in the Journal of Physiology a few years ago, for example, found that older men who consumed protein right after resistance training developed more muscle after 12 weeks, compared to men who had the protein two hours after exercising. And a study at McMaster University in Canada this year found the proteins in skim milk (casein and whey) particularly effective in stimulating muscle growth after resistance training in young men—more so than soy milk protein. Other studies show that post-exercise protein reduces muscle damage. Whether this makes much difference in athletic performance is debatable, but it can’t hurt to have a cup of skim milk or yogurt after a workout.
Keep in mind: Consuming more protein than your body needs does not build more muscle. Only exercise, specifically strength training, does.
I found this very interesting, and only recently started eating 1/2 a protein bar after my Jazzercise class. It really helps with that tired feeling after a workout.
Many athletes and exercisers think that consuming extra protein will help them build muscle and improve performance. They don't need those t-bone steaks or protein supplements.
Even if you are a vigorous exerciser or athlete, chances are you already get more than enough protein. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for adults is 0.8 grams of protein a day for each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. That’s 64 grams of protein for a 175-pound man and 47 grams for a 130-pound woman (an ounce of chicken or peanuts or cup of milk has about 8 grams of protein).
If you exercise regularly you may need a little more protein than the RDA, but most Americans already get more than that; many get twice the RDA without trying. Even weight-lifters and endurance athletes generally get enough protein, simply because their higher-calorie diets supply it. Athletes on low-calorie diets and people who eat no animal foods may need to make more of an effort, though.
Some studies suggest that the timing of your protein might make a difference, however. While eating carbohydrates immediately after intense exercise replenishes glycogen (the storage form of glucose, used as fuel during exercise), adding a little protein to the mix seems to benefit muscle as well.
A study in the Journal of Physiology a few years ago, for example, found that older men who consumed protein right after resistance training developed more muscle after 12 weeks, compared to men who had the protein two hours after exercising. And a study at McMaster University in Canada this year found the proteins in skim milk (casein and whey) particularly effective in stimulating muscle growth after resistance training in young men—more so than soy milk protein. Other studies show that post-exercise protein reduces muscle damage. Whether this makes much difference in athletic performance is debatable, but it can’t hurt to have a cup of skim milk or yogurt after a workout.
Keep in mind: Consuming more protein than your body needs does not build more muscle. Only exercise, specifically strength training, does.
I found this very interesting, and only recently started eating 1/2 a protein bar after my Jazzercise class. It really helps with that tired feeling after a workout.
Vitamin A
(Berkeley Wellness Letter)
Vitamin A and Your Bones
News that vitamin A can weaken bones caused shock eight years ago and contines to cause confusion, leading many people to wonder if they should toss their multivitamins.
In 2002 the Nurses’ Health Study, a famous Harvard study of 70,000 female nurses, found that a daily consumption of 6,600 IU or more of vitamin A from food and supplements (not much more than the 5,000 IU found in most multivitamins) may actually weaken postmenopausal women’s bones. Several other studies have supported this finding. The message traveled fast, and in response many vitamin manufacturers lowered the amount of vitamin A in their formulas.
Vitamin A, while essential for good health, is toxic at high doses. It can cause liver damage; pregnant women are advised to avoid high doses because of the risk of birth defects. “Preformed” vitamin A comes only from animal products, fortified foods, and supplements. It is measured in International Units (IU) or sometimes in micrograms. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is 2,333 IU daily for women, 3,000 IU for men. Confusingly, the labels on foods use a different number for the “Daily Value” for A—5,000 IU. The Institute of Medicine has set 10,000 IU as the safe upper limit for vitamin A, especially for pregnant women.
Not all vitamin A comes preformed. Beta carotene—found in plant foods, especially dark green and highly colored vegetables and fruits—is converted to vitamin A as needed in our bodies. You can’t get dangerous levels of vitamin A by consuming beta carotene.
What you should do
If you are a postmenopausal woman or an older man (men also get osteoporosis), it’s a good idea to avoid consuming a lot of preformed vitamin A. Keep in mind:
• Liver is a rich source of vitamin A—beef liver has about 24,000 IU in 3 ounces (cooked); chicken liver, 12,000 IU. If you eat liver, do so sparingly and occasionally. It is also very high in cholesterol.
• There is no evidence that beta carotene weakens bones. Keep your intake of carotene-rich fruits and vegetables high. The body carefully regulates the conversion of beta carotene into vitamin A.
• If you take a multivitamin, check the label. It should have no more than 3,000 IU of preformed vitamin A. If the label says “Vitamin A, 5,000 IU (50% as beta carotene),” that is okay, since that means the preformed A content is only 2,500 IU.
• If you eat highly fortified foods, such as some breakfast cereals, check the labels for vitamin A content. Milk is fortified with 300 to 500 IU of vitamin A per cup—an amount you need not worry about.
• Don’t take cod liver oil, unless the label says its vitamin A has been reduced.
Vitamin A and Your Bones
News that vitamin A can weaken bones caused shock eight years ago and contines to cause confusion, leading many people to wonder if they should toss their multivitamins.
In 2002 the Nurses’ Health Study, a famous Harvard study of 70,000 female nurses, found that a daily consumption of 6,600 IU or more of vitamin A from food and supplements (not much more than the 5,000 IU found in most multivitamins) may actually weaken postmenopausal women’s bones. Several other studies have supported this finding. The message traveled fast, and in response many vitamin manufacturers lowered the amount of vitamin A in their formulas.
Vitamin A, while essential for good health, is toxic at high doses. It can cause liver damage; pregnant women are advised to avoid high doses because of the risk of birth defects. “Preformed” vitamin A comes only from animal products, fortified foods, and supplements. It is measured in International Units (IU) or sometimes in micrograms. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is 2,333 IU daily for women, 3,000 IU for men. Confusingly, the labels on foods use a different number for the “Daily Value” for A—5,000 IU. The Institute of Medicine has set 10,000 IU as the safe upper limit for vitamin A, especially for pregnant women.
Not all vitamin A comes preformed. Beta carotene—found in plant foods, especially dark green and highly colored vegetables and fruits—is converted to vitamin A as needed in our bodies. You can’t get dangerous levels of vitamin A by consuming beta carotene.
What you should do
If you are a postmenopausal woman or an older man (men also get osteoporosis), it’s a good idea to avoid consuming a lot of preformed vitamin A. Keep in mind:
• Liver is a rich source of vitamin A—beef liver has about 24,000 IU in 3 ounces (cooked); chicken liver, 12,000 IU. If you eat liver, do so sparingly and occasionally. It is also very high in cholesterol.
• There is no evidence that beta carotene weakens bones. Keep your intake of carotene-rich fruits and vegetables high. The body carefully regulates the conversion of beta carotene into vitamin A.
• If you take a multivitamin, check the label. It should have no more than 3,000 IU of preformed vitamin A. If the label says “Vitamin A, 5,000 IU (50% as beta carotene),” that is okay, since that means the preformed A content is only 2,500 IU.
• If you eat highly fortified foods, such as some breakfast cereals, check the labels for vitamin A content. Milk is fortified with 300 to 500 IU of vitamin A per cup—an amount you need not worry about.
• Don’t take cod liver oil, unless the label says its vitamin A has been reduced.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Healthy Tidbits
From Prevention Magazine
It seems that the chemical 'phenol' is the drying element in chap-sticks. It is an external analgesic. So check the label before you buy.
It seems that the chemical 'phenol' is the drying element in chap-sticks. It is an external analgesic. So check the label before you buy.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
St. Patrick's Day
Today is St. Patrick's Day and of course being 1/2 Irish I will be celebrating with family and friends tonight. I will have boiled corned beef with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. I also will be baking my favorite version of Irish soda bread, yummy! For dessert I am having chocolate-cookie-mint (green) low-fat ice cream and cookies. I have been told that this is not really a traditional Irish feast, but it is still fun to celebrate. This is the American version I grew up with. One day I would love to be able to cook a real ham that is the Irish version.
So HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL!
So HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Fish Oil Supplements
I actually just switched to the 'Nordic Naturals' and I don't burp up fishy aftertaste so far. I do take them with my dinner.
Something Fishy about Your Fish Oil Supplement
Posted by Dr. David L. Katz at 3/12/2010 11:09 AM CST
As a visitor to Prevention's website, you are probably more likely than the average American to be clued in to the importance of omega-3 fatty acids. Thus, you may also be more likely than average to be taking a fish oil supplement. And, I suspect, you are also more likely to have heard the recent disconcerting news that some leading fish oil supplements may have something very fishy going on, namely contamination with PCBs.
Disconcerting, but not truly shocking. After all, we all know that fish, alas, are subject to contamination by PCBs and mercury. And, since fish oil comes from fish, the threat of contaminants making their way into supplements was there all along.
What can you do about this, short of giving up the benefits of added omega-3 to your routine? I have four suggestions:
1) consider krill oil. Krill, the tiny shrimp-like crustacean favored by some whales, are at the bottom of the food chain. Consequently, they are more abundant, potentially more sustainable, and less subject to accumulating water-borne toxins than fish. They are a concentrated source of the same omega-3's found in fish, and are a source of antioxidants not provided by fish into the bargain. I have switched to krill oil myself, and am increasingly suggesting this to my patients. (My friend and fellow Prevention blogger Andy Weil shares some thoughts on the pros and cons of krill oil here.)
2) choose a reliable brand. Not all fish oil is created equal. In my clinic, we routinely recommend the Nordic Naturals, Vital Nutrients, and Pure Encapsulations, among others. Play it safe, and pick one of these.
3) an educated consumer is the best customer. If you are a habitual supplement taker, and want the best available information about brands that pass independent tests, visit www.consumerlab.com and consider a subscription.
4) consider plant sources of omega-3. The best are flaxseed oil, and a product called Neuromins, made from algae. These are probably a bit less potent than fish or kill oil, but they offer the same basic benefits, and are certainly better from an environmental perspective
Bottom line: you can have your omega-3's, and skip the PCBs, too!
Something Fishy about Your Fish Oil Supplement
Posted by Dr. David L. Katz at 3/12/2010 11:09 AM CST
As a visitor to Prevention's website, you are probably more likely than the average American to be clued in to the importance of omega-3 fatty acids. Thus, you may also be more likely than average to be taking a fish oil supplement. And, I suspect, you are also more likely to have heard the recent disconcerting news that some leading fish oil supplements may have something very fishy going on, namely contamination with PCBs.
Disconcerting, but not truly shocking. After all, we all know that fish, alas, are subject to contamination by PCBs and mercury. And, since fish oil comes from fish, the threat of contaminants making their way into supplements was there all along.
What can you do about this, short of giving up the benefits of added omega-3 to your routine? I have four suggestions:
1) consider krill oil. Krill, the tiny shrimp-like crustacean favored by some whales, are at the bottom of the food chain. Consequently, they are more abundant, potentially more sustainable, and less subject to accumulating water-borne toxins than fish. They are a concentrated source of the same omega-3's found in fish, and are a source of antioxidants not provided by fish into the bargain. I have switched to krill oil myself, and am increasingly suggesting this to my patients. (My friend and fellow Prevention blogger Andy Weil shares some thoughts on the pros and cons of krill oil here.)
2) choose a reliable brand. Not all fish oil is created equal. In my clinic, we routinely recommend the Nordic Naturals, Vital Nutrients, and Pure Encapsulations, among others. Play it safe, and pick one of these.
3) an educated consumer is the best customer. If you are a habitual supplement taker, and want the best available information about brands that pass independent tests, visit www.consumerlab.com and consider a subscription.
4) consider plant sources of omega-3. The best are flaxseed oil, and a product called Neuromins, made from algae. These are probably a bit less potent than fish or kill oil, but they offer the same basic benefits, and are certainly better from an environmental perspective
Bottom line: you can have your omega-3's, and skip the PCBs, too!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Interesting Article About Diet Sodas
I used to drink diet soda all the time but soon discovered the chemicals in the sodas gave me migraine headaches. Water with lemon or lime is my drink of choice these days.
By: Tammy Beasley, R.D.
Research from a massive, multi-generational study following residents of Framingham, Massachusetts (which included about 6000 middle-aged men and women observed over 4 years) showed that adults who drink one or more sodas a day, diet or regular, had about a 50 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that include excessive fat around the waist, low levels of the "good" HDL cholesterol, and high blood pressure. People with metabolic syndrome are at double the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Other studies in the past have linked consumption of regular sodas with multiple risk factors for heart disease, but this is the first time one has linked diet sodas. Is it that no-calorie sweet-tasting drinks increase the craving for more sweets, and/or that people who indulge in sodas may have less healthy diets overall? Another theory states that the substance that gives soda its caramel color may promote insulin resistance. Lots of theories, but regardless, the results are surprising. These 6000 people from Framingham all started out in the study healthy and with no signs of metabolic syndrome.
So what should you do if you're a soda fan? It goes back to that well-worn concept of moderation–in all things, even our diet sodas. And maybe it's time to take a second look at water, the original and best fluid for our bodies.
By: Tammy Beasley, R.D.
Research from a massive, multi-generational study following residents of Framingham, Massachusetts (which included about 6000 middle-aged men and women observed over 4 years) showed that adults who drink one or more sodas a day, diet or regular, had about a 50 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that include excessive fat around the waist, low levels of the "good" HDL cholesterol, and high blood pressure. People with metabolic syndrome are at double the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Other studies in the past have linked consumption of regular sodas with multiple risk factors for heart disease, but this is the first time one has linked diet sodas. Is it that no-calorie sweet-tasting drinks increase the craving for more sweets, and/or that people who indulge in sodas may have less healthy diets overall? Another theory states that the substance that gives soda its caramel color may promote insulin resistance. Lots of theories, but regardless, the results are surprising. These 6000 people from Framingham all started out in the study healthy and with no signs of metabolic syndrome.
So what should you do if you're a soda fan? It goes back to that well-worn concept of moderation–in all things, even our diet sodas. And maybe it's time to take a second look at water, the original and best fluid for our bodies.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
NUTELLA
One of my favorite indulgences is Nutella spread which is a hazelnut/chocolate mixture which is so delicious. I eat it for breakfast on a bagel or toast. But this morning I came up with a new way to eat it, spread it on Trader Joes fat free brownies which are awesome. You would never know they are fat free. Heaven...
I have all day to burn it off. A nutrition teacher of mine explained that she eats her high calorie desserts from a special dinner the night before for breakfast, that way you have all day to burn them off and still get to indulge in your favorite sweets. Of course this should not be a daily occurance, maybe once in a while on the weekends...
Remember moderation is the key word.
I have all day to burn it off. A nutrition teacher of mine explained that she eats her high calorie desserts from a special dinner the night before for breakfast, that way you have all day to burn them off and still get to indulge in your favorite sweets. Of course this should not be a daily occurance, maybe once in a while on the weekends...
Remember moderation is the key word.
Friday, March 12, 2010
HONEY SPICE MARINADE
This recipe you can use on just about anything. I love it! We marinated our salmon for about an hour before putting in on the BBQ.
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup oil, any flavor
1/2 cup lemon juice
2-3 cloves garlic
Place all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Refrigerate.
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup oil, any flavor
1/2 cup lemon juice
2-3 cloves garlic
Place all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Refrigerate.
Women's Knees
This is good information from Berkeley Wellness alerts.
Crucial Advice About Women's Knees
One out of every four sports injuries involves the knee, and female athletes have a much higher rate of knee injuries than men. Here's how to safeguard your knees.
Women are more likely to develop “runner’s knee,” for instance, and are especially susceptible to a debilitating rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which helps stabilize the knee joint. Women are two to eight times more likely to have an ACL injury than men in the same sports. Such injuries are a special concern in downhill skiing, and female skiers face a three-fold higher risk.
A combination of factors may help explain the higher risk of knee injuries, particularly to the ACL, among women. Women’s knees, on average, are supported by smaller, weaker muscles. Women have a wider pelvis than men, and their thigh bones angle inward more sharply from hip to knee, making their knees less stable. They also tend to have stronger quadriceps and weaker hamstrings, and such an imbalance in thigh muscles can contribute to knee injuries. Moreover, studies have found that women are more prone to ACL injuries during the first half (pre-ovulatory) phase of their menstrual cycle, suggesting that hormones may affect ligaments and other connective tissue.
Here are steps to reduce the risk, especially if you’re a woman who plays a sport:
• Strengthen your leg muscles, notably the hamstrings (located at the back of the thigh), which, along with the quadriceps (on the front of the thigh), power knee movements.
• Try to move in a balanced crouched position when exercising or playing a sport. Women tend to move and land in a more upright position, partly because their quads are usually more dominant. The more you bend your knees and hips, the more your hamstrings take over, and this better balance between quadriceps and hamstrings helps protect the ACL.
• Don’t suddenly intensify or lengthen your workouts.
• Make sure your shoes, particularly exercise shoes, fit well and are not worn out.
• Check your feet and legs. The knee sometimes pays the price for foot abnormalities (such as flat feet), overpronation (the feet roll inward too much), or poor leg alignment (such as knock-knees), which can put greater stress on the joint. You’ll need professional advice about this. An orthotic device—a custom-made arch support—may help correct some foot or alignment problems.
• Avoid the following, especially if you have knee problems: leg extensions with heavy weights and locked knees; deep lunges or full squats; running downhill; cycling with the seat low and in high gear; or taking large steps when on stairs or stair-climbing machines. Don’t exercise on very hard surfaces. Don’t wear high heels, except for special occasions.
• If you are overweight, lose weight. Excess weight puts increased stress on the knee joint.
• If you have been suffering from knee injuries from exercise or sports, consult a physical therapist specializing in sports medicine, who can evaluate how you move when performing different activities and suggest treatments as well as ways to prevent further problems.
Crucial Advice About Women's Knees
One out of every four sports injuries involves the knee, and female athletes have a much higher rate of knee injuries than men. Here's how to safeguard your knees.
Women are more likely to develop “runner’s knee,” for instance, and are especially susceptible to a debilitating rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which helps stabilize the knee joint. Women are two to eight times more likely to have an ACL injury than men in the same sports. Such injuries are a special concern in downhill skiing, and female skiers face a three-fold higher risk.
A combination of factors may help explain the higher risk of knee injuries, particularly to the ACL, among women. Women’s knees, on average, are supported by smaller, weaker muscles. Women have a wider pelvis than men, and their thigh bones angle inward more sharply from hip to knee, making their knees less stable. They also tend to have stronger quadriceps and weaker hamstrings, and such an imbalance in thigh muscles can contribute to knee injuries. Moreover, studies have found that women are more prone to ACL injuries during the first half (pre-ovulatory) phase of their menstrual cycle, suggesting that hormones may affect ligaments and other connective tissue.
Here are steps to reduce the risk, especially if you’re a woman who plays a sport:
• Strengthen your leg muscles, notably the hamstrings (located at the back of the thigh), which, along with the quadriceps (on the front of the thigh), power knee movements.
• Try to move in a balanced crouched position when exercising or playing a sport. Women tend to move and land in a more upright position, partly because their quads are usually more dominant. The more you bend your knees and hips, the more your hamstrings take over, and this better balance between quadriceps and hamstrings helps protect the ACL.
• Don’t suddenly intensify or lengthen your workouts.
• Make sure your shoes, particularly exercise shoes, fit well and are not worn out.
• Check your feet and legs. The knee sometimes pays the price for foot abnormalities (such as flat feet), overpronation (the feet roll inward too much), or poor leg alignment (such as knock-knees), which can put greater stress on the joint. You’ll need professional advice about this. An orthotic device—a custom-made arch support—may help correct some foot or alignment problems.
• Avoid the following, especially if you have knee problems: leg extensions with heavy weights and locked knees; deep lunges or full squats; running downhill; cycling with the seat low and in high gear; or taking large steps when on stairs or stair-climbing machines. Don’t exercise on very hard surfaces. Don’t wear high heels, except for special occasions.
• If you are overweight, lose weight. Excess weight puts increased stress on the knee joint.
• If you have been suffering from knee injuries from exercise or sports, consult a physical therapist specializing in sports medicine, who can evaluate how you move when performing different activities and suggest treatments as well as ways to prevent further problems.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
PASTA WITH EGGPLANT PUREE
This was wonderful and easy, I love roasted vegetables, in the following recipe you will see I added a few more ingredients.
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time:15 min
Cook Time:40 min
Level:Easy
Serves:4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
* 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes *I added 1 zucchini
* 1 pint cherry tomatoes *I added 1/4 cp of sundried tomatoes
* 3 cloves garlic, whole
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
* 1 pound rigatoni pasta
* 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves *I used basil not a fan of mint.
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red
pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Place in the oven on the rack below the vegetables. Roast until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint leaves and extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables and 1/2 the pine nuts.
Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time until the pasta is saucy. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time:15 min
Cook Time:40 min
Level:Easy
Serves:4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
* 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes *I added 1 zucchini
* 1 pint cherry tomatoes *I added 1/4 cp of sundried tomatoes
* 3 cloves garlic, whole
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
* 1 pound rigatoni pasta
* 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves *I used basil not a fan of mint.
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red
pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Place in the oven on the rack below the vegetables. Roast until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint leaves and extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables and 1/2 the pine nuts.
Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time until the pasta is saucy. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Walking
Walk Your Way to Better Health
Walking can do wonders for both body and mind. Learn how to increase the benefits, no matter where and when you walk.
by Elena Rover
"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk," said Søren Kierkegaard, the 19th-century Danish philosopher. "Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness." More than 150 years later, millions of people are following in his footsteps. And for good reason. Researchers know that walking regularly can strengthen your bones, tone your muscles, and trim your waist, and it may reduce your risk of some cancers and other deadly diseases. The more you walk, the better your mood and the lower your risk of depression.
Whether you walk throughout the day, take regimented hikes, use a treadmill, or speed-walk, you can boost the health benefits of your routine. And if you currently hardly walk at all, here's your chance to hit your stride.
I have been walking/hiking for my whole life and it is the best and easiest exercise you can do. It can take you around the world, to new adventures, you can listen to a good book, or just groove to the music.
Walking can do wonders for both body and mind. Learn how to increase the benefits, no matter where and when you walk.
by Elena Rover
"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk," said Søren Kierkegaard, the 19th-century Danish philosopher. "Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness." More than 150 years later, millions of people are following in his footsteps. And for good reason. Researchers know that walking regularly can strengthen your bones, tone your muscles, and trim your waist, and it may reduce your risk of some cancers and other deadly diseases. The more you walk, the better your mood and the lower your risk of depression.
Whether you walk throughout the day, take regimented hikes, use a treadmill, or speed-walk, you can boost the health benefits of your routine. And if you currently hardly walk at all, here's your chance to hit your stride.
I have been walking/hiking for my whole life and it is the best and easiest exercise you can do. It can take you around the world, to new adventures, you can listen to a good book, or just groove to the music.
Cooking Tidbits
Myth: Baking Soda and Baking Powder Last Forever
True and false. Baking soda will live to see your 4-year-old get married. Baking powder has a shelf life of about a year. What’s the difference? Both are leavening agents, but baking powder contains an acid that allows it to react in recipes as soon as it gets wet, giving off the carbon dioxide that makes a cake rise. Baking soda has no acid; it relies on acids in the batter to activate it. If baking powder gets wet or is stored in a humid environment, its potency is diminished. To find out if your baking powder is still good, put some in a glass of water. If it bubbles, bake away. If not, head to the store. (Real Simple Magazine)
I just cleaned out my spices, I know some of them are over a year old and it is always a good idea to replace herbs and spices yearly,some last longer. They do get old and who wants an old bad tasting herb or spice in your dish?
True and false. Baking soda will live to see your 4-year-old get married. Baking powder has a shelf life of about a year. What’s the difference? Both are leavening agents, but baking powder contains an acid that allows it to react in recipes as soon as it gets wet, giving off the carbon dioxide that makes a cake rise. Baking soda has no acid; it relies on acids in the batter to activate it. If baking powder gets wet or is stored in a humid environment, its potency is diminished. To find out if your baking powder is still good, put some in a glass of water. If it bubbles, bake away. If not, head to the store. (Real Simple Magazine)
I just cleaned out my spices, I know some of them are over a year old and it is always a good idea to replace herbs and spices yearly,some last longer. They do get old and who wants an old bad tasting herb or spice in your dish?
Cooking Tidbits
Myth: Drinking Alcohol Every Day Is Good for You
True. In moderation. You’ve heard that wine protects against heart disease. But in reality, any alcoholic drink helps raise HDL (good cholesterol), since it’s the alcohol―not wine in particular―that does it. That means beer and spirits are good, too, says R. Curtis Ellison, M.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. But don’t drink yourself under the table just yet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines moderate drinking for women as just one drink a day (5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1½ ounces of 80-proof spirits), which is enough to keep blood platelets loose and cut down on clogged arteries. (Real Simple Magazine)
Since I have stopped drinking alcohol my cholesterol has been climbing steadily and I have had to take statin drugs. Interesting...
True. In moderation. You’ve heard that wine protects against heart disease. But in reality, any alcoholic drink helps raise HDL (good cholesterol), since it’s the alcohol―not wine in particular―that does it. That means beer and spirits are good, too, says R. Curtis Ellison, M.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. But don’t drink yourself under the table just yet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines moderate drinking for women as just one drink a day (5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1½ ounces of 80-proof spirits), which is enough to keep blood platelets loose and cut down on clogged arteries. (Real Simple Magazine)
Since I have stopped drinking alcohol my cholesterol has been climbing steadily and I have had to take statin drugs. Interesting...
Cooking Tidbits
Myth: Using Shortening Makes Cookies Fluffier
True. Butter has water in it, and water means a thinner dough, which means a flatter cookie. Shortening contains no water, so it always produces a cookie that stands taller than one made with only butter. “The trade-off is flavor,” says Emily Luchetti, pastry chef at the restaurant Farallon, in San Francisco, adding that even if a recipe calls for shortening alone, for more tasty results “you can use half butter, half shortening.” One trick Luchetti recommends to help make all-butter cookies fluffy is to beat the butter-and-sugar mixture longer―say, 5 minutes instead of 2―to whip in more air. (Real Simple Magazine)
I always wondered about the difference in the two fats...
True. Butter has water in it, and water means a thinner dough, which means a flatter cookie. Shortening contains no water, so it always produces a cookie that stands taller than one made with only butter. “The trade-off is flavor,” says Emily Luchetti, pastry chef at the restaurant Farallon, in San Francisco, adding that even if a recipe calls for shortening alone, for more tasty results “you can use half butter, half shortening.” One trick Luchetti recommends to help make all-butter cookies fluffy is to beat the butter-and-sugar mixture longer―say, 5 minutes instead of 2―to whip in more air. (Real Simple Magazine)
I always wondered about the difference in the two fats...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
More About Being Happy
(by Siri Carpenter)
6. Shift your focus.
From work to relationships to health, we have choices about where to concentrate our attention.
When a snowstorm keeps you from getting to the office, do you choose to focus on how behind you’ll be by tomorrow or on the 8-hour gift of time you’ve just been given? When you paint your daughter’s bedroom, do you fret about how much you hate the drudgery or think ahead to how pleased she’ll be when she comes home for Christmas break? The answer to such questions has a big influence on your well-being, writes Winifred Gallagher, author of Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life.
Studies show that focusing on positive emotions—curiosity instead of fear, compassion instead of anger—leads to broader, more flexible thinking, more playfulness and exploration, and richer social connections. Positive emotions also temper negative feelings’ corrosive physiological effects—especially their impact on the cardiovascular system. It’s not surprising, then, that people who habitually adopt an optimistic focus have fewer health problems and live longer than their more pessimistic counterparts.
7. Let your mind wander.
The flipside of focus is daydreaming
Although we spend up to one-third of our waking lives in this luscious state of “undirected thought,” we often dismiss daydreaming as a sign of procrastination and laziness. But recent brain-imaging research shows that when you’re daydreaming, your brain is actually working pretty hard. In one recent study, University of British Columbia psychologist Kalina Christoff, PhD, and colleagues found that people who allowed their minds to wander while doing simple tasks tapped into not only their “executive” brain network (source of logical thinking and problem solving) but also their “default network” that is the wellspring for creative thought and relaxed, introspective thinking.
To rev brainpower, Christoff suggests alternating deliberate, focused thinking with more spontaneous mind-wandering. Another strategy is to occasionally set aside time for uninterrupted daydreaming, like a stolen hour for a stroll in the park.
8. Give money away.
Once a person’s basic needs are met, having more money does little to boost happiness, studies show.
What matters more is how much you give away. In a survey of 632 Americans, University of British Columbia psychologist Elizabeth Dunn, PhD, and colleagues found that the money people spent on themselves was unrelated to general happiness, but the more money people gave away as gifts and donations, the happier they were.
In another study, the researchers gave people $5 or $20 with instructions to spend the money on themselves, on someone else, or to donate it. Those who gave the money away or spent it on others—no matter the amount—were happier than those who used it for themselves.
If you have money to give away!
9. Chat up your spouse like a stranger.
No one wants to make a bad first impression, so we tend to put our best face forward, especially with people we don’t know.
And that turns out to be a good strategy for enhancing our own happiness. In one study, Dunn and colleagues learned, observers judged that people conversing with strangers tried harder to make good impressions than did people conversing with their romantic partners—and the more they did so, the happier they felt after the interaction was over.
Another experiment showed that people instructed to talk with their romantic partners as though they were trying to make a good impression (as they would with a stranger) felt happier after the experiment ended than those who were told to interact normally.
10. Settle for good enough.
We tend to equate choice with freedom—and what could be wrong with that?
Plenty, according to Swarthmore College psychologist Barry Schwartz, PhD, author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less. Faced with a vast array of options—whether among consumer products like blue jeans and toothpastes or more consequential services like prescription drug plans and retirement plans—many of us end up bewildered. We can’t stop worrying whether what we don’t choose might make us happier. One simple solution, Schwartz argues, is to opt out of the multiple-choice game by narrowing your pick to several “good enough” options—then choose randomly.
11. Know when to fold ’em.
Most of us are not very good at knowing when to walk away from circumstances that are just plain bad.
Economists and psychologists call this human foible “the fallacy of sunk costs.” We keep holding when we should be folding—sticking with bad jobs because of the months and years we’ve already sunk into them, or unhappy relationships that we can’t imagine extracting ourselves from, or sluggish supermarket lines we’ve stood in too long to abandon. Because we’re so averse to wasting money, time, effort, or emotional investment, we fail to see that staying the course won’t recoup what we’ve already lost, says Ohio State University psychologist Hal Arkes, PhD.
But this is a failure we can overcome by deliberately thinking through our choices as though we weren’t already invested in one course of action. The next time you’re faced with a problem that has gone from good to bad to worse, think to yourself: If I were coming into this situation right now, what would I do?
12. Make something.
Few activities are as reliably pleasurable as making things with our own hands.
In one study, Harvard University psychologist Michael Norton, PhD, and colleagues asked participants to make origami, then to bid on their artwork along with others. People were willing to pay more for their own amateurish work than for others’ attempts—and in many cases, they rated their creations as more valuable than origami made by professionals.
One catch: To get the boost in satisfaction that comes from making something—whether an origami crane or a new coffee table—you need to actually finish the job. (Alas, a lovely knitted sweater with one sleeve won’t give you the same emotional boost.)
Maybe that is why I love to bake!
6. Shift your focus.
From work to relationships to health, we have choices about where to concentrate our attention.
When a snowstorm keeps you from getting to the office, do you choose to focus on how behind you’ll be by tomorrow or on the 8-hour gift of time you’ve just been given? When you paint your daughter’s bedroom, do you fret about how much you hate the drudgery or think ahead to how pleased she’ll be when she comes home for Christmas break? The answer to such questions has a big influence on your well-being, writes Winifred Gallagher, author of Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life.
Studies show that focusing on positive emotions—curiosity instead of fear, compassion instead of anger—leads to broader, more flexible thinking, more playfulness and exploration, and richer social connections. Positive emotions also temper negative feelings’ corrosive physiological effects—especially their impact on the cardiovascular system. It’s not surprising, then, that people who habitually adopt an optimistic focus have fewer health problems and live longer than their more pessimistic counterparts.
7. Let your mind wander.
The flipside of focus is daydreaming
Although we spend up to one-third of our waking lives in this luscious state of “undirected thought,” we often dismiss daydreaming as a sign of procrastination and laziness. But recent brain-imaging research shows that when you’re daydreaming, your brain is actually working pretty hard. In one recent study, University of British Columbia psychologist Kalina Christoff, PhD, and colleagues found that people who allowed their minds to wander while doing simple tasks tapped into not only their “executive” brain network (source of logical thinking and problem solving) but also their “default network” that is the wellspring for creative thought and relaxed, introspective thinking.
To rev brainpower, Christoff suggests alternating deliberate, focused thinking with more spontaneous mind-wandering. Another strategy is to occasionally set aside time for uninterrupted daydreaming, like a stolen hour for a stroll in the park.
8. Give money away.
Once a person’s basic needs are met, having more money does little to boost happiness, studies show.
What matters more is how much you give away. In a survey of 632 Americans, University of British Columbia psychologist Elizabeth Dunn, PhD, and colleagues found that the money people spent on themselves was unrelated to general happiness, but the more money people gave away as gifts and donations, the happier they were.
In another study, the researchers gave people $5 or $20 with instructions to spend the money on themselves, on someone else, or to donate it. Those who gave the money away or spent it on others—no matter the amount—were happier than those who used it for themselves.
If you have money to give away!
9. Chat up your spouse like a stranger.
No one wants to make a bad first impression, so we tend to put our best face forward, especially with people we don’t know.
And that turns out to be a good strategy for enhancing our own happiness. In one study, Dunn and colleagues learned, observers judged that people conversing with strangers tried harder to make good impressions than did people conversing with their romantic partners—and the more they did so, the happier they felt after the interaction was over.
Another experiment showed that people instructed to talk with their romantic partners as though they were trying to make a good impression (as they would with a stranger) felt happier after the experiment ended than those who were told to interact normally.
10. Settle for good enough.
We tend to equate choice with freedom—and what could be wrong with that?
Plenty, according to Swarthmore College psychologist Barry Schwartz, PhD, author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less. Faced with a vast array of options—whether among consumer products like blue jeans and toothpastes or more consequential services like prescription drug plans and retirement plans—many of us end up bewildered. We can’t stop worrying whether what we don’t choose might make us happier. One simple solution, Schwartz argues, is to opt out of the multiple-choice game by narrowing your pick to several “good enough” options—then choose randomly.
11. Know when to fold ’em.
Most of us are not very good at knowing when to walk away from circumstances that are just plain bad.
Economists and psychologists call this human foible “the fallacy of sunk costs.” We keep holding when we should be folding—sticking with bad jobs because of the months and years we’ve already sunk into them, or unhappy relationships that we can’t imagine extracting ourselves from, or sluggish supermarket lines we’ve stood in too long to abandon. Because we’re so averse to wasting money, time, effort, or emotional investment, we fail to see that staying the course won’t recoup what we’ve already lost, says Ohio State University psychologist Hal Arkes, PhD.
But this is a failure we can overcome by deliberately thinking through our choices as though we weren’t already invested in one course of action. The next time you’re faced with a problem that has gone from good to bad to worse, think to yourself: If I were coming into this situation right now, what would I do?
12. Make something.
Few activities are as reliably pleasurable as making things with our own hands.
In one study, Harvard University psychologist Michael Norton, PhD, and colleagues asked participants to make origami, then to bid on their artwork along with others. People were willing to pay more for their own amateurish work than for others’ attempts—and in many cases, they rated their creations as more valuable than origami made by professionals.
One catch: To get the boost in satisfaction that comes from making something—whether an origami crane or a new coffee table—you need to actually finish the job. (Alas, a lovely knitted sweater with one sleeve won’t give you the same emotional boost.)
Maybe that is why I love to bake!
Interesting Article About Being Happy
(by Siri Carpenter)
What makes us happy
The year 2009 was one that few of us will soon forget.
But the tough times we’ve been through illuminate the human ability to weather challenges that might at first seem overwhelming. As so many millions have painfully learned, we can’t fully control our circumstances. Surprisingly often, though, we can control their effects on our well-being.
Experts attribute about 50% of a person’s happiness to genetic endowments and another 10% to circumstances—where we live, how much money we make, how healthy we are. That leaves 40% of our happiness in our control. Fortunately, science has much to say about how we can make the most of that 40%. Even small improvements in mood can have cascading effects. The trick is to pay attention to what strategies work best for you. Try these for starters.
1. Know what to want.
Most of us can’t predict what will make us happy in the future, and that inability often leads us down the wrong path.
“The average American moves more than 11 times, changes jobs more than 10 times, and marries more than once, suggesting that most of us are making more than a few poor choices,” notes Harvard University psychologist Daniel Gilbert, PhD, author of Stumbling on Happiness. One reason we so often guess wrong, he argues, is that we often imagine the future incorrectly. We forget how easily we adapt, even to painful circumstances. So when we picture what it would be like to be single again or to live in Seattle or to leave one job for another, we don’t factor in everything else—the new friends, the newly discovered interest in Cascade Mountains wildflowers—that might also affect our emotional well-being.
Unfortunately, Gilbert says, we can’t simply train ourselves to peer into the future with greater clarity. Instead, we should put more trust in other people’s experiences. “Start with the assumption that your reactions are a lot like other people’s,” Gilbert says. If you want to know whether to take a job at a new company, pay attention to the people around you when you’re there for an interview. Do they seem engaged and interested? That should count for a lot.
2. Savor mystery.
In a culture obsessed with the power of information, the fact that most of us are a little unnerved by uncertainty is hardly surprising.
Yet research suggests that a dash of mystery can make positive experiences last longer. In one study, University of Virginia psychologist Timothy Wilson, PhD, and colleagues found that students who were given a $1 coin with little explanation reported feeling happier a few minutes later than those who were given either the same amount of money by a known source or no money at all. Wilson argues that those who didn't fully comprehend the reason for the gift spent more time mulling it over, extending their pleasure. "Once we've done the cognitive work to understand something, we kind of wrap it up in a little package and store it away and move on to other things," he explains.
It's not easy to stage surprises for yourself, but Wilson suggests a few tricks. Next time you're nearing the end of an engrossing book, save the final pages for a few days later. Or shop from catalogs so you won't know exactly when your purchases will arrive—if you're lucky, when they do you may have forgotten what you've ordered.
3. Diversify your good deeds.
Being kind and helpful makes most everyone feel good.
But just as the novelty of a new car or electronic gadget inevitably wears off, so does the warm glow that comes from doing the same good deed over and over. People who performed various small acts of kindness every week for 10 weeks—shoveling a friend’s sidewalk, giving pets a special treat, sending a birthday card—grew happier with each passing week, and the benefit lasted for at least another month, found a study by University of California, Riverside psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, and colleagues.
In contrast, people who performed the same kind act repeatedly became less happy after a few weeks, then reverted to their prior level of contentment. Try this: Do several good deeds in 1 day; researchers say your happiness boost will be greater than if you spread them out evenly over time.
4. Hope for small changes, not big ones.
Research shows that even major life events, such as winning the lottery, hardly nudge people’s overall sense of satisfaction.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to improve your wellbeing. Recent research finds that the little things we do regularly, like exercising or attending religious services, can have a major impact on our happiness. In one study, Yale University psychologist Daniel Mochon, PhD, and colleagues at Harvard and Duke universities discovered that people leaving religious services felt slightly happier than those going in—and the more regularly people attended religious services, the happier they felt overall. The same is true for exercise—people not only feel happier after going to the gym or to a yoga class, but they also get a bigger boost the more often they go.
So true.
5. Invest in experiences, not stuff..
Doing things, not buying things, gives you the most bang for your buck.
Why? For one thing, says University of Colorado at Boulder social psychologist Leaf Van Boven, PhD, it’s easier to reinterpret experiences than to retool material purchases. If your new smart phone disappoints, you have to either shell out for a better one or lower your expectations. But if it rains on a hiking trip, you can recast the drenching experience in your memory as a character-building challenge.
Also, sharing life experiences with others helps satisfy our need for social connection— another known mood booster.
This is my new motto...
6. Shift your focus.
From work to relationships to health, we have choices about where to concentrate our attention.
When a snowstorm keeps you from getting to the office, do you choose to focus on how behind you’ll be by tomorrow or on the 8-hour gift of time you’ve just been given? When you paint your daughter’s bedroom, do you fret about how much you hate the drudgery or think ahead to how pleased she’ll be when she comes home for Christmas break? The answer to such questions has a big influence on your well-being, writes Winifred Gallagher, author of Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life.
Studies show that focusing on positive emotions—curiosity instead of fear, compassion instead of anger—leads to broader, more flexible thinking, more playfulness and exploration, and richer social connections. Positive emotions also temper negative feelings’ corrosive physiological effects—especially their impact on the cardiovascular system. It’s not surprising, then, that people who habitually adopt an optimistic focus have fewer health problems and live longer than their more pessimistic counterparts.
What makes us happy
The year 2009 was one that few of us will soon forget.
But the tough times we’ve been through illuminate the human ability to weather challenges that might at first seem overwhelming. As so many millions have painfully learned, we can’t fully control our circumstances. Surprisingly often, though, we can control their effects on our well-being.
Experts attribute about 50% of a person’s happiness to genetic endowments and another 10% to circumstances—where we live, how much money we make, how healthy we are. That leaves 40% of our happiness in our control. Fortunately, science has much to say about how we can make the most of that 40%. Even small improvements in mood can have cascading effects. The trick is to pay attention to what strategies work best for you. Try these for starters.
1. Know what to want.
Most of us can’t predict what will make us happy in the future, and that inability often leads us down the wrong path.
“The average American moves more than 11 times, changes jobs more than 10 times, and marries more than once, suggesting that most of us are making more than a few poor choices,” notes Harvard University psychologist Daniel Gilbert, PhD, author of Stumbling on Happiness. One reason we so often guess wrong, he argues, is that we often imagine the future incorrectly. We forget how easily we adapt, even to painful circumstances. So when we picture what it would be like to be single again or to live in Seattle or to leave one job for another, we don’t factor in everything else—the new friends, the newly discovered interest in Cascade Mountains wildflowers—that might also affect our emotional well-being.
Unfortunately, Gilbert says, we can’t simply train ourselves to peer into the future with greater clarity. Instead, we should put more trust in other people’s experiences. “Start with the assumption that your reactions are a lot like other people’s,” Gilbert says. If you want to know whether to take a job at a new company, pay attention to the people around you when you’re there for an interview. Do they seem engaged and interested? That should count for a lot.
2. Savor mystery.
In a culture obsessed with the power of information, the fact that most of us are a little unnerved by uncertainty is hardly surprising.
Yet research suggests that a dash of mystery can make positive experiences last longer. In one study, University of Virginia psychologist Timothy Wilson, PhD, and colleagues found that students who were given a $1 coin with little explanation reported feeling happier a few minutes later than those who were given either the same amount of money by a known source or no money at all. Wilson argues that those who didn't fully comprehend the reason for the gift spent more time mulling it over, extending their pleasure. "Once we've done the cognitive work to understand something, we kind of wrap it up in a little package and store it away and move on to other things," he explains.
It's not easy to stage surprises for yourself, but Wilson suggests a few tricks. Next time you're nearing the end of an engrossing book, save the final pages for a few days later. Or shop from catalogs so you won't know exactly when your purchases will arrive—if you're lucky, when they do you may have forgotten what you've ordered.
3. Diversify your good deeds.
Being kind and helpful makes most everyone feel good.
But just as the novelty of a new car or electronic gadget inevitably wears off, so does the warm glow that comes from doing the same good deed over and over. People who performed various small acts of kindness every week for 10 weeks—shoveling a friend’s sidewalk, giving pets a special treat, sending a birthday card—grew happier with each passing week, and the benefit lasted for at least another month, found a study by University of California, Riverside psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, and colleagues.
In contrast, people who performed the same kind act repeatedly became less happy after a few weeks, then reverted to their prior level of contentment. Try this: Do several good deeds in 1 day; researchers say your happiness boost will be greater than if you spread them out evenly over time.
4. Hope for small changes, not big ones.
Research shows that even major life events, such as winning the lottery, hardly nudge people’s overall sense of satisfaction.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to improve your wellbeing. Recent research finds that the little things we do regularly, like exercising or attending religious services, can have a major impact on our happiness. In one study, Yale University psychologist Daniel Mochon, PhD, and colleagues at Harvard and Duke universities discovered that people leaving religious services felt slightly happier than those going in—and the more regularly people attended religious services, the happier they felt overall. The same is true for exercise—people not only feel happier after going to the gym or to a yoga class, but they also get a bigger boost the more often they go.
So true.
5. Invest in experiences, not stuff..
Doing things, not buying things, gives you the most bang for your buck.
Why? For one thing, says University of Colorado at Boulder social psychologist Leaf Van Boven, PhD, it’s easier to reinterpret experiences than to retool material purchases. If your new smart phone disappoints, you have to either shell out for a better one or lower your expectations. But if it rains on a hiking trip, you can recast the drenching experience in your memory as a character-building challenge.
Also, sharing life experiences with others helps satisfy our need for social connection— another known mood booster.
This is my new motto...
6. Shift your focus.
From work to relationships to health, we have choices about where to concentrate our attention.
When a snowstorm keeps you from getting to the office, do you choose to focus on how behind you’ll be by tomorrow or on the 8-hour gift of time you’ve just been given? When you paint your daughter’s bedroom, do you fret about how much you hate the drudgery or think ahead to how pleased she’ll be when she comes home for Christmas break? The answer to such questions has a big influence on your well-being, writes Winifred Gallagher, author of Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life.
Studies show that focusing on positive emotions—curiosity instead of fear, compassion instead of anger—leads to broader, more flexible thinking, more playfulness and exploration, and richer social connections. Positive emotions also temper negative feelings’ corrosive physiological effects—especially their impact on the cardiovascular system. It’s not surprising, then, that people who habitually adopt an optimistic focus have fewer health problems and live longer than their more pessimistic counterparts.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Healthy Chocolate Snack
I was thinking how I have been eating half a protein bar when I get hungry or tired around 11 am in the morning especially if I have gone to Jazzercise. My wonderful daughter suggested this idea which has worked out so well. It holds me over till lunch. So I thought why not make up a trail mix snack, one of my favorites is Trader Joe's many delicious variations on trail mix. Use your own imagination for this one.
I don't have an exact recipe for this...
1 cup of trail mix and feel free to add other healthy nuts or dried fruits or not so healthy goodies like mini marshmallows or cut up caramels, m&ms...
Melt your favorite dark chocolate, 1/2 bag of chocolate chips, try Ghiradelli bittersweet chips, they are very good. Remember dark chocolate is better for you than milk chocolate and you might even try sugar free chocolate, and pour over trail mix and cool on parchment lined pan in one layer or drop by spoonfuls on to parchment.
That is it, for fun melt white chocolate and drizzle over cooled 'bark' for decoration.
It has fruit, nuts and chocolate, all healthy for you, just remember moderation, if it is too tempting, don't make it or share with your family and friends.
I don't have an exact recipe for this...
1 cup of trail mix and feel free to add other healthy nuts or dried fruits or not so healthy goodies like mini marshmallows or cut up caramels, m&ms...
Melt your favorite dark chocolate, 1/2 bag of chocolate chips, try Ghiradelli bittersweet chips, they are very good. Remember dark chocolate is better for you than milk chocolate and you might even try sugar free chocolate, and pour over trail mix and cool on parchment lined pan in one layer or drop by spoonfuls on to parchment.
That is it, for fun melt white chocolate and drizzle over cooled 'bark' for decoration.
It has fruit, nuts and chocolate, all healthy for you, just remember moderation, if it is too tempting, don't make it or share with your family and friends.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Cool Links for Sustainable Seafood
Sustainable Seafood Advice
Blue Ocean Institute, led by noted marine biologist Carl Safina, has a Guide to Ocean-Friendly Seafood that gives each species of fish a green (good), yellow or red (avoid) rating. For example, green fish are relatively abundant and their fishing or farming methods do little damage to natural habitats and other wildlife; a “red” rank means the species is subject to overfishing or is farmed using methods that harm the environment or wild fish. Search the guide (and download a wallet-size card of it) at blueoceaninstitute.org/seafood—or by entering fishphone.org into your PDA browser.
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch recommends fish based on current scientific data on environmental and health concerns and direct interactions with fishery and fish-farm operators. Visit the website montereybayaquarium.org or access its guides on your cell phone at seafoodwatch.org.
Blue Ocean Institute, led by noted marine biologist Carl Safina, has a Guide to Ocean-Friendly Seafood that gives each species of fish a green (good), yellow or red (avoid) rating. For example, green fish are relatively abundant and their fishing or farming methods do little damage to natural habitats and other wildlife; a “red” rank means the species is subject to overfishing or is farmed using methods that harm the environment or wild fish. Search the guide (and download a wallet-size card of it) at blueoceaninstitute.org/seafood—or by entering fishphone.org into your PDA browser.
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch recommends fish based on current scientific data on environmental and health concerns and direct interactions with fishery and fish-farm operators. Visit the website montereybayaquarium.org or access its guides on your cell phone at seafoodwatch.org.
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Grapefruit Effect and Your Drugs
(from Berkeley Wellness alert)
Many people taking medications have learned to be leery of grapefruit and its juice—which is too bad, since grapefruit is not only delicious, but also heart-healthy and nutritious. Here's what you need to know.
Grapefruit and its juice raise blood levels of certain drugs, and the effect can be dangerous. This occurs because grapefruit contains substances that disable an enzyme (known as CYP3A4) in the small intestine that would otherwise help break down the drugs. The interaction happens fast and can last 24 hours or longer—the time it takes for your body to make new enzymes—though it trails off. On the other hand, grapefruit juice can also lower blood levels of a few drugs by reducing absorption.
These effects can vary from person to person—and even from grapefruit to grapefruit. This makes the scenario highly unpredictable.
The drugs include many cholesterol-lowering statins, as well as certain calcium channel blockers (for high blood pressure), tranquilizers, antihistamines, zntidepressants, and HIV drugs. Many drugs now carry a warning label if there’s an interaction with grapefruit—but the absence of a warning doesn’t mean there is no inter action. If you take medication and consume grapefruit, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
What you can do
• Switch to other juices. There is some evidence, however, that Seville oranges (which are sour, like grapefruit) may have an effect similar to grapefruit, as may tangelos and pomelos.
• Switch to another drug in the same category. This isn’t always possible—your doctor or pharmacist should be able to advise about this. For example, the blood pressure drug nifedipine (such as Procardia) is affected by grapefruit, but you might take diltiazem (such as Cardizem) instead. Your prescription for Lipitor or Zocor might be changed to rosuvastatin (Crestor), which does not interact with grapefruit or its juice.
• Keep in mind, the main concern is regular consumption of the fruit or its juice. A glass of juice on rare occasion should pose little or no risk—especially if you drink it in the morning, say, and take your drug in the evening.
Many people taking medications have learned to be leery of grapefruit and its juice—which is too bad, since grapefruit is not only delicious, but also heart-healthy and nutritious. Here's what you need to know.
Grapefruit and its juice raise blood levels of certain drugs, and the effect can be dangerous. This occurs because grapefruit contains substances that disable an enzyme (known as CYP3A4) in the small intestine that would otherwise help break down the drugs. The interaction happens fast and can last 24 hours or longer—the time it takes for your body to make new enzymes—though it trails off. On the other hand, grapefruit juice can also lower blood levels of a few drugs by reducing absorption.
These effects can vary from person to person—and even from grapefruit to grapefruit. This makes the scenario highly unpredictable.
The drugs include many cholesterol-lowering statins, as well as certain calcium channel blockers (for high blood pressure), tranquilizers, antihistamines, zntidepressants, and HIV drugs. Many drugs now carry a warning label if there’s an interaction with grapefruit—but the absence of a warning doesn’t mean there is no inter action. If you take medication and consume grapefruit, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
What you can do
• Switch to other juices. There is some evidence, however, that Seville oranges (which are sour, like grapefruit) may have an effect similar to grapefruit, as may tangelos and pomelos.
• Switch to another drug in the same category. This isn’t always possible—your doctor or pharmacist should be able to advise about this. For example, the blood pressure drug nifedipine (such as Procardia) is affected by grapefruit, but you might take diltiazem (such as Cardizem) instead. Your prescription for Lipitor or Zocor might be changed to rosuvastatin (Crestor), which does not interact with grapefruit or its juice.
• Keep in mind, the main concern is regular consumption of the fruit or its juice. A glass of juice on rare occasion should pose little or no risk—especially if you drink it in the morning, say, and take your drug in the evening.
Vitamin D
(from Berkeley Wellness alert)
Because of growing evidence about the benefits of vitamin D—for bone health, muscle function, and possibly even prevention of some cancers and other illnesses—many people are rushing out to buy vitamin D pills. Here’s what to look for.
There are two main forms of vitamin D:
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is typically derived from lanolin from sheep’s wool. Less commonly, D3 comes from fish liver oil, a concern because of mercury, PCBs, and other possible contaminants—though reputable manufacturers can remove harmful compounds in processing. D3 is also the form our skin produces when exposed to sunlight and is the natural form found in food.
Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) comes from non-animal sources, such as fungi, that are exposed to ultraviolet light to convert their cholesterol-like substances, called sterols, into vitamin D.
Once consumed, both vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 are converted in the body to the active form. But some research strongly suggests that D3 is preferable to D2. One study, for example, found that D2 was less than one-third as potent as D3 and that it was shorter-acting.
Reading labels: The type of vitamin D is listed on supplement bottles in the ingredients (and sometimes in the “Supplement Facts” panel). Look for D3 or cholecalciferol, preferably not from fish liver oil. The same company may use D3 in some of its products but D2 in others. If you’ve been taking a supplement with D2 (ergocalciferol), you are still getting benefits, but consider switching to a product with D3 when you are done with that bottle. Some strict vegetarians may prefer D2 since it’s not derived from animals, but because it’s less potent, higher doses are needed to get the same effect as D3.
Many vitamin D pills, multivitamins, and bone formulas—especially those from major brands like One-A-Day and Centrum—contain D3, as does most milk and other fortified foods. Quite a few health-food store brands, however, may still contain D2.
Your D needs: A growing number of experts believe that the current recommended daily intake levels for vitamin D (which range from 200 to 600 IU, based on age) are too low, and that a better goal for everyone is 800 to 1,000 IU a day—especially if you are over 60 (the ability to manufacture vitamin D from sunlight and utilize it declines with age), have darker skin (which makes less vitamin D), live at northern latitudes, or are housebound. You can get some vitamin D from foods—such as milk, fatty fish, and foods fortified with vitamin D—but it’s nearly impossible to get 800 to 1,000 IU without also taking a supplement.
Because of growing evidence about the benefits of vitamin D—for bone health, muscle function, and possibly even prevention of some cancers and other illnesses—many people are rushing out to buy vitamin D pills. Here’s what to look for.
There are two main forms of vitamin D:
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is typically derived from lanolin from sheep’s wool. Less commonly, D3 comes from fish liver oil, a concern because of mercury, PCBs, and other possible contaminants—though reputable manufacturers can remove harmful compounds in processing. D3 is also the form our skin produces when exposed to sunlight and is the natural form found in food.
Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) comes from non-animal sources, such as fungi, that are exposed to ultraviolet light to convert their cholesterol-like substances, called sterols, into vitamin D.
Once consumed, both vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 are converted in the body to the active form. But some research strongly suggests that D3 is preferable to D2. One study, for example, found that D2 was less than one-third as potent as D3 and that it was shorter-acting.
Reading labels: The type of vitamin D is listed on supplement bottles in the ingredients (and sometimes in the “Supplement Facts” panel). Look for D3 or cholecalciferol, preferably not from fish liver oil. The same company may use D3 in some of its products but D2 in others. If you’ve been taking a supplement with D2 (ergocalciferol), you are still getting benefits, but consider switching to a product with D3 when you are done with that bottle. Some strict vegetarians may prefer D2 since it’s not derived from animals, but because it’s less potent, higher doses are needed to get the same effect as D3.
Many vitamin D pills, multivitamins, and bone formulas—especially those from major brands like One-A-Day and Centrum—contain D3, as does most milk and other fortified foods. Quite a few health-food store brands, however, may still contain D2.
Your D needs: A growing number of experts believe that the current recommended daily intake levels for vitamin D (which range from 200 to 600 IU, based on age) are too low, and that a better goal for everyone is 800 to 1,000 IU a day—especially if you are over 60 (the ability to manufacture vitamin D from sunlight and utilize it declines with age), have darker skin (which makes less vitamin D), live at northern latitudes, or are housebound. You can get some vitamin D from foods—such as milk, fatty fish, and foods fortified with vitamin D—but it’s nearly impossible to get 800 to 1,000 IU without also taking a supplement.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Healthy Tidbits
Here is some interesting natural remedies to keep in mind from Prevention magazine website.
1.Almost 45% of Americans say they’ve relied more on home remedies or OTC drugs in the last year to save money on doctors’ visits, according to a Kaiser Health Tracking poll. While you should always see the doctor for serious ailments, you may be able to soothe minor complaints with these inexpensive products already in your pantry, from The Big Doctors Book of Home Remedies.
2.Salt
Use it for: Athlete’s foot
A saline solution provides a hostile environment for fungus, decreases excess perspiration, and softens skin so antifungal meds can penetrate deeper. Soak your foot for 5 to 10 minutes in a mixture of 2 teaspoons of salt per pint of warm water, recommends podiatric surgeon Suzanne M. Levine, DPM.
3.Tonic Water
Use it for: Restless legs
A 6-ounce glass of tonic water before bed might calm symptoms of restless legs syndrome; the quinine it contains helps stop repeated muscle contractions. I am going to drink more tonic water...
4. Lemon
Use it for: Age spots
Cut a few wedges and place them directly onto your age spots for 10 to 15 minutes a day, suggests Audrey Kunin, MD, a cosmetic dermatologist in Kansas City, Missouri. “The acid in the fresh lemon juice may help lighten the age spots,” she says, but it won’t happen overnight. You’ll notice a difference in 6 to 12 weeks. Watch carefully; overuse may cause the upper layer of the skin to peel. We used to use lemon on our hair to lighten it in the summer sun!
5.Honey
Use it for: Cuts and scrapes
This natural sweetener contains 3 powerful wound-healing components: sugar for absorbing moisture so bacteria can’t survive, hydrogen peroxide to disinfect, and the nectar-based compound propolis to kill bacteria. An added bonus: Honey dries to form a natural bandage. I love honey!
6.Olive Oil
Use it for: Eczema
Packed with inflammation-reducing antioxidants, olive oil is the basis of many moisturizers; used alone, it’s free of chemical irritants you may find in store-bought creams. Rub 1 teaspoon per square inch of skin, creating a seal that keeps skin from drying out. For serious cases, cover oiled skin with plastic wrap overnight. I just saw the use of olive oil for rough dry feet recently on the 'Doctors show'.
7.Ginger
Use it for: Stomachaches
This root is well-known as a stomach soother, and rightfully so. It’s great for relieving just about any gastrointestinal illness, including motion sickness and pregnancy morning sickness. To make a tea, steep a tablespoon of ground fresh ginger in hot water for 10 minutes, then strain. I buy the candied ginger and eat one piece almost after every meal. It really works. I also have used the capsule form for a more serious case of nausea. The other natural remedy that works is the activated charcoal capsules for gas. They also work well.
1.Almost 45% of Americans say they’ve relied more on home remedies or OTC drugs in the last year to save money on doctors’ visits, according to a Kaiser Health Tracking poll. While you should always see the doctor for serious ailments, you may be able to soothe minor complaints with these inexpensive products already in your pantry, from The Big Doctors Book of Home Remedies.
2.Salt
Use it for: Athlete’s foot
A saline solution provides a hostile environment for fungus, decreases excess perspiration, and softens skin so antifungal meds can penetrate deeper. Soak your foot for 5 to 10 minutes in a mixture of 2 teaspoons of salt per pint of warm water, recommends podiatric surgeon Suzanne M. Levine, DPM.
3.Tonic Water
Use it for: Restless legs
A 6-ounce glass of tonic water before bed might calm symptoms of restless legs syndrome; the quinine it contains helps stop repeated muscle contractions. I am going to drink more tonic water...
4. Lemon
Use it for: Age spots
Cut a few wedges and place them directly onto your age spots for 10 to 15 minutes a day, suggests Audrey Kunin, MD, a cosmetic dermatologist in Kansas City, Missouri. “The acid in the fresh lemon juice may help lighten the age spots,” she says, but it won’t happen overnight. You’ll notice a difference in 6 to 12 weeks. Watch carefully; overuse may cause the upper layer of the skin to peel. We used to use lemon on our hair to lighten it in the summer sun!
5.Honey
Use it for: Cuts and scrapes
This natural sweetener contains 3 powerful wound-healing components: sugar for absorbing moisture so bacteria can’t survive, hydrogen peroxide to disinfect, and the nectar-based compound propolis to kill bacteria. An added bonus: Honey dries to form a natural bandage. I love honey!
6.Olive Oil
Use it for: Eczema
Packed with inflammation-reducing antioxidants, olive oil is the basis of many moisturizers; used alone, it’s free of chemical irritants you may find in store-bought creams. Rub 1 teaspoon per square inch of skin, creating a seal that keeps skin from drying out. For serious cases, cover oiled skin with plastic wrap overnight. I just saw the use of olive oil for rough dry feet recently on the 'Doctors show'.
7.Ginger
Use it for: Stomachaches
This root is well-known as a stomach soother, and rightfully so. It’s great for relieving just about any gastrointestinal illness, including motion sickness and pregnancy morning sickness. To make a tea, steep a tablespoon of ground fresh ginger in hot water for 10 minutes, then strain. I buy the candied ginger and eat one piece almost after every meal. It really works. I also have used the capsule form for a more serious case of nausea. The other natural remedy that works is the activated charcoal capsules for gas. They also work well.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
CHICKEN MATZO BALL SOUP
Comfort food...
This is my favorite version.
Chicken Matzo Ball Soup
Follow instructions on the box of matzo meal.
Or
½ cup matzo meal
½ tsp salt
Pinch of white pepper
2 eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp chicken broth
½ tsp baking powder
Mix well and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
1 fryer chicken cut into quarters or I use frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts and cut them into small pieces or a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
4 carrots cut in bite size slices
2 -3 celery stalks cut in bite size slices
1-2 small onions chopped
½ bunch of parsley
1 bay leaf
1-2 cloves of garlic
½ cup frozen peas
Feel free to add other vegetables of your liking
1/3 bag of egg noodles
Salt and pepper to taste
If you are using the raw chicken cover with about 3 quarts of water and simmer for about an hour till cooked through. Cool and separate the chicken meat from the bones and skin. Set aside.
When you are in a hurry...
I cheat and use 1 large can of chicken broth and add the frozen chicken pieces cut up or the meat from the rotisserie chicken and add 1 quart of water with a tsp of organic chicken bouillon base for added flavor. Add carrots, celery, onions, parsley, bay leaf and garlic and simmer for 20 minutes. Use a small cookie scoop and scoop the matzo into balls and gently slip into the simmering soup. Add peas and noodles and simmer for 15-20 minutes till matzo balls are light and fluffy.
This is my favorite version.
Chicken Matzo Ball Soup
Follow instructions on the box of matzo meal.
Or
½ cup matzo meal
½ tsp salt
Pinch of white pepper
2 eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp chicken broth
½ tsp baking powder
Mix well and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
1 fryer chicken cut into quarters or I use frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts and cut them into small pieces or a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
4 carrots cut in bite size slices
2 -3 celery stalks cut in bite size slices
1-2 small onions chopped
½ bunch of parsley
1 bay leaf
1-2 cloves of garlic
½ cup frozen peas
Feel free to add other vegetables of your liking
1/3 bag of egg noodles
Salt and pepper to taste
If you are using the raw chicken cover with about 3 quarts of water and simmer for about an hour till cooked through. Cool and separate the chicken meat from the bones and skin. Set aside.
When you are in a hurry...
I cheat and use 1 large can of chicken broth and add the frozen chicken pieces cut up or the meat from the rotisserie chicken and add 1 quart of water with a tsp of organic chicken bouillon base for added flavor. Add carrots, celery, onions, parsley, bay leaf and garlic and simmer for 20 minutes. Use a small cookie scoop and scoop the matzo into balls and gently slip into the simmering soup. Add peas and noodles and simmer for 15-20 minutes till matzo balls are light and fluffy.
GARLIC BREAD
Garlic Bread
I don’t have an exact recipe for this so remember you can keep any extra in the refrigerator or adjust the recipe to your tastes.
1-4 garlic cloves squeezed thru garlic press
½ cube of butter, softened
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
1 loaf of ciabatta
Mix thoroughly.
Alternate Garlic Bread recipe
1-4 cloves of garlic
¼ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh oregano
½ tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
½ cup of olive oil
1 loaf ciabatta
Mix garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper in food processer.
Cut ciabatta in half and again in serving sizes, place on foil-lined pan cut side up. Spread with garlic mixture and heat in 325 degree oven for 15 minutes then broil till the bread bubbles, be very careful to watch, it only takes a couple of minutes!
I actually combined both recipes and it was fantastic!
I don’t have an exact recipe for this so remember you can keep any extra in the refrigerator or adjust the recipe to your tastes.
1-4 garlic cloves squeezed thru garlic press
½ cube of butter, softened
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
1 loaf of ciabatta
Mix thoroughly.
Alternate Garlic Bread recipe
1-4 cloves of garlic
¼ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh oregano
½ tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
½ cup of olive oil
1 loaf ciabatta
Mix garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper in food processer.
Cut ciabatta in half and again in serving sizes, place on foil-lined pan cut side up. Spread with garlic mixture and heat in 325 degree oven for 15 minutes then broil till the bread bubbles, be very careful to watch, it only takes a couple of minutes!
I actually combined both recipes and it was fantastic!
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