Gallstones

 I never worry about gallstones and I consider myself pretty healthy on average, but as I get older I have learned that I do need to pay attention to my age related health issues. I continue to eat healthy and exercise, it is a lifestyle. This information might be worthwhile to have an awareness about.

(Dr. Weil)
Every year, more than one million Americans discover that they have gallstones - hardened, pebble-like deposits in the gallbladder that can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. Roughly 50 percent of people diagnosed with gallstones end up in surgery for the removal of the gallbladder.

So how can you prevent gallstones? Since most stones are composed of cholesterol, diet plays a role in their formation. If you are at risk of developing gallstones (risk factors include a family history of gallstones, being overweight, recent rapid weight loss and, among women, pregnancy, using birth control pills, or hormone replacement therapy after menopause), you may be able to prevent them or prevent symptoms from worsening with these measures:

1. If you need to lose weight, do so slowly (crash dieting can lead to gallstone formation).
2. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep hydrated - this can help keep the bile in your gallbladder fluid.
3. Women should make sure to get 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium from all sources daily (an intake level that's associated with a lower incidence of gallstones). Consider taking 500-700 mg of calcium in supplement form. This can help bind bile acids and decrease the risk of stone formation. However, men should limit calcium consumption to 500 to 600 mg from all sources.
4. Take 200 mg of supplemental vitamin C daily (in one study, women with higher blood levels of vitamin C were half as likely to develop gallstones as those with lower levels).
5. Keep your fat intake to about 25 percent of daily calories. A high-fat diet can trigger the gallbladder to release bile and set off an attack if you already have gallstones. But be wary of very low-fat diets, which can promote the formation of stones by failing to stimulate normal gallbladder contraction and flow of bile.
6. Limit your intake of sugar, which may promote gallstone formation.
7. Increase your fiber intake, and substitute whole soy protein for animal protein in your diet.

Salmon and Lentils

I have wanted to try a new recipe for salmon and we think this is a 'keeper'. 

Changes are in parenthesis.

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces French green lentils(I used brown lentils)
• 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• ***
• 6 (6-ounce) center cut salmon fillets, with skin
• 1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• ***
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Directions

In a medium saucepan combine the lentils, garlic cloves, bay leaves, and thyme sprig and add enough water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook just until tender yet still firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Discard the garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Set lentils aside. ( I jumped ahead and sauteed all the vegetables and combined with the lentils and kept warm)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Rub the salmon fillets on all sides with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season on all sides with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Sprinkle the tops of each salmon fillet lightly with the Essence. Coat the bottom of a nonstick baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and add the salmon fillets, skin side down. Transfer the salmon to the oven and roast until medium, 8 to 10 minutes.( I sauteed the salmon in the same fry pan instead of baking)

While the salmon is cooking, heat the remaining olive oil in a medium-large skillet over high heat and, when hot, add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, thyme, lentils, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are warmed through, tender, and flavorful and liquid has reduced slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside and keep warm until the salmon finishes cooking.
Divide the lentils evenly among the centers of each of 6 dinner plates, and top each bed of lentils with a salmon fillet. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chives to garnish and drizzle each serving with a teaspoon of the extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.
You can buy his seasoning at the store.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Toothbrushes

 I always wondered about this...

(Berkeley Wellness)
A simple toothbrush, toothpaste, a little elbow grease, and a couple of minutes are really all you need to brush your teeth well. But there are many toothbrush options, including lots of power models.
Would you like an electric toothbrush that signals you every 30 seconds to switch to another part of your mouth? Beeps if you are brushing too hard? Vibrates when you’ve brushed for two minutes? Massages your gums? Uses ultrasound to remove plaque? Toothbrush manufacturers make all kinds of claims about their products but it’s hard to evaluate them. Results of studies are often inconsistent, and at least one toothbrush manufacturer has had to modify its claims of superior performance in recent years.
The Cochrane Oral Health Care Group’s review (30 years of studies) compared manual and power toothbrushes and found that models with rotation-oscillation action (bristles that rotate in one direction, then the other) were the only ones superior to manual toothbrushes in reducing plaque and gingivitis—and the improvement was “modest.” No studies actually showed a reduction in periodontal disease or cavities even with rotation-oscillation action—all types of power toothbrushes worked well, but no better than manual. The Cochrane Collaboration assembles independent researchers to evaluate studies. 
It’s fairly easy to maintain your dental health. A plain soft-bristled toothbrush is still your best buy. Use a fluoridated toothpaste, brush for two minutes each session, and replace the brush every three months or so. Floss at least once daily. See your dentist every six months for a professional checkup and cleaning.
Some reasons to buy an electric toothbrush
• You have a disability, such as arthritis, that limits your ability to brush.
• You don’t do a very good job with a manual toothbrush and want to take better care of your teeth.
• You like gadgets and would like a toothbrush that times your brushing sessions.
• You think it will encourage your child to brush.
• You tend to scrub too hard and would like a toothbrush that reminds you not to be too forceful.
If any of this applies to you, you’ll find many toothbrush models to choose from—some relatively inexpensive. It pays to price-shop in stores or on the Internet. Replacement brush heads, needed every three months or so, cost about $5 apiece. (Some heads change color to tell you when they are worn down.) You might want to look for a rotation-oscillation toothbrush. Or consider an inexpensive battery-powered model (about $10). These do a good job, but you have to replace the batteries often. T

Healthy Tidbits

(Health.com)

*Drink eight glasses of water a day

In 1945, the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board told people to consume eight glasses of fluid daily. Before long, most of us believed we needed eight glasses of water, in addition to what we eat and drink, every day.

 

The Truth:  Water’s great, but you can also whet your whistle with juice, tea, milk, fruits, and vegetables—quite enough to keep you hydrated. Even coffee quenches thirst, despite its reputation as a diuretic; the caffeine makes you lose some liquid, but you’re still getting plenty.

 

*Fresh is always better than frozen

Ever since scientists honed in on the benefits of antioxidants, the mantra has been “eat more fresh fruits and veggies”—implying that frozen is second-rate.

 

The Truth:  “Frozen can be just as good as fresh because the fruits and vegetables are harvested at the peak of their nutritional content, taken to a plant, and frozen on the spot, locking in nutrients,” Beeson says. And, unless it’s picked and sold the same day, produce at farmers’ markets—though still nutritious—may lose nutrients because of heat, air, and water.

 

Indian Style Chicken

 If you are looking for a different way to cook chicken that is full of flavor and not calories, try this recipe. It is easy to do, my changes are in parenthesis. It was very delicious!

(recipe courtesy Bal Arneson)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil(olive oil)
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger(1 tsp ground ginger)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into cubes( used whole breasts, not cut up)
• 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt ( I added 1 Tbsp of marscapone )
• 1/2 cup water( I did not need the water)
• Serving suggestion: Serve with roti or rice.

Directions

Put a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When it starts to get hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 4 minutes, or until the onion is golden. Add the tomato paste, brown sugar, cumin seeds, garam masala, red chile flakes, turmeric, and salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken cubes and stir well to coat. Add the yogurt and water and cook, stirring until the chicken is done, about 8 minutes. Serve the chicken with roti or rice.

Great Consumer Reports website

Here is a great link for online health advice you can trust. This is a list of websites that you can go to and  trust the advice that is given. Great list from Consumer Reports.
Check it out...

http://www.greenerchoices.org/products.cfm?product=0211onlinehealth&pcat=homegarden&EXTKEY=NG0N01102

www.GreenerChoices.org.

Krazy Calzones

We got very creative while we were at Lake Tahoe last weekend with the family. I made those delicious meatballs on Friday night and we had several meatball leftovers, so we came up with the idea of using them in a calzone. I called a local pizzeria to see if they sell just the pizza dough which they did. It is always a good idea to find the best shortcuts to make your life a bit easier and store bought pizza dough is a great way even though it is pretty easy to make your own. So my wonderful son-in-law made some awesome meatball calzones! I don't have a recipe but I can tell you that the filling was a mix of crumbled meatballs, peppers, tomatoes, pesto and a variety of cheeses(monterey jack, pepper jack, Parmesan, cheddar and a little cream cheese on mine).  My suggestion is fill the dough with whatever you like. We baked them for about 30 minutes and they were fantastic!