Veggie Soft Taco
Soft, savory tacos are the ultimate treat! But you don't need to stop by a fast-food joint to satisfy your Mexican cravings. This recipe is just as delicious, and because it's full of veggies and beans, it's also really healthy. Skip the fat and fill up on flavor!
Makes one taco
Ingredients:
1/2 cup canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup shredded green-leaf lettuce
1/2 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 small tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons salsa
5 pitted ripe olives, chopped
1 corn tortilla (6-inch diameter)
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, mix the beans, lettuce, bell pepper, broccoli, tomato, cheese, salsa, and olives.
Warm the tortilla in a microwave oven according to the package directions. Transfer it to a plate and spoon the bean and vegetable mixture onto one half. Fold the other half over and serve.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Qualified Doctor of Chinese Medicine
In North America a Doctor of Chinese medicine is either a licensed acupuncturist or certified acupuncturist. In Florida they Chinese Herbsare called Licensed Acupuncture Physicians and are considered a primary care physician; D.O.M.- Dr. of Oriental Medicine, Dr. Ac - Designation for Dr. of Acupuncture in Rhode Island.
HOW DO I KNOW IF THEY HAD ENOUGH TRAINING?
A licensed Acupuncture Physician in Florida has approximately 3,700 hours of training, 800 hours of clinical experience and are required to take a written/practical State Board Examination. In addition, those with additional training may become Nationally certified, which is required by many states in the U.S.A. today by the N.C.C.A.O.M. - National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (located in Washington D.C.).
HOW DO I KNOW IF THEY HAD ENOUGH TRAINING?
A licensed Acupuncture Physician in Florida has approximately 3,700 hours of training, 800 hours of clinical experience and are required to take a written/practical State Board Examination. In addition, those with additional training may become Nationally certified, which is required by many states in the U.S.A. today by the N.C.C.A.O.M. - National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (located in Washington D.C.).
Saturday, October 29, 2005
History of Chinese Medicine
Chinese medicine has been around dating back as much as 2-3,000 years. Today in China it continues to be used and has also become integrated with Western Medicine. Chinese medicine was created by Chinese scholars, whose theories and Chinese Medical Illustrationpractice of Chinese medicine was recorded and used experientially. There are an estimated 30-40,000 books on Chinese Medicine written before the turn of the century. Since that time, thousands more books and research articles have been written and published in the People's republic of China, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong.
ENERGY BALANCING
The Doctor of Chinese Medicine believes that illness manifests itself with symptoms. Unlike Western medicine, a doctor of Chinese medicine looks at specific patterns of imbalance… disharmonies in the energy system called Meridians.
WHAT IS A MERIDIAN?
A meridian is a channel within the body that carries the energy called Qi. Qi is the energy that drives the organs and when the Qi is out of balance, the areas affected will manifest their symptoms along the related meridian.
HOW DO WE DETERMINE YOUR IMBALANCE?
A Doctor of chinese medicine will do a comprehensive examination of your complaint. Diagnostic techniques include:
-observation of your complexion
-your behavior (active versus passive)
-observing the color of your tongue body and its shape or coating
-Palpation of your pulse (in Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis can reveal imbalances by the rate, depth and width of your pulse)
-Auscultation of the heart using a stethoscope
-listening to your voice - is it clear, hoarse or low/high
-observations of excretions - odors etc.
So as you can see, Doctors of Chinese medicine are interested in all your bodily functions. In addition, your SHEN or spirit - state of mind - your emotions - are also very important. For example joy or happiness is associated with the heart, grief with the lungs, anger or depression with the liver, worry with the spleen, fear with the kidneys.
ENERGY BALANCING
The Doctor of Chinese Medicine believes that illness manifests itself with symptoms. Unlike Western medicine, a doctor of Chinese medicine looks at specific patterns of imbalance… disharmonies in the energy system called Meridians.
WHAT IS A MERIDIAN?
A meridian is a channel within the body that carries the energy called Qi. Qi is the energy that drives the organs and when the Qi is out of balance, the areas affected will manifest their symptoms along the related meridian.
HOW DO WE DETERMINE YOUR IMBALANCE?
A Doctor of chinese medicine will do a comprehensive examination of your complaint. Diagnostic techniques include:
-observation of your complexion
-your behavior (active versus passive)
-observing the color of your tongue body and its shape or coating
-Palpation of your pulse (in Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis can reveal imbalances by the rate, depth and width of your pulse)
-Auscultation of the heart using a stethoscope
-listening to your voice - is it clear, hoarse or low/high
-observations of excretions - odors etc.
So as you can see, Doctors of Chinese medicine are interested in all your bodily functions. In addition, your SHEN or spirit - state of mind - your emotions - are also very important. For example joy or happiness is associated with the heart, grief with the lungs, anger or depression with the liver, worry with the spleen, fear with the kidneys.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Recipe - Easy Pasta Casserole
From Annice Grinberg
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
* 8 oz. pasta (I like to use tri-color spirals)
* 3-4 cups frozen veggie medley (carrots,
* canned tomato sauce or soup instead
* salt, pepper, onion powder, other spices to taste
* wheat germ
Directions:
Cook and drain the pasta. Defrost the veggies and add the tomato sauce and seasonings. Put into a 2 quart casserole dish, which has been sprayed with Pam (or equivalent). Sprinkle liberally with wheat germ. Cook in microwave for 15 minutes.
Ingredients (use vegan versions):
* 8 oz. pasta (I like to use tri-color spirals)
* 3-4 cups frozen veggie medley (carrots,
* canned tomato sauce or soup instead
* salt, pepper, onion powder, other spices to taste
* wheat germ
Directions:
Cook and drain the pasta. Defrost the veggies and add the tomato sauce and seasonings. Put into a 2 quart casserole dish, which has been sprayed with Pam (or equivalent). Sprinkle liberally with wheat germ. Cook in microwave for 15 minutes.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Immune Boosting Basics
Herbs excel at prevention. That's not to say that they aren't the perfect answer to many existing health conditions. But ultimately, our aim is to get to the point where we don't need 'treatments'. Instead we will be spending our energy on building and enhancing whichever system in the body is mostly affected by disease.
It is possible to simply not get ill. However, if you don't do something special, conscientious self-care that's better than average, you're likely to keep on getting ill just like everyone else.
Just as there are things in life that sap our immune system's vigour and capacity, there are also things that give it a break, or even actively nurture it. So in the simplest sense, the strategy for strengthening the immune system is to increase the positive influences in our life as much as possible, while at the same time reducing the negative's as much as possible.
As an overview, this means increasing our intake of fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Getting plenty of fresh, clean water, rest, relaxation, and quality sleep. Doing moderate exercise, and experiencing as much joy, happiness and self expression as you can manage. It would mean reducing mental stress, consumption of simple sugars, alcohol, saturated and other harmful fats, and cutting out smoking and drug use.
That's a lot of things to do, and it may seem overwhelming if all those areas need work right now. But the nice thing about this strategy of increasing the positive and reducing the negative is that it's a process.
One negative influence removed from your life makes a difference. It's simply one less burden on your immune system. One addition on the plus side gives greater impetus to your own innate healing power. Do what you can, and appreciate yourself for the changes you make.
There are at least six major immune boosting and cancer prevention tools that are both easy to adopt and accessible to virtually everyone. These six health promoters are: diet, culinary herbs, exercise, stress reduction techniques, social support and intimacy.
Immune Booster # 1: Diet
There are two areas on which you can focus. The first is a positive strategy: increasing your daily intake of anti-oxidants and minerals that promote immunity and support the cancer-fighting mechanisms of the body. The second is to follow a low-fat diet.
Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants: they slow down the aging process and protect the body from cancer, heart disease and pollution.
Immune Booster # 2: Culinary herbs
A wide array of herbs are proving to have powerful immune boosting and cancer-prevention properties. The most prominent of these are garlic, cumin, turmeric, Japanese green tea, licorice, cinnamon, mint and chamomile.
Immune Booster # 3: Exercise
Moderate exercise stimulates the production of a variety of immune cells and enhances the overall function of the immune system. As little as 30 minutes of walking per day, three to five times per week, is enough to boost cardiovascular fitness and immunity.
Immune Booster # 4: Stress reduction techniques
Stress affects immunity in a number of ways, but primarily through the endocrine system by causing the secretion of immune depressing hormones. Dealing with stress effectively is therefore essential in the maintenance of a healthy immune system. Among the best ways of doing that is exercise, meditation, and relaxation techniques.
Immune Booster # 5: Social support
There is no denying that humans are social creatures, but we are only beginning to learn that social life is essential to our health, as well as our happiness. This is especially the case in times of a health crisis.
Immune Booster # 6: Intimacy
Call it "dying of a broken heart," the research consistently shows that the loss of a loved one is associated with depressed immune response and premature death.
When following this strategy of increasing the positives and decreasing the negatives, don't expect to experience a necessarily dramatic result. One of the ironies of taking good care of yourself is what we call the "no-result" result. We are not accustomed to measuring our success by what doesn't happen. We want to see something happening, even if it means being very ill and getting heroically "cured."
A shift in thinking is needed here: No news is good news. There are countless all-too-common health catastrophes whose absence in your life will confirm your success.
It is possible to simply not get ill. However, if you don't do something special, conscientious self-care that's better than average, you're likely to keep on getting ill just like everyone else.
Just as there are things in life that sap our immune system's vigour and capacity, there are also things that give it a break, or even actively nurture it. So in the simplest sense, the strategy for strengthening the immune system is to increase the positive influences in our life as much as possible, while at the same time reducing the negative's as much as possible.
As an overview, this means increasing our intake of fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Getting plenty of fresh, clean water, rest, relaxation, and quality sleep. Doing moderate exercise, and experiencing as much joy, happiness and self expression as you can manage. It would mean reducing mental stress, consumption of simple sugars, alcohol, saturated and other harmful fats, and cutting out smoking and drug use.
That's a lot of things to do, and it may seem overwhelming if all those areas need work right now. But the nice thing about this strategy of increasing the positive and reducing the negative is that it's a process.
One negative influence removed from your life makes a difference. It's simply one less burden on your immune system. One addition on the plus side gives greater impetus to your own innate healing power. Do what you can, and appreciate yourself for the changes you make.
There are at least six major immune boosting and cancer prevention tools that are both easy to adopt and accessible to virtually everyone. These six health promoters are: diet, culinary herbs, exercise, stress reduction techniques, social support and intimacy.
Immune Booster # 1: Diet
There are two areas on which you can focus. The first is a positive strategy: increasing your daily intake of anti-oxidants and minerals that promote immunity and support the cancer-fighting mechanisms of the body. The second is to follow a low-fat diet.
Vitamins A, C and E are antioxidants: they slow down the aging process and protect the body from cancer, heart disease and pollution.
Immune Booster # 2: Culinary herbs
A wide array of herbs are proving to have powerful immune boosting and cancer-prevention properties. The most prominent of these are garlic, cumin, turmeric, Japanese green tea, licorice, cinnamon, mint and chamomile.
Immune Booster # 3: Exercise
Moderate exercise stimulates the production of a variety of immune cells and enhances the overall function of the immune system. As little as 30 minutes of walking per day, three to five times per week, is enough to boost cardiovascular fitness and immunity.
Immune Booster # 4: Stress reduction techniques
Stress affects immunity in a number of ways, but primarily through the endocrine system by causing the secretion of immune depressing hormones. Dealing with stress effectively is therefore essential in the maintenance of a healthy immune system. Among the best ways of doing that is exercise, meditation, and relaxation techniques.
Immune Booster # 5: Social support
There is no denying that humans are social creatures, but we are only beginning to learn that social life is essential to our health, as well as our happiness. This is especially the case in times of a health crisis.
Immune Booster # 6: Intimacy
Call it "dying of a broken heart," the research consistently shows that the loss of a loved one is associated with depressed immune response and premature death.
When following this strategy of increasing the positives and decreasing the negatives, don't expect to experience a necessarily dramatic result. One of the ironies of taking good care of yourself is what we call the "no-result" result. We are not accustomed to measuring our success by what doesn't happen. We want to see something happening, even if it means being very ill and getting heroically "cured."
A shift in thinking is needed here: No news is good news. There are countless all-too-common health catastrophes whose absence in your life will confirm your success.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Is sugar vegan?
Many vegan recipes call for evaporated cane juice instead of sugar. This is not just a question of health, a matter of replacing sugar, a highly processed food, with a more natural substitute.
Although sugar itself is a plant product (the crystallized and filtered juice from the sugarcane plant), the process used to filter sugar (to remove more of the molasses and other impurities and to make the resulting product whiter) uses animal by-products. Sugar is filtered through charcoal, which, in most cases, comes from charred animal bones, a by-product of the meat industry.
Just replacing white sugar with brown is no guarantee that your sugar hasn't been manufactured using animal by-products. Most industrial brown sugar is essentially white sugar with molasses sprayed on.
Many of the sugar brands sold as "raw sugar" or "demerara sugar" are not filtered in this way, but since they're not necessarily marketed to vegans, you can't tell much about how they're produced by reading the product label. You'll actually need to contact the manufacturer directly or check their web site to find out more details about how their sugar is made.
Fortunately, brands like Florida Crystals, which are increasingly available in healthfood stores, have started mentioning their processing (or lack of processing) on their labels so that vegans can make an informed choice about which sweetener to choose.
Some vegans replace white table sugar with unbleached cane sugar or dehydrated and granulated cane juice, both of which are available in natural food stores. Most of these products can replace white sugar measure for measure for general use (such as on cereal or in beverages) and in recipes. These products are typically darker in color than white table sugar, ranging from light amber to rich brown, due to their naturally higher molasses content. This can sometimes alter the flavor of recipes and may also affect the color of the finished product.
Unbleached cane sugar is considered by some to be more healthful than white table sugar. Although it may contain minimal trace nutrients, one would have to eat massive quantities of this sugar in order to obtain any reasonable nutrititive value. And, of course, there are numerous drawbacks associated with the overconsumption of sugar including tooth decay and obesity.
Nutritionally speaking, sugar is sugar is sugar, whether it is white table sugar, maple sugar, or a natural alternative. A 1948 federal law requires all products sold as sugar in the United States to be at least 96 percent pure sucrose, so even "raw" sugar (sometimes called "turbinado sugar") is by law compositionally close to white table sugar, about 96 to 98 percent sucrose.
There are many reasons why vegans avoid white table sugar, why some purchase only organically-grown unbleached sugar, and why still others eschew sugar products altogether. A prudent approach may be to reduce our use of all types of sugar, including sugary processed foods, and to train our taste buds to more fully appreciate the natural sweetness of fresh and dried fruits, grain sweeteners, and other whole foods. Still another option is to purchase granulated natural sweeteners such as maple sugar, granular fruit sweetener, and date sugar, or to use natural liquid sweeteners such as pure maple syrup, malt syrup, brown rice syrup, and mixed fruit juice concentrates. These products are available in natural food stores and many supermarkets.
Although sugar itself is a plant product (the crystallized and filtered juice from the sugarcane plant), the process used to filter sugar (to remove more of the molasses and other impurities and to make the resulting product whiter) uses animal by-products. Sugar is filtered through charcoal, which, in most cases, comes from charred animal bones, a by-product of the meat industry.
Just replacing white sugar with brown is no guarantee that your sugar hasn't been manufactured using animal by-products. Most industrial brown sugar is essentially white sugar with molasses sprayed on.
Many of the sugar brands sold as "raw sugar" or "demerara sugar" are not filtered in this way, but since they're not necessarily marketed to vegans, you can't tell much about how they're produced by reading the product label. You'll actually need to contact the manufacturer directly or check their web site to find out more details about how their sugar is made.
Fortunately, brands like Florida Crystals, which are increasingly available in healthfood stores, have started mentioning their processing (or lack of processing) on their labels so that vegans can make an informed choice about which sweetener to choose.
Some vegans replace white table sugar with unbleached cane sugar or dehydrated and granulated cane juice, both of which are available in natural food stores. Most of these products can replace white sugar measure for measure for general use (such as on cereal or in beverages) and in recipes. These products are typically darker in color than white table sugar, ranging from light amber to rich brown, due to their naturally higher molasses content. This can sometimes alter the flavor of recipes and may also affect the color of the finished product.
Unbleached cane sugar is considered by some to be more healthful than white table sugar. Although it may contain minimal trace nutrients, one would have to eat massive quantities of this sugar in order to obtain any reasonable nutrititive value. And, of course, there are numerous drawbacks associated with the overconsumption of sugar including tooth decay and obesity.
Nutritionally speaking, sugar is sugar is sugar, whether it is white table sugar, maple sugar, or a natural alternative. A 1948 federal law requires all products sold as sugar in the United States to be at least 96 percent pure sucrose, so even "raw" sugar (sometimes called "turbinado sugar") is by law compositionally close to white table sugar, about 96 to 98 percent sucrose.
There are many reasons why vegans avoid white table sugar, why some purchase only organically-grown unbleached sugar, and why still others eschew sugar products altogether. A prudent approach may be to reduce our use of all types of sugar, including sugary processed foods, and to train our taste buds to more fully appreciate the natural sweetness of fresh and dried fruits, grain sweeteners, and other whole foods. Still another option is to purchase granulated natural sweeteners such as maple sugar, granular fruit sweetener, and date sugar, or to use natural liquid sweeteners such as pure maple syrup, malt syrup, brown rice syrup, and mixed fruit juice concentrates. These products are available in natural food stores and many supermarkets.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Grocery List
Fresh Vegetables
Asparagus, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn,
Cucumbers, Green Beans, Green Onions, Lettuce, Mushrooms,
Onions, Other Greens, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Radishes,
Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini
Fresh Fruits
Apples, Bananas, Berries, Grapefruit, Mangos, Nectarines,
Oranges, Peaches, Pears
Frozen Foods
Blueberries, Carrots, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Mixed Vegetables, Fruit Juice
Fish Fillets, Shrimp, Chicken Breasts
Canned Foods
Beans,Pineapples, Salmon, Tomatoes, Tomatoe Sauce, Tuna
Grains and Cereals
Whole Grain Bread, Whole Grain Pasta, Whole Grain Cereals, Oatmeal
Beverages
100% Fruit Juice, Pure Spring Water, Tomato Juice, Herb Tea
Dairy and Eggs
Butter, Cheese, Low Fat Sour Cream, 1/2% Milk, Yogurt
Miscellaneous Items
Herbs and Spices, Sesame Oil, Low Fat Dressings, Mustard
Honey, Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Mixed Nuts, Walnuts, Pecans,
Olive Oil, Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar
Asparagus, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn,
Cucumbers, Green Beans, Green Onions, Lettuce, Mushrooms,
Onions, Other Greens, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Radishes,
Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Zucchini
Fresh Fruits
Apples, Bananas, Berries, Grapefruit, Mangos, Nectarines,
Oranges, Peaches, Pears
Frozen Foods
Blueberries, Carrots, Corn, Green Beans, Peas, Mixed Vegetables, Fruit Juice
Fish Fillets, Shrimp, Chicken Breasts
Canned Foods
Beans,Pineapples, Salmon, Tomatoes, Tomatoe Sauce, Tuna
Grains and Cereals
Whole Grain Bread, Whole Grain Pasta, Whole Grain Cereals, Oatmeal
Beverages
100% Fruit Juice, Pure Spring Water, Tomato Juice, Herb Tea
Dairy and Eggs
Butter, Cheese, Low Fat Sour Cream, 1/2% Milk, Yogurt
Miscellaneous Items
Herbs and Spices, Sesame Oil, Low Fat Dressings, Mustard
Honey, Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Mixed Nuts, Walnuts, Pecans,
Olive Oil, Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar
Monday, October 24, 2005
Recipe - Broccoli Soup
2 Servings
This is a simple broccoli soup that can be prepared quickly.
Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable stock
3 cups chopped broccoli (about 1/2 large bunch)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp grated ginger root
1 cup soy milk or skim milk
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil.
2. Add the chopped broccoli, garlic and ginger. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Steam for about 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Remove from the heat.
3. After the broccoli has cooled slightly, puree it in a food processor or blender. Return it to the sauce pan.
4. Add the soy milk or skim milk and soy sauce. Warm over low heat.
5. Serve sprinkled with chopped red onion.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
99 calories
3 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
13 g carbohydrate
9 g protein
6 g fiber
150 mg sodium
This is a simple broccoli soup that can be prepared quickly.
Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable stock
3 cups chopped broccoli (about 1/2 large bunch)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp grated ginger root
1 cup soy milk or skim milk
1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil.
2. Add the chopped broccoli, garlic and ginger. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Steam for about 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Remove from the heat.
3. After the broccoli has cooled slightly, puree it in a food processor or blender. Return it to the sauce pan.
4. Add the soy milk or skim milk and soy sauce. Warm over low heat.
5. Serve sprinkled with chopped red onion.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
99 calories
3 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
13 g carbohydrate
9 g protein
6 g fiber
150 mg sodium
Sunday, October 23, 2005
AIRBORNE Cold And Flu Tablets
After being in close quarters with a person who was visibly ill with a very bad cold, I felt that I could have caught it a few days later. Perhaps, because of the sneezing into my general direction. I decided to try the AIRBORNE Cold And Flu Tablets to supplement my usual vitamin regiment. Wow! I actually felt better in 20 minutes! So here is their link.
http://www.airbornehealth.com/
AIRBORNE tablets are a fizzy tablet that you drop into a glass of water and drink.
AIRBORNE was created by Victoria Knight-McDowell, 2nd grade teacher by combining seven herbs (each with a specific function in Eastern medicine)and amino acids, anti-oxidants and electrolytes.
There is no known bacterial, viral, or fungal "resistance" to complex herbal formulas. Some of these formulas have been used for thousands of years with no evidence of waning efficacy.
The Chinese medicine text, the "Nei Ching" is estimated to have been drafted in 200 a.d., and contains formulas that are still used effectively for infections today. The "resistance to resistance" of Chinese and other herbal formulas, is thought to occur because there are several herbs in each formula, and each herb has many complex plant alkaloids. This complexity is believed to be too much for the "bugs" to process; it is much easier for them to adapt and "outwit" the simpler "one item" pharmaceuticals. According to certain health experts in America and abroad, traditional herbal medicines may soon be our only weapon against bacteria, like staphylococcus--"staph"--that are fast becoming resistant to antibiotics!
Please refer to Wall Street Journal Article 5/8/03: "New Respect for Chinese Herbal Medicine.
http://www.airbornehealth.com/
AIRBORNE tablets are a fizzy tablet that you drop into a glass of water and drink.
AIRBORNE was created by Victoria Knight-McDowell, 2nd grade teacher by combining seven herbs (each with a specific function in Eastern medicine)and amino acids, anti-oxidants and electrolytes.
There is no known bacterial, viral, or fungal "resistance" to complex herbal formulas. Some of these formulas have been used for thousands of years with no evidence of waning efficacy.
The Chinese medicine text, the "Nei Ching" is estimated to have been drafted in 200 a.d., and contains formulas that are still used effectively for infections today. The "resistance to resistance" of Chinese and other herbal formulas, is thought to occur because there are several herbs in each formula, and each herb has many complex plant alkaloids. This complexity is believed to be too much for the "bugs" to process; it is much easier for them to adapt and "outwit" the simpler "one item" pharmaceuticals. According to certain health experts in America and abroad, traditional herbal medicines may soon be our only weapon against bacteria, like staphylococcus--"staph"--that are fast becoming resistant to antibiotics!
Please refer to Wall Street Journal Article 5/8/03: "New Respect for Chinese Herbal Medicine.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
The Dangers of Energy Drinks
Looking for a rejuvenating burst from one of the energy drinks hitting store shelves? Watch out! Experts from the Canadian Health Department warn that these seemingly harmless drinks not only contain empty calories but can also seriously damage your health. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/prod/energy-energie_e.html
Experts recommend you:
* Avoid mixing energy drinks and alcohol.
* Drink no more than two energy drinks in a 24-hour period.
* Keep your water consumption up to prevent dehydration.
* Seek medical attention if you feel unwell after consuming an energy drink.
Health Risks of Energy Drinks
In the four reports of adverse reactions involving "energy drinks," symptoms included:
* Electrolyte disturbances
* Nausea and vomiting
* Heart irregularities.
My advice? Skip the energy drink and head for the source — good nutrition and regular exercise. When you're taking care of your body, abundant energy naturally follows. And the great news is — unlike with energy drinks — you'll never risk paying for that pep with your health!
Experts recommend you:
* Avoid mixing energy drinks and alcohol.
* Drink no more than two energy drinks in a 24-hour period.
* Keep your water consumption up to prevent dehydration.
* Seek medical attention if you feel unwell after consuming an energy drink.
Health Risks of Energy Drinks
In the four reports of adverse reactions involving "energy drinks," symptoms included:
* Electrolyte disturbances
* Nausea and vomiting
* Heart irregularities.
My advice? Skip the energy drink and head for the source — good nutrition and regular exercise. When you're taking care of your body, abundant energy naturally follows. And the great news is — unlike with energy drinks — you'll never risk paying for that pep with your health!
Friday, October 21, 2005
Understanding Free Radicals and Antioxidants
What are free radicals? Why are they damaging to the human body? And how does vitamin E and the other antioxidant nutrients help protect the body against free radical damage? We’ll attempt to answer these questions and help you understand why eating 5-8 servings per day of anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables can benefit your health. But first, a little background…
Background: A Brief Look at Chemical Bonding
To understand the way that free radicals and antioxidants interact, you must first understand a bit about cells and molecules. So here's a (very) brief refresher course in Physiology/Chemistry 101: The human body is composed of many different types of cells. Cells are composed of many different types of molecules. Molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements joined by chemical bonds.
As you probably remember from your old high school days, atoms consist of a nucleus, neutrons, protons and electrons. The number of protons (positively charged particles) in the atom’s nucleus determines the number of electrons (negatively charged particles) surrounding the atom. Electrons are involved in chemical reactions and are the substance that bonds atoms together to form molecules. Electrons surround, or "orbit" an atom in one or more shells. The innermost shell is full when it has two electrons. When the first shell is full, electrons begin to fill the second shell. When the second shell has eight electrons, it is full, and so on.
The most important structural feature of an atom for determining its chemical behavior is the number of electrons in its outer shell. A substance that has a full outer shell tends not to enter in chemical reactions (an inert substance). Because atoms seek to reach a state of maximum stability, an atom will try to fill it’s outer shell by:
* Gaining or losing electrons to either fill or empty its outer shell
* Sharing its electrons by bonding together with other atoms in order to complete its outer shell
Atoms often complete their outer shells by sharing electrons with other atoms. By sharing electrons, the atoms are bound together and satisfy the conditions of maximum stability for the molecule.
How Free Radicals are Formed
Normally, bonds don’t split in a way that leaves a molecule with an odd, unpaired electron. But when weak bonds split, free radicals are formed. Free radicals are very unstable and react quickly with other compounds, trying to capture the needed electron to gain stability. Generally, free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule, "stealing" its electron. When the "attacked" molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, beginning a chain reaction. Once the process is started, it can cascade, finally resulting in the disruption of a living cell.
Some free radicals arise normally during metabolism. Sometimes the body’s immune system’s cells purposefully create them to neutralize viruses and bacteria. However, environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides can also spawn free radicals.
Normally, the body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur. Of particular importance is that free radical damage accumulates with age.
How Antioxidants May Prevent Against Free Radical Damage
The vitamins C and E, are thought to protect the body against the destructive effects of free radicals. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons, ending the electron-"stealing" reaction. The antioxidant nutrients themselves don’t become free radicals by donating an electron because they are stable in either form They act as scavengers, helping to prevent cell and tissue damage that could lead to cellular damage and disease.
Vitamin E – The most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant in the body. One of the most efficient chain-breaking antioxidants available. Primary defender against oxidation. Primary defender against lipid peroxidation (creation of unstable molecules containing more oxygen than is usual).
Vitamin C – The most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Acts primarily in cellular fluid. Of particular note in combating free-radical formation caused by pollution and cigarette smoke. Also helps return vitamin E to its active form.
The Antioxidants and Disease Prevention
* Heart Disease – Vitamin E may protect against cardiovascular disease by defending against LDL oxidation and artery-clogging plaque formation.
* Cancer – Many studies have correlated high vitamin C intakes with low rates of cancer, particularly cancers of the mouth, larynx and esophagus.
The Lesson: Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables!
The antioxidants are believed to help protect the body from free-radical damage. But before you go out and stock your pantry with mega-doses of these vitamins, be warned: more is not always better. The long-term effect of large doses of these nutrients has not been proven. Other chemicals and substances found in natural sources of antioxidants may also be responsible for the beneficial effects. So for now, the best way to ensure adequate intake of the antioxidant nutrients is through a balanced diet consisting of 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Background: A Brief Look at Chemical Bonding
To understand the way that free radicals and antioxidants interact, you must first understand a bit about cells and molecules. So here's a (very) brief refresher course in Physiology/Chemistry 101: The human body is composed of many different types of cells. Cells are composed of many different types of molecules. Molecules consist of one or more atoms of one or more elements joined by chemical bonds.
As you probably remember from your old high school days, atoms consist of a nucleus, neutrons, protons and electrons. The number of protons (positively charged particles) in the atom’s nucleus determines the number of electrons (negatively charged particles) surrounding the atom. Electrons are involved in chemical reactions and are the substance that bonds atoms together to form molecules. Electrons surround, or "orbit" an atom in one or more shells. The innermost shell is full when it has two electrons. When the first shell is full, electrons begin to fill the second shell. When the second shell has eight electrons, it is full, and so on.
The most important structural feature of an atom for determining its chemical behavior is the number of electrons in its outer shell. A substance that has a full outer shell tends not to enter in chemical reactions (an inert substance). Because atoms seek to reach a state of maximum stability, an atom will try to fill it’s outer shell by:
* Gaining or losing electrons to either fill or empty its outer shell
* Sharing its electrons by bonding together with other atoms in order to complete its outer shell
Atoms often complete their outer shells by sharing electrons with other atoms. By sharing electrons, the atoms are bound together and satisfy the conditions of maximum stability for the molecule.
How Free Radicals are Formed
Normally, bonds don’t split in a way that leaves a molecule with an odd, unpaired electron. But when weak bonds split, free radicals are formed. Free radicals are very unstable and react quickly with other compounds, trying to capture the needed electron to gain stability. Generally, free radicals attack the nearest stable molecule, "stealing" its electron. When the "attacked" molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, beginning a chain reaction. Once the process is started, it can cascade, finally resulting in the disruption of a living cell.
Some free radicals arise normally during metabolism. Sometimes the body’s immune system’s cells purposefully create them to neutralize viruses and bacteria. However, environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides can also spawn free radicals.
Normally, the body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are unavailable, or if the free-radical production becomes excessive, damage can occur. Of particular importance is that free radical damage accumulates with age.
How Antioxidants May Prevent Against Free Radical Damage
The vitamins C and E, are thought to protect the body against the destructive effects of free radicals. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons, ending the electron-"stealing" reaction. The antioxidant nutrients themselves don’t become free radicals by donating an electron because they are stable in either form They act as scavengers, helping to prevent cell and tissue damage that could lead to cellular damage and disease.
Vitamin E – The most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant in the body. One of the most efficient chain-breaking antioxidants available. Primary defender against oxidation. Primary defender against lipid peroxidation (creation of unstable molecules containing more oxygen than is usual).
Vitamin C – The most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Acts primarily in cellular fluid. Of particular note in combating free-radical formation caused by pollution and cigarette smoke. Also helps return vitamin E to its active form.
The Antioxidants and Disease Prevention
* Heart Disease – Vitamin E may protect against cardiovascular disease by defending against LDL oxidation and artery-clogging plaque formation.
* Cancer – Many studies have correlated high vitamin C intakes with low rates of cancer, particularly cancers of the mouth, larynx and esophagus.
The Lesson: Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables!
The antioxidants are believed to help protect the body from free-radical damage. But before you go out and stock your pantry with mega-doses of these vitamins, be warned: more is not always better. The long-term effect of large doses of these nutrients has not been proven. Other chemicals and substances found in natural sources of antioxidants may also be responsible for the beneficial effects. So for now, the best way to ensure adequate intake of the antioxidant nutrients is through a balanced diet consisting of 5-8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Cancer Awareness Tip
Scientists from Georgetown University Medical Center say that eating plenty of crunchy vegetables will cut your risk of lung cancer? The key lies in a sulfur-like compound found in the cabbage family — broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, collard greens, brussels sprouts, cabbage, rutabaga, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, horseradish, radishes, and watercress.
Eating any of these nutrient-rich vegetables will help reduce your risk, the researchers say. And they're all high in fiber and low in calories, so they'll leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours after you eat.
Also, researchers have found that exercising five days a week can slash your risk by 20 percent or more! No pill can promise that! Moderate exercise, such as walking, cycling, or swimming, seemed to provide the best protection.
Eating any of these nutrient-rich vegetables will help reduce your risk, the researchers say. And they're all high in fiber and low in calories, so they'll leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours after you eat.
Also, researchers have found that exercising five days a week can slash your risk by 20 percent or more! No pill can promise that! Moderate exercise, such as walking, cycling, or swimming, seemed to provide the best protection.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Recipe - Herb Crumbed Broccoli
Butter-flavored vegetable cooking spray
2-4 tablespoons chopped pecans
1/4 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried chervil leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1-1/2 lb broccoli, cut into florets and stalks sliced, cooked
Salt and pepper, to taste
Spray small skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until
hot.
Add pecans and spray with cooking spray; cook over medium heat until
toasted, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add breadcrumbs, marjoram, and chervil to skillet; cook until crumbs
are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir
in parsley.
Season broccoli with salt and pepper to taste; arrange in serving bowl.
Spoon crumb mixture over broccoli.
Serves: 6
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 61,
Fat: 2.1 g,
Cholesterol: 0 mg,
Sodium: 64 mg,
Protein: 3.7 g,
Carbohydrate: 8.7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2
Vegetable, 1/2 Fat
2-4 tablespoons chopped pecans
1/4 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried chervil leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1-1/2 lb broccoli, cut into florets and stalks sliced, cooked
Salt and pepper, to taste
Spray small skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until
hot.
Add pecans and spray with cooking spray; cook over medium heat until
toasted, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add breadcrumbs, marjoram, and chervil to skillet; cook until crumbs
are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir
in parsley.
Season broccoli with salt and pepper to taste; arrange in serving bowl.
Spoon crumb mixture over broccoli.
Serves: 6
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories: 61,
Fat: 2.1 g,
Cholesterol: 0 mg,
Sodium: 64 mg,
Protein: 3.7 g,
Carbohydrate: 8.7 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2
Vegetable, 1/2 Fat
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Vitamin E
Vitamin E, which serves as an antioxidant it defends your cells against damage on a daily basis. Preliminary research points to the promising effects of vitamin E in curbing certain chronic diseases.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommends 15 mg daily of the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E, with an emphasis on natural sources.
Your cells are under a constant barrage from free radicals, unstable forms of oxygen that rove the body looking to make trouble. Free radicals are by-products of the normal, everyday workings of your body, but they can be lethal to cells by destroying the important fats in your body. You can't escape free radicals, but you can limit their production by avoiding (as much as possible) smog and other air pollutants, cigarette smoke and strong sunlight (ultraviolet rays).
The Why's and How's of Vitamin E and Your Body
"Oxidative stress" is the term experts use to describe the havoc wreaked by free radicals. Vitamin E is one of the body's best weapons against the oxidative stress your body faces every day.
Vitamin E sacrifices itself for the sake of your cells. By donating part of itself to a free radical, vitamin E turns an unruly, hostile compound into a harmless substance. That means that the free radical is no longer able to destroy the fatty portion of cell membranes and other fats found in your blood stream. Once vitamin E has given freely of itself in service to your cells, it is regenerated by several different substances, including vitamin C, and off it goes to defend and protect cells once again.
Vitamin E is garnering a lot of attention for its ability to fend off oxidative damage to low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. That may seem strange to you. After all, why protect bad cholesterol? Because when LDLs are oxidized by free radicals, they become stickier and more likely to clog arteries, boosting the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Vitamin E may also prevent blood cells from sticking to each other and to the blood vessels they travel, helping to promote clear and flexible blood vessels that allow the passage of oxygen-rich blood to your heart.
There's more. Reducing oxidative stress with vitamin E may be linked to heading off the complications of diabetes, to a reduced rate of aging, lowering cancer risk, boosting immunity and slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) determined that there is not enough research to support levels of vitamin E intake above the recommended 15 milligrams. Therefore, despite vitamin E's promise, the NAS does not support taking vitamin E supplements as a heart disease preventative for the general population, nor does the organization recommend supplements for the prevention of any other diseases or the control of chronic conditions.
The Top Form of Vitamin E Among the 8
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means the fat found in foods serves as the vehicle for vitamin E to get into your body to do its good work. It's no surprise, then, that most dietary vitamin E is found in higher fat foods, such as vegetable oils and spreads, nuts and seeds.
There are eight forms of vitamin E, but one reigns supreme: alpha-tocopherol.
The other seven forms of vitamin E cannot meet the body's vitamin E needs. In fact, alpha-tocopherol is so potent that the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is based on the body's requirement for alpha-tocopherol. Even the synthetic form of alpha-tocopherol, while beneficial, pales in comparison to naturally occurring alpha-tocopherol: Synthetic alpha-tocopherol is only half as effective in the body.
In foods, vitamin E is present in the eight different forms. Alpha-tocopherol is the best when it comes to vitamin E. It's the predominant form of vitamin E found in almonds, safflower oil and olive oil.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommends 15 mg daily of the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E, with an emphasis on natural sources.
Your cells are under a constant barrage from free radicals, unstable forms of oxygen that rove the body looking to make trouble. Free radicals are by-products of the normal, everyday workings of your body, but they can be lethal to cells by destroying the important fats in your body. You can't escape free radicals, but you can limit their production by avoiding (as much as possible) smog and other air pollutants, cigarette smoke and strong sunlight (ultraviolet rays).
The Why's and How's of Vitamin E and Your Body
"Oxidative stress" is the term experts use to describe the havoc wreaked by free radicals. Vitamin E is one of the body's best weapons against the oxidative stress your body faces every day.
Vitamin E sacrifices itself for the sake of your cells. By donating part of itself to a free radical, vitamin E turns an unruly, hostile compound into a harmless substance. That means that the free radical is no longer able to destroy the fatty portion of cell membranes and other fats found in your blood stream. Once vitamin E has given freely of itself in service to your cells, it is regenerated by several different substances, including vitamin C, and off it goes to defend and protect cells once again.
Vitamin E is garnering a lot of attention for its ability to fend off oxidative damage to low-density lipoproteins (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. That may seem strange to you. After all, why protect bad cholesterol? Because when LDLs are oxidized by free radicals, they become stickier and more likely to clog arteries, boosting the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Vitamin E may also prevent blood cells from sticking to each other and to the blood vessels they travel, helping to promote clear and flexible blood vessels that allow the passage of oxygen-rich blood to your heart.
There's more. Reducing oxidative stress with vitamin E may be linked to heading off the complications of diabetes, to a reduced rate of aging, lowering cancer risk, boosting immunity and slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) determined that there is not enough research to support levels of vitamin E intake above the recommended 15 milligrams. Therefore, despite vitamin E's promise, the NAS does not support taking vitamin E supplements as a heart disease preventative for the general population, nor does the organization recommend supplements for the prevention of any other diseases or the control of chronic conditions.
The Top Form of Vitamin E Among the 8
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means the fat found in foods serves as the vehicle for vitamin E to get into your body to do its good work. It's no surprise, then, that most dietary vitamin E is found in higher fat foods, such as vegetable oils and spreads, nuts and seeds.
There are eight forms of vitamin E, but one reigns supreme: alpha-tocopherol.
The other seven forms of vitamin E cannot meet the body's vitamin E needs. In fact, alpha-tocopherol is so potent that the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is based on the body's requirement for alpha-tocopherol. Even the synthetic form of alpha-tocopherol, while beneficial, pales in comparison to naturally occurring alpha-tocopherol: Synthetic alpha-tocopherol is only half as effective in the body.
In foods, vitamin E is present in the eight different forms. Alpha-tocopherol is the best when it comes to vitamin E. It's the predominant form of vitamin E found in almonds, safflower oil and olive oil.
[Health News]: October 18, 2005
It's just a humble orange, but Cayucos, Calif., rancher Jim Miller says it could save your life.
Miller, whose farm produces Cayucos Summer Oranges, is on a crusade to bolster awareness of what's been called the country's first health food.
Oranges are packed with fiber and vitamins, and Miller says people should eat more of them. He's undoubtedly trying to sell his products, but his pro-orange sentiments are shared by many.
In the book "Superfoods Rx" (William Morrow, $24.95), Scripps Memorial Hospital's Dr. Steven Pratt writes that oranges are one of 14 foods that have extraordinary health-promoting effects. When eaten in the right amounts, he writes, they can reduce the risk illnesses including cancers, heart disease and obesity.
" Most people look at an orange and say, 'Oh, no big deal, it's just an orange,' " Miller said. "But maybe it should be." He said reading about the obesity epidemic is irritating because he's seen people shy away from citrus.
" It's frustrating because even in all those stores, I'm still out-producing what people are selling," he said, noting that his oranges are sold in 600 Vons and Albertson's markets across California.
Maybe it's the mess. Miller advises orange eaters to peel from the "button" end, where the stem was, in order to minimize the dribbles.
Cal Poly nutrition professor Louise Berner doesn't buy into Pratt's notion that a superfood diet is critical, but she still lauds the orange.
" I think oranges are very nutritious," she said, noting they're rich in fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin C.
The potassium helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, and nutrition experts advise patients to cut down on sodium and increase their potassium intake.
More refined foods, she said, are the opposite.
Fiber is known to help promote cardiovascular health and digestion, while folate can reduce the risk of birth defects and breast cancer, Berner said.
Oranges are also rich in vitamin C, which has a number of health benefits.
The scientific community is still relatively undecided on how much vitamin C can help those suffering from the common cold, but large amounts of it before a cold strikes have been shown to shorten the duration of the illness, according to a 2003 article in Nutrition Journal. It also appears to help prevent cancer.
Berner said people are drinking less and less orange juice, same with milk, and are instead replacing those beverages with sodas, which has deleterious health effects.
They're also drinking more apple and pear juice than citrus juice.
Oranges are sugary, which can promote tooth decay, but Berner said it's not that bad.
" The effect on teeth is a combination of time of exposure and how it sticks in your teeth," she said. Drinking juice is a lot better than gnawing on something, then having to floss it out later.
Pratt writes in his book that oranges can be substituted with lemons, grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines or limes.
But for Miller, the magic is still in that juicy seedless Valencia, the classic treat at half-time on the soccer field.
Miller, whose farm produces Cayucos Summer Oranges, is on a crusade to bolster awareness of what's been called the country's first health food.
Oranges are packed with fiber and vitamins, and Miller says people should eat more of them. He's undoubtedly trying to sell his products, but his pro-orange sentiments are shared by many.
In the book "Superfoods Rx" (William Morrow, $24.95), Scripps Memorial Hospital's Dr. Steven Pratt writes that oranges are one of 14 foods that have extraordinary health-promoting effects. When eaten in the right amounts, he writes, they can reduce the risk illnesses including cancers, heart disease and obesity.
" Most people look at an orange and say, 'Oh, no big deal, it's just an orange,' " Miller said. "But maybe it should be." He said reading about the obesity epidemic is irritating because he's seen people shy away from citrus.
" It's frustrating because even in all those stores, I'm still out-producing what people are selling," he said, noting that his oranges are sold in 600 Vons and Albertson's markets across California.
Maybe it's the mess. Miller advises orange eaters to peel from the "button" end, where the stem was, in order to minimize the dribbles.
Cal Poly nutrition professor Louise Berner doesn't buy into Pratt's notion that a superfood diet is critical, but she still lauds the orange.
" I think oranges are very nutritious," she said, noting they're rich in fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin C.
The potassium helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, and nutrition experts advise patients to cut down on sodium and increase their potassium intake.
More refined foods, she said, are the opposite.
Fiber is known to help promote cardiovascular health and digestion, while folate can reduce the risk of birth defects and breast cancer, Berner said.
Oranges are also rich in vitamin C, which has a number of health benefits.
The scientific community is still relatively undecided on how much vitamin C can help those suffering from the common cold, but large amounts of it before a cold strikes have been shown to shorten the duration of the illness, according to a 2003 article in Nutrition Journal. It also appears to help prevent cancer.
Berner said people are drinking less and less orange juice, same with milk, and are instead replacing those beverages with sodas, which has deleterious health effects.
They're also drinking more apple and pear juice than citrus juice.
Oranges are sugary, which can promote tooth decay, but Berner said it's not that bad.
" The effect on teeth is a combination of time of exposure and how it sticks in your teeth," she said. Drinking juice is a lot better than gnawing on something, then having to floss it out later.
Pratt writes in his book that oranges can be substituted with lemons, grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines or limes.
But for Miller, the magic is still in that juicy seedless Valencia, the classic treat at half-time on the soccer field.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Detox Diet - List of Foods to Avoid
From Cathy Wong, N.D.,Your Guide to Alternative Medicine.
1) Sugar
Refined sugar and mixtures containing refined sugar, including sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, brown sugar, turbinado. Avoid artificial sweeteners.
2) Dairy Products
Milk, eggs, butter and other dairy products.
3) Wheat
Wheat and products containing wheat.
4) Gluten
All gluten-containing grains, including barley, oats, rye, spelt and kamut. Some people are sensitive to gluten, a protein fragment in these grains.
5) Corn
Corn and all corn products
6) Caffeine
Coffee, both regular and decaffeinated, black tea, and other drinks containing caffeine. Green tea, however, is allowed and should be enjoyed by regular coffee-drinkers.
7) Other Foods to Avoid
* Yeast
* Alcohol
* Food additives and preservatives
* Chocolate
* High-Fat Foods
1) Sugar
Refined sugar and mixtures containing refined sugar, including sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, brown sugar, turbinado. Avoid artificial sweeteners.
2) Dairy Products
Milk, eggs, butter and other dairy products.
3) Wheat
Wheat and products containing wheat.
4) Gluten
All gluten-containing grains, including barley, oats, rye, spelt and kamut. Some people are sensitive to gluten, a protein fragment in these grains.
5) Corn
Corn and all corn products
6) Caffeine
Coffee, both regular and decaffeinated, black tea, and other drinks containing caffeine. Green tea, however, is allowed and should be enjoyed by regular coffee-drinkers.
7) Other Foods to Avoid
* Yeast
* Alcohol
* Food additives and preservatives
* Chocolate
* High-Fat Foods
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Detox Diet - List of Foods to Enjoy
From Cathy Wong, N.D.,Your Guide to Alternative Medicine.
1) Fresh Fruit
Enjoy all fresh fruit. Go easy on grapefruit. A compound in grapefruit called naringin can significantly inhibit liver detox enzymes and should be avoided during detox diets.
2) Fresh Vegetables
All fresh vegetables except corn, which can be an allergenic food.
Great detox foods include broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, onions, garlic, artichokes, beets, red and green vegetables.
3) Rice
Rice is easily digested by most people. Choose brown or basmati rice, rice cakes, rice crackers and rice pasta.
4) Other Grains
Quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat can be used instead of rice. They can be purchased at a health food store.
5) Beans
Split yellow and green peas and lentils are easy to digest and require less soaking time. Other acceptable legumes include kidney beans, pinto beans, mung beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and adzuki beans.
6) Nuts and Seeds
Unsalted nuts, seeds and nut butters can be sprinkled over any meal. Includes flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews and walnuts. Avoid peanuts.
7) Fish
Poached, broiled or steamed fish can be enjoyed in moderation.
8) Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil
9) Condiments
Vegetable salt, sea salt, vinegar, naturally fermented soy sauce or tamari, any culinary herbs or spices, limited amounts of honey.
10) Herbal Tea
Herbal non-caffeinated teas, green tea.
11) Other Beverages
Water, lemon water, 100% natural fruit and vegetable juices, rice milk
12) Daily Detox Must Do's
* Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, warm or room temperature. Water is essential to clear waste from the blood. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
* Do not drink liquids around mealtime.
* Dilute fruit juice with 50% water.
* Take the time to chew food well, especially grains.
1) Fresh Fruit
Enjoy all fresh fruit. Go easy on grapefruit. A compound in grapefruit called naringin can significantly inhibit liver detox enzymes and should be avoided during detox diets.
2) Fresh Vegetables
All fresh vegetables except corn, which can be an allergenic food.
Great detox foods include broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, onions, garlic, artichokes, beets, red and green vegetables.
3) Rice
Rice is easily digested by most people. Choose brown or basmati rice, rice cakes, rice crackers and rice pasta.
4) Other Grains
Quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat can be used instead of rice. They can be purchased at a health food store.
5) Beans
Split yellow and green peas and lentils are easy to digest and require less soaking time. Other acceptable legumes include kidney beans, pinto beans, mung beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and adzuki beans.
6) Nuts and Seeds
Unsalted nuts, seeds and nut butters can be sprinkled over any meal. Includes flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews and walnuts. Avoid peanuts.
7) Fish
Poached, broiled or steamed fish can be enjoyed in moderation.
8) Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil
9) Condiments
Vegetable salt, sea salt, vinegar, naturally fermented soy sauce or tamari, any culinary herbs or spices, limited amounts of honey.
10) Herbal Tea
Herbal non-caffeinated teas, green tea.
11) Other Beverages
Water, lemon water, 100% natural fruit and vegetable juices, rice milk
12) Daily Detox Must Do's
* Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, warm or room temperature. Water is essential to clear waste from the blood. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
* Do not drink liquids around mealtime.
* Dilute fruit juice with 50% water.
* Take the time to chew food well, especially grains.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Detox Diet - Proper Elimination
From Cathy Wong, N.D.,Your Guide to Alternative Medicine.
Bentonite Clay and Fiber
Bentonite clay and fiber, such as flaxseeds ot psyllium, assist with the detox process.
Bentonite is a type of edible clay that acts as a bulk laxative by absorbing water to form a gel. It binds toxins such as pesticides and helps to carry them out of the colon.
Flaxseeds and psyllium also absorb water and expand in the colon, allowing toxins and mucus to be removed. In addition, flaxseeds have been found to lower cholesterol levels.
Instructions
Take one tablespoon of liquid bentonite and one to two teaspoons of ground flaxseeds or psyllium in a glass of water first thing in the morning (wait at least 1/2 hour before eating) and before bed.
It is important to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day or constipation may result. Bentonite intake should be reduced and timed away from medication intake as it may interfere with absorption.
Lemon Water
Lemon juice in water also has a slightly laxative effect and stimulates the digestive juices which is important for detox. Squeeze a wedge or 1/4 lemon into warm water and drink immediately after rising in the morning, before having the bentonite clay and flaxseed drink.
Bentonite Clay and Fiber
Bentonite clay and fiber, such as flaxseeds ot psyllium, assist with the detox process.
Bentonite is a type of edible clay that acts as a bulk laxative by absorbing water to form a gel. It binds toxins such as pesticides and helps to carry them out of the colon.
Flaxseeds and psyllium also absorb water and expand in the colon, allowing toxins and mucus to be removed. In addition, flaxseeds have been found to lower cholesterol levels.
Instructions
Take one tablespoon of liquid bentonite and one to two teaspoons of ground flaxseeds or psyllium in a glass of water first thing in the morning (wait at least 1/2 hour before eating) and before bed.
It is important to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day or constipation may result. Bentonite intake should be reduced and timed away from medication intake as it may interfere with absorption.
Lemon Water
Lemon juice in water also has a slightly laxative effect and stimulates the digestive juices which is important for detox. Squeeze a wedge or 1/4 lemon into warm water and drink immediately after rising in the morning, before having the bentonite clay and flaxseed drink.
Friday, October 14, 2005
Recipe - Monte Cristo Salmon Sandwich
1 Serving
Monte Cristo sandwiches are traditionally made with white bread filled with ham, turkey and cheese, dipped in egg, fried and served with sour cream and jam. Ours is a much healthier version using leftover or canned salmon.
Ingredients:
2 slices whole grain bread
4 ounces cooked or canned salmon
2 tbsp salsa
1 egg
Instructions:
1. Flatten the bread slices as much as you can with a rolling pin
Please click here.
or heavy can.
2. Mash the salmon and salsa together in a bowl. If the salmon is cold, heat the mixture in the microwave for 1 minute to take off the chill. Make a sandwich of the bread with the salmon mixture in the middle.
3. Beat the egg in a bowl and pour into a saucer. Dip the sandwich in the egg so that both sides are coated. Fry the sandwich on a non-stick pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, turning half way to brown both sides. Serve with additional salsa if you like.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
344 calories
11 g total fat (2 g sat)
246 mg cholesterol
28 g carbohydrate
34 g protein
4 g fiber
497 mg sodium
Monte Cristo sandwiches are traditionally made with white bread filled with ham, turkey and cheese, dipped in egg, fried and served with sour cream and jam. Ours is a much healthier version using leftover or canned salmon.
Ingredients:
2 slices whole grain bread
4 ounces cooked or canned salmon
2 tbsp salsa
1 egg
Instructions:
1. Flatten the bread slices as much as you can with a rolling pin
Please click here.
or heavy can.
2. Mash the salmon and salsa together in a bowl. If the salmon is cold, heat the mixture in the microwave for 1 minute to take off the chill. Make a sandwich of the bread with the salmon mixture in the middle.
3. Beat the egg in a bowl and pour into a saucer. Dip the sandwich in the egg so that both sides are coated. Fry the sandwich on a non-stick pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, turning half way to brown both sides. Serve with additional salsa if you like.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
344 calories
11 g total fat (2 g sat)
246 mg cholesterol
28 g carbohydrate
34 g protein
4 g fiber
497 mg sodium
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Recipe - Orange-Ginger Sole
If you're looking for a quick and easy low fat supper with almost no clean-up, this orange-ginger sole dish is for you. Foil-packet cooking essentially steams the food, so no oil is needed. Open the packets carefully as the steam will be very hot.
Prep Time : 10min
Cook Time : 15min
Type of Prep : Bake
Cuisine : U.S. Regional
Occasion : Fall, Family Dinner, Spring, Summer
INGREDIENTS:
* 4 5-ounce sole fillets
* 1 medium zucchini, julienned
* 1 medium carrot, julienned
* 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
* 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1 tbsp orange zest
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Tear off 4 sheets of 12" X 18" foil wrap.
Lay one sole fillet on each sheet. Top each piece of fish with an equal amount of zucchini, carrot, onion and ginger. Add orange juice and zest to each packet. Bring up sides of foil and turn over at the top. Seal edges, leaving enough room for air to circulate. Place fish packets on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve with Jasmine or whole grain rice.
Be careful when unsealing foil packets. The steam will be very hot.
Serves 4.
Per Serving: Calories 167, Calories from Fat 17, Total Fat 1.9g (sat 0.4g), Cholesterol 70mg, Sodium 133mg, Carbohydrate 9.4g, Fiber 2.4g, Protein 28.1g
Prep Time : 10min
Cook Time : 15min
Type of Prep : Bake
Cuisine : U.S. Regional
Occasion : Fall, Family Dinner, Spring, Summer
INGREDIENTS:
* 4 5-ounce sole fillets
* 1 medium zucchini, julienned
* 1 medium carrot, julienned
* 1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
* 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1 tbsp orange zest
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Tear off 4 sheets of 12" X 18" foil wrap.
Lay one sole fillet on each sheet. Top each piece of fish with an equal amount of zucchini, carrot, onion and ginger. Add orange juice and zest to each packet. Bring up sides of foil and turn over at the top. Seal edges, leaving enough room for air to circulate. Place fish packets on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve with Jasmine or whole grain rice.
Be careful when unsealing foil packets. The steam will be very hot.
Serves 4.
Per Serving: Calories 167, Calories from Fat 17, Total Fat 1.9g (sat 0.4g), Cholesterol 70mg, Sodium 133mg, Carbohydrate 9.4g, Fiber 2.4g, Protein 28.1g
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Which Foods contain the Most Potassium
If your potassium levels are too high, you doctor may tell you to go on a potassium-restricted diet. If you potassium levels are too low, your doctor may tell you to get more potassium. Here is a list of food sources for potassium. If you need to restrict your potassium, avoid the foods with moderate to high levels of potassium, and if you need more potassium, be sure to choose more foods that contain potassium, or take supplemental potassium:
Foods High in Potassium
Apricots, Artichokes, Avocados, Bananas, Cantaloupe, Cod, Dates, Dry beans (i.e. kidney beans and navy beans), Figs, Flounder, Greens, Honeydew melons, Kiwi, Lentils, Nuts, Oranges, Peaches, Potatoes, Prunes, Pumpkins, Raisins, Salmon, Sardines,
Potassium-based salt replacements
Tomatoes, Watermelons
Foods Moderate in Potassium
Apples, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Beets, Carrots, Celery, Cherries, Eggplant, Mango, Mushrooms, Okra, Peaches, Pears, Peanut butter, Plums, Peppers
Foods low in potassium
Asparagus, Berries, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumber, Grapes, Grapefruit, Green beans, Onions, Peas, Pineapple, Radishes, Rhubarb, Tangerines, Turnips
Potassium is a dietary mineral that is generally quite abundant in our diets. Most healthy people get plenty of potassium from dietary sources. Due to illness, however, some people need to restrict their dietary potassium and some people need to get more potassium from their diets. If you have any questions about your potassium levels, please speak to your doctor.
Why do we need Potassium?:
We need potassium:
* as a component for balancing the pH of our bodies
* for normal water balance in our bodies
* for normal muscle growth
* for healthy nervous system and brain function
Can we Measure Potassium?:
Most of our potassium is found inside the cells in our bodies; only about 2% of the potassium in our bodies is found the blood. Our bodies like to keep that amount of potassium fairly level within a nice healthy range. This makes potassium levels easy to measure by testing our blood.
Abnormal Blood Potassium Levels:
Blood potassium levels may fluctuate due to kidney disease, diabetes, vomiting, as a side effect to certain medications, hormone levels, amount of potassium in the diet, and blood pH.
Hyperkalemia:
Hyperkalemia is a condition where there is too much potassium in the blood. Usually this is due to an underlying medical condition such as a kidney disease, or diabetes. Doctors want to keep an eye on elevated potassium levels because very high levels of potassium in our bodies can become very bad for our hearts.
Hypokalemia:
Hypokalemia is a condition where the potassium levels are too low. This may happen because a person doesn’t eat enough potassium containing foods. More commonly, potassium levels become too low from digestive problems like chronic diarrhea or excessive vomiting. Certain hormonal disorders such as Cushing’s disease can also cause low levels of potassium. Some drugs like diuretics and laxatives can also cause hypokalemia.
Foods High in Potassium
Apricots, Artichokes, Avocados, Bananas, Cantaloupe, Cod, Dates, Dry beans (i.e. kidney beans and navy beans), Figs, Flounder, Greens, Honeydew melons, Kiwi, Lentils, Nuts, Oranges, Peaches, Potatoes, Prunes, Pumpkins, Raisins, Salmon, Sardines,
Potassium-based salt replacements
Tomatoes, Watermelons
Foods Moderate in Potassium
Apples, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Beets, Carrots, Celery, Cherries, Eggplant, Mango, Mushrooms, Okra, Peaches, Pears, Peanut butter, Plums, Peppers
Foods low in potassium
Asparagus, Berries, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumber, Grapes, Grapefruit, Green beans, Onions, Peas, Pineapple, Radishes, Rhubarb, Tangerines, Turnips
Potassium is a dietary mineral that is generally quite abundant in our diets. Most healthy people get plenty of potassium from dietary sources. Due to illness, however, some people need to restrict their dietary potassium and some people need to get more potassium from their diets. If you have any questions about your potassium levels, please speak to your doctor.
Why do we need Potassium?:
We need potassium:
* as a component for balancing the pH of our bodies
* for normal water balance in our bodies
* for normal muscle growth
* for healthy nervous system and brain function
Can we Measure Potassium?:
Most of our potassium is found inside the cells in our bodies; only about 2% of the potassium in our bodies is found the blood. Our bodies like to keep that amount of potassium fairly level within a nice healthy range. This makes potassium levels easy to measure by testing our blood.
Abnormal Blood Potassium Levels:
Blood potassium levels may fluctuate due to kidney disease, diabetes, vomiting, as a side effect to certain medications, hormone levels, amount of potassium in the diet, and blood pH.
Hyperkalemia:
Hyperkalemia is a condition where there is too much potassium in the blood. Usually this is due to an underlying medical condition such as a kidney disease, or diabetes. Doctors want to keep an eye on elevated potassium levels because very high levels of potassium in our bodies can become very bad for our hearts.
Hypokalemia:
Hypokalemia is a condition where the potassium levels are too low. This may happen because a person doesn’t eat enough potassium containing foods. More commonly, potassium levels become too low from digestive problems like chronic diarrhea or excessive vomiting. Certain hormonal disorders such as Cushing’s disease can also cause low levels of potassium. Some drugs like diuretics and laxatives can also cause hypokalemia.
Recipe - Santa Fe Chicken
4 Servings
The marinade in this dish is what gives the chicken such a smooth flavor. Although it is ideal if the meat can soak in the marinade for at least 1 hour before cooking to absorb the intricate flavors of the marinade, if you don't have time, the chicken will still be flavorful. If you are really planning ahead, you can soak the meat in the marinade for up to two days. Serve this dish with a side of Spanish Rice and Jicama and Carrot Salad. The flavors together are very complementary.
Ingredients:
Marinade:
Juice from 3 limes
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 whole breasts boneless, skinless chicken
1/4 cup white wine
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Garnish:
Mock Sour Cream or low-fat sour cream
1 lime, sliced into 6 thin slices
6 scallion firecrackers
1/4 cup fresh salsa or Papaya Salsa
Instructions:
Mix together marinade ingredients in a bowl, stirring thoroughly. Pour into a shallow baking pan and lay the chicken breasts in. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the broiler.
After 1 hour, when the chicken has absorbed all the flavors of the marinade, pour in the white wine. Broil the chicken under a medium flame for 8-10 minutes, basting it with the juices to keep it moist.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and slice it at an angle. Garnish each piece with a little of the pan juices, a dollop of Mock Sour Cream or low-fat sour cream, slices of lime, and a scallion firecracker, as well as a dollop of salsa.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
212 calories
4 g total fat
72 mg cholesterol
13 g carbohydrate
30 g protein
1 g fiber
450 mg sodium
The marinade in this dish is what gives the chicken such a smooth flavor. Although it is ideal if the meat can soak in the marinade for at least 1 hour before cooking to absorb the intricate flavors of the marinade, if you don't have time, the chicken will still be flavorful. If you are really planning ahead, you can soak the meat in the marinade for up to two days. Serve this dish with a side of Spanish Rice and Jicama and Carrot Salad. The flavors together are very complementary.
Ingredients:
Marinade:
Juice from 3 limes
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 whole breasts boneless, skinless chicken
1/4 cup white wine
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Garnish:
Mock Sour Cream or low-fat sour cream
1 lime, sliced into 6 thin slices
6 scallion firecrackers
1/4 cup fresh salsa or Papaya Salsa
Instructions:
Mix together marinade ingredients in a bowl, stirring thoroughly. Pour into a shallow baking pan and lay the chicken breasts in. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the broiler.
After 1 hour, when the chicken has absorbed all the flavors of the marinade, pour in the white wine. Broil the chicken under a medium flame for 8-10 minutes, basting it with the juices to keep it moist.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and slice it at an angle. Garnish each piece with a little of the pan juices, a dollop of Mock Sour Cream or low-fat sour cream, slices of lime, and a scallion firecracker, as well as a dollop of salsa.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
212 calories
4 g total fat
72 mg cholesterol
13 g carbohydrate
30 g protein
1 g fiber
450 mg sodium
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Recipe - Vegetarian Chili
6 Servings
Contrary to what many believe, good chili doesn't require "carne" or meat. The key to great chili is knowing how to harness the fiery flavor of a wide range of available chile peppers to make the dish exciting yet edible. ("Chili" commonly refers to the dish made with "chile" peppers.) tied in strings called ristras or available as ground powder, and chipotles which are ripe (red) jalapeños that have been dried and smoked. Experiment with different amounts until you find a level of intensity you're comfortable with. Be aware, however, that capsaicin, the active component in chile peppers that gives them their heat, is concentrated in the white tissue attached to the seeds. If you're using whole chiles, you may want to remove that white tissue if you don't want your chili too hot.
Ingredients:
7 1/2 cups cooked beans, like pintos, anasazi, adzuki, or kidney (roughly four 15-oz cans or 1 pound dried beans, cooked)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, diced
1 dried or canned chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon mild red New Mexican chile powder, or to taste
1 tablespoon dried whole oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
5 cloves garlic, mashed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnishes:
Chopped raw onion
Chopped tomato
Shredded lettuce
Tortillas
Instructions:
1. Drain beans in a colander.
2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until onions are soft and golden.
3. Crush the chipotle pepper if using dried, or mince if using canned.
4. Add the chipotle pepper, red chile powder, oregano, cumin and allspice to the onions. Cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and beans. Simmer for 45 minutes, adding liquid if the mixture gets too dry. 6. Add salt and pepper to taste, and more chili if you want a hotter dish.
7. Serve in bowls with warm tortillas. Garnish with chopped raw onion, chopped tomato, and shredded lettuce.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
110 calories
6 g total fat (1 g sat)
11 g carbohydrate
5 g protein
0 g fiber
150 mg sodium
Contrary to what many believe, good chili doesn't require "carne" or meat. The key to great chili is knowing how to harness the fiery flavor of a wide range of available chile peppers to make the dish exciting yet edible. ("Chili" commonly refers to the dish made with "chile" peppers.) tied in strings called ristras or available as ground powder, and chipotles which are ripe (red) jalapeños that have been dried and smoked. Experiment with different amounts until you find a level of intensity you're comfortable with. Be aware, however, that capsaicin, the active component in chile peppers that gives them their heat, is concentrated in the white tissue attached to the seeds. If you're using whole chiles, you may want to remove that white tissue if you don't want your chili too hot.
Ingredients:
7 1/2 cups cooked beans, like pintos, anasazi, adzuki, or kidney (roughly four 15-oz cans or 1 pound dried beans, cooked)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, diced
1 dried or canned chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon mild red New Mexican chile powder, or to taste
1 tablespoon dried whole oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
5 cloves garlic, mashed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnishes:
Chopped raw onion
Chopped tomato
Shredded lettuce
Tortillas
Instructions:
1. Drain beans in a colander.
2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until onions are soft and golden.
3. Crush the chipotle pepper if using dried, or mince if using canned.
4. Add the chipotle pepper, red chile powder, oregano, cumin and allspice to the onions. Cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and beans. Simmer for 45 minutes, adding liquid if the mixture gets too dry. 6. Add salt and pepper to taste, and more chili if you want a hotter dish.
7. Serve in bowls with warm tortillas. Garnish with chopped raw onion, chopped tomato, and shredded lettuce.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
110 calories
6 g total fat (1 g sat)
11 g carbohydrate
5 g protein
0 g fiber
150 mg sodium
Monday, October 10, 2005
Recipe - Garlic Broth
4 Servings
Garlic is an herb with remarkable medicinal properties. Garlic is a cardiovascular tonic, said to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It's also a powerful germicide and may protect against some carcinogens. It's better for you in its natural state, raw or lightly cooked rather than dried as powder or in capsules. Enjoy the smell, taste and healthful effects of the whole, fresh herb.
Ingredients:
6 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 head garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 Turkish bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch dried sage
Salt to taste (If you must!)
Instructions:
1. To the vegetable stock, add the olive oil, bay leaf, garlic, thyme and sage.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.
3. Strain. Good as is, or use as a base for soups.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
110 calories
6 g total fat (1 g sat)
11 g carbohydrate
5 g protein
0 g fiber
150 mg sodium
Remedies and Cures
Garlic is a powerful detoxifier with the ability to neutralize toxins from the digestive tract, the large intestine, and the blood. Its anti-toxic effects strengthen the immune system, offering benefit to those with allergies, asthma, and hypoglycemia.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Recipe - Curried Greens
6 Servings
When people hear the word "greens," I think they immediately conjure up childhood memories of overcooked lumps of vegetation they were forced to eat and hated. But the vegetable section of the grocery is a different world today, brimming with a variety of greens such as spinach, chard, kale, mustard, collards, and bok choy that are tasty as well as excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. Iron, calcium, and folic acid (an important B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects and offers protection from heart disease) are abundant in these leafy veggies. Greens can have strong tastes, but I encourage you to experiment with varieties you've never tried or haven't had in a while. I believe you'll be in for a pleasant surprise.
Ingredients:
1 pound spinach, kale, collards, or beet greens (or mixture of all)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2-3 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup onion, finely diced
3/4 pound brown potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions:
1. Wash and drain greens, removing any coarse stems and midribs. Cut into half-inch strips.
2. In a small bowl, mix together garlic, curry powder, tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar.
3. Heat the canola oil in a skillet and sauté onion over medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Add the spice-and-tomato mixture, mix well, and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and 2 cups water.
5. Mix well, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add greens and cook for 10 minutes more, or until potatoes are done.
7. Correct seasoning to taste. Garnish with the chopped fresh cilantro if desired.
When people hear the word "greens," I think they immediately conjure up childhood memories of overcooked lumps of vegetation they were forced to eat and hated. But the vegetable section of the grocery is a different world today, brimming with a variety of greens such as spinach, chard, kale, mustard, collards, and bok choy that are tasty as well as excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. Iron, calcium, and folic acid (an important B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects and offers protection from heart disease) are abundant in these leafy veggies. Greens can have strong tastes, but I encourage you to experiment with varieties you've never tried or haven't had in a while. I believe you'll be in for a pleasant surprise.
Ingredients:
1 pound spinach, kale, collards, or beet greens (or mixture of all)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2-3 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup onion, finely diced
3/4 pound brown potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions:
1. Wash and drain greens, removing any coarse stems and midribs. Cut into half-inch strips.
2. In a small bowl, mix together garlic, curry powder, tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar.
3. Heat the canola oil in a skillet and sauté onion over medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Add the spice-and-tomato mixture, mix well, and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and 2 cups water.
5. Mix well, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
6. Add greens and cook for 10 minutes more, or until potatoes are done.
7. Correct seasoning to taste. Garnish with the chopped fresh cilantro if desired.
Recipe - Penne with Braised Squash & Greens
Fast and Easy!
4 slices reduced-fat center-cut bacon (2 ounces), chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (3 cups)
1 small bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (8 cups)
8 ounces whole-wheat penne, rigatoni or fusilli (2 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta.
2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel. Pour off fat and add onion to the pan; cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Return the bacon to the pan and add broth and squash; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add chard and stir to immerse. Cover and cook until the squash and chard are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add the squash mixture, Parmesan, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings, 1 3/4 cups each.
Per serving: 352 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 63 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 9 g fiber; 648 mg sodium.
Nutrition bonus: High fiber and 330% daily value vitamin A, 49 mg vitamin C (80% dv), 223 mg calcium (20% dv).
Vegetarian Variation: Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and 4 ounces cubed smoked tofu for the bacon. In Step 2, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in the skillet. Add tofu and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add onion to the pan and continue with the recipe.
Per serving: 386 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 66 g carbohydrate; 17 g protein; 10 g fiber; 715 mg sodium.
4 slices reduced-fat center-cut bacon (2 ounces), chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (3 cups)
1 small bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (8 cups)
8 ounces whole-wheat penne, rigatoni or fusilli (2 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil for cooking the pasta.
2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel. Pour off fat and add onion to the pan; cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Return the bacon to the pan and add broth and squash; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add chard and stir to immerse. Cover and cook until the squash and chard are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add the squash mixture, Parmesan, salt and pepper; toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings, 1 3/4 cups each.
Per serving: 352 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 63 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 9 g fiber; 648 mg sodium.
Nutrition bonus: High fiber and 330% daily value vitamin A, 49 mg vitamin C (80% dv), 223 mg calcium (20% dv).
Vegetarian Variation: Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and 4 ounces cubed smoked tofu for the bacon. In Step 2, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in the skillet. Add tofu and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add onion to the pan and continue with the recipe.
Per serving: 386 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 9 mg cholesterol; 66 g carbohydrate; 17 g protein; 10 g fiber; 715 mg sodium.
Ayurvedic Healing Foods
A list of healing foods to stimulate repair and rejuvenate your body.
Lemons are both purifying and nourishing, and they stimulate digestion. For reducing toxins, drink unsweetened lemonade as many times during the day as desired.
Ghee (clarified butter) is among the best rejuvenating and longevity-promoting foods. It aids digestion and calms the nerves. Ghee's rate of absorption is high, making it an excellent medium for transporting the nutrients of other foods to the tissues.
Dates and Figs are prized as excellent sources of energy. They also help build tissues. Eat one or two every day.
Almonds are nourishing and life-supporting. Ayurveda recommends blanching and peeling almonds because their skins are slightly toxic. Eat several almonds daily to increase strength and energy.
Mung Beans are among the best legumes for their supreme digestibility and health-giving qualities. They are beneficial when people are sick or otherwise in need of very light food. Mung beans are particularly nourishing when mixed with rice or other grains.
Ginger is often referred to as "the universal medicine." It promotes good digestion and helps remove ama. Dried ground ginger is more concentrated in its flavor and its effects. To aid digestion, sprinkle a thin slice of fresh ginger with lemon juice and salt, and eat one-half hour before a meal.
Cumin Seeds serve as a digestive aid and ama-reducer for all doshas. To help remove toxins, start the day by drinking warm water mixed with a pinch of powdered cumin and ginger.
Lassi is a beverage prepared by mixing one part yogurt into two parts water. It is an excellent nutritive digestive aid, taken during or after a meal. You can flavor lassi either with raw sugar or honey and a little ground cardamom, or with toasted ground cumin seeds and salt.
Juicy, Seasonal Fruits are both highly nutritive and purifying. Juicy fruits should be completely ripe for maximum healing value.
Green, Leafy Vegetables are both nutritive and purifying. Their bitter flavor stimulates the liver, helps balance blood sugar, and aids skin conditions. Prepare with a little ghee or oil.
Cow's Milk is considered a vitalizer by Ayurveda and recommended for those emaciated after injury. Ayurveda recommends bringing milk to a full boil to remove the qualities that can cause excess mucus. To further reduce milk's clogging qualities, add a pinch of ginger and/or black pepper. Also, milk should be drank separately from foods with any taste other than sweet.
Water is universally beneficial for everyone, and assists virtually all healing. It promotes digestion and, when drank while hot, is particularly effective for removing ama. (Ama refers to toxins, impurities and blockages that accumulate in the physiology.)
Lemons are both purifying and nourishing, and they stimulate digestion. For reducing toxins, drink unsweetened lemonade as many times during the day as desired.
Ghee (clarified butter) is among the best rejuvenating and longevity-promoting foods. It aids digestion and calms the nerves. Ghee's rate of absorption is high, making it an excellent medium for transporting the nutrients of other foods to the tissues.
Dates and Figs are prized as excellent sources of energy. They also help build tissues. Eat one or two every day.
Almonds are nourishing and life-supporting. Ayurveda recommends blanching and peeling almonds because their skins are slightly toxic. Eat several almonds daily to increase strength and energy.
Mung Beans are among the best legumes for their supreme digestibility and health-giving qualities. They are beneficial when people are sick or otherwise in need of very light food. Mung beans are particularly nourishing when mixed with rice or other grains.
Ginger is often referred to as "the universal medicine." It promotes good digestion and helps remove ama. Dried ground ginger is more concentrated in its flavor and its effects. To aid digestion, sprinkle a thin slice of fresh ginger with lemon juice and salt, and eat one-half hour before a meal.
Cumin Seeds serve as a digestive aid and ama-reducer for all doshas. To help remove toxins, start the day by drinking warm water mixed with a pinch of powdered cumin and ginger.
Lassi is a beverage prepared by mixing one part yogurt into two parts water. It is an excellent nutritive digestive aid, taken during or after a meal. You can flavor lassi either with raw sugar or honey and a little ground cardamom, or with toasted ground cumin seeds and salt.
Juicy, Seasonal Fruits are both highly nutritive and purifying. Juicy fruits should be completely ripe for maximum healing value.
Green, Leafy Vegetables are both nutritive and purifying. Their bitter flavor stimulates the liver, helps balance blood sugar, and aids skin conditions. Prepare with a little ghee or oil.
Cow's Milk is considered a vitalizer by Ayurveda and recommended for those emaciated after injury. Ayurveda recommends bringing milk to a full boil to remove the qualities that can cause excess mucus. To further reduce milk's clogging qualities, add a pinch of ginger and/or black pepper. Also, milk should be drank separately from foods with any taste other than sweet.
Water is universally beneficial for everyone, and assists virtually all healing. It promotes digestion and, when drank while hot, is particularly effective for removing ama. (Ama refers to toxins, impurities and blockages that accumulate in the physiology.)
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Recipe - Mango Cream
1 Serving
If you haven't eaten mango, this is a easy way to introduce this delicious fruit into your diet. Pick a ripe mango that feels firm and smells good. Or you may be able to buy frozen mango which works fine for this recipe. For a festive touch, layer the mango cream with fresh berries in a parfait glass and top with chopped almonds.
Ingredients:
1 ripe mango
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
Instructions:
Peel the mango and cut the ripe portion of the fruit into pieces. (The portion around the stone will be hard.) Put the mango in a blender or food processor with the
yogurt. Blend until smooth.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
121 calories
4 g total fat (2 g sat)
14 mg cholesterol
19 g carbohydrate
4 g protein
2 g fiber
54 mg sodium
If you haven't eaten mango, this is a easy way to introduce this delicious fruit into your diet. Pick a ripe mango that feels firm and smells good. Or you may be able to buy frozen mango which works fine for this recipe. For a festive touch, layer the mango cream with fresh berries in a parfait glass and top with chopped almonds.
Ingredients:
1 ripe mango
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
Instructions:
Peel the mango and cut the ripe portion of the fruit into pieces. (The portion around the stone will be hard.) Put the mango in a blender or food processor with the
yogurt. Blend until smooth.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
121 calories
4 g total fat (2 g sat)
14 mg cholesterol
19 g carbohydrate
4 g protein
2 g fiber
54 mg sodium
Friday, October 07, 2005
Recipe - Peach and Pineapple Dip
For extra ginger flavor, try reduced-fat gingersnaps with this dip. It's great for a party or to keep on hand to satisfy your sweet tooth in a heart-healthy way.
Number of Servings: 20
Serving Size: 2 Tbls
Ingredients
1 can - 15 oz. can, no-sugar-added peaches, drained
1 cup - pineapple chunks, canned or fresh
8 oz. - reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp - honey (* See note below)
1/4 tsp - ground ginger
1/8 tsp - ground nutmeg
1/2 cup - mandarin oranges, drained
Preparation Instructions
1. In a food processor or blender, process all the ingredients except the mandarin oranges to the desired texture (smooth or slightly chunky)
2. Serve in large shallow bowl. Garnish with the mandarin oranges
Exchanges Per Serving
1/2 Fruit
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving
Calories 27
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 1mg
Sodium 61mg
Total Carbohydrate 5g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 4g
Protein 2g
* (Honey should not be fed to children under age 1 because it may contain the deadly bacterium Chlostridium botulinum) http://my.webmd.com/content/article/43/3606_275.htm
Number of Servings: 20
Serving Size: 2 Tbls
Ingredients
1 can - 15 oz. can, no-sugar-added peaches, drained
1 cup - pineapple chunks, canned or fresh
8 oz. - reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp - honey (* See note below)
1/4 tsp - ground ginger
1/8 tsp - ground nutmeg
1/2 cup - mandarin oranges, drained
Preparation Instructions
1. In a food processor or blender, process all the ingredients except the mandarin oranges to the desired texture (smooth or slightly chunky)
2. Serve in large shallow bowl. Garnish with the mandarin oranges
Exchanges Per Serving
1/2 Fruit
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving
Calories 27
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 1mg
Sodium 61mg
Total Carbohydrate 5g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 4g
Protein 2g
* (Honey should not be fed to children under age 1 because it may contain the deadly bacterium Chlostridium botulinum) http://my.webmd.com/content/article/43/3606_275.htm
Green Salad
1 Serving
Choose mixed salad greens whenever you can. Or mix romaine lettuce with spinach or any other dark green variety. Romaine by itself is fine, but the darker the greens, the more antioxidants they contain. If you find balsamic vinegar too strong for your taste, pick a milder vinegar like apple cider.
Ingredients:
2 cups salad greens
1 tsp olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Italian or other seasoning mix
Instructions:
Whisk the dressing together and toss with the greens. Add any chopped vegetables you have on hand.
Please click here.
greens. Add any chopped vegetables you have on hand.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
58 calories
5 g total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
4 g carbohydrate
2 g protein
2 g fiber
9 mg sodium
Choose mixed salad greens whenever you can. Or mix romaine lettuce with spinach or any other dark green variety. Romaine by itself is fine, but the darker the greens, the more antioxidants they contain. If you find balsamic vinegar too strong for your taste, pick a milder vinegar like apple cider.
Ingredients:
2 cups salad greens
1 tsp olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Italian or other seasoning mix
Instructions:
Whisk the dressing together and toss with the greens. Add any chopped vegetables you have on hand.
Please click here.
greens. Add any chopped vegetables you have on hand.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
58 calories
5 g total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
4 g carbohydrate
2 g protein
2 g fiber
9 mg sodium
Cut the Salt, Add Flavor!
Even if you don't have high blood pressure, you should reduce your salt intake. This doesn't mean cutting flavor. There are many delicious ways to season your food. Try including some of these spices and herbs the next time you prepare a meal:
* Basil: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, fish, and meats.
* Cinnamon: Use in salads, vegetables, and breads.
* Cilantro: Use with meats, or in sauces, stews, and rice.
* Chili Powder/Chile Pequeño: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, and fish.
* Cloves: Use in soups, salads, and vegetables.
* Dill Weed and Dill Seed: Use in fish, soups, salads, and vegetables.
* Garlic Powder: Use in pasta sauces, stews, soups, marinades, and meats.
* Ginger: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, and meats.
* Marjoram: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, beef, fish, and chicken.
* Nutmeg: Use in vegetables and meats.
* Oregano: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, meats, and chicken.
* Onion Powder: Meats, poultry, soups, and salads.
* Parsley: Use in salads, vegetables, fish, and meats.
* Rosemary: Use in salads, vegetables, fish, and meats.
* Sage: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, meats, and chicken.
* Thyme: Use in salads, vegetables, fish, and chicken.
When experimenting with new seasonings, start by adding a small amount to the dish you're preparing, and keep adding more until the flavors please you. With this expanded repertoire of herbs and spices, salt will be the last thing on your mind.
There are many spices that can give your dishes a kick. Here are some suggestions to get your started:
* Poultry: Ginger, rosemary, thyme, curry powder, dill, sage, tarragon, oregano, cloves, orange rind
* Fish: Curry powder, pepper, lemon juice, ginger, marjoram, onion, paprika
* Pork: Garlic, onion, sage, ginger, curry, cloves, bay leaf, oregano
* Greens: Thyme, ginger, onion, dill, garlic
* Potatoes: Garlic, pepper, paprika, thyme, onion, sage
* Beans: Thyme, onion, dill, cumin, oregano, garlic, tarragon, rosemary
* Okra: Garlic, pepper, thyme, onion
There are many options when it comes to eating healthy, it just takes a little imagination! These spices are sure to help you get started.
* Basil: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, fish, and meats.
* Cinnamon: Use in salads, vegetables, and breads.
* Cilantro: Use with meats, or in sauces, stews, and rice.
* Chili Powder/Chile Pequeño: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, and fish.
* Cloves: Use in soups, salads, and vegetables.
* Dill Weed and Dill Seed: Use in fish, soups, salads, and vegetables.
* Garlic Powder: Use in pasta sauces, stews, soups, marinades, and meats.
* Ginger: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, and meats.
* Marjoram: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, beef, fish, and chicken.
* Nutmeg: Use in vegetables and meats.
* Oregano: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, meats, and chicken.
* Onion Powder: Meats, poultry, soups, and salads.
* Parsley: Use in salads, vegetables, fish, and meats.
* Rosemary: Use in salads, vegetables, fish, and meats.
* Sage: Use in soups, salads, vegetables, meats, and chicken.
* Thyme: Use in salads, vegetables, fish, and chicken.
When experimenting with new seasonings, start by adding a small amount to the dish you're preparing, and keep adding more until the flavors please you. With this expanded repertoire of herbs and spices, salt will be the last thing on your mind.
There are many spices that can give your dishes a kick. Here are some suggestions to get your started:
* Poultry: Ginger, rosemary, thyme, curry powder, dill, sage, tarragon, oregano, cloves, orange rind
* Fish: Curry powder, pepper, lemon juice, ginger, marjoram, onion, paprika
* Pork: Garlic, onion, sage, ginger, curry, cloves, bay leaf, oregano
* Greens: Thyme, ginger, onion, dill, garlic
* Potatoes: Garlic, pepper, paprika, thyme, onion, sage
* Beans: Thyme, onion, dill, cumin, oregano, garlic, tarragon, rosemary
* Okra: Garlic, pepper, thyme, onion
There are many options when it comes to eating healthy, it just takes a little imagination! These spices are sure to help you get started.
Recipe - Wild Rice and Mushrooms
6 Servings
Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats, are a far better source of energy than the hunks of meat most Americans expect in the center of their plates. Grains supply complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber all wrapped up in tasty packages. Wild rice is a delicious grain that isn't really rice at all. It's actually a long-grain marsh grass that grows wild in the Great Lakes area and is cultivated commercially in California and the Midwest. I love this grain's chewy texture and nutty flavor. I mix it here with mushrooms and chopped nuts for a combination of colors, textures and luxuriant flavors. When you use wild rice, be sure to wash it thoroughly first. Set it in a bowl, cover it with water and let the debris float to the surface so you can pour it
Please click here.
off. Don't cook it too long or you'll get starchy, wimpy grains that have lost much of their flavor.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
2 1/2 cups water, approximately
1 cup wild rice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup sliced carrots
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt or natural soy sauce to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
1. Soak the dried mushrooms in water to cover until they are soft. Squeeze them out, reserving liquid, and slice.
2. Wash the wild rice in cold water and place in pot with the mushroom-soaking liquid (minus any sediment) and enough additional cold water to total 2 cups.
3. Add the orange juice, sherry and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
5. Add the chopped parsley and salt or soy sauce to taste. Stir in the finely chopped nuts (black walnuts, pecans or filberts).
Wild Rice and Mushrooms
6 Servings
Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats, are a far better source of energy than the hunks of meat most Americans expect in the center of their plates. Grains supply complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber all wrapped up in tasty packages. Wild rice is a delicious grain that isn't really rice at all. It's actually a long-grain marsh grass that grows wild in the Great Lakes area and is cultivated commercially in California and the Midwest. I love this grain's chewy texture and nutty flavor. I mix it here with mushrooms and chopped nuts for a combination of colors, textures and luxuriant flavors. When you use wild rice, be sure to wash it thoroughly first. Set it in a bowl, cover it with water and let the debris float to the surface so you can pour it
Please click here.
off. Don't cook it too long or you'll get starchy, wimpy grains that have lost much of their flavor.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
2 1/2 cups water, approximately
1 cup wild rice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup sliced carrots
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt or natural soy sauce to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
1. Soak the dried mushrooms in water to cover until they are soft. Squeeze them out, reserving liquid, and slice.
2. Wash the wild rice in cold water and place in pot with the mushroom-soaking liquid (minus any sediment) and enough additional cold water to total 2 cups.
3. Add the orange juice, sherry and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
5. Add the chopped parsley and salt or soy sauce to taste. Stir in the finely chopped nuts (black walnuts, pecans or filberts).
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
245 calories
10 g total fat (2 g sat)
76 mg cholesterol
0 g carbohydrate
22 g protein
0 g fiber
50 mg sodium
Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats, are a far better source of energy than the hunks of meat most Americans expect in the center of their plates. Grains supply complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber all wrapped up in tasty packages. Wild rice is a delicious grain that isn't really rice at all. It's actually a long-grain marsh grass that grows wild in the Great Lakes area and is cultivated commercially in California and the Midwest. I love this grain's chewy texture and nutty flavor. I mix it here with mushrooms and chopped nuts for a combination of colors, textures and luxuriant flavors. When you use wild rice, be sure to wash it thoroughly first. Set it in a bowl, cover it with water and let the debris float to the surface so you can pour it
Please click here.
off. Don't cook it too long or you'll get starchy, wimpy grains that have lost much of their flavor.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
2 1/2 cups water, approximately
1 cup wild rice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup sliced carrots
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt or natural soy sauce to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
1. Soak the dried mushrooms in water to cover until they are soft. Squeeze them out, reserving liquid, and slice.
2. Wash the wild rice in cold water and place in pot with the mushroom-soaking liquid (minus any sediment) and enough additional cold water to total 2 cups.
3. Add the orange juice, sherry and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
5. Add the chopped parsley and salt or soy sauce to taste. Stir in the finely chopped nuts (black walnuts, pecans or filberts).
Wild Rice and Mushrooms
6 Servings
Whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, and oats, are a far better source of energy than the hunks of meat most Americans expect in the center of their plates. Grains supply complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber all wrapped up in tasty packages. Wild rice is a delicious grain that isn't really rice at all. It's actually a long-grain marsh grass that grows wild in the Great Lakes area and is cultivated commercially in California and the Midwest. I love this grain's chewy texture and nutty flavor. I mix it here with mushrooms and chopped nuts for a combination of colors, textures and luxuriant flavors. When you use wild rice, be sure to wash it thoroughly first. Set it in a bowl, cover it with water and let the debris float to the surface so you can pour it
Please click here.
off. Don't cook it too long or you'll get starchy, wimpy grains that have lost much of their flavor.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
2 1/2 cups water, approximately
1 cup wild rice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup sliced carrots
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt or natural soy sauce to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
1. Soak the dried mushrooms in water to cover until they are soft. Squeeze them out, reserving liquid, and slice.
2. Wash the wild rice in cold water and place in pot with the mushroom-soaking liquid (minus any sediment) and enough additional cold water to total 2 cups.
3. Add the orange juice, sherry and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
5. Add the chopped parsley and salt or soy sauce to taste. Stir in the finely chopped nuts (black walnuts, pecans or filberts).
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
245 calories
10 g total fat (2 g sat)
76 mg cholesterol
0 g carbohydrate
22 g protein
0 g fiber
50 mg sodium
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Raw Foods
People try to obtain vitamins through supplements, but artificially synthesized vitamin products aren't as effective because of their low absorption rate. In addition, excessive vitamins at one time are lost through our waste system. That's why it's absolutely best to obtain vitamins through meals of raw, natural, organic food.
Here are a few power packed foods!
1. Embryo Bud (Sprouts)
The first secret of raw food is the embryo bud. This is where grain starts
its life. The milling process eliminates this embryo bud, which makes a huge difference. For example, brown rice is whole rice with hulls (husks) still attached; when stripped of hulls and embryo buds, it becomes white rice. When steeped in water, brown rice produces buds; white rice just rots -- proof that it's life is gone. White rice contains only 5% of the fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients of brown rice. That's because 66% of vitamins and minerals are in the embryo bud, 29% in the hulls. It's little wonder that the Chinese characters for "white race" contain part of the character for "waste." To intake living nature, we need to eat whole grain.
2. Chlorophyll
Animals maintain life when they eat other organisms, either plants or other animals. They mostly can't make nutritive substances on their own. Plants can make nutrients, such as glucose, protein, and vitamins, by photosynthesis. When they spread their leaves toward the sun, the chlorophyll that colors them green absorbs solar energy and produces glucose from water and carbon dioxide -- an economic method of nutrition productivity.
Chlorophyll bears a striking chemical similarity to hemoglobin, the vital component of blood. Chlorophyll's phorphyrin structure has magnesium as its central metallic element; hemoglobin has iron. When an animal eats grass, a metathesis occurs in its intestinal villi, transforming a large amount of magnesium into iron. Metathesizing chlorophyll creates increased hemoglobin in the blood, which is why vegetarian animals can maintain life by eating only green grass. That's also why some people call chlorophyll "green blood."
Chlorophyll makes fresh, clean blood, and helps revive damaged cells, limits cancer cell growth and virus occurrence, and functions as an anti-allergen. In green photodynamic therapy (PDT), chlorophyll reduces side-effects and increases the effectiveness of standard PDT, a therapy which kills cancer cells with light.
According to a 1999 study by the Eighth Asia Nutrition Study Board, chlorophyll also helps prevent cancer by defending against harmful variations in meat produced by cooking. But chlorophyll is also easily damaged by heat -- you'll notice that steamed vegetables produce greenish liquid, which contain the dissolved chlorophyll. That's why it's better to eat green vegetables raw.
3. Enzymes
Enzymes participate in all processes of life: birth and death, growth and maintenance. They are the catalytic elements that accelerate chemical reactions by 108 to 1011 times. Some laundry detergents contain enzymes to accelerate the dissolution of proteins and removal of dirt.
No matter how much good food we eat, the food can't become part of our bodies without enzymes. Protein, for example, is too large to pass through our blood vessels alone; enzymes must first dissolve it into molecularly-miniscule amino acid. Enzymes also produce necessary substances, dissolve unnecessary substances, and help eliminate harmful ones from the body.
As we get older, enzymes decrease their production. That's why elders often have more difficulty digesting food than younger people do. For digestive problems, we generally take peptic medicines that contain enzymes, such as amylase that dissolves rice starches, proteolytic enzyme, and fatty lipolytic enzyme.
As stress and environmental pollution increase, so does our need for enzymes. Since cooking and processing food destroys enzymes, you can see why modern urban people with busy lives often lack sufficient enzymes in their diet, and often suffer from digestion, stressed bodies, accelerated aging, and diseases.
Enzymes also need vitamins and minerals to function properly, and these are also damaged and destroyed by cooking. Raw food supplies the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals you need.
4. Dietary Fiber
In the past, food-processing techniques focused on eliminating fiber, considering it unnecessary and difficult to digest. Now, fiber is recognized as useful in preventing and treating such ailments as diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
A British scholar first addressed the importance of dietary fiber after realizing that the English suffer a higher incidence of colon cancer than Africans do. He noted that an English person's average daily stool quantity was 110 grams, and it took 45 to 60 hours for the excretion to pass through their colons. In contrast, Africans had average daily stool quantity of 200 grams for urban dwellers, 300 grams for rural people, and their stool took 30 to 40 hours to pass through their colons. He found that saprogenous bacillus existed largely in English stool, while African stool contained more beneficial bacteria. The reason: the Africans' greater amount of vegetable intake gave them more fiber, which reduced their chances of colon cancer.
Fiber is an excellent internal cleanser. It absorbs and removes harmful waste products and poisonous materials, while reducing cholesterol and heavy metal levels. Fiber absorbs water like a sponge, and adheres to digestive tracks, which reduces digestion duration. This cuts the time carcinogens stay inside the body.
According to a study at Washington University, lab mice with large fiber intake were less likely to develop cancer, even when injected with carcinogens: 39% of the mice fed a large quantity of fiber developed cancer, compared to 69% of those not fed fiber.
Your colon contains approximately one hundred types of bacterium, with a total of about a hundred trillion bacteria. Such beneficial bacteria as lactobacillus or lactobacillus bifidus thrive on fiber in the colon, thus retarding the growth of harmful bacteria. They dissolve fiber to make vitamins and amino acids.
Fiber can be obtained through vegetables, whole grains, marine plants, and mushrooms, but not through most processed food. And more fiber is obtained by eating raw food and fruits with rinds than through cooked food.
5. Phytonutrients
As the name suggests, phytonutrients exist only in plants. They're usually found in the rinds and other exterior features of plants to defend against outside attacks by insects, etc. To strengthen the immunity of our own bodies, we must consume the immune substances of plants. That's why it's better to eat fruits and vegetables with rinds, leaves, stems, and roots. Known phytonutrients include carotenoid in carrots, tomatoes, and oranges, soy's isoflavone, and catechin in green tea. Only 10% of functional phytonutrients are known, but as more are revealed, phytonutrients will factor greatly in health plans. And since phytonutrients are more effective consumed fresh and whole, we need to consume them raw.
6. Vitamins
Our 60 trillion cells continuously react chemically. Vitamins give them life and vitality, turn food into energy, and abet growth, strength, and disease prevention. A person only needs a teaspoonful of vitamins per day, but since our bodies can't produce vitamins on their own, we must obtain them from food.
All natural foods contain vitamins, but we destroy them through processing and cooking. Cutting and chopping food in small pieces, even washing it, causes vitamin loss.
Vitamins differ greatly in stability. Vitamin B1 and folic acid are easily destroyed by heat, and vitamin C is the most unstable of all -- it's easily affected by air, heat, acid and metals, and readily dissolves in water. Even when rinds of certain fruits and vegetables are scratched or peeled, they lose a great amount of vitamin C.
Vitamin B1 dissolves in water and is easily affected by temperature and contact with metals, alkali, and oxygen. Although vitamin B2 is less sensitive to heat, it is vulnerable to light and can be lost in water during cooking.
Fat-soluble vitamins are more stable than water-soluble ones, but can easily be destroyed by high temperatures or contact with oxygen.
Vitamins are destroyed in great quantity during the storage process, in both warm and cold conditions. Asparagus, for example, loses 50% of its vitamin C at 0„a C, and 90% at -21„a C. Chinese cabbage loses all its vitamin C in just a few days. B1 in a humid place easily loses its potency. That's why there's no benefit to buying fruit and vegetables in bulk at a discount. To reduce vitamin loss, buy small quantities as fresh and as frequently as possible. Store them in a dark place without airflow. Don't soak them in water but wash quickly.
When stressed, we waste the vitamins inside us, especially such antioxidants as vitamins A, C and E. With a lack of vitamins, our immune systems weaken, causing insomnia, loss of appetite, over-sensitivity, and lack of energy. These symptoms can occur long before vitamin deficiency diseases develop, such as scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), and beriberi (vitamin B1 deficiency). Each vitamin has its unique deficiency symptoms, but vitamins also have relationships with each other. Missing or lacking only one causes physical imbalances.
Here are a few power packed foods!
1. Embryo Bud (Sprouts)
The first secret of raw food is the embryo bud. This is where grain starts
its life. The milling process eliminates this embryo bud, which makes a huge difference. For example, brown rice is whole rice with hulls (husks) still attached; when stripped of hulls and embryo buds, it becomes white rice. When steeped in water, brown rice produces buds; white rice just rots -- proof that it's life is gone. White rice contains only 5% of the fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients of brown rice. That's because 66% of vitamins and minerals are in the embryo bud, 29% in the hulls. It's little wonder that the Chinese characters for "white race" contain part of the character for "waste." To intake living nature, we need to eat whole grain.
2. Chlorophyll
Animals maintain life when they eat other organisms, either plants or other animals. They mostly can't make nutritive substances on their own. Plants can make nutrients, such as glucose, protein, and vitamins, by photosynthesis. When they spread their leaves toward the sun, the chlorophyll that colors them green absorbs solar energy and produces glucose from water and carbon dioxide -- an economic method of nutrition productivity.
Chlorophyll bears a striking chemical similarity to hemoglobin, the vital component of blood. Chlorophyll's phorphyrin structure has magnesium as its central metallic element; hemoglobin has iron. When an animal eats grass, a metathesis occurs in its intestinal villi, transforming a large amount of magnesium into iron. Metathesizing chlorophyll creates increased hemoglobin in the blood, which is why vegetarian animals can maintain life by eating only green grass. That's also why some people call chlorophyll "green blood."
Chlorophyll makes fresh, clean blood, and helps revive damaged cells, limits cancer cell growth and virus occurrence, and functions as an anti-allergen. In green photodynamic therapy (PDT), chlorophyll reduces side-effects and increases the effectiveness of standard PDT, a therapy which kills cancer cells with light.
According to a 1999 study by the Eighth Asia Nutrition Study Board, chlorophyll also helps prevent cancer by defending against harmful variations in meat produced by cooking. But chlorophyll is also easily damaged by heat -- you'll notice that steamed vegetables produce greenish liquid, which contain the dissolved chlorophyll. That's why it's better to eat green vegetables raw.
3. Enzymes
Enzymes participate in all processes of life: birth and death, growth and maintenance. They are the catalytic elements that accelerate chemical reactions by 108 to 1011 times. Some laundry detergents contain enzymes to accelerate the dissolution of proteins and removal of dirt.
No matter how much good food we eat, the food can't become part of our bodies without enzymes. Protein, for example, is too large to pass through our blood vessels alone; enzymes must first dissolve it into molecularly-miniscule amino acid. Enzymes also produce necessary substances, dissolve unnecessary substances, and help eliminate harmful ones from the body.
As we get older, enzymes decrease their production. That's why elders often have more difficulty digesting food than younger people do. For digestive problems, we generally take peptic medicines that contain enzymes, such as amylase that dissolves rice starches, proteolytic enzyme, and fatty lipolytic enzyme.
As stress and environmental pollution increase, so does our need for enzymes. Since cooking and processing food destroys enzymes, you can see why modern urban people with busy lives often lack sufficient enzymes in their diet, and often suffer from digestion, stressed bodies, accelerated aging, and diseases.
Enzymes also need vitamins and minerals to function properly, and these are also damaged and destroyed by cooking. Raw food supplies the enzymes, vitamins, and minerals you need.
4. Dietary Fiber
In the past, food-processing techniques focused on eliminating fiber, considering it unnecessary and difficult to digest. Now, fiber is recognized as useful in preventing and treating such ailments as diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
A British scholar first addressed the importance of dietary fiber after realizing that the English suffer a higher incidence of colon cancer than Africans do. He noted that an English person's average daily stool quantity was 110 grams, and it took 45 to 60 hours for the excretion to pass through their colons. In contrast, Africans had average daily stool quantity of 200 grams for urban dwellers, 300 grams for rural people, and their stool took 30 to 40 hours to pass through their colons. He found that saprogenous bacillus existed largely in English stool, while African stool contained more beneficial bacteria. The reason: the Africans' greater amount of vegetable intake gave them more fiber, which reduced their chances of colon cancer.
Fiber is an excellent internal cleanser. It absorbs and removes harmful waste products and poisonous materials, while reducing cholesterol and heavy metal levels. Fiber absorbs water like a sponge, and adheres to digestive tracks, which reduces digestion duration. This cuts the time carcinogens stay inside the body.
According to a study at Washington University, lab mice with large fiber intake were less likely to develop cancer, even when injected with carcinogens: 39% of the mice fed a large quantity of fiber developed cancer, compared to 69% of those not fed fiber.
Your colon contains approximately one hundred types of bacterium, with a total of about a hundred trillion bacteria. Such beneficial bacteria as lactobacillus or lactobacillus bifidus thrive on fiber in the colon, thus retarding the growth of harmful bacteria. They dissolve fiber to make vitamins and amino acids.
Fiber can be obtained through vegetables, whole grains, marine plants, and mushrooms, but not through most processed food. And more fiber is obtained by eating raw food and fruits with rinds than through cooked food.
5. Phytonutrients
As the name suggests, phytonutrients exist only in plants. They're usually found in the rinds and other exterior features of plants to defend against outside attacks by insects, etc. To strengthen the immunity of our own bodies, we must consume the immune substances of plants. That's why it's better to eat fruits and vegetables with rinds, leaves, stems, and roots. Known phytonutrients include carotenoid in carrots, tomatoes, and oranges, soy's isoflavone, and catechin in green tea. Only 10% of functional phytonutrients are known, but as more are revealed, phytonutrients will factor greatly in health plans. And since phytonutrients are more effective consumed fresh and whole, we need to consume them raw.
6. Vitamins
Our 60 trillion cells continuously react chemically. Vitamins give them life and vitality, turn food into energy, and abet growth, strength, and disease prevention. A person only needs a teaspoonful of vitamins per day, but since our bodies can't produce vitamins on their own, we must obtain them from food.
All natural foods contain vitamins, but we destroy them through processing and cooking. Cutting and chopping food in small pieces, even washing it, causes vitamin loss.
Vitamins differ greatly in stability. Vitamin B1 and folic acid are easily destroyed by heat, and vitamin C is the most unstable of all -- it's easily affected by air, heat, acid and metals, and readily dissolves in water. Even when rinds of certain fruits and vegetables are scratched or peeled, they lose a great amount of vitamin C.
Vitamin B1 dissolves in water and is easily affected by temperature and contact with metals, alkali, and oxygen. Although vitamin B2 is less sensitive to heat, it is vulnerable to light and can be lost in water during cooking.
Fat-soluble vitamins are more stable than water-soluble ones, but can easily be destroyed by high temperatures or contact with oxygen.
Vitamins are destroyed in great quantity during the storage process, in both warm and cold conditions. Asparagus, for example, loses 50% of its vitamin C at 0„a C, and 90% at -21„a C. Chinese cabbage loses all its vitamin C in just a few days. B1 in a humid place easily loses its potency. That's why there's no benefit to buying fruit and vegetables in bulk at a discount. To reduce vitamin loss, buy small quantities as fresh and as frequently as possible. Store them in a dark place without airflow. Don't soak them in water but wash quickly.
When stressed, we waste the vitamins inside us, especially such antioxidants as vitamins A, C and E. With a lack of vitamins, our immune systems weaken, causing insomnia, loss of appetite, over-sensitivity, and lack of energy. These symptoms can occur long before vitamin deficiency diseases develop, such as scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), and beriberi (vitamin B1 deficiency). Each vitamin has its unique deficiency symptoms, but vitamins also have relationships with each other. Missing or lacking only one causes physical imbalances.
Get a Healthy Start
Ever doubted the importance of beginning your day with a nutritious meal? Consider that more and more scientific evidence points to the fact that eating breakfast is indispensable to healthy living. A nutrition study conducted in Japan revealed some interesting characteristics in people who traditionally go without breakfast. For example, people who skipped breakfast tend to take in less calcium, iron and vitamin D than those who eat breakfast. Male breakfast skippers tend to have higher blood pressure than non-skippers, and female skippers tend to have higher total cholesterol levels than those who eat breakfast. Both male and females who forgo the first meal of the day tend to smoke more, and female breakfast skippers tend to drink more alcohol and exercise less.
It's unlikely that eating breakfast keeps you from smoking or lowers your cholesterol, when considered in isolation from other health factors, but the indication is clear that people with healthier lifestyles know the importance of fueling up before starting their day.
Source: Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition
It's unlikely that eating breakfast keeps you from smoking or lowers your cholesterol, when considered in isolation from other health factors, but the indication is clear that people with healthier lifestyles know the importance of fueling up before starting their day.
Source: Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Raise the Bar Safely!
When it comes to lifting weights, it's important to practice good habits! Using equipment incorrectly could cause you a lot of pain, or worse, injury. Make sure that when you hit the weight room, you're doing it right. Use these simple tips to make sure heavy lifting doesn't lead to a pain in the neck (or anywhere else)!
* Bring the load as close to your body as possible before you lift.
* Stand with feet separated, one slightly in front of the other.
* Bend at your knees to pick the weight up, and use your leg muscles to hoist it, not your back.
* Keep your movements slow and smooth — don't jerk the load to lift it.
* Stand tall — don't let the weight cause you to slump over.
* If something is too heavy, ask for help!
* Bring the load as close to your body as possible before you lift.
* Stand with feet separated, one slightly in front of the other.
* Bend at your knees to pick the weight up, and use your leg muscles to hoist it, not your back.
* Keep your movements slow and smooth — don't jerk the load to lift it.
* Stand tall — don't let the weight cause you to slump over.
* If something is too heavy, ask for help!
Get Physical!
If you or some one you love are not getting enought excercise, encourage them!
It doesn't take a lot of effort to become physically active. All you need is a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-level physical activity on most days of the week. Don't think that you need to spend a lot of time at the gym, either. There are plenty of different ways to get your daily dose of exercise. Try these activities:
* Playing volleyball for 45 to 60 minutes
* Playing touch football for 45 minutes
* Walking two miles in 30 minutes (one mile in 15 minutes)
* Running one and a half miles in 15 minutes (one mile in 10 minutes)
* Shooting baskets for 30 minutes
* Playing a game of basketball for 15 to 20 minutes
* Dancing (fast) for 30 minutes
* Performing water aerobics for 30 minutes
* Swimming laps for 20 minutes
* Jumping rope for 15 minutes
No matter which activity you choose, you'll be helping your heart. Make your health a priority — and set aside 30 minutes every day for exercise!
It doesn't take a lot of effort to become physically active. All you need is a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-level physical activity on most days of the week. Don't think that you need to spend a lot of time at the gym, either. There are plenty of different ways to get your daily dose of exercise. Try these activities:
* Playing volleyball for 45 to 60 minutes
* Playing touch football for 45 minutes
* Walking two miles in 30 minutes (one mile in 15 minutes)
* Running one and a half miles in 15 minutes (one mile in 10 minutes)
* Shooting baskets for 30 minutes
* Playing a game of basketball for 15 to 20 minutes
* Dancing (fast) for 30 minutes
* Performing water aerobics for 30 minutes
* Swimming laps for 20 minutes
* Jumping rope for 15 minutes
No matter which activity you choose, you'll be helping your heart. Make your health a priority — and set aside 30 minutes every day for exercise!
Recipe - Poached Salmon
2 Servings
I ask you to make is to start eating fish, particularly oily, cold-water fish. Of the varieties that fall into this category (mackerel, kippers, sardines and wild Alaskan salmon) my favorite is salmon. It's a leading source of omega-3 fatty acids, essential fatty acids that contribute to brain growth and development and may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and cancer.
Ingredients:
Salmon filets (allow 6 ounces per person)
1 carrot, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 slices lemon
Several sprigs of parsley
6 bay leaves (Turkish, or 1/2 of a California bay leaf)
Salt to taste
1 cup dry white wine
Juice of half a lemon
Instructions:
1. Cut the salmon filets into individual portions if necessary.
2. Place in a large skillet the carrot, onion, sliced celery, lemon, parsley and bay leaves.
3. Add the fish, cold water to cover, salt to taste, the wine and the lemon juice. Bring the water to a boil, uncovered.
4. Adjust heat to simmer and let fish cook for 5 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and leave fish undisturbed for 10 minutes. Then remove it carefully to a serving platter; the salmon will be perfectly done. It is delicious served either hot or cold.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
245 calories
10 g total fat (2 g sat)
76 mg cholesterol
0 g carbohydrate
22 g protein
0 g fiber
50 mg sodium
I ask you to make is to start eating fish, particularly oily, cold-water fish. Of the varieties that fall into this category (mackerel, kippers, sardines and wild Alaskan salmon) my favorite is salmon. It's a leading source of omega-3 fatty acids, essential fatty acids that contribute to brain growth and development and may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and cancer.
Ingredients:
Salmon filets (allow 6 ounces per person)
1 carrot, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 slices lemon
Several sprigs of parsley
6 bay leaves (Turkish, or 1/2 of a California bay leaf)
Salt to taste
1 cup dry white wine
Juice of half a lemon
Instructions:
1. Cut the salmon filets into individual portions if necessary.
2. Place in a large skillet the carrot, onion, sliced celery, lemon, parsley and bay leaves.
3. Add the fish, cold water to cover, salt to taste, the wine and the lemon juice. Bring the water to a boil, uncovered.
4. Adjust heat to simmer and let fish cook for 5 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and leave fish undisturbed for 10 minutes. Then remove it carefully to a serving platter; the salmon will be perfectly done. It is delicious served either hot or cold.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
245 calories
10 g total fat (2 g sat)
76 mg cholesterol
0 g carbohydrate
22 g protein
0 g fiber
50 mg sodium
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Top 10 Super Foods
Many Americans like to think that they can meet all their nutritional needs by popping a supplement. They shouldn't underestimate the power of Mother Nature! Real food provides us with countless benefits that you just can't get from a pill. Here is a roundup of 10 nutritional all-stars - plus some innovative ideas for working them into your menus.
1. Super Food: Soy
Special Power: Studies suggest soy can help reduce the risk of breast cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease as well as minimize "hot flashes."
Sneak-it-in strategies: Toss tofu into a stir-fry; crumble soy protein into pasta sauce; snack on yummy roasted or boiled soybeans; lighten your coffee with soy milk.
2. Super Food: Tuna
Special Power: The omega-3 fatty acids in tuna, salmon and other "fatty" fishes have been shown to help lower LDL - or "bad " - cholesterol levels and minimize menstrual cramps.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Toss canned tuna into a bowl of pasta; add it to a salad; put cubed tuna steaks and veggies onto skewers and grill.
3. Super Food: Skim milk
Special Power: Low-fat dairy products (think skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese) are rich in calcium, important for building strong bones, teeth and muscles; they also contain potassium, which helps control blood pressure.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Drink a "skim" café latte instead of black coffee; add to a smoothie instead of juice.
4. Super Food: Carrots
Special Power: Bugs Bunny is no dummy: The beta-carotene in carrots is excellent for your eyes, helps keep your arteries clear, and may prevent tumors from growing.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Snack on carrots sticks; add to canned soups; shred and add to sandwiches.
5. Super Food: Blueberries
Special Power: Deep red, purple or blue foods (think blueberries, cherries, strawberries, red cabbage, beets, raspberries, cranberries and purple grapes) contain phytonutrients called anthocyanins, which have been linked to lower heart disease and cancer risk.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Add to a smoothie; sprinkle over cereal or waffles; toss into a salad topped with raspberry vinaigrette.
6. Super Food: Avocados
Special Power: Yes, they're high in fat, but it's the "good," monounsaturated kind (meaning it won't clog your arteries). In fact, new research shows that avocados may protect against heart disease by lowering your LDL levels. Monounsaturated fats also help make your skin softer and your hair shinier.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Add slices to a veggie sandwich; stir cubes into chicken and rice soup; dip baked tortilla chips into fresh guacamole.
7. Super Food: Spinach
Special Power: Spinach and other dark, leafy greens are rich in bone-fortifying calcium; folic acid, which may help protect against heart disease and birth defects; and vitamin K, a nutrient necessary for proper blood clotting.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Stack onto sandwiches instead of lettuce; stir into hot soups; sauté with onion and use to top a baked potato.
8.Super Food: Kiwi
Special Power: One kiwi contains more vitamin C than an orange; it's also a good source of potassium, which helps keep your muscles functioning properly.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Cut in half and eat with a spoon; add slices to a bowl of cereal; use to spruce up a citrus salad.
9. Super Food: Garlic
Special Power: Eating half a clove daily can help guard against cancer; some studies suggest it may also lower cholesterol levels.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Sauté chopped garlic and green beans in olive oil; rub toasted bread with a garlic clove, then top with tomatoes, onion and garlic to make bruschetta; poke holes in a chicken breast and fill with bits of garlic to flavor meat while cooking.
10. Super Food: Broccoli
Special Power: This cruciferous vegetable is packed with cancer-fighting nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, nitrogen compounds and sulforaphane.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Sprinkle finely chopped florets on pasta, rich, soup, salads or eggs; steam lightly and place in whole wheat pitas with hummus.
1. Super Food: Soy
Special Power: Studies suggest soy can help reduce the risk of breast cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease as well as minimize "hot flashes."
Sneak-it-in strategies: Toss tofu into a stir-fry; crumble soy protein into pasta sauce; snack on yummy roasted or boiled soybeans; lighten your coffee with soy milk.
2. Super Food: Tuna
Special Power: The omega-3 fatty acids in tuna, salmon and other "fatty" fishes have been shown to help lower LDL - or "bad " - cholesterol levels and minimize menstrual cramps.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Toss canned tuna into a bowl of pasta; add it to a salad; put cubed tuna steaks and veggies onto skewers and grill.
3. Super Food: Skim milk
Special Power: Low-fat dairy products (think skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese) are rich in calcium, important for building strong bones, teeth and muscles; they also contain potassium, which helps control blood pressure.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Drink a "skim" café latte instead of black coffee; add to a smoothie instead of juice.
4. Super Food: Carrots
Special Power: Bugs Bunny is no dummy: The beta-carotene in carrots is excellent for your eyes, helps keep your arteries clear, and may prevent tumors from growing.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Snack on carrots sticks; add to canned soups; shred and add to sandwiches.
5. Super Food: Blueberries
Special Power: Deep red, purple or blue foods (think blueberries, cherries, strawberries, red cabbage, beets, raspberries, cranberries and purple grapes) contain phytonutrients called anthocyanins, which have been linked to lower heart disease and cancer risk.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Add to a smoothie; sprinkle over cereal or waffles; toss into a salad topped with raspberry vinaigrette.
6. Super Food: Avocados
Special Power: Yes, they're high in fat, but it's the "good," monounsaturated kind (meaning it won't clog your arteries). In fact, new research shows that avocados may protect against heart disease by lowering your LDL levels. Monounsaturated fats also help make your skin softer and your hair shinier.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Add slices to a veggie sandwich; stir cubes into chicken and rice soup; dip baked tortilla chips into fresh guacamole.
7. Super Food: Spinach
Special Power: Spinach and other dark, leafy greens are rich in bone-fortifying calcium; folic acid, which may help protect against heart disease and birth defects; and vitamin K, a nutrient necessary for proper blood clotting.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Stack onto sandwiches instead of lettuce; stir into hot soups; sauté with onion and use to top a baked potato.
8.Super Food: Kiwi
Special Power: One kiwi contains more vitamin C than an orange; it's also a good source of potassium, which helps keep your muscles functioning properly.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Cut in half and eat with a spoon; add slices to a bowl of cereal; use to spruce up a citrus salad.
9. Super Food: Garlic
Special Power: Eating half a clove daily can help guard against cancer; some studies suggest it may also lower cholesterol levels.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Sauté chopped garlic and green beans in olive oil; rub toasted bread with a garlic clove, then top with tomatoes, onion and garlic to make bruschetta; poke holes in a chicken breast and fill with bits of garlic to flavor meat while cooking.
10. Super Food: Broccoli
Special Power: This cruciferous vegetable is packed with cancer-fighting nutrients such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, nitrogen compounds and sulforaphane.
Sneak-it-in strategies: Sprinkle finely chopped florets on pasta, rich, soup, salads or eggs; steam lightly and place in whole wheat pitas with hummus.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Recipe - Pasta Salad
Using colorful pasta make this dish a little more festive.
Number of Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Ingredients
2 cups - cooked tri-colored rotini pasta
1/2 cup - cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup - red pepper, diced
1 tbsp - black olives, sliced
1 - 15-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1/4 cup - balsamic vinegar
2 tsp - olive oil
1 tbsp - dijon mustard
2 tsp - fresh basil, minced
fresh ground pepper to taste
Preparation Instructions
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk together the second 5 ingredients.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat well.
Serve at room tenperature.
Exchanges Per Serving
1 Starch
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving
Calories 92 Calories from Fat 21
Total Fat 2 g Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 162 mg
Total Carbohydrate 16 g Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 3 g Protein 3 g
Number of Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Ingredients
2 cups - cooked tri-colored rotini pasta
1/2 cup - cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup - red pepper, diced
1 tbsp - black olives, sliced
1 - 15-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1/4 cup - balsamic vinegar
2 tsp - olive oil
1 tbsp - dijon mustard
2 tsp - fresh basil, minced
fresh ground pepper to taste
Preparation Instructions
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
Whisk together the second 5 ingredients.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat well.
Serve at room tenperature.
Exchanges Per Serving
1 Starch
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving
Calories 92 Calories from Fat 21
Total Fat 2 g Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 162 mg
Total Carbohydrate 16 g Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 3 g Protein 3 g
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Fewer Calories = Less Weight
There are a variety of weight loss therapies ranging from nutrition therapy (low-calorie diets and increasing physical activity) to behavior therapy, drugs, and surgery. But for the long run, eating fewer calories than you burn is the key. Recently, at the direction of National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) completed a study on popular diets and found the diets that reduce calories result in weight loss. If you don't exercise, eating approximately 1,400 to 1,500 calories a day is recommended, no matter which foods you eat.
The easiest way to control calories is to cut back on how much fat you eat. Most people who succeed at weight loss and keep it off eat a diet with 20 to 30 percent of their calories from fat. This is significantly less fat than is in the average American diet, which is more than 36 percent calories from fat.
Unfortunately, it's not enough to follow a diet for 8 days, 8 weeks, or 8 months. Your new eating habits should the basis of your everyday food choices for the rest of your life. Healthy meal plans are high in vegetables, fruits, and other carbohydrates such as whole grains and low-fat dairy products. This is a moderate-fat, low-calorie way of eating that stops weight gain, leads to weight loss, and keeps it off. It is fast, convenient, and inexpensive.
When you set down to eat, don't "jump into the plate" as I've seen some people do. Contemplate your meal. Look at the colors, the textures and smell the aroma coming from the food. Ask yourself, or more correctly, your stomach, "Will this food be good for my body?" Wait a few moments, and begin eating. Slowly, taste each bite and imagination it providing nourishment through your body. Feel the food satisfy your nutritional needs. Your body will know whats good for it and you if you practice this short meditation, will start to correct your eating habits yourself.
The easiest way to control calories is to cut back on how much fat you eat. Most people who succeed at weight loss and keep it off eat a diet with 20 to 30 percent of their calories from fat. This is significantly less fat than is in the average American diet, which is more than 36 percent calories from fat.
Unfortunately, it's not enough to follow a diet for 8 days, 8 weeks, or 8 months. Your new eating habits should the basis of your everyday food choices for the rest of your life. Healthy meal plans are high in vegetables, fruits, and other carbohydrates such as whole grains and low-fat dairy products. This is a moderate-fat, low-calorie way of eating that stops weight gain, leads to weight loss, and keeps it off. It is fast, convenient, and inexpensive.
When you set down to eat, don't "jump into the plate" as I've seen some people do. Contemplate your meal. Look at the colors, the textures and smell the aroma coming from the food. Ask yourself, or more correctly, your stomach, "Will this food be good for my body?" Wait a few moments, and begin eating. Slowly, taste each bite and imagination it providing nourishment through your body. Feel the food satisfy your nutritional needs. Your body will know whats good for it and you if you practice this short meditation, will start to correct your eating habits yourself.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Recipe - Chicken Noodle Soup with Dill
Prep time: 20 minutes
Start to finish: 50 minutes
To make ahead: The soup will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Ease of preparation: easy
Ingredients
10 cups chicken broth, reduced-sodium canned or homemade
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces dried egg noodles (3 cups)
4 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
To Make:
1. Bring broth to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add carrots, celery, ginger and garlic; cook, uncovered, over medium heat until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Add noodles and chicken; continue cooking until the noodles are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in dill and lemon juice.
Makes 9 servings, about 1 cup each.
191 calories per serving; 4 g total fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 1 g fiber; 176 mg sodium.
Start to finish: 50 minutes
To make ahead: The soup will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Ease of preparation: easy
Ingredients
10 cups chicken broth, reduced-sodium canned or homemade
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces dried egg noodles (3 cups)
4 cups shredded cooked skinless chicken (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
To Make:
1. Bring broth to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add carrots, celery, ginger and garlic; cook, uncovered, over medium heat until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Add noodles and chicken; continue cooking until the noodles are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in dill and lemon juice.
Makes 9 servings, about 1 cup each.
191 calories per serving; 4 g total fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 1 g fiber; 176 mg sodium.
Tip of the day - Watch Out!
Watch Out For These Words
If you have been advised to lose weight for health reasons, you may be drawn to programs that promise fast and easy weight loss. Don't be fooled! Be wary of misleading programs that offer quick weight loss. Some famous phrases like "Eat all you want and still lose weight," or "Melt fat away — while you sleep," may come to mind. Some other phrases to be wary of are:
* Breakthrough
* Easy
* Effortless
* Fast
* Guaranteed
* Magical
* Quick
* New
* Discovery
* Immediate
* Miracle Cure
Healthy weight loss involves a lot of time, and can be difficult. Experts usually define healthy weight loss as a loss of one to two pounds per week, through exercise and sensible eating habits. If you see something that appears to be too good to be true, chances are, it is. Consult your doctor or nutritionist about which weight-loss approach will work the best for you.
If you have been advised to lose weight for health reasons, you may be drawn to programs that promise fast and easy weight loss. Don't be fooled! Be wary of misleading programs that offer quick weight loss. Some famous phrases like "Eat all you want and still lose weight," or "Melt fat away — while you sleep," may come to mind. Some other phrases to be wary of are:
* Breakthrough
* Easy
* Effortless
* Fast
* Guaranteed
* Magical
* Quick
* New
* Discovery
* Immediate
* Miracle Cure
Healthy weight loss involves a lot of time, and can be difficult. Experts usually define healthy weight loss as a loss of one to two pounds per week, through exercise and sensible eating habits. If you see something that appears to be too good to be true, chances are, it is. Consult your doctor or nutritionist about which weight-loss approach will work the best for you.
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