BRIGHT LIGHTS AND SPINACH

Ever notice how bright the lights are in the grocery store?  They do more than make it easy to see.  When you go to the produce department, pick up the spinach that is in the front.  Often we dig to the back of the produce thinking the best or freshest might be there.  Well guess what?  Spinach that has been exposed to more of the light has greater amounts of vitamin C than those buried in the back of the bin.  This information came from a report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

ALCOHOL, DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Alcohol, even in small amounts, destroys brain cells.  While a healthy person can withstand this brain cell loss while drinking moderately, an Alzheimer's - or any patient with dementia - patients must not drink alcohol even in small amounts.  Not only will drinking alcohol cause a more rapid progression of the disease, it can also interact with the antidepressants and other medications the patient is probably taking.  Do yourself and your relatives or friends who suffer from dementia and/or Alzheimer's a favor by keeping them away from all alcohol.

          

            Photo used for reference only.

TABLE SALT

Are you one of those people who grabs the saltshaker and salts their food without ever tasting it?  If you are, STOP IT!  Most of us get way more salt than is recommend.  Salt is a preservative, so it is prevalent in almost everything we purchase to eat.  The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of 1,500 milligrams (mg) daily.  Are you aware that 1/2 teaspoon of salt is about 1,200 mg?  Do not resalt your food and if you are one who does salt everything, start out by cutting the amount of salt you apply in half.  Wean yourself of this nasty habit.  Your body will thank you!

NOTE: If your doctor has told you to get more salt in your diet, follow his/her advice. My husband was one of those people, so I know this does happen.

AVOID OVEREATING BY EATING RIGHT

Amber Massey a registered dietitian at a large hospital in Ft Worth, Texas says that people often see the words 'sugar-free' or 'fat-free' on processed foods that are deceptively high in calories.  To make matters worse, these foods are often maddeningly low in satisfaction.  And satisfaction can be crucial to a successful weight-loss or weight-maintaining diet.  She says, "Unfortunately, we have become a fat-sugar-phobic generation."  Often those fat-free, sugar-free foods pack as many calories as their regular counterparts.  To make those foods tasty enough for you to eat, they add something in somewhere.  Again, let me stress, read the labels!

Rachel Huber, a registered dietitian at the World-Famous Dallas-based Cooper Institute states, "Recognizing hunger and fullness can be hard for people.  Babies have that ability to stop eating when they're full.  Many overweight people have learned to override those signals."

If you don't feel satisfied after eating a meal that is not packed with nutrition, your brain will tell you to keep eating.  If you continue to eat low-nutrient food, your brain will keep nagging you.  You should eat foods that are water-rich, fiber-rich, and nutrient-rich if you don't want to feel hungry again sooner than you should.

To make it simple, let's put it this way.  Eat a banana, with a protein source such as a few nuts or some peanut butter and whole-grain crackers, instead of a banana muffin.  You will be giving yourself more nutrition and allowing yourself to feel full longer.  This will help eliminate your brain from telling you to eat again an hour or two after you had that muffin!  And don't blame overeating on your brain.  Your brain is only responding to what your body is telling it after you have eaten the wrong foods.

Which would make the better snack? The muffin or the banana and nuts?

STORING GARLIC

 Do you refrigerate your fresh garlic bulbs? I hope not. Fresh garlic bulbs should be kept in a cool dry place. Keep them in your pantry in a ventilated container; airtight containers will cause them to mold pretty quickly. Garlic stored properly should keep for months. But once you have broken into the head of garlic, all cloves should be used in about 10 days.

Remember Garlic is a superfood. Use is regularly!

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REASONS TO EAT MORE CANTALOUPE

Studies at Kansas State University showed that a carcinogen in cigarette smoke depletes Vitamin A, which may lead to emphysema and lung inflammation.  Not only is cantaloupe a rich source of vitamin A which can help make up for this deficiency for anyone exposed to second-hand smoke, it is also an anti-inflammatory.  The American Cancer Society also suggests eating melons to protect against colorectal cancer.  And the best part?  Cantaloupe tastes great, too.

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DON'T OBSESS OVER YOUR DIET!

"Obsessing over being healthy can make you less likely to stick with good habits.  It can leave a busy person so defeated that you adopt a 'screw it all' mentality" -  Susan Love M.D.  Don't obsess.  Just do the best you can with whatever circumstance you find yourself in.  Even 'fast food' restaurants offer side salads (and they give you the dressing on the side so you can determine how much, if any, to use!), often baked potatoes, apple dippers or other fruits, etc.  Try to make sure you eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal and don't obsess about every meal!!

LITTLE KNOWN BENEFITS OF EGGS

Eggs have often been maligned but they are once again accepted as a good food. Did you know that eggs have anti-inflammatory properties?  Inflammation is one of the biggest causes of problems with our bodies. following are a few things you may have never connected to eggs. A huge study of 121,000 women has suggested that eating 3 eggs a week during adolescence dropped the risk of breast cancer by 18%!  Parents, as a breast cancer survivor, I say feeding your children 3 eggs a week is well worth it!  Other components in eggs, ie choline and lecithin, are shown to improve brain and gallbladder functions.  I would say eating eggs, in reasonable quantities, is a good thing to do.

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SOYBEANS AND SOY PRODUCTS

The soybean was called "the miracle bean" by the ancient Chinese.  And indeed it seems they knew what they were talking about.  Soy products, which come from the soybean, are quite popular in our grocery stores and restaurants today and they are known for their health benefits.  A popular form of soybeans widely available today is edamame.

The soybean is the highest of all beans in an anticancer compound known as 'protease inhibitors'.  These compounds have been shown in studies to retard cancer, lower blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

Today it is easy to include soy beans and other soy products in your diet.  They can be used in everything from salad toppings to snacks, side dishes to entrees, and even in our beverages and desserts.  Are you including soy products in your diet?

 

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BRONCHITIS PREVENTATIVE?

I am not saying this is a cure or that it works 100% of the time.  However, if you have a problem with chronic bronchitis or emphysema it is certainly worth a try.  Some doctors recommend that patients with these pulmonary problems eat pungent foods such as onion, garlic, and hot peppers at least 3 times a week to help keep their airway passages clear.  The benefit most likely comes from the capsacian in the foods.  I recently lost my husband due to COPD which includes chronic bronchitis so I ask you, "Why not eat something that just might be helpful?"

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WHITE BREAD

One of the things I constantly tell people who ask me nutritional questions, is to quit buying white bread.  Yes, that is the plain old white bread so common on our grocers shelves and in our American kitchens!  I know, I know; "my kids won't eat other breads," "my husband insists on white bread," "other bread is too expensive," etc.  And I say, "Baloney!"  Your kids will eat what you give them. If there is none of that horrible white bread around, they will eat their sandwiches on healthy bread.  And guess what?  They will learn to like it.  When my granddaughter, who is seven, is at my house and asks for a sandwich, she gets so excited over having it on 'grandma's good bread.'  If your husband insists on that white stuff, tell him you won't do that to him.  If he wants to put that stuff in his body, he will have to go buy it.  That will get him to thinking about what he is putting in his body!  Yes, healthy breads do usually cost a little more.  But you are worth it!

Can you believe that they bleach white flour with chlorine gas?  The cholorine gas puts off a by-product called alloxan.  Alloxan destroys beta cells in the pancreas that are responsible for making insulin.  Hello, diabetics, is this starting to make sense to you?

As has been mentioned earlier on this blog, changes don't happen overnight.  Neither does damage, in most cases.  We slowly damage our bodies without even realizing it.  Now that you know about white bread, don't bring any more of it into your kitchen!

Note: There is a white whole-wheat bread and that is fine to use. I use it most of the time and do all my baking with white whole wheat flour. It is made with white wheat while the regular "bleached white flour" we are used to is made with bleached red wheat.

Note: I first wrote this article several years ago. The granddaughter mentioned above is 17 now and she still loves grandma's healthy bread.

POTASSIUM AND BLOOD PRESSURE

Have you ever heard that potassium can help to lower blood pressure but didn't understand why?  Potassium is a mineral that blunts the effects of sodium, better known as salt.  We all know that with a high blood pressure diagnosis comes the hated lecture about salt in your diet as it is known that too much salt can raise ones blood pressure.

The following is a partial list of foods that are high in potassium.  If you suffer from high blood pressure, be sure to include one or two of these items in your meals everyday.  If you don't have high blood pressure, it is still a good idea to eat more of these foods as a preventative measure.  They are 'taste-good' foods so you have no excuse!

• bananas
• cantaloupe
• honeydew
• kidney beans
• mushrooms
• orange juice
• peas
• sweet potatoes
• tomatoes

HIBISCUS TEA FOR BLOOD PRESSURE

If you suffer from high blood pressure or hypertension, sipping three cups of Hibiscus Tea every day may help to lower your systolic blood pressure number by up to 7 points in 6 weeks according to one study I saw.  And that is on par with some medications. 

NOTE: Do not read this, stop taking your medication, and overdo it on Hibiscus Tea.  But if you do have this problem, it might be worth sipping on the tea.  Keep track of your blood pressures numbers and see if you notice any difference.  Never stop taking your blood pressure medication without consulting with your doctor!

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WHAT IS PURE CHOCOLATE & WHICH CHOCOLATE ISN'T CHOCOLATE?

Since we just came out of the holiday season where you may have received or been given chocolates, I thought we would talk about what chocolate really is. Chocolate comes from a tropical bean known as the Cacao or Cocoa Bean; the name literally means 'food of the gods' and I know many of you agree!  So do I!  To get to the chocolate that is on our retail shelves, the first process these beans go through is roasting and cracking.  This process separates the shell from the meat of the bean.  We know this meat as nibs.  The nibs are then ground which melts the naturally present cocoa butter to produce a dark brown paste.  This paste is known as chocolate liquor. This means chocolate liquor is the first of the natural products that comes from the nibs or meat of the cocoa beans.  This is pure natural chocolate without any sugar or added ingredients.  When chocolate liquor is molded and allowed to solidify, you get pure, unadulterated chocolate.  This is the unsweetened chocolate which we readily find on our grocers shelves.  It is usually wrapped in thin papers and sold in boxes as baking chocolate.  If you are planning to bake or cook using chocolate, this is a recommended source.  At this point, you have total control over any sugars or additives going into your chocolate.  This chocolate still contains its natural cocoa butter and is approximately 50% cocoa butter.

To get Cocoa Powder, the other pure chocolate recommended for cooking and baking, the chocolate liquor or unsweetened chocolate is pressed to extract most of the cocoa butter leaving the dry cocoa powder.  This is a much more reduced-fat (it is not fat-free) product.

The extracted cocoa butter is used to produce other chocolate products such as semisweet and bittersweet chocolate.  To get these products sugar and some of the extracted cocoa butter is added to the chocolate liquor.  You can see where I am going here!  When you want chocolate, pay attention to which chocolate you are buying.  You can quickly go from a natural healthy product to one with all kinds of sweeteners and additives.

Bittersweet chocolate must contain at least 35% cocoa butter while semisweet, the most versatile and often used chocolate, can contain anywhere between 15% and 35%.  Learn to read the labels!Milk chocolate must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor or true chocolate.White chocolate is not true chocolate because it contains no chocolate liquor.  It consists of sugar, milk solids, and cocoa butter.

Cacao Beans 

WEIGHT AND CANCER

To say that everyone who gets cancer is overweight would be a vast exaggeration.  However, according to research by the American Cancer Society, obesity does raise the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, colon, esophageal, kidney, pancreatic, uterine, and other cancers.  Just one more big reason to watch what you eat and to keep your weight under control.  Make changes to your diet gradually and lose that excess weight.  Not only will you feel better, you may be reducing your chances of getting a nasty cancer.  Cut back on fast food, eat more fruits and vegetables, etc. Make a lifestyle change in your diet!  The life you save could be your own!

THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSTARD SEEDS IN THE DIET

From Bible parables to todays table, importance has been placed on mustard seeds.  These tiny little seeds are found inside the seed pods of the mustard plant.  The mustard plant is a cruciferous cousin to broccoli and cabbage.  The brown seeds are pungent with a sharp, spicy-hot flavor and are used in brown mustards and Dijon mustards.  The milder, yellowish-white seeds are used to make the traditional American mustard.  These seeds are widely available and make great seasonings for meats, etc.  They are also great for pickling.  When gently toasted for a few minutes in a dry pan (shake pan constantly during toasting), they get a nutty essence and crunch that makes them a great garnish for fish, salads, rice, etc.

Being products of the curciferous family, they contain natural healing components.  In studies the phytonutrients of the mustard seeds have shown to help prevent cancer, especially of the intestinal tract including the colon. 

Mustard seeds have anti-inflammatory properties ranking high as a source of selenium, a nutrient which that has been shown to help reduce the severity of asthma, decrease some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and help prevent cancer.

They are also a good source of magnesium. Like selenium, magnesium has been shown to help reduce the severity of asthma, to lower high blood pressure, to restore normal sleep patterns in women having difficulty with the symptoms of menopause, to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks, and to prevent heart attack in patients suffering from atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease.

Other compounds found in mustard seeds are manganese and omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and phosphorus.

Include mustard and mustard seeds in your diet for their health benefits.  The flavor is an added benefit!  Why hot get rid of the mayonnaise and mayo type sandwich spreads you are currently using and replace them with mustards.  Remember, it is the small changes over time that make the biggest difference in your diet.

 

HEART DISEASE EQUAL FOR SEXES

Heart disease was long thought to be more prevalent in men than women but we know that is not true.  Heart disease is currently the #1 killer of both sexes nationwide.  And would you believe something so simple as sprinkling slivered almonds on your morning cereal can benefit your heart?  As with all good things, don't go overboard.  However, a sprinkling of this healthy nut can lower the risk of heart disease by reducing levels of harmful LDL cholesterol.  Also, the antioxidants and vitamin E that are found in the skins of almonds might prevent plaque from forming on the artery walls.  And make sure that cereal you sprinkle them on is whole-grain which will help keep your blood pressure in check (a big risk for heart disease!).  Have that with low-fat milk!

 File Photo sliced almonds with skin on. Use almonds in the skin.

WISHING YOU A VERY HEALTHY 2022

 

HAVING SOME CONTROL OVER CANCER WITH DIET

The following is a quote from Jeanne Wallace, PhD, a researcher and expert in cancer nutrition.  "When you get a cancer diagnosis, suddenly you become a very powerless person.  You are traipsing through the hospital as a name and number, people do all kinds of procedures to you, and you have a life-threatening condition, which many doctors maintain you have no control over."  Her advice to patients?  She tells them, "You could make some changes with your diet and it would give you some sense of empowerment."  She continues to say, "Even though patients might not have total control over their cancer, they do have some influence."  There are many posts on this blog about foods that will help you fight cancer.  I believe diet is one of the most overlooked but important pieces of the arsenal in a persons cancer fight.

 This is, of course, general information. Certain foods work better with certain types of cancer. Your doctor and nutritionist will be able to help you know what will work best for you. Just remember to consider your foods as part of your medicines to help you get better.