MORE ON EYES AND AGING

 Have you ever considered your eye health, just like other body parts, need a well-rounded diet and yes, even exercise to maintain their healthy status? Notice the above sentence states a 'well-rounded' diet. According to Dr. Craig W. See, an ophthalmologist, no single food - and that includes carrots - are the perfect food for the eyes. The doctor does suggest eating, what he calls superfoods, daily. This list includes:

• Eggs, they reinforce retina health as well as containing lutein and zeaxanthin which help protect against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in people over age 60.
• Vitamin C foods help prevent cataracts. You already know most Vitamin C foods but consider strawberries and citrus fruits daily. Red bell peppers are one of the foods highest in vitamin-C.
• Vitamin E foods that also help fight macular degeneration. Spinach and almonds are good choices.
• Carrots are high in Vitamin A, a vitamin that supports eye health.

Our next post will give other suggestions to help maintain eye health.

EYES AND AGING

Most of us will need glasses at some point in our lives. Even those of us who have always had good eyesight, usually end up with glasses or contacts. I will never forget the first time I needed glasses. I live in the Dallas/Ft Worth area but was working in New York City. I noticed I was standing on one side of the hallway reading the bulletin board on the other side of the hallway. It came to my attention when everyone going down the hall was saying, "Excuse me" to me. I made an appointment with an optometrist in Texas for my next trip home. Imagine my surprise when he told me I needed bifocals. I had always thought of bifocals as glasses for old people who had worn glasses for years. Seeing my surprise, he said, "It's just your age. These things start happening at your age." I was forty!

According to Brandon Butler, an optometrist in NYC, genetics play a part in eyes just like other parts of our bodies. He says the more near - or far -sighted your parents are, the higher your chances of needing glasses but other factors come into play with age. As an example, he says Presbyopia occurs when the eyes' lenses lose the ability to change shape and focus up close. This condition affects around 90% of persons over 45. We all know cataracts occur as we age. Cataract symptoms usually start to appear in our sixties. The good news is that these conditions are easily treated. Tomorrow we will talk about ways we can keep our eyes healthy for many years.

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ADD RED BELL PEPPER TO SCRAMBLED EGGS

 Did you know you can get a full day's worth of Vit-C just by tossing a half cup of chopped red bell pepper into your scrambled eggs?  Not only are you getting a good dose of vitamin C, you're also getting a vegetable serving early in the day and adding flavor to your scrambled eggs!

Note it didn't say how many eggs you add that to. No matter, it is still a good idea to add the red bell pepper to your scrambled eggs!

Aloe Vera

 Aloe plants are a good way to keep Aloe Vera handy. There is no need to run to the drug store, etc when you get mild burns, cuts, scrapes and scratches. Many doctors suggest keeping an aloe plant on a sunny windowsill to use when needed. To use, cut open one of the fleshy leaves and squeeze out the clear gel. Apply the gel directly to the affected area.

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CALORIES AND FAT INFO IN COW'S MILK

The following information is based on an 8-oz glass of milk. This is regular homogenized milk found in the dairy case of your local grocers. It has nothing to do with the various other types of milk.

Fat-Free (Skim) Milk has 1/2 gram of fat with 4% of the calories from fat.

Low-Fat Milk has 2 1/2 grams of fat with 23% of the calories from fat

Reduced Fat has 4 1/2 grams of fat with 35% of the calories from fat

Whole Milk has 8 grams of fat with 50% of the calories from fat

Source: Prevention Magazine

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ARE YOU AT RISK FOR DIABETES?

Did you know that almost one in every 20 adult Americans have diabetes? The overwhelming fact is that almost all of these Americans have type-2 diabetes. It is estimated that around 8 million have type-2 but have not yet been diagnosed. The sooner one is diagnosed and started on medication and improving your diet, the better. Do you know the symptoms? Some symptoms come on suddenly and others come on gradually. Following are some symptoms that may indicate diabetes. If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor for testing. Never ignore diabetes as uncontrolled blood sugar levels can do serious damage to the body.

Symptoms that may come on suddenly:

Excessive thirst

Frequent urination, especially in large quantity

Hungar all the time

Sudden unexplained weight loss

Nausea and vomiting

Sudden vision changes, especially blurred vision

Symptoms that usually come on gradually:

Any of the above could come on gradually

Recurring hard-to -heal wounds or gums 

Recurring urinary tract infections

Drowsiness

Tingling (numbness) in hands and/or feet

Itching of the skin and/or genitals

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CHOCOLATE FOR BLOOD PRESSURE?

According to Prevention magazine (Oct. '11), one of my favorite foods is good for lowering blood pressure.  Since that is a concern of mine, I was especially delighted with this news!  Are you ready for this?  Drumroll please...Dark chocolate (flavanols) make blood vessels more elastic thus lowering blood pressure. Yeah!  I love chocolate!  The bad news?  Okay, here it is....You can eat 1/2 ounce of at least 70% cocoa daily.  This leaves out milk chocolate, sugar-laden candy bars, etc.  But isn't it nice to know we can have a bit of chocolate daily and improve our blood pressure?

 1 square is usually 1 ounce

LEAFY GREENS MAY LOWER YOUR CHANCES OF DEVELOPING TYPE 2 DIABETES

Based on 18 years of research of more than 71,000 women conducted by Tulane University and Harvard School of Public Health, for every serving of green leafy vegetables you add to your diet, you may slash your likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes by 9%.  Green leafy vegetables include spinach, chard, kale, etc.

Disclaimer: I have to say greens are some of my favorite foods and I did develop Type 2 diabetes at age 60. However, diabetes runs heavy in my family, I had it on both my maternal and paternal sides so maybe eating greens is why I didn't get it until age 60. I have been a diabetic for 15 years but have never had to take insulin so I am not complaining.

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CARBS ARE GOOD FOR MEMORY

If you follow my blogs, you know I advocate eating a well-rounded diet.  Unless it is under strict doctor's orders, never eliminate a specific food group from your diet.  Here is another study showing one should not eliminate carbs from the diet.  A study by Tufts University showed that women who ate a low-carb Atkins-style diet performed 50% lower on memory tests than did the women who ate a low-calorie diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains (all carbs).  It is obvious the memory loss was related to cutting out the carbs because when the women returned to eating the carbs again, guess what; their scores went up.

WEIGHT RELATED DEATHS

Being overweight does matter. I'm not talking fifteen or twenty pounds but being seriously overweight. Check out these numbers below.

We Americans should pay more attention to our diets, eat healthier, exercise, and take care of our health. The latest numbers show that over 280,000 to 350,000 Americans die annually of weight related diseases.  A public health study found that 1 in 5 deaths in America were weight related. That is so sad because in most cases, yes, there are exceptions to everything, we can have control over our weight.  Is it time to take your health and your weight into your own hands? You can start by making small changes and work your way up to the bigger ones.  But do something.  There are many suggestions on this blog of how to improve one's diet; check them out.  The life you save just might be your own!

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FOOD IS THE BODY'S FUEL

 

CINNAMON BOOSTS INSULIN ACTIVITY

I have found so many studies showing that cinnamon is a blood sugar regulator.  And I have found it to be true in my own experience with diabetes.  I can enjoy cinnamon rolls right along with everyone else so long as they have lots of cinnamon.  We have a local gas/convenience store in town that serves delicious donuts, etc.  I was addicted to the cinnamon rolls and gave them up when I was diagnosed as a type-2 diabetic.  Once I got my sugar under control (it is now within the normal range), I started noticing those cinnamon rolls again.  One thing that stood out to me was how much cinnamon they had in them, much more than one usually sees in other cinnamon rolls.  I have found that I can have one of those rolls without it effecting my blood sugar so long as I keep the rest of my diet in check (no, I don't have it with a candy bar and coke!).  I am so excited!  Here is the information from another cinnamon study, this one done a few years ago by a Dr. Richard Anderson, an expert on the metabolism of sugar.

Dr. Anderson suspected certain foods might stimulate the activity of insulin and help the body process sugar more efficiently with less insulin.  But when he measured insulin activity in test tubes in the presence of many foods, he found that most foods had only a slight or no effect.  However, he did notice that 3 spices and 1 herb actually tripled insulin activity.  They were cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, and bay leaves, with cinnamon being the most powerful.  He concludes that eating as small an amount of cinnamon as just some sprinkled on your toast can boost insulin activity.  Dr. Anderson says there is pharmacological wisdom in using cinnamon and cloves in sweets like pumpkin pie, etc.

FRUIT EVERYDAY TO PREVENT PANCREATIC CANCER?

A study done a few years ago by the National Cancer Institute found that eating fruit only once a day cut the odds of developing pancreatic cancer by 40%.  Eating fruit twice a day cut the odds by 60%.  This worked with fresh fruits as well as canned fruits.  This testing was done among residents of Southern Louisiana where the rate of pancreatic cancer is unusually high. Just another reason to make fruit a part of your daily diet.

 

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KALE FOR YOUR HEART

According to Joel Fuhrman. MD, "Kale has everything you would want in a superfood."  Dr. Fuhrman, author of the bestseller 'Eat to Live', uses diet and exercise to help patients reverse their cardiovascular disease.  Notice that says reverse, not treat!  He had the following to say about kale.

• Boasts a bumper crop of heart healthy antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamin E.
• Rich in lutein which protects against early atherosclerosis.
• Contains an unusual compound - glucorophanin - that activates a special protein called Nrf2.
• Creates a Teflon-like coating in arteries to keep plaque from adhering.

 

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SAUERKRAUT IS A SUPER FOOD!

Today I am copying a post from my diabetic blog.  This is the post from that blog today.  I have never done this before, but I feel this is important to share with both audiences.  If you are interested in the recipe mentioned, the link to that blog is listed in the right-hand column of this page.

SAUERKRAUT IS A SUPER FOOD!

Yesterday I posted a recipe for a Chicken Sauerkraut Panini. Well, lo and behold when I turned on my computer what should be there but the following statement about sauerkraut as an overlooked food we should be eating. I am passing this information on to you:
Sauerkraut
Considering cabbage is low-carb, high-fiber, and contains cancer-fighting 3-indole carbinol and d-glucarate, a compound that works to clear excess estrogen, the veggie is already a superfood. Fermenting it into sauerkraut, however, puts it on nutritional steroids. The probiotics that drive fermentation also help repopulate your digestive system with healthy, hardworking good bacteria that lower inflammation, improve digestion, and maybe even aid in weight loss. Plus, fermentation increases the bioavailablity of the antioxidants found in cabbage, and the longer cabbage ferments, the higher the levels of antioxidants become, meaning your body can better absorb and use them.

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FRUIT-ON-THE-BOTTOM YOGURTS

If you are a yogurt eater, and there are many benefits in yogurt, beware of the fruit-on-the-bottom varieties.  Many people just grab their favorite yogurt and think they are doing themselves a big favor by 'eating yogurt.'  However, there are some unhealthy traps in yogurt, and this is one of them.  Are you aware that many of these fruit-on-the-bottom varieties contain more sugar in a single serving than does a candy bar?  Yes, that's right!  If you want fruit in your yogurt, add a few slices of healthy banana or stir in some blueberries to a regular low-fat yogurt.  (There is a lengthy article on this blog comparing the benefits of regular yogurt to Greek yogurt and which is best the best one for you.)

 For reference only. Not a brand endorsement.