TIDBITS FROM THE COOKING CARDIOLOGIST

Following are some tidbits I got from the cooking cardiologist, Dr. Richard Collins, over the years.

• When steaming vegetables, use distilled water. "You will be surprised how avoiding chlorine improves the taste of vegetables.
• Use earthen bakeware with lids and just a trace of oil for roasting vegetables.
• Sauté onions and/or mushrooms in small amounts of frozen apple juice to caramelize.
• "Take fat-free cheese and put it in a saucer. Pour fat-free skim milk over the cheese. Let it sit for 30 seconds so it will hydrate. Then you put the cheese on any dish you want, and it will melt all over the place when you to cook it."

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EYE HYGIENE

You may think eye hygiene is a strange title because the eyes are basically self-cleaning. However, below are a few things to consider regarding care of your eyes.

• Change your contacts daily. Yes, this also includes the extended use ones. No one should sleep in their contacts for extended periods such as overnight. Doing so could cause an infection.
• Rinse your contacts in contact solution, not water. 
• It is suggested you wear glasses on flights rather than contacts. This is especially true of long flights. The high pressure and recycled air are dehydrating. Drink water on long flights.
• Never sleep with your makeup on. Failing to remove your makeup before bedtime could cause eye inflammation or a sty.
• Don't share eye makeup.

Take good care of your eyes. You want them to last you for your lifetime!

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.

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?

*This is an old publication, however, in 2025 dark chocolate is still said to be helpful in fighting high blood pressure.

 1 square is usually 1 ounce

LEAFY GREENS AND 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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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.

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!

Note: This is a repost from 2022.

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DO YOU DRINK ALCOHOL?

Do you drink alcohol? If you do, you need to read the rest of this post. There are many reasons to stop drinking alcohol or to cut back on the amount. Here are a few reasons you may not have considered or even known. Alcohol can cause inflammation in the body and inflammation is responsible for a lot of health problems. Alcohol is known to increase inflammation in the intestines, disrupting gut bacteria. Alcohol can change brain structure and function. It can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. Experts recommend no more than one alcoholic beverage per day for both men and women.

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FOOD IS THE BODY'S FUEL

ORANGES TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE?

HEART DISEASE IS THE #1 KILLER OF BOTH MEN AND WOMEN IN AMERICA!

One thing you can do for yourself as well as your family to help prevent heart disease is to add oranges to your diets.  If you have young children, it is important to serve them healthy meals from the very beginning!

We often think of oranges as a source of vitamin-C but they are so much more. They help to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart failure so why wouldn't you add them to your diet?  And while orange juice is good, eating the orange is healthier.  Check out the following information about the properties of oranges and their affect on the heart:

• Soluble fiber pectin - acts like a giant sponge, sopping up cholesterol in food and blocking its absorption - just like a class of drugs known as bile acid sequestrants.
• Potassium - helps to counterbalance the salt in your diet, helping to keep blood pressure under control.
• Citrus pectin - helps neutralize a protein called galectin-3 that causes scarring of heart tissue, leading to congestive heart failure.

Peter Muntendam, MD, of BG medicine in Waltham, MA, says research has shown that 20% of Americans over the age of 50 have galectin-3.  A study in 2009 showed that a diet high in fruits and vegetables decreased the risk of heart failure by 37%!

You will notice that 2 of the 3 bullets above are about pectin.  Since pectin is found in the pulp and pith, if you buy orange juice you should buy it with pulp.  Even better, as mentioned earlier, eat the orange!

HEALTHY CLUE ON BANANA SKINS

 FYI

BOOST BRAIN POWER WITH AN ORANGE

 

GRAIN FED BEEF VS GRASS FED BEEF

Studies show that grass fed beef are higher in healthy unsaturated fat and lower in unhealthy saturated fats than beef from conventionally raised cows.  They usually have less antibiotics, etc, too since they aren't fed the additives in grain fed cows.

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EGG SHELLS AND FLOWERS

I have not tried this as I am not good with plants. This is an old Amish way of making flowers grow. If you have ever lived near the Amish, you know they grow beautiful flowers, so you might want to try this.

Soak eggshells in warm water then use to water the flower plants.

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FOOD WORKS LIKE DRUGS IN YOUR BODY

Would you believe putting food into your body is like taking drugs. The foods we eat act like drugs in the body so the question is this, are you eating good drugs or bad drugs?  The fact is every time you put food in your mouth you will experience pharmacological and biological reactions.  Therefore it is up to you to control the type of drugs you are eating!

Some of the good things food can do are to lower your cholesterol, your blood pressure, regulate your blood sugar, help you control pain, resist blood clots, etc.  Isn't that good news?  But there are two sides to every story so to speak.  You can take that same statement and turn it around to 'some of the bad things food can do are to raise your cholesterol, your blood pressure, your blood sugar.....'

There are numerous articles on this blog regarding the benefits and dangers of certain foods.  Start to take seriously the idea that everything you eat can and will affect your health.  You wouldn't take 'bad' drugs, why would you eat them?  Consider that thought before you put anything into your mouth.  If you do this for 1 week, you will no doubt be surprised at what you are doing to your body, therefore your health not only now but in the future!

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BUFFET EATING

Are you one of those people who always overeat at a buffet?  Research has shown that these little hints can help you control how much you eat. Unfortunately, in my opinion, covid closed many good buffets but they are still out there.

• Look before you fill your plate.  You know the feeling of piling food on your plate then seeing something on the other side of the buffet that you just have to have?  Research has shown that 71% of people of normal weight check out the buffet before putting anything on their plates.  Then they only choose their favorite things thus putting less on their plates.  Only 33% of obese people check out the buffet first.
• If you are at a buffet restaurant, sit in a booth, if possible, instead of at a table.  It is much more inconvenient to get out of a booth to refill your plate.  It is much easier if you are sitting at a table.

And remember to eat healthy foods and not load your plate with all the foods you wouldn't eat at home.

It is up to you to control what goes on your plate and therefore into your body.  Your health and ultimately your life depend on it! 

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DIRTY SINKS

Tests have shown the sink is usually the dirtiest place in the kitchen even though it may look clean!  Never place food directly in the sink; use a colander to hold the fruits and veggies you wash.  Never take a chance on getting a food-borne illness.  It is my understanding they can make you very sick!

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HOW MUCH SUGAR ARE YOU EATING DAILY?

Eating the typical American diet, means consuming approximately 35 teaspoons of added sugar per day!  How much is that?  Find out for yourself, you will no doubt be surprised.  Get a bowl and a measuring teaspoon (a teaspoon from your measuring spoons, not one from the silverware tray!) and count out 35 teaspoons of sugar into said bowl.  Then remember that is added sugar, not the natural sugar you are also consuming from the fruits, vegetables, milk, etc in your diet.  How to avoid this extra 132 pounds of sugar for every man, woman, and child?  Read labels!  And remember added sugars can be disguised with words like corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, honey, fructose, malt syrup, molasses, etc.  Cut back on the number of processed foods you eat and read the labels before you buy any food products.
 

A QUICK POST ABOUT INFLAMMATION

 There are many posts on this blog about inflammation, from what it is to treatments. I only bring this up again, number one because I haven't mentioned it in a while and number two because I saw a statement that got my attention. As you may know, I have several autoimmune diseases and have battled inflammation most of my life. I suggest you go to the side list of topics and click on inflammation, if you are interested in reading more about the subject. Here is the statement that caught my attention today as I was looking through some medical information. "More than half of all deaths are thought to be attributed to diseases related to inflammation." Wow!

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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?