DARK CHOCOLATE FOR YOUR HEART?

According to an article in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association Journal, a serving of dark chocolate once or twice weekly led to a 32% reduction of heart failure risk for women.  Remember though, a serving is only about 1 ounce.  And that is dark chocolate, not milk chocolate or what is known as white chocolate which both have too much fat and sugar!  So, when you want to indulge in chocolate, be sure it is dark chocolate and keep that indulgence down to an ounce or two a week.

 

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FOCUS ON EATING WHOLE FOODS

Whenever possible, you should eat whole foods, not processed foods.  This means to eat a food as near as possible in its original state.  In other words, eat an apple rather than an apple pastry.   Eat fresh or frozen peas rather than buying a can that is loaded down with salt and other preservatives.  The closer a food is to its natural state, the healthier it is for your body.  If you live where you can, you should buy your foods daily or several times a week rather than once or twice a month.  If that is not possible or you catch a good sale on something, go ahead and buy extra and freeze it for later.

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A MIGRAINE IS NOT 'JUST A HEADACHE'

As any migraine sufferer can tell you, a migraine is more than just a headache. Anyone who's never had one wouldn't understand how awful one can be. According to Dr. Lawrence C. Newman, director of the Division of Headache at NYU Langone Health in NYC and chair of the American Migraine Foundation, "A migraine is a valid neurologic condition and can last anywhere from a few hours to three days." Dr. Newman suggests that because the migraine brain is so sensitive to change that sufferers should try to establish regular sleep cycles and avoid sleeping in on weekends. They should sleep the same number of hours each day. If you have a severe headache, it should be checked out by a physician as it may be a migraine or other serious condition.

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WORDS FROM A NUTRIONIST CHEF

I'm a chef and a teacher who believes everyone has the ability to nourish themselves, even in the direst of circumstances." by Rebecca Katz who has a master's in nutrition and is a chef who works with oncologists, nutritionists, and cancer wellness professionals.

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EAT TO "BEAT THE HEAT"

On those hot sultry days, what you eat can help to cool you down. According to those who practice ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, they say watermelon, cucumber, summer squash, fennel, coconut and cilantro are the foods to go to. The picture below gives you more ideas.

FORGET TRADITIONAL DIETS

Americans spend a fortune on "diets" every year and usually end up being unhappy with the results, gaining weight, giving up, etc. If you follow my blogs you know I am against diets. Even diabetics do not have a specific diet, everyone reacts differently to various foods. And what frustrates me even more is people who have success and get upset with others who do not follow their diet plan. Please, folks, no two bodies are alike and there is no "perfect diet" for everyone!

In some of my recent studies I came across this statement by Lyn-Genet Recitas, a health author, and I think it is worth sharing: "Traditional diets--the diets that you're used to, like no carb, unlimited protein, low fat, or calorie counting-- don't work because there is no universal one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to weight loss. These diets are promoting what they think are healthy foods, but that's a major problem because there's no such thing as universally "healthy" foods, especially for those over the age of thirty-five."

Eat what works for you! Remember you are you, not your friend, etc. Watch the quantity you eat and follow your doctor's instructions. Eat a well-balanced diet, exercise, and you should do fine without some "fad" diet.

BENEFITS OF COOKING AT HOME

This is a repeat of a 2021 post on my grandmaskitchenmedicine page.

I love to eat out, but I restrict it to no more than once a week. When you cook at home the nutrition experts tell us you will consume fewer calories, carbs, sugar, fats and sodium. Plus, you will know exactly what went into your foods. I don't imagine you knew that McDonald's fries contain 19 ingredients! Can you even imagine that! Talk about not knowing what you are eating! Normally I do not post recipes on this blog because I have other blogs that are just recipes. But after telling you about McDonald's fries, I feel I owe you a recipe to make tasty healthy oven fries at home.

Oven Fries:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Cut 3 large red potatoes into 8 wedges each.
Combine 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a bowl. I like to use one with a lid. Add the potato wedges and toss to coat.
Spread potatoes in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan or on a cookie sheet with sides.
Roast at 450 degrees 30 to 35 minutes or until crisp. Turn once during roasting.

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON FRUIT JUICE (ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR DIABETICS)

Fruit juices can pose a real problem for diabetics as it can take several fruits to make a glass of juice. Therefore, the sugar is more concentrated than in a piece of fruit. There are so many fruit "drinks" on the market today and many of them packaged and promoted as healthy. That may be true for the average body, but it may be a hazard to the diabetic. Here is a little information to help you work through the "juices" you see advertised and on store shelves.

By law, manufacturers of juices may not use the word "juice" unless the drink is made from 100% fruit! If other things are added such as sugar, corn syrup, etc the product cannot be labeled as juice but as a "drink" or "concentrate". It doesn't matter how healthy the drink is promoted to be or how popular it is, diabetics especially should stay away from such products.

Diabetics should always go with 100% juice and limit themselves to only 4-ounces.

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EASY WEIGHT LOSS TIP

 According to the late Dr. George Blackburn, former Professor of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School,  "Drinking generous amounts of water is overwhelmingly the number one way to reduce appetite". He recommended sipping 3 to 4 ounces of water at a time throughout the day.

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AVOCADO SHOULD BE IN YOUR DIET

According to healthline.com, eating at least two servings of avocado each week was linked to a 16% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and a 21% reduced risk of coronary heart disease. I must admit I do not meet that guideline. I love avocado so I should do better. How about you? Were you surprised by this information, is avocado a part of your diet on a regular basis? If not, join me in doing better.

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