KEEPING YOUR BRAIN FRESH

My late husband died from COPD and some dementia. So, I was always reading information about the brain and/or cognitive decline. A study at the University of Illinois, last year I believe, suggested that the nutrient lutein may help slow down cognitive decline. What a tasty way to help slow this problem! Lutein is found in green leafy vegetables, avocados and eggs. Why not add a few more of these tasty foods to your diet? It just might keep your mind sharp!

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PROTEIN FOR MUSCLES

Once we humans reach around 50 years of age we start to have weakened muscles.  This is a normal part of the aging process but it is important we do what we can to maintain our muscles. Weakened muscles can cause falls which can be very damaging to older people. Maintaining our muscles helps us to function better overall. Protein is an important muscle builder so we must be sure we get enough in our diets. The average 150 pound adult needs approximately 55 grams of protein per day. Older folks should probably have more. Learn to read nutritional labels on your foods and monitor your protein intake for a week. See if you are getting at least the recommended amounts, especially if you are an older person like me. Discuss with your doctor if you find yourself falling short of the recommended amount.

This file photo shows some samples of protein foods to consider. (I am preaching to myself here as I do not like any of the foods pictured below. Shame on me!)

BROCCOLI AND CANCER

We all know broccoli is good for us and we should eat more of it.  That said, here is some information about broccoli and cancer.  Broccoli has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and both are important to the person dealing with cancer.  Both are also important in helping to prevent cancer.

Sulforaphane, a well-studied phytochemical in broccoli, appears to slow the growth of leukemia and melanoma cells.  Another metabolite, glucosinolate, can inhibit the growth of breast cancer.  If you are battling any of those three mentioned cancers, be sure to make broccoli an important part of your diet.

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BEWARE OF HIDDEN SUGAR

You will be amazed at the sugar in foods you never thought of as sweet. Always read the nutritional label on foods to check their sugar content. This is especially important for diabetics! Be especially cautious about frozen breakfast treats, mayonnaise, salad dressings, canned soups, crackers, breads, stuffing mixes, tomato and/or pasta sauces. You may be surprised at the sugar you are consuming while unaware. I am not referring to the natural sugar in fruits and some vegetables. I'm talking about "added sugar." Read all your labels for one week; I imagine you will be surprised at the sugar you are eating!

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HEALTHY DIET TIP

Everyone wants to be healthier and most claim they want to eat a healthy diet. Sadly,that is easier said than done. But it doesn't have to be that hard. For instance, one of the most important ways to a healthier diet is not what you eat but what you drink! Leave off the sugary drinks. That is not just sodas! That means sweet tea, lemonade, fruit juices, those sugar-laden coffee drinks, etc. Sugary drinks are one of the biggest diet mistakes we make according to Barbara Borik, RD, LDN, CDE, of the Diabetes & Nutrition Center at the Northwest Hospital of Randallstown, Maryland. She states that sugary drinks are empty calories! Do you really want to consume empty calories? You really can learn to enjoy drinks without sugar. When I was pregnant with my last child, over 40 years ago, the doctor recommended I cut back on sugar. I started drinking my tea unsweetened. It quickly became my favorite beverage and now I simply cannot stand sweetened tea. It is a matter of training oneself. So try unsweetened tea, coffee, etc. Add a slice of citrus fruit or a few berries to a glass or pitcher of water to add some flavor and learn to leave those sweetened beverages.

Note: This is from 2012.

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HANDLING LOW BLOOD SUGAR

If you need a quick solution to low blood sugar, one of the favorite tricks of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a glass of milk. 

Milk contains lactose that's broken down into glucose (sugar). It also has fat and protein in it to slow down the rise in your blood sugar and keep it steady over time. For this reason, milk is a better solution than juice or glucose tablets. 

Fat-free and reduced-fat milk have the same amount of lactose. Other studies have found that a small amount of ice cream will work as well. 

If you don't like milk or don't buy it regularly to have on hand, you might also consider graham crackers, which are easily stored in the pantry or in your glove compartment. 

The ADA recommends that you avoid high-fat treatments, such as candy bars, because they aren't absorbed as quickly, may lead to very high blood sugar levels in the hours after you eat them and can contribute to weight gain. 

SOME FACTS ABOUT COCONUT SYRUP/SUGAR

 i am sometimes asked about various sweeteners that seem to be in some of the various diets making the rounds.  I figured the best way to answer questions about coconut syrup/sugar was to go to one of my best sources on such matters, GI NEWS.  The following is taken directly from a newletter I received from them:

Coconut syrup/sugar, a traditional sweetener from South-East Asia comes from the nectar of coconut palm flower buds (which means those buds won’t grow into coconuts). It is about 75% sucrose and the rest is glucose and fructose which could make it a useful substitute for cane sugar if you are looking for one and cost doesn’t count. These days it’s widely promoted as a ‘great tasting, mineral rich, low GI (35) cane sugar alternative’. Dr Oz recommends it as a replacement for table sugar saying that: ‘Switching from regular sugar to coconut palm sugar could prevent the blood sugar crashes that make you hungry and then cause you to gain weight.’

We asked SUGiRS Manager Fiona Atkinson about the GI35 for coconut sugar that Dr Oz quoted, as this figure is all over the internet but failed the peer review process to make it into the official international GI database. ‘That’s an old value from the Philippines and it was not tested according to the ISO method,’ she said. ‘We have recently tested coconut sugar for a company, but the results must remain confidential until they give us permission to publish them. I can say that although the GI was certainly not 35, it was low for what is essentially a sucrose-based sugar.’ Because of the high sucrose content, we are guessing it is more likely to be similar to CSR LoGiCane, the low GI sugar which has a GI of 50. Coconut syrup is ‘fab’ on pancakes or drizzled over coconut cake according to food writer Kate McGhie who also uses coconut sugar in Thai cooking and general baking such as muffins and has coconut vinegar in her pantry.  

Note: What is sucrose?  Here is a brief of the definition from Wikipedia: 
Sucrose is the organic compound commonly known as table sugar and sometimes called saccharose. Did you notice above that coconut syrup is about 75% sucrose?  Diabetics beware if you switch to this.

MOUTH HAVE A METALLIC TASTE?

If you are on medications or treatments that leave a metallic taste in your mouth causing food to taste lousy, add a little sweetener (such as maple syrup) to your food with a squeeze of lemon.  Or try adding some nut butter (such as almond or peanut butter) to help overcome the metallic taste.  When ill, it is important to eat even though food doesn't always taste good.  You must have the nutrition to help your body heal.

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COCONUT OIL TO BOOST BRAIN POWER

In the past, on this blog, I have discussed various reasons for using coconut oil and here is a good one. Cook with coconut oil to boost your brain power!  Coconut oil has a type of fat that is immediately shuttled to your blood for your brain to use as fuel, according to Dr. Oz.  As previously discussed here it is also believed that coconut oil slows down and/or helps to prevent Alzheimer's Disease.  Be good to your brain and give it some coconut oil often.

FreshRx.org

Yesterday I mentioned Dr. Marshall Stone so today I would like to tell you what he is doing in his community. Many of his patients couldn't afford fresh fruits and vegetables, so he teamed up with a nutritionist who had bought a farm to grow nutritious, organic vegetables for her own family. Together, and with a team of volunteers, they are providing bags of fresh vegetables to some of his patients. Blessings to Dr. Stone for working to make a big difference in his patients' lives and his community. Check out FreshRx.org if you would like to learn more about this program.

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I LOVE THIS QUOTE FROM A PEDIATRIC SURGEON

Marshall Stone, M.D., a pediatric surgeon in Florida believes that fresh food can be powerful medicine, and he is doing something about it. He is working in his community to see that families get fresh fruit and veggies. I love his quote, "I may be a surgeon, but I also love helping others learn that sometimes food can be the best medicine."

By the way, I agree with Dr. Stone. I suggest you eat as much fresh food and vegetables as possible.

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GINGER WITH A GINGER ALE RECIPE

This statement about Ginger from the Ayurvedic (traditional Eastern Indian medicine) says that ginger 'fires' the body's digestive hearth to make the stomach and colon more efficient in metabolizing food.  

Ginger also contains tumor inhibitors.

Try this recipe for Ginger Ale with Frozen Grapes since it is important to make your own when using ginger ale for medicinal purposes.  Most store-bought ginger ale only contains a minimum amount of ginger!

GINGER ALE WITH FROZEN GRAPES
4 cups water
2 cups sliced fresh, unpeeled ginger
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp honey
frozen seedless grapes
sparkling water
mint springs for garnish, optional

In a saucepan bring the water and ginger to a boil; lower the heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour.  Uncover and simmer another 30 minutes.  Strain the mixture through cheesecloth and discard the ginger.  Stir in the lemon juice and honey.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

For Ginger Ale (per serving) add 1/4 cup of the mixture to a glass with the frozen grapes.  Fill the glass with sparkling water.  Add a mint sprig, if desired.

For a Hot Beverage stir 3 tablespoons of the mixture into 1 cup of hot water.  Add more honey and lemon to taste, if desired.

Store the syrup in refrigerator for up to a week.  Make drinks only as wanted rather than making up all the mixture at once.

A LITTLE BIT OF EGGNOG FACTS

It's that time of the year when the eggnog comes out. If you are dieting or you are a diabetic, you might want to watch your eggnog consumption or be sure to read the labels. Some traditional eggnog from the grocery stores contains as much as 30 g of fat and 40 g of carbs per 1/2 cup.

I have a recipe on my diabetic enjoying food blog that has only 3 g fat (1 1/2g saturated) and only 11 g carbs.

If you add alcohol, that increases the number so keep that in mind.

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SPINACH IS A MULTIVITAMIN!

Yes, that's right, consider eating your spinach as taking a multivitamin!  Spinach is loaded with vitamins A,C, and K.  You also get folate in spinach.  Folate boosts the production of brain chemicals that affect mood so if you or someone you know tends to suffer from depression, add spinach to the diet.  Low levels of folic acid are associated with depression.  If you think you don't like spinach, try a little in salads, toss some fresh spinach in soups, etc.  Learn to add this multivitamin to your diet!  It really is good for you, just like your mother said.

How To Speed Up Your Metabolism

Does your metabolism need a boost?  The fix could be really simple.  Are you drinking enough water? When the body doesn't have enough water, the metabolism slows down.

Another easy fix is to add some chili peppers to your diet.  The compound that makes peppers hot, Capsaicin, can boost metabolism by more than 20%.

Here is another good tip - eat some lean protein at every meal. The body uses 7 times as much energy to digest protein as it does to digest fats and carbohydrates.

ALLSPICE BERRIES

Allspice berries aid in digestion. Works great to relieve indigestion and soothe discomfort especially in the upper intestines.  Helps to relieve bloating and a gassy feeling. 

Its volatile oil component also works as a weak antimicrobial agent.

If you have these health problems or are on medications or treatments that cause such problems, you would be wise to include this spice in your diet!

KEEP MEALS EVEN

Now that we are December with all its parties, one thing a diabetic should never do is eat small meals or skip meals during the day so they can eat a big dinner/supper! Nutritionists warn that diabetics need to keep their carbs leveled out over the day. Skipping meals or eating light so one can eat a big meal later will cause a definite roller coaster of blood sugar levels.

While this information is directed to diabetics, it should apply to everyone.

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COMPLEX CARBS TO BOOST YOUR MOOD

Feeling down or depressed? Eat more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Yes, these are carbohydrate foods but they are the complex (or good) carbs. These carbs boost your serotonin levels. Serotonin is a mood-elevating chemical in the brain.

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BROCCOLI IS A NUTRIENT POWERHOUSE

Eat your broccoli! Broccoli is full of nutrients and only has 40 calories per cup (raw). Broccoli is chock full of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B, calcium and iron. That's a lot of benefits for only 40 calories.

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CAREFUL WITH THOSE FALL AND HOLIDAY DRINKS

Now that we are into the holidays let's talk about those specialty coffeeshop drinks. If you are a diabetic or you are trying to watch your weight beware of all those tasty toasty coffee shop beverages. A 100 calories drink can quickly balloon to 400 or 500 calories! When you add syrups, whipped cream, caramel, etc the calories keep piling on. So, what is a person to do? We don't want to give up those wonderful beverages, but we can keep the calories count down.

Laura Jeffers, nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic says the more flavors and names you add to your beverage, the more calories you are piling on. After all, adding 200 calories to your diet a day can add up to a weight gain of 40 pounds a year. Yuck!

Ms. Jeffers suggests replacing whole milk or cream with skim milk and asking your barista to substitute sugar-free syrups in your drinks. Yes, they do have them, and you will hardly, notice the difference. So, enjoy your favorite Fall and holiday beverages but make a few changes when you place your order or make them at home.

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