Archive for January, 2010
Easy Ways to Eat Right
With the obesity epidemic that is rampant in the US, eating right has become a priority for many Americans. Unfortunately, most healthy foods cost significantly more than there sugary and fat-ridden counterparts. That doesn’t mean that you have to blow your budget on health food-you just have to shop smarter.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cost considerably more than whole breasts. You can save a lot by simply purchasing the whole breasts and trimming them yourself. Adding whole grains to your diet is the best way to satiate your hunger and eliminate empty calories. Whole grain oats and pastas are virtually the same price as refined versions but will give you much better bang for your buck.
Ideas from my kitchen
As we are getting older having to decide what to fix for dinner can require some serious thinking and it can end-up being the same old stuff and not necessarily healthy. Personally i found-it easier to decide what to fix by going to the market and inventory what my choices are, first whether at the meat or fish counter and then the vegetables and fruit area. Having decided to go with what i call the ” piece de resistance” meat or fish, then i proceed on choosing my vegetable, starch and salad, but if it’s pasta tonight then i go directly to that isle.
I also try to utilize seasonal and regional products as much as possible.
Today the market had a special on 3/4-inch-thick center cut pork chops and the fresh asparagus ware also on sale and i have a few russet potatoes in the pantry.
Menu for tonight : Pork chops sauce Dijonaise, Steamed fresh asparagus, Garlic mushed potatoes.
Recipe for the pork chops : one medium shallot chopped fine, 1/4 cup virgin olive oil, 2 tble spoon of gray poupon mustard, 2 tble spoon of flour,1/4 cup of white wine, 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream, 2 pork chops, salt and freshly ground black pepper and a shot of brandy.
In a medium skillet heat the olive oil, season the pork chop with salt and pepper, spread a thin layer of gray poupon on both side, deep them in flour top and bottom, shake of the extra and place them in the pan and cook over medium to high heat until browned on the bottom 2 to 3 minutes, turn them over and cook until browned on the second side and just cooked through. Transfer the pork chops to a side dish and keep warm.
Reduce the fire under the skillet and remove most of the remaining oil, add the shallots, let them sweat for a few minutes, stirring them with a wooden spoon, add the remaining gray poupon, stir, add the white wine , let it boil for about 2 min., add the heavy cream, bring it back to a boil until reduced by a third , check and add salt and pepper to taste, add the brandy, bring it back to a boil. Spoon the sauce on the plate, add the pork chop over it and VOILA !!!!!! To your health.
Healthy foods
With all the choices available today, it could be quite an adventure to choose the foods that are the most healthful and beneficial to our health. We all like to be healthy, but when it comes to food the temptations of eating what we like versus what is good for us can be overwhelming. Knowing what certain foods contain and what they can help with could be an advantage, knowledge is power. Foods is like wood in the fire, it fuels our body. For some of us we are satisfied with a little food and for some others a lot is needed. The choice of what to pic is ours, but damaging our well-being by consuming foods that are salty, sugary, and contain preservative, saturated fats, chemicals and whatever else that we can not even pronounce could seriously affect our health. Following is a list of some healthful foods :
Blueberries are a natural antioxidant and contain vitamin B6 and vitamin C, and like red grape they also contain reservatrol, they can help in certain type of cancer and reducing inflammation. Have some daily with your cereals.
Bananas are rich in Potassium . Apricots contains like carrots Beta-carotene which is good for the eyes. Mango like oranges and cantaloupe are rich in vitamin C. Cantaloupe also contains potassium which help to lower blood pressure.Tomatoes can help reduce the chance of stomach, bladder and colon cancer.
Broccoli contains vitamin C, beta-carotene and can help protect against breast cancer. Spinach contains carotenoids which will help fend off macular degeneration, which could be a major reason behind blindness.
Walnuts, peanuts and other nuts can help reduce your risk of heart disease, same with beans , like pinto, Garbanzo, red, black and others.
Be wise on selecting what you eat, proper nutrition is a must to be and stay healthy.
Me
I am just a regular guy over 60 and i am enjoying my retirement like a lot of other people. All my life i worked hard and did not always had time to exercise regularly and make the right choices in my diet. Within the last couple of years i made some significant changes in my lifestyle and i am now rewarded with the ability to sustain longer physical activities and a slimmer trimmer body. Some of those changes have been very gradual, for instance i do simple regular exercises: Every morning, regardless of the weather or temperature i walk an average of 2 miles with my dogs, and being at 9.000 feet and going up-hill it gets my heart pumping. In the evening i do a series of push ups and seat ups for about 20 minutes to maintain my upper body and prevent the spare tire looks.
I reevaluated my diet and today i eat about one third as much meat, dairy and even fish as i did a few years ago, i eat few refined carbs and i have whole wheat pasta a couple times a week and almost no junk food. I eat about two or three times more greens as before and three to four times more fruits,like oranges and bananas, apples and berries.
Those simple changes and a shift in perspective are easy enough for everyone to accomplish, the goals of eating better and exercising regularly have proven to be for me an easy change with great results and something that i would recommend to anyone.
What are your numbers ?
When thinking on how to avoid hart problems, you automatically think of your cholesterol numbers or level, those are important , but there are others very important ones you should know as well to minimize any problems. Every individual should keep track of the following : Total cholesterol should be under 200 milligrams per deciliter. LDL should be under 100 mg/dl. Hdl should be above 50 mg/dl for women and above 40 for men. Blood pressure should be no higher then 120/80.
Triglycerides should be under 150mg/dl. BMI shouldn’t be higher than 25. If your body mass index (your weight-to-height ratio) tops that figure, your hart risk increase 32%. Over 29 and it spikes 81%. Waist circumference should be 35 inches or less for women and no more than 40 inches for men.
If those numbers are high along with family history and other specific tests your odds for a heart attack are increased.
Experts are saying when it comes to preventing heart disease, regular exercise is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal, as potent as statin. Again regardless of your age it is never to late to be and stay healthy.
For a Healthy heart a proper diet is as important : Daily you should incorporate a balance of whole grains, fruits and vegetables,nuts legumes, fish and poultry, lean red meat for protein and virgin olive oil as a fat source. Try to minimize refine sugar, sodas, process foods, and refined grains.
Remember while you exercise ware your heart rate monitor it will help you over doing it and could save you a trip to the E.R.
Blood donation
A blood donation is a gift of life that a healthy individual can give to others who are sick and injured and in this time of crisis “Earthquake in Haiti”, the need for blood is ongoing and must be met everyday.
An average adult has about 10 pints of blood in his or her body. A person can donate one unit or one pint of blood that can be separated into four individual components that could help save multiple lives :
Red cells : anemia, kidney dialysis, surgery.
Plasma : burn victims, shock , liver disease.
Platelets : leukemia , cancer, surgery.
Cryoprecipitate : hemophilia.
Anyone who is in good health and is 17 years old and weight at list 110 pound may donate blood. The actual donation takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Donating blood is a safe and painless process.
It is recommended to eat a nourishing meal before and after donation, drink plenty of fluids before and after and get a good night sleep prior to donation.
If you wish to donate b lood you can contact the American Red Cross for a location and time in your area at 1-800-559-2924.
HELP SAVE LIVES, DONATE BLOOD.
Quality of life
How can someone define the Quality of life? Well there are many ways to define this particular subject, for some of us it could be family, for others it could be happiness or financial freedom, but for all of us it should be to have good health and stay young at heart. Although the fountain of youth may only be a dream for some of us, to age successfully, healthy and happy should be our goals, and if you are to enjoy the rest of your life it will require some action.
If you can change your beliefs, you will change your results, the smallest of changes, even the ones that seem insignificant can lead to great success. For instance if your goals are to loose weight , you need to change your diet and take action on starting some type of exercises program, simply thinking about it wont improve your situation and if you do nothing, nothing will happen, once you take the first step, the next one will be easier to take, believe in yourself and all things possible will happen!
Senior fitness to stay healthy and happy should be your priority, accurately define your present situation and asses your health risks, are you overweight? Are you eating the right foods? Are you getting enough exercise? Understand who you are and where you are at, and what will you gain if you change your ways, your beliefs!! Request support and advice from experts,do your homework , but don’t continue down the wrong path, enjoy life.
Staying Heart Healthy After a Medical Scare
If you’ve recently suffered a heart attack or had some kind of less severe scare, it’s very likely that it will be the motivation you need to make drastic changes in your life. These kinds of scares can often make people eat right and exercise even after a lifetime of avoiding this kind of healthy behavior. But if you’re starting a rigorous new routine after a health-related incident, make sure that you consult with your doctor to ensure that you’re healthy enough for the routine.
Also, make sure that you’re outfitted with all the equipment that you’ll need to assist your exercise routine. To that end, make sure you have a water bottle to help keep you hydrated and a music device to help keep you pumped and motivated. But one of the most important pieces of equipment is a heart rate monitor. Especially if you’ve recently had heart issues, you want to be able to carefully check and gauge exactly how your heart is reacting to a particular workout. If the monitor indicates that anything out of the ordinary is happening, discontinue the routine immediately and consult your doctor.
Gluten sensitivity
Gluten is a protein found in wheat rye and barley,therefore most cereals, bread and pastas as well as in a number of processed foods and even beer.Gluten intolerance or celiac disease can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms by triggering the body’s immune system and can lead to serious health problems. If you are suffering from headaches, fatigue, obesity,have digestive problems, gluten sensitivity may be the source of your problems. Gluten sensitivity puts stress on your adrenal glands and creates an inflammation of your digestive tract and that can occur every time you eat any product containing gluten. When the adrenal glands , whose function is to release hormones into your system through your blood stream, become stressed a breakdown occur in your body and as a result their function slows down .
You can treat gluten sensitivity by avoiding all products containing gluten and following a strict diet, with a different approach to nutrition and refer to your health professional for a proper diagnostic of your condition, ask your doctor about gluten sensitivity especially if your are experiencing any of the aforementioned symptoms.
Preventing Stress while Driving
We all have experienced the frustration of driving during rush hour or on a busy freeway and automatically our blood pressure goes through the roof. There is ways to calm frayed nerves by doing a favor for an other driver, let him come into your lane,avoid tailgating, laugh at that horn-blowing jerk behind you and let him pass instead of speeding up, in other words just drive and be friendly. At stoplights or bottlenecks stretch your neck and upper body, do some forward flexions and extensions by pressing forward, away from the back of your seat. Do not let the other drivers affect your health, look ahead and anticipate bad situations , frustration will not get you where you are going any faster, at the contrary. Always try to have some snacks in your car, it will help maintain your blood sugar level and therefore prevent you from cursing and blowing-up at all those irresponsible drivers. In our Golden years staying calm could prevent serious health problems.