Weekly Wellness
Issue 229
Featured Article
Fitness Tip
Know Your Family History?
If your mother or sister developed heart disease before age 65, or your father or brother developed it before age 55, this doubles your own risk of developing heart disease. In this case, you should be extra vigilant about other risk factors -- including poor diet, inactivity and elevated blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. However, having a first-degree relative who developed heart disease after age 70 is a much less important risk factor. It is important to note that genes are not destiny. In a long-term study of more than 100,000, 80 percent of heart attacks were found to be preventable with changes in lifestyle.
Nutrition Tip
5 Easy Nutrition Tips
Improving your nutrition does not have to be difficult. Start with one of these suggestions:
- Keep a bowl of fresh fruit available. If it's there, you're more likely to eat it.
- Eat breakfast. Spreading your food intake over the day is the best way to burn calories. See Breakfast on the Fly, and The Importance of Breakfast
- Plan ahead for routine meals and snacks. People who eat regular meals get a more balanced, healthier diet and are closer to their goal weights.
- Pack your lunch the night before. If you don't eat breakfast or pack a lunch because you rush too much in the morning, set everything up the night before.
Herb of the Week
Vitamin A (a.k.a. pre-formed Retinol; Beta-Carotene)
What vitamin A is good for: Promotes growth and repair of body tissue, healthy eyes, good night vision and a strong immune system.
Where you get it: Liver and fish oils, whole and fortified milk and eggs. Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and other leafy green vegetables, yellow squash, peaches and apricots provide Beta carotene.
RDA: 800 RE for adult women; 1,000 RE for adult men.
Watch out: Vitamin A can be toxic in large doses, and when taken during pregnancy can cause birth defects. Your body stores excess vitamin A so don't exceed the RDA.
Quick Recipe
Pita Chips
Make pita chips by separating the rounds horizontally, lightly brushing the insides with olive or canola oil and seasoning to taste with salt and black pepper. Stack the rounds, then cut the stack into 12 wedges. Arrange wedges in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on paper towels and store airtight for up to 5 days.
Tidbit(s)
Edible Eye Guards
Zeaxanthin and lutein - antioxidants that are found in corn, egg yolks, orange peppers and deep green, leafy vegetables such as spinach - can protect your eyes against age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in the United States. Now, Harvard researchers have proof that at least one of these antioxidants works by absorbing nasty blue light, before it can damage your retinas. (Blue light is part of sunlight).
Food Fixes
Ground, dehydrated morel mushrooms make a wonderful concentrated seasoning for meat dishes, soups and gravies.
Removing Tomato Paste: Open both ends of the can and remove one lid. Extract the paste by carefully pushing on the other lid with your thumbs. You'll get every bit this way.
When celery loses its crispness, place it in a pan of water with raw potato slices for a few hours. When you remove the celery, it will be crisp.
To keep apples and other fruit from turning brown when making a snack or salad, mix lemon juice with half as much water in a small squirt bottle reserved just for this purpose. Giving the cut fruit a few squirts keeps it looking great until serving time.