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Ch- Ch- Ch- Chia Seeds!

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Raise your hand if you remember the Chia Pet commercials from the 70’s and 80’s. Who could get that jingle out of their head? It turns out that the seeds used in this wildly popular product are Super Hero Foods. No, really. They are.

You’ve probably heard about flax seeds and their health benefits. Chia seeds provide even more health benefits: even more omega-3 fatty acids (making them anti-inflammatory superstars); high in fiber (1 tablespoon has 4 grams of fiber), calcium, protein and other nutrients.

A Neat Trick

Chia seeds do something neat when mixed with a liquid: they form a gel. In addition to making it possible to coat a Chia Pet form so it would grow green sprouts, this little trick can also slow down digestion and conversion of the carbohydrates to sugar. This will keep you feeling full and keep your blood sugar steadier.

Chia seeds are one of the easiest improvements to make to your diet. You can find them at health-food stores or online . The seeds are tiny and it’s hard to even notice how they taste due to their size. I add them to my breakfast cereals, yogurt, bean salads and so on. Because they’re so high in fiber, start with just a tablespoon at a time and gradually add more each day (don’t forget to drink plenty of water, especially if you’re not accustomed to a lot of fiber in your diet).

You can also try this yummy Oat & Chia Bar recipe, courtesy of Shiloh Farms.

Oat and Chia Bar

2 cups Shiloh Farms rolled oats
1/2 cup Shiloh Farms raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup Shiloh Farms raw sunflower seeds
2-3 tbsp Shiloh Farms chia seeds
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 325′.
Spread oats and seeds on baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring twice to assure uniform toasting. Transfer to a medium bowl. Put honey and butter into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low for about 10 minutes or until syrup starts to condense and thicken. (similar to soft ball stage) . Pour hot syrup over oat mixture and stir to combine. Quickly spread mixture in a buttered 8-inch square pan and pack down evenly. Cut into bars. Cool. Separate bars and store in a sealed container.

And if you have any seeds left over, you can always pull your Chia Pet out of storage and give it a fresh green coat!

Which Chia Pet did you have? My favorite was Chia Guy, followed by Chia Ram. Call me a traditionalist.

Inspired by what you read? You can always get more great information (and inspiration) at Prevention Not Prescriptions.

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Posted in Disease prevention, prevention not prescriptions | 2 Comments »

Spicy Super Heroes

Friday, April 16th, 2010

All this month we’re talking about Super Hero Foods: some common and not-so-common foods that are easy to eat and incredibly good for you. This week’s focus is on ginger and turmeric.

Getting to Know Them

You may have seen sliced pickled ginger in a Japanese restaurant. Did you ever think about cooking with it yourself? Ginger is widely available in the produce sections of most supermarkets. The brown-skinned knob that you buy is called a “hand” (see picture at right). While you can also buy powdered ginger, fresh ginger is higher in the compounds that make it such a Super Hero Food.

Turmeric is a member of the ginger family. You’ll commonly find it in curry powder (which is a blend of spices). Before you dismiss turmeric because you don’t like curry, give it a chance on its own. Curcumin is the substance that gives turmeric its deep yellow color and anti-inflammatory properties.

And that’s what I love about both ginger and turmeric: they are incredible inflammation fighters. It’s not their only trick, but it’s my favorite one.

Studies have shown that both are incredibly effective at reducing inflammation. Sometimes they even beat anti-inflammatory drugs. Why do we care about this? As we’ve learned, chronic inflammation can lead to a whole host of diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Reducing this inflammation helps reduce our risk.

It’s also great news for people suffering from inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Studies have shown that both ginger and turmeric reduces the joint swelling and stiffness associated with RA.

Easy Ways to Eat More Spicy Super Heroes

  • If you like soup, look no further than this quick & easy Gingered Carrot & Edamame Soup.
  • Add grated fresh ginger to your favorite stir-fry.
  • Mix grated fresh ginger into mashed sweet potatoes.
  • Drop a slice of fresh ginger into your next cup of hot tea.
  • If you like curry – eat it! Enjoy curry dishes at your favorite Indian restaurant.
  • Stir turmeric powder into cooked rice.
  • Sprinkle turmeric powder on top of hard boiled eggs.

Have a favorite way to eat ginger or turmeric? I’d love to hear about it!

And while you’re enjoying your ginger tea, hop on over to Prevention Not Prescriptions to learn how to take your wellness into your own hands.

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Posted in Disease prevention, Recipes, prevention not prescriptions | 3 Comments »

Super Hero Foods

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

There are foods and then there are Super Hero Foods. As you might have guessed, we want as many of the Super Heroes in our diet as possible. All this month we’ll take a look at some of the most super-duper foods for you plus provide recipes to make eating them as easy as possible.

Nuts about nuts

Do you avoid eating nuts because they’re so high in calories? Well avoid no longer. Nuts supply us with very healthy unsaturated fats, which help lower our cholesterol. They’re also good sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. True, their calorie count is high, which is why we recommend enjoying a quarter-cup serving of nuts no more than once per day. You can also try whole nut and fruit bars such as the Larabar brand.

Fishing for good health

While we’re on the topic of healthy fats, let’s talk about salmon. What we love about salmon is the omega-3 fatty acids we get from it. Yes, that’s fat, but a very healthy fat. The American diet tends to be high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3. This imbalance contributes to chronic inflammation conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and so on. Enjoying more omega-3 fatty acids swings the balance back to our favor. Whenever possible, choose wild salmon as it contains more omega-3s and fewer chemicals than farmed. Get started with some Asian Glazed Salmon tonight.

Eat your broccoli (and cauliflower and cabbage and Brussels sprouts)

Mom was right: broccoli is incredibly good for you. So are its relatives in the the cruciferous family: cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. These veggies are great cancer preventers. So far, it seems that it isn’t any one specific compound in the vegetables, so this is a great example of how nature created a perfect little package of health for us to enjoy. Cooking these vegetables can release a sulfur-like smell. Before you turn up your nose, try roasting any of them, including the cabbage. Roasting enhances the vegetables’ natural sugars and mellows the flavor. Or try a quick & easy Cream of Broccoli Soup (surprise: there’s no cream!)

Tune in next week as we explore other Super Hero Foods. Sea vegetables anyone?

Thanks for checking out Prevention Not Prescriptions – it’s new every Tuesday!

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Fighting Inflammation With Food

Friday, March 26th, 2010

I’m still on the mend from sesamoiditis (inflammation on my foot). Half-marathon training plans have been set aside and the focus is on healing. Naturally, my thoughts turn to food and how it can help me.

A couple of weeks ago, I listed different anti-inflammation foods that I enjoy and that you should too. Everyone benefits from reducing inflammation, not just those with an acute injury.

You may have chronic inflammation in your body. Not the kind you can see by looking at a swollen ankle or finger; but at a cellular level (this reminds me a great t-shirt slogan: “It might look like I’m doing nothing, but on a cellular level, I’m really quite busy!). It’s this kind of inflammation we worry about because it indicates an immune system working overtime.

Remember that your immune system’s job is to fight intruders. For example: when you cut yourself, your immune system leaps into action, sending white blood cells to attack the germs that gained entry through the cut. This war effort causes short-term inflammation and it indicates progress.

What happens with chronic inflammation is that healthy cells become the casualties of friendly fire.  More and more research indicates that chronic inflammation contributes to diseases such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. One way to combat chronic inflammation is to eat the right foods such as fatty fish, fresh produce, nuts & seeds, beans, olive oil, tea, ginger and garlic.

Here are some recipes to get you started: 

Indian-Spiced Chicken (this would be great with chickpeas too!)

Asian-Glazed Salmon

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Need more wellness ideas? Visit all the great writers at Prevention Not Prescriptions.

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Posted in Disease prevention, Healthy Eating, Wellness, prevention not prescriptions | 2 Comments »

Size Matters

Friday, March 19th, 2010

Or does it? The answer is: sometimes.

I was clothes-shopping with a friend this past weekend and, once again, we were struck by how wildly womens’ clothing sizes vary. One brand’s medium is nothing like another brand’s. Same goes for actual number sizes. And don’t get me started on the difference between one size and the next one up in the same brand. Maybe I’m “in-between”: I found the smaller size was too small and the next size up was far too big.

Same thing happening in my own closet. After our shopping trip, I took a look at the labels of the clothes I already own. It’s like the United Nations of sizes: everything from extra-small to extra-large is represented. And they all fit me!

So does size matter? In this case, I say NO. Here’s why:

For many people, clothing size is part of their identity. Same with the number on the scale. So much so that even when they’re eating all the right foods and doing all the right exercise, they’re absolutely deflated when the scale doesn’t immediately reflect this. Suddenly, all that hard work is for nothing, so why bother? Believe me, I’ve been there and it’s for that very reason that I stopped weighing myself.

Funny thing: once I shunned the scale, people started saying things like “Wow, you look great! How much weight have you lost?” A girl could get used to that.

When I work with my clients, we set aside the weekly weigh-ins and focus on the behavior. Here’s where size matters: understanding how much a portion is. Much of our country’s weight issues can be directly linked to the fact that most people have no idea how much they’re eating.  One client summed it up nicely this week: “Since it fit in my bowl, I thought it was one serving.” (It was 4 servings).

So pull out your measuring cups/spoons and get yourself a food scale. Do a little experiment: assemble your typical breakfast and guess how much of each food is represented. Then measure what’s actually on your plate. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

How’d you do? If you’re like most people, you were probably way, way off on some of the estimates. It’s easy to get on track, just measure and weigh for a week and your eyes will learn what a serving looks like. This is a lifelong skill that will help you wherever, whenever you’re eating.

And while you’re being so proactive about your health, visit Prevention Not Prescriptions for more great information and inspiration.

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