Alzheimers and Your Diet
Alzheimers is not only on the rise it is appearing at a much younger age. There seems to be a connection between the disease and your diet.
Read “An Anti-Alzheimer’s Diet” at http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400096
Archive for December, 2006
Acai Berries
Acai berries are now popular in the health food stores; advertised as one of the most nutritious foods in the world. Before you rush out and buy acai berrie juice or supplements read this article written by Dr. Andrew Weil at http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400095
Cinnamon
Dr. Mark Stengler from Bottom Line Natural Healing states:
“We should never underestimate the healing power of food”
Publised in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation researchers found one to one and a half teaspoons of cinnamon a day to be quite effective in lowering glucose levels in people with type 11 diabetes, specifically fasting blood glucose levels. Those given the cinnamon for four months blood glucose levels dropped 10.3%.
A bonus, not only did cinnamon lower blood glucose levels, it improved the circulation to the hands, feet, and heart.
A great snack, cinnamon sprinkled on apple slices.
Great Holiday Dip
Light And Lively Lima Bean Dip
From the January issue of The Herb Campanion www.herbcampanion.com
This is a tasty way to eat your vegetables. The one change I made in the recipe is rather than a vegetable bouillon cube and two cups water, I combined one cup Wolf Gang Puck’s vegetable broth and one cup water to cook lima beans.
Two 10-ounce packages frozen baby lima beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 vegetable bouillon
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 cups water
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
3 cloves garlic, minced and mashed
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper, for garnish
1 lemon, cut into weddges
In a medium saucepan, simmer beans, onion, bouillon cube, and lemon peel in water until beans are soft, about eight minutes.
Drain: return to pot and mash with a potato masher or pastry blender. Add cumin, oregano, black pepper, garlic, dill, 3 tablespoons olive oil and sour cream, stir to combine. Stir in lemon juice. Add salt to taste. Mound into a serving bowl and cool to room temperature.
To serve, drizzle remaining teaspoon olive oil on top, sprinkle with minced bell pepper and place lemon wedges alongside. Dip keeps for three days covered and chilled.
I found this is best made the day before you want to serve
Make pita chips to serve with dip. Cut pita bread into triangles and toast in oven.
Taco Shells
I just read a great tip for making your own taco shells, the ones you buy are usually fried.
Hang soft corn tortillas directly over rack (with sides hanging down), bake at 400 degress until crisp.
Check ingredients label when buying tortillas, some contain lard or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
A little Sugar is sometimes a good Thing
From Dr. Andrew Weil’s newsletter “Self Healing”; Swallowing sugar can cure hiccups.
Dr Weil states that putting a teaspoon of sugar or honey on the back of the tongue and swallowing slowly can make the hiccups go away. Sugar may stimulate the nerve that causes hiccups, thereby stopping the spasm. Swallowing opens the glottis, which also helps.
Food For Though
From Prevention magazine www.prevention.com
There are 1.8 billion candy canes eaten in the six weeks prior to December 25th. If you were to lay the candy canes end to end, they’d wrap around the world ten times.
That is a lot of sugar.
Fruit Juice Concentratres; are they really a healthier sweetener or just empty calories?
Fruit juice concentrates are widely used sweetners in many low-fat products. They’re “fat mimetics” meaning they retain water and provide bulk in sweet treats. Companies can still provide you with a treat that has the appearance and taste of a full fat product; at the same time creating the illusion that you are doing something good for your body.
The problem is that the fruit juice concentrates don’t have the vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber of whole fruit. Not only are these fruit juice concentrates nothing more than empty calories they are high in fructose; apple juice concetrate has 65% fructose. That is higher than the 55% fructose used in soft drinks.
The small amount of fructose you consume when eating a piece of fruit is a healthy thing but your body has not learned how to metabolize large amounts at one time. Your body then stores the excess fructose in your liver and creates unhealthy fats.
Make your favorite sweet treat with a small amount of a healthy vegetable oil. Not only is that better for your body you will find that you are not craving something else sweet within the next hour. www.health.harvard.edu
Hi there. I'm Patricia Setzer, and I show you how to prepare your favorite foods in a way that can help boost your energy, maintain a healthy weight and improve your overall health ...