Blog: Nutrition and Exercise for Health and Weight Control

I found this recipe in the November 2009 issue of Cooking Light and when my daughter, Shena, said she’d make me anything I wanted for my recent 58th birthday, I excitedly brought out the magazine. Since I love cheesecake, pumpkin pie, and cooking with spirits, I knew this was going to be fabulous… and it was!

Since our family is large, we made two pies. One was finished off on Tuesday and the other we kept in the extra refrigerator in the garage until our Sunday family meal. It kept perfectly and was just as delicious! (more…)

Elevated blood pressure is a leading indicator of circulatory system dysfunction. When blood vessels contain the plaque of atherosclerosis, the unhealthy fats in our diet cause the red blood cells to clump together and move sluggishly instead of flowing freely. Additionally, the high-fat American diet causes arteries to spasm and constrict, further reducing blood flow for 4 to 6 hours after a meal.

Where arterial plaque exists, less space is available for blood to flow through. In addition, a loss of elasticity in the walls creates further resistance to blood flow. Consequently, the heart has to pump harder to force circulation through the narrow and stiff arteries. This causes pressure on the walls of the vessels to rise. (more…)

There currently is a growing trend for calorie disclosure of menu items. However, you can’t trust that these are accurate. A report on the lack of accuracy in restaurant calorie counts is in this month’s issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association and comes from research done at Tufts University .

Here are some of the findings:
An order of Szechuan-style asparagus from P.F. Chang’s, which was listed at 260 calories, actually contained 558. And the Taco Bell Chicken Taco Salad, listed as 326 calories, was actually 607 calories!

In some cases, serving size is the culprit. A side order of grits from Denny’s is listed at 86 calories. However, the 262-gram serving delivered to patrons is twice as large as the 113-gram serving on the menu. Total calories: 258.

Another problem is that low-calorie entrees often come with high-calorie side dishes that aren’t included in the counts for the dish. For example, the petite sirloin steak served at Ruby Tuesday’s is slightly under the posted calorie count of 271. However, it’s accompanied by broccoli and a baked potato, which add another 667 calories.

Consumers can expect restaurateurs to err on the side of lower calories and neglect to mention anything that could discourage buying. Just like it’s necessary to scrutinize labels in the grocery store to avoid harmful substances, a little detective work whenever you eat out is a good preventive health measure.

I planted an Amber Sweet Orange tree three years ago when we moved into our current home and a Pummelo the year after. They both produced quantities of fruit this winter. The orange (pictured in front of the vase of sesanquas) is easy to peel, very sweet and juicy.

Pummelos are related to grapefruit, but are much larger and have a sweeter, less acidic flavor. The sections are delicious, peeled and eaten out of hand - my children love them!

This also happens to be the season for cranberries. Because of their tartness, these amazing berries are rarely consumed except in sugar-filled sauces and baked goods.

Did you know that cranberries contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any fruit? Research conducted at the University of Scranton, Pa, found cranberries to contain the highest level of phenol antioxidants when compared to 19 other common fruits, including apples, grapes, strawberries, pineapples, citrus, and bananas. (more…)