Prevent a Heart Attack

Extra cholesterol can build up in your arteries. When plaque totally blocks an artery carrying blood to the heart, a heart attack occurs.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body and many foods. Your body needs it to work properly and makes all that you need. Too much cholesterol can accumulate depending on the kind of foods you eat and the rate at which your body breaks it down.

Extra cholesterol can build up in your arteries. Over time, cholesterol deposits, called plaque, can narrow your arteries and allow less blood to pass through.

When plaque totally blocks an artery carrying blood to the heart, a heart attack occurs. It also can happen when a deposit ruptures and causes a clot in a coronary artery. Chest pain, also called angina, is caused by plaque partially blocking a coronary artery, reducing blood flow to the heart.

“Bad” and “Good” Cholesterol

Particles called lipoproteins carry cholesterol in the blood. There are two kinds of lipoproteins you need to know about: LDL and HDL.

• * Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol make up the majority of the body’s cholesterol. LDL is known as “bad” cholesterol because having high levels can lead to a buildup in the arteries and result in heart disease.
• * High-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol absorb cholesterol and carry it back to the liver, which flushes it from the body. High levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

 
Lowering Your Cholesterol Levels

You can take several steps to maintain a normal cholesterol level:

• * Get a blood test.
• * Eat a healthy diet.
• * Maintain a healthy weight.
• * Exercise regularly.
• * Don’t smoke.
• * Treat high cholesterol.

 
If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medications in addition to lifestyle changes. Talk with your doctor about how to reduce your risk for heart disease.

Find out more about preventing and controlling high cholesterol.

For additional information please visit the CDC website.

Photo: nofutureface

Storing Body Fat

Many men and women wake up one morning at age 40 or 45, look in the mirror and ask themselves, “How did I get so heavy?”

By: Tom Venuto

Do you get fatter in the cold weather? It’s a good question right now, and the answer is yes!

First there’s the psychological explanation: in warm climates, people are wearing less clothes and enjoying the outdoors and people want to look good when they’re exposing more flesh! In the cold, you’re covered up, so there’s less self-consciousness and no public accountability. Therefore, most people tend to stay on a diet more diligently and train harder when summer rolls around.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been studied at length by psychologists. Often more than just the “winter blues” but an actual type of depression, SAD occurs during the short days and long nights of winter and fall, when there’s less sunlight and colder temperatures. Symptoms include depression, cravings for specific foods, loss of energy, hopelessness and oversleeping. Obviously, these types of symptoms can contribute to weight gain.

Because of their tendency for fall and winter weight gain, many people have suspected that cold temperatures influence weight gain on a metabolic level, not just eating more. Exposure to cold temperatures can cause a shivering thermogenesis which means there’s an increase in metabolism to produce more heat (heat production = calories burned).

However, if you just got the bright idea of turning off the heat in your house, or going for a swim in the cold surf every day to “burn more fat“, I wouldn’t recommend it. Deliberate exposure to the cold, either cold air or cold water doesn’t pan out into real world fat loss results, even though there are actually “fat loss gurus” who recommend it.

Here’s why:

If your body uses some energy for shivering or heat production, it can compensate later for that energy loss by increasing your appetite. Not only that, research at the hyperbaric environmental adaptation program at the Naval Medical Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland reported that, “The combination of exercise and cold exposure does NOT act to enhance metabolism of fats . . . Cold-induced vasoconstriction of peripheral adipose tissue may account, in part, for the decrease in lipid mobilization.”

It’s just not practical to freeze your butt off in an attempt to speed up your metabolism a tiny little bit, so your fat loss scheme wouldn’t last long if you tried.

A great example of how cold temperatures affect energy balance is in the case of swimming. For years, people thought swimming actually made you fat. There were all kinds of theories, like, “it makes you retain a layer of fat for insulation, like seals.” Actually, the most recent research shows that swimming is a perfectly good fat burning exercise, except for one thing: Swimming, especially in cold water, increases appetite dramatically.

The seasons affect your activity levels too. Pedometer research published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise uncovered a huge difference in the number of steps taken between the summer and winter:

7616 steps per day in summer
6293 steps per day in fall
5304 steps per day in winter
5850 steps in spring

Most people blame winter weight gain on the food, but it’s not just the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s celebration feasts, it’s less winter activity that also contributes to the holiday pounds.

You have to keep up your training and nutrition program in the winter, or else.

Although studies have found that seasonal weight gain is usually very small, it’s the type of slow weight creep that goes unnoticed. Over a period of 10, 15 or 20 years, it’s enough to accumulate into overweight or obesity.

Thus many men and women wake up one morning at age 40 or 45, look in the mirror and ask themselves, “How did I get so heavy?” Answer: just a pound or two a year, after each winter season, left unchecked.

To stay lean all year round, you have to remain alert about increases in your appetite and decreases in your activity. This is a YEAR-ROUND LIFESTYLE! Stay active, stay diligent about nutrition, stay accountable, and if you start to experience weight gain, nip it in the bud — fast!

Turtles Will Stick Out Their Necks

List all the personal traits that give you confidence. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and knowing your strengths will help you compensate for your shortcomings.

By: Nikki Stone

As a motivational speaker for Fortune 500 companies and an Olympic gold medalist, I have seen what makes an individual most successful in the boardroom and on the slopes. Over the last five years, I have researched the similarities of forty different highly-successful individuals — including the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Prince Albert of Monaco, Dr. Stephen Covey, Shaun White and many more. And no matter the field or endeavor, I have found The Turtle Effect philosophy at the core of everyone’s success.

This philosophy was taught to me by my mother, who told me that I could achieve anything I wanted. I always held it close and adapted it to every situation I encountered. I’d like to help people breathe in this confidence and share the secrets that are common to those at the top of their given field.

1. Have a Soft Inside – let your heart drive your actions

Find Your Passion: Do the things you hate first so you can truly get pleasure from the parts of your job and day that you are most passionate about.  First thing in the morning write down five things you don’t like to do. Do each before 11:00 a.m., and check off that you’ve done them. Doing the thing you hate most will allow you to spend the rest of the day or week focusing on the things you enjoy the most.

2. Develop Your Hard Shell — stay strong against life’s challenges

Enhance Your Focus: Try to complete a task or project today as well as you can — without looking at others for approval. Can you bring something to fruition without worrying about the outcome?  If you do feel you have to see your “results”, compare them to your own past efforts rather than to what someone else has achieved.

Be Committed: Either give yourself a challenge or challenge a colleague, teammate or friend to decide on a certain goal with you. Write the challenge down on an index card and tape it to the wall to remind yourself of your goal. This commitment will make you accountable to your goals and responsible for your actions.

Overcoming Adversities: Ask yourself, “If I knew I couldn’t fail, what would I try?” After you answer this question, ask yourself why it would be so awful to fail at the task or activity. We learn much more from our failures than we learn from our accomplishments.

3. Be Willing to Stick Your Neck Out – put yourself out there and find the support to make sure you follow through

Build Your Confidence: We all have our strong points and we need to remind ourselves of these attributes. Create a list today of all the personal traits that give you confidence. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and knowing your strengths will help you compensate for your shortcomings.

Start Taking Risks: We can’t be afraid of failure. If you don’t try, you have already failed. Why not give yourself the chance to succeed? Pick something that scares you a bit, and decide you are going to take the risk to follow through with it today.

Find Your Teamwork: A support system is crucial in helping you develop a strong character. Go out today and ask a few close friends how they would describe you. If they define you only in terms of your accomplishments, take the time to show them who you are in terms of your relationships. Think about the things you may be doing to project a title rather than a personality, and correct that.

I find that the same factors work to put someone at the top of their game, whether you are a triumphant athlete, Fortune 500 CEO, an accomplished politician, successful educator, or even an effective parent.

I hope these tips help you find your Turtle Effect and encourage you to strive for levels once thought impossible.

©2010 Nikki Stone, author of When Turtles Fly: Secrets of Successful People Who Know How To Stick Their Necks Out

About the Author:
At the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, Nikki Stone became America’s first-ever Olympic champion in the sport of aerial skiing. What made this performance so unbelievable was the fact that, less than two years earlier, a chronic spinal injury prevented her from standing, much less walking or skiing off a twelve-foot-tall snow jump that launches aerialists fifty feet into the air. She overcame the injury and went on to earn 35 World Cup medals, 11 World Cup titles, 4 national titles, 3 World Cup titles, a World Championship title, and membership in the Ski Hall of Fame. Nikki is also a magna cum laude graduate of Union College and a summa cum laude masters graduate of the University of Utah. Her aerial retirement is less than restful as she trains Olympic athletes and business professionals in speaking/media skills, coaches personal and professional development courses, hosts group skiing adventures, sits on five different charitable committees, and writes articles and columns for many magazines, newspapers, and websites. Nikki’s career focus is now on traveling around the world working as a sought-after motivational speaker, sharing her secrets to success by inspiring her business audiences to “Stick their necks out.” Every spare moment is spent with husband, Michael Spencer, and daughter, Zali, in Park City, Utah.

Nikki is the author of When Turtles Fly: Secrets of Successful People Who Know How To Stick Their Necks Out. For more information, please visit www.WhenTurtlesFly.com.

Photo:  meantux

Woman's Heart

Most heart attacks start slowly with mild pain and discomfort. Don’t discount them and assume they are caused by something else.

By: Natasha Morgan

In February you might see many more women wearing red. They are likely promoting the American Heart Association’s “Go Red For Women” month. Although, heart disease is a debilitating condition that can attack anytime throughout the year, this month has been selected to increase its awareness to women.

Heart Attack

The symptoms of a heart attack in women can be different than those for men which might be why women can take from two to four hours longer to respond to their symptoms. When they finally get to the hospital, some medical professionals have been slow to recognize a heart attack in women and delay treatment. This obviously has a serious impact on the lives of many women.

So, let’s review the heart attack symptoms experienced by women:

1.  Most heart attacks start slowly with mild pain and discomfort. Don’t discount them and assume they are caused by something else.
2.  Discomfort, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes is the most common symptom.
3.  Experiencing pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach should be a big wake-up call  for women.
4.  Should you start to feel lightheaded, break out in a cold sweat or feel nauseous, pay attention as this might also be a warning.
5.  Something as simple as shortness of breath even without any other symptoms can be an indicator that something serious is going on.

Stroke
As in a heart attack, a severe stroke can cause long lasting, permanent damage that affects your lifestyle. If you experience any of the following warning signs, get to a hospital immediately:

1.  Your face, arm or leg suddenly feels weak or numb, usually on one side of the body.
2.  You feel confused or have difficulty forming words.
3.  You feel dizzy and lose your balance.
4.  You may have trouble walking and feel you’ve lost your coordination.
5.  Your eyesight is affected as you suddenly can’t see.
6.  You get a severe headache for no reason.

Whether you experience a heart attack or a stroke, the key to optimal recovery is how soon you get medical treatment. By calling 911, an ambulance can be at your door quickly. Paramedics are trained to stabilize your condition but physicians and hospital equipment are needed to treat your heart attack and stroke.

Note: This article is written to bring awareness to heart disease.  For medical advice please contact your physician and for more information visit the American Heart Association and American Stoke Association.

Photo:  Gabriela Camerotti

Salmon

Experts are finding evidence that omega-3 fatty acids in fish can substantially benefit our body and perhaps even prolong our life.

By: Natasha Morgan

Much has been written about the benefits of eating fish. Researchers have suggested that by eating Omega-3 rich fish two to three times a week, we can ward off heart disease. Now a new study is showing that following this advice can increase our life span. So, who’s not interested in learning more about eating fish?

Here’s the Scoop:
The shortening of telomere which are sequences of DNA has been linked to the aging process. At the end of our chromosomes we have telomeres that protect chromosomes from damage. As our cells divide, telomeres become progressively shorter and eventually the cell dies. Inflammation that is caused by obesity, poor diet, inactivity, smoking and alcohol is responsible for speeding up the process. However, increasing your intake of omeaga-3 fatty acids can reduce the telomere shortening and keep your chromosomes in good shape longer.

Six Ways to Keep Your Chromosomes Healthy

1.  Eat two six-ounce servings of salmon or other Omega-3 rich fish a week.

2.  Lose extra pounds that increase inflammation in the body.

3.  Take vitamin D supplements which reduce inflammation and enhance the body’s immune system.

4.  Choose a low fat, low sugar diet rich in whole grains, fruit and vegetables.  Cut back on processed meats such as ham, hot dogs and luncheon meats.

5.  Get off the couch! You need at least 30 minutes exercise, several days a week to derive healthful benefits.

6.  Quit smoking. This, you already know about. Just do it!

©2009  This article was written specifically for notjustthekitchen.com.

It can be copied provided the content is in no way altered and the following link remains active: Read more articles geared toward women.

Photo: Marco Veringa

Sunshine

Boost the brain chemical serotonin to switch off your appetite and turn on a good mood. Serotonin is sunshine for your brain.

By: Judith J. Wurtman, PhD and Nina T. Frusztajer, MD

The long days of winter can cause depression, fatigue, increased appetite, decreased interest in work and social activities, and a significant need for more sleep. This cluster of symptoms is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Whether you experience all these symptoms of SAD or just a general feeling of the winter blahs, don’t blame it on the holidays, after-holiday bills, cabin fever or endless ice storms. There is a physiological reason behind these seasonal changes: The activity of a brain chemical called serotonin seems to be altered during the seasons of the year when there are fewer hours of sunlight. And this decrease in serotonin activity seems to be behind the urge to crawl into bed at 4pm with a bag of cookies and the remote.

Antidepressants that activate serotonin have also been prescribed for SAD. They may relieve the mood symptoms but might leave behind an unwanted side effect: weight gain, which is one of the symptoms of SAD (making swimsuit season a dreadful time of year despite the return of long days of sunshine).

The better way to cope with SAD is to boost the brain chemical serotonin.

Nature’s Own Appetite-Suppressant

We all have serotonin in our brains, although women have less than men. When serotonin is functioning normally, it keeps us emotionally stable and also turns off our appetite so we eat less. The natural way of increasing serotonin activity is to get the brain to make more.

Boosting serotonin activity naturally may be the most practical and slimming option. There is a single way to make more serotonin: Eat sweet or starchy non-fruit carbohydrates at the right times during the day.

When carbohydrates that contain very little protein or fat (such as a potato without the sour cream or butter) are eaten, serotonin is made in the brain.

Insulin is involved in this process. As soon as the carbohydrate is eaten, changes occur in the blood driven by insulin secretion. The result is that an amino acid, tryptophan, enters the brain very quickly and, just as quickly, is converted to serotonin. One potato can lead to a better mood, more energy, less sleepiness and a controlled appetite.

Winter is long but the effects of eating a potato are short. There is one problem with this eating solution to the winter blues: The boost in serotonin probably doesn’t last more than 2-3 hours. Once the effect wears off, the blues may return. The answer is eating by the “sun clock.”

• Eat foods that will maintain your mental alertness such as protein, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products during the light hours (i.e. breakfast and lunch), and
• Switch to serotonin-producing carbohydrates when it becomes dark.

You will not overeat because the serotonin that is produced will switch off your appetite.

Chasing away the winter blues is not only easy — it’s delicious. Here’s what a typical day of eating looks like:

Sunshine Meals

Breakfast:
Scrambled egg beaters
Whole wheat English muffin with jam
An apple

Lunch:
Grilled chicken with a mixed green salad and balsamic vinaigrette

Sunset Snacks and Dinners

4pm snack:
Low-fat granola bar

Dinner:
Pasta with roasted vegetables and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
A cup of minestrone soup

After-dinner snack:
Skinny Cow fudge bar

All You Need to Know

When you need to boost your brain serotonin levels, eat a low-fat, low-protein carbohydrate snack such as half a bagel, a cup of oatmeal with brown sugar, or 3 cups of low-fat popcorn. Finding serotonin-friendly snacks is easy. Just check the labels to make sure that a serving contains between 100 to 120 calories, 20 to 25 grams of carbohydrates, no more than 1 to 2 grams of fat, and no more than 3 grams of protein. If your favorite snacks don’t come in single-serving sizes, pre-package your own and toss them in a briefcase, handbag, glove compartment or desk drawer. Options include:

• Breakfast cereal
• Low-fat biscotti
• Fat-free Fig Newtons
• Fat-free mini-meringues
• Low-fat popcorn
• Pretzels
• Baked potato chips
• Baked tortilla chips
• Rice cakes, rice crackers, and baked rice snacks
• Fat-free hot chocolate
• Granola bars
• Pita Bread

• Eat one snack 3 to 4 hours before dinner. If you feel the need for an evening snack, enjoy one 2 to 3 hours after dinner.
• On any day the sun is out, try to get outside around noon for at least 10 minutes. A sunbox is another option, as long as you sit in front of it in the morning for at least 10-20 minutes (it mimics early morning light).
• Drink plenty of non-caloric beverages and avoid alcohol.
• Exercise — even if you don’t feel like doing so. Physical activity will give you more energy. Get out and walk. If the weather is too cold or inclement, take a brisk stroll around the mall. Check out the exercise DVD’s at the library and follow the prompts at home. If you belong to a gym and you don’t have the energy to get there after work, go over the weekend.
• Make sure you get the sleep your body craves. A 20-minute afternoon nap can be very refreshing (make sure it’s over by 4pm so that it won’t interfere with nighttime sleeping). Also, you may want to aim for an earlier bedtime in the winter months.

Boost Serotonin to switch off your appetite and turn on a good mood.

©2009 Judith J. Wurtman, PhD and Nina T. Frusztajer, MD, authors of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs — Nature’s Own Appetite Suppressant — to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain

About the Authors:
Judith J. Wurtman, PhD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs — Nature’s Own Appetite Suppressant — to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain, has discovered the connection between carbohydrate craving, serotonin, and emotional well-being in her MIT clinical studies. She received her PhD from George Washington University, is the founder of a Harvard University hospital weight-loss facility and counsels private weight management clients. She has written five books, including The Serotonin Solution, and more than 40 peer-reviewed articles for professional publications. She lives in Miami Beach, Florida.

Nina T. Frusztajer, MD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs — Nature’s Own Appetite Suppressant — to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain, counsels private weight management clients and is a practicing physician and certified professional life coach. She received her master’s degree in Nutrition from Columbia University and her medical degree from George Washington University. She lives in Boston, MA.

For more information, please visit www.SerotoninPowerDiet.com.

Photo:  danydrs72

Squash spinach soup

Here are three suggestions for choosing foods that can sustain you from January until the first bunch of locally grown asparagus makes its appearance in spring.

By:  Mary Ann Esposito

Ah winter! Fun in the snow making snow angels with the kids, ice skating and snowshoeing. If only all that joy and satisfaction could be found at your local grocery store come January. And unless you live in warmer climes, most of us along with warding off colds, the flu, and grouchiness at the thought of a looming long winter, are at a loss as to what to buy and eat when the choices are almost as bleak as the weather.

Sure, lots of us will crave warmth reaching for cans of soup, full of sodium and other stuff too difficult to try and pronounce. We’ll scavenge the produce aisles in hopes of finding some lively looking salad greens from California and fruit from Florida, instead of some foreign country. We’ll console ourselves with grapefruit, navel oranges, apples and pears while dreaming of fresh local strawberries not due until June.

January, February and March can be tricky if you are picky about where your food comes from. Chilean plums, Mexican grapes, blueberries from Uruguay, anyone? Even in the winter months, it’s important to choose foods that are as local as possible.

Here are three suggestions for choosing foods that can sustain you from January until the first bunch of locally grown asparagus makes its lovely anticipated appearance in spring.

1) Dried beans such as garbanzo, kidney, split pea and pinto beans are readily found on grocer’s shelves. They can be turned into delicious, high fiber, high protein dishes that will power you through the cold. For instance, how about a hearty sausage, lentil and ditalini soup from my latest cookbook: Ciao Italia, Five Ingredient Favorites from an Italian Kitchen? Easy to make and you won’t believe how good just a five ingredient soup can be.

2) Winter squashes of every color and description are in my opinion, the workhorse vegetables of winter along with onions, Brussels sprouts, and mushrooms. Creamy and velvety squash soup is a favorite as is a rich risotto made with diced squash, and spaghetti squash does a great stand-in for spaghetti and meatballs. If you have some eggs, an onion and mushrooms, a tart is a nice change of pace as is a steaming bowl of onion soup with a blanket of melted cheese over the top.

3) Don’t overlook leafy Swiss chard, kale, carrots and beets. Swiss chard and kale can be steamed for use as a side dish, incorporated into crustless quiche or stuffed and baked. Combine cooked beets and carrots for a nice winter salad; add some feta cheese, and a handful of walnuts or pine nuts and you have a perky salad that can banish winter blues with one taste.

Yes, January can be a challenge on many levels but sacrificing good food does not have to be one of them if you think, choose wisely, and cook in season.

Squash and Spinach Soup
Zuppa di Zucca e Spinaci

SERVES 6 TO 8

Now, this soup uses real ingenuity. A vibrant green, the soup is beautiful to look at as well as eat. I call this a kitchen-sink soup because it uses vegetables, milk, and pasta, and was created just by having the ingredients on hand.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 10-ounce bag fresh spinach, washed, drained, and stemmed
• 4 tablespoon (½ stick) butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 pound yellow summer squash (about 3 small), cubed
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, or more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup ditalini or other soup pasta
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

Place the spinach in a 3-quart soup pot, cover, and cook without any additional water until limp, about 3 minutes. Drain the spinach in a colander and let cool. Press out the excess water with a wooden spoon, then coarsely chop the spinach. Set aside.

Wipe out the soup pot, return it to the heat, and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until soft. Add the squash and potatoes, and cook the vegetables together, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add the water, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir, combining ingredients well, cover the pot, and boil gently for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Turn off the heat.

In a skillet, heat the remaining butter. Add the spinach and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the spinach to the soup and stir well to blend.

In a food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the soup pot and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and add to the soup.

To serve, reheat the soup and serve in individual bowls. Pass the cheese for sprinkling on top.

Variation: Use thin slices of uncooked yellow squash as a garnish.

©2009 Mary Ann Esposito, author of Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen

About the Author:
Mary Ann Esposito, author of Ciao Italia Five-Ingredient Favorites: Quick and Delicious Recipes from an Italian Kitchen, is the creator and host of the long-running PBS series Ciao Italia, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010. She is the author of eleven successful cookbooks, including Ciao Italia Slow and Easy and Ciao Italia Pronto! She lives in Durham, New Hampshire.

For more information, please visit www.CiaoItalia.com.

Eggs can be prepared many ways.

One of the simplest cooking techniques to master is steaming food in a perforated basket suspended above simmering liquid.

By: The weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic and Donald Hensrud, M.D., M.P.H.

Healthy cooking doesn’t mean you have to become a gourmet chef or invest in special cookware. Simply use standard cooking methods to prepare foods in healthy ways. You can also adapt familiar recipes by substituting other ingredients for fat, sugar and salt.

The following methods best capture the flavor and retain the nutrients in your food without adding too much fat or salt.

• Baking.  Besides breads and desserts, you can bake seafood, poultry, lean meat, and vegetable and fruit pieces of the same size. Place food in a pan or dish (covered or uncovered) and bake. You may need to baste the food with broth, low-fat marinade or juice to keep the food from drying out.

• Braising.  Braising involves browning the meat or poultry first in a pan on top of the stove, and then slowly cooking it covered with a small amount of liquid, such as water or broth. In some recipes, the cooking liquid is used afterward to form a flavorful, nutrient-rich sauce.

• Grilling and broiling.  Both grilling and broiling expose fairly thin pieces of food to direct heat and allow fat to drip away from the food. If you’re grilling outdoors, place smaller items, such as chopped vegetables, in a long-handled grill basket or on foil to prevent pieces from slipping through the rack. To broil indoors place food on a broiler rack below a heat element.

• Poaching.  To poach foods, in a covered pan gently simmer ingredients in water or a flavorful liquid, such as broth, vinegar or juice, until cooked through and tender. For stove-top poaching, choose an appropriate-sized covered pan and use a minimum amount of liquid.

• Roasting.  Roasting uses an oven’s dry heat at high temperatures to cook the food on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. For poultry, seafood and meat, place a rack inside the roasting pan so that the fat can drip away during cooking.

• Sautéing.  Sautéing quickly cooks small or thin pieces of food. If you choose a good-quality nonstick pan, you can cook food without using fat. Depending on the recipe, use low-sodium broth, cooking spray, water or wine in place of oil or butter.

• Steaming.  One of the simplest cooking techniques to master is steaming food in a perforated basket suspended above simmering liquid. If you use a flavorful liquid or add herbs to the water, you’ll flavor the food as it cooks.

• Stir-frying.  Stir-frying quickly cooks small, uniform-sized pieces of food while they’re rapidly stirred in a wok or large nonstick frying pan. You need only a small amount of oil or cooking spray for this cooking method.

Find new ways to add flavor

Instead of salt or butter, you can enhance foods with a variety of herbs, spices and low-fat condiments. Be creative.

Poach fish in low-fat broth or wine and fresh herbs. Top a broiled chicken breast with fresh salsa. Make meats more flavorful with low-fat marinades or spices — bay leaf, chili powder, dry mustard, garlic, ginger, green pepper, sage, marjoram, onion, oregano, pepper or thyme.

To bring out the sweetness in baked goods, use a bit more vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg.

Adapting recipes

If the recipe calls for: Butter, margarine, shortening or oil

Try substituting:
* For sandwiches, substitute tomato slices, catsup or mustard.

* For stove-top cooking, sauté food in broth or small amounts of healthy oil like olive,canola or peanut or use non-stick spray.

* In marinades, substitute diluted fruit juice, wine, or balsamic vinegar.

* In cakes or bars, replace half the fat or oil with the same amount of applesauce,prune puree or commercial fat substitute

* To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don’t substitute oil for butter or shortening, or substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular margarine.

***
If the recipe calls for: Meat

Try substituting:
Keep it lean. In soup, chili or stir-fry, replace most of the meat with beans or vegetables.
As an entrée, keep it to no more than the size of a deck of cards — load up on vegetables.

***
If the recipe calls for: Whole milk (regular or evaporated)

Try substituting:
Fat free or 1% milk, or evaporated skim milk.

***

If the recipe calls for: Whole egg (yolk and white)

Try substituting:
1/4 cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites for breakfast or in baked goods.

***

If the recipe calls for: Sour cream or cream cheese

Try substituting:
Fat-free, low-fat or light varieties in dips, spreads, salad dressings and toppings. Fat-free, low-fat and light varieties do not work well for baking.

***

If the recipe calls for:  Sugar

Try substituting:
In most baked goods, you can reduce the amount of sugar by one-half without affecting texture or taste, but use no less than 1/4 cup of sugar for every cup of flour to keep items moist.

***

If the recipe calls for: White flour

Try substituting:
Replace half or more of white flour with whole grain pastry or regular flour.

***

If the recipe calls for: Salt

Try substituting:
* Use herbs (1 tbsp. fresh = 1 tsp. dried = 1/4 tsp. powder). Add towards the end of cooking and use sparingly — you can always add more.
* Salt is required when baking yest-leavened items. Otherwise you may reduce salt by half in cookies and bars. Not needed when boiling pasta.

Reprinted from The Mayo Clinic Diet, © 2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Good Books (www.GoodBooks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.

For more information, please visit www.goodbooks.com/mayoclinicdiet and www.mayoclinic.com/diet.

Photo: Steve Wampler

Serotonin suppresses appetite

Carbohydrate cravers who consume a sweet or starchy snack are increasing serotonin naturally and blunting their appetite.

By: Judith J. Wurtman, PhD and Nina T. Frusztajer, MD

Serotonin is nature’s own appetite suppressant. This powerful brain chemical curbs cravings and shuts off appetite. It makes you feel satisfied even if your stomach is not full. The result is eating less and losing weight.

A natural mood regulator, serotonin makes you feel emotionally stable, less anxious, more tranquil and even more focused and energetic.

Serotonin can be made only after sweet or starchy carbohydrates are eaten.

More than 30 years ago, extensive studies at MIT carried out by Richard Wurtman, M.D., showed that tryptophan, the building block of serotonin, could get into the brain only after sweet or starchy carbohydrates were eaten. Although tryptophan is an amino acid and found in all protein, eating protein prevents tryptophan from passing through a barrier from the blood into the brain. The reason is simply numbers: Tryptophan competes for an entry point into the brain with some other amino acids. There are more of those other amino acids in the blood than tryptophan after protein is eaten. So in the competition to get into the brain, tryptophan is at a total disadvantage and very little gets in after a protein meal like turkey or snack like yogurt.

But carbohydrates tip the odds in tryptophan’s favor. All carbohydrates (except fruit) are digested to glucose in the intestinal tract. When glucose enters the bloodstream, insulin is released and pushes nutrients such as amino acids into the cells of the heart, liver and other organs. As it does this, tryptophan stays behind in the bloodstream. Now there is more tryptophan in the blood than the competing amino acids. As the blood passes by the barrier into the brain, tryptophan can get in. The tryptophan is immediately converted to serotonin, and the soothing and appetite controlling effects of this brain chemical are soon felt.

Our studies with volunteers found that when people consumed a pre-meal carbohydrate drink that made more serotonin, they became less hungry and were able to control their calorie intake. Volunteers whose drinks contained protein — so that serotonin was not made — did not experience any decrease in their appetite.

Most of us have experienced the carbohydrate-serotonin effect on our appetite even though we were not aware of the connection. Have you ever munched on rolls or bread while waiting for the main course to be served in a restaurant? By the time dinner is served, twenty minutes or so after you ate the roll, your appetite has been downsized. “I don’t even feel that hungry” is a common response when the plate is put down on the table.

This blunting of appetite is not because you may have eaten 120 calories of roll. It is caused by new serotonin putting a brake on your appetite.

Successful weight loss depends on the power of serotonin to control food intake.

The carbohydrate-serotonin connection has a direct impact on our emotional state, too. Drugs that increase serotonin activity have been used for several decades as a therapy for mood disorders. However, our studies showed that natural changes in serotonin could have a profound impact on daily fluctuations in mood, energy levels and attention. In one of our early studies, we found that our volunteers became slightly depressed, anxious, tired, and irritable around 3 to 5 pm every day. At the same time, they experienced, in the words of one volunteer “a jaw-aching need to eat something sweet or starchy.” Several studies later, we were able to state that late afternoon seems to be a universal carbohydrate-craving time, and people who experience this craving use carbohydrates to “self-medicate” themselves. Carbohydrate cravers who consume a sweet or starchy snack are increasing serotonin naturally.

We carried out careful clinical studies to measure the effect of carbohydrates on mood and to make sure that the effect was not just due to taste or the effect of taking a break from work. Volunteers, all carbohydrate cravers, were given a carbohydrate or protein- containing food or drink that had identical tastes. Their moods, concentration and energy were measured before and after they consumed the test beverages. The carbohydrate serotonin-producing beverage improved their moods but the protein-containing beverage had no effect on either their mood or their appetite.

Eating carbohydrates allows serotonin to restore your good mood and increase your emotional energy.

Eating low or fat-free, protein-free carbohydrates in the correct amounts and at specific times potentiates serotonin’s ability to increase satiety. You will eat less, feel more satisfied and lose weight.

Here are five tips to get serotonin working for you:

1. Eat the carbohydrate on an empty stomach to avoid interference from protein from a previous meal or snack. Wait about 3 hours after a meal containing protein.
2. The carbohydrate food such as graham crackers or pretzels should contain between 25-35 grams of carbohydrate. The carbohydrate can be sweet or starchy. High-fiber carbohydrates take a long time to digest and are not recommended for a rapid improvement in mood or decrease in pre-meal appetite. Eat them as part of the daily food plan instead for their nutritional value.
3. The protein content of the snack should not exceed 4 grams.
4. To avoid eating too many calories and slowing down digestion, avoid snacks containing more than 3 grams of fat.
5. Do not continue to eat after you have consumed the correct amount of food. It will take about 20-40 minutes for you to feel the effect. Eating more carbohydrates during the interval is unnecessary and may cause weight gain.

Stress may increase your need for serotonin and make it harder to control food intake. Prevent this by shifting protein intake to the early part of the day; i.e. protein for breakfast and lunch and switching to carbohydrates by late afternoon. Eating a carbohydrate dinner with very little protein increases serotonin sufficiently to prevent after dinner nibbling. And the soothing effect of the serotonin prevents stress from interfering with sleep.

Boost Serotonin to switch off your appetite and turn on a good mood.

©2009 Judith J. Wurtman, PhD and Nina T. Frusztajer, MD, authors of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs — Nature’s Own Appetite Suppressant — to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain

About the Authors: Judith J. Wurtman, PhD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs — Nature’s Own Appetite Suppressant — to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain, has discovered the connection between carbohydrate craving, serotonin, and emotional well-being in her MIT clinical studies. She received her PhD from George Washington University, is the founder of a Harvard University hospital weight-loss facility and counsels private weight management clients. She has written five books, including The Serotonin Solution, and more than 40 peer-reviewed articles for professional publications. She lives in Miami Beach, Florida.

Nina T. Frusztajer, MD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet: Eat Carbs — Nature’s Own Appetite Suppressant — to Stop Emotional Overeating and Halt Antidepressant-Associated Weight Gain, counsels private weight management clients and is a practicing physician and certified professional life coach. She received her master’s degree in Nutrition from Columbia University and her medical degree from George Washington University. She lives in Boston, MA.

For more information, please visit www.SerotoninPowerDiet.com and Amazon.com.

Photo:  Michelle Gibson

Neti Pot

After several days of using the “Neti Pot”,  I noticed a big difference. The mucus that had formed became thinner and my sinus headaches had disappeared.

By: Natasha Morgan

Since his many appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show, Dr. Oz has become well known for his common sense approach to health problems. In one episode, he surprised his audience by introducing a method of nasal irrigation using a “Neti Pot”. Most of us had never heard of a “Neti Pot” and the demonstration of its use was far from appealing. We also didn’t know about nasal irrigation which Dr. Oz explained flushes the nasal passages of bacterial infections, allergies and environmental irritants.

This spring for the first time I was hit with an allergic reaction to almost anything beginning to sprout. It took me off guard since I had lived in the same place for nine years without any symptoms. I tried several over-the-counter treatments with varying success. The ones causing drowsiness I eliminated after I nearly ran over a ball washer on the golf course. My partner still doesn’t let me drive the cart.

Then, a friend reminded me of the “Neti Pot”. For years she has suffered sinus problems and swears that regular use of the “Neti Pot” makes her condition manageable.

So, what did I have to lose? I went to my local pharmacy and for $15.98 bought my very own “Neti Pot”. According to the enclosed instructions here is what I was to do:

* Mix about 16 ounces (1 pint) of lukewarm water with 1 teaspoon of salt
* Tilt your head over the sink at about a 45-degree angle
* Place the spout into your top nostril
* Gently pour the saline solution into that nostril
* The fluid will flow through your nasal cavity and into the other nostril and possibly into your throat
* Blow your nose to get rid of any remaining liquid
* Refill the “Neti Pot” and repeat the process on the other nostril

After several days of use, I noticed a big difference. The mucus that had formed became thinner causing it to flow rather than clog the sinus cavities. I still sneezed and my eyes watered but the headaches were gone. I persevered and a few days later, the remainder of my symptoms subsided. I felt so well that I continued to use the “Neti Pot” three times a week during the entire allergy season.

Now that the cold season has arrived, I managed to pick up a nasty cold bug. I sneezed and blew my nose for a week before I remembered the nasal irrigation treatment that was so successful with my allergies. So, out came the “Neti Pot” and within days, my head cold disappeared.

Although the use of a “Neti Pot” for nasal irrigation has been around for centuries, the little ceramic pot has only become popular in recent years. It’s an effective way to minimize the consumption of medications and costs very little to use. You might want to discuss it with your family doctor if you are plagued with sinus problems.

©2009 This article was written specifically for notjustthekitchen.com.

It can be copied provided the content is in no way altered and the following link remains active: Read more articles geared toward women.

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