Have fun in the kitchen!

No, happiness is not in the freezer and the next ice cream container. It is in your health - if you are healthy, there is a good chance that you would be happy. 

Healthy eating can get you out of the doctor's office and off most medications. Start your transformation by committing to several decisions:

I will do healthy food swaps
Take a favorite recipe and transform it into a healthy recipe. When you cook, make your traditional/family recipes “healthy” by substituting ingredients. Or sign up for Pinterest and collect great recipes to experiment with.

I will grill the healthy way
If you do not want to give up red meat, you do not have to. However, the maximum recommended amount of meat a week is 18 ounces. A portion of red meat the size of a deck of cards can be served up to six times a week. Find some great grilling advice here.

I will not eat added sugar 
Be able to recognize the 50 names of sugar: avoid any added sugar; read the nutrition labels and know what NOT to buy.

B: Barley malt, Beet sugar, Brown sugar, Buttered syrup
C: Cane juice crystals, Cane sugar, Caramel, Corn syrup, Corn syrup solids, Confectioner’s sugar, Carob syrup, Castor sugar
D: Date sugar, Demerara sugar, Dextran, Dextrose, Diastatic malt, Diatase
E: Ethyl maltol
F: Fructose, Fruit juice, Fruit juice concentrate
G: Galactose, Glucose, Glucose solids, Golden sugar, Golden syrup, Grape sugar
H: High-fructose corn syrup, Honey
I: Icing sugar, Invert sugar
L: Lactose
M: Maltodextrin, Maltose, Malt syrup, Maple syrup, Molasses, Muscovado sugar
P: Panocha
R: Raw sugar, Refiner’s syrup, Rice syrup
S: Sorbitol, Sorghum syrup, Sucrose, Sugar
T: Treacle, Turbinado sugar 
Y: Yellow sugar  
I will make sure that I have complete protein
Different proteins have different combinations of the building blocks (amino acids). You need to consume proteins of different sources to obtain “complete” source of amino acids. Find sample menu on this website.

More on protein
How much protein do you need? Here is a quick estimate of your protein requirement: Take your weight (in pounds) and divide by 2. The number you get is the approximate number of grams of protein you need daily. Example: If you weigh 180 pounds, 180 ÷ 2 = 90 grams of protein daily. If you are receiving cancer treatment, you may need more protein. A dietitian can help you figure out your protein needs during treatment. This advice and more comes from this website.

Fun recipes
Golden Quick Barley with Sweet Peas and Corn: on this website.
Party time, “Create Your Own Beverage Bar”: on this website.

Attention: Vegans

The following is I think self-explanatory.  Even if you don’t want to eat actual animals, why not at least eggs and dairy?  Even most people lactose intolerant can eat certain yogurts and cheeses low in lactose, and there is also LACTAID and other lactase supplements.  Abstract:

OBJECTIVE:

We describe a case of irreversible subacute sclerotic combined degeneration of the spinal cord in a Western vegan subject.

METHODS:

A 57-y-old man, member of a vegan cult for 13 y, developed weakness, paraplegia, hyper-reflexia, distal symmetric muscular hypotrophy, impairment of superficial sensation in the hands and feet, loss of deep sensation in the lower limbs, and neurogenic bladder and bowel. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical and dorsal spine disclosed abnormally increased signal intensity on T(2)-weighted sections in the posterior and lateral columns. Subacute sclerotic combined degeneration of the spinal cord was diagnosed and treatment with cobalamin was started.

RESULTS:

Despite rehabilitative treatment, the patient developed spastic hypertonia with mild improvement of paresthesias. Six months later, vitamin B12 plasma levels and hematological analysis were normal. One year later, spastic paraplegia was still present and the patient was unable to walk despite improvement on magnetic resonance imaging.

CONCLUSION:

Irreversible subacute sclerotic combined degeneration of the spinal cord is a rare but possible effect of a strict vegetarian diet.

More Benefits Of DASH

The DASH diet can reduce depression along with all of its other health benefits.

The popular Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was created to lower blood pressure, but new research says it can also reduce the risk of depression later in life.

A study, to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 70th Annual Meeting in April, shows that the popular diet -- rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products and very few foods that are high in saturated fats and sugar -- does more than what has been shown in multiple studies: Lowering blood pressure, bad cholesterol (LDL) and body weight.

Keep on eating those Big Macs though!

In all seriousness, people have a choice between healthy and unhealthy eating, and this choice should be reflected in health insurance premiums.

Food Quality Over Quantity

Following up on this post, read this about the same study.

Paying attention to the quality of the food is more effective for weight loss than religiously counting calories, according to a new study.

Researchers at Stanford University found there is no significant difference in weight change between a healthy low-fat diet versus a healthy low-carbohydrate diet.

The 12-month weight loss study of 609 individuals found the tactic of choosing whole, unprocessed foods and not worrying about calories resulted in similar weight loss for people following both diets.

The study also found there is no specific insulin levels associated with the dietary effects of weight loss and no specific gene pattern that affected which diet made an individual lose weight.

Again, the take home points about weight loss: food quality is more important than counting calories, genetic excuses are not justified, and fad diets are not required.

Don’t Blame Your Genes

It’s not your genes, it’s your appetite and eating habits.

But weight loss averaged about 13 pounds over a year, regardless of genes, insulin levels or diet type. Also, some people lost as much as 60 pounds and others gained 15 pounds — more evidence that genetic characteristics and diet type appeared to make no difference.

What seemed to make a difference was healthful eating. Participants on both diets who consumed the fewest processed foods, sugary drinks, unhealthy fats and ate the most vegetables lost the most weight.

The results suggest that "precision medicine is not as important as eating mindfully, getting rid of packaged, processed food" and avoiding unhealthy habits like eating while watching television, said lead author Christopher Gardner.

So, excuses about “it’s my genes” do not justify BMI realities, and fad diets are a waste of time, if key essentials are met: “Participants on both diets who consumed the fewest processed foods, sugary drinks, unhealthy fats and ate the most vegetables lost the most weight."

I for one cut out sugary drinks – including orange juice and other fruit juices – cut back on saturated fats, cut back on foods with lots of added sugar, eat a bit less “packaged food,” while increasing fruits, vegetables, and whole grain as opposed to white.

Heart Health And The Holiday Season

Holidays and health somehow do not mash up.  This article discusses why:

"There are likely to be two separate populations who are combining to create the Christmas effect," Knight said. One is people who are quite ill, but hang on for the holidays.

These people may be discharged from the hospital to spend the holidays with their families and are therefore farther away from advanced treatment, leaving them at a higher risk of death, Knight said.

"The evidence seems to indicate that this population is likely nearing the end of their lives, and it is quite possible that many people would prefer spending the holiday with their family over a few more weeks in a hospital," Knight said.

The second group is people who delay treatment over the holidays and end up dying from a heart attack that wouldn't have been fatal otherwise, he said.

"This group is quite different from the first group, in that if the event was nonfatal, there is a good likelihood that they would have a number of healthy and productive years of life left to enjoy," Knight said.

There are a number of other theories that may also explain the spike in deaths during the holiday season. They include stress associated with the holidays, changes in diet and drinking more alcohol, less staff at hospitals, and being away from home, he suggested.

Knight added: "It is hard to give recommendations, but the usual caveats apply about avoiding rich foods, smoking and excess alcohol. But in particular, if people are traveling, ensure that they know how to access health care services in an emergency situation. And where possible, don't delay seeking treatment if the signs of cardiac distress occur."

For those in the second group, do what you can to meet the New Year with good health, and a positive approach to lifestyle issues that Knight discusses in the article.

Interested in healthy eating habits?

If you are, visit this blog.