Archive for February, 2010

Heart

This week’s Word of the Week is an anecdote about Heart Health. February is American Heart Health Month. Cadiovascular diseases including strokes are the number one killer amongst Americans.

There are some simple steps one can take to substantially reduce one’s risk of getting a heart attack or stroke. Here are the top three examples in my personal view: -

1. Regular Exercise
2. Eating a low fat and low sodium diet with loads of fresh vegetables and fruit.
3. Relaxation – Trying to reduce stress levels at work and at home by practising good relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation.

Check out the American Heart Association’s Life Check to see how you can make small changes that will have a huge impact on your health and quality of life.

An Anecdote About A Not So Ordinary Seed

This is a personal anecdote about my new friend, the flax seed. I’ve been trying to increase my overall health. So, the other day I decided to look for heart healthy foods and stumbled upon, flax seeds.

When I asked the store clerk if there was a difference between brown and yellow flax seeds she replied, “there is absolutely no difference between the two.” I found this amusing because upon first glance I actually liked the look of the brown ones better and thought, “How could she say that? The brown ones look so much better!”

I wanted to give them a little home, so I used an old wonton soup container to store them, because if I want to be healthier I won’t need it. Wow they look so cool and healthy in that container. They actually look a little lonely, so I’ve been finding ways to use these little seeds to the fullest. I now sprinkle them on cereal. I dip bananas into them as well.

I’ve grown to like them even though I don’t know if they have any taste. Here’s what I have heard about them. Nutritionists say that flax seeds help lower cholesterol and also are good for people who have diabetes.

Flax is high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids, which helps people with rheumatoid arthritis. I’ve also heard that if you grind them up they’re better for you, but as for now I’m afraid to crush them in fear that my new little friends, the flax seed, may get mad at me!

My Spinach Salad

Following on from my partner’s anecdote post on the mighty flax seed, I came up with this fabulous Spinach Salad that has loads of vitamins and will power up your heart and boost your immune system.

Here are the ingredients: -

Spinach (flat or curly leaf – whichever you prefer)
Red Bell Pepper
Broccoli
Cherry Tomatoes
Avocado
Flax Seeds
Low fat/ Low sodium Onion Vinaigrette

Basically you just wash all the veggies thoroughly, especially the spinach. Chop the bell pepper and broccoli heads (remove stalks) roughly and place all three into a salad bowl. Add the cherry tomatoes and toss to evenly distribute the ingredients.

Place a good portion on a plate. Sprinkle with a nice tablespoon of flax seeds. Slice the avocado and place on top to decorate the salad. If you want to use the dressing then you should pour it sparingly over the salad before adding the avocado.

It’s tasty and quite filling for a salad. If you want to make it more of an evening meal then add some protein. I would suggest a small portion of lightly grilled tuna for our non-vegetarians and some chick peas for our vegetarian or vegan readers.

Health Scare

As many of you know I have been a vegetarian for over two decades. What you may not know is that vegetarianism isn’t always healthy when you fail to replace what nutrients one loses by not eating meat protein.

I believe that I may have fallen into that category of late. Also you still have to exercise and practise sound relaxation techniques to stay healthy and maintain strong mental functions.

I recently found out that I have higher than normal blood pressure. It runs in our family and it is something I have always been aware of, however it is so easy to take things like that for granted. Especially when my eldest sister had a stroke because her blood pressure was so high, it is even more imperative that all of our family members be aware of this trait.

So how does my lifestyle and diet come into play here? Well I have discovered that I consume a lot more salt than I care to admit. I live on a very low-fat and low-sugar diet but I end up eating a lot of “hidden” salt in some prepackaged soy products. It is something I hadn’t really addressed until now.

I would hate for the story of my life to end in an anecdote about why an otherwise healthy vegetarian ended up in a coffin well before their time. So both my partner and I are taking steps to control our sodium intake and also to increase our walking and exercise regimen.

A recent medical study found that previously sedentary patients who took up walking three to five times a week were able to reduce their systolic blood pressure by five points after twelve weeks. A number which would put me back into the “normal’ category for blood pressure reading.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress as I intend on getting check-ups every week for the next twelve weeks at the very least.

I am the Proud Owner…

…of a beautiful new cell phone (mobile phone to my colleagues on the other side of the pond). Some of my readers may be familiar with this personal anecdote I wrote last year about my “Love Affair with Cell phones”.

So I eventually gave in this week, after my old phone finally conked out and got this little beauty: -

Mine is just like the red and white one on the left. It works a charm and has all the lovely gadgets that new phones have nowadays. Luckily I didn’t have to pay a penny for it and now I can get rid of my land line home phone that I rarely use. So that will save me a bob or two as well.

If you have a chance, I also am a proud member of this poker forum.  Check it out!

Mum’s the Word

This weeks Above and Beyond medal goes to my Mum. After spending several days with her back in the UK, it is easy to see why everyone in our family has had successes in life.

We listened to her many family anecdotes and some old wives’ tales and one anecdote in particular stuck in my mind. It goes something like this: -

A man feeling completely despondent and ready to just give up on life decides that the only way out is to end it all. His last act of pleasure is to eat a delicious banana and proceeds to take it up a tree with him, intending to eat the banana and then hang himself from the same tree.

After devouring the fruit he tosses the skin nonchalantly towards the ground, satisfied that with his last wish granted, he can die in peace. As he begins to form the crude hangman’s noose he glances down and sees a man run up to the skin, pick it up and ravenously start eating.

He stops in his tracks and looks down at the man in disbelief. After a few minutes he comes to the conclusion that there is at least one person worse off than himself. He climbs down from the tree believing that there is always hope.

My Mum never gave up and at eighty-two next birthday she is still a feisty old bird.