I Heart Margarine

More evidence that soft spreads are the healthier choice.

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:49:00 +0000

Butter intake shown to increase total and LDL cholesterol levels, while soft spreads have been shown to reduce markers for cardiovascular disease. Read more about the latest research here and get additional info on past studies here.

Happy 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:52:00 +0000

I would like to wish all of you a very happy and prosperous 2012! May this year be the best you've ever had!

Healthy New Year's Eve Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:49:00 +0000

Because I plan on having a very low-key New Year's Eve at home with my husband and some friends, we've decided to whip up a meal to ring in 2012 that's not only delicious but heart healthy too! Below are a couple of the recipes from EatingWell.com that we're thinking about cooking up:

Carmelized Onion & Shrimp Bruschetta - the only switch I plan on making to this recipe is using soft margarine to saute the onions instead of canola oil.

Pomegrante Cosmos

Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Spinach

Tiramisu

John Besh's Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:48:00 +0000

IN honor of my hubby's 29th birthday today, I made a huge pot of chicken and sausage gumbo. This belly-warming dish is worth the time it takes. It's definitely not one of my heart healthy dishes, but as they say, all things in moderation!

John Besh’s Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

from My New Orleans

Ingredients:
■1c. Canola Oil
■1 c. Flour
■2 onions, diced
■1 large chicken, cut into 12 pieces
■2 Tbsp. Basic Creole Spices (I used Tony’s)
■2 lbs. spicy smoked sausage, sliced 1/2″ thick
■2 stalks celery, diced
■2 green peppers, diced
■1 tomato, seeded and chopped
■2 cloves garlic, minced
■2 sprigs fresh thyme
■3 quarts chicken stock
■2 bay leaves
■6 oz. andouille sausage, chopped
■2 c. slice okra
■1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
■Salt
■Pepper
■Filé Powder
■Tabasco
■4-6 c. cooked rice

Directions

1.Make a roux by heating the oil in a heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Whisk the flour into the hot oil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue whisking until the roux turns deep brown, about 15 minutes.

2.Add onions to the roux and stir with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium low and continue until the roux is a glossy dark brown, about 10 minutes.

3.Season the chicken with the Creole Spices. Add the chicken to the pot, raise the heat to medium, and cook for about 10 minutes, turning the chicken pieces as you go.

4.Add the smoked sausage and stir for a minute.

5.Add the celery, bell peppers, tomato, and garlic. Cook, stirring for three minutes. Add the thyme, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and skim off the fat.

6.Add the andouille, okra, Worcestershire, and season with salt and pepper, several dashes of filé powder and Tabasco. Simmer for another 45 minutes, continuing to skim the fat off the top.

7.Remove the bay leaves and serve over rice.

Stolen Margarine Truck Still Missing!

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:03:00 +0000

Here's an update on the stolen margarine truck debacle from the Sacramento Bee

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Authorities say a thief who slipped away with $50,000 worth of margarine remains at large even though the truck that carried the payload has been recovered.The trailer was parked awaiting delivery to a Target Corp. warehouse in Cedar Falls when it was stolen Dec. 10 from a parking lot near Waterloo. It was found Dec. 15 in a parking lot more than 500 miles away in Fowler, Mich.But the thief and the margarine are nowhere to be found. Waterloo police Capt. Rick Abben says the theft was the latest in a series of semitrailer thefts in the area during the past 18 months.He says the others included a trailer filled with beef jerky, one loaded with dog food and one carrying dental hygiene products.

Breaking News Alert: Thief Makes Off with $50,000 Worth of Margarine!

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:11:00 +0000

What a hilarious story!

Margarine thief gives 'em the slip in Iowa, makes off with truckload, $50K worth

(CBS/AP) CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Authorities in eastern Iowa are searching for a thief who slipped away with a trailer filled with $50,000 worth of margarine.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that authorities say a semitrailer packed with the spread disappeared during the weekend from a truck stop in Elk Run. The margarine haul was bound for a Target warehouse in Cedar Falls.

The Black Hawk County sheriff's office says the driver left the trailer at the truck stop to wait until the warehouse had space. Another truck was slated to pick up the trailer for the last leg of the journey.

Authorities say before that could happen, sometime Saturday night, a thief hooked up the trailer and drove off with the margarine.

Movin' on up!

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:49:00 +0000

Sorry for the lack of posts this week but Brandon and I have been busy packing to move into...our first house! We have been doing a lot of work on the house, most of which is still not complete (the painters will be there all night tonight) but no matter, we're moving in. I promise to be better about posting next week.

In the meantime, happy almost Friday!

Creamy Confetti Corn Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:19:00 +0000

This recipe from Detroit Free Press is low in calories, looks delicious and will be quite festive at your holiday party!

Creamy Confetti Corn

Serves: 8 / Preparation time: 10 minutes / Total time: 1 hour

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1 tablespoon soft margarine

1/2 cup diced green pepper

1/2 cup diced red onion

1 clove garlic, minced

2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen corn kernels

3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch quiche pan or pie plate with vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat margarine over medium heat and cook the green pepper, onion and garlic until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add the corn kernels and continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add the thyme, salt and pepper. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the corn mixture and gently stir to combine.

Spoon the corn mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Place the oven on broil and continue cooking until the cheese topping is golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes.

Created by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD, for Heart Smart and tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 116 calories (31% from fat), 4 grams fat (2 grams sat. fat, 0 grams trans fat), 17 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 159 mg sodium, 10 mg cholesterol, 52 mg calcium, 2 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.

Which is MOre Important - Your Weight or Level of Fitness?

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:58:00 +0000

This interesting article from TIME examines which is more important when it comes to living a longer life - how much you weigh or how fit you are. What are your thoughts?

Fit Versus Fat: Which Matters More for Longevity?
By Alice Parker

Most of us are all too familiar with how much we weigh — but how many of us know how fit we are? And which matters more?

When it comes to lowering our overall risk of death and dying from heart disease, fitness may be just as important, if not more so, than weight. That's what researchers concluded after studying fitness, weight and mortality among 14,345 middle-aged men in an 11-year study.

Most studies that have previously linked weight gain, overweight and obesity to higher mortality risk have focused only on BMI, or body mass index, a ratio of height and weight. That's because weight can indirectly affect a number of different metabolic processes that contribute to mortality, such as how we burn calories or process sugars, and how high our blood pressure is. But weight may also be masking the effect of another factor that could protect or propel us to an early death: how efficiently our hearts and lungs are working, or, in other words, how fit we are.

Duck-Chul Lee, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of exercise science at the University of South Carolina School of Public Health, and his colleagues decided to focus specifically on the role of fitness in overall mortality rates as well as deaths due to heart disease. So they recruited a group of men aged 20 to 100 and had them run on a treadmill to measure their heart and lung function. The researchers compared the participants' maximum fitness levels — how long the participants could run at increasingly steeper inclines — taken at two points during the 11.5-year study, to death rates among the group, and factored in changes in the participants' weight as well.

The men who maintained their fitness levels between the two measurements lowered their risk of dying from heart-related or any other causes by up to 30%, compared with those who lost fitness. Those who actually improved their fitness lowered their risk even more, by up to 44%. In fact, for every unit improvement in fitness, measured as metabolic equivalents (METs), there was a 15% decrease in death from any cause, and a 19% decrease in dying from heart-related events.

All of these changes occurred regardless of how much weight the men gained or lost. When it came to BMI, fluctuations during the study period weren't linked to any changes in all-cause mortality, though men whose BMI went up had an increased risk of dying from a heart event compared with those whose BMIs went down.

"Regardless of weight change — some lost weight, and some gained, while some remained stable — loss of fitness was associated with a higher risk of mortality," says Lee.

It's a confusing concept — after all, isn't weight a reflection of how fit we are? Well, yes and no. To a certain extent, yes, the more weight we gain, the less fit we tend to be. In fact, when Lee and his team looked at who in the study lost fitness, they were the sedentary men who started smoking and developed conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. And those who were the least physically active also lost the most fitness.

But that assumes that a high BMI is primarily due to extra fat tissue, which in many cases it is. But muscle also contributes to a person's weight, and people who are more active may also develop more muscle tone, which may add to their weight — and their BMI — without necessarily harming their health. That's why the researches wanted to tease apart fitness from weight to pinpoint how each contributes to mortality. "When you change your body weight, you have to consider whether you become more fit or not," says Lee. "If you gain weight, but become more fit, then that might be okay regarding your mortality risk. We have to start considering other factors when we talk about weight change and health outcomes."

Lee stresses, however, that the results don't completely absolve weight as a potentially health-harming factor. He notes that the study included white upper-middle class men who were close to normal weight or only slightly overweight. Previous studies have shown that among the obese, weight loss can have a much more dramatic effect in lowering risk of dying from heart events of other causes.

The findings do suggest, however, that lowering your risk of early death may be more complicated than simply watching the scale. If you're trying to stay healthy and to lower your risk of dying from a chronic condition, you might not need to shed pounds, but you'll still have to exercise — the best way to stay fit, says Lee, is to be physically active.

Alice Park is a writer at TIME. Find her on Twitter at @aliceparkny. You can also continue the discussion on TIME's Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/06/fit-versus-fat-which-matters-more-for-longevity/#ixzz1flqjazDM

Study Indicates Calorie Restriction Helps Fight Heart Disease, Diabetes in Obese

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:07:00 +0000

From the Shape.com blog

We already know that following a low-calorie diet can help people to lose weight. But besides weight loss, researchers are now learning that calorie restriction can also do amazing things in the bodies of obese people, including improving heart function and helping with type 2 diabetes.

Researchers recently presented their results at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America and said that lifestyle interventions — such as calorie restriction — may be more powerful and beneficial for heart health and reversing diabetes than medication. Diabetes affects 25.8 million people in the U.S., and type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, representing 90 to 95 percent of diagnosed cases among adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Now, the study was pretty extreme. Researchers gave 15 obese patients just 500 calories a day for four months. The calorie restriction decreased the patients' average BMI from 35.3 to 27.5 and the visceral fat around their hearts went from an average of 39 milliliters to 31 milliliters. This fat is detrimental to cardiac function. Fourteen months after the study, the patients' BMI increased to 31.7, but the visceral fat around their hearts only increased to 32. Therefore, researchers concluded that calorie restriction improved heart health, even when some weight was regained.

With calorie restriction so drastic in the study, researchers caution that it is to only be done under a doctor's close supervision. Not to mention that most low-calorie diets recommend that you eat no fewer than 1,200 calories a day — let alone only 500.Do you eat a lower-calorie diet? Will you follow this research on calorie restriction?

Double Chocolate-Mocha Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:38:00 +0000

These Double Chocolate-Mocha Cookies are to die for!!! I've modifed the recipe a bit as the original recipe used both butter and margarine. To make it more heart healthy I replaced the butter with additional margarine. No need for butter when you can have better - margarine!

Double Chocolate-Mocha Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, slightly softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, slightly softened (see notes)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups lightly packed all-purpose flour (12 ounces)

3 tablespoons European dark or Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder (see notes)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon table salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup white chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, margarine and sugars until light. Add eggs and vanilla; beat for a few seconds, just enough to break the yolks.

2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and combine well. With a spatula, stir in chips. For easier handling and flavor development, cover dough and refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment. Using a Number 60 scoop or three tablespoons of dough, shape into balls and arrange about 1 inch apart. Bake 16 minutes or until cookies are no longer moist in the center. Do not overbake or cookies will be dry. Let cookies cool, then remove from baking sheets.

Per cookie: 200 calories; 10g fat; 5g saturated fat; 20mg cholesterol; 2g protein; 26g carbohydrate; 17g sugar; 1g fiber; 225mg sodium; 5mg calcium.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/recipes/double-chocolate-mocha-cookies/article_877de1e9-eb5c-5f23-bba2-9b4cb8ee6d49.html#ixzz1fIWxFpBf

Stuff the Bird, Not Yourself This Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:19:00 +0000

The article below from the Calorie Control Council contains some great advice on how to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal without the guilt.

According to research from the Calorie Control Council, the average American may consume more than 4,500 calories and a whopping 229 grams of fat from snacking and eating a traditional holiday dinner with turkey and all the trimmings. And these figures don't even include breakfast or the late evening munching on leftovers!

The average holiday dinner alone can carry a load of 3,000 calories. And most of us nibble our way through more than another 1,500 calories downing dips and chips and drinks before and after the big meal. Combined, that's the equivalent of more than 2 1/4 times the average daily calorie intake and almost 3 1/2 times the fat. The typical holiday dinner can be loaded with 45 percent of calories from fat. In fact, the average person may consume enough fat at a holiday meal to equal three sticks of butter.

Many of us will figure that we've blown our diet and the holidays are to be enjoyed, so why worry about weight? But even if you start the holiday season off with gastronomical excess, you can quickly get back on the right track.

Reducing the amount of fat and calories in your snacking and main holiday meals can help prevent the average weight a person will gain over the holidays (from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day). And instead of crashing on the couch after eating, you can lessen or ward off weight gain by burning off that eggnog or pie.

Also, try these "Low-Fat Holiday" tips from the American Heart Association:

Eat lower-fat and reduced-calorie foods for days in advance of the holiday feast, and for days after.

Prepare for handling your worst temptations; if you want both pecan and pumpkin pie, take a tiny slice of each, instead of an average serving.

If cooking, provide low-fat foods, or ask if you can bring a low-fat dish.

After the meal, start a tradition -- a holiday walk, for instance. You can also reduce the calories in a meal by using lower-calorie products.

Try using a low-calorie sweetener in your tea or coffee or a casserole that requires sweetness.

So, to all our visitors, here's to a holiday season full of health and happiness, and to holiday eating that doesn't make you too full to move!

Learn how to lighten your holiday feasting and still have a jolly good time!

Perfect Roasted Chicken Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:25:00 +0000

When it comes to trusted sources, Ina Garten, aka "Barefoot Contessa," is my go to gal. Her recipes are easy to follow, often come with helpful tips and tricks and always come out delicious. Her roasted chicken recipe below is always a crowd favorite and makes a great presentation at dinner parties. The only tweak I've made is it use soft margarne instead of butter to reduce the amount of saturated fat in the recipe. This is also a perfect dinner for winter.

Happy Friday people!!!

Perfect Roasted Chicken Recipe

Ingredients
1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
Olive oil

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the margarine and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Study affirms 'mediterranean diet' improves heart health

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:16:00 +0000

I try my best to eat heart healthy, following the mediterranean diet as much as possible. The study below published by MedicalXpress.com tells me I'm doing something right!

In a report prepared for the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions in Orlando next week, the Johns Hopkins investigators say swapping out certain foods can improve heart health in those at risk for cardiovascular disease, even if the dietary changes aren’t coupled with weight loss.

“The introduction of the right kind of fat into a healthy diet is another tool to reduce the risk of future heart disease,” says Meghana Gadgil, M.D., M.P.H., a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who will be presenting the research.

Gadgil and her colleagues analyzed data from the OmniHeart Trial, which studied the cardiovascular effects of three different balanced diets on 164 people with mild hypertension but no diabetes.

The researchers compared the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and maintain healthy insulin levels while on a carbohydrate-rich diet, a protein-rich diet and a diet rich in unsaturated fats. People whose bodies fail to effectively use insulin usually develop type 2 diabetes, which is a major risk factor for heart disease. The researchers found that a generally balanced diet higher in unsaturated fats such as those in avocados, olive oil and nuts improves insulin use significantly more than a diet high in carbohydrates, particularly such refined carbs as white bread and pasta. The preferred diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, inspired by the foods of southern Italy and Greece and emphasizing healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.

Each participant in the study was fed each of the three diets for six weeks in a row, with two to four weeks off in between. Blood samples were collected after fasting periods in weeks four and six of each diet, and used to monitor insulin and glucose levels. The study was designed to keep participants at their starting weights. “A lot of studies have looked at how the body becomes better at using insulin when you lose weight,” Gadgil says. “We kept the weight stable so we could isolate the effects of the macronutrients. What we found is that you can begin to see a beneficial impact on heart health even before weight loss.”

Provided by Johns Hopkins University

Slumber Party French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Who doesn't love a good slumber party when the temperatures drop? Get into those pjs, pop in a great movie and curl up with this comforting dish...and it's heart healthy too!

Slumber Party French Toast
Recipe from the American Heart Association Kids' Cookbook

◦1/4 cup soft margarine spread

◦1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

◦3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

◦Liquid egg substitute equal to two eggs

◦1/4 cup skim milk

◦6 1-inch thick slices French bread

◦1-2 Tbsp. powdered or confectioner’s sugar

Place margarine in baking pan or heat proof baking dish (9x13-inch). Place pan on burner. Turn heat to low. Heat margarine until melted.

Place brown sugar in small bowl. With fork, stir in cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly over melted margarine in baking pan or dish.

Combine egg substitute and milk in glass pie plate. Mix with fork until blended.

With fingers or fork, dip bread slices into egg mixture to coat both sides. Lay slices over sugar-cinnamon mixture in baking pan or dish. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread slices.

Cover pan with foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove pan from refrigerator one hour before baking. Let stand on the kitchen counter to reach room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Carefully place toast in hot oven. Bake 25 minutes.

Using oven mitts, remove pan from oven to wire cooling rack. With oven mitts, carefully remove foil from pan. Return pan to hot oven. Bake for 15 minutes longer. Using oven mitts, remove pan to cooling rack.

Sprinkle French toast with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Makes 6 servings (one slice per serving).

Nutrition Information:
Per Serving:
*calculated using a 70% oil soft margarine spread
Calories 288
Fat (grams)8
Cholesterol (mg)less than 1

Taking the Mystique Out of Candy

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:37:00 +0000

Taking the Mystique Out of Candy

Today's post is from a guest blogger, Emily Matthews. Enjoy!

Many children, and adults, consume more sugar than their bodies need. Consequently, more and more parents are trying to show their children what harmful effects sugar can have on a person. Of course, it’s not that we want kids to stop eating candy and sweets. We just want them to eat less.

One of the best approaches to talking to children about nutrition and sugar is a mental one. It doesn’t take a masters degree in psychology to know that actions speak louder than words: show your kids what the sugar is doing them. Show them pictures of teeth affected by too much sugar. Sharing images of rotten teeth might be the tactic you need to open up a dialogue about moderation.

You can teach children about the sugar in soda using a similar method: drop a penny into a glass of dark soda. Let the penny soak in the glass for a few days, then take the penny out and show it to your children. The soda will corrode away at the tarnish on the penny and you can use this to show your children what soda can do to their enamel.

As a parent, you can also show your children how eating too much sugar will make them more tired. One way to do this is by having your children do an experiment. First, tell them about the experiment and explain it. Tell them not to eat candy for a whole day and play outside. On the following day, allow them to eat several pieces of candy before playing outside. This will allow your child to feel the difference and show your child that eating too much candy will make them become tired more quickly after the initial sugar rush.

These are wonderful psychological ways to teach your children about the effect too much candy can have on them. None of these tips will harm your child. They will, however, allow your child to physically see the problems caused by excessive sugar intake.

About Emily: Emily Matthews is currently applying to masters degree programs across the U.S., and loves to read about new research into health care, gender issues, and literature. She lives and writes in Seattle, Washington.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:38:00 +0000

This is a great article about ways to reduce your risk for breast cancer. Check out my blog tomorrow for a special guest post about Halloween candy!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which makes this a good time for every woman (and man) to reflect on lifestyle changes they can make to promote breast health.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women; one out of eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Although there are some non-modifable risk factors for breast cancer — including family history of breast cancer, onset of menopause after the age of 54 and increasing age — there are risk factors which are modifiable, such as obesity, alcohol use and diet. Addressing these modifiable risk factors can reduce your chance of developing breast cancer.

My prescription for promoting breast health is as follows:

1. Be physically active, and try to maintain a normal weight. Exercise is a powerful way to decrease your risk for not only breast cancer but other chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Get at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity five times a week. Find something you enjoy doing, such as taking a brisk walk, going on a bicycle ride or taking an aerobic class. The important thing is to just get moving.

2. Eat well. The food you eat has a significant impact on your health. Diets high in fruits and vegetables and whole grains have been shown to decrease the risk of cancer. Aim for six to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Use turmeric, which acts as a great anti-inflammatory agent. Eat a least two servings of broccoli or cauliflower a week, and include 1-2 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed in your food daily to help with estrogen clearing. Limit red meat and other animal fat, and avoid eating charred meats which are carcinogenic. Add healthy oils, like olive oil, nuts and fatty fish.

3. Don’t smoke, and limit your alcohol consumption to no more than seven servings of alcohol a week.

4. Drink several cups of green or black tea a day. Tea has been shown to have cancer-fighting properties.

5. Take a daily multi-vitamin/mineral and vitamin D (1,000 to 2,000 IU) daily. Also take an omega-3 supplement (2,0000 mg EPA+ DHA) daily. For those at high risk for breast cancer, consider adding the supplement indole-3-carbinol (400 mg per day) to help with estrogen clearing.

6. Reduce toxic exposures in your life. One of my favorite websites is www.ewg.org — a great resource to learn about pesticides in food and toxic chemicals in household and personal products.

7. Manage stress in your life by developing a daily relaxation program.

8. Get annual mammograms starting at age 40. Although there has been some recent debate about when to get mammograms, most breast cancer experts will tell you that mammograms are the best tool we currently have for early detection.Incorporating these lifestyle changes not only will help you delay or avoid the development of breast cancer, but will improve your overall health and wellness.

IHM tip: Don't forget to add soft margarine spreads to your diet, which contain no trans fat a dn can be beneficial to your heart health and overall health in general!

Useless, Unrelated Tip of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:47:00 +0000

Okay, I just read this tip in Women's Health magazine and I'm so impressed with it that I just have to share it with you, my beloved readers.

Do you struggle with a dirty keyboard - crumbs, hair, dust getting stuck between the keys? I have a solution for you!

Take a sticky note and run the stick part of the part between the keys of your keyboard and voila! Your keyboard is instantly de-junkified. How cool is that? I really enjoy seeing all the crap that ends up on the sticky note. Is that wrong? If so, I don't want to be right.

Tips for Cooking and Baking with Soft Spread Margarine

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Here are some tips for cooking & baking with soft spread margarine, courtesy of www.butteryspreads.org

Use the following guidelines when selecting a soft spread margarine product (also know as buttery spreads) for use in a favorite recipe:

◦Spreads with 60% or more oil can be used almost anywhere butter or margarine is specified. (Spreads are not recommended for baked goods that require precise amounts of fat and moisture, such as pastry crusts, unless a recipe has been developed specifically for that purpose.)

◦Spreads with 50-59% oil also work well for most cooking applications, including sautéing, in addition to topping and spreading.

◦Spreads with 49% or less oil should be used only for spreading, topping and adding flavor to recipes. They are not designed for baking and frying.

◦The lower the oil content (% oil), the less fat there is in the product. Because fat contributes texture and browning properties to foods, spreads with a lower amount of fat may not perform in the same way as traditional stick margarine or butter.

Listening to Life: Heart health, weight loss benefits of pets have been focus of national studies

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:55:00 +0000

I found this article online and thought it was so cute that I'd have to share it with my lovely readers. As if we all need an excuse to own a pet it turns out it's actually beneficial to heart health.

Listening to Life: Heart health, weight loss benefits of pets have been focus of national studies
Naples News
By Nori St. Paul

Life isn’t always a bed of roses.

I woke up this morning, stretched and popped a few bones. I’m getting old, I thought. I reached out my hand and slid around the sheets, looking for Lily. I drew her to me and felt the indescribable warmth of pure love next to my skin. My physical discomfort melted into the background as Lily snuggled close and kissed my face and I began my morning meditation.

If you have a pet, you know the feeling. Well, unless you have a pet fish or snake, you wouldn’t want to wake up to them in bed. (Eh-hemm. No comments, please!) But, as a matter of fact, I’ve had those, too, and loved them. There’s just something about Lily. I’m not alone in my zeal for my precious pup.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that about two-thirds of all U.S. households own at least one pet, and a 2009 report reveals there were more than 160 million pet cats and dogs nationwide. And reports abound about the health benefits of our four-legged friends. One NIH-funded investigation looked at more than 2,000 adults and found that dog owners who regularly walked their dogs were more physically active and less likely to be obese than those who didn’t own or walk a dog. Another study supported by NIH followed more than 2,500 older adults, ages 71-82, for 3 years. Those who regularly walked their dogs walked faster and for longer time periods each week than others who didn’t walk regularly. Older dog walkers also had greater mobility inside their homes than others in the study.

Well, let me tell you, I do love the opportunity to get more exercise, like now.

OK, I’m back. Took her out real quick for her morning business, then I did what I always do. I turned on my computer to start my day writing, and started my coffee, which brand happens to be a step down from my passion for Starbucks. “OK,” I say, “That’ll be one extra scoop for this brand. There, ahhh,” I say as I simultaneously sip and will myself to imagine the weaker more rancid tasting coffee is as blissful as any, and after all, practical in an economy that is wearing thin the term “economic recovery.” Anyway, I’m happy. Where’s Lily? Oh. Here she is. “I’m lucky,” I say to myself.

It’s just a fact that Lily gives me unconditional love. No matter what, she loves me. No matter what, I’m good enough for her. I really like the study where the NIH looked at 240 married couples. Those who owned a pet were found to have lower heart rates and blood pressure, whether at rest or when undergoing stressful tests, than those without pets. Pet owners also seemed to have milder responses and quicker recovery from stress when they were with their pets than with a spouse or friend.

Excuse me while I take a break; breakfast time for Lily. She doesn’t ask for much, and she gives me so much — I feed her the best dog food money can buy. Dollar for dollar, the dog food is more expensive than my coffee, and all the other canine brands on the shelf are cheaper, every single one of them. If I went for the cheapest dog food, I could justify my Starbucks coffee. If you knew how much I loved my Starbucks French Roast in the morning, you’d know how much I love my Lily to forgo it for the IAMS. And she’s worth it.

Although, I’ll admit that at first I thought, how funny…people would rather be with an animal than a human? But now that I think about it, when I was a little girl, I had pets that served as my safe haven from all kinds of discord, and even saved my emotions in some ways, just as the studies indicate. Let’s see, there was Rusty, Sam, Bandit, Max and a beagle whose name I can’t remember. In my adult life, there were two more Sams, a Shadow, Bit Bit and Little Boy. There was Jolie, Caesar, Callie and Romeo. And then my fish, and that little baby king snake. Never once did any of my pets abuse me, call me a name, shame me or hurt my feelings in any way.

When I first got Lily a year and a half ago, I was worried that she may be too much of a distraction for a writer, or too demanding of my time. While it’s true that pets are a great commitment, they give far more than they require. Twenty four-seven, my precious dog is available to give me love, and let me love her. She has truly become my most trusted and loving confidant, odd as it sounds, and she is always so happy to see me, no matter what.

And Lily, who I adopted from a client at the Naples Shelter for Abused Women and Children, (where, by the way, they allow pets), well, she is my life jacket. Really. Another NIH related study reveals she’s good for my cardiovascular system, and when I pet her, not only does it reduce my blood pressure, it reduces my stress and risk of heart attack. One NIH-funded study looked at 421 adults who’d suffered heart attacks. A year later, the scientists found, dog owners were significantly more likely to still be alive than were those who did not own dogs, regardless of the severity of the heart attack.

So, yes, life isn’t always a bed of roses, but it’s been pretty awesome with my friend Lily, and you know, this coffee tastes pretty darn good after all. C’mon Lily, let’s get on with our day.

State Fair of Texas' Big Tex Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 19:19:00 +0000

My husband and I are heading to Dallas for the annual University of Texas vs. Oklahoma University football game held in Dallas at the State Fair of Texas.

Besides football and carnival games and rides the fair is well-known for its fried item contest. Next week I'll update you on the variety of fried items we tested but I can assure you the fried bubblegum will not be on that list. Below are the list of this year's finalists. For more information check out www.bigtex.com

Buffalo Chicken in a Flapjack BEST TASTE - A buffalo chicken strip is coated in flapjack batter, rolled in jalapeno bread crumbs, deep fried to a golden brown, skewed, and served with a side of syrup. Crowd pleasing appetizer or a meal in itself! inside the Automobile Building and in the Thrill Way.

Fried Bubblegum MOST CREATIVE - You’ll swear it’s bubblegum! A light as a feather bubble gum flavored marshmallow is dipped in batter and lightly fried to perfection. Decorated with a swirl of icing. A final sprinkling of powdered sugar completes this treat! It will blow you away! Granny’s Funnel Cakes on Coliseum Drive.

Deep Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Fresh and sweet pineapple rings are delicately dipped in cake batter, fried, and coated with a caramel, sugar, and cinnamon glaze. What tropical treat is complete without a cherry on top? Fun Way across from Guest Relations and Nimitz Avenue by the Embarcadero.

Deep Fried Texas Salsa™ - This spicy medley of jalapenos, roasted garlic, onion, tomato, and pepper is rolled together, dipped in masa, and covered in crunchy tortilla chips. Into the fryer and served with warm, deliciously creamy queso. Located on Cotton Bowl Plaza at the Taste of Cuba stand and the Beer Garden.

El Bananarito - In case you are wondering, it’s a deep fried banana rolled in a flour tortilla, topped with whipped cream, powdered sugar, a dusting of cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla extract. Top it off with your choice of smooth, hot caramel or decadent chocolate syrup. Funnel Cake stand on Fun Way.

Fried Autumn Pie - Fairgoers will fall for this hard to resist puff pastry infused with a scrumptious combination of pumpkin, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and fall spices. Deep fried and rolled in ginger, cinnamon, and sugar. Chicken on a Stick stand located on Nimitz Drive, near the entrance to the Embarcadero.

Hans’ Kraut Ball - A conglomeration of taste: browned pork sausage, onion, garlic, a zing of sauerkraut, mustard, and tasty seasonings all rolled into a mouth-watering ball of delight. Covered with seasoned bread crumbs, deep fried, and served with your choice Spicy Mustard, Raspberry Chipotle, or Ranch. Hans Mueller tent next to the Main Stage, in Cotton Bowl Plaza, and at on Nimitz Circle.

Walking Taco - Stroll down the Midway with this concoction of seasoned hamburger meat, lettuce, onion, fresh tomato, grated cheese, sour cream, and tasty salsa. Inventively served up in a Nacho Cheese flavored Doritos® bag! Darn Good Corn stand across from Gateway Pavilion tent on Coliseum Drive.

Mom's Margarine Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:08:00 +0000

Mom's Margarine Cake

Ingredients
3 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups margarine, softened
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup evaporated milk

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and margarine until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and lemon juice. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; mix into the batter alternating with the milk just until blended. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the crown comes out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

10 Tips for a Healthy Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:09:00 +0000

These tips are reasonable and easy to implement. Try incorporating one tip each week into your daily schedule. The more you do it, the easier it becomes a habit.

Avoid smoking
Smoking reduces life expectancy by 15-25 years. If you are a smoker, you are twice more likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. The moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce.

Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Watch your diet
Try to have a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, starch foods such as wholegrain bread and rice.

Monitor your alcohol
Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Avoid intake of alcohol or at least limit it to one to two units a day, gradually decreasing the consumption.

Get active
At least aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Keeping yourself fit not only benefits the heart but also improves mental health and well-being.

Monitor your BP, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Routine medical check-ups will ring an alarm, if you need medical help.

Manage your waist
Cholesterol deposition in blood vessels begins in the first decade of life. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health. Make small but healthy changes in your diet.

Manage your stress level
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much. This may increase your risk of a heart attack. Practice yoga/meditation. Take a vacation.

Check your family history
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.

Laughter is the best therapy
Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.

Pulled Pork

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:01:00 +0000

This is simple yet indulgent recipe for pulled pork. Gather the ingredients, dump it in a slow cooker and come home from work to find dinner waiting for you.

Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Pork Shoulder

1 lb. Pork Tenderloin

12 oz. Dark Beer

1/2 cup Ketchup

1/4 cup Cider Vinegar

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

3/8 cup Whole Grain Mustard

2 T Chili Powder

1 tsp. Garlic

1 tsp. Cumin

2 tsp. Paprika

2 tsp. Black Pepper

2 Onions (diced)

Combine all ingredients except for pork and beer. Set aside 1/4 of mixture. Add remaining 3/4 to a slow cooker and add pork shoulder, pork tenderloin, and beer. Cook for 8 hours on low heat. After 8 hours, drain all liquid and fat. Remove bones and fat from pork shoulder as well. Add remaining 1/4 of reserved liquid and 1/8 cup of water and cook for an extra 1-2 hours. Serve by itself or on a whole grain or whole wheat bun.

Serves 10.

Nutritional Information (just meat ... bun not included):
Calories: 262, Total Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 480mg, Carbs: 10g, Protein: 29g

Just One More Justification for My Chocolate Addiction

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:03:00 +0000

Chocoholics may have edge in heart health

THE QUESTION Does chocolate, which is believed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, offer heart-related health benefits?

THIS STUDY analyzed data from seven studies involving 114,009 adults, ages 25 to 93, and including information on their diets and occurrences of cardiovascular disease over periods from eight to 16 years. People who ate the most chocolate — dark or light and in such forms as bars, drinks, desserts, snacks and nutritional supplements — were 37 percent less likely to have developed cardiovascular disease and 29 percent less likely to have had a stroke than were those who ate the least amount of chocolate. Chocolate consumption had no effect on the occurrence of heart failure.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? People who eat chocolate. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death among both men and women in the United States, killing more than 600,000 people each year. Diet and other lifestyle changes are considered key in preventing and controlling heart-related disorders.

CAVEATS Data on chocolate consumption came from the participants’ responses on questionnaires. The study did not determine whether the benefits varied by type of chocolate and did not indicate what constituted the highest and lowest amounts of chocolate consumption. The authors warned that chocolate should be eaten in moderation because of the generally high sugar and fat content of many commercially available chocolate products and urged that efforts be made to reduce this, in light of the benefits shown in the study.

FIND THIS STUDY in the Aug. 29 issue of BMJ (www.bmj.com).