One of the most important elements to good health is how you fuel your body. Let’s talk about how you can make sure the fuel you are using is the best it can be!
No time for something fancy to take to a gathering? Too tired or rushed to put much effort into a sharing snack? My “daughter-in-love” is the master of two-or-three ingredient appetizers that pack a big punch for flavor and appeal.
We needed such a hat trick the other day when nerves from life events were stretched thin, time was short, and there was an end-of-season community pool social time in a couple of hours.
We longed for a relaxing event of outdoor conversation, drinks, and shared snacks, but lacked the bandwidth for something requiring much thought or effort.
Sharing this extended vacation time post is as easy as this recipe. Expect to be dazzled!
Two-Ingredient Cheese Spread
Ingredients:
One 8 ounce/226 grams package of full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
Approximately 9 ounces/258 grams Trader Joe’s Corn and Chile Tomato-less Salsa
Method:
Combine with a fork. Refrigerate to meld the flavors 30 minutes. Stir and serve. Done.
Notes:
This Trader Joe’s product may not be available to everyone, so you can use a local equivalent that features “a sweet combination of corn, red peppers, onion, and a touch of heat.” The gentle heat comes from jalapeño peppers.
This recipe represents using approximately 2/3 – 3/4 of a 13.75 ounce/390 gram jar. I plan on stocking up on several jars of this Trader Joe’s salsa to take back home with me.
Serve with gluten-free crackers, whole wheat Ritz, or your favorite selection of bell pepper strips, celery, or zucchini slices.
This tastes like you spent considerable time and effort into creating. Don’t tell anyone it was a last-minute miracle!
Where did August go? Suddenly, the mornings are starting cooler and the days in North Carolina are warming to something less hot and steamy. I donned a light sweater yesterday and am wondering if I should have packed something warmer for my vacation.
Double-checking the invitation for a neighborhood tailgating event this past Saturday, I was reminded, the college football season is cranking up NOW!
Chicken wings are being safely plated for each attendee to enjoy as we keep safe distances outdoors, but we have the option to bring suitable snacks to share – prepackaged, please.
I remember eating roasted garbanzo beans once that I really enjoyed, so revisiting that concept seemed something easy to prepare in a friend’s kitchen and could be portioned out into baggies for sharing.
The basic concept is to rinse, drain, and dry the garbanzo beans/chickpeas, toss them in some olive oil with seasonings, and bake. Pretty simple and not laden with the usual detractors to healthier snacks: lots of fat from cheese, being fried, or being drowned in dipping sauce.
After perusing several methods, bake times, and flavor-enhancing spice combos, I settled on creating a crispy version with a taco flair. True to form, after preparing this easy, healthy snack, I wanted to tweak the recipe a little more. I don’t think you can do this wrong, so tweak away with your own versions to ramp up the flavor toward spicy, savory, or sweet.
Spicy, savory, or sweet? Oh my … I got this …
Roasted Garbanzo Beans
Ingredients
For each 15.5 ounce/439g can of drained, rinsed, and dried garbanzo beans/chickpeas, use:
1 Tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
1/4 teaspoon/1.75 ml chili powder
1/4 teaspoon/1.75 ml cumin
1/4 teaspoon/1.75 ml garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon/1.75 ml onion powder
Kosher salt to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/191 degrees C.
Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans/chickpeas in a colander. Pour beans onto sheets of paper towels. Use another paper towel to pat the beans off, gently rolling them around to absorb the moisture. Pick out any loose shells.
Transfer beans to a bowl, add the oil and spices, stirring well to coat each bean evenly.
Pour the prepared beans onto a large, rimmed cookie sheet. Arrange beans into a single layer, creating space around each bean.
Place cookie sheet into preheated oven, bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the cookie sheet from the oven to stir and rearrange the beans. Return beans to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. Turn oven OFF. Let the beans finish baking in warm oven for 40 minutes.
Remove beans from the oven after the final undisturbed bake; let cool two minutes; transfer crispy beans to a serving bowl.
Enjoy!
Other flavoring options might include:
– distilled vinegar/lime zest/Kosher salt
– garlic powder/onion powder/Kosher salt
– red wine vinegar/Dijon mustard/Kosher salt
– cayenne pepper/garlic salt
Because this method bakes the garbanzos to a crispy doneness, they should last a few days. Chances are, though, there will be no leftovers!
Enjoy your college football, fans.
Go AUBURN TIGERS!
Just saying.
In health-
Deidre
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Ever buy a new car? Oh my! Look at the fit and finish! That new car smell? Those pristine floor mats? The purr of the engine?
Can you imagine the pride of the last worker on that new car assembly line?
Almost like a proud parent.
But we know, the one who drove that new beauty out of the factory, was just the last one of many who put their best efforts into creating a vehicle that will, hopefully, give years and years of good service in transportation and satisfaction to its owners.
The pride I felt recently could not be measured when I thumbed through our local paper to find a half page display honoring a former student of mine as a health care employee at Viadent Medical Center.
Melissa Bradshaw, RN, was in my first Health Occupations class at West Craven High School. She was one of my early bright stars who clearly had the heart of a nurse. After high school, Melissa made a beeline to becoming an RN and immediately started working with babies.
Her experiences with newborns naturally morphed into becoming a lactation consultant, helping Moms and babies in successfully making that vital connection with ease and comfort.
Thing is, she was so kind to mention to the newspaper how I had planted the seeds of nursing in her high school experience. How humbling it is to be recognized in this way by someone who is a star in her field.
But – I stand on the shoulders of giants.
Like the last auto factory worker who understands the real credit goes to those who drew the plans, added the parts, and carefully engineered and assembled that shining vehicle, I had the privilege to put the cherry on the top of 12 years of education.
What a blessing to put all those English, science, math, and social studies classes into a career focus that inspired and gave direction to young minds.
Hats off to teachers everywhere who may mistakenly believe their efforts are anonymous or unrecognized. Each one of you is critical to forming all our futures. Those kids you teach today will be those who take care of us tomorrow. They will build our houses, design our cars, answer our medical questions, respond to our 911 calls … everything.
Being given credit for inspiring Melissa is better than a paycheck for sure; but it is ever so humbling to recognize who was holding me up so I could put the star on top!
Hug a teacher and say, “Thank you!”
Deidre
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If you’ve ever done lettering, created a greeting card, made a poster, or anything that requires planning prior to execution, then you’ll appreciate the this well-known poster.
That’s what I’m doing right now. Planning ahead. Writing posts for Foodtalk4you several weeks in advance. Why? Because of superb efficiency? I wish.
I am struggling, even now, with a limited bandwidth. Each of us has a finite amount of energy… bandwidth … focus. Yes, there is a limit as to how many plates we can keep spinning up in the air at one time.
First, I am in Grandma heaven! Even before I get to hold my new granddaughter and marvel at her every breath, movement, and glance. I am floating on cloud nine! As I write this, it’s hard to focus, and it’s been less than a day since her birth. Of course, that was a few days ago now.
Second, I must stay in one piece as I drive to see her and return home. My cloud nine brain needs to concentrate on the Interstate.
Third, relationships need time and attention.
Fourth and fifth, I want to focus on revisions and additions to both Toolkit for Wellness and Toolkit for Caregivers – which is going to require massive concentration and commitment.
That leaves the sixth, learning the ins and out of putting both books in an audio format.
So, dear readers, let me ask you a few questions as I ‘plan ahead’: What wellness issues would you like to see amplified, changed, or addressed in a future version of Toolkit for Wellness?
If you have experienced an improvement in your health/wellness status from ideas you have implemented after reading Toolkit for Wellness, would you be willing to share?
The revised Toolkit for Caregivers will have expanded discussions about caregiver emotions, keys for resilience, how to transition away from caregiving when your loved one improves, and grief after caregiving. What other topics about general caregiver issues, (not specific to a particular disease), would you like to see?
Would you be willing to share any helpfulness that Toolkit for Caregivers has given you or to someone you have given the book to?
Please leave your thoughts, comments, and suggestions with me at deidre@toolkitsforhealth.com. Thank you so much!
In health-
Deidre
Shhhhhh!Baby’s sleeping ….
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Happenstance? Chance encounters? God wink? Coincidence? Or just dumb luck?
You pick.
As we slosh around on the ground in the day-to-day, our thoughts may stray to dumb luck.
It seems, though, when we take the proverbial bird’s eye view, or a higher suborbital view, we can often connect the dots of life happenings. Kind of like trying to help a 5-year-old understand that life is bigger than the little red-haired girl not wanting to sit next to them in lunch. It’s a matter of perspective.
Currently, I am surrounded by messages in books, articles, posts, texts, and conversations dealing with:
– Breaking down thought distortions
– Identifying limiting beliefs
-Exploring the childhood emotional experiences that taught us limiting beliefs
– Embracing and then releasing those limiting beliefs
Discovering the liberation created in not requesting band aids for our broken life, but rather taking a hold of the change and growth that is happening so we can become our best selves
Writing down our desires, not as, “I want,” statements, but as, “I see a future vision of myself,” statements. “I want,” emphasizes our lack. The, “I see a future vision of myself,” is full of hope, possibilities, and an implied plan of action.
Things around me are building into something more beautiful, powerful, and meaningful with every passing day. There is evidence, for me, of a great universal synchronicity – that is working for good.
Take the high-up view of your life. Are you seeing patterns of meaningful growth? How can you embrace that for the good?
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The phone is by my side as I await to hear of the birth of another granddaughter! Now, that’s something to celebrate!
Are you busy absorbing the last of the summer – or for our readers down under, the last of winter – and free time is at a premium? I’ll keep this short with just two little kitchen-life hacks that might bless you, regardless of season.
Betty and Eli – A Rendition
Part of this is credited to my dear friends, Betty and Eli, in Roseville, California. Thanks, y’all!
Okay, here’s the problem. Have you struggled with the ripeness of bananas?
Seems like I am always throwing out the last one because I just couldn’t eat them all fast enough. For many, a banana that goes beyond speckling and is on the verge of mushy black oblivion, is sadly tossed in the garbage with feelings of guilt for wasting food.
Yes. There are those who consider black bananas better than a dozen roses, but I have good news for you, too.
Bananas are a kind of fruit that produces ethylene gas. This gas is a hormone that acts as a natural growth regulator – ultimately promoting the ripening process. Some of the other ethylene-producing fruits include apricot, kiwi, mango, avocado, cantaloupe, and others.
The Stages of Ripening a Bananas
Armed with this information, I didn’t know about the gas before, but I knew the hack – many people know to put these fruits in a paper bag to ripen. So, if that banana pudding is due for the Sunday social and you have green bananas on Friday, toss them in a bag, roll up the top of the bag, and in a day or two, you won’t disappoint that hungry crowd.
The black banana-loving people can do the same thing to kill … eh – age their speckled bananas faster – and they can experience total bliss.
What about a bunch of bananas that are going to age all together like a bunch of racehorses, all getting to the finish line at the same time?
Instead of going to the store to buy one banana a day, simply pull off the one you’re going to eat, and then … drum roll … wrap the stem end of the remaining bananas – where they hold together – in plastic wrap.
Cue the angel choir: “Ahhhhhh!”
Yes. This is me, recommending the use of plastic wrap. Even better – use the sticky kind (Press and Seal). This is the hack I learned from my friends.
When plastic wrap seals in the ethylene gas, keeping it from escaping, it won’t wash over and ripen the bananas. Pretty cool. Now, you will not be able to keep a banana green for a week, but you can easily extend the counter-top life of bananas so you can consume them to your desired level of ripeness.
And … oops … this is a third hack … the banana’s ethylene gas is also ripening your avocados. Remember, avocado is part of this gas-producing group. It’s best to separate counter space for those two items by several feet.
Just saying, because you don’t want to miss that 15-minute, magical time frame when your avocado is perfect because its neighbor has gassed it.
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Change proves there has been learning. Have you ever thought about it? If we learn a better way of doing something, our actions should follow the new way.
No change; no learning.
Are you learning about healthier eating? Did your last meal reflect that? Is there still junk food in your cupboards?
Being exposed to something does not mean we are learning – until we apply the new information. Then there is evidence of learning. It’s the process of internalizing new information to create a different behavior on our part.
So, what am I studying?
As a student of self-improvement and habit formation, I am discovering how to take steps beyond affirmations. Affirmations have their place, and I even offer a free, handy set of them on foodtalk4you. (See the Affirmations button towards the top of the home page).
What I am just beginning to learn is, roadblocks to our advancement in any area of life are rooted in emotional responses we developed when, as children, we created our natural response to life experiences. Think: Being loved and supported – or not – and every variation of that.
The guiding light to my exploration of creating and attracting positive outcomes in my life is THIS:
Now, Become a Manifesting Machine: Learn to Use The Law of Attraction to Embrace your Goals, Create Success, and Live the Life of your Dreams, may sound more than a little too, “out there” for you, but hold on.
Perhaps you have heard the term “law of attraction” before. No, it’s not a technique for using a dating app. If you are involved with sales of any kind, you have probably read books and have attended seminars about the law of attraction.
It’s tied to the power of positive thinking. Sort of akin to, “if you think you can – you can. If you think you can’t – you can’t.” Along with visualizations of success – think the Olympic athlete holding the image of perfect execution of their skill and racing across the finish line – there are also the mantras of, “I can do this!”
But wait! There’s more!
Are there roadblocks? Voices in the deep subconscious saying, “you don’t deserve this,” or “you are not good enough”?
The author of this book, Jennifer Teske, takes the reader through her experiences in conquering her personal roadblocks to success in various life goals – including the publishing of this very book and, recovering from the PTSD associated with the seeming death of her husband – by a deeper understanding of the source of her negative emotions … rooted in her childhood.
To summarize some key thoughts I am acquiring:
Beliefs are thoughts we keep thinking.
Each thought is tied to an emotion.
Any limiting beliefs we have, are tied to an uncomfortable emotion from childhood that we continue to feel as an adult.
Taming those limiting beliefs and behaviors that demonstrate a lack of advancement, will require reliving that pain from your youth.
To release a negative emotion/experience, we must allow it to fully exist and to feel that pain again.
Let that feeling wash over us; experience it fully, and do not push it away.
Then, it can naturally fade into the past, as we release it.
The only way out of negativity is through it.
I first spoke of my word of the year, “Embrace,” several years ago. It referenced my role as a 24/7 caregiver. As much as I wanted that role to vanish, I knew it was there to stay until my husband passed. I needed to embrace my role to get through it. I had to lean in.
The visceral response is, “No!” – but embrace, we must. Denial is not the answer; nor is it the answer in recovery from an event. I even shared a releasing technique in, Toolkit for Caregivers, that first acknowledges the emotion before it can be released.
If you are interested in learning from this excellent book, I highly recommend getting the paperback. Currently, I am reading the Kindle version and am trying to decipher my scribbled notes. The paper version was ordered today, and I can’t wait to start using a highlighter and writing in the margins!
Here’s to learning ways to get rid of limiting beliefs.
In health –
Deidre
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Why are there baked home fries from white, and sweet, potatoes on my plate tonight? Why are cantaloupe, salmon, bananas, and more spinach on my shopping list? What possibly could be missing?
Precisely!
Something is missing, and this detective was pretty sure of the culprit …,er, the missing one.
Problem? Maybe you are familiar with those troublesome foot spasms that occur in bed – usually in the morning hours for me, just prior to rising – that can only be fixed by standing up to gently return the tortured foot into proper alignment?
This had been going on with even greater frequency lately. Coupled with a few other seemingly random symptoms, I was wondering if, maybe, I was just in a total mind/body/spirit funk.
Have been there and done that before with foot spasms, but the other complaints were new to me. After reading the article HERE, I was able to put things together. Let me summarize signs and symptoms of possibly being low in a vital nutrient: Potassium.
You may have low potassium if you are experiencing:
Weakness and fatigue – Low potassium can interfere with blood sugar levels, depriving muscles of the energy they need.
Muscle spasms and cramps – BINGO! Therefore, athletes are very careful about their potassium intake.
Digestive problems – let’s just say things slow down…a…lot. Also, there’s bloating. Check.
Heart palpitations – not to be confused with serious heart issues that are not fixed by a meal high in potassium. Starting to check this, too.
Muscle aches and stiffness – Again, the pathways to proper muscle function are disrupted.
Numbness and tingling – When nerve pathways are affected, it’s best to contact your doctor.
Breathing difficulties – Potassium pathways for proper muscle function and communication may become disturbed with severe deficiencies.
Mood disorders – while more research is needed on this one; there is a correlation of mood disorder patients being low on potassium. I certainly could check this box off as my usual chipper inner — self seemed to be in a funk.
What to do? Most people know to eat bananas for potassium, but there are other choices that are even better. The following table shows the ranges of potassium level to consider when choosing food sources:
What is the recommended daily allowance for potassium, you may ask? There ,actually, isn’t an official RDA, but the umber of 4,700 mg a day is the consensus. Not surprisingly, most people are deficient.
Armed with these target ranges, let me give you a short list of high-potassium foods I gleaned from this source HERE:
Artichoke 345 mg.
Banana 425 mg
Beef, ground 270 mg
Beets 260 mg
Dried peas and beans 300-475 mg
Haddock, perch, salmon 300 mg
Lentils 367 mg
Milk 350-389 mg
Baked potato 925 mg
Prunes 305 mg
Spinach 420 mg
Baked sweet potato 450 mg …
There are more, but check the resource cited above for serving amounts and other options.
The caveat comes for those using the lite versions of salt which are formulated with high levels of potassium. Work with your doctor about balancing potassium and sodium levels.
Additionally, let’s not jump off the cliff with this.
Geez you give some people an inch, (read ground beef and white potatoes), and they’ll start eating hamburgers, French fries, and loaded baked potatoes saying I told them it was good for their potassium levels.
No. No. And no.
Think of dinner consisting of baked fish, one HALF of a potato (I like to cut them into home fries, toss in a bit of olive oil with salt and pepper, and bake), along with a generous green salad with that creamy yogurt-based dressing I shared recently. Evening snack of a small bowl of cantaloupe (also on the list) and ½ banana.
No cramps this morning. Just sayin’.
In health-
Deidre
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Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my brain the most.
Concern over loss of brain function seems to increase as we age, but research is showing that decreased brain function can even happen to young children if certain factors are in place.
Is this another hole-in-the-dam we need to plug? Absolutely. Like most problems, the causes are related to other things. Solve one or two, and a whole host of problems can be avoided.
peripheral nervous system
Today, I want to shine a light on BDNF, (Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor), whose presence is a key player in excellent brain function, and helps our peripheral nervous system, (AKA the nerves of our body outside of the brain itself). BDNF is a protein found in the brain that helps to ward off brain cell death and promotes the growth and development of new brain cells – along with their thousands of connections to other nerve cells.
Decreased levels of BDNF are associated with Alzheimer’s, premature aging, poor brain functioning, obesity, depression, and mental diseases.
Knowing ways to increase levels of BDNF in our brains just might be the impetus to tweaking some health habits. There’s nothing like motivation. Thing is, the answers to how to increase BDNF are not new, but the seriousness of being low on BDNF just might be the swift kick we need to make some changes. I know I am.
Intense Exercise is a crucial tool to increase/restore levels of BDNF, and obviously, has other benefits as well: Increased circulation to the brain, improved heart function, release of happy hormones, improved muscle and joint function, and … hello … helps with control of weight. A single trip to the gym to raise your heart rate one time, won’t tide you over for a month. Consistent effort with 30 minutes of aerobic exercise several times a week will do the job – over time.
Since pulling back from gyms during COVID, I had not returned. Simply relying on my home routine of daily planks, (I’m up to 7 minutes a day), using free weights, and walking has not been enough to boost my brain health or mood. Elliptical machine, here I come!
Intermittent Fasting (IF)/Caloric Restriction have been found to improve not only brain health, BDNF levels, but also heart function and better regulation of glucose levels. There will be a post about IF (Intermittent Fasting) soon. IF is when the fast of the night is extended into the late morning. More on this later.
Saying goodbye to refined sugar and saturated fat will also play a big role in not only raising BDNF levels, but in weight control and glucose regulation. Cutting back on sugar can be problematic because it really is addictive. As I stated on page 121 of, Toolkit for Wellness, sugar actually lights up the opiate receptors in our brains. If you haven’t done so already, start cutting down on sugars little by little; once you ultimately break free of the addiction, sweet things will not be calling you like sirens from the deep. Sugary foods will taste too sweet to be pleasurable – a smaller portion of any sugary treat will more than do the job.
Regarding saturated fat, keep fat selections to modest amounts of less refined good fats – including olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.
Sunlight is another booster to BDNF. Studies are showing that BDNF rises and dips according to seasons and levels of ambient light.
Supplements to consider that raise BDNF production include curcumin, green tea, omega-3 fatty acids, and resveratrol.
Losing weight at any age will assist in increasing the production of BDNF. The nationwide trend of obesity in the young is startling, not only because it’s the first domino to fall toward diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, but because the developing brains of obese children are low in BDNF. Now, it may be a case of the chicken and the egg with childhood obesity and BDNF – they correlate with each other, but addressing the trifecta of sugar/fat consumption, decreased exercise, and lack of social interaction, (next on the list), will go a long way to improved brain health.
Being socially engaged has been an issue during COVID, to be sure. It wasn’t just in our heads … although, really it was … that our brain functions were sluggish and low during our isolation because the BDNF levels were, too. Yes. We are social creatures and it’s no coincidence we are feeling mentally refreshed as we take our vaccinated selves back into the world of smiling faces.
Here’s to increasing levels of BDNF to boost our brain health for life. I’m returning to the gym with my exercise buddy tomorrow, who is also in Noom. Weight mastery, exercise, and social interaction – what could be better?
In health and BDNF –
Deidre
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Rrrrring! Yawn. Get out of bed. Flip on the coffee. Shower. Dress. Consume last drop of caffeine. Eat something quick. Go to work.
Wait.
Was there anything in there for you?
Anything to smooth your way into a great day – or one even better?
One of the blessings of being retired has been a vast expansion of my morning routine, but retirement is not a necessary for a more mindful start to any day.
Even while driving to my early morning clinical rotations to meet students before 7 am, I repeated a personal affirmation/prayer that set my mind on a path of gratitude and kept me watchful for opportunities to be a blessing to others.
What are you doing to get your mind, heart, and body on a positive path?
Perhaps you have a favorite playlist that can get you perking along with the coffee, or perhaps you ease into the day with meditation music like I do?
When I need an upbeat tune that puts a spring into my steps, I’ll ask Alexa to play Enchantment of the Elves by Llewellyn. It just makes me so happy and gets me moving in sync to match its sprightly beat.
Many people turn to a session of yoga or do exercise to get the blood flowing to their brains and to their muscles before starting their day.
Just going outdoors to walk or let out our pets can address mind, body, and spirit needs in the human as well as for our furry companions. Use that time to maximize your well-being. Are you using all your senses during that walk? What are you seeing, hearing, feeling, or smelling?
Mornings are a great time to do the body scan I share a few weeks ago. How are you doing body? Are you standing okay? Balanced? Anything hurt?
Do you have a minute or two to journal your morning thoughts? Or perhaps you can take a few moments to set your intention silently or verbally for the day. What will your mindset be as you approach the tasks before you?
Are you facing an elephant-sized set of projects? Which one is the absolute priority, and what is the minimal first step you can take to successfully check off forward motion for the day before heading onto the next thing?
Is your first meal going to do your body good? Clean protein, veggies, and fruit instead of a sugar, starch, or fat bomb?
When we start the day by being mindful to our needs, being kinder in our outreach to others comes much easier.
In health-
Deidre
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