Category Archives: Habit Building

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, This -n- That

There’s a Fungus Among Us!

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What’s your first memory related to anything looking like a mushroom?

For me, it would have to be my mom in a near panic saying, “Don’t touch that! It could be poison!” This was the message as my childish fingers reached for a toadstool.

Her messages did the trick – I never attempted to eat anything growing in the yard or anywhere else that looked like a mushroom – I stuck with cultivated, generic-looking mushrooms found on the grocery shelves of the local market, thank you.

News stories of so-called experts dying from eating what they foraged for in the forests have also kept me staying with what I could find in the store.

But mushrooms are entering the conversations of the health-conscious more and more.

While many enthusiasts are running to the supplement stores for mushroom powders and pills, I’m getting acquainted with a wider variety of mushrooms as food, because sauteed mushroom slices can add so much texture and flavor to any meal.

Shiitake Mushroom Cluster

After experimenting with using portobello caps as buns for hamburgers – ugh, I could never get those right…too juicy – I am learning about other options.

While recently enjoying the bounty of my daughter’s weekly CSA box, Community Supported Agriculture, we were treated to Lion’s Mane Mushrooms. Wow!

Lion’s Mane Mushroom

Cool look. Cool name. Supposed to be good for brain health (Sign me up!). Exciting to prepare because it’s so different. Amazing taste.

After reading about medicinal mushrooms, “Medicinal Mushrooms: 7 Kinds and Their Unique Health Benefits,” which can be found at Real Mushrooms, I am determined to incorporate more varieties of cultivated mushrooms into my diet.

The humble button/white mushroom that most of us use can boost our Vitamin D2 intake!

Lion’s Mane Mushroom in the wild

It seems that when these little guys are grown in the sunlight, they absorb Vitamin D. If you do not know if they were grown in light or not, even after harvesting, they can absorb vitamin D when placed in the sunlight.

Who knew?

From now on, I’m going to expose my mushrooms to sunshine before using. How long, though?

Researching that question led me to fungi.com and their fascinating article: Place Mushrooms in Sunlight to Get Your Vitamin D — Fungi Perfecti.

We are aware of the critical need for Vitamin D supplementation partially due to the sunscreens we smear on and because of the ever-increasing time we spend indoors. Sources of Vitamin D are covered in THIS post (February 2021).

Next time you are getting a checkup, please ask your healthcare provider to check your Vitamin D level along with the other blood panels being ordered. Most of us need more Vitamin D and may not be aware of serious deficiencies, otherwise.

Back to the sunshine, vitamins, and mushrooms.

The fungi perfecti authors put both button mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms to the test. Using samples under natural sunlight and others under UBV lamps, the mushrooms absorbed lots of Vitamin D – and retained it up to a year after – even when completely dehydrated – when exposed to the UV light “bottom” sides up/gill side up.

Mushroom stems were poor absorbers of Vitamin D.

So how long to zap our store-bought whole or sliced mushrooms? Their experiment resulted in dried mushrooms in sunlight six hours a day for two days.

Meh.

Not going to happen here. Not looking for a dried mushroom. I’m thinking about an hour or two in the direct sunlight – if it does not significantly change the texture and if I can keep bugs off.

Since vitamin D supplements are not vegan – they are derived from oil extracted from sheep wool – UV activated mushrooms could be a game changer for vegans.

I hope your curiosity for an expanded foray into the world of mushrooms has been peaked – I mean, who wouldn’t love to slice into a Lion’s Mane mushroom, sauté it in some butter/olive oil with salt and pepper, and be amazed at the tasty results?

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In health and heading to my screened porch with a tray of mushrooms –

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

Off We Go – Into The Wild Blue Yonder!

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I’ve been tuned into staying hydrated even more this summer than in the past. Why is that? Climate change? Getting older? 

True, younger bodies can withstand more abuse, and maybe younger people ignore the symptoms of dehydration.  

Whatever the case, ‘eating the rainbow’ to ensure proper electrolyte levels are maintained, has only partially mitigated foot and leg cramping issues at my house.  

If we are not properly and consistently hydrated, those attention-grabbing cramps will wake us up out of a sound sleep. 

Which leads me to this whole getting-dehydrated-and-suffering-from-jet-lag thing. After flying home on two, 5.5-hour flights heading East, this is foremost on my mind and body. 

Dehydration and jet lag share many of the same signs and symptoms: 

Fatigue and general malaise 

Being sleepy during the day 

Wacky sleep cycles 

Fuzzy/full feeling brain  

Headache 

Tummy issues: Gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea 

Decreased physical activity 

Our bodies need water for smooth functioning of the hormones involved with maintaining our internal clock/circadian rhythm.  

No wonder dehydration and jet lag go together. 

Did you know that the 12% humidity in an airplane is lower than the 25% humidity in the Sahara Desert?   

Coupled with the lower ambient air pressure of airplanes – which causes us to breathe more often to get in enough oxygen – we lose more moisture just breathing on a plane.  

A 1.5 – 2-liter loss of water is average for a 10-hour flight. This is happening even if you are drinking plenty of water.  

Dehydration is a real thing.  

Given that most people are mildly dehydrated most of the time while on the ground, and that we try to curtail drinking much fluid on planes because we don’t want to use those micro-lavatories, it’s easy to see why, even on shorter flights, we feel yucky after flying. 

Most of the food eaten onboard is devoid of water, as well: nuts, pretzels, and crispy cookies.  

What to do? 

After checking for advice from flightfud (they are selling water additives), Cleveland Clinic, John’s Hopkins, and Conde Nast Traveler, I can share these recommendations: 

Preflight: 

Make sure you start out well hydrated – at least 8 glasses of water a day or two in advance of departure – more if you are sweating. 

For Eastbound flights – go to bed earlier a few days prior 

For Westbound flights – stay up later 

In flight: 

Bring your own water bottle. Either fill an empty reusable after the TSA screening or buy a bottle. Consider adding electrolytes yourself or chose a brand with them. 

Sip, don’t guzzle, 8 ounces of water each hour on board, in addition to drinks, from inflight service.  

Limit or omit caffeinated beverages as they encourage water loss. This would mean most sodas and coffee. At the very least, limit to one serving per flight and drink an extra glass of water with it. 

Limit or omit alcoholic beverages. Again, at the very least, limit to one serving per flight and drink an extra glass of water along with it. 

Bring or choose high protein, low fat foods for the flight. Include consuming fruits and salads to increase fluid consumption. 

No apologies needed – you are drinking water and that means using the lavatories. This is good on several levels. Regular body movement decreases the risk of blood clots and stirring around every so often makes a happier passenger. 

Exercise every hour while you are seated. Knee lifts, flexing and extending feet to help stretch the calf muscles, and butt clenches all get the blood flowing to prevent clots. 

After flight: 

If you are arriving at your destination early in the morning, sleep as much as possible onboard: and then try to get through the day without napping and retire early. 

If you are arriving in the late evening, plan to go to bed shorty after arrival. 

A word about sleep aids.  

While some people could sleep on a meat hook, others of us have a much harder time sleeping on a plane. Noise canceling headphones and sleep masks could be a boon to getting in a few winks. 

Do not use prescription sleep aids without the advice of your doctor – especially if you do not know how you’ll respond to one.  

Most prescriptions are geared for 8 hours of sleep, which is probably longer than your flight. You do not want to be awakened in just a few hours and be required to negotiate getting off the plane and through the airport while impaired. 

Once you have arrived at your destination, continue to push fluids to stay hydrated and to facilitate recovery from time changes. 

Flying is a total body challenge, but there is plenty we can do to help the process. 

In health- 

Deidre 

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Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Recipes, This -n- That

Life’s Just Peachy – With Rosemary!

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As a respite to finalizing the details of my big move out of the old homestead of over forty years, I am putting the zoom techniques shared last week into practice.  

Being mindful of all that has been accomplished since January, and the decision to embrace the path of new horizons, my sweetheart and I zoomed out to see all of hurdles crossed so far. With one big push to the finish line to move my downsized possessions to storage, we will have only to wait for the new house to be finished.  

Looking at the final dash to the finish line in the next weeks, however, has me zooming in to cope. After establishing a timeline of tasks in my action plan, I felt the need to concentrate on a quick, enjoyable, small activity. 

What else, but bake some muffin bread to enjoy and to give away?  

As the fruit and vegetable offerings change with the season, I just wanted to share this tweak to an old favorite. 

We had picked up a small box of peaches at the farmer’s market, and I wanted to pair the peaches with the blueberries already in the muffin mix.  

A distant memory kept niggling my mind as I starred into the spice cupboard – – – what was that spice/herb that goes with peaches? Hmmm. 

Cinnamon? Nutmeg? Allspice? 

Presto! 

Rosemary! 

After crushing a couple pinches of rosemary into the mortar and pestle, the kitchen was fragrant.  

Yes, I was clearly onto something.  

Coupled with the scent of the two peaches I had just cut up and partially mashed, the resulting aromas were telling me good things were happening. 

The extra fluid from the cup or more of crushed peaches was absorbed by the addition of: 

3 Tbs. Honey 

3 – 4 Tbs. of freshly ground flax seeds  

1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes 

1/3 – 1/2 cup chopped walnuts to my favorite gluten free blueberry muffin mix. 

The results are scrumptious. If anything, I might increase the rosemary.  

If you are not using the ground flax seeds, use some of the crushed peaches for part of the fluid requirement – in this case, they ask for 3/4 cup of milk. 

My mini loaf pans took 50 minutes to bake. Make sure to check for doneness by using a toothpick or bamboo skewer inserted into the center of the baked loaf. If the tester comes out with dough or crumbs that are too moist, bake a few minutes longer.  

After removing pans from the oven, let cool for two minutes and then tip bread out of the pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. 

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In health – Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Habit Building, This -n- That

Got Minerals?

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Remember the old ad campaigns? 

Got milk?

Cute little chalky white milk mustaches as simple reminders to get another glass of milk?

The recent reminders given to me about certain minerals/electrolytes weren’t so cute.

Nope. 

Imagine an early morning leg and foot stretch that instantaneously morphs into a full blown muscle spasm sending toes in unnatural directions and creating balls of muscle knots in the calf – relieved only by getting out of bed to stand and tenderly walk around in the dark pre-dawn house.

Upon returning to bed my foot had sinister ideas about doing it again. Sigh. And again. Grrr.

I was taking an excellent magnesium supplement, Garden of Life, that was doing wonders for calming before bed – what was out of balance?  

I’ve touched on this topic before, but my application of knowledge was clearly faulty, or I hadn’t learned enough.

Back to the drawing board.

Muscle cramps are related to deficiencies in the following minerals/electrolytes: 

Potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium + water

Most of us know about athletes eating bananas before a big workout or prior to the BIG GAME. But there’s more to the picture than just bananas. 

Using this, Foods That May Help With Muscle Cramps, as a basis, I compiled a chart for your easy reference:      

____________________________________________________________________

Here’s a summary of what I’ve learned:

Abbreviations are Pot = potassium, Sod= Sodium, Cal= Calcium, Mag= magnesium

Bananas Pot Cal Mag

Sweet Potatoes Pot Cal-6x more than bananas Mag Water

Potatoes, pumpkins Pot Cal Mag Water

Avocado Pot- 2x more than sweet potatoes/bananas, 975 mg/whole avocado

Beans/lentils Mag + fiber

Melons Pot some Sod Cal Mag Water

Watermelons Pot Water – 92% by volume

Milk Pot Sod Cal+ protein Water

Pickle Juice Sod Water – may set off a nerve reaction that stops the cramps

Dark leafy greens Cal Mag

Orange Juice Pot, 500 mg/cup Cal Mag Water

Nuts/seeds Cal Mag- sunflower 37 mg/ounce, Almonds 2x more than sunflowers

Salmon Pot- 326 mg/3 oz. Sod- 52 mg/3 oz.

Tomatoes, tomato juice Pot Water

Coconut water Pot Sod Cal Mag Water+ NO sugar

Water Water

__________________________________________________________________________

Wouldn’t you know, the next night my evening snack was half of an avocado and there were no cramps in the wee hours.

Since then, I’ve been more diligent in adequate hydration augmented with electrolytes and in having two or three of these items from this list every day. 

We are designed for health. If there’s a problem, I’m always on the lookout for what I am doing wrong.

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In health with no more cramps-

Deidre

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Printable Electrolytes ChartDownload

Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

Getting Grounded and Chasing May Rays

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It’s always national something month or national something day. Going to nationaltoday.com can be such a hoot and might give us an excuse for an indulgence.

For instance, with next Tuesday’s posting deadline looming, and editor, Sheree, is starting to panic because this is Thursday, I have discovered that today is National May Ray Day. Who knew we would recognize the rays of sunshine lighting our lives with hopes of spring and an eye toward the summer?

Ahhh.

Or, that it’s the National Devil’s Food Cake Day as well? Many of us could really get behind that one.

Tomorrow is something I may have to honor: National Quiche Lorraine Day. Yes!

Today is also National Barber Mental Health Awareness Day – which is also recognizing that May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.

Talk about a hot topic in today’s world.

Clearly better mental health is something we should all be striving for in our lives. Any reminders and skills we can get to boost our personal approach to balancing, centering, or being grounded should be appreciated.

Case in point. Last night, I went to a presentation titled, Mental Health and Well Being, led by Sarah A. Patterson, D.Min., LCSW, from WakeMed. She pointed out that life changes – births, deaths, marriage, divorce, new job, moving, etc. – create emotional responses that are colored by our respective past experiences.

The research into resilience building I am doing for my next book in the Toolkit for Caregivers series, has taught me that emotions are just thoughts, and that we can learn to guide/direct/control our thoughts. If our emotional responses in the past have only created more anxiety for us, then it is possible to retrain ourselves to achieve better outcomes.

One difficulty we often face is our inability to calm down in stressful situations that are eliciting all kinds of anxiety. At foodtalk4you, we have explored techniques in box breathing, gratitude and blessings jars, forest bathing, naming our emotions, exercise, and journaling to help de-stress.

That tried-and-true method of slowly breathing and counting to ten may help somewhat if we are short on time, but I learned from Sarah last night that researchers have found it takes a full two minutes – or more – to really calm down and regulate our responses.

What to do in those magic 2 minutes?

Sarah showed us two new things I want to pass on to you: Guided Grounding and The Pretzel Move.

Guided Grounding is as easy as a 5-4-3-2-1 in focusing on each of our senses:

Find a quiet spot to leisurely survey what you are sensing as follows:

5 things you are seeing right now – colors, objects, textures, smiles, sunshine

4 things you are physically feeling/sensing – feet feeling the ground, pressure of chair on your back, the warmth or coolness of the environment, hair falling on your face

3 things you are hearing – voices, birds chirping, your breathing

2 things you are smelling – coffee brewing, fresh air

1 thing you are tasting – the lingering taste of your toothpaste

This survey of your senses helps to focus thinking and concentration on something other than the object of your anxiety triggers.

The Pretzel Move we did was a stationary hold of position; an active version for children can be found at healthymindstherapy.blog, “Pretzel Breathing Technique for Children,” which is complete with a child-led video. Here’s how we did The Pretzel last night:

Find a quiet spot to do the following – otherwise, you’ll have to explain why you look so funny

Sit with your ankles crossed

Hold your arms out straight in front of you, palms facing together

Turn your palms with thumbs down

Cross your dominant hand/arm over your nondominant hand/arm

Join your palms and lace your fingers

Bring your joined palms down and in toward your chest and up toward your chin

Hold for two minutes while you box breathe (count of 4 in, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, repeat)

If you are unable to bring your crossed arms/palms into your chest and up, just keep your crossed arms extended in front of you.

You can see that both techniques are basically ruses to get your mind to concentrate on something other than its source of anxiety – but these simple methods are effective in bringing us back to center to be “grounded.”

Sarah reported that she’s seen this Pretzel technique stop an anxiety attack quickly.

If the source of your anxiety or your response to it is too overwhelming, there is still help for you. Sarah shared with us that psychologytoday.com can be used to find resources in your own community based upon the specific needs you may have such as symptoms, diagnosis, availability of health insurance or not, transportation, and more. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

Being healthy physically, spiritually, and mentally does not mean we accomplish it alone. On the contrary – when we break a bone, we don’t think twice about getting medical help – when our minds are challenged beyond our capabilities to treat, we should think nothing about seeking outside help.

We continue to gather tools to help ourselves as in these grounding techniques shared here but being proactive about our mental health also includes seeking help from others.

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In health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

It’s Our 8th Birthday at FoodTalk4You!!

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Today, exactly 8 years ago, foodtalk4you.com was born.

We have covered quite an assortment of topics over the years – all to uplift and edify those who knew there must be a more natural way to get and stay healthy.

Research in the last 12 months has revealed new paths to self-renewal that I have shared with you. As a nod to our anniversary number, here are what I believe are our top 8 by reader popularity.

  1. Last April, I introduced you to Breath – The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor, which sets the stage for optimal health through how we breathe. Who knew our very anatomy and physiology would be so dependent upon how we get air into our bodies? Nestor dramatically shows how he reversed his mouth breathing and a host of common health problems. All breathers should read this book.
  • A post in May shared how to do a Body Scan prior to, and just after, exercise. Why did this make the top 8? Because this easy 2-minute body scan is yet another way to be more mindful of our bodies. Our thoughts are so often directed away from ourselves that we seldom “check in” with how we are doing.
  • Combining two posts featuring crockpot soups from Creamy Fascination and Game Day Crock Pot Soup , we are reminded that home cooking from scratch can involve minimal preparation and effort yet yield wholesome goodness.
  • With supplies as simple as a fine-tipped pen and a shading pencil, creating a relaxing artistic process with little-to-no skills was shared in October with Zentangles. How I love to grab a small piece of paper to practice organized doodling. There are Facebook groups, ZIA Tangling for beginners and Zen Tangle 101 to learn and share – including how people are managing their personal limitations by exploring this art form.
  • My foray into a better understanding of how to avoid human infirmities started off in 2022 when I discovered Metabolical by Robert H. Lustig, MD. Lustig is putting things together for me with more clarity than I’ve read before. If you believe we are designed for health like I do, this one is for you. It set the stage for me to read the eighth article in our list.
  • Whether you are a person of faith or not, the writings of John Roedel in his Hey, God, and, Remedy, books speak to the souls of anyone who has ever had self-doubt, trauma, depression, or personal angst of any sort with words of understanding and compassion. Both of his books provide me with a helping hand that comes through the page and into my own.
  • I saved the best for last. The one written resource that is improving my natural health is undoubtedly, Vitamin K and the Calcium Paradox. As shared in early March, I am learning about, not just one vitamin, but several. There will be more posts about this in the future, but by applying the wisdom from this one book, you could save your life.

That is our top 8. Sheree and I hope you have enjoyed FoodTalk4You so far and you have learned helpful knowledge over the years to improve your health.

You keep reading and we’ll keep sharing!!

In health-

Deidre

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Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Exercise, Habit Building, Stress Reduction

Three-Legged Stools

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Sometimes we need reminders – that includes authors of healthy lifestyle blogs.

Yes, even me.

You see, we were wondering why something wasn’t working so well as I bustled around the kitchen this morning – “being all healthy.”

Soaking chia seeds for my sweetheart’s smoothie. Grinding up flax seeds for us both. Sautéing unbreaded okra slices for my gluten-free breakfast bowl. Drinking a glass of water as our first fluids of the day. Vitamins.

All the good things … Except.

Someone was complaining of “death balls” after a trip to the bathroom.

And someone else left the bathroom in happy amazement and relief.

What was the difference between the two of us?

It goes back to that truth-giving, three-legged stool. Take away just one of those legs, and the stool no longer functions.

Regardless of age, the human body needs three things in consistent daily supply for optimal bowel function. Yes, we’re talking about poop – and I’ve done this before HERE – but it bears repeating. Not sorry if this is TMI.

Repeat after me –

MY BODY NEEDS:

  1. WATER
  2. FIBER
  3. EXERCISE

There should be enough water to lighten up the color of urine – which will be darker first thing in the morning. The number of 8-ounce glasses varies depending upon the level of hydration and if there is sweating. Generally, the number is 8 glasses.

Fiber minimums for adults are 21-25 grams for women and 30-38 grams for men. Most of us are dramatically deficient in getting enough fiber. You can read about ramping up fiber in our March 8th post.

Okay. That’s two legs of the stool. Isn’t that enough? No, foodtalk readers, it is not.

Nothing takes the place of exercise.

When I took my walk early yesterday morning at a jauntier pace than usual, and then did a repeat walk in the afternoon, I left the bathroom smiling today.

What with doing taxes at the computer for days and sitting to write a bit more, the walks were less peppy and not as long. The resulting disappointments in the bathroom were predictable.

Duh!

In health-

Deidre

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Consider the Egg – Broken Yet New

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Is it the end of the road, or the beginning of an amazing new chapter of our lives?

Are we broken and losing pieces of ourselves or are we shedding what we no longer need?

A Facebook friend shared someone’s thoughts about feeling broken, and I felt inspired to pass on few ideas to you. Maybe your day will take on a brighter focus as you grapple with breakage.

Next time you crack an egg, consider what is transpiring.

There’s something good inside of that egg. To use that goodness – to turn it into a glorious soufflé, cake, or a humble plate of scrambled eggs – we first must destroy that perfectly constructed shell.

Broken.

Being broken may simply be that opportunity to break out to become something new, better, certainly changed, and full of untold possibilities.

We may not have asked for that change – I bet that egg didn’t either – but life is less about our opinions, about our circumstances, and more about what we do with what we have.

So, there we are.

Broken.

What are we going to become?

In health-

Deidre

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Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Recipes

Celebrating The Orange and Green!

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Saint Patrick’s Day conjures up images of the Chicago River waters running emerald, or a draught of green Guinness from the local pub.

As most of the northern hemisphere is still trying to shake off the hoary frosts of winter – it was 19 degrees F in our area this past weekend – and as our southern hemisphere readers are gearing up for fall, I was looking for some warming comfort food.

Most decorations for this festive season’s nod to all things Irish, which center on everything green; but in search of the perfect comfort food, I was reminded of the other Irish color: orange.

So, I’m pulling up a blast-from-the-past – Good, Better, Best Butternut Squash Soup – that dishes up orange and a bowlful of yumminess.

Plain butternut squash soup is – good.

When caramelized onions and garlic are added, you get something – better.

Add anti-inflammatory spices, creamy good fat from coconut milk and bone building gelatin, and you’ll have the best steamy bowlful of butternut squash goodness you’ve ever had! It’s the BEST!

By using my trusty immersion blender, I simply blitzed the cooked soup ingredients into creamy wonderfulness. No more using a dripping ladle to fill a blender in small hot batches to blitz, then having to pour the soup into ANOTHER pot to finish. Yay! I can’t recommend my immersion blender enough!

This recipe was originally crafted with the flesh of a previously roasted butternut squash. Peeling this hard gourd was dangerous with a knife. Then I picked up a new vegetable peeler that was shaped differently, so now peeling thicker skins is a breeze. 

Armed with the most effective equipment, let’s dive into our soup recipe:

GOOD – BETTER – BEST BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Into a large soup pot on medium heat add:

1 yellow onion, chopped*

½ bulb of garlic (that’s about 5-6 cloves), peeled, smashed, and chopped*

*Make sure to let these prepared allium family vegetables rest at least ten minutes before cooking. See my book, Toolkit for Wellness, page 162, to learn why.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil to cover the bottom of the pot

A dollop of grass-fed butter for an extra yummy factor (about a tablespoon or so)

Slowly sauté onion and garlic in oil and butter until clear. Reduce heat and add a tablespoon or two of water to continue cooking to caramelize veggies. This may take 7-10 minutes.

Add the following seasonings and ingredients:

2 teaspoons of curry

1 tablespoon of turmeric

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

½ can full fat coconut milk (if the cream is solid, scoop out about half to use and pour about half of the clear fluid into soup pot)

¼ cup of Great Lakes unflavored gelatin, evenly sprinkled over the top of the ingredients

1 – 32-ounce organic free range chicken broth with about ½ cup of water to rinse out container

Flesh of one raw butternut squash, peeled and cubed

Simmer with lid on until the squash is tender – about 30 minutes depending upon the size of the squash pieces.

When the squash is tender, use your immersion blender to turn this soup into creamy goodness.

There’s nothing left to do but serve and enjoy! A dollop of sour cream, crema, or Greek yogurt on top of each bowl is a nice flavor touch, as well.

Butternut squash is low in calories, has no cholesterol, and is a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins. In fact, it has more Vitamin A than pumpkin. Vitamin A is an antioxidant and is vital in skin and eye health. Butternut squash also is a great source for flavonoids which convert into Vitamin A and is a rich source of B-complex vitamins.

The onions and garlic add to the anti-inflammatory features of this soup as do the spices which are very beneficial to fighting inflammation.

The gelatin is an excellent source of protein and is extremely helpful to bone and joint health.

The coconut milk is a source of good fats that help power you through your day.

The taste? Mmmm good!

Keeping warm and in health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, Habit Building, Stress Reduction

Cha – Cha- Cha – Chia!

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The information I shared from recent readings HERE and HERE, discussions about a more holistic approach to wellness with my daughter has spurred me on to being more pro-active with my health.

Some changes are easy enough to do such as taking Vitamin K2, fish oil with EPA/DHA, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and a nightly magnesium supplement.

But incorporating my daily servings of flax and chia seeds had been hard because the weather is still too cold for me to drink smoothies; otherwise, these seeds would be a cinch. They are perfect for adding to a blender.

What I like to do for smoothies is briefly presoak the scoop of chia seeds in some warm water, allowing them to swell up and gel. This one step prevents them from sticking to the sides of the blender.

Since learning that ground flax seeds quickly go rancid, I now grind just the amount I’ll be using that day in a coffee/spice grinder. The goodness in both flax and chia seeds is found on the inside of the seed; consuming them whole can be counterproductive if all seeds are not thoroughly chewed.

Let’s review what both seeds contain and how we are helped:

Omega-3 fatty acids – associated with heart health, lowering cholesterol, decreasing inflammation

Soluble Fiber –absorbs water and slows down digestion. Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels, and lower the risk of heart disease.

Protein – a good source of plant protein

Antioxidants for general health, heart health, and blood pressure control

Lignans

An array of minerals including the high levels of potassium in flax seeds, which is vital to proper muscle function and helps maintain lower blood pressure.

Flax seeds also contain lignans – a phytoestrogen associated with reduced risk for osteoporosis and has protective antioxidant properties

If you are new to consuming these fiber-rich seeds, start with a teaspoon of each seed, freshly ground, and gradually increase to 2 tablespoons each. While fiber is one of the desired critical elements in these seeds, new users may experience bloating, gas, or abdominal discomfort.  These little guys absorb A LOT of water.

Check out these three photos showing one scoop of chia seeds with almost a cup of water added. After just two minutes, see what happened! This is part of the benefit – fiber absorbs water – but if you are not drinking enough water, instead of assisting in smooth digestion through the intestines, fiber can contribute to constipation.

It is important to note that before starting any kind of supplementation or dietary changes, users should contact their health care professional to check for any conflicts with pregnancy, lactation, medications, or allergies.

If you’re not throwing these gems into a smoothie every day, how are they supposed to be consumed?

I have found many ways to add these seeds to what I was already eating. Check this out:

Ground flax seeds can be added to most dry ingredients for baking without significantly changing flavors or appearance. Ground chia seeds, which are virtually flavorless, will show up as dark specks. Your muffins, breads, and cookies will have a slight crunch.

In baking, ground flax seeds can be an egg substitute when combined with water at the ratio of 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed to 3 tablespoons of water – let sit for a few minutes before using.

Stir ground seeds into peanut butter. The peanut butter I use has just two ingredients – peanuts and sea salt, whereas my sweetheart prefers Skippy peanut butter – whose ingredients are peanuts, sugar, palm oil, and salt (what’s wrong with that label, Foodtalk readers?).

To compensate for the pinch of sweetness missing from Skippy, I added my go-to sweet spices of cinnamon and a few drops of vanilla, along with the ground flax seed.  Result? I was thrilled with my tasty new creation, and he was pleased with the flavor and texture! It was so good and the satiety from ground flax seeds lasts for hours.

Sprinkle whole flax seeds on your salad for a crunchy topping.

Combine ground flax to meat balls, meatloaf, and casseroles. This is also a sneaky approach to disguise new ingredients to unadventurous family members.

Use ground seeds in breading ingredients for an extra crunch factor.

Add both ground seeds to your cooked cereals.

Try whole seeds as a part of your Overnight Oats recipe, soaking them in your preferred choice of milk – perhaps with a touch of sweet spices such as cinnamon and vanilla. Add some berries in the morning and you are set for an easy breakfast.

Use whole or ground flax seeds instead of croutons. Simply crisp in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly.

Add ground or whole flax seeds to your homemade granola.

Add ground flax seeds to your salad dressing.

Boost your soup recipes with ground flax.

Use ground flax as a thickener to your gravies.

Let me know of your own flax and chia seed successes, and please share this post if you have found it useful by using the options in the MORE button below.

In health-

Deidre