Category Archives: This -n- That

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

Creamy Fascinations – Part 2

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Today, we move on from crema – which is the runniest of the creamy elements we discussed HERE – to crème fraiche, which fits snuggly in the middle of the consistency scale. Sour cream, you will remember, is the thickest of our trifecta.

As you might guess, from its French name, this fresh cream is specifically under European labeling regulations, requiring it be made from cream and a bacterial culture only, whereas sour cream may contain thickening agents.

Hence, if you followed the crema recipes I shared previously, usage of any ingredients other than cream and a bacterial culture, pushed that recipe into the realm of crema.

With just two ingredients, the recipe for crème fraiche would seem simple, but opinions vary as to proportions. I’m thinking the variable may be length of time available for the fermentation process.

Those using 2 Tablespoons/ 30 ml of buttermilk for each cup/ 237 ml of heavy cream may have gotten quicker results, (12 hours), than those using just 1 Tablespoon/ 15 ml, (24 hours). Some sources split the difference and used 1.5 Tablespoons/ 22.5 ml of buttermilk per cup/ 237 ml of heavy cream.

You choose how you may want to tweak this basic recipe.

Crème Fraiche

1 cup/ 237 ml heavy cream

1-2 Tablespoons/ 15-30 ml of buttermilk

Combine ingredients in a glass container. Cover either with a breathable top – such as a clean kitchen towel or a lid/plastic wrap. Leave at room temperature for 12- 24 hours. Use. Refrigerate to keep for up to a week or two.

This recipe is easily doubled. In fact, many recipes call for 2 cups/ 474 ml of heavy cream because they are using that much crème fraiche. I’m not cooking for a large family, so a smaller quantity would be enough for me.

Where to use crème fraiche?

Readers who are entering the warmer seasons of fresh fruit, may want to whip their crème fraiche with a bit of sugar to adorn a bowl of fresh fruit.

With cooler seasons upon the rest of us, I’m anticipating adding this to beef stroganoff soon. This higher fat content crème fraiche will not separate when cooked/boiled like sour cream does.

Beef Stroganoff

Speaking of beef stroganoff with crème fraiche, I want to close by sharing a link I just discovered – Beef Stroganoff with Crème fraiche – YouTube by Daddy Cooks. His engaging, laid-back style is down-to-earth and easy to follow, and will be my guide when preparing beef stroganoff next time.

Not this … *haha*

As we start preparing special meals for any holiday experience, remember to be mindful of portion control and in surrounding the meal with colorful, high fiber veggie side dishes that are not so calorie dense.

In health-

Deidre

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

Pink Cadillac – That’s Where It’s At …

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Mary Kay Ash

Have you ever had Pink Cadillac Syndrome? It’s based on the idea you never knew how many pink Cadillacs were on the road until you bought one … or earned one through your Mary Kay business.

I haven’t seen a pink Cadillac in years; but I have bought something I thought unique, only to find many other people had the same idea. Where was I? Why didn’t I see all of those before?

My recent experience involved thinly sliced apples in a green salad. Simple enough idea, but new to me. Long a proponent of blueberries or strawberries tucked into a scrumptious, green salad – possibly graced with bits of walnut, tossed with a savory, balsamic vinaigrette, and topped with feta. Wow!

When recently dining in Mason Jar Tavern in the Piedmont area of our state, I enjoyed a flank steak salad that delighted all my five senses.

Anytime a meal can be delivered in salad form, I’m all in!

What made this delicious salad unique, (or so I thought), was the addition of thinly sliced apples. The presentation alone was amazing – and the subtle flavor and crisp texture of the apple slices multiplied my gastronomic experience.

Honeycrisp Apples

Not a week later, my daughter-in-love shared Half Baked Harvest’s recipe HERE for a salad featuring thinly sliced Honeycrisp apples, along with pomegranate arils. I have it on good authority this is a delightful addition to make your meal memorable.

A few days after that, Sunday’s newspaper National Magazine insert featured thinly sliced apples in a salad. Who knew?

Where have I been? Pink Cadillac Syndrome, undoubtedly, but I’m delighted I have finally woken up to the world of sliced apples to make my salads sparkle!

So that’s this week’s tip. Use some sliced apples to give your salads a new flavor and texture profile this season.

Off to slice some apples for tonight!

In health-

Deidre

The MORE button below will let you share this post with your friends. It’s also an excellent time to start gift purchases for the coming holidays. Why not go to this link HERE and get copies of my books for your friends and loved ones.

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

Game Day Crockpot Soup

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As temps in the Northern Hemisphere are hinting at fall, our thoughts are turning to warming, savory soups. Added to that, kids are off to soccer practice, friends and families are tailgating, and many are gathering around the screen for golf or football.

Our readers down under are probably getting hints of spring with thoughts of fresh fruit and vegetables making your mouths water, but in Eastern North Carolina, my garden is down to 2-3 okra pods a day.

We’re on to soup weather! Bring on the crockpot, please.

Plus, the recipe I’m sharing today is an excellent opportunity for using the Mexican Crema recipe that was featured last week.

What’s cooking? An easy, adaptable recipe featuring canned beans, chopped tomatoes, salsa, and frozen or fresh chicken. Easy peasy.

Many thanks to my daughter-in-love for this inspiring recipe and for assisting in our photo-shoot. The delightful soup bowls are frequently filled with her and my son’s creations – chili, soup, gumbo, and more. I’m on the look out for special bowls to add that extra panache to lovely meal presentation.

But even in plain bowls, this soup is a winner.

The recipe is best shared as a simple photo of all the ingredients.

No or not enough black beans? Grab a can of garbanzo beans/chickpeas, pink beans, pinto beans, or cannellini beans instead. Mix and match. No problem. I like mixing them up.

We prefer using chicken thigh meat because of its tenderness and flavor. Yes, the breast meat has less fat, you can use that as well – again, a nod to versatility.

Another nod to crockpot convenience is that frozen chicken works just fine – just keep it cooking a little longer.

Crockpot Chicken and Bean Soup

Ingredients

3 – 15.25-ounce cans (432 g) beans – black, pinto, garbanzo, cannellini, pink

1 – 16-ounce jar (453 g) salsa

2 – 10-ounce cans (283 g) Ro-Tel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

1 – 4.5-ounce can (127 g) chopped green chilies

1 – 15-ounce can (425 g) tomato sauce

8 – Ideally boneless, skinless chicken thighs – can use 4 large chicken breasts – fresh or frozen

Method

Open the jars and cans. Start filling the crockpot with something wet – tomato sauce or salsa – then add some beans with their juices, chicken, and finish with the remaining wet ingredients and beans.

That’s it. Put the crockpot lid on, plug in, set to low for 6 – 7 hours – longer if frozen meat is used.

When time is up, stir the ingredients and remove the chicken to a cooling bowl.

Using two forks, gently pull chicken apart to shred. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.

Stir all ingredients to combine and keep warm until time to serve.

Serve with chopped fresh tomatoes, avocado slices, sour cream, grated cheese, Mexican Crema, and a few tortilla chips. We were fortunate enough to score some fall-themed corn chips from Trader Joe’s.

There’s just enough heat to keep this warm and spicey; but it will not send you to the milk jug to put out a fire.

Seasons of transition – fall and spring – create such flavor and texture excitement to food. I’m waiting for my order of pumpkin spice coffee to arrive soon!

Snuggling in with snuggles –

Deidre

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

Creamy Fascinations

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Just what is a crema? What, exactly, is crème fraiche? How does sour cream fit into this trifecta? Does mascarpone deserve a seat in this conversation?

My inquiring mind wanted to know …

I hear experienced chefs on the cooking channel throwing out creamy terms right and left and my knowledge base is left in the dust.

It was time to expand my repertoire beyond the familiar dollop of sour cream on top of a spicy bowl of chili. The sour cream serves to cut some of the heat found in the chili and adds visual appeal to toppings added to tacos.

What’s on board for all of these is cream plus some form of a bacteria element. Sounds simple enough, but the lines blur amongst the different forms of creamy admirability desired, but I’ll do my best to tease out the facts for you.

Welcome to Creamy Fascinations 101.

Crema Fraiche

Consistency is one variable. Of the actual creams, sour cream is the thickest, crème fraiche is in the middle – followed by Mexican crema, which is the runniest. Mascarpone more closely resembles cream cheese but has two times the fat, a softer consistency, and a slightly sweet taste.

Heat stability is another concern. Crema and crème fraiche are better options for cooking into creamy sauces. Who knew?

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Apparently, my former beef stroganoff efforts resulting in the sour cream breaking up was not due to my poor technique, but rather to using the wrong creamy ingredient. Online comments suggest using crème fraiche for stroganoff and crema for enchilada sauce.

Fat content varies and contributes to the heat stability. Sour cream at 20% at is best used as a last moment garnish to hot dishes. Crème fraiche at 30% – 45% and is an excellent thickening agent for soups and sauces (heat stability) and is also used over fruit and baked goods.  Mexican crema is in the middle with a fat content between 18 – 30%.

Tangy factors modify our selections. Sour cream pegs the tangy scale, which makes it a favorite option for anything Tex-Mex for garnish. Crème fraiche is milder and smoother – making it perfect on raw fruits, whipped with sugar and vanilla as a whipped cream variation, or can become savory when combined with herbs and citrus for meat toppings. Variations on crema can uptick the tang when adding lime.

Putting this information together is where lines blur. The ingredient list is easy but can easily cross over lines. Here are some recipes for crema.

Sour Cream

Basic Crema 1.0

1 cup/ 237 ml sour cream

1 cup/ 237 ml heavy cream

1 teaspoon/ 5 ml salt

Combine, cover, keep at room temp 3 hours. Use. Store in refrigerator.

Heavy Cream

Basic Crema 1.5

1 cup/ 237 ml heavy cream

2 Tablespoons/ 30 ml buttermilk

Combine, cover, keep at room temp 12-24 hours, then add:

1 Tablespoon/ 15 ml lime juice

Pinch of salt

Use and store in refrigerator.

Basic Crema 2.0

1 cup/ 237 ml sour cream

1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5 ml garlic powder

Juice of one lime

Combine, use, and store in refrigerator

Mexican Crema 3.0

I was recently introduced to a Mexican crema recipe that provided its own heat element through roasted poblanos and jalapenos.

4 poblano peppers

2 jalapeño peppers

3 cloves of garlic

1+ cup/ 237 ml sour cream

1 lime cut into quarters

Pinch of salt, optional

Coat peppers and cloves of garlic with olive oil, place on a rimmed cookie sheet in a preheated 450-degree oven, and roast. Avoid burning peppers and garlic by turning every 8 minutes – the goal is to blister the skin of the peppers on all sides. When sufficiently blistered in about 20 minutes, remove from oven. 

Transfer roasted peppers into a glass or metal bowl, and cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap to allow for steaming. In about 30 minutes, the outer skin may easily be peeled and pulled from the peppers. Remove stem, most of the seeds, and any interior pulpy structures.

Place peeled pepper skins, roasted garlic, 1 cup of sour cream, and juice of 1/4 of the lime into a container or bowl. Using an immersion blender, pulse to combine all ingredients until smooth.

Check for the flavor balance to suit your taste. Add salt, dollops of sour cream and/or additional lime juice as you create a flavor profile to your liking. It’s amazing, but you’ll get adept at this process and become skilled at getting the combination “just right.”  It’s ready to use and can be stored in the refrigerator.

When added to the top of an effortless crock pot recipe for frozen chicken, bean, and tomato soup, this spicy version of crema added a depth of flavor that took our meal to a new level. Recipe next week for this amazing soup.

Enchiladas w/spicy sauce/lime

In the meantime, practice your crema-making skills and variations. This is so delicious on spicy soups, chili, tacos, taco salad, and makes an egg on toast shine in the mornings.

We’ll do the crème fraiche recipes soon so there can be some beef stroganoff in our fall menus.

In creamy health-

Deidre

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Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

On The Shoulders Of Giants

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

Synchronicity – or Lucky Star?

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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!

In health-

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

What a Bunch of Bananas!

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And brilliant hack!

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.

As always, please click on the MORE button below to discover all the options to share this helpful article. And to my dear readers in Poland, feel free to translate and share with your friends!

In ripeness and in health-

Deidre

NOTE: Additional information can be downloaded HERE.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blogging for good health!, Stress Reduction, This -n- That

Potassium Tasty … AND Good For Me?

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

Staying Sharp As A Tack

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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.

Here’s why.

After reading this: 8 Ways To Increase BDNF Levels (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) – Mental Health Daily, and this: Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Depression, and Physical Activity: Making the Neuroplastic Connection – PubMed (nih.gov) – I am more committed than ever to exercise, (Yes, I will be returning to the gym to augment my home routines), to maintaining a healthy weight, and to increase social interaction.

Let me summarize several findings:

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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Norm Matching

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Who is driving your bus?

At last, we are getting out to restaurants again – a chance to reconnect and to enjoy food not cooked by us. See if this a familiar scenario: You are going to meet up with a couple friends with whom you have not socialized since early last year.

For weeks prior to getting vaccinated and going mask less.

However, you had started a campaign to get rid of those pounds that had crept around your waist in the last 18 months.

You’re thinking you might have a salad with grilled meat on top when one of your friends chimes in with, “Man, it’s so good getting back out again with you guys! Let’s go whole hog and celebrate! First round is on me AND there will be dessert! Yay!”

You look to your other friend who was considering the salad menu as well but puts it down declaring, “You’re right! This is going to make up for over a year of deprivation! I hear their lasagna is to die for, and the breadbasket is bottomless!”


You probably know how this meal will go. Who are you to diminish the party by drinking water, saying no to the alcohol, lasagna, bread, AND the dessert?

It’s human nature. Apparently, we cannot shake that primordial instinct to exist more safely in a group. That desire to belong, to be in the safety of numbers, and looking to others for a consensus is played out every day.


Even if it is to our detriment.

Being swayed by the input of others is often called “norm matching.” It can govern not only what you choose to eat, but when you pick up your fork (when someone else does) and even matching your consumption to others.


I was reintroduced to this concept in terms of food choices in the Noom cour, I have spoken about. [This link will get you 2 weeks free on Noom and a 20% discount. I will receive monetary thanks from Noom if you use it.]

As I did a little research about norm matching, the link to Solomon Asch’s famous conformity experiment from the 1950s quickly popped up. Look at the image of the two cards below:

The assignment is to choose either A, B, or C, to be the match for the line on the card to the left. There were many sets of cards needing matches such as this one in his experiment.


Not rocket science.


Only 1% of those being studied chose incorrectly when their answers were given silently and anonymously. Open the floor to discussion, introduce some clearly incorrect responses by some planted actors, and 75% of the people being studied went along with the false consensus at various times during the study.


All in the name of conformity.

Which begs the question. Who’s driving your bus?


As I was researching today, a recent conversation with a friend popped into my mind. My friend was concerned about a family member who is following the lead of a circle of friends who believe that being vaccinated against Covid is unnecessary because Covid is not real.


Sigh.


Whether the choice is lasagna vs. grilled chicken salad or getting vaccinated or not, do your due diligence at your research of valid, verifiable, science. Look at your resource; check credentials; get input from a variety of sources.


Order you meal first. Maybe you can lead the crowd by saying that you’re celebrating getting together by honoring your body with a healthy choice.

My concern – more than food choice, however – is whether the person at the next table to you – who has delayed getting vaccinated – will get Covid from you and require hospitalization.


For more information about the Covid vaccine, check out this helpful WEBSITE.

In the words of Fiona Robertson in Norm Matching (fionarobertson.com): “You can’t change the way human brains are wired, but if you understand them, you can work with them instead of against them.”

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In health-
Deidre