Category Archives: This -n- That

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

Is Your Heart Attacking You? UPDATE: New Links Included!

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Subtle is an adjective used especially to denote a change or distinction, so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe. 

With heart attacks, men are usually not subtle. Men more often experience the classic chest pain, shortness of breath, and dizziness. They frequently describe the feeling of, “an elephant sitting on their chests.” 

Women? Not so much.  

Check out the difference in heart attack symptoms between the sexes. 

You can see in everyday life how women’s symptoms could go unrecognized. Just last week I was feeling: 

Tired? Absolutely! Who wouldn’t be after the fun-filled week I had been having with extra activities outdoors – (closed those exercise rings, buddy!), cooking extra yummy food for gatherings, visiting with family, Graduation party, Father’s Day cook out, and writing for my books. 

Indigestion? I might get heartburn once every week – especially with spicy foods. Nothing unusual. 

Extreme fatigue? I had said to our company I was exhausted before retiring that night – especially when I just learned we’d be getting up extra early to take them to the airport, and we were slated to keep going on down the road to visit more family. 

Stress on board? Oh yes, especially since I had just learned I would not be able to push the publication date of my Caregiver Emotions book to any day later than September 1st.  

But climbing into bed did not generate that ahhh feeling. Nope. That area of … pain? … just under my left shoulder blade would not go away. 

Hmmm. Had I pulled a muscle? Not that I could recall. Those baking dishes had been heavy … 

No other symptoms. Things didn’t get worse, and I was able to finally get comfortable and sleep a couple hours later to awaken pain free in the morning. 

Hmmm. That had been a new place for me to feel heart-related discomfort. I was still pretty tired and now I was torn about what to do. 

Can you sense the indecision in evaluating all of these subtleties?  

There’s one hard and fast rule I always taught my students and have always tried to follow for myself: 

PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE HAVING HEART ISSUES DO NOT HAVE A BRAIN TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. 

Do not listen to a possible heart attack victim about not going to the hospital – they really do not have the ability – or medical degree or diagnostic equipment – to make that choice.  

If others say you should get checked out, then get checked out. 

So, my schedule that morning got changed, and I got checked out. 

EKG was good. Blood work was done to verify there were no bad markers and no blood clots. Chest x-ray was normal.  

No heart attack.  

Would I go to the ER again? 

Absolutely! 

I also will manage my personal commitments better. The Emotions book will be published just fine a little earlier than I had hoped. It’s all good. 

So, bottom line – learn the subtleties of heart attack symptoms and don’t hesitate to get checked out. The best treatment is prevention, and an excellent summary can be found here: HEART ATTACK PREVENTION.

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In health – 

Deidre  

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

Oh, That Soup Du Jour … 

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Ever wonder about soup and soup recipes?  

We were waxing philosophical the other night, while trying to follow a recipe for soup. There may have been wine involved. 

Anyway – there were issues with not having the exact ingredients. We were using some leftover grilled Hawaiian Kanpachi to create a fish chowder. 

What we had on hand did not totally match up with what was required.  

I mean – this was soup – how precise did we have to get?  

What was soup, anyway? Throw a bunch of veggies into a pot, add fluid, cook, stir, serve. Right? 

Chowder usually calls for corn. Check. Celery. Check. Carrots – meh – ate them last night in the salad. Onions. Check. We did have the required fresh thyme – felt really good about that. 

So, our mirepoix, (sauteed onions, carrots, and celery often used as a base for soups), lacked carrots.  

Oh, well.  

We pressed on to making the roux and added the fluid ingredients, which we adjusted to using some leftover chicken bone broth along with the thickest, yummiest heavy cream I have ever seen in my life – and eventually, we had lovely fish chowder. 

Chef Dennis’s recipe for fish chowder can be a springboard to your own version. It’s all good.  

After all – it’s soup! 

Oh, and don’t forget a spoonful of dry sherry to float on top of each steaming bowl! 

Just sayin’. 😉 

The Blue Ocean Mariculture in Kona, Hawaii is a fascinating place dedicated to eco-friendly, sustainable, deep-sea aquaculture, blazing the way to feed people in a healthy way. That’s where we bought our fish. Kanpachi is super-rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and is simply delicious! 

In health –  

Deidre  

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

Thoughts, Memories, and Eats

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What the camera never saw –

Do you take pictures of your food at restaurants?

I’ve tried to stop doing that all together, except to share pictures with family based on some special aspect significant or meaningful to us.

Sometimes, there’s such a wow factor to a meal’s presentation, a picture seems appropriate to remember that special moment.

When my arms were not full of my beautiful new grandson – okay, gorgeous – I had been helping in the kitchen whenever possible during our recent trip to Hawaii.

I try to stay camera-ready at home during food preparation – what’s that term? “Mise en place” – in anticipation of sharing recipes with you, but not so much this past month.

Great recipes.

Great meals.

New ideas.

Old favorites.

No pictures.

No worries. Sheree will scour the internet for pictures, I am sure, that will help with visualization. (Sheree: Of course! And I’m late today. Forgive me!)

Still open on my phone are several recipes we have used recently that may inspire you as well.

When we were seeking comfort food, my daughter requested the, “meatloaf of her youth.” It was not hard to Google: Ann Lander’s Meatloaf, which I have tweaked to eliminate the Accent seasoning and the bacon on top. Here’s your downloadable recipe right here:


Ann-Landers-MeatloafDownload

My sweetheart inspired a quest to buy some Tapenade while we were perusing the grocery stores, but – alas – none could be found. Not to be outdone, we acquired the necessary ingredients to make our own, which we have done twice. Once using knives and cutting boards in tandem, and once using a food processor.

Here’s how we did it:

TapenadeDownload


The Moroccan Roasted Chicken using ‘preserved lemon’ will have to wait for another post – there’s much to tell and share with you about creating a sauce out of paper thin sliced onions, a tasty marinade rub, and slow roasting magic.

Returning home will herald a new commitment to focused planning, writing, and learning as I am entering a new phase of creating a more professional polish for and launch/relaunch of my Caregiver Book Series.

New books and supplemental materials that complement current publications are on the drawing board to help serve the needs of those who purchase my books.

There will be much to share that’s applicable to all foodtalk4you readers in daily life (how to rock a 90-day plan), and for current and aspiring authors looking for direction.

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In health –

Deidre

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

“Tiny Bubbles, Make Me Feel So Fine” – Sights and Sounds From Hawaii!

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Sounds and their sources … 

Isn’t it fun to experience different sights and sounds as we travel?  

Whether we are gazing at magnificent buildings and structures, admiring sunsets from new perspectives, or hearing the deep sounds of the ocean liner horn, new venues fascinate. 

Visiting my daughter, son-in-law, and their beautiful newborn, we are trying to absorb, not only the love of family and the miracle of new life, but also the sights and sounds delighting our eyes and ears in Hawaii. 

Sure, it’s a tropical paradise – especially to the eyes – but we marvel equally at the sounds. 

Oh, the sounds! 

One may think of typical tropical birds – such as green parakeets and parrots – but our days start around 5:15 am with the forte sounds of cock-a-doodle-do, from numerous wild roosters around our semi-countrified, suburban neighborhood! 

Simultaneously, the requisite broods of hens join in greeting the day along with the chirp-chirp of their young – numbering in the double-digits, right outside our open windows, but hidden from sight by the bushes. 

Not to be left out are the turkeys! Wild Tom turkeys, their hens, and their young are excited to vocalize as they stroll about, pecking for breakfast.  

Zebra doves wake up to join the chorus with their familiar cooing – Hawaiian style. 

Not to be out-done, the invasive species of Puerto Rican Coqui frogs end their night-long LOUD chorus with final blasts of “co-KEE” – only to resume at sunset as they destroy the relative calm of night – once owned only by the crickets. 

Take a listen to a Coqui frog:

Myna birds fill the air with their distinctive calls. 

It’s all so fascinating! 

Need a rooster’s help to get you up and going? Listen carefully. Here it is!

Anyone who grew up watching cartoons will tell you that roosters crow at dawn. Ha! They start at dawn and continue until it’s time to roost in the evening! Having not grown up on the farm, I didn’t realize that fact – it took a trip to Hawaii to become enlightened. 

Locally grown fruits and vegetables have their own flair – offering deeper, truer flavors. So, we listen to the backdrop of bird conversations, while our morning papaya bowls satisfy our tropical tastes – complete with Hawaiian granola! 

May your day fascinate wherever you are. Sheree has attached soundtracks I recorded for your enjoyment and relaxation.  

I left the best for last – a melodious song from our feathered friends of the Hawaiian Islands!

Aloha, in health –  

Deidre  

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

Putting Your Best Bite Forward – Pinwheels!

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A blast from the past 

Our new neighborhood is geared towards many social gatherings. There’s another one tomorrow night and we all bring an appetizer along with a bottle of wine. It is the monthly meeting of the Cork and Vine Wine Club after all! 

The theme is the Kentucky Derby – which brings zero visions of wine … only Mint Juleps and fascinators – oh, and a very famous horse race. 

Not only am I digging through unopened moving boxes for my fascinator, but I am digging deeper into my recipe files for an appetizer I had not recently made. I rediscovered an old friend.  

Hello pinwheels! 

Just click on the download button and this free recipe is yours!

Pinwheel-Hors-doeuvresDownload

I shared this one with you a few years ago, but felt it was worthwhile to bring it out again, this time with a downloadable version for your convenience. 

Since the advent of gluten-free, tortilla-style wraps, pinwheels are once again on my menu. Easy to make with few ingredients, pinwheels check many boxes and deliver tasty fun.  

I mean, who doesn’t love a pinwheel that harkens back to seeing children running through the yard to make their pinwheels spin!  

In fact, here are three websites you can use to craft paper pinwheels: 

FIRST PALETTE 

KITCHEN TABLE CLASSROOM 

KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG 

This would be a fun activity even for wine drinking adults!  

Enjoy the world of both edible and paper pinwheels. 

Remember to subscribe to foodtalk4you so you can get every post delivered to your inbox each Tuesday. Scroll to the bottom of your device or to the upper left of your computer screen to fill out the subscribe box.  

In health –  

Deidre 

Blogging for good health!, This -n- That

Don’t Forget To “Colour My World”

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Is your closet color coordinated? For instance, do you group your clothes by color?  

There is a lot of black in my closet.  

I prefer to think that black goes with everything, and I can add splashes of color at will – which I do, thanks to a diverse collection of scarves. 

But black is not my favorite color. 

I didn’t realize the natural depth of how much I liked my favorite color until we were making color selections during the design selection phase for our new house last year. 

When holding ceramic tiles of assorted colors, examining each color one-by-one, I was not getting excited about any color I held in my hand.  

One after another.  

Meh. Meh. Meh. 

Then, when I picked up a certain tile, an unsolicited smile spread across my face! Bingo! 

TAUPE! 

I knew I had a bent for taupe years ago, when going through the throws of changing out carpeting in my former home. My daughter and I laughed at the endless array of shades that taupe could offer.  

We were going Looney Toons with the shade differences.  

“Taaaauuuuupe!” 

But last year, when a deep peace and happiness immediately descended upon me upon seeing – and experiencing – the color of taupe, I was struck at my response.  

“What’s your favorite color, Deidre?”  

“Taupe …”  

I wanted to keep that a secret. Sounded nuts. Milk toast. Dull. Unimaginative. 

Until our editor, Sheree, did a bit of googling and shared COLOR PSYCHOLOGY. 

There, I found out that, “people who favor taupe are dependable, classic, and down to earth … that taupe lovers fit in with just about anyone and their warmth makes others gravitate toward them.” 

When I added a dash of my other favorites, chartreuse and periwinkle, I found my enthusiasm, positivity, and enjoyment of challenges – along with ease of friendship, fond memories, and innocence. 

So, just for fun, take a trip into the color wheel to see how your favorite colors play into your personality. 

This could be a fun family or group activity to break the ice and learn about each other. 

Have a color-filled day in health –  

Deidre 

Editor’s Note: Taupe is definitely Deidre – or should I say, Deidre is definitely a taupe?  

Hmmm. Things I ponder here at FootTalk4You.

Bottom line: She’s a terrific gal, partner, and bestie – with or without color. *smile*  Sheree

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

Shhhhh! Cascade – Pass It On

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Cascading.

The extent to which we control our health is the subject of my recent deep dives in reading.  

As a culture, we have come to understand that controlling factors in our external environment – along with what we put into our bodies – has a direct correlation to our health and longevity.  

Nicotine, for example, is bad for our lungs and cardiovascular system. The link of cigarette smoking and secondhand smoke to cancer and heart disease was eventually accepted by our society, and policies to restrict its use and exposure to bystanders are now the norm – although that process took decades. 

Not so for other countries around the world who think we are unreasonably possessed and controlling in our zealous quest to stop smoking. They light up whenever and wherever they please, thank you. 

So, it’s easy to see it’s going to be a harder ‘sell’ to shine a light on how influential our inner environment – created by how our thoughts change the chemistry in our body – is on our health. 

Even when I am learning about the influence of positive or negative thinking, the application of my knowledge is spotty. 

Sigh. 

But we learn from our mistakes, right? 

I know that everything I think is my choice. Sure, I may have been conditioned by circumstances to respond to situations in a certain way, but as a reasoning adult with access to the latest information, I can gain tools to think and respond differently.  

One of my new tools is, You Are the Placebo, by Dr. Joe Dispenza. This book is broadening my understanding of what is physically happening when we think and how thought can change so much relating to our health. 

So – returning to last week’s mention of an exploding glass dish that sprayed tiny shards all over my kitchen and beyond – I had a choice to make. 

Explode like that glass bowl – or not. 

After the initial reaction of dismay – this was a marvel in glass breaking, I must admit – I was immediately disheartened at the extent of the damage.  

An open dishwasher with clean dishes exposed to breakage. Open deep drawer of dishes sprayed with glass shards. A just-cleaned floor littered with glass and carpet nine feet away with glitters of glass. 

Everything in sight had to be cleaned, recleaned, and cleaned up again. Broom. Gloves. Vacuum. Wiped. Over and over.  

Surely, I deserved a meltdown or just a bit of rage. You think? 

I knew I was in control of my reaction. My mantra is, after all, my mind believes what I tell it. I needed to be careful how I related to this inconvenience. Really, it was not life-altering, after all. 

The slow burn of discouragement of having all my earlier work wiped away came to a crescendo when I was asked, “What happened”? 

Then I chose to let loose. I chose to label all the negative things directly and capped it off with how ticked off I was.  

So there! 

Probably even a little dramatic. 

I thought venting would help. Wrong. A wave of negativity physically flowed through me even hours later.  

I was emotional earlier in the day. What I was feeling that night was physical. 

Examining why I had chosen to be as emotional as I was at the time, has proven to be helpful. Sometimes there are subplots to our outbursts. 

I am not advocating ignoring emotions – but a few messages were driven home for me.

1) I could have chosen to laugh at the absurdity of my predicament.

2) I could have asked for help.

3) I could have measured my verbal response to be less dramatic.

It was a matter of choice. I am here to tell you that I physically felt the ramifications of that choice hours later. 

We’ve heard, “you are what you eat.” I can add another aspect to that, “you are what you think.” 

Continue the conversation by sharing using the options under the MORE button below. 

Right there learning with you –  

Deidre  

Blogging for good health!, Stress Reduction, This -n- That, Titles Worth Reading

And Now – The Holistic Angle on Caregiving

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For certain, there’s more than one way to tell a story!  

As a practical, roll-up-my-sleeves author who reaches out to caregivers with a skills-oriented how-to approach, I was delighted to become aware of Ilene Nathanson’s book, Caregiving Confidential: Path of Meaning, because of her different style and message. 

Weaving true story vignettes that walk the reader through the unfolding of several common pathways to caregiving, Dr. Nathanson’s passion for the holistic needs of caregivers and care recipients is evident on each page. 

I was immediately drawn into her narrative style that cleverly brought me through the broad range of circumstances that will, ultimately, confront us all – maybe several times in our lives. 

There is no escaping the issue.  

We are all aging.  

Our needs, and the needs of our loved ones, are going to evolve – and most of us are unprepared. 

As a retired chief administrator of graduate social work at Long Island University, with a strong passion for gerontology, her guidance and teaching skills continue in this book and in her co-founding of the New Aging Partnership.  

Did you know that the phrase “aging in place,” is the buzz word not only for longings of the heart, casual conversations, and policy makers, but is also the focus of dozens of new and old industries? 

Retirement communities have been with us for decades, but now there are real estate agents focusing on senior needs, downsizing specialists, senior service agencies, and more – who are all swooping in to meet the unfolding needs of this growing niche market.  

Sandwich generation families are rewriting the book for taking care of parents/grandparents, while juggling the demands of their own children, plus full-time jobs in or outside of the house.  

The dynamics of multi-generational households are different than in previous years. 

This is why Caregiving Confidential is a beautiful place to start. Enjoyable to read and laced with poignant humor – Ilene Nathanson’s book is always spot on. Like me, you will not want to put it down. 

I consider it to be the perfect flashlight for us to use as a primer for this timely topic and a great place to start the aging conversation in our own families. 

We are all about sharing here at foodtalk4you. Please share this post using the options under the MORE button below. 

In health –  

Deidre  

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

Happy 9th Anniversary! So, What’s Your Type?

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Marking major passages of time seems to naturally cause introspection.  

Another year passes – what went well, what could be improved, what is needed? 

A funny thing happened as I cleaned up the remains and results of tax preparations this past week. Not only was I vacuuming up the tiny, spilled scraps of ancient tax documents, now shredded, but I was also filing random papers that had not found their proper place in my new home. 

My office floor was covered with files, papers, articles, notes taken – heaven help me, I am a consummate note taker – and one last bundle was in my hand.  

I was holding the results of the personality test I took a couple of years ago, and strangely enough, it was the topic going around the table the other night as we dined with friends. Everyone knew their alphabet soup of personality types the same way they knew their astrological signs!  

Well, except me. It seemed like such a jumble of letters. ENFJ just doesn’t roll off my tongue. 

But reviewing the 18 pages of explanations helped my understanding of what makes me roll.  

Coupled with today being the 9th anniversary of foodtalk4you, I am more committed to continuing my natural bent to guide, teach, and mentor – both here, and in my books and presentations. 

As we go forward with conversations about lifestyles – including exercise, food, and positive thinking – I do realize each of us is coming to these topics from diverse backgrounds, start points, and experiences. 

My promise to readers and listeners is to maintain a thoughtful approach that will uplift and encourage everyone, sharing tools and skills that can be adapted to our unique situations.  

Above all, we will collectively move forward with healthier thoughts, a greater appreciation for all that does our body good and sharing helpful information. 

There are many avenues to taking an online Myers Briggs type test. The TypeFinder Personality Assessment test I used was free to take, but I recall a slight fee to have the results fully explained. It was totally worth it. 

It’s illuminating to read about how we tick. The section, “Your Personality at Work,” discussed the work environment best suited to my personality followed by my own leadership and teamwork styles.  

How cool it was to see my career and life experiences span 1/3 of the 45 good fit recommendations tailored to my personality type.  

LOL! I may be onto something!  

Our foodtalk4you anniversary gift idea to you is TypeFinder – check it out. 

You may share this post using the options under the MORE button below. 

In health –  

Deidre    

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

Under the Sea – Under the Sea-ee …

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A recent trip to my old hometown and one of its beloved art stores, Carolina Creations, put me in such a nautical mood.

Suspended from the gallery’s lofty ceilings were various sizes of hand blown glass sculptures of manta rays – bringing back memories of a tour through the Atlanta Aquarium this past fall. There I was, watching these amazing creatures gliding through the water overhead as I stood below, gazing through the Plexiglas above.

While in the art gallery, I fancied making a serious investment in creating an under-the-seas theme – perhaps in the master bath – with the glass replicas of manta rays, jelly fish, and sea horses floating around the high ceilings overhead.

Ahhh.

Instead, I found a new home for an existing piece of art featuring an ocean wave, and I might put some conch shells on the ledge of the narrow shower window. The giant, graceful rays will have to be in my imagination.

Keeping in step with our seaside vibe, a recipe I use year round for gatherings is my Hot Seafood Salad. Since the main ingredient is imitation crab meat, I don’t like calling it a Hot Crab Salad, but one could.

Back when imitation crab was first introduced to the grocery stores, I did not like it – plus it contained wheat. Now, most packages of imitation crab proudly display their Gluten-Free label.

Hurray!

With just a little prep work – “mise en place” – this hot hors d’oeuvre is always a crowd pleaser, which frequently brings requests for the recipe.

The secret is in turning the solid, leg style pieces of fish into crab-like stringiness. To do that, just place the intact contents of the package onto your cutting board. Using a sturdy, wide-tined dinner fork, comb through the long pieces of fish.

This is so much fun!

Following the long grain of the meat, the tines of the fork separate the fish into delightful crab-like wonderfulness. You may need to turn the fish over to “comb” the other side.

After that, you’re ready to cook. In no time at all, the mixture will be slightly browned and ready to eat.

My spices of choice are:

Old Bay

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic

Crushed Red Pepper

The concept recipe below is easily adaptable to ingredients on hand. I usually use some colorful bell pepper – red, orange, or yellow – frozen green peas, frozen corn, and some fresh grated carrot to go along with the thinly sliced onion.

Check out the downloadable recipe here:

Hot-Seafood-Salad-by-Foodtalk4you.docxDownload

I can even see a finishing ingredient of some cream cheese to melt and “glue” this loose salad together. Appetizers are often so cheese-centric that I am happy not adding any with this recipe.

Whether you eat this Hot Seafood Salad on a cracker or simply by the forkful, you can be assured of a tasty treat that’s actually good for you – fish and veggies.

What could be better?

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In health –

Deidre