February 4th, 2010 08:29pm
Carol Burmeister
My husband’s very favorite dessert, Berry Cobbler, is perfect for Valentine’s Day with its rich berry colors. I plan to surprise Ron with this delicious bit of sweetness on the 14th. The cobbler is easy to make and it is so delicious!
Berry Cobbler
Berry mixture:
5-6 cups fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or a mixture)
¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup sugar
Topping:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup soy milk or rice milk
Preheat oven to 375°. Spread berries in a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Mix in flour and sugar. Place in oven until hot, about 15 minutes.
To prepare the topping, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add milk and stir until batter is smooth. Spread batter evenly over hot berries (don’t worry if they’re not completely covered), then bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. (Source: www.pcrm.org/health/recipes/recipe030929)
Whole wheat pastry flour is milled from soft spring wheat; it retains the bran and germ, and it produces lighter-textured baked goods than regular whole wheat flour. Available in health food stores and some supermarkets.
February 3rd, 2010 05:13pm
Carol Burmeister
Just how do you flirt with vegetarianism? In her new book, The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight and Saving the Planet, actress/author Alicia Silverstone encourages flirting as the first step in going vegetarian. If you are interested in a plant-based diet but don’t want to commit to it right now, this is for you.
She offers the following suggestions for Flirters:
- Date restaurants that offer vegetarian/vegan options.
- Visit your nearest health food store. Just go in and say hello. Run your fingers over several items - organic brown rice, Earth Balance “butter” and Vegenaise “mayonnaise” - as an introduction. Get acquainted with meat and dairy substitutes.
- Hold hands with recipes that look exciting. Experiment with new vegetarian meals several times a week.
This relationship sounds fairly easy. After flirting for 4 weeks, Alicia knows that you will be surprised and delighted with a higher energy level and smooth digestion. Then you may want to move up to the Vegan level where you will be off all animal products and use whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. If you’d like to become a Superhero, you could adopt the third level that is loosely based on the macrobiotic diet. The Kind Diet contains many delicious recipes to help you along. Learn more about Alicia and her book at www.TheKindLife.com. As one of the celebrities working with the 21-Day Kickstart program, she also offers nutrition tips and recipes at www.21daykickstart.org.
I’d like to invite you to the next Vegetarians in Motion meeting on Tuesday, February 9, Our Savior’sLutheran
Church, 3300 Rural. Join us for our 6:30 p.m. potluck - the food is absolutely delicious! At 7:30 Allen Penticoff, Director of Communications for Green Communities Coalition, will present “The Powerful Positive Impact Vegetarians Have on the Environment.” “Flirters” are welcome! For further information, visit www.vimlife.org or e-mail me at info@vimlife.org.
February 3rd, 2010 02:28pm
Betsy A. Hornick, MS, RD
Picture this: You’re at a restaurant ready to order your meal and you notice calories listed next to every item on the menu. Do you conveniently ignore this information, or do you consider this in making an informed choice?
The fact is nutrition information for most chain restaurants is readily available online and sometimes in brochures or on packaging at the restaurant. But who really checks this before ordering? The result is that we often get a lot more calories, fat, and salt than we realize.
Menu labeling is the latest attempt to help shrink our nation’s growing waistlines. More than twenty states and localities are considering policies that would require fast-food and other chain restaurants to provide calories on menus and menu boards—four have already passed policies. Proponents say that menu labeling will allow Americans to exercise personal responsibility and make better choices. But will it really? In one study, Subway patrons who saw calorie information purchased only 52 fewer calories. Critics of menu labeling argue that this information will be overlooked, much like Nutrition Facts on food packages, and we should be focusing our efforts on changing lifestyle habits, like becoming more active.
My opinion? Without clear, easy-to-use nutrition information, it’s difficult to make informed choices at restaurants. While I don’t think menu labeling is the only solution, posting calorie information may be a small step for consumers who pay attention, and it may help encourage chains to introduce more healthful menu items.
February 3rd, 2010 01:54am
Kelly Epperson
Thomas Edison said, “I never failed; I just discovered 1,000 ways in which the light bulb would not work. And every attempt brought me closer to the knowledge of how it would.”
Repeat after me: “I never failed.” Wow. That is a powerful sentence. Think: I didn’t fail. I was discovering. I was learning. Every attempt HELPED me.
We toss around the word “failure” too much; and too often, people think failure is synonymous with giving up. It’s just the opposite. It indicates keep going; 999 tries means success is just one “failure” away.
We all have a friend who has said, “I’ve had so many failed relationships, I’m afraid to try anymore.” Tell them to keep at it until he/she can say: “I discovered 1,000 ways in which living/loving would not work. And every attempt brought me closer to the knowledge of how it would.”
Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s, had a long list of “failures” to his credit before buying a Mom-and-Pop burger joint. The golden arches are now a part of our culture, not just a place to grab a quick bite. Ray Kroc attempted many businesses and every so-called failure led him to the cheeseburger franchise that would become an international phenomenon and his legacy.
Imagine an infant at the table with a spoon and a messy face. It’s hit or miss with every try, but does the child stop trying to navigate the food into his mouth? Of course not. Or how about when the child is older and attempting to ride a bike? Does the mama sit back and think her kid is a failure or that she is a failure if he tips over? No.
It may take 1,000 tries, and each attempt is a learning experience. As kids, we understood that. We need to realize it again. Each relationship, each business venture, each job, is a learning experience. Just because something does not last forever does not mean that it is a failure.
Most entrepreneurs learn volumes from each business they start. Every attempt brings them increased knowledge and closer to finding their own light bulb. Take a tip from Thomas Edison and repeat after him: I never failed.
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February 2nd, 2010 09:51am
Jody Perrecone
In 1900, 10-15% of Americans died from heart disease and strokes. Today it is 45%. In 1900, about 6% of deaths were a result of cancer. Today, cancer is the #2 cause of death (25%) in the United States. Diabetes was virtually unknown in the early 1900’s. Nowadays, complications from diabetes are a frequent cause of death.
What happened? Why, with many breakthroughs in medical procedures and prescription drugs, have these diseases hit monumental proportions? In the early 1900’s, our diets consisted of mostly foods grown in gardens and nearby farms. Staples such as flour, beans, and grains came from the local grocery store. Back then, 70% of protein consumed came from plants (yes, all plants contain protein).
Today, 40% of food dollars are spent eating out. Often times, the food we eat from restaurants is high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt. It is often lacking in nutrients our body needs and contain very little fiber. The protein we eat today mainly comes from animal products that are high in fat and cholesterol. Complex carbohydrates (the good carbs) consisted 43% of our caloric intake years ago - today it is about 24%. Back then, 25 % of our calories came from fat - today it is 37%, sugar represented 10% of our caloric intake - now it is more than 25%.
Our diet has shifted from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes to processed foods that are calorically dense, low in fiber, high in fat and sodium and is void of nutrients necessary to fight disease. As a result, we are sicker than even. The “Western diseases” - high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, and overweight - are largely caused by what we eat.
What can we do? Look for whole grain products that say “whole wheat” on the nutritional label. Add more vegetables to the dinner plate. Having a dish of cut up fruits for dessert instead of a piece of cake or a large cookie are steps in the right directions to get the nutrients our body needs to stay healthy.
January 27th, 2010 01:00am
Kelly Epperson
I may be the only writer who does not have a burning desire to pen the next great American novel. I enjoy fiction, but my passion is nonfiction. My weekly newspaper column, this blog, and my Friday joy letter have become near and dear to my heart. Your feedback encourages me.
That is the thought on my mind right now. Encouragement. When I write, I often recount how I’ve screwed up. It’s catharsis for me, and reassuring for others to realize that we are all in this together. We all have highs and lows.
By sharing our ups and downs, we shine a light for others to see that we all will muddle through somehow. To give someone else an encouraging word is keeping their candle lit even though the winds of change are blowing fiercely.
My “good for you” advice today is to be an encourager. Something as simple as telling the cashier at the grocery checkout that you like her hair color can change a person’s mood. One uplifting comment can sway the day.
When you feel the urge to complain, swallow it. Remember what mama said: If you can’t something nice, don’t say anything at all. My addendum is to try to find something nice to say. Don’t lie or fake it. Be real. And if nothing nice comes, keep the lip zipped.
My next tip is to write. If the negatives are eating you up inside, write it out. Get it out, on paper or on computer. Then rip it up or delete. Get the venom out of you so you can fill up that space with something a little less toxic. Keeping negativity in you only poisons you.
Then write some more. Write a letter. Write an email. Write a blog. Write something personal or write something universal. Write a poem. Write a short story. Write the first scene to your novel. Writing is good therapy. You can share it or you can keep it private. Who knows? Maybe you will be the one to write the next great American novel. I promise I will read it.
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January 26th, 2010 11:46am
Jody Perrecone
I am looking forward to writing blogs on health and wellness for The H Word. Among the topics that we’ll be discussing include the general state of health of Americans, how to embrace a healthier lifestyle that will support preventing and reversing many common Western diseases including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, and overweight, and how you can reduce your health care costs. We’ll also learn about the “good fats” and the “bad fats”, how to read nutrition labels on food products, and include some recipes.
Our health today is largely determined by our lifestyle - how we eat, drink, exercise, and whether or not we smoke. The former U.S. Surgeon General reports 70% of our health is a result of our lifestyle, 10% is determined by our environment,10% our genes, and 10% determined by the medical care we receive. We do have control over many of our health concerns. We just need to know what to do. And how confusing that can be! I will be sharing scientifically proven information with you that will dispel all the contradictions you hear and experience regarding the latest in health, so you know the plan of action you can take that will make you look and feel better. It is never too late to take charge of your health!
January 25th, 2010 07:55pm
Brenda Richter
As many of us know, the food you eat plays a significant role in your level of health.
Many are not aware, what you eat affects you on many levels whether it be your energy level, the condition of your skin, allergies, sleep and more.
A friend of mine has frequently commented that she notices she feels so much better when eating raw food, (raw fruits & vegetables), however has had difficulty giving up coffee. Recently she came to me and said, she has been coffee free for one week and has already noticed how much better she is sleeping, “like a baby” she said.
Food also affects your ability to achieve fitness levels once thought too difficult to achieve or not within your capability. What you eat however is not the only factor that affects your level of wellness, fitness or ability to lose weight. Stress also plays an important role.
Keep in mind, we have the power to change our diet. Dietary stress is something we must constantly deal with and about 70% of negative stress is nutritional stress. Stress can typically be categorized as positive or negative. Positive stress is something that is good for us, for instance, exercise and learning. Negative forms of stress are primarily considered harmful or disadvantageous whether it may be physical, psychological or environmental stress.
We can reduce our stress levels by eating the right foods, that is, adding nutritious food and removing unhealthy food. Add the correct foods and we remove stress. Some of the best stress busting foods are raw, organic, plant based whole foods.
Food that is in it’s natural or raw state. Food that has not been heated, cooked or altered. Processed, packaged and heated foods cause stress on the body, are difficult to break down & digest, and these types of foods typically include common allergens which adds more stress.
Choose foods that compliment stress reduction like the following: plant-based foods that promote ideal health, nutrient dense food, eat food that gives energy-not depletes it, eat for nourishment, eat alkalizing foods, avoid the common allergens such as wheat, gluten, dairy, soy and corn.
Take the next step. Eat a large leafy green salad each day, try eating your favorite veggies raw, make a fruit or veggie smoothie for something nutritious, quick, delicious and easy to digest.
Replace processed or convenience foods with raw fruits & vegetables like a handful of almonds, a serving of vegetables, a piece of fruit or a raw dehydrated snack bar instead of a granola bar.
Reduce or eliminate caffeine. If you sweeten your tea or coffee use less sweetener or better yet, try an unrefined, low glycemic sweetener like agave or stevia.
Nutrient dense foods feed the body, help to reduce and eliminate food cravings, aids in disease prevention, and reduces stress.
Here is a simple, quick and nutritious smoothie idea: 1 mango, 1 banana and 1-2 handfuls of spinach. Cut fruit, place in blender, and blend until smooth. Enjoy. Be aware, change, can cause stress for some people . Whether you are changing diet, exercise or something else, sometimes gradual changes may best suit you.
Explore the benefits and options in raw foods - join me for a “Why Raw?” talk February 18, 2010 at 6:30pm. Registration is through Rock Valley College. C0urse #HMC 803 RV. Call 815-921-3900.
January 20th, 2010 05:26pm
Julie Gulbrandsen
“You want sleeping pill?” asked the nurse as I lay there dazed and confused in my hospital bed. “No, thank you.” I heard myself reply, but my mind was thinking, “The sedative effects of lavender sprinkled upon this starched pillowcase would help me to relax. Earplugs could drown out the constant noise in the hallway. I would really like to turn on the light for a minute so that I can wash my face but don’t want to joust myself from the darkness if I turn on the stark, bright overhead florescent light above my head. Plus, I never did get a towel and washcloth.” So I just laid there thinking of the events that had unfolded that day.
Just that morning a new client fell asleep during her facial. Clients never know how elated I am when this happens. To have a person come into my “home” and feel such a state of relaxation that they can nod off into lala land, the twilight zone or into meditative bliss gives me such a feeling of satisfaction in what I do. When they awaken, they look darn good, too! Their skin has that glow…clean, slightly transparent and with a tinge of rose to the cheeks. They actually look healthier, and I’ve been told on so many occasions they feel like a weight has been lifted from their shoulders. All this in only an hour?
Following my physician’s orders I dutifully went to the hospital to retrieve my liquid snack and was told to return for my test. Not feeling well and the thought of sitting straight up in those waiting room chairs for my turn, I headed back to the serenity of my spa where it was quiet, I could lay down when I wanted to, listen to soothing music and rest when the need hit me.
Two hours later I was back to the hospital’s harsh reality where I waited with everyone for my test. Thank you to the radiology staff for seeing to it when I said I needed to lay down. They found me a gurney, wheeled me into an empty, quiet room, brought me heated blankets and dimmed the lights. You see, they brought me nearer to my inner world. .My inner self. My sense of focus. The place we need to go to when we are stressed and are in pain. We all have our own special place inside of ourselves but it’s difficult to get there with all the hubbub, noise, bright lights and chaos of the world going on around us. Some may call it a meditative state. Yes, I needed to focus on Julie. It’s not arrogance. This is the place we humans are supposed to go when we need to take care of ourselves and clear our minds so we can begin the process of destressing and healing our bodies. It’s the same place my new client had gone during her facial that morning.
Later that evening while just wanting to doze off in the hospital bed, the nutrition services lady brought me a smorgasbord dinner of fluids. As I reached for the tea I asked her if it was caffeinated. “Yes”. Caffeinated! Why in the world would a hospital give me caffeine at night when all I need to do is sleep? I don’t understand it. How about some chamomile to soothe my frazzled nerves and calm my stomach? Tomorrow morning I would like to take advantage of its scientifically proven health benefits by sipping a cup of green tea. Oh, that’s right. I’m at a hospital not a spa.
It’s now 2010. If all of us can feel so good when we go to our own little inner, happy place than why hasn’t the world of modern medicine caught up? I know hospitals are trying to make hospital rooms more home-like with new and improved, soothing paint colors on the walls, vinyl tiles that look like hardwood flooring and plastic crown molding. This is nice but they’re not quite there yet.
Why can’t medicine nurture us when we are sick? I don’t need a sleeping pill. Just give me enough warm blankets, a cup of healthy tea, ear plugs to drown out the hallway noise, a dimmer on the light switch, and how about selling underwear in the gift shop? Is that too much to ask?
January 20th, 2010 02:32am
Kelly Epperson
Just do it. Take the chance. Seriously, what have you got to lose?
I don’t know what your “it” is, but so many people waste so much time worrying and wondering instead of going for it. What is the worst that can happen? Will you lose a little money? Will you look a little foolish? Will your skin turn purple and peel off your bones? If you answered yes, do it anyway. (If your skin really does change colors and peel away, get that on video and post it on You Tube.)
We don’t know the outcomes, ever, of our actions. We do know that letting fear paralyze us means staying stuck in a rut. That, of course, is your choice, but living life in a rut is not good for you. The old quote goes something like, the only difference between a rut and the grave is how deep it is.
Maybe your “it” is truly a big deal and maybe it’s not as big a mountain as your worries make it out to be. Do you want to buy a house? Sell your house? Quit a job? Take a new job? Start a love thing? End a love thing? Think: if you only had a limited number of months left on this planet, how would that affect your decision? Guess what – you only have a limited number of months left on this planet.
Do not make your decisions based on fear. Do not run through the list of what ifs. What if this. What if that. What if I look like an idiot? To my knowledge, no one has ever died from looking like an idiot. What if I lose money? To my knowledge, you have the capacity to make more money. What if I get my heart broken? To my knowledge, not knowing is just as hard on the heart. And the heart is very resilient.
My advice is simple. If it is eating at you, then take the chance. Make the call. Take the trip. Run the race. Climb the mountain. Learn the language. Bake the cake. Kiss the boy/girl. Tell him/her goodbye. Buy the house. Sell the house. Take the job. Leave the job. Write. Sing. Paint. Dance. Take the flying leap.
Whatever your “it” is, just do it. Seriously, what have you got to lose?
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