Healthy Living: Mind, Body, & Spirit

Choosing Whole Grains for Healthy Living

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education

According to the FDA a person should eat three or more one-ounce equivalents of whole grains daily. Eating whole grains can reduce the risk of some diseases. I personally believe three ounces of whole grains is far below what we really should be eating. Of course the FDA does add in the words "or more."

Whole grains or whole grain cereal grains can be intact, ground, cracked, or flaked kernel. But in order to be consider "whole," they must include the bran, the germ, and the inner most part of the kernel (the endosperm).

Examples of whole grains include whole wheat, oatmeal, brown rice, buckwheat, whole-grain cornmeal, whole-grain barley, whole rye, and buckwheat.

When selecting products that contain whole grains, make sure that the whole grains are listed first on the ingredient list. The ingredient list on a food label shows ingredients in the order by which weighs the most.

So whether or not you are buying whole grain bread, rice, cereals, or other products, whether they be made from ground, cracked, or flaked grains, make sure they are labeled "whole" to be certain they retain the same proportions of the bran, germ, and endosperm as the original grain.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education

www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
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Another recall: Now it's Alfalfa Sprouts, Onion Sprouts, & Gourmet Sprouts

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

Contaminated sprouts should be easy for us to avoid. They cannot be that hard to grow ourselves, even indoors if we have any decent lighting at all. This is going to be my new project, seeing if I can grow some sprouts and herbs indoors. I can always move them outside when the weather is warm and hope the rabbits don't eat them. I will keep you up to date on my progress.

FDA Report: SunSprout Enterprises, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Alfalfa Sprouts, Onion Sprouts, and Gourmet Sprouts Because of Possible Health Risk

Karen Wright, B.S. Health Education
ww.PathwaytoHealthyLiving.com
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.SeniorPro.com
 

More Food Recalls Reported by the FDA

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

The information below came directly from the FDA website. Just another reason to avoid processed foods. Where we may never be totally free of concerns, unless we totally live off of our own organic farm (not likely), it does make one think about grabbing that high sugar, high fat pastry at the deli. Fresh fruit or a homemade treat would have been safer.

Delphina’s Bakery Recalls Peanut Butter Bar and Hippie Cookie Because of Possible Health Risk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (from the FDA website) -- March 4, 2009 -- The Neighborhood Baking Co., d.b.a. Delphina's Bakery of Portland, OR is recalling all Peanut Butter Bars and Hippie Cookies, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The Peanut Butter Bar and Hippie Cookie were manufactured using peanut products recalled by Peanut Corporation of American because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The Peanut Butter Bar and Hippie Cookie were distributed in Oregon and Washington through direct delivery to coffee shops, delis, farmers markets, and in the Delphina's Bakery's retail Café and Bakery outlet on NE. 42nd Avenue, Portland, OR.

The products were distributed during the period January 1, 2007 through February 27, 2009, are not labeled and do not have a lot code or UPC code:

• The Peanut Butter Bars were distributed wholesale in unlabeled cellophane-wrapped boxes and then re-sold individually to customers directly from pastry and display cases.
• The Hippie Cookies were distributed wholesale in either unwrapped cellophane boxes or loose in a variety box with other pastries and re-sold individually to customers.

On February 28, 2009, the Peanut Butter Bar was discontinued.

Karen Wright, B,S.
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Slow Down Enough to Cook a Simple Breakfast

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

Sometimes we become so hurried that we don't even realize how crazy we have let our lives become. I realized this one day when I wouldn't stop at a particular gas station because I was going to have to take the time to go into the store to pay for my gas. They didn't have the type of gas pumps that took credit cards. So I drove away and went somewhere else.

The advertisement on television that shows the family eating their instant oatmeal in the car, I think is utterly ridiculous. Who in their right mind would let young children eat oatmeal in a car?

This brings me to my topic about a high sugar processed breakfast. A little bit of planning, organizing, and real interest in being healthy can beat the urge to simply fill ourselves up as fast as we can with something that simply tastes good. That something is often high in sugar, sodium, fat, and who knows what else.

I was reading in the recent Consumer's Report about "oatmeal." What we do to save 5 minutes of cooking time and 30 seconds to wash a pot. A serving of individually packaged instant oatmeal makes about 1/2 cup. I don't know who eats a 1/2 cup of oatmeal except someone who doesn't like it. I admit, I really like the taste of the peaches and cream instant oatmeal, but that's because of all of the extra stuff added to it. According to the article, each packet of instant oatmeal has about 1 tablespoon of sugar added to it. A tablespoon of sugar for a 1/2 cup of oatmeal is a lot of sugar. At least, I think it is.

It is very easy to cook oatmeal in a pot. It takes about 5 minutes for the Old-Fashioned type (my favorite) and 1 minute for the Quick cooking. If you add a teaspoon of sugar, cinnamon sugar, maple syrup, or brown sugar to your 1/2 cup of oatmeal, you have 1/3 the sugar and more fiber than the processed type from the nifty little packages.

Now while I drink low-fat 1% milk and generally eat only healthy fats, I admit, I do sometimes cheat and put whole milk or maybe a little bit of half and half on my oatmeal. Even then, my oatmeal has fewer calories and is higher in fiber. There is all kinds of ways to dress up oatmeal in healthy ways, fresh or frozen strawberries or peaches, fresh bananas, and even slivered almonds.

A little bit of planning ahead makes fixing a healthy breakfast simple and easy. I can fix my children's lunches, cook their breakfast (and have them eat it), fix their hair, make sure they have brushed their teeth, and get them on the bus in about 40 minutes. We have a routine. A routine even our dog knows.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Whole Food vs. Processed Food

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

Processed food is simply food that has been treated to change its physical, chemical, microbiological, or sensory properties.

Let's use wheat as an example: (This is of course important to people who are not allergic to wheat but the principle applies to other foods.)

• Wheat starts off natural and whole such as wheat from the wheat fields.
• The outer husk is inedible and is not used.
• In the processing of wheat, the bran, which is the protective covering around the kernel, is removed. The bran, that is discarded, is rich in nutrients and fiber.
• The endosperm part of the wheat contains starch and proteins and is made into white flour.
• Inside the endosperm is the wheat germ. The germ is the wheat seed that grows into wheat. It is especially rich in vitamins and  minerals and is not included in white flour.

When the wheat is processed, the husk, bran, and wheat germ are removed, leaving only the endosperm. Grain products containing only the endosperm are called refined. Many nutrients have been lost. If the flour has some of the nutrients added back into it, but not all of them, it is considered enriched.

Beware of products that simply claim to be made from wheat flour. That can simply mean they are not oat flour, rice flour, barley flour, etc. They are white flour that originated from a wheat kernel. 100% Whole wheat flour contains all of the valuable nutrients found in the original wheat.

Several thousands of foods available today in our grocery stores have been processed with valuable nutrients removed. Sugar, fat, salt, and other ingredients have been added to once farm fresh vegetables and transformed into food that we buy in boxes, bags, and cans.

The closer our food is to its original form, the better it is for us. Eating strawberries on top  of our homemade pancakes (made from whole grain flours) beats dried strawberries in a box of processed cereal any day.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Fat cells never go away; They can only shrink.

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

If we consume more calories than we burn, then much of the excess energy is stored in the fat cells of adipose tissue. The number of fat cells and the size of the fat cells correlates with the amount of fat in a person's body. The number of fat cells increase the greatest during childhood and early puberty. The number of fat cells never go away. This is one reason why it is so important for children to eat healthy diets and be physically active.

When we consume more food than our bodies need and use, the fat cells accumulate triglycerides and get larger. When the cells enlarge, they also stimulate cells to multiply, increasing the number of cells again. When a person consumes less calories than they use, the fat cells decrease in size, but unfortunately, you never get fewer fat cells. The cells are always there, ready to enlarge again if you are not careful.

Fat stored in adipose tissue, may be tolerated okay, but when the fat is stored in the heart or liver tissues, major health problems develop.

Why do some people gain more weight than others?

• Genetics may play a partial role in energy metabolism, but obesity is rarely caused by genetic mutation, yet genetic influences do seem to be involved.
• Our environment plays a role. Meaning when, 1) We eat too much food for the amount of energy our bodies' use up; 2) We eat the wrong kinds of foods; and 3) We are not active enough to burn off the calories we consume; we will gain weight. Super-sizing our meal at the fast food restaurant, choosing high fat and high sugar foods, drinking sodas with pointless sugars, and not getting enough exercise is a definite recipe for gaining too much weight.

One thing that can be tricky is not confusing past behavior with present behavior. Let's say you are 40 lbs. over weight, yet you know you are eating the way you should. If you are not continuing to gain weight, you might very well be doing what you should. The weight is already there from the past. So your extra weight is actually a record of your history, not a record of your present habits. However, in order to lose the extra weight, you're going to have to do some make-up work.

The make-up work is going to consist of eating less than your body currently needs for status-quo and increasing your physical activity. Once you get to the weight you want, then you can redetermine the number of calories you can consume and the amount of physical activity your body needs. Changing your lifestyle and not merely going on a diet, is necessary in order to keep the extra weight off.

How many Fat calories should you consume in a day?

The guideline that I choose as my goal  is one with 60% of my diet being carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes), 20% of my diet should be proteins (nuts, legumes, fish, chicken, eggs. occasional lean beef, low-fat milk), and 20% fat (healthy fats).

When using this ratio and if you are eating a diet of 2000 calories, you would be allowed to consume 400 calories in fat. 400 divided by 9 (there are 9 calories in each gram of fat), and you get about 45 grams of fat a day. It is amazing how quickly fat grams add up. You can get that much fat or more in one sandwich going through a fast food drive-through.

So reading labels, learning what a serving size really is, and cooking with olive oil (healthy fat) rather than butter or shortening is a good way to get on the pathway to a healthy weight and lifestyle.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.SeniorPro.com
www.PathwaytoHealthyLiving.com

Why so much sugar?

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

Sometimes it is hard to tell how much unnecessary sugar is added to processed foods, because the labels do not say, "We added way too much sugar." You don't have to spend all day in the grocery store reading labels, but getting a little bit educated about the extra sugar and unnecessary calories added to foods can be helpful.

Did you know that ketchup is about 1/3 sugar? One tablespoon of ketchup is equivalent to about one teaspoon of sugar. No wonder my kids want ketchup on most everything. I was comparing the labels on blackberry jam with no extra sugar added and blackberry jelly (same brand) and was shocked to see how much more sugar was in the jelly.

Then I looked in my own kitchen cupboard and compared a jar of 100% Natural spaghetti sauce with a can of diced tomatoes. Again, I was surprised. I didn't  know that sugar was actually added to spaghetti sauce. My canned diced tomatoes did not have sugar added. I decided I could very easily add my own oregano, basil, dried onion, garlic, etc to my canned or fresh tomatoes and make my own spaghetti sauce from now on. Sorry Prego.

You don't have to give up all sugar, but being aware of the extra unnecessary sugar that is added to many processed foods might help you make better food choices.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

I was asked the other day, "What is the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber?" A real scientific definition can be very confusing, so I will simplify it drastically.

 Fiber is the structural part of a plant that is indigestible, both soluble and insoluble. Fiber is found in plant food such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

Soluble  Fiber

• Fiber that can be dissolved in water to form a gel.
• Found in whole grain products (barley, oats, oat bran, rye), fruits (apples, citrus), legumes, seeds and husks, and vegetables.
• Lowers blood cholesterol
• Slows glucose absorption
• Holds moisture in stools thus softening them
• Lowers risk of heart disease
• Lowers the risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Insoluble Fiber

• Fiber that can not be dissolved in water such as the skins of corn kernels and strings of celery.
• Found in whole grains, wheat bran, brown rice, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds.
• Provides a feeling of fullness
• Increases fecal weight and helps it pass through colon
• Prevents constipation
• Lowers risk of diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and appendicitis.
• May help with weight management

It is better to consume fiber naturally by eating a well-balanced diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables than eating processed food that is poor in nutrients and then taking a fiber supplement. An excessive amount of fiber can cause intestinal discomfort and may interfere with mineral absorption. Elderly and small children who eat an all-plant diet need to make sure that they are consuming sufficient food to meet their energy and nutrient needs.

However, I would dare say that most Americans do not have a problem with consuming too much fiber unless they are taking unnecessary fiber supplements.

If you are switching from a low-fiber diet to a high-fiber diet, you might want to change your diet gradually and drink a lot of water. Select fiber rich foods from a variety of sources such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grain breads and cereals.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
www.PathwaytoHealthyLiving.com
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Dealing with Food Cravings

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

When you are craving something to eat, the first thing to determine is if you are actually hungry because you haven't eaten a proper meal, or if you just feel like munching. If you haven't actually had a nutritious meal in several hours, then it's time to fix a highly nutritious meal or snack, no quick junk food. The key is to make sure the food is dense in nutrients, meaning a lot of nutrients for the amount of calories.

If you realize that you have had a proper meal and you just feel like eating anyway, the "need" to eat is not caused by hunger. It may be caused by boredom, stress, loneliness, habit, hormones, and even medication that you may be taking.

1. The first thing to do when craving something to eat when you really do not need any food is to drink a large glass of water. Sometimes what your body is really telling you is that you are thirsty.

2. Often, eating small nutritious meals or snacks throughout the day can prevent the desire to binge on junk food.

3. When a craving hits, do something else for a while. Many times that desire to munch will go away when you get your mind on something else.

4. If you are on medication, ask your doctor if that can be affecting your appetite. Increased appetite is the unfortunate side-effect of many medications. They can make you want to eat all of the time, even when you know you can not possibly really be hungry, you just feel hungry and want to eat anything and everything in the house.

5. If you have a problem with snacking too much, DO NOT buy ready to eat snack food, unless they are raw vegetables without the dip. If you have to actually cook something to eat, you may feel it is not worth the effort and will settle for a glass of water, nice hot herb tea, or a carrot to munch on.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.SeniorPro.com
www.PathwaytoHealthyLiving.com

Fats are NOT created equal.

By Karen best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

It is not necessary to eliminate all fats from  your diet. That would actually be harmful. Without fats, our bodies would not be able to metabolize fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K.

The trick is selecting the "good fats" and not the "bad fats." A simple way to look  at this is The firmer the fat, the worse it is for you. The "good fats" can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in your blood. The "bad" kind is the LDL, and the "good" kind is the HDL. Just remember that the "L" in LDL means "lousy," and the "H" in HDL means "happy." Perhaps a little goofy, but it works.

Saturated and trans fats are the worse kinds of fats. They can increase your risk of heart disease by increasing your total LDL ("lousy") cholesterol.

Read the food labels to know what type of fats are in the ingredients.

BAD FATS

• Saturated Fats - Animal Products, coconut, palm and other tropical oils.
• Trans fats-  Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils found in commercial baked goods, fried foods, and shortening and margarine.

• Dietary Cholesterol - Animal Products

GOOD FATS

• Monounsaturated fat - Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, nuts and seeds
• Polyunsaturated fat - Vegetable oils (such as safflower, corn, sunflower, soy, and cottonseed oils), nuts and seeds

• Omega-3 fatty acids- Fatty, cold-water fish (such as salmon, mackerel and herring), flax seeds, flax oil, and walnuts

The more you read the food labels, the easier it will be to become familiar with the terminology and selecting healthy foods. Write this information down on note paper and stick it in your pocket for easy reference.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.PathwaytoHealthyLiving.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Water is the most indispensable nutrient

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

Feeling thirsty is the first indication of dehydration, the signal that the body has already lost some of its fluids. Your water balance is "out of whack." The water balance is the difference between water intake and water losses.

In the body, water is the fluid in which all life processes occur. Here are a few functions of water:

• Serves as a solvent for nutrients and carries them to the cells of the body;
• Removes waste products out of the body;
• Maintains the structure of molecules - Fluids are found within body cells, around body cells, and in the blood vessels.
• Assists in metabolism;
• Acts as a lubricant and cushion around joints and inside the eyes and spinal cord;
• Aids in the regulation of body temperature; and
• Maintains blood volume.

About 60% of an adults body is water. Did you know that three-fourths of the weight of lean tissue is water, whereas only one-fourth of the weight of fat is water? So the proportion of water is generally smaller in females, obese people, and the elderly because they have less lean tissue. Just because a person's body may have a lower proportion of water, does NOT mean that they have less need for water. Each body is different, so the amount of water different people need may be different, but sufficient fluid intake is vital in all people.

Here are a few of the body symptoms caused by not having enough water (whether from not drinking enough water or eating foods with high water content):

• Thirst, fatigue, weakness, discomfort, loss of appetite, impaired physical performance, and flushed skin;
• Impatience, irritability, apathy, difficulty in concentrating, headache, sleepiness;
• Increased respiratory rate, irregular body temperature, dizziness, loss of balance, exhaustion, and collapse.

Drinking too much water, water intoxication,  is rare unless one has a kidney disorder and reduced urine production or when endurance athletes develop Hyponatremia caused by over-hydrating and extremely low sodium concentration.

Most people are not going to have the problem of drinking too much water. For specific health concerns or intense physical endurance training, one should always seek the advice of a professional.

Most people have the opposite problem. We do not drink enough water or eat enough high water content foods. Depending on individual body differences and environmental differences, water intake needs will differ. It is recommended that the average adult consume between 2- 3 liters (about 7 to 11 cups) of fluid per day. However, the total fluid intake not only includes drinking water but water in other beverages and in foods as well.

Remember! when you are feeling thirsty, your body is already starting to get out of balance.

By Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.PathwaytoHealthyLiving.com
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.SeniorPro.com

Vitamins vs. Whole Foods

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

One day when I was shopping in a Vitamin store, a man asked my opinion about which type of anti-oxidant supplement he should take. He had heard that they are good for the heart but didn't know which was best. Wow! I was a bit taken back by the question. He was by all appearances not very healthy and he wanted a pill to make his heart healthy.

The Health Educator in me went into gear. I explained that along with an anti-oxidant supplement, whether fish oil capsules or flaxseed capsules, he needed to have a proper diet and exercise. I was trying to be a bit tactful, but one can not dine regularly on burgers and pizza and then think an anti-oxidant pill, regardless of the quality, will give you a healthy heart.

He wanted to know what supplements I used. I don't know why he asked me instead of the woman who worked in the store, but he did. So I briefly explained that typically I take a simple one-a-day multi-vitamin, a calcium supplement because I'm a 55 year-old woman, and a fish oil supplement. But I quickly added that this was in addition to a very nutritious whole foods low-fat diet containing lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and grilled fish or chicken (I do have my exceptions at times of course). I don't know what the man purchased if anything, but I think he was a bit discouraged that he had to do more than simply take an anti-oxidant supplement to get healthy.

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.PathwaytoHealthyLiving.com
www.SeniorPro.com

What are "Free Radicals" and "Anti-Oxidants?"

By Karen Best Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
Pathway to Healthy Living

Most of us probably know that eating healthy whole food is good for us. I find it extremely fascinating to understand why it is so good for our bodies and minds.

We hear about "free radicals" and "anti-oxidants." What are they and how do they affect us?

  Free radicals are unstable molecules that lack a necessary electron. They "steal" an electron from another molecule, making it unstable as well. This starts a chain reaction producing more free radicals and damaging the cells in the body. As the cells of the body are damaged, the aging process accelerates. Free radicals are caused by the toxins we take into our body, the stress we experience, and even the normal process of metabolism causes molecules to become unstable and damage cells. The most feared are the brain cells that are damaged.

Antioxidants are compounds that can neutralize a free radical by giving it the needed electron it needs without becoming unstable itself. It is important that our diet consists of foods that are rich with antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals (compounds found in certain plants that have biological activity in the body).

Top Foods: Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables are emerging as powerful medicine in the fight against cellular aging. Some of these foods include blueberries, almonds, flaxseed, spirulina (blue-green algae), spinach, broccoli, salmon, and tuna. Reducing the toxins we take into our bodies and increasing our intake of high anti-oxidant foods slow down the aging process. What simple natural ways to improve our health.

Read on AARP's website the article Five Foods That Can Add Years to Your Life

Karen Wright, B.S. Community Health Education
www.RaisingYourGrandchildren.com
www.GrandparentingBlog.com
www.PathwaytoHealthyLiving.com
www.SeniorPro.com