YOU on a Diet ( 11/01/07 - 02/29/08 )

[jezzie]

Thursday's foods:

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
raw almnds

Breakfast:
old fashioned oatmeal w/cinnamon, wildflower honey

Snack:
banana, walnuts

Lunch:
whole grain pasta w/hot pepper sauce, Parmesan
salad w/ extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar

Snack:
5.5 oz. can of V-8 juice

Dinner:
chili w/brown rice and topped w/cheddar & raw onion
cranberry/pomegranate/grape 100% juice

[pooticus]

Hi Jezzie and everyone!!!!!!

Am leaving in the morning for Christmas. Hope to be back on Sunday. and have a great weekend. Don't overdo!!!

Here was yesterday's food.

B- Decaf
Carb Masters Yogurt
Fiber One Cereal

L- Sliced Chicken Sandwich on Spelt Bread with lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper, mayo,mustard
Carrots, Grape Tomatoes

S-10 Pecans, 1 Slice Cheese, 1 Wasa Crisp Bread

D- Sauteed Fish with veggies (onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, chiles and bacon)
Rice
Guacamole
Salad

[jezzie]

Safe trip and have a great time.


All About YOU: GERD or Stomach Ulcer?


If you're getting a burning sensation in your gut, it could be:
1. A case of heartburn
2. A stomach ulcer

How do you tell the difference?

Pinpoint the Pain

The location of the pain is one of the easiest ways to tell whether stomach discomfort is more likely to be heartburn or an ulcer.

Ulcer pain tends to occur in the abdominal area -- especially just above the belly button -- but people experiencing heartburn (as well as the more serious form of heartburn -- GERD) typically feel pain in the chest and throat.

Another way to distinguish between the two: Often, eating makes stomach ulcers feel better but typically makes heartburn and GERD symptoms worse. Think of your last bout of belly pain, and answer these questions to see what it might be.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

[jezzie]

Nutrition Boosters for Fruits and Veggies

Sure, leafy lettuces, red-ripe tomatoes, and crunchy carrots are good for you. But are you getting all the nutrients your produce has to give?
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, November 2006

Fresh fruits and veggies come packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Or do they? Turns out it might depend on how you treat them. And no doubt you've wondered if you could be doing your produce pals some kind of disservice in the journey from the grocery store to your stomach.

Fresh vs. Frozen

Q. I've always thought fresh is best when it comes to fruits and vegetables, but now my daughter tells me frozen foods have more nutrients. Who's right?

A. You're both right. It's true that fresh fruits and vegetables tend to taste better and have more nutritional value than frozen or canned. But that's not always the case.

Fresh is best when it really is farm-fresh and ripe. However, many commercial fruits and veggies are picked before peak ripeness -- which also means before their nutritional peak -- to avoid spoilage during transport and storage.

And just a few days after harvest, fruits and vegetables begin to lose some of their nutritive goodness. What's more, the longer they sit on the shelf -- during transport, in the supermarket, and in your fridge -- the fewer nutrients they have left to pass on to you.

On the other hand, fruits and vegetables intended for freezing are usually picked closer to the peak of ripeness and are flash-frozen immediately after harvest. The processing does deplete some nutrients, but it locks in the rest for up to 12 months. So in some instances, frozen fruits and veggies may actually have more of the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Quick Tip: To help retain the highest levels of vitamin C, don't thaw frozen veggies before cooking. Studies show that vegetables cooked directly from frozen retain more vitamin C than vegetables that are thawed first.

[jezzie]

To Microwave or Not to Microwave

Q. Does microwaving really zap all the vitamins and minerals from vegetables? If so, what's the best way to cook them?

A. The jury's still out on this one. Although some studies suggest the microwave is to blame for sucking nutrients out of your food, others point a finger at the water in which they are cooked.

For most fruits and vegetables, any type of cooking lowers the nutrient content. So for now, a good rule of thumb is: less is more.

* Leave skins on whenever possible. Many fruits and vegetables hold most of their antioxidants in their skins. Simply wash well before cooking/eating.
* Lightly steam vegetables instead of boiling, sautéing, or roasting. Better yet, go raw with a fresh salad.
* If you prefer to blanch your veggies, dip them into boiling water for the least amount of time possible.

The exception is the red tomato. Cooking actually increases its level of lycopene -- an antioxidant thought to help prevent certain types of cancer, heart disease, and vision loss.

Quick Tip: Drizzle your vegetables with a bit of olive oil to help your body better absorb the vitamins and minerals.

[jezzie]

Friday's Food

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
raw almnds

Breakfast:
1 fried egg
old fashioned oatmeal w/cinnamon, orange blossom honey

Snack:
banana, 6 oz. Vanilla soy milk

Lunch:
pizza made on a whole wheat tortilla
salad w/ extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar

Snack:
4 oz. concord grape/cranberry/pomegranate 100% juice

Dinner:
home made vegetable soup w/brown rice

[pooticus]

Morning! We put off leaving this morning until 10am.

Was up until 2am baking last night. Made 2 gorgeous loaves of whole wheat sourdough pagnotta bread (1 is kalamata olive and the other is asiago and roasted garlic).

Here was yesterday's food. I did not cheat at all while baking. Wasn't even tempted!

Friday's Food:

B - Decaf Coffee (black, unsweetened)
Carb Masters Yogurt
Fiber One Cereal

L - Chicken Breast Wrap on Whole Wheat Carb Control Tortilla w/Lettuce & Mayo
Grape Tomatoes
Baby Carrots

D - Cod - sauteed with pesto
Roasted New Potatoes in Olive Oil w/Spices
Haricot Verts, Steamed, Tossed in Pesto Sauce

[jezzie]

I misunderstood. I thought you were leaving yesterday. (Friday).
You are making my mouth water again with the new potatoes and green beans.


The Ultimate Chicken Soup

Now that the cold and flu season is in full swing (witness the drippy red noses everywhere you look), it’s time to make a big batch of Dr. Ziment's Garlic Chicken Soup. We discovered this aromatic mixture while tracking down foods that double as medicine. Chicken soup was top of the list because pulmonary specialists have found that it actually helps clear the airways and reduce inflammation. But this spicy version is practically a wonder drug for head colds -- and it tastes amazing, especially if you love spicy food.

Devised by cold-and-cough expert Irwin Ziment, MD, who was chief of medicine at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center when he cooked it up, the soup gets much of its power from red pepper flakes. They contain capsaicin, known as a fast, effective decongestant.

In addition, the hefty dose of garlic -- 30 cloves, although they cook down to produce a much milder, sweeter flavor than one would expect -- loads the soup with enough phytochemicals to give it infection-fighting powers.

Dr. Z recommends 1 cup three times a day, and inhaling the vapors is part of the prescription. Soon, you'll be breathing again.

Dr. Ziment’s Garlic Chicken Soup
The spicier the soup, the better it will be at clearing your head, so be generous with the red pepper flakes -- just don't make the soup so hot you can't tolerate it.

2 quarts chicken broth
2 cups sliced carrots
2 garlic heads, about 30 cloves, peeled
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced cilantro
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed, or 2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 bay leaf
Dried hot red pepper flakes, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a stockpot; bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Puree in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to pot, stir well, warm if necessary, and serve, or freeze in small containers.


*** note: I would definitely modify this one. Instead of curry I would use fresh ginger slices.
.

[jezzie]

America's Best Hospitals

U.S. News & World Report brings you America's Best Hospitals:

# 1. Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
# 2. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
# 3. UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles
# 4. Cleveland Clinic
# 5. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
# 6. New York–Presbyterian Univ. Hospital of Columbia and Cornell
# 7. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
# 8. University of California, San Francisco Medical Center
# 9. Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University, St. Louis
# 10. Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston

.

[jezzie]

All About YOU: Weight Workouts -- How Much Is Too Much?

Have you stayed away from strength training because you don't know how much weight is too much?

Here's a rule of thumb: Start light -- 5 pounds or less. If you can repeat a move more than 12 times without feeling wiped out, try something heavier. But if it's a struggle to do even 8 times, lighten up.

Starting with light weights is important for beginners because the connective tissue surrounding your joints needs time to adapt to exercise.

Your muscles may be able to handle a rapid increase in resistance, but your tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissue may not -- especially if you're out of shape, prone to overuse injuries (such as bursitis or tendonitis), frail, or if your RealAge is 65 or older.

If any of those descriptions fit, use light weights and do one set of 10 to 12 repetitions three times a week. After 2 months, add a second set of 10 to 12 reps or include a new exercise in your routine. As you feel stronger, gradually increase the weight.

RealAge Benefit: Strength training can make your RealAge 1 year younger.

[jezzie]

Saturday's Food

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
raw almnds

Breakfast:
1 fried egg
old fashioned oatmeal w/cinnamon, orange blossom honey

Snack:
banana, 6 oz. Vanilla soy milk

Lunch:
pizza made on a whole wheat tortilla
salad w/ extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar

Snack:
4 oz. concord grape/cranberry/pomegranate 100% juice

Dinner:
hot sausage on Rudy's Organic 7 grain with Flax
5.5 oz. can of V-8 juice

[jezzie]

Life will go back to normal for me in the middle of January.

I usually have twelve family-type days a year. Will not diet.
Just stating a fact of my life.
Nine of those twelve fall between October 15th and January 15th.

In January I will start out with these five things to remember:

YOU: On a Diet -- 5 Steps to Ensure Success

1. Eat about every 3 hours, so you don't get hungry.
2. Eat till you're full – if this isn't enough, have more; just stop when you're satisfied, not stuffed.
3. Don't skip breakfast. Morning fiber (protein too) helps control afternoon cravings.
4. Don't think of this as a "diet." It's more like training wheels that help you rediscover your appetite's
natural balance. The RealAge benefit? Up to 2 years younger!
5. For drinks, have coffee, tea, water, skim milk, juice in the morning, maybe 1 or 2 diet sodas,
and a glass of wine with dinner if you like.


*** Note: I personally don't have diet soda or wine and won't ever drink skim milk.
.

[jezzie]

.

Dr. Mehmet Oz

Dr. Oz is Vice-Chair and Professor of Surgery at Columbia University. He directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

His research interests include heart replacement surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, complementary medicine, and health care policy. He has authored over 400 original publications, book chapters, and medical books and has received several patents. He performs over 350 heart operations annually.

In addition to belonging to every major professional society for heart surgeons, Dr. Oz was elected as a Global Leaders of Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, won the prestigious American Association for Thoracic Surgery Gross Research Scholarship, and has received an honorary doctorate from Istanbul University.

He was voted “The Best and Brightest” by Esquire Magazine and was elected one of the Doctors of the Year by Hippocrates magazine, and Healers of the Millenium by Healthy Living magazine.

He is annually elected as one of the best physicians in the USA by the Castle Connolly Guide as well as other major ranking groups.

[Patlaf]

Hi Jezzie,

I'm off to the kitchen to make your recipe for crumble topping to put on a cranberry/apple crumble for brunch. Can you join us?

Our Christmas Eve dinner is always my version of a Mongolian Hot Pot. Tonight one of my sauces will be the recipe you posted for Hoisin Sauce Chicken.

I hope all of the Yoadies have a Merry Christmas and a New Year full of good health and good cheer.

Pat

[jezzie]

Would that I could Pat. You often make my day.

But my son's MIL is expecting me at their feast tonight.
Lobster tails, fillet mignon, assorted sides followed by
a dessert table buffet. < groan >


Last Years Dessert Buffet

[jezzie]

.

[jezzie]

Sunday's foods

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
raw almnds

Breakfast:
1 fried egg
old fashioned oatmeal w/cinnamon, orange blossom honey

Snack:
celery, 4 oz. Concord grape juice

Lunch:
whole grain pasta w/hot pepper sauce, Parmesan
1 hot sausage

Snack:
banana, walnut halves

Dinner:
gilled swiss on Rudy's Organic 7 Grain w/Flax
a cup of mixed vegetables

[jezzie]

Foods That Fill You Up Without Fattening You Up

Want to eat more and weigh less? Think "density" when you're choosing foods.

In nutrition lingo, foods that are low in "energy density" have lots of water and fiber, but little fat and fewer calories. How do they stack up nutritionally?

Just fine, according to a new study. For example, a piece of apple pie has about 400 calories; for the same calories, you can crunch on five healthful apples -- and since one or two will fill you up, you'll skinny down. Search for lists of low energy-density foods.

When you eat more foods that are dense in everything but fat and calories -- think juicy melons, pears, cucumbers, broccoli, and berries -- it not only helps keep you slim but also revs up the nutritional quality of your diet.

When researchers compared people on low, medium, and high energy-density diets, they discovered that women who favored foods low in energy density averaged 250 fewer calories a day compared to those in the other groups; men averaged 425 fewer calories.

Yet the nutritional quality of their meals didn't suffer. In fact, they had higher intakes of vitamins A, C, and B6; folate; iron; calcium; and potassium.

In other words, eating low on the density scale isn't just good for your waist, it's good for your health; the extra fiber and nutrients fight disease as well as pounds.

Which foods are naturally dense? The stars are fruits and veggies. So although your daily intake should include plenty of whole grains -- and some healthy fats and low-fat protein (beans, fish, lean poultry) -- replace some of these with extra veggies. Later, grab an orange or banana for a snack. Then, watch your waist whittle down.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

[jezzie]

Weird eating day ... to say the least.


10 am: hot sausage, sweet potatoes, cup of mixed vegetables

3 pm: cheese and three miniature Reeses cups

5 pm: All you can eat shrimp cocktail, cheese and crackers, grapes.

7 pm: lobster tail, fillet mignon, mashed new potatoes with scallions,
pecan/brown sugar topped sweet potatoes, salad w/oil and balsamic.

9 pm: 1/2 slice chocolate cream pie, apple crisp w/vanilla ice cream,
one chocolate chip cookie, and three anisette cookies.
(I feel like this should end with "and a partridge in a pear tree" )


PS: There were nine desserts on the dessert table this year.

[jezzie]

[jezzie]

A most egregious gastronomical offender.

Crackers with Fontina cheese, grapes,
followed by manicotti, stuffed ziti, vegetable lasagna, Italian bread, and Tuscan green beans.

Cranberry bread and pumpkin bread, Black Forest cake and ice cream.
.

[pooticus]

Good morning all!!! I'm back and back in the saddle. Sadly to report...I was WAYYYYY off my plan!!!!

Tuesday Food (Christmas - I can't even begin to put this into Fitday to see the numbers...well I could but it would be disturbing.) I made the traditional huge Southern breakfast for Christmas...

Breakfast:

Breaded and fried venison backstrap (think chicken fried steak made with venison)
Fried Eggs in Olive oil
Grape Tomatoes
Grits with Butter and Parmesan
Biscuit with Butter and a Tiny Bit of Honey

Lunch:
Cheese and Crackers
Carrots and Chimichurri

Dinner:
Tortilla Soup
Salad

*Gulp* I could not get up the courage to get on the scale this morning nor could I test my blood sugar out of fear. Was exposed to all kinds of germs and coughing from the kids in my fam. Have been taking Airborne and feel kinda crappy but not like full blown sickness...just extra congestion in nose and chest but that could also be because of eating off plan.

Am going to try calling the doctor today, again, to see if I can get someone to call me to tell me what I'm sposed to be doing about the low Vit D. I am soooo tired of hurting all over and being at the crying level with it. Think VERY bad muscle and bone pain.

Ok have a great boxing day all! I'm going to try to work a bit today!

[jezzie]

Pootie


Everything Green Is Gold for Knees

You've heard of a green thumb. But how about green knees?

Could be a good way to describe the youthful knees of a green-tea devotee. Potent compounds in green tea -- EGCG and ECG -- may help battle cartilage and collagen destruction in arthritic joints.

Catechin Delight

The EGCG and ECG found in green tea are powerful flavonoids known as catechins. Seems these particular catechins may help fight inflammation, as well as some of the underlying mechanisms at work in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

A Better Plan?
Of course, drinking a few cupfuls of green tea each day is no guarantee against knee pain, so here are a few of the more tried-and-true methods for keeping knees healthy:

* Lose weight if you are overweight. Excess pounds raise your risk of knee arthritis.

* Play it safe. A knee injury will triple your risk of knee osteoarthritis. When you exercise, take proper precautions to avoid getting hurt.
* Strengthen your quads. Weak quadriceps muscles are associated with knee arthritis, so work them out regularly, along with your hamstrings and all of your other leg muscles. Try this workout program for exercises that use your own body as resistance.

RealAge Benefit: Getting 31 milligrams of flavonoids -- like EGCG and ECG -- a day can make your RealAge 3.2 years younger.

[jezzie]

Wednesday's foods

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
raw almnds

Breakfast:
1 fried egg
old fashioned oatmeal w/cinnamon, orange blossom honey

Snack:
raw carrots, Concord grape juice

Lunch:
whole grain pasta w/hot pepper sauce, Parmesan
1 hot sausage

Snack:
banana, walnut halves

Dinner:
turkey breast, half sweet potato, mixed vegetables