Whole
Health Nutrition News
May, 2004
In this issue:
Spring Cleaning – For
your Body, Monday, May 3rd, 7-9PM. Jennings
Park Barn, Marysville. Get a fresh start this spring with a detoxifying
cleanse! We will discuss diets and supplements that support cleansing and
detoxing. This is a great way to strengthen immunity, lose that excess winter
weight, or simply feel great as you rejuvenate your body. Sample recipes for
delicious juices, smoothies, greens, salads, and herbal teas.
Quick and Healthy Meals
and Snacks, Tuesday, May 4th, Well-Being Fitness for Women, 1418 5th
St., Marysville.
If you’re looking for fresh
ideas for quick and healthy meals and snacks that will stabilize your blood
sugar and leave you feeling energized, this class is for you! We will discuss
the effects of food on mood and energy, learn the three components of a healthy
meal or snack, and sample several delicious recipes that are easy to assemble
and take with you when you’re on-the-go. We will also discuss ways to make
healthy eating convenient, how to stock your pantry, as well as offer
timesaving cooking and shopping tips. Bring your appetite!
Spring Cleaning-For Your
Body, May 6th, 7:15-9:15PM. Richmond Highlands Rec Center,
Shoreline. See top description.
Registration:
206-418-3383
Fast, Fabulous, and
Family Friendly, Tue. May 11th, 7-9PM.
Frances Anderson Center, Edmonds.
Those busy evenings when the kids have sports practice or other activities are
challenging when it comes to making dinner. Instead of resorting to fast food,
learn how to make delicious, healthy meals your whole family will enjoy- and
will be on the table in under 30 minutes.
Healthy Eating – On the
Run, Saturday, May 15th, noon-2PM. UW Campus. If you are busy, but tired of eating fast food or
frozen dinners, this class is for you. Learn easy ways to make your diet
healthier, and sample delicious meals you can prepare in less than 15 minutes.
Around the World – In
less than 20 Minutes, May 17th, 7-9PM, Jennings Park Barn, Marysville.
Are you too busy to cook,
but tired of fast food restaurants or cooking out of a box? This class will
show you how to prepare an ethnic smorgasbord of healthy meals – in less than
20 minutes. Several recipes ranging from Thai to Mexican will be demonstrated.
We will also discuss ways to make healthy eating convenient, how to stock your
pantry, and offer timesaving cooking tips.
Healthy Low-Carb Eating,
Wed. May 19th, 7-9PM, Everett Senior Center, Pacific and Lombard. Many have experienced weight loss success with a low-carb
diet. But with the plethora of low-carb products on the market today, how do
you know which are healthy and which to avoid? Is it possible to eat healthy
while following a low-carb diet? We will discuss this, as well as learn how to
prepare low-carb breads, snacks and treats that are healthier and a lot less
expensive than what you’ll find on the supermarket shelves.
Cooking with Fresh Herbs
and Spices, Thursday, May 27th, 7:15-9:15PM . Richmond Highlands Rec
Center, Shoreline. The natural
goodness of fresh herbs will add amazing flavor to your cooking without the
extra added fat and calories. Learn how to make ordinary food taste gourmet
with the right mixture of herbs and spices and how to match them to the foods
they best complement.
Registration:
206-418-3383
Chemicals are abundant in the world today – more than
9000 are in active use in detergents, plastics, carpet pads, shampoos, and
cosmetics, for example. They also find their way into our body through the air
we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. We ingest foreign chemicals when taking prescription drugs, or
when using alcohol or tobacco. Although
the body is designed to eliminate toxins, it cannot always handle the overload
present in today’s environment. Our
bodies absorb and then excrete the water soluble chemicals to which we are
exposed. The fat soluble chemicals
(pesticides, flame retardants, etc.) accumulate in fatty tissue, where they
persist for months or years. Experts
call this chemical load the body burden.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta last year released the most extensive body-burden study to date.
Researchers tested the blood and urine of 2,500 people across the county and
found traces of all 116 chemicals they were looking for. The Mount Sinai School
of Medicine in collaboration with the Environmental Working Group analyzed the
chemical burden in 9 people. Participants were scanned for 210 substances, the
average number each harbored was 91. http://www.bodyburden.org
Nutritional imbalances, insufficiencies and food
allergies can compromise the body’s detoxification pathways, allowing the
progressive build-up of toxins to impose a significant, and sometimes
overwhelming burden on the body.
Although there is no direct proof at this point,
recent laboratory and epidemiological studies suggest a link between the
increasing number of chemicals in our environment and the rising incidence of
health problems, including asthma, autism, various cancers, Parkinson’s
disease, infertility, and attention deficit disorders.
So
what can you do to minimize your body burden? Here are some suggestions:
(adapted
from Organic Style magazine, May 2004)
1. Eat low on the food chain (less fatty meat and
high-fat dairy), or choose organic versions of these foods.
2. Stick with organic produce when possible.
3. Avoid mercury-containing fish such as swordfish,
shark, king mackerel and tuna.
4. Use a water filter.
5. Don’t microwave food in plastic containers.
6. Vacuum often.
7. Avoid buying carpets and furniture with stain
repellents.
8. Avoid garden pesticides and get rid of chemically
based household cleaners in favor of plain soap and water.
I will
be discussing these issues in my remaining Spring Cleansing classes, as well as
showing you how to choose foods that specifically target and support the body’s
detoxification processes.
You
can also consult with me in my office where I can provide you with a
comprehensive detoxification program. Spring is one of the best times for
detoxification.
Featured Produce of the Month
In honor of Cinco de Mayo,
I’m highlighting the avocado this month. Yes, avocados are high in fat but
their monounsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil, are heart healthy
and can actually help reduce blood cholesterol levels. Avocados are also a good
source of potassium, important for reducing the risk of high blood pressure.
They are also high in folate, a B vitamin that is important for heart health.
A ripe avocado should yield
to gentle pressure but should not be mushy. Avocados can be purchased unripe –
if placed in a paper bag with an apple they will ripen more quickly. Once ripe,
they can be refrigerated for up to a week (un-sliced.)
Recipe of the Month
This
recipe is typical of what you might find in Oaxaca, a culturally rich city in
the southern part of Mexico with astounding cuisine. I visited there several
months ago and have since been experimenting with traditional Oaxacan recipes.
Oaxaca Tostada Bites
1-1/2 cups cooked black
beans (canned OK)
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
1 ripe avocado, preferably Hass, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon crème fraiche or sour cream (low-fat OK)
30 small round tortilla chips
½ cup grated Mexican style cheese such as Cotija or queso fresco (or substitute
Monterey Jack)
3 romaine lettuce leaves,
thinly shredded
Place the beans in a bowl
and coarsely mash with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the garlic, tomatoes,
lime zest, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, the
Tabasco sauce, cocoa powder, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix all the
ingredients together well. In another bowl, mash the avocado with the remaining
1 tablespoon lime juice, the sour cream, and salt to taste.
Spread 1 tablespoon of the
bean mixture on each of the tortilla chips. If you are serving at room
temperature, top each with 1/4 teaspoon of the avocado mixture, then a
sprinkling of grated cheese and the shredded lettuce. Sprinkle the remaining 2
tablespoons cilantro over all. If you would like to melt the cheese, top the
beans with the cheese, place the chips on a baking sheet, and heat in a
preheated 350-degree F oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Then top with the avocado,
lettuce, and cilantro. To serve, arrange the chips on a festive platter.
Yield: 30 appetizers
Variation: You could serve
these as a main meal by topping soft corn tortillas with the black bean/avocado
mixture.