News Headlines - Top Stories - Child pulled from pool in Mesa

SO SAD SO SAD:

  MESA, Ariz. -- A 1-year-old child was pulled from a backyard swimming pool in Mesa and rushed to Cardon Children's Medical Center Tuesday morning. The boy's aunt reportedly was baby-sitting him and fell asleep for 20 or 30 minutes. When she woke up, she found the boy floating in the pool at the home near Main Street and Dobson Road. Initially, the child did not have a pulse and was not breathing, according to the Mesa Fire and Medical Department. He was taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition. Firefighters said the boy crawled through a doggy door and there wasn't a fence or other barrier around the pool. PEOPLE NEED TO WATCH THEIR KIDS, TAKE A NAP WHEN THE KIDS TAKE A NAP!!!!

Should is a 6 letter word... an article by Dr Robert Anthony

The only time we suffer is when we believe a thought that argues
with "what is". When the mind is perfectly clear, "what is" is what
we accept in this moment.

In the words of Byron Katie, "If you want your reality to be different
than 'what is' then you might as well try to teach your cat to bark.
You can try and try and in the end the cat will look up at you and
say 'Meow'. Wanting your reality to be different than what it is in this
moment, is just as hopeless.  You can spend the rest of your life trying
to teach your cat to bark."

And yet if you pay attention, you'll notice that you think thoughts
like this all the time. Whenever the word 'should' shows up, that's
what is going on. As in "I should be thinner, my friend should be
less sensitive, my spouse should be more attentive." - You get the idea...

These thoughts are ways of wanting reality to be different than it
is. Here is my point - all the stress you feel in your life at this
moment is caused by arguing with "what is".

People say to me, "But if I simply accept reality then I will
become passive and nothing will change.  I answer them with this
question. Which of these statements makes more sense? "I wish I
hadn't lost all that money." or "What can I do now to create more income?"

Accepting "what is" doesn't mean you settle for the way things are, it
just means you give up all the resistance and inner struggle by wishing
it were different.

When undesirable things happen, it can be helpful not to let go and NOT
mentally argue with them. We know this, and the only reason we continue
doing it is because it is a HABITUAL PATTERN. As you know, you can
change your habitual patterns when you work WITH your subconscious mind.

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation
that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT!  No matter how
large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will
only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Dr. Robert Anthony

P.S. If you are struggling to lose weight, I have a different solution for you,
and it requires ZERO RESISTANCE for you to release the weight.
Find out more here

Insight of the Day 4/30/13

"Our life is what our thoughts make it. A man will find that as he alters his thoughts toward things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him."

James Allen
1864-1912, Philosophical Writer

Black Bean Burrito, Indian Style - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
The combination of Southwestern ingredients and Eastern seasonings add a unique flavor to this burrito. Enjoy!
Black Bean Burrito, Indian Style
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced thin
• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1-1/2 cups sweet potatoes cut in 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup green peppers, thinly julienned
• 1 cup red peppers, thinly julienned
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 TBS + 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 2 cups or 1 15 oz can black beans (BPA free), drained
• 2 oz Chevre goat cheese (optional)
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 whole wheat tortillas
• Topping
• Prepared salsa (optional)
• 1 head of romaine lettuce, shredded (remove outer leaves and discard)

Directions:

1. Chop onions and garlic and let sit for 5-10 minutes to bring out their health-promoting properties.
2. Prepare other vegetables.
3. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and peppers in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garam masala and sweet potatoes and mix well. Add 1/2 cup broth and cook covered on low heat for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
4. Add beans making sure they are rinsed and drained well first. Mix, cooking for another 5 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. While vegetables are cooking, shred lettuce.
7. Place vegetable mixture in tortilla and top with goat cheese. Roll and top with salsa and shredded lettuce. /ol> Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Black Bean Burrito, Indian Style
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   Healthy Food Tip
   
   The Latest News About Black Beans
   
   Black beans could not be more succinctly and descriptively named. They are commonly referred to as turtle beans, probably in reference to their shiny, dark, shell-like appearance. With a rich flavor that has been compared to mushrooms, black beans have a velvety texture while holding their shape well during cooking.
   Black beans are actually a variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and belong to the popular legume family of plants. Black beans share many characteristics with their fellow bean family members, including red (kidney) beans, white (navy) beans, yellow beans, pinto (mottled) beans, pink beans, and anasazi beans.
   
   What's New and Beneficial About Black Beans
   • Recent research has shown that black beans provide special support for digestive tract health, and particularly our colon. The indigestible fraction (IF) in black beans has recently been shown to be larger than the IF in either lentils or chickpeas. It has been shown to be the perfect mix of substances for allowing bacteria in the colon to produce butyric acid. Cells lining the inside of the colon can use this butyric acid to fuel their many activities and keep the lower digestive tract functioning properly. By delivering a greater amount of IF to the colon, black beans are able to help support this lower part of our digestive tract. Lowered colon cancer risk that is associated with black bean intake in some research studies may be related to the outstanding IF content of this legume.
   • The soaking of black beans in water has always found fairly widespread support in food science research as a way of improving overall black bean benefits. Yet, the discarding of the bean soaking water has been a topic of considerable controversy. A recent study that may help put this controversy to rest looked at many different advantages and disadvantages of tossing out the water used to soak beans. It found that the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages. On the advantage side of things, getting rid of the soaking water also means getting rid of some of the phytates and tannins that can lower nutrient availability. It also means reducing flatulence-related substances like raffinose (up to 33% removed along with the soaking water) and stachyose (up to 20% removed). A final advantage was the retention of resistant starch. While some of the total carbohydrate content in the black beans was lost along with the discarding of the soaking water, the amount of resistant starch remained unchanged. (Resistant starch is a type of carb that will typically make its way all the way down to the large intestine without being digested. Once it arrives in the large intestine, it can help support the growth of desirable bacteria in that area of the digestive tract.) On the disadvantage side of things was that 15% of total phenols were lost, we actually don't think that that is an amount that is of concern. There was a slight loss of some additional phytonutrients as well as minerals. When adding up all of their findings, the researchers concluded that the many advantages of discarding bean soaking water clearly outweighed the disadvantages and then made this recommendation a firm part of their research conclusions.
   • We tend to think about brightly colored fruits and vegetables as our best source of phytonutrients, but recent research has recognized black beans as a strong contender in phytonutrient benefits. The seed coat of the black bean (the oute rmost part that we recognize as the bean's surface) is an outstanding source of three anthocyanin flavonoids: delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin. These three anthocyanins are primarily responsible for the rich black color that we see on the bean surface. Kaempferol and quercetin are additional flavonoids provided by this legume. Also contained in black beans are hydroxycinnamic acids including ferulic, sinapic, and chlorogenic acid, as well as numerous triterpenoids.
   • In Brazil—a country that, along with India, grows more black beans than any country in the world—beans have been given an exclusive place on the Brazilian Food Pyramid. In other words, beans are recommended as their own unique food group! The country's 2006 Food Guide for the Brazilian Population recommends that beans be consumed at least once every day. That recommendation is actually quite close to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which establish 3 cups of cooked legumes per week, or 1/2 cup serving six days per week, as the minimum desired amount. Recent research linking bean intake to lower risk of type 2 diabetes, many types of cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer was one of the key factors used by the Brazilian government and the U.S. government in establishing their bean intake recommendations.
   WHFoods Recommendations
   Many public health organizations—including the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society—recommend legumes as a key food group for preventing disease and optimizing health. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends 3 cups of legumes per week (based on a daily intake of approximately 2,000 calories). Because 1 serving of legumes was defined as 1/2 cup (cooked), the Dietary Guidelines for Americans come very close to the recommendation of 1/2 cup of cooked legumes on a daily basis. Based on our own research review, we believe that 3 cups of legumes per week is a very reasonable goal for support of good health. However, we also believe that optimal health benefits from legumes may require consumption in greater amounts. These greater amounts are based on studies in which legumes have be en consumed at least 4 days per week and in amounts falling into a 1-2 cup range per day. These studies suggest a higher optimal health benefit level than the 2005 Dietary Guidelines: instead of 3 cups of weekly legumes, 4-8 cups would become the goal range. Remember that any amount of legumes is going to make a helpful addition to your diet. And whatever weekly level of legumes you decide to target, we definitely recommend inclusion of black beans among your legume choices.
   
   Health Benefits
   Black Beans provide numerous health benefits including:
   
   • Digestive tract support
   • Blood sugar regulation benefits
   • Heart health promotion
   • Better regulation of blood sugar
   • Antioxidant protection
   • Anti-inflammatory benefits
   For more details on black beans' health benefits, see this section of our black beans write-up.
   
   Nutritional Profile
   The seed coat (outermost surface) of black beans is an outstanding source of three anthocyanin flavonoids: delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin. Kaempferol and quercetin are additional flavonoids provided by this legume. Also contained in black beans are hydroxycinnamic acids including ferulic, sinapic, and chlorogenic acid, as well as numerous triterpenoid phytonutrients, Black beans also provide about 180 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids per cup in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
   Black beans emerged from our food ranking system as an excellent source of enzyme-supporting molybdenum. In addition, they are a very good source of heart-healthy dietary fiber and folate. In the case of folate, for example, a one-cup serving of black beans provided about two-thirds of the DV for folate.
   Our food ranking system also qualified black beans as a good source of antioxidant-promoting manganese, muscle-building protein, energy-producing magnesium, thiamin (vitamin B1), phosphorus and iron. In the case of protein, for example, a one-cup serving of cooked black beans provided about one third of a day's protein requirement.
   For more on this nutrient-rich legume, including references related to this Latest News, see our write-up on black beans.

Insight of the Day April 29th, 2013

"Never give up. Never ever give up. Why? Because just when you are about to give up is when things are about to turn around in a grand way. Hold on. Great things are waiting for you around the corner."

Sonia Ricotti
#1 Bestselling Author of Unsinkable: How to Bounce Back Quickly When Life Knocks You Down

Mediterranean Cod with Tomatoes - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Enjoy this low-fat meal with cod as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating this week. It contains less that 200 calories!
Mediterranean Cod with Tomatoes
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 lb cod fillets
• 2 medium onions, sliced medium thick
• 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups fresh or 1 15 oz can (BPA-free) diced tomatoes
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• *1/4 cup chopped black olives
• *1 TBS capers
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 lb cod fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• red chili flakes to taste
• * optional

Directions:

1. Slice onions and chop garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-12 inch stainless steel pan or skillet. Healthy Sauté onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes in broth, until translucent. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
3. Add rest of broth, diced tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer on high heat. Once it starts to simmer reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Add herbs, olives, capers, and cod fillets; cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cod mixed with tomato herb sauce.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestions: Serve with

• Great Antipasto Salad
• Brown Rice

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Healthy Food Tip
Which is better: monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats?

Both types of unsaturated fat-monounsaturated and polyunsaturated -can offer important health benefits. We know from studies involving the Mediterranean diet-where intake of olive oil is especially high -that monounsaturates can be heart protective. (Olive oil has the highest level of monounsaturated fat of any commonly used oil.) With polyunsaturates, there is also evidence of decreased risk of chronic disease, but only when the diet is also relatively high quality and accompanied by healthy intake of antioxidant nutrients.
The reason we need plenty of antioxidants when we eat polyunsaturates is simple: the more unsaturated a fat is, the more delicate it becomes. Heat and oxygen are more damaging to polyunsaturated fats than to monounsaturated ones. This situation is problematic for highly polyunsaturated plant oils because they have lost the antioxidant protection that was originally supplied by their whole food origins (i.e., beans, seeds, or nuts). At the World's Healthiest Foods, we encourage consumption of many whole foods that contain large amounts of polyunsaturated fat, but we do not encourage consumption of high-polyunsaturate oils that have been processed from these exact same foods! Oils processed from whole foods do not have the same protection from heat and oxygen that whole foods have-too many antioxidant nutrients have been lost during processing.
Due to the problems with heat damage to oils that are high in polyunsaturates, many companies offer oils that would ordinarily be high in polyunsaturates, but in fact contain much fewer-than-expected polyunsaturates and much higher-than-expected monounsaturates. These oils are produced from plants that have been hybridized (not genetically engineered) to contain more monounsaturated fat in their beans or seeds. Since most of this monounsaturated fat comes from oleic acid (one of the most common monounsaturated fatty acids found in food), these oils are usually called "high-oleic oils." You can buy high-oleic sunflower, safflower, and corn oil in many grocery stores. If you plan to use cooking oils at high heat, these high-oleic versions can be a good choice.

Jennifer Lewis: Paint Pens in Purses

Jennifer Lewis: Paint Pens in Purses: I've just been featured on the Paint Pens in Purses Tumblr: http://paintpensinpurses.tumblr.com/ Paint Pens in Purses is a female art...

Vegetarian Healthy Saute - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
This tasty addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating is a great way to use whatever vegetables you want to use up in your refrigerator. The wider the variety of vegetables you include in this dish, the wider variety of nutrients you will have available to work together synergistically to optimize your health.

Vegetarian Healthy Sauté
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced medium thick
• 1 TBS vegetable broth
• 4 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 TBS minced fresh ginger
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms (remove stems)
• 2 cups sliced green cabbage
• 5 oz extra firm tofu cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 1 TBS rice vinegar
• 2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 TBS sesame seeds
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice onions and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting properties.
2. Prepare rest of vegetables.
3. Heat 1 TBS broth in a stainless steel wok or 12 inch skillet. Healthy Sauté onion for about 2 minutes in broth over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
4. Add red pepper, mushrooms, and cabbage. Continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and continue to cook stirring for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Add rest of ingredients and cook for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestion: Serve with Seaweed Rice
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Healthy Food Tip

Which has more nutrients - the stems or florets of broccoli?

The florets and stems of broccoli are very similar in their nutrient content, and both are excellent parts of broccoli to include as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating. The amount of most B vitamins, minerals, and fiber are very similar in the two parts of the plant (on an ounce-for-ounce basis). The largest difference I've seen documented in the research literature involves beta-carotene, which is about seven times more plentiful in the florets than in the stems. On an ounce-for-ounce basis, the darker green florets also contain more chlorophyll than the lighter green stalks. Since the stalks take a little longer to steam than the florets, it is best to begin cooking them first and after about two minutes add the florets to the steamer.
You didn't mention broccoli leaves in your question, but the leaves of the broccoli plant are also excellent sources of nutrients. They are actually higher in beta-carotene than the florets and can contain phytonutrients that aren't found in the stems and florets.
For more information on this topic, please see:

• Broccoli

References:
Shelp, B. J. 1987. Plant characteristics and nutrient composition and mobility of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) supplied with NH+4, NO3 or NH4NO3. Journal of Experimental Botany 38: 1603-1618.
Food Processor Version 7.71, Database Version December 2001. ESHA Research, Salem, Oregon.

Mentoring

Mentoring

Insight of the Day 4/25/13

"I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again."

Stephen Grellet
1773-1855, Missionary

Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
You can add or substitute any of the vegetables with your personal favorites or use what you have on hand. This is a healthy version of a Caesar salad that is only limited by your imagination.

Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped mixed greens (spinach, romaine, arugula)
• 2 oz chicken or turkey slices
• 1 medium tomato, chopped or sliced
• 1/4 cup cucumbers, sliced
• 1/4 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup or 1/2 can (BPA Free) kidney beans
• 1 TBS dried sunflower seeds
• Dressing
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or chopped
• 1 TBS parmesan cheese

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and top with dressing.
Serves 1
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In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Healthy Chicken Caesar Salad
Healthy Food Tip

Which foods contain natural diuretics?

We generally dislike the idea of thinking about foods as "natural diuretics." Any food that we eat has some impact on our water balance, and part of the reason we need food is to take advantage of their water content. In general, the reason we eat is to provide our body with additional water, not to remove water from it.
There are many ways in which our body actively gets rid of water. Urination is of course a primary way, but so is perspiration and even water vapor loss through our breath when we breathe out. When large amounts of water leave our body through urination, it is often because our body is trying to get rid of excessive amounts of some chemical that's water-soluble and is most easily eliminated through urination. For example, large, unneeded amounts of water-soluble vitamins will often cause us to lose water when our kidneys work to get rid of these vitamins. Consumption of alcohol is another good example of a food and beverage component that causes water loss. When alcohol enters our bloodstream, it can block synthesis of a hormone called vasopressin in our pituitary gland. Since vasopressin is a hormone that helps prevent water loss through our kidneys (it's called an anti-diuretic hormone), when alcohol interferes with vasopressin synthesis it also makes us urinate more and lose water in that way. Caffeine is another food substance (found not only in coffee but also in chocolate and black teas) that has traditionally been regarded as a chemical that causes diuresis (loss of water through the kidneys). However, most of the more recent research calls this traditional view into question.
It would be problematic for your health if you tried to increase your body's water loss through consumption of alcohol, excessive vitamin supplements, or caffeine. In fact, we cannot think of any step you would want to take with your diet as a way to increase water loss. Your body is designed to control its own water balance, and the best way to support that process is for you to eat a diet based on whole, natural, minimally processed foods, and drink plenty of clean, fresh, filtered water. If you have clinical health issues that are causing you to retain unwanted amounts of water, your healthcare provider is the person to see. He or she can help you determine the underlying imbalances in your body that are causing you to retain too much water, and take clinical steps if they turn out to be desirable.
We realize that some websites describe particular foods - like celery, or watermelon, or asparagus, or parsley as having mild diuretic effects. As mentioned earlier, however, we would discourage this view of whole, natural foods.
References:
Armstrong LE. Caffeine, Body Fluid-Electrolyte Balance, and Exercise Performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2002;12(2):189-206.
Armstrong LE, Pumerantz AC, Roti MW, et al. Fluid, Electrolyte, and Renal Indices of Hydration During 11 Days of Controlled Caffeine Consumption. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2005;15(3): 252-65.
Grandjean AC, Reimers KJ, Bannick KE, et al. The Effect of Caffeinated, Non-Caffeinated, Caloric and Non-Caloric Beverages on Hydration. J Am Coll Nutr. 2000;19(5):591-600.
Parlesak A, Pohl C, Bode JC, et al. Water Metabolism in Rats Subjected to Chronic Alcohol Administration. Nephron Physiol. 2004;97(1):p9-15.

Insight for the Day April 24th, 2013

"Remember, you are the only person who thinks in your mind! You are the power and authority in your world."

Louise Hay
Author and Publisher

Miso Salmon - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Try this Asian-flavored dish that is sure to become one of your favorite additions to your Healthiest Way of Eating. The salmon provides one of the best sources of those hard-to-find health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids. Enjoy!
Miso Salmon
Prep and Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 lb salmon, cut into 4 pieces, skin and bones removed
• 2 tsp light miso
• 1 TBS prepared Dijon mustard
• 2 TBS mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine found in Asian section of market)
• 4 dried medium size pieces of wakame seaweed, rinsed and soaked in 1/2 cup hot water for about 10 minutes (save water)
• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced
• 3 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 TBS minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• salt and white pepper to taste
• garnish with minced green onion

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler with rack in the middle of the oven. Place a stainless steel or cast iron skillet big enough to hold salmon under heat to get very hot (about 10 minutes).
2. Rinse and soak seaweed, saving the water.
3. Slice onion and chop garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance their health-promoting properties.
4. Prepare glaze by mixing miso, Dijon mustard, and mirin along with a pinch of white pepper. Generously coat salmon with mixture and let set while preparing rest of ingredients.
5. Heat 1 TBS seaweed water in a stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and mushrooms in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add chopped seaweed, 1/2 cup seaweed water and soy sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Remove pan that was heating from broiler and place salmon in it. Return to broiler and cook without turning for about 3-5 minutes depending on thickness of salmon. Top with sautéed onion/mushroom mixture and minced scallion.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Miso Salmon
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Healthy Food Tip

The Latest News About Salmon

With exceptional nutritional value due to their rich concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a favorite among fish lovers and enjoyed even by those who are not always fond of fish. Salmon are incredible fish sometimes traveling thousands of miles throughout their life cycle and within two to five years returning to the very location where they were born to spawn and die. The specific characteristics and life cycles of salmon vary with each species. (For example, king salmon has a life cycle of approximately 4-6 years, sockeye, 4-6 years, and silver 3-4 years.)
A good portion of salmon can be classified either as Pacific (Oncorhynchus genus) or Atlantic (Salmo genus) salmon, according to the ocean in which they are found. There is just one native species of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), while there are many species of Pacific salmon including chinook (or king), sockeye (or red), coho (or silver), pink, and chum. Norwegian salmon, a popular type of salmon often offered on restaurant menus, is actually Atlantic salmon that is farm-raised in Norway. The flesh of salmon ranges in color from pink to red to orange with some varieties richer in important omega-3 fatty acids than others. For example, chinook and sockeye are fattier fish than pink and chum and contain great amounts of healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
The native habitats of Atlantic and Pacific salmon as described above no longer characterize most of salmon consumed in the United States or in many other countries. Because farmed salmon now accounts for about 80% of all salmon consumed worldwide, it is becoming harder and harder to find wild-caught salmon that live in their native habitat.

What's New and Beneficial About Salmon

• With so much focus on the amazing omega-3 benefits of salmon, other unique health benefits from salmon may have been inadvertently overlooked. One fascinating new area of health benefits involves the protein and amino acid content of salmon. Several recent studies have found that salmon contains small bioactive protein molecules (called bioactive peptides) that may provide special support for joint cartilage, insulin effectiveness, and control of inflammation in the digestive tract. One particular bioactive peptide called calcitonin (sCT) has been of special interest in these studies. The reason is because a human form of calcitonin is made by the thyroid gland, and we know that it is a key hormone for helping regulate and stabilize the balance of collagen and minerals in the bone and surrounding tissue. As researchers learn more and more about salmon peptides—including sCT—we expect to see more and more potential health benefits discovered related to inflamma tion, including inflammation of the joints.
• Even though contamination with mercury, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants (POPS) has become a widespread problem in salmon habitats and with the quality of salmon itself, there are still salmon runs that pose relatively low risk in terms of contaminants. Leading this low-risk category for wild-caught salmon are Alaskan salmon. Southeast Alaskan chum, sockeye, coho, pink, and chinook salmon, together with Kodiak coho, pink, and chum salmon have all been evaluated for contaminant consumption risk involving many POPs (including dioxins, dioxin-like compounds, or DLCs, and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs) and have been found to be the lowest risk category of wild-caught salmon for regular consumption. This lower contamination risk amongst all wild-caught salmon is one of the reasons we recommend selection of wild-caught Alaskan salmon as a salmon of choice. (While some salmon runs from British Columbia and the U.S. West Coast also stand out as lower risk in term s of contaminants, we do not feel enthusiastic about recommending them for consumption due to the more precarious sustainability of these salmon runs.)
• Along with lower risk of contamination from wild-caught Alaskan salmon, we like what experts are saying about the greater sustainability of Alaskan salmon runs. For example, the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California has recently determined Alaskan salmon to be the only low-risk salmon in terms of four sustainability criteria: the inherent vulnerability of the fish, the effects of fishing on the overall habitat, the status of wild stocks, and the nature of the by-catch (the other types of fish that are caught unintentionally during salmon fishing).
• Regulations that have been adopted—but not yet officially implemented— by the National Organics Standards Board at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show the intention of the USDA to allow for organic certification of farmed salmon, but not wild-caught salmon. Limitation of organic certification to farmed salmon appears related to the USDA's desire for certainty about compliance of salmon production with organic regulations. In the case of wild-caught salmon, the USDA appears to believe that compliance with organic standards would simply be impossible to verify.
  At present, given the absence of officially implemented organic standards for seafood of any kind (including salmon), we continue to recommend consumption of wild-caught salmon. More specifically, we recommend consumption of wild-caught Alaskan salmon because of their higher-quality environmental habitat. We also believe that it is desirable for salmon to live their lives in a natural habitat instead of an artificial fish farm setting.
• While salmon have long been identified as a uniquely concentrated source of omega-3 fats, recent studies have now determined the actual bioavailability of these omega-3 fats from relatively small changes in diet. In fascinating research from a team of scientists at the Lipid and Diabetes Research Center at Saint Luke's MidAmerica Heart Institute in Kansas City, MO, only two servings of salmon per week (Norwegian Atlantic-farmed salmon and approximately 6 ounces per serving) were determined to significantly increase the presence of omega-3 fats in the membranes of red blood cells (RBCs). Only 4 months were required to raise the RBC omega-3 levels from 4% to 6%. This finding made it clear that the omega-3 fats from salmon—including its heart-supportive combination of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)—effectively make their way into our body and directly support the function of our cells. Equally interesting in this study was a comparison of dietary salmon intake to fish oil capsules containing purified salmon oil. Salmon oil capsules were also able to raise the percentage of omega-3s in the RBC membranes form 4% to 6%. However, intake of the fish oil capsules over this 4-month period also produced a small increase in some of the blood fats (in particular, triglycerides) of the participants. Since increased blood triglyceride levels can be a risk factor for cardiovascular problems, and since dietary salmon did not produce a similar rise in blood triglycerides for participants in this study, dietary intake of salmon appears to be a best bet for supporting cell function and simultaneously avoiding some unwanted increases in other blood fats.

WHFoods Recommendations

The best ways to cook salmon is by using methods that will keep it moist and tender. Salmon can be easily overcooked and become dry, so be sure to watch your cooking times.
One of our favorite ways to prepare salmon is using our "Quick Broil" method. Preheat the broiler on high and place an all stainless steel skillet (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron pan under the heat for about 10 minutes to get it very hot. Place salmon on hot pan and broil for 7-10 minutes, depending on thickness. You do not need to turn the salmon. (See our Quick Broiled Salmon with Ginger Mint Salsa recipe for details on how to prepare "Quick Broiled" salmon.) While grilled salmon tastes great, make sure it does not burn. It is best to grill salmon on an area without a direct flame. Extra care should be taken when grilling, as burning can damage nutrients and create free radicals that can be harmful to your health. For more see Are there health risks with char-broiling and gas grilling foods?

Health Benefits

Salmon provides numerous potential health benefits including:

• Supports heart health
• Enhances mood and cognition
• Promotes joint protection
• Supports eye health
• Potential cancer protective properties

For more details on salmon's health benefits, see this section of our salmon write-up.

Nutritional Profile

The unique protein and amino acid composition of salmon is often overlooked in its nutritional profile. Salmon contains short protein molecules called peptides that have been shown to be bioactive and may have important anti-inflammatory properties. Salmon also provides important amounts of the antioxidant amino acid taurine. Salmon is an excellent source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D as well as immune-supportive selenium. It is also a very good source of muscle-building protein and heart-healthy niacin and vitamin B12. Additionally, it is a good source of energy-producing phosphorus as well as heart-healthy magnesium and vitamin B6.
For more on this nutrient-rich food, including references related to this Latest News, see our write-up on salmon.

A Site for those who have a Disability Issue - GaryKarpSpeaks.com

Gary Karp is an internationally recognized public speaker, corporate trainer, author, and editor.

On the Fourth of July, 1973 Gary was injured in a fall from a tree at the age of eighteen. He broke two vertebrae at T12 and L1, injuring his spinal cord. He has not walked since.
Following surgery and a long hospital stay, Gary was transferred to the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan where he spent seven weeks of hard labor (as he describes it!) gaining strength and balance, and learning the range of skills and methods he would use to return to the community and live an active independent life.  Please read on here.

Ekso | Ekso Bionics

Ekso | Ekso Bionics

Zesty Mexican Soup

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
This spicy vegetable soup is full of flavor, and easy to prepare, and is the perfect addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating. It's a great way to incorporate a variety of vegetables into on meal and it actually gets better with time.
Zesty Mexican Soup
Prep and Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, minced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 TBS red chili powder
• 3 cups + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 small to medium green bell pepper, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 small zucchini, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup finely chopped collard greens
• 1 15 oz can (BPA free) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups or 1 15 oz can (BPA free) black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup frozen yellow corn
• 1 4 oz can (BPA free) diced green chili
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot. Healthy Sauté onion, garlic, and green peppers in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
2. Add red chili powder and mix in well. Add broth and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes and add beans, corn, green chili, oregano, and cumin.
3. Bring to a boil on high heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes longer. (Simmering uncovered enhances the flavor.)
4. Add zucchini and collard greens and cook for 5 more minutes. Add chopped cilantro, pumpkin seeds, salt, and pepper.

Serves 6 Serving Suggestions Serve with

• Romaine & Avocado Salad

Printer Friendly Version of Zesty Mexican Soup
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Zesty Mexican Soup
Healthy Food Tip

Where can we find the best source of antioxidants?

There is only one place outside the body where we can count on finding the health-promoting combinations of antioxidants that are necessary for optimal health. That place is a balanced diet containing natural, whole, minimally processed and organically grown foods. The reason is simple. We need more than just vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, glutathione, or other single nutrients for our antioxidant health. We need all of the food components that provide natural colors and flavors to food, the flavonoids and carotenoids and other types of pigments that can only be found in whole natural foods. You cannot get a complete antioxidant team when you take a dietary supplement, no matter how high in quality. Nor can you get a complete antioxidant team when you eat processed foods with artificial flavors and colorings in place of natural flavonoids and carotenoids. It takes a whole, natural foods diet to provide you with genuine antioxidant teamwork. That's one reason I feel s o strongly about the value of the World's Healthiest Foods.

Salmon in Citrus Sauce - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
If you want to add over 100% of the daily value for those hard-to-find omega-3 fatty acids to your Healthiest Way of Eating try this delicious, easy-to-prepare salmon recipe. The tangy sauce is a great complement to the flavor of the salmon and it only takes minutes to prepare. Enjoy!
Salmon in Citrus Sauce
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs salmon filets, skin and bones removed, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 TBS + 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 TBS minced fresh parsley, or if you have it, green fennel tops
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler and place a stainless steel or cast iron skillet under broiler for about 10 minutes to get it very hot.
2. Chop onions and garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance their hidden health-promoting properties.
3. While skillet is heating, place chopped onion, garlic, fennel seeds, 2 TBS lemon juice, and orange juice in a shallow, wide saucepan and cook on high heat for about 10-15 minutes to reduce to half the volume.
4. Season salmon pieces with 2 tsp lemon juice, salt and pepper and place on hot pan from broiler. Return pan to broiler (approximately 5-7 inches from heat) and broil salmon for about 7 minutes depending on thickness (10 minutes per inch of thickness). Do not turn, as salmon is cooking on both sides at once.
5. Remove salmon from pan, and place on platter. Season citrus sauce with salt and pepper and strain liquid over salmon. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Salmon in Citrus Sauce
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Salmon in Citrus Sauce
Healthy Food Tip

What's the best way to juice an orange if I need some for a recipe?

Recipes often call for orange juice. Oranges, like most citrus fruits, will produce more juice when they are not cold, so always juice them when they are at room temperature. To get the most juice out of an orange, gently roll it on the counter top, applying soft pressure, before you cut it and juice it.
Cut the oranges in half and remove the visible seeds from the fruit before juicing or wait to remove them after you are done juicing. The juice can then be extracted in a variety of ways. You can use a juicer, reamer, or do it the old fashioned way, squeezing by hand. If you have an allergy to any of the constituents in citrus peel, use extra caution when juicing oranges.

This Dumb Thing the Recall Organizers Doing Is So Dumb!!

Of course it is lead by a Hispanic person, etc. I am for him and I hope that he will win.

Recall bid against Ariz. sheriff faces tough odds

 

PHOENIX (AP) -- Volunteers set up a table outside a music festival one day last month to gather signatures for a drive to oust the notoriously polarizing sheriff of metropolitan Phoenix. The venue, with its largely liberal crowd, seemed the perfect place to drum up support.

But it didn't take long for fans of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to show up and deliver a heckling. "Free handouts for illegal immigrants," one of the sheriff's backers intoned as other sign-carrying supporters raised their voices to try and drown out those of Arpaio's opponents.

The recall group walked away with only 100 signatures, compared with the 500 gathered in the same spot a day earlier when the sheriff's supporters weren't there.

The confrontation underscores the feisty ground campaign being mounted on both sides - but also the increasing difficulty that Arpaio critics face in getting enough signatures to put a recall before voters.

The recall effort began just weeks after the 80-year-old Republican sheriff started his sixth term in January.

Organizers argue Arpaio should be booted because his office has failed to adequately investigate more than 400 sex-crimes cases and has cost the county $25 million in legal settlements over treatment in county jails. Two pending lawsuits also accuse the agency of racial profiling while conducting immigration patrols.

The sheriff, his critics insist, is more focused on getting publicity for himself than protecting the people.

But recall organizers face long odds. They must gather more than 335,000 signatures by May 30, at a time when they're running short on money, aren't attracting deep-pocketed donors and are relying on volunteers rather than paid professionals to sign up supporters.

They also are mounting a campaign against a politician who has a base of devoted supporters and emptied $8 million during the last election cycle, nearly 14 times as much as his closest challenger spent. Arpaio warned in one recent fundraising email that he could lose his post if he's forced into a recall election.

"We will not be intimidated," said recall campaign manager Lilia Alvarez. "We are doing work that's legal and constitutional."

Nevertheless, big-money donors seem disinclined to support the recall effort. David Berman, a senior research fellow at Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy, said some will likely disapprove of a recall so soon after the November general election, making the prospect of ousting Arpaio a long shot.

"I don't see this attracting a lot of money for the recall people," Berman said.

The recall group acknowledged a month ago that it was having difficulties raising money and had to rely on a mostly volunteer work force. Organizers also said they haven't found big donors to help ease their money problems but believe they can reach their goal through smaller contributions. Others noted that big-money donors aren't likely to contribute to a cause that may never reach the ballot.

"This would be throwing money to get a theoretical race," said Joshua Spivak, a recall expert and senior fellow at Wagner College in New York. "The key is money. People don't get on the ballot without money."

Recall organizers are trying to build on the success of a 2011 recall effort that ousted then-Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, an Arpaio ally who was the driving force behind the state's controversial 2010 immigration law. But the scale of the Arpaio recall is more daunting.

Organizers must turn in more than 335,000 valid voter signatures to force an election. That's more than the 7,700 needed to force the Pearce recall election and the 216,000 required against former Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham, whose 1998 recall election was scheduled but then cancelled after he was convicted on impeachment charges by the state Senate.

Alvarez said her group has collected 170,000 valid signatures and is aiming for a total of 435,000 signatures by the May deadline - 100,000 more than what is required to offset any names that might be deemed invalid.

Arpaio backers, meantime, aren't taking the effort lightly.

"We are preparing for the worst. And who knows if they have some buddies out there with deep pockets," said Arpaio campaign manager Chad Willems, pointing out that labor groups contributed $600,000 to an anti-Arpaio group in last year's election.

Recall organizers said those groups are using their money this year to push for an overhaul of the nation's immigration policies.

Arpaio declined an interview request about the recall effort. In the past, the sheriff has apologized for the bungled sex-crimes investigations and said his office has moved to clear up the cases and taken steps to prevent a repeat of the problem. He also has vigorously denied allegations in lawsuits by the U.S. Justice Department and a group of Latinos that his deputies racially profiled people in traffic patrols targeting illegal immigrants.

Arpaio allies have mobilized to try to protect the sheriff.

One group filed a still-pending lawsuit that asks a judge to order an end to the recall effort. And Arpaio allies at the Legislature proposed retroactively adding a primary to recall races - a move that would likely have benefited the sheriff - but the measure was defeated last week in the state Senate.

Arpaio's campaign committee has paid for its own signature-gatherers to circulate a non-binding petition that opposes the recall effort. Willems said the idea was to have the sheriff's supporters in the same public space as recall organizers to offer an alternative.

That's exactly what happened outside the music festival in downtown Phoenix on March 23. Frustrated by their lack of success, recall organizers chose a different spot to try and collect signatures the following day: an anti-bullying event.

 

Bon Jovi | Jobing.com Arena | Glendale Events at azfamily.com

Bon Jovi | Jobing.com Arena | Glendale Events at azfamily.com

Oh No Hot Weather Coming to AZ

Asian Chicken Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
 
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Avoid dry chicken breasts by using our Quick Broil cooking method — it's a great way to retain the moisture and flavor of chicken when you want to include it as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating. Enjoy this tasty recipe and the health benefits that come from it's wealth of health-promoting nutrients.

Asian Chicken Salad
 
 
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
• 5 cups Chinese cabbage, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup minced scallion
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 TBS toasted sesame seeds
• Optional: 2 TBS dried hijiki or arame seaweed, soaked in 1 cup warm water and chopped*
• Dressing
• 2 TBS extra olive oil
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 TBS honey
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt & white pepper to taste
• *The safety factors regarding sea vegetables, such as hijiki

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler. Place a stainless steel (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron skillet in the broiler, about 7 inches from the heat source, to get it very hot. Season chicken with a little salt and pepper.
2. If you are using hijiki or arame place it in a small bowl of hot water to soften for about 10 minutes.
3. While pan is heating, thinly slice cabbage, and shred carrot. Carrot is easily shredded in food processor with shredding blade. Otherwise you can shred it by hand, or slice it thin. Chop cilantro and scallion cabbage and carrot mixture. Add sliced almonds. Squeeze excess water from hijiki, chop if needed, and add to salad.
4. When pan is hot, about 10 minutes, remove from broiler, and place chicken in pan, skin side up, and return to broiler. Cook for about 15 minutes depending on thickness of chicken. This is our Quick Broil cooking method. When done and cool enough to touch, remove skin, and cut into bite-size pieces.
5. Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss with cabbage mixture and chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. (You can buy sesame seeds that are already toasted.)

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Asian Chicken Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Asian Chicken Salad
Healthy Food Tip

What's the best way to benefit from olives in my Healthiest Way of Eating?

If you think you're getting the full benefits of olives by including a little olive oil in your salad dressing, think again. Researchers in Heidelberg, Germany have looked at all different types and forms of olives — including black olives, green olives, extra virgin olive oil, and refined virgin olive oil — and brining processes used in the olive industry, and their results tell us that there are even more potential health benefits in olives than previously thought.
But to get all of these health benefits, you'll probably need to expand the forms and types of olives that you include in your Healthiest Way of Eating. For example, suppose you've been a devoted fan of green olives, but you have never ventured out into the black olive category. In this case, you are missing out on the type of whole olive with the greatest concentration of phenolic antioxidants and the greatest antioxidant capacity! Including some black olives in your Healthiest Way of Eating is going to increase your health benefits in this regard.
Or suppose that you only eat whole olives, and you have traditionally considered olive oil to be of little value when it comes to health. In this case, you're missing out on some particular antioxidants (like secoiridoids and lignans) that are especially concentrated in the oil. You're going to need the oil to get these special health benefits. And you won't be able to settle for refined virgin olive oil, either. By insisting on extra virgin olive oil, you'll be doubling or tripling your intake of these unique antioxidants! (Since the processing of olives into oils can concentrate the olives' fat, it can also concentrate some of their fat-soluble nutrients. In addition, certain steps in the production process allow nutrients in different parts of the olive to combine with the oil, once again allowing olive oil to become more concentrated in certain nutrients.)
The olives you might want to focus less attention on are those prepared using the Spanish brining process. According to the research results of this study, this process seemed to take too great a toll on some of the phenolic antioxidants found in olives.
What potential health benefits might be associated with a greater emphasis on consuming extra virgin olive oil and an array of different types of olives? Researchers in this study concluded that olive oil and olives were very likely to be an even greater reason for the cancer-protective effects of the Mediterranean diet than previously suspected — and more specifically, more important for protection against breast and colorectal cancer, and in a somewhat surprising finding, against skin cancer as well.

LOTUS INSPIRATIONS

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LOTUS INSPIRATIONS

 

 

HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
- Mahatma Gandhi

 Always be willing to pro-actively hold on to your dreams, vision and desires; regardless to what others may think, feel or even mindlessly say.

The race is given to the one who endures unto the end...

 Quantum Touch Healing (coming soon!)

(800)979-3496

www.ahnaysatori.com
www.twitter.com/ahnaysatori

Register for the Manifest Workshop Today!

 

Linda's "The Best" Pet Sitting Service (Mesa, AZ)

Charges for My Pet Sitting Services (Mesa,AZ)

Small size dogs:

$15.00 a day including nights - $5.00 if the dog gets picked up in the morning or in the afternoon. $10.00 if the dog gets picked up at night. (Ex: 2 days = 20.00 picked up in the morning or afternoon. 25.00 picked up at night)

2 Dogs: 

$20.00 ad day including nights - $5.00 if the dogs gets picked up in the morning or in the afternoon. $10.00 if the dogs get picked up night. (Ex: 2 days = 25.00 picked up in the morning or afternoon. 30.00 picked up at night)

Medium size dogs:

$20.00 a day including nights - $5.00 if the dog gets picked up in the morning or in the afternoon. $10.00 if the dog gets picked up at night. (Ex: 2 days = 25.00 picked up in the morning or afternoon. 30.00 picked up at night)

2 Dogs:

$25.00 a day including nights - $5.00 if the dogs gets picked up in the morning or in the afternoon. $10.00 if the dogs get picked up at night. (Ex: 2 days = 30.00 picked up in the morning or afternoon. 35.00 picked up at night)

Large size dogs:

$25.00 a day including nights - $5.00 if the dog gets picked up in the morning or in the afternoon. $10.00 if the dog gets picked up at night. (Ex: 2 days = 30.00 picked up in the morning or afternoon. 35.00 picked up at night)

2 Dogs:

$30.00 a day including nights - $5.00 if the dogs gets picked up in the morning or in the afternoon. $10.00 if the dogs get picked up at night. (Ex: 2 days = 35.00 picked up in the morning or afternoon. 40.00 picked up at night)

If have questions you can email me @ Elsaiah9@aol.com and I will be happy to discuss the charges and my pet sitting service with you!

Linda

Have High Blood Pressure?? Try this Beet Juice!

 


Sip on This: Beet Juice Lowers Blood Pressure

A single 8-ounce pour of beet juice lowered blood pressure significantly in people with hypertension, according to a new study. By Johannah Sakimura, Everyday Health Staff Writer beet juice blood pressure Beet juice not your cup of tea? See 7 more veggies that offer similar benefits. MONDAY, April 15, 2013 — A glass of beet juice a day may not keep the cardiologist away, but it could give your heart a solid boost. People with high blood pressure who drank a cup of the earthy purple brew lowered their blood pressure for up to 24 hours, according to a small study published today in the journal Hypertension. “It is well known that eating fruits and vegetables is good for cardiovascular health,” said Amrita Ahluwalia, PhD, the lead author of the study and a professor of vascular biology at The Barts and The London Medical School in London. However, vegetables that are rich in compounds call nitrates, including beets and their juice, may offer special benefits for people with elevated blood pressure, she said. In the body, nitrates from food are converted into nitrites and ultimately nitric oxide. This gas expands blood vessels, which improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure. Nitric oxide has the opposite effect of stress or cold temperatures, which cause blood vessels to constrict, thus raising blood pressure temporarily. In the study, 15 adults with stage 1 hypertension — defined as systolic blood pressure between 140 and 159 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) — drank about 8 ounces of beet juice or the same amount of water with a low nitrate content and had their blood pressure monitored for the next 24 hours. A cup of beet juice has roughly the same nitrate content as two whole beets. Click here to read for info.

15-Minute Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Mustard and Tarragon

Today's Recipe

If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Try this quick-and-easy recipe that combines the great tastes of chicken, Dijon mustard and tarragon to your Healthiest Way of Eating. Fresh herbs are a great way to enhance the taste of your meals and enjoy extra health-promoting nutrients as well.
15-Minute Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Mustard and Tarragon
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion cut in half and sliced medium thick
• 5 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 TBS Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS + 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 TBS chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 tsp dried tarragon)
• 2 TBS chopped fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried parsley)
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice onion and press garlic and let sit for 5-10 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 2 minutes.
3. While onions are sautéing, cut chicken into pieces. Add chicken pieces and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently to seal chicken on all sides. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
4. Add mustard, 1/2 cup broth, and honey. Mix thoroughly and simmer uncovered for about 7-8 minutes on medium-high heat stirring occasionally to cook chicken evenly. This will also reduce sauce.
5. While chicken is cooking, chop herbs and add at end with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestion: Serve with

• Mediterranean Swiss Chard

Printer Friendly Version of 15-Minute Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Mustard and Tarragon
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for 15-Minute Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Mustard and Tarragon
Healthy Food Tip

What do you think about cooking vegetables in a microwave?

We get many questions about whether we recommend cooking vegetables in a microwave. As you will see throughout our website, light steaming is our cooking method of choice for most vegetables. Loss of nutrients in the microwave depends on the same factors involved with loss of nutrients on the stovetop.
To predict the nutrient loss, it's important to know answers to questions like: "Is the vegetable placed in water? How much water? To what temperature are the vegetable and water heated? For how long? We've seen studies showing minimal loss of nutrients from microwaved vegetables, and we've also seen studies showing substantial loss. In general, we prefer stovetop steaming that can be accomplished in as little time as microwaving while providing a more even heat.

Southwestern Salmon & Black Beans - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Add this amazing flavor blend that combines the sweetness of the salmon, richness of black beans, and the zestiness of the topping to your Healthiest Way of Eating and enjoy!

Southwestern Salmon & Black Beans
 
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb salmon cut into 4 pieces, skin and bones removed
• 1 small sized onion, minced
• 1 small sized red bell pepper, diced 1/4 inch
• 4 medium cloves garlic pressed
• 1 TBS + 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups or 15 oz can black beans (BPA free), drained
• 1-1/2; TBS red chili powder
• about 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce, outer leaves discarded
• 1 medium avocado, cut into cubes
• 
  
• Sauce:
• 2 TBS fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 TBS fresh chopped mint
• 1 TBS fresh chopped basil
• 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS chopped pumpkin seeds
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season salmon with a little salt and pepper. Set aside while you chop and sauté vegetables.
2. Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to enhance their hidden health benefits.
3. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-12 inch stainless steel skillet. When broth begins to steam add onion, bell pepper and garlic and Healthy Sauté on medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add 1/2 cup broth, drained beans, and red chili powder. Cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. While beans are cooking, preheat broiler. Place a stainless steel or cast iron skillet large enough for salmon under the heat to get hot. This takes about 10 minutes.
6. In a bowl mix together cilantro, mint, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper.
7. Place salmon in the hot pan and return to broiler about 5 inches from the heat source for best results. Broil salmon for about 7 minutes for medium doneness. This is our Quick Broil cooking method. Serve salmon, beans, lettuce and avocado together on a plate. Top salmon and lettuce with cilantro topping.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Southwestern Salmon & Black Beans
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Southwestern Salmon & Black Beans
Healthy Food Tip

What is the relationship between overproduction of histamines and foods such as cinnamon?

I've only seen one published research study involving the relationship between cinnamon and histamine, and that study showed that cinnamon was effective in preventing excessive formation of histamine!
Certain foods do indeed have high histamine content. Histamine is a substance typically produced from the amino acid histidine. This amino acid is found in many protein-containing foods, especially if those foods have had time to age. When a food is high in the amino acid histidine and certain types of bacteria are given enough time to start metabolizing parts of the food, they can convert histidine amino acids found in the food's proteins into histamine. (In biochemical terms, they decarboxylate the histidine using a decarboxylase enzyme.)
Practically speaking, since this buildup of histamine from histidine in food can take a good bit of time, it is often aged, higher protein foods that contain larger amounts of preformed histamine. These foods can include fermented soybean products (like fermented soy sauce), many cheeses, and other fermented foods like sauerkraut. Aged meats can also contain higher amounts of preformed histamine. When fish starts to spoil-even before the signs of spoilage are detectable-there can be a buildup of histamine in the fish from this same bacterial process. For this reason, it's important to include the freshest of fish in your Healthiest Way of Eating if you are trying to avoid all preformed food histamines.
The histamine question gets more complicated, however, when you consider the digestion of any higher protein food. Certain bacteria found in the digestive tract can also take the histidine in any food and convert it into histamine. In other words, if a person does not have a fully healthy digestive tract, there is a chance that his or her body will end up with too much food histamine, not because that histamine is found preformed in food, but because the histidine amino acids in food are being converted into histamine inside of the digestive tract. In this case, avoiding high-histamine foods won't help a person nearly as much as restoring digestive vitality and digestive tract function.
In my book, The World's Healthiest Foods, I note that there are 160 milligrams of total protein in two teaspoons of ground cinnamon. I've been unable to find a breakdown of specific amino acids in cinnamon, but there would definitely be far lower than 160 milligrams of histidine in two teaspoons of cinnamon because there would be a pattern of various amino acids in this spice (like in every spice). For this reason, cinnamon would be an unlikely source for much histamine exposure (either preformed in the spice or formed upon breakdown in the digestive tract).
One nutrient that stands out in the histamine allergy research is vitamin B6. In the cells that line our digestive tract (and elsewhere in our body as well) there are enzymes called diamine oxidases. These enzymes can break down histamine into other substances before it gets absorbed into our bloodstream. They are also enzymes that require vitamin B6 to function. Making sure that you've got optimal B6 intake is one way to help lower the risk of histamine reaction in your body. In my book, you'll find a full profile of vitamin B6 and food that provide it in the greatest quantity.
For more information on this topic, please see:

• Cinnamon
• Vitamin B6

References:
Csaba G, Kovacs P, Tothfalusi L, et al. Prolonged effect of stress (water and food deprivation) at weaning or in adult age on the triiodothyronine and histamine content of immune cells. Horm Metab Res. 2005;37(11):711-5.
Oguri S, Enami M, Soga N. Selective analysis of histamine in food by means of solid-phase extraction cleanup and chromatographic separation. J Chromatogr A. 2007;1139(1):70-4.
Sato T, Horiuchi T, Nishimura I. Simple and rapid determination of histamine in food using a new histamine dehydrogenase from Rhizobium sp. Anal Biochem. 2005;346(2):320-6.
Wood JD. Histamine, mast cells, and the enteric nervous system in the irritable bowel syndrome, enteritis, and food allergies. Gut. 2006; 55(4):445-7.