Reconsidering the steam room

Ned's many friends may recall that he mused recently on the possible health benefits of regular visits to a steam room, since research has shown that breathing in a salty mist is good for one's sinuses. However, recently Ned has come down with two annoying minor sinus infections (here he is practicing medicine without a license, since he would never put his health in the hands of the medical cranks for such a minor complaint). He is now moved to wonder whether in fact the steam room may not be an incubator for germs of all stripes and persuasions, given the wet conditions and warm temperatures. Therefore, from now on he will confine his (all too few) leisurely moments at his gym--er, health club, to the salt water hot tub.
He will report on his findings at a later date.

Dental health

Ned had his biannual cleaning (that is, once every two years--of course the quacks tell you to do it twice a year because of $$$). The hygienist said, 'if everyone had gums and teeth like yours I'd be out of a job.' Here's why: Ned does not drink colas, nor fruit juices. Colas especially are deadly to one's teeth, whether sugared or not, because of the carbonation and the phosphoric acid. These two substances render the pH of the diabolical stuff down around 2.5 or so--highly acidic, which eats away at one's teeth. Moreover, the sugar provides food for bacteria. Bad combination.
So eat fruit, don't drink juice. Brush twice a day, and swish water around in the mouth regularly to keep those bacteria unhappy. Floss also. Gum chewing is OK, especially xylitol gum which the bacteria don't like. And the chewing generates saliva which adds minerals back to teeth.
Happy dentine.

Fancy coleslaw

Ned's many friends know he loves coleslaw in moderation, and he has posted his recipe for making healthful coleslaw. His friends recall that Ned recommended buying the deli stuff at their favorite store, and then mixing the deli stuff with packaged coleslaw, organic if they can get it, to cut down on bad stuff like salt and too much fat. Now Ned would like to recommend his friends add finely chopped red pepper (he prefers Spanish Sweet Peppers) to their slaw. It add color, texture and nutrient, and further dilutes salt and fat content.
Bon appetit!

New Advice on Vitamin D

Ned's friends know that he has often touted the value of Vitamin D supplements in winter months, and in summer for those who feel they must slather themselves in sunscreen. Ned also has recommended D3 as the form researchers report as the most easy to absorb. Comes word however that another thing must be emphasized, that of taking fat along with the pill. Of course, the easiest way to do this is always take a Vitamin D supplement (and never mix anything with the D, by the way) with a meal. But now Ned must amend his advice to read a meal containing fat. We know that many of our benighted friends associate 'low fat' with health, and, while we bemoan such ignorance, we know that leopards are loth to change their spots.
Therefore, we recommend Vitamin D3 supplements taken with a meal containing fat--good fats include nut butters, olive oil and even butter (unsalted BGH free and in moderation).
Ned wishes his friends a very good day.

Multivitamins: beware

Ned had occasion to read on his local "public affairs" TV channel that some bunch of experts has concluded, from a study, that older women are more likely to die if they are taking multivitamins that if not. Now, Ned has no way to assess the validity of the purported study but common sense dictates that it is foolish to take such pills, composed as they are of both lipophobic and lipophilic compounds. Moreover taking those damned things lulls the ignorant into a false sense of security, such that they probably think it no longer matters what they eat just as long as they take their pills. Finally, it is easy to take too much of some nutrients in pill form. For all these reasons Ned has long cautioned about taking anything in pill form unless absolutely necessary and thoroughly researched. For example, it is advisable to take a Vitamin D supplement (1,000 IU of D3) daily in most latitude zones outside the tropics during October-April, when sun angle is low and cloud cover is high. Also, smokers, especially cigar smokers would do well to take a Vitamin C supplement (always with food), because it is great for your mouth and throat. And vegetarians must be careful about Vitamin B12 deficiencies.

Fighting winter's blahs: fluids!

Five days of rain have stirred Ned from his summer ideal-weather-induced stupor. He is now ready to prepare his many friends for the trials of winter, so for the next few days, he will provide his proven tips for staying healthy during the winter.

Drink plenty of water. This can be hard to do, especially when we may not feel thirsty. But plenty of water is great for us especially as we get older and cramps lurk in the shadows.

Eat plenty of fruit but avoid fruit juice. Fruit is great for us, but fruit juice is too easy to gulp down, has no fiber, and is calorie and sugar-rich. Far better to eat an apple than to gulp down some apple juice.

Drink low-salt vegetable juice. Ned's admonition against fruit juices does not apply to vegetable juices, because they are low in calories, have little sugar, and have some fiber. And they are a great way to get potassium and other minerals and vitamins.

Try liquids like kefir or even buttermilk, if you can find the latter in a low-salt form. These fluids, although they can have lots of calories so must be taken carefully, have lots of probiotics, and are great sources of calcium and protein.

Drink plenty of tea if you can, and a modicum of coffee. Be careful of sugaring and overly creaming that tea and coffee.

Ned wishes his friends a healthy autumn!

Vitamin D

The New England Journal of Medicine or some such journal had a report of a study of cancer patients, finding that three-quarters of cancer patients in the study had a Vitamin D deficiency, and more interestingly, those patients with the worst cancers had the lowest levels of Vitamin D. Two possible conclusions: cancer eats Vitamin D or Vitamin D is important in fighting off cancer. We report, you decide.

Adding stuff to beet salads

Ned forgot to mention that his friends can add stuff to his recipe for grated beet salad: core an apple and grate that, maybe add a carrot if that is to your liking.

Enjoying beets

Ned's friends are aware that nearly from the first day of this poor blog, he has been extolling the virtues of beets. But he is also aware that beets are a lot of trouble to enjoy fresh, as they make an unholy mess. Eating cooked beets is fine as far as it goes, but many of the powerful goodies in beets are lost in cooking, alas. Therefore Ned would like to propose a solution, breaking the horns of the dilemma so to speak.
Ned's fresh grated beets

Grate 3-4 beets, scrubbed clean with one of those nonscratch sponge thingies. You can grate them in a food processor, or you can drive yourself mad trying to do it by hand. Ned likes golden, red and purple beets. And a medley is so beautiful, it-a make-a you cry.

Add olive oil to the grated beets and then dijon mustard. Mix to taste.
Put in the refrig for a few hours to let the flavors meld and the vinegar to soften the beets a bit.

Enjoy and get healthy.

A Steam Room?

Ned saw what he at first thought to be a silly news report, in that coffee and tea drinkers seemed to have fewer nasal infections and fewer colds than those who did not drink tea or coffee. It was hypothesized that the reason was the people were breathing in steam from the hot drinks, which made Ned laugh at it's simplicity and lack of logic. But then.... Ned recalled that he had been going to his gym for about 18 months. One of the features of the facility was a steam room, which Ned regularly frequents unless driven out by Vietnamese jabbering away at the top of their lungs in Vietnamese (Ned hastens to add that he would be just as upset at anyone jabbering away in such a public place, but we digress). Ned cannot recall the last time he was sick. So Ned wonders, could it be the steam? And, if so, can Ned become the Emperor of Steam?

Ned's healthy biscuits

Ned has cobbled together a recipe for nutritious biscuits (not cookies for our UK friends). Here is the recipe:

1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 TB baking powder
2 c. flour (1 and 1/3 c whole wheat, 1/3 c oat bran, and 1/3 c high gluten unbleached)
7-8 generous pats cold butter (about 1/4 pound)

Turn oven to 450, then begin. It is important to put the biscuits into a hot oven as quickly as you can because the baking powder and baking soda starts to react with the buttermilk quickly.

Mix dry ingredients
Cut cold butter into small pieces and dump into dry ingredients. With your hands, mash the butter into the dry stuff until you have made sort of a meal, and the butter is mixed. Oil a baking sheet. Check the oven. Is the temp near 450? Then go. Add and mix buttermilk, then turn the dough onto a baking sheet and knead a few times. Add more flour as needed. Cut about 2 inch rounds of dough with whatever you have. Ned used a glass dipped in flour.
Place the biscuits (about 15) onto the baking sheet and put them into the 450 oven. Bake about 15 minutes then check. Check oven for correct temp also. Take out when biscuits are nice and brown. Fantastic and loaded with fiber.

Ned's efficient shopping trip

It being necessary to drive to the Honda dealer to get a part replaced on Ned's 1992 Civic (a classic and not for sale), Ned, upon leaving the dealer, drove a short distance--perhaps a mile, to his local Trader Joe's, where he purchased a half gallon of his favorite vegetable juice, low-salt Garden Patch. He then drove a further half-mile to his local Grocery Outlet, which carries excellent, healthful, organic whole grain chips. He purchased a bag of Beanitos (see a pervious post) and a bag of whole grain flax, brown rice and whatever chips, both loaded with fiber and protein and with almost no salt. Then a mile and a bit further to his local Fred Meyer, where he purchased some wild caught coho salmon (six bucks a pound), three organic navel oranges (99 cents a pound), and four organic bananas (99 cents a pound). Then, since Ned's local co-op was directly on the way home, he stopped there to put in an hour of work, and bought some organic zucchini (he forgets the cost but they were on sale), an onion, and a couple of Cameo apples from Washington. Then he returned home, to set out again later on his bike to pay his f***ing property taxes.

Ned's healthy lunch

Ned feared he would have little for lunch, but he found some Beanito black bean chips (see earlier post). Here was his lunch.

One serving Beanitos, about 10-12 chips, maybe 150 calories and 55 grams sodium.

One serving Ry-Crisp, or two wafers: high in fiber and good protein, lots of whole grain rye and oats, and a bit of sesame seed. Only about 70 mg salt.

One half large Fuji apple, from Washington State: great fiber, anti-oxidants and vitamins and minerals.

A quarter of a Navel orange from CA--heck, go crazy and eat a whole one if you like: great source of fiber and nutrients. Ned also likes to eat the inside out of the skin, as he likes it, and he read somewhere that it has lots of bioflavenoids.

One and a half ounces of parmesan or some other fairly low-sodium cheese. Good protein source.

A swig or two of Trader Joe's Garden Patch low-sodium veggie juice.

If you need a sweet, Ned recommends a bit of blackstrap molasses (loaded with minerals) and a few dry roasted almonds.

Ned's take on fruit juice

Ned's friends know he has become leery of drinking fruit juice, because of the high glycemic index, low fiber, and high sugar. It is not a very good way to get vitamins either--since there is too much sugar. Ned recommends eating fruit: more fiber, it takes longer so you eat less, and very good source of potassium in many cases.
Ned would also like to reiterate his disdain for those "organic" juices that advertise themselves as "blueberry", "cherry", "pomegranite" and the like, when in fact they are mixtures of apple and perhaps grape uice, high in sugar, with a token amount of the other fruits in big letters on the label. Read the label carefully. Ned advises his friends to check the sugar content of any such juices, and avoid them if they have more than about 12 grams per serving.
Ned also reminds his friends about the virtues of Trader Joe's "Garden Patch" low sodium vegetable juice: high in fiber, low in sugar, and low in salt.

Beanitos

Ned has discovered a chip called Beanitos, which are made with only five ingredients: black beans, brown rice, oil, guar gum (don't panic) and sea salt. The salt is only 55 mg per serving--one ounce. The chips are loaded with protein (complete) and fiber, and so the gycemic index is quite low. They are gluten-free for those chicken-littles in our audience. And they are cheap, delicious and don't make you "gas up."
Made by some outfit in Austin Texas. Look for them: a part of a great lunch if used in moderation.

Tilapia: health food?

Touted as a cheap "health food" by many, this invasive fish species is found more and more on the dinner tables of America, and in our restaurants. Today's NYT carried an article on tilapia farming in Central America. Seems the health claims are a bit far fetched.
The fish when farmed are fed soymeal and corn pellets, generally industrially raised, which means lots of herbicides and pesticides, or genetically modified seed. If they were allowed to eat the algae and other plants from the ponds and lakes where they are found as native species, they may contain some healthful levels of omega 3's, but fed pellets, no. Then, they dump huge quantities of waste into the waters, which, unless collected for fertilizer, eventually destroys the lake. Finally, they are shipped fresh by jet to the U.S., often arriving within 12 hours of swimming around in their pond. Hard to justify using jet fuel, producing CO2, for this.
It does however provide jobs for locals who otherwise might emigrate to the U.S.
Ned's overall take: if you can find tilapia raised in the U.S., it's a decent substitute for chicken.
Otherwise, stay with the salmon, and Ned recommends the canned variety from Alaska, which is wild caught, and you can get it with no salt added. This stuff is loaded with omega 3's and is good for you, but don't overdo it.
Ned had a recipe in an earlier post.

Ned's healthy meatballs

Here's one of Ned's favorite healthful recipes, with lean buffalo, oats, herbs and onions and garlic.

To 1/2 lb lean ground buffalo (Ned doesn't eat beef) add i/3 to 1/2 c chopped sauteed onion with three or four crushed and diced garlic cloves thrown in. Add 1/4 c coarsely ground oats. Ned uses a food processor and grinds the oats to the consistency of coarse bread crumbs. Mix well. Add pepper if desired. Makes about 12 smallish meatballs.
The sauce
Use 1 qt of home canned skinned chopped tomatoes if you can get it, otherwise a large can of salt-free chopped tomatoes, organic if possible. Drain juice and save. Saute the tomatoes with 1/2 c chopped onions, and garlic if desired. Add a sprig of rosemary and a few oregano leaves. You can also add up to a half cup of red wine of you like.
Cook the tomatoes until well reduced, at least an hour on fairly low heat.
Then add the meatballs, which you can have browned earlier if you like. Then add as much of the tomato juice as you like and let the meatballs cook until done. Test after twenty minutes or so.
Serve with polenta and a green salad.

More on the goodness of oats

Ned has shared with his friends his recipe for oatmeal cookies, and will now suggest a bit of a twist: before adding oats to the dry ingredients, place them in a food processor and grind for a few seconds to make the flakes much smaller. They will absorb any liquids better and mix easier. Ned also likes the flavor, and his last batch was made with dried cranberries sweetened with apple juice. If his friends add dried fruits, remember to decrease the sugar as well. Ned used 1/3 cup with the 1/2 c of dried cranberries. And, don't forget the cocoa. Add a heaping teaspoon. Good and great for you!

Foods to avoid

Here's a list of foods to avoid--not religiously, but as a general rule--some occasional backsliding OK as long as one keeps up with one's exercise regime:

White bread in general--mainly devoid of nutrients, low in fiber and protein and with a high glycemic index--bad, bad, bad. This includes white bagels and crackers as well.

Pasta, except for whole grain, for the same reasons as white bread; moreover, it's too easy to overeat because of what it is served with.

Fruit juice except in real moderation, because of the high sugar content. Get your nutrients from whole fruits like apples and oranges, instead of apple and orange juice. And the stuff called "cranberry juice cocktail" is crap.

Mashed, skinned potatoes. Glycemic index off the chart and usually mixed with cream, butter, etc. Now eating whole potatoes--another matter. They are good for you.

Boxed cereal in general, due to its high sugar content, high salt content and low whole grain content. Read the label carefully and avoid high sugar and salt varieties especially.

Canned soups due to the high salt content and loads of artificial ingredients. Again, read the label. Make your own out of low-sodium stock and vegetables, etc.

Commercially mass-produced pies and cakes. Make your own cookies, cobblers and brownies using Ned's recipes.

Artificial sweetners and creamers.

Frou-frou drincks from Starbucks and elsewhere, and avoid large sizes. Get the "tall" size and avoid saying "grande" because it makes you look cosmopolitan.

Watch those mixed drinks with lots of sugar. Bad, bad, bad.

Ned will have more suggestions as the spirit moves him.

More oats goodies!

Since oats are such a wonder food, cheap and wholesome, Ned offers yet another great simple oats recipe, with a twist (not of lemon, regrettably): oats pancakes!
Recipe

Preheat cast iron skillet, when hot add butter.
Mix together
1 cup buttermilk, add more if needed
1/2 c ww flour
1/2 c quick oats, ground in a food processor so they are the consistency of oat bran
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg

Mix dry ingredients
beat egg and mix with buttermilk

Add liquid to dry ingredients and mix well but don't beat
Spoon into hot skillet and cook until browned
Serve with fresh fruit like banana and orange slices or blueberries
or molasses and nut butter.

Oats and Mickey D's

Ned is reliably informed that that pantheon of gastronomy, McDonald's, has decided to wade into the nutritious food quagmire, and is now offering oatmeal. Ned suspected that the offering was wolf in sheep's clothing, and today's NYT contains a report from a foodie decrying the lack of anything nutritious in McD's oatmeal offering. Therefore, suspicions confirmed. If Ned's friends want to savor the joys of oats, they can simply buy some quick oats and mix them with hot water, and any goodies they like such as dried fruit, nuts, sesame seeds, molasses, or even fresh fruit. Or they can mix some oats, garlic powder and onion in with ground lamb or buffalo to make patties or meatballs for a nutritious meat entree. Or they can make Ned's oatmeal cookies. The recipe is
2 c. quick oats
1/3 c flour
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. butter
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 c. currants
Mix dry ingredients. Soften butter and mix in. Add currants and egg. Mix completely and, using a tablespoon, drop equal-sized dollops onto a baking sheet, enough to make about 15 cookies. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes, then turn oven off and bake 3-5 minutes more. Cool and enjoy.

If you must eat chips...

Ned apologizes to his many friends for his dearth of posts lately, but promises to be more attentive in future. The truth is, the mental energy necessary to create the Great Saga of the Dwarf Lords and the Magic Negro, posted on Ned's sister blog, was overwhelming and Ned had to rest. But he is now back and advises his friends that if they must eat chips, he recommends chips from Trader Joe's or R.W. Garcia, both of whom make chips with high fiber and relatively low calories and sodium. The fiber may be key, and some contain flax seed, which is pretty good for you even though the body has difficulty absorbing the good fatty acids from flax. Ned advises his friends to eat the chips slowly, and accompany them with a large fuji apple and some vegetable juice, with cheese if desired. It is important to read the label and only get chips with a few ingredients and only those ingredients that a non-biochemist can understand.

Dried veggies?

One of Ned's tasks is to, once a week, act as volunteer sanitizer for his local food co-operative. Today, he had occasion to observe a fascinating plastic tub that had been left to be sanitized and reused. It had contained dried vegetable chips-carrots, squash, beets and all sorts of goodies--, which immediately piqued Ned's interest, which his friends will appreciate knowing Ned's penchant for healthy foods. Upon more careful observation, Ned observed that the chips were, as he suspected, imported, in this case from Taiwan and Vietnam. Now as a rule Ned has no objection to imported items as such, but in this case he began to muse on the question of why, as the "garden of the world," this country couldn't produce its own dried vegetable chips. Ned's explanation is as follows:
First, drying vegetables is energy intensive, so those countries that subsidize energy use or that do not require state of the art pollution controls on power plants will have an inherent advantage.
Second, obviously in the case of Vietnam the labor cost are very low, even given the swarms of illegal immigrants working for pittances in America's fields.
Third, shipping costs for dried vegetables would be very low, since the water has all been taken out. Moreover, some of Ned's friends will be aware that transocean shipping is heavily subsidized, in that countries are forbidden by international treaties from taxing cargo fuel.
And finally, that fuel, called "bunker fuel" or fuel oil number 6, is the cheapest fuel available, because virtually none of the sulfur has been removed in the refining process. As a result it's pollution load on the ocean and on coastal communities is very high. In some coastal cities in Orego and California, around a third of the air pollution is from offshore vessels.
In short, because of subsidies, it is probably cheaper to dry vegetables in Vietnam and transport them 6,000 miles or more by cargo ship to America than it is to ship the same vegetables by train or diesel truck, using taxed, refined and purified fuel, from California to Oregon, a distance of 600 miles or less.
But Ned continues to recommend dried vegetable chips, even imported ones, as a health food if one is
not burdened by such concerns.