Living It With Lisa

I came across this poem recently.  Many of us can relate to the experience of waking up and searching for our own voice and belief in ourselves when the going is tough.

THE JOURNEY

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the
old tug at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations—
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life that you could save.

– Mary Oliver

Blueberries are considered a superfood and featured on Healthcastle this month. Good for EVERYONE in their diet. Including Diabetics and those looking for low glycemic foods.  Read on…. Highlighting this month’s food of the month was pretty easy work. Blueberries, our choice for August, are truly nutritional superstars.  They are also tasty and easily found in markets and stores across North America, with multiple varieties to choose from.  The fruit can range in size from tiny pea-sized balls to those as big as marbles and can be any color from blue to maroon to dark purple.  Blueberries can be tart and a little crunchy when unripe; as the berries ripen the flesh softens and the fruit sweetens.

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You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.  You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.  You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.   You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.  You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.  You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence.  You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

Abraham Lincoln

We know that high fructose corn syrup is bad for you.  Are you scanning your labels to make sure it is not in the food you are buying?  Now, if you aren’t buying processed foods you won’t have a label to read!  Ok, not even I am that dedicate but every little step we take towards conscious choice with more wholesome and natural ingredients helps us feed our body so it is not fighting and protecting us from potential toxins in processed foods.   

So what’s the deal with this sweetener?  The following article by Toby Amidor gives us some insight. 

What is it?
 High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) started making its name in the 1980s as a cheap alternative to sugar. Sugar is made from two sub-units: glucose and fructose.  HFCS is made from those same two subunits — just with some extra help from the lab.  Basically put, HFCS starts out as cornstarch, which is made of glucose, and then some of that glucose is converted via chemical processes to fructose.  So, you see, there’s some manipulation that goes into making it.

Where is it found?
 Everywhere. Yes, everywhere!  Bread, cookies, soda, cold cereals, candy, ketchup, lunch meats, yogurts, soups, jams, chocolate syrup — you name it and it probably contains HFCS.  On a recent supermarket trip, I spent 15 minutes in the bread aisle trying to find a loaf without this sweetener.  It’s become so mainstream in our food supply that it’s sometimes difficult to completely eliminate it from your diet. 

What has sparked the controversy?
  As the use of HFCS increased, so did American’s waistlines. Once that news surfaced, the public went crazy and the HFCS backlash began.  According to The American Medical Association, HFCS does not contribute more to obesity than sugar or other caloric sweeteners.

According to nutritionist, author, professor  Marion Nestle, “Biochemically, high fructose corn syrup is about the same as table sugar (both have about the same amount of fructose and calories), but it is in everything and Americans eat a lot of it — nearly 60 pounds per capita in 2006, just a bit less than pounds of table sugar.”

The Latest Issues
 A study released in January revealed that almost half of the commercial food products tested that contained HFCS also contained mercury.  Understandably, the media went wild because mercury is toxic and has been linked to neurological damage in humans.  Not surprisingly, the Corn Refiners Association released a statement claiming that the study was flawed and failed to properly conduct their study.

The Bottom Line
 HFCS is found in many packaged foods and hard to avoid.  If possible, opt for products without the sweetener or ones that list HFCS lower down on the ingredients (the closer it is to the end of the list, the less it contains).  Sticking to a whole diet with fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, grains and legumes can help minimize your consumption.  And, as we always say, moderation is key.

The other day I got an email that FLOORED me.  There has been lots of banter about obesity, and sometimes I admit that I will be very aware of how many people whose paths cross mine are decidedly overweight.  What I didn’t realized was that there was a study on just that.  So here it is…

The Trust for America’s Health released a new ranking of the U.S.’s fattest states.  Curious on where your state ranked?   Mississippi tops the list for the fifth year in a row — 32.5% of its adult residents are considered obese.  Colorado, meanwhile, continues to be the leanest with only 18.9% of adults falling into the obese category.  The saddest thing on their chart is that you can find the stats on obese kids in each state, too.

People it is time to wake up and do something!

Do you know anyone who is afflicted?   It is becoming a much smaller world as the majority of our population is obese which can be linked to diabetes.   Diabetes in many cases can be reversed with diet and exercise  but why wait until you are diagnosed.   Think about your food choices and improve them now so you have a better quatlity of life … the rest of your life.

I recently read that a study by Joslin Diabetes Center researchers showed that obese adults who lost just 7% of their weight and did moderate intensity exercise for six months improved their major blood vessel function by approximately 80%,  regardless of whether or not they had type 2 diabetes.

Why wait till you are overweight and on your way to obese.  Start today and make some changes.

Now that is something to think about…for the health of it!

I seem to be on a theme!  Weddings!  

After yesterdays post I remembered a poem that I had found.  We attended the wedding of the daughter of our friends Carol and Bill a few weeks ago.   Of course being the cooking gal I love to give great kitchen gifts to college graduates and newlyweds.

It just so happens that this particular bride benefited as a college grad with a LeCrueset Dutch Oven.  If you are not familiar with this brand they are fabulous.  Cast Iron encased in enamel.  What does that mean to a cook?  Even distribution of heat while cooking and even easier clean up!

So when it came time for a wedding gift, I decided that another one of my favorite mixing bowls of all time were on the menu.  The stainless steel set of 3 All Clad mixing bowls with side handles.  The handles provide a firm grip.  These bowls will last a lifetime or two.  

But it just wasn’t complete without a cookbook…and you know I have LOTS of favorites!  I wasn’t sure what their cooking skills were and I knew from experience that many of the “Bride and Groom” cookbooks were not so great for newbies in the kitchen.  My favorite cookbook this year to give as a gift has been Barefoot Contessa’s Back to Basics from Ina Garten.  So that was included.

I also never give a book without writing an inscription to the recipient.  So what was I to write in this cookbook that a young couple might relate to since I had never met either one?

Here is what I found and inscribed in the front of Nancy and Dan’s cookbook:

Is there a secret to a happy marriage?  A secret … no!  Common sense … yes!  But if you are looking for “the secret” this article may give you some insight from some very happily married couples who have figured out what “secret” works for them.   Who knows it may be a light bulb moment for you too. 

I would agree that laughter and humor is a key ingredient to a happy marriage.  Enjoy!

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/31910284/ns/today_weddings/

My Auntie Myrna sent this to me today and it is something we should all remember.  

========== 

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. 

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.  After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. 

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. 

“I love it,”  he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. 

“Mr. Jones, you haven’t seen the room; just wait.”

 “That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” he replied.  “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.  Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged … it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.”

“It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up.  I have a choice;  I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.”

“Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away.  Just for this time in my life.”

“Old age is like a bank account.  You withdraw from what you’ve put in.  So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!  Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.  I am still depositing…”

Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 

  1. Free your heart from hatred. 

  2. Free your mind from worries. 

  3. Live simply. 

  4. Give more. 

  5. Expect less.

As we celebrate today, let us not forget those who gave up all their tomorrows so that we could have ours.   My Aunt Dixie sent me several cartoons, of which, I am sharing 3 of them.  Enjoy!

God Bless America, Home of the Free and the Brave!