Healthy Table: Cucumbers skins provide beneficial nutrients for eyes

Today’s recipe mashup takes creamed cucumbers and combines it with pasta for a perfect, chilled, springtime salad.

Although cucumbers are generally low in nutrients, their skins are a surprisingly good source of lutein, a beneficial phytonutrient that may keep our eyes healthy. So, don’t remove the peel in today’s recipe. Cucumbers are also low in calories, one cup sliced has just 14 calories.

Cucumbers grow in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from inch-long gherkins to oversized English or hothouse varieties that can measure two feet. Seedless cucumbers worked well in this pasta salad. Look for cucumbers that are very firm and rounded on the ends. The skin should be deep, rich green in color, not pale or yellow.

I used white fiber pasta by Barilla in today’s salad. Made with semolina wheat, durum wheat, whole durum wheat flour, and corn starch, a 2-ounce serving (about 1 cup cooked) has six grams of fiber. That’s three times more fiber than regular pasta. And, it looks and tastes like regular pasta.

According to Barilla, some of the fiber comes from the corn starch. While most starches we eat are digested and absorbed in the small intestine, some escape or resist digestion and move to the large intestine where they function like dietary fiber. This type of starch is called resistant starch and is found in legumes, whole grains, seeds, under-ripe bananas, and the type of corn starch used in white fiber pasta.

Research suggests that resistant starches may help with weight control, better blood sugar control for people with, or at risk for type 2 diabetes, and promotion of a healthy gut. One thing I’ve noticed with this type of pasta is it maintains its texture. Even after a day in the refrigerator, the pasta in today’s salad held its shape and did not get mushy.

Darlene Zimmerman is a registered dietitian in Henry Ford Hospital’s Heart & Vascular
Institute. For questions about today’s recipe, call 313-972-1920.

Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad

Serves: 8 / Prep time: 20 minutes  / Total time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)

8 ounces whole-grain penne pasta
½ cup reduced-fat sour cream
⅓ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
 2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill weed
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cups sliced and halved seedless cucumbers
 ⅓ cup diced red onion

In a large saucepan of unsalted boiling water, cook pasta according to package
directions. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water; drain well and transfer to a
large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, dill
weed, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add cucumber and onion to pasta. Pour dressing
over pasta mixture, stirring gently to coat. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving,
allowing flavors to blend.

Created by  Ashley Allmond, Henry Ford Hospital
Dietetic Intern, for Heart Smart and tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

169 calories (27% from fat), 5 grams fat (1 gram sat. fat, 0 grams trans fat), 26 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 137 mg sodium, 10 mg cholesterol, 37 mg calcium, 3 gram fiber. Food exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat. 1 ½ starch. 

This Vegan Pistachio-Coconut Ice Cream Recipe Will Make You Rethink Non-Dairy Flavors

Homemade ice cream has come a long way—it no longer requires special equipment, loads of sugar, or even dairy if you don’t want it. (See: Healthy Ice Cream Sandwich Recipes That Will Change Summer Forever) By playing with ingredients and techniques, you can easily whip up something delicious and healthy. This dairy-free version from pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky of Nico Osteriain Chicago is a real knockout and a great place to start. Pistachios give it a rich and nutty flavor and add a healthy dose of B vitamins and minerals like potassium. (Here are more healthy pistachio recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth.)

Homemade Pistachio-Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

Serves: 6
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 4 hours 20 minutes (including 4 hours freezing)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or any unflavored oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 11/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 2 cans coconut cream, frozen for at least 2 hours or refrigerated overnight
• 3 tablespoons honey
• Fruit, coconut shavings, jam, or toasted nuts for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a loaf pan with foil and place in the freezer
2. On a baking tray, toast pistachios in oven for 5 minutes. Then add warm pistachios, oil, sugar, and small pinch of salt to a blender and process until mixture is smooth.
3. Open chilled cans of coconut cream. Scrape fat from the top into a mixing bowl. Discard remaining liquid or reserve it for another use. With a hand mixer, whip coconut cream until it is the consistency of soft whipped cream. Add the honey, 11/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/3 cup pistachio paste and fold gently until combined.
4. Pour mixture into the chilled loaf pan. Freeze for at least four hours. To serve, scoop the ice cream and add toppings if desired.

*Nutrition facts per serving: 247 calories, 32 g fat (17.4 g saturated), 18 g carbs, 4 g protein, 625 mg sodium

Source: Shape.com

Top 5 Weight Loss Apps to Help You Get Healthy

We know that there are a ton of apps for weight loss out right now on both iOS and Android. Since there are so many weight loss apps available, it can be hard to know which ones are really helpful. If you are trying to lose weight, you might decide to try out an app.

An app for weight loss can be very useful to you because it can help you see your goals and see your progression. Some apps for weight loss also contain helpful tips or a community so you can interact with other members. We know that losing weight can be challenging, so here are five apps for weight loss that can help you achieve your goals.

Fooducate– One of the best apps for weight loss out there is Fooducate. This is a free app on iOS and Android. Fooducate is an app that will help you with weight loss in a different way. This app is all about helping educate you on the various nutritional labels and information. All you have to do is scan the barcode of an item and the app will tell you a letter grade for that food product. Fooducate will let you know what preservatives and additives are in the food item too.

If you are looking for a weight loss app that does more than just track your calories, Fooducate is the best choice out there. Some people who have certain special diets might also find this app very useful, such as those with diabetes or kidney disease and who have dietary restrictions. Obviously, the better the grade the app tells you an item is, the healthier it will be for you and will help you lose weight. There is so much within this app that you will find it useful for any age group or any weight loss goals or dietary needs.

Lose It!– Lose It is also on our list of the best apps for weight loss. This is a free app on iOS, Android, Kindle, and Nook. With Lose It, you will feel like you have your own personal health coach guiding you on your path to weight loss. There are healthy recipes in this app, charts that show you your progress, and also exercise challenges.

There is also the option to crowd-source food choices in this app too, so there is a social element to Lose It! You will be able to share your weight loss progress too with your friends and family using this app. If you are someone who wants something that is more interactive and social, then Lose It might be the best choice. This app is very easy to use and it is also fun, which is important for staying engaged in your weight loss program.

MyFitnessPal– MyFitnessPal is a great choice if you are looking for apps for weight loss. This free app is available on both iOS and Android. MyFitnessPal is one of the most popular weight loss and food apps out there because it does so much to help you. Under Armour actually owns this app, so you know you are getting a legit exercise and weight loss app. There are over 1 million foods in the database, which is also searchable. You will be able to get your own diet profile which is personalized just for you. This allows you to setup diet goals and healthy eating goals.

You can make exercise goals and even keep yourself motivated in this app by talking to your friends. Speaking of talking to your friends, you can connect with your various contacts through the app and also friend other MyFitnessPal users. This app will connect to various products too, such as Withthings, Runtastic, and Fitbit. You will be able to log your food intake, count calories, and so much more with MyFitnessPal.

Diet Hero- Diet Hero is an iOS app that is $1.99 and it makes our list of the best apps for weight loss. This is something different than just a calorie counting app and it is more unique than other weight loss apps. With Diet Hero, you can tell the app what foods you enjoy or have at home, and the app will tell you what you should be eating. Diet Hero will allow you to see what types of foods you can make with the items you have. If you do not have many foods at home, the app will come up with the healthiest option available out of your food items.

This is a proactive meal planning app that allows you to personalize and customize it for your own needs. You can choose to swap out the recommended food choice and the app will swap out with the same types of food items. By this we mean that if you do not like the protein the app selected, it will replace it with another healthy protein. You can input your weight, height, gender, and age into the app. The app then tells you how many calories you should be eating in order to reach the weight loss goal you also put into the app. For $1.99 this app is definitely worth your time and money.

MyFoodDiary- Lastly, on our list of the best apps for weight loss we have MyFoodDiary. This is a paid app that will cost you $9 per month. You will get a 7-day free trial so you can try it out before you buy it. MyFoodDiary is only available for iOS as of right now. With MyFoodDiary, you will be able to track and manage your weight loss goals in various ways. There are color-coded reports you can use and it also has a digital refrigerator. The digital refrigerator will show you what items you are eating the most.

The reports in the app will tell you all about the nutrients you are getting with the items you eat. MyFoodDiary allows you to put all of your food choices into the database and then the app will calculate your calorie count. This is an app that does exactly what it says it will do which is allow you to keep a diary of the food items you are eating. This is a great way to keep track of and log your weight loss goals and possible bad food choices hindering your progress.

Source: App Informers

5 Facts About Fatigue

Fatigue often indicates an underlying health problem.

Newborns can't rock themselves back to sleep at 3 a.m., and work deadlines don't make exceptions because you were glued to the TV the previous night to catch a special guest on the late, late, late show.

Due to life's challenges and pleasures, nearly everyone gets tired — even thoroughly exhausted — now and then. It's when symptoms become chronic that our health becomes compromised. 

Jennifer Earvolino, MD, a primary care physician at Rush University Medical Center, shares five things you should know about fatigue.

1. There's more to fatigue than just being tired. 

Most times, the cause of being tired is easily identifiable. Perhaps you just took an extra-long hike, or the wedding you attended included too much alcohol and surpassed your usual bed time. In these cases, symptoms will pass within a few days.

"Clinical fatigue lasts for an extended period, usually more than one month, and consists of three parts: lack of motivation, a reduced capacity to follow through with activities, and difficulty with concentration and memory," Earvolino says.

If that’s the case, a trip to your primary care physician can help get to the root of the problem.

2. Fatigue can impact more than just your energy level. 

Fatigue can have a negative impact on your daily quality of life.

"Some patients are unable to get themselves out of bed and go to work," Earvolino says. "They may be sleepy and have trouble getting through the day, and end up missing out on things."

If you can't concentrate, your ability to focus at work or school will be affected. Deadlines may be missed and grades may drop. If you have children, you may not be fully in the moment in your role as a caretaker, and that can impact their school or social lives. You may also find it harder to stick to your usual exercise routine, which could lead to weight gain.

3. History helps with diagnosis. 

Physicians look for telling patterns during patient visits.

"I can't stress enough how important it is for physicians to obtain a thorough patient history," Earvolino says. "That generally consists of asking patients open-ended questions to try and understand the situation better."

For example, did the symptoms come on suddenly? Have the symptoms been more gradual? Are symptoms getting better or worse?

In addition, a thorough physical examination, including a blood test to check for anemia, diabetes or inflammatory diseases, is important to make sure illness isn't the source of the problem.

Clinical fatigue lasts for an extended period, usually more than one month, and consists of three parts: lack of motivation, a reduced capacity to follow through with activities, and difficulty with concentration and memory.

4. There are many causes of fatigue. 

Sleep disorders or poor sleeping habits are big culprits. "People should generally get seven to eight hours of sleep every night," Earvolino says.

"But just because you're in bed for seven to eight hours doesn't mean you're getting quality sleep. A disorder such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome may keep you from really resting."

In addition, illnesses such as a cold or the flu can cause fatigue, as can more serious problems.

"Fatigue may indicate a more serious medical issue," Earvolino says. "Changes in appetite, unexplained weight loss or gain, enlarged lymph nodes, cough, pain, fever — these are things that may point to an infection or a more serious causes of fatigue."

Thyroid disorders, such as an underactive thyroid gland, can leave someone feeling tired. Anemia and other blood disorders can also sap energy. Even the buildup of day-to-day stress, from work responsibilities to picking the kids up from school, can interrupt sleep and rob people of energy if it isn’t managed properly.

Fatigue can stem from psychiatric disorders, particularly depression and anxiety. Often a psychiatric disorder is found to be the issue after all other potential causes are ruled out, and it's most likely to be the cause when fatigue lasts for six months or longer.

5. There is relief for the weary. 

Treatment for fatigue depends on the cause. But in the majority of cases, there's an effective way to help a patient regain their usual energy level.

If lack of quality sleep is the problem, Earvolino focuses on ways to help patients get seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night. "You should take the TV and other electronics like laptops and smart phones out of the bedroom," she says. "There are studies that suggest the light that comes from computer screens can interrupt your ability to wind down."

In addition, avoid exercise an hour prior to going to bed. Instead of rigorous exercises, try a relaxing yoga workout that includes meditation.

However, there are plenty of benefits to more heart-pumping exercises earlier in the day. Thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise such as running or biking three to four times a week can help you maintain normal sleep cycles. But in the case of a sleep disorder, Earvolino refers patients to a sleep specialist.

A healthy diet can also go a long way in helping your body function properly, meaning better sleep and less stress. "Eat a well-balanced diet, avoid excess alcohol and stay well-hydrated," Earvolino says.

"Also, avoid sugary and carbohydrate-heavy meals, which cause fatigue after your blood glucose level spikes and then plummets."

Exercise and diet can also help when depression or other psychiatric disorders are to blame. Cognitive behavioral therapy and medications are the main treatments, and your doctor can refer you to a specialist.

“There are effective treatments available, so people should seek the help of their primary physicians if they aren't feeling as peppy as usual, for a prolonged period of time," Earvolino says.

Source: Rush University Medical Health Center

Healthy Living: Enjoy holiday meals with less sodium

Some of us have waited an entire year for turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, but beware.

A holiday meal can have 2,000-plus milligrams of sodium — more than a day’s worth.

Too much sodium increases blood pressure, making it harder for the heart to pump.

For a family member with congestive heart failure, a high-sodium meal could cause acute symptoms and a trip to the hospital within 12-to-36 hours.

Here are some tips to help reduce the sodium for your holiday meals.

Skip the brine. Commercially brined turkey has 400 milligrams of sodium per serving — fully cooked birds have even more — so avoid turkey that lists broth, saline or sodium solution on the nutrition label.

Make traditional stuffing healthier. Select stuffing mix with less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving, use low-sodium broth, unsalted butter and add layers of flavor with fresh produce, herbs and spices.

Keep it REAL with mashed potatoes. Instant potatoes are high in sodium and also contain unhealthy hydrogenated oils. To make flavorful, low-sodium potatoes in minutes, microwave whole potatoes until tender (6 to 8 minutes), mash with Greek yogurt and olive oil, then flavor with garlic and onion powder or roasted garlic and chives (instead of salt).

Make gravy from scratch. Skip the salt shaker and add flavor with herbs and spices such as black or white pepper, garlic, onion powder and thyme.

Be portion-size wise. Serve stuffing and mashed potatoes with an ice cream scoop to keep portion size right. If you want more stuffing, skip dinner rolls, mashed potatoes and other starchy side dishes that are also typically high in sodium.

Take the time to enjoy the meal. Wait about 15 minutes before going back for seconds because it takes time for stomach hormones to tell the brain that we are full.

Make it mini. A slice of commercial pumpkin pie can have up to 300 calories and 350 milligrams of sodium. Swap it for a tray of homemade mini desserts. An easy way to make a traditional pie mini is to bake it in a sheet pan and serve two-inch squares. Another option is to peruse the freezer isle in search of mini fillo shells — two shells have just 30 calories and 25 milligrams of sodium. Each holds about two tablespoons of pie filling so your guests can enjoy a few mini desserts without going overboard on calories and sodium.

By Brenda Viens For The Bulletin

The Surprising Reason Some Foods May Trigger Migraines

If the cause of your #migraines isn't a seasonal cold...it could be your food

People who suffer from migraines often say that eating certain foods triggers their headaches, but a new study suggests that it might not always be the food per se — rather, the bacteria in the mouth may be playing a role.

The study found that people with migraines harbored more bacteria in their mouths that had the ability to modify chemicals called nitrates, compared to people without migraines.

Some migraine-triggering foods contain nitrates, including processed meats and green leafy vegetables, as well as certain medications.

The researchers hypothesized that having greater amounts of bacteria in the mouth that modify nitrates could contribute to headaches in some people. These bacteria help convert nitrates into nitric oxide, a chemical that is thought to play a role in headaches.

“Bacteria in the oral cavity may contribute migraine-triggering levels of nitric oxide,” the researchers wrote in the Oct. 18 issue of the journal mSystems. [5 Ways Gut Bacteria Affect Your Health]

Still, the study found only an association between these bacteria and migraines, and cannot prove that the bacteria can cause migraines. The authors said they hope that their study spurs more research into how oral bacteria could be connected to migraines.

For now, if people suspect that nitrates are triggering their migraines, they should try to avoid nitrates in their diet, study co-author Antonio Gonzalez, a programmer analyst at the University of California, San Diego, said in a statement.

For the study, the researchers analyzed 172 oral samples and nearly 2,000 fecal samples from healthy people who participated in the American Gut Project, one of the largest crowd-sourced science projects in the U.S. Thousands of people in the general public contributed samples to the project to have their microbiomes analyzed.

Source: The Huffington Post

Study: healthy lifestyle may prevent up to half of deaths from most common form of cancer

(NEW YORK) — Adopting a healthy lifestyle could prevent a huge number of cancer cases and possibly save tens of thousands of lives in the U.S, according to a study published Thursday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School looked at 89,571 Caucasian women and 46,399 Caucasian men enrolled in two ongoing cohorts to see how much a healthy lifestyle could reduce cancer risk.

Of the people studied, 16,531 women and 11,731 men had a healthy lifestyle pattern and were determined to be low risk. These healthy patterns included moderate or no drinking, a BMI between 18.5 and 27.5, weekly physical activity that included at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity, and either never having smoked or currently not being a smoker.

The authors then studied cancer rates among the high- and low-risk groups. They found that overall, 20 percent to 40 percent of carcinoma cases and about half of carcinoma deaths can be potentially prevented through lifestyle modification. Carcinomas form in the lining of certain tissues or organs and is the most common form of cancer.

The authors clarify that more study needs to be done to ensure these findings translate to other ethnic groups.

“These findings reinforce the predominate importance of lifestyle factors in determining cancer risk. Therefore, primary prevention should remain a priority for cancer control,” the authors concluded in the study.

Dr. Ehsan Malek, a hematologist and oncologist at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, said this can help the medical community understand cancer risk and how to hopefully prevent future cases.

“We didn’t know what portion of cancer is caused by environmental cancer and opposed to the gene, this study highlights the importance of lifestyle change,” said Malek, who was not involved in this study. “We have a lot to do. We have the potential to change the prospect of cancer in the U.S.”

Studies like this can help health officials allocate resources to encourage healthier lifestyles and prevent future cancer cases, Malek said, noting that despite new advancements in treatment, these medications can incur a high cost.

“We have had a tremendously amount of success and prolonged survival of cancer patients,” Malek said. “However, the cost of cancer treatment stays very high. Cancer is the first reason for bankruptcy in this country.”

He pointed out that currently officials have estimated that every $1 spent on prevention may translate to $10 saved on treatment.

“We have no other option. We have to work on prevention more than treatment based on cost-benefit issues,” Malek said. “A slight change can translate to huge reduction of risk.”

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