Wednesday, November 21, 2012
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Let's go beyond being thankful for good health.
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Let's go beyond being thankful for good health.: Are you thankful for good health this holiday season? We sure hope so. But unfortunately a growing number of American kids are strugglin...
Monday, November 5, 2012
Winter Squash Recipes from the NY Times
Just in time to try out a variety of winter squash and to show off your cooking skills this holiday season!
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/the-many-colors-of-squash/?ref=health
What is your favorite winter squash? Mine is the butternut squash.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/the-many-colors-of-squash/?ref=health
What is your favorite winter squash? Mine is the butternut squash.
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: And the Healthy Halloween recipe contest winner is...
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: And the Healthy Halloween recipe contest winner is...: Happy Halloween! We had a lot of fun challenging our Center's Facebook friends and blog readers to submit their favorite healthy Halloween r...
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: GUEST BLOG: Are you still up to the challenge for ...
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: GUEST BLOG: Are you still up to the challenge for ...: Obesity is a serious health challenge. Some people believe it is inevitable and there is nothing they can do to stop or prevent it. Bu...
Monday, October 22, 2012
Vegan Pesto
We appreciate what the first lady Michelle Obama is doing to combat childhood obesity. One example is the recent Kid's State Dinner. Peruse through the cookbook and you will find many tasty recipes that were made by kids! (http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/pdfs/healthy-lunch-challenge-cookbook.pdf) The following is a version of our pesto recipe based on the pesto pasta recipe we found in the cookbook. We added some tofu to increase the protein content.
Vegan Pesto
4 cups fresh basil (1 and 1/4 cup of dried basil if you don't have fresh ones available)
6 oz chopped frozen spinach
1/2 tsp garlic powder (no salt added)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 oz light firm tofu
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Place all of the pesto ingredients into a blender.
2. If you think the pesto is too thick, you can add more a little more low sodium vegetable broth as needed.
You can enjoy the pesto with some whole wheat pasta and vegetables or you can use it as a spread for a special bruschetta appetizer.
Enjoy!
Vegan Pesto
4 cups fresh basil (1 and 1/4 cup of dried basil if you don't have fresh ones available)
6 oz chopped frozen spinach
1/2 tsp garlic powder (no salt added)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 oz light firm tofu
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Place all of the pesto ingredients into a blender.
2. If you think the pesto is too thick, you can add more a little more low sodium vegetable broth as needed.
You can enjoy the pesto with some whole wheat pasta and vegetables or you can use it as a spread for a special bruschetta appetizer.
Enjoy!
Friday, October 19, 2012
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Can you go ONE day without processed foods? Try ou...
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Can you go ONE day without processed foods? Try ou...: When was the last time you looked at a nutrition label before purchasing food at the grocery store? Probably pretty recently. That's beca...
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
UTHealth - HealthLeader: Survival Kit for Grown-Up Kids
UTHealth - HealthLeader: Survival Kit for Grown-Up Kids
I think this is a great resource for all ages. This is especially true for the following information from the article.
Medicine cabinet musts, how and when to use them
Scrapes, sprains, aches:
Adhesive bandages: the cloth, stretchy kind in all sizes and Tefla non-stick gauze bandages for moist wounds like road rash.
An “Ace” bandage: the long roll of cloth for minor sprains. Remember not to wrap your foot/knee/elbow too tightly.
Old-fashioned soap: clean a simple scrape or cut with actual soap and water—also good for removing dirt (who knew.) Lather area with soap and water for the length of time it takes to sing “Call Me Maybe” and then hold the wounded area so that the water runs downhill—away from the wound!
Hydrogen peroxide: a good surface wound cleanser and antiseptic that’s especially useful for stopping bleeding. Plus, you’ll know it’s working when you see fizzy white bubbles. It will sting a little bit, but that’s simply the coolness and the chemical reactions that occur with the blood.
Isopropyl alcohol: to clean a cut or scrape. Useless unless you actually clean the area for about 10 seconds (otherwise you’re just rearranging the order of the microorganisms on your skin.) In general, don’t pour alcohol on open wounds; use it to clean the surface of a wound. Oh, and by the way, isopropyl alcohol really stings.
Isopropyl alcohol also is a great disinfectant, especially if you have a roommate who uses or borrows your stuff. Use it to swab cell phones, laptop keyboards, iPads, iPods, etc.
Antibacterial cream/ointment: Some doctors recommend Bacitracin cream or ointment over the standard “triple antibiotic” ones because resistance to the triple-antibiotic topical medication has been reported. Either way, apply to minor open wounds such as scrapes, popped blisters and cuts. Keep them clean, dry and loosely covered (with a bandage) until they’ve healed over or scabbed.
Use ointment (petroleum-based) when you want to create a barrier between the painful world and the painful abrasion. (Think asphalt abrasion.) Use cream when you want the medicine to penetrate. (Think cuts.)
Anti-itch/sting: (Benadryl-like ointment, hydrocortisone cream 1%)—Good for bug bites. If you’re itchy from a bug bite, the first thing to do is put a cold compress on it to help stop the histamine reaction (the itchiness and swelling). Then, apply over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream at a strength of 1%; anything higher requires a prescription. And remember, do not take warm baths or showers with a body full of bug bites—only cool soaks. Warm water will make them swell and itch even more.
Poison ivy skin guard (Ivy Block): various creams serve as a barrier between the plant and you at key gaps on your body, between pant leg and sock or shirt sleeve and wrist.
Should you find yourself breaking out from poison ivy/oak, again, only take a cool soak; warm water will make you dance later—and not in a good way. And, grab that tube of hydrocortisone cream. It’s best at stopping that dreadful itch. If your poison ivy/oak is getting worse after a few days, see someone about it. You may need prescription-strength relief.
Ice pack: Pu-lease learn how to use ice and heat! Ice is for the first 24-48 hours of any muscle injury that swells. Ice tells your body to quit sending in fluid to the injury (the reason it swells.)
Put ice (frozen peas, drugstore ice-packs, ice in a baggy) on joints, lower neck (or you’ll get a frightful brain freeze at the base of your skull), low back, elbows and big muscle groups. Use for 8-10 minutes (or until you want to throw it against the wall) every hour for the first day or two. Try to keep the injured body part above the level of your heart—or at least away from the gravitational pull of the floor!
MOIST heat: Use a moist heating pad (available at drugstores) for the muscle spasms that accompany helping your roommate move a couch up five flights of stairs after the two days of ice. Moist heat penetrates tight muscles. It is NOT for reduction of immediate swelling.
Dry heat: (heating pad without moist lining) is good for belly aches, menstrual cramps, homesickness, winter and that’s about all. Keep the setting no higher than medium. Never lie on top of a heating pad.
Tweezers: good for the obvious: splinters. But, you’ll need the really pointy ones, available at the drugstore. Please dip for 20 seconds in alcohol before and after kitchen surgery on yourself.
When you don’t feel so good:
Thermometer: PLEASE BUY ONE. When your mother or doctor asks you if you’re running fever, putting your own hand to your forehead is like asking your top lip how your bottom lip is feeling. Use a thermometer. The LED-displaying-beeping-variety is fine. So is the one you can put in your ear (tympanic) and even the nifty one that you place squarely on the middle of your forehead (temporal).
Fever of or above 101 degrees F is not cool (forgive pun.) High fever in adults or low-grade fever (99.5-100 F) lasting for more than a few days is a red flag that something is wrong. Make an appointment with your health care provider. Fever with vomiting, diarrhea, total body aches, worst headache of your life, painful cough, stiff neck, rash, white-hot sore throat, swelling of a joint or major irritation of what you thought was a simple skin abrasion are all indications for medical assistance. Call your student health service or local health care provider.
Acetaminophen: (Tylenol-like meds) Acetaminophen is great for occasional aches and for bringing down fever. Remember, acetaminophen is not an anti-inflammatory (NSAID). Warning: Because it breaks down in the liver, too much of it can break the liver. Never use acetaminophen to prevent a hangover. Even small amounts of alcohol can push your liver over the edge while taking acetaminophen.
If you are self-treating for a cold or flu-like symptoms, check your other cold medications to see if they also have acetaminophen in them. Your total milligram per day should not exceed 2,000.
And speaking of flu, get vaccinated. You will not have your parents to kick around for a week or 10 days while you’re sick.
NSAIDS (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen): This broad category of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are excellent pain relievers. Read on for the specifics of each one. All NSAIDS can potentially interact with aspirin, anticoagulants, alcohol, antidepressant medications or certain cardiac medications. Before taking any NSAID, make sure you are not taking these other medications listed above.
Aspirin: (Excedrin, Bayer) Now that you are over 16 (you couldn’t take it before because of a possible complication called Reye Syndrome) aspirin is an option. If your stomach can hack it, aspirin is a good alternative for fever and aches. Some people notice ringing in their ears after taking aspirin. Also, like all drugs, only take the minimum necessary.
Ibuprofen and Naproxen: (Advil, Motrin, Aleve) Ibuprofen was the miracle drug of the 80s (along with Cyndi Lauper and Eddie Murphy) and ushered in true, actual relief from menstrual cramping for an entire generation of women. (Aspirin also is what’s known as an anti-prostaglandin, so it’s effective against menstrual cramping.)
In fact, if your periods are regular, start taking ibuprofen or naproxen the day before you begin your cycle to provide even better relief from menstrual cramps and before the pain begins. Ask your nurse practitioner or OB/GYN for specific dosages to curb menstrual cramping.
Again, though, use the minimum amount to reduce inflammation from sports injury, body aches or fever. Ibuprofen can cause kidney damage or gastrointestinal damage if used at too high a dose or for too long a time. Go by the OTC (over-the-counter) instructions. Seriously.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea: A general rule of thumb is that if something wants out of your body that badly, don’t bar the door. Let it out. Don’t take medications to stop it without expert advice. It’s your body’s way of protecting you from alcohol poisoning, food borne illness or bacterial toxins.
Keep Pedialyte or half strength Gatorade (half water, half Gatorade) on hand in case of dehydration and to restore lost fluids. Pedialyte Freezer Pops or the drugstore brand equivalent might be a more economical choice, and they have a longer shelf life because they can be consumed without freezing. Once a bottle of Pedialyte is opened, it must be refrigerated and consumed within 48 hours.
If however, you haven’t been able to keep even clear liquids down for more than 24 hours, get to your health care provider. Dehydration is no joke. Vital organs can decide to stop working.
Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth:
Artificial tears: (these are eye drops, not the name of a college band.) Hours of computer time can dry out your eyes. Keep these around for dry eyes and for rinsing the eye if makeup or foreign material get into the eye.
Eye injury: particle in the eye—rinse, rinse and rinse with tepid water. If you still feel as though something is in your eye or you absolutely cannot open it without pain, patch the eye tightly with gauze and tape to ease the reflexive blinking, and make an appointment ASAP with an ophthalmologist. Usually the pain is caused from a corneal abrasion (scratch or injury to the clear eye-ball covering). Eye injuries require attention, but heal rapidly.
Q-tips: wonderful invention for smearing ointment, cleaning grout, correcting mascara goofs, but not for cleaning your ears.
About your ears: Your mother was right: anything smaller than your elbow has no business near your ear. Ear wax is your friend in most cases. And remember, a Q-tip is not a magnet! While they pull small amounts of wax out, they generally push more wax farther down the ear canal, thus leading to ear wax impaction and possible damage to the delicate structures in the ear. If you have a chronically stuffed ear or a “dead ear” or ear pain deep in the ear after a plane trip, seasonal cold or swimming marathon, see your doctor. If you swim and have pain when you pull down and back on your earlobe, you probably have swimmer’s ear (otitis externa.) Ask your pharmacist for a swimmer’s ear preparation. If it doesn’t go away in a few days, again, see your physician or nurse practitioner.
Floss: The strangest life extender: floss. First, it may save a relationship (hidden bad breath culprit—a piece of meat stuck between two molars, putrefying in a moist, dark environment. Gross.) Second, plaque formed in your mouth is the same plaque forming in your arteries, even at your tender age. Bacterial growth in the mouth can go throughout your body. Floss after every meal, even at your job. There’s nothing worse than that fur that grows between your teeth, even if you’re brushing and bleaching every day.
Salt water gargle: About the cheapest and best fix for sore throat or irritated gums—or that cheese burn you get on the roof of your mouth from pizza—is gargling with warm salt water. Simply place a few teaspoons of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle. It tastes terrible but it works.
Skin:
Sunblock: Just do it. Don’t think about it, just buy it and use it every day, even in the winter. Even on cloudy days. Make sure your SPF (sun protection factor) is 30 or above. Reapply often, especially on your forearms, throat, face—and particularly for men, back of neck and ear cartilage.
Aloe vera: plant-based cooling cream or gel just in case you didn’t reapply the sunblock.
Lip balm: This isn’t just for women. Cracked, chapped or sunburned lips not only are unsightly and uncomfortable, they also provide easy entrance for bacteria. Find one that suits you that also contains SPF.
Rash, possible fungus, contact dermatitis, hives, boils: See your doctor. Don’t try to self-treat if you develop something on your skin that is totally foreign to you. Your friend’s hydrocortisone cream may ignite your undiagnosed fungal infection. Or, your rash may be an indication of a different problem.
OTC Lamisil, sometimes used to treat athlete’s foot, is an effective antifungal that can be applied to the infected skin area as a cream, gel or spray.
Body lotion: Your basic drugstore brands of body lotions will keep skin from drying out. This is important because dry skin provides microscopic entrances for bacteria—sometimes the kind of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics—so you might as well protect yourself and keep your skin soft.
I think this is a great resource for all ages. This is especially true for the following information from the article.
Medicine cabinet musts, how and when to use them
Scrapes, sprains, aches:
Adhesive bandages: the cloth, stretchy kind in all sizes and Tefla non-stick gauze bandages for moist wounds like road rash.
An “Ace” bandage: the long roll of cloth for minor sprains. Remember not to wrap your foot/knee/elbow too tightly.
Old-fashioned soap: clean a simple scrape or cut with actual soap and water—also good for removing dirt (who knew.) Lather area with soap and water for the length of time it takes to sing “Call Me Maybe” and then hold the wounded area so that the water runs downhill—away from the wound!
Hydrogen peroxide: a good surface wound cleanser and antiseptic that’s especially useful for stopping bleeding. Plus, you’ll know it’s working when you see fizzy white bubbles. It will sting a little bit, but that’s simply the coolness and the chemical reactions that occur with the blood.
Isopropyl alcohol: to clean a cut or scrape. Useless unless you actually clean the area for about 10 seconds (otherwise you’re just rearranging the order of the microorganisms on your skin.) In general, don’t pour alcohol on open wounds; use it to clean the surface of a wound. Oh, and by the way, isopropyl alcohol really stings.
Isopropyl alcohol also is a great disinfectant, especially if you have a roommate who uses or borrows your stuff. Use it to swab cell phones, laptop keyboards, iPads, iPods, etc.
Antibacterial cream/ointment: Some doctors recommend Bacitracin cream or ointment over the standard “triple antibiotic” ones because resistance to the triple-antibiotic topical medication has been reported. Either way, apply to minor open wounds such as scrapes, popped blisters and cuts. Keep them clean, dry and loosely covered (with a bandage) until they’ve healed over or scabbed.
Use ointment (petroleum-based) when you want to create a barrier between the painful world and the painful abrasion. (Think asphalt abrasion.) Use cream when you want the medicine to penetrate. (Think cuts.)
Anti-itch/sting: (Benadryl-like ointment, hydrocortisone cream 1%)—Good for bug bites. If you’re itchy from a bug bite, the first thing to do is put a cold compress on it to help stop the histamine reaction (the itchiness and swelling). Then, apply over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream at a strength of 1%; anything higher requires a prescription. And remember, do not take warm baths or showers with a body full of bug bites—only cool soaks. Warm water will make them swell and itch even more.
Poison ivy skin guard (Ivy Block): various creams serve as a barrier between the plant and you at key gaps on your body, between pant leg and sock or shirt sleeve and wrist.
Should you find yourself breaking out from poison ivy/oak, again, only take a cool soak; warm water will make you dance later—and not in a good way. And, grab that tube of hydrocortisone cream. It’s best at stopping that dreadful itch. If your poison ivy/oak is getting worse after a few days, see someone about it. You may need prescription-strength relief.
Ice pack: Pu-lease learn how to use ice and heat! Ice is for the first 24-48 hours of any muscle injury that swells. Ice tells your body to quit sending in fluid to the injury (the reason it swells.)
Put ice (frozen peas, drugstore ice-packs, ice in a baggy) on joints, lower neck (or you’ll get a frightful brain freeze at the base of your skull), low back, elbows and big muscle groups. Use for 8-10 minutes (or until you want to throw it against the wall) every hour for the first day or two. Try to keep the injured body part above the level of your heart—or at least away from the gravitational pull of the floor!
MOIST heat: Use a moist heating pad (available at drugstores) for the muscle spasms that accompany helping your roommate move a couch up five flights of stairs after the two days of ice. Moist heat penetrates tight muscles. It is NOT for reduction of immediate swelling.
Dry heat: (heating pad without moist lining) is good for belly aches, menstrual cramps, homesickness, winter and that’s about all. Keep the setting no higher than medium. Never lie on top of a heating pad.
Tweezers: good for the obvious: splinters. But, you’ll need the really pointy ones, available at the drugstore. Please dip for 20 seconds in alcohol before and after kitchen surgery on yourself.
When you don’t feel so good:
Thermometer: PLEASE BUY ONE. When your mother or doctor asks you if you’re running fever, putting your own hand to your forehead is like asking your top lip how your bottom lip is feeling. Use a thermometer. The LED-displaying-beeping-variety is fine. So is the one you can put in your ear (tympanic) and even the nifty one that you place squarely on the middle of your forehead (temporal).
Fever of or above 101 degrees F is not cool (forgive pun.) High fever in adults or low-grade fever (99.5-100 F) lasting for more than a few days is a red flag that something is wrong. Make an appointment with your health care provider. Fever with vomiting, diarrhea, total body aches, worst headache of your life, painful cough, stiff neck, rash, white-hot sore throat, swelling of a joint or major irritation of what you thought was a simple skin abrasion are all indications for medical assistance. Call your student health service or local health care provider.
Acetaminophen: (Tylenol-like meds) Acetaminophen is great for occasional aches and for bringing down fever. Remember, acetaminophen is not an anti-inflammatory (NSAID). Warning: Because it breaks down in the liver, too much of it can break the liver. Never use acetaminophen to prevent a hangover. Even small amounts of alcohol can push your liver over the edge while taking acetaminophen.
If you are self-treating for a cold or flu-like symptoms, check your other cold medications to see if they also have acetaminophen in them. Your total milligram per day should not exceed 2,000.
And speaking of flu, get vaccinated. You will not have your parents to kick around for a week or 10 days while you’re sick.
NSAIDS (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen): This broad category of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are excellent pain relievers. Read on for the specifics of each one. All NSAIDS can potentially interact with aspirin, anticoagulants, alcohol, antidepressant medications or certain cardiac medications. Before taking any NSAID, make sure you are not taking these other medications listed above.
Aspirin: (Excedrin, Bayer) Now that you are over 16 (you couldn’t take it before because of a possible complication called Reye Syndrome) aspirin is an option. If your stomach can hack it, aspirin is a good alternative for fever and aches. Some people notice ringing in their ears after taking aspirin. Also, like all drugs, only take the minimum necessary.
Ibuprofen and Naproxen: (Advil, Motrin, Aleve) Ibuprofen was the miracle drug of the 80s (along with Cyndi Lauper and Eddie Murphy) and ushered in true, actual relief from menstrual cramping for an entire generation of women. (Aspirin also is what’s known as an anti-prostaglandin, so it’s effective against menstrual cramping.)
In fact, if your periods are regular, start taking ibuprofen or naproxen the day before you begin your cycle to provide even better relief from menstrual cramps and before the pain begins. Ask your nurse practitioner or OB/GYN for specific dosages to curb menstrual cramping.
Again, though, use the minimum amount to reduce inflammation from sports injury, body aches or fever. Ibuprofen can cause kidney damage or gastrointestinal damage if used at too high a dose or for too long a time. Go by the OTC (over-the-counter) instructions. Seriously.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea: A general rule of thumb is that if something wants out of your body that badly, don’t bar the door. Let it out. Don’t take medications to stop it without expert advice. It’s your body’s way of protecting you from alcohol poisoning, food borne illness or bacterial toxins.
Keep Pedialyte or half strength Gatorade (half water, half Gatorade) on hand in case of dehydration and to restore lost fluids. Pedialyte Freezer Pops or the drugstore brand equivalent might be a more economical choice, and they have a longer shelf life because they can be consumed without freezing. Once a bottle of Pedialyte is opened, it must be refrigerated and consumed within 48 hours.
If however, you haven’t been able to keep even clear liquids down for more than 24 hours, get to your health care provider. Dehydration is no joke. Vital organs can decide to stop working.
Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth:
Artificial tears: (these are eye drops, not the name of a college band.) Hours of computer time can dry out your eyes. Keep these around for dry eyes and for rinsing the eye if makeup or foreign material get into the eye.
Eye injury: particle in the eye—rinse, rinse and rinse with tepid water. If you still feel as though something is in your eye or you absolutely cannot open it without pain, patch the eye tightly with gauze and tape to ease the reflexive blinking, and make an appointment ASAP with an ophthalmologist. Usually the pain is caused from a corneal abrasion (scratch or injury to the clear eye-ball covering). Eye injuries require attention, but heal rapidly.
Q-tips: wonderful invention for smearing ointment, cleaning grout, correcting mascara goofs, but not for cleaning your ears.
About your ears: Your mother was right: anything smaller than your elbow has no business near your ear. Ear wax is your friend in most cases. And remember, a Q-tip is not a magnet! While they pull small amounts of wax out, they generally push more wax farther down the ear canal, thus leading to ear wax impaction and possible damage to the delicate structures in the ear. If you have a chronically stuffed ear or a “dead ear” or ear pain deep in the ear after a plane trip, seasonal cold or swimming marathon, see your doctor. If you swim and have pain when you pull down and back on your earlobe, you probably have swimmer’s ear (otitis externa.) Ask your pharmacist for a swimmer’s ear preparation. If it doesn’t go away in a few days, again, see your physician or nurse practitioner.
Floss: The strangest life extender: floss. First, it may save a relationship (hidden bad breath culprit—a piece of meat stuck between two molars, putrefying in a moist, dark environment. Gross.) Second, plaque formed in your mouth is the same plaque forming in your arteries, even at your tender age. Bacterial growth in the mouth can go throughout your body. Floss after every meal, even at your job. There’s nothing worse than that fur that grows between your teeth, even if you’re brushing and bleaching every day.
Salt water gargle: About the cheapest and best fix for sore throat or irritated gums—or that cheese burn you get on the roof of your mouth from pizza—is gargling with warm salt water. Simply place a few teaspoons of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle. It tastes terrible but it works.
Skin:
Sunblock: Just do it. Don’t think about it, just buy it and use it every day, even in the winter. Even on cloudy days. Make sure your SPF (sun protection factor) is 30 or above. Reapply often, especially on your forearms, throat, face—and particularly for men, back of neck and ear cartilage.
Aloe vera: plant-based cooling cream or gel just in case you didn’t reapply the sunblock.
Lip balm: This isn’t just for women. Cracked, chapped or sunburned lips not only are unsightly and uncomfortable, they also provide easy entrance for bacteria. Find one that suits you that also contains SPF.
Rash, possible fungus, contact dermatitis, hives, boils: See your doctor. Don’t try to self-treat if you develop something on your skin that is totally foreign to you. Your friend’s hydrocortisone cream may ignite your undiagnosed fungal infection. Or, your rash may be an indication of a different problem.
OTC Lamisil, sometimes used to treat athlete’s foot, is an effective antifungal that can be applied to the infected skin area as a cream, gel or spray.
Body lotion: Your basic drugstore brands of body lotions will keep skin from drying out. This is important because dry skin provides microscopic entrances for bacteria—sometimes the kind of bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics—so you might as well protect yourself and keep your skin soft.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Lentil and Vegetable Stew
I cannot wait for the weather to cool down. Winter is my favorite time of the year because I get to see my family members who are out of town and I can also enjoy my stews without sweating. I loved adding squash varieties into my stews, so find your favorite squash that is in season and add them in to make the stew much more hearty. The following is my favorite Lentil and Vegetable Stew crock pot recipe. I hope you will like it too.
Ingredients:
2 cups dry lentils
32 oz low sodium vegetable broth
2 (16 oz) cans of chopped tomatoes (no salt added)
2 cups peeled and chopped acorn squash, pumpkin, butternut squash, or even sweet potatoes
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 Tbsp dried parsley
2 Tbsp dried basil
1/4 garlic powder
Add pepper to taste
Crock Pot Directions:
1. Rinse the dry lentils.
2. Pour all the ingredients into a crock pot and set it on low heat and let it cook for 4 to 6 hours or until everything is tender.
Note: I usually start the crock pot before I go to bed and dish it out in the morning so it is ready for me to eat when I come home for dinner.
Stovetop Directions:
1. Rinse the dry lentils.
2. Pour all the ingredients into a soup pot and let it simmer for 45-50 minutes or until everything is tender. You will need to stir occasionally.
I am in the Teriyaki mood...Snap Peas and Water Chestnuts
I found some yummy snap peas the other day and a great deal on water chestnuts packed in water. Time to get cooking with my favorite Teriyaki sauce that is not too starchy. First, I blanch the snap peas and throw them in ice bath to stop the cooking process. I would then drain the water chestnuts that was packed in the water. The next step is to heat up approximately 1 tsp of canola oil and some vegetable broth in a large skillet. When the skillet is hot, I would quickly saute both snap peas and water chestnuts and add my homemade teriyaki sauce to the vegetable mixture. Give it a try and let us know your thoughts!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp muscovado
2 Tbsp agave
Optional: If you want to thicken the sauce a bit more, you can use 2 Tbsp arrowroot and 1/4 cup cold water.
Directions:
1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and boil it down to make the sauce thicker.
3. Pour the sauce over the vegetable dish you made. In our case, it's the snap peas and water chestnuts.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 cup water
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp muscovado
2 Tbsp agave
Optional: If you want to thicken the sauce a bit more, you can use 2 Tbsp arrowroot and 1/4 cup cold water.
Directions:
1. Whisk all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and boil it down to make the sauce thicker.
3. Pour the sauce over the vegetable dish you made. In our case, it's the snap peas and water chestnuts.
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Check out our Healthy Halloween Recipe Contest on ...
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Check out our Healthy Halloween Recipe Contest on ...: With all the candy, caramel apples, and other themed sweets, Halloween can be a scary holiday for nutrition! Share your favorite healthy Hal...
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Vegan Pizzelle Cookies!
Vegan Pizzelle Cookies! Being a vegan, I do crave for some of the treats I used to eat. I think I finally found a decent vegan pizzelle recipe. Hopefully these pizzelle will be as good as the non-vegan version!
Friday, July 20, 2012
Ratatouille with a twist
Summer is here and it is now time to enjoy lots of vegetables! Since my fiance and I have slight intolerance to eggplants, we replaced the eggplants with acorn squash. This turned out to be quite flavorful and colorful too! Bon appetit!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 large red onions, sliced
1/2 of acorn squash
3 medium yellow squash, sliced
3 medium green zucchini, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 roma tomato, chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions to cook the acorn squash first:
1. Wash the skin,
2. Cut it length wise and scoop out the seeds (you can roast the seeds--optional),
3. Place it either in a steamer or on a microwave safe bowl (No water needed when cook in the microwave),
4. Cook in steamer or microwave for 12-15 minutes,
5. Cut into cubes once it is cooked.
Directions to cook the Ratatouille:
1. In a saucepan, heat up the olive oil on a medium heat,
2. Add onion and garlic powder until slightly brown,
3. Add in the yellow squash, zucchini, red bell pepper,
4. Stir in the tomatoes, acorn squash, parsley,
5. Let it simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes,
6. Add in the tomato puree and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
Makes about 3-4 servings.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 large red onions, sliced
1/2 of acorn squash
3 medium yellow squash, sliced
3 medium green zucchini, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 roma tomato, chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions to cook the acorn squash first:
1. Wash the skin,
2. Cut it length wise and scoop out the seeds (you can roast the seeds--optional),
3. Place it either in a steamer or on a microwave safe bowl (No water needed when cook in the microwave),
4. Cook in steamer or microwave for 12-15 minutes,
5. Cut into cubes once it is cooked.
Directions to cook the Ratatouille:
1. In a saucepan, heat up the olive oil on a medium heat,
2. Add onion and garlic powder until slightly brown,
3. Add in the yellow squash, zucchini, red bell pepper,
4. Stir in the tomatoes, acorn squash, parsley,
5. Let it simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes,
6. Add in the tomato puree and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
Makes about 3-4 servings.
Friday, July 6, 2012
UTHealth - HealthLeader: Hurricane & Flood (Great Resource)
UTHealth - HealthLeader: Hurricane & Flood
Great Resource to prepare for the current Hurricane Season.
Great Resource to prepare for the current Hurricane Season.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone had fun with their outdoor grills. We certainly did with our vegan dogs, whole wheat bun, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and onions. We threw in a tiny twist...we grilled the pineapples! Oh my, they turned out heavenly. Any suggestions for a sauce? We tried A-1 BBQ sauce, but it did not seem to go with all the amazing flavors. We might have to whip up our own BBQ sauce. Stay tune for that.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Cool down this summer with a Greek Pasta Salad
Summer is here and it has been hot, hot, and hot! For our company's salad competition I decided to make the following Greek Pasta Salad last night. My fiance and I certainly enjoyed it ourselves. Hopefully it will get great reviews and you will enjoy it too.
Greek Pasta Salad
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 1 tsp of dried oregano
- 1 tsp of dried basil
- 1 tsp of Mrs. Dash Herbs and Garlic Blend
- 1 tsp of Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp of onion powder
- ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup of olive oil
Salad Ingredients
- 3 cups of uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 (14 oz) cans of artichoke hearts, drained
- 2 (6 oz) cans of black olives, drained
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cucumber, chopped
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- ½ stalk of celery, chopped
- 2 cups of crumbled feta cheese (Optional)
Directions:
For the Dressing
- Put all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together.
For the Salad
- Open cans of artichoke hearts and black olives and drain all of the liquids.
- Chop all of the vegetables and add the artichoke hearts and black olives.
- Set the salad mixture aside.
- Cook the orzo pasta according to the package instructions.
- Drain the orzo pasta and cool it down with some ice cubes and cold water.
- Pour ½ of the dressing into the orzo pasta and mix well.
- Pour the remaining ½ of the dressing into the salad mixture and toss it.
- Combine both orzo pasta and salad mixture together and toss it.
- Cover and refrigerate if desired.
- Serve with crumbled feta cheese if desired.
Serves:
15-20 people
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
In search of a local vegan bakery...
I hope you are ready for going on an adventurous journey with me, Maria, as I continue my search for a local vegan bakery. I have been searching for a vegan bakery that can make a dairy free, egg free, and sugar free wedding cake. So far, I haven't had much luck. I will be posting my adventure as I encounter them. I might end up having to bake my own cake. Let's just say I am dreading that thought. I have never been a great baker, let alone trying to bake my own wedding cake. If you know of any local vegan bakery in the Houston area, please drop a note. Happy Tuesday!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Living Well: What is Dark Chocolate?
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Living Well: What is Dark Chocolate?: What is one of the outstanding nutritional discoveries of the past few decades? Undoubtedly, many sweet tooths would say, the findin...
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Hidden Calories
Are you drinking most of your calories? This is definitely one of my biggest barriers when I am not consciously watching what I drink or what I put into my coffee on a daily basis. I found a cool game that is not only fun for kids and teens, but is also very enlightening for a "kid at heart" like me (http://fit.webmd.com/kids/food/slideshow/slideshow-sugar-detective). Have fun and Happy St. Patrick's Day!.
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Living Well: Music's Healing Powers
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: Living Well: Music's Healing Powers: I'm contemplating Austin's temporary invasion by song-mad folks numbering an expected 200,000-plus for the showcases and free concerts of ...
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: UPDATE: Watch full video - Feeding Minds: Texas Ta...
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: UPDATE: Watch full video - Feeding Minds: Texas Ta...: Watch Feeding Minds on PBS. See more from Feeding Minds: Texas Takes on Hunger and Obesity. Hosted by Camille Miller of Texas Health Inst...
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
How do you plan to celebrate your leap day?
What are your leap day plans? How about incorporating a 20 minute walk to help increase your overall health? Here is a link to a fantastic article on Women's Heart Health (http://tinyurl.com/6tpj8wb). Happy leap day!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Walking for Your Heart
Happy Valentine's Day! Celebrate the day by taking a long walk with your loved ones. Here is a wonderful and inspiring video to motivate you. http://blog.walkingspree.com/
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Fitting Exercise/Physical Activity into your day
Often I find it hard to keepfitting exercise or physical activity into my day. I take stairs and walk really fast between buildings, but adding more things to my day seems impossible at times. However, reading how these busy physicians (http://tinyurl.com/7kfm9zh) fit in exercise provided the additional motivation I need. Hope you will be equally motivated as well. Let's get up and move!!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Crunchy Snack Ideas--CC Dual (Cinnamon and Cocoa Popcorn)
I was excited to find raw and shelled hemp seeds in Costco the other day. I immediately incorporated it into my homemade trail mix in the morning. But there are other ways to incorporate it as well. In my case, I wanted to have it in my favorite snack--Popcorn! Here is the recipe. Give it a try and let us know how we should modify this low carb/low fat snack.
The CC Dual
Ingredients:
1 Bag of unsalted plain popcorn, popped
1 Tbsp of Agave
1 Tsp of Cocoa powder, unsweetened (*leave out if allergic to chocolate)
1 Tsp of Cinnamon
1 Tbsp of Hemp Seeds, shelled (optional)
1/4 Tsp of Sea Salt
Directions:
1. Pour the popped plain popcorn into a gallon size bag.
2. Mix the cocoa powder, cinnamon, sea salt, and hemp seeds together.
3. Drizzle agave on top of popcorn in gallon size bag.
4. Pour in dry mixture of cocoa powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
5. Zip up the bag and shake it until the popcorn has been coated with the dry mixture.
The CC Dual
Ingredients:
1 Bag of unsalted plain popcorn, popped
1 Tbsp of Agave
1 Tsp of Cocoa powder, unsweetened (*leave out if allergic to chocolate)
1 Tsp of Cinnamon
1 Tbsp of Hemp Seeds, shelled (optional)
1/4 Tsp of Sea Salt
Directions:
1. Pour the popped plain popcorn into a gallon size bag.
2. Mix the cocoa powder, cinnamon, sea salt, and hemp seeds together.
3. Drizzle agave on top of popcorn in gallon size bag.
4. Pour in dry mixture of cocoa powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
5. Zip up the bag and shake it until the popcorn has been coated with the dry mixture.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Show off your "Red" this Friday (2/3/12)
Be sure to wear something red on Friday in support of Go Red For Women, a national day to increase the awareness of heart disease among women. It is a preventable disease with maintenance of healthy lifestyles and early detections. The following link provides a summary of heart disease and women. http://www.goredforwomen.org/about_heart_disease_and_stroke.aspx
Sunday, January 29, 2012
In the spirit of saving--I made my own pizza
In the spirit of saving, I decided to make my own vegan pizza. It turned out to be a veggie filled feast under 25 minutes! I loved it and thought I would share my recipe. Have fun with your own creations!
Veggie Lover's Pizza
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Ingredients:
1 store bought pizza dough (I bought it from whole foods)
1/2 tablespoon of crushed basil
1 teaspoon of crushed oregano
1 tablespoon of crushed Italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes (seasoned with basil, oregano, and garlic)--drain out 1/2 of tomato juice
7 asparagus, rough cut
1/2 cup of frozen spinach
1/3 cup of chopped walnuts
Olive/Canola oil spray
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
2. Roll out the pizza dough with some flours to fit within the cookie sheet pan
3. Line the cookie sheet with foil and spray a thin layer of olive/canola oil on the foil
4.Put the rolled out dough onto the lined cookie sheet pan
5. Spray a thin layer of olive/canola oil on the dough
6. Use a spoon to spread out the diced tomatoes
7. Layer the asparagus on to of the tomatoes
8. Layer on the spinach and crushed nuts
9. Crush and mix all of the spices--Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, and garlic--together in a mixing bowl
10. Sprinkle the spices on top of the vegetables and cover the pizza dough
11. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of the crust
Veggie Lover's Pizza
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Ingredients:
1 store bought pizza dough (I bought it from whole foods)
1/2 tablespoon of crushed basil
1 teaspoon of crushed oregano
1 tablespoon of crushed Italian seasoning
1/2 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes (seasoned with basil, oregano, and garlic)--drain out 1/2 of tomato juice
7 asparagus, rough cut
1/2 cup of frozen spinach
1/3 cup of chopped walnuts
Olive/Canola oil spray
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
2. Roll out the pizza dough with some flours to fit within the cookie sheet pan
3. Line the cookie sheet with foil and spray a thin layer of olive/canola oil on the foil
4.Put the rolled out dough onto the lined cookie sheet pan
5. Spray a thin layer of olive/canola oil on the dough
6. Use a spoon to spread out the diced tomatoes
7. Layer the asparagus on to of the tomatoes
8. Layer on the spinach and crushed nuts
9. Crush and mix all of the spices--Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, and garlic--together in a mixing bowl
10. Sprinkle the spices on top of the vegetables and cover the pizza dough
11. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of the crust
Excited about the new site I found
I am always on the look out to save some money. My grocery bill has been on the rise due to many limitations to my diet. I love it when I run into great deals! Kroger in Houston had kale, collard greens, mustard greens, and asparagus on sale! Kale, collard greens, and mustard greens were $0.59 each and asparagus was $1.88/lb. In addition to my great finds in the grocery store, I stumbled across a site with great saving tips. The site's name is Vegan Mainstream ( http://www.veganmainstream.com/taking-it-mainstream-extreme-couponing-for-vegans )! Hopefully this will also help you maximize your savings. Go out and save my friends.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Kale for Calcium
An average adult between 19-70 years old needs about 1,000 mg of calcium if you are male and about 1200 mg of calcium if you are female. Not many know this, but kale is a great source of calcium beyond milk/dairy products. 1/2 cup of cooked kale will give you about 47mg of calcium! Combining it with a root vegetable of the month--Jicama (loads of vitamin C), you can enjoy a refreshing and crunch filled dish. The following is one of my favorites. All in one spring/summer dish. Enjoy!
All in one White and Greens--Quinoa, Jicama, Avocado, and Kale
Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa, rinse
1 cup water
1 cup fresh kale, shredded (frozen version if you preferred)
1 large Jicama (1-1.5 lbs), peeled and cubed or julienned
1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
2 avocados (ripe), pitted, sliced, and peeled
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning (I use garlic & herb)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon Bragg
1/4 cup chopped nuts
Directions:
1. Cook quinoa with water according to package direction (usually about 15 minutes on reduced heat).
2. Cut Jicama in 1/2 first and then cubed/julienned.
3. Add Jicama, kale, and onion into quinoa.
4. Whisk balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Mrs. Dash seasoning, sea salt, and Bragg.
5. Add the seasoning mixture into qunioa and vegetables.
6. Serve in a bowl and add the sliced avocado on top and sprinkle on chopped nuts.
Makes about 4 servings.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Do you crave savory or sweet foods in the morning?
I recently completed a 3-day food diary myself to evaluate my own eating patterns. Yes, you might think I am a "nutrition nerd", but I found the tool to be very helpful when I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. By looking at my food diary, a very interesting pattern emerged!
I found that if I eat something sweet in the morning (e.g. oatmeal with fruits and nuts or cereals) I recorded eating salty snacks couple hours later. With my 2012 goal of maintaining a healthy weight, I decided that I would switch to eating savory items in the morning. To my surprise, my mid-morning cravings stopped! I no longer need anything between breakfast and lunch. The following is a savory oatmeal recipe I love. Hopefully you will enjoy the recipe as well. May you continue to celebrate your big and small successes in 2012!
Oatmeal for Savory Lovers
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup of Steel cut oats/ 1-Instant oatmeal packet (original flavor)
1 cup of mixed vegetables (whatever you like)
1/4 cup of nuts (raw walnut, almond, or cashews)
1/2 tbsp of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cook the oats according to directions on the package.
2. Saute mixed vegetables and nuts together with olive oil
3. Combine oatmeal, mixed vegetables, and nuts
Oatmeal for Savory Lovers
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup of Steel cut oats/ 1-Instant oatmeal packet (original flavor)
1 cup of mixed vegetables (whatever you like)
1/4 cup of nuts (raw walnut, almond, or cashews)
1/2 tbsp of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cook the oats according to directions on the package.
2. Saute mixed vegetables and nuts together with olive oil
3. Combine oatmeal, mixed vegetables, and nuts
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste
Other additions:
1. For vegetarians, you can add cheese and egg (hard boiled or sunny side up).
2. For non-vegetarians, you can add ground turkey/chicken or chicken sausage/turkey bacon to the mixed vegetables.
Other additions:
1. For vegetarians, you can add cheese and egg (hard boiled or sunny side up).
2. For non-vegetarians, you can add ground turkey/chicken or chicken sausage/turkey bacon to the mixed vegetables.
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: How do you eat an elephant?
I agree with Kelli 100%. It does take one bite at a time!
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: How do you eat an elephant?: Hi, I am Kelli Drenner, a 2009 graduate of the UT School of Public Health and former employ of the MSD Center. I am so glad to be back in...
MICHAEL & SUSAN DELL CENTER for HEALTHY LIVING: How do you eat an elephant?: Hi, I am Kelli Drenner, a 2009 graduate of the UT School of Public Health and former employ of the MSD Center. I am so glad to be back in...