Saturday, February 26, 2011

Recipe for Dehydrated Kale Chips

These chips are very hard to resist and you can't eat just one! You may need to double the recipe because they won't last very long. I sometimes eat a large bowl full as a meal and am completely satisfied.

This works best with Lacinato or Dinosaur Kale.

Chrissy's Goddess Chips

2 bunches kale, broken into large pieces by hand

Dressing:
3/4 c sesame tahini
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 c water ~ more if needed
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup nama shoyu
2 scallions
1 clove garlic
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 t. sea salt

Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth to get a thick consistency. You may have to add more water. Pour over kale and mix thoroughly with your hands to coat the kale. You want this mixture to be really glued onto the kale.

Place kale onto a Teflex sheet, on top of a mesh dehydrator screen, and dehydrate for 4 hours @ 110 degrees. You'll need to use two trays. Rotate kale occasionally to dry uniformly.

The first time I made these I stood over the dehydrator and ate the chips right from the Teflex sheet. Enjoy!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Help for the Winter Blues

Unraveling The Mystery of Mid-Winter BluesPsychologist, holistic specialist provides uplifting advice.
As if the Bears’ NFC Championship loss, hike in income taxes and impending snowstorm weren’t enough to leave Lake Forest and Lake Bluff residents feeling a little down these days; Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum, a psychologist and holistic medicine specialist with Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital (NLFH), said residents may be suffering from “winter blues,” or – if symptoms are more persistent – from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Scheinbaum said the phenomenon of winter doldrums is nothing new, having been noted in sixth century historical documents describing lifestyle patterns in Nordic countries.

“Winter blues is a normal experience,” Scheinbaum commented. “Winter is a period of contracting and turning inward. It’s a part of the natural rhythm of our lives.”

Scheinbaum explained the experience of turning inward is typically characterized by eating greater quantities of food; eating heavier foods; sleeping more; and generally feeling sluggish.

Other symptoms include craving carbohydrates; withdrawing from family and friends; experiencing profound fatigue; and having difficulty concentrating, Dr. Scheinbaum added.

The onset of symptoms from winter blues/SAD is generally late fall or early winter, according to Scheinbaum.

Winter blues is distinguished from SAD “when symptoms become more intense and more frequent,” Scheinbaum said. “A patient’s symptoms may start out mild, but then they become more severe.”

Scheinbaum said patients suffering from SAD typically experience effects at the same time annually. “People notice a pattern, year after year,” she commented. “And the natural feeling of turning inward turns to hopelessness.”

The good news is there are many ways to prevent and treat the symptoms of both winter blues and SAD.

Let There Be Light

According to Scheinbaum, light – or lack thereof – is a key contributing factor to winter blues/SAD.

“It’s not very energy conscious, but turn on every light and make the house bright,” she recommended.

Other suggestions include raising the blinds and opening the drapes for more light; dressing up in layers and walking outside for five minutes; or even sitting by a window to expose yourself to the light.

Scheinbaum also suggested creating areas of heat, warmth and light in the home by striking up the fireplace and burning candles.

Light box therapy is another successful way to help curb some of the ill effects of reduced light in winter, according to Scheinbaum. Under this treatment, patients sit close to a light box – which mimics natural sunlight by producing a full spectrum of light – for 30 minutes to an hour a day. Scheinbaum advised patients interested in light box therapy to work with a health professional for guidance on proper use.

Scheinbaum said another effective light treatment is a dawn simulator. This device turns on in the morning with a dim light and mimics the sunrise by gradually getting brighter.

Breathe Deeply and Think Tropical Thoughts

Another way to ward off that winter funk, Scheinbaum said, is to warm up some essential oils. “Breathe in the essence,” she said. “Ginger, turmeric and cinnamon are spices we tend to crave during this time.”

Scheinbaum said she often uses visual therapy with her clients. She said it can be helpful to think of the positive images associated with winter, such as children sledding; going skiing or ice skating; or playing in the snow. “Find the joy in winter,” Scheinbaum said.

Alternatively, Scheinbaum said, imagine yourself in a beautiful, warm place. And for a more hands-on experience, plant seeds for the spring; add flowers and tropical plants to your home and workplace; or wear bright colors instead of the dark clothes typically worn in winter.

Something as simple as taking long, hot baths can do wonders to boost mood, said Scheinbaum. A sauna is wonderful if you have access to it, she added, as is hot yoga – a yoga class conducted in a room that is heated to 95-100°F. “You sweat,” Scheinbaum stated. “It’s great!”

Vitamin D, Melatonin, Omega-3 Essential

One of the best preventive measures people can take to avoid winter blues and SAD is to have their vitamin D levels checked by a health professional and, if necessary, increase their intake of the nutrient.

“Most people go into winter with low levels of vitamin D,” Scheinbaum commented. “Proper levels can create a dramatic decrease in the symptoms of SAD and increase overall immunity,” she said.

Vitamin D increases the level of serotonin, a brain chemical that impacts mood.

Dr. Scheinbaum said with the increased darkness, there also is a shift in the body’s circadian rhythms and, for some people, the biological clock can get out of step. Melatonin capsules, usually taken in the afternoon, can help. Melatonin is a naturally-occurring hormone that influences sleep patterns.

Also important are adequate levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in large amounts in fish. Scheinbaum explained although the habitants of many cold weather climates suffer from SAD symptoms, in Iceland the prevalence is very low. Researchers believe this may be the result of the Icelanders’ diet, which consists mainly of fish.

Dr. Scheinbaum recommended fish oil supplements to her clients, and said that patients should consult with a health care professional to determine the amount of melatonin or fish oil supplementation that’s right for them.

Exercise, Eat Right, Get More Sleep

Scheinbaum said other ways to boost mood and metabolism during the winter months include increasing exercise and movement, while decreasing intake of refined carbohydrates.

“During these months, the body is craving carbs, but we need whole grain carbohydrates,” she said.

Scheinbaum advises eating whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and oats; and focusing on real [unprocessed] foods such as soups and stews filled with vegetables.

“Our society has changed. We exercise less and watch TV more. We lead very busy lives, work long hours and go to bed late,” Scheinbaum commented, all of which can exacerbate the symptoms of winter blues.

Even small changes, such as going to bed a little earlier, can be a big help. “Go to bed by 10 p.m. From about 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. the body does its repair work,” Scheinbaum explained. Going to bed a little earlier in the winter helps to regulate the body’s biological clock and harmonize with its natural tendencies.

Change With The Seasons

Patients experiencing persistent SAD symptoms will want to obtain a referral to a psychologist, who may recommend cognitive therapy to help the patient work through the seasonal challenges, Dr. Scheinbaum added.

Serious cases of SAD, in which the patient is unable to function or is experiencing symptoms that are disrupting life, may require a trial of anti-depressant medication, though Scheinbaum said, “From my perspective, medication is a last resort.”

“Health professionals sometimes try to medicalize what is otherwise a normal experience,” Scheinbaum said. “Most people [experiencing seasonal challenges] make changes that are effective without resorting to medication.”

Scheinbaum added that SAD is not strictly a winter phenomenon: A more unusual form of the disorder is spring/summer SAD. These symptoms are nearly opposite their winter counterparts, Scheinbaum said, and include the inability to fall asleep; decreased appetite; and feeling jumpy, jittery and anxious.

How do you combat the winter blues? Tell us in the comments.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Benefits Patients with Heart Disease

In patients with coronary heart disease, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) appears to be associated with lower rates of recurrent acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs) and coronary heart disease events, according to new research in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Psychosocial factors have been shown to account for approximately 30% of the attributable risk of acute myocardial infarction. Emotional factors include anxiety, depression, anger, and hostility, whereas chronic stressors include social support, work or marital stressors, and socioeconomic status. Of the patients, the reference group received traditional care, whereas the intervention group received traditional care and CBT. CBT consisted of 20 two-hour sessions during a year's time where participants learned different methods to manage and reduce stress. Mean follow-up time was 94 months. Use of CBT was associated with lower rates of recurrent and nonfatal and fatal recurrent coronary heart disease events.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Elimination Diet Helps Children with ADHD

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should be fed a special diet to help their carers determine whether certain foods are making their condition worse. In a study of 100 children with ADHD -- one of the world's most common child mental disorders -- scientists from Radboud University and the ADHD Research Center in the Netherlands found that a restricted diet led to significant improvements in the symptoms of some ADHD sufferers. "Dietary intervention should be considered in all children with ADHD, provided parents are willing to follow a diagnostic restricted elimination diet for a five-week period, and provided expert supervision is available," the scientists said in their study in The Lancet medical journal.ADHD is estimated to affect around 3 to 5 percent of children worldwide.

Previous studies have suggested that in some children, ADHD might be an allergic or hypersensitivity disorder that could be triggered by any type of food that can cause allergic reactions. In this study, children aged four to eight years diagnosed with ADHD were divided into two groups and given either an elimination diet or a general healthy diet for five weeks. Jan Buitelaar of Radboud University, who led the study, said that the elimination diet was restricted to rice, water, white meat such as turkey, and some fruits and vegetables that are generally considered as unlikely to cause allergies. Foods such as wheat, tomatoes, oranges, eggs and dairy products were kept out of the diet as they are often linked with allergies or food intolerances.

After five weeks, children who reacted well to the restricted diet went into a second phase in which different groups of foods were gradually added to their diet and their symptoms monitored to see if they worsened. The foods were different for each child, based on blood results.In the first phase, 64 percent of children in the diet group had significant improvements in their ADHD symptoms, Buitelaar said, and showed a decrease in "oppositional defiant disorder symptoms" such as challenging behavior.

Fish Oils Linked to Better Mood

Encouraging animal research from France supports evidence that omega-3 fatty acids play a key role in mood health … and expands our grasp on how they work in the brain.
 
French scientists tested the effects of feeding mice a diet that was relatively low in omega-3 fatty acids and high in the omega-6 fatty acids that predominate in most  vegetable oils (Lafourcade M et al. 2011).
 
As they said in a press release, this imbalanced fat intake “had deleterious consequences on synaptic functions and emotional behaviors.”  (INSERM 2011)
 
In other words, it messed with brain systems and chemicals that maintain mood.
 
The average American’s diet suffers from the same kind of “omega-imbalance”, which is associated with major health conditions from cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis to depression and dementia.

Magnesium and Type 2 Diabetes

Low magnesium status may exacerbate the symptoms of type 2 diabetes by further influencing insulin status, according to new research.
The study, published in Clinical Nutrition, finds that long-term hyperglycemia (a condition that leads to excess levels of magnesium in the urine) in patients with type-2 diabetes increases the risk of chronic complications such as nephropathy and may exacerbate and aggravate other clinical conditions associated with diabetes.

The authors said that an adequate magnesium intake is essential for subjects with type-2 diabetes, noting that magnesium intake was inadequate in most (82 percent) of the diabetic subjects studied.

“The results presented here show that magnesium intake by the study population was inadequate and that a high percentage of individuals presented alterations in the status of this mineral,” said the authors, led by Cristiane Hermes Sales from the Department of Food and Experimental Nutrition at the University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential in the regulation of many cellular processes and functions as a cofactor in a wide range of metabolic reactions.

Variations in the distribution of magnesium within the body are associated with several disease states, especially diabetes – a disorder which represents a global public health concern.

Sales and colleagues explained that the function of insulin is dependent on magnesium, as it is responsible for the activation of insulin receptors and for stimulation of proteins and substrates involved in insulin signaling.

Previous research has suggested the magnesium intake of patients with diabetes to often be below recommended levels. The researchers noted that there is also evidence that the magnesium status of patients with diabetes tends to alter, and that low levels may influence the evolution of the disease by generating further complications.

“Although some epidemiological studies have suggested that adequate magnesium intake reduces the risk of development of type 2 diabetes, there are still contradictions with respect to the role of low magnesium intake as a predictor factor for this disease,” said Sales and co workers.