Contented Eater

Good day everyone. Today is National Princess Day. Not exactly sure what that means but it sounds like it is worth celebrating. Cruciferous vegetables are things like cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussel's sprouts, and other veggies that we tend not to a eat a lot of. They are very healthy for just about everybody. However, you may have heard that for people with thyroid problems these types of foods can cause a deficiency in iodine. There is some truth to that belief but, gen...erally, it is not something that you should worry about since any depletion is minimal. There are two things to deal with it if you are at all concerned and eat these foods on some regular basis. First, if you steam or cook these foods the iodine question is answered. Second, you can eat iodine rich foods like kelp or other "sea" foods or simply take a kelp supplement. But remember, any slight downside to these marvelous foods is outweighed manyfold by the benefits they offer. So eat up.

Today is Recipe Thursday. Now, I have to confess at this point. So far, the recipes I have used are things that I have personally tried. But I am now running low on my personal successes so will be offering things that look good and that I will be trying. I hope you like them. Easy and Hearty Meatloaf Preheat oven to 375 degrees.... Mince 6-8 ounces of Portobello mushrooms (or other mushroom if preferred). You could use a food processor since the mushrooms should be fairly fine. In a large bowl add the mushrooms, 2 eggs, about a 1/2 cup of medium salsa (or Pico de Gallo if you like), 1 tsp pepper, and 1 1/2 tsp sea salt. Get your hands into it and mix about 2 pounds of extra-lean ground beef into the mixture in the bowl. Form the meat mixture into a shallow baking dish and bake for about one hour. Check to make sure that the meat is fully cooked before removing from oven. Enjoy with a large green salad. Remember, our first weekly Contented Eater will be held at the clinic next Wednesday, Nov 8, at 6:30 p.m. Let me know if you are able to make it. Have a great day.

Good day everyone A week or so ago I mentioned that I was thinking about doing a weekly support session. I have talked to a number of people and feel that this is exactly what they want and what I feel is missing from the equation. I apologize that this did not happen sooner. So, I am planning on doing this on Wednesday nights. I know there is no particularly good night but if Wednesdays is not great then we can discuss that. But, at this point, November 8 will be the first s...ession where I will explain what I think we can do each week and get your input. It is important to me that this weekly session is for YOU and will do what I can to make it work. This first session will be at the clinic here on Memorial Drive E and will run from 6:30 - 7:30, or so. Again, the time of the session will be open for input at the first meeting. I would appreciate it if you could let me know if this will work for you. We may be meeting at a different place since this will be open for you to bring along friends in the future. I am really excited at this change in the Contented Eater program. I know with certainty that the content of the program is excellent but adding the support piece is now critical for people to find the success they need and want. Take care and talk to you soon.

Some things seem to make a lot of sense when you first think about them. However, what you thought was correct actually isn't when you look at them under closer examination. Take acid reflux or heartburn, for example. Often known as GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease), this condition can cause a lot of immediate discomfort and some long term problems as well. It is typically treated with some form of acid suppressor, over-the-counter or prescription. The logic is simple: y...ou have too much stomach acid so lessening it seems to be the answer. Sounds sensible. However, the opposite may be the case - you do not have enough stomach acid. How is that possible? The valve at the top of the stomach is intended to keep acid in the stomach and opens and closes based on the stomach acidity. If there is not enough acidity the valve can stay open causing the stomach acid to back-up causing the discomfort. This is not always the case but might be the answer to what is going on. The solution, then, is not to reduce the stomach acidity but increase it appropriately. This ensures proper digestion of foods leading to better nutrition for the body and less food cravings. It is not the only piece to the healthy weight management puzzle, but it is one area to consider. Have a great day.

We seem to have a strange definition of health nowadays. For many, health is the fact that we have few symptoms that are not being managed by prescription drugs. This video looks at health just a bit differently - through the eyes of children. Enjoy and have a great day.