Go Green! Eco-friendly! The grocery store and your kitchen are good places to start going green. Every item you buy potentially impacts the environment from the resources used to create it to the energy used to get it to the grocery store shelf. Have you heard the term carbon footprint? A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, specifically the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) produced in our daily lives from the burning of fossil fuels for electricity or transportation for example. The goal is to lower the carbon footprint for each person by making small changes that have a big impact. If you want more in-depth information on GHG, check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s website.
Let’s look at a food’s packaging as an example. The post-consumer waste of a food product is the packaging. It is the trash that you routinely throw away. The industry standard for post consumer waste varies from about 35% to as high as 70%. Eco-friendly food companies are now striving for around 20% post consumer waste.
What’s realistic for you? What can you do to go green in your kitchen?
Start with reusable bags available everywhere. Use them at the grocery, farmers’ market, anywhere you’ve been using plastic bags. I have large ones that I take to the grocery each week and smaller ones for the farmers’ market in my town. I always have one or two small ones in my car for quick stops at the grocery on the way home. The colors and prints are fun and varied…check your favorite shops for unique ones. I read where Cooking Light magazine readers trade reusable bags from their favorite shops.
Instead of brown bags for lunch, try a reusable lunch bag. I found this great insulated lunch bag at reusablebags.com. It’s very colorful and made by a women’s co-op in the Philippines from recycled juice boxes. Each one is different and people always ask me “where did you get your lunch bag?” It keeps the juice boxes out of the landfill and keeps my lunch cold.
Use stainless steel or BPA-free reusable plastic water bottles and cut down on the cases of plastic one-time-use bottles that go in the landfill.
Check out the new appliances. Are you in the market for a new refrigerator or stove? Refrigerators that have water filters to filter the chilled water and ice that come from the dispensers are common place but recently, a few manufacturers have begun adding interior air filters as well. For example, according to the pros at Aggressive Appliances here in Orlando SubZero has a very advanced filter. Originally created for NASA, this system does more than just clean the air. It significantly reduces bacteria, odors, and the ethylene gas naturally emitted by some foods such as apples and apricots. This gas causes over-ripening and hastens the spoilage of foods. The air in the refrigerator is refreshed every 20 minutes.
Consider induction cooking. An induction cooktop looks like a traditional glass-top electric cooktop, but it doesn’t have the traditional heater coil under the glass. What is under the glass is a high powered electromagnet. Roughly 90% of the potential energy of the cooktop ends up being used to cook the food. Not only are induction cooktops greener due to greater efficiency, they also get to the temperature much faster, shortening the time the cooktop is on.
When it comes to grilling, gas is better for the environment. According to Christian Science Monitor, a new study reported in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review compared grilling using charcoal and propane. They found that propane is better for the environment than charcoal. Propane, the author says, has a carbon footprint almost two thirds less than charcoal’s. It’s seems to be a question of efficiency in the manufacturing process (how much fuel it takes to make the fuel). Then, according to the study, there’s the matter of efficiency at your grill. Gas-burning grills turn on and off quickly, so you have control over how much is burned and how much CO2 gets released. By comparison, charcoal grills aren’t as easily started or stopped plus they require a lighter, an additional fuel with a CO2 footprint.
Go green and make a few eco-friendly changes in your daily habits. Mother Earth will thank you.
Wouldn’t it be nice to hop on a Mediterranean cruise right now and sample the delicious foods from the bordering countries? I’m not sure what draws me in the most…the freshness, the flavors or just the fact that many of the foods are so good for you. These Mediterranean foods are not only good for the heart and blood pressure, but they can help you lose some weight! Think of the Mediterranean diet like this…if entire countries are eating this way because they want to…it really must be good. Just what is the Mediterranean diet? Let me break it down for you. Here are seven key factors in the Mediterranean diet that you can include in your own:
Generous amounts of fruits and vegetables…especially tomatoes. Tomatoes include lycopene, a potent antioxidant, and vitamin C. Think fresh sliced tomatoes with fresh mozzarella cheese topped with fresh basil.
Healthy fat such as olive oil which is not only for cooking but used on your salads, for dipping bread, and making pesto. Olives are popular too. I use them on pizza but I also love the large ones stuffed with garlic or almonds. They are a little salty so if you are watching your sodium intake, be aware of how many you consume.Balsamic vinegar mixes beautifully with olive oil for a salad dressing. When I sauté fresh spinach with grape tomatoes, I add a splash of balsamic vinegar right at the end and it gives the sauté a lovely flavor.
Garlic is another source of naturally occurring phytonutrients including antioxidants. Also try spices including rosemary, thyme, oregano, red peppers and cinnamon. I take dried oregano or dried basil or else chop and blend fresh herbs and add to extra virgin olive oil to use as dipping oil for whole grain bread. Yum!
The flavors are fabulous! Plus, olive oil contains monounsaturated fat that will ultimately help reduce that LDL or bad cholesterol. When shopping for olive oil, remember “virgin or extra virgin”. These are the least processed forms and great for salad dressing or dipping.
Red wine in moderation.
Beans and nuts – great sources of fiber and protein. In the countries bordering the Mediterranean, very little meat is eaten. If you’re a meat eater, that’s okay, but try to slowly substitute beans for meat on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, hummus is made from garbanzo beans or chick peas. This is great to use as a spread and you can easily find garlic or red pepper flavored hummus. As for nuts – be careful not to go too nut crazy. They are good for you but are high in calories. A few almonds between meals are a great snack but not the entire can in front of the TV…think portion control.
Eat fish on a regular basis. Fatty fish, such as salmon, is heart healthy and contains those all so important Omega 3’s.
Cheese and yogurt. These protein powerhouses are super for bone health. Just watch the fat content and choose lower fat options when possible.
Well, that’s not so tough is it? Okay, I’m sure many of you are saying “where’s the bread? Where’s the pasta?” Well, don’t worry. The Mediterranean diet does include a carb fix.
Just think whole grains. According to the Mayo Clinic, grains in the Mediterranean region are typically whole grain containing very few unhealthy trans fats. So choose your bread and pasta wisely. Look for the Whole Grain logo on the labeling or check the ingredient label for the words ‘whole grain’ as the first or second ingredient. If switching “cold turkey” to whole grain is too hard, try only using half whole grain/half enriched white pasta the first few times….just until your palette gets used to it.
Try to eat like the Greeks for a week. You may end up not only liking the food, but losing weight and keeping your heart in check!
For the past few years research has been back and forth on the role of calcium in weight loss. A new study in the March issue of the British Journal of Nutrition looked at overweight/obese women who reported consuming less than 600 milligrams of calcium per day. In food terms that’s less than two glasses of milk. One group of women was given supplemental calcium and vitamin D along with their calorie reduced diet and the other placebo group received the calorie reduced diet only. The results indicated that in the group taking the calcium and vitamin D supplements, fat loss increased. This fat loss may be due to a calcium specific appetite control. So as we learn more about the role of calcium in weight loss, it’s a smart idea to consume adequate calcium and vitamin D every day. For most people this need is somewhere between 1000-1300 milligrams for calcium and 400 or more IUs of vitamin D. Many people have low vitamin D blood levels so you may want to ask your doctor to check it with a blood test.
One of my favorite ways to start my day and get a big boost of calcium is to make my favorite peanut butter smoothie. It’s so easy. I keep those bananas that are looking a little ripe, cut them up and put them in the freezer. Then I always have bananas ready to go. Toss about 3 banana pieces into a blender along with 1-2 Tbsp of peanut butter (almond butter works too), ½ cup or so of high calcium/high protein milk and ¼- ½ cup of Greek yogurt. That’s it…blend and drink…yum! Sometimes I use the vanilla Greek yogurt and that’s really tasty.
Some other good calcium sources courtesy of Family Circle (July issue) besides milk, cheese and yogurt include:
Breakfast
½ cup oatmeal made with 1 cup skim milk, 300 mg
A smoothie made with 1 cup low-fat yogurt, ice, ½ cup strawberries and 1 peach, 400 mg
Lunch
2 cups tomato soup topped with ½ cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese, 235 mg
2 cups vegetable chili made with black beans, 160 mg
Snack
1 piece of low-fat string cheese and 3 Tbsp almonds, 225 mg
1 cup mixed veggies with ½ cup low-fat yogurt dip, 225 mg
Dinner
3 oz canned salmon with bone, 2 cups mixed greens with 2 Tbsp low-fat dressing, 235 mg
1 ½ cups whole-wheat pasta with 1 cup frozen spinach and ½ cup broccoli, 290 mg
Each month Family Circle Senior Health Editor Margit Ragland shares a tasty recipe that we post at the WDBO Nutrition and Health Center. For July, it’s a Sausage & Pepper Hero. Guys, you are going to love us for this recipe and ladies, if your man is a sausage kind of guy who loves an overflowing hot dog bun, we have a healthy version that only you will know is good for him.
Anyone who has lost a loved one knows that the road ahead is a challenging one…to say the least. For many, it feels like an eternity to cope with the emptiness especially when you have been a hands-on caregiver. What seems even more hopeless is the thought of moving forward and getting back to a normal routine. And part of this is making sure you’re taking care of you and your health.
I have a friend who recently lost his elderly mother. His parents had been married for over 50 years. His father was the main caregiver and is having a very tough time adjusting to the emptiness of living without his life’s partner. He’s experiencing insomnia but at the same time doesn’t want to get out of bed. He’s lost his appetite and when he is hungry, it’s just too much trouble to get something to eat or drink. This is all too familiar for many people who have lost a loved one. In many cases, seniors become the caregivers to their spouses, parents to their terminally ill children or friends are caring for friends. Before and after the death of the loved one, the caregiver is often mentally and physically drained.
In my friend’s case, his mother battled a life-threatening disease for a decade. Her death was not a surprise, but none the less, left her husband feeling devastated. If you know someone or you yourself are experiencing a loss, keep this in mind. It’s hard to eat well or even have the desire to eat at all….that’s normal. And especially for seniors, as you get older it’s tougher to maintain a good diet. Caloric needs decline with age but the need for certain nutrients increases. When you couple this with the loss of a spouse, the stress can wreak havoc on your body…sometimes without you even knowing it.
Things like drinking water during the day are forgotten. Going without water can initially result in mild signs of dehydration like dry mouth, lack of energy or loss of appetite. Severe effects of dehydration could result in rapid heart rate, dizziness, and headaches. These physical effects of dehydration are easy to pass off as symptoms of the emotional experience of the loss. But it’s important to remember that a severe case of dehydration could send you to the hospital.
Try these nutrition tips that are nourishing and don’t require a lot of effort.
If you have leftover casseroles or meals that people have prepared, have a neighbor or friend help you freeze these in individual portions. Be sure to date and label what’s in the container and any special instructions you need to remember. Meals that you can pull out of the freezer and thaw, heat and eat are great when you just don’t have the mindset to fix food.
Because your mind may not be up for cooking an intricate dinner, keep things simple—but nutritious. When the neighbors casseroles get sparse, make a grocery list of basic, simple, easy to fix items such as:
Your favorite fortified whole grain cereal, whole grain bread and whole grain crackers. There is nothing wrong with a good healthy bowl of cereal with skim or soy milk, a peanut butter sandwich or whole grain crackers with cheese or peanut butter. Don’t forget granola bars or other healthy bars with nuts, soy, or dried fruit. I’ve been known to eat cereal for dinner numerous times.
Nuts such as cashews or almonds are easy to snack on. Plus you can find nuts mixed with dried fruit and even the occasional M&Ms. Small packages are available now for almost everything so you don’t have to keep as much food on hard.
Eggs are simple to hard boil or cans of tuna or chicken breast make easy sandwiches or can be eaten with your crackers. Even microwavable mac and cheese is very easy. There are many brands available, some with individual pouches for several meals.
If you feel like cooking, look for bags of fish or chicken with individually wrapped portions that you can freeze and pull out one at a time.
Low-and non-fat dairy products such as yogurt, milk or low-lactose milk, and soy milk are all good sources of protein calcium and other nutrients. Some companies like Kraft make ‘cracker cuts’…cheese that is ready to put on a cracker.
Bright-colored vegetables such as carrots and broccoli now come in small packages and even individual portions (think kids’ lunchboxes) so you don’t have waste.
Dried fruits use to mean raisins but now you can find blueberries and cherries, most any fruit you like. Also keep a small amount of easy-to-eat fruit such as apples, bananas, grapes, berries in season or pre-packed cut up fruit on hand. Fruit has a high water content and helps to rehydrate the body.
Besides nutrition and health, many other factors are part of the grief process. You will find terrific resources available online to help you. Check out The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. Click on ‘resources and support’ or ‘are you caring for someone?’ This site has a lot of good information and will guide you to other credible sites as well. Also take a look at the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO). The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast and hundreds of hospices across the US are members of NHPCO. Another rich source of information for caregivers is Caring Connections. I hope these tips help you get through this tough time.
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