Variety, Balance, and Moderation – what do they mean?

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            You read magazine articles and hear it on the news: the key to a healthy lifestyle is moderation along with variety and balance. But what exactly does moderation mean? Does it mean a daily splurge, weekly splurge, or a monthly splurge? Or does it mean if you are eating healthy 80% of the time, the other 20% does not matter?            Moderation is the act of limiting or restraining certain things. Moderation combined with variety and balance does lead to a healthier lifestyle. Variety helps keep food interesting while giving your body the proper nutrients it needs. If you continue to eat the same foods day after day, you will become tired of those foods and more willing to make an unhealthy decision or splurge. Also, different colors of food provide the body with different nutrients. For example, red fruits and vegetables give the body lycopene and blue fruits and vegetables contain anthocyanins. Thus, a little variety in the diet helps “spice things up” while providing a full range of nutrients.
            Balance refers to the balance of the food groups and portions consumed. It is important to eat all the food groups. Restricting a food group could lead to deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals. Also, portion sizes should be balanced. A “handy” way of remembering what a cup looks like is using the size of your fist. One fist or cup is the proper serving of a fruit or vegetable and whole grains such as pastas and cereals.             Lastly, moderation is the ultimate key. As mentioned, it is limiting or restricting certain foods from your diet. Restricting food groups is bad but restricting foods such as candy, fried foods, or sugary beverages is beneficial to a healthy lifestyle. This could be a gradual change such as only drinking one soda a day compared to four, etc. As far as “splurges” are concerned, it differs from person to person. One person may need a small daily splurge such as a piece of dark chocolate but another person may want to look forward to that coffee drink from Starbucks once a week. It is important for you to find the balance in your life and stick with it. If you customize your diet plan to your needs and wants, you are more likely to stay on track and motivated than if you just copied a diet from someone else. It is your life and your health so remember to eat a variety of foods, balance portion sizes, and keep everything in moderation. 

Stephanie Bailey, Dietetic Intern University of Memphis

BIOMechaniks: Train the mind and the body will follow

Strawberry Sauce in 5 Minutes

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It's Saturday! As the weekend and warmer weather sets in, so do the summer desserts. Just because I prefer to eat healthy doesn't mean I skip dessert. I love topping homemade vanilla ice cream with my super easy 5 minute strawberry sauce.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

If you think that goopy red stuff they sell in the produce section next to the fresh strawberries is strawberry sauce, you've been missing out! This sauce is simple, delicious and much healthier than the high fructose corn-syrup and sugar infused goo they sell at the grocery store.

Simple Strawberry Sauce
Wash, clean and slice as many strawberries as you have on hand. Place them in a pot and put it on the stove over medium-low heat. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot with approximately 1/4-inch of water. Let the berries slowly come to a simmer and soften.

Use a fork to lightly mash the fruit. As the strawberries soften, they will generate more liquid. When the berries are soft, use a stick blender to puree the fruit into a sauce. Taste the strawberry sauce and add a sprinkle of stevia to sweeten. Let the sauce cook down to the desired consistency.

Pour the strawberry sauce over cheesecake, ice cream, strawberry shortcake or angel food cake. Or, use the sauce as a starter for a smoothie or strawberry daiquiri! Enjoy!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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A to Z Blog Challenge Week 3 Recap

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Today wraps up the third week of the April 2012 A to Z Blog Challenge!

Each day in April (excluding Sundays) I'm spotlighting one letter of the alphabet. Have you been following along?

Although today is a day off from the Challenge, I thought I'd post a quick recap of the previous week, "N" through "S". If you missed any posts on Whole Foods Living, here's a list of quick links:

April 16: Why Blog About Nutrition?April 17: My Love Affair With Olive Oil
April 18: Do You Eat Papaya?April 19: 3 Ways to Eat QuinoaApril 20: Types of RiceApril 21: Strawberry Sauce in 5 Minutes

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living
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The Farmer's Market is Open!

To contact us Click HERE

Freshly washed butter crunch lettuce. Photo by Angela Tague.

Have you ever shopped in a store where every display seemed to call your name?

Handcrafted beeswax lip balm? Yes, please!
Spinach speckled with local soil? Bring it on!
Glistening jars of crimson berry jams. Yum!

Our local farmer's market opened this morning, which means I can barely get this written between taking bites of my locally grown lunch. Heck, my editors are lucky the market isn't open all day, or I may have missed a few deadlines today!

Since it's early in the season, our local market was plentiful with fresh spring greens, radishes, rhubarb and asparagus.

But, the true find of the day was a head of butter crunch lettuce. The velvety texture, mild flavor and pale color truly means summer is just around the corner. Since this is one of the first lettuces of the season to grow in the midwest, it's always an early garden-season treat.

Is your farmer's market open for business? What local whole foods are you enjoying?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Beans: The High-Protein Food That's Healthy and Cheap

To contact us Click HERE

Another fine article from Real age
Here's why beans always make our best-foods list: They're a healthy, cheap source of protein that'll reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, lower your blood sugar, and flatten your belly. (Protect your heart with a batch of EatingWell's Smoky Black Bean Soup tonight.)Yep, beans do all that and more. Here are 5 ways beans help your waistline, heart, and blood sugar:

1. Reduce belly fat. A recent study found that beans' soluble fiber chases away deep-down, visceral belly fat -- the toxin-filled kind that threatens your vital organs.
   
2. Lower blood sugar. Beans are low on the glycemic index, which means they're digested slowly, so they stabilize your blood sugar. Translation: Beans reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Stabilize blood sugar deliciously with this Very Green Lentil Soup recipe from EatingWell.
   
3. Reduce blood pressure. Beans are rich in artery-friendly minerals and healthy plant protein -- the kind that's better for blood pressure than protein from animals. Substitute the deli meat on your next sandwich with EatingWell's Braised Greens & Cannellini Bean Panini recipe.
   
4. Protect heart health. The soluble fiber in beans also helps reduce blood levels of C-reactive protein, which lowers your risk for heart disease and heart attacks. Try this pasta dish fromEatingWell to help lower your heart disease risk: Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Chickpeas.
   
5. Reduce cancer risk. Simply eating beans three times a week helps prevent colon cancer. (You're 33% less likely to develop colon polyps.) Cutting back on red meat can reduce cancer risk, too.

So, what's not to like about beans? Oh, those gas attacks? Ease into eating beans, and take the supplement Beano (available at grocery stores) until your body is used to them. Beano's natural enzymes deflate gas attacks. The elevator crowd will thank you.

How to Grill Tomatoes

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When the hubby tosses a steak on the grill, I prepare veggie kabobs. In addition to whole button mushrooms, slices of bell pepper and chunks of red onion, I like to add tomatoes to the mix.

Fresh Tomatoes. Photo Courtesy Morguefile.

Since the fruit has a tender, thin skin I've been experimenting with various ways to grill tomatoes. When secured to a skewer they seem to grill--not char--like tomatoes placed directly on the grill.

The easiest tomatoes to add to a kabob are small salad tomatoes such as cherry, grape or pear tomatoes. Just slide them onto the skewer. If you only have large, whole tomatoes available, you can grill them kabob-style too.

Start by chopping the tomato into large chunks, at least 2 1/2 to 3-inches wide. Then, drizzle the tomato with olive oil. Don't squeeze the seeds and juice out of the chunks or they will dry out during the grilling process. Finally, wedge the chunks between two other kabob items to help secure the tender tomato.

Grill the veggie kabobs on indirect heat on an upper grill rack for three to four minutes. Rotate the skewers and grill for another three to four minutes. Then, enjoy!

Have you ever grilled tomatoes? Feel free to share your ideas, tips and tricks in the comments below.

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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Do You Love Umami?

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Do you crave sweet treats? Or does a sour apple make you smile? For some, salty or bitter indulgences make the taste buds sing. But, did you know there's yet another taste to experience?

Sushi. Photo courtesy Morguefile.

Welcome to the world of umami.

This little known flavor is what parmesan cheese, asparagus, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed and grilled fish are made of. Umami is described as a savory taste experience, according to Dr. Andrew Weil. Glutamate, an amino acid, is responsible for the flavor.

Me? I'm a sweets gal, with a touch of salt. My favorite indulgence is homemade caramels covered in chocolate topped with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. (Now, I know that's not nutritious, but I am human. I'm not healthy every minute of every day!)

So, when it's time for a splurge--which taste makes you drool? Please comment below!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

PS: Want to read more about nutrition, beauty and health? I write and post daily on Facebook and Twitter!

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The Farmer's Market is Open!

To contact us Click HERE

Freshly washed butter crunch lettuce. Photo by Angela Tague.

Have you ever shopped in a store where every display seemed to call your name?

Handcrafted beeswax lip balm? Yes, please!
Spinach speckled with local soil? Bring it on!
Glistening jars of crimson berry jams. Yum!

Our local farmer's market opened this morning, which means I can barely get this written between taking bites of my locally grown lunch. Heck, my editors are lucky the market isn't open all day, or I may have missed a few deadlines today!

Since it's early in the season, our local market was plentiful with fresh spring greens, radishes, rhubarb and asparagus.

But, the true find of the day was a head of butter crunch lettuce. The velvety texture, mild flavor and pale color truly means summer is just around the corner. Since this is one of the first lettuces of the season to grow in the midwest, it's always an early garden-season treat.

Is your farmer's market open for business? What local whole foods are you enjoying?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Beans: The High-Protein Food That's Healthy and Cheap

To contact us Click HERE

Another fine article from Real age
Here's why beans always make our best-foods list: They're a healthy, cheap source of protein that'll reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, lower your blood sugar, and flatten your belly. (Protect your heart with a batch of EatingWell's Smoky Black Bean Soup tonight.)Yep, beans do all that and more. Here are 5 ways beans help your waistline, heart, and blood sugar:

1. Reduce belly fat. A recent study found that beans' soluble fiber chases away deep-down, visceral belly fat -- the toxin-filled kind that threatens your vital organs.
   
2. Lower blood sugar. Beans are low on the glycemic index, which means they're digested slowly, so they stabilize your blood sugar. Translation: Beans reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Stabilize blood sugar deliciously with this Very Green Lentil Soup recipe from EatingWell.
   
3. Reduce blood pressure. Beans are rich in artery-friendly minerals and healthy plant protein -- the kind that's better for blood pressure than protein from animals. Substitute the deli meat on your next sandwich with EatingWell's Braised Greens & Cannellini Bean Panini recipe.
   
4. Protect heart health. The soluble fiber in beans also helps reduce blood levels of C-reactive protein, which lowers your risk for heart disease and heart attacks. Try this pasta dish fromEatingWell to help lower your heart disease risk: Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Chickpeas.
   
5. Reduce cancer risk. Simply eating beans three times a week helps prevent colon cancer. (You're 33% less likely to develop colon polyps.) Cutting back on red meat can reduce cancer risk, too.

So, what's not to like about beans? Oh, those gas attacks? Ease into eating beans, and take the supplement Beano (available at grocery stores) until your body is used to them. Beano's natural enzymes deflate gas attacks. The elevator crowd will thank you.

MENTAL MALADIES, POST CANCER

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In honor of the 2nd Annual World Mental Health Day, I'm joining the blogging party (albeit a bit late) in an effort to shed some light on emotional health following a cancer diagnosis.

I'm not a medical professional, but I'm pretty sure whatever mental maladies you struggled with pre-cancer will be exacerbated post-cancer. Your usual coping tools will no longer work. Fasten seat belts. Gonna be a bumpy ride.

NOT READY, NOT SET, GOTTA GO
Pre-cancer, exercise was an effective form of mental and emotional therapy for me; it helped to reduce my overall anxiety (I have always been a worrier). Post-cancer, I wanted this to be the same. But after a double mastectomy, reconstruction and subsequent healing complications, movement and lifting restrictions by my doctor meant I couldn't exercise for long stretches of time. As in, months at a time (aside from walking, big whoop there). Suddenly my exercise tool was missing from my toolbox. And as you know, being inactive and burning fewer calories leads to weight gain. (Ten pounds over here.) That means more anxiety, 'cause extra weight is a risk factor not only in getting breast cancer, but in recurrence as well.

What I didn't see coming was the lack of energy brought on by a cancer diagnosis. Dealing with having cancer is obviously very emotionally depleting. Your world is turned completely upside down, you spend more time in doctor's offices than you do with your friends, and you have to practically enroll in medical school to understand what's going on in your body. (My brother calls it getting my WebMD degree.) Tack on surgeries, treatment, Tamoxifen, and the lethargy that comes from being in bed and just laying low (my BC sistahs who had chemo and/or radiation really suffer in this department)... well, you can see how easy it is to gain weight.

Some people find that they lose their appetite during times of extreme duress. I have experienced this. But when you're healing, it's vitally important to eat healthy, high-protein foods. So you have to keep eating. For anyone who has ever tried to numb a bad (or good) emotion with food, this is tricky territory. My primary care physician set me straight regarding feeling bad about my extra pounds; he looked me straight in the eye and said, "Now is not the time to be dieting." What I heard? "Go ahead, eat the ice cream."

You might be thinking Hey, I can always burn off a few extra calories in the bedroom. And that might have been true pre-cancer. But lopping off body parts chews you up and spits you out onto a very dark and harrowing road, one that takes a loooooong time to find your way back from. So if you had any Body Image Issues before cancer (and lets face it, who didn't?), you'd better grab your crash helmet, 'cause you live in B.I.I. town now —where life is always under construction.

All this post-cancer anxiety may make you want to self-medicate by adding a little wine to your whine. And who could blame you? But you know pain killers and drinking make a bad marriage. You might also be tempted to keep up the pain pills even though you're not really in that much pain today. (Again, who could blame you?) But please be careful on these slippery slopes. Restrict that bad-girl behavior to a few hours, not a few weeks or months, please.

This leads me to getting a good night's sleep. Remember those innocent moments before you were diagnosed, when you'd be laying in the dark, waiting for sweet slumber to strike? Cancer strips you of that tender time. Cancer steals your sleep and hack-saws your dreams. Nighttime becomes terror time, just like when you were a little kid, except now the scary things are no longer just in your imagination. Knocking yourself out with pharmacology is often the only way to get a good night's sleep post cancer, I am afraid to say. I have had good results with melatonin too. (Always check with your doctor before taking any Rx aids, OTC or otherwise.)

As you can see, a cancer diagnosis has very little positive effect on your mental and emotional health. That's why you need to be prepared.

WHAT NOBODY TELLS YOU
When you're in attack-and-recover mode, all of the above anxieties are going on all at once. And you somehow get through it — with the (hopefully) loving support of family and friends who bring you food and flowers and cards and comfort whenever they call or stop by, which is (again, hopefully) often. Their attention and distraction enable you to temporarily cope emotionally. But what happens if you don't have such a good support system? What happens when you have to struggle through a lot of this s*** alone? And what happens when the people you have come to depend on are no longer dependable because they need to get back to their own lives? What happens then? 

Ah, the frightful secret: On the heels of healing comes disappointment — in ourselves, our bodies, our minds, our friends, our family, our life. Because, let's face it, everyone wants to get back to "normal." They need to get back to normal. And eventually that is what they all do, because they have to. And you? Well, you'll never get back to "normal." You have to find your new normal. And that sucks most of all.

So you gotta figure out which new tools you need in that lovely emotional toolbox of yours.

The first crucial thing I did to counter my mental maladies was to surround myself with other women who were diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time as I was. I joined an online group at BCO and seven of us then started our own closed Facebook group. I call these wonderful women my rubies; I wrote about them here. And I couldn't have made it through all this BC crap without them. They understand everything I am going through. They lift me up in my darkest hour and cheer me on in my happiest moments. We are always there to listen to each other, 24/7. Though we live in different parts of the country, I was fortunate enough to meet two of my rubies this year, and hope to meet the rest of these wonderful women in 2013.

The second crucial thing I did for my emotional health was to start this blog. In the beginning I was writing to no one, for no one. Because no one knew I had started this thing. Very few people who knew me in "real" life knew I was blogging about life post-cancer. I didn't tell them because I needed to feel free to write about whatever was troubling me without worrying that someone might be offended. Of course, that still happened anyway. (One of my closest friends told another close friend, Be careful what you tell her, or she'll blog about you!) Oh well. The point of this blog was never to please anyone other than me. Call it selfish; call it self-preservation. I needed to get my thoughts and fears and experiences out of my head; it was literally the only way I could make sense out of what I was going through. Writing it out somehow brought me great clarity.

What I didn't expect was to find a rich, wonderfully supportive breast cancer blogging community out here in cyber city. Oh my! Besides finding my rubies, this has been my biggest post-cancer joy. While I have yet to meet any of my "bloggy" friends in person, I feel a great kinship to a great many of them. Just take a look under my "Favorites" heading to find some really inspiring ladies, and even a few men. They work through their mental maladies daily. I'm willing to bet they can help you too.

I still haven't told the majority of people in my "real" life about this blog. And of the ones I have told, very few even read it. (Guess you have to have gone through cancer in order to truly relate to it.) So while I don't even know who is reading this, I know that you live in 87 countries around the world and counting. And that completely blows my mind.

Blogging has become a positively essential outlet for my emotional health. I'm hoping it helps you in some way, too. Isn't that what community is all about?

Vegan Vs. Vegetarian

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When practicing a healthier lifestyle, some people choose to adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet. When maintained correctly, both diets are low in saturated fats, rich in vitamins from plant sources and low in cholesterol.

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

But, just what is the difference between vegetarians and vegans?

Vegetarians:

• Do not eat meat
• Eat grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes
• Some choose to eat small amounts of seafood and chicken
• Do consume foods created by animals such as eggs and milk
• Get protein from nuts, beans, legumes, grains, eggs and dairy products

Vegans:

• Do not eat meat
• Do not eat animal byproducts such as honey, eggs, milk and cheese.
• Eat a diet rich in grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans

If you're considering a vegetarian or vegan diet, talk with your doctor about dietary concerns and how to stay healthy. When I chose to become a vegetarian in 1997, I didn't make healthy choices. I filled up on bread, pasta, pizza and candy bars. That's how you become a chubby vegetarian! Work with a dietitian or your doctor to learn about creating well-balanced meals.

Do you follow a vegetarian, vegan or other specialized diet? Please share how it has affected your health in the comments below!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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Whole Foods Quiz: Test Your Nutrition Knowledge

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Welcome to day "W" of the 2012 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. The month is winding down, so it's a great time to test your whole foods knowledge. Here's a simple quiz to get you thinking about what you put on your plate.

Photo courtesy Morguefile.

1. Which provides the most fiber and vitamins?
    a. One cup of 100% pure apple juice
    b. One cup of unsweetened, homemade applesauce
    c. One cup of chopped, fresh apple

ANSWER: All of these choices are healthy options! But, to really get the most from your apple indulgence, opt for the last option, a fresh apple. Since apple juice and applesauce are heated and processed, they lose some of their valuable nutrients. To learn more about apples, check out "An Apple A Day: Kicking off the 2012 Blogging from A to Z April Challenge!".

2. Quinoa is a
    a. vegetable
    b. grain
    c. fruit

ANSWER: Quinoa is a protein-filled grain. It's similar in texture to couscous or rice. To learn more about quinoa, check out my two posts, "3 Ways to Eat Quinoa," and "What is quinoa?".

3. A vegan doesn't eat
    a. honey
    b. olive oil
    c. pickles

ANSWER: Unlike a vegetarian, vegans do not eat any products produced by animals. So, a vegan would not eat honey, since it is made by bees. Still not sure about the differences between vegans and vegetarians? Check out my post "Vegan Vs. Vegetarian" posted yesterday!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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What Is Xanthan Gum?

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Wow, transitioning into a gluten-free diet has been a roller coaster ride. Not only do I have to read every food label, I've also had to overhaul my love of baking. While browsing through my new gluten-free cookbooks--looking for a recipe that uses "normal" ingredients--I keep stumbling across the need for xanthan gum.

I want pancakes! Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Since I'm not a fan of preservatives and artificial flavorings, I had to make sure xanthan gum would fit into my new healthier lifestyle. Well, it does!

Xanthan gum is a plant-based thickening and stabilizing agent, according to WebMD. After trying to make my favorite old recipes with gluten-free flour, I can now appreciate the usefulness of xanthan gum. It gives baked goods more texture and rise.

For example, homemade pancakes made simply by substituting rice flour for wheat flour turned out like flat, rubbery crepes. Gluten-free pancake mix that included xanthan gum created fluffy, delicious pancakes!

I'm armed and ready.

I have my first packet of xanthan gum waiting for me in the kitchen pantry. I can do this. I can cook from scratch using this stuff. But, I need your help! Have you baked with xanthan gum? Can you recommend any recipes, hints or tips? Thank you!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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A Yam is a Yam

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Yams! Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

I always thought the potato-like vegetable with bright orange flesh could be referred to as either a yam or a sweet potato. Although they are both tubers, they are different plants.

If you live in the United States, you're probably eating sweet potatoes, despite the labels at the grocery store.

Yams are rarely grown in the United States and are not readily available. Yams can grow to the size of a small child, according to one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks. Really!

The tubers are usually sold cut into manageable chunks. If you want to dine on a real yam, go to a Latino market and search for "name". It will likely be sold by the pound in shrink-wrapped packages to preserve the vegetable's moisture.

So, have you eaten real yams? I don't think I have!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

###

The Farmer's Market is Open!

To contact us Click HERE

Freshly washed butter crunch lettuce. Photo by Angela Tague.

Have you ever shopped in a store where every display seemed to call your name?

Handcrafted beeswax lip balm? Yes, please!
Spinach speckled with local soil? Bring it on!
Glistening jars of crimson berry jams. Yum!

Our local farmer's market opened this morning, which means I can barely get this written between taking bites of my locally grown lunch. Heck, my editors are lucky the market isn't open all day, or I may have missed a few deadlines today!

Since it's early in the season, our local market was plentiful with fresh spring greens, radishes, rhubarb and asparagus.

But, the true find of the day was a head of butter crunch lettuce. The velvety texture, mild flavor and pale color truly means summer is just around the corner. Since this is one of the first lettuces of the season to grow in the midwest, it's always an early garden-season treat.

Is your farmer's market open for business? What local whole foods are you enjoying?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Power Breakfast: Protein and Eggs

To contact us Click HERE
Breakfast is important for boosting metabolism, but consuming protein at breakfast is equally important as research has shown that protein can help keep you fuller longer and more satisfied. Good breakfast protein sources are eggs, nuts/nut butters, or dairy products such as Greek yogurt. Eggs sometimes get a bad reputation for their cholesterol content. Yes, they do contain cholesterol, but blood cholesterol levels are affected more by full-fat dairy products and high fat meats. Eggs also contain many vitamins and minerals including iron and carotenoids. These nutrients may reduce the chance of blindness in older adults as well as reduce age-related macular degeneration. Another benefit of eggs is its protein content. One egg has 6 g of protein. And, although eggs contain cholesterol, their nutrient content is beneficial and the American Heart Association recommends one egg daily. If you would like more than one egg, try scrambling one whole egg and one egg white.
Omelet Breakfast SandwichIngredients:1 whole wheat English muffin or 2 slices whole wheat bread1 egg, 1 egg white¼ cup bell peppers, chopped¼ cup onion, chopped¼ cup spinach, chopped(Other veggies optional)
Directions:In a small sauce pan, sauté peppers and onions until soft. Add eggs and spinach and cook until eggs are done. Place omelet over toasted muffin or bread. Enjoy!
Reference:Zelman KM. “Good Eggs: For Nutrition, They’re Hard to Beat”.<http://www.webmd.com/diet/features /good-eggs-for-nutrition-theyre-hard-to-beat>. Accessed 8 January 2012.
Stephanie bailey - Dietetic Intern - University of Memphis

BIOMechaniks: Train the mind and the body will follow

Beans: The High-Protein Food That's Healthy and Cheap

To contact us Click HERE

Another fine article from Real age
Here's why beans always make our best-foods list: They're a healthy, cheap source of protein that'll reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, lower your blood sugar, and flatten your belly. (Protect your heart with a batch of EatingWell's Smoky Black Bean Soup tonight.)Yep, beans do all that and more. Here are 5 ways beans help your waistline, heart, and blood sugar:

1. Reduce belly fat. A recent study found that beans' soluble fiber chases away deep-down, visceral belly fat -- the toxin-filled kind that threatens your vital organs.
   
2. Lower blood sugar. Beans are low on the glycemic index, which means they're digested slowly, so they stabilize your blood sugar. Translation: Beans reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Stabilize blood sugar deliciously with this Very Green Lentil Soup recipe from EatingWell.
   
3. Reduce blood pressure. Beans are rich in artery-friendly minerals and healthy plant protein -- the kind that's better for blood pressure than protein from animals. Substitute the deli meat on your next sandwich with EatingWell's Braised Greens & Cannellini Bean Panini recipe.
   
4. Protect heart health. The soluble fiber in beans also helps reduce blood levels of C-reactive protein, which lowers your risk for heart disease and heart attacks. Try this pasta dish fromEatingWell to help lower your heart disease risk: Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Chickpeas.
   
5. Reduce cancer risk. Simply eating beans three times a week helps prevent colon cancer. (You're 33% less likely to develop colon polyps.) Cutting back on red meat can reduce cancer risk, too.

So, what's not to like about beans? Oh, those gas attacks? Ease into eating beans, and take the supplement Beano (available at grocery stores) until your body is used to them. Beano's natural enzymes deflate gas attacks. The elevator crowd will thank you.

GIVING UP THE GHOST

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The last I wrote of my journey with reconstruction (see Delayed Healing), I was trying in vain to save my right tissue expander. Allow me to catch y'all up on my physical progress since then. I'm including photos to help anyone out there who may be struggling with delayed healing issues. First, let's backtrack to a year ago.

July 6, 2011

July 2011 My original right incision never healed closed after my mastectomy on February 3, 2011. After repeated surgical interventions to debride and re-suture and heal it, a pinhole developed through which fluid seeped at a consistent pace. The pinhole grew from a tiny dot to the size of a large pinhead (see photo). Because it is an actual hole and not just yellow/green tissue (see Delayed Healing for pictures of that), my plastic surgeon, Dr. C., and I decide it is time for the right tissue expander to finally come out. I make peace with this decision.

July 7, 2011

July 6, 2011 In the hospital under anesthesia, Dr. C. cuts into the healed portion of my old mastectomy scar, excises the expander and scrapes away the scar tissue that has built up over the past five months. This tissue will be sent to the lab to make sure I don't have an undetected infection as well as to check for cancer cells. This is my fourth surgery on this side (not counting in-office stitching). The fourth time I undergo general anesthesia in as many months. The fourth time I try in vain to heal this wound. (But who's counting. Oh right. Me.)

I wake up and don't feel nauseous (always a sign of operational success!) and am sent home a few hours later. With another damn drain in a different place (which means another awful scar). I'm wrapped tight as a mummy in an Ace bandage and not allowed to shower. Which is alright by me, because I'm dreading having to look at my mutilated self.

July 10, 2011

Despite the internal and external trauma of delayed healing and the subsequent removal of my tissue expander and scar tissue, the AlloDerm that Dr. C. placed in righty during my mastectomy is holding up just fine. That's the good news. But I'm now left with a crescent-shaped mound resting above my inframammary fold line, and a sagging, scarred pile of skin above it. Just call me Uneven Annie.

Time passes. My incision heals. For. The. First. Time. EVER. (I guess my body really didn't like that right expander.) My biggest challenge now? Disguising the fact that I'm now a one-boobed wonder when I leave the house.

The easiest way around this is to wear a structured bra that clasps in front. (This workout bra is by Danskin; I bought it at Walmart.) I don't fill out the cups, but that doesn't matter; when I wear this baby, I look "normal" in clothes. Only when hugging me would you notice a dent. (So I don't hug too many people.) The plunge design of this bra allows me to finally wear regular tops. (I've been living for months in surgical vests 24/7... they provide compression for the fluid build-up and a way for my bandages to stay put. I will not miss them.) What a relief to leave button-down shirts on the hanger.

November 30, 2011

I also begin physical therapy twice a week to regain the range of motion on my very weak right side. And I'm beyond relieved to hear neither infection nor cancer is found in my scar tissue.

December 1, 2011 One week before my one-year cancerversary (see that post here), I have my fifth surgery. Dr. C. inserts a new right tissue expander and fills it to 200 ccs (rather than the original 350 ccs like my other side). For the first 25 days, all goes swimmingly. My incision looks to be healing. I'm back in my surgical vest and recovering while also preparing for Christmas. But I overdo it, eagerly handing out gifts from beneath the tree I also helped decorate. What was I thinking? I notice a tiny spot of yellow on my bandage that night.

January 5, 2012

December 28, 2011 I notice a larger yellow spot on my gauze pad this morning. Here's the weird thing: The spot isn't on my fresh incision line. It's along my OLD incision line — an area that wasn't even cut during my last surgery! Truly, this is my Achilles heel. I feel like I just found out someone or something died: My hope.

Despite all this, and for reasons unknown, the tiny area does not develop into an actual hole like it has so many times in the past. It simply weeps. Kind of the way I do when I stop to think about how long I've been struggling. I use less antibiotic ointment this time around because I read somewhere that too much can inhibit healing. Dr. C. doesn't think this has anything to do with it, but I'm willing to try. Maybe this is why it's not getting bigger?

February 2012 Sometimes I have seepage after I shower, so I cover my incision with a big, waterproof bandage. Afterwards, I have to press down on the area above my expander to force out the accumulated serum that continues to build up inside and around my expander. Still, the area continues to improve. (Fat fingers crossed.) I am cautiously optimistic. But the feeling is fleeting.

March 5, 2012

March 1, 2012 I shower with my waterproof bandage, and afterwards dab alcohol gingerly around the tiny scab. Lo and behold, the tiny scab comes off. Yippee! This means I'm healed! I quickly grab my magnifying mirror — and to my horror I see there is a tiny black hole instead of fresh tissue. Healed skin never resided behind that scab; it was all just an illusion. I almost drop the mirror. Instead, I start to cry. I can't take this anymore. I have been tolerant. I have been compliant. But it's been 13 bloody (in the British sense) months and I'm SO over this physical and metaphorical black hole. Part of me wants to keep denying that I've got a medical problem with no solution. Another part of me is pissed off and ready to take on someone, anyone, by the horns. The rest of me is just tired. Luckily I have an appointment in a few days with Dr. C. He will know what to do!

March 6, 2012 I'm feeling frustrated, confused, impatient — dare I say it: I'm in a mood. My pinhole continues to ooze. I explain the whole thing to Dr. C. He listens. He empathizes. He looks. He presses. He squeezes. Then he shakes his head. I have never seen him this perplexed or down. Then he drops the bombshell: He is not sure what to do with me.

What do you mean, you don't know what to do with me? You're a doctor! I'm doing everything right and this is all very wrong. I say nothing about getting a second opinion, but I'm absolutely thinking it — and he must be a mind-reader because he suggests I get one. (How many doctors do you know who are willing to tell you that? It takes a lot to admit defeat. Or at least profound frustration.) I'm also wondering why he hasn't shared my case with other surgeons and collectively figured this out. Again, he reads my mind: He tells me he has a colleague at UCLA that he wants to discuss my case with. 
I would like both of those things: A second opinion, and you discussing my case with your colleague. There. I said it. And man, it feels good.
Newly energized by anger, I go home and contact a friend who had reconstruction (see my Get This Party Started! post). She gives me the name of her doctor. As I'm about to dial his number, my gut interrupts: Don't call this guy. Why? Because I suspect he's the same surgeon that Dr. C. is going to confer with. I don't make the call. I listen to my gut.
I turn my attention to a woman I know online who is an expert on tissue expanders. In addition to her vast technical knowledge, she keeps a database on leading surgeons (as well as clunkers who should never work on a woman again) in dozens of cities across the U.S. She tirelessly volunteers her time helping breast cancer patients navigate the tricky, murky waters of TE Land. I lay out my tale of woe and ask for a referral or two in my area.

She emails back the same day, but I am unprepared for her reply: "I think you need to give up the ghost on implant-based reconstruction only. There is some reason your body is reacting in this manner and I do not think that current methods of trying to resolve the problem are working now or will work in the future."

   

March 13, 2012

And, just like that, my merry-go-round comes to a screeching halt.

I'm in a funk for three days. Pissed that someone could thwart my hopes to heal with one blunt email. The truth is, I'm unwilling to undergo more drastic surgical measures to "fix" my problem (i.e., a skin graft from my back, or taking fat from my belly to make a boob). I'm stubborn. I've been suffering through this for far too long to just "give up the ghost." But maybe that's exactly what I should do. Give up the ghost of what I want for what I can realistically have. (Like getting cancer wasn't enough of a kick in the mouth! This whole recon thing ain't for the faint of heart.)

March 14, 2012

March 14, 2012 Something amazing and unthinkable has happened overnight. My pinhole is no longer a pinhole. My incision is closed. CLOSED I tell you! I can't believe it. I was religious about taking photos of myself throughout this process; see it for yourself.

Miraculous, right? Guess I had to get good and mad in order for my body to release its need to seep. I was living in limbo land for so long that when I finally stopped crying and feeling sorry for myself, so did my body. And in that moment I took back my control. I was able to let go emotionally. And I began to heal.

March 27, 2012

March 27, 2012 I see Dr. C. again. He is visibly concerned about my plight. (He doesn't yet know that my pinhole has healed. I don't tell him; I want to hear what his colleague had to say first.) I'm sitting in my unopened, button-down shirt. Before he begins, I ask what the other surgeon's name is. (HA! I was right. It is the same surgeon who operated on my friend. The gut never lies!) Dr. C. says both he and the other Dr. C. think I need a Latissimus Dorsi Flap due to my compromised healing. And that's when I open my shirt. I flash him my healed incision and stop him cold in his tracks. (How often do you get to flash an unsuspecting man?) His mouth literally drops open. He is shocked speechless. He knocks on the wall for luck. "This is completely unexpected," are about all the words he can muster.

I no longer want a second opinion. (Kinda already got one.) The seeping and weeping has ended. I am healing. It will take a few more months. I can do this.

July 15, 2012

July 10, 2012 I see Dr. C and it's official: I am completely healed! Here the hitch: During normal reconstruction, saline is injected into tissue expanders over a period of time to stretch the skin and help prepare it for final implant surgery. I have 350 ccs on my left side from my first surgery, and 200 ccs on my right side from my TE reinsertion surgery. This is not ideal because A) they are not very big and B) they are uneven in size. I won't be as big as I was before, but Dr. C. is confident he can make me match (using implants only) on the surgery table, and with a good result. I do not need a skin graft. If I didn't trust this process completely before today, I do now.

Dr. C. does not want to compromise my skin integrity by stretching me further, so I will not be getting fills every couple of weeks like we originally planned. He has, however, decided I can have one fill (more for the experience, I think, than anything else.) Though he's never allowed a patient to do so before, he lets me push the saline through the syringe, giving myself the long-awaited 50 cc fill on each side. (It's only been 17 months. What's my hurry?)

(Illustration courtesy of Breastcancer.org; all reconstruction photos © 2012 The Big C and Me)

On that note, my friends, this blog is officially up-to-date with my real life. It is tracking true to life events. (That's something I've been trying to do since I started writing back in April of 2011.)

When I finally have my exchange-to-implant surgery (didnt I tell you? It's scheduled for September 5, 2012!),  my posts will be in real time. 

Woot woot!