Why do we take our health — and other good things — for granted, until, God help us, they’re gone?
I do not know, but I do know that having recently arrived at the mid-century point in my life, hobbling on a painfully cracked bone in my foot has me seeing every day, especially those without pain or illness, as a real blessing from God.
We are all on this same journey and, like it or not, going to experience the same struggles to cling to health. However, as any good coach will tell you, the best offense is a good defense, especially when it comes to things we can help ourselves with — like blood pressure.
The pressure in our arteries is much like the pressure in a garden hose. When it’s normal, everything’s great. But too much pressure and it can weaken or burst the walls while too little will make everything sluggish.
Fortunately, there are things we can do. According to www.bloodpressure-drs-practical-guide.com, the best place to start is with exercise.
Exercise is vital. It raises the metabolism, which burns more calories and taps fat stores. It also causes the release of endorphins, which give the body an opiate-like sensation, producing a feeling of well-being in both body and mind.
Resulting weight loss can eliminate the blood pressure problems all by itself.
If you want even faster results, try adding the DASH diet.
DASH, which stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,” is recommended by The Joint National Committee on Prevention, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. It emphasizes fruit, vegetables, nuts and low-fat dairy products, along with a reduction in saturated and total fat and refined carbohydrates (sugar).
Salt can also play a giant role in blood pressure, and simply reducing use can make it drop dramatically, too. Try replacing salt with spicy seasonings like peppers or cumin so you don’t miss it.
Limiting your alcohol to two drinks or fewer per day and consuming herbs like Stevia, garlic, green tea and oolong tea can also help reduce those numbers as can steering your diet toward fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk products, whole grains, fish, poultry and good old nuts.
If you are like me and have the opposite problem- low blood pressure, then simply reverse everything I just wrote and check out: www.bloodpressure-drs-practical-guide.com.
Here now are some recipes ready to help you lower your blood pressure, too.
Fresh chicken salad
4 small red-skinned potatoes, cooked
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
2 whole boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
4 baby carrots cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons raspberry or apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon parsley or cilantro (1 tablespoon fresh)
2 cups favorite lettuces
Orange slices for garnish (optional)
In a skillet, bring orange juice, ginger, cumin, and
garlic to boil. Add the chicken, cover and cook for
3 minutes, turn chicken, cover, and cook for 5 minutes more or until juices run, clear. Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool. Add carrots to skillet cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove carrots to a plate to cool. Remove skillet from heat and add vinegar salt and parsley. Cut chicken
into bite size chunks. Cut
potatoes into bite-sized chunks or slices. Divide
and arrange lettuce on four individual plates. Evenly
divide and arrange potatoes, chicken and carrots on top of lettuce. Evenly divide and pour dressing over each salad. Garnish with orange slices if desired. Serve warm or cold.
Approximate servings per recipe: 4
Approximate nutrition per recipe: Calories 265; Fat 2g; Carbohydrates 33g; Fiber 4g; Sugar Protein 30g.
Fish chips
1-pound skinless halibut fillets or other white fish fillets
Egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg
2 tablespoons skim milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Panko or ground Rice Krispies
1 teaspoon paprika
Sauce:
1/2 cup fat-free, cholesterol-free mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse fish and pat dry. Cut fish into 24 bite-size pieces. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine egg substitute and skim milk. In a large plastic bag with a tight-fitting seal, combine Parmesan cheese, panko and paprika. Add fish chunks to egg mixture,
stirring until well coated. Using a slotted spoon,
remove fish from egg mixture and place in bag with panko mixture. Seal bag and toss until fish is well coated. Arrange fish in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking pan. Bake about 5- 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together sauce
ingredients. Serve together.
Servings per recipe: 4.
Approximate nutritional per serving: Calories 191; Fat 3g; Carbohydrates 14g; Sugar 2g; Protein 26g.
Pleasing pineapple chicken
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fresh pineapple, sliced, juice reserved
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
Pepper to taste
1 green pepper, cut into 1/4 inch rings
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with flour. In a skillet, heat oil and brown chicken on each side for 3 minutes. Place chicken in shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with pepper. In a bowl, combine reserved pineapple juice, water and vinegar. Pour over chicken and bake, uncovered for 40 minutes. Add pineapple slices and green pepper rings and place under broiler for 5 minutes just before serving.
Approximate servings per recipe: 4.
Approximate nutrition per serving: Calories 280; Fat 8g; Carbohydrates 12g; Fiber 1g; Sugar 9g; Protein 35g.
I do not know, but I do know that having recently arrived at the mid-century point in my life, hobbling on a painfully cracked bone in my foot has me seeing every day, especially those without pain or illness, as a real blessing from God.
We are all on this same journey and, like it or not, going to experience the same struggles to cling to health. However, as any good coach will tell you, the best offense is a good defense, especially when it comes to things we can help ourselves with — like blood pressure.
The pressure in our arteries is much like the pressure in a garden hose. When it’s normal, everything’s great. But too much pressure and it can weaken or burst the walls while too little will make everything sluggish.
Fortunately, there are things we can do. According to www.bloodpressure-drs-practical-guide.com, the best place to start is with exercise.
Exercise is vital. It raises the metabolism, which burns more calories and taps fat stores. It also causes the release of endorphins, which give the body an opiate-like sensation, producing a feeling of well-being in both body and mind.
Resulting weight loss can eliminate the blood pressure problems all by itself.
If you want even faster results, try adding the DASH diet.
DASH, which stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,” is recommended by The Joint National Committee on Prevention, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. It emphasizes fruit, vegetables, nuts and low-fat dairy products, along with a reduction in saturated and total fat and refined carbohydrates (sugar).
Salt can also play a giant role in blood pressure, and simply reducing use can make it drop dramatically, too. Try replacing salt with spicy seasonings like peppers or cumin so you don’t miss it.
Limiting your alcohol to two drinks or fewer per day and consuming herbs like Stevia, garlic, green tea and oolong tea can also help reduce those numbers as can steering your diet toward fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk products, whole grains, fish, poultry and good old nuts.
If you are like me and have the opposite problem- low blood pressure, then simply reverse everything I just wrote and check out: www.bloodpressure-drs-practical-guide.com.
Here now are some recipes ready to help you lower your blood pressure, too.
Fresh chicken salad
4 small red-skinned potatoes, cooked
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
2 whole boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
4 baby carrots cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons raspberry or apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon parsley or cilantro (1 tablespoon fresh)
2 cups favorite lettuces
Orange slices for garnish (optional)
In a skillet, bring orange juice, ginger, cumin, and
garlic to boil. Add the chicken, cover and cook for
3 minutes, turn chicken, cover, and cook for 5 minutes more or until juices run, clear. Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool. Add carrots to skillet cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove carrots to a plate to cool. Remove skillet from heat and add vinegar salt and parsley. Cut chicken
into bite size chunks. Cut
potatoes into bite-sized chunks or slices. Divide
and arrange lettuce on four individual plates. Evenly
divide and arrange potatoes, chicken and carrots on top of lettuce. Evenly divide and pour dressing over each salad. Garnish with orange slices if desired. Serve warm or cold.
Approximate servings per recipe: 4
Approximate nutrition per recipe: Calories 265; Fat 2g; Carbohydrates 33g; Fiber 4g; Sugar Protein 30g.
Fish chips
1-pound skinless halibut fillets or other white fish fillets
Egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg
2 tablespoons skim milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Panko or ground Rice Krispies
1 teaspoon paprika
Sauce:
1/2 cup fat-free, cholesterol-free mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse fish and pat dry. Cut fish into 24 bite-size pieces. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine egg substitute and skim milk. In a large plastic bag with a tight-fitting seal, combine Parmesan cheese, panko and paprika. Add fish chunks to egg mixture,
stirring until well coated. Using a slotted spoon,
remove fish from egg mixture and place in bag with panko mixture. Seal bag and toss until fish is well coated. Arrange fish in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking pan. Bake about 5- 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together sauce
ingredients. Serve together.
Servings per recipe: 4.
Approximate nutritional per serving: Calories 191; Fat 3g; Carbohydrates 14g; Sugar 2g; Protein 26g.
Pleasing pineapple chicken
4 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fresh pineapple, sliced, juice reserved
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
Pepper to taste
1 green pepper, cut into 1/4 inch rings
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle chicken with flour. In a skillet, heat oil and brown chicken on each side for 3 minutes. Place chicken in shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with pepper. In a bowl, combine reserved pineapple juice, water and vinegar. Pour over chicken and bake, uncovered for 40 minutes. Add pineapple slices and green pepper rings and place under broiler for 5 minutes just before serving.
Approximate servings per recipe: 4.
Approximate nutrition per serving: Calories 280; Fat 8g; Carbohydrates 12g; Fiber 1g; Sugar 9g; Protein 35g.
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