Nutrition

The word breakfast says it all -break fast. This is the meal that gives your body  nutrition and fuel to perform for the day after not eating for approximately 8 -10 hours. When you take into consideration the amount of work your body does  while you are sleeping, repairing your body, breathing and all the essential  processes breakfast really is, in my opinion, the most important meal of the day.  As a health coach I help my clients find easy, quick ways to incorporate breakfast into their routines, but not just any breakfast (which is better than no breakfast), together we explore ways to incorporate a healthy balanced breakfast. The following suggestion is one way to have breakfast that is more than a carbohydrate heavy cereal.
Mushroom, spinach and Havarti omelet
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1 medium mushroom(sliced)
1/2 cup baby spinach
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 slice Havarti cheese

Melt the oil in a skillet and saute the mushroom and as the edges start to turn  golden  add the spinach and saute for one minute more. Spoon this mixture onto a plate ( I place this on the back of the hob to keep warm while I make the  omelet. Beat the eggs together with the water and add to the skillet. Keep this on the skillet until the eggs are mostly set. Place the skillet in the broiler to  complete cooking the eggs. Put the cheese slice on top of the eggs and return to  the broiler for about 30 seconds to melt the cheese. Slide the omelet onto a  serving plate and top it with the mushroom and spinach. Enjoy!

It is my favorite time of the year for gardening. The weather is beautiful and all of my planting efforts from earlier in the year are starting bear fruit – particularly my tomato plants. The cooler weather has resulted in the first ripe tomatoes being a lot later than usual but that almost improves the experience of those very first ripe tomatoes. I do not think there is anything quite like eating the first few cherry tomatoes from the vine. To walk out into the garden in the early morning and grab a handful of these super sweet fruits to eat for breakfast is one of the most satisfying experiences. They are healthy, organic and are a result of my own work.

Technically tomatoes are fruits but are usually classed as vegetables. Tomatoes are members of the nightshade family and so some people do have allergic reactions to them. But in general these antioxidant rich plants provide one of the most popular salad ingredients in the USA.

Tomatoes are the number one source of lycopene and studies have shown that one or more servings of tomatoes every day can significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men. To get full advantage of the lycopene in tomatoes they should be eaten cooked – not raw and with some fat or oil because lycopene is a fat soluble nutrient. Ketchup is one cooked form of tomatoes but be aware of the other less beneficial ingredients such as sugar.

Whether you savor the flavor of tomatoes freshly off the vine, eat in salads such as caprese or brushetta, or grill or stew tomatoes to accompany bacon and eggs for breakfast, now is a perfect time to enjoy these delicious seasonal fruits.

 I have two varieties of lemon in my yard, “Eureka” and “Meyer.”  Eureka is probably the variety you would buy as Lemon in the grocery store, Meyer lemons are generally sold as “Meyer lemons” because they are very different in flavor.  Right now I am coming to the end of the fruiting season for my plants but I am noticing plenty of trees in my neighborhood still covered in bright yellow lemons.  Traditionally, thought to be from India, the best time for harvesting lemons is winter when the vitamin C content is at its highest.

As science began looking at why people got sick and recognizing the importance of good nutrition lemons (and limes) were recognized for their properties.  As the population of Europe became more adventurous and began exploring on global scale scurvy became an issue for sailors spending long periods at sea and eating a poor diet.  The incorporation of citrus fruit into their diet took care of many of the problems of scurvy and the term “limey” became a slang word for British sailors.  Limes are not as sour as lemons and therefore easier to eat so the British fleet used to sail with limes as essential part of the sailors diet. This could also explain how Lemon and Lime juice became a popular mixer with alcohol – another seafaring essential.

All parts of a lemon have properties that are considered beneficial. The juice and flesh of the fruit is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidant bioflavonoid. It can be made into a drink that stimulates the liver metabolism and detoxification. Lemon juice may help reduce allergy symptoms because of the way it stimulates the liver and it promotes the elimination of waste products from the body. For issues in the mouth – ulcers, gingivitis, sore throat, etc using lemon juice as a mouth wash or to gargle with can be beneficial.  This can be enhanced by adding a pinch of chili powder to the juice.  A word of caution – the acid in the lemon juice erodes the enamel from the teeth and can cause sensitivity so eating something alkaline – almonds or a small piece of cheese, or brushing teeth after drinking will help neutralize the acid around the teeth.  Lemon juice also stimulates appetite, aids digestion, and improves absorption of iron. Lemon seeds are antiseptic and crushed or chewed will support the body to fight fungal infections. Essential oils can be extracted from lemon Peel and pith and can be used to treat circulatory disorders, acne spots, insect stings and bites, warts, and fungal infections in nails.

Personally I love using the lemons from my yard in my kitchen.  I use a squeeze of lemon juice in the water when I am preparing boiled or poached eggs and poached fish.  In the winter months lemonade made with freshly scalded lemons and honey (and maybe a teaspoon of brandy) makes a very soothing drink for anyone suffering from colds or flu. Lemon Kurd, Lemon meringue pie, Lemon cake or lemon in my tea are all favorite ways to use the lemons from my yard.

I’d love to publish any favorite recipes that you can add to the list so if you have a favorite that you are willing to share – post it.

Some people love them and others have the opposite opinion and hate onions but whatever your thoughts, onions have some very definite nutritional advantages.

On a recent trip to England, my mother gave me a copy of “Culpepper’s complete herbal.” Originally written in 1826 as a description for the medical profession of how to use herbs to preserve health and cure common ailments.  This is what it says about onions.

“Government and Virtues: Mars owns them; and they have gotten this quality to draw any corruption to them: for if you peel one, and lay it upon a dung hill, you shall find him rotten in half a day, by drawing putrefaction to it; then being bruised and applied to plague-sore, it is very probable it will do the like. Onions are flatulent, or windy; yet they do somewhat provoke the appetite, increase thirst, ease the belly and bowels, provoke women’s courses, help the biting of a mad-dog, and of other venomous creatures, used with honey and rue; In crease sperm, especially the seed of them; they also kill worms in children, if they drink the water fasting, where-in they have been steeped all night.  Being roasted under the embers, and eaten with honey, or sugar and oil, they much conduce to help and inveterate cough, and expectorate the phlegm.  The juice being snuffed up the nostrils, purges the head, and helps the lethargy; yet the often eating them is said to procure pains in the head.  It has been held by divers country people a great preservative against infection, to eat onions fasting, with bread and salt;  as also to make a great onion hollow, filling the place with good treacle, and after to roast it well under the embers: which after taking away the outermost skin thereof, being beaten together, is a sovereign salve for either plague or sores, or any other putrefied ulcer.  The juice of onions is good for either scalding or burning by fire, water or gunpowder; used with vinegar, takes away all blemishes, spots and marks in the skin; and dropped in ears , eases the pain and noise of them.  Applied also with figs beaten together, helps to ripen and break impostuhumes and other sores.

Leeks are as like them in quality, as pome-water is like an apple; they are a remedy against a surfeit of mushrooms, being baked under the embers and taken; and being boiled and applied very warm, helps the piles. In other things they have the same property as the onions, though not so effectual.

A syrup made of the juice of onions and honey, is an excellent medicine in asthmatic complaints.  All the parts of this plant have a strong, and many a very disagreeable smell, and a sharp biting taste.  They are excellent to be taken by those who abound in cold watery humours, but very injurious of those of a bilious habit, affecting the head, eyes and stomach.  Onions, when plentifully eaten, procure sleep, help digestion, cure acid belchings, remove obstructions of the viscera, increase the urinary secretions, and promote insensible perspiration.  Steeped all night in spring water, and the infusion given to children to drink in the morning fasting, kill worms.  Onions bruised, with the addition of a little salt, and laid on fresh burns, draw out the fire, and prevent the part from blistering.  Their use is fittest for the cold weather, and the aged, phlegmatic people, whose lungs are stuffed, and their breath short.”

I found this amusing – can you imagine putting onion juice in your ears or up your nostrils? 

Onions do have a lot of properties that are benefial. They are full of antioxidants and agents believed to fight cancer.  Onions are considered to be antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and act as a sedative.

My favorite way to eat onions is caramelized

In a pan melt ½ oz of butter.   Slice the onion and add to the pan.  Reduce the heat to 1 and allow the onions to gently cook.  After about half an hour the onions will be soft and very sweet.  They are great served with steak or any other meat.

Originally thought to be from Persia strawberries are not really berries at all but are technically classed as a fruit.  They are related to roses and are the only fruit that has seeds on the outside.

Strawberries are high in vitamins and minerals – they contain Vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-9, B-12, C, and E; and minerals Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, Manganese, and Selenium.

Strawberries season is from April to June and once they have been picked they do not continue to ripen so when you buy them select the strawberries that look ripe at that time.

To prepare strawberries I like to remove the hull – a central core of the strawberry that is immediately below the green leafy top part.

One of my favorite uses for strawberries is a strawberry smoothie.  I prefer to make mine dairy free.

Place chopped strawberries and crushed ice in a blender and puree.  I like to add a leaf of mint to garnish.

Enjoy – especially in this lovely hot weather.

Photo from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1526

Right now Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables.  These small, cabbage like, sprouts are high in vitamins and minerals and have anti-cancer and DNA repairing properties.

My favorite way to eat them is to trim them of the older outer leaves; place the cleaned sprouts into a Ziploc bag containing 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of salt (you can also add Pepper and herbs to this mix if you prefer); allow them to absorb the oil and salt in the refrigerator for 30 minutes; then place them onto a baking tray and roast them in a hot oven, 450degrees, for 20 minutes. 

They make a great vegetable accompaniment to beef or pork or can be eaten as a stand alone vegetable.

A lot of clients I work with are looking to manage their weight better.  One of the many obstacles I see is that our fast-paced way of life does not facilitate eating quality vegetables. In fact many of my clients are so used to food that comes ready prepared they have real confusion over how to shop for quality, how to store what they buy and how to prepare it.  With this in mind I will be featuring vegetables over the next few months.  Each week I will choose an in-season vegetable and address how to select it, how to cook it, and how to store it so it stays fresh for another day. 

Asparagus

Asparagus is a great vegetable.  It is full of fiber and high in antioxidant glutathione.

The best asparagus is found from early March to June when the local growers are harvesting and sending lovely fresh asparagus to market.

When you buy fresh asparagus buy firm bright green storks with purple-tinted buds.  Once the buds turn green they are past their prime.

To store asparagus cut of the bottom 1” and stand upright in a tall container with one inch of water in the bottom.  If you are not going to use the asparagus the same day cover the tips of the asparagus with a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator.  Do not buy more asparagus than you will eat in a few days.

Asparagus can be eaten raw and has a flavor reminiscent of peas.  To cook asparagus soak it in cold water, place the spears in a shallow pan (Don’t use aluminum), cover with one inch of water and gently boil. Depending on how thick the spears are it will take anywhere between 3 and 12 minutes to cook. Once the asparagus begins to get tender remove from the water and eat immediately.  You can also steam asparagus but be careful not to over cook it.  One of my personal favorites is to cut a spear of asparagus into 1” pieces and lightly sauté it before adding an egg to make a delicious breakfast omelet.

If you have any other favorite ways of cooking and serving asparagus please share them by commenting on this blog.

I often refer to the saying “we are what we eat.”  The nutrition we give our bodies impacts everything we do – how we behave, our moods, our physical ability……, the list goes on.  Monday is Valentines Day and the way we behave in relationships, intimate or otherwise can be affected by the foods we eat.  Food can impact both physical and emotional responses in our bodies. 

Chocolate is a favorite gift to give a valentine.  Maybe this has been exaggerated by an early 1980s finding that chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a neurotransmitter and stimulant.  The body synthesizes phenylethylamine and low concentrations may be partly responsible for conditions like ADHD and Depression. So can we enhance the phenylethylamine by eating chocolate – Well probably not!  The digestive process probably destroys phenylethylamine before it can reach the brain.  Chocolate can still be a nice gift to give – after all we all love chocolate and there are other emotional and romantic beliefs centered around the aphrodisiac properties of chocolate.  My recommendation – Go for dark chocolate and if possible have raw chocolate. 

Oysters are also considered to have aphrodisiac properties.  This is probably because oysters contain zinc, an essential trace mineral found in many enzymes and important for prostate health in men. Semen is rich in zinc and this is one reason it is important for prostate health, zinc also affects the growth of reproductive organs.  Although Zinc is an essential trace mineral too much of it is toxic so it is important to stay within RDA’s if taking supplements.

Lamb is also high in Zinc and falls into a similar category as oysters.

Chili Peppers contain Capsaicin which stimulate the brain to release endorphins which generates feelings of Euphoria. One explanation for this is the endorphins are released in response to pain stimulation from the irritation and “heat” of the capsaicin; another theory is that the irritation causes chemicals to be released to block endorphin receptor sites.

Avocados are rich in minerals, monounsaturated fats, Vitamin B6, and Omega Fatty acids.  Omega 3 fatty acids can help to improve mood and the other nutrients all contribute to improved energy and sex drive.  Vitamin B6 is considered to be involved in the production of Serotonin.

Licorice root is thought to contain substances that mimic estrogen and progesterone, both sex hormones. It is thought that licorice can enhance mood and help people feel more romantic

Arugula is rich in Vitamin C and potassium and has been considered an aphrodisiac since Roman times.

Asparagus has been considered and aphrodisiac for a long time.  Some people historically believe that foods that resemble body organs are beneficial to that organ. From this perspective the phallic appearance of asparagus suggests that it has properties that are conducive to reproduction and romance.  In actuality asparagus is rich in Vitamin B6, Folate, and Vitamin E.  Folate is needed by both men and women for the production of reproductive components, sperm and ova.

These are just a few nutritious foods that are considered aphrodisiac.  From my perspective as a health and wellness coach I am always interested in finding natural ways of getting good natural sources of the nutrients we need to nourish healthy living.  Everything is about balance and getting the appropriate amounts of the vitamins and minerals we require to promote healthy bodies and optimum function.