Teddy Kennedy

You might not have agreed with his politics, but we all mourn his passing. May we all live our lives with such passion, commitment and "human-ness."

Rest in peace, Senator Kennedy.

Omega-3 Show-Down!

Know that omega-3’s are good for you…but that’s about it? Bruce Watkins, Purdue University professor of nutrition and director of the International Omega-3 Learning and Education Consortium for Health and Medicine helped in developing a website devoted to teaching consumers about types of omega-3’s, benefits of omega-3’s, and where to find them in the diet. They created this site in the process. The site answers basic questions about omega-3 fatty acids. Also included for doctors, medical providers, and veterinarians is a fact sheet and patient handout [1] – check it out!

Additionally, the site includes a database of foods containing omega-3’s as well as the amounts. I know Gina and I have a discussion back about the feasibility of consuming adequate omega-3’s for cardio-protective benefits through the diet alone. There is also a chart showing how much and what types of omega-3’s men and women of varying ages and with differing health histories should consume [1]. Sign-up to receive their monthly newsletter, too! Jackpot!

Omega-3’s for asthma? Heart disease? Cancer? Maternal Health? Cognitive function? Transplantation? Mental health? Eye health? Diabetes? Go here!

The run-down (per 100 grams/~3.5 ounces):

Highest overall omega-3 content (fresh fish) = salmon, Atlantic, farm-raised (2507 mg omega-3’s)

Highest ALA content (fresh fish) = salmon, wild (295 mg ALA)

Highest EPA content (fresh fish) = salmon, Atlantic, farm-raised (862 mg EPA)

Highest DHA content (fresh fish) = salmon, wild (1115 mg DHA)

Okay…salmon takes the cake for the fresh fish. Other great options include: swordfish, trout, tuna (bluefin), whitefish, halibut, catfish, and anchovies.

Highest overall omega-3 content (shellfish) = shrimp (540-601 mg omega-3’s)

Highest ALA content (shellfish) = crayfish, wild (32 mg ALA)

Highest EPA content (shellfish) = shrimp (293 mg EPA)

Highest DHA content (shellfish) = squid (342 mg DHA)

So, shrimp are a GREAT option for omega-3's. Other shellfish sources of omega-3’s include: blue crab, Dungeness crab, queen crab, spiny lobster, mussels (yum!), and scallops!

And FYI: canola oil and flaxseed oil contain omega-3’s! Per 100 grams there are 9137 mg omega-3’s in canola oil and 53,300 mg omega-3’s in FLAXSEED OIL! I must ask, who knew that canola and flaxseed oils had so many omega-3’s!? You can boast your intelligence, it’s alright!

What do YOU need?

- If you have no documented coronary heart disease, eat a variety of fish at least twice a week. Try to focus on fattier fish such as salmon. Use other products such as flaxseed and canola oil, as well as flaxseeds and walnuts.

- If you HAVE documented coronary heart disease, consume about 1 gram of EPA + DHA per day, preferably from fatty fish. Supplementation may be recommended by a physician.

- If you have elevated triglycerides, take 2-4 grams of EPA+DHA per day through a supplement provided under a physician’s care.

As always, purchase and use supplements with caution. Supplements are not FDA-regulated and are not tested for purity or potency.

All the nutrition facts are provided by the US Department of Agriculture’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21.

[1]. New Web Site Aims To Deepen Public Knowledge of Omega-3s. Purdue University. August 21, 2009.

Budapest day 3: the show starts!

On our third day at Budapest the sziget started and we saw some good concerts that day; but some of them weren't that good.

We woke up at 10 in the morning and had breakfast, and about one o'clock in the evening we sat down at the main stage just for be at the first line of the concerts.

We saw at three o'clock IAMX; I was expecting this very much because I really like IAMX and Chris Corner is a cool frontman... but OMG, I felll in totally love qith their bassit-keyboard girl... she was wearing a extremely cool look and almost capted all the attention!

By the way, in this concert I get Chris' towel, because he stared at me while I was making pictures and said "You, get that camera off your face, I want to see you". After that comment, I smiled and he said again "Oh, I love you, you've got a lovely smile... I like you!" and he gave me his towel, it was very funny.


After this great show, Nouvelle vague jumped into the stage and gave another amazing concert. Nadeah and Melanie Pain are excellent frontgirls and it was a lovely concert; they played their covers of "God save the Queen", "This is not a love song", "The guns of Brixton" or "Love will tear us apart", the final theme they played.


After two great shows, the massacre come to us... yes, MASSACRE!! Ska-P, an spanish band, was playing at six o'clock on the main stage... and EVERYONE was there! And for me, who was at the firs line, it was Hell... people get crazy and started to push, fight and well, imagine about that! I couldn't take any good picture... I was afraid about my life! XD

When Ska-p finnished, it was Snow Patrol's moment; it was a very relaxing concert (everything is relaxing after Ska-p) and we had a lovely time.


And finally, Lily Allen! What a lovely and funny show! Lily was so friendly and talkative, and we enjoyed her concert very much. She played lots of good songs and make her live cover of britney's "Womanizer" and Kaiser chiefs' "Oh my God"; so cool! oh, and she gave al the first line beer for free!! Yeah!


So the main stage was close for that day, but we went to the A-38 stage for seeing White Lies... and yes, here it come the deception... OMG WHAT A CRAP!! I'm sorry about that, I was very exitec for seeing them... and it dissapointed me so deeply! The voice was HORRIBLE! And no, it wasn't for the stage (at the next day I saw tricky and it was perfect)... the suck in live events T_T...

Anyway, that was the first day of concerts!! You can see more pictures at my flickr account.

In other way; yesterday i bought the new issue of Vogue Magazine and... OMG!! Have you seen the new Prada pumps? They're PERFECT! so punk, so chic... and SO expensive, sigh... I wish I could have a pair...


I love them I love them I LOVE THEM! In red and black are just so gorgeous!

And I'm thinking about buying a leopard coat I saw at H&M; if my boss pays this week... I'll go to Marbella and get it!! It's very similar to the one of the picture, which is from Zara (I couldn't find the H&M's picture).


That would be a total look for this winter: tube black skirt, leopard coat and pumps... with my blonde hair, of course. I was thinking about turning it into red, but definitly blonde is the color for this winter, so I will stay with it for a few months...

By the way, I'm thinking about making a collection of a Hello Kitty's tableware, so lovely and funny!

Yaw, that's all for today!! Have a nice wendesday

CHICKEN MANCHURIAN IN GARLIC SAUCE

Ingredients:

Boneless Chicken .... 250gms.

Egg ................. 1

Baby corn .... 2-3

Mushrooms .... 2-3

Ajinomoto .....a pinch

Soy sauce ..... 1 tbsp.

Corn flour .... 1 tbsp.

Garlic paste .... 2tbsp.

Salt .... to taste.

Green chilli paste .... 2 tbsps.

Black/White pepper ...1 tsp.

Oil to fry.

1. Mix all the above ingredients with the chicken and marinate for 6-8 hrs.

2. Drain the excess liquid from the marinade and deep fry the chicken pieces.

For the Garlic sauce:

Garlic paste .... 2 tbsps.

Water ...... 2 cups.

Corn flour .... 1tbsp. made into a slurry

Salt .... to taste

Green chilli paste .... 1 tsp.

Black pepper ........... 1 tsp.

( Chillies could be increased or decreased according to your choice)

Ajinomoto ...... a pinch

Soy sauce .... 1 drop.

1. Take a wok and heat 1 tbsp. oil. Add the garlic paste. Stir fry a little and add the water immediately (before the garlic becomes red)

2. When the sauce boils add the chicken pieces and simmer. Now add the desired vegetables and the ajinomoto, salt, chilli paste, black/white pepper and a drop of soy sauce.

3. Finally stir in the slurry to make a thick gravy....Serve hot with fried rice.

Diabetes + Vegan

It was news to me that positive results from vegan diets are being seen among the diabetic populations. For those that aren’t familiar with veganism, it is a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Therefore, vegans consume no animals or animal products including eggs and milk.

Traditionally, the cornerstone of type 2 diabetes treatment is diet, as many type 2’s do not require oral hypoglycemic agents or the use of insulin. Diet modifications include the use of portion control through measuring foods and counting carbohydrates which fuel blood glucose so readily, and thus, are of particular interest. A new approach to diabetic diets includes the adopted lifestyle of veganism which evolved from a comparison of world populations. People whose diets consist of plant-derived foods such as rice, noodles, beans, and vegetables were less likely to develop diabetes when compared with a traditional Western diet which is high in meatier, fattier dishes [1]. Likewise, when Easterners (i.e. Japanese) move to and adopt the Western diet, their relative risk of diabetes goes up.

Studies show that the adoption of a low-fat, plant-derived diet improves insulin sensitivity, helps with weight loss, and reduces both blood sugar and blood cholesterol. Specifically, such diets are extremely low (many times void) of saturated fat which is traditionally found in meat, dairy, and tropical oils (coconut, palm, and kernel). In order to effectively remove fat from the diet, one much reduce consumption of animal fats and also reduce the use of vegetable oils [1].

In order to eat in accordance with this recommended regimen one must [1]:

- avoid red meat

- avoid poultry and fish

- avoid dairy

- avoid eggs

- avoid added vegetable oils and other high-fat foods

- avoid fried foods

- avoid avocados, olives, and peanut butter

Next, glycemic index is addressed. The glycemic index is a number identifying foods which increase blood glucose rapidly. High glycemic foods include: sugar, white potatoes, most wheat flour products, and most cold cereals. Good news: pasta is actually a low glycemic index food because of the way it’s processed!

High fiber foods are encouraged and the recommended daily intake for fiber is 40 grams. Recommended sources of fiber include beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains (barley, oats, quinoa, millet, whole wheat pasta, etc.). On labels, aim for foods containing at least 3 grams of fiber and for meals containing at least 10 grams of fiber [1].

And this is new to me….VOLUMETRICS. If the grams in a portion are greater than the number of calories in the portion, it is said to be a “heavier” food which is low in calories. Such foods can increase satiety and decrease overall caloric intake. This concept was developed by Barbara Rolls, a researcher at Penn State University. Foods that are volumetric-friendly include: soups, salads, and foods cooked in water (i.e. oatmeal) [1].

Worried about protein?

Plant foods contain protein. According to this research, post-menopausal women require 10% of their calories from protein. Most vegetables contain this amount or more. Beans, lentils, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, and mushrooms are high in protein.

Worried about calcium?

Plant-based diets actually reduce one’s calcium requirements. A vegan diet requires less calcium intake to maintain calcium balance. Good sources of calcium include: broccoli, kale, collards, mustard greens, beans, figs, fortified orange juice, fortified cereal, and fortified, nonfat soy or rice milks.

Worried about B12?

B12, traditionally found in meat, can become depleted in those following vegetarian and vegan diets for longer than 3 years. A B12 supplement of 5 mcg per day is recommended. Most commonly found multi-vitamin supplements will provide this amount.

Show me the RESEARCH!

So, can a vegan diet REVERSE type 2 diabetes? Prior to the below mentioned study, no vegan diet study using a comparison group had been performed. A grant provided to Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine by the Diabetes Action and Research Education Foundation allowed the control-case research to be completed. A high-fiber, low-fat, vegan diet was compared to the standard American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet (think “carb counting”). Non-insulin dependent diabetic (type 2’s) were invited to follow one of the two diets for three months. Caterers prepared take-home lunches and dinners so the food could easily be heated and consumed in the home [2].

The vegan meals contained 10% fat, 60-70 grams of fiber, 80% complex carbohydrates, and no cholesterol. The ADA diet contained 30% fat, 50% carbohydrate, 30 grams of fiber, and 200 milligrams of cholesterol per day [2].

The results showed that the vegan group decreased their fasting sugars by 59% when compared with the ADA group. The vegan group also required less diabetic medication than prior to the start of the study while the ADA group required the same dosing. Likewise, the ADA group lost 8 lbs and the vegan group lost 16 lbs [2].

[1]. The Vegan Diet How-To Guide. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

[2]. Nicholson, Andrew. Diabetes: Can a Vegan Diet Reverse Diabetes? Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. February 15, 2005.