6 Foods That Knees Dig

RealAge Tips
Please research and make your own decision as to the validity of this information.

For more youthful knee joints or anything that bends consider what’s in your kitchen.

These six foods could be your best medicine: berries, ginger, avocado, flaxseeds, omega-3-rich fish, and soy. Research shows they help stifle joint-damaging inflammation, according to John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD: The Big Book of Culinary Medicine.

On Your Menu
Try this joint-friendly daily meal plan: whole-grain cereal or oatmeal with berries for breakfast, a turkey and avocado sandwich or a soy burger for lunch, a handful of walnuts or flaxseeds for a snack, and wild salmon or tilapia for dinner. (Make this Asian Salmon with fresh ginger for extra anti-inflammatory action.)

Asian Salmon

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons Watkins Curry Powder
1 teaspoon Watkins Granulated Pepper
4 (3-ounce) salmon fillets with skin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 green onions, chopped

1. Combine the ginger, curry powder, and pepper and rub the mixture onto the flesh sides of the salmon.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet until the pan is moderately hot.
3. Add the garlic and cook until it’s golden brown.
4. Place the salmon skin side down in the pan and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
5. Turn the fish and cook, covered, for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the green onions and cook for about half a minute.

Some other diet do’s and don’ts.

1. Make a fruit bowl with orange and grapefruit chunks.
   Vitamin C can thwart cartilage loss and slow osteoarthritis progression.

2. Sip tea.
   It’s chock-full of anti-inflammatory compounds.

3. Nix red meat, and skip the sugary and starchy stuff.
   Proinflammatory substances in these foods like trans fats in red meat could spur joint pain or make it worse. (Here are some tips on getting off the cow.)

Getting Off the Cow
Reducing the amount of red meat in your diet can be easy with these tips.

Cutting back on red meat makes good health sense. Studies show that eating too much red meat can increase your risk of many chronic health conditions. But what kind of nutrition hole is created when you limit red meat in your diet? The truth is, it’s easy to miss out on important nutrients when you cut back on a major food source. So, when you cut back on red meat, make a balanced eating plan to help ensure you don’t shortchange yourself on important nutrients such as protein, vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron, and zinc.

To get enough of these important nutrients, replace red meat with other foods that contain them. Soy products, such as tofu or soy burgers; legumes, such as lentils or garbanzo beans; low-fat dairy; dark green, leafy vegetables; nuts; and whole grains can supply many of these nutrients. Also, poultry and fish are leaner sources of protein that provide many of the same nutrients found in red meat.

Here are a couple recipes to try for delicious and nutritious alternatives to red meat.

Savory Mushroom Stroganoff

8 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces whole-wheat noodles, cooked
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium broth, chicken or vegetable (Use Watkins Chicken Soup Base to make the chicken broth)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground Watkins Black Pepper

Mix the sour cream and flour together in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil over low heat until soft. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms brown. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a large bowl. Turn the heat up to high and add the broth to the skillet. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by 30%. Set the heat to low and add the mushrooms and onions.

Add sour cream and flour mixture to skillet, stirring well. Add parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over noodles.

Barbecued Meatless Meatloaf

16 ounces firm tofu
1 cup brown rice, cooked
2 cups bread crumbs
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce, divided (Use Watkins Barbecue Sauce Concentrate)
1/4 teaspoon Watkins Granulated Black Pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Blend the tofu in a food processor until smooth. Set aside. Mix the brown rice, carrot, celery, onion, walnuts, and bread crumbs together in a large bowl. Add the tofu purée, soy sauce, mustard, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, and black pepper to the rice mixture and combine well. Spray a 5-inch by 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and top with the remaining 3 tablespoons of barbecue sauce. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes after baking. Slice and serve with additional barbecue sauce if desired.

The Research on Red Meat

cardiovascular disease: In a study, postmenopausal women who substituted vegetable protein for their usual red meat lowered their coronary heart disease mortality by a whopping 30%.
arthritis: In a recent study, men and women who ate the greatest amount of red meat and meat products and total protein had higher rates of inflammatory polyarthritis compared with people who ate the least amounts.
diabetes: If you’re at high risk for type 2 diabetes, you may reduce your risk by up to 50% by exercising regularly and eating a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and fiber while limiting red meat and other sources of saturated fats.
cancer: Several studies suggest that high intake of both red meat and processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Also, high-heat cooking methods, such as grilling, broiling, or pan frying, provoke the formation of carcinogenic compounds in red meat. You can decrease the formation of these compounds by marinating meat for 1 hour before cooking, steaming or poaching meat, turning the meat frequently while cooking over medium heat, and by adding rosemary extract before cooking.

Shop Watkins for your favorite products. http://www.watkinsonline.com/eleisiawhitney

Four Steps to Massaging Those Tired Feet

Feet! For some, they’re a love-hate affair. Love to use them and often abuse them; hate paying the price after a day spent in inappropriate but fashionable footwear. Does your job require you to stand or walk all day? Give your feet a break with this four-step foot massage recommended by the American Massage Therapy Association. You can do it with a spouse or try the massage on your own.

1. Stroke the sole of your foot in a straight line from the heel to the base of your toes. Use your thumb or the heel of your hand. Use a motion that goes back and forth across the foot.
2. Massage the area between your toes using your fingers and your thumb. Wiggle and wriggle the toes and pull each one gently. Then move to the four metatarsal bones that run along the top and middle of the foot. Moving from the base of your toes to just above your ankle, slowly massage one area at a time.
3. Using your thumb, press a spot on your sole and make small, circular movements. Repeat until you’ve covered the entire sole of your foot.
4. Still working the sole, use your pointer and middle fingers to make crosswise movements, back and forth, from the heel to the ball of your foot.

DrWeil.com

Use Peppermint Rejuvenating Foot Cream, Article No. 10478, (325 mL/11 fl. oz.), $9.99 for your foot massages.

A tingling burst of aromatic peppermint oil cools and revives tired, aching feet.

• All-natural peppermint oil
• Lightweight formula is great for foot massages.

Peppermint Invigorating Foot Scrub, 10479, (285 g/10 oz), $9.99, also available.

Shop for all Watkins products at my Watkins store www.watkinsonline.com/eleisiawhitney

Reducing the Health Risks of Grilled Foods

You may have heard the news about HCAs and PAHs – cancer-linked chemicals that can be created by grilling your food. But these BBQ tips virtually wipe out the risk
From RealAge Tips of the Week

Hot off the Grill: Great Food That’s Also Good for You

Sweet corn on the cob, tomatoes from the garden, steak seared on the grill. Could there be a more perfect late summer meal? Yes, but only if you know the healthiest ways to indulge your barbecue habit. Good bet you’ve heard murmurs about grilled meat causing – yes – cancer, and you’ve either tried not to listen or guiltily thought, well, what doesn’t? But here’s the good news: There are a bunch of ways to virtually wipe out the risk. In fact, we’ve found eight of them!

The problem, by the way, is that grilling meat, chicken, and fish, especially if it’s charred or well-done, produces cancer-linked chemicals known as HCAs or HAAs. Animal fat dripping onto hot coals creates another worry: stuff called PAHs. But you don’t have to go flame-free. Just do one or more of the following, which actually tend to make grilled food taste even better.

1. Soak it up.
   Marinating meat boosts flavor and tenderness while slashing production of cancer-causing HCAs by up to 90%, especially if the marinade has an olive oil base. Make your own, or use bottled Italian dressing zinged up with extra garlic.
2. Do kabobs.
   Small pieces of meat cook faster and produce fewer HCAs than caveman-size slabs do. Thread your protein of choice onto a skewer with lots of veggies (cherry tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini chunks, onions) and grill until just done.
3. Add a secret ingredient.
   Making burgers? Mix in 1 teaspoon of wheat bran per pound of ground meat. It keeps burgers juicy, stops HCAs in their tracks, and won’t even register on the carb meter.
4. Finish it fast.
   Precook meat on the stove or in the oven or microwave earlier in the day, and then finish on the grill for great flavor and those tempting stripes. Precooking also means people won’t have to wait around for ages while dinner cooks.
5. Foiled again.
   Cover the grate with punctured aluminum foil. No flames, no drips, no HCAs – and no grill clean up, either. Frequently flipping your meat of choice also helps curtail troublemakers.
6. Get skinny.
   To curtail dripping, trim fat from meat. Cook chicken with the skin on, and then toss the skin. You have nothing to lose but grease, calories, and carcinogens.
7. Have a glass of tea.
   How about some iced tea with your baby back ribs? Tea’s supercharged antioxidants help neutralize carcinogens.
8. Grill something besides the main course.
   Bored with broccoli? Sick of sliced fruit? Throw them on the grill. Fruits and veggies don’t produce carcinogens, and many, from pears to pineapple, take surprisingly well to the brazier.

Drizzle broccoli florets, red, green, and yellow bell pepper quarters, mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, and onion wedges with Italian Salad Dressing, sprinkle with Watkins Garlic Salt or Garlic Powder and grill in a grill basket. These vegetables taste great with steaks, in salads, and in fajitas and tacos.

Order Watkins All-Natural and Organic herbs and spices at http://www.watkinsonline.com/eleisiawhitney

A Massage Can Help Relieve a Headache

A massage can help relieve a headache.

Tension headaches don’t always start inside your head. Any strain on your neck muscles (like bad posture, staring down at a laptop, sleeping on a plane) can also turn into a headache. Remind your spouse about this the next time you ask for a massage.

There are of other ways to help prevent a headache, too:

• Drink water
Dehydration can cause headaches, so be sure you get the recommended eight glasses of water a day. You may need even more if you exercise a lot or if it’s hot outside.
• Sit up straight
Poor posture can strain your back and neck muscles and lead to a headache. (Looks like mom was right, after all.)
• Eat regularly
Skipping meals can be a cause of headaches, especially if you go without food for 5 waking hours or 13 nighttime hours.

Rubbing a small amount of Watkins White Cream Liniment on the forehead, temples, or neck may also relieve a headache.

Order Watkins White Cream Liniment at www.watkinsonline.com/eleisiawhitney

Healthy Diet Lowers Death Risk for Women

We all know that we should eat more fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and poultry and limit the amount of red and processed meat, French fries, refined grains and sweets that we eat. I know that I eat more French fries and sweets than I should but sometimes I just can’t help myself!

Read this article about the importance of a healthy diet and how women can lower their risk of heart disease.

Healthy Diet Lowers Death Risk for Women

MONDAY, June 23, 2008 (HealthDay News) Women can protect themselves against death from heart disease and other causes by sticking with a diet that is low in saturated fats and sugar and high in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, a new study suggests.

“We investigated a Western eating pattern — lots of red and processed meat, French fries, refined grains and sweets — and a prudent pattern — lots of fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and poultry — in relation to mortality,” explained study author Christin Heidemann, who conducted her research while in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. She is now a research scientist in the department of epidemiology at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Nuthetal.

“[Women] with a high adherence to the prudent pattern had a 17 percent lower long-term risk of premature death from all causes, and a 28 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, compared to women with a low adherence to this pattern,” Heidemann noted.

The findings were expected to be published in the July 15 issue of Circulation.

The researchers noted that what they defined as a prudent diet closely reflects dietary recommendations from the American Heart Association that target all healthy men and women, including taking steps to: limit saturated fats, cholesterol, and sodium; to lower sugar consumption; to eat fish twice weekly; to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole-grain and high-fiber foods; and to eat fat-free and low-fat dairy products.

The results mirror earlier reports such as one out of the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health that was published in Circulation earlier this year that also suggested a Western diet can compromise overall health.

In that earlier study of 10,000 Americans, a diet heavy in red meat, fried foods and refined grains was found to be associated with a higher risk for heart problems and diabetes via the development of the so-called metabolic syndrome. In that case, the finding applied to both men and women.

In the current effort, Heidemann and her team gleaned its observations from an analysis of the eating habits of more than 72,000 women who had participated in the Nurse’s Health Study between 1984 and 2002.

All the women were between the ages of 30 and 55, and most were white. Prior to participation, none had any history of heart attack, angina, coronary-artery surgery, diabetes or cancer.

The authors sifted through five food questionnaires that had been completed every two to four years during the study period. The data concerned both portion sizes and frequency of consumption with respect to 116 different food items. In turn, foods were categorized as belonging to either a prudent or a Western diet.

Information was also collected regarding age, body weight and mass, blood pressure, supplement usage and physical activity routines.

Older women, those who exercised more, and those taking multivitamins and/or hormone replacement therapy were more likely to consume a prudent diet. By contrast, less active younger women who were more likely to smoke and less likely to take supplements were found more likely to have consumed a Western diet.

By the study’s conclusion, just over 6,000 women had died: 1,154 from heart disease, 3,139 from cancer, and 1,718 from other causes.

With regard to both heart disease and death from all causes, consumption of a prudent diet was associated with a lower incidence of death compared with consumption of a Western diet.

High adherence to a Western diet was associated with a 22 percent higher risk of death from heart disease, a 21 percent higher risk of death from all causes, and a 16 percent higher risk of death from cancer.

Although a prudent diet was linked to a lower risk for death from cancer, the association was deemed not significant after accounting for other lifestyle and health factors.

“The results highlight the importance of intensifying efforts to promote the adoption of a healthy diet,” Heidemann said.

“Recommendations to prevent chronic diseases and promote longevity may need to focus on overall dietary patterns, rather than individual nutrients,” she added.

Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, said the finding is a no-brainer.

“If you eat your fruits and vegetables and whole grains, we know that that enhances health,” she said. “And so, this is just another study to convince you that healthy eating does make a difference. Healthy eating does add years to your life.”

“And I think women in particular should perk up at this study,” Sandon added, “because there is still this notion that women don’t die of heart disease. But the fact is, they do. And clearly, in terms of heart disease risk, diet makes a difference.”

From Everyday Health

For more on women’s health and dietary needs, go to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

How to Dispose of Batteries

What’s the best way to dispose of batteries?
From Real Simple.com

Answer
Many environmental agencies say that it is safe to put dry-cell batteries in with the regular trash, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing this, there are companies that recycle them. The Big Green Box (www.biggreenbox.com) will send you the materials, including prepaid shipping labels, needed to pack up old batteries. Just fill the box with your dead ones and send it back to the company. When they receive the batteries, the plastic and metals are separated and used in making new batteries. The toxic metals are removed and sent for further processing for reuse.

Another alternative to help cut down on battery waste is to switch to rechargeables. The USBCELL AA batteries ($20, www.usbcell.com> ) recharge when you plug them into a USB port on your computer.

FDA Warns Consumers Nationwide Not to Eat Certain Types of Raw Red Tomatoes

The Food and Drug Administration is expanding its warning to consumers nationwide that a salmonellosis outbreak has been linked to consumption of certain raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, and products containing these raw, red tomatoes.

FDA recommends that consumers not eat raw red Roma, raw red plum, raw red round tomatoes, or products that contain these types of raw red tomatoes unless the tomatoes are from the sources listed below. If unsure of where tomatoes are grown or harvested, consumers are encouraged to contact the store where the tomato purchase was made. Consumers should continue to eat cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, or tomatoes grown at home.

On June 5, using traceback and other distribution pattern information, FDA published a list of states, territories, and countries where tomatoes are grown and harvested which have not been associated with this outbreak. This updated list includes: Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands, and Puerto Rico. The list is available at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html#retailers. This list will be updated as more information becomes available.

FDA’s recommendation does not apply to the following tomatoes from any source: cherry, grape, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached.

FDA recommends that retailers, restaurateurs, and food service operators not offer for sale and service raw red Roma, raw red plum, and raw red round tomatoes unless they are from the sources listed above. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, may continue to be offered from any source.

Since mid April, there have been 145 reported cases of salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Saintpaul nationwide, including at least 23 hospitalizations. States reporting illnesses linked to the outbreak include: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Salmonella Saintpaul is an uncommon type of Salmonella.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections particularly in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses. Consumers who have recently eaten raw tomatoes or foods containing raw tomatoes and are experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their health care provider. All Salmonella infections should be reported to state or local health authorities.

FDA recognizes that the source of the contaminated tomatoes may be limited to a single grower or packer or tomatoes from a specific geographic area. FDA also recognizes that there are many tomato crops across the country and in foreign countries that will be ready for harvest or will become ready in the coming months. In order to ensure that consumers can continue to enjoy tomatoes that are safe to eat, FDA is working diligently with the states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Indian Health Service, and various food industry trade associations to quickly determine the source of the tomatoes associated with the outbreak.

FDA is taking these actions while the agency continues to investigate this outbreak with state and federal partners. Such actions are a key component of FDA’s Food Protection Plan, a scientific and risk-based approach to strengthen and protect the nation’s food supply.

FDA will continue to issue updates as more specific information becomes available.

Information on safe handling of produce can be found at
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsafe.html

Tomato consumer page can be found at
www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/tomatoes.html

Updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at
www.cdc.gov/