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Healthy Foodie Principles: How to Be a Healthy Foodie “The
Healthy Foodie” loves to eat, cook, eat out, and share good times with friends and family—and also wants
to live a long, vigorous life. Our philosophy is you can have both: revel in the enjoyment of food
and keep yourself in good shape.
Mediterranean Diet
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
New! Submit your delicious and
healthy recipes to us to include in the on-line data base! We know
that you are creative and interested in not compromising flavor just because you eat healthfully. Submit your favorite
recipes to us at healthyfoodierecipes@gmail.com, include your name and city where you live. We'll let you know when your recipe is included (with credits to you!)
on the site.

Use your last fruits of the season
with this yummy and nutritious dish! Baked Squash
with Whole Wheat Couscous and Fruits Serves 8
1 large butternut squash 3 cups water 1 orange, washed and petiole removed (hard, knobby end) 1 7-ounce bag dried figs 1 8-ounce bag dried prunes 2 cups whole wheat couscous 1 teaspoon dried tarragon 1/8 teaspoon anise seed ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon ground clove 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 6-ounce bag dried cranberries 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 tablespoon olive oil, or spread with plant sterols
(e.g. Smart Balance, Take Control, Benecol, etc…) ½ cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash length-wise and remove seeds.
Place on baking sheet cut-face down and bake until squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove skin
and seeds and cut flesh into cubes. Cut the orange into quarters and process in food processor until
finely ground. Add dried figs and prunes and pulse until coarsely chopped. Meanwhile,
heat water in medium pot on high until boiling. Add couscous, ground fruit and next 8 ingredients.
Turn heat down to low and simmer for 8 – 10 minutes until couscous is tender. Remove from
heat and add oil and nuts. Gently combine squash cubes and couscous.
(This dish may be prepared ahead of time to this point and refrigerated until one hour before serving).
Garnish, if desired, with pecans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed.
Can Food Contaminants Affect the Risk
of Obesity in Children? The short answer is 'Yes!'. Pesticides used to improve food
production have been implicated in a variety of diseases, including cancers, premature puberty and obesity. The foods
with the highest levels of pesticides include apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, imported nectarines, imported
grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, domestic blueberries, lettuce and kale. Buy organically produced fruits and vegetables
whenever possible. But even when you do, give your produce an extra rinse to remove any residue.
Update on Heart Disease in Women More women die from heart disease every year than men, but this increased risk is not
well publicized. Women tend to have symptoms that are not as typical as those in men; many symptoms are vague
feelings in the chest, making clinical diagnosis a challenge for the health care community. EKG's are not very sensitive
at detecting coronary artery disease (the precursor to heart attacks). If women have symptoms, however, stress tests have
a great track record in published studies in detecting disease.
Prevention of heart
disease is key to the maintenance of health and independence. Central risk factors that are modifiable include avoiding
cigarette smoking, treatment of high cholesterol and blood pressure, control of diabetes, prevention of obesity, inclusion
of healthy diet and exercise. The mediterranean diet has been shown to prevent and treat heart disease as well
as other chronic illnesses. The
risk of heart disease can be reduced by over 80% in women who maintain a healthy diet, exercise at least 30 minutes a
day, maintain a healthy weight (BMI < 25), do not smoke, and consume light to moderate levels of alcohol intake. Modifying
your diet and exercise habits requires changing what you do in your free time and changing how you think about,
buy and prepare food. These changes can be huge, but learning to slowly incorporate small changes over time can
add up to large differences over time. Be gentle with yourself. Anticipate set backs; we juggle many
responsibilies that can undermine our efforts. But make a commitment to improve your health, and do the best you can.
Our review on the Mediterranean diet and heart healthy recipes can help you achieve your goals.
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Friday, October 30, 2009
On hold
Not much to report the past few days. I have not been as careful this week as last, so I'm not losing any
weight--just trying to be stable until Monday when I'll do another push. I am so close to my goal weight that it's hard to
be strict about another couple pounds. Weekends are still the biggest challenge. Today I took
my mom and two of her friends to tea. The food that comes with tea service is anything but normal healthy-foodie fare, not
to mention the healthy foodie on a weight-reduction eating plan. Oops, again. My husband and I also have plans to dine out
with friends Saturday night. So you see why I say, my best hope is to hold on to the loss of last week and start in fresh
on Monday, or probably Sunday. 'Taint easy, is it?
8:26 pm edt
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Success, in small measure
I'm happy to report that the scales had good news for me this morning--2 pounds lost in Week 1. That may not
sound like a lot, but two pounds a week is the healthiest pace at which to lose weight, or so I have been reading for years.
And the other thing is, I don't have that many pounds to drop overall. Even so, losing just a few pounds is not at all easy!
Tonight my husband is out so I'm just making myself a Lean Cuisine with steamed Brussels sprouts, and since that is soooo
low in calories, I might have a small glass of wine as a treat. Complete deprivation of treats is not healthy, either.
(P.S. -- The photo is not of me--it's clip-art)
6:09 pm edt
Monday, October 26, 2009
Starting Week 2: Stay the Course
The week started pretty well, and I managed not to backslide over the weekend. Along with eating out, weekend
indulgences also throw out roadblocks to keeping my weight where I like it. Hmmm, could those two be related? :-) What made
this weekend OK was eating out only once, on Friday night, and it definitely was indulgent. But I got right back on track
Saturday and have been OK since then. Tomorrow I'll weigh in and report on what the scales have to say.
5:46 pm edt
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Days 5-6: The perils of eating out
Friday was tough--I had lunch at Wild Ginger with a friend, and then my husband and I went downtown for drinks
at Tonic and dinner next door at Local 127. Eating away from home has always been the hardest thing for me with weight
loss (or even just avoiding weight gain). I try to order light and healthy, but still....And the cocktails at Tonic are empty
calories, pure and simple. "Not that there's anything wrong with that," ha, ha. All I can say about the eating-out
conundrum is to minimize doing it at all, when possible, and make up for the meals out by being extra-good when you get back
to your regular eating plan. We're eating in tonight--Saturday--so tomorrow I will get up my courage to step on the
scale to see if the one pound I lost between Monday and Friday is still gone.
5:02 pm edt
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Dropping a few pounds -- Day 4: EAT BREAKFAST
I must confess that the scale has not moved yet, which tries my patience, to be sure. But I will stay the course.
It would happen faster if I cut calories more drastically, but that is not sustainable and would violate all my healthy foodie
principles.
 Breakfast might be my favorite meal, and I find it easy to make it a healthy one. Oatmeal used to be one of my least-fave foods until I learned how to enhance it with berries, nuts,
dried fruits and chopped apples--along with Splenda, my sweetener of choice. I add vanilla soy milk or skim milk instead of
water and maybe a little cinnamon. Good stuff.
Another favorite breakfast is a toasted whole-wheat
English muffin and fruit: in summer, it's cut-up canteloupe and blueberries; in winter, I have a half grapefruit. The
easiest brekkie for me is cold cereal with bananas, berries and
skim milk. Yogurt and granola work well, too. There are lots of low fat, high fiber, fruit-centric
choices!
Start your day with a 300-400-calorie breakfast and you won't be tempted by donuts, pastries, vending
machine treats and all those empty calories floating around.
6:02 pm edt
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Day 3 -- Get moving!
If you're not already active, this is the perfect time of year to change that. More often than not, from now until late November
the temperature outdoors is beautifully condusive to walking, which most physicians attest is the best form of exercise for
most people. Get into the habit of doing some walking every day and by the time of cold weather, you'll want to keep doing
it. If your day is too busy to get in more than 15 minutes at a time, it still adds up if you do 15 minutes before work, 15
at lunch and 15 after you get home. You can do it!
11:47 am edt
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Day 2 -- Weight-loss PLAN
 Since we don't like the "d" word when it comes to weight control or weight loss, I'll just
call it my eating plan. Day 2 has been a busy work day and I didn't have much time to think about
food. Instead of snacks, when possible I was able to chew a little sugarless gum or drink water or mint tea with Splenda.
Thus far my calories through B/L/D have toted up to about 1200, so I'll still be able to have a little bedtime snack--probably
a 150-calorie chocolate pudding cup (Kozy Shack brand, I think). But what am I giving up? Wine,
which is one of the things that I DON'T have on this eating plan that I usually do let creep into my meals or snacks when
I'm not paying close attention. When I need to lose a few pounds, wine becomes just a weekend treat and not an everyday drink
with dinner. That goes for any other alcohol. Other foods that I give up or cut way back on include jam on my morning toast/english
muffins, bread and other starches with dinner, and almost all sugary treats. I already eat lots
of veggies and fruits, so the weight-loss plan doesn't do anything different there. And
finally, Mary Ann and I both agree that it's important for our health -- and yours, gentle reader -- to monitor weight and
change any bad habits when we've gone a few pounds (say 5) over where we ought to be. Otherwise, 5 pounds becomes 10, which
morphs into 20, and pretty soon it's a catastrophe!
8:35 pm edt
Monday, October 19, 2009
Dropping a few pounds -- Day 1
 At the beginning of the summer my weight was right where I wanted it. But a (marvelous) 12 days in Italy
got me off track and I haven't been able to get back to where I once belonged, weight wise. After many false starts and attempts at conquering the beast through "cutting back," today I started the
write-it-down method that is the only one that has ever worked for me. I just write down everything I eat and estimate the
total calories of each meal. At the end of the day, I tote it up and hope it's no more than about 1600 calories. The day in food so far: Breakfast--cut up canteloupe pieces, whole wheat
English muffin with cottage cheese spread, hot tea with Splenda and fat-free half & half (about
350 calories) Lunch--salad from the Kroger salad bar, consisting of lettuce &
spinach, shredded carrots, a few beets, chopped tomatoes, raw cauliflower florets, cottage cheese (instead of dressing), red
bell pepper slices, 2-3 strawberries cut up, and a tablespoon each of dried cranberries and sunflower seeds.
Also as a snack between meals I had about 1 1/2 cups of sliced orange bell pepper and sugar snap peas. (about
350 calories) How do I get the calorie counts? In addition to reading the labels
for some foods, I have a booklet that lists the calories of a lot of produce and other ingredients that don't come with labels--you
can find them in a supermarket or a large drugstore. But I don't really consult it any more because I know how to estimate
calories. Another very important factor that keeps me slim (or slim enough)--I do aerobic
exercise for a minimum of 45 minutes every day, whether it's a walk in my hilly Clifton neighborhood or a spinning or other
class at my gym, or both on some days. It really does help to keep your weight down if you are burning calories by being active. Dinner will be grilled halibut with a topping I'll make of sauteed leeks, onions and red bell pepper,
along with steamed broccoli. Because my husband has a metabolism that runs on high all the time (he thus never gains weight),
I'll also give him a few thick slices of multi-grain bread that he'll dip in olive oil. I
only need to lose a few pounds, so we'll see how it goes. Next posting, I'll share what it is
I'm giving up on this eating plan--that is, what I would have had without this discipline.
3:08 pm edt
Friday, October 16, 2009
Losing weight
When it comes to losing extra pounds, Mary Ann and I try to avoid the "d word." Everyone hates to "diet"
and diets don't work, anyhow. But when the foodie in our healthy-foodie worldview over takes the healthy half, the
scale (and/or our clothes) tells us we had better clean up our act. For various reasons, both Mary Ann & I have seen
some weight gain since summer, and we're both putting on the brakes, each in our own way. The only thing that seems
to work for me is to write down everything I eat and try to keep my daily calories around 1500-1800. It's not starvation
by any means but it forces me to pay attention to all the little extras that pop into my mouth over the course of a
day. The other thing that helps me drop pounds is to pretty much give up liquid calories. Not drinking calories
is a good healthy-foodie principle overall & I do limit my drinks to water, tea, coffee and wine. However, to drop
the pounds, the last one has to be cut way back--just weekends. I'm starting the write-it-down plan on Monday 10/19
and hope to lose 4-5 pounds over the next three weeks. I'll post progress reports along the way! -- Pama
11:54 am edt
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Local 127
We're excited about trying the new Local 127 on Friday -- that's 127 4th St
downtown site of the late, great Jean-Robert at Pigall's. The restaurant works with local farmers, dairies,
ranchers and others to bring fresh, seasonal cooking to Cincinnati. We have heard nothing but good things about the food. Report
to come!
8:00 pm edt
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The Healthy Foodie website is all about: Helping you make healthy choices
when you eat out Finding
ways to add physical activity - exercise - to your daily routines Tips for snacking smart Creative ideas to add more fruits and veggies to your family's diet Separating fad nutrition and diets
from sound scientific information How to eat healthy on a budget Raising children with healthy eating habits Controlling/losing weight ... AND MUCH MORE!
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The kids brought home hazelnuts for the holidays! We made ice cream
and added them to brown rice with raspberries, garlic and parsley for the family dinner.
| Chilled Asparagus and Tomato Salad |

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| with Greek Yogurt and Tarragon |

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| Grilling Sesame Ginger Kebabs |
The second year Family Medicine residents at St. Elizabeth
learn to make grilled tofu.

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| Terry's Turf Club in Cincinnati |
The Healthy Foodie goes to Terrys Turf Club! Eating healthfully doesn't
mean you can't enjoy going to this fun restaurant, known for having the best hamburgers in town! See our restaurant
review by clicking on the picture.
How did these pounds stick to me? Why
is it that weight seems to accumulate as our birthdays mount? Our
understanding of fat (weight) gain is not an exact science. Several theories suggest that weight gain tends to level
off with simple added calories. However, over time our caloric needs drop, making even small increases in our intake
stick to us like glue. The US national assessment health
(called NHANES) was started in the 70's and is reassessed every 5 years or so. The first assessment determined that
the average BMI for women aged 20 - 29 was 23 (19 - 25 is normal). In 2003, the average BMI for women aged 50 - 59 was
29 (overweight). These theoretically are the same women, which reflects a 30 pound weight gain over the 30 years.
One pound a year. The weight slips on insidiously, one pound at a time. What kind of change is needed to cause an increase of 1 pound a year? Eating one extra 60-calorie cookie
a day. Or drinking 1 ounce of sugar-sweetened drink per day. Or walking 1 minute less a day. Small
changes over a life time make a big difference.
Whatever you do to control weight, you must do for the rest
of your life. Weight gain is insidious. Weight maintenance or loss needs constant vigilence!
Weight loss / maintenance is difficult. Watch those
small weight gains, as obesity happens 1 pound at a time. My book, Fat Cells, Beauty and You!,
brings together how your body stores calories, why exercise is important, and how to determine how much of which
foods is best for you. Psychological and spiritual factors of why we eat are also reviewed. And it's a bargain!
--- short, easy to read and inexpensive on Amazon.
Go to the book
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Pama's Healthy Foodie blog
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