Black Eye Peas and New Year Luck!

For as long as I remember, my grandmother and mother had a new years rule that black eye peas would be eaten on the first day of the new year. They were both born and raised in South Carolina. Here I am 3 generations later passing on the Southern folklore that says black eye peas should be the first food to be eaten on New Year's Day for luck and prosperity throughout the year ahead.

"The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. At first planted as food for livestock, and later a food staple for slaves in the South, the fields of black-eyed peas were ignored as Sherman's troops destroyed or stole other crops, thereby giving the humble, but nourishing, black-eyed pea an important role as a major food source for surviving Confederates. Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved into a number of variations and embellishments of the luck and prosperity theme including serving them with greens (especially collards)." SOURCE: http://gosoutheast.about.com/od/restaurantslocalcuisine/a/blackeyedpeas.htm



The peas = coins

The greens =  paper money

Cornbread =  Gold

Best of all, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says black-eyed peas are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are low in sodium, high in potassium, iron, and fiber and a one-half cup serving of cooked black-eyed peas counts as one ounce of lean meat.

Yours in health,

Dr. Velonda

2012 - The year of FIRE - Igniting healthy behaviors!

Achoo! or not to Achoo!

It's Cold Season

“THE COMMON COLD IS NOT AN INFECTION THAT LEAPS OUT AND ATTACKS AN INNOCENT PASSERBY. IT IS NOT EVEN A DISEASE. A COLD IS THE CURE OF A PRE-DISEASED CONDITION. AND THE SYMPTOMS ARE ATTEMPTS BY THE BODY TO REESTABLISH NORMAL CONDITITIONS. THE BODY IS CARRYING OUT A “SPRING CLEANING.” A COLD IS THE RESULT OF NOT LIVING ON THE BEST LEVEL.  ONCE IT ARRIVES, IT CLEANSES TOXINS FROM THE SYSTEM AD, ALONG WITH REST, ENABLES THE PERSON TO GET BACK INTO BETTER SHAPE. A COLD IS ACTUALLY A BLESSING; FOR IT FORCES PEOPLE TOO REST WHO, OTHERWISE, WOULD  PREMATURELY DEVELOP DEBILITATING, CHRONIC, AND LIFE-THREATENING DISEASES.” Natural Remedies Encyclopedia (5^th Ed) Vance Ferrell & Harold M. Cherne, M.D.

Factors which lower the body’s resistance to virus infection: overexposure to cold, fatigue, recent or present infections, lack of rest, allergic reaction, overeating, sugar consumption, inhaling irritating dust or gas, and wrong eating.

Natural remedies

FOOD:

ü Eat a fruit diet and drink fruit juice for 2 days

ü Avoid mucous producing foods – pasteurized milk, white flour, sugar foods, cold drinks, meat

ü When eating cooked food at a meal, begin with raw food. This will help the digestive system handle the increased load placed on it by cooked food.

ü Cold knock-out tea – 2 cups water, 1 lemon, 1 onion, 1 garlic clove. Bring to boil, reduce heat  & let steep a 1-2 minutes, drink hot

CATARRH  is the excess mucous which occurs with different nasal, throat and bronchial infections.



> To keep catarrh from going down the nose wash the nose using one (1) teaspoon sea salt in 2 cups warm water.
Sniff up nose until it comes out your mouth, blow nose holding one nostril at a time then gargle with remaining salt water.
> Inhale Eucalyptus by adding drops of eucalyptus oil to a humidifier that provides steam during sleep.


Save the date: 2nd Saturday Food & Film > March 10, 2012

Minerva Rewards

Minerva Rewards: It's about time somebody came up with something like this! Brilliant idea. Totally awesome.


Greetings!
The founders of several extremely successful businesses (along with renowned physicians, entrepreneurs, scientists, marketing experts, and celebrities) are launching
a major internet site where you can get paid just to have people look at a website!

It's the same approach used by internet advertisers like the new Facebook, Twitter, and U tube billionaires/ millionaires - only better!

Their need is to have people see the website; your benefit is to reap a share of the huge advertising revenues.

Go to: http://www.drvelonda.minervarewards.com for a sneak preview. Right now, pre-enrollment is free.


2012 is already on fire - ignite your prosperity possibilities!
Yours in health & WEALTH,
Dr Velonda ;~)

6 Days 'til Thanksgiving - Holiday healthy tip #5

 

Holiday Recipe Tips
>Spray pans with non-stick cooking spray instead of greasing pans with
butter or shortening
>When baking replace half of the oil with applesauce to reduce the fat
>Prepare recipes with low-fat cheeses
>Instead of heavy cream, use evaporated skim milk
>Replace sour cream with equal amounts of fat-free plain yogurt
>Instead of traditional pie crusts, try using finely crushed cinnamon graham crackers
>Make angel food cake and decorate it with lite cool whip and fresh fruit for a fat-free dessert

What's a traditional Thanksgiving meal without the turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, and pie. A traditional Thanksgiving meal can have more than 2000 calories and 100 grams of fat! Here are some simple tips on how you can make your meal healthy without sacrificing the taste.
Turkey Tips:
• Instead of coating the bird in vegetable oil
or butter, spray it lightly with cooking spray.
• To keep your turkey moist without all the
fat, cook it in a browning bag.
Stuffing Secrets:
• When it comes to the stuffing or dressing,
replace real butter or margarine with butter
flavored granules. Just mix them with warm
water and you have the flavor of butter
without the fat.
• Fill your stuffing with low calorie things like
onions, celery, and poultry seasoning.
http://www.fitcitychallenge.org/content/m1/worksite/pdf/EatRightNov08.pdf

7 days 'til Thanksgiving - Holiday healthy tip #4

Skip the white and brown sugar

Whether you are a diabetic or not, you will want to keep you blood sugar from spiking while enjoying holiday sweets and treat. Substituting sorghum molasses wherever you might use brown sugar and agave nectar wherever you might use white sugar will  go a long way to keeping your holiday healthy and your waistline trim.

"It is believed that sorghum originated in Africa,where it is an important food grain and an ingredient in beer. Worldwide, it's the third largest food grain. Sorghum molasses was a favorite sweetener, particularly in the South, during the 1800s and early 1900s. Around the end of World War I refined sugar products became more readily available and less expensive, thus causing a decline in the use of sorghum as a sweetener. (http://southernfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa101798.htm)"

"While it's meant be a substitute for sugar, the truth is that agave nectar actually tastes sweeter than sugar. This can be a real benefit for you. Here's why: Agave nectar is roughly 1.5 times sweeter than sugar. However, it contains the same amount of calories as sugar. Therefore, you can use agave nectar in your coffee and get the same results as sugar, but you don't have to use as much to do it. By using less agave nectar, you can help cut calories out of your diet and possibly lose weight. (http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/3-nutritional-benefits-of-agave-nectar.html) "

Yours in health,

Dr. Velonda

313-874-BFIT (2348)

8 Days ‘til Thanksgiving - Holiday Healthy Tip #3

Eat your vegetables

Why not dress up the table with some colorful vegetable dishes?

Veggies come in all colors and are very nutritious. Non-starchy vegetables are diabetic friendly because they are low in carbohydrates. They are weight watcher friendly because they are low in calories. If you want to avoid holiday waist-spread, veggies will help fill you up and help you avoid overeating.
Here's a partial list of non-starchy vegetables to choose from:
Artichoke, Asparagus, Bamboo shoots, Beans (green, wax, Italian), Bean sprouts, Beets, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chayote, Chinese spinach, Eggplant, Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip), Mushrooms, Okra, Onions, Pea pods, Peppers, Sprouts and Zucchini

SOURCE: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/non-starchy-vegetables.html

Holiday Healthy Tip #3 – Eat your veggies

Yours in health,
Dr. Velonda

9 Days ‘til Thanksgiving - Holiday Healthy Tip #2

Be selective, exercise portion control

If you are worried about carbohydrates, you could have a worry frenzy Thanksgiving day. Avoid the frenzy and decide to be choosy at the family feast. Thanksgiving foods that are typically high in carbohydrates include stuffing, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, to name a few.

Don't feel obligated to sample everything on the table. For example choose either sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes; sweet potato pie or apple cobbler, not both! Make selective food choices that create a rainbow of color on your plate.

Because high carbohydrate foods are plentiful at most Thanksgiving feasts, portion control is king. Eat smaller portions.  If you can't decide on one or two carbohydrate foods to eat, take very small portions or "samples" of several dishes.

SOURCE: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/holiday-meal-planning/enjoying-thanksgiving.html

Holiday Healthy Tip #2 – Be selective, exercise portion control

10 Days 'til Thanksgiving - Holiday Healthy Tip #1

Chew more, eat less

The July 2011 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that people who chewed each bite of food 40 times reduced how much food they ate by 12%.

Holiday Healthy Tip #1 - Slow down, chew more, eat less!

It is no conincidence that November celebrates both Diabetes Awareness & Thanksgiving. According to the November 2011 issue of Diabetes Forecast, 19% of African-Americans over the age of 20 have diabetes. When you know better, you can choose to do better.

Yours in health,

Dr. Velonda

Rethinking Thanksgiving

With turkey day fast approaching, many folks are trying to figure out the delicate balance between family feast and whacking their waistline. The key is simply rethinking old favorites and applying modern makeovers. When it comes down to it a diabetic friendly holiday spread is good for anyone in the house!

A recent Diabetes Forecast magazine article expressed the sentiment we all share, “Looking forward to the season of turkey and stuffing – but not the season of stuffing yourself. (Webb and Springer, 2011)”

From the main course to the divine dessert; tasty, easy and healthy options can makeover any holiday dinner with ease. I’m willing to bet survey results will show that holiday side dishes and desserts contribute the most (empty) calories to our diets during this time of year. Have no fear, ……

·         The Main Course – downsize

o   From full bird to breast only, the star of the evening can still be as sumptuous and satisfying as the typical holiday turkey.

o   Season turkey breast with a mixture of thyme, sage, rosemary, vegetable broth and dry white wine

·         Sides to savor – zest up the veggies and change the stuffing

o   Holiday side dishes can wreck havoc on the best laid plans to mind your calories. By adjusting the ingredients and exercising portion control, a little will go a long way and your taste buds won’t miss a thing.

o   Use almonds or hazelnuts and lemon zest with sesame seed oil to make vegetables sizzle.

o   Butternut Squash Soup

§  4 cup fresh orange juice

§  1 mango, peeled & chopped

§  4 cup butternut squash, small chunks

§  8 dates, pitted & chopped

§  1 teaspoon curry

§  Combine ingredients in blender.

§  Add water as needed for desired thickness

§   Serve ;~)

o   Brown Rice Dressing  

§  2 cups cooked brown rice

§  1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

§  ½ cup currants

§  1 small apple, cored & chopped

§  ½ teaspoon each chopped basil

§   ½ teaspoon each celery seeds

§  2 tablespoon sesame oil

§  Combine all ingredients in large sauté pan. Sauté, stirring frequently for approximately 10 minutes and Serve ;~)

o   Marinate the greens

                     http://www.youtube.com/DrVelonda1#p/u/9/uxWQy7UJkYg

·         Divine desserts – how sweet it is, but portion control is king

o   Eliminate the white sugar, replace with sweeteners like agave nectar, honey, black strap molasses

For more recipes visit    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Be-Fit-Inc/138592976177146

 Webb, R., Springer, S., (November 2011). Building a Better Holiday Season. Diabetes Forecast. Page 41

Yours in health,
Dr. Velonda

http://astore.amazon.com/drvelonsnutr-20/

Be-fit, Inc.       313-874-2348      drvelonda@gmail.com   

Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers “are the most famous generation in American history.  The U.S. Census Bureau defines the Baby Boomers as those born between January 1st, 1946 and December 31st, 1964. This gigantic generation has transformed America as they have passed through every stage of life. Now they are getting ready to retire. Beginning January 1st, 2011 every single day more than 10,000 Baby Boomers will reach the age of 65.  That is going to keep happening every single day for the next 19 years, until 2029.”

SOURCE: http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/in-2011-the-baby-boomers-start-to-turn-65-16-statistics-about-the-coming-retirement-crisis-that-will-drop-your-jaw

Having been born almost smack dab in the middle of this 19 year range of post WWII population blast, I know I speak for many of my fellow Baby Boomers when I say in the coming years, we want to show up totally opposite of the predictions.  According to the American Hospital Association by 2030:

_ More than six of every 10 Boomers will be managing more than one chronic condition.

_ More than one out of every three Boomers – over 21 million – will be considered obese.

_ One of every four Boomers – 14 million – will be living with diabetes.

_ Nearly one out of every two Boomers – more than 26 million – will be living with arthritis.

_ Eight times more knee replacements will be performed than today

SOURCE: American Hospital Association. (2007). When I’m 64: How Boomers Will change Health Care. Retrieved September 16, 2011 from www.aha.org/content/00-10/070508-boomerreport.pdf

It is now common knowledge that the over 65 population will nearly double as a result of the aging Boomers and we want to be the 21st Century “Blue Zone” generation, as described by Dan Buettner is his New York Times Bestseller, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest .

What is a Boomer to do? The fact of the matter is that it is not complicated; however that in no way implies that it is easy to break our old habits of excess and convenience. It all boils down to prevention. The power to choose sensible precautions that will lessen the impact of aging is as simple as cutting our consumption of that which is refined and processed. Above all get the water in and get the white out!