Healthy Eating

Soup Recipes: Hamburger Soup Recipe Nurturing and Nourishing Caregivers

October 24, 2011 By Ina Gilmore 5 Comments

When the weather turns cooler, it’s nice to have soup. Soup nurtures while nourishing you.

One of my fondest memories of childhood is my mother making soup.

For her, it was a several day process. She would often make the stock from meat or poultry she cooked in her stockpot. Then she would cool it, strain the stock and refrigerate it overnight. She’d add vegetables the next day. And a starch – rice, potatoes, corn or noodles.

Her soups were packed with vegetables, and very hearty. And on a chilly day they warmed us body and soul.

Soup is nurturing and nourishing. Caregivers and crafters can find it an easy way to fix a healthy hearty meal.

Do you make your own soup?

Soup is easy to make. You don’t have to make it over several days. It can be made in much less time.

Or in a crock pot.

One of the easiest soup recipes is hamburger soup.

It can be made with ground beef or ground turkey or chicken. Ground poultry may require a little extra fat to brown without sticking. Grass fed ground beef and hormone-free antibiotic-free turkey and chicken are healthier alternatives.

The vegetables can be added raw and cooked until tender. Depending upon the size, usually within an hour. Or you can grate vegetables to help them cook faster.

You can also use roasted or cooked vegetables. In general fresh or frozen vegetables have more nutrients than canned.

Hamburger soup is often a full meal in itself. Although you can add a side dish, salad, bread, crackers, or something else. You can even add seasonings after cooking. This is especially helpful when juggling different tastes or digestive needs.

Experimenting with different ingredients is part of the fun of making soup!

A stick blender or regular blender can be used to puree soup if someone needs it. Follow the manufacturer’s directions. And you may find it safer to puree the soup when it is lukewarm or cool rather than hot.

For an instant download of my hamburger soup recipe, leave a comment on this post. If you’re reading the post on a site other than Caregiving With Purpose, be sure to click here right now to comment on the original post.

To your healthy and happy caregiving & crafting,

Dr. Ina
Ina Gilmore, M.D. (Retired)
“The Knitting Dr.”

Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com
Ambassador of Elder Care at www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ambassador of elder care, caregiving, dr. ina, hamburger soup recipe, ina gilmore, soup recipes, technorati, the knitting dr, www.caregivingwithpurpose.com, www.howtoliveonpurpose.com, www.theknittingyarn.com

Easy Healthy Recipes For Caregivers: What About an Old-Fashioned Picnic Part 2?

August 1, 2011 By Ina Gilmore Leave a Comment

Remember the fun you had as a kid at picnics?

Was it something your whole family enjoyed?

Maybe you’re ready to try some of those foods again, and even recreate a picnic. Recreating a cherished memory can be fun, and may be something your care recipient enjoys.

In planning a picnic-style you don’t have to eat outdoors. You could eat on a deck or patio if your care recipient likes eating outdoors. You could use a checkered tablecloth or placemats. Even the dishes and silverware could remind you of those used during the picnics you recall.

Marilyn and her sister decided to recreate the picnics they had as a child. Well at least the food from the picnics.

They hoped the flavors would appeal to their mother who has become a fussy eater.

So they took some of the foods she used to prepare for summer picnics and modernized them. They used lower fat versions of meats and side dishes in their easy healthy recipes.

What are some side dishes can be updated for an old-fashioned picnic?

Potato and pasta salads
Three bean salad
Egg Salad
Deviled eggs
Jello salad

May of these were made with mayonnaise. Substituting lower fat alternatives can easily convert high fat versions to easy healthy recipes.

You can make lighter versions by substituting vinaigrette or light herb dressings. Today there are also lower fat alternatives to regular mayonnaise.

Remember three bean salad made with sugar and vinegar based dressing?

You can substitute a light sweet and sour dressing with good results.

Olive oil, vinegar and herbs can convert a mayonnaise-based potato salad into a lighter version. Or you could try a creamy dressing made with low fat yogurt or low fat sour cream instead of regular mayonnaise. Low fat cottage cheese in a blender makes a substitute for mayonnaise some folks like.

You may need to experiment with your options. Be sure to have fun while creating your new masterpieces!

How about old fashioned German potato salad?

Well sometimes rethinking ingredients is all it takes. You could combine white and sweet potatoes. Honey can replace white sugar. Turkey bacon is a lower fat alternative to regular bacon.

So how do you update deviled eggs?

You can update deviled eggs by lowering the fat and adding flavor. Low fat yogurt, no fat sour cream or no fat cottage cheese can become substitutes for mayonnaise. Mix them with your favorite flavors such as cilantro, capers or herbs.

And what about Jello salads?

Jello salads used to contain vegetables in addition to fruit. Many of these recipes featured mayonnaise.

Did your mom get you to eat carrots by grating them in Jello? You might be surprised to find out she still likes it. One more modern option is lime Jello with shaved or grated celery and carrots, topped with yogurt. You may need to watch the sugar content or skip the Jello if blood sugar levels are a concern. Most sugar-free versions contain artificial sweeteners, which you may want to avoid.

Recreating some of the flavors, sights and smells of happy memories can be comforting. And nurturing your soul is an important part of caregiving.

Do you realize family caregiving may be the hardest thing you’ve ever done?

Whenever you can, enjoy the moments and have fun.

Do you have days when you’s like a daily inspiration?

An uplifting thought to give you at least a momentary break?

One you can carry with you with a smile all day?

Get your FREE caregiving membership now by going to www.caregivingwithpurpose.com/freemember/ .

To your healthy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”
Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It does not replace information or recommendations from your own physician or other health care provider. Full disclosure and disclaimer can be found at www.caregivingwithpurpose.com/policies/

Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ambassador of elder care, dr. ina, easy healthy recipes, ina gilmore, technorati, the knitting dr, www.caregivingwithpurpose.com, www.howtoliveonpurpose.com, www.theknittingyarn.com

Easy Healthy Recipes For Caregivers: What About an Old-Fashioned Picnic Part 1?

July 21, 2011 By Ina Gilmore 1 Comment

Easy Healthy Recipes For Caregivers: What About an Old-Fashioned Picnic Part 1?

Remember picnics you had as a child?

Maybe recipes handed down from one generation to the next?

Have you thought about a picnic-style meal?

When Marilyn looked for something to do with her elderly parents in the summer, she thought about all the picnics they enjoyed when she was a child.

Her parents would take Marilyn and her sister to a local park where they grilled on the grills provided. And there were also church picnics and family reunions.

Marilyn and her sister decided to have an old-fashioned themed picnic. Due to the heat, they decided to eat indoors. But on a bright red checkered tablecloth, and updated versions of all the family recipes.

Connecting with favorite foods of the past can be comforting. It may also remind you and your care recipient of stories from the fast.

And most of all

It’s FUN!

With some special tweaking you may be able to update your favorite recipes into something more healthy and maybe even easier to make.

If you grew up in the 1940s, 1950s or 1960s, likely you remember picnics for school, potluck, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Maybe your parents made their best dishes or grilled masterpieces to share.

Just thinking about those picnics and happy memories can lift your spirits. And re-creating them may be a way to connect to the one you’re caring for.

While time or a disease may have dulled memories, some of the most vivid memories we have are of smells. And recreating those smells and sights may be an adventure for your care recipient and you.

So how can you update recipes for today’s diets to make them healthy eating recipes?

Switch to lower fat ground meat, or even choose ground turkey or chicken. Adding more flavorings and you’ll never miss thefat. Or you may already be used to eating lower fat meat.
Hot dogs, bratwursts and sausages now come in lower fat options. Including turkey or chicken. Choose ones without nitrates for added health.
Chicken can be roasted on a rotisserie, or “butterflied” flattened after removing the backbone, then grilled. When grilled the fat cooks off better than deep frying. A whole chicken stays moister than one cut-up. You can pull off the skin after grilling because the meat underneath is juicy and tasty. Have you ever slid your seasonings underneath the skin before grilling? That way you can enjoy the flavor because the flavor is ON the meat and not the skin.
Choose healthier steaks including smaller sizes and less fat or marbling. Adding a cast iron skillet of onions and mushrooms can reproduce a grilled steak dinner.
Instead of processed lunch meats choose a slice of ham or turkey. If you chop it or grind it, then mix with light mayonnaise, olive oil or sour cream. Better yet, strain yogurt to make yogurt cheese which is a nice substitute for mayonnaise or sour cream. And chopped pickles or pickle relish add flavor and zip.

In the summer heat picnics can be a welcome respite. And reconnecting with the flavors of your past can not only feed your body but also your soul.

And feeding your soul is an important part of caregiving.

Caregiving may just be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. At least parts of it.

Whenever you can, you should add fun to the mix and enjoy the moments.

And for those times when you need an added inspiration, having a Daily Inspirational Thought for Caregivers delivered into your mailbox can help.

Get your FREE caregiving membership now by going to www.caregivingwithpurpose.com/freemember/ . Sign up now and get your moment of inspiration a day!

To your healthy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”
Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, www.CaregivingWithPurpose.com and www.TheKnittingYarn.com

Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ambassador of elder care, dr. ina, easy healthy recipes, ina gilmore, the knitting dr, www.caregivingwithpurpose.com, www.howtoliveonpurpose.com, www.theknittingyarn.com

Easy Healthy Recipes for Caregivers: Where Does Broccoli Fit?

June 28, 2011 By Ina Gilmore Leave a Comment

When your refrigerator is stocked with nutritional supplements, then you know you’re a caregiver.

You may find yourself like Mary, struggling to come up with something nutritious and tasty in a hurry. Mary’s caregiving responsibilities too often seemed to interfere with her own healthy eating. Too often she often found herself grabbing whatever was handy. She knew her poor eating was making her feel worse.

One day she realized she wanted something warm and comforting. Like soup. With fondness, she remembered the soups her mother made when Mary was growing up. They often warmed her body and soul. That’s how she wanted—and needed—to feel.

She also wanted to pack nutrition into easy healthy recipes because she recognized her caregiver stress. She felt stressed emotionally and physically.

Mary decided to add extra antioxidants and nutrients to the foods she ate whenever she could. She wanted to make wiser choices while using easy healthy recipes. In looking over her options, she learned broccoli has a lot to offer and can easily be made into a soup. It showed promise as a starting point for her easy healthy recipes.

And Mary likes broccoli!

Why is broccoli healthy eating?

Broccoli is a low-calorie, nutrient-rich vegetable. Its health benefits include lowering the risk for cataracts, building stronger bones, boosting immune systems and fighting cancer.

What is broccoli a good source of?

Dietary fiber and protein…
Vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6, C, E, K and M (folic acid)…
Minerals including potassium, manganese, calcium, chromium and iron.

Broccoli is rich in antioxidants including the two powerful ones quercetin and glutathione. So those damaging free radicals don’t stand a chance against it!

One of those antioxidants is Q10, which helps the body produce energy. Broccoli also contains the anticancer agents called indoles, quercetin and glutathione.

And, you don’t have to eat a lot of broccoli to get all these super nutrients. Just one cup of broccoli provides almost 80 milligrams of vitamin C. All this nutrition is available in only 25 calories. What’s more, broccoli is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

How to choose the right bunch?

Selecting fresh broccoli isn’t difficult.

You want to look for sturdy stalks with compact, dark green florets. Avoid wilted ones with yellowing buds, because these stalks are already past their prime. You can store broccoli in the refrigerator for up to three days before it loses its vitamin content.

In some supermarkets, you will even find hybrids like broccoflower or broccolini, which combine cauliflower or kale with broccoli.

Trim any leaves from the stalk and the woody end of the stalk off the bottom. If you prefer to eat only the florets, or your recipe calls for just the florets, cut the broccoli florets off the stalk, rinse under running water, and drain. You can save the stalks for another recipe if desired. You can also peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler to get to the center, which is often more tender.

Broccoli is best eaten cooked because it contains goitrogens, which are chemicals that block the production of thyroid hormone. The good news is you can steam broccoli for a few minutes until it turns bright green, and destroy the goitrogens.

Mary uses a vegetable steamer, and found a recipe for Broccoli Soup in the recipe book that came with her Vitamix. Now she can make broccoli soup in the Vitamix machine in under 10 minutes, and with minimal clean-up.

How can you get a Vitamix machine?

Click on this link for information on how to get a Vitamix machine with FREE shipping.

Caregiving is a demanding job. Mary’s time crunch and struggles to find easy healthy recipes are not unique to her.

You may be facing some of the same challenges. Finding information and connecting with other caregivers can be difficult to impossible.

Caregivers are all busy. And when you do find a moment to connect, it’s likely to be at irregular times or when many offices are closed. The Internet certainly has helped bring more information to you at a time that’s convenient for you.

Still, it can be sometimes challenging to find information specific to caregivers. Just knowing the words to search for can be challenging. That’s why CaregivingWithPurpose.com has a Gold Caregiver Membership.

And Mary’s experiences inspired me to include information on super foods. While some of the recipes and information are available only for the months you subscribe, because the super foods information is so important for caregivers it’s available as part of the initial materials you’ll get when you join.

Joining is easy. Just click on this link for more information about the Gold Caregiver Membership.

Or copy and paste this web address (URL) into your browser

http://caregivingwithpurpose.com/members/

And I’ll see you there!

To your healthy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”
Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, CaregivingWithPurpose.com and TheKnittingYarn.com

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It does not replace information or recommendations from your own physician or other health care provider. Click here for Full Disclaimer

Click here for Disclosure

Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ambassador of elder care, caregiver stress, caregivingwithpurpose.com, dr. ina, easy healthy recipes, howtoliveonpurpose.com, ina gilmore, technorati, the knitting dr, theknittingyarn.com

Easy Healthy Recipes for Caregivers: Got Blueberries?

June 18, 2011 By Ina Gilmore Leave a Comment

Do you include blueberries in your healthy eating choices?

Blueberries are a super food, loaded with antioxidants.

Do you know blueberries contain the highest amounts of antioxidants of any berry?

They do! And these deep blue delicious berries are often a favorite of young and old.

When I was a kid, we spent a week every summer in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania.

The camp where we stayed had wild huckleberries and blueberries. They grew on bushes over our heads, and usually were ripe the week we were there in August.

Here in South Carolina, early June is blueberry season.

When I eat them, I’m often transported back to the happy memories we had picking blueberries, and then eating them in pancakes the next day. Yummy!

As a child, you also may have enjoyed eating blueberries…

Maybe even picking them!

Do you know… ?

Blueberries are super foods. Truly healthy eating in addition to being delicious!

Would you have changed your view of blueberries as a kid if you knew they were also healthy?

And they can be part of easy healthy recipes for caregivers.

Are you searching for a low-calorie, high fiber fruit?

Look no further than the blueberry! One cup contains less than 100 calories. And a cup of blueberries is packed with one fourth the daily requirement for Vitamin C.

Why should you include blueberries in your diet as a caregiver?

Studies show blueberries help your

Brain…
Vision…
Even your heart!

Your brain and nervous system?

Yes! Blueberries contain nutrients that support your nervous system, may delay brain cell death like occurs in Alzheimer’s disease and help your memory.

What about your vision?

Blueberries contain compounds called anthocyanosides and flavonoids. They can slow visual loss, while helping prevent macular degeneration, myopia, and cataracts.

And your heart?

Anthocyanins are important antioxidants known to prevent heart disease and to support good health of your heart and blood vessels. Anthocyanins are the compounds in red wine researchers report support heart health.

And guess what…?

Blueberries have more anthocyanins than red wine!

Plus blueberries also may help prevent urinary tract infections.

And there’s more…

The antioxidants in blueberries may benefit other conditions including hemorrhoids, varicose veins, and peptic ulcers.

And antioxidants help combat the effects of stress. As in caregiver stress.

Who knew?

And adding them to your healthy eating plan can be a snap with easy healthy recipes. You can add them to a fruit smoothie. And they are delicious on a salad.

Rinsing and thawing frozen berries can take only minutes. Truly a time saver!

Here are some precautions to consider about blueberries…

Milk protein seems to deplete the antioxidants in blueberries. So instead of eating blueberries on cereal, you may want to make them a high energy snack later in the morning, or maybe try some on a salad at lunch. Especially when you’re looking to get the extra boost from the antioxidants for caregiver stress.
Blueberries also contain oxalates. They can become concentrated and crystallize, possibly a problem for those with a tendency for gallstones or kidney stones. Your personal physician can advise you about blueberries.
Moderation may be the way to go instead of overindulging. And you want to pay attention to allergies and other health concerns.

Wondering How to Select and Enjoy Blueberries?

First, pick good ones.

Choose blueberries that are firm and uniform in color, not dull or watery.

Water causes blueberries to spoil more quickly. So they should be kept in dry containers in the refrigerator. Blueberries should also be dried thoroughly after washing.

Frozen can be a great option if you can’t buy fresh. Blueberries freeze nicely and can be purchased whole or smashed.

Just thaw and enjoy!

When using frozen blueberries in cooking you have choices. You can either thaw them or include them in your recipe frozen adjusting your cooking time slightly.

Blueberries can be enjoyed from morning until night in a variety of recipes including

Breads and muffins…
Salads…
Sauces…
Desserts…
Even Drinks.

And they make a great “one ingredient” snack!

Blueberries can be a great addition to your healthy eating plan, and to your easy healthy recipes.

Got some favorite blueberry recipes?

Most everyone does.

And as your needs and eating changes, you may be looking for more blueberry recipes.

This month blueberry recipes are included in the Caregiving With Purpose Gold Membership subscription.

For more information just click on this link

Or copy and paste this URL (web address) into your browser

http://caregivingwithpurpose.com/members/

To your healthy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”
Ambassador of Elder Care, www.HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, CaregivingWithPurpose.com and TheKnittingYarn.com

Disclosure

Disclaimer:

The information on this website is for educational purposes only. It does not replace information or recommendations from your own physician or other health care provider. This site does not advocate medical or other health-related self-care, and encourages you to obtain advice from your own personal physician or other health care provider.

This web site is not intended to replace medical, financial, legal, or any other professional advice. Please use your own good judgment and consult with your own professionals before applying any ideas found within this website.

Easy Healthy Recipes: How Can I Quickly and Easily Make Homemade Soup?

June 3, 2011 By Ina Gilmore Leave a Comment

Between caregiving, your family, and everything you have to do are you finding yourself eating whatever is fast and easy?

Postponing your healthy eating goals for later when you have more time?

And does the time for yourself never come?

You may be asking yourself, “How can I reach my healthy eating goals when there’s no time to cook?”

That’s what I used to think too…

My mother made homemade soup about every week when I was young.

Yes, from scratch.

Her soups took at least two days to cook and simmer.

So for many years I thought homemade healthy cooking required spending hours in the kitchen…

Wrong!

There are easy healthy recipes that don’t require hours of preparation. Even foods you can take with you on the go.

Like soup.

Soup?

Yes, homemade soup can be healthy eating and not take hours to make.

Healthy homemade soup nourishes soul and body.

When you make homemade soup you know exactly what goes into your soup. You can pack it with nourishing ingredients, skipping the fillers and additives that can be found in commercial soups.

Soup is a year-round option for eating on the go. Warm soups are great for fall and winter days, warming you from the inside. And lukewarm or chilled soups can be eaten in hot weather.

Often even the same soup can be eaten either warm or chilled!

What do you need to make your own healthy homemade soup on the go?

Your soup recipe or an idea of what you want in it…
Fresh ingredients…
Airtight containers for storing…
Blender—or better yet—a Vitamix as explained in a moment…

The base of a good soup is a stock.

You can easily make your own chicken stock by boiling the remains of chicken from dinner. Simmer until the bones are clean, let cool. Remove the bones, skin etc. An easy way is to strain the stock, then separate the bones and inedible parts from the meat.

The meat can be added to the stock…

And you have broth!

Once the broth or stock cools completely, you should ladle it into your containers and refrigerate or freeze for use later. Or you can go ahead and make your soup now, then store the excess in your containers.

Canned broths or bullion also work for making your soup base. Boil well before adding other ingredients. You may or may not need to add additional seasoning.

Put in your favorite vegetables and cook to the desired tenderness. Allow it to cool thoroughly before storing in containers.

You can heat the soup as needed, and eat with a bowl and spoon.

Another option is to use your blender. Pour the soup into the blender and blend until the pieces are small enough to swallow without choking. Pureeing the soup even finer is a third option.

Want a creamier texture? Add some cream or yogurt.

Your soup can be a healthy alternative to snacking when you’re caring for someone and don’t have time to think about your options.

Homemade soup can be packed with nutrients making for real healthy eating. And you see how easy it can be!

Want to make it even easier?

How about making and heating soup in the same machine?

You can save a step, not needing the pot and lid to heat your soup. No clean-up of that pot and lid. Not just any blender though…

The Vitamix practically cleans itself.

See for yourself by clicking on this link. And if you use this link, you get FREE shipping.

Can’t click on the link?

Just copy and paste this web address (URL) into your browser

http://caregivingwithpurpose.com/Vitamix-p/

Do you know…?

Heating your soup with heat is healthier than microwaving it.

Studies show that microwaves actually change the structure of water and other molecules. Imagine what it does to the more complex molecules like proteins! When I read that report, that’s when I stopped using a microwave.

Heating foods without microwaves doesn’t have that problem.

Remember the next time you don’t have time to eat, grab a cup of healthy homemade soup. And skip the fast food drive-thru or unhealthy snacks.

To your healthy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”
Ambassador of Elder Care, HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, CaregivingWithPurpose.com and TheKnittingYarn.com

Disclosure

Disclaimer:

Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ambassador of elder care, caregivingwithpurpose.com, dr. ina, easy healthy recipes, Healthy Eating, howtoliveonpurpose.com, ina gilmore, technorati, the knitting dr, theknittingyarn.com

Part 3: What Can You Do When Caregiving Sabotages Your Healthy Eating Goals?

May 12, 2011 By Ina Gilmore Leave a Comment

When you’re deep in the midst of caregiving, why is figuring out your own healthy eating habits often one of the last things on your mind?

As a caregiver, you are busy giving care. And many of your thoughts and actions center on the one or ones you’re caring for. Which is very understandable, and commendable.

When your focus ignores your own body’s needs though, it can be dangerous. As a caregiver you likely are under increased stress. It may be the stress of caring for someone you love… time stressed of getting everything done in a 24 hour day… financial stresses… or something more.

Are you like Mary, often so tired and thinking of yourself last so that you stand in front of a refrigerator trying to decide if there’s anything in there you can eat? Or wondering what’s the most healthy eating choice?

Yes, your mother was right. In general, dark green leafy vegetables are healthy and are often high in antioxidants.

How are antioxidant vegetables part of the answer to “What can you do when caregiving sabotages your healthy eating goals?”

Antioxidants are substances that fight oxidation and can help you reduce the effects of caregiver stress. And they’re in foods usually considered part of a healthy eating plan.

In Part 2 of this series on healthy eating, fruits high in antioxidants were discussed. Now to consider vegetables high in antioxidants…

According to Tufts University, vegetables with the highest antioxidant values are—

Kale
Spinach
Brussels sprouts
Alfalfa sprouts
Broccoli flowers
Beets
Red bell pepper
Onion
Corn
Eggplant

Okay, so they may not seem as appealing as the fruits discussed previously. Most of them can be included in a healthy eating diet. And a little later you’ll see how…

First though, there are a couple of points about these vegetables you may not be aware of unless you’ve been studying them recently. And as a caregiver, you probably don’t have a lot of time to pour over journals and textbooks of nutrition.

Kale and spinach both contain nutrients including calcium and carotenoids. Carotene, a carotenoid, is converted to Vitamin A in the body. While these antioxidant vegetables are packed with nutrition, they often should be steamed or cooked lightly before eating and here’s why…

Both kale and spinach also contain oxalic acid, which can prevent calcium absorption. Cooking, including steaming, neutralizes the oxalic acid.

Broccoli and brussels sprouts also should be steamed or cooked before eating. Both broccoli and brussels sprouts are also nutritional powerhouses, containing carotenoids, vitamin C, and minerals including phosphorus and potassium. Broccoli also conatins B complex vitamins and calcium.

Do you know that alfalfa sprouts should not be considered healthy eating? Alfalfa sprouts can actually inhibit the immune system, and may play a part in some diseases like lupus and inflammatory arthritis. While you may hear claims that alfalfa sprouts are healthy, they are best avoided for healthier eating choices.

Beets are full of nutrients, including carotene, B complex vitamins and vitamin C. They also contain minerals. Beets are considered good for the liver, and have been used to fight cancer. Beets also should be cooked before eating.

Red peppers are nutritional powerhouses, containing potassium, calcium, carotenoids and vitamin C. Red pepper’s inner ribs contain bioflavinoids, also known as vitamin P or citrin. These substances help protect blood capillaries.

Onions also contain carotenoids, vitamin B complex, vitamin C and minerals. Onions contain vitamin B6. They have been known for their medicinal properties for many years. Research has shown onions have anticancer activity, reduce blood sugar in animals, antibacterial activity and may improve kidney function.

Corn is native to the Americas. Recent reports suggest genetically modified corn is widespread in the U.S. due to cross pollination. Due to concerns about possible genetically modified corn, you may wish to avoid it, especially under periods of stress.

And eggplant is also high in antioxidants. It contains a bitter liquid that is removed by salting eggplant during preparation.

What about organic vegetables?

Organic vegetables should be chosen whenever possible. Chemical pesticides and fertilizers are not used in organic farming. The nutritional value of organic vegetables is often considered superior to other vegetables, although there are some conflicting reports on this point. And their flavor is often much better than other vegetables. In some areas they can be hard to find.

So what are some easy ways to include these vegetables in your healthy eating?

Steaming is one healthy way. A stainless steel steamer insert for a saucepan or using a steamer pot can quickly steam these vegetables. The cleanup is often less than other forms of cooking, because the steaming is actually less messy with less chance of food sticking to the pots.

Stir fry is another quick and easy cooking method. When stir frying with a small amount of liquid such as broth or water, it’s very similar to steaming. There can be additional preparation time in stir frying to cut fresh vegetables into small pieces.

Soups are another way. Homemade soups are nutritious and avoid the additives found in many commercial soups including the so-called healthy ones. And homemade soup does not need to take a long time as I’ll explain…

When my mother was very ill, I felt I needed a juicer. My experiences with juicers was well less than optimal. The ones I used were messy and hard to clean. In my mind appliances should decrease the time of preparation and cleanup, not add to it.

Well my sister suggested I look at a Vitamix. If you’re not familiar with it, it looks like a blender but does much more… including making soup in minutes. And cleanup is a snap because the machine does the work. Click on this link to order your own Vitamix with FREE Shipping.

This is the third in a series of articles on how to include healthy foods easily and quickly for busy caregivers and others. Click here to get your FREE tips, helps and information for caregivers.

To your healthy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”
Ambassador of Elder Care, HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, CaregivingWithPurpose.com and TheKnittingYarn.com

Disclosure

Disclaimer:

Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ambassador of elder care, caregiver stress, caregivingwithpurpose.com, dr. ina, Healthy Eating, howtoliveonpurpose.com, ina gilmore, technorati, the knitting dr, theknittingyarn.com

Part 2: What Can You Do When Caregiving Sabotages Your Healthy Eating Goals?

April 27, 2011 By Ina Gilmore 2 Comments

As a caregiver are you caring for yourself?

Or are you putting your needs including your healthy eating goals behind everyone else—especially your care recipient?

When Mary’s mother needed a lot of care, Mary often found herself in front of the refrigerator trying to figure out what to eat.

She was often so exhausted, even deciding about what to fix to eat seemed overwhelming. And while she wanted to stick to her healthy eating goals…

Her body craved healthy meals and fresh food. Emotionally she craved comfort foods. And time-wise she just wanted to grab something fast.

The fastest thing for Mary to grab would be the supplements she kept on hand for her mother. Many days though it was all she could coax into her mother. So her refrigerator was stocked with a supply…

Even though Mary could not drink them herself.

Are you like Mary, stocking your refrigerator and freezer with foods for your care recipient?

And searching at the most inconvenient times for something quick and easy?

Have you considered adding antioxidant-rich foods to your diet?

You know most caregivers don’t.

They may not even know what antioxidants are.

Relax, you don’t need a degree in chemistry to understand what they are and do. You don’t even need to have taken a class in chemistry.

What are antioxidants?

Well, looking at the word it is made up of “anti” and “oxidant.”

Anti means against. And oxidant looks like oxygen.

Oxidation is the chemical process of combining with oxygen.

Okay… So what?

Well, oxidation is the process that turns your peeled apple brown if it’s exposed to the air. And it’s the process that causes changes of aging. So antioxidants are substances that fight oxidation. Two of the most well known are Vitamins C and E.

When you have caregiver stress antioxidants can help your body resist the negative effects of stress.

And antioxidants are available in many healthy foods.

Many fruits are great sources of antioxidants. And they’re often easy and quick to eat making them a nearly perfect snack.

Plus fruits are healthy eating unlike junk foods.

What fruits have the most antioxidants that can help when caregiving threatens your healthy eating goals?

Researchers at Tufts University found the fruits with the highest levels of antioxidants are…

Prunes
Raisins
Blueberries
Blackberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Plums
Oranges
Red Grapes
Cherries
Kiwi Fruit
Pink Grapefruit

Isn’t this a nice selection of different fruits from which to choose?

And most of them can be easily and quickly fixed. They take as much time or less than opening a package of cookies for example.

Have you made fruit smoothies?

I freeze unsweetened pear sauce or applesauce in ice cube trays. After freezing, I pop the frozen fruit cubes into large freezer bags for use later.

While fresh fruit is best some antioxidants like Vitamin C do not seem to be affected much by freezing. And in some areas like where I live fresh fruit is not readily available all year.

My Vita-Mix handles the frozen fruit sauce cubes and frozen fruit if I don’t have fresh.

Here’s a recipe for frozen fruit smoothies…

Pour 1 to 1-1/2 cups of water in the bottom of a Vita-Mix container.

Add 2 to 3 frozen pear sauce or applesauce cubes

Add an orange, peeled and sectioned (seeds removed if contains seeds)

Add ½ cup of berries of your choice or other fruit

Add 1 Tablespoon freshly ground golden flaxseed (optional)

1 packet of Stevia (optional) if sweetener needed

Secure lid. Place container securely on machine.

Select Variable Speed 1. Turn machine on, increasing speed to 7. If the mixture freezes, stop. If the mixture stays liquid then mix until desired consistency. You can increase to 10 for a few seconds if you want and the mixture remains liquid.

Depending upon how much of your fruit is frozen, you may end up with a frozen dessert rather than a shake. Nice in hot weather!

Don’t have a Vita-Mix yet? Click on this link to order one with FREE Shipping.

Look for the next posts in this series for more healthy foods that are easy for busy caregivers to fix.

Click here to get your FREE tips, helps and information for caregivers.

To your healthy caregiving,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)
“The Knitting Dr.”
Ambassador of Elder Care, HowToLiveOnPurpose.com
Founder, CaregivingWithPurpose.com and TheKnittingYarn.com

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Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ambassador of elder care, caregivingwithpurpose.com, Healthy Eating, howtoliveonpurpose.com, ina gilmore, technorati, the knitting dr, theknittingyarn.com

What Can You Do When Caregiving Sabotages Your Healthy Eating Goals?

March 28, 2011 By Ina Gilmore 1 Comment

One thing caregivers often neglect is themselves.

It’s understandable.

When focusing on caring for someone else, your own needs often get pushed to the back. And when every minute of the day and night seems filled with caregiving, you may not have even a moment to think about what to eat.

Let alone figuring out healthy eating because . . .

Grabbing what’s handy . . .fast . . .or easy may seem like your only alternative.

When her mother needed around-the-clock care, Mary often stood in the kitchen trying to figure out what to eat.

As her mother’s primary caregiver, Mary cared for her and supervised the other caregivers.

She found herself exhausted at times. Sometimes she couldn’t even clearly think about what was in the house to eat.

What she needed were healthy meals made with fresh foods—foods nourishing her body and soul in a difficult time.

Thankfully her sister stepped in to help.

She saw that Mary had food in the house. Food that was healthy and comforting. And on the worst days she even brought whole meals so Mary didn’t have to cook.

Maybe you have a relative who can help you. And even if you don’t, I’m going to share in future posts on CaregvingWithPurpose.com secrets of healthy eating . . .

What Can You Do When Caregiving Sabotages Your Healthy Eating Goals?

Tips and resources you can use to make sure you feed your body—and your soul.

To start here are some tips Mary found helpful. . .

How can you eat healthy while caregiving?

Eat regularly. Feeding your body is important. Eating regularly helps all your organs work better — including your brain. If you have to, set a timer or have someone call you to remind you to eat.
Drink plenty of water. Keeping yourself well-hydrated also helps each of your organs. Did you know confusion is a sign of dehydration? And as a caregiver you need to be able to think clearly.
Avoid fast food. Fast food while convenient is often not healthy. And you need to feed your body with healthy food!
Eat anti-oxidant foods. Anti-oxidant foods support your immune system. When you’re under stress like caregiver stress your immune system needs support. With the stresses of caregiving, you’re at increased risk for infections and other diseases caused by an immune system not working optimally.
Enlist family members. While you may be the primary caregiver, your family may be available to help you. Maybe they don’t see you need help, so ask. Let them give you some TLC. You deserve it!
Avoid highly processed foods. Highly processed foods are notoriously full of additives. And even the processing like high temperatures can destroy good nutrients. Whenever possible opt for fresh food.
Feed your inner child with comfort foods. When you can, choose healthier versions. Maybe adding vegetables to a favorite dish. Or choosing sprouted grains.
Make as many healthy eating choices as you can. Sometimes you have to make choices. When you can, choose healthy. There are times when you have no other options and in that case . . .
Be kind to yourself. No one is perfect. Loving and forgiving yourself is as important or more so than loving and forgiving the ones you care for. Sometimes you’re the only one who can care for yourself.

It can be hard to follow all the steps towards healthy eating. As long as you’re making one small step at a time, you are moving forward.

Maybe changing your entire diet is too big a step. Okay. How about making one change today? And make another change tomorrow . . .and keep going.

Love spaghetti?

How about making a sauce that includes veggies? And instead of using regular pasta, substitute spaghetti squash . . .buckwheat or rice noodles . . .or spaghetti made from sprouted grains.

Here’s an easy spaghetti sauce recipe from Mary’s sister. It allows you much versatility in your choices of ingredients. . .

Easy Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (With Meat and Meatless Options)

In heavy soup pot, brown ground meat (Grass-Fed Ground Beef is a healthy option). Drain excess fat if abundant.

If making meatless option, then heat oil (coconut oil or butter healthier options).

Add:

Chopped onion

Green pepper

Fresh/frozen spinach or chard or grated fresh cabbage

Grated or chopped or sliced carrot

Optional crushed garlic

Other vegetables of your choice—chopped green beans, peas, turnips, etc.

Cook until tender.

Add:

Canned, frozen or fresh chopped tomatoes.

Tomato puree or sauce. (Tomato puree often has fewer additives and may be a healthier choice to canned spaghetti sauce. Plus you can add your own spices and seasonings of choice.)

Turn heat down to medium or medium low after adding tomatoes. They have a tendency to scorch on higher heats.

Simmer for about a half an hour. Add water if too thick.

Taste and add your flavorings of choice, including possibly sea salt . . .oregano . . .or other seasonings.

Want a printable copy of this recipe?

It and more tips, ideas and resources are available now. Just sign up for your FREE newsletter and instantly get your first free report and copy of this spaghetti sauce recipe . . .

Can’t see the form? Then click on this link.

Keep knitting to your heart’s delight — or someone else’s,

Dr. Ina

Ina Gilmore M.D. (ret.)

“The Knitting Dr.”

Ambassador of Elder Care, HowToLiveOnPurpose.com

Founder, CaregivingWithPurpose.com and TheKnittingYarn.com

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Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ambassador of elder care, caregivingwithpurpose.com, Healthy Eating, howtoliveonpurpose.com, ina gilmore, technorati, the knitting dr, theknittingyarn.com

How easy is it to make yogurt without a yogurt maker?

January 4, 2011 By Ina Gilmore 2 Comments

When I started making yogurt at home, it was because I wasn’t happy with all the additives in most of the store brands I could find locally.

I was concerned that they might be affecting not only my digestive tract but more importantly that of my elderly mother.

Initially I used a yogurt maker. After going through two yogurt makers in about three years, I became disillusioned with them.

Personally I found pouring the milk into small containers time consuming. Mostly in the amount of milk I had to clean up afterward!

Now if you’ve had a great experience with yogurt makers, that’s super. I wanted to use glass containers, and with my experience didn’t want to spend more money on a third yogurt maker.

About this time I discovered Alton Brown’s “Yogurt: Good Milk Gone Bad” episode of Good Eats.

He’s definitely my kind of chef.

One who:

Finds alternatives to machines that have only one use in the kitchen . . .
Includes the science of cooking into the episodes, and . . .
Shows the basics of a recipe which can easily be customized to your own taste.

So what did Alton do that was so different?

Well, basically after adding the starter he incubated it in a heating pad inside an ice bucket.

How cool is that!

Of course, I didn’t have an ice bucket. And really didn’t want to go out and buy one. So I improvised with an insulated cooler.

How easy is it to make yogurt without a yogurt maker?

I like to leave it partially open to ventilate.

Wondering what kind of incubator to use?

The National Center for Food preservation has some suggestions here.

While I’ve heated the milk to only 120 degrees F as Alton’s recipe indicates, I personally prefer to heat it to 180 and then let it cool to 115 before adding the starter.

Why?

Because heating the milk to 180 yields a thicker yogurt without adding dry milk.

I’m avoiding dry milk since I haven’t found any locally that is make from hormone free milk.

My current recipe:

Plain (Unsweetened) Yogurt

1 quart pasteurized milk, preferably hormone-free

1/2 cup plain yogurt (from last batch or store-bought) at room temperature

Heat milk slowly to 180 degrees F on the stove, using instant thermometer to check temperature. A ceramic or ceramic-lined saucepan works well and seems to minimize scorching.

Take milk off heat and allow to cool to 110 to 115 degrees.

Add starter and blend well. Carefully pour milk and starter into canning jar with lid.

Place into your incubator, and incubate for 3 to 12 hours. Check frequently to be sure temperature is 110 – 115 of the yogurt.

No matter what incubator you use, I recommend doing this when you are awake and in the kitchen to watch it.

And yes, this recipe is unsweetened. Your sweetener of choice can be added later if you want.

Alton Brown’s original recipe is in his book Good Eats: The Early Years.

Homemade yogurt

Now is a great time to sign up for Caregiving~wire! Just use the form on this page or click on this link.

May you have a safe caregiving journey . . .good health . . .and happiness,

Dr. Ina

Caregiving With Purpose

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