Why a Mediterranean diet?

Private Home Health Care loves the variety of food and spices offered by the Mediterranean Diet.  This is our diet of choice and we’d love to share it with you.

The Mediterranean Diet is a heart-healthy diet that offers a wide variety of goods.  It originated from places like Greece and Italy, countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.   Since it’s popularity in the 1950’s many studies have been conducted and concluded that there are multiple health benefits!

Plant-based foods are a staple but there are also moderate amounts of fish, poultry and dairy and lots of spices.  The benefits of  lower risk of heart disease and stroke are awesome!

Check out the key parts of the Mediterranean Diet:

Seven to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day

Whole-grain bread, cereal and pasta (add in bulgur and farro too!)

Healthy oils like olive oil over butter or margarine

Eating fish twice a week (salmon, trout, herring, tuna or mackerel (no deep frying)

Lean Red meat eaten no more than once a week (keep portions small)

Low-fat Greek or Plain Yogurt, small amount of cheeses

A variety of herbs and spices and less salt

Mangiare!

Heart Health – Part 2

Heart Health – Part 2

Yesterday we listed some tips for a heart healthy diet.  Today it’s time for a few more!

Limit unhealthy fats – saturated or trans fats should be less than 6% of total calories in a day. This means using “good” fats like olive or canola oil, cholesterol lowering margarine like Benecol, Promise Active or Smart Balance.  You can add nuts and seeds to your diet and avocado is also a good fat.  (Flaxseed is healthy and adds fiber as well!)

Choose low-fat protein sources – lean meats, fish, poultry (no skin); low fat dairy like skim or 1% milk and eggs.

Reduce salt intake – reduce the amount of salt in your food.  Avoid processed foods as they are usually very high in sodium.  The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300mg of salt a day.  This is the equivalent of 1 teaspoon. 

Create daily menus – daily menus will help you with healthy ingredients.  You might get inspired to have a meal full of vegetables or make a homemade soup.

Allow yourself an occasional treat – there are a lot of temptations so try not to be too hard on yourself and have a treat now and again.  They may not be good for the heart but they can be very good for the soul.

Private Home Health Care is thinking about heart health this month.  Be on the lookout for more helpful information from us. 

February is Heart Month

The month of February is set aside for the heart and not just Valentine’s Day. The American Heart Association looks to keep awareness of how a healthy lifestyle can keep our hearts in top shape this month too.  

In the United States according to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women and men across most racial and ethnic groups.  There are things that all of us can do to have healthier diets and healthier lifestyles.

Today Private Home Health Care would like to share some tips that will lead to a healthier diet.  These are recommendations from the Mayo and Cleveland Clinics.

Control portion sizes – eat more low calorie, nutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables; meat, fish and chicken should be the size of a deck of cards (about 2-3 oz); pasta should be the size of a hockey puck (about ⅓-½ c)

Eat more fruits and vegetables – this includes fresh or frozen, low sodium canned vegetables, canned fruit in juice or water

Choose whole grains – use wheat flour and wheat bread; choose high fiber cereal; cook brown rice or barley and wheat pastas; eat oatmeal (regular or steel-cut)

This is the first of a two-part blog about heart healthy lifestyles.  Look tomorrow for more information!

National Homemade Soup Day

Today is National Homemade Soup Day!  What is better than a delicious homemade soup on a cold winter’s day.

Many recipes are available online for a wide variety of  soups.  Go online and look for a hearty minestrone, a delicious kale and veggie, a squash potage or a healthy lentil soup. You might even have a recipe in your own recipe box!

The soup is in your creative hands. Look for organic ingredients at your local store. You might have some vegetables from your garden to add.  Homemade soup lets you be in charge of the ingredients.  You can eliminate the preservatives and extra salt found in prepared soups.  Love is another ingredient added that cannot be measured!

Here’s a tip:  lentils and vegetables have fiber to help burn fat and increase metabolism. 
Both are good to aid in weight loss.

Private Home Health Care hopes you can find a time to make a delicious homemade soup to enjoy yourself or share with friends or family.  Share it on social media if it’s a hit!!

#NationalHomemadeSoupDay

National CRNA week

This is National CRNA week.  CRNA stands for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.  Back in 2000, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists started this week to bring awareness to the important work done by these nurses.

A CRNA nurse differs from an anesthesiologist based on the level of schooling and the degree received.  An anesthesiologist becomes a doctor so they attend undergraduate school, medical school followed by a residency program.  

The Certified Registered Nurse anesthetists goes to undergraduate school.  They then become a registered nurse, followed by one year of critical care experience and then completion of a CRNA program between 24-36 months..

The CRNA nurse can provide the same services but there are some states that require they work with a supervising board-certified physician.  Great care is taken with patients.

CRNA work is done in urban settings in hospitals, surgery centers and pain management centers. You will find anesthesiologists there as well.  In rural areas however, approximately ⅔ of all anesthetics are administered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

Private Home Health hopes this blog has been informative. Hopefully you will understand the person administering the anesthetics if ever you have a need.

National Puzzle Day

Tomorrow is National Puzzle Day. For those of us along the northeast coast awaiting a winter blizzard, a puzzle or two might be just what the doctor ordered!

All puzzles can be found online but paper versions are an option too.  Try a jigsaw on your computer or iPad.  How about a crossword puzzle to stimulate your brain? Word searches can be fun. Sudoku puzzles help with number sequencing.  

The latest rage seems to be Wordle, a free online game that can be found at https://wordlegame.org.  The goal is to guess a hidden word in 6 tries.  

Any of these puzzles help your brain.  You can sharpen your memory and problem-solving skills, number skills and vocabulary and language skills.  It’s a great way to pass the time, either alone or with a friend or loved one.  Perhaps it will distract from the windy blowing snow too!

Private Home Health Care hopes you enjoy fun with some puzzles and we wish everyone a safe, joyful day.

Kindness

Origins of the word:

Kyndnes is the old English Word meaning nation or produce.  The Middle English word kindenes meaning noble deeds or courtesy came next.  Then in the 14th century it is believed that the word changed to kindness as we know it today.

Definition:

(from The American Heritage Dictionary ®, Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition)

Noun – The state or quality of being kind, good will, benevolence, beneficence of action or manner.

In these cold winter months with so much turmoil in our world it feels more important than ever to try and be kind to each other. No kindness is too small.  Saying good morning or hello to people we pass, helping an elderly neighbor with their mail or trash can.  Taking a moment to listen to a co-worker’s story or visiting someone who lives alone.  

Private Home Health Care hopes that each of us can take a moment to reach out to someone and spread good will.  A kindness a day would do much to improve the lives around us.

Opposite Day

Tomorrow is a crazy day that many celebrate.  It is National Opposite Day!

Opposite Day is exactly as it seems.  The goal is to have fun by saying and doing the opposite in situations.  

Greet someone with “good night” in the morning. Say you are super hot, when you are clearly chilly.  Tell someone it’s a sunny day when it is cloudy or rainy.  Wear a shirt backwards and tell anyone who notices that you don’t know what they are talking about.  

Private Home Health Care wants you to enjoy the day of opposites tomorrow.  We hope it will bring some sunshine and laughter into your day.  

#NationalOpposite Day

National Granola Bar Day

Today is a day to celebrate the granola bar and the nutrition and energy found in them. There are many different kinds available at grocery stores but recipes for homemade ones are plentiful too.

Granola bars are known for their energy and ease of travel.  They can be high in calories but granola bars are a healthier alternative to other processed snacks. Your body gets more energy and nutrients.  They come in bars but they can also come in energy balls.

Private Home Health Care loves healthy granola bars.  We’d love to share this healthy recipe:

1 cup of oatmeal

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup honey

1 scoop of either Chocolate or Vanilla Juice Plus Complete Shake Mix

Mix together and form into balls. Roll them in either coconut or melted chocolate chips to finish.  Refrigerate for half an hour and enjoy!

Coffee Breaks

What is the first thing you think about when you think about coffee breaks?  Do you think about caffeine?  What about coffee breaks bringing people together?  

Coffee breaks started in 1900 so they’ve been around for a long time.  At work, they can generate conversation around challenges in the workplace or personal stories. Friendships and bonds can be created.

It can also be nice to share a coffee outside of work with a friend to catch up on life.  A slow pace and sharing stories is good for the soul.

John Hopkins Medicine has research showing possible health benefits to drinking coffee too.  A couple of cups a day may make you less likely to develop heart or Parkinson’s disease.  Liver enzymes could be higher as well.  Women aged 65 and older who drink two to three cups a day may be less likely to develop dementia.

Try taking a coffee break and share stories with a friend or co-worker.  Watch the sugar and cream but enjoy yourself and your coffee, regular or decaf!