BPA May Cause Irregular Heartbeat

The FDA made a controversial conclusion that BPA (bisphenol A) is not a health risk, but there is new evidence that it may not be good for you. BPA is found in some plastic food containers. A study from the University of Cincinnati found that it causes irregular heartbeats in female rodents. It seems that when BPA is combined with estrogen it may harm the human heart. Female estrogen receptors are responsible for this effect on the heart muscle cells. These cellular changes caused the improperly controlled beating of the female heart. These effects are female specific. While this study is controversial, the FDA is reviewing its previous conclusions. In the meantime, store and heat your food in ceramic or glass instead of plastic. photocredit:reegmo

Cheese Sauce Recipe that wont raise your cholesterol!

Cheese sauce, great for Mac "n "Cheese



1/2 onion chopped

1 small potato peeled and chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 red, yellow or orange sweet pepper chopped

1 large garlic cloves or garlic powder

1/2 cup raw cashews (these you may need to get from a health food store, because most places roast them)

1/2 tspn Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp Earth Balance (butter substitute)

1/2 tspn salt



Add 8oz whole grain macaroni for mac n" cheese



Directions

1.) Place chopped veggies, except garlic, in a sauce pan and add water to cover. Cover the pan and boil until the veggies are tender

2.) Place garlic, cashews, lemon juice, mustard, earth balance, salt and 1/2 cup of veggie broth(from the cooked veggies) in a food processor or high power blender. Blend until creamy, add more broth if necessary.

3.) Add softened veggies, with out any more broth, to the food processor or blender, and process until smooth.

4.) Serve.

Comparison of P.F. Chang’s Desserts

The Great Wall of ChocolateTM
• Calories per serving: 1,440
• Fat: 61g
• Saturated fat: 20g
• Sodium: 1,120mg
• Carbs: 231g
• Protein: 10g
Banana Spring Rolls
• Calories per serving: 992
• Fat: 45g
• Saturated fat: 23g
• Sodium: 480mg
• Carbs: 145g
• Protein: 15g
New York-Style Cheesecake
• Calories per serving: 870
• Fat: 56g
• Saturated fat: 35g
• Sodium: 620mg
• Carbs: 70g
• Protein: 16g

Flourless Chocolate Dome
• Calories per serving: 440
• Fat: 26g
• Saturated fat: 8g
• Sodium: 290mg
• Carbs: 52g
• Protein: 7g

Mini Desserts
The small size of these desserts makes them a much healthier choice. The lowest calorie choice is the mini apple pie.
• Calories per serving: 127-268
• Fat: 4-17g
• Saturated fat: 1-9g
• Sodium: 30-184mg
• Carbs: 17-44g
• Protein: 1-4g
photo credit: gsloan

Alcohol and Depression

Alcohol is connected to depression in two ways—either a person drinks too much and as a result feels depressed or a person drinks to relieve anxiety and depression. Either way, alcohol affects the chemistry in the brain, which increases the risk for depression. Hangovers create a vicious cycle of waking up feeling sick, anxious, jittery and guilty. Life can become depressing because of the problems alcohol creates—relationship difficulties with family and friends, problems at work, memory issues and sexual problems. For many depressed drinkers, cutting out alcohol consumption can drastically improve their mood. Most start to feel better within a few weeks of cutting out alcohol. The best idea is stop drinking first to see whether that is what is causing the depression. Friends and family may find it easier to get along with a sober person. If after four weeks of not drinking, the depression has not lifted, a General Practitioner may suggest cognitive therapy or prescribe medication. Some of the symptoms of alcoholism include using alcohol as a way to cope with anxiety, anger, frustration, depression or a lack of self-confidence; relationships are negatively affected; feelings of guilt, depression or self-loathing; large amounts of time spent drinking; drinking early in the day and hiding the amount being consumed from friends and family. If this sounds like you or someone you love, you can contact your local Alcoholics Anonymous for help.
photo credit:PTRA

Coffee Alternatives

Most people drink coffee for the morning pick-me-up, but if you are wanting to cut down on your jitters or just your caffeine intake, you have choices.
• Herbal coffees are an option, such as Teeccino. It contains no caffeine, but it may provide a natural alertness. Its main ingredient is chicory root. People who are trying to give up coffee for health reasons often turn to Teeccino. It tastes a lot like coffee, but a little sweet and smoky. It contains heart-healthy potassium and inulin that helps aid digestion. Teeccino is safe for even kids to drink and comes in a variety of flavors.
• Yerba Mate is made of South American holly tree leaves. You can find it in brands such as Guayaki, which a very environmentally friendly company that is focused on restoring the rain forests. Guayaki has less than half the caffeine of coffee. Its flavor is very herbal. It has high levels of antioxidants and heart-healthy potassium.
• Morning Matcha is made of green-tea leaves ground into powder. It also contains about half the amount of caffeine of coffee. It tastes similar to steeped green tea, but has more of a kick. It has about three times the antioxidants of bagged tea, giving you extra protection from heart disease and cancer. It is pricey, though. One jar, which contains 15-20 servings, costs $33.
photo credit: Chris Owens

Bumming a Cigarette Bums out Your Heart

If you think you’re beating the bad effects of cigarettes because you don’t smoke regularly, but still bum one now and then on a night out—you’re kidding yourself! Every puff you take increases your potential for arterial damage. A University of Georgia study found that sporadic smokers who smoked two cigarettes after two days of not smoking were 36 percent less responsive to blood flow changes than nonsmokers. After four cigarettes the arterial response was even worse. Impaired arterial response is the first step to heart disease. Cigarette smokers also have more build up of fatty deposits in their arteries. In fact, the Surgeon General has declared smoking “the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the United States.” Secondhand smoke will cause these same effects, so try to avoid it if possible. Smoking also decreases you HDL (good) cholesterol. And don’t forget—it’s bad for your lungs, too!

photo credit: vramak

BK Menu & Nutrition

Are you ever curious about what is actually in the fast food you’re eating? I decided to check out Burger King’s nutrition facts to see how their sandwiches compared. Here’s the low-down.

BK Veggie Burger
• 420 calories
• 16 grams of fat
• 2.5 grams of saturated fat

Whopper
• 670 calories
• 40 grams of fat
• 11 grams of saturated fat

Tendercrisp Chicken Sandwich
• 800 calories
• 46 grams of fat
• 8 grams of saturated fat

The coolest part of the website is their interactive nutrition facts. You can look up any menu item and add or subtract sandwich toppings and see how the nutrition facts change. For example, if you subtract the mayo from the BK Veggie Burger and add mustard you cut out 80 calories, 8 grams of fat and 1.5 grams of saturated fat. Check out the website.
photo credit: tiltti