Cholesterol Awareness Quiz
1. It is important to know my cholesterol numbers because:
a) they help predict my chances of having a heart attack;
b) I may be asked to remember them on a game show;
c) heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women in the United States.
2. Which of these are major risk factors for heart disease?
a) smoking;
b) diabetes;
c) high blood pressure;
d) Listening to the presidential debates.
3. HDL and LDL are:
a) secret government codes;
b) cholesterol particles in our blood that help predict the health of our heart and arteries;
c) substances known as "lipoproteins."
4. HDL cholesterol is:
a) "healthful";
b) best if "high";
c) a blessing to heart health.
5. HDL cholesterol is improved with:
a) star-gazing;
b) sleep;
c) exercise.
6. LDL cholesterol is:
a) "lousy";
b) best if "low,"
c) apt to become oxidized and clog arteries.
7. A diet that can decrease LDL cholesterol is:
a) high in soluble fiber;
b) low in saturated fat;
c) not likely to be found in a trick-or-treat bag.
8. Which of these foods are good sources of soluble fiber?
a) dried peas and beans;
b) oats;
c) Hot Cheetos.
9. Researchers recommend "TLC" to reduce our risk for heart disease. TLC stands for:
a) Tender Loving Care;
b) Treat Lipoproteins Carefully;
c) Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes.
10. Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes to lower LDL cholesterol include:
a) running a marathon;
b) eating a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol;
c) weight loss;
d) 30 minutes of physical exercise most days.
11. Foods low in saturated fat include:
a) fruit ;
b) nuts;
c) double bacon cheeseburgers.
12. Examples of how to eat less saturated fat include:
a) snack on nuts instead of cheese;
b) use olive oil instead of butter;
c) skip the hot dog.
13. Stanols and sterols are:
a) interesting names for twins;
b) substances naturally present in plants that can lower blood cholesterol;
c) added to some foods such as margarine and orange juice.
14. Thirty minutes of regular physical exercise on most days can:
a) lower bad LDL cholesterol;
b) raise good HDL cholesterol;
c) make your heart muscle work more efficiently.
15. True or False: My day-to-day eating and exercise habits can help or hurt my heart.
ANSWERS: (1) a,c (2) a,b,c (3) b,c (4) all correct (5) c (6) all correct (7) all correct (8) a,b (9) c (10) b,c,d (11) a,b (12) all correct (13) b,c (14) all correct (15) true
Author: Barbara Quinn is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. Originally printed in the Monterey County Herald.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Sweet Potato Bake
Ingredients:3 lbs. Sweet Potatoes (peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks)
Salt
1/3 cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 cup Evaporated Milk
4 tbsp Unsalted Butter (cut into pieces)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch baking dish. Place potatoes and 1 tsp salt in a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook unitl potatoes are tender, 15 minutes. Drain. Place potatoes in a large bowl and whip with an electric mixer until smooth and light. Add sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp butter; beat until smooth. Pour sweet potato mixture into prepared dish and bake until golden and slightly puffed, 35-40 minutes, then serve warm.
http://www.allyou.com/
Chicken Cashew Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
3/4 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sugar
1 1/2 tp Cornstarch
1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 tsp Grated Ginger
3 Cloves Minced Garlic
4 Scallions Sliced (green and whites divided)
1 Small Red Pepper (seeded and cut into strips)
6oz. Snow Peas (trimmed)
1/2 cup Chopped, Roasted and Salted Cashews
Directions:
Whisk together broth, soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch. Place chicken in separate bowl. Pour half of marinade over chicken and add crushed red pepper; stir. Set aside remaining marinade. Cover and chill chicken for 15 minutes. Warm large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade), add chicken to skillet and stir fry until cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Add half of ginger, garlic and white parts of scallions and cook 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining oil to skillet. Stir fry peppers, peas, and remaining ginger, garlic and white parts of scallions until cooked through, 2 minutes. Return chicken to skillet; add reserved marinade and salt. Asute 1 to 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Top with cashews and scallion greens.
www.allyou.com
3/4 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sugar
1 1/2 tp Cornstarch
1 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 tsp Grated Ginger
3 Cloves Minced Garlic
4 Scallions Sliced (green and whites divided)
1 Small Red Pepper (seeded and cut into strips)
6oz. Snow Peas (trimmed)
1/2 cup Chopped, Roasted and Salted Cashews
Directions:
Whisk together broth, soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch. Place chicken in separate bowl. Pour half of marinade over chicken and add crushed red pepper; stir. Set aside remaining marinade. Cover and chill chicken for 15 minutes. Warm large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil. Remove chicken from marinade (discard marinade), add chicken to skillet and stir fry until cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Add half of ginger, garlic and white parts of scallions and cook 1 minute. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining oil to skillet. Stir fry peppers, peas, and remaining ginger, garlic and white parts of scallions until cooked through, 2 minutes. Return chicken to skillet; add reserved marinade and salt. Asute 1 to 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Top with cashews and scallion greens.
www.allyou.com
Friday, September 12, 2008
Spicy Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 Large Onion-chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh Ginger-minced
1 Small Jalapeno Chili-seeded and finely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves-minced
1 Tsp. Lime Zest
1-15 oz Can Pumpkin Puree
1-13.5 oz Can Light Coconut Milk-shaken
4 Cups Canned Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
Salt
Directions:
In a pan, warm oil over medium-low heat. Saute' onion and ginger until soft, 8 minutes. Do not let brown. Add jalapeno and garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in lime zest, pumpkin, coconut milk and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then puree in blender. Serve hot.
Chocolate Glazed Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients:
(Cake)
4 Large Eggs- room temperature
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 Cups Canned Pumpkin Puree
(Glaze)
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup
1 Cup Heavy Cream
Directions:
(Cake) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt cake pan. Set aside. Beat eggs and sugar until blended. Beat in oil. Sift flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt into egg mixture. Fold in dry ingredients and pumpkin puree. Pour batter into pan and bake until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.
(Glaze) Place chocolate and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl. In a pan, warm cream over medium heat until it simmers. Pour cream over chocolate, let stand one minute, then whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Place cake on rack over a baking sheet. Drizzle glaze over cake. Let sit until set.
http://www.allyou.com/
(Cake)
4 Large Eggs- room temperature
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 Cups Canned Pumpkin Puree
(Glaze)
1 Cup Chocolate Chips
1 Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup
1 Cup Heavy Cream
Directions:
(Cake) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt cake pan. Set aside. Beat eggs and sugar until blended. Beat in oil. Sift flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt into egg mixture. Fold in dry ingredients and pumpkin puree. Pour batter into pan and bake until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.
(Glaze) Place chocolate and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl. In a pan, warm cream over medium heat until it simmers. Pour cream over chocolate, let stand one minute, then whisk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Place cake on rack over a baking sheet. Drizzle glaze over cake. Let sit until set.
http://www.allyou.com/
Thursday, August 28, 2008
MRSA: Information for Coaches and Athletes
An increasing number of outbreaks of skin infections on sports teams caused by Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”) bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics have been reported. These resistant strains of staph are known as “MRSA” (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).
What is staph skin infection?
Staph bacteria are often found in the noses and on the skin of people. Most of the time staph carried in the nose or on the skin does not cause infection and when it does, it usually causes minor infections, such as boils or abscesses. However, sometimes staph can cause more serious infections such as pneumonia, joint, and bloodstream infections. Staph infections often begin when staph bacteria enter the body through an injury to the skin. Symptoms of a staph skin infection include redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness of the skin, and boils or blisters.
How do staph infections spread?
The cleanest person can get a staph infection. Staph can rub off the skin of an infected person and onto the skin of another person when they have skin-to-skin contact. Staph from an infected person can also get onto a commonly shared item or surface, and then get onto the skin of the person who touches it next. Examples of commonly shared items are towels, benches in saunas or hot tubs, and athletic equipment- in other words, anything that could have touched the skin of a staph infected person can carry the bacteria to the skin of another person.
What can be done to prevent infection among athletes?
Athletes should clean their hands and skin often. They should avoid skin-to-skin contact with anyone suspected of having a staph skin infection. Athletes should not share personal items (e.g., razors, towels, etc.) with other persons and should keep towels and clothes clean. Items that are shared with other people (e.g., towels, razors, athletic equipment) should be cleaned before reuse by another person.
What should I do if I think an athlete has a skin infection?
If you suspect that an athlete might have a staph skin infection, have them consult their healthcare provider as soon as possible. Early treatment can help prevent the infection from getting worse. The athlete should be sure to follow all the directions the healthcare provider gives, including taking all of the doses of any prescribed antibiotic.
If an athlete is diagnosed with an MRSA skin infection what should be done?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed the following recommendations for controlling MRSA outbreaks on sports teams:
1) Cover all wounds. If a wound cannot be covered adequately, consider excluding players with potentially infectious skin lesions from practice or competitions until the lesions are healed or can be covered adequately.
2) Encourage good hygiene, including showering and washing with soap after all practices and competitions.
3) Ensure availability of adequate soap and hot water.
4) Discourage sharing of towels and personal items (e.g., clothing or equipment)
5) Establish a routine cleaning schedule for all shared equipment.
6) Train athletes and coaches in first aid for wounds and recognition of wounds that are possibly infected.
Information provided by: Los Angeles Department of Health Services Public Health
What is staph skin infection?
Staph bacteria are often found in the noses and on the skin of people. Most of the time staph carried in the nose or on the skin does not cause infection and when it does, it usually causes minor infections, such as boils or abscesses. However, sometimes staph can cause more serious infections such as pneumonia, joint, and bloodstream infections. Staph infections often begin when staph bacteria enter the body through an injury to the skin. Symptoms of a staph skin infection include redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness of the skin, and boils or blisters.
How do staph infections spread?
The cleanest person can get a staph infection. Staph can rub off the skin of an infected person and onto the skin of another person when they have skin-to-skin contact. Staph from an infected person can also get onto a commonly shared item or surface, and then get onto the skin of the person who touches it next. Examples of commonly shared items are towels, benches in saunas or hot tubs, and athletic equipment- in other words, anything that could have touched the skin of a staph infected person can carry the bacteria to the skin of another person.
What can be done to prevent infection among athletes?
Athletes should clean their hands and skin often. They should avoid skin-to-skin contact with anyone suspected of having a staph skin infection. Athletes should not share personal items (e.g., razors, towels, etc.) with other persons and should keep towels and clothes clean. Items that are shared with other people (e.g., towels, razors, athletic equipment) should be cleaned before reuse by another person.
What should I do if I think an athlete has a skin infection?
If you suspect that an athlete might have a staph skin infection, have them consult their healthcare provider as soon as possible. Early treatment can help prevent the infection from getting worse. The athlete should be sure to follow all the directions the healthcare provider gives, including taking all of the doses of any prescribed antibiotic.
If an athlete is diagnosed with an MRSA skin infection what should be done?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed the following recommendations for controlling MRSA outbreaks on sports teams:
1) Cover all wounds. If a wound cannot be covered adequately, consider excluding players with potentially infectious skin lesions from practice or competitions until the lesions are healed or can be covered adequately.
2) Encourage good hygiene, including showering and washing with soap after all practices and competitions.
3) Ensure availability of adequate soap and hot water.
4) Discourage sharing of towels and personal items (e.g., clothing or equipment)
5) Establish a routine cleaning schedule for all shared equipment.
6) Train athletes and coaches in first aid for wounds and recognition of wounds that are possibly infected.
Information provided by: Los Angeles Department of Health Services Public Health
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Shrimp and Spaghetti in Coconut Broth
Ingredients:2-13.5 oz Cans Coconut Milk
1-14.5 oz Can Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Asian Fish Sauce
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Garlic
2 tsp Finely Chopped Ginger
2 tsp Hot Chili Sauce
1 tsp Fresh Lime Juice
2-2 lb Bags Frozen, Raw Shrimp (31-40 per pound)-thawed and tails removed
1 Bunch Cilantro Coarsely Chopped
1 1/2 pounds Spaghetti (Barilla Plus)
Directions:
In a large deep skillet, bring the coconut milk and chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook until opaque, about 4 minutes. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente; drain. Using tongs, transfer the pasta to the skillet of shrimp.
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