by Guest | Nov 30, 2022 | Recipes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups sliced onion
- 2 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch cubes (4 generous cups)
- 2 pears, peeled, cored, and diced, or 1 can (15 ounces) sliced pears, drained and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 Tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (see Notes)
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add onions and stir until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add squash, pears, garlic, ginger and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add broth and water; bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until squash is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.
- Purée soup, in batches if necessary, in a blender. (If using a blender, follow manufacturer’s directions for puréeing hot liquids.)
- Return soup to pot and heat through. Stir in lemon juice.
- Garnish each serving with a spoonful of yogurt.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Photo and Recipe Source: https://www.foodhero.org/recipes/autumn-squash-bisque-ginger
by Guest | Nov 30, 2022 | Being Well
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects more than 30 million Americans and is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. Most of us know how important weight control, exercise, and nutrition are in controlling blood sugars. What impact does sleep have?
Sleep is extremely important in maintaining our body’s performance, not only physically and mentally, but also down to the body’s chemical balances. Diabetes, whether type 1 or 2, comes down to an imbalance of the insulin and blood sugar relationship.
The right amount of sleep is needed to keep the endocrine system working well so insulin and blood sugar stays balanced. Studies have shown that too little sleep (less than 6 hours) or too much sleep (greater than 9 hours) can increase the risk for developing diabetes and make pre-existing diabetes more difficult to control. Some research suggests a 40% increase in the risk of developing diabetes if sleeping less than four hours per night. The human body is very complicated, and it needs just the right amount of sleep to work properly. The recommendation of about 7-8 hours a night comes from years of research to evaluate the amount sleep needed for our bodies to function at their best.
Even if your body is getting the right amount of sleep, the sleep needs to be quality sleep. Quality sleep is needed to make sure your body is truly rested with good oxygen levels, few awakenings, and can achieve deep sleep. If the sleep quality is poor, blood sugars will rise and the insulin produced will be less effective, leading to prediabetic conditions or making diabetes difficult to control.
The most common sleep disorders affecting diabetes are Sleep Apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome. Sleep apnea is when the back of your throat keeps collapsing during sleep and oxygen levels fall, leading to disturbed sleep and lack of deep sleep. Restless Leg Syndrome is a when the legs are moving around a lot during sleep because of pain or tingling and numbness leading to disturbed sleep and lack of deep sleep. Both these conditions cause a rise in blood sugars, increased insulin resistance, increase in stress hormones such as cortisol and the hunger hormone, ghrelin, all which contribute to diabetes. Treatment of these sleep disorders will help balance these hormones and help manage and decrease the risk of diabetes.
Not only does poor sleep affect your blood sugars at night, but in the daytime your energy levels will be low leading to poor blood sugar metabolism, lack of exercise, and weight gain over time. In short, poor sleep will affect night and daytime blood sugars and insulin effectiveness.
The relationship between sleep and diabetes is complex. Not only do you need good quantity and quality of sleep for better diabetes control and decrease risk of diabetes, but if you have poorly controlled diabetes it will affect your sleep. This stresses the fact that the approach to diabetic management is a multi-approach program including good sleep, nutrition, exercise, weight loss, and medication as directed by your physician.
Making your sleep health a priority will not only help you cut down your diabetes risk or better manage your diabetes, it will help with your overall wellbeing, including managing other chronic health conditions.
Some steps to healthy sleep include:
- Have a regular sleep and wake time
- Bedtime routine: wind down, read, no TV, keep bedroom dark, cool, quiet
- Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bed
- Avoid nicotine, alcohol, or caffeine close to bedtime
- In the daytime avoid napping >45 minutes, stay active, and exercise
Think of healthy sleep as priority in your health management as it can help you avoid unnecessary medications and health complications. Healthy sleep equals a healthy body.
AUTHOR:
Kam Atwal, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Pulmonary / Critical Care / Sleep Medicine
Adventist Health Tillamook
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Nov 22, 2022 | Eat Well
AUTHOR: Judith Berman-Yamada, Kitchen Maven
Although the names sweet potato and yam are used interchangeably, these tubers belong to separate plant families and are quite different. In fact, sweet potatoes aren’t even a close relative to potatoes.
This starchy root vegetable is long and tapered with a smooth skin that can vary in color from beige to orange, brown or purple. Pale beige or light golden fleshed sweet potatoes have a much drier texture than the darker fleshed orange variety and are also less sweet. This robust (dark or light) vegetable has a storage life of around three months if kept in a cool dry place.
The bright orange variety of sweet potato is what Americans are typically used to finding at the grocery store, and the variety we most often serve at our holiday tables. They are fluffy and sweet and delicious in both dessert and savory recipes.
As for the health benefits of sweet potatoes: Orange fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A (an antioxidant) in the body. Vitamin A supports vision and a healthy immune system. They’re a reliable source of B6, a regulator of metabolism, and are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Incredible that an average sized sweet potato contains only 135 calories.
Well, it’s not too soon to plan those holiday meals – especially if you’re the chief cook and bottle washer. So, back to the “quandary”; what holiday worthy sweet potato dishes might adorn our holiday tables without ruining all those glowing sweet potato facts I just shared with you? How about recipes that aren’t slathered in globs of marshmallow and brown sugar?
Following is a recipe for Scalloped Apples & Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts & Cranberries from my recently published Cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times” where 100% of author royalties go directly to the Oregon Food Bank to assist folks dealing with food insecurity. The cookbook is available on both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. It’s an eclectic cookbook to suit all diets and contains over 100 recipes. Thanks for your support. Hope you enjoy these tasty original recipes.
Following is a recipe for Scalloped Apples & Sweet Potatoes with Walnuts & Cranberries from my recently published Cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times”.
100% of author royalties go directly to the Oregon Food Bank to assist folks dealing with food insecurity.
The cookbook is available on both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. It’s an eclectic cookbook to suit all diets and contains over 100 recipes.
Thanks for your support. Hope you enjoy these tasty original recipes.
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes & Apples with Walnuts & Cranberries
(Gluten free and vegan or vegetarian)
People seem forever looking for a better sweet potato or yam recipe; something simple and wholesome (sans marshmallows – please) yet lovely to look at and even better if it’s filled with both nutrition and flavor. Try this original recipe for spiced scalloped apples and yams (sweet potatoes) with toasted walnuts and Oregon cranberries. It takes about 10 minutes to prep and bakes without any checking and fussing. It makes an attractive (inexpensive) presentation for a special occasion, and you’ll be delighted with the simplicity and the taste.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter or vegan margarine, for baking pan
- 2 or 3 medium Oregon garnet yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced in ½ inch thick slices
- 3 or 4 large Oregon apples (two types if possible: (Fuji, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious), cored, partly peeled (in strips) and sliced in ¾ inch thick slices
- ¾ cup walnut chunks
- ½ cup raw Oregon cranberries – unsweetened (fresh or frozen)
- ¼ cup salted butter OR vegan margarine, melted
- 1/3 cup real maple syrup OR honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom OR ground coriander
Directions:
- Generously grease a 9” x 13” oven safe glass or ceramic baking pan with butter or vegan margarine. Preheat oven to 375º F. Place oven rack in center position.
- Alternate yam and apple slices (scallop) decoratively, in rows, in prepared baking pan
- Sprinkle walnuts and cranberries over yams and apples.
- In the saucepan used to melt the butter, combine the butter with maple syrup (or honey) cinnamon, black pepper, salt, nutmeg and cardamom (or coriander). Pour syrup or honey mixture evenly over all in the baking dish.
- Bake, covered with foil, at 375 F. for around 35 – 45 minutes. Remove from oven; uncover and serve. This is healthy, colorful and almost like eating dessert. A good side dish with poultry, pork, bean and rice herb pilaf or stuffed winter squash. Serves 4.
Recipe Source: Judith Berman-Yamada, Kitchen Maven
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Nov 16, 2022 | Being Well
November 17th is the Great American Smokeout. Every year on the 3rd Thursday of November, this day is an opportunity to work towards a healthier, tobacco-free community. Whether that means taking the first step towards quitting tobacco yourself or helping someone you know quit, there are lots of ways to get involved.
While tobacco use rates have gone down in the past few decades, 34 million people in the United States still smoke. Tobacco use remains the number one cause of preventable death in the world, and according to the Oregon Health Authority, in 2019 we spent $9.8 Million on tobacco-related medical care in Tillamook County alone. Tobacco use of all kinds, including cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco like chew or dip, can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, lung disease, and type 2 diabetes. E-cigarettes, which are growing in popularity among youth, can negatively impact focus, memory, and brain development, as well as damage lung tissue. Quitting these products is the best thing you can do to improve your health.
Quitting looks different for everyone. You should plan your quit in a way that makes sense for you. Some people quit “cold turkey” on their own, but there are lots of free resources available to help you on your quitting journey. A few good places to start are:
- Talk to your healthcare provider: Your provider can help guide you through the quitting process, including making a quit plan, connecting you with additional resources and tools, and prescribing medication that can help reduce nicotine cravings. Tobacco cessation treatments are covered by most insurance plans.
- Build a support system: This can mean talking to friends and family about your plan to quit and what they can do to help support you, or connecting with a counselor. You can also use free phone, text, and online resources to get support.
- Oregon Tobacco Quit Line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) (English) or 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569) (Español): Free phone counseling, mailed and online resources, and nicotine patches or gum for those eligible. Available to anyone in Oregon age 13+.
- SmokefreeTXT: A free texting service with supportive messages to help you stay quit. Text QUIT to 47848 to get started.
- QuitSTART and QuitGuide: Free smartphone apps to help you manage cravings and stay motivated. Download them from your phone or tablet’s app store.
- This is Quitting: A free texting service specifically for teens and young adults who want to quit vaping. Text DITCHVAPE to 88709.
- Know why you’re quitting: Having a list of reasons why you want to quit (like health, money, or family) can help you stay motivated when you experience cravings.
- Make a plan to manage cravings: Activities like going for a walk, drinking water, or breathing exercises can help you get through difficult cravings. Planning these activities ahead of time and knowing your triggers makes it easier to respond in the moment, and the worst symptoms will usually go away within a few weeks.
- Keep trying: It takes most people several attempts to quit for good. Even if you slip, remember that you’re still one step closer to a tobacco-free life.
Using a combination of methods, such as medication and counseling, provides the best chance for long-term success. Use November 17th as a day to start building your quit plan, or if you’re ready to quit now, make it your first day of being tobacco-free.
If you want to support someone else in quitting, the best thing you can do is listen to their needs. Lecturing and nagging won’t help, but being patient and positive, even if they get frustrated or slip, can go a long way in helping someone stay tobacco-free. You can also make your home, car, and other spaces tobacco-free, remove any items or odors that may remind the person of tobacco (such as ashtrays or lighters), and avoid using tobacco yourself, especially while you are around the person trying to quit. For more tips on how to help someone else quit, visit https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/helping-a-smoker-quit.html
To learn more about the available tools and resources, visit tillamookchc.org/ph/tobacco-prevention. Remember: You don’t have to quit tobacco in one day. Start with day one.
AUTHOR: Amy McVeety, Tobacco Prevention and Education Program Coordinator at Tillamook County Community Health Center
Other wellness questions? Email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org. For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook and Instagram.
by Guest | Nov 16, 2022 | Recipes
These tender, low fat biscuits are a perfect way to use up extra sweet potatoes (or yams). I sometimes bake an extra sweet potato for dinner and use it to prepare these slightly sweet and spicy biscuits within a couple of days. They come together quickly and contain more fiber and vitamins than traditional biscuits. Serve hot from the oven or warm with butter, jam, honey, cream cheese or sharp cheese or serve on the side with a bowl of soup, beans or stew.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour (all purpose flour works too)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1/8 – ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger OR nutmeg
- ¾ cup cooked, peeled, mashed sweet potato or yam (canned works too)
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter or margarine OR refined coconut oil
- ½ cup milk (any kind, unsweetened and unflavored)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a metal baking pan with parchment or foil.
- Combine dry ingredients in medium large bowl. Whisk well.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, melted butter and milk, stirring well.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
- Knead the dough 5 or 6 times, turning the dough over itself to create layers.
- Flatten dough to ¾ inch thickness.
- Cut with a 2-½ inch biscuit cutter.
- If you want biscuits with lightly crisp browned outsides, evenly space biscuits in prepared pan so they aren’t touching. If you want them all over soft, place them closer together.
- Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until bottoms are golden.
Yields about 12 biscuits.
Recipe Source: Judith Berman-Yamada, Kitchen Maven
Find more Kitchen Maven recipes in the recently published Cookbook, “Thrifty Comfort Cooking for Challenging Times” where 100% of author royalties go directly to the Oregon Food Bank to assist folks dealing with food insecurity. The cookbook is available on both Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. It’s an eclectic cookbook to suit all diets and contains over 100 recipes.
