Healthy Living: Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving...With No Guilt

'Tis the season to eat big.  After all it's Thanksgiving and that's a green light to eat like it's 1999.  Let's pig out on mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, yams, sweet potatoes, and the ubiquitous stuffing.  All the ingredients that tickle your taste and have you seeing Pilgrims yucking it up with Indians after your meal. (should have laid off the wine a bit).  

So, should we feel good about Thanksgiving but have waves of guilt for how much we ate and how full of fat our meal was?  Of course not.  I would suggest that Thanksgiving dinner should be balanced by loading up on the things that are good for us...turkey, beans, corn....and lighten up on the potatoes, stuffing, and pies.  I think it's important to eat the whole meal, but parts of it can be taken in moderation.  Oh no, there's the M word.  

I must confess that I grew up saying that anything worth doing was worth overdoing, and the same went for good food.  In my later years, I've developed an appreciation for the benefits of moderating the high calorie stuff while still allowing myself to enjoy it.  Can't we enjoy food and still maintain healthy eating?

Surely, there are ways we can prepare traditional Thanksgiving foods with low-fat margarines and oils, and cut sugar from pies and desserts without compromising taste.  There are scads of recipes for Thanksgiving dishes that cut the fat and sugar that can be easily found on the internet.  It's a beginning.

So eat your Thanksgiving meal as part of your plan for healthy living and don't apologize.  After all, it's only one day a year and should be celebrated as a special day with once-a-year foods you love and look forward to.  After dinner, why not get out and take a walk.  Get your blood pumping and burn some of that wonderful meal off.  You'll be ready for more before you know it.  

Enjoy your Thanksgiving, remembering what makes this country great and give thanks we can live here.   Meanwhile, enjoy your journey to healthy living and healthy eating.  I'll see you along the way.      

Healthy Living: Politics - Obamacare, Playing Small Ball

Ok folks, once again it's time for the political corner of the Healthy Living blog.  Rest your questions for healthy living and sleeping for a moment and let's get caught up on what's been going on with political doings that WILL affect your quest for healthy living.

Maybe it's just me.  Didn't the A.C.A. launch on October 1 and get off to a disastrous start?  Isn't December 1 just around the corner and things have gotten worse and worse since the beginning of October?  I heard this morning that zero....zero people...have signed up for Obamacare in the state of Oregon....can't be a good thing.  And Oregon, like Washington state is a hotbed of Democratic liberalism.

Where is the president as his signature legislation is tanking.  He's off once again in California giving speeches and raising money...the two things he seems capable of doing.  I listened to his speeches last night and once again he's blaming Republicans for all of the A.C.A.'s problems...small ball.  At what point does this president begin to take responsibility for anything?  I know, I know, he seemed to say he was sorry for Obamacare, but what he said was that he was sorry that so many people were having problems with the roll-out, not that he was sorry for lying to the nation.  Don't hold your breath waiting for a true apology; his arrogance and the notion that he is the smartest guy in the country will never allow him to say it.

In the end his intractability and arrogance will be his undoing.  He will continue to push for the enaction of his socialist agenda regardless of the impact it is having on the average "middle American".  So much for caring about the middle class.  In fact, Obamacare will impact the middle class harder than any other section of the American people as up to 100 million Americans are reported to be in jeopardy of losing their current health care policies.  Obama's unwillingness to amend Obamacare to lessen the impact on the middle class tells you everything you need to know about his priorities and his intentions.  He will forward his wealth distribution agenda at any and all costs.  Watch what he does, not what he says.

Now we are hearing reports that the Senate's recent change in Senate rules, thwarting the Republicans' ability to use the filibuster as a means of slowing down judicial and executive branch appointments, will allow Obama to load the Washington D.C. district court of appeals with activist judicial appointments.  This may pose a clear and present danger to your health as he may load the IPAD (aka "death panel") such that healthcare could be rationed.

See a trend here?  Let me give you a hint.  Your freedoms are being threatened.  If we as a nation continue to allow the erosion of our freedoms by this administration, we will only have ourselves to blame.  And when we wake up, it may be too late.

I am seeing some signs that some people are waking up, but it's going to take a lot more of us.  Maybe when your healthcare is taken away and you are forced to pay twice as much for less coverage with things you don't need, you'll do something.  Let's hope so.

Back to healthy living, healthy eatng and more on sleep apnea next post.  Meanwhile, stay free my friends.  

Healthy Living: Healthy Eating - 5 Steps On The Road To Morocco.

Every once and a while you just want to make a meal that's easy, quick, and low in fat and cholesterol.  Here's a tip for making a chicken-based meal that is consistent with a diet based on healthy eating, and will let you spice up your palate on the way.

To make a Moroccan style chicken dish quickly, follow these 5 easy steps: 

1. Start with several frozen grilled chicken breast chunks (I like Tyson brand).  They're fully cooked and frozen.  Microwave for 1 to 2 and a half minutes (depending on number of pieces)  
2. Take one package of Moroccan style Chicken With Chickpeas soup (I use Campell's in the bag).  
3. Heat the soup in the microwave and pour over warmed grilled chicken chunks.
4. You can heat up some white or brown rice and put chicken and soup mixture over the rice.  
5. Add some Moroccan hot olive mixture on the side for added olive oil health goodness. 

The key to heart health is that the chicken chunks are 98% fat free and the soup contains only 1.5 grams of fat.  The taste is great and you can leave the guilt behind.  

If you have recipes for fat-free heart health, let me know.  Best of luck on your road to Morocco, or to healthy living, or to healthy eating, or to wherever.  Stay hungry my friends.  

Healthy Living: Political Nuclear Option Promising The Winter of Our Discontent.

Readers of Healthy Living Tips and Secrets know that it's no secret that I delve into politics from time to time.  I don't know if the current political climate affects your health, but it sure does mine.  Now, just when you think it's safe to go about living your life, the Democratic party comes along and drops the political nuclear bomb that no party has ever risked enacting before....neither Republican nor Democratic.

What the Democrats have done is to change the Senate rules for the confirmation of most executive branch and judicial appointments (however, it does not pertain to Supreme Court judge nominees).  With a vote of 52 to 48 they revised the Senate rules on appointments changing from 60 votes needed to a simple majority of 51.  It is interesting to note that three senators; Levin of Michigan, Pryor of Arkansas, and Manchin of West Virginia voted with all Republicans against the new rule.  Nonetheless, the rule has been changed.  Why now?

There may be multiple explanations for this risky, and some say reckless, move by the Dems.  Here are some that seem clear to me:

• It was enacted in part to move the conversation away from the very damning and embarrassing roll-out of Obamacare.  However, this seems unlikely to have little long-lasting effect as more and more Americans are personally impacted by Obamacare every day.
• Dems want to ram through as many judicial appointments as possible before the 2014 mid-term elections as the negative effects of Obamacare appear to be shifting toward a possible Republican take-over of the Senate
• Dems want to load critical courts with as many of their nominees as possible in order to forward their agenda judicially rather than through the more difficult legislative route.  

What the Democrats seem to be missing is the boomerang effect of this change.  What goes around will surely come around.  In their desperation to force through their social agenda, they are losing sight of the devestating cumulative effect the A.C.A. is having on the majority of working Americans from all backgrounds and all parties.  If they seek to isolate themselves from what is affecting the lives of normal citizens, their pocketbooks, their families' needs, and the effect that will have on how they vote, they are doing a good job.  They can blame the disenfranchisement of voters with their agenda all they want, but they will pay the price in the end.  And that price may come due soon. 

I will get back to healthy living and healthy eating tips and secrets in my next blog.  Meanwhile, if you have any thoughts you would like to share on this topic, please drop a comment.

Healthy Living: Healthy Eating - Sherbet...Great Low-Fat Dessert

In our quest for healthy eating we look for ways that we can minimize or limit our daily fat intake.  A little bit of fat is ok.  In fact, we need a certain amount of daily fat to maintain healthy nutrition, however, that fat can mount up quickly as it seems that anything that tastes good has lots of fat content.  The challenge is to get the taste we want in the foods we desire without loading up on fat...especially saturated fats.  

That challenge is most clearly put to the test at dinner time when it's time for dessert.  Sure, you can skip dessert, I do it often.  But sometimes (if you have a real sweet tooth) there is no substitute for something sweet at the end of a good meal.  Ice cream is the great American dessert standard, and there certainly are low-fat ice creams on the market, but...have you tried them?  They may be low in fat, but more times than not, they are low in taste as well.  It's just hard to take the fat out of a dessert and keep the rich, smooth flavor.  Next time the dessert spirit moves you, try sherbet.  

Sherbet has low amounts of fat (usually 1 to 3%) yet it maintains a rich flavor and satisfies the need for a sweet dessert.  For those of us that have had heart disease, this provides a wonderful way for us to maintain healthy eating habits without the guilt that we are consuming too much fat. 

Here's a tip for a great sherbet pick-me-up.  Start with your favorite flavor of sherbet.  Put a couple of scoops in a blender.  Add a half cup of fruit, adjusting portions to taste.  I like strawberry banana.  Add a small amount of crushed ice (you can add a protein powder if desired) and blend.  You'll have a great tasting drink that goes well at any time of the day.  

If you have desserts that are low in fat but taste great, let me know.  Meanwhile, I'll keep searching for other tips and secrets to share for healthy living and healthy eating.   

Healthy Living: Healthcare - Just The Facts Ma'am

I admit that I'm not the smartest guy in the room when it comes to medical issues.  I only know what I've learned by researching the various conditions I've had over the years-sort of self-help learning OJT, as it were.  I suspect that many other Americans are like me; we learn about medical issues when they affect us, and then we focus on them like a laser to assess their impact on us and our options for treating them.  Obamacare is such a case.

I sense that there is a general awakening among the American public to the impact that the Affordable Care Act is, or will be having, on their need for healthy living.  When it affects you personally, it becomes very real.  Today, millions of people are receiving letters from their insurance carriers informing them that their policies do not meet the A.C.A. guidelines/requirements and are being dropped.  Millions are wondering what they will do.....and this is just the beginning.

Let's step back for a moment and look at some key facts behind the A.C.A.

• It was pushed through Congress on a 100% partisan vote - without one Republican vote
• Voting rules were modified by the Democrat majority in advance of Scott Brown entering the Senate as the 41st vote against passage - to ensure the bill's passage. 
• The president's re-election was predicated in large part on his assurance that Americans could keep their doctors and policies; since proven a false promise.  
• The lynch pin of A.C.A. success is to sign up young, healthy people in large numbers to pay for older, sicker people.  
• Within the first six weeks of implementation of the A.C.A. sign-up site, it is reported that approximately 80% of enrollees in many participating states were signing up for Medicaid - which brings no income to the program.
• Young people are not signing up anywhere near the numbers needed to support the program due to high premiums, high deductibles, and concerns about site security.
• Recent reports state that more than 5 million Americans are losing their current health coverage while less than 120 thousand nationwide have signed up for Obamacare.
• Company policies will begin to be affected in early 2014 with estimates ranging between 50 and 100 million additional Americans will lose their current health care policies.  Many could be dumped by their companies into state exchanges.  

When considering the above facts, it becomes clear that the prospects for the A.C.A. are dim.  In fact, I would suggest that the creators of Obamacare might well have known that it couldn't work in the real world and was orchestrated as a simple stepping stone to a long-desired single-payer system.  

Whatever you think about Obamacare, you owe it to yourself and your search for healthy living to get up to speed with what is happening.  Read and watch the news and stay informed - it may have a big impact on you, your family, and your future.  Current polls are beginning to show that many Americans are waking up and they don't like what they are seeing.   

Let me know what you think of the A.C.A. and what you see for the future of the bill.  Meanwhile, stay true to your pursuit of healthy living.  

Healthy Living: All This Political Chicanery Is Giving Me a Weak Constitution

Alright folks, it's time once again for the political corner of the Healthy Living blog site.  With all the trickery and disingenuous blather coming from the White House and it's administration these days it's hard to turn a deaf ear.  Believe it or not, the president is now floating a trial balloon that Republicans share in the blame for a failing Obamacare,  What??  He must truly believe that the American people are a nation of morons to believe this.  Only his rigidly-partisan kool-aid drinkers will swallow this one.  No Republican voted for the A.C.A. and none have any fingerprints on the bill.  Period.

If Mr. Obama and his minions want to continue in their disillusion that Republicans have any blame for Obamacare, let them.  The American people are smart, are tuning in, and understand political desperation when they see it.  When examined more closely, the administration becomes an interesting and dangerous study in deception with Obamacare being only the tip of the iceberg.

Consider the other "scandals" that have surfaced over the past year or so, and a pattern begins to emerge with this administration.  It is now being reported in the media that the drop in the nation's unemployment from 8.1% to 7.8% reported between August and September of 2012 (curiously right before the presidential election) may have been faked.  This story is developing as I write, however, if found to be accurate, it is another piece in the fabric of deceptive manipulation of the facts meant to protect and abet the president's re-election.  Consider the following:

• Possible manipulation of unemployment figures right before the 2012 elections
• Suppression of the facts behind the Benghazi attack on our embassy right before the 2012 elections.
• The IRS targeting of Tea Party and other Conservative groups to slow down their tax exempt status, affecting their ability to raise money- right before the 2012 elections.
• Suppression of the true intentions behind Obamacare (you can keep your doctor, you can keep your current policy. period) right before the 2012 elections.

Taken in totality, these suppressions and manipulations of the truth (it was a video that was responsible for the attack in Benghazi) are chilling and point to the tactics and ideology of a Chicago-style political mentality where the ends justify the means...not to mention their blatant disregard for the Constitution.  The real question is; how long will the majority of the American people put up with this radical "win-at-any-cost" agenda?  We are better than that, and this country certainly was not built on the backs of those that promote suppression and manipulation of the facts for their self-serving benefit.  

In fact, this country was built on the backs of those that have given their lives to protect and defend the liberties that we all enjoy in this great country.  Their sacrifice is the real truth that has strengthened the fabric of America.  I believe that the vast majority of Americans understand this truth and that polls will bear this out in the coming months. 

I'll get back to healthy living and healthy eating tips and secrets in my next blog.  Just wanted to share what I believe is emerging as a real threat to the American way of life.  Hopefully, we as a people, can turn this around.  

Healthy Living: Healthy Eating - Seeing Fruits and Veggies In a New Light.

Ever since I was a kid all I heard was "eat your vegetables".  I knew, even back in the day, that healthy eating was based on the amount of fruits and vegetables you ate every day.  Still is.  And I don't argue that the health benefits offered by fruits and vegetables are substantial.  Lots of fiber and all those antioxidants.  Of course, we didn't  know anything about antioxidants years ago; we only knew that our parents would probably make our lives miserable if we didn't eat our vegetables.

Today we have a lot more healthy eating choices that incorporate clever ways that we can get our daily need of fruits and vegetables.  One of them is brought to you by those wonderful folks that bring you V8 vegetable juice.  I couldn't drink V8 juice years ago, and I can't drink it to this day.  I know it's a good way to get your daily vegetables, but I just can't do it. Until now.

Cruising down the juice aisle recently I looked guiltily at the vegetable juice section and just as I was about to move along to the safer soda section, a new colorful juice bottle caught my eye.  "Hey, what is this?" I thought.  There was a new bottle of V8, but it was a strawberry banana smoothie.  Almost too good to be true, as I love smoothies.

So, I bought it, with some reservations about what it might taste like, and returned to my place to check it out.  After refrigerating the smoothie for several hours, I poured it out and tasted it.  It tasted just like a great strawberry banana smoothie should taste.  Thick and smooth, with only a hint of the beneficial fruits and vegetables that back up it's punch.  The company touts that every 8 ounces of juice contains a half cup of fruits and a half cup of vegetables while they state on the bottle that "the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 2- 1/2 cups of a variety of vegetables and 2 cups fruit per day for a 2,000 calorie diet".  The bottle holds 36 ounces, so it can give you an excellent boost in reaching your daily need of fruits and vegetables and achieving healthy eating.

While I remain a protein eater at heart, it is good to know that there are more and more choices out there that can help us get the fruits and vegetables we need every day.  Though I will never even approach becoming a Vegan, I do know that fruits and vegetables are an important part of a heart healthy diet and I'll continue to look acceptable ways to get them into my diet every day.

Hopefully you can find ways to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet.  If you have some great ways, let me know and I'll share them with our readers.  Here's to healthy living and healthy eating.

Healthy Living: Healthy Eating - Olive Oil Isn't Just The Favorite of Popeye Anymore.

It's pretty much common knowledge that olive oil is good for you.  We put it in our salads, on our pizzas, and in our general cooking.  But did you know why it's so good for you?  It's all in the fat.
The secret is that olives naturally have fat that is deemed "good fat" because it is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).

These monounsaturated fatty acids pack all sorts of good benefits for our hearts and can help in our quest for healthy eating.  In numerous studies, a diet like that of the Mediterranean region that is high in olive oil consumption have shown reduced rates of heart disease along with lower levels of cholesterol.  It turns out that olive oil consumption has a positive affect on reducing LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and helping to raise HDL (good cholesterol) levels.  Anyone who is fighting the good fight to get his or her cholesterol levels under control will appreciate the helping hand offered by the olive.

Here's a tip on getting your daily share of MUFAs.  You don't have to always have to have a salad with olive oil to get this heart goodness, or grab a slice of pizza.  How about simply stocking up on plain old olives for a quick, easy heart healthy snack.  A handful of green or black olives eaten as snacks taste great and will do daily wonders for your heart.

I went to my local supermarket recently and there in the deli aisle was an "olive bar" (I guess it had to happen, after all we have salad bars, sushi bars, why not an olive bar?)  Who'd a thunk?  Eight to ten different types of olives from all over the Mediterranean area from Greece to Italy to Northern Africa. What a smorgasbord of olive goodness for every taste.  There were green olives and black olives in various mixes as well as olives in a hot Moroccan seasoning.  Great, healthy eating choices for every taste bud.

Check out your local supermarket or specialty market and see if they have an olive bar.  If they don't have one, suggest it.  About 10 years ago I noticed that our local village market didn't offer any sushi.  I went to the owner and suggested they look into putting in a sushi counter.  They took up that idea and today they have a very successful sushi counter that is an important profit center to their grocery business.  The supermarket business today ain't what it used to be in your grandfather's day.  And now, the olive bar!  It doesn't get any better.

If you've got any new, healthy "bar" concepts in your neighborhood, let me know.  We'll share it and we'll all be better off in striving for healthy living and healthy eating.  Eat healthy and stay well my friends.

Healthy Living: Healthy Eating - OK You Guys, I'll Take The First Watch

What better thing to do on a lazy Sunday morning than head for your favorite breakfast/brunch place for some great mid-day food to round out the weekend.  That's what I was up to yesterday on my way from here to there just looking for a place to cool my heels, read a paper, and plan for the upcoming week's schedule.

So there I am, cruising down the road looking for a place to stop when I see a familiar sign for a chain of restaurants I like a lot.  It's a safe haven for good, honest comfort food for breakfast and lunch (they don't do dinner) and I'm thinking breakfast.  Only problem is; it's really too late for breakfast and I want to see what they offer for brunch.

The place is First Watch (www.firstwatch.com) and they only do breakfast and lunch- and they do it really well.  The menu is extensive and the prices are very reasonable.  To date they only have around 100 restaurants in about 13 states with most, I'm told. in Ohio and Florida.  You may not have heard of them, but my guess is you will before too long.

I'm scanning the menu and I'm seeing some entrees that are twanging my health strings.  Here's the one I decided to have- The Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl.  Wow, mounds of quinoa mixed in with large pieces of kale, shredded carrots, and house-roasted tomatoes.  All of this goodness is topped off with slices of all-natural lemon chicken breast and finished with a basil pesto sauce along with feta crumbles and fresh herbs.  A great, healthy eating bonanza.  I left feeling satisfied, healthy, and energized; and ready to come back to try more healthy entrees.  I will soon.

Having just completed a long road trip (1,000 miles) last week.  I can attest to the fact that there are not a lot of healthy eating choices along our interstate highways.  There are more than there were 10 years ago, but still not enough for consistent healthy eating.  So finding a family of restaurants that is trying hard to develop and expand a whole section of their menu dedicated to healthy eating and healthy choices should be applauded.  We need more of them.

I will go back soon to try other of their healthy entrees, and it's nice to know that they are right around the corner.  If you have tried other restaurants or restaurant chains that offer healthy eating options, let me know.  It would be nice to pass that info along to others that are cruising the highways and byways of this great nation.  Stay hungry my friends.

Healthy Living: The Knee Joint's Connected to The Leg Joint

This may be somewhat of a departure from my normal subjects on healthy eating and healthy sleeping, but, nonetheless it has a direct bearing one's quality of life and his or her enjoyment of healthy living.  I'm talking about the active lifestyle most of us enjoy well into our senior years and the toll that vibrant activity can take on our joints. I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't be active until late in life, only that modern day technology and increasing lifespans may be putting stress on joints that were designed for shorter durations of use.  Add complicators like arthritis, and it's a miracle we can function at all.  Modern orthopaedic surgical techniques to the rescue.

In the 21st Century we can have our knees, hips, and shoulders replaced as they wear out and we're good for another 20 to 30 years.  My mother is 92.  She had complete knee replacements done (both at the same time- she doesn't recommend that) almost 19 years ago.  Today, her knees are the "youngest" part of her body and she still takes daily walks that would tire out many younger folk.  Others are routinely having joints replaced that give them back their quality of life and put them back "in the game".

In 2011 I had my left knee replaced.  Not the whole knee, since only one of my knee joints was damaged and needed replacement.  Yes, they can do what is generally referred to as a "half knee" replacement.  Without getting into any arcane medical terminology, I had the inside joint of my left knee (you have two joints in each knee-one inside and one outside with the knee cap in the middle) replaced with a floating bearing which is supposed to give added life to the joint as the bearing can move, thereby not wearing it in only one spot, as would a fixed bearing.  

Since having knee surgery over two and a half years ago, I have lived a normal life and have been able to regain my normal activities including golf, boating, and lap swimming.  My point here is that modern surgical techniques offer options unheard of only 25 or 30 years ago.  In my grandparents' day if you had bad hip or knee joints, you were essentially lame for the rest of your life.  How times have changed.

Modern joint replacements are becoming more and more common and routine while the techniques are increasingly less invasive and recoveries are generally faster.  Credit surely goes to society's increased emphasis on healthy lifestyles and the advancement in general health and well-being afforded by modern medicines.  

If you know someone that is suffering from joint problems, have them check out the various techniques that are available to help give them relief.  In my case, it gave me my life(style) back.  And that's worth everything.  Stay healthy my friends.    

Healthy Living: Healthy Eating - Munchin' Ain't What It Used to Be.

It's a nice Saturday afternoon.  I'm relaxed and just enjoying the day.  It's about time for my stomach to tell me it's time for a snack.  I know I'm going to give into the feeling, so how can I sate my munchie hunger and still keep to the straight and narrow by eating healthy. watching my fat, and still getting all the taste?  Tall order?  Not really.

Earlier in the day I was planning for such an event, looking for some munchies that would give me all the taste without all the guilt...not that a little guilt isn't ok from time to time.  So there I was in the market tracking down some sweet chips, when...shazam!...right there in front of me in all their splendor was a family of chips that promised to make my day.  Catch this....Veggie Dippin' Chips.  I'd never seen them before, but they come in flavors like Quinoa, Amaranth, and Black Sesame, and if that wasn't cool enough, the piece de resistance; Kale, Carrot, and Spinach.  I felt like I had discovered munching nirvana.  All the munchie goodness and all the health benefits of Quinoa, Kale, and Spinach.  Wow, I had just found the Grand Slam of Chips.

Not that that wasn't good enough- then I focused like a laser on the salsa aisle.  What great, healthy chip doesn't want to scoop up gobs of healthy salsa goodness?  And there it was, the answer to my salsa dreams- peach and mango salsa.....and it was hot!  Life doesn't get any better than this.

Off I went back to my place to languish away the rest of the afternoon soaking up chips and salsa goodness, knowing the incredible health benefits I was getting from my new chips and zero fat salsa.  The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur.  Reinforced by healthy chips and salsa I was able to meet the waning day's challenges with energy and vigor.  Next time you're looking for a great snack break, think of chips and dip.  Chips are getting healthier and healthier and the choices are expanding.  Who knows, maybe you'll find your Grand Slam in your favorite market.  I did.

Got healthy eating and healthy snack stories or suggestions.  Let me know.  Snack well my friends.  

Healthy Living: Healthy Sleeping - There's a Lightness In the Air

I was happy with my Quattro FX CPAP mask, sleeping through the night enjoying REM sleep for the first time in my adult life.  I didn't know what I didn't know until my friendly CPAP supply person contacted me and said, "there's a better way".  So I listened and she explained that the company had come out with a new, improved generation of CPAP mask.  I was skeptical.  After all, I was happy with my mask, how could I possibly be happier?

She showed me the new Quattro Air; 40% lighter than the previous model, better padded straps, better cushioning. What was not to love?  Ok...but I was still reluctant to give up what I had become comfortable with.  I decided to humor her and give it a test sleep (well, there's a test drive, why not a test sleep?)

So...what I found during my "test sleep" was that it indeed is more comfortable, with better strapping and larger, more comfortable cushioning.  I use RemZees cotton cushion pads which help to protect facial skin and make sleeping more comfortable.  The lightness of being that is the Air really makes a difference weight wise with the design all but eliminating pesky nighttime leaks.

I am a side sleeper and I found the mask to be very comfortable for side sleeping.  The combination of lighter weight, better face fit, and better strapping makes for a mask that is easy to put on and easy to remove in the morning. One great change over previous models is that the exhaust air is better diffused so that a sleeping partner doesn't get a blast of air when you turn over during the night.  Believe me, that's an important marital benefit.

 I found that if I had to get up during the night, you simply pinch the tabs that hold the swivel hose on and remove the hose from the mask.  To put it back on, you simply snap the hose back on and fire up the CPAP machine and you're back in LaLa Land in no time flat.  Easy peezy.

If you are a CPAP full mask wearer or you're thinking of looking at CPAP therapies for obstructive sleep apnea, you need to check the Air out.  It works great, is a big step over older masks, and offers a better night sleep.  I love mine and am enjoying the best sleep of my life.
 Now, if only it could make breakfast!

Healthy Living: Healthcare...Lest We Forget

Yes, I was all set to return to my normal blog content until the president came out today on national television to announce his "fix " for Obamacare.  If it didn't affect so many people in this country, I wouldn't even take this space to comment on it.  But, it's a big deal.  If you don't think this has anything to do with healthy living, ask anyone who has been dropped by his or her insurance company and forced into a government exchange.  In most cases their premiums and deductibles are up drastically while their expensive coverage includes things they don't want or need.

It remains questionable whether this "fix" is even constitutional.  Congress passed the law and the executive branch (Obama) signed it into law.  It would appear that it would take an action by Congress to make a change such as Obama is now apparently doing by regal fiat.  Will Congress let him get away with it?  Based on recent actions by Obama and the lack of push back by Congress, I would sadly venture to say that he will get away with it yet again.

If you look beyond the words of the president's action today, it becomes quickly clear that this is not a policy move but a political one.  He is attempting to shift blame for the failure of his law on the insurance industry and to give cover to Democrats that are up for election in 2014.  I have to believe that the American people can see through this move.  If recent poll numbers are any indication, the president is now at his lowest point with the American people when measured on the critical issue of trust.  People seem to be waking up.

I have no crystal ball, but I would suggest that things will get worse from here.  Once young, healthy people are given the chance to stay with their current policies (if that is even practically possible at this late date) and the bulk of enrollees are the sick and the poor, there will not be enough healthy people to support the system, and it could enter a "death spiral".

This all could have been avoided if warnings by conservatives since 2009 had been heeded.  We are where we are today on account of a rigidly ideological and partisan president, who, along with a Democratically-controlled Congress jammed through the A.C.A. bill that was never read by most of Congress let alone understood by any.

Now those same Democratic congress types are running for cover from the same bill that they forced through in 2010.  They should all be held accountable in 2014 by the people for their past votes and their actions.

As the Affordable Care Act continues to unravel, it will be interesting to see how the American people react once they realize that they have not been dealt with honestly by the current administration.  Will they seek retribution and will this be the death knoll for liberalism in this country?  We'll see as the months roll on.

Meanwhile, my hope is that this whole fiasco will mark a rebirth of desire in the American people for personal responsibility and personal freedoms where the central government plays a lesser role in all of our lives.  Then we can all get back to concentrating on the important things like: healthy living, healthy eating, and healthy sleeping.

I'll be back soon with more tips and secrets for healthy living.  Stay healthy my friends.

Healthy Living: Mr. Obama, Tear Down This Lie!

On this Veterans Day, as a veteran, I feel compelled to branch away from my regular posts to honor the blood and sacrifice that our veterans have given America, that we might live free, and to preserve the health of our nation.

Healthy living is as much living with health of mind and spirit as well as taking care of one's body- the vessel in which the mind operates and flourishes.  This is a bit of a departure for this blog, but then again, I write what's on my mind at the moment and I see a nation in a crisis of truth and moral leadership.  What can be more important than the moral health of our nation; we all gain or lose inspiration and personal drive from the direction that emanates from our leadership(?) in Washington.

I find it ironic that it is the health care framework of the nation that exposes the most damning of lies perpetrated on America by those that were elected to provide us with a health safety net.  If the lie to the nation was not bad enough, Mr. Obama and the architects of the A.C.A. knew the extent of pain and suffering that it would inevitably inflict on the vast middle class as far back as 2010....and they kept silent.  

It's one thing to lie and do so on the basis of misinformation or being mislead.  That may be forgiven. Sometimes we misspeak or misrepresent, but with good intention.  This was neither.  We are learning now that the long-term negative effects were known within the inter-sanctum of the president's administration years ago and that they were hidden from the public to protect the president's reelection.  What could be more deceitful and contrary to the moral tenets this country was founded on?  

We are in a health crisis in America.  A crisis of spirit and moral direction.  The question is: will we hold our leaders accountable or will we give in to moral equivalence?  I say we are better than that and can hold our leaders responsible for their actions....even if the president won't.  

That this lie that is Obamacare was foreseen and intended is bad enough, but now that some in the mainstream media seek to justify Mr. Obama's actions and attempt to shift blame to the Republicans is downright insulting.  Do they honestly think we are that stupid, not to see Obamacare for what it is....a national stain and disgrace.  It's time to begin healing this wrong and it begins with all of us.  Yes, we can show our disdain for this awful bill at the ballot box next year, but meanwhile we need to keep up the pressure on our representatives to hold those in office accountable...no matter where that accountability takes us.  

We are a good people with good, healthy and open hearts.  As I write this, the U.S. Marines are arriving in the Philippines to provide aid to that country ravaged by a typhoon.  We seem to always be at the forefront of providing care and healing where it is needed in this world.  It seems to me that we could use some right here at home.  Let's begin with our leadership coming clean with their intentions for this country which affect us all.  

Ok, I got it off my chest and I hope that my words struck a chord with some of you.  I just couldn't stay silent any longer.  IMO, lies, like evil, flourish when good people stand by and do nothing.  Next post I'll get back to the business of healthy eating, sleeping and living.  Meanwhile, stay healthy... in mind and body.  

Healthy Eating: A French Dressing For All Seasons.

The summer after I graduated from high school I went on a summer exchange  program to France. Why France?  I'd taken French in school and wanted a chance to test-out my new language with people that knew it a little bit better than I did- like a whole country full of them.  I had heard all the horror stories about how rude the French were to Americans abroad, but I was prepared to steel myself against the Gallic hordes and dazzle them with my new-found language, such as it was.

To my amazement I found that the French were actually encouraging once I began to stumble through the most elementary of phrases, which usually had to do with where I could find things, like public toilets.  I was going to need all the French I could get since I was destined to try my words and phrases out on a real family.

So, off I went to Lyon to live with a family for a month.  Looking back on it now I would have to say that they were both gracious and patient with my halting language capability and I must confess my great capabilities brought forth great gales of laughter from the whole family from time to time.
Such is the burden carried by a freshly-minted world traveler.

Language exploits aside, I did cultivate an understanding relationship with my French "mother" who took great pride in her cooking abilities.  The one secret she gave me, which I use to this day, is how to make a real French salad dressing- just like they do in homes throughout France.  It's simple and easy to make, and tastes formidable!  

How to make an authentic Dijon Vinaigrette dressing:

1. Measure out three tablespoons of olive oil (your preference; mine is extra virgin)
2. Measure out one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
3. Add one line of Dijon mustard (use a squeeze bottle of Dijon and, starting from the base of the tablespoon run a smooth line of mustard to the front of the lip, about one inch)
4. Mix the oil, vinegar, and mustard with the tablespoon until it is blended.
5. Sprinkle with pepper and salt to taste. 
6. Remix the dressing right before you add the salad makings.

The secret is to do the above mixing in the bottom of the salad bowl and then add the salad ingredients immediately on top of the dressing.  Then toss lightly until all of the salad is lightly coated.  This will help in getting the salad uniformly coated and reduces the chances of premature wilting if the salad has to stand before serving.  

Try this simple, unpretentious salad dressing in your home.  You can tweak the ingredients as needed to suit your taste, and I guarantee once you try it, you will feel the caress of the Mistral at your back and hear the soft soothing notes of an accordion playing in the streets below your open window.  

Healthy Eating: McD's....Not Your Father's Burger Joint.

In our quest for healthy living we look for places where we can incorporate more responsible eating habits into our daily lives without sacrificing the good foods we have come to enjoy over the years.  McD's is just such a place.  It seems like you can't go anywhere in the U.S. without catching sight of the Yellow M beckoning you to stop in and grab a quick burger.  It underpins a couple of the main tenets of modern American life; speed and convenience. 

In the old days (anything more than 10 years ago) you stopped along the roadsides and highways of America and you had burgers and fries.  It was good enough for your parents, it did the job in terms of filling you up, and there weren't a lot of choices.  If you were traveling and you wanted to stick to a low-fat, lower calorie diet, you either had to bring food with you or try and find stores along the way that sold healthy food...not convenient and not necessarily fast. 

Enter the 21st Century and the advent of healthy eating consciousness.  Now it was becoming fashionable to work out, get in shape, and eat healthy.  Even the fast food chains began to look for ways that they could offer healthier choices to capitalize on the healthy eating trend, and McDonald's was at the forefront of pioneering new healthier additions to their menu.

Today, I can stop along the highway at any McD's for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and have healthy options.  At breakfast I can choose heart-healthy fruit and maple oatmeal (only 290 calories and 4 grams of fat) and black coffee.  If I'm feeling like an egg, I can choose an egg white Mcmuffin (only 250 calories).  For lunch or dinner I can order a premium southwest salad with grilled chicken (only 230 calories) or a snack wrap with grilled chicken (250 calories).  Or, I could get a fruit and yogurt parfait (only 150 calories) if I'm really hungry between meals.  My point being that there are now choices for those that want to cut their calories or fat content and do so within the convenience that is offered by a chain that seems to be on every corner of every town in these United States.

Surely, there are other fast food chains that have gotten on the healthy eating bandwagon and are adding healthy choices to their menus.  I only highlight McD's here since they represent the most frequent choice that seems to appear on the horizon when you are truly hungry and ready to make a stop....especially on long, highway trips.

As you cruise the highways of this great country, stop and check out the menus of the food chains along the way.  You will find that their menus are changing, reflecting the desire for healthy food choices that today's Americans seek.  They're not your father's menus anymore and that's a good thing for you, your heart, and your quest for more healthy living.

If you have any road trip experiences with healthy eating, I'd like to hear them.  We can all benefit.

Healthy Living: Finding the Waters That Sooth.

As I write this I am on a trip from Connecticut out to Ohio and then down through the mountains of Kentucky all the way to Sarasota Florida.  It's fall, so the days and nights have turned cool and you can tell that it's not too long before "the white stuff" will be falling.

The one thing I look forward to after a long day of driving is the opportunity to relax and soak my achy muscles in a hot tub.  Many hotels and motels along our highways have them and there's nothing like a good soak at the end of a long day in a clean spa to help us in our life's journey to healthy living. (Whoa there, did I say "clean"?)  That's the thing; if the spa's not clean, any benefit we might get could be outweighed by the nasty things that can attack us on the inside as well as the outside.  

So how are we supposed to know that a hot tub's clean and ready for our presence?  There are a few key indicators that can help us know that conditions are not right and the water may not be fine:  

Stay out of the water if: 

• the water is any color but clear.
• you have trouble breathing when you enter the hot tub room.
• people in the spa are laughing in an effusive manner with wild eyes.
• you see a fin slowing circling in the center of the spa.
• people hugging the edge of the tub are dragged into the churning waters when the bubbler is turned on.

Of course, there are a few more mundane ways you can check on the health of the spa.  Perhaps talk to hotel or motel management and ask if daily checks on water quality are available to see or are posted.  As well, are there routine inspections by health officials and is that information available for you to see?  In most cases you will not go to these extremes unless you suspect that routine health checks are not being taken, however, doing so can give you some peace of mind, especially if you have kids with you that are begging you to go into the spa.   

Healthy living can be a challenge at times and no place more than along the highways of our great country. Take steps to make sure that your trip is safe, clean, and conducive to your health.  Have a great soak at the end of the day and know that you are doing so in a healthy and safe way. If you have any travel experiences you'd like to share, I would love to hear them.  

Next post I'll talk about tips for healthy eating when your on the highways traveling from here to there.  Buckle up and come along for the ride!  

  

Healthy Eating-Healthy Breakfast: Is That Turkey Waving at Me?

All my life I've been wondering, how can I soar with the eagles when I'm forced to live down here with the turkeys?  Yes, turkeys have gotten a bad rap and I guess I have to admit a mea culpa here.  BUT, there is a way that turkeys can help us; especially when it comes to healthy eating and a healthy breakfast.

If you've read any of my previous posts, you will quickly come to know that I am a big breakfast lover.  The challenge is, however, to eat a great breakfast and do so in a heart-responsible manner.  So, if there are ways to cut out the bad fat and keep the traditional taste, let's do it.  

A product that I have found to help in this fat-cutting process is the Bacon Wave microwave cooking rack.  Sure, you can use it to cook regular bacon and it will reduce the fat by keeping the meat secured to the rack out of the bacon grease drippings.  That's a step better than cooking the bacon submerged in it's own fat, but there's a further step to help in the over-all objective of reducing fat content. 

Time to call in our old friend Tom Turkey.  Why not go to your friendly grocer and pick up a package of turkey bacon.  It's got great flavor with less saturated fat than regular bacon.  A recent comparison of turkey bacon products to regular bacon, showed that two types of turkey bacon (Jennie-O Extra Lean and Applegate Farms) had 0 grams of saturated fat, while three brands (Oscar Meyer, Applegate Farms, and Hormel) of regular bacon had between 2 and 3 grams of saturated fat.  

In addition to the reduction in saturated fat, you will have additional fat reduction by using your rack to keep the turkey bacon out of its own drippings.  Who thought a turkey could be such a friend to helping us achieve healthy eating!

Have you got a turkey-friendly story or recipe?  Let me know and share it with our readers.  

Healthy Eating: Fats, and Greases, and Oils, Oh My!

When I was a kid growing up in the 1950s it was quite common for our family to have scrambled eggs in the morning along with bacon.  As the old advertisement goes, Nobody Don't Like Bacon (or was it Sara Lee?).  In those days you just cooked up a slab of bacon and then used the bacon grease to cook the eggs in!  As I think of it now, it's a miracle that I didn't have heart disease at seven years old.  Anyway, we survived, mostly because we didn't know the effects of fat and grease on our ability to grow up and survive a long time.

Today, in a nation increasingly oriented towards healthy living, so much is different.  Back sixty years ago, with the way we ate, 30 was the new 60.  Now we have the information, product choices, and general emphasis on healthy eating to make healthy choices and turn that dynamic around. 

Americans have always loved to use butter, oils, and fats in their cooking.  Why not?, they add flavor to the food and it just tastes better.  In these health conscious days, however, we seek ways to keep the flavor but cut the negative effects of fat. 

When I left the hospital after heart bypass surgery, I knew that some things were going to have to change.  I had to embrace more healthy eating if I wanted to be around for a while.  One of the suggestions the nurses made was to use a substitute for margarine and butter.  There are a number of great choices on the market these days, however, the one I used, and use to this day, is Olivio. (Olivioproducts.com)  It's a margarine-like spread made from Mediterranean Olive Oil with great taste and it performs just like other products.  Olive oil, however, has polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which are touted to be "good fats" and heart healthy.  A study by the Mayo Clinic showed that MUFAs may lower total cholesterol, help in the normalization of blood clotting, and be a benefit to blood sugar control as well as to insulin levels.

In 2013 the new dynamic in healthy living may be that 60 is the new 30.  If true, it would be in great part due to the healthier lifestyles that so many people are embracing which includes healthier eating.   I still love a good English muffin in the morning.  Now I can have my muffin and know that I am doing something good for my heart.  If you have products you have used that are heart healthy that you want to let me know about, drop a comment.  Our hearts will thank you.