KTK-Nutrition

Many people are concerned about cholesterol levels and heart disease and stroke.   A lot of us have changed our diets thinking we are eating foods that lower cholesterol and giving up some foods that we had enjoyed for years.   This week my husband and I were treated to dinner at my daughter’s and son-in-law’s home.   We enjoyed some wonderful homemade crab cakes, fresh bread and potatoes.   An old-fashioned butter dish was on the table with a stick of real butter.   My daughter said they had switched from margarine to real butter as margarine had too many chemicals in it.   Interesting because my husband and I have switched back to real butter.   Since it is hard to spread, we get the butter mixed with canola oil.   I don’t think a little real butter will do much damage to our cholesterol levels.    What foods can you eat that have been found to lower blood cholesterol levels?   My sister sent me some articles on foods that lower y...

There are so many ideas for boosting brain power but what works?   Are there foods you can add that will give your brain a boost?   Consumer Reports has an interesting article , Boost Your Brain Power at Any Age .   The article covers many brain boosters like games but what about food?   Are there foods that give your brain cells a boost?   What really works? As people age, they are concerned with dementia and Alzheimer’s and just plain forgetfulness.   A study in The Lancet found that there are 12 factors we can control that will reduce dementia risk by 40%.   These factors include staying physically active, avoid smoking, and reducing obesity which also reduces one’s risk of type 2 diabetes.    What foods promote better brain health? Focus on leafy greens Choose those dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach, arugula, Romaine lettuce, kale, broccoli, collard greens, Bok choy, collard greens.   Unlike iceberg lettuce, dark, leaf...

You hear the word “fat” and you think you don’t want any fat in your diet.   But there are fats that are actually good for you.   Most people know olive oil, especially EVVO is a healthy oil.   Have you heard of omega-3 fats?   What are they?   What foods have them?   And why are omega 3 fats good for your health?    What are omega-3 fats?   Believe it or not, your body can’t make these fats.   We all know our bodies can certainly make fat as anyone who has gained weight knows.   But there are 2 fats your body can’t make, one is omega-3 and the other is omega-6 fats.   Both of these are called essential fats as you have to “eat them to get them”, your body can’t make them.   (I tell students in my class that “essential” means you have to “eat them to get them”.) There are actually 3 different types of omega-3 fats and you may have seen some of these mentioned in commercials.   o    EPA – eicosapentaeno...