Yummy energy bars

I love granola bars, breakfast bars, energy bars...just about anything and everything that comes in bar form. More or less, it is a weakness of mine. However, while I love them, most leave me still feeling hungry and or incredibly thirsty.

I found a recipe in my low sodium cookbook for energy bars. I made some the other day (very easy) and they are delicious. Of course, it helps that the recipe also calls for a little chocolate on top!

The recipe calls for pine nuts which are very expensive. I'm sure substituting walnuts or almonds would be just as effective. To roast the pine nuts, place nuts on a cookie sheet, and roast for 5 minutes or so at 350 degrees. Also, the only dates I could fine were packed, no COATED, in sugar. I rinsed the sugar off before using.


Try them for yourselves - it'll be hard to just have one, especially when they are guilt free!!!

3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
3/4 cup chopped dried dates
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup dried apples or pears
1/2 cup roasted unsalted pine nuts (pignolia)
1/2 cup unsalted oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 large egg
1/4 cup apple juice fortified with calcium
1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line jelly-roll pan with cooking parchment. In a food processor, combine the dried fruits until finely chopped. Stir in pine nuts, oats, flour and mix well. Stir in egg and apple juice. Turn the batter on to the pan and bake in the preheated over for 25-30 minutes. Let it cool in the pan. When cooked, set the rectangle on the cutting board and slice into bars (cut it lengthwise into 3 strips an each strip into 8 pieces). Melt the semisweet chocolate (use a double boiler if you have one) and brush the mixture on the bars. When cooled and the chocolate is set, serve. Store extras in the freezer in zipper-lock bags for future use.

Nutritional info (per serving):
Calories: 81
Sodium: 4.33 mg
Carbs: 14.9 g
Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 1.998 g
Cholesterol: 8.85 mg
Calcium: 16 g
Iron: .879 g
Potassium: 172.6 mg
Total Fat: 2.2 g

Recipe from: The No-Salt, Lowest Sodium Cookbook by Donald Gazzaniga

Life on the low sodium diet

For 3 weeks, I have been eating low sodium meals. It has been interesting cooking/eating the same foods I normally would eat, but without much of the sodium. I have made chicken fettucini alfredo, spaghetti, pizza, bread, white bean soup, cinnamon rolls, monkey bread, applesauce cake, chocolate cake, and baked chicken & pork chops. It's ALL been good, but when you only know one taste, or how you think something should taste, only to taste it different, THAT will take some getting acclimated to a new taste.

Garlic is in every cooked meal, along with olive oil. I've been using lots of onions as well. I have purchased the "Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices, & Flavorings" by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz as a resource and textbook to help me learn what spices go great with certain foods and together.

And how do I feel???

I feel great!! I have more energy and don't feel as sluggish after eating a large(r) meal. I also have noticed that I am not nearly as short of breath as I used to be. Before I changed my diet, whenever I would read my little Espresso a story, I was always stopping to catch my breath. It's great to read with ease and without huffing and puffing like the big, bad wolf.

I have lost three pounds and have kept that off, despite being unable to get the gym to exercise and eating ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I have wanted, that is low sodium. I can't complain about that!! :):)

I do allow myself the odd indulgence. At the Super Bowl party we attended last night, I enjoyed a brat and some chili. I'm not going to be THAT strict that I won't let myself enjoy food altogether! :) Mmm...that brat was awesome last night :)

Tinnitus and food!!

Tinnitus – that awful ringing, hissing sound in your ear. It’s 2010 and doctors STILL do not know what causes Tinnitus. An easy diagnosis would be going to too many rock concerts, but when that doesn’t apply to people like myself (never been to a rock concert), it’s leaves the doctors stumped. Ear infections (which I had my share of as a child) is the next diagnosis, but why? Why? The age, old question.

In doing research on Tinnitus, two things kept coming up over and over – diet & high blood pressure. It’s known that your diet can cause high blood pressure, but perhaps, Tinnitus also?

Below are a few excerpts of what I discovered in regards to food & Tinnitus.

Salt:
Excess salt restricts blood vessels, increases blood pressure and reduces blood flow into the ears, eyes and brain. Increased blood pressure is directly linked to increased tinnitus.

Sugar:
The brain and auditory system have no inherent food supply. They are completely dependent on the regular delivery of oxygen and glucose (sugar) from the blood supply. When this supply of nutrients is disturbed or interrupted, imbalance and damage can occur. Studies have shown that 84% to 92% of people with tinnitus have a sugar metabolism disorder known as hyperinsulinemia. This is characterized by increased levels of insulin in the bloodstream. Hyperinsulinemia occurs because the body becomes insensitive to insulin and ineffective in delivering sugar to the cells, where it is needed. Therefore the pancreas produces more and more insulin in order to process blood sugar.

Sugar substitutes:
Aspartame, along with Glutamate, is an excitatory neuro-transmitter in the brain. It causes neurons to fire repeatedly until they become depleted and die. This causes untold damage to the nervous system and can lead to neuro-degenerative conditions including tinnitus.

MSG:
MSG breaks down to Glutamate in the body. Glutamate, like Aspartame, is an excitatory neuro-transmitter that triggers neurons to fire until they become depleted and die. In fact, for many of us, Glutamate is the primary villain causing our tinnitus. When hearing hair cells in the cochlea are damaged, by noise exposure, ototoxic medications, infection or many other causes, they release excess amounts of Glutamate. This Glutamate floods the neuro-receptors in the auditory pathway and excites them to the point where they fire continuously. During the course of neuron death, tremendous amounts of free radicals are released which continue the damage to the neurons. This type of tinnitus known as Cochlear-Synaptic Tinnitus is the exact condition experienced by those of us with hearing loss and tinnitus.


Fats:
Saturated and trans-fats have multiple negative effects on the body and tinnitus. Saturated fats are not recommended for those with diabetes or hyperinsulinemia. They also increase bad cholesterol (LDL), decrease good cholesterol (HDL), increase triglycerides and lead to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is not only a risk factor in heart disease and stroke but also significantly reduces blood flow. People with tinnitus need to increase blood flow to the inner ear to remove toxins and maintain healthy cells. Tinnitus, in fact, can be caused by nothing more than decreased blood flow to the inner ear.


http://www.tinnitusformula.com/infocenter/articles/treatments/diet.aspx

A change to ALL natural

I have, once again, started blogging. I have adopted a new lifestyle and have learned so much about natural eating and ALL it’s benefits, I feel compelled to share.

My new lifestyle change happened just recently as I went to the doctors for “dry skin.” I didn’t know what else to call it – my skin did not FEEL dry, but I was itching everywhere on my body. The doctor said I some inflammation, gave me a prescription for some soothing drops and Prednisone and sent me home. I have never been one to just “pop a pill” when something is wrong. I try to find some “natural” way. During the routine vital check at the doctors, my blood pressure checked in at 141/96. For my age, height and weight, that is extremely high. Although I take my blood pressure periodically at home, it never has been that high, so either, I PANIC when I go the doctors and it’s just a one time thing, or I do have a high bp issue and I’m just not catching at home. Either way, this started me on the path to change.

The final straw was Tinnitus. In 2009, I had surgeries in both my ears to correct Otosclerosis. A symptom of Otosclerosis is Tinnitus. The surgeon told me that fixing my Otosclerosis would fix my Tinnitus. It has not. This drove me to the Internet to see if there was ANYTHING I could do to alleviate or lessen the ringing in my ears. While I do not claim to be a doctor, I do believe it is possible to come to the correct conclusions about ailments via the information on the Internet. During my research I discovered that high blood pressure and Tinnitus go hand in hand. I also learned that food plays a huge part in regards to Tinnitus. I won’t go into details just yet, but from what I learned, I have adopted a Mediterranean style of eating. I also have cut out all processed, pre-made, pre-packaged food. I am going all natural and all organic.

I have only been eating this way for a week, but I have noticed a major change in how I feel physically (SSSSOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER) and at times, the ringing in my ears has seemed to be not as loud, but I’m not ready to say I’ve found the cure-all.

This change has not been as difficult as what I thought it would be. I am doing this because I KNOW I NEED too PHYSICALLY and for my HEALTH. That has made all the difference to me. It’s just been a matter of perspective.