Eat Right and Stay Healthy

In 2015 it seemed as if everywhere I looked I saw a mention of “kale”. This leaf cabbage was definitely the Veg of the Year that could be used as an ingredient in chips, salads, soups, and even – are you ready? PIZZA.

Sauteed kale with garlic is a great side dish

The reason I know this is because I was in Trader Joe’s and a fellow shopper gave me a big pitch about the store’s kale pizza. She was so enthusiastic that she took the pizza box out of her shopping bag to make sure I knew exactly what she was talking about.

A word about Trader Joe’s: I remember going into a Trader Joe’s at 7:00 pm on a Friday night after a grueling workweek and thinking, “Why am I feeling so up when I hate shopping for food?” And, then it hit me. Trader Joe’s has made shopping for food a fun experience!

And they’ve done this by putting the customer first. Ask any employee where a product is located and he or she will escort you right to it. (Most supermarket employees in New York answer by giving you an aisle number and pointing toward South Dakota.)

FAST FORWARD TO 2016

When prepping for this “Healthy Food” blog I checked a number of sources and yes, kale is still on all the lists – along with the following:

• LEAFY GREENS such as broccoli and spinach “have the highest nutrition per calorie,” states Dr. Michael Greger, author of a new book titled, How Not To Die where he writes about the preventive potential of dozens of foods.

Spinach is low in calories, yet very high in vitamins

• NUTS (especially walnuts) are also a winner. “You can cut your risk of having a stroke in half by adding nuts to your diet,” Greger says in a New York Post article written by Reed Tucker that reviewed Greger’s book.

• GREEN TEA is also an item that Greger says can potentially protect against several serious diseases, including cancer. It also may lower blood pressure, cholesterol and body fat.

• BERRIES They’re the healthiest fruit and can guard the liver and the brain. “Blueberries are like Miracle-Gro for the brain,” declares Dr. Majid Fotuhi, medical director of NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center at John Hopkins.

WHAT’S BAD AND WHAT’S GOOD

I had a sense of relief after reading another column in the New York Post on 12/22/15 by MacKenzie Dawson that quotes from a new book titled, The Good News About What’s Bad for You…The Bad News About What’s Good for You by Jeff Wilser. In spite of the jaw-dropping title, I liked what I read about this book. Here are some highlights:

Americans drink 400 million cups of coffee per day and it’s nothing to be ashamed of because it boosts memory, reaction time and the ability to stay awake.

A delicious cup of coffee is a surefire way to wake up

Wilser points out, “Trying to quit coffee makes as much sense as trying to quit broccoli. [Note: I’m trying to cut back with a product called Tiger Spice Chai that I ordered on Amazon. It’s described as “a rich and creamy mixture of black tea and exotic spices.”] I love it, but I can’t give up my morning coffee.

I still haven’t tried kale in any form – but it’s on my bucket list.

MAY WE SUGGEST…

It is time to take stock of your wardrobe and fill in the gaps with ADEA’s versatile layering tops and easy-to-wear bottoms.

Shaun Nelson-Henrick

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