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If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this newsletter, please feel free to send me an email. |
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 The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.
- Nelson Henderson |
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Making a Difference with Your Life
by Linda Ellis and Mac Anderson
I had just experienced a pleasant flight from New York back to Chicago on United Airlines. It was one of those days where almost everything had gone right. That's until I exited the tram to the airport's economy parking lot and realized that I had lost my wallet on my homeward journey.
Throughout the drive home I mentally started retracing my steps. Once home, I placed calls to the "lost-and-found" at O'Hare, United, NY-LaGuardia and the TSA security in New York. At that late night hour I got recordings, so I left each a detailed message. I then retired to bed knowing I had done all I could do. I fell asleep thinking of the hassle of replacing everything in the wallet.
The next morning, I had been up for less than an hour when a man called. Bob identified himself with United Airlines, and his question was music to my ears - "Mr. Blumberg, are you missing a wallet?" Relieved and grateful, I responded, YES! I thanked him for returning my call to United's lost-and-found. But he didn't know about that call. He wasn't with the lost-and-found, nor was it his job to personally follow-up with passengers leaving their stuff on the airplane. He was the night mechanic who had simply found the wallet on my assigned seat. Realizing my phone number was not anywhere in my wallet, I immediately appreciated his extra effort of tracking down my home phone number. But that effort was only the beginning of what I was about to experience.
Bob had waited the night to call, assuming I would be sleeping. He told me that he was leaving work at 7:00 a.m. He wanted to know if I would be home so he could deliver my wallet to my house on his way home. After talking logistics for a minute, I realized that he was going over an hour out of his way. But he insisted. I finally got him to agree that I would immediately leave and meet him in a direction near his home. For the next 45 minutes, we both drove towards a common meeting place.
We finally met in the parking lot of a commercial building. As I got out of my car to meet this stranger-turned-hero, I introduced myself to Bob. He sported his heavy United Airlines uniform coat made necessary by the cold December morning. He greeted me with a big smile and handed me my wallet. I pulled some cash from my pocket to give him a sizable tip for all his efforts. As I reached to hand him the cash, he didn't miss a beat. He simply responded, "Absolutely not!"
Bob continued, "I have lost my wallet before and I know it is a hassle. I am just glad that I could get it back to you." Feeling the need to somehow respond to his kindness, I offered the tip a couple more times. But he was not budging. Realizing the tip minimized his graciousness, I just smiled and said, "I guess I will just have to pay-it-forward to someone else." He smiled, "That would be great."
You see, Bob went the extra mile ... and then some. He didn't do it for gain; he did it simply because it's who he is.
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Eggs are Good Food
by Carol Chuang
Eggs have a bad reputation because of their high cholesterol content - 210 milligrams in the yolk of a large egg. Yet, they do not raise cholesterol in most people and may even be good for your heart in some ways.
As shown in various egg studies, dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol in only about one-third of people. Still, with these so called "hyper-responders", dietary cholesterol causes the body to produce both HDL (good) cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, thus offsetting potential adverse effects. Likewise, there is no change in the ratio between HDL and LDL, which suggests no major change in coronary risk. In addition, the most intriguing finding is that the LDL particles that form are larger in size, and larger LDL particles are less dangerous than small ones. When the LDL particles are large enough, they do not get stuck and cause inflammation and damage.
These are all true for healthy people - there is no association between eggs, up to one a day, and heart disease. Insulin simply takes the dietary cholesterol to your tissues, then the HDL takes it back to your liver, and nothing gets stuck causing damage. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to direct extra energy (glucose) into storage, either as starch (glycogen) and/or fat, leading to a decline of blood sugar level.
One exception is people with diabetes and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance results in LDL particles that are smaller and denser, which can eventually cause inflammation of the arteries and plague formation. In short, diabetics should limit their egg consumption.
Eggs are good food:
· The unsaturated fats and other nutrients, including B vitamins, in eggs can be beneficial to heart health. A large egg has only 1.5 grams of saturated fat and about 70 calories. It is the saturated-fat-rich foods (butter, bacon, sausage, and cheese) that accompany eggs that raise blood cholesterol and heart disease risk.
· Egg yolks are a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin, relatives of beta carotene that may help keep eyes healthy and have been linked to a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration. Carotenoids from eggs are better absorbed by the body than those from spinach or supplements.
· Egg yolks also provide choline, an essential brain nutrient. It maintains the flexibility and integrity of brain cell membranes. Choline is also a key component of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that carries messages to and from nerves and muscles.
· Eggs promote satiety, due in part to their protein. One large whole egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein. The yolk is also a source of zinc, B vitamins (riboflavin and folate), vitamin A, iron, and other nutrients.
· The best choice is organic eggs. They come from hens given no hormones or antibiotics and fed only organically certified feed grown without pesticides, insecticides or herbicides. They are free roaming and have access to fresh air. You might say that you cannot afford organic but when you break it down to cost per egg (25 to 38 cents) and health risk from all those chemicals as well as risk to our environment, you might want to think twice before buying conventional eggs.
· Brown eggs are not more nutritious than white. Different breeds simply lay eggs with different shell colors. Yolk color depends on what the chicken ate. Designer eggs with omega-3s are fed marine algae, kelp or flax seeds that they convert into useful omega-3s that our bodies use. The conventional egg has only 18 mg and most designer eggs have 100-350 mg per egg. If you don't mind the extra cost of the designer eggs, you can get the benefit of some additional omega-3s.
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Recipe of the Month: Artichoke and Red Pepper Frittata
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 large eggs
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and coarsely chopped (or use frozen)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
· Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan.
· Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in artichoke hearts, Parmesan, oregano, salt, pepper and the bell pepper mixture.
· Set a rack about 4 inches from the heat source; preheat the broiler.
· Brush the pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil; heat over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture and tilt to distribute evenly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the bottom is light golden, lifting the edges to allow uncooked egg to flow underneath, 3 to 4 minutes.
· Place the pan under the broiler and cook until the top is set, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide the frittata onto a platter and cut into wedges.
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About the Author
 Carol Chuang is a Certified Health Counselor from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Columbia University. She is board certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.
Apart from having her private practice counseling individual clients, she is also the nutrition and wellness consultant for San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Council and the APA Family Support Services in San Francisco. She conducts regular workshops for their clients on various topics of nutrition and wellness. |
Schedule For a Free Consultation
I believe that the way to a happy, healthy and fulfilling life is to have loving relationships, a satisfying career, regular physical activity, and a spiritual foundation. Coupled with a diet that is wholesome and natural, our mind, body, and soul would thrive and flourish. If you would like to live an energized and passionate life, I invite you to a free one-hour consultation to discuss your health history, concerns, and goals, as well as what you have always dreamed for in your life. |
Carol Chuang
Certified Health Counselor
415-652-9942 |
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