Being Active with Physical Limitations

Don’t let arthritis slow you down.

• To help joint movement and make your joints feel less stiff, do stretching exercises almost daily.
• Stretches and exercises are best done when your muscles and joints are warm.
• Try stretching after doing the dishes, taking a warm bath or after a walk.
• Take care of numb or tingly feet or hands.
• Never walk barefoot.
• Keep your feet and hands warm.

• Use tools with thicker grips to help you hold them easily.

Manage breathing problems.

• Break your activity into 5 min. or 10 min. blocks of time. Rest in between if you need to, then try to do a few minutes more.
• Wait an hour after eating before you exercise.
• Try being active soon after taking your breathing medicine.

Preventing falls

• Be sure that stairwells and halls are well lit.
• Take your time on steps and curbs. Look at the steps.
• On icy days, walk with a friend or do indoor activities.
• Put nonskid backing on rugs.
• If reaching makes you dizzy, put things on low shelves.
• Strength training and stretching exercises will help your balance.
• Walking and strength training will strengthen your bones.

Work on upper body stretches.

• Upper body stretches can make it easier to do everyday activities like reaching for things, getting dressed, and doing household chores.
• Do upper body exercises.
• Work on neck flexibility.
• Neck flexibility makes it easier to do everyday activities like turning your head.
• Do gentle neck exercises.

Get a grip!

• Squeeze a soft ball to improve the strength of your grip.
• Use special equipment to help open jars or grasp things.
• Use foam rubber and tape to build up handles on your tools.

Protect your back and leg muscles.

• Good leg and lower back flexibility can help you prevent back injuries and reduce muscle soreness.
• Use raised garden beds or long-handled tools.
• Bend your knees and not your back when lifting.
• Try back stretches.

Do exercises that slowly increase your strength.

• Strong muscles can help prevent pain and injury.
• Use a stretch band looped around a heavy object like a table leg.
• Climb stairs, a few at a time, to increase leg strength.

Move a little more every day.

• Movement gets oxygen to your muscles.
• Do activities that use large muscles—try walking or vacuuming.
• Build up! Start with 5-10 minutes of walking at one time, and increase by 2-3 minutes every few days, until you can comfortably do 30 minutes.

Poultry and Mango Stir Fry

You can save a lot of time by buying a a jar of sliced mangoes from your grocer's produce department and using part of the fruit for this recipe. Store the remaining mangoes for up to 1 week in your refrigerator and enjoy them as a healthy snack.

Serves 4 (3/4 cup per serving)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast or turkey breast tenderloins, all visible fat removed
1 cup mango or peach chunks
Vegetable oil spray
2 Tbsp. Asian-style cooking sauce for chicken, vegetables, and meat, or sweet and sour sauce
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:
Rinse chicken and pat dry. cut into bite-sized pieces. If using canned fruit, drain it and pat it dry. Set aside.
Spray a large skillet with vegetable oil. Place over medium high heat. Add chicken to hot skillet. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until tender and no longer pink. Remove from heat. Stir in sauce. Gently stir in mangoes or peaches. Return to heat; heat through, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon almonds.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 224
Protein: 26 g
Carbohydrate: 11 g
Cholesterol: 62 mg
Sodium: 199 mg
Total Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated 2 g
Monosaturated 4 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 131

Dairy Tips

Use lower fat milk and yogurt.

• If you do OK with milk, drink some each day. Work your way down from whole or 2% milk to 1% or skim (nonfat).
• Buttermilk has no butter—it can also be a healthy choice.
• Cook with whole milk or 2% milk instead of cream. Then try 1%.

• Mix whole fruit (sliced banana, strawberries, or peaches) into plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt for a healthy snack.
• Avoid creamers in coffee. Instead, choose reduced fat milk or try evaporated skim milk for a creamy taste without saturated fat.

Go easy on high fat cheeses.

• Try sharp cheeses like sharp cheddar or Parmesan—you get more taste with smaller amounts. Slice it thin or grate it.
• For snacks, cut a small piece of cheese and put the rest away. It’s easy to eat too much!
• Don’t add a lot of cheese to meat sandwiches—regular cheese is high in saturated fat and adds extra salt (sodium).
• Ask for pizza with half the cheese and more vegetables.
• Go easy on the cream cheese toppings for sandwiches and bagels.
• Make lasagna and casseroles with cottage cheese or mozzarella.
• Choose cheeses that are low in salt (low sodium).

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves: 6 (3/4 cup per serving)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 to 12 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tsp. light margarine
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup frozen chopped onion or 1/2 medium onion, diced
1 tsp. bottled minced garlic or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen no-salt-added whole kernel corn
1/2 cup frozen butternut squash thawed
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh dillweed or 1 tsp. dried, crumbled

Directions:
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook maragrine, carrots, onion, and garlic for 2-3 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add broth, corn, and squash. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, stir together water and flour. Add to soup and cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add dillweed  and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring occasionally.

Cooks Tip on Frozen Butternut Squash
To avoid wasting half a package of frozen butternut squash, cut the package in half with a sturdy serrated knife. Freeze one half in an airtight plastic bag for later use-perhaps to thaw and swirl together with mashed potatoes for a fun and different side dish.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 88
Protein: 4 g
Carbohydrates: 16 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Total Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 87 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 53

Tips For Cutting Calories

When it comes to healthy weight management, small steps add up. In fact, little changes in eating and activity level have a more positive impact on health than drastic ones. This is because you are more likely to stick with smaller changes over time. Extreme diets and intensive exercise regimens may work well at first, but they rarely last over the long term.

Healthy weight is all about balancing food intake with physical activity. Most of us could improve our energy balance by shaving just 100 calories a day off our usual intake. It’s not difficult:

• Lighten up your favorite coffee drink with non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup.
• Trim all fat from beef, pork and chicken. Remove the skin from poultry.
• Dish up slow-churned, reduced-calorie ice cream in place of regular.
• Enjoy raw vegetables with salsa or fat-free ranch dip instead of chips.

Small Changes Add Up
Here are more great ideas that will cut calories from your daily intake, possibly without your even noticing:

1. Downsize Your Dishes. Use smaller plates and bowls to help you eat less. We tend to fill up the dish we’re using and then eat it all. Our brains also think we are getting more when the same amount of food is placed in a smaller dish.
2. Savor Your Meals. Eating slowly helps you consume only what your body needs to feel satisfied. Eating too quickly, in less than 20 to 30 minutes, leads to overeating and feeling uncomfortably full afterwards.
3. Leave Some Food on Your Plate. This is especially important if you grew up in the “clean plate club.” By leaving even a few bites, you can focus more on your internal signals of satisfaction and less on eating food just because it is there.
4. Don’t Eat Out of a Bag or Box. When you eat out of a package, you are likely to keep eating until it’s all gone – no matter how many servings the package actually contains. Pour one serving into a small bowl.
5. Choose Your Glass Wisely. Here’s another place where our eyes play tricks on us. When glasses are short and wide, we tend to fill them with more fluid and to drink more. Use a slender glass for any beverage except water.
6. Rethink Your Drinks. High-calorie beverages like soft drinks, juice drinks, energy drinks, specialty coffees and alcohol add calories just like solid foods. Whenever possible, replace these drinks with plenty of water.

Source:
American Dietetic Association

Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

Serves: 4 (1 1/4 cups per serving)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 55 minutes
Microwave Time: 16 minutes

Combine leftover ham with frozen hashbrowns to get an incredibly easy casserole to serve for brunch or dinner.

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil spray
12 ounces frozen nonfat hash brown potatoes
4 ounce low fat, lower sodium ham, thinly sliced and chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup frozen chopped onion, thawed, or 3 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts) (about 9 green onions) or frozen or fresh green bell peppers.
1/2 cup nonfat or light sour cream
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk or fat-free half and half
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper or 1/8 tsp. to 1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 ounces shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (about 3/4 cup)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch square glass baking dish with vegetable oil spray. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients except cheese. Pour into baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Stir in half the cheese; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 5 minutes fr until cheese has melted.

Microwave Method:
In a 9 inch microwave-safe baking dish, combine all ingredients except cheese. Cook, covered, on 100 percent power (high) for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender, stirring every 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Cook uncovered, on 100 percent power (high) for 1 minute, or until cheese has melted.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 239
Protein: 17 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Cholesterol: 30 mg
Total Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sodium: 471 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 223

Tomato Basil Soup

Serves: 4 (3/4 cup per serving)

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients:

14.5 ounce no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
14.5 ounce can low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried, crumbled
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. very low sodium or low sodium Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine undrained tomatoes, broth, basil, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and red peppers; bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cooks Tip: If you prepare this dish in advance, add the cilantro, oil, and salt after reheating.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 61
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Total Fat: 3 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 188 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 54

Red Meat, Poultry & Fish Tips

Cut down on bacon and sausage.

• Eat smaller amounts.
• Try having breakfast without meat.
• Don’t add bacon to sandwiches.
• Try turkey bacon and turkey smoked sausage, but not too often—these are still high in salt (sodium).
• Use small pieces of lean ham for seasoning or in recipes calling for bacon or sausage.
• Pick healthier lunch foods.
• For sandwiches, try these instead of hot dogs, bologna, or salami:
• sliced lean beef, ham, chicken or turkey
• water-packed canned light tuna (low salt/sodium)
• low-fat cheese
• peanut butter and jelly or banana
• Try these other lunch ideas:
• healthy leftovers
• soups (low salt/sodium)
• salads with oil and vinegar dressing

Cut down on beef or pork high in saturated fat.

• Trim off extra fat.
• Buy lean cuts like:

• Beef: round, sirloin, loin
• Pork: trimmed pork chops, fresh ham, shoulder, neckbone
• Cook with olive, canola, or other vegetable oils.
• Keep servings the size of a pack of cards (3 ounces).

Pay attention to how you prepare hamburger.

• Choose extra lean or lean hamburger—darker red means leaner.
• Try great-tasting ground turkey, which often has less saturated fat.
• Grill hamburger patties, or brown the meat and drain off the fat.
• Stay away from hamburgers with sauces and lots of cheese.

Eat more chicken and turkey.

• Bake, broil, or barbecue chicken.
• Add a little olive oil to keep the meat moist.
• If you fry chicken, use olive, canola, or other vegetable oils.
• Eat turkey instead of beef or pork.
• Try using lean ground turkey or chicken (or lean ham) to season your vegetables.

Choose fish more often.

• Try baked, broiled, or grilled fish.
• When frying fish, use olive, canola, or other vegetable oils instead of shortening or lard.
• Try some of the fish that have healthy fats, like canned light tuna, sardines, herring, canned or fresh salmon, or lake trout.
• When you eat canned tuna, choose low-salt (low sodium), light tuna packed in water.
• Some fish contain mercury, which can be harmful if eaten in large amounts. Fish with low levels of mercury include salmon, catfish, shrimp, and sardines.

Hawaiian Chicken

Preparation time: 10 min.
Cook time: 10 min.
Serves 4 (1/4 lb. chicken and 1/2 pineapple mixture)

Ingredients

1 lb. skinless chicken breasts or turkey breast tenderloins, all visible fat removed.
16 ounce can crushed pineapple, canned in fruit juice
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
Dash of ground red pepper

Directions:
Rinse chicken and pat dry. If necessary, cut chicken into 4 serving size pieces. Drain pineapple, reserving liquid (you should had about 1/2 cup. Place pineapple liquid and soy sauce in a large skillet. Bring to boil over high heat. Place chicken in soy sauce mixture. Return to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 10 min. or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine drained pineapple, kiwifruit, green onions, ginger, and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until warm, about 3 minutes.

To serve, remove chicken from soy sauce mixture. Spoon pineapple mixture over chicken or turkey.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 221
Protein: 26 g
Carbohydrate: 22 g
Cholesterol: 62 ,g
Sodium: 660 mg
Total Fat: 3 g
Saturated fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated: 1 g
Monounsaturated: 1 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 130

Dilled Chicken with Mushrooms and Rice

Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients

Vegetable oil spray

1 1/2  cups chopped onion (yellow preferred) (3 medium)

1 lb. chicken tenders or tenderloins, all visible fat removed

8 ounces presliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked rice
1 Tbsp. dried dillweed crumbled
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Paprika (optional)

Directions:
Heat in 12 inch non stick skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Remove from heat and spray with vegetable oil spray. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until translucent, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. If using tenderloins, cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide.

Add chicken, mushrooms, water, rice, dillweed and 1/2 teaspoon salt to onions, stirring well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkly lightly with paprika.

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 358 per serving
Protein: 30 g
Carbohydrates: 46 g
Cholesterol: 66 mg
Total Fat: 6 g
Saturated: 1 g
Polysunsaturated 1 g
Monunsaturated 3 g
Fiber 3 g
Sodium 411 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 163

Fruit and Vegetable Tips

Eat more dark green and orange vegetables.

• Make your plate colorful! Enjoy lots of dark green and orange vegetables:
• Broccoli, tossed salads with spinach, romaine, or other dark-green, leafy lettuces.
• Sweet potatoes, butternut or acorn squash, carrots.
• A serving of cooked carrots or broccoli is just 1/2 cup (about the same as one cupped hand).

Limit starchy vegetables.

• Eat fewer starchy vegetables like corn, white potatoes, green peas, and lima beans, which are healthy but higher in carbohydrates.
• Choose colorful vegetables! Bake a vegetable dish with sliced potatoes, carrots, and green beans drizzled with vegetable oil and herbs or other low-salt seasonings.
• Eat potatoes baked or boiled—or fry them in about a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Season potatoes with onions and green peppers instead of bacon grease.

Add variety to meals with vegetables.

• Eat vegetables instead of foods high in trans fat and saturated fat.
• Use less cheese and more onions or mushrooms in your omelets.
• Make sandwiches, wraps, or burritos with lots of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, or other sliced vegetables.
• Steam, fry, or sauté vegetables in a small amount of olive, canola, or other vegetable oil. Avoid breading.
• Buy frozen/canned vegetables or canned beans and peas with low or reduced salt (sodium). Rinse canned beans and peas that have added salt. Stay away from vegetables with fancy sauces.

Eat more fruit—aim for 4 or more servings a day.

• A serving of fruit makes a tasty snack or dessert.
• Buy fruit in season or pick your own.
• Add fruit like bananas, berries, or peaches to your cereal.
• Use very ripe fruit to make a blender smoothie.
• Whole fruit gives you a bigger size snack than dried fruit. For the same
• number of calories you can eat 1 cup of grapes but just 1/4 cup of raisins.
• Eat whole fruit (fresh, frozen, canned) instead of drinking a lot of fruit juice. Whole fruit gives you more fiber, which also can help you feel full.

Fresh Fruit Tarts

Choose a variety of festive fruits, such as assorted berries, melon cubes, pineapple chunks, star fruit, and peach chunks.

Serves: 6 (1 tart per serving)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar

1 tsp. chopped fresh mint or 1/2 tsp. dried mint crushed

4 ounce package single serve graham cracker crusts (6 small crusts)
1 cup assorted cut up fresh fruit
1/3 cup nonfat or low-fat lemon yogurt


Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, confectioners' sugar and mint. Spoon into graham cracker crusts. Arrange fruit over sour cream mixture. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, stir yogurt and drizzle over fruit.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
With mixed fruit
Calories: 139
Protein: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 19 g
Cholesterol: 4 mg
Sodium: 82 mg
Total Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g

With mixed berries
Calories: 129
Protein: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 16 g
Cholesterol: 4 mg
Sodium: 82 mg
Total Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 246

Week 2 Prize Winners

Week 2 Prize Winners are now posted. Please pick up your prize at the weigh in tonight!

Pita Pizzas

Serves: 4 (1 per serving)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 - 6 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce or pizza sauce
1/8 tsp. sugar (if using tomato sauce)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled (if using tomato sauce)
2 (6 inch) whole-wheat or plain pita pockets, split into open into rounds
1 cup grated fat-free mozzarella-style soy cheese or part-skim mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green bell peppers
5 ounces can sliced mushrooms, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled

Directions:
Preheat broiler. In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, sugar, and 1.2 tsp. oregano. To assemble, place 2 pita halves in the center of a large baking sheet. Place remaining pita halves on another baking sheet. Spread 2 Tbsp sauce on each pita, sprinkle with cheese, top with peppers and mushrooms, and sprinke with 1 tsp. oregano. Place oven rack 3-4 inches from heat. Put one baking sheet in oven so pizzas are under flame. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted and edges begin to brown. Remove and cook remaining pizzas.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 143
Protein: 11 g
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Total Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sodium: 414 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 233

Nuts and Beans Tips

Eat more beans and peas.

• Eat peas or beans instead of meat (or with a little meat for flavoring).
• Soak beans overnight to shorten the cooking time.
• Use onions and garlic for seasoning, or season with small pieces of lean meat like ham, turkey, or beef.
• Make a quick, healthy meal with canned beans. Get the low-salt (low sodium) kind, or drain and rinse canned beans.

Choose nuts and nut butters more often.

• Nuts (pecans, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews) and nut butters are good sources of healthy fats.
• Remember that nuts are high in calories—a handful of nuts (1/4 cup) or two tablespoons of nut butter count as one serving.
• Choose unsalted or lightly salted nuts. Avoid nuts with added sugar, like honey roasted or chocolate-covered peanuts.
• A peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread makes a tasty lunch!

Banana-Kiwi Breakfast Shake

Depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you may want to add one or two tablespoons or sugar to this smooth morning drink.

Serves: 2 (1 cup per serving)
Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium banana, peeled and quartered
1 medium kiwi, peeled and halved
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
6 - ounce container nonfat or low-fat fruit flavored yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into glasses to serve.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 181
Protein: 8 g
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Cholesterol: 6 mg
Sodium: 167 mg
Total Fat: 2 g
Saturated: 1 g
Polyunsaturated: 0 g
Monounsaturated: 0 g

Source: American Heart Association - Quick & Easy Cookbook pg. 40

Week 2 Totals

Week 2 Totals are now posted! Another great week! Keep it up everyone!

Prize Drawing from Week 1

Here are the results of the prize drawing from the week 1 weigh in. This list does not include those that already picked up their prize. Please make sure you claim your prize tonight at the weigh in! See you tonight!

Fitness ball – Brandon Preece - tkt# 551559
Water bottle – Ruby Leatherwood – tkt# 551539
Water bottle – Cynthia Hagen - tkt# 551513
Water bottle – Boyd Ackerman - tkt# 551541
New Balance VIA Base – Jim Simpson - tkt# 551514
5 lb hand weights – Zachery Hanson - tkt# 551519
3 lb hand weights – Jayleen Shane - tkt# 551520