Heart Healthy Recipes

[curbhopper]

Someone told me this years ago ~ "Healthy is whatever makes you smile b/c smiling makes you healthy." Any time I go to have my blood pressure checked, I ALWAYS say,"It is off the scale but do not worry ~ I'm on meds for it." and I am...... I am probably a doctor's nightmare but I adore my doctor. "Mrs. Joyce........are you listening to me?" no "If I give you this script will you get it filled?" What is it for? "To slow down your heart." oh, like THAT'S a good idea ~ no.... I was his first patient when he joined this practice. 110/70.....what's our temperature to be now -14°? ~ Curbie

 

[Randy]

My last BP was 120/72 so that would be considered too high also. But I went to the doctor about 20 or 25 years ago when that second number (systolic?) exceeded 100. I felt fine, but what do I know. I had gone to give blood and they wouldn't take it because my BP was too high. I have been on meds ever since. But when I go into the doctor's for my 3 mos checkup, they have told me I have the heart of a high school kid. I go in early and before I eat anything so they can do a blood workup. They check my A1C which is an average blood/glucose reading. Since it is before breakfast, I am probably not quite awake at that point. That other BP reasding was at the blood bank again.

 

[curbhopper]

I have a hard time with 'those people' changing what's right and wrong about BP. "Eliminate stress" ~ well..........hey, YOU'RE not helping! We try to live a healthy life. Now MY idea of a healthy life is: Laugh, Love, and Pray to some really good music. I adore my doctor of many years. "I'm going to give you a pill to slow down your heart" and I say,"It isn't going to work b/c we got a kitten.You can't slow down with a kitten." He said,"We have to do something about your heart." I DID<<<<< I GOT A KITTEN<<<I am so heart-happy. I wear my Sketchers around the house~improves circulation. Sometimes he forgets to ask me to pay b/c he gets so confused ~ Curb

 

[curbhopper]

Pillsbury has a great website that I get emails froms and their stuff seems really good. Google: Pillsbury. I got one about slow cooker soups today ~ Curbie

 

[lynpenny]

i'm boiling a chicken today. I will bone it and make something with it later. I might haves soup or chicken salad or maybe a chicken pot pie. I'm just boiling that chicken right now. but we need to be low fat now. hubby started taking alli today. his doctor is upset with his triglycerides. I eat low fat most of the time and I'm getting so I'd rather not eat red meat but we have it because he wants it. a couple of months ago he wouldn't eat chicken any way but fried. now he is trying to change.

 

[Jade]

I am making an eggplant dish with some yummy blue cheese and a tomato sauce, this is a funky recipe, but it will be delish!

 

[lynpenny]

I love eggplant and tomatoes. I usually use mozzarella cheese with mine

 

[Jade]

Letting you all know, this heart healthy eating really does work! My doctor told me the other day that she was amazed that she didn't have to put me on any other medications. All of my bloodwork has returned to normal since March. I do allow myself an occasional treat, but no more half gallons of ice cream...I do get the single serving size about once a month or so. Lots and lots of veggies and lean proteins. She started me back on the iron supplements that she took me off of earlier. I have to get some hepatitis shots and take some pills for yellow fever before I accompany hubby to Brazil in March, but other than that I am off the hook for more bloodwork and doctor visits until July. Yippee. I thought that she was going to drop another bomb on me on Monday when I went in for a consult...but it was all good.

 

[curbhopper]

CONGRATULATIONS! Pat yourself on the back, Jade. I just watched Oprah and this fellow was saying that if you give a person $1 to go shopping with, they 'instinctively' head to the chips aisle for quick high level of calories. We rarely eat chips ~ maybe some in a bowl of chili. That same $1 only buys you very few calories and this is b/c of government subsidizing the WRONG foods. There must be a DVD out called 'Food Inc' she highly recommended. It can be bought on Amazon. My husband used to eat a half gallon of ice cream in about 5 days ~ I eat about 3 tbs. The other day, I really felt like having ice cream and in that aisle, I found these single servings of hot fudge Brownie with ice cream. There are 2 servings in a box and it is SO SLICK how you do it. They are made by Edwards and in a mostly yellow box. I made ONE the other night, added blueberries and hubby and I shared that one. I may be wrong about this but I think if you use all the colors in a meal, food groups (we don't really eat much bread though), and portion control, it is healthy. When a doctor tries to prescribe a medicine, my FIRST question ALWAYS is: WHAT can I eat so I don't have to take that daggone pill. I'm proud of you, Jade ~ Curbie

 

[Kya D]

I'm gonna check out the Pilsbury site. I need to eat healthier

 

[Jade]

CONGRATULATIONS! Pat yourself on the back, Jade. I just watched Oprah and this fellow was saying that if you give a person $1 to go shopping with, they 'instinctively' head to the chips aisle for quick high level of calories. We rarely eat chips ~ maybe some in a bowl of chili. That same $1 only buys you very few calories and this is b/c of government subsidizing the WRONG foods. There must be a DVD out called 'Food Inc' she highly recommended. It can be bought on Amazon. My husband used to eat a half gallon of ice cream in about 5 days ~ I eat about 3 tbs. The other day, I really felt like having ice cream and in that aisle, I found these single servings of hot fudge Brownie with ice cream. There are 2 servings in a box and it is SO SLICK how you do it. They are made by Edwards and in a mostly yellow box. I made ONE the other night, added blueberries and hubby and I shared that one. I may be wrong about this but I think if you use all the colors in a meal, food groups (we don't really eat much bread though), and portion control, it is healthy. When a doctor tries to prescribe a medicine, my FIRST question ALWAYS is: WHAT can I eat so I don't have to take that daggone pill. I'm proud of you, Jade ~ Curbie

Thanks Curbie, it isn't always fun skipping the junk food aisle, but when you see dramatic results you know that it is worth it. Two things I really miss are tacos, and real cheese that isn't full fat. The 70% fat free cheddar just isn't the same as the good old extra old cheddar. We have always loved veggies, so that hasn't been a problem. I am not really into meat too much anymore, so I don't miss that. Unfortunately that shows in my iron levels, so I have had to make sure to make myself eat as much meat as I can. I guess that those good old 'eat whatever you want' days are a thing of the past.

 

[lynpenny]

Thanks Curbie, it isn't always fun skipping the junk food aisle, but when you see dramatic results you know that it is worth it. Two things I really miss are tacos, and real cheese that isn't full fat. The 70% fat free cheddar just isn't the same as the good old extra old cheddar. We have always loved veggies, so that hasn't been a problem. I am not really into meat too much anymore, so I don't miss that. Unfortunately that shows in my iron levels, so I have had to make sure to make myself eat as much meat as I can. I guess that those good old 'eat whatever you want' days are a thing of the past.

Jade those good old "eat whatever you want" days are for only the young. I have to be so careful. I changed medicine a year ago and it not only made me hungry but it drives my blood sugar levels down to the point I have to have some sugar to get them up. Now I've gained 20 pounds back. We have finally got the dosage cut back enough that I think I might be able to lose some of this weight again. The hard part is that I've been exercising all along so now I have to step it up to make a difference. But being active is good for me but it is also hard when two days a week I have to sit at a desk most of the day. I just keep plugging away.

 

[curbhopper]

You're making the right moves though, Lyn. Mrds play SUCH a role in things which I guess is why we all try to stay off as many as we can, except some folks I know in our neighborhood who can recite every pill they are on ~ pill for depression, pill for relaxxation, pill for dieting ~ let me just say, she IS a pill! I also think heredity plays a huge role in it. Two grandmas=one tal and skinny and one short and fat. My sister was tall and skinny and I resemble the short fat one. The tall skinny ones die at an early age and the short fat ones ~ well, grandma was 101 when she died and my Dad is 93. I'm not discounting that I will probably be the one who forgets to look both ways and walk out in front of a bus, but we seem to have fewer health issues. Blood pressure is our hurdle. We do what we need to do ~ Curbie

 

[Jade]

I would love to grow a few inches, 5'1" just isn't enough!! My grandma on my dads side was a shorty too and had way too many extra pounds. She died of a stroke and it broke my heart. All of my cousins are overweight too. Genetics is a factor, but I am not going to use it as an excuse anymore. I need to overcompensate for the genetic factor if I want to live to meet and know my grandbabies. That is a really important thing for me.

 

[curbhopper]

Here are my grandmas ~ both were named Martha! I'm on the right of Grandma Parry and my sister is on the left of Grammie. Grammie Parry was the nurturer and Grandma Andrew was the WILD one! We used to call her Diamond 'Lil ~ she had a boyfriend in the Mofia, played bingo, danced until her wig would fall off! ~ Curbie

 

[Jade]

I love it that you had a "wild" grandma Curb. I hope to just be loving and fun. My sisters kids are young enough to be my grandkids and I love spending time with them. I remember when I had my first son my mother in law said "I am too young to be a grandma"....ha, is there such a thing. I can't wait to do some major spoiling. Bruce and I were in a store last weekend and I saw the cutest little dresses, he said UhOH. Oh well.

 

[curbhopper]

Oh, and I said that exactly backwards - I am on the left and my sister is on the right......whatever. I'm short. In my opinion, you become a grandma when those people have a child. It is not in our control. I have to tell you this story about Grandma Andrew. We would make the trip to North Carolina every summer and she would say such stupid things like,"THIS is GREAT day to travel"~ but we were in a driving rain storm behind a pig truck ~ no a/c back then. She always sat on the shore and let the waves wash up on her. There was a ballbuster of a wave and she rolled RIGHT into the ocean. Somebody got her up and she was simply laughing ~ she had lost her false teeth, her diamond earrings, and her glasses. Mom was yelling to my Dad and I went down to the shore to help. From down the beach, someone came up and said,"Ma'am, are these yours" (her glasses) Oh, I'm so glad you found them. thank you. This other guy showed up with her teeth. (I thought my Dad was going to strangle his own mother.) So GRANDMA started to yell,"FIND MY EARRINGS!!!!!" Do you know, this man showed up with her earrings. He sat in the sand with her to protect her. We are built like bowling balls. My Dad was so angry but it all turned out OK and all Grandma could do was thank people and laugh. "I must have looked like a beach ball!Do you know I have never lost my teeth before?" We were on a ferry and the water was very rough and she truly got stuck in the doorway of the ferry b/c it was rolling back and forth so much. She began to laugh and hollered for my Dad and me ( we were outside) b/c she truly was bouncing in the doorway ~ banga banga banga. It's a good thing I got to her first b/c she said," I have laughed so hard I should have gone to the bathroom before attemping this." So, this is the side of the family I resemble........ Oh HHRecipe ~ whatever makes you laugh Curbie

 

[Jade]

HeeHee Curbie. Great story. I remember when a coworker of my ex's was in the hospital. He had lost a leg in the war. We took our toddlers in to see him and they were in awe of the leg sitting beside the bed. I miss those people. I know that he died, but his wife is still around. I would love to see her. They were a great family for us to know as a young couple. I bet you make a great impact on those young men that you are "fostering". Keep up the good work.

 

[Jade]

Jade those good old "eat whatever you want" days are for only the young. I have to be so careful. I changed medicine a year ago and it not only made me hungry but it drives my blood sugar levels down to the point I have to have some sugar to get them up. Now I've gained 20 pounds back. We have finally got the dosage cut back enough that I think I might be able to lose some of this weight again. The hard part is that I've been exercising all along so now I have to step it up to make a difference. But being active is good for me but it is also hard when two days a week I have to sit at a desk most of the day. I just keep plugging away.

Hubby loves prime rib, I have only ever had it once and it grossed me out. He was listening to the radio on the way home from work one day and they said that beef tenderloin is an excellent substitute for prime rib. They had beef tenderloin for an excellent price at the grocery store right before Christmas, so we bought a whole one. I LOVE IT! It really isn't that expensive if you cut it all up into 4 or 5 oz steaks. It is much lower fat and tastes incredible.

 

[curbhopper]

I adore my kidlettes in our Hood b/c they really must learn while they are here. "Mrs. Carol, May please have........." I know what he is looking at and it is simply a banana. This child is 14. "I don't know what you want". Clue = IT RHYMES with Havana "Oh THAT'S right....it's a banana." Hubby always asks me when I will truly quite teaching.......why would I? ~ Curbie