Food as Medicine: October Newsletter

Discover the Basics of Inflammation

Managing inflammation is super important for staying healthy because it's how our body naturally defends itself. When our body senses something like germs or an injury, it calls our immune system to action. This means sending white blood cells and other chemicals to help heal and protect the area, which can cause swelling, redness, or warmth around cuts or bruises. While this is a good thing in the short term, if inflammation sticks around too long, it can lead to problems like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and even some cancers. 

The good news is that we can keep inflammation in check by making smart lifestyle choices. Eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, sleeping well, and managing stress can all help keep our bodies healthy and lower the risk of chronic diseases.

Diet and lifestyle changes can help prevent or reduce chronic inflammation.

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
• Choose healthy oils such as olive, avocado, coconut oil.
• Cut back or eliminate highly processed foods. This includes cured meats with nitrates, refined carbohydrates such as white bread and sugar-sweetened drinks.
• Talk to your doctor about your diet. Ask if you should consider taking fish oil, or another supplement high in omega 3s, which can help reduce inflammation.

Mexican-style green beans with chicken and egg

An easy, inexpensive, and nutritious lunch or dinner!

Ingredients:

 1 pound of green beans

 6 whole eggs

 4 red tomatoes

 1 medium onion

 1 garlic clove

 1 pinch of salt

 2 pinch of black pepper

 2 tablespoons of cooking oil

 1 pound of ground meat

• Prepare the green beans: Wash the green beans, trim the ends, slice into small pieces, and boil for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Chop vegetables: Finely chop the onion and tomato. 
• Cook ground meat and vegetables: Heat oil in a pan, cook the meat, then add minced garlic to sauté. Next, add the chopped onion and cook until soft, followed by the tomato with a pinch of salt.
• Combine with green beans: Add the cooked green beans to the mixture.
• Add eggs: Pour in beaten eggs, stirring constantly to incorporate everything, and cook for another 6 minutes.

Serve the Mexican-style green beans with sausage and egg with:

Black beans topped with cheese (Mexican or parmesan style cheese)

Corn tortillas or slices of toasted multigrain bread

Fresh Fruit Cocktail

Fast, nutritious, and easy desert!

Ingredients:

Bring together all fresh fruit you have available.

Apple, pear, mango, melon, strawberry, banana, berries, and other

Juice of ½ a fresh lemon

Process:

Wash the fruit, cut in small pieces, and mix in a deep container.

Add orange juice (half a cup to a cup and a half depending on quantity of fruit).

Squeeze half of a fresh lemon onto fruit.

Add raisins or cranberries to taste and mix all ingredients.

Serve in large cup, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon, and enjoy with a spoon.

Sprinkle with raw oats to serve for breakfast.

PB and Apple Sweet Potato Toast

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 5 min

Entire Recipe: 184 calories, 8g total fat, 75 mg sodium, 23.5 carbs, 4.5g fiber, 6g sugars, 5g protein

2 1/4 inch thick sweet potato slices

1 tbsp creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp chopped apple

1 dash cinnamon

1. Wrap sweet potato slices in a paper towel. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes

2. Place slices in a toaster: Toast until cooked through and slightly crispy, repeating as needed.

3. Spread sweet potato toast with peanut butter. Top with apple and cinnamon.