High blood pressure diet is one of the natural remedies for hypertension.

What is normal blood pressure?

When systolic blood pressure is less than 130mmhg while diastolic blood pressure is less than 85mmhg, you are in normal status.

The idea status is when systolic is less than 120mmhg while diastolic is less than 80mmhg.

What is high blood pressure (HBP)?

If your blood pressure keeps above 140/90, then you’ll be diagnosed to have hypertension. If your blood pressure keeps at 130-139/85-89, then you have the danger to become hypertension. If you have diabetes or chronic disease, then 130/85 or above is considered to be hypertension.

Below is blood pressure chart

In stage 1 no organs such as heart or kidney have obvious damage or dysfunctions.

In stage 2 some organs have obvious damage or dysfunction.

Symptoms

In early stage, blood pressure only rise slightly and temporarily when patient has tension or emotional wave, or after the patient overworks. Patient has the following symptoms:

High blood pressure causes

b. Diet and nutrition

c. Unhealthy lifestyle

dangers of high blood pressure

If not well controled, HBP will develop into complications including heart and kidney disease.

• Heart failure
• Blood clot
• Stroke
• Kidney failure

Food to lower blood pressure

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, much high blood pressure is caused by liver heat while liver heat affects heart heat. So most green vegetables can clear away liver heat including celery, green bell pepper,asparagus,shepherd’s-purse,etc.

Tomato,purple cabbage and purple eggplant are good foods to reduce HBP.

Mung bean soup can be used as drinks.

High blood pressure diet should include whole wheat,coarse grain and food rich in Calcium such as seafood, sesame seed,etc.

For obese people, your blood pressure can be greatly reduced if you lose weight to normal level. So, most obesity diet foodHave A Great Story About This Topic?

Soul food recipes are growing healthier, to the delight of health experts and medical professionals. The popular southern cuisine have been a tradition of tasty eating for people for many decades. But the high calorie, fat and sodium have been a concern for health professionals. Traditional recipes have called for high amounts of fat, butter, salt and cream.

This has always worked to make food rich and tasty – but unhealthy. The ingredients have proven to contribute toward obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health ailments. But newer websites offers visitors creative ways to cook healthy soul food recipes while keeping the robust flavors and taste people have come to love.

The experts do this by using natural herbs, spices and flavors to make the dishes interesting and entertaining. In addition, lighter cooking techniques is also demonstrated with free state-of-the art videos visitors can watch on demand. These newer websites is updated each day, so visitors can get the latest healthy cooking tips.

Many tech-savvy websites also offer entertaining video recipes and demonstrations by experts – of the top soul food recipes. The recipes are voted by readers and experts based on page views for the day. That means visitors get minute by minute updates on the most popular recipes.

An interesting addition to many websites is the addition of a seasoning dictionary, where the reader can see what seasoning goes with what foods. This is an important aspect of cooking southern food. Why? Because robust flavors is the hallmark of southern cooking.

The biggest mistake people make when seasoning is either too much, or too little. The seasoning dictionary helps cooks to accurately apply herbs, seasonings and spices… mistake free. The best way to prepare and enjoy soul food cooking now is the healthy way. More modern websites help visitors cook with flair, fun and health in mind.

A handful of couples dance to upbeat Korean tunes as scores of Korean elders sit at dining tables, chatting in their native tongue. Friends haven’t seen each other for a week and they want to catch up. Suddenly, the lunchroom at the Korean Women’s Association grows quiet with anticipation. Volunteers pass out lunch trays heaping with steaming seasoned bean sprouts, seaweed soup and other dishes traditional to Korea – with a twist. It’s time to chow down the healthful way at the Korean senior lunch program.

On a recent Wednesday at the program, cooks reduced the salt in the kimchi, the fiery Korean staple of spicy, pickled vegetables. Instead of serving white rice, they prepared a more healthful dish called five-grain rice incorporating sweet rice, red beans, millet, black beans and kidney beans.

Every Wednesday, 120 to 140 Korean seniors from throughout Pierce County gather at the Korean Women’s Association for a few hours of companionship, activities, health information and Korean food.

It’s one of three ethnic lunch programs the association administers, with the help of a federal grant, at the association headquarters in Tacoma’s South End.

On Thursdays, the association’s Filipino lunch program attracts an average of 50 elders, said Celeste Lee, who manages the association’s senior nutrition program. About two dozen Samoan elders frequent the Samoan lunch program on Fridays.

Each program serves foods traditional to its ethnic group while modifying recipes to accommodate the dietary needs of diners suffering from age-related conditions.

On Wednesdays, for instance, Korean-born cooks make heavy use of the main seasonings in their traditional foods: garlic, sesame seed oil, salt and scallions.

But they use salt sparingly and completely avoid MSG (monosodium glutamate), a seasoning that can be troubling for people with high blood pressure and diabetes, Lee said.

They serve brown rice alone or mix white rice with barley or another grain.

“We know white rice has too many carbohydrates,” which can be bad for diabetics, Lee said.

A program nutritionist talks about healthful eating twice a month at the lunch programs, and helps plan lunch site meals to ensure that they meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines.

Annual surveys asking seniors their food preferences show that they’re heeding the nutritionist’s advice.

“People tell us, ‘We really like fish. Can we have that?’ They don’t want beef … they know it’s not healthy for them,” Lee said. “They are very health conscious now.”

Since immigrating to the United States, many of the elders ate too much Western food, laden with high sugar and red meat, in years past.

Now they suffer from Western health problems such as diabetes and high cholesterol.

“Diet has a lot to do with their health. The dietitian tells them ‘stick to your traditional diet and you’ll be healthy,’ ” Lee said. “… As they get older, they return to Korean food.”

A lunch commemorating the recent Full Moon Festival exemplified the marriage of healthful and traditional foods. The festival celebrates the start of spring, and emphasizes vegetables that are becoming available for harvest.

On the Full Moon menu: seaweed soup; broiled mackarel; kimchi; sautéed and seasoned bean sprouts; sauteed and seasoned daikon radish leaves; sautéed, shredded and seasoned daikon radish; the five-grain rice and hot corn tea.

“Radish leaves have a lot of vitamin C and fiber to aid in digestion,” Lee said, watching volunteers scoop the sauteed greens onto trays.

But the meal didn’t include celebratory cupcakes or ice cream. Desserts made of refined sugar aren’t part of the traditional Korean diet, and the program serves few of those sweets, Lee said. Instead, the senior lunches generally include half an apple, a few strawberries or some other type of fruit or plain rice cake.

There’s much more to the program than food, however.

Several participants said it provides a chance to socialize with people who can speak the same language.

For 77-year-old Boksoon Choi, the Wednesday lunches are her only regular opportunity to visit with other people in Korean.

It’s not much fun eating alone in her Tacoma apartment, she said through a translator.

Her lunchtime favorites: miso soup and any kind of fish.

“Everything here tastes delicious,” she said. “I like to come for the exercise, to dance and to talk to people.”

Roger Hart and his Korean-born wife, Marie, are also regulars. The Spanaway couple is out on the dance floor for nearly every song.

“I need the exercise,” said Marie, 79. She used to have trouble walking but can get around fine since she started dancing at the lunch site.

Roger, 74, is usually the only non-Korean at the lunch program. He has no idea of the conversations bubbling around him, but he said it doesn’t bother him a bit. “I don’t want to understand,” he said with a hearty laugh. “They might be talking about me.”

Debby Abe: 253-597-8694

Back away from white rice:

Celeste Lee’s tips for weaning families from white rice to healthy rice:

 • Wash one cup of brown rice and soak it in water overnight. The next day, add the brown rice to two cups of white rice and cook in the rice cooker. Serve. On subsequent days, gradually start raising the proportion of brown rice and reducing the amount of white rice.

 • Boil dried beans, divide them into small portions, place them in a plastic bag and freeze. Mix one of the bags of beans into white or brown rice while cooking the rice. Try black beans, red beans, kidney beans, garbanzos or any other types of dried beans.

The following recipes are similar to those used at the Korean lunch program at the Korean Women’s Association: Pan-fried Tofu with Spicy Sauce

(Dubu buchim yangnyumjang)

Half package of tofu (about 10 ounces)

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

1 teaspoon sugar (or honey)

1 green onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Roasted sesame seeds

Slice the tofu into 10 bite-size pieces (1/4-inch thick rectangles). Dry each piece with a paper towel.

Heat a pan with 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the tofu and lower the heat. Cook over low heat about 5 to 7 minutes.

When the bottom of the tofu looks golden brown, turn it over and cook another 5 minutes.

Transfer the cooked tofu to a serving plate.

Make the sauce by mixing the minced garlic, chopped green onion, hot pepper flakes, sugar (or honey), soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl.

Spoon the sauce evenly over the tofu, and sprinkle roasted sesame seeds just before serving.

Serve with rice as a side dish.

Source: Maangchi.com

Japchae

2 bunches starch noodles (dangmyun)

5 dried shiitake mushrooms

2 cups white mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons soy sauce

3 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

3 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Prepare ingredients before stir frying by:

 • Soaking dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for a few hours until they become soft. Squeeze out water and slice thinly.

 • Slicing white mushrooms.

 • Cutting carrot into thin, 2-inch-long matchstick-shaped pieces.

 • Cutting green onions into 3-inch-long pieces.

 • Slicing onion thinly.

 • Slicing beef into thin strips.

Boil 2 bunches of noodles in boiling water in a big pot for about 3 minutes. When the noodles are soft, drain and place in large bowl. Keep hot water in pot.

Use scissors to cut noodles into several sections. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Mix and set aside.

In the boiling water, add spinach and gently stir 1 minute. Remove and rinse in cold water three times, thoroughly discarding grit and dead leaves. Squeeze water out gently, then cut into 2-inch-long pieces.

Add 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil, and mix with spinach and place in large bowl.

Next, separately fry each ingredient with a few drops of olive oil on a heated pan, then place the ingredient in a large bowl.

 • Fry carrot strips, stirring with a spatula for 30 seconds and place in the bowl.

 • Fry sliced onions, stirring until they are translucent; add to the bowl.

 • Fry green onions, stirring for 1 minute and add to the bowl.

 • Fry beef strips and sliced shiitake mushrooms, stirring until well-cooked. Then add minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Stir for another 30 seconds and add to the bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon ground pepper to the large bowl. Mix all ingredients, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds on the top.

Serve with rice and kimchi, or as a side dish.

Source: Maangchi.com

Spinach side dish (sigeumchi namul)

1 teaspoon salt

1 bunch of spinach

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 green onion, chopped

11/2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds

Remove dead leaves and roots from spinach; using scissors is an easy way to cut them. In boiling water, add salt and blanche the spinach for 30 seconds. Drain the cooked spinach and rinse in cold water three times; gently squeeze out the water.

Cut the spinach a few times and set it aside.

Place minced garlic, chopped green onion, soy sauce and sesame oil in a large bowl; mix with a spoon.

Place spinach into sauce and mix by hand. Transfer spinach onto a serving plate and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Source: Maangchi.com

Bulgogi /Pulgogi

1 to 11/2 pounds of thinly sliced rib-eye steak from a Korean market (see note)

1/3 cup of soy sauce. For a gluten-free variation, use San-J Organic Tamari Wheat Free Soy Sauce found in the health food section of local grocery stores

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 of a medium yellow onion, halved and sliced into medium moon shaped slivers

2 green onions including the white parts, finely sliced into small pieces

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

2 pinches of black pepper

* Optional 1/4 teaspoon of ginger, finely minced

Whisk all ingredients, except beef and onions, together in a medium bowl. When most of the sugar is dissolved, add beef and onion slices to the bowl. Massage the marinade with your hands into each slice of beef. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

To pan fry, place a few slices of beef completely flat in single layers on a hot, oiled frying pan and fry each side until cooked. Some people prefer to cook the bulgogi until some of the edges have turned dark brown and crispy. Serve with hot rice.

Note on meat: Slice the rib-eye or sirloin steak across the grain in paper-thin slices. Partially freezing the beef helps to cut clean slices.

Using fruit in the marinade: Many bulgogi recipes call for shredded apples or Korean apple-pears. Because the meat is sliced very thinly, adding fruit to sweeten and tenderize is unnecessary, especially when using rib-eye steak purchased from either a Korean or Asian grocery store that already is cut for bulgogi.

Websites that offer free soul food recipes continue to respond to customer demands. With so much talk of healthier eating, balanced diets and weight watching, many traditional recipes are slowly making adjustments. Soul food recipes are no exception to this rule. The southern comfort food with the long reputation for robust tasting food and plenty of it, has also been infamous for high calorie foods as well.

Along with the reputation for food that taste so good it brings tears of joy to most peoples eyes and tastbuds, the health concerns of have often done the same thing for health professionals. Many fears of health professionals are slowly fading away with healthier cooking and preparation techniques on many websites.

To the delight of nutritionist, dieticians and other health professionals, you can find healthier recipes in more southern cuisine cooking than ever before. The public continues to demand it and the industry continues to respond. by offering healthier choices.

For example, you’ll find more natural ingredients used to season the dishes than in the past. For example, pork products, like fatback and ham hocks, used in most traditional soul food cooking the past, is slowly fading away. Most restaurants, cookbooks and online recipe sites have all but eliminated using pork products, which contains large amounts of fat, salt and calories. By eliminating these high risk ingredients incidence of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other health ailments can be reduced, especially in the African American communities.

This and of course the profit motive have been the driving forces in the healthier menu movement on more and more free soul food recipe websites. More recipe publishers are beginning to realize they’ll have to adjust to this movement or be left behind. The primary changes taking place now is healthier ingredients. Healthier seasonings that are more natural. For example, herbs like rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, fresh garlic, basil and more.

You can also find many health conscious cooks ditching the salt and marinating meats, chicken and fish to give it flavor and moistness. You’ll also finding less frying and more baking, roasting and grilling. The more creative cooks are using cooking techniques not normally associated with traditional soul food recipes. For example, Chinese cooking techniques such as stir frying. An a healthy quick cooking technique that preserves up to 80% of a foods nutrients compared to boiling or other frying techniques.

With the healthy eating trend in full swing, you can expect to see more changes in the free soul food recipes industry. Positive customer feedback continues to grow as the industry adapts from the traditional to the healthier. Stay tuned for future updates.

Soul food recipes have appeared back on the radar as a popular cuisine. With one of the few original foods originated and developed in America, many people fall into certain pitfalls.

Many of the pitfalls include obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and other possible health ailments. Healthier cooking ingredients and techniques continue grow as more consumers look for better ways to eat healthy and live longer. But we still want to enjoy the comfort food feeling of this southern cuisine.

Here’s ways to fight these pitfalls and enjoy the dishes we all love.

1. Cook In Less High Calorie Fats and Oils.

Traditionally our great-grandmothers cooked everything in lard , that gave the foods a rich taste. But unfortunately people who enjoyed the lard laden foods developed life threatening ailments such as high blood pressure, heart disease and weight problems to name a few. One of the keys to avoid these problems is to cook in lighter oils such as peanut oil, olive oil or sesame seed oil for example.

2. Use More Quick Cooking Methods.

Traditionally we cooked soul food, especially vegetables, for hours in large amounts of water. That made the house smell good all day, in fact it made the whole block smell good, even for passersby. The negative in cooking vegetables in large amounts of water for hours at a time loses the valuable vitamins and nutrients.

The answer is to use more quick cooking techniques such as stir frying or sautéing. You can find popular recipes online for stir frying collard greens, mustard greens or cabbage. These recipes continue to grow in popularity. Not only do they cook quicker, most in under 5 minutes, but by cooking quicker you can save more of the valuable vitamins and nutrients contained in these power-packed vegetables.

3. Season More Naturally.

Soul food recipes and seasonings go together. In fact, besides the attitude of the cook, the seasonings give the dishes it’s soul. If you ever taste a meal that’s bland, tasteless or boring it’s disappointing. Traditionally flavorings such as fat back, ham hocks, bacon and large doses of salt were the staples used. They were also responsible for an assortment of health ailments, especially when eaten in large doses or eaten regularly.

To protect yourself against these pitfalls, more natural seasonings continue to grow in popularity. Because these are more natural you can avoid the health risk of traditional seasonings. The examples are onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, Cayenne Pepper, oregano and others.

As soul food recipes grow more popular, healthier alternatives continue to develop. This will appeal to a growing number of people looking to eat healthier and live longer, without giving up the meals they love.

There are many factors which can lead to heart disease. Smoking, stress, limited physical activity, diets high in saturated and trans fats all contribute to cardiovascular diseases. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer in the USA and is responsible for 1/3 of all deaths! However, there are ways to reduce the risk of developing heart disease. A simple place to start is with a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Many studies show how specific nutrients have healing effects on the heart. Below is a list of some of these nutrients.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is essential to make Collagen – an important component in the make up of our arteries. Collagen is an elastic substance which allows the arteries to contract and expand for healthy blood flow. Collagen repairs our arteries when they are damaged by free radicals.

If there is not enough vitamin C in our system to produce collagen, an unhealthy substitute is used instead – cholesterol! If this continues, cholesterol builds up and the arteries harden (atherosclerosis) constricting blood flow. This can also lead to angina and a possible heart attack or stroke. Furthermore, vitamin C helps detoxify blood and prevents blood from sticking and clotting. Some good juicer recipes food sources include oranges, kiwi fruit, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, apples, broccoli, cucumber and carrots.

VITAMIN E

Vitamin E like vitamin C is also important for a healthy heart and is a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent free radical attacks on artery walls. It also has blood thinning properties and can prevent blood from sticking and clotting. Good juicer recipes food sources include blackberries, apples and kiwi fruit.

MAGNESIUM

Magnesium is essential for the muscles of the body to function which includes the heart. A healthy heart requires both magnesium and calcium to function. For instance, magnesium is essential for the heart muscle to relax. Calcium is needed for the heart to contract.

If there isn’t enough magnesium then cramping can occur causing high blood pressure and arrhythmia. If magnesium levels get low enough, a heart attack can be the result. Good juicer recipes food sources include kiwi fruit, blackberries, strawberries, spinach, kale and broccoli.

CALCIUM

Calcium works with magnesium for the heart muscles to function properly. Low levels of calcium can also raise blood pressure. Good juicer recipes food sources include oranges, kale, spinach and parsley

POTASSIUM

Potassium is also vital for the heart to function. It allows nerve impulses to reach the muscles and carry out the desired response. Very low potassium levels, like magnesium, can also trigger a heart attack. My father who drinks way too much alcohol suffered a low potassium heart attack. Great juicer recipes food sources include oranges, strawberries, spinach and tomatoes.

B6 and FOLIC ACID

Low levels of B6 and folic acid can raise homocysteine levels in the blood. Even the slightest increase in homocysteine can increase the risk of developing heart disease. Great juicer recipes food sources for B6 is watermelon and carrots. Food sources for folic acid include blackberries, broccoli and spinach.

ALLIUM COMPOUNDS

Allium compounds are phytochemicals found in garlic and onions. Garlic is considered to be an excellent food source for a healthy heart. Research shows that allium compounds can lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

ELLAGIC ACID

Ellagic acid is a phytochemical that can lower cholesterol. It is mostly found in berries and a few other fruits. Great juicer recipes food sources include red grapes, kiwifruit, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.

HEALTHY HEART JUICER RECIPES

Fitting all of these nutrients into your diet is going to have great benefits for your heart health. Juicing is a simple and excellent way to do this. We have put together two delicious juicer recipes for you. One is fruit based, the other vegetable based. We recommend rotating both of these juicer recipes so you are sure to get some great healthy heart nutrients into your diet! Alternatively you can use the information here to experiment with and put together your own juicer recipes.

Heart Healthy Juice #1 – Berry Bonanza!

1 cup of blueberries1 cup of blackberries1 cup of strawberries1 Kiwi fruit (peeled)

Wash the berries, top the strawberries and peel the kiwi.Juice them and then mix with the juice with a good stir.Heart healthy nutrients in this juice include vitamin C, vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, and ellagic acid.

Heart Healthy Juice #2 – Hearty Vegetables!

2 carrots1 cup of spinach1 cup of kale1/2 cup of parsley1/2 an apple (add more to sweeten)1 glove of garlic (add to taste)

Heart healthy nutrients supplied include vitamins C, B6 and E, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, calcium and allium compounds. For more heart healthy juicer recipes visit Juicer Recipes

Have fun juicing and stay healthy.

Salt should be added slowly and, depending on the recipes, in steps. Thats how the pros do it and it makes sensethis is how to get the best taste and to make sure you dont over salt. The reason to salt anything is bring out the flavor of foodnot mask itand you only need a little bit.

But salt is salt is saltright? Not necessarily. there is a big difference in types of salt– kosher, sea salt and regular table salt. you may want to rethink your saltshaker.

Kosher salt is coarse and free of any additives. The taste is lighter, less salty than regular table salt and is a good choice for cooking. As a matter of fact, in a poll of 50 top U.S. chefs, 86 percent preferred cooking with kosher salt than any other kind.

Sea salt is made from evaporated seawater and contains the extra minerals found in the seawater itself. Baleine (French for whale) is the brand of sea salt most readily available in supermarkets. it comes in a blue container with a whale on the label. Its pricier than table salt for sure, but it will last awhile.

Table salt is pure sodium chloride with a small amount of chemical substance that stops it from clunking together and therefore, free flowing. believe it or not, table salt often has dextrose (a sugar) added to stabilize itwho knew?

Thats the practical, cooking side of salt. there are also the health concerns with salt and the majority of the too much salt-in-your-food syndrome comes once again from processed foods and less from your salt shaker (although, you need to watch that, too).

For example, did you know that a fast food hamburger will have nearly twice the amount of sodium than the homemade version? Or that such foods like cereal, instant cocoa, cake mixes and cottage cheese even, are extremely high in sodium?

Excessive intake of salt is a major contributing factor to hypertension. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a disease that puts undue stress on the heart and other internal organs just to keep the blood pumping and moving through the body. This disease leads to stroke, heart disease, kidney failurethis is serious stuff!

We need some salt, but not 10 grams which is what the average American ingests on a daily basisthats 10 times too much! We only need about 1 gram and again, that will be picked up naturally by the foods you choose. think of it this way: one tablespoon of soy sauce is your daily quota of salt for the day. makes you sort of rethink things, doesnt it?

Have you ever been out to dinner and later that night, felt you could down a gallon of water in one sitting? Theres an indication that your food was way over salted. Eating too much food from restaurants and the processed stuff we buy from grocery stores that we erroneously call food, will set us up for future health concerns, big time.

Just rememberthe flavor of your food is truly worth its salt. Especially when you are using a quality salt and using it sparingly. you will be amazed how little you start to use when can use a little bit on your food when youre eating more natural foods and way less of the processed stuff.

Leanne Ely is a new York Times bestselling author of Body Clutter and the Saving Dinner series. The Dinner Diva syndicated newspaper column appears in 250 newspapers nationwide. Learn how to cook great and save significant money with the Dinner Divas menus, recipes and shopping lists at www.savingdinner.com.

Going without meat doesn’t mean your diet must go without substance.

You can replace some of your favorite foods with healthy vegetarian options.

If you can’t give up meat full time, consider going meatless once a week, says Kerrie Saunders, PhD, a West Bloomfield food consultant and author.

“Every change matters. the better someone feels, the more likely they are to take the next step forward,” said Saunders, who gives tips and recipes at www.drfood.org.

Studies show a diet high in vegetables and low in meat is associated with lower risk of cancer, heart disease, obesity, stroke and high blood pressure.

About 3% of Americans are full-time vegetarians, but you don’t have to go all the way to reap the benefits. Replacing some meals with vegetable-only options can boost your health, said vegan dietitian Virginia Messina.

“It gives you a psychological boost right away,” says Messina, who has a master’s degree in public health from the University of Michigan.

If you do it right, it can be painless to become a vegetarian or a flexitarian, who forays only occasionally into meat. Here’s how to make it happen:

Start small. “Begin gradually and increase the number of meatless meals over time so it’s not overwhelming to come up with all these new choices at once,” Messina says.

Keep it simple. Opt for veggie pizza instead of the usual pepperoni; hearty rice and beans or quinoa with vegetables as a main course; pasta without the meatballs; and dinner salads with delicious, easy add-ins like pecans and apples.

Don’t deprive. Retailers like Meijer and Kroger offer soy ice cream bars, veggie burritos and cheesy vegetable pot pies. Check out products from Amy’s Kitchen and Kashi, brands that offer vegetarian meals busy people can pop in the microwave. “Transition foods look, taste and act the same way as foods you’re comfortable with,” Saunders said.

Replace your favorites. Can’t imagine life without hot dogs? try a soy dog on a roll slathered in mustard. Veggie burger options abound. in stews, try hearty mushrooms in place of stew meat and finely chopped red peppers in place of ground beef. Sausage and bacon lovers can find soy replacements in most grocery stores. “It’s very hard to get bored,” Saunders said.

By Teresa Taylor Williams | Muskegon Chroni…February 20, 2010, 6:00AM

Muskegon Chronicle/Kendra Stanley-MillsEdgar Quezada, 13, eats an apple during lunch at Shelby Middle School Wednesday afternoon. the seventh-grader said participating in B.E.A.D. I.T. helped him lose 9 pounds.MUSKGEGON — Thirteen-year-old Gabrielle Warmuskerken seems healthy enough.

She plays volleyball, does Pilates, and her favorite food is applesauce.

But after a couple weeks logging her activity and water and food consumption, Warmuskerken realized she’s fallen short in eating enough vegetables. she also learned she doesn’t eat enough, often consuming half of the calories she should.

Seventh-graders at Shelby Middle School are on a six-week health kick promoting healthier lifestyle choices. Led by health and technology instructor Mary Jackson, the initiative is dubbed “BEAD-It,” which stands for Balancing Exercise Activity and Diet Involve Teamwork.

It takes some effort for students to figure out their calories and log physical activity. But the idea, Jackson said, is to get students thinking more about the choices they make each day.

Mary Jackson”A lot of kids skip meals because they have a body image issue and want to be skinny. Many don’t get enough physical activity because it’s been cut out of the school curriculum,” said Jackson. “We’re working toward developing better lifeskills, proper eating and physical activity. They don’t realize they can use this for the rest of their lives.”

The students wear a bean counter, or a pin with beads, representing the school colors of black, white and purple. Beads are moved as they reach daily short-term goals ranging from drinking 16 oz. of water to exercise. the students track healthy choices made throughout the day.

“I really like it but the hardest part is getting in all of the food groups. it can be difficult to meet the calories or vegetables that I need, but I feel bad if I don’t get them all in,” Warmuskerken said. “I really like seeing everyone get into it.”

Brandon Lewis, 13, is a three-sport athlete at Shelby who is open to learning how to take better care of his body.

“I wasn’t eating real healthy at the beginning, like with fast food. But I’m starting to eat more grilled chicken, beans and broccoli. my parents are getting into it, too,” he said. “Some kids don’t like (the program,) but I think if they give it a try, they will like it.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, most young people in the U.S. are not following recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Roughly 67 percent of youth ages 6-19 exceed dietary guidelines recommendations for fat intake, and in 2007, only 21.4 percent of high school students reported eating fruits and vegetables five or more times daily within a week.

Shelby is one of 24 area elementary and middle schools throughout Muskegon, Oceana and Newaygo counties which received federal grant money funneled through the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District to promote healthy lifestyle changes in children.

That effort is called SPLASH — Shaping Positive Lifestyles & Attitudes through School Health. To be eligible for the funds, 50 percent of a school’s student body receive free and reduced lunch. Schools may use the money for activities or workshops that educate students and parents about making healthy choices.

“We can teach students about health nutrition in the classroom, but, for example, if parents aren’t buying healthy foods, they are not on the same page,” said Alecia Hoppa, prevention and health education consultant with the MAISD. “The idea is to help students and parents” by encouraging healthy habits.

Obesity is an excess percentage of body weight due to fat that puts individuals at risk for many health problems.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 percent, or more than 9 million children ages 6 to 19 years old, are overweight or obese — a number that has tripled since 1980. Excess weight in children and adolescents can lead to high blood pressure, Type 2 Diabetes and low self-esteem.

Last year, Orchard View’s Early Elementary hosted a family night with food “tasting” booths and physical activities. Students were rewarded for visiting various stations with jump ropes.

Holton Elementary Principal Carol Dawson said her school used their SPLASH money to buy water bottles and make tasty, light snacks such as fruit and yogurt parfaits they served during last spring’s Track and Field Day.

Holton’s Kim Brosco appreciates the school’s efforts to drill good lifestyle habits into children early, because it reinforces what she’s trying to do at home. While her family is physically active, challenges sometimes lie in limiting sugar and making sure her three children who are grades K, 2, and 4, get enough fruit and vegetables.

One trick she uses is finely dicing vegetables and blending them into meals.

“I learned that from my mom,” she said with a laugh. “It’s very important for them to have healthy habits because too many kids are overweight and aren’t getting exercise like they should nowadays,” she said.

After healthy recipes were sent home, Dawson said many children reported they had tried the foods at home with good results.

“We’re excited to have the money again to do this. it was neat because at both events, the children got to take something away in an exercise souvenir with jump ropes, and a healthy message,” she said.

Warmuskerken believes she’ll carry what she learned during the simple six-week project for a long time to come.

“It will definitely help me in the future,” she said, “because I’m more aware now.”

E-mail Teresa Taylor Williams: ttwilliamsclerch@muskegonchronicle.com

Healthy soul food recipes continue to grow in popularity and demand. With this nations rising health problems, especially among African Americans, the need for healthy alternatives continue increase. As tasty and filling as the traditional down-home meals our great grandma used to make were, we now know some of the ingredients and methods of cooking were bad for us. many of the traditional recipes contained high levels of cholesterol, fat and sodium. these ingredients in-turn ignited high cases of high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity as well as other health ailments.

To offset the negative results, traditional soul food recipes continue to go through a transformation. As a result it’s making a strong comeback among today’s health conscious adults and seniors. to help you make the transformation in your own home and family here’s a short list on how to cook healthier soul food meals. This list will help you to adjust your cooking methods easier, if you haven’t started already. If you’ve started cooking healthier, these tips will act as your inspiration to continue using healthier alternatives in preparing soul food. these healthy changes allow you to eat healthier without sacrificing taste. it may surprise you how little the original taste is sacrificed. Of course it may not taste as good as your grandmas, but you’ll find your taste buds applauding.

Here’s a short list of healthier alternatives for cooking soul food.

1. Instead of using whole milk:

Use reduced 1 or 2% milk when a recipe requires milk. for example, use in cornbread, custard, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato pie, etc.

2. Instead of using table salt:

Use Kosher salt. it has less sodium than regular table salt. But the healthiest alternative is using lime juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and other various herbs and spices instead of salt.

3. Instead of deep fat frying:

Fry, bake, broil or roast your meats.

4. Instead of flavoring vegetables or beans with fat back, bacon or ham hocks:

Flavor them with smoked turkey necks, turkey ham or turkey bacon.

5. Instead of frying your chicken or fish in lard or vegetable oil:

Use peanut oil or at least canola oil.

6. Instead of pan frying in oil:

7. Instead of cooking chicken with the skin:

Consider removing the skin from chicken before cooking and marinate to add flavor and moistness. by removing the skin you eliminate artery clogging cholesterol.

These are a few examples of using healthier ingredients in your soul food recipes. As you use them you’ll discover how little taste you’re sacrificing. In addition, your health won’t have to suffer like our ancestors may have had to. because of these healthier cooking tips now you can have your soul food … at eat it too!