Nutrition Educator/ Author/ Coach
When you need a “go-to” side dish you can whip up in a hurry, it doesn’t get much simpler than this!
Especially if you use Steamer Green Beans.
Do use “seasoned” rice vinegar (not plain) – it does make a difference.
Here’s the recipe!
Green Beans with Braised Onions
The teachers in my grade school were big fans of “pop quizzes.” We never knew when we’d be asked to pull out a blank piece of paper and answer the questions being written on the board.
Most of us dreaded those pop quizzes, but in retrospect, they did keep us on our toes!
In that spirit, there’s a little nutrition pop quiz just for fun. See if you know the answer 🙂
a) a serving of beef
b) a serving of baked all-natural chicken
c) a large order of McDonald’s French fries
d) a serving of salted pretzels?
(Think it over carefully as the Jeopardy music plays in your head)
The chicken.
In his book How Not to Die, Dr. Michael Greger points out that the poultry industry commonly injects chicken carcasses with salt water to artificially inflate their weight, yet the chicken can still be labeled “100 percent natural.”
Consumer Reports found that some supermarket chickens are pumped so full of salt water that they registered 840 mg of sodium per serving – that could mean more than a full day’s worth of sodium in just one chicken breast.
Surprising, right?
The majority of our salt intake comes from processed food, animal products, and fast food. But a whole food, plant-based diet provides all the sodium your body needs.
Tips:
PS: Need help switching to a healthier diet? Check out my courses and optional coaching opportunities. I’d sure love to help you!
Yet everyone you serve this to will think they’re eating a gourmet dinner at a high-priced restaurant!
This recipe has been a regular in our house since a friend shared it with me back in 2020. And I’m sure it’s not going away any time soon!
It’s the combination of flavors that make this dish different – and superb!
In the past, I wasn’t a big fan of tempeh (TEM-pay); but this recipe has made me a believer. (See the photo and read more about tempeh below).
Cyd’s Notes:
(Originally Published 2016; Updated 6-15-22.)
Dear Coach: One of my parents died with Alzheimer’s disease. I plan to get tested to see if I have the gene but wanted to know if you could recommend any foods to help prevent Alzheimer’s. Anonymous
Dear Anon: My sincere condolences to you on your loss. It’s a real struggle when a loved one develops Alzheimer’s; I applaud you for being concerned about your own cognitive function. I know that you’re not alone in your concerns; the class that I offer on this topic fills up each time it’s offered.
There is good news – you are not a helpless victim without options. There is MUCH you can do to lower your risk. But first let’s take a look at the Alzheimer’s gene. Back in the 1990’s, the ApoE4 gene was discovered to be a major player in the susceptibility of Alzheimer’s.
The ApoE4 gene is the principal carrier of cholesterol in the brain. If someone inherits the gene from either parent, their risk of getting the disease triples (this affects about 15% of the U.S. population). If someone inherits the gene from both parents, their risk increases nine-fold (this affects about 1 in 50 people).
To date, the people in Nigeria have the highest frequency of the ApoE4 gene in the world. Yet they have some of the LOWEST rates of Alzheimer’s. This paradox is explained by the grain and vegetable diet of the Nigerians, which results in low cholesterol levels that have appeared to trump their genes.
Cholesterol encourages the production of beta-amyloid (plaques that lie between brain cells). People who
have the ApoE4 gene absorb cholesterol more easily from their digestive tracts compared with people who don’t have the gene. They tend to have higher cholesterol levels and higher risk of both heart disease and stroke.
In a 20-year study of 1,000 people, researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine Journal that having the ApoE4 gene doubled the odds of Alzheimer’s, but high cholesterol nearly tripled the threat.
So if the greatest threat of Alzheimer’s are treatable factors – such as high cholesterol and blood pressure – then controlling these lifestyle factors could reduce a person’s risk, even if they have the DOUBLE ApoE4 gene (the odds decrease from 9x down to 2x). This is great news for anyone concerned not only about their brain health, but heart disease and stroke as well.
Another study of 9844 people Kaiser Permanent subscribers in California showed that a high cholesterol level in midlife (early 40’s) predicted their Alzheimer risk twenty to thirty years later. If your cholesterol is around 220, your Alzheimer risk is about 25% higher. And if your cholesterol is in the 250 range or higher, your likelihood of developing the disease would be about 50% higher.
What’s the best way to lower your cholesterol and blood pressure? Diet trumps all. Cholesterol is only found in animal foods – meat, fish, dairy, eggs – and so lowering or eliminating the intake of meat and dairy is crucial. Don’t be fooled by believing that chicken and fish are healthier – they contain as much cholesterol as beef.
Enjoy a diet which focuses on beans, potatoes, rice, corn, pasta, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. It’s not rabbit food – but delicious entrees of lasagna, burritos, stews, tamale casseroles, burgers, stir frys, cheesy soups, sloppy joes and much more. A plant-centered diet is not a diet of restriction – but a gift! I continually urge people to lower cholesterol through food, not statins (which have terrible side effects and only lower risk of cardiovascular events by 1.6%).
Should you get tested for the gene? Doctors can check which ApoE genes you are carrying with a simple blood test, and some people are eager to find out as much as possible about themselves. A negative reading could put their minds at rest.
On the other hand, there’s nothing you can do to change your genes, but you can do much to reduce the risk of their expression. If you discover you have the gene, how will that affect you mentally? Only you can determine if testing is right for you. Not having the gene does not guarantee freedom from Alzheimer’s; just as having the gene does not guarantee you’ll develop the disease. The Nigerians are a good example. Remember that genetics load the gun, but lifestyle typically pulls the trigger.
Click here to read why you should stop/limit ingesting aluminum (or using toiletries which contain it).
Click here to see which books I recommend on this topic.
Your best defense against dementia is a low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet. The most anti-inflammatory and health promoting way of eating available. So powerful it can even reverse advanced stages of heart disease!
To learn more about which foods to eat, check out this free webinar and then schedule a call if you’d like to chat about how you can get started.
If you’d like to be notified of our classes or if you have a question, please contact me through www.cydnotter.com. (Sources: Dr. N. Barnard Power Foods for the Brain; Dr. M. Greger, NutritionFacts.org: The Alzheimer Gene: Controlling ApoeE).
FREE Training Class
Come learn 3 things you can begin implementing today!