brusselssproutscollage

This is a great recipe to add to your Thanksgiving meal. The brussels sprouts are roasted at a high temp so that wonderful caramelization develops and they’re so fast and easy to make. Halfway through baking, flip them over and drizzle with balsamic glaze or balsamic reduction (not the same as just straight balsamic vinegar) and a pinch of brown sugar to boost the caramelization factor. The outer edges of the sprouts are crunchy and crisp, while the inside is perfectly firm and juicy from the balsamic that seeps down with a savory and tangy bite from the balsamic. If you know someone who doesn’t like brussels sprouts, try this recipe and they’ll likely change their mind.
YIELD: serves 2 to 4
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: about 30 minutes, divided
TOTAL TIME: about 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • about 1 1/4 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
  • about 1/4 cup balsamic reduction or glaze (I used Trader Joe’s or make your own balsamic reduction)
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
  • parmesan cheese, optional for garnishing
  • toasted pistachios, optional for garnishing

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup.
  2. Add the brussels sprouts to the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss with your hands to evenly coat. Arrange the sprouts with the cut-side (flat side) down and bake for about 18 minutes, or until the tops of some of the sprouts are turning light brown.
  3. Remove baking sheet from oven, flip sprouts over with a tongs, and evenly drizzle with balsamic and evenly sprinkle with brown sugar. You only need to put a tiny pinch of sugar on the top of each sprout. It helps with caramelization and takes the edge off the intensity of the balsamic and doesn’t make them taste sweet, but if you’re adverse to adding sugar, it can be omitted.
  4. Return baking sheet to oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until sprouts are as caramelized and browned as desired. Baking times will vary based on the size of the sprouts used, personal preference for doneness, oven and climate variances, etc. Keep a close eye on them in the last 10 minutes of baking because they can go from underdone to overdone and burnt in just a couple minutes. Optionally garnish with cheese or pistachios before serving. Brussels sprouts are best warm and fresh.
We have heard for a number of years that COX2 inhibitors like Vioxx and Celebrex create an increased risk for heart attack or stroke and this is why Vioxx was taken off the market in 2004.  However, now it has become apparent from the recent research that all NSAIDs, including very commonly used drugs, like ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Alleve), increase the risk for heart attack and stroke.  This has led the FDA to strengthen and update existing labels warning that all non-aspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increase the chance of a heart attack or stroke.

These findings for NSAIDs should not be that surprising, since we have known for a long time that they tend to raise blood pressure, which is a known risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.  The FDA committee found that the risk of heart attack or stroke occurs within the first few weeks of taking the NSAID. (1)  Both longer term usage and higher dosages increase the risk even more.  This increased risk of heart attack or stroke is even for those individuals who had not previous risk, ie. otherwise healthy people.  In fact, one study in the European Heart Journal found a 40% increased risk of an initial heart attack in those who had used NSAIDs.(2)

 Another shocking finding was that patients who were treated with NSAIDs following a heart attack were more likely to die in the first year after the heart attack than those who were not treated with NSAIDs.  This is disturbing, since it is common medical advice to recommend taking low dose aspirin (an NSAID) after a heart attack to prevent another one.  Is this really good advise?   And patients who have preexisting heart disease or risk factors are more likely to suffer a heart or stroke following NSAID use.   There is also an increased risk of heart failure with NSAID use.

We have now learned that one of the classification of drugs that is believed to be among the safest–NSAIDs, significantly increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.  And this is on top of the long understood risks of damage to the gastrointestinal tract (such as bleeding ulcers and upsetting the microbiome that is so important for our health) and kidney damage that can occur from taking NSAIDs.   So how then should we manage pain?   If the pain is musculoskeletal in origin, chiropractic care and acupuncture are ways to treat the underlying imbalances of many cases of back or neck or other joint pain, thus correcting the condition.  When pain is sytemic, the functional medicine (nutritional) approach that Dr. Weitz and other practitioners take may help patients identify food sensitivities or other underlying causes of inflammation, rather than just taking high dosages of pain relievers.  Correction results from dietary changes.

When short term pain relief is needed, natural substances may help to alleviate inflammation, as might an overall anti-inflammatory diet. Anti-inflammatory herbs and spices include hops, ginger, turmeric and rosemary, proteolytic enzymes, and a diet low in omega-6-rich vegetable and seed oils, and higher in plant and animal sourced omega-3s may also help correct the imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory prostaglandins.  Speak to Dr. Weitz or Amber about this.

2. Helin-Salmivaara A, Virtanen A, Vesalainen R, et al. NSAID use is associated with hospitalizations for first myocardial infarction in the general population: a nationwide case-control study from Finland.
Eur Heart J 2006;27:1657-1663.

 

ThanksgivingThanksgiving dinner wasn’t always so indulgent or calorie filled.  It used to be eaten over a three day celebration.  It wasn’t until the mid-late 1800s that the meal became a national past time, when it was declared a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln.  Did you know that the traditional Thanksgiving meal can be full of nearly 5,000 calories or more?  Yikes!!  That’s double what most of us should eat on a daily basis, let alone at one meal.

Thanksgiving weight gain isn’t inevitable.  With a few simple changes you can enjoy the feast without wrapping yourself in those extra pounds.  Consider these ways to help maintain your weight while still enjoying the good cheer and delicious food on Thanksgiving Day.

  1. LIMIT YOURSELF TO ONLY ONE PLATE OF FOOD.  Fill 1/3 of your plate with turkey and other meats, though avoid the skin of the turkey and go easy on the gravy.  Fill 1/3 of your plate with various color vegetables-greens, green beans, peppers, carrots, beets, etc..  Fill the remaining 1/3 of your plate with whatever you want.  Let yourself have one small slice of pie for dessert.
  2. DON’T SAVE UP.  Don’t avoid eating earlier in the day and save calories from earlier meals for “the big one.” You will inevitably get too hungry and overeat to compensate for missing those meals.  Thanksgiving Day should include small healthful meals before dinner.  Then, you won’t be too famished to practice portion control when dinnertime comes.
  3. AVOID HIGH CALORIE D’OUVRES AND APPETIZERS.  Munch on fresh veggies and fruit instead of high fat appetizers.  Have a large serving of salad if it’s available.  Don’t eat food just because it’s there.
  4. AVOID THE SUPER HIGH CALORIE FOODS.  Avoid the mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, and the cheese filled casseroles.  Eat only a small portion of cranberry sauce, as it is loaded with sugar.
  5. PACE YOURSELF AND EAT MINDFULLY. Eat slowly and savor every bite. Put your fork down between bites and take the time to talk to family and friends and enjoy the sense of community.  Give the food a chance to let you feel the satisfying feeling of fullness.
  6. FILL UP ON WATER.  Water has zero calories and is a great way to make yourself overcome the sense of hunger and feel full.  Don’t like plain water?  Add a slice of lemon or cucumber to give it a bit of taste.  Avoid high calorie drinks like egg nog.
  7. CHEERS.  If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one glass of red wine.  This will limit your calories and you’ll get some heart health promoting polyphenols like resveratrol as well.
  8. DESSERTS.  If you desire, enjoy a small serving of dessert.  Choose pumpkin over pecan pie and save a few hundred calories.  Eat just the filling to take in fewer additional calories and trans fats.
  9. DON’T SLEEP IT OFF.  At the end of the meal, drink a glass of water and push away from the table to help you realize that you are full.  Get up and move around after dinner.  Help clean up the plates and load the dishwasher.  Take a leisurely walk or play a game that gets you up and moving.  Several hours after the large meal you can engage in some more rigorous activities, like basketball, flag football, or anything else you enjoy. Break a sweat and burn some calories.
As you give thanks on this day, take the time to express gratitude to your body for all it does.  You can honor that gratitude by making decisions that honor your body – like going to the gym or exercising and eating healthy and keeping your weight down. Perhaps Thanksgiving can mark a new (or renewed) commitment to your health!