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Vegetarian Chili With Nacho Crisps

This chili creation is loaded with fiber- and protein-rich beans, so it will hit the spot — and keep hunger at bay.

Makes 4 servings

Description
This fiber-rich chili is brimming with beans and veggies. It’s spicy enough to please grown-up palates but mild enough for kids, making it the perfect family meal.

Tip: Use the shredding disc on your food processor to make quick work of chopping, but be careful not to overdo it. If you chop too finely, the mixture releases too much liquid. Add the veggies in the order in which they’re listed — the onions go in last.

Ingredients
2 medium carrots, scrubbed
2 stalks celery, trimmed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large can (1 pound 13 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) chili-seasoned diced tomatoes
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 whole-wheat tortillas
4 tablespoons reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In food processor fitted with shredding disc, drop carrots, celery, garlic, and onion pieces down feed tube. Let vegetables process only until chopped.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables; cook 4 minutes, stirring. Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas and cheese); bring to a simmer and cook 8 minutes, covered, but stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, lay tortillas on a baking sheet. Cut in wide strips. Sprinkle strips with cheese. Bake 7 minutes, until crisp.
4. Ladle chili into serving bowls; top with nacho strips.

Nutritional Information:
441 calories
9 g total fat (2 g sat)
4 mg cholesterol
70 g carbohydrate 21 g protein
16 g fiber
1,085 mg sodium

Source: SouthBeachDiet.com

Vegan diet May Help with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and cardiovascular diseases. The underlying causes are unknown, but researchers suspect that the disturbed balance of blood fats seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis may be part of the explanation.

A research team at Karolinska Institutet has shown in a new study that a gluten-free vegan diet has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular risk factors in people with rheumatoid arthritis. The effect was seen when a group of patients who kept to a gluten-free vegan diet for a year were compared with a control group which had followed ordinary dietary advice.

Vegan food had a positive effect on symptoms of the disease, which were more pronounced in the control group. Blood levels of oxidised LDL-cholesterol, a risk factor for atherosclerosis, were also lower in the group which kept to the vegan diet. The vegan group also had higher levels of anti-PC, a type of antibody that the researchers believe has a protective effect against atherosclerosis.

“Our findings suggest a new mechanism by which the level of natural protective antibodies can be increased. They also show that diet can have effects on the immune system with implications for the incidence of disease“, says Professor Johan Frostegård, who led the study.

The study was initiated by Professor Ingiäld Hafström and was carried out within the framework of CVDIMMUNE, an EU consortium of ten European partners led by Johan Frostegård. The consortium is studying the significance of anti-PC in the hope of developing a vaccine against atherosclerosis.

Ann-Charlotte Elkan, Beatrice Sjöberg, Björn Kolsrud, Bo Ringertz, Ingiäld Hafström and Johan Frostegård.

Arthritis Research & Therapy, 18 March 2008

Traditional Family Values

Look at the bright side: today’s dysfunctional behaviors are tomorrow’s traditional family values!

Get Moving: It’s Dangerous To Be Inactive

For years, scientists have been proclaiming the benefits of exercise. Studies showing that regular exercise benefits human health have exploded in number, examining many health problems ranging from cancer and diabetes to arthritis and pre-mature death.

Now, a University of Missouri researcher has found direct evidence to support the claim of the Centers for Disease Control that a reduction in daily physical activity is an actual cause of many of the risk factors for chronic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The research team also found that it only takes about two weeks of reduced activity for individuals to start noticing the effects. The study is being published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) this week.

“A low level of daily physical activity not only doesn’t help your current health status, it could be the reason you got sick in the first place,” said Frank Booth, professor of biomedical sciences in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. “Our study looked at what happened when a group of individuals reduced their daily physical activity. Our findings indicated that if there is a lack of normal physical activity, a person greatly increases the chances of developing a chronic disease. Previously, we thought that not exercising just wasn’t healthy, but we didn’t think that a lack of activity could cause disease. That assumption was wrong.”

Booth and researchers at the University of Copenhagen conducted two different studies in Copenhagen. In the first study, participants were asked to reduce the amount of steps they took per day from 6,000 to 1,400 for three weeks. Instead of walking or taking the stairs, participants were instructed to use motorized transportation, such as a car or elevator, in every situation possible.

The second study asked participants who were more active, averaging 10,000 steps per day, to reduce their activity to 1,400 steps per day for two weeks. The number of steps the average American adult takes per day is 7,473, although Americans who are inactive typically take about 2,100 steps each day.

At the end of each study, participants were administered a glucose tolerance test or a fat tolerance test, or both. These tests measure how fast the body is able to clear glucose or fat from the blood stream. The researchers found that after two weeks of no exercise and very little activity, participants had much higher levels of glucose and fat and took a much longer time to clear the substances from their blood streams than before. The longer it takes the body to clear the blood stream of the substances, the higher the likelihood that a person will develop diabetes or other chronic diseases.

“We used to think that it is healthy to be physically active, but this study shows that it is dangerous to be inactive for just a couple of weeks,” said Bente Klarlund Pedersen, co-author and lead investigator of the study and professor of internal medicine and director of Centre of Inflammation and Metabolism at the University of Copenhagen. “After 14 days of reduced stepping, subjects experienced accumulation of the dangerous abdominal fat, while also developing elevated blood-lipids, a sign of -pre-diabetes and cardiovascular disease. If you choose the passive mode of transport and abstain from exercise, than your risk of chronic disease is likely to increase markedly.”

“When the doctor says to go and exercise, they are not just telling patients to do that to improve their health; increasing daily stepping could actually reverse a cause of chronic disease,” Booth said. “When extra fats and sugars (glucose) don’t clear the bloodstream, they go where we don’t want them and cause problems for our bodies’ typical metabolic functions.”

The researchers also found that the total skeletal and muscle mass in the body decreased when the lack of activity decreased. Booth says that longer studies are needed to help answer more questions about the detrimental effects of long-term physical inactivity.

Contact: Christian Basi
573-882-4430
University of Missouri-Columbia

Healthy Movie Snack

Dear Glenny’s,

I love taking my kids to the movies, but I dread sitting next them with their buttery popcorn and bags of Peanut M&Ms. What can I bring along to the movie that is healthier, and make me feel like I am having a fun treat, too?

Thanks.

Mona

There’s a Thin Person Inside Me

There’s a thin person inside me screaming to get out. Can you prescribe something to sedate him so I can hear my TV programs?

Making Exercise Fun

Dear Glenny’s Fans,

I know I need to exercise to stay healthy and lose weight, but I get bored really easily. What, in your opinion, is the best way to make exercising fun and enjoyable? Any tips?

Thanks.

Edna

Curried Zucchini Soup

Description
Zucchini takes on Indian flavors exceptionally well, and there is almost no better example than this fantastic curried soup. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend that’s widely available at specialty food stores, but even if you don’t have it, the soup still tastes great.

Makes 4 (1 1/4 cup) servings

Prep time: 10 minutes
Start to finish: 20 minutes

Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (optional)
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Instructions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add zucchini, ginger, curry powder, and garam masala, if using. Cook 3 more minutes.

Add broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth, or use a hand blender. Whisk in yogurt just before serving.

Recipe from The South Beach Diet® Quick & Easy Cookbook.
Nutritional Information:
90 calories
2.5 g total fat (0 g sat)
12 g carbohydrate
3 g protein
2 g fiber
540 mg sodium

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Hi Glenny’s!

I was just wondering if any Glenny’s fans had any ideas for a high-fiber, high-protein breakfast under 250 calories? Right now, I eat fiber cereal with a cup of milk, but I’m getting bored with that, and looking for alternatives, while also adding some protein. Any healthy breakfast ideas?

Betty

Giving Up Carbs

Hi Glenny’s,

I really want to give up dry carbs, but like everyone else, I love them. Without dry carbs like paste, I never really feel full! I just wanted to ask fellow Glenny’s fans about their experiences when they gave up dry carbs. How did you do it? How did you keep yourself feeling full? Thanks.
Carol

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