Eat healthy — your circulatory system will thank you

Me with the heart mascot, sporting my survivor's cap and beads for each year since my 2012 surgery. — *My heart mascot and I in a recent heart-health walk.*

People who know me know that I’ve had two near-fatal heart incidents, one in 2012 and a second in 2017.

Two different arteries were blocked, although not badly enough to cause damage to my heart (a heart attack causes heart damage; short of that is just an incident in medical jargon).

So worrying about my circulatory system is always on my to-do list. which is why I read this piece, How Diet Impacts Your Circulatory System on a site called Vitasupportmd.com.

“The foods consumed each day play an important role in how well the circulatory system performs. A balanced and nutrient-rich diet can support vessel tone, help maintain blood pressure within a healthy range, promote the balance of blood lipids like cholesterol, and encourage a healthy inflammatory response,” the article notes. One more important reason to eat healthy.

June 21, 2025 0

Summer weight-loss tips

Summer can mean more trips to the local swimming pool or beach. And seeing ourselves in bathing suits could lead us tot think about dropping a few pounds. Here are seven tips on weight loss from LoseIt!, the food journaling app.

My new tiny oil and vinegar bottles for eating out. — *My tiny oil and vinegar bottles for eating out.*

At its core, losing weight can be fairly simple, eat less calories than your body burns every day. But the devil is in the details, or the Hostess cupcake wrappers in my case. So, these tips might help you.

Chief among them — eat more fiber, avoid sugary drinks and watch for, and hopefully avoid, all the calories in salad dressings and sauces. I carry my own olive oil and vinegar whenever I plan to eat a salad at a restaurant. I’m overweight now, but would be so much more so if I ate fat- and sugar-filled salad dressings every day.

Give the list a read and practice eating slowly, one of the tips. Give our brain a chance to know your stomach is full. Happy Summer!

June 20, 2025 0

Listeria outbreak linked to Walmart, Kroger products

*One of the recalled products — Home Chef Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo 12.5 oz*

A deadly listeria outbreak which already has killed three people has been linked to chicken products sold at Walmart and Kroger stores.

“FreshRealm, a large food producer with sites in California, Georgia and Indiana, is recalling products made before June 17,” reports the Associated Press. “The recall includes these products, which were sold in the refrigerated sections of retail stores:

— 32.8-ounce trays of Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettuccine Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken and Shaved Parmesan Cheese with best-by dates of June 27 or earlier.

— 12.3-ounce trays of Marketside Grilled Chicken Alfredo with Fettucine Tender Pasta with Creamy Alfredo Sauce, White Meat Chicken, Broccoli and Shaved Parmesan Cheese with best-by dates of June 26 or earlier.

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June 19, 2025 0

Use by dates have different meanings for different people

A new study finds that Americans have different ideas what “Use by” dates on food products mean.

Some see them as indications of deteriorating quality while others think they indicate the safety of consuming the food involved, found The International Food Information Council (IFIC) in a study released this June.

“When survey takers were asked what “Best by,” “Best if used by,” and “Use by” dates mean to them, 48% of survey takers say the date labeling indicates when a product begins to lose quality.

“Another 29% believe the dates signal when the food is no longer safe to eat, while 17% think they indicate when the product should be discarded. Just 5% say they do not know the purpose of date labeling on food packaging,” the IFIC says in a PowerPoint presentation it issued on the survey.

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June 6, 2025 0