Cape Cod Wellbeing

This is off topic, BUT I’ve done a thing. From my bucket list. I wrote a memoir about growing up on Nantucket Island in the idyllic 1950s and 1960s, ending with high school graduation in 1971🐳
I had so much fun writing and researching it and am in the beginning stages of publication and plan to have it out by June of this year.
It’s a feel good book—this is no tell-all😂—so if you’re in it (and many of you are) don’t worry!
I will keep you posted as publication gets closer. I would be everlastingly grateful if you purchase a copy. More to come…. P.S. food is a fairly big part (my dad was a chef) and a few recipes but they were from the 1960s…so….

Fiber is one of THE most essential nutrients for maintaining optimal health. Most Americans don’t consume enough, about half, of the recommended amount. Insoluble fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body doesn’t digest so it passes through the digestive system largely intact and adds bulk to stool and promotes “regularity”. Soluble fiber dissolves in water (in your digestive system) and forms a gel-like substance that slows digestion, aids in better absorption of nutrients and keeps stool consistent.
The USDA and USDHHA recommend the following amounts of dietary fiber:
Ages 19-30: Women 28 g; Men
34 g
Ages 31-50: Women 25 g; men
31 g
Ages 51+: Women 22 g; Men
28 g. Another way to calculate: 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories.
Getting enough fiber, especially insoluble fiber: regulates blood sugar, improves gut/microbiome health (where most of our immune system resides), supports brain health and mental well-being (the gut-brain connection), aids in weight management and may help lower triglyceride levels (fiber slows down absorption of fats and sugars in the bloodstream.)
Fiber-rich foods include:
Whole Grains: Oats, brown rice, whole wheat bread, and barley
Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and split peas
Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, onions and celery
Fruits: Raspberries, pears, apples, and avocados
Seeds and Nuts: Chia seeds, ground flaxseed, and almonds

Although fruit has fiber, go easy on it as it has lots of fructose (fruit sugar)
Eat lots of celery, asparagus, unripe bananas (in smoothies), and alliums (onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, chives) which contain insoluble fiber that also feeds your good gut bacteria
Add beans or lentils to soups, salads, and main dishes
Eat good quality dark chocolate (70% and above). I add raw organic cacao powder (not cocoa) to smoothies and desserts for extra fiber. Cacao powder is an excellent, nutrient-dense source of dietary fiber, with about 1 ounce (28g) providing roughly 9–10 grams of fiber.
Gradually increase fiber intake over several weeks to minimize digestive upset
Drink plenty of water to help fiber move through your digestive system

My tip: I keep a glass container of chopped celery, onions and parsley in my refrigerator and add it to every savory thing I eat or cook.

New research continues to confirm raw cacao’s potential benefits, highlighting its high antioxidant content, especially flavonoids, which support brain function, cardiovascular health, and may have anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. Consuming raw cacao may improve mood, boost energy due to compounds like theobromine, and provide essential minerals like magnesium and iron.
All chocolate comes from the seed pods the fruit of the South American cacao tree. Harvesters crack them open and take out the seeds—the cacao beans—that look a lot like large coffee beans. The beans are fermented and dried before they’re processed and how they are processed makes all the difference in their health benefits. Raw (or minimally processed) cacao beans are a SUPERFOOD that:
• Adds antioxidant effects
• Boosts your mood and cognitive performance
• Lowers blood pressure
• Protects your heart
• Regulates insulin levels. Once beans are dried and fermented, they are heated at a LOW temperature. The heat separates the fatty part of the bean from the rest.
Cocoa starts the same way, but it’s heated at HIGH temperature affecting the beans on a molecular level, changing their structure and degrading nutrient content. Dutch-processed cocoa powder uses additional processing with an alkalized chemical solution. Cocoa is cheaper than cacao and easier to find but often has added sugars, dairy products, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, or emulsifiers.
LESS processed cacao has more powerful antioxidant effects & health benefits. 100 grams of raw cacao powder has an ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of 95,500, which represents antioxidant capacity. This drops to 62,100 for cacao nibs, and 26,000 for cocoa powder. Healthy hot chocolate recipe:
Healthy hot chocolate recipe:
*1 c almond or other milk of choice (NOT low fat or fat-free!)
*1 scoop unsweetened raw cacao powder (not cocoa powder which has been processed and lost most of its’ antioxidants)
*stevia or monkfruit to taste
*a pinch of Ceylon cinnamon
*options: vanilla or peppermint extract
1. In a small saucepan, whisk together milk and cacao powder vigorously until combined.
2. Heat over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally so milk doesn’t stick to the bottom.
3. Pour into mugs, add the sweetener (and flavor if you choose) and enjoy! ☕️

When you see “natural flavors” on an ingredient list, you probably think that’s a good thing But there’s no way to tell what that actually means—companies aren’t required to give any more detail. The legal definition states that natural flavors must be derived from vegetables, fruits, meats, herbs, and dairy products. But the interpretation is getting a little hinky. For instance, a new imitation vanilla is created as a by-product when genetically modified yeast eats sugar. Since it’s not derived from synthetic chemicals, it’s considered natural by law. But some companies, like Häagen-Dazs, have refused to use it. 🍦🍨Chemicals (in your food) need further explanation: all flavors contain chemicals, whether they are natural or artificial. In fact, every substance in the world, including water, is composed of chemicals. Any compounds that give foods their natural flavor are chemicals, and despite long complicated names, they can be harmless. Maple tastes like maple because of methyl cyclopentenolone. Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde and coconut, gamma-hexalactone. They’re names that would make you think twice if you saw them on an ingredient list—but they’re 100% natural. The good news is that if coconut is in a product, the label will say coconut not gamma-hexalactone. But still, pay attention to the complicated names on labels. Castoreum is a heavily scented brown or tan liquid that is secreted from a beaver’s castor gland, located super close to its a**l gland. 🦫Beavers use castoreum to communicate with each other about marking territory, establishing colonies, and deterring predators. Because it is very difficult and expensive to harvest, you won’t usually find it in your food, but it is often used perfumes to add sweet, fruity scents to products. Now I know why I never liked fruity perfume products!
There are hundreds of natural flavors created by food chemists. Here are a few that are commonly found in foods and beverages:

Amyl acetate: distilled from bananas to provide banana-like flavor in baked goods.

Citral (aka geranial): obtained from lemongrass, lemon, orange, and pimento and used in citrus-flavored beverages and sweets.

Benzaldehyde: extracted from almonds, cinnamon oil, and other ingredients and often used to give foods an almond flavor and aroma.

Linden ether: honey flavor
Massoia lactone: coconut flavor
Acetoin: butter flavor

My advice: avoid “natural flavors” as best you can since you don’t know what you’re getting. Buy products that have 5 ingredients or less and are as close to their natural state (i.e. less processed) as possible. I will address added preservatives in a future post.

The radish, which probably originated in China, belongs to the cruciferous family, along with broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and mustard. Radishes come in many colors and shapes:
Black: black skin, white flesh, and a strong flavor.
Daikon: large, spherical, oblong, or cylindrical with white, pink, or purple flesh, rich in folate and magnesium.
Green: cylindrical, green, refreshing.
Red: round with red skin and white flesh. The most common type. Research has found that radishes provide several types of antioxidants, to help reduce inflammation and protect cells against damage, in the edible root, sprouts, seeds, and leaves. Sulfur-containing elements can reduce inflammation, protect cells against cancer-causing agents, and interfere with the growth of cancer cells.

Compounds in radishes have also shown antibacterial activity and some evidence exists that this protects against the bacterium Hpylori, which may cause ulcers and stomach cancer. Research has also found that radishes help enhance the body’s antioxidant response and may positively impact changes in blood glucose levels by reducing glucose absorption in the gut and promoting glucose uptake.
One cup of raw radishes provides magnesium (nerve and muscle function) , potassium (bone, heart, and muscle health) and vitamin C (helps wound healing and protects cells from free radicals); and:

Calories: 18.4
Fat: 0.115 g
Sodium: 44.8 milligrams (mg)
Carbohydrates: 3.91 g
Fiber: 1.84 g
Added sugars: 0 g
Protein: 0.782 g

Caution: Too many may result in a drop in blood sugar, if you are on diabetes medication, monitor carefully. They are high in fiber so may cause bloating and gas. My radish salad recipe in comments.