Snacking in the name of choline 05/06/2012
Posted by thetickthatbitme in Choline Diet, Humor.Tags: Banana, carrot, choline, eclaire, health, humor, Peanut butter, recipe, Snack food, Sweet potato
2 comments
Since I spend a lot of time working from home, it’s difficult to resist a lot of snacking. Now I believe that eating small meals throughout the day is healthy; however, when you factor in my mighty sweet tooth and the fact that my better half keeps visiting the Entemann’s bakery outlet on his way home from work (he can’t resist the deals), well…you see the predicament. So I decided this week that if I’m going to be ‘bad’ and indulge in a few fattening or sugary or salty snacks, I had better make sure I was getting my choline. Here are some of the choline-rich snacks that my research turned up.
Savory Choline Snacks
Peanut Butter (21 mg in 2 tbsp) and Carrots (6 mg in 1 large carrot)
This is an established favorite for both me and my dad. I used to feel guilty about putting peanut butter on something that is otherwise pretty healthy, but with about 10 mg of choline per tablespoon, I don’t feel that bad. I do, by the way, buy the reduced fat peanut butter. If you prefer almond butter, it has about 8 mg of choline per tablespoon.
Carrot ♥ Jif in my kitchen.
Pistachios (20 mg in 1 oz)
I’m a girl who likes to play with her food, so these are one of my favorite snacks. Sometimes I like to eat them with a few chocolate chips and some dried cranberries. If you’re wondering how many dry roasted pistachios are in an ounce, it’s about 49.
(Image via Wikimedia Commons)
Edamame (56 mg in 100 g—about 2/3 cup)
I usually order edamame (boiled soybean pods) as an appetizer when I go out for sushi with friends. Some grocery stores also have it in the freezer section.
(Image via Wikimedia Commons. Credit: habitatgirl)
Sweet Choline Snacks
Peanut Butter (21 mg in 2 tbsp) and Banana (11 mg)
Yes, you can see I have a propensity to put peanut butter on a lot of things. This is a third-generation snack in my family that originated with my grandma. I find a glass of chocolate milk goes well with it. (One cup of chocolate milk also adds 42 mg of choline!)
Banana and Jif hanging out on my counter. If Carrot finds out, you are sooo busted, Jif!
Baked Sweet Potato (23 mg for a large one)
Sweet potatoes are so underrated. I try to substitute them for boring old russet potatoes whenever I can, including when I make home-made french fries. The easiest (and laziest) way to prepare a sweet potato, though, it to stab it with a fork a few times and then pop it in the microwave. I like mine with a little butter and brown sugar, but season salt or garlic powder is also good.
(Image via Wikimedia Commons)
Ready for the finale? My most exciting discovery in my choline research is that chocolate is a great source of choline. (Which means, all those times when I was craving chocolate, it wasn’t just me, it was also my neurotransmitters.) I could list about 100 chocolatey snacks here, but I’m going to have some self-restraint and just do one.
Chocolate éclair (79 mg)
This one takes me way back to when I was too short to even see over a bakery counter. (Thanks, Mom, for getting me addicted to these at such a young age.) When I discovered this dessert, I considered changing my name to Claire, just so I could be “Chocolatey Claire.” Is an éclair the same as a doughnut? Of course not, silly! It’s far, far better. I recommend a tall glass of milk with this one.
(Image via Wikimedia Commons. Credit: georgie_grd)
If you want to try making some éclairs from scratch, here’s a yummy recipe over at Moo’s Pantry.
That’s all I’ve got for today. What high-choline treats would you add to this list?
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5 Things That Helped Me Heal 05/02/2012
Posted by thetickthatbitme in Humor, Whole Person.Tags: Arthritis Foundation, Craig Ferguson, exercise, Geoff Peterson, healing, health, Heating pad, humor, Memory foam, treatment
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1. Shower chair
We got this after I had my back surgery (to help me avoid bending, slipping, and falling), and I continued to use it after I was diagnosed with hermsii and Anaplasmosis. It really makes a difference being able to sit and relax while bathing. My boyfriend (who is healthy as a horse) also enjoys using it when he just wants to wash his feet!
My chair. Note: It only works if you put it IN the shower.
2. Thermalon heating pads
One of my four heating pads.
These heating pads are my best friends. My mom, who has Arthritis, introduced me to them. I put mine in the microwave for about a minute, and it will stay warm for about 30, depending on how cold my house is. After the initial heating, you can reheat them for 30-40 seconds at a time. I prefer these to an electric heating pad because they provide moist heat, and I can fall asleep with one without burning myself. They helped me get off painkillers and sleep better on cold nights. They can also double as cold packs if you store them in the freezer inside a ziplock bag. I found them on sale at Walgreens for $15 each.
3. Low-impact exercise
Image via Arthritis.org
Taking an Arthritis Foundation water aerobics class at a warm water therapy pool helped me stay active while I was getting treated. The warm water helped my joints feel better, and I think all the endorphins from exercising made me happier. I also made some great friends in the class who are just slightly older and much wiser than me. (Shout out to the pool ladies!) If you’re interested in this type of class, you can search for one in your area here.
4. Memory foam mattress pad
This was also a purchase made after my back surgery. My mattress is quite firm. (That’s how I used to like it when I was a young thing with no health problems.) I’ve always slept best on my side, but after surgery, and as I began developing more joint problems in my neck, hips, and knees, the mattress was too hard for me. Rather than shelling out $800 for a new mattress, I spent about $150 for this memory foam mattress topper from Costco. Now the bed is soft enough that I don’t feel like I’m sleeping on a plank, but not so soft that I sink in too far. I’m still able to roll over during the night so I don’t get too stiff.
5. Geoff Peterson
I can’t stress enough how much laughter helped me recover. My parents are a little obsessed with Craig Ferguson, and I started watching him, too, when I was staying with them and getting IV therapy. Craig’s exchanges with his robot sidekick Geoff Peterson make me laugh the hardest.
What are some things that have helped your healing process?
My Friend (Frenemy?) Anti-panty: Healing Humor 04/28/2012
Posted by thetickthatbitme in Humor, Whole Person.Tags: Anaplasma, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, healing, health, humor, medicine, nicknames
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During my 42 days “doing time” in the infusion clinic, I became acquainted with three women from the same family—a young woman, her mother, and her grandmother—who were all being treated by Dr. W for various conditions. I’ll call them the Kind family, because they are amazingly kind and generous people. Grandma Kind lived on the east coast, and would be seen periodically by Dr. W when she visited her daughter and granddaughter. She’d had some lab work done, and the results came into Dr. W’s office by fax at the very end of a workday.
Credit: Louise Docker
Seeing that the elder Mrs. Kind had tested positive for an infection, Dr. W thought it wise to telephone her right away so that she could make arrangements to get treated for it. It was nearly 7:00 p.m. pacific time, 10:00 p.m. eastern time, when he called Mrs. Kind to inform her of the lab results. He hadn’t considered the time difference until she answered the phone with a groggy “hello.” He apologized for disturbing her at such a late hour, but went ahead and quickly explained that she had an Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection, and asked that she call his office within the next few days to arrange for treatment.
The next morning, Dr. W received a distressed phone call, not from the elder Mrs. Kind, but from her daughter.
“Dr. W, my mother said you called last night, and I’m a little worried about her diagnosis. I tried to Google it, but I can’t find any information on Anti-panty-poo-poo.”
Dr. W thought his hearing aid must have malfunctioned and said, “Excuse me?” to which Mrs. Kind replied, “My mother says you said she has Anti-panty-poo-poo. What exactly is that?”
Anyone who hears this story can’t help thereafter referring to Anaplasma phagocytophilum as anti-panty-poo-poo.
THE TICK THAT BIT ME 