<p>I’m just glad to know that [Fruit</a> Loops](<a href=“http://www.kelloggs.com/content/dam/common/products/KelloggsFrootLoopscereal_566.jpg]Fruit”>http://www.kelloggs.com/content/dam/common/products/KelloggsFrootLoopscereal_566.jpg) are made with whole grains and a “good source of fiber”. Heck, I can stop cut back on fiber supplement and raw veggies and just start eating Fruit Loops instead. It’s really touching that Kelloggs is so concerned with our health!</p>
![http://www.kelloggs.com/content/dam/common/products/KelloggsFrootLoopscereal_566.jpg]Fruit](http://www.kelloggs.com/content/dam/common/products/KelloggsFrootLoopscereal_566.jpg%5DFruit){kind=link}
<p>On the heart attack calculator: What a mess. I didn’t look at it that closely last week.</p>
<p>If I enter my most recent numbers for age 60 I don’t have to take a statin. But, with everything unchanged except my age, I should start taking a statin at age 63 – that’s with LDL of 106, HDL of 90, and Triglyercides of 32. Basically, the calulator is set up so that all white males 63 or older should be taking a statin, even if ALL of their risk factors are optimal according to the calculator (cholesterol 170, BP 100, etc.). All white women with optimal numbers should be taking a statin starting at age 71. That’s nuts.</p>
<p>The crazy thing is that there has never been a study that shows healthy men or weomen over 60, who have never had a heart attack, benefit from statins. Where did these calculators come from? The calculator is overwhelmingly age driven. Of course the risk of 10 year heart failure increases as we get older. People die of old age, sooner or later…</p>
<p>Are people eating less cereal for breakfast? In general? I have that impression.</p>
<p>Ran three plus a little, met with trainer. Had a very interesting trainer session. We did the usual leg and core strengthening, but then he also had me do basketball drills. I am not a basketball player, not at all, not ever. What was interesting was that I had to focus so hard on doing the drills that my bum hip did not hurt at all and my movements were symmetrical. I hope that is a good omen.</p>
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<p>It would be hard to think so based on the cereal aisle in my grocery store. What a gauntlet of unhealthy products. Rivaled only by the soda aisle, the candy aisle, and the snack/chips aisle… :)</p>
<p>4 miles inside MOA. Mall walkers everywhere!</p>
<p>Congrats on the triple seven running streak without injuries, MOfWC (knocking hard on the wooden surface of my desk)! And great job everyone else!</p>
<p>Can’t say that my exercise has been going strong last week. Got a boatload of work on all fronts, so really wished for 48-hr days! :eek: The only thing that I did consistently last week was amusing Mr B with my “feet on the bed push-up” routine every morning and every evening.</p>
<p>Back to the basement after a Sunday as a slug on the couch watching football. This was the workout with four stations around the weight bench. </p>
<p>50lb KB goblet squats.
50lb DB 3-pt rows.
2 x 30 lb DB box steps.
2 x 35 lb DB bench press.</p>
<p>I was going strong in the first set (of three) until I hit those box steps. Wow. Those are killer. Such a simple little exercise, stepping up to a 16 inch bench and back down, trying not to use the back foot to push off. Ten reps on one leg (leaving it on the bench the whole time), then ten reps on the other side. </p>
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<p>Really enjoyed the Tabata planks today. 20 seconds plank, 10 seconds rest, for a total of 4 minutes. I did four sets of front plank on the stability ball and four sets of regular ol’ side plank.</p>
<p>BB- I still can’t even fathom the feet on the bed pushups. I would land on my head!</p>
<p>This is Monkey week, so I’m in a big taper. I hope I actually finish the thing or I won’t have much mileage! Race is Sunday. Supposed to be 23 degrees at the start. Ugh.</p>
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<p>You’ll finish! Just a jog in the park, right? :)</p>
<p>Well, maybe with a little walking up some of the hills. Still, you’ll do fine!</p>
<p>If you spend nine years writing new cholesterol guidelines, this is probably not the NY Times Editorial you want to see a week after they are finally published:</p>
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<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/opinion/cholesterol-guidelines-under-attack.html?_r=0[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/opinion/cholesterol-guidelines-under-attack.html?_r=0</a></p>
<p>BTW, the LA Times identifies the studies that the guideline risk calculator ignored: the massive Women’s Health Initiative, the Women’s Health Study and the Physicians Healthy Patients Study. The three largest coronary health studies ever, probably a billion dollars in NIH funding. The Harvard researchers challenging the calculator used the calculator to estimate heart attack risk for the people in these studies – people for whom they know the REAL risk of heart attack. The Woman’s Health Initiative study tracked 160,000 post menopausal women for fifteen years. The Harvard researchers are saying that the risk calculator doubled the risk relative to what was actually observed in these studies.</p>
<p>Wow. This whole debacle makes me wonder about our general intelligence quotient in western medicine. How does something major get by a team like that? Is the association a wholly owned subsidiary of Lipitor or something? Jeesh. Kind of like the movie Idiocracy, wherein the uber-corporate powers have convinced the dummy population that soft drinks are better than water so no one can figure out why the crops, nourished by pop, have all died :)</p>
<p>Well, I had a fairly decadent weekend in terms of caloric budget and the only saving grace in terms of physical activity was house painting to beat the storms and a bit of dancing later when the OOT pals arrived. I guess the holiday season has begun 
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<p>Dinner out was to die for, however. Filet Oscar, sweet potato casserole topped with pecans and spinach AU gratin. Dinner itself might have made it a calorically robust day on its own but it was really the day long appetizers, wine, and mixed drinks that contributed to the massive overage Next weekend is sweat lodge so maybe I’ll sweat some of it off :)</p>
<p>Sabaray, you were musing about a healthy thanksgiving…fwiw, have you considered switching up to something like a beef tenderloin with a merlot reduction sauce? Yes, there’s a whack of butter in the sauce, but you can bypass that on your own plate. It’s the kind of meal that fresh steamed veggies or oven roasted root vegetables and salad pair well with without all the super-loaded casserole shenanigans that seem to go along with turkey. I find that when folks have an exquisitely prepared cut of meat in front of them they don’t seem to miss the bulk food as much…but it’s still a “special” meal </p>
<p>Another comparatively harmless (though sugary) holiday meal I do is turkey tenderloin with a low-salt teriyaki sauce…goes well with healthy stir-fry veggies or nice roasted root veggies and again, style wise, no need for gravy, stuffing or a bunch of casseroles Let me know if you want the beef tenderloin recipe…I’ll be digging it up for Thanksgiving here.</p>
<p>1 hr hot yoga (went up a level) and 1 hr deep water running last night. </p>
<p>Working out early morning sounds like such a good idea when I go to bed and not so much when the alarm goes off …</p>
<p>KMC, I’d have a riot on my hands if I didn’t serve turkey and dressing here! I would just do a turkey breast if my mother wasn’t going to be here. But I would like that merlot recipe. I eat butter regularly - I find a bit of butter goes far further than a butter substitute.</p>
<p>I’ll be taking a break from CC. Happy Holidays and good health to all of you.</p>
<p>KMC:</p>
<p>This quote from a Reuters story blew my mind. It just highlights the mindset of the experts on these panels:</p>
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<p><a href=“http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/11/18/heart-guidelines-idINDEE9AH0HG20131118[/url]”>http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/11/18/heart-guidelines-idINDEE9AH0HG20131118</a></p>
<p>1/3 of people have heart failure as their cause of death (mostly people who have died of old age when their heart stopped beating). So, of course, we should prescribe statins to 1/3 of all adults aged 40 and above? Who thinks like that? That’s the logic of a pre-schooler.</p>
<p>And, even if you think like that, it’s completely misleading. The research is pretty clear that, except for men who have already had a heart attack, statins do not improve all-cause mortality.</p>
<p>Wishing you happy, healthy, fun, and festive holidays, Sabaray.</p>
<p>Happy holidays, Sabaray.</p>
<p>I’m doing Christmas turkey dinner (turkey on the Weber, etc.). I’ve reached the point where that production twice in 30 days is more turkey and stuffing than I care to eat. I keep trying various soups and turkey leftover dishes, but I just don’t like any of them very much. Since I don’t go out of my way to eat a lot of bread, the stuffing and the turkey sandwich leftovers aren’t something I need twice in a month.</p>
<p>I’m seriously thinking about a standing rib roast from the local butcher for Thanksgiving. That’s even more of a special treat. Maybe some asparagus with homemade hollandaise as a healthy side dish. Hmmm… I think this alternative has some potential! :)</p>
<p>So much food talk! Making me hungry.</p>
<p>Crazy sore today from the basketball drills. IM swim today made me feel much better. I am finally getting backstroke, and am not just using it as a chance to catch my breath.</p>
<p>Heading over to the fitness center soon…I’ve had some soreness in my lower back area since doing hours of yard work Saturday so won’t overdo it, but when I stretched and ran Sunday it seemed to help. Less sore, but still a little touchy. </p>
<p>Will miss you Sabaray - I know everyone gets busy(ier) this time of year but I’ll be selfish and hope that people still pop in now and then and keep me motivated!!!</p>
<p>Sabaray, we will miss you but happy early holidays. Here’s that recipe before you go ;)</p>
<p>(From Elm Street (Canadian magazine) featuring Cdn Chef Ned Bell’s Recipe)</p>
<p>Crusted Beef Tenderloin With Porcini & Merlot Reduction
(Makes 8 Servings)</p>
<p>For Beef Tenderloin INGREDIENTS:</p>
<p>1 Tbsp each coriander seeds and black peppercorns
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
1 3lb beef tenderloin
2 Cups soft white bread crumbs
½ Cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tsp salt
fresh thyme sprigs
Porcini & Merlot Reduction* (see below)</p>
<p>Preparation:</p>
<p>• Crush coriander seeds and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground, then stir in mustard and thyme until well combined.</p>
<p>• Pat beef dry with paper towels, then place on a large piece of plastic wrap. Rub mustard mixture all over beef, wrap in plastic wrap and put beef in a large plastic bag. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.</p>
<p>• Stir together bread crumbs and parsley in a medium bowl. Drizzle olive oil over mixture, then stir until well combined. Unwrap beef and put on a small baking sheet. Pat bread-crumb mixture evenly over beef to coat completely. (Beef can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature or 1 hour before roasting.)</p>
<p>• Preheat oven to 450 F. Sprinkle beef evenly on all sides with salt, patting so that salt adheres to bread-crumb coating. Transfer beef to an oiled rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast beef for 45 – 60 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of tenderloin registers 140 degrees F for rare or 150 degrees for medium-rare. Transfer beef to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, for 15 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch slices, arrange on serving platter and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve at once with Porcini & Merlot Reduction.</p>
<p>Porcini & Merlot Reduction
(Makes 2 1/3 cups)</p>
<p>Choose a good quality Merlot for Ned Bell’s sauce, rich with the woodsy flavor of dried porcini mushrooms.</p>
<p>Ingredients:</p>
<p>2 – 15 g packages dried porcini mushrooms
2 Cups boiling water
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bottle (750 ml) Merlot
1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
2 Tsp granulated sugar
½ Tsp each salt and black peppercorn1/4 cup butter, cubed</p>
<p>Preparation:</p>
<p>• Put mushrooms in a medium brown, then pour in boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes. Strain soaked mushrooms through a paper-towel lined sieve, reserving liquid and mushrooms. Rinse mushrooms, drain well, then chop finely.</p>
<p>• Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, then cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until shallots are softened and lightly browned. Add mushroom liquid, mushrooms, wine, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper to skillet, then bring to a boil over high heat. Boil over high heat for about 15 minutes, until liquid has thickened and has reduced to about 2 cups. Stir in butter until it melts.</p>
<p>• Serve at once, or pour into a non-metallic container, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot. Pour into a pitcher.</p>
<p>Kmcmom’s note:
I am always a little liberal with the shallot and garlic and olive oil, so freehanding it won’t hurt. I was taught (by that chef I used to cater for when in university) not to wash mushrooms so I don’t (It’s a French thing. I haven’t killed anybody yet I was also taught not to use a garlic press, so I hand mince to control sweetness/balance of garlic, but if you’re used to using a press, I think you’d be fine (it would be way easier/faster but don’t tell Ned I said so If you don’t use a press and decide to up the garlic volume, soaking in cold water will make the skins peel easier. Mincing thyme is bloody tedious in my book, but do avoid the temptation to just throw the time in a auto-chopper (tried that once when lazy/rushing). You really don’t want the woody stalks, so strip and mince. Lastly, for prep convenience, I prep the beef the night before, then in the mid morning add the breadcrumb mixture while the reduction is reducing.
I use glass containers to store in fridge, and heat up the reduction right before dinner.</p>
<p>Hope you enjoy. Let me know if you have questions!</p>