-Summer
    -Tips for Healthy Eating at Restaurants
    -Healthy Eating at Summertime Shindigs

-Healthy Summertime Recipes
    -Quick & Dazzling Crowd-Pleaser Salad
    -Clarence's Vegan Potato Salad
    -Garbanzo (or Chick Pea) Salad Spread
    -Frozen Banana Pops
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HEALTHY PERSPECTIVE IN THE NEWS
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Processed Meat Consumption Linked to Bowel Cancer
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ABC's "World News Tonight" reported on June 22, 2001 that a World Health Organization study found that eating processed meats (e.g. hot dogs, salami, bologna, bacon, ham) increases the risk of bowel cancer by 50 percent!  That's right - 50 percent! You may read the online version of this report at http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/WorldNewsTonight/medfile_010622.html.

No matter how much you enjoy grilled hot dogs, bacon cheeseburgers, ham sandwiches, etc., it's not worth your life!  If you get a craving for one of the aforementioned "foods," there are plenty of healthy alternatives on the market made of soy or other vegetable protein.  And some of them taste really good!  (And some of them admittedly don't.)  Using the trial and error method, we have found our favorite tasty and healthy brands.  We've listed a few of our favorites in the article below, entitled "Healthy Eating at Summertime Shindigs."  If you would like more brand-name recommendations, or if you would like to share your own favorite find, please email us at russell@healthyperspective.com.

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Pesticides and other Chemicals Affect Male Fertility
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A study, published in the July 27, 2001 issue of Human Reproduction finds that high exposure to chemicals such as solvents and pesticides can affect sperm, causing fertility problems.

The study participants who had the most exposure to chemicals such as pesticides and solvents tended to have lower sperm count and quality.  According to the researchers, the findings make sense, given previous research on the matter.

According to CBS Healthwatch, Jonathan Jarow, MD, a staff member at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, says much research has shown that certain environmental factors -- such as heat, herbicides, some dry cleaning agents, and certain medications -- can have a potential harmful effect on male fertility.

You may read a report of this study at http://cbshealthwatch.medscape.com/cx/viewarticle/403968.

Another study, reported on ABC's "World News Tonight," June 22, 2001, says that Australian scientists say there's been a dramatic increase in genetically damaged human sperm.  Up to 85 percent of sperm from healthy men contains damaged DNA!  You read correctly - we're talking about 85 percent of healthy men with damaged DNA!  This can result in infertility as well as birth defects.  You may read this report online at http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/WorldNewsTonight/medfile_010622.html.

Obviously, our polluted environment is causing unparalleled worldwide health problems.  To protect ourselves, we can take simple measures such as avoiding the use of pesticides, cleaning solvents, and other environmental pollutants; eating a pure vegetarian diet; avoiding all food additives (colorings, flavorings, preservatives, etc.); and drinking lots of good old fashioned water.
 

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SUMMER
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Summer is our favorite time of year around here.  All the wonderful summertime fresh fruits and veggies have a lot to do with that.  And then there's sunshine, vacations, outdoor activities, friends and fun....  We could go on and on.

Another aspect of this great season is summertime re-runs (am I not hearing applause on that one?).  But I'm not referring to television.  We would like to present you with some previously published Your Healthy Perspective information, which we hope will make your summertime healthier and more carefree.

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Tips for Healthy Eating at Restaurants
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You may be finding yourself enjoying your summer by taking a few jaunts down the road.  Even if they're just day trips, they probably involve eating out.  You can eat out with style and good taste, without compromising your health.

You may even be pleasantly surprised at the ease of getting a satisfying and tasty vegetarian meal at a restaurant.  Since becoming health-conscious vegetarians, we have yet to have a really bad dining out experience.

Nicole came the closest to a bad experience when she went with a group of friends to a hamburger chain restaurant (fast food places are the most challenging).  There was absolutely nothing healthy on the menu and she was hungry.  But a brainstorm hit her, and she ordered a hamburger, hold the hamburger!  They put lots of lettuce, tomato, and sautéed onion between the buns and she didn't have to starve.  (And her friends were impressed!)

Here are some suggestions to help you stay healthy when eating out.

MEXICAN FOOD
Mexican restaurants are great - so much to choose from!  A few items you may select are bean burritos, meatless tostadas, veggie fajitas (no meat, of course), guacamole, and bean and/or veggie tacos.  Just make sure that the beans are not cooked in lard or meat stock.

CHINESE FOOD
Like Mexican food, there are usually lots of good choices here too.  There will usually be a number of vegetable dishes on the menu. Just make sure that your dish has not been cooked with meat or in meat stock, and that no MSG was used.  And for fat reduction, in most Chinese restaurants you can request that your meal be prepared in a "dry wok."  This will ensure that your chow mein isn't dripping with grease.

ITALIAN FOOD
We're finding a trend toward more vegetable-based Italian menu items as well.  But even at the more "old fashioned" Italian restaurants, you can dine well on pasta with marinara (you may like to have some mushrooms added), or pasta primavera (with lots of veggies).  Bruschetta (broiled or grilled Italian bread with olive oil, garlic and tomatoes) can make a great appetizer (heck, it's almost an entire meal!).  Minestrone can be delicious, but in restaurants it's usually prepared with beef or chicken stock, so order a salad instead (make sure your salad comes without cheese).  Oil and vinegar or Italian dressing are good choices for toppings.

PIZZA
Yes, pizza restaurants too can yield a healthful experience. We used to think that pizza isn't pizza without the cheese, but some places offer really tasty marinara sauces and great toppings like spicy eggplant and artichoke hearts.  So pile on all your favorite veggies, leave off the cheese, and enjoy!

FAMILY-STYLE RESTAURANTS
If you can't find something healthy listed in the entrees, how about combining some side dishes.  Try ordering a baked potato (maybe topped with sautéed mushrooms or other veggies) and a dinner salad.  Or how about hashed brown potatoes, cooked on a dry skillet, to go with that salad?

Some restaurants offer hot vegetarian sandwiches that can be quite good.  Nicole has placed her savvy "hamburger, hold the hamburger" order at some of these restaurants, and had sautéed mushrooms, avocado slices, and other veggies added to the sandwich.  (This is especially good served on French bread).  Nicole sometimes orders a club sandwich, hold the meat.  Remember to hold the mayo (or any other "special sauce" or dressing) and the cheese when you order your sandwich.  Mustard is a good addition.

Imagination is the key. One lady told me she went to brunch with friends and couldn't find anything she could eat on the menu, so she ordered a vegetable omelet, hold the eggs and cheese!  She had a lovely plate of sautéed veggies served with whole wheat toast.

UPPER SCALE (you know, the places with real tablecloths)
We've gone to "nicer" restaurants and had wonderful experiences.  A couple of places where they didn't have vegan (not only meatless, but eggless and dairy-free) items on the menu, we've told the waiter our special dietary needs and they have been very accommodating.  In each case, the chef came up with wonderful dishes that weren't found on the menu.  And waiters often have imaginative suggestions for standard menu items that can be altered to fit your diet and preferences.

WATER is always the beverage of choice. We recently had the great opportunity to hear Charles and Frances Hunter speak.  Frances says that when the food server asks the inevitable beverage question, she never answers, "Just water."  Instead, she says, "God created water and no one has ever improved on it."  She often turns a simple beverage request into an evangelistic opportunity!

(You can check out the Hunter's web site at http://www.cfhunter.org.  Don't miss an opportunity to hear them if they are speaking in your area!)

As you consider your own personal favorites, you'll come up with many more solutions, I'm sure.  (Please email us with those thoughts - we're always looking for new ideas!)

Of course, when you eat out, it's not going to be the quality of food (nutritionally) that you would prepare at home.  And you have to expect some things you wouldn't ordinarily eat, like extra salt and bleached flour.  But have fun and enjoy!
 

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Healthy Eating at Summertime Shindigs
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With all the fun you're going to have this summer, please try to stay healthy by eating right, even when faced with temptation.  I know you will probably be offered  Cousin Gertrude's famous chocolate fudge cake at that reunion.  And, of course, your Uncle Milton makes the juiciest grilled steaks at his backyard barbecue.  And  how about those ice-cold soda pops in the cooler at the beach party?  How do you overcome these temptations?  To tell you the truth, it's easy.  That's right!  You  just need some strategies -- be prepared.  Here are some suggestions.

-Eating something healthy (or drinking a tall glass of carrot juice or Barleygreen) before you leave home helps you avoid temptation.

-If you're going to a potluck-type affair, bring a healthy dish you and others will enjoy (see this month's recipes below for some ideas).

-If you're attending a buffet, select the healthiest offerings, and fill up on those.

-See the article, "Healthy Tips for Holiday Partying," in the December 1999 issue of Your Healthy Perspective at  http://www.healthyperspective.com/yhparchivevol2.html for more "healthy partying" ideas.

-If you're going to a barbecue, bring your own healthy items to grill.  Try some of these:

       -Veggies for grilling.  You could bring them on a skewer, kabob-style, or just sliced to be placed on the grill.  Corn is good cooked on a barbecue too --
       remove the silk and rinse the ears, but leave the husks and grill the ears in the husks.  Or slice some fresh corn off the cob and grill along with your
       other veggies.  [By the way, corn is good eaten raw too!]

       -Vegetable-based "burgers".  We like the vegan Boca Burgers (tm).

       -Tofu hot dogs.  We like Wonder Dogs (tm) and Smart Dogs (tm).

       -Or avoid the grill altogether.  Eat salad, fruit, bread, etc.

       -And if you do bring goodies to grill, bring extras to share.  After all, there might be others who would rather avoid Uncle Milton's steaks and Grandma's hamburgers!

-Take water with you.  We carry water wherever we go.  This helps allay the temptation of grabbing an unhealthy beverage and helps the body stay hydrated  (especially in the summer heat).  We use thin shoulder straps that hold a standard 16-oz. water bottle; this helps portability a lot.  I've seen other solutions as well,  such as pouches or clips for water bottles (or just plain string used as a strap).  Find what works best for you.  For a special icy treat when picnicking, pack an ice  cooler with bottles of water.  And here's a great tip from Nicole:  freeze a bottle of water the night before an outing (not a full bottle -- open it and pour a little water  out before freezing).  Take your frozen bottle with you on your outing; you'll have ice water when you need it!!

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HEALTHY SUMMERTIME RECIPES
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Quick & Dazzling Crowd-Pleaser Salad
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This salad is so beautiful (the oil in the salad dressing brings out the bright colors) and so delicious -- no one ever needs to know that it's quick and easy to make!

2 cups raw broccoli florets (or 1 cup broccoli and 1 cup cauliflower)
1 can black olives, drained
1 small basket cherry tomatoes
1/4 pound small mushrooms
1 16-oz. bottle olive oil and vinegar or Italian salad dressing

Wash and prepare veggies as you usually would for salad.  Make the florets bite-sized.  If the mushrooms are button-sized, leave them whole; otherwise cut in half or  quarter.  Mix all ingredients together and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

A favorite at picnics, parties, and buffets.

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Clarence's Vegan Potato Salad
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Clarence's potato salad has always been a family favorite.  So when we became vegetarians, he took his recipe and made it healthy.  The result is delicious -- the same  old-fashioned potato salad taste, but no cholesterol!  Here's his secret.

8 baking potatoes, boiled in their jackets, cooled, and diced
1 medium onion, white or yellow, diced fine
4 Cascadian (tm) (or other healthy brand) dill pickles, chopped fine
1 4-oz. jar pimentos, drained and diced
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 cup dill pickle juice
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 cup Nasoya (tm) Creamy Dill dressing (or a healthy eggless mayonnaise-type dressing)
approx. 1/4 cup Bragg (tm) Liquid Aminos (in place of salt)
dash or two of cayenne pepper (optional)

Mix all ingredients in extra-large mixing bowl.  Cover and let sit in refrigerator several hours for flavors to mingle.  Enjoy!

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Garbanzo (or Chick Pea) Salad Spread
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This is along the same line as "Eggless 'Egg Salad'" (for "egg" salad recipe go to http://www.healthyperspective.com/yhparchivevol7.html).  Some have called similar concoctions  "Fishless 'Tuna Salad,'" but I think that would insult this recipe.  It has no fishy taste, but it is a little like tuna salad in appearance, and can be used in similar ways.

1 1/2 cups prepared garbanzo beans* (cooked and drained), then mashed with fork
approx. 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons Nasoya (tm) "Nayonnaise" (or other healthy eggless mayonnaise-type dressing)
1 5" stalk celery, finely chopped
1 dill pickle (or approx. 2 tablespoons) finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
dash of garlic powder
a couple of shakes of Vegit (tm) all-purpose seasoning
a couple of shakes of Schilling (tm) "It's a Dilly" seasoning
Bragg (tm) Liquid Aminos (in place of salt) to taste

Mix all ingredients.

This is good stuff.  It makes hearty sandwiches (on whole grain bread, of course!).  It's also great in sandwich wraps, pitas, canapés and hors d'oevres; tossed in a  green salad; and as a spread on rice cakes, crackers, etc.

You may want to make a larger batch, as it keeps in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for about a week-and-a-half, and is wonderful to have on hand for a quick meal or  snack.

*Not so coincidentally, this is the approximate amount in a can of garbanzo beans (but it is healthier to prepare garbanzos from the dried beans).

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Frozen Banana Pops
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Here's a simple trick.

Ingredients:  fresh bananas

Peel and mash bananas with fork.  Spoon mashed bananas into popsicle molds.  Freeze.  Yum.

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Fresh juices make good popsicles too.  We particularly like fresh-squeezed orange juice pops.  Also, try mixing mashed bananas with orange juice and freezing into pops.  Yum again.

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Until next time, stay cool and healthy!

God bless you,
-Rev. Clarence Russell, Kimberly and Nicole
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