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Much to be Thankful For
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Thursday is Thanksgiving and I have a lot to be thankful for. I am very grateful that I will be with my wife and children on Thanksgiving – they are the loves of my life.
I have a lot to be thankful for at GBMC, too. Last Friday, I was on a panel sponsored by the Baltimore Business Journal, discussing health care reform. While I was on the stage and listening to the conversation, I reflected on how lucky I am to have so many people in the GBMC family focused on our vision of being the healthcare system where everyone, every time, gets the care that we would want for our own loved ones. Our system has embraced the need to change. We are focused on our four aims because they are what we want for everyone getting care and for everyone delivering care – better health, better care, and lower cost with more joy for those providing the care. We are not lamenting change or struggling to hold on to the status quo. We are in action because that is what our community and our country need us to do!
I was also very proud on Monday of this week when we hosted Carmela Coyle, the President of the Maryland Hospital Association and other leaders of the MHA at our GBMA Hunt Valley office. Our colleagues had come to learn about the transformation of our company, our accountable care organization, and how we were implementing the patient-centered medical home concept. With the State’s new Medicare waiver, the MHA will be convening hospitals to help them transform toward managing the health of a population. I again realized how much I had to be thankful for.
So let me list just a few of those things here:
- The GBMC HealthCare Board of Directors who had the courage in 2010 to set a new course for our company
- The incredible GBMC Volunteer Auxiliary that is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and is made up of people who give of themselves to help others
- Our phenomenal medical staff – because of their capabilities (once again GBMC had the most Top Docs of any community hospital in Maryland), their hard work, and their dedication our system does many things that cannot be done by others
- GBMC’s wonderful nurses – they are the core of our organization. Our nurses are smart, tireless and giving. Their work in the last year at improving our patient safety and service has been remarkable.
- Our nursing support technicians who are the face and heart of GBMC to so many patients in our hospital
- The nurse practitioners and physician assistants that work so hard to deliver exceptional care to our patients
- All of the rest of GBMC’s fantastic clinicians: therapists, laboratory personnel, and other technicians who use their expertise to improve clinical outcomes
- GBMC non-clinical personnel: from managers to patient access reps to billing personnel to food service workers and environmental service workers and everyone else who goes above and beyond for those we serve
- Gilchrist Hospice Care – our hospice along with Gilchrist Greater Living set a very high standard for patient-centeredness and the rest of our system learns from them every day
- The GBMC Foundation and its staff – where would we be without our excellent fundraising team?
- The GBMC campus – we are blessed to have such a beautiful environment for healing
- Our patients – they come to us for help and they show their gratitude even when we don’t get it perfectly right
- The staff at Einstein Bagels on the third floor of the hospital who make me smile every morning
I could make the list much longer - we really have a lot to be thankful for. Please enjoy Thanksgiving with your families, and Happy Hanukkah to all those in our GBMC family who celebrate the Festival of Lights.
vegan applesauce muffins
with bella being off the eggs i need to get back into my vegan baking. i made these applesauce muffins today. moist, perfectly sweet and easy to make. simply delicious!
2 cups flour (i used spelt, but feel free to use gluten free. next time i am going to try replace some flour with protein powder and see how those turn out. keep you posted.)
1/2 tsp salt (i used himalayan pink salt)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk (i used unsweetened almond milk)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp oil (i only had olive oil but usually use grapeseed)
1/3 cup maple syrup (i love the grade C maple syrup and pick it up in bulk from noah's. it's the best ever.)
1 cup applesauce
chocolate chips, of course.
preheat oven to 375F
sift flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon
mix milk, apple cider vinegar, oil, maple syrup and applesauce
mix wet into dry and add chocolate chips.
voila. bake for 15 min.
done.
1/2 tsp salt (i used himalayan pink salt)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk (i used unsweetened almond milk)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp oil (i only had olive oil but usually use grapeseed)
1/3 cup maple syrup (i love the grade C maple syrup and pick it up in bulk from noah's. it's the best ever.)
1 cup applesauce
chocolate chips, of course.
preheat oven to 375F
sift flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon
mix milk, apple cider vinegar, oil, maple syrup and applesauce
mix wet into dry and add chocolate chips.
voila. bake for 15 min.
done.
New Kicks
Monday, November 25, 2013
I first started playing tennis when I went to sleepover camp in Maine. I was almost 12. I had lessons there for 4 summers. I continued dabbling in the game in my 20's and then life got busy with kids and starting my career that I just simply did not have the time or the inclination to play.
But this summer I started playing again and fell in love. It's been a great way for me to be active, meet new people and develop a skill. I see alot of busy moms in my practice and I know how hard it is to find time to be active but I also know how important not only for our physical well being but emotional as well. Tennis makes me happy.
All that being said, I can't believe I actually wore out my cross trainers this summer!
.JPG)
But this summer I started playing again and fell in love. It's been a great way for me to be active, meet new people and develop a skill. I see alot of busy moms in my practice and I know how hard it is to find time to be active but I also know how important not only for our physical well being but emotional as well. Tennis makes me happy.
All that being said, I can't believe I actually wore out my cross trainers this summer!
They look horrible!
These are my new tennis shoes.
My intention was classic white but after viewing a large selection, alas these were the only ones in my size.
.JPG)
Oh well, hot pink it is!
Vairagya (non-attachment), Samtosha (contentment) and the Sweetest Happiness
Following the last post a couple of people emailed me feeling that my view of the modern condition was overly pessimistic. In this blog, I am not trying to put my own views forward, but to present my understanding of the yoga darshana. I am not sure if I completely agree with all the conclusions which are presented, that is my work in progress.
The yoga and ayurveda shastra state that samadhi was once naturally experienced but is almost totally lost today because of the decline in our diet and habits. We may be very good at making sophisticated things, there have been many medical advances etc., but we are no closer to understanding how to be happy - because we are looking in the wrong place.
Yoga is a radical philosophy and practice which is all too often dumbed down and perverted to suit purely commercial interests: teaching yoga has become a business and writing yoga books a potentially lucrative pursuit. Percentage-wise, few writers of books or teachers have real training in yoga, few teachers have even met or studied with a yoga master beyond a few weekend seminars.
Most translations of the yoga sutra are not made by practitioners of yoga but by academics and some of our favorite translations are made by buddhists. There are translations made from a christian perspective, an advaita perspective, a materialist perspective, etc., and many simply wrong, bad or totally off the track points of view. In short, taken as a whole, the knowledge which is out there is a kind of mush.
In India we used to eat this multi-grain cereal we called Mysore Mush - in retrospect it was mushy lumpy and not very appealing - the knowledge about yoga resembles this - it is mushy, lumpy and opaque.
One of the reasons for this, apart from simple confusion proliferated by conflicting translations and interpretations of yoga philosophy, is that yoga being a radical philosophy instills fear because it turns our usual thinking upside down. It says that our most precious pursuit - that of sensual pleasure, leads to endless suffering.
We are so attached to our pleasures that we would rather pretend we had not heard this. So there is an attempt to make yoga fit with what we feel is comfortable and to avoid confronting the fact that our obsession with prakriti is exactly what causes us blindness and pain.
According to yoga the pursuit of pleasure is caused by stress but neither stress relief nor lasting pleasure is achieved by making effort to achieve pleasure directly. Pursuit of pleasure and pain live together - there is a constant feedback loop: with attachment, the result of the loss of that object is pain and the desire to obtain another object to replace it - thus arises a continuous cycle.
Since, in our society, we are taught to desire so much, to excel, to be the best or at least the richest or most beautiful etc., the effort to attain these badges of merit is enormous. Often our drive for success may be fueled by the unrealized desires of our parents. But in any case we experience this drive to compete and acquire as a deep conditioning and stress - and to relieve our stress, we have our pleasures.
According to Patanjali, if you want to experience pleasure, you should not run after it, you should instead cultivate contentment. According to him, from this contentment is derived the highest pleasure. This does not mean that one should be lazy, but that one should learn to see everything with equanimity.
Detachment is a frightening concept for Westerners. We fear we will lose everything we value, however we only lose what poisons us. Since we are confused about what is good for our health and what is detrimental, we fear we will reject something we value.
But detachment does not imply not having feelings, not experiencing happiness and pleasure, quite the opposite! It results in the release from needing to have one's desires fulfilled, in fact it results in the falling away of many unhealthy desires. Just this alone increases the experience of release and happiness.
But, further, and perhaps more significantly: if you have no expectations of an outcome and if you cease to try to manipulate an outcome for your own benefit, you will never experience disappointment, but if you experience "success" (a good thing happening) then pleasure is a pure bonus. More positive outcomes will be experienced because we cease to try to manipulate them selfishly, thus producing more outcomes which were "meant to be" or results which produce the greatest benefits for all.
This is another paradox elucidated by yoga:
Pleasure is derived from the release of the desire for pleasure.
"From perfection of samtosha (contentment) the sweetest happiness is derived" YS II.42
This can easily be observed and confirmed as true - as can its opposite: from dissatisfaction arises misery.
And we can further say: from release of this desire for pleasure comes release of the pain associated with the loss of the coveted object as well as the "running away" from the pain which this causes, and the "running towards" a new pleasure to alleviate this suffering, thus ending the cycle of cause and effect which keeps us bound in the wheel of Samsara.
~
In his commentary on the twelfth sutra of the Samadhi Pada of the Yoga Sutra, Vyasa says as follows:
"The river of mind flows in both directions - towards good and towards evil. That which flows down the plane of Viveka or discriminative knowledge ending in the high ground of Kaivalya or liberation, leads unto good; while that which flows to the plateau of cycles of rebirth down the plane of non-discrimination leads unto evil. Among these, the flow towards sense objects is reduced by renunciation (vairagya), and development of a habit of discrimination (abhyasa), opens the floodgate of discriminative knowledge. The stopping of mental modifications is thus dependent on both."
Guruji often talked about practice, practice...but Patanjali pairs this practice with vairagya - dispassion. If we make yoga into a thing we like, which suits our needs, we do not allow yoga to do any work for us. We do not gain any net benefit. Yoga means mind-control - this is achieved through practice and dispassion.
Too many writings and teachings on yoga accommodate the fact that we are competitive, passionate, compulsive etc.. The implications of karma, reincarnation, renunciation etc are unpalatable. And so yoga is made into something warm and fuzzy, something which fits neatly into our materialistic culture.
Non attachment is of two kinds - lower and higher. The lower kind is divided into four stages - this lower vairagya is "part and parcel of the eight component parts of yoga (ashtanga yoga)." * So practicing the eight limbs of yoga is the lower vairagya. But the idea of the ultimate renunciation puts doubts and confusions into even the most ardent student's mind.
So, as with other aspects of yoga, there are stages to vairagya. Depending on our life circumstances, our desires may be not directly for our own benefit, but for the benefit of family or society. While living integrated into society with family and work duties, often we have to struggle hard to make ends meet. But living in simplicity without the desire to consume is perfectly possible and reduces and enormous amount of stress, since it is a lot cheaper.
The ultimate renunciation is for very few at this time. In any case, if we have children and have social duties to perform, we can not even consider it seriously. Maybe as we approach death, it becomes more meaningful. But this does not mean we should not think about it - because it is the ultimate goal of yoga, and we are all going to die sometime.
"The wise understand that all this is suffering" YS II.15
The reason why wise men such as Ramakrishna or Ramana Maharshi attracted so much attention
was because they exuded bliss - they had attained the ultimate detachment, they had no possessions, yet they were the epitome of happiness, peace and fulfillment - everyone wanted to know - how do you do that?
They were no longer attached to anything. Nothing could cause them pain. Even Ramana Maharshi's cancer was no obstacle to his samadhi.
~
* Sadashiva Saraswathi - "The Ambrosia of Yoga"
The yoga and ayurveda shastra state that samadhi was once naturally experienced but is almost totally lost today because of the decline in our diet and habits. We may be very good at making sophisticated things, there have been many medical advances etc., but we are no closer to understanding how to be happy - because we are looking in the wrong place.
Yoga is a radical philosophy and practice which is all too often dumbed down and perverted to suit purely commercial interests: teaching yoga has become a business and writing yoga books a potentially lucrative pursuit. Percentage-wise, few writers of books or teachers have real training in yoga, few teachers have even met or studied with a yoga master beyond a few weekend seminars.
Most translations of the yoga sutra are not made by practitioners of yoga but by academics and some of our favorite translations are made by buddhists. There are translations made from a christian perspective, an advaita perspective, a materialist perspective, etc., and many simply wrong, bad or totally off the track points of view. In short, taken as a whole, the knowledge which is out there is a kind of mush.
In India we used to eat this multi-grain cereal we called Mysore Mush - in retrospect it was mushy lumpy and not very appealing - the knowledge about yoga resembles this - it is mushy, lumpy and opaque.
One of the reasons for this, apart from simple confusion proliferated by conflicting translations and interpretations of yoga philosophy, is that yoga being a radical philosophy instills fear because it turns our usual thinking upside down. It says that our most precious pursuit - that of sensual pleasure, leads to endless suffering.
We are so attached to our pleasures that we would rather pretend we had not heard this. So there is an attempt to make yoga fit with what we feel is comfortable and to avoid confronting the fact that our obsession with prakriti is exactly what causes us blindness and pain.
According to yoga the pursuit of pleasure is caused by stress but neither stress relief nor lasting pleasure is achieved by making effort to achieve pleasure directly. Pursuit of pleasure and pain live together - there is a constant feedback loop: with attachment, the result of the loss of that object is pain and the desire to obtain another object to replace it - thus arises a continuous cycle.
Since, in our society, we are taught to desire so much, to excel, to be the best or at least the richest or most beautiful etc., the effort to attain these badges of merit is enormous. Often our drive for success may be fueled by the unrealized desires of our parents. But in any case we experience this drive to compete and acquire as a deep conditioning and stress - and to relieve our stress, we have our pleasures.
According to Patanjali, if you want to experience pleasure, you should not run after it, you should instead cultivate contentment. According to him, from this contentment is derived the highest pleasure. This does not mean that one should be lazy, but that one should learn to see everything with equanimity.
Detachment is a frightening concept for Westerners. We fear we will lose everything we value, however we only lose what poisons us. Since we are confused about what is good for our health and what is detrimental, we fear we will reject something we value.
But detachment does not imply not having feelings, not experiencing happiness and pleasure, quite the opposite! It results in the release from needing to have one's desires fulfilled, in fact it results in the falling away of many unhealthy desires. Just this alone increases the experience of release and happiness.
But, further, and perhaps more significantly: if you have no expectations of an outcome and if you cease to try to manipulate an outcome for your own benefit, you will never experience disappointment, but if you experience "success" (a good thing happening) then pleasure is a pure bonus. More positive outcomes will be experienced because we cease to try to manipulate them selfishly, thus producing more outcomes which were "meant to be" or results which produce the greatest benefits for all.
This is another paradox elucidated by yoga:
Pleasure is derived from the release of the desire for pleasure.
"From perfection of samtosha (contentment) the sweetest happiness is derived" YS II.42
This can easily be observed and confirmed as true - as can its opposite: from dissatisfaction arises misery.
And we can further say: from release of this desire for pleasure comes release of the pain associated with the loss of the coveted object as well as the "running away" from the pain which this causes, and the "running towards" a new pleasure to alleviate this suffering, thus ending the cycle of cause and effect which keeps us bound in the wheel of Samsara.
In his commentary on the twelfth sutra of the Samadhi Pada of the Yoga Sutra, Vyasa says as follows:
"The river of mind flows in both directions - towards good and towards evil. That which flows down the plane of Viveka or discriminative knowledge ending in the high ground of Kaivalya or liberation, leads unto good; while that which flows to the plateau of cycles of rebirth down the plane of non-discrimination leads unto evil. Among these, the flow towards sense objects is reduced by renunciation (vairagya), and development of a habit of discrimination (abhyasa), opens the floodgate of discriminative knowledge. The stopping of mental modifications is thus dependent on both."
Guruji often talked about practice, practice...but Patanjali pairs this practice with vairagya - dispassion. If we make yoga into a thing we like, which suits our needs, we do not allow yoga to do any work for us. We do not gain any net benefit. Yoga means mind-control - this is achieved through practice and dispassion.
Too many writings and teachings on yoga accommodate the fact that we are competitive, passionate, compulsive etc.. The implications of karma, reincarnation, renunciation etc are unpalatable. And so yoga is made into something warm and fuzzy, something which fits neatly into our materialistic culture.
Non attachment is of two kinds - lower and higher. The lower kind is divided into four stages - this lower vairagya is "part and parcel of the eight component parts of yoga (ashtanga yoga)." * So practicing the eight limbs of yoga is the lower vairagya. But the idea of the ultimate renunciation puts doubts and confusions into even the most ardent student's mind.
So, as with other aspects of yoga, there are stages to vairagya. Depending on our life circumstances, our desires may be not directly for our own benefit, but for the benefit of family or society. While living integrated into society with family and work duties, often we have to struggle hard to make ends meet. But living in simplicity without the desire to consume is perfectly possible and reduces and enormous amount of stress, since it is a lot cheaper.
The ultimate renunciation is for very few at this time. In any case, if we have children and have social duties to perform, we can not even consider it seriously. Maybe as we approach death, it becomes more meaningful. But this does not mean we should not think about it - because it is the ultimate goal of yoga, and we are all going to die sometime.
"The wise understand that all this is suffering" YS II.15
The reason why wise men such as Ramakrishna or Ramana Maharshi attracted so much attention
was because they exuded bliss - they had attained the ultimate detachment, they had no possessions, yet they were the epitome of happiness, peace and fulfillment - everyone wanted to know - how do you do that?
They were no longer attached to anything. Nothing could cause them pain. Even Ramana Maharshi's cancer was no obstacle to his samadhi.
~
* Sadashiva Saraswathi - "The Ambrosia of Yoga"
Beans, Lentils, and the Paleo Diet
Sunday, November 24, 2013
As we continue to explore the foods our ancestors relied on during our evolutionary history, and what foods work best for us today, we come to legumes such as beans and lentils. These are controversial foods within the Paleolithic diet community, while the broader nutrition community tends to view legumes as healthy.
Beans and lentils have a lot going for them. They're one of the few foods that are simultaneously rich in protein and fiber, making them highly satiating and potentially good for the critters in our colon. They're also relatively nutritious, delivering a hefty dose of vitamins and minerals. The minerals are partially bound by the anti-nutrient phytic acid, but simply soaking and cooking beans and lentils typically degrades 30-70 percent of it, making the minerals more available for absorption (Food Phytates. Reddy and Sathe. 2002). Omitting the soaking step greatly reduces the degradation of phytic acid (Food Phytates. Reddy and Sathe. 2002).
The only tangible downside to beans I can think of, from a nutritional standpoint, is that some people have a hard time with the large quantity of fermentable fiber they provide, particularly people who are sensitive to FODMAPs. Thorough soaking prior to cooking can increase the digestibility of the "musical fruit" by activating the sprouting program and leaching out tannins and indigestible saccharides. I soak all beans and lentils for 12-24 hours.
The canonical Paleolithic diet approach excludes legumes because they were supposedly not part of our ancestral dietary pattern. I'm going to argue here that there is good evidence of widespread legume consumption by hunter-gatherers and archaic humans, and that beans and lentils are therefore an "ancestral" food that falls within the Paleo diet rubric. Many species of edible legumes are common around the globe, including in Africa, and the high calorie and protein content of legume seeds would have made them prime targets for exploitation by ancestral humans after the development of cooking. Below, I've compiled a few examples of legume consumption by hunter-gatherers and extinct archaic humans. I didn't have to look very hard to find these, and there are probably many other examples available. If you know of any, please share them in the comments.
To be clear, I would eat beans and lentils even if they weren't part of ancestral hunter-gatherer diets, because they're inexpensive, nutritious, I like the taste, and they were safely consumed by many traditional agricultural populations probably including my own ancestors.
Extensive "bean" consumption by the !Kung San of the Kalahari desert
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Beans and lentils have a lot going for them. They're one of the few foods that are simultaneously rich in protein and fiber, making them highly satiating and potentially good for the critters in our colon. They're also relatively nutritious, delivering a hefty dose of vitamins and minerals. The minerals are partially bound by the anti-nutrient phytic acid, but simply soaking and cooking beans and lentils typically degrades 30-70 percent of it, making the minerals more available for absorption (Food Phytates. Reddy and Sathe. 2002). Omitting the soaking step greatly reduces the degradation of phytic acid (Food Phytates. Reddy and Sathe. 2002).
The only tangible downside to beans I can think of, from a nutritional standpoint, is that some people have a hard time with the large quantity of fermentable fiber they provide, particularly people who are sensitive to FODMAPs. Thorough soaking prior to cooking can increase the digestibility of the "musical fruit" by activating the sprouting program and leaching out tannins and indigestible saccharides. I soak all beans and lentils for 12-24 hours.
The canonical Paleolithic diet approach excludes legumes because they were supposedly not part of our ancestral dietary pattern. I'm going to argue here that there is good evidence of widespread legume consumption by hunter-gatherers and archaic humans, and that beans and lentils are therefore an "ancestral" food that falls within the Paleo diet rubric. Many species of edible legumes are common around the globe, including in Africa, and the high calorie and protein content of legume seeds would have made them prime targets for exploitation by ancestral humans after the development of cooking. Below, I've compiled a few examples of legume consumption by hunter-gatherers and extinct archaic humans. I didn't have to look very hard to find these, and there are probably many other examples available. If you know of any, please share them in the comments.
To be clear, I would eat beans and lentils even if they weren't part of ancestral hunter-gatherer diets, because they're inexpensive, nutritious, I like the taste, and they were safely consumed by many traditional agricultural populations probably including my own ancestors.
Extensive "bean" consumption by the !Kung San of the Kalahari desert
Read more »
a food sensitivity test.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
since august bella has been getting these wicked stomach aches about once a week. then she poops and all is better. i really don't think it is from constipation. she goes daily. it's quick and easy. i have been thinking there is something more. i decided to do an IgG food sensitivity test to see if there is anything she could be reacting too. this is not an anaphylactic allergy test (that is an IgE test), this, rather shows a delayed reaction to a specific food 24-48 hours after it is consumed. it can result in numerous symptoms such as; digestive complaints, headaches, congestion, and joint pain.
.JPG)
so here are a few pages from her test.
.JPG)
dairy panel- no issues. see how all the bars are in the 0 range. can't get much better than that!
ouch. eggs. anything in the IV or higher category you want to avoid completely.
bye bye scrambled eggs, french toast and the most beloved of breads, challah.
grain/gluten products and nuts; safe
I have taken her off most gluten and dairy over the last few weeks and she has not had a stomach ache but that being said she also has not had any eggs. i'm going to put the dairy and wheat back in and keep her off the eggs for awhile and see how it goes.
OUR PEOPLE, GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
As a not-for-profit organization, GBMC exists to serve the community. Our HealthCare system is “owned” by the community and a group of people from our community, the Board of Directors, oversee it and hold the CEO accountable for serving the mission every day. The directors give of their time and talent to help GBMC. The Chairman of the Board, Harry Johnson, Esq., has served on our board for more than 10 years and has been involved with GBMC since the 1980’s.
This is why many of us within the GBMC family felt privileged to have attended the Boy Scouts of America’s Whitney Young Jr. Achievement Award ceremony last week, honoring our Chairman Harry Johnson. It was a true honor to attend this ceremony and pay tribute to a great community leader.
The Whitney Young Jr. Achievement Award is presented to a member of the community in recognition of their involvement in the development of scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income backgrounds. In Harry’s brief acceptance speech he spoke about his dad, who was a Boy Scout leader in Maryland in the early 1960s when Maryland was still segregated. His father led an all-black troop and had to deal with many issues stemming from racial inequality. But Harry’s father was a leader and helped these young boys, including his son, Harry, become leaders and contributing members of their community.
Harry is an accomplished attorney and partner at the law firm Whiteford, Taylor and Preston, yet he finds time to volunteer and give back to numerous organizations. In addition to serving as Chairman of the Board at GBMC, Harry is also very active with the Maryland State Bar Association including the Maryland State Bar Foundation board of directors as well as many others. Harry is a shining example of someone who has dedicated himself to giving back to the community, and GBMC has certainly benefited from Harry’s service and leadership. We are very proud of Harry and grateful for all that he has given to GBMC.
I also want to congratulate our rapidly growing Center for Neurology and GBMC’s Primary Stroke Center which, under the leadership of James Bernheimer, MD and Tracy Lamb, MSN, CRNP, CRN, recently received the Gold Plus award from Get with the Guidelines®. The award is given by The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association in recognition to hospitals that have achieved 85% or higher adherence to all Get with the Guidelines Stroke Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12 month intervals. The award also recognizes hospitals with at least 12 consecutive months of 75% or higher compliance with five or more Get with the Guidelines Stroke Quality measures to improve quality of patient care and outcomes.
This award is the result of the hard work and commitment of our entire stroke team and demonstrates GBMC’s high level of commitment and expertise in caring for stroke patients. With an aging population, we are at the ready to provide superior care to all GBMC stroke patients day in and day out. Great work!
 |
| Harry Johnson, Esq. |
The Whitney Young Jr. Achievement Award is presented to a member of the community in recognition of their involvement in the development of scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income backgrounds. In Harry’s brief acceptance speech he spoke about his dad, who was a Boy Scout leader in Maryland in the early 1960s when Maryland was still segregated. His father led an all-black troop and had to deal with many issues stemming from racial inequality. But Harry’s father was a leader and helped these young boys, including his son, Harry, become leaders and contributing members of their community.
Harry is an accomplished attorney and partner at the law firm Whiteford, Taylor and Preston, yet he finds time to volunteer and give back to numerous organizations. In addition to serving as Chairman of the Board at GBMC, Harry is also very active with the Maryland State Bar Association including the Maryland State Bar Foundation board of directors as well as many others. Harry is a shining example of someone who has dedicated himself to giving back to the community, and GBMC has certainly benefited from Harry’s service and leadership. We are very proud of Harry and grateful for all that he has given to GBMC.
Stroke Center Award
This award is the result of the hard work and commitment of our entire stroke team and demonstrates GBMC’s high level of commitment and expertise in caring for stroke patients. With an aging population, we are at the ready to provide superior care to all GBMC stroke patients day in and day out. Great work!
It’s beginning to look a lot like an HFG Christmas!
Monday, November 18, 2013
Yes, the turkey steals the show at Christmas, but that shouldn’t mean your side dishes pale in comparison. Here are some extra-special festive ideas to bring to the table…
Stuffed apples
Prep 10 min
Cook 35 min
Makes 8
1tbsp olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
100g cooked and peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
25g fresh breadcrumbs
2tbsp chopped fresh parsley
A few fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked
10 fresh sage leaves, finely shredded
Good grating of fresh nutmeg
Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
8 eating apples (such as braeburn)
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion and cook over a low heat for 10 min. Set aside to cool.
2 Put the chestnuts in a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, herbs, nutmeg and lemon zest. Add the cooked onion and mix to combine.
3 Carefully core each apple and score a line around the equator (to prevent the skin splitting). Spoon the stuffing into the cavity of each apple, piling it up slightly, then place the apples in a large baking tin.
3 Bake for 20 min or until tender, then serve.
Per serving: 95kcal, 1.1g protein, 1.9g fat, 0.3g saturates, 19.6g carbs, 13.3g sugar, 3.3g fibre, 0.1g salt, 18mg calcium, 0.4mg iron
Get-ahead tip
Keep the cooled stuffing in a sealed food bag or container for up to 3 days in the fridge. On Christmas morning, assemble and stuff the apples, cover loosely with a clean tea towel and leave in a cool place (outside if there’s no space elsewhere) until ready to cook. Or prepare the stuffing without the herbs, then freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost at room temperature overnight, then add the herbs and continue from step 3.
More ideas on the side…
* For roasts and casseroles: slow-cook sliced red cabbage with red onions, sliced apple, a handful of dried cranberries, a little brown sugar, orange juice and a cinnamon stick until tender.
* For the Boxing Day buffet: make a robust winter salad by mixing shredded sprouts, cauliflower and red or white cabbage with chopped apple and celery, and a handful of mixed nuts or seeds.
Tonia Buxton’s warming Greek recipes for winter nights
In our Winter issue, TV chef Tonia Buxton explains why the traditional Greek diet is one of the healthiest in the Mediterranean. Here is one of her favourite Greek recipes…
‘Healthy cooking is something that comes very naturally to me, because I‘ve been cooking since I was 10,’ says Tonia. ‘In Greek culture you learn to cook when you’re very young, so we never develop this fear some people have of putting together a healthy meal. I never cease to be amazed that people get to university and don’t know how to cook anything other than toast! Here, I want to share with you a recipe that proves healthy cooking doesn’t have to be complicated.’
Chickpea and cumin soup
Prep 10 min
Cook 20 min
Serves 5
3 tsp cumin soup
Chilli flakes, to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
850ml reduced-salt vegetable stock
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
1 x 400g tin chickpeas drained
Bunch of fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish
6tbsp 2% fat Greek yogurt, to serve
1. In a large saucepan, dry fry the cumin and chilli flakes until they start to jump. Add the oil and onion and gently fry until translucent but not browned.
2. Add the tomatoes, followed by 3/4 of the chickpeas and the stock. Simmer for 20 min.
3. Use a stick blender to whiz the soup to a smooth texture. Add the reserved chickpeas, then season to taste.
4. Serve in bowls, topped with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of coriander.
Per serving: 200kcal, 11g protein, 9.6g fat, 2g saturates, 18.8g carbs, 8.6g sugar, 4.5g fibre, 1.2g salt, 117mg calcium, 2.8mg iron
This recipe is: LOW CAL, LOW FAT, LOW SAT FAT, LOW SUGAR, LOW SALT, HIGH PROTEIN, VEGETARIAN, 3 OF 5-A-DAY
Pick up a copy of Healthy Food Guide’s Winter issue and enjoy an exclusive reader offer of 15% off your food bill at The Real Greek restaurants.
Ceviche masterclass
By Ellen Wallwork
Ceviche is having a bit of a moment and is appearing at an increasing number of restaurants. But while this Peruvian delicacy looks a la carte, it’s surprisingly easy to make in your own kitchen – and you don’t even need to turn on the oven! In its simplest form, ceviche is chunks of raw fish ‘cooked’ in citrus juice –it’s the acid in the juice that denatures the proteins in the fish, similar to traditional cooking methods, turning them opaque. So, with curing raw fish making it into Kenwood’s top 50 food experiences to try in a lifetime, we decided to try our hand at making ceviche. We sought out the expertise of Fernando Trocca, executive chef of the Gaucho restaurant chain where ceviche has been on the menu for more than 11 years. He shared his simple six-step guide to preparing the dish…
1. Cut the fish into small chunks
‘Make sure you select quality fish,’ says Fernando. ‘Fresh, locally and responsibly sourced fish is always best. The fresher the fish, the better the taste.’ Cutting the fish correctly is essential, too. ‘If the chunks are too big, the cure won’t reach the middle so the fish will still be raw.’
2. Season (optional)
Traditionally, ceviche is seasoned with salt. But the good news for healthy foodies is this is very much down to taste preference, so you can use as little salt as you want, or none at all. However, if you don’t add salt you’ll need to cure the fish for a little longer.
3. ‘Cook’
‘When preparing ceviche we refer to cooking, but it is actually curing,’ explains Fernando. ‘The citrus juices marinate the fish and seep through to the middle.’
Cure the fish in lime juice, then drain. The cure time depends on the type of fish and the size of the pieces you use. It can take from 30 sec (for thinly sliced tuna, scallops, lobster and sole) up to 5–7 min (for prawns). Cod and octopus need around 3 min.
4. Prepare the vegetables
Thinly slice red onions and cut vegetables into bite-size cubes. Popular veg choices include avocado, tomatoes and steamed sweet potatoes.
5. Make the marinade
Chilli, coriander and garlic are typically used in ceviche marinades, but spicy red pepper and tomato sauce also works well. ‘Spice is incredibly important,’ advises Trocca. ‘You want the dish to pack a punch with every mouthful.’
6. Assemble
Gently combine the cured fish with the sliced onion and the marinade. Serve topped with the sliced vegetables, with a grinding of black pepper and a sprig of fresh coriander.
Enjoy!
wart be gone...
i have a bottle of colloidal silver from this woman that has a machine and makes it. i started soaking her toe in a tiny cup filled with the colloidal silver last week. we did this for 4 days. the other day i came home from work and greeted with excitement were both A and B, saying the wart fell off! yeah for colloidal silver......
and then he was 8.....
Saturday, November 16, 2013
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45/52
a week with Che and Fidel
Aidan: happiness is opening presents on your 8th bday
Bella: the ballerina
Kai: oh, to be the little one. so sweet
Bella: the ballerina
Kai: oh, to be the little one. so sweet
‘Tis the season for a HFG makeover
Friday, November 15, 2013
As part of our mission to Fight the Fads: Make Every Meal Healthier, we regularly feature healthy recipe makeovers in Healthy Food Guide and on our Facebook page. And with the party season drawing ever closer, we thought we’d share a recipe with you so you can indulge in a festive treat or two without overdoing it. Our healthier sausage rolls are made with reduced-fat puff pastry and lean pork mince bulked-up with fibre-boosting wholemeal breadcrumbs – and they taste delicious…
Healthy Food Guide sausage rolls
Prep 15 min
Cook 20 min
Makes 20
Cooking oil spray, to grease
300g lean pork mince
2 wholemeal bread slices, made into breadcrumbs
1 onion, finely chopped
1tbsp chopped fresh thyme
½tsp ground mixed spice
1tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
1 ready-rolled light puff pastry sheet (320g)
1 egg, beaten
1Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Lightly spray a non-stick baking tray with oil.
2 In a large bowl, combine the mince, breadcrumbs, onion, thyme, mixed spice and soy.
3 Cut the pastry sheet in half lengthways into 2 long rectangles. Divide the meat mixture in half, then put one half along the middle of one pastry strip to form a long sausage. Brush one long edge of the pastry with the egg, then roll the pastry over the filling and seal it together to form a long roll. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.
4 Cut each large roll into 10 pieces, then put them seam-side down on the prepared tray. Slash the top of each roll a few times with a knife, then brush lightly with the beaten egg. Bake for 20–25 min until dark golden.
5 Serve warm or set aside to cool, then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly and reheat in a moderate oven until piping hot.
Healthy Food Guide sausage rolls
Per sausage roll: 96kcal, 6.4g protein, 4.1g fat, 1.8g saturates, 8.6g carbs, 0.8g sugar, 0.8g fibre, 0.3g salt, 20mg calcium, 0.5mg iron
What’s so good about quinoa?
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Quinoa (pronounced ‘keen-wah’) is a tiny grain native to the Andes Mountains of South America where it’s been a staple for more than 5,000 years. The Incas prized it as the ‘mother grain’ and used it to supplement their predominantly vegetarian diet of potatoes and corn.
Despite its size, quinoa is a nutrition powerhouse. It’s a complete source of protein as it contains all nine essential amino acids including lysine, which is essential for tissue repair and growth – 100g uncooked quinoa provides roughly the same amount of protein as 2 small eggs and more than a quarter of our daily needs!
It’s high in fibre, too, and has good amounts of vitamins and minerals. In particular, it’s rich in iron – 100g uncooked quinoa provides more than half our daily needs for this nutrient. Add this to its high protein content and quinoa is a great choice for people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Plus, it’s gluten and wheat free, making it a good alternative to pasta and bread for people with coeliac disease.
Quinoa grains come in various colours, from white or pale yellow to red, purple brown and black. You can also buy it as flakes (a good alternative to breadcrumbs) and flour (good for making gluten-free pastry).
It’s easy to prepare. First, rinse the grains in water, then drain. Simmer in a pan of water, stock or milk (one part quinoa to three parts liquid) for 10–15 min. To really bring out the flavour, you can toast the quinoa before simmering. Or you can cook quinoa in the microwave: put the same ratio of quinoa to liquid in a large microwavable bowl, cover and cook on high for 7 min. Allow to stand for 7 min or until the liquid is absorbed.
The delicate texture of quinoa works in soups, stews, salads, breads and sweets. In fact, there’s no end to its versatility!
For a taste of the wonders of this nutritious ingredient, try HFG recipe consultant Phil Mundy’s festive recipe …
Quinoa, dried cranberry and pine nut stuffing
Prep 10 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 12
Cooking oil spray
200g quinoa
1½tsp gluten-free reduced-salt veg stock powder
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
50g dried cranberries, roughly chopped
35g pine nuts, lightly toasted
2tbsp chopped thyme
Juice of ½ orange
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5 and lightly spray a
1 litre ovenproof dish with oil.
1 litre ovenproof dish with oil.
2 Put the quinoa in a medium pan with the stock powder and 500ml boiling water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15–18 min until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender.
3Meanwhile, spray a non-stick frying pan with a little oil and put over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 min or until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 1 min more, then remove from the heat.
4 Transfer the quinoa and onion mixture to a large mixing bowl, then stir through the remaining ingredients and season with ground black pepper. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish, then bake for 20 min.
Per serving: 96kcal, 3.2g protein, 3.1g fat, 0.3g saturates, 14.7g carbs, 5.3g sugar, 0.7g fibre, 0.2g salt, 22mg calcium, 1.6mg iron
For more recipe ideas using quinoa, pick up a copy of the Winter 2013 issue of Healthy Food Guide, out on 19 November
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