February Is for Hearts

During February everywhere you turn there are hearts for Valentine’s Day. February is also Heart Month for the American Heart Association, with a focus on heart health. Heart disease is the number one killer in America, and one in every four people have some form of heart disease. A healthy lifestyle can do a great deal to prevent heart disease. The American Dietetic Association gives the following suggestions to reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Eat a diet low in fat. Thirty per cent or less of the calories consumed in a day should be from fat. Fats are high in calories and a high fat intake increases the chances of a person becoming overweight. Saturated fats and a high dietary fat intake encourages the excess production of blood cholesterol by the body. Cholesterol is a main component of plaque that blocks arteries increasing the potential for a heart attack or stroke.

Eat a low-cholesterol diet. A cholesterol intake should be limited to 300 mg/day. This is particularly important for the people who have trouble with their cholesterol levels due to excess cholesterol production by the body.

Choose a low sodium diet. It is especially important for some individuals who have sodium sensitive high blood pressure. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels increasing the chances of clogged arteries.

Eat more fiber, fruits and vegetables. There are many good reasons for following this advice. It is believed than soluble fiber combines with cholesterol and prevents it from entering the blood stream where it is a factor in clogged arteries. Fiber is from plant foods, and soluble fiber is high in oats, apples, barley, beans, oranges, and grapefruit. Many of the foods from plants contain vitamins and antioxidants that keep the cells healthy and prevent damage from free radicals. Folic acid and other B vitamins found in grains and vegetables are also important to heart and blood vessel health.

Maintain or improve your weight. Excess body fat, particularly around the middle, increases the chances of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

Keep Moving. Being physically active helps in the control of cholesterol levels, blood pressure, stress, and body weight. Vigorous exercise helps strengthen the heart muscle so it can work more efficiently.

If you smoke, quit. Smoking can increase the blood pressure and heart rate, and reduce the helpful type of body cholesterol. It also may also encourage blood clotting increasing chances of a heart attack.

Reduce Stress. Stress may be a factor in high blood pressure and heart disease.

Watch alcohol consumption. Heavy drinking may increase the risk high blood pressure.

The American heart Association theme for American Heart Month 2001 is Be Prepared for Cardiac Emergencies. Know the signs of cardiac arrest. Call 9_1_1 immediately. Give CPR.

During cardiac arrest, a victim loses consciousness, stops normal breathing and loses pulse and blood pressure. By maintaining the vital blood flow to the heart and brain, CPR can help keep the cardiac arrest victim alive until emergency help arrives.

When thinking about Valentines consider giving the best gift you can to your loved ones - encourage a healthy lifestyle to protect their heart.

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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Stock Your Pantry for Quick, Healthy Meals

A frequent reason given for not eating properly is the lack of time to prepare big meals. A meal does not have to be totally “from scratch” to be nutritious. Healthy meals can be pulled together almost as quickly as meals containing few nutrients or lots of fats and salt. Joan Salge Blake, M.S., R.D. gives ideas for food supplies from the five major food groups that will give you the materials to make quick meals with a maximum of nutritional quality. Here are some ideas based on her website, The Pantry Pyramid <http://thriveonline.oxygen.com/eats/pyramid/pantry/index.html>,  for stocking the kitchen.

Grains should be the foundation for your meals. When possible, the nutrient and fiber value of meals would be increased by using whole grains. Brown rice usually takes a long time, but there is a quick cooking brown rice available. To get the maximum benefit, whole wheat products such as breads, pasta, and pita pockets should list whole wheat flour as the first ingredient. The pastas can make heartier salads, or be served with low salt chili or spaghetti sauce. Pita pockets can be filled with any type of sandwich fillings or used as a base for a small pizza. Soft tortillas are a great way to utilize canned beans, leftover meats, or veggies to make a fajita. Bread crumbs can increase your options also. Quick cooking oatmeal is better than instant because it does not have the sodium and takes only slightly longer to cook.

Frozen and low salt canned vegetables will keep for a long time and provide plenty of nutrients and options. Frozen vegetables are also convenient, because like canned, they are ready to heat and eat. Try adding different vegetables to pasta, rice, and stir fry dishes for variety.

Ready to eat baby carrots and salads are an easy way to add vegetables to quick meals, just be sure the dressings or dips are low fat. Garlic, onions, and baking potatoes are vegetables that increase cooking options. Baked potatoes can become a main course with low fat cheese, lean meat, or chili used as a topping. Low salt salsa and spaghetti sauces can also be used in a variety of ways. To make canned spaghetti sauce lower in salt, add a can of low salt tomato sauce to make it lower in sodium. A really quick way to get vegetable nutrients is to drink low salt vegetable juice, but you will not get much fiber. The vegetable juice makes a quick base for soups too.

Dried fruits can be added to salads, yogurt, cereal, muffins, or pancakes. Fresh, frozen, or canned fruit packed in juice are all quick nutritious options. Small individual cans of fruits make nutritious additions to lunches when the fresh fruit is not available. The 100% fruit juice provides many nutrients, but almost no fiber. Concentrated frozen juice is good to have in the freezer for whenever a serving of fruit is needed.

Shredded low fat cheddar and mozzarella cheeses extend your options for quick dishes. They can turn a salad, pasta, beans, or bread into a main course. Parmesan cheese can add calcium and flavor to rice, pasta, salads, soups, and vegetables. Canned or dried low fat milk can be helpful when you just can’t make it to the store when the fresh milk runs out. Canned skimmed milk can be used for cream sauces, soups, or smoothies.

For quicker meals, freeze lean meats in meal size packets. Move the meat from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before for thawing. There are many individual portion types of chicken or turkey items that can be used in a variety of meal options. Reduced sodium chili can be used to dress up a baked potato, on a taco or tortillas, or to make chili-mac. Eggs or egg substitutes can also be versatile and are needed in many recipes. Lean ground turkey can be used any way that ground beef can be used. Read the label to make sure it is lean. Canned beans can be rinsed to remove the salt and added to salads, pasta dishes, soups, and Mexican dishes for a quick high protein dish. Refried beans are also versatile. Canned salmon or tuna can be used in a variety of ways, but some of the quickest uses are in salads or macaroni dishes.

As you can see from some of the suggestions, having a variety of healthy options on hand can make it easier to put together a healthy meal in a short time.

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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A Bright Spot in the Winter Diet

Fresh oranges from California and Arizona are available throughout the year, and they are plentiful during the winter months. Isn’t it great to have something so refreshing and nutritious during the months when there are fewer fresh fruit options. Americans consume most of their oranges in the form of juice. Orange juice is certainly the major provider of vitamin C in the American diet. Along with vitamin C, oranges provide substantial amounts of potassium and folacin. The vitamin C in the orange juice is retained very well for a week, if you keep it covered and keep it refrigerated. After two weeks, the juice will retain about 66% of it’s vitamin C. The whole orange provides more fiber than is available in the juice.

The two major varieties of fresh oranges available in this area are the navel and Valencia. Navel oranges are easily recognized by the navel or button formation opposite the stem end of the orange. Navel oranges are available from November through April, with peak supplies in January, February and March. Navel oranges are considered the finest eating oranges in the world. They are generally seedless and the thick skin is easy to peel. This orange is also easy to section. If the navel orange is to be used for juice, squeeze the juice just before consuming or it will turn bitter.

Valencia oranges are available from February through October, with peak supplies in May, June and July. The Valencia is an excellent juice orange because it is sweet and flavorful with lots of juice. These oranges are usually thin-skinned and small to medium in size with a few seeds. Valencia oranges may be easiest to eat when cut into wedges. They may be peeled by trimming a thin slice from each end of the fruit, then setting the orange on one end, and cutting away strips of peel from top to bottom, until all peel is removed. The peel on Valencia oranges is smoother and thinner than the navel oranges. According to Sunkist, regreening may occur in the Valencia oranges.

"The regreening phenomenon often occurs during the summer months. When the fruit ripens on the tree, it colors as usual. But the warm temperatures of the season may cause the orange skin to reabsorb chlorophyll as it hangs on the tree, causing a perfectly ripe orange to look partly green"

When buying oranges and other fresh citrus fruits, look for fruits which are firm and heavy for their size, with bright, colorful skins. Any green on the skin does not mean that the orange is not ripe. Avoid fruit with bruised, wrinkled or discolored skins; this indicates the fruit is old or has been stored incorrectly. Citrus fruit peel may vary in thickness, depending on weather conditions during the growing season and type of orange.

Although most citrus will keep at room temperature for several days, for best results, store in the refrigerator, in a plastic bag or in the crisper drawer. Oranges will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator. Oranges will yield more juice when kept at room temperature. The fresh-squeezed juice and grated peel or zest may be refrigerated or frozen, but whole citrus fruit should not be frozen. Include a bright spot in your diet today by enjoying a fresh navel orange!

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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The Organic Foods Production Act 

Until now the term organic foods had very little meaning, due to a lack of national standards and regulation. The final national organic standards rule was published in the Federal Register on December 21, 2000, so by late February these new rules will be in effect. This means that by late summer of this year, consumers will begin to see new organic labeling based on standards set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on products in their local grocery stores. Full implementation of the new rules will be in effect by mid-2002. Some states had organic food standards, however the state standards must now be at least as restrictive as the federal standards, or the federal guidelines must be followed. The Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), along with detailed fact sheets and other background information, is available on the web at USDA - Ag Maketing Service - National Organic Program Site <http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop> .

The final rules include the following requirements: Production and handling for organic crop production, wild crop harvesting, organic livestock management, processing and handling of organic agricultural products, labeling for organic products, compliance, testing, fee, state program approval, certification, record keeping, receiving and maintaining accreditation, and foreign accreditation. Also, included in this document is the National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Non-Synthetic Substances for organic products.

There are strict guidelines that must be followed before a food can be labeled "100 percent organic," "organic" or "made with organic ingredients." Here are the standards set for organic production.

• The organic crop production standards say the land will have no prohibited substances applied to it for at least three years before the harvest of an organic crop. The use of genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, and sewage sludge is prohibited. Soil fertility and crop nutrients will be managed through tillage and cultivation practices, crop rotations, and cover crops, supplemented with animal and crop waste materials and allowed synthetic materials. Also, preference will be given to the use of organic seeds and other planting stock, but a farmer may use non-organic seeds and planting stock under specified conditions. Crop pests, weeds, and diseases will be controlled primarily through management practices including physical, mechanical, and biological controls. When these practices are not sufficient, a biological, botanical, or synthetic substance approved for use on the National List may be used.

• These standards apply to animals used for meat, milk, eggs, and other animal products represented as organically produced. Animals for slaughter must be raised under organic management from the last third of gestation, or no later than the second day of life for poultry. Producers are required to feed livestock agricultural feed products that are 100 percent organic, but may also provide allowed vitamin and mineral supplements.
  • Producers may convert an entire, distinct dairy herd to organic production by providing 80 percent organically produced feed for nine months, followed by three months of 100 percent organically produced feed. Organically raised animals may not be given hormones to promote growth, or antibiotics for any reason.
  • Preventive management practices, including the use of vaccines, will be used to keep animals healthy. Producers are prohibited from withholding treatment from a sick or injured animal; however, animals treated with a prohibited medication may not be sold as organic. All organically raised animals must have access to the outdoors, including access to pasture for ruminants. They may be temporarily confined only for reasons of health, safety, the animal's stage of production, or to protect soil or water quality.

The United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world. However, for the people wanting their food to be organically produced, the new standards ensure that they will know what they are buying with the extra cost of organically grown products.

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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A Fresh Start to the New Year 

After next week, only the football bowl parties loom as major "eating events." During the holidays, most people are continuously bombarded with an excess of tempting foods that lead to over eating. Thousands of individuals will start the new year on a "diet" or resolve to lose weight. Most diets are boring and so restricted in their food choices that most people cannot keep up the regimen very long. For some "diets" it is a good thing they are short lived. The low-carb diet is the one that I hear about the most.

The low-carb diet encourages the consumption of animal products. Unfortunately it is a high protein, high fat, and high cholesterol diet. If this dietary plan were followed long term, it could increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and gout. For a more in-depth explanation of why these risks occur visit "Weight Loss Tips" <http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/families/Jan2000.html>. In addition, it reduces athletic performance based on its low carbohydrate content. Since one reason for losing weight is to improve health, this low-carb eating plan is not a good long-term solution.

Here are some positive suggestions from the same website listed above for improving health and helping with weight control.

1. Be physically active. Thirty minutes of moderate activity five times a week will increase the chances of weight loss, increase muscle mass, strengthen bones, and be good for your heart.
2. Drink eight to ten glasses of water. Water helps you to feel fuller, helps you feel more energetic, and it is essential to help your body function properly. Other liquids may provide excess calories, caffeine, or other chemicals that are unnecessary.
3. Eat a nutritious breakfast. This gives morning energy and alertness, and generally leads to eating better the rest of the day.
4. Be persistent in your efforts to eat a low-fat, high fiber die and be more physically active. It takes concentration to change those old habits.
5. Eat at home as much as possible. This will not only be more economical, but will also most likely be lower in salt and fat. Also, the portion size is easier to control.
6. Eat your five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. These foods are low-calorie, full of important nutrients and phytochemicals, high in fiber, and important in decreasing the chances of heart disease and cancer.
7. Try to relax. Often stress leads to overeating and possible negative health benefits. Learn to deal with stress through exercise and relaxation techniques.
8. Keep a record of what you eat and when you exercise. It helps to make you aware of how much food you are consuming and how much activity you are actually getting.
9. Get your nutrition information from reliable sources. When getting information from the web, look for edu (education) or gov (government) at the end of the web address.
10. Seek help if you need it to get started. Sometimes having a work out partner to encourage you when you don’t really want to get up off that couch is helpful.

Changing the way we eat and exercise is not easy. It may be wise to focus on one or two changes at a time. When those changes become natural, choose a couple more improvements to focus on. Have a happy and healthy 2001.

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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Last Minute Gift Ideas

Are you still struggling with what to get for that "difficult-to-buy-for-person" or with how to pay for more gifts? Here are some ideas gathered from the internet and other places that may solve some of those problem. If it isn’t exactly what you are looking for, it may spur some creative thinking to help with a suitable gift.

One of the hot items this year are the foods mixes that are layered in a jar. These are composed of dry non-perishable ingredients layered in quart canning jars with instructions on what to add and how to prepare the product. For instance use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and put in the bottom of the jar the correct amount of brown sugar, then add a layer of white sugar, then add a layer of the correct amount of chocolate chips (or substitute any other type of cookie chip), then add the flour mixed with baking soda and salt as the last layer. Attach directions for how much shortening to work into the dry ingredients, and the amount of eggs and vanilla to add. Don’t forget the baking instructions...time, oven temperature, etc. For those of you with internet access, this web site "Gifts From Your Kitchen - Gifts in Jars"
<http://busycooks.about.com/food/busycooks/library/features/blgiftjars.htm> leads you to dozens of sites with jar recipes and even labels that can be printed with instructions. Just remember to add only non-perishable ingredients to the jar. These jar recipes are not just for cookies, but special pancakes, soup ingredients, and other foods containing dry ingredients. I do not recommend the recipes that actually bake a cake or anything else in a glass jar.

These jars of mixes could be presented alone, with cookie cutters, set in a in a mixing bowl with a combination of other baking equipment, or with doily hats. One suggestion for sugar cookie mix was to put the jar or bag of dry ingredients into a new sand pail with a shovel for mixing. Cookie cutters, cinnamon candies, sprinkles and other decorating products could be added to the sand pail to increase the fun. For a artistic way to paint the jars before adding the mix, here is a suggestion from this website, <http://soar.Berkeley.EDU/recipes/gifts/recipe7.rec.>

• Sketch a simple design; fit around the jar until pleased with the arrangement.
• Tape, design-side-out, to inside of jar.
• Following the pattern, paint with oil paints on the outside of the jar. Let dry.
• Remove taped pattern from inside of jar.
• Bake jars 1 hour in 200 degree oven to set paint.
• Turn off oven but leave jars inside for a couple of hours to finish setting paint.
• Fill with food. Decorate lid as desired (e. g., fabric hats, doily with ribbon blending with colors in paint.

Making "baskets" for gifts is always fun. Today you are not limited to baskets, so think bowls, colanders, cups, baking pans, special pot or pan, a reusable canvas shopping bag, backpack, or any other appropriate container for the theme of the gift. For basket ideas to get your creative juices flowing try "Baker Boulanger - Homemade Christmas baskets" <http://www.betterbaking.com/seas/seasonal2xbask.html>.

Kettle corn seems to be a favorite at craft shows, so why not make some for gifts or to serve at a holiday get-together. Here is a recipe from "Arielle's Recipe Archives: Snacks"
<http://recipes.alastra.com/snacks/>.

Sugar Corn or "Kettle Corn"

• 1/2 cup pop corn
• 3 Tbsp. white sugar
• oil for popping

• Heat oil in medium saucepan until hot.
• Add pop corn and sprinkle all of the sugar over it.
• Cover and shake continuously until popped.
• Store in air-tight container.

Hopefully something in this article helped with those wonderful people in your life that are difficult only when it comes to gift giving time. It is so satisfying to give or get that gift made especially for someone special.

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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Shipping and Receiving Food Gifts

Many times we would like to share Holiday traditions with family members that cannot be with us for the special occasion. These traditions frequently involve a special food item. In the past, I have recommended that perishable items not be shipped. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has guidelines for dealing with perishable foods that have been received or that you wish to send. The following guidelines are from the FSIS site at <http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/mailorder.htm>.

For perishable foods prepared at home, which you plan to mail, follow these guidelines:

• Ship in a sturdy box.

• Pack with a cold source, i.e., frozen gel packs or dry ice.

• When using dry ice:
  • Don’t touch the dry ice with bare hands.
  • Don’t let it come in direct contact with food.
  • Warn the recipient of its use by writing "Contains Dry Ice" on the outside of the box.

• Wrap box in two layers of brown paper.

• Use permanent markers to label outside of the box. Use recommended packing tape.

• Label outside clearly; make sure address is complete and correct.

• Write "Keep Refrigerated" on outside of the box.

• Alert recipient of its expected arrival.

• Do not send to business addresses or where there will not be adequate refrigerator storage.

• Do not send packages at the end of the week. Send them at the beginning of the week so they do not sit in the post office or mailing facility over the weekend.

• Whenever possible, send foods that do not require refrigeration, e.g., hard salami, hard cheese, country ham.

For an illustration on good wrapping techniques and other sources of information on proper handling techniques, refer to the website listed above.

When you receive perishable food items check to see if the person or company used the similar procedures as the ones listed above to insure that the food is safe. Open the package immediately to see if items that were frozen still contained ice crystal or are cold, and had a cold pack enclosed. In this weather the item could have come to room temperature in a building, then gotten cold again during delivery if the product did not have some means of keeping it cold enclosed. According to the FSIS, "When you receive a food item marked "Keep Refrigerated," open it immediately and check its temperature. The food should arrive frozen or partially frozen with ice crystals still visible. Even if a product is smoked, cured, and/or fully cooked, it still is a perishable product and must be kept cold. If perishable food arrives warm, notify the company. Do not consume the food. Do not even taste suspect food."

The FSIS website also has a list of foods and conditions required for their safety and storage. Most meat, fish, poultry, or dairy products should be delivered cold or frozen. Some exceptions are hard sausage not labeled "Keep Refrigerated", country cured ham, shelf stable smoked salmon, canned ham if not labeled "Keep Refrigerated, hard or processed cheese, or lobster alive in saltwater.

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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Planning A Party?

 It’s the time of year that family and friends like to get together to celebrate the holidays. It’s great to spend that time with the people we care about, but it can be overwhelming to the host and/or hostess without some help. Many people are short of time, space, and/or cash to do an entire party alone. Let’s look at some ways to keep the food preparation manageable and safe, when hiring a caterer is not an option.

When I am preparing most of the food, my first consideration is choosing mostly menu items that can be prepared a day or two before the day of the event. It is good to get the preparation and kitchen clean up done in advance. A few menu items can be done fairly far in advance and frozen. Remember to allow enough time to thaw the frozen items in the refrigerator if necessary. Vegetables, some casseroles, and many deserts can be prepared a day or two ahead. If a casserole or other foods that have to be cooked are prepared in advance and refrigerated, allow extra an extra 10 to 15 minutes cooking time. Meats that are to be served hot usually taste best if cooked just before eating. Meats should be frozen if it is not purchased within two days before being cooked. It takes approximately 24 hours for every five pounds of meat in a large package to thaw.

Aside from planning foods that can be made ahead of time, another option is to have guests do some of the food preparation. For guests that will spend more than a half hour traveling to the get-together, try to assign foods that do not have to be kept hot. Foods can be put on ice for travel, but items that are safe at room temperature would be good to assign to the people that have to travel the farthest. Make sure there is a way to keep the cold foods above 40° and the hot foods above 165° until serving time. If there are several hot food items, try to use chafing dishes, slow cookers, or warming trays to maintain a safe temperature. The foods should already be hot when using these warming devices, they are not designed for reheating cold foods.

If there is prepared food to be purchased, consider your capacity for keeping the food at a safe temperature. Whether you are doing most of the food preparation or having help from others, look at your capacity to keep foods safe and fresh. Perishable foods are dishes containing meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, pasta, rice, and cooked vegetables, or foods with creamy dressings or sauces. The perishable food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours including transit and serving time. Plan ahead to have the oven space or other means of keeping hot foods at a safe temperature. If your refrigerator will not be adequate for cold food, plan to use ice chests to keep the food cold. Freshness concerns might be bread items and fresh raw fruits or vegetables. Plan to put out the amount of food that will be used in a half an hour to keep the food safe and fresh. If food is to be served for longer than two hours, use small bowls and trays and replace them with fresh trays or bowls of the perishable foods. Do not add fresh food to the buffet platter or dish, because it is hard to keep track of how long the original food has been at room temperature. To avoid concern about tracking the food time, use heating equipment to keep the food hot, and set bowls of cold food in ice when possible.

If you are not the person hosting the family or other group function this year, remembering these suggestions will help you be of assistance to the host or hostess. Let’s make it a safer and more enjoyable time for everyone.

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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Complications of Diabetes

In honor of Naional Diabetes Month each year, I focus on a different aspect of this disease. According to the American Diabetes Association, 5.4 million people are not aware that they have diabetes. Many of these people will not realize they have diabetes until they have one of the complications caused by this disease. Diabetes is the sixth-leading cause of death by disease in the United States. Either the disease or its complications will result in the death of more than 190,000 people this year. The American diabetes Association describes diabetes in this way:

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes is a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

Most of the people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes that results from the body being unable to produce enough insulin or use the insulin properly. This type of diabetes is increasing due to increasing numbers of obese individuals and elderly. This type of diabetes used to be rare in anyone under forty, but now there are children that have been diagnosed. The other major type of diabetes is labeled type 1, which occurs when the body does not produce any insulin. These individuals must get daily insulin injections.

The following information on complications was taken from the American Diabetes Association website at <http://www.diabetes.org/ada/facts.asp> .

• Blindness due to diabetic retinopathy is a more important cause of visual impairment in younger-onset people than in older-onset people. Each year 12,000 to 24,000 people lose their sight because of diabetes, which is the leading cause of new blindness in people aged 20-74 years.
• Kidney Disease due to diabetic nephropathy will affect ten to twenty-one percent of all people with diabetes. Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of end-stage renal disease, a condition where the patient requires dialysis or a kidney transplant in order to live.
• Heart Disease and Stroke are potential complications of diabetes. Heart disease, death from heart disease, and incidence of stroke are two to four times more likely in individuals with diabetes. More than 77,000 deaths are due to heart disease annually.
• Nerve Disease which may lead to amputations affect about 60-70% of people with diabetes. Diabetes is the most frequent cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputations due to severe nerve damage. The risk of a leg amputation is 15-40 times greater for a person with diabetes, causing 56,200 people to lose their foot or leg to diabetes.

There are other health problems associated with diabetes, and a great deal more information given at the website listed above. Each day approximately 2,200 people are diagnosed with diabetes. It is important to deal with this disease before the complications develop.

For input or food or nutrition questions, please contact Judy Lueders at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

University of Missouri Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.

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Handling Thanksgiving Leftovers

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, your turkey should be thawing safely in the refrigerator, if you are the designated cook. In past Thanksgiving columns, many aspects of dealing with the preparation and purchasing of the turkey dinner have been discussed. This year let’s look at handling the food after the Thanksgiving dinner.

These tips for storing leftovers were given on the University of Illinois website <http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/turkey/>:

• Plan ahead, clean out the refrigerator and make room for leftovers several days before the holiday feast.

• Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator within 2 hours after cooking is completed. Why just 2 hours? Because bacteria that cause food poisoning can multiply to undesirable levels on perishable foods left at room temperature for longer than that.

• Large quantities should be divided into smaller portions and stored in several shallow containers.  Food in small amounts will chill faster keeping it safer and fresher.

If a large amount of turkey is left, consider freezing some for later use. Do not wait until the turkey has been in the refrigerator for 4 days to freeze it. Freezing will not improve the quality of the turkey. If the turkey is frozen while it is fresh the quality will be better upon defrosting.

There will be other foods left after the meal besides the turkey, so here is a chart telling how long to store the foods. This is based on the foods being left at room temperature for no more than two hours.

When the food has been handled in a safe manner, it is great to have leftovers to enjoy, and give the cook a break when so much work was put into the Thanksgiving meal. For preparation and other information from past columns you can go to "Food For Thought" on the web <http://outreach.missouri.edu/perry/food&nut/index.htm> and look under Special Occasions. For information on all aspects of dealing with turkey preparation there is a great deal of information on the Illinois website listed above. Butterball also has a "Turkey Talk-Line" at 1-800-323-4848, and the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline number is 1-800-535-4555. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

For food or nutrition questions, please contact me at 321 N. Main, Suite 1, Perryville, MO 63775, 573-547-4504, or E-mail luedersj@missouri.edu.

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