Food for Thought : February is National Heart Month

                        February is National Heart Month !
      Your heart is your hardest working muscle. It beats around 100,000 times per day! The bad news is that more than 58 million Americans suffer from cardiovascular disease and many more are at risk for developing it. We can help you keep your heart going strong so you can exercise, enjoy life, and keep up with your kids (or your grandkids).Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths is caused by heart disease.
      The good news ? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to create opportunities for people to make healthier choices.
      Make a difference in your community : Spread the word about strategies for preventing heart disease and encourage people to live heart healthy lives.
                           Heart Attack Warning Signs :
       Chest Discomfort :Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Discomfort in Other Areas of the Upper Body: Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
      Shortness of Breath : With or without chest discomfort.
      Other signs :Other  May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headness.
                 Stroke Warning Signs - Spot a Stroke F.A.S.T.
     Face Drooping : Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
    Arm Weakness : Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
    Speech Difficulty :Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
     Time to call 9-1-1 : If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.
                       Baked Chicken Strips & Microwave Green Beans 

3 pounds  boneless, skinless, visible fat removed chicken breasts, cut into 1’’ strips (or chicken tenderloins) ’’ 
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
1/3 cup milk (skim) 
2  tablespoons  low-fat, low-sodium, grated parmesan cheese 
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats 
1 teaspoon  garlic or onion powder 
1 pound  fresh green beans, washed, stems discarded 
1/2 cup water 
1 teaspoon minced garlic, from jar 
1/4 taspoon  black pepper

1 .  Preheat oven to 375. 
2 .  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
3 .  On a plate or shallow dish, combine flour and pepper. 
4 .  Pour milk into a second shallow dish.
5 .  In another shallow dish, combine parmesan, oats, garlic/onion powder and paprika/parsley (optional: pulse oat mixture in food processor for 20 second for a finer ?breading?). 
6 .  One at a time, dip chicken strips into flour and turn to coat. Then dip in milk, and then oat mixture, turning until well coated. 
7 .  Place coated strips on to prepared baking sheet. 
8 .  Once all strips are on the baking sheet give a light spray with cooking spray. 
9 .  Bake for 20 minutes until golden-brown and cooked through. (Optional: If you prefer darker brown ?crisply? tenders, turn on the oven?s broiler for the last 2 minutes but keep an eye on the tenders so they don?t burn!) 
10 .  To prepare beans: In a 2-quart microwave-safe dish, place beans, water, garlic and pepper. Cover and microwave on high until beans are crisp-tender (6-8 minutes).
 Drain excess liquid.

A proud grand-poppa             G .