Vitamin D a possible link to lower hypertension in African Americans? (Photo: colindunn)

The possibility that something as readily accessible as Vitamin D, aka “the Sunshine Vitamin,” might reduce blood pressure in African Americans is big news. With over 40% of all African Americans tussling with high blood pressure, Blacks have significantly higher rates of hypertension than other US populations along with lower levels of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol). A possible precursor to coronary artery disease (i.e. heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease or hardening of the arteries in the legs and feet), hypertension poses a clear public-health threat to the Black community. To date, there has been no definitive reason identified for the potentially life-threatening health disparity posed by this high level of hypertension. However, recent research presented in the American Heart Association’s journal, Hypertension, suggests that Vitamin D deficiency might play a specific role in the “mechanics” of hypertension among Blacks. Read More

Photo: pietroizzo

For as long as I can remember, deviled eggs have been one of my absolute favorite foods. Maybe it’s my Southern roots. I still remember sitting on the beach as a little girl, watching anxiously as my mom pulled the rectangular plastic container of delectable deviled eggs out of the bright red ice chest. Cholesterol wasn’t in the dietary vocabulary then and I just LOVED deviled eggs! Now I know the challenges with munching on too many pieces as a snack. The whites are jammed with lean protein but the yolks come with a little too much cholesterol for snack status. Add the salt from typical jarred mustard and the sprinkled-in salt, along with fat from standard mayo and all of a sudden you can’t munch on those creamy deviled eggs quite as freely as you might like. Read More

Photo: premasagar

We’re all familiar with the uncomfortable feelings stress can create. What’s even more important than the feelings, however, is what that stress may be doing to our bodies. The medical community links “psychosocial stress” to both the onset and the progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD), proof positive that stress affects our lives beyond our conscious feelings.  Plainly put, stress can indeed kill and reducing stress is key to protecting our health and wellbeing. The good news is that it appears that our brains may well have the power to positively impact our health by helping keep stress at bay. Read More

Photo: Chris Blakeley

It’s no secret that sodium can play a villainous role in our health. We’ve all heard that the average American consumes far more sodium than we should, increasing our risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.   Read More

Photo: emmadiscovery

To those in the know, collard greens are simply “collards.” I’m in the know; I grew up with them. One of my earliest culinary memories is the seemingly ever-present pot of greens on my grandmother’s stove. I loved collards then and I love them now. Read More

Photo: Another Pint Please

The grande dame of Southern cooking, the late Edna Lewis declared summertime to be nothing without boiled corn. Taking it one step further, summertime is nothing without corn, period. Juicy and sweet, this is the time when corn is at its peak. You don’t hear much about it, but corn rocks our bodies, too. Read More

Photo: jcoterhals

My culinary curiosity kicked in the other night as I watched the hyper-competitive swimmers jettison through the water with the grace of dolphin-sharks. How do these uber athletes fuel their bodies to be able to consistently sustain this level of physical output? Might there actually be such a thing as a Breakfast of Champions? I did some digging and just as I suspected, there is no magic meal that can turn us mere mortals into athletic forces to contend with. My peek behind the curtain did turn up some interesting info that makes the Games that much more interesting. Who knows, it might possibly help you improve your own athletic prowess a bit. Read More