Weekend Ramble: Is Any Amount of Alcohol Okay for Your Health?

I'm quite sure this Ramble will not be fun for many of you. Heck... I'm a hobby wine maker and I'm totally not happy with myself for having read this interview.

During our 2024 road trip (5 weeks) I drank way more than I should have. Drinks of choice were Bloody Mary and Gin & Tonic. My labs a month after returning home were all fine except for my A1C that had reached a level that scared me. I knew right away it had been the alcohol because the rest of my diet had remained the same, even on the road.

Long story short... I knew what had to be done and made the adjustments, but in the back of my head I could not get rid of the scare.

In perusing University Hospital's health blog the title of this piece naturally jumped out at me. I read it. All of it. And I don't like it. Chances are you won't either. But it's important that we understand how even moderate amounts of alcohol affect our body's systems. 

I'm not gonna preach. I will say READ THIS... and think about yourself and your future as someone with diabetes.

Blessed be, friends.

Is Any Amount of Alcohol Okay for Your Health?

April 23, 2024 - An interview with Ryan Marino, MD hosted by Macie Jepson and Pete Kenworthy of University Hospitals.

Research is growing every day about the health risks of drinking. From heart health to cancer to damaging the immune system and sleep quality, even small amounts of drinking may be harmful. Medical toxicologist, Ryan Marino, MD, explains alcohol’s impact and whether any level of consumption is a healthy choice.

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Macie Jepson
Abstaining from alcohol has a moment when dry January rolls around every year, and now we’re hearing a lot about Sober October as well. The topic comes up among my friends, probably yours too. It comes up at work. It’s all over social media. In fact, I’m pretty sure the whole idea was born from social media. And we get expert advice about giving our bodies a break from alcohol from just about anybody.

Pete Kenworthy
Yeah. A lot of that advice focuses on giving our liver a break. And that makes sense. I’ve actually had a couple of friends die from what I believe was drinking too much. Maybe organ failure. I don’t know the medical part behind it, but it got us to thinking, can we do long-term damage to other parts of our body? Now, common sense tells us the answer is yes, but how so? And what does that mean for our long-term health? Hi, I’m Pete Kenworthy.

Macie Jepson
And I’m Macie Jepson, and this is The Science of Health. So many questions here and today we are leaning on Dr. Ryan Marino for the answers. He’s a medical toxicologist at University Hospitals in Cleveland. He specializes in addiction, also emergency medicine. Thank you for joining us today.

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah. I’m glad to be here.

Macie Jepson
Now, your title tells us that you’ve seen a lot on the job, likely at the acute end of our actions, the consequences for our actions. So for this conversation, we’re going to focus on the long-term medical effects of alcohol consumption, but I feel like we really have to start from the beginning. So what physiologically happens when alcohol is metabolized, when it goes through our bodies?

Ryan Marino, MD
So alcohol has pretty wide ranging effects on almost every organ system in the body. And something that has been coming out more and more in recent years is kind of that it has toxic effects on almost every tissue and cell line in your body. So the main things, I mean, I think in terms of consuming some alcohol, having one drink, one glass of wine, that kind of thing, it first gets absorbed and alcohol is absorbed very quickly where it then gets into your bloodstream and goes to your brain primarily where you get kind of the effects ranging from maybe feeling a little relaxed to all the way to intoxicated, but it is metabolized in the liver. It gets broken down and then cleared from the body, but it kind of touches everything else along the way just because it is going through your entire bloodstream.

Pete Kenworthy
My guess is there are variables that matter. Alcohol doesn’t impact everyone the same way. So what are those variables? Like do things like your weight, your gender, your age, do all those things come into play when in terms of the impact that alcohol has?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah. I mean all the things that you just brought up from weight to gender to even your body composition, age, how hydrated you are, your nutritional status, all of those things can play a role.

Pete Kenworthy
So let’s go through them kind of one at a time. If your weight is lower, you feel the effects of alcohol more quickly. This is common knowledge, right? Because you have less tissue to absorb alcohol. Is that it?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah. If you think of alcohol, I mean, as a weight-based drug basically, one glass of wine is going to affect a smaller person more than a bigger person.

Pete Kenworthy
And so that’s why it affects women more quickly than men because averages are, women are generally smaller than men?

Ryan Marino, MD
That’s actually one of the reasons. There’s also differences in kind of the water content throughout the body in women and men as well.

Pete Kenworthy
And how about age? Because as you get older, are you at a higher risk of more detrimental impacts from alcohol?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yes. More likely to have kind of adverse effects from alcohol, probably the more we age.

Pete Kenworthy
So you talked about alcohol going to our brains. It changes our mood. It changes our behavior, but what is it doing specifically to our brain and what is the harmful side of that?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah. So alcohol has a number of effects and the main reason that people feel kind of relaxed and disinhibited and can even end up intoxicated is because it acts on your GABA receptors. And so if you think of GABA as being kind of the primary neurotransmitter that causes like relaxation, like benzodiazepines are a medication that would do the same kind of thing. Alcohol also acts on glutamate, which is the body’s main excitatory neurotransmitter. And so it blocks that and so kind of doubles up the effect. And so over time, I mean, your body, if you are drinking frequently every day, your body gets used to this and will kind of change the amount of these receptors and neurotransmitters that it’s making. And so if you take the alcohol away, you may be kind of functioning at a more excited neurologic state. And the pathologic or disease form of this would be alcohol withdrawal. But that also is the reason why people who drink regularly can get things like high blood pressure and can get mood changes and other psychiatric and psychologic features from this as well.

Pete Kenworthy
Are there physical damages that occur in the brain though?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yes. Alcohol itself, I mean, can cause damage to every cell and tissue. The effects that you feel in the short term and the kind of long-term changes aside, your brain can actually shrink over time from a lot of alcohol consumption. And the alcohol itself can cause brain damage, especially in like large overdoses, I guess I would say, consuming, binge drinking, that kind of thing.

Macie Jepson
You mentioned changes your cells and your tissues. Is that why we hear and read in the headlines that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to cancer?

Ryan Marino, MD
So that is the main reason. I mean, if you think of, I’m trying to think of a good example here, like rubbing alcohol is a form of alcohol, but if that touches any like open skin or say you got it on your mouth or something, that is very painful just because the kind of composition of alcohol is damaging to those cells in your mouth, your mucus membranes. And so when you drink alcohol, there is some sort of damage being done and that’s why oropharyngeal, the head and neck, esophageal cancers and stuff can be associated as well. But it seems like kind of almost every form of cancer may be affected by alcohol in some way. We’re seeing colon, breast, all of these other different forms that aren’t just from the direct contact with alcohol.

Macie Jepson
We’re going to continue to talk about the different parts of the body, but I want to also touch on something you just said that I feel like this is a good time to talk about the elephant in the room. You talked about binge drinking. You talked about excessive drinking. In your experience on the front lines, do we have a problem in America?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah. There is a lot of alcohol consumption here and it seems like especially since the pandemic, the amount of kind of heavy drinking, not necessarily binge drinking but binge drinking as well as heavy chronic drinking seems to have gone up. And I don’t know that anyone has a good answer for why this is happening, but if you think of kind of American culture has always been kind of work hard, play hard, like the weekend warrior mindset. And I think we have a very strong hold from our alcohol industry on marketing and different kind of cultural events as well. So it kind of makes sense that this is happening, but it does seem to be a uniquely American phenomenon in a lot of ways.

Macie Jepson
And what are you seeing as a physician? Are they coming through the emergency room? Are they coming to you for an appointment and saying, what have I done? What does that look like?

Ryan Marino, MD
It can be a lot of different ways people can come in saying, I have kind of lost control of my drinking and I want help with it. And we’re seeing a lot of that. I mean people are like, I just didn’t know how it got to this point where I’m now drinking all the time. But also seeing a lot of the effects of people having these binge episodes especially, I mean, can have very immediate health effects. And then the long-term effects take probably more decades to really cause things like the severe liver damage, but certainly still seeing that all the time as well.

Pete Kenworthy
Before we get on to the, you mentioned liver damage and we’re going to go on to some other body parts, too, but while we’re here talking about drinking, and my guess is everybody’s got their own definition of the things you’re talking about, right? Drinking too much. My definition of that is different than your definition of that, but there’s a clinical definition of that is my guess, that what is really too much, right? We’ve heard a lot. One glass of red wine a day is fine. That’s kind of what we’ve heard. So people then interpret that as well, two’s not bad then or one liquor drink. Or people start making their own assumptions about alcohol. And we were going to kind of reserve this for the end, but it seems like this is the time to talk about it. What is okay? What from a clinical standpoint is okay or is the answer none?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah, that’s a great question because this has been changing so much in recent years and most recently, I believe the CDC has said that one drink or fewer per day for women and two drinks or fewer per day for men is okay. And they define that as one glass of wine being five ounces, one beer being 5% and 12 ounces and one shot of hard liquor. But in the kind of long term, that little snapshot of one day also doesn’t apply to, it doesn’t mean that drinking every day is okay. And more and more, as more data comes out, that very clearly shows that any amount of alcohol is detrimental. It seems like the recommendation is moving towards no amount is actually considered safe. And so it’s not like that one glass of wine at dinner is going to give you cancer per se. It’s just that there is no amount that is without any risk. And so minimizing it like dry January, I mean, if you can go 31 days without drinking, that’s great. And if you’re someone who drinks every night, maybe if you can go every other night or something, any little change is going to make a big difference.

Macie Jepson
Let’s continue with our trip kind of through the body and kidneys. It makes sense to me. So please explain that. Lungs surprised me. How does drinking affect that?

Ryan Marino, MD
Well, so interestingly enough, one of the ways that alcohol leaves your body is you actually breathe it out through the surfaces of your lungs. And so that’s something that comes up for me more often when people drink the toxic alcohols that I have to worry about getting them some sort of antidote or something because if we block other routes of metabolism, that’s the only way they can get it out is by breathing it out. But for regular alcohol, that is one of the ways and because it is just traveling through your bloodstream, it ends up getting to anywhere that blood is reaching.

Pete Kenworthy
And the other way it gets out has to do with the kidney, right?

Ryan Marino, MD
I mean clearing the metabolites of alcohol and even alcohol itself, I mean, comes out in your urine. You can test if someone has been recently drinking because there’ll be alcohol in their urine. But that’s where it all ends up being filtered out.

Pete Kenworthy
And kidney disease can result from that.

Ryan Marino, MD
Mm-hmm.

Pete Kenworthy
So when you think about drinking anything, not just alcohol, and you actually already mentioned this a little bit ago, the liquid goes in your throat, your esophagus, then your stomach, all those things. You mentioned oral cancers coming from alcohol, but throat, esophagus, stomach, these all can be impacted by alcohol as well?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah. In recent years I think rates of those cancers have been going up and there’s certainly other reasons that people can get those, but we’ve seen, I mean, smoking has gone down in the past few decades and with drinking going up, it kind of makes sense that those would be coming back up again.

Pete Kenworthy
So the liver is the one we hear about the most. Can you tell us what happens there? I mentioned at the beginning of the podcast a couple of my friends have passed away and at least one of them I’m pretty sure was “organ failure.” So I assume that’s the liver. What happens there? Why does it fail? How much does it take for something like that to happen?

Ryan Marino, MD
So the liver is the primary source or site of alcohol metabolism. And so to get the alcohol out of your body, it goes into the liver. The liver kind of uses it actually for energy and so metabolizes alcohol into various products. And the liver without alcohol present is usually going to be metabolizing fatty acids, which is a very important part of your kind of metabolism. And so for people who are drinking chronically, and this would be every day and really kind of all the time having alcohol always in their system, the liver completely changes its primary source of metabolism from fatty acids to alcohol. And so when it stops metabolizing those fatty acids, it then starts storing fat. And so people start getting fatty liver. And this is very inflammatory to the liver itself, leads to scarring down the road. And that eventually leads to, I mean, the scars kind of take out the functionality of the liver and so you can get full-blown liver failure, but this is usually something that will take decades to develop and really requires kind of pretty prolonged and heavy use. And so even for people who like I’m sure everyone knows that one person either in their family or friends or someone who drinks a lot, probably way too much and does so for many years and has no issues, it seems to only affect like a smaller number of these people, but there’s no way to predict that risk. And so even though I know someone who drank for 90 years and never developed liver failure, it doesn’t mean that I would ever want to take that risk myself.

Macie Jepson
So cirrhosis is what we hear about and it seems to be the scariest, but at the same time, the liver regenerates. Isn’t it one of the most regenerating organs in our body?

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah.

Macie Jepson
So how does that work?

Ryan Marino, MD
The liver has pretty incredible powers of regeneration, can recover from a lot of insults, I mean. We even hear now about how you can donate a lobe of your liver to someone and you can grow them a whole new liver for transplantation. Cirrhosis, the term is for the amount of scarring and damage to the liver from alcohol that is considered irreversible. And so there is kind of a point where it’s too much to recover from. And that isn’t to say that there isn’t any hope or cirrhosis is the end of the road because if you are diagnosed with cirrhosis or someone you know is, there are plenty of things you can do to slow the progression to stop any further damage. But the road to cirrhosis is also very long. And so that fatty liver, the steatosis, the scarring, the fibrosis, those things can be identified earlier and those you can recover from a lot of the time. And especially as soon as you stop drinking, the fatty liver and that kind of stuff can start to resolve. The liver can regenerate and go back to functioning the way it wants to.

Macie Jepson
So to be clear, there are a lot of steps along the way towards cirrhosis. Your one month off in January isn’t going to reverse that, but we really want to inform people with the facts because on social media in January they’re talking about that one week your body looks like this. In week two it feels like this. Break it down for us.

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah. That is always tricky because I mean people can have great effects and can start to see benefits right away. And I don’t want to say that you shouldn’t hope for that or you can’t have that, but when I hear that week one, your sleep will be better, week two, your skin will look fresher, all that stuff. I mean it’s really hard then for people who don’t get those results right away. And to just remember that the changes happening in your body are definitely happening even if your sleep maybe isn’t fixed right away, if your skin isn’t changing that kind of thing. On the inside, I mean the livers can go back to metabolizing the fats that it wants to and not storing them. And those kind of cellular level changes, all of that, your different organs can start healing themselves, that kind of thing.

Pete Kenworthy
Can everything in the body start healing itself to some extent? And I realize there’s a lot of subjectivity here. It depends on how much you drank and for how long, but if we’re talking about those people who are drinking every day or maybe drinking a handful of times a week, more than the average person, and they’ve done some damage to some parts of their body, can all those parts recover?

Ryan Marino, MD
For the most part, yeah. I mean there’s definitely some degrees of damage that can be irreversible. And so I mean the liver isn’t the only one. You can get enough damage to your heart and the heart muscle that may not be able to recover. But stopping is the best chance at any improvement. And I think one good example that we didn’t touch on that’s worth bringing up is the pancreas. And so pancreatitis, which is a horrible, painful condition, people have bad abdominal pain and vomiting is primarily caused by alcohol. That’s the number one cause. But as soon as people stop drinking, that inflammation immediately starts to resolve. And on the flip side, we see that I mean, if people go back to drinking, you can immediately have recurrence of that. So it is good to remember that on the inside things are healing and can get back to kind of their baseline state even if you don’t necessarily see the changes on the outside.

Macie Jepson
And going back to drinking, that’s what I often think about. You’ve given yourself a break, your body’s ticking along, maybe healing itself a little bit, and then come February or whenever you decide to jump right back in, it’s got to be a shock to the body. That can’t be good, right?

Ryan Marino, MD
I think though, I mean any amount of that kind of time off and healing is good and it seems like at least in terms of dry January, but when I’m talking to people who are just trying to quit drinking for other reasons or trying to cut back on their drinking, having that time away from alcohol beyond just letting your body kind of reset. And it also will help if you feel like you’re drinking a lot because you’ve developed tolerance, that tolerance can go away. And so if you started drinking again, you hopefully wouldn’t need to drink as much, but it allows people time to consider their relationship with alcohol. And so a lot of times, I mean people are drinking just because it’s something to do because we’ve associated with so many events, but other times people may be drinking because they’re having trouble sleeping, dealing with anxiety, stress, that kind of thing. And so having time without the alcohol on board to deal with whatever that is and kind of think about why you were drinking in the first place, seems to, at least in my anecdotal experience, help people if they do start drinking again or not completely stop in terms of reevaluating how much or why they’re drinking in the first place.

Macie Jepson
You mentioned better sleep, not necessarily the case with alcohol. So can we talk about some other effects of quitting for a while? I read libido. I mean that should be enough right there to make some people want to stop drinking.

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah, I mean, these all are, I would want to put a caveat on that they are potential benefits, but people might not see them right away or might not see the same benefits as everyone else. And sleep I think is a great one because this is one that comes up in social media posts, especially with dry January. It’s like my first week I had endless energy. My second week I slept like a baby, that kind of thing. And for people who have like problem drinking or have been drinking for a very long time, we actually see a lot of disorders in kind of sleep. And those can actually be worse when people stop drinking. So alcohol itself is bad for your sleep because it disrupts your REM cycles. And so even though it may help people fall asleep, it may help people get a full night’s sleep, they’re not getting the same kind of quality sleep, and so your sleep will improve when you take the alcohol out of the picture.

But for a lot of people who really have been struggling with issues with alcohol, their sleep might be even worse after they stop drinking. And that is hard to kind of talk people through, especially when it comes to comparing yourself to these fantastic results that you see in a TikTok video because it will get better eventually. But yeah, your blood pressure can go down almost immediately. Even just reducing the amount you drink can start lowering your blood pressure. Libido can return and can improve for people who have been drinking for a long time, but again, in the short term may actually be even worse. So it is hard to kind of coach people through that when they’re expecting great results and not seeing them. But there’s a great chance that people could see those results right away.

Macie Jepson
But it could be a long-term commitment for some people to really, a commitment to pull away from alcohol significantly.

Ryan Marino, MD
And to undo a lot of these kind of changes in the body, especially if someone has been drinking for a very long time, it may take more than just a month. It may take months, three to five months even, to see some of those changes.

Pete Kenworthy
My guess is, I was going to ask you what the first signs are of alcohol damage to your body, but my guess is if you see the signs, it’s too late?

Ryan Marino, MD
It’s not that it’s too late, but it is one of those things where for the most part, there isn’t going to be any sort of outward sign. So I, I feel like I keep saying the same phrase where we probably all know someone, but I’m sure everybody knows that person who drinks way more than seems healthy and doesn’t have any sort of outward signs. They’re not unhealthy seeming. They’re not sick. They’re not having trouble with their job, their life, that kind of thing. But yeah, it can be kind of a later thing. It can be more of a masked illness, so to speak, or a hidden illness. But in terms of things to watch for, I mean, I think high blood is one of the earlier things that develops, that kind of thing. Mood disorders as well.

Macie Jepson
If you’re looking for jaundice, that’s probably a little late.

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah.

Pete Kenworthy
Can you tie a bow on this and with advice really for everyone, right? People who haven’t started drinking or maybe early drinkers, people who’ve been drinking for 20 years, people who’ve been drinking for 50 years, what should all those people know that maybe people don’t know? We know alcohol can have long-term impact, certainly on your liver. We just went through a bunch of other body parts, but what’s the takeaway about alcohol? It’s not pure evil, but it’s not pure joy either.

Ryan Marino, MD
In terms of kind of takeaway points, it’s never too late or too little to try to reduce the amount that you’re drinking. So I mean, if you can cut back one drink or stop for one month or completely stop, all of those things are going to have some sort of health benefit. And even if you are someone who has cirrhosis stopping drinking, it’s still not too late for that. There still is a benefit. I think in terms of the other takeaway on kind a flip side is that, I mean, I remember for the past few decades just hearing health benefits from red wine. It’s great to have one drink a day, that kind of thing. And really within the past couple of years we’ve seen the complete opposite of that is true. And there is very good data that shows that just any amount of alcohol is going to have some potential for harm. And so it’s not that you should be scared and cut out the glass of wine with dinner or getting beers with your friends, but just remembering that there is no amount that is going to be good for you per se.

Pete Kenworthy
Dr. Ryan Marino, toxicologist and addiction specialist from University Hospitals in Cleveland, thanks so much for joining us.

Ryan Marino, MD
Yeah. Thanks for having me.

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Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

                                                            Chef Michael R

Weekend Ramble: Health Benefits of Cucumber

You know... I've been eating cucumbers all my life, but apparently I have taken their wonderful nutritional values and benefits completely for granted. That is... until I stumbled across this article on WebMD. Read it and smile, because including more cucumber in our diabetic meal plans is not only easy, but quite tasty as well. I'll link to a couple of my cucumber recipes at the end, too. Enjoy!

Health Benefits of Cucumber

Medically Reviewed by Mahammad Juber, MD on November 29, 2022

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

 

Cucumbers are refreshing, juicy members in the gourd family that are popular in summer dishes and salads around the world. Cucumbers thrive in warm temperatures, making them a common addition to summertime gardens. Their mild flavor makes them easy to add to many dishes without affecting the flavor of the food, which makes cucumbers an easy way to add bulk to smaller meals. Cucumbers can also be pickled, and they pick up the flavor of the brine better than almost any other green thing. Cucumbers are technically considered berries, not vegetables. However, their green skin still offers some significant health benefits, as does the rest of the cucumber. 

Health Benefits

The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in cucumber provide significant health benefits. For example, cucumber skin is full of beta-carotene, which is part of the reason for its rich green color. The carotene family of pigments are important provitamins. Your body can convert beta-carotenes into vitamin A, which is a critical vitamin for keeping your eyes and skin healthy. 

Other health benefits of cucumber include:

May Aid Weight Management

Cucumber is a super-low calorie food. An entire cucumber, generally defined as being 8.25 inches long or 300 grams, only has 45 calories. Cucumbers are more than 96% water, so they’re filling and nutritious but not calorie-dense. This high-water, low-calorie combination is great for weight management. Studies have shown that eating foods with low energy density, or few calories per gram, is connected with weight loss in people who are obese. Cucumbers are the very definition of a food with a low energy density, so adding them to your diet may help you maintain or reduce your weight.

Rich in Antioxidants

Cucumbers are full of nutrients that act as antioxidants. These antioxidants may have particularly powerful effects, according to some studies. One such study tested the power of cucumber powder and found that adding cucumber to the diet significantly increases the amount of antioxidant activity in the body. While more studies should be done, cucumber root is a safe way to get more dietary antioxidants easily.

May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels

Finally, cucumbers are low in carbohydrates, so they can be a good option for people with elevated blood sugar levels. Early trials suggest that cucumber is one of the most effective plants for not only reducing blood sugar levels but also lowering the risk of hypoglycemia during a blood sugar drop. For people with diabetes, cucumber may be a helpful addition to their diet to moderate blood sugar levels more effectively.

Nutrition

Cucumbers are full of antioxidants, particularly in their skin. These compounds help your body process and remove free radicals, which lowers your risk of health conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. 

Cucumber is also rich in the mineral potassium. This mineral helps your nerves fire, your cells communicate, your muscles contract, and your kidneys function. Without enough potassium, you may start to notice problems with your blood pressure and heart function.

In addition to antioxidants and potassium, cucumber is an excellent source of:

• Beta-carotene
• Vitamin K
• Potassium
• Folate 
• Zinc
• Magnesium
• Choline

Nutrients per Serving 

A 1/2-cup serving of cucumber contains:

• Calories: 8
• Protein: Less than 1 gram
• Fat: Less than 1 gram
• Carbohydrates: 2 grams
• Fiber: Less than 1 gram
• Sugar: 1 gram

Portion Sizes

Because cucumber is so low in calories, it’s hard to eat too much when it comes to weight management. However, eating too much of anything can cause discomfort. Eating large amounts of cucumber in one sitting may lead to stomach pain or distress. In general, it’s best to eat a few ounces of cucumber at a time to prevent stomach discomfort.

How to Prepare Cucumber

Cucumber is a versatile food. It’s easily found in grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and health food stores around the country all year long, though it may be less expensive during the summer when it’s in season. 

Cucumbers are most frequently eaten raw. Their high water content can cause strange results when they are incorporated into cooked dishes. As a result, cucumbers are most commonly eaten cold. Here are a few ways to incorporate this refreshing plant into your diet.

• Sprinkle sliced cucumbers with salt as a snack.
• Eat a small cucumber on its own.
• Add cucumber slices to water.
• Include cucumbers in salads.
• Make your own pickles.
• Add cucumbers to sandwiches.
• Throw cucumber slices into smoothies.

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As promised, here are a few of my favorite ways to use cucumber:

German Cucumber Salad

Tuna Bonanza

Shirazi Salad

Sesame Cucumber Salad

Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

                                                            Chef Michael R

Weekend Ramble: Is Diet Soda a Healthy Choice?

The short answer is, in fact, a resounding NO! Find out why in this informative article published on University Hospitals health blog.

Is Diet Soda a Healthy Choice?

Jacob Wolf, ND, LAc - June 24, 2024

For health-conscious people, choosing diet soda instead of regular seems like a better choice. No calories, no sugar, no problem, right? “Wrong,” says Jacob Wolf, ND, LAc, naturopathic physician at University Hospitals Connor Whole Health. “Although diet soda doesn’t contain sugar, the artificial sweeteners, flavor enhancers and other chemical additives can be harmful to your health.”

Studies have shown that even one or two diet sodas a day can have negative health effects. If regularly consumed in larger amounts, the harmful effects of diet soda are multiplied, potentially increasing the risk for a variety of serious health problems, including:

Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome. Studies have shown a link between diet soda and an increased risk for metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms that may include low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, high blood sugar, increased belly fat, high triglycerides and high blood pressure. Metabolic syndrome greatly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

AFib & High Blood Pressure. Studies show that drinking just one diet soda per day may increase the risk of cardiovascular problems including AFib (irregular heartbeat) and high blood pressure.

Weight Gain & Disrupted Hunger Signals. The artificial sweeteners in diet soda trigger the same response in the brain as real sugar. The moment "sweetness” is detected, it signals the body to release hormones to process the sugar. And because diet soda is hyper-sweetened, it can trigger cravings for more sweet, high-calorie foods leading to weight gain and belly fat in particular.

Dental Problems. Diet sodas often contain phosphoric and citric acids which can erode tooth enamel. Weakened tooth enamel can lead to tooth sensitivity, pitting of the tooth’s surface and changes to the color of the teeth, giving them a chalky appearance.

Headaches. People who are prone to migraines may be more likely to get headaches after consuming artificial sweeteners, such as those found in diet soda.

Changes in Bone Density. Diet soda contains phosphorus, which may decrease bone density and increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in older adults.

Stroke & Dementia. The consumption of artificial sweeteners like aspartame, has been linked to an increased risk of neurological problems like stroke and dementia.

Gut Health. Some studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may disturb the balance of bacteria in the digestive tract, called the gut microbiome. Saccharin and sucralose in particular have been shown to dramatically alter healthy bacteria levels in the gut and may affect blood sugar control. Changes in the microbiome caused by artificial sweeteners may also inhibit some aspects of the immune system’s ability to respond to infections.

Kidney Disease & Kidney Stones. Excessive soda consumption, diet or regular, may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease and the formation of kidney stones.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NFLD). Research has established a strong correlation between diet soda and NFLD, which affects up to half of people.

Thyroid Function. Some studies have found that drinking diet soda can cause the thyroid gland to work less efficiently, potentially leading to increased fat storage and weight gain.

Joint Pain. The artificial sweeteners in diet soda can trigger an inflammatory response in the body and may worsen joint pain.

Healthy Alternatives:

“Even though drinking a moderate amount of diet soda isn’t likely to hurt you, it has no nutritional value and offers no benefit to human consumption” says Dr. Wolf. “It’s better to quench your thirst with healthier alternatives like water, seltzer and unsweetened tea or coffee.”

“If you choose to occasionally indulge in soda, it’s better to choose one made with real sugar instead of diet versions with all the chemicals and additives. As always, moderation is key.”

Dr. Wolf also cautions people to be mindful of popular “natural” sodas made with newer sugar alternatives. Stevia and agave may trick the body into wanting more, and the sugar alcohol erythritol has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and blood clots.

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Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

                                                            Chef Michael R

 

Weekend Ramble: Quite the revelation tonight.....

The date is August 9, 2023.

Just another Wednesday.

My amazing wife had requested Chicken Tenders Lyon days ago.

I love when she does that.

It's one of those simple little things that makes our four decade marriage special. I love that she loves my food enough to ask for specific dishes. It makes me happy to hear her make yummy noises at the dinner table. 

Not today she didn't...

No... today she politely said the dish was not so bad when I know full well I destroyed it. I can't even go into how many steps went wrong because I'm so upset, and honestly... the details don't really matter.

Now mind you... this is a dish I have made numerous times, and it has always been a winner. Today I should have just tossed the whole thing out the door and ordered pizza. Yes... that bad.

Dinner was done an hour ago and I was scared at how badly the fiasco affected me, so I sat down here at my laptop and started thinking. Said to myself: "Michael... wtf... it's one meal... let it go."

I could not let it go. Still can't, but I'm beginning to understand... I think. I have the same strong connection to my food and cooking as I do to my forest. Both are integral parts of me... in fact they ARE who I am.

I express myself, my feelings and my love through my cooking. Corny as that may seem, it is absolutely true. 

Food is love. 

I disappointed myself today... I disappointed the woman I love... and my reaction was quite a surprise. What I realized was just how deep my connection is to food and cooking.

When I revived the blog in February of 2023 and shared dishes with online friends and food groups, people told me I was good enough to be a chef. Until then, I had reserved said title for those men and women who worked commercial brigades in 110 degree kitchens with insane hours and stresses. I started to call myself Chef Michael R.... with a bit of a smirk, to be honest.

Tonight I looked at my 125 or so recipes, my countless hours spent in my kitchen singing, dancing, cooking, smiling and feeling safe. I realized that there is more to being a chef than my previous philosophy allowed. Just like my son Steven can compose music and literally see and hear the various parts of the orchestra in his head, so can I see and taste flavor combinations in mine. 

I see flavors and I feel food. It is a part of me that is cherished beyond measure. My knife skills may not be blazing fast, but I can cook a damn good restaurant quality meal and my plating skills are getting better every day. I'm also learning every time I interact with my fellow foodies, and I love that part.

Going forward I will wear the title of Chef with pride... and next time I mess up as badly as I did tonight, I'll know better, swallow my pride and order pizza.

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Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

                                                            Chef Michael R

Weekend Ramble: 13 Low-Carb Snacks from WebMD

Full credit for article and pics goes to WebMD

One of the most asked questions in the culinary world of diabetes is "What can I eat for snacks?" Unfortunately what most people mean by that is how can they make their sugary stuff healthy... The key I found to a good diabetic diet is to slowly wean off almost all sugars, including artificial sweeteners. Natural foods are our friends, and this article outlines a pretty decent set of snacks that are easy to put together and will steer you in a better direction than the Gotta-Be-Sweet trail.

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13 Low-Carb Snacks

Medically Reviewed by Christine Mikstas, RD, LD on December 02, 2022

More Options Than You Think

Sometimes, the whole world of snacking seems to be based on the one thing you’re supposed to limit: refined carbs. Even the "healthier" packaged items, like granola bars, smoothies, and crackers, are full of them. If you look past the vending machine, though, you'll find plenty of other tasty options, like these smart snacks. The best part? They're as easy to toss together as they are delicious. 

Apples and Cheese

Sweet and salty flavors add up to a great snack. Pair a cup of apple slices with an ounce of mozzarella cheese for about  16 grams of carbs. The combination of protein, fat, and fiber makes it a filling and satisfying nosh.

Avocado on a Crisp

Avocados have a place in your diet outside the guacamole bowl. Mash 1/4 of a ripe avocado and spread it on 2 light rye crisps for a crunchy, creamy snack with about 29 grams of carbs, plus plenty of fiber and heart-healthy fat. It’s like a mini open-faced sandwich.

Yogurt and Cucumbers

Take your yogurt in a savory direction. Use a cup of low-fat, plain Greek yogurt as a creamy dip for 1 cup of refreshing cucumber spears. It adds up to12 grams of carbs and a mega dose (25 grams) of appetite-satisfying protein. It’s like a version of the famous Greek dish, tzatziki.

Turkey Roll-Ups

Deli turkey has uses beyond a sandwich filling. Lose the bread and roll up 1 ounce of sliced turkey in lettuce leaves with mustard. This light, crisp snack has 2.9 grams of carbs and will get you through the afternoon.

Cottage Cheese With Berries

Cheesecake doesn’t make for a healthy snack option, but you can mimic a little of the flavor in a healthier way. Pair a cup of low-fat cottage cheese with half a cup of fresh or frozen blueberries and a little of your favorite no-calorie sweetener. The result? A dessert-like snack with 17 grams of carbs.

Celery and Peanut Butter

Remember eating this snack with your homework after school? It's still a good idea! Fill two medium celery stalks with 2 tablespoons of natural-style peanut butter for a nibble  that will take you back to your childhood, with only 10 grams of carbs.

Better Beef Jerky

Jerky has been going upscale in recent years, and there are better options now than the over-processed mystery-meat versions you’ve had before. Look for jerkies made from grass-fed beef, which have big flavor and just 5 grams of carbs per serving (about 1.5 ounces). 

Hardboiled Egg With a Kick

Hard-boiled eggs are the original grab-'n'-go power snack. Cut one in half and spread on a little hot sauce (such as sriracha) to make it as full of flavor as it is of protein. That’s a zesty bite for less than 1 gram of carbs.

Nuts

Mixed nuts are an all-time snack classic for good reason. They're just as satisfying at your desk as they are at a party. One ounce of crunchy, salty, mixed nuts will keep your energy up for hours for only 6 grams of carbs per ounce.

Kale Chips

Even kale haters come around when they taste kale chips. Some store-bought varieties have less than 10 grams of carbs. You can cut that number even further by making them at home. Tear the leaves from a bunch of kale. Rinse and dry them. Toss with 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Roast them in your oven at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the kale is crispy.

Edamame

Also called steamed soybeans, edamame taste great, are full of fiber and protein, and have just 6.9 grams of carbs in a half cup of shelled edamame. They're easy to make in your microwave, so keep a bag in your freezer.

Hummus and Red Bell Pepper Wedges

Though they're often spotted together, hummus isn’t married to high-carb pita bread. Spread  1/4 cup of hummus onto wedges cut from one red bell pepper for a filling, tasty snack that has 16.4 grams of carbs.

Tuna-Stuffed Tomato

Get the health benefits from tuna without all the carbs that come with your typical tuna sandwich. Pack 3 ounces of canned tuna into a ripe tomato half for a hearty snack with only 3.5 grams of carbs.

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Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

                                                            Chef Michael R

Weekend Ramble: Science-Backed Benefits of Chickpeas

Among the many legumes available to us, chickpeas rank among my favorites. I found this article on Healthline and am happy to share the ten benefits of chickpeas with you in this Weekend Ramble. Enjoy!

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Chickpeas are affordable, versatile, and highly nutritious. They may aid weight management, protect against chronic disease, and promote several other aspects of health.

Medically reviewed by Sade Meeks, MS, RD, Nutrition — By Brianna Elliott, RD and Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD — Updated on February 23, 2023

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, have been grown and eaten in Middle Eastern countries for thousands of years.

Their nutty taste and grainy texture pair well with many other foods and ingredients.

As a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, chickpeas may offer a variety of health benefits, such as aiding weight management, improving digestion, and reducing your risk of disease.

Additionally, this legume is high in protein and makes an excellent replacement for meat in many vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Here are 10 evidence-based health benefits of chickpeas — plus some simple recipe ideas.

1. Packed with nutrients

Chickpeas boast an impressive nutritional profile.

They contain a moderate number of calories, providing 269 per cup (164 grams). Approximately 67% of these calories come from carbs, while the rest comes from protein and fat.

Chickpeas also provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as a decent amount of fiber and protein. A 1-cup (164-gram) serving of cooked chickpeas offers:

• Calories: 269
• Protein: 14.5 grams
• Fat: 4 grams
• Carbs: 45 grams
• Fiber: 12.5 grams
• Manganese: 74% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Folate (vitamin B9): 71% of the DV
• Copper: 64% of the DV
• Iron: 26% of the DV
• Zinc: 23% of the DV
• Phosphorus: 22% of the DV
• Magnesium: 19% of the DV
• Thiamine: 16% of the DV
• Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV
• Selenium: 11% of the DV
• Potassium: 10% of the DV

As you can see, this legume is a particularly good source of the mineral manganese and the B vitamin folate.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas contain a moderate amount of calories and several vitamins and minerals. They’re also a good source of fiber and protein.

2. May keep you feeling full

The protein and fiber in chickpeas may help keep your appetite under control.

Protein and fiber work together to slow digestion, which helps promote fullness. In addition, protein may increase levels of appetite-reducing hormones in your body.

In fact, the filling effects of the protein and fiber in chickpeas may automatically lower your calorie intake.

One study compared appetite and calorie intake among 12 women who ate two separate meals.

Before one of the meals, they ate 1.25 cups (200 grams) of chickpeas, then 2 slices of white bread before the other meal. They experienced a significant reduction in appetite and calorie intake after the chickpea meal, compared with the white bread meal.

Another small study found that those who ate pretzels and chickpea-based hummus for an afternoon snack experienced a 70% reduction in appetite and a 30% increase in fullness.

All the same, more research is needed on chickpeas and appetite control.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas are high in protein and fiber, which may keep you feeling full and reduce your calorie intake at meals.

3. Rich in plant protein

Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein, making them an excellent food for people who don’t eat meat or animal products.

A 1-cup (164-gram) serving provides about 14.5 grams of protein, which is comparable to the protein content of similar foods like black beans and lentils.

The protein in chickpeas may help promote fullness and keep your appetite under control. Protein is also known for its role in weight management, bone health, and muscle strength.

Some studies have suggested that the quality of the protein in chickpeas is better than that of other types of legumes. That’s because chickpeas contain all of the essential amino acids except methionine.

For this reason, they’re an incomplete source of protein. To make sure you get all the amino acids in your diet, it’s important to pair chickpeas with a whole grain that contains methionine, such as quinoa.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein, which may aid weight management and boost bone health. This legume is a great choice for people who don’t eat animal products.

4. May help you manage your weight

Chickpeas may aid weight management due to their filling effects.

The protein and fiber in chickpeas may reduce your appetite, which may then lower your calorie intake at meals.

In one study, those who ate chickpeas regularly were 53% less likely to have a body mass index (BMI) over 30 and more likely to have a lower waist circumference than those who didn’t eat chickpeas.

While BMI remains a common health metric, keep in mind that it’s limited in its effectiveness.

Nonetheless, another review found that those who ate at least 1 daily serving of legumes, such as chickpeas, lost 25% more weight than those who didn’t eat legumes.

Although these findings are promising, more human studies are needed.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas’ fiber and protein content, plus their relatively low calorie density, may help you maintain a healthy weight.

5. May support blood sugar regulation

Chickpeas may help manage your blood sugar levels in several ways.

First, they have a fairly low glycemic index (GI), which is a marker of how rapidly your blood sugar rises after eating a food. Diets that include many low GI foods have been shown to promote blood sugar management.

Additionally, chickpeas’ fiber and protein may help regulate blood sugar levels.

That’s because fiber slows carb absorption to promote a steady rise in blood sugar levels rather than a spike. Eating protein-rich foods may also help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

In one small study, eating 1.25 cups (200 grams) of chickpeas suppressed post-meal increases in blood sugar levels by up to 36%, compared with eating 2 slices of white bread.

An older, 12-week study found that 45 people who ate four 10.5-ounce (300-gram) cans of chickpeas per week had a notable reduction in fasting insulin levels, which is an important factor in blood sugar regulation.

What’s more, several studies associate chickpea intake with a reduced risk of several diseases, including diabetes and heart disease. These effects are often attributed to their capacity to lower blood sugar levels.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas have a low GI and are a great source of fiber and protein — all properties that support healthy blood sugar management.

6. May benefit digestion

Chickpeas are full of fiber, which offers several benefits for digestive health.

The fiber in chickpeas is mostly soluble, meaning that it blends with water to form a gel-like substance in your digestive tract.

Soluble fiber may help increase the number of healthy bacteria in your gut and prevent the overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria. This may lead to reduced risk of some digestive conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and colon cancer.

According to one review, chickpeas may also help support digestive health by improving the frequency, ease, and consistency of bowel movements.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas are high in fiber, which benefits your digestion by supporting bowel movements and increasing the number of healthy bacteria in your gut.

7. May protect against certain chronic diseases

Chickpeas may help reduce your risk of several chronic illnesses.

Heart disease

Chickpeas are a great source of several minerals, such as magnesium and potassium, which may support heart health by helping prevent high blood pressure — a major risk factor for heart disease.

Additionally, the soluble fiber in chickpeas has been shown to reduce triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol, elevated levels of which may increase heart disease risk.

According to a review of 26 studies, eating at least 1 serving per day of legumes, including chickpeas, may help significantly lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Cancer

Some research suggests that eating chickpeas regularly may help reduce your risk of certain types of cancer.

That’s because this legume may promote your body’s production of butyrate, a fatty acid that may reduce inflammation in colon cells, possibly decreasing your risk of colon cancer.

Furthermore, chickpeas contain saponins, which are plant compounds that may help prevent the development of certain cancers. Saponins have also been studied for their role in inhibiting tumor growth.

Chickpeas also provide several vitamins and minerals that may lower your cancer risk, including B vitamins, which may be associated with a lower risk of breast and lung cancers.

Type 2 diabetes

Chickpeas may help prevent and manage diabetes due to their blood-sugar-regulating effects.

The fiber and protein in chickpeas help stop your blood sugar levels from rising too quickly after eating, which is an important factor in diabetes management.

Additionally, their low glycemic index (GI) makes them appropriate for those with diabetes, as they’re unlikely to lead to blood sugar spikes.

Finally, they’re a source of several nutrients that have been found to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, including magnesium and B vitamins. Their zinc content may also help manage this condition.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas may help prevent some chronic illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

8. May promote brain health

Thanks to their impressive nutrient profile, chickpeas may support brain function and mental health.

This is partly because they’re a great source of choline, which plays an important role in brain function.

In particular, this essential nutrient is required for the production of specific neurotransmitters, which act as chemical messengers for your body’s nerve cells. However, while choline is vital for infants, its role in adult health isn’t well researched.

Chickpeas also contain a hearty dose of magnesium, a key mineral for nerve function.

What’s more, research shows that several nutrients found in these legumes, including magnesium, selenium, and zinc, may help protect against depression and anxiety.

Still, further human studies are necessary.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas are rich in several nutrients that may support brain health, including choline, magnesium, selenium, and zinc.

9. May help prevent iron deficiency

Chickpeas are an excellent source of iron, packing approximately 26% of the DV into 1 cup (164 grams).

Iron is involved in red blood cell production, as well as physical growth, brain development, muscle metabolism, and other aspects of health.

If you’re not getting enough of this key micronutrient, your body’s ability to produce healthy red blood cells may be impaired. In turn, this may lead to iron deficiency, a condition characterized by symptoms like weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

As such, chickpeas are a great option for people who may be at a high risk of iron deficiency, such as vegans and vegetarians.

Chickpeas also contain some vitamin C, which may help boost your body’s iron absorption.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas are a good source of iron and may help safeguard against iron deficiency.

10. Inexpensive and easy to add to your diet

Chickpeas are incredibly easy to add to your diet.

They’re affordable and widely available in both canned and dry varieties. Due to their high protein content, they’re an excellent substitute for meat on vegetarian and vegan diets.

Plus, chickpeas are versatile and can be added to a variety of dishes, such as salads, soups, or sandwiches.

They’re also a main ingredient in hummus, which is a dip made from mashed chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic.

Finally, you can roast chickpeas for a delicious and crunchy snack, or incorporate them into veggie burgers and tacos.

SUMMARY

Chickpeas are cheap and taste great in numerous dishes. They’re the main ingredient in hummus and make a great meat substitute due to their protein content.

The bottom line

Chickpeas aren’t just an essential ingredient in hummus or a delectable ingredient in chili.

They’re also very healthy, boasting vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. These characteristics may support weight management, blood sugar regulation, and brain health while reducing your risk of chronic ailments like heart disease and cancer.

To get started with chickpeas, try roasting them as a snack or adding them to a salad.

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Quite an amazing food, these chickpeas... :-) You may have seen this recipe already, but just in case... here's a link to my Ceci Chorizo that is based around our beloved chickpeas!

Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

                                                            Chef Michael R