Archive for August, 2011

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Four Seasons of Insurance – Flood Insurance Revisited

Monday, August 29th, 2011

by Sam Engardio

Earlier this year I posted a blog about the importance of flood insurance. With the arrival of Hurricane Irene I thought I might re-post a document on myths and facts of  flood insurance. For those who don’t have flood insurance, it usually takes 30 days for a policy to go into effect.

Myths and Facts

However, there are ways to help you expedite insurance claims should any wind or other property damage occur:

  • Keep a record of your insurance policy numbers and the contact information for your insurance agent nearby.
  • Conduct an inventory of your valuables and other belongings. Walk through your home with a video recorder or camera and take pictures. It will prove helpful should you have to file a claim.
  • Place important documents, like bank account and insurance records, in a waterproof container, or better yet a safe.
  • Secure patio furniture and other loose objects. Garbage cans, umbrellas, toys, grills and other objects that can become missiles in high wind and damage siding, windows and doors.
  • Trim loose or dead branches from trees and shrubs. This is especially important if they’re near power lines.
  • Protect windows. If you have storm shutters, close and secure them. Owners of homes in very vulnerable areas may want to cover windows with plywood or boards. Taping the windows won’t save them, but may make clean-up easier if they do break.

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Health Coach Corner – Healthy Picnic Tips

Monday, August 29th, 2011

Health Coach Corner by Maria Hicks

Labor Day weekend is just around the corner.  This is our last summer picnic for many people and I want to share a few ways to keep your summer picnic healthy!  Picnic foods from pasta salads to fruit salads can be loaded with fat & calories.  My motto when eating at a summer holiday event, “keep it lite”.  You can still have filling & flavorful foods without the extra fat & calories.

Make-over your pasta salad – use brown rice or quinoa pasta.  Never heard of quinoa pasta?   Read about it here:

http://www.sparkpeople.com/calories-in.asp?food=quinoa+pasta

Potato Salad – Why not skip the mayo and use mustard and relish and fat-free Greek yogurt instead.

½ cup Mayo = 458 calories & 39 grams of fat

½ cup Greek yogurt = 60 calories & zero fat

See the savings?  Yes!

What’s the difference between Greek yogurt and plain old yogurt?  Check it out here:

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-fitness/2009/04/06/greek-yogurt-vs-regular-yogurt-which-is-more-healthful

Fruit for everyone:  Make your fruit salad more fun to eat!  Put pieces of fruit on a skewer and serve with low-fat strawberry yogurt for dipping.  This little trick may entice your kiddos to eat their fruit!

Sweet treats – make a batch of brownies with applesauce and top with all-natural peanut butter instead of frosting, layer sliced bananas with low-fat vanilla pudding topped with “lite” whipped cream and chopped walnuts.

And don’t forget to get your “move” on – grab your friends & family and get a good ‘ole fashioned game of kickball going!

 

Posted in Featured Posts, Health and Wellness – Health Coach Corner | 1 Comment »

The Healthy Bite – Caramelized Onion & White Bean Flatbread Recipe

Monday, August 29th, 2011

This recipe uses mashed beans as a base rather than the usual tomato sauce or pesto. The delicious result is more protein and a very tasty pizza.

Caramelized Onion and White Bean Flatbread Recipe

 

Quick Info:

Servings
Quick MealQuick Meal
Contains NutsContains Nuts
Contains Wheat/GlutenContains Wheat/Gluten
Contains DairyContains Dairy
VegetarianVegetarian
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Nutritional Info (Per serving):
Calories: 361, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 575mg, Dietary Fiber: 6g, Total Fat: 11g, Carbs: 51g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Protein: 13g, Carb Choices: 3

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon oil, olive, extra virgin
  • 1 large onion(s), thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 20 ounce(s) pizza dough, whole wheat, thawed if frozen
  • 2 tablespoon oregano, fresh, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper, black ground
  • 15 ounce(s) beans, white, rinsed
  • 3 tablespoon water
  • 2 teaspoon vinegar, white wine
  • 2 tomato(es), plum, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup(s) cheese, smoked Gouda, or cheddar finely shredded
  • seeds, pumpkin, shelled, pepitas, optional

Preparation

1. Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large noninsulated baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Combine oil, onion and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Stir oregano and pepper into the onion. Transfer half the onion to a small bowl. Add beans to the remaining onion; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the bean mixture to a food processor, add water and vinegar and pulse until a coarse paste forms.

5. Spread the bean paste over the pizza crust. Top with the reserved onion, tomatoes, cheese and pepitas, if using. Bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes. Slice and serve.

 

Recipe Source: Eating Well

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Health Coach Corner – Go Ahead and Try Yoga!

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Go ahead and try YOGA!

Health Coach Corner – by Maria Hicks

I know we all feel great after stretching and it’s a wonderful way to start your day.  I have done yoga for several years now and I really enjoy the deep stretch and strength training benefits of yoga.  Have you tried it yet?  You can take a class at a community center or gym or you can try a DVD in your own home.  Even if you think you are incredibly inflexible, don’t worry, you can still do yoga – and it will help you become more flexible.  I used to think yoga was a thing for “cool and hip people from California” – but, I soon realized that anyone and everyone can benefit from yoga.  It’s physically challenging and mentally relaxing.

Here are just a few fun facts on yoga:

1. Stress Relief

Yoga can help reduce the effects of stress on your body. One of the benefits of yoga is that it encourages relaxation and can lower the amount of cortisol in your body.

2. Pain Relief

Daily exercises of yoga can help ease the aches and pains of the body.

3. Better Breathing

You will learn to take deeper, slower breaths with daily exercises of yoga. It will help to increase your lung function and set off the body’s relaxation response

4. Flexibility

You will notice your level of flexibility will increase, which will help with your range of motion.

5. Increased Strength

Yoga poses use all the muscles in your body and help you increase your strength level from head to toe.

6. Weight Management

You will see the benefits of yoga begin to affect your scale. Daily exercises are always recommended, but yoga helps reduce the level of cortisol in your body. This aids in weight loss and fat burning.

7. Improved Circulation

Yoga will help improve your body’s circulation.

8. Cardiovascular Conditioning

Even the gentlest style of yoga will help to lower your resting heart rate and increase your overall endurance.

9. Focus on the Present

You can have greater coordination, memory skills, reaction times, and improved concentration skills by utilizing yoga for daily exercises.

10. Inner Peace

The benefits of yoga are very far reaching indeed. There is no one other exercise avenue you can take that will address all of these issues in one simple session.

http://www.yogajournal.com

This is a great website.. very “rich” in content, videos, history of yoga, poses, and everything for a beginner to an expert!

http://www.yogaforbeginners.com

This is a good one for people brand new to yoga

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The Healthy Bite – Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Skewers

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Grilled Rosemary-Salmon Skewers Recipe

Quick Info:

Servings
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 6 mins
Total Time: 26 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoon rosemary, fresh, minced
  • 2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 clove(s) garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest, freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, Kosher (or substitute Braggs amino soy product)
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper, black ground
  • 1 pounds fish, salmon fillet, center-cut, skinned, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 pint(s) tomato(es), cherry

Recipe Tip:

  • To oil the grill rack: oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Don’t use cooking spray on a hot grill.)
  • Make sure to buy omega-3 rich wild-caught salmon instead of farm raised.

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium-high. 

2. Combine rosemary, oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add salmon; toss to coat. Alternating the salmon and tomatoes, divide among eight 12-inch skewers.

3. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the skewers, carefully turning once, until the salmon is cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Info (Per serving):

 

Calories: 246, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 211mg, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Total Fat: 15g, Carbs: 4g, Cholesterol: 67mg, Protein: 23g 

Carb Choices: 0.5
Recipe Source:

Eating Well

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Super Simple Tips to Maintain your Brain!

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

Health Coach Corner by Maria Hicks

We all want to maintain our brain, right?  I think there is a definite link to maintaining healthy brain function and your diet & lifestyle!  I’ve done a little research for you and listed some super easy tips to start doing, so we can keep our lovely “thinking caps” in prime working order!

More than 5 million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s and by 2050 that could increase to between 11 and 16 million.  Did you know that neither dementia nor Alzheimer’s are a normal part of aging?  Your memory and brain functioning do not have to decline simply because you are getting older.

 

  • Eat plenty of high quality Omega 3’s (fish oil, flaxseed) – studies show that omega 3 fats reduce the cell inflammation that triggers a decline in memory.
  • Eat a nutritious diet with plenty of vegetables and pay special attention to avoiding sugar (not just the white stuff, but even “healthier” sugars like, honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup and evaporated cane sugar)
  • Exercise 3-5 times per week. According to one study, the odds of developing Alzheimer’s were nearly quadrupled in people who were less active during leisure time, between the ages of 20-60, compared with their peers – so keep moving and grooving!
  • Wild blueberries, which have a high antioxidant content, are known to guard against Alzheimer’s disease
  • Challenge your mind daily.  Mental stimulation, such as learning an instrument or language or doing crossword or word search puzzles, is associated with decrease in a risk of Alzheimer’s.  Researchers suspect that mental challenge helps to build up your brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer’s disease.  Anyone up for a game of scrabble?

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Three Simple Ways to Improve Network Security

Friday, August 12th, 2011

New Perils in a Connected World – by Stew Nelson

With all the data breaches in the news lately, it is becoming obvious that we are not doing a very good job of securing our data.  No doubt there, are some clever hackers out there are smart enough to penetrate even DOD and bank firewalls but there are still many breaches we read about that could easily have been prevented with common sense and a few simple tips.  Here are three easily implemented tips for you to consider:

Be Suspicious. The most important tip I can give you is to be on your guard and overly suspicious of every file or link that you receive from outside your business.  Not to sound paranoid, but even files received from supposedly trusted sources must be treated as potential threats.  In 2009, the Controller of a small metal manufacturing company in SE Michigan received an email purportedly from their bank asking him to “Click on a Link” to a web form to verify all their passwords for their online bank account as part of the banks routine maintenance program.  After the controller complied with the “banks” instructions, it took hackers less than 6 hours to empty their bank account of almost $2M.  The bank was able to recover all but $560,000 of the company’s money and the company recovered that from the bank in the subsequent lawsuit.  For those of you that do not understand what happened, I am only going to say this once! -  A bank will never ask you for passwords to your account!

Use Strong Passwords. A strong password consists of at least ten characters including upper and lower case letter, a number or two and special characters.  Don’t use dictionary words or the name of your kids as they are too easily hacked. I know you are all getting really tired of making up new passwords to comply with HITECH so if you run out of ideas, take a look at a neat web site I found called HealthyPasswords.com.  They make it easy to find clever passwords that are less easy to hack.  I also recommend that you use separate passwords for personal and business use.  I know this is mentally taxing but habits are hard to break and if a hacker gains access to your personal files why jeopardize your business files also.

Lock Down Your Laptop, Cell Phone and Wi-Fi Networks. More and more we are accessing our business networks with our smart phone and tablets. If your laptop, smart phone or iPad is not currently password protected, take five minutes and install a password program on it right now! If you are like me, your contact list contains any number of passwords and door codes that could compromise your security.  While you are at it set a password for your personal WiFi network right now also.  Hackers can learn a lot about our business by strolling into our personal lives through an open network portal.  You probably don’t leave the front door of your house open when you are not home so why leave the “front door” to your digital profile open.

Every individual in your organization is responsible for network security.  Remember, the most vulnerable part of any network is the end user….and that is you.  Cyber crime is a real threat and the criminals are getting more sophisticated every day.  Don’t make their job any easier by being complacent concerning network security.


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Distracted Driving: A big problem for people on the road a lot

Monday, August 8th, 2011

Four Seasons of Insurance – by Sam Engardio

Being someone who spends time in my car daily, I’m always amazed at the people on their cell phones, or drinking yummy lattes, or maybe reaching over to grab something from the other seat.  I am even more amazed at the young drivers and their need for instant everything.  I thought it would be wise to share with everyone some surprising statistics. Twenty percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. (NHTSA).

• Of those killed in distracted-driving-related crashed, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes). (NHTSA)
• In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving. (FARS and GES)

• The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group – 16 percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving. (NHTSA)

• Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

• Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)

In our modern world of instant communications, instant gratification, maybe we should look forward to: instant love by our families when we arrive home safely, or instant smiles when we meet friends out for dinner and everyone arrives in one piece or seeing your neighbor’s  kid (under 20) driving defensively and avoiding distractions.  Safe travels everyone!

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Health Coach Corner – Stress Busting Tips!

Monday, August 8th, 2011

By Maria Hicks

What makes you really stressed? It is your work, finances, health, traffic? I know we are all stressed out, maybe a little and maybe a lot. It’s hard to just tell yourself to “stop stressing” or anyone else to tell you that. There are a couple things we can do to decrease physical stress but we have to be intentional about it. When we are stressed out, hormones get out of whack in our body and there are a few proven ways to balance your hormones and balance your mental and physical state.

Here are a few of my favorite stress busters – and they work!

Stretching: You can’t tell me that stretching doesn’t feel great. It is really a great way to lower stress hormones and refresh your body and brain. Practice stretching every single day – morning, afternoon and night. Huge benefits for such a simple task!

Deep breathing: This is a wonderful way to relax! Take a few minutes everyday, to focus on breathing, especially before bed and it may help you fall asleep faster – it’s worked for me for the last few years.

Laughing: Who doesn’t feel incredible after a good laugh? Laughing releases endorphins (the “feel good” hormones) – similar to exercising. Laughing reduces stress almost immediately. So, make sure to watch your favorite funny movie or sitcom and talk to your funny friend (we all have at least one funny friend!)

Exercise: Even just a 10 minute power walk when you get home after being stuck in traffic will reduce stress! Go ahead… make time to lower stress, feel great and burn calories by exercising most days during the week.

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The Healthy Bite – Grilled Beef w/Avocado Salad Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Monday, August 8th, 2011

Toss those store-bought sauces and dressings, and top your foods with homemade (or semi homemade) versions instead. That way, you can control the fat — and perfect the taste. Try this recipe below with or without the steak or substitute chicken, pork, seafood or fish.

Cut down on oil. A homemade (or semi homemade) salad dressing should contain more vinegar, lemon juice, or orange juice than oil to keep calories in check, says registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LDN, author of The Flexitarian Diet and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. You’ll need to adapt standard recipes, which usually call for more oil. Enjoy!

Grilled Beef and Avocado Salad With Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette Recipe

Ingredients

* 12 ounce(s) beef, flank steak
* 1/2 cup(s) dressing, Italian, reduced calorie
* 1/2 teaspoon lime peel
* 1/4 cup(s) lime juice
* 2 tablespoon cilantro
* 1/4 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper, black ground
* 6 cup(s) lettuce, mixed greens
* 2 small tomato(es), red or yellow, cut into wedges
* 1 small avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced

Recipe Tip:

Marinate 24 hours.

Preparation

1. Score both sides of steak in a diamond pattern by making shallow diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals. Place steak in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Set aside.

2. In a screw-top jar, combine salad dressing, lime peel, lime juice, and cilantro. Cover and shake well. Pour half of the salad dressing mixture into a small bowl; cover and chill until serving time. Add onion to remaining salad dressing mixture in jar. Cover and shake well; pour mixture over steak in bag. Seal bag; turn to coat steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.

3. Drain beef, discarding marinade. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill steak on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 17 to 21 minutes for medium doneness (160°F), turning once. [Or place steak on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 15 to 18 minutes for medium doneness (160°F), turning once.]

4. To serve, thinly slice beef across grain. Arrange salad greens, tomatoes, and avocado on 4 salad plates. Top with beef. Drizzle reserved dressing over individual salads.

 

Recipe Source:

Quick Info:

Servings
Contains Red MeatContains Red Meat
Diabetes-FriendlyDiabetes-Friendly

Nutritional Info (Per serving):

Calories: 164, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 477mg, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Total Fat: 7g, Carbs: 6g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Protein: 20g

Exchanges: Vegetable: 1, Lean Meat: 2.5, Fat: 1
Carb Choices: 0.5

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 17 mins
Total Time: 37 mins

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