By Barbara QuinnThe Monterey County
Herald (TNS)Who says unusual foods
cant also be good for you?Strolling around a Farmers
Market in San Francisco, Ispotted a display that lookedlike a pile of fuzzy whitebrains. They were wrinkledand looked less like food andmore like something youcould use to scrub away deadskin in the shower. A sign inthe middle of these loofa-looking edibles read, LionsMane, $12.50 a pound.
What are these? I asked thevendor.
Mushrooms, he said.They are supposed to havesome kind of health benefits.
Sure enough, my home-work later discovered thatthese mushrooms - alsocalled Yamabushitake (scien-tific name Hericium erina-ceous), contain natural sub-stances that show promise fortheir possible beneficialeffects on the body.
For instance, animal stud-ies have shown that this typeof mushroom contains sub-stances that helped repairnerves after a brain injury (inrats). Another study reportedthat older Japanese men andwomen with mild cognitiveimpairment (MCI) - loss ofmemory beyond what is nor-mal for age - experienced sig-nificant improvements inthinking ability after takingsupplements made fromLions Mane mushroom.
With a long history of use in
traditional Chinese medicine,this type of mushroom is per-fectly safe to eat, say experts.And while youre enjoying thisculinary adventure, yourhealth may benefit as well.
Researchers report thatmany types of mushrooms,including the funny lookingone I saw at the growers mar-ket, impart important func-tions to humans, includingfavorable effects on bloodcholesterol and glucose levels,according to a review articlein the Journal of Agriculturaland Food Chemistry. Report-edly, more than 70 activecompounds in lions manemushroom have propertiesthat protect against infec-tions, cancer, diabetes, highblood pressure, heart disease,and dementia...quite a laun-dry list.
How does it taste? Some saythe taste and texture of LionsMane is similar to shellfish.Others say it is not aswoodsy as other types ofmushrooms. Heres a recipefrom Chef Michelle Moricone
thats sure to please:
Sauted Lions ManeMushrooms
Clean and slice mush-rooms. Mince 1 small garlicclove. Slice 1 onion. Mince \cup fresh parsley. Heat 1tablespoon olive oil in a panover medium heat; add ingre-dients with a pinch of salt andfresh ground pepper. Lowerheat and cook until mush-rooms are softened andcaramel colored. Add a splashof white wine and increaseheat to medium. Cook off thewine and finish with a tea-spoon of butter. Squeezelemon juice over mixture,remove from heat and servealone or as an accompani-ment to other dishes.(Barbara Quinn is a registered dietitianand certified diabetes educator at theCommunity Hospital of the MontereyPeninsula. She is the author of Quinn-Essential Nutrition (Westbow Press,2015). Email her [email protected].)(c)2016 The Monterey County HeraldVisit The Monterey County Herald atwww.montereyherald.comDistributed by Tribune ContentAgency, LLC.
The Gazette Wednesday, March 2, 2016 A7
Cyan A7 magenta A7 yellow A7 black A7
Cyan A7 magenta A7 yellow A7 black A7
Metro CreativeAdjusting the lighting
around their work areas is oneway for men and women toreduce computer-related eye-strain.
Eyestrain affects peoplefrom all walks of life. Manyprofessionals suffer eyestrainas a result of too many hoursspent staring at computerscreens. The same can be saidfor children, who might spendhours doing homework ontheir computers before hittingthe couch for a few spiritedrounds of video games.
Whatever the cause of youreyestrain, its important thatpeople recognize they are notdefenseless against this com-mon foe. But before you cancombat eyestrain, its best toconfirm that your vision trou-bles are the result of eyestrainand not something more seri-ous. Eye doctors can providesuch confirmation, but youcan also be on the lookout forcommon symptoms of eye-strain.
Symptoms ofeyestrain
Perhaps the most commonside effect of eyestrain is howannoying it can feel. Profes-sionals working at their desks,truck drivers spending long,
uninterrupted hours on theroad and students working onschoolwork can attest thattime tends to fly once they getin a zone. While landing inthat zone can lead toincreased productivity, theMayo Clinic notes that the fol-lowing are some symptoms ofeyestrain that can pop upwhen eyes are overused. Sore, tired, burning, or itch-ing eyes Abnormally watery eyes Abnormally dry eyes Blurred or double vision Headache Increased sensitivity to light Feeling that you cannotkeep your eyes open
How to addresseyestrain
If you remain uncertainabout what is causing yourvision troubles, consult youreye doctor. If eyestrain is theculprit, then there are someways to remedy your prob-lems. Adjust lighting. The Ameri-can Academy of Ophthalmol-ogy notes that reducing glarefrom the screen can reducesymptoms of eyestrain. If nec-essary, use a screen filter whenstaring at a computer screen.When you will be spendinglong hours at a desk, the Mayo
Clinic suggests lighting yourwork area with a shaded lightpositioned in front of you.Such an arrangement can pre-vent light from shining directlyinto your eyes. Take frequent breaks.Another way to combat eye-strain is to take frequent breaksfrom whatever your eyes arefocusing on. When sitting atyour desk, look away from yourmonitor. The Mayo Clinic notesthat looking at something 20feet away for 20 seconds every20 minutes can provide therespite your eyes need. Make yourself cry (artifi-cially). Artifical tears are aproactive way to combat eye-strain. The AAO notes thatartificial tears, which are over-the-counter products that canbe found at many pharmacies,can refresh dry eyes. But artifi-cial tears also can be used toprevent eyes from drying out.Even if your eyes feel normal,a few drops of artificial tearscan keep them lubricated andprevent the onset of eyestrain.Speak with your eye doctorabout which artificial tears touse, as all products are not thesame and you may need to fol-low specific instructionsdepending on your eyes.
Learn more about eyestrainat www.aao.org.
healthhappiness&harmonyhealthhappiness&harmony
To advertise on this page Call 330-721-4002
Metro CreativeAs prevalent as prescription medications
are, all-natural remedies for common illnessesand conditions are still a viable alternative toprescription medications for many people.But are these all-natural options safe?
In 2011, Apple founder Steve Jobs lost hisbattle with pancreatic cancer. Reports indicatethat Jobs, a devout Buddhist, delayed surgeryand other traditional treatments for almost ayear while he participated in holistic treat-ments for the cancer. Some of these includedjuice fasts, bowel cleansings, acupuncture,herbal supplements, and even a vegan diet.Eventually, Jobs had surgery, but some expertsfeel he waited too long.
Although conventional care is often aneffective means to treating illnesses and otherconditions, there are many doctors who agreethat implementing natural remedies at timescan be safe and effective. Furthermore, not allnatural remedies are without merit, and sometraditional medicines are actually derivedfrom natural, plant-based ingredients them-selves.
According to surgeon and author, Dr. WalterC. Thompson, Herbal medicine is safebecause its natural. After researching the liter-ature, one can truly say that, at the very least,herbal medicine is safer than conventional
drugs.Those thinking about incorporating natural
remedies into their health regimen can con-sider the following options. Nervousness and anxiety: Try lettuce,chamomile, valerian, and rose petals. Pain relief: Use omega-3 fatty acids, greentea, ginger root, and tumeric. Itchiness: Witch hazel, jewelweed and aloevera are effective. Feminine issues: Parsley, basil and gold-enseal can alleviate symptoms associated withmenstruation. Antibiotics: Oregano and garlic are pur-ported to have antibiotic qualities and canfend off harmful bacteria. Infections: Honey has long been used toheal and as an antibacterial and antifungalremedy.
Many natural foods are effective in prevent-ing and fighting cancer as well.
Although natural remedies can be effective,its important for pregnant women to avoidany herbs and plant supplements until dis-cussing the risks/benefits with their doctors.Also, some natural remedies can interact withprescription drugs or increase their potency,so its important to talk to a doctor about anyplans.
Exploring natural remediesMETRO CREATIVE
Simple ways to fight backagainst fatigued eyes
Lions mane, a mushroomroaring with health benefits
By Darla Hadden, PA-CDermatologic Surgery Center (DSC) has
added a full-service Dermatology and Cos-metic Suite! We now offer, not only skin cancersurgeries, but all of your skin, hair and nailneeds, including cosmetics treatments.
Our General Dermatology suite is composedof two Board Certified Physician Assistants:Lisa Bowersox and Darla Hadden. We specializein treating a variety of skin rashes includingeczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis, sebor-rheic dermatitis, ringworm, along with dry,brittle or infected nails and hair loss. TheAmerican Medical Association recommendsindividuals have a full skin cancer examinationonce a year. This exam is painless and takesabout 15 minutes. Early detection allows for abetter prognosis. There are three main types ofskin cancers: basal cell carcinoma, squamouscell carcinoma and malignant melanoma; allare treatable when caught early. Be proactive,get your skin checked. DSC will accommodate
your schedule. We have same day skin careavailable! Call today at 330-239-4350 for yourfull skin exam.
Dr. Jennifer Popovsky is a Board CertifiedDermatologist and a Fellowship Trained MohsSurgeon. Mohs surgery is a tissue sparing pro-cedure used to
