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Olive Oil Hunter News #211

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Butterflied Leg of Lamb Recipe, Spotlight on Rosemary, More Reasons to Pass on Raw Milk plus Protecting Against Cardiovascular Diseases After Menopause

Lamb is a celebratory dish in so many cultures, yet the idea of preparing a leg of lamb at home can be intimidating. One way to simplify the process plus cut the roasting time is with a butterflied leg—your butcher removes the bone and opens the lobes of meat to create a flat butterfly shape, which allows fast and even cooking. Also in this issue you’ll read about a caution concerning raw milk and a successful two-pronged approach to reduce inflammation, the root cause of so many diseases.

Butterflied Leg of Lamb

  • sliced leg of Lamb with rosemary Butterflied Leg of Lamb

    A roasted butterflied leg of lamb makes a beautiful presentation and is a breeze to carve either at the table or in the kitchen. The olive oil and lemon marinade adds great flavor—if possible, marinate the lamb the day before you plan to cook it.

    Ingredients

    • 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried leaves
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
    • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 leg of lamb, between 4 and 5 pounds, butterflied and trimmed of excess fat

    Directions

    Step 1

    Strip the leaves from the rosemary, place them on a cutting board along with the garlic and salt, and mince them together. Transfer to a small bowl and add 4 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and the black pepper. Place the lamb, boned side up, on a platter large enough to hold it and brush the marinade all over both sides of the meat; cover and refrigerate for three hours or overnight. 

    Step 2

    When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 425°F. Place the lamb in a roasting pan and drizzle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast in the center of the oven until an instant-read thermometer reaches 135°F for medium, about 30 to 35 minutes, or 145°F for medium-well, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let the lamb rest for 10 minutes before slicing (its internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees).

    Yields 8 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Rosemary

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Rosemary

An herb strongly associated with the Mediterranean cuisines, rosemary, or Rosmarinus officinalis,is endemic to the dry, rocky areas of the region, especially along the coast. According to the Herb Society of America,Rosmarinus comes from Latin ros and marinus,which translate to “dew of the sea.” Rosemary makes a fragrant addition to your outdoor herb garden and is very hardy, but bring any plants indoors for the winter. The herb lends a very distinctive taste to foods, from roasted lamb to potatoes. A little goes a long way—use it judiciously so that it doesn’t overpower the finished dish.

Rosemary sprigs
Quick Kitchen Nugget: Freezing Rosemary

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Freezing Rosemary

Got leftovers? Rosemary sprigs will keep for a week or two when wrapped in a paper towel and placed in the vegetable drawer of your fridge. But you can also freeze them for future use. First, freeze the sprigs. When frozen, use your fingers to strip off the leaves, working from the top of the sprig downward; place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container and then return them to the freezer.   

For Your Best Health: More Reasons to Pass on Raw Milk

For Your Best Health

More Reasons to Pass on Raw Milk

While some people perceive raw milk as beneficial because it’s unprocessed, it actually presents a host of health risks—risks that many Americans aren’t aware of, according to a survey done by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania. Case in point: The Food and Drug Administration located H5N1 bird flu virus in samples of raw (or unpasteurized) milk in tests in four states in April 2024, and bird flu has been detected in commercially sold raw milk. The vast majority of US adults don’t know that bird flu has been detected to date only in raw milk, not pasteurized milk. 

Drinking raw milk can also expose you to salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter, cryptosporidium, listeria, and brucella, all pathogens (or disease-causing microorganisms). While just over half of adults (56%) know that raw milk from cows, sheep, or goats is less safe than pasteurized milk, many are not sure (25%), think raw milk is “just as safe to drink” as pasteurized milk (12%), or think it is “safer to drink” (6%), according to the survey. 

Almost a third of people know that drinking raw milk increases a person’s risk of foodborne illness, but 14% think it has no effect and 51% are not sure. Also, two-thirds of the survey respondents didn’t know that children are more vulnerable than adults to getting sick from the viruses and bacteria that can be present in raw milk. 

Promoters of raw milk have made many claims about its health benefits, which range from preventing bone thinning to boosting the immune system. The FDA has categorized many as misconceptions, but at least half of US adults aren’t sure whether the claims are true or false.

The bottom line: “Consuming raw milk and raw milk products can make you sick, and pasteurization reduces the risk of milk-borne illness,” said Patrick E. Jamieson, director of APPC’s Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute. “Looking for the pasteurization label before buying or consuming milk or milk products such as cheese is good practice.”

Fitness Flash: Protecting Against Cardiovascular Diseases After Menopause

Fitness Flash

Protecting Against Cardiovascular Diseases After Menopause

Healthy senior woman cooking

Researchers at the University of Jyväskylä’s Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences in Finland have found that women with a disordered eating behavior, such as restricting food to control weight or body shape, and low physical activity tend to have more central body fat and a higher risk of metabolic low-grade inflammation. This, in turn, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which become more prevalent after menopause. Body fat distribution changes as menopause progresses and estrogen levels decrease, causing the adipose tissue concentrated in the hips and thighs to gradually shift to the midsection as harmful visceral fat. 

The researchers investigated the connections between this inflammation and health behaviors—sleeping, eating, and physical activity—and found that the combined effect of exercise and healthy eating offers the most effective protection against inflammation and may also reduce it after menopause.

“In line with previous studies, a higher amount of visceral fat was, as expected, associated with low-grade inflammation,” said Hannamari Lankila, a doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences. “Visceral fat accumulated in the midsection secretes cytokines that increase inflammation, and this can increase the risk of metabolic diseases.”

When eating and physical activity were examined together, higher physical activity was associated with lower visceral fat, especially in those women who did not display disordered eating behavior. “The connection was weaker, meaning that the protective effect of even a high amount of exercise was less, if the individual had eating-related difficulties,” Lankila continued. “Surprisingly, sleep was not a significant factor in this equation.”

The combined effects of health behaviors during menopause have not previously been studied. The menopause phase is significant, as women live more than a third of their lives after menopause, on average. During this period, the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases increases significantly.

“It’s good to remember that even after menopause, it is possible to reduce the accumulation of harmful visceral fat and thus prevent metabolic and cardiovascular diseases that may result from it,” Lankila concluded.

The study is part of the larger EsmiRs (estrogen, microRNAs, and the risk of metabolic dysfunctions) study, which was carried out from 2018 to 2022 at the Gerontology Research Center at Jyväskylä. The study participants were women living in Central Finland who were between the ages of 51 and 59. 

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Olive Oil Hunter News #210

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Taiwanese Chicken Recipe, Spotlight on Ginger, Toasted or Untoasted Sesame Oil, Why Being a Pet Person is Good for You and Why You Could Really Be As Young As You Feel

Part of my mission as the Olive Oil Hunter is to share recipes from all different cuisines and show how they can be made healthier and more flavorful with fresh-pressed olive oil. You might think that Asian stir-fries are synonymous with peanut oil, for instance, but olive oil lends itself beautifully to dishes cooked at high heat and works in perfect balance with traditional Asian ingredients. Case in point: delectable Taiwanese chicken, a one-pan wonder that’s as easy as it is delicious. I’m also sharing research on the health benefits of having a pet and news about a simple blood test that can reveal a person’s biological age, a more accurate health indicator than whatever the calendar says. 

Taiwanese Chicken

  • Taiwanese Chicken stir fry Taiwanese Chicken

    Looking for a midweek dinner recipe that’s high in flavor and short on time? This filling stir-fry is the answer. If leeks aren’t available, substitute a large yellow onion. Serve as is or over rice.

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more as needed 
    • 2 tablespoons untoasted sesame oil
    • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into thin strips
    • 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins 
    • 12 garlic cloves, peeled
    • 4 scallions, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
    • 2 large leeks, trimmed, triple-rinsed, and sliced into coins
    • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into slivers
    • 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1/2 cup Chinese rice wine
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

    Directions

    Step 1

    Heat a large wok or frying pan over high heat. When hot, add the olive and sesame oils and the chicken. Use tongs to turn the chicken pieces until they’ve browned on all sides and are just about cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a large bowl.

    Yields 4 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Ginger

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Ginger

Fresh ginger

With origins in southern China, ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years. It was—and still is—widely used as a medicinal, and it is a vibrant flavoring ingredient in cooking. Technically a rhizome (not a root) with a very knobby shape and multiple branches, fresh ginger has a sharp taste that can be too strong for some people, but in cooked dishes, it adds a unique layer of flavor.

Ginger has been used for thousands of years to treat upset stomachs, nausea, colds, and even arthritis. Research attributes its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties to its hundreds of bioactive compounds like gingerol, the phytonutrient responsible for its distinctive taste. 

When buying fresh ginger, look for a smooth peel—if it’s shriveled, it’s old! Store it wrapped in paper towel in the salad drawer, where it will stay fresh for about two weeks. Use a vegetable peeler or a spoon to remove the thin peel—each has its proponents. I’m partial to using a grapefruit spoon because its serrated edges and pointy tip make it easy to get around the nubs.

Quick Kitchen Nugget: Sesame oil—toasted or untoasted?

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Sesame Oil—Toasted or Untoasted?

If you already have a bottle of sesame oil in the fridge, do you know what type it is? It’s easy to miss that there are two kinds: untoasted sesame oil, made from raw seeds, and toasted (sometimes labeled roasted) sesame oil, made from toasted seeds. Each delivers a different kind of flavor and is used in different phases of cooking. Use untoasted sesame oil when first cooking foods and toasted sesame oil as a finishing oil—since the seeds were already cooked, you don’t want to cook them twice, which could impart unwanted bitterness to your dish.

For Your Best Health: Why Being a Pet Person is Good for You

For Your Best Health

Why Being a Pet Person is Good for You

The unconditional love of a pet is reason enough to have one in your life, but the rewards extend to physical as well as mental well-being. Pets help you ease stress and anxiety and can lower the risk for depression, according to experts at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in California, because they provide a calming presence. Caring for a pet also gives people a sense of purpose and adds structure to daily life. 

Having a dog in particular helps keep you fit and lowers your risk of heart disease: Over 60% of dog owners meet the recommended weekly amount of exercise compared to just 24% of the general population. Pet owners typically have a lower resting blood pressure than people who don’t own pets and a better quality of life. If having a pet isn’t an option for you, consider other opportunities for animal interactions, like volunteering at a shelter or joining a friend on a walk with their dog.

Pet ownership for your health

Fitness Flash: Why You Could Really Be As Young As You Feel

Fitness Flash

Why You Could Really Be As Young As You Feel

A recent study from researchers at the Murdoch University Health Futures Institute in Australia found that moderate-intensity exercise can significantly influence appetite-related hormones and perceptions in obese men. It provides new insights into how exercise can aid appetite control and weight management.

According to one of the study authors, Timothy Fairchild, PhD, associate professor at Murdoch’s School of Allied Health, the study confirms their previous work showing the benefits of incorporating regular exercise into daily routines for individuals looking to manage their weight and improve their overall health.

“People understand that exercise helps burn energy. A lot of people assume that exercise also increases hunger and energy intake afterwards,” said Dr. Fairchild. “We have previously shown, using high-intensity exercise, that this is not the case. This latest study shows that even moderate-intensity exercise can have immediate and beneficial effects on appetite control in males with obesity.”

The study not only assessed food intake and appetite but also measured changes in hormones, which help regulate appetite. “Despite a strong focus on weight loss drugs in society at present, this study shows that lifestyle factors still have a strong and relevant role in helping people to live their healthiest life,” Dr. Fairchild added. “In fact, the hormones which have been shown to increase after exercise are the same hormones which the most successful weight loss drugs are mimicking. The added benefit of exercise is that you also receive the physical and mental health benefits of exercise.”

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Olive Oil Hunter News #209

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Bountiful Bean and Corn Salad Recipe and The Importance of Protecting the Brain’s White Matter

I travel to the four corners of the globe to find the freshest olive oil not only for its exquisite taste but also for its powerful polyphenols, which contribute to better health in so many ways. I also aim to share the latest studies on the benefits of olive oil and the Mediterranean diet with you as soon as they’re released so that you too can be aware of them. In February of this year, preliminary findings of a study focused on the Latino and Hispanic communities—both underrepresented in research—were presented at a major conference on stroke. This study on the Mediterranean diet and brain health is so important because dementia affects this group at much higher rates than it does white people. And it demonstrates just how far-reaching the benefits of this diet can be. The corn salad recipe that follows melds together many foods common to the Mediterranean diet and is universally delicious.

Bountiful Bean and Corn Salad

  • Black bean and corn salad Bountiful Bean and Corn Salad

    Looking for a fast meal with layers of flavor? This dish has it all. What’s more, you can make it your own by adding other veggies or a protein, like poached shrimp or grilled chicken. Need it “to go”? Use a whole wheat or corn tortilla to turn it into a wrap. Note: If using canned corn, rinse and pat dry; if using frozen corn, defrost, rinse, and pat dry.

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    • 2 cups corn kernels, fresh, canned, or frozen 
    • 3-ounce slice feta cheese, crumbled
    • Two 15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 1 large bell pepper, diced
    • 1 small red onion, diced
    • Coarse sea salt, to taste 
    • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    Directions

    Step 1

    Heat a wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the corn kernels. Cook until the corn gets a slight char. Add the feta crumbles and stir until they melt. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

    Step 2

    Fold in the beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then drizzle with more olive oil.

    Yields 4 servings

For Your Best Health: The Mediterranean Diet: Protecting the Brain’s White Matter 

For Your Best Health

The Mediterranean Diet: Protecting the Brain’s White Matter

The Research: “Association of the Mediterranean Diet with White Matter Integrity Among Hispanics/Latinos—Final Results from the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging-MRI (SOL-INCA-MRI) Ancillary Study.”

Background: Hispanic/Latino people are the fastest-growing minority in America’s aging population.They’re also more likely to suffer the brain-wasting effects of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias compared with white people of similar age. The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) is a representative, community-based study of Hispanics and Latinos across the US undertaken to better understand health disparities within this population. SOL-INCA MRI is an ancillary MRI study to HCHS/SOL, focused on the genetic influence and cognitive impact of age- and disease-related brain measures. 

Study Details:

  • SOL-INCA MRI included approximately 2,800 participants aged 18 to 74 years old, 45% men, 55% women.
  • Participants completed 24-hour dietary recalls when they started the study. A second dietary recall was conducted roughly 30 days later. Dietary intake was determined for participants with two dietary recalls by calculating the average of both recall questionnaires to calculate the Mediterranean diet score. Adherence to Mediterranean diet intake was measured at baseline, and each participant received a score between 0 and 9, with higher scores indicating higher adherence. The average Mediterranean diet score was 5.01.
  • The researchers used specialized imaging techniques to investigate the microscopic and the visible changes in the brain. 
  • Cardiovascular health was assessed using the American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 score components: exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, not smoking, avoiding excess weight, and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels within a healthy range. Note: In June 2022, the Association updated Life’s Simple 7 to Life’s Essential 8, adding sleep.

Findings: Preliminary study results, presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025, held in February, found that closely following a Mediterranean-style diet provides benefits that extended beyond heart health: It was associated with improved brain health in this population. In general, a Mediterranean-style diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds with olive oil as a primary fat source and low-to-moderate amounts of dairy products, eggs, fish, and poultry.

Researchers noted that the positive impact of the Mediterranean diet on brain health is not entirely influenced by cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar, nor by behavioral risk factors such as smoking and physical activity, all known to affect brain health.

“We have observed that cardiovascular health directly impacts brain structures; the effect of the Mediterranean diet on communication between regions of the brain remains somewhat independent of cardiovascular health,” said lead researcher Gabriela Trifan, MD, assistant professor of neurology at the University of Illinois in Chicago. “Even when considering age and cardiovascular health in people who ate a Mediterranean diet, the brain demonstrated improved organization of the fibers connecting different brain regions and enhanced communication, known as white matter integrity. Other studies have shown that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with less brain shrinkage, called atrophy. This is the first large study focused solely on Hispanics/Latinos, who are projected to be the fastest-growing ethnic group in the US.”

After considering other factors that could affect brain health, the analysis found that for each point increase in the Mediterranean diet score there was an improvement in white matter integrity and less evidence of structural damage in the brain, as assessed by the “white matter hyperintensity burden,” an important marker of small vessel brain disease.

“This suggests that even small improvements in diet improved brain integrity,” Dr. Trifan said. “It has been suggested that healthy diets, and particularly the Mediterranean diet, improve white matter integrity by reducing inflammation, reducing oxidative stress, and through maintaining the health of the brain’s blood vessels’ function and stable blood sugar levels, all important factors for optimal brain health.”

Mediterranean diet foods: avocado, vegetables, legumes, fish and corn

Real-World Applications

“Many Mediterranean diet components are already staple Latin foods (beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, avocado, and fish). Our study will help guide Hispanic/Latino individuals toward consuming more of the beneficial dietary components of the Mediterranean diet without significantly altering their already established diet,” Dr. Trifan said.

“These results matter because many health care professionals may not know about the eating habits of Hispanic/Latino adults, who consume many foods from the Mediterranean diet. The findings support the American Heart Association’s advice to follow this diet as one of the dietary plans that may help prevent strokes and potentially avoid cognitive issues,” said Philip B. Gorelick, MD, MPH, FAHA, immediate past chair of the American Heart Association’s Stroke Brain Health Science Subcommittee and professor of neurology in the Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago (he was not involved with the research). “The study suggests that the Mediterranean diet can benefit brain health and integrity, specifically concerning white matter. White matter is a crucial part of the brain that connects different areas and networks, helping us to function effectively. However, we still need to learn more about brain health and the Mediterranean diet, as the positive effects were only partly related to vascular risk factors.” 

Among the study’s strengths are its focus on the largest, diverse group of middle-aged and older Hispanics/Latinos living in the US. The study’s limitations include the fact that many variables were self-reported with possible recall bias. Also, as MRI measurements were collected between 2017 and 2022, individuals may have adopted new dietary and lifestyle habits that may have altered the association documented at baseline.

Note: The study is a “research abstract.” Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as full manuscripts in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. 

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Olive Oil Hunter News #208

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe, Spotlight on Canned Tuna, Safer Avocado Slicing, HDL Cholesterol and Brain Health, and Moderate Exercise and Appetite

Move over avocado toast—avocado tuna salad is the new must-have dish. My recipe incorporates olive oil and cannellini beans for even more toothsome goodness. In fact, it’s loaded with ingredients that help boost good HDL cholesterol, which has many health benefits. For one, HDL may protect the brain’s gray matter, according to new research done at UT Southwestern Medical Center. I’m also sharing a finding from Murdoch University in Australia that moderate-intensity exercise may help decrease appetite in people trying to lose weight.

Avocado Tuna Salad

  • Tuna avocado salad Avocado Tuna Salad

    This twist on tuna salad forgoes mayo for creamy, nutrient-dense avocado (the avocado should be ripe but still somewhat firm). This recipe is also great made with grilled tuna—the next time a fillet is on the dinner menu, consider making a little extra to enjoy this dish for lunch the next day.

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 Hass avocado, cut into chunks
    • One 5-ounce can chunk light tuna, drained and flaked, or the equivalent amount of grilled tuna 
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 3/4 cup canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
    • 2 tablespoons minced red onion
    • 4 cups mixed spring greens, arugula, and/or baby spinach

    Directions

    Step 1

    In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil and lime juice. Whisk in the parsley, salt, and pepper. Place half the avocado chunks in the bowl and mash them into the dressing. Gently fold in the rest of the chunks, the tuna, tomatoes, beans, and red onion. 

    Step 2

    Divide the greens between two bowls and top with equal amounts of the tuna and drizzles of olive oil.

    Yields 2 servings

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Update on Tuna

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Update on Tuna

Canned tuna

Because of its availability and low price, canned tuna is the most consumed fish in the US. But recent recalls (due to defects in the cans themselves) and concern over mercury levels in fish may have you wondering how safe it is to eat tuna and how often.

The type of tuna matters. When Consumer Reports (CR) analyzed popular brands, their scientists found that chunk light and skipjack tuna have roughly a third of the mercury found in albacore, with some even greater variations by brand. Bumble Bee, Chicken of the Sea, StarKist, and Safe Catch Wild Elite had the lowest amounts of mercury and were deemed safe to eat up to three times a week, compared with albacore that on average should be limited to once a week. 

Where the tuna was caught matters too. CR reported that “experts who study mercury contamination in fish have found that levels of it in different oceans appear to be linked to different practices and policies in the nations nearby. For instance, mercury contamination in tuna caught in the Pacific Ocean is on the rise, but levels are dropping in tuna from the Atlantic Ocean,” said Nicholas Fisher, PhD, a distinguished professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University in New York. ​​“In China and India, they burn a lot of coal for electricity, and when you burn coal, you release a lot of mercury into the air, which eventually rains down; so mercury levels have been increasing somewhat in the Pacific,” Dr. Fisher added. “Whereas in the Atlantic, we’ve shown that the levels have declined a little bit, primarily because of efforts made in North America … to sort of scrub the mercury from coal-fired plants in the US and Canada.” 

Quick Kitchen Nugget: Safer Avocado Slicing

Quick Kitchen Nugget

Safer Avocado Slicing

You’ve probably seen chefs on TV piercing an avocado pit with the tip of a knife and then twisting it out. As impressive as this maneuver might look, it’s extremely dangerous, for fingers and the palm of your hand. According to a study published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, there were an estimated 50,413 avocado-related knife injuries from 1998 to 2017 in the US. An analysis of data from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission found there are roughly 24 avocado-related hospital visits per day!

There’s even a name for this common injury: avocado hand. It happens when the knife slices through the fleshy part of the avocado and into your hand or fingers. This can lead to tendon, nerve, blood vessel, or muscle injury that could permanently affect the ability to use your hand. According to experts at University of Utah Health, here’s the right way to cut an avocado and remove the pit: 

  • Choose a ripe avocado and place it on a cutting board.
  • Use a butter knife and cut it in half lengthwise.
  • Twist the avocado to pull apart the halves.
  • Remove the pit by putting your index and middle finger between the pit and flesh and placing your thumb on the back to push and pop out the pit.
  • Remove the flesh from the skin with a spoon.
For Your Best Health: HDL Cholesterol and Brain Health 

For Your Best Health

HDL Cholesterol and Brain Health 

High-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol, may play a vital role in conserving healthy brain matter in middle-aged adults, according to the first study to investigate a potential link between HDL function and brain volume. The research was done at UT Southwestern Medical Center and published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. 

“Our study has identified a novel role of HDL cholesterol function in maintaining gray matter volume in the brain, which is important for cognitive function in middle-aged adults,” said the study’s first author, John Giacona, PhD, assistant professor of applied clinical research and internal medicine in the School of Health Professions at UT Southwestern.

The research involved 1,826 participants between the ages of 35 and 70 enrolled in the multiethnic, population-based Dallas Heart Study, a longitudinal study now in its 25th year. First, fasting lipoprotein concentrations were assessed using nuclear magnetic resonance. Participants were then tested for cognitive function, and their brain matter volume was measured using brain magnetic resonance imaging. Initial assessments took place between 2000 and 2002, and participants were reassessed between 2007 and 2009.

Professor of internal medicine in the division of cardiology Anand Rohatgi, MD, and his team at UTSW’s Clinical Heart and Vascular Center measured HDL function in this study. Their findings revealed that higher concentrations of small-particle HDL—but not larger particles or total HDL concentration—were linked with greater gray matter volume and higher cognitive capacity.

Foods rich with omega-3 fatty acids

“Previous research has shown conflicting evidence regarding the concentration of HDL cholesterol in development of dementia or brain atrophy,” said senior author Wanpen Vongpatanasin, MD, professor of internal medicine and director of the hypertension section in the division of cardiology at UTSW. “However, the concentration of HDL cholesterol may not reflect their function.”

HDL decreases the amount of low-density lipoprotein LDL, or bad cholesterol, in blood vessels by transporting the excess to the liver, where it gets broken down. “In addition, HDL particles exist in many sizes, which may be linked to their function,” Dr. Vongpatanasin said. “We now need to understand exactly how the small HDL particle, which can cross the blood-brain barrier, may have a beneficial role in maintaining brain health.” 

This finding led the researchers to note that HDL cholesterol function or levels of small HDL particles may be used as markers for a population at risk of developing cognitive decline, though additional studies would be required to confirm the connection. 

According to the UMass Chan Medical School Center for Applied Nutrition, to increase your HDL you should increase the amount of physical activity you do, lose weight if needed, quit smoking if you smoke, and aim to increase omega-3 fatty acids in your diet with foods like fatty fish (such as light tuna, salmon, trout, and sardines), freshly ground flaxseed, walnuts, and dark, leafy greens. 

Fitness Flash: Moderate Exercise and Appetite

Fitness Flash

Moderate Exercise and Appetite

A recent study from researchers at the Murdoch University Health Futures Institute in Australia found that moderate-intensity exercise can significantly influence appetite-related hormones and perceptions in obese men. It provides new insights into how exercise can aid appetite control and weight management.

According to one of the study authors, Timothy Fairchild, PhD, associate professor at Murdoch’s School of Allied Health, the study confirms their previous work showing the benefits of incorporating regular exercise into daily routines for individuals looking to manage their weight and improve their overall health.

“People understand that exercise helps burn energy. A lot of people assume that exercise also increases hunger and energy intake afterwards,” said Dr. Fairchild. “We have previously shown, using high-intensity exercise, that this is not the case. This latest study shows that even moderate-intensity exercise can have immediate and beneficial effects on appetite control in males with obesity.”

The study not only assessed food intake and appetite but also measured changes in hormones, which help regulate appetite. “Despite a strong focus on weight loss drugs in society at present, this study shows that lifestyle factors still have a strong and relevant role in helping people to live their healthiest life,” Dr. Fairchild added. “In fact, the hormones which have been shown to increase after exercise are the same hormones which the most successful weight loss drugs are mimicking. The added benefit of exercise is that you also receive the physical and mental health benefits of exercise.”

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