ScatterShooting

This is the first in what I expect will be a category I infrequently, perhaps even rarely, post to. It is not anywhere close to the message I created The Magic Of Imagination for, but it’s topics, experiences and/or tips and clarifications I feel are important. Because the posts will be so varied and multi-faceted, I’m calling it ScatterShooting.

This post reviews health and two quick and easy actions to generally improve health.

Chocolate, dark high percentage cocoa is very healthy. Frequently there are articles in health publications advising us to consume 70% and higher (the higher the better) cocoa. The articles go on to describe the chocolate’s bitter taste may be offset in the higher quality (higher price) chocolate bars.

Personally, I get my daily chocolate fix in my coffee each morning. I put 3-4 tablespoons of Hershey’s 100% Cocoa, add a little extra sweetener to offset the bitterness, and savor my cup, knowing I’m empowering my body with the chocolate’s flavonoids and theobromine and without any added sugars or fats of the chocolate bars. To top it off, twenty cents is my approximate cost for my cup of health!

Steel cut oats. It’s not hard to find articles encouraging eating steel cut oats as a great way to reduce cholesterol. Pam, my wife, didn’t like the general (mushy) texture of oatmeal so I created a good way to enjoy them with different meals by cooking the oats so they’re similar to rice. My family loves rice and rice is frequently used as a side dish in various cultures. Steel cut oats can be prepared so they’re similar in look and feel to rice but with the added health benefits of oats.

Using equal water and oats, bring the water to a boil, add the oats, cover the pan, remove from the heat and wait 12 minutes. It’s ready to eat. In addition, this recipe can be varied depending on taste and the desired crunchy level. Groats are steel cut oats before they’re cut, thus look more like rice. They’re more difficult to find, leading me to purchase online. Since they’re uncut, they also cook a little longer. The bottom line about the recipe is – play with it – and find what best suits you.

Eating oats once daily, over 9 months, my wife dropped 100 points off her cholesterol. Others, using my oats recipe have similarly dropped their cholesterol and avoided beginning to take prescriptions.

I encourage you to try either or both and make them a staple in your routine. They may take up to a dozen uses to adjust and begin to appreciate. You’ll find it will be worth it.

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor and do not prescribe or give medical advice. Please consult your physician.