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BERWICK AREA HEART SUPPORT GROUP
January 2004 newsletter
Next Meeting WEDNESDAY 7th JANUARY at the Day Hospital Berwick Infirmary 7.00 pm to 9.00pm
Guest speaker Mandy Thompson is a practice nurse at the Well Close Square Surgery, Mandy is also the cardiac nurse working with the Cardiac Rehab at the Swan Centre.
Mandy was the guest speaker at our meeting in Nov 2002 and gave an excellent talk followed by a lengthy question and answer session afterwards. As requested then we have invited Mandy back this year.
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My apologies, it wasn’t until I was looking at backdated copies of the newsletters that I realised I hadn’t passed on the seasons greetings in the last newsletter. I hope you’ve have all had a great Christmas and New Year.
Also while I was looking at the backdated newsletters I noticed in the September 2002 issue that the IT course started that month, for all our new readers the group arranged a ten week course on basic desk top publishing the course was held at the Northumbria College at Berwick High School.
There was 8 of the group took part in the training course and a few of us went onto sit other training courses, Andy done a course on the Internet, whilst Wally and myself went onto a year long course and have both passed the European Computer Driving Licence. In January We are going on to sit The Advanced Level 3 course.
There is a large variations in courses both at the College and the Community Centre, why not have a look.
Terry
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At our last meeting on Wed 3rd. December 2003, our guest was Martin Manasse who spoke to us about what he did in relation to food and possibly more importantly how he cooked it, together with some other changes he made in his lifestyle following a heart attack about 6 years ago He gave a brief history of his condition, to which we can all relate, suffice to say that he Is able to manage his life mainly by diet and fluid intake, which is mainly herbal teas, for their antioxidant properties, and the occasional red wine, because he likes it. The only medication he takes is 75 mgm. Aspirin daily. He has been declared fit by the Freeman Hospital, and his cholesterol level is down to 3.1.Two food items he avoids at all costs are cheese and eggs.
This is the second time he has visited us, but as our numbers continue to rise there are always first timers, and for those who were there last time, some of his suggestions and reminders don’t go amiss.
Martin made reference to seven books that have given him most of his favourite recipes. Obviously those contained in the books are protected by copywrite and cannot be reproduced, but some he has been able to adapt to his own liking, or ingredients substituted, thus making a new dish. His recipe for nail soup was novel; I will repeat it in full at the end for the benefit of those who missed it, or were unable to attend.
The five books are: -
Sue Kreitzman’s Low Fat Vegetarian Cookbook, This gives a lot of information about ‘water frying’ and the art of balancing spices for flavour, rather than just adding heat.
Also by the same Author
The Low FatCookery Bookthis book is for the non- veggie, and lists fat, cholesterol, sodium and calorie levels, for each recipe.
Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favourites
Not cheap, but contains good recipes, and again lists fat, calorie and cholesterol content.
Gordon Rouge and Vegetarian Kitchen Apparently neither is low fat, but can easily be converted.
The Food Doctor This book discusses a variety of health problems, and suggests recipes to help.
And finally Cook Yourself a Flavour This book contains High fibre, low fat, low sugar, and low sodium recipes.
Martin did give everyone a four-page hand out which explained most of what he was talking about. The contents would take too long to reproduce here, but if you would like a copy I’m sure Terry would be able to reproduce it. It does cover Soups, Main Courses, Side Dishes, Salads, Breads, Desserts, Breakfasts, and Drinks.
Wally’s Yarn
I did promise the story that contains the recipe for Nail Soup: -
A kindly, elderly lady, know locally to be a soft touch by the down and outs for a free meal, resolved to change her ways, so when a Gentleman of the road (Tramp) came knocking seeking a handout, she put her foot down and said No, and that she was not going to feed him again. Initially taken aback at her change of heart he said. That if she was unable to feed him, could she at least spare some hot water in which to boil a nail. The woman became intrigued, and saw no harm in supplying the water, but insisted that he was getting no food. After the nail had boiled for some minutes, he asked if she could spare a little salt and pepper, to add a little flavour to the water. She consented to this, and a little while after he asked if she could spare a little stock, to lift the flavour even more. Again she consented, as she didn’t consider this food. Some 20 mins. later when to smell of stock had filled the kitchen, and the woman was becoming very curious as to the outcome of the soup, the tramp suggested that to really give the soup some depth, a few vegetables would work wonders. Again she relented, and gave him some vegetables. As the vegetables cooked away the kitchen filled with the smell of a very flavoursome, homely, and welcoming soup, and she was congratulating the tramp on his cooking ability, he suggested that to really finish the soup off if she had some spare meat he could add that. She promptly went to the fridge and fetched the cold meat she was going to have for her tea, She gave this to the tramp who put it in his soup. As he was leaving, with the pot of soup he had just made, she apologised that she was unable to feed him as she had in the past.
I forgot to add at the beginning of this article that Martin is described as a lively participant in Story Telling Circles in the Newcastle area, and has spent most of his live in Music Halls.
Click for Wally’s Yarns
Wally SELBY
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