NUTS TO YOU

I have a new love of my life: these spicy and sweet curried nuts. I can’t get enough of them. I made them first for my heart party (um, I mean wine-tasting party) and I’ve made five batches since. I’ve finally given in and started doubling the batch.

Although I can’t stop eating them, I comfort myself that I’m at least getting loads of heart-healthy antioxidants with my zillions of calories. And, I learned from the keynote address at the heart health event I spoke at last month, that eating nuts - along with not smoking, being the right weight, exercising, eating right, and all those other good habits - is actually an indicator of longevity. So by eating these, I'm adding to my life. As long as I don't add too much to my waistline.

But, seriously, I challenge you to stop eating at just 1/3 cup (the serving size). I think you'll end up as addicted as I am. You are warned.

SPICED MIXED NUTS
Adapted from Ellie Krieger’s cookbook The Food You Crave 

1 cup whole, unsalted, raw almonds
1/3 cup unsalted raw cashews
1/3 cup unsalted raw pistachios
1/3 cup unsalted raw pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine nuts and seeds. Add the maple syrup and spices and salt and toss to combine. Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper and bake 15 to 20 minutes until nuts are fragrant and lightly toasted.

You can adjust the quantity and types of nuts to suit your preference – the total should be 2 cups nuts. I love the cashews, so sometimes I skip the pumpkin seeds in favor of more cashews. The original recipe calls for walnuts too, and I’m sure that’s equally yummy, and they are better for your heart than cashews.

MY FIRST HEART MONTH

I was surprised at how much American Heart Month meant to me. Maybe because having a disease is, at its core, a very lonely thing. No matter how much others care, no one really knows what it feels like -- or how it makes you feel -- to just be.

So I set out to connect as much as possible. To not be lonely, or sad, or scared, or depressed. But to be active, engaged, positive, and happy instead. It worked, and I was.

I shared my story a few places, like guest blogging for friends and colleagues, writing an article for the Minnesota Women's Press, and speaking at the United Hospital Foundation's annual "Celebrating the Hearts of Women" event. I went to the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Casting Call (an on-camera interview that they use to choose annual spokeswomen; I will find out if I made the cut in May) and my yoga instructor and I set up a Go Red class session where I shared my story and information on women and heart disease. Today, on the last day of the month, I volunteered with the AHA-Minnesota at Whole Foods, which is donating 5 percent of that day's sales to the fight against heart disease.

This blog featured guest posts by my friend/best-running-coach-ever Breanne about how to get moving, and my husband shared his story. I'm thinking of turning over my blog to him; his post has the second-highest views of all time! 

Last weekend, I had a red wine-themed party and celebrated life, fun, and wine (though some also celebrated beer). But my favorite part of the month was receiving all the photos of friends and family and readers wearing red on February 3; never have I felt less lonely while being all alone. 

So, yeah, Heart Month is a big deal to me. Thank you for all you did to make it great!

THIS PATIENT'S STORY

With Kris, the manager of cardiac rehab and Exercare
at United Hospital, and the emcee of the event.

I was asked to speak at a United Hospital Foundation event celebrating American Heart Month and to share my "patient story." The annual event, "Celebrating the Hearts of Women" focuses on women's heart health and prevention, and was held February 22. I was nervous, but it went well, and I made it through without crying (too much). 

I thought you might like to read my speech, so I've pasted it below. If you have read along with me on this blog these last few months, some of it will sound familiar.

Today I'd like to start with a story about Mary Jean. Mary Jean leaned over to talk to me as I waited for my first cardiac rehab orientation on a sunny Monday last August.

"Will you be joining us?" she said.

"Yes," I said. "I had a heart attack last Sunday, and I left the hospital on Wednesday."

"Oh," she said, and paused. I didn't wait for her to ask what I guessed was coming.

"I'm 37."

She didn't say I was too young to have a heart attack, or even act that shocked or surprised. She told me that she was 86, had had bypass surgery and now had a new valve and a pacemaker. And then she said, "You'll like it here. The people are very nice."

They were nice, and I did like it. The effort was lighter than I was used to, since I'd been training all summer for the Twin Cities Marathon and two duathlons. 

But it was exercise and movement and it felt good. I was supervised, monitored, checked, and scored. Someone told me what to do, when, for how long, and at what intensity. After the shock and upheaval I'd just been through, it was perfect.

A FLASH MOB WITH HEART

I always love a flash mob video, but this one got to me a little bit. Midway through the camera captures some people holding signs thanking scientists, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, clinical trial participants, and others who work every day to manage, cure, or prevent heart disease. I was looking for flash mob fun but found myself choked up and goosebumpy with gratitude. It's not about me. I'm just part of this big new community.