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Makes 8 (3-skewer) servings Prep time: 15 minutes
Start to finish: 10 minutes Ingredients
3 tablespoons trans-fat-free margarine
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 24 (1-inch) cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 celery stalks, cut into 24 (1-inch) pieces
Blue Cheese Dipping SauceInstructions
1. Cut chicken breasts and celery into 24 (1-inch) pieces.

2. Melt margarine in a medium nonstick saucepan. Whisk in pepper sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened; set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to pan, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add margarine mixture to pan and gently toss chicken until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Remove chicken from pan and skewer each cube with a toothpick. Skewer 1 piece of celery at the base of each. Arrange on a platter and serve with dip.

Nutritional Information:
150 calories
9 g total fat (2.5 g sat)
1 g carbohydrate
16 g protein
0 g fiber
250 mg sodium

Even though the sight, smell, and taste of pumpkins are oh-so-autumn, but you don’t have to wait until holidays to enjoy this tasty dessert. Keep some canned pumpkin, an excellent source of vitamin A, on the shelf year-round to enjoy this treat in any season!

Gingered Pumpkin Pudding Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon orange or lemon extract
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
4 teaspoons whipped reduced-fat cream cheeseInstructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat four 6-ounce custard cups with cooking spray; set on a sturdy baking sheet. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk, egg, brown sugar, extract, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into the custard cups. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of a pudding comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled, topped with a dollop of the cream cheese.

Per serving: 90 calories, 3.5g fat, 11g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 2g fiber, 200mg sodium

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Every good weight-loss plan has the same two parts: food and physical activity. Wise food choices can help you eat fewer calories and daily (or almost daily) physical activity helps you burn off some of the calories you consume. You lose weight more easily and you’re more likely to keep it off, too.

1. Keep portions smaller than your fist. It’s easy to overeat when you have too much food on your plate. Smaller portions help prevent overeating.
2. Control your hunger with filling foods that are low in calories. Foods such as soup, salad, fruits and vegetables can help fill you up without adding a lot of calories. These foods will satisfy your hunger and help you lose weight.
3. Keep track of what you eat. When you keep track of what you eat, you’re more likely to meet your food goals. Studies show that keeping a food diary helps people lose weight and keep it off.
4. Make trade-offs to reduce how much fat and sugar you eat. Foods high in fat and sugar are usually high in calories, too. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite foods. Learn to make trade-offs instead. If you want to indulge in your favorite dessert, eat a lower-calorie meal.
5. Enjoy more physical activity. As you already know, regular physical activity is important for keeping your heart healthy. Increasing physical activity will help you lose weight and strengthen your heart at the same time.

I do not believe it an accident that the heart is chosen for the symbol of love.

At the very core of God’s greatest creation is the heart- when the heart stops so does life. I believe the same is true of love. When love stops - so does life.

To love someone is not to say we like all they do…we accept them as they are…and hope and guide toward change. To love someone unconditionally is to love them as they are.. as Granny says Warts and all. 

One of the most healing things we have done is to adopt a dog—she loves us unconditionally.

Bless each of you on this day-and every other day. 

According to Dr. Steven Pratt MD caffeine is not as good for us and our energy levels as we might think. In his book Super Foods RX Diet, there are some foods that boost our energy level more effectively. These foods contain minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients that naturally work against inflammation, help recover faster from exercise, and support our immune system.

First is Citrus-By snacking on citrus fruits we are getting Vitasmin C. This vitamin has a powerful antioxidant effect 20 minutes after eaten says Dr. Pratt. When juice is substituted for the fruit itself,we need to choose a juice with lots of pulp for the fiber.

Thank you for reading this HealthyHeart article, and please comeback soon. 

This is just a reminder that Valentines Day is right around the corner. Day after tomorrow to be exact, the day we get to buy a little something for the sweetheart in our lives. There is still time. Don’t forget that important heart… our sweetheart.

February is national heart month and we are all aware of the work that goes on by unsung heroes. The lab techs, the nurses, the folks in the office of the local Heart Association, the list goes on for a long way…So let us be some of those HealthyHeart Folks that tell these folks thank you for all they are doing to make the lives of patients and families better.

Give them a call go by, or next time we visit the office…just say… Thanks

Roy and Heidi Mercer’s HealthyHeart Shopping

This combination of moves may bring unwanted attention at the bus stop, but it is a workout exercise that will definately get the heart pumping. It requires no special  exercise equipment, can be done in public if we are not shy people and do not mind a bit of attention, and it also may be done to music, if… like me, you enjoy dancing.

Position is important, there may be a balance issue. We stand with our feet apart, a bit wider than our shoulders. Next we bring our arms up— level with our shoulders and we bend our arms at the elbow (90 degree angle) with our hands in the air. Be careful with this exercise during football season, we now look much like a goal post and some grandkids may see this as an opportunity to practice kicking. At the bus stop it may be mistaken for a robbery…you can guess the rest. Now the movement.

Please remember that I am not a health professional, I simply have heart disease and I am sharing my experience and the tools I use to get better. This or any other exercise should be approved by your personal health professional.

Bring the left (or right if preferred) knee up as high as possible and bring the left elbow down to touch the knee. Repeat this 10 times and switch to the other knee…that is right …raise this knee as high as possible and bring the elbow down to meet it. Repeat until the target heart rate is met, and we continue these moves for the time we have chosen to use this exercise in our routine.

My daily routine is to be a minimum 30 minutes. This can be split into three sessions of 10 minutes if  I need to meet my boss’s schedule, which I only need to do if I want to work for him. As long as he continues to write a paycheck two times per month, he controls my schedule on work days.

Thank you for reading our  articles, and for supporting our blog. Should you have a subject you would like to hear about simply leave a comment and we will share our experience.

 Roy & Heidi Mercer’s HealthyHeart Shopping

I knew very little about this heart disease prior to my hearing the words from a doctor saying “You have Congestive Heart Failure. Your heart is enlarged and not pumping correctly.” I was scared from the tips of my toes to the top of my head and at once felt I could not admit my fear or those that depended on me would be scared too. The fear was rooted in the unknown.

I want to share some things I have learned about congestive heart failure. I  am not a doctor, and the information here is not intended, nor should it replace the information you learn from your health professional. This information is taken from many  sources, and is by no means a complete view of the disease. For any information about our personal health we need to see our own health care professional.

 The cause for the ailment is a stoppage of the heart pumping action. The heart may not pump properly due to a virus, high blood pressure, previous heart attacks, or any of numerous other causes. The condition is aggravated by diabetes and alcohol consumption. I had not had any alcohol for several years and was not a diabetic, I was (and still am) too heavy for my height and weight. (Please afford me a bad joke or two, laughing is healing too!)

This ailment can be prevented with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and regular checks with our health care professionals. 

Treatment consists of diet, exercise, and medication. (all of these should be prescribed and monitored by a professional in the Heart Health arena) When left untreated, statistics say halof the people diagnosed will die within five years.

There is some research being done with stem cell therapy to treat congestive heart failure. another study being done is about the injection of bone marrow into the heart muscle to reinvigorate damaged muscle.

So, those of us with Congestive Heart Failure do not need to give up—we need to get up and exercise, loose weight, and follow the directions of our health care professional. I haven’t done so well, but today is new day.

Thank you for reading our articles and for supporting our effort.   

Roy & Heidi Mercer’s HealthyHeart Shopping

Standing punches are a great way to get the heart pumping, and maybe even let off some steam. The every day stress we face is often relieved by some simple exercise. This is one we may do anywhere, done publicly it may even bring on some healing laughter.

We stand with our feet planted firmly and a bit wider than our shoulders to start. Next we place our arms with elbows tightly pressed against our sides and at a ninety degree angle. Bend slightly at the knees and relax in that position, we are now ready to punch.

I feel really silly saying this, but next we make sure no one we care for is standing within an arms length, and then we thrust one arm forward. I lead with my left, then retract it. Next… you guessed it…we thrust the other forward and retract it. As one arm is retracted the other is thrust. Repeat this until the heart rate is at target, and keep going until the desired time for this part of a routine is past.

For even more benefit, add a twisting motion of the hips. Don’t do too much at once though, and— We need to always check with our health professional before trying any exercise found on this site or from any other source.

This is only one exercise of many that require no special equipment, are versatile and can be done almost anywhere we may be.

Thank you for reading our articles and for supporting HealthyHeart activities.