... a final few words on High Blood Pressure.

The morning after I wrote my last blog, I received my most recent publication of 'Environmental Nutrition', which coincidentally has a long article on the most effective 'diet' for optimal heart health and blood pressure.

With the risk of flogging a dead horse, I just wanted to highlight the results of the OmniHeart Trial which is the most recent study in this area (though not exactly 'new'; its results were published in November 2005). In addition to the recommendations listed in my previous blog, it is interesting to know that the most successful diet in this trial to reduce systolic blood pressure (the top number!), LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides (blood fat linked to heart-disease), was that which had a higher amount of protein and unsaturated fats.

Now, before you run to McDonalds, I have to stress that the protein used in this study was primarily from plant sources (beans, legumes, nuts and seeds) ... but according to this research, plant protein and unsaturated fat (think: nuts, seeds, plant oils, fish and avocados) can positively affect blood pressure and lipid levels, thereby possibly reducing cardiovascular disease risk. In fact, the article in EN states that the cholesterol-lowering effects of this diet were comparably as efficient as prescription statin drugs; a reason that there should be a dietary component in any treatment plan for heart protection?!

So increase your intake of those plant proteins and oils too, and to help you get started, here is a recipe for my most favorite 'energy' bars which are rich in plant foods and a delicious start to the day when breakfast looks like it's going to be shelved in favor of reaching school/work/the ski slopes in time!


Muesli Breakfast Bars

I have adapted this recipe (quite drastically!) from one I found in the Mayo Clinic’s 2005 cookbook. These bars are perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or a healthy snack, and as far as I can tell, are liked by both adults and kids! (Muesli is a German word meaning ‘mixture’ and these bars are based on the original breakfast cereal which combines oats with dried fruit and nuts.)
They are gluten-free, dairy-free and wheat-free.

Makes 24 bars.

• 2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ cup soy flour (any flour will work – whole wheat/rice etc. but soy flour has a higher protein content)
• ½ cup ground flaxseed
• ¼ cup sliced/flaked almonds, toasted (or any other nut eg. Pecan if almond-sensitive)
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted (or any other nut eg. Hazelnut if walnut-sensitive)
• ½ cup dried apples, chopped (try and find them without added sulfites)
• ¼ cup raisins (sulfite-free)
• ¼ cup dried cranberries (sulfite-free)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark honey or blue agave sweetener
• ½ cup organic unsalted peanut butter (I used the crunchy texture, but either will work. Use cashew butter if sensitive to peanuts – you might need to add a little olive oil to this if it is on the dry side)
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (essence)

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with olive oil cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, ground flaxseed, almonds, walnuts, apples, raisins, cranberries and salt. Stir well to blend, and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, stir together the honey, peanut butter, and olive oil over medium heat until well blended. Do not let the mixture boil. Stir in the vanilla.
4. Add the warm honey mixture to the dry ingredients and stir quickly until well combined. The mixture should be sticky but not wet.
5. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Press firmly to remove any air pockets. Bake just until the edges begin to brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Cut into 24 pieces and leave in pan until totally cool.
6. Remove bars from pan and store in airtight containers in the fridge.