Happy New Year! We at Los Gatos Doc hope that you and your loved ones had a healthy and safe start to 2022. Many of you may feel weary of the ongoing pandemic. Please know that if you are fully vaccinated and received a booster, you are doing your part in protecting yourself and your community from COVID-19. Please continue to exercise precautions as recommended by CDC: Wear a mask, Watch your distance, and Wash your hands.
Our team is grateful that so many of you have been observing these guidelines and helping our community curb COVID-19 transmission. Are you curious about Santa Clara County’s COVID statistics? Follow updates from the Santa Clara County Health Department. Please be cautious in sharing personal health information with unofficial sources. If you have any questions at all, feel free to reach out to Adriana and Jessica at 408.502.6040.
Read on to check out recipes for healthy snacks to pack for your next hike, Thyroid Awareness Month, and outdoor activities in the Santa Clara County Parks.
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Monthly Health Observance
January is Thyroid Awareness Month. The thyroid is a butterfly shaped gland that can be found at the base of your neck. It is responsible for a range of functions including regulation of your heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and weight. Possible thyroid issues include hypothyroidism (more common), hyperthyroidism, and thyroid cancer. Check out this National Institutes of Health article to gather more information and review symptoms of thyroid disorders. In your next Video Visit with Dr. V, take a moment to learn about this important health issue affecting over 1 in 20 people in the United States.
Book your appointment online today or call our office at 408.502.6040.
Carve out some time this month to spread awareness to your friends and family about thyroid health.
Source: Thinking About Your Thyroid (National Institutes of Health)
In Case You Missed It / Reading Corner:
This Month’s Blog Posts
We have stepped into the new year. It’s the perfect time to take stock of your health goals and ensure that you have a sustainable plan in action. Check our latest blog for proven tips to help you easily achieve and maintain your new year’s health resolutions.
When you take care of your cervix, you take care of your health.
Watch the video on cervical health, why it’s important, and how to keep your cervix healthy.
Whether you have or don’t have a thyroid disorder, you can take actionable steps to help you have a healthy thyroid. Read our blog to know about thyroid conditions and improve your health today.
Healthy Hiking Snacks
With the new year underway, it’s a good time to reassess your diet. Are you planning an outdoor adventure? Consider packing these tasty snacks to eat while on a trail.
- Active: 15 mins
- Total: 1 hr 10 mins
- Yield: 25
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup raw unsalted pepitas (see Tip)
- ½ cup unsalted sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
Directions
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper, leaving extra hanging over 2 sides. Coat the parchment and pan sides with cooking spray.
- Step 2: Combine tahini and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until just mixed and warmed, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and salt.
- Step 3: Combine coconut, pepitas, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds in a large bowl. Add the tahini mixture and stir until evenly coated. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared pan.
- Step 4: Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Using the overhanging parchment, lift out the uncut squares. Place on a cutting board and cut into 25 squares.
Tip: Pepitas are pumpkin seeds, but they differ from the seeds you scrape out of your Halloween pumpkin: they come from certain varieties of pumpkins that produce seeds without a tough outer hull. You can find pepitas in bulk bins in natural-foods stores and large supermarkets, and online at nuts.com and elsewhere.
To make ahead: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Equipment: Parchment paper
- Active: 20 min
- Total: 20 min
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Cooking spray
- 2 lime wedges
Directions
- Step 1: Spread chickpeas on several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and pat until very dry, rolling the chickpeas under the paper towels to dry all sides.
- Step 2: Combine the chickpeas and oil in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with paprika, crushed red pepper and salt. Pour into an air fryer basket and coat with cooking spray. Cook at 400 degrees F until very well browned, 12 to 14 minutes, shaking the basket occasionally. Squeeze lime wedges over the chickpeas and serve.
Active: 20 mins
Total: 20 mins
Yield: 17
Ingredients:
- 2 cups rolled oats (see Tip)
- 1 cup natural peanut butter or other nut butter
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Directions:
- Step 1: Combine oats, peanut butter (or other nut butter), honey, chocolate chips and coconut in a medium bowl; stir well. Using a 1-tablespoon measure, roll the mixture into balls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tip: People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should use oats that are labeled “gluten-free,” as oats are often cross-contaminated with wheat and barley.
To make ahead: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
“Wishing You A Happy & Healthy 2022”
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
– Edith Lovejoy Pierce
With the winter solstice behind us, we can look forward to increased daylight in the weeks ahead. It’s a good time of year to venture outside. Perhaps you would like to participate in a weeding party, a trail day, or a park beautification project. For a calendar of events, visit Santa Clara County Parks’ website. Making a plan to spend time outdoors helps you unplug from screens and gives you an opportunity to be active. Let us know about your outdoor experiences on your next visit to Los Gatos Doc. We look forward to hearing about your next chapter.
Warmly,
Dr. V, Adriana, & Jessica
P.S. Share this newsletter with 3 friends, family members, and co-workers. Help them achieve their health goals in 2022!