It’s almost Thanksgiving! Perhaps you’re still savoring some Halloween treats. Consider moderating your consumption of desserts and treats, especially with more holidays around the corner. For a safe and healthy holiday season, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you get your COVID vaccines, booster, and flu shots. The CDC also offers tips on how to prevent chronic disease on topics such as sleep health, self-care, and physical activity. For additional tips and guidance, click here.
Before the frenzy of activity during the upcoming holidays, check in with the Los Gatos Doc team to see if you’re up to date with your annual visit and book an appointment to discuss any health issues that you are facing. Thank you, as always, for being a member of the Los Gatos Doc community!
“Acknowledging the good that is already in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
– Eckhart Tolle
Holiday Hours
Los Gatos Doc will observe the Thanksgiving holidays on Thursday, November 25th, and Friday, November 26th. For the rest of that week, you can reach Adriana and Jessica by phone (as usual) at (408) 502-6040.
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Monthly Health Observance – National Diabetes Month
― Sonia Sotomayor.
November is National Diabetes Month, an important time to spread awareness about a disease affecting millions of people in the United States. Prediabetes is a diagnosis that typically precedes type 2 diabetes. One in three adults in the U.S. have prediabetes and most are unaware that they have it. When’s the last time you had your blood sugar levels checked? Schedule your next visit with Dr. V to discuss possible changes you can make to your lifestyle and be on track to stay healthy.
Healthier Sides for the Holidays
Balance out your holiday meals with healthier side dishes. Below are just a few tasty options that feature beets, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. Consider adding these to your holiday meal plans and let us know how it goes!
Active: 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Yield: 8
Ingredients:
- 4 large beets (2 1/2 pounds)
- 5 thyme sprigs
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup apple-cider vinegar
- teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- ⅓ cup salted pistachios (chopped)
- 1 green apple (thinly sliced)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- In a baking dish, lightly drizzle the beets and thyme with olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover with foil and roast until the beets are tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Let cool, then peel the beets and cut them into 3/4-inch dice.
- In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the mustard.
- Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of oil until emulsified.
- Add the horseradish and season with salt and pepper; toss with the beets and pistachios.
- Transfer the beets to a platter, top with the apple and serve.
Active: 25 mins
Total: 45 mins
Yield: 6
Ingredients:
- One 1 1/4-pound head of broccoli
- 1/2 pound large shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
- 1 small red onion, sliced crosswise 1/3 inch thick
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Trim and peel the broccoli stems.
- Cut the broccoli lengthwise into long stalks, with 1 or 2 florets each.
- Cut any remaining florets into 2-inch pieces.
- Spread the broccoli on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
- On another large, rimmed baking sheet, put the shiitake on one side and the onion slices on the other.
- Generously brush all the vegetables with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes, until just tender and lightly browned.
- Transfer the broccoli to a platter.
- Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the mushrooms and onion rings and stir to coat the vegetables.
- Top the broccoli with the shiitake and onion and serve.
Active: 15 mins
Total: 1 hr 45 mins
Yield: 10
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- ½ cup apple butter
- Salt
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until very tender.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
- Mash with a potato masher until creamy, then mash in the butter and apple butter.
- Season with salt and serve.
Source: Food & Wine
In Case You Missed It / Reading Corner:
This Month’s Blog Posts
The Holiday Season is in full swing. Our blog has simple tips for staying on track with your fitness routine amid the holidays so you can be at your best.
Lung cancer is the third most common type of cancer in America. Learn more about lung cancer, the symptoms, types, causes, and preventive measures in our article.
Turmeric is touted as a natural and healthy remedy for lessening infection, reducing inflammation, and boosting immunity. Is turmeric the magic pill for all our health problems? Read Dr. V’s latest article for Lifehack to learn more about turmeric.
With the rise in the prevalence of breast cancer, prevention, and early diagnosis are the best strategies for survival. Read our latest blog to understand breast cancer, its symptoms, risk factors, prevention, and management tips.
When was your last annual physical? If it’s been over a year or you don’t remember coming in recently, be sure to call Los Gatos Doc’s office and learn more about what you can do to assess your health and wellness needs. If you’ve already seen Dr. V recently, our team at Los Gatos Doc is glad that you’re putting your health first.
Our team at Los Gatos Doc is grateful for each and every one of you. We appreciate you placing your trust and confidence in us and we couldn’t do it without you. We hope you enjoyed this month’s newsletter and we’d love it if you spread the holiday cheer by passing it along to your friends and family.
“When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.”- Wilma Rudolph
As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or to schedule your next visit!
Warmly,
Dr. V, Adriana, & Jessica
P.S. Please contact your primary care team by phone at 408.502.6040 with any comments, questions, or concerns. Note that any replies to this newsletter will not be forwarded to your primary care team in an effort to protect patient privacy.