Think of your visit to a hair salon as getting a work of art done on your “living canvas.” What a wonderful gift to give yourself and for your stylist to give to you—beautiful art that lives and breathes!
~Vilma Subel, owner, Xiphium Salon
Provençal Salmon Aioli Platter
The beauty of this dish is in its presentation, flavor, and adaptability. Although the aioli platter is traditional in the south of France during the winter, it’s delicious in any season—whether served hot, cold, or at room temperature. In addition to the artichokes and steamed new potatoes, simply choose two seasonal vegetables for the platter, and you’ve got it. To treat yourself without overdoing it, just dollop about 1 tablespoon of the wonderful garlicky mayonnaise on your plate—believe us, that’s plenty—and enjoy. This dish works well for buffet or family-style entertaining. Everyone just helps themselves to a bit of salmon, some vegetables, and a spoonful of aioli. Plan on 4 ounces of salmon and 1 tablespoon of aioli per serving. The leftover aioli will keep for 7 to 10 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
To make this dish vegetarian or vegan, use a mound of cooked white or garbanzo beans, glistened with a little olive oil and spikes of fresh rosemary leaves, in place of the salmon.
Serves 8 • Prep Time: 15 minutes • Cook Time: 25 minutes
AIOLI
1 cup good-quality olive oil mayonnaise
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fine kosher or sea salt
1 (2-pound) skinless salmon fillet
1 teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
9 ounces thawed frozen artichoke hearts
2 pounds small new potatoes, cooked until tender
1 pound cherry tomatoes, raw zucchini, and/or yellow summer squash, cut into spears or coins
1 pound asparagus, green beans, or baby carrots, steamed
TIP: All fish fillets have a skin side—where the skin was removed. The flesh is usually a little discolored or gray from the skin.
Calories 150 • Total Fat 9g • Saturated Fat 1.5g • Carbohydrates 15g • Protein 12g • Dietary Fiber 3g • Sodium 150mg
Q: Why doesn’t anyone talk about how stressful it is when treatment is over? Feeling as if I am not doing something to prevent cancer anymore is driving me crazy.
A: First, identify your emotions. This can be more difficult than you might think, so it is going to take some practice. Try sitting in a quiet place and closing your eyes. Notice what is going on inside your body. Is your heart racing; do you feel a ball in the pit of your stomach; are your shoulders tense? What is making you feel this way? Try keeping a log, writing down your emotions and labeling them.
Now that you have identified your emotions and their effect on your body, sit with them. Let them be. Do not judge the emotions. Emotions (like food) are not good or bad. They just are. A therapist once told me that “emotions are a message from your soul.” Instead of pushing the emotions away, embrace them and let your body process them.
Try these exercises that research has shown can help train your brain to think more positively. By reflecting on positive memories or emotions, you can use the suggestions below as distraction techniques to push away the negative thoughts and soothe yourself.
Simple tips for Getting Yourself “unstuck”:
When It Comes to Your Heart . . .
Certain breast cancer treatments, chest radiation, deficiency of exercise during treatments, and stress have been found to make women more susceptible to heart disease.
“Most breast cancer therapies today—including new treatments still under development—increase long-term risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Lee W. Jones, PhD, an exercise physiologist and associate professor in the Department of Surgery at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. “We don’t know exactly how large the added risk is, but we believe it’s substantial. Recent gains in breast cancer specific survival could be markedly diminished by an increase in the long-term risk of cardiovascular death.”
Pamela S. Douglas, MD, chief of cardiology at Duke University and coauthor of an article in the October 2007 Journal of the American College of Cardiology, said although the damage comes from chemotherapy, “the benefit of saving lives outweighed the risks and were just part inside the accepted cost” of the treatment. But with the success of treatment and developing survivor numbers, Douglas and her colleagues are urging physicians to take the long view when determining a woman’s breast cancer treatment. First, deal with the cancer, but don’t forget about cardiovascular health down the road.
Talk with your health care provider about whether your “treatment after primary treatment” care plan should include a cardiology follow-up. In addition, long-term use of aromatase inhibitors, drugs often prescribed for breast cancer patients, may increase the risk of heart problems for postmenopausal women, according to a Canadian researcher (see here). If you are taking an aromatase inhibitor, talk with your physician about adding a cardiology component to your annual checkup. Clearly, cancer treatment consists of the right combination of medicine and living a healthy lifestyle.