My Summer Discovery: The Lemon Cucumber

I find one of the best things about summer at least in the Northeast is the availability and wide assortment of locally grown fruits and vegetables.  This season I've recently discovered a new favorite at the farmer's market, the lemon cucumber.  It actually tastes nothing like a lemon, but it does resemble one in size and color, as you can see below.   They do taste like cucumbers, but have a thinner skin than other varieties.  This means no peeling, which also means less work to do with my hands, which at times are painful from autoimmune disease.

The lemon cucumber also has a high water content making them quite refreshing, especially on hot summer days.  And because of their wider shape than other cucumbers, they serve a dual purpose beyond just salads.  I have been using them to make sandwiches--not as a vegetable inside the bread, but as a substitute for bread. Being allergic to corn and sensitive to gluten, makes it hard for me to find a bread that is actually allergy friendly. While I have tried, my bread making attempts have not turned out well so far.   The  lemon cucumber has given me another choice.  I've found that they go particularly well with turkey, hummus, or even smoked fish.  All healthy food options for those with autoimmune or inflammatory diseases.

As a person with multiple food allergies, it's always a nice treat to add something new to my diet. Have you made a new fruit or vegetable discovery this summer?

Autoimmune Life: Here Comes the Sun...and the Umbrella?

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The recent heat wave has been really tough on me. Like many autoimmune disease patients I know, I struggle with heat and strong sun of the summer months. This summer, as others in the northeast know, as been particularly bad.  The other day, I walked to the farmer's market before ten o'clock and it was already too hot and sunny for met to be outside.  (I am on several medications, which make my skin particularly sensitive to direct sun then there is the chance of a flare.) The rays of the sun felt like they were burning my skin after about five minutes.  By the end of my twenty minute outing, I felt fatigued, nauseous and my skin was already red. I had to stop in a store for a few minutes on my way home to cool down and make sure I could make it home in one piece. 

This kind of heat reaction happens to me even with the many sun protection measures that I take, which I know are common for my fellow autoimmune friends.  I have developed a pretty reliable playbook:

1. SPF 30 or above sunblock

2. The big floppy UPF protected hat, 

3. Big sunglasses with UV protection. 

4. Staying in during peak sun hours

5. Keeping my arms and legs covered.

It's a short list, but easier said then done. The last one, dressing like it's October, in particular can be annoying when it's already 90 degrees and wearing even light long sleeves can just add to feeling hot.  Staying inside except for later in the evenings has been the only strategy that is full-proof but it is difficult in practice and leaves me feeling a bit antsy.  Who wants to have to stay inside during the summer months?  I love the summer. I have to do enough of the hibernation during the winter.  

So, for obvious reasons I've been looking for a strategy to be outside during heat--if only for short periods of time so I can do at least do a few errands.  I've finally come up with something that helps. It's a radical new invention: an umbrella!  

Of course, I've sat under umbrellas at a pool or on a vacation at the beach, but I had never thought of holding one just walking around in my neighborhood.  I suppose this is what aristocratic women used to do to protect their skin in pre-sunblock days so I'm in good company. I'm not sure why ladies' umbrellas went out of fashion but I'm told they are still very popular in China. Even intuitively it make sense that an umbrella is more effective than a hat in almost every respect.  I've found some compact umbrellas online with UPF protection that should work well both rain or shine.  

If you had told me ten years ago I was going to walking down the street on a sunny day in July with an umbrella I would have thought you were nuts. However, many things have changed in my life since being diagnosed with autoimmune disease. My concern about what I look like walking down the street is far down the priority list.  So, if you see someone walking down the street on a bright summer day with an umbrella, perhaps, like me, it's not that they mis-heard the weather channel, but that they are just taking a walk on the shady side.

Experimenting with Summer Shakes

The weather in the Northeast has been super super hot and humid.  I would say it feels more like I am living in Miami right now with high heat and short thunderstorms almost everyday. This climate is not my cup of tea. I'm a bit like Goldielocks and prefer it to be not too hot or not too cold.

There is however good reason for my preference. I'm sun and heat sensitive, both exacerbating my autoimmune symptoms. Basically, I wilt when I step outside so it has been indoors for me except early and late in the day when the temperatures are only in the 80s.  But that doesn't mean I haven't been craving tropical drinks during this tropical like weather. The problem is that I'm allergic to mangoes and bananas so instead I thought a cool berry concotion might hit the spot.


Now, I didn't follow an exact recipe and just taste tested as I went along.  I've always enjoyed making mixtures and improvising as I cook.  This time I added fresh blackberries, strawberries, blueberries (I only had a few in the fridge), a cup of ice, and a splash of black cherry juice. I included about two tablespoons of milk about half way through blending for smoother texture.  Almond or Coconut milk would be good substitutes.

I do sometimes feel deprived because my food allergies prevent me from eating and drinking many of my favorites.  So I am always excited when I experiment and make something new and delicious. It was definitely cool and refreshing. Maybe a little tart for some, but I wasn't in the mood for anything too sweet.

The best part is that it's super healthy with anti-inflammatory properties, low in calories, and very filling. Filling is important for me since I get hungry pretty frequently. These fruit shakes can work for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. It's also an easy way to make sure you're getting enough fruits and vegetables each day.  I tend to eat enough fruit, but sometimes I skimp in the vegetable category.  I've recently started using the CDC's fruit and vegetable calculator which tells you based on age, gender, and level of daily physical activity how many cups to have in a day. Click here to try it.

I think that this is just the beginning of my blending experiments.  I'd like to try adding vegetables and fruits together for my next round. I'm thinking apples, pears, spinach, and blueberries. The longer term question is whether my health-shake making might cause some improvement in how I feel.  I'm not expecting a miracle, but changes in my diet, like eliminating gluten, have made a large impact before.

As Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”

I would love to hear from others who are smoothie chefs about their favorite recipes and whether eating these smoothies and shakes have made a difference in any aspects of their health.