Dublin cardiologist encourages getting active and eating healthy in winter

Combating Cabin Fever

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David Sabgir, an OhioHealth cardiologist at Dublin Methodist Hospital, has been in his field for more than 20 years. He has seen countless patients throughout his career and is always offering the same foundational advice related to healthful eating.

“Everything can be improved with eating a

healthy diet,” Sabgir says. “I don’t think, myself included, we realize how much better we feel when we eat more fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Even though certain foods may look great, we don’t always feel great after we eat them.”

Sabgir says there is plenty of noise in discussions surrounding healthy eating. He recommends cutting through that noise by paying close attention to how you feel after eating certain ingredients and working on a diet that helps you feel your best.

“If you want to pursue a whole-food plant-based diet, that, in my opinion, is the best, then a Mediterranean diet is probably 1A to that, and whatever people feel they can stick with the most,” Sabgir says.

While he says eating healthy helps reduce the risk of pre-diabetes and diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure as well as cancer, there is another major component to preventing chronic health problems.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘food as medicine,’ just like ‘exercise is medicine,’” Sabgir says. “It couldn’t be more true.”

Recognizing the need for exercise and wanting to encourage movement and socializing, Sagbir started Walk with a Doc in 2005, which has since spread across the globe.

“I was feeling really like a loser in the office because I kept having these conversations about the importance of physical activity and I realized that they weren’t working,” Sabgir says. “It’s so important for us to be active. They estimate 10-15 years of life, but more importantly to me, 15, 20, 25 years of quality.”

Interested doctors can apply to host a walk in their city, and Sabgir estimated that 8,100 walks took place around the world in just the last year. Sabgir hosts walks in central Ohio, and Dublin has its own chapter hosted by Eileen Bolton on Wednesdays at Coffman Park. He says more walks starting in Dublin are coming.

“Dublin as a whole is a very active community, and it’s a great place,” Sabgir says.

The walks are not just for the community as they can also be beneficial for the doctors and medical workers who host it.

“Being a physician, there’s a lot of frustration that can go with that, and this is a very immediate palpable (experience) where you get to make friendships and that’s a wonderful feeling,” Sabgir says.

Eileen Pewitt, an instructor with Healthy New Albany, brought Sabgir to New Albany to help central Ohioans learn about healthy eating and share recipes in a series of cooking classes they called Cooking with Confidence.

The following recipe was an entree prepared for the series. For a homemade ricotta cheese recipe and a vegan, cashew-based alternative, check out the full version of this story online at www.cityscenecolumbus.com.

Tyler Kirkendall is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at tkirkendall@cityscenemediagroup.com.

Zucchini Roll-ups with Ricotta and Roasted Tomato Sauce

Zucchini and Ricotta Roll-ups

  • 8 oz. ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
  • 4 basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • ½ lb. medium zucchini
  • ¾ cup shredded mozzarella

Roasted Tomato Sauce:

  • 3 lbs. of tomatoes
  • For best results, roast tomatoes to bring out sweetness and concentrate flavor. Vine-ripened or cherry tomatoes work best.
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 4 sprigs rosemary
  • ½ lb. roasted cherry tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp. butter

Method

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Halve tomatoes and place on a baking sheet cut side down, drizzle olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the skins begin to peel away, normally 20-25 minutes for heirloom tomatoes.

Allow halves to cool slightly, then peel and discard the skins.

Set aside 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. Transfer the remaining cherry tomatoes, the tomato halves (including the juice), and garlic into a blender.

Add whole basil leaves and pulse. Sauce should remain chunky.

Transfer sauce to a pan that is safe in the oven, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook – stirring occasionally – until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, parmesan, parsley, chives, chopped basil, lemon zest, 1 tsp. of salt and some pepper in a bowl.

Thinly slice zucchini lengthwise with a mandoline and dry with paper towels. Spread a layer of ricotta mixture about ¼ inch thick onto each slice along with some mozzarella.

Roll up the slices and place, spiral side up, in the pan on top of a layer of tomato sauce. Arrange remaining cherry tomatoes in the pan and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese starts to brown and the sauce is bubbling, typically about 20-25 minutes.

Let cool for at least five minutes before serving. This recipe serves 4.

Homemade ricotta cheese

Ingredients:

  • ½ gallon of whole milk. For best results, must not be UHT.
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice. Approximately four lemons worth.
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Method:

To 4 qt. pot, add low-heat pasteurized milk, including any solids present in the jug. Heat milk on medium-high heat and attach thermometer to sidewall of the pot.

Continue heating milk slowly until the thermometer reads 200 F. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Once thermometer reaches 200 F, remove pot from heat.

Slowly pour lemon juice into the milk beginning at the center and working out to the side of the pot. Stir once gently, then let the milk mixture sit to curdle, about 10-15 minutes.

Once curds are visible, use slotted spoon to move cheese into fine strainer or cheesecloth and suspend over an empty mixing bowl. Allow to drain for 15-20 minutes.

Place curds into a container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Cashew ricotta substitute

Yield: approximately two cups

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups raw cashews soaked in cool water for 2-3 hours or hot water for 5 minutes, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 lemon, juiced, or 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1-2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, a deactivated form of baker’s or brewer’s yeast
  • 1 whole garlic clove
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • High-quality salt and cracked pepper

Instructions

  • Add soaked and drained cashews into blender or food processor
  • Add all remaining ingredients to cashews
  • Blend until creamy, stopping to scrape down sides every few minutes
  • Taste for flavor and season as needed
  • Chill in a covered container for 1-2 hours to stiffen the mixture
  • Store leftovers in refrigerator for 1 week or freeze up to 2 months