shrinking heart — Old Recipes

I read in the newspaper the other day a new revelation, that when someone turns 50, their heart shrinks by 16%. This is true no matter whether you’re male or female. Medical science believes that this shrinkage lays the foundation for heart failure after you’ve left the magic age of 50.I have a different perspective on getting old. The first thing that happened to me when I turned 50 a few months ago, give or take, was that I received an invitation from the American Association of Retired People. Not wanting to concede that I am getting old, I threw the invitation away.There is another ironic change, not dealing with a shrinking heart. While the heart apparently shrinks at that age, one’s thighs do not, leading me to believe that there is a sinister conspiracy against women. Hank Williams, the great country singer, wrote a hit song entitled, “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” but he never wrote a song about expanding thighs.I know that healthy eating and exercise will, in most cases, shrink my thigh, but what can one do with a shrinking heart?Her is a recipe that is good for the health of the heart and might, just might help with the shrinking of thighs??Quinoa saladserves 42 red quinoa1 cup cooked garbanzo beans1 cup chopped scallions1 medium ripe tomato, diced2 small seedless cucumber, diced1 chopped fresh mintzest of large lemon1/2 cup lemon juice1/2 cup olive oilsalt to taste-Bring 2 cups of slightly salted water to boil. Drop the quinoa, stir and bring back to a boil. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the quinoa to rest for another 5 minutes. Cool and place in salad bowl.-Add the beans, the scallions, the tomato, the cucumber and the mint. Toss gently.-Add the lemon zest, the olive oil, the lemon juice and the salt. Toss well and serve.