Tag: health

March is National Nutrition Month!

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The month of March is the perfect time to jump start a healthy eating plan and get moving! Sort of like spring cleaning for your body. A great way to begin cleaning up your diet is to add more whole produce and eliminate processed foods. Below are 20 simple ways to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet from The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Eatright.org website.

Eat Right
Food, Nutrition and Health Tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 20 Ways to Enjoy More Fruits and Vegetables

Building a healthy plate is easy when you make half your plate fruits and vegetables. It’s also a great way to add color, flavor and texture plus vitamins, minerals and fiber. All this is packed in fruits and vegetables that are low in calories and fat. Make 2 cups of fruit and 2 1⁄2 cups of vegetables your daily goal. Try the following tips to enjoy more fruits and vegetables every day.

1. Variety abounds when using vegetables as pizza topping. Try broccoli, spinach, green peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini.
2. Mix up a breakfast smoothie made with low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana.
3. Make a veggie wrap with roasted vegetables and low-fat cheese rolled in a whole-wheat tortilla.
4. Try crunchy vegetables instead of chips with your favorite low-fat salad dressing for dipping.
5. Grill colorful vegetable kabobs packed with tomatoes, green and red peppers, mushrooms and onions.
6. Add color to salads with baby carrots, grape tomatoes, spinach leaves or mandarin oranges.*
7. Keep cut vegetables handy for mid-afternoon snacks, side dishes, lunch box additions or
a quick nibble while waiting for dinner. Ready-to-eat favorites: red, green or yellow peppers, broccoli or cauliflower florets, carrots, celery sticks, cucumbers, snap peas or whole radishes.
8. Place colorful fruit where everyone can easily grab something for a snack-on-the- run. Keep a bowl of fresh, just ripe whole fruit in the center of your kitchen or dining table.
9. Get saucy with fruit. Puree apples, berries, peaches or pears in a blender for a thick, sweet sauce on grilled or broiled seafood or poultry, or on pancakes, French toast or waffles.
10. Stuff an omelet with vegetables. Turn any omelet into a hearty meal with broccoli, squash, carrots, peppers, tomatoes or onions with low-fat sharp cheddar cheese.
11. “Sandwich” in fruits and vegetables. Add pizzazz to sandwiches with sliced pineapple, apple, peppers, cucumber and tomato as fillings.
12. Wake up to fruit. Make a habit of adding fruit to your morning oatmeal, ready-to-eat cereal, yogurt or toaster waffle.
13. Top a baked potato with beans and salsa or broccoli and low-fat cheese.
14. Microwave a cup of vegetable soup as a snack or with a sandwich for lunch.
15. Add grated, shredded or chopped vegetables such as zucchini, spinach and carrots to lasagna, meat loaf, mashed potatoes, pasta sauce and rice dishes.
16. Make fruit your dessert: Slice a banana lengthwise and top with a scoop of frozen yogurt. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of chopped nuts
17. Stock your freezer with frozen vegetables to steam or stir-fry for a quick side dish.
18. Make your main dish a salad of dark, leafy greens and other colorful vegetables. Add chickpeas or edamame (fresh soybeans). Top with dressing.*
19. Fruit on the grill: Make kabobs with pineapple, peaches and banana. Grill on low heat until fruit is hot and slightly golden.
20. Dip: Whole wheat pita wedges in hummus, baked tortilla chips in salsa, strawberries or apple slices in yogurt, or graham crackers in applesauce.

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Juicing to Thrive

 

 Since I received my Breville juicer for Christmas two years ago,  juicing has become a staple in my diet. I no longer buy packaged juice from the grocery store or the highly overpriced juicer replica juices that claim to have many fruits and veggies in just one bottle. I’m sure they do, I just prefer my juice to be as fresh as possible to ensure the highest nutrient content. I also love that I can control what I add to my juice. I currently add fresh ginger and sneak in my daily apple cider vinegar in my juice.

Much of the juice manufactured today is pasteurized, destroying key nutrients. Some have preservatives in them and added sugars. Also, the juice you’re buying isn’t always what you are getting. I have noticed some juices will add pear or apple to them to “bulk” it up but keep the price down. 100% blueberry or acai juice can be very expensive.

If you are considering adding fresh juice to your diet or want to learn more about the benefits of juicing, I recommend watching the Documentary “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” by Joe Cross.  It is a really great movie to watch to get pumped up about eating healthy and being active. It also shines a light on the foods we eat in the typical American household.

Here is a link to Joe Cross’s website

Just a few benefits of juicing:

. Allows you to absorb optimal nutrients in a small amount

. Weight loss

. Skin clearing. Good for eczema or roseacea

. Better energy levels

. Improved concentration

. Weight loss

. Improved immune function

Canola: Dangerous Oil in Disguise

  

What is it? Canola oil is derived from the rape seed, a plant belonging to the mustard seed family. It is a processed oil. Canola oil is a genetically modified substance. I am even skeptical of organic canola oil.

What is it used for? Canola oil is widely used for cooking, baking, and deep frying. In restaurants, vegetarian and vegan dishes are often fried in canola oil instead of beef fat/oil. Many non-vegans even opt to have their food fried in canola oil and request it in restaurants. Because of beef fats negative connotation, they believe canola oil is a healthier choice. It is made from a plant so it must be healthy for me right? Wrong. Canola oil is also further processed using hydrogenation to make packaged foods like cookies, crackers, and cereals. So it goes from a potentially harmful processed oil to an already-known-to-be-harmful trans-fat!

What are the negative effects?  Many have argued that canola oil is rich in omega fatty acids 3,6, and 9, and is low in saturated fat. While this may be true, it is like saying that Kool-aid is a super food because it contains vitamin C. The possible negative effects and health risks far outweigh any benefits. And the few benefits it does offer can be obtained from a healthier oil without the added risks, like olive oil. The problem is, canola oil’s health repercussions seem to take years to pop up. It is a cumulative effect through years of consuming the oil. The other problem is that it is in so many of the foods we eat today, so it is difficult to avoid.

Some possible side effects of Canola oil:

. Depleted Vitamin E absorption

. Growth retardation

. Tremors

. Slurred speech

. Memory loss, confusion

. Heart problems

. Nervousness

. Lowered immune system response

.  Obesity?(GASP!) Could there be any correlation with the fact that McDonald’s now fries their french fries in a canola oil blend?!? They used to use beef fat. As I mentioned earlier, canola oil just sounds healthier to the public. So why are they fatter (and sicker) than ever?

And these are just to name a few.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to take my chances.  It may take years, if ever, for genetically modified foods to be illegal in the U.S. I have seen all the evidence I need to avoid these foods. There will always be a new scientist working on behalf of Monsanto to disprove the claims against GE foods and man made oils. Make up your own mind and educate yourself. Empowerment is the best way to take a stand, starting at the grocery store.

The Sweet Life

 

 

One of the hardest obstacles for people trying to lose weight is controlling sugars in their diet. But once you learn where sugars are added and how to spot hidden sugars you will be empowered and on your way to living fresh and fit.
Sugars and sweeteners are not only something we add to our favorite foods to enhance flavor but they are something food manufacturers add to packaged foods we buy to preserve foods and make them taste good to keep us coming back for more. Words like “corn syrup”, “cane juice” , “high fructose corn syrup”  and words not as easy to spot like” fructose”, “sucrose”, and “maltose” are all words that mean sugar. Often you will find many of these sugars listed together on the same food label.
Many foods we crave when trying to control our weight are desserts, pastries and ice cream. Foods we already know are high in added sugar. These are foods we try to save for special occasions or for cheat day. The difficult part is that sugars are also added to foods that we don’t associate with being sweet and can therefore be overlooked when we are watching what we eat. Foods like ketchup, bbq sauce, pasta sauce and even bread often have large amounts of added sugar.
So how do you empower yourself to lose weight and still enjoy the foods you love and crave?  First off, read the food labels on items before you place them in your shopping cart. If one jar of pasta sauce contains 10 grams of sugar and another contains 4 grams of sugar, add the one with 4 grams to your shopping cart. The latter would have put you at half of your daily recommendation for sugar. The American Heart Association recommends women consume 20 grams of sugar a day (or 5 teaspoons) and men consume 36 grams.  Next, choose foods with naturally occurring  sugars like fruits and vegetables. Although some may be naturally higher in sugar they are a good choice. An apple for example has benefits like fiber and nutrients that far outweigh any sugar it might contain and is always a better choice than a piece of candy with the same amount of sugar and zero nutrition benefits.  Another terrific way to ward off cravings and to control sugar in your diet is to make your favorite foods yourself. If your favorite muffines pack a whopping 15 grams of sugar, make your own version that will aid you in losing weight and staying healthy. Use whole grain flour and half the sugar or omit the sugar completly and use apple sauce and dried (unsweetened) fruit or ripe bananas to sweeten them up and cut the fat. This also allows you to up the fiber content. So now those muffins that once made you feel guilty for indulging in are actually working for you toward your fitness goals and pack a 3 for one nutrition punch. Who says you can’t have your cake and lose weight too? For more low sugar recipes and tips click here.
Until next time,
Stay fresh and fit!