Summer Fruits and Recipes

Summer is here and the eating is good! Summer would not be complete without a slice of melon or a fresh bowl of strawberries; and the prices on fresh fruits usually go down in the summer, making it a scrumptious choice for snacking.  Not only are they versatile, they are a great source of nutrition and a great pre-workout snack, providing your body with a source of fuel to power through your routine.

The following fruits are low in sugar, and nutrition powerhouses! They are great served up in their natural state but why not try some of these unique recipes as well.

eatingbirdfood.com

Strawberries:  They are actually a member of the rose family and are loaded with fiber and vitamin C. Vitamin C is necessary for growth and repair of cells in the human body. They are also a good source of potassium and magnesium which can help reduce the blood pressure which is caused by sodium.

Try this Strawberry Chia Seed Jam from EatingBirdFood

Raspberries: Helps with wrinkles, cancer prevention and PMS symptoms. The cancer-fighting properties in raspberries and blueberries come from two of their chemical compounds, ellagic acid and vitamin C. Raspberries efficiently stop undesirable damage to cell membranes and thus neutralize free radicals.

Try one of these Raspberry recipes from Experience Life

Cantaloupe: Provides more beta-carotene than any other melon. One cup of cantaloupe provides 108% of the daily value for vitamin A.  The benefits of eating cantaloupe include preserving eyesight, supporting immunity, enhancing sun protection and reducing the risk of several types of cancer. Warning: Scrub the cantaloupe thoroughly with a vegetable brush, under running water before slicing to prevent risk of Salmonella contaminating the flesh.

Try this Cantaloupe Sherbet from Health mag

Cherries: Thanks to a high level of an antioxidant called cyaniding, sweet cherries are great cancer fighters. They also contain anthocyanin, which not only improves the memory but prevents free radical damage to the body, reducing inflammation of arthritis. They contain melatonin, a hormone that regulates the body’s sleep cycles, improving sleep.

Try this Chipotle Cherry Salsa from Iowa Girl Eats

Kiwi: Contains more vitamin C than oranges and is especially effective against respiratory health problems such as shortness of breath, asthma and cough – as few as 2 a week can make a difference!

Kiwi also contains Vitamin C, which may reduce the severity of symptoms in people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. They are also a good source of potassium, which prevents the weakening of bones. One study demonstrated that eating 2-3 kiwi fruits a day can reduce the potential for blood clots and decrease triglycerides.

Try one of these recipes for Kiwi from Eating Well

Bon Appetite!

What is your favorite summer fruit?

Cancer Fighting Grocery List

I’m always posting on my facebook page various foods to try and their health benefits. Dr. Oz put together a grocery list of cancer fighting foods that I wanted to share with you. I have listed the foods and where in the grocery store you can find them, but you can get the full details of each by going directly to the article, Shopping for the Cancer Cure. I have also added a few others found in “Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine”, and a published article “Fisetin, a Flavanol Found in Strawberries, Grapes, Mangos and Green Tea, is Antiangiogenic”, Published online ahead of print on January 2, 2012.

Dr. Oz states, “There are cancer-fighting foods at your grocery store that contain natural substances that work by cutting off the blood supply feeding cancer cells. Without a blood supply, cancers can’t grow. This is called anti-angiogenesis (angiogenesis is the term for the process our bodies use to grow its blood vessels).”

Of course, there are many other foods, but these made the top of the list within the above mentioned sources.

 How many of these foods are on your list?

Produce section:

Arugula

Avocados

Bananas

Blueberries

Citrus Fruits

Grapes

Red Onion

Strawberries

Spinach

Tomatoes

Seafood Dept.

Shrimp

Salmon

Squid

Baking & Cooking Oils

Olive Oil

Cinnamon

Ginger – love this had to share - "The cells are tricked into digesting themselves," explains J. Rebecca Liu, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, who has been studying ginger's effects on ovarian cancer cells.

Tumeric

Packaged/Dried

Lentils

Nuts/Seeds

Flax

Brazil Nut

Frozen Food Sect.

Squash

Peppers

Spinach

Broccoli

Many of the foods in the product section can be found in the frozen food section for less money

Dairy Sect.

Cheese

Anti-Cancer Smoothie

Source: Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 cups soy milk

1 cup orange juice

1 pound ripe papaya, peeled, pitted, and cubed

2 bananas, sliced

2 tablespoons honey

Ice

Sprig of fresh mint, for garnish

Directions

Place soy milk, orange juice, papaya, bananas, honey, and ice in the jar of a blender; blend until smooth. Serve garnished with mint.

ARE YOUR EYES BIGGER THAN YOUR BELLY?

When I was a little girl I was lucky enough to live within walking distance of my grandparents, and I would visit them almost daily. I especially loved the barbeques in the summer. Grandpa would always buy watermelon and Grandma would make a pie. There were times when I would fill up my plate with the goodies but wouldn’t be able to eat it all and my Grandpa would ask, “Were your eyes bigger than your belly”? This term meant, you thought you could eat more than your belly could hold. As kids, we would seldom overeat. We automatically stopped when we felt full, unless it was dessert – but then our parents would stop us from eating too much!

As we get older though, it seems we listen less to our belly and more to our cravings. But could it be because our judgment becomes skewed on what is a “normal” size portion?

Over the years, portion sizes have grown 2-3 times what they were in the 1950’s and 1960’s, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right amount for our bodies. Every day we see ads for “supersize” fries, jumbo smoothies, and Grande latte’s. Restaurants serve up double portions of food on large plates. These images get burned into our memories and become “normal” portion sizes. This leads to overeating which leads to weight gain.

Dinner plates used to be 8”-10” in diameter. Now they average 12”-14”, making it very easy to over serve yourself. Glasses have gone from 4oz-8oz. to 16-20oz, again making it too easy to double your portion. But these have become the “normal” size products to use. No wonder obesity is becoming an epidemic.

 While it is true that pre-packaged processed foods are filled with chemicals, preservatives and sugars, adding to our weight problem, they also make it easy to overeat. Honestly, how often do you read the serving size on a box of crackers and then actually count out the crackers? More often than not, you will reach in the box and pull out a handful at a time – several times a day. And the pre-portioned size snacks are no better. Research shows that people actually eat more when using these products.

So what’s a person to do? Retrain your brain – and your stomach.

1. Buy smaller plates and glasses – less food will be on the plate, but the plate will still look full.

2. Invest in an inexpensive kitchen scale. I have no luck using such tricks as a golf ball size of cheese, or a tennis ball size of rice. I will always under-estimate or over-estimate. I measure out all portions until it becomes automatic to me.

3. If you do choose to buy snacks, even if it’s healthy such as nuts, count out the portion and put them in individual snack bags and it ONLY ONE SNACK BAG.

4. Use desserts and sweets as treats, which is what they are. If you eat a dessert every night, they quit being treats and start becoming habits. Have them just 2 or 3 times a week, or better yet, just on the weekend.

5. Use a contrasting plate color when serving food. Research has shown that you will eat less of a food if it is plated on a contrasting color – such as pasta with red sauce on a white plate instead of a red plate.

What are some tips and tricks that you use to keep your portion sizes in check?

What's In Your Soup Can?

Remember when it was easy to go grocery shopping? We didn’t think about how processed foods affected our bodies, or that danger may be lurking in our soup cans. Or to be more precise – the lining of our soup cans. Nearly all canned foods contain BPA in the interior lining.

 What is BPA anyway? BPA is Bisphenol A, a chemical that is primarily used to make certain plastics and epoxy resins; particularly polycarbonate plastics. BPA is often used in containers that store food and beverages, such as water bottles, baby bottles and reusable cups. Epoxy resins can be used to line metal food and beverage cans, water supply lines and even dental tools. Research has shown that trace amounts can be found in the food and beverages from these containers.

Some research has shown that BPA can seep into food or beverages from containers that are made with BPA or into your body when you handle products made with BPA. BPA remains controversial, and research studies are continuing. The American Chemistry Council, an association that represents plastics manufacturers, contends that BPA poses no risk to human health. However, research from the Harvard School of Public health revealed that people who consumed one serving of canned soup daily for five days, had levels of PBA more than 1000% higher than those in people who ate the same amount of fresh soup.

Although the FDA considers the levels of BPA in cans within the range they consider safe, Canada has banned the use of BPA. The primary health concerns center on BPA's potential effects as an endocrine disrupter, which can mimic or interfere with the body's natural hormones and potentially damage development, especially of young children. BPA can also raise the risk of other health conditions including heart disease, obesity, cancers and reproductive problems.

To limit your exposure

·         Use BPA free containers, reusable water bottles, and opt for fresh or frozen produce when possible.

·         Microwave cautiously. The National Toxicology Program advises against microwaving polycarbonate plastics, although the American Chemistry Council says this is safe. The plastics can break down over time, possibly causing BPA to leach into food.

Some companies are working to eliminate BPA from their products. Some, like Eden Organ, use cans with BPA-free liners. Other, including Pacific Natural Foods, Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods, and Lucini Italia, had switched from metal cans to glass jars, soft pouches, or paper cartons. CamelBak, maker of water bottles, is offering BPA free products and also Medela, a maker of baby bottles and breast pumps.

How to tell if your plastic is BPA free.

3 Simple Ways to Tell If Dishes is BPA Free   

The Daily Green

Where to buy BPA dishes for kids.

NatureMom

This weeks top 3 and a New Recipe that's quick and easy!

Food additives and their safety decoded:

Hellawella

Four Week plan to breaking sugar addiction

SparkPeople

7 Foods Experts Won’t Eat

Includes microwave popcorn and canned tomatoes - find out why

Fox News

Recipe of the Week

Mango Mojo Chicken – Prevention, check out their other Mango recipes

Mangoes are rich in vitamin C and contain polyphenols that show promise in fighting breast and colon cancers.

Photo credit: Prevent - Melissa Punch

Puree 1 peeled and chopped mango and 3 Tbsp lime juice in blender. Transfer to bowl and stir in 3 Tbsp each finely chopped jalapeno (without seeds) and cilantro, 1 tsp minced garlic, and 1/4 tsp cumin. Serve with grilled chicken breast and lime wedges. Serves 4.

Nutrition (per serving) 233 cal, 37 g pro, 10 g carb, 1 g fiber, 4.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 199 mg sodium

and some Pinspiration

Anti Aging Antioxidants

We are always talking about how important it is to eat our fruits and vegetables. The higher in antioxidants it claims to have, the more include that food into our diet. But do we stop to think about what an “antioxidant” is and how it actually helps protect our body? Here is a short list of some of the most used terms connected with the power of particular foods.

Antioxidant: A molecule that prevents free radicals from damaging healthy cells

Free Radicals: Atoms with at least one unpaired electron that may cause cancer, heart disease, DNA damage and aging.

Anthocyanin: A red-blue flavonoid that varies in color by pH; there are at least 550

Flavonoid: Usually colorful plant chemicals with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects; there are over five thousand of them. Flavonoids belong to the polyphenol family.

Catechin: A flavonoid in tea and chocolate

Phenols: A class of plant chemicals that includes polyphenols, flavonoids, and capsaicin

Polyphenols: Chemicals such as flavonoids and tannins, responsible for the coloring and protection of some plants and that fight heart disease and cancer.

Phytonutrient: A nutrient found in a plant.

Phytochemical: A chemical found in a plant.

Quercetin: A flavonoid with anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects.

Antioxidants come in several forms, including the vitamins A, C, and E; plant-derived polyphenols, found in colorful fruits and vegetables; and also the element selenium, found in nuts and broccoli.

So where do free radicals come from? According to K. Sandeep Prabhu, of Penn State, “Some are created as a natural by-product of reactions in our cells. Other sources of free radicals include cigarette smoke, air pollution, and exposure to UV light or radiation. And once free radicals are formed, they can make more free radicals by scavenging electrons from other molecules, “creating a domino effect,” he adds.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals either by providing the extra electron needed to make the pair, or by breaking down the free radical molecule to render it harmless. “Antioxidants stop the chain reaction of free radical formation and benefit our health by boosting our immune system ,” explains Prabhu. (http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/antioxidants.html)

Makes a little more sense now when you read something like this: Apples are loaded with the powerful antioxidants quercetin and catechin, which protect cells from damage - that means a reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, especially if you eat the skin. Research shows that the apple peel contains five times more polyphenols than the flesh.

Make an Antioxidant Berry Smoothie for breakfast

¾ cup berries of choice

½ c. yogurt

½ c. water

1 tab. Ground flaxseed

1 scoop organic whey protein powder

Small handful of spinach leaves

Put all ingredients in blender, pulse until smooth, and enjoy!

Would Honey still be "The Nectar of the Gods"?

Honey was said to have been the nectar of the Gods.  Archeologists have discovered honey, sealed in containers, in ancient tombs in Egypt. And it is no wonder, the sweet stuff is a beautiful color of amber with an abundance of anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal  properties.

Honey has been used for centuries in home remedies such as a cough suppressant and an anti-bacterial agent to help heal wounds and burns. According to Ron Fessenden, MD, MPH, co-chair of the committee for the Promotion of Health and Honey, taking honey before bedtime can improve your quality of restorative sleep. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has even approved a line of honey-based wound dressings, named Medihoney, manufactured by Derma Sciences. I can remember my aunt taking a tablespoon of honey with a tablespoon of vinegar for “keeping everything healthy”, she used to say.

Should you add honey to your diet? Honey is loaded with nutrients, raw honey is best, as processing destroys some of those nutrients. The darker the honey, the more antioxidants it contains. Vitamins include B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids. It also includes the minerals calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. “In a year-long animal study comparing the effects of sucrose, honey and a low glycemic index (GI) sugar-free diet, rats on the honey-based diet showed: reduced weight gain and percentage of body fat, decreased anxiety, better spatial recognition memory, improved HDL cholesterol (15-20% higher than rats fed sugar or sucrose diets), improved blood sugar levels (HA1c), and reduced oxidative damage.”

Honey is primarily a carbohydrate, with 80% being the sugars fructose and glucose.

Studies show that honey is an effective carbohydrate for endurance athletes. Controlled studies were conducted at the University of Memphis Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory, led by Dr. Richard Kreider. "Our first study suggested honey could operate as a ‘time released’ muscle fuel for exercising muscles. Our second experiment suggested that honey would be a good carbohydrate source to replenish muscles. However, our last study convinced us that honey can improve endurance exercise capacity," concluded Dr. Kreider. “This research demonstrates that honey is a carbohydrate option for athletes based on its low glycemic index, positive metabolic response, and effective energy production.”

Honey is a great sweetener for tea, or try blending it with orange juice, yogurt, fruit, whey protein and ice cubes for a delicious smoothie. I also like a tablespoon of honey mixed in with my yogurt as an afternoon snack. After researching the benefits of honey, I am also going to try a tablespoon before bedtime to see if it will help me sleep better.

Honey is a good replacement for table sugar and artificial sweeteners, and can be used in baking. However, honey is still a sugar and should be used within your daily caloric/added sugar guidelines as excess sugar use can contribute to weight gain and other illnesses.

Warning: Do not feed raw honey to children less than one year of age because of risk of infant botulism.

Tricks to Help You Curb Your Food Cravings

Food cravings. They can attack us all; from the 5-time marathon runner to the newly-recovering couch potato. Food cravings are unavoidable, and to deny their existence will make you more vulnerable when they attack. The best thing to do is to have strategies in place to combat them and to meet them head on. Here are some great tricks to curb those cravings. Post them on your refrigerator and you'll be sure to slay the monster.

Stop Cravings Before They Start.

Prevent cravings by making sure you're eating small, well-balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. As a matter of fact, if you're eating whole foods every 3-4 hours, your belly will stay relatively full and your blood sugar level. Without dangerous dips in your blood sugar, you're less likely to crave quick fixes like simple carbs or bad fats.

Hydrate!

Did you know that sometimes what our brains register as hunger is actually our bodies trying to tell us that we're dehydrated? The next time a craving hits you out of nowhere, make it a point to drink a full glass of water.

Distract Your Taste Buds.

Sometimes cravings hit because you're stressed or bored and your mouth needs something to do. A great trick is to pop a piece of gum or a breath mint. The burst of flavor will refocus your palate and nip that craving in the bud. Usually when your mouth is already full there's no room to want anything more.

Don't Eat. Act.

Sit down and make a list of 10 things that you can do instead of succumbing to your cravings. Keep the list close at hand and refer to it often. It may sound cheesy, but it's a great weapon against those pesky cravings. Your list might include going for a walk, taking a quick shower, playing with a pet, or chatting with a loved one. The point is to focus your attention elsewhere and recondition your mind to crave something more active instead of the food you don't need.

Rule Your Cravings with an Iron Fist.

Sometimes it's less about craving a particular food and more about general impulse control. The next time you are hit with a diet-busting craving, clench your fists as you tell yourself that you will not indulge. Research has shown that the physical activity of clenching your fists can help you assert control and be conscientious in your decision making.

Remember: Sharing Is Caring...For Yourself

If you just can't resist a piece of cheesecake or that bowl of ice cream, try splitting one serving with a friend. There are three reasons why this strategy halts the damage cravings can inflict on your fitness goals. First, you'll get a satisfying taste, preventing you from feeling deprived and possibly opening yourself up to a dangerous binge later on. Second, by splitting the portion you instantly cut down on the calories and bring your treat down to manageable levels of sugar, fat, and sodium. Lastly, you get instant support in your healthy decision from your like-minded friend. Just make sure you and your cravings-buddy split a single portion - not an entire extra-large everything pizza. 

Feed Your Muscles

In the gym, you are likely to hear a lot of discussion about protein consumption. Protein plays an important role in the muscle building process. However, adequate protein consumption isn’t just for bodybuilders or athletes.

As the body ages, it begins to lose muscle mass, which can increase the risk of injury and disability. Nonetheless, the older muscle is still able to respond to amino acids, mainly the essential and BCAAs, which have been shown to acutely stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and there are about 20, divided between essential amino acids and non-essential ones. Essential means the body cannot make them and must obtain them from a food source. Your body can break down essential amino acids into non-essential ones.

There are two types of protein: animal and plant. Animal proteins are considered to be complete proteins; they contain all of the essential amino acids our bodies need. Apart from some exceptions such as quinoa or soybeans, vegetable sources of protein are more often lower in one or more essential amino acids than animal sources. Vegetarians must use “complementary” vegetable proteins together to make a single complete protein source. For example, they need to eat beans with rice, a rice cake with peanut butter, or hummus, which is made with chick peas and sesame paste.

Now, what does all that mean to you? You need to get an adequate amount of protein not only to build new muscle during you exercise program, but to preserve muscle mass as you get older.

Here are 10 terrific sources of lean protein:

·         Whey Concentrate

·         Eggs

·         Milk

·         Fish

·         Lean beef (including tenderloin, sirloin, eye of round)

·         Poultry

·         Greek Yogurt

·         Soy, Quinoa

·         Legumes, chickpeas

·         Nuts, Pumpkin seeds

How much protein do I need?

Maybe you've wondered how much protein you need each day. In general, it's recommended that 10–35% of your daily calories come from protein. Below is the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for different age groups.

Grams of protein needed each day

Children ages 1 – 3             13gm

Children ages 4 – 8             19gm

Children ages 9 – 13           34gm

Girls ages 14 – 18               46gm

Boys ages 14 – 18              52gm

Women ages 19 – 70+        46gm

Men ages 19 – 70+             56gm

Here are examples of amounts of protein in food:

•1 cup of milk has 8 grams of protein

•A 3-ounce piece of meat has about 21 grams of protein

•1 cup of dry beans has about 16 grams of protein

•An 8-ounce container of yogurt has about 11 grams of protein

Added together, just these four sources would meet the protein needs of an adult male (56 grams). This doesn't count all the other foods that add smaller amounts of protein to his diet.

Rather than just focusing on your protein needs, choose an overall healthy eating plan that provides the protein you need as well as other nutrients.

   

Anti Aging Super Foods

It seems as some have found the fountain of youth. The U.S. Census Bureau cites that Centenarians are one of the country’s fastest growing demographics groups.  What’s their secret? “Good Nutrition can extend your life by not just years, but decades”, according to Richard Flanigan, M.D., of The University of Colorado Health Sciences and author of Longevity Made Simple.

On his list of anti-aging foods:

·         Watermelon: Packs more disease fighting lypocene than a tomato

·         Asparagus: Contains vitamins A and C, which destroys free radicals that increase effects of aging.

·         Sweet Potatoes: Contain more beta-carotene and vitamin C than carrots

·         Mushrooms: High in antioxidants that stimulate the immune system to help ward off infection.

·         Brown Rice: Loaded with magnesium, which may help reduce stress, and has cholesterol-lowering fiber.

·         Red Wine: Contains resveratrol, a compound that has been shown to protect skin from aging, and may prevent skin cancer. However, only imbibe in one drink a day, any more than that can increase the risk for breast cancer.

·         Seafood: Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, tuna, herring and mackerel have been found to fight heart disease and may slash your odds of developing dementia.

Other tips include:

1.    Add a variety of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet to ensure that you are getting adequate vitamins and other nutrients.

2.    Cook at home so that you can better control your intake of added fats, sodium and sugars.

3.    Stop the yo-yo dieting. Frequently gaining and losing weight can raise your blood pressure, and increase your risk of kidney cancer.

Just another reason to eat whole, natural foods! Turns out the fountain wasn’t so elusive after all!

What is Clean Eating?

Clean eating is a buzzword you hear often, but what exactly is “clean eating”? Basically, it’s eating food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible. It isn’t a diet that you rely on to lose a few pounds; it’s a lifestyle that as a bonus, contributes to a healthy weight.

Think about how your grandparents ate. If they were anything like mine, most likely, they cooked 3 meals a day and snacked on fruit. There were very few boxed items in the pantry. Most boxed and/or packaged foods are highly processed and contain extra sugars, sodium and fat that our bodies do not need.

A healthier approach, “clean eating”, provides us with the nutrients our body can readily absorb for optimum health.

Everyone’s opinion on how “strict” they want to be is different. Most of the time I live by the 90/10 rule; 90% clean most of the time with 10% for indulgences. After all, life has a way of sometimes re-arranging our meal schedules. However, if I have a particular goal in mind, such as dropping body fat, then I will tighten up my eating and drop indulgences down to 5% or less.

To eat “clean”, just follow some basic guidelines:

·         Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks daily. Each meal should contain lean protein, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables, and a complex carb.

·         If you do not depend on a large amount of energy in the evening, then eat your last grain carbohydrate at dinner.

·         Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily, I include green tea in this category.

·         Avoid processed and refined foods, such as white flour, sugar, white breads and pasta.

·         Consume healthy fats (essential fatty acids, or EFAs) every day. Included are salmon and other fatty fish, nuts, olive oil, and flaxseed.

Meals do not have to be boring or tasteless. Experiment with different herbs and spices to liven up your recipes. It may feel tedious at first, but if you hang in there, I promise you will feel lighter and have more energy.

Bon Appetite!

5 Tips to Fat Loss

The first thing most people do when they want to lose fat is severely restrict their calories and food options. This will work - but only for a short period. Eventually, two things are likely to happen; one – you are going to become hungry, and bored with your diet and binge, and two – because of the severe calorie loss, your body is going to hold on to it’s fat, hindering your weight loss efforts.

Here are 5 tips to help you lose fat:

Eat. Beginning with breakfast, have a healthy meal every 3-4 hours consisting of protein, carbs and good fats. Eating more frequently will keep your metabolism elevated.

Lift. Add resistance training to your fitness routine. Lifting weights will help to add or maintain lean muscle mass, which will help burn extra calories as well as add sexy definition.

Perform Cardio. Perform cardio 5 days a week. Do 2 sessions of 40 minutes at 70% of your maximum heart rate, 2 sessions of high intensity interval training for 20 min., and 1 session where you combine the two styles - do 10 minutes of interval training, followed by 20 min. at  70% max. heart rate.

Time Your Carbs. The body uses carbs for energy. In the evenings, we are usually winding down and not as active, therefore, we do not need as many carbs. Restrict starchy carbs, such as breads, potatoes and pasta, after 5:00.

Restrict Alcohol. The body metabolizes alcohol extremely quickly.  Unlike foods, which require time for digestion, alcohol needs no digestion and is quickly absorbed. Alcohol is absorbed and metabolized for energy before most other nutrients, leaving excess calories to be stored as fat.

Post Workout Nutrition

When you exercise, your body burns both carbs and fat for energy. Its first resource for energy will come from your glycogen stores, and when they are depleted, it will reach for stored fat for fuel. You have a 30 minute window, after training, to replenish your glycogen stores for recovery. Within this period, your muscle glycogen is most readily produced and stored in your muscles and liver. At this time, your body is like a sponge, ready to absorb up whatever you feed it. Providing proper nutrition is vital for fat burning and muscle repair and growth.

Your first post workout meal should be considered more as a snack, and it should contain a combination of fast-digesting carbs and protein. Limit your intake of fat in this meal, because it slows digestion and can slow down the absorption of nutrient. Your second meal, with the same protein-carb combination should come about two hours later.

The post-workout meal depends upon the intensity of training. For example, if you just did a killer spin class, your carb-to-protein ratio should be about 3:1; but if you did an intense weight training session, the carb-to-protein ration would be more balanced, 1:1 because you need the extra protein for muscle repair.

A good example would be, for cardio interval training, lasting 40 min. or longer, have 20 grams protein, 60 grams carbs. For a moderate weight training session, with moderate cardio afterwards, have 21 grams of protein with 20 grams of carbs.

Post Workout Shake

½ c. orange juice

1/3 c. grapefruit juice

1 scoop whey protein power, or ½ c. yogurt

1 small banana

2 tsp. honey (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender until smooth. (You can use juices of your choice)

Bioavailablity of Foods

Everyday we strive to eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables to enhance our health. However, our bodies do not absorb all the nutrients that food has to offer; our digestive system breaks down and destroys nutrients before our bodies can use them. The amount of nutrients that are actually available and absorbed in our system is called bioavailability.

Bioavailability, with the respect to food, means “body ready”. Understanding how different foods react when paired together will help us provide our bodies with the nutrition it needs.

Nutrients from some foods need a little extra help in order for the body to absorb them efficiently. For example, the typical salad is prepared with raw vegetables that are loaded with nutrients like lypocene, beta-carotene, and lutein, all cancer fighting carotenoids; however, they are fat-soluble, meaning they need a little fat with them to be absorbed by the body. So the next time you are eating a salad, add is some healthy fat such as avocado, nuts or and oil and vinegar based dressing.

Here are a few other examples:

• Your tomatoes are full of lypocene; however, if you boil them, or used canned tomatoes, the lypocene becomes 5-6 times stronger. When cooked, the lypocene is transformed into trans-lypocene, which is much more readily absorbed by the body.
• Like your watermelon cold or room temperature? Watermelon that has been stored at room temperature has up to 40 percent more lypocene and up to 139 percent, more beta-carotene than it does if it is stored at a cold temperature.
• Steam your foods instead of boiling them. Boiling your vegetables leaches out the flavonoids. Flavonoids are the antioxidant compounds that give vegetables their bright colors and activate the body’s DNA repair system.
• Spices also help with nutrient absorption. Black pepper contains piperine, with increases the bioavailability of nutrients. It can also act as an anti-depressant, a pain reliever, and boost brain functioning.
• Add a squirt of lemon to your tea. Lemon juice can increase the amount of catechins your body will absorb.

The foods we eat do affect our bodies, for good or for bad. By eating a healthy diet of whole natural foods and healthy fats, we can help our bodies be more efficient at absorbing disease-fighting antioxidants.

Tips to Eliminate Bloat

Feeling a little bloated after the holiday weekend? Here are a few tips to get you back on track.

1. Eat a healthy, but light, breakfast. Try a smoothie, some yogurt with fruit.

2. Stay away from salty and processed foods. They will make you retain fluids, making you even more bloated.

3. Limit produce that can cause gas, such as broccoli, cabbage, citrus fruits and onions.

4. Eliminate carbonated drinks; stick with water or unsweetened tea.

5. Eat foods high in water content such as watermelon.

6. Have some pineapple; it contains an enzyme that aids in the digestion of foods.

7. Include asparagus and cucumbers in your meals, which are natural diuretics.

8. Get your sweat on – even if you don’t feel like a full workout, choose a 20-minute workout from the fat loss program and work up a good sweat.

Follow these tips and you should be feeling like your old self again in a couple of days.

Holiday Eating

This weekend will be one of celebrating. There will be fairs, carnivals, and back yard barbeques. Just because you will be surrounded by friends, family and fun does not mean you should let yourself overindulge in all those enticing food options. A 3-day free-for-all food frenzy will leave you feeling bloated, irregular and miserable; and it will make it difficult to go back to healthy eating.

When you spend a weekend overindulging, the body will fight back when you stop feeding it all that fat and sugar, your cravings will be intense. How do you avoid wreaking havoc on your body and still enjoy those barbeques and picnics? Begin your day with your regular breakfast, and then be choosy about your treats. Have one or two treats each day, or better yet, make lighter healthier versions of your treat choices and take to the events with you.

Under the recipe tab, you will find some lighter version recipes of popular party fair. You can also find healthier options at http://www.skinnytaste.com/.

Have a great healthy holiday!

Weight Training for Weight Loss

Physical activity studies conducted in the last 10 years show that only 12% of the population participates in a vigorous exercise program, and 54% do not even exercise at a moderate intensity for 30 min. a day. It is no wonder our waistlines are expanding.

According to a study published by The Trust for America’s Health, a non-profit foundation dedicated to improving health in the U.S., 66% of the population is overweight and more than 32% are obese. That is a 33 percent increase from 1994.

Restaurants are serving portion sizes twice the size as in the 1970’s and technology has advanced to the point that we barely have to move to survive. We press a button to turn channels on the TV, keep our phones in our pockets, ride a mower to mow the grass, and even our games have become digital.

Building lean muscle mass by lifting weights has been proven to increase metabolic rate and burn 5 – 10% more calories per day, according to studies performed by Southern Illinois University. Along with a proper diet, intense weight training can help us lose those extra pounds. American and Dutch studies revealed that lifting weights 2-3 times per week, for 20-minute sessions, increased 24-hour caloric expenditure by 5-10% and increased post-exercise metabolic rate for 72 hours.

If you are looking to whittle down your waistline, plan both weight training and cardio into your workout routine. While cardio will burn calories during performance and up to an hour afterwards, weight training will keep calorie expenditure burning even longer.

Are You Eating Enough?

This is from an article I found online - “Your metabolism is in effect your body’s furnace. Calories are the fuel that heats this furnace; the hotter your furnace burns, the more calories it uses up just to keep up with basic functions like digestion, breathing and so on. Your activity level and the food you eat affect your metabolism. The more activity and exercise you do, the faster your metabolism runs, even when you aren’t being active. Activity also builds muscle, and muscle burns more calories than fat. In other words, the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism. If you don’t put enough food in your body, your “furnace” doesn’t have anything to keep it going. It goes into a sort of hibernation mode by slowing down and using fewer calories. So, yes: If you eat too little, you can slow your metabolism”

I felt that this post was a great analogy of how important it is to feed your body the right amount of quality foods. As people focus on losing weight, the first thing they want to do is drastically cut their calories. Although it is true that you need to reduce your caloric intake, most people go to the extreme and try to eat as little as possible. They will skip meals, eat nothing but grapefruit, cut out all carbs but load up on fat, all of which stalls the metabolism.

The body needs a set amount of calories just to maintain biological functions, in women this number is generally 1200 calories. It is important to make sure that you are eating a minimum of 1200 calories, and if you are doing intense exercise, you need to add at least 300 calories to that number. If you are not getting enough calories, you can become lethargic and moody. Once your body has burned its fat stores, your body will begin breaking down muscle tissue and using it for energy.

However, some people have become so accustomed to eating so few calories, that it is difficult for them to eat more food. In order to increase your food intake, eat smaller meals, every two hours. If you eat natural nutrient dense foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruit and protein, you need not worry too much about gaining weight. If you are unsure how many calories you are taking in each day, and are underweight, chart what you are eating for 3 consecutive days. If you are falling below the 1200 mark, you need to increase your calories by eating adding more nutrient dense foods to your diet, such as those suggested above. Give your body a couple of weeks to adjust to your new eating pattern.

If your weight is stable, and you are trying to gain muscle, then you also need to increase your calories. To gain muscle, you need to eat 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. Also, increase you consumption of whole grains and healthy fats, as well as fruits and vegetables. However, if you are eating more calories in order to build muscle, you will need to strength train at least 3 times a week with heavy weight, otherwise, your extra calories will not be burned and will likely be stored as fat.