15 Tips for Eating Healthy During The Holidays

For many of you resisting all of the luscious treats during the holiday season may be challenging. With all the family gatherings, parties and sweet treats in the office it is easy to succumb to all the temptations and eat every thing in sight. With a little planning it is possible to enjoy some of your favorite treats without gaining a lot of extra weight.

Eat several small meals during the day: Do not starve yourself all day trying to save calories for that special party or dinner. You will arrive at the party or dinner famished and eat more in one meal than you usually eat for the whole day.

Exercise before you go to the party: You are less likely to over eat and undo all your hard work.

Do Not Deprive Yourself: If there is food that makes you Read More »

Eating our way to illness

The number one excuse I hear for not eating healthy is that it is too expensive. Having raised three children I find it amazing that anyone would find processed foods cheaper than fruits and vegetables.This way of thinking has prompted me to do some research comparing the cost of eating whole foods to processed foods. In my search I came across an article “Eating our way to illness” by Michael Pollan.

In this article Michael points out the hidden cost of eating unhealthy like the $147 billion a year to treat obesity, $116 billion a year to treat diabetes and hundreds of billions more to treat cardiovascular disease. 

Before you go to the go shopping for food again click on the following link and read Eating our way to illness by Michael Pollan.

 www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/09/eating_our_way_to_illness.html

The Best Foods to Maintain a Healthy, Creative Brain

Scientist have put a man on the moon, explored the surface of mars, open heart surgery has become a common procedure. By contrast, how your brain ages still remains a mystery. This is due in part to the fact that until recently the human lifespan was 47 years. Associate professor of psychology David Walsh, Ph.D says that left precious little time to study brain aging. Today the average lifespan is 80 and baby boomers are demanding to know how to preserve their brain function as long as possible.

At one time it was  thought that from the moment you were born brain cells started to die, scientist now know that is not true. Until recently brain aging, related memory loss to more serious conditions Read More »

Quinoa, one of the world's most perfect foods

Quinoa commonly referred to as a grain is technically a seed not a grain. It is the seed of an herbaceous plant related to leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. Among the Aztecs and Incas it is considered a sacred food, known as the mother seed, recognized for its value in increasing the stamina of their soldiers.

For thousands of years quinoa has been a staple in the diet of South American Indians but was not introduced to America until the 1980s. Two Americans, after discovering this small seed that had the potential of being a nutritional dynamo, started to import quinoa to the United States  and cultivating it in Colorado. Quinoa is becoming more and more popular as people recognize it for both its nutritional value and great taste.

Why is quinoa such a super food? Read More »

Gas Free Beans

Gas-free soak – In a large stockpot, place 1 pound of beans in 10 or more cups of boiling water. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Then cover and allow to soak over night. The next day 75 to 90 percent of the indigestible sugars that cause gas will have dissolved into the soaking water.   

www.mayoclinic.com

6 Obstacles to Healthy Eating and How to Overcome Them

1. You are not aware of how much the food affects your health

There are two types of calories - Energy Dense and Nutrient Dense. They both provide you with the necessary calories to prevent starvation but only one provides nourishment for your body. 

• Energy Dense Calories usually found in the foods that are convenient, provide instant gratification, high in calories but have little (if any) nutritional value. Chances are within an hour or two after eating these foods you will be raiding your kitchen for something else to eat.  
• Nutrient Dense Calories are packed with valuable vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains ensure that you get all your necessary nutrients to protect your health and prevent your waist line from expanding.

2. Not sure of the best foods to eat

We hear such conflicting information in the media; carbs are bad,carbs are good/ fat is bad,fat is good/butter is bad,margarine is good/butter is good, margarine is bad. This is all media hype turning the processed food industry into a billion dollar business.

Not all processed foods are bad for you like milk, high fiber cereals, whole grain breads or frozen fruits and vegetables. They are a convenient way to get valuable nutrients when you are short on time. Avoid any food that has been boxed, bagged, canned or frozen with a long list of ingredients only a chemist can pronounce.

3. Healthy food is expensive and takes hours to prepare

You do have to plan your meals for the week, make a shopping list and buy only the items on your list but the rewards for your efforts will far outweigh any inconvenience.

• You pay for the convenience of  having the meal already prepared for you. Pre-packaged foods are full of sodium, sugar and chemicals that lead to serious health problems later in your life
• Buy fruits and vegetables in season  
• Shop at your local farmer’s market
• Use legumes as your entree, add them to soup or create a main dish salad. You caneasily feed a family of 6 for 3 or 4 dollars
• Add brown rice and pasta to casseroles
• Check the local ads for weekly specials

4. Not having a system for shopping, storing, and preparing

• Think about your schedule for the week
• Plan your meals around events for that week, and most important, plan your meals before you go shopping
• Keep your pantry and freezer full of the foods you use most often
• Plan a few go to meals incase of an emergency or maybe you are just tired.
• Slow cookers and George Foreman grills are a busy persons’s best friends
• Prepare enough for two meals and put one in the freezer

5. A food either taste good or it is good for you

Eating healthy does not mean giving up your favorite foods. Learn new methods of preparation, replace salt with herbs and spices and try new foods.

6. Most Important “Do Not Deprive Yourself of Your Favorite Treats”

If you are eating healthy at least 80% of the time the occasional treat will not endanger your health.