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Spice Up Your Life

January 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Spices can be very beneficial when it comes to weight loss.  The main reason is not that they will burn up calories magically but it is that they will promote health within the body.  Here is a short list of spices and ways they will increase your health.

Basil

The Benefit: Basil is rich in antioxidants that mop up cell-damaging free radicals inside the body. This can help prevent a host of unwanted conditions, such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and high cholesterol. Basil also contains oils that prevent bacteria growth and inflammation.

Peppermint

The Benefit: Thank the menthol in peppermint for the plant’s ability to clear phlegm and mucus from the bronchial tract to facilitate easy breathing. And also for soothing indigestion, gas, menstrual cramps, and irritable bowel syndrome.

Sage

The Benefit: Like rosemary, sage is known to strengthen memory. The rosemerinic acid in these plants also works to preserve your body by protecting your cells from oxidative damage and alleviating the effects of asthma and arthritis.

Rosemary

The Benefit: Call it the smart spice. Many people swear by rosemary’s ability to increase cognitive functioning, and researchers in California have identified carnosic acid as an active ingredient in rosemary that can offset cognitive degeneration, protect against Alzheimer’s, and prevent stroke.

Thyme

The Benefit: This tiny herb is extremely rich in iron, which is crucial to your body’s ability to transport oxygen. Just 2 teaspoons contain 20 percent of your daily intake. Plus, seasoning with thyme helps protect food from bacterial contamination.

Cilantro

The Benefit: In mice studies, coriander seeds, from the cilantro plant, encouraged the pancreas to produce more insulin-the hormone that helps shuttle glucose into the cells to be burned as energy. This prevents excess blood sugars from being stored as fat. Cilantro leaves have the same benefits.

Tarragon

The Benefit: By increasing the secretion of bile and acids into the stomach, tarragon improves gastric efficiency and whets the appetite. Because of this, it’s best used early in the meal as an appetizer.

Oregano

The Benefit: A USDA study found that when adjusted for weight, it had four times the antioxidant activity of blueberries. That means big cancer-fighting potential for your next pizza or pasta sauce.

Parsley

The Benefit: These dainty leaves are highly concentrated with luteolin, a powerful flavonoid with anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers at the University of Illinios found that luteolin decreased inflammation in the brain, which helps prevent decline in cognitive functions.

Source: Eat This, Not that. This is a great website: http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/content/best-flavor-savers-1?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-2009_12_23-_-HTML-_-dek

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FREE Ebook: Big Fat Lies

December 11, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I am attaching an ebook that I think you will find informative.  It is approximately 25 pages of info and well worth taking the time to read.  Please give me some feedback and let me know if you found it helpful.  Also, let me know if you have any questions.

BIGFATLIES2005-kbattis

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Eat What You Want

November 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I hope all of you had a great holiday weekend.  Now it’s time to get things back on track.

Today, I would like to discuss the myth that if you workout you can eat whatever you want.  One comment I hear a lot is someone saying that they went out and ate 800 calories so they will just go to the gym the next day and burn it off.  This is not how the body works.  It sure would be nice if it were that easy.  I’ll go into more depth on that in the future.  The next aspect of this is the type of foods you’re eating.  The body needs all of the building blocks and fuels to repair and run optimally.  If you are using exercise to be able to justify eating the bad foods then you are setting yourself up for lots of problems.  If you workout hard and tear the body down but don’t replenish it with the nutrients it needs then the repair process is greatly hindered.  This is where a lot of injury occurs.  The body does not have what is needed to heal quickly enough and therefore is vulnerable. 

Before I begin to ramble, my point is that you need to treat your body just as good on the inside as you do on the outside.  You wouldn’t go out with your hair uncombed and teeth unbrushed.  Most people always try to look their best.  Do the same thing on the inside.  Please don’t focus only on what you see in the mirror, much more important things are going on behind the scenes.  Also, if you put more focus on what is going into your body then you will see a lot more improvements on the outside.  Not just the muscle and toned look but also better skin, hair, nails, etc.  The nutrients in foods are there for a reason. 

I will discuss in more detail on the nutrition aspect on Friday.  Make the time you are putting into your workouts count for all it can. 

Please leave comments and questions by clicking “comment” below!

If you have any thoughts or questions please post them and I will do my best to respond. Also if you ever hear of any information that goes against what I am posting please let me know so that I can make sure that my research is as correct and up-to-date as possible.

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Put out the Fire, pt. 2

November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

In last Friday’s blog I discussed foods that cause inflammation. This post includes foods that reduce inflammation.

These foods will help with your weight loss goals and also help fight disease.

INFLAMMATION FIGHTERS

  • Flavonoids.  These natural antioxidants (nutrients that neutralize harmful molecules called free radicals) inhibit inflammatory enzymes.  They are prevalent in foods whose natural pigments give them a deep yellow to deep purple color — primarily fruits and vegetables.

To do: Aim for nine daily servings of intensely colored fruits and veggies a day, such as plums, eggplant (with skin) and red onions.

  • Carotenoids.  These antioxidants are found primarily in produce that is yellow, orange or red.  Particularly beneficial are carrots and tomatoes.  Some green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, also are rich in carotenoids.

To do: Use a bit of olive oil or walnut oil to make salad dressing or sauté vegetables.  The oil improves absorption of carotenoids by the intestine.

  • Omega-3s.  These fatty acids contain a potent inflammation-fighting component called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).  Omega-3s are found in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, walnuts, navy and kidney beans and leafy green vegetables.  Fish is an excellent source, too.

To do: Increase your intake of the omega-3-rich foods above. Also, eat at least 12 ounces of fish a week, choosing types rich in omega-3s and relatively low in mercury – Tilapia, anchovies, conch, herring (fresh or pickled, not creamed), mackerel, salmon, sardines and sturgeon.

  • Fiber.  The more dietary fiber a person consumes, the lower her CRP levels tend to be.  To recap, I posted in a earlier blog about C-Reactive Protein being the best indicator for heart disease.  Best sources include beans, whole grains and vegetables.

To do: Go beyond your typical high-fiber favorites and try something new — whole-wheat pasta, bulgur (a grain), Swiss chard, yams.

  • Herbs and spices.  Garlic, onions, chives, ginger, turmeric, basil, parsley and cinnamon enhance the flavor of foods and also have anti-inflammatory properties.

To do: Use herbs and spices daily.  Healthful combination: Turmeric (a good source of flavonoids) plus black pepper, which increases turmeric’s absorption.

Please leave comments and questions!

If you have any thoughts or questions please post them and I will do my best to respond. Also if you ever hear of any information that goes against what I am posting please let me know so that I can make sure that my research is as correct and up-to-date as possible.

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Putting out the Fire

November 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

In last weeks nutrition blog I touched on nutrients and how the body is like a chemistry project.  This week I want to touch on one of the biggest concerns when it comes to health.  It is inflammation.  The inflammation that is associated with a sprain, such as twisting an ankle, is part of the bodys’ healing process and is a good thing.  But when inflammation happens inside the body it wreaks havoc.  Most people are unaware that this is even going on.  Many people go undiagnosed because the symptoms are very vague and subtle. 

I heard an analogy a while back that helps to illustrate this.  It’s like being in a quiet room and then the air conditioning comes on.  At first it seems very loud but over a short time you just tune it out and don’t even notice it.  That is how most of us react to inflammation.  We just think that as we get older we are just supposed feel a little more tired and run down.  There is more going on than meets the eye.  The best way to check inflammation levels is to have a C-reactive protein (CRP) test.  This test is a marker for inflammation in the bloodstream.  Health insurance should cover it but you will need to ask for it. 

The biggest cause of inflammation is from certain foods that we eat.  I will touch on a few of the biggest ones today and next week I will cover foods that help reduce inflammation.

Foods you want to avoid:

  • Trans fats. Trans fats are created by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil (a process called hydrogenation). Consuming trans fats may damage cells that line blood vessels, causing inflammation.

To do: Check labels and avoid foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (or aliases, such as shortening or margarine). Most commercial baked goods, such as cookies and crackers, and many fried foods have trans fats.

One thing to be aware of is how the companies hide these fats from you.  By law there can be .5 grams of trans fat per serving and the label can claim it has 0 trans fat. The companies change their serving size to be within the limits.  This means that if there are 7 servings in a bag of chips that there is 3.5 grams of trans fat that does not have to be claimed. Sneaky.

  • Omega-6 fatty acids. Needed for good health, omega-6s are found naturally in meats, poultry, shellfish, milk, eggs, vegetable oils and some seeds. They are harmful only when eaten out of proportion to omega-3s, another essential fatty acid. A good ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s is three to one. The typical American diet has a ratio of up to 20 to one — which allows omega-6s to crowd out omega-3s, changing the body’s metabolic processes and creating inflammatory chemicals.
  • Processed sugar. Table sugar, candy, soft drinks and other sweets contribute to insulin resistance and extra pounds, both of which increase inflammation.  Another new sweetener that just came out is Maltitol. Watch out for this one also.

To do: Satisfy your sweet tooth with a wide variety of fruits. Note: If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor before increasing fruit intake.

Also avoid artificial sweeteners such as Splenda (Sucralose), Equal, NutraSweet, etc.

These are just a few of the foods that increases inflammation.  I encourage you to do your research.  It is your body and your health.  You need to take charge and be well-informed.  Dr. Joseph Mercola has a great website: www.mercola.com that provides a lot of solid research on a variety of health and nutrition issues.  I highly recommend that you check it out.

I will share more websites in the future that I feel will help you get the information you need.

Again, next week I will cover foods that will help reduce inflammation and allow the body to begin healing.

As always, if you have any thoughts or questions please post them by clicking the comment link and I will do my best to respond. Also if you ever hear of any information that goes against what I am posting please let me know so that I can make sure that my research is as correct and up-to-date as possible.

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New-tree-ants

November 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Actually it’s Nutrients.  Sorry to subject you to my unique sense of humor.   I am sure some of you rolled your eyes.  Hopefully a couple of you got a laugh.  It cracked my wife up and made her smile so it was worth it.

Back to a serious note.  In today’s blog I am going to touch on the basic part of nutrition.  In future blogs I will expand a little deeper. 

Variety is the one of the most important parts of nutrition.  The body needs many different nutrients to perform optimally.  Each fruit, vegetable, meat, etc. has its own unique substances that the body will use to perform the many different processes needed to live.  Making sure to get a bit of each is the best way to make sure you are covering all of your needs.  I will not get into much depth on this now.  Simply put, the body is like a chemistry project.  It is constantly reacting, whether good or bad, to everything that is put into your body. 

Over the next few weeks I hope to be able to shed some light on some of the biggest concerns.  Some topics I will cover include Macro and Micro Nutrients, and Phytochemicals (nutrients).  For those of you who may not be familiar with some of these terms I will give a brief description. Macro Nutrients are Carbohydrates, Fat, and Protein.  These are the 3 essential nutrients we need to survive.  Micro nutrients include vitamins and minerals, and Phytochemicals are defined as non-nutritive (i.e. non-energy) chemicals found in plants.  These chemicals work in conjunction to enhance and better utilize the other nutrients we ingest.  Think of them like fuel additives and cleaners.  They maximize efficiency and help things run optimally.

Along the way I will dispel some of the myths that have been jeopardizing all of our efforts to better health. 

I do have an agenda I will follow as closely as I can but I also am interested in your concerns. Please put your questions or concerns in the comments and I will address them.

 Also if you ever hear of any information that goes against what I am posting please let me know so that I can make sure that my research is as correct and up-to-date as possible.

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Welcome to my Blog!

November 2, 2009 By 3 Comments

Thanks for checking out my new blog. My goal is to give you the most useful and up-to-date information to help you attain your goals. I will post a fitness tip or myth on Mondays, an exercise video on Wednesdays, and a nutrition tip or myth on Fridays.

As with all new ventures there will be some trial and error. I ask for your help. I will do all that I can on my part but I also find that the feedback I get is just as or even more important than the content I post. By your responses we can work together to help and encourage each other.

My hope is that as we work together we can begin to take charge of our health, fitness, and daily lives by dispelling myths, increasing our strengths, and overcoming our weaknesses. I am very excited to be on this path with you. May we climb high.

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