1. Exercise at least five times a week. Do not put it off; just make it a habit and do it!
2. Avoid dieting. Adopt a healthy, balanced eating plan, using the food pyramid as guide for number of size of portions.
3. Do not smoke. It increases your risk of every single disease I have ever read about – every single one. It’s expensive, it ages you and it makes you smell terrible.
4. Maintain a healthy weight and waistline. Having a waistline larger than 35 inches increases a woman’s risk of heart disease.
5. Get enough sleep. Most adults need 7-8 hours. Figure out how much sleep you need nightly, avoid ingesting caffeine or alcohol late in the day, and have a regular time to go to bed and wake up.
6. Practice prevention. Give yourself breast exams. Wear sunscreen whenever you’ll be outside for more than ten minutes. Commit to having only safe sex. (Sane sex is even better!)
7. Go to your annual OB/GYN appointment and have that colonoscopy when you turn fifty. While you’re at the doctor, ask about what supplements you may need, such as calcium, iron, or glucosamine.
8. Nurture your soul and have some fun every day. Keep a joke book on your night stand, and if you cannot remember laughing that day, read something funny before you turn out the light. As you drop off to sleep, count ten blessings you experienced that day.
9. Lower your risk of periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease by flossing your teeth daily. Have that semi-annual dental exam.
10. Eat five to nine servings of vegetables and fruits every day. They are loaded with nutrients and low in calorie. They and exercise are how I manage my weight so well.
Showing posts with label antioxidants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label antioxidants. Show all posts
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Twelve More Ways to Enjoy Vegetables
I am the vegetable queen in my house, so here are another 12 ways to enjoy those veggies:
1. Stir fry any combination of veggies (using Pam), seasoning with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, curry, etc.
2. Steam veggies (such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, string beans) on stove or in microwave; lightly season or spray with liquid margarine.
3. Turn a baked potato into a meal by topping with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, low fat chili etc. and low fat cheese or FF sour cream.
4. Microwave sliced zucchini and canned tomatoes (add a can of sauce if preferred) with Italian seasoning and garlic powder; top with shredded low fat mozzarella.
5. Broil tomato halves seasoned with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese.
6. Use low fat salad dressing, mustard, tomato sauce, salsa, and other “disguises” to eat more vegetables and learn to like them.
7. When dining out ask to substitute salad or steamed veggies for fries.
8. For variety, choose broth-based vegetables soups instead of salad as an appetizer.
9. When attending a lunch or dinner meeting, ask the server if there is a vegetarian choice – it’s usually delicious!
10. Prepare a portable snack of bite-sized carrot and celery pieces mixed with grapes or raisins – great for the car or at the desk.
11. Remember that soups, casseroles, and tomato sauce are excellent ways to add vegetables while masking the taste, if you need to.
12. Heat a can of stewed tomatoes. Add seasoning if desired, and eat as a chunky tomato soup.
1. Stir fry any combination of veggies (using Pam), seasoning with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, curry, etc.
2. Steam veggies (such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, string beans) on stove or in microwave; lightly season or spray with liquid margarine.
3. Turn a baked potato into a meal by topping with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, low fat chili etc. and low fat cheese or FF sour cream.
4. Microwave sliced zucchini and canned tomatoes (add a can of sauce if preferred) with Italian seasoning and garlic powder; top with shredded low fat mozzarella.
5. Broil tomato halves seasoned with Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese.
6. Use low fat salad dressing, mustard, tomato sauce, salsa, and other “disguises” to eat more vegetables and learn to like them.
7. When dining out ask to substitute salad or steamed veggies for fries.
8. For variety, choose broth-based vegetables soups instead of salad as an appetizer.
9. When attending a lunch or dinner meeting, ask the server if there is a vegetarian choice – it’s usually delicious!
10. Prepare a portable snack of bite-sized carrot and celery pieces mixed with grapes or raisins – great for the car or at the desk.
11. Remember that soups, casseroles, and tomato sauce are excellent ways to add vegetables while masking the taste, if you need to.
12. Heat a can of stewed tomatoes. Add seasoning if desired, and eat as a chunky tomato soup.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Yes You Can Eat More Vegetables
Here are 13 ways to begin working toward that three to five servings of vegetables health experts recommend we eat each day:
1. Start with what you know you like – most people like corn, lettuce, and tomato sauce – and build from there.
2. Add vegetables to your sandwiches – lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pepper, sprouts, mushrooms.
3. Top pizza with vegetables.
4. Add a bag of frozen vegetable when making frozen bag meals (such as Lean Cuisine) – there’s enough sauce, and it serves four.
5. Make vegetable fajitas using red, green, and yellow peppers, onion, zucchini, etc. and fajita seasoning.
6. Make omelets with egg substitute or egg whites, adding your favorite vegetables.
7. Try tomato sauce in your omelets (trust me on this; it’s my favorite!)
8. Add tomatoes, shredded carrots or zucchini, and/or mushrooms to your spaghetti sauce.
9. Make crockpot ratatouille (a vegetable stew consisting of eggplant, zucchini, onion, garlic, tomato (fresh or canned), bell pepper, Italian seasoning); freeze and have on hand.
10. Make a low fat or fat free cole slaw using bagged cole slaw mix (without dressing), adding fruit and/or nuts for variety. Use low fat or fat free mayonnaise in your favorite cole slaw dressing recipe.
11. Grill veggies (onion, peppers, portabella mushrooms, zucchini, etc.) for sandwiches or as a side dish; brush with FF Italian dressing or a mix of olive oil and flavored vinegar.
12. Grill skewers with onion, mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, peppers, pineapple, and chicken or lean pork, if desired.
13. Don’t assume you don’t like unfamiliar vegetables – try them! Remember that our tastes change over time, so try them again if it’s been more than a year.
1. Start with what you know you like – most people like corn, lettuce, and tomato sauce – and build from there.
2. Add vegetables to your sandwiches – lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pepper, sprouts, mushrooms.
3. Top pizza with vegetables.
4. Add a bag of frozen vegetable when making frozen bag meals (such as Lean Cuisine) – there’s enough sauce, and it serves four.
5. Make vegetable fajitas using red, green, and yellow peppers, onion, zucchini, etc. and fajita seasoning.
6. Make omelets with egg substitute or egg whites, adding your favorite vegetables.
7. Try tomato sauce in your omelets (trust me on this; it’s my favorite!)
8. Add tomatoes, shredded carrots or zucchini, and/or mushrooms to your spaghetti sauce.
9. Make crockpot ratatouille (a vegetable stew consisting of eggplant, zucchini, onion, garlic, tomato (fresh or canned), bell pepper, Italian seasoning); freeze and have on hand.
10. Make a low fat or fat free cole slaw using bagged cole slaw mix (without dressing), adding fruit and/or nuts for variety. Use low fat or fat free mayonnaise in your favorite cole slaw dressing recipe.
11. Grill veggies (onion, peppers, portabella mushrooms, zucchini, etc.) for sandwiches or as a side dish; brush with FF Italian dressing or a mix of olive oil and flavored vinegar.
12. Grill skewers with onion, mushrooms, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, peppers, pineapple, and chicken or lean pork, if desired.
13. Don’t assume you don’t like unfamiliar vegetables – try them! Remember that our tastes change over time, so try them again if it’s been more than a year.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Make Friends with Leafy Green Vegetables
If you’re interested in nutrition at all, you’ve probably read that leafy green vegetables are associated with lower risk for various diseases. Just what is meant by leafy green vegetables and why are they so good for us? This category of vegetables includes spinach, kale, swiss chard, turnip greens, mustard greens, beet greens, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, and collards. They are nutritional powerhouses, loaded with antioxidants, vitamins C, K, and A; folate; potassium; magnesium; iron; lutein; and phytochemicals. These substances benefit our bodies in many ways:
Eyes – Two pigments in leafy greens, lutein and zeaxanthin, may protect the lens and retina of the eye, acting as antioxidants. Greens are so rich in these micronutrients that just two servings a week are all that’s needed.
Bones – The vitamin K in leafy greens is thought to protect bone, helping it rebuild as it naturally breaks down. In studies, people who consumed leafy greens had lower risk of hip fractures and greater spine and hip bone density than those who didn’t.
Memory – Cognitive decline has been observed to be less in women eating the most leafy greens of those studied.
Diabetes – Overweight women can lower their risk of diabetes by eating leafy greens, according to researchers.
Stroke – Incidents of the most common form of stroke were reduced in women who ate leafy greens on a daily basis. The vegetables lower risk by 20% for every serving consumed each day.
If you’re convinced to increase your intake of these nutritional powerhouses, that’s great. Just note that vitamin K is known for its ability to help blood clot, so if you take a blood thinner, be sure to talk with your doctor first. Source: Nutrition Action Healthletter July/August 2007
Eyes – Two pigments in leafy greens, lutein and zeaxanthin, may protect the lens and retina of the eye, acting as antioxidants. Greens are so rich in these micronutrients that just two servings a week are all that’s needed.
Bones – The vitamin K in leafy greens is thought to protect bone, helping it rebuild as it naturally breaks down. In studies, people who consumed leafy greens had lower risk of hip fractures and greater spine and hip bone density than those who didn’t.
Memory – Cognitive decline has been observed to be less in women eating the most leafy greens of those studied.
Diabetes – Overweight women can lower their risk of diabetes by eating leafy greens, according to researchers.
Stroke – Incidents of the most common form of stroke were reduced in women who ate leafy greens on a daily basis. The vegetables lower risk by 20% for every serving consumed each day.
If you’re convinced to increase your intake of these nutritional powerhouses, that’s great. Just note that vitamin K is known for its ability to help blood clot, so if you take a blood thinner, be sure to talk with your doctor first. Source: Nutrition Action Healthletter July/August 2007
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Why You Should Choose Food Over a Supplement
While I don’t sell supplements, I do take a few, as my physicians advise. There are just certain nutrients I need that are hard to get enough of through diet. (I’ll explore those in an upcoming post.) With that said, I still use my diet to get the vast majority of the substances I need. Perhaps you can, too.
Hardly a day goes by without a claim by a marketer promoting a new antioxidant substance or compound, aimed at countering the damaging effect of oxidation caused by free radicals. This is serious stuff, as studies suggest that oxidation can damage DNA and transform normal cells into cancerous ones. Oxidation can also damage the eyes, the brain, and cartilage. Yet the American Heart Association now recommends against taking antioxidant supplements because clinical trials have not confirmed the benefits of these substances. In fact, some studies have even suggested a risk among certain populations.
The good news in all of this may lie in the reason some of these studies have been unsuccessful: it may take combinations of antioxidants to have a protective effect. These combinations are best found in whole foods and accessed through a varied and nutritious diet. In fact, according to Consumer Reports onHealth September 2007 issue, the average person has no need for supplements of vitamins A, C, E, or beta-carotene, known for their antioxidant effect.
There is considerable misinformation about supplements. Labeling a substance as “natural” does not make it safe; consider arsenic or hemlock. The idea that a supplement has been used for centuries does not guarantee its effectiveness or safety; many Chinese herbs can have damaging side effects. Some supplements interfere with prescription drugs and may in fact cause harmful effects. Finally, supplements are only loosely regulated by the government; studies confirm that the labels often do not accurately reflect the true ingredients of the contents.
Instead of looking to pills, focus on a broad selection of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. These foods will get you the entire array of plant chemicals along with the fiber. Look for variety in colors, as each color generally represents a different and important set of phytochemicals. Select dark and bright red, orange, yellow, green, purple and white foods. Rather than focusing on “super foods,” broaden your choices. This way you can omit a food you don’t like without much negative impact. Finally, be sure to maintain overall good eating habits as the inclusion of one star food such as pomegranate juice or dried plums (prunes) will not compensate for generally unhealthy habits.
Hardly a day goes by without a claim by a marketer promoting a new antioxidant substance or compound, aimed at countering the damaging effect of oxidation caused by free radicals. This is serious stuff, as studies suggest that oxidation can damage DNA and transform normal cells into cancerous ones. Oxidation can also damage the eyes, the brain, and cartilage. Yet the American Heart Association now recommends against taking antioxidant supplements because clinical trials have not confirmed the benefits of these substances. In fact, some studies have even suggested a risk among certain populations.
The good news in all of this may lie in the reason some of these studies have been unsuccessful: it may take combinations of antioxidants to have a protective effect. These combinations are best found in whole foods and accessed through a varied and nutritious diet. In fact, according to Consumer Reports onHealth September 2007 issue, the average person has no need for supplements of vitamins A, C, E, or beta-carotene, known for their antioxidant effect.
There is considerable misinformation about supplements. Labeling a substance as “natural” does not make it safe; consider arsenic or hemlock. The idea that a supplement has been used for centuries does not guarantee its effectiveness or safety; many Chinese herbs can have damaging side effects. Some supplements interfere with prescription drugs and may in fact cause harmful effects. Finally, supplements are only loosely regulated by the government; studies confirm that the labels often do not accurately reflect the true ingredients of the contents.
Instead of looking to pills, focus on a broad selection of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. These foods will get you the entire array of plant chemicals along with the fiber. Look for variety in colors, as each color generally represents a different and important set of phytochemicals. Select dark and bright red, orange, yellow, green, purple and white foods. Rather than focusing on “super foods,” broaden your choices. This way you can omit a food you don’t like without much negative impact. Finally, be sure to maintain overall good eating habits as the inclusion of one star food such as pomegranate juice or dried plums (prunes) will not compensate for generally unhealthy habits.
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