Health Fitness Support » General

Meet the Fats

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:41:09 +0000

“Sat” and “Trans” are the “Bad Fats Brothers” and “Poly” and “Mon” are the “Better Fats Sisters.”

This is from the American Heart Association to help us learn the difference between the different types of fat.

Bottom line: limit and/or eliminate trans fat and saturated fat. Replace those with polyunsaturated fat (sources include salmon, trout, walnuts and corn oil) and monounsaturated fat (sources include olive oil, avocados and nuts).

Go Meet the Fats to learn more about the different types of fat and what they do.

Have a great weekend!

Dwell No More

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:41:05 +0000

Buy the boxes. Pack the boxes. Load the boxes. Roll out… College here we come!

For many people leaving for college is a very emotional experience; you miss your friends, your family, your home (especially home cooking!). But, some take it a lot harder than others. If there is one mistake both kids and parents can make when finally fleeing the coop for college, it is dwelling on it.

Here is my advice:

Kids: It is ok to be sad when you say goodbye and for a day and a few nights after. But the time has to come when you have to make friends. Believe it or not, there is about a two week window from the minute you arrive at school to make your first and maybe future friends. You MUST take advantage of those first two weeks when you are feeling lonely as well as others too, to meet your peers. As hard as it may be, you have to muster up the courage to walk around your floor and knock on everyone’s door and introduce yourself. You may feel unsure and out of place at first, but in reality you are doing what everyone else was too afraid to do themselves. Once you make some friends and joke about how much you miss Mom’s cooking or your queen-size bed at home, you will be like instant family and maybe even hang out that weekend. At the very least, you will know who to say hi to when you are walking down the stairs.

Parents: Do not call if you have not heard from your child in between classes… it means he/she is spreading their wings! This is the time when you have to let them live and experience life for themselves, and make their own (forgivable) mistakes. If you have raised them well, they will not do anything to disappoint you, they will only make you prouder. It is ok to check up on them or even insist on a text in the morning and a goodnight call but do not suffocate them with your intrusion or they may disappoint just to escape.

Both: if all goes according to my advice and plan, college will not be the worst thing for you or your child… it will be the best and will actually benefit your relationship and mutual understanding.

Core Stability Exercises Guide

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:41:04 +0000

In the world of fitness there are different trends. At the moment the latest trend is recognising the need for core stability exercises. Not many of us actually do it but exercising the core of the body is vital. Instead we spend our time working on our arm and leg muscles.

Why is it that core stability exercises are becoming more popular? I believe that is because people now recognise the importance of having a strong spine. If your spine is not strong then you are more susceptible to injury.

If you core is weak then it is not hard to work out which area you are like to have problems with. That is right, back problems. Like anything, prevention is better than cure, so by doing your core stability exercises you are doing as much as you can to prevent yourself from suffering in the future.

Although common, bad backs aren’t the only problem. If your posture isn’t good then you could be putting too much pressure on other parts of your body. This can lead to other injuries in the knee area.

Hopefully that has convinced you of the merits of doing core stability exercises to reduce injury. The next reason for doing them is that if you workout regularly then you will be able to work out much harder if your core is strong. Even better, your exercises will be done more easily.

Not everyone wants to workout in the gym and that is fine. You can do these exercises in your own house. They are very flexible which means that you can do them in a small space. You don’t have to worry about your free time suffering as they won’t take very long.

I am sure that your next session at the gym will involve more core stability exercises. That is good and your core will thank you! That little extra effort now will be worth it in the future.

Coconut Peanutbutter and Tropical Traditions:

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:41:01 +0000

Hey there!!!

I have reviewed products in the past for a company by the name of Tropical Traditions! I was able to try out a new product by the company and was so excited to get it in the mail the other day! The founders of Tropical Traditions are Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.
Brian W. Shilhavy, BA, MA Brian earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible/Greek from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and his Master of Arts degree in linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. He is currently the CEO of Tropical Traditions, Inc.
Marianita Jader Shilhavy, BS, CND (Certified Nutritionist/Dietician in the Philippines) earned her bachelor of science degree in nutrition in Manila. Understanding the nutrition of Filipino foods, Marianita worked for over eight years as a hospital dietician and nutritional counselor in the Philippines.

In 1998 Brian and Marianita returned to the Philippines with their three children and renovated Marianita’s old family farmhouse. By this time the coconut industry was severely depressed due to the negative U.S. campaigns against tropical oils in the 1980s and 1990s. Coconut farmers could no longer support their families on the income generated from harvesting coconuts.

How We Discovered Virgin Coconut Oil:
When I first read about the wonderful benefits of coconut oil, I asked my wife Marianita, who grew up on a coconut plantation in the Philippines, if there was a more natural way to extract the oil from the coconut, so that we didn’t have to buy the refined coconut oils found in all the stores in the Philippines. She said there was a method the older generation used to extract the oil by grating the fresh coconut, extracting the coconut milk, and then letting the coconut milk stand in a covered container for about 24 hours. After about 24 hours, the oil naturally separates from the water producing a crystal clear oil that retains the full scent and taste of coconuts. So we started making our coconut oil that way and using it for our cooking needs with our three children. We couldn’t believe how wonderful it tasted, and how great we felt. We had been living on Mt. Banahaw in the Philippines for almost two years by that time, and in the year 2000 telephone service was provided to our rural farming community, allowing me to put up a website about our Philippine Herbs. I decided to also put our Virgin Coconut Oil up on the website, not really expecting people to order it because it was a bit expensive since we had to hire people to make the oil, and shipping cost a lot because of the weight. We were so surprised when people started ordering, and then re-ordering it because they felt so great after using it! They told us there was no other coconut oil like it on the market. (See a sample of testimonies.)
Before long we had businesses contacting us asking how to order it in bulk. So we discussed how we could mass produce this kind of oil, and almost abandoned the product because we didn’t want to lose the traditional way of making it. In the end, we decided to just keep making it the same way, by having others in our coconut community also make the oil the traditional way. Many of our producers are in areas so remote, that if they did not use their coconuts to produce Virgin Coconut oil for us, no one would buy their coconuts because it would cost too much to transport them to manufacturing plants. In these areas, the coconuts generally just fell to the ground unused until we started training people to make our Virgin Coconut Oil. We were the first ones to export Virgin Coconut Oil from the Philippines to the US market. The success overwhelmed us.

Today, more than 7 years later, there are other companies now selling coconut oil again in the US, most of them mass-produced by machines. But we are committed to time-honored traditional practices that have produced healthy coconut oil for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Our producers have learned a lot of things over the years, since most of them have been producing this oil for over 6 years now. They have learned how to pick out the best coconuts from each harvest that produce the best quality oil, for example. Their most recent discovery came in 2007 when certain groups in rural areas had problems with water sources. Water is needed to make the coconut milk from which the oil is extracted. Using true Filipino ingenuity, they started collecting and using the pure nutritious coconut water from inside the organic coconuts instead. They noticed that the water separated from the oil much quicker, and that the end result was a higher quality and better tasting Virgin Coconut Oil. Independent laboratory analysis shows this to be one of the highest quality coconut oils on the market, having the highest levels of antioxidants. This enhanced Virgin Coconut Oil is now in the US market under the Tropical Traditions Gold Label brand. It meets our strictest standards to earn this designation. Today when you buy Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, you are buying the highest quality coconut oil we have to offer, and it is still made by hand and benefiting families in the rural areas of the Philippines where the coconuts grow.
Do you know where your food is coming from?

Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Peanut Butter is made from organic peanuts and organic coconut. Two ingredients: nothing else! No fillers, no binders, no sweeteners, and no preservatives. The peanuts are 100% organic Valencia peanuts grown organically by family farmers in New Mexico and Texas. Grown in the dry climate of the southwestern United States, these peanuts are certified organic and free from aflatoxins. The dried coconut is certified organic coconut meat from the Philippines from coconuts that are grown with no fertilizers or pesticides. This premium dried coconut contains no additives or preservatives, and is not sweetened. Unlike most dried coconut on the market, our dried coconut products are not treated nwith sulfites to keep them white. Together, these premium organic roasted peanuts and the premium organic dried coconut are ground together to make a delicious and nutritious spread!

This peanut butter rocked my world! I love coconut and you already know my love for nut butters so needless to say I LOVED IT!

Finding good food sources and healthy products is an ongoing endeavor, and the products sold through Tropical Traditions are the products I have trusted to meet the needs of my own family. I won’t sell you products that I won’t use personally or give to my own children. With meats and dairy products, it is not enough to simply be “organic.” We believe that animals raised on pasture are preferable to animals in feed lots eating organic grains and organic soy, and so we give preference to animals raised on grass and sunshine, and farmers practicing sustainable agriculture.

How are Products Chosen for Tropical Traditions?
We have a strong commitment to family farming and organic standards. We stand firmly against genetically modified foods (No GMOs). But the organic label is not enough for us. We research and find out where the products are produced, and how they are produced. We find that some organic standards too loose for our trust, so we look beyond what is claimed on a label. We find out as much as possible about those who provide the products. And if a certain quality of product does not exist, we will work with others to produce that product and offer it to our consumers. We did that with Virgin Coconut Oil in the Philippines, and we have done the same thing since coming back to live here in the US.

I put this goodness to the test with a greek yogurt mess and oh my way it goooooood!

This is greek yogurt, coconut pb, chopped almonds, raspberry jam, a plum, handful of raisins and chia seed. This bowl held me over for almost four hours! I give the coconut butter the credit

I Love this site and so will you! Go check it out at

www.tropicaltraditions.com

Let me know if you buy anything and if you already have purchased from this site let me know what your favorite product is!

I hope you all have a great day and I will see you tomorrow !

-Heather

No-cook pasta sauce: Caprese Penne Pasta Salad

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:40:51 +0000

My friend Kalyn is looking for No-Cook Pasta Sauce for Nights When It’s Too Hot to Cook. Here’s one I created last summer when I had my garden was bursting with tomatoes and basil.

The exact nutritional and Weight Watchers POINTS values will depend on what type of pasta you use – regular, whole wheat or low carb. I recommend using nutritious whole wheat pasta for the taste and health benefits, though the low carb pastas are delicious and healthy, too.

Caprese Penne Pasta Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 12-ounce box of low carb or whole wheat penne pasta
1 cup diced tomatoes – use Roma and/or yellow tomatoes
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
8 ounces of buffalo mozzarella, diced
1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped fine
1/2 cup no fat Italian salad dressing

Directions:

Cook penne as directed until the pasta is al dente (firm but cooked through) – about 13-15 minutes.
Prepare a large bowl or pan with ice water – enough to cover the cooked pasta.
Drain the pasta and immediately submerge it in the ice water to stop the cooking process. If necessary, change out the water or add more ice to cool down the noodles.
Chop tomatoes, mozzarella and basil and place in a large serving bowl.
Add cooled noodles.
Cover with Italian dressing and toss to coat.
Chill salad in refrigerator until it’s time to serve.
Toss salad once more before serving.

Nutritional information for Caprese Penne Pasta dish using whole wheat pasta:

Calories 326
Calories from Fat 80
Total Fat 8.9g
Saturated Fat 4.9g
Cholesterol 21mg
Sodium 498mg
Total Carbohydrates 45.6g
Dietary Fiber 6.7g
Sugars 3.0g
Protein 19.5g
Vitamin A 14%
Vitamin C 11%
Calcium 31%
Iron 17%

Nutrition Grade B+ from CalorieCount.

Nutritional information for low carb and whole wheat pastas

Atkins Cuisine Penne Pasta has 140 calories, 1g of fat, 60mg sodium, 18g fiber, 1g sugar, and 11g protein per serving (1/2 cup dry pasta). A cup of cooked pasta would be 2 Weight Watchers POINTS.
Garofalo organic whole wheat spaghetti has 180 calories, 1g of fat, 20mg of sodium, 4g fiber, 2g sugar and 8g protein in 1 cup of cooked pasta. This equals 3 Weight Watchers POINTS.
Ronzoni Smart Taste has 180 calories, 1g of fat, 5mg sodium, 6g fiber, 2g sugar, and 6g of protein or 3 Weight Watchers POINTS.
Dreamfields Pasta has 190 calories, 1g of fat, 10mg sodium, 5g fiber, 1g sugar, and 7g of protein or 3 Weight Watchers POINTS.

DVD Giveaway! Billy Blank Jr.’s “Dance With Me Cardio Fit”

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:40:32 +0000

Since stationary biking and physical therapy are all the workouts I’m getting these days, and my “regular” DVD reviewer (daughter Cassie) is currently brewing grandbaby number 3 (due in early February), daughter Carlene has stepped up to the plate and will be muscling her way through the backlog of workout videos Lynn’s Weigh has agreed to review and give away.

Carlene is my oldest daughter. She just moved out of her teeny tiny graduate apartment (seriously, it was the size of a toaster with only one window that measured maybe 18 by 24 inches) after graduating with her masters degree in history. Now she’s living in a real apartment with real (and, unfortunately, buck naked) neighbors and off-street parking. The place is big enough to work out in, so I handed her five videos the other day and said, “Knock yourself out, kid!” I just hope she doesn’t take me literally.

If you’d like to throw your name in the hat to win this DVD, leave a comment below or send an email to lynnbering@verizon.net. I’ll draw a winner on Wednesday, September 8.

Now without further ado, I give you Carlene’s review of Billy Blanks Jr.’s “Dance With Me Cardio Fit”:

I’m not a dancer. Not even a little bit. When I try to move my arms and legs at the same time to some sort of rhythm, it typically ends in failure and embarrassment. In fact, I was a dance school drop-out before age 5. So when my mom forced…er…I mean asked me to review Billy Blanks Jr.’s “Dance With Me Cardio Fit,” I had to put on my big girl panties and do it, no matter how ridiculous I looked.

Turns out, “Dance With Me Cardio Fit” is fun and really gets the heart (and arms and legs) moving. Blanks divides his DVD into several dance workouts, including Hip Hop, County, and Bollywood. The music is a bit too techno-popish for my taste, as I’d rather dance/workout to real music of the last 10 years, but I suppose that would cost the production company too much in royalties. My solution: learn the moves, mute the television and put it to your own soundtrack. Not only will your own music pump you up, but you’ll still have cutie-petutie Billy Blanks Jr. to ogle.

My favorite workout was Hip Hop, followed by Bollywood then Country. Because each segment is fast paced and lasts only 12 minutes, it is challenging to pick up the dance moves on the first try. I’m sure it looked more like I was convulsing than dancing, but even I, the dance school drop-out, picked them up on the most basic level.

In addition to the dance moves, each segment has a 2-minute cardio burst, aimed at revving up the pace and working your heart. While I’m not a total fitness dunce, I have to admit, by the time I got to my second cardio bursts, my butt was kicked. Unless you are some sort of fitness goddess, this will definitely make you sweat. However, because you are dancing it feels less like an aerobic workout and more like a party.

Happy dancing!

Ground beef stir fry | Low carb recipes.

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:40:29 +0000

Ground beef stir fry | Low carb recipes.: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Drink Coffee For A Healthier You

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:40:28 +0000

Author: Jim Brown
Title: Drink Coffee For A Healthier You

Article: Coffee is like a friend, you can grow old with it. It is today, one of the sought-after libation which can be flexible all throughout the day. It can be best in the morning, some people prefer it after a heavy meal perhaps and is satisfying in the evening before retreating to bed.

Aside from the aroma, it has varieties, it is easy to prepare, and can go with different flavor, steaming or ice-cold. If you’re thinking about a birthday present for one of your friends, a bag of coffee beans is a lovely gift to freshen up a morning kick-off, stimulate the senses, foster mind focus and concentration and cozy up a cold evening. Aside from those mentioned, what are the benefits of drinking coffee? While a few claims are made that coffee is not good for the health, coffee has in fact numerous benefits for the health including a boost to memory, concentration and performance.

There have been studies that also established definitive information linking coffee to positive effects to health problems like diabetes and asthma. When feeling feeble and unsteady on your feet, coffee has been found to have significant contributions to ease out that groggy feeling which could be a result from stress and fatigue. Notice that long hours on work could also lead to sleepiness or dizziness and your eyes become too tired but coffee can aid keeping you awake and upbeat.

In studies with animals, observations have been made about the positive effects of coffee to minimize if not eliminate stiffness. Having Parkinson’s and its risk to develop the disease did not show direct and positive relationship to coffee and caffeine according to some researches and studies that have been conducted with human beings as subjects. Conclusions have been drawn from studies that in fact caffeine consumption alleviates the symptoms. The same results for coffee have been concluded regarding lowered risks for Diabetes.

People who work during night shifts have trouble staying up and a couple of cups can address proneness to sleep in the workplace and decreased attention due to lack of sleep or fatigue. While coffee could battle these behaviors, it also has favorable effects for safer driving. A cup of coffee is a good answer to wake you up and sleep away your drowsiness.

There are some who advocate coffee to be a health detriment because it is addictive. It is the addiction however that can be harmful so it is in drinking coffee with moderation that will allow you to experience its benefits. Coffee has several other advantages. It has become a loyal companion to friends who are into catching up with a few important things in life. It keeps someone company for anyone who needs a get away or an escapade.

So, don’t hesitate to grab your own favorite beans today while you also check a good bag of beans to give your friend. Who knows? You could be introducing her or him to beneficial health effects besides the aroma and flavor that they could enjoy, anywhere and anytime of the day! James Brown writes about Instawares deals, CHEF”s web code and Abt Electronics coupon

Syndication Source: ThoughtSearch.com

Lose 5 Pounds In A Week

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:40:27 +0000

If you’re searching to shed 5 lbs in a week, then you need to read every single word of this post meticulously. In the event you cannot lose 5 pounds in the few days, following the advice of the article, then nothing can aid you. Get rid of five Pounds In the 1 week The

End of an era (for me) this is Beyond Meds last post

admin — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:40:23 +0000

Thank you to all my readers for being part of this transformative journey with me. It’s time for me to move on and do other things. This blog, depending on which ranking system you look at, is between number 1 and number 5 or so of non-pharma funded mental health blogs. I feel good about [...]