“Heart Healthy Habits”
January 27, 2011
I have created a top 10 list for you to enjoy about easy and healthy habits you can create and your heart will benefit.
1. Sodium Check – the recommended daily intake for sodium is 1,300mg. Many processed products are very high in sodium. Think about eating more natural products versus man-made products. (FYI – a Whopper has 1,310mg of sodium – a full day’s worth of sodium)
2. Hydrogenated Oil – it is best to eat food with no partially hydrogenated oils or trans fat on the nutrition label. Note: products can say that they have zero trans fat if it is .5g or less.
3. Calcium – according to a Harvard Study, people with low calcium in their diet have more calcium in the smooth muscle cells and that makes the arteries constrict and raise blood pressure. Study shows you can get calcium – 3 servings from low fat yogurt or low fat milk to satisfy the calcium requirement.
4. Nutritional Value: read the labels on products. It should have 20% or less of RDA for carbohydrates and aim for 5grams of fiber. This is especially important if blood-glucose is high.
5. Good Lifestyle – unfortunately good habits do not just cancel out the bad habits. For example, if you are smoking and not exercising but you think by eating fruits and vegetables, it will balance out, you are wrong.
6. Good Fats: fat-free doesn’t mean it is better than low fat. Many times fat-free foods add sugar and sodium in attempt to make the product taste good. Both monounsaturated fats like olive, canola, and peanut oils and polyunsaturated fats like in salmon, nuts and flaxseed can even lower cholesterol. Approximately 30% of calories can be from healthy fats.
7. Down time: it is important to leave yourself quiet time daily. Those who do not, have a higher risk for anxiety, mental stress, and potential chronic heart stress. As little as ten minutes a day can make a significant difference.
8. Legumes: try eating legumes 4 times a week and it can reduce risk of cardio vascular disease by 22% according to a large-scale study from Tulane University. Lentils are rich in soluble fiber and can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.
9. Whole Grains: three servings of whole grains per day rather than one serving can reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 30%, according to the Iowa’s Women’s Study.
10. Tea Time: both green and black tea are high in flavonoids, which can inhibit the clumping of platelets, blood clotting cells. This can prevent constriction in the arteries, which controls blood pressure and maintains normal blood flow.
**If you would like additional training, nutrition, and healthy living tips, you can visit LauraMak.com for more inside secrets. Be sure to sign up for our FREE weekly ezine, Mondays with Mak Attack Fitness, created for the health conscious fitness enthusiast who wants to feel good on the inside and look great on the outside!
Help for Stomach Disorders
December 21, 2010
Do you suffer from some kind of gastrointestinal (GI) problem, such as stomach upset or diarrhea? It’s not fun to talk about this subject, but it’s even worse to deal with it! Not only can GI disorders wreak havoc on the digestive tract, but they can also get in the way of your exercise programs, meal plans and social interactions. However, by making the right nutritional choices, you can begin to take back your life.
Here is a brief introduction to the most common GI conditions, along with nutritional recommendations for handling them from Natalie Digate Muth, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian, medical student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and master trainer for the American Council on Exercise
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The most prevalent GI disorder is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which causes abdominal pain, bloating, discomfort and changes in the frequency and consistency of bowel movements. Symptoms often worsen after you have eaten large meals, become emotionally upset or ingested milk products, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, carbonated, drinks or fatty foods.
High-fiber foods like broccoli, apples, and whole-grain breads can actually alleviate some of the symptoms of IBS by softening the stool and relieving constipation. Also, research suggests that probiotics – the live microbial organisms found in certain foodstuffs such as yogurt – may help. Minimizing stress through regular exercise can also help.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (also known as heartburn) causes pain from stomach acids being pushed up into the esophagus owing to relaxation of the sphincter that separates the esophagus from the highly acidic stomach contents. Typically, smoking, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, citrus fruits, and fatty foods exacerbate heartburn. If you have GERD, you should avoid alcohol, coffee, chocolate, citrus fruits, and fatty foods. Engaging in regular exercise is also recommended, especially if you are overweight or obese.
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance comes when your body doesn’t properly break down foods that contain lactose, a sugar found mostly in many dairy products. When this sugar is not properly broken down, water is drawn into the intestinal lumen, which leads to water diarrhea.
Lactose intolerant? Don’t avoid dairy products completely if you rely on them for your main source of calcium. Consume small amounts of them up to the point at which symptoms would appear (this is usually equivalent to about 8-12 ounces of milk). A calcium supplement or lactose-reduced milk can help. You can also eat yogurt with live cultures because it contains bacteria-derived lactase, which tends not to cause the usual symptoms of the condition.
Tips for Promoting Good Digestive Health
Follow these simple steps to prevent common digestive ailments:
- Eat More Fiber. Consume 20-35grams (g) per day to prevent constipation, diarrhea and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.
- Make Good Food Choices. Avoid junk food and snacks that are high in fats, sugars and refined carbohydrates. These types of foods are difficult for your body to digest in large quantities and can cause heartburn, bloating and constipation.
- Drink Lots of Fluids. Fluids aid mineral and vitamin absorption and help foods move comfortably through the digestive tract. Drinking 0-13 cups (75-100 ounces) of fluid a day can also ease constipation.
- Eat Moderate Portions. Pay attention to portion size. Eat more often, but less at each sitting. Smaller meals are digested more easily.
- Control Your Stress Levels. Stress can decrease the release of digestive enzymes and divert blood and oxygen from the digestive system to other parts of the body, leading to heartburn, bloating and constipation.
- Don’t Eat Right Before Going to Sleep. Studies have found that acid reflux sufferers who go to bed within three hours of eating are seven times more likely to experience reflux symptoms than those who eat earlier.
Courtesy of IDEA, the leading international membership association in the health and fitness industry.
Healthy Immunity during the Holidays
December 6, 2010
During the holidays our bodies tend to get run down from over commitments, lack of sleep, holiday parties, poor nutrition choices, or an increase in drink choices. None of which contribute to healthy immune system.
Protect yourself with rest or meditation, green nutrition (including broccoli, asparagus, spinach, etc) and plenty of water.
But if you are feeling like the immune system has been compromised, then here are a few solutions. Three great ways to beat a cold or flu before it beats you!
- Astragalus root in the form of tea is easy to brew and takes about 24 hours to work.
- Zinc Lozenges in the form of a gluconate lozenge works quickly and can be used every 2 hours.
- Yin Chiao is a supplement that comes in a pill form and should be taken at first sign of symptoms and used throughout the day.
Lime Halibut and Cucumbers
November 1, 2010
Enjoy this protein packed flavorful fish recipe that will be sure to energize your body and satisfy your taste buds! You may want to serve with broccoli, spinach, or asparagus.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound fresh or frozen skinless, boneless Halibut
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8teaspoon pepper
Nonstick spray coating
2 medium cucumbers, seeded, or zucchini, cut into 2x’/2-inch sticks
1 medium green or sweet red pepper, cut into 1/4-inch squares
1 teaspoon cooking oil
DIRECTIONS:
Thaw fish, if frozen. Cut into 1/4-inch pieces; set aside.
For sauce, stir together wine, chicken broth, lime juice, cornstarch, honey, ginger, coriander, and pepper. Set aside.
Spray a wok or large skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add cucumbers; stir-fry
11/2 minutes. Add green or red pepper; stir-fry about 11/2 minutes more or till crisp-tender. Remove from wok.
Add half of the fish to wok and stir-fi-y 2 to 3 minutes or till fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove from
wok. Add oil to hot wok. Add remaining fish and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or till fish flakes easily when tested with a
fork. Return all fish to wok. Push fish from center of wok.
Stir sauce and add to center of wok. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to wok; stir ingredients
together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
Calories: 161/serving
TIME:
Preparation Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 9 min.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:
23g protein
10g carbohydrate
2g fat
62mg cholesterol
129mg sodium
571mg potassium
-Low Fat -Low Cholesterol -Low Sodium
Processed Meat Mash
October 6, 2010
This article below was found in an email going around – it is absolutely frightening, and will definitely make you think twice about processed meats. Yikes!! Not for the faint stomach.
The photo above has been extensively passed around recently, and for good reason: it’s a peek into the rarely-seen world of mechanically separated meat, or Advanced Meat Recovery (AMR).
Fooducate writes:
Someone figured out in the 1960s that meat processors can eek out a few more percent of profit from chickens, turkeys, pigs, and cows by scraping the bones 100% clean of meat. This is done by machines, not humans, by passing bones leftover after the initial cutting through a high pressure sieve. The paste you see in the picture above is the result.
Michael Kindt continues:
There’s more: because it’s crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia… Then, because it tastes gross, it will be reflavored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color.
But, hey, at least it tastes good, right?
High five, America!
The resulting paste goes on to become the main ingredient in many of America’s favorite mass-produced and processed meat-like foods and snacks: bologna, hot dogs, salami, pepperoni, Slim Jim-like jerkys, and of course the ever-polarizing chicken nugget, where the paste from the photo above was likely destined.
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