Tag: diet

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How to make your coffee even healthier

Yes – even healthier!   Our previous post talked about some of the health benefits of coffee.  This post contains tips for making that next cup of coffee even healthier and things you can do to maximize the healthy benefits that coffee can bring to a healthy lifestyle.

Let’s start with the coffee itself – with the methods used for it’s growth and production.  If at all possible, try to go with organic coffee.  While coffee growers may not be the worst offenders in terms of herbicides and pesticides, you still want to avoid these toxins whenever possible.

Always try to get whole bean and grind your own coffee.  Coffee is a complex beverage; the flavor comes from hundreds of volatile compounds and oils found in roasted coffee beans.  Because of the volatile nature of these compounds, they can begin to dissipate quickly once the beans are ground and exposed to air.  It is these compounds that also contribute to the antioxidant qualities of coffee.  Best to grind right before brewing.

Consume shortly after brewing, or carafe quickly once done.  I prefer a method where the coffee is brewed directly in to a thermal carafe.  Many oils and volatile compounds are released from the grounds as the coffee is brewed.  These begin to evaporate or dissipate immediately after brewing.  To minimize this, avoid leaving an open pot or carafe sitting on a burner or warmer for extended periods after brewing.  Coffee that continues to heat or cook after brewing will undergo changes in both the taste and the antioxidant properties.

Use real cream or half and half or milk (organic of course) if you cream your coffee.
Avoid the non-dairy coffee creamers; read the labels and you’ll see a list of things you probably wouldn’t want to ingest on their own – why put them in your coffee.  Choose between milk or cream depending upon your diet and your goals for fat intake.

Finally, if you do need to sweeten your coffee, try stevia or a natural sweetener, or a small amount of sugar (preferably organic).  Avoid the artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame to avoid the toxin issues associated with artificial sweeteners.

Questions or comments – let me know; I’d love to hear from you.

 

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Have some coffee and boost your health!

Go ahead and enjoy some coffee today!

I’ve been meaning to post about coffee for some time now since it is something I enjoy and drink regularly.  While traveling in Kenya recently, I was able to enjoy many cups of excellent coffee.   So while it’s fresh on my mind, lets look at why you should go ahead and enjoy that cup of coffee and a few suggestions on how to help make it a bit healthier.

 

It may comes as a relief to some people that coffee can actually be a healthy drink.  Coffee is naturally full of antioxidants, and several studies have recently been released pointing out natural benefits and protection that comes from these antioxidants.  In addition, some studies point to some unique protective effects coffee seems to have on various parts or systems in our body.

 

According to recent studies, including those cited by a recent Life Extension Magazine article, these protective effects cover many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, liver disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.  Other recent studies cited by many media outlets including ABC News also link consumption of 3 or more cups of coffee a day to increased protection from the most common type of skin cancer.  It is interesting to note that the key in this particular study seems to be the caffeine, as drinkers of decaf did not seem to get the same protective benefit.

 

Coming up – tips for making that next cup of coffee even healthier; things you can do to maximize the healthy benefits that coffee can bring to a healthy lifestyle.

 

 

 

 

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How about grilling a healthy … burger?

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

When someone mentions healthy foods or foods that are good for you  – a burger is probably the first thing that comes to mind. However, there is a way to make a healthier burger and to add healthy garnishes and condiments to make it even more nutritious.
Here at some changes you could make to boost it’s nutrition and avoid some of its unhealthier aspects .

Let’s start with the burger itself – if you make it out of organically raised grass fed or pasture raised beef – that makes it better. You will avoid the hormones and antibiotics by going organic and get the benefit of healthier beef from a cow raised on the food they were designed to eat – grass.

If you make it from bison instead of beef – even better. Bison are free-range animals, and are raised without hormones and antibiotics. In addition, bison is a healthier red meat that doesn’t have the same amount of fat as beef.  Bison (buffalo) is even recommended for heart health by the American Heart Association because it is very low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.

A whole grain bun is better than a white bun – whole grain breads are always healthier than those made with white flour – even better if it’s organic. You could always skip the bun altogether and enjoy the burger with some healthy toppings.

Organic condiments like ketchup can help avoid more toxins – and of course, look for ketchup made with sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup.

For an added boost, consider adding some sprouts and avocado (organic of course).
You get some satisfying healthy fats from the avocado (which will help leave your hunger satisfied), and an added vitamin and enzyme boost from the sprouts.

Remember – you don’t have to do these all at once if it seems overwhelming. Take these steps one by one and transform your diet into a healthier one one little step at a time. After you make one change, move on to the next.

 

Questions or comments?  I’d love to hear from you – leave a reply in the box below.

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What’s holding you back?

So you’ve decided that you have some fitness goals, or want a healthier lifestyle, or want to lose weight, or want to get into shape and have your body look a certain way, or be able to run a 5k or 5 miles …  what’s holding you back?   It might just be you.

To often people sabotage their own success before they even start something.
Today – now – you have to eliminate negativity from your mind and from your psyche.   It’s very easy to look around and blame your friends, your spouse, your co-workers, your frame, your body type, genetics, the snack food in the vending machine, the fast food restaurants, your busy schedule or any of those things around you – the list could go on and on – seemingly endless.
You could also sabotage yourself mentally and emotionally thinking about past times when you’ve been discouraged or not reached a goal –  or about diets that you’ve been on in the past (remember – diets don’t work – change in lifestyle does).

You don’t have the luxury of thinking this way.

Where you are today is the result of all of the thoughts and actions you’ve taken in the past.  Remember, that is the past and what you want to focus on is NOW.

As long as you are living and breathing, it is not too late to make a change.

Yesterday is gone, and you don’t have tomorrow yet – but you do have today – you have this moment right now.   This is the time to decide who you want to be, what kind of shape you want to be in, what kind of lifestyle you want to have, what state you want your health to be in.

 

  1. Decide on your goal.  You may want to work with a coach or mentor if you’re not sure what your goal should be – but once you decide on it – right it down and keep it in front of you – literally.  You need to constantly remind yourself of where you are headed and what you want for yourself.  This is best done once you decide and commit it to paper.   Even better is to have a coach or mentor that helps keep you on track.  As a part of this, you have to decide what is most important to you.  Once you understand your goal, you can start to measure the things you eat and how you spend your time against that goals.  Some things will stack up, other things you will have to give up.   It won’t seem like much of a loss as long as you keep your goal in mind and before you.
  2. Don’t be discouraged that it will take some time and effort to reach your goals.  You didn’t get to where you are today overnight, and you won’t reach your goals overnight either.  You’re in this for the long term and you have to keep your long-term goals in mind.   The one exception to the overnight thing is that it’s not a bad idea to have some mini-goals that you can check off as successes along the way.  Decide to skip candy for a day, or dessert for a week, or to exercise every day for a month.  Checking off these short-term successes can be a great encouragement toward reaching a healthy lifestyle.
  3. Place reminders of your goal around you.  This might be a post-it note on your refrigerator, or on your bathroom mirror – or maybe on the background/desktop of your computer.  These reminders help keep you on track and help keep you from getting of track.  Just like you wouldn’t head East if you wanted to go West, you need reminders of where you’re headed.  Snacks, cookies, cakes, and lying on the couch snacking and watching TV every night are probably not going to help you attain a goal of a healthy lifestyle.  That doesn’t mean you can never eat a cookie or watch a TV show – but it should help you weigh out what’s important and whether your actions are moving you in the right direction.
  4. Change what you need to change to help you reach your goal. If you want to lose weight, don’t go into the donut shop.  If you want to get more physically fit, stop lying on the couch all night every night.  If you want to quit eating junk food, stop buying it and having it in the house.  If you have healthy foods around you – you will eat healthier things.  If you regularly spend some time exercising, you will get more physically fit.  If you get good regular sleep, you will be more rested and an overall healthier person.  Incorporate the good things you want into your lifestyle and remove those negative things that got you to a place where you don’t want to be.  Remember that if you want a different outcome, some things will need to change.
  5. Forget the past.  Its gone and over and you can’t go back and change anything about it.  You have today and the decisions you make right now will move you toward or away from your goal.  Want to lose weight – you will need to change some of the things you’ve done in the past – probably both diet and exercise (see the posts on which is more important).  Want to be able to perform better athletically – you are going to have to find some ways to exercise to help you reach your goal.  Any goal worth having is worth the work to get there.   If you don’t change anything then you won’t change either – that’s what got you to where you are today.

Finally, try to surround yourself with people to can encourage you toward your goal and with things and reminders that will help you get there.  The notes and reminders in your daily planner, and on your screen, mirror and refrigerator are all helpful.  People around you that encourage you toward your goal are even more helpful.   You should create an environment around yourself that helps drive you toward your goal.  It’s your life, and you can have a healthy lifestyle if you

 

 

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Juice or Juicing

There is a difference.

On the one hand, by juice I’m referring to the jars or cartons of grocery store juice; this stuff is usually clear, filtered, strained and sweetened – often with some added preservatives and flavors as well.  On the other hand, by juicing I’m referring to taking whole foods and using a Vitamix (my recommendation) or other powerful blender to make juice from whole foods.  Just to be clear – I’m referring to juice that still hs the pulp or fiber from the whole food included – not strained, filtered, or extracted juice.  Here are a few of the differences between the two and reasons you should be using a Vitamix.

Freshness

Juice in a jar has been made, distributed, bottled, stored, distributed yet again and then purchased from your store before finally reaching your home.  In extreme cases – for example in the case of orange juice –  the juice may have been stored a year or more before being “enhanced” and packaged and sent to your grocer.
There is no juice fresher than that consumed right after you make it.

 

Fiber

Clear juice in a jar or bottle has been strained and filtered to the point where virtually all of the fiber has been removed.  When you make your own juice from whole foods, they still retain all of the benefit that they did before being made into juice.  While it’s true that the fruit won’t crunch in your mouth like it did before being juiced in your Vitamix, you’ll still be ingesting all of the fiber and nutrition – just in pulverized form.

 

Nutrition

Fresh juice (namely juice made at home with a Vitamix) tends to have a higher antioxidant, enzyme and phytonutrient count as a result of being freshly juiced, and not strained, filtered, and pasteurized. In addition, many juices and especially juice drinks that are labeled as 100% juice or 100% natural contain additional apple or grape juice or juice concentrates as sweeteners.  Stick with fresh made juice – for the freshest and most nutrition, make your own.

 

Juice can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but you’re best off when it’s your own fresh made juice.  This way you control the ingredients, can certain of what is and isn’t in the juice, can avoid unnecessary sugar or artificial sweeteners, and can customize the juice to your tastes.   I recommend always including some vegetables in your fruit juice for balance and nutrition.

 

 

 

 

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Five more foods you should start eating

This is the second in a series on foods you really should eat regularly – foods should be part of your healthy lifestyle.  If you missed our first five, you’ll want to go back and review those as well.  I’ll go into more detail on each one of these foods in other posts.

Bison is a great source of protein.  If you like to eat red meat, then you should add bison to your list of must eat foods.   Bison offers several advantages over beef – including that lower in fat (and calories) and cholesterol.  Watch for an entire post dedicated to Bison coming soon.

 

Celery is another low calorie item that should be on your must eat list.
Low in calories, celery is a good source of naturally occurring vitamins C and K.  It also has been shown to have a beneficial effect on both cholesterol and blood pressure.
Tip:  if you don’t like the taste of celery, add a thin layer of almond butter, or throw a stalk in your smoothie.   With a good high powered juicer like a VItamix, you honestly probably won’t even know it’s in there.

Cherries a delicious addition to your must eat list.  Naturally high in antioxidants, sour or tart cherries are helpful for joint pain – especially sour or tart cherry juice.   They pack a an additional punch by helping reduce inflammation as well.  As an added benefit, they’re delicious!  Many people also report that they sleep better when they eat cherries, as they have a positive effect on your body’s levels of melatonin (a natural substance that is produced by your body that helps to regulate sleep/wake cycles).

 

Chocolate   – that’s right – chocolate!  While chocolate is toxic for dogs and other animals, it has been found to have a positive effect on people in several ways.  Dark chocolate especially is a good source of antioxidants, it also has been found to be heart-health friendly (as long as you don’t eat too much of it!); the flavonoids (antioxidants) seem to be especially beneficial to your heart in a protective way – and in moderation, it can help keep your blood pressure and cholesterol readings in healthy ranges   It can also help curb your appetite for other sweets.  Many people find that if they eat a couple squares of good quality dark chocolate that they feel like they’ve gotten your “chocolate fix” –  without as much fat and sugar as milk chocolate.

Coconut Oil is one of my favorite foods … ever.   I eat a spoonful of coconut oil every morning and every evening just for the benefits and healthy fats.  It’s good both in and on your body, as it makes a great moisturizer as well.  Coconut oil has been mentioned before in a posting on healthy oils, and has so many beneficial qualities that it will be featured soon in it’s own posting.

 

Questions, comments, or want to find out more?   Leave me a comment below – I’d love to hear from you.

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Five foods you should start eating now

So many websites focus on what NOT to eat, or what to stop eating.    We have that mental list of things that we’ve heard aren’t good for you, and those things we know aren’t good for you.   This is the first in a series on foods you really should eat regularly – that should be part of your healthy lifestyle.  I’ll go into more detail on each one of these in other posts.

Almonds are a great source of good fats (yes, you do need fat in your diet).  They also have protein, are a good source of magnesium, vitamin E, and calcium.  Have a handful or two a day (roughly 2 ounces) if you feel hunger coming on or the need for a snack.   By all means skip the salted and smoked almonds though.  For the maximum benefit, stick with raw, unsalted almonds.  Also think about almond butter as a healthy alternative to peanut butter.

Apples are beneficial in so many ways!
Here are a few reasons you should try to eat one or two apples every day.
Apples are a good source of fiber, and the fiber in apples has been shown to act as a natural statin.  They are also low calorie; at 100 calories or less for a typical apple, an apple is a great substitute for other sweet snacks.
Be sure to check out the post on an apple or two a day for more detail.

Blackberries are a great source of antioxidants and various vitamins and minerals, and are a great topping on a number of foods, or enjoyed whole as a healthy snack.  Throughout the summer months, fresh local blackberries are usually not that expensive either.  Consider them as a topping to your cereal, oatmeal, or throw  a handful in your smoothie.   Frozen blackberries make a great snack and also work really well in a smoothie – especially if you have a powerful blender or a Vitamix.

Blueberries are another powerhouse; they pack an amazing amount of antioxidants and phytonutrients.  They are also a good source of vitamins and minerals like manganese.   Like blackberries, blueberries are great fresh or frozen, and are a nice addition to a healthy smoothie.  By all means try to obtain organic blueberries if possible since blueberries are especially prone to pesticide contamination.

Chia seeds are an amazing food and have been used for their nutritional benefit for centuries –  long before they became a fad or used on “pets” sold during the holidays!  Chia seeds are a good source of omega 3 fatty acids and a number of other minerals, especially calcium and phosphorus.   Easily incorporated into your diet by sprinkling on salad, cereal, yogurt, or stirred into juices and drinks.

Questions, comments, or want to find out more?   Leave me a comment below – I’d love to hear from you.

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What’s the deal with sprouts?

If you’re not already familiar with them, sprouts can seem pretty weird!  This post will give you some basic info on sprouts, why they’re good for you, how to eat them.

Sprouts are basically just seeds that have been sprouted (allowed to start the process of growing), and usually also given a chance to “green up” a bit to develop a bit of the chlorophyll.  There are many different kinds of sprouts, though most people are probably familiar with or have seen alfalfa sprouts or bean sprouts.  Both are popular on salad bars, and you’ll often find bean sprouts in various Chinese or Thai meals.

Sprouts are good for you for several reasons:

They’re raw.    Raw foods contain enzymes that are not found in cooked foods.  When foods are cooked (above 117 degrees for three minutes or more) many changes occur – including the destruction of enzymes that are good for your health.   Sprouts are an easy and delicious way add raw food and get these enzymes back into your diet.

They’re packed with nutrients.   The process of a seed sprouting actually increases the vitamin and mineral content when it sprouts.   This is an easy and natural way to get nutrients in a natural and very digestible manner.

Talk about natural!  Sprouts require no fertilizer, pesticides, or anything other than water.  Best of all, if you buy organic sprouts or start with organic seeds, you know that you’re not ingesting any unwanted pesticides or chemicals – only the natural nutrients provided by the process of sprouting.

Sprouts are delicious!  Depending on the type of sprout, sprouts can have little flavor, be very subtle, or even rather bold tasting.  Some sprouts are nutty or spicy tasting.  I recommend that most people start with alfalfa sprouts.   They’re mild tasting, easy to buy already sprouted in most grocery stores, and easy to grow at home.  They also have a mild taste, so it’s an easy addition to many foods.   From there – experiment!  You’ll find that there are a variety of readily available sprouts, and many options if you grow your own.

Sprouts can be incorporated into your diet in so many ways!   Here are three ways you can try (but don’t stop here – try your own combinations).

  1. Add them as a topping to your salad.   This is a pretty easy way to add sprouts to your diet, as you can add them to your salad without changing the flavor much, and you can even begin to do this if you eat out at a salad bar
  2. Add them as a topping on a sandwich.  Sprouts can add a healthy snap to your sandwich both in terms of taste and texture.  Add a forkful or two of sprouts to your next sandwich for an easy nutritional boost.
  3. Add them to your juice.  Juice should already be a regular part of your healthy lifestyle.   Toss a forkful or two of sprouts into your blender or Vitamix the next time you make juice to get the added nutritional benefit.   With a good blender or even better – a Vitamix, the sprouts will be incorporated into the juice without leaving any chunks, bits, or anything stringy.

 

Have a question or something to say about this post?  Leave a comment below – I’d love to hear from you.

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What about probiotics?

There has been a lot of interest in probiotics recently, and I often get questions from people about them:  what are they, are they really good for you, and do I use them.  This is a brief look at probiotics, what are, how they benefit you, and why I regularly use them, and how you might incorporate them into your diet.

Basically, probiotics are beneficial bacteria (live) that are thought to have a positive effect on several aspects of your health.  In simple terms, you can think of these as the bacteria behind many of the fermented foods we eat: yogurt, kefir, and raw sauerkraut.  You can also obtain probiotics in pill form, which can be helpful for travel or situations where you may not have access to a natural source.

The beneficial bacteria in probiotics are believed to have many positive effects on one’s health; that’s the reason for the recent and renewed interest in probiotics.  Among other things, there seems to be a strong link between consumption of probiotics and a number of health issues including:  diarrhea, constipation, overall gut health, gas, indigestion, and an overall boost to the immune system.  There are numerous other health benefits attributed to probiotics – enough to warrant your own use and see how you benefit.

I use them for all these reasons – and to help keep the proper balance of bacteria in the gut.  Stress, antibiotics, travel, and exposure to pathogens are just some of the things that can throw off the balance of good/bad bacteria in your system.  I use them regularly at home and carry some probiotic capsules with me when I travel.  I personally like the Enzymatic Therapy brand (Pearls), but there are many other good ones available too.  These are readily available online and at many mass market retailers and drugstores.

You can incorporate probiotics into your diet on a daily basis in a number of ways.  Yogurt with live cultures and Kefir are two easy ways to get a daily helping of probiotics.   I personally drink a cup of Kefir daily for the boost it gives me.  There are even yogurts and yogurt drinks with increased levels of beneficial bacteria to help provide a greater boost.   You can also use raw sauerkraut or other vegetable based probiotics to your diet (raw because cooking kills of the beneficial bacteria) as a delicious way to add probiotics to your diet.

 

As with everything, I recommend that you make this a part of a healthy lifestyle – something you do regularly to benefit your healthy.   This way you’ll always get the protective benefits and the boost that probiotics can bring.

 

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Get Juiced

Healthy juice is something that should be a part of your healthy diet and lifestyle all year long, but it especially makes sense during the warmer months of the year.
Juice is quick
With a high quality juicer like a Vitamix or a powerful blender, you can quickly make healthy juice from such a wide a variety of fruits and veggies.   It’s easy to quickly make a drink that’s packed full of antioxidants, cool, refreshing, and filled with the flavor of all of the fresh fruits available.   Typically, 30-60 seconds is all you need to thoroughly blend all your ingredients.

I recommend a Vitamix if you’re in the market for a juicer, but any powerful blender should do an adequate job of liquifying everything quickly.   If you don’t already have a juicer or blender, consider a blender from Vitamix.   This type of blender retains all of the pulp and fiber, and will quickly liquify all ingredients, including ice.   See our special offers page or use the button to the right for free shipping if you decide to order one.
Juice is cool and refreshing when you don’t feel like eating
In the warmer months, it’s easy to fall into the trap of not eating because you don’t want to heat up the stove, kitchen, or grill.  The problem is that many people tend to snack on what is convenient or what might be on the counter or in the pantry (tip – don’t even buy junk food in the first place and you won’t have it to snack on when you’re tempted).
Instead of reaching for a candy bar or chips, cookies or whatever your typical snack might be – whip up a quick juice drink and get the benefits of whole raw food.
Juice makes healthy options even easier
The next time you blend up some juice – throw in a celery stick or some kale or some fruit that has a texture you “don’t like”.  I’ve posted in the past about adding some vegetables to your fruit juices balance the sugar content of the fruit.
It is easy to incorporate a stalk of celery, or some kale, or chard or fruits like mango or pineapple into any juice.  Throw in a handful of sprouts or a tablespoon of chia seeds for an added nutritional boost.

Get creative – you’ll discover it’s easy to come up with healthy combinations that are quick to make, delicious, refreshing and packed with nutrition.    I like to use pineapple, blueberries, strawberries or melon as the base for most of my smoothies; from there I add in some veggies, sprouts and enjoy.   I find it’s nice to add a splash of icewater with some crushed ice for a nice consistency.   Tip:  freeze your blueberries and strawberries when they’re in season and enjoy them in your smoothies.   A powerful blender like a Vitamix will have no trouble pulverizing the frozen berries.