Why You Need to Control Stress

We all know that uncontrolled stress can be the cause of numerous health ailments. Sometimes, it's obvious while other times it's not. Uncontrolled stress is the level where you feel your life is out of control. Some amounts of stress are needed. For instance, sometimes the added adrenalin gets things going. I know, for myself, that having time deadlines is stimulating and helps me stay on track. To some, the added stress of time deadlines may be too much. For me, it's welcomed. Everyone is different...For you, it may be something else.

Uncontrolled stress may result in:

Poor time management skills
Disorganization
Hair loss
Sleep deprivation
Poor nutrient absorption
High blood pressure
Increased heart rate
Muscle tightness
Mental instability
Excessive nervous energy
Overeating (if you use food as a comfort mechanism)
Skin disorders
Headaches

On and on....

Stress management is essential. And...it's not that difficult.

Address the Mess

Join Steven Colbert's movement to help clean the Gulf Mess....

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/312644/june-16-2010/brevity-is-the-soul-of-twit

Easy Heart Healthy Habits

Everywhere we turn there seems to be news about how to maintain and develop a healthy heart lifestyle. Here are some suggestions, I hope you find useful. They work for me, so there's no reason they don't work for you.

Get more vitamin D.

End stressful relationships.

Play with animals, get a pet.

Engage in music therapy.

Increase your potassium intake.

Eat more whole grains.

Drink more green tea.

Exercise daily.

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Healthy Computer Tip

For those using a computer on a regular basis, here's something that may be helpful. Most of us need a mouse when using our computers. Instead of spending money on a new mouse pad, make your own.

Take some bubble wrap and roll it up into the size you need to lift your wrist to the proper height. Tape the bubble wrap to secure it in the roll formation. Place this roll underneath your wrist. The proper roll height will be when your hand is level with your wrist. You do not want your hand either going down or up when using the mouse. Using a mouse will help prevent the development of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Even if you need to purchase bubble wrap, it is dirt cheap compared to a new mouse pad.

Good luck and happy computing to you!

Mint To The Rescue...Marvelous Mint

Do you enjoy the taste of mint and peppermint? If so, you can gain numerous benefits other than its refreshing taste. Here are some ways the herb can help you...

Aids indigestion. When you experience stomach upsets, take some mint. Make a tea out of the herb and slowly sip it. Drink a cup of warm tea after a meal to help your digestion process. Add a tablespoon of dried peppermint leaves (organic preferred) to one cup of boiling water. Let it steep for five minutes. Remove the leaves and enjoy your medical beverage. If you prefer, eat the leaves.

Controls cramps. Mint can help with your constipation, cramps and diarrhea. You can either use tea for this purpose, or take a capsule of peppermint oil extract to help relieve these symptoms.

Headache relief. Refresh your senses and ease your headache pain by using mint topically. Mix one drop of peppermint essential oil with one teaspoon of almond oil together. Apply the mixture to your fingertips. Gently rub both of your temples with the oil.

Increase alertness. Another topical use for mint can perk you up. Mix together five teaspoons of water and three drops of peppermint essential oil. Place this mixture into a spray bottle. Close the top. Shake to mix thoroughly. You can either gently spritz your face with this herbal mixture or lightly spritz your surrounding air. The choice is yours. Either way, you will begin to feel rejuvenated and alert. (This is great after one of those long BORING company meetings).

Aromatherapy. Simply smelling the fragrance of mint can improve your mental state. Grow some fresh mint and see what I mean.

Peppermint is used as a natural remedy for a variety of purposes due to its containing vitamins, menthol and essential minerals.

Enjoy!

Need Tighter Abs? Don't Like Exercise?

Learn the secret to having tight abs without using pills, magic potions or exercise equipment. In fact, you don't have to even work up a sweat. Wow!!

I am continually asked how do I get such fantastic-looking abs while being 55. “What's your secret?” is what I hear. Well, there is a secret that not many, including you, may not know.

Receive my insight through my article, “The Secret to Tight Abs”. Learn what it takes to be the envy of others. All without anything artificial.

Contact me for more info....



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Enjoying Whole Grains Can Be Easy

We all know the importance of eating whole grains as part of our healthy lifestyle. If you are not accustomed to eating whole grains, though, it may seem difficult. It is easier than you think.

Eat whole grain cereals, pastas, crackers, breads and snack items. Stop eating products made with refined or bleached flours.

Add some cooked barley to your soup. Enjoy a side dish of quinoa and mushrooms. (Learn more about quinoa in my whole grains cookbook). Use grains instead of potatoes for your side dishes.

Whatever amount of grains you eat, make half of them whole grains. Eating at least three ounces of whole grains daily is all it takes to improve your health.

Learn about portion control and what constitutes a serving. A serving of whole grain, for instance, is one piece of whole grain bread. ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta or cereal is one serving size. If you are eating whole grain cereals, one cup of cold cereal makes up one serving.

Read product labels. This will tell you how much a serving size is, the calorie count, amount of dietary fiber, amount of whole grains (hopefully), fat, cholesterol, etc. Whatever ingredients the product is made of will be on the label, also.

Look for whole grain as the first ingredient on a product label.

Check out the USDA's website at MyPyramid.gov for more info.

Healthy Junk Food...WHAT??!!

With the increased importance of eating a healthier diet, it is interesting to me how many more foods are making it into our marketplace marketed as “healthy foods”. For years we have heard how important it is to decrease our consumption of junk foods. We've been told that junk foods are culprits for containing high fat, high calories and low nutrition. As our society shifts more towards “healthier” foods, suddenly there are more and more traditional-type junk foods being made with healthier ingredients. I have seen organic corn chips fried in canola (a heart-healthy oil). There are pita chips, cheese sticks, vegetable chips, potato chips, etc. I've even seen organic candy, cookies and snack cakes. I'm sure you get the drift here.

And because the products are so popular with the public, there is a new segment that the food manufacturers can make money from....organic, healthy junk food. Spare me.

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Buying Whole Grain Cereals

With the popularity of whole grains anymore, there are so many varieties available, it can be confusing. It is important to read the product labels. Some boxed cereals are marketed as being made from healthy whole grains, but it's a deception. For instance, some store brands make their own version of Cheerios, a whole grain oat cereal. In Cheerios, the first ingredient is whole grain oats. Read the ingredient label on the store brand and you will see "oat flour". They are not the same.

Whole grain oats are the more nutrient-dense whole grain, obviously. Oat flour is whole grain oats processed into flour. The nutrient value is lessened. The fiber content is lessened, also.

You need to become aware of what food manufacturers are doing to our food supply. There is deception out there in the marketplace. Become a smart consumer by reading and understanding food labels.

Find helpful information on food labels at the USDA website at:

Poaching With Green Tea

We all are familiar with how nutritious green tea is. In addition to drinking it,there are different ways you can add it to your dishes. Thought you may enjoy an excerpt from my natural foods cookbook regarding this subject:

A great way to get some extra taste while cooking seafood is to add some green tea to the water when poaching. Simply add one teaspoon of green tea to one cup of water. Pour this into the bottom of a skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add your seafood. Simmer, cover, and cook until done.

Enjoy!

Making A Tasty and Nutritious Oil Substitute..

You've heard of applesauce replacing oil in baked goods recipes? Here's another alternative....raisins or dates. Make a puree. It adds extra sweetness, fiber and moisture to your recipe.

Fill a small pan with 2” water. Place one-quarter cup of raisins or diced dates into the water. Place on burner. Cook over medium heat until a paste consistency is reached. You will need to stir frequently to prevent burning.

When the desired consistency is reached, remove from heat. Let cool either at room temperature or by placing into your fridge.

You can store the unused portion in a glass jar or another airtight container. Keep the container in your fridge.

This also makes a great toast topping or spread. Make a peanut butter and puree sandwich with whole grain bread for a tasty and nutritious sandwich.

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Green Tea is More Than A Beverage

There are a variety of ways to use green tea. Green tea has been used in holistic remedies for centuries. The high level of antioxidants can benefit your immune system, your eyes, your skin and your overall health.

In addition to drinking iced or hot green tea, try using it in your cooking. Here's an easy way to get extra nourishment into your diet: Steam with it. How's that?

Put some water into a cook pot, as if you were steaming. It usually only takes about an inch or two of water. Add a tablespoon of green tea leaves to the water. Place your steamer device in place. You can buy a cheap metal steamer for around $5. It's not only cheap, but long-lasting. :)

Place some fish onto the steamer. This recipe works especially well with trout, mackerel, mahi mahi (dolphin fish), or other white fishes. Cover the pan.

Turn on your stove top to medium high. Steam your fish for about 10 minutes, til tender. Poke with a fork to test for doneness. Your fish should easily flake when it is done. Turn heat off and remove pan from burner.

Remove your fish and enjoy!

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How to Enjoy Your Soy Milk

There are so many varieties of soy milk on the marketplace, it can be daunting to figure out how to choose. You have decided upon “Unsweetened Plain” since you don't want to be bothered with sweeteners or additives found in other soy milk flavors. You open the box and...yuck!..you don't like the taste. What now? Don't worry, the soymilk can be saved. Don't throw out the box...

Dilute your soy milk. Pour your soy milk into a glass or onto your cereal (or however you're using it). Simply add some filtered water. Mix so that you get watered-down soy milk. That's it. Adjust the dilution to your taste.

Not only with your soy milk taste better, it will last longer since you'll be using less. If I was a bird killer, I'd say...”You're killing two bird with one stone”. You get the idea.

Enjoy!!

By the way (BTW for short), you can do this with any variety of soy milk. Personally, I find that chocolate soy milk just tastes GREAT as is. It's up to you, however....

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What's the Deal About Antioxidants?

We all hear about the benefits of getting antioxidants into our bodies. Do you know why, though? The antioxidants really are phenomenal. I'm talking about vitamins A, C, and E in this article. After doing tons of research and sharing information with others, here is a summary list I have come up with...

Your appearance can improve. If signs of aging skin is a concern to you, getting more antioxidants can help your skin look more vibrant and younger. Your skin tone (coloring) will appear more bright. They will nourish your skin. Antioxidants also assist in disease prevention. Increased circulation also helps your body function at its optimum level.

Vitamin A contains retinol, an ingredient known for lessening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The Mayo Clinic states that retinol was the first anti-aging ingredient found in original wrinkle creams.

Since antioxidants help increase blood circulation by fighting free radicals (harmful antibodies), they can increase the growth of your hair.

More later...

Heart Nutrients

Isn't it interesting how the pharmaceutical companies have come up with another needed medication? Statins have been used for years as a remedy for lowering harmful cholesterol levels. Within the past couple of years, more publicity has been gained that this "remedy" also lowers the necessary level of Coenzyme 10 that our bodies produce naturally. (Coenzyme-10 is also known as CO-10,a nutrient helps to protect our heart health). By prescribing statins, the pharmaceutical companies are actually killing the patients who are taking them.

So....the "we're here for you" drug manufacturers have counterattacked with a prescription-needed drug that "protects" our Co-10. Spare me.

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Get in Shape with Isometrics

Isometrics are muscle contractions that can increase the blood supply to your muscles. This form of exercising can also increase your muscle strength in a short period of time. All muscles in your body can benefit.

While sitting or standing, tighten your butt muscles. You can do this one side at a time or both together. Hold the contraction for six seconds. Relax for a few seconds. Repeat this exercise as many times as you want throughout the day.

Strengthen your abdominal muscles by holding your stomach in while you are walking or sitting. You can also tighten your stomach muscles and hold the contraction for six seconds. Squeeze together different parts of your abdomen to get a full-abdominal workout. One popular exercise involves sitting upright in a firm chair. Wrap one end of a resistance band around your chair legs. Grab a hold of the other end of your band with each hand. Inhale. Gently pull on the bands until you feel a stretch in your stomach muscles. Hold this stretch for six seconds. Release the tension as you exhale. Repeat this exercise five to ten times.

These are just some examples of how to use isometrics to your advantage.

Natural Ways to Lose Weight

Instead of turning to the doctor for a prescription or going to the store for appetite suppressants, try some natural remedies. You can feel full by consuming fewer calories. These techniques will fill you up the quick and easy way. Plus, they are easy on your budget.

Drink a glass of water 30 minutes prior to eating your meal. The water fills you up, and is a natural appetite suppressant. You won't want to eat as much. Also, choose water instead of carbonated beverages to save on calories while also improving your health. Drink water throughout the day to keep your body properly flushed.

Eat broth-based soup. You can either eat your soup 20-30 minutes prior to your regular meal, or choose the soup as your main dish. Choosing broth or vegetable-based soup instead of cream-based soups will give you less calories and fat. Making (or enjoying) a bowl of vegetable soup will provide you with nutrients and fiber. So, in addition to getting healthy, you will be filling yourself up from the fiber. Personally, I enjoy making a pot of minestrone soup and eating a cup of it as a main dish. Having some whole grain crackers (made without shortening or partially hydrogenated oils) with my soup rounds out my meal before dessert. Dessert is usually a bowl of nonfat frozen yogurt or fresh banana. Water is my chosen beverage. Great stuff!

Snack on nutrient-rich, fiberful foods. Instead of snacking on dense, fatty foods such as potato chips or convenience foods, choose alternatives. Fresh fruits and vegetables will give you nutrients and fiber at the same time. This will quench your appetite and need to eat more. Apple slices with peanut butter or lowfat cheese, hummus on whole wheat crackers, or munching on baby carrots and broccoli cuts are good ideas.

Get more whole grains into your diet. Substituting whole grains foods for foods made with refined flours will not only supply you with valuable fiber, you will be getting more nutrients. Read the food labels. The ingredients need to state “whole grain” not “enriched” or some other word for refined. For instance, I have noticed that whole grain Cheerios have “whole oats” as the number one ingredient. Knock-offs claiming to be the equivalent, have “oat flour” (which is the refined version of the whole oat) as the main ingredient. They are not the same. Choose whole grain products including cereals, breads, crackers, snack items and pastas – just to name a few.

Eat more apples. Apples are rich sources of fiber, pectin and nutrients. Fiber takes longer to digest, leaving you feeling fuller for longer periods of time. In addition to snacking on apples, try eating one 30 minutes prior to a meal. You may be surprised with how full you feel. :)

Use your imagination. It is not as difficult as you may think to cut your appetite the healthy way. After doing it for a while, it will become a natural part of your life.

There are two websites I found that I wanted to pass along. You can get more information on eating less calories to lose weight by visiting the Mayo Clinic's site at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00195. Another one I found is located at: http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/foods-that-make-you-full.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthHeartHealth_20090815

Enjoy!

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Slow-Cooked Herbed Salmon

This recipe involves a crockpot, something I use on a regular basis. It is so easy, anyone can do it. The results give the appearance of special culinary skills. It's fun....

It is an great and tasty way to get your Omega-3s and heart-healthy salmon into your meal:

3-ounces salmon
Italian seasoning
water

Just cover the crockpot's bottom with water. Place the salmon into the crockpot. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. If you don't have Italian seasonin, use oregano, parsley, basil, thyme and rosemary.

Turn crockpot on high. Place lid onto pot. For extra insulation, I like to cover the lid with a thick towel.

Cook for about 1 hour. Turn the salmon over and sprinkle with other side with the spices. Cook for about another hour. Make certain there is enough liquid underneath the salmon to avoid sticking or browning.

When done, remove salmon from pot and serve. You may want to squeeze a fresh orange or lemon onto the salmon prior to serving. This provides extra flavor.

Eating for Hair Growth

Concerned about your hair health and its growth rate? Here is some information...

The main nutrient in hair is protein says the Mayo Clinic. So, a natural remedy that can improve your hair health and growth rate involves eating foods that contain protein. The protein can be from either plant-based or animal-based sources.

Soy is a plant-based, protein-rich source that you can use to your advantage. Soy foods include tofu, tempeh, miso, soy milk and various meatless dishes. Usually, the food packaging will state the type of protein the product contains. (At least they should.)

Of course, there are a variety of animal-based protein sources. These include beef, lamb, veal, venison, poultry and seafood.

Make certain to include the protein as part of a well-balanced diet in order to gain as many benefits as possible.

Understanding Soy Milk Varieties

When buying soy milk it's important to read the label. Just because something appears “healthy” doesn't mean it is. In my natural foods classes, I teach my students about the different types of soy milk. It helps increase awareness. Here's the scoop...

Unsweetened. This means that the milk consists of only soy beans and water. Make certain the water is unfiltered for the best results.

Plain. This does not mean unadulterated. Plain means that it is unsweetened soy milk with the addition of a sweetener. Usually the sweetener is organic sugar. There are other sweeteners used, however.

Vanilla. Vanilla soy milk is plain soy milk with the addition of vanilla flavoring.

Chocolate. Chocolate soy milk is plain soy milk with the addition of chocolate flavoring. Sometimes there are added ingredients on top of this.

Flavors. There are currently a variety of flavored-soy milks on the marketplace. Some include fruit mixtures such as mango, pineapple and orange. Be sure to read the ingredients to find out the exact ingredients. Usually these flavored versions have extra sugars.

There are so many soy milks on the market now, it's easy to become overwhelmed. Hope this helps.

Want to learn more? Contact me...

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Healthy Yogurt Treat

Instead of buying sugar-laden, commercially manufactured yogurt....try this:

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 banana, sliced
1 teaspoon flax seeds
unsweetened pineapple juice, to taste

Place all ingredients into bowl. Mix thoroughly. Adjust juice to your liking.
Besides getting more nutrients than store-bought versions, you have control over the ingredients.

Enjoy!

Heart Healthy Holiday Cookies

It's the time of year to share both baking ideas and baked goods with others. Here are some ways you can save on calories and fat while still maintaining the taste of your goods:

Prepare your cookie dough batter. Make some substitutions. For instance, for oatmeal cookies you can save on saturated fats by substituting "heart healthy" margarine for butter. To increase the nutritional value, use unbleached instead of bleached flour. Add extra cinnamon in place of some brown sugar.

Prepare your cookie sheets. Use parchment paper instead of lightly greasing your cookie sheet. This will save calories while also reducing your fat content. It does not affect the taste, either.

Shape your dough. Shape the dough into canes, bells and stockings. This is done by moistening your hands with water, picking up some dough, and placing it onto the cookie sheet. Now, shape into your preferred item.

Bake. Bake the holiday-themed cookies per your recipe instructions.

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How To Use Hazelnuts

During the holiday season, in particular, there are a variety of nuts available on the marketplace. Someone recently asked me what to do with hazelnuts. First, in order to eat them, the hazelnuts must be shelled. Don't laugh, I had some students not know this. Here are some suggestions, an excerpt from one of my popular articles:

Add to cookie batter. Use hazelnuts instead of walnuts in a variety of cookies. The hazelnuts will be chewier and less porous than the walnuts. Hazelnuts are good in the following cookies: chocolate chip, peanut butter, shortbread and Russian tea cakes. They can also be added to sugar or butter cookies for a delightful surprise. Use a half hazelnut as decoration in a thumbprint cookie.

Use as a snack. If you are not in the mood for baking, simply chop up some shelled hazelnuts and munch on them as a snack. According to the American Heart Association, hazelnuts are considered heart-healthy foods since they contain a variety of antioxidants and unsaturated fats known as Omega-3 fatty acids. They are also protein-rich food sources. Eat them in moderation, however, since they are calorie and fat-laden.

Holiday Hummus

Instead of buying processed hummus, which may contain a variety of additives, make some at home. Nothing beats fresh! The addition of dark green herbs and red vegetables will provide extra holiday color to your festivities. It's easier than you may think.

½ cup raw, unhulled sesame seeds
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
4 large slices roasted red peppers
salt and pepper to taste

Lightly spritz a frying pan with oil. Cook the sesame seeds in the pan over medium heat. Cook until golden brown, which will be about five minutes.

Place toasted seeds into blender. Add remaining ingredients. Blend until you reach a creamy and smooth consistency. Take a sample and adjust spices and/or oil per your liking. You may want to add some more garlic, some Italian seasoning or sun-dried tomatoes. Or, add freshly chopped parsley or basil.

Serve on your favorite whole grain bread, bagel or cracker. Use as a dip at parties. This is a great potluck dish to share with others.

Store unused portion in airtight container in your refrigerator.

NOTE: If you don't want to cook the sesame seeds, you can simply buy some already made tahini. Tahini is sesame seeds and olive oil blended into a smooth consistency.

Cheap and Easy Banana Jam

There are other ways to use those over-ripe bananas that usually go into either the garbage or banana bread. Try turning them into a delicious topping. This makes a healthy, low fat spread. Here's how...

1-2 ripe bananas, peeled
cinnamon
nutmeg

Mash the bananas in a small bowl. Add cinnamon and nutmeg per your taste. Keep mixing with fork until desired consistency is reached.

Store in a glass,covered container. Keep in refrigerator.

Spread onto toast, English muffin, crackers or bagel. You can make a peanut butter and jam sandwich for a taste treat. Dip some pita triangles into the spread.

Enjoy!

Worried about scars and/or wrinkles? try this

Cocoa butter has been shown to help diminish both scars and wrinkles according to NHL retired goalkeeper, Johnny Bower.

Enjoying Pumpkin

It's that time of year. Pumpkin and squash are in season! Here is an easy and tasty way to enjoy pumpkin other than baked goods.

You need a fresh pie pumpkin for this recipe. Cutting into them may take more work than you'd like, but the taste is well worth it.


Mashed Pumpkin
2 cups pie pumpkin, cut into chunks
garlic powder taste
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup pineapple with juice
3 teaspoons yogurt

Cut the pumpkin. Remove the seeds and set aside. You can clean and roast them for snacks.

Steam the cut pumpkin until tender, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove the peels and discard.

Place cooked pumpkin into serving bowl or mixing bowl. Add pineapple, butter and plain yogurt. Mash all ingredients together with a fork or potato masher. Add garlic powder to taste. Adjust the pineapple juice and yogurt to your individual taste.

Serve warm as a side dish.

Note: For a taste similar to pumpkin pie, add a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

Healthy Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee

It's that time of the year when thoughts of pumpkin and Halloween treats come around. A favorite is Pumpkin Spice Latte. Instead of spending espresso-type prices for a cup of coffee, here's a homemade version that can be easily followed.

16 ounces water
2 Tablespoons coffee, your choice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger

Pour the water into your coffee maker. Place a coffee filter into its proper place in the machine. Scoop the coffee in its compartment. Place the spices on top of the coffee.

Brew as directed. This recipe makes two servings of black, flavored coffee.

You can add milk, soy milk and/or sugar per your taste.

Natural Aging Remedies

Looking for ways to decrease your wrinkles? You are what you eat. Eat more healthy foods that decrease the aging process. Foods containing Vitamin C and linoleic acid are beneficial.

Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes) and vegetables like broccoli are high in Vitamin C. Other foods high in Vitamin C include berries such as blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. Or, take a supplement.

Linoleic acid is found in Omega-3 fatty acids. Foods containing high amounts of this acid include nuts and seeds like almonds, flax seeds, pistachios and walnuts. Cold water fish are also high in this. Enjoy salmon, herring, sardines, trout and mackerel.

Enjoy!


Source: USDA

Heart Healthy Mashed Potatoes

Here is a tasty recipe that is both easy to make and delicious. The garlic is a natural remedy for lowering harmful cholesterol, or LDL, states the Mayo Clinic.

1 medium-sized potato, peeled and cubed
1 thin slice red or yellow onion
1 teaspoon butter or Omega-3 enriched margarine
2-3 tablespoons plain yogurt
garlic powder

Place vegetables into steamer. Steam about 8 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and place into mixing bowl (or...into serving dish). Mash potatoes. Add in butter and yogurt as you reach your desired consistency. Sprinkle garlic powder in to taste.

Serve warm.

This recipe can also be made with the potato peels, if you desire. It is great with red potatoes. :)

Nature's Mind Foods

Are you concerned about keeping your memory in tip top shape? There is a way to nourish your mind the natural way by eating certain foods that help your mind. Here are some of the best foods for aiding your brain's functioning.

Berries. Berries are great sources of antioxidants that help prevent free radical damage to brain cells. According to the Mayo Clinic, antioxidants have been shown to help protect against certain neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's and attention deficit disorders. Enhanced memory functioning is a byproduct of antioxidants. Berries include raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries.

Coffee and tea. Finally, something positive about coffee. Recent studies have shown that those drinking three 8-ounce cups daily experienced less memory loss than those who didn't. Caffeine seems to be the main factor. Those who drank decaffeinated experienced a memory loss decline as compared to caffeinated drinkers.

Green Tea. We have all heard about the benefits of green tea, with its high antioxidant level. Green tea is high in polyphenols which can improve your cognitive dysfunction caused by stress. This helps to keep your brain healthy as you age.

Fish. The American Heart Association and Mayo Clinic have recommended eating two to three servings of fish weekly as part of a heart healthy diet. Fish contains many beneficial nutrients, the most prevalent being Omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids are found in cold water fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines, trout and albacore tuna. Omega 3 helps improve neurodegenerative conditions such as learning capacity, decrease behavioral problems and diminish dyslexia (reversing letters).

Dark green leafy vegetables. Spinach, collards, mustard greens and other leafy greens are high in Vitamin C and folic acid. These antioxidants are needed for a healthy memory, brain functioning, heightened learning and mood. Frozen spinach is as beneficial as the fresh version.

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Sources:
The Mayo Clinic
The Better Brain Book, David Perlmutter, MD
101 Foods That Could Save Your Life, David Grotto, RD

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The Importance of Reading Food Labels

It never ceases to surprise me how people buy products without reading the labels. Then, when the person consumes the product, ill health besets them. All the individual needed to do was know what they were consuming.

Reading product labels will give you insight into what ingredients are in the product. If you are allergic to peanuts, the food label will tell you whether or not the food you are considering buying actually contains peanuts. Or, it will state whether the food was processed in a peanut processing manufacturing plant. (This means that the factory produces other products that contain peanuts and bits of the peanuts might have gotten into the food you are considering purchasing).

Food labels will tell you the amount of fat the product contains. It will breakdown the fat into saturated, unsaturated and trans fats. This is important if you are monitoring your fat content.

Other things you can learn from reading a food label: sugar content, calories per serving (take note of what is considered a serving size), cholesterol, sodium (salt), carbohydrates, fiber, protein and ingredients. Ingredients are listed from the most prominent to the least used. (The first ingredient listed will be what the product contains the most of).

Labels will let you know whether those “healthy” energy drinks contain caffeine or other energy-producing ingredients. If you cannot tolerate caffeine, don't buy an energy drink that contains caffeine. This needs to be mentioned since a newsworthy piece lately centered around a lady who was surprised she ended up in the emergency room after drinking an energy drink. The energy drink contained caffeine. She didn't read the label. She thought the drink was “all natural” and “healthy” as the advertising claim stated. Caffeine is all-natural.

It was not that long ago that food labels did not exist on our products. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) initiated a grass roots operation to protect us consumers. Food manufacturing are now required to list the ingredients in the products they sell in our marketplace. Be appreciative of the fact that they do. There is a ways to go with the information these labels state. For the time being, however, they have come a long way. USE THEM. You are responsible for your health, no one else.

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What is Plain Soymilk?

When I think of plain soy milk, I think back to the “hippie days” when not many people drank it. Plain meant the ingredients were nothing but water and soybeans. It couldn't get much simpler than that.

With the recent popularity of soy foods come many changes within the ingredients. Everywhere you turn it seems there is another soy food choice. And, after reading the ingredients, some are not too healthy.

Plain now comes in varieties. Spare me. There is Plain Unsweetened. This consists of only filtered water and soybeans. Choose organic soybeans, if you can. Many times when I buy this, I simply add a little water to it. For my taste preference, straight from the container is too thick for me. You may be different.

There is soy milk marked 'Plain'. After purchasing this, I forgot to read the ingredients label. (OK, I made a mistake). This plain variety contained water, organic cane sugar and soybeans plus other stuff. In other words, it was sweetened Plain soy milk.

There is Plain Regular and Plain Low Fat. Unless you like drinking sweetened water, forgo the Plain Low fat. I hadn't tasted anything so unpalatable in ages. The Plain Regular was better, but still too sweet for my taste buds.

Personally, I think all this soy foods stuff has totally gotten out of hand. It can be very confusing to someone not used to eating any soy. After going to the marketplace and being bombarded with all the varieties available, it can be very intimidating. That is one of the main reasons people come to my classes, to learn about soy and how to use it.

Hope this helps others going through the same thing.

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Heart Healthy Breakfast Treat

The first meal of your day is important since it provides fuel to carry you through. Here is a fiber rich and tasty way to help your heart out. The cantaloupe is high in Vitamin C and fiber. The cottage cheese provides protein. And, the flax seeds are high in Omega 3 fatty acids and fiber...both essential for heart health. This recipe is also low in calories.

¼ cantaloupe, cubed and removed from skin
½ cup low fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon flax seeds
sprinkling of cinnamon

Cut up the cantaloupe and place onto serving plate. Place the cottage cheese on top. Sprinkle with the flax seeds and cinnamon. Adjust the cinnamon per your taste.

Enjoy!

Heart Healthy Fruity Oatmeal

Instead of simply eating a bowl of hot oatmeal with brown sugar (or other refined sugars) for breakfast, try this variation. It is all natural, adds extra sweetness and fiber.

Serves 1.

1/2 cup whole oats (oatmeal, quick or regular cooking variety)
1 cup water
1/4 small apple, peeled and diced
1-2 Tablespoons raisins or chopped dried prunes
sprinkling of cinnamon
low fat soy milk

Place water into saucepan on stove top. Cook over medium heat until water starts to boil. Add in oats, apple and dried fruit. Stir frequently. Bring to boil. Lower heat and cook until apples are tender.

Add more water as needed.

Pour into serving bowl. Sprinkle on cinnamon. Pour milk over oatmeal.

If you don't have apple, add fresh blueberries.

Enjoy!

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Heart Healthy Minestrone Soup

Heart healthy is the term given to foods that are known to help your cardiovascular system. The term was coined by the American Heart Association. Here's a soup that is rich in fiber and antioxidants, both essential in a heart healthy diet. Plus, the broth base is much lower in calories than any creamed soup.

As a way to get more nutrients and less calories, I developed this recipe. This soup is easy to make, quick and nutritious. It can be made in either a crockpot or dutch oven style pan. If cooked on the stovetop, the cooking process is much quicker.

Minestrone Soup

2- 15 ounce cans, tomatoes (one stewed and one plain)
1 cup V-8 juice (low sodium)
2 cups water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup green beans, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup kidney beans, cooked
1/2 cup zucchini, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
3 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or combo of thyme, rosemary and oregano)
1/4 macaroni, uncooked

Place all ingredients, except for macaroni,into dutch oven or crockpot. If in dutch oven, cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

If using crock pot, cook on high heat for 5 hours. Stir occasionally.

In both uses, add macaroni during last 1/4 of cooking time.

Serve with whole grain crackers or bread. The addition of a green salad with make a complete meal.

Enjoy!

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Learning about Garlic & Its Byproducts

One of my students did not understand garlic and products made out of it. So, simply put...

Garlic granules is processed garlic, with no added ingredients.

Garlic powder is garlic granules processed a step further. It
contains nothing but garlic.

Garlic salt is a mixture of garlic powder and salt.

Hope this helps.

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High Fiber Foods

One of the benefits of eating fiber is the fact it's a natural appetite suppressant. It provides us with a sense of fullness, which in turn, causes us to not want to eat as much.

Fiber is also known for requiring a lot of chewing. Chewing, it is said, causes us to not want to eat as much. Here's my scoop...

This morning I started my day with a bowl full of whole grain cold cereal. Kashi, to be exact. It was very tasty. And, it requiring a lot of chewing. No, wait. It wasn't a lot of chewing. It was so much chewing I almost fell asleep. My jaw hurt. I was pooped from chewing so much. Now, that's too much chewing for my blood.

As much as I may not like hot oatmeal, I'm returning to it. It doesn't require a lot of chewing and I don't get tired from wasting so much energy chowing down on it.

I'm pooped.

Get Physical

It's a well known fact that exercise is beneficial in more ways than one. If you are interested in increasing your physical activity, there are a number of ways to accomplish this without spending any money on gym memberships. For instance:

Walking. The American Heart Association recommends getting 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (such as walking) 5 days a week. You can walk at your own pace. Plus, it's convenient. Walking can be done outdoors or indoors. Many malls open their doors for mall walkers. Check your local community directory since there may be groups that get together for this purpose. Walking is cheap, also. The only cost is the money you pay for a good pair of walking shoes (an absolute necessity).

Household activities. Gardening is known to give a good workout. It increases your heart rate plus works your muscles. If you don't have a garden, join a gardening club and volunteer to maintain their gardens. Tasks such as household cleaning can provide a benefit. Vacuuming, washing and/or painting walls, rearranging furniture and cleaning all increase your heart rate.

Outdoor activities. Mow the lawn with a hand pushed mower. Clean the garage. Paint the exteriors. Power wash the deck. Varnish the deck.

Other. Park farther away from the store entrance, forcing you to walk further. Walk instead of taking the cab. If playing golf, walk instead of using a golf cart. Carry your own clubs.

These are just examples of how to increase your physical activity level.

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Heart Healthy Yogurt

Instead of buying those prepared and packaged fruit yogurts, try this recipe. It is quick, easy and can be altered to your preference.

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup pineapple wedges
2-3 T pineapple juice
1/2 t flax seeds

If using canned pineapple, buy the variety in its own juice. Avoid the syrupy variety since this has a high added sugar content.

The flaxseeds provide a crunch texture, while also containing fiber.
You can adjust the amount of both pineapple and juice to suit your taste.

Heart Healthy Breakfast Sandwich

Start your day with a nutritious low fat breakfast sandwich that is high in protein. It's easy and quick to make.

1 hard boiled egg, shelled
1 whole wheat English muffin, toasted
1 tablespoon low fat cream cheese
flax seeds
garlic powder
salt

Cut the English muffin in half. Toast it.
Spread the cream cheese on each muffin.
Slice the egg white and place onto the muffin. (Set aside, or toss, egg yolk).
Sprinkle with flax seeds.
Sprinkle with garlic powder and a touch of salt.

For variety, you can prepare one half of your English muffin like above. After covering with cream cheese, slice some fresh banana onto it. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Forget Those Commercially Prepared "Healthy Yogurts"

Don't let the mass food manufacturers fool you, those fruit flavored yogurts are not healthy for you. Many of them are nothing but candy bars disguised as “healthy yogurt”. I find it disgusting and disconcerning to read the labels on these foods. If sugar isn't listed as the first ingredient, it is probably the second or third ingredient.

Commercially prepared, fruit yogurt varieties could be sweetened with ingredients such as sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin, corn syrup solids, aspartame, saccharin or fruit juice. The fruit juice may be one fruit or a combination of a variety of fruits with additional sweeteners.

Either way...you can make your own version of fruit yogurt without the added nonsense just mentioned. It is also much cheaper and healthier than the commercially prepared varieties. Here's how...

Buy a container of plain yogurt. (PLAIN without any vanilla or other flavorings). The low fat variety will save you calories and fat content.

Your chosen variety of fruit.
Mix together. It's that easy.
***
One of my favorites recipes....

½ cup plain yogurt
5-7 bing cherries, chopped
½ teaspoon flaxseeds
3” banana, sliced and quartered
pineapple juice (adjust for taste)

Mix together in serving bowl. It makes a great breakfast.

NOTE: If you want to, blend all these ingredients together for a fruit smoothie. You may want to add more yogurt or juice, you decide on what consistency you want your smoothie.

Curious about Tempeh?

Curious about tempeh and how to use it? Here is an easy and quick way to make a tasty meal with it. It is from my cookbook, Cooking with Soy. My students have loved this...

Tempeh Sloppy Joes

½ block of tempeh, crumbled
¼ cup onion, chopped
spaghetti sauce, your choice
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t Italian seasoning
whole grain hamburger bun or large roll cut in half

Lightly spritz a frying pan with oil, or use a nonstick pan. Place the tempeh and onions into the pan. Add garlic powder and Italian seasoning.

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook until tempeh is brown around the edges and onions are translucent. Add spaghetti sauce. The amount of sauce will depend upon your liking.

Stir and heat thoroughly. Scoop onto the bread of your choice.

NOTE: You can make an open face sandwich out of this recipe by simply scooping the tempeh mixture onto one piece of bread.

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Natural Occurring Caffeine

As a way to get out of the heat, I embarked with my laptop to my nearest local java establishment. After deciding upon a relaxing cup of iced jasmine green tea, I started sipping its tasty delights. It was delicious.

After relishing in the first two sips, however, something troubling began. My heart started racing faster than a locomotive. It was frightening. I sat for about 10 minutes while my heart calmed down. Then, I felt mildly light headed. This was another sign that I needed to return this “healthy” drink.

The proprietor notified me that the tea I ordered contained “naturally occurring caffeine” and it was attempting to rid my body of toxins. That was causing my rapid and irregular heartbeats. That doesn't sound logical to me. Hmm...

I have had jasmine green tea in bulk and brewed it at home. I had no negative health consequences at that time. So, I figured it would be good this time around.

These heart palpitations were worse than any caffeinated beverages I have ever had, including coffee.

Whatever it is, whether the brand or manner of brewing, I am hesitant to order teas not brewed at home anymore.

Just thought I'd throw this out there in case anyone else experiences the same thing.

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Mango Pudding

Sometimes, no matter what happens, people have preconceived notions about tofu. There are ways to enjoy this soy food without it overwhelming your taste buds. Here is a very easy to prepare recipe that has always been a kick in my classes:

Mango Pudding
1 medium mango, peeled and sliced
1 cup tofu, silken variety

Cut off a slice of tofu and crumble it into a measuring cup. Or, if you are not concerned about measuring (which I am not), simply crumble the tofu into a blender. Add the sliced mango.

Puree until smooth. You may want to adjust the amount of tofu to arrive at your desired pudding-like consistency.

Spoon pureed mixture into serving bowls. If desired, sprinkle with coconut. Chill prior to serving.

Option: Add a ½ teaspoon of fresh mint leaves when pureeing for a refreshing taste treat.

Recipe taken by my cookbook, Cooking With Soy.

Natural Decaffeinating

It turns out there is a natural way to decaffeinate any tea you are drinking. You can do itself in your own kitchen, which is the nicest part.

Found on In Pursuit of Tea, via Dr. Andrew Weil's newsletter....

Steep the tea for 45 seconds in hot water and then pour off the liquid. This removes up to 80 percent of the caffeine.

Add more hot water and steep as you normally would. The aroma and taste should not be affected.

How easy is that?

Fresh Nutrient Rich Fruits

A health promoting dessert can be easily enjoyed by making a quick and simple fresh fruit salad. The USDA and American Heart Association have a list of 10 fruits that are known to be superfoods. Include them in one of your salads. All of the fruits are high in antioxidants and fiber.

If you have a farmer's market nearby, I recommend buying your fresh produce there. It'll give you a chance to meet the grower and learn new ways to enjoy the foods. Plus, you'll know exactly where your food is coming from. It can't get much better than that, in my opinion. Local farmers deserve all the support we can give them. When you get accustomed to the way food is supposed to taste, fresh from the unadulterated ground, you won't go back to supermarket foods.

Here's the fruit list, in no particular order:
* raspberries
* cherries (have you ever had a Rainier cherry?! OOOHH!)
* wild blueberries
* cranberries
* granny smith apples
* strawberries
* red delicious apples
* plums
* prunes
* blackberries

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Heart Healthy Seafood Tips

Even though seafood is a healthy and nutritious food to eat, there are certain things to know that can help you make it even healthier. According to the American Heart Association, try these tips to enjoy a health promoting seafood experience:

Substitute salsa or cocktail sauce for butter when ready to eat your seafood. Not only will you be decreasing your fat content, you'll also be consuming more nutrients.

* Choose fresh berries or fruit as a seafood topping.
* Prepare your seafood using low fat cooking methods such as broiling (without heavy oils), poaching, steaming, and grilling.

* Choose fresh seafood salads, not the processed fake crab variety.
* If you choose a seafood salad, make sure there is no high fat mayo in it.
* Buy canned tuna in water instead of oil. You can use the liquid in soup bases.
* Try to avoid or limit eating fried seafood of any kind.
* Instead of heavy sauces, squeeze a fresh orange, lime or lemon over your seafood.
* Use herbs to season your seafood instead of butter and salt.

Enjoy!

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Green Tea is Not Just For Sipping

Green tea can be enjoyed in ways other than as a beverage. An easy way to enjoy it is by adding it to your water when steaming some fish.

Place a teaspoon of green tea leaves into the water. If you don't have the leaves, open up a teabag and pour the contents into the water. Place the steamer basket in your pot. Then, add the fish. Bring to a boil and steam until done. It will only be a few minutes. Poke fish for doneness.

The green tea adds a mild sweetness to white fishes such as halibut and tilapia. Green tea steaming is good even with salmon, though not as noticeable since salmon has such a strong flavor on its own.

I have found a good alternative is to mix some green tea leaves with some chopped fresh basil. Use twice as much basil as green tea leaves. Place the basil and leaves in a flat pan. Lightly spritz the fish with some water or milk. Dip the fish into the herb tea mixture to coat. Place into the steamer and steam until done. This gives a stronger taste than the first method, but is still tasty. (In my opinion, anyways :) )

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Eating a Heart Healthy Diet

In addition to know what to eat in a heart healthy diet, it also is important to know how to cook them to reap the highest benefits.

Steaming is the quickest and healthiest way to cook food. There are steamers you can buy for under $10 that fit into a saucepan. Or, you can buy a steamer machine.

Baking, without excess oils, is a healthy cooking alternative. Use extra spices to get the best taste benefits.

Grilling. If you do not have warm weather for an outdoor grilling experience, there are varieties you can buy for using on your stovetop.

Poaching. Adding a little water to the bottom of your cooking pan will result in a healthy way to cook your food. Add more water as necessary.

Good luck...
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Lowering Your Cholesterol

Foods known for their cholesterol lowering properties are those high in fiber, according to the USDA. Some high fiber foods include:

Whole grains. This family includes oats, barley, millet, kamut, quinoa and whole wheat.

Legumes. Included in legumes are bean varieties (kidney, navy, garbanzo, etc.)lentils.

Fresh produce. Fruits and vegetables contain beneficial fiber.

Seeds and nuts. Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and flaxseeds are in this category.

Why You Need to Buy Local Organic Foods

Buying and consuming organic foods can provide benefits that noneaters may not be familiar with such as:

Obtaining true taste of foods. Pesticides cover up the actual taste benefits of food. By eating organic foods, individuals can know for sure how a certain food was intended to taste.

Help farmers. Eating organic foods aids local farmers, since a variety of the organic producers operate local farms.

Support local community. Buying from your local farmer keeps your hard earned dollars in the economy.

Know your source. By communicating with the person who grew your food, you're not supporting a faceless corporation (or commercial “organic” farm). It gives a sense of personalization in this rather impersonal world.

Sense of helping. When you purchase from your local farmer, you can feel better about helping another individual in their business.

Learn more about the food. When you buy from the party who grows your food, you can learn about “insider secrets” such as how to cook it, store it, how it was grown, and share in the passion of what it is like to know your source of food.

Eliminate middle person. By buying directly from the local organic farmer, you eliminate others shipping and handling your food. This is a great way to reduce your chances of obtaining any unwanted contaminants.

Hope this helps you choose organically grown food as part of your daily meal plan.

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Red Raspberries & Health Benefits

When I was a kid, my family grew red raspberries in our backyard. Getting a bowlful and enjoying throughout the season was a special treat. Then, when I got out on my own and saw the exorbitant prices....YIKES!! Down went my consumption...

My local organic market is having a sale on red raspberries...so I treated myself. Mmm...

In addition to their wonderful taste...red raspberries carry with them a variety of nutritional benefits. For instance....

Red raspberries are very high in Vitamin C, fiber, vitamins B2 and B3, magnesium, plus folate. They also are high in antioxidants. There is talk about them containing strong anti-cancer agents, but I haven't read enough information to convince me of this yet. I'll keep looking.

It's great knowing that not only am I giving my taste buds a treat, but my body is enjoying these nutritional delights also. :)

Red raspberries are great eaten as is, or with some lowfat milk, or added to plain yogurt.

Healthy Deviled Eggs

What's a party without deviled eggs? A bore, I'd say. Everyone knows that eggs are high in cholestrol. Here is a healthy and easy way to decrease both the cholesterol and fat content.

8 large eggs
2 T fat free mayo
1 T mustard
1/3 C nonfat cottage cheese
1 T lemon juice
1 t dill weed
paprika

Hard boil the eggs. Peel and cut in half. Place half of the yellow portions into a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Discard other half of yellows. Scoop mixture into egg halves and place on serving platter.

Place into refrigerator to chill prior to serving.

To remove

Tips For Lowering LDL ("Bad") Cholesterol

Knowing what foods to avoid, or limit consumption of, is helpful in lowering your high cholesterol (“bad” LDL). The following foods are known to be harmful culprits:

To lower blood cholesterol, limit consumption of these foods:

two percent milk
oils and margarine
avocados, olives, and coconuts
nuts
whole milk
high fat creams and ice creams
high-fat cheeses
high fat cottage cheese
high fat sour cream
anything with saturated fat in it
sugar laden foods
butter
fatty cuts of meat and refried pork
sausages, hot dogs, bologna
liver, kidneys, and other organ meats
egg yolks
lard, coconut, palm, or palm kernel oil
processed foods

Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Eat low fat protein such as chicken, tofu, fish and seafood.
Drink plenty of water.

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Red Pepper Vinaigrette

This salad dressing is nothing like your basic vinaigrette formula — but you'll soon want to use it nearly every day. The classic vinaigrette is made with 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. As you can see, this version has no oil in it at all, making it extremely low in calories.
Once you've tried this I'm sure it'll become your basic everyday staple for salad. And you can never eat too much salad!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
Pinches of rosemary and thyme
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 of a roasted red bell pepper

Per serving:
8 calories
0 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
2 g carbohydrate
0 g protein
0 g fiber
50 mg sodium

Reprinted from Dr. Weil's website at:

Tasty Mango Pudding

Here is an easy to prepare recipe that is both tasty and nutritious.

1 large mango, peeled
1/2 cup lowfat tofu

Slice mango and let drop into small bowl.
Crumble the tofu into a 1/2 cup, to measure it.
Mash together the mango and tofu.
Stir vigorously until you reach a pudding-like consistency.

Scoop into serving bowls. Place in refrigerator and chill for about an hour.
This is great with fresh chopped mint leaves on top, if desired.

Buying Fresh Seafood

When buying fresh seafood, use your senses of sight, smell, touch.

Look at the seafood to see if there are any spots, discoloring, or brown edges. Don't buy it if it has any of these. They are a sign of aging.

Smell. Simply take a whiff of the seafood. If it has an unpleasant odor, or strong fishy smell - don't buy it. It's been sitting around too long.

Touch. Gently poke the seafood (fish). If the flesh quickly bounces back, it is fresh. If the shellfish has a soft spot when touched - don't buy.

Using your senses when buying fresh seafood will only help you make a healthy, good buying decision.

5 CHEAP Ways to Lose Weight

With our society being known for having an obese population, it seems that there is a multitude of 'ways to lose weight'. Some of pure nonsense, some surgical, and some common sense. Some ways are easy, some take some work. In other words, there is something for everyone. Here are some ways to lose weight that plain and simply – use common sense and are cheap.

1. Drink water. How simple is this? So many people are concerned about how many sodas to drink. Do they need to decrease the amount? Should they drink diet sodas? Come on. Make your life easier. Just do not drink any. DRINK WATER! It fills you up. It is, simply, delicous and satisfying. Part of drinking more water includes water-based drinks such as tea.

2. Exercise more. This is so common sense, it is embarrassing to mention. However, with all the miraculous ways suggested to lose weight, it is basic. Exercise more, plain and simple. No matter if it is as simple as walking more than usual, do it. Do anything that involves more activity than what your current level is at. Even isometrics is good. Just do something physical besides sit in front of your television eating chocolates or junk food.

3. Steam foods. When you prepare your meals, simply use steaming as your method of cooking. It only involves the time to chop your food and place it in a steamer. Usually takes about 10-15 minutes of time. The taste is superb. The cost is cheap. Plus, there is decreased fat. You can experience the natural taste of food.

4. Decrease portion sizes. Our society has become accustomed to HUGE portion sizes of food. When eating out, take half your meal home in a doggy bag. Instead of eating 2 cups of cereal, cut back to 1 cup. Learn to enjoy eating a protein portion the size of a deck of cards. By learning to enjoy smaller portions, you will be amazed at how easy it is. Measure your food intake. It takes time, but is worth it.

5. Eat a well balanced diet. Forget those fad diets that have you totally eliminating certain food groups. Your body needs all food groups to function properly. It does not take a food scientist to know this.

Losing weight is not easy, especially as we age. It takes work and discipline. And, yes, it is easier said than done. By incorporating these weight loss suggestions into your lifestyle – you will reap the benefits. Go for it!

Weight Loss Tip - natural way

For anyone interested in losing weight the natural way - drink more water water. This is so common sense, but it works well. Besides filling you up, it is cheap, delicious, and convenient.

What more can you want?

The Best Natural Pain Med

Having recently undergone a total knee replacement, I have had my fill of 'pain meds'. None work that well. There is one method, however, that is surprisingly great. It is all-natural, cheap, and convenient. In fact, it can be found in everyone's freezer.

This effective pain reliever is known as ice. Plain and simple ice. I was really surprised when the doctor mentioned that the best way to alleviate pain was with ice. I like that. All the other pain meds had awful side effects like nausea and breathing difficulties. :(

Ice has no side effects, of course. The only drawback is the fact it can be cumbersome to fill up an ice bag every two hours. Those large ice gel packs are real nice, however.

The cheapest way, I find, is to simply fill a gallon size plastic with ice. Wrap the plastic bagin a towel to keep your clothes from getting wet. When the ice melts, simply replace it with a fresh pack.

A Natural Digestive Aid

Yesterday was a surprising day. One of my friends was constipated and only knew about Metamucil or prescription stool softeners. That blew me away. There is a wonderful natural digestive aid that is cheap, super effective, and convenient to either buy or make. It is...

Yogurt. I find that plain yogurt works best. By plain yogurt I mean the store bought kind that does not have any sugar, fillers, or fruit...or anything, for that matter...in it. It is labeled as PLAIN.

Simply eat some spoonfuls of this and wait for the magic to happen. For me, it is quick and efficient. Plus, the plain variety is tasty.

Even better than the store bought, mass produced variety is the homemade variety. Making your own yogurt is so easy and cheap that it's surprising more people don't do it. You don't need any fancy equipment or know-how. You can, however, buy a yogurt maker if you'd like.

To make:
I simply bring a quart of milk to the boiling point.
While the milk is heating, I put a tablespoon of plain yogurt (already on hand) in a glass cup. Once the milk starts to bubble, simply pour it into the glass cups.
Cover the individual glass cups with plastic wrap (to keep it from forming a filmy layer).
Either place the cups into the yogurt maker or into a cake pan.
If using a cake pan, pour about an inch of hot water into it, then place the cups in.
Cover with a thick towel to help with the fermentation process.,
Place in a non-drafty area, away from any cold.
Let process for hours. The longer you let it 'cook', the stronger the taste.
Store in fridge when done.

Willow Bark - A Natural Remedy

For those times when you need help with pain relief or inflammation, there is a natural alternative to aspirin or other pharmaceutically manufactured drugs. It is known as willow bark. Willow bark dates back to the days of Hippocrates when he had patients chew on the tree bark to help decrease pain and inflammation.

Being an herb, willow bark takes longer to see results from than drugs. And, the effects can last longer. Willow bark is known to have less side effects than pharmaceutical drugs. We know that acetiminophen (Tylenol) can be damaging to the liver. We also know that aspirin is a blood thinner and can cause stomach problems.

Try willow bark. You can find it in health food stores, or the natural living/healing section of your grocery store.

Also, you can find more information on it by searching the Internet. Enjoy!

Bilberry: Herb for Night Vision

Having suffered with night vision problems for along time, I have found one herb that has a reputation for improving this dilemma. Bilberry....

Bilberry was given to the fighter pilots during the World War to help improve night vision - for some background info.

If you can't find bilberry in capsules, make your own. Here's how:
* Find a health food store that sells bilberry in bulk.
* Buy as large a portion as you feel comfortable with. For about 20 capsules, I find it takes about
1/4 cup ground bilberry.
* Buy some empty capsules. These are sold in health food stores, also. Or, find them in the natural foods aisle of your grocery store. The capsules can be purchased either vegetarian or nonvegetarian. Your choice.

Store the bilberry capsules in an airtight container on your kitchen shelf away from heat.

Why Organic Food?

If one is not familiar with all the benefits of organic food, they are missing out. It is not just a fad or trend. Choosing organic food over non-organic food has many advantages, including:

* Taste. This is the deciding factor for choosing organic food. Once you taste unadultered food, you won't want to go back.
* No pesticides. Many times, a non-organically grown food will have a very strong aftertaste of chemicals. It is just repulsive.
* Environmentally friendly. By not using chemically-produced pesticides, the soil is healthier for all involved.
* Less food allergies. The pesticides used on traditional agriculture crops is known to cause food allergies in a variety of people.

These are but a few of the reasons to eat organic. Yes, the products will cost more than the traditionally grown, but the alternative is well worth it.

Another Way to use Peppermint

Peppermint provides us with a variety of ways to enjoy it. It is soothing, tasty, and versatile. One way to enjoy it is as a coffee flavoring.

Go to your local grocery and buy bulk peppermint leaves. Not only does it smell delicious, but it tastes just as good. Store the leaves in a glass jar, away from heat.

Peppermint is traditionally known to help with digestion. Using it as a coffee flavoring helps decrease the coffee's acidic effect upon the stomach - it works wonders in my case.

Peppermint Coffee
(makes 24 ounces, 4 servings)

4 heaping tablespoons ground coffee
1 teaspoon peppermint leaves
24 ounces of cold water

Place into coffeemaker and brew until done. Serve with milk, if desired.

Soothing Porridge

With colder weather upon us, a very simple way to start your day with a wealth of nutrients is found in what I like to call...Soothing Porridge. It's very easy to make...

1 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oats (no quick cooking, thank you)
2 T raisins
1/2 medium apple, peeled and diced
1 T dried cranberries or other dried fruit
cinnamon

Place all ingredients into small saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook until oats are soft.
Pour into bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon. Add milk, if desired. Or, I enjoy it without milk. The sweetness from the fruits doesn't require any additional sugar.

Enjoy!

New Food Producer

When I recently went to the grocery store, I was surprised to see a new line of food items on the shelves. Disney has a line of food items. That's right...Disney. It's not bad enough that every time we turn around, Disney is flooding our airways, movies, and store shelves with their new toys and characters. No, that is not enough....

Disney has entered the food industry. I saw colorful packages of sugary cereal just the other day. Beware......

Easy Citrus Squeeze

This is so easy, it's almost embarrassing. A very easy and tasty way to add some extra pizzazz to some steamed (or baked) seafood is to simply squeeze a fresh orange over it.

As soon as you remove the seafood (salmon is especially scrumptious) from cooking, place it on your serving plate. Cut an orange in half and just squeeze the juice over your piece of seafood.

Besides adding some extra sweetness to your seafood, the citric acid from the orange will aid your digestion.

This works equally well with tangerine, lemon, or lime. I, personally, prefer a nice, sweet orange. Actually, whatever your favorite citrus fruit is, will do.

Now, isn't that easy? Enjoy!!

Natural Healing Remedy

While recently in a pharmacy, someone was asking what to take for motion sickness. He was searching for an over-the-counter product. What's a natural alternative that works just as well, if not better?

Ginger. I've tried this and swear by it. Simply put some ground ginger into a coffee mug. Add hot water and steep. Viola - ginger tea. I steep it for about 2 minutes, and the taste is good. Add sugar, if desired.

If you don't like ginger tea, put the ginger into capsules (which you can buy at any health food store). Simply take a capsule with some water. No big deal.

Ginger has been known to have anti-nausea properties for centuries. It helps with troubled digestion, upset stomachs, and - as mentioned- motion sickness.

This is just one natural healing alternative to the pharmacy-profession produced products.

Disclaimer: This advice works for me, it may not work for you. I am not responsible for any negative consequences from you taking action on my advice.

Scottish Shortbread

Shortbread are popular cookies for everyone. They can be made into rolled, shaped cookies. Or, they can be made into pan cookies. The batter can be pressed into a baking pan and cut into squares or finger-shapes.

Shortbread are recommended for those who have to watch their sugar intake, and they are tasty for those just wanting a wonderful taste treat.

Here's a very simple and quick recipe for all to enjoy! Even though you can save calories and fat by using margaine, I wouldn't touch margarine with a ten-foot pole. The butter is just TOO delish!

Scottish Shortbread

wet ingredients:
1-1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Mix these two ingredients together until creamy.

dry ingredients:
2-1/2 cups unbleached flour
dash of salt
Stir these ingredients into the creamed mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly grease a 9"x13" baking pan.
Press mixture into pan and even it out. It'll be about 1/4" thick.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until edges are brown.
Remove from oven when done and cool prior to cutting.

Makes about 25 bars.

Back At It

This blog has been on hiatus due to personal obligations. It is starting back up now with the intent of helping others learn about the ease of healthy eating.
Enjoy! MarieB

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Guide to Kids' Holiday Craft Projects

With the holiday season upon us, have the little ones pitch in and make some decorations and/or holiday fare for others to enjoy. Here are some suggestions and how tos for kids’ craft projects: These craft projects are geared toward the 4-7 year old.

Personalized ornaments
Items needed:
Toxic-free glue pencils/sticks
Plain, shiny gold or silver ornaments. The larger ones are preferred since they give a larger working area.
Glitter: different colors; red, gold, silver, green are best
(Put each glitter into its own small bowl)
Papers to cover the table
Pictures of trees and stars

How To Make Ornaments:
Place the papers onto the working area (table). Cover thoroughly.
Have the kids sit around the table.
Give each kid an ornament.
Tell them to be very careful since the ornaments break easy.
Give them each a glue pencil/stick
Tell them to put their favorite person’s name onto the ornament with glue
(Show them by example)
Or...they can draw a Christmas tree, a star, or an angel on the ornament
Once they have completed putting the glue onto the ornament,
Have them sprinkle the glitter over the glue.
They can use a variety of colors, if desired.
Let their imagination go wild!

Personalized Snowflakes
Another great craft project for kids is to make their own snowflakes of different sizes and colors.

Items Needed:
White copy paper
Different colored construction paper
Different sized construction paper (you may have to cut the 8-1/2 x 11” size in half.)
Blunt edged scissors
Crayons or colored pencils

How To Make Snowflakes:
Demonstrate the following before having them start:
Fold the paper in half.
Fold the paper in half again.
Cut triangles along all sides.
Cut triangles of different sizes
For white paper, kids can color as desired.
After done cutting:
kids can write their names on the snowflakes with crayons.

Personalized & Decorated aprons:
For the small cook, nothing would be enjoyed more than to have his or her own personalized apron. Buy a plain apron and let them decorate as their imagination tells them!

Items Needed:
Cotton apron, lighter colors preferred
Permanent magic markers – have red, black, and green available
A large working area such as a table

How to Make a Personalized & Decorated Apron:
Give each kid an apron
Place the magic markers in the center of the table.
Have the kids sit around the table
Explain to them what they are to do
Tell them that they can put their name on the apron. (For instance, show them how they can write “Marie’s (their name) Apron” on their very own apron.
Tell them that they can draw pictures of Christmas trees, stars, angels, etc. on their apron.
Let them know that the apron is a gift that will be used for years to come.
Enjoy!

Easy Wholefoods Cooking

In today’s hurried society, many things we once took for granted are now becoming obsolete. A hand written letter, a hand ironed wardrobe (can’t say I miss this one!), and even a hand prepared meal at home. Yes, cooking is becoming a lost art. The fast food society has fit in perfectly with our fast paced lifestyle. The deli sections in grocery stores are more popular than ever. Some very tasty and quickly prepared foods can be picked up here. The same goes for the frozen food section. There is a wide variety to suit any discriminating palate found here. And, it is all so quick!

Recently, our society is ‘going back’ to eating whole foods. There is a growing trend to steer away from ‘foods’ prepared by huge conglomerates who are only interested in the bottom line. We want to touch, smell, and taste our foods as they were meant to be. Many are experiencing health concerns and turning to natural foods to heal their ailments. Most foods have their roots in medicinal purposes. Remember Hippocrates? That is comforting, I believe.

Contact Marie Buckner at 360.613.1085 to schedule a cooking class.


To show how easy it is to prepare your own healthy meal, let us enjoy a full course meal. I promise that it is all quick, easy, and nutritious!

Avocado Pate (serves 4)
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese
3 small roma tomatoes, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
one-half small celery stalk, diced
one-half orange, peeled and chopped

Mash avocado with fork until smooth. Stir in cheese. Add remaining ingredients. Chill in refrigerator prior to serving.
Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or fresh veggies.

Beet and Carrot Salad (serves 3)
one-half cup beets, peeled and grated
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
4 tablespoons yogurt, plain
4 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons raisins

Combine all ingredients together in medium bowl. Mix thoroughly and serve as either a side dish or as topping on your favorite wholegrain. Adjust amount of yogurt per your liking.

Miso Greens Soup (serves 2)
4 cups water
1 green onion, chopped
one-quarter cup miso, light variety
1 cup spinach, chopped
one-half cup tofu, firm variety, cubed

In a small bowl, dissolve miso into a small amount of hot water. Set aside. Place all ingredients in large saucepan, including miso mixture. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Serve with whole wheat pita bread.

Broccoli Bravado (serves 3)
1 stalk broccoli, peeled and sliced (stems & flowerettes)
one-half cup peas
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cups brown rice, cooked and drained
one-half cup veggie broth
1 garlic clove, minced
one-quarter teaspoon each parsley, rosemary, thyme
1 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped (fresh)

In large skillet, place all ingredients except for rice. Cook over medium heat until veggies are tender. Add more liquid to prevent sticking, if needed. Remove from heat. In large bowl, combine cooked rice and veggie mixture.

Tropical Mousse (serves 4)
1 12-ounce box tofu, silken variety
1 mango, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons coconut
one-quarter cup pineapple chunks
juice of one orange, freshly squeezed

Crumble tofu into blender/food processor. Add remaining ingredients. Puree until pudding-like consistency is reached. Adjust liquid, if needed. Serve chilled. Sprinkle with more coconut prior to serving.

Cranberry Relish

I love this time of year and all of its seasonal foods! Here is a recipe I developed using the cranberry, which is so popular now. It's a hit with turkey and holiday trimmings! Enjoy!!

Cranberry Apple Relish (serves 4)
1 cup cranberries, cut into half
1 whole orange, seeds removed, peeled and cubed
1 whole pear, peeled/cored/cubed
one quarter cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 whole apples, peeled/cored/cubed
2 tablespoons apple juice, frozen concentrate
Water

Place fruit and juices in small saucepan. Add water until cranberries are covered. Cook over medium heat. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook til cranberries ‘burst.’ Stir frequently. Mash cranberries with fork. Adjust sweetener/liquid as needed. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge.

Dark Leafy Spinach Alternatives

With the recent e-coli scare involving spinach, there has been a search for healthy alternatives to this dark, leafy green. There are a variety of dark leafy green vegetables just waiting for you to try them. They can all be eaten either raw or cooked. Here are some varieties just waiting for you to enjoy them:

Kale.
This dark green vegetable has curly leaves. In fact, it is an attractive-looking vegetable. In order to assure freshness, be certain that the leaves are firm and green. They are not to be wilted. Also, the stem should be firm. Kale is the most popular substitute for spinach since its taste is the most similar.

Collards, or collard greens.
These huge, dark green leaves have sturdy stems. The stems can be used in cooking. The leaves themselves can be about a foot wide. They actually resemble super large spinach leaves. The oval shaped leaf can be just as long as it is wide. Taste-wise, they have a slightly bitter taste. When cooked, the taste becomes milder. Collards are traditionally used in Southern cooking. They go great with beans!

Swiss chard, or chard.
This dark leafy green also has large leaves. Chard is a member of the beet family. Hence, you will notice the sturdy stem to be either red or white in color. The stem is not recommended for eating. In fact, the chard leaves are pretty attractive leaves. A great way to use them is by making ‘cabbage rolls’. Substitute the cabbage with chard.

Dandelion Greens.
These dark green leaves have a bitter taste, more so than the other varieties mentioned in this article. The leaves themselves are thin and narrow. These are best used in raw salads, combined with other greens. Or, steam some up, place on a plate, and squeeze a fresh orange over them. That will sweeten their taste.

Beet Greens.
When you buy fresh beets, do not discard the greens. Use them. As a spinach alternative, they provide a slightly bitter taste. Cooked, they are much milder and enjoyable.

Mustard Greens.
Last, but not least, are mustard greens. These large leaves have a slightly peppery taste when raw. They are milder tasting when cooked. They are great in raw salads. Or, once again, steam them up and squeeze a fresh orange over them.
A great recipe involves stir frying some chopped mustard greens up with mushrooms, onions, and minced garlic. Ooh lala!

Now that we know about the alternatives available for spinach, let’s discuss how to store and buy them.

Buying Tips:
All of these fresh greens have a slight smell (scent) when purchased fresh. If they have a strong odor, do not buy them.
Leaves should stand up and feel firm. They should not droop.
Greens and colors should be vibrant, not brown or dull looking.

Freshness Tips: (these greens stay fresh only a couple of days in the refrigerator)
Separate leaves
Rinse with water
Shake off excess water
Wrap in paper towels to absorb water
Enclose in plastic bag
Store in refrigerator

All the above-mentioned dark, leafy green spinach substitutes can be eaten raw or cooked. Enjoy in salads, stir frys, or simply steamed. Also, try chopping some up and putting into spaghetti sauce or soup.

Enjoy!

My Two New eBooks!!

I have just published two new ebooks that are fresh on the market!
One is a how-to book titled 'Cooking & Eating the Lowfat Way'. It gives suggestions, recipes, and ideas for enjoying a meal plan that's lower in fat for optimum health.
Information is compiled from 20 years of my teaching, reading, and learning about healthy eating. It makes a great gift for anyone interested in healthy eating!

This informative 'how to' ebook can be purchased by clicking here..

It can also be purchased in hardcopy form. Click here for online purchasing...

My other book available in ebook form is the second edition of my 'Joys of Organic Cooking, Vol. I'. It contains recipes developed over 3 years while working with an organic foods delivery firm. Recipes all include a nutritional analysis to aid in meal planning. The cookbook also introduces a variety of new uses for foods such as turnips, beets, parsnips, etc. Recipes are all taste-tested and popular with my readers plus students!

Purchase 'Joys of Organic Cooking, Vol. I by clicking here.....