The next time you want a quick healthy meal or snack, consider these combos. Each of these grab and go partners can be prepared in a flash.
Now is the time to start helping your entire family eat healthier. The combinations shown here are not only beneficial to your body, but most are easy enough for children to put together.
Some of the items are staple foods you may already have in your pantry. Plan for success, start today, show your family that eating healthy is easy and tasty.
NutriBullet: The Superfood Nutrition Extractor®. Turn ordinary food into superfood and add years to your life! Available at most major retailers.
Simply fill halfway with raw veggies and the other half raw fruits. Easy to use, makes delicious, nutritious smoothies.
In need of a brain-boosting breakfast to power your way through the day? For sustained energy and a nutritional boost, here are some superior choices in the breakfast bunch.
1. Blueberries
These bright blue beauties contain one of the highest antioxidant capacities of all fruits, making blueberries a no-brainer (…or shall I say a yes-brainer?) There is evidence that these superfruits can improve memory, as well as boost the immune system. Blueberries, along with other members of the berry family are lower on the glycemic-index (GI). A low GI along with their high fiber content helps slowly release sugar into the bloodstream for sustained energy.
2. Walnuts
What do you think of when you see an unshelled walnut? Looks like a brain, right? Well, that is no coincidence, my friend! Walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids shown to boost brain health and reduce inflammation. The healthy fats found in walnuts will help absorb fat-soluble vitamins and the protein will “stick to the ribs” to keep you satiated until lunch.
3. Spinach
Vitamin C found in the strawberries of our Berry Brain Boost NutriBlast (below) helps absorb the iron contained in spinach. Iron enhances oxygen distribution throughout the body, waking up the immune system, boosting energy, and enhancing brain activity. Spinach is also an abundant source of vitamin K (almost 200% of the daily value in one cup raw), a nutrient required to help build strong bones.
4. Rolled Oats
We’ve all heard oatmeal helps reduce cholesterol, but do you know how? Its high soluble fiber is key. It not only helps keep your heart healthy, it will also slow down the rate at which the sugars from fruits are released into the bloodstream. This prevents any drastic energy highs or lows, the foundation to keeping you awake and alert. Choose gluten-free to prevent any inflammation caused by potential allergies or intolerance.
5. Almond Milk (or other dairy alternative)
With milk intolerance and dairy allergies on the rise, it is best to choose a dairy alternative fortified with calcium to meet the needs of growing bones. Fortunately, there are several options available that contain even more calcium than a glass of cow’s milk. Almond, rice, organic soy, oat, flax, and hemp milks are a few options you can find in your local market. This will also lend a creamier consistency to your NutriBlasts that your whole family will love.
Incorporate these top 5 foods in a delicious, nutritious NutriBlast. It’s the perfect start to the day!
Berry Brain Boost NutriBlast
25% spinach
½ banana
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup strawberries
¼ cup raw walnuts
3 Tbsp gluten-free rolled oats
Unsweetened almond milk to the MAX line
Blast for 45 seconds.
–Krista Haynes, R.D.
NutriBullet Nutrition Advisor
To Your Health!
Exercise can help people lose weight, increase energy and improve outlook. But, here’s added bonus: studies show that those who exercise also are physically younger. Who couldn’t appreciate that?
The fitness-age connection
Keeping fit can help your life expectancy in two ways, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It can decrease your chances of developing diseases and conditions as you age. It also can affect the aging process itself, as shown by the impact on an individual’s chromosomes.
During the study, researchers learned that chromosomes can give clues on the effects of aging. The chromosomes of the most active people were similar to those of inactive people 10 years younger – a strong reason to get moving.
Another study by the Buck Institute for Age Research found that exercise – and weight training in particular – actually can revive muscle tissue. Active older men and women took part in six months of twice-weekly strength training. Then, their tissue samples were compared to those of younger men and women. Exercise brought the samples from the older group back to levels similar to those in the younger group.
Boost your brain power
Exercise can slow the aging process not only physically, but mentally, too. In another recent study of Canadian women older than age 65, a link was found between physical exercise and the brain. Those who did regular aerobic exercise had better blood flow to the brain, which helps its ability to process information. In fact, the women who exercised scored 10 percent higher in brain function tests.
Keeping your brain fit with mental workouts also can help increase memory. So, challenge your brain by trying a new hobby or tackling a crossword puzzle, suggests the American Psychological Association. Learning a new language or playing a new musical instrument may help, too.
Get your weekly dose
In order to reap the benefits of exercise you have to hit the pavement, not the couch. You can follow these guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. They suggest that healthy adults need at least:
Along with a healthful diet, regular exercise can help you make your health a top priority. But, talk with your doctor before significantly increasing your exercise levels.
-United Healthcare, Source4Women
Side Note: Most of us have had a goal that didn’t happen as quickly as we wanted it to. Yes, you worked at it, but it seemed every possible obstacle got in the way, and finally you gave up. If that desire to be a happier, healthier person has been laying dormant inside you for awhile… DON’T GIVE UP!
Remember, a little FAITH can go a long way, even in dieting. No challenge is to small or to petty for us to pray for strength. The things you’ve waited for in your life, God will bring to fulfillment. Faith is Fail Proof… we can give you the tools, and the rest is up to you. You’ve Got This!
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Rule to Eating Healthy, Whole Foods… |
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If it tastes sweet, comes out of a box, or out of a window… Spit it out! |
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Now there is a way to calculate which fruits and veggies are the most nutrient dense. ANDI stands for “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index.” An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. A value of 1000 being the most nutritious per calorie, and 1 being the least. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micro-nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.
Start looking for ANDI scores at participating grocers.
In medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss well and maintain chunky consistency. Serve with Whole Wheat or Baked Pita Chips for an even healthier option. |
1. Mushrooms
Research reports that when people ate mushroom-based entrees, they felt just as satisfied as when they’d eaten those same dishes made with beef—though they’d taken in a fraction of the calories and fat.
2. Eggs
In one study, dieters who ate eggs for breakfast felt full for longer and lost more than twice as much weight as those who got the same amount of calories from a bagel for breakfast. Think beyond breakfast, too: eggs boost a salad’s staying power and make for a satisfying snack.
3. Apples
For a mere 95 calories, a medium apple contains 4 grams of fiber. And recent research, published in the Journal of Nutrition, suggests that boosting your fiber intake may help you to prevent weight gain—or even encourage weight loss.
4. Low Calorie Desserts
OK, so this isn’t exactly a “health food,” but we welcome the news that it may be easier to stick to your diet if it includes a little sweet treat. According to a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, banning sugary foods could lead to overeating. One reason may be that removing access to sweet foods stimulates the release of a molecule in your brain called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), produced when you’re afraid, anxious or stressed, says Pietro Cottone, Ph.D., lead study author. And increased stress levels may lower your motivation to eat more nutritious foods, making it more likely that you’ll binge on junk food.
5. Soup
Research published in the journal Appetite has shown that people who start a meal with vegetable soup eat 20 percent fewer calories over the course of their meal.
6. Oatmeal
Eating a breakfast made with “slow-release” carbohydrates, such as oatmeal or bran cereal, three hours before you exercise may help you burn more fat, suggests a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition. Here’s why: in the study, eating “slow-release” carbohydrates didn’t spike blood sugar as high as eating refined carbohydrates, such as white toast. In turn, insulin levels didn’t spike as high and because insulin plays a role in signaling your body to store fat, having lower levels may help you burn fat. Want options beyond oatmeal?
7. Hot Chile Peppers
In one study, consuming a little hot pepper (in tomato juice or in capsules) 30 minutes before a meal helped study participants feel less hungry and eat about 10 percent less.
8. Almonds
Chew more to curb hunger. That’s what researchers concluded in a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in which they asked participants to chew a 2-ounce serving of almonds 10, 25 or 40 times. Participants got maximum satisfaction—they felt fuller longer—from the nuts when they chewed 40 times. Chewing more may cause a greater release of fat from the almonds, which triggers hormones that curb hunger, speculates Rick Mattes, Ph.D., R.D., professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University, study author and an EatingWell advisor.
Apples, almonds, broccoli. If you eat the same things every week, you may be missing out on an easy way to boost your health. “Many of us pass up foods that are nutritional powerhouses, because we don’t know how to prepare them,” says Angela Ginn, RD, a nutritionist in Baltimore. Bust out of your culinary rut with these five disease fighters.
Bamboo Shoots
Why? A great low-calorie, high-fiber veggie packed with antioxidants that help ward off cancer-causing free radicals.
How to Enjoy: Find bamboo shoots in the canned-food section of your supermarket. Add to salads, stir-fries, and soups.
Pumpkin Seeds
Why? Rich in protein and phytosterols, these little treats have been shown to reduce levels of harmful LDL cholesterol.
How to Enjoy: Eat them plain for an afternoon snack or sprinkle some on top of your salad for added crunch.
Swiss Chard
Why? This leafy green is loaded with potassium, which helps to balance electrolytes and prevent muscle cramps.
How to Enjoy: Simply saute Swiss chard and garlic in olive oil for a delicious side dish.
Kiwis
Why? Kiwis have more immune-system-strengthening vitamin C than grapefruits, oranges, or strawberries.
How to Enjoy: Switch out your usual berries with kiwis to put on Greek yogurt, or toss them in your favorite salad.
Beets
Why? Beets are rich in folic acid, which has been show to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in blood linked to heart disease.
How to Enjoy: Roast beets to bring out their sweetness. Drizzle them with olive oil and place in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes to an hour.
~By Danielle Paquette
FOODS AND CANCER
by Jenny Flynn
As I write this article, it really touches my heart. I personally have lost three immediate family members to cancer, and after studying and research, I, and we at Letslose ,would like to share this informative information to allow you to incorporate it into your lives and daily eating habits.
We have all often wondered “what” cancer really is and how one obtains this sometimes fatal disease. Cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of cells producing a malignant tumor that eventually invades all the surrounding tissues and may entail “metastasis”, (other tumors of the same type appearing far from the original site). Statistics show that it’s natural evolution is known to lead to death.
Believe it or not, certain foods play a vital role in cancer prevention. However, even when cancer has been diagnosed, one’s diet continues to play a vital importance in healing and recovery and sometimes even survival.
There are many anti-carcinogenic foods known to assist in healing, (foods that help fight against the development of cancer), and there is experimental evidence documenting their effectiveness in slowing the development of malignant cells, and demonstrating that their use as a therapeutic tool is well founded to also be effective.
Therefore, we at Letslose, would like to make some suggestions proven to assist in making a difference in the prevention of cancer.
Fruit: Fruit is the most effective anti-carcinogenic food; certain rigorously conducted studies have shown abundant fruit consumption prevents most of the cancers that affect humans. All fresh fruits are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and phytochemicals, which are capable of neutralizing carcinogenic substances entering the body.
Olive Oil: When substituted for other dietary fats it is known to reduce breast cancer due to its richness in antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids.
Whole Grains: Fiber in whole grains accelerates movements through the bowel. It also retains and removes carcinogenic substances that may be in the digestive tract, and excreting them through the feces. Rye is the most effective grain that aids in the reduction of colon cancer.
Vegetables: All vegetables protect to a degree, their richness in Provitamin A, Vitamin C and Antioxidant Phytochemicals explain their anti-carcinogenic effect.
The most effective examples include: Red Beets, Carrots, Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers and Eggplant. Others that also have a variety of suffocated phytochemical effect are Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli and Radishes.
Yogurt: Yogurt contains active bacterial cultures and lactic acid that protect against this disease.
Legumes: These protect due to their richness in fiber.
With these suggestions, we at Letslose, would like to encourage you to make changes to your diet and also at the same try staying away from foods that can be known to promote cancer. These foods include, but are not limited to: Alcoholic Beverages, Refined Foods, Excess amounts of WHOLE Milk, increased amounts of meat consumption, Tobacco products, and increased amounts of Fat.
Work to improve your life! Taking care of your happiness and well being will soon be a daily part of your everyday routine!
1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
