Week
of May 29, 2005
Get
Moving!
Are
you trying to ease more physical activity into
your daily life? It
is fairly easy to fit physical activities into
your daily routine. If you think about your routine,
you will surely find ways to increase your activity.
Here are a few ways.
1. Instead of getting in your car to go see a
friend who lives one mile away, walk or bike to
see them.
2.
Don't stay comatose for long periods of inactivity.
Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while
you read, do homework or watch TV.
3.
If you have a choice beteen stairs and an escalator
or elevator, take the stairs.
4.
Don't spend 30 minutes cruising the parking lot
trying to find a closer parking spot. Park as
far away as possible and walk.
5. Instead of stopping at just the store you need
to go to in the mall, walk the entire mall and
window shop.
Week
of May 21, 2005
Remember
all fat isn't bad for you. Fat is essential for
the transport of fat-soluble vitamins like A,
D and E; and it keeps our skin and hair looking
healthy, too. You only need a "moderate amount"
of fat for health - at least 15 to 20 percent
of your overall calories. The good fats that you
should be incorporating into your diet are called
monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fat has
been shown to help in the crusade against cholesterol
build up, specifically by raising the good or
HDL cholesterol in our systems. Monounsaturated
fats come from plant sources.
And
while lean meat, fish, poultry and low-fat dairy
products do contain some fat, you can also add
small amounts of good quality oils to take advantage
of the monounsaturated fat and its heart-healthy
benefits. So what oils should you be using?
Olive
Oil
Known as the age old standard of oils is olive
oil . With its rich, buttery taste and robust
earthiness, olive oil can turn ordinary dishes
into something fabulous. It has a very high monounsaturated
fat content. Fortunately, There is a wide variety
to choose from. Extra virgin oils have less acidity
content of the olive oil than virgin olive oil,
making it a good choice to use for cold foods,
like salad dressing. Virgin olive oil does not
have quite the pronounced flavor of extra virgin,
a preference of many cooks when cooking foods
that do not need to bring attention to olive oil's
taste.
Canola
Oil
Canola oil is another good healthy monounsaturated
oil to use. Canola oil is not as strong as olive
oil. It is an excellent choice for baking and
when you want a salad dressing that is extremely
light in flavor. It is also good for light sautéing.
Peanut
Oil
Peanut oil is another good monounsaturated fat
source. It has a higher smoking point than either
olive or canola, making it ideal for stir-frying
or recipes that call for higher heat. You will
find that Chinese peanut oil has more of a distinctive
nutty taste than our American varieties.
Walnut
Oil
Walnut oil is used extensively in Europe, particularly
France. This oil is extracted from walnuts and
is best when used as part of a salad dressing
so you can taste the nutty flavor.
Sesame
Oil
Pressed
from sesame seeds, sesame oil is also another
good monounsaturated fat. It has been used for
years in tasty salad dressings and hot Asian stir
fry dishes. Cold-pressed sesame oil is light yellow,
has a mild flavor and is odorless. It too has
a lovely nutty flavor which is not overpowering.
Hot-pressed sesame oil is darker and has a more
pungent taste. Recent studies have shown that
using only sesame oil may
lower
blood pressure.
NOTE:
Always try to use expeller-pressed oils. These
oils are extracted from their seed or nut using
a cold process so that the essential fatty acids
and vitamins such as Vitamin E are left in a whole
state as much as possible. They also taste richer
than refined oils. If you cannot find expeller-pressed
oils at your market, try finding them at a natural
food store
Week
of May 8, 2005
Processed
foods, including canned goods, are among the
most nutritionally devoid foods. Not only
are they lower or devoid of nutrients, but
many of them contain added hydrogenated fats
and food additives that have been shown to
be hazardous to your health. If you examine
the prices of the packaged, name-brand junk
foods, you'll see that you are paying premium
prices for no food value. Plus, most of these
items are much higher in calories and added
sodium than fresh foods.
Save
the money that you’d normally spend on
processed foods like potato chips, cookies,
packaged (this includes dinner in a box and
pre-packaged mixes) and frozen foods, and
spend it on some fresh vegetables, fruit,
seafood, poultry and meat instead.
Originally,
foods were grown and eaten directly from the
Earth. Eventually techniques for food preparation
and preservation, such as pickling, salting,
and smoking, were developed to deal with the
problems of food storage, waste, and food-borne
and food bacteria illnesses. Today, our modern
food industry’s reliance on processing
and additives continues to increase and have
reached a nightmare level. Many are beginning
to ask if these technological “advances”
are worth everyone's health.
The
food industry is continually creating chemicals
to manipulate, preserve or transform food.
Scientists are able to mimic natural flavors,
color foods to make them look more “natural”
or “fresh,” preserve foods for longer
and longer periods of time, and create altered
versions of breads, crackers, fruits, vegetables,
meats, dairy products and many more commonly
used foods.There are even “foods”
that are made entirely from chemicals like
coffee creamers, sugar substitutes, some and
candies. These "foods" are made
almost completely of artificial ingredients.
The
food industry generally provides five main reasons
for why chemicals must be added to our foods:
-
To
improve shelf life or storage time.
-
To make food more convenient and easy to prepare.
-
To
increase the nutritional value.
-
To
enhance or improve the flavor of foods.
-
To
enhance the attractiveness of food products
and improve consumer acceptance.
Here
are the things they contain that are toxic or
can be bad for you:
- Hydrogenated
Fats - Can cause cardiovascular disease, obesity
- Artificial
Food Colors - Can cause allergies, asthma, hyperactivity;
possible carcinogen
- Nitrites
and Nitrates - These substances can develop
into nitrosamines in body, which can be carcinogenic
- Sulfites
(sulfur dioxide, metabisulfites, and others)
- Can cause allergic and asthmatic reactions
- Added
Sugar and Sweeteners - Can cause obesity, dental
cavities, diabetes and hypoglycemia, increased
triglycerides (blood fats) or candida (yeast)
- Artificial
Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K and Saccharin)
- Have been known to cause behavioral problems,
hyperactivity, allergies, and possibly carcinogenic.
The government cautions against the use of any
artificial sweetener by children and pregnant
women. Anyone with PKU (phenylketonuria—a
problem of phenylalanine, an amino acid, metabolism)
should not use aspartame (Nutrasweet).
- MSG
(monosodium glutamate) - Can cause common allergic
and behavioral reactions, including headaches,
dizziness, chest pains, depression and mood
swings; also a possible neurotoxin
- Preservatives
(BHA, BHT, EDTA, etc.) - Can cause allergic
reactions, hyperactivity, possibly cancer-causing;
BHT may be toxic to the nervous system and the
liver
- Artificial
Flavors - Can cause allergic or behavioral reactions
- Refined
Flour - Contains low-nutrient calories, can
cause carbohydrate imbalances and altered insulin
production
-
Salt (excessive) - Can cause fluid retention
and blood pressure increases
- Olestra
(an artificial fat) - Can cause diarrhea and
digestive disturbances
Other
Concerns:
- Food
Waxes (protective coating of produce, as in
cucumbers, peppers, and apples) - May trigger
allergies, can contain pesticides, fungicide
sprays or animal byproducts.
- Plastic
packaging - Carcinogenic (vinyl chloride); may
cause immune reactions, lung shock
Week
of May 1, 2005
Spring
has arrived, and so has a crop of fresh produce.
Take
advantage of both by creating a variety of refreshing
salads.
Enjoying
a salad as a prelude to a meal or as a main course,
a delicious salad is one of the quickest and easiest
foods to prepare. Remeber you don't have to settle
for a simple bowl of iceberg lettuce and chopped
tomatoes. A
salad, almost by definition, is simply a bunch
of ingredients tossed together with dressing.
So
use your imagination and any number of your favorite
ingredients to create a signature dish featuring
the foods you love. Just make sure the flavors
complement one another and it's hard to go wrong.
Feel
like Italian? Try halved cherry tomatoes, fresh
mozzarella, cured black olives and fresh basil
tossed with olive oil and a splash of balsamic
vinegar.
Can't
get Mexican south of the border out of your mind?
Mix black beans, corn, tomatoes and fresh cilantro
with a blend of white wine vinegar, lime juice
and a dash or three of chili powder.
Thinking
Greek? You can't go wrong with fresh greens topped
with tomatoes, red onions, and crumbled low fat
feta topped with a low fat herbed vinaigrette
of your choice.
Add
a little chicken, turkey or lean pork strips for
a hearty main dish salad. For something a little
more unusual, grill meaty portabello mushrooms
and fresh yellow squash to place atop mixed greens
drizzled with a tangy citrus dressing.
