Inspiration of the Day - 12/30/10 - 1/1/11

Happy New Year!!!

May this year bring you health , happiness and blessings in every aspect of your life!

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 12/29/10

"Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help."

 - George Carlin

During this time of year we give and receive gifts that we cherish.  But how many of us cherish a gift we have everyday, which is our health.  We are alive and living and experiencing life.  There are many people that are bed or hospital ridden.  There are many people that have incureable ailments and diseases.  There are many people that have passed on because of health issues.  I know a few personaly this year that have passed because of this.  How many do you know?

So why take for granted what you have today.  A chance and opportunity to take control of your health and make it want you want it to be.  There are no excuses as to why you are not doing it.  Everyday is a new chance for you to do so, while for others it's been too late.  Why wait for a New Year, when you have a new morning everyday!  Every second is a new second given to you to change your life in whatever aspect it may be -- career, family, spiritual or health wise.  "Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help."

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 12/28/10

Learn to hit a moving target.

You may be asking, "What do you mean by that?".Learning to hit a moving target is learning to adapt and make adjustments based off of changing conditions and circumstances. 

Yesterday I wrote about enjoying life and "splurging" once in awhile.  Like eating the traditional Holiday foods this time of year.  Or once a week enjoying a nice slice of pie or cake.  Whatever it is that you like.  But then I also wrote about being prepared for this.  Once you enjoy that nice ham, turkey or piece of pie, you are going to have to hit the gym extra hard to make up for the extra calories you've had.  You have to change your plans of running just a mile and plan on running a mile and a half for the week. 

And it might not just be the Holiday food.  You may have missed a gym date because of family issues or work.  There are a million reason why we may miss a chance to excercise in a day. The road to: losing 10 lbs. before summer or adding 5 lbs. of muscle or just maintaining a healthy lifestyle has changed.  And the way you hit a moving target is by keeping it in sight.  Following it wherever it may take you.  Keeping your aim steady and lined up.  Don't ever lose sight.

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 12/27/10



I hope everyone had a good Holiday weekend.  I certainly enjoyed spending time with my family and also eating the traditional Holiday foods...and desserts.  And I do not feel guilty about doing it.

People take diets too far sometimes, when all we need to do is take a break and enjoy life once in awhile.  We can burn ourselves out with "watching our calories" or not partaking in the festivities, while others relish in the delight of turkey, ham, pie, cobbler and other delicious Holiday treats. 

The key is to plan ahead...Plan ahead and know that you are going to take a day to eat the foods your family members took so much time to make, but you are going to have to take a week of hitting the gym or the treadmill hard to compensate. 

Enjoy life.  Never miss out.   Never get too hard on yourself.  Learn to hit a moving target.

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 12/24/10

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family!

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 12/23/10

The human body has been designed to resist an infinite number of changes and attacks brought about by its environment. The secret of good health lies in successful adjustment to changing stresses on the body.
~Harry J. Johnson

You are made to be strong. You were designed to endure.  You are capable of extraordinary things. 

On a daily basis your body copes with:  temperature changes, attacks from foreign invaders whether they are bugs, viruses or bacteria trying to bring you down, humidity, dampness, dust and pollen, a bombardment of sights and sounds... and we take all of these things for granted.

You are strong. You endure everyday. You do extraordinary things all the time.

Recognize these things and appreciate your power and life force.  And when additional stresses head your way..."the secret of good health lies in successful adjustment to changing stresses on the body" and mind.

-LK 

Inspiration of the Day - 12/22/10

 

People who laugh actually live longer than those who don't laugh. Few persons realize that health actually varies according to the amount of laughter.
~James J. Walsh
 

Health is not only about training the body.  It's also about training the mind and the spirit. Laughter is not necessarily the key to a healthy life, but the mentality behind it and the spirit associated with it is.  A happy person lives longer...and that's a fact.  Stress kills. And we need to do everything possible to stop stressing, especially during this time of year.  The suicide rate goes up during the Holiday Season, not down.  The Holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and happiness and laughter, but that hides that true fact that many of us are not. 

I encourage you to find what makes you truly happy and hold on to it...appreciate it and give in to it.  And again...don't get caught in the "Holiday Frenzy".  Get caught up in the Holiday Season.  Like the old saying says it's good to stop and smell the roses sometimes...it's good to just stop and laugh.  Put a smile on your face and enjoy life.  After all... Life is good!

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 12/21/10

Time and health are two precious assets that we don't recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.

~Denis Waitley

I read this quote and thought, "How true this is".  We tell ourselves, "Tomorrow is the day" or "I'll do it next year", when it comes taking care of ourselves and eating healthy.  But really, how many times have you said that, and tomorrow never came or the next year rolled in and you had not stayed committed to your resolution?

As far as time...there are never enough hours in a day. But what's really important? During this Holiday Season I would like to think family and loved ones.  Are we taking time to spend with them or are we letting ourselves get caught up in the Holiday Frenzy?  Remeber the reason for the season is Jesus, but also it's a time to reconnect with those we may have lost contact with. It's a time to slow our lives down and focus in on what matters most. God, family and friends... And take time for yourself.

-LK

Inspiration of the Day - 12/20/10

A bodily disease, which we look upon as whole and entire within itself, may, after all, be but a symptom of some ailment in the spiritual past.

~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Inspiration of the Day - 12/17/10

Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God and value it next to conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of, a blessing money can't buy.

~Izaak Walton

Inspiration of the Day - 12/16/10

Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.

~Jim Rohn

Healthy Cookies for Healthier Baking!

Christmas can often be synonymous with sugar. Loads and loads of sugar. And, while I am not one to say that there isn’t a time and place for sweets and cookies and all things sugary and glittery, I do feel that we often turn to those simply because we don’t know the alternatives can be so good. This Christmas season, in the midst of the wine and cheese plates and sugar-laden cakes and cookies, I encourage you to try some healthier variations to share with your friends and families. Not only will they be a refreshing break from the sugar-highs and sugar-crashes you’re used to experiencing, I think you’ll find many healthier ideas incredibly delicious and inspirational in making you want to repeat them, not just because they’re “healthy” but because they taste so good!

Some tips to consider for Healthier Baking include:

* Use oatmeal whenever possible. It adds filling fiber and takes the place of regular white flour (empty calories).
* Substitute applesauce for butter. You can read up on the best ways to do this, but I’ve had great luck with it and actually prefer many of my recipes this way. * Try to include recipes with nuts. Protein and fiber boosts are great ways to curb extensive holiday eating.
* Toast your spices. You’ll need less of the sugar and fat when your spices have a fuller flavor from the toasting process.
* Use fruits to sweeten whenever possible. Bananas are practically dessert themselves, see where you can add them. Make your own fruit sweeteners.
* Use Yogurt! I adore yogurt, and the more recipes I can find to use it, the happier I am. It’s loaded with protein, its fat-free, and it gives an extremely moist texture to things like muffins and breads.

And now, here's a healthy cookie recipe that is perfect for adults. You'll love the flavors, and it goes well with your Christmas drinks or Hot chocolate, but the best part, you'll never know its Healthy! Just use your coffee makers with your favorite coffee flavor, and follow the recipe for a delicious treat.

Coffee Almond Gluten-Free Cookies
Recipe adapted from Healthy Green Kitchen

Ingredients
2 cups almonds or almond flour
1 Tb. freeze-dried regular or decaf organic coffee or use espresso powder
3/4 cup organic sugar
1/2 tsp. Himalayan or sea salt
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat. Process almonds, coffee, sugar, and salt in a high speed blender or food processor until fine. Transfer to a mixing bowl. If using almond flour, you can skip the blender/food processor and mix the ingredients right in your bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff.

Fold nut mixture into the egg whites. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and mix just until blended.

Spoon the batter onto your cookie sheets. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

You'll love this simple recipe, which is fancy enough for your Holiday baking, yet takes care of your waist size! Thanks Tara, for sharing such great tips with us. Tara Alley is a freelance writer from Big Sky, MT, a passionate baker and a lover of all things coffee-related. She is now working for Coffee Home Direct in Orange County, CA. You can reach her at: tara@coffeehomedirect.com

For more Christmas Baking, check out these Christmas Recipes at Fun and Food Cafe.

Inspiration of the Day - 12/15/10

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like and do what you'd druther not.

~Mark Twain

Inspiration of the Day - 12/14/10

They say "variety is the spice of life" and they are right. Especially when it comes to training and eating healthy, variety is an important factor. Not only is it good for you to mix up your exercise routines and the foods you eat for health reason, but it is good also to keep you interested in living a fit life. Doing the same work out routines and eating the same "plain Jane" health foods can burn a person out and eventually lead them to giving up on living a healthy lifestyle. 

The good thing is, that there are more fruits and vegetables at our grocery stores then most of us can sit down and name. Not even including our local farmer's markets.  And there are of number of different training regimens to fit your needs to keep you interested in exercising, especially when you see the results. So keep it fresh. Mix it up!

~LK

Inspiration of the Day - 12/13/10

Fitness is a lifestyle, not a fad. A lot of times, people get caught up in these fast 1 week or 30 day fitness programs or diets that promise results. When in reality you may see results, but they are only temporary. Looking good and feeling good all the time requires time and effort. It is always an uphill battle no matter what level you reach, because gravity and age will take their effects no matter how hard you work. There are no permanent results, only permanent work put into bettering and maintaining the results you have achieved.

So today, make a commitment to get caught up in living a healthy life style and not a fad for the holidays or a New Years resolution for next year. Make a resolution for life, to live healthy and stay fit.

~LK

Mission Statement

  My goal is to restore balance and bring about health awareness that will educate and profoundly change the lives of my clients. 

Inspiration of the Day - 12/12/10

On Health

"It is health that is our real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Baking Christmas Cookies For Santa

My mom was an amazing baker-extraordinaire, and most of my favorite childhood memories revolving around Christmas involve baking cookies. It never got old, and whether we were decorating melt-in-your mouth sugar cookies with piping of all colors and styles or gluing on the perfect accessories to our gingerbread men, I loved it. It formed a bond with my mom that we will both cherish forever. Even now, 20+ years later, when December hits, all I want to do is go home, turn the Christmas music up, the oven on, and bake cookies with mom.

Part of the intrigue after the piles and piles of cookies were baked and decorated to child-like perfection was the finale: when we got to create a plate for Santa. Of course, Santa can eat everything and multiples of it, so we always had a giant plate and we put at least two of everything we had made on that plate. I was very protective of those cookies. No one (especially not a sneaky brother) was going to touch any one of them. They were for Santa and Santa alone. And, first thing Christmas morning, it was a mad dash to make sure that Santa had eaten them all, drank his milk and left just the appropriate amount of crumbs behind. He never failed me.

This year, I encourage you to bake cookies with your children. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than in your kitchen with flour flying and little fingers dipped in red sugar crystals? Play some of your favorite music and show your kids a new kind of Christmas magic. I guarantee that you won’t forget it and neither will they. And, after all, do you really think Santa prefers homemade cookies or those pre-packaged, cardboard cutouts? I’d venture to say he’d rather your child’s attempt at a cookie (regardless of what it tastes or looks like) than anything else.

If you’re at a loss for where to start, try the sugar cookies above. It’s a very simple recipe that my mom and I are both in love with. It’s called a sugar cookie, but don’t let that fool you. It’s got sour cream that makes it to-die-for, and I’d describe it somewhere between shortbread and sugar cookie. Plus, while the mixing and baking is fun, there’s something about decorating cookies after that I believe absolutely every child should be a part of. P.S. Don’t forget the milk!

Here are some more Christmas Cookie recipes that Santa will love!

Perfect Shortbread Cookies
Peppermint & Vanilla Butter Cookies
Raspberry Blondies (Cookie Bars)
Chocolate Marshmallow Mud Cookies
Snowflake Sugar Cookies
Pink Meringue Cookies
Chocolate-Dipped Madeleines

This article is written by Tara Alley, who is a freelance writer from Big Sky, MT, a passionate baker and a lover of all things coffee-related. She is now living in the heart of Orange County, CA, working for Coffee Home Direct, promoting coffee makers and coffee accessories. You can reach her at: tara@coffeehomedirect.com.
Photo: iStockPhoto.com
Recipe: Allrecipes.com

Upside Down Apple Cake

Apple Cake is a very healthy and delicious way to gobble up some dessert without much guilt. Everyone knows the nutritious value of Apples, but when you get bored eating apple slices for your snack time, try this beautiful, low-fat, low-sugar Upside Down Apple Cake. A generous serving of Caramelized apples flavored with apple cider form the base of the cake, and the actual cake topping is equally delicious and fragrant, touched with apple pie spice, non-fat buttermilk, margarine instead of butter, a bit of whole grain pastry flour, and substituting Splenda for Sugar, makes this a healthier version, without compromising at all on the taste factor.

[Recipe adapted from Woman's Day Magazine to make a healthier version; photo by Mark Thomas]

So the next time you are browsing around for a healthy dessert recipe, give this Apple Cake a fair chance. I promise you you will be pleasantly surprised. Please note that some people have their misgivings about using Splenda - if you are one of those, just go for ripe and sweet red apples and use brown sugar, but less in quantity so you can still get a cake sweet enough for dessert. You can even use some Maple Syrup or Honey as they are sweeter than sugar, but lower in calories.

This cake is actually quite dense enough, considering the use of low-fat substitutes. I think the Caramelized apples are the gem of the recipe though. As the cake bakes, the juices separated from the apples trickle in and make it nice and moist, just the way a cake should be!

Healthy Upside Down Apple Cake

Ingredients

Caramelized Apple Topping
1/2 cup splenda
1/4 cup apple cider or juice
1 Tbsp each lemon juice and light stick butter
4 medium Cortland or Fuji apples (1 1/2 lb), peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges

For The Cake
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) light butter, softened (or margarine)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp apple pie spice powder (or all-spice)
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole grain pastry flour (or use regular wheat flour)
2/3 cup nonfat buttermilk

Method
Heat oven to 350ºF. You'll need a 9 x 2-in. round cake pan coated with nonstick spray.

Mix sugar and apple cider in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil mixture 4 minutes or until light honey color. Add lemon juice and butter; reduce heat to medium. When butter is melted, boil mixture 1 minute, until light golden. Add apples, flat sides down; cook 8 minutes, turning apples with a fork after 4 minutes, until lightly caramelized and crisp-tender when pierced with a skewer. Remove from heat and cool in skillet for 5 minutes.

Pour the apple mixture from skillet into prepared cake pan; use a fork to arrange in concentric circles. Beat butter, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, baking soda, apple pie spice and salt with a mixer in a medium bowl 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended. Beat in flour and buttermilk alternately, in three additions, until batter is smooth. Pour batter over apples; spread to edge of pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until a pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. Cool until cake is just warm, then serve. (This cake is also delicious at room temperature.)

Related Recipes
Fried Apple Pies (Empanadas)
Spiced Apple Bread
Best Homemade Apple Pie

Mini Cranberry Tarts for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is less than 24 hours away, and if you have still not decided what will go on your dessert menu, try these rustic Cranberry tarts which have an old-world charm to them, and with cute individual-sized portions, each guest can have their own personal pies, without having to horde around one big plate! Homemade pie dough can be made overnight and refrigerated, and you can also make the cranberry filling ahead of time. Add some holiday flavor by sprinkling dashes of fall flavors like nutmeg, some raisins and chopped pecans. Orange zest and Grand Mariner take it up one notch higher, making it a memorable feast for your friends and family. Recipe by Karen Baker, via Fine Cooking magazine; photo by Scott Phillips.

Ingredients

For the dough:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp table salt
6 oz. (12 Tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp cold water

For the filling:
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup granulated sugar; more to taste
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1/8 tsp table salt
pinch of nutmeg
2 tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts

For Base & Garnish
3 Tbsp gingersnap cookie crumbs (from about 6 cookies)
Granulated sugar for sprinkling
Lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving

Making the dough
Put the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water and pulse until the dough just starts to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and press it into a cohesive ball. Divide it into six equal balls and put each on a sheet of plastic. Press the balls into disks and wrap well with the plastic. Refrigerate the dough until firm, 1 hour (or hold in the refrigerator for up to two days).

Making the Filling
In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of the cranberries with the raisins, sugar, maple syrup, orange liqueur, orange zest and juice, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved, the cranberries have popped open, and the mixture is quite thick and syrupy, about 6 minutes. Taste the mixture. If it seems too tart, add more sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup cranberries, nutmeg and chopped pecans. Let the filling cool to room temperature (it will thicken to a jam-like consistency). Once cool, the filling can be refrigerated for up to two days.

Baking the Tarts
Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. About 15 minutes before rolling the dough, take it out of the refrigerator so that it becomes malleable.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk of dough into a 5-1/2- to 6-inch round.

Transfer three rounds to each baking sheet and sprinkle the gingersnap crumbs evenly over the surface of each round, leaving a scant 1-inch border. Dollop the cooled filling into the center of each dough round. Use the back of a spoon to spread the filling evenly, leaving a 1-inch border.

Gently fold the border over the filling, pleating as you go, to partially enclose the filling. Lightly press the pleats together to seal. Sprinkle the crust with sugar. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream on the side.

Tart Recipe Variations
Feel free to adapt the recipe for the filling by using seasonal fruits. Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums are all great fruit tart flavors. the basic recipe for the dough and the shell remains the same. You can freeze the tart dough for upto a month, so make the most of this recipe, and you can easily bake variations of the same, all through Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Related Recipes
Traditional Bourbon Pecan Pie
Roasted Pumpkin & Onion Bisque
Upside Down Cranberry Cake

Delicious & Healthy Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Most of the times, I end up baking Chocolate Banana Bread with old mushy browned Bananas. But this time, I wanted to try something different, and preferably healthy, if possible. So this recipe for Banana Oatmeal Muffins was just perfect! I loved the fact that it uses Almond milk, which gives it a mild Almond flavor, and the chocolate chips help transform this healthy muffin into a more sophisticated and kid-friendly treat. With less than 120 calories per muffin, it is indeed a dessert you can treat yourself with, a dessert which will keep you full for a longer time, thanks to the Bananas and Oatmeal! Recipe & photo courtesy of Roni at Green Lite Bites.

Ingredients
3 very ripe mashed bananas
1 cup vanilla Almond milk (use whole milk if you want instead)
2 eggs
1 tbsp Baking powder
3 cups Old Fashioned or Rolled Oats
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp mini chocolate chips

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips together in a bowl, then slowly add the Almond milk and combine to make a batter. Let it sit while you prepare the muffin pans.

Spray a muffin pan and/or liners with with non-stick spray and keep ready.

Now stir the chocolate chips into the oatmeal batter. Just mix enough to combine, do not blend or whisk. The batter should be thick, not runny like cake batter.

Divide batter equally into 15 muffin cups, filling them 3/4th full. Bake 20-30 minutes, you’ll see the edges just starting to brown and they will be firm to the touch. Do not over-bake.

The muffins may stick to the pan when hot. So allow them to cool completely on a wire rack, then turn them out easily.

Related Recipes
Wholegrain Blueberry Pancakes
Spiced Apple Bread
Quick & Easy Pineapple Muffins

VITAMIN D

In the past we were cautioned against too much exposure to the sun because of its link to skin cancer and premature aging. The advertising to use sufficient sunscreen was substantial and quite rightly so. But the benefit of sun exposure is that it stimulates our skin to produce Vitamin D. After medical trials and pathology findings, the medical community is now stating that many of us have a serious deficiency of Vitamin D. This deficiency is greatly implicated in hypertension, depression, birth defects, muscle weakness, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D deficiency also promotes the onset of “The Big Three”: cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Vitamin D is technically a type of steroid hormone known as a pro-hormone because of its action in the body. It was first put on the map in 1922 by Sir Edward Mellanby although RIckets was known as a vitamin D deficiency back in the 17th Century. Many functions of vitamin D have been identified along the way but now the focus is on obtaining adequate levels and addressing the epidemic deficiency. If you do not go out in the sun often enough, research indicates the necessity to supplement with at least 5000 iu a day. To obtain this from milk you would need to drink 50 glasses, which, of course, is not recommended. The skin can make 10,000 iu of Vitamin D when exposed to the sun for 20-30 minutes
each day (depending on the angle of the sun in the sky), though of course great caution is needed with sun exposure.

The original RDA’s for vitamin D 
children 200iu
Adults up to 70 years 400iu
Adults over 70 600iu
Recommendations NOW
Below 5 yrs 35 iu per lb.daily
5-10 yrs 2500 iu
Adults 5000 iu

There are 3 ways to get your adequate daily Vitamin D:

1.                   Midday sun exposure while being careful not to burn –
this isn’t always practical.

2.                   Regular use of a safe sun bed during colder months time
– this can be time-consuming and expensive.

3.                   Take 5000 iu of Vitamin D per day for 2-3 months, then
have a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test.

So, you may ask, how can I find out my levels of vitamin D?
Vitamin D testing at Balance Westside Wellness involves a simple blood draw
and costs $35 if not already covered by our insurance.
If you find you are deficient then it is easy and quite affordable to take a
supplement either in drops, softgels, tablets, or capsules. Fortunately Vitamin
D is very affordable can can work out as less than 5¢/day. It is recommended
that you have another test after 3 months. The aim is to have a level of 50-80
ng/ml.

Facts to Know 
It can take 48 hrs before the vitamin D3 is absorbed into your skin from sun exposure. Therefore it is best not to shower with soap for 48 hrs. Water alone on sun exposed areas is OK.
You do not absorb vitamin D (made from UVB rays) behind glass e.g. in the car, in office, at home. But we need to be careful because you do absorb the UVA rays which actually destroys vit D and also creates oxidative stress
which can lead to skin cancer, aging of the skin.
If you have dark skin you would be required to have 12 times longer exposure to the sun. Vitamin is known to influence 2000 genes in our bodies.Vitamin D is a derivative of cholesterol so be careful your cholesterol does not get too low (especially if you are on statins) otherwise it will be impossible for your body to manufacture Vit D.

Vitamin D is shown to be helpful in:

·                     Optimizing weight loss

·                     Lowering blood pressure

·                     Pregnancy – preventing pre-eclampsia, autism

·                     Auto immune disease – MS, Crohn’s,Rheumatoid Arthritis, fighting infections, especially respiratory infections such as TB

·                     Improving skin conditions – eczema, psoriasis

·                     Hearing loss

·                     Muscle pain and weakness

·                     Macular degeneration

·                     Limiting depression, headaches

·                     Periodontal disease

·                     Enhancing athletic performance

·                     Cancer prevention and killing cancer cells

CANCER 
There is strong evidence now that shows Vitamin D’ s important role in the prevention of cancer. It does this by basically inhibiting the cancer cells to proliferate. I has been hournaled that 75% of breast and colon cancer can be prevented with sufficient levels of Vitamin D. Laboratory evidence also shows a deficiency to be associated with prostate and skin cancer too.

DIABETES 
Strong evidence from Dr Sarfraz Zaidi at the Jamila Diabetes Center shows direct association of Vitamin D deficiency in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes develops because of a malfunction in the immune system.
Vitamin D plays a huge role in the normal functioning of the immune system and when it breaks down, your immune system begins to attack your own cells. For diabetes this would be the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
Lack of Vitamin D affects all other autoimmune diseases for the same reason. Those people with low Vitamin D are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE 
Numerous studies have found that many people with a form of cardiovascular disease were low in Vitamin D. It can start with high blood pressure, arthrosclerosis, or the actual heart malfunction. “Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, above and beyond established cardiovascular risk factors,” said Thomas J. Wang, M.D.,
assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. As you can see, Vitamin D has a vital role in our health. A simple blood test and, if deficient, simple ways in increasing your levels could prevent onset of disease and in some cases even death.

Ingredients of a Healthy Food

We understand that food provides certain essential macronutrients, namely protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Without these nutrients in balance no diet can be completely healthy. However, some qualities of certain nutrients are healthier than others, and some foods provide these healthy items better than others. Understanding the "ingredients" of a "healthy" food will help you to build a diet that can better fuel the body and prevent disease.
  
Good Fats, Bad fats 
  
Not all fats are created equal. We know that an excess of fat can lead obesity, heart disease, and chronic illnesses like cancer. However, there are several kinds of fat that are not only beneficial but essential to healthy living. They are needed for the transportation and absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K, which cannot be absorbed and used by the body without fats; the regulation of cholesterol in metabolism; for the creation of certain chemicals used by the body; and for healthy skin and hair. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are actually good for cardiovascular system, lowering bad cholesterol. Additionally, some fats that exist in the form of fatty acids, like Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, help prevent disease, lower bad cholesterol, control high blood pressure, and treat ailments like depression and anxiety disorder.
  
Polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, Omega-3's, and Omega-6's are elements of healthy foods; even though a serving of nuts may appear very high in fat, you'll notice that saturated fat quantities are low; the rest of come from this "good fat" category. Most ingredient labels now list poly and mono unsaturated fats, so knowing a good fatty food from a bad fatty food is as easy as checking the package. Some sources of good fats include:
  
- Olive oil
- Walnut oil
- Flaxseed oil
- Sesame and sunflower seed oils
- Avocado oil
- Nuts like walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, pistachios, and cashews
- Oily fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, bass, and sardines
- Whole grains like flaxseed and wheat germ Try to replace bad fats, like butter and margarine, with the good oils and fats listed above. Replacing sources of saturated fats, like excessive quantities of cheese, fried food, or red meat, a few times a week with the healthier options above can add an extra nutritious edge you your diet. Sautee items in olive or walnut oils rather than frying in tradition oil and use ground nuts as flavorful sauces instead of cheese or cream, and substitute fish for red meat at least once a week.
  
Lean Protein
  
Protein makes up our hair, nails, skin, blood, hormones, enzymes...the list goes on. Suffice to say that protein is essential to the human diet. Broken down by special acids and used to perform countless functions, protein must be replenished daily through our diet, making it a very healthy ingredient in food. Good sources include: 
  
- eggs
- meat and poultry
- fish
- milk and other dairy products, like yogurt or cheese
- legumes like beans, peas, and nuts
- whole grains The problem with protein is that when consumed in the form of many meats and/or animal products, protein can be accompanied by saturated fat. Lean protein, or protein that is accompanied by less than 10grams of fat, is the best choice for weight and health conscious eaters. Choosing lean meats, like chicken, turkey, or lean beef (beef that has been trimmed of excess fats) provides plenty of protein without the added calories and fats.
  
Fiber 
  
Fiber, though not scientifically considered an essential nutrient, plays many important roles in healthy living and nutritious foods. It lowers cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar levels, slows the digestion of carbohydrates, regulates the digestive system/prevents constipation, and slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Fiber rich diets have been linked to lower instances of heart disease and obesity. 
  
Fiber, like the different fats, is also listed on all food labels. Good sources include: whole grains, unrefined grains, grains, whole grain products like bread and pasta, brains, oatmeal, wheat germ, fruits, and vegetables.
  
Vitamins
  
These food elements work together to fill in the rest of the nutritive properties of food. Deficiencies often lead to illness and death, as is often in the case in third world countries where well rounded diets are not easily accessible. The list of these elements and the roles they play is long... B vitamins alone could take up an entire page, but here is a guideline to some of the most important:
  
Vitamin A: helps build and maintain healthy skin and promotes eye health; found in dark leafy greens like spinach, and yellow/orange fruits or veggies like carrots
  
Vitamin B-complex: performs many roles, including releasing food energy, building healthy skin, aiding the development of red blood cells, and assisting metabolism; found in dairy, meat, nuts, legumes, some fruit, and vegetables (individual vitamin sources vary)
  
Vitamin C: maintains healthy blood vessels and tissues, speeds healing, and boosts the immune system; found in citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, strawberries, and green tea
  
Vitamin D: maintains healthy bones and teeth and helps them harden, aids in calcium absorption; found in dairy, eggs, some fish, and sunlight
  
Vitamin E: fights the destruction of healthy cells and vitamins like A and C by free radicals; found in dark, leafy greens, vegetable oils, whole grains, wheat germ
  
Vitamin K: helps blood to clot; found in dark, leafy greens, milk, egg yolks

Diabetic Food

Today we will cover some of the foods that have made it onto the diabetic food list. Now first and foremost, it should be known that a person with diabetes should eat from all of the 5 food groups and make sure that they have plenty of protein, vegetables, fruits, nutrients, Lipids and carbohydrates in their diet. This is where the diabetic food list comes in handy, you will be able to tell which fruits and veggies that you can eat for example.

It should be stated at this time that if you are diabetic, then you know that you should definitely eat more vegetables than fruit because fruit tends to be on the sweeter side, the whole point of being diabetic is that you can’t have too much sugars right? Also, it is common sense that you should stay away from sugars such as ice cream, chocolate and any types of sweet desserts because these are loaded with sugars that the diabetic food list will define as NOT the type of foods you should eat.

It is also stated that a person with diabetes should stay away from fats like fried foods and animal fats. A person who is following the diabetic food list will surely be eating steamed foods or boiled foods. It bears mentioning that the only types of oils that the diabetic food list recommends for someone with diabetes to cook with are olive oil, soy bean oil and finally corn oil. Now here is a quick run-down of what a person can eat that is in fact recommended by the diabetic food list.

1.      Milk, can drink fresh milk but never sweetened milk.

2.      Vegetables, both fresh and/or steamed or boiled vegetables will provide your body with the nutrients that you require to get through the day.

3.      Grains

4.      Meat, should at least have an intake of at least 100 grams per meal, be sure not to eat meats with a lot of fat.

5.      Eggs

6.      Fiber, every one needs fiber in their diet to stay regular!

How To Choose Healthy Food

Vegetables, fruits, & grains are normally low in overweight & have no cholesterol. Most are great sources of dietary fiber, complex carbs, & vitamins. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat foods that are high in complex carbs & fiber.

Below are some tips for making healthy food choices:

- Coconut is high in saturated overweight, while olives are high in monounsaturated fats & calories. You ought to make use of this stuff sparingly to keep away from getting plenty of calories from overweight.

 

- When vegetable grains are cooked, saturated overweight or cholesterol is often added. For example, egg yolks may be added to bread or even pasta.

 

-Processed, canned, or preserved vegetables may also contain added sodium. With some people, much sodium (salt) may lead to hypertension. There’s some food companies that are actually canning vegetables with less salt. You can look for these in the market area or select fresh & even frozen vegetables.

 

- Nuts & seeds tend to be high in calories & overweight, although a majority of the overweight is polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. There’s some varieties, macadamia nuts for example, that are also high in saturated overweight. Foods that are high in soluble fiber are a great choice as well. Examples include oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, & even apple pulp. Everytime you are looking for healthy food choices, always make definite you read the nutrition label or information about the food. You can then select what the food contains & how healthy it truly is for your body. By taking your time & making your healthy food choices wisely, you’ll have a lifetime to enjoy the foods that will take care of you.

Food and The Natural Gourmet Institute

Food has such a great impact on our health. Food and healing truly fit hand in hand. The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts was founded by Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D.; a leading figure in the natural foods and the holistic health field.

The school was founded on the principle that what we eat significantly affects our physical, mental and spiritual well being.

With these principles in mind, The Natural Gourmet has created a framework for healthy food selection based on specific criteria for high quality ingredients and concepts of eastern and western nutrition.

The amount of invaluable knowledge gained has fully equipped me to improve the lives of many in pursuit of healthy eating. The program's main focus is "Food and Healing." Many of the program’s lectures were based on, nutrition, food and the immune system, medicinal cooking for: cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and arthritis. Various cooking methods of food also play a big role in our health. As a personal chef and meal plan consultant, I can teach you how to cook with alternative ingredients and gluten/wheat free recipes that are healthy for you.

Please ask me about preparing meals in your home and catering your next special event!

Do you often question, what can I eat if I can’t have dairy, wheat, corn or soy? The answer is there are plenty of nutrient dense whole foods that nature provides for us to eat. Whole foods are foods that nature provides with all their edible parts intact. The key factor is eating the way nature intended for our bodies to digest food. Nature is so amazingly beautiful and intelligent. For example, a kidney bean resembles a kidney. Kidney beans are rich in dietary fiber which helps reduce cholesterol and sugar in our blood stream. They also detoxify sulfates, which can lead to irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure, both of which are dangerous to the kidneys. Kidney beans are rich in iron, protein and vitamins of the category B1, B6 and folate which help boost memory and immunity in the body. Another example of nutrient dense whole foods which are rich in calcium are spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, kale, white beans, okra, beet greens and Chinese cabbage. Nature has fully equipped us for health and survival.

In addition to food, water plays a very big part of our eating regimen. Think about it, we can survive longer without food than without water. Once we are dehydrated, we often mistake thirst for hunger. It is extremely important to stay well hydrated throughout the day.