Holiday. Eat This Not That

Holiday parties are notorious for finger foods filled with high-glycemic carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. To help guide you to better nutrition choices this holiday season, use this list of appetizers to avoid:

 Dips. Skip the creamy, cheesy dips and opt for fresh salsa instead.

1. Cocktail franks and mini-meatballs. Neither is a good source of lean protein and both can pack a big serving of calories and sodium. Choose peel-and-eat shrimp or sushi instead.
2. Anything fried. From mini-eggrolls and quiche to chicken wings, deep-fried foods contain altered fats that are detrimental to the body. Wholegrain crackers and a small slice of low-fat cheese can satisfy a savory craving with far fewer calories and fat.
3. Alcohol. An abundance of the good stuff will not only pack on the calories but it will also give you the cravings for high fat, high sugary foods.

Here are healthy options for your cocktail plates!

1. Vegetables. The fiber in veggies will help fill you up, and they provide a nice, satisfying crunch. Choose a spectrum of colors (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are good choices) and serve with low- or non-fat plain yogurt. Add some fresh herbs and seasonings for flavor.
2. Mixed nuts. When eaten sparingly, nuts are a terrific snack. Walnuts are a favorite, as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds and roasted soy nuts are also good choices. Nuts can be high in calories and fat (even if it's the healthy monounsaturated kind) so don't overindulge.
3. Smoked salmon. Salmon (especially wild Alaskan sockeye salmon) provides omega-3 fatty acids, the anti-inflammatory, essential fats our bodies need for optimum health.
4. Filtered Water. Not only will it keep you hydrated but it will also help fill you up. Drinking plenty of water will curb the mindless munching. Need a warm drink? Try some green tea.

The holiday's are a time when many pack on the pounds. Keep in mind these few tips and you will survive packing on the pounds this holiday season.

Have a Healthy and Successful Christmas!

The Diet Myth

Many people try to lose weight by eating diet foods that claim to be prepared in a healthy fashion. Whether they are "nutritionally balanced" frozen dinners, supplement shakes or meal replacement bars, they are not truly healthy alternatives to whole food.

Why is Over Sixty Percent of The Population Overweight?

Lets face it. The main reason we gain weight and develop health problems is because of poor eating choices. People are looking for “the magic solution” by buying metabolism boosting drinks or taking meal replacement shakes that promise results. The truth of the matter is, the only way we are going to reverse the effects of bad eating habits is to reverse the cycle by developing good eating habits. 

Do Meal Replacement Bars and Shakes Work?

Meal replacement shakes, drinks, and bars are becoming more popular. They have been around for many years yet the obesity rate continues to rise at a record pace! My personal opinion is that I prefer people eat a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and fish that the earth provides us. However, if you choose a meal replacement bar or shake it is best to not skip your meals but use them as a morning or afternoon snack. It is NOT HEALTHY to replace nutritious foods with only synthetic bars and shakes. You can fool the body some of the time but not all the time.

Many of these prepared foods contain poor ingredients - especially unhealthy fats. Manufacturers love partially hydrogenated oils because they extend shelf life, but in my opinion they are dangerous. For one thing, these oils are sources of trans fatty acids (TFAs), which increase risks of both cardiovascular disease and cancer. TFAs are just as bad, if not worse, for the heart and arteries than saturated fats. They increase total cholesterol, raise "bad" LDL (low density lipoprotein) and lower "good" HDL (high density lipoprotein). Beyond that, TFAs may also have adverse effects on cell membranes and the immune system, and may promote inflammation and aging. 

To sum it all up. Choosing a diet with only meal replacement bars and shakes is not a healthy way to go. You must combine it with healthy balanced meals and exercise for the results to be effective (health wise).   

Stayed tuned to an upcoming blog on "The Perfect Diet" for health and weight loss.

Have a Healthy and Successful Day!

Holiday Stress Relief Tips for Healthy Holidays

Are you having trouble coping with holiday stress? Are healthy holidays even possible?

Holidays can be the best of times or the worst of times. But many people have holiday stress and depression with no stress relief.

If you're suffering from holiday stress or holiday depression and wondering what ever happened to seasonal joy and peace,  found you're not alone. A study from American Psychological Association.

During the holidays people feel burdened with holiday stress from:

• Credit card debt (23%)
• Never enough time (34%)
• Pressures of gift giving (42%)
• Or lack of enough money (61%)

And most everyone turns to over-eating unhealthy foods or drinking alcohol. Not only do we tend to eat and drink more, we have more heart attacks, exercise less and gain an average of 10 pounds.

Ten Top Tips for Healthy Holiday Stress Relief

While "over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house" may sound fun, excessive holiday stress and post holiday depression can seriously undermine your health, happiness and finances.

So try these holiday stress tips to help you have a healthy holiday.

1. Take charge of your holiday. Hospital emergency room and police reports show more sickness, addiction, criminal activity and mental suffering during holidays. So make a list and simplify.

2. Always put yourself first. It's not selfish. Taking care of yourself is an essential part of taking care of others. Rethink the holidays with your well-being in mind. Plan ahead and do what works best for you. 


3. Eat healthy holiday food. The holidays don't have to be fat and sugar free-for-all. Overindulgence causes stress, causing more overindulgence. Healthy holiday eating is choosing an apple over apple pie. 


4. Exercise for stress relief. Walking is an excellent exercise to relieve anxiety and stress. If weather isn't conducive to a walk, go to the mall and weave your way around all the busy harried shoppers. 


5. Take time to rest and relax. Get a good nights sleep, go for a leisurely walk, practice deep breathing and listen to soothing music. Slowing down can actually give you more healthy holiday energy. 


6. Rein in excess shopping. Don't go crazy indulging everyone’s whims. Shop on the Internet and limit your gift-giving to a special few. Happy holiday memories are built on time spent with loved ones. 


7. Say "No thank you" often. Be kind but firm and people will learn to accept turned-down obligation invitations. And if they don't, that's their problem. Only say "yes" to what you really want to do.


8. Keep an attitude of gratitude. Staying positive is important to stress management. Make a daily list of what you’re grateful for.

9. Create your healthy holiday. You don't have to be a slave to holiday traditions. Keep those that work for you and discard the rest. You can always share yourself through e-mails and pictures.

10. Give the gift of joy and love. Holiday stress often puts people in a rotten mood. If you're happy and vibrating with joyful holiday spirit, you'll help others to have a happy healthy holiday spirit too.

Whether your holidays are the best or worst of times is up to you. Follow these ten healthy holiday stress tips for depression and holiday stress relief and have happy healthy holiday seasons for years to come.

Have a Healthy and Successful Stress Free Holiday!

The Truth about Prescription Drugs

Men's Health-by Lara Rosenbaum

How much do you think the prescription drugs you take help you? Chances are, you’re giving them too much credit. Most people assume medications work better than they do—and worse, the average person isn’t aware of a drug’s limited benefits—New Hampshire researchers recently found.

According to the study, 39 percent of adults surveyed believed FDA-approved drugs to be “extremely effective,” and 25 percent believed the FDA only approves drugs without side effects. Newsflash: Neither is true.

“Most people don’t realize that to garner FDA approval, a drug company only has to show the medication is better than nothing and the benefit outweighs harm,” says study co-author, Steven Woloshin, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. “The initial studies are also often conducted over a short period of time—usually 6 months.”

Take, for example, the sleep aid Lunesta. While it’s been proven to help people fall asleep faster than if they’d taken a placebo, it only helped folks snooze 15 minutes faster, Dr. Woloshin says. Yep. And those who took the drug experienced side effects, like feeling drowsier the next day.

To be fair, it’s not necessarily the FDA’s fault. “They’re under pressure to quickly bring new drugs to market,” Dr. Woloshin explains.

Dr. Woloshin has been working to get new “fact boxes” approved by the FDA, which feature clear, diagnosis-specific information on a drug’s benefits and risks so that you can be more informed. Until that happens, it’s up to you to talk with your doc, says Michael Steinman, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. He suggests these steps to help you choose wisely:
•DIY research. Dr. Steinman suggests using MedlinePlus, a service provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Browse by drug to learn the side effects, dosage instructions, and drug interactions.
•Know your needs. Some drugs treat a surrogate outcome, like high blood pressure. “If possible, choose one which has been shown to prevent an actual outcome, like a heart attack, stroke, or even death,” Dr. Steinman says.
•Older drugs can be safer. “It can take 3 to 5 years for serious side effects to show up (and for a medication to be pulled), and sometimes even 7,” Dr. Steinman explains. “Ask how long the drug has been on the market.”
•Remind your doctor what you’re taking. Says Dr. Steinman, “If you experience any negative health changes while taking medication, remind your doctor of your prescription. Sometimes doctors diagnose a new illness rather than see it as a side effect.”

Have A Healthy and Successful Day!

Omega-3 fats from fish oil and supplements prevent and slow arthritis progression

(NaturalNews) Humans have been consuming omega-3 fats from natural fish, nut and seed sources for countless generations. Our core genetic structure depends on a regular supply of the long chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA to form cell wall structures and perform millions of metabolic functions that we normally associate with vibrant health. Imbalance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats cause a surge in inflammatory cytokines that can lead to the painful and debilitating condition known as osteoarthritis. New research published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage has shown for the first time that omega-3 fats supplied by fish oil could "substantially and significantly" reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis as we age.

Researchers from the University of Bristol in England tested the effect of omega-3 fats on a breed of guinea pigs that are genetically predisposed to develop arthritis. Guinea pigs were chosen for this study as they develop osteoarthritis in a similar manner to humans. Anecdotal reports over the years provide support for the beneficial effect of fish consumption on joint health. Dr. John Tarlton from the Matrix Biology Research Group and his team set out to confirm the impact of omega-3 fatty acids, either sourced from fish oil or flax oil, in preventing or slowing down the progression of osteoarthritis.

Omega-3 Fat Supplementation Slashes Osteoarthritis Disease Progression by Half

The team fed one group of guinea pigs a diet including full-spectrum omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA) and compared the results to a second control group of non-supplemented animals. Typical degradation of collagen in cartilage and the loss of molecules that give it shock-absorbing properties were both reduced in the omega-3 supplemented group. Researchers noted that omega-3 fats reduced disease by 50 per cent compared to the control group.

Upon examination of the results, Dr. Tarlton explained: "there was strong evidence that omega-3 influences the biochemistry of the disease, and therefore not only helps prevent disease, but also slows its progression, potentially controlling established osteoarthritis." This is a critical finding, as most people suffering from arthritis are prescribed a plethora of ineffective pain medications that dramatically increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or of suffering a heart attack.

Omega fat imbalance from a poor diet causes excessive joint inflammation and needless suffering. Researchers performing this study concluded "Most diets in the developed world are lacking in omega-3, with modern diets having up to 30 times too much omega-6 and too little omega-3. Taking omega-3 will help redress this imbalance and may positively contribute to a range of other health problems such as heart disease." Many health-minded individuals will want to supplement with a molecularly distilled form of fish oil (minimum 1200 mg EPA/DHA content) each day to combat inflammation and osteoarthritis

To get your Omega 3 oil today Click HERE

Have a Healthy and Successful Omega 3 Filled Day!

How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Is holiday weight gain traditional for you? With all the seasonal pressure, holiday food temptation may seem just too hard to fight.

So every year you give in and pretend you’ll lose those extra pounds after the holidays.

But studies show the average 2 to 7 lbs. of holiday weight gain are rarely lost. Maybe it’s time to learn how to avoid holiday weight gain from the get go. The 7 steps below can help you have a happier, healthy holiday.

And instead of feasting on fatty food, you’ll feel fulfilled with festive fun!

Then come January 1st, you can begin the New Year with fresh new goals, instead of the same-old, same-old goal of undoing holiday weight gain.

7 Steps for How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Although the holidays may not be the best time to lose weight, by following these seven steps, you can easily maintain your current weight throughout the holiday season and end up weighing less without the stress.

1. Make a commitment & plan. For most people, eating unhealthy fatty foods and sweets is addictive. To avoid holiday weight gain, like any weight gain, start with a lifelong commitment to healthy eating. Figure out what’s more important to you than eating addictive foods and use your motivating desire to make a strong commitment and a foolproof plan.

2. Keep your eyes on the prize. Focus on your goal instead of addictive unhealthy foods. If you know what you want and your commitment and desire are strong enough, it’ll be easy to always choose plain, low calorie veggies, lean protein, whole grains, raw nuts and fresh fruit.

3. Prepare ahead for each event. Calmly think it through, make a plan and visualize a positive outcome for every holiday gathering. Eat a healthy, low-calorie (but filling) snack beforehand – NEVER go HUNGRY! And, if it’s appropriate, bring along a healthy dish to share with others.

4. Be active & exercise every day. Don’t let the busyness of the season or colder weather give you an excuse not to exercise. Physical activity not only burns calories, it also helps to reduce feelings of stress. So, besides your regular exercise routine, find other ways to stay active.

5. Drink plain water, avoid alcohol. Not only does holiday alcohol add empty calories, it also stimulates appetite and reduces your willpower. At social events, stick with a lemon twist in “bubbly” water and, if you must have a drink, use it as a relaxing reward when you get home. If you indulge have a water between drinks.

6. Manage control of your holidays. You don’t have to be a victim of frantic holiday obligations. You can tactfully turn down invitations, decline to go into holiday-spending debt and politely refuse to eat food that doesn’t serve your goals. You can host your own healthy holiday party or make reservations where you can order what works for you. You can take charge and do it your way to have a happy healthy holiday this year.

7. Maintain a positive frame of mind. Learning how to avoid holiday weight gain can be a challenge. But the holidays can also be a fabulously fun time of year. Just focus on nonfood fun. And if you mess up, don’t stress out over it. Forgive yourself and anyone else involved, get back on track and do whatever it takes to have a happy, healthy holiday!

Have a Healthy and Successful Holiday Season! Oh and Merry Christmas to all!

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Have a Healthy and Successful Day!