Plant Foods And Phytochemicals

My love for vegetables has no limits. I eat them several times a day even for breakfast. If not leftovers from dinner the day before, I make a salad or a green drink. This has not always been the case. Just like many other children, I hated spinach, red beets and turnips. My mother always made me eat at least one bite to get the taste. It worked. Later on in life I became adventurous with all kinds of exotic greens that I ate without batting an eyelash, wrote about and sang their praises.

This is one of the times to praise again. I want people to really understand that vegetables contribute in a major way to sustained health. I am not talking about French fries and fried onion rings. Although in their natural state, these are potent providers of vitamins and antioxidants.

Vegetables are best when fresh from the garden. However, that freshness is definitely lost when bought at the super market. By that time it has traveled distances, rested on shelves and been rained upon by the store’s personal rain. Vitamins, minerals and valuable active plant chemicals went down the drain because most are water-soluble and oxygen sensitive.

Fresh, organic food can be bought on any given day at farmers’ markets around many small towns and in cities.

These are the ones I am talking about. They are powerhouses of potent, disease-preventing antioxidants. Antioxidants repair what free radicals and oxidative stress destroys. Some of the destruction is due to normal metabolic processes and effectively taken care of by the body’s internal enzymes. If we eat foods containing antioxidants, we help the body to heal, repair and restore.

Bioflavonoids are a class of plant chemicals found in citrus fruit and all vegetables. Allicin, for example, is in garlic and onions.

Allicin reduces the risk of blood clots, is good for heart related problems and lowers cholesterol.

Rutin found in buckwheat is used to strengthen blood vessels, for capillary flexibility and hemorrhoids.

Lycopene in tomatoes is strongly recommended for the prevention of prostate problems. Suggested is to cook tomatoes for lycopene to become effective.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are in eggs, kale and many fruits and vegetables. They protect the eyes, vision and prevent oxidation leading to macular degeneration.

Curcumin is the active antioxidant in the spice turmeric. It is well known now that turmeric is a very potent antioxidant as it is anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. It is recommended to buy turmeric root fresh to get all the benefits of this spice not only the isolated active ingredient curcumin.

Anthoncyanidins are in wine and grape juice, beneficial in cardiovascular disease and to fight cancer.

Indoles and dithiolthiones are found in all cruciferous vegetables and are known as indole-3-carbinol or DIM. Indole-3-carbinol converts in the body to diindolylmethane DIM for short. Glucobrassicin is the precursor to indole-3-carbinol in cruciferous vegetables. The amount of this phytochemical depends on the way the vegetables are cooked. Steaming in a small amount of water is recommended because it leaches easily into cooking water. Drinking the cooking water in this case is an idea.

Studies have shown that indole-3-carbinol or DIM prevents the development of many cancers in particular estrogen driven breast, endometrial, and cervical as well as colorectal cancer.

Another class, isoflavones, containing genistein comes from soybeans. It was found that indole-3-carbinol works synergistically with genistein and can be used in lower concentrations together as prevention.

Phytochemicals have been studied for a long time and many pharmaceutical drugs originate from them. There are many more phytonutrients not known to us but will be revealed through future studies.

Healing medicines are in nature’s kitchen. We only have to make use of them. Eating vegetables is an obligation we owe ourselves. Starting with only one a week, you will see that after a while you cannot live without beautiful colors on your plate.

Asparagus Messenger Of Spring

It is April and asparagus is in season. Although a spring vegetable but available all year long due to technology and easy transportation, it never tastes as good as it does when in season fresh from the farms or farmer’s markets.

Who does not love asparagus even if it makes pee smell funny? If you ever wondered about this, studies as to why are inconclusive because it does not happen to everybody. It only occurs in two out of three people and the smell may only be noticed by one of the two. Strange! Some say the odor, if noticed, comes from sulfurous elements in asparagus others from asparagine, a diuretic that people who lack the gene cannot break down. As to being sulfurous, sulfur is in many vegetables and is a good thing.

Asparagus is very nutritious to say the least. High in vitamin K, B vitamins, selenium, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and iron it also contains inulin, a prebiotic maintaining healthy gut bacteria. Asparagus also contains glutathione an antioxidant that has been studied for its effect as anti-cancer agent and saponins for their anti-inflammatory properties. Saponins are plant nutrients found in many plant sources as for example beans and yams.

Other phytonutrients in asparagus are the bioflavonoids quercetin and rutin. Quercetin provides relief in inflammation caused by allergies. Rutin strengthens blood vessels and capillaries. Besides this wealth of nutrients, it is high in fiber and, above all, very low in calories only 35 calories in one cup of cooked asparagus.

Asparagus root, shatavari, is used in Ayurvedic medicine to heal female disorders, to increase lactation and ease menstrual pain. It is equally preferred in Chinese medicine.

Asparagus comes in green, red and white. The white eaten mainly in Europe is grown without sunlight kept submerged in sandy soil. Even without chlorophyll it is still a nutritious vegetable.

There are male and female spears. The male is skinny, the plump female. Even vegetables prefer roundness in their females!

Homeopathy has Asparagus officinalis as a remedy in its materia medica. Although not one of the polycrest remedies, it is used for various problems like different headaches, coughs with stringy mucus and rheumatic pains in the back.

Reasons for eating this wondrous plant are plenty. If eating merely steamed does not appeal, sautéing in broth or butter with a preferred seasoning hot or cold can be the crowning to a wonderful meal.

The pictured dish contains spiced red lentils, chicken sausage and plump, steamed asparagus. A complimentary combination that filled the spot.

For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

MY HEART, MY BONES, MY BRAIN

These are three parts of the anatomy  that always need a lot of attention and deserve the highest quality organic food with good fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates. Heart, bones and brain can be boosted through exercise and appropriate food or even supplements to function optimally.

The heart loves a walk around the block several times a day to reduce stress, blood pressure and to dissolve anger.  Anger can strangle the heart. Turn angry thoughts into neutral or loving ones before Mondays. Most heart attacks happen on Mondays. Green drinks are good to deflate stress and to keep the heart healthy.

Bones need to get stressed and lifting weights does it. A twenty-five pound kettle bell or any weight that can be comfortably handled will be just fine..

Recently and surprisingly a healthy food for bones mentioned was prunes, Four prunes a day taken regularly can stop the demolition process and promote rebuilding through phenols, which stop erosion to cells. Prunes also contain vitamin K, important for plugging calcium into the bone.

It is recommended to eat breakfast for brain health. The brain is metabolically active through the night and needs food to replenish the loss. Appropriate foods for the brain are walnuts, sardines, anchovies, herring and Atlantic mackerel from Canada. The latter is lowest in mercury and has the best eco-rating. To keep the brain in working order throughout the day give it sustaining foods not quick sweet fixes. Nuts, seeds, fruit and yogurt are bolster foods and preferred as snacks. Learning new things, dancing, reading and, above all, good friends to communicate with will keep the brain remembering and reliable.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged anger bad for healthart, brain food, green drinks for the heart, herring, osteoporosis, walnuts sardines, weight-lifting for bones on November 29, 2014.
DIETING IS A NO-NO HOLISTIC NUTRITION IS THE WAY
After the holidays there is a rush on dieting. People are desperate to shed added pounds in a hurry. Unfortunately, this is done at the expense of good nutrition and necessary calories.

The first thing dieters resort to is skipping meals and the first meal to go is breakfast, the most important meal of the day! Breakfast means breaking the fast maintained through the night. During the night the body uses up nutrients to keep alive. The heart keeps on beating, kidneys keep their function and so does every organ due to a good dinner.  As a result of a busy night shift, the body is depleted in the morning.

Crash dieting with food deprivation is detrimental to health and only leads to gaining lost weight back quickly.

Not only is the body starved, the brain even more so. The brain metabolically active at night as well needs a cocktail of glucose, oxygen and well-circulating blood. A nutritionally dense breakfast with all three micronutrients and cofactors like vitamins and minerals is important to replenish what is used up.  A run around the block or a trip to the gym helps to fulfill requirements.

It’s easy to forget that the brain is part of the body and not some cerebral network balanced on top requiring no earthly nourishment. The first bite of the day eaten is literally “sucked up” by the brain. One must make certain that there is enough food to go around. Neither brain nor body should be left behind.

Crash diets are damaging to the brain. If we don’t continuously supply nourishment, there will inevitably be deterioration. This may not be permanent, but you may forget where you left your keys, names or phone numbers. A healthy diet, exercise to supply oxygen and circulation  into the brain, is really all we can do now to prevent problems later. We don’t want to be taken care of, we want to be independent in our later years..

Stress from many areas hits us daily.  The nervous system is the unfortunate recipient because stress can lead to problems like depression, obsessive-compulsive behavior, adrenal fatigue and memory loss. In order to fight stress we first have to look at high quality food eaten regularly and, again, exercise. Besides those two important generators of good health, calming modalities like meditation or mindfulness training should become part of a daily routine. A few  moments of quiet can be fitted in just like brushing teeth.

When young, we never think about old age. It will come, as sure as the seasons. It would be great at that time to sport a sharp mind, limber body and due that be in the position to enjoy what we worked for all our lives. We just have to plan ahead now.

If you have to lose holiday weight do it sensibly by eating enough real, high quality food, unrefined and organic, so your brain never falls short. Good nutritional advice fitted to your individual needs that is easily incorporated into your daily routine might be a good idea if you get stuck.

Remember, holiday eating continues throughout the year. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner then Memorial Day and so on, you get the idea. Always eat wisely.

ALTERNATIVES TO THE FLU SHOT

The flu season is back, which sets in motion the run for a flu shot and the promise of getting one free.

With so much controversy surrounding flu shots every year, we should not make quick decisions and get one as soon as the flu season starts. We may not get the flu after all, but we submitted to a vaccine that holds potential harm and its worth has not been proven.

So, what can one do? The following alternative remedies have been used for many years to support the immune system and to lessen, if not cure, colds and flu each year. We always have control over our body with food and exercise therefore it is the first item on the list.

·      Support the immune system with healthy foods and exercise.

·      Add supplements to strengthen the thymus gland. The thymus gland produces T-cell that fight bacterial and viral invaders.

·      Maitake, Reishi and Shitake mushrooms are strong immune boosters. Maitake and Shitake mushrooms are good to eat. Reishi can be taken in capsule form or as tea.

·      Oregano Oil and Grapefruit Seed extract.

·      Vitamin A, D and C. It is best to get vitamin C from natural whole food sources like Camu Camu or Acerola Cherries.

·      Echinacea, Goldenseal and Andrographis fight acute infections and help with respiratory problems.

·      Astragalus is especially important for chronic immune depletion.

·      The homeopathic remedy Influenzinum, which is prepared from current year viruses, can be taken as a preventative. There is a protocol for administering. It has helped many of my clients over the years during the flu season. It is effective and inexpensive.

·      Oscilococccinum is another homeopathic true and tried stand-by that is readily available as well.

Besides all these, there is Chinese Medicine with herbs and acupuncture to help through the season. One does not always have to resort to vaccines that have not been properly tested. Think before making your decision. Your overall health will be better and stronger for it. Trying any of the above mentioned alternative herbs and vitamins for a season will never hurt you

YOGURT A PERFECT FOOD

Yogurt is a perfect food. It supplies protein, carbohydrates and fat. Besides, it is fermented with live bacteria that are beneficial to health.

Live, good bacteria multiply in the gut populating, fighting and keeping in check bacteria that are not healthful and which could gain the upper hand if healthy conditions are not maintained. Just like your house, keep it clean or you will be overwhelmed with dirt which takes weeks to clean instead of the regular Saturday.

However, when looking at the grocery store shelves, there are so many varieties of yogurt crowding out other milk products. Which one to buy is the big question, but should not be since you only have to look for yogurt made from cows’ milk treated without hormones and antibiotics. Preferably it should be made from raw milk, but that is another issue.

Yogurt should be from organic milk and contain only live bacteria L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Bulgaricus and S. Thermophilus. Always read ingredients and don’t buy anything that has added sugar, modified starches or preservatives or you are defeating the purpose of a really good food.

Add your own fresh fruit and buy full-fat varieties , not the low-fat ones. Fat is good, even butter fat if it comes from cows raised healthy and humanely. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Spicey Salmon with Maple Syrup and Hemp Hearts

I watch Food Network to get ideas how to revise their recipes to achieve better nutrition information, less of polyunsaturated fats and less sugar. This particular recipe called for sugar, but sugar is not a preferred condiment. It adds calories without value. Since there are sweeteners that have vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, maple syrup or honey for example, it is better to substitute these when sweetness should make a difference in the outcome of a dish.

I believe sugar would not be as bad if it were unrefined. Vitamins and minerals that help in metabolizing sugar would be present. The recipe from The Kitchen called for brown sugar, pepper and salt for a salmon rub.

To find out what a sweet seasoning would do to a fish, I used maple syrup together with hemp hearts.

To my surprise, maple syrup with salmon, although hard to imagine,  works unexpectedly well.

Carrots of different colors and onions complemented the salmon. The dish was sweet and spicy, a perfect combination. Salmon and carrots were cooked in coconut oil.  This oil has medium chain fatty acids that are not deposited as fat and are quickly metabolized and used for energy.

Experiment with food and travel the adventurous road to wellness, you will like it. With this dish, you are getting a double dose of omega 3 and a good amount of vitamin A.

Sauerkraut Season Juniper Berries and More

After a pervasive search for Juniper berries, I finally found them. Their piney, earthy, but also sweet flavor inspired the determination to incorporate these berries into one of my favorite foods of the season: Sauerkraut. Besides being a tasty food, Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) is a first-class probiotic that replenishes the digestive tract with good bacteria. While our digestive system exists in symbiosis with beneficial and adverse bacteria, the beneficial flora must outnumber the adverse in order to maintain balance. Therefore, when included in the diet, fermented foods sauerkraut, yogurt, natto and kimchee create a healthy environment in the digestive tract.

Juniper berries enhance fermenting cabbage with a piney, earthy, but also sweet berry flavor. Only a few are needed to achieve this unique taste.
Juniper berries are also used as seasoning for other foods. They give a surprising flavor to a bite in salads, soups and sauces and are part of familiar pickling spices. But pairing Juniper berries with cabbage adds even more distinction to sauerkraut as well as providing more health benefits.

Besides their wonderful piney aroma, Juniper berries have medicinal value. They are excellent for stomach and digestive ailments. They are cleansing for the blood and kidneys and are diuretic. As children we were given Juniper berries to eat as a spring cleanse. Starting with chewing one berry on the first day of spring and ending with thirty berries thirty days later and then doing it backwards. We thought no sickness would befall us during the year and it hardly ever did, or so I remember.

It is worth to take a closer look at spices. Although exotic in flavor and name, with experimentation, they will become familiar in the kitchen and even the medicine cabinet.

Over the past decade, turmeric, cinnamon, oregano have been celebrated for their powerful healing properties. Turmeric for example is lauded as a go-to for brain health, to reduce inflammation, pain, joint problems, colds and viruses. Oregano as well has a long list of ailments it supposedly alleviates. Cinnamon balances blood sugar. It is often used in diabetic conditions. These and other spices with health benefits could be used daily to enhance food. It is done in India. If flavors seem too dominant, turmeric as an example can easily be hidden in food since its taste is unobtrusive.

Seasons for spices never end. During the winter holidays in western countries is when spices are used mostly; these are the pumpkin spices, cloves, nutmeg, mace and cinnamon.

Spices have medicinal essential oils, clove oil for example. It is used for toothaches, as an antiseptic, in perfumes and to improve digestion. Cloves are used to expel parasites.

Nutmeg and mace grow from the same tree. It is a fruit that when ripe opens to expose a beautiful, scarlet mace membrane that covers the brown, oily nut inside. Both spices, mace and nutmeg, are now common flavorings, but over centuries these were used in Ayurvedic and Arabian medicine and in 17th century Europe they were considered cure-alls for many ailments.

One can find these spices and many more in stores, but there are big differences in levels of quality. The best quality cinnamon for example comes from Ceylon. The flavor cannot be compared to what one finds sold as cinnamon, which is cassia bark, the outer layer of real cinnamon.

The best vanilla comes from Madagascar. The bean is more flavorful than extract. Vanilla bean steeped in bourbon makes a fine extract. Cut out and use the soft inner part before adding alcohol.

Spices, and not to forget fresh green herbs, are healing and delicious. Not to include them in our daily diet is an opportunity missed. Achieving and sustaining good health ought to be our foremost concern. Looking into the far corners of the world to find what is available to improve health issues is exciting and easy with help of the Internet. It is even easier to use spices in food instead of encapsulated supplements when it becomes necessary to take these measures due to an illness.

Fagopyrum Esculentum – What Is That?

This is buckwheat.

Always looking for gluten-free food? Try buckwheat. It is another good alternative when running out of ideas. Besides this advantage, it has so much more to give.

Buckwheat has nothing to do with wheat, it is not a grain, but is used as such. It is a fruit seed, similar to rhubarb. It is also known as Kasha, which is the roasted version, but it is available in unroasted whole, as grits and as flour.

The addition of buckwheat flour makes moist bread, delicious muffins and pancakes. Japanese Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, but may contain wheat as part of manufacturing noodles, something to watch out for.

Buckwheat is high in fiber, protein, calcium, magnesium and other minerals. It contains rutin, a bioflavonoid, which is a remedy for fragile capillaries and veins. It is said that buckwheat antidotes x-rays. It is good for normalizing blood sugar and is a blood builder. It also neutralizes acidic toxins.

Buckwheat is a fast-growing plant and for that reason does not need to be treated excessively with pesticides.

It always amazes me to find out about the extraordinary nutritional values in ordinary foods. Buckwheat is one of them and, just imagine, you can have all this in a pancake on any given morning. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

About Cinnamon

There are different kinds of cinnamon, all belonging to one family but growing and cultivated in different parts of South Asia, India, Vietnam and China. The two mentioned here have been used in flavoring foods and their oils in cosmetics.

In recent years, studies have shown that cinnamon has its use as medicine. Its benefits have elevated it to a super food in the health field together with turmeric, ginger and garlic. It is sold as supplement for balancing blood sugar and to prevent tissue damage and inflammation caused by high levels of blood sugar.
In the meantime, the list of what cinnamon can cure has become very long, but one should beware. Although there are studies indicating that cinnamon is a healing spice for many ailments, it is better to use it in food regularly long before health issues develop instead of a supplement.

Cinnamon as a sugar substitute, although not sugary sweet, can satisfy cravings for sweets. The spice is ideal and healthy when used as topping for breakfast oats instead of sugar or for flavoring a good cup of coffee and much more.

In the US no distinction is made between the two, both are known as cinnamon whereas in Europe they go by their real names Cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon or Real and True cinnamon to add to the confusion.

The one found in markets here is Cassia. It is pungent, spicier in flavor, much less aromatic with a dark red brown color. Cassia is widely grown in India, Vietnam and China. Probably for that reason it is less expensive because there is more of it, but still it is considered a lower quality spice.

Ceylon Cinnamon on the other hand is developed in a small, specific region of Sri Lanka. Climate conditions there contribute to its delicate, flavorful aroma and lighter color distinctly different from Cassia. Some Ceylon Cinnamon is grown in Madagascar and Indonesia but does not come close to the aromatic properties of Sri Lankan Ceylon Cinnamon. One can find Ceylon cinnamon from Sri Lanka in specialty stores by its noticeably higher price.

Chemical ingredients in both kinds are cinnamaldehydes that give flavor and smell. Coumarin, one of these aldehydes accounting for taste is a toxin if taken in large doses. It is found in high potencies in Cassia cinnamon and much less so in Ceylon cinnamon. It is advised that a person with liver disease should not take cinnamon as a supplement in a high potency to balance glucose levels and other health issues. If Ceylon cinnamon is chosen, this even should only be under doctor’s supervision.

Denmark uses a lot of cinnamon in their country’s specialty, Danish cinnamon rolls. The Danish government told its bakers to stop using Cassia, the lower grade cinnamon for their baked goods because of its high and toxic Coumarin content whose side effect affects the liver. Since it is a question of profit margins I bet the debate will continue for a while between government and bakers. The warning for the Danish population is not to overeat on cinnamon rolls.

Besides their known uses, spices and herbs are provided by nature as cures for many illnesses and to maintain health. It is imperative to incorporate them on a regular basis as flavoring instead of a capsule. By employing the imagination, they can easily be incorporated in daily cooking.

When buying spices or herbs, choose the best quality from reputable stores. Sometimes one needs to search a little, but it is worth the effort. This goes for supplements as well if necessary and prescribed. Supplements and spices must be pesticide free and non-GMO. Know more at : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Afraid of the Midlife Crisis?

Superfluous question you think, so why even ask? Everybody knows women dread the period that marks the end of their childbearing life. Men dread it too since they are affected by their partner’s, mother’s, sister’s internal turmoil and external signs like sweat-bathed bodies signifying this event.

Women don’t mourn so much the end of childbearing, but what many believe is the end of youth, the appearance of wrinkles, decline of smooth, lustrous skin and, above all, sex appeal. One could go on lamenting the menopausal state, but why? It does not have to be this dreadful period of hot flushes and sweating, imagined loss of youth with weight gains in all the wrong places, mood swings and depression.

It is pointless to dwell on symptoms that appear during this midlife episode because it is just that – an episode that will vanish after the body has adjusted to its hormonal change.
However, the big question is WHEN will it all go away and when will normalcy come home again. Well, this all depends on you. You are the one in control of your body, and only you can decide on the duration of your menopause and its intensity.

Of course, any life change is handled according to the individual’s personality and attitude, but in general, a well-fed and trained body has better defenses.
So, start early and plan ahead by eating the best high quality food you can get. By all means, eat organically grown vegetables and grass-fed animal products. Cook food in your own kitchen with ingredients you chose for their quality. Cook with good fats, like extra-virgin coconut oil, use flaxseed oil and extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil for salads or to dress vegetables. The oils should only be housed in dark glass bottles to insure that they don’t deteriorate through air and light.
Reduce the amounts of grains, breads, pasta and sweet baked products.

Eat more vegetables instead and those that are in season. Eat vegetables that are high in phytoestrogens. These are natural estrogens found in many different greens. Phytoestrogens keep innate estrogens in balance and are anti-cancer.

By all means stop eating when you still want a second helping. You are full at that point, you will realize this a few minutes later, when after the second helping you feel stuffed.
Exercise, no matter what. There is always time for it. It takes only a small amount of will power to look for that time.

Make sure that your hormones are balanced. You can tell by PMS symptoms or irregular periods. An herbal supplement can often take care of this. PMS symptoms respond well to Calcium and Magnesium supplementation together with herbs. With balanced periods before menopause, the event will be much more tolerable.

When menopause finally is at your door, you are a well-nourished, thoroughly exercised, balanced woman who can battle hormones with ease. Good food has given you steadfast emotions together with a strong body to have an attitude that can take internal tornadoes in stride. A woman, unafraid of her bodily upheavals, considers a drenching hot flush as a detoxifying sauna experience. The body has to rid itself of those chemical processes by sweating it out.

There is help during menopause in the form of supplements and herbs like Vitex, Black Cohosh, and Don Quai. Homeopathy has an array of very effective remedies in pellet or liquid form. Some are combinations others are single remedies based on an individual’s symptoms. They work wonders for hot flushes, changing moods and depressive states. Consulting a homeopathic practitioner who will find the correct remedy for all your symptoms is always a good idea. Homeopathy is a real miracle worker.

If mood swings become too extreme, good stand-bys are L-Theanine, 5HTP, Rhodeola, Ginseng as herbal tinctures or capsules. It is better to resort to those than to sweet nothings like cookies and cakes or even anti-depressants. Although occasionally chocolate, the dark and semi sweet kind, can take your mind off your body. But remember, you don’t want to gain weight around your middle to advertise your middle age.

There is always a supplement that can target the issue when the going gets too rough to bear. Alternative medicine has everything needed to make your life comfortable during hormonal changes and at other times. Get your health in gear before complications get you down. A body in superior health can overcome discomforts presented at that time. I know it can be done. Life will go on, fortunately, with renewed vigor and trust that the new stage will be exciting in a different way. Also a feeling of gratitude will result that it could have been worse, but was not.

And at the very end of those years, when your body is once more in balance and harmony, you will again receive admiring looks and smiles that tell you that your inner light is still shining that you overcame a woman’s life crisis, by eating well, exercising and maintaining a positive attitude while fighting the big bad menopause wolf. Know more : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

One-Dish Thirty Minute Meals and More

Clients tell me they would love to cook every day if they had the time. Since I understand this predicament being busy just like everybody else, I want to share my quick thirty-minute one-dish meals with everybody who is interested.

Perhaps when steps are written down it makes it easier than telling somebody that cooking every day is as easy as pie. Nobody believes that. But it is. For the idea to be set in motion, only focus, some planning and love for your healthy self is required.

I figured out while raising children and working that It is not necessary to spend a lot of time preparing, cooking and serving meals either for one or more persons. Elaborate dinners in different serving dishes can be reserved for special occasions. This does not mean that one-dish meals cannot have an ambient setting with flowers, candles and soft music. By keeping an eye-pleasing setting on the table, only the food has to be served and music turned on each time.

What really counts is quality and nutritional value of the food. Processed, fast food, as a one-dish meal does not count not even in a pinch.

Here are some easy ideas.

Soup is the quickest meal to get on the table. Served with crusty bread and some cheese and fruit for dessert is very satisfying.

Soup stock can be made ahead from chicken or beef bones and frozen. Boil the bones with apple cider vinegar. The acid draws calcium out of bones into the soup, which is of benefit for your bones.

Start by heating the soup stock. Next add cut-up different vegetables.

The common thinking is that cutting vegetables takes a long time. Yes, it takes some cutting, but it can be done in fifteen minutes while focusing on the task at hand. Don’t get side-tracked by TV, then the hand automatically slows down. A sharp knife can be an advantage, but watch out!

The image here of cut-up vegetables shows many different ones. There are potatoes, rutabaga, turnip, onions, carrots, celery, green beans, green pepper and baby broccoli and lots of garlic as well as fresh ginger. This particular soup contained leftover chicken adding additional protein and so would beans. Plain vegetable soup will fulfill daily requirements for necessary veggies because of amount and variety.

Soups are easy to make if it weren’t for all the prep work you think. Trust me, that’s the least of the problems. The problem could be with children who don’t like the sight of vegetables. In that case blend the soup into a puree touching up with a drop of cream.

My children liked cream, but also liked vegetables. They got the cream as home-made ice cream. It is worth it to buy an ice cream maker when you have children.  Nutritional super foods can be hidden in an ice cream dessert adding more value to one-dish meals and  they will never suspect. Lecithin was the ingredient I used because it provides choline, necessary for the brain to make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter. Choline also helps with fat metabolism and as a liver support.

Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids, Brewer’s Yeast and Lecithin, a handy trio, to sprinkle on one-dish meals at the end for superior nutrition. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Planning To Cook At Home

Cooking at home needs a little  planning now that you made the decision to change from eating out to making homemade meals for the benefit of your and your family’s health.Making changes in lifestyle can be daunting and take time until they too become a habit. Losing interest, anxieties of not succeeding and impatience of not getting there quickly, is quite normal, but does not have to be.

What are the steps that make a move into a new routine more effortlessly?

First, take a sweep through refrigerator and pantry. Finding a lot of prepared foods may present  the dilemma of what to do with them. Incorporated into healthy foods by adding organic, fresh vegetables or complex carbohydrates may be the way to go. Continue to use as much of the foods as you can without getting into a financial deficit or, preferably, discard them. Most do not have nutritional value anyway. Money spent was for packaging. Keep frozen vegetables since they are second best to fresh ones, if organic.

Once fridge and pantry are empty, replenish with whole foods one week at a time.

Concentrate on eating more vegetables making sure that there is enough of protein, fat and complex carbohydrates as well. Animal proteins are important to an omnivore, but remember, vegetables and carbohydrates contain protein as well. If there is variety, falling short on protein will not happen. Shop once a week at the farmers’ market for fresh, organic produce in season. Since they are fresh, they will keep well all week until gone.

At farmers’ markets grass-fed animal products like meats and eggs are available as well. Remember, it is not necessary to eat large portions of meat. A little goes a long way, as it is done in Chinese cuisine, meat is more or less a flavoring in the midst of very nutritious vegetables, herbs and spices.

If there is no farmers’ market, shop where food with most food value is available, is fresh, organic and naturally raised. Nowadays many super markets stock real and wholesome foods. Many towns and cities have health food stores where much of those foods you want to concentrate on are available.

Read labels. Ingredient lists should be short and easily understood by a person without a chemistry degree. Prepare bigger quantities of beans and grains like rice and quinoa for keeping in the fridge or freezer until ready for use. Cooking these does not take much time. They only need to be watched until done, at the most for one hour. Keep green herbs and a variety of spices on hand for additional nutrition and flavoring. Eventually, cooking at home will be a creative, meditative process you cannot do without. Just like everything else, it needs practice.

Keep tuned for more information on eating at home and what to cook.

More 30-Minute Meal Ideas

Most important is to keep all meals nutritionally superior by using whole and wholesome ingredients like good fats, complex carbohydrates and grass-fed meats. It is also important to watch portion sizes. Preferred meals still are big steaks, large baked potatoes with lots of butter and small salads. Best is to limit the size of protein so that it fits into the palm of your hand, the baked potato without butter and the salad big on varieties and quantity.

Instead of piling on grains, use less. It is healthier to exchange these for starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, potatoes, rutabaga, peas and Jerusalem artichokes. Choose whatever is in season. Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and other low starch vegetables should fill the larger part of the plate.

When it comes to fat used in cooking, coconut oil , ghee (clarified butter) or butter are recommended since their smoke point is high. A high smoke point enables some oils to withstand high heat without becoming denatured. Olive oil can be used, but only on medium heat since its smoke point is low.

Stir-frying is a low-fat way of quickly cooking nutritious meals. Only a little oil is needed in the bottom of the pan then topped with vegetables that require longer cooking time and those needing less on top of these. After a short time of cooking everything is stirred around until done but still crunchy. Nutrients are retained by this method of cooking.

These are two of my salmon quick dinners from the two previous nights.

After a tiring day, I always want pasta. I excuse it by thinking everybody does.

I prepared salmon rubbed with dill and lemon zest quickly fried in a teaspoon of butter, rice linguini and salad. It was a large salad in a bowl not indicated by the few leaves decorating linguini and salmon. Everything hit the plate in 30 minutes.

Since salmon comes packed as a two piece package, I was left with the second piece the next evening. To eat fish twice in a row is difficult for me. I don’t like fish and only eat salmon for its nutritional values. To my surprise, a recipe evolved in my mind for left-over salmon and kale but seemed far-fetched. Of all things jazzing up the salmon were raisins and habanero pepper!

What started out as intimidating left-overs ended on my plate as a delightful marriage of sweet, hot, green, from left-over kale, and pink. Salmon with raisins, you must be kidding. I am not kidding, it tastes as if salmon was born to be seasoned with something sweet.

Different Spices Make Different Meals

Those thirty-minute one-dish meals should not always taste the same. Salt and pepper are wonderful condiments, but there is more a cook can experiment with.  Spices as well as herbs make a meal special and distinct.  Different countries’ cuisines all have their particular seasonings. There is Italy with plenty of garlic, oregano and olive oil. India with curries, garam masala and cayenne. Germany with bay leaves, juniper berries and capers. Mexico has such variety of peppers that every meal tastes not like the one before.

More exciting even is to create your own flavor combinations. This makes ordinary one-dish meals so unique even if the cook is not a trained chef.

I came up with the following the  other night. All my meals take really only thirty minutes to get on the table and to photograph. I am still working on taking better pictures, but again, nothing counts more than the good nutrition the meal provides.

This is a plate containing polenta topped with ground turkey, garbanzo beans spiced with Ancho chilis made nutritionally superior with toasted sesame and sunflower seeds. The latter giving the meal a nice crunch because everything else is soft. A green salad and a glass of wine appropriately partnered the dinner.

Polenta is easy and quickly prepared. Stir one cup of organic corn meal into two cups of cold water. Stir continuously until boiling, let it boil for a while, then cover until ready to serve. I used a second pot for this one, which did not detract from the time it took to prepare the fare.

The Ancho chili turkey was a bit too spicy even for my taste. It was cooled with a couple of spoons of yogurt.

Yogurt, milk or coconut milk extinguish the heat in fiery food.

I encourage you to experiment. You will love it and enjoy your creations and so will your family because it really tastes good. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Monday Night Thirty-Minute Meal

This is a thirty-minute vegetable based meal for a Monday night with some chicken to please the omnivore.

Ingredients are one potato, half a small cabbage, two broccoli spears and one carrot with chicken. Marinated the chicken in yogurt, ras el hanout (Moroccan spice) and turmeric in the morning. It cooked very fast, mostly in its own juice and a teaspoon of coconut oil. Tamari soy sauce and toasted sesame oil topped vegetables and chicken.

Salad ingredients are sweet red pepper, cabbage, arugula, tomatoes, capers and green onions with a dressing of flax seed oil, salt, red pepper flakes, dill, thyme and lemon.

I did not go to Morocco to get the spice. I bought it at Trader Joe’s. It is a handsome spice.

Use spices to become a hit as cook in your family and turn ordinary food into extraordinary healthy food with health benefits too.

Healthy Forty-Five Minute Meal

Sunday night dinner took a little longer to prepare – not my usual quick-fix hunger-quencher. I prepared three separate dishes, fresh asparagus from the morning’s farmer’s market, black bean chili with grass-fed beef, ancho chili powder, garlic, salt, onions and one tablespoon of Brewer’s Yeast for extra nutrition.

The third dish was an experiment and based on a recipe for turnips dressed in Miso sauce I saw in a magazine. My tub of red, mild Miso had been lingering in the back of the fridge when I encountered it and also remembered the recipe.

Turnips are cut up and settled in a skillet with one tablespoon of butter, salt, pepper and two tablespoons of Miso, a drop of maple syrup, enough water to allow turnips to cook until almost done. Drain the excess water off and let turnips caramelize and finish cooking in the rest of the liquid.

The recipe called for white Miso, which is very mild. I used red, mild Miso because that is what I had. It is not necessary to rigidly adhere to a recipe. You may turn out something even better.

Miso is a thick paste made of fermented soybeans, salt and the fungus Aspergillus oryzae. Miso is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and good for a healthy gut bacteria. It belongs to the group of fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, Kimchee that are recommended to replenish beneficial flora in the intestines.

As you see, there is also the glass of white wine cooled and thinned out with ice cubes and a big piece of fresh ginger. Ginger and white wine go well together. Wine goes very well with a Sunday night dinner or Monday to Friday dinners if you know what I mean. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Results of Eating Too Much Sugar

According to the World Health Organization people are eating too much sugar everywhere.

New guidelines are that sugar should only be ten percent of daily calories. This does not apply to natural sugars in fruit or milk only food products without nutritional value like breakfast cereal, sodas and sweets.

The problem here is that sugar is hidden in almost all processed foods. By not eating processed foods and reading labels one can control sugar intake easily, but otherwise we have no clue how much sugar we eat.

When we don’t eat breakfast, it is very likely that we make up for it with sweets, fewer vegetables and less fruit. For a start, eating a breakfast with protein and some fat will curb later cravings for quick energy that is usually a doughnut or more and that is followed by a sugar crash. For more info visit : http://www.bodyiqonline.com/

Fitness and Diet Tips for Today’s Women

For a woman, there is no greater high than a fit body and mind. And to lead a healthier lifestyle, it is important that you work towards it, without obsessing over it.

Here are some top fitness and diet tips for a healthy you :

FITNESS

• Train at least 3-4 times a week. The sessions should last for about 45 minutes to one hour. Remember, never to skip warm-ups and stretching before starting a workout and cool-down moves post workout.
• Stay hydrated. Water is critical to replenish the lost fluids when you are working out. Instead of picking up an energy drink, stick by old plain water and you will do just fine.
• Wear a heart rate monitor. It is the best way to track minutest details while working out. This will help you bail out at any sign of trouble.
• Wear a firm sports bra/dry fit and your workout gear should comprise of breathable fabric. This will help you sail through your workouts better.
• Always carry a hand sanitiser, towel and a deodorant in your gym bag. After all hygiene is a must!
• Pay attention to your form, breathing and alignment. Don't push yourself so hard that you overlook the form and breathing. Do less but do it right!
• Make strength training a part of your fitness routine. You will be able to build good quality muscles with the help of strength training. And there will be less chance of injury.
• Go for a full body check-up once every 8 months.
• Don't make your workouts a chore. Do what you love to do. Be it a dance-based workout, hard-core gymming or Pilates.

DIET

• Eat well balanced meals. Do not cut out any food groups. Eat your complex carbs, protein, fibre and essential fats.
• Kickstart your day with a big healthy breakfast. Eat clean and organic and try to stay away from processed meats and foods as much as possible.
• Eat your greens. And if you don't like them, blend them into a green shake and drink it.
• Eat a fruit instead of dessert. Every time you crave for a dessert, pick up your favourite fruits and toss them up into an interesting salad!
• Eat small portions frequently so you don't feel hungry and hence don't binge.
• Don't obsess about food. The key is to eat simple. Don't follow diets that you cannot pursue lifelong.
• Steer clear of aerated water, energy drinks and artificial sugar.

Regular Exercise Benefits for Teens

You keep your skin clean. You condition your hair. You're eating right. You're doing all you can to look and feel great. But are you missing out on an important part of a healthier lifestyle? No matter what your age or shape, you should exercise daily.

Because exercise helps use up oxygen, it causes your body to burn stored fat and helps you maintain a normal weight. For instance, if you walk 4 miles a day four times a week, you can burn about 1,600 calories or nearly half a pound a week. If you don't change your diet at all and keep walking the same distance over six months, you'll lose 12 pounds. Walk the same distance for a year and you'll drop 24 pounds.

The neat thing about exercise is you don't have to do it all at one time. After all, not many teens have time to walk 4 miles after school. But you can do 4 miles in short bursts throughout your day. Here's an idea of how to work that much exercise into your daily routine:

Take a 1-mile walk on a treadmill before school. Then, take a 1-mile walk around the track during school lunch period.
Take a 1-mile walk after school with friends or the family dog.
Take a 1-mile walk on the treadmill while watching your favorite show before dinner.

If you stay with the walking program, you'll see benefits with:

Weight loss
Muscle strengthening and definition
Stronger bones
A lower heart rate
Better mood
An improved complexion

Burn Fats Quickly

The key to fast weight loss isn't dieting. It's making simple, smart choices that increase your caloric burn big time. The Women's Health Diet isn't about eating less; it's about eating more—more nutrient-dense food, to crowd out the empty calories and keep you full all day. There's plenty you can do to rev your fat-burning furnace back up again.

Certain foods have a very high thermogenic effect, so you literally burn calories as you chew. Nutritionist at Body IQ Online will help you to Improve your flab-burning metabolic rate and start losing weight fast. . Follow our advice and get the lean ripped body that you want.

Boost Your Metabolism with Help of Body IQ Online

How many times have you started a diet on Monday only to throw in the towel by Tuesday? Too many diets can be frustrating and difficult to stick with. Lose weight with customized meal plans that fit your lifestyle!  The meal plans, created by nutritionist at Body IQ Online  are packed with healthier versions of your favorite foods, so you'll always find a recipe that suits your appetite.

If you're trying to lose weight, increasing your metabolic rate can enable you to lose more weight without cutting more calories. Discover healthy recipes that will help you lose weight quickly without making you feel deprived of the foods you love only at Body IQ Online.

Nutrition Consultation Services

Our nutritionists practice a proven approach to nutrition counseling that will meet your physical, mental and emotional needs. They use the latest in scientific research paired with clinical experience to empower you to get on the road to vibrant, good health. We help you discover the “why’s” and underlying causes for your health concerns.

Our dietitians will develop a personalized, comprehensive nutrition program based on your unique requirements. After you answer a series of simple questions, a dietitian will review your needs, help you establish realistic goals, and offer you the right combination of healthy eating changes, meal planning, and helpful tips to start you on your way to a healthier future.

Complete Nutrition & Wellness at Body IQ Online

Body IQ Online is here to help  patients the highest quality whole food nutrition for superior health. Our extensive line of nutritional and wellness plans are specifically designed to ensure optimum wellness. It is important to note that there is a right way, and a wrong way to eat. Don’t risk harming your body–call us today to find the right whole food supplements and herbs to address your needs.

Our nutritionists help you make the connection between what you eat and how you feel. And what’s more—they all have life-changing nutrition stories of their own. Because they have overcome their own health challenges using the power of real food, they really understand how to help you.

Nutrition Counseling at Body IQ Online

Nervous about seeing a nutritionist? Don’t be! A diet counseling session may never be like getting a massage, but it doesn’t have to be torture, either. A good nutrition consultation shouldn’t feel like a lecture about what you should be doing, and you shouldn’t feel as though you’re being scolded or judged on your eating habits, either.

At Body IQ Online, we strive to make nutrition counseling as enjoyable and helpful as possible. We take the time to listen closely and to understand where you are right now in terms of your lifestyle and diet, and work with you to help achieve your goals

Flat Belly Eating Plan at Body IQ Online

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and stabilizing your mood. But by using simple tips from experts at Body IQ Online, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to create a tasty, varied, and healthy diet.

Our experts explain what your recommended daily amounts of nutrients should be, how to serve the perfect portion and recipes to make you happy and healthy. Nutrition determines your success or failure, plain and simple. With the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded.

Healthy Meal Planning

Healthy meal planning has never been easier! You'’re training hard every day with your program, going heavy on the weights and sweating up a storm with cardio. While that'’s critical to your ultimate success, that'’s just not enough for you to lose the fat you want to. The diet is 65% of what you need to get in shape.

Body IQ Online has everything you need to know about popular diet plans as well as general information about healthy eating and weight loss programs.  It is your choice of food that determines whether you will enjoy the golden years energetic and lean or having to depend on assistance. You are what you eat. Make this saying your own and keep it in mind. You will never regret.

Healthy Diet Plans

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and stabilizing your mood. It seems that for every expert who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite. But at Body IQ Online, you can cut through the confusion and learn how to have a healthy diet.

Our mission is to provide the inspiration and information people need to make healthy eating a way of life. When it comes to a healthy diet, balance is the key to getting it right. This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. . Our approach will show you easy ways to help you achieve and maintain health and vitality far into old age.

Build Your Own Healthy Living Success Story

If you have a question about nutrition plan, the most convenient source of information is Body IQ Online. Our consultants will evaluate patients' diets, make recommendations for change and teach their clients to adopt new nutritional habits.

Body IQ Online is the definitive destination for those who want to build their own healthy living success story. We believe that everyone should feel empowered through food, fitness, and inspiration to pursue their best life because eating well and staying active are critical components in preventing cancer and fighting other illnesses.

Promote a Healthy, Fulfilling Lifestyle with Body IQ Online

The cells in our bodies are built from the raw materials we eat. The more suitable our food choices are to our specific requirements, the better cell structures we can build. Body IQ Online is the leader in nutrition for healthy food, better health and well being for all.

We will introduce you with new dietary habits, incorporating the latest nutritional breakthroughs. Our nutritional consultants learn how food affects the body and how diet can be used to prevent disease and promote a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle. 

Weight Loss & Diet Plans

Want to know the amount of each food group you need daily? Nutrition is one of the most crucial components to full body transformation. Making healthy food choices doesn't have to be difficult, but it does have to be deliberate. Preparation and consistency is the key to making this transformation different from all other failed attempts.

A goal without a plan is just a dream - and Body IQ Online is here to make your dream physique a reality! We'll give you a nutrition program designed by top fitness experts to help you achieve your fitness goal.

Take Control of Your Health

Body IQ Online has a powerful and dramatic influence on your ability to achieve optimal health. Many are struggling with weight issues, facing some disease or condition, or fighting inexplicable fatigue or lethargy. Body IQ Online is all about turning what you know into what you do. The best nutrition plan is the one that actually happens, because behaviors, not ideas, are the secret to changing your diet.

Our service is designed to save you time and energy without removing you from the process. Using your preferences, we only show you information that is relevant to your goals and our weekly planner streamlines all of the preparation and decision making that goes into a successful diet.