Healthy Eating

Nov Challenge Week 1 – Clean Eating Resources and Recipes

November 9, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 4 Comments

eat clean for 21 days

Our 21 Days of Clean Eating Challenge has begun. Here are some great resources to help you start this week off right. Make sure that you’ve taken the time to create an eating goal for yourself in terms of calories, as well as carbs, fat and protein, as noted in the Challenge details. This is key for your success. Not on board yet? Get the full details and join us.

Looking for a clear, straightforward guide to help you navigate clean eating? Check out our ebook, “Clean Eating for Wellness and Weight Loss. It includes my favorite recipes and meal ideas to help you get started. Download your digital copy today for just $7.99.

Clean Eating on a Budget

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

I would also suggest that you check out Pinterest for lots of great recipe ideas. Create your own custom meal plan to help you stay on track with your eating goals.

Eat Clean for 21 Days – November 2015 Challenge

November 1, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 170 Comments

Eat Clean for 21 Days and Lose to Win with our Nov DietBet Weight Loss Pool – There are about 10 weeks left before 2016, and we are going to make sure that we get our eating habits together before year end. This November, we are going to commit to clean eating and refining our eating habits. We will not be sidetracked by holiday eating.

Will we have some holiday treats and indulge with moderation in fatty, sugary or savory delicious foods before the end of the year? Sure, that is likely to happen. However, we are going to counter those cheat meals with lots of clean eating and focus on learning what calorie and nutrient goals work for us.

What we eat is 70 to 80% of the equation, but ultimately it’s not just about weight loss or building muscle. It’s about our long term wellness goals and building a healthy lifestyle that we can maintain for the long haul. Give clean eating a try for just 21 days starting on Nov 7th! #BWLWNov

Clean Eating Ebook:

Looking for a clear, straightforward guide to help you navigate clean eating? Check out our ebook, “Clean Eating for Wellness and Weight Loss“. It includes recipes and meal ideas too. Download your copy today for just $7.99.

How do you join the challenge? Sign up by leaving a comment below. Let us know what your weight loss and wellness goals are for November. Details below on how to sign up for the month’s DietBet.

Goals for November!

Cook or prepare at least 1 meal at home each day. The goal is to cook more meals for yourself. Feel free to prep and cook as many meals as you can, but 1 per day will be the minimum.
Eat 4-5 times per day – 3 meals and 2 snacks is a great way to split your meals up. Don’t let more than 3 hours pass between meals. Eat every 2-3 hours if you can.
Stop eating at least 2 hours before bedtime.
No fast food, junk food or foods high in processed sugar.
Look up the calorie, carb, fat and protein counts for what you eat before you eat it.
Be mindful of chemicals, preservatives, dyes and other additives in the foods you eat. Read labels and do your research.
Avoid sugary drinks or soda. This includes artificial sugars in diet drinks, like Crystal Light and Diet Coke.
Eat ANY fresh fruits or veggies that you like (fresh or frozen). Eat as much as you want. Use fruit to combat fruit cravings. (Note: Limit your intake of dried fruit as they are often dried with sugar and sulfur).
Consider cutting back on carbs. Consider limiting your carbs to around 30% of your food intake or go low carb if that works for you.
Use Moderation and Portion Control. If you do indulge in processed food, fast food, junk food, etc…do it in moderation and eat reasonable portions.

What is clean eating?

When you eat clean you will be eating unprocessed, whole foods that are prepared or cooked in ways that don’t add extra chemicals and toxins. We are talking about fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, lean meats, meat substitutes like tofu, soy, whole grains, lots of water, healthy dairy and fresh juice. We will avoid fried food, fast food, junk food, bleached white flour, artificial ingredients, soda, commercial juice and sugary drinks, processed sugar (white sugar, corn syrup), and foods with preservatives, toxins, dyes, saturated fat, and trans fat. You will likely be cooking at lot of food at home, making green smoothies, eating salads, eating healthy snacks, and really realizing just how healthy you’ve really been eating. It’s not about perfection…it’s about making healthy choices.

Not sure what to eat? Have no fear! We’ve got a sample Clean Eating Foods List to guide you. Also, here are some tips to help you eat clean on a budget.

Photo Accountability – Post photos of your meals, meal prep photos, workout photos and inspirational quotes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #BWLWNov

More Clean Eating Links – Clean Eating Magazine – The Gracious Pantry – Eating Well Magazine – Buzz Feed – 2 Week Clean Eating Challenge

TIP for Success: Decide on a daily calorie goal and daily goals for carbs, fat and protein. How do you decide on how much food to eat? Use an online weight loss calculator to help you decide on the numbers that work for you. Here are some helpful calculators: www.webmd.com, www.myfitnesspal.com or www.freedieting.com. I’ve also included some general guidelines below that you can use as a starting point. Please keep in mind that you have to do your own research and work figure out what works for your needs. Someone with blood sugar issues is not going to eat a high carb diet. Someone with pancreas or gallbladder issues can’t just pick numbers without considering how much fat they will be eating. There is no “one size fits all” plan. Here is some additional guidance.

Protein has 4 calories per gram – .7 to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight
Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram – .7 to .9 gram per pound of bodyweight
Fat has 9 calories per gram – .4 to .5 gram per pound of bodyweight
You can also break down your calories by percentage. For example, 30% carbs, 40% protein and 30% fats.

Join our November DietBet Weight Loss Pool!

Lose 4% of your weight in 28 days and split the pot with other participants who’ve done the same. Bonus Stakes: We will give away three $30 Amazon gift cards to 3 DietBet participants chosen at random. Get the full details. Weigh-in Nov 6-8th – $30 Bet

What is a DietBet? – DietBet is the social dieting game that lets you win money while losing weight together. You’ve got 4 weeks to lose 4% of your starting weight. To begin, everyone puts money into the pot and each person weighs-in via photos that include a secret word that you don’t have access to until 48 hours before the start of the contest (this keeps people from submitting old or altered photos). After four weeks, whoever’s hit their 4% goal is a winner and splits the pot with the winners.

The Benefits of Flaxseeds

October 27, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

benefits of flaxseeds Flaxseed, also known as linseed, is a plant grown for food and fiber. You can often find them in the bulk section of your local supermarkets, in health food stores or online. Flaxseed generally comes in whole and ground versions as well as brown or yellow (golden). Be warned that whole flaxseeds will pass through your body undigested so in order to gain the most benefit you will need to buy them ground (flax meal) or grind them yourself. You can grind them up in a Nutribullet or coffee grinder for example. You can also get benefits from flaxseed oil, but in the article we focus on the seeds.

There are a lot of reasons to add flaxseeds to your meals and smoothies but here are some of the main benefits.

Flaxseeds Help Reduce Hypertension

Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, is a serious health concern for men and women like. Hypertension leads to narrowed blood vessels which increases the risk of heart disease, kidney disease, Cushing’s, hyperthyroidism and adrenal gland disorders. This study published by the Natural Medicine Journal showed that flaxseeds caused the “largest decrease in blood pressure every shown by any dietary intervention”.

Flaxseeds Can Help Disrupt Cancer Cell Growth

Flaxseed is thought to prevent cancer risk by disrupting or stopping cancer cell growth. So far, studies have shown that breast, prostate and colon cancer are the only ones that seem to be affected by flax. Studies on animals showed that flaxseed also prevented overall tumor growth but this has yet to be tested on humans. At the moment it is believed that the plant’s omega-3 fatty acid or ALA is what is largely responsible for disrupting cancer growth.

Flaxseeds Reduce Postmenopausal Hot Flashes

Women who experience hot flashes from menopause could find significant relief by adding a minimum of 2 tablespoons of ground flax to their diet every day. Some women have seen close to a 60% drop in the severity of their hot flashes as well a 50% cut in the number of hot flashes they experience. Consult your doctor before adding flaxseed to your diet as a method for hot flash control. Do your research.

Flaxseeds Improve Metabolic Syndrome and Imbalances

Flaxseeds can also be added to the diet to help improve metabolic syndrome. Not many studies on metabolic syndrome and flaxseeds have been done on humans but there is evidence that the seed’s positive effect on the cardiovascular system will also help with Metabolic Syndrome. This website references a study that did show a 20% decrease in metabolic syndrome symptoms after study participants added 30 grams of ground flax to bread per day. The study also concluded that despite an additional 30 grams of flax being added to the diet, there was no weigh gain related to eating flax.

Flaxseeds Help in Preventing Depression

Another benefit of consuming ground flaxseeds on a regular basis is that it has proven to be beneficial for treating depression. The 2 major components in flaxseed that are so therapeutic are omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and alpha linolenic acids (ALAs). These fatty acids and ALAs may help to treat neurological and psychiatric problems including, but not limited to, depression. You can read more about flaxseeds effect on depression here.

Even if you don’t have depression, flaxseeds should still be added to maintain overall wellbeing and to combat the effect of stress on the body. It would also be a great preventative measure to add flax to your diet, along with vitamin D, in the winter months when you don’t get much sunlight and are apt to develop Season Affect Disorder or S.A.D.

Ground flaxseed is popular for breakfast foods and can be used to replace other seeds like sesame. Grind up flaxseeds and add a couple tablespoons to top off your yogurt, fruit salad, cereal or muffin. You can add ground flax to many smoothies or meals, as it doesn’t have an overpowering taste and may be used in sweet or savory meals.

Considering all this, having 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds per day could cause a significant health boost. There are no guarantees, but try adding it to your diet for a few weeks and see how you feel. If you believe that you may be lacking in nutrients or have a health condition, consult your doctor before adding flaxseeds. This is especially important for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding when it comes to any dietary changes. Check out this website for some ideas on using flaxseeds in recipes.

Healthy Eating on the Go: Tips for Busy Women

October 22, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

busy women eating on the go Eating nutritiously has long been a mainstay of remaining in optimal health. This is something we all know. However, as schedules have gotten busier, women have found that eating healthy is not always the timeliest option. After all, between professional responsibilities, hobbies, significant others, children and myriad extra-curricular activities – all that is to be done in a day can easily fill up 24 hours and then some. This means eating healthy may be at the bottom of the to-do list. Breakfast becomes a cup of coffee, lunch is had from the nearest drive-through and dinner is delivered or picked up on the way home. The good news: there are some healthier options other than take out and convenience food for women on the go who may be pressed for time when it comes to meals. Consider these healthy eating tips:

Choose fast but healthy: A 2015 Food and Health Survey determined that 31% of American meals are consumed in the car. The bottom line is that sometimes, there is no avoiding fast food. That being true, make it the healthiest option available to you. Instead of a burger and fries, try a grilled chicken 6-inch sub on wheat bread or from the local grocery store deli counter. Skip over extras like mayo and replace them with spicy mustard and tons of green veggies. If you are craving a burger, consider opting for a veggie burger or replacing the bun with lettuce, when possible (depending on your eating goals). Go for untried veggies or apple slices over fries (or just omit a side of extra carbs). Replace sugary sodas or juice with water. If you need breakfast on the go, grab a whole grain english muffin with egg whites with your coffee and skip the bagel and cream cheese. The number one tip in this area: Do your research! You can visit various restaurant sites online and review the nutrient and calorie information for the foods you eat. No excuses and no surprises. Meals on the go can fit into your overall eating goals.

Engage in meal planning: If you are completely adverse to the idea of going through any drive-through (which can be a good thing), then you just need to do a bit of at-home prep to eat healthy on the fly. If you plan meals a week at a time or a few days at a time, you are less likely to find yourself hungry with few options. Just make sure to vary your menus; if you get stuck in a rut eating the same thing all the time, chances are good that you are more likely to start abandoning your planned meals in favor of pizza delivery. People get bored at times and variety can help keep you interested.

Get your family involved and educate them about healthier eating. They can help with meal planning and meal prep to make cooking/prep time go faster.
Use spices – even exotic ones – to jazz up otherwise bland dishes.
Incorporate veggies and proteins that you don’t normally use.
Experiment with healthy starches like bulgur or quinoa.
Use your Crockpot to save cooking time – you can simply add your ingredients in the morning and come home to a fully-cooked meal after work.
Invest in containers and insulated bags to keep your food fresh on the go.
Cut up fruits and veggies and always have at least a sandwich bag of healthy snacks that you can go to instead of less healthy snacks on the go.

Keep your fridge stocked with easy snacks: The best way to eat healthy is keep nutritious choices at the ready. Slice carrots and celery and store them in plastic baggies. Keep nuts, raisins and dried berries for an instant energy fix. Avoid sugary granola and energy bars, as the influx of sugar can cause your energy to bottom out after your blood sugar drops. Opt for whole food snacking choices when possible.

Eliminate added sugar where possible: You might be surprised to find out how often added sugar pops in your diet. Enjoy sweetened cereal or coffee with creamer and sweeteners at breakfast? Perhaps a fruit cocktail with your lunch salad? Or maybe you down a can of Coke and energy drink after lunch for an afternoon boost? These are all sneaky ways that sugar enters your diet. Opt for whole foods where possible; this doesn’t have to be a time-consuming endeavor. Nestle, for instance, now makes a natural creamer with minimum added sugar for your coffee. Instead of canned fruit cocktail, slice some bananas and strawberries for a whole fruit option and swap out the can of Coke for black coffee (if you need the caffeine) or a big glass of caffeine free tea.

Stay hydrated: Hunger pangs can sometimes be misinterpreted; your body may actually be trying to tell you that you’re thirsty. Drink water throughout the day, starting with a nice tall glass when you first wake up in the morning. You are less likely to overeat or reach for unhealthy snacks if you are properly hydrated.

Treat yourself: This might seem like an odd inclusion on a list of healthy eating tips, but the fact is that regular treats are an important part of a healthy eating regimen. After all, not only are you learning to choose more nutritious options, but also you are learning moderation and portion control. Small indulgences are fine – in moderation. In fact, some indulgences – such as dark chocolate, for example – have nutritious properties. Treating yourself is an important part of maintaining a balanced diet. The key is that you can’t let your cheat meals turn into cheat weeks. That is where planning and goals come in. Having a clear understanding of how your cheat meals figure into your overall goals for your intake of protein, fat, sugar, fiber, carbs and sodium is key. If you don’t have goals in mind and limits in mind, then how do you really know that you are eating in moderation.

Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail: Making the Decision to Change

October 15, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 4 Comments

healthy life planning In our frenzied, time-crunched culture, health has gone by the wayside in favor of convenience, comfort and pleasure. For many of us, our relationships with food are dysfunctional, to say the least. We love to eat- perhaps too much- and hate the ramifications of our often less than stellar dietary decisions. It’s like finding yourself halfway through a bag of peanut m&m’s, yet still debating what healthy meal you should make for dinner? We want our comfort foods in the moment, but at the same time we desire a healthier diet.

So, why do we keep shooting ourselves in the food, so to speak? Why do we repeatedly fail to exercise healthy decision making? Why are we halfway through a bag of candy, cookies, chips, etc… yet still thinking about our next snack?

In the absence of structure, chaos occurs: we eat too much, we eat the wrong things, we fail to meet our weight goals or maintain a healthy relationship with food. It is time to make a plan and put some structure to your weight loss and wellness goals.

Structure is absolutely vital to our decision-making process: when we have structure, we are able to thrive.

Slow Down! Create structure, and then be patient. Adhering to a meal planning or exercise schedule can feel foreign at first, but structure is the first step to creating a healthier relationship with food, and a healthier relationship with yourself.

Plan, plan, plan!

With the advent of photos sharing sites, like Pinterest and Instagram, and a renewed interest in health and wellness, many women and families tend to “humble brag” photos of their ziploc-ed, tupperware-d, calendared meal schedules that seem to be prepared, measured, and portioned with army-like precision.

Unfortunately, this creates just one more to-do in our minds that ultimately stresses out many overworked singles and families, creating a yo-yo cycle of meal planning and binging/fast food ordering.

You don’t necessarily need a rigorous meal planning schedule, but you do need structure to reach your goals. Create a loose structure and a plan for each day, whether that’s making breakfast at home, buying a health lunch at the office, cooking dinner back at home, or all three meals prepared or prepped in-home in advance.

Each week, you should aim to buy mix and match staple foods for easy dinners, lunches, and breakfasts. With a “kitchen library” of no-cook grains (whole wheat bread, buns, tortillas), microwavable grains (whole grain steam-in-bag rice is great), lean, easy-cook proteins (port tenderloin, chicken breast, canned tuna and salmon, low-sodium deli meat, shrimp), vegetables, fruits and healthy dairy options (yogurt, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese), you’ll have endless meal and snack options.

Vary your dishes with herbs, spices, homemade sauces and seasoning mixes. Consider purchasing rotisserie or pre-grilled chicken to save yourself some time. Canned soups, beans, and frozen veggies are also easily prepared. Calorie-controlled meals can be available on your table in minutes.

Although many people tend to look down on frozen or prepared foods, a lean frozen entree and a side of steamed broccoli, but most of the time it is a healthier option than dialing in for takeout or inhaling a bag of Doritos. You have to do your research on ALL accounts. Don’t make any assumptions…check the labels and keep your nutrition goals in mind when it comes to eating any prepared or frozen foods.

Slow down

If you find yourself stressed, tired, hungry, and teetering on the edge of a very bad decision (hello, donuts!), take a moment. Slow down. Breathe.

Remove yourself from the source of your stress, or go to a quieter space or location, even if that location is a bathroom stall or your car. Close your eyes, and breathe slowly. Ask yourself: how can you respond positively to the situation? What outcomes will make you feel proud- choosing something healthy for yourself and taking a positive step forward, or making an impulsive decision that you regret later?

Reflect

After a bad eating decision occurs, it’s difficult to face: you ate a half pizza (ok, a whole pizza) again. You hit the drive-thru again, You finished off a pint of Ben and Jerry’s- again. Naturally, you want to forget about it, push it out of sight and out of mind.

In order to create a healthier decision making process and to learn and grow from your experiences, you must reflect on instances in which you’ve failed. Ask yourself: what was the trigger? What might you have done differently? What other outcome might have occurred, or what outcome do you wish had occurred?

Rather than internalizing this dialogue, try writing it down. Seeing your thoughts on paper can help you acknowledge a mistake or explore an issue in a more abject, comprehensive manner.

The most important thing is to not criticize yourself: treat yourself with kindness and forgiveness. You cannot move forward and create a healthier future from a place of shame or embarrassment. Acknowledge that where there are mistakes there is also the chance for future success.

Four Ingredient Power Pudding

October 7, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Check out the recipe for my 4 Ingredient Power Pudding. It’s full of protein, low carb and very simple to make. You can make this thick, mousse-like pudding as simple dessert and as a topping for fruit or frozen treats.

The Key to Sweetness: You have to use a protein powder that tastes GOOD. If your powder requires extra sweeteners when you use it for shakes/smoothies or has a terrible after taste… Don’t Use It!

How many calories and nutrients in the whole batch?: That will be determined by what brands of protein powder or greek yogurt you use.

Ingredients:

1/2 to 1 full scoop of your favorite chocolate protein powder.
1 tablespoon of Hershey’s cocoa powder
2 containers of vanilla greek yogurt (the small, serving size containers) – I suggest using a low sugar, high protein brand, like Oikos Triple Zero (Each 150 gram cup has 15 g carbs, 7 g sugar and 15 g protein)
1 tablespoon of natural, unsweetened peanut butter

First, you’ll scoop with vanilla yogurt into a medium sized bowl. Next, add the protein powder, a little at a time. If your protein powder scoop is very big, you may want to start with just half a scoop to keep the mixture from being too powdery. The yogurt can only absorb so much powder.

Next, you will add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a tablespoon of peanut butter. Mix well.

You can use an electric mixer if you wish, but I prefer a wisk. Once all of the ingredients are blended, you should have a thick, delicious pudding. If the taste is not to your liking you can add some liquid stevia or teaspoon of sugar-free pudding powder. As I stated before, the key to a great tasting Power Pudding is the protein powder. I’ve found that this recipe makes about 3 small servings or 2 medium sized and keeps for about 48 hours in the refrigerator.

3 Strategies for Healthy Restaurant Dining

October 6, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

healthy dining tips

Let’s be honest: if we could, most of us would eat out every…single…night.

Alas, our belts (and wallets!) stop us. Restaurant dishes are notorious for being high in calories, fat, sugar, and sodium. If you’ve ever looked at the nutritional information for your favorite restaurants online (and you should!) it can be pretty shocking. What leads us to favor eating out…convenience. Over time. we trade healthy living for this convenience. Many people eventually pay the price in the form of weight gain and illness.

People fear that losing weight means giving up restaurant food altogether, but that needn’t be the case. In fact, knowing how to healthfully dine out is an asset. In order to move forward in your weight loss journey, you need to know how to be successful in any food situation- and that includes at a restaurant. You aren’t going to stop eating out with friends, family and loved ones- you just need a strategy.

Naturally, the easiest way to slash calories is to eat half of your meal and save half for later- that much we all know or have heard. However, there are a number of other opportunities for you to reduce the number of calories in your meal before and after it hits the table. That way, the effects won’t hit you later on the bathroom scale.

Don’t forget about hidden fat!

The majority of excess calories in any one dish can typically be attributed to calories that are added in during the cooking process. For example, a mere 1 tbsp of olive oil contains 120 Calories! Because these calories are virtually invisible (we don’t see them on our plates, yet they’re certainly there!), and because they don’t fill us up the way high fiber foods do, they can become a big problem over time.

All fats contain the same amount of calories, 9 calories per gram. A single tablespoon of oil contains just as many calories as a tablespoon of margarine, so don’t assume that you’re making a nutritionally advantageous choice by dipping your bread in olive oil rather than applying a pat of butter spread. While olive oil might be seen as heart-healthy, remember, the calories still matter. (Note: Fat is not all bad and sometimes fat-free is a worse choice – 9 Myths about fat)

Hidden fats added during the cooking process are wide-ranging and largely dependent on the type of dish, so it’s smart to order items that are typically prepared with very little added calories- raw items like Sashimi, for example, have no opportunity for fat to be added.

When ordering a bread-based item, be sure to ask for your bread or bun “dry”- otherwise, it will likely come toasted on the grill, which adds 50-100 Calories, depending on the grill and seasoning process. Most restaurants apply margarine or butter to buns before placing them on the grill, and that’s before any added sauces or condiments!

Note: Added sugar and sweeteners can also be an issue, especially when it comes to beverages, alcohol and sauces.

Beware the health halo!

If you’ve never heard the term, a “health halo” is a positive association we have with a food because we believe it to be healthy, even when its preparation makes it less than virtuous. Many restaurant dishes fall into this trap: we know that sweet potatoes are healthy, so surely sweet potato fries must be healthier or lower in calories than regular french fries, right?

In reality, the two are nearly identical caloric-ally and nutritionally in many cases. Restaurant salads are perhaps the most dire example of a health halo: salads often contain as many (or more!) calories as a burger or a steak, but we simply believe them to be healthier. Chefs can pack a lot of Calories into a seemingly healthy dish, through the addition of high-Calorie “extras” like candied nuts, sugared dried fruits, cheese, dressing, and oil.

Always order dressing on the side, and remember that every “portion cup” of dressing contains 2 oz on average and 240-400 calories, depending on the type of dressing. Bottomline: Know what you are actually eating: what’s in it and how it was prepared.

Customize, customize, customize!

Don’t be shy to ask for something prepared differently. Polite requests are typically well-received by restaurants. The goal of any venue is customer satisfaction. Leaving sauces on the side or requesting that a kitchen holds a side dish or topping is an easy fix. You can also customize certain items even after you’ve ordered them. Simply removing the top of a burger bun or eating a sandwich “open-faced” can save about 100 calories. Similarly, removing cheese or croutons from a salad could nix another 100+ calories.

Aside from simply consuming less of any given dish, customization is the most potent means of reducing the calories in restaurant dishes. The more you know ahead of your restaurant visit, the better. Go online and check out nutrition information. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about how your food will be prepared. The more informed you are, the better decisions you can make.

Benefits of Eating Avocados

September 25, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 2 Comments

benefits of avocado Avocado is a unique fruit that is loaded with healthy fats and important nutrients. Unfortunately, many have been led to think of this fruit as nothing but a side dish in the form of guacamole. The delicious avocado should actually be a regular part of a healthy diet for a number of reasons. Here are just a few of the benefits of eating avocados on a regular basis.

Helps to Reduce the Risk of Some Cancers

Since raw avocados are anti-inflammatory and contain a lot of important antioxidants that have cancer fighting capabilities. Consuming avocado could also mean less risk of certain cancers (prostate, skin and mouth, for example). The reason for this is that phytochemicals present in the fruit inhibit cancer cell growth which causes cancer cells to die.

Avocado has also proven useful for people going through chemotherapy. Chemotherapy often leaves patients severely lacking in certain vitamins and antioxidants- all of which avocado helps to replenish.

Aids in Nutrient Absorption of Other Foods

Avocado is an incredible source of healthy fats. People need fat for overall health, especially brain health, but it also serves another purpose. The fat helps your body process/use nutrients. Fat absorbs vitamins and minerals that normally wouldn’t be completely used by the body. It literally acts like a sponge so when your body breaks down the fat, it also gains numerous other nutrients.

Improves Heart Health

Another reason avocado’s impressive fat content is so good for the human body is that it protects your heart’s health. Most of the fat in the avocado is called oleic acid and studies have shown that it’s useful in reducing inflammation and protecting the heart from disease and stress. If you have a history of heart conditions in your family or already have a health condition, you definitely want look into to eating more of this fruit.

Helps to Lower Bad Cholesterol

Again, fat comes into play. Monounsaturated fat is a healthy fat that helps lower bad cholesterol, which is also known as LDL. The reason this happens is because avocados are high in a compound called beta-sitosterol. This compound doesn’t only lower LDL but simultaneously raises HDL, which is the health cholesterol. A study published in the Archives of Medical Research proved just how effective avocados are at lowering bad cholesterol.

Impressive Source of Fiber

The average woman is lacking roughly 5 to 10 grams of the recommend 35 grams of fiber she should consume on a daily basis. Instead of going to a fiber supplement, just have an avocado. One medium avocado has about 11 grams of both soluble and insoluble fiber, roughly 25% soluble and 75% insoluble. Fiber is very important for weight loss, digestive health and overall metabolic health.

Avocados Support Eye Health

As mentioned earlier, avocados are high in different antioxidants but two of them are particularly important for eye health, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These two antioxidants have been proven to reduce the risk of cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Avocados are useful in eye protection in all ages but are especially useful for the elderly.

They Have an Insane Number of Vitamins and Minerals

This fruit is loaded with vitamins and minerals, more than 20 of them to be exact. These include:

Vitamin K
Vitamin C
Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6
Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Folate
Copper
Potassium
Zinc
Phosphorous
Iron

All of these vitamins and minerals are necessary for health and if you can get all of them in one food, why not?

Avocados are just as healthy as they are delicious. They are also super versatile in terms of how you can prepare them. If you’re unsure of how to incorporate avocados into meals check out these recipes for inspiration. It is best to consume avocado raw or unprocessed to get the most nutritional benefit from them. Recipes like fried avocados wedges are delicious but you are going to be negating a lot of the fruit’s health benefits.

What Happens to Your Body When You Skip Meals?

September 17, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

affects of skipping meals It’s safe to say that you’ve probably skipped meals either accidentally or on purpose. You may believe that skipping calories will simply help your weight loss efforts. Unfortunately, skipping meals doesn’t just leave you hungry but could actually increase weight gain! Not only is weight gain the opposite of what you are trying to achieve, but there are other side effects of missing meals that you should know about. Here are 6 things that could happen to your body when you decide to skip a meal.

Your Blood Sugar Drops

Blood sugar levels aren’t just something diabetics have to worry about. When you skip a meal or two your blood sugar levels drop and your body reacts to the lack of food. Low blood sugar can lead to shakiness, strong cravings, dizziness and even fainting if you constantly skip meals consecutively. Eating every 3-4 hours will help you avoid low blood sugar. Some people feel that the body goes in to “starvation mode” but that’s not entirely true because the body will break down excess fat (which we want it to do) and muscle if there is a lack of food for days and days.

Giving into Cravings or Outright Binging Increases

So, your blood sugar is low from a skipped meal. No big deal- you just eat a large one to compensate, right? Wrong! Low blood sugar pretty much signals your brain to eat a lot once you do have a meal to compensate for the lack of food. Eating a lot of food suddenly and rapidly (even if it’s a healthy meal!) can in turn spike your blood sugar, even if you’ve had low blood sugar before the meal. It all depends on how much you eat, how insulin sensitive you are and whether you have existing issues with blood sugar, your liver and your pancreas.

When you skip meals, you are far more likely to end up giving into cravings. Even worse, you are more likely to completely binge, because along with the cravings you may feel that you have calories to spare since you skipped a meal. It is easy for starve-then-binge patterns to become a habit and many dieters struggle with this.

You Destroy Your Energy Levels and Inhibit Workout Results

Skipping meals also depletes your energy levels. You are going to feel tired, heavy and physically slow. You may inadvertently pick up bad sedentary lifestyle habits just because you feel so weak. Feeling so tired is obviously going to affect your workout. Not only will you just not feel like working out, but you open yourself to overexertion and increased chance of injury if you’re tired. Your muscles run on glucose from food, so keep that in mind.

Focus and Short-Term Memory is Negatively Impacted

Going without meals makes your body tired but also can really affect your mental energy. One of the first things that happens when you skip a meal is difficulty when focusing on tasks. Your mind may feel foggy and slow. Also, you may have trouble remembering things at work, school or around the house. After you eat, the high blood sugar spikes mentioned earlier can also make your mind feel so jittery that you can’t focus simply from over stimulation. Don’t put your body on a blood sugar roller coaster.

You Increase Your Body’s Belly Fat Storage

When you miss meals regularly, your body can go into a protective mode that causes your body to store more fat, especially around the stomach. Based on an Ohio State University study, researchers believe that humans who go into this mode followed by binging or “gorging” eating behaviors inadvertently teach their bodies to improve their fat storing capabilities.

You simply can’t tell your body that you are skipping meals to lose weight. It simply doesn’t work that way. The body is designed to protect us from starving and it doesn’t know that there is a grocery store down the street. It is trying to anticipate famine before it happens and conserve energy. Continuing to eat in an unhealthy way is likely to just make your weight loss goals more difficult to achieve. This is one of the reasons that eating small meals spread out over the course of a day and meal planning can be so effective.

You Could Become Deficient in Important Nutrients

Skipping a couple meals throughout the week doesn’t seem like a big deal in terms of nutrition, but it can lead to serious deficiencies. Humans need a varied diet of vegetables, fruits, meats (for some), fiber, vitamins and more to be healthy. The average person is already deficient in some vital vitamins and minerals because unhealthy eating habits are so rampant. By skipping meals, you further reduce your opportunities to eat a variety of nutritious food.

Another common behavior among meal skippers that leads to deficiencies is that when they do eat, they tend to eat the same staple meals all the time. Even if your staples are very healthy, it’s easy to create a deficit if you really haven’t planned out your meals to be inline with your nutrition needs. A multivitamin can help, but it won’t correct the problem completely.

It is important to eat regularly and throughout the day. Calorie-counting and logging your meals with a website or app is also very helpful for weight loss. It allows you to track how much you are eating, which can help you prevent having to skip dinner or snacks just to stay in your limit.

Kale Berry Mango Green Smoothie

September 17, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

I whip up this smoothie very, very often in my trusty Nutribullet, so I thought I’d share the recipe with you this morning. It’s a great, anytime smoothie with lots of nutrients, vitamins, fiber and protein. Balanced, Creamy and Sweet with just 232 calories.

I used SunWarrior’s Warrior Blend Vanilla Protein Powder. I love it because it’s vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free. With no added sugar, artificial flavors or artificial sweeteners, it’s a great choice for those who want a more natural protein powder.

Prep time: 7 mins

Cook time: 3 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 1 serving

Ingredients

½ cup mango, frozen
½ cup mango, frozen
1 cup raspberry, frozen
1 cup raspberry, frozen
1 cup kale, chopped
1 cup kale, chopped
1 scoop Warrior Blend Vanilla Protein Powder
1 scoop Warrior Blend Vanilla Protein Powder
¾ cup of water

Instructions

Load all of the ingredients into your blender. Add the fruit and water first, then the other ingredients.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 232 Fat: 2.65 Carbohydrates: 38.7 Sugar: 18.3 Fiber: 12.4 Protein: 20.5

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If you would like to learn more about making delicious green smoothies, check out our green smoothie e-book, “Drink Green Smoothies“. It’s a detailed guide with over 80 delicious recipes.

Healthy Eating

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