Diet – Page 2 – Vibrant Life

12 JAN

Simple Summer Salads

Called the Salad Lady by some in my churches, I love to bring fresh raw foods to our luncheons and potlucks. I learned to love these gourmet salad greens, sometimes called mesclun mix. My sister had married an Italian from Sicily. He loved a big green salad with exotic lettuce, and thus we all learned to love them.

Since I love to garden, I was soon growing my own fresh greens: romaine, arugula, and red lettuce. Later I added radicchio, escarole, and endive to my repertoire. At first I painstakingly gathered the young leaves one by one. That being too time-consuming, I soon learned that I could easily use a sharp knife, trim a whole section off, and they would soon grow new leaves.

Now in my small backyard I have my lettuce garden, along with my other vegetables, interspersed with my flowers. They are so easy to grow, and I love to give them away to friends who appreciate their subtle and not-so-subtle flavors.

Read more about Simple Summer Salads …

12 JAN

Fad Diets: Help or Hype?

Everyone wants a quick fix. A quick checkout. A quick teller. A quick commute. And we treat dieting no differently. When we decide to lose weight, we want to do it quickly. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey was a good example of this when she went on a liquid diet and lost some 60 pounds. But she and everyone else who watched saw the pounds come back.

12 JAN

Soy Connection

Although soybeans have been a staple crop in China for thousands of years, they have come to Western kitchens only in recent years. In 1904 George Washington Carver noted that the soybean is a rich source of protein and oil. By the early 1930s these beans were grown commercially in the United States. Since then they have been widely used to feed livestock and are currently one of the biggest cash crops in America.

Today soy is known as an inexpensive source of protein. Both the Food Guide Pyramid and Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, fifth ed., list soy foods as a way to meet dietary guidelines. A one-cup (8 oz.) serving of tofu, for example, is listed as a serving suggestion in the meat and beans Group.
Read more about Soy Connection …

12 JAN

Dynamic Duos: Teamwork Works

I’d made up my mind; I was going to lose weight, change my eating habits, and start an exercise program. Like my prior attempts, four days into my new lifestyle my enthusiasm began to wane. I reached for the cookie canister. Who would know? Or more important, who would care if I cheated, or just gave up? The phone rang; it was Susan, my friend, my weight-loss partner. She must have heard that weakness in my voice . . . for she knew.
“You’re going for the cookies, aren’t you?” she asked.

I leaned against the kitchen counter and sighed.

“Don’t do it,” she said. “Eat a piece of fruit. Remember how good you said those apples tasted yesterday? We agreed to weigh in in three days. How about if I meet you at the park in 30 minutes? We’ll walk. Remember what you told me yesterday when I wanted that chocolate bar? `Exercise curbs your appetite.’ Come on, don’t let me down; I need you. We can do this.”

I smiled, agreed to meet her, then taking her earlier advice, I hid the cookie canister in the pantry. Susan was right. I could do this. Or rather, we could do this. Together we found the strength and the willpower to change our eating habits and follow a regular exercising routine. The key to our success wasn’t a pill, or a diet shake; it was teamwork.

01 JUL

Five of the Healthiest Breakfast Cereals

Cheerios (Original)
Serving Size: 1 cup (30g)
Calories: 110
Fat: 2g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 1g
Sodium: 210mg
Carbs: 22g
Protein: 3g

Cheerios was made and marketed in 1941 by General Mills under the name “Cheeri Oats,” and the named changed to “Cheerios” because of the “o” shape. Cheerios has always been and remains a “children’s favorite cereal.” Be careful with the flavored cheerios, though, because even the multigrain Cheerios are loaded with sugar!

Mesa Sunrise Flakes
Serving Size: ¾ cup (30g)
Calories: 120
Fat: 1.5g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 130mg
Carbs: 24g
Protein: 3g

04 MAR

Superfoods To The Rescue

The words “You are what you eat” always seem to pop into my head whenever I find myself indulging in one of my guilty food pleasures. Mostly it’s when I’m overtired or stressed that I reach for one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s like a “high” in the beginning with each spoonful of yummy goodness––almost as if it’s washing away all the cares of the world. However, by the end of my splurge, even though I’m overly full (stuffed!), I feel empty and unsatisfied. I’m in need of more, and yet feeling absolutely horrible that I ate such an unhealthy and not very nourishing food that I almost feel sick! Do you ever feel like that?

08 JAN

Is It The Battle of the Bulge?

Well, I have officially started my New Year’s Resolutions. In my quest to lose fifteen pounds this year and lower my cholesterol, I’ve renewed my gym membership and have started working out again. In fact, I actually joined a new gym, and for Christmas my husband got me three months with a personal trainer. Pretty nice gift!

So far it’s been tough, but well worth it. My trainer pushes me much harder than I’d ever push myself. Plus, he’s teaching me a totally different way to work out that I’ve never tried before.

14 NOV

The Wizard of Oz

Any of you heard of Dr. Oz? Well, I’m pretty sure he’s the new craze for better health. My mom will often call me and say “Dr. Oz was on Oprah today. Did you see it?” and I always reply “No”. Which makes me a little irritated because I’ve been trying to catch a show […]

18 SEP

Tummy Delight

I’m officially done with my sugar and junk-food binge! I’m so desperate to get out of my maternity clothes and back into “regular” clothes that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that. So, since last week I’ve taken up walking like I said I was going to do. But instead of going to the gym to do my workout, I bought an at-home walking DVD called Leslie Sansone Walk at Home, Walk Slim. I figured since there was no way I was going to make it to the gym with the current circumstances I would bring the gym home to me. Good idea, don’t you think?

Are You Really Hungry?

When we eat while actually hungry, food tastes much better and we’re physiologically primed for proper digestion. Hunger, in the true sense of the word, indicates to us that it’s time to stop what we’re doing and nourish our bodies.

Consider that real hunger is not often experienced in our modern, overfed population. Most people no longer remember or are aware of what hunger feels like. Most are surprised to learn that it’s a sensation felt in the throat, not in the head or stomach.

Instead of true hunger, what people are experiencing are detoxification or withdrawal symptoms. They feel shaky, headachy, weak, or suffer from abdominal cramps or spasms. They conclude that these are hunger symptoms because eating relieves them. I call this persistent imposter “stress hunger.”

Stress hunger is created by the symptoms a person experiences that are due to toxic wastes being mobilized for elimination. It occurs after a meal is digested and the digestive track is empty. It can make us feel very uncomfortable.