Archive for the ‘Nutrition and Fitness’ Category
We Need A Little Garlic, Right This Very Minute!
Monday, December 7th, 2009‘Tis the season to be merry. Consuming garlic is a great way to increase one’s mood. Did you know that garlic stimulates testosterone, the male hormone that helps build muscle and stimulate sexual desire? It works wonders for females as well. The truth is our bodies are constantly being bombarded with chemicals that act like the female hormone estrogen. These chemicals get leached into foods stored in plastic containers. Even some canned food items are lined with plastic! In addition to this, a lot of processed foods contain soy products. Soy can also act like estrogen. This is creating a metabolic problem for men and women alike. Here is my suggestion: eat whole, non-processed, organic foods.
Garlic has also been shown to have powerful antimicrobial and antiviral properties. In other words, this might be another step you can take to ward off that winter illness. Here is an easy way to get it into your diet. Peel a clove or two of garlic. Place it in a ceramic bowl with some olive oil and a dash of salt. Heat it in the microwave for about thirty seconds, or until it becomes soft. Spread it on some whole grain toast or eat it on its own.
So haul out the garlic if you want to spice up your life and perk up your immune system.
A New Year, a New Diet, a New Outlook
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009A lot of people make the popular New Year’s resolution to lose weight. This can be a pretty big undertaking for some people. By this time of the year some folks have already given up.
Try taking small steps to attain this goal. For example, try consuming at least one serving of green vegetables a day. Vegetables like kale, chard, collard greens, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts offer a lot of nutrients and fiber. Prepare these foods steamed or raw. Fresh organic is best, but plain frozen veggies are good too. These vegetables may be topped with a teaspoon or two of olive oil. This monounsaturated fat is good for one’s heart and helps the body absorb the vitamins and minerals offered by these greens.
Each time you attain this goal make a note of it-in a journal, or on a calendar. It takes about three weeks for your mind and body to make a change. After that time it should come more naturally. Then, make another small dietary change while maintaining the first. For example, you might want to make at least half of your grains in your diet whole, as suggested by the government’s food pyramid. Whole grain foods include, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa and steal cut oatmeal. Also, consider eliminating things from your diet like sweetened beverages.
Continue making small positive changes to your diet and before you know it you will be on the right path towards your goal. Live long and healthy Earthlings.
“The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” - Lao Tzu