Thursday, May 15, 2008

Staying Healthy and Successful


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Healthy Breakfast Tips



This video isn't the best quality but it contains some really good ideas that I wanted to pass on. I purchased coconut oil when I was on vacation and it is really good. I used it in my homemade granola in place of the olive oil. I also like the idea of taking your butter and mixing it with olive oil to make a whipped butter that is better for you.
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Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins



One bowl - dry ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

wet ingredients - I throw them all in the food processor but you don't have to

2 or 3 bananas
1 cup fat free mayo
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice
2 or 3 tablespoons of honey

Take wet ingredients out of the processor and mix with the dry - don't overmix...just until all combined. Add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

Makes 12 muffins - Bake @ 350 for about 15 mins
Don't forget to grease the muffin tin (I prefer to use the paper liners for easier cleanup).

These have a trace of fat (a bit in the chocolate chips and a slight amount in the flour) and they are fairly low in calories for a muffin...around 170 calories. Everyone in my house loves these. It will seem like you have more batter than you should and you will be tempted to make more than 12 muffins, but trust me, the whole wheat flour is much heavier than white flour so they don't rise up really high.
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Homemade Fruit/Vegetable Wash




For an inexpensive substitute for commercial fruit & vegetable cleaners, use baking soda. You can keep some by the sink in a shaker jar. It's not a spray, so it's not quite as convenient as the sprays, but in my opinion baking soda does a better job. Just shake some on, rub it around and rinse. Works great. You can also soak produce in vinegar/water (equal amounts) and then rinse with cold water. Never soak mushrooms this way because letting them soak allows them to absorb too much extra water. As long as you have a large bowl and a colander, you can make your own " dip-vat as well. Place the colander inside the bowl, fill with vinegar-water mixture, and put your fruit/vegetables inside. Then when they've soaked for 5-10 minutes, just lift the colander out and rinse! I use baking soda to wash my veggies it works as much as Fit. You can also use 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice to 2 Tablespoons of baking soda with 1 cup of water. Just put this mixture in a spray bottle to spray the veggies. Let it sit for a few minutes then rinse. Works well.
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How to "De-Stress"

* Get more rest
*Develop a weekly schedule
*Learn to manage time more effectively
*Exercise regularly
*Become conscious of the foods you eat
*Do less. Simplify
*Practice a relaxation technique such as tapping, yoga, tia chi or meditation
*Become conscious of the energy level of your acquantances & friends. Choose to be in close proximity to those who are empowering and see the greatness in you
*Display pictures that contain energy...pictures taken in moments of happiness and love
*Laugh!!

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Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating

How it all began

When I was a child my grandfather always had the most amazing garden. His whole back yard was the garden and it was wonderful. I loved every vegetable that he grew - he even grew his own summer savory which apparently isn't that easy to do. Anyway, Grampy helped me put in my first garden and gave me all the tips. I couldn't believe how much work it was. It takes a lot of dedication and love. Sadly, he is gone now but I remember all the love that went into the garden and how even when I was a bit older and I would visit, he would fill the trunk of my car with veggies and I would have to go around my apartment building and share with others as there was no way I could eat all of it before it went bad.

I think my interest in health was part Grampy and part my father. My dad was a health nut when no one else was (that I knew of anyway) I am talking back in the 1970's. I don't think a lot of people knew about some of the stuff that my dad would talk about. He referred to white sugar as "poison"..ok, a little extreme but you get the point. Dad would eat a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of bran every day. I think this is important because my father was given six months to live when he was 19 years old and he managed to live until he was 44 with many health complications. I cannot say for sure but paying attention to what he put into his body as far as his food went, may have bought him some very valuable time.

Then comes my mom who was so devoted to my father and continues to be even though he passed away in 1981. I witnessed her nurse him back to health many times and she was the rock that held everything together. She is an amazing woman and I know he would be very proud of her for how she handled everything when he had to leave. My mom had to experiment with recipes to make them adaptable for dad's diet. He was on dialysis and could not consume any salt. If you have never had regular food without any salt - take it from me, it can be pretty bland. She was very creative and she did it with lots of love....

So for Grampy, Dad and for my mom who helped create that passion in me.............

Me with my mom in the garden 40+ years ago

Getting Started


This blogspot is titled "Fiber Fanatic" because after a lot of reading and research (there is so much out there) I think our lifestyles need to focus more on our fiber intake. Eating foods that are high in fiber are the ones that are better for you anyway. Also, you need to keep in mind that 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories, 1 gram of protein= 4 calories, 1 gram of fat = 9 calories, 1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories and 1 gram of fiber = 0 calories. We don't often hear this...seems like everyone is counting calories and fat grams. Don't get me wrong, you still need to have a reasonable intake of calories divided into carbs, proteins, fat, etc but you can be full for much longer if you eat fiber rich foods. Fiber is the part of food that cannot be digested...that is why it has no calories. It is a type of complex carbohydrate. Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes and grains.It is well known that Canadians eat too little fiber (on average 12 grams per day) and we should be eating 35 grams a day. It is possible to go as high as 60 but I don't ever get close to that...35 is fine but shoot for 35 each and every day. To begin...increase a bit each day and drink lots of water and if you like, herbal teas. If you increase too quickly, you may experience gas and bloating. I would suggest switching from white pasta to whole wheat pasta, white bread to 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat bread and switch from white rice to brown. Making small changes will make a big difference and it may be easier to change gradually instead of all at once.