Dancing!!!!!!!!!!

With how much I love dancing I can't believe I have taken this long to post something about the benefits of a night out dancing.  Whether you are freestyle dancing for fun with friends or in the privacy of your own home you burn calories. 

Pop on your favorite tunes and go for it.  Dance around, hop around, twist, shout just do what you want...let your hair down and relieve the stress in your life while burning calories.

A night out dancing with my favorite friends not only is a stress reliever but it brings a whole new brightness to one's life.  You can get lost in the music and just let your body move where it wants to move. the freedom, the lightness of your feet the joy and laughter...all good for your body and your mind.

So go get lost in your music and let that body move...burn baby burn!!!!

Go NutZ this holiday season!

That's right it is the holiday season already.  Seems like yesterday I was picking summer veggies from my dad's garden in my bathing suit.  Now I am cyber shopping for x-mas gifts.  Where does the time go?

Tis the season and around this time nuts become quite the popular fare at parties.   Let me give you the low-down on some of you favorite crunchy snacks.

Not only are nuts tasty treats but they are packed full of protein, fiber and healthy fats.  Almonds are high in vitamin B, riboflavin, vitamin E and magnesium.  These little fruit help your body fight bacteria and prevent oxidation that can lead to heart disease.

Peanuts (which are actually legumes not nuts) are rich in folate (this helps produce new cells), oleic acid and resveratrol, which is the heart healthy antioxidant found in red wine and dark chocolate.  if you boil raw peanuts in the shell you get more resveratrol.

Pistachios get their green hue from chlorophyll (the same compound that give leaves their colour), they are high in blood pressure-lowering potassium.

Hazelnuts (also called filberts) have a slightly bitter skin which is chock full of proanthocyanidins, these compounds may help strengthen blood vessels, reduce heart disease risk and boost brain power.

Pecans (my favorites) boast a high ORAC score (meaning they are very very high in antioxidants).

Walnuts deliver a significant amount of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 that boosts cognitive function and high in vitamin E.

So go ahead and reach for that bowl of nuts at the next party you attend. (but please remember even though they are healthy for you they do contain fats, healthy fats, but still fats...stick to eating a moderate amount.)

Thanksgiving....Enjoy this meal

Okay, so Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we all know the whole days is about feasting, overindulging (you know it only comes once a year!)

For those who want to stay mindful of what they eat yet still enjoy the meal and the day here are a few tips for guidance:

1.  make sure you eat a small meal or two before the actual Thanksgiving feast.  Do not starve yourself before the day.  Wrong, Wrong, Wrong to not eat up until the meal.  You will only be starving and over indulge even more so.

2.  Fill up on healthy foods first, raw veggies, salad, fresh fruit.

3.  Choose a nice lean piece of turkey with "no" skin.  Try not to smother you dish with gravy!

4.  Enjoy everything but in smaller portions.  You really only need a bite or two of everything not a big heaping pile on your plate.

5.  Eat only until you are satisfied (not until you are so full you cannot move).

6.  Don't over-do-it on alcohol those are empty calories and have no nutrients.

7.  Enjoy the celebration of the day and whether you are with family or friends be grateful for having them in your life and being together.

8.  Maybe go for a walk before or after dinner or enjoy some interactive video game that gets you on your feet moving, or put on some dance music and get your groove on.

At any rate enjoy Thanksgiving and be grateful for your health and your loved ones!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to my loyal reader.

If you happen to overindulge on Thursday....who cares...get back on track Friday!

Awaken Fair

Just to let you all know there is a wonderful fair in Tarrytown, NY this Saturday, November 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  It is being held at the Tarrytown Doubletree Hotel.

This is the Awaken Fair one the largest Wellness Fairs North of New York City.  There will be speakers, healers, readers, vendors, organic food and more.  $15 at the door, $10 in advance.

Check out the website:  http://www.awakenfair.com/

One legged Bridge

Everyone likes nice tight glutes and hamstrings.  This exercise is sure to help in both those areas.  You can lie on the ground outside like in the photo or lie in your house with your heals up on a chair seat.  Lift your glutes (bottom) off the floor in bridge position and then lift one leg.  Move your body up and down using your leg/foot that is positioned on the chair. Do reps until your leg/butt feels fatigued and then switch feet and do same number of reps on the opposite side. Remember this is considered a strength move using your own body weight so give your muscles a day or two to rest before repeating this exercise.  This along with many other types of glute/hamstring exercises will be sure to create a curvy healthy you!.

Butternut Squash...as well as Cranberries

Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner I thought that I would post two food items that may be on your table this holiday.

Let's start with Butternut squash.  This squash is a popular in fall and winter.  It is a great source of energy-sustaining carbohydrates.

Butternut squash is particularly high in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body and needed for healthy skin and normal immune, digestive and respiratory tract function.  It also contains other carotenoids, including beta-cryptoxanthin, which may significantly lower the risk of lung cancer.  Extracts from squash have also been found to reduce the symptoms of benigh prostatic hyperplasia, a condition on the prostrate gland.

Nutrients:  B1, B3, B5, B6, C, E, K, beta-carotene, folate and calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, fiber; protein, and complex carbs.


Cranberries are usually a staple on the table every Thanksgiving.  One of my personal favorites I love the tart yet sweet taste of cranberries.  On my table we have cranberry sauce as well as a cranberry mold (that my sister-in-law makes) this consists of fresh whole cranberries, celery, nuts it is such a nice accompaniment to the turkey and one food item I never pass up.

Research has confirmed that cranberries can prevent and treat urinary tract infections.  A popular remedy for treating cystitis, cranberries contain components that interfere with the adherence of bacteria to the lining of the urinary tract, allowing them to be flushed out more easily.  Other compounds in this berry have been found to inhibit plaque-causing bacteria in the mouth, which causes tooth decay and gum disease.  Cranberries also promote powerful anticancer activity and can combat kidney stone formation.

Nutrients;  B5, C, k, Beta-carotene, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium; fiber; carbohydrates.

I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving on November 24th....enjoy your day!!!!  Don't be hard on yourself if you over indulge on this holiday...you can get back to healthy eating the following day. Don't forget to move your body everyday!!!  Our muscles were meant to move not to lay stagnant.

Hiking

Now is the perfect time to make use of any state parks or nature preserves.  This is perfect weather for hiking, walking, trail running.  Not only can you get a great work out walking on this rough terrain, but getting fresh air and looking around you at how beautiful this Earth is can help to boost serotonin levels which creates a happier you.  The happier you are the more willing you are to commit to a healthy lifestyle.

When we are happy we take better care of ourselves and in return you feel better...it's a beautiful circle!

Easy to find where nature trails are on the computer...just google it!!!

This weekend is going to be gorgeous...get out there breathe and ENJOY YOUR LIFE!!!!!

Oh Yes Pomegranate!!!!

Hello all, I have not blogged since Oct. 26th shame on me!!!!!  Here I am about to tell you the nutritional value of the every so lovely pomegranate (which by the way are on sale no at Shoprite).  I have been buying 4 a week for the past two weeks.  Get them now while they are in supply as this season does not last too long.  They are so big and juicy....wonderful!!!!

Okay now down to business here.  The pomegranate has steeped in symbolism since ancient times, pomegranate now has superfood status, thanks to recent research into hits healing attributes.

This is a very interesting fruit as it has a fairly touch skin that is quite bitter to the taste (yes I have tasted it), the edible seeds are in clusters and sometimes makes this fruit tricky to eat.  Pomegranates are abundant in antioxidants called punicalagins, which have been shown to prevent several forms of cancer by protecting the body against free radicals, which can damage cells.  In studies done it showed one glass of pomegranate juice contains almost 3 times the amount of antioxidants as the same amount of red wine, green tea and o.j.

As far as our cardiac systems goes, pomegranates not only lower high blood pressure but they also help to fight LDL (our bad cholesterol, which is linked to heart disease and strokes).  It also appears to slow down cartilage deterioration in osteoarthritis, a condition in which the joints are gradually worn down over time by wear and tear.  On the nutrient front, this fruit provides vitamins C and potassium, both of which add to heart health.

Pomegranates also contain antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Nutrients:  Vitamins B3, B5, B6, C, E, beta-carotene, biotin, folate; calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc; fiber and carbohydrates.

Pomegranate are lovely to each just on their own, but you can also add the seeds to cereals or fruit salad or even a green tossed salad or as a sauce to use on fish and chicken.

I have four in my house right now and one half eaten by me!

Enjoy and stay healthy and happy!!!!