BLACK TEA FOR STRESS RELIEF

We always seem to hear how good green tea is for us and I have no intention of taking away from that.  One of the best things we can do for our health is to drink green tea daily.  But let's not forget about black tea.  Studies, one from the University College in London particularly, have found that black tea lowers the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.  People in the study who included black tea in their diets were more relaxed and able to complete difficult tasks.  Feeling stressed, relax with a good cup of black tea.

GINGER, CINNAMON, ETC BLUNT EFFECTS OF HIGH-FAT MEALS

If you are not currently doing so, I recommend adding spices to your everyday diet.  A study in the Journal of Nutrition found the following spices may blunt the negative effects of those tasty but deadly high-fat meals that cause a spike in the heart-damaging triglycerides in your blood:

• ginger
• cinnamon
• cloves
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• oregano
• rosemary
• paprika
• turmeric

This is just another way to make a simple diet change that could pay off in big results where your health is concerned!  Start adding these spices to your foods today!

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WATERMELON CHERRY POPSICLES FOR CANCER PATIENTS

I do not usually put recipes on this blog as I have other recipe blogs but this is different. This is a recipe recommended for those who have a sore mouth due to their cancer treatments. It is recommend this Popsicle may be very helpful. And I am for anything that is helpful to cancer patients.

3/4 lb (approximately 2 cups cubed) fresh watermelon
1/4 lb thawed frozen or pitted fresh cherries (approximately 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp Stevia sweetener

Add ingredients to a blender or food processor. Puree for 2-3 minutes until very smooth.

Place a large fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Pour in the fruit puree, in batches if necessary,  and stir with a silicone spatula to strain the juice from the pulp. Press gently on the pulp to extract as much of the juice as possible.

Divide the juice between 4 (3-oz ice pop molds or paper cups. Freeze for 1 hour, then insert craft sticks in the paper cups, if using. Freeze until frozen solid, probably 3 to 4 hours.

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EAT WHOLE GRAINS TO REDUCE BELLY FAT

In spite of all the gluten-free rage going on right now, you need whole-grains!  Always eat whole-grain bread whether it is rye, oat, or whole-wheat, etc unless you medically cannot.  Brown rice is also a great whole-grain that will help lose that belly fat.  Another great whole grain is quinoa (that's keen-wah, if you have to ask for it) which is a complete protein.  Being a complete protein means it supplies all of the essential amino acids your body needs.  Eat some of these whole grains every day and watch that belly fat disappear.  Whole grains are also essential for diabetics.  Diabetics should never eat refined breads, pastas, rice; always go for the whole grain products.

NOTE: This is not to knock a gluten-free diet if that is what your doctor tells you to eat. Some people need to eat gluten-free but a majority of people do not and should not.

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EAT BLUEBERRIES AND STRAWBERRIES FOR YOUR MIND

Blueberries are some of the healthiest foods available to us.  But one of the more recent findings on blueberries is how they can also be beneficial to the mind.  Both blueberries and strawberries have been shown in studies to hold off cognitive decline in older people by 2 1/2 years.  Blueberries and strawberries are both high in flavonoids which are natural chemicals that exert powerful effects in our bodies. Researchers found that these two berries reduce cognitive decline in older adults. The results suggest that cognitive aging could be delayed by up to 2.5 years in elderly who ate both blueberries and strawberries.  Why wait until you get old?  Be sure to include these two healthy berries in your diet on a regular basis.

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PROTEIN AT EVERY MEAL/SNACK

Did you know you should have a little protein at every meal and every snack?  Even if you eat an apple, add 2 or 3 almonds, a spoonful of fat-free plain yogurt, etc.  This is especially important for diabetics but is good advice for anyone.  This will even help you control your weight as protein helps to stabilize your blood sugar and helps to stave off those horrid hunger pangs.  Some good sources of protein are lean meats, eggs, nuts, tofu, low-fat cheese, fat-free plain yogurt, etc. Many vegetables are also good protein sources. See the photo below for some of them.

DIRTY DISHWASHER

Are you aware your dishwasher may be harboring mold, yeast, etc?  Many times, we don't realize that the cleaning appliance itself needs to be cleaned!  You should take a disinfectant wipe and go around the seal on the door of your dishwasher a couple of times a week as that area may be home to mold and other fungi that don't get killed by the dish detergent and high temperatures.  These menaces can cause wheezing and other problems if allowed to build up.

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EAT LESS PROCESSED FOOD AND MORE FRESH FOODS

NOTE: I realize that right now during this COVID-19 crisis we, especially those with families to feed, are buying and eating what we can get and maybe more processed foods because they will keep better. However, when possible it would be wise to follow this advice from Ms Ansel.

Very good advice from Registered Dietitian Karen Ansel:

"Highly processed packaged foods aren’t nearly as satisfying, because whole foods take longer to chew and digest," says nutrition consultant Karen Ansel, MS, RD. "So eating fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low fat dairy means you’re a lot less likely to overeat compared to a burger or pizza which you can wolf down in minutes."

Something so simple that could have a profound influence on your diet, thus on your weight and health!

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WATCH OUT FOR SODIUM IN HOT DOGS

 

Every once in awhile I post about salt/sodium.  Our American diet contains way too much sodium which helps contribute to our high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.  And just stopping adding salt to your food at the table isn't enough.  Be aware of the sodium content in the foods you buy.  One item that is often high in sodium content is the All-American hot dog!  That's right.  Are you aware that just one hot dog can contain up to 700 milligrams of sodium?  The next time you pick up a package of hot dogs in the supermarket, check the sodium content and go for the ones with the lowest sodium per serving.

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DON'T BE FOOLED BY GRANOLA

I often hear people say how healthy granola is.  This is another marketing ploy that can fool you into eating something advertised as healthy when you should be avoiding it.  Yes, granola is made up of healthy whole grains, nuts, and fruits, etc.  But check out your granola to see what you are really getting.  This is especially important if you are diabetic or watching your sugar and/or carb intake.  Granola can be healthy, especially if you make your own, but it can also be a sugar trap.  Eating whole grains loses a lot of its value when it is loaded down with sugar and dried fruits.  Be cautious of dried fruits, they are high in sugar content.  If you eat granola with milk for breakfast, that is not necessarily a good breakfast.  Take this equation as an example:

1 cup of lowfat granola with raisins (98g carbs) with 1/2 cup of fat-free milk (6g carbs)
= 104g carbs

Most of us, especially diabetics, do not need 104 carbs for breakfast!

This is not to say all granola is bad.  On my diabetic blog (link can be found on this blog) one of my most viewed recipes is one for a healthy granola.  Just be aware of the granola you are eating and know that just because you are eating granola does not mean you are necessarily eating healthy!
The same goes for granola bars. Read the nutritional label to be sure you aren't getting too much sugar in your bars. They are low-sugar ones out there.

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CHOCOLATE TO SUPRESS A COUGH?

 

Would you believe you might be able to suppress an annoying cough with some yummy chocolate? I haven't tried this as I just recently saw this information but it sure sounds like a good idea to me! This information is about coughs caused by that 'tickle in your throat'.

Professor Alyn Morice is a respected authority on coughs and respiratory medicine. He wrote an article awhile back in the Daily Mail about the effects of chocolate on coughs and stated it can be better than codeine cough syrup. He stated that chocolate forms a sticky coating that protects the nerve endings in the throat that cause the cough. He says the melted chocolate coating also allows the cough -suppressing ingredients found in cocoa to come in contact with the nerves in the throat and calm them down.

Sorry, this doesn't work for hot chocolate. 😞 In hot chocolate the cocoa is too diluted to work.

So why not try to suppress your next tickly cough with some yummy chocolate. And remember to make that dark chocolate so you get some antioxidant benefit, too.

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MORE REASONS TO EAT GARLIC

 

Yes, I know, garlic can linger on your breath!  You should probably eat it anyway!  There are so many benefits of garlic, many discussed on this blog in past posts.  Today I am reminding you that garlic can be beneficial to your heart and has a positive effect on you blood pressure.  But do you know that garlic can also protect against stomach and colon cancer?  Another recent study suggests that adding garlic (also onion) to whole grains may help your body absorb more of the iron and zinc from said grains.  A good way to use garlic with whole-grains is to put it in your pasta sauces and use whole-grain pasta.

REASONS TO EAT OATMEAL

If oatmeal is not a regular on your breakfast menu, it needs to be added.  Most people are aware that oatmeal is recommend highly as a breakfast food but many may not be sure why.  Most of us know that oatmeal is high in soluble fiber and many know that soluble fiber fights bad cholesterol.  But did you also know it burns belly fat?  If you are looking for ways to reduce belly fat, start eating a bowl of oatmeal everyday!  One thing you want to avoid though is the prepackaged sweetened oatmeal, the sugar content is too high.  Make your own oatmeal and add your own sweetness with fresh fruit or berries and some ground flax seed.   

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ARE YOU EATING KIWI?

Is Kiwi a part of your diet?  If it isn't, it probably should be.  Did you know that a serving of kiwi - that's two, by the way - gives you as much potassium as a banana?  So if you are dealing with high blood pressure you definitely want to add kiwi to your diet!  Those two little kiwi also give you more vitamin C than the average orange!  And here's the good part, that serving of kiwi is only 85 calories!  What a deal; great taste, only 85 calories, high in potassium, and in vitamin C.  That should be enough to make anyone want to try the little green fruits!

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CHERRIES AND CANCER

You may wonder how something as simple as cherries can have an effect on cancer.  Cherries are an anti-inflammatory fruit and inflammation is something we always need to combat.  But here is the best part about cherries and cancer.  The tartness in cherries comes from perillyl alcohol.  Studies suggest perillyl alcohol deprives cancer of the proteins it needs to flourish and grow.  In lab tests, perillyl alcohol has done well against advanced breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers.  Cherries also contain the photochemicals isoquercitrin and quercetin both of which are known to inhibit colon cancer cells.  If you or a loved one are battling any of these cancers, work cherries into your/their diet. Also a good idea for all of us to enjoy some cherries in hopes of protecting ourselves from cancer.

PEPPERMINT TEA TO HELP YOU FOCUS

Are you having trouble focusing, paying attention, absorbing things during late night studying, etc?  You might want to make yourself a cup of peppermint tea!  In University studies it was found that peppermint tea upped office workers' performance during the day.  When you smell the mint aroma from your hot peppermint tea, it stimulates the brain's arousal system and helps you pay attention.  Perhaps at your next long boring meeting you should try a cup of peppermint tea instead of coffee!  Yes, I have been there, done that long boring meeting thing.  Why do you think they keep the coffee pot going during those meetings?  Suggest they add peppermint tea to the beverage cart!

This picture is not a brand endorsement.