Portion vs Serving Size

on Jan 7, 2019 in General Wellness, Nutrition

An important part about eating healthy is choosing the appropriate amounts of food to eat. When it comes to deciding how much to eat, the terms serving size and portion size tend to be used interchangeably, but they don’t mean the same thing. Serving size is a standardized amount of food, typically used to quantify recommended amounts by either MyPlate food groups or quantities typically consumed by people on nutrition facts labels. Portion size is the amount of food you choose to eat, which may be more than or less than a serving. Measure foods regularly to get an idea of what serving sizes look like. The more regularly you measure foods, the easier it becomes to pick appropriate amounts of food for your body so that you are not too full or too...

Don’t Let Food Cravings Derail Your New Year Resolutions!

on Jan 2, 2019 in Fitness, General Wellness, Nutrition

 Twenty-eight scientific studies indicate that bumping up your cardio/strength training and eating a plant-based diet greatly curbs food cravings and can keep you focused on your goals for a healthier...

FAST Track to Health

on Nov 16, 2018 in General Wellness, Weight Loss, Wellness Blog

Articles with references download here: Fast Track to Health Web 2018  Your body is amazingly resilient and is programmed to heal when given the right environment. Obtaining your optimum health may require you taking a major timeout from current unhealthy lifestyle habits and then working to create new habits that keep you healthy through your entire lifespan. Long hours on the freeway, sedentary jobs, time pressures, stress, lack of sleep, pollution, too much TV, high fat, high sugar diets, too few fruits and vegetables… These habits add up to a great assault on your health and can lead to modern day illnesses like obesity, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, fatty liver, etc. Although there are medications to manage these illnesses, it is vastly more beneficial for you to alter your lifestyle in ways that keep you healthy and prevent the need for medications. Your body is amazingly resilient and is programmed to heal when given the right environment. Obtaining your optimum health may require you taking a major timeout from current unhealthy lifestyle habits and then working to create new habits that keep you healthy through your entire lifespan. INTERMITTENT FASTING FOR HEALTH One healing modality that provides a timeout from your usual lifestyle is fasting. Many people are afraid to fast because they are afraid of being uncontrollably hungry. The fear of hunger is unfortunate and unfounded. There are many benefits from giving your digestive tract a timeout from calories, and when fasting is done correctly, it can curb appetite. Mark Mattson at John Hopkins University has published some interesting research on fasting. His research team found small intermittent fasts help with weight loss, bolster your immune system, lower blood sugars, lower inflammation, and generate healing in your intestinal tract. Two types of intermittent fasting were tested. The 5/2 method and the 8/16 method.1 The 5/2 method refers to days. Using this method, you lower your daily calories to 500 on two non-consecutive days of the week. The other five days, Mattson recommends eating normal portions of healthy foods. The 8/16 method refers to hours. You eat your normal daily amount of food within eight hours of a 24-hour cycle, and then fast for the remaining 16 hours...

on Nov 12, 2018 in General Wellness, Nutrition, Wellness Blog

There are over 40 different types of known auto-immune diseases and probably many more that we don’t yet know. Woman are more effected than men. Auto-immune disease occurs when our natural immune system develops antibodies that attack the healthy tissues of our body. Auto-immune disease affects 23 million Americans. It is not entirely clear what causes auto-immune disorders. They tend to cluster in families, indicating it may have  a strong genetic predisposition component, but there is probably many different factors that trigger the disruption of our immune system.  Depending what area of the body is being attacked the disease can cause different symptoms. When the thyroid is attacked it is expressed as Hashimotto’s thyroiditis or Graves disease. If the adrenals are affected it is Addison’s, the pancreas,  Type-1 Diabetes.  If the immune system attacks the tissue between joints and bones it is rheumatoid arthritis. In the lining of the GI track it is Chronn’s disease. Even diseases like Asthma, Multiple Sclerosis, Sjoren’s, and some cancers are thought to be auto-immune triggered. It isn’t yet clear what may be causing this to happen. Some research indicates that environmental toxins play a role, especially toxins like the BPA which is commonly found in plastics, cash register receipts, etc., but it is clear that the occurrence of these types of disorders are on the rise. What seems to be clear is that diet plays a major role in both avoiding an auto-immune disease and recovering from one.  A low salt, predominately plant based diet has been shown to greatly decrease the inflammation that accompanies auto-immune disease and to greatly reduce symptoms.  One study showed that ninety two percent of people with Chronn’s disease were able to avoid a relapse when followed for two years after diagnosis and treatment by eating a whole foods (no processed foods), predominately plants based (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans) diet.  That is Compare that to the 85% relapse rate of those who did not make any dietary changes. Salt in particular has been shown to aggravate autoimmune disease and some research indicates it may play a role in the development of the disease.  The typical American consumes about 12 grams of salt per day. Apparently we have a salt...

Crazy for Cranberries

on Nov 1, 2018 in General Wellness, Nutrition, Weight Loss

Whether it comes in a can, frozen, juiced, dried or fresh, cranberries have a handful of health benefits and disease–fighting powers. These berries can help fight bacteria and inflammation, reduce the risk of heart disease, improve oral health, help prevent ulcers and yeast infections, and may even inhibit the growth of some human cancer cells. Not only are cranberries one of only three berries native to the U.S., in addition to blueberries and grapes, this super–fruit is also teaming with anti–oxidants which help prevent and repair cell damage done by free radicals and are rich in vitamins and fiber. Cranberries are also well known for preventing urinary tract infections however and possibly help if you have an urinary tract infection. Avoid sugary juice cocktails and jellied sauces, which have fewer antioxidants. To get the most benefit for those berries, try the fresher versions. Chopped fresh cranberries mixed with chopped, toasted pecans, a tbsp of orange juice and a bit of honey makes a delicious fresh cranberry salad! Tis the season…enjoy....

on Sep 24, 2018 in General Wellness, Inspiration, Mindfulness

We all have road “maps” of thought that our brains are tied to. These pathways have been formed from past events and experiences, and have been paved into place through repetition. Often times these old ways of thought can get in the way of progressing to better ways of thinking that propel us moving forward. The good news is nearly all roads eventually breakdown and have the opportunity to be repaved. Do you have any thought patterns that need repaving? One way to work on this is through a concept called … STOP–CHALLENGE–CHOOSE. Here’s how it works: STOP When you are faced with a challenging situation, rather than immediately reacting through your old pattern of thought and behavior, take a second to pause and take three deep breaths. This opens up the door to steps two and three. CHALLENGE Acknowledge the old pattern of thought or behavior that you were initially about to act on and challenge it with an alternative solution. CHOOSE Make a conscientious effort to pursue this new...

on Sep 17, 2018 in Uncategorized

Looking for a gift to cheer someone up? Check -out the Healthy Living Stores located on right across the cafeterias at the new Kaiser Permanente hospital on Clairemont Mesa and also the old hospital at Zion Ave. They have a great selection of cards, gifts, and unique seasonal items, as well as, many health supporting items like sock aids, shoe inserts, long-handled shoe horns, a variety of compression socks and hosiery, therapy foam rollers, and a lot of great Thrive shirts and items. Open Mondays thru Fridays 9:30 to 1:30 PM and 2 to 4:30...

on Sep 7, 2018 in Fitness, General Wellness, Nutrition

EAT THE WHOLE EGG IF YOU WANT BETTER RECOVERY FROM WORKOUTS AND MUSCLE REPAIR! A study from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign found that people who ate whole eggs after a workout recovered better than those who skipped the yolks and only ate egg whites. There was a dramatic difference between the two groups in how their muscles recovered from workouts. Those who ate the whole eggs had a 40% greater muscle building response compared to those who ate the same amount of egg-white protein but didn’t eat the yolk. Egg yolks contain proteins and other key nutrients that are not present in egg whites. The mechanism of what and how egg yolks boost our body’s ability to regenerate and repair muscle is not yet known. If you do decide to eat eggs, keep them to a minimum and make sure your plate is 3/4 full of plant-based foods. Purchase organic and free range when...

on Sep 3, 2018 in Fitness, General Wellness

Motherhood Stretches You in So Many Ways. Why Not Stretch a Little More? Relax and rejuvenate while strengthening and toning your muscles. Pre & Postnatal yoga classes gently guide you through breathing and yoga poses that improve strength and flexibility. Enjoy the company of other Mom’s while you experience the benefits of yoga: Reduce stress and anxiety Improve sleep and deal with the lack of sleep better! Pain relief in your back or from carpal tunnel Reduce water retention and swelling Improve strength needed for birthing and recovery after birth Help with maintain a healthy weight. THURSDAYS 4:45 to 5:45 PM Eight classes: $100 Gift certificates...

on Aug 28, 2018 in General Wellness, Nutrition

Someone says, “Protein” and everyone is looking for the meat, cheese, chicken, dairy or fish. But animal sources of protein are not the only sources. In fact, adults and children can easily get adequate protein from plant-based foods. Nuts, beans and grains are loaded with protein and even small amounts are found in vegetables. Animal proteins are often called “high-quality” because they contain the right amount of all the essential amino acids needed to synthesize protein in our bodies. Amino acids are the building blocks that proteins are made of. There are 26 different amino acids that are put together in different combinations in our body to make things like muscle, ligaments, connective tissue, cartilage, bones, nerve tissue, etc. A few plant sources have all the essential amino acids in them: Foods like soy, quinoa, buckwheat, chia and hemp seed, mycoprotein (marketed as “quorn”) and spirulina. People who eat these do not need to eat animal sources to get their protein. But eating a vegan diet full of foods that may not have all 9 essential amino acids, i.e. beans, nuts, seeds, rice, wheat, etc., still provides enough protein. The essential amino acids that one food is low in, is complimented by another that is high. You find these natural compliments in foods in traditional cultural combinations. The amino acids in beans are complimented by those in wheat, corn, and rice. So a bean burrito or corn bread and chili are perfect combinations. Why does it matter? Well… while meats provide quality protein, there is often a lot of fat in them as well making them a high calorie choice and they provide little to no added nutrient value. Plant-based proteins are more filling on less calories. The starch and fiber in plant-based foods are satiating, help aid gut health, and lower cholesterol levels. Plus you are getting several of the essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients from the plants that you wouldn’t get from eating animal proteins. Additionally, any animal protein source is higher up the food chain and by nature has a higher amount of toxins, pollutants, and pesticide residues. Eating a plant-based diet helps you avoid exposure to these...