Calorie Bomb for Breakfast

Having a big breakfast can help carry you through the day and can even aid in weight loss. Make sure you get the most out of the calories you have for breakfast, or it could backfire on you. A breakfast that includes carbs and lean protein and comes in around 600 calories is the best for losing weight.
A sausage, egg and cheese sandwich with a latte packs 1,140 calories and 54 grams of fat. These are the culprits:
• Medium vanilla latte: 330 calories
• Bagel with cheese baked in: 340 calories, 6 grams fat
• Sausage: 210 calories, 20 grams fat
• Butter: 100 calories, 12 grams fat
Healthy alternatives for a big breakfast:
• 2 Kashi GoLean Strawberry Flax waffles with 2 tbsp. peanut butter on them, 1 banana, 8 ounces of skim milk: 539 calories, 20 grams fat
• Mexican omelet (2 eggs, ¼ cup shredded mozzarella, 4 tbsp. chunky salsa), 1 whole wheat English muffin, 1 orange, small nonfat cappuccino: 527 calories, 17 grams fat
• Parfait (6 oz. nonfat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup Bear Naked Apple Cinnamon granola, ¼ cup raw almonds, 1 cup berries), coffee with skim milk: 535 calories, 24 grams fat

Source: Beware the 1.140-Calorie Breakfast! Glamour Magazine, September 2009
photo credit: orangeacid

Real Comfort Food

Hippocrates said, “Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food.” Most of us have a certain “comfort food” we crave when we feel out of sorts, but some foods have a more lasting emotional impact than others. These foods can help keep you calm and happy by nourishing your brain and improving your mood.
Carbohydrates—Eating them can keep you from being depressed. Your brain can only manufacture serotonin (which elevates your mood) when you eat carbs. Researchers found that people who ate only 20 grams of carbs a day (the same as a small bowl of cereal) felt more irritable and cranky. Don’t rush out to buy a supersize of fries, though! Whole grain carbs are what you need, without the fat to make you feel sluggish. To elevate your mood it is recommended that you eat one carbohydrate snack a day and if possible, a protein-free dinner. You should see your mood improve in a week or less.

Spinach—The folate found in spinach and other leafy greens can improve your cognitive function. A folate deficiency can cause depression. Eat one and a half cups of spinach, one cup of lentils, or four cups of broccoli to get your recommended 400 micrograms a day.
Olive Oil and Nuts—These foods contain fats (mono-unsaturated fats) that are actually good for you. They are great for both your heart and your mood! Get about five servings a day (but remember that servings of fat are pretty small, so don’t overdo it!) For example, a serving would be one teaspoon of olive oil, eight black olives, six almonds, or one slice of avocado.

Fish—It contains Omega-3 fatty acids that have been proven to affect your brain chemistry. In fact, it has been as effective as Prozac in some cases.Fish with the best benefits include salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and black cod.

Vitamin D—Yes, you can get it from the sun. However, if you’re vitamin D deficient, you may need supplements. At Washington University they found that administering 20,000 to 40,000 IU of vitamin D to depression patients lessened their depression. These doses should only be used under a doctor’s supervision. However, it is recommended that a dose of 1,000 IU a day could help. Make sure to get D3 for the highest potency.  photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

Sleepless in Seattle—or anywhere else?

The reason you’re having trouble sleeping may be that your bedroom is not a healthy sleeping environment. In fact, The Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that behavioral changes may treat insomnia better than drugs. Try making your bedroom a sleep only zone. Some adjustments you can make to sleep better are:
• Adjust your schedule so you get go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Regulating your biological clock is important for sleep cycles.
• Create a “wind down” routine. Don’t work right up until bedtime. Try writing out a list of things that are worrying or stressing you, so you don’t have to think about them until tomorrow.
• Banish the TV or video games to another room.
• If you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes try getting up and reading until you feel sleepy.
• Don’t drink caffeinated beverages or alcohol close to bedtime.
• Exercise well before bedtime—strenuous exercise right before bed can keep you awake.
• Take a hot bath.
• Meditate before bedtime.
• Don’t stare at the clock—it will just make it worse!
• Don’t eat in bed.
• Don’t discuss emotional issues in bed.
• Minimize the light, noise and temperature changes in your bedroom.
• Avoid naps.
photo credit: peasap

Olive Oil: Good for Your Heart

A lot of research has been done on the benefits of olive oil for healthy people. It lowers the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. New research is suggesting that it may benefit those who undergo heart bypass surgery by decreasing the chance that they will die in the month following surgery. It has been found that those who ate less than 1 tablespoon of olive oil a day were four times more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke than those who ate 3 or more tablespoons of olive oil a day. It is especially beneficial when it is used to replace other fats, such as other vegetable oils, butter and margarine. Out of all the oils, olive oil has the most heart-protecting antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties. Extra virgin olive oil is the most beneficial. It is best to buy it in dark bottles, if possible and keep it in a dark cabinet since light and heat can cause it to become rancid. The Journal of Food Science found that after six months of storage, the antioxidants in olive oil are 40 percent less effective at fighting cell-damaging free radicals. The highest quality olive is imported from Greece, Spain and Italy, so check the label.
photocredit:horaceko

Having a Bad Attitude Can Hurt Your Heart

In one of the largest studies on the impact of personality on health, it was found that attitude really does make a difference. Not only does optimism have a positive impact on heart health, pessimism has a negative impact on it. Women who were the most hostile and cynical were more likely to die than those who had the cheeriest dispositions. The study included 162,000 post-menopausal women and was conducted over a 15-year period. Women who were most optimistic had a nine percent lower risk of developing heart disease and a fourteen percent lower risk of dying of any cause than those who were least optimistic. Among the pessimistic women, they had a sixteen percent higher risk of death than those women who scored lowest for hostility and cynicism. People who have negative attitudes tend to make poorer health choices than positive thinkers. But don’t despair if you see the glass as half empty! You can learn how to think more positively. A study at Duke University found that heart patients who attended a workshop that taught them coping skills for dealing with hostility and anger had lower blood pressure and less depression than those who didn’t. Changing your attitude can change your health and may even save your life!

Video Tip Ep9 – Poison Ivy

Video Tip Ep9 – Poison Ivy from YzFIT on Vimeo.

Cherry Juice for Pain

Adding cherry juice to your diet could reduce soreness after exercise. Research from Oregon Health & Science University found that people who drank 2 cups of tart cherry juice two times a day for a week felt less muscle pain and soreness after a race than those who didn’t. Cherries have a natural anti-inflammatory antioxidant, known as anthocyanin. It can be used to reduce the pain and inflammation from gout, arthritis, muscle pain and back pain. They may also offer some protection from colon cancer, heart attack and stroke. Everyone is different, so the amount you need to consume and the time it takes to see benefits may vary. To receive benefits you should drink at least one ounce of tart cherry juice concentrate, a quarter cup of dried tart cherries or 1 ½ cups of frozen tart cherries. All cherries contain anthocyanins, but tart cherries have twice the amount as sweet cherries. It could take a few days to several weeks to see results.

photo credit: dongga BS

Your Laser Printer May Pollute Your Air

One-third of printers studied emitted toner particles, a report in Environmental Science and Technology found. These particles could be potentially harmful to your health. Some printers give off as much pollution as a burning cigarette. These particles are a problem because they are so small they are inhaled deep into the lungs. Depending on how well ventilated the area is, these particles can stay in the air from a few minutes to a few hours. The best way to deal with this issue is to make sure the printer is in a well ventilated area. Try to keep the printer in a separate location than your workspace. The closer you are to the printer, the higher the concentration of the particles. If you don’t need to print something—don’t. Not only will you save some trees, you may save your lungs!

photo credit: Sir Adavis

Curry Recipe with Chef Ramsey

One of my favorite foods of all time is a vegetable curry.  There are so many different ways you can make curries to keep them interesting and enjoyable.

The Mental Game to Eating Healthy

A few weeks ago I was talking to an individual who was really struggling at making good food choices.  There were just too many tempting foods that he was falling victim too and it was effecting him reaching his health goals.  Chances are there are a few things we know we should be doing better with our food choices.  With the gentleman that I was working with all we did was put into place one strategy(which has served him well these last few weeks, he has dropped several pounds!!).

The strategy is simple: "Think before you eat".  You may say well duh!  But it amounts to this there are so many good tasting foods out there unless the food is going to benefit your body why put it in??  I can go down a pint of ice cream which will taste good but we all know there isn't any health benefit from that, in fact its likely I will put on some weight.  However, I can go make a fruit smoothie where I can enjoy those nice fruit flavors and cold creamy texture and benefit my health with all those nutrients.  Sure there maybe times where some of those not so healthy foods are worth it to me.  I may decide to have a small piece of pie on my birthday or other very special occasions.  It may be worth it to me, or it may not be.  But being deliberate and analyzing each food item that you put into your body in this light may help you make some positive headway on your healthy eating goals.  photo credit: Just a Temporary Measure

Video Tip Ep8 – Kids and Dehydration

Video Tip Ep8 – Kids and Dehydration from YzFIT on Vimeo.

Pediatric Nurse Tasha Wade RN explain ways to rehydrate your kids.

C9 by Champion® Seamless Racerback Bra Review

One true essential components to every woman's work out is the sports bra.  While there are a lot of factors when choosing a sports bra I thought I would share one that have been very happy with.  The C9 by Champion is one of the most comfortable bras I have ever worn.  This sports bra is seamless and made out of comfortable nylon and spandex.  Because of its flexible nature if you are looking for something that is going to glue them to your chest this may not have quite the support that you are looking for.  If you are comfortable with some bounce and some breath-ability this is it.

Watercress Soup

watercress rich in minerals and vitamins C and A prized since Roman times for biting, rich flavor, raw or cooked and in vegetable in soups.

Little Berry Has Big Benefits

As the U.S. continues to face an obesity crisis due to a lack of healthy diets, Dr. Sean Kenniff reports on a West African berry which makes healthy foods such as spinach or broccoli taste like candy.


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Pets With Benefits

Pets are lots of fun, but did you know they also provide health benefits? Pets can increase your opportunities for exercise and socialization. They can also lower your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels, not to mention keeping you company and reducing loneliness. Having a pet can even increase survival rates among those who have had a heart attack. Pets can help you deal with stress, sometimes even better than a friend or spouse. Having a pet isn’t for everyone—they’re a lot of responsibility, but for most people the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. For more information on how pets can positively impact your health visit: http://stress.about.com/od/lowstresslifestyle/a/petsandstress.htm
photo credit: OakleyOriginals

Ragweed and Artichokes

If you are sensitive to Ragweed, artichokes may provoke an allergic reaction due to cross-reacting antigens that respond to both allergens. photo credit: *clairity* photo credit: NoiseCollusion

Ginger Can Help With Chemo

The Chinese have been using ginger for centuries, here's another reason why it's good for you.



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Hamilton Beach Rice cooker

Long ago I discovered the power of having a rice cooker.  It is one of my most used appliances.  I have had the Hamilton Beach rice cooker (20 C) for close to two years now and its still running strong.  I was in the market for a large rice cooker with a very small budget.  There are pros and cons to this cooker but over all I have been happy with it for my purposes.

Pros:

As with any rice cooker assuming it works; I love being able to start it, leave it alone and come back to cooked rice

I have cooked several types of rice including: sushi rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, and lots of brown rice and it always does a good job.

Very Affordable got mine on sale for about $25.oo

Easy to clean

Has a warm setting so if I get behind in meal preparation I don't have to worry about the rice getting cold.

Cons:

While its easy to clean, it tends to boil, bubble and make a mess

It says 20 cups but realistically couldn't hold that.   Think the most I have dared to put in there was 8 cups of uncooked rice(which probably was double that in cooked).  The rice came out good but I wouldn't dare to try put any more in there.  I usually borrow another rice cooker when I have large groups that I am cooking for.

YzFit Audio PodCast ep7 - Stress and Over Eating

Individuals who are over weight are more likely to over eat when stressed.  Having good coping skills to deal with stress is imperative.

[display_podcast]

photo credit: thomaswanhoff

Another reason not to do drugs

lThis is straight out of The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). If a patient comes to you with chest pain, one question you must always ask is their use of substances, specifically cocaine. According to Billy May's autopsy report, Cocaine use was contributed to the heart disease.

Cocaine can raise the arterial blood pressure, directly cause thickening of the left wall of the ventricle and accelerate the formation of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries. Drugs are bad hmmk?
photo credit: Eric Mil

Video Tip Ep7 - Proper way to bring down a fever

YzFIT Ep7 - Proper way to bring down a fever from YzFIT on Vimeo.

TV Dinner or family dinner?

Yale University did a series of experiments to test the effects of TV food commercials. They found children between the aged 7 to 11 who watched 30 mins of cartoon with food commercials ate 45 percent more snack food. The increased amount of snacking could lead to a weight gain of 10 pounds a year, may be it's time to turn off the TV and have a good old fashion dinner with the family. What do you think?
photo credit: 416style

Avoid Dented or Bulging Cans

A little ding or dent may not be a big deal on your canned goods but if you notice a big dent, that your can is bulging or if the contents of the can spurt out when opening it get rid of it!  These are all signs of botulism, a potentially deadly form of food poisoning.  For more information on botulism check out: cdc.gov/botulism/botulism_faq.htm

photo credit: Aidan.Morgan

15 Foods That Burns More Calories Than They Contain

lHere are 15 treats that actually burn more calories in their digestion than they offer.

• Celery


• Oranges


• Strawberries


• Tangerines


• Grapefruit


• Carrots


• Apricots


• Lettuce


• Tomatoes


• Cucumbers


• Watermelon


• Cauliflower


• Apples


• Hot Chili Peppers


• Zucchini

photo credit: the tria

Break-dancers risk

I am sure it comes to no suprise that break-dancers are at risk to injury with spinning on their heads and throwing their bodys' into different positions.  But a German study done recently confirmed and outlined what injuries they are more prone to.  In interviews with 144 professional and amateur break-dancers, researchers found that injuries to the spine, knee, wrist, shoulder and ankle were common, especially among professionals.  Also 70 percent said they'd suffered from overuse injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tenosynovitis( inflammation of the sheath that surrounds a tendon).  The study also found that the breakdancers didn't take nearly enough time to heal.  For more specifics check out website.  photo credit: JaeYong, BAE

Hummus and Its Multiple Uses

Hummus is one of those flexible mediums that you can do just about anything with.  However when you buy it from a store not only can it be a bit expensive(considering whats in it...) but they pack it with oils making it very high in fat!  Hummus is very easy to make and then can be adjusted to whatever you want it to be.

Basic Recipe:

1 can chickpeas or garbanzo beans drained and rinsed

1 clove garlic

1tbs tahini (sesame paste, you can find it in most grocery stores in the middle eastern section)

1 tbs lemon juice

Place it in food processor and process till a smooth consistency.  You can make it in bigger batches and use dried beans to cut down on the price even more.  I will sometimes make a big batch and freeze half till its needed.

A few ways I use it:

Great as a vegetable dip, you can add in a Cajun style season or hot peppers to make a spicy dip.

I like it on an open face sandwich with whole wheat bread with tomato, spinach, and avocado (and sprouts if I have them)

Great in a pita with steamed veggies

How do you like your Hummus?

photo credit: ilovemypit