1) Eat breakfast 2) Cut your portion size 3) Plan what you eat 4) Be conscious about what you eat 5) Drink water 6) Record what you eat 7) Exercise

Are you exercising? Why not park the car a few blocks away from your destination? Why not get off the train or bus a few stops before your stop and walk the extra distance home? What about just walking around your neighborhood? What about taking the stairs instead of the elevator when you go to the mall? It’s getting dark later so instead of going to bed right after you eat, why not go out for a walk? Take your kids, take your husband, take a friend, take a pet, or go alone. Just do it!

There is truth to the saying “You are what you eat.” What we put in our body contributes to determining our health. Let’s be healthy; let’s live healthy.

Are you drinking more water? The juices we drink contain more sugar than the actual juice they are named for. Dilute the juice. Eat the fruit instead and don’t cut off the skin. You will be getting the nutritional benefits of the fruit, plus the fiber. If you aren’t a fruit or vegetable eater, why not juice the fruit and the vegetables. Apples and carrots can be used as a buffer to sweeten the taste of some vegetables that may be bitter. Experiment and find out what you like. It’s good for you, filling and quick to prepare. Remember “know thyself” – fruits have a lot of sugar and can be a problem with your blood sugar and insulin.

Beans are good for you! They are full of fiber, lower cholesterol and they are a great source of protein. They have anti-oxidants. They are a low-glycemic food. Which means they raise blood sugar very, very slowly. Black, red, pinto, navy, black eyed peas, chick peas and lentils beans can be prepared to taste real good. Eating a high fiber diet helps with weight loss. A high fiber diet fills you up longer and they have more volume for fewer calories.

“Put forth the time and energy to love and look after the one person who will be with you for the rest of your life – YOURSELF!” anonymous

I will plant the seeds and you can water your garden and watch it grow.

Until next Wednesday, Love Ya, MamaMU

There is no perfect diet for us. But you can’t go wrong eating a diet with plenty of vegetables and fruit. Fill up on these things and eat less of everything else.

The fat found in nuts is monounsaturated fat. This fat is associated with lower levels of heart disease and cancer. The fat in nuts is healthy fat, but they have to be eaten in moderation because they are high in calories. Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pistachio nuts, pumpkin seeds (all in their natural state) are a good food.

I love chocolate. And recent research says that chocolate is good for you. But not all chocolate. Don’t get it twisted. A chocolate candy bar is not what they are talking about. Milk chocolate and white chocolate have no health benefits. They are talking about high cocoa content dark chocolate. The labels on these chocolate bars say 60% cocoa. Cocoa has flavonoids and these flavonoids prevent fat substances from clogging the arteries. Chocolate is not for everyone, some people have allergic reactions to it – so “know theyself”.

One of the healthiest foods you can eat is salmon. Salmon has a lot of omega-3s and omega-3s are good for your heart, your brain, inflammation, circulation, memory, thought and blood sugar control. We should be eating wild salmon and not farm-raised salmon. Wild salmon eat shrimp, mackarel and other fish that enable them to create their own color and to produce omega-3s. Farm-raised salmon get their color from a dye that is added to the fish. Farm-raised salmon eat grains and produce omega-6s which is an inflammatory fat, plus they are feed antibiotics to prevent diseases from the crowded conditions they are bred in.

When we talk about fish a lot of us are concerned about the mercury in the oceans. ( I will write about this next week.)

I am going to take a blood test and schedule my pap smear and mammogram for the year.

“Put forth the time and energy to love and look after the one person who will be with you for the rest of your life – YOURSELF!” anonymous

I will plant the seeds and you can water your garden and watch it grow.

Until next Wednesday, Love Ya, MamaMU

— Eat breakfast
— Cut your portion size
— Plan what you eat
— Be conscious about what you put in your mouth
— Drink water
— Record what you eat
— Exercise

Already established that the #1 killer for both men and woman is heart disease. Reminder: heart disease and type-2 diabetes are major risk factors leading to this disease. Extra weight around the waist is also a high risk factor. These risks are avoidable with a healthy diet. Let’s begin to make some lifestyle changes to reduce our risk.

Last week when I briefly discussed antioxidants and how they are good for you – by protecting your cells from the damage that free radicals can cause, I did not explain what free radicals are. Some free radicals are formed during metabolism and sometimes your body’s immune system creates them for viruses and bacteria. However, environmental factors such as pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke and herbicides can also cause free radicals. Our body can handle free radicals, but if antioxidants are not available, or if the free radical production is excessive, damage can be done to our cells. Free radical damage accumulates with age.

Blueberries are a superfood. They are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, plus they are good for memory. 1/2 cup of blueberries, fresh or frozen a day is good for your diet. Add them to your yogurt, add them to your shake, or make some blueberry muffins.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene. Research shows that lycopene can cause a reduction in prostate cancer and other cancers. Lycopene protects the heart against oxidative damage. Whether you get your tomatoes in the form of a sauce, salads, or juice, they are a great food. They are extremely beneficial when they are eaten with fat rich foods, e.g., avocado, olive oil, nuts.

Eat different colors of foods – green, red, yellow, blue, orange. Think about the different colors when you are planning your meals. The presentation is pretty and the nutritional value is beyond great for you.

“Put forth the time and energy to love and look after the one person who will be with you for the rest of your life- YOURSELF!” anonymous

I will plant the seeds and you can water your garden and watch it grow.

Until next Wednesday, Love Ya, MamaMu