Virgin Coconut Oil Uses and Benefits

Virgin Coconut Oil has really come on to my radar lately so I checked out The Coconut Oil Tips Web Site to learn more ways to use this great natural product. 

Virgin Coconut Oil General Health Benefits

1. Antioxidant
2. Antiviral
3. Antibacterial
4. Antifungal
5. Boosts metabolism, burns quickly
6. Immune support
7. Improves mineral absorption (calcium and the ever-important magnesium)

 Coconut Oil Uses for Beauty

1. Cuticle oil — Softens and strengthens cuticles, and soothes/prevents hangnails.

2. Eye makeup remover — Use it to remove makeup, even waterproof mascara.

3. Wrinkle buster — Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

4. Defrizzer. Use to defrizz and smooth fly-aways. Works especially well on dark hair.

5. Deep conditioner – Coconut oil works extremely well as a conditioning treatment, especially as a pre-shampoo hair repair mask.

6. Natural deodorant — You can dab some under your arms plain, or mix it with baking soda.

7. Toothpaste — Use it as an ingredient, with baking soda, for homemade toothpaste. Good for gum health.

8. Sunscreen (SPF) — It doesn’t sound like it, but coconut oil has an SPF of 4-6. And if you use it while tanning, it prevents skin damage due to its antioxidant and moisturizing properties.

9. Body scrub — Mix with a little sugar or sea salt for a yummy, moisturizing body scrub.

10. Lip balm — Hydrating on dry or cracked lips. You can try mixing it with shea butter to make it richer.

11. Foot/Heel softener — Softens and smooths dry, cracked heels.

12. Facial cleanser — Massage in like any facial cleanser and rinse with a cloth. Some have reported that it works especially well if you rinse it off with tea tree oil. (Not sure about coconut oil for face?

13. Body butter –  Coconut oil is a great moisturizer by itself, but for even more pampering, whip it into a homemade body butter using a kitchen mixer.

14. Aftershave — Men can use this on their face, and for ladies it is amazingly soothing on legs and the bikini area.

15. Massage Oil — Just melt some down.

16. Elbows — Improves look of dry dark elbow patches.

17. Shaving “cream” – Just use it in the shower like you would with shave cream/gel, or apply it before shaving normally as a pre-shave preparation.

18. Hair growth

19. Bug repellant — Just mix with a few drops of peppermint oil and apply to skin.

20. Stretch mark oil — Use it on your pregnant belly to prevent stretch marks. It also works on stretch marks to reduce their appearance.

21. Bath oil — Add to your bath for a tropical and moisturizing pampering.

22. Fades age spots.

23. Mole removal — Use it after removing moles with the apple cider vinegar compress method.

24. Tattoos — Aids in healing a new tattoo, and regular use prevents the ink from fading.

25. Cellulite.

26. Hair dye help — Use on skin along hair dye to keep dye off during coloring process.

Coconut Oil Uses for Health

1. Keratosis Pilaris – Slather on a little bit of coconut oil after your shower while your skin is still damp, and over a couple of weeks it will drastically reduce the appearance of the little red bumps known as KP or “chicken skin”.

2. Herpes treatment – reduces viral loads in test subjects, use internally and externally.

3. Candida – reduces candida culture in the gut.

4. Dementia/Alzheimer’s – Because of its ketogenic diet benefits, coconut oil improves symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

5. Hypothyroidism – boosts metabolism, raises basal body temp.

6. Cold sores – can be applied topically to remove them.

7. Lice — Just slather some on the scalp under a shower cap for a few hours. A lot of people report success with this!

8. Detox.

9. Helps absorb vitamins and mineral supplements.

10. Scrapes and cuts ointment — Use coconut oil, which is antibacterial, topically to kill bacteria and heal the skin.

11. Athlete’s foot.

12. Nail fungus.

13. Pink eye.

14. Burn ointment — Like aloe vera, coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties and is soothing.

15. Canker sores.

16. Gum disease/gingivitis — aids in gum health when used as toothpaste or rubbed on gums.

17. Asthma.

18. Autism.

19. Epilepsy — Coconut oil has been known to reduce epileptic seizures.

20. ADHD.

21. Breastfeeding discomfort — Sooth chaffed nipples from breastfeeding with coconut oil.

Coconut Oil Uses for Cooking

1. Cooking oil – Virgin coconut oil has a high smoke point, so it is less likely to degrade during cooking than other oils, and is more suitable for healthy cooking.

2. Butter substitute — Great substitute for baking, or just plain on toast!

3. Popcorn – Coconut oil has traditionally been used for movie theater popcorn and it’s just as tasty but much healthier if you use the extra virgin, unrefined kind! Just put a big spoonful in a pot, let it melt slightly then add the kernels on top for popping. Amazing!

4. Smoothies — Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil to fruit smoothies and green smoothies for a subtle tropical flavor. This is my favorite way to get my daily fix and boost my energy, since it revs metabolism and also is known to help you absorb vitamins and nutrients.

Household Uses for Coconut Oil

1. Conditions wooden cutting boards.

2. Wood polish.

3. Furniture polish (mix with lemon juice).

Coconut Oil Uses for Baby

1. Diaper rash cream.

2. Cradle cap.

3. Circumcision healing.

4. Breastfeeding salve.

Miscellaneous Coconut Oil Uses

1. Massage oil.

2. Personal lubricant.

3. Shoe polish.

4. Unsticks fabric in zippers.

5. Unsticks gum.

Conclusion

Virgin coconut oil is an awesome product that everyone ought to keep around the house! If you want to learn more about coconut oil uses and cures, you can browse the rest of the Coconut Oil Tips site. I also highly recommend you check out the book The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife.

There are several good brands of coconut oil — Just always make sure you choose well: It must be unrefined (also called “virgin”) coconut oil, ideally that has been cold-pressed and is stored in a nontoxic container.

46 Ways to Use Coconut Oil ... Yes, 46!!!!

Coconut Oil has really come on my radar this year. Here is a poster from The Coconut Oil Tips Web Site.

How to Start Eating Clean

The Importance of Eating Spinach plus Recipe

I HATE SPINACH!!! ... or at least I thought I did.  What I hated was cooked spinach ... all stinky and slimey ... ewwwww!!

My latest discovery is that I DO like spinach ... as long as it is RAW!!  The following poster from the Healthy Food web site tells us how good spinach is for us!  I know, people have always said that, but this is the first time I have really eaten spinach so I am paying attention this time.

Here is a great summer salad using spinach and strawberries ... who knew they made such a great combination.  This recipe comes from the Mother Nature Network.

 

           Strawberry Spinach Summer Salad

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 bundle fresh spinach
• 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

 

Time estimates

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Directions

1. Rinse veggies thoroughly.
2. Combine vinegar and oil in small jar. Close lid and shake well.
3. Over medium-high heat add dab of oil to saucepan. After one minute add almonds. Stir for five or six minutes or until light brown.
4. Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Add feta. Toss gently and serve.

Serves 4

How Low Glycemic Carbs Help Your Body

Low vs High Glycemic Index



Diagram from The Nutrition Geek Website



Eating low glycemic carbohydrates can do wonders for your health. Keeping blood sugar stable will help lose weight, have stable energy, avoid diabetes and improve longevity.

There are a couple tricks that can help lower the glycemic load of a meal. Combining protein and fat with carbohydrates will help. Also high fiber foods will slow down the digestion and will blunt the blood sugar spike.

Mock Soy Sauce - Recipe



Image from Taste of Home Magazine


Soy and corn crops are between 85% to 95% genetically modified (GMO).  The dangers of eating this modifed foods are becoming more apparent as scientist are putting the crops under closer scrutiny. 

As I am cleaning up my diet, I am eating organic or home grown produce (and meat) as much as possible.  I have made many substitutions to my diet to try to eliminate as many environmental pollutants as possible, but one of my staple cooking ingredients, soy sauce, was hard to replace until now.   

The test kitchens for Taste of Home Magazine  developed this alternative to store-bought soy sauce. Its color and flavor will make you think it’s the real thing. But it's lower in sodium than both regular soy sauce and the low-sodium variety.

32 Servings Prep/Total Time: 5 min.

Ingredients
•             3 tablespoons beef bouillon granules
•             1-1/2 cups boiling water
•             1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
•             2 tablespoons sesame oil
•             1 tablespoon dark molasses
•             Dash pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve bouillon in boiling water. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Store in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. Yield: about 2 cups.

Nutrition Facts: 1 tablespoon equals 11 calories, 1 g fat (trace saturated fat), trace cholesterol, 222 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, trace protein.

Percentage of Body Fat Calculator

This is a great tool to figure out the percentage of body fat you are carrying.  Even more exciting is watching how much body fat you are LOSING!!!!

Body Fat Calculator:  http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator

About the Body Fat Calculator:

How much fat are you carrying? Find out if you are in the healthy range with this fat calculator. This tool provides: body fat percentage for women, body fat percentage for men. This body fat calculator is based on the body fat algorithms developed by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corp and the YMCA.

Here is the information you will need to provide so the calculator can calculate your percentage of body fat:

Are you male or female? 

Waist size at narrowest point:  inches

Waist size at your navel:  inches

Hip size at widest point:  inches

Neck at narrowest point:  inches

Select your height: feet and inches

What is your weight?  lbs

SHORT VERSION BODY FAT CALCULATOR: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/bfc

How much fat are you carrying? Find out if you are in the healthy range with this fat calculator. This tool provides: body fat percentage for women, body fat percentage for men. This calculator is based on the YMCA formula.

Information you will need for the short version calculator:

Are you male or female?

What is your waist size? Inches

What is your weight? lbs

Thinking About It Diet!!!

Okay ... this does it .... I am off the "ThinkAboutItDiet" and starting the "DoingItDiet!!!"

Join Me .... log onto
www.thehealthyhelms.com

Low-Fat Dairy & Whey Benefit Your Waistline. How?

Milk (and other low-fat dairy products) will help you build strong bones, but if you want to whittle your waistline and gain calorie-burning lean muscle you may need to up the ante. In a 2011 Journal of Nutrition study, dieters who ate 30 percent of calories from protein, including six to seven daily servings of dairy, chiseled off more belly and total fat—and gained more lean muscle—than women who trimmed the same number of calories but ate less protein and dairy. Researchers think the whey protein in dairy, which boasts the amino acid leucine, is particularly important in stimulating the formation of new muscle proteins.

Our new IsaLean Pro Shake (In a delicious vanilla flavor) has 35% protein.  The highest quality whey is used in this gluten-free, organic shake.

I have this poster hanging on my refrigerator to remind me of all the GOOD my healthy diet is doing for me!  The poster comes from: LiveFit Revolution.

Five Great Phone Apps Suggested by “Hungry Girl”

If you are still working your new year diet and/or exercise program or you are restarting (like me), here are fun apps suggested by Hungry Girl for your phone.

Fitbit Ultra Wireless Tracker is a handy doodad that tracks your daily activity and calorie burn. It even monitors your sleep patterns. This is a good option for those willing to make a bit of an investment.

HealthRally is a website that allows your friends and family to invest in YOU. You set a goal (anything from weight loss to quitting smoking), and your support system can pledge money or other contributions as incentives -- but you only get the rewards if you meet your goal.

 GymPact lets you earn or lose money depending on whether you make it to the gym. If you don't check in and work out, you lose whatever amount you've wagered. At the end of each week, the accumulated cash gets divided among those who met their attendance goals.

Fit Freeway is another helpful app; it's an arcade-style race-car game... but you control the speed of your "car" by how fast you pedal your exercise bike or elliptical. Click here to try the free Lite version.

 Instant Heart Rate app will check your pulse using the camera feature on your phone.

Count Those T-Day Calories .. You'll Be "Thankful" You Did!

The big day is coming and I can almost feel the loosening of belts and waistbands across the nation.  One of the best things you can do to survive a fourth helping of Dad's incredible turkey and stuffing and Aunt Millie's pecan pie is to PRE-PLAN what you are going to put on your plate ... and stick to your plan.  To help you I am including a calorie list from About's Calorie Count site which includes the most traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

Main Course

Roasted Turkey
Serving Size: 1 cup chopped or diced
Calories: 238

Cornbread Stuffing
Serving Size: ½ cup
Calories: 179

Mashed Potatoes
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 237

Cranberry Sauce
Serving Size: ½” thick slice
Calories: 86

Dinner Rolls
Serving Size: 1 roll
Calories: 76

Side Dishes

Green Bean Casserole
Serving Size: Approximately 8 oz.
Calories: 90

Sweet Potato Casserole
Serving Size: About ½ cup
Calories: 287

Corn Pudding
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 328

Macaroni and Cheese
Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup
Calories: 207

Collard Greens
Serving Size: 1 cup chopped
Calories: 49

Glazed Carrots
Serving Size: Approximately ¾ cup
Calories: 115

Vegetable Rice Pilaf
Serving Size: Approximately ½ cup
Calories: 198

Desserts

Pumpkin Pie
Serving Size: 1/8 of a 9” pie
Calories: 316

Sweet Potato Pie
Serving Size: 1/8 of a 9” pie
Calories: 340

Pecan Pie
Serving Size: 1/8 of a 9” pie
Calories: 503

Pound Cake
Serving Size: 1/10 of standard round cake
Calories: 116

Bread Pudding
Serving Size: Approximately ½ cup
Calories: 232

Control Your Portions

By now you've probably decided what foods you will eat, but remember to control your portions.  If you partake in just one serving of all the foods listed below, you're looking at almost 3600 calories.

Surviving the Salad Bar

I used to feel so virtuous whenever I would go to a restaurant and JUST have the salad bar.  Now that I have been changing my diet up a bit, I realize that walking down the salad bar line was a bit like walking through a field of land mines.  Here are some tips from SparkPeople I have started using to assure me safe passage as I tip-toe through the veggies!


Take the safe path and apply these strategies to avoid salad bar traps:

• Use a smaller plate; limit the number of trips you make.
• Start with the nutrient-rich dark green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, romaine, and endive.
• Fill up your plate with vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, broccoli and tomatoes.
• Power on the protein with legumes, beans, lean meat, turkey, and crabmeat.
• Take only a small taste of the high-fat food items such as pasta salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, and coleslaw.
• Go easy on extras like croutons, chow mein noodles, crackers, nuts, seeds, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheeses.
• Dress your salad for success with 2 tablespoons of a low-calorie or light salad dressing, OR only 1 tablespoon of regular salad dressing. For a new taste twist try a splash of flavored vinegar.
• If the salad bar contains soups, go for a broth-based version over a cream-style selection.
• Allow only a small taste of the whipped topping-jello-fruit combinations.
• For dessert, return to the salad bar for a small plate of fruit topped with a little yogurt or cottage cheese.

Use the following guide to chart your course while maneuvering through your next salad bar excursion:


Salad Bar Guide

Food	Amount	Calories	Fat Grams
Vegetables
Artichoke Hearts	1/4 Cup	20	Trace
Avocado	1/4 Cup	75	8
Bean Sprouts	1/4 Cup	8	Trace
Beets	1/4 Cup	15	0
Bell Pepper	2 Tbsp	3	Trace
Broccoli	1/4 Cup	6	Trace
Carrot, shredded	1/4 Cup	15	Trace
Cauliflower	1/4 Cup	6	Trace
Cucumber	1/4 Cup	4	Trace
Green Peas	2 Tbsp	30	Trace
Lettuce	1 Cup	10	Trace
Mushrooms	1/4 Cup	5	Trace
Olives, ripe	2 Tbsp	30	4
Radishes	2 Tbsp	2	Trace
Spinach	1 Cup	10	Trace
Tomato	1/4 Cup	15	Trace
Fruits
Fruit Cocktail, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	35	0
Mandarin Oranges, in juice	1/4 Cup	25	0
Melon, fresh	1/4 Cup	15	0
Peaches, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	25	0
Pineapple, canned in juice	1/4 Cup	35	0
Raisins	2 Tbsp	60	0
Strawberries, fresh	1/4 Cup	10	0
Beans, Nuts, Seeds
Chickpeas	1/4 Cup	40	< 1
Kidney Beans	1/4 Cup	55	Trace
Sunflower Seeds	1 Tbsp	80	7
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs
Eggs, chopped	2 Tbsp	25	2
Ham, chopped	1 oz	35	1
Shrimp	1 oz	30	< 1
Turkey	1 oz	35	< 1
Tuna, canned in water	1 oz	35	< 1
Cheese, Dairy
Cottage Cheese, creamed	1/4 Cup	60	3
Cottage Cheese, 1% low fat	1/4 Cup	40	< 1
Cheddar Cheese	2 Tbsp	55	5
Mozzarella Cheese	2 Tbsp	40	4
Parmesan Cheese	2 Tbsp	45	3
Others
Chow Mein Noodles	1 Tbsp	15	<1
Croutons	1/4 Cup	27	4
Bacon Bits	1 Tbsp	25	2
Mixed Salads
Cole Slaw	1/4 Cup	45	5
Macaroni Salad	1/4 Cup	100	10
Potato Salad	1/4 Cup	100	10
Tuna Salad	1/4 Cup	190	10
Three Bean Salad	1/4 Cup	60	0
Dressings
Blue Cheese	2 Tbsp	155	15
Italian	2 Tbsp	160	15
French	2 Tbsp	135	15
Italian, low calorie	2 Tbsp	15	0
Lemon Juice	2 Tbsp	8	0
Oil and Vinegar	2 Tbsp	100	8
1000 Island	2 Tbsp	120	10
Vinegar	2 Tbsp	4	0

Yum!! Watermelon for Dessert (with recipes)

I absolutely L-O-V-E watermelon in the summer.  I can't think of a more refreshing treat.

 MmMmMmMmmmmm water melon (sounding a little like Home Simpson!!)

I just read in Hungry Girl's newletter that 4 cups of watermelon is only 200 calories ... yippee!!!!!

The amino acid arginine, abundant in watermelon, might promote weight loss, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers supplemented the diets of obese mice with arginine over 3 months and found that doing so decreased body fat gains by a whopping 64%. Adding this amino acid to the diet enhanced the oxidation of fat and glucose and increased lean muscle, which burns more calories than fat does. Snack on watermelon in the summer, and eat other arginine sources, such as seafood, nuts, and seeds, year-round.

Here are three watermelon recipes for you:

1.  Watermelon Salad
     1 bag (4oz) arugula with stems removed and roughly torn
     2 cups cubed watermelon
     1 pkg (3oz) feta cheese, crumbled
     2 Tbsp olive oil
        ground black pepper (to taste)

In a large bowl combine watermelon, arugula and feta cheese.  Gently mix and add pepper to taste.

Calories:  146

2.  Watermelon Daiquiri
     3 cups watermelon chunks,  frozen with seeds and rinded removed.
     1/3 cup rum
     2 Tbsp lime juice
     1 Tbsp superfine sugar

Blend frozen watermelon chunks, rum, lime juice an sugar.  Pour into chilled glasses.

Calories:  183

3.  Cherry Tomatoes with Watermelon
     1/2 pint yellow cherry or grape tomatoes
     1/2 pint red cherry or grape tomatoes
     1 small seedless watermelon, red or yellow
     1/2 tsp coriander seeds
     1/4 tsp white or red peppercorns
     kosher salt
     1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
     1 Tbsp slivered fresh mint leaves
     12 long thin breadsticks
     12 slices prosciutto

Slice half of the red and yellow tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl with the remaining whole tomatoes.  Slice the melon in smaller sized cubes (or use a melon baller -- you should have about 4 cups of melon).  Add to bowl with the tomatoes.

Crush the coriander seeds, peppercorns, and kosher salt with a mortar and pestle (or pounded with a mallet, or placed in a small coffee mill) until coarsely ground.  Sprinkle on tomatoes and melon.  Add olive oil and mint and gently toss.  Serve with breadsticks wrapped in prosciutto.

Calories:  253


Recipes from Prevention Magazine online.

Lushious Lavender Lemonade (Plus Recipe)

I have been making tea from my Spearmint and Chocolate Mint leaves for weeks now ... but today I noticed that my lavender is about to bloom!!!!!  I love it!!!  ... Time to start making Lavender Lemonade.  So sweet, so refreshing. 

The recipe I am posting has *white sugar in it ... but I substitute Truvia for the sugar.  I have also made it without sugar, and it is more tart, but still delicious.  If you want a quick fix for sugar-free Lavender Lemonade, buy Crystal Light Sugar Free Lemonade.  (I'm not sure, but I think it contains Equal, which I try to stay away from) then add cold water that has been infused with the lavender buds.

Here's the recipe:

Lavender Lemonade

1 Tray Ice Cubes
1/4 cup dried lavender
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cups white sugar*
8 lemons
5 cups cold water (or as needed)

1.  Place ice cubes into a 2 quart pitcher.  Place the lavender into a bowlm, and pour boiling water over it.  Allow to steep for about 10 minutes, then strain out the lavender and discard. Mix the sugar into the hot lavender water, then pour into the pitcher with the ice.

2.  Squeeze the juice from the lemons into the pitcher, getting as much juice as you can.  Top off the pitcher with cold water, and stir.  Taste and adjust lemon juice or sugar if desired.  Pour into tall glasses.  For guests, top with a fresh sprig of lavender.

Note:  If you are not growing your own lavender, be sure the lavender you buy if "food grade" and not sprayed etc.

Nutritional Info (1/6th recipe with white sugar):  Calories: 127, Fat: 0.5g, Chol: 0mg, Sodium: 15mg, Carbs: 40.7g, Dietary Fiber: 7g, Protein: 1.8g

Y Eye Heart Yogurt (Plus Recipe)

I wasn’t really crazy about yogurt for the longest time.  I used to buy the “fruit in the bottom” kind, but decided it had so much sugar in it that it couldn’t be that healthy for me.  Besides it was always sort of runny and watery.  Just recently I have discovered greek yogurt!!  Oh my … what a difference! 

Greek yogurt, according to Wikipedia is “… yoghurt which has been strained in a cloth or paper bag or filter to remove the whey, giving a consistency between that of yoghurt and cheese, while preserving yoghurt's distinctive sour taste. Like many yoghurts, strained yoghurt is often made from milk which has been enriched by boiling off some of the water content, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk.”

Strained yoghurt has become increasingly popular because it is richer in texture than unstrained yoghurt, but low in fat; since straining removes water and dissolved salts and sugars, by volume, it has twice the protein of regular yoghurt and less sodium, carbohydrates, and sugar.

Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and phosphorus.  It provides useful amounts of vitamin A, several B vitamins, and zinc.  For people who are lactose intolerant, yogurt is more digestible than milk.

Yogurt can be used in several ways:

·         Fruit smoothie:  Combine ½ cup plain yogurt with ½ cup diced ripe fruit, add one or two ice cubes, and puree in a blender.

·         Yogurt shake:  Blend ½ cup fruit-flavored, frozen nonfat yogurt with ½ cup low-fat milk until creamy.

·         Cucumber dip:  Peel, seed, and dice a large cucumber and combine with 1 cup plain yogurt, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh herbs.  Serve as a dip for vegetables, a dressing for salad, or a sauce for fish.

·         Mild salsa:  Mix ½ cup plain yogurt with 1 mashed ripe avocado, 1 diced tomato, and chili powder to taste.  Serve as a dip with tortilla chips or a sauce for enchiladas or hamburgers.

·         Vegetable sauce:  Mix plain yogurt with minced fresh dill and chopped cashews.

·         Garnish:  Top cold cucumber soup or vichyssoise with plain yogurt and minced chives.

Low-Cal Guacamole

1              15-oz can             Early peas, drained
1/2         cup                         mashed avocado (about 1 medium avocado)
1/4         cup                         fat-free plain Greek yogurt
4              tsp                          fresh lime juice
1/2         tsp                          kosher salt
1/8         tsp                          fresh ground pepper
1/8         tsp                          ground cumin seed
1/3         cup                         diced cherry tomatoes
1/4         cup                         finely chopped onion

Topping options:  chopped fresh cilantro, chopped jalapeno, additional salt & pepper.

Mash drained peas into a creamy texture.  Add mashed avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, and seasonings.  Continue to mash until desired consistency.

Stir in tomatoes and onion.  Add toppings if desired.  Chill before serving.

Makes 6 Servings

Per Serving (1/3^rd cup):  Calories: 78,   Fat: 3g,   Sodium: 320mg,   Carbs: 10.5,   Fiber: 3.5g,     Sugars: 4g,   Protein: 3.5

Compare with Chipotle Restaurant  Guacamole:   Chipotle 150 calories …. Ours 78 calories!!

Confused About Portion Sizes? I Was!!

During my "Welcome to Diabetes Survival Class" (that's what I called it anyway), the instructors talked a lot about "portion sizes."  When I compared the sizes of the food portions I was actually eating to the pictures of the proper portion sizes, it turns out that I was misjudging the size of my portions by quite a bit (erring usually on the side of "too much" rather than "too little.") I think this is a natural consequence of eating in restaurants!!  The portion sizes you get on your plate are usually double the portion size you SHOULD be eating.

This article by Jane Kirby, RD and The American Dietetic Association can be found on Dummies.com, and it gave me a handy guide for determining the size of the portion I should be eating.  The bonus is that I can usually get two dinners for the price of one at most restaurants!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When considering your nutritional needs, the amount you eat is as important as what you eat. Because people have diets filled with restaurant and convenience store foods, it’s difficult to remember how large a serving should be.

Portions of takeout food are much larger than the standard portion sizes defined in the Food Guide Pyramid. Even cookbooks are instructing people to serve larger portions. For example, the 1964 edition of The Joy of Cooking recommends cutting a 13-x-9-inch pan of brownies into 30 bars; the 1997 version is cut into 16 bars.

The following table lists the sizes of many foods that constitute one serving.

What Counts as a Serving: Food Group One Serving Is . . .

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta: 1 slice of bread; half a hamburger bun or English muffin; 1 small roll, biscuit, or muffin; 5 to 6 small or 3 to 4 large crackers; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta; 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal.

Fruit:  One whole fruit, such as a medium apple, banana, or orange; half a grapefruit; a melon wedge; 3/4 cup fruit juice; 1/2 cup berries; 1/2 cup chopped fresh, cooked, or canned fruit; 1/4 cup dried fruit.

Vegetable: 1/2 cup cooked vegetables; 1/2 cup chopped raw vegetables; 1 cup leafy raw vegetables, such as lettuce or spinach; 1/2 cup cooked beans, peas, or other legumes*; 3/4 cup vegetable juice.

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese: 1 cup milk, 8 ounces yogurt, 11/2 ounces natural cheese, 2 ounces processed cheese.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts:  Amounts should total 2 to 3 servings (for a total of 5 to 7 ounces) of cooked lean meat, poultry without skin, or fish per day. Count 1 egg; 1/2 cup cooked beans, peas, or other legumes*; or 2 tablespoons peanut butter as 1 ounce of meat.

Fats, Oils, and Sweets: Use sparingly.

* Note that you can count dry beans, peas, and other legumes as a serving of vegetables or a serving of meat, but the same bowl of beans can’t count as a serving from both groups.

A half-ounce of peanuts. An ounce of cheese. Two cups of popcorn. A quarter cup of sunflower seeds. A teaspoon of butter. A 3-ounce chicken breast. These are foods that you’re apt to run into when you’re eating on the run. After all, no one goes to a restaurant or movie theatre packing measuring spoons or cups. So how are you going to know what a serving of these foods look like?

A deck of cards is about the size of a 3-ounce chicken breast, but if the cards you play are on your computer screen, you may not recognize what a portion looks like. But you take something with you wherever you go that can help you with portion size — the palm of your hand. That is, if you’re an average female. Gentlemen, hold your honey’s hand more often to get a sense of size. Better still, make sure to take her to restaurants and movies with you. Some other “handy” measurements are shown here.

You can use your hand to judge portions sizes.

Five Steps for Running on Isagenix

Jennifer Pinner stretches before her run.

April 8, 2011 by Isagenix Nutritional Sciences

“One step at a time is all it takes.” This is the advice Jennifer Pinner shares on her running blog, MarathonForGood.WordPress.com, on how others can achieve as much as she does, which includes managing her weekly runs along with the responsibilities of marriage, motherhood, and churning out content as the senior communications specialist for Isagenix. Her blog is dedicated to her latest pursuit, which is fulfilling her dream of running the Boston Marathon on April 18, 2011.

She is running the marathon on behalf of Childhelp®, an organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect.

It’s well known to her family, friends and coworkers that when Pinner makes a plan, she sticks to it. The writer and running mom knows how to overcome mental barriers, heeding the training advice given to her by her high-school cross country coach: “90 percent mental and 10 percent physical.”

However, because of long runs and cross-training, the physical part of the job has been particularly taxing to her body, and with the Boston Marathon right around the corner, Pinner says that her main goal right now is simply to remain injury-free. Fortunately for Pinner, Isagenix offers products that can support her, as well as others, in attaining these ambitions.

Exercise builds the body up by first breaking it down. Endurance activities, such as running marathons, require months or even years of hard work in anticipation for a big event. What we eat not only plays a role in powering our bodies and fueling our workouts, but also in aiding recovery. Here are a few nutritional tips, with help from Isagenix products, for use in training.

1. Hydration, hydration, hydration.

With exercise, the body produces heat. The body actively works to reduce temperature and cool itself by pushing heat to the surface to be released as sweat. Endurance activities not only cause loss of body water through sweat, but also can reduce the thirst response. When dehydration occurs, the body’s cooling mechanism shuts down, which can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Also, neuromuscular activity decreases, which can affect the rate and strength of muscle contractions, leading to shortened endurance.

Drinking fluids should not be a response, but a routine. For pre-event hydration, drink between 18 to 24 ounces of water two hours before an event, and an additional 18 to 24 ounces 15 to 20 minutes prior to the start of the event. Make a point of avoiding alcohol, coffee, or carbonated drinks prior to a race, as these beverages may contribute to dehydration due to their diuretic properties. During the event, drink between 6 and 10 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes. Adequate fluid intake must be a priority, to both replace and replenish lost water and electrolytes. Caution: Be sure to not overhydrate. Hyponatremia is common in marathoners, especially women.

Drinking the right sports drink can enhance hydration and running performance.

Sports drinks such as Want More Energy?® will help replenish carbohydrate stores and also replace lost electrolytes. Additionally, it helps to speed up gastric emptying and increase absorption. For post-event hydration, allow the body time to cool down and heart rate to normalize before rehydrating. An athlete should be sure to check weight before and after a run to drink enough fluid to restore body weight; it’s suggested to drink 16 oz of fluid for every pound of body weight lost. Hydration is a priority for any serious athlete; hydrate before, hydrate during and hydrate after!

2. Don’t curb the carbs

A balanced diet is pivotal for adequate energy and nutrient availability. Carbohydrates are the preferred energy source for the body. During periods of intense exercise, the body uses glucose and its stored form, glycogen, to fuel the muscles. The exhaustion or fatigue experienced following intense activity results from burning up these energy stores. Eating enough complex carbohydrates before an event helps enhance performance by maximizing muscle and liver glycogen stores, improving stamina and reducing exercise-induced fatigue.

Carbohydrates consumed during exercise will help maintain blood glucose and enhance carbohydrate oxidation. Drinking fluids with a few grams of simple sugars like Want More Energy? throughout the event can help preserve glycogen stores and help runners maintain energy levels.

Consuming carbohydrates post exercise is also important as it replenishes depleted glycogen stores. Simple carbohydrates, in particular, can help restore glycogen stores more effectively. Glycogen repletion occurs faster immediately after exercise, so it is recommended to consume 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight post-event every two hours for up to 6 hours.

3. Pre-game with principle.

It’s important to power your activity without weighing yourself down. Eating too close to the big event can cause uncomfortable bloating, lethargy or even pain. An appropriate pre-game meal should be high in complex carbohydrates and consumed three to four hours before the race begins, which will allow the body to completely digest and store the carbohydrates, eliminate any fats consumed and stabilize blood sugar. Approximately 60 to 70 percent of an athlete’s pre-game calories should be composed of complex carbohydrates to help improve performance and sustain energy levels. Fatty and fibrous foods should be avoided right before extensive periods of activity to avoid gastric distress.

Athletes training for prolonged endurance events should consume 9 to 10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight to help support glycogen stores. Many endurance athletes practice a method known as “carb-loading,” which is a strategy used to maximize glycogen storage in the muscles by consuming large amounts of carbohydrates, along with extra water, a few days prior to the event. Isagenix SlimCakes provide a healthy dose of low-glycemic complex carbohydrates, promote satiety and supplement glycogen stores. In addition, foods such whole-grain pasta, whole-wheat breads, and whole oats provide low-glycemic carbohydrates that can not only increase glycogen storage capacity, but also improve performance by delaying the time at which carbohydrate reserves become depleted.

4. Whey to replenish.

Running a marathon puts incredible strain on the body and literally depletes nutrient stores. Protein is required to help rebuild muscle and repair tissues that are broken down from repetitive movements. Eating a complete meal containing protein, carbohydrates and fats is more beneficial for post exercise recovery compared to a meal containing carbohydrates alone. Evidence shows that combining protein with carbohydrates increases the rate of post-exercise glycogen synthesis. IsaLean Shakes or Bars are a great products marathon runners can take advantage of during training and after their event as they provide vital nutrients, such as whey protein (an excellent source of branched-chain amino acids that fuel muscle growth and maintenance), as well as carbohydrates. If providing the structural support for muscle repair and staving off fatigue are not enough, the IsaLean Shakes also deliver vitamins and minerals, including valuable electrolytes. (Jennifer is a big fan of the shakes and had a natural creamy chocolate one right after her last marathon in December.)

5. Manage muscle and joint discomfort naturally

A combination of ingredients can help runners keep joint discomfort to a minimum.

Intense physical activity of any kind is likely to result in suffering through muscle and joint stiffness and discomfort. Maintaining a normal weight, light stretching before an event, and proper training all go far in helping to avoid overtaxing muscles and joints. So can providing the body with scientifically-supported ingredients like glucosamine, chondroitin, boswellia and turmeric to help support production of healthy cartilage while inhibiting its loss over time.

Glucosamine is a major component of the proteoglycans, the natural “building blocks” of cartilage. The body’s production of proteoglycans declines with age, but glucosamine supplementation helps restore production and maintain healthy cartilage over time. Chondroitin is a natural compound that helps maintain joint lubrication, allowing for greater joint mobility and flexibility. Supplementation with chondroitin sulfate provides support to glucosamine in helping to slow joint deterioration. Comforting botanicals such as boswellia and turmeric act to soothe and calm discomfort.

Isagenix Ageless Joint Support provides all these ingredients along with several others providing combination to support healthy cartilage, promote production of new cartilage, and soothe joint flare-ups before or after they start. “It calls for three tablets daily, but its formulator Dr. Paul Anderson has recommended 6 daily if you’ve had issues. Amazing results!” When pain does take hold in muscles and joints, Ageless Pain Relief topical cream alleviates using no artificial ingredients or drugs—only natural menthol and methyl salicylate. The ingredients provide a cooling sensation when first applied followed by a deeper heat that can relax sore, tense muscles and relieve stiff, aching joints. “Right after a run, if I have even the slightest ache, I put a tiny dollop on the hot spot, do a little rub and compress it with a wash cloth to feel that cooling/warming sensation on my joint,” Pinner writes.

The Finish Line

Whether you’re a recreational runner or a seasoned athlete looking toward the next 26.2 miles, what’s important is maintaining energy and preventing injury. Consuming enough carbohydrates to fuel your run and enough protein to support the growth, maintenance and repair of body tissues, is a delicate balance that requires attention and quality ingredients to ensure a successful race.

As for Jennifer, we wish her good luck and good health!