Tag: fuel

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
This is an all-too-common phrase that I secretly dislike, as the supposed benefits of eating this traditional morning meal have been totally misconstrued by both health experts and enthusiasts.
Skipping breakfast has repeatedly been said to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, unhealthy weight gain, and even obesity. What most people don’t realize is that these claims are largely driven by misrepresentations of only a handful of studies linking breakfast skipping to negative side effects on blood glucose (sugar), insulin (the hormone responsible for lowering blood glucose), and metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories).
While these lines of reasoning may seem relatively straightforward and somewhat believable, this isn’t at all the case.
The reality is, skipping breakfast actually helps your body function in ways that promote safe and effective weight loss, long-term weight management, and overall good health.
On both a personal and professional level, I can definitely attest to this.
For years, I’ve regularly incorporated a lifestyle of intermittent fasting, where I essentially skip breakfast on most days of the week. Instead, I’ll opt for a protein-packed, healthy, fat-rich snack for lunch (Greek yogurt with nuts) followed by a big, nutrient-dense dinner. Although I’m a pretty healthy gal who has maintained a vigorous cardio and weight lifting routine for nearly 20 years, I can honestly say that eating this way has greatly improved the way I look and feel.
Skipping breakfast as part of an intermittent fasting lifestyle has been clearly proven to reduce body weight, body fat percentage, and waist girth. Who wouldn’t give up an inch or two of belly fat? You can also find comfort and trust me when I say that dropping the morning meal will not adversely affect your metabolism. It’s actually quite the opposite, since doing so can substantially boost your metabolic potential to burn fat.
Let’s break all of this down a bit.
If you normally sleep overnight, your body’s tendency to burn fat is at its most intense in the morning, as you’ve essentially “fasted” for 6-8 hours. In the fasted state, the body constantly breaks down stored fat and essentially converts it into useable or “burnable” energy. In other words, the body “feasts” on its own stored fat.
Interestingly enough, your body will continue to use stored fat until your fast is “broken” with breakfast. In this light, extending your fast by skipping the morning meal is actually ideal for weight loss and long-term weight management, as the body’s overall fat-burning capabilities are greatly maximized.
To fully understand what I’ve explained here, you must first understand one simple concept: Breakfast literally means “breaking the fast” that your body generally undergoes while you’re asleep.
In this light, breakfast is not a meal; it’s a notion, turned tradition, turned trend.
To suggest that everyone in the world should eat breakfast in the morning is to assume that everyone operates on the same stereotypical clock. What about the many professionals who work overnight shifts, as I did during my years as an undergraduate student?
Since there is a general lack of context behind the word breakfast, most people don’t even realize that a fast can be broken at any time of the day or night. As such, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy breakfast at noon, 3:00 p.m., or even at dinnertime if you so choose.
Now, what about the idea that skipping breakfast (as the morning meal) can negatively affect blood glucose and insulin levels?
Well, unbeknownst to many, in the absence of a morning meal, blood glucose levels are very well maintained by breaking down glycogen, which is the stored form of glucose that’s mainly housed in the liver and muscle. In fact, the average person can hold about 2,000 calories of stored glycogen, which is enough to fuel about two hours of high-intensity exercise training.
Once the liver and muscle cells have met their storage capacity for glycogen, any remaining glucose is converted to triglycerides (fat) and stored in adipose tissue, primarily as visceral fat. But, remarkably, skipping breakfast can actually improve insulin’s ability to store larger amounts of blood glucose as liver and muscle glycogen, which greatly reduces the likelihood of unnecessary fat storage and ultimately belly fat accumulation.
Now, I didn’t write this article to convert you to a lifelong breakfast skipper. My goal is for you to feel empowered and inspired enough to dismiss some of the “rules” that may have been instilled in your head regarding how and when you should be eating.
In reality, the presumptive value of breakfast has never been clearly proven, and much of the evidence surrounding its overall importance is actually contradictory.
While the notion of skipping breakfast may sound unorthodox to some, it’s a way of life for many, as we all have different schedules, lifestyles, and preferences. For people like me, eating in the morning isn’t all that essential. For optimal health, what matters most is your total nutrient intake (carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals) and diet quality over the course of each day.
That’s it!
An abundance of research has proven that you can successfully manage your weight and maintain good health by eating as little as one–or as many as seven–meals a day, so long as you’re obtaining adequate amounts of all essential nutrients, while meeting, but not overshooting, your daily calorie needs.
So, if you’re truly not a fan of breakfast, rest assured, embrace your personal preferences, and do what works best for you.

It’s no secret that American portion sizes are out of control.

According to the National Institute of Health, food portions in America’s restaurants have doubled, and in some cases, tripled in the last few decades. The increased helpings of soda, burgers and ice cream (among many other high-calorie offenders) have grown concurrently with our increasing waistlines.

Some don’t seem too worried about it, though. In fact, certain fast food chains have leaned into our culture of ever increasing portions and are celebrating them.

Right now, Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. are proudly advertising a new burger dressed with a hot dog and potato chips. It’s touted as “The Most American Thick Burger.”

The burger is sold under the guise of camp. You know what I mean if you’ve seen the commercial. It’s over-the-top machismo and patriotism. It’s culinary manifest destiny. As Americans, we need, nay, deserve a burger that’s 1,190 calories and has 3,170mg of sodium for no other reason than, “‘Murrica!”

They’re not the only culprits either. The Olive Garden offers a Never Ending Pasta Bowl. Arby’s recently offered a sandwich called “The Meat Mountain.” TGI Fridays has promoted Endless Appetizers. “Man vs Food,” a show built around the idea of one regular guy eating obscene amounts of food, ran for four seasons.  

The list goes on and on.

The message is simple: bigger is better. It’s your right, and duty, to seek more even if you don’t really need it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a home, car or burger. You’re an American and that means more.

This sentiment didn’t necessarily start from a bad place. When immigrants came to this country to start new lives, like my great-great grandparents, there was a comparative embarrassment of riches. It didn’t seem like such a bad thing to have extra food around or to be able to feed your children second helpings.  

That attitude persisted throughout the decades, but the context was lost. Lives became more comfortable and the bounty increased…and increased. Many Americans of a certain class were never really in danger of missing a meal, but it didn’t stop them from eating like it.

I’ve seen this sort of thing first hand.

I grew up in the Upper Midwest, and there was peculiar sort of pride in gastronomic feats. “Who wants seconds?” was a common phrase. Dads slapped their sons on the back and exclaimed to family and friends, “Can you believe how much this kid puts away!” Cleaning your plate of a huge portion of meat and several sides and asking for more was not seen as over indulgence. It was seen as growing boys and girls eating a hearty meal, dontcha know!

It extended to restaurants as well. I can’t really think of a time where my family went out to eat at a small, “fancy” restaurant. Generally, we went to chain restaurants. Instead of eating a realistically portioned, quality dish and learning about cuisine, we were treated to all you can eat fried shrimp and giant burgers.

I learned to equate the quality of food with the amount of food for the lowest price. Those places were thought of as “good” restaurants because you could eat as much as you could stomach for $13.99 a person.

And woe unto the people with modest appetites. I wasn’t a bigger eater as an adolescent, and I was tacitly made to feel about it. I don’t think it was born out of conscious or malicious decisions by my friends and family, but I definitely noticed.

I noticed when my friends would look at my plate and exclaim with incredulity, “It looks like you barely ate anything!” I noticed when my mom’s friend told me flatly, “You need to eat more.” I noticed when my dad would laugh about my brother’s appetite and tell friends, “Yeah, he can eat!”

I felt like I wasn’t living up to some mythical Midwestern ideal for not clearing my plate occasionally. Not only that, I started to feel like I was wasting food even though I shouldn’t have been trying to eat that much in the first place.

That’s the problem. These things are sinister in their subtleness. Well, not that Hardee’s commercial. There’s nothing subtle about that. Anyway, these attitudes are cloaked in good-natured concern. My parents never worried about feeding us too much; they worried about feeding us enough. But how were they to know what was actually enough?

Furthermore, those lessons weren’t exactly great to internalize at an impressionable age. Sure, it’s fine when you’re a growing teenager with a sky-high metabolism, but, as you get older, it catches up with you. It took years to deprogram my preconceived notions. I had no idea what a healthy portion looked like until I took an interest in food and started cooking for myself.

So, if our fast food chains really insist that “Murrica!” is enough of an excuse to eat, why not exercise some real American values like education and self-reliance? Educate yourself about proper portions and learn to cook yourself at least one meal a week that won’t induce a heart attack.

I promise, after a while, you won’t even miss that burger.

To Baby Boomers and members of the Greatest Generation, food allergies were an anomaly. Few had to worry about the possibility of an All-American treat like peanut butter causing problems.
Times have changed.
For years, food allergies have been increasing in the American population, and scientists and physicians have been working to explain phenomenon.
According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the prevalence of food allergies increased for children under the age of 18 between 1997 and 2011. Specifically, the increase in allergies to peanuts was marked.
The New England Journal of Medicine noted that the prevalence of the allergy has nearly quadrupled recently. In 1997, peanut allergy affected 0.4 percent of American children. However, it increased to 1.4 percent in 2008 and more than 2 percent in 2010.
On the whole, peanut allergies (and other food allergies) are still rare in terms of total population. Despite that fact, the impact of the issue can be seen in everyday life.
The peanut butter and jelly sandwich, once the king of brown-bag lunches, has been banned in certain schools. Some airlines have stopped serving peanuts as an in-flight snack. Parents are thinking twice before serving “ants on a log” to their children’s friends.
So what’s going on? Are today’s kids just weaker than their forebears?
Well, there might be several answers to that question.
Medical professionals and scientists have known for a long time that certain foods, such as peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish and fish, can produce strong allergic reactions.
In a (potentially misguided) attempt to protect infants and toddlers, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 2000 that parents limit exposure to those foods until the age of three. At the time, the AAP hypothesized that early exposure could lead to allergic reactions. In 2008, the group retracted its recommendation.
Comforting.
Now, some physicians believe the lack of exposure to these foods early in life can lead to a more extreme immune reaction. A recent study showed a correlation between expecting mothers eating peanuts and lower instances of peanut and tree nut allergies. However, it wasn’t a controlled experiment. Just correlation.
Some other long-term, controlled studies are focusing on the subject, but we will have to wait for any conclusions on the matter.
Our grandparents, had no such reservations. The didn’t have Dr. Oz or parenting blogs or a hundred books telling them how they should be raising their kids. Granted, that doesn’t mean they were always right.
For example, smoking and drinking during pregnancy was much more common in the 60’s. But one has to think parents back then weren’t avoiding peanut butter and eggs at all costs before the age of three. It’s also reasonable to assume less processed food was available, but more on that later…
Other leading explanations center on the environment we’ve created in this modernized, industrialized country. As our civilization has advanced, we’ve left some things behind, and it’s starting to present problems.
It all comes back to the theme of exposure.
The hygiene hypothesis argues Western countries and recently developing countries have become too clean. While it sounds like a great excuse for a kid trying to avoid bath time, the consequences could be quite serious.
Essentially, young children aren’t exposed to enough bacteria, viruses and infections, and it impedes the development of the immune system. In turn, it’s theorized that the limited exposure increases the chances of allergies and autoimmune disease later in life.
So, while grandpa was outside collecting grass stains and skinning his knees, modern children are slathered in Purrell and are protected by each and every thing by overzealous helicopter parents. Now we could be seeing the results of an over-sanitized, over-protective culture.
Yet another explanation blames Western diets. A Study by physicians in Italy compared gut bacteria from healthy children in a small agrarian village in Burkina Faso and healthy children in Florence, Italy.
The children from Burkina Faso, who subsist on a high-fiber, seasonal and mostly vegetarian diet, showed greater biodiversity of bacteria. The Italian children, on the other hand, had a typical Western diet higher in fat, sugar, protein and starch. Predictably, they had less diverse bacteria.
Increased biodiversity in the gut is important. It helps resistance to pathogens and trains the body’s immune system not to attack body itself or harmless pathogens. The result is fewer instances of allergies and autoimmune diseases.
What’s happened is that one door has been closed but another’s been opened.
Western countries have been able to control infectious disease with hygiene measures and vaccines. Nonetheless, our taste for processed food with high sugar and fat content has reduced exposure to certain bacterias. That doesn’t sound bad until you realize it’s very possible that lack of exposure to those bacterias could lead to problems such as food allergies.
It’s frustrating, and there seems to be no easy answer.
However, if there is a common thread among these theories, it could be the virtue in letting our guard down. It’s easy to want to protect and shelter something as precious as a child. But, we have to ask ourselves, could it be beneficial in the long run to let go a little bit?
Perhaps, we need to expose our children to more. Let them have a bite of your PB&J. Let them play in the dirt and the grass. Even though it’s quick and easy, put the box of mac and cheese down once in a while.
Who knows? It could save us all a lot grief down the road.

The benefits of water are endless. The majority of our bodies are made up of water—60 percent for men and about 55 percent for women. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that we’re told to drink more water as part of the cure for whatever ails us.
The body has some pretty amazing ways of letting us know that something is up:

• Skin rashes, itching, and acne flare-ups likely indicate that some sort of toxin or allergen is present.
• A bloated belly could be a symptom of premenstrual syndrome or a reminder that we’ve overindulged in more salt-laden foods than we could handle.
• Cravings are the body’s way of telling us that we’re hungry or thirsty.
• An upset stomach? Something is probably interfering with our digestive process.

The list goes on and on.
Keeping the body properly hydrated isn’t easy for most of us. We’ve all heard the old adage, “drink 8 glasses of water per day.” I don’t know about you, but this isn’t something I can do without making a concerted effort. (And actually, the Institute of Medicine [IOM] recommends a total water intake of 91 ounces daily for women and 125 ounces for men.) But don’t fret—total water intake includes everything we drink (including coffee!) and even the water we get from our food. According to the IOM, up to 20 percent of our daily water intake comes from water-rich fruits and vegetables.
Have you ever been to a spa and seen the big glass water jugs filled with floating herbs and colorful sliced fruits? Not only do these add-ins make the water taste good, they actually have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that give your body a boost.
So what the heck is a water detox, and how is it different from just drinking lots of water?
Excellent question!
Now we know how much water we need to be drinking, and we can determine if we need a detox by looking at that list of symptoms we talked about earlier.
Longing for clear skin? Check out the Cucumber, Lemon, and Mint Detox Water recipe below.
Did too many tortilla chips and margaritas last night leave you with a bloated tummy when you woke up? You get the picture…
Give one of these three detox waters a try for a healthy hydrating kick.
Cucumber, Lemon, and Mint Detox Water for Healthy, Glowing Skin
Recipe courtesy of Healthy Holistic Living

Ingredients:

• 12 cups (3 quarts) of filtered water
• 1 medium organic cucumber
• 2–3 small organic lemons
• 10–12 organic mint leaves

Directions:
Wash lemons and cucumbers; slice thinly. Add lemons, cucumber, and mint to pitcher. Cover with water and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight
Cucumbers are rich in silica, which is known for its ability to brighten skin and give an all-around healthy glow. They also boast a 96 percent water content, making it one of the most water-rich foods you can eat. A 2009 study at the University of Aberdeen Medical School in Scotland found that adding hydrating veggies like cucumber to a glass of water can provide even more hydration than water alone. Since hydration is a must for good skin, cukes should be at the top of your list if a healthy glow is one of your goals.
Lemons provide more than 50 percent of our daily dose of vitamin C, as well as small amounts of B vitamins and essential minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant helping to fight damage caused by harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun and environmental pollution. Vitamin C plays a critical role in the formation of collagen, which gives the skin its strength and elasticity, keeping wrinkles at bay and promoting an overall healthy complexion.
Holiday Detox Fast Flush Water for Reducing Belly Bloat
Recipe courtesy of doctoroz.com

Ingredients:

• 3 cups watermelon
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup coconut water

Directions:
Put all ingredients in blender. Blend and serve. Drink up to five cups of this refreshing beverage daily.
Note: If you’re taking a diuretic medication, be sure to talk to your doctor first.
Juicy watermelon consists of 92 percent water and works as a natural diuretic, ridding your body of excess sodium and water. Watermelon is also a good source of potassium, which is important to balance against sodium levels to beat belly bloat.
Another natural diuretic, coconut water (the juice inside of a coconut—not water with added coconut flavor) is another good source of potassium, as well as sodium, magnesium, and calcium.
This concoction is super hydrating and a delicious summer beverage. As the name implies, this is a “fast flush” to help readjust electrolyte levels after overindulging while away on vacation or after a Fourth of July barbecue.
A healthy diet, good hydration, exercise, and restful sleep are necessary for long-term weight management.
Health-Is-Sweet Immune Booster to Support a Strong Immune System and Fight off Germs
Recipe courtesy of certified nutritionist August McLaughlin

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cubed fresh pineapple
• 1 cup of chopped strawberries
• 2 peeled and sectioned oranges
• 3 quarts water

Directions:
Fill a pitcher with three quarts of filtered water. Add fruit and chill for at least two hours before drinking.
A strong immune system is important year-round. To boost your immunity and keep nasty summer colds at bay or fight infections faster, try this super-serving of vitamin C with a boost anti-inflammatory benefits.
All three fruits in this detox drink offer a whopping dose of vitamin C, well known for its ability to keep the immune system in tip-top shape.
Pineapple also contains ample amounts of bromelain, a substance with anti-inflammatory benefits that also aids with digestion.
Strawberries and pineapple are both sources of manganese, a mineral necessary for strong bones, healthy connective tissue, antioxidant protection, and blood sugar regulation. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, as many as 37 percent of Americans don’t get the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of manganese in their diet.

Before I lost weight, my husband and I would sit on the couch after the children were asleep and work our way through a bag of chips followed by a bowl or two of ice cream. And then, to even things up, we’d have a few more chips. I woke up in the morning feeling tired, bloated, and ravenous.

Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have recently published research showing that mice allowed to eat for only eight hours a day were actually healthier than others that ate around the clock–no matter what the contents of their diet. If proven in humans, this could mean that when we eat contributes as much to the U.S. obesity epidemic as what we eat.

If you’re having difficulty breaking your nighttime eating habit, I want you to know it can be done. Here are nine techniques I used to break the hold that nighttime snacking had on me.

Break out your calculator.

The first thing to do is break out your calculator and figure out how much you typically eat at night. I know, it can be scary.

I literally gasped to myself when I calculated I was consuming an average of 800 to 1,000 calories after dinner. If your total is more than 100 or 200 calories, you are probably eating too many calories after dinner.

Plan your evening–including the food.

The second thing to do is plan your evening. I know you plan your day. Why not do the same for the evening? Structure your activities so you stay away from the pantry and out of the kitchen.

Shut down the kitchen.

Sweep or mop those floors, put the dishes away, turn off the lights, and close the door. It seems simple, but once the kitchen was sparkling clean and everything was shut down, it helped me remember that I was done eating for the night.

Develop new skills.

Watching television or surfing the Internet is fun and entertaining, but sometimes it wasn’t enough to distract me from food. So I learned new skills that involved my hands. When I was knitting, sewing, or scrapbooking, I couldn’t eat without messing up my creations.

Give up and go to bed.

This did not happen very often, but there were nights when the cravings for sweets were hard to resist. Instead of giving in, I gave up and went to bed. After all, I couldn’t eat while I was sleeping. When I woke up in the morning the cravings were gone, and I was refreshed.

Always have a hot drink on hand.

Hot drinks helped me avoid nighttime snacking. Sometimes I would have herbal tea, and other times I chose decaf coffee or green tea. The hot drink seemed to fill me up and take away the urge to eat.

Remind yourself of your goals.

If you’re feeling bored and wanting to eat, tell yourself that part of your plan is to cut down or stop nighttime snacking. Sometimes I would have a little internal dialogue with myself that got me back on track.

Have healthy snacks available.

There were times when I was legitimately hungry after dinner. Sometimes it was because I was so busy tending to the kids that I did not eat much, and other times I still had calories left from earlier in the day. It is okay to eat at night if you have something healthy. Think carrot sticks or low calorie cheese instead of cookies and chips.

Brush your teeth.

Brushing your teeth leaves a minty feel in your mouth that doesn’t go very well with food. I often brushed my teeth directly after cleaning the kitchen. Having a clean mouth helped me skip the nighttime snack and improved my oral health. It was a win-win situation.

I’ve always loved a well-seasoned homemade burger loaded with all the fixin’s like, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, and a host of other toppings. In fact, during the days before I started watching my weight, I could easily overload a burger to the point where condiments were literally dripping down my arm.

I had the same issue with barbecue sauce, sometimes adding in excess of a cup to anything from grilled chicken to baked beans. Now, this might seem a tad bit trivial to some. After all, condiments undoubtedly add flavor and zest to foods that might otherwise be boring.

But, condiments aren’t simply flavorful toppings. They are actually calorie-carrying foods and eating too much of them can do some real damage to your diet and sometimes even your health.

For instance, ketchup is packed full of added sugars including sucrose (table sugar) and high-fructose corn syrup. These sugars tend to digest rapidly causing pronounced rises in blood sugar (glucose) and even greater increases in insulin, which is the hormone responsible for lowering blood glucose.

Given that continuous elevations in glucose and insulin contribute to weight gain and possible obesity, haphazardly adding sugar-rich condiments like ketchup can put a real hurting on the waistline over time.

Does this mean that a single serve pack of ketchup is the kiss of death? Of course not!

However, if you find yourself repeatedly squeezing out pack after pack, you could have some problems in the long run.

Similar to ketchup, barbecue sauce contains very large quantities of added sugar but this condiment is also extremely high in calories, about 30-35 per tablespoon to be exact. Considering that the average portion size of sauce on a drenched quarter of barbecue is six or more tablespoons, you’re easily looking at over 200 calories in a single sitting.

That’s more calories than you burn during a 30-minute walk.

Dressings are another breed of condiments that can sabotage a diet, especially the creamier ones like Caesar, ranch, French, thousand island, and mayonnaise. Believe it or not, just one tablespoon of these dressings can house anywhere between 50 and 80 calories and a standard one-quarter cup package is typically around 300 calories.  

Some people try to escape the calorie counts by switching over to “fat-free” versions. While such dressings are generally lower in calories, their subpar nutritional quality can do you more harm than good, as these typically contain higher levels of added sugars.

Using fat-free dressings on vegetables and fruit can also reduce the amount of nutrients absorbed by the intestines. This occurs because many of the vitamins and antioxidants (vitamins D, E, and K, beta-carotene, and lycopene) contained in these foods are transported through the body by attaching to fat.

It’s better to add sensible portions of full-fat dressings to foods so that your body can better absorb the nutrients they contain. In this case, simply measure how much dressing you use and when dining out, request your dressing on the side and add it conservatively to your salad only as needed.

In addition to calories and sugars, all condiments contain unhealthy levels of sodium, which comes with its own set of risks.

The primary side effect of excess sodium is dehydration. Dehydration causes the body to retain water leading to bloating and unnecessary weight gain. Over time, excessive intake of sodium can significantly raise blood pressure, which greatly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

While occasional use of condiments certainly won’t pose any significant risks, using them in excessive amounts can easily turn otherwise healthy foods into unhealthy ones. To optimize your diet and your health, be sure to carefully monitor your portions of any condiments you use and always adhere to recommended serving sizes.

I also suggest experimenting with less processed varieties like herbs and spices, mustard, horseradish, low-sodium hot sauce, sriracha, salsa, and even vinegar, as these tend to be relatively lower in calories, sugars, sodium, and other additives. Such condiments also have the added benefit of boosting metabolism and curbing appetite in ways that support weight management.

Still, the next time you sit down to eat a meal, I challenge you to enjoy the sweet or savory tastes of your foods in their natural form. Don’t be so quick to pile on the condiments before even taking a bite. Over time, you’ll be amazed to see how much of a difference it makes!

Growing up in a family of five whose income was well below the poverty line, wasting food was never an option. From stews to soups during weekdays, to at-home smorgasbords on weekends, my parents made sure each and every morsel of food purchased with their hard-earned income was in some way consumed.

Always looking to spare the family some cash, mom had a knack for making innovative snacks at home. A few of my personal favorites were sun dried and roasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and, believe it or not, watermelon seeds.

For mom, repackaging seeds as snacks was just another way to avoid wasting food. Mom didn’t even realize she’d actually incorporated among the most incredibly nutritious snacks into our dietary repertoire.

Watermelon seeds are a valuable source of protein – their most valuable attribute.

This holds especially true if you’re a vegetarian, vegan, or simply looking for a natural way to boost your intake. Protein is an essential nutrient that’s absolutely critical for injury prevention and recovery, weight management, and muscle health. The protein housed in watermelon seeds is comprised of numerous muscle-building amino acids including arginine, lysine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and leucine, which is a huge plus if you’re one who regularly engages in resistance exercise or high-intensity interval training.

Along with their rich protein content, watermelon seeds contain substantial amounts of B-vitamins and key minerals like iron and phosphorus, all of which work together to support the body’s endless oxygen requirements and energy demands.

You can also get a good amount of zinc from eating watermelon seeds – one of only a few minerals that is also an antioxidant. Zinc specifically helps the body’s immune system function both efficiently and effectively, especially important during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood.

Surprisingly, the list of valuable nutrients contained in watermelon seeds continues. They also house a rich supply of important electrolyte minerals, namely potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These electrolyte minerals collectively function in maintaining proper fluid balance, regulating nerve function, and coordinating the many processes involved in muscle contraction and relaxation.

Due to their unique electrolyte composition, eating watermelon seeds may delay or even prevent the onset of exercise-induced muscle cramps. When you work out, electrolytes are lost in sweat, which greatly increases the likelihood of cramping. If you’re prone to muscle cramping, pop a handful of watermelon seeds as a pre-workout snack.

Capping off the superior nutritive profile of watermelon seeds is their beneficial composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which you’ve probably heard of. Often classified as “healthy” or “good”, these fats have been shown to considerably lower the risk of many diet-linked chronic diseases (high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer) when regularly consumed.

While polyunsaturated fatty acids play a huge role in the overall nutritional quality of watermelon seeds, better not to pop them by the cupful, as the calories that accompany these fats can quickly add up. In fact, a cup of watermelon seeds contains nearly 600 calories!

In addition to protein and fat, these seeds also contain healthy amounts of dietary fiber, all of which provide superior satiation. Just don’t overdo it.  A 1/4 or 1/2-cup serving a day is all it takes. Enjoy them as a stand-alone snack or add them to your favorite cereals, side dishes and entrees for unique flavor and texture.

Mom was unknowingly on to something when she introduced watermelon seeds into our diets.

The caffeine kick alone is enough for me to empty my savings account to Starbucks, but coffee has other some awesome benefits like decreasing the chances you’ll get Parkinson’s, gallstones, kidney stones, oral cancer and type 2 diabetes.  It also helps you concentrate more and workout harder and longer.  Sounds like the perfect panacea, right?
Not so fast… coffee can also do some pretty crappy things to you.  I know first hand.
My love affair with coffee led me crippled and begging for mercy at the hands of my ENT doctor with the worst case of acid reflux.  I was sure someone poured Ajax down my throat while I was sleeping.  Doctor Tom mumbled something about warning me about my coffee crutch then bid me farewell with a fist full of Nexium samples.  28 pills and 2 weeks later my raw throat felt like a dull ache but still wasn’t much better.  In fact it hurt to even breathe!
I googled natural reflux remedies and up popped coconut water.  I thought, “What’s better than healing my throat with a pina colada?!” (FYI….coconut water tastes nothing like a caribbean cocktail)
After 3 days of sucking a serving down daily I noticed my symptoms improve!  And oddly enough I also noticed feeling less bloated.  If coconut water could help my acid reflux, could it do more?!
Harvested from the insides of the fruit, coconut water is considered a superfood that contains easily digested carbs in the form of sugar and electrolytes and is filled with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and enzymes.  It contains fiber, is low in calories and is cholesterol free.  In addition to a ton of remedies, this elixir of the gods has the superpower to help alleviate most of the negative effects of coffee.  Here are the top 6 cons of coffee and how coconut water can help:
1.  Con:  Increases your blood pressure.  Coffee can cause a short, dramatic spike in your blood pressure and a long term increase in blood pressure.  Both are pretty bad for you.  Doctors believe that caffeine may cause the arteries to widen thereby causing the spike in pressure, but more importantly, coffee messes up the delicate balance of potassium and sodium and other minerals important in keeping normal pressure.
How CW helps:  One serving contains and can replace the 5 electrolytes that are essential to your body including:  calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium that are lost when you drink coffee.  CW actually contains as much potassium as 4 bananas!  Without all the sugar.
2.  Con:  Causes acid reflux.  Doctors believe that caffeine may relax the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally remains closed keeping strong stomach acid out, causing acid to creep up your throat.
How CW helps:  It’s rich in fiber and enzymes that are touted as the best natural cure for sour stomachs and acid reflux.  CW is a “basic” beverage and counteracts coffee’s acidity in the stomach and soothes raw throats….almost immediately!
3.  Con:  It can give you headaches.  Studies have shown that frequent cluster headache and migraine sufferers have lower levels of magnesium.  Coffee interferes with your body’s ability to absorb important minerals like magnesium.
How CW helps:  One serving contains 7% of the RDA of magnesium and can help replenish your stores and keep you pain free.
4.  Con:  Dehydrates you.  Since your body can’t store caffeine, you need to excrete it.  Up to 6 hours after drinking coffee, you’ll eliminate all traces of it through your urine and sweat.  The more caffeine you drink, the more you’ll pee.  The more you pee, the more dehydrated your body gets.
How CW helps:  A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that CW replenishes bodily fluids as good as sports drinks, without all of the sugar, and better than water.  It’s also been labeled “Mother Nature’s Sports Drink” and a 2007 study reported that it was easier to consume in large amounts during rehydration.
5.  Con:  Makes you gain weight.  Caffeine and acids in coffee irritate your stomach and the lining of your small intestine.  It can wreak havoc on your digestive tract and stimulate spasms that cause belly bloating and bowel movement issues (so you alternate between being constipated and diarrhea….fun times).  Caffeine can also cause you to retain water system wide, and bump up your scale up to 5 lbs (even less fun).
How CW helps:  It’s a potassium powerhouse and contains up to 600 whopping mg in a single serving.  Potassium combats sodium and helps you dispel added water weight.  It also regulates fluid balance and helps the kidneys to eliminate waste (ie excessive water weight).
When choosing a coconut water make sure to look for one that is 100% water with no added sugar, flavors or preservatives.  Look especially for ones without citric acid.   Flavored coconut waters usually have citric acid added to them which negates its ability to help acid reflux.
Happy sipping!!

Growing up, I hated cherries. A go-getter in most other aspects of life, food that was the least bit challenging clearly brought out my lazy streak.
I gave no thought to the cherry’s delicious, juicy, sweet-tart flavor, mind you. My loathing was entirely placed directly on that yucky pit. Ugh! Such a pain to pop a cherry, and have to spit part of it back.
I was too much of a health novice at the time to realize that a cherry’s pit actually contains a bit of magic. Just like de-shelling a pistachio or savoring a frozen grape, removing the pit from a cherry forces you to s-l-o-w  d-o-w-n your eating. When you’re taking your time, it feels like you’re eating more — and your body can start to recognize when it’s actually full, so you don’t overeat and add extra calories.
So, my advice? Snack on cherries, kids. At roughly 75 calories per cup, an itty-bitty handful of this summery fruit offers a myriad of benefits — from heart-healthy fiber to an immunity boost. Here are a few expert reasons to nosh on a cup.

To reduce inflammation

According to Lisa Moskovitz, RD, founder of New York Nutrition Group, cherries are immunity and disease-fighting superheroes. “Research shows that anthocyanins, which give cherries that vibrant red color, are a type of antioxidant that fights inflammation and damaging free radicals in the body,” she explains. In 2006, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ranked cherries 14th on its list of foods with the highest antioxidant content per serving.

To fill up on fiber

Fiber keeps you full and protects your heart, so it’s a good thing cherries are packed with it. “Just one cup of pitted cherries contain three grams of heart-healthy fiber that also helps regulate digestion and prevent against colon cancer,” Moskovitz says. It’s the perfect snack to keep you satiated between meals, or a sweet way to top off dinner.

To fight metabolic syndrome

We’re all looking for ways to fight obesity and its myriad of other related conditions — and cherries can help. “In a 2009 study in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers found a link between tart cherries and the reduction of metabolic syndrome, which includes Type-2 Diabetes.” Although this work was conducted on rats, it’s promising research to keep an eye on.

To aid in muscle recovery

Moskovitz likes cherries for the potential role they can play in muscle recovery, too. According to a study in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition, consuming cherry juice before and during exercise significantly lowered post-exercise muscle soreness and reduced associated inflammation.” Drink up, and then workout.
Bottom line? Don’t discount this fruit in favor of more common fare like strawberries, bananas and blueberries. Whether you want an easy snack to help control weight, or a power-packed inflammation fighter for overall benefits, you can’t do much better than cherries.
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I’ve been a huge fan of juicing since Jay Kordich pitched the “Juiceman” juicer in the early ’90s. So much so, that I once partook in a 21-day juice fast, which ultimately led to my converting to veganism. Although I’ve since introduced seafood, poultry and selected meats into my diet, I remain somewhat of a juicing enthusiast.
But, I’ll admit that fresh juice has taken a bit of a backseat since I purchased the Vitamix 6300 and started blending. Believe me when I say that there is absolutely nothing better than the smooth rich flavor of a perfectly blended spinach, strawberry and peanut butter smoothie made with Greek yogurt.
Funny enough, in the world of liquid meal replacements I’ve noticed some glaring friction between juicing fans and blending fans, both of which offer very compelling reasons to choose one over the other.
So, here’s the underlying question: Is it better to juice or blend?
Well, honestly, comparing juicing to blending is really like comparing apples to oranges, as the nutritional composition of these beverages is not the same.
For instance, in pure form, freshly extracted juice is very rich in high-quality carbohydrates but essentially devoid of dietary fat and protein, as only small quantities are housed in vegetables and fruits. This is where juice pretty much falls short as a standalone meal.
To keep your body functioning at optimal levels throughout the day, ideally, all your meals should be well balanced in carbohydrates, fat, and protein. However, if you’re simply looking for an excellent way to sneak more vegetables and fruits into your diet, juicing is definitely a winner and your options are virtually endless.
Some of my personal favorite blends include broccoli, spinach, kale, wheatgrass, sweet peppers, carrot, and tomato. For added flavor, I typically add remnants of apple, pear, or mango juice.
Now, when it comes to blending you’re not at all limited to vegetables and fruits, as there are countless ways to incorporate all three of the essential nutrients into smoothies. Since smoothies are simply a blend of whole foods, you can easily mix your favorite vegetables and fruits with healthy fats (nuts and seeds) and protein-rich foods (milk or yogurt) that otherwise couldn’t be added to a juicer.
Moreover, when a wide array of nutrients are combined, smoothies tend to be much more filling than juice, which makes them especially beneficial if you’re seeking to lose weight.
Fiber content is another way in which the general composition of juices and smoothies differ but it’s not what you might think.
There’s actually a very common misconception that fresh juice lacks fiber, which is a type of carbohydrate that greatly contributes to disease prevention and overall good health. Contrary to popular belief, any beverage comprised of vegetables and fruits will naturally contain fiber.
The fiber contained in fresh juice is soluble. Soluble fiber slows the digestion and absorption of sugar (glucose) from the small intestine, which inhibits sudden spikes in blood glucose and insulin levels. It’s also been proven effective in stabilizing blood sugar levels and lowering blood cholesterol.
Unlike juice, smoothies have the added benefit of containing both soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber promotes healthy elimination of wastes from the body, as it binds water making the feces bulkier and softer for quick and easy passage through the intestines.
In addition, insoluble fiber has a unique appetite-suppressing effect, which further adds to the weight loss promoting potential of smoothies. Remarkably, regular consumption of insoluble fiber also reduces the risk of pancreatic and colorectal cancers.
Taking all of these facts together, most people will conclude that blending is actually better than juicing.
Truth is, neither juicing nor blending is inherently better, as fresh juice and smoothies are both quick and convenient sources of vital nutrients. In the end, it all comes down to your personal taste and preference.
If you tend to make these beverages at home, smoothies are definitely the easiest and most convenient of the two, as a blender is all that’s required. Since fresh juicing involves extracting juice from vegetables and fruits you’ll need a juice extractor.
This can be costly depending on the type, as using a high-quality juicer is essential for preserving the nutrients and enzymes in these foods. Still, if you wish to regularly incorporate fresh juice into your diet, a good juicer is, in my opinion, a great investment.
While I’m now a fan of blending, I still love a good mix of fresh juice as a post-workout rehydrating elixir or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
All and all, fresh juice and smoothies make excellent inclusions in a healthy balanced diet. To ensure that you’re taking in adequate amounts of key nutrients and fiber, you can easily make it a practice to include both in your daily eating plan. Again, it all comes down to your personal preferences.