Two Important issues

Benefits of Coconut Water

Coconut water has been getting a lot of buzz lately. But what is it? And is it worthy of the hype?

First, coconut water is not the same thing as coconut milk. Coconut milk is creamy and comes from coconut meat, while coconut water is the liquid from young green coconuts. Coconut water is low-fat, with one-half gram of fat in one cup, and a good source of fiber, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C. The sodium content of coconut water can be high, so make sure to check the label.

Tip of the Day

Wash Your Fruits and Veggies: Hand washing may be one of the most important steps to preventing food poisoning, but it's not just your hands that need a good cleaning during food preparation. To prevent foodborne illness, it's also important to properly wash produce.

Follow these steps:

• Use clean scissors or blades to open bags of produce.
• Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables with cool tap water before cutting. This rule applies to fruits with a peel, too. Peels can carry bacteria that can contaminate fruit when cutting or peeling.
• Scrub firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush.
• Remove and discard outer leaves of lettuce

Store clean produce in a clean container, not in the original bag or carton.

I hope this information will help you. Happy Dieting! Stay tunned more coming up!
Have a great day and a fantastic week!

Here are Some Great Ideas for Breakfast!

Would you like to burn more calories? include these ideas in your breakfast list. Yogurt, whole grain cereals, fruits, oatmeal as discussed recently, granola bar. Also consider a shake with fruits and nuts. That will fill up your stomach. When you get hungry in the middle of the morning eat just a fruit and drink lots of water.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you are trying to burn fat and lose weight, the above items are important in your diet for extra fat burning. It is very important to be consistent with the amounts you eat.

How Much Water Do We Need?

I recently talked about water consumption. Today I want to include that many people are amazed when they learn how much water they need to drink. You often hear people say " I don't drink that much water and I never feel thirsty". The first thing we need to understand is that thirst is a protective mechanism to warn of danger - a shortage of water in the body. When feeling thirsty the body is already 1-4 glasses short of the water needed for optimal body function. The time to drink water is before the feeling of thirst to prevent the stress on the body due to a shortage of water or dehydration.

When do you drink all this water? Upon waking up in the morning, in between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and supper and between supper and bedtime water should be taken guarding against drinking water with meals, as this dilutes the digestive juices, interferes with the digestion of food, and prolongs the time that food is in the stomach. It is very acceptable to drink water on an empty stomach about 15 to 30 minutes before the meal and then resume drinking one to two hours after meals. Many of us don't like the taste of water because we are not used to it so adding a small amount of lemon juice in the water will give it a fresh taste, making it more palatable.

According to research done by Mayo Clinic here is what they say:

"Water is your body's principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues."

"So how much water does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? In general, doctors recommend 8 or 9 cups."

"Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about 4 cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace your lost fluids."

"Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day."

Stay tunned. I have more tips, ideas, recipes and more. Happy Dieting! Have a wonderful week friends. Thanks for stopping by.

Concerned with Your Arteries? Read this!

This cereal helps your arteries and your weight loss. We are talking about Oats. It's the perfect breakfast.

Take a 1/4 of a cup of oats, and place it in a pot with a cup of water, add to that some cinnamon, brown sugar to taste and milk, or soy milk, let it boil and in 1 minute you have a delicious breakfast. I add to mine some raisins, walnuts and almonds and fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries, also apples, you have all the proteins you need.

Here is some Good News

"Unfortunately, endothelial function often deteriorates in folks who are overweight or obese or who have glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. But in a 6-week study of overweight adults, a daily bowl of oats helped improve the way endothelium -- that thin layer of cells lining the inside of blood vessels -- functioned. Researchers speculate that the phytoestrogens and beta-glucan in oats had something to do with the effect."

From another research study, we found that breakfast eaters are more successful at losing weight and maintaining that weight loss compared to breakfast skippers.

Try to prepare your oats instead of buying those already mixed and ready to eat because it may have too much processing and try to use very little sugar in it and just let the fruits, raisins and nuts give you that wonderful flavor!

As a bonus I have a special recipe that my mother makes which is a favorite of our family and online friends. It is a delicious but very rich recipe. Make it for special occasions.

This is the recipe for Fruity Baked Pudding

You can use it as a substitute for bread for breakfast, for a light dinner, or even as a wholesome dessert. Very easy recipe and it turns out wonderful!


2 apples, peeled and cubed small
1/2 cup pineapple, frozen in chunks
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup almonds, sliced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup brown sugar
Salt to taste (1/2 tsp. salt)
2 cups soy milk
2 cup unsalted crackers pulverized
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup water (if needed)


Mix all ingredients in a bowl and turn into a bowl, if it is too thick, add a little bit of water (don't make it too runny!)
Put mixture into a greased baking dish. Bake at 350º F until top is golden brown, around 45 minutes.

Have a wonderful day and happy dieting! Stay tunned for more. I will bring more later today!

Death in the Kitchen - Read Free Online

Do you Want to Lose Weight Fast?

Many people want to lose weight fast. One of the first things you need to do is reduce your calories. Instead of keeping a 2,000 calories a day, reduce it by 500 and calculate your meals based on 1,500 calories. Drink more water that will fill you up. Whenever you are hungry drink a couple of glasses of water. Plan your exercises on a daily basis, but think what is the best exercise for you.

Kick your slim-down efforts into high gear by starting each meal with about 32 ounces of water.

If you do this you will lose about 5 lbs faster and you will drop about 45% faster. Think also that if you are well hydrated you are curbing your hunger and it even helps your skin. Exercise is good but be careful. Some people have back problems and should be careful about the kind of exercise they do. Walking is one of the best exercises and it won't hurt your body. We all need to walk.

Stay tunned and I will give you more ideas, thanks for stopping by.

Are You Aware that Your Sleep Patern can Affect your Diet?

Are you trying to eat right and exercise but you don't sleep enough hours? According to a new study this suggests that lack of sleep can throw off a diet.

According to CNN Health, research from the University of Chicago showed that dieters who slept for 8.5 hours lost 55 percent more body fat than dieters who slept 5.5 hours

"The dieters who slept less reported feeling hungrier throughout the course of the study," CNN said, even though "they ate the same diet, consumed multivitamins and performed the same type of work or leisure activities." "However, those on 8.5 hours will lose much more fat, while those on 5.5 hours lose mainly muscle, instead of fat, according to an article published in the peer-reviewed journal Annals of Internal Medicine. The researchers, from the University of Chicago stress that adequate sleep is a key contributor to managing body weight."

"Weight-loss dieting usually involves a certain amount of lean tissue (muscle) loss. The dieter should try to lose as little lean tissue as possible. This can be overcome by physical activity (exercise). However, it is clear that not getting enough sleep can undermine any attempts a dieter may make to limit lean tissue loss."

Do you Know How to Protect your Liver?

Very often we hear about vegetables that are affected by the environment and how can they damage our health. Here is one vegetable that even if we don't like it we should try it because it can protect our liver. It's the spinach.

Chlorophyll and chlorophyllin, two substances found in spinach and other leafy greens, may help reduce the body's absorption of aflatoxin, a common but potentially harmful type of environmental toxin.

"Aflatoxin is a problematic substance produced by the molds that grow on certain food crops, like corn, cottonseed, peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat. And since aflatoxin is known to cause liver damage, the FDA sets limits on how much can be in our food sources. But you may be able to add an extra measure of protection by eating leafy greens. When volunteers in a study were exposed to very small, safe doses of aflatoxin, less showed up in their systems if they were also given a little bit of chlorophyll or chlorophyllin".

"Chloro Chemistry
Researchers believe chlorophyll and chlorophyllin may form some sort of beneficial bond with aflatoxin that reduces intestinal absorption. In addition to spinach, other good sources of chlorophyll include broccoli, parsley, green beans, kale, arugula, and leeks. And here are some delicious ways to enjoy some of these veggies:

• Add spinach to a delicious pasta dinner: Spinach Gnocchi.
• Whip up an elegant, delicious, chlorophyll-rich appetizer: Broccoli and Goat Cheese Souffle.
• Try a healthier twist on this classic comfort food: Fresh Green Bean Casserole."

Try making mash potatoes and then once the spinach is slightly boiled add cheez whiz and put that on top of your mash potatoes. It's good. I have done it myself.

Here is a list of calories in spinach depending whether boiled, steamed....

• Approx 6 - 7 calories in each ounce or 28g of boiled or steamed spinach
• Approx 21 calories in ½ a cup of boiled or steamed spinach
• Approx 41 calories in 1 cup (6.3 oz or 178g) of boiled or steamed spinach
• Approx 23 calories in 3½ ounces or 100g of boiledor steamed spinach
• OR RAW
  
• Approx 65 calories in one 10 oz bunch of raw spinach
• Approx 78 calories in one 12 oz bunch of raw spinach
• Approx 7 calories in each ounce or 28g of raw spinach.

Happy Cooking!
Stay tunned more coming up.

Wondering about Water? Check it here!

Would you like to increase your weight loss by 75- 90 calories? Read this here. It's very important.

Current research studies have shown that drinking about 2 cups of water before meals helps promote weight loss. It may decrease meal intake by up to 75-90 calories per meal. Drinking more water may also help to maintain a healthy weight. Why?

- Water has 0 calories
- Helps to fill up the stomach
- Decreases hunger

So go ahead, drink up!

What's Important in the Fall for Diet and Health

More Autumn / Fall Comments

The change from summer to fall is a wonderful one, the crisp weather and the spread of new crop colors signal the arrival of the autumn harvest.

An apple a day may keep the doctor away," so the timeworn adage goes, comes adapted from the old English phrase "To eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg for his bread." Sad, but true! Apples are full of vitamin C, fiber, and heart-healthy antioxidants to keep us eating well and feeling well.

Pumpkin, whether fresh or canned, is terrific in more than just pies. Try it in pancakes, soups, chili--even lasagna.

Enjoy a sweet tasting pear as a snack, or use for baking, broiling, grilling or poaching. Need another reason to delight in this fantastically, fragrant fruit? Pears are an excellent source of dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.

Cranberries are in! Why? Because they're delicious and good for you! Low-calorie, fat- and cholesterol-free, these bright berries are also a good source of vitamin C and fiber.

Keep coming back and I will give you great ideas on how to stay healthy! Have a wonderful day! Stay tunned...




More Autumn / Fall Comments

Healthy Groceries for a Raw Food Diet

October the Cancer Prevention Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women. The good news: Death rates are decreasing, thanks in part to earlier detection, better treatment and increased awareness.

Lifestyle choices can help reduce breast cancer risk, and a healthy diet is one of the factors you can control.

Foods that may offer protection from cancers contain antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber. Eat a diet rich in: Cruciferous and dark, leafy green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards and kale
· Fruits, especially citrus, berries and cherries
· Whole grains, beans and legumes
Both high-fat diets and alcohol have been linked to breast cancer. So, in addition to eating the right foods, cut down on less-healthy choices and maintain a healthy weight.

Hope this will help you to have better nutrition and prevent this disease. Wishing you the best!