The day of love if almost near which means candy and toothaches are to fear. To avoid the extra pounds or tooth problems, here is a list of some yummy treats that can’t be beat.

1)      Dove Dark Chocolate Candy- Dark chocolate can benefit your heart, brain, helping to control blood sugar and antioxidants. You want to get the small pack that has three small squares in it and enjoy. What a sweet way to say “I love you and I love your health too!”

2)      Wine- Love drinking wine and want to add a little flavor to the Valentine Dinner. Try drinking Red Muscadine Wine (Blueberry) by Morgan Creek.  Not only is one glass of this wine wonderful to taste but it provides health benefits  such as decreasing risk of heart disease or cancer and lowering cholesterol. No more than one glass though.

3)      Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies- It’s that time of season for Girl Scout Cookies. You can eat 4 cookies for 160 calories and 8 grams of fat. If you’re a chocolate lover and you normally do a slice of chocolate cake, try the thin mints instead.

4)      Valentine Breakfast Idea -  Fruit Bowl filled with fresh fruit: white and red grapes, strawberries, and blueberries. Mix altogether and fruit is sweet and yummy. Turkey and Ham Croissanwhich: Whole Wheat Crossianwhcich, Low fat turkey and ham slices (2 each), low-fat cheddar cheese, and landolakes butter (reduced fat) spread on top of crossianwhich, reduced fat poppy seed dressings (small amount spread on top of crossianwhich) and place in oven for 10 minutes.

5)      Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Whip cream – Angel Food  cake is a low-fat sponge cake that is yummy. Buy an angel food cake and top it with fresh cut strawberries and low-fat whip cream. It is quite delicious. Note: If you don’t like strawberries, try blueberries, raspberries or blackberries.  Pour a cup of fat free milk and you have a great low fat dessert.

The post Yummy, Valentine Treats appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

As we face the promise of a new year, cooking and eating together are among the simple things that can bring comfort and joy to our lives. Nourishment, health, communication and human connections can be as close as our kitchens and our dining rooms.
Focus on a healthy balance of food, activity, and fun. There’s no need to raise your stress level over the holiday season by trying to make dramatic changes in your lifestyle. Just follow these simple steps so you can have tons of energy and plenty of holiday spirit.

1. BE REALISTIC. Plan ahead for holiday greetings and feasts. If you are over-hungry, it’s natural to over-eat with all the temptations of holiday tables. The secret is to eat something light but filling an hour or so before events. Fuel yourself with a piece of string cheese, a small muffin, some beef jerky, or half a sandwich before you go out—that way you will be able to make more sensible choices later.

2. BE ADVENTUROUS. Expand your holiday treat selection with a variety of colorful fruits and veggies. Produce brightens up holiday tables and boosts your immune system at the same time. Drink to everyone’s health with a spicy tomato juice “mocktail” or hot apple cider. For dessert, think fresh fruit salad or fruit slices with a yogurt dip in addition to pies and cakes.

3. BE FLEXIBLE. Stop fretting about your favorite holiday foods. The key is learning to balance what you eat and your physical activity over several days. Rather than skipping a meal, balance a heavy-duty holiday buffet by going light at breakfast and lunch beforehand. Relax, take a deep breath, and remind yourself that you don’t have to eat everything right now. All the goodies will be around next year and the year after that. Start with small portions, eat slowly, and savor every bite. Listen carefully to internal signals that you are full. Before or after the party, take an invigorating walk with your friends and family to help you clear your head and digest your meal.

Stay in a a creative mindset as you think of the reason behind the season. Families have many rituals for meals – prayers, a moment of silence, joining of hands, candles or festive touches, like flowers, favorite dishes, or special linens. Making family rituals part of holiday meals ties us to memories of the past – and to hope for the future.

Keep food and nutrition a central ingredient of your holiday season by cooking and eating together and inviting others to join you for a meal. Preparing food is a soothing way to share time and bring generations together. Talking while you measure, mix, stir, and chop can be a comforting time to discuss important issues and concerns. Kneading bread together can be a downright therapeutic experience. If you live alone, reach out to family, friends or co-workers – and break bread together over a seasonal gathering. Remember, the perfect place setting is not important, the together is.

And most importantly, give everyone the gift of attention and the time to share what is important to him or her by slowing down and sharing – food, fellowship, conversation, tears, laughter, and the simple joy of time together. A sense of community is one of the strongest ways to celebrate the special meaning of the holidays in our lives. By joining with others around a table, you can take comfort from the blessings of nourishing food and loving companionship.

Cranberry Chutney
Cranberry chutney adds some dazzle to pork or poultry. It also makes a festive appetizer on a cracker with cream cheese or use it to jazz up a leftover turkey sandwich with some holiday cheer.

2 cups chopped fresh cranberries
1 cup peeled, chopped Granny Smith apples
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons chopped prunes
2 Tablespoons chopped onions
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon five spice powder
1/3 cup apple-cranberry juice
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Uncover and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Makes 8 servings, 1/3 cup each.

Recipe from www.pamsmith.com.

Pistachio Banana Smoothie

1 container plain nonfat yogurt
2-3 oz pistachio instant pudding mix
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup skim milk
Crushed ice

Put all ingredients into blender. Blend until smooth.

Ginger Tropical Smoothie

1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 banana
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1/2 cup crushed ice, or 2 small ice cubes

Add all ingredients to blender and process until smooth.

Winter smoothie recipes from Simple Seasonal Smoothies Kindle edition by Kindy Peaslee.

The post Giving the Gift of Holiday Eating with Joy appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

The pumpkin is a winter squash that is harvested when fully ripe.  The thick, hard shell of winter squash is inedible and acts as a protection for a long storage period.    Look for a pumpkin that is firm, heavy for its size, and with a dull-colored skin, indicating it was picked when fully ripe.  It should still have part of its stem, which slows down the loss of moisture.

Pumpkins will keep for a period ranging from 1 week to 6 months. They should be stored away from the light and should not be exposed to extreme cold or heat.  A temperature between 50-60 degrees F is recommended. Pumpkin freezes well especially in a puree or blended form.

To prepare, wash and scoop out the seeds and flesh of the pumpkin with a spoon.  Pumpkins are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin A; they also contain vitamin C, folic acid, and copper.

Try the following simple makeover tips to lighten the Thanksgiving table and keep guests coming back for more:

• Baked turkey – choose a plain bird over a self-basting bird to lower sodium content.  To ensure a moist bird, bake unstuffed, leave the skin on while roasting and remove from the oven when internal temperature reaches 170 degrees in the breast.
• Gravy – use a gravy cup or refrigerate the pan juices ( to harden the fat) and skim the fat off before making gravy.
• Dressing – use a little less bread and add more onions, celery, vegetables or even fruits such as cranberries and apples.
• Candied yams – leave out the margarine and marshmallows. Sweeten with fruit juice, such as apple and flavor with cinnamon.
• Green bean casserole – cook fresh green beans with chunks of potatoes instead of cream soup. Top with almonds instead of fried onion rings.
• Mashed potatoes – use skim milk, garlic powder and a little parmesan cheese instead of whole milk and butter.
• Bread – serve a hearty whole wheat variety or serve smaller pieces.

The Best Light Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie saves 151 calories and 12 grams of fat per slice from the traditional version and it tastes identical!

1 cup ginger snaps

16 oz can pumpkin

½ cup egg whites (about 4)

½ cup sugar

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, cloves)

12 oz evaporated skim milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grind the cookies in a food processor. Lightly spray a 9 inch glass pie pan with vegetable cooking spray. Pat the cookie crumbs into the pan evenly.  Mix the rest of the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bow. Pour into the crust and bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

Allow to cool and slice in 8 wedges. Optional: serve each wedge with light whipped cream.

Serves 8

Source: www.foodandhealth.com

The post Celebrate Thanksgiving with Pumpkins appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

The issue is that we have no idea what we are eating and the number of calories we take in on any given day. Here is a sample of an average American’s food intake in one day:

Breakfast:                                    

Coffee – Sugar and cream

Bagel – Cream cheese

Total Calories: 900 calories

Lunch:

Chicken Sandwich and Fries

Tall Lemonade

Total Calories – 1320 Calories

Mid day Snack:

Iced Coffee beverage (Grande)

Total Calories – 400

Dinner:

Chicken Alfredo Pasta (full plate)

Salad

Soft Drink

Total Calories – 1020 Calories

Total Calories for the Day: 3640 Calories

Before we focus on the caloric intake let’s first point out the lack of fresh foods in this person’s food consumption. We all should be consuming at least four to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. This individual had one serving.

We should also note that there was no water consumption demonstrated in this day’s worth of eating. Water is God’s healing beverage. It is absolutely imperative that you drink water on a daily basis. It actually helps the nutrients travel through your body.

The average person needs about 2000 calories per day. When you eat more calories than your body needs, those excess calories lead to weight gain. Eating 3640 calories a day is a sure way to pack on an excessive amount of weight.

The first thing you should do if you are trying to manage or lose weight is to get an understanding of what you are eating. You can do this by simply writing down what you eat. There are even phone apps now that help you keep track of what you eat, making it easy and convenient.

The food diary should notate what you ate, how much you ate and why you ate (were you bored, sad, or lonely or was it lunch time?)

Here is a sample food diary:

Breakfast:

2 slices of toast with peach preserves

1 cup of OJ

1 scrambled egg cooked in low fat butter

Mood – hungry

Snack:

Peanut M&M’s

Bottle of Coke

Mood – lonely (upset with my boos)

You would continue this, documenting everything that you ate each day. Keeping this food diary will not only help you understand what you are eating but it will also help you see that you don’t always eat when you are hungry. Sometimes you eat for emotional gratification. Once you recognize that correlation you can begin redirecting those negative emotions into other things.

After you’ve kept track of your eating habits for at least a week, you should notice some areas where you aren’t eating as healthy as you should. Here are a few ways to maximize your daily calories:

• Eat the biggest meal for breakfast – Always eat breakfast. People who are able to maintain a healthy weight are people who understand that breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day.
• Include a fruit or veggie and protein in every meal.
• Eat whole grain breads.
• Keep healthy snacks with you so you aren’t tempted to buy junk food.
• Make water your number one beverage choice.
• Limit eating out to once a week.

These are just a few recommendations to get you started but you’ll definitely want to read up on nutrition. You have to know how to take care of your body. Food is enjoyable and many of us associate food with happiness and comfort, but remember that food was created to sustain us. Unfortunately, the way in which we are using food, is destroying us and we are dying every day from heart disease.

Sure, you can go to the gym and try to lose weight but keep in mind that starting a fitness program without first having a change of heart in the area of nutrition can often times be a waste. If you don’t change what you eat, what you do in the gym will not keep you healthy. The definitive goal is health!

Source:

“How Americans Eat Today.” CBS News.

The post Defeating the Food Giant appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

Eating clean may start as a change in one’s diet but when armed with the proper knowledge you may find it becoming a lifestyle. To become clean means to strip away every unnatural ingredient in your food. It’s going back to basics and rebuilding from there.  The first evidence may not seem very rewarding or even apparent apart from the possible, gradual weight loss. The truth is, it can, and often is, a life changer. With the right application, your food will alter your health, appearance, mind and overall well being. To truly grasp this, one must first understand the relationship every human being has with food and in this issue we will first cover the main areas.

Our bodies run on energy, as essentially we are machines within a machine. Think of your heart, liver, skin, lungs and kidney, even your intestines. These are all organs or machines functioning in unison. When our body encounters diseases one or more of our organs may malfunction affecting the greater whole. It’s important to understand how your physical, mental and spiritual well being is in direct relation and unison to what you eat. All these elements make you a whole and are an integral part of that whole. So YES, what you use to energize your body does matter and will affect you on all levels, whether directly or indirectly. Understanding energy as it equates to your food is only part of your journey.

Now that you’ve committed to a change you need the parameters within which to work, but first understand that change needs to be realistic and steady. Start first with one or two things on the list and progress gradually. If you’re hardcore DIVE IN!

• Cut out White bread, rice, sugar or anything that has been bleached then enriched, like flour. “These are simple carbohydrates. Your body rapidly turns these nutrients into glucose, a sugar used for energy. Sourcing this type of energy is very harmful because they exist in short spikes resulting in ‘crashes’, long term effects include your ability to recall and assimilate information.”(LiveStrong.com)  Note the connection to food and cognitive function here.

• Eat More sprouted breads, whole grains, whole cereals, oats etc “Sprouted grains are higher in nutrients than their un-sprouted counterparts. Sprouted wheat contains four times the amount of niacin and nearly twice the amount of vitamin B6 and foliate. The process of sprouting also leads to a product that is easier to digest” (Foodtrainers.blogspot.com). Here’s a trick you can do at home. Next time you are cooking beans or peas soak them in water until you start seeing little sprouts, then cook them. You will find they take a lot less time to cook and are of a softer more digestible texture.

• Bye, Bye, Animal fat and dairy? This for me was my compromise point, specifically bacon and filets with the occasional burger. However, the type and source of your fats are very important, a good practice would be- if your meal must be beef, then eat red meat and choose a higher quality and grade. The leaner  more tender the cut the easier for your body to digest. Also a glass of red wine will help breakdown that steak. To be clear, you can maintain a diet that includes minimal meat which is relatively healthy. It’s the animal fat and bi-products that you want to stay away from like BACON, my arch nemesis and the love of my life. It’s also critical when consuming animal products that you source it from grain fed, hormone free, non- genetically modified operations. This in itself is a totally different subject that should be covered.

•  Yes you need FATTY ACIDS.  ”This is a complex topic but important to understand since the brain is made from 60% fat. This fact alone tells us how important fats are for a healthy functioning brain and nervous system” (Inspiringhealth.net). The fats from Fatty Acids are the main products that helps build the brain, among the many types of fats, the ones which are  significant to the brain are saturated fats, and  these  are found in butter and coconut oil.  Consume as much of these type of fats in their raw form because heating and pasteurization changes the nature of fats and the way our body uses them.  Switch your fries or bake potato for veggies, leafy greens or a sweet potatoes, I strongly encourage you to turn to healthy fats like nuts, avocados, coconut oil etc.

• Absolutely no Fake Sugars. Wipe out every high fructose corn syrup product in your cupboard. Once you start reading the ingredients in your food you might realize you’ll be giving up most boxed and packaged foods in your pantry. Turn to fruit, honey, komboucha drinks (they have a natural effervescence from the Komboucha mushroom and act as a pro-biotic), dark chocolate, organic coconut sugar, beet sugar and cacao beans instead. Remember white sugars are bad, have molasses and real brown sugar in moderation, that’s the ticket.

• Dairy. Most of us (75% of the world population) according to Dr Mark Hyman, cannot process dairy and milk is an acidifying animal protein. This means that cows’ milk triggers a defense in your body to protect against all damaging protein before it gets to your kidneys, and actually has to allocate this acid neutralizer from your bones. In effect cow’s milk does not strengthen but promotes in the ‘thinning’ of one’s bones. You also have to take into account that the end product you buy has been pasteurized boosting the acidification. To avoid this, choose coconut, almond or rice milk.

•   Start Clean. If you’re serious about  measurable results in all aspects of your health and appearance, consider laying the foundation with a cleanse. This would consist of all raw foods and drinks for a week or at least 4 days. Here’s a helpful link I found: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/top-15-cleansing-foods.html Consider assisting you cleanser organs (liver, kidney, skin, lungs) by targeting them during your cleanse. There are foods known to specifically zero in on the colon, liver etc.

• Where to forage? The best source is always fresh, less ingredients and those ingredients you should be able to pronounce. Shop the outer ring of the grocer, as unpackaged, unfrozen foods are always better. Buying organic can be expensive if you buy into fads, so save a little by supporting your local farmers market and feel free to ask the vendor if he/she used all natural, no fertilizer sprays, non gmo diet etc. It’s certainly better to be eye to eye with the grower of your food.

• Read and Know. There’s so much to learn about Eating Clean and being healthy. Do the research and find out through experimentation exactly what works for you.

About the Author: Keeta Simone Benoit is the Owner and Founder of House of Radha. For more information visit www.facebook.com/houseofradha

The post Eating Clean for Beginners appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

1)      Never go grocery shopping hungry. You tend to pick items that are higher in fat and lower in nutritional value. If you’re going grocery shopping right after work, make sure to eat a granola bar or homemade peanut butter crackers before starting shopping.

2)      Always try to include fresh fruits and vegetables in your lunch. Its summer, so there are plenty of delicious fruits and vegetables to buy at your local farmers market or store. Watermelon is an excellent choice.

3)      Variety. Try to take something different for lunch each day or at least aim for a difference two times a week. This keeps bringing a lunch from getting old and gives you something to look forward to.

4)      Frozen Meals- There are several scrumptious, low fat/low sodium frozen meals you can take for lunch on the market. Just make sure you look at the nutrition label for the amount of sodium. A good, healthy meals sodium content should not exceed 600 mg and fat should not exceed 8 grams.

5)      Remember to Pack Water: You always need to hydrate yourself so keep plenty of water with you. Limit drinking of sodas (Diet and Reg.), Juices.

6)      Eating Lunch out: Sometimes your friend or co-workers may say “Hey, let’s go out for lunch”. This may be for a celebration or just good conversation. Here are three important points to remember when eating lunch out:

1. Don’t make it everyday occurrence. This can become costly  to your wallet and create excess weight  gain on your body
2. Make going out more about the conversation with others rather than all about the food. Try to eat a snack before you go (like an apple). That way you can thoroughly read the menu and make a healthier, sound choice because you aren’t starving. Look for items that say baked or boiled. Stay away from cream sauces
3. Choose to drink water instead of tea or soda.  This saves you excess calories and excess money spent.

7)       Walk or Exercise- If you have an hour lunch break, use 30 minutes to eat and relax  and use the other 30 minutes to walk around the building or walk to a close park. This keeps the metabolism running and you feeling healthy. If you don’t have an hour, use 10 minutes of your lunch break to do some exercises at your desk or walk in place. Every little bit counts.

8)      Place and label lunch correctly in refrigerator and freezer. Put any left over’s from eating lunch out in the refrigerator. This makes sure that you keep a lot of bacteria and potential illnesses out.

9)      Meditation on Lunch- Its okay to relax and meditate on lunch. Sometimes after eating lunch, you can go back to your office and listen to soothing music via headphones and just relax. Relieving stress that maybe the first half of the day presented so the second half of the day can be better

10)    Eat. Enjoy. Relax. EAT something that is Healthy. ENJOY every bite by eating slow. Relax while eating and savor the moment.

The post Spice Up Your Lunch Break appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

A great way to keep the event fun and easy is to let your graduate choose the theme for their party and help them to decorate for it. Today’s graduate has unique ideas on how to host get-togethers for their own friends and in the process will be learning the art of entertaining!

The food can have healthy themes that are subtle such as taking advantage of in-season summer fruits and throw in some exotic fruits along the for the party goers to try.

Every time you start to get complicated with the graduation party planning, ask yourself, how can I simplify my party ideas and allow more time for enjoying the day of the party.

One resource to turn to is the new Party Planner and Cookbook which includes family-friendly menu plans, grocery lists, step-by-step cooking instructions, decorating ideas and fun activities specifically for the younger generation.

Here is one of the party ideas from the planner to try for a party theme that goes along great  with a graduation party!

NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY

Menu:

• SOFT TACOS APPETIZER
• PINK LEMONADE
• FRESH FRUIT KABOBS
• CONFETTI CAKE

Ingredients Needed:

• Pink lemonade mix or frozen concentrate
• Ingredients for soft taco appetizer
• Ingredients for fruit kabobs
• Box cake mix any variety
• Frosting
• Cake decorating materials

Preparation

1. Think of this as the “potluck” block party, ask each of the friends that you invite to bring either a main dish like macaroni & cheese, or a salad like pasta salad or Caesar salad.
2. As the host you will provide the drinks, appetizer, and dessert.  It will be fun to see the variety of food that will be brought.  Usually, no one ever brings the same type of food!
3. This is an outdoor party, so think about asking your guests to put on a talent show or outdoor concert with a few friends that may have started their own band.
4. A water balloon toss can be fun if it’s a hot summer day.
5. Another idea is to host this at someone’s house that has a pool and turn it into a pool party with music and lots of food.

Beefy Guacamole Soft Tacos

1          tablespoon vegetable oil

1          small onion, chopped

1          pound ground beef

1          teaspoon salt

4          medium ripe avocados

1          cup sour cream

½         cup mayonnaise

1          (4 ounce) can diced green chilies

2          tablespoons lemon juice

¼          teaspoon ground cumin

24        (6-inch) flour tortillas, heated in the oven

Fresh cilantro and chopped tomatoes for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Cook the onion over medium heat until softened.  Add the ground beef, and season it with salt.  Cook, stirring and breaking the meat into uniform crumbles, until the meat is lightly browned and just cooked through. Drain the cooked beef well, and let it cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  In a medium bowl, mash the avocados with a fork.  Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, chilies, lemon juice and cumin. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.  Just prior to serving, stir the beef and onion mixture into the guacamole. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, and tomatoes.  Serves 16-14

Fresh Fruit Kabobs

1          cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks

2          medium apples, unpeeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

2          bananas, sliced 1 inch thick

16        seedless grapes

8          fresh strawberries, halved

Thread fruit onto 16 Popsicle sticks or to make 8 servings use larger meat kabob sticks or skewers.  Makes 16.

Party Cake

Make a Confetti box cake according to directions. Frost cake with white icing so you can decorate it with colored sprinkles. Bake in a long rectangle pan so you can cut it into small squares to feed lots of people in the neighborhood.

PARTY SET-UP

1. Invite all the neighbors by creating a summer party invitation on the computer and delivering them door to door 2-3 weeks ahead of time.
2. Set up one long 6-8 foot table outside for all the food that everyone will bring. Cover with a brightly colored plastic table cloth.
3. Set up a smaller table for the plastic cups, lemonade, paper plates, forks and napkins.
4. Set up a variety of smaller tables, like card tables, picnic table, small TV tables and rounds so people can eat in a variety of places outside.
5. Bring the music outdoors!
6. Set up a croquette game, a badminton net and a water balloon toss area.

Source: Party Planner and Cookbook – 14 Theme Parties and Recipes for Today’s Young Hostess  [Kindle & Nook Edition] by Gina Guddat

The post Graduation Parties with Healthful Delights appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

Many African-Americans are avoiding dairy, particularly milk, because they think they are lactose intolerant. Usually, the notion of lactose intolerance and avoiding dairy comes from dietary habits learned early in life. As a result, African-Americans are missing out on the many health benefits milk products offer. For example, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests dairy may play a role in reducing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer. The National Medical Association, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of African-American physicians, recommends that African Americans consume 3-4 servings of low-fat dairy per day.

The good news is that lactose intolerance is not an all-or-nothing condition. It’s a matter of degree. What you self diagnose as lactose intolerance is more closely related to lactose maldigestion  —a condition that about 75 percent of all African-Americans have. But, by following a few simple strategies, you can take dairy foods daily and get all the health benefits without all the suffering.

Try these “Eight Great Tips For Tolerance” to help get your 3–4 recommended servings daily (for health purposes, select low fat or fat free dairy products).

Eight Great Tips for Tolerance

1. Start small. Don’t try to drink a glass of milk at one time. Begin with a small portion and slowly increase the serving size. For example, add a small amount of low fat milk to your coffee or hot chocolate.

2. Spread it out. Have small portions of dairy spread throughout the day. Add low-fat milk to your scrambled eggs or make grits with low-fat milk instead of water. Wrap beans and low-fat cheese in a tortilla for lunch; add a little shredded cheese to your salad.

3. Pair the dairy. Drink milk with meals instead of on an empty stomach. Solid foods slow digestion and allow your body more time to digest the lactose, which helps prevent symptoms.

4. Say cheese. When milk is made into cheese, most of the lactose is removed. Aged hard cheeses, such as cheddar, colby, Swiss and Parmesan, are particularly low in lactose. Add low-fat cheddar to your favorite cornbread recipe or serve rice and beans with colby.

5. Get a little culture. Cultured dairy products, such as yogurt with live active cultures, contain “friendly” bacteria that help digest lactose. Incorporate non-fat yogurt into a refreshing mango-and banana smoothie for a great-tasting way to start the day.

6. Reduce it. Look for lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk in the dairy case. It tastes the same as regular milk. Or “spike” your milk with a few lactase enzyme drops that are available in most drug stores. That will reduce the lactose in the milk.

7. Make it easy. Buy dairy digestive supplements (lactase caplets) at your drug store. If you take the caplets before you eat dairy foods, they can help you digest lactose easily.

8. Go to the pros. See your doctor for a diagnosis of your symptoms. Then, talk to your doctor or consult with a registered dietitian to learn how you can incorporate dairy foods into your diet.

Source: The African American Guide To Living Well With Diabetes. New Page Books; July 2010

The post Got Milk? appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

A new spring season is here – you made the resolve earlier this year to get off the diet rollercoaster, stop weighing yourself and stay steady on your new journey towards wellness in 2012…..NOW WHAT?

Here are a few simple nutrition strategies will help you keep going to maintain a healthy lifestyle all year long.

• Start out by eating a healthy breakfast every day. By eating a hearty whole-grain and fruity breakfast, you can actually meet about 2/3 of your fiber requirements for the day. Stay away from a typical  high-refined breakfast that leaves you hungry an hour later. Instead choose a whole-wheat bagel (or toast), fresh fruit or a ruggedly fiber cereal. Add  a good source of  high protein such as a fruit smoothie or vegetable omelet to the mix.

• For the remainder of the day, choose fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as the base of your diet. When was the last time you tried a new fruit or vegetable? A serving size of fruits or vegetables is smaller than you think. Your goal should be to eat a minimum of five to ten servings a  day.

• Eat  only when you are hungry. Start improving your listening  skills by nourishing your body before you are ravenous and stop eating      when you feel full. When your body is fueled properly, your hunger will be satisfied. Two large meals stretched out into three-to-five smaller meals will help promote healthy weight loss.

• Drink liquids before you feel thirsty. Keep your body hydrated with at least eight to ten glasses of water each day. Water keeps your body      systems in peak condition, and is particularly important when your physical activity level is increased from moderate or vigorous.

Effective weight management is not an obstacle, but an opportunity to take care of your body during all stages of life. So, get up for the wellness challenge with positive energy and creativity!

Vegetable Alfredo Sauce
Yield: 3-4 cups sauce

1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup 2% cottage cheese, pureed until smooth
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Steam broccoli and carrots until tender but still crisp.

2. Sauté mushrooms and garlic in 1 tbsp butter until tender in a heavy saucepan. Set vegetables aside.

3. Using the same saucepan, melt 1 tbsp butter; add milk, and heat until very hot but not boiling.

4. Add salt, pepper, parsley, Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, garlic, broccoli, and carrots to the cream mixture.

5. Heat on medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is heated through and is the desired consistency.

6. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Source: Tailoring Your Taste, by Linda Omichinski and Heather Wiebe Hildebrand

About the Author: Kindy Peaslee is a Registered Dietitian from Saratoga Springs, NY. Sign up to receive free healthy recipes at www.healthy-kid-recipes.com and learn more about natural eating and living products at www.kindycreek.com.

The post Don’t Let Your News Year’s Resolutions Fade appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

Food to toss

1. High Fructose Foods:  High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) causes very many metabolic problems including blood sugar imbalances, inflammation, and hormonal imbalances.  These HFCS imbalances have been linked to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, gout, and heart disease according to Dr. Dana Flavin author of the article “Metabolic Danger of High Fructose Corn Syrup”. 

2. Trans Fats Foods: Any food that has the word “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” in them contains trans fats. Trans fats can cause build up in our blood vessels, which can lead to circulation problems.  Chips, doughnuts, snack cakes, and many other junk foods contain trans fats.  Toss those “trans fatty cakes” in the trash today.  

3. Artificial Sweeteners:  We have been told that artificial sweeteners are low in calories and are good to use on a diet.  What has not been told is artificial sweeteners such as aspartame has been linked to brain abnormalities.  In his article, Aspartame: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You, Dr. Jeffrey Mercola notes “Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market added to food” that aspartate destroys neurons in the brain by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. As the cells die they trigger other toxins called excitotoxins that excite many of the other brain cells to death.  

4. Condiments High in Sugar and Fat:  Ranch, blue cheese, honey mustard, many marinades and salad dressings are packed with calories and substances that will cause inflammation. It would be wise to get rid of these items and stick to herbs and spices. 

Food to stock

There is only one type of food that I recommend stocking in your kitchen and that is fresh food. The fresher your food, the more vitamins, minerals, and enzymes (micronutrients) will be present.  Fresh food will also have richer levels of protein, carbohydrates and fats (macronutrients) as well.  If you can not buy fresh, buy frozen.

Fresh meats follow the same rules. Try to consume your meats in the first 3 days that you buy them or freeze your meat.  This brings us to the question, “How long does food last in the freezer?”  I would suggest consuming your food stored in the freezer within 2 months so that you know you are eating the best quality food possible.  

Nuts will go rancid after 4-6 weeks of being left out. This is because the fat content in the nut will breakdown changing the molecular content of the fat.

It’s always best to shop for high quality food such as organic produce and free-range meats. Organic produce is grown in healthy topsoil, which helps it to receive more nutrients than conventional produce, and free-range animals graze on their natural organic vegetation, which helps the animals live a healthy life.

Remember, healthy produce, nuts and meats produce healthy bodies.

Sources:

Flavin, D. Metabolic Danger of High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Life Extension Magazine. Dec 2008.

Mercola, J. Aspartame: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You. The Omni Intelligencer.

The post What to Toss and What to Stock: A Guide to Cleaning Out Your Fridge and Pantry appeared first on Enliven Magazine.