Well, friends here are some recipes that give you that option in a healthy way. Have one treat a week and share!

Delicious Brownies

Makes 16 servings! Less than 100 calories per brownie!

Ingredients

½  cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup of applesauce

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Spray

½ cup pureed spinach

*Alternatively you can buy a brownie mix and replace the vegetable oil with applesauce and the pureed spinach.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees and spray an 8 inch square baking pan.

2. In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, spinach, sugar, and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, cocoa and baking soda.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until combined.

5. Bakes 25 to 30 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 24 cookies!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbs vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 Tsp cinnamon

1 cup sweet potato puree (bake two large sweet potatoes for about an hour at 400 degrees until soft).

1cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

2. In one bowl mix wet ingredients and mix dry ingredients in another bowl.

3. Combine dry and wet ingredients adding sweet potatoes and chocolate chips.

4. Bake 10 to 15 minutes (until tops are golden)

5. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Fudge Sundae

Ingredients

1 cup Almond ice cream

1 tbs Nutella

1 cup strawberries

Directions

1. Scoop ice cream in a bowl.

2. Put Nutella in a microwave safe container and microwave for 30 seconds.

3. Stir and then microwave again for 30 seconds.

4. Spread Nutella on ice cream and top with strawberries.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 tbs water

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (my cans are 15oz)

5 large eggs

1 tbs vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup applesauce

3/4 cup granulated sugar

6 tbs cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease a 9″ cake pan.

3. Rinse and drain black beans.

4. Blend them until smooth.

5. Add 3 eggs, sugar and salt to blender and blend until smooth (no lumps).

6. Mix together the cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a small bowl.

7. Add butter and blend for one minute.

8. Add egg, blend for one minute.

9. Add egg, blend for one minute.

10. Stir in water and remaining dry ingredients and blend on high until smooth.

11. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

For a chocolate frosting use Nutella or Mix 1/3 cup cream cheese and butter, beat for about a minute and a half then add ¼ cup powdered sugar and ¼ cup cocoa powder then mix again.

Photo credit: Kasey Albano

The post For the Chocolate Lover: Pure Indulgence appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

As the temperature begins to increase our schedules tend to do do as well. Work, school, church, kids and activities take up sooooo much of our time that we sometimes cut down our 8 hours of restful sleep time. Rest is not something we should forsake or take for granted, even God rested on the seventh day after His work was finished (Genesis 2:2-3 KJV). It is so important to rest and replenish our bodies daily or we risk break down and shut down.

Lack of sleep is linked to motor vehicle crashes, industrial disasters, and medical and other occupational errors. We can also agree that we all are just happier people when we have had a good nights sleep. The overlooked aspect of fitness is rest. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that  adults need 7-9 hours (NSF – How much sleep do we really need?). But a survey done by the National Health Interview Survey found that 30% of adults get 6 or less hours of sleep.

The CDC offers these tips:

• Go to bed at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning.
• Avoid large meals before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime.
• Avoid nicotine.

Here are a few soothing tips to get the most of your Zzzzz’s:

1. Lavender- this comes in many forms. Bath oil, soap and lotion. By using any form of lavender you are calming down all of those anxiety senses. You are preparing the body for rest, peacefulness, and sleep. Try lavender essential oils. Massage a few drops on wrist or body and take deep breathes. You can also have a cup of tea. Lavender has many tea variations. Sample a few to find your favorite.

2. Chamomile- Is an oldie but goodie. It is a great way to wind the body down into sleep-land. There are tons of great tasting teas that really do the trick. My personal favorite is chamomile mixed with Jasmine tea. Chamomile oil is great in bath or massage to prepare you for sleep.

3. Patchouli- Is my personal new favorite. It’s a sweet yet calming fragrance that’s great in oils for a bath or diffuser. Patchouli teas are very calming and soothing as well.

A few other favorites are: Passion flower, Frankincense, and Rose.

I hope these few tips lead you to a peaceful and sweet sleep (Proverbs 3:24).

Sweet Dreams!

The post Soothing Ways to Get More Sleep appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

Enliven Magazine: How can eating and diet play a part in our relationships?

Dr. Kantor: Our diets are a huge part of our life, if two people are not on the same page with their diet they will run into many hurdles throughout the relationship.   Planning meals, choosing restaurants, and of course grocery shopping and food budget will most likely be the major issues from a social and financial perspective.  More importantly eating a diet rich in processed foods including excessive sugar and poor fats will not only make one gain weight which will effect their overall confidence and self-esteem in their relationship.  A poor diet will also have a negative impact on their overall mood, energy and lifestyle due to poor glucose control and hormone levels resulting in energy crashes throughout the day. Two people do not need to live identical lifestyles but sitting down and discussing short and long term health goals periodically is a healthy way to ask for support from your spouse and come up with a mutual plan together that will help you reach your health goals.

Enliven: What part does one’s spouse play in their overall health?

Dr. Kantor: A spouse plays a huge role in overall health, simply because spouses typically eat together, share a fridge and pantry and are also affected by each other’s exercise habits.  If one spouse is extremely active, regularly eating healthy and of ideal body weight while the other spouse is unmotivated and struggles with their weight this could stir up feelings of resentment, jealously and could create a divide between the couple.  There is typically one spouse who is more fanatical about nutrition and fitness, it is important for that spouse to realize that they should not gloat or put themselves on a pedestal simply because their priorities are not the same.  Instead this spouse should focus on being a good example to their family by preparing healthy meals and exercising regularly without coming off as a drill sergeant or “know it all.”

Enliven: Are there specific foods that affect our moods and in turn affect relationships negatively?

Dr. Kantor: Processed foods packed full of sugar, Trans fats (hydrogenated oils), sodium, dyes, and preservatives are going to have the most negative effect on our moods and weight.  Processed foods rich in fat, sugar and salt boost our good mood hormone serotonin, causing us to eat too much and crave more.  A boost in serotonin is similar to a “high” that you get from recreational drugs, this is why health experts are saying that processed foods are just as addictive as recreational drugs.  Consuming processed foods regularly will result in weight gain and poor self-image and those negative emotions will trickle into relationships.  If you feel like you are addicted to processed foods, find more healthy ways to boost serotonin levels like exercise, meditation, or a healthy sex life.

Enliven: Are there foods that can positively affect our relationships?

Dr. Kantor: A diet rich in chemically pure all natural and organic vegetables, some fruits, healthy fats and protein will promote optimal metabolism and blood sugars resulting in steady energy levels, hormone levels, ideal weight and brain function.  The above foods are considered to be anti-inflammatory which will not raise up the stress hormone cortisol levels.  High cortisol levels result in excess belly fat and poor sleep, striving for ideal cortisol levels will result in better sleep quality and overall metabolism.  If your hormones are balanced and are getting quality sleep from eating healthy you will most likely treat your loved ones with more patience and be able to give them more of your energy.

Enliven: Is it possible to be in relationship with others who do not eat healthy?
Dr. Kantor: Yes, but it will require you to have more self- discipline with your meal planning, eating out options and grocery shopping.  Hopefully the unhealthy partner will eventually come around by watching you as an example of positively changing your lifestyle.

Enliven: Do the foods that we eat affect us differently in terms of men and women?

Dr. Kantor: There are some minor differences but in general, the main difference between how food effects men and women is the sex hormone response.  Men who carry excess belly fat and eat a diet rich in processed foods typically have lower testosterone levels and are more estrogen dominant resulting in decreased sex drive and high body fat levels. The following foods contain zinc, vitamin D and healthy fats which all boost testosterone levels naturally:

• Meat
• Beans
• Shiitake and Button Mushrooms
• Mackerel
• Sockeye Salmon
• Herring
• Catfish
• Tuna
• Olives and olive oil
• Raw Pecans
• Avocado

Women who carry excess fat in their thighs and back of their arms are typically estrogen dominant and progesterone deficient which also results in decreased sex drive and high body fat percentage.  The following foods are high in vitamin B6 which naturally boost progesterone levels in women:

• Lean red meat
• Poultry
• Fish
• Bananas
• Avocados
• Spinach
• Tomatoes

Both men and women can strive for optimal sex hormone levels by eating a diet rich in chemically pure, all natural/organic vegetables (cruciferous vegetables, like cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts will naturally detoxify harmful levels of estrogen), some fruit, healthy fats and protein.  Limiting excessive carbohydrate consumption through grains, sugars and starch will keep insulin levels within normal range and this will also result in optimal sex hormone balance as well.

Dr. Kantor provides samples for a balanced diet and relationship

Daily Supplement Recommendations for optimal health-

Omega 3 fish oil – 1000-2000mg of DHA+EPA daily

            High quality multi-vitamin/mineral

            Probiotic

Breakfast options:

• Meal replacement shake- 1 scoop high quality protein powder (pea or rice or grass fed whey protein powder), 1 cup frozen or fresh organic/all natural fruit, 2 Tbs. ground flax seed, unsweetened almond, rice or coconut milk

Lunch Options:

• Lettuce wraps: prepared all natural chicken salad (3-4oz all natural chicken grilled and chopped, olive oil based mayonnaise, chopped celery, purple grapes, and walnuts with herbs to taste). Over 4 large romaine or Boston lettuce cups

Dinner Options:

• 4-6oz all natural lean steak fillet, 2 cups roasted asparagus (use olive oil and lemon), ½-1 cup wild rice with herbs to taste

About Dr. Keith Kantor: Dr. Kantor has been an advocate of natural food and healthy living for 27 years.  In 1994 he was appointed CEO of Service Foods, Inc., the largest all natural food company of its kind in the United States. He has a Master Degree in Nutrition Science and a Master in Business Administration; Ph.D. graduate of Corllins University, Nutritional Science; Doctorate of Science graduate of Corllins University, Naturopathic Medicine. Visit http://www.drkeithkantor.com/ for more information.

The post Are Your Food Choices Killing Your Relationship? appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

Most people determine their caloric requirements through a diet formula. These formulas take into account your gender, activity level, current weight and goal weight to give you a general guideline of what you should eat in order to lose weight, gain weight or maintain weight. These dieting formulas can be useful, but they are rarely accurate long term for our body is an open biochemical system. What I mean by that is our body is in constant flux and has many internal and external factors that happen on a daily basis, which determines how our system operates on a cellular level.

These formulas are based on the Law of Energy Conservation which suggests in the terms of weight-loss that if you put in less energy (calories) than is required to run your body’s systems, you will use more energy than you have on hand. (1) In the case of a vehicle, using more fuel than you have in your car will cause the car to stop moving. Our body is different than a car, because we have stored fuel in the form of fat. So what should happen is once our body’s primary fuel is depleted it will dip into our stored fat to create more energy to burn. This conversion of fat cells to a usable form of energy will create fat loss.

Now that would be great if fat-loss happened every time as the law you just read above. This is what many people think will happen as they follow the dietary calorie counting formulas. We have been programmed to think that all you have to do is scale back on the calories and workout harder and “shazam” you will have a newly sculpted body. For 25-30% of people it does work that easy, but for the rest of us it’s not that simple. The reason why it’s not simple is because there are 3 factors that will determine if you are primed for weight loss.

1. Metabolism: Your metabolism is the rate at which your body converts energy. There are certain factors that can slow your metabolism and throw off the calorie counting formulas. To ramp up your metabolism you will need to increase your digestive functionality, cellular functionality and muscle tone. One way to do this is by eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of the traditional three meal a day routine. What’s most important is that you eat for your Metabolic Type or genetic nutritional type. This will ramp your metabolism quickly.

2. Food intolerances: Food intolerances are the primary reason for hidden inflammation issues. Inflammation is the body’s way of responding to bacterial infections, pathogens, antigens, and damaged tissues. Inflammation is not made by the increase of fat cells, but rather the increase of blood cells around the affected area.(2) Certain foods can cause your body to have an inflammatory response and need to be removed from your diet so that you can start to lose weight.

3. Hormones: Hormonal imbalances are another major issue with losing weight. If your thyroid, adrenals, pancreas or leptin levels are not functioning properly you can have a challenge not only losing weight, but you can have a challenge with stopping excessive weight gain.

In summary, diet formulas cannot take into account the primary reasons why people are having problems losing weight. It is important to track the food you consume and calories that you intake, but if you are having a problem losing weight you may need to contact a nutritional specialist.

Work Cited

1. Taubes, Gary, Good Calories, Bad Calories. New York: Anchor Books, 2007 p 350
2. http://crohn.ie/archive/primer/inflresp.htm

The post Why the Calorie Approach Often Fails appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

This question constantly feeds through my head as I live my life. Whether I am about to put food in my system, get exercise, see my chiropractor, socialize with friends, head to the office, or deliver a workshop, my choices are about an EXTRA-ordinary quality of life.

As our societies stress levels rise it is essential we are taking EXTRA care of ourselves through many different avenues. There are societies in the World called “Blue Zones” which is where it is common for those to live over 90 and in to their 100′s with little risk of chronic disease. These societies tend not to follow the brainwashing that goes on in our country such as Larry the Cable Guy’s recent Prilosec commercial. Here is a picture of Larry telling us it is okay to eat corndogs because if we take a Prilosec then we will be OK. What a joke!

Unfortunately many people live their life through these commercials by being stressed out and wondering why they are on blood pressure meds, eating garbage foods and being on cholesterol or diabetes medicine, not having a sense of purpose and being on anti-depressants, and the list could go on.

The fact is: IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT! This is what has been engrained in to your brain since a child but if you continue to lead that lifestyle then you will be like everyone else in our country (ridden with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, etc).

The definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

The societies that live the longest have common qualities and do THINGS different. I want to touch on the most common ones as I feel they have the power to allow you to live your greatest life.

1) Get Regular Movement - Many of the societies that live to be over 100 tend to walk regularly, hike mountains, work the land, and perform other activities that create movement. They are NOT sitting in front of computers for hours a day and destroying their spine. NOW, I know many of us rely on computer work for our jobs but it is crucial we cut out time throughout the day for movement and exercise. ONE life, find the time! Walking around the office every hour, walking after meals, hiking mountains on the weekends, and other activities you can think of that would be more natural for the body.

2) Eat Foods Congruent With the Body – These societies tend to eat mostly a Mediterranean Diet filled with fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and stay away from processed junk food. Even the foods people think are from Earth and not processed tend to be some of the most processed foods in the supermarkets such as milk, cheese, and grains. Once again our society has more stress now than ever so eating foods more genetically designed for the body will create a healthier internal environment.

3) Create Social Circles – Most of these healthy societies have large social circles where they get together for meals, games, or good conversation. Our society is obsessed with Facebook, Twitter, and other social media websites as well as reality TV. Connecting with people regularly and getting together for functions can truly help maximize and increase your quantity and quality of life.

4) Find Your Purpose – Each society that has a long and healthy life tend to have found a sense of purpose they live for. In our culture we look forward to “retirement” yet we have no interests, hobbies, or extracurricular things we do to keep us fulfilled following this phase of our life. Finding a place to volunteer, living to serve others, falling in love with a sport, a passion for helping others live better lives, or becoming a mentor are all steps to develop your sense of purpose.

The post Take Steps to Live Longer appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

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A recent study found that chewing gum can actually cause weight gain. Yes, weight gain. You’re chewing packs of gum and packing on the pounds! The study, led by Christine Swoboda at Ohio State University was published in the April edition of Eating Behaviors journal. The results were astonishing! Those who chewed gum ate less meals and were not getting as many nutrients.  The scientists also found that people who chew gum eat more high-calorie sweet foods.

According to Dr. Mercola, “Gum chewing without eating food can be counterproductive. When you chew gum, you send your body physical signals that food is about to enter your body. The enzymes and acids that are activated when you chew gum are therefore released, but without the food they’re intended to digest. This can cause bloating, an overproduction of stomach acid, and can compromise your ability to produce sufficient digestive secretions when you actually do eat food.”

There is always a new study that somehow contradicts previous studies just like this one. The interest in this topic was peaked in a conversation with our Publisher, Arian T. Moore. “Personally for me, I found that the gum distracted me from wanting sweets in that moment, but later that day the cravings were stronger than ever,” she said.

On the other hand, hundreds of bloggers attest to the fact that gum chewing keeps them away from those high calorie sweets that can derail our fitness goals. The fact is that we cannot approach fitness from a study based perspective. Why? Because food addictions and obsessions root back to our core. As a result, some measures that may work for some people will be ineffective for others.

To deal with weight issues that result from food addictions the first step is dealing with the issues from your past that have caused that addiction and dependence on food. Were you abused? Were you hurt? Are you insecure or feeling inadequate?

An authentic relationship with God in which you recognize His love for you as His child and His sincere desire to fill every void in your life is essential to weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle in which you are free from food dependence. Trust in Him and His ability to help, not in your own might or in the assistance of a pack of gum.

The post Gum Chewing: Not a Contributor to Weight Loss appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

Kirstie Alley is an actress that the American public has watched as she struggled with her weight on the public stage. She was a spokesperson for Jenny Craig a few years back and she lost a large amount of weight following their well-known weight loss program, only to gain it back plus more. She began to get tired of the constant ‘yo-yo’ diet cycles of weight gain, weight loss and weight gain again. After her most recent significant weight loss, Ms. Alley launched her own signature program to help others lose weight, get healthy, and maintain the weight loss for life—something she knew all too well was a challenging task.

The Organic Liaison program recognizes that each person is different and has different needs when it comes to diet, lifestyle and weight loss. The website claims that “Organic Liaison provides a wealth of organic recipes, fitness tips, and healthy living ideas to engage you—mentally and physically—nourish your tastes, and inspire new enthusiasm for diet and exercise.

The post The Scoop on Kirstie Alley’s Weight Loss Program appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

In John 15:3 Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”  Spiritually, we can clean our minds by replacing our thoughts with God’s thoughts, which is His word.  The bible tells us to be ye transformed by the renewing of our mind.   If you find yourself thinking negative thoughts about yourself, spring into action and replace those thoughts with what God says about you.  For example, instead of saying, I’ll never lose weight or I could never do that”, say ”I am fearfully and wonderfully made” or “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”   After a while, your thought life will be clean and free from clutter.

The same process can be applied when cleaning your body.  Prosperous health is another finished work of Jesus Christ.  Clean your body by simply replacing unhealthy junk food with foods that are good.  The bible tells us to eat that which is good.  Fruits, veggies and lots of water are an excellent practical start.

Another way to clean those bodies is to spring into action and exercise!  By doing so, you will sweat impurities out of your system as well as release toxins.  Not only will you have a clean vessel fit for the Master’s Use, you’ll feel a whole lot better.

Spiritually, spring into action and clean up through the blood of Jesus.  If you haven’t already accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, you can do so by simply confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.  It’s as simple as that!  Oh the blood of Jesus will cleanse you once and for all.  Now that’s a bath we could all use!  Oh the blood of Jesus, it washes and cleanses us as if we’ve never sinned!  God has been merciful to our unrighteousness and our sins and iniquities he will remember no more.   Now that’s worth springing into action and cleaning up.

The post Spring into Action and Clean it Up appeared first on Enliven Magazine.

1. Practicing lunges in your gym workout can improve your athletic performance in sports like tennis, skiing, biking, running, volleyball, snowboarding, surfing, cycling, hiking, cross country jogging and many other sports that require lower body strength and endurance.

2. Lunges are compound movements, which means that when you are performing a lunge, you will be exercising many muscles at the same time. This is the most efficient way to work out.

3. You will be getting an aerobic workout while you strength train. If you were wearing a heart rate monitor, you would notice that your heart rate will go up while performing a round the clock lunge. This is the optimal way to strengthen your heart. Your heart rate will go up and then come down during your rest period after you complete the exercise.

4. Round the clock lunges challenge your brain. Because you are shifting your focus from front lunges to front angle lunges to side lunges to back angle lunges to reverse lunges, you will have to focus on what you are doing, be in the moment and think about what you are doing. Your nervous system will not go to sleep doing the same thing over and over again – you will wake up mentally and physically, training yourself to react in the moment, just as we do when performing in any athletic event.

5. Round the clock lunges challenge your balance. You have to have good balance to perform a good round the clock lunge in the first place, and adjusting your lunge angle constantly will make your balance even better.

6. Dynamic lunges challenge your core. You pull your navel up and in, activating your deep core muscles and getting the back of the body and the front of the body working together.

7. By challenging your brain, your core and improving your balance, you will have the side benefit of improving your eyesight! About 20 percent of your vision is devoted to proprioception. When you have good balance, you take the stress off your visual system.

8. You’ll notice a deep sense of relaxation after you are complete. Paradoxically, the deeper you work in your nervous system, the more you will relax. Many people try to relax by lying around and still feel tense. When you work deeply into your body, you can release the tension even more effectively.

9. Vary this exercise by holding hand weights or altering the rhythm. Form is absolutely everything in exercise. Without good form, you injure yourself. With good form, you strengthen your muscles into good posture. Once you have excellent form, you can take this exercise up a notch by changing the rhythm – make some parts faster, some parts slower.

10. This exercise gives you the whole package – core stability, core strength, muscle strength, aerobic conditioning, power and balance.

Click here for a deomnstration.

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