A Healthy Start to a New Year

Hi everyone! I haven't disappeared. I'm still here!

I hope all of you enjoyed your holiday season and are having a wonderful start to 2011. Take a look at all the food-related things I got for Christmas! I can't wait to cook up a storm this year! (I had to include the dark chocolate truffles from my parents! They're so good and my little indulgence.)

Thank you everyone for the awesome presents!

Have you made your New Years Resolutions yet? I hope I can encourage everyone to add improve eating and wellness habits to the your lists! Whether that's drink one less soda can a week, or eat whole wheat pasta instead of regular, or even move from 2% milk to 1%, any positive small changes in our diet can have an impact on our health and maybe even lead to bigger changes.

Make sure your goals are measurable and obtainable. Instead of saying "I will work out more in 2011", try starting with "I will walk 30 minutes, 3 days a week".  Also, those who write down their goals are about 80% more likely to follow through with them, so write those suckers down!

If interested in weight loss, try for a healthy and attainable goal of no more than 2 pounds per week. Any more than two pounds per week is less likely to stay off permanently. Also think of 1 pound equaling 3500 calories, or 500 calories a day, so read those nutrition labels and add it up! You'll realize how easy it is to remove 500 calories daily, especially if you drink plenty of liquid calories (sodas, juice, sports drinks, smoothies, etc.). We'll go over nutrition labels for the next blog entry. Remember, you can also create a deficit in your "energy-in vs. energy-out" through exercise.

Image via fireheartbliss

Don't lose weight or change eating habits at the cost of nutrition. Our bodies need carbohydrates, protein, and, yes, even fats for daily living. Nutritious eating involves choosing complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and "good" fats, such as omega-3's, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats. We'll also review all this for the coming year! I also encourage all of you to enjoy a variety of foods. Not only will this help you avoid a rut, but through a variety of foods you'll be maximizing exposure to those nutrients we've been talking about thus far. The best way to get the most positive effects from nutrients, is yes, via foods! Many nutritious foods contain several substances that work together to maximize absorption and the incredible effects of each single nutrient, something which many supplements and shakes are lacking. Not to mention, foods contain substances, such as the flavaenoids and phenols, that many of us (and supplement/shake companies) either don't know about or ignore. Also, don't concentrate on one nutrient only, but realize the importance of all nutrients and look at the food as a whole. For example, "low-fat" does not necessarily mean low calories, and sometimes contain more sugar.

Just in case you're wondering, I'm still working on increasing my fruits and vegetable intake to around 9 servings daily. I'm experiencing obstacles, "off-days", and "excuses" just like anyone else trying to change they're eating habits. Making small steps to reach 9 servings is both encouraging and effective, and I've discovered so many new fruits, vegetables, and foods! Spinach nuggets (haha, that's right, spinach nuggets) are delicious!

Finally, as I research more and more information about oncology and nutrition, I want to encourage everyone to increase they're daily intake of antioxidants through foods. Antioxidants are incredible substances that can protect our bodies from oxidative damage that can lead to numerous diseases, including heart disease and cancer. If you don't believe you can avoid certain diseases, at least think of nutrition and physical activity as a way of maximizing and prolonging a life sans disease before succumbing to the effects of genetics, age, and daily living, and in turn, medication, medical bills, and hospital visits.

So, share your nutrition and physical activity goals for the new year!

Image via Heart Fish Blog

On the twelfth day - Merry Christmas!

We finally made it! Twelve delicious days of fruits and vegetables!

Yes, this year I am going to be that guy (or, well, girl). You know, the one that brings the healthy stuff to the party? Tonight among all the honey baked ham, turkey, cookies, chocolate, cakes, and comfort food, I'm bringing the vegetables. I told my cousins I'd be bringing the vegetables and the reply I got was "It better be deep fried or coated in cheese"! Hee hee, I love my family.

So tonight, I'm going to make easy broccoli and easy asparagus. I love asparagus. It's another vegetable I feel can stand on its own without too much added flavoring. Lucky for me, my best friend Heather gave me an easy recipe so that I could have asparagus anytime!

Asparagus, a member of the lily family, contains vitamin C and A, folate, tryptohphan, thiamin, riboflavin, manganese, pyridoxine, copper, niacin, phosphorus, protein, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium selenium and calcium. Wow! That's a lot of nutrients. Asparagus is an excellent source of Vitamin K, with one serving containing almost 115% of your daily value.

Vitamin K plays a part in bone formation and repair, as well as serves in converting glucose to glycogen. Vitamin K's most vital role, however, is synthesizing a protein in the liver known as prothrombin. Prothrombin is needed for blood clotting. Without Vitamin K or prothrombin, a deficiency can cause nose bleeding or internal hemorrhaging. However, if you are taking a blood thinner, such as Coumadin or Warfarin, you want to discuss with your doctor or dietitian Vitamin K's effects on the medication and your health.

Asparagus is also a natural diuretic. The alkalinity of the vegetable may help prevent or dissolve kidney stones. The diuretic effect may also relieve premenstrual swelling and bloating.

By the end of Christmas eve dinner, all my asparagus was consumed! No frying or cheese needed!


From my heart to all of yours, have a very joyful and merry, merry Christmas.

On the eleventh day

I'm so excited! Tonight I'm headed home to have dinner with the family. So, we're going to make this post short and sweet again so I can get to packing.

Today, I'm going to take breakfast on the run. Yogurt, granola, and grapes! Here's a little trick: try freezing your grapes. When you eat them, they taste like sherbet bon bons. So good!

Image taken from Eat Outside the Box

There are thousands of varieties of grapes cultivated as both table grapes and wine grapes. Did you know balsamic vinegar was made out of wine grapes? In that small little round purple fruit, grapes contain fiber, proteins, vitamins A, C, B6, folate, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, iron, and magnesium.

The best known ingredient in grapes is Resveratrol, found in the skin of grapes. Resveratrol was found to have anti-cancer activity by blocking agents that initiate cancer. Resveratrol may also reduce the risks of developing Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Resveratrol was also found to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides and protect arterial walls. Resveratrol is attributed to the "French Paradox", the lower rates of heart disease and cancer found in such nations as France, Italy, and Spain.

Wow! I think I'm going to eat my grape "sherbet bon bons" on the long drive home if they stay frozen!

Everyone, please have safe and happy travels!

On the tenth day

So glad we're getting closer to the goal line! Things are getting busy-busy! I took a much needed time-out after work and went surfing. My last wave in was that perfect moment of relief I had mentioned all of you try to find in during this hectic time. What did all of you find was your moment of relief?

Today for our tenth day we're going to cover cantaloupes! There was always a serving of sliced cantaloupes in my refrigerator growing up. They're refreshing and not too strong in flavor. However, that cooling taste was perfect after a hot day in Florida.

Image taken from www.faqs.org

As a cantaloupe ripens, its antioxidant activity actually increases. Cantaloupes contain Vitamin A, thiamine,  riboflavin, vitamin C, niacin, calcium, iron, folate, phosphorus, and potassium. Cantaloupes are a great source of Vitamin A, containing 103% of the daily value. Besides promoting good eye sight, Vitamin A has been shown to improve health in our skin, teeth, skeletal and soft tissues. For smokers, smoking is also known to deplete the body of Vitamin A, so fruits and vegetables high in this vitamin, such as cantaloupes are beneficial in the diet.

Sorry to keep it short today! We're almost to the finish line!

On the ninth day

Growing up, I knew my mom's favorite cartoon was Popeye the Sailor Man.

I think you all know where I'm going with this: "I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eat my spinach"!

What was it about spinach that gave Popeye that boost of strength? Well, spinach is an incredible superfood whose benefits list includes:

• It is a calcium source. As we learned before, calcium helps strengthen our bones and teeth. Calcium also helps in the protection of our heart and even against colon cancer.
• Spinach is high in protein, which is the building material for muscle.
• Spinach contains a high level of Vitamin A, which has been shown to prevent viral and respiratory infections.
• Spinach is also a great source of folate, Vitamin K, magnesium, iron, potassium, Vitamin C and manganese
• It's been shown to protect against heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and cholesterol buildup. It's also related to improving eye and skin health.

... And the list goes on and on! Spinach is definitely a vegetable we'll have to revisit when it's not such a crazy season. Just this short list proves why Popeye was ahead of his game when eating spinach for that added boost.

I use spinach in a lot of recipes and meals. Today, however, I'm just going to cover a very easy recipe my mom had me make for Thanksgiving. I made it again for our work's Holiday party and I'm sure it'll make a repeat appearance for Christmas dinner:

Spinach-Onion Bread Dip

• 1 enevelope of dried onion soup mix
• 16 oz of Sour Cream
• 1 package (16 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 4oz can chopped water chestnuts
• 1 Pumpernickel bread bowl

1. Mix all the ingredients together, except the bread bowl, and chill.

2. Cut a hole through the bread to make a bowl to place the dip.

3. Put dip in bowl and serve.

Voila! Easy and delicious! Obviously, there are other ways to eat spinach and I promise we'll see spinach again on this blog!

On the eighth day

How's everyone holding up? I hope no one is stressing too much for the holidays. I know I'm running around like crazy, both at work and out of work. However, there's a guaranteed thirty seconds of relaxation when I come home and open my front door to get a whiff of that amazing douglas fir. I hope all of you get, at least, that moment of pure relief and joy in your busy holiday schedule.

Now for our eighth day. Obviously here in Florida oranges, tangerines, and all their cousins are always in abundance. So, I had a little trouble deciding which of the species of genus Citrus I was going to choose. The winner tonight was Citrus tangerina, or tangerines!

The most well known vitamin of the genus Citrus is its high levels of Vitamin C. Vitamin C, sometimes referred to as ascorbic acid, was used in the first nutrition experiment on human beings in the year 1747. Before this, when a man decided to join the crew of a ship, he knew he only had a 50% chance of returning alive. Not because of pirates, storms, or one of Poseidon's many sea monsters, but because of a disease known as scurvy. In 1747, an English physician by the name of James Lind conducted an experiment on the British navy and discovered those sailors receiving citrus fruits quickly recovered from scurvy. Well, well, well, another fruit that can prevent death!

Besides preventing scurvy, Vitamin C is an incredibly essential part of your diet. It is required for the growth and repair of tissue in all parts of your body. Vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant, supporting the body's immune system in the prevention of colds, cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and the improvement of eye and skin health. 

Vitamin C even plays a role in stress! During stress, our adrenal glands, which contain more Vitamin C than any other organ in the body, releases the vitamin along with hormones into the blood. Therefore, stress can cause a depletion in Vitamin C, raising our Vitamin C needs. So, I better see all of you drinking a glass of orange juice or eating a tangerine while doing your last minute holiday shopping!

Homework today for the eighth day of Fruits and Vegetables: Have a delicious citrus fruit, like tangerines, oranges, or clementines, and find at least a moment of pure relief and bliss.

On the seventh day

I got my Christmas presents wrapped and ready to go! I'm excited for the gifts I have for my aunts and uncles (and Lola!). I hope they like it!

Anyways, I was finally able to relax and enjoy the weekend! After a day of running through rain on Saturday trying to finish the last little bits of Christmas shopping, I planned for a picnic today. At first, the wind was so chilly, but then it died down, the sun came out, and I enjoyed some wonderful 70 degree weather. Ahhh... December is Florida! Anyways, I enjoyed a nice active game of disc golf. We started playing it just to be goofy, but we ended up getting hooked! It's super fun and it does get your heart rate going if you run after the frisbees enough. Can't wait for another game! Experiment with your physical activity! Some activities are so fun you don't even realize you've been running around.

Now onto our seventh day of fruits and vegetable items: beets! I don't know of too many people who are a fan of beets or who have even tried a beet, but trust me, they're good! They're so versatile and can be prepared in so many ways.

Tonight, I made a beet salad I learned from one of my dearest friends and coworkers.

There's so many types of beet salad recipes if you google it, using everything from mint leaves to basil leaves, peaches to fennel, goat cheese to feta. I just used what I had in my fridge: basil leaves, grated Pecorino Romano, balsamic glaze, and of course beets!

Beets are another "multivitamin with minerals" vegetable, jam packed with Vitamin A and C, fiber, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium, phosphorus, and folate. Beets contain a nutrient called betaine, which is a natural liver detoxifier. A pigment found in beets called betacyanin was found to be a powerful cancer-fighting agent in colon cancer. And my dear friend Hippocrates (the author of our column's quote and the father of medicine) used beet leaves as binding for wounds because they are good for curing wounds! Incredible! Medicine really isn't just found in a pill bottle or a first aid box!


Anyways, t-minus-6 days! I wish I could find a video of the Home Alone scene to this song!