11 Easy Ways to Load Up on Healthy Omega-3 Fats

Today’s Re-Powering information. I have said in the past that I am not a fan of taking vitamins without having testing done. You are completely guessing if you go to the grocery store or health food store and begin stocking up on vitamins. Most of the time the quality is poor and you have no idea if that’s what your body needs. Besides a multi vitamin as a catch all, the one thing that I believe everyone can benefit from supplementing with is fish oil. We simply don’t’ get enough Omega’s from our diet unless you are eating a lot of the food sources listed below.



Of the tribes who live to be over 100 years old, all have a rich omega diet. Omegas are important for heart health, skin, to prevent Alzheimer’s and more. Read the article below to begin adding these omega rich foods to your diet. If you are not getting enough of these foods, consider a supplement.



11 Easy Ways to Load Up on Healthy Omega-3 Fats

Food choices you make every day can boost your omega-3 intake

By Sarah Baldauf

Posted August 1, 2008

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to good health, but their benefits may be missed because the American diet is chock full of omega-6 fatty acids instead. (Learn more about the pros and cons of omega-3s and 6s here.) Many foods contain both fatty acids. To ensure you get your fill of -3, you'll need to be conscientious at the grocery store. Here are 11 ways to get more omega-3 and crowd out omega-6:

Video: Healthful Eating Recipes

Video: Healthful Eating Recipes

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Recommendations by Loomia

Salmon. This fatty fish is exploding with omega-3 and is relatively low in omega-6. It just may be the best omega-3 bang for your buck in the seafood aisle.

Bluefin tuna. This fatty fish is packed with omega-3s and low in omega-6. Not so keen on tuna? You've got choices: mackerel, herring, and rainbow trout.

Anchovies and sardines. Though not everyone's favorite, these slimy, oily options are other good omega-3 sources. They also tend to be high in sodium, though.

Crustaceans. Fish isn't the only kind of seafood that packs an omega-3 wallop. Shrimp, mollusks, and Alaskan king crab are also excellent sources that also won't load you up with omega-6.

Oils. Throw a dash of flaxseed oil onto salad and start cooking with canola oil for a nice hit of omega-3. By subbing out other vegetable oils (like soybean, corn, and cottonseed oils), you'll also lessen your omega-6 load.

Beans. Some legumes are better than others for tipping the omega balance your way. Kidney, pinto, and mungo beans will do you right. Chickpeas are less helpful.

Nuts and seeds. Add a nutty flavor to salad, yogurt, or morning mueslix with walnuts or flaxseed. A small handful of either will up your omega-3 intake.

Spinach. Popeye was on to something. Serve up this leafy green in a salad, or sauté it and add it to pasta.

Winter squash. Keep an eye out for this seasonal vegetable—it makes an interesting side dish that boosts your omega-3 intake.

Broccoli and cauliflower. These cruciferous veggies are on your side when it comes to omega-3s.

Papaya. A tropical delight, papaya may be the only fruit in your supermarket with more omega-3 than omega-6.

For more advice on balancing essential fatty acids in your diet, read "The Right Way to Get Your Omega-3s and -6s."

End



Have a healthy day,

Tips for Eating Fast Food

I hope you don’t eat fast food, but if you do, here are a few healthier options from the American Heart Association. Below that you can see some healthier choices at family restaurants.





Tips for Eating Fast Food

grilled chicken sandwich

Fast food used to mean fried food, but today food franchises are offering people more healthy alternatives. Chef salads, grilled chicken sandwiches and frozen yogurt are just three examples.

Tips

Beware of topping burgers with cheese, special (mayonnaise-based) sauce and bacon — they add saturated fat and calories.

* Pickles, onions, lettuce, tomato, mustard and catsup add flavor without the fat.
* Steer clear of fried fish sandwiches.
* A baked potato can be a healthy option, but have it with low-fat sour cream instead of butter, full-fat sour cream or cheese.

Instead of Try

Danish


Small bagel

Jumbo cheeseburgers


Grilled chicken, sliced meats or even a regular 2 oz. hamburger on a bun with lettuce, tomato and onion

Fried chicken or tacos


Grilled chicken or salad bar (but watch out for high-calorie dressings and ingredients)

Fried chicken pieces


Chicken fajita pitas

French fries


Baked potato with vegetables or low-fat or fat-free sour cream topping

Potato chips


Pretzels, baked potato chips

Milkshake


Juice or low-fat or fat-free milk or a diet soft drink. (Limit beverages that are high in calories but low in nutrients, such as soft drinks)









Tips for Eating at Family Restaurants

garden fresh salad

Too tired to cook? When you pack the family off to one of the many mid-priced "family style" restaurants, keep these healthy selections in mind.

Tips

* Avoid dishes with lots of cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.
* Instead of fried oysters, or fried fish or chicken, choose boiled spiced shrimp, or baked, boiled or grilled fish or chicken.
* Choose bread or pita pockets over croissants.
* Salads make great meals, but be careful of the dressing.
* Split a large entree with another family member. You’ll save dollars — and calories!
* Try to avoid all-you-can-eat buffets because you're more likely to eat more than you need.

Instead of Try

Cream soups


Broth-based soups with lots of vegetables

Quiche and salad


Soup and salad

Buffalo chicken wings


Peel-and-eat shrimp

Fried chicken sandwich


Blackened chicken sandwich

Chicken fried steak


Veggie burger

French fries or potatoes and gravy


Baked potato; potatoes without gravy; rice without gravy; cooked greens made without salt pork or lard

Creamy coleslaw


Sautéed vegetables or tossed salad

Hot fudge sundae or ice cream


Non-fat yogurt, sherbet or fruit ice

End







Have a pleasant day and a fabulous weekend,

Top 10 Healthy places to visit or live!

Today’s Re-Powering Information – Your environment has a great influence on your physical, spiritual and mental health. Who you are surrounded by and the environment you are in influence your mood, habits, attitude and ultimately your actions. If the first thing you do when you rise and the last thing you do before you fall asleep is listen to the local news, you will be filled with thoughts of worry, fear and negativity. If you read an enlightening book, start or finish your day in a meditative state giving thanks, you will be in a different mood.

As I have told you, I have not watched the news in about 20 years with a few exceptions like when I am by myself in a hotel room and I surf the channels as I am getting ready for my day or winding down. This past week I was in Long Beach California and in quickly surfing past the news channels, the reports were horrific, from gang killings and drive by shootings to even more very graphic violence. It was disturbing.

Last fall I was in Colorado Springs and could not help but notice the news. The talks were about the weather for hiking, the water temps for kayaking, the sunrise and sun set for the nature trails to open, the outdoor festival going on in town and so on. It was so refreshing. I was just reading a copy of Outside Magazine and saw their latest report on America’s Best Cities. It’s no wonder that Colorado Springs is listed as one of their favorites. If you are planning your next vacation or maybe your retirement or investment home, you might consider these picks. Also click on the link for the top 10 favorite small best cities. I’ve visited 5 of the 10 cities. So I have a lot to aspire to travel to.

Outside Magazine, August 2009

Best Towns 2009

America's Best Cities

Healthy. That's the word we kept coming back to. And we don’t mean a fit or skinny population; we’re talking about a city’s cultural vibrancy, economic well-being, and overall quality of life. Presenting our picks for the 10 best cities in America.

Seattle

Seattle (courtesy of Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau)

How We Ranked Them

First, we started with the 100 most populated cities in America, using public data to rank them on factors like cost of living, unemployment,

Where to Vent

Still think we screwed up by not picking your town? Let us know in our forum.

nightlife, commute time, and access to green spaces. Then we took the 28 candidates with the highest overall averages and put them through a second round of number crunching, comparing things like the percentage of the population with college degrees, income level in relation to home prices, and weather. The wild card? Our own multisport factor, which rated each of our finalists on a scale of 1 to 5 for quality and proximity to biking, running, paddling, hiking, and skiing. After adding it all up, we had our top ten.

10. Charlotte, North Carolina

9. Cincinnati, Ohio

8. Minneapolis, Minnesota

7. Portland, Oregon

6. Albuquerque, New Mexico

5. Boston, Massachusetts

4. Austin, Texas

3. Atlanta, Georgia

2. Seattle, Washington

1. Colorado Springs, Colorado

PLUS: Our 10 favorite small towns

Have an extraordinary day!

Do you crave salads? YOU CAN

Today’s Re-Powering Information – I hope you get to the point where you crave salads. If the thought of eating a salad is about as appealing as poking yourself with a stick, you need to try some new salads that are more flavorful. When I make a salad I usually open the fruit and vegetable bin and pull everything out. I take combinations of what ever may be in there – spinach, zucchini, peppers, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, Clementine oranges, strawberries, grapes, etc. Then I’ll go to the pantry and add in some beans and nuts and then may sprinkle in some cheese for fat and flavor. I like a salad that is colorful and heavily textured with a variety of crunchy foods. I also like simple salads – cucumbers with red onion or Tomato with basil or roasted peppers and root veggies. Sometimes a simple romaine salad with oregano, extra virgin light olive oil and balsamic vinegar hit the spot. Other times a bean salad is in order. Know there are no limits on your salads. Look for ingredients you will like.

The following are some of the salad recipes found in the Adventure Boot Camp Cook which is an electronic cook book available at www.KelliCalabrese.com for 19.95. There are over 100 recipes created by myself, master chef Barb Apt from Lantana as well as some of our most successful Adventure Boot Camp Coaches.

Chapter Six

Revitalizing Salads

Anti Aging Spinach Strawberry Salad

Bright and Hearty Salad

Caesar Style Hearts of Romaine Salad with Garlic Soy Dressing

Chicken Mango Spinach Salad

Cucumber and Onion Salad

Orange and Avocado Salad

Roasted Pear Salad with Mixed Berry Vinaigrette

Sweet and Spicy Asian Chicken Salad

Watermelon Salad

Italian Caprese Salad

Savory Chicken Salad

I am also including the recipe of the Spinach Salad – pic is below (shown without the delicious dressing).

Chicken Mango Spinach Salad

Contributed by Sandy Liebman

Yields 5 servings

1 bag (10 ounces) baby spinach leaves

1 medium mango, peeled, sliced

1 medium avocado, peeled, sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

4 ounces raspberries

1 tablespoon orange juice

4 ounces olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups grilled, sliced chicken breast

Puree raspberries, orange juice and olive oil in blender. Strain out raspberry seeds. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toss spinach with mango, avocado and onion in large bowl. Add dressing; mix lightly.

Spoon onto five plates. Top with chicken. Serve immediately.

End

Top 10 Health Benefits of a Good Nights Sleep

Today’s Re-Powering Information – At least once per camp I talk about the benefits of sleeping. The proper amount of sleep is so important for your health. You are demanding a lot on your body to wake up early and exert you self to high intensities. Most of the things we do at night are not the most productive (surfing the web, watching the news or reality TV, communicating with strangers on social networking sites, talking on the phone). It should be easy to shut down 30 – 60 minutes earlier. Strive to get in bed by 10 – the latest. I promise you won’t miss anything.



Read the article below from about.com on the Top 10 Health Benefits of a Good Nights Sleep. It is difficult to lose fat is you are sleep deprived. Get to bed tonight!




Top 10 Health Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep
Why sleep matters to you

By Mark Stibich, Ph.D., About.com

Updated May 08, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Sleep, we all love it, especially when you wake up from a great night's sleep. In the past, sleep was often ignored by doctors and surrounded by myths, but now we are beginning to understand the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being. In fact, when people get less than 6 or 7 hours of sleep each night, their risk for developing diseases begins to increase.

1. Sleep Keeps Your Heart Healthy

Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

More Info

2. Sleep May Prevent Cancer

People working the late shift have a higher risk for breast and colon cancer. Researchers believe this link is caused by differing levels of melatonin in people who are exposed to light at night. Light exposure reduces the level of melatonin, a hormone that both makes us sleepy and is thought to protect against cancer. Melatonin appears to suppress the growth of tumors. Be sure that your bedroom is dark to help your body produce the melatonin it needs.

More Info

3. Sleep Reduces Stress

When your body is sleep deficient, it goes into a state of stress. The body's functions are put on high alert which causes an increase in blood pressure and a production of stress hormones. Higher blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes. The stress hormones also, unfortunately, make it harder for you to sleep. Learn relaxation techniques to counter the effects of stress. There are also stress reduction techniques for sleep.

More Info

4. Sleep Reduces Inflammation

The increase in stress hormones raises the level of inflammation in your body, also creating more risk for heart-related conditions, as well as cancer and diabetes. Inflammation is thought to one of the causes of the deterioration of your body as you age.

More Info

5. Sleep Makes You More Alert

Of course, a good night's sleep makes you feel energized and alert the next day. Being engaged and active not only feels great, it increases your chances for another good night's sleep. When you wake up feeling refreshed, use that energy to get out into the daylight, do active things, and be engaged in your world. You'll sleep better the next night and increase your daily energy level.

More Info

6. Sleep Bolsters Your Memory

Researchers do not fully understand why we sleep and dream, but a process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While your body may be resting, your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Your dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.

More Info

7. Sleep May Help You Lose Weight

Researchers have also found that people who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that the lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite. The hormones ghrelin and leptin, important for the regulation of appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. So if you are interested in controlling or losing weight, don't forget to pay attention to getting a good night's sleep.

More Info

8. Naps Make You Smarter

Napping during the day is not only an effective and refreshing alternative to caffeine, it can also protect your health and make you more productive. A study of 24,000 Greek adults showed that people who napped several times a week had a lower risk for dying from heart disease. People who nap at work have much lower levels of stress. Napping also improves memory, cognitive function and mood.

9. Sleep May Reduce Your Risk for Depression

Sleep impacts many of the chemicals in your body, including serotonin. People with a deficiency in serotonin are more likely to suffer from depression. You can help to prevent depression by making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep, between 7 and 9 hours each night.

More Info

10. Sleep Helps the Body Make Repairs

Sleep is a time for your body to repair damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays and other harmful exposures. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair damage.

More on Improving Your Sleep

More Fun Ways to Live Longer

More Info

Sources

Archives of Internal Medicine, 1 2003;163:205-209.

Archives of Internal Medicine, 2. 2007;167(3):296-301.

Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. Vol. 13, 936-943, June 2004.

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Vol. 89, No. 5 2119-2126.

Public Library of Science. PLoS Medicine Vol. 1, No. 3, e68 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0010068.

Brigham and Women's Hospital Reducing Your Risk for Depression.

NIH Senior Health Sleep and Aging.

End



Have a fantastic day!

Top 8% of the population .... WOW

Today’s Repowering Information – Congratulations for being in the top 8% of the population that takes care of themselves by exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake, eating fruits and veggies, and avoiding smoking. It does not sound like much and it seems to be common sense but more than 90% of the population is not exercising, consuming too much alcohol, avoiding fruits and veggies and or smoking. Those are some pretty sad statics. I am thankful you are in the minority, the healthy ones, the thrivers!

Let what you live each day be contagious. Continue to be a good role model for your children, spouses, family, neighbors and strangers. The reward is worth it!

American's Health Habits: Worse Than Ever

David Schipper June 18, 2009 from Core Performance

It appears that we’re failing in our attempt to turn this country fit, according to sad new statistics out of the Medical University of South Carolina, which show that even fewer of us are adhering to a healthy lifestyle when compared to life habits from two decades ago.

The number of people exercising 12 times a month or more, not smoking, eating five or more fruits and vegetables daily, imbibing alcohol moderately and maintaining a healthy weight has decreased from 15 percent to 8 percent between the periods of 1988-1994 and 2001-2006. The results come from a comparison of two large-scale government studies of the U.S. population.

More details:

* In the intervening years, the percentage of adults aged 40-74 years with a body mass index greater than 30 has increased from 28 percent to 36 percent.

* Physical activity 12 times a month or more has decreased from 53 percent to 43 percent.

* Eating five or more fruits and vegetables a day has decreased from 42 percent to 26 percent. Smoking rates have increased slightly (26.9 percent to 26.1 percent).

* Moderate alcohol use has increased from 40 percent to 51 percent.

What’s worse, the researchers also concluded that people with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or risk factors for those conditions, were no more likely to stick to a healthy lifestyle than healthy Americans.

The take-home: If you're in the 8 percent of Americans maintaining healthy habits, keep up the great work. And if you see your family members and friends losing their fight with fat, give them support. We all need it.

End

This will be the last e-mail to the June 29th Boot Camp Group. I will begin using the August 3rd contact list immediately so please sign up so that you don’t miss anything. www.ArgyleBootCamp.com.

Thank you all for your commitment to fitness, to me as your coach and to Argyle Adventure Boot Camp. I appreciate you and always welcome your feedback. Please feel free to send me your thoughts on camp and I will consider them moving forward. I want this to be the best camp and provide you with the best results!

Have a beautiful week.

A list of foods that people think are healthy, but really are not.

Today’s Re-Powering information – I came across this list of foods that people think are healthy, but really are not. Some will be obvious to you b/c you are so savvy, but others may not. I searched for this list in working with a new client who is over 250 pounds (she lost 6 pounds her first week). I feel like her diet is so poor that even things that seem obvious to her are not. She is making better, but still poor choices. Change happens gradually. I still thought everyone would find this info helpful b/c it gives you some great alternatives. Pass this one on.

Foods and Drinks that People Think are Healthy but are Not Healthy

E-mail

Written by Jeff Behar, MS, MBA

Today more than ever many people want to look good, feel good and fight the bulge, so many people try to eat healthy anunhealthy health foodsd try to eat good. I stress the word "try" because although many people want to eat healthy, so many people lack the basic understanding of nutrition, and in their efforts to eat healthy foods, many people eat foods that are totally unhealthy for them. Marketing tricks, marketing gimmicks and deceptive advertising of many food companies and also poor nutrition knowledge by the media and many people blogging about healthy foods across the web does not help matters. The following is a list off several "health foods" and "health drinks" that are just not that healthy.

UNHEALTHY BREAKFAST FOODS

Breakfast Cereals. Breakfast cereals may be quick, and many taste good, but most are horribleunhealthy cereals for your health

The downside: Most breakfast cereals are often high in sugar & salt and their vitamin/mineral content is chemical based. Drop that spoon.

If you can’t resist: Opt for cereals with LESS processed sugars. Do realize though, that not all low sugar cereals will be healthier than their full-sugar counterparts. When you pick up a box of cereal, read the ingredients list. Try to select cereals listing whole-grain wheat, whole oats or wheat bran as the first ingredient. Whole-grain cereals will have more fiber. These are the healthiest cereals because they stabilize the body's sugar-control system, reducing the incidence of Type 2 diabetes and lower the risk to heart disease. Also look for cereals that are fortified with vitamins and minerals. Look for cereals fortified with B-vitamins, zinc and iron, as well as a high amount of vitamin C because it aids in iron's absorption. Good examples include: Kellogg's Complete Wheat Bran Flakes, Kellogg's Mini-Wheats, and Kashi Heart to Heart Cereal. Of course there are many more. Just read the labels and choose wisely.

Healthy alternative(s): Healthy alternative: non-processed cereals like bran, or no sugar added oatmoatmealeal. Everyone knows how healthy non-processed cereals like bran cereals are; since they contain lots of fiber (a mere 1/3rd cup of bran contains about 14 grams of fiber). To improve the taste and add variety you can cut up small pieces of high fiber fruit like, apples, dates, figs, pears and prunes and easily reach your recommended daily amount of fiber before you even leave the house!.

If you do not like the taste of bran type cereals a great Healthy alternative is oatmeal. A steaming bowl of fresh cooked oatmeal is the perfect way to start off your day, especially if you are trying to prevent or are currently dealing with heart disease or diabetes. With the exception of certain flavored varieties, oatmeal is 100% natural. Oatmeal contains several important vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, heart health fiber, and a wide variety of additional nutrients and phytonutrients important to good health. There are several confirmed health benefits attributed to old fashioned oatmeal; as long as it is the unprocessed version. Oats, oat bran, and oatmeal contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan which can enhance the human immune system's response to bacterial infection, lower blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, lower risk to several cancers, lower risk to type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, and lower the risk to cardiovascular disease which reduces the risk to conditions such as atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke. This soluble fiber helps remove LDL or "bad" cholesterol, while maintaining the good cholesterol that the body needs. An added benefit of beta-glucan, is there are studies that show beta-glucan enhances the human immune system's response to bacterial infection. Study after study has proven the beneficial effects of beta-glucan on cholesterol levels. Studies show that in individuals with high cholesterol (above 220 mg/dl), consuming just 3 grams of soluble oat fiber per day (an average amount found in one bowl of oatmeal) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%. This is highly significant since each 1% drop in serum cholesterol translates to a 2% decrease in the risk of developing heart disease. The soluble fiber in oatmeal absorbs a considerable amount of water which significantly slows down your digestive process. This result is that you'll feel full longer, i.e. oatmeal can help you control your weight.

Higher intakes of whole grains like oatmeal also increase insulin sensitivity by lowering the glycemic index. The soluble fiber slows also down the digestion of starch which keeps blood sugar steady. This reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes. Oats are also a very good source of several antioxidants like, vitamin E, tocotrieonols, selenium, phenolic acids, phytic acid and a unique antioxidant compound called avenanthramide. These multifunctional antioxidants come in immediate-release to slow-release forms and thus are available throughout the gastrointestinal tract over a long period after being consumed. These powerful antioxidants prevent free radicals from causing damage to cells in the body, reducing the risk to several diseases, including cardiovascular disease, and for cancer, especially colon cancer and breast cancer. Oats and other whole grains contain many other important micronutrients like: phytoestrogens, plant compounds that may lower the risk to cancers, and positively affect blood cholesterol levels, blood vessel elasticity, bone metabolism, and many other cellular metabolic processes; B vitamins, minerals like copper, iron, phosphorus, zinc, manganese and magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including enzymes involved in the body's use of glucose and insulin secretion. Oatmeal cooked in milk enhances the food value of the dish, as milk is rich in calcium and protein. Also consider adding a scoop of metabolism-boosting protein.

Instant Flavored Oatmeal: Instant flavored oatmeal are not the same as their 100% naquaker_flavored_instant_oatmealtural cousins. Although they have oats in them, they are not as healthy as you may think.

The downside: Most instant oatmeal contains large amounts of sugars and has less fiber than the unprocessed versions.

If you can’t resist: Opt for 100% rolled oats and add in some fruit, or some natural sweeteners

Healthy alternative(s): 100% rolled oats. 100% rolled oats provide all the health effects discussed above.

Muffins. Many people reach for a bran muffin believing that a bran muffin is healthy and palarge_muffinrt of a nutritious breakfast.

The downside: Most bran muffins contain little bran. Additionally many muffins today are HUGE. Years ago, one muffin was approximately 150, 3 to 5 grams of fat and about the size of tennis ball. Today, muffins are supersized! It is not uncommon for a muffin to be 350 to 450 calories, with 15 to 20- grams of fat. They also contain little to no protein. Protein is important to body functions and it also helps increase insulin sensitivity by lowering the glycemic index of the meal, and increase fullness.

If you can’t resist: Stick to muffins that are of normal size (or split one with someone). Opt for muffins with a short ingredient list, made from whole grain flour, corn meal or bran. Choose a muffin that has 5 or more grams of fiber, less than 200 calories per serving and no more than 5 grams of fat or added sugars.

Healthy alternative: Try a whole-grain English muffin. Spread a light layer of peanut butter on a toasted half, and then top with fruit. That will set you back only about 150 calories, plus you’ll have some healthy nutrients to show for it.

Bagel with Cream Cheese. Many people grab a bagel, often with cream cheese or jam in thebagels-and-cream-cheese morning. This may be easy and quick, but definitely not healthy.

The downside: A bagel at some of the bagel chains can be four servings of bread. Most also contain processed white flour, and simple carbs that will convert quickly to sugar once in your body. They also contain little nutrition and barely any protein. A bagel with cream cheese can top the calorie charts at approximately 500-700 calories and can contain upwards of 40 grams of fat! The bread is bad enough, containing 300 calories and 60 grams of carbohydrates, but add a healthy serving of cream cheese and your "harmless" bagel weighs in as worse than a Whopper.

If you can’t resist: If you must have a bagel, look for bagels made from whole grains where possible. This would make a slightly better choice, as the added fiber would help slow down the breakdown from starch to sugar. Eat half the bagel and top it with an egg white omelet or some tuna or white fish. This swap will save you nearly 200 calories, plus provide a surge of metabolism-boosting protein. Note: most bagel chains “whole wheat” bagels, are anything but whole wheat. Most “whole wheat” bagels are mostly white flour with a little whole wheat thrown in.

Healthy alternative: Skip the bagel and have a egg white omelet. This swap will save you nearly 300 calories, plus provide a surge of metabolism-boosting protein. And a recent study from the University of Connecticut found that eating eggs can help raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

Yogurt with Fruit at the Bottom. Individually, fruit and yogurt are two of the healthiest food choiyoghurt_with_fruit_on_the_bottomces at the grocery store. Yogurt is nutrient-rich. Live and active cultures are beneficial for the intestines and immune system. Fruit can provide lots of good vitamins and minerals, and also fiber. But Yogurt with fruit at the bottom does not offer the same healthy benefits of eating these items separately and in their unprocessed form.

The downside: If you are eating yogurt with fruit at the bottom in the morning, you might as well be eating candy. Manufacturers add corn syrup to most of these products which effectively doubles the amount of sugar. A small cup can contain upwards of 30n grams of sugar! Even the fat free products are not necessarily healthy. They still contain lots of added sugars. The low sugar varieties may also not be so healthy. Most of these varieties contain artificial sweeteners like aspartame suspected to cause health effects.

If you can’t resist: Choose the lower sugar varieties that contain active yogurt cultures.

Healthy alternative: Make your own yogurt and fruit snack. Mix a cup of nonfat plain yogurt with a half cup of mixed berries. This way you minimize the sugar, and maximize the health benefits of the yogurt. Natural unprocessed yogurt contains live active cultures to help your digestive system, as well as metabolism boosting protein.

UNHEALTHY LUNCH FOODS

Store Bought Sandwiches. Most store bought sandwiches are anything but healthy. Even thsubway-sandwiche sandwiches labeled as healthy, can contain more calories and more fat than a fast food hamburger.

The downside: Most store bought sandwiches contain highly processed luncheon meets (see below) that are full of preservatives. They also often contain sugar-laden salad dressings, little veggies & proteins and too much white bread. The freshness is questionable and you need the foot-long to fill your stomach. The large amount of processed white bread and small serving of protein causes a surge in blood sugar. Because the protein serving is usually small, it does little to lower blood sugar and increase satiety (fullness) levels.

Often labeled “fitness” or “light”, but containing sugar-laden salad dressings, little veggies & proteins and too much white bread. Freshness is questionable and you need the foot-long to fill your stomach. Few things are quite as American as brown-bagging it with a bologna or ham and cheese lunchmeat sandwich. Indeed, refrigerated processed meats, including deli meats, brought in about $17 billion in 2004, according to a report by Packaged Facts. Refrigerated sliced lunchmeats are a $3-billion industry.

If you can’t resist: Look for sandwiches that are fresh, little to no preservatives, low fat dressings (e.g., mustard instead of mayo, or vinaigrette with healthy oils), and containing a healthy serving of low fat protein (e.g., fresh turkey breast).

Healthy alternative: Make your own healthy sandwiches with a healthy serving of low fat protein and healthy serving of vegetables.

Lunch Meats. Refrigerated sliced lunch meats are a $3-billion industry. Luncheon meats are easy,hillshirefarms_blackpepper turkey breast quick and convenient. For many it is a quick way to get needed protein into their diet.

The downside: Many lunch meats, including ham, turkey and roast beef contain added solutions of water, sodium and water or water and spices. Most luncheon meats contain nitrites and nitrates (preservatives), monosodium glutamate (MSG), and other coloring and flavoring additives that have been linked to cancer. Nitrates can lead to the formation of nitrosamines, "which have been identified as carcinogenic substances for quite some time. Cancers of the esophagus, larynx, mouth, liver and stomach seem to be associated with nitrosamines. Monosodium glutamate (MSG has been associated with sudden cardiac death, particularly in athletes, and excitotoxic damage to brain neurons. If this was not bad enough, in August 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved six viruses as a food additive to be sprayed on cold cuts and packaged deli meats to protect against the food-borne-bacteria Listeria monocytogenes that is sometimes found on cold, packaged meat products

If you can’t resist: Choose low fat luncheon meets that do not contain preservatives, coloring and other flavoring additives.

Healthy alternative: Have your grocer cut your luncheon meets directly from freshly cooked whole turkey or chicken breast.

Fast Food Salads. People today want to be healthy, and in an effort to be healthy many peopunhealthy saladle opt out of the burger and fries at a fast food place and reach for what they believe to be a healthier alternative: a salad. However, all salads are not equal when it comes to nutrition, and just because a salad has a little lettuce and is served in a bowl does not make it healthy. In fact MOST store bought salads, and MOST salads from fast food establishments are anything BUT healthy.

The downside: Often these salads lack the darker healthier vegetables, use iceberg lettuce rather than a healthier alternative. These salads also often come with fattening products already on them, like whole eggs and cheese. Once you add the sugar-laden salad dressings, bacon bits, and the croutons which tend to be fried or baked in oil, these “healthy” salads can top 800 calories and contain over 65g of fat. This is more calories and fat than a McDonald’s Big Mac and medium fries. A salad like this contains 70 percent of the fat that a man should eat in a day, and almost 100% of the fat that a woman should consume in a day.

If you can’t resist: Order a salad that does not come with fattening cheese and other fattening products on it. Look for a salad with lots of different colors as it’s likely to have one or two of your five to seven vegetables a day. Pass on the sugar-laden salad dressings, the croutons, the bacon bits and most of the other “sides” they throw in.

Healthy alternative: Make your own salads. This way you can control exactly what is in the salad. You can also ensure that you include enough veggies and enough protein and minimize unhealthy fats and toppings that are loaded with salt, sugar, preservatives and unhealthy fats. In regards to dressings, opt for balsamic vinegar. If you are creative, you can also create your own fresh healthy salad dressing, using ingredients like heart healthy olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Beans, raw almonds, and tomato salsa can also make great salad toppers.

“Light and Healthy” Frozen Meals. Frozen meals are quick and convenient. There is no argufrozen_mealment that frozen dinners have become less unhealthy over the years with the addition of such options as Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, and South Beach. Although these ”healthy” versions include some vegetables and low fat protein, these “healthy” frozen meals are still not all that healthy.

The downside : These frozen meals are processed, high in sugar, and come with sauces and are still usually high in sodium. Many frozen dinners contain preservatives such as BHT, a possible carcinogen in animals, as well as polysorbate 80 and propylene glycol, the same ingredient found in antifreeze. Although consuming these preservatives from an occasional frozen dinner is unlikely to be harmful, combining frozen dinners with other processed foods on a daily basis could expose you to more preservatives than you need. Most frozen dinners also contain a minimum of 600 mg of sodium and may have as much as 1,900 mg of sodium. With these high sodium values, it can be a challenge to stay within the recommended daily sodium intake of 2,400 mg. or less daily. Additionally the entrée in a healthy frozen dinner is often short on protein, and the vegetable sides included are often well under a serving, limiting your ability to consume the recommended five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Eating too many heavily processed foods can also leave you short on key nutrients, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

If you can’t resist: Choose brands like Healthy Choice which have less fat, less sodium, less fats and less calories.

Healthy alternative: A healthier alternative would be to spend a day cooking large batches of your favorite meals, then freezing them in convenient portion-sized containers. The advantages to making your own frozen meals are: you can control what goes in them, there’s no need for preservatives, and they save you money. Another advantage homemade frozen dinners help you use up all your groceries, including canned veggies. This can be a huge money saver if you’re someone who finds food going to waste in your fridge or in your pantry.

Processed Soy Products. While soy may be low in fat and has some cardiovascular and osoy_burgersverall health benefits because of their high content of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low content of saturated fat, these benefits are not as substantial as was once believed. Emerging science is actually linking processed soy foods like soy milk, soy meat products, soy ice cream, soy energy bars, etc., to a variety of unhealthy conditions.

The downside: Despite the myriad of health claims that surround soy, processed soy foods like soy milk, soy meat products, soy ice cream, soy energy bars, etc., have been linked to:

· Lower testosterone in males

· Increased estrogen in males

· Digestive problems

· Thyroid dysfunction

· Cognitive decline

· Reproductive disorders

· Immune system breakdowns

· Heart disease

· Cancer (Phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors, toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines are all highly present in soy products).

· Increased incidences of breast cancer among women

If you can’t resist: If you want to eat soy, stick to the unprocessed versions (tempeh, miso and edamame). Eat all processed soy in moderation.

Healthy alternative: Any high protein whole food such chicken breast, turkey breast, fish, egg whites, low fat milk, goats milk, coconut milk, almond milk, high protein seeds, high protein beans, and lentils. High quality low fat natural protein powders made from whey and egg protein is also a good alternative.

UNHEALTHY SIDE DISHES

White pasta, white bread, white rice, etc. These products are a staple for many. However, these wonder_white_breadproducts through processing have had many health benefits of eating them removed. Most people are unaware of the health implications that consuming too much of them can cause.

The downside: White paste, white bread and white rice have had have been stripped of their outer bran coating and inner germ during the milling process, leaving only the endosperm. This removes the healthy fiber, and many of the healthy nutrients, including the phytochemicals and antioxidants which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. By removing the outer bran coating and inner germ during the milling process, the otherwise healthy lower glycemic foods become higher glycemic foods which increase the chances of developing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and several other health conditions including obesity, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and many more. The bran also contains essential oils which help lower serum cholesterol which is a major risk factor in heart disease. Therefore the oil in the bran helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.

If you can’t resist: Eat these in moderation, choose smaller portions and add low fat protein to the meal which will lower the overall glycemic index and not raise blood sugar levels as badly.

Healthy alternative: Choose 100% whole grain versions of rice, pasta and bread, which have more fiber, more nutrients and have a lower glycemic index. Lower glycemic index foods are associated with a slower and less dramatic rise and fall of blood sugar.

Beans packed in sugary syrups (e.g., Boston Baked Beans). Baked beans are good for you bebaked_beanscause these types of beans are loaded with fiber; however this benefit comes with a number of downsides.

The downside: The sugary syrup that baked beans come in contains as much sugar as in a can of soda. This sugar spikes your blood sugar and insulin levels. This is never good for preventing heart disease or type II onset diabetes. It is also a very high caloric product that can contribute to weight gain.

If you can’t resist: Eat a small portion. Add in some low fat protein which will lower the overall glycemic index and slow the rise in blood sugar levels.

Healthy alternative: Choose red kidney beans or garbanzo beans which are packed with protein and fiber.

delmonte_fruit_cocktail

Fruit cocktail. Fruit cocktail has made the list for the obvious reasons, sugar and calories.

The downside: Fruit cocktails whether they come with heavy syrup or even in fruit juice are loaded with sugar. Typically there’s more sugar in a can of fruit cocktail than in a candy bar or a glass of soda. As far as nutritional benefits, because the fruit is processed you do not get the fiber and many of the nutritional benefits that you would get as you do with whole fruit. Also many of the brands also contain unhealthy preservatives. Stick to the real stuff/

If you can’t resist: Make your own fruit cocktail using whole fruits.

Healthy alternative: Eat whole fruit including the skin if possible, but limit it to one serving of fruit per meal/snack to avoid insulin spikes.

UNHEALTHY SNACKS

Granola Bars. Because granola bars contain two healthy ingredients, oats & nuts, mnatures-valley-oats-n-honey ganola barany people believe that granola bars are healthy. Adding to the confusion is they are often marketed as healthy food.

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