Archive for February, 2012

Learn the Facts about Vitamins

Friday, February 24th, 2012

When your doctor tells you that you need to start taking vitamins do you know which kinds are right for you?

If you walk into a supplement store and ask where the vitamins are, you are usually directed to aisles among aisles of vitamins.  Talk about overload!

Educating yourself on the different types of vitamins is the first step.  We have decided to help you out by doing some research to distinguish what types of vitamins your body actually needs.

Identification

According to Livestrong.com;

Vitamins are made up of organic chemical compounds that are usually found in the foods that you eat.  Vitamins are recommended for the body to grow healthy and for your organs, skin, blood, bones, and hair follicles to develop properly.

Vitamin Types 

According to the MedlinePlus.com, there are 13 vitamins your body needs; A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins (B1; thiamine, B2; riboflavin, B3; niacin, B5; pantothenic acid, B7; biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, and B9; folate).

  • Vitamins A, D, & K- fat soluble
    • These vitamins are stored in the bodies fatty tissues and released into the body rather slowly
  • Vitamins C & B-complex vitamins- water soluble
  • These types of vitamins  dissolve very quickly and are used right away by the body
  • B12 is the exception vitamin- this type of vitamin can be stored in your liver for years, all other water soluble vitamins don’t stay in your body long, what isn’t used is usually passed through your urine

The Function of Vitamins

  • Vitamin A helps support healthy teeth, eyes, bones, soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin
  • Vitamin C helps to absorb iron and supports wound healing
  • Vitamin E helps to form red blood cells
  • Vitamins C & E are antioxidants
  • Vitamin D supports bone growth
  • Vitamin K helps your blood thicken
  • All of the B vitamins help the production of hormones and metabolism

Vitamin Intake

The best way to get all the vitamins you need is through a balanced diet with a variety of foods, such as; fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products.  In some instances you may need to take a daily multivitamin for ideal health.  Keep in mind, high doses of vitamins may make you sick.

This a great vitamin/food chart: http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/vitamins-nutrition-chart.html

Check out  the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans to see if you need to be taking any additional vitamin supplements.

Sources:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vitamins.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/229255-how-many-vitamins-does-a-person-need/

http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=3&tax_subject=256&topic_id=1342&level3_id=5140

http://www.nutritional-supplements-information.com/facts-about-vitamins.html

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Have a Healthy Weekend!

Friday, February 17th, 2012

TGIF! How do you plan to spend your weekend?? No matter if it is indoors or outdoors you can still make healthy food and activity choices.

You work so hard during the week to eat clean, work out daily, and avoid temptations but research has it when Friday rolls around all rules are off.  Why is that we wonder?

Jennipher Walters, Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor wrote a great article on 10 ways to stay healthy during the weekend.

  1. Squeeze in a longer workout- during the week you rush around so much, why not allot more time to your gym visits on Saturday or Sunday?
  2. Eat like it’s a weekday- nutritious foods give you fuel and energy, don’t you want to be more energized on yours days off?
  3. Sleep as you would during the week- make sure you continue to get 7-8 of sleep per night.
  4. Get outdoors- go for a walk around your neighborhood and get some vitamin D!
  5. Fuel yourself for your upcoming week- by taking care of yourself during the weekends will leave you feeling energized and ready to go on Monday morning.
  6. Don’t go overboard on cocktails- Sure a night out with your friends is great during the weekend but there is no need to overindulge leaving you feeling crummy the whole next day.
  7. Plan sometime to just relax- you owe it to yourself to relax.
  8. Don’t worry about dieting as much as living a healthy lifestyle
  9. Weigh yourself Monday morning- this will give you the ample opportunity to admit you fell off the wagon over the weekend and you can construct a game plan about how to get back on track or you can reward yourself for taking such good care of your mind and body of the past few days.
  10. Always plan for the week ahead- create your grocery list; think about breakfast, lunch and dinner and a few (healthy) snacks in between.  When you plan ahead and are prepared you are more likely to eat healthy throughout the entire week.

To see the full version of Ms. Walters article, please visit:  http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=1607

We hope everyone has a happy yet healthy holiday weekend!!

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Superbowl Sunday!!

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

It’s almost Sunday Sunday Sunday!!! That’s right ladies and gents; the Superbowl is just two days away. Have you started your pre-party planning yet??

It doesn’t matter if you are staying home and relaxing for the game or going out to a Superbowl party we have found a great recipe, with a healthy spin (of course) that you can indulge in this Sunday.  We want everyone to enjoy the game and commercials without the guilt of waking up Monday morning regretting what they over-indulged in.

So here you go, a great recipe that is quick to make and sure to be the “best” dish at the party!

Southwestern Seven Layer Bean Dip

Recipe provided by EatingWell.com 

Prep Time

  • Active Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 16-ounce can nonfat refried beans, preferably “spicy”
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
  • 4 scallions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup prepared salsa
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack, or Cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 1 medium avocado, chopped
  • 1/4 cup canned sliced black olives, (optional)

Preparation

  1. Combine beans (refried and black), scallions, salsa, cumin, chili powder and jalapeños in a medium bowl. Transfer to a small/shallow microwave-safe dish; sprinkle with cheese.
  2. Microwave on High, around 3-5 minutes.  Wait until the cheese is melted and the beans are hot.
  3. Spread sour cream evenly over the hot bean mixture, then scatter with lettuce, tomato, avocado and olives (if using).

Time Saving Tips:

Prepare through Step 1, refrigerate and cover for up to 24 hours.  An hour before serving, continue with Steps 2 & 3.

Nutrition (Per serving: This recipe makes 12 servings, 1/2 cup each)

  • 146 calories
  • 7 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono )
  • 12 mg cholesterol
  • 15 g carbohydrates
  • 7 g protein
  • 5 g fiber
  • 288 mg sodium
  • 164 mg potassium

Nutrition Bonus: Fiber (20% daily value), Vitamin A & Vitamin C (15% dv).

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 very lean meat, 1 fat

We hope you enjoy this recipe!! You can find the full Nutritional Profile for this recipe on EatingWell.com

Enjoy the game my friends!!

Sources:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/southwestern_layered_bean_dip.html

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