Foods that you THINK are healthy.. but are NOT!!

Sometimes in your best efforts to eat healthy and lose weight, you end up eating foods that are not all that great for you. I hear from friends and family all the time about the "great food choice" they just made for themselves and how "proud" they are about it. Now most of these things are better than the drive-thru lane at McDonalds, but in my head I'm thinking, "Oh no, you can't think these are healthy!" This isn't your fault, though!! Through media and advertising, companies are making you think what you're putting in your mouth is super healthy and good for you, when in reality there are much better choices for you. It can get really confusing!! So I'm going to help you by giving you a list of foods that might make you think, "SCORE! I'm eating healthy!" And THEN I'm going to give you the real lowdown on why you may want to think twice about consuming these foods and give you healthier alternatives.

1) Granola

Granola might sound like a super healthy carb to incorporate into your diet. It usually contains oatmeal (and other healthy grains) and raisins, so how can you go wrong with that, right? You can because granola is LOADED with sugar!!! Check out a label next time you're at the grocery store.
Healthy alternative:Kashi Cereal
Kashi is my absolute favorite cereal. If you want granola, choose one of their cereals to sprinkle on your yogurt or mix with your fruit, etc. You'll be saving yourself a ton of calories and sugar while loading up on healthy whole grains, fiber, and even protein.

2) Flavored Yogurts

These yogurts contain unnecessary sugar, lots of preservatives, and artificial flavors. These preservatives and artificial flavors do absolutely nothing for you and your body doesn't know what to do with them. These yogurts also don't contain a whole lot of protein.
Healthy alternative: Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
This stuff rocks!! It's clean and has 22-25 grams of protein per serving. It also has a TON of potential for every meal of the day. You can sweeten it up with ingredients like fruit and honey or make it savory by adding herbs and spices to make a rockin' dip for your veggies. Play with it and see what you can come up with!

3) Protein Bars

Not all protein bars are created equal. There are SO many bars that are extremely high in calories, sugar, and preservatives. So when you're looking for a good protein bar make sure to check your labels for ingredients. Most of the time you'll just be eating a slightly healthier version of a candy bar.
Healthy alternative: Homemade Protein Bars
Making protein bars at home is really quick and easy. Plus, you know exactly what's going in them. I also think they actually taste better and less like "diet food" if you make them yourself. There are plenty of recipes you can find online or in Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet books.

4) Smoothies

There are so many people that order these from restaurants and coffee shops thinking they are choosing the healthy alternative, but this is another one that is loaded with sugar and other foreign ingredients. Most places don't even use fresh fruit in their smoothies, but rather a commercial concentrated smoothie mix. And the calories are through the roof some more in the upward numbers of 500 calories!
Healthy alternative:Homemade Smoothies
Making your own smoothie is just as easy (if not easier) than stopping somewhere to have one made for you and there is an endless supply of combinations and ingredients to choose from. You can add fruits, veggies, protein powder, yogurt, honey, oatmeal, wheat germ, or flaxseed. You name it and you could probably make a smoothie out of it. Your homemade smoothie will be extremely clean, extremely tasty, and keep you satisfied.

5) Salads

You might be proud about ordering a salad for lunch with your co-workers while everyone else is ordering burgers, but I can guarantee you're eating about as many calories as your co-workers are. Yes, most salads are healthy, but what isn't is the dressing they're all doused in and the garlic bread or rolls that may be served with them.
Healthy alternative: Bring your own dressing
If you can, make your own salad, but if you know you're going to be going out to lunch or dinner with co-workers, friends, or family, tell the server to hold the dressing and ask for oil, vinegar, and lemon wedges, or bring your own light or fat-free dressing. THEN you can be proud about eating that salad.

So as you can see, it's really wise to make your own foods when you can. That may sound inconvenient, but it really isn't. Take the time on a Sunday for an hour or so to make some food for the next week or two and store it in the freezer in individual portions. Then when you need it, it's as simple as pulling it out for the day.
And when it comes to all the confusion about what's healthy and what's not, keep it simple, and don't fret it. Here's some easy tips:

1) Read your labels - If there's anything you can't pronounce, leave it on the shelf.

2) Shop the perimeter - Shopping the outer walls of your grocery store (for the most part) can give you a great idea of the clean food you should be shopping for.

3) Make a list - Sticking to a list will help keep you from straying into the "unhealthy" sections of the grocery store.

4) Read The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno - This book is THE BEST guide for eliminating the confusion of what's clean and what isn't.

Article written: by Sherry French

New Year.. New Goals!!!! Drink More Water..

 It's likely that the only reason you think you need to drink water is to stay "hydrated," but you might not truly understand what this means. Let's delve into the meaning behind hydration and just why you need to drink so much plain, "boring" water.

1. Your body is made up primarily of water. When you're properly hydrated, about two-thirds of your body is water—muscle tissue is even higher, at around 70 percent, while fat is less. Muscle powers your body and fat protects it. Put two and two together, and you may infer that water is vital to the things that make your body do stuff. When you don't drink enough water, your body declines into a state we call dehydration. Get too dehydrated, and your body will not function properly, which isn't too surprising when your body's low on such a vital nutrient. (Your body can be as much as up to 65 percent water!)
   
2. You don't need to drink 65 percent of your weight in water each day. This is because, one, if you lost all the water in your body, you'd be dead, and two, that water makes up most of all the living things on our planet. Since we eat living—or recently alive—things, we get some water from the things we eat. When we cook things, they lose their water. This means that the more raw whole foods you eat, the less water you need to drink. Fruits and veggies lead the group of water-rich foods and contain around 95 percent water. If you eat a lot of plants, you can drink less water. But if you don't . . .
3. There is more to hydration than just your water levels. Chemicals in your body react with water so that you can function. We lose water in the form of sweat, and sweat is made up of water and body "salts," which are mainly sodium, chloride, and potassium, but they also include magnesium, calcium, and so on. These are called electrolytes and, basically, are the reason that salt is such a vital component in your diet. Salt is a mixture of sodium and chloride, but generally, we use the term "salts" in reference to electrolytes. Too much salt is bad and too little is bad. Both can kill you. This is why, like water, the amount you consume should be directly related to the workload your body is put under. More exercise equals more sweat, meaning that you need more water and more salt.
   
4. What about water weight? Some people are afraid to drink a lot of water because they're afraid of gaining "water weight." This is the opposite of what you should do. Water weight is a term for your body holding on to excess water because it's not getting enough. The best way to get rid of water weight is to drink more water. It works two ways. If you don't drink enough water or if you eat too much salt in your diet, your body hoards water. This water/salt relationship is referred to as your electrolyte balance.
   
   Generally, there's an easy way to tell if you need more water or salt; because most people drink too little water and eat far too much salt—especially those who eat in restaurants. So when you aren't exercising, you almost never need more salt. When you are exercising, getting enough salt becomes an issue. Endurance athletes are ever aware of the need to have enough salt to avoid a condition called hyponatremia, a condition that results when you've had too much water and not enough salt, basically just dehydration from a different angle. Those who don't exercise outdoors excessively almost never have to worry about this condition.
5. So what does water do for you? You'll often hear claims that water helps chemical reactions, regulates your body temperature, and lubricates your joints, eyes, and spinal cord. Sure, it does all of this stuff. In fact, since you're mostly made up of water, a case can be made that it does almost everything. So why split hairs? Your body doesn't work, at all, without being fed a lot of water. You can live days, weeks, and, sometimes, even months without food. But you can't live even a few days without water.
   
6. Itchy skin. Dry skin. Constipation. Sneezing. Dry cough, headaches, nosebleeds, and acne. These are common ailments related to drinking too little water. Since water regulates your body's functions, it makes sense that minor glitches in bodily functions may be related to not drinking enough water. And this is just a partial list of common ailments. Many symptoms blamed on allergies are probably due to living in a dehydrated state. When you are properly hydrated, your body can better defend itself.
   
7. The above symptoms may be worse in the winter. Water is required just to breathe, and you lose water through your mouth and lungs. During winter, when the air is dry, more water is required. Add forced heat in the air—like from home heating systems and fires—and the situation is exacerbated. This means that you need to drink extra water in the winter when it's cold, even though you are probably less thirsty.
   
8. Water and your immune system. During winter, lack of water will dry out the mucous membranes of your lungs, gut, and sinus passages and lessen your resistance to disease. These barriers protect your body against bacteria, viruses, and pollutants when you're fully hydrated and intact. Allowing them to dry out could be the leading cause of the common cold and allergic symptoms, not to mention things like constipation, sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and long-term diseases like hemorrhoids and colon cancer.
   
9. Water and fat loss. We haven't yet discussed the importance of fat mobilization for energy and its relation to weight loss and effective exercise because, well, this is Nutrition 911 and that sounds complicated. Anyway, water is the main component of this action. A well-hydrated body has higher levels of oxygen in the bloodstream, translating into an increased ability to burn fat as fuel. The more efficiently you burn fat as fuel, the more effectively you exercise, leading to a better overall body composition.
10. How much water? It's said you need about 8 glasses of water a day. However, this will vary due to your activity level and environmental conditions. As a general rule, add a couple of glasses during the hot days of summer and the dry, cold nights of winter. During exercise, you may lose a quart an hour or more. While all liquids provide water, sugar, diuretics (caffeine, etc.), and carbonation reduce the hydration effect. Combining all three, as in soda, can reduce the hydration efficiency of the liquid to almost nil.

NEVER use this sweetner during pregnancy.

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener also known as NutraSweet or Equal, is used in more than 6,000 products, (soda, candy, juice, yogurt, sugar free jello and so many more). Research has shown that aspartame is a carcinogenic agent, and that its effects are increased when exposure starts before birth.

A new study looked at the effect of giving aspartame to mice.  They were exposed to aspartame starting before their births (at 12 days of gestation) and lasting until their deaths.  At that time, autopsies revealed a significantly increased risk of liver and lung cancer.

According to the study in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine:

“The results of the present study confirm that [aspartame] is a carcinogenic agent in multiple sites in rodents, and that this effect is induced in two species, rats (males and females) and mice (males).”

Caffeine Lovers

Asthma Symptoms? Try Caffeine

(this article can be found in the NY Times)

The chemical structure of caffeine resembles that of a common asthma medication that relaxes the airway muscles and relieves respiratory problems, reports Anahad O’Connor.

In a 2007 study in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, researchers pooled and analyzed the results of a half dozen clinical trials looking at the effects of caffeine on asthmatics. They found that caffeine produced small improvements in airway function for up to four hours, compared with a placebo, and that even a small dose — less than the amount in a cup of Starbucks coffee — could improve lung function for up to two hours.

Healthy Gums..

Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Healthy Gum..

Researchers have recently found omega-3 fatty acids may actually lower the risk of gum disease. This finding came after studying data of more than 9,000 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 1999 and 2004. Omega-3 fatty acids are primarily found in fish oils and have a number of healthy benefits including their ability to significantly reduce harmful inflammation in the body. The data indicated that the top one third of participants in the survey in terms of those who consumed the most omega-3s in their diets had an approximately 22 percent reduction in their likelihood of developing gum disease, as compared with the bottom one third. While more research is needed, this is more positive news for the consumption of higher quantities of omega-3 fatty acids and thus, more reason to eat foods high in omega-3s (primarily fish) as well as consider a quality omega-3 supplement.

Sugar... Sugar... Sugar

In the past generation we’ve seen the amount of sugar we consume grow exponentially. Until recently, we had been eating sugar mainly found naturally in foods. It was used as a treat or in small quantities and was never a problem. But today, over a third of the calories we consume come from sugar or white flour, which is highly refined and acts just like sugar in our system. Our bodies cannot cope with such an enormous load. Sugar gives you an initial high, then you crash, then you crave more, so you consume more sugar. It’s this series of highs and lows that provoke unnecessary stress on your adrenals. You get anxious, moody (sugar is a mood-altering drug) and eventually you feel exhausted.
Sugar is also associated with many chronic problems that include decreased immunity, some chronic infections, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, diabetes, pain syndromes, irritable bowel syndrome, ADD, chronic fatigue, and candida. Research suggests that one of the main causes for decreased immunity is that sugars inhibit the entrance of Vitamin C into white blood cells, which then inhibits immunity. The more sugar, the less productive your white blood cells are and thus, the less immune you are. Furthermore, sugars stimulate insulin secretion in the pancreas, which in turn stimulates the liver’s triglyceride production. Triglycerides are linked to stroke, heart disease and obesity. The list goes on and on. Dr. Frank Lipman provides us with all the info on how to curb a sugar addiction.

Here are some tips to help you cope with sugar cravings

• Eat regularly. Eat three meals and two snacks or five small meals a day. For many people, if they don’t eat regularly, their blood sugar levels drop, they feel hungry and are more likely to crave sweet sugary snacks.
• Choose whole foods. The closer a food is to its original form, the less processed sugar it will contain. Food in its natural form, including fruits and vegetables, usually presents no metabolic problems for a normal body, especially when consumed in variety.
• Have a breakfast of protein, fat and phytonutrients to start your day off right. Breakfast smoothies are ideal for this. The typical breakfast full of carbs and sugary or starchy foods is the worst option since you’ll have cravings all day. Eating a good breakfast is essential to prevent sugar cravings.
• Try to incorporate protein and/or fat with each meal. This helps control blood sugar levels. Make sure they are healthy sources of each.
• Add spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.
• Take a good quality multivitamin and mineral supplement, Vitamin D3 and omega 3 fatty acids. Nutrient deficiencies can make cravings worse and the fewer nutrient deficiencies, the fewer cravings. Certain nutrients seem to improve blood sugar control including chromium, Vitamin B3 and magnesium.
• Move your body. Exercise, dance or do some yoga. Whatever movement you enjoy will help reduce tension, boost your energy and decrease your need for a sugar lift.
• Get enough sleep. When we are tired we often use sugar for energy to counteract the exhaustion.
• Do a detox. My experience has been that when people do a detox, not only does it reset their appetites but it often decreases their sugar cravings. After the initial sugar cravings, which can be overwhelming, our bodies adjust and we won't even want the sugar anymore and the desire will disappear.
• Be open to explore the emotional issues around your sugar addiction. Many times our craving for sugar is more for an emotional need that isn’t being met.
• Keep sugary snacks out of your house and office. It’s difficult to snack on things that aren’t there!
• Don't substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar.
• Learn to read labels. Although I would encourage you to eat as few foods as possible that have labels, educate yourself about what you’re putting into your body. The longer the list of ingredients, the more likely sugar is going to be included on that list. So check the grams of sugar, and choose products with the least sugar per serving.
• Become familiar with sugar terminology. Recognize that all of these are sweeteners: corn syrup, corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, honey, molasses, turbinado sugar and brown sugar.
• Sugar in disguise. Remember that most of the “complex” carbohydrates we consume like bread, bagels and pasta aren’t really complex at all. They are usually highly refined and act just like sugars in the body and are to be avoided.

Most And Least Contaminated Produce

New research suggests that exposure to high levels of organophosphate pesticides -- commonly found on berries, celery and other produce -- could raise the odds for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The below list of information from the Environmental Working Group details some important facts about the most contaminated and least contaminated types of produce.The Dirty Dozen
Of the 12 most contaminated foods, 7 are fruits: peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, cherries and imported grapes.Notable findings:

More than 96 percent of peaches tested positive for pesticides, followed by nectarines (95.1 percent) and apples (93.6 percent).

Nearly 86 percent of peaches contained 2 or more pesticide residues ‚ followed by apples (82.3 percent) and nectarines (80.6 percent).

Strawberries and domestic blueberries each had 13 pesticides detected on a single sample. Peaches and apples were second, with 9 pesticides on one sample.

Peaches had been treated with more pesticides than any other produce, registering combinations of up to 67 different chemicals. Strawberries were next, with 53 pesticides and apples with 47. Celery, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale, collard greens and potatoes are the vegetables most likely to retain pesticide contamination:

Some 95 percent all celery samples tested positive for pesticides, followed by imported cucumbers (84.5 percent) and potatoes (84.2 percent).

Nearly 85 percent of celery samples contained multiple pesticides, followed by sweet bell peppers (61.5 percent) and collard greens (53.2 percent).

A single celery was contaminated with 13 different chemicals, followed by kale (10), and collard greens, domestic green beans, spinach and lettuce (9).

Celery had been treated with as many as 67 pesticides, followed by sweet bell peppers (63) and kale (57).The Clean Fifteen The vegetables least likely to test positive for pesticides are onions, sweet corn, sweet peas, asparagus, cabbage, eggplant and sweet potatoes.

Asparagus, sweet corn, and onions had no detectable pesticide residues on 90 percent or more of samples.

More than four-fifths of cabbage samples (82.1 percent) had no detectible pesticides, followed by sweet peas (77.1 percent) and eggplant (75.4 percent).

Multiple pesticide residues are extremely rare on vegetables low in overall contamination. No samples of onions and corn showed more than one pesticide. Sweet potatoes showed multiple pesticides in 9.3 percent of samples.

The most contaminated single sample among the low-pesticide vegetables showed 4 different chemicals. The fruits least likely to test positive for pesticide residues are avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, domestic cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit and honeydew.

Fewer than 10 percent of pineapple, mango, and avocado samples showed detectable, and fewer than one percent of samples had more than one pesticide residue.

Nearly 60 percent of honeydew melons had detectable pesticides but only 14.2 percent of samples contained more than one residue. Grapefruit had residues on 54.5 percent of samples, and 17.5 percent showed multiple pesticide residues.