Archive for Health

Rock Your 4th Of July: Do’s & Don’ts To Make It Guilt-Free

4th of July is one of the most important holidays in the country and chances are that you have your day planned with a trip to the beach, rooftop fireworks or maybe a backyard barbeque. All the pressure to be social, sporting your best summer body and overdosing on food and drinks can be totally exhausting. Here’s a quick list of do’s and don’ts so that you can have all the fun with no regrets:

Diet Shakers
Don’t drink endless beers or high calorie cocktails. Drinking 0 calorie drinks sweetened with aspartame is pointless because it all converts to processed sugar in the body.

Do sip on 0%calorie unsweetened beverages like Zico Coconut water or some sparkling water instead.

Deal Breakers
Don’t overdo the hotdogs, dips and grilled meats. Keep a watch on your noshing.

Do look for healthy 4th of July inspired recipes. Some of our favorites are from the Lichi blog and Eating Well

Skin Savers
Don’t force yourself into too tight a bikini or a dress you are not comfortable in. After all a hot sweaty peak of the summer event demands that you feel comfortable.

Do get inspired to tot a Kelly Osborne style covered up look to the beach- bathing suit with a frilly skirt. Retro is in this summer so get a 50s inspired dress to save you.

Workout Summary
Don’t suffer from heat exhaustion if you’re taking your workouts outdoors. If you feel that your face is flushed, accompanied by excessive fatigue or dizziness, then it’s time to stop.

Do pack in a workout before you head out to celebrate. This will set your metabolism on high gear and burn all the calories faster.

The 411 On Metabolism

There are some popular myths surrounding the word metabolism or the energy production process in our body. A lack of proper understanding, leads people on to starvation diets, try harmful metabolism boosters or use slow metabolism as an excuse for their body shape. But before we debunk the common myths surrounding it, let’s get down to answering what is metabolism? It is the process by which the body breaks down food and rebuilds that into larger complex molecules and stores it in our body. The break down involves changing complex food molecules into simpler ones and releasing energy, and this energy gets transferred into the other process that involves rebuilding or wear-and-tear of our body. The simple golden rule of metabolism is that when energy release equals energy consumption, then the current body weight is maintained. Its simple, if the ying and the yang of metabolism are balanced, then you are not piling on any pounds! But this simple logic has been overly complicated and here are some of the most common myths undone:

Myth#1: Slow metabolism is genetic
This is an often-quoted excuse for being out of shape because even if your body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) or the ability to burn calories while at rest is slower than other’s, you can definitely overcome that limitation by building more muscles in your body. While every pound of fat burns merely 2 calories per day, muscles burn 35. So weight training for muscle building and aerobic exercises like cardio training are full-proof ways of pumping up your BMR during your workout and afterwards. This means no more blaming your genes.

Myth#2: Eating once meal a day keeps you thin
This is a sure shot way of increasing your body fat and sinking your body’s BMR. Without sufficient nutrition the body cells learn to live on smaller dosage of energy, and store body fat in anticipation of starvation. When you don’t eat for over six hours your BMR drops by 15%. Then when you do eat, your body becomes too sluggish to break down the food and release energy at its normal pace and tries to play it safe by conserving it to fat. If you want your metabolism working hard along with staying healthy, eat 5-6 low-calorie mini meals a day focused on whole foods rich in nutrition.

Myth#3: When you eat late in the evening, everything turns to fat
Remember your body’s metabolic processes are on even when you are sleeping although operating at a slower pace. Therefore, feel free to eat if you are hungry but just stay way from raiding your refrigerator at night for unhealthy snacks and going on binges when you can’t get sleep. Since you will be going to sleep in a few hours anyways, don’t load up on refined sugars but a healthy snack especially when you have to work late or finish chores at home, won’t necessarily make you fat. Metabolism is about balance so starvation is as bad as bingeing.

Myth#4: Cardio workouts boost your metabolism better than weight lifting
Weight training is best when it comes to lifting your BMR… when you strength train enough to add 3 pounds of muscle, you increase your calorie burn by 6 to 8% meaning that you burn about 100 extra calories every day. Aerobic exercises, on the other hand, doesn’t significantly increase your body’s lean muscle mass. Ryan D. Andrews, a certified strength-training specialist suggests muscle training for the largest muscles in your body to build more lean mass. He suggests squats, push-ups, and any exercise that combines upper and lower body movements

Can Probiotics Make You Lose Weight?

We associate probiotics with intestinal balance, digestive health, and even immunity but a recent study suggests that the right bacteria in our gut can do more than that. Having the right microbial profile affects eating patterns and fat storage in the body. Let’s see what role can the bacterial balance and a probiotic play in helping you lose weight…

BMR and metabolism aside, it has been concluded that fat people and lean individuals have very distinct gut bacteria profiles. Those with obesity-prone strains metabolize more energy and store them as adipose tissue or body fat. These also tend to alter the nutrient-sensing ability in an individual that alters how much a person tends to eat. If you are not born with the right gut profile, scientists have also concluded that the right strains can be replicated. Further, certain probiotic strains that can quickly produce conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) could lead to better weight management.

As with all scientific research, gut profile alteration and specialized weight-loss inducing strains will translate into reality in a few years from now. Meanwhile, you can still benefit your weight-loss efforts by taking the right probiotic. Probiotics are not magic diet pills but they affect the way that energy (calories) is digested and therefore could help regulate the process by which energy can be used by the body, including becoming fat. Incorporating a probiotic in your diet regimen can really help you get into shape.

It is important to get a probiotic that is delivered safely into your system and can yield maximum results. For instance, the Lichi Super Probiotic has 3 advanced fast-acting strains that are better protected from stomach acids. Look out for these features and get a daily dose of probiotics to help you lose weight.

Healthy Flu Fighting Behaviors

Flu season actually spans a few seasons — infections can happen from October to May — but most people catch the bug between late December and March. Blame it on being in close quarters during those months and the fact that the virus thrives in cold, dry conditions.

1. Vaccinate!
The best way to protect your family: Get everyone who’s six months or older (including yourself, even if you’re pregnant) vaccinated. They are available from you doctor, for from many local drug chains such as Walgreens or Rite Aid. Your local grocery store may even run a free shot program for qualified persons. Either way, a $35 shot now will save you a lot in tissues and NyQuil later on.

2. Wash Your Hands

Other flu-busting strategies include frequent hand washing with soap and water (or cleansing with alcohol-based sanitizers). Carry a small bottle in your car or purse to use after high-germ impact situations, like using a public restroom or riding the subway.

3. Steer Clear.

Beware of people who are already sick! Though we don’t recommend treating your loved ones like pariahs, now is not a good time to be kissing, hugging, sharing cups, with them. Also, if you are sick, or feel you are getting sick, do or others what you would have them do for you: Load up on hand sanitizer, blow your nose into disinfectant laced tissues, and wipe down surfaces after you use them. In extreme cases, just avoid public situations altogether. Though your friends will most definitely miss your charming personality at that event or function, they certainly won’t miss the millions of germs you bring with you!

4. Eat Healthy

Now is not the time to indulge in greasy, fried comfort foods, no matter how miserable you are and really want to! Reach for citrus fruits, juices and that old standby, chicken soup!

5. Avoid Alcohol

If you feel the flue coming on, even a tiny bit, stay away from the bar! Chronic heavy drinkers suffer from more colds and flu-and their complications-than others do, and even regular moderate use of alcohol can compromise immune response.

Sugary Drinks: Healthy Choice Or A Diet Disaster?

Everywhere you look nowadays in stores or on billboards there is a new line of sports drinks claiming to do everything from increasing your focus to replenishing your body and detoxifying your system. The ads will have you believe that these drinks are a tool for becoming the super athlete and fitness pro you always dreamed of and they also give the overall impression of being the healthy choice. But what should we believe in? Are these drinks really good for you? Is your body really craving those well-hyped nutrients and electrolytes?

Most health experts agree that sports drinks that have electrolytes and sodium are beneficial to professional athletes and marathoners. Lets face facts: Most consumers of sports drinks are just regular everyday people, and a half hour on the elliptical is not exactly at par with a marathon run.

Like soda, sports drinks can be habit forming. The sodium and glucose in many formulas can lead people to drink to excess. Not only is the sodium a factor in increased voluntary fluid intake but the flavor and sweetness have a role as well.  Unfortunately, at 50 calories in an 8-ounce serving, you may be getting an energy boost, but you are also getting a serious dose of calories and sugar.

The truth is that for the everyday athlete there can be negative side effects of too much. An athlete that drinks an energy drink before a game might feel energetic for a while, but as the glucose levels rise in the body, it will lead to a sugar crash. An athlete is likely to feel lethargic, rundown, and listless within a couple of hours after consuming the energy drink because the sugar levels in the body will go from really high to really low, and this can be dangerous during sports. In addition, the sugar, sodium, and other ingredients can lead to dependency and dehydration, which is the negative intended effect of drinking sports drinks in the first place.

The bottom line is that while sports drinks can help competitive athletes, students taking gym class and casual exercisers simply do not need them.  Sports drinks add extra empty calories.  Water is the best re-hydration drink for most exercisers.

Blast Your Muffin Tops

Do you detest that stubborn roll of fat squeezing out above your skinny jeans? Unfortunately for many women there’s a problem that refuses to budge. Dealing with stubborn fat around you waist that results in what is commonly referred to as a “muffin top” begins with understanding the underlying causes, like the hormones responsible for it. Attack your muffin top with a focused plan from experts:

The key to controlling your belly fat lies in reigning in your cortisol (stress hormone) and insulin levels. Here are some tips to control both:

1. Get enough sleep- Lack of sleep is a surefire way to up your stress hormones and increase your cravings for sugary, sweet and indulgent comfort foods apart from inducing midnight binges.
2. Low carb, high protein meals: Limit your intake of  carbs to 1/3^rd of your overall meal. Lower intake of starchy foods help reduce insulin spikes in the body which helps your torch belly fat. You can experiment and find the right balance for your body instead of giving up completely on carbs.
3. Eat mini meals- You should eat mini meals every 3-4 hours to control your stress hormone and keep your body from plunging into the starvation mode after which it tends to store body fat. Similarly, make sure to eat breakfast so that your body doesn’t start off on the energy conservation mode.
4. Intensify your workouts- Short bursts of intense training sessions increase your lean and muscle building hormones in the long run so make sure your workouts includes bursts of high intensity interval trainings. This will much more useful than moderate-intensity lengthy workouts.
5. Get out of the hormonal loophole- Eat high fiber food to break out of the hormone cycle that keeps taking you back for more. Food that is low in fiber gets digested quickly, introducing a surge in insulin that in turn dips your blood sugar and makes you crave for a carb fix to reinstate the level. Veggies and whole grains delay the digestion process, keeping you full longer and helping you break out of this cycle.

Following these tips will definitely help you torch away the muffin tops.

Foods To Get You Through That Cold

If your office is anything like ours, tissues are at a high premium right now. With all the wheezing and sneezing you’d think we are working on a hospital ward! But before you reach for that industrial sized bottle of Nyquil to drown your sorrows, consider these natural ways to get back on track to good health.

Chicken Soup

It’s kind of a clique, but it really works! Hot chicken soup helps clear clogged airways, and the nourishing broth will give you more energy. Add plenty of vegetables, including onion and garlic, for extra healing power.

Hot and spicy food

Some people swear by garlic, horseradish, chillis or spicy sauces to help ease congestion. Cook Indian or other ethnic foods that contain these ingredients, or simply add a spicy sauce to foods for extra zip.

Garlic

This fragrant bulb contains a flavoring agent called alliin which acts as a decongestant. Garlic is also believed to act as an antioxidant and destroy free-radicals, the active oxygen molecules that damage cells, so add garlic liberally to your favorite foods.

Fluids

Stay hydrated with plenty of liquids. Instead of coffee, fizzy or sweetened drinks, have plenty of water and pure fruit juices. Hot beverages work better for some people, so consider chamomile or peppermint herbal tea, or sip on hot water with a slice of lemon.

Citrus fruits

Drink orange juice for breakfast, snack on half a grapefruit, or add tangerine slices to a lunchtime salad. Getting an increased amount of vitamin C is especially important if you smoke, as smoking increases both your risk of catching a cold and your body’s need for this protective vitamin.

Ginger

Many people find fresh ginger root helps treat the coughing and fever that often accompany colds and flu. Try making a ginger tea: Pour a cup of boiling water over 2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger and let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remember, what you eat and how you take care of yourself will dictate how fact you get better and how well you bounce back afterwards. A daily routine of high-fat, high-sugar junk foods, skipped meals and lots of caffeine can make you more susceptible to minor illnesses like colds and flu. Instead, make sure you eat plenty of whole grains, fruit, vegetables and low-fat protein to keep your immune system strong. Think of nutritious foods as part of your cold-and-flu armour, and you’ll be ready to do battle whenever illness strikes.

The Cellulite Fighting Diet

Cellulite may be the scariest word in the English dictionary. With the power to transform smooth, toned skin, to mounds of lumpy flesh, the thought alone, has women pounding the pavement, running hills, and treadmills in the attempt to thwart this unsightly monster.

But with age, metabolism, and genetics playing a factor in the accumulation of this outward display of fat, sometimes all the running, squatting, lunging, body creams, and massages known to man, won’t make a difference in the appearance of cellulite on most woman.

As much as 80% of women will develop cellulite, and while there is no sure cure, there are ways to halt, slow, or diminish the rearing of cellulites ugly head.

One sure way to defend against cellulite is to fight back on a cellular level. Since cellulite is made up of cell tissues that alter due to changes in your metabolism, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and the amount of body fat, the key then to guarding against its development, is ingesting healthy products that help counter these changes. You are what you eat is an old cliché, but it’s so true. Fatty foods breed fat, and a clean diet breeds a clean body!

Leading physicians believe that certain foods might be your best bet against cellulite because of their hydrating, collagen-producing, and anti fat-storage abilities, that prevent cellulite from forming in the body.

What foods should you add to your shopping cart if you want to naturally beat those fatty bumps away? According to Self, produce with high water content like apples, grapes, papaya, oranges, watermelon, mangoes, and leafy green vegetables help to keep your body properly hydrated, flushing out unwanted toxins. The more water in your food, the more hydrated your body will be, and the more supple your skin will appear. In addition to eating these fruits, you should be drinking at least 80 fluid ounces of water a day.

Another cellulite-buster? Collagen-producing foods like oranges! Citrus fruits should be at the top of your cellulite-prevention shopping list because of their ability to produce collagen, a crucial component for keeping skin elastic and stretchy. When your skin loses collagen and elasticity, those dreaded fat deposits are more likely to appear, but a diet rich in foods that help stimulate collagen production will keep your skin resilient.

Another vital cellulite fighter – grains! A diet rich in high-fiber, low glycemic grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, and bulgur that provide the body with detoxifying ingredients that help reduce fat deposits as opposed to white starchy carbs like white bread, cookies, donuts, and even certain cereals that cause your blood sugar to spike, and actually promote fat storage.

With only a few months away till summer, skip expensive anti-cellulite treatments, and instead opt for an anti-cellulite diet, and stick to it! Your hips, thighs, and bum will thank you, and with less cellulite and more money saved, you can treat yourself to that new trendy bikini, that leaves the thought of cellulite to the imagination.Remember that Lichi Super Fruit can always step in to your rescue and zap those last few unwanted pounds away.

Scary Skinny: How Thin is Too Thin?

Every woman, no matter how skinny she really is, secretly wants to lose a few pounds in certain places, but its important not to give in to an unhealthy obsession with weight. Hollywood and the fashion industry seems to have set the standard impossibly low, making many women think that a size 0, or even smaller, is the healthy and beautiful size to be. This misconception is reinforced by the delusional protestations of healthiness coming from obviously sick starlets like LeAnne Rimes and Ali Lohan. But what are the REAL facts on weight?

First of all, what counts as underweight? The conventional knowledge is that women who have a BMI of less than 18.5 are considered to be underweight. This would mean that many of those “enviable” models you see strutting their toothpick legs on the runway are actually at risk for the following side effects:

- Muscle weakness and fatigue are side effects of being underweight. You may also lose muscle mass if you are too thin, because your body starts to use your muscles as fuel.

- Hair loss is a side effect of being underweight, because your body does not have enough nutrients to grow healthy hair.

- Osteoporosis, or loss of bone mass, is more common in very thin women. Those who don’t eat enough might be low in the nutrients calcium and vitamin D, which are necessary for strong bones.

- Being underweight lowers your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is too low you might feel tired, have dizzy spells and actually faint.

- Irregular menstrual periods and difficulty getting pregnant are side effects of being underweight, because your hormonal system is disrupted from lack of nutrients.

- Being too thin, especially if you are approaching middle age, will age your face. When you lose weight, you also lose the fat in your face that reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

We at Lichi promote a safe, healthy weight maintenance program. Though for many of us, putting weight on is not a problem, we must also keep in mind that from fat comes fuel for our bodies. Please visit www.lichidietplan.com to find out more about finding the right healthy balance for your body type!

Why Meatless A Day Is Good For You?

I am all for being vegetarian once a week. Going meatless is a smart health choice considering all the benefits: reduced risks of heart disease and cancer, less chances of developing type2 diabetes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and a thinner body structure. Consequently research shows that cutting meat from your diet means getting more dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium and unsaturated fat. But inspite of the bonuses of a meatless diet instead of going all out with, it is nutritionally sound to embrace it in steps or introduce it once a week like the phenomenon known as Meatless Monday. The Meatless Monday trend is quite abuzz with celebrities from Jessica Simpson to Jessica Capshaw giving momentum to it and has reportedly helped a number of people lower health risks and get in shape.

So are there any real pitfalls of a meatless diet? You do have to be extra careful about packing enough of certain nutrients into your diet like vitamin B12 which is found naturally only in animal products, iron which is more easily absorbed in the body from meat sources like beef, omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, DHA, EPA, zinc, and iodine. Some people take nutritional supplements for the extra boost or incorporate an alternate vegetarian source like dark greens as an iron substitute or toss avocado and broccoli into their salad to make up for omega 3. And vegetarianism does not guarantee a heart healthy diet if you gravitate towards refined food and cheese. To satiate your senses with a meatless meal, add a lot of texture and color to your meals with crunchy nuts and a colorful blend of vegetables. With all the interesting recipes from Eatingwell Magazine and Meatless Monday, your taste buds won’t be wanting for more.

There are diverse ways of foraying into a vegetarian lifestyle: vegan diets that completely exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products; lacto vegetarian which makes room for dairy products but eliminates the rest; flexitarian diet that is primarily plant based but allows for everything else in moderation. Whether you are opting for vegetarianism once a week or as part of daily living, this is what your ideal vegetarian food pyramid should look like… 6 servings of grains, 4 servings of nuts and legumes, 4 servings of vegetables, and 2 each of fruits and fats. And here is a list of must-have foods to balance out a meatless diet:

Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, hummus
Protein substitutes: Tofu, mushroom, tofu edmame, soy milk, tempeh, nuts, seeds, texturized vegetable protein, seitan
Whole grains: Brown bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, quinoa, oats
Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, collard green, spinach, sweet potato, winter squash, carrot
Fruits: citrus fruits, strawberries, dried fruits, apples, melons

Balance You Digestion Through The Holidays!

Has your regular diet fallen by the wayside during the holidays? Or do you plan to travel or a warmer clime? No matter what your holiday plans are, they are bound to throw your digestion out of balance. Not only does this bring on discomfort with indigestion and irregularity, but also leaves your immunity weakened and makes you vulnerable to a whole lot of diseases and pesky infections! Do we want any of that to creep into our festivities? Definitely not. Here’s what you can do to give your body that edge through the holidays:

# 1 Get The Power Of Probiotics

Probiotics maintain a healthy level of “good” bacteria in the intestines, which boosts digestive function and the body’s immunity. Especially at this time when we are stressing our bodies with extra food, diet and travel, probiotics keep your system running optimally. If you are boosting your diet with yogurt, a probiotic supplement does the work of an army of yogurt.

#2 Squeeze in a workout

It’s especially challenging at this time of the year but daily exercise will help you maintain peak energy levels and avoid the holiday binge that results in the extra holiday pounds. It also gets all the indulgent food moving through your system.

#3 Stay hydrated

Alcohol consumption, which is at its peak right now, dehydrates your body and makes you susceptible to illnesses including a poor digestive health. Drink atleast 8 glasses of water a day to ensure that your body is flushing out all the toxins and giving you a holiday glow.

#4 Get a good night’s sleep

Give the late night parties and holiday chores a break and get your 8 hours of sleep. Lack of sleep weakens your immune system and disturbs your digestion. You don’t need this while trying to look and feel your best.

Be Thankful For These In A Thanksgiving Spread

The big Thanksgiving day has almost arrived and for most of us, we have already been for at least one pre-Thanksgiving dinner, making our way through tons of delicious but high calorie and high cholesterol food. But next time keep an eye out for these super-veggies that actually pump up the healthiness of any Thanksgiving spread, making us almost grateful to have found them on that table. Needless to say, load your plate up with these goodies and go easy on the rest:

Pumpkin- Rich in Vitamin A, fiber, and the good unsaturated fat, pumpkin is one super-veg for the holiday season. Low in calories, sodium and fat, pumpkin can be served up as soup, mash or roast vegetable. Pumpkin pie, however, becomes a high-calorie food because it’s made with eggs, sugar, evaporated milk and baked in a high-fat pie crust. To make a lower-fat pumpkin pie, you may consider using an egg substitute, light cream or low-fat evaporated milk in your recipe.

Sweet Potato- is a rich source of antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamin C. It is also an excellent source of potassium. Maximum benefits of sweet potato are unleashed when it is boiled or steamed, so a sweet potato mash is healthier than traditional mashed potatoes. If you eat the skin, you will also reap the health benefits of fiber, making the sweet potato a healthy holiday food.

Cranberries- These are packed with Vitamin C, manganese and dietary fibers. If you have ever experienced an UTI, you know the power of cranberries. Cranberry sauce makes a festive sumptuous addition for many during Thanksgiving, so don’t feel too bad about that cranberry sauce.

Green Beans- One of the healthiest holiday foods, these are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. They also contain a good amount of vitamin A, dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron. Green bean casserole in a traditional Thanksgiving meal is rather high in calories as it contains butter, cream of mushroom and cheese. Prepare this dish with lower-fat version of these ingredients such as fat-free cream of mushroom and light butter and you will be able to enjoy the yummy taste without the guilt!

Brussel Sprouts- These can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering and cancer-fighting properties. Ubiquitous in most family Thanksgiving meals, make the most their flavor and nutritional bounty, this holiday season.

Thanksgiving Recipes with a Healthy Twist

Eating healthy can be near impossible over the holidays. The temptation to eat is everywhere! Denying yourself is only going to make the fall harder when you inevitably succumb to temptation, so we have put together a few of our favorite, healthy choices for your Thanksgiving spread. Give this Thanksgiving a healthy twist with these:

Artichokes Alla Romana (Source: mayoclinic.com)

Stuffed artichokes make an appealing and substantial side dish. The simple but flavorful stuffing complements the artichokes’ nuttiness without overpowering them. This side dish is filling and flavorful without being laden with the usual holiday fat.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh bread crumbs, preferably whole wheat (whole meal)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large artichokes
2 lemons, halved
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plus 2 to 4 tablespoons vegetable stock, chicken stock or broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread the crumbs in a shallow baking pan and bake, stirring once halfway through, until the crumbs are lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Working with 1 artichoke at a time, snap off any tough outer leaves and trim the stem flush with the base. Cut off the top third of the leaves with a serrated knife, and trim off any remaining thorns with scissors. Rub the cut edges with a lemon half to prevent discoloration. Separate the inner leaves and pull out the small leaves from the center. Using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out the fuzzy choke, then squeeze some lemon juice into the cavity. Trim the remaining artichokes in the same manner.
In a large bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the Parmesan, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and pepper. Add the 2 to 4 tablespoons stock, 1 tablespoon at a time, using just enough for the stuffing to begin to stick together in small clumps.
Using 2/3 of the stuffing, mound it slightly in the center of the artichokes. Then, starting at the bottom, spread the leaves open and spoon a rounded teaspoon of stuffing near the base of each leaf. (The artichokes can be prepared to this point several hours ahead and kept refrigerated.)
In a Dutch oven with a tightfitting lid, combine the 1 cup stock, wine, shallot and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Arrange the artichokes, stem end down, in the liquid in a single layer. Cover and simmer until the outer leaves are tender, about 45 minutes (add water if necessary). Transfer the artichokes to a rack and let cool slightly. Cut each artichoke into quarters and serve warm.

Low Cal Green Bean Casserole (Source: Shape Magazine)

This is an old fashioned favorite with a low cal twist! At just 90 calories per 3/4-cup serving it’s just as creamy and crunchy as the original. The secret is in the fresh green beans and the wonton wrappers!

Ingredients

4 cups Fresh Green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cooking Spray
2 Shallots, sliced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Cups of Rice Milk
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
10 Wonton wrappers

Directions

Fill a 2-quart saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Place green beans in water and cook just until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat and spritz with cokking spray.

Sauté shallots until translucent and just starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are soft and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Use a bit more cooking spray if necessary to prevent the mushrooms from burning or drying out.

Shake rice milk thoroughly to thicken it, and add 2 cups to the pan with the mushrooms; bring to a boil. As the mixture is boiling, combine cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons of rice milk in a small bowl.

Add cornstarch mixture to rice milk in the pan; bring to a boil again. Whisk frequently until the sauce is thickened, then reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut wontons into thin strips. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Stir, then bake until golden brown (another 2 to 3 minutes), monitoring carefully to prevent burning. Set aside to cool. (Don’t turn off oven.)

Add green beans to rice milk mixture, stir to coat evenly, and place in a 2-quart casserole dish greased with cooking spray; cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the rice milk mixture is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven; top with the crisp wontons. Serve immediately, family-style.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie (Source: allrecipies.com)

OK, so NO pie is going to be exactly GOOD for you, but as no Thanksgiving is complete without a pumpkin pie, this one is lighter and creamier than most!

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups nonfat milk
2 (1.5 ounce) envelopes sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (9 inch) reduced fat graham cracker pie crust

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix. Beat with electric beaters for 1 minute. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and cloves and beat for an additional minute. Pour filling into the prepared crust. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until firm.

How To Be A Savvy Health Food Shopper

Are you a savvy health food shopper? With all the “natural”, “healthy”, and “organic” labels shouting out for your attention, it is hard to determine which foods are actually better for you. It is very easy to fall for nutritional nightmares and get caught in the labels traps, so here we have a checklist of what to look out for in your most common grocery items:

Breakfast cereals- Watch out for the fiber and sugar content, most cereals have similar serving sizes and calories. Try and find an option where the sugar comes from dried fruits and nuts, instead of high fructose corn syrup, with no more than 12 grams of sugar per serving. Look out for at least 5grams of fiber per serving and keep an eye on the sodium as well. Our favorites include Kashi Go Lean Original Cereal.

Bread- Look for low-calorie, high- fiber and low-sodium! White bread is out of question but that doesn’t mean all wheat bread is healthy. Stick to less than 100 calories, at least 3 grams of fiber and 150 milligrams of sodium. This is one product you can’t buy without reading labels. Look for 100% whole grains and the percentage of whole grain, oats and whole-wheat flour as compared to refined flour.

Prepared meals- Many of the microwavable options claim to be low calorie but that doesn’t necessarily make them healthy. Most have up to 30% of your daily sodium intake. Another hidden danger lurks in the form of saturated fats. Look for something that is less than 450 calories, has unsaturated fat source ingredients like olive oil and the least possible sodium percentage of daily value. For more on healthiest frozen meal options read Healthiest Frozen Meals.

Soup- Craving a hearty bowl of soup for dinner tonight? Unless you are making it from scratch, soup is not always healthy. Stay below 20% of your daily allowance of sodium and 200 calories per serving. That is a tricky one because most soups claim 2.5 servings. How does one measure that out? Soups can be low on protein so its best had as a partial meal or add a side portion of grilled chicken salad. If it constitutes your entire meal then it should have at least 10 grams of chicken.

Pasta: Only the 100% whole grain variety. Although the colorful vegetable variety looks healthy, but unless it is whole wheat with 7- 10 grams of fiber per serving, it’s not your healthy choice.

Rice and pasta- Choose rice and pasta that are high in fiber, and preferably pasta that is 100% whole grain. Brown rice doesn’t have as much fiber, but it has more than white rice. Pasta expands as you cook it, so an ounce of uncooked pasta has more fiber—and more calories —than an ounce of cooked pasta.

Healthy Eating Made Affordable: Enter the USDA Nutrition Video Challenge!

We all know that eating healthy is important, but one of the factors in adhering to a healthy diet (along with the lack of willpower when faced with a double chocolate sundae!) is not surprisingly, cost. In a floundering economy where we are all a bit nervous, we can often succumb to that dollar meal or the $1.50 slice and a coke deal for fiscal reasons, rather than making the healthy choice.

One good way to look at it is from a long-term cost benefit standpoint. Healthy eating can lead to better overall health and lower instances of preventable disease such as high cholesterol and heart disease. Also, with health eating comes the added benefit of living a more active lifestyle, which can have a positive effect on overall mental health and well being.

But as convincing as long-term health benefits may be, sometimes we are more pre-occupied with what’s in our wallets in the short term!

In an effort to promote healthy eating on a budget, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate Fruits and Veggies Video Challenge invites you to create short videos (approximately 30 seconds) showing how you’re adding fruits and vegetables to your diet without spending a lot of money. Videos can be anything you want, from inspiring to instructive — just show a healthy tip that has worked for you and that you think can work for other people. Videos must be submitted in one of the following categories:

• Tips for kids
• Tips when eating at home
• Tips when eating away from home

The goal of the challenge is to encourage healthy eating habits and raise awareness around USDA’s MyPlate dietary guidelines, which includes filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables. One winner will be chosen from each category, and will each receive a $1500 prize! Now that will buy a LOT of veggies! Even if you don’t win, we are sure watching the videos will give you a lot of ideas about feeding yourself and your family a healthier diet on a budget.

Click here for more information http://fruitsandveggies.challenge.gov/

Boost Your Colon Health, Naturally

A healthy colon is a must for overall good health, the lack of which can cause a number of illnesses like colon cancer, arthritis, allergies, asthma and so on. Potentially harmful substances build up in your gastrointestinal tract including bacteria, toxins, fat and cholesterol to cause these health conditions. Although getting a colon cleanse has become very popular, it is not recommended for various reasons like the possibility of dehydration and infection, so improving your intestinal health with natural diet options and regular exercise is the right way to go.

Promoting optimal colon health boosts the numbers of healthy intestinal bacteria, your energy and your immune system, in addition to preventing diseases. Eating a fiber rich diet and drinking 8-10 glasses of water is beneficial for maintaining a healthy digestive tract. But this is not enough! You need the help of specific natural foods and supplements to restore your digestive balance, that gets disrupted from time to time with stress, poor diet, and antobiotics. Here is a list of things you can eat to promote better colon health:

Ginger root extract: There is enough scientific evidence about the healing property of ginger on the digestive tract including the prevention of colon cancer. Among other things, ginger root soothes inflammation. Make the most of ginger laced food found in exotic cuisines such as Chinese and Indian food.

Oil palm trunk fiber: Growing mostly in Malaysia, it contains a high level of insoluble fiber. In fact, research has determined that oil palm trunk fiber is one of the best sources of fiber known today, that is superior to most known forms of fiber and is very efficient in restoring colon health. Although not widely available in the United States, there are certain brands of imported cereals that incorporates this.

Food rich in calcium, especially turnip, mustard green and collard green promote colon health and reduce risks of colon cancer significantly. Although dairy products are also rich in calcium, they are not the best sources for colon health as they lack fiber content.

Legumes like dry beans, soybeans, peas and lentils greatly benefit your colon. Specially, pinto beans benefit your digestive system with 60 percent of the 25 g of dietary fiber per day recommended for a healthy diet by USDA. Low in fats and calories, these legumes help you control your weight as well.

Probiotics: Colon health is directly proportional to the level of probiotics in the body. Although foods help in restoring adequate probiotic levels, it is not sufficient for restoring years of imbalance that prevails in the standard American diet. That’s where supplements like Lichi Super Fruit Super Probiotic with strains of clinically proven good bacteria can step in to lift your digestive and colon health.

Pesticides In Your Food How Much Is Too Much

With the advent of the “Organic” movement, much fear has been generated over the use of pesticides in food, but what are the real risks? And if there are serious risks to the use of pesticides, why do growers continue to use them?

Pesticides in food, when used responsibly, can allow growers to produce healthier, more plentiful crops, necessary for providing enough food for an ever growing population. Responsible pesticide use can also ward off bugs, bacteria, and other harmful predators that may be in your food. But how much is too much? And what are the side effects?

Though no conclusive evidence yet exists regarding negative effects on humans from everyday, moderate consumption of pesticides in food, laboratory studies have shown that pesticides, when ingested in large doses, can cause health problems, such as birth defects, nerve damage, cancer, and other effects that might occur over an extended period of time. However, these effects depend on how toxic the pesticide is and how much of it is consumed.

For these reasons, the Federal Government, in cooperation with State Governments and Growers Associations, carefully regulate pesticides to ensure that their use does not pose unreasonable risks to human health or the environment. In particular, the Federal pesticide program is designed to ensure that these products can be used with a reasonable certainty that they will pose no harm to infants, children, and adults.

Still concerned? Here is a list of the most pesticide-ridden foods, on average, that you can either avoid, or spring the extra bucks for the organic version from WebMD!

Here’s the EWG’s list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that had the worst overall pesticide scores:
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines (imported)
7. Grapes (imported)
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries (domestic)
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/collard greens

Sources:

List courtesy WebMD: WebMD http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20110613/apples-top-12-foods-with-most-pesticides

Are Your Emotions Making You Fat

Does fighting with your boy friend, having a bad day at work or just a bad hair day make you drown yourself in a tub of double chocolate chip ice cream? In women, what and how we eat is so closely tied to our emotions, that it is impossible to attain a healthy body weight without overcoming our emotional eating patterns. A little indulgence is not always harmful but over eating triggers a fresh wave of guilt and makes you feel worse than you did.

Before we get to what to do, let’s look at what situations usually trigger emotional eating? It can be anything from boredom, loneliness, restlessness, anger, sadness, and so on. The bottom line is women frequently turn to food to make themselves feel better. So when faced with emotional triggers, take a deep breath and realize that the solution to your problem doesn’t lie in food and practice this instead:

Post-breakup: Don’t try and fill the void left by the disintegration of a relationship with pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream or black out drinking sessions. Instead focus on activities that make you feel better: join hobby classes, go for a run by yourself or pair up with your best friend. These will release feel good hormones while food will only bring you temporary comfort.

Social events: Ones where you don’t know anyone can make you run for the comfort of the snack table. But focus on making new acquaintances and connections instead of eating when you are not hungry. Look for someone who is not talking to anyone and start a conversation. Similarly, don’t overeat to please a guest when you sit down at a dinner table. Politely compliment them on the food but no need to go for seconds.

Office parties: Office lunch outs or a 4p.m. birthday cake are all good breaks from your usual stressful work routine. But don’t de stress while gorging on avoidable calories and eat only what you would otherwise eat, or take a few polite bites focusing on conversation with your colleagues.

Unhappy at work: Spending 8-9 hours a day in an environment that is less than fulfilling can be very stressful…be it a boss from hell or being passed up for a promotion. Workout before you get to work, or leave work early to go for a run and relieve your stress and stay in a positive frame of mind. This will take the edge off and help you not munch your way through a stressful day. Curl up with a nice book in the evenings or go out and see your friends. Spending company time sending out resumes can be very satisfying as well when stuck in a limbo.

Your best friend got married while you are still single: Don’t turn to chocolates to make yourself feel better for not having found the one for you. Instead focus on the positives in your life: like at least you are not stuck in a bad relationship and keep doing things that you like to do … travelling, dancing, and so on. You never know when you come across the one for you.

Could Excess Body Weight = Breast Cancer?

Being overweight or obese unleashes innumerable health problems and yes, one of them could be breast cancer! According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, 25 to 30 per cent of cases could be avoided if women were thinner and did more exercise. What’s worse is that slimming down doesn’t necessarily lower your chances of getting the most rampant form of cancer among women today, breast cancer. Being overweight once in your life already fuels your risks for the lifetime. So during this pink ribbon month, we at Lichi, encourage you to make the association between weight management and this deadly disease, and start making preventive lifestyle changes today. 

So how is obesity linked to breast cancer? Fat tissue triggers off excess levels of the hormone estrogen and that in turn increases risks of estrogen-sensitive tumors. But hormones are only one of the ways in which obesity can harness tumors in the body. There are many more pathways for obesity to trigger several forms of breast cancer, even the most dangerous and somewhat mysterious triple negative breast tumor, which has nothing to do with the obesity related hormone. On an average, women with higher BMIs and less physical activity are 30% or more susceptible to risks of breast cancer.

The effect of obesity on breast cancer is more marked among post-menopausal women, with 1.5 times the risk as compared to a woman with a healthy body weight.  There are an estimated 11,000 to 18,000 deaths per year from breast cancer in the U.S. for women over age 50, which might be avoided if women could maintain a BMI under 25 throughout their adult lives. Obesity also makes it harder to detect tumors, which means that the cancer gets to later stages undetected in heavier women. Although BMI is a stronger indicator for cancer related risks, body fat distribution and higher abdominal fat are also considered to be very risky factors.

1 out of every 8 women are at risk, so make the following lifestyle changes now to fight breast cancer:

Watch what you eat: Eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables specifically breast cancer preventing foods like omega 3 rich walnuts, flax seeds, salmon, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. Whole grains are also very helpful.

Exercise, exercise and exercise: Keep the fat cells and abdominal fat at bay with cardio and pilates. Strength train and build lean muscles that stay with you through your lifetime, especially as you hit menopause and your breast cancer risks soar. According to Women’s Health Initiative, as little as 2 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman’s risk by 18 percent so incorporate 5-6 hours of workout a week.

Drink less: Alcohol intake increases breast cancer risks by about 26% so cut down on your alcohol consumption.

Skip the bra occasionally: Although bras do not cause the cancer initially but they restrict the flow of lymph within breast tissue, which cleans away toxins that resides in these tissues. Accumulation of toxins is a trigger for breast cancer.

Get yourself checked: Luckily for us, there is advanced science. A new screening method called molecular breast imaging (MBI) is three times better than mammograms at finding small cancers in women after 40. Go for regular check ups after you hit menopause.

Sources:

www.cancer.org

www.emaxhealth.com

www.dailymailuk.com

Beat Childhood Obesity & Raise Healthy Kids

Healthy habits begin at home. Kids who are raised eating healthy and nutritious meals are more likely have a lifetime of healthy body weight, be less prone to obesity related health conditions, and sport higher self-esteems. Studies have made it evident that eating styles very easily rub off on others in the family, so the “meat and soda” style consumers are more likely to feed their kids more animal protein and sweetened beverages, making them vulnerable to childhood obesity.

With nearly a third of the children population in America carrying more than their required body weight, it’s time for parents to cut back on the comfort of junk food, become more aware of child and teen nutrition and set good examples. Here are some tips on how to raise healthy children and get them to develop nutritionally sound eating habits:

Keep healthy food at hand: Remember one of the best weight loss tips is to stock up your pantry with fresh fruits, veggies and snacks? The same applies for fostering healthy habits in children. They will eat what they can get their hands on. So make sure you keep plenty of healthy food lying around at home instead of junk food. That means having bowls of fruits and cereal based snack-packs instead of chips and candies.

Family meals once a day: Apart from spending quality family time together, cooking nutritionally balanced meals with vegetables and salads, and eating them together sets the right food values for your children. Research shows that children who eat dinner at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. If it is not a regular feature in your family, start with 1 night a week or a weekend breakfast. Try serving up healthy portions of food for your family instead of a serve-yourself and fill up their plates with equal portions of meat, grains, and vegetables to show them what ideal food portions look like.

Don’t force healthy habits on them: Nagging them about bad choices is a sure way of losing them to unhealthy food habits. Instead redirect their choices: trying roasting your own fries instead of buying French fries, sneak some greens into your Mac-n-Cheese, drizzle some chocolate syrup on fruits for dessert instead of ice cream. Show encouragement every time they make healthy choices.

Don’t deny food your kids like: Instead of completely cutting out unhealthy foods that are their favorites, get them to make positive associations with certain foods like eating cereals in the morning will keep them focused in school, drinking low-fat milk and protein will help them grow strong and excel in sports, or antioxidants make them healthy and look good. These positive associations and understanding what good food can do for them, go a long way in reinforcing good eating habits for life. On the other extreme, food denial can lead to forms of bulimia and anorexia, specially in teenage girls.

Empower them to make good decisions: Get your children to participate in deciding what they should eat and let them pick what they want occasionally when you go grocery shopping. Decision making at an early age helps them take charge of good eating habits and lets you incorporate and balance out what is not best for them.

Encourage them to get moving: The second most dominant reason for obesity in the U.S. is children getting less exercise. Encourage your children to participate in physical activities like sports and dancing instead of watching T.V. and playing video games. Also plan family trips and picnics that involve physical exercise like hiking, rafting or ice-skating. Getting them to like being physically active wards off risks of obesity risks.

Raising healthy children is a difficult task and it takes a lot of patience to steer your family’s habits in the right direction, but creating a supportive environment with healthy food relationships is the only way to ensure that your kids have a balanced perspective on body weight. Incase your children are heading towards being over weight, seek help and intervene early to nip the problem at the bud.

How do you work towards raising healthier children?

Cure Candida With A Dose Of Super Probiotic

Our immune system and digestive health have far reaching health implications including symptoms caused by the yeast Candida. Normally, Candida Albicans is a yeast that lives harmlessly in the body, controlled by beneficial bacteria found in the digestive tract and our immune system. But when the beneficial bacteria count dips due to antibiotic use, stress, negative eating habits, and dehydration, the Candida growth continues unchecked leading to symptoms such as tiredness, stomach pain, muscle aches, and poor memory. The symptoms are more pronounced in women with localized infections such as oral thrush, vaginal itching and infertility.

Now that Candida seems scary enough as a health condition, what can be done to avoid it? Candida thrives on a weakened immune system and since 80% of our immune system is present in our digestive tract, a healthy dose of probiotic is helpful in reinstating the intestinal balance. Anyway with time, several factors including stress, travel, diet and medication, result in the growth of unfriendly bacteria including Candida in the body, and a good probiotic supplement unleashes a team of friendly bacteria that fuels your digestive and immune health, and keeps the bad bacteria in check. The Lichi Super Fruit Super Probiotic made with three clinically proven strains of bacteria is one of the most advanced and fast acting formulas that restore your digestive health. Healthy body starts with a healthy digestive system, so work on that to boost your overall health!

It is equally important to incorporate dietary changes to ward off discomforting and often embarrassing symptoms of Candida. Sugar, both refined sugars and artificial sweeteners lead to pH imbalance and acidity that weaken the immune system and allows Candida to thrive. Other common diet culprits that feed this yeast include dairy products, bread, vinegar, and mushroom. Along with a dietary change, consider taking a cleanse from time to time, like the Lichi Super Fruit 6 Day Cleanse, to flush your system of Candida yeast and restore your body’s balance.

When battling a case of Candida overgrowth, here is a list of effective and natural fixes:

Lichi Super Fruit Super Probiotic: Made with a proprietary blend of Lychee berry and other natural ingredients, this is a supplement of choice for restoring your digestive health and immune system, to battle Candida and prevent future occurrences

Garlic: Candida cannot survive when garlic is present, so add to your normal meals, or for more convenience take standardized garlic capsules three times per day

Oregano oil: The phenols in oregano oil, especially wild oregano oil, are highly concentrated and extremely effective in fighting bacterial infections, fungal infections and Candida overgrowth

Back To School Power Snacks

Back to school is a busy time for all of us. For parents it may mean that the kids are finally out of your hair for a few hours a day, but it also means an exhausting schedule of drop offs, pick ups, karate classes, ballet recitals and volunteer drives. Even for those of us without kids, it means the end of summer hours, no more long strolls at lunch. Its back to the rush of new projects at work that fill the months leading up to the holidays.

Being constantly on the go can be trying on your diet; the temptation to grab a donut on your way to a meeting, or to crack into your kids Oreo stash as you head out the door can be irresistible. Here are a few easy grown-up go-snacks that won’t slow you down OR add to your waistline!

Fruit Cups

No, we don’t mean the pre-made kind stored in syrup! Before the week starts, take the time to cut up some apples, watermelon, and cantaloupe and divide them out into easy to grab storage cups.

Nuts

Go nuts for nuts! You can either buy bulk and divvy out your own nuts into sandwich bags, or you can get pre-packaged single packs like Planters On the Go-Snack packs. At less than 150 calories a bag, nuts pack a great energy punch to keep you energized and on schedule.

Frozen Grapes

We love love love frozen grapes, and kids like them too. Somehow the frozen coldness just makes grapes taste better.

Dried Fruit Organic Crisps

We love the organic crisps from Bare Fruit, but they can be hard to find. Most large grocery chains such as Trader Joes or Whole Foods offer their own generic substitute. The apple cinnamon flavor is perfect for fall!

Oatmeal

It’s not just for breakfast anymore. Instant Oatmeal is filling and low calorie as long as you don’t go for one of those pre-mixed flavored kinds that are loaded with sugar. Keep a few packets in your purse or your desk at work. They also make a great lunch when you are too busy to leave your desk.

Overweight & Healthy

If you are to judge by any weight loss show or health magazine, any sort of extra poundage means you are on the fast track to diabetes, heart disease, cancer and a whole host of obesity-related chronic illnesses. But is this true? It has been found that as many as 20 percent of the overweight population is actually quite healthy inspite of being large. Let’s see what that implies for the equation between body weight and health…

Up until recently, most research has been focused on people who are obese and really large with a BMI of 30 or more. When the slightly overweight folks are separated out from the obese, the health risks drop and sometimes even disappear. New studies from the CDC and the National Cancer Foundation recently found that although obese folks had a greater risk of dying from cancer or heart disease, those who were slightly overweight had, surprisingly, no greater risk than normal-weight people.

And there’s good news for even the truly obese as well. Another study recently published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism shows that obese people with only minor health problems – like high blood pressure or diabetes – live just as long as anyone else. Researchers looked at 6,000 Americans who were obese over a 16-year time span and compared their risk of death with non-obese people. They found that relatively healthy people with a higher body weight in young adulthood had a similar death risk to their slimmer counterparts, the caveat being that both groups reported eating healthy food and exercising regularly. Some people simply have slower metabolisms than others. Genetics as well as lifestyle habits, including diet and fitness level, both play a part in whether or not an overweight person develops chronic complications due to their weight.

It begs the question whether you be overweight and healthy at the same time? It seems that you can. However, it’s not a free pass to go for that rocky road. A healthy diet must still include plenty of fruits and vegetables, and exercise is a must. While carrying some extra fat may not in itself be detrimental, a lifestyle that encourages weight gain that includes a sedentary lifestyle and high-fat and high-sugar diet, could take a toll on heart health and lead to high cholesterol levels.

Still that doesn’t negate the fact that losing weight still make you simply feel better. Aside from the obvious and unfair social stigma that comes with being overweight, there are other benefits to being healthy such as less impact on your joints, more stamina, or just being able to slide into a cute pair of jeans right off the shelf.

It’s a balancing act. Crash diets, wiring your jaw shut and crazy fads, in the long run, rarely work out. Fitness is most of all about how you feel and that’s why we are proud of our Lichi line: it’s natural, effective, and as part of a healthy lifestyle can help you achieve your desired weight without any crazy antics!

Don’t Fall For These Food Label Traps

Next time you go grocery shopping, try and sift through the barrage of apparently healthy-sounding labels which are not healthy at all. Trust us you will mind many. Over a period of time marketers have realized that in pursuit of healthy eating, diet conscious consumers respond to certain cues better than others so while the food world is infiltrated with healthful sounding options like ‘veggie chips’, ‘zero transfat’ and ‘reduced fat’, most of them are traps you should never fall into. Here is some useful information on how to read your food labels and avoid deceptive healthy halos:

Reduced-fat: A reduced fat version usually has 25% less fat than the original product but this in no way means that the product is actually low in fat. Many reduced fat items especially desserts and baked goods contain significant amounts of fat and the serving sizes on the label can be misleading as well factoring in a smaller portion than you would normally eat. Many reduced fat items are worse because sugar and salt is added to balance out flavors from loss of fat. A product can be labeled low fat if it contains 3 grams or less of fat per serving and the total fat content is 30 percent or less of the total calorie count. Read the label carefully to see the source of fats, preferably opting for mono and polyunsaturated fats. Also take care to see that not more than 30% of your overall daily calories come from fat sources.

0 grams of transfat: Found commonly in chips and peanut butter, this label takes the cake when it comes to misleading consumers. According to the current labeling practices, the manufacturer can put the trans-fat number at zero if the item has up to 0.49 gm per serving or less, and so a lot of the no transfat labeled products usually make you consume dangerous levels of it. For example the serving size for a bag of potato chips might be 5 chips. So if you have 11 chips you go way over your daily permissible transfat limit, which is 1.11 grams. Watch out for hidden trans-fats especially in your dairy and meats where it occurs naturally.

Made with whole grains: Many products that claim to be whole-grain actually list refined flour as one of their first ingredients. FDA currently does not specify the percentage of grains or whole wheat that has to be present in a product to qualify for the ‘whole-grain’ label so be careful and read the label to identify whole wheat as one of the key ingredients.

Veggie variants: The word veggie thrown into chips and pasta make it seem so much healthier than its regular counterpart but don’t forget that chips are still chips and pasta is still pasta. Infact, most of the time they have as many calories. Opt for whole-wheat pasta and cut actual veggies up with small amount of dips for a low-fat and fiber-rich snacking option.

Made with real-fruits: Another dicey label because a lot of them have no real fruits, a little of it or just artificial concentrates.

Calorie counts: FDA guidelines allow a 20 percent margin of error and believe it or not, packaged foods usually have at least 8 percent more calories than advertised. So your 500 calorie dinner meal could actually have another 100.

Lightly sweetened: This is a claim that is currently not regulated by FDA so these products may contain any amount of sugar. Better go for sugar free or reduced sugar products that have to adhere to FDA guidelines.

Healthy: A “healthy” product must meet certain criteria that limit the amounts of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and contain minimum amounts of vitamins, minerals, or other beneficial nutrients. However, it may still contain large amounts of unhealthy sugar, artificial ingredients or preservatives.

Follow these tips and read labels carefully before you fill up your grocery cart next time because a healthy body weight and lifestyle starts with making smart choices and outsmarting marketing gimmicks.

ALL TAPPED OUT – HOW SAFE IS YOUR CITIES DRINKING WATER

While dining out, when the waiter asks if you’ll have bottle or tap, for many of us the answer comes with some hesitation. My guess is as good as yours.. that’s pretty much the look that passes between guests at a table, unless there’s someone there who advances the question further, by asking the waiter “if the water here is filtered”.

The bottle vs tapped vs filtered debate is just about as clear as the agendas of the Democrats, Republicans and Tea parties. On one hand you have concerns about environmental safety, on the other hand there’s your health to consider. As with politics, you can’t appease all the people, all of the time, but you can be informed enough to cast your best vote.

Facts on Tap Water

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets standards and regulates water provided by public water systems. There are approximately 153, 530 public drinking water systems in the U.S. and 650,00 underground wells.

In 2009 the EPA’s standard was 91 percent. Meaning 91% of the population served by community water systems should receive drinking water that meets health-based drinking water standards.

States That Made The Grade

In 2009 these states exceeded those requirements: Attaining a percentile rate of 94% are Indiana, Kansas Missouri, and Nebraska. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Barely making the grade at 92% are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

At 95% percentile we have Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

At a whopping 96% we have Arizona, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South, Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

At the highest and near perfect 97% percentile we have California, Hawaii, and Nevada.

States That Failed

At 90% just below National standards are the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania
At much less than National Standards at 79% are Michigan, New Jersey, and New York.

Of note, states as a whole may have received an average grade better or worse than their individual cities. For example certain cities in California fall far below national standards, while cities in New York rank far above, i.e. the city of New York has the 13th cleanest water supply of all cities in the U.S. To view the full list click here. http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/rating-big-city-water

Facts On Bottled Water

Americans spend more than 30 Billion dollars on bottled water, but much of this water isn’t necessarily cleaner than tap. In fact 40% of bottled water comes from municipal supplies, including brands like Dasani and Aquafina.

The FDA regulates bottled water, and their standards are much like the EPA’s. Drinking bottled water generally assures that you are drinking the highest quality tap water, which by EPA standards can still contain trace amounts of contaminants like lead, microbial cysts, and industrial pollutants.

The manufacturing of plastic water bottles also uses gazillion barrels of oil, contributing to war, escalating gas prices and irreversible damage to the environment. Perhaps we may have drawn too strong conclusions here, but hey – we want to sway your vote if you’re still leaning towards replying “bottled” to your waiter, who by now has taken a seat.

Facts On Filtered Water

Water filters help remove the 9% of containments and impurities that the EPA allows municipal water supplies to leave behind.

If your city falls below national average, there is no need to panic. Forego boiling pots of water for bathing, and stocking up on gallons of distilled water for drinking, instead install a home water filter to ensure your drinking water is safe.

So back to the million dollar question, when your waiter asks for bottled or flat, reply with “is your water filtered”, and if so gregariously respond with yes, if not, check to see if your cities water supply does not meet EPA standards, and only then resign to asking for bottled.

Why Tryst With Detox Cleanses?

Experts recommend detox diets and drinks for varying health reasons, ranging from de-bloating the belly to eliminating impure toxins and causal diseases to rejuvenating our body’s organs and energy levels. But being an absolute detox novice, I decided to give the Lichi six day detox program a go to check what it can do for me and unearth the whole buzz about detox. Here’s taking a peek at it….

So what is detoxfication? Our body naturally eliminates toxins through outlets such as skin, colon, kidney and lungs but time and again the accumulation of toxins wear down our body’s ability to perform at optimal levels and needs a little push from the outside to relieve the body of toxins and cellular waste materials. As a result degenerative diseases are prevented, mental clarity and energy is improved, and dependency on nicotine, alcohol and bad food habits are broken. While a detox program does not make you shed weight directly, it sets the body up to achieve maximum weight-loss by ensuring that your body is functioning and burning food at its maximum potential. Also the colon cleanse plays an important role in shedding those pesky last few pounds or removing colon-related obstruction in food digestion and metabolism. The most discernable takeaways from any detox cleanse are improved energy levels, healthy skin, clear complexion and a leaner belly.

Different detox programs have different scientific claims but most of benefit the following body processes:

Digestion- Eating ample fruits and vegetables in a detoxification program helps provide nutrients and fiber and reduces waste and gastrointestinal issues.

Metabolism- The detoxification process breaks down fat in the body that stores toxins and metabolizes this body fat that is not letting the body work as effectively as it can. Setting the body on its fat burning path restores the body’s metabolism and the outcome is weight loss.

Focus- cleansing the body of toxins, breaking dependent bad habits and improving the blood flow helps relieve stress and anxiety.

If you cannot accommodate elaborate master cleanse plans, it is good to find natural ways to detox once in a while. The Lichi Detox plan based on all-natural products like ginger root and alfalfa is gentle on your system and lets you get rid of accumulated impurities without having to fast or go on a diet, fitting easily into a busy lifestyle and instantly setting the cleansing into motion with a surge in your energy levels.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

The healthy diet ideals that are based on eating more fresh produce, organic foods and ethically treated animal products, can weight down your pocket. Last week studies revealed that the new healthy eating guidelines from USDA would add another $380 a year to an average American’s grocery bills, so our Lichi team has put together some cost-saving advice that will let you eat a nutritionally sound diet all year long without breaking the bank. Here they are:

De-meat Your Diet: Emphasize on grains and legumes that are less expensive as compared to meat but pack a solid protein packed nutritional punch. For under $2-a-can kidney or canellini beans or a serving of legumes can keep you feeling full for really long. Branch out to new grains like quinoa, barley and couscous to add variety and depth to your meals.

Cook Your Own: Get out of the lazy mode of living that makes you reach out for the corner deli fried chicken or dial a pizza. Instead stock up your pantry with essential grocery for the week so that you can mix and match meals throughout the week. A few pantry essential, for less than $35 all put together, can take you through a week of dinner. What do you really need then? A little bit of imagination. Our week’s worth of essentials are: mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, garlic, mixed greens, herbs, roasting chicken, 1% milk, cheese, brown rice, whole wheat couscous and pita, canned beans, frozen veggie mix, olive oil and seasonings.

Power Of Bulking Up: Buying in bulk can save a lot of money. You can purchase grains, pastas, dried fruits, nuts and flours in the bulk isles of your grocery or natural foods store. You can choose the amount that works for you (bulk doesn’t mean you need 25 pounds of rice at a time!), and bulk food sections give a lower price per quantity ratio while saving on packaging.

Buy locally and eat seasonally: Don’t forget to scout out your nearest farmer’s markets for fresh produce which mostly sell stuff grown organically. Not only is fresh produce a lot healthier and better tasting but a lot cheaper as well since they are not carried half-way across the world. Get creative with your diet and experiment with season appropriate recipes like a hearty winter minestrone soup with dark greens or an arugula and cherry tomato summer salad. The bursts of fresh flavors keep you from wanting more seasonings.

Forgo processed foods: While processed foods apparently appear to be cheap, these empty calories leave us feeling hungry soon after or spike our blood sugar levels which leads to more expenditure on food and a drain on our health. Eat a reasonably priced whole food based diet to stave of unnecessary hunger pangs that has you munching meaninglessly.

The Problem Of Obesity In America Getting Worse Not Better & What It Means For America’s Deficit Issue

America is in hot water and it’s not just with economics. Staggering deficits in the health outcomes of U.S. residents also continue to plummet, with 2/3rds of all U.S. states now reporting more than a quarter of their citizens as obese.

The health consequences of having a BMI greater than 30kg/m2 (the standard measurement of obesity) are not merely cosmetic, but linked to severe coronary heart disease, type 2 Diabetes, forms of cancer, hypertension, stroke, liver and gall bladders diseases. Also being over-weight can detrimentally impact a person’s quality of life, advocating for an urgent national call on healthy weight-loss and prioritizing the issue for all of us. Especially considering that obesity rates amongst our children have more than tripled in the last 30 years, further escalating obesity related diseases like Diabetes, which were previously relatively unheard of in such a young population.

Obesity currently costs the nation more than 147 billion dollars annually, contributing to an already over inflated debt, which does not even include total costs to employers for time off and insurance co-pay related issues of being overweight.

In this day and age, so many of us feel disconnected from our government and resign to stay on the sidelines, watching the headlines instead of actively participating in possible solutions to collectively take our country back in a positive direction.

The dilemma of obesity is a community issue and to combat it we need everyone in the community to do their part. There are tons of organizations and programs aimed at getting America back into shape, and we encourage you to join, volunteer, or donate to an organization near you.

As fans of Lichi Super Fruit, we know that you’re already on the path of healthy living, so forge ahead! Start a lunchtime walking group at your office, organize a community sports team for kids in your neighborhood, and spread the news.

For more on obesity in America and how you can help, check out these great prevention programs, and resources.

http://www.letsmove.gov
http://1.usa.gov/nihwecan
http://www.cdc.gov/leanworks/
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/international/relres.html

Myths About Meal Replacements

Losing weight can be one shaky endeavor. Between all the calorie counting, exercising do’s and don’ts, and self deprivation, surviving long enough to reach your goals can be tricky. That’s where great calorie and portion controlled options like meal replacements come in handy, taking all the guess work out of dieting. But meal replacements tend to raise an eyebrow with people having several apprehensions about surviving without “real food”, unappetizing tastes or battling a constant feeling of starvation. So if you are one of those who feel meal replacement is not your go-to diet option, think again. Knowing the art of making meal replacements work means fast tracking and managing your weight loss with ease by incorporating it correctly into your diet, without having to compromise on nutrition, satisfaction or even taste.

With so many meal replacement options today, it’s a mixed bag and you have to be cautious about picking the right one. The right meal replacement option should sport the healthiest ingredients, fit comfortably into your diet and lifestyle plan and definitely tempt your taste buds. We suggest that you read labels carefully before you take your pick. Your choice of meal replacement should be packed with these essentials: protein, natural metabolism boosters, fiber content and trace vitamins like zinc and beta-carotene to nutritionally balance out your diet. All this should be packaged into less than 300 calories per serving. Getting creative with your meal replacement makes it far more effective so throw in little extra treats like a handful of fruits or nuts. The natural whey protein and lychee berry based Lichi Super Fruit Meal Replacement makes room for plenty of creativity at just 120 calories per serving; adding a little strawberry or banana just hits the right spot under 300 calories. When it comes to taste, today there are several enticing chocolate and fruity options available that will keep you coming back for more.

Another hiccup is that some people complain about feeling hungry within half-an hour of consuming their meal replacement. Don’t let hunger derail you by picking a fiber rich option with high content of malodextrin or add extra seaweed fiber and whole grains to reduce your hunger by 30% and staying full for up to five hours. Some formulas like Lichi Super Fruit act as natural appetite suppressant to help you along further. While on a meal replacement based diet, health experts advice snacking on “real food” like cottage cheese and fruit or peanut butter and cracker to boost your nutrition and palate.

Very low-calorie and low-protein diets can cause serious health problems so incorporate at least 1-2 nutritionally balanced meals a day, following the new “MyPlate” guideline including several portions of fruits and vegetable. Don’t depend solely on any meal replacement for all your daily sustenance. You can have your own preference about which meal/s to substitute…while some like the ease of on-the-go meal replacement for lunch or breakfast trying a hand at the Kellogg’s Special K Challenge, others opt for a light grain-based alternate like the Advocare peanut-butter as a dinner swap. If you don’t want to hit the meal replacement road hardcore, it can still be a good healthy snack option rather than your regular vending machine fare.

Finally, your meal replacement choice should work long-term and not let your weight yo-yo every time you go on and off the product. It is important to embrace a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a conscious diet that retrains your appetite, metabolism and fitness. That puts the responsibility of your weight management goals on you but meal replacements can effectively start you on the right track and help you along the way whether you are looking for a quick low-calorie meal fix or an extra protein and nutrient boost in-between with measured calories.

5 Deceptively Healthy Food That Can Ruin Your Diet

We knew it was too good to be true! With “lite” and “natural” plastered on every box in the grocery isle, its hard to tell what actually is diet friendly and what isn’t. We at Lichi have identified five of what we think are the most deceptive of all “healthy snacks”

1. Energy bars

Energy bars are full of fiber, which can make you feel full, but they are also loaded with calories. That’s fine if you replace a meal with an energy bar every now and then, but let’s be honest, most of us carry them in our purses as snacks. At an average of 300 calories a piece however, you  might as well just snack on a candy bar.

If you have the urge to snack, try having a granola bar instead!

2. Salads

We see the word “salad” and we think healthy right? Not even… Panera’s popular Fuji Apple Salad is, at a whopping 580 calories. You might as well eat a cheeseburger! And that doesn’t even compare to Quiznos’ Honey Mustard Salad, which topples the scales at 685 calories!

A salad is always a healthy option, but think logically. If you douse the salad in cheese, bacon, and creamy dressings, you are obviously detracting from the actual “salad” part of your meal.

3. Reduced Fat Anything!

Just because it has less fat that the original, doesn’t mean its good for you. Even though those potato chips are advertised as a “healthier” option, you have to take into account what they are touted to be “healthier” than. For example, Harvest Grain Cheddar Flavored Multigrain Sun Chips are 140 calories a serving, and a serving size is 1oz. That’s about 8 chips. How many do you eat in a sitting?

Beware of words such as Fat Free, Reduced Fat, Low Fat, Sugar Free, No Added Sugar and Diet. Use your common sense; if it tastes too good to be true, it probably is.

4. Frozen Yogurt

Yogurt is nutrient-rich. Live and active cultures are beneficial for the intestines and immune system, but not all frozen yogurts are created equal. Some contain live, active cultures, others do not. And unless specifically labeled, many frozen yogurts contain nearly the same amount of fat as a reduced-fat ice cream, as well as the same number of calories.

5. Sports Drinks

These are for athletes, so they must be good for you, right? WRONG. Just because they may have medical-sounding names doesn’t mean that they have any real nutritional content in them. Both Vitamin Water and Life Water contain 32.5 grams of sugar per bottle, so you might as well follow up a workout by eating a full sized bag of Hershey Kisses. And Gatorade, that old standby, is a whopping 316 calories per 12 fluid ounces.

Our advice? If you are thirsty, drink water!

Age-Defying Tips For A Healthier You

No matter what our ACTUAL age is, we want to look and feel like we did in the heyday of our 20′s. It’s really not that difficult to recover the driving go-getter energy or the abundant zest that we once felt for life. Turn back your body clock with these age-defying tips and let onlookers do a double whammy every time you pull out your driver’s license:

Tip#1: Age-proof your meals and load up on your five servings of veggies and fruits before you hit the proteins. Anti-oxidants in these foods are all the more important for their anti-aging properties, and refueling and rejuvenating your skin and body. For an age-proof nutrient punch we recommend plenty of broccoli, berries, avocados, and a heart healthy lean protein like salmon. We don’t suggest that you skimp on dessert and other foods you love but make sure that 90% of your food choices are healthy and leave a little room for indulgence. Little indulgences are a must for putting you in a happier and younger frame of mind. That’s where dark chocolate can deliver the much-needed punch.

Tip#2: Offset age with exercise since after you turn 25 women begin to loose their muscle mass and strength training helps repair and rebuild stronger muscles as well as boosts your stamina. Celebrity trainer Bob Greene advises focusing on lower body and core with a routine that combines a mix of squats, lunges and calf-raises using a set of dumbbells. Want to know Courtney Cox’s age defying secret? It’s total body workouts with cardio and weight training sessions five times a week.

Tip#3: Pamper yourself and splurge a little on your looks, be it a new revolutionary gravity defying face cream or keeping your locks lustrous and grey-free. While you don’t have to break the bank going under the knife, these little treats prolong your youthful looks and make you feel really great inside. Remember to enjoy your splurges guilt-free else you are just adding stressors, which can add up to five years to your skin’s age.

Tip#4: Feel good about your life because age and life experiences rob us of our rose tinted view of the world and after weathering a series of financial downturns, divorces and other life meltdowns, we can’t feel as upbeat about our lives as we did back when we were 21. But learning to cherish little moments like the warmth of waking up next to your partner, seeing your kids run around the house or your pet running up to greet you, all add up. Playing up what you have and cultivating a positive attitude towards life will recapture your earlier youthful attitude. And remember to get energized by seeking out adventures once in while like grooving to a new dance style, strapping on your ski boots or for a higher rush of adrenaline sky diving or rock climbing.

Tip#5: Hit the snooze button timely everyday even if that means putting off your chores for tomorrow or missing out on your TV show. No we are not asking you to act old but catching the zzz’s is the only way to allow your body the time it needs to reenergize. Also sleep deprivation is linked to weight gain and skin aging. So catch up on your eight hours of daily sleep to look and feel bright and young.

Protect Against Summer Health Hazards

Summer temperatures trigger many health woes from headaches, fainting spells and hidden hazards from the sun’s glare to breeding harmful bacterias that can surreptitiously attack your nervous system to kidneys. Here’s a quick list of the scary summer health hazards and strategies to nip them in the bud:

Skin Scrapes: Summers weather brings in exposed toes, bare skin and frequent trips to the beach, with it the chances of minor skin scrapes. When that happens, don’t blow it off just because you didn’t see the skin rupture or blood oozing out. It is possible that tenanus bacteria snuck into the wound and if allowed to thrive this can lead to nervous system problems, paralysis and ultimately death. So remember to stay updated on tetanus booster shots and incase you get a scrape, flush with lots of water, then slap on a bandage and antibiotic cream. Treat your skin scrapes with caution to ward off dangerous consequences!

Pesky Infections: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) flare up more commonly among women in summer months because of dehydration caused by the heat. From annoying itch and burn it can lead up to serious kidney problems, so take care to drink lots of water and beverages like coconut water that flush out your system, preferably wear cotton underwear and watch your hygiene when you take those tropical vacations or a dip in the public swimming pools.

Rising headaches: Did you know that everytime the temperature soars by 9 degrees, your chances of getting a headache escalates by 8 percent? According to scientific research conducted by experts at Beth Israel, this happens because the blood vessels in your skull swell up and press against the skull as the temperature increases. The fix is drinking large quantities of water, staying in the shade and wearing sunglasses while stepping out in the sun.

Fainting dizzies: Feeling dizzy or faint is common in the sweltering summer heat and this is more likely after a rigorous workout. A bad case of this can lead to a heat stroke. These conditions result from an abnormal increase in the body’s core temperature where the body’s heat coping mechanism sends warm blood to the skin surface and saps the brain’s supply. Drinking lots of water to prevent dehydration is a must when you step outside and if you experience a severe case of nausea or vomiting call 911.

Sun glare: Sunglasses that don’t prevent both UVA and UVB light from reaching your eyes, cause your pupils to dilate in the sun leading to cataract and other forms eye damage. Seek out labels that indicate UVA and UVB protection—and don’t bother buying a pair that doesn’t block at least 99 percent of both, be it a high-end brand or a knock-off. And remember to wear them every time you are out in the sun.

Skin flushing and hives: From rosacea to hives, summer weather brings out the worst in your skin condition. So if you have any known sensitivities take extra precaution to stay cool and drink lots of fluids.

Whatever your health problems are, remember that drinking water and staying hydrated can fix 90% of them !!

Diet For All Ages: Must-Have Foods for your 20s, 30s, 40s & 50s

Women’s bodies and hormones change throughout their life and so does their dietary requirements. Eating plays an important role is maintaining bone strength, heart health, supporting changes in moods and reproductive health, and preventing diseases. Here’s a list of age-appropriate must-have foods that you should eat depending on which decade of your life you are in:

For your 20s: Calcium is key for preventing osteoporosis later on in life and since most of your bone formation takes place by the time you turn 30, make sure you amp up on calcium during your 20s. The ideal requirement is 1000 mg/day so make sure you have 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy like milk, yogurt and cheese. One helping of cheese a day like Parmesan and Swiss cheese packs in about 340mg and 200mg of calcium per ounce respectively. Don’t get hit by iron deficiency that can impact your performance levels as you work your way through college and career. Boost your iron intake with low-calorie lentils, almonds, fortified cereals and greens like spinach that can supply at least 30 percent of your daily calorie requirement per serving. Lean beef is a great source of iron available in the most easily absorbable form for your body. For a healthy dose of iron and calcium, we recommend this healthy Hamburger recipe (sourced from Eating Well Magazine) topped off with loads of shredded cheese.

For your 30s: As you continue on with your childbearing years and possible pregnancies, keep up your iron intake. You can boost your iron absorption by pairing it with vitamin C-rich oranges and sweet potatoes. The other important vitamin that is needed in high doses to avoid birth defects is folate, requirement being about 400mcg/day. It is found abundantly in beans, greens, citrus fruits and fortified carbohydrate sources. Remember your body clock has been ticking and your body is different in its 30s from its 20s so get into the mode of a more heart healthy and calorie conscious diet. Minimize bad carbs and trans-fat from your diet and opt for complex nutrient rich carbs like whole wheat, millet and quinoa, and look for good fats in nuts, fish, avocados, and olive oil. This is also the time to start caring about skin aging and antioxidizing vitamins A, C and E should be present in good doses in you diet. For a heart healthy beans recipe, try this Veg-Head Three Bean Chili (sourced from Foodnetwork.com). We recommend skimping on the cheese topping and skipping the refried beans for extra healthy measures.

For your 40s: Being in your 40s can be more stressful because of added responsibilities of your family, grown up children and an accomplished career all at the same time. Most women complain of being drained out and this calls for the anti-aging properties of Vitamin C along with chromium to stabilize your blood sugar and control your weight. Also to ward off high blood pressure and cope with the slow down in metabolism after your 30s, eat more whole grains and salads. Think of vibrant salads with quinoa, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and fruits like strawberries for your vitamin, potassium and chromium requirements. We recommend this Quinoa salad (sourced from allrecipes.com) recipe packed with the goodness of citrus, good fats and whole grains.

For your 50s: Bone-strengthening calcium becomes increasingly important in your 50s. From age 30 on, cells that build bone become less active while those that dismantle bone keep working. And then that loss is accelerated during menopause due to decreasing estrogen. Better absorption of calcium also demands Vitamin D found in dairy products and liver. Eat tons of milk, kale, spinach and tofu. Menopause can also trigger off cancer and other life threatening diseases so consume antioxidant rich vitamins such as Vitamins A, B6, C and E that will help strengthen and boost your immune system while the natural immunity recedes. Prevent heart diseases with a Mediterranean style diet of seafood, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and olive oil and cut out alcohol and red meat from your diet completely. For light Mediterranean style dinner options try this Zucchini Rice recipe but substitute the white rice with brown (Sourced from allrecipe.com)

3 Step Diet Recovery: Bounce Back After An Indulgent Weekend

Summer, with its parties and vacations, can be a blast. What’s not to love about friends, cocktails, food and sun, right? Well, one too many nights out or vacation trips can leave you feeling stuffed and bloated. While you might feel defeated, push those feelings aside and get started on your recovery. What’s the best way to bounce back after a couple of diet mishaps? We’ve got you covered!

1. Hydrate.
Booze and salty foods will leave your body dehydrated. The first thing you should do when you wake up is drink at least 8 ounces of water to get your body flowing. Keep hydrated and aim to get at least 64 ounces of water throughout the day. You will feel much better and less bloated if you make sure to keep hydrated.

2. Eat.
Sounds counter-intuitive, right? But starving yourself the day after a long night of eating will only set yourself up for a binge. Eat a refreshing breakfast of fruit, especially bananas as they are rich in potassium. If you can manage to eat a larger meal, try to eat something with eggs. Eggs contain taurine and cysteine, both of which help flush toxins out of your body.

3. Move.
While you may be dead tired, drag yourself out of bed and do something active. Yoga, a light jog, it doesn’t matter, just get moving. Once your heart starts to pump and you sweat out those nasty toxins, you will feel lighter and more energized.

Whether you overdid it with the hot dogs or cocktails, it’s easy to beat yourself up for falling off the diet-wagon. But, instead of feeling guilty, be proactive! Feeling sorry for yourself won’t erase the calories so why torture yourself. Focus on the positive and get moving.

Easy & Healthy Outdoor Picnic Recipes

Staying within your diet this summer can be a picnic. With barbecues and picnic season in full swing, we’ve provided a few great recipes to keep your diet on track! Instead of creamy dishes or sugar-laden desserts, choose ones that are delicious and nutritious. We picked some of our favorite options for you that won’t skimp out on flavor but will help you stay on track with your diet goals.

1. If a refreshing lemon-flavored salad is your idea of a perfect salad, try this Tabbouleh salad. Instead of using brown rice, the salad uses bulgur wheat, a nutty whole grain that is rich in protein and fiber.

2. We’ve never met a bowl of hummus we didn’t like and we especially enjoy eating the homemade variety. Simple and easily transportable, you can bring the hummus before heading out or the night before.

3. A quiche might not be the kind of dish you’d think to take to a picnic, but they will definitely feed a crowd! Served at room temperature, this Crustless Smoked Turkey and Spinach Quiche serves up all the goods: eggs, smoked turkey ham, reduced fat cheese, and a healthy splash of spinach.

4. What’s our must-have picnic food item? Strawberries & Angel Food Cake! Light fluffy angel food cake slices of juicy, fresh fruits make for a divine dessert for your picnic. We tend to dollop cream on our cake slices but for picnic, we leave the cream at home. That just means we can have another slice, right?

The Sleep Whisperer: Get the Best Zzzs!

Eat a properly balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and protein. Exercise moderately. Stay away from smoking. Get regular checkups with the doctors. You do everything you can to stay healthy. But what’s the one area you fail in? Getting the right amount of sleep!

Despite the growing amount of research that highlights how important sleep is to a healthy body (and your own doctor’s recommendations), America’s sleep routine does not get a passing grade. In fact we fail! 70 million Americans have trouble sleeping and that disturbing statistic is steadily growing.

Catching short amounts of shut-eye can wreak havoc on your body’s internal clock, disturbing your body’s ability to reset itself and reach its desired resting equilibrium. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, “Persons experiencing sleep insufficiency are also more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and obesity, as well as from cancer, increased mortality, and reduced quality of life and productivity.” Those who don’t get the recommended amount of sleep often feel incapable of doing their routine tasks both in the office and at home. Not to mention, not getting enough sleep can actually prevent you from losing weight. Jodi A. Mindell, Ph.D., author of Sleep Deprived No More says, “Lack of sleep alters the flow of hormones that regulate hunger and satiety, which can cause you to eat more. And when you’re sleepy, you’re more likely to reach for high-fat, high-calorie foods to keep you going,”

What is the recommended amount of sleep that will keep you feeling the best? For adults, the CDC recommends about 7 – 9 hours, with teenagers requiring 8.5 – 9 hours. If getting 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep seems impossible, we’ve got tips on how to you can get your Zzzz’s and stay asleep!

Maintain a sleeping schedule.
It may seem ridiculous to implement a sleep routine but keeping a night time regimen works to get your body on track. Try going to bed at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning. Weekends can throw you off but try not to deviate. If you are planning for a long night out, don’t oversleep the next day or your body will be off balance.

Aim to workout in the morning, not late at night.
Yes, getting up early before your workday can be annoying but squeezing in your workout late at night after work can disrupt your sleep patterns. Working out increases your endorphins and gets adrenaline pumping, all of which will increase your energy. Not what you want right before you lay your head on your pillow. If you must workout at night, make sure you do some calming activities before going to bed.

Avoid sleeping on a full stomach.
If you try to sleep after downing a major burrito and chips, chances are you will be lying awake for a few hours. Your body can’t relax and unwind as your digestive system tries to digest your big meal. Eat your dinner at least 2 hours before your bedtime, to allow for proper digestion.

Stay away from caffeine and alcohol so close to bedtime.
Lunch or early afternoon meetings typically include coffee or soda, which can help you stay alert and focused. However caffeine after lunchtime will hinder your chances of going to bed at a decent hour. Caffeine stays in the body for up to 14 hours, meaning that large iced mocha you had as your afternoon snack is going to the culprit for your sleepless night.

Do you have any tips for getting a better nights rest? Share them in the comments section!

Sources:
Center for Disease Control & Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsSleep/
Redbook magazine: http://www.redbookmag.com/health-wellness/advice/sleep-hazards?click=main_sr

The Truth about Vitamins

Vitamins are essential nutrient groups that take part in most of our body’s processes and except for Vitamin D our body cannot make any of them. So we need to get them from the various sources of food in our diet and no single food source can supply all the vitamins we need, which is why we need to consciously consume an array of foods and have enough servings of fruits and vegetables a day instead of picking and choosing a few healthy foods. It is also essential to get updated on some of the recently discovered and not frequently talked about vitamins to make sure we are covering all grounds when it comes to good health. Here is a vitamin 101 for you….

Among the recently discovered vitamins, B13 considered more of a substance than a vitamin itself, helps metabolize other vitamins and folic acid and treats liver problems and multiple sclerosis; found in root vegetables like carrot and beet. Vitamin K, which is virtually unattainable as a supplement is useful for reducing heavy menstrual flow in women and can be incorporated in your diet through yogurt and alfalfa sprouts. For our beauty needs, Vitamin H also known as biotin aids in flawless skin and healthy hair and is found in abundance in dairy products, liver, beef and kidney. Another lesser known one, vitamin F helps found it nuts and seeds, reduce bad cholesterol and burns fat in our body by breaking down saturated fats.

Moving on the better known vitamins, A is an important anti-oxidant that fights free radicals in the body and aids in the building and strengthening of bones and skin, reducing the chances of chronic illnesses and the ageing process. To amp up on Vitamin A load up on beta-carotene found in apricots, carrots, cantaloupe, and pumpkin, and lycopene-rich tomatoes, watermelon, and guava.

Vitamin C is a treasure house of disease-fighting properties, aids in wound healing and plays a role in the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin C also boosts levels of brain alertness and increases concentration. The levels of vitamin C decline in our body with age so its essential to substitute it with our diet once you are 30+. Food sources of vitamin C include broccoli, grapefruit and grapefruit juice, kiwi, oranges, pepper, potato, strawberries, and tomato.

Vitamin E plays a key role in the formation of blood cells, maintenance of our body cells, fights skin-cancer and slows down ageing but be wary with this one because taking too much vitamin E daily increases the risk of bleeding. Food sources of vitamin E include margarine, corn oil, cod-liver oil, hazelnuts, peanut butter, safflower oil, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ.

Vitamin B group is especially important for women’s health, especially B6 and B12 and folic acid. These B vitamins are essential for brain function and building DNA and are especially important during childbearing years and pregnancy to prevent birth defects, and fight different types of cancer. Vegetarians and women over 50 specially need to watch out for B12 related deficiencies that can cause anemia. For B6 include avocado, banana, beans, cereal, meats, oatmeal, poultry, seeds; B12 dairy products and eggs; and get folic acid from spinach, greens, beans and citrus fruits.

Vitamin D helps to activate calcium and phosphorous, in the absence of which our bones get depleted leading to conditions like osteoporosis, which mainly afflict post-menopausal women. Turn to fish and sunshine for your regular fix of this vitamin.

Vitamin K, although not considered essential plays a critical role in promoting strong bones and maintaining normal blood clotting in older people. The best food sources include green leafy vegetables, soybean oil, broccoli, alfalfa, cooked spinach, and fish oil.

While you can have vitamin substitutes, they are best absorbed in the body in their natural form. The deficiency of these essential vitamins can be compensated by medicinal supplements but consult your doctor because there are severe consequences to consuming mega-doses of these vitamins.

The 411 on Metabolism

There are some popular myths surrounding the word metabolism or the energy production process in our body. A lack of proper understanding, leads people on to starvation diets, try harmful metabolism boosters or use slow metabolism as an excuse for their body shape. But before we debunk the common myths surrounding it, let’s get down to answering what is metabolism? It is the process by which the body breaks down food and rebuilds that into larger complex molecules and stores it in our body. The break down involves changing complex food molecules into simpler ones and releasing energy, and this energy gets transferred into the other process that involves rebuilding or wear-and-tear of our body. The simple golden rule of metabolism is that when energy release equals energy consumption, then the current body weight is maintained. Its simple, if the ying and the yang of metabolism are balanced, then you are not piling on any pounds! But this simple logic has been overly complicated and here are some of the most common myths undone:

Myth#1: Slow metabolism is genetic
This is an often-quoted excuse for being out of shape because even if your body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) or the ability to burn calories while at rest is slower than other’s, you can definitely overcome that limitation by building more muscles in your body. While every pound of fat burns merely 2 calories per day, muscles burn 35. So weight training for muscle building and aerobic exercises like cardio training are full-proof ways of pumping up your BMR during your workout and afterwards. This means no more blaming your genes.

Myth#2: Eating once meal a day keeps you thin
This is a sure shot way of increasing your body fat and sinking your body’s BMR. Without sufficient nutrition the body cells learn to live on smaller dosage of energy, and store body fat in anticipation of starvation. When you don’t eat for over six hours your BMR drops by 15%. Then when you do eat, your body becomes too sluggish to break down the food and release energy at its normal pace and tries to play it safe by conserving it to fat. If you want your metabolism working hard along with staying healthy, eat 5-6 low-calorie mini meals a day focused on whole foods rich in nutrition.

Myth#3: When you eat late in the evening, everything turns to fat
Remember your body’s metabolic processes are on even when you are sleeping although operating at a slower pace. Therefore, feel free to eat if you are hungry but just stay way from raiding your refrigerator at night for unhealthy snacks and going on binges when you can’t get sleep. Since you will be going to sleep in a few hours anyways, don’t load up on refined sugars but a healthy snack especially when you have to work late or finish chores at home, won’t necessarily make you fat. Metabolism is about balance so starvation is as bad as bingeing.

Myth#4: Cardio workouts boost your metabolism better than weight lifting
Weight training is best when it comes to lifting your BMR… when you strength train enough to add 3 pounds of muscle, you increase your calorie burn by 6 to 8% meaning that you burn about 100 extra calories every day. Aerobic exercises, on the other hand, doesn’t significantly increase your body’s lean muscle mass. Ryan D. Andrews, a certified strength-training specialist suggests muscle training for the largest muscles in your body to build more lean mass. He suggests squats, push-ups, and any exercise that combines upper and lower body movements

The Natural Medicine Cabinet

Take a hard look at your medicine cabinet. You may not know it, but chances are you have products that use harmful ingredients, increasing your exposure to possible toxins and parabens that can possibly lead to health problems down the road. Deodorants, soaps, toothpaste, face wash, lotion… The list of products you use daily that can carry harmful ingredients goes on and on.

Take toothpaste, for example. Some are filled with synthetic colors, fragrances, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners. Do you really want toothpaste that may clean your teeth but also delivers harsh ingredients, polluting your body?

Get educated about your natural options and live a cleaner, healthier lifestyle! We love these natural grooming and beauty options that leave us naturally fresh and clean.

Pangea Organics Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom Hand Soap

http://www.pangeaorganics.com/product/hand_soap-home_page-pyrenees_lavender-cardamom-bodycare-vegan-gluten_free/pyrenees_lavender_with_cardamom_hand_soap-2

When it comes to hand soap, you want only the best. Enter Pangea Organics Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom Soap. Gentle and nourishing, your hands will be soft, smooth, and clean.

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream: http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P275003&categoryId=C17824

Keep your skin naturally smooth and beautiful with Jurlique’s Recovery Night Cream. With its powerful blend of vitamin E, flower extracts, aloe vera, shea butter, and jojoba seed oil, your skin will be re-energized by the time you wake up.

Tom’s Of Main Simply White Whitening Toothpaste

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/products/toothpaste/product-details/simply-white-whitening-toothpaste

Brighten your pearly whites with Tom’s of Maine’s Simply White Whitening Toothpaste. Free of harsh chemicals and preservatives, this is one toothpaste you will feel good about using.

Miessence, Aroma Free Roll-On Deodorant

http://www.mionegroup.com/en/product/13303

Can a deodorant effectively work without aluminium compounds or chemical antiperspirants? Yes it can! Based on the traditional remedies of bicarbonate of soda to eliminate odours and aloe vera to soothe, Miessence is one of the best natural deodorant options.

Hugo Naturals French Lavender Hand Sanitizer

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/item.php?RID=607

Just because you want to be clean doesn’t mean you have to expose your hands to harsh, moisture-stripping sanitizers. Hugo’s uses natural lavender to soothe the skin while cleaning them of bacteria.

Korres White Tea Cleanser

https://www.korresusa.com/product/4304/cleanser/skincare/category/cleansers

One of the most popular natural cosmetic companies around, Korres offers you a chance to clean your skin naturally without stripping it of moisture, like common cleansers.

Going Dairy Free: Tasty Alternatives for Lactose Intolerant & Calorie Conscious Individuals

Around 50 million people in the United States suffer from lactose intolerance, a condition that leads to discomfort after consuming milk or other dairy-based products. If you have been diagnosed with this condition, you have to read labels carefully to avoid food containing any form of milk including whey, curds and milk by-products. You have to constantly watch out because anything from corn chips to salad dressings to medicines may contain traces of lactose. While soy, rice and coconut milk make great substitutes, dairy-free food options can be quite high in sugar and fat. Here’s a list of guilt-free treats you can safely indulge in without worrying about the lactose or calorie scare:

1. So Delicious Dairy Free Vanilla Frozen Dessert: This soy treat tastes like the real deal, making it perfect for lactose intolerant people. The best part is that a half-cup serving only has 130 calories and 3g of fat, making it a guilt-free indulgence.

2. Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds: If you are craving some mac-and-cheese style comfort food or game day nachos, try these for a super healthy cholesterol-free, trans-fat free and artificial ingredient free cheesy substitute. It has only 80 calorie per serving and 6g of fat.

3. Eat In The Raw Parma Vegan Parmesan: Add his great-tasting healthy vegan parmesan to your pizza, pasta and salads to stir up the taste and add Omega3’s and Vitamin B12 to your diet. It comes in two flavors: original and chipotle cayenne and is gluten-free as well.

4. Ricera yogurt: A lot of people are averse to the bean-like taste in soy-based yogurts so instead you can opt for this world’s first rice yogurt that comes in two flavors: blueberry and peach. It is low in fat but slightly high in calories where a 6-ounce cup has 190 calories and 1g of total fat.

5. So Delicious Coconut Yogurt: has created quite a sensation with lots of flavors to choose from and its rich creamy taste. Flavors include blueberry, chocolate, passionate mango, plain, pina colada, raspberry, strawberry, strawberry banana and vanilla. This fits into 100 calorie healthy snack options with 3g of fat.

6. Amy’s Organic Chocolate Cake: This light and moist chocolate indulgence has 180 calories and no trans-fat per serving, and makes for a delectable non-gluten, non-dairy dessert treat.

7. Organicville Non-Dairy Salad Dressings: Really, is there such a thing as dairy free salad dressings? Add these new Ranch and Thousand Island options from Organicville to your veggies and greens with just about 100-calories per serving.

Natural Allergy Fixes: Food & Herbs that Fix Your Summer & Spring Allergies

Spring and summer brings in bright sunshine and blooming flowers but it also means congestion, sneezing and other annoying symptoms arising from pollen or ragweed insensitivity, if you are one the many unlucky ones. If you suffer from these common seasonal conditions instead of refraining from your favorite foods or spending time indoors, try these natural allergy-fighting foods and herbs that can relieve your symptoms and let you enjoy the season to its fullest:

Broccoli: This wonder food can fight your allergies in two-ways: clearing up blocked sinuses and soothe your allergy with a high concentration of Vitamin C. A cup of raw broccoli packs about 80mg of Vitamin C and research indicates that about 500 mg is adequate for reliving allergy symptoms.

Citrus fruits: Loaded with Vitamin C, fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemons are your go-to fruits for warding off allergies all season long. A large orange has about 100 mg and a grapefruit about 120 mg of Vitamin C, stepping you closer to the 500mg count. Studies have also shown that high levels of vitamin C help reduce histamine, chemical involved in allergic reactions, release in the body and make histamine break down faster.

Onions and garlic: added frequently to foods in a range of cuisines including Asian and Italian dishes, these flavor enhancers are packed with quercetin that fights allergies with anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties. Also try apples, cranberries, red grapes and tea for quercetin related benefits.

Herbs: Garnish with parsley to inhibit the secretion of allergy inducing histamine. Other useful culinary herbs include rosemary, oregano, lemon balm, sage, marjoram, peppermint, and thyme that have large concentrations of rosmarinic acid that suppress allergic reactions.

Kale: This leafy superfood also delivers double protection from allergies: clearing up blockages and introducing plenty of cartenoid, which are anti-oxidant rich plant pigments known to battle allergens, thus, boosting your ability to battle the nasty allergies.

Collard green: Another dark leafy green that works wonders for fighting off hay fever with phytochemicals like cartenoids. To increase its absorption in your body, eat the veggie with some fat source like lightly sautéed it in olive oil.

Mushrooms: Rich in selenium, a trace mineral that can produce special proteins with antioxidant properties, they can help prevent and treat allergies. Similar selenium-rich foods include cod, shrimp, halibut and brazil nuts. To get the most out of selenium’s antioxidant benefits, eat selenium rich foods together with foods that contain vitamin E.
For a treat rich in allergy fighting properties, try this mushroom and green pea risotto that is packed with the healing properties of wonder foods such as garlic, onion, mushroom and parsley:

Mushroom and Green Pea Risotto
(Sourced from Healwithfood.org)

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2/4 lb crimini mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 2/3 cups long grain brown rice, uncooked
4 1/4 cups vegetable broth (allergen-free)
3 tbsp parsley, chopped
1/4 lb frozen peas, thawed
Salt and pepper
Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, constantly stirring, for a few minutes until mushrooms soften. Transfer to a plate and set aside

Using same saucepan, heat another 1 tablespoon olive oil, and add minced garlic and onion. Sauté for a few minutes until onions begin to turn translucent. Add rice and cook for a few minutes, constantly stirring.

Add half a cup of broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all broth is absorbed. Add another half a cup of broth each time liquid is absorbed until all broth is used and rice is almost cooked (use water if you run out of broth towards end.

Add peas, chopped parsley, and sautéed mushrooms. Cook for a few minutes, constantly stirring. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh parsley.

Sources; http://www.healwithfood.org/allergies/

http://health.yahoo.net/rodale/PVN/soothe-spring-allergies-10-food-and-herb-fixes-for-allergy-relief

The Skinny Kitchen: How Your Kitchen Can Help You Lose Weight!

If you are struggling with a few pesky pounds, you might want to consider transforming your kitchen into a skinny kitchen. What exactly is a skinny kitchen? It’s your home’s healthy eating haven, your go-to resource for keeping your entire family healthy (and happy).

If your attempts at healthy eating aren’t going as well as they could, your first plan of attack should be to do a quick kitchen & pantry overhaul. Celebrities like Sheryl Crow, Bethenney Frankel, and Alison Sweeney are known for keeping their kitchens stocked with healthy options and meals, allowing them to maintain their weight and live healthfully. By keeping filling foods and fresh snacks on hand, your need for sugary, over-processed snacks will decrease and soon your cravings will disappear. Not to mention that fresh options carry less calories, meaning you are more likely to lose weight!

How do you know if your kitchen needs a makeover? Well, if your refrigerator hasn’t seen produce for quite some time and your pantry is filled with Pop-Tarts and sugary cereals, chances are your kitchen needs some help. Another sign that your kitchen needs help is if you have more pre-packaged frozen meals than your local grocery store. Those meals, while convenient, contain a dangerously high amount of sodium, which will leave you bloated later in your day.

We assembled a “Keep & Toss” list that will make your kitchen makeover much easier. We also like to keep this list on our kitchen bulletin board so that when we run low on supplies, we know exactly what to get.

Fridge & Pantry Keepers:

- Array of vegetables including broccoli, spinach, kale, arugula, carrots, green beans, red peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant.
- Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, apples, oranges, and bananas.
- Organic eggs
- Skinless chicken breast
- Wild salmon fillets
- Nonfat/ lowfat plain yogurt or 0% Greek yogurt
- Light tofu (firm for sautés or silken for smoothies)
- Quick-cooking oatmeal
- Raw, unsalted nuts almonds
- All natural peanut butter
- Whole Wheat pasta
- Whole wheat grains like couscous, Quinoa, and brown rice
- Low-sodium beans like black beans, red beans, garbanzo, and kidney beans.
- Low-sodium broths like chicken or vegetable
- Black and green tea
- Frozen fruits (to be used for smoothies or yogurt toppings)
- Frozen veggie patties (we like Trader Joes natural veggie burger which doesn’t have any preservatives or artificial ingredients.)

Items to Toss:

- High fat dairy like whole milk or yogurt
- Fatty meats
- Soda or juices high in sugar
- Full fat ice creams or frozen yogurts
- Pre-packaged snacks like cookies or crackers.
- Sugary granola bars (buy granola bars that use whole grains and contain a low amount of sugar)
- Candy

Do you have any shopping or pantry suggestions? We love to hear your feedback and are looking for more healthy eating options!

Are You Ready For A Beauty Detox?

How fit is your beauty? Are you looking tired, feeling bloated? Has your hair lost its luster? Experiencing unexplained breakouts? Sounds like you need a Beauty Detox, the popular new nutritional plan founded by health guru and nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, that focuses on amping up beauty from the inside out! With fans like, Drew Barrymore, Fergie, Dr. Oz, Olivia Wilde, Hilary Duff, and more, The Beauty Detox is one hot read, gaining a lot of buzz in the health world as it promises to help restore everything from the body’s PH to skin’s youthful radiance leaving you looking (and feeling) your most beautiful.

Taking a holistic and manageable approach to wellness, The Beauty Detox offers women (and men) information on how to turn their health around with one simple ingredient: food!

Instead of forcing you to embark on a short-lived restrictive diet plan, Snyder spills the details on the natural healing powers of plants, encouraging you to embrace plants and fruits into your diet for the long-run. She says, “I want our largest organ, the skin, to breathe… We can eat and cleanse our way to profound beauty. The right products can greatly support this but the right diet is critical to the overall program.”

The Beauty Detox touches on important topics like:

• The best kinds of foods to eat—and the ones to avoid
• The importance of learning how to eat, including the correct order and combinations of foods
• The importance of minerals, enzymes, and probiotics

One thing we absolutely loved about The Beauty Detox was her chapter on fruit, the ultimate beauty food. What makes fruit so powerful? Snyder says, “We can think of fruits as the cleansers for the body and greens and other vegetables as the builders. Fruit helps to dissolve toxic substances and cleanse our tissues and system.” Fruits that help you stay healthy and gorgeous include apples, bananas, blueberries, cherries, goji berries, guavas, peaches, mangoes, strawberries and so many more.

Another reason why we enjoyed The Beauty Detox is Snyder’s stance on the classic dairy debate. Should dairy be a main component of your diet or should you avoid it? Snyder’s advice is to stay away from dairy as much as possible because of its main protein casein. While casein helps cows build stronger, larger, it is harder for our stomach’s to break down this protein, resulting in excess energy being wasted on digesting this protein. Instead, substituting other calcium-rich produce like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach, and cucumber, can provide the same health benefits found in dairy without any negative effects.

When it comes to health, the old saying “You are what you eat” is truly expounded in The Beauty Detox. If you fuel your body with you overly processed junk food, chances are you aren’t going to look and feel the best. Snyder’s book builds on this notion and adds her own advice about nutrition and diet. We learned so much about the importance of plant protein, how enzymes affect our body, and why it is so important to eat foods in a certain order. We can’t wait to try her Glowing Gorgeous Smoothie which is packed with all kinds of essential enzymes and vitamins.

If you are interested in learning more about the Beauty Detox, click over to Kimberly’s website where she shares all kinds of tips and suggestions for readers.

We are also sharing this deliciously refreshing strawberry recipe that will leave your tastebuds satisfied and skin glowing. With Fourth of July right around the corner, feel free to serve this gorgeous salad to your family and loved ones. Enjoy!

Red White & Blue Salad
Adapted from Whole Foods
Serves 8 people

Ingredients:
1 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) raw, unsalted cashew pieces
2 pitted dates (about 1 1/2 ounces), roughly chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved
11 ounces blueberries
1/4 cup roughly chopped mint

Directions:
Put cashews into a large bowl, cover with water and set aside at room temperature to let soak for 4 hours or overnight; drain well. Transfer to a food processor; add dates, vanilla and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water and purée until smooth. In a large serving bowl, toss together strawberries, blueberries and mint. Serve with cashew cream.

Per serving: 160 calories (70 from fat), 8g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 20g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 11g sugar), 4g protein

The Most Beautifully Bodies Celebs Reveal Their Workout Secrets

There are stars and there are super stars, and some others who shine brighter than the rest. This is what you think when you see Cameron Diaz flaunting her legs in a minidress, Megan Fox’s flash her abs on screen, Kim Kardashian’s butt in a hot bikini, and Jada Pinkett’s ripped arms in a bodysuit. These are the workout moves that helped these stars shape their captivating assets:

Diaz’s traffic stopping legs are on display everywhere with her upcoming film Bad Teacher. Her trainer, Teddy Bass shares her secret thigh trimming moves: Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand at chest. Squat. Rise to start. Step left into a side lunge, left leg bent at the knee, right leg straight. Shift weight to right foot; step left leg behind right in a curtsy. Repeat. Return to start. That’s one rep. Aim for two sets of 15 with each leg.

Kardashian’s bootylicious body looks sensational and creates a stir wherever she goes but she swears by this work-out move that makes her clothes fit a little more snug around her butt and things: Stand on an unstable surface, like a CorDisc or BOSU, with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, a weight in each hand at shoulders. Keeping abs engaged to stay steady, squat. Return to standing. Repeat. Do 2 sets of 16 reps.

Fox is stunning all-over but her best asset is still her abs and she confesses that she is not one for workouts. But this workout routine helped her get her Transformer abs: Start with warm up exercises like butterfly crunches. Then go in for 15 minutes of high intensity bicycle kicks, mini leg lifts, knee ups, standing leg lifts, and ball leg lifts. Then cool down with 30-45 minutes of cycling, which burns the fatty acids released during the work out. This alternate fast and extended slow movement routine is great for burning tummy fat.

Pinkett has some seriously ripped arms that still look feminine. This is how she gets her sculpted arms: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a weighted bar in front of hips, palms facing forward (you can also use dumbbells). Curl bar to your shoulders, then extend arms overhead. Keeping upper arms still and abs tight, bend elbows and lower bar behind head. Straighten arms, then slowly lower bar to starting position and repeat. Do 4 sets of 10 reps.

Hope these workout secrets do the trick for your assets!

Source:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_12_28/ai_n32429293/

http://www.self.com/healthystars/2011/06/stars-favorite-workout-moves-slideshow?slide=5#slide=5

http://www.ehow.com/how_5310797_abs-like-megan-fox.html

The Raw Food Revolution

There is nothing new about raw food diets, but the popularity of this trend that originated in the fashionable neighborhoods of California and Manhattan has escalated immensely in the recent years. So what is the raw food buzz all about? In short, it is consuming foods that have been exposed to minimal or no processing, flames and oven temperatures that destroy natural enzymes present in foods. It doesn’t mean surviving on raw fruits and vegetables but you can choose from a large variety of dishes ranging from pastas to pies that have been prepared by using slow cooking techniques like dehydration. Raw foodists who believe in eating ‘living food’ that is organic, unprocessed and uncooked make vegetarians and vegans look outdated in the healthy eating hierarchy.

The raw food phenomenon caught on because of its back to nature premise; which gets rid of the extra sugars, sodium and fat found abundantly in processed foods and replaces that with foods that have their natural nutrients and enzymes intact. Those who have embraced raw food diets are reported to have experienced effective weight loss, better immunity, improved digestion, and increased energy levels although not all of these outcomes are scientifically substantiated.  But weight loss is almost a certainty because raw foods generally have fewer calories and are enzyme-rich leading to better food breakdown and less fat storage in the body. Apart from discernible health perks, high profile evangelists like supermodel Carol Alto and actor Woody Harrelson have added to the existing buzz. In fact raw foodism has gone from being another diet fad to an alternate lifestyle choice!

Inspite of the obvious health benefits, many nutritionists have their inhibitions about a ‘raw only’ diet because this doesn’t allow the body to access all the calories present in food and can lead to strength and muscle loss over extended periods.  Therefore, instead on going on an all-out raw food diet, you are better off gradually increasing the emphasis on raw foods in your diet. If you are worried about being stuck with limited and unappetizing food, you will be surprised at how sophisticated raw food cooking has become with anything from burgers to dim sums made possible. To get a slice of the raw food trend, choose from over 60 cafes and restaurants at www.rawfoodinfo.com. Or just cook at home from one of the several available (un)cookbooks. However, beware that home cooking some raw style food can be cumbersome with preparation time going into days. Here is our easy recipe option to try at home:

Avocado Lime Soup

(Sourced from therawchef.com)

• 2 avocados
• 3/4 of a medium cucumber
• 1 stalk celery
• Juice of 1 lime
• Small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• 1 cup water (if wanting warm soup use hot water)

- Blend all ingredients

- Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh sour cream and chopped chives

Lichi For Life: Say Goodbye to MyPyramid!

Forget the Pyramid, the new healthy eating symbol is the dinner plate. Last week, the United States Department of Food & Agriculture and First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled the new and improved MyPlate, replacing My Pyramid that had been used for the past 19 years.

Featuring four colored and labeled sections, the plate outlines the most effective way to divide up your plate with properly portioned areas for vegetables, grains, fruit, and protein. Off to the side, a little section is made for dairy, which should compliment your meal, not be the main focus. This new design encourages eaters to be more aware of what their daily meals actually consist of, providing a visual of what a plate should look like. First Lady Michelle Obama called the new symbol, “a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods we’re eating.”

However, not everyone is happy with this change. Chairman of Harvard’s Department of Nutrition Walter Willett said to the Los Angeles Times, “To make informed choices, people will need additional information. It really makes a difference whether the grains you eat are whole grains or refined grains. It makes a huge difference what kind of proteins are being consumed — to be healthy, we need to be replacing the meat with a mix of chicken, nuts and legumes.” Another issue with the plate icon is the lack of exercise depicted in the symbol, which is a main ingredient in living a healthy lifestyle. At the very least, the Pyramid showed a man walking up stairs, demonstrating how incorporating movement into your life is a must.

Despite its minor flaws, we like the new symbol because it makes eaters of all ages rethink their meals. Unlike MyPyramid, this new symbol offers the public a view of what to eat, literally. Instead of eating a plateful of chicken or steak, add a healthy balance of vegetables and fruit, along with whole grains, to get the most out of your meal. Will this symbol completely revolutionize our eating habits? Probably not but it can help us make moderate changes to our diet. Every small step helps!

What do you think about the new symbol? Will you use it for your daily meals? Or do you find it confusing?

Bad Foods Gone Good: Foods You Don’t Have To Ditch To Stick To Your Diet

When you want to shed a few pounds, sugars, breads, and foods like potatoes are the first foods to go. The trendiest of “diets” all propagate denial, but more often than not, this type of diet plan only leads to a never-ending cycle of yo-yo dieting. Strict diets are impossible to maintain. When you deny your cravings, sooner or later you’ll burst, and the site of yourself binging on a smorgasbord of carbohydrates will again replay itself, leading to feelings of failure, and eventual giving up. But there is a silver lining. The foods you’ve been resisting may actually be okay for you, when consumed in the right portions. That’s right…..pasta, bread, and potatoes can actually make you slimmer…..Don’t believe us – check out this list of  typically bad for you foods that can actually be helpful for weight-loss:

• BREAD

A slice of bread or a small roll actually helps curb your cravings. While digesting the carbs in the bread your body produces serotonin that promotes feelings of satisfaction and comfort. The lack of it makes you irritable and more likely to overeat.

• PASTA/RICE

Cooked pasta and rice is essentially 70% water and this high fluid content keeps you feeling full for longer in comparison to dry foods, as reported by the British Nutrition Foundation. Dish up half cup of whole grain type cooked pasta with lean meat and veggies to keep you full and beat those in-between cravings.

• POTATOES

Potatoes are one of the most misunderstood foods. If consumed the right way, boiled or baked, potatoes form a resistant starch in our system that blocks the body’s ability to burn carbs and switches to fat burning mode instead. However, we still don’t have a reason to wolf down those French fries or chips.

• CHEESE

Cheese is another one of our top forbidden foods, but is laden with calcium that helps your body burn calories. Not getting enough of it releases a hormone called calcitirol, which makes you pile on flab. A scientific study proves that a low-calorie diet complemented by an extra daily dose of calcium is far more effective for weight loss and no turning to those calcium supplements do not help. But with 40-calorie wedges and single-serve varieties available, we can have a healthy serving of cheese everyday.

• PEANUT BUTTER

Peanut butter and nuts actually prevent fat accumulation around your belly and boost calorie burn. According to recent research, an ordinary carb snack keeps you full for 30 minutes whereas a peanut based one can keep you going for 2.5 hours. 2-tablespoon portions of peanut butter, twice a week, can actually mean gaining fewer pounds and banish belly flab.

• CHOCOLATE

Savor a square or two of dark chocolate once in a while. Women intensely crave chocolates and indulgence in small doses keep you feeling satisfied and safe from going on a binge.

Source: http://www.prevention.com/foodsnottoditch/index.html

Diet Tricks for Busy Girls

Today’s modern woman is busy juggling her career, social life, and fitness regime and in all of this, sometimes her diet takes a backseat. Although she wants to look picture perfect all the time, the busy lifestyle gets in her way. So here are four easy diet tips that can keep women like us super charged through the day and shed a few pounds, while on the run.

Tip#1: Stick to 1600 calories a day, divided over 4 to 5 mini meal. Research shows that eating mini meals every two to three hours can actually help you loose weight and stay energized. To stick to your calorie count for the day try these smart meal options:

• Mix up a 300-calorie breakfast treat with any low fat yogurt, and two tablespoons of whole grain and high-fiber cereal like Kashi Golean Crunch. Throw in some berries to pump up the health factor.
• Steam up a Healthy Choice frozen meal for an under 400-calorie lunch, complete with veggies and lean meat.
• Snack on individually portioned treats like Barbara’s Organic 100-Calorie Mini Cookies or 18 Rabbits Bunny Bars.

Tip#2: Incorporate plenty of magnesium-rich food in your diet like spinach, black beans, ground flaxseed, scallops, tuna, almonds, cashews, and brown rice. This star nutrient is key to building muscle tone.

Tip#3:Drink 8 to 10 glasses of cold water everyday and let your digestive system burn an extra 50 calorie per day while warming it to room temperature. This simple H20 trick is by far our favorite discovery!

Tip#4: When your calendar gets busy with dinner plans remember to take small bites and enjoy your meal slowly. Choose your indulgence wisely for the evening with no more than a single calorie-loader like wine, bread or dessert. And the best smart girl move you can make is by sharing your entrée with your friend or a date.

These little changes to your everyday diet and dining-out style, will put you on your way to weight loss heaven even on a busy schedule.

Sources:
Self.com:http://www.self.com/challenge/2010/nutrition/03
Prevention.com: http://bit.ly/iRrQAL

Lichi For Life: The Healthiest Cities in the U.S.

From the best nightlife to most shopping destinations, we are always curious to see how each metropolitan city stacks up in comparison with each other. But rarely do we think to compare each city’s health rating! Thankfully, the good folks at the American College of Sports Medicine did the research for us and found that Minneapolis-St.Paul is the healthiest and most fit metropolitan area in the United States, according to their Annual American Fitness Index, a data report that compares different cities in the United States to see which one is the fittest.

What makes Minneapolis-St.Paul the best for your health? The city boasts a low smoking rate, a high amount of active residents, and moderate-to-low instances of obesity, asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases amongst its population. The city also offers more recreational parks with facilities like basketball courts and swimming pools for their residents, allowing everyone the opportunity to get out of the house and work up a sweat. Minneapolis-St. Paul also has a very vibrant farmers market industry, which residents love and take full advantage of to get their daily-recommended doses of vegetables and fruits. Smoke-free, a healthy population, countless parks, and an active farmers market industry? It’s no wonder Minneapolis-St. Paul beat out the competition.

Coming in at number two is Washington D.C., followed by Boston, MA and Portland, OR. Rounding out the top ten is Denver, CO, San Francisco, CA, Hartford, CT, Seattle, WA, Virginia Beach, VA, and Sacramento, CA. The U.S cities that rank the lowest are Birmingham, AL, Memphis, TN, Louisville, KY, and Oklahoma City, OK.

For those who live in an active and healthy lifestyle, reports like this might sway your decision to raise a family or relocate. If you enjoy running paths and hiking trails, one of the cities at the top of the list might be your best bet.

On the other hand, if you prefer to stay in your current community but want to see your city at the top of this list, get vocal and active. Attend meetings with your neighborhood associations to see what kinds of upcoming projects are coming to your neighborhoods. Join community organizations that advocate for more parks and better recreational activities for families. Even though it is hard to believe, the power to change your city and help the future generation grow up strong lies with you.

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8465634.htm

Lichi For Life: Living the Gluten Free Life

Majority of people are sensitive to a protein called gluten found in most baked goods like cakes and cookies, crackers, beer, pasta, pizza, cereals and pretzels. This leads to gluten intolerance or insensitivity and there is mounting concern about leading a gluten free life as this condition plagues more than 2 million people in the US today.

So what if you find yourself sensitive to this scary protein that is present in all your favorite sources of carbs?  You can opt for food made from sources traditionally known to be free of gluten, like starch, beans, nuts and grains. But you can never be too sure of the existence of gluten in your food because most sauces, ice creams, gravies, luncheon meats and even ketchup contain gluten as a thickening agent. Luckily, there are plenty of delicious and clearly labeled gluten free food options available today in the specialty sections at supermarkets.  So you do not have to give up your craving for an English muffin, breakfast cereals, comfort food like pasta or an occasional beer.  But watch out because gluten free food can often be more fattening than regular options because they have more calories, less fibers and are packed with refined carbs. It is very important to watch labels carefully for nutritional information including calories and fiber count while buying gluten free food.

The GFree trend has received a lot of momentum from celebrities who are promoting awareness about this diet option. Recently, Elizabeth Hasselback had a GFree day on her show called “The View”.  Also there are a number of celebrity chefs dishing up delectable gluten free gourmet food and fast food joints that cater to the GFree trend. For a list of GFree eating options around the country look at Lichi Super Fruit fanpage.

Living gluten free means being very careful about what you eat. So a lot of times it is best to cook your own meals. There are plenty of cookbooks and websites to aid you through gluten free home cooking.  Here is a simple and healthy gluten free dip recipe that has none of the artificial thickening agents. It is packed with flavor and goodness from spinach, artichoke and jalapeno. Go ahead and keep dipping…

Gluten-Free Recipe: Spinach, Artichoke, Jalapeno Dip

Source: www.gluten-freelife.com

Ingredients:

• 1 8-oz package frozen spinach, defrosted
• 2 small jars artichoke hearts, chopped into ½ inch pieces
• ¼ cup fresh, bottled or canned jalapenos – finely diced
• 1 8-oz block cream cheese
• ½ cup sour cream (such as Horizon or Organic Valley)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Fresh oregano
• Shredded mozzarella, Asiago, or provolone cheese for topping

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.  Press defrosted spinach against the back of a mesh sieve or colander to remove as much water as possible.

3.  In a medium-sized casserole dish, thoroughly mix spinach, artichokes, jalapenos, cream cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Top with a generous layer of mozzarella, Asiago, or provolone cheese.

4.  Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until mixture stars to bubble gently.

5.  Turn on broiler and broil uncovered for about 5 minutes or until entire top is golden-brown. Serve immediately.

Sources:

http://healthybodydaily.com/dr-oz-diets/dr-oz-two-week-gluten-free-diet

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/nyregion/more-dining-out-choices-for-celiac-patients-in-new-jersey.html?_r=2

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Living+gluten+free+life/4783109/story.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet