Making healthy food choices
Q: Do you have quick prep meal suggestions for dinner?
A: Luckily, you don’t have to cook elaborate meals to eat healthfully. There are solutions out there for busy families. You’re right to be concerned about all of the processed quick and frozen meals out there on the market. Many of them are not made with healthful ingredients and contain preservatives and additives. Organic, all natural frozen meals such as Kashi™ and Amy’s Organics™ are healthful and tasty options, but can be expensive. Times are busy with work, after school activities and more so think simple and basic.
“Stock your cupboard, refrigerator and freezer with healthful, versatile staples that can be used in simple recipes and take advantage of short cut or partially prepared foods offered by your local supermarket.”
Some examples include: Sweet and russet baking potatoes, whole wheat tortillas, eggs, quick cooking rice, rotisserie chicken (cooked), cubed stew meat, canned light tuna or chicken in water, bagged frozen veggies, shredded carrots/cabbage, bagged lettuce, reduced-fat, shredded cheese, jarred pasta sauces and salsas, seasonings & seasoning packets (taco and Italian).
Scientists say they have found four keys to a longer life (or at least four healthy habits that can add more than a decade to a person’s life). Important news? You bet! Researchers tracked the lives of 20,000 people and found that those who practiced these habits lived an average of 14 years longer. Findings of this study were recently published in the Public Library Science Medical Journal.
For those not engaged in these healthy lifestyle habits, be aware that even small changes go a long way. It doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. Scientists identified the four common factors in the lifestyles of the long-lived study participants as:
1. Not smoking.
2. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables (greater than 5 servings/day).
3. Exercising regularly.
4. Drinking alcohol only in moderation.
Even practicing one of these healthy habits can make a big difference, according to researchers. No need to pump iron every day, run marathons or become a vegetarian to reap the benefits and rewards of exercise and increasing your fruit and vegetable intake. In other words, small, incremental changes will make a difference.
In addition to providing solace and pleasure, food can brighten your day by providing various nutrients that have been shown to affect brain chemicals that influence mood. Brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, facilitate communication within the brain and between the mind and body. Foremost among these is serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps messages move throughout the nervous system. High levels of serotonin are associated with elevated mood, while low levels signal more subdued states. When serotonin is in short supply, for example, insomnia and food cravings may occur.
Eating foods that contain nutrients (that stimulate the production of serotonin) can help perk up a drab day. The key is to eat a balanced and varied diet and to pay attention to when your mood tends to flag. If you notice that your spirits fall at certain times of day, plan meals and snacks accordingly, and try to eat a variety of foods so that the body maintains a proper balance of the chemicals that can influence mood. Some good mood-boosting choices include leafy greens, fish, poultry, whole grains, low or non-fat milk, spinach, whole wheat bread and pasta.
Rich chocolate mousse is an ideal holiday dessert – especially for company when you are looking to impress. Conventional recipes, made with heavy whipping cream as a base, in addition to semi-sweet chocolate, egg yolks, butter and sugar puts you at about 330 calories and 25 g of fat (mostly saturated) per serving.
Simple swaps – instead of heavy whipping cream, try silken tofu (puree well in a food processor until smooth and creamy). Use half high quality, extra-dark (bittersweet) chocolate and half cocoa (combine and melted in a double boiler) to mix into the pureed silken tofu (along with superfine sugar). Vanilla extract and a tbsp of brandy (or espresso powder if you don’t want the alcohol), enhances flavor further. The result? This simple trade-offs do not sacrifice flavor or texture but, per serving (same size), you are looking at about 250 calories and 10 g of fat – a big difference – even with a spoonful of real whipping cream on top.
Why should I care about my cholesterol level?
High cholesterol is a leading risk factor for heart disease. Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream can form plaque in artery walls. The cholesterol or plaque build-up causes arteries to become thicker, harder and less flexible, slowing down and sometimes blocking blood flow to the heart.
“When blood flow is restricted, angina (chest pain) can result. When blood flow is severely impaired and a clot stops blood flow completely, a heart attack results.”
So…take the following recommendations to heart ♥:
1.) Eat a variety of grain products, including whole grains.
2.) Make the mainstay of your diet fat-free dairy products, fish, legumes (beans), skinless poultry and lean meats are the mainstay of your diet.
3.) Choose fats and oils with liquid/tub margarine, canola and olive oils and no trans fats.
4.) Balance the number of calories you eat with the number you use each day. (To find that number, multiply the number of pounds you weigh now by 15 calories. This represents the average number of calories used in one day if you’re moderately active. If you’re sedentary, multiply your weight by 13 instead of 15. Less-active people burn fewer calories).
5.) Maintain a level of physical activity that keeps you fit and matches the number of calories you eat. Walk or do other activities for at least 30 minutes on most days.
6.) Limit your intake of foods high in calories or low in nutrition, including foods like soft drinks, and candy that have lots of sugars.
7.) Limit foods high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, such as whole milk, fatty meats, tropical oils, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and egg yolks.
8.) Try to limit salt. Even if you do not have a heart condition, overdoing on the salt is never a good idea.
9.) Have no more than one alcoholic drink per day if you’re a woman and no more than 2 if you’re a man. Examples of one drink include: 12 oz of beer, 4 oz of wine, 1 ½ oz of 80-proof spirits or 1 oz of 100-proof spirits.
