Stressed? Anxious? Depressed?

Fight stress and depression with FOOD

I am sorry to tell you that a pint of Ben and Jerrys will not make this list, but the following foods do have nutrients that can help fight stress and depression, says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Eat Your Way to Happiness.

Oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Vitamin C
This vitamin helps you cope better in stressful times by lowering your levels of stress hormones. If you get a lot regularly, you'll feel calmer during tough situations.

Nuts
Mood-Boosting Ingredients: Vitamin E, arginine (an amino acid) and magnesium
A handful of nuts will keep you full and satisfied because they have a low glycemic index-which means they don't jack up your blood sugar levels and cause mood swings. It also makes you feel good to eat something that seems decadent (they're considered a little bit naughty because they're high in fat) but actually has health benefits.

Leafy greens
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: Folic Acid
Research has shown that the folic acid in leafy greens such as kale and spinach can reduce depression and even improve blood flow to the brain. If you're not eating at least one serving per day you're more than likely low in folic acid, so try getting more or consider taking a multivitamin that contains it.

Salmon
Mood-Boosting Ingredient: DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid)
The omega-3s in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines have been found to improve your mood while lowering the risk of depression and age-related memory loss. The depression link is so strong that American Psychiatric Association suggests that anyone taking antidepressants and/or going through therapy also boost her intake of omega 3s.

Dried cherries
Mood-Boosting Ingredients: Potassium, magnesium and vitamin C
These nutrients all work to curb your body's stress response. Dried cherries also keep your brain healthy because they're packed with antioxidants (including vitamin C), which prevent damage to your brain cells that can lead to memory problems.

Is Gluten Free the Way to Be?

What is Gluten?

Gluten is the main structure protein in flour.  Gluten is formed through the interaction between gliadins and glutenins and can be developed by kneading, mixing or fermentation. 

Gluten is responsible for the elastic characteristic of dough and contributes to the appearance of crumb structure of many baked goods.

Gluten-Free seems to be one of Hollywood’s newest “detox” diets.  This diet change really has nothing to do with becoming healthier, unless of course you suffer from Celiac disease.

The market for gluten free foods has dramatically increased over the past few years due to its growing popularity and the fact that many more people are being tested for gluten intolerances.  Sales of gluten-free products increased 16 percent in 2010, according to the Nielsen Company.  While celiac disease affects about 1 percent of the U.S. population, experts estimate that as many as 10 percent have a related and poorly understood condition known as non-celiac gluten intolerance (NCGI), or gluten sensitivity.

Gluten free foods are now more readily available in most supermarkets.  It is important to be wary to some of these products because like all processed foods, some can be healthy and some can be junk!  Manufacturers add extra sugar and fat to mimic the texture and fluffiness that gluten imparts.

Another downfall to gluten-free products is that they are less routinely fortified with iron and vitamins B and D.  Regular bread products most often contain these important nutrients. 

So if you decide to live a gluten-free life (Celiac free of course), choose the prepackaged products less often and aim for fruits, vegetables, lean meats and naturally gluten-free grains such as brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat.

So what is Celiac Disease anyways???

Celiac is an autoimmune disease. Other names for this disease include celiac sprue and gluten intolerance.  The body’s immune system responds to gluten by damaging the lining of the small intestines.  This lining contains villi which normally absorb nutrients from the foods we eat.  When the villi are damaged, the body can’t get these nutrients.  The protein in wheat, oats, barley, rye, and malt causes this inflammation and therefore does not allow for certain vitamins and minerals to be absorbed in the body.  Celiac disease is hereditary.  Some symptoms include gas, diarrhea, stomach pain, fatigue, mood swings, weight loss, rash, and slowed growth.  A blood test is done to determine if one is sensitive to gluten.  The only treatment for celiac disease is a gluten free diet.  This can be very difficult because gluten is not only found in wheat, oats, barley, rye, and malt, it can also be hidden in medicines, dressings, gravies, soy sauce, bouillon cubes, brown rice syrup, chips, candy, cold cuts, hot dogs, salami, sausage, Communion water (I know right?), French fries, imitation fish, matzo, rice mixes, sauces, and soups.

Foods to Avoid with Celiac:

• Wheat – including einkorn, emmer, spelt, kalmut
• Barley
• Rye
• Malt
• Oats
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)

Foods Allowed with Celiac:

n  Rice

n  Corn

n  Amaranth

n  Quinoa

n  Teff

n  Millet

n  Finger Millet (Ragi)

n  Sorghum

n  Indian Rice Grass (Montina)

n  Yucca

n  Nuts

n  Seeds

n  Arrowroot

n  Buckwheat

n  Flax

n  Job’s Tears

n  Sago

n  Potato

n  Soy

n  Legumes

n  Mesquite

n  Tapioca

n  Wild Rice

n  Cassava (Manioc)

Cognition Concoction or just another Cup of Joe

Caffeine, is it good or bad for our health?I hear both sides quite often. Research has shown that caffeine consumption is associated with enhancement of cognitive functions, particularly learning, memory and information processing speed because it stimulates the brain and central nervous system.Caffeine doesn’t make you any smarter but it does makes you more alert and boosts your ability to concentrate, which can make you a better test taker or a better driver.Also, research has demonstrated evidence that caffeine may elicit a protective effect against a general slowing down of cognitive function due to our inescapable aging process.

If you fancy caffeinated beverages, it is recommended that healthy adults should consume no more than 200 to 300 mg of caffeine per day to avoid potential side effects. Don't become a caffeine addict and rely solely on it Drinking too much caffeine (500 to 600 mg or more) may lead to the following side effects:

• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Stomach upset
• Fast heartbeat
• Muscle tremors

Coffee in particular may be a healthy choice for individuals with chronic diseases. Some research has shown that people, who drink coffee every day, have a significantly lower risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s, colon cancer, gallstones, and Alzheimer’s disease. Now, that may not all be due to caffeine. Coffee contains a lot of volatile compounds and antioxidants that may have beneficial effects by themselves, or in combination with caffeine.

Do you favor Excedrin over other pain relievers? Caffeine is known to treat headaches.

Caffeine may also enhance athletic performance. Caffeine was once considered a performance-enhancing drug by the International Olympic Committee and athletes had to keep their intake of caffeinated beverages fairly low to pass their drug screens.

It is important to remember that caffeine is a diuretic. So be sure to stay hydrated with water when drinking a lot of caffeine even though the caffeinated drink itself also provides fluids. Keep in mind, though, that caffeine pills don’t contain any fluids and, therefore, can be dehydrating, so increased water intake is crucial. FYI: I don’t recommend caffeine pills.

Another important reminder is that caffeine can temporarily increase your heart rate and blood pressure. So, people who already have heart problems and who are sensitive to caffeine may want to avoid it.

One last thing to watch for is how coffee and tea affect iron absorption. If you are anemic or border-like anemic be sure to drink these separate from when you are eating an iron-rich food. Coffee and tea inhibit this absorption. By the way, vitamin C enhanced iron absorption so enjoy a vitamin C rich food with your iron-filled meal.

Finally if you want to keep your pearly whites white then you may want to skip coffee, tea and soda because these caffeine-laden beverages are serious teeth stainers!

Common Caffeine Beverages

• Coffee, plain, brewed: 8 oz.- 135 mg (range 102-200)

• Tea, brewed: 8 oz. – 53 mg (range 40-120)

• Soft drinks: Range 22-75 mg

• Energy drinks: Range 80-300 mg

• Chocolate: Range 5-33 mg

• Frozen Desserts: Range 58-85 mg

• Over the counter pain relievers: Range 60-200 mg

C is not for cookie

Vitamin C is found in many foods such as asparagus, papaya, oranges, orange juice, cantaloupe, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green peppers, grapefruits, grapefruit juice, kale, lemons, strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, and some cereals. 

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and is important in fighting free radicals that damage our cells. Vitamin C can’t treat a cold but few studies have shown that it may decrease the duration of the cold by enhancing many immune cell functions while destroying histamine (what causes cold symptoms). I suggest including some of these foods in your diet on a daily basis and if you are feeling a little under the weather, add a couple more to your shopping list. Also when you are sick you should drink plenty of water and gets lots of rest. If you take a multivitamin you will definitely meet the requirements for vitamin C. 

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin which means that it will not stay stored in the body.  Any excess of this vitamin will be excreted when plasma levels are exceeded.  Vitamin C can’t be made by the body so it does need to be a part your diet.  Sometimes taking larger doses like those found in Airborne and Emergen-C can be wasteful because when we consume too much of the vitamin our bodies absorb less of it.  Our bodies can only absorb a little at a time.  The excess will be excreted.  Also sometimes too much vitamin C (greater than 2,000mg) can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea, and in some people who have renal disease may acquire kidney stones or iron toxicity. 

I suggest eating a variety of healthy foods.  This way you will be getting the recommended dietary allowance, which is 90 mg/day for men and 60 mg/day for women.   If you still want to take the supplement try not to exceed 500 mg/day.

Did you know that Vitamin C aids in Iron absorption?  So be sure to pair iron-rich foods with a vitamin C food to ensure proper absorption of iron.  Vitamin C also helps heal wounds and cuts. 

Too Good To Be True

PRODUCT PROMOTION:

Do you want to burn fat?  Then try our Carnitine supplements today!  Carnitine is safe and FDA approved!  Carnitine reduces fat storage and increases muscle mass because it is required by our body to move fatty acids into the mitochondria where the fat is metabolized for energy.  Carnitine is also great for enhancing our memory and recovery from exercise.  If you want to feel great and not “weighed” down, Carnitine is the answer!

THE FACTS:

Well Carnitine is a protein that is made in our body by the liver.  Carnitine carries fatty acids to the mitochondria where it is metabolized and used for energy.  Without Carnitine then the fat we consume would be stored and not burned for energy.  Fortunately our body produces enough Carnitine so supplementation isn’t necessary.   Also some foods contain Carnitine, especially beef, pork, chicken, and milk.  There is no need to take this supplement.  Studies show that extra amounts of Carnitine from supplementation does not increase fat metabolism because the excess is excreted through our urine. 

THE RIGHT PLAN:

Your best bet to lose weight would be to make some simple lifestyle changes.  Little changes make big differences.  Choose one goal below, achieve it and move onto the next goal and you can lose weight safely without supplementation.

Physical Activity-  Take walks, join a gym , yoga or aerobic classes that the community offers, invite friends and family to the park to play volleyball or tennis, ride a bike, rent fitness DVDs to try at home, and find a buddy to work out with.  I recommend starting small and trying to accomplish 30 minutes of physical activity 3 or 4 days per week.  Soon enough it will become a part of your daily routine. 

Portion sizes and food preparation - Are you cooking with butter and margarine?  Have you tried Pam cooking sprays?  Do you eat out often?  If so watch restaurant portion sizes.  They typically are 3-4 times larger than the recommended serving size.  Enjoy half of your meal at the restaurant and save the other half for lunch the next day.  Or better yet, share a plate with one or two companions.  At home, try not to fill your plate and use measuring cups when planning your meals.  Also try to eliminate empty calorie food and drinks such as soda, juice, candy, and chips.  Choose foods that have fiber.  They will keep you fuller longer.  Healthy food choices include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats such as nuts, avocados, and olive oil. 

Journaling and Planning - Keep track of what you are eating, when you are eating, and how you feel at that time.  Are you very hungry or just bored?  Analyzing your journal at the end of each week can help you plan for successful weeks to come.  I have a great book called Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole.  If you like to read I recommend this book.  It focuses on healthy eating habits and mindful eating.  Another great trick is to plan your meals ahead of time.  At the end of each night, write what you plan to eat the next day.  This way you know exactly what you are going to have…no surprises!

Eat every 3 – 5 hours - If you go all day without eating you will be inclined to overeat.  When most people overeat, they are also overeating foods that aren’t necessarily the healthiest.  So try to aim for 3 small meals and 2 – 3 snacks each day to keep your metabolism regulated and eliminate the need to overeat. 

So skip Too-Good-To-Be-True Supplements and choose one of the goals I suggested and then work your way through all of them and you should have no problem losing weight and staying healthy.

By the way, Today is National Cocoa Day!  Add some cocoa powder to your oatmeal this morning for a chocolaty treat or add it to your Mexican mole sauce or chili!  Cocoa powder comes from the cocoa bean.  It is very low in calories and fat.  It also provides you with antioxidants, fiber, iron and magnesium!  By the way, this is not Too Good To Be True!

I heart carbs

It seems that the low carb diet craze is starting to die down.  The Atkins diet isn’t as popular as it was in the 90’s.  Unfortunately some people still believe that a low-carb/high-protein diet is the only way to lose weight.  Carbohydrates are an essential part of the diet.  They are the primary source of fuel for the body and brain.  But don’t forget that not all carbs are created equal.  We should focus on choosing complex carbohydrates and limit our intake of simple, refined carbs such as white bread, rice, pasta, and sweet treats such as cookies.  Research has shown that complex carbohydrates offer a variety of health benefits such as lower cholesterol and improved digestion.  Complex carbohydrates also provide an abundance of vitamins and minerals important for daily health.

Protein is a very important part of our diet.  Our bodies need protein to build, repair and maintain body cells and tissues (skin, muscles, organs, blood, and bones).  Proteins form enzymes and hormones which enable normal body functions such as acid-base balance.  Protein provides our bodies with energy and helps satisfy hunger by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates.  Protein supports more constant glucose and insulin levels.  Research has shown that about 30 grams of protein is the maximum amount that can be used by the body at one time.  That is why it is very important to spread your protein foods throughout the day and include protein with every meal and snack.  This will optimize the potential for muscle growth and contribute to overall nutrient intake. 

Now it’s important to remember that we all need more than just protein in our diets.  Carbohydrates and fats are crucial to diet as well.  There really aren’t any foods that are pure protein.  There are foods that are high in protein like milk, eggs, cheese, and meat but these foods also contain some carbohydrates and fat.  When people try the high protein diets they are also consuming a high fat diet and this leads to high cholesterol levels and later down the line can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as stroke.  Some people even try to eat a high protein diet that is also low in fat but again our body needs the fat and carbohydrates.  Our body needs fat for energy, healthy skin & nails, regulating body temperature, protection of organs, precursors for cholesterol and sex hormone synthesis, components of cell membranes, vehicles for carrying certain vitamins that are soluble in fats only, and suppliers of the essential fatty acids required for growth and health.  You want to choose healthy fats such as natural almonds and walnuts, avocados, and olive oil. 

Carbohydrates are important as well because they fuel our bodies.  Carbohydrates are broken down as glucose in the blood stream.  The hormone insulin is released from the pancreas to send the glucose to our body’s tissues to be used as energy.  This is what keeps our blood sugars regulated.  Protein may play a part in this by improving insulin secretion, but it is the glucose “blood sugar” that is being regulated by insulin.  The brain can’t survive without glucose.  Our body can store excess glucose as glycogen in our muscles but if we aren’t eating enough carbohydrates that storage gets used up.  Once the storage is used up our body steals energy from our lean muscle mass because protein can’t be stored in the body.  So the long term high protein/low carb diet is hurting our body because there is no more glucose to be used as energy and there is no protein stored for energy so the protein you are consuming is being used as energy but it isn’t being used to build muscles.  Also any excess protein is either being excreted through the kidneys, which in excess can be very harmful or the protein is being converted to fat which can cause you to gain weight. 

An average diet should contain 45 -65 % carbohydrates, 10 – 35% protein and 20-35% fat with less than 7% being saturated fat. 

Eating a balanced diet, watching portion sizes and engaging in physical activity on most days is the best way to achieve weight loss or maintenance as well as live a long and healthy life.

If you would like to read more about protein, check out my article in Solano Fit Magazine

http://www.sofitmagazine.com/JulyAug-2011.php

Healthy snack ideas that include protein, carbs and fat:

·        Greek yogurt topped with fruit, nuts, and/or low-fat granola; or add spices to make a dip for raw vegetables

·        Hummus with whole wheat pita or raw veggies such as broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, jicama, and sugar snap peas

·        Legumes such as garbanzo beans or black beans to include in a salsa with tomatoes, corn, cilantro, and onions then eaten with soy chips, whole wheat crackers or raw vegetables or add to a high fiber wrap with avocado

·        Low fat cheese – light string cheese or Laughing Cow cheese wedge with whole wheat crackers or fresh tomatoes and basil

·        Lean meats – roll up deli meat with low fat cheese

·        Almonds or walnuts (one handful) with a piece of fruit

·        Low fat cottage cheese paired with fruit

·        Natural peanut butter or almond butter paired with fruit or add to a whole wheat sandwich thin, whole wheat crackers or rice cakes

·        Natural fruit and nut bars (Lara bar, Soy Joy, Kind)

·        Tuna (chunk light) or hard-boiled eggs with crackers, cheese and raw veggies

·        Low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt smoothie blended with fruit or paired with whole grain cereal or graham crackers