Think of Excellent Nutrition & Health

Think:
Excel, Move Beyond, Thrive
NOT
Cope, Fit in, Survive.

March is National Nutrition Month--eat some fresh fruit today.

Eat Healthier Carbs

No need to cut out all carbs--just choose more healthy carbohydrates--the ones that provide vitamins, minerals & fiber such as:  Whole Grain Bread/Pasta, Barley, Brown Rice, Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Low fat or fat free dairy foods (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese)

Less Healthy Carbs include: White bread/pasta,  Fruit or sports drinks with added sugar, sugary soda, cookies, cakes, pies, high calorie high fat dairy desserts such as ice cream

Healthy St. Patty's Day Options

Irish Soda, an American tradition for St. Pats Day---isn't seen that much on tables in Ireland.  Irish Brown Bread was served every morning at all the Bed & Breakfasts I stayed in.  It is much more flavorful, and nutritious than Irish Soda Bread due to the whole grains used in it.

Irish Brown Bread Recipe:
1/2 cup pinhead oatmeal (see photo)
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3/4c. all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
Combine all dry ingredients in bowl, sift with fingers, then add
1 1/4 c. lowfat buttermilk
Mix everything with a wooden spoon
Knead slightly
Place dough in a greased bread tin
Bake at 400F for 3-to 35 minutes

Good Both Inside & Out!

Eating Fresh Healthy Foods doesn’t just make you feel great---it can help you look great! Tomatoes are loaded with antioxidant lycopene which helps protect skin form sun damage.  The antioxidant EGCG found in green tea does also.  Strawberries are packed with Vitamin C which has a key role in producing skin plumping collagen.  Think spring and go for some fresh healthy treats.

Healthier Academy Awards Treats

You can have great party food and still eat healthy.  When making dips, use neufchatel or light cream  cheese instead of full fat & substitute Fat Free Sour Cream for Full Fat---after you jazz up the dip with chopped garlic, onions, leeks or whatever---you won't be able to taste the difference.

Instead of everything pizza with double cheese, try mushroom or other veggie toppings and save your heart a couple of globs of saturated fat.

Think "I am" rather than "I want to be"

Making "healthy eating & fitness" part of your IDENTITY rather than thinking "I need to lose weight/eat better" is key to increased wellness.  What you think, and tell yourself does show up in your behavior.  So, your "self talk" needs to be positive. 

National Wear Red Day ~ Heart Disease is #1 Killer of Women

Friday is National Wear Red Day.
Help the mission to fight heart disease in women, by telling your girlfriends, wife, Mom, sisters, and all the women you care about.  More than 500,000 women die in the U.S. each year of cardiovascular disease, making it, not breast cancer (40,000 deaths annually), their No. 1 killer.

Women can modify their lifestyle to control or treat risk factors for heart disease.
Visit this website to access risk factors:  http://www.goredforwomen.org/understand_your_risks.aspx?id=530&tm=vascular+disease