Top Ten Healthy & Quick Foods

We all know that one of the secrets to living a long and healthy life has a lot to do with the foods we eat. With not all foods being created equal, making choices to eat healthier can not only change your quality of life, but the longevity as well.

Here are ten of the top power packed foods designed to give you energy, vitality and all around good health! Many of them are those types of foods you can eat on the run too, so you’re saving time as well as saving your health.

1. Beans – If they give you gas, it’s easy to find precautions you can use before you eat them.  Also, soaking them first can help a great deal.  Beans of all kinds (kidney, navy, lentils, chickpeas, Northern) are high in protein.  This plant protein contains very little fat, carbs and calories.  If fiber is a problem in your diet, eating a healthy portion of beans each day can keep your digestive system healthy. And they are easy to make ahead, freeze or heat-and-go!

2. Oatmeal – Oatmeal is coming back into popularity, now that it’s stated as a food lowering blood cholesterol.  You can make it yourself with rolled oats or eat the instant kind if you are in a hurry.  Oatmeal is a filling grain which also provides more of that much needed fiber to keep hunger at bay and your blood sugar constant.

3. Fruits – Fruits are filled with antioxidants such as Vitamin C and A.  Antioxidants fight free radical damage in the body and reduce the risk of cancer.  Berries, such as blueberries and grapes have the highest amount of antioxidants.  Choose an array of fruits in a wide variety of colors for maximum health.  The antioxidants in fruit boost the immune system to fight the effects of aging in the body.

4. Allium foods – This class of foods includes garlic, onions, leeks and shallots.  Garlic is known for lowering cholesterol.  Allium vegetables help guard the body against the risk of cancer as well as many other ailments.  They also help lower blood pressure and prevent blood clots.  Eating these power packed vegetables in their natural state, especially garlic and wild garlic, increases their health benefits.

5. Salmon – Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of heart disease and other conditions like atherosclerosis.  Wild salmon is a fatty fish, however containing good fats proven to improve health in both children and adults.  Salmon is rich in protein which is of great use after an exercise session to build muscle tissue.

6. Flax seed – Like salmon, it contains omega-3 fatty acids.  These seeds also contain omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids.  You get a lot of power to fight high cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes with this seed.  Ground flax, which is the most beneficial way to consume this seed, can be added to fruit smoothies, sprinkled in yogurt, eaten with cereal or added to pancake mix to name a few.

7. Peppers – Peppers are colorful.  They contain antioxidants such as beta-carotene and Vitamin C.  Peppers range from mild and sweet, to so hot you’ll be calling the fire department.  All peppers contain a substance called capsaicin.  Capsaicin has the properties of an anti-inflammatory, a pain reliever, lowers cancer risk and heart disease.  They are good in salads, salsa and all sorts of dishes. Grab some with a great low-fat dip for a quick snack.

8. Nuts and seeds – Nuts may be high in fat, but those fats are the good kind.  Peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts and pistachios are all providers of good fats and protein.  Crush them into a fine powder to use as a coating instead of higher carb bread crumbs.  Nuts help to lower cholesterol.  Eat them right out of the shell with no additives.

9. Açai – This berry has been in the news lately.  It is rich in antioxidants and increases energy.  You can get more done and look better while doing it.  You can get Acai juice and supplements in your health food store.

10. Yogurt – The fat free variety is incredibly good for you.  Yogurt contains calcium, Vitamin B, and protein.  There are even newer types with added health benefits which you might want to look into.  If you don’t drink milk, yogurt is an alternative to get your calcium in to build strong bones and teeth.  Live yogurt also contains friendly bacteria to help promote a healthy digestive system.

Building a better healthier body begins with what you eat.  Try these super foods to get started on the right foot.

ACHOO! Cold? Flu? What can I do?

While most people worry about cold and flu season beginning in October or November, some of us end up feeling miserable, exhausted, and looking for the number of the dump truck that just ran us over the minute any sign of spring hits.

Some areas of the country are enjoying beautiful signs of spring, with flowers having already poked through the earth to present us with their radiance. Other areas are finally seeing patches of grass poking through the mountains of snow collected over the last few months. One this is for sure, no matter what part of the country you’re in…spring is in the air.

Unfortunately for some this means the dreaded “spring cold or flu”, which for some reason or another tends to hit us with more gusto than any other illness did over the winter. Perhaps this is because we aren’t expecting it, or perhaps we have been busier than usual, and it finally had a chance to find that foothold it needed to hit us. And hit us it does.

I want to first clear up some of the differences between colds and the flu. While both can make us equally miserable, they don’t provide the same symptoms or hazards. Take a look below at the chart, and you’ll be able to better see which of these two culprits has hit you. Following that, we’ll take a look at some natural ways you can deal with these symptoms, instead of spending a fortune at the pharmacy for medications which may or may not help in the first place.

Please note: I am not a medical doctor. This information is provided to you simply for that – informational purposes. If you are ill, and think you may have the flu, or anything other than a common cold, please consult your physician.

Now that we know what we’re dealing with, here are some natural remedies for cold and flu. You might want to keep this handy for NEXT autumn, when things are likely to start all over again.

The first thing you can do to help diminish or eliminate your chances of getting a cold or the flu is to remember to was your hands…often. It never hurts to keep a bottle of Purel or similar product around as well. Throw one in your purse, keep one in various rooms in the house and remember to use it.

To get ready before cold and flu season hits, it is recommended that you eat lots of garlic, combined with daily doses of Echinacea.  If, however, that cold or flu grabs hold anyhow, you can start feeling better reasonably soon after a footbath of dried mustard in a bowl of very hot water. This will help bring down that fever, as well as loosen any phlegm that might be building up.  There is also the popular remedy of lemon and honey.  Lemon because of it’s high levels of vitamin C, as well as it’s power to expel toxins.  The honey will soothe your throat.

Another way to get rid of that congestion is by drinking hot ginger water. Just slice up some ginger root and boil for 15 minutes. This will chase that cold away in no time. Ginger or peppermint can be added to a hot bath for some comfort.  Either of these will make you perspire, and this in turn gets rid of the toxins.

Onions, although not known for keeping your breath fresh, are excellent when it comes to colds. You can put a generous slice into a cup of boiling water. Add to this a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and drink before bedtime. Eating plenty of yogurt can help to kill any bad bacteria on its own. It will also help the production of much needed antibodies that will kill off any unwanted organisms.

At the first sign of fever, lemon juice and honey diluted with hot water will help. You can also use apple cider vinegar and honey. For that stubborn fever, remember to drink lots of liquids. The preferences are unsweetened fruit juices. And for that sore throat that won’t quit, make up a mixture of salt, lemon juice and hot water. Using this to gargle with can soothe the throat and get rid of the burning sensation that often comes with a sore throat.

There are several herbal tea recipes that are easily made from scratch, or bought at your local health food or grocery store. One favorite that helps you sleep when you aren’t feeling your best is lavender. Peppermint tea and green tea are also great choices when you aren’t quite feeling up to par. You can also try hibiscus and basil for fever or aches and pains.

For fighting infection and inflammation, try a spoonful of crushed black currants in a cup of boiling water. Let it infuse for about 10 minutes, then sip slowly and chew on the pieces of the fruit.

Menu Planning – Saving Time & Money

There is one thing we never seem to have enough – time. When time gets away

from us, usually the first thing that gets skipped is meal time. When you start eating fast food a couple of nights a week, not only can it be very costly but quite unhealthy too. Planning your meals ahead of time allows your family to still eat together for dinner, even when you’re having a rushed day.

I’m sure you’ve all experienced this scenario: You come in the house and realize nobody has taken anything out of the freezer for dinner. Scavenging through the refrigerator, you find a few odds and ends to throw together. When the kids come in, they grumble because it’s not what they wanted. Your husband arrives later to find a congealed meal in the pan on the stove and skips dinner.

Does this sound familiar? If it does, there is help for you and your family. Menu planning saves the headache that comes with searching at the last minute for something to fix for dinner. It also keeps you from throwing away food that no one wants to eat.

You might be one of those families who eat out for dinner because it’s late when you get home. No one wants to cook so you hit the fast food joint.

There are many benefits to meal planning:

1.    The entire family gets involved. One day a week, probably a Saturday or a Sunday, let everyone come together for an hour and decide what will be on the menu for the coming week. Each person from the youngest to the oldest has a say in breakfast, lunch and dinner.

2.    Menu planning fosters healthier lifestyles. When you have time to decide ahead of time, you can be sure that there is the right combination of protein, fats and carbohydrates in each meal. Eating at home means that you’ll know what is in the food that you eat.

3.    You can save on the grocery bill. How many of us have gone to the grocery store and half filled the cart with items that we didn’t need but caught our eye? When you plan a menu, you have an instant grocery list. Each week, you’ll shop for the items that are needed to make the meals and that’s it.

4.    Meals can be fixed in a snap. When you are tired in the evening, simply pop your meals in the oven or microwave. Planning allows you to start the prep work the night before in anticipation of a busy day. That way, all the hard work is already done.

Are you looking for a way to save money and get the family to eat at home? There is always time for a meal at home when you use menu planning.

Using Stability Balls in Your Workouts

While it’s true that many people will purchase hundreds, if not thousands of dollars worth of training equipment for use in their home, not all of us have that possibility. When it comes time for you to purchase some type of exercise equipment for use when you can’t make it to the gym, or when weather doesn’t permit you to go for walks or runs, often simpler is better. Simple equipment can be used in a multitude of ways, so there really isn’t a necessity for a huge budget, or additional choices if you want to try something new (such as working a different group of muscles for example). And probably the most simple exercise product you can find is a stability ball.

These balls found their birth back in the 1960s, and were used primarily for physical therapy purposes for people with orthopaedic issues. However, it’s popularity grew quickly as a tool which could be used for various fitness training needs, and you will find them today in both home and commercial gyms just about everywhere.

Commonly used for strengthening muscles, the stability ball provides an unstable surface to work with, forcing your muscles to readjust on a continual basis in order to not only maintain balance, but posture as well. The back and abdominal muscles are those which most often benefit from this type of fitness routing.

You can use stability balls in just about any type of exercise, as they are not associated with any one particular type. From weight training to yoga, Pilates to do-it-yourself exercise plans, they are of great use in any exercise which targets the core of your body. Sit-ups can be made easier (or for others, more challenging) by using a stability ball. Exercises in balance can be practiced time and again, including balancing your entire body on the ball. No matter what your choice of exercise is, there is likely a way to enhance it with a stability ball.

There are various sizes of stability balls available, and not all are suitable for every person. Some of the factors determining the appropriate size of your stability ball are your height, your weight and more importantly, the length of your legs. Generally speaking, anyone under 5’ should be using a ball measuring 45 cm. For people 5’ to 5’7” the ideal size is 55 cm, and any taller than that you should be choosing a stability ball measuring 65 cm.

When you’re sitting on the stability ball, your legs should always be placed at a 90-degree angle. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor, and your hips should find themselves at the same height as your knees. This position should feel natural, and you shouldn’t need to have to stretch in any direction for your feet to comfortably hit the floor. If you do, your ball is the wrong size. The same applies if your thighs aren’t parallel to the floor.

The more firm the stability ball is, the most benefit it will provide you. The reason for this is the amount of challenge there is for you to remain balanced. However, there are certain conditions where a softer ball is more beneficial, such as for those women who are seriously out of shape, elderly or disabled and those who are overweight. Most sporting goods stores, as well as department stores carry a variety of different balls. You can also order them online.

No matter what your fitness level is, you’ll find the stability ball to be a great starting place, or addition to your present fitness routine. While it might take getting used to, once the habit has been mastered keeping your balance will become second nature. It will also assist you in other aspects of your life as well. If you can only get yourself one piece of sporting or fitness equipment, consider a stability ball. It will get you more bang for your buck for the beginning of your new fitness adventures.

The 30 Minute Exercise Motivator

If you’re like many other women out there, you have already made that oh-so-easy to make decision that you just don’t have the time to exercise. Why, there are the kids, your job, errands, chores, just being plain tired…these are all perfectly good reasons not to get that exercising into your day, right? Wrong! There is time; and we’re about to help you find it.

Managing Your Time

Anyone who has worked in a fair sized company, or any company at all for that matter, has probably had their share of experiences with time management. The concept of getting the most done in the least amount of time is something most companies strive for. It not only saves them money, it also allows them to see where there is time and/or resources being wasted.

Now, what if you were to apply these same tactics to your own daily life? Calculate how much down time you have, and how often you have it. This could be any amount of time you spend waiting on something, or someone. Such as the time  it takes your assistant to draft the report you asked for. Or the time it takes for the casserole in the oven to finish cooking. It could even be that amount of time (however short it may seem) that your baby has finally fallen asleep for her nap. With enough though, I’m sure you can come up with, at the very least, 30 minutes a day where you have absolutely nothing life-threatening which needs to be done.

Is there any reason why you can’t make that chunk of time your personal exercise time? Nobody ever said you needed to work out 2 hours a day in order to keep fit. You just need to realize that time is available, and then you can schedule some exercise in to fill the slot.

What Type of Exercise do YOU like?

Think of an exercise that you don’t mind doing. It could be as simple as dancing or as complex as martial arts. The fact of the matter is, if you engage in a physical activity you enjoy, the chances are much more likely that you’ll stick to it. If you really aren’t fond of bicycle riding, I really can’t recommend that you choose that as a way to use your 30 minutes of exercise time. You’ll get tired of it, bored, discouraged…you’ll find any number of reasons NOT to have to go out there and ride that bicycle.

If you like to dance however, it will be much easier to keep up with this new routine of adding 30 minutes of physical activity to your day. Why? Because it’s human nature to make time to do the things we actually enjoy. Besides, dancing is an easy one. You can dance with your kids, you can dance around the kitchen while drying the dishes (ok, maybe not with the good china), or you can even dance while your ironing your husband’s shirts.

And do you want to know the best thing about exercise?  It’s cumulative. Take your thirty minutes while ironing shirts, plus another fifteen there while you walk up and down the stairs with laundry baskets and it all beautifully adds up to an increase in your personal fitness level. There is absolutely no reason to let the factor of time be discouraging. Short bursts of more intense exercises often work better for overall fitness. So, if all you have is 10 minutes to spare, go for it, and give it all you’ve got. Run in place as fast as you can, or take the stairs at a faster pace, instead of waiting for the elevator. Just remember if you’re going for short, intense workouts to give it your all the entire time.

Making time for exercise might not be the easiest thing you do today, but it is probably the one which is the most necessary. Sit and think of where you can save a few minutes here and there from your schedule, and make yourself and your health an earnest commitment to use that time for exercise. Once your mind is set, and your habit well cemented into your lifestyle you will find additional opportunities for working out popping up all over the place!

30 Minute Meals – Time-saving cooking ideas #1

As many of us already know, it’s not always easy to get exercising and/or cooking

into our busy schedules every day. We have jobs, we have families, we have dedicated prayer times, we have hobbies…and we all have the same 24 hours in every day. So how is it that some women seem to have it all together, yet some of us can barely get supper on the table by 6:30pm, let alone get everything else done from our never-ending To-Do lists?

First of all, there are ways to get around many of these road blocks without sacrificing any family time or responsibilities. It way require some rethinking of our daily schedules, our family’s chore charts or one of many other aspects of the way we are accustomed to doing things. But change is good, especially if that change can also result in you eating healthier AND exercising on a regular basis.

Some of you may be thinking something like, “This woman doesn’t have a house full of children.” or “She has more help than I do.” This kind of thinking is what gets a lot of women into that negative area where they start to doubt themselves. We don’t want any of that here. So, for the purpose of this little lesson today, everybody has the same amount of children, and the same amount of help. And we’re still going to end up with a great meal on the table in 30 minutes or less.

Meal planning is something that takes getting used to if it’s not something you’ve done before. At first, it might seem like it’s taking a whole lot of time just to save 20 minutes a day. This process, like any other process or habit we learn in our lives, takes time. The normal length of time to learn a new habit is 3 weeks. The average length of time to cement it into our everyday lives without a second thought is 6 weeks. By all means, give yourself time for this!

Not only does planning your meals save you time in preparation and cooking time, it saves you time at the grocery store, and also saves you money on wasted food as well. Remember those peppers you bought, put them in the drawer and forgot they were there? It happens to all of us at one point or another. By knowing ahead of time what exactly you need for the week, you will be saving yourself (and your bank account) from forgotten fruit or vegetables in that drawer of the fridge. And believe me that can really add up over a year.

Okay, we’ve planted the seed about menu planning. We’ll get back to that in a bit more detail in a few days. For now, I want to show you how easy it is to make a proper, healthy meal in 30 minutes or less. And it can be much less if you’re the type of person who buys their salad pre-packaged in those large, reseal-able bags or containers.

Speedy Macadamia Chicken

4 boneless / skinless chicken breasts sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed

1/4lb green beans

½ sweet red pepper

1 large tomato

4tbsp honey

¼ tsp. sesame seeds

1/8 lb Macadamia (or other) nuts

Sesame oil

Put a pot of water on stove to boil in order to prepare instant whole grain or brown rice as per package instructions.

Chop or slice all ingredients. Save ½ of red pepper for salad. Heat sesame oil in a skillet or wok. Sauté garlic slightly. Add chicken and dill, and sauté for approximately 5 minutes.

Water should be boiling in your pot. Add rice and stir.

Add green beans and red peppers to skillet or wok, and sauté for saute for another couple of minutes.

Stir rice and check to see if it’s ready. If it is, remove from heat and cover.

Combine salad ingredients. Add tomato, celery, mandarin orange slices or other ingredients as desired.

Add the tomato and the macadamia nuts to skillet or wok; sauté another minute or two. Add the honey and the sesame seeds. Continue cooking just long enough to warm the honey.

Place rice on plate, and top with chicken mixture. Add salad and desired dressing, if any. Sit down, as a family and enjoy the extra time you have to spend together, since this delicious meal should only have taken you approximately 22 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

Now plan some extra time for yourself after dinner! Your first lesson in healthy cooking in 30 minutes or less has been passed with flying colors!

HIIT: Cardio or Resistance

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a theory of exercise that pushes the body to reach a maximum performance for short spurts of time. This method has been proven to burn more body fat, while at the same time also help maintain muscle integrity.

There are two main directions for HIIT workouts. Some choose the cardio HIIT which focuses on increasing the level of output for short periods of time – for instance a walk, jog, run interval.

Resistance HIIT maintains an even pace for the workout, but increases the resistance for short intervals – for instance biking at the same pace but choosing to increase the resistance to push the body harder, or jogging at the same pace but choosing to increase the incline on the treadmill for a short interval, and then returning it to the original state.

Both types of HIIT workouts are great methods for fat burning. They are also good for time management, since HIIT workouts generally last only around 15 to 20 minutes (although it’s important to remember that this is a time limit which beginners may have to work up to). HIIT cardio and resistance training also carry over the benefits of the workout for up to 36 hours after the workout is complete.

The major difference between the two types of HIIT workouts is stress. Because the resistance training remains at an even pace, there is less stress exerted on the joints. The increase in intensity comes from the increase in the resistance.

The path to a HIIT workout is not as important as reaching that intensity level. Resistance training and cardio can both be beneficial choices. Mixing up the HIIT workouts between the two might even help to stimulate interest, as it can easily take the ‘mundane’ out of practicing the same old workout time and time again.

No matter how you choose to get in your HIIT workout, be sure that you consult a physician before you begin. HIIT can be tough on the body, and it is always a good idea to be checked out by your doctor before beginning a major exercise regime. You want to give yourself every possible benefit of this type of program, and it all starts out with a YES from your doctor.

Videos, Pictures and Sore Muscles

Videos, Pictures and Sore Muscles

(2/21/2010) It’s been a long weekend.  But I got a lot accomplished.  I spent Saturday and Sunday Morning recording more than 50 videos in preparation for the workout club membership site I am launching this week.  I am so proud of the program I have put together.  After years of people asking me what to do, how to lose weight, how to shape this body part and that body part, I found a way to answer them ALL… at once. 

The best workouts you can get.  30 exercises completely illustrated (that’s pictures yall) and videos that both describe them and show how to do them.  The concept is 30 minutes a day to reshape your body.  I have combined 30 of the most effective exercises that will burn fat and build muscle.  These thirty exercises can be combined in hundreds of ways so you’ll never get bored and never hit a plateau.

I have to say that taking pictures and recording videos with a 14 year old wasn’t an easy task.  Ever tried to hold a pushup in lowered position while a 14 year old figure out how to make the camera flash.  Yeah, even I began to question my own strength. Despite the periodic technical problems we finished all the exercises and all the poses.  I am so excited about this!  It may be one of best projects I’ve done so far. 

This week it about editing and getting everything up loaded.  The launch will be an online EVENT not to be missed.  Stay tuned . . .

A Week of Travel

I am back home and it has taken a few days to get back on track with my eating.  Being on the road has taken a toll on my eating.  I made salmon on Friday and I think it was the first home cooked meal in 10 days.  Despite the hectic travel and the subsequent readjustment I am proud of myself.  Here is a recap of my proudest and not so proud moments.

Tuesday (2/9/2010) Left for Atlanta,  the middle of a snow storm.  I95 was shut down going to through Maryland and Virginia so we had to check in a hotel in New Jersey.  I was very stressed so decided to work it out by going to the hotel gym 6am Wednesday morning.  It was basically a converted hotel room with one bike, one treadmill and one multiuse machine.  So I warmed up then did a modified version of a 300 workout.  I didn’t feel like repeats so it worked out well. 

Ate turkey and pastrami sandwiches on the road, a few Odwalla protein shakes and a bag of sunflower seeds I got from the gas station, and lots of coffee, just because.  My husband drove the entire way, so I didn’t need the caffeine but it’s a bonding thing to get coffee together J

Thursday/Friday (2/12/2010) Arrived in Atlanta 1am on Friday morning.  We spent the night at some friends’ house.  I went to the hotel for a 1pm pre-conference meeting with hotel administration.

Friday-Sunday – STRESS! STRESS! STRESS!….okay lots of FUN between that but I worry a lot when it comes to the Fit Muslimah Summits.  It’s my baby so I want it to be perfect.  I think I can get over that notions after this Summit.  The snow and cold caused everything from missing participants to presenters cancelling due to delayed trains, car accidents and simply “I can’t drive in this weather”. AHHHH

Sunday (2/14/2010) – It’s over and despite of and in spite of all the problems I am so happy I came and did it.  So after everyone left my daughter and I went across the street to Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner.  We both ate only about 1/3 of our meal.  Neither of us really liked what we ordered.

8:pm – I hadn’t exercised in days, time to hit the Gym.  I got on the treadmill, cranked up my ipod and just ran until the machine said 500 calories.

Monday (2/15/2010) – 6:00am – Heck I’m up so may as well hit the gym again.  Went down and got on the elliptical until it read 300 calories.   I would have stayed until it said 500 but I was bored and had some computer stuff to do.  It was my husband’s birthday so I went to hotel gift shop and got him a card and an Atlanta Mug.  He collects mugs.  Just a temporary gift so he’ll know I didn’t forget.

11:AM – Check out and on the road to South Carolina to visit my sister and her family.

4:00 PM OMG – The food is ready!  Steak, Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, garden salad and red rice and beans.  I haven’t had steak in almost a year.  I don’t eat red meat that often.  So I had to debate.  Fried chicken or steak? I settled for the steak because I cold separate the fat from the meat and I hadn’t had any in a long time. Had a tablespoon of macaroni in cheese, rice and bean and some salad.  My husband looked like he was in heaven as he had a little bit of everything.

My sister said she cooked all that because she knows my kids and husband don’t get it at home.  They appreciated it.

12: Midnight  Back on the road!   Straight through no stopping.  I slept most of the way.  Woke up every couple hours when we had bathroom stops.

Tuesday (2/16/2010) – Back just in time for ANOTHER snow storm.  The snow is really stalking me. 

By the time we cleaned out the van and returned it to the rental company I was pooped.  Ordered Pizza for dinner and went to bed.

Wednesday (2/17/2010) – Still pooped….Travel does this to me. ..who’s cooking dinner? Not me.  A protein shake will work for me.  The kids are having pasta.

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