Wrapping Up 61 Days To Better Health

On November 1st we started 61 Days To Better Health, and today is our final post.  I’ve enjoyed taking this journey towards better health with you.  I hope you’ve found these posts helpful, and that you are on a road to better health.

Here is a look back at some of the issues we have addressed over the last 61 Days To Better Health…

Nutrition:

• Say “No” to empty calories.
• Don’t forget the salt, the pepper and the flaxseed.
• Are you drinking enough water?
• Eating Healthy, The Green Way
• You Are What You Eat
• Benefits of Peppermint
• Lemon water can increase your metabolism and help you lose weight.
• Eat soup and lose weight.
• Low glycemic diets.

Fitness:

• 5 Winter Workout Ideas
• Take a walk in the sun
• Green fitness
• Curb emotional eating with yoga.
• The health benefits of sex.

Lifestyle:

• Turn off the TV
• Laugh your way to better health.
• Tips for getting a better night sleep.
• Choose Happiness
• Buy Organic
• Lose weight with a friend.
• Have fun and enjoy life.

Thanks for joining me in 61 Days To Better Health…Tomorrow we begin our 2009 Good Health-a-Thon.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan, Capessa Health, Women4Hope

Weight Loss Tip: Smart Snacking While Dieting

Weight Loss Tip: Smart Snacking While Dieting

One of the biggest problems we face when we are on a diet, is the feeling of deprivation. We feel deprived, and we want to eat the “junk” foods that aren’t part of our healthy diet. Believe it or not, the best way to stay on your diet at this point, is to give in to your desire to cheat.

The key to cheating on your diet, is to cheat using strict portion control. Have your cake. Have your cookies. Have your candy. Have your chips. You can have what you desire, but only one serving. I know it sounds hard, but if you get in the habit, it will become second nature.

Even though this is a total no-brainer, most of us (including myself) don’t actually do it.

Dawn from Life at the Moment…

Have you ever sat down to have a few chips and the next thing you know, the bag is 3/4 gone? Or started eating some Thin Mint cookies and ended up eating the whole role? No matter what you’re eating, look at the label first. Figure out how much equals 1 serving and how many calories are in 1 serving. Put 1 serving worth on a plate or in a bowl, seal the bag/box, and put it back in the cupboard. Stop after 1 serving. If you do this all the time, you’ll train yourself to eat more appropriate portions, and you’ll be more aware of how much you’re eating when you snack.

Also See:

• Overeating During The Holidays
• Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
• Believe In Yourself: Set Realistic Dieting & Fitness Goals

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan, Capessa Health, Women4Hope

Fresh Vegetables: Pre-cut, cleaned, and in a stay fresh/microwavable bag.

A great way to get your fresh vegetables – Pre-cut and cleaned.

Do you find yourself wanting to eat healthier, but cleaning, cutting and preparing fresh vegetables isn’t working out for you?

I love vegetables but when I buy them fresh they often go bad before I even get a chance to eat them.  For that reason, I tend to buy most of my vegetables frozen.  But after my post on raw food diets, I really wanted to try and start eating some raw vegetables occasionally – and frozen really doesn’t cut it.

So…I was at the supermarket with my daughter yesterday and the bagged lettuce was on sale (when it’s on sale I usually get some, it just makes it a lot easier when we want a quick salad).  Anyway, I noticed they also had bags of pre-cut vegetables on sale too.  Knowing it would be much more likely that I would eat the pre-cut and cleaned vegetables, I decided to get a few bags.  They even had a stir-fry variety that had snow peas (I love snow peas), and I can’t even remember the last time I had the time or inclination to make a stir fry, so I decided to give it a try.

Well, I was not disappointed one bit. This is a product I will continue to buy (when they are on sale).

They were from a company called Eat Smart and they even come in special bags that you can use to steam the vegetables in the microwave.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan, Capessa Health, Women4Hope

Tips For Saving Money On Your Groceries While Still Eating Healthy

In order to eat healthy during our declining economy, we need to learn to take time to make the most of every dollar we spend on groceries. That can be easier said than done, but it can be done.  Taking time to plan is key to your success.

Here are a few tips to help you eat (and shop) healthy on a budget…

Tip #1 – Take the time to look for deals, use coupons and check sale fliers. The Internet has made this even easier, you can check sales and print coupons right from your computer.

Tip #2 – Plan your meals and create your shopping list around the ingredients you will need.

Tip #3 – Keep to your list at the grocery store and avoid impulse buying.

Tip #4 – Purchase fresh food items and avoid buying processed foods whenever possible.

Tip #5 – Avoid foods with labels making “special” health claims.  Often these are marketing techniques designed to get you to pay more money for something. Truly healthy foods do not need to be marketed as healthy…they just are.

These are just a few quick tips that can help you save money on groceries while still eating healthy.  If you have any tips that you use, please share them in comments.

Also See:

How You Can Save Money On Food and Still Eat Healthy

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan, Capessa Health, Women4Hope

Could A Raw Food Diet Help You Lose Weight?

Have you ever considered a raw food diet?  The idea of a raw food diet has never been very appealing to me.  It always conjures up images of sushi and steak tartar.  But recently I’ve come across some vegetable only raw food recipes, and they don’t look too bad.

I wouldn’t recommend anyone follow a strict raw food diet, mainly because it is too difficult to maintain proper nutrition with this type of diet.  However, eating raw vegetables is very healthy.  So, including raw food recipes in our diet can be extremely beneficial to good health and weight loss.

Benefits of a raw food diet…

Proponents of the raw diet believe that enzymes are the life force of a food and that every food contains its own perfect mix. These enzymes help us digest foods completely, without relying on our body to produce its own cocktail of digestive enzymes.

It is also thought that the cooking process destroys vitamins and minerals and that cooked foods not only take longer to digest, but they also allow partially digested fats, proteins and carbohydrates to clog up our gut and arteries.

Now like I said, I’m not sold on sticking to a raw food diet long term.  But I think for a week or two as a way to “jump start” a weight loss program, could be beneficial.  And if a raw food diet seems way to radical for you…Maybe just try to incorporate some raw vegetables and raw food recipes into your non-raw food diet.

This is one recipe I am definitely going to try…

Guacamole

Do you have a favorite raw food recipe I should try?

I recently found a great product at my local supermarket – pre-cut fresh vegetables that are cleaned and in a stay fresh bag.  The cost is about the same as frozen vegetables, but this way you have the option of eating them either raw or cooked. 

Also See:

Cranky Fitness

Real Food Tulsa

Raw Vegan Foodie

Raw Food Divas Blog

Kalyn’s Kitchen

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at Catherine-Morgan, Capessa Health, Women4Hope

Green Fitness

You don’t need to get a gym membership in order to stay fit. Electrically powered exercise machines in your home and fitness centers require large amounts of energy to operate and are not eco-friendly.

So what are some better options?

If you want to get in shape, the eco-way, get outside and experience nature while you workout.

You can walk, bike, or jog through the park (or your neighborhood) once or twice a week. Not only will you get great health benefits, but there is also a sense of peace that you acquire from being in a natural setting. Breathe in the fresh air, feel the wind on your face, and the sun on your skin. You don’t receive any of that with a gym membership.

But what if outdoor exercise isn’t an option for you? You could create a little home gym without using equipment that requires electricity. Here are a few ideas…

• Dumbells
• Jump ropes
• Resistance bands
• Self-powered cardio machines; like bikes and rowing machines.

What are some of your eco-friendly fitness tips?

Why You Should Switch To Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Why You Should Switch To Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Did you know chemicals in your cleaning products can be making you and your family sick? But what can you do?

You can make sure all of your cleaning products; like laundry detergents, dishwasher detergents, surface cleaners, and bathroom cleaners are nontoxic and made with plant-based ingredients. Here are a few you can probably pick up in your local market…

Simple Green Naturals

ARM & HAMMER – ESSENTIALS

Clorox – Green Works

Or, if you’re willing to go the extra mile, make your own cleaning products.

Did you ever consider making your own cleaning products? Not only is this a more eco-friendly cleaning option, but in these hard economic times, you’ll save a bunch of money, too.

Products needed:

• Oranges, Lemons, or Limes (scent of your choice)
• White-distilled Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Dishwashing soap
  
• Water *Note some recipes will call for ammonia, you may substitute three tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice in it’s place.

The citric acid found in these fruits can make for a different kind of “punch”, one that packs a lot of cleaning power! By mixing any of these juices with water in a spray bottle, you can clean a multitude of messes, including grease. By adding vinegar, you are doubling up on the acidity. This household concoction, that rivals the harshest of chemicals, can effectively kill most mold, bacteria, and germs. From Vinegartips.com , I will list just a few of the (many) household cleaner “recipes” they provide…

[*A quick note: If you or someone in your family has asthma or any other respiratory condition, avoid using ammonia.]

Do you use eco-friendly cleaning products? Do you make your own? Tell me about it in comments.

Also See:

Are You Unknowingly Making Your Child Sick with Everyday Cleaning Product?

What Fish & Seafood is Good For You? And What’s Not?

Fish…The Greener Meat

When it comes to eating meat, the most healthy choice is also the greenest choice – fish. However, not all fish are created equal. Many are contaminated with pollutants and other toxins (such as mercury). So choosing the correct fish is important. Here is some help on choosing the best “eco-friendly” fish…

This site might be helpful, it’s the Seafood Selector.

Another problem is labeling. Just like the misleading labeling of “organic” foods. Often, the labels on seafood are misleading.

For example, for years we have heard about how healthy Salmon is for us. But recently we’ve been told that “farm raised” salmon was bad, and we should choose “wild” salmon instead. Wild salmon isn’t farm raised, but farm raised salmon isn’t usually labeled farm raised. For instance, if you buy “Atlantic” salmon, that is farm raised. Yup. No kidding. It doesn’t make any sense, but it is true.

And it doesn’t stop there. I started buying frozen “wild” salmon, and recently looked closer at the packaging. On the front of the package, in large letters, it said…Fresh Caught Wild Salmon. Then in a tiny spot on the back of the package, and in very small letters, it said something like…certified healthy farm raised salmon. Talk about a contradiction. I’d like to see how they freshly “catch” farm raised salmon, it must not be a very challenging.

All I can say is…buyer beware. Read the labels closely. And, if you have to buy “farm raised” fish of any kind, check the label for what country it’s from. The closer the better. Farm raised fish from the United States, would be a better eco-choice, than farm raised from China.

Renaissance Trophy Wife has has a great post explaining the new Country-of-Origin labeling. She also has a great post on organic labeling.

Have you ever been mislead with deceptive labeling on seafood?

Also See:

Buy Organic – The Healthier Choice for You and the Environment

Eating Healthy, The Green Way

Eating Healthy, The Green Way

Eating Healthy, The Green Way

When it comes to eating healthy, not all foods are created equal. In fact, much of the fresh vegetables in your supermarket are grown using pesticides, while the milk and meat is filled with hormones and antibiotics. So what can you do? How can you make healthier and greener food choices?

Whenever possible, buy local, this saves on energy that is otherwise wasted on transportation.

From Woman Tribune…

Here is a list of the top 10 produce you should most definitely be buying organic, every time.

1. Peaches – pesticide load: 100
2. Apples – pesticide load: 96
3. Bell Peppers – pesticide load: 86
4. Celery – pesticide load: 85
5. Nectarines – pesticide load: 84
6. Strawberries – pesticide load: 83
7. Cherries – pesticide load: 75
8. Lettuce – pesticide load: 69
9. Grapes (imported) – pesticide load: 68
10. Pears – pesticide load: 65

For healthier green vegetables, buy local or organic (specifically USDA Certified Organic). Even better, grow your own. Planting your own vegetable garden can be hard work, but it can also be a lot of fun. If you don’t live in an area where having your own vegetable garden is possible, check out the AeroGarden, and grow your own vegetables inside – I wish I had one of these babies.

When it comes to milk, buy organic, or consider trying soy milk. If you’re thinking “yuk” – at the very least, don’t buy your milk in plastic containers.

What about meat? Again, buy organic. Also, for better health, try to avoid red meat whenever possible. Chicken and fish are a much healthier and greener choice.

Also See:

Buy Organic – The Healthier Choice For You and the Environment

61 Days To Better Health