This creamy treat makes an ideal meal after exercise because it combines high-quality protein (yogurt) with simple carbohydrates (from berries) to promote muscle growth. It also has an ample amount of omega 3’s (healthy fat from flaxseeds), which aid in muscle repair.
* 8 oz. plain non-fat Greek yogurt
* 1/2 cup uncooked ready-to-eat oatmeal
* 2 tbsp. ground flaxseeds
* 1/4 cup strawberries
* 1/4 cup blueberries
*Layer all ingredients in a tall glass and serve.
Nutrients per serving:
calories: 288, total fats: 6 g., saturated fat: <0.5 g., trans fats: 0 g., cholesterol: o g., sodium: 86 mg., total carbohydrates: 34 g., dietary fiber: 8 g., sugars: 6 g., protein: 27 g., iron: 6 g. Oxygen Magazine December 2009
Many experts recommend cooking with olive oil for its health benefits, but a new study suggests that it may also be an effective pain-reliever. For decades, scientists have known that bitter medicine is the best medicine. Now a study from the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) finds that newly pressed extra-virgin olive oil contains oleocanthal, a chemical compound that induces a strong stinging sensation in the throat, just like the popular painkiller ibuprofen.
Based on these two products’ similarly irritating tastes, researchers tested whether oleocanthal mimics the pain-fighting properties of ibuprofen. The compound was found to indeed act as a natural anti-inflammatory in a way that’s “strikingly similar” to a dose of Advil. The findings also raise the possibility that long-term consumption of extra-virgin olive oil – as little as 50 grams a day, or about 10% of the ibuprofen dosage recommended for pain relief – might help reduce the risk of certain cancers or blood disorders. Muscle & Fitness hers Magazine, Sept / Oct 2009
Snacks are like mini-meals. Each one contains a small portion of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. You can create an infinite variety of snacks by mixing and matching 1 protein, 1 carbohydrate, and 1 fat choice from the lists below.
PROTEINS
• 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 ounce part-skim or “lite” mozzarella
• 2 1/2 ounces part-skim or “lite” ricotta cheese
• 1 ounce sliced meat (turkey, ham, chicken)
• 1 ounce tuna packed in water
• 1 string cheese
• 1 1/2 ounces deli meat
CARBOHYDRATES
• 1/2 apple
• 3 apricots
• 1 kiwi
• 1 tangerine
• 1/3 cup “lite” fruit cocktail
• 1/2 pear
• 1 cup strawberries
• 3/4 cup blackberries
• 1/2 orange
• 1/2 cup grapes
• 8 cherries
• 1/2 nectarine
• 1 peach
• 1 plum
• 1/2 cup peaches
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 grapefruit
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups sliced celery
• 4 cups sliced cucumber
• 2 red or green peppers, raw
• 1/4 cup hummus
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 1/2 cups snow peas, raw
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
Many fitness-conscious women don’t eat nuts because they are calorie dense and high in fats. Research conducted over the past 10 years shows that nuts should be an important part of your diet. They promote a healthy heart, prevent cancer and improve digestion. A symposium conducted at the University of California, Davis summarized the many important health benefits of using nuts:
* While nuts are calorie dense, nut eaters are thinner than the rest of the population.
* Nuts prevent hunger, are difficult to absorb during digestion and increase resting energy consumption
* Nuts promote cardiovascular health by reducing cholesterol, oxidative stress, inflammation and blood vessel reactivity
* Frequent nut consumption reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar regulation
* Nuts decrease the risk of cancer, possibly by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation
The scientists concluded, “We are just beginning to understand how the properties of nuts influence health even though they have been part of the human diet for thousands of years.” Journal of Nutrition, 138:1734S-1764S, 2008)
Great for heart health, but here’s an added twist: New studies are suggesting that monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fats might help lessen abdominal fat. It’s too soon to understand the link, but “this could be particularly good for women working to tone their core,” says nutritionist Susan Kleiner, Ph.D. Womens Health 2009
Looking for a health-promoting snack? Enjoy nutty tasting sunflower seeds with their firm but tender texture to take care of your hunger and get a wealth of nutrition at the same time. Sunflower seeds are available at your local market throughout the year.
Sunflower seeds are the gift of the beautiful sunflower that has rays of petals emanating from its bright yellow, seed-studded center. The flower produces grayish-green or black seeds encased in tear-dropped shaped gray or black shells that oftentimes feature black and white stripes. Since these seeds have a very high oil content, they are one of the main sources of polyunsaturated oil.
A handful of sunflower seeds will take care of your hunger, while also enhancing your health by supplying significant amounts of vitamin E, magnesium and selenium. Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Sunflower Seeds’ Vitamin E. Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, the body’s primary fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin E travels throughout the body neutralizing free radicals that would otherwise damage fat-containing structures and molecules, such as cell membranes, brain cells, and cholesterol. By protecting these cellular and molecular components, vitamin E has significant anti-inflammatory effects that result in the reduction of symptoms in asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, conditions where free radicals and inflammation play a big role. Vitamin E has also been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer, help decrease the severity and frequency of hot flashes in women going through menopause, and help reduce the development of diabetic complications.
In addition, vitamin E plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin E is one of the main antioxidants found in cholesterol particles and helps prevent free radicals from oxidizing cholesterol. Just a quarter-cup of sunflower seeds contains 90.5% of the daily value for vitamin E.
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What are the benefits of eating fortified eggs over regular eggs and is there a difference in the quality of the omega-3’s and other nutrients?
There are three different omega-3 fats: DHA, EPA and ALA. All three have health benefits for active women: DHA and EPA have been tied to brain and nervous system health, cancer prevention and are seen as important factors in heart and circulatory system health. ALA is an important anti-inflammatory. Eggs can be fortified with one or all three of these omega-3 fats, but since ALA is more widely available in the diet from plant sources such as flaxseeds and canola oil, it is more likely that diets are low in DHA and EPA, found mainly in fish. So, if your total omega-3 intake is low, fortified eggs may be a worthwhile addition to your meals. Oxygen magazine May 2009. Article By Dr. Susan Kleiner
