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• Carrot health benefits
• carrot facts
• eating carrots
• benefits of carrots

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

The beta-carotene in carrots is an antioxidant combating the free radicals that contribute to conditions like cancer, heart disease, and a few other conditions.

Cooking carrots raises the nutritional benefits of this great vegetable. By cooking them you free the beta-carotene from the fiber, thereby allowing your body to better absorb the beta-carotene.

If you eat just a half cup of carrots each day you will get more than the recommended dosage of beta-carotene in your diet.

Recipe: Banana Zucchini Carrot Bread 

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 extra large egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 medium bananas
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• ½ cup grated carrots
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 dash salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter and pour into large bowl.  Add bananas and mash.  Add grated zucchini and shredded carrots.  Mix well.  Add sugar, vanilla and beaten egg.  Sprinkle in baking soda and salt, and mix.  Add flour and mix well.  Pour in 4x8 loaf pan to two large muffin pans.  (Yields one loaf or 12 large muffins.) Bake loaf for 60 to 75 minutes.  Bake muffins for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Let cool and serve.

Recipe: Creamy Carrot with Curry Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds peeled carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Garnish: Chopped pistachios

Heat oil in sauté pan until shimmering.  Add carrots, then onion, sauté until golden brown (about 7 minutes).  Reduce heat and add butter, sugar, and garlic; continue cooking about 10 minutes longer. Add curry and sauté a minute longer. Add broth and simmer.  Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are soft, about 10 minutes.  Using a blender, puree in a blender for about a minute.  Return to pot and add enough half and half so the mixture is soup-like, yet thick enough to float the pistachio garnish.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

• flu prevention
• Cold prevention
• Fight flu naturally
• Fight cold naturally

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

We are well into the cold and flu season and unfortunately everyone knows someone that has been down and out with cold and flu symptoms this year. Fortunately there are some simple ways to help you stay healthy throughout the winter.

Here are five simple ways to stay cold and flu-free:

1. Load up on garlic.  It contains allicin, which has antiviral properties.
2. Sweat it out in the sauna.  Sweating helps to release toxins in the body.
3. Get the proper amount of sleep.  Sleeping helps you to be more energized and helps your immune system fight off germs.
4. Eat your chicken noodle soup.  It contains anti-inflammatory deliciousness that strengthens disease-fighting cells.
5. Have your yogurt.  The probiotics help strengthen your immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells in your body.

• High fructose corn syrup
• High fructose facts
• Corn syrup facts

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

It seems that one of the most asked questions these days is high fructose corn syrup worse for you than regular sugar.  Well, according to studies, last year alone Americans consumed 27 pounds of high fructose corn syrup, after all it can be found nearly everywhere including the fruit on the bottom of your yogurt and in many whole wheat breads.

While that number is down from the 37.5 pounds consumed per person back in 1999, it seems that most Americans are filling in those remaining calories and pounds by adding in good old-fashioned sugar.

Normal table sugar is made up of 50 percent fructose and 50 percent glucose.  But since fructose is sweeter than glucose many manufacturers increased the ratio, to inexpensively hook their consumers.  High fructose corn syrup contains 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose.

Because it is sweeter, people who eat foods high in high fructose corn syrup it may cause overeating and weight gain.  Studies have also shown that high fructose corn syrup may also contain varying amounts of mercury.

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy stated that “mercury was present in nearly a third of 55 popular brand name food and beverages in which high fructose corn syrup was the first or second ingredient on the label.”

It is important to be a good label reader and avoid foods that list high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient on the label. Even if an item is marked “natural” or in the health food aisle, it still can contain high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient.

Even though table sugar isn't as bad for you as high fructose corn syrup, it can still wreak havoc on your diet and weight loss goals.  Indulge in sugary items as a treat or only on special occasions, instead of at every meal.

• health tips
• Check health
• Health monitoring

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

If you are looking to “get fit” in 2019, take these three self-tests to find out how fit you are first!

How are your muscles?  Do some push-ups.  A 30-year old man should be able to 35 push-ups while a 30-year old woman should be able to do 45, while her knees are on the floor.  For every decade after 30, the number of push-ups decreases by 5 for each gender.

How is your flexibility?  Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you, slightly apart.  Extend your arms placing your one hand on top of your other hand, fingertips forward and reach for the space in between your feet.  Women under the age of 46 should be able to reach at least two to four inches past your feet.

Older women should be able to reach the soles of their feet.  Men under the age of 46 should be able to reach the soles of their feet.  Older men should aim to be within three to four inches of their soles. 

What's your heart rate?  Begin by exercising for 18 minutes at 80 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate : for men, 220 minus your age; for women, 208 minus .82 times your age.  Then exercise all out for three minutes.  Check your pulse.  Rest for two minutes and then check it again.  Your heart rate should have dropped by at least 66 beats.  The faster it drops the more fit you are.

• reasons for weight gain
• Little known reasons for weight gain
• weight gain reasons

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

So you have been working out and eating right, but you still can't get that scale to move in the right direction? Well, there may be a “strange” reason why you are gaining weight instead of losing weight.

Here are some strange factors that could cause you to be gaining weight, even though you are doing everything you can to lose weight.

• If you are depressed and taking medication for it, you can expect to see about a 5 to 15-pound weight gain, with accumulated weight gain the longer you are on medication. Even if you are not taking medication, if you are depressed you can still be causing unnecessary weight gain because people that are depressed typically turn to “comfort” foods like foods high in fat and calories or they may cut back on physical activity.
• If you have digestive issues, like having slow bowel movements, you may be gaining weight from that.  Ideally, you should eat and then in an hour or two, have a bowel movement.  To be considered “regular” you should have one to two bowel movements per day.  Staying hydrated is important to become regular and having a diet rich in fiber is also important.
• If your body is low on vitamin D, magnesium or iron, then your body's immune system can be comprised, your energy levels may be decreased, or your metabolism may be altered in a way that makes it much harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  You can increase your red meat and spinach intake to help improve your iron levels and improve your magnesium levels by eating more almonds or Brazilian nuts.  Add a supplement of vitamin D to get that all-important vitamin.