FEATURED ARTICLES

• healthy drink
• soda health risks
• negative effect soda
• proper diet

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

Food for Thought

Weight:

Drinking just one soda per day equates to ingesting 39 pounds (yes 39 pounds) of sugar per year! Drinking soda on a regular basis interacts with the genes that affect weight and more than 180,000 obesity-related deaths each year are linked to drinking sugary beverages.

Kidneys:

The extremely high levels of phosphoric acid (especially in colas) have been linked to kidney stones and other renal problems.  Diet cola packs a two-fold risk : especially if you drink more than two servings each day.

Bones:

Soda consumption has been linked to osteoporosis and bone density loss, mainly because of the phosphoric acid and caffeine.

Teeth:

The high levels of acid in soda corrode your teeth, almost as badly as drinking battery acid.

Heart:

Habitual diet and regular soda consumption leads to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

Brain:

Having too much sugar in your diet reduces the production of a brain chemical that helps us learn, store memories and process insulin.  Consuming too much sugar also dulls the brain's mechanism that tells you to stop eating.

Lungs:

The more soda you drink, the more likely you are to develop chronic lung conditions like asthma and COPD.

• eating healthy
• healthy eating
• eating tomatoes
• tomatoes benefits

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

Eating Healthy

• Besides containing 40 percent of your daily value of vitamin C, tomatoes also contain 15 percent of your daily value of vitamin A, 8 percent of your daily value of potassium, and 7 percent of your recommended dietary allowance of iron for women and 10 percent for men.
• Lycopene, what gives tomatoes their red pigment, acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells in the body.
• Studies show that men who at least eat 10 servings of tomatoes a week can reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer by a whopping 45 percent.

Recipe: Corn and Black Bean Salsa

• 3 to 4 small ears of corn
• 1 can (15 to 16 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
• 1 large tomato, seeds removed, diced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup minced red onion
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced jalapeno or poblano pepper
• Juice of one lime, about 3 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
• Dash salt and pepper, to taste

Grill or broil corn to char slightly; let cool. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Cut corn from cobs and add to the mixture.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving time.

Great alternative to sauces, and is especially tasty on grilled fish, chicken or pork!

Recipe: Tomato Casserole with Sweet Onions

• 6 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
• 1 large Vidalia onion or other sweet onion
• 1 teaspoon fresh dill, or scant ½ teaspoon dried dillweed
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or scant ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Place peeled tomato wedges on paper towels to drain.  Peel onions and slice into ¼-inch rings.  In separate bowl combine dill, thyme, salt, pepper and bread crumbs.  Layer half of the tomatoes and onions in a lightly buttered baking dish and top with half of the minced garlic.  Sprinkle with half of the bread crumb and seasoning mixture, half of mozzarella cheese, and drizzle with half olive oil.  Repeat layers.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until bubbly.

• pain management
• natural cure
• pain medication
• pain alternative treatment

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

Food for Thought

If your most recent workout has left you with a case of aches and pains, you may find yourself reaching for the closest pain medicine that you have in your medicine cabinet.  But if you are looking to manage your pain without taking pills, fortunately there are plenty of other ways that you can do so.

Here are some ways to treat post-workout aches and pains without popping pills:

Go see your chiropractor : Chronic and nagging pain can be alleviated oftentimes by a trip to your chiropractor.  There are many different pain patterns and chiropractors are trained to handle these pain patterns.  They can best determine how to handle your pain from the most invasive to the least invasive way.

Ice bath : An ice bath is perfect for reducing inflammation in your joints and muscles.  The ice bath helps to constrict your blood vessels, pushing your blood to your core and then that blood returns to your muscles after you get out of the ice bath.

Anti-inflammatory diet : Inflammation causes much of the pain that people feel, so by eating an anti-inflammatory diet, with plenty of whole foods, this will help cut down on your discomfort.  Choose lean foods like chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds.  By eating “real foods” you are giving your body the nutrients it needs to heal.

Foam rollers - Foam rollers help to smooth out and realign fibers that are damaged in your tissue and promote healthy collagen growth.

• skin cancer
• sunscreen
• sunscreen tips

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

Healthy Living

We all know that we should be wearing sunscreen now that the sunny days of summer are here, but do you know what you are doing wrong with that sunscreen? Here are the biggest mistakes we are making when it comes to sunscreen.

• You wait until you are outside to apply your sunscreen. : According to experts, you should apply your sunscreen at least 30 minutes prior to going out in the sun.  That way it has time to absorb into your skin, plus you won't get those harmful UV rays during those crucial minutes when you are first in the sun.

• You apply your sunscreen around your clothes and/or swim gear. : If you are applying your sunscreen around your clothes or swimsuit then you may be missing parts of your body because you are worried about getting the lotion on your clothes or swimsuit. It's best to apply your sunscreen when you are naked and you can better make sure that you aren't missing any important spots.
• You think you are safe indoors or in a car. : Driving can be a major source of incidental sun exposure. Windows and windshields block out UVB rays, but UVA rays can still seep in and those rays are on the spectrum that can cause the most skin aging and skin cancer.

• You miss other important areas. : According to experts, the most common areas missed are: the toes and feet including the bottom of the feet, underarms, back of the neck and under the hairline, ears and especially the tops of your ears, eyelids and inner upper arms.  Sunscreen should be everywhere as the sun doesn't discriminate.
• You sweat or rinse it all off. : Be sure to read your sunscreen label and make sure you are choosing the correct sunscreen for the activity you will be participating in : like swimming or working out outdoors.  Make sure you choose a water-resistant lotion for swimming or activities where you may be sweating a lot.

• healthy diet
• eating healthy
• better sleep
• sleep habits

Details

Written by Lisa Jillanza

According to Men's Health Magazine, good old mom may have had it all wrong when she offered us a glass of warm milk to help aide our sleeping.  The protein in milk could actually boost alertness rather than calm it.

Instead the magazine's experts offer the following snacks to induce “feel-good relaxation chemicals” thereby calming your nerves and slowing your brain down towards relaxation: nonfat popcorn, oatmeal with sliced bananas, one cup of plain yogurt with two tablespoons mixed nuts, sesame seeds, pretzels, 4-oz. glass of unsweetened cherry juice, and red bell peppers.

Not only is a good night's rest good for your overall well-being, but it is also helpful to keep a youthful appearance and will it will also help you to feel younger, too.

So, pass on the glass of warm milk tonight and opt for any of the above snacks for that peaceful night's sleep.   Good night!