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• obesity
• healthy heart
• Weight Loss
• heart disease
• BMI calculator

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

In the News:  Heart Awareness Month

It's a well-known fact that being overweight increases your chance of being at risk of a number of chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.  But research shows that even a small amount of weight loss can lessen your risk of falling victim to these deadly diseases.

Research also shows that, unfortunately, eating just 100 more calories a day than you should, can cause your body weight to be in the obese category and not just the overweight category.

To determine whether or not you are overweight or obese, use a BMI Calculator.  A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight; a BMI between 30 and 39.9 is considered obese.

If your BMI is greater than 25 and you are older than 30 years old, you should strongly consider losing weight to reduce your risk of heart disease and other life-threatening conditions.

In recognition of American Heart Month here are some important statistics regarding heart health:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
• In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a coronary attack.
• The average age for a first heart attack for men is 66 years.
• Many cases of heart disease can be prevented. Learn more at cdc.gov.

• Exercise
• Weight Loss
• burn calories
• fat burners

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Fitness for All

Sure there are lots of people out there that want to lose weight and everyone knows that diet and exercise are the key components to achieve this goal.  But while the dieting can be done at any hour of the day, many people find that it is the exercise part that they have a hard time finding time to accomplish.

But what if you could burn fat, burn calories, and lose weight with easy, fast exercises?  Sounds like a no-brainer, right?

The next time you are short on time and need to get a quick exercise or two in, consult this list of easy fat burners to kick start your regimen and get you on your way to achieving your goal as soon as possible.

Some fast and easy fat busters to try include:

Jump rope as fast as you can : burns 68 calories.

Do walking lunges down a hallway : burns 45 calories.

Run around the block : burns 62 calories.

Do some Wii Zumba : burns 45 calories.

Vacuum the biggest room of your house : burns 20 calories.

Walk up and down the stairs : burns 36 calories.

Bounce on a stability ball during the commercials of your favorite show : burns 58 calories.

• healthy eating
• comfort foods
• balanced diet

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Food for Thought

Over eating seems to be inevitable this time of year. The stress that comes with shopping, cleaning, and cooking make it easy to turn to food for relief. Resisting the urge to eat because of emotions rather than to satisfy hunger can be difficult. Here are some tips to avoid comfort eating during the holidays:

Continue usual routines: Sticking to an everyday schedule helps to keep anxiety at bay. If you only eat three meals and a snack before the holidays, keep it that way. Working out can also divert you from the tempting leftovers in the refrigerator. It helps your mind stay active and distracted.

Identify your triggers: Knowing what specifically drives you to emotional eating can make an incredible difference. Stress and boredom are  the main causes for most people. Keeping

yourself calm yet entertained can significantly reduce the want to munch on some unhealthy treats.

Respond, not react: After immediately having a craving, most of us go straight to the pantry to fulfill it. Allowing yourself to take a moment and think about what you are about to do and the guilt you will have afterwards can stop the craving all together. Have some nutritious snacks ready and waiting, so during that pause, you have the time to remember that you have a healthier option.

Moderation: There has to be a balance in your meal plans. Sometimes, it can be impossible to avoid the comfort foods, so only have a small portion. Giving yourself a taste of what you have been yearning for can satisfy those cravings without blowing your diet.

• eating healthy
• beta carotene
• improve eyesight
• health benefits carrots

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Eating Healthy

It's a well known fact that if you eat your carrots you are working wonders to improve your eyesight, but there are many other great benefits to eating carrots that many people overlook.

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 actually 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.

• colon health
• health benefits canola oil
• health benefits corn

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

In a recent animal study, it was found that diets that included canola oil rather than corn oil had less of a chance of growing colon tumors.

One of the reasons that gives canola the edge is the high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, where corn oil is higher in omega-6 fatty acids.  In the animals tested, researchers charted the size and number of colon tumors and tested their blood for its fatty acid amount.  When comparing animals whose diets contained corn oil verses canola oil, the animals whose diet included canola oil had fewer tumors and much smaller tumors on average.

While researchers will next attempt this same study on humans, researchers and nutritionists alike agree that only good can come from including more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.