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• quit soda
• negative effects of soda
• stop soda

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Top Reasons to Quit Soda Drinking, NOW

Gone are the days when everyone you ran into was drinking a sugary soda : whether regular or diet.  While you do still have those “die hards” who drink their soda every single chance they get, many others have caught onto all of the warnings that nutritionists have been telling us for years about the effects that soda has on our bodies.

But if you are still in the minority and enjoy your soda, here are some great reasons to quit drinking soda : both regular and diet : TODAY!

You eat less : in particular sweets.  At (on average) 150 calories per can, you can significantly reduce your sugar intake if you quit drinking soda.  The artificial sweeteners in diet soda are the worst for you, too, because they are 400 to 8,000 times sweeter than sugar.

You lose weight.  Even though diet drinks are calorie-free, they cause insulin to be released in your gut because of the artificial sweeteners and prevent weight loss.  Insulin is your body's primary fat storage so it will have the body hold onto any extra fat.

You improve your immune system.  The acidity in soda is bad for your digestive system, erodes tooth enamel, and worsens acid reflux.  Research shows that artificial sweeteners affect our healthy gut bacteria, which can greatly affect our immune system.

You stop your bones from breaking down.  The caramel color in soda contains artificially created phosphorus that can be bad for long-term bone health.

• avoid mosquito bites
• mosquito bites

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Got Mosquitoes? Myth vs. Fact!

It's summertime and that means that the days are getting longer, the sun is shining later and the mosquitoes are biting everyone!

But how much do you know about these little buggers? Here we separate the myths from the facts: 

MYTH: All mosquitoes will bite you.

It is only the female mosquito that bites you because she needs the blood for protein and energy to produce eggs. Male mosquitoes feed on flower nectar. 

MYTH: Mosquitoes are more drawn to people who eat sweets.

Blood is blood. It is more how a person smells than how they taste, that attracts the most mosquitoes. 

FACT: Mosquitoes prefer certain blood types.

Studies show that mosquitoes like to feast on Type O blood, but only the portion of O's who are “secretors” meaning their bodies infuse specific molecules into their saliva, sweat and mucus. 

FACT: Pregnancy increases your chances of being devoured by mosquitoes.

A study in 2000 reported that mosquitoes tend to bite expectant women more than others. Some think it is due to increased blood volume, while others believe it is due to pregnant women producing more heat and carbon dioxide, both which are bait for mosquitoes. 

MYTH: Citronella and bug zappers are the best protectors against mosquitoes.

Actually your best defense is the 3 D's : drain any standing water, dress in bright colors, and defend using Deet.

• eating healthy
• dietary guidelines
• daily health

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Fewer Adults Meeting Daily Food Guidelines

According to a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “less than 15 percent of adults eat enough fruits daily to meet federal recommendations, but the numbers are even worse in some states, dipping as low as 7.5 percent in Tennessee.”

Researchers also found that even fewer adults eat enough vegetables to meet daily recommendations.

The studies show that while the number of fruit and vegetable intake is low across the entire United States, the numbers are staggering in the Southern states.

Overall, the participants in the study consumed fruit less than once a day, and vegetables less than 1.7 times a day.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the model that the study was measured against, recommend that adults who get less than 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each day should eat 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables daily.  More active people can eat more fruits and vegetables during their day without adding too many additional calories to their diet.

The guidelines also recommend that we increase our intake of dark green and orange vegetables, as well as beans.

Fruits and Vegetables that are in season year round:

Apples

Bananas

Lettuce

Coconut

Mushrooms

Onions

Snow Peas

Potatoes

Avocados

Celery

Carrots

Bell Peppers

Bok Choy

Cherry Tomatoes

• exercise tips
• safe training
• training tips

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Trainer Tips: Habits to Avoid for Success

If you feel like you have hit your plateau and aren't seeing any results from your workouts lately, there may be more problems than just diet and exercise that are interfering with your goals.

Many people play the “blame game” and find a host of reasons why things have wrong awry.  But according to fitness trainers, there are a number of habits that you can be doing that will wreak havoc on any diet or exercise program that you participate in.

1. You are doing workouts that you hate : if your schedule is full of workouts that you don't like doing, chances are you are going to continuously skip them often!
2. You always take the same class : if you continuously do the same class then your body will get accustomed to that same workout, creating fewer results.
3. You aren't making a plan : if you are always going to the gym and “just winging it” then you won't be seeing any real results anytime soon.
4. You aren't “fueling” your body : it's not enough to just do the exercises alone, you must fuel your body adequately to have the energy you need to complete your workout.
5. You're skipping your warm up : it is super important to always give your body time to warm up before your workout to prevent injury and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
6. You're not getting enough sleep : lack of sleep is one of the biggest bad habits that all trainers talk to their clients about.  Sleep is critical for strength and recovery.  Your body must be rested in order to gain strength.

• eating healthy
• zucchini health benefits
• eating zucchini

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Zucchini squash is one of the most popular summer squashes in America and Europe.  Almost all members of the squash family vegetables feature smooth skin, tender, crunchy flesh with small edible seeds and high moisture content.

Zucchini is one of the very low calorie vegetables, providing only 17 calories per 100 grams of zucchini.  It is also a very good source of potassium, an important intra-cellular electrolyte.

Zucchini is also rich in vitamins A and anti-oxidant vitamin C, plus they contain moderate levels of the B-complex group of vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc.

Recipe: Mom's Zucchini Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 ¼ cups white sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup chopped walnuts

Grease 2 : 4x8 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Sift flour, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.  Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour into pans. Bake 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes.

Recipe: Japanese Onions and Zucchini

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 medium zucchinis cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Ground black pepper

Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring about 1 minute. Stir in teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and sesame seeds.  Cook until zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in ground pepper and serve immediately.