Don't Be A Camel - Drink Your Water

By Lisa VanWilliams

Soda and coffee don't count either. It's like putting oil or gas in your car, your body cannot run without it. In order for your body and metabolism to run effectively and burn calories/fat, it must be hydrated. More than half of your body weight is water.  Water flushes out the toxins and carries nutrients to your cells. Not drinking enough water can make you feel drained and tired and it can lead to health problems.

Keep a filled glass on the counter during the day, throw a 6-pack of bottled water in the car, find a travel cup. Do you like it at room temp? Or chilled in the fridge? With or without ice? What about lemon? There are many options so find which way entices you the most and get your daily fill. 

So how much water is enough?
 "The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day."*

Exercise and warm weather require more water intake. It's also stated that once your over 50, your thirst sensation diminishes and will continue to do so with age.  It's important to drink water every day even if you are not thirsty - no matter what your age is.

  *reference: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

Kale Krazy

By Lisa VanWilliams

This descendant of wild cabbage is the new potato chip.  Kale is considered a super food because it's packed with nutrients and health benefits.  It can help reduce the risk of getting certain cancers like bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate. Australian research also showed that eating beta-carotene rich food like this can decrease the risk for skin cancer.

What else makes kale killer good?

• antioxidant
• anti-inflammatory
• detoxes the body
• cancer preventative
• lowers cholesterol
• packed with nutrients -off the charts with vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, and manganese
• high in fiber

It's like a little vitamin all packed into one leafy green bundle. The healthiest way to eat kale is steamed but the more popular choice right now is baked kale chips.  A healthy alternative for you and the family -cut up some kale with olive oil and salt, bake them up and try something new.

Corn On The Cob Country Style

By Lisa VanWilliams

We were in Upstate New York farm country this past weekend and we had a hankering for some corn on the cob. The whole family hopped on a Ranger and we took off down the country road in search of some edible corn. We rode past rows and rows of cow corn down to the local farmers homestead. The farmers daughter ran out and she asked us, "Do you want fresh corn off the stalk?". My husband looked at me, and I at him. We never had that option before. Absolutely. She hopped in back and we took off for another mile or so until we got to a small crop of sweet corn.  We must have eaten a thousand ears of corn in our lifetime, but never had the chance to pick it fresh off the stalk. My daughter helped me pick a dozen ears of corn on a beautiful day in the middle of no where out in the country. Both of the kids fell asleep on the ride back.

On the ride home we started talking about corn. Hence, today's article :)

You can boil it in water or roast it on the grill, either way the sweet kernels taste most delicious this time of year.  Corn is a staple food for many countries and it can be made into several different things like tortilla's, corn chips, polenta, and popcorn just to name a few. Corn is also known as maize in different parts of the world. There are several colors of corn and each one provides different healthy antioxidants.

What are the health benefits of corn on the cob?

• antioxidant
• good source of fiber
• blood sugar benefits
• good source of energy producing vitamin B5
• vitamin C
• vitamin B3
• manganese

Finding organic non-GMO corn is a rare find nowadays considering, "70% of all 91 million acres of corn in the U.S. are planted with genetically modified varieties."*  Corn may have a bad rap as an experimental food, but if can find certified organic sweet corn take advantage and enjoy this seasonal vegetable. For info on GMO sweet corn you can go to:  http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/sweetcorn/


*reference: http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?dbid=90&tname=foodspice

Turn Up The Volume

So, we want to know what's your favorite song that get's you pumped?

 

Bust out the iPod with some jamming tunes -maybe some Metallica, Kid Rock, Queen, Eminem, or Van Halen, whatever favorite beat that gets you going and pumped up.

 "Listening to music while exercising has been found in multiple studies to create an increased sense of motivation, distracting the mind while increasing heart rate. Faster tempo music has been found by researchers to motivate exercisers to work harder when performing at a moderate pace." * Reynolds, Gretchen. "Phys Ed: Does Music Make You Exercise Harder?", The New York Times, August 25, 2010
 

Get Skinny By Eating Spicy

By Lisa VanWilliams

Quick, let's get some Indian food! Several studies have been done on hot peppers. Two done in particular by UCLA and Laval University in Quebec show that capsaicin has proven to burn fat and calories. Capsaicin is what puts the kick in a hot pepper and it can put a little booster on your metabolism as well.


A few reasons why hot peppers are good for you...

• reduces appetite
• strengthen immunities
• speeds up your heart rate
• increases energy
• they help break down carbs
• improves stamina
• decrease blood cholesterol

Try some hot peppers in different ways and see if you can find one that's right for you. Degree's of heat are different on every pepper - also called a Scoville scale. So every "hot" pepper is not super hot. There are milder versions if spicy isn't your thing. 

Secrets of Shea Butter

By Lisa VanWilliams

Every year there is a big Festival downtown on the green in our town. I look for the stand selling this concoction out of these humongous wooden tropical bowls. It's piled high and it looks like a mix of butter and wax and people are incredibly curious about what it is and what it does.  It's called Shea butter and it's from Africa. African healers have been using it for thousands of years. It does not have a smell and it's super duper for moisturizing. I used this to prevent stretch marks when I pregnant and I still use it now. Good for daily use, good for seasonal changes and the harsh New England winters that dry out my hands.

Shea butter is extracted from a nut that comes off a Shea tree. There can be color variations from an ivory to a tan yellow hue and that is due to the soil it is grown in.  Shea butter actually melts like butter when it comes into contact with warm skin and then the skin absorbs it without leaving a coated feeling. It's an ingredient used in many cosmetics, soap, lip gloss, skin products, and lotions. This a healthier natural alternative to use instead of the name brand chemical lotions.

What else is it good for?

• used as an anti-inflammatory & pain reliever
• helps block UV rays
• relieves nasal congestion
• suppress skin aging
• helps repair damaged skin
• hair conditioning
• great for massage
• prevent stretch marks during pregnancy

If you can't find something like this at your local fair or market, here's their website:
http://www.nesheabutter.com/

A good night sleep

By Steve VanWilliams

Having a good night sleep is one of the most important and very over looked building blocks for optimal health. We all need it and most of us do not get it, or enough. While there is no proven scientific data that says exactly how many hours we need, each person is different. The needs are primarily based on two factors. One that is called basal sleep or need. Which mean the amount of sleep our bodies need on a regular basis for optimal health. The other is called sleep debt. The accumulated sleep that is lost due to poor habits. While me may not know what the magic number is for us, we do know that if you do not get a good night sleep it can lead to several alarming health factors.

• A greater likelihood of obesity due to an increased appetite caused by sleep deprivation
• Increased risk of diabetes and heart problems
• Increased risk for psychiatric conditions including depression
• Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information

A few factors may contribute to a poor night sleep. Stress, vitamin deficiencies, lack of exercise, lack of potassium. I am sure there are other, but these are a few you may want to look into. So how do we get a good night sleep? A few ways that have always helped me, especially through very stressful are the following.

• A nice strong brewed Chamomile tea before bed
• No carbs at night time or for dinner 
• Eat 3 - 4 hours before bed
• Take a walk after dinner
• On the worst times a melatonin supplement