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Showing posts from August, 2018

Breakfast – good and bad habits

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We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.   And that’s true.   You are literally “Breaking The Fast” as your body has been without food for as much as 12 hours.   It is important to refuel for the day.   But what you choose to refuel with is important.   My sister recommended the article, 37 Worst Breakfast Habits for Your Waistline by Eat This, Not That!.     We won’t discuss all 37 habits and we will add some good habits to include in your day. Yogurt, oatmeal and berries Bad Breakfast Habits for Your Waistline:  Coffee with Cream – who doesn’t like a morning cup of coffee?   I always start my day with coffee. But adding cream or the fake cream adds calories, fat but few nutrients to your day.   And adding the flavored creamers with lots of added sugar is a double no as that adds even more calories but few nutrients.   But you don’t have to skip the “cream in your coffee”.   Rather than cream add some 2% or other low-fat milk to your coffee.

Superpower Vegetables to Add to Your Diet

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Fruits and Veggies – so good for our health.   Last week I highlighted the September 2018 issue of Consumer Reports which contained the article Fruit and Veggie Superpowers .   I discussed the many fruits that are super healthy and especially good ones to add to your diet.   Recently, I was talking to my sister who told me a health professional recommended she add some vegetables to her lunch.   Her lunch was already pretty healthy.   She told the health professional she might eat an apple, yogurt and an egg sandwich for lunch.     Good choices.   The health professional recommended she add some vegetables like steamed broccoli, green beans, yellow beans.   I always go back to the 5 A DAY recommendation as everyone should try to include 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day in their diet.   So, if you are trying to add more vegetables to your day, which vegetables are considered super vegetables by Consumer Reports?    What are some reason fruits and veggies are so good for your

Superpower Fruits to Add to Your Diet

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Fruits and Veggies – so good for our health.   The September 2018 issue of Consumer Reports has great health articles.   Everything from healthy leafy greens to Fruit and Veggie Superpowers .   Most people know that fruits and veggies are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber that we need for good health.   But unlike some other foods , fruits and veggies are also loaded with “phytochemicals”.   Sounds bad to have chemicals in our food. But these “phytochemicals” actually help us prevent disease, reduce cell damage and help fight inflammation.   A win-win for our health.   An interesting fact is that different fruit and veggies have different phytochemicals.   So, eating a variety of fruits and veggies is actually better for your health than just eating an apple or a banana every day.   (But I do eat a banana EVERY DAY, but vary other fruit and veggies I eat.) So, what are some of fruits in the article 10 Super-Healthy Sumer Fruits and Vegetables you can add to your day? Sup

Are coffee and tea dehydrating?

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Most people have heard about drinking 8 glasses of water a day.   Why?   One reason is to stay hydrated.   And it is important to stay hydrated as it helps regulate your body temperature, prevent headaches and muscle fatigue, helps your brain.   But most people also think to stay hydrated you have to drink plain water or drinks like seltzer water or sports drinks like Gatorade.   But what about tea or coffee drinkers?   Are these drinks hydrating or dehydrating you? A common myth is that coffee or tea dehydrate you.   And to some extent caffeine can be mildly dehydrating.   This means caffeine can act as a mild diuretic flushing out water along with sodium.    So, does drinking tea or coffee with its caffeine lead to dehydrating you? According to Dr. Daniel Vigil of the University of California Los Angeles the answer isn’t what you may think.   “When you drink a cup of coffee or you drink a glass of iced tea, you are necessarily taking in a volume of fluid along with that do