Fitness & Nutrition

The healthy benefits of “KEEN-wah”

Quinoa, pronounced “kEEn-wah” is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. You can find Quinoa throughout the year at most local health food stores or Whole Foods.

Quinoa is an excellent source of protein, and unlike other grains, is not missing the amino acid lysine, so the protein is more complete (a trait it shares with other “non-true” grains such as buckwheat and amaranth). Quinoa offers more iron than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins: B6, niacin, and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese, and folic acid.  For those who can’t eat gluten, you’ll be happy to hear it is gluten-free.  Don’t forget that maintaining a healthy diet increases your ability to…

Is Gluten-Free For Me?

Gluten-free is popping up everywhere these days.  From bakeries to items that line the shelves in your food store.  It even seems to be the new diet for weight-loss.  With all the hype, you have to wonder, does gluten affect me?

What is it?Gluten is a protien found in whole wheat, rye, and barley products. In today’s world many of us indulge in something Specifically, gluten is found in all forms of wheat, including spelt, farina, semolina, triticale and kamut, as well as barley, rye and possibly oats. Gluten also is used as a thickener in a host of food products and some medications. It  is even used in the glue on the back of stamps, in some toothpastes and as a powdery coating on some chewing gum.  Therefore, it’s in our cereal, pastries, bagels, bread, crackers, pasta, and the list goes on.   Back in the…

Walnuts Are The New Almond

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Omega-3 Promotes Muscle Production

There is new research that links Omega-3 fatty acids to muscle production.  As we age, our muscle mass slowly decreases, often causing Sarcopenia. This condition strongly influences muscle strength and mobility and is a factor in the occurrence of frailty and likelihood of falls and fractures in the elderly.   Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids stimulate protein anabolism in animals, and therefore aid in the treatment of Sarcopenia.  However, the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on human protein metabolism is unknown.  Bettina Mittendorfer, PhD, from Washington University School of Medicine (Missouri, USA), and colleagues studied 16 healthy adults, average age 71 years, and an average BMI of 25.65 kg/m2, assigning each to receive either omega-3s (providing provided a daily dose of 1.86 grams of EPA [eicosapentaenoic acid] and 1.5 grams of DHA [docosahexaenoic acid]), or corn oil (placebo) for eight weeks.  In conclusion, the researchers found that…

FISH AND FISH OIL MAY PROTECT AGAINST BONE LOSS

There is already a long list of health benefits from fish oil, ranging from the treatment of arthritis to weight loss and from depression to heart disease.  Now, a new study has concluded that greater consumption of fish or fish oil appears to result in greater bone mineral density (BMD) compared to the BMD of those who consume less or no fish or fish oil, and therefore, may help protect against the loss of bone density with age.

Also, results suggested a stronger benefit from these fish oils – the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – with higher consumption of an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid known as arachidonic acid (AA). (Since little or no AA is found in plant foods, the body must get this essential oil from animal sources – meat, eggs or dairy – or by converting the essential oil…

Healthy Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea was discovered by the Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung in 2737 B.C.  It comes from the Camellia Sinensis tree, which resembles an evergreen shrub.  It can grow to 30 feet  high and has dark green leaves and white flowers.

Green tea is a great source of vitamin C and contains many nutrients, most importantly polyphenols. The primary polyphenols in green tea are the flavonoids catechin and proanthocyanidins. Green tea is also a good source of proteins, chlorophyll, tannins, lignin and the amino acid theanine.

Because of green tea’s polyphenols content, there have been many studies that focus on the teas’ special flavonoids and their role in the prevention of cancer. These polyphenols provide antioxidant protection inhibiting the formation of cancer cells, stimulating the body’s natural detoxification processes and suppressing the growth of tumors.

Furthermore, there have also been numerous studies that attribute green tea to lowering LDL…

Eat A Healthy Dinner Tonight

Wondering what to have for dinner tonight?

Well, we’re here to save you some time.  Not only is this meal healthy and nutritious, but you can whip it up in 20 minutes and it’s extraordinarily delicious.  Sound good?

Tonight’s Meal: Salmon w/ a Mustard, Dill Sauce with  Warm Asparagus Salad and Instant Brown Rice.

Warm Asparagus Salad 

Not only is it an excellent source of health-promoting vitamins A, C, and E, but it provides 16% of your Daily Value for folate. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
½ small onion, cut in half and sliced thin
2 TBS light vinegar (rice, apple cider, or white wine)
1 cup hot water
1 bunch asparagus
3 TBS low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
7½ oz jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained and slivered (or 2 medium red bell peppers, sliced thin)
1…

Alcohol Can Ruin Muscle Gain!

You heard it right. Alcohol is one of the major reasons for wasting your most beloved physique and muscles that you have taken care of for years. Alcohol is considered as one of the most significant causes to lose your muscle’s nice features. Despite of what health experts are trying to imply about the negative effects of alcohol, others are still on the verge of tiring themselves with it. Drinking alcohol will definitely ruin muscle gain.

Alcohol is considered as one of the most influential drinks ever invented. Not that it tastes funny but also this drink can now be considered as a drug because of its addictive effects which can affect your life including your family, friends and work. If you really want to maintain your six packs (abs not beer) and your mass, you have to be conscious…

An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Why should we eat at least an apple a day? Not only because it is so refreshing and delicious, but also because it is laden with vitamins and nutrients that preserve our health and help our body

fight and prevent multiple disorders and diseases.
There are people that give away the skin of the apple, eating only the flesh, but this is a wrong thing to do, as specialists claim that the yellow, green or red skin is definitely the most nutritious.

4 milligrams of quercetin are usually found in an apple’s skin and this is the major curative substance in these fruits. Quercetin is a very strong antioxidant of the flavonoids group that, besides apples, is also present in onions, wine, teas, raspberries, red grapes, oranges, lemons, cherries, green vegetables, blue-green algae and many other foods. It does not only protect against…

Being good is great

The biblical aphorism that it is better to give than to receive seems particularly apt this time of year, though the truest gift of all – the gift of one’s self – is all the more challenging as the holiday season places more demands on our time. But it is worth considering volunteerism in a broader context, and as with the subject of gratitude (see my post from November 12), there is a body of research literature documenting health benefits to those who volunteer in their communities, especially in later life. The notion of greater benefits to the giver than the receiver is indeed supported by scientific research.

Data from a project known as the Health and Retirement Study at the University of Massachusetts indicate that older adults who volunteer have lower rates of hypertension, a contributing factor to cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.…