Tips for Keeping Your New Year Resolutions

It's that time again! What time do you say? Time to start making your New Year Resolutions! Recently, I was asked to make a resolution for a video. What did I say? Absolutely nothing. I don't know what "firm decision to do or not to do something" I want to make (Google definition). Sure there are things that I want to do or change; however, do I really need to wait until January 1st to do them? Why can't I just start now, or January 2nd? I feel like if I think about something I want to change or do, I should just start when I get the idea. I think of this epic resolution time as procrastination. "I'll start my diet in the new year; I'll be nicer in the new year; etc, etc. But this is just my opinion :)

Anyway, for those of you on the New Year Resolution boat, here are some tips to help you stick to the ones you choose. Whether your resolutions are for a weight loss or simply a healthier lifestyle, it is important to keep a few of these tips in mind.

Make Your Resolution Something You Truly Want! 
---Don’t just do what everyone else is doing; you may end up not fulfilling your true goals.

Start Small! 
---Make a list of long and short-term goals.
---It takes a lot of work to change a behavior, so small steps are important.
---Be specific as to what you want to accomplish to make your goals more attainable.

Pair Up! 
---If your resolution is to start exercising, join the gym with a friend or take a walk with a neighbor.
---This will also tie in with keeping you motivated.

Plan Ahead! 
---If you are trying to eat healthier, plan your meals so you won’t have to worry about snacking on unhealthy foods.
---If you are starting an exercise plan, set a time each week when you will you be exercising and stick to it.

Keep Track of Your Progress! 
---This will help you to stay motivated.
---It is certainly difficult to alter or change a behavior, so every bit of motivation will be beneficial.
---Also, you can look back at where you started and see how much progress you made.

Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself! 
---Don’t give up on yourself when you “fall off the wagon.” Think of these days as learning experiences.
---Also, you could think about ways you could handle them differently in the future.
---For example, if you know every Thursday there are cookies in the break room and you always eat multiple cookies, either don’t go in there on Thursdays, bring your own snack, or take one cookie and leave the room so you won’t overindulge.
---While it is important to be healthy, it is also important to be happy. Indulging every once in a while can help you to live a healthier lifestyle and not just “be on a diet.”

What are Black Soybeans?

I've been hearing a lot about black soybeans in the news (This is mostly due to Dr. Oz's show). I wanted to do some investigating to see how good they really are.

What Are They?
Black soybeans are simply a variety of soybeans, which are seeds from a plant. I found it to be very interesting that mature, dried soybeans can be a variety of colors, including black, brown, and blue. Fresh, undried, soybeans are always green in color.

What Are The Health Claims?
"Eating black soybeans helps you to lose weight, easily, lower cholesterol, and fight inflammation."

What Does the Science Say?
The National Institute of Health's study shows that consumption of various beans may inhibit oxidative stress. Black soybeans showed the greatest improvement in risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. This study was only conducted on rats thus far. The most consistent effect of soybeans on blood fats has been a moderate lowering of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Comparison to Regular Soybeans
Black soybeans have less calories, total fat, carbohydrates, and sugars. Regular soybeans, on the other hand, have more fiber and protein.

Health Benefits
Soybeans, in general, are a good source of Vitamin K, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Folate, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Fiber. Black soybeans, however, have a higher antioxidant content.

To sum it all up, all types of beans are a great choice for both a vegetable and protein source. Black soybeans have a slightly higher antioxidant content; however, it is not such a big deal if you eat regular soybeans in their place.

Final Bean Tips
-Throw some beans into a soup or stew for a protein boost.
-To use as a simple side dish, cook (sauté, stir-fry, boil, etc) and season with olive oil, onions, and garlic.
-Make "nuts" by roasting chickpeas in the oven. Mix 1 can of chickpeas with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread over a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Enjoy as a quick snack!

¨http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=79¨http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-seneca-organic-soy-beans-i108429

Black Bean Brownies Recipe

Today, I tried my first kick at black bean brownies. To be honest, before I made them, I was pretty skeptical of how good they would taste. I mean a sweet treat with black beans? Sounds a little weird. Well, was I pleasantly surprised by the end product. A little bit different texture than a real brownie, but just as good!

I definitely suggest giving the recipe a try; however, I wouldn't tell anyone they were made with black beans until after they tried one :)

Black Bean Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
1 (15.5oz) can black beans, rinse and drain
3 eggs
3 tbsp oil or 1/3c melted butter (my first try I used the oil and had a good result)
1/4c unsweetened cocoa
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2c sugar (some recipes say 3/4c, but I think 1/2c was sweet enough)
2 tbsp chocolate chips (optional, you can use more/less)
**You can also try adding nuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch square baking dish.
2. Mix all ingredients together, except for the chocolate chips. Pour into prepared dish.
**I pureed the black beans first. I didn't want the brownies to be chunky and I wanted the flavor to mix well.
3. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Enjoy!


Nutrition Facts (1 brownie):
Calories: 41
Total Fat: 2g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 15mg
Sodium: 55mg
Potassium: 15mg
Total Carbohydrates: 5.5g
Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 1g

Cereal Vs. Ice Cream

This past week I had the privilege of leading a nutrition supermarket tour. When my tour group came to the cereal aisle, many of my participants had a very eye-opening experience about all of the sugar in "healthy cereal" products. In talking about carbohydrates and sugar, one woman had a very interesting comment, "With that much sugar, I could have just had my bowl of ice cream for a snack. I thought I was being healthier by having cereal."

After the tour, I was curious to see how cereal, a so called wholesome breakfast, really stacked up to a bowl of ice cream. Here begins my investigation:

Raisin Bran (w/o Milk)(1 cup): 
-Calories: 190    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 210mg    -Total Carbs: 46g
-Fiber: 7g    -Sugars: 18g    -Protein: 5g  
-Additional Vitamins and Minerals

Raisin Bran (with skim milk)(1 cup): 
-Calories: 230    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 275mg    -Total Carbs: 52g
-Fiber: 7g    -Sugars: 24g    -Protein: 9g

Special K (with skim milk)(3/4 cup):
-Calories: 160    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 205mg    -Total Carbs: 33g
-Fiber: 3g    -Sugars: 16g    -Protein: 6g
  
Choc Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 160    -Total Fat: 9g      -Sodium: 65mg       -Total Carbs: 20g
-Fiber: 0g    -Sugars: 14g    -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C

Chocolate Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 150    -Total Fat: 7g       -Sodium: 45mg    -Total Carbs: 19g
-Fiber: 1g    -Sugars: 14g    -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C

So, we have similar calorie ranges, especially with the ice cream and Special K cereal. The ice creams have a higher fat content and lower protein content; however, they have less sugar, calories, and sodium. The cereals have more sodium, carbohydrates and sugars; however, they also have fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

What does that leave us with? Well, the cereals are a good source of fiber and protein, at the expense of too much sugar and sodium intake. I'm not sure how many people really measure out their cereals in the morning anyway. Most of the time, cereal is just poured in the bowl and eaten. Unless you measure your cereal (kudos to you), you will be likely multiplying all of the nutritional information by 2.

In terms of which is a "healthier snack," I would go for what tastes better. In the end, they both have a high carb/sugar content, as opposed to healthier snacks (like veggies, nuts, seeds, or fresh fruit). I really suggest checking the sugar content of your favorite cereals. If you have never took notice of the nutrition label, you may be surprised at how much sugar you are consuming. While cereal does have extra vitamins, minerals, protein (mostly due to the milk added), and fiber, it is not a significant amount to make a difference if you are eating an overall healthy diet. Most cereals are "enriched" with vitamins and minerals anyway, so they aren't really a "natural" source to begin with. Depending on the cereal, and ice cream, you choose, you may even end up with more skewed results than I found.

Some final advice:
1. Always read the nutrition label! Look at the ingredient list too. Ingredients are listed by weight, in descending order.
2. If sugar is one of the first 4 ingredients, skip it!
3. Compare products. Check out all of the nutrients and see which is the best option.
4. Be mindful of portion sizes. Read the serving size and compare it to what you are normally eating.
5. If all else fails, have a little splurge and enjoy what you are eating!

http://www.turkeyhill.com/products/premium-ice-cream-flavors.aspx?pID=431

nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5547/2

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

There's been a lot of hype about chia seeds lately. What are they? What are the health benefits? How the heck do you eat them?!

Let's jump into the research and see what these seeds can do for you!

What are Chia Seeds?
Chia seeds come from the desert plant "Salvia hispanica,"which is grown in Mexico.  They are powerful antioxidants that fight off free radicals in the body.

Fun fact: the word "chia" means strength and these tiny seeds were thought to be great energy boosters.

Health Benefits
Chia seeds are an excellent source of:
 -Omega-3 Fatty Acids (4,915mg per 1oz.); help to improve brain health and decrease inflammation in    the body.
 -Protein (4g per 1oz.); energy source; needed for muscle and blood formation.
 -Fiber (11g per 1oz.); helps improve digestive function; decreases inflammation in the body.
 -Calcium (18% of Daily Value in 1oz.); needed to keep bones healthy and prevent osteoporosis.
 -Phosphorus (27% of Daily Value in 1oz.; ); aids in energy metabolism; also needed for bone health.
 -Zinc (7% of Daily Value in 1oz.); boosts immune function.
 -Manganese (30% of Daily Value in 1oz.); essential mineral needed for bone formation; helps your body use essential B vitamins.

Research has shown chia seeds to help improve blood lipid levels (decreasing LDL and triglyceride levels) and decrease blood sugar spikes by slowing digestion.

How to Eat
There are many ways to eat chia seeds. They can be eaten raw (sprinkled on salads, cereal, sauces, vegetables, yogurt), baked in dishes (breads, muffins, etc), or  mixed with water to form a gel (good as an egg substitute).

To Use As An Egg Substitue
-Mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Granola With Chia Seeds
-Combine: 1 cup oats, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread evenly onto a sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes.


www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-chia
www.eatright.org/public/content.aspx
nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nuts-and-seed-products

Top 5 Foods for Healthy Skin

Looking for a healthy skin boost? Try out these power-packed foods!

#1- Almonds

Almonds are a great source of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects your body from UV-induced free radical damage to the skin. Vitamin E has been shown to have anti-inflammatory roles in the skin and helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.  When combined with Vitamin A, Vitamin E has been shown to protect against skin cancer.

**Try out almond butter for a quick snack!

#2- Flaxseed

Flaxseed is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation in the body and promote healthy-looking skin. Omega-3s have been studied as a wrinkle fighter, due to their ability to attract water to skin cells and plump up the skin.

**Add some flaxseed to your next smoothie! 

#3- Cooked Tomatoes

Cooked tomatoes contain the phytochemical, Lycopene, which helps to eliminate skin-aging free radicals (cause by UV-rays). Lycopene improves skin’s texture by stabilizing the DNA structure in the nucleus of skin cells. Lycopene also inhibits the activity of the enzymes involved in collagen breakdown, thus, strengthening skin.

**Add tomatoes to a stir-fry!

#4- Spinach

Spinach is a great source of Folate (Vitamin B9), which is needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver function. Folate helps to repair and maintain DNA, which will boost your skin cells’ ability to renew themselves (decreases look of aging). 

**Try a spinach salad for lunch! 

#5- Tuna

Tuna contains the antioxidant, Selenium, which helps to buffer the skin against the sun. Selenium also helps to preserve elastin, a protein that that keeps your skin smooth and wrinkle-free.

**Add tuna to a salad or stir-fry!

Looking for ways to incorporate these skin-boosting foods? Try out the Spinach Salad below!

Spinach Salad

Mix 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. flaxseed, 1 clove garlic, salt and pepper in a small saucepan and heat until warm. Drizzle over 6 cups of baby spinach. Top with 1 can of tuna, ½ medium tomato (diced), and sliced almonds.

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/skin/minerals/

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/skin/vitaminE/

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/skin/want-healthy-skin-feed-well

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/lycopene-promotes-healthy-skin

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b9-folic-acid

Give Your Meal a Nutritious Boost

Looking for some ways to boost the nutritional content of your meal? Try out some of these quick and easy tips!

Breakfast
-Have leftover chicken from dinner? Forget your traditional cereal breakfast and go for a protein-packed, filling meal.
-Top oatmeal or cold cereal with sliced bananas, strawberries, or blueberries for some vitamins, minerals and fiber!
-Whip up an omelet with cancer-fighting veggies. Add avocado for some healthy fats.
-Instead of adding sugar to oatmeal, try some cinnamon instead.
-When making waffles or pancakes, sneak in some protein powder for a quick boost.
-Blend together a quick smoothie with fresh fruit and nut butter for a filling treat!

Lunch/Dinner
-Add extra veggies to your soups and salads.
-Add avocado slices to your sandwich for a boost of Vitamin E, Potassium, healthy fats, and Folate.
-Top spinach salads with tomatoes or fresh oranges. The Vitamin C in the oranges/tomatoes will help you to absorb the iron from the spinach.
-Food process mixed nuts, coconut oil, and cocoa powder for a nutty spread.
-Shred carrots or zucchini into meatloaf (or muffins) to add nutrients and fiber.
-Bread chicken in coconut or almond flour for extra fiber and protein.