SEASONAL FOODS

Check out our new seasonal foods widget!! It's on the lower right hand side of the blog.

Based on your area, it tells you what fruits and veggies are in season, helping you to shop fresh and local! It changes with each month, so check back to see if what's on your plate is fresh!

Currently in season in December in New York:

1) Apples
2) Broccoli
3) Cabbage
4) Carrot
5) Onion
6) Potato
7) Turnip
8) Winter Squash

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Here they are, your little pieces of inspiration for the week:

Don't ask for a light load, but rather ask for a strong back. - Anonymous

Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful. - Joshua J. Marine

In order to be walked on, you have to be lying down. - Brian Weir

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward. - Thomas Edison

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value. - Albert Einstein

Pretty is something that you are born with. But beautiful, that's an equal opportunity adjective. - Anonymous

It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

IMPROVE YOUR MOOD WITH FOOD

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

PANTIES FOR THE PLANET!

After searching high and low for the perfect pair of planet-friendly panties, aka organic underwear, I found these!

Louella Bloom Organic Dainties: Organic Thong (you can buy them here)

Elastic free, organic, made in the USA, flattering cut, and adorable! They aren't cheap, but they're affordable at $14/pair. Save the planet, one pair of panties at a time! Check out their Etsy store, link above, for more styles and colors. Thong not your cup of tea? They also have boy shorts, hipsters, scoop bottoms, you name it.

I will continue searching for more affordable organic panties and lingerie. Keep checking back for updates and recent finds!

2010 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS (AND HOW TO RUN A MARATHON)

Here at SexyHealthyHappy, 2010 has been dubbed "the year of 'no more excuses'"! So much of life and living is mentality and mindset, so let this year be the year that we all focus on changing ours.

If you have a dream, 2010 is the year to stop reminding yourself of all the reasons why you "can't" and just start doing! Each of us is literally capable of anything, we just need to start believing it. This year it's time to take the plunge!

*So you always wanted to write a book, "but there's no way I'll ever get published". POPPYCOCK! How do you know until you try? If we are so afraid of failure that we never act, our lives will forever be filled with regret and what-if's. Don't think, just put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard); you can worry about the future of your book once you're finished writing it!

*So you always wanted to change careers, "but the instability of leaving my current, miserable job could ruin me financially". HOGWASH! If you stay in a field that doesn't make you happy just for the money, in time you'll ruin yourself emotionally. Nothing meaningful is ever accomplished by "playing it safe"; believe in yourself and start pursuing your dream career! True happiness is living the life you love, so stop settling for the life you can "live with". A huge paycheck will never hold a candle to true happiness :)

*So, like Li, you've always wanted to run a marathon, "but I'll never find the time or drive to train for it". HOOEY! If you can breathe and walk, you can get off the couch and start running! Your body can do more than you ever imagined, just give it a try. Stop viewing those 26.2 miles as insurmountable and start walking/running them, one step at a time. Life is short and fragile, so get your ass up and run toward your dreams!

You get the point! Regardless of your dream, start reaching for it! Perfection isn't the goal, self fulfillment is. Do your absolute best and pull out all the stops; it's knowing that you did everything you could to realize your own happiness that is the ultimate reward. Don't get discouraged and don't lose sight of the prize. It's yours to have if you believe it is.

MARATHON TRAINING
You've thought about it for years, dreamed of the triumphant crossing of the finish line, but how to get from now to 26.2 miles can be confusing and overwhelming. Not any more! Check out this training plan for your "how-to" guide from week to week. The show NOVA on PBS did a special where they took a bunch of couch potatoes and trained them for the Boston Marathon in 9 months!! The specialists created the above training plan for them, and almost all of them finished the marathon! If you are already a runner, just pick up the plan from the week where your long run is one you can already accomplish (ie: I will be starting the week with a Sunday run of 8 miles, meaning my training plan will take a little over 3 months). Good luck! Now get out there and start pounding the pavement!

OUR AMAZON.COM STORE!

The URL for our Sexy, Healthy, Happy aStore is:
http://astore.amazon.com/SeHeHa-20

Remember: products at our store are only posted if they are endorsed by us. In other words, they have to be effective, eco-minded, free of toxic chemicals/additives, and animal friendly (NO animal testing). Enjoy!

SUPER SNACKS FOR THE WEEK

Here are 2 more snacks to help you eat right during the upcoming week!

CRAVING CREAMY AND RICH?
* Try 1/2 cup Fage greek yogurt with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter. To make vegan, switch out the greek yogurt for some plain or vanilla soy yogurt. For added sweetness, you can top it with a drizzle of honey or agave nectar. Delicious and deceptively healthy at only 150 calories!!

CRAVING SALTY AND SPICY or SUSHI?
* Try Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Wasabi Edamame. Vegan, non-GMO, and packed with protein and fiber! This stuff, pictured in this post, is amazingly tasty and is GREAT for when you want to snack mindlessly without packing on the pudge! You can get it at your local supermarket, or you can purchase through our aStore under "Vegetarian/Vegan Living".

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

A little inspiration for the week ahead :)

QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:

The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die,
is a process of learning. -Krishnamurti

Remember, there are no mistakes, only lessons. Love yourself, trust your choices, and everything is possible. -Cherie Carter-Scott

Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it. -Ella Williams

Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. -Winston Churchill

A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for. -William Shedd

Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly. -Robert Shuller

If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it. -Jonathan Winters

FUN WAYS TO BURN OFF HOLIDAY CALORIES

HERE is an article with 4 fun and easy ways to burn off some extra calories around the Holidays!

But beware: studies show that exercise is NOT the key to losing weight, DIET is. Exercise is still an important tool to obtaining overall health and wellness, but no amount of activity will "make up" for the calories that you eat.

In other words: if you eat a whole pie, don't think that a vigorous run is going to "fix" your binge. It's more important to focus on eating in moderation, exchanging the whole pie for a thin slice, and staying active. The exercise-eating combo can boost total weight loss and help you maintain, but diet is still the key to slimming success!

With this in mind, remember not to be too hard on yourself. No one is perfect! We all have days when the pull of a pistachio gelato pint is too great to resist. It's most important to FORGIVE yourself, focus on your accomplishments, and live in the present; treating each moment like an opportunity to start anew or focus your resolve.

On days when I can't, or am too lazy to, workout, I give myself a pat on the back for dancing during commercials while watching my favorite TV shows. If I over-indulge at dinner, I applaud myself for NOT getting mad/depressed and for staying hopeful. The cumulative impact of your overall activity and eating are more important than your few-and-far-between slip ups. This holiday season, remember to step back, breathe, and focus on the big picture.

Here is a summary of the article's small and fun activities that can help you stay active and positive:

1) Hanging Holiday Lights (90 calories per hour)

2) Ice Skating (484 calories per hour)

3) Shopping (249 calories per hour)

4) Sledding (121 calories per 15 MINUTES!)

VEGAN COCONUT MACAROONS

One of my favorite treats in the whole wide world are coconut macaroons. They're creamy, coconutty, and deliciously moist! I have, however, had trouble finding a healthy version of these tropical morsels; especially one that is vegan.

After some experimenting, I have finally created a decent recipe! Not only is it tasty, it's low-fat, low-calorie, vegan, and super easy to make, AND you can also eat it as a RAW dessert! Just skip the baking step :)

So, without further adieu, here it is:


VEGAN COCONUT MACAROONS

2 cups shredded UNSWEETENED coconut
1 medium sized banana
1/4 cup agave nectar (you can add more or skip this all together based on desired sweetness)
1/4 cup diced almonds or almond flour (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract

*water, unsweetened applesauce, or additional banana can be added to reach desired consistency. I like mine thick and chewy, so I chose to add banana as needed.

1) If cooking, preheat oven to 350
2) Mash banana, either by hand or in a blender
3) In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, including banana, until well mixed
4) Place 1 tbsp dollops of mixture onto spray-oiled cookie sheet
5) Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned

Voila!! Simple, healthy, and delicious!

WORLDLY WISDOM

HERE is a great article titled "10 Truths I Wish I'd Known Sooner".

As we get older, we tend to become more introspective as we examine our behaviors, our lives, our views of the world, people in our lives, and our surroundings. When you dip your foot into the truths of yourself and your life, you tend to do 1 of two things:

1) dive in! learn from past mistakes and change who you are for the better (with some back peddling along the way), accepting opportunity for growth as it arises, or
2) step back, turn around, an dig in your heels; scared or unable to face the truth, you seek to follow your current path blindly (hence people who still get trashed playing beer pong at 36 while the kids are sleeping).

Regardless of age or which path you choose, you can always learn and grow. The article above is written by a woman who has clearly taken the leap into the unknown and, through time and grace, has detailed 10 truths that resonate throughout the ages.

A summary of the 10 lessons (directly listed from the article):

1. Events reveal people’s characters; they don’t determine them.

2. Lying, by omission or commission, is a bad idea.

3. Sex always give [sic] you an answer, although not necessarily the one you want.

4. Most talents are transferable.

5. Fashion fades; style is eternal.

6. You can’t fake love.

7. Mean doesn’t go away.

8. No one’s perfect.

9. Ask for help.

10. Keep your eye on the prize and your hand on the plow.

I plan on sending this article to all the women in my life, including Mom and Grandma :)

COMPOSTING (AND OUR NEW aSTORE!)

Check out the video below for tips on composting at home!

Also, SexyHealthyHappy now has an aStore (aka products endorsed by us available through Amazon.com). All of the products are picked for their affordability, efficacy, low-to-no environmental impact, and awesomeness! We strive to pick products that are made in the USA (helping to keep good jobs at home) and are free of toxic chemicals.

After watching the composting video, check out the odor-free composter we picked for our aStore! Link to the store is on the right hand side of this website, under "SexyHealthyHappy Amazon.com Store".

DEAR GOD, MY ASS

Try out the "bikini bootcamp" below. It is AWESOME! Warning: it may lead to a sore (but smaller!) gluteus!


NOTE: to burn more calories and increase the effectiveness of the workout, you can do the following:

1) Instead of marching in place, run in place with high knees. Try the workout all the way through before attempting this!
2) For any side stepping moves, step FURTHER! increasing the spread of the legs and dipping lower is harder on your thighs and butt, increasing the toning and calorie burn
3) For any side stepping moves, HOP to the side instead of just stepping. This adds plyometrics, or explosive exercise, to the routine, VASTLY increasing the calorie burn
4) During the mountain climbers/push-ups and the squat thrusts, JUMP the legs out and back in instead of stepping them out. Again, this adds more plyometrics and it's fricking hard!
5) Eliminate pauses between exercises. Once you know the sequence of exercises, if there are any pauses or marching sections, just go straight into the next exercise. This adds more reps and takes out breaks, making this a more intense cardio workout!

Good luck and enjoy!

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS: PART THREE

So you've committed yourself to watching portion size and avoiding mindless snacking over the holidays, but how are you going to fit in fitness at the family functions?

Simple! Here are a few tips (and a helpful video workout) to help you sneak in some slimming sessions.

PART THREE: Functional fitness

1) Post-meal motion
If you have a dog or a sibling (or a parent, if they're game), bring them along on a walk around the neighborhood after dinner. Studies have shown that a 10 minute post-meal walk can up calorie burning after a meal by up to 10%! So slap on some sneakers and spend some quality time outside with your fam!

2) Early morning exercises
The best time to squeeze in some activity is before your obligations and family time even start. So set your alarm and get in 30 minutes of body-weight resistance work first thing in the morning. Do push-ups, squats, sun salutations, jumping jacks, and the exercises in the video below... just move your body as much as you can! A great way to make sure you push yourself is to set up goals ahead of time (100 total push-ups, 80 total squats, etc.) and just keep going in sets of 15-20 until you reach your goal. Another benefit to exercising in the morning: you've guaranteed yourself a healthy start to the day! Even if you run out of time later, at least you know you've squeezed in some activity each day.

So stop making excuses! Any activity helps and it all adds up! Check out the video below for an awesome and easy full-body workout.

Happy and Healthy Holidays!!!

HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE

I have recently been writing an article regarding the missing piece in our nation's health care debate: our flawed concept/structure/implementation of, in other words our overall approach to, "health" care.

Well, while writing my article I found THIS ARTICLE that summed up everything I was trying to say. It is a MUST READ article for everyone!! So check it out!

And send a link to your friends and family! Changing the mindset of the average health care consumer, aka you and everyone you know, and the dialogue between patients and doctors in regards to "health" and "wellness" are the first steps in reforming our failing system.

So take an active role in your health care and start demanding holistic treatment! And learn more about what "health" SHOULD mean BY READING THE ARTICLE! :)

ANTIBIOTICS BAD FOR BABY

HERE is an article detailing a recent study that links increased rates of birth defects with use of common antibiotics during pregnancy. Very important news for anyone planning on having a baby now or in the near future!!

Antibiotics are often over-prescribed, even in cases where antibiotics are an inappropriate treatment. Talk to your doctor, pregnant or not, before taking antibiotics.

If you are prescribed antibiotics for a viral infection (like the flu or a cold) or a sinus infection, just say NO! Viruses cannot be treated by antibiotics and studies have show that, in the case of sinus infections, steaming your face and using OTC cold medicine (or herbal teas, my preference) are more effective treatments.

And remember, if you are pregnant, make sure to clear herbal teas, supplements, and ANY medications with your midwife prior to taking them!

HEALTHY AND HAPPY

A new study has been released linking increased intake of processed foods and higher rates of depression.
Eating a diet high in fruits, veggies, and fresh fish can help to fend off fatigue and battle the blues. More incentive to eat a fresh plant-based diet! Look good, gain energy, and feel happy :) You can read more about the study from the link above.

As always, when buying fruits and veggies, look for organic and preferably local produce. Better for the earth, waterways, and your body!

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS: PART TWO

So now that you have some healthy holiday recipes up your sleeve, let's talk about preventing binging and diet sabotage during the holiday season!

It can be hard to stick to a diet plan when the holidays roll around. Friends, family, and hordes of food and inactivity often spell disaster for our waistlines, hips, and thighs! But constantly saying "no" and isolating yourself in your bedroom during hordeuvres can ruin your holiday happiness, too. So what is a person to do?! It's actually pretty simple: seek balance.

Here are 2 tips to keep you mingling and munching without regret:

PART TWO: Eating without cheating

1) The "Two-Bite" Rule
You can have whatever you want at the family feast, just limit your intake of sinful snacks to two-bites. This allows you to savor the flavor and satisfy your craving without making a huge dent in your calories! To make sure you're still getting enough bulk to beat back hunger pangs, eat unlimited portions of all vegetable and fruits that are NOT sweetened or sauteed in oil/butter. So go ahead! Have your fill and brave the buffet! With simple limits and open menu options, you're sure to have a waistline-friendly holiday season!

2) Constantly Sipping, Not Constantly Snacking
Often times just BEING in your family home during the holidays means constant temptation. Extra cookies sitting on the counter, an over-stocked fridge... it's just so easy to snack insensibly! The solution: keep your mouth busy! Stock up on mineral water and constantly carry a glass around with you (or a water bottle). This calorie-free, calcium-containing, bubbly brew keeps your tummy feeling satisfied and your mouth full... so you can't shove a cookie in there before meal time. Also great: add some fresh squeezed lemon juice. The citrus smell and added vitamin C help to beat back cravings and keep your hunger at bay!

Check back in here at SexyHealthyHappy or part 3 of our series: finding ways to make your Holidays more active!

HEALTHY HOLIDAYS: PART ONE

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and at least for me that means family, friends, and a whole lot of not-so-healthy and not-so-animal friendly food.

The time around the holidays fosters eating patterns that can snowball into long-term weight gain and diet sabotage, so today I begin the first of a multi-part series dedicated to strategies and recipes for a healthy, indulgent, and fun holiday season!!


PART ONE: Tasty Thanksgiving Treats!

1) Pudge-free Pumpkin
HERE is a recipe for fabulous vegan pumpkin muffins! Replace your slice of fat-filled pumpkin pie with one of these delicious, portion-controlled substitute to save calories without sacrificing taste. Great for the whole family, vegan or not, and left-overs make a great breakfast!

-To add a little extra sumthin-sumthin to these, whip up an easy vegan frosting:
1/4 cup soybean margarine
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup soymilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

2) Meat-Free Main Course
HERE is a recipe for a delicious vegetarian"nut loaf" (think meat loaf but tastier, less greasy, and more humane). This is NOT VEGAN, but to make it vegan just switch out the butter with Earth-Balance and use egg substitute. If you are having thanksgiving with some meat eaters, your friends can still enjoy this dish in addition to their turkey.

-To up the "yum" factor of your loaf, whip up a quick vegan brown gravy! Recipe available HERE

3) Not-So-Sinful Stuffing
HERE is a recipe for a sweet cranberry stuffing that is vegan AND low calorie! To make heartier AND healthier, mix in some cooked quinoa and chopped pecans for a healthy dose of filling-fiber and protein! ALSO, since most dried cranberries are covered in added sugar, replacing the cranberries with pomegranate seeds will up the antioxidant punch in this dish! Mmm mmm mmm!

4) Bulge-Free Beverage
HERE is a recipe for a lower-calorie hot cranberry-apple cider. Warm liquids are great for digestion after a large meal and this drink can serve as a low-cal dessert on the nights before and after the big feast. Only 80 calories per serving!!


Look for my next post in this series. I'll be addressing holiday portion control, staying social without creating a diet disaster, and fun activities for the whole family to help keep your holidays active!

HOME CARDIO

Stuck inside due to bad weather? Saving money by nixing your gym membership?

You can still get a great workout at home! Check out THIS PREVIOUS POST about an at home dance party.

OR, if you're like me and want more clearly defined exercises, try this booty busting routine:

1) Warm up with 50 jumping jacks
2) Alternate 20 mountain climbers with 20 jumping jacks (20 of each equals 1 set) for a total of 4 sets
3) Alternate jumping push-up with frog jumps (1 of each equals 1 set) for a total of 10 sets
*jumping push-ups: start in a standing position. Reach your hands to the floor in front of your toes, jump you legs back to a plank position. Do a push-up, jump your legs back in to your hands and stand up. *frog jumps: Start with legs slightly wider than hip's width apart, keep back upright and do a squat, arms reaching down between your legs toward the floor (instead of on your hips). when coming up from the squat, reach arms up overhead and jump up (propelling yourself up off the floor out of the squat). It's like jumping up for joy with your hands in the air.
4) Cool down with 50 jumping jacks

This routine will KICK YOUR BUTT! Keep practicing! It gets easier the more you do it :)

SEEKING CARE

Working as an RN in an emergency room, I have seen numerous cases of people coming to the ER for something that they could easily remedy in the privacy of their own home. On the flip side, I have also seen people wait too long to come to the ER with serious symptoms that ultimately lead to a preventable death. So what is a person to do?? How do you know if you should visit an ER or stay at home and tough it out?

Well, as always, I caution that the following are guidelines based on my experience and you should ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU ARE FEELING ILL.

First of all, the purpose of an emergency room is to treat or rule-out ONLY life threatening conditions. If you have had a swollen lymph node for months, for example, and you are beginning to have other symptoms that you fear could be some kind of cancer, the ER is NOT the place to go. Even if you DO have cancer, the ER is not reimbursed by insurance to do the necessary tests to diagnose you. The ER will do basic testing to make sure you do not have a condition that will kill you immediately, but beyond this they will merely tell you to follow-up with your primary care doctor who can do further testing.

The ER only functions if it moves people in and out quickly (whether it be to send you home for further testing or to the ICU for more invasive care) so that rooms are available for newly arriving ambulances and walk-in patients. Also important to note: expect a wait when you visit an ER! Triage, or treatment order based on severity of symptoms, is the nature of care provided in an ER. Even if you arrive to an empty ER with a complaint of abdominal pain and expect quick service, if another patient arrives, say, with a severe head injury, regardless of who arrived first the patient who needs immediate care the most (the head injury patient) will skip to the front of the line, leaving you waiting in your tiny ER room while everyone's focus is on taking care of the other more critical patient. It is frustrating (I have seen people wait 6 hours or more on busy days), but it is part of the unpredictable nature of an ER. If you are stable, meaning you are breathing and your heart is beating without difficulty, you are almost always guaranteed an extended wait at the ER.

So understanding how an ER functions gives you a slightly better idea of what to expect, but how do you know if you need to visit one? Here are some simple guidelines:
WHEN TO GO TO THE ER:

*SUDDEN onset of SEVERE symptoms, ie:
-Crushing chest pain or pressure (if you have a history of anxiety attacks but NO history of ANY KIND of vascular or heart related problems, wait until you have tried calming techniques and any medications you may have at home before going to an ER), with or without pain/tingling in your left arm
-If you have an extensive medical history (particularly a cardiac history like high blood pressure,high cholesterol, previous heart attacks or strokes) and begin excessively sweating, vomiting, feeling severely fatigued, or having uncontrollable nausea WITHOUT presence of a fever (these can all be signs of a heart attack, even without the chest pressure)
-Sudden difficulty speaking, slurring words, numbness or tingling on one side of the body, drooping of one side of the face, weakness on one side of the body (again, if you have a history of high blood pressure or ANY cardiac issues and experience these symptoms, you need to immediately get to an ER! These are symptoms of a stroke)
-Fever above 102 degrees for more than 6 hours (IN CHILDREN, ANY FEVER WARRANTS A CALL TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN who can direct you to an ER if necessary. Any other fevers in adults: call you primary care doctor before visiting an ER)
-SUDDEN, UNEXPLAINABLE, and INTENSE abdominal pain or flank pain that does not resolve within an hour

*Any kind of trauma, ie:
-Lacerations that may need stitches
-Broken bones or suspected broken bones
-Car accidents
-Head injuries
-Etc.

WHEN TO STAY AT HOME:

*Flu-like symptoms in an otherwise healthy person
-The flu and the common cold are caused by VIRUSES. Viruses cannot be treated with antibiotics, in fact they cannot be treated at all. The goal of treatment when dealing with a virus in treatment of SYMPTOMS, so taking acetaminophen for fever (if above 102 degrees. Otherwise, fevers are actually beneficial in helping you body kill the virus. Again, in children always consult an MD), drinking LOTS of electrolyte infused fluids (like coconut water and gatorade. Aim for unsweetened like coconut water, and you'll need close to 3 liters a day of fluids if you have a fever or are losing fluids through vomiting or diarrhea), and resting. The biggest risk with the flu is DEHYDRATION, so make sure to drink lots of fluids! And if you are having diarrhea or vomiting, make sure those fluids have electrolytes in them, since you lose potassium when vomiting and put yourself at risk of life threatening hypokalemia.
ALSO NOTE: Watch for signs and symptoms of pneumonia when recovering from flu, since pneumonia is definitely a reason to visit an ER! Symptoms include shortness of breath, productive cough, difficulty catching your breath, and confusion.

*Chronic pain
-Contact you primary care doctor or visit a pain clinic. You are guaranteed only a referral and a LONG wait if you go to an ER with chronic pain symptoms

*Drug seeking
-Upwards of 75% of patients I see in the ER are attempting to obtain narcotics. If you are an addict, please speak with your primary care doctor about treatment options. Taking the MD and RN's time in an ER only puts other patients who need their care at risk.

If you have symptoms that are abnormal and that you cannot explain, call you primary care doctor to set up an urgent appointment. If you do not have a primary care doctor, look for an Urgent Care center, free clinic, or set up an initial appointment to be seen by a new doctor BEFORE heading to the ER. This is the best way to stay healthy, manage your own health care, and keep the ER open an available to you in case you have a health emergency in the future. Good luck and good health!!

MUNCHIE MIND CONTROL

HERE IS AN ARTICLE released today about a study that proves ice-cream truly IS addicting, regardless of your attempts to monitor your portion control!

The study states that the fats in meat and dairy (animal-based fats), specifically palmitic acid, override your brain's ability to sense fullness. In other words, these types of fats make you crave more of the foods that are fattening and prevents you from realizing you've had enough once you start eating!

An excerpt:

"A U.S. study by UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has found that fat from certain foods such ice-cream and burgers heads to the brain.

Once there, the fat molecules trigger the brain to send messages to the body's cells, warning them to ignore the appetite-suppressing signals from leptin and insulin, hormones involved in weight regulation -- for up to three days.

'Normally, our body is primed to say when we've had enough, but that doesn't always happen when we're eating something good,' said researcher Deborah Clegg in a statement.

'What we've shown in this study is that someone's entire brain chemistry can change in a very short period of time. Our findings suggest that when you eat something high in fat, your brain gets 'hit' with the fatty acids, and you become resistant to insulin and leptin.

'Since you're not being told by the brain to stop eating, you overeat.'

The researchers also found that one particular type of fat -- palmitic acid which is found in beef, butter, cheese and milk, -- is particularly effective at instigating this mechanism.

The study was performed on rats and mice but the scientists say their results, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, reinforced common dietary recommendations to limit saturated fat intake as 'it causes you to eat more.' "

That explains why today I am CRAVING ice-cream after having eaten it yesterday. I almost NEVER eat ice-cream and I avoid dairy, but yesterday I gave in and had some... I ended up eating half the tub despite having already had a large dinner! And then today all I can think about is that ice-cream. From experience I can say that this study is dead-on!

So just say NO to milk, butter, cheese, and beef! If you do indulge, be prepared for some SERIOUS cravings the next day!

SUN SKINNY

New research has been released that shows a correlation between thin people and higher blood levels of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D, also known at the "sun vitamin", also helps to prevent osteoporosis and certain forms of cancer.

So get out in the sun! You only need 15 minutes of unprotected sun-exposure each day to get your recommended dose of Vitamin D.

Soak up the sun and start getting skinny!

FORGET THE FAT

HERE is an article with a list of 30 foods that help your body shed excess fat. The list:






1) Cottage Cheese (look for non-fat)

2) Egg Whites

3) Oatmeal

4) Sushi

5) Peanut Butter

6) Beans

7) Fat-free plain yogurt

8) Lemon

9) Energy Bars (make sure to read the ingredient list and calorie count! Clif is great)

10) Carrots

11) Soy Chips (great replacement for potato chips!)

12) Part-skim string cheese

13) Hummus

14) Edamame

15) Dried Fruit (WATCH PORTION SIZE! And watch out for added sugar)

16) Shrimp

17) At-home Thin Crust Pizza (add tons of veggies to sneak in an extra serving!)

18) Tofu

19) Salsa

20) Poached Chicken

21) Sweet Potatoes (especially the purple kind! Read more about them in my old post HERE)

22) Baked Apples (or raw apples dipped in peanut butter... mmmm!)

23) Fat-free Cool Whip*
*THIS IS A NO-NO! The article may say that this treat is low calorie, but it's also made ENTIRELY from hydrogenated oils... aka trans-fat aka created in a lab aka your body doesn't know what to do with it so it just stores it in your mid section! Stick with regular old light whipped cream (read labels! Watch out for high fructose corn syrup!) and smother some blueberries in it. Great treat and still low calorie!

24) Frozen fruit (watch for added sweeteners!)

25) Fudgesicles (create your own with some vegan chocolate pudding placed in the freezer with a toothpick in the middle!)

26) Fat-free sugar-free pudding (avoid artificial sweeteners and, yet again, READ LABELS!)

27) Angel food cake

28) Fat-free hot cocoa

29) Virgin mimosas

30) Herbal tea (and green tea!)

SOLO DANCE PARTAY!

As of late I have noticed how sometimes our lives become so chaotic and jam-packed with "to-do" lists and responsibilities that we lose sight of what matters most: our emotional and physical health.

Without a healthy body and mind you can't work and you can't pay your bills... let alone get around to living your life! And so, for those days that are just too jam packed to lace up your running shoes or hop in the car to head to the gym, I give you Dance Party.

Set up either your computer or i-pod docking station in a room where you can be alone and have plenty of space to move around. Create a list of up-beat, fun songs (I use guilty pleasures like Britney Spears and techno) that is a total of 30-60 minutes long. Click "play" and DON'T STOP DANCING TILL THE WHOLE PLAYLIST ENDS!

Hop around, swing your hips, try moves that look completely ridiculous. You'll find it not only fun and invigorating, but do this at least 3 days a week and you'll start seeing some serious toning all over your body!! Dancing works muscles that you didn't even know you had, plus it's great cardio! Not to mention how nice it is to let go of your self-consciousness for a while :)

So when you don't feel up to pounding the pavement, turn up the tunes and get an awesome workout right at home! Also fun: use YouTube and try to copy dances from your favorite music videos. Totally lame, but no one will ever know!! SOOO much fun!

PURPLE POWER!!

HERE is a place to read more about PURPLE sweet potatoes!! Not only are they beautiful and unique, they also pack a huge antioxidant punch (think the antioxidant that makes blueberries blue) and are LOW on the glycemic index scale, so they are less likely to pack on the pounds and they wont spike insulin levels in the blood!

This is GREAT news for anyone who loves sweet potato fries! Now you can make up a batch at home for your next get-together and have all the flavor and more healthy properties! Not to mention the fact that their color is a great conversation starter. The link I have above has several recipes for you to try :)

Like plain old french fries better but avoid them due to carbs? Try purple peruvian potatoes from your local supermarket. They aren't sweet potatoes... they're regular old fashioned potatoes but with the same antioxidants and decreased gylcemic impact of the purple sweet potatoes. Buy a batch and cut them up, sprinkle with olive oil & salt & rosemary, bake at 350 for 20 minutes and VOILA! A lovely, TASTY, nutritional snack!

LESS EQUALS LONGER?

THIS ARTICLE talks about a new study just released that studied the effects of a calorically restrictive diet in monkeys. The results: it increased overall life expectancy and decreased the rates of disease!! CRAZY!

Calorically restrictive = 30% less calories than their average body requirement.

This is only one of many studies confirming the positive effects of a moderately calorically restrictive, but STILL NUTRITIONALLY COMPLETE, diet. If you think about it, this makes a lot of sense. If you eat foods that are not calorically dense, like fruits and vegetables, you can eat a whole bunch of food with a lot of vitamins and minerals without consuming a lot of calories. It takes a whole lot of pounds of vegetables to eat 2,000 calories in one day!

Moral of the study: if you can make the commitment, eating 30% fewer calories may have some long-term anti-aging benefits if you make sure you have a nutritionally complete and varied diet. Being a vegetarian or vegan can make this jump a lot easier, since the bulk of fresh fruits and veggies can keep you fuller longer.

NOTE: Do NOT start a new eating plan without consulting your MD. And be careful! Excessive calorie restriction can cause a ton of health problems (loosing your teeth, osteoporosis, CARDIAC ARREST!) and the last thing you want is an eating disorder (highest rate of death for ALL mental disorders, not to mention the misery of obsessing over nothing but food 24/7), so BE CAREFUL if you are looking to reduce your calories.

NATURAL NOURISHMENT

With the temperatures warm and the sun ever-present, summer is the perfect time to get outside and be active. One catch: you lose more electrolytes through sweating than you do in cooler temperatures, making it harder to exercise for long periods and at high intensities.

So if you want to pick up your workout and speed your recovery, what is a a fitness buff to do? Most sports drinks have outrageous amounts of calories and use artificial sweeteners that can do way more harm than good, so what's the point in drinking something that works against your efforts?

Well, mother nature has the answer and it's DELICIOUS! Coconut water (NOT milk) is the fluid from the inside of an unripe coconut. It tastes great, is low in calories, and has a TON of electrolytes... including more potassium than in an entire banana!

Drink one 8oz 60 calorie Zico coconut water BEFORE working out to increase you duration and overall calorie burn. Drink one after to replenish what you've lost through sweating. Limited calories, no added sugar, and everything your body needs to keep it in tip top shape. Also great for a day at the beach!

BEAT THE BLOAT

HERE is an article with 10 foods to avoid if you want to ban belly bloat!
The list (and my summaries/explanations):

NOTE: Anything with a * means that the entry is not entirely factual. I have included explanations and clarifications for any information from the article that wasn't totally accurate.

1) SALT
-water is attracted to salt, so it makes you retain excess water, especially around your middle! Hidden sources: restaurant food, canned soups.
2) Excess carbs
-8 servings a day of whole grains is ENOUGH! Any extra is stored as fuel... a type of fuel that leads to excess water storage.
3) Bulky raw foods*
-raw vegetables mainly, but this bloating is temporary! If your body isn't used to a lot of ruffage, you may see some distention in your belly. What to do? KEEP EATING RAW FOODS! Your body adjusts over time and the extra fiber helps to DECREASE tummy distention in the long run.
4) Gassy foods
-Broccoli, cauliflower, beans, cabbage... "too much of a good thing" does exist! These foods are very healthy, but in excess they can lead to bloating and gas.
5) High-acid drinks
-ALCOHOL, coffee, soda... these irritate the lining of your GI tract and can lead to swelling. They included tea on their list but this is FALSE! Green and white teas actually HELP to decrease bloating because they are diuretics, so they flush excess fluids in the body!
6) Fried foods
-The high fat content causes these foods to be digested more slowly, leading to increased uncomfortable feelings of fullness and stomach distention.
7) Spicy Foods*
-If you have gastric reflux, then yes, the extra release of stomach acid stimulated by spicy foods can lead to stomach irritation and inflammation. However, if you do NOT have GERD, these foods can actually DECREASE stomach bloating by speeding up digestion!
8) Carbonated drinks
-The carbonation in soda and other fizzy sips can lead to excess gas in the GI tract, leading to distention, stinkyness, and overall unpleasantness.
9) Chewing gum
-When you chew gum, whether you mean to or not, you naturally swallow some air. The build up of air in the GI tract leads to belly bloat, gas-y-ness, and general discomfort.

DELICIOUS DIET-FRIENDLY DESSERT

I found am amazing recipe for simple to make, vegan blackberry lime tartlets!! The photo in this post is of the finished result. Not only are they low in fat and calories, but they're bite size, so you can watch your portions!



BLACKBERRY LIME TARTLETS

24 mini phyllo shells (buy pre-made in freezer section)
1c plain soy yogurt (or regular, is you aren't vegan)
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp lime zest (scrapings from the skin of a lime)
1/4c apple juice
1/3c organic sugar
2 tsp Agar powder
6oz Blackberries

1) Bake phyllo shells for 4min at 350F (to make them just hard enough to not soak up the filling)
2) Mix soy yogurt, lime, and lime zest in a medium-sized bowl
3) Put apple juice and sugar in to a medium sized sauce pan and heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Sprinkle in the Agar powder and continuing heating until completely dissolved.
4) Add the apple juice/sugar/agar mixture to the yogurt/lime/lime zest. Stir until an even consistency.
5) Divide yogurt filling among the phyllo shells, chill in fridge for about an hour.
6) Place blackberry on each filled phyllo (or, for even more flavor, puree the blackberries and place the puree on each filled phyllo), SERVE AND ENJOY!!

***4 tarlets contain approximately 158 calories, so enjoy without regret!!

EXPLOSIVE EXERCISE!

Plyometrics, or exercise with EXPLOSIVE movements (like jumping, hopping, etc.), is not only fun, it TORCHES calories as well!

As a working woman I understand that my time is valuable and limited, especially on work days. Because of this I often nap or watch TV rather than exercise after a long day at the hospital. Plyometrics is an amazing discovery that allows you to not only exercise on work days, but to do so in a more effective and less time-taxing way.

10 minutes of plyometrics can burn 100 calories! It also helps to build muscle and increase bone density!

HERE is an article with a plyometrics workout that is perfect for before work, during your lunch break, or when you get home!

But be warned: Plyometrics utilizes intense bursts of muscle energy, so it is difficult! Think about jumping rope. Not so tough for a minute, but try jumping at a good pace for 10... it's EXHAUSTING!! The workout linked in this post is fun and easy to follow, but it is tough, so pat yourself on the back for how damn strong you are when you complete it (ESPECIALLY if you can do the rotation more than once!).

THE BENEFITS OF KEFIR

If you don't know what "Kefir" is, now is the time to learn! The health benefits it offers are too good to pass up... not to mention it's delicious!

Kefir is a lot like yogurt. It's a fermented milk product made with probiotics, but instead of utilizing traditional yogurt bacterium, it is made with Kefir grains.

Kefir grains are little balls of "good" bacteria that have been shown to improve digestion, increase immune function, decrease oxidative and mutagenic damage in the body (aka it's a STRONG antioxidant that combats free radicals and the effects of aging), aids in weight loss, can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and naturally balances the bacterial flora of the intestines.

Kefir's anti-cancer and healthy skin/hair benefits are continuing to be studied, so the list of positives attributed to Kefir will likely grow longer!

What I love about Kefir is that is has FAR MORE probiotics than regular yogurt (with added anti-fungal properties) and it's slightly thinner texture lends itself to making AMAZING smoothies: Just add 1 cup Kefir and a handful of mango (or blueberries, or another fruit) to the blender (you can add agave nectar or honey for additonal natural sweetness) and voila! You have a delicious and nutrious snack or breakfast with minimal effort :)

So, what's stopping you?! Go grab some Kefir and start seeing the health benefits today!

For more on Kefir, you can check it out HERE

THE BLOG, IT IS A-CHANGIN'!

So I recently found out that you, my wonderful blog readers and devotees, have been enthusiastic in response to my requests that you support my advertisers... so much so that my account was disabled due to "fradulent" ad clicking activity!!

I'm not such much frustrated with the google people as I am flattered by the kindness of you guys, the readers!

After a hiatus, I have decided that the blog will continue! I think the information on this blog is useful and is something that I, myself, would want to have at my reading disposal. Information on how to better you life naturally and to live sexy, healthy, and happy is information that deserves to be accessible to EVERYONE! And so the blog continues! Please don't hesitate to e-mail you questions and comments to sexyhealthyhappy@gmail.com you can also e-mail topics you wish would be covered because, after all, this blog is for YOU!

Here's to living sexy, healthy, and happy!

-Li

SLIM DOWN FACTORS

HERE is an article with 4 factors you have to consider if you are trying to lose weight and live an overall healthy lifestyle.

Summary:

1) Daily calorie intake (exercise and keep a food journal for at least a week. The results can be pretty eye opening!)

2) Maximum heart rate (use this formula: 208 - 0.7 x Age = maximum heart rate. You should be BELOW this number when you exercise)

3) Target heart rate (50-85% of your maximum heart rate. Just multiply your MHR by 0.5-0.85)

4) Body fat percentage (check out THIS POST for links to calculators for BMI. Women should have a BMI of 18-25)

SUPER SNACKS FOR THE WEEK

Here a some more snacks to help you eat right during the upcoming week!

CRAVING SALTY?
* Try air-popped popcorn drizzled with a little olive oil and some sea salt. Absolutely delicious and so much healthier than chips!

CRAVING CREAMY AND CHEESY?
* Try Annie's brand mac & cheese (look for whole grain organic) made with non-fat yogurt. I make half of the pasta in the microwave (cover with water and cook 4 minutes for al dente) and save the rest for future dishes. All natural, low calorie, and great for cheese cravings.

CRAVING CHOCOLATE?
* Try fresh berries dipped in fat-free sugar-free instant chocolate pudding made with fat-free milk or soymilk (berries covered in some light whipped cream are also pretty delicious). You can buy the pudding at any local supermarket and the berries add sweetness to the bitter of the chocolate. Low fat and calorie and satisfies the craving! You can also go all the way and make a parfait with the pudding, berries, and angel food cake. I'm drooling just thinking about it...

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

I recently read an article in Natural Health Magazine that explained those numbers you see on produce at you local supermarket.

To decode your delectables, use the following:

* If the number starts with a 9, it's organic

* Starts with a 3 or 4, it's conventional produce

* Starts with an 8, it's genetically modified

Happy shopping!

CALORIE BLASTER

HERE is an article with 6 ways to burn 600 calories! Do six of the workouts over the next week and you can lose an entire pound. Simple and effective!

Pictured in this post is my favorite workout from the article... probably because you don't need a gym or equipment to do it. Whatever you have at home, including a pair of running shoes, will work for this one.

Great way to mix-up your workout routine when you've hit a plateau!

REGULAR IS BETTER

HERE is an article citing studies that show sporadic, intense, cardiovascular exercise can be dangerous in unfit people.

The overload of free-radicals created by intense cardiovascular exercise (heart-rate at 85% capacity for more than 10 minutes) on an unfit body can cause serious chemical damage.

A snippet:

" "If you are into high intensity exercise, you should work your way up to it and not simply just plunge in."

The research team used two groups of volunteers, giving one group a mixture of antioxidants, and the other a placebo.

After a week of taking the tablets, the groups were put through their paces on a treadmill and went through routine medical tests.

Blood analysis revealed that the exhaustive aerobic exercise caused damage to important DNA and lipid molecules.

"Cellular damage was induced by the exercise. But we found that the group who were on the antioxidants had been protected to some extent," said Dr Davison.

"Natural antioxidants can be found in a balanced diet consisting of foods such as broccoli, spinach and berries.

"A key lesson is: if you are involved in strenuous aerobic exercise, make sure your diet is rich in antioxidants -- because they will protect against damaging your health." "

Moral or the story: Start slow and eat a balanced diet! If you are going to train for endurance events, keep a regular workout schedule and stick to it.

SAY NO TO POST-WORKOUT PILLS

HERE is an article with new research that shows taking vitamins after a workout might be a bad thing!

The basic science: taking antioxidant vitamins after exercise negate the effects of free-radicals, things that cause oxidative stress on the cells of our body. Free-radicals have been linked to many diseases, like cancer, but apparently the free-radicals produced during a sweat session may increase your body's sensitivity to insulin, which is a good thing!

I guess as the saying goes, "all things in moderation".

Free-radicals in excess create disease. Free-radicals in small amounts, like from moderate exercise, can be beneficial.

THE PROS TELL ALL

HERE is an article with some diet tips from some top trainers and nutritionists. Most of them are pretty good and all of them are accurate!

Summary:
1) Have fruit for breakfast (start your day healthfully and your likely to continue it for the rest of the day)
2) Have dairy throughout the day (it has been shown to increase overall weight-loss. If you're vegan, don't fret! Focus on eating more veggies to decrease the calorie count and increase your overall nutrition)
3) Eat carbs before sundown (eat your carbs earlier in the day so you can utilize them throughout the day and prevent any excess from being stored as fat)

4) Stand to boost calorie burn (stand when lifting weights and stand more during the day)

5) Hop, skip, and jump (try varied workouts, like skipping and jump roping, instead of continuous repetitive motion workouts like treadmill running and elliptical machines. You'll get to use muscles you might not even know exist!)

6) Give yourself a curfew (go to bed earlier to prevent hunger and late-night snacking)

7) Gross yourself out (when having a craving, think about a food that grosses you out. It can help to stop the urge)

8) Have an amazing race (try a circuit workout with 6 different activities 5 times for a total of 30 minutes. Make sure to choose full-body exercises like squats and push-ups)

9) Walk more (increase your daily walking 2,000 steps to burn an extra 100cal/day)

10) Decrease your sodium intake (to prevent excess water weight)

11) Get more sleep

POWER PANTIES

HERE is an article about a line of shape-wear underwear that have been proven in clinical studies to reduce the appearance of cellulite when worn for 6 hours a day (aka while you sleep). They reportedly have small crystals in the fabric that rub against your skin, producing a small amount of heat that is then stored by the crystals, increasing the metabolism of the surrounding cells via the increase in temperature. Interesting theory...

80% of the people who wore them reported a reduction in cellulite! Now I wont believe this until I see it, but at $45 or less, I just might give it a try!

You can find them HERE