FOODS WITH PURPOSE

HERE is an article about foods you can eat to help improve specific aspects of your health. Good article, short and to the point. Here's a summary:

SKIN AND HAIR:
*Citrus fruits (for vitamin C)
*Tomatoes (for lycopene)
*Tofu (for soy protein)
*Flax (for omega 3 fatty acids)

EYES:
*Eggs
*Leafy Greens
*Broccoli
*Winter Squash
*Brussels Sprouts (all of these provide lutein and zeaxanthin)

BONES:
*Spinach & Broccoli (Vitamin D, Calcium, and Phosphorus together... good combo for bones!)
*Calcium-fortified Tofu

HEART:
*Whole Grains (for fiber)
*Fatty Fish (and Flax, for omega 3's)
*Fresh Fruits & Veggies (organic is even better!)

BRAIN:
*Flax (for omega 3's)
*Whole Grains (for fiber and minerals)
*Vitamin C, E, and Folate

DANGEROUS DIET PILLS

The FDA has just recalled the diet pill "Hydroxycut" due to numerous cases of liver failure and damage.

This is just one in a long line of cases that emphasize how dangerous diet pills are. Remember: diet and exercise lead to weight loss and some natural foods/herbs assist the body in the process (like tea and cayenne peppers), but NO pill or "herbal miracle" will take the weight off for you, and many diet pills just might kill you.

Most "diet" specific pills and teas contain compounds that put stress on the cardiovascular system (they stimulate heart rate, therefore increasing caloric needs and burn), like caffeine and guarana. But what they don't tell you is that the stress they put on your body can lead to permanent damage, including heart disease, hardening of the arteries, stroke, and heart attack. Apparently Hydroxycut also had ingredients that were hepatotoxic (damaging to the liver), and unfortunately you don't truly show signs of liver failure until it's gotten really bad, so the pills may be damaging your liver and you wouldn't even know it. Long story short: DON'T EVER TAKE DIET PILLS. They don't work and they're dangerous!

Also good to know: diet pills and herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA and therefore you never really know what you're getting. Another study came out about a month ago showing that 20 leading brands of multivitamins contained unsafe levels of lead!! Lead?! In my MULTIVITAMIN!!?

If you do take herbal supplements (NOT diet pills) like a multivitamin, make sure you buy from a reputable brand. NOTE: Don't start a new herbal supplement without speaking to your MD first!

THE MAGIC OF MBT's

So by now you may have heard of these amazing shoes called MBTs that have been clinically tested and shown to increase muscle usage while walking (aka increase calorie burn and toning). You may have also heard that they help improve posture and decrease chronic lower back pain. What you may NOT have heard is that they aren't a hoax; they actually work!

Several of my co-workers at the hospital were wearing MBTs and they lost inches and overall weight just by wearing them to work! The biggest set-back for me in regards to MBTs other than the price (around $200 a pair) was how freaking hideous they were. Well, now you have some selection and several of the models look like normal shoes.

Check out THIS SITE to look at all the models! In this economy, it's hard to justify spending this much on shoes, so do what I'm doing: start putting aside $25-$50 per month (which you can subtract from your "eating out" allowance, also helping you to be healthier!) and soon enough you can buy your own pair without blowing the bank! In the meantime, try this trick for toned legs immediately:

*Take the stairs instead of the elevator and when you do, ALWAYS skip a stair. You get instant lunges added to your daily activity without even thinking about it!

Happy shopping!

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST! WHITE TEA FIGHTS FAT

First, I apologize for the delay in posts... I was out of town and the WiFi at my hotel was HORRIBLE!

And now, on with the latest in natural health!

You may have read my POST several days ago touting White Tea as even better for you than its popular cousin, Green Tea. Well now scientists are finally proving this in research studies!!!

THIS ARTICLE discusses a new study that reveals that compounds in White Tea help to prevent fat storage and target already existing fat stores!

So drink up! And if you're looking for a lower-cost Silver Needle tea (the BEST White Tea out there), try your local Wegmans! They now sell loose leaf silver needle at reasonable prices.

YUMMY VEGAN POPSICLES!

Craving something creamy and sweet but don't want to dive into a bucket of ice cream? Below is an awesome and easy recipe for creamy-fruity popsicles you can reach for when your next craving hits! You can decide how much of each ingredient to use based on how creamy you want them to be (and I guess-timate all my recipes, so sorry for the lack of measurements!)

Vegan Cream-sicles:
*Pomegranate juice
*Mango (or strawberries/raspberries)
*Soy Milk (or Vegan cream replacement if you want it to be even richer! Vegetarian: try Greek Yogurt.. mmmm!)

Put all ingredients into a blender. Once full integrated, pour mixture into an ice tray and place toothpicks into each ice-cube space (either put them in on an angle or wait for the creamsicles to solidify slightly and place in the center).

Enjoy!!

HEALTHY SNACKS

So you started a new eating plan and you're eating healthier foods and less calories. Good news: you're on your way to your dream body! Bad news: you're STARVING!

HERE is an article with a bunch of healthy snacks (healthier-splurges is more accurate) to help satisfy your hunger between meals without blowing your accomplishments. Some suggestions from Li combined with the article:

*Apple with peanut butter (Almond butter is even better)
*Hummus with whole grain crackers (try Trader Joe's Multigrain Savory Thins... mmmmm)
*Orange slices and walnuts
*Lemon sorbet with raspberries

To go even healthier AND help the planet: reach for certified organic items and READ LABELS! High fructose corn syrup and partially-hydrogenated oils do nothing but work against your efforts.

DOGA

You probably already know that yoga can help you lose weight and tone your entire body (especially Ashtanga yoga! Give it a try!). It works muscle groups that you don't even know you have all while moving the body in ways that help to eliminate toxins (not just mumbo-jumbo, it really works) and aid digestion.

In addition it can help ease stress and clear your mind during these difficult times. Hmm, so what else has been clinically shown to ease stress?? Pets! So it was only a matter of time before someone combined the two.

Welcome to Doga, the yoga you do with your dog! Watch the video report below to get the scoop on doga! Great for you and great for your pet :)

DOG FOOD FROM SCRATCH

(PHOTO: My doggy, Trevor, posing with his head poking through the wooden picture-posing stand)

A few months back I ran out of dog food and found that the local retailer no longer carried my favorite natural brand. While I sat in the aisle reading through all of the ingredient labels, I realized that even in the natural brands there are still ingredient lists that are unnecessarily long!

That's when it dawned on me: what better way to know what your pet is really eating than to make their food at home?

After a ton of research and some grocery store shopping, I found a GREAT recipe for dog food that is easy and cheap! On top of the ease of making it and knowing that I'm helping to extend my doggy's life expectancy, Trev LOVES eating it! Since I've had such success, I decided to share the recipe with the SexyHealthyHappy family. WARNING: Check with your vet before trying any new diet for your pet! Also, the recipe has meat in it, so if you prefer a veg/vegan diet for your pets it's still best to buy from your local natural pet store.

Basic rules: Dogs need protein, fat and vitamins/minerals in order to have a complete and healthy diet. They don't need carbohydrates, but a small amount of grain in their diet helps to fill any nutrient-related holes in their diet. The best way to give them a well balanced diet is to feed them a combination of vegetables, meat, and healthy grains. If you do not puree the veggies, they WILL come out in their poop (think corn), so make sure to grind them well. If you add fat (like cooking oils), it can cause diarrhea since they cannot absorb the oils in their intestinal tract. It is best to feed your doggy raw meat, but due to the risk of e-coli and other bacterial contaminants, it is also acceptable to lightly cook the meat.
*In general, you want a ratio of meat to veggies of 2:1. If you add grains, the ratio of meat to veggies+grains should be 1:1.
*Also of note, your dog wont need as much food, so give them about 1/2 what you were feeding them previously. Their poops will also be smaller, so don't be alarmed!

Use the CHEAPEST ground beef (high fat percentage) because the fat content will help keep their coat healthy, plus it saves you money! Veggies you can use (and ROTATE for each batch in order to make sure their diet is balanced):
*Carrots
*Broccoli
*Zucchini
*Green Beans
*Peas
*Spinach
*Potatoes
NOTE: BUY THE VEGGIES FROZEN! This way you don't have to worry about what's in season or the produce going bad.

For the grains, stick with BARLEY and only use it in every-other batch.

RECIPE:
2 lbs ground beef (cheapest available with high fat content)
1/2lb frozen carrots
1/2lb frozen peas
(Optional 1lb of barley, soaked and ready for use)

-Lightly cook the beef using a spray oil or VERY little olive oil
-Puree the vegetables (and grains, if added), then mix the meat and puree in a large bowl
-Scoop individual serving sizes into individual containers and store in the freezer

-When making a new batch, alternate grains every other batch and change the types of veggies every time. You can also alternate ground turkey or chicken into your batch rotations.

When it's feeding time, heat the individual serving size for about 30 seconds (till cool or slightly warm) and feed to fido! Watch him/her scarf it down gleefully!

WE'RE ON FACEBOOK!

The Sexy, Healthy, Happy Blog is now on FACEBOOK!

CLICK HERE to become a fan!

In the next month or two as the SexyHealthyHappy fan-base grows, we will be starting free organic giveaways to our facebook fans as well as the fans here on blogger.com! We'll give a head's up to all of our fans once the giveaways start. In the meantime, check in daily for the latest in the world of natural health!

Here's to living Sexy, Healthy, and Happy!
-Li

CALCULATING MADE EASY

Below are links to some awesome tools that help you to calculate everything from your BMI (body mass index, should be between 18-26 for females) to how many calories you burned doing various activities! I've used these several times, especially the one in which you give your height, DESIRED weight, and activity level, and it tells you how many calories you should be eating to maintain that weight. Links:

1) BMI Calculator
2) Ideal Weight Range Calculator
3) "Happy Weight" Calculator (your stress-free-but-still-healthy weight for your height and age)
4) Caloric Needs Calculator (MY FAVORITE! Great for providing direction if starting a new eating plan)
5) Calories Burned Calculator (Directions: Click on the link to the left, then look to the LEFT of the page and your will see the heading "Burn Calories" and a drop down menu beneath it that says "select an activity". Click on the drop down menu and select your activity. Follow instructions from there)

Seeing how many calories you burned doing housework, plus walking the dog for 10 minutes, plus gardening, plus doing pilates can belp motivate you to keep moving! Enjoy :)