December 11, 2011

Up & coming...I am being interviewed tomorrow for an article in The Mercury.  Will keep ya'll posted for the release date.

In addition to Newport Naked, Dan Hwang has used his talent to do some surgery on my website.  It's almost done, but you can see the new look here... www.EatToLive.biz   

Did You Know...

Brussels sprouts are only 60 calories per cup, & are rich in lutein (beneficial for your eyes), and vitamin C (an easy way to boost your immune system).

Gourmet little brussels sprout recipe up on my facebook page today.

Nutrition  

I can not stress enough the importance of knowing what you are putting in your body when you eat.  Walking into the common grocery store, expect that over 90% of the foods available I would advise against.  Shop smart.  Be aware of products that contain trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, additives, preservatives, many cancer causing ingredients & food coloring just to give you an idea. 

For example who would think a pickle would be tampered with?  Welcome to America. 

Many pickles are artificially dyed with color to make them more appealing.  Why not use a natural coloring like tumeric?  Well that's because it is more expensive, less vibrant color effect, and shorter shelf life. 

You may just be eating a mutagenic azo dye tartrazine, which can cause DNA mutation, or   Yummy huh?  Or high fructose corn syrup and artificial dyes, both aggravating hyperactiviy in your kids. 

Trader Joes & the company Clausens, for example should have a clean product.  More mainstream companies like Vlasic, Heinz and Mt. Olive tend to have tainted products. 

Natural Health 

December got you sleepy?  How about a little peppermint for a mid-day revival.  You've been hearing much about Seasonal Affective Disorder from me lately, this is no mistake.  The fact that SAD is so prevalent & relentless, yet very controllable makes me want to sound like a broken record. 

Peppermint helps to improve memory & focus, wonderful if you are finding it hard to make it through your work day.  I'm sure your boss will appreciate this as well.  Try sniffing some peppermint oil, put a sprig in your water, make a cup of tea, or keep a plant near your work area and take a big sniff.  This is important to the alternative of a mid-day cup of coffee to avoid energy crashes, metabolism interruption and belly fat accumulation (yep I said it). 

Natural news has a an article here if you would like to read up a little more:  http://www.naturalnews.com/034368_aromatherapy_peppermint_memory.html

Lynn grows some kicked up organic peppermint that'll knock your socks off when you open the bag.  Hellooo insomnia.  Haha just kidding, but this will wake you up for sure. 

 www.lynnsorganics.net

Exercise

Serotonin is a brain chemical that controls mood, appetite & sleep.  Sometimes known as the "feel good" chemical, it can be increased with not only food, but exercise.  Serotonin levels naturally decline in the winter months, and many people are touched to some degree with Seasonal Affective Disorder.  High levels of serotonin are associated with elevated mood, whereas low levels are associated with depression. 

Studies show that even low-moderate intensity exercise such as a 30 minute walk can help to boost your brain serotonin levels.  The difficult part is that with depression, there goes your motivation to exercise, so you may need to just suck it up & go for it...then the exercise becomes much easier.

 "A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology revealed that there are two mechanisms by which physical activity increases brain serotonin. First, motor activity increases the rate and frequency at which serotonin is "fired" within the brain, resulting in an increase in both the release and synthesis of it. Secondly, regular exercise increases the level of tryptophan in the brain (an amino acid used to manufacture serotonin). The exact mechanism is not clearly understood; however, it is clear that aerobic exercise improves mood through increasing brain serotonin levels".

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/22590-effects-exercise-serotonin-levels/#ixzz1gFxBuEmb

Bottom line is to get your butt moving, you're in the driver seat with your mood.  Decide how you want to feel & go for it!