My Life in WordsHi, I am Charlene Ryan, Fitness and nutrition geek.
I love to feel strong and eat healthy. My blog will reflect this as will as my relationship with God. |
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My Life in WordsHi, I am Charlene Ryan, Fitness and nutrition geek.
I love to feel strong and eat healthy. My blog will reflect this as will as my relationship with God. |
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Cocoa is one of those things that God gave us that tastes awesome and is good for us. I could keep it at that, but it's much more fun to learn just how good something is. Dark chocolate is a preventative due to its high antioxidant content. Cocoa and dark chocolate are rich in antioxidant flavonoids called flavanols, which include procyanidins, epicatechins, and catechins. Chocolate, specifically dark chocolate (so yes, excludes white and milk chocolate varieties) with its rich flavanol content has the ability to help keep our cardiovascular systems in good shape. From lowering cholesterol, improving glucose metabolism, lowering risk of heart disease, reducing LDL oxidation, lowering blood pressure, increasing circulation, helping thin the blood, increasing nitric oxide production*, promoting more flexible arteries, and lowering C-reactive protein ( a biomarker of inflammation linked to heart disease) and a reduced risk of stroke to giving us an energy boost for that workout! A 40 gram serving of dark chocolate will have 41.2 milligrams of flavanols. This is good. And unsweetened chocolate has twice that amount! Not that you need ideas of how to get more chocolate into your diet, but here's a general list:
Spiced Cocoa Spices offer their own nutritional benefits too. Actually cocoa can be considered a spice too. Turmeric has been long known for its endless benefits and only recently has gained tons of popularity and is see in teas, supplements, facial treatments and more). With the multiple benefits of this delicious drink, you just have to try it! Check out the benefits of coconut oil, cardamom and cinnamon too! Yield: 1 good size mug-full
Sip slowly and enjoy! Great Brands of Chocolate:
Also, see my Dark Chocolate Board here: https://www.pinterest.com/fit2b/dark-chocolate/ NOTE: as another alternative for preparation: Blend the cocoa/hot water mixture with the remaining ingredients in a blender, then add back to a pan and heat it up. You will end up with a nice frothy smooth beverage. Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.
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Good day all, I hope to encourage you to tweak your diet to one that promotes health; leaving you feeling energetic and pain free. To put it plainly there are foods that cause inflammation and foods that decrease inflammation. Basically plant–based diets reduce inflammation. Meals that include leafy greens, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, fish, and omega-3 oils from flax, walnut or hemp, and other monounsaturated oils such as olive oil and avocado oil. Using herbs and spices such as turmeric, black cumin seed, cumin, chili powder, garlic, thyme, basil, etc. will benefit your system in so many ways-more than I can take time to mention in this short blog. Just use ’em! See this motivating spice-using mom’s write up on spices http://theoptimumyou.weebly.com/articlespices-and-herbs.html Anti-Inflammatory foods: For fish, choose tuna, mackerel, wild salmon and sardines. High antioxidant fruits include berries, cherries, citrus fruits, For nuts, walnut, pistachios and almonds are great choices also supplement your diet with raw vinegars I guess you can figure on your own what might promote inflammation. But here’s a list anyway: Soft drinks, red meat (especially conventionally raised; there hasn’t been too many complaints on grass-fed meats), alcoholic beverages, refined sugars, sugary foods, bread, flour, white flour, margarine and other “cooking fats”, processed meats and cheeses, all fried foods including chips, nachos, and french fries. Just so not to miss anything: crackers, sweetened yogurt, ice cream, candy, and sucralose (wipes out good bacteria in the digestive tract and therefore weakens immunity). Try making your own cereal tomorrow with toasted oats, pumpkin seeds, coconut, blueberries, and milled flax then top with almond milk. Be Careful eyes what you see... Yes, that is taking care of your eyes and soul, but the kind of care I want to talk about is what you eat to protect your eyes from free radical invasion. Sounds like a job for an army, right. Haha. You know how moms always tell kids to eat their carrots, because they are good for their eyes? Well, that's not even the half of it. Carrots have vitamin A---very important for tissue healing and eye health. Beta Carotene/vitamin A is fat soluble so make it an important habit to have some fat, such as olive oil or hummus, with your Vitamin A-loaded veggies. The real topic of this blog is the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin; these are antioxidant carotenoids, naturally occurring pigments in plants and the source of bright colors found in many fruits and veggies. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids present in the retina and lens of the eye. They protect the light-sensitive tissue from damage caused by sunlight. These nutrients are important in overall eye health. Where to get these antioxidant nutrients: Cooked spinach has a combined milligrams of 29.8, Kale has 25.6 mg, turnip greens, frozen, cooked have 19.5, Collards, frozen cooked have 18.5, mustard greens have 8.3 and dandelion greens have 4.9. Summer squash, 4mg, peas, 3.8, cooked pumpkin, 2.5 mg and corn has a low 1.6mg 6 milligrams per day may be enough to reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration! I'd try to get more than that; Start adding raw or leftover steamed, cooled veggies to your smoothies. Reference: Tasteforlife.com If you love pickled foods, Kimchi should be a nice addition to your plate. Adding fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut help promote a healthy gut, providing it with healthy bacteria. If I know my friends, i think they would be all over this when seeing how easy it is to make at home. Buying kimchi is easy, but making it is, of course more rewarding. We are not slaves to store-bought everything right? This is my first time making kimchi. This may not be the best photo of it, but the ingredients are fresh and nutritious. After eating store-bought kimchi a few times, i kinda knew what I wanted mine to taste like, and viewing a couple of different recipes helped give me some ideas, although I swayed more towards ingredients I had in my kitchen. For example I might have wanted to add sriracha, but instead opted for red pepper flakes. This kimchi is simply Napa Cabbage, carrots, garlic and scallions. The rest is savory sweet and spicy additions. Ingredients
Paste
Cut cabbage into quarters and trim off excess core toughness. Put cabbage in a large bowl and coat with salt, rubbing it into the leaves. Pour water over it and let it sit for about an hour. Add a few plates to the top to press it down. Drain and rinse the leaves. Return to the bowl and add the carrots and scallions. Combine all paste ingredients. Using food prep gloves, rub paste into cabbage, carrots and scallions. Find a good sized jar and fit all the pre-kimchi in. Cover and let sit at room temperature for about 3 days. The kimchi I made for this blog was good at 2-1/2 days. But you can actually go longer to 4 or 5 days. I recommend putting your jar on a plate to catch any oozing liquids; it bubbles up as it ferments---even with a seal-tight jar. Press down cabbage during the fermentation process if it appears dry on top. A Challenge to your daily healthy eating habits So this week, tell me if you are mindful of the natural colors in food and their importance. THEN, i encourage you to eat all the colors of the rainbow everyday. Hey, you know the rainbow signifies a promise God made to never flood the earth? Well, isn't it cool that the life-giving antioxidants reside IN the colors? Think about vitamin A. It is found in orange like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and also in dark greens like mustard greens, beet greens, parsley, etc. Beta, carotene, a carotenoid of vitamin A supports the immune system. Think about the protective aspects of red. Protecting our blood and heart fighting off free radicals that harm us with lycopene . Red and purple form grapes and berries contain resverator and decreases estrogen. Brown (I know--not a color of the rainbow) contains important antioxidants and fiber that carry out toxins/carcinogens; you'll find this in whole grains and legumes. Blue in blueberries fights free radicals by protecting against urinary tract infections and improving eye sight. Green also includes folate, helping build healthy cells. The green/white in veggies like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage fight carcinogens. The white/green contains allyl sulfides in garlic, chives, onions destroy cancer cells. This is just a glimpse of the benefits of healthy colorful eating. Stay on track with natural foods that God made! Thank you God for providing us all this great food to keep us healthy. Fear is not an option for any of us. In regards to eating, we need to not be fearful in that we are trying so hard to do what all the current diet news is recommending. When your results aren't what you expected, you get upset and fearful that you'll never be what you thought you could. First of all, God has given us all we need to be healthy. We just aren't taking a hold of it and applying it to us. Instead we try so hard to make sure that we get our fair share of treats and let our addictions, vices, cravings, entitlements, and...forgive me, but also selfish wants to take hold. It's time to get down to basics, forget diet trends, and do what is common "sensical". Anything habitual that is related to self-indulgence, unhealthy thoughts which lead to unhealthy actions, a sense of digging your hole deeper and deeper with less chance of getting out, an almost secretive lifestyle with a way of deceiving others into thinking you just can't achieve what you've tried so many times to achieve....all this is because of fear, and your habits are only habits because you haven't faced your fears. The Bible, being the written Word of God, tells us never to fear. It leads to trouble in forms of anger, anxiety, depression, which in turn can cause fleshly tendencies of bingeing, overeating, under-eating, or starvation to seemingly try to "lose weight". This is what the Prince of the earth wants: for us to be so caught up in ourselves that we do not do what the Word tells us. That is to have a Spirit of power, love and a sound mind, to not be anxious for anything, but in everything pray and give thanks to God (Philippians 4:6-7). Our thinking is generally what gets us in a rut. Let's just get into a mode of learning and applying. With this frame of mind, you are the student and you are to do your homework to get a good grade. :) Here are some basics that I teach. It may take a while to sink in since many of you are programmed that fat is bad and carbs are bad:
There are so many more aspects to learn about. Think about some upgraded nutrition habits for yourself based on this information. For example, why not have a bowl of oat bran for breakfast with some chopped walnuts and fresh blueberries. For lunch, have a sandwich with healthy sprouted grain bread with leftover salmon and some avocado slices, fresh tomato and lettuce. "I endeavor to help all those that want it whether as your trainer, group training instructor, or nutrition consultant. With online training through Trainerize, you have the option of adding a meal plan to complement your workout program. With group training, there are weekly topics and all the essentials needed at the start as well as printable documents on the http://www.thftraining.weebly.com website for all participants to read and apply. With ISSA personal training through Transformation Health & Fitness, I analyze your diet, and be sure you are on track getting the necessary nutrients, micronutrients and macronutrients to better achieve your goals, helping you with more dietary specifics. With other training such as at the YMCA, I view food diaries, and offer to assist with recommendations that are geared specifically to the client's needs. I will also, at request, direct the client to the necessary tools to succeed." ___Charlene Ryan For more information contact me Fast food might be a tasty habit, but it's a costly one. I'm not here to lecture you on why it's bad. I know how annoying it is for a health-inspired person to preach at a junk food junkie. I only wish to inspire you to get creative and get healthy.
If you find it difficult to get into the habit of making your own food, Here are some simple transforming health foods to get going with and some encouragement to do so. Follow the link below: The Link: Simply buy food! Once you have begun to make some simple changes, you will automatically reap some rewards. Remember that saying, Reap what you sow? Check out other recipes on this site for some fun and fit foods like black bean brownies. Leave a comment below on what changes you have made. Eating healthy with a goal of fat loss...
First, Go to the grocery store, buy the foods listed below and then incorporate them into your meals regularly. It's as easy as it sounds. Remember to control how much you eat, yet include plenty of veggies thoughout the day and a good amount of fruit early in the day. 1.Apples and walnuts, low calorie, low glycemic, high nutrient,like many other fruits (esp. berries, and pears); include them daily. They're good for your smile too. So smile. your weight is going down! 2. Almonds, keep you full and contain essential fats and fat-burning nutrients. Good for strong bones too as they contain boron. 3. Cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, beans; peas-- are all very rich in minerals and have no fat content. 4.Avocados--contain a fat-digesting enzyme and are highly satisfying. Try Chocolate Mousse---Transformation Health and Fitness This recipe uses avocados as the base. What a healthy hidden treat and your family and friends will never know, but you can sure tell them after. Serve with fres... View on theoptimumyou.weebl... 5. Eggs --contain leucine, acts as a catalyst in burning extra fats 6.Whey protein ( i prefer MRM all natural Whey Protein Isolate)-- (see where to order and click on Vitacost from my page--you can order from that link if you need somehttp://thftraining.weebly.com/nutrition.html These proteins can be consumed as supplements to reduce weight. They burn the fats and help building muscles. 7. Green Tea: helps keep you lean; drink a couple to three cups per day; also helps prevent certain types of cancer 8.Salmon, mackerel, tuna are rich in protein, include good fatty acids (omega 3 acid) and mono saturated fatty acids that boost metabolism and are good belly fat burning foods. 9.Don't forget to drink your water---a key to burning fat! Right now pumpkin soup is simmering, apple sauce is hot and fresh, and pumpkin seeds are toasting. All while I am relaxed and enjoying this warm fall morning. If you haven't been apple and/or pumpkin picking yet, you had better get going while you can. Once you have this abundance sitting in your house, you just have to get cooking.
I'm going to share the recipe for pumpkin soup with you. Click here: Oh and if you've already had my butternut soup, this really doesn't compare as it is less like a bisque with the addition of brown rice. As always, my recipes are healthy and will fit right into your fat-loss or fitness endeavors. The pumpkin soup recipe is based on Tosca Reno's Moroccan pumpkin soup. For applesauce, who really needs a recipe? Chop up a bunch of peeled and cored apples and fill up a pot. Cook over medium-low heat stirring frequently. Add cinnamon and other spices if you wish at some point. You can mash or blend the cooked apples. Some like it chunky, some like it smooth. So enjoy your fall cooking while it lasts. Pretty soon we're doing winter stuff, like shoveling snow. I tend to hang out in the kitchen too long after dinner. It's enough that I spent over an hour cooking and then to clean up only to think of what I can make next. I started thinking, what if I was to let this go and go sit and spend some time in the Word instead. I mean I'm always struggling to find the time once the kids are in bed. Sacrifice (that God expects) can lead to a healthier me? Why yes! I mean it's not good to eat late anyway.
Eat less to weigh less is a pretty logical concept. I encourage everyone, whether big or small to adopt a sacrificial attitude, so that all we do is not always about fulfilling selfish desires. Weigh less to feed more (a program by Revelation Wellness to help feed the hungry while sacrificing the excess food you think you need). This is a concept based on sacrifice but with a good motive. I believe we can do this, accomplish goals the right way----naturally without selfishness. Outward thinking, not inward thinking! God has called us to a sacrificial life avoiding all manners of gluttony, idol worship, and selfishness. To expound on being outward as opposed to inward,we become better people; giving, loving, sacrificial beings showing and acting on the love God brought us through His son Jesus Christ. In addition, while celebrating Jesus this holiday season, think of a sacrificial way of celebrating Jesus. He's not about flashy lights, tinsel and us being all anxious and stressed. Relax your mind and your heart while sacrificially resting in His goodness. |
View my Word Press BLOG:Fit, Healthy, Happy Home Charlene RyanPreventative Health Author and recipe developer. Archives
January 2018
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