Category: Health and Wellness (Page 5 of 5)

Welcome to Grandma’s kitchen, the warmest most welcoming place on earth. The freshly baked rolls are just out of the oven, you can hear the “drip drip” of the coffee pot, and you can smell that wonderful smell. This scent elicits warmth. This scent is one that can induce pure joy. Of course, it is the fresh spicy scent of cinnamon that is tickling your nose.

Cinnamon is one of the oldest medicinal spices; the essential oils of this spice have been used since about 2700 B.C.  

Not only is this spice quite tasty, probably due to the fact we always relate it to cinnamon rolls and apple pie, but it also provides health benefits! The component cinnamaldehyde found in the essential oils of the spice is what gives cinnamon its spicy warm flavor. Cinnamaldehyde is an anti-inflammatory nutrient that has been shown to make blood platelets more resistant to clotting, making it a promoter as far as cardiovascular health is concerned (Rah, Rah, Cinnamon).

Another fascinating finding about cinnamon is its affect on blood sugars. Research has discovered that cinnamon stimulates insulin receptors within the body, making those with Type 2 diabetes more susceptible to their own insulin production. A study put out by the American Diabetes Association noted that as little as 1 gram (¼ to ½ teaspoon) of cinnamon (not cinnamon sugar, folks) not only dropped blood sugar levels, but also improved triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol numbers! This is especially vital information since diabetes alone increases your risk for developing heart disease. Now how much do you want to go sprinkle that cinnamon into your next dish!?

Perhaps cinnamon can not fully be deemed the spice of life, but I am quite certain cinnamon definitely ranks high among the spices of health. Ideas to add Cinnamon into your daily dish include:

• Sprinkle into your morning oatmeal to add a supplemental “warmth” factor
• Create a cinnamon chip by baking whole wheat tortillas with a honey and cinnamon glaze
• Toss into your morning (freshly ground!) coffee grounds. This “ups” the spicy, tongue-tingling flavor
• What about the famous cinnamon and apples pairing? Of course, you could get some of that probiotic power by coupling it was some creamy luscious yogurt; sounds like my kind of dessert.
• Place cinnamon sticks into a warm batch of freshly brewed tea and serve to your family.

Wherever you place it, you are ensured a warm, spicy, and health benefiting treat. 

Here’s to your health!

Katie

Get more Health & Wellness advice by Clicking Here.

About Katie Paige Haarala

Kate Paige Haarala is a registered dietitian (R.D.) from Minnesota who has an undying passion for nutrition education and helping others incorporate healthy dishes into their daily menu.  She graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Food, Nutrition & Dietetics along with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Exercise Science. You can catch more of Katie on her blog by clicking here.

Hi all fans and members of intotheSoup.com. I am Kami Pastis, and I am a certified personal trainer, life style educator, group fitness instructor and registered chiropractic assistant in the Phoenix area. From time to time, I will enjoy sharing my tips with you on eating well for life. Here are 5 to start. I hope you enjoy as well.

5 Tips on To Health Through Food

1. If you want that beautiful taste of virgin or extra virgin olive oil without the health risks of high heat pan frying; steam broil or grill your food and drizzle the oil over the top.
2. Ingredients that should never be in the first 5 ingredients of a food label: Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, refined sugar, refined grains and artificial sweeteners. Read the labels of your food – it’s what’s going in your body!
3. A “Green Smoothie” is a delicious way to eat more fruits & veggies. It’s also incredibly easy to digest. Try 5 leaves of romaine, 1-2 bananas, strawberries and any other fruit you like with 2 cups pure water, blend & enjoy energy filled goodness! Use any combo of fruit & leafy greens you like usually a 60% fruit:40% greens ratio keeps yummy.
4. Choosing organic meat and dairy products is an easy way to decrease your exposure to pesticides, herbicides, hormones and antibiotics that compromise health. It’s a good investment in long term wellness.
5. Everyone’s budget is different so buying all organic fruits and veggies is sometimes prohibitive. Some foods that are most important to choose organic are carrots, celery, apples and peaches due to the heavy pesticide usage. Foods in which the organic label isn’t all that important are avocados, bananas and mangoes

Click here to revisit Kami’s Thai Bliss Soup contribution

About Kami

Kamara Pastis is a certified personal trainer, life style educator, group fitness instructor and registered chiropractic assistant in the Phoenix area. Clinical, therapeutic massage has been her mainstay for seven years where she has experienced the lasting therapeutic changes massage can make in cases with debilitating pain and disfunction. The traditional Thai and Yogi tradition of metta (literally “loving kindness”) is Kami’s healing philosophy. When not healing her patients, Kami is more than blissfully occupied with her husband and three kids.

To contact Kami and learn more about her services Click Here: www.kamaralmt.com or call (602) 622-1046. Tell her you saw her on intotheSoup.com

Good soup comes from good stock and good health comes from good Soup. 

As a contributor to intotheSoup.com, I am excited to jump in and add my own twist to flavor this web site with tips on Food, Nutrition and Wellness. So, let’s begin with two extremely healthy elements, fish and (of course) soup.

It is still winter in Minnesota and will be for a while and ice fishing is all the rage. The need for warmth and liquids abound.  I have the day to myself, the radio is on my favorite station, and I am happy to play in the kitchen. I have never made fish stock before. I have made chicken stock and turkey stock.  Why not make fish stock?  How easy is this? 

As I prepare to take on this challenge, I consider what it is that makes fish broth the elixir of good health. We all know that fish is good for us. It is high in protein , low in fat  and rich in calcium and phosphorus, a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, potassium (a mineral needed for muscles, nerves, and fluid balance in the body), iodine, and magnesium.  

Of course there are those Omega-3 fatty acids we hear about. All fish have them, the best sources being fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, but what about them? According to… well, just about everybody, they are great for the cardiovascular system. They decrease the potential for heart disease, reduce blood pressure, help prevent arthritis and even promote healthy brain function. Who doesn’t need a healthier brain?

In addition, researchers found that fatty fish aid short-term memory; and that people who eat at least one meal of fish per week will be significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease; least two servings of fish per week to help prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Add to this the benefits of meat stocks in general. Containing many of the nutritious minerals that come from the cartilage prepare with a bit of wine or vinegar to help draw calcium, magnesium and potassium, we are talking about a boiling pot of healthy goodness.

Specifically, fish stocks are rich in iodine which is necessary for proper metabolism (converting food into energy) of cells and production of thyroid hormones. So, when ancient cultures prescribed fish stock to help with virility, they had something there.

In addition to the fish, there are all the healthy ingredients that go into the broth. The carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, fresh parsley and maybe a touch of salt, add the vitamins, the antioxidants and the phytochemicals with all of their protective and disease preventive properties. 

Finally, there is the love and time put into this wonderful concoction. The process itself is meditative, contemplative, and rejuvenating. All together, the combination is exactly what the Doctor (or Dietitian) ordered.

Good stock comes from adding the right elements and simmering them together for long periods of time to develop and blend the flavors. The ingredients do not require precision cutting or measuring and they are not difficult to find. Sometimes, they are items that are waiting to be used. Take the bones left from filleting fish, add some veggies, and you are off.

Once all the goodness is cooked out of the ingredients and they are carefully strained to capture only the precious liquid, here is the base for a great soup. Tasting is believing. Subtle mixtures of flavors all blended to sooth whatever ails your heart, head, or soul.  

Soup is a good thing. Soup will fit the bill for young and old. And, soup is packed with wonderful nutrients that promote your good health. So take stock in soup.   Get into it!   

Prepared for you by,

Carletta Rhen-Mlodzik RD

About Carletta

Carletta Rhen-Mlodzik RD has been practicing dietetics and has been a member if the American Dietetic Association for over 30 years. She is working as the Director of Food and Nutrition Services for a small Health Care setting in northern Minnesota. She has done consulting as well as worked in the Phoenix area in two large hospitals. She and her husband have two daughters, 17 and 19. They live on a small hobby farm with 5 horses, two dogs and several cats.    

Sources for this article are:

American Dietetic Association

Rush Institute for Healthy Aging

American Heart Association

British Medical Journal

Australian National Health and Medical Research Council

MedlinePlus

Enter Yogurt. The food that is ALIVE! Sound scary? It shouldn’t be! Yogurt is one of those superfoods that should be a staple in your daily dish and has been around since, well, before Bob Barker had even contemplated being on Price is Right. Actually, this fermented dairy product can be dated to the cuisine of Middle Eastern civilizations as far back as 2,000 B.C!

The benefits of this luscious treat are insurmountable and pack a 1-2 punch for your immune system! And of course, during the winter months (at least here in Minn-e-sota) our immunities always seem to be taking a hit. We’re cold. So we eat to warm up; then, we gain weight because we eat too much; then, we get stressed out because we are quite certain our right thigh has a mind of its own and has increased an inch or five overnight; then, we eat because we are stressed out about our increasing right thigh issue; then, less than healthy habits definitely catch up to us: the stress, the weight, and the lack of sleep are a recipe for a shot immune system. Shoot.

The immune benefits of yogurt actually stem from the fermentation process itself where the friendly bacteria Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are allowed to marry with the milk and produce lactic acid; this production equates to yogurt’s delectable tangy flavor and velvety texture. Of course, coupling this creamy delicacy with your favorite berry and some walnuts is a perfect way to kick-start your day (mmmmm! I saw you drooling. Don’t even deny it).

Proper selection of yogurt in your local grocer is crucial; the container must contain the stamp LAC (live and active cultures) from the National Yogurt Association stating there is at least 10 million live cultures per gram to ensure an adequate culture count. May I suggest sticking with plain yogurt as there are no artificial sweeteners, fillers, or added sugar? Simply delicious healthful probiotics in a container, and let me tell you, we love probiotics. 

Simply put, probiotics recreate a healthy balance in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract by introducing a plethora of “friendly” bacteria into your gut. The role of the microflora in our GI tract is immense; these guys help us breakdown and absorb the nutrients and energy from our food.  A double whammy is the fact that these microflora play a vital role in our immune system; it is speculated about 70% of our immune system is in our gut alone! 

Prebiotics have also been an area of interest. A prebiotic is basically a substrate or food for those probiotics found in the yogurt. Prebiotics are complex carbohydrates that are not readily digested by our bodies. The components of prebiotics are inulin, fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS).  These components can be found in bananas, whole grains, garlic, asparagus, honey, onions, and leeks.  So eat up and enjoy the nutritional and immunologic benefits!

Here are a couple ways to incorporate yogurt into your daily dish:

• Use it as a base for your favorite fruit smoothie
• Substitute plain yogurt for sour cream in any vegetable dips
• Make a fruit and yogurt parfait with your choice or berries, walnuts, and a dash of cinnamon
• Toss plain yogurt in with vinaigrette dressing to make a creamy substitute.
• Yogurt can become a healthy alternative to many of your creamy dishes using mayonnaise or sour cream. 

There is no better time than right now to begin implementing yogurt into your daily menu. 

Enjoy Health! Enjoy Flavor!

Katie

Get more Health & Wellness advice by Clicking Here.

About Katie Paige Haarala

Kate Paige Haarala is a registered dietitian (R.D.) from Minnesota who has an undying passion for nutrition education and helping others incorporate healthy dishes into their daily menu.  She graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Food, Nutrition & Dietetics along with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Exercise Science. You can catch more of Katie on her blog by clicking here.