Benefits of Dark Green Veggies

Dark leafy green veggies are among the best sources of nourishment, and they are low in calories as well. Dark green vegetables also have high-fiber content and phytochemicals for example beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin which work as antioxidants and protect cells totally free extreme damages. In certain, beta-carotene and lutein may assist improve your vision.

Dark Green Vegetables

Greens such as green spinach, kale, broccoli, and dark-green lettuce include minerals including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium in addition to vitamins K, C, E, and great deals of of the B vitamins. Vitamin K alone might help regulate blood clotting and might help avoid and lower inflammation, safeguarding us from inflammatory diseases including arthritis.

Dark Eco-friendly Veggies Benefits

Green vegetables are incredibly potent source of minerals and nutrients. When we consist of green vegetables in our day-to-day diet then certainly we’re able to minimize the chances of developing numerous diseases. It’s a truth that our body requirement dark green veggies due to the fact that nutrients throughout these green vegetables help our body to work appropriately.

Arugula

Arugula includes a peppery taste and is rich in vitamins A, C, and calcium. Arugula could be consumed raw in salads or on sandwiches, or put into stir-fry, soups, and pasta sauces.

Spinach

Spinach includes a sweet flavor and is rich in vitamins A and K, folate, and iron. Spinach tastes terrific consumed raw in salads or steamed. Attempt including green spinach for an omelet.

Mustard

Mustard Greens have a peppery or spicy flavor and therefore are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and calcium. They are scrumptious when eaten raw in salads or maybe in stir-fries and soups.

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine Lettuce is a nutrient-rich lettuce that’s high is vitamins A, C, and K, and folate. It’s best when eaten raw in salads, sandwiches or wraps.

Broccoli

Broccoli has both soft florets and crispy stalks, and it’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and fiber. Broccoli can be consumed raw, steamed, sauteed, or put into a casserole or soup.

Collard

Collard Greens possess a mild flavor and are rich in vitamins A, C and K, folate, fiber, and calcium. The most convenient method to prepare them is to boil them quickly after which add to a soup or stir-fry. You might also consume collard environment-friendlies as a side dish. Just include your favored spices and take pleasure in!

Source

Have a healthy and productive day! 

MJ 

Health and wellness for all since 1957.  Go Shaklee! :)  http://mjshealthyway.com

What Are The Benefits of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Juices?

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices provide you with vitamins and anti-oxidants to help keep your overall wellness and prevent disease. Drinking fresh juice also assists you satisfy your daily requirements for fruits and vegetables. Try integrating fresh juices as a snack or with meals to increase your nutrient intake.

Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Needs

Drinking fresh vegetables and fruit juices is a fast and easy way to satisfy your day-to-day requirements for these meals. According to ChooseMyPlate. gov, an adult following a 2,000-calorie per day diet plan requires 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit each day. Consuming 1 cup of fresh fruit or vegetable juice counts as consuming 1 cup of the raw food. If you struggle to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your day-to-day diet plan, consider adding fresh juices as a means to fulfill the suggested daily servings.

Vitamins and Minerals

Fruit and vegetable juices also help you meet your needs for vitamins and minerals that play a crucial role in your total wellness. By consuming fresh fruit and vegetable juices, in contrast to canned, bottled or from-concentrate juices, you’ll get the most vitamins the juice has to provide because some nutrients decrease when juices are processed, pasteurized and packaged. According to the UNITED STATE Department of Farming, 1 cup of fresh, raw orange juice has 124 milligrams of vitamin C and 74 micrograms of folate, while 1 cup of bottled or from-concentrate orange juice just has about 84 milligrams of vitamin C and 47 micrograms of folate.

Antioxidants

Your body depends on antioxidants to assist prevent molecules called complimentary radicals from triggering damage to cells. Numerous phytochemicals, or plant chemicals, found in fresh vegetables and fruit juices operate as anti-oxidants. According to the American Cancer Society, consuming more phytochemicals from vegetables and fruits may help to avoid or treat cancer, heart problem, hypertension and diabetic issues. Some examples of these phytochemicals consist of anthocyanidins from grapes and radishes, quercetin from apple juice, ellagic acid from strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, carotenoids from carrots and cantaloupes and lutein and zeaxanthin from kale and spinach.

Suggestions

While fresh fruit and vegetable juices do offer a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, they don’t have the fiber that the whole meals offer. If you have ever before made use of a juicer, you understand that a huge quantity of fiber, or pulp, is left as waste when a stream of smooth juice is produced. Juice from a whole white grapefruit, for instance, has about 0.2 gram of fiber while the entire fruit itself has about 2.6 grams. If you constantly consume vegetables and fruit juices rather of eating the entire food, you might lack fiber in your diet plan.

Have a healthy and productive weekend! 

MJ 

Shaklee, America’s number one nutrition company! 

http://mjshealthyway.com  

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5 Easy Ways to Get More Veggies in Your Diet

5 Easy Ways to Get Even more Veggies in Your Diet plan. Trying to find easy ways to get more healthy veggies into your weight loss plan, read on!

Sometimes when asked exactly what I do for a living I react, “I tell people to eat more vegetables.” Of course there’s a lot more to healthy eating than that … but consuming more veggies is one of the most crucial steps in enhancing the quality of your diet plan.

For all the excesses in the current American food culture– too much sodium, saturated fat, calories, etc., couple of people are over consuming veggies. In truth, surveys reveal that 68 % of Americans don’t fulfill the minimal standards for vegetable consumption (3 portions everyday). Just 26 percent of the country’s grownups consume vegetables 3 or even more times a day and just 23 percent of meals include a vegetable.

This is despite clear evidence that veggies can improve our chances of better wellness. Researches show that a diet rich in veggies may reduce risk for heart problem, diabetic issues, and certain types of cancers. Vegetables high in potassium might reduce blood pressure.

Veggies are likewise one of your best allies in the battle against ‘the bulge’. Due to the fact that they’re lower in calories per cup, when you eat them in location of other higher-calorie foods you can reduce your overall calorie intake. Research reveals that in addition, their high water and fiber content can help keep you fuller for longer, reducing the probability of overindulging.

Given their significance to your total wellness, consuming even more veggies need to be a top concern. Attempt these ideas to guarantee you are getting enough:

1. Start a garden 

Over the years I’ve actually found that one of the best means to get people delighted about eating veggies is to have them grown their own. Research studies have supported my observation: young or old, gardeners have been discovered to eat more veggies than non gardeners. The basic act of gardening connects us to the earth, the dirt and the food we consume. Few can withstand nature’s bounty when it’s springing up right in your very own lawn. Plus there’s nothing like the taste and freshness of veggies straight from the garden.

Do not have space for a yard? Numerous local city centers have growing area gardens. Find one in your location and ask to volunteer.

2. Veggies for breakfast

For breakfast? You wager! Your morning meal is the best place to get a jumpstart on your daily veggie portions. Stuff an omelet with broccoli, spinach, peppers, asparagus, or other vegetable that fits your taste buds.

Short on time? Rush your eggs with a half-cup of salsa. Roll it into an entire grain a tortilla and take it with you as you fly out the door!

3. Soups

Add more flavor and nourishment to your favored soups with added veggies. Lots of homemade soups currently consist of a nice quantity of veggies, however you can bump up the vegetable portions in canned soups too. I enjoy adding carrots to chicken noodle soup, and edamame or green beans to minestrone. Simply add the raw or frozen vegetables while you’re cooking or warming the soup. And don’t forget that leafy eco-friendlies such as kale, Swiss chard and spinach make fantastic additions too.

4. Don’t forget frozen

If your feedback to reading the concept of beginning a yard” was laughter, this suggestion is for you. You do not have to become Farmer of the Year to get more veggies in your diet plan. If time is tight or whenever you want to serve up more veggies with the touch of a button, do not forget frozen vegetables. I love them due to the fact that I can save them in my freezer and don’t have to fret about numerous trips to the supermarket on a regular basis. In this manner I constantly have veggies in your house to prepare.

Concerned that frozen veggies are not as healthy as fresh? According to the International Food Details Council, frozen production is essentially identical in with regards to nutrition to newly harvested fresh produce. Vegetables chosen for freezing have the tendency to be processed at their peak ripeness, a time when– as a basic rule– they’re most nutrient-packed. The “flash freezing” process oftens leave them in a nutrient-rich state. Fresh produce loses essential nutrients and vitamins as quickly as it’s harvested and it can then take nearly 2 weeks to arrive on supermarket shelves. So by the time you purchase it and eat it, the vitamins and mineral value of your vegetables may be lessened.

5. Move your veggies to the top rack of the refrigerator

You have heard of “out of sight, out of mind”? Try doing the opposite. As long as they’re bagged correctly, veggies will last along with if in a vegetable crisper. Keep fast-to-eat veggies like baby carrots, precut red and green pepper strips, broccoli florets, tomatoes, and cucumbers as accessible as possible so you can rapidly grab them for snacking and meal prep.

Have a healthy and productive July! 

MJ 

Shaklee, powering America naturally since 1956!

Stop by and check it out: http://mjshealthyway.com  

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Seven Ways to Eat Smarter This Summer

With summer season simply around the edge, you might discover yourself struggling to eat right with the temptations of BBQs, picnics and other summer feasts. If you are not sure where to begin– right here are a couple of simple pointers for how to be healthier this summer season.

1. Snack Smarter.

2. Get a “Handle” on Portions.

3. Slash Your Soda Intake.

Can you dedicate to going soda-free this summertime? Why not! Try slowly weaning yourself off calorie-containing soft drinks. Delicious, thirst-quenching alternatives consist of unsweetened iced tea or water with slices of orange or lemon. If you wish to keep your ‘fizz’, try a beverage of 1/4 cup 100 % fruit juice mixed with seltzer.

4. Choose Low-Calorie Sauces and Dips.

Take advantage of terrific summer salads for main dishes and appetizers, but have sauces and dressings served on the side. This step alone can save you hundreds of calories. Instead of splashing salads with rich dressings, dip your fork into a little meal of dressing then get your food. This will impart the taste of your dressing with every bite, but without adding a lot of calories. If you discover yourself at a celebration with lots of chips and dips … either prevent them altogether, or part out a handful of chips (better yet – go for veggies if they’re readily available) and join a few tbsps of healthier dips like hummus, salsa, or bean dip.

5. Eat Breakfast.

Really. I suggest it. This one can make a big distinction in how many total calories you eat for the day. A healthy breakfast option may develop your hormonal appetite law system for the day. A scone or muffin with coffee might sound good, however will not tame your cravings or temper your appetite as much as a protein-rich morning meal from eggs (6 grams protein per 70-calorie med egg), egg whites (the protein is split between the yolk and white however the white is lower in calories), oatmeal with peanut butter or yogurt (esp Greek yogurt), yogurt or home cheese with fruit, or nut butters with a protein-rich whole-grain bread. If you are consuming cold cereal, try to find brand names that offer a minimum of 6 grams protein per serving and have with a cup of skim or 1 % milk will include an extra 10 grams protein.

6. Make Mondays Meatless. 

You could’ve heard the “Meatless Mondays” slogan, which started as a means to assist the war effort during WWI. Now it’s an across the country movement (meatlessmonday.com). Why take the pledge? Going meatless simply one day a week can decrease your risk for cancer and other significant wellness issues.

7. Broaden Your “Grain Universe”.  

White Foods Can Be The Right Foods!

White’s alright.

Bright-colored produce generally gets all the love, however white veggies supply vital nutrients that you could be missing, finds a new study review in Advances in Nutrition.

Researchers aimed to dispel the concept that all white is bad. While it’s wise to limit your consumption of white flour and sugar, the researchers discovered the excellent things– potatoes, parsnips, and turnips– can be really good. Compared to various other vegetables, these are a richer source of many nutrients you often fall short on, like fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Why? For one, “plants accumulate more minerals in roots and tubers, which is the kind of vegetable potatoes and parsnips are,” says research coauthor Connie M. Weaver, Ph.D., of Purdue College.

Sure, color can be important when it comes to produce– cancer-fighting carotenoids ensure vegetables red, orange, and yellow, for instance– but it is not constantly a reputable indication of nutrition. Many disease-fighting phytochemicals cannot be seen, Weaver says.

Unlike dark green and orange vegetables, of which you need to eat one serving each a day, there’s no official government recommendation for white vegetables. Merely try to sneak in even more– potatoes, cauliflower, turnips, onions, parsnips, mushrooms, corn, and kohlrabi– into your diet plan weekly. A benefit: spuds please. Research published in the European Diary of Clinical Nutrition discovered that, calorie-for-calorie, white potatoes have the highest satiety index of any food that’s been tested.

Have a healthy and productive day! 

MJ 

Shaklee, rockin’ the world naturally since 1956!

Check them out at http://mjshealthyway.com 

Plant Based Diets Help Reduce Chronic Diseases!

Things we know: populations that eat primarily plant-based diets have lower risk for most chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  But the reasons for this remain a mystery.  Is it fiber?  Vitamins?  Lower saturated fat?  Some unidentified phytochemical? 

The most likely answer is that it’s all of the above, and then some.  Meanwhile, a recent study identified another plant component, called apigenin, that appears to play a role in disrupting cancer cells.  Normal cells have a defined life span, controlled by genes that initiate cell death.  Cancer cells evade this programmed cell death, and keep on growing out of control.  Apigenin, binds to certain proteins in cultured cancer cells, and shutting off the out of control growth.

Does labeling food “healthy” lead to overeating?  A new study says Yes.  When given a choice of healthy or regular coleslaw, subjects took and ate more of the healthy coleslaw.  In fact, the 2 coleslaw choices were exactly the same.  When asked to estimate how many calories were in their portion, they underestimated the calories for the Healthy item.

Speaking of plant based diets, another study shows that the Mediterranean Diet helps the aging brain.  This study, from Spain, followed over 500 people who were 55 or older.  One group ate a traditional Mediterranean Diet with olive oil, the other ate a Mediterranean diet with nuts, and the third group age a low fat diet.  The subjects took cognition tests at the beginning and then 6-1/2 years later.  Of the people who had developed mild cognitive decline, more of them were on the low fat diet.  Of the subjects who had developed dementia, more were on the low fat diet.

There’s no downside to a plant based diet.  We may not know exactly why it’s healthy, but at some point, trying to pick out individual beneficial plant components is less important than encouraging the overall diet pattern.

Have a healthy and productive day! 

MJ

Check out the Shaklee difference at:

http://mjshealthyway.com

Shaklee 180! I lost 36 pounds and holding! 

http://weightloss180.info

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Summer Weight Loss Foods

Summer Weight Loss Foods

When it comes to nutrition, summer diet tip is to look for foods that will hydrate the body, as well as replenish energy sources. Summer weight loss plans are a success with a good exercise program, outdoor activities and a lighter food intake. Summer time is the easiest time to lose weight as the sunshine drives me to be outside and gives my muscles more reasons to be active.

Water

How often do you hear that water will help you lose weight? It will, especially in the summer months. Try to drink more water during hot summer days, especially if you will be active or exercising. Try adding lemon juice to bottled water for a different and refreshing taste.

Pineapple

My favorite summer fruit is a ripe pineapple. Pineapples can be cut up and enjoyed in a fresh fruit salad or they can be grilled. A grilled pineapple is delicious as a side, as its natural juices come out when cooked. It can be paired up with beef or shrimp kebobs for a nutritious and healthy dinner idea.

Salads

A salad will always be a healthy option, but salads can get boring which then might steer you in the direction of that macaroni and cheese again. Do not get discouraged with boring salads, add grilled chicken leftovers or add in seasonal vegetables to boring old lettuces. Bean salads can be a different take on a healthy meal idea.

Sweet Corn

Few things say summer like freshly picked corn on the cob. And if you love carbs and have a tough time fighting off the urge to nosh them nonstop then this is the veggie for you. Each cob contains three grams of appetite-taming protein, plus 138 milligrams of phenylalanine an amino acid that quickly soaks into brain cells, where it dampens carb cravings for up to three hours.

Greens

Greens like kale and spinach are full of essential vitamins and dietary fiber, so they help regulate digestion and move food through the body quickly. And the good news is there is no such thing as too much greens! Try to incorporate more greens throughout your day, like having a green juice for breakfast, a raw kale salad for lunch, and lightly sauteed spinach with garlic alongside dinner.

Have a healthy and productive day! 

MJ 

Shaklee 180, the natural weight loss solution. Check it out at:

http://weightloss180.info

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend and had a great time with family and friends. I'll have to admit I did jump off the weight loss band wagon with some good food and drinks all weekend. Surprisingly I still held my weight at 175 pounds. I did eat lighter than normal eating only portions of different foods like I have trained myself. I think three things are key to losing weight and keeping it off.

1. Be consistent with your exercise program and keep track of your daily exercise routine. 
2. Find a way to track your weight and calories, and weigh in only once during the day. (I think in the morning is the best time right after you get up.) 
3. Portion your meals. You can still enjoy some of your favorite foods on occasion, just eat a small portion of these foods. Also, adding fruits and veggies are vital. I tend to have a salad every other day. 

I think these 3 small steps are the key to a successful weight loss program. I myself have tied in the Shaklee 180 Weight Loss program with my daily routine keeping track on their app tracking all meals and exercise.

I hope you have a great week and stay healthy! :)

MJ

Check out the Shaklee 180 Weight Loss Program and their other great products at:
http://weightloss180.info

How Vegetables Help the Environment (and You)

I have been a vegetarian for most of the past 40 years. The reason why I support a plant-based diet is obvious: People who consume mostly plant foods are generally much healthier and may live longer. I first decided to stop eating meat when my grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer. I was a 21-year-old pre-med student at the time and quickly found that research associated a high-fat diet and being overweight with an increased risk of cancer.

So began my lifelong journey to incorporate healthy lifestyle choices for myself and my family—and to teach others, too!

This concept received support recently from a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that studied people who consumed a mostly plant-based Mediterranean diet. (They did eat small amounts of white meat and fish).

The results of the study were striking: People eating the Mediterranean diet had a 30 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease (heart attack or stroke) than the group not eating a Mediterranean diet. The results were so dramatic that the study was stopped because of ethical reasons. (The study authors could no longer let the people who were not eating the Mediterranean diet continue to eat the way that they were eating). While not completely a vegetarian diet, the study showed how powerful a primarily plant-based diet can be.

Besides being good for your health, following a plant-based diet is also good for the earth. Since this is Earth Month, I thought I would highlight the environmental reasons for turning to a more plant-based diet:

• Carbon Footprint: Livestock farming produces a huge amount of greenhouse gases. Estimates are that livestock (from birth to death) producearound 20 percent of all greenhouse emissions. That is more greenhouse gases than cars, planes, and other transports combined.

• Water: Livestock use a lot of water. It takes an average of 2,500 gallons of water to produce a single pound of meat–almost half of all water consumed goes to livestock. In contrast, it takes only 25 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat.

• Deforestation: Clearing land for livestock accounts for around 60-70 percent of all Amazon deforestation.

• Oceans: The oceans are impacted two ways by our meat-based diets. The first is from runoff. The manure and urine from feedlots are collected in lagoons that often leak or overflow when it rains. This leads to high amounts of nitrogen, nitrates, and phosphorus ending up in rivers and eventually the oceans. The second is that many of the world’s fish ecosystems are so overfished that they can no longer be fished.

• Land: It is estimated that a family who is vegetarian needs around one acre of land to produce the food that it needs. The average American (who consumes around 270 pounds of meat a year) needs around 20 acres. Livestock consume the majority of our plant crops, rather than us consuming the plants. In fact, it takes 20 pounds of soybeans to make one pound of meat.

Now, you don’t have to become a full vegetarian–but I strongly recommend that we ALL eat less meat and more plants. Building your meals around fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains is one of the best ways you can help your health and help preserve the environment. Drink a soy protein-based shake for breakfast instead of bacon and eggs. Try a tofu and broccoli stir fry instead of chicken piccata. You’ll be healthier and our planet can be too.

Thank you to Shaklee Health Wise Blog for the Information.