I just wrote an article on my Mental Fitness blog about the Mediterranean Diet and it’s wonderful effects on brain health. New findings show that eating the When you finish here, check this post out – the findings are pretty remarkable.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean Diet sounds like it would be a fad diet used by the rich and famous, doesn’t it? The terms are actually used to describe the foods eaten by people living in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea (Greece, Morroco, Italy, Spain). The foods that form this diet are associated with a slew of positive health effects:
- a lower risk of cancer
- a lower risk of hear heart disease
- fewer heart attacks
- less hypertension
- lower risk of diabetes
- prevention of brain disease
- trimmer body
Just glance at that list again! Just think, you can protect your body and mind and improve your fitness and health simply by choosing to eat the right foods and refusing to eat the wrong ones.
If it’s so simple…. and it pretty much is… why aren’t we all doing it? I think one of the reasons is habit. We’re accustomed to eating a certain way and find the thought of drastic change overwhelming. (Wonder how overwhelming we’d find heart disease or diabetes to be?) Some people may think that incorporating new foods into their diet will be expensive or inconvenient (Again, how expensive or inconvenient would serious health problems be?)
No more excuses. Today’s the day!
What Foods Are In a Mediterranean Diet?
When incorporating the Mediterranean diet into your daily meals, think fresh and wholesome. Think unprocessed and natural. You’ll want to become as familiar to the produce department as a head of lettuce. The staples of the Mediterranean diet include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, seafood, yogurt, and olive oil.
Try new foods and try fresh new things with old favorites. I’d wholeheartedly recommend buying a bamboo steamer and getting all kinds of fancy pants with steaming vegetables. Steamed asparagus, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, snap peas, nappa cabbage, artichokes…. Heavenly. If, at first, you have trouble falling in love with fresh vegetables, experiment with different Mrs. Dash seasonings, fresh herbs, and squeezed lemon and/or lime juice.
Adding steamed vegetables (or grilled on a George Foreman Grill – another one of my favorite kitchen toys!) to pasta dishes is a wonderful way to make them into a meal. I’ll give you extra points if you use wheat pasta. I promise you, if you season everything right, you’ll never even know it’s wheat – but your body will.
Roasted garlic is also a healthy way to add flavor to meals – and garlic is very much a part of the Mediterranean diet.
A few other things you’ll want to know about the Mediterranean Diet:
- The people who live around the Mediterranean Sea use olive oil as often as I drink coffee. They use it in almost everything they eat. Whether it’s pasta, bread, vegetables, salads, fish, cakes, pastries… whatever. Olive oil is the principal fat in the Mediterranean diet. It replaces other fats and oils such as butter and margarine. Why should you fall in similar love with olive oil? Researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia found that oleocanthal, a compound in olive oil, reduces inflammation. This alone could help prevent heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and certain cancers. The next time you have French or Italian bread, try this. Instead of butter or margarine – pour a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a pretty dish then grind fresh pepper on top. Dunk your bread into the peppery olive oil in lieu of unhealthy butter. My favorite approach is with different colored peppercorns – they look gorgeous and taste outstanding. A little crushed basil, thyme, or oregano is also a nice touch.
- Use local produce – not only is it healthier for it to be handled as little as possible, it’s cool to keep your money in your community. I’m all about that.
- Try to eat beans in your diet each day. Throw some in your salad, chili, soup, and even pasta. Bean soup is always delicious and you can’t beat a great bean salad. Combine your favorite beans with a little olive oil, garlic, and red onion. Season and dive in. Also, hummus is another wonderful way to utilize beans, olive oil, AND garlic in one delicious sitting. Use fresh vegetables to scoop up the hummus and you’ve leveled up to a whole new level of greatness.
- Leave bowls or baskets of nuts around the house to nosh on instead of candy and potato chips. Throw pine nuts and sunflower seeds into your salad for crunch and flavor.
- Omega 3 fatty acids run free and wild in the Mediterranean diet. Why’s this such a great thing? As WebMD tells us, Fatty acids have been shown to reduce the incidence of heart attacks, blood clots, hypertension, and strokes; and may prevent certain forms of cancer and lower the risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.
- Try to eat less meat, opting for fish, vegetables, legumes instead. Just remember to fill up on protein from healthier sources.
- Mediterranean people devour lots of tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, capers, spinach, eggplant, mushrooms, white beans, lentils, and chick peas. Throw capers into orzo, pasta, rice, salads, and even egg dishes. Chick peas, of course, are the foundation of hummus and are excellent in bean salads as well as tossed salads and taco salads.
- Try to eat fish and seafood at least twice a week. Again, remember that freshness is your body’s friend. Check your bakery for beautiful seafood that you can take home and wax brilliant with.
- Fall in love with fruit and never stray. Keep a fruit bowl in a prominent place in your kitchen and/or dining room and keep it filled with a variety of beautiful, healthy fruits. They look and smell as good as they taste. Keep dried fruit and fruit juice on hand as well. Send them in your kid’s (and spouse’s!) lunch for a healthy alternative to chips.
- The Mediterranean diet includes lots of whole grain foods as well. Foods such as rice, couscous, bread, pasta, potatoes, and polenta are popular with Mediterranean people. In their natural state, grains are full of cancer and heart disease-fighting fiber, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. But white bread, pasta, and rice defeats the healthy purpose. Stripping the grain’s outer layers to make white flour and white rice eliminates the health benefits. The whole process leaves you with little more than the dreaded EC – empty calories.
A final word about portion control: The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes healthy foods eaten in healthy portions. Because of the fiber content, less food is needed to make you feel full. Less empty calories, less unhealthy fat, less junk, and less bloat will lead to a much healthier and happier you.
On my recipe blog (Get Cooking) I intend to start posting as many Mediterranean Diet- friendly foods and recipes as humanly possible. I’m creating a whole new category for the Mediterranean Diet and will add my favorite ways to fix, cook, and serve healthier foods. I love to cook more than almost anything else in the world. I have a very large family with lovely people from all age groups – so I know the challenges of feeding a family on a budget while providing them with foods that are healthy for them. What’s more, our family is filled with young people, so I know the importance of feeding them healthy foods that they’ll actually eat! I’m still working on the challenge that is eggplant, but I’ll let you know when victory is mine!
If you’re truly interested in a healthier diet and lifestyle, head over to Get Cooking and subscribe by e-mail or rss and watch for the healthy recipes to pour in.
Huff puff… Huff puff… pant.. pant…. Excuse me while I try to remember how to breathe. I just worked out with Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels, and Kim Lyons of The Biggest Loser fame. Having the GREAT Biggest Loser exercise dvds means that I can get a killer workout anytime I’m in the mood to punish myself a wee little bit.
Given the fact that I’m an avid cook and baker who goes full throttle during the holidays – the mood hit me right between the eyes when I weighed myself this morning. Thanks to ham, potato casserole, yeast rolls, brownies, cakes, seasoned green beans, yams, and more cookies and candy than you’ve ever seen in your life – three unwanted, unneeded, and unwelcome pounds moved in on me.
So, yeah, the mood to punish myself was firmly in place this afternoon.
Fortunately, I have a great little exercise dvd collection to choose a workout from. My favorite exercise dvds are courtesy of The Biggest Loser. My favorite one of these is the The Biggest Loser Workout: Cardio Max
. Bob’s all over the place in this one and Jillian means business.
Just what me and the unholy three need.
I also thought it would be fitting since one of the greatest shows on television (EVER) starts a new season tonight. The Biggest Loser is back and I couldn’t be more excited. I love this show muchly. Two of my daughters (Emily and Stephany), and one of my cats (Alexa), and I never miss an episode. Fact is, if one of the trainers goes nuts on someone, we rewind to see it all over again.
So, you know where I’ll be tonight – soaking up every sweet and satisfying minute.
If you’ve never watched the show, give it a try. If you need a little extra motivation when it comes to fitness – whether the holidays brought you unwelcome guests or your guests have been residing with you for years – The Biggest Loser is spot on outstanding. The trainers will motivate you as the contestants inspire you.
The show, literally, changes lives – on the stage and in the living room. (Pretty poetic for someone who’s hair is all skewed, face is beet red, and mouth is hanging open. Please, honey, don’t come home until I pull myself together!)
If you’re looking for a way to get fit during the winter months, when walking and biking are out of the question – look no further than The Biggest Loser DVDs. You can probably find them in your local department store, and I know you can buy them online. The best deal I’ve found (like most things) is at Amazon.
For the work out that just put the smack down on me, click here: The Biggest Loser Workout: Cardio Max
For an outstanding 6 pack dvd collection, click here: The Biggest Loser 6 Pack: Workout 1 & 2, Power Sculpt, Boot Camp, Weight Loss Yoga (Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels)
Whatever you do, don’t forget to tune in tonight to The Biggest Loser. Come back and share your thoughts about the show in the comments!
I don’t know what the numbers are, but I’d imagine that a great number of people will have “fitness” at the top of their New Year’s Resolutions. Nothing beats a treadmill or a glorious walk in the great outdoors, but I also happen to love yoga. I know it helped me in my recovery from a great deal of damage that was done to my back in a car wreck. Yoga keeps you flexible and fluid and it isn’t nearly as hard to practice as you might think.
Ashtanga Yoga – The Intermediate Series: Mythology, Anatomy, and Practice (Ashtanga Yoga Intermediate Series)
is the most recent book about yoga that I’ve read. I’ll be perfectly honest, I don’t approach yoga as a religious experience (the Bible and prayer are the only things that I approach in that manner). I approach yoga this way: It makes me feel good, keeps me flexible, and gives me a healthy glow. Yoga also improves one’s posture. Yoga is wonderful exercise and a beautiful way to relax and unwind.
All great things!
Product Description:
In this much-anticipated follow-up to his first book, Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy, Gregor Maehle offers a detailed and multifaceted guide to Ashtanga Yoga’s Intermediate Series. An expert yogi and teacher, Maehle will guide you to your next level with an unprecedented depth of anatomical explanation and unparalleled attention to the practice’s philosophical and mythological heritage. You will learn:
- The background and applications of each of the three forms of yoga: Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana
- How to use Indian myth and cosmology to deepen your practice
- The importance of the Sanskrit language to the yogic tradition
- The mythology behind the names of the Intermediate Series postures
- The functions and limitations of body parts integral to the Intermediate Series, including the spine, the sacroiliac joint, the shoulder joint, and the hip joint
- How to reap the full benefits of practicing the Intermediate Series
Maehle meticulously explores all twenty-seven postures of the Intermediate Series through photos, anatomical line drawings, and practical, informative sidebars. He also discusses the philosophical and spiritual background of Ashtanga Yoga and places the practice within the context of Indian cultural history.
The ideal thing for anyone interested in yoga to do would be to buy Gregor Maehle’s first book, Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy
. THEN, grab a copy of Ashtanga Yoga – The Intermediate Series: Mythology, Anatomy, and Practice (Ashtanga Yoga Intermediate Series).
If you are familiar with yoga – The Intermediate Series is for you.
by joi on December 9, 2009
in Health
We all know the benefits of sunlight and, more specifically, the benefits of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Low vitamin D levels have recently been linked to a greater chance of developing diseases including diabetes, heart disease, several cancers, and the common cold.
None of which you or I want anything to do with.
With the shortest day of the year is approaching, Winter Solstice (December 21, 2009), sunlight’s not exactly pouring down on us. That certainly doesn’t mean we have to go without vitamin D. Au contraire! This vital vitamin is available in a much tastier place: Wild Alaska Salmon. Wild Alaska Salmon, a delicious and healthy source of vitamin D is one of America’s top favorite seafoods, and for good reason. It’s incredibly healthy, versatile, and very delicious. Salmon is one of the highest natural food sources of vitamin D with 360 IU* (International Units) per 3.5 oz. Salmon often tops the list of “super foods,” and nutritionists tout its heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, recognized to thwart heart disease, inflammation, and certain types of cancer.
What’s more, I recently read an article on aging well on RealAge.com. When it comes to preventing wrinkles and retaining a youthful face, the doctors recommend salmon several times a week. The experts say that you’ll be able to see a difference in your skin’s appearance in a matter of weeks.
Salmon from Alaska: Why A Salmon’s Birthplace is Important!
When it comes to salmon not all are created equal. Alaska is home to the most abundant and healthy supply of wild Pacific salmon in North America. Never
farmed, wild Alaska salmon offers unmatched flavor and texture. And as the only U.S. State whose Constitution mandates that all fisheries must be managed for sustainability, Alaska will have an abundance of wild salmon for years to come.
Wild Alaska salmon comes in a variety of forms for consumers including whole, fillets, steaks, canned, pouched and frozen. For a couple of incredible salmon recipes (guaranteed to rock your culinary world), check out the most recent post on my recipe blog.
Source: The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (www.alaskaseafood.org)
by joi on June 8, 2009
in Health
Do your daily habits carry you further away from cancer’s danger zone or push you closer?
When it comes to things that lead to cancer, we all know the dangers of smoking. Smoking kills. It is linked to at least 15 different types of cancer.
Fifteen! If anyone has any sense whatsoever, one of their goals in life is to guard themselves from as many dangers as possible. Not JUST for themselves – but for their loved ones as well. Anyone who has a deadly habit such as smoking and doesn’t take every measure they can to quit is, in many ways, being selfish. No one gets cancer, suffers, or even dies alone. The victim’s loved ones walk through hell with them.
However, smoker’s aren’t the only ones who are putting themselves (and by extension, their families) at risk. Did you know that obesity is a known cause of cancer? We all know that being overweight leads to heart problems and increases one’s risk for diabetes – but cancer?
So how many cancers would you guess that obesity is linked to? One? Four? Seven?
Being overweight is linked to at least a dozen types of cancer, including breast and pancreatic cancers. The American Cancer Society stresses the need to get, and keep, your weight in check by eating right and getting enough exercise. Adults should be physically active for at least 30 minutes on five or more days a week.
Get that body moving and keep it moving. When it isn’t moving, feed it the kinds of food it craves for good health: lots of fruits and vegetables! Fortunately one of the perks of exercising is often an automatic desire for the right kinds of food. My oldest daughter, Emily, and I walked for an hour this morning. When we dragged back in the house, we were both hungry for fruits. I honestly would have crawled across glass for a slice of watermelon or a dish of peaches and cottage cheese.
They actually still sound pretty darn good. I know a couple of things I’ll be getting at the store tomorrow.
Think of some healthier things you can start doing. Think of some unhealthy habits you can get rid of. Then, act on each. The kicker is this: You have to keep on keeping on, even when you don’t want to whatsoever. That’s when you have to dig deep and say, “I don’t want to walk, but I’m going to do it anyway.” OR “I want a Big Mac and fries, but I’ll have a salad and fruit yogurt parfait instead.” You’ll feel so much better afterward.
The June “Food Issue” of Men’s Health magazine features “The 125 Best Foods for Men.” The magazine’s editors created the list which includes ten picks from each section of your grocery store: Breads and Grains, Dairy and Deli, Frozen Foods, Packaged Foods and Snacks, Drinks, Condiments, Spreads, and Cooking Extras.
They compiled this year’s list by first comparing the nutrition labels of competing brands in each of the categories. 
Bonus points were given to those products with more protein and fiber, and less added sugar and sodium. They also took calories per serving into consideration, but didn’t penalize for fat—since it adds flavor, helps keep hunger at bay, and is part of a healthy diet if it doesn’t lead to excessive calorie intake. Once the editors pared their choices down, they matched them in a head-to-head taste test to determine the victor. As for draws, the nod went to the product with the fewest ingredients.
Grab an issue for each special man in your life and throw it into his Father’s Day gift bag or stick it into his gift box. What a perfect way to say, “I love you and want you to be around for years and years and years….” To that end, why not give each guy a subscription too?! Cool beans.
Another featured article in the issue is 1,789 Life Changing Health, Fitness, Nutrition, and Style Tips. That sounds like a great read, too. Style Tips, huh? Might get a few guys out of those “I’m With Stupid” t-shirts.
Below are a few resources from the Men’s Health website you’ll want to take a look at:
125 Healthiest Supermarket Foods in America
Men’s Health – Eat This, Not That Newsletter
Buy the way, girls, don’t worry about the scantily clad females and such – men don’t even notice them. They’re like not even there. My husband told me so. He tells me lots of really cool things.
Old Man Winter leaves behind a lasting impression, doesn’t he? The thing is, I’m not always fond of where he touches.
Two of my daughters and I met at the bar yesterday and commiserating about winter weight gain over drinks. The bar was adjoined to our kitchen counter and the drinks were iced tea. But it was strong black tea, does that count?
We compared winter weight gain woes (how long exactly was this winter?) and took inventory of things we wanted to tone and tighten. My girl crush, First Lady Michelle Obama, has created an arm fetish in our household, so arms were at the top of the list. I’m pretty sure our cat, Alexa, laughed at us as we held our arms out to compare lack of definition. I won! Um… lost?
Fortunately, another of the many things we three share in common is a LOVE for The Biggest Loser, so we’re very familiar with the concept of taking aim at something and working for it – even if that work has to fall under the category of HARD.
My oldest daughter got pen and paper and wrote out a walking schedule as the youngest and I came up with more ways to eat healthy and tried to schedule time for pilates, yoga, and arm weights. We all signed our name to a piece of paper which included our goals and put it in a place for safe keeping. Each week, we’re going to weigh in and see how we’re progressing.
This way, we’ll know when we need to step things up (literally). I have this feeling that my girls are going to work my butt off…. at least that’s what I’m counting on.
If you have a support system around you, count your blessings. If not, then your journey will simply be a little more challenging. Fortunately, if you have a computer and the internet, you can find support in many online weight loss and fitness forums. Prevention.com has an outstanding online community, as do iVillage and Gimme 20 . You’ll find people who are in your shoes and would love nothing more than to help you wear your’s more comfortably.
Finally, Jillian Michaels (she of The Biggest Loser fame) has an online program that sounds phenomenal. It’s only $4 a week (billed quarterly) – with the first 7 days free. Visit Jillian Michaels to see the details.
If you’re trying to get fit and/or lose weight, support is a key weapon. Try very hard to get the support you need from your loved ones. If, for whatever reasons, they simply aren’t able to provide this support, you can find support online.
A final word, don’t be too hard on your loved ones if they don’t give a great deal of support – they may simply not know how. It’s hard to tell someone you love that they can’t have that piece of chocolate cake that’s as big as their head. Also, watch out for something that is as human as it is harmful: Blaming others for things we’ve done and expecting them to fix it.
We all paint our own portraits. The brush is in our own hand and the paint is on the smock we’re wearing. If we don’t like the way something looks (how are you doing, arms), we have the paint and the brushes – all we have to do is fix what we don’t like!
I don’t have a forum or message board set up on Self Help Daily, but I’d love to hear about your own goals and what you’re doing to achieve them. Just leave comments – I’ll respond to each one, of course. You can also e-mail me any time, or give me a shout out on Twitter (@JoiTaniaSigers).
If Old Man Winter left his hand prints on you, make today the day you start wiping them off. When the old guy rolls around next time, we’ll be ready for him. Best of luck!
Unless you’re one of the chosen ones, you wouldn’t mind shedding a bit of butter below your belly.
If you’re one of the chosen ones, you can stop reading and go have a cookie.
According to an article titled Whole Grains Fight Belly Fat on WebMD.com, we should all start paying more attention to what we put into our grocery carts. Not only could a diet that’s rich in whole grains shrink our “Chicken Graveyards,” it could lower our risk of heart disease.
Kind of a win-win situation, right?
The problem is when most people hear the words whole grains, they think of dry bread and cereal that tasteds like sticks. Thankfully that’s not always the case. The following foods are great sources of whole grains and satisy the pickiest taste buds:
- Oatmeal – We should all be eating more oatmeal, anyway. Stir in nuts, fruit, honey – whatever it takes to make your taste buds sing.
- Popcorn – Next to zero calories, as long as you don’t go butter happy (Guilty, guilty, guilty) or salt slappy (Guiltier, guiltier, guiltier.) What makes this such a danger zone for me is that, not only do I not shy away from salt and butter, I always put M&M’s in my popcorn. Try it, you’ll get hooked! – But I didn’t just say that, this is a health-conscious post, right?
- Brown Rice – I won’t lie, it’s not that easy to go from white rice to brown rice. It has a completely different personaility, and it won’t win any Miss Congeniality awards with it. But you can outsmart it’s disposition and actually make it delicious. I cook it in chicken broth, rather than water. This gives it a much better flavor. When I have them on hand, I stir chopped almonds into the brown rice. Works wonders.
- Baked Tortilla Chips – I’ve started getting these instead of potato chips and no one in my family seems to have noticed. I try to keep some homemade salsa, pico de gallo, or guacamole on stand by.
Read the very informative Whole Grains Fight Belly Fat article by clicking the link.
“Eventually, there comes a point in every life where you can no longer ignore the enormous and expanding gap between the life you could be living and the life you’ve settled for…. Every day of your life that you’re not actively engaged in staying fit, eating well, and strengthening your body the gap grows.” – Stregnth for Life, by Shawn Phillips, page 10
To read my review of the next book you should read (Strength for Life, by Shawn Phillips), see Why You Should Read Strength for Life by Shawn Phillips This Week.
This isn’t a book you’ll read, shelf, and then forget – it’s a proven system that’ll help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
