Health Habits

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Posts Tagged ‘Diet/Nutrition’

Curried Split Pea Soup

September 25th, 2009

Peas are one of my favorite vegetables. Probably because I grew up on mushy peas (an Irish delicacy). When in season fresh peas are a delight but in winter months dried split peas come in handy. They’re not only convenient since they don’t require soaking, but they’re also high in nutrients and low in fat and calories.
If you are concerned about coconut milk, turns out it’s gotten a bad rap over the years. The saturated fat content in coconut milk has been shown in independent studies to be an easily metabolized good saturated fat, which means it does not transform into bad cholesterol, clogging up arteries. Using light coconut milk cuts the calories and fat by more than half, paving the way to a delicious healthy meal.

Continue reading the full recipe and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the NEW Healthy Irishman Newsletter!

Fueling your body with healthy food. Fueling your mind with the wealth of health.

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Posted in Diet/Nutrition, Recipe, health, healthy recipes, nutrition, vegetarian

Get Fit and Save Money

September 24th, 2009

The “experts” say that low income families have higher levels of obesity because “healthy” food is too expensive.

I say….B.S.

You can eat healthy on a small budget.

This free ebook from Kerry Taylor shows you how to eat healthy and save money.
This post from Mark’s Daily Apple shows you how to eat a paleo-style diet on the cheap.
The Eat Well guide helps you find healthy and affordable foods in your neighborhood (Thanks to the Healthy Irishman for putting me onto this resource)
Fitness magazine has a ton of money-saving, healthy dinner recipes - Buddha Stir-Fry $3.04

McDonalds does not - Big Mac combo $5.29

Natalie from Nutrition by Natalie shows you how to eat healthy foods on a budget

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpqAjtiwmiQ]

Kathy’s Healthy Food on a Budget blog is another fine resource
Jimmy Moore shows you how to eat low carb on a budget (sorry about the singing)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PROSy8oqJWE]

And what about the government’s involvement in the cost of healthy food?

Billions of your tax dollars being spent on farm subsidies, and with less than 1% goes to America’s fruit & vegetable farmers…is it any wonder that a salad costs more than a Big Mac?

But, there is hope.

image: Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times

New York City is planning to “offer zoning and tax incentives to spur the development of full-service grocery stores that devote a certain amount of space to fresh produce, meats, dairy and other perishables”.

The plan — which has broad support among food policy experts, supermarket executives and City Council members, whose approval is needed — would permit developers to construct larger buildings than existing zoning would ordinarily allow, and give tax abatements and exemptions for approved stores in large swaths of northern Manhattan, central Brooklyn and the South Bronx, as well as downtown Jamaica in Queens….read more

So, there you go…no more excuses.

You can eat healthy while on a budget.
And if you want to save even more money, tell the senior levels of government how you would like to see your tax dollars spent (or not spent) on farm subsidies.
And then tell your municipal governments to create bylaws like NYC.

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Uncle Sam Wants You to Lose 20 Pounds

September 23rd, 2009

It's Family Fun Fitness Time!!!

Obesity costs America billions and billions of dollars each and every year.

And, in case you hadn’t heard it, America is having a little trouble balancing it’s books lately.

So, in an effort to trim the fat and earn some tax dollars, America is going to war against obesity.

And, damn it, this is a war that America is determined to win.

And here’s how they’re going to do it…..starting from the top and working our way down to your local city government.

President Obama

The President has said that he is in favor of of a sin tax on soda.

As well, he and the family have become unofficial spokespeople for both the local and organic food movements.

The Federal Government

Obesity will likely be addressed in the new healthcare bill, but to what extent is anybody’s guess at this point.

The CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity provides all sorts of information to help you lose weight and get in shape.

In addition to the info, they also fund 25 states to help them combat obesity on a state level.

State Governments

At the state level, the story is very similar.

Lots of info on a gov’t anti-obesity website.
Grants given to fat fighting municipalities.
Sin taxes are also being discussed
But unlike the feds, state governments are enacting anti-obesity bylaws.

(see Soda Tax, Restaurant Menu Bylaw)

Municipal Governments

On a municipal level, we get programs like Activate Omaha’s Kids

Programs designed by kind and caring people.

Programs with lots of information about how to lose weight and lists of the resources available in the community to help you actually do it.

As well, to some degree, you see municipal governments working with taxes and grants in an attempt to influence behavior.

On a personal note, up here in socialist Canada, our governments look after our each and every need (sarcasm).

Here’s what Toronto’s government is doing about making Toronto into Canada’s Fittest City.

Note - if you were actually expecting anything other than announcements and promises, I am sorry to disappoint you. Our government is just as ineffective as your government.

My Conclusion

It’s all a bunch of crap.

Every overweight person alive knows that in order to lose weight, they need to stop doing what they are currently doing and start doing what their physically fit neighbors are doing.

Being overweight doesn’t make you stupid.

All of the money and effort being spent on information programs and taxes and websites is a complete waste unless….it is acted upon.

And that is the problem that no one is addressing.

How do we get people to actually get up off their butts and get their move on?

We need to realize that reducing obesity is in the best interest of everyone, not just the people that need to lose weight. Lowered taxes, higher productivity, etc…
We need to realize that overweight people really, really, really want to lose weight. For a bunch of reasons, they are just not very good at it.
Calling them lazy isn’t going to help. It’s just going to make them sad and the next thing you know, they are drowning their sorrows in a pint of Chunky Monkey.
We need to reduce the barriers to exercise and healthy food. Make healthy food cheaper via the redistribution of government food subsidies. Offer free community fitness classes…that’s right, I said free. Make lots of those classes available at peak hours. Offer free transit to and from the classes.
Keep providing helpful weight loss info on those flashy gov’t websites…or just send them over to HealthHabits. your choice.
We need to make healthy eating and exercise cool. Here’s where the gov’t can spend some money trying to brainwash us ala Canada’s 1970s Participaction ads [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdFxYe6vmq0]
We need to pay for results via tax incentives

If anyone has any other suggestions or knows of any interesting grassroots campaigns or just thinks that I am full of it, please leave a comment.

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Just in case America isn't fat enough…

September 21st, 2009

As the debate over President Obama’s healthcare proposal rages on, Taco Bell continues to give Americans exactly what they crave….melty, crunchy, spicy and heart attack inducing.

I especially love the tagline at the end…

Of course, I would change it just a little bit.

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Soda Tax = Tax Grab

September 17th, 2009

It looks like my prediction of a American Soda Tax may soon come true.

According to ABC News, “several of the nation’s leading health experts are calling for a tax on soda as a means of curbing America’s obesity-epidemic”.

But wait, here’s the good part:

Their paper, appearing in the most recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, calls for a tax on “sugar-sweetened” drinks in order to reduce the consumption of the drinks and lower health costs as well as fund government-run health programs.

FUND GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH PROGRAMS

“A tax on sugar-sweetened beverages is really a double-win,” said Dr. David Ludwig, a co-author of the paper and director of the Optimal Weight for Life program at Children’s Hospital, Boston.

“We can raise much-needed dollars while likely reducing obesity prevalence, which is a major driver of health care costs, the paper states.

“Ultimately the government needs to raise more money to cover the deficit, and in terms of ways of raising that revenue, a tax on sugar sweetened beverages is really a no-brainer.”

So, there you go.

Just like I said here, the government will take advantage of America’s Obesity Epidemic™ and introduce a soda tax in order to help reverse the defecit.

But will it help reduce the nation’s obesity problem?

According to the latest research, small tax increases will have little effect on behavior.

On the other hand, big tax increases should do the trick. Especially for America’s poor.

So, there you go, just like I predicted:

5 Bucks for a Can of Coke

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NYC Declares War on Soda

September 13th, 2009

New York City’s public health officials opened a new front in their struggle against high-calorie beverages on Monday, unveiling a new ad campaign that graphically depicts globs of human fat gushing from a sideways drink bottle.

Mmmmmmmm….I could rally go for a great big glass of globby liquified human body-fat.

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Posted in Diet/Nutrition, diabetes, fat, fat loss, fitness, health, nutrition, obesity, weight loss

Tags: carbs childhood obesity corn syrup diet Diet/Nutrition fat fitness food government health hfcs high fructose corn syrup insulin new york new york city nutrition nutritious nyc obese obesity pop soda sugar weight loss

Here Come the Soda Tax

September 9th, 2009

Last month, I predicted that America will soon be paying 5 bucks for a can of Coke.

And it looks like that prediction may be coming true.

In an interview with Men’s Health magazine, President Obama was asked “would he consider so-called sin taxes, on soda and other sugar-laden products, or on activities that sabotage the health of the masses?

His response:

“I actually think it’s an idea that we should be exploring,” the president says. “There’s no doubt that our kids drink way too much soda. And every study that’s been done about obesity shows that there is as high a correlation between increased soda consumption and obesity as just about anything else. Obviously it’s not the only factor, but it is a major factor.”

But even the most powerful man on the planet needs to keep an eye on what’s politically feasible:

“Obviously there is resistance on Capitol Hill to those kinds of sin taxes,” he says. “Legislators from certain states that produce sugar or corn syrup are sensitive to anything that might reduce demand for those products. And look, people’s attitude is that they don’t necessarily want Big Brother telling them what to eat or drink, and I understand that.

It is true, though, that if you wanted to make a big impact on people’s health in this country, reducing things like soda consumption would be helpful.”

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Somehow, I don’t think that this is the type of change that the people at Jones Cola had in mind when they came up with their Orange “You Glad For Change” Cola to commemorate the inauguration of President Obama.

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The Lazy Man's Guide to Getting Ripped

September 8th, 2009

A few weeks ago, I was talking to a potential client. He told me that he would love to get fit, but he just doesn’t have the time.

He’s just too busy with work, kids, internet porn, etc…

B.S.

He’s not busy…he’s lazy.

And he’s not alone.

According to the WHO, there are 3.6 billion lazy guys sitting on couches all around the world.

And the trainer who can help those lazy buggers transform their lazy asses from….

…is going to be rich.

Filthy…Stinking…Rich

So, here we go. The lazy man’s guide to getting ripped….or as I like to call it – My ticket to becoming filthy, stinking rich.

(BTW, this story is based on a real client. We have been training for one week. He has already lost 5 lbs.)

DIET

Meal # 1 – Breakfast

1 Tbsp of Fish Oil
3 medium sized Apple or Pears
3 fried or hard boiled Eggs
Water or Tea
5 grams of Leucine

Meal # 2 – Morning Coffee Break

My client works in an office. Each morning, he has a mandatory group meeting. Coffee & pastries are served.

1 Coffee (with cream)
15 Almonds (brought to work in a little Ziploc baggie)
Water

Meal # 3 – Lunch

Big Salad – consisting of

Salad Greens (pre-washed, pre-chopped)
1 can of tuna or salmon, or 3 more hard boiled eggs, or leftover meat from last night’s dinner
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice or Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
5 grams of Leucine
Water

Before our hero goes to bed at night, he rips open the bag of greens and dumps it into the tupperware container. Same goes for the protein. In the morning he pours in the oil, lemon juice & salt and pepper. Come lunch time, he shakes the container and presto he has his Big Salad

Meal # 4 – Afternoon Snack

1 Coffee (with cream)
15 Almonds (brought to work in a little Ziploc baggie)
Water

Meal # 5 – Workout Nutrition

1 serving of Biotest’s Surge Workout Fuel, combined with
5g of Creatine, and
1 serving of Progressive Nutritionals VegeGreens
1.5 liters of water

Meal # 6 – Dinner

Another Big Salad or steamed vegetables prepared with a microwave steaming bag
BBQ – steak or chicken or fish or pork or lamb or….
5 grams of Leucine
1 Tbsp of Fish Oil
Water

TRAINING

I have designed a training program specific to his needs, injuries, muscle imbalances, etc…

But the basic design of the program is:

3x per week total body HIRT workouts
2x per week HIIT/Cardio workouts on his stationary bike
1 x per week active rest – long walks with his wife, soccer with the kids, etc…
Dynamic stretching at each workout designed to correct imbalances & prevent injuries

THE RESULTS

As I mentioned above, the client has lost 5 lbs in the first week.

And while that certainly is good news, what really excites me is the fact that he has been perfect on his meal compliance.

He said that it was easy…EASY!!!

But, that was the first week. Let’s see how he does this week. I will report back on Sunday.

BTW, if anyone needs some help setting up a plan like this one, I would be glad to help.

[contact-form]

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Your Omega 3 Prescription

September 4th, 2009

By this point, you should already know that you need more Omega 3 fatty acids into your diet.

The question is: how much?

A teaspoon of fish oils?
A tablespoon?
3 pills?
or a great big slab of smoked salmon?

Well, according to this study, researchers believe that “a 200 mg dose of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems, such as those related to aging, atherosclerosis, and diabetes”.

This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health.

The Study

To determine the optimal dose of DHA, the researchers examined the effects of increasing doses of DHA on 12 healthy male volunteers between ages of 53 and 65. These men consumed doses of DHA at 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg per day for two weeks for each dose amount, with DHA being the only omega-3 fatty acid in their diet. (No EPA)

Blood and urine samples were collected before and after each dose and at eight weeks after DHA supplementation stopped. The researchers then examined these samples for biochemical markers indicating the effects of each dose on the volunteers.

They found that supplementation with only 200 mg/d DHA for 2 wk induced an antioxidanteffect.

They concluded that “low consumption of DHA could bean effective and nonpharmacological way to protect healthy menfrom platelet-related cardiovascular events”.

Conclusion

If this study is correct, you need only 200 mg of DHA per day to reap the cardiovascular benefits of the Omega 3 fatty acid DHA.

And how do you get 200 mg of DHA?

1/2 tsp of fish oil
2 of these kiddie chewable DHA supplements
5 Krill capsules
2 oz of fresh/frozen salmon or tuna

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OxyCholesterol…the most serious cardiovascular health threat of all?

August 31st, 2009

Researchers have found that a (virtually unknown to the public) form of cholesterol called oxycholesterol may be your most serious cardiovascular health threat.

“Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and the heart-healthy high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) are still important health issues,” says study leader Zhen-Yu Chen, Ph.D., of Chinese University of Hong Kong. “But the public should recognize that oxycholesterol is also important and cannot be ignored.

Our work demonstrated that oxycholesterol boosts total cholesterol levels and promotes atherosclerosis ["hardening of the arteries"] more than non-oxidized cholesterol.”

Q. So, how do we get this oxidized cholesterol – oxycholesterol?

A. Fried food, processed food, junk food…basically all of the food that makes you fat also has high levels of oxycholesterol. Quel surprise.

Scientists have known for years that a reaction between fats and oxygen, a process termed oxidation, produces oxycholesterol in the body.

Oxidation occurs, for instance, when fat-containing foods are heated, as in frying chicken or grilling burgers or steaks.

Food manufacturers produce oxycholesterol intentionally in the form of oxidized oils such as trans-fatty acids and partially-hydrogenated vegetable oils. When added to processed foods, those substances improve texture, taste and stability.

Until now, however, much of the research focused on oxycholesterol’s effects in damaging cells, DNA, and its biochemical effects in contributing to atherosclerosis. Dr. Chen believes this is one of the first studies on oxycholesterol’s effects in raising blood cholesterol levels compared to non-oxidized cholesterol.

In the new study, researchers compared the effects of a oxycholesterol rich diet to a diet rich in regular non-oxidized cholesterol.

The oxycholesterol group showed greater deposition of cholesterol in the lining of their arteries and a tendency to develop larger deposits of cholesterol. These fatty deposits, called atherosclerotic plaques, increase the risk for heart attack and stroke.

More importantly, oxycholesterol had undesirable effects on “artery function.”

Oxycholesterol reduced the elasticity of arteries, impairing their ability to expand and carry more blood.

In a healthy, elastic artery, expansion allows for more blood to flow through arteries that are partially blocked by plaques, potentially reducing the risk that a clot will form and cause a heart attack or stroke.

Luckily, a healthy diet rich in antioxidants can counter these effects, Chen said, noting that these substances may block the oxidation process that forms oxycholesterol.

Scientists do not know whether the popular anti-cholesterol drugs called statins lower oxycholesterol.

And how do we get a diet rich in antioxidants?

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices….aka real food.

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Reference

Science Daily

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Posted in Diet/Nutrition, Research, fitness, health, healthy recipes, nutrition

Tags: cholesterol diet Diet/Nutrition fitness food health heart heart disease inflammation nutrition nutritious oxidation oxycholesterol

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Health Habits

Posts Tagged ‘Diet/Nutrition’

Curried Split Pea Soup

Get Fit and Save Money

Related Posts

Uncle Sam Wants You to Lose 20 Pounds

Related Posts

Just in case America isn't fat enough…

Related Posts

Soda Tax = Tax Grab

5 Bucks for a Can of Coke

Related Posts

NYC Declares War on Soda

Here Come the Soda Tax

Related Posts

The Lazy Man's Guide to Getting Ripped

DIET

TRAINING

THE RESULTS

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Related Posts

Your Omega 3 Prescription

Related Posts

OxyCholesterol…the most serious cardiovascular health threat of all?