Planes, Trains and Automobiles – Healthy Snacking For Summer Travel

When it comes to eating healthy, summer can be both a blessing and a curse!  Kids are out of school, friends and family come to visit and vacations abound.  For some of us, it means long car trips, beach vacations or travel abroad.  We often find ourselves in need of food in unfamiliar or inconvenient circumstances.  Often times, hunger and lack of planning results in making impulsive, unhealthy food choices.  Remember how easy it is to eat a whole bag of chips or popcorn without even realizing it?  For some of us, time spent traveling can result in hours of mindless eating followed by hours of regret. However, with a little planning and preparation, making healthy choices when traveling can be effortless.

When traveling or a train or an airplane, always plan for the worst, food wise, that is!  Pack a variety of non-perishable snacks including fruits and veggies, crackers, cheese, protein bars and nut butter.  These foods will definitely come in handy on a long flight or in case of a travel delay.  Oranges, apples and bananas are naturally pre-wrapped and can easily be placed in a carry-on bag.  For the little ones, pre-cut apples make a great snack along with individual packs of peanut butter or almond butter.  Packing cut-up fruit in zip-top bags makes transport easy and provides quick clean-up when finished.  Don’t forget about dried fruit as a portable option when traveling.  Dried apples, apricots, pineapple, mangos and other fruits provide a quick bite of natural sweet without any added sugar. Mixing dried fruit with nuts and seed is another healthy snack option for traveling.   Remember to pick non-GMO or organic when buying both fresh and dried fruits, nuts and seeds.

There are many vegetables that also travel well. Radishes, celery, carrots, bell peppers and cucumbers are just a few vegetables that work very well when traveling.  They are easy to prep ahead and store in the refrigerator ready to throw into carry-on bags during last-minute packing.  As an extra bonus, foods like salad dressings, nut butter, hummus, dried fruits and nuts are all available in travel-sized packages.  If you don’t find these in-store, be sure to check online.  A couple of my favorites are Tessemae’s salad dressings https://www.tessemaes.com/collections/pouches/dressings and Kirkland organic hummus singles https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/Kirkland-Signature-Organic-Hummus-Singles.

Traveling by car allows us better access to healthy food if we plan ahead.  Packing a small cooler with water, fruits, vegetables and some of the foods that were listed earlier in this post makes snacking healthy and easy.  Remember to keep the cooler in the car rather than the trunk for quick access to food and drinks. Using your own water bottle for all forms of travel is a great way to stay hydrated, use less plastic and fill up on a healthy beverage rather that soda or juices.   Using phone apps (Yelp, Around Me) to locate healthy food options while on the road is another strategy that helps you make better choices when picking restaurants and planning meal stops.  If faced with an unexpected stop at a gas station or mini-mart, stick to making whole foods purchases as most places with have fresh fruit, veggie and nut options.  If you are traveling with children, allow them one ‘splurge’ item, providing healthy snack options for the rest of the trip. 

A word of caution regarding protein bars.  These bars are marketed as a healthy convenience food option.  I do love that fact that they are portable food options for travel but; BUYER BEWARE.  The majority of protein/power bars on the market contain 2-3 times the amount of sugar to protein.  Along with ridiculous amounts of sugar, these ‘supposed’ healthy bars also contain long lists of artificial ingredients, preservatives and GMO additives.  So do your homework when buying these bars and read the label before putting them in your basket- aim for whole food ingredients(nuts, seeds, oats), natural sweeteners (dates, maple syrup and molasses) and a short list of non-GMO ingredients that you can recognize!

So….now that you have some quick and easy tips for travel snacking, enjoy eating healthier whether you are in the air on the road!

Is Tap Water Enough to Quench Your Thirst?

We all know that water is essential to life.   Our bodies are made up of over 65% water and without a constant supply of it, we will die.  Most of us get our daily requirement of water by either drinking it alone, or by consuming beverages and foods that have water as one if their ingredients. Lately, there has been a lot of discussion on the benefits of alkaline water.  Alkaline water is the opposite of acidic water in that its pH is over 7.  The normal pH of tap water is around 7.  Alkaline water is higher in such minerals as calcium, magnesium, silica, potassium, and bicarbonate.  All of these minerals combined will increase the alkalinity of water and as a result lower the acidity in our bodies.   In most commercial brand of alkaline water, there minerals are added to filtered water in varying amounts.

Why do we want to lower the acidity in our bodies you ask?  Many experts feel that the Standard American Diet puts our bodies in ‘low acidotic state’ and disrupts our overall pH balance.  Many claim that by drinking alkaline water, we are assisting our body’s ability to buffer acid and maintain a more desired neutral pH.  Does this mean that all of us should be drinking alkaline water?  Maybe not.

To date, there is little scientific evidence supporting the regular use of alkaline water for most people.  In fact, for people that have compromised kidney function or are taking medications that are supporting kidney function, alkaline water may do more harm than good.  Excess minerals can predispose some people to calcifications and make it more difficult for our bodies to clear them through our kidneys.  There is limited research on the benefits of alkaline water for endurance athletes.  Intense exercise creates a surplus of ions in the body which results in a more acidic body pH, causing fatigue.  Use of alkaline water for these athletes has shown in increase in the body’s ability to buffer the acids and therefore increase performance and speed up recovery. 

As of now, there is not enough scientific literature backing regular use of alkaline water.  If you are someone who wants to try it out this link tells you how alkaline some popular brands are:

https://www.livestrong.com/article/498701-what-are-the-benefits-of-drinking-alkaline-water/

As a side note, it is important to remember that bottled water of any kind poses its own set of health concerns.  The most noted would be the plastic in which most bottled water is contained.  BPA is an ingredient that is present in many brands of bottled water.  When exposed to heat (on the truck, in your car etc.), BPA degrades and produces a faux estrogen.  This by-product has the potential for hormone disruption, inflammation, toxicity, fertility/reproductive issues and other negative health effects.  Ideally, we should all strive to limit our use of bottled water.

For most of us, tap water should be enough.  If you want to go one step further, add a good quality water filter to your home water supply to catch other toxins that may be present.

Cleanses:  Do they really make you “cleaner”?

These days we are bombarded with advertising about cleanses!  Everywhere you look you see headlines about our bodies being full of toxins from chemicals, foods, the environment drugs and many other sources.  It seems as though our only solution for this is to do a cleanse.  Many of us get lured into this million-dollar market by promises of weight-loss, glowing skin, cleaner colons and increased energy.  Juice cleanses, colon cleanses, liquid cleanses, liver cleanses, is one really better than the other??

Several health experts are in agreement that cleanses may provide initial improvements in certain conditions or health problems, but that they are not meant to sustain us long-term.  For example, with a juice cleanse, (which are between 3 and 5 days), you consume concentrated amounts of fruits and vegetables and the nutrients they provide.  However, these juices are often lacking in other key nutrients (protein, fat, calories and fiber) that are also necessary for optimal body performance.  Another important consideration is that these cleanses are often between 800-1200 calories which are low totals for most people.  Finally, the fruit component of juice cleanses can make these drinks carb-dense and high in natural sugars resulting in unstable blood sugar and hunger.  When considering a colon cleanse, remember that our guts are naturally full of ‘good bacteria’ and that by aggressively flushing them out, we are interfering with our bodies natural defense system.  Liver cleanses are also popular and often involve supplements, shakes and 2 weeks to complete!  The options seem endless but the results are often the same:  short-term improvement in health and a rapid return to bad eating habits.

As overwhelming as all this may seem, the facts are fairly simple.  Cleanses may provide short-term reprieve from an over-taxed digestive system, or a break from a diet laden with sugar and processed foods.  Cleanses are a good “kick-start” to break bad habits or to eliminate unhealthy foods from your diet but committing to healthier eating everyday will provide lasting benefits to your health.

 Here is a list of some foods that naturally assist the body in neutralizing toxins:

Water                                   Basil                                       Asparagus                           Beets

Broccoli                                Brazil Nuts                          Kale                                       Avocados

Lemons                                Carrots                                 Onions                                  Turmeric

Apples                                  Garlic                                     Walnuts                               Parsley

So, enjoy eating your way towards better health and naturally ‘cleansing’ your body every day!

🥕 Eat Your Way To Healthy Skin 🥕

What is your favorite skin-care product?  Do you have a specific skin-care routine that you follow?  Are you doing everything you can to protect your skin?  Do you spend a small fortune on skin care products? Some of us swear by a particular cream or serum, others embrace a specific cleanser or toner but, I wonder how many of us would include certain foods as our favorite ‘skin-care product’? 

It is widely known that what we put inside of our bodies, greatly reflects how our skin looks and ages.  Dr. Jessica Wu, a Los Angeles based dermatologist suggests in her book “Feed Your Face”, that our diets are as important in preserving and protecting our skin as topical products and treatments.  When you look at how foods can affect hormones, inflammation, acne and energy, we should be investing as much time eating skin-boosting foods as we do sourcing other forms of skin care.  One other important consideration when looking at supporting healthy skin, is our gut health.  We absorb all nutrients from food through of the lining of our gut and if that lining is compromised in any way (tor read more about Leaky Gut click on this link): https://chriskresser.com/the-gut-skin-connection-how-altered-gut-function-affects-the-skin/ the nutrients are not beneficial.  Unhealthy gut equals sub-optimal skin health.  Knowing all of this we must put more stock in ‘we are what we eat’!

6 Powerhouse Foods That Promote Skin Health

1. Olive Oil is high in anti-oxidants and plays a key role in neutralizing ‘free-radicals’, lowering inflammation and repairing skin damage.
2. Tomatoes (this one surprised me too) contain a phytonutrient called lycopene which combined with olive oil provides our skin extra-protection against sunburn and sun damage.  Eating cooked tomato products will increase the concentration of lycopene compared to eating raw tomato products.  Remember that daily sunscreen is still recommended!
3. Green Tea contains natural antioxidants that boost blood flow and oxygen to the skin.  The ingredients in green tea help increase the smooth appearance of your skin.
4. Kale is labeled a ‘super-food’ for many reasons, but did you know that eating kale helps fight free-radicals (damage causing cells) we get from exposure to UV rays?  Kale is packed with lutein and zeaxanthin which are key in reducing skin damage caused by the sun.  Just 1 cup per day gives us our daily dose of these great anti-aging phytonutrients.
5. Walnuts are ‘nutty’ powerhouses full of ALA (a plant-based omega 3).  They help fight inflammation and damage to our skin cells. 
6. Bone Broth contains several nutrients that directly impact skin health.  Bone broth is high in collagen which helps retain the elasticity in our skin.  It is also rich in gelatin and several amino acids that promote a healthy gut and give our skin that ‘brightness and glow’.  For more on why bone broth is essential for skin healthy check out this link: https://blog.kettleandfire.com/bone-broth-skin-benefits/

A word about water.  Although not considered a food, adequate consumption of water is essential for skin health.  Our skin is made up of millions of cells and for proper functioning those cells needs a constant supply of water.  Also, our bodies rely on adequate amounts of water to detoxify and filter impurities which helps keep a balanced environment for our skin and our other organs. 

Final word about healthy skin:  Next time you reach for an expensive skin-care product, stop and consider investing that money in nutrient-dense foods that promote skin health.  You won’t be sorry and you might even walk away with money in your pocket!!

💓 Love Your Heart 💓

February is Heart Health Month!

Did You Know That……….

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States.
• 90 % of women have at least 1 risk factor for heart attack or stroke.
• 80 % of heart disease may be preventable by lifestyle and education.
• Women often ignore the initial signs of a heart attack until they become severe.

 Tips For Heart Health

• Get active.  Daily exercise is key to maintaining a healthy heart, walking, biking and yoga are all inexpensive activities that you can do from home.
• Monitor your cholesterol levels.  Having an annual physical health exam with blood testing to check cholesterol levels is important.  Lowering your LDL cholesterol can decrease your risk for heart disease.
• Manage your blood pressure.  Keeping your blood pressure within normal limits can decrease the stress on your heart and arteries.
• Eat Healthy!!  Consuming a diet high in vegetables and lower sugar fruits as well as a variety of lean sources protein and healthy fats can contribute to a healthy weight, lower stress and better overall health. (See below for heart healthy foods)
• Stop Smoking!
• Maintain a healthy weight.  Obesity and being overweight are both contributors to cardiovascular disease and stroke.  Even losing 5-10 lbs. can greatly decrease the stress on your heart.
• Reduce sugar consumption.  Ditch those sugary drinks and processed foods and watch your health improve.  Preventing diabetes can lengthen your life and decrease your risk for heart attack and stroke.

Heart Healthy Super Foods

Green Leafy Vegetables

Broccoli, Kale and Spinach

       Nuts

       Wild Caught Salmon

       Avocados

       Berries (especially blue berries)

       Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

       Flaxseed

Cooking “Off” the New Year Right!

What better way to ring in the New Year than committing to eating a healthier diet.  There is a growing body of research on healthy eating habits that supports what we already know: the more meals we prepare and consume at home, the healthier most of us are.  That being said, for many of us, the task of shopping, planning, prepping and cooking most meals at home is more than we can handle! 

Fortunately, we have access to many resources that can lighten the ‘kitchen workload’ and still allow us to eat healthy.  Meal Prep websites, books and blogs are easy to access and many times free.  Depending on your approach to healthy eating (low-sugar, Whole 30, Paleo or Vegetarian) there is an abundance of solid information to assist with grocery lists, preparation tips, meal plans and recipes. 

Many grocery stores are now offering online ordering and curbside pick-up as a convenient option for weekly grocery shopping.  This service can still support healthy eating and preparing more meals at home but will save you time by not having to shop yourself.

Meal Kit delivery services are another way to home-cook healthy meals with the added convenience of most of the food prep done by the company.  Many of these meal-kit companies offer a variety of meal plan options.  Paleo, Low Carb, Gluten-Free, Vegan and Vegetarian are just a few of the specialty diets that you can order online and have delivered.  One of the great things about these kits is that even beginner cooker can navigate the recipes and most meals are ready in 30 minutes or less.  Sun Basket is one of my favorites as it is organic and reasonably priced and has options for 1, 2 or 4 people per meal.  See below for links to the most popular meal-kit services.

So, make 2018 your year to be well.  I challenge all of you to eat more meals at home, embrace taking control of your health and don’t be afraid to try new things.  Who knows, you might like it!!!!.............oh, and don’t forget to use your slow-cooker or your Instant Pot, it’s a game changer!

Meal Kit Services

Sun Basket - https://sunbasket.com/

Blue Apron - https://www.blueapron.com/

Hello Fresh - https://www.hellofresh.com/

Purple Carrot - https://www.purplecarrot.com/  (this is a vegetarian option)

Green Chef - https://greenchef.com/home

Plated - https://www.plated.com/

Home Chef - https://www.homechef.com/

Surviving the Holidays.

For most of us, summer has barely ended and we are shifting our entertaining energies into ‘holiday mode’!! Everywhere we go it seems like we are surrounded by fall décor, fall recipes, holiday colors, and aromas.  We are often consumed by looming threats of Thanksgiving preparations and overindulgence!  The pressure of it all can take a stressful toll on us and systematically rob us of any enjoyment…….unless we keep it simple.  Finding a balance between hosting family and friends is the key to enjoying the holidays ourselves. 

Fortunately, there are several tips that can help us through this busy holiday times:

-keep ingredients for a few simple recipes in your pantry, fridge and freezer.  This makes for stress-free cooking for planned events or unexpected guests.

-jarred olives, peppers, pickles and store-bought hummus along with a few different cheeses and crackers make for a quick appetizer platter that everyone will love

-frozen puff-pastry or pie dough can save time and can be used in breakfast dishes or appetizers with the addition of a few simple pantry ingredients.

-have a selection of sparkling water, seltzer, red and white wine on hand for unexpected drop-in guests.

-try setting the table the day before a family dinner including platters that will be used for serving so that you know how much table room that you have and can make changes as needed.

-gather together a few of your favorite holiday recipes including appetizers, breakfasts and desserts, that way you are not searching multiple sources at the last minute

-accept offers by others to bring food/drink to the event.  People hate arriving empty-handed and this will help you out too!

-remember to use your crockpot!  It’s a great tool to load up in the morning and have a dish ready by dinner time!

-designate a few plastic bins with labels for seasonal decorations to make decorating a breeze (don’t forget to label the sides of the bins instead of the lid which often is covered up when they are stacked).

-designate a day in advance of the holidays to prepare and freeze a few dishes that will save you time during the holidays.

-Check out a few of these make-ahead recipes for your fridge and freezer

Crockpot Taco Soup

http://newleafwellness.biz/2016/11/09/crockpot-taco-soup/

Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole

Halloween for Kids – Trick, Treat or Teal

Halloween will be here before you know it!  Kids are getting excited about picking out their favorite costumes and looking forward to going door to door for Halloween treats.  For children and parents of children with food allergies, Halloween can be extra scary.  Food allergies affect 1 in 13 children in the United States and for many can be life-threatening.  Foods like nuts, eggs, chocolate, dairy and wheat are common allergens and are often found in many Halloween treats.  For children with allergies, trick or treating can be disappointing as they are unable to eat many of the treats in their bags. 

About 3 years ago the Teal Pumpkin Project was launched in consideration of children with food allergies.  The idea behind this project was to make Halloween fun, safe and enjoyable for children with food allergies.  By placing a “teal” colored pumpkin by your door on Halloween both parents and children will know that you are handing out non-food treats.  Some fun non-food options include crayons, mini-coloring books, small toys and glow sticks.  For more information on the Teal Pumpkin Project click on:   https://www.foodallergy.org/education-awareness/teal-pumpkin-project

Along with trick or treating, some families like to celebrate Halloween by making homemade treats.  You can get your kids to help you make colorful Harvest Hash Chex Mix at http://onelittleproject.com/harvest-hash-chex-mix/

Happy Cooking and Happy Halloween!!

It's here!

New Treatment to Eliminate Your Double Chin!

The #1 non-invasive fat reduction treatment can now treat under the chin. Results in just 1-2 visits. Requires no needles, surgery, or downtime.

Shape What you See without Surgery or Downtime! The CoolSculpting procedure is the only FDA-cleared, non-surgical fat reduction treatment that uses controlled cooling to eliminate stubborn fat that resists all efforts through diet and exercise. The results are proven, and noticeable, so you'll look great from every angle.

CoolSculpting technology safely delivers precisely controlled cooling to gently and effectively target the fat cells underneath the skin. The treated fat cells are crystallized (frozen), then die. Over time, your body naturally processes the fat and eliminates these dead cells, leaving a more sculpted you.

New Treatment to Eliminate Your Double Chin!

Woodlands Wellness now offers the CIMT (CIMT stands for Carotid intima media thickness and refers to the thickness of the inner layers of the artery.) test which is recommended by both American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology.

What is the cardio health test?

The cardio health test is an ultrasound imaging study of the carotid arteries that is performed on both sides of your neck.  Using a handheld ultrasound probe, we scan the carotid arteries in the neck to detect hidden plaque buildup and increased thickness of the artery wall.  The entire test is painless and there is no exposure to dangerous radiation.

What is Plaque and why is early detection important?

Plaque is a fatty buildup within the wall of an artery and is the result of a disease process called atherosclerosis.  A plaque develops within the intima layer of the artery at a location where it has been damaged.  During the process, white blood cells enter the artery wall and begin to accumulate fat and cholesterol, creating fatty (foam) cells.  Over time, this fatty plaque buildup forms a lump that doctors call an atheroma.  This fatty plaque may grow larger as muscle cells, fibers, calcium and cell debris are deposited. An early sign of plaque formation is a thickening of the arterial wall.  As plaques continue to grow in size, they begin to bulge into the lumen of the artery and produce no symptoms until they rupture.  Plaques are prone to rupture and clotting, which may further limit the blood flow through the lumen or lead to other serious conditions, such as heart attack and stroke.  These plaques can remain hidden for many years without causing pain or any symptoms.  Unfortunately, in many people, the first symptom of these "hidden" plaques is a heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death.  Early detection is important to help prevent long term medical conditions. 

What else does this test look for?

In addition to looking for the presence of plaque, we will be looking for increase in cardio wall thickness.  The inner wall of the carotid artery has two layers, the intima and the media.  The measurement of artery wall thickness is known as carotic intima-media thickness or CIMT.  Increased CIMT indicates the presence of atherosclerosis, and is a strong predictor of future cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, the middle-aged and older individuals. 

This simple, ultrasound scanning takes only a few minutes and is done in our office.  The procedure is comfortable, non-invasive and there is no x-ray exposure.  Your CIMT score will inform Dr. Davis about the presence of undetected atherosclerosis and provide her with a strong prediction of future cardiovascular events.  Your cardiovascular risk results are given to you in a clear; easy to read report that provides you:

• A snapshot of your cardiovascular risk profile, including traditional risk factors and CIMT,
• It is designed so that you can understand it when you discuss it with your physician,
• It combines actual ultrasound images and schematics of your carotid arteries for a clearer picture of your CV risk, and
• It shows any blockage found in your arteries. Woodlands Wellness also offers a full cardiac wellness package available to you now!

  Woodlands Wellness also offers a full cardiac wellness package available to you now!

Early detection allows you to start an early treatment plan before symptoms develop.