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A Healthy Diet for Healthy Skin

Okay, admit it. You’ve overeaten in the past couple of weeks. To make it worse, you’ve eaten all the wrong foods. Sweets and rich foods that we typically indulge in over the holidays can take a toll on more than just our weight. When we eat poorly, even our skin suffers. That's no way to care for our skin.

Everything we put into our bodies is reflected in our skin. If we have a diet high in fat and processed foods with few fruits and vegetables, our skin will surely reflect that. In our teens and 20s we may have been able to get away with a bad diet, but once we hit 30 and beyond our skin isn’t so forgiving anymore.

To help maintain healthy skin, here are a few must-have foods for you to incorporate into your daily diet.

• Green tea – Not only is this drink loaded with health benefits, it will also help the look of your skin by reducing inflammation and fighting free radicals that cause skin damage. So brew a cup a day and drink up.
• Water – We’ve heard it before but we need to remember it. We need approximately eight glasses of clear water a day (no sodas, soups or other drinks are included in this quota). For maximum benefits, clear water is best. Water helps purify our bodies and eliminate toxins.
• Selenium – This powerhouse nutrient is found in foods such as turkey, brazil nuts, tuna, and whole grain breads. Include at least one of these foods in your daily diet.
• Fatty Acids – These are found in oils such as walnut and flaxseed. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel are also rich in essential fatty acids.
• Dairy – Low fat dairy products are high in Vitamin A which is beneficial to the skin. Low fat yogurt is also good for the digestive system which in turn helps skin health.
• Fruits and Vegetables – A variety of fruits and vegetables is good for overall healthy skin, but there are some foods in particular which are very high in powerful antioxidants and promote good skin health. Berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries, are great for fighting against free radicals which can cause skin cell damage. Vegetables that are brightly colored, such as red peppers, yellow peppers, and sweet potatoes, are also great skin foods.

Now that you know what to eat, here are some things that should be avoided altogether if you want to look younger longer:

• White Flour Foods – White bread, rice, pasta, and sugar are less nutritious than the whole grain types and will cause inflammation in the skin which can lead to aging. Try cutting these items from your diet for two weeks and look in the mirror. Your skin should look less inflamed and fine lines will be less apparent.
• Alcohol – Alcohol dehydrates the skin and speeds the aging process, Try to only have it in moderation. A little red wine may have some health benefits whereas beer does not.
• Smoking – Smoking is harmful in so many ways, so if you’re a smoker, simply stop it. Yes, it’s easier said than done, but you’ll be glad you did and your skin and lungs will thank you for it.
• Processed Foods – Processed foods are loaded with sugar and additives that reek havoc on the skin and are best left out of your diet altogether. Sodas and other sugary drinks are not only bad for your health but can also rob your skin of essential nutrients. They’re also not good for your waistline and have been known to cause cellulite (even the diet variety of sodas).

If all these suggestions are overwhelming to you, just try making one change at a time. As you see the results reflected in the mirror, you’ll be encouraged to try more, so remember to eat well for your skin’s sake.

Last-Minute Holiday Treat

Courtesy of The South Beach Diet®, enjoy this great recipe that's not only good for you, it's easy to make and tastes great, too!

Dark Chocolate Pistachio Bark

Phase 2

Makes 40 pieces

This bark is made with dark chocolate, which is not only delicious, but has healthy antioxidants, too! It's also studded with pistachios, which add a nice crunch as well as a dose of healthy fats.

Ingredients
12 squares semisweet chocolate
1 cup pistachio nuts, shelled and toasted

Instructions
Microwave the chocolate in a bowl on high for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Stir until completely melted. Stir the nuts into the chocolate. Spoon the chocolate and nut mixture onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour until firm. Break into bite-size pieces. Makes 1 pound — about 40 pieces. Enjoy one piece as a treat, or bag the bark pieces and tie with festive ribbons to dole out to co-workers and friends!

Nutritional Information:
150 calories
10 g total fat (4 g saturated fat)
0 mg cholesterol
16 g carbohydrate
3 g protein
2 g fiber
0 mg sodium

For more great holiday recipes, order a copy of The South Beach Diet® Parties & Holidays Cookbook. The book contains 150 delicious and nutritious recipes to help you celebrate every special occasion while enjoying the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Hand Sanitizers Get a Thumbs-Up

From Woman's Day magazine:

Everybody knows a germ-phobe who carries around her own little bottle of hand sanitizer and uses it constantly, after shaking hands, touching a doorknob and so on. Turns out, she's not so crazy. According to the Mayo Clinic, hand sanitizers, which kill 99.9 percent of certain germs that cause illness, are actually more effective than soap and water in ridding your hands of bacteria and even viruses.

Other studies have shown that regular use of hand sanitizers reduces absentee rates in elementary schools and universities. Pediatirican Thomas J. Sandora, M.D., M.P.H., of the division of Infectious Diseases at Children's Hospital in Boston, conducted a five-month study of 292 families with at least one child in day care. The families given hand sanitizers to use in the home experienced 59 percent fewer secondary gastrointestinal illnesses and 20 percent fewer secondary respiratory illnesses than the families without the product.

"Hand sanitizers are actually more effective than soap and water against rotavirus, which is the most common cause of gastroenteritis or stomah flu among young children," reports Dr. Sandora. "They're also faster than regular hand washing, less drying and don't require access to a sink."

One warning: Read the label before you buy. Not all hand sanitizers on the market have enough alcohol content to do much good. The FDA recommends a concentration of 60 to 95 percent ethanol, isopropanol or ethyl alchol.

Holiday Advice from The South Beach Diet Doc

With tempting treats always just an arm's reach away, the holiday season can be a challenging time to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you're currently in Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet®, consider this advice from Dr. Arthur Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet®:

Try shifting to Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet® for the duration of the holiday season. "After years of treating patients, I've learned that the more realistic goal this time of year is to simply maintain your weight," he explains. Just apply the basic principles and eating strategies of Phase 2 — including lean proteins, the right carbs (fiber-rich whole grains and nutrient-dense fresh fruits and vegetables), low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and the right fats (including extra-virgin olive and canola oils) — to your holiday eating habits whenever possible.

And since the South Beach Diet® is a lifestyle, in addition to the delicious foods that are the staples of the healthy eating plan, you can also enjoy an occasional indulgence (like a piece of dark chocolate or a few bites of your mom's prize pumpkin pie) every once in a while.

You can also make your own South Beach Diet®-friendly celebratory dishes, many of which can be found in Dr. Agatston's new book, The South Beach Diet® Parties & Holidays Cookbook. In addition to holiday meals and desserts, the book contains 150 delicious and nutritious recipes to celebrate every special occasion.

The most important thing to remember at this time of year: Don't try to lose weight. Instead, focus on maintaining your current weight and let yourself enjoy the holidays. Then, as soon as January 1 rolls around, return to Phase 1 to get your cravings under control and kick-start your weight loss, or stay in Phase 2 for long-term weight loss and improved health.

Tips for Fitting Exercise Into Your Busy Life

If only there were more hours in a day! Life is busy and oftentimes our exercise program seems to take a back seat to everything else we have going on in our lives. With all the benefits of regular exercise, you really should make time to fit some physical activity into your daily routine at work and at home. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Here are some tips for helping fit some physical activity into your daily schedule.

Bring a sandwich to work. Instead of spending your time and money going out to buy food, pack a lunch and take it with you on a walk or run. This way you can get some exercise in and eat when you get tired. If you usually eat with coworkers, encourage them to pack a lunch and tag along.

Cut back on coffee breaks. Tomorrow, use a clock or stop watch and add up how much time you spend on breaks. If you cut back on coffee (not to mention the accompanying vending machine snacks), you could use the extra time to walk around the office or climb the steps of your building. Plus, the endorphins from exercise are considered more energizing than most stimulants.

Use exercise as a social event. If you spend a lot of time during your week chatting with one of your friends, encourage him or her to become your workout buddy. Instead of sitting at a diner or a coffee shop to chat, socialize by jogging or going to the gym.

Do some housework. No, your husband/wife did not pay me to put this in here. Cleaning the kitchen, mowing the lawn, tending to the garden, and even dusting are all great ways to get a workout. Housework lets you stretch, works your muscles, and gets your heart pumping, all essential for staying in shape. Put on some upbeat music to make it fun and encourage you to move even faster.

Work out instead of vegging out. If you’re like me, there are one or two television programs you just can’t miss. Just because you’re watching TV doesn’t mean you have to sit on the couch. You can use this time to exercise by doing stretches, sit-ups, or even lifting weights. If you’re really ambitious, you can try aerobics or jogging in place. I like to use a hula hoop during commercials, one of my favorite exercise workouts.

The most important part of any exercise plan is sticking with it. Make a plan and keep it. If you build up slowly, you’ll eventually develop a great exercise program that fits into your busy life.

The Best Way to Lose Abdominal Fat

by Tom Venuto

"Dear Tom, I'm pretty lean overall, but no matter what I do, I can't seem to get rid of this last little bit of fat on my lower abs. What are the best ab exercises to burn the fat off?"

If I hear this question one more time, I'm gonna scream! Ok, let me clear this up once and for all: You can't "spot reduce" fat from one specific part of your body! You lose fat systemically. That means you can't control where it comes from. When fat is oxidized for energy, you will draw it from all areas of the body, and the first place you tend to put it on will be the last place it comes off.

Everyone has certain "stubborn" areas where the fat seems "hard to get rid of" but the fat WILL go, it will just be the last place to go.

The best way to burn fat off your abs is not to do more ab work, but to do more cardiovascular work: Bike, Stairmaster, treadmill, elliptical machine or rower - they're all great fat burners. Work at about 70-85% of your age-predicted maximal heart rate (220-your age) and maintain it for 30-45 minutes 5-6 days a week for optimal results.

Train your abs about twice a week, just as you would any other body part. Doing your abs every day will do almost nothing to remove the layer of fat covering the muscles. In fact, it's possible to have a great set of abs that you can't even see because they are covered up with a layer of fat!

And don't forget, nutrition is half the battle when it comes to fat loss! If you're drinking beer and eating pizza on a regular basis, it doesn't matter what you do in the gym, you'll probably never get a great set of abs.

Tom's formula for ripped abs:
Nutrition: 50%
Cardio: 49%
Ab exercises: 1%

To learn about Tom Venuto's best-selling Burn-the-Fat program, check out The Body of Your Dreams MP3 Audio Seminar.

"I'm Going to Wash Your Mouth Out With Soap!"

Did your mom ever say that to you? I hope not, but if she did, she was actually onto something.

Do you know what ingredients are in your toothpaste? Did you ever wonder about the “Do Not Swallow” warning on the label or why many toothpastes say they are not to be used by children under six-years of age? Why is there silica in your toothpaste? Medicinenet.com defines silica this way: “Silica: The chief component of sand and a substance responsible for lung disease and cancer.” Read the label on your own toothpaste and I’m guessing you’re going to think twice before you squeeze that tube tonight before you go to bed!

I brush my teeth with soap. Yes, I do, and I will continue to do so. Do you wake up with “morning mouth” and a coating on your teeth? I used to, but not anymore. Now my teeth feel smooth and slick when I brush my tongue across. I feel kissable all the time. It’s great! After brushing only a couple of times with tooth soap, that icky toothpaste coating was gone from my teeth.

If you’d like to read more about tooth soap and what other people besides me have to say about it, here’s your opportunity. Read judiciously and make up your own mind, but do take a few moments to read about Tooth Soap – The Perfect Prescription. Like me, you may be very glad you did.

Steering Your Way Through Holiday Parties

by Liz Enbysk for MSN Health & Fitness

Marilu Henner maneuvered her way through traffic as cab driver Elaine Nardo on Taxi, a popular '70's sit-com. Today, after losing 54 pounds, she's in the driver's seat when she negotiates her way around holiday buffets.

Author of Party Hearty(Regan Books, 2003), Henner still acts in television and movies but also promotes her Total Health Makeover plan in books and at
www.marilu.com, where she hosts classes and message boards. She has also appeared before Congress to talk about healthy eating.

So what's her advice for people trying to control their weight during a season filled with pies and eggnog and other naughty foods?

Never Starve Yourself
First of all, Henner says don't starve yourself so you fit into that cute little black dress. And don't starve yourself hours before the party so you can eat whatever you want when you get there.

What happens with the starvation approach, she says, is you'll knock back a drink or two, lower your resistance, and then you'll plow your way through the buffet table. The better strategy, she says, is to:

• Eat something before you go to the party
• Wear something that hugs your body so you feel good but also remember why you're dieting
• Take something to share that's tasty and healthy (her favorites include Chocolate Toffee Crunch and Candied Yams; the recipes are featured in Party Hearty)
• Sip your drink and for every glass of alcohol you consume drink two glasses of water
• Make sure a third of your plate is covered with salad, fruit or vegetables
• Don't make the party all about food and drink; move around, talk to people
  

Try to Stay Active
Lola O'Rourke, a registered dietitian in the Seattle area and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, agrees physical activity during the holiday period can be critical for weight control. It's also a great stress reducer, which is also a good thing this time of year.

O'Rourke doesn't encourage dieters to focus on weight loss during the holidays. "I recommend they view maintaining weight during the holidays as a success, and not try to lose." Miss out on all of the special foods and you'll feel deprived, she says. Instead, she says, focus on quality and not quantity. "Enjoy your favorites," she says. "Savor them, eat them slowly."

O'Rourke echoes Henner's comments about eating something before you go to a party. She suggests foods high in fiber, plus liquids so you feel somewhat full but don't take in a lot of calories. "It's all about balance – calories in, calories out," O'Rourke says. She recommends if you've got a party tomorrow, concentrate on cutting out any extra calories today.

For weight control during the holiday party season, O'Rourke also offers these tips:

• Do not loiter at the buffet. Take a small plate or napkin, scan the table and pick out a few items you really want, put them on your plate and then move away from the food and stay away.
• Watch out for eggnog; even the low-fat varieties can pack plenty of calories. If you really want eggnog, consider adding a small amount to coffee or tea.
• Be careful with gravy; it's high in fat and easy to get carried away with. Take just a small amount.
• Don't treat holiday sweets as a snack when you're really hungry; instead grab something with protein and nutrients that will fill you up with fewer calories. Save sweets for dessert, when you won't need as much.

Finally, O'Rourke says eating slowly can make a big difference, since it takes 20 minutes to get the message from your stomach to your brain that you're full. "Slow down and really enjoy the company you're with," O'Rourke says. "That's what the holidays are all about."

Adds Henner: "It's really important to think of the holidays as you did as a child, when it was all about activities."

Party Hearty: Hot, Sexy, Have-a-Blast Food & Fun All Year Roundis available from amazon.com.

This article reprinted from MSN Health & Fitness.

Karen's Goodie Balls

From my good friend Karen, here's a super healthy recipe that would be a tasty but nutritious snack or cookie alternative for this time of the year, or for any time of the year! Karen writes:

Here is one of our favorite snack recipes that also happens to be healthy and fun to make. I find that if you involve kids in making a recipe, they are much more likely to try it out. This was the favorite lesson too when I taught a healthy cooking class for our homeschool group.

Goodie Balls
This is a very versatile recipe and a great way to get extra Omega-3’s and veggie protein into your kids. If you are “marketing” them to teens, you could rename them “Power Balls!”

½ c each:
flaxseed meal
raw almonds or other raw nuts
raisins or dates
¾ c rolled oats

Chop the nuts, oats and raisins or dates by either blending in a strong blender or using a hand chopper or food processor. The younger the children you are serving it to, the more finely ground you want this mixture.

Put in a bowl and add:
½ c peanut butter (natural without added sugar or hydrogenated oils best)
½ c honey

Mix well until mixture sticks together. Roll into small (less than 1” diameter) balls and then roll in either sucanat, wheat germ or oat flour. May be stored in the refridgerator in airtight container.

Feel free to adjust ingredients to taste. You can double the recipe but get help rolling out the little balls! I adapted this from a recipe in Whole Foods for the Whole Family. It had cream cheese and dry milk which was tasty but my family didn’t need the dairy.

~Karen Davis
Indian Trail, North Carolina
www.juiceplusrevolution.com

Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water

You probably already know that it’s important to drink enough water. A minimum of eight glasses of water a day is recommended. You should aim for more if it is really hot, or you are working out and sweating a lot. Getting enough water in your body will prevent you from getting dehydrated. According to WEBMD the early signs of dehydration are increased thirst, dry mouth, sticky saliva and reduced urine output with dark yellow urine. You may also experience a lack of energy and a headache.

None of these sound very fun. I know it is hard sometimes to drink that much water; especially when sodas and coffee tempt us. However, to stay healthy and feel great, we should strive to drink those eight glasses of water a day.

Here are a few tips to help you remember to drink the water, and to make it a little more pleasant or interesting.

1. Keep a Log
   This can be as simple as a little piece of paper on the fridge, or a page in your day planner. Just make a little checkmark, or dash on the piece of paper every time you drink a glass of water. The log will help you keep track of how much water you have had in any given day. You’ll also be surprised how motivating it is to try to get those eight little checkmarks on there every day. Another idea would be to use little stickers instead.
   
2. Add Some Lemon Juice
   I tend to get bored with drinking just water after a few days. Change things up and add a little flavor by adding a teaspoon or less of lemon to your water. You can also try some other fruit juices. Just make sure you are still drinking mainly water. Just a splash of juice should be enough to make things interesting and give the water some flavor without adding a lot of sugar and calories.
   
3. Try Some Club Soda
   If you are craving the fizz of a soda, try some Club Soda. Most brands have a little too much fizz for me. I end up watering them down with – guess what – water. If you want to get really fancy, check your local grocery store for flavored club sodas. Alternatively, you can also add a splash of fruit juice to your watered down club soda.
   
4. Drink Some Water When You Feel Hungry
   Unfortunately many of us have gotten so out of tune with our bodies that we feel hungry when we are actually thirsty. If you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water first. You may just be thirsty.
   
5. Carry A Water Bottle
   It’s much easier to drink water when you have it readily available. Carry a bottle of water around with you in the car, at work, while running errands, in the yard, and even while you are working around the house. You’ll be sipping away the water without even noticing it.
   
6. Drink More If You Are Working Out
   We already touched on this, but it bears repeating. Make sure you drink a few extra glasses of water if you work out, or if you spend some time outside while it’s hot. Your body uses and needs more water when it sweats a lot. So don’t forget to fill back up on water during and after your exercise.Just pay attention to how much you drink and implement some of these ideas if you don’t get the recommended eight glasses of water a day. Your body will thank you for it in the long run.

Your Secret Weapon for a Healthy Eating Lifestyle
Would you like us to help you cook healthier for your entire family? Join the Healthy Menu Mailer today. We will send you 7 healthy dinner recipes a week with a grocery list to go along with it. Start eating healthy.

Anti-Aging Tips

Throughout time, there’s been a persistent myth about the fountain of youth. Sure, we all know there’s no spring in Florida that will keep us young forever, but we still chase after pills, creams, and anything else that will magically make us feel younger or live longer. Nothing can help us live forever or be ten years younger, but there are things you can do to help turn back the clock.

Stay on your diet. You may be on a diet to lose weight, but it has other benefits too. While carrying around extra pounds causes extra wear and tear on your system, a healthy diet also makes all your systems work right. If your organs are properly nourished, they’ll operate more efficiently and won’t get worn out as fast. It’s also a good idea to take a daily multivitamin. You might find other supplements beneficial; just be sure you’re getting enough of the right nutrients and not too much of the wrong ones.

Don’t forget your skin. An important part of feeling young is keeping your organs healthy. Well, your skin is the largest organ of your body! Having healthy skin can make you look younger, which in turn can make you feel younger. In addition to using anti-aging skin care products (men, you can use these products too), be sure to eat a diet that helps improve skin quality. Good choices are fresh fruits and vegetables and foods rich in protein. Keep your skin (and the rest of your body) hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Get exercise. Everyone’s heard the old adage, “If you don’t use it, you lose it”. Well, you’ve probably heard it so much because it’s true. Regular exercise keeps your body working properly. It can also strengthen your heart and help you lose excess pounds that are weighing you down. And remember, exercising your mind is just as important for staying young as exercising your body.

Feel good about getting old. It may seem silly, but people who have a positive view about getting older tend to live longer. Instead of worrying about how hard it will be to get around or do normal things, concentrate on the fun of retirement or other benefits to getting older.

Sure, there’s no fountain of youth, but taking small steps to stay healthy and keep yourself going will go a long way in helping you feel younger and live longer.

Health Tip: Breathe Right During Exercise

If you're just starting an exercise program, learning how to breathe properly can help you avoid shortness of breath.

Here are some tips on how to regulate your breathing while exercising, courtesy of the American Lung Association:

• Cough a few times to get rid of any mucus in your lungs.
• Relax and take a few deep breaths before you start your workout. Continue to breathe deeply as you exercise.
• Count as you breathe, and breathe out for twice as long as you breathe in. Count to two as you breathe in, and count to four as you breathe out.
• If you feel out of breath, try resting or slowing your pace for a few minutes, then continuing the exercise.

(From HealthyDay News)

Journey to a Healthy Lifestyle

Health is a topic that nearly everyone is interested in. After all, everyone wants to be healthy, right? But health is also a topic that can be very intimidating.

We believe that you don’t have to have a medical degree to learn about taking good care of yourself, that even “real people” like us can make healthy choices and good decisions regarding their own wellness. While the information we offer here is in no way intended to take precedence over your own doctor’s advice, we want to help you live a healthy lifestyle. We are here to offer tips and information to help you take steps to take control of your own health, to be in charge of your own wellness, so that you can be a healthy “real person.”

A healthy lifestyle is a journey, but a journey worth undertaking. We're glad your journey crossed paths with ours.