Happy New Year! Resolution Ideas from The Honest Dietitian

2017 has arrived. I am sure many of you have been bombarded by ads and commercials from companies hoping to monetize on the "New Year, New You" hope and drive that comes with the annual dropping of the ball. I know there are also many people out there who will tell you that making resolutions is useless and will just set you up for failure. I am not one of those people.

I think making an effort to make any positive changes in your life is absolutely fantastic. I think it is wonderful no matter what time of the year you do it! New Year's is just that time of year when people take a minute to think about themselves and what they would like to accomplish for the upcoming 365 days and believe me...I am a firm believer that people (including myself) do not take enough time to really sit and ponder what we can do to make ourselves better. We often put to much pressure on ourselves trying to do things to make things better for other people, but can forget that we need goals, hope, and certainly attention and love for ourselves from ourselves.

10 Surprising Foods with Health Benefits

If you are anything like me, you are alway on the lookout for foods which are going to pack a punch. The fact is, it can be all too easy to get into the old routines of eating. Part of the problem for many people is that they have forgotten how to branch out. This might sometimes be because they don’t think that those other foods can really bring any benefit. Often, however, it is the case that foods provide you with many benefits which you don’t necessarily consider. Often, common everyday foods which we overlook are actually packed full of goodness. At other times, they simply provide a little boost which you might not have been aware of. In this article, we are going to take a look at some surprising health benefits of various foods. Hopefully, this will encourage you to bring in a little more variety into your diet. Let’s take a look.

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Chocolate

We all know that chocolate is delicious, but those who are nutritionally minded will usually shun it from their everyday diet. It’s true that you don’t want to include too much chocolate in your diet, of course. However, that doesn’t mean that it is all bad news. In fact, chocolate does have a couple of positive points which are worth considering. Dark chocolate in particular has the advantage of being full of antioxidants, while this is less true of milk or white chocolate. It is also good for your circulation, so long as you keep the amount down to a minimum. And if that wasn’t enough, it has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke. What’s more, taken in the right quantities, it can actually reduce your cholesterol as well. It’s starting to look like chocolate just might be your best friend!

Popcorn

This one might seem a little shocking, but bear in mind that we are talking here about popcorn without the added salt and sugar. Cinema popcorn is unlikely to be any good for you at all. But take away the toppings and you are left with a surprisingly healthy snack. Plain popcorn includes whole grain, fiber and antioxidants, and as such is likely to work wonders on your system. Next time you are looking for a snack, popcorn is likely to be a much more healthy alternative to crisps, for example. What’s more, it also happens to be cheap when bought in bulk wholesale. This is a whole new side to popcorn which we just haven’t seen before. Of course, as with anything, there is such a thing as overdoing it. But for the occasional snack, you could do much worse than grabbing some plain popcorn.

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Feel the Burn! 3 Steps to Staying Motivated with Exercise

How many times have you started a workout routine only to give up before you start to see any real results? Don't worry; you're not alone. So many people end up giving up and losing motivation when they're exercising. And the reason behind it comes down to one simple truth. Exercise is hard work. It might be fun, it might be good for you, but it's hard work. And the problem with that is that it really is just so much easy to sit at home in front of the TV. But fear not! There are ways to stay motivated in the face of the all that work.

Set a goal

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One of the hardest things about staying motivated is not being able to see the progress that you're making. Putting in all that effort that doesn't seem to be doing anything can be seriously discouraging. One of the best things that you can do to avoid getting discouraged in this way is to set a goal. Make it specific as well. Something like "I want to be fitter" or "I want to have a six-pack" aren't going to do. If your goal is vague, then you're going to be vague in how you go about achieving it. Make your goal clear and specific, and include milestones along the way. Being able to tick off your goals will help you to see the progress you're making which will help you stay motivated.

Keep a routine

One of the hardest things about exercising is actually finding the time to do it. Life can be busy, and it's hard to justify prioritizing exercise over all the other jobs you have to do. The key to making time is to set up a solid routine and, most importantly, stick to it. Find a time every day that you can keep set to one side to exercise. It can be early in the morning before work or in the evening before bed. Whatever you choose to do, make sure to make it regular and to stick to it no matter what!

Your Mouth Says A Lot About Your Health! Tips for Keeping a Healthy Smile

Looking healthy and happy isn’t just what is on the inside, it’s how you perceive yourself on the outside. People can say a lot about how they feel based on what they wear or how they are wearing it. I remember when I took my first organic chemistry class and I asked my professor if he had any advice for the first exam and he said "Dress the part. Come in here looking like the professional you want to be and own it." At the time, I thought it was odd, but I did it anyways and maybe it did help. I came to my exam business casual instead of shorts and flip-flops and felt confident, happy, and healthy. But sometimes it’s just having a clean bright smile that’s enough to make someone think how happy and healthy you truly are. Your mouth says a lot about your health. You don’t need to be reaching for the whitening kits or having teeth replaced just yet. It’s easy to get a healthy smile by just changing a few habits and ensuring you have good dental care. With that in mind, I thought I would share some top tips to help you maintain that perfect natural smile.

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Keep up with a regular brushing routine

Brushing your teeth is something we possibly take for granted. We might not even think about the whole process that forms part of our morning or evening routine. But regular brushing for a decent amount of time is proven to reduce plaque and keep those teeth pearly white. Our teeth and mouths get put under a lot of pressure, and more food and drink these days has the power to harm or stain our teeth. So ensuring you keep on top of brushing will be the key to ensuring your mouth stays healthy and happy. The natural way. And many dental professionals have told me that you cannot brush too often, but you can brush too hard! So make sure to keep the pressure soft.

No More Excuses! Helpful Tips for Creating a Home Gym

If you want to improve your fitness, you need to join a gym right? Wrong. While many people believe that a gym membership will help them get fit, it’s not the only option. Creating a gym in your home can be a fantastic alternative to joining a gym. It can help you to get fit, is more convenient and can save you both time and money. But many people overlook having home gyms because they think traditional gyms will benefit them more. So if you’re unsure whether you should cancel your membership and create a home gym, read these compelling reasons to help you decide. Personally, I love building on to our home gym. We have a weightlifting platform, kettle bells, my spin bike, medicine balls, and more. These really eliminate the opportunity to give the good ole' excuse of "I don't have time to workout".

My gym is a work in progress, but I love it!

A home gym can save you money

Gym memberships are notoriously expensive and a waste of money if you don’t use them regularly. Whereas home gyms can help you to save money. While they do require some money up front to buy the equipment you need, they can be created relatively cheaply. You can buy only the equipment you need rather than buying everything your gym has. Sale events and second-hand models can also help you get equipment at discounted rates.

Lose the Gym & Still Get Fit and Strong

f you're looking for a way to improve your general wellbeing and to lose weight you might be considering a gym membership. Some people just don't like the gym though and feel time spent there can be intimidating. There are so many ways to workout from home it would be silly not to thoroughly research that option too. Here are some ideas to kick-start a new keep-fit without the gym regime...

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Join a local team

Whether you love to kick a soccer ball around or simply love to run track, team-sport is one sure way to get the adrenaline pumping. Not only will you increase your heart rate, release endorphins and get the blood pumping; you'll also make new friends. A competitive edge can be a real motivator to getting fit so joining a team is potentially a great way to lose weight. And if you are a parent, this is a great way to be a role model to your children by participating in activity!

Get on Your Bike and Get Fit: Some Essential Advice for Success

Are you one of those people who has tried a thousand ways to get fit and found that none of them work for you? It can be a real frustration, but you shouldn’t just give up. The right way to get fit for you could be just around the corner. One thing that you should definitely try out is cycling. This is a great way to get fit and work out. It moves lots of muscles, and it’s a cardiovascular form of exercise. I found that I really enjoyed the challenge of spin classes a couple of years ago, but due to scheduling, I was unable to keep up with going to the studio classes. Luckily, I saved up some money and bought myself a spin bike for my home gym and have really enjoyed it (the pink bike in the picture above is mine). Here are some tips to help you get fit through cycling:

Fuel Your Ride the Right Way

What you put into your body is just as important as what you do on your bike. You need to eat healthily in order to ensure that your cycling efforts aren’t cancelled out by your poor diet. But, at the same time, you also need to make sure that your body is fuelled for the ride ahead. If it’s not, then you could run out of energy and burn out before you have finished your ride. That’s no good for your fitness efforts in the long-term.

Set Your Bike Up Properly and Make it Comfortable

You should set your bike up in the right way. If you don’t do this, you won’t be able to get what you want from the bike. You won’t be able to cycle it properly or for as long if you’re not comfortable when you’re riding it. Your leg should be straight when the pedal is at the lowest point. So, adjust the saddle of the bike until that’s the case. Bicycle insurance is important if you want to make sure that your bike is safe when you’re not using it too. I have too many friends who have lost their expensive road bikes due to accidents or theft that this is a pretty great idea.

Do Intervals

Intervals are short bursts of cycling that you should do when you’re on your bike. It’s all about changing pace and putting your body through a more intense workout for a short burst of time. These bursts of increased intensity don’t have to last for very long. It can be good to make them last for about a minute before going back to your normal cycling pace again. If you want to lose weight and improve your fitness, going at a steady pace and not changing things up won’t work as well. Instead, you need to push yourself a bit further sometimes. There are actually a lot of good youtube videos and apps out there that have virtual trainers & playlists to keep you motivated for rides either on the road or on your bike at home.

Nutrition tips to keep your immune system tough through the flu & winter season

While we all have a good idea that what we eat affects how we feel. It can be easy to forget that before the pharmaceutical industry, our medicines came from natural sources.

At the time a lot of these things were consumed as food or drink, and we can still receive the benefits of imbibing them now. Read on to find out what they are.

Vitamin C

There are plenty of things that contain a good dose of Vitamins C like carrots and bell peppers. But did you know that Brussel Sprouts also have lots too?

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Well, if you are a sprout fan, then you should definitely start eating them on more than just your Christmas dinner. This is because getting enough Vitamin C can help boost your immunity to disease. It acts as a natural antibiotic killing off harmful bacteria in your system. I love grilling Brussel sprouts but in the winter, I often steam them.

Antioxidants

We hear a lot about antioxidant and free radicals these days but does anyone known what they actually are? Well, free radicals are the nasty things that our cells produce when they take in and use oxygen.

These can be harmful your systems so we don't want too many of them hanging around in our body. That is where antioxidants come in.

As we don't want too many oxidants or free radicals in our system eating foods like sweet potatoes and oysters are a good idea. They release molecules that attached to the free radicals making sure that they don't get reabsorbed by the body and cause harm. Oysters are also high in magnesium & zinc, which help boost immunity.

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So You're More Active...What's Next?

Most of us have had some fitness aims or goals over the years. And most of us know how hard it can be to achieve them. Some people find it easier to scale things back a bit and concentrate on one thing at a time. You might try increasing the number of steps you walk or try being a little more active at lunch time. Increasing your activity is certainly one of the best ways to improve your fitness and tone up a little. But what comes next?

Health and fitness go hand in hand. It’s worth considering how you can also improve your health now you’ve made those big steps toward fitness. Walking is one of those activities that can help you become more active and make you healthier. It’s not just your physical health you need to consider. Your mental and emotional health are just as important. Walking can help calm your mind, and you’ll feel emotionally well by taking in the fresh air and beautiful surroundings.

This picture is from Flickr.com

Breast Cancer Nutrition Awareness featuring GoMacro

October is breast cancer awareness month and I'd like to introduce you to Go Macro. GoMacro is a family-owned vegan food company that was started by a mother-daughter duo on their organic family farm. They have two different lines of products- MacroBars and Thrive. In honor of their co-founders breast cancer recovery, they have released a special “give-back bar” that donates 10% its proceeds to the Keep a Breast Foundation. I love this bar because it touches on some important nutritional concepts (antioxidants, fiber, plant-based). Learn more about the awesome Keep a Breast Foundation here. Let us get brought up to speed on some breast cancer stats:

According to Breastcancer.org, here are some recent statistics on breast cancer in the United States (source here): 

• In 2016, there are more than 2.8 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. This includes women currently being treated and women who have finished treatment.
• About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.
• Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. In 2016, it's estimated that just under 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be breast cancers.
• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

Amelia, Breast Cancer Survivor & her daughter: Co-founders of GoMacro

Here’s the thing, no matter what illness or disease a person may become afflicted with in life, they can fight it better if they have been following a healthy lifestyle beforehand. Being an overweight woman is a risk factor for developing breast cancer, possibly because the more the fat cells grow, the more estrogen is produced from the fat cells. That production of excess estrogen can signal breast cell growth, which in turn increases the risk of developing breast cancer.

What can you do from a nutritional point of view?