More Natural Whole Foods

It’s always interesting to see the studies done on processed foods and how they compare to natural whole foods. In the photo above the watermelon aged as time went by representing that it is a natural food from the earth. On the flip side, the burger and fries did not age as time went by and as a matter of fact it looked exactly the same 180 days later.

When we eat processed foods like burger, fries, vending machine foods, cookies, chips, soda etc our bodies have a hard time processing the food as energy therefore stores the food as fat and toxins in the body.

Foods that are natural, whole and from nature like fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and lean meats are better absorbed by the body and used as fuel for energy.

Why not look good from the inside out rather than from the outside in. Incorporating more natural food in the diet helps improve skin tone, eye sight, improve chronic diseases, and helps with sleep patterns.

I use to have bad skin before eating more natural foods and would be so focused on buying skin care products and going to see the dermatologist to apply chemicals to my skin. Nothing would really work, I saw a little improvement but didn’t get the results I wanted. When I started eating foods like spinach, broccoli, carrots, nuts, berries and fruits and drinking water I started to notice that my skin tone improved drastically. Blemishes were gone, oily skin reduced, and pimples didn’t appear anymore.

What kind of improvements have you noticed while eating whole foods?

Remember eat to live and not live to eat. Correct the issues starting from the inside out and make this a great year to improve your health!

Thanks for reading as always,

LJay Health

Happy Thanksgiving!

On behalf of LJAY HEALTH, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks so much for following and reading my blog. I am thankful to have all of you as a great support system and fitness family! Enjoy your feast, workouts, family etc!

Share with us, what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Eat the Pumpkin, Don’t Just Carve It

With Halloween just around the corner the stores are stocking up with Pumpkins for you to buy. Instead of carving the pumpkin for Halloween decoration it is also beneficial to eat it as well. Pumpkins are high in fiber, low in calories and fat and a good source of vitamins. Below are the many health benefits of eating pumpkin and pumpkin seed!

Benefits of Eating Pumpkin

Pumpkins Keep Eyesight Sharp

A cup of cooked, mashed pumpkin contains more than 200 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which aids vision, particularly in dim light, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Pumpkins Aid Weight Loss

Pumpkin is an often-overlooked source of fiber, but with three grams per one-cup serving and only 49 calories, it can keep you feeling full for longer on fewer calories.

Pumpkin Seeds Can Help Your Heart

Nuts and seeds, including those of pumpkins, are naturally rich in certain plant-based chemicals called phytosterols that have been shown in studies to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol

Pumpkins May Reduce Cancer Risk

Like their orange comrades the sweet potato, the carrot and the butternut squash (to name a few), pumpkins boast the antioxidant beta-carotene, which may play a role in cancer prevention, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Pumpkins Protect The Skin

The same free-radical-neutralizing powers of the carotenoids in pumpkin that may keep cancer cells at bay can also help keep the skin wrinkle-free, Health magazine reported.

Pumpkins Can Help After A Hard Workout

Ever heard of bananas being touted as nature’s energy bar? Turns out, a cup of cooked pumpkin has more of the refueling nutrient potassium, with 564 milligrams to a banana’s 422.A little extra potassium helps restore the body’s balance of electrolytes after a heavy workout and keeps muscles functioning at their best.

Additional Benefits 

Prevents Kidney Stones – Have 5 to 10 grams of pumpkin seeds every day. This stimulates the kidneys and prevents the formation of calcium oxalate stones.

Depression – Pumpkin flesh contains L-tryptophan, a chemical compound that triggers feelings of well-being and happiness. Having pumpkin as a part of your daily diet can keep your spirits high and prevent depression.

Diuretics – Pumpkins are natural diuretics. These help in flushing out the toxins and unwanted waste material from the body, leaving you refreshed and healthy.

Promotes Prostate Health

For you men over 50 helping carve pumpkins this Halloween, be sure to save those seeds.  Pumpkin seeds help promote a healthy prostate and minimize the issues such as urination problems due to an enlarged prostate.  Prostate problems are most common in men over fifty.

Better Bones

Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc and are a great natural resource for this much needed nutrition.  Low levels of zinc are one of the links to osteoporosis.

Arthritis Relief

In a recent study pumpkin seeds showed the same anti-inflammatory benefits as the non-steroid drug indomethacin.  The good news on these results is that the pumpkin seeds did not have the same negative effect of damaged fats (lipid peroxides) in the lining of joints like the anti-inflammatory drug.

NY & 16oz Limit Legislation

 

New York just passed into legislation to ban the purchase of more than 16 ounces of soda at one time. This means that restaurants, movie theaters, street vendors and other establishments are not allowed to sell more than a medium sized drink. As this is great news to help take control of the major obesity issue that America is facing, what will stop buyers from simply going back to the venue and purchasing another beverage?? Will this hurt businesses financially due to restricting their sells on product? How will locals of New York city feel about this?

What are your thoughts on this legislation? We have freedom speech but no freedom to purchase now. And still we can walk into a store and buy as much as alcohol and beer as we want…..

Whole heartily I understand the reasoning for this ban however there are other ways to take control and help people to eat and live healthier. Peer groups, more education boards, community outreach, mandates on beverage suppliers to remove certain chemicals and syrups.

And why New York city? This is major tourism city that people visit and when they do they want to have fun and enjoy themselves and not be restricted on the size of the drink they can order?

Mayor Bloomberg in a interview with Dr. Gupta stated “this is a personal issue for me”. However, to me smoking and tobacco is a much bigger issue than drinking a large soda. Lets fry this big fish first and then work our way down.

 

How does Ronald McDonald look nowaday?

I was doing some research and came across an article on McDonalds and thought to myself “When was the last time I ate there”? Thankfully I could not remember the last time I ate fast food at all. It seems like everywhere you go there is a McDonalds restaurant on the corner. Now they are in hospitals, colleges, airports, and even churches.

I remember watching a documentary Super Size Me and it was very interesting but sad of all the negative health effects that Morgan Spurlock developed just by eating fast food all those times, not to mention all the weight he gained as well. He put his health on the line just to educate and demonstrate how our bodies react to these foods. If you haven’t seen the documentary I highly recommend it.

Fast food costs are inexpensive and tastes very good, but the negative effects on physical health last much longer. With the high-calorie meals come more fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar — and therefore fewer vitamins, minerals and other nutrients — than in healthier foods. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that these eating habits create nutritional deficiencies along with weight gain. The health problems that stem from overweight and obesity alone can severely limit lifestyles and shorten life spans.

Fast food can be the biggest contributer to obesity. Fast foods are loaded with fat and calories. Ordering without limits may have negative effects on your health and weight. Hamburgers with multiple  patties, cheese, bacon and mayonnaise may exceed the 65mg fat limit recommended by the USDA for the whole day.

Many drive-through foods and drinks have high sugar content, including milkshakes, 62g of sugar, and colas, 44g, in 16-oz. servings as per the USDA. Fast foods contain high amounts of cholesterol and salt, two nutrients that contribute to cardiovascular health problems. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report a direct link between sodium intake and negative effects on blood pressure, and note that Americans consume most of their sodium in processed and restaurant foods.

What have fast food companies done to make things better?

Fast food companies are developing healthier options to meet the desires of healthier consumer needs.. Many fast food chains now offer healthy options including low-fat, low calorie foods; fresh foods; bottled water; and salads made with fruits and vegetables. Some stand-outs in fast food nutrition include low-fat salads and sandwiches and grilled chicken.

Other healthier options have been added to many fast food menus. Low-fat yogurt, fruit cups and wheat buns can replace some of the higher fat and lower fiber meal options. However, these healthy choices have the ability to take a wrong turn when mixed with unhealthy selections, such as fried chicken and high-fat dressing on the salads, cookies, candies or high-sugar granola mixed into the yogurt or whipped toppings on the fruit. Stick with the food in its most natural form to get the highest nutritional benefit from it.

Thanks for reading LJAY HEALTH

References
USDA: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Sodium Fact Sheet
USDA: Nutrient Database
AHA: Eating Fast Food
Office of the Surgeon General: Overweight Consequences

 

Pre 30 Day No Refined Sugar Challenge

Hi everyone! Monday, July 23, 2012 starts the first day of LJAY HEALTH 30 days of eating no refined sugar challenge.  The challenge will end on Friday, August 24, 2012. If you are looking to see increased fitness results or just an improvement of overall health you should join the challenge. This challenge will also test your mental strength as well!

If you are on Facebook, follow and Like my Facebook page to stay up to date on live post daily.- facebook.com/ljayhealth 

You can also find the Facebook link on the left side of this screen and click the Like button. The Facebook page will consist of other people who are also doing the challenge. Share ideas, stay motivated, share results all on the page!!

Things to know about Refined Sugar

Refined sugars consist of foods such as cakes, cookies, candy, table sugar, foods with high fructose corn syrup (donuts. chocolate, certain cereals, vending machine snacks etc.

Eliminating sugar from your diet stabilizes your blood sugar levels. When you eat foods that contain sugar, your pancreas releases insulin to help redistribute the sugar in your blood to your cells for energy. Your body stores excess sugar in your muscles and liver, according to LiveStrong.com.

Depending on your body’s response, consuming sugar may cause spikes in your blood sugar or glucose levels. When you eliminate sugary foods, you reduce these peaks, stabilizing your blood sugar. Eliminating sugar also reduces food cravings caused by drops in blood glucose, ridding yourself of the up-and-down pattern of your blood sugar levels.

The single largest source of calories for Americans comes from sugar—specifically high fructose corn syrup. Just take a look at the sugar consumption trends of the past 300 years:

In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year. (very, very low compared to today) 
In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year.
In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year.
In 2009, more than 50 percent of all Americans consume one-half pound of sugar PER DAY—translating to a whopping 180 pounds of sugar per year!

Sugar is loaded into your soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, and hidden in almost all processed foods—from bologna to pretzels to Worcestershire sauce to cheese spread.

Here is a very interesting articles posted by MenHealth identifying 20 Most Sugar-Packed Foods.

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/20-most-sugar-packed-foods-america?article=5&page=1

Join LJAY HEALTH in this challenge and help spread the word about this challenge. I am very excited about this challenge! 

Post 30 Day No Refined Sugar Challenge

25 Handstand Pushup Challenge

 

Completed 20 Handstand Pushups today on the road to my 25 Handstand pushup challenge. Getting close!

Who else is with me?

Congratulations to Muddy J @ muddyj.com for completing the 25 Handstand Pushup challenge today!! Great way to do work!

 

 

7 Healthy Tips

Maintaining a healthy lifestyles can sometimes be frustrating due to all the different directives from doctors, healthy experts and family members and friends. I came up with 7 quick healthy tips that you can focus on to help improve and maintain your overall health and well being. Always remember that portion control is everything, too much of even healthy food can be a negative impact on your health.

1. Eat a balanced, Healthy Breakfast. Typically breakfast should include protein, complex carbs and healthy fat. Studies show that people who eat a regular breakfast maintain their weight and have a lower risk of diabetes. Try and avoid breakfast bars as many of them have too much sugar, too many calories and little protein. Try to include boiled eggs, make a protein shake mixed with protein, milk of your choice, and fruit, or some cut up fruit to take with you if you are rushing in the morning. Drink a cold glass of water as soon as your wake up to hydrate your body from the water loss through perspiration while sleeping. Have a handful of nuts including almonds, cashews, walnuts.
2. Boost Cardiovascular Health with Physical Activity. Only 30 minutes of physical activity a day can improve cardiovascular health, reduce LDL cholesterol and help normalize weight. Some ways to increase your daily activity could be to park furthest away from your work building, or store. Use a bike for transportation, jump rope whenever possible. I keep a jumprope in my car at all times Take the stairs instead of the elevator if it’s a short flight. 
3. Get at least six to eight hours of sleep. Avoid caffeine before bed. Close your eyes and do deep breathing exercising for 10 minutes. In yoga we practice breathing exercises all the time and it helps me to renew my mind and calms me down. Breathe in your nose and out your mouth, take deep breathes frequently especially when working out. Turn your phone on vibrate to avoid being disturbed while you are sleeping. If you have a hard time sleeping take a few caps of Melatonin (a natural sleep aid) before bed.
4. Eat 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetable a day. Veggies and fruits are high in fiber and contain a large amount of antioxidants. These foods help protect you from heart disease, cancer and many other illnesses. I cant remember the last time I was sick or had to use my health insurance I eat fresh produce, organic when possible.
5. Lift weights. Lifting weights helps increase bone density and lower body fat which increases metabolism and lower heart disease risk. If you are new to lifting weights, get a personal trainer to show the ropes or buy fitness magazines for different routines. Practice air squats, lunges, pushups and pullups. I have posted some videos on my youtube account with some of the routines. Youtube account name=ljayhealth Stair climbing, jogging, running and other workouts requires your body to work against gravity also boosting strength and endurance.
6. Stay Hydrated.  You all have heard or know you are supposed to get in at least eight glasses of water per day. However if your exercising you should have more than this. Staying hydrated keeps you mentally focused and help maintain blood pressure, improves physical performance. During work days I keep a jug of water with me and drink it constantly throughout the day. When I workout I sip of water frequently. Try and avoid drinking too much caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic and increases the body needs for water. Foods high in water like fruits and vegggies count towards  your daily water intake!!! If you are not a fan of water, adding lemons to enhance the water taste may help you increase your water intake.
7. Wash your hands. I previously posted a article on germs and their negative effects. Germs are everywhere and they are surrounding you right now. Washing your hands frequently helps to prevent you from becoming sick from bacteria and flu like symptoms. Wash your hands after leaving the restroom, pumping gas, opening and closing doors and typing on your computer. Avoid from touching your face, rubbing your eyes and licking your fingers. Use hand sanitizer while in the gym, and wipe down the equipment after your are done working out.  According to HandHygiene, during a 16 hour period we touch our face at least 250 times per day, 7500 times a month, and 90,000 times a year.

Following these tips daily will help prepare you and get you on the road for living a healthier lifestyle! Thanks for reading as always. -LJAY HEALTH

What’s All the Tea Hype

I have always liked the taste of tea especially green tea, but recently I have become a little obsessed with it The other day I bought green tea and chai tea and kept it at work. Instead of drinking coffee constantly throughout the day I have decided to make some good ole tea instead. Dont get me wrong, I will still have my cup of coffee once a day and the rest of the day its tea for me.

The first recorded drinking of tea is in China, with the earliest records of tea consumption dating back to the 10th century BC. So people have been drinking tea for decades. Teas can be used for natural health remedies, herbal, and pleasure. The role of tea is well established in normalizing blood pressure, lipid depressing activity, prevention of coronary heart diseases and diabetes by reducing the blood-glucose activity.

The vanilla chai tea in the picture is really good especially when I mix it with soy creamer, kind of taste like a Chai tea latter. The green tea comes in different flavors such as mango and pomegranate. I usually just use water and the tea bags when making my tea.

Since I have been drinking tea I can really feel my body responding to it. I can tell that my muscle recovery is quicker and I am more alert and aware throughout the day, my skin complexion and tone are also improving too! More and more people are drinking tea which can help make for a healthier body.

Making  my tea

1. 1 tea bag for every 8 ounces
2. Warm or hot water
3. Splash of natural honey (alternative if need sweetner)

Benefits of tea:

1. Tea contains antioxidants. Tea’s antioxidants protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.

2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee. Coffee usually has two to three times the caffeine of tea. An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. If drinking coffee gives you the jitters, causes indigestion or headaches or interferes with sleep – switch to tea.

3. Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Unwanted blood clots formed from cholesterol and blood platelets cause heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear.

4. Tea protects your bones. It’s not just the milk added to tea that builds strong bones. One study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors.

5. Tea increases your immune defenses. Drinking tea may help your body’s immune system fight off infection. .

7. Tea protects against cancer. Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects.

8. Tea helps keep you hydrated. Caffeinated beverages, including tea, used to be on the list of beverages that didn’t contribute to our daily fluid needs. Since caffeine is a diuretic and makes us pee more, the thought was that caffeinated beverages couldn’t contribute to our overall fluid requirement.

9. Tea is calorie-free. Tea doesn’t have any calories, unless you add sweetener or milk. Consuming even 250 fewer calories per day can result in losing one pound per week. If you’re looking for a satisfying, calorie-free beverage, tea is a top choice.

10. Tea increases your metabolism. Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. Over a year’s time you could lose eight pounds just by drinking green tea.

Some other good teas to try:

• Pear green tea
• English breakfast tea
• Chamomile (helps with sleep)
• Lemon tea
• Raspberry tea
• Cinnamon apple tea

The next time you are at the grocery store stop by the tea aisle and grab a box ! You will be happy that you did in the long run… -LJAY HEALTH

Cutting the Salt Intake

I recently read in article on USA Today website regarding salt and figured I would post some comments about the article. Salt is not only table salt but it is Sodium found in almost every food especially frozen foods, chips and fast foods. Very important that you look on the nutrition label and keep track of the sodium amount. Sodium increases water retention in the body so you weight more, increases blood pressure levels, may lead to kidney failure and clogs the blood arteries.

Most recently, a study published in the journal Stroke made headlines confirming a direct link between sodium intake and increased stroke risk. The Institute of Medicine estimates that 100,000 deaths a year could be prevented with population-wide sodium reductions. And while the U.S. Dietary Guideline’s sodium cap is 2,300 milligrams, the American Heart Association has lowered its recommendation to no more than 1,500 milligrams a day. That’s less than one teaspoon of salt. But most of us are getting at least double that — a whopping average of over 3,400 mg. daily.

• An estimate of over 100,000 deaths per year could be prevented just but a reduction of sodium. This is a powerful statement and eye opening that this amount is as high as it is. The recommended amount for sodium intake is about 1,500 mg a day. However on average people are consuming 3,400 over twice the recommended amount.

Things to do to lower your sodium intake according to the USA Today article:

1. Focus on fresh
Up to 75% of the sodium we eat comes from prepared and processed foods, so simply cooking at home from fresh, minimally processed ingredients will give you a big head start. For example, pre-cooked seasoned chicken breast can have more than 500 mg. sodium in 3 ounces. If you buy it fresh and season and cook it yourself, even if you use some salt, it will likely have half the sodium.

2. Boost flavor healthfully
Instead of leaning on salt for flavor, amp up healthy seasonings such as citrus and citrus zest, fresh and dried herbs, ground spices, chile peppers, vinegars, onion, garlic, and ginger.

3. Buy low-sodium
When you do use products in cans or jars, buy the low-sodium or no-salt-added versions. You can always add other seasoning and even add a touch of salt if necessary, but this way you are in control of how much.

4. Add salt sparingly and reduce incrementally
Don’t think “all or nothing.” A little salt can go a long way in terms of boosting flavor and there’s no need to eliminate it completely. Cut back a step at a time so your taste buds can adapt, starting with three-fourths of the salt you might typically use, then reduce to half over time.

Foods with high sodium levels according to WebMD:

• Frozen dinners= 787 mgs per dinner
• Cereals= 250 mgs of sodium per cup
• Vegetable juices= 479 mgs of sodium per cup
• Canned vegetables=730 mgs per can
• Packed deli meat=363 mgs
• Soy Sauce= 1,024 mgs

Most of these foods almost reach our recommended daily intake of 1,500 mgs of sodium a day. There are such as fast foods burgers and fries which exceeds our daily intake in one serving.

Things that you can do to start limiting your salt intake:

• Don’t go cold turkey and cut all the sodium out at one time. However, make smalls strides to cutting it. Every day try to reduce your sodium intake by 3-5 mg.
• Use garlic salt or sea salt as a substitute.
• Avoid eating frozen foods and eat fresh foods instead.
• Drink more water to help flush the sodium out of your body. Drinking water helps to flush the sodium out of your kidneys when filtered.

Lets spread the word today and help reduce the illness and death toll by educating friends, family, coworkers on some of the health benefits of reducing sodium intake.

Thank you for reading as always!! -LJayHealth