Posted on Friday, February 20th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
That’s a tall order there partner, how can you do all those things at once? Learn from our Mediterranean buddies. For the last seven centuries or so the good people from the Mediterranean region have enjoyed better health and better skin quality than most other people around the globe. I personally don’t know if the men there snore less or not.
Studies conducted in the 1950’s and 1960’s sought out why the populace of that region were skinnier, healthier and lived a bit longer than others. The conclusion was that the traditional diet of the region was for the most part veggies, fruits, course grains, bread, beans and most importantly olive oil.
These studies revealed that the people there consumed more olive oil and virtually no other types of fats such as butter of animal fat. Because of this they had fewer cardiovascular problems, lower blood pressure and less oxidative damage to their bodies. This lower oxidative damage resulted in fewer cases of colorectal cancer, breast cancer and endometrial, prostate and pancreatic cancers as well.
In my last posting I talked of how the Flat Belly Diet rightfully included a daily dose of MUFA (MonoUnsaturated Fatty Acids) which increase our body’s metabolism, feelings of satiety (fullness) and make us feel happier by way of the serotonins they contain. Olive oil is by far one of the best MUFA’s on earth, olive oil has 0% cholesteral and contains anti-aging vitamins to boot.
Other unique properties of olive oil are its ability to dissolve nutrients and other beneficial substances from foods that our body’s are unable to dissolve and absorb.
It is great for keeping your body looking great both inside and out. Massage a little olive oil on your skin to promote a smooth and radiant complexion and to maintain your skin’s elasticity. Olive oil will cure your chapped lips, your brittle nails, and your damaged hair or slight case of dandruff. Lastly, it is said that a swig at bedtime stops you or you spouse from snoring.
Naturally, the most beneficial olive oil for your body is also the most expensive grade i.e. cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. This is also the most perishable grade so you shouldn’t buy more than you think you can use within a couple of months. For longer shelf life you could decant a little for immediate use and stick the rest in the fridge. It will partially solidify but will re-liquefy quickly at room temperature.
Olive oils from different regions have subtle differences in taste so be adventurous and try brands from Greece, Italy, Spain, Israel, or California. The best way to start reaping these benefits from this miracle food is to replace all the other fats in your diet with olive oil. The recommended amount to promote the benefits is about two tablespoons on a daily basis according to the FDA and the Mayo Clinic.
This is going to sound decadent, but I am going to infuse some olive oil with sun dried tomatoes and dried basil and dip me some sour dough bread in it for a quick snack. You all enjoy.
clink.
Tags: anti aging vitamins, better health, body, cancer, cardiovascular problems, cholesteral, diet, fat, flat belly, for, fruit, health, lower blood pressure, metabolism, monounsaturated fatty acids, nutrients, radiant complexion, skin, to, traditional diet, you
Posted in Fruits and Nuts for your Health |
Posted on Thursday, January 8th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Pepper Your Nuts
Stop thinking like that. Did you know that walnuts are one of the richest sources of serotonin on the planet? Serotonin is a compound we have in our brains that promotes good mood feelings and produces the satisfied feeling after we eat, i.e. feelings of satiety (fullness). The serotonin levels of our bodies tend to diminish depending on age, diet, stress, and state of mind.
In weight loss an outside boost in serotonin levels can fake our bodies into thinking were full, thereby helping us with our reduced caloric intake we need to achieve the weight loss.
That said, eat a handful of walnuts a couple of times a day to help control your food cravings.
Now spice it up a notch.
Numerous studies have shown that the addition of hot spices in your meal can increase your metabolic rate by as much as 25%. One study conducted across the pond in England showed that the addition of salsa or mustard to a meal produced this 25% increase in our bodies metabolism and the subjects that received the added spice lost weight faster that the control group that didn’t get the hot stuff.
Some great spices that can elevate our metabolic rate are:
Cayenne pepper and cinnamon both create a thermogenic burn in
our bodies thereby increasing this metabolic increase,
Garlic contains allicin which reduces unhealthy fat and the bad
cholesterol while preserving the good cholesterol,
Chipotle pepper, the powder from smoke dried jalapenos has
the same qualities as cayenne but adds such a great flavor.
Okay lets combine them altogether to make a great appetite suppressant that has its own metabolic energizer also.
Spicy toasted walnuts
Get yourself a bag of walnut halves
Mix together in a gallon size storage bag:
1 Tbsp Chipotle Powder
1 Tbsp Cayenne Powder
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
Lay walnut halves on a sheet of foil, spray very lightly with canola oil spray, throw in to the bag of spices and shake it up.
Spread the seasoned walnuts on an ungreased cookie sheet, place in the center of a preheated 350 degree oven and toast for 7 to 10 minutes or to your preferred crispiness.
Like I said before eat just a handful of these walnuts a couple times a day to curb your appetite – enjoy.
Have a great one - clink
Tags: added spice, appetite suppressant, bad cholesterol, caloric intake, cayenne powder, garlic powder, good cholesterol, good mood, metabolic rate, satiety, serotonin levels, toasted walnuts
Posted in Fruits and Nuts for your Health |
