High-protein snacks

So many of the "protein bars" are full of ingredients you can't pronounce or ingredients that have been so processed, they become a glamorous candy bar. Best to stick to foods that you could possibly make at home with an ingredient list you *do* understand and can pronounce!

When I say we want high-protein snacks, what I mean is a flat-belly friendly "low-glycemic" snack -- instead of a granola bar or rice cakes (diet food!) that are "low-fat" but high in simple carbs = simple sugars (not good for your managing your blood sugar or belly inches). The less sugar you eat, the less you crave it. The more you choose high-protein and low-glycemic snacks, the easier it is to feel full and be satisfied -- no more munchies!

Here are some ideas for healthy eating on-the-go.

Make your own trail mix: Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are not as popular as nuts and cost less than my favorite almonds. I take an empty jar and mix up my own trail mix, so that I can stretch my almonds and pistachios and get in the hard-to-grab healthy seeds. When you buy pre-made trail mix, it's pumped full of dried fruit that has extra sugar. If you choose to buy pre-made trail mix, add your own seeds and nuts to decrease the sugar and dried fruit ratio. For example, if you get the individual size mix at Trader Joe's, pair it up with an individual size packet of almonds.

Jerky: You might remember jerky as too dry or too chewy, but there are lots of new foodie flavors and you can even find a vegan jerky. The taste-testers at Women's Health magazine have a list of tasty jerky for you. My favorite so far is KRAVE. Always read the label of any processed food for how many grams of sugar per serving size, so 1) you can monitor your serving size and 2) you can stay under the recommended *maximum* sugar calories per day. For me it's easier to read grams on the label instead of calories and it translates to this guideline from World Health Organization of 6 tsp of sugar = 25g

Protein Bars: Health Warrior Chia Bars have a good amount of natural protein and fiber from the chia seeds. One little Coconut flavor Chia Bar is 110 calories, with 4g of sugar, 3g of Protein and 4g of Fiber.  Keen-wah bars are also tasty, but a lot of chocolate if you're not in the mood for too sweet. If you want a traditional "granola bar" taste, Cascadian Farms offers a pea-protein based granola bar that isn't too sweet.

Protein and Fiber helps you feel full and getting enough fiber helps you detox and maintain a flat belly from inside out.  Most of us are good at getting more protein, and we need a little help on getting more fiber (check out my flat belly post for help). One of my weight loss students ended up getting her veggies (and thus her fiber) by using a dehydrator to make veggie chips. However, you don't need a new gadget to get veggie chips -- simply bake them in your oven or toaster oven (recipes here).

Why should I eat clean?

Why should I eat clean? What is a healthy detox week?

To my surprise, one of my students wasn't so grumpy yesterday. In fact, he was sharing his delight in his health changes.

He had just gotten through doing his detox week of eating clean and reported to me that he noticed he didn't want the cookies that were catered to a company lunch. Big victory! That ever since he's been steady about eating breakfast, having a breakfast smoothie full of veggies and fruit, that he notices he doesn't really want sweets the same as before! That people have been commenting that he looks like he's lost weight. This is only after about a month of nutrition coaching. While he's only lost a few pounds, eating cleaner has decreased his inflammation (thus a healthy glow from his skin and face) and improved his health outlook (less stress on his heart health and diabetes issues).

I've had other students improve from issues related to stomach stress like acid reflux or irritable bowel syndrome. I even had a 30-something student, who had his mother's joint pain from gout, who was very limited in his daily activities to graduate to biking, gardening, and doing yoga exercises regularly. Learning to take care of your health can help diminish the late night munchies and improve quality of your sleep. While weight loss and looking great can be a top motivator for people handle their health concerns, ultimately cleaning up your nutrition has long-term and daily benefits of feeling better energy and improving your mood! Contact me (embodyhealth at gmail) to learn more about a healthy detox week or how to work with your health concerns.

More reasons to drink homemade smoothies

When you drink a homemade smoothie, you can be sure what ingredients you have to best improve your health, without the added sugar from a smoothie cafes that use ice cream or sherbets, or the disintegration of nutrients from ones sitting on the shelf at the grocery store.

Most of us don't get enough servings of fruits and veggies in our diet - which why I encourage my nutrition/weight loss students to focus on to get the fiber from fruits and veggies to help flatten their belly from the inside out! Now, I'm excited to share with you more reasons why smoothies can give you ENERGY -- at the cellular level, besides the usual vitamins and antioxidants you might already know about.

Now, I was reading about CoQ10 for getting energy to mitochondria and found that it has an anti-aging buddy PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) that can help build new mitochondria. For the nerds out there, you can click on the Journal link below and I dare you to try to say the full words PQQ and CoQ10 correctly as fast as you can. So from here on, because it's a tongue-twister for me, we'll just refer to it as P-Q-Q. For everyone else, just know that CoQ10 is great for your heart and tissues (helps decrease my chances of bleeding gums when flossing), and PQQ studies can help improve brain function (especially important for those who have family history of Alzheimers, Parkinsons or dementia etc).

So for those with low attention span, I'll give you some recipe ideas here that will help get the energy boosting foods on the PQQ common foods list from the Biochem Journal now.

I promise that uncooked spinach in a smoothie does not have a flavor or the hairy teeth effect of some cooked spinach. Also, using frozen fruit allows you to get the cool taste for a summer smoothie without adding ice or sugary sorbets.

Kiwi Energy smoothie (If you don't mind seedy taste from the kiwis)
1 generous handful of spinach, 2 peeled and cut-up kiwis, 1 cup frozen organic blueberries (berries are less expensive frozen!), 1 tbls coconut oil, 4-8 oz of coconut water or almond milk (place first 5 ingredients to blend) then stir in 1 tbl of chia seeds for added fiber and omega-3. Optional flavors to add: fresh mint leaves. Optional to boost digestive health: blend in flavorless aloe powder (1 packet). You can omit coconut oil (good fats!) if you don't like coconut taste.

Banana Fanatics smoothie (for those who want the creamy tropical taste or don't like seeds)
1 generous handful of spinach, 1 banana, 1/2 cup frozen or fresh papaya, 1/2 a medium apple, 1 tbls coconut oil, 4-8 oz of coconut water or almond milk. Blend these 6 ingredients. If you like seeds texture, then add 1tbl of chia seeds for added fiber and omega-3. Optional to boost digestive health: blend in flavorless aloe powder (1 packet). If you like cinnamon, sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon (healthy blood sugar support without added sweet calories) into your smoothie for a hint of banana bread flavor.

Savory side dish energy boost
Slice up sweet potatoes and carrots, mix in bowl with crushed garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Roast in oven or sautee in pan on medium-low until desired texture. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley when root veggies are ready. This is good to make in a big batch because once made, they sit well in the fridge for quick snacking or adding as a side to a quick meal.

Jicama for chipaholics

Jicama is a great substitute for that chip craving! It's a crunchy refreshing white root vegetable that has a great amount of fiber with a slightly sweet taste. If you like cucumbers, you'll really like this veggie that is high in crunch factor. The high water content makes it a refreshing chilled treat on a hot day, also a good substitute for a popsicle craving.

One cup of raw sliced jicama gives you 6 grams of fiber, great in Vitamin C (can't get enough of that!) and it's a great source of inulin to support a happy healthy gut. It's low glycemic and terrific for weight loss and flat belly with its high fiber content. More about it's nutrition profile here.

I find my jicama at the farmer's market. If you're in the LA area, there's a terrific Asian veggie stand (near the salad stand) at the Larchmont market. You can find it at most grocery stores. All you have to do is peel, slice and eat!
I like to eat it just plain, but some people like to pair it up with cucumber and lime to make it a tasty slaw. You can find cool jicama recipes here.

Gut and brain health food

Beans have great fiber to support good gut health to detox and beets are great for the brain!

Shown here is a new recipe in development: Red beans with golden yellow beets, artichoke hearts, fresh thyme and mint, carmelized shallots.

If you don't eat enough fiber, email me to receive a fiber worksheet to help you out. And if you don't eat enough veggies or beans due your taste or lifestyle, perhaps you want to check out a fiber supplement to help you get a good baseline. And if you have IBS, you might need to stay away from beets, unless you've been regular with your probiotics and digestive enzymes to reset your gut health.

Alternatives for chip-a-holics

If you want to curb your chip cravings try these strategies. You're likely to be satifisfied with something crunchy or savory, not necessarily chips.

Crowd out with the good stuff:
Substitute with crunchy veggies (carrots, snap peas, jicama, bell peppers, broccoli) with hummus or homemade guacamole (no added sour cream or chemical additives).
Substitute with wheat-free crackers with dips mentioned above.
Substitute with almonds or walnuts. Or make your own nut-dominant trail mix (be careful of too many dried fruits to avoid too much sugar).

Good ol' portion control if you can't give up your favorite flavor of chips: pack your snacks in a small container. Do not sit with a family pack size of chips.

Switch to "baked" so you can avoid the bad fats of the fried chips. If you like tortilla chips, go with organic corn chips that have added nutrition like sesame seeds. My favorite is sesame blues by Garden of Eatin. And going to the first strategy, if you are eating your chips with dip, you will feel full faster and you can't eat that many chips if it takes more time to dip.

If you want to be even more healthy, have athletic goals or simply build lean muscle, I encourage you to check out Beanfield's chips which are made of beans and rice--a complete protein! The Nacho flavor tastes familiar like a popular bad-for-you brand and the Pico de Gallo is also a tasty flavor too. You can find it on line through the link above (mass quantity saves you some money) or you can find it at your local Whole Foods (in the gluten free section, sometimes in a different aisle than the regular chip section) or at Santa Monica Food Co-op.

If you can eat a portion-controlled low-glycemic healthy meal or snack every 3 hrs, eating by the clock instead of waiting for your hunger pangs (too late to make a good decision when you're hungry!), then you're less likely to have cravings and become a conscious eater to fuel a healthier body!

Learn more about health weight management by downloading our recorded teleseminar here. Two more FREE teleseminars coming this week on Digestive Health and Detox, if you sign up by sending your RSVP to embodyhealth at gmail. You'll also get a bonus nutrition worksheet!

8 Healthy Protein-Rich Breakfast Ideas

Many weight loss and wellness students say they don't like to eat breakfast or they don't feel hungry. Studies show that eating breakfast is important to help diminish your sugar or impulse cravings, and boost your metabolism. You're supposed to "break-the-fast" of the hours of not eating during your sleep and tell your body you are not going to fall into starvation (fat-storing) mode. Eat a healthy protein-rich breakfast to tell your body to go into fat-burning mode.

Just commit to eating breakfast 3 consecutive days, then 7 days, and then when you get to 21 consecutive days, you've created a new habit!! Of course, you want to start with things you like, and then experiment with new foods as you go along. And these breakfast ideas are good for any time of day.

Depending on your portions, you can combine ideas:
1) 2 hard-boiled omega=3 eggs + fruit + whole rye crackers
** I put 2 eggs to boil while I go take a shower. I cut up some fruit and rye crackers and this is breakfast-to-go.
*** You can switch to omega-3 free range eggs for heart-healthy eggs (yes, please eat the yolk)
2) Protein smoothie -- berries, greek yogurt, almond milk and protein+fiber powder
3) Cottage cheese with berries, plus almond butter and jam on whole grain toast
4) Veggie scramble with mushrooms, greens, onions/garlic, and herbs + whole grain toast
5) Chicken sausages with protein/whole grain blueberry pancakes
6) Leftovers of previous dinners/lunch that have lean protein and veggies, reheated
7) Veggies + bean soup
8) Oatmeal + berries + 2 hard-boiled eggs (please note that oatmeal is great fiber but not protein, so you need to add eggs or another lean protein)

Need more help with recipes? Check out Eating Well's website for healthy recipe ideas.

Bad Foods We Love and How to Switch!

So many people have an addiction or craving for sodas. And what they don't realize is that soda (diet or not) is affecting the belly fat and much more (see this doctor's article on why it's bad for you). This video link to a 3-minute ABCnews episodes should be mandatory viewing for every high school kid and all adults. It shows you how the average American drinking 20 oz of soda stresses the body.

Cut down or cut out your soda for a healthier belly fat measurement. Here are some easy ideas for you to wean yourself off soda:
1) People like soda for the fizzy -- drink sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or fruit or mint.
2) Portion control -- if you're going to drink your favorite soda, drink 1/2 your normal portion. Switch to a bottled version instead of the aluminum can so you can save it for later rather than worry about finishing it because you can't save the soda in the can. (Switching away from aluminum also limits your aluminum exposure).
3) Bargain with yourself -- for every time you drink your soda, drink a glass of water--it helps dilute the sugars.
4) If you're drinking diet Coke because you're craving energy and caffeine in the afternoon, switch to an energy vitamin supplement that's GOOD for your immune system and fat-burning power instead!

Here's also the list of top 5 bad foods to stay away from. My favorite bad food is chips and you don't want the inflammation from the bad fats. Here are some alternative ideas for the crunch you're looking for:
1) Substitute crunchy chips with crunchy fruit--slice up apples and baby carrots have the crunch. They also dip well with hummus.
2) Eat fewer chips by using a dip like salsa or guacomole--never eat chips by themselves and treat them as a vehicle for healthier calories.
3) Switch to crunchy rice crackers or rye crackers -- they dip well too! Often you can find rice crackers with sesame seeds which have great nutrients.
4) Switch to baked chips-- I like the baked blue corn chips from Trader Joes.
5) Toast whole grain breads for the crunch and make yourself a real hunger-satisfying sandwich with veggies and lean protein instead of snacking.

Want to keep your teeth for a long time?

I remember as a kid, I saw grandpa needing to use his fake teeth and sometimes he just didn't bother and tried to eat with just his gums.

Well, I have a health goal to keep my teeth and gums healthy as long as possible because I love food and can't imagine trying to eat with just my gums. Which means, I ought to floss to keep my teeth healthy but I hate having bleeding gums.

What most regular dentists may be not understand about my unusual case of bleeding gums is that I don't fit the normal profile for unhealthy gums. I have a very healthy exercise and low-glycemic nutrition profile, yet somehow my gums are sensitive and seen as "pre-peridontal disease."

What I learned from a holistic dentist is that some of us need an extra boost (because of genetic predispositions etc) with the help of a supplement like CoQ10. I did some research of my own and ever since I've been taking CoQ10, flossing is not so much of a bloody experience. Plus, this antioxidant is needed to help fight inflammation in all of your body, especially good for your heart health too!

If you need help learning more about your dental health, this holistic dentist has a great website to help you pick the right toothbrush, and he offers wellness seminars in Long Beach, CA.

VISION HEALTH: More news about anti-oxidants

Tired eyes from the computer? Seeing fortieth, fiftieth birthdays around the corner? Take care of your vision!

When people lose their vision, it gets harder to keep up your cardio exercises and maintain good posture for your spine.

Another great article from Eating Well magazine, with great explanations on which foods have what nutrients and how those work with your body, from a nutrition professor at University of Vermont.

Summary here, with my commentary

1) Up your antioxidants
Vit. C food ideas - citrus, kiwi, broccoli
Vit. E food ideas - nuts, avocados
Lutein and zeaxanthin: leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collards
If you need ideas for healthy recipes, search this blog for some easy recipes

2) Eat (whole) eggs
And I say, get the free range omega-3 eggs--these chickens were fed with omega-3 grains including flaxseed! Eggs boiled or scrambled make a great breakfast and starts your day right.

3) Help yourself to more “see” food - get your omega-3 fatty acids and zinc
Eat at least 2 servings of fatty fish per week. Inexpensive small fish like sardines and herring can be tasty as a dip. Smoked herring with greek yogurt, dill, and fresh black pepper makes such a yummy omega-3 and protein packed appetizer dip! If you eat salmon, make sure it is wild-caught and not sick farm-raised. If the restaurant menu does not say wild, it is not wild.

4) Consider a supplement
As much as I like to cook, I honestly don't have time to get fresh wild caught salmon every week, and I don't get my omega-3 fatty acids regularly. I don't like spinach enough to eat 3 cups of it every day. I don't like taking too many pills, and excited to find a line of supplements that I can drink as a healthy cocktail: antioxidants, multivitamin, and vision health. Omega-3 supplements are best carried with Vitamin E in a gel capsule form, so I just have to swallow this one.

5) Keep your blood pressure—and your weight—in check
If you live in LA, it is a driving town and you need to schedule in your cardio workout and you can't leave it up to chance. If you have a walking lifestyle already, give yourself some new challenges because the brain "adapts" to habits and you need to give yourself some changes to get the brain and body working smarter. With the great weather, why not sign up for one of our fitness hikes? Walk as much as you can--park your car farther from your shopping destination. Walk to support your local merchants and meet your friendly neighbors for a better sense of community. Need help losing weight or addressing specific health concerns? Sign up for a F.R.E.E. 20 minute phone consultation to learn more about wellness programs.

Feb 22 UPDATE: More commentary about antioxidants and vision health from the Johns Hopkins Health Alerts.

Eat "nutty" to boost your health

Why do you need to eat "nutty"?
Generally, we should eat more nuts and legumes (lentils, beans) than the typical American diet. As you integrate more nutrient-rich nuts and legumes into your food regimen, you'll also end up eating less of the simple carbohydrates, so you can eat well with the low-glycemic food with less effort!

Eat 1-2 Brazil nuts per day to get the selenium you need. And you need the selenium so that you can keep your body's supply of at least 3 other nutrients intact: vitamin C, glutathione, and vitamin E.

If you don't like eating nuts, there is also the ground brazil nut protein powder that I add 1 tablespoon to my gluten-free pancake batter recipe or any other baking efforts to give that nutrient boost and extra crisp.

Selenium is a very important antioxidant and is known to be a depleted mineral from U.S. soil. If you've taken medications in the cortisol family, you are particularly vulnerable to selenium deficiency. Also, you can combat heart disease and arthritis by being a nutty eater.

Read more from this great resource guide.

"Weight Loss for Foodies" Radio Show

I'm thrilled to be a guest on Nancy Bruning's Radio Show this coming Thursday Dec 10th 9amPST/12noonEST.
We came up with the topic "Weight Loss for Foodies" and we'll talk about low-glycemic eating with fun foods!
If you can't call in with questions, please send me questions ahead of time. Also, it will be archived if you aren't able to join us live.

From my other entries, can you tell I am a self-identified "foodie" (AKA food-lover)?