It's Your right to know!!

Get out and vote!! Don't forget to vote yes on Prop 37!! We deserve to know what we are eating!

October is right around the corner!

Hello Readers!  Sorry I have not written recently,  It feels like this month just flew by.  I just looked at the calendar and realized that it's going to be October in less than a week! And I 'm really excited! (I love that October feeling)

And with Halloween on it's way, we often forget to watch how many candy bars we're eating, or pumpkin spice lattes, or delicious fall pastries, you name it! All those delicious Fall foods! But you know, there are better alternatives to these empty calorie packed October-December foods, and sometimes portion control and watching our ingredients plays a big role on weight gain.  Eating in moderation is very important.  So lets take a look at some delicious October foods that are sure to scare your socks off!! (Because of how great they taste and how little calories they pack!!)

CARAMEL APPLE PIZZA

1 slice caramel apple pizza has 238 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. 










SWEET POTATO CHIPS
1 large sweet potato has 162 calories, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein.






STOVE-TOP KETTLE CORN
1 cup of kettle corn is 185 calories, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.




PUMPKIN SPICE CASHEW CHEESE DIP
A couple of tablespoons of this delicious pumpkin spice cashew cheese dip have 99 calories, 10 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Plus, did I mention it's Vegan!


HOME-MADE PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
A delicious cup of pumpkin spice latte has 92 calories, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein!  This is also a vegan recipe, but you can substitute condensed milk or any other milk if you want!




Thank you all for reading, I hope you have a wonderful last week of September, and brace yourselves for October! It's going to be a blast!

P.S.  Also remember to drink water (or Alkaline Ionized Water if you can!) During these cooler months we tend to not drink as much water as we should and we easily become dehydrated! Don't let that happen to you!  Drink up, Cheers and Happy Fall!

Have you Shared?

(On Facebook and Pinterest, that is)

Don't miss out on a great chance to win a brand new IE 300 Water Ionizer!  Entering is super easy! You only have to follow two simple steps!

1) Click here and like us on Facebook, once you like us, share our promo image on your page!

2) Click here and follow us on Pinterest, once you follow us, share our promo image on your Pinterest!

And that's it, you have now entered to win the most amazing and life changing machine on the planet, the almighty IE 300 water ionizer!  Over $800 in value!  And in case you are wondering, we are also giving away other prizes like a shower head filter and BPA-Free water bottles!  So don't wait, ENTER NOW!!!  Last day to enter is December 15, 2012! Good Luck!

Brain Foods!

Have these foods more often and get ready to have a super brain!! Enjoy!

SHARE IT TO WIN IT!!

Share it to win it! You can win an IE 300 Ionizer, Shower Head Filter or a BPA-Free Water bottle!  Enter by December 15 to win!  Just follow two simple steps and you will be entered to win!  Good Luck!

Ahhh... the sugar!!

Created by: www.OnlineNursingPrograms.com

I had gone for such a long time without drinking Coke.  Then suddenly one day I was offered a glass of Coke and, of course, I accepted.  Afterwards, when I got home I had a sudden urge to drink another glass of Coke.  See, this is why I had tried to avoid drinking Coke for such a long time, because as soon as I drink it, I am hooked on that sweet carbonated experience that cannot be compared to any other taste experience on the planet.  This feeling is not only experienced by me.  In fact, there are lots of loyal Coke drinkers out there that cannot function without having their daily dose.  The real battle is telling your brain NO! when it tells you it wants another one.  I'm proud of myself, I didn't drink the other Coke.  However most Coke drinkers find it hard to resist the urge, and have to drink their Coke to feel better.  Please look at the numbers above, the illnesses, the side effects! This is very serious!  We should be changing those numbers and reducing our sugar intake, parents also need to be wary of the high sugar intake of children!  It's time to say NO!! to the urge!

Ahhhh... Fall!

Such a lovely time of year!  Fall is my favorite season, that's why I want to dedicate this post to Fall.  As you all know Fall is just around the corner.  And soon the temperature will be dropping, the leaves will be changing color and the lovely smells of pumpkin pies will be in the air.. ahhh, how I love this time of year!  Not to mention Halloween and Thanksgiving happen during this season.. My most favorite celebrations!

Of course as we approach the months, we will begin to crave more comfort foods.  This of course means that we will be eating calorie packed foods, which can result in weight gain, specially after Thanksgiving!  During these times we have to remember, it's okay to indulge!  We just have to eat in moderation, everything in moderation is good!  When we over-indulge, then we begin to stray away from our path.  Here are a few tips from EatRight.com to help us out during these comfort food filled upcoming seasons!

• If you plan on treating yourself later, start your day with a small meal that includes whole grains, fruit, dairy foods and protein like eggs, ham or peanut butter.
• Don't starve yourself beforehand. Rather, eat a small, lower-calorie meal or snack such as fruit or a bagel so you aren’t tempted to overdo your calorie intake for the day.
• Select carefully between foods you definitely will eat, those you will sample and those you will skip.
• Don’t rush to eat. Socialize and settle into the festivities before you eat.
• Move your socializing away from the buffet or appetizer trays. This will minimize the unconscious nibbling.
• When it comes to drinking alcohol, start with a calorie-free, nonalcoholic beverage. Satisfy your thirst before having an alcoholic drink. It is recommended that women have only one to two drinks per day and two to three drinks per day for men.

Well, lets get ready for a wonderful Fall season.  Hope you all have a wonderful Labor day weekend! See you next time!

The One, The Only... The Chia Seed!!!

Chia are so tiny in size but they have so many super powers! Well, not super powers like super heroes, their powers are even better.  Chia seeds have been known to help for many things, such as weight loss, blood sugar balancing, diverticulitis prevention, craving prevention, among many other things.

Can you believe these tiny seeds are also a complete protein (do you see how tiny these seeds are, how can they possibly pack in so many benefits?!)  Unlike beans and most whole grain breads, Chia seeds don't need any other ingredient to become complete proteins.  They also have Omega-3 fatty acids, which make them perfect for vegetarians and vegans who do not eat fish.  And did I also mention that these babies have soluble and non-soluble fiber!  And chia seeds also make you look younger with their share of antioxidants and give you more energy!  Whoa, is there something chia seeds cannot do?! Well, they won't be able to rescue you from a villain, but they sure will rescue your health!

Here comes the big question... How does one, eat these seeds?  Well, you can put chia seeds pretty much anywhere you want! Salads, puddings, yogurts, breads, smoothies, breakfast scrambles, juices, sauces, you name it!  Chia seeds are flavorless, so they can be added to any food and they will not alter its taste.  Because they have soluble and non-soluble fiber, when chia seeds come in contact with liquids they will develop a gel-like outer layer, which can be great when added to yogurts, smoothies, juices and sauces!

Chia seeds are just simply amazing! The fact that they are so little in size but can do so many things for us is really astonishing !  Personally I just recently found out about chia seeds not so long ago, and I have been adding them to foods here and there and I have to say, these little seeds do what supplements on the market listed for insanely high prices claim to do.  And chia seeds are really affordable! There really is no excuse not to include chia seeds to your diet!  Try them out first to see for yourself!  Some grocery stores carry them in bulks so you can choose how much you want to start off with.  I hope you enjoy chia seeds as much as I do!

Thanks again for reading! I wish you all a wonderful day full of laughter, happiness, good health and good energy!

Delishious Smoothies... That are good for you!!!

Smoothies are great ways to have a nutritious meal or snack and not feel overly stuffed!  Here are some delicious smoothies that are perfect to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even as a snack! Enjoy!

Kimberly Snyder's Official Glowing Green Smoothie
 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½- 2 cups very cold, filtered water
• 6 cups spinach, chopped
• 5 cups organic romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 stalks of organic celery
• 1 organic apple, cored and chopped
• 1 organic pear, cored and chopped
• 1 organic banana
• 1–2 Tbs. fresh organic lemon juice

Directions:
Add water, spinach and chopped romaine to the blender. Starting the blender on a low speed; mix until smooth.
Gradually move to higher speeds and add the herbs, celery, pear, and apple. Add the banana and lemon juice last.
*For 1 serving, cut out one of the fruits and the celery.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie with Flax Seed

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 banana
• 6 ounces plain nonfat plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 1/2 cup ice cubes 

Directions: Place your ingredients in the blender and start blending on low speed and then gradually increase the speed until all ingredients are smooth. Add another 30-60 seconds to add air which makes the smoothie lighter. Serves 2 so bring an extra glass.

POM Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup POM wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
• 3/4 cup soy or low-fat milk
• 2 ice cubes
• 1 large banana
• 2 tablespoons almonds
• 3 table spoons protein powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon honey or stevia sweetener

 Directions: In a blender combine all ingredients. Cover and blend on high for at least 30 seconds (make sure the almonds aren’t visible) then pour into two glasses. Makes 2 servings.

 Banana Cocoa Soy Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup silken tofu
• 1/2 cup soymilk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey

 Directions:
Slice banana and freeze until firm. Blend tofu, soymilk, cocoa and honey in a blender until smooth. With the motor running, add the banana slices through the hole in the lid and continue to puree until smooth.

Papaya and Kiwi Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vanilla soy milk or almond milk
• 1 cup papaya
• 1 peeled kiwi fruit
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• Dash of cinnamon
• 2-4 ice cubes

Directions:
Place ingredients in your blender. Start slow and gradually speed up blender until smooth. Then blend for another 30 seconds on high.


I hope you all enjoy these delicious recipes!  Cheers!

Check your Tortillas...or Corn Products!

I'm Hispanic, and my gastronomic culture involves tortillas... lots of them.  But as I've been doing more and more research, I found that most corn tortillas on the market are made with GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) this was a shocker for me, because I've been eating them my whole life.

Here's something to think about, when you go out and eat Mexican food, most Mexican dishes consist of corn, whether it be the tortilla chips you are enjoying with salsa or an enchilada, sope, taco, taquito, quesadilla.. etc... Since corn is so widely mass produced, it often has GMOs.

Did you know that GMO corn is also used for most products on the market?  According to the Live Strong website corn is used in soda, condiments, packaged desserts, candy, granola bars, fruit snacks, chips, cereal along with many other products on the market shelf.

These GMOs cause many problems to our health.  According to Hub Pages, some scientists predict that GMOs are one of the root causes of epidemics that now plague the United States including obesity, diabetes, asthma, fertility problems, food allergies and even cancer.  We should all be aware of the effects of GMOs, they cause problems for us and specially children and the elderly. I also fount it a shock to discover that most public school lunches consist of high contents of high fructose corn syrup, that should concern parents!  Watch the short video below from Food Inc.

 The best way to avoid these GMOs, is to shop carefully.  You absolutely MUST CHECK THE INGREDIENTS LABEL ON ALL THE FOOD YOU PURCHASE!!! This sounds like a tedious task at first, but you should take proper precautions and shop for the best food possible.  Shop organic and watch out for High Fructose Corn Syrup! It's everywhere and in everything! 

Best of luck on your endeavor for good health! Thanks for reading.

Is Bottled Water as Pure as you Think?

When we want purity and quality, we immediately think about bottled water.  A product that is clean and pure, free of bacteria, chlorine and all types of contaminants.  But what if bottled water is NOT as pure as we think?

Most of us believe that bottled water is the most pure form of water, assuming that it comes from the purest sources, regulated frequently, and the safest to drink.  However, we might not know the whole truth about bottled water.

Bottled water not only causes one problem, but many.  Let us begin with the fact that the plastic used for most of bottled water is made with chemicals that are very harmful for our health.  According to an article by Ban the Bottle contaminants we find in bottled water are: Coliforms, Arsenic, Chloride, Iron, Manganese, Phenols, Dissolved Solids, Zinc, Fluoride, Barium, Chromium, Copper, Cyanide, Nickel, Ethyl benzene, Monochlorobenzene, Styrene, Toluene and Xylene. Now, where are these listed on most bottled water?

According to an article by Mercola, BPA, a chemical found in bottles is an estrogen-mimicking chemical that has been linked to a host of serious health problems including: Learning and behavioral problems, Altered immune system function, Early puberty in girls and fertility problems, Decreased sperm count, Prostate and breast cancer, Diabetes and obesity.  These are serious problems we are facing today.  We often seek to find solutions or a fix to our health issues (either medicine or therapy) but we sometimes skip the step where we go back and try to find the cause of the problem, well, this is the cause.  Plain and simple, PLASTIC IS BAD!

 In terms of purity, bottled water is no safer than tap water.  In taste, the only main difference may seem to be that tap water has a chlorinated taste, the reason for the chlorine is to maintain safe water levels and to eliminate any kind of bacteria or contaminant. Although tap water is regulated more frequently than bottled water, that doesn't make it safe to drink.  Contaminants often found in tap water are chlorine, household chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, detergents, fertilizers, industrial chemicals, heavy metals like mercury, lead, nickel, chromium, as well as microorganisms like bacteria, algae, fungi, cysts, cryptosporidium and giardia. 

 In terms of the environment, bottles are made in millions daily.  We are using up all of the earth's resources to mass produce more bottles, making bottled waters creates pollution, both in the air and once bottles are used.  Bottles are often disposed of incorrectly and either end up in landfills or in the ocean affecting the ocean's pH and chemical levels. (remember the chemicals in bottles?) Once the heat from the sun hits those bottles in the ocean.all of those chemicals sift slowly into the ocean affecting the ocean's wild-life.  Did I mention that the same occurs with bottles in landfills as well as all of the waste in the landfill, all of those chemicals end up in our groundwater.

This brings us to our next point.  WATER.  So the water is either taken at the source (waterfalls, springs, groundwater, or it's simply filtered with a reverse osmosis system.) Water from the ground is very likely to have traces of chemicals like listed above.  The other water is being taken at such large amounts, that we are now experiencing droughts more often.  We are simply taking too much out.  How about the water that goes into the Reverse Osmosis filtration system? Did you know that it takes 4 gallons of water to create 1 gallon of drinkable water via R.O.? This is terrible, and just simply a waste of water!

"So?" you say, "I can't drink bottled water and I can't drink tap water... So what do I drink then?"  You can start by getting a BPA Free Water Bottle, and getting a water filtering unit for your home.  Do not get an R.O. system, you will waste a lot of water! A2O Water Co. offers a great line of water filtering units that filter out most of the contaminants in tap water. Sure they might seem like a big expense at first, but they are an investment for your health and our planet.

So there you have it, the problems, causes and solutions!  We hope you seriously reconsider before buying a bottle water next time! Thanks for reading!

'Tis the Season!

I'm not talking about the holidays, although we are approaching holiday season fairly quickly.  I want to talk about the seasons, most importantly... The FRUITS and VEGETABLES from every season!  Part of our modern society has no season limitation on the grocery store shelves.  Fruits and vegetables are grown year round now a days.  There has to be something wrong with that!

Now, eating fruits and vegetables is a great thing, and we should all do it daily!! But we should also ask ourselves if the fruits and vegetables we are eating are in season.  Not only will we save money on fruits or veggies that are in season, but they will taste a whole lot better!  The flavor of a fruit or vegetable that is in season will never compare to one that is not!

The reason for that is because fruits and vegetables that are harvested year-round are often genetically modified, sprayed with numerous pesticides and waxes to display a "in season" appearance.  But these modifications disrupt the fruit's or vegetable's natural cycle.  We need to understand that there are reasons why these fruits and vegetables do not grow year-round.  According to an article by Natural News "By eating freshly harvested produce, you will be rotating your foods, thereby keeping your body from developing intolerances to certain foods and reaping the health benefits of a diet that is diverse and naturally detoxifying. Seasonal foods also have a much higher antioxidant content than non-seasonal foods."

Not only do these fruits and vegetables help us detox our bodies, but we are also not eating chemicals or other additives on year-round fruits and vegetables, which is a HUGE bonus!!  So the next time you want to get fruits and vegetables, go to a farmer's market, shop organic and local! And most importantly, eat what is in season!! You will notice a difference in your health, the delicious taste of your food and you will also save money in the process!

Thank you for reading, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Eating Fresh?

Sure, most of us have heard about the unhealthy foods at fast food restaurants like McDonald's or Jack in the Box, but we don't really hear a lot of bad stuff about Subway, do we?

Most people are under the impression that Subway is a healthier alternative than eating a burger from these burger joints.  But in fact Subway isn't that much healthier.

Let's begin with the fact that their deli meats are processed and are full of artificial fillers, and of course they are certainly not organic, which means that Subway meats are just like fast food meats, in fact, Subway meats are also distributed by the same meat factories the big fast food joints get their meats from, I urge you to research how these places raise their cattle and how the meat is treated with chemicals to comply with health regulations, not to mention how the poor animals are treated in the process.  Now this is something you wouldn't really think about when eating at Subway.  Most people expect their food to be wholesome, fresh, free of artificial ingredients or chemicals but in reality this food is not in any way healthier!

A fine example of this is the "Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts".  The oven roasted chicken Subway uses is made with separated chicken meat chunks, fillers, water, corn syrup and MSG!! Instead of a wholesome chicken breast, which can just be a chicken breast, why does it have to have so many other ingredients?!

The bread is also not made the old fashioned way, rather the breads at subway have delicious chemicals as ingredients!  According to an article by CBS, "the 9-grain wheat, white and sourdough varieties are made with sodium stearoyl lactylate and ammonium sulfate, which are used as a dough conditioners, and azodicarbonamide, a bleaching chemical most commonly employed in the production of foamed plastics." This ensures a bread like no other!  Now why would this be necessary in a place that promotes eating fresh and wholesome food?

Now, I don't know about you, but I was in shock when I read up on Subway! I honestly thought that Subway was trying to help us change our American diet by offering healthier options, free from artificial ingredients, fillers, and chemicals, but I see that it does not!  This is very discouraging since often times Subway is marketed as the healthier choice.  Sure you get to choose your veggies, but what about your breads and meats, shouldn't TRUE healthier options be offered instead?  I urge you to research your food extensively before eating it, you might be surprised (as I was) to find that the food you think is healthy, is actually not as healthy as you think!

Thank you all for reading, and remember shop smart, because only you have the power to make a change with the items you choose to purchase!

More Delicious Summer Eats!!

With this incredible summer heat, there's nothing better than having a fresh yet deliciously satisfying meal!  Because we don't always crave a large heavy meal, specially during summer, sometimes a light meal seems just right! Check out these awesome summer eats!!! And click on them to see the recipes!!

Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

Tempeh Greek Salad Wraps

Arugula, Mozzarella, Tomato on Focaccia

Avocado Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

 

Perfect meals, for a perfect summer afternoon!! Hope you enjoy! 

Where will you be this weekend?

If you live close to Rancho Cucamonga, or if you happen to drive by this Saturday or Sunday, stop by Viva La Vegan Grocery Store between 10am-8pm!  They will be celebrating their store expansion and Grand Opening (Re-Opening!) There will be food, there will be drinks and there will be give aways!!

 I will be there with A2O Water Co., We are really excited about sharing our products in Viva La Vegan, we really hope you can pay us a visit and try our Alkaline Ionized Water, you will be soo glad you did! Click here for directions!  We hope to see you there Saturday or Sunday!!

Ideas for breakfast?

 

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The Secrets of Running!

What better way to exercise than to run? It's free and it's easy!!...EASY!!??? Yeah Right!!! Although running is supposed to be really "easy", I really struggle with it!  I always start the same way, very motivated and then I begin to run and then I begin to struggle with my breathing and before I know it I get this terrible side pain that makes me want to give up running all together.  I did some research and this side pain is known as a "Side Stitch", apparently it's very common with novice runners.  I've always thought to myself, if only I didn't get this terrible pain, I might actually be able to complete my run!  Well, I guess there are ways to not get the "side stitch" and now I am motivated to give running a chance once more!

After my reading from several sources I have found that they all conclude on simple steps to avoid these side stiches.  Here's what we need to do:

• Let's stretch before we begin to run. We can stretch our sides by reaching up to the sky and holding, repeating on both sides.
• Let's not just jump into running, lets begin by walking briskly, switching to a power walk and finally running.
• Let's BREATHE the right way!! Personally I had been doing this the wrong way every time in the past and it's the most important part of our run, if we are not breathing the right way we are destined to end our run frustrated! The right way to breathe is through our belly, not our chest.  We need to fill our belly with air instead of our chest, so when we run our belly should be expanding and deflating instead of our chest!  Also, the "breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth" is a huge mistake I was making! We need to breathe in and out through our mouth and our nose, it's easier to use our belly to breathe when we breathe in through our mouth.
• Let's check our form! We have to stand up straight and not slouch, I do this a lot too!! If we are leaning forward when we run, we need to lean back and keep our back straight, however for some runners it does help to lean forward a little bit, it's just a matter of experimenting.
• Let's take sips of water rather than gulping down our water before or throughout our run.  We need to drink the most water once we are done with our run, but throughout it is best to take small sips to avoid dehydration.
• If the side stitch does occur during our run, DON'T GIVE UP!!! We can do this!! A way to ease the pain is by slowing down, or walking for a bit, putting our hand under our ribcage where we feel the pain and focusing on our breathing.  Once the pain seizes, let's keep on running! Eventually we will strengthen our body and this will not happen anymore, but we have to keep going and be patient with ourselves!!

I really hope this helps all the novice runners out there that are frustrated with running like myself!  I am going to put these steps to the test and I am going to be patient with myself.  I often get discouraged when things don't work out the way I want them to, and when I see no results as immediately as I want them, I get even more discouraged.  But I really have to learn to change this terrible habit, because I will never see a change unless I do!

Good luck my dear readers! I hope you can show that run who's boss this time around!!

See you next time!

Hello Summer Time!!!!

I love Summer, but during this time I don't really eat that much... that of course is not a good thing.  During Summer we specially need to stay hydrated and eat.  I think part of the reason why I don't really eat that much during Summer is because  I don't really feel like cooking that much when it's too hot.  The good thing is that during Summer we can make really simple and quick meals that taste delicious, are light, and are very low in calories!  Salads are excellent summer meals!  Don't just stick with Ranch dressing or Blue Cheese... EXPERIMENT!!

 I found this amazing sesame dressing from Feast from the East that I purchased at Costco that tastes superb!! I mix salad greens cut up a yellow mango or a tangerine, purple onion, add crunchy noodles or wontons, add shrimp or tuna and mix it all with a little bit of sesame dressing!! this is super easy to make and it tastes amazing!!  You can also make it with chicken or any other type of meat!

There are of course many other salads out there! We can add nuts and fruits to our salads to give them an extra kick, like walnuts, cashews, pecans, dried cranberries, strawberries, grapes, mango, and citrus fruits! There are so many variations that we can try, we just have to experiment with our ingredients!

To avoid all those extra calories, stay away from dairy based dressings like Ranch, Blue Cheese, Caesar and Thousand Island...yes, I know those are very delicious but they are also very high in calories.  Try Vinaigrettes instead or non-dairy based dressings, you might be surprised with the flavor of these dressings, they really are something else and they're very light! You can also make your own dressings if you are feeling bold.  you can use lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil or vegetable oil to make your own dressings!Try this!!  Blend avocado with olive oil and pumpkin seeds (pepitas), cilantro, lime/lemon juice and add a hint of garlic salt in your food processor or blender for a delicious avocado dressing!!

I hope you all have fun experimenting with salads during Summer, I know I will!

Happy Summer Everyone!!

Let's talk about FIBER!!

Sure, most of us have probably heard that fiber is good for us, But what does it do?

Let's begin by learning a little more about fiber itself!  There are two different types of fiber.  Soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.  Soluble fiber is more gel-like and can be found in foods like oatmeal, peas, pears, apples, beans and many other foods, this type of fiber helps regulate blood cholesterol and glucose levels.  Insoluble fiber has a rougher texture, this is the stuff that helps all of the nasty buildup in our digestive tract get scraped off so that it exits the body as it should.  Insoluble fiber can be found in nuts, seeds, skins of fruits and vegetables, and whole wheat.  Insoluble fiber ensures that you have soft stools and no constipation!

Although this is a difficult topic to talk about, especially in a blog that talks mostly about food! We should know the reasons why fiber is so good! No body likes to be constipated or irregular.  Also did you know that being constipated or irregular can significantly affect your mood as well?  That's why instead of getting mad at that cranky person that's giving you a hard time, you should instead think to yourself (or out loud) "is this person getting enough fiber in their diet?"  Odds are they're probably not.  But on a serious note, consuming fiber is very very very important for our health! According to Mayo Clinic, fiber not only normalizes bowel movement and maintains bowel health, but it also regulates blood cholesterol, glucose levels and assists in weight loss!!  What else can we ask for?!

With the increased consumption of fast foods and chips, candy, and all of the wonderful tasty "bad for you" foods out there, we really aren't getting too much fiber in our diets.  We've become a nation that shuns vegetables and fruits and instead chooses a bag of chips or a cupcake, and this significantly affects our bodies.  Not only are fats, sugars and sodium an issue but the lack of fiber!  Fiber is essential to help all of the waste in our bodies exit with ease. (AND WATER IS ALSO ESSENTIAL, OF COURSE!!)  Without fiber we are at risk of getting high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, hemorrhoids, and/or irritable bowel syndrome! Why wait for these to happen when the solution is as simple as eating more fiber?

You don't have to buy that fiber supplement at the vitamin store, all you need is to eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grain products, nuts and seeds!   Just like the saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor a way, which is definitely true, but it will definitely take more than 1 apple to make a significant difference!

Challenge yourself and better your health.  My personal suggestion is to not see these changes as dietary changes, but rather, a lifestyle change!  You are doing this for YOU and it shouldn't be unpleasant.  Have fun and explore with different whole real foods, you might be amazed to find that being healthy is not as difficult as you thought if would be.

Thanks for reading!

The Almighty Sweet Potato!!

Sweet potatoes are so delicious! I absolutely love to eat them.  But besides the fact that they taste amazing, did you know sweet potatoes are really good for you?

According to an article by Care2.com Sweet Potatoes have 9 amazing health benefits!  Let's explore!!

Sweet potatoes have Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Natural sugars that are slowly released into our bloodstream, High amounts of Carotenoids and they are Very Versatile!!

Sounds like sweet potatoes are not only delicious but also very nutritious!  And there are so many ways to eat them too!! We can roast them, grill them, mash them, toast them, fry them, puree them, bake them or steam them! There is no limit for the Almighty sweet potato!!

We should include this wonderful vegetable in our diets, it is a great source of vitamins and it just plain delicious!