Posts Tagged ‘Nutrition’
Top Sources of Calcium
There are plenty of easily accessible sources of calcium that will benefit your body.
Health Benefits of Calcium
• Bones and teeth contain 99% of the calcium in the body, which makes it no surprise to know that calcium is a huge factor in maintaining healthy and strong bones.
• There have been studies showing that calcium may help prevent colon cancer.
• Prevents osteoporosis, which is a disease that is characterized by brittle and porous bones.
• In 1999 a study revealed that calcium was a “sound treatment” for women who experienced symptoms of premenstrual syndrome(PMS).
• Helps with blood clotting, muscle contraction, regulation of enzyme activity, cell membrane and proper nerve function.
• Calcium is heart healthy! In studies, it has been shown to help lower blood pressure.
Top Sources of Calcium
• Yogurt (44%)
• Tofu (39%)
• Sesame Seeds (35%)
• Goat Milk (32%)
• Sardines (31%)
• Milk (29%)
• Collard Greens (26%)
• Spinach (24%)
• Pink Salmon (17%)
• Blackstrap Molasses (16%)
Note: Percentages based on the daily value based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Tips for Absorbing Calcium More Efficiently
• Eat foods containing Vitamin D since it will accelerate the absorption of calcium from the gastrointestinal tract.
• If you eat food containing high amounts of potassium, it will reduce the urinary excretion of calcium, which will help you keep your calcium levels at a normal level.
• Calcium and Magnesium “compete” with each other for intestinal absorption. If you are taking supplements of each, you may want to consider taking the supplements at separate times.
• If you eat a lot of food or drink containing caffeine, sodium, or protein, it will increase the urinary excretion of calcium, which depletes your calcium levels.
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Image Credit: Yogurt
10 Steps To A Healthier Heart
Your heart is constantly working, so why not give your heart a “break” by focusing on a lifestyle that will promote a healthy heart!?
10 Steps To A Healthier Heart
1. Keep your Cholesterol low, aiming for less than 200 milligrams/deciliter and keep your Blood Pressure below 120/80. Garlic has been shown to reduce both cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
2. If you smoke, it’s time to quit the habit. Three years after a person quits smoking, their chance of having a heart attack is the same as someone who has never smoked before.
3. Eat more heart healthy fats such as wild salmon, nuts, avocados, olive oil, and flax seeds. Studies show that consuming two or more servings of fish per week is associated with reducing the risk of developing coronary heart disease by 30 percent.
4. Reduce the stress in your life. Take a break. Get a massage. Go on vacation. Meditate! Do whatever you need to do to reduce the amount of stress in your life. Stress has a negative affect on your heart and overall health.
5. Exercise! Physical activity is a huge factor when it comes to having a healthy heart. Aim for either 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of vigorous physical activity or 2 1/2 hours each week of moderate intensity exercise.
6. Get to – or maintain – a healthy weight. Those with a healthy BMI were shown to have less risk of heart disease.
7. Avoid fried, fatty, and sugary foods. Yep, they may taste good, but they aren’t doing your heart (or the rest of your body) any favors since these foods have been linked to heart disease, clogged arteries, cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and the list goes on. In the long run, it’s just best to stay away.
8. Keep your glucose levels down. You should aim to have your fasting blood glucose levels to be less than 100 milligrams/deciliter.
9. Eat more fiber rich foods, such as whole grains, beans, lentils, apples, tomatoes, carrots, pears, and squash (ok, just about all fruits and vegetables).
10. Limit the amount of sodium you consume each day! You should try to have less than 1,500 milligrams a day.
Get Started Today
Choose which step to work on for a healthier heart. You don’t have to try and tackle all of these steps today. Work on steps that are easier for you, and work on them one at a time. You’ll soon realize how good it feels to take care of the little muscle that works so hard to keep you going.
A healthy heart, a healthy you!
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Tags: February, Fitness, Heart Health, Heart Health Month, Nutrition, overall health
Coconut Water by Vita Coco®
Vita Coco’s an all-natural, super-hydrating, fat-free, cholesterol-free, nutrient-packed, potassium-stacked, mega-electrolyte coconut water!
What is Coconut Water?
Many people seem to get coconut water a little mixed up with coconut milk, but there’s a big difference between the two.
Coconut water comes from inside younger coconuts filled with a clear, electrolyte-rich juice that contains zero fat and zero cholesterol.
Coconut milk is what is produced from grating the coconut meat of older, brown coconuts: a white, rich liquid containing oils and fat, and often used as an ingredient in cooking and baking.
Health Benefits of Coconut Water
Coconut water is loaded with potassium (more than two bananas!), which is a great way to keep the body hydrated naturally and prevents cramping.
Coconut water naturally contains more electrolytes than leading sports drinks – without any of the added sugars or processed ingredients. If you would like a refresher on why you need electrolytes, check out my previous article, Electrolytes 101.
Coconut water has no fat, no cholesterol, and low in calories!
Why Vita Coco®?
The reason I love Vita Coco’s coconut water is because they keep it all natural and simple – 100% pure coconut water and Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C). That’s it! Even Vita Coco’s flavored products use only pure and simple ingredients, which is a rare find these days.
Celebrity Buzz
It looks like Vita Coco has become an “it” drink in Hollywood these days. You can easily find pictures of Rihanna, Kristin Cavallari, Dustin Pedroia, Kelly Slater, Ellen Pompeo, and even Madonna drinking the coconut water drink! After reading about the health benefits of coconut water, it’s no wonder that it’s receiving so much buzz these days.
“I love Vita Coco! It’s real coconut water from hand-picked coconuts. It’s delicious and so good for you!” – Rihanna
Rather than consuming electrolytes by drinking sports drinks, I choose to drink coconut water and eat healthy foods that naturally contain electrolytes needed for a healthy body.
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Tags: coconut water, Electrolytes, Nutrition
The 90-Second Fitness Winners!
Congratulations Karen Gonyea, Katie, and carmenpaigee! Our lucky readers just won an autographed copy of the book The 90-Second Fitness Solution by Pete Cerqua!
Thank you everyone for participating! We will have many more opportunities for you to win something, so stay tuned…
Winner’s next steps: Watch for our email! It will come from editor@SkinnyTwinkie.com, and we will need you to provide us with your mailing address so we can have your prize sent directly to you.
If you do not reply back to us within 48 hours after our email, we will have to choose another winner.
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Tags: contest, Fitness, giveaway, Health, Nutrition, Pete Cerqua, The 90-Second Fitness Solution, winner
Hostess Brand Files for Bankruptcy
Hostess Brands Files for Bankruptcy
In the news this week, I found out that Hostess (who makes fatty and sugar treat such as Twinkie’s) has filed for Bankruptcy.
“Hostess went through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in 2004 and had trouble regaining its footing afterwards, in spite of investments and loans from private equity firms and hedge funds. The Journal reports that Hostess has lined up financing that would allow it to continue operating while in bankruptcy, so its ovens won’t be shut off just yet.” – TIME Magazine
Your “Vote” Counts
The every day consumer, like you and me, has more power than we realize. Business is all about supply and demand, and with the recent bankruptcy news we realize that there just isn’t a big enough demand for Hostess snacks anymore. Thanks to a more health conscious public, people have been buying less and less of the Hostess brand snacks, resulting in a mountain of debt for the company, rather than sales.
I am not trying to relish on this news (OK, maybe I am…) but I believe this bankruptcy sends a strong message to the consumer. The companies that are going to survive or die are based on the product demand, which is based on what we are willing to buy at the grocery store.
You have a choice on whether you see more health foods at your grocery store compared to junk food. Every time you go grocery shopping, you are making a vote on what you want in that store of yours based on what you consistently buy. Companies are paying attention, and if there is a high demand for healthy food, they will supply more of those types of foods. If there is a demand for junk food, they will provide plenty of unhealthy products to choose from. If nobody buys a certain product, It won’t be in business for long.
I’m happy to say farewell to the Hostess brand company. It shows that enough consumers have voted, and our voices have been heard.
Just remember that every time you go to the grocery store, you vote…with your dollar.
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