Herb-Infused H2O

From: http://www.foodheavenmadeeasy.com/?p=942

Especially for summers, this is a super easy way to make your water even more refreshing. All you have to do is add some tasty herbs to your water. I used spearmint and mint herbs because they give that extra umph and they also make for outstanding breath. Follow these easy instructions: What you need: 10 mint leaves 10 spearmint leaves 1 large pitcher of water (1/2 gallon or more) What you do: Put the herbs into the pitcher. Pinch some of the leaves to release their flavor. Let soak overnight and enjoy your water!

12 Ways to Never Get Diabetes

From: 

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/diabetes-prevention?cm_mmc=Newsletter-_-1009798-_-08142012-_-12WaystoNeverGetDiabetes-Hed

Diabetes-Proof Your Life

Nearly 25% of Americans are thought to have prediabetes—a condition of slightly elevated blood sugar levels that often develops into diabetes within 10 years—but only 4% of people know it. What's worse, of those who are aware, less than half really tried to reduce their risk by losing weight, eating less, and exercising more.

 These are just a few of the good-for-you habits that can reverse prediabetes and ensure you never get the real thing, which can mean a lifetime of drugs and blood sugar monitoring, an increased risk of heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other scary health threats. Read on for 12 healthy lifestyle habits everyone can start today. 

Nudge the Scale

Shedding even 10 pounds can significantly slash your risk. Even extremely overweight people were 70% less likely to develop diabetes when they lost just 5% of their weight—even if they didn't exercise. If you weigh 175 pounds, that’s a little less than 9 pounds! Use our calorie calculator to see how many calories you consume—and how many you need to shave off your diet—if you want to lose a little.

Pick the Right Appetizer

May we recommend the salad? Eating greens with a vinaigrette before a starchy entrée may help control your blood sugar levels. In an Arizona State University study, people with type 2 diabetes or a precursor condition called insulin resistance had lower blood sugar levels if they consumed about 2 tablespoons of vinegar just before a high-carb meal. "Vinegar contains acetic acid, which may inactivate certain starch-digesting enzymes, slowing carbohydrate digestion," says lead researcher Carol Johnston, PhD.  In fact, vinegar’s effects may be similar to those of the blood sugar—lowering medication acarbose (Precose). Before you eat that fettuccine, enjoy a salad with this dressing: Whisk 3 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil, 1 clove garlic (crushed), 1/4 teaspoon honey, 3 tablespoons yogurt, and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. (Makes four 2-tablespoon servings.) 

Ditch Your Car

Walk as much as you can every day. You'll be healthier—even if you don't lose any weight People in a Finnish study who exercised the most—up to 4 hours a week, or about 35 minutes a day—dropped their risk ofdiabetes by 80%, even if they didn’t lose any weight. This pattern holds up in study after study: The famed Nurses' Health Study, for example, found that women who worked up a sweat more than once a week reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 30%. And Chinese researchers determined that people with high blood sugar who engaged in moderate exercise (and made other lifestyle changes) were 40% less likely to develop full-blown diabetes.  Why is walking so wonderful? Studies show that exercise helps your body utilize the hormone insulin more efficiently by increasing the number of insulin receptors on your cells. Insulin helps blood sugar move into cells, where it needs to go to provide energy and nutrition. Otherwise it just sloshes around in your bloodstream, gumming up blood vessel walls and eventually causing serious health problems. 

Be a Cereal Connoisseur

Selecting the right cereal can help you slim down and steady blood sugar. A higher whole grain intake is also linked to lower rates of breast cancer, type 2diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke—and cereal is one of the best sources of these lifesaving grains, if you know what to shop for. Some tips: Look for the words high fiber on the box; that ensures at least 5 g per serving. But don't stop there. Check the label; in some brands, the benefits of fiber are overshadowed by the addition of refined grains, added sugar, or cholesterol-raising fats. Decode the grains:Where that fiber comes from matters too, so check the ingredient list to find out exactly what those flakes or squares are made from. Millet, amaranth, quinoa, and oats are always whole grain, but if you don’t see whole in front of wheat, corn, barley, or rice, these grains have been refined and aren’t as healthy.  Watch for hidden sugar: The "total sugars" listing doesn’t distinguish between added and naturally occurring sugars; the best way to tell is scan the ingredients again.  The following terms represent added sugars:brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, sugar, and sucrose. Skip cereals that list any of these within the first three ingredients (which are listed by weight). 

Indulge Your Coffee Cravings

If you're a coffee fan, keep on sipping. The beverage may keep diabetes at bay. After they studied 126,210 women and men, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found that big-time coffee drinkers—those who downed more than 6 daily cups—had a 29 to 54% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes during the 18-year study. Sipping 4 to 5 cups cut risk about 29%; 1 to 3 cups per day had little effect. Decaf coffee offered no protection. Caffeine in other forms—tea, soda, chocolate—did. Researchers suspect that caffeine may help by boosting metabolism. And coffee, the major caffeine source in the study, also contains potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants that help cells absorb sugar. But before you become a VIP at Dunkin Donuts, remember that a medium chain-store cuppa is about 14 to 16 ounces—right there, that's 2 "cups" by standard measures. 

Ditch the Drive-Thru

You might get away with an occasional fast-food splurge, but become a regular "fast feeder" and your risk of diabetes skyrockets. That's what University of Minnesota scientists found after they studied 3,000 people, ages 18 to 30, for 15 years. At the start, everyone was at a normal weight. But those who ate fast food more than twice a week gained 10 more pounds and developed twice the rate of insulin resistance—the two major risk factors for type 2 diabetes—compared with those who indulged less than once a week.  In addition to the jumbo portions, many fast food meals are loaded with unhealthy trans fats and refined carbohydrates, which may raisediabetes risk even if your weight remains stable. A better bet: Keep a baggie of DIY trail mix in your purse at all times in case hunger pangs come on. Nuts are known blood sugar—lowerers. 

Go Veggie More Often

Consider red meat a treat—not something to eat every day. Women who ate red meat at least 5 times a week had a 29% higher risk of type 2diabetes than those who ate it less than once a week, found a 37,000-woman study at Brigham and Women's Hospital. And eating processed meats such as bacon and hot dogs at least 5 times a week raised type 2 diabetes risk by 43%, compared with eating them less than once a week. 

Spice Up Your Life

Cinnamon may help rein in high blood sugar. German researchers studied 65 adults with type 2 diabetes who then took a capsule containing the equivalent of 1 g of cinnamon powder or a placebo 3 times a day for 4 months. By the end, cinnamon reduced blood sugar by about 10%; the placebo users improved by only 4%. Why? Compounds in cinnamon may activate enzymes that stimulate insulin receptors. The sweet spice has also been shown to help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, blood fats that may contribute to diabetes risk.

 

Unwind Every Day

Chronic stress can send blood sugar levels soaring. When you're stressed, your body is primed to take action. This gearing up causes your heart to beat faster, your breath to quicken, and your stomach to knot. But it also triggers your blood sugar levels to skyrocket. "Under stress, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode, raising blood sugar levels to prepare you for action," says Richard Surwit, PhD, author of The Mind-Body Diabetes Revolutionand chief of medical psychology at Duke University. If your cells are insulin resistant, the sugar builds up in your blood, with nowhere to go—leading to chronically high levels. The good news is, simple relaxation exercises and other stress management moves can help you gain control over blood sugar levels, according to a study conducted at Duke University.  Try these proven relaxers:

•Start your day with yoga, meditation, or a walk.

•Take three deep, slow breaths before answering the phone, starting the car, serving the kids lunch, or any other activity.

•Reclaim your Sundays as a day of rest or fun with your family, relaxing, worship, etc. Try to avoid spending the whole day on obligatory errands such as mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, or catching up on work. 

Get a Perfect Night's Rest

There's a sleep sweet spot when it comes to preventing diabetes. A Yale University study of 1,709 men found that those who regularly got less than 6 hours of shut-eye doubled their diabetes risk; those who slept more than 8 hours tripled their odds. Previous studies have turned up similar findings in women. "When you sleep too little—or too long because of sleep apnea—your nervous system stays on alert," says lead researcher Klar Yaggi, MD, an assistant professor of pulmonary medicine at Yale.  This interferes with hormones that regulate blood sugar. A Columbia University study found that sleeping less than 5 hours also doubled the risk of high blood pressure. For a good night’s rest, avoid caffeine after noon, leave work at the office, and skip late-night TV. Oversleeping may be a sign of depression or a treatable sleep disorder, so talk with your doctor. 

Have a Blood Test

Many diabetes symptoms are silent.

A simple blood test can reveal whether sugar levels put you at risk for the condition. People with prediabetes—slightly elevated blood sugar levels, between 100 and 125 mg/dl—often develop a full-blown case within 10 years. Knowing your blood sugar levels are a little high can put you on a track to steadying them—with simple diet and exercise changes—before diabetes sets in and medications may be necessary.

Don't Forget Your Weekly Survey

I know that we have been a bit lighter in posts the past week, but please FILL OUT the weekly survey for last week if you haven't done so already! There was only one survey so far from yesterday. It only takes a minute or two! Once the surveys are in, I'll post the results from last week. 

Thanks. :)

Week Two Results

Here are the results from Week Two:

Which challenge goal presented you with the MOST difficulty this week?



In which challenge area could you use more support, guidance or tips?

How to Drink More Water

Make it Convenient

Have a water bottle with you whenever you leave the house. I like my 25 ounce CamelBak Stainless Bottle. I bring it with me everywhere. This ensures that I won’t ever find myself thirsty without a water source.

If you have a hard time remembering to drink water, set a reminder alarm on your phone to go off every 45-60 minutes to suggest to yourself that you stop, take a break, and rehydrate.

At first you might feel like your constantly drinking water, but it will become second nature in no time.

Note: After going to the restroom, rehydrate with more water.

Drink Before, During, and Between Your Meals

When you’re eating out, always drink a glass of water before you begin your meal. This will help curb your hunger so that you consume fewer calories and enjoy your meal without overindulging.

Plus, water is the free beverage choice when eating out. Continue to sip water throughout the meal to compensate for higher sodium that is often present in restaurant meals.

Fruits and vegetables contain lots of water that will benefit our bodies and have less calories than heavy ingredients. When ordering out, consider choosing a side salad and sharing an entree with a friend or spouse or a meal with lots of produce in it.

Sip a glass of water with meals and continue to hydrate your body between meals. Often times when we feel hungry, our bodies are really just in need of water rather than calories.

Flavor Your Water

Many people complain that they don’t like the way water tastes. Flavored water is especially great when you’re dining out or entertaining. You still feel as if you’re indulging in a delicious drink, but with far less calories.

When you cut out the calories of cocktails, soda, or other sugary drinks that are often present on restaurant menus (and even in our homes) you can afford to indulge more on your meal. If you still feel compelled to order a drink, ask for a glass of water in addition to your beverage of choice.

Try a few of these tips for flavoring your water:

1. Add a drop or two of 100% pure essential oil to your glass. Essential oils are a great calorie-free and sugar-free flavor option. This is my favorite trick because it hardly takes any time at all and I can take care of it on the go.

• My favorite water flavors are: orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, or peppermint. I also like to combine mint and lemon or mint and grapefruit.
• Look for essential oils that are 100% certified pure therapeutic grade, they will not contain additives, chemicals, or filler products.

2. When drinking juice, water it down by 25% to reduce calorie and sugar intake and increase water consumption.

3. Add various produce to your water. Ideas include: muddled herbs and berries, cucumber, and citrus slices.

Refreshing Flavored Water Recipes:

• Flavoured Water | Donna Hay
• Flavored Water | She Wears Many Hats
• Minted Rose Water | Sunday Suppers
• Pineapple Sugarcane Spa Water | A Spicy Perspective
• Quick and Easy Flavored Water | Jamie Oliver

Know How Much Water Your Body Needs

The old recommendation of drinking 8 – 8 ounce glasses of water a day is just an average and more of a general guideline.

To more accurately represent the amount your body needs divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of water per day.

Example: A person weighing 120 lbs would drink 60 ounces of H2O a day.

Those who are heavy exercisers will feel the need to drink more water than this throughout the day due to the liquids lost in sweat.

Additionally, it is very important to keep your body properly hydrated when visiting high altitudes – even drink more water than normally necessary – to avoid feeling ill.

Start Early and Finish Early

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to have a glass of water.

I find it easier to drink the proper amount of water when I get started right away in the morning.

On the flip side, don’t consume large quantities of water close to bed – unless you like waking up for frequent, late night trips to the bathroom. I aim to drink most of my water before dinner time and to drink sips here and there up until two hours before bedtime.

From: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2012/01/tips-for-drinking-more-water.html
 

Spaghettini with Onions and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

From: http://www.lhj.com/recipe/pasta/spaghettini-with-onions-and-sun-dried-tomatoes/

Makes: 4  servings

Prep:   15 mins  Cook:   35 mins 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, no substitutions
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups finely chopped onions (1/2 lb.)
• 1 pound spaghettini or linguine
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (or 5 halves dry-pack sun-dried tomatoes, soaked, drained, and chopped)
• 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Parsley sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Melt butter with oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook onions 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden.

2. Meanwhile, start to cook pasta according to package directions.

3. Uncover skillet. Add garlic to onions; increase heat to medium and cook 5 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes, half the parsley, salt, and red pepper flakes; cook 3 to 5 minutes more, until onion mixture thickens slightly.

4. Drain pasta. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add pasta water and remaining parsley to onion mixture. Cook 2 minutes. Stir sauce into hot pasta and toss. Divide pasta among 4 serving bowls. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 4
• Calories(kcal)555,
• Protein(gm)16,
• Carbohydrate(gm)94,
• Fat, total(gm)13,
• Cholesterol(mg)8,
• Saturated fat(gm)3,
• Dietary Fiber, total(gm)5,
• Sodium(mg)511,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Secondhand smoke: Avoid dangers in the air

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/secondhand-smoke/CC00023

Secondhand smoke: Avoid dangers in the air

Exposure to the toxins in secondhand smoke can cause asthma, cancer and other serious problems. Know what you're breathing — and consider practical steps for clearing the air.

By Mayo Clinic staff

You don't smoke because you understand the dangers — but what about secondhand smoke? Secondhand smoke causes or contributes to various health problems, including heart disease, lung disease and various types of cancer. Understand what's in secondhand smoke, and consider ways to protect yourself and those you love from secondhand smoke.

What's in secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke — also known as environmental tobacco smoke — includes the smoke that a smoker exhales (mainstream smoke) and the smoke that comes directly from the burning tobacco product (sidestream smoke). Secondhand smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals, including:

• Ammonia, used in cleaning products
• Butane, used in lighter fluid
• Carbon monoxide, found in car exhaust
• Chromium, used to make steel
• Cyanide, used in chemical weapons
• Formaldehyde, an industrial chemical
• Lead, a toxic metal
• Polonium, a radioactive substance

The dangerous particles in secondhand smoke can linger in the air for hours or even longer. It isn't just the smoke that's a concern, though. The residue that clings to a smoker's hair and clothing, as well as cushions, carpeting and other goods — sometimes referred to as thirdhand smoke — also can pose risks, especially for children.

How risky is secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke causes or contributes to serious health problems, including:

• Lung disease. Exposure to secondhand smoke can aggravate respiratory conditions — especially for people who have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Heart disease. Secondhand smoke damages blood vessels and interferes with circulation, which increases the risk of heart disease and heart attack. A new Mayo Clinic study suggests that secondhand smoke also increases the risk of sudden cardiac death.
• Cancer. Secondhand smoke is a known risk factor for lung cancer. In addition, secondhand smoke contains benzene — which increases the risk of leukemia.

Secondhand smoke poses additional risks for children, who are especially vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke. Problems include:

• Low birth weight. Exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight.
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Secondhand smoke increases the risk of SIDS.
• Asthma. Secondhand smoke increases the risk — and severity — of childhood asthma.

• Infections. Children who live with smokers are more likely to develop bronchitis, pneumonia and middle ear infections (otitis media).

Secondhand smoke also causes chronic coughing, phlegm and wheezing, as well as eye and nose irritation.

How can secondhand smoke be avoided?

With planning, you can reduce or eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. Remember, it's your right to breathe clean air. Start with these simple steps:

• Don't allow smoking in your home. If family members or guests want to smoke, ask them to step outside. Air conditioners and ventilation systems don't effectively remove secondhand smoke from the air.
• Don't allow smoking in your vehicle. If a passenger must smoke on the road, stop at a rest stop for a smoke break outside the car.
• Insist that smoking restrictions be enforced at work. Many states have laws against smoking in the workplace.
• Choose smoke-free care facilities. This applies to child care facilities as well as facilities for older adults. Only choose those with a no-smoking policy.
• Patronize businesses with no-smoking policies. Choose smoke-free restaurants. When you travel, request nonsmoking hotel rooms. Reinforce these no-smoking policies by telling the management that you appreciate the healthy air.

If you have a partner or other loved one who smokes, offer support and encouragement to stop smoking. The entire family will reap the benefits.

Schedule Your Water

Importance of drinking water at the correct time maximizes its effectiveness on the Human body :

1.) 2 glasses of water after waking up helps activate internal organs.

2.) 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal helps digestion.

3.) 1 glass of water before taking a bath helps lower blood pressure.

4.) 1 glass of water before going to bed avoids stroke or heart attack.

10 Surprising Reasons to Drink More Water

We hear about importance of drinking enough water constantly. On the flip side, there has been a growing trend in the media lately that the commonly recommended eight cups of water daily is a myth, which is technically accurate, but not the whole story. Whether you need eight cups of water daily, or four or ten, most people are not getting the message that whatever their particular water needs are, they aren’t meeting them.
And even dietitians, nutritionists, and medical professionals are contributing to the problem by informing people that they get enough water in their diet in the form of fruits and vegetables. That might be true for some people, but after assessing the diets of countless people, I assure you that isn’t the case for most people.
Plus, have you ever noticed that when you throw vegetables in a pan and turn on the heat you’ll see liquid in the pan soon afterward, and then shortly after that you’ll see steam rising from them? That’s because you’re literally cooking the water out of the vegetables.
Researchers estimate that half of the world’s population is chronically dehydrated. And in America, that level is even higher at 75 percent of the population.

More than two-thirds of your body weight is water. Without adequate water your body’s biochemical and electrical (yes electrical, read on!) processes begin to break down. The list of reasons your body needs water is as plentiful as the functions in your body, so due to space limitations, here are 10 good reasons to drink more water:
1. Your blood is over 80 percent water and needs water to make healthy new blood cells.
2. Your bones are over 50 percent water and, you guessed it, need water to make healthy new bone cells.
3. Drinking more water actually helps lessen pain in your body by getting your lymphatic system moving. The lymphatic system is a network of nodes, tubes, vessels, and fluid that move waste out of your tissues. It requires water to function properly.
4. Water helps to eliminate wastes and toxins from your body through the lymphatic system, kidneys, and intestines.
5. Water lubricates your joints and helps reduce joint pain and protect against wear and tear.
6. Water regulates your metabolism so if you’re overweight chances are you may need more water.
7. Water balances body temperature.
8. Water helps to ensure adequate electrical functioning so your brain and nervous system function properly. Your brain and nervous system send out electrical signals to function properly. Researchers estimate that your brain gives off about the same amount of electricity as a 60 watt light bulb. So, there’s some truth to the image of a light bulb going on when someone has a good idea.
9. Water alleviates dehydration (and I’ve already mentioned that most people are chronically dehydrated).
10. Every cell and organ in your body requires adequate water to function properly.
So, one of the quickest and easiest ways to improve your health is to start drinking more pure water every day. Be sure to drink water an empty stomach or you’ll simply be diluting your digestive enzymes and making your digestion less effective.
And, choose purified water as much as possible (but get yourself a BPA-free water bottle so you won’t pollute the planet with all those plastic water bottles. In wealthy, developed nations with plentiful access to water, we really have no excuses for not drinking enough water.
Adapted with permission of the author from the upcoming book, The Phytozyme Cure. (Wiley, December 2010). Copyright Michelle Schoffro Cook.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-reasons-to-drink-more-water-that-you-may-not-know.html#ixzz2247fTJYR