Weekly Wellness
Issue 209
Featured Article
Fitness Tip
No Time to Exercise?
Put things into perspective. If you exercise for 30 minutes a day, that's just three percent of your waking hours. Schedule it into your day as you would taking a shower. If necessary, wake up about 30 minutes earlier or stretch lunch by 15 or 20 minutes. Can't do those 30 minutes all at once? Do ten minute spurts throughout the day. Research shows that three ten minute bouts of exercise burn as many calories and offer as many health benefits as one 30 minute workout.
Nutrition Tip
Nutrients
Your body requires dozens upon dozens of nutrients -- vitamins, minerals, trace elements, essential amino acids, essential fats and so forth -- to function optimally and to maintain good health. The cold hard fact is that most of us are not getting what we need for our short and long term health. Here is why:
- We eat overly processed foods and fast foods that have been stripped of their original nutrient content.
- We eat foods grown in nutrient depleted soils. Therefore the vegetables, grains and fruit grown in these fields are not as healthful as they once were.
- We lead stressful lifestyles that increase our body's demand for certain nutrients (it is not hard to understand why we often have widespread nutritional deficiencies).
Statistics shows one out of every eight of us will get cancer. One out of every five will develop heart disease. And, another one out of four will get diabetes. It could happen to you or me next year, next month or even tomorrow. There is good news, though -- more and more research is showing that we have the power to prevent or promote these terrible and debilitating diseases simply by what we put in our mouth!
Herb of the Week
Juniper Berry
Juniper Berry is an antiseptic for the urinary tract. The essential oil is stimulating to the kidneys, acting as a diuretic. The warming and bitter properties aid digestion and ease intestinal gas. It is also warming for the joints.
Quick Recipe
Oven Baked Fajitas
Heat oven to 400-degrees. In a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, combine 2-tablespoons vegetable oil, 2-teaspoons chili powder, 2-teaspoons ground cumin and 1-teaspoon salt; mix well. Add one can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, one medium green bell pepper, one medium red bell pepper cut into strips and one sliced onion. Mix well. Bake uncovered 15 minutes. Stir in 2-cups cooked (leftover or deli) beef; cut into strips. Bake ten more minutes. Serve beef mixture wrapped in warm fat free flour tortillas. Add rice on the side and a chopped lettuce salad.
Tidbit(s)
Go Beyond Cholesterol
Half of all heart attacks happen to people with normal cholesterol levels. Researchers suspect that inflammation inside arteries may be another heart threat. If you have a family history of heart disease, discuss these two extra tests with your doctor: Homocysteine and C-reactive protein.
Food Fixes
Frozen juice concentrate can be quickly liquified by whirling it in a blender for a few seconds. Add the required water and process until juice is frothy.
Choose ground round for making meatloaf -- it has less fat (which would be absorbed by breadcrumbs) than regular ground beef and more fat than ground sirloin, which would produce a dry meatloaf.
Keep your roll of Saran Wrap in the freezer -- It is then easier to unroll, doesn't stick to itself until it warms up and is easier to tear.
Store cooking oil in a clean and "very well rinsed" dish detergent bottle. The squirt top makes pouring easier and best of all there is no dripping!!