Healthy Ezine of the Week: Issue 262

Featured Article

Cereal Quiz -- Answer six quick questions and discover how healthy your cereal is!

Fitness Tip

Nighttime Exercise
Exercising just before bedtime may be asking for trouble. Aerobic exercise -- and exercise in general -- helps you fall asleep more quickly and sleep longer, but generally not if you if you work out just before turning in. Don't be tempted by your gym's late hours if you have to get up early the next morning; most of us need a few hours to relax and decompress after a workout before going to sleep, so you might pay a price the next day.

Nutrition Tip

"Pea" is for Protein.
Can eating peas save your eyesight? Peas are also an excellent source of lutein, which is believed to help fight macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people age 65 and older. It may surprise you to learn peas are not vegetables -- they're actually legumes. Either way, a 2/3-cup serving contains about 5 grams of protein, or about 10 percent of the daily protein needs of a 130-lb. person. Like other legumes, peas are rich in B vitamins, minerals and soluble fiber. While it's a treat to eat fresh peas in late spring and early summer, shucking them is tedious. Frozen peas are just as nutritious as fresh. Add them to pilafs, bean salads and soups.

Quip or Quote of the Week

Quip:
Prior to the 18th century, many Europeans thought eating eggplant caused madness.

Quick Recipe

Cobb Salad Your Way
Start with lettuce and add corn, tomatoes, carrots and sliced green peppers. Add some protein such as chicken strips, kidney beans or chick peas, or a scoop of cottage cheese. Drizzle salad with reduced-fat dressing. (One serving of dressing is about 2-tablespoons.) Try a whole-grain roll with your salad instead of croutons.

Tidbit(s)

Pack on the Produce
Study after study verifies that a diet full of fruits and vegetables results in a healthier body and wards off disease and delays the effects of aging. Get your five servings a day by adding good-for-you produce to breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy some fresh vegetables for an afternoon snack and have a piece of fruit sometime after supper.

Food Fixes

Use a meat baster to squeeze your pancake batter onto the hot griddle for perfect-shaped pancakes every time.

When roasting meats, poultry, and fish, rest the meat on rings (or "doughnuts") of crimped aluminum foil. This elevates the meat from the bottom of the pan so it roasts evenly and keeps it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Be choosy when purchasing sea scallops. Make sure they are on a dry surface, as scallops should not be sitting in water or any liquid. They should also be sticky to the touch.

More Quick Cooking Tips Online!

What's New?

Curious as to just how to do a specific exercise? Or, are you just curious about different exercises? How about adding to your current exercise regime? Check out the brand new section on FitnessandFreebies.com, Exercise!

24 Essentials of Health and Well Being -- Well-being, which is another way of saying good health, can be enhanced in small, easy and pleasant ways. Well-being is a state of mind as well as body. Achieving it can be a simple, joyful experience. Try these suggestions to enhance your health and well-being.