10 Super Foods!

Here's a listing of some of the 10 most Super Foods for better health.....try to incorporate some of these foods into your daily menu for optimal nutrition.

1. Sweet Potatoes -- one of the best veggies you can eat. Loaded with carotenoids, Vit C, potassium and fiber.
2. Mangoes -- Just one cup provides 75% of your daily Vit C intake,  25% of your daily Vit A requirements, potassium, and 3 grams of fiber. Also one of the fruits least likely to have pesticide residue.
3. Unsweetened Yogurt -- Plain yogurt is a great source of protein, potassium, calcium (important for us ladies especially!) zinc, and Vitamin B-6 & B-12. Mix in fresh fruit for a powerhouse of nutrition and taste.
4. Broccoli -- Contains Vit C, carotenoids, and folic acid. Don't douse with cheese sauce, simply steam enough so that it's still firm and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and lemon juice. Deelish!
5. Salmon -- Wild salmon is a better choice than farm raised, as it has less PCB contaminants. Chock full of Omega 3 Fatty acids to protect your heart.
6. Crispbreads -- Whole grain rye crackers such as Wasa, Ry Krisp and Ryvita are loaded with fiber and are often fat free.
7. Garbanzo Beans -- A.K.A. Chickpeas -- rich in protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Chickpeas are so versatile and are a great addition to salads, rice, and soups. You can make your own hummus with chickpeas, garlic, salt and olive oil -- much healthier than store bought.
8. Watermelon -- Just 2 cups of this yummy fruit has one-third of a day's recommendation of Vit A & Vit C, and loads of potassium while still being very low in calories.
9. Butternut Squash -- Yes, it's hard to cut, but so worth the work because of the nutritional benefits; it's loaded with Vit A & C, as well as fiber. For ease of preparation, buy peeled and diced squash at the supermarket. The work has already been done for you!
10. Leafy Greens -- Last but certainly not least, powerhouse greens like kale, collards, spinach, mustard greens, and Swiss chard. I like to experiment and mix different varieties in with Romaine lettuce to reduce any bitterness that may be present. These greens are packed with Vit A, C, & K, as well as folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, lutein, and fiber. If you have a salad with these powerhouse greens at dinner time, you will eat less meat and carbs, and get a huge nutritional boost.

Bon appetit'! Let's all eat for better health!

Half Full vs. Half Empty

We are all aware of pessimistic and optimistic behavior in our everyday life. We interact with all sorts of personalities on a daily basis, most oftentimes not thinking much about it. That is, until we experience one extreme or the other. One example that quickly comes to my mind is the grocery store - there are so many opportunities to interact with fellow shoppers. For example, have you ever wanted to grab a jug of milk from the dairy case, only to find an elderly person surveying all the milk products, thus preventing anyone else from squeezing in? In a situation like that, we have 2 choices- we can get irritated, sigh, grimace, and push our way thru to get what we want (pessimistic) or, we can simply wait patiently, smile when the shopper turns around, and obtain our item when the dairy case is clear (optimistic). Which would you rather be? At the risk of sounding cheesy, I would much rather be the optimistic patient soul.

I have a pet peeve of being around people who complain about waiting in line; we are all waiting our turn, the staff waiting to help us are working as fast as they can, yet a pessimistic person prefers to loudly vocalize their displeasure at the wait. This has a ripple effect, and before you know it, more and more of those waiting in line are growing impatient with each minute. One person has the power to upset many simply by projecting their pessimistic outlook upon complete strangers.

On the other side of the coin, have you ever encountered the kindness of a stranger when you were having an off day? Perhaps it was just a smile or a kind word, but I bet whatever it was, it made you feel a million times better. A small gesture can be incredibly profound.

In this day and age of stress coming at us from to all angles, is it really worth getting upset over things we have no control over?

Next time you are at the grocery store, make a point to really notice some of the behaviors happening around you. It really is eye-opening, and it makes us realize how the way we view things and interact can have a huge impact on others.

Is your glass half full, or half empty? YOU have the power to decide.......

Good Ole' Summertime!

Today, as I was watering my tomato plants on the deck and admiring their large stature (and drooling over the tasty fruits that will soon be ripened upon their vines), I was struck by an epiphany -- it really IS easy to eat healthy in the summertime.

We have a bounty of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, corn, squash, carrots, beets, and myriad of other tasty veggies to harvest in the summer months. All it takes it a bit of seeds, water, sunshine, fertilizer, and patience to harvest these yummy treats. The taste of homegrown veggies cannot be rivaled by anything else.....and the plus is, it's economical to boot!

There really is nothing like the taste of a homegrown veggie from your own garden. You know exactly what went into the care & fertilization of your bounty; and, in this day and age of pesticides, you can rest assured that your veggies are totally organic without any harmful chemicals applied.

So get out there, feel the Earth in your hands, sow some seeds, and get some dirt under your fingernails in the process. I promise you will NOT be disappointed in the results! YUM!