April is Fresh Florida Tomato Month

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I’ve had the honor of receiving a guest post from Produce for Kids! This wonderful organization stands for healthy family eating and provides great recipes and tips to help your kids eat better so they can have the energy to move more, learn more, and be healthy and strong. Produce for Kids also raises funds for local children’s non-profit organizations, click here to learn more. All recipes and the nutritional tomato tips are credited to Produce for Kids Pop Advisory Board member and Registered Dietician, Estela Schnelle.

April is Fresh Florida Tomato Month and in the spirit of this fantastic fruit, we wanted to share the nutritional benefits of tomatoes and some delicious and easy recipes revolving around the nutritional powerhouse from Produce for Kids. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans eat between 22- 24 pounds of tomatoes per person, per year. (More than half of that consumption is ketchup and tomato sauce.) In addition, the tomato is the fourth most popular fresh-market vegetable behind potatoes, lettuce, and onions in the U.S.

Most people know that tomatoes are good for you, but how many people know why? Here are some fun facts about tomatoes from PFK Pop advisory board member and Registered Dietician, Estela Schnelle:

·Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, & potassium

·Tomatoes are also one of the foods that contain the highest amount of Lycopene, which is the pigment that give tomatoes, and certain fruits and vegetables their color

·Lycopene appears to have antioxidant capabilities and is very good for the eyes

· Research shows that a diet rich in Lycopene may be associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer and heart disease

Produce for Kids is a fantastic resource to help parents and kids learn about the benefits of consuming fresh produce by providing healthful meal solutions, videos, podcasts and much, much more. The site even hosts an advisory board made up of parents with a wide range of expertise who can provide additional tools and resources on how you can easily incorporate fruits and veggies into your family’s daily routine. To celebrate, we thought we would also give you some fantastic tomato recipes from Ideal Meals, provided by Produce for Kids:

Guacamole Tomato Boats

Serves 2

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes

Guacamole Tomato Boats (244x216)

Ingredients:

·2 medium tomatoes on the vine

·8 Tbsp. guacamole (liberal tablespoonfuls)

·8 Tbsp. salsa

·4 Tbsp. grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F or turn broiler on High.
2. Wash and dry tomatoes.
3. Slice tomatoes in half, cross section wise, and scoop out the insides, being careful not to puncture/tear the bottom of the tomato half.
4. With open side of tomato facing up, fill with guacamole, then salsa, and garnish with cheddar cheese.
5. Bake/broil until cheese melts, then remove from oven.

Nutrition Information:

Guacamole Tomato Boats Calories 365; Fat ; Protein ; Carbohydrate ; Fiber 7.2g; Cholesterol 1.5mg; Sodium 484mg; Calcium 16%DV; Vitamin A 62%DV; Vitamin C 97%DV; Iron 8%DV

Peach Tomato Salsa

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Peach Salsa (219x231)

Ingredients:

·2 tomatoes

·1 medium nectarine peeled and chopped

·1 medium peach, peeled and chopped

·¼ cup Vidalia® onion, chopped

·2 Tbsp. lime juice

·3 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

·1/8 tsp. salt

· Additional Meal Items:

·1 seedless cucumber, sliced

·4 corn tortillas, 6-inch diameter, cut into 8 triangles

·Nonstick cooking spray

· 1 cup low-fat milk or juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. In a medium serving bowl, gently combine the tomatoes, peaches and onion.

3. Gently stir in the lime juice, cilantro and salt.  Let set 15 mins. before serving to allow flavors to meld.

4. While salsa marinates, place tortilla triangles on a baking pan.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake for 5-6 mins. or until lightly browned.

Nutrition Information:

Peach Tomato Salsa Calories Calories 220 (69% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 12% fat); Fat ; Protein ; Carbohydrate ; Fiber 4g; Cholesterol 12mg; Sodium 240mg; Calcium 34% DV; Vitamin A 27% DV; Vitamin C 30% DV; Iron 5% DV

To find other great recipes revolving around fresh produce visit: http://www.produceforkids.com/healthy_eating/ideal_meals.html.

Youfit Now Open At Boca Town Center

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There’s a new gym in town and it’s called, Youfit! The concept is that everyone ‘fits in’, this is a no judgment zone and they try to make working out as approachable and fun as possible. Let’s start with walking thru the door and being warmly welcomed. We took a gym tour and learned so much, there is more than meets the eye. Their second concept besides fitness for You is, ‘Green is our color’. Green happens to be my favorite color too! What they mean is they are committed to the health of our environment just as much as they are committed to helping people get more healthy, happy, lean, and inspired. The floors are made of recycled tires, they recycle all plastic bottles from the club, they use high-powered yet efficient hand dryers that work very well instead of paper towels in the locker rooms, plus energy efficient lighting just to name a few.

The Boca location at Town Center is above Blue Martini and Pinon Grill, you park on the second floor of the parking garage and walk over to Youfit. They have a sign on the opposite side of the parking garage that faces the Terrace at Boca Town Center, we mistakenly thought the entrance was next to The Gap. There were signs to guide us to the right place as we walked up to The Gap, so even if you head the wrong direction, you will be able to find it.

The gym has a ton of cardio machines placed around the perimeter of its 17,000 sq. ft. space. Each machine has its own 15” screen for watching t.v. and includes an apple adapter so you can plug in your ipod, shuffle or other apple device. Cardio machines include treadmills, arc trainer (a cross between an elliptical and a stair climber), and stationary bikes. There is a stretch area called Youstretch which includes mats, exercise balls, bosu balls, assorted medicine balls, along with incline ab benches. The middle of the gym is filled with weight machines and they have a great color code system: purple for upper body and green for lower body. Each machine also has water bottle holder, a nice feature. Members are expected to bring a towel and must wipe off the equipment after using. There are also paper towels and cleaning spray to use for disinfecting equipment available.

If you want to use a workout machine but aren’t quite sure how to make adjustments or use it properly, you can ask any of the staff at Youfit, they are all exercise 101 certified. All staff are trained and will help you out for free. They do not have exercise classes at this gym, that’s part of how they keep the cost down. However, they do have a 30-minute Youfit Express Circuit training area that is led by a Youfit Coach 6 days a week. You can also use this training area any time on your own. There are instructions on the wall and there is a red light/green light to indicate when you are to switch from one exercise to the next. This is great if you want to have a great workout in 30 minutes but aren’t sure where to start.

The back left quadrant of the gym is the free weight area. There is a big rack of dumbbells along with weight plates, smith machines, benches, bars, dip machine, curling station, cable machine. This location does not have squat racks, there are only smith machines since the facility is above Blue Martini and Pinon Grill. They don’t want the sounds of weights dropping to entertain the diners below.

If you want to work with a personal trainer, they have Youfit Coaches on staff.

Gym hours are Monday – Thursday 5am – Midnight; Friday 5am – 10pm; Saturday – Sunday 8am – 8pm.

Phone: 561.367.2326

E-mail: Towncenter@youfithealthclubs.com

Pulling the Blinds on Sleepy Misperceptions

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Think you can skimp on sleep during the week and make up for it later? The answer is, No, and my guest post courtesy of Vitacost.com explains why. Read on to learn more!

Sleep is an interesting paradox. Some people treasure their nightly eight hours, while others treat it like a guilty pleasure, enjoyed only in small “dozes.” As sleep deprivation becomes the norm, it’s rationalized by notions like, “I’ll sleep in tomorrow to catch up.” It’s time to quit dreaming and open your eyes to the importance of a good night’s sleep.

The Dream: “I’m out like a light.”

Reality: Ironically, the body is not completely inactive during sleep. It’s true that muscles in the limbs become temporarily paralyzed; but eyelids are jerking rapidly, heart rate increases and breathing becomes shallow. You may feel “dead to the world” or “out like a light,” but your brain technically is still turned on.

The Dream: “I can catch up on sleep this weekend.”

Reality: The body needs adequate, consistent rest in order to maintain a healthy immune system. Sleep is not like a savings account – you can’t add more when you have time. Sleeping until 2 p.m. on Sunday throws the balance of your circadian rhythm (internal clock), which throws off your mental and physical fitness. Stop running on the hamster wheel and start a routine of balanced sleep, healthy eating and regular exercise.

The Dream: “My body can adjust to sleeping during the day.”

Reality: A grave-shift worker may be able to coax his body to adjust, but his brain knows best. At night, the eyes send a signal to the brain that there is less light, and the internal clock will produce more melatonin to induce sleepiness. Sleeping after sunrise does not generate enough melatonin, making it difficult to fall asleep – and stay asleep.

The Dream: “I function better on less sleep.”

Reality: Sleep deprivation negatively affects the areas of the brain associated with motivation and desire. A sleep-deprived brain will seek food as a reward, because food is the most accessible treat, leading to weight gain. Lack of sleep has also been linked to depression, anxiety and other mood disorders.

The Dream: “I never dream.”

Reality: We sleep in stages: stages 1, 2, 3 and 4, and the fifth stage is rapid eye movement (REM). The brain cycles through these five stages over and over throughout the night, with REM being the deep sleep and dreams stage. Any time the brain reaches REM, you dream – if you don’t remember them, then that’s your own reality.

This article has been provided by the folks at Vitacost.com. Since 1994 Vitacost.com has been selling discount vitamins and supplements and has grown into one of the biggest online marketplaces for healthy living essentials-with many other helpful categories! Get the best price on vitamins, nutritional supplements, health foods and gluten free diet products.

Vitacost.com sells everything from Vitamin D to Raspberry Ketones. Vitacost.com offers nearly 2,000 of the top, most-trusted natural brands, diet foods and healthy living essentials-the very best nutritional supplements, whole foods and sports nutrition-at discount prices, up to 50% off.Vitacost.com is not affiliated with this blog, and isn’t responsible for content outside of this article.

By: +Elizabeth Lotts writer for Vitacost.com

Do You Suffer From Brain Fog?

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Do you ever get a major case of brain fog and just can’t seem to concentrate or complete a thought? Well there could be a specific reason this occurs and for me the answer was gluten. Yes, gluten! I remember getting to work in the mornings and not being able to concentrate for what seemed like a couple of hours. I used to blame it on what I was working on, perhaps that was a small part of it, but after eliminating gluten from my diet, it all became clear! The actual reason for my chronic brain fog was gluten.

After being off gluten for quite some time now, I did an experiment on myself. I had some cereal made with wheat one afternoon, and the very next morning, yep it was back again…Brain Fog! We often link gluten intolerance to stomach issues, but it can and does affect our brains as well. Some people get moody, others can’t seem to think straight, some get chronic cravings, migraines, headaches. There are several hidden ways gluten affects our bodies. The list below are some symptoms and there are several more. Click here for more extensive information.

  • depression
  • migraines and headaches
  • adrenal fatigue
  • ADD/ADHD
  • Autism
  • sinus problems
  • halitosis
  • mouth ulcers
  • gastrointestinal upset, including ulcers

Most people are fine and can consume gluten, which is a good thing, because foods like wheat, barley, rye, and oats (which contain gluten due to contamination, but you can find gluten free oats) are very nutritious. If you can tolerate gluten, then enjoy gluten containing foods and all of their benefits. If you suspect you may be intolerant, allergic, or possibly have celiac disease, try an elimination diet. Remove gluten from your diet for 2 weeks and see how you feel. You want to first be aware of all the places gluten can exist, including in soy sauce, cereal, bread, soups, cookies, most baked goods, pasta, bottled sauces, crackers.

Many products are now labeled gluten free so you know, but not all will tell you. It’s best to stick to the basics: nuts/seeds, dairy, eggs, fruit, veggies, meat, beans, lentils do not contain gluten, however, processed forms of all these foods may contain gluten. Gluten free grains are as follows: rice, wild rice, quinoa, corn, millet, amaranth. You can find gluten free cereals, crackers, pasta, and bread made of these gluten free grains as well.

If you found this article helpful, learned something new or have info to share, please comment below Smile

Helpful resources:

http://www.celiac.com/

http://celiac.org/

http://www.celiaccentral.org/Celiac-Disease/21/

Gluten-Free Gluttony

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There is so much buzz about gluten free these days. And now many gluten intolerant and people with celiac disease can rejoice in the many wonderful and tasty gluten free options. I have another amazing guest post from Vitacost.com to share their gluten free options at low cost. Thanks again Vitacost!!

Eating without gluten may be easier today than ever before. Bakeries are specializing in gluten-free treats, concession stands are selling gluten-free beer and merchants are stocking a variety of gluten-free foods. Sweet and savory treats are no longer taboo for gluten-intolerant folks—go ahead, have your cake and eat it, too! (Health Coach interjection – all in moderation Smile)

Put pasta back on your plate – Gluten comes from a protein in wheat kernel. Traditionally, pasta is made with durum wheat flour or durum semolina (a.k.a. wheat). With the increasing prominence of gluten intolerance, companies are concocting faux pasta by replacing wheat with rice. Rice pasta looks the same, smells the same, tastes the same and generally cooks the same as regular pasta. Looking for whole grain pasta without the gluten? Try tossing brown rice pasta shells with your favorite organic dressing for a quick, tasty pasta salad.

It’s your party. Eat cake if you want to – Again, the wheat flour in most sweet sensations – cookies, cakes, pies – spoils any good birthday or wedding when you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance. With the selection of cookies and cake mixes today, you finally have something sweet to celebrate. If you don’t want to make your own gluten-free dessert, look for a local bakery to satisfy your dietary and sweet tooth needs. At your next party, BYOD (Bring Your Own dessert) so you can indulge, too – sharing optional.

Cheers to beer – Wines are naturally free of gluten, so gluten-free sots will sip wine as a safe bet. (Warning: some vineyards add gluten to preserve freshness.) But what about having a beer while watching the game? Drive (sober) to the nearest liquor, or specialty wine, store for a variety of gluten-free beer brands. When you’re watching the game live, research the stadium before you go. Many ballparks feature concession stands dedicated to gluten-free fare, which might be just the ticket!

This article has been provided by the folks at Vitacost.com. Vitacost.com has been selling discount vitamins such as vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C since 1994. Since then it’s grown into one of the biggest online marketplaces for healthy living essentials-with vitamins and supplements being just one of their many helpful categories! Get the best price on vitamins, nutritional supplements, whole foods and diet products.

Vitacost.com’s customers mean the world to them, and it’s their goal to provide you with the best nutritional supplements, natural foods and sports nutrition to help with your health and wellness. Vitacost.com is not affiliated with this blog, and isn’t responsible for content outside of this article.

By: +Elizabeth Lotts writer for Vitacost.com

A few gluten free recipes from Pam Higgins:

https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2012/coconut-curry-chicken/

https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2012/pumpkin-seeds-butter/

https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2011/turkey-thighs-in-the-crockpot/

https://www.totalhealthcounseling.com/2011/sweet-potato-and-black-bean-stew/