Eating Healthy Without Going Broke

Eating the right foods is essential to your health. Too much fat and sugar in the diet can cause a laundry list of health problems, not to mention that it makes it difficult to maintain a healthy weight. We also need to get in all of the nutrients that are essential to your health. And you must watch out for meats that contain antibiotics and hormones and produce that contains pesticides or has been genetically modified.

Unfortunately, eating healthy is far from easy. Sometimes you may not have the time to make or seek out healthy meals and end up eating convenience foods or something from the closest burger joint. And for those of us who make it a priority to eat balanced meals, cost is often prohibitive. Organic meats and produce aren’t cheap, and health food restaurants can be pricey, too.

As impossible as it may sound, you can eat healthy without putting a big dent in the budget. Here are some tips:  Read more...

Basil

Basil is an herb belonging to the mint family, Lamiaceae.  The name is of Greek origin an means “royalty”.  Basil comes in many different varieties, different in shape, size, and color.  Large-leaf   Italian sweet, tiny-leaf bush, Thai, lemon, and African blue are the most common cooking varieties.

Why Eat Basil?

Basil is rich in rosmarinic and caffeic acid, which are phenolic compounds with strong antioxidant properties.  Other phytochemicals in basil include orientin and vicerin, flavonoids that protect cells from damage; volatile oils, such as camphor and 1,8-cineole, that have antibacterial properties; and carotenoids such as beta-carotene.

ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES:  Oil of basil has demonstrated strong antibacterial traits, even with antibiotic-resistant types.  It has been found particularly effective in killing harmful bacteria found in produce.  Next time you order a salad out, ask for lots of basil.

spinach

Popeye had good reason to be downing cans of spinach, but it wasn’t until I became obsess with nutrition that I discover the life changing benefits.  Spinach belongs to the same family as beets and chard.  There are three main types of spinach including smooth leaf, savoy, and semi-savoy.  All are delicious and rich in nutrients.

Spinach is an excellent source of fiber and vitamin K.  It is a rich source of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese.  It is also rich in folate, a water-souluble B vitamin which is important for good cognitive function.  Spinach is especially high in vitamin A and related compounds such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein, carotenoids that act as protection for the eye.  Spinach is one of the richest sources of lutein, containing nearly 30,000 micrograms per cup of frozen spinach.  Spinach is also rich in glycolipids, powerful phytochemicals known to have cancer cell growth suppression and antiproliferation qualities.  Read more...

Pumping Iron

I figure i’ll start the tip section off the right way, we can always learn from the legend. This movie always keeps me hungry!!

15 Minute Abs Workout

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