According to a recent study it takes more than just the right mix of carbohydrates, fat and protein to lose weight. In order to keep weight off, lifestyle factors play a key role as well as proper nutrition.

Here are some tips to help you with your health goals:

Forget the trendy diets. No matter how much hype a diet receives in the media, just because it works for one celebrity does not mean it will necessarily work with you.

Incorporate exercise into your daily life. What type of movement do you enjoy? Try going for a walk with a friend or take a yoga class.

Keep a food diary. This helps people be conscious of what and how much they are consuming.

Question your beliefs about food and cravings. You don’t need to resist all cravings. Listen to your body and find out what that craving is telling you. You may be missing a key nutrient.

Make small changes. Optimal health doesn’t happen overnight. By slowly incorporating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains you will eventually crowd out all of the chemicalized, artificial junk foods.

Be kind to yourself. You can’t be good 100 percent of the time. That’s why Integrative Nutrition came up with the 90-10 diet. Eat whole foods 90 percent of the time and indulge 10 percent of the time.

Remember, everyone is different. You might find that a trendy diet does work for you and that keeping a food diary does not. It is important to experiment and find out what works best for your body and your lifestyle. Do you enjoy keeping a food journal? What kind of exercise do you fit into your daily routine?

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips by Joshua Rosenthal
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It seems as more consumers are realizing that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is bad for them, food production companies are taking it out of their products. This is great news. But how are manufacturers going to replicate that sweet flavor that got so many Americans hooked in the first place?

Snapple recently announced its decision to replace HFCS with sugar to lower the calorie content. The ingredients will now read: water, sugar, citric acid, tea and natural flavors. Is this really better? Sugar is still a refined product that contributes to many of the preventable diseases Americans suffer from today.

Since Snapple teas are known for their sweet flavors, it would be hard for them to take out the sweet factor, but what about a healthier alternative?

Here are a few sugar alternatives:

Agave Nectar is made from the juice of agave cactus and is 1.4 times sweeter than refined sugar, but does not create a sugar rush.

Date Sugar consists of finely ground, dehydrated dates and comes in a granulated form.

Brown Rice Syrup consists of brown rice that has been ground and cooked, converting the starches to maltose. You may need to use up to 50% more brown rice syrup than the amount of sugar you would normally need.

Do you have a favorite alternative sweetener?

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Recipes, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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We’ve talked a lot about the importance of school nutrition, but this interview with Dr. Arthur Agatston, guest speaker at Integrative Nutrition and creator of the South Beach Diet, suggests that there is more to look at than just whole foods.

Can you remember back to your school cafeteria? Or maybe you’ve even visited your kid’s cafeteria during lunch time. It’s not the most peaceful environment. Kids sitting around trying to eat their entire lunch before the bell rings.

Dr. Agatston believes that along with looking at what kids are eating we should also look at the environment. He suggests making lunch time a real sit-down meal with tablecloths and even having the teachers join them. He believes that kids will be happier and do better if they have a leisurely meal in a positive atmosphere. “It’s a huge learning opportunity for kids,” says Agatston.

By sitting down and slowing down, kids will be more conscious of the food they’re consuming. Agatston suggests that kids can take these habits home with them as well.

What do you think? Is it possible to transform not only school lunches, but the environment kids eat in? Maybe it’s not possible to bring tablecloths to cafeteria tables around the world, but what are some other ways to make the school lunch experience more enjoyable?

Share with us and get IINvolved.

Tags: Healthy Tips, Relationships by Joshua Rosenthal
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Donna Karan is more than a fashion icon. Karan and another designer launched the Urban Zen Foundation  in 2006 to raise awareness and inspire change in the area of well-being and to empower children and preserve cultures.

 

After she lost her husband to cancer she realized there was something missing in mainstream medicine. She wanted to create a community that brought together like-minded people who want to make a difference. Recently, she hosted a Well-Being Forum that brought together 2,000 integrative and conventional medicine leaders, healthcare practitioners and influencers to brainstorm practical solutions to challenges that are facing patients and their loved ones. People in the integrative wellness field know that something is not working in the medical system, so Urban Zen Foundation’s mission is to figure out what will work.

Karan and Integrative Nutrition share a very similar dream that one day every hospital and doctor’s office across the world will have holistic wellness professionals. More hospitals are realizing the desire for alternative medicine and incorporating it into their healing procedures. Right now Beth Israel Medical Center in New York has a pilot program to introduce integrative medical practices and study their impact on patients and caregivers.

Change is happening all around and you can be a part of this powerful movement.

Tags: Celebrity News, Relationships, Spirituality, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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The verdict is in: Eating a good breakfast is important for overall health. It helps boost metabolism, fend off weight gain and gives you energy. The problem many Americans face is they’re bored of the everyday bowl of cereal or eggs and toast. Many people skip breakfast and wait for that bowl of brown rice with veggies or salad for lunch. But who says you can’t have brown rice or a salad for breakfast?

Are you bored with your morning routine? Many Americans would rather hold off on eating until lunch or even dinner because they don’t know what to eat for their morning meal.

In this New York Times article, food writer Mark Bittman offers creative ways to use whole grains for breakfast. He incorporates ingredients like black olives, quinoa, miso, dried tomatoes, sesame oil, bok choy, wheat berries and roasted carrots. That’s a real departure from the standard American breakfast! He even creates a polenta pizza with pancetta and spinach for breakfast.

If you think about it, grains have been the staple of many culture’s breakfast for centuries. Whether it’s a bowl of rice or hot porridges, these meals are fast and filling. These recipes will give you tons of ideas for adding beans and vegetables to your whole grain breakfast.

If time keeps you from cooking up some quinoa in the morning, you can absolutely make some at night with your dinner and save it for the morning. When you reheat it in the morning, just add a little water.

What do you like to eat for breakfast?

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Recipes by Joshua Rosenthal
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First it was the trans fat ban, then it was calories on menus and now one state, Maryland, may be required to post warning labels if the food is made with certain food coloring additives. With all of these changes, Americans will most likely be healthier and able to make informed decisions about the foods they eat.

Food coloring found in many processed foods is used to imitate certain fruits and vegetables, but it has been linked to ADHD and other behavioral issues in children. Instead of fresh strawberries on top of a sundae, McDonalds uses synthetic Red 40 in their syrups. Kraft’s guacamole dip uses Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1 to look like avocados. Do these dyes replace the flavor of an avocado or fresh strawberries?

Food colorings are designed to make a dish look appealing to kids, but it is possible to have a colorful plate without ingredients that harm our health. Experiment with the fruits and vegetables you keep around the house. You can even make it a contest for the kids. How colorful can you make your plate using these fruits and vegetables?

These changes in your home or on food labels won’t happen overnight, but if you start incorporating more fruits and vegetables in your dishes. Maryland’s proposed bill is a step in the right direction.

If there are so many hidden food colorings in processed foods, what else are the manufacturers hiding from consumers?

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Politics by Joshua Rosenthal
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Eating healthfully really does do more than just fend off weight and cravings—it may also improve cognitive function. According to a recent study, those who follow a Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, fruit, fish and olive oil may be able to keep their brain sharper than those who eat more processed foods.

This idea makes complete sense. Whole foods, like vegetables and fruit, create whole minds. Do you remember when your parents or teachers used to encourage you to eat a good breakfast before taking a test? That’s because the foods we eat feed our minds as well.

When you eat grains, vegetables and fruit your body is able to maintain its blood sugar levels until it’s time to eat again. Immediately after eating, your mind won’t be worrying about where you’re going to get the next meal and will be able to focus on the task at hand. When you eat something more processed, you may be initially satisfied, but an hour later your mind will go into scavenger mode and want the next meal to bring your blood sugar levels back up. Think about the last time you had a doughnut versus whole grain bread. Do you remember how you felt?

Rather than always thinking about food because we’re hungry for nutrition wouldn’t it be nicer to focus on the other joys in life? In order to truly enjoy life we need to also incorporate more whole foods. What do you think?

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips by Joshua Rosenthal
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When many people think of vegetables, they have bad memories of their parents making them eat all of their Brussels sprouts or peas before leaving the dinner table. Can you relate?

Truth is, veggies are not scary and are seriously good for you. They are crammed with vitamins A, C, E and K, fiber, folic acid, and many other micronutrients that help with blood purification, cancer prevention and improved circulation. They’re like a miracle food! The problem is they are the most missed food in the American diet and green veggies are even more missed.

When thinking about vegetables, be adventurous and go beyond traditional greens like, broccoli or lettuce. Kale is a great, green leafy vegetable that has more nutritional value with fewer calories than almost any other food around. Better yet, it is in season from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring and can be enjoyed in many ways. Some people prefer to eat it raw, while others like it steamed. See what works for your taste buds.

Here is a simple recipe to get you started, but definitely experiment with using this nutrient-rich vegetable. Let us know about your favorite kale recipe and what you love about it and we might include it in our list of recipes.

Tags: Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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I think many of us can feel stuck in a rut, when it comes to our day-to-day eating. This ABC News article outlines some nutrient-rich foods that you may not already incorporate into your every day diet.

Kiwi: This fruit is rich in potassium and loaded with dietary fiber. Two of them have twice the vitamin C of an orange!

Broccoli Rabe: This leafy green is generally available year-round and is a great source of vitamin K, A and a great plant-based source of calcium. It can be enjoyed raw, but it’s best when steamed or boiled.

Brazil Nuts: These seeds are an exceptional source of selenium, which is a cancer-fighting mineral. Like other nuts, they are also a good source of protein, fiber and vitamin E. Boil them to soften the shell.  

Red lentils: When these lentils are dried they have a reddish or orangey color, but they turn a golden-yellow hue once they’re cooked. No matter what color the lentils, they are high in protein and fiber. So this is a great option for vegetarians.

Quinoa: This seed is related to spinach and beets. This carbohydrate also has more protein and dietary fiber than most cereal grains. It’s a great option for people on a gluten-free diet.

Many people can get tired of eating the same thing every day, but you don’t have to. You’ll be more likely to stick to a healthy diet if you switch it up every now and then. Try incorporating more of these foods into your diet. How do you like to prepare them?

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Recipes, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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Dieting has reached a new level, as more people go online to get healthy.

A recent New York Times article looks at the growing popularity of websites like StickK or Make Money Losing Weight, where people join with their friends, family and coworkers betting money to see who can lose the most weight in a set amount of time. People who have tried these methods have found that when money is at stake, they are more willing to put in the effort.

For some people it’s not about the money at all. Some find that they are more motivated to eat well when everyone around them is doing the same. Maybe you are not the type to bet money on losing weight, but instead you get a few friends together to make a healthy whole grain dish or salad.

The important thing to realize is everyone is different. While some people might prefer to be closet dieters, others would rather get support from a friend, spouse or coworker.

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Recipes by Joshua Rosenthal
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