BonAppetit PodCast: Healthy Eating Habits

Podcast: BonAppetit Healthy Eating Habits

The Midlife Health Checklist: How do you fare with YOUR health?

There is no doubt that the inevitable happens. We age. Some of us may age more gracefully than others, but nonetheless, we age. So what can we do about it? Accept it, but you set the terms and conditions. Do everything in your power to 'stay young at heart'. It is possible and frankly, that's the way I plan on going down with it. How about you?

According to Dr. David Agus, turning 40 is the 'turning point' where we may see life through another set of glasses so to speak. This is the time of questioning not only our mortality, but where are we now, what we have done in the past and what we will do in the future to make positive, good things happen for others as well as ourselves. This is also the time when we may focus more on how we feel after indulging in 'bad food' or too much alcohol and how different that all was in our earlier years.

Going back to aging gracefully though, we can set the terms and conditions as much as we can by eating right, enjoying life to the fullest, exercising regularly and sleeping well. We can stave off disease much better if we lead a healthier lifestyle -- no doubt.

The following 4 categories are definitely tried and true and highly recommended for us to follow as much as possible. While all of the points in the article may not apply to everyone -- which makes sense since we all have different metabolisms -- they are a good place to start with leading a healthier lifestyle. Good idea to also check with a physician as well before starting any diet/health program. Below is your midlife health checklist.

(1) Diet: 

• Drink full fat milk which may apply more especially after a good exercise session. It has been found that it can help with the reduction of muscle mass which occurs with age. It also contains calcium which is essential for bone health. If milk isn't 'your friend', there are other calcium-rich foods that are terrific such as kale, sardines, yogurt, broccoli, watercress and bok choy.
• Avoid unnecessary supplements. Instead of focusing on taking a calcium supplement, the best thing to do is to simply eat real food. 
• Eating portion-controlled foods on smaller plates as well as eating more slowly and deliberately leads to healthier habits that can make a big difference when it comes to better health.
• Say No to shiny packets. Those shiny packets contain artificial ingredients from sweeteners to chemical preservatives contained in many processed foods speed up the aging process.
• Take probiotics: According to Liz Earle, the author of The Good Gut Guide, states that "healthy bacteria and lactoferrin found in plain live yogurt can dramatically improve our levels of skin-friendly flora, which in turn leads to smoother, clearer skin, especially for those prone to adult-onset acne or rosacea".
• Drinking coffee and tea in moderation can be a really good thing to do. It has been found that moderate amounts of caffeine is thought to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and can also improve physical performance.
• Eat Mediterranean. Some simple 'food trades' such as swapping red meat for organic white meat or butter for olive oil are good options to follow. Additionally, if we add turmeric to our diets -- which help to fight inflammation, arthritis and depression -- we can add on to our longevity.
• Stick to healthy fats and cut down on sugar. Yes, sugar is an ingredient to avoid as much as possible as it damages our cells and promotes wrinkles. Who wants that?
• Alcohol doesn't have to be cut out of life after 40 for gosh sakes! It is just a good idea to drink in moderation and even stick to non-alcohol days more frequently. Looking forward to a glass or two of 'vino' with a loved one is after all part of the fun part of getting older!

(2) Sleep and mental health: 

• Having someone to share our life with not only makes life sweeter, but its good for our health too! 
• Its good to have a 'time out' where we can take a little time for ourselves, right? How about taking a few minutes to sit quietly and simply 'be' or how about a long bath or reading a good book? All good stuff....
• Taking a walk is great for decreasing depression and improving our wellbeing.
• So many of us have desk jobs now-a-days, but what about investing in a desk where you can stand instead of sit? "If you stand for eight minutes of every half an hour you are at work, and move around for at least two minutes, you can experience lower levels of blood sugar and cholesterol, reduced weight and improved concentration, according to a study by Cornell University".
• Forming good habits helps with our overall health and wellness. So, going to sleep and getting up in the morning around the same time is good!
• Sleep in a quiet, cool and dark place. If you don't get good quality sleep, it can negatively affect not only our mood, but even our mental health, weight and heart function.
• It's just not good to be staring at our laptops or phones before bed. Studies have shown that exposure to the blue-white light which is emitted by those technology tools prevents our brains from releasing melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that tells our bodies its time to sleep.
• As we age, its best not to eat too late or shortly before we go to sleep. Our digestion process will keep us up and won't allow for restful sleep!

(3) Health and Body: 

• Take aspirin: While it has shown that taking a low dose of daily aspirin helps to lower the risk of heart attacks and even mitigate the risk of some cancers, its best to check with your doctor before doing so.
• Don't smoke. Enough said.
• Getting real about your skincare. This is important to be sure for reasons aside from wrinkles. There is also risk of sun damage and even potential skin cancers if not checked.
• Exfoliation of the skin helps with removing unwanted, dead skin. Ick!
• Wearing sun screen on a daily basis is simply a good idea. 
• Good oral hygiene is important.
• Unnecessary cosmetic surgery can be devastating, especially if you don't know how it will turn out in the following years -- and you don't know.
• Looking after your feet may seem unimportant, but keeping our feet healthy allows us to be more actively mobile and that's a good thing.
• Visiting your doctor on a yearly basis can help to avoid potential health risks.

(4) Fitness: 

• Walk: According to the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults should be aiming for 150 minutes of brisk walking on a weekly basis.
• While it is true that pushing yourself to the point of pain upon exercising is not recommended, it is good to be somewhat uncomfortable if you are wanting to receive the best results. 
• As we age and our metabolism slows, its best to exercise in the morning for the best metabolic results. 
• Make every effort to stand up straight and keep a good posture. It helps to work on flexibility.
• As we age, low-intensity training can be gentler on our joints as opposed to high-intensity training. There is less opportunity for injury and LISS can be great for weight loss and increasing fitness overall.
• Accepting where we are. We can't go back in time, so its important to make the most of where we are now -- whatever the age. Having satisfaction can lead to better self-esteem and happiness.
• With the inevitable muscle loss that occurs from the age of 30 and beyond, its good to make resistance training part of our weekly routine as it elevates our metabolism, can prevent osteoporosis and is fat burning too.
• Tracking exercise progress can be easily done with the help of wearable technology like a Fitbit.
• By taking up a new sport or physical hobby, it keeps things fresh and can add to our overall balance and health.
• Lastly, a dog is usually a welcome addition to ones' life. If you are more on the sedentary side, a dog can help you become more readily available to exercise by walking more.

Yes, the inevitable will happen. We will age. But, most of the time, it is in our own power to make doable and healthy changes that -- with a little help from a professional and a supportive support system -- can lead us to having a more comfortable and welcoming life, wouldn't you agree?

How do you fare with your health?

15 Smart Food Swaps That Will Make You Healthier

Most people have a "love affair" with eating delicious food, right? Who doesn't like a robust portion of homemade spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna or even a simple but delicious burger? By eating some of these foods though, we tend to forget how much we are eating because -- well, the food is delicious and we are hungry!

If we merely made an effort to not only watch our portion-sizes but also make smart food swaps, we can save on some calories too.

The following are 15 food swaps that -- if followed regularly -- should lead you down the road to better health.

(1) Swap white pasta for whole wheat: Whole wheat pasta contains more fiber as well as vitamin E, B vitamins and antioxidants -- definitely more than white pasta.

(2) Swap plain potatoes for sweet potatoes. "Eating sweep potatoes means you're still getting those essential carbs, but this way they count as one of your five-a-day, unlike regular potatoes which are a starchy food."

(3) Swap white rice for brown rice or 'cauli-rice': Simply put, brown rice has more nutrients than white rice. Brown rice contains more fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. White rice has a whole lot of "empty" calories and carbs that don't do much for nutrition.

(4) Make your own oatmeal instead of the pre-packaged version. It just makes sense to make your own version of oatmeal. By making your own, you actually can see what ingredients are being added rather than being surprised by unnecessary sugar or added ingredients.

(5) Swap fruit juice for the fruit itself. "Drinking a glass of orange juice means the fruits' sugars are more readily available and more easily absorbed by the body. The other thing to consider is that no matter how much fruit juice you drink in a day, it still only counts as one of your five-a-day".

(6) Swap white bread for Rye or Wholemeal.  "The way wholemeal or rye breads are digested means that the sugar, which turns into energy, is released into the bloodstream much more slowly than in white bread." No doubt, there is an advantage to staying fuller longer by eating more nutritious foods without having those hunger pangs which may cause eating an excess of unwanted/unhealthful foods.

(7) Swap sugary energy drinks for coffee. While it is true that too much caffeine can affect blood pressure, a portion-size (1-2 cups) can be good for you. But let's be honest -- if you say you love coffee and you are an avid Starbucks fan -- drink coffee without all the added sugars and milk which only give you more empty calories. 

(8) Swap store-bought salad dressing for homemade salad dressing.  Making a salad dressing only takes a few minutes, plus there is the added advantage of knowing what all the ingredients are as well. It doesn't take much beyond a good olive oil and vinegar with a few added ingredients. Store-bought salad dressing has added sugars and unpronounceable ingredients that do "who knows what" to the body!

(9) Swap low-fat yogurt for Greek instead. Greek yogurt is naturally lower in both fat and sugar. If sweetness is what you are missing in your plain yogurt, add fresh fruit, a sprinkling of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.

(10) Swap butter for olive oil margarine.  So much depends on portion-control, doesn't it? If you typically enjoy adding a good amount to your morning toast, the olive oil option at least has healthy unsaturated fat as opposed to butters' saturated fat. 

(11) Swap the crackers (or crisps) for popcorn. Popcorn is a whole grain, less processed than crackers and is lower in fat. Popcorn is delicious too. Some healthier options to add to it that won't wreck your healthy eating would be a good squeeze of lemon, a sprinkling of seasoned salt, cayenne pepper and even a sprinkling of nutritional yeast.

(12) Swap regular mashed potatoes for cauli-potatoes or even another kind of roasted vegetable like turnips or sweet potatoes or pumpkin which all contain essential nutrients without the added butter.

(13) Swap pork sausages for chicken sausages.  Chicken sausages typically are lower in saturated fat than pork and they also help out with minimizing red meat intake. As has been stated in the news everywhere for quite some time, a higher risk of red meat intake can be linked to certain types of cancers and even heart disease.

(14) Swap cheddar for cottage or goat cheese. Both cottage and goat cheese are a terrific source of calcium without the large fat content. While cheddar cheese is also delicious, its best to keep that to a minimum or portion-controlled for best health results.

(15) Swap fried eggs for boiled or poached. While eggs are most certainly delicious, one can save on quite a bit of calories by avoiding the butter or oil. Another option to the fried egg would be to make it in a non-stick pan where it can be "dry-fryed" or by making it with the use of a light cooking spray.

What Do We Really Care About?

As I approach a new topic to discuss in the health & wellness arena, it seems that it has been covered, right? But, is a topic as extensive and popular as health and wellness really covered in one article or one study or one great healthy outcome statistic? No, definitely not!

Now that there is more of a focus on individualized nutrition for kids, teenagers and adults, shouldn't there also be a focus on finding out specifically what the individual really wants and needs? Sure, most people would more than likely like to drop a few "lbs", but what if that doesn't apply to everyone? Is there a "common sense" approach to leading a healthier lifestyle kinda plan that includes a fitness and mindfulness component? Would eating a bit of "everything" in a portion-controlled way be enough for someone or would eliminating sugar be the right way to go?

Let's just quiet the noise in our heads and think about it. Sure, it is important to have science-backed knowledge on what the right health & wellness aide would be for you and me, but how do you not get overwhelmed by all the media news out there on what you should eat, or where you should live or what you should do to be happy? Doesn't that all encompass wellbeing? What exactly does that mean?

Changing ones' behavior for example to something that someone else "approves" of certainly doesn't work; so how can what I do -- as a health coach -- make a difference to what you -- as my audience -- really cares about? It is wise to check with a doctor before approaching any form of diet, but what if you are relatively healthy, and just want to lose some weight, or gain confidence or improve your wellbeing? 

Check out the following articles that delve further into some of the important things we should be focusing on like overall health, wellness, mindfulness and just doing what we can to be happy. 

20 Best Vitamins Food and Fruits You Should Eat If You're Trying To Lose Weight

12 Healthy Desserts For A Guilt-Free Sweet Fix

15 Inspiring Quotes To Improve Your Worst Day

The Dalai-Lama Reveals The Ultimate Morning Ritual That Will Brighten Your Day

12 Gratitude Quotes To Remind You How Blessed You Are