February is American Heart Month! Heart disease still remains the leading cause of death among Americans. According to the American Heart Association, 1 person loses their life every 39 seconds to heart disease, and women are at a higher risk. What you eat, along with lifestyle behavior modifications have a huge impact on your heart health. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working together to prevent one million heart attacks or stokes by 2016 with their “Million Hearts Campaign.”

Four foods you should avoid or limit for a healthy heart are:

1. Trans fats
2. Saturated fats
3. Salt
4. Sugar

The availability and increased consumption of these foods has lead to increasing trends in high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart related conditions, obesity and Type II diabetes. Make 2012 the best year yet by avoiding these foods and increasing your cardiovascular exercise!

Many of us fear the “holiday weight gain” due to all of the holiday parties, festivities, and dining out filled with friends and family and oftentimes centered around FOOD!! The food preparation is oftentimes “out of your hands,” which makes it hard to monitor calorie and fat intake (when you don’t know what’s in it!). Now that Halloween has passed and the “one day candy high” is over, it’s time to start thinking about Thanksgiving—the food preparation, meal planning and strategies to fight the weight gain!

Here are a few tips and lifestyle changes to fight the holiday weight gain:

• Plan ahead and “budget your calorie intake” during the day, if you know you will be eating more at an evening event or party that night

• Get moving! Exercise is key to keeping your metabolism up and weight maintenance. Choose a physical activity that you can do with a friend or family member and hold yourself accountable (at least 30 minutes a day!).
  • Ideas for staying active: take a walk or swim (if you have access to a heated pool) or play a sport of choice (tennis, golf, basketball, throw the baseball or football around with a friend or family member).
• Bring a veggie side dish or salad (that way you can be 100% sure there will be something healthy at the party!)
  • “Courtney’s recommendation: Your best bet”: a serving of raw or blanched veggies with a low-calorie dip, hummus, or yogurt chive dip (Trader Joe’s) and a few small pieces of low-fat cheese. Don’t indulge on high-calorie or fried appetizers, on top of a heavy Thanksgiving dinner, which will make your blood sugar sky rocket!
• Pay attention to your portions! Remember that even a “healthy” food can cause weight gain if you have 2-3+ portions of it in one sitting.

Do you believe eggs will increase your cholesterol and therefore increase your risk of heart disease?? Many people (1/4 of Americans per the Egg Nutrition Center survey) with high cholesterol cut eggs out of their diet. It has only been in the last few years that research has been done on the link between eggs and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Note, CVD is still the leading cause of death in the United States.

Yes…it’s true, eggs do contain a concentrated source of cholesterol (164-215 mg per egg depending on the size). However, the relationship between dietary cholesterol (in food) and serum cholesterol (in your blood) varies significantly depending on each individual and intake of dietary fiber, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, obesity, insulin resistance, and genetics. The overall effects of dietary cholesterol (for example the cholesterol found in an egg or shrimp) is small in comparison to the LDL(bad cholesterol)-raising effects of saturated fat in foods.

Note: Picture taken at breakfast @ Le Pain Quotidien. (Egg salad sandwich open face…Delicious!!)

Are you an early morning exerciser with not enough time (or your forget) to have your pre-workout fuel?? Put it this way, “Do you set your alarm at 5:50 am for a workout class or routine that starts at 6 am?” This lack of time in between waking up and starting your workout does not allow you to give your body the right pre-workout nutrients. Therefore, you are basically “running on empty.”

Think about it…your last meal was most likely 8-10 hours before and your body has done a lot of work during your sleep of digesting and absorbing nutrients while your metabolism continues to burn. You wake up and your body wants you to “refuel it,” which simultaneously revs up your metabolism.

Many athletes and frequent (on infrequent) gym-goers push themselves to workout on empty stomachs with the belief that they’ll burn more fat.

Do you ever find yourself at the grocery store roaming around…wondering what you should buy and what foods are actually healthy? I can understand how it can get confusing with all of the marketing labels indicating “heart healthy” or “will lower your cholesterol” or “contains live active cultures.” The only way to really decide if the product is true to its claim is by reading the nutrition facts label and ingredients on the back or side of the product. Trader Joe’s has some great, easy to prepare and tasty meals for busy individuals and/or families.

Note: Balance Beam Photo taken by Renjith Krishman and fruits/veggies by XedOS4 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Nutrition facts label reading can be quite complex. Some people only look at the fat content, while others only look at the carbohydrates and sugar and some look at the calories and call it a day! It’s not just about one nutrient; it’s about looking at all of the nutrients as a whole. By this I mean, looking at the following:

• Serving size (how many servings are you having?)
• Total calories (per serving)
• Fat (broken down into saturated and trans fat- the bad fats, and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat- the good fats)
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Carbohydrates (broken down into fiber and sugar)
• Protein
• Vitamin A, C, Calcium and Iron are included as well

The first step to a healthier diet and ifestyle is to replace processed foods and refined sugars with FRESH foods. Open your kitchen cupboards and fridge….and what do you see?!

If you’re a runner like me, then you know that good running shoes (that fit correctly to your foot) are the most important part of gaining speed and preventing injury! If you didn’t know this already, then I am here to tell you all the details! I recently got a pair of the new Nike Free running shoes (the black and pink color)…and I love them!

The Nike Free running shoe was created for those who love the feel of barefoot running, yet need the cushioning, traction and underfoot protection of a shoe. The Nike Free flex grooves, which are along the length and width of the mid-sole, allow your foot to move naturally while adding stability.

Super Bowl Sunday is filled with fabulous football, friends and/or family and usually a barbeque including heavy, high fat, high salt, and high calorie foods!! Besides watching the game, eating (and drinking) are the main events! You might be wondering, “how can I eat healthy on Super Bowl?!”

Can you believe that it is the biggest day of pizza delivery and consumption of the year??! Papa John’s is expecting (and preparing) to sell 1 MILLION pizzas (35% increase in sales) for the Steelers vs. Packers Super bowl game. Now that’s a lot of cheese!!

I enjoy the football, friends and family, however the food can be healthy and still enjoyable. A few bites of the “bad stuff” (beef, ribs, brauts) are okay in moderation (you have to treat yourself once in a while right?!). The biggest thing is PORTION CONTROL. Fried foods and pizza, chicken wings, steaks, nachos, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and desserts (brownies and cookies) are the most common culprits on Super Bowl Sunday…putting you at greater risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and weight gain. This year make it a goal to add some color with fruits and vegetables (a few carrots and celery with hummus to start can’t hurt!) to your plate… and of course a few bites of the “bad stuff.”

Here are some healthy alternatives to bring to the Super Bowl Party:

For most of us, stress and food go hand-in-hand. Food can give us the feelings of power, control and satisfaction that we need in stressful situations. It’s no surprise that when our stress levels go up, our resistance to comfort foods goes down. It is an inverse relationship.

Our favorite foods can actually reduce our stress levels, but moderation is key!! Giving your body the nutrition it needs is a positive step you can take every day toward combating stress. With the right balance of nutrients, you are better prepared to face the challenges of the day. So, let’s change your “emotional eating” into “intuitive eating” TODAY!

Adrenaline, the “fight or flight hormone” is produced during times of intense stress. It gives you a burst of energy, but your blood-sugar level drops after the crisis is past. Sustaining and natural foods are needed to replenish it, not “quick carbs.” Certain foods increase the physical stress on your body by making digestion more difficult, or by denying the brain essential nutrients. Stress itself can cause bad digestion, bloating, cramps or other GI distress. Drinks such as caffeine and alcohol (which is what most people turn to in times of stress) both put a considerable strain on the body. With Nutrition For Body And Mind, we can make a healthy diet plan that is right for you and manageable for you in times of stress.

Have you ever thought of food as being toxic to your body?! Food is supposed to be nutritious and provide your body with the healthy fuel it requires. Food is supposed to give you energy to fuel daily functions or give you that extra power punch to enhance your sports performance. Most importantly, nutritious foods and beverages are made to rejuvenate, revitalize, restore and repair your muscles and your body on a daily basis.

However, some foods can set your back and put your body in a “rut,” forcing it to work less efficiently and leaving you feeling exhausted and fatigued (even when you’re exerting only a small amount of energy and not working out). Here are a few tips of the top 10 foods to avoid or limit because they may be doing more harm than you think….

Hydration is essential to daily life and plays a key role in sports performance. Many of you quench your thirst with a large Gatorade or Powerade post workout…. But is this your best bet???

Coconut water has long been enjoyed in tropical regions, and has gained popularity in the United States as a 100% natural alternative to sports drinks, where it is promoted for rehydration following exercise with one of the highest sources of electrolytes known to man.

A sports drink is defined as a beverage designed to help athletes rehydrate when fluids are depleted after training or competition. Electrolyte replacement promotes proper rehydration, which is important to delaying the onset of fatigue during exercise. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel utilized by exercising muscle and are important in maintaining or enhancing sport performance.