How Much Exercise Do We Need?

Okay, so Winter is here and it can be so uncomfortable to workout outside. This is the time of year, for multiple reasons, that many people put on an average of about 5 additional pounds! How much exercise do we need to be healthy? This will vary depending on your situation and goals. If you have put on a lil’ weight and have kind of let yourself go, don’t feel so down on yourself. There is hope! Just start doing something about it.

get-your-20-in

As a pharmacist and dance instructor by trade, I can go through all of the medical studies and tell you the obvious about diet and exercise, but instead, I would like to share with you what has worked for me. Although I am not a fitness expert, nor do I have a super buff body, I know a lot about nutrition, the body and maintaining a healthy weight in a hectic lifestyle. However, I have to admit that the older I get, the more creative I have to be to maintain a healthy weight. So, here are my top 5 tips about exercise, fitness and diet.

1. Know Your Goals & Make Them Realistic

Are you trying to maintain or lose weight? Are you trying to build muscle?

If you are wanting to maintain your weight, go for moderate aerobic exercise about 30 minutes a day, five days out of the week. You can watch my Taptutor vids…all 10 and have a great moderate workout while having fun!

If you want to lose weight, rev it up with a higher intensity workout and about an hour per day. I’m working up to those videos!

Of course when it comes to building muscle, literally, no pain– no gain. It takes a bit more commitment, but start slow with 2.5 pound dumb-bells and leg weights or resistance training, then work your way up to a more intense workout. The key is to add over a period of time so as to not burn yourself out. It will become more like YOUR lifestyle instead of forced.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmWJGw-cY7MsAUyM0AAd6cA

2. Don’t Deprive Yourself

If you eat a sensible diet that is high in fiber (adults up to age 50 need 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men), you will eliminate regularly and take in the nutrients and vitamins you need, feel fuller and are less likely to crave the things that sabotage us. Water is most definitely important as well. Generally 2-3 Liters or more per day for adults and you may need more as you lose fluids with exercise.

Don’t deprive yourself of goodies. Let’s face it, if I see ice cream on my left and an apple on my right, I am going to most likely want the ice cream every time. We have to choose wisely depending on the time of day and how we have eaten during the day. DON’T eat the ice cream at 10 PM because we know it will just go straight to our gut and butt. I’m just sayin’. Have half of the typical serving size and if you are still not satisfied, go for the apple. Works for me almost 100% of the time (Almost). The times that I do “comfort eating” are getting less and less and when I know I have had a frustrating day, this seems to be a trigger. I’m learning to keep my guard up and anticipate my need to resort to foods that are either very sweet or salty such as chips.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/eat-this-fiber-chart

3. Have a Workout Buddy and Support System

I have recently started working out with a few fabulous ladies and they have been a great support and keep me encouraged in meeting my goal to be more toned. It costs me no money, it’s so much more enjoyable than if I were to do the workout alone and I know if I start to get discouraged, I have someone to encourage me and not let me give in so easily.

4. Change your mindset of what you call exercise….be practical

You can take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Walk to the store and back instead of driving (or ride your bike instead of driving)
Wash your own car instead of going to the car wash.
Get a 30 minute, daily house-cleaning routine to your favorite music. Dusting, mopping, sweeping and cleaning the windows can work up a sweat and be a good and unexpected cardio workout.
Dance while you cook your favorite meal (make sure you actually finish your cooking….if you are like me, you may get a little carried away with those old line dances)

5. Make these changes for life

Don’t keep the things that sabotage you in your house. I know…..easier said than done. When you go to the grocery store, REFUSE to put more than 1 item that has been pre-packaged into your cart. I usually make my own desserts and my family has become used to not even checking the cabinet for a “snack”. They know that it is truly a treat to have a manufactured item from the store such as chips, cookies, cakes or other items. This makes us come out of the habit of eating just to be eating. When I make dessert, it forces me to think of what I am putting into it and questioning if it is the best thing for our bodies. Are we just eating out of habit….or are we really hungry?

Also, make it a goal to eat just 100 calories less per day and replace 10-20% of your fat intake with something high in fiber. It’s not much and it’s a good way to get started as a change to make for life. You can continue to increase your fiber, decrease the fat calories and decrease your calories as you see what works best for you.

#Milk Does the Body What???

you-can-get-with-this

How many of us were told to “Drink your #milk so you can have strong teeth and bones?” Well, I believed that for a long time. What if I told you that it may be just the opposite? Here are a few facts to help you to decide.

Calcium from animal milk is not absorbed as well as the calcium that is found in white beans, canned salmon, sardines, dried figs, bok choy, blackstrap molasses, kale, black-eyed peas, almonds, oranges, sesame seeds, oatmeal, seaweed, turnip greens and more.
When we were babies, if our mothers’ breastfed us, this was best for us for so many reasons. It gave us our immune system and nutrients. It was also bonding time with Mom. However, once we developed teeth, we did not need to continue to drink milk as our main source of calcium and nutrients. We graduated to FOOD! I’m just sayin’!
There is research that suggests that animal milk not only does not help build strong bones and teeth, but weakens them.
Evidence has also been found that revealed that animal milk may lead to a higher risk of prostate cancer and ovarian cancer.
Animal sources of calcium come with cholesterol also. If you have health issues due to high cholesterol, other plant based sources have none.
Due to the amount of antibiotics that are used in an attempt to keep the animals healthy and infection free, this is leading to antibiotic resistance. YOU are ingesting whatever this animal digested! If the animal was vaccinated, you are also receiving this.
Saturated fats are not good for us either and if you drink whole animal milk, you are most likely getting 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). Even if you cut it down to 1% milk, you are receiving 8% of the RDA. So before eating any food at all for the day, you can see how the calories from fat can add up in a big way. This can definitely lead to weight gain.
Animal milk can have the opposite desired effect which is leaching the milk straight out of your bones. This can cause brittle bones and osteoporosis. (See reference 3)
We need a healthy lifestyle and well-rounded diet. It is a must to get adequate sunshine or supplemental vitamin D, and about 500 mg Calcium per day which can easily be obtained from plant sources.

In summary, I will just say that I hope all of this is FOOD for thought! Let me know what your primary source of calcium is….plant based foods or animal source. Please share this info in your social media posts!!! images

References:

Gallery November 2, 2016November 27, 2016 Monica

Kick HFCS to the Curb Already!

hfcs

I think a lot of us were born in the era of the HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) Boom. If you are around my age, you were not around to see the switch. Bleaching the nutrients out of pure sugar was enough of a detriment to our health, now, with the use of HFCS, illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, liver failure, dementia, cancer, tooth decay and more are at an all time high and rising. On the average each American has increased their yearly intake of HFCS from 0 to over 60 pounds which mostly comes from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food.

So, while various organizations are trying to push the lie that HFCS is good for your health, follow the trail back to who benefits if corn loses its foothold as a major crop in not only the American economy, but other countries as well…..the Corn Industry. The bottom line is that sugar is sugar no matter how you package it!!! Oh but wait….what’s worse is that HFCS can be more detrimental than sugar because no digestion of the sugars is required and they go straight to your bloodstream, elevating your blood glucose as well as producing fats such as triglycerides and cholesterol. You develop a fatty liver, your metabolism becomes a hot mess, you crave more food, you gain weight and have a likelihood to develop one or more of the above mentioned diseases.

It is also stated by those promoting HFCS that when used in moderation, it is safe. The biggest problem I see with this statement is that if you are consuming it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between in snacks or drinks, is this in moderation? Hmmmmmmmm

About 15 years ago, I made up my mind that I was going to eat and cook as healthy as I could with the means available to me. It was a rude awakening to go to the grocery store and come out with flour, bread (which I had to search for a brand without HFCS for 10 minutes), dried pasta, brown rice, sunflower oil, beans, butter, real cheese, fruits and vegetables, and unprocessed meat from the butcher section of the store. I was on a mission!!! The biggest hurdle was time. I was and am a working mom outside of the home, but once I convinced myself that it takes a bit more time to make what you can from scratch and be healthier instead of being a consumer of numerous processed food, I felt much better about what I was feeding me and my family.

In short, do what you can to minimize your intake of HFCS:

Look at food labels and decide if this is a product that maybe you can do without and incorporate something healthier, or maybe just do less of a serving.
The fresher the better! Buy raw or frozen fruits and veggies….whatever you can afford. I would even go a step further and say to experiment with your own garden. You would be surprised the number of things that I have grown in a small space and if you have children, they will be more likely to eat healthy from the experience.
Continue your research and spread the news to others.

There are a list of foods that do not contain HFCS, but please do your own review. I came across the below sites that may be helpful. Happy reading! Please share this article if you enjoyed it!

References:

October 26, 2016February 2, 2020 Monica

Need to Detoxify…Have a Radish

Wow!!! I began a journey searching for a natural remedy or at least something natural that could help a close loved one suffering from jaundice and never did I think it was already in my fridge! Something as simple as a small root vegetable called a radish. There are many varieties, but in general, a serving size is just 1 radish and this is about 100 mg. What makes it healthy is that it has insoluble fiber that helps to clear the gut and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol because of its high content of water (about 90%). The radish also has an array of essential vitamins and minerals. If that is not enough, they possess anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. You may also find it extremely healthy because of its minerals and vitamins such as: potassium, vitamin C, folate, fiber, manganese, copper, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B6, riboflavin and sodium. Let’s look at the hi-lites of the nutritional content of one radish below:

Some health benefits worth mentioning (My top 5):

I told you that I began this search in hopes to find a natural way to help a loved one with jaundice due to a blood disorder called Thalesemia. One of the first things that I saw when researching natural things was the radish. The radish is a potent detoxifier and if there are issues with the liver or the stomach, it will help to purge the toxin by eliminating it in the body’s waste products. Radishes help to eliminate bilirubin as well and keep its production at a manageable level. They help promote blood health by reducing the amount of red blood cells destroyed that is caused by jaundice and helps to oxygenae the blood.

Urinary Disorders

Due to the diuretic properties of the radish, it acts to stimulate urine production. If you have ever had a burning sensation or urinary inflammation, well, there is help! First of all, make sure you have been properly diagnosed by your doctor. If there is something natural such as this that you can incorporate into your daily diet, make sure you inform your healthcare provider before beginning. Radishes also help to keep the kidneys clean and healthy. They have been known to treat a number of urinary conditions that if you can rid yourself of the toxic agents, the condition improves.

Weight Loss

Radishes have lots of insoluble fiber which makes them filling and are low in calories. They have a low glycemic index due to the high fiber content. Now I’m not going to lie, eating a radish is not going to mentally satisfy my cravings for a donut, but, if I eat the healthier things such as this first, I may not be as likely to over do it when I have a dessert. If done in moderation, you won’t feel like you are depriving yourself so much. Also, they will increase your bowel movements which helps rid your body of excess waste and thus is good for weight loss and metabolism.

Kidney Diseases

Due to its disinfectant qualities, the radish acts as a cleanser and a diuretic. Let your kidneys rejoice! By incorporating these small veggies into your diet, you will help to clean out your kidneys, wash away toxins that may accumulate in the blood and kidneys, guard against kidney infection even taking root……no pun intended!

Liver and Gallbladder

In addition to helping to maintain the proper flow of bilirubin and bile, these little veggies also help to regulate enzymes and acids. Radishes contain esterase, amylase, diastase and myrosinase and help to clean out your bloodstream as mentioned earlier of excess bilirubin.

They are cheap, natural and a great way to improve your health, even if you do not have any current conditions. Try to use them in salads and in other veggie dishes like a pot of green beans. But most of all, just give them a try!

References:

October 7, 2016February 25, 2017 Monica

Oh Honey, How Sweet!

honey-article

Honey is such an amazing food. It has some very unexpected health benefits and because it tastes so good, we don’t mind using it. Here are just a few things that you can benefit from by using honey:

Think about it as a natural way to give yourself a boost of ENERGY.

We all have experienced that run down feeling at some point in time if we are over doing it and have not gotten enough rest. Honey is a wonderful source of carbs and an important component of our energy source for our bodies. If you take honey, it will give you an immediate boost in your ability to get the task at hand done and hold on until you can get something that is even more sustaining into your body. It decreases muscle fatigue for athletes and because of its natural sugars, you can use it as you exercise.

Here is how it works….two important properties of honey are that it contains glucose, which breaks down very quickly to give us immediate energy, and fructose, which breaks down over a slower period of time to help us to sustain the energy. Honey is also known to stabilize blood sugar more as compared to other things we use to sweeten our food.

Take it in the morning as an energy booster in your tea or as a cleaning tonic on an empty stomach with the juice of half a lemon, a bit of warm water and a teaspoon of honey (see recipe below).

It not only works to cleanse your body as it works as an antimicrobial and antifungal, it also helps to boost your immune system, hopefully preventing illnesses. It has very powerful antioxidant properties that give want to be diseases a PUNCH!!!

Honey has been said to help fight cancer. See below references for more on this.
One of my favorite uses: a natural cure for treating wounds due to its antiseptic properties. Next time you or your little ones have an OWIE, try a bit of honey on it. It also is known to work to help heal minor burns. There is a brand that has been shown to be good for this in the link below called UMF Manuka.
If you have a sore throat or cough, try a drink of honey with warm water and lemon as mentioned above.
Got insomnia, try honey and warm milk before turning in. This is an old remedy that has been proven to work by many grandmothers. You can even use the honey in tea such as chamomile. My favorite is green tea and honey. It seems to have such a soothing effect.
Honey and vinegar have been reported by many to decrease their pain from arthritis and work as a home detox.
Honey and lemon are said to be good for weight loss

Overall, you can’t beat a food that has so many HUGE benefits and tastes so SWEET!

So next time you are low on energy, instead of reaching for that candy bar or granola bar, give honey a try.

Check out this recipe below:

Honey and lemon

Mix one tsp of raw honey with the juice of about 2 tsp of lime or lemon in a glass of warm water. Make sure not to use boiling water and definitely not tap water. Try to use distilled or at least a good quality bottled water such as FUJI. The pH of Fuji bottled water is reported to have a pH slightly above 8 which is healthier for us. Use this drink in the mornings before eating anything. It is effective in detoxing the body and as a digestive aid after a particularly oily meal. This along with exercise and a healthy diet will hopefully help you to shed the pounds naturally and make it a part of your lifestyle change.

References:

http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-and-lemon.html

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/264667.php#the_possible_health_benefits_of_honey

http://www.medicaldaily.com/liquid-gold-7-health-benefits-honey-could-heal-your-whole-body-325932

August 30, 2016 Monica

The Versatile Potato

twice baked potatoes

Health Benefits of the versatile potato:

The potato is rich in iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and zinc which makes it great for bone health.
Potatoes can help to decrease blood pressure because they are rich in potassium. Potassium widens the blood vessels. This may be even more beneficial in lowering blood pressure than decreasing your sodium intake. In addition, calcium and magnesium in the potato help to decrease blood pressure.
The large amount of fiber of the potato, potassium, vitamin C and amount of vitamin B-6 and the potato’s low amount of cholesterol make it a heart healthy food.
Potatoes decrease inflammation due to the amount of choline. Choline helps with sleep, learning, our muscle movement and even memory. Choline also helps to maintain our cell membranes and aids in transmitting nerve impulses. It helps with fat absorption and reduces chronic inflammation.
Due to the vitamin C and quercetin content, it has antioxidant properties which helps to fight off free radical damage. The folate in potatoes helps to repair our DNA which also helps us to fight off cancer. It’s high fiber content is associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
These are just a few of the benefits. Potatoes also are good for weight maintenance and a feeling of being full, a healthier metabolism due to B-6 and healthier skin due to its vitamin C content.

Reference:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280579.php

My Recipe

Bake 5-6 medium size, thoroughly washed potatoes in the oven at approximately 175 degrees C until able to easily poke with a fork (usually 45 minutes to 1 hour, ovens may vary). Remove from the oven and let them cool about 10 minutes. (Tip: Before baking poke with a fork all over about 7-8 times, grease potatoes with a small amount of oil and sprinkle salt on them; this helps the cooking process and taste).

Take just the very top of the skin off, leaving the skin on all other areas of the potatoes. (Wait, don’t throw away the skin, eat it! The fiber is great for you!)

Remove the contents of the potato leaving only enough to keep the skin intact as shown in picture 2 and place contents into a bowl. Set the skins to the side.

Take about 3-4 Tbsp of cream cheese and about 3 Tbsp of hummus. Add this to the potato content in the bowl (picture 3).

Season with salt and pepper to taste (use sea salt for a healthier alternative), add about 1/2 tsp of cumin and garlic granules/powder and 1 Tbsp of olive oil (see picture 4).

Mix well by mashing potatoes then stir them until it is a consistent mush. It will be very thick.

Place the potato mixture back into the potato skins that you have sat to the side.

Bake about 10-15 minutes at the same temperature as before, take them out, garnish with parsley or whatever garnish you desire and serve (picture 5).

I like to serve with a side of broccoli and fish. Enjoy!

Leave a comment if you try this tasty recipe and tell me what you think. Feel free to forward me any questions.

August 29, 2016February 25, 2017 Monica

A Special Thanks

Thanks so much for those who supported my “Living Healthy Naturally” Presentation! Video out later this week! pic.twitter.com/kTuIM8mDrW

— Monica (@taptutor) August 29, 2016

August 18, 2016February 25, 2017 Monica

A Presentation on “Living Healthy Naturally” by Monica Terry

Upcoming Event!

Living Healthy Naturally

Ashkelon’s own Monica Terry will be speaking with us about incorporating healthy habits that fit your lifestyle. She will discuss ways in which we can incorporate healthy habits such as herbs, spices, and certain foods into our daily routines with the goal of preventing diseases and maintaining our health.

Monday August 22 @ 7PM

145 Sderot Yershalayim

20 shekels for members

30 shekels for non members

http://ashkelonesoa972.com

August 8, 2016February 25, 2017 Monica

Oral Hydration Solution

This is a great post written by a talented young woman who is the proud owner of Sunni’s Holistic Delights. She specializes in providing healthy, vegan and vegetarian dishes, drinks and desserts. I am posting it here on my blog with her permission. I personally can not wait to try the below recipe! Please try it out and let me know what you think. Also, give Sunni’s blog a visit as well and help to support her business!

Looking for a great way to stay hydrated??

However the thought of putting all those yucky unhealthy ingredients from the popular store brought brands in your temple makes you cringe…lol?? Well look no further; try my easy homemade Oral Rehydration Drink. I’ve used homemade fruit juices as well to give it a little extra color/flavor. My 3yr old Suns,favorite one is coconut water and grape juice, just sub one cup of coconut water for juice. Mix all the ingredients together,and enjoy. Place any leftovers in the icebox, and drink within a week(ours never last that long).

Light, Love and Shalom

SunniDelight💙

http://sunnidelights.blogspot.co.il/

Image August 8, 2016February 25, 2017 Monica

The Relationship Between Cortisol and Stress

In the daily hustle and bustle of life, we can often become run down and simply stressed out. Cortisol has been called the Stress Hormone and is one of our bodies worst enemies. When your cortisol level is high, it can disrupt your memory and learning, decrease your immune system, decrease bone density, increase how fast you gain weight, increase blood pressure, cholesterol and heart disease. These are just the high-lights of a long list of effects from constant stress and increase in cortisol levels.

Increase in cortisol and stress can lower life expectancy as well. Here is how it works in a simplified schematic:

Something stresses or scares you initially and the Fight or Flight response is then activated. The adrenal gland releases cortisol in response to the trigger. The body is now ready to ward off the threat or flee. In some cases in which there is something that you anticipate will be exciting or a challenge, the fight or flight response is also triggered, but there is a physical release of the response once the event passes. However, when the body is in a state of constant stress and it can not achieve a physical release of the fight or flight response, our problems begin such as the ones stated above.

If we do not find a way to return the cortisol level to normal, our health will decline, however, these are some simple things we can do to combat stress and high cortisol levels:

Prayer & Meditation: People that believe in a higher power in this universe have been proven to handle stress better. I personally believe that our Heavenly Father is in control of ALL. Prayer is a powerful tool in the lives of my family on a daily basis. For some people, techniques such as Yoga work extremely well to keep their stress level down and to provide a physical release. Allowing the Spirit to heal or recover is key to the physical following suit.

Regular Exercise Routine/Activity: Well I think I have you covered on this one with my Taptutor Sessions! Aerobic activities such as dancing, walking, jogging, swimming, biking, or skating are all effective ways to recreate the ‘flight’ outlet and get rid of cortisol. If you exercise just 20-30 minutes several days out of the week, it will lower your cortisol level and keep it lower long-term.

Connection to Community: Of course having a supportive network of family and friends positively affects almost everything in our lives. When the world sends us too much to handle, others can be recruited to help take on the load. Don’t feel afraid to lean on a family member or friend and take some time for yourself, or better yet, take some time to enjoy your relationship and show them how grateful you are to have them in your life.

Music Currently it has been found that music around 60 beats per minute can cause synchronization of the music beat with the brain, which then causes alpha brainwaves (frequencies from 8 – 14 hertz or cycles per second). Faster music can invoke a happy and upbeat response while slow and calmer music can just make you want to go into “chill mode”. When we are relaxed and conscious, these alpha brain waves are present. Stanford University Researchers (press release 2006) reported that “listening to music seems to be able to change brain functioning to the same extent as medication.” Due to the fact that music is so accessible these days, these researchers concluded that it is an easy tool to apply.

Laughter There is growing research that states that when we anticipate laughter, two hormones – beta-endorphins (the chemicals of the body known to alleviate depression) and human growth hormone (HGH; which provides help with our immune system) – increase. So next time, really let it ALL out when you hear a joke or experience something funny. If you get some strange looks for laughing after everyone else has stopped, you may have to refer them to this article.

Diet: Even though diet did not make the list of some of the references that I studied, I want to propose that it can be an advantage or a culprit; a culprit in that it can be a secondary cause of stress. For example, if you love to drink coffee and over do it by drinking 4-5 cups per day, well into the evening, due to the caffiene, it will keep you awake. Lack of sleep can cause you to be grumpy and stressed because you don’t feel as ready to attack the day as you would have with a full night of sleep. In addition to the caffiene causing you to be way too alert, it is also a diuretic and causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. One to two cups per day is usually the maximum that health care providers would like to see their patients use. Also, it may be worth boosting up your vitamin C intake through fresh fruits and veggies like red bell peppers (190 mg vitamin C, three times more than an orange), Kale and Grapefruit. Vitamin C helps to maintain a healthy adrenal gland and cortisol levels.

The bottom line is…..don’t take yourself so seriously and most definitely take time out to pray, laugh, love and most of all enjoy the blessing of life that we have been given.

References:

	Anonymous on Huge Benefits in Using Soaked…
	Anonymous on Spirulina Versus Chlorella
	Anonymous on The MSP Connection
	Monica on Recycled Capitalism
	Monica on Recycled Capitalism
	Case Greenfield on Recycled Capitalism
	Pop a Pill or a Plan… on Suffer From Chronic Pain? A Na…
	Monica on Healing First From Inside to R…

tapin2life.com

Health, fitness and fun via dance, nutrition and meditation

Health & Nutrition

How Much Exercise Do We Need?

1. Know Your Goals & Make Them Realistic

2. Don’t Deprive Yourself

3. Have a Workout Buddy and Support System

4. Change your mindset of what you call exercise….be practical

5. Make these changes for life

Leave a comment and share your healthy tips for maintaining or losing weight and how you have changed your diet!

#Milk Does the Body What???

How many of us were told to “Drink your #milk so you can have strong teeth and bones?” Well, I believed that for a long time. What if I told you that it may be just the opposite? Here are a few facts to help you to decide.

Kick HFCS to the Curb Already!

Need to Detoxify…Have a Radish

Some health benefits worth mentioning (My top 5):

Urinary Disorders

Oh Honey, How Sweet!

Honey is such an amazing food. It has some very unexpected health benefits and because it tastes so good, we don’t mind using it. Here are just a few things that you can benefit from by using honey:

Think about it as a natural way to give yourself a boost of ENERGY.