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
Health & Nutrition
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
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💙
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:
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201301/cortisol-why-the-stress-hormone-is-public-enemy-no-1
- https://www.unr.edu/counseling/virtual-relaxation-room/releasing-stress-through-the-power-of-music
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407114617.htm
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/497824-vitamins-that-help-with-cortisol/
- http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20745689,00.html#kale-4
The Cantaloupe
This fruit is so easy to start growing, even in my small window garden. The seeds did not take long to sprout (about 5 days) and before I knew it, I had plants about 4 inches high. I am not actually expecting for my plants to yield fruit while just growing them in my small window garden, but I just love to experiment with gardening and it is more of a hobby for me until I get some land to actually expand.
These delicious and nutritious melons are usually oblong in shape, measure 4.5- 6.5 inches in diameter and weigh 450 – 850 gm. Its flesh ranges in color from orange-yellow to salmon and has a soft consistency. Like most fruits, the riper it is the sweeter it is. There are seeds in its hollow center that are off-white in color and surrounded by a network of stringy fibrous-like strands.
So, why have I decided to write about this melon…..well, for one it was on sale for a great price at the store and it is in season. Usually the season starts in April and ends in August for cantaloupe. I find that if you go with the flow and eat what is in season, you can reap more benefits from the fruit because it will be at its best, therefore, more nutritional benefits for us. Being from America, I was used to having just about all kinds of produce available almost all year round. It was not until I came to Israel that I realized that oranges are primarily harvested in the Winter! What! Imagine the benefit we receive in the vitamin C boost going into the cold and flu season.
Reason number two that I purchased the cantaloupe melon is because of the many nutrients it contains and the health benefits:
- Its very filling and therefore in my opinion helps to tame my appetite and only 34 calories per 100 grams
- Cantaloupe is an excellent source of Vitamin A (100 g yields 3382 IU or about 112% of recommended daily levels). Vitamin A is an excellent anti-oxidant and great for eye mucus membrane and skin health.
- Due to the beta-carotene content, it may also be good protection against certain cancers (colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers).
- As a moderate source of potassium (a very important electrolyte) it is important for cell and body fluids and helps control blood pressure and heart rate. It may help to protect against stroke and coronary heart disease. It provides 267 mg of potassium in a 100 gram serving.
- If that is not enough, cantaloupe contains a good portion of B-complex vitamins. Niacin, pantothenic acid and vitamin C plus other minerals like manganese take us right back to free radical fighters and antioxidant properties.
- I have found that if I am feeling really weighed down, it really gives me a boost of energy to get me to the next meal and rehydrates me. It is such a versatile fruit that you can cut it into cubes and eat it cold as a snack, with breakfast or as a dessert.
So, what are you waiting for…….can you give the cantaloupe a chance? Let me know how you feel about it. Don’t forget to comment, like and subscribe!
Reference:
“Sugar? Spice? No It’s Pumpkin…So Nice”
Pumpkin Seeds eaten raw have some amazingly super health benefits!
Pumpkin seeds contain a vast amount of proteins, manganese, fibers, potassium and phosphor. They also are important for the immune system because of their high level of zinc. And what do you know, like other things that are good for the immune system, they also help in the fight against cancer.
Other benefits of these amazing little seeds are as follows: they repair our body’s damaged DNA, help to control diabetes and make our vision better.
The substances in the pumpkin seeds that have been used for treatment of various types of cancer in its early stages are Cucurbitacins. These give the seed its potent anti-inflammatory properties also. The zinc and phytosterols in pumpkin seeds help in the prevention of prostate cancer development. They are also beneficial in DNA repair.
What else?
Well, so glad you asked. If the above benefits are not enough, pumpkin seeds also contain a large amount of nicotinic acid, trigonelline and D-chiro-inositol. Nicotinic acid and D-chiro-inositol have been proven to control blood sugar, and D-chiro-inositol prevents the onset of diabetes also.
Since these little seeds also contain a lot of zinc, a lot of the common cold prevention products try to copy or mimic their zinc fighting action. Zinc is so great for the immune function that the National Institutes of Health recommends 8 mg of zinc per day for women, which is about one cup of pumpkin seeds.
Last but not least, zinc allows vitamin A to travel from our liver to our retina (in the eye) to make melanin. Melanin is a pigment that protects our eyes.
Try the below tasty recipe in reference number 2 if you are like me and not SO excited about eating the seeds raw. Of course you get the best health benefits eating them as is, but I guess I would rather get some of the benefit than none at all due to the thought of eating them raw… not too exciting! This is one thing that I have reviewed that I am not so eager to try again as is….however, the great minerals and nutrients as well as health benefits gained from them are too great to let you all sleep on them.
References:
- http://complete-health-and-happiness.com/eating-raw-pumpkin-seeds-repair-dna-control-blood-sugar-spikes-improve-our-sight/
- http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/10/cinnamon-sugar-roasted-pumpkin-seeds-recipe.html
Pearly Whites Not So White?
You know, through the years our teeth can take a beating just like the rest of our body through just normal every day trauma. Even trying our best to take care of them, over time, they lose that beautiful bright color that we once had as young children. Well rest assure, there are some simple and inexpensive things we can do to enhance the appearance of our teeth, thus enhancing our smile! It won’t even take a lot of time….just 3 minutes!
What you will need:
The juice from 1/2 of a lemon (preferably organic)
1/4 cup of baking soda (if you are preparing for Passover/Pesach, be careful that this goes out with the other Chametz)
Instructions:
Squeeze the lemon juice over your baking soda.
The mixture will begin to bubble and you should allow it to sit for a few minutes.
Use a cotton ball to place the mixture onto your teeth.
Only allow the mixture to stay on your teeth for about one minute.
After a minutes, brush your teeth as you normally would do to remove the acidic mixture. Warning: Do not let the mixture stay on your teeth indefinitely, it could cause erosion on your teeth. Just remember that even natural products can have some adverse effects.
Check out the third reference on how often you should use the mixture.
I challenge you to try it and send in your before and after! Tell how it worked (or maybe how it didn’t work) for you!
My Before Picture:
Will post an after pic in a few weeks.
http://www.loveme.com.ng/2015/10/see-how-to-whiten-your-teeth-in-just-3.html
http://everydayroots.com/teeth-whitening-at-home
http://www.wikihow.com/Whiten-Teeth-With-Baking-Soda
All About Chia Seeds
You all probably remember the famous “Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia”. How many of us grew those chia plants back in the day and had no idea what it was? Well, I have just become a user of these cool little seeds. Top 8 reasons why to incorporate Chia Seeds into your daily diet:
- One big reason is you get a lot for doing so little. Chia seeds are packed with so many nutrients and very few calories. They contain 11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 5 grams of Omega-3s out of the 9 grams of fat, 18% of the recommended daily allowance of Calcium (RDA), 30% of the RDA of Manganese, 27% of the RDA of Phosphorus, a generous amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3/Niacin, Potassium, Vitamin B1/Thiamine and Vitamin B2.
- In just 1 ounce, you get a power-packed 137 calories (this is just 2 tablespoons). Since a lot of these calories are fiber and may not be used by the body, these ends up being about 101 calories per ounce. Chia seeds are usually grown organically and considered a “whole grain” food. They are non-GMO and also gluten free without any manipulation.
- Chia seeds have been found to have a high amount of anti-oxidants
- As mentioned earlier, almost all of the calories are from fiber. Since fiber won’t raise your blood sugar level, eating chia seeds doesn’t require so much usage of insulin because only a small percentage is actual carbs. Fiber absorbs a lot of water and eating these seeds in other foods and drinks will “fill you up” so to speak. This may lead to you eating fewer calories, thus, it may help in weight loss.
- Chia seeds are high in protein which helps to keep you full and suppress apetite!
- They are high in Omega-3-Fatty acids
- May reduce your risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes
- They contain nutrients that are healthy for bones. This is important to me since I made a decision not to drink or give cow milk to my family. I wanted another source of calcium and phosphorus. These nutrients also include magnesium and protein in which Chia seeds contain a great amount.
- These little seeds may cause improvement in Type 2 Diabetes patients due to their ability to significantly lower blood pressure and a marker for inflammation.
I hope you will give these little seeds a try, but before doing so, just consider that it is best taken in small amounts like an ounce or so mixed in with other food and drink. Also, please consult your healthcare provider before introducing anything new. This just keeps them in the loop and helps you to be safer!
References:
Go Bananas Over Bananas!
There are so many health benefits to this simple fruit that comes in its own To Go package. Out of all of the fruits that we eat in our home, this one is the one that I can never keep an adequate supply of. Of course, that makes me happy as the Head of the Nutrition Department as just one of the hats that I wear in the household. Why do I love bananas….?
- If you are watching your weight, they are very helpful. There are about 110 calories in a medium size banana and this yields about 30 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber. The fiber and a type of starch that you do not digest helps to fill us up and helps us to not get so hungry. This makes it a great in between meals snack.
- Eating bananas will increase your intake of vitamin C. This is important because vitamin C providse an antioxidant effect, helps to protect collagen that helps to hold bones, muscles and other body tissues together, and is used to absorb iron and folate which keeps our gums healthy and aids in healing.
- Bananas are important for our intake of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is important for healthy cells because bananas help us make nonessential amino acids. This wonderful fruit also helps produce insulin (for regulating our blood sugar), hemoglobin and antibodies that help in fighting infections.
- Have diarrhea? This fruit is recommended by dietitians and physicians in the BRAT Diet (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast). It will help to bulk up the stool so that you get relief from diarrhea.
- Bananas provide a lot of potassium, about 420 mg. As you may know, potassium helps to lower blood pressure, which will help to decrease our risk of stroke. We gain about 10% of the recommended daily adult requirement of potassium from a medium size banana (about 4,700 mg).
- Bananas are a mood booster due to the magnesium in them. If you are low on this nutrient, you may be more likely to be depressed, anxious or irritable. Who wants that? Just a small banana will provide about 27 mg of magnesium. Men need 420 mg and women 320 mg of magnesium per day.
- Bananas may help to influence serotonin levels, however, there is also some information that demonstrates that bananas may also help with sleeplessness because they contain magnesium and potassium.
- Have an itch or a bug bite? The peel of the banana can be rubbed on the area. This can also be used for psoriasis patches or poison ivy to help to relieve the itch and promote healing.
- Did you know that you can eat the banana peel….don’t know if I want to try this one but good to know. The peel can be boiled for 10 minutes to extract even more fiber, antioxidants and nutrients. After cleaning the peel then boiling, put it through the juicer or blend it with other fruits and veggies.
- And finally, bananas have a healthy amount of Vitamin A, iron and phosphorus.
One of my favorite quick dessert recipes that will not break the budget…Banana Cinnamon Cake with Coconut Cream (coconut cream and cinnamon optional).
You will need the above ingredients, but don’t be afraid to experiment on the amounts:
- Just 1 medium or large banana
- 1 large egg (or 2 medium is best)
- 3 tablespoons of oil ( I prefer sunflower oil)
- 1 1/4 cups of white granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Baking powder (1 1/4 packets) which is about 2 1/2-3 teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream
- (Optional tablespoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of coconut cream- not pictured)
- Flour (as you add it will be about 2 cups but I like a thick batter so you may want less)
- About 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
- About 1 cup of water (again, depends on the consistency of the batter you are comfortable with)
Directions:
Smash the banana, add your egg(s), sugar, sour cream, oil cinnamon (optional) and coconut cream (optional). Stir until you get a creamy like consistency. Add baking powder, salt and vanilla and stir. At this point, it will look something like this:
Now add 1/2 of your flour to make the mixture like the consistency of pancake batter. Stir or mix with a hand mixer for about a minute until all lumps are gone. If you sift your flour, you should do this first. Add about 1/2 cup of water and stir until the mixture is well blended. Repeat the process of adding the rest of the flour, mixing, adding the rest of the water, and mixing. Now you will have a batter that is rather thick looking like a pound cake. Pour the mixture into a medium size baking dish and bake for about 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Times may vary depending on your oven but do the toothpick test before taking it out.
Let the cake cool and if desired, add your favorite icing and toppings or just eat it as is. Hope you enjoy this half naughty and half healthy quick dessert! Comment and let me know if you tried it and the results and feel free to let me also know how you tweeked the recipe to put your own spin on it. I would love to share it on my blog!
References:
- http://appforhealth.com/2013/05/health-benefits-of-bananas/
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/230722-banana-nutrition-guide/
- http://www.medicaldaily.com/health-benefits-bananas-and-their-peels-10-unusual-ways-use-entire-fruit-296454
- http://www.lifescript.com/food/articles/0/14_banana_health_benefits_you_might_not_know_about.aspx
Health Benefits of Rosemary
This very wonderfully smelling herb is from the Mediterranean and is known for its use in flavoring chicken and lamb, as well as bodily fragrances. Rosemary or Rosmarinus officinalis (its scientific name) is a fantastic source of iron, vitamin B6 and calcium.
It is usually dried (as pictured above) as a whole herb or a dried powdered extract. I enjoy it as a tea quite often. In addition to tea, rosemary leaves, fresh or dried, can also be used to make liquid extracts. At large doses though, the extact may yield toxicity, causing gastrointestinal irritation.
Rosemary is a part of the mint family and has similarities to the herb thyme. Among its ancient health benefits, such as contributing to the decrease in muscle pain, a memory booster, immune and circulatory system promoter, and hair growth stimulater, there are some other great reasons to become acquainted with rosemary.
- Antioxidant benefits
- Digestion
- Brain function improvement
- May promote eye health
- Properties that may guard against Type 2 Diabetes
- Antibacterial, antifungi, antimold, and antiviral properties.
- Antispasmodic
- Diaphoretic (fever reducer)
- Stimulates hair growth and may prevent baldness
Daily dosage:
It has been studied in doses of 4 to 6 g/day for the dried leaves (roughly 2.5-3.5 tablespoons of fresh leaves) and 0.1 to 1 ml for the essental oil. In measurements for cooking and tea, the herb is relatively safe, but as always, consult your healthcare provider before adding anything new to your health regimen. Take caution in pregnancy and lactation with this herb. It has been reported that it may have emmenagogue and abortifacient effects. The risks may outweigh the benefits when used in pregnancy and lactation.
References:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266370.php
http://www.drugs.com/npp/rosemary.html
http://www.traditionaloven.com/foods/exchange/tbsp/g-gram/rosemary-fresh.html
