Author Archives: Staff Writer

Changing the Clocks and Your Children’s Health

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With the change of the clocks, daylight fades earlier in the winter months. What does this mean for your children?

It is such a gorgeous sunny day outside as I write this, it’s seems hard to believe that in just a few hours, the sun will have set! Now that the clocks have been put back, our evenings come much earlier. What does this mean for your kids?

A recent study from UK researchers suggests that not changing the clocks would keep your children active by allowing them more outdoor play. What do you think?

BBC Health News reports on this interesting idea.

 

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Control Cravings with this Blissful Blueberry Pie!

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Looking for a new way to cook with PGX granules? Read on for a sweet recipe!

Julie Daniluk, registered nutritionist, shares her recipe for a berry delicious blueberry pie!

Nutritionist and host of Healthy Gourmet Julie Daniluk recently appeared on Breakfast Television to make her fabulously Blissful Blueberry Pie, and guess what it feaured? PGX granules! In this recipe, she combines PGX ( PolyGlycopleX?) with Agar Agar and features it in her upcoming book Meals That Heal Inflammation. Fiber is just as good and sometimes better at creating a beautiful jammy or pudding texture, which Julie proves with this recipe, but with an added health kick. PGX granules are an easy solution to inceasing your food’s fiber content.
We hope you enjoy making this recipe and leave a comment below on how you like it!
Blueberry Pie:
1 cup Water
1 cup Cranberry or Pomegranate Juice
? cup Agar Agar Flakes
? cup Honey
1 ? tsp PGX
1 tsp Cinnamon
pinch Salt
3 cups Frozen Wild Blueberries*
* It is important that the berries are small or the agar agar and PGX will simply create a jelly mold around the berries. When the berries are small they mix with the agar agar and PGX to create a jam filling for the pie.

Crust:
2 cups Pecans
? tsp Cinnamon
pinch Salt
2 Tbs Honey

Cashew Cream Topping
1 cup Raw Cashews
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Honey
? cup of Water
1 tsp PGX
The secret to this recipe is to work very fast. Prepare all ingredients ahead of cooking the agar agar or it will set before you get it into the pie crust!
Prepare crust first so it is ready to receive the berry mixture:
1) Put pecans in a food processor and whisk until it becomes a fine meal. Add honey, salt and cinnamon and remix. 2) Press pecan mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.

Then prepare the berry mixture:
1) Have all ingredients on hand pre-measured 2) Bring water to a boil, whisk in agar agar, salt, cinnamon and PGX 3) Keep whisking while cooking for 2 minutes on high boil to dissolve and blend ingredients 4) Take pot off the boil and whisk in honey 5) Quickly whisk in blueberries 6) Immediately pour into the pecan crust

Prepare cashew cream topping:
1) In a food processor blend water, salt, cashews and honey for 2 minutes 2) Add PGX and continue to blend for another 2 minutes. 3) Top pie with cashew cream 4) Can be served within 10 minutes of making but it also tastes great chilled. Makes 8 large pie servings.
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Get the TIFF Red Carpet Physique

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TIFF is on and the celebrities are out in full force, looking lean and toned.

PGX looks at how you can get those lean and toned limbs, celebrity style.

With the Toronto International Film Festival, or any Hollywood to-do that rolls out a carpet for that matter, comes the parade of svelte physiques, waiting to get their photographs taken! True, some of the stars could use some more meat on their bones but there are healthy looking, toned figures on the red carpet that are the result of good nutrition and exercise. On Wednesday, eTalk featured celebrity trainer Brent Bishop and he shared three easy moves that you can do at home to get those long lean limbs, flat abs and toned muscles!

These classic but tweaked exercises will help you reach your fitness goals. It won’t be long before those photographers are taking your photo and asking, “Who are you wearing?!”

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Stress can lead to food cravings

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Work, kids, bills ? it?s a perfect recipe for stress. And it may be causing you to gain weight. Food cravings are easy to succumb to during stressful times, but there are ways to overcome the anxiety and keep the cravings at bay.

Fact: Food cravings often arise from stress. Stress promotes weight gain, while relaxation promotes weight loss. When your body is stressed, blood sugar levels are raised dramatically as the liver dumps stored glucose into the bloodstream. When you are relaxed, blood sugar levels are maintained in the normal range. Some of the most popular relaxation techniques are meditation, prayer, progressive relaxation, self-hypnosis and biofeedback.

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Outsmart your cravings

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You?re a smart cookie. So why can?t you outsmart the bag of double chocolate chip cookies calling to you from the kitchen? If you keep giving into your food cravings, you might never get into your skinny jeans! The problem may not be your weak willpower. You may be an unwitting passenger on the blood sugar roller coaster.

Frequent fluctuations in blood sugar, particularly when blood sugar rapidly drops in a short period of time, can result in serious food cravings even when your body has no real need for additional calories. If this happens several times a day, you are likely to give in and snack or drink sugary drinks, and those snacks and beverages will likely be loaded with calories.

Once you understand why you have food cravings, and how certain types of foods affect your body, you are well on your way to knowing how to fix the problem. Eliminating the blood sugar roller coaster is the first step to living hunger free forever.

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Three of our favorite weight loss tricks

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Looking for some new ammo to help shed those pounds to fit into that itty-bitty bikini by the end of the summer? Check out these three easy tips.

Ban clear food containers from your kitchen.

In this case, that old saying ?out of sight, out of mind? may be true.  Cornell University researchers found that people ate 70 percent fewer sweets when the food was stored in jars that they couldn?t see through versus clear plastic or glass. So instead of keeping that clear candy dish on your desk or coffee table, store your goodies in a solid container where you can?t see them.

Exercise before work.

After an exhausting day at the office, usually the last thing you want to do is spend a couple hours in a hot gym. Studies have shown that the brainpower we use during the workday makes us lose the will to do much of anything else afterwards. Another incentive to working out in the morning is that you will free up your afternoon for any last-minute errands or appointments.

Crank up the air conditioning.

This trick should be very easy to do these hot summer days. According to research reported on the New York Times, turning down the heat can actually help you shed pounds. That?s because when we are exposed to chilly temperatures, our bodies go through something called non-shivering thermogenesis. The process may cause us to burn an extra 100 to 200 calories a day.

While these tricks can give you that extra little boost to help you slim down, remember that a healthy diet is still key in any weight loss journey. Adding PGX to your meals can also help by making you feel fuller while eating less.

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Stop eating your feelings

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Do you find yourself yanking open the freezer door for that box of rocky road ice cream after a bad day at work or fight with your best friend? Whether it?s stress, sadness or boredom, emotional eating can sabotage your diet. That?s because you probably aren?t looking for healthy foods like fruits or veggies, but instead are seeking out high-calorie, high-fat snacks like cookies, chips and ice cream.

Here are some tips to help keep the pounds down even when your emotions are running high:

Identify your hunger triggers.

Keep a food journal, and write down when and what you eat. Also write down what you were doing or feeling before you ate. This will help you find patterns in your eating habits, and determine if you are eating because you are actually hungry or if you are reacting to an emotion.

Tame your stress.

When your kids are screaming in the next room and a tight work deadline has you ready to climb up the wall, it?s important to learn healthy strategies for dealing with stress. Try taking a walk to blow off steam, or soaking in a warm bubble bath. Remember that stress can be worsened if you aren?t getting enough sleep at night, so shoot for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Beat boredom.

Do you often find yourself digging through the kitchen because you have nothing else to do? Next time try heading out for a bike ride to explore the homes in your neighborhood. Has it been awhile since you read a good paperback? Head to your local library and stock up on free books.

Take away temptation.

You can?t gobble down a whole sleeve of cookies if you don?t have them in the first place. Rid your kitchen of extra unhealthy snacks. Nibble instead on healthy foods like fruits, yogurt, or carrot sticks. It is OK to splurge on a treat every now and then, but there?s a difference between keeping a small bag of dark chocolates and having an entire shelf devoted to junk food.

Surprisingly, emotional eating doesn’t have to be a problem. Everyone eats for emotional reasons every now and then. It?s when eating becomes the only strategy someone uses to manages emotions that a problem arises. Learning to make smart food choices and eating in moderation is key to keeping your weight on track.

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Spring clean your diet

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The days of heavy, winter-weather comfort foods are over! Warmer temperatures are finally here, and that means we?re no longer craving that hot pot of chili, but instead are reaching for fresh melons and a cool crisp salad. Spring is a great opportunity to clean up our diets, and get rid of those bad eating habits we adopted over the long winter. Here are some tips to help give your diet a good spring cleaning:

Make an inventory of your meals.

We like to think that we can remember everything we eat each day, but you might be surprised at what you are forgetting. Keeping a log of what you eat after each meal is a good way to track any bad habits, and take notice of important food groups that may be lacking on your plate, such as fruits and vegetables.

De-clutter the kitchen.

This means more than just wiping up spills and removing mystery leftovers from the refrigerator. It?s time to get rid of those high-calorie salad dressings, dips and condiments.  Also say goodbye to processed meats such as sausage and hot dogs, as well as juice, sodas and other sugary drinks.

Organize.

You?ve cleaned the junk out the cupboards and refrigerator shelves, now it?s time to organize. Stock the pantry with some healthy staples including whole-grain cereals and breads, oats, fat-free popcorn, fat-free refried beans, and diced tomatoes. In the freezer, load up on frozen veggies. Many people don?t realize that frozen vegetables are often more nutritious than fresh produce found in the grocery stores. They?re cheaper too.

Freshen up your taste buds:

More and more local farmer?s markets are opening every weekend. This is a great opportunity to stock up on in-season produce. Chefs and nutrition experts agree, foods taste better and more nutritious when you get them in season. There are many websites out there that can help you find out which fruits and vegetables are ripe for picking near where you live.

A smart diet is important to a healthy lifestyle, but don?t forget about exercise! Many of us are jumping to get outside after spending months cooped up on the couch. Now is the time to dust off those sneakers and get outside for a run, or pull out some gloves and start digging in the garden. Winter hibernation is over, and it?s time to get moving!

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The Latest in Running Gear: Toe Shoes

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PGX checks out the hot new trend for runners: running barefoot!

Runner or not, you’ll be intrigued: the latest running gear for those who enjoy almost barefoot running!

The no-shoes fitness trend is seems to be the “in” thing for runners. It’s a running style that’s grown in popularity thanks to evidence that it can reduce injuries and strengthen your feet. I know what you’re thinking: “Reduce injuries? If I run barefoot, I’ll probably cut my feet!” Good point. That’s exactly what I thought and that’s exactly what certain running shoe companies were thinking when they created the “minimalist” running shoe.

Hardcore “barefooters” will turn their noses up at the latest running gear trend: toe shoes. Remember those crazy toe socks where each toe had it’s own little sleeve? Well now you can get yourself some toe shoes! These shoes are the absolute bare minimum and act as more of a protective sleeve for your foot.Their essential feature is a tactile and flat bottom, lacking the elevated heel cushion typically found on running shoes. Now, people who like the idea of running barefoot but aren’t too keen on cutting their soles on a rock can wear these toe shoes!

Curious to know more or want a pair of these practically barefoot running shoes?  L.A. Times writer, Roy Wallack has got the details on the toe shoes out there.

Happy running everyone!

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Try something new for dinner tonight!

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Here?s a new idea to impress your family or dinner guests tonight.  Try my delicious Pork Tenderloin with Ziti from my book The Vice Busting Diet.The long list of ingredients may look complicated, but it?s very simple to make! Pork Tenderloin with Ziti (Serves two)

  • 8 ounces pork tenderloin
  • ? cup fat-free Italian dressing
  • ? cup fat-free mayonnaise
  • ? cup fat-free sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • ? cup chopped scallions
  • ? cup roasted red peppers
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons sweet relish
  • 10 ounces cooked ziti

Marinate the pork in the dressing for 30 minutes. Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, scallions, peppers, mustard, and relish, and mix gently with the pasta. Slice the pork into medallions and charbroil until done to taste. Serve with the cooked ziti. Serve hot.

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