Chocolate

Wellness Wednesday – Volume 2 – Week 46

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Now that we have all “gobbled ‘till we wobbled”,  it’s time to get back on track to healthy eating habits and maintaining lifestyle practices that promote a beneficial outcome for our TRC family.  Our Wellness Wednesday tips come to us this week from our friends at Weight Watchers…

November is National Diabetes Awareness month.  Did you know that almost 30 million Americans have diabetes and an additional 86 million have prediabetes?

Since this disease is so common, and in many cases weight related, this week’s Wellness Wednesday features diabetes-related content to help you better understand the disease, how to prevent it, and/or reduce complications.

First, we begin with advice from the Mayo Clinic.  In Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control, you’ll find key lifestyle changes that can help keep diabetes in check.

Second, if you have been diagnosed as prediabetic and wonder what your daily food choices should be, read I’m Prediabetic: What Do I Eat? for general guidelines about when and what to eat.

Third, for a diabetes-friendly recipe, consider trying Weight Watchers’  Sautéed Flounder with Mint and Tomatoes which combines mild-tasting flounder with fresh tomatoes, fresh mint, and basil for a delicious dish that’s only 2 SmartPoints per serving.

Wellness Wednesday – Volume 2 – Week 31

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Choosemyplate.gov – A Great Resource

In today’s day and age, there are various opinions and principles surrounding weight loss, nutritious eating and exercise. We have access to a phenomenal resource right at our fingertips. ChooseMyPlate.gov is an online resource from the USDA Center for Nutrition. ChooseMyPlate.gov focuses on making small life style changes to eat healthier and to increase physical activity. It is geared for adults, children, professionals, and families and is jam packed full of online resources, tips and suggestions for today’s person who is looking for direction in making a lifestyle change and taking control of what they are eating and drinking. Included in this website are ideas, pictures, graphs and recipes to help those who are not quite sure how to start. It also reviews the food pyramid and explains what is needed in each food category to comprise a well-balanced meal.

For example, this week, ChooseMyPlate.gov sent an email that gives tips and trick on how to eat healthy on a budget (see links below). All the resources needed to accomplish this are available on the website. This week’s Wellness Wednesday is geared toward getting you to the ChooseMyPlate.gov website and utilizing all that it has to offer.

Attached to this page are four links (1 is the direct link to the site, the other 3 are the links to the weekly topic of eating healthy on a budget):
1. ChooseMyPlate.gov
2. 2 week menu plan
3. Grocery list (for 2 week menu plan)
4. Recipes (for 2 week menu plan)

Take some time and look through ChooseMyPlate.gov. It has a wealth of information to get you started on a path to healthier living!!!!!!!

Wellness Wednesday – Week 8

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Is Chocolate Good for Your Heart?

A little bit of chocolate in moderation, may be beneficial!

Chocolate contains Flavonoids that help repair damage from free radicals in the body. In addition to having this antioxidant quality, research shows that flavanoids have other potential influences on vascular health, such as lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the brain and heart, and making blood platelets less sticky and able to clot (Journal of the American Medical Association, August 2003). Cocoa is good for your heart because of fermentation by gut bacteria, creating anti-inflammatory compounds that improve blood vessel function

Are all types of chocolate healthy?

Before you grab a chocolate candy bar or slice of chocolate cake, it’s important to understand that not all forms of chocolate are equal.  The more chocolate is processed, the more flavonoids are lost.  Most commercial chocolates are highly processed.  Best choices for eating chocolate are dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate.  Buy quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content that is not processed.  Dark chocolate contains a decent amount of soluble fiber and is loaded with minerals.

Chocolate is made from the beans of the cacao tree. Cacao is the powdery substance that results when cacao beans are dried, and it’s loaded with antioxidants that protect against heart disease and cancer.  Try to choose bars that contain 65%-85% cacao

Dark chocolate should be eaten in reasonable amounts.  Chocolate bars contain sugar and fat, so overindulgence could cause weight gain.  Eat a smaller portion of dark chocolate to obtain the benefits of the antioxidants, while limiting calories. Remember that calories and fat content can vary between chocolate bar brands.

February is Heart Health Month – Know the sudden signs of STROKE:

  • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body).
  • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
  • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
  • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination
  • Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Stroke is a medical emergency.  Getting treatment within 60 minutes can prevent disability.  If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).