Improving Health

The Greeks contributed a lot to our world, including mythology, literature, Aristotle, the Olympic games, and yogurt!

What we call Greek Yogurt, the Greeks actually refer to as just yogurt. Greek Yogurt is a special type of yogurt, considering it’s not full of added sugar and is packed full of protein.

Removing the lactose and liquid whey is the main process that makes Greek Yogurt. While yogurt does have its healthy benefits, it should be noted that Greek Yogurt is by far the healthier of the two.

Ahhh…peanut butter —one of the most inviting, enjoyable treats there is. There’s nothing like a good spoonful of peanut heaven. Peanut butter can’t help that it’s the ultimate "go-to" for a quick filler or delicious treat. It’s so fulfilling providing your mouth with a sweet, yet creamy sensation, leaving you wanting more.

Peanut butter gives your mouth something to work for and is the one food products that you need time to enjoy. You can’t just pop it in, instead you have to take time to chew given its thick and creamy texture. This only allows you to slip down into that peanut butter coma of goodness leaving you wanting more.

There’s nothing that really beats it — or at least nothing should ever try.

Are mornings the dreaded time of the day for you – where nothing can go right unless you have your dose of caffeine?

Maybe it’s not the caffeine itself, but the taste of ground coffee provides you with the motivation and the drive to get you started on your day. Or maybe it’s habit to run to the coffee maker as soon as the alarm goes off because a morning just wouldn’t be a morning without coffee, right?

Why does your dinner meal have to be difficult, time consuming, and extremely exhausting to make? It doesn’t have to take all your time to be fancy and satisfying. You can make a quick, but rather tasty, gourmet meal that’s nutritionally sound at the same time!

Quick can be healthy – the key is making sure to pair the right food components together, which is why I often run to salads for a delicious meal. It’s a simple meal to fix and it’s simple to keep the required items stocked in your fridge!

Let’s face it – we’re all guilty of the occasional adult beverage, or at least it is something that many "of age" people enjoy partaking in.

When it’s been a long week and you want nothing more than to kick back and grab a glass of wine, calories may be the least of your concern.

Where that one glass of wine, beer, or spirit may be your choice of drink with (or prior to) many of your dinner meals, it may be wise to reconsider your starch intake.

Not to say that eating starch is bad when drinking alcohol, but it will increase calories consumed. While alcohol may not seem filling, it does add extra calories to your body and should be done in moderation.

Believe it or not, fish is one of the most neglected food choices.

I’m sure it may have something to do with the stench of fresh fish being cooked, or maybe it’s the strong fishy flavor that pushes the many non-fish lovers away.

Whatever the case, there are many benefits to eating fish, but not enough people eating it!

Most of my clients turn their nose up when I bring up fish, and then I have a few that say they don’t mind it and would like to eat more fish, but admit that always chose other sources of lean protein instead.

I find that most people who don’t enjoy eating fish are those that don’t know how to make it tasty. Just because fish has a strong aroma when fresh doesn’t mean it has to taste that way.

Condiments are a favorite among many people in the world. Whether it’s ketchup, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing, everyone enjoys a good dip for their food.

The problem is that most salad dressings, dipping sauce, and spreads contain a lot of calories. If it’s not "low-fat," it more than likely contains a high amount of sugar, but if it’s "sugar-free," it probably reels in the fat calories.

What if there was a healthy alternative that actually met the criteria of low-fat and low-sugar and was actually pretty tasty? Fortunately, there is and that hidden secret is salsa!

When you're determined to become healthy and you strive daily to meet your health goals, don’t let the scale get in your way.

When the number on the scale becomes the main focus, it is easy to let getting to the desired number result in lack of nutrition and excessive exercise.

It’s understandable that one would want their weight to go down, but when you’re eating healthy along with physical activity, the appropriate number will come.

According to the Position of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Safely Enjoy Sweetened Foods within a Healthful Eating Plan paper, people naturally prefer foods that are sweet, which can ultimately increase the risk of obesity.

Cookies, cupcakes, cake, coke, chocolate: when I think of sugar these 5 foods come to mind.

Sugar is the most enticing food group known to human race. Even savory snackers are tempted by a warm chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven.

If you’re human, you’re wired to crave and sugar certainly tops the list of addictions. Contrary to what some may say, sugar is not an easy addiction to break and one must allow their brain time to not rely on a sugar fix.

There is much danger in overeating and raging on unhealthy calories. The more you consume the more your body adapts.

However, the opposite is also true. Consuming too little calories from healthy foods can be harmful. Not that healthy food is harmful; it’s the obsession one can have with them that leads to not only a problem, but a disorder.

It’s common for some to let healthy eating turn into an extreme obsession with their food choices. Some may choose all organic where others are dead set on gluten free or soy-free products.