Chicken Tikka Masala

Heart Healthy Ingredient: Tumeric

Tumeric is found in most Indian curries and is what gives American mustard that yellow hue. It has also been shown to be a powerful anti-inflammatory and a great addition to your heart healthy lifestyle. Moreover, tumeric’s absorption is greatly increased when paired with black pepper. Try the recipe below that contains both!

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/quick_chicken_tikka_masala.html

Grilled Salmon with Soy & Brown Sugar Glaze

Heart Healthy Ingredient: Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 Fatty Acids, found in salmon, have been show to lower blood triglycerides, reduce inflammation and decrease cardiac arrest. They can also help repair heart damage and strengthen heart muscles. Check out the recipe below where you can get all the benefits of salmon AND the sweet taste of brown sugar!

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-salmon-i/

Zesty Wheat Berry Black Bean Chili

Heart Healthy Ingredient: Fiber

The reason that high cholesterol is such a big deal is because it decreases the size of your arteries and puts more burden on your heart to push blood through your body. Increasing your fiber intake is the single best way to reduce cholesterol and make it so your heart doesn’t have to work as hard. Now, if you feel that the old adage “Beans, beans they’re good for your heart…” is a little less than romantic, feel free to try this recipe out on Super Bowl Sunday instead!

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/zesty_wheat_berry_black_bean_chili.html

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist and Salada Tea Spokesperson living in San Diego, CA. She blogs twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com.

Here are the facts so you can determine if juicing is right for you:

The concept behind juicing is that you can quickly and easily get the vitamins and minerals from a ton of fruits and vegetables in one nutrient-dense package! You also remove the fiber so, in theory, the nutrients are absorbed more quickly. Not to mention the juices can taste amazing and you can sneak in some veggies that you would normally turn up your nose at!

The downside to juicing is it’s fairly time consuming to both juice and clean up, and it can create a lot of waste with the leftover skins and pulp. Some people do a great job of turning this “waste” into compost or using it for baking. But I find that, for the average person, these two factors are usually the reason that their juicer ends up in the cabinet collecting dust.

The removal of fiber can speed up the nutrient absorbance but it can also speed up the absorbance of sugar. What you may feel is a rush of energy and then a crash, similar to having a sugary drink but with a lot more vitamins & minerals. This can be dangerous if you are diabetic or have any blood sugar sensitivity. For this reason, I prefer blending my fruits & vegetables in a high-power blender like a Vita-mix. Although they can be much more pricy than a juicer, you will get all of the nutrients as well as the fiber. Alternatively, you can add psyllium husk or another fiber supplement to your juice to lessen the impact of the sugar.

My recommendation is if you want to try juicing is to ask around and see if anyone has a juicer you can borrow. You’d be surprised how many people will have one hiding in their basement. Try it out for a few weeks and see how it goes! Pay attention to how you feel and again, consider adding fiber to your juices to slow the sugar absorption and keep you full a bit longer. As with everything, you are the best judge of how things impact you so if you love it and feel great go out and buy your own.

Happy juicing!

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist and Salada Tea Spokesperson living in San Diego, CA. She blogs twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com. 

Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.

The January issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine reported an interesting and illuminating piece of research that has caught the attention of many of us concerned about the lack of exercise among America’s school age children.

Get this …

The ratio of children defined as “seriously overweight” has gone up to 1 in 3, tripling since the 1970s.

Children between the ages of 10-13, who are already obese, are likely to have a 70% chance of obesity persisting into their adult years.

It’s time to pay attention!

We can either ignore these hard facts OR curb childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, emotional disturbance, immunity issues, poor self-esteem and, according to the newest research, poor grades in school—but we can’t do both. 

Exercise could benefit children’s academic performance through increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain. It can also lower their stress levels, improve their mood and increase growth factors that support synaptic plasticity—just like exercise does for adults. In fact, like adults, children benefit from an hour each day of vigorous activity to derive maximal health and school-related benefits.

Allowing children to sit for long periods of time and overuse digital toys, in addition to parents focusing too much on competitive team sports and “winning,” coupled with negative comments about children’s activities, according to the American Council on Exercise, will be harmful to the physical well-being of our nation’s youth. And, according to the latest research, promotes poor academic performance.

“…we [have] found strong evidence of a significant positive relationship between physical activity and academic performance. The findings of one high-quality intervention study and one high-quality observational study suggest that being more physically active is positively related to improved academic performance in children, ages 6-18.” – this according to the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine report.

Here’s where the Total Gym becomes a true family exercise center.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends age-appropriate exercises that your child enjoys, including cardiovascular, strength training and bone strengthening activities. These can all be safely and easily accomplished on the very same equipment moms and dads enjoy at home or at the gym—the Total Gym!

Specific Total Gym full body exercises are available for youngsters here.

Like adults, children can safely work to their comfort level on squats, calf raises, front pullovers, lying triceps extensions, chest presses, bicep curls, push ups, pull ups and many more exercises.

Committing to provide your children with aerobic activity, muscle and bone strengthening activity, while helping to promote academic performance, is a true “win.” Of course, parental supervision is always required when children are enjoying the Total Gym.

Explain to your children the value of exercise to their health and yours. Be sure your children see you enjoying the Total Gym and create a “buddy system” approach to exercise. You can also encourage your children to bring a friend, with that child’s parental permission, to create a group activity. Make it fun … perhaps even establish a family “fitness night” each week complete with healthy nutrition and rewards.

The best exercises for children are the ones they will do. Making it playful on the Total Gym makes it very inviting for children and motivates youngsters to continue to meet their fitness needs.

Follow Dr. Mantell on Twitter @FitnessPsych

Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., earned his doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania after completing his M.S. degree in clinical psychology at Hahnemnann Medical College where he wrote his thesis on the psychological aspects of obesity. He coaches world-class athletes and fitness enthusaists for performance enhancement. He is Senior Consultant for Behavioral Sciences for ACE, on the faculty of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute, a national Community Ambassador for Experience Life Magazine’s health initiative and for FitFluentials, appears weekly on San Diego’s CW channel 6, is a consultant to Les Mills International, writes for IHRSA, is a member of the Sports Medicine Team at the Sporting Club of San Diego and the La Jolla Sports Club specializing in fitness psychology, writes the “San Diego Fitness Psychology” column and “San Diego Life Coach Examiner.” He is also a writer and consultant to the Total Gym company. Dr. Mantell has written two best-selling books and appears regularly on radio and TV.

Canned Tomatoes – I’m actually going to expand this to all canned vegetables. The main danger of canned vegetables (specifically the acidic ones like tomatoes) is that the cans contain a synthetic estrogen called BPA, which can leach into the food. BPA has been linked to all sorts of major diseases but specifically those related to your reproductive system. In addition to BPA, as the vegetables sit in the can, most of the important vitamins and minerals are leached out into the surrounding water. So unless you are drinking the juice (gross), you’re missing a lot of the essential nutrients.

Instead: Try vegetables packaged in glass or even frozen vegetables. A vegetable is most nutritious the second it is harvested. Frozen vegetables are flash frozen immediately after harvesting so in some cases they can contain more nutrients than their fresh alternatives.

Nonorganic Apples – This year the apple skyrocketed to the top of the “Dirty Dozen” list, an honor that no produce wants. This means that nonorganic apples have the highest amount of pesticides.

Instead: Buy organic. If you can’t afford organic, make sure to wash, wash, wash your apples before eating.

Corn/Soy-Fed Beef – Close your eyes and picture a cow in a meadow. What’s he doing? Eating grass, right? That’s what they were designed to do, however, factory farmed cows are fed corn and soy because it’s cheaper and fattens them up faster. Unfortunately, it also decreases their nutrient profile making them lower in O-3’s and vitamins and minerals and higher in saturated fat. 

Instead: Opt for grass-fed beef. As the damage of corn-fed beef becomes more apparent grass-fed options have been popping up at more and more grocery stores. It tends to be more expensive, but if you are going to spend your money on one thing, this will have the greatest impact. You can also visit www.EatWild.com and find a local farmer to buy from directly.

Microwave Popcorn – This one actually makes me the saddest because popcorn is one of my favorite treats! However, microwave popcorn bags contain chemicals that have been linked to infertility and cancer. They will actually be phasing out these chemicals by 2015, but I suggest you phase them out by 2012!

Instead:  Pop your own! It is way cheaper and actually tastes better. Don’t have an air-popper? What a perfect time to ask Santa…or Amazon!

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist and Salada Tea Spokesperson living in San Diego, CA. She blogs twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com. 

Everywhere you look there are enticing pastries and evening cocktails at holiday parties. However, all is not lost! There are two simple ways to stay healthy and energized over the holidays so you can welcome 2012 with a smile and for the ladies, your skinny jeans!

Tip #1 – Snacking. When life gets busy, planning your meals is the first thing to go. That in combination with all of the sugary treats around the office is a formula for diet disaster. I want you to stock your office, car and purse with easy 200 calorie snacks (listed below) so you always have a bite on hand. Then when those cookies are calling your name around 3:30pm, you can grab one of these quick sweet and savory snacks! You’ll increase your energy, decrease your stress hormones and you’ll be more likely to say “no” to those tempting holiday treats.

Here are some of my favorite 200 calorie snacks:

• Cliff Mojo Bar. You can find these everywhere and they just came out with delicious new flavors like Peanut Butter Pretzel
• Apple and Almond Butter. Try Justin’s Nutbutter! They come in individual servings and fantastic flavors like almond butter and chocolate hazelnut.
• 2 Cuties & 2 String Cheese. That’s right, I said 2! Both of these are very low in calories so your stomach isn’t left grumbling and craving sugar.
• Trail Mix. My two favorites are the Planter’s NUT-trition packs and the Trader Joe’s Just a Handful of Almonds, Cashews & Cranberries.
• Greek Yogurt Parfait. Mix 5oz of plain Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp of pomegranate seeds and 5 crushed walnuts for a sweet and savory snack.

The trick is to get to the store TODAY and stock up for the entire month! Life is going to get busy and even a grocery run can become challenging.

Tip #2 – Schedule exercise. Eating healthy is one step, but you must also maintain a consistent exercise routine. As your schedule gets more hectic, you’ll see your normal workout time diminish; however, it is important that you remain consistent – even if you have to cut your 45-minute workout to 2o or 30 minutes. Look at your calendar and schedule in exercise for the remainder of the month. Get Total Gym exercises on-demand at www.totalgym.com/exercises. By simply getting moving you’ll crave healthier foods, reduce your stress and feel great!

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist and Salada Tea Spokesperson living in San Diego, CA, and . She blogs twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com. 

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Healthy nibbles from Clinical Nutritionist Tara Coleman

I can’t believe it’s the holiday season once again! It seems like just yesterday I was writing a blog post about this topic. This year, I have some tip for you to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal without paying for it through 2012!

Consider making exercise a pre-Thanksgiving tradition. Burning calories before diving into your Thanksgiving meal will not only create a calorie deficit for the day, but it will also make you feel healthier and less prone to overindulging. The winning combination for weight loss is simple: eat less and exercise more! Make an effort to get on your Total Gym for 20 to 30 minutes to burn some calories before your Thanksgiving feast. Check out Total Gym Exercises for on-demand, trainer-led workout videos to spice up your routine!

Eat breakfast. The idea of eating less to save on calories before Thanksgiving can backfire on you. You’ll be ravenous by the time Thanksgiving rolls around and likely to shove anything that you see in your face! Eating a small meal in the morning will help control your appetite so you’re less prone to eat in excess later – and more likely to make smarter food choices at Thanksgiving. Make a healthy breakfast that includes protein and fiber to keep you fuller longer. A sample breakfast may be an egg on whole wheat toast or a bowl of fiber-rich, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk.

Don’t be afraid of seconds … or thirds. The typical plate full of Thanksgiving food is one of the most impressive balancing acts known to man (as in balancing to keep it all on the plate)! This year, start with a small plate with small portions. When you are done, if you are still hungry go back for more. I promise the food will still be there! You will find that both the act of going back and not having to be pressured by the “clean plate club” will help you cut down on your portions without even noticing.

Mix in some fresh veggies. Most of the vegetables on Thanksgiving are in casserole form or hidden under heavy sauces. This year, make your favorite green bean casserole but also sauté some fresh green beans. Take a smaller amount of both. You will get your casserole fix but also benefit from the nutritional benefits of eating fresher veggies! 

Remember, Thanksgiving is just ONE day. It does not start on Wednesday night and end on Monday morning, and it certainly does not last until January 1^st! Your body knows how to handle a single overindulgence but your body cannot handle it when overindulgence turns into days and even months. Enjoy your Thanksgiving meal with your friends and family and then get back to the way of eating that makes you the healthiest and happiest!

Remember to listen to your body. If your stomach is saying it can’t take anymore, it’s best to stop while you’re ahead. You will feel better for it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist in San Diego, CA. She blogs twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave us your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com.

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Power bars can be a convenient way to eat on the go or fuel your workouts. However, if you look closely, you will find that many of these “healthy” options are nothing more than glorified candy bars!

The first thing you need to identify is what you are going to use the bar for? Is it a snack, a pre-workout meal or a full meal replacement? Once you have that determined you can follow these quick tips to help select the healthiest option:

Snack Bar – If you are using a power bar as an afternoon snack to keep you fueled during the day, shoot for something between 150-200 calories. Protein and fiber should be your main focus for this option because they will keep you full and energized much longer than the high sugar alternative. Try to find a bar with 8-15g of protein and make sure the grams of sugars and fiber are about equal.

Pre-/Post-workout Bars – These bars are designed to fuel you pre-workout or help start the recovery post-workout. Again, I recommend around the 200 calorie range for the average 45 min-1hr workout.  Carbohydrates are going to be the most important thing to look for, however, that doesn’t mean you should go sugar crazy! Choose a bar that has a majority of the carbohydrates in the “other carbohydrate” category rather than sugar.

Meal Replacement – The biggest mistake that I see people make is using a snack bar as a replacement for a full meal. If you only eat 200 calories as a meal, I promise that you will be pulling over at 7-11 or raiding the vending machine within the hour! Choose a bar that has between 350-450 calories. As with the snack bars, protein is going to be important so make sure it has between 10-20g of protein.

Finally, remember that these bars are meant to SUPPLEMENT a healthy diet, not replace one.  There are some great options out there but make sure that the majority of the food that you eat every day comes from a farm not a factory!

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist in San Diego, CA. She blogs twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave us your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly at tara@taracoleman.com.

Here’s a look at what you would be eating on the Paleo Diet:

This diet may seem quite restricting to some, and to others it’s the cleanest way to eat. Let’s explore the Pros and Cons:

Pros:  When followed correctly, the Paleo Diet can be extremely healthy. Although you are cutting out many food groups that have become mainstream in our culture, you can still get all of the important nutrients from what is found in the “Can Eat” food groups. By removing the grains and processed food from your diet, you are almost guaranteed to lose body fat as well as reduce the risk and symptoms associated with diabetes and high blood pressure.This diet may seem quite restricting to some, and to others it’s the cleanest way to eat. Let’s explore the Pros and Cons:

Cons:  The majority of the cons revolve around logistics. Let’s face it, we are very much a starchy carbohydrate-based culture (which isn’t necessarily a good thing), so the burden is going to be on you to prepare and think ahead. People also tend to focus more on the protein portion of this diet than the vegetables, which can lower their fiber intake. Remember, our ancestors spent much more of their time gathering than hunting!

Recommendations:  As I said earlier, the Paleo Diet can be an extremely healthy way of eating, so if you are interested, give it a try! Here are a few suggestions to make your experiment easier:

Make sure you are eating enough! When we eliminate any food group from our diet, we usually don’t replace it and tend to eat less. This may seem like a good thing, but if you go too low in calories you are going to start to have cravings and end up falling off the wagon. Make sure to set yourself up for success by eating enough!

Plan ahead. Always make sure to have a snack that fits your Paleo plan on you. This way if you find yourself in a situation where there isn’t anything on your diet available to eat or you’re just plain hungry, you can get something into you before your hunger takes control!

A special note for endurance athletes and fitness enthusiasts:

Although there are some elite athletes who have excelled on this type of a plan, many have a tough time ensuring their bodies are properly fueled for endurance activity. If you are training for an event, I suggest adding in whole grains, beans or potatoes ONLY to your post-workout meal. This will refuel your short-term energy stores and increase your recovery time.

I also suggest if you are sweating a lot that you add a little sodium to your diet. The typical Paleo Diet is around 700mg of sodium, which may be too low if you are losing a lot of sodium during your workouts. As long as you don’t have high blood pressure, don’t be afraid to add a little salt to your meals on intense training days!

Have questions about the Paelo Diet and if it’s right for you? Leave a Reply below and Tara will answer your question.

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist in San Diego, CA. She blogs twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave us your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly attara@taracoleman.com.

Here’s Total Gym user and former “Biggest Loser” contestant Tracey Yukich with her tips for stay trim with a realistic healthy eating plan. Catch her Biggest Loser nutrition tips straight from the Ranch!

In my last “Friday Bite,” I discussed how artificial sweeteners may be sabotaging your weight loss goals.  However, I didn’t want to imply that you need to commit yourself to a life free of sweets. I mean, what’s the point of living! As the potential side effects of artificial sweeteners are coming to light, there are a few natural alternatives that have become more main stream. Let’s explore the 3 most popular natural sweeteners so you can find which best suits your sweet tooth:

Agave Nectar – Agave Nectar comes from the same plant that produces tequila, but don’t worry, it won’t make you dance around with a lamp shade on your head! Agave Nectar has a consistency similar to honey with a more mellow taste. It has the same calories as table sugar although it is lower glycemic.  However, it is not low enough for diabetics, so if you are cutting calories or worried about blood sugar I would go with Stevia (see below). I find Agave Nectar is the best alternative to use when baking or mixing in hot drinks.

Stevia – Stevia has exploded on the scene in the form of TruVia (a Coca-Cola brand) and PureVia (from Pepsi Co.) as well as lesser known brands. Most of these are not the pure stevia leaf but an extract called Reb-A. It can be found in both liquid and powder form. In many cases, the powder form has been enhanced with additives, so make sure to check the ingredient list to ensure it only contains Stevia Extract. Stevia is very potent so you only need to use a small amount. It has no calories and is safe for diabetics. Some brands have a liquorish-like aftertaste so you will have to experiment to find one that you like!

Sugar – Didn’t expect to see this one, eh? I will be the first to admit that sugar is to blame for many of the health problems in our country, however, that is when it’s used in EXCESS. Pure sugar has been around for a long time and our bodies certainly know how to process it. So if you are sweetening your tea here and there and enjoy a sweeter taste, go ahead and add a little sugar. However, if you are adding more than 3 tsp./day or you are diabetic, I would suggest giving Stevia or Agave Nectar a try!

Tara Coleman www.taracoleman.com

Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist in San Diego, CA. She blogs twice a month with “Tara’s Friday Bite.” Leave us your comments with ideas for future topics or email Tara directly attara@taracoleman.com.