Food provides your body with nutrients. Nutrients instruct your body how to function and give you the energy you need to get through the day. When you eat the right foods, you can boost your overall health. I believe, it's our responsibility to learn how food affects our body. What foods should you eat to boost your health this holiday season? These are some of my favorites and I encourage you to keep this short list on hand during your next trip to the grocery store. Then, use these foods in your diet and take charge of your health.
Why is garlic so good for you? When garlic is crushed or chopped, it releases allicin, a natural medicinal ingredient that strengthens your immune system, increases blood flow and boots overall wellness. Want to serve up garlic for lunch or dinner? Try this Caprese salad! Crush 3 garlic cloves, mix with 1 T. olive oil and drizzle over sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste.
Did you know sweet potatoes have anti-aging benefits, anti-carcinogenic properties and reduce stress? Sweet potatoes are also an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E to help support a healthy immune system. Roast, mash or bake your sweet potatoes and enjoy this whole-body vegetable.
One serving of kale gives you 907% of your daily recommendation of vitamin K, a nutrient needed for bone protection and clotting. Kale also has protein, calcium, four times the amount of vitamin C and more vitamin A (vs. spinach). Spinach, on the other hand has more folic acid and is an excellent choice for pregnant women or those trying to conceive. Add these greens to your breakfast burrito, lunch salad or sauté with garlic and serve for dinner.
Yogurt and kefir are packed with probiotics and are considered superfoods. Probiotics support healthy digestion, weight loss and boosts the immune system. Probiotics help keep the digestive track free of disease-causing bacteria (in adults) and when added to formula, infants had fewer days with fever, antibiotic prescriptions and doctor visits. Top off your favorite yogurt or kefir with berries and nuts and supercharge your food!
Beans are a plant-based source of iron and rich in fiber. Iron is needed to oxygenate your cells and tissues and is necessary for proper development of the human body. Fiber helps you feel full and move food through your digestive track for healthy elimination. When you eat plant-based iron, consider pairing it with vitamin C rich foods (like sweet potatoes) or add a splash of citric juice for better absorption.
Moms, when you incorporate garlic, sweet potatoes, kale (or spinach), yogurt (or kefir) and beans to your diet, your body will promote a strong immune system. Start fueling your body and see how you can boost your overall health this holiday season.
be+positive,
Niccole
We hope you are doing amazingly well and are in full swing with school, activities and routine! For most of us, the last couple of weeks have been consumed with juggling "back to school" schedules and stressing over carpools. And like anything else, when something new starts up, we have a hard time keeping up with everything else…especially when it comes to health and fitness.
Why is it so hard to keep up with health and fitness? Maybe you're plagued with aches and pains, have fatigue or find yourself in a constant battle with a slowing metabolism. If you can relate to any or all of those reasons, join our "Team of 3" for a 28-day challenge to improve your overall health and fitness.
Starting Monday, September 12th, Sarah Camiolo and Laura Andrews from IDLife, and I, are teaming up for 28-days to help one another overcome our own personal health and fitness struggles, while encouraging one another to find success on this program.
Can you set aside 28-days and make a commitment to improve your overall health and fitness? If so, take action today! Let this simple equation be your daily reminder and motivation to join us!
Vitamins and supplements customized for you. IDLife offers a free, science-based health assessment designed to determine what you need based on your individual information. Your assessment will give you a detailed picture of what supplements are best for you and why. To get your FREE health assessment and nutritional recommendations, go to justbreathe.idlife.com, click on the assessment tab and in as quick as 5-minutes, you will have the scientific facts.
Once you complete your assessment and order your customized IDNutrition (vitamins and supplements), you will receive a 30% off coupon to order these recommended products so that you can get the most out of the 28-day challenge:
Includes Energy Jar, Protein Shake and Lean Bottle
Includes Pre Workout, Post Workout and Hydrate
*Price reflects a 30% savings when ordered with the IDNutrition (vitamins and supplements). The average cost for IDNutrition is $50-$75/month.
IDLife questions contact Sarah @ sarahcamiolo@gmail.com.
Starting September 12th, join us every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for a 30-minute workout on the Curtis Park playground from 8:30-9 AM. These workouts are geared to help you burn tons of calories, improve your cardio vascular endurance, muscle and core strength, flexibility and agility. Bring a mat and water. Session ends Friday, October 7th.
12 Sessions $200
Register today @strongestmom.com/products
Strongest Mom questions contact Niccole@strongestmom.com.
Sarah, Laura and I truly believe that when you make health and fitness a priority, and couple it with an encouraging community of friends, you will find success! We want you to be a part of this 28-day challenge, so that together, we can be transformed!
*IDLife Nutrition and Strongest Mom Boot Camp can be purchased separately.
be+positive,
Niccole, Sarah and Laura
The majority of Americans will be sitting around watching football and feasting on turkey, gravy, stuffing, sides, pecan and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. So how can you avoid gaining weight this Thanksgiving?
1. Fill up on fibrous vegetables and lean protein first. Foods high in fiber tend to fill you up, so you’re less likely to overeat and stay satisfied longer. High-fiber vegetables like peas, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, yams and green beans are high fiber vegetables. When it comes to dark or white meat, which will you choose? Both dark and white meat have about the same caloric and fat content, with dark meat having more vitamins. Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with either one.
2. Substitute and reduce when you can. Many Thanksgiving recipes call for excessive amounts of heavy cream, sugar and butter. This year, try and substitute coconut milk for heavy cream and apple juice for sugar. Think about reducing the amount of butter you put into your sides. Did you know that sugar releases dopamine in your brain, making it highly addictive, and one tablespoon of butter has 102 calories and 12 grams of fat?
3. Don’t show up to the dinner table on an empty stomach. The aromas in a kitchen on Thanksgiving are heavenly. This once-a-year meal makes it so inviting to come to the dinner table on an empty stomach so that you can get the most out of the meal. But, remember the hungrier you are, the more likely you will overeat when you sit down. Blood sugar levels drop significantly when your stomach is empty, and might tempt you to grab less healthy foods. Fuel up throughout the day and portion control when you eat your Thanksgiving dinner.
4. Exercise before tryptophan sets in. Thanksgiving is a gluttonous holiday. As busy as you are, try and schedule time to exercise. When the bird is in the oven, get out and exercise. On Thanksgiving morning, our family, along with 40,000 of our closest friends, will be running 8-miles in the Dallas Turkey Trot. If that’s not your style, create your own version of the Turkey Trot or get a Turkey Bowl game going. Burn some calories before you consume them later on.
Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for our health, bounty and blessings from the preceding year. Wouldn’t it be great to include weight management on this list to be thankful for? Eat your fiber and protein, substitute and reduce when you can, fuel your body throughout the day and get in your exercise. A brisk one-hour walk for a 150-pound person can burn 340 calories.
be+positive,
Niccole
Co-Founder
Strongest Mom
