Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Healthy Eating for Moms to be and Your Baby

A well-balanced and healthy diet is important for anyone but if you are pregnant is even more vital to be sure that you are receiving all of the proper nutrients. Your daily caloric intake should be increased by  300-500 calories a day in order to be sure your baby is getting enough nutrition, depending on your level of metabolism and amount of exercise mom decides to adventure. You diet should consist of a variety of nutritious foods in order to meet the demand of vitamins and minerals which are critical for the proper growth and development of your baby. The key thing to keep in mind that everything you eat during pregnancy is being shared by your baby, it is paramount that you are conscientious in your food choices. Herbalife has a variety of meal replacement choices for the active Moms.



Start off at Day 1
Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet should be an everyday occurrence, but life's demands sometimes alters the best plans. From the moment that you find out that you are pregnant you should modify your eating habits to be sure that your baby will get everything that he/she needs to flourish. In today's society and the financial demands of life, eating properly is not an easy task to endeavor. Fortunatly, there are many healthy a options prepare and take with you if you lead a busy lifestyle. Instead of  going to a drive-thru and grabbing an order of a burger & fries, you may choose to eat a chicken breast sandwich on whole wheat bread that you have prepared yourself, along with a fruit or vegabable snack. The first trimester is one of the most important stage of pregnancy as most birth defects occur during this period.



Foods and Beverages to Refrain from during Pregnancy
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is harmful and can cause a number of birth defect. It is important to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at any time during your pregnancy.  There are also many food additives and preservatives which should be avoided at all costs. MSG is among one of them as it has been linked to many issues and complications in pregnancy. Some forms of shell fish are know to have toxins that are harmful to the baby's development. Consult your OB/GYN or Wellness Coach to get a list of foods to avoid.



Prenatal & Multi-Vitamin Supplements
The best way to get vitamins and minerals is through eating fresh foods that contain them, but it is still recommended that pregnant women take some sort of prenatal vitamin supplements. Your OB/GYN will prescribe prenatal vitamins during your first prenatal visit. Some benefits have been that pregnant women have found that their hair and fingernails grow out much healthier while they are taking the prenatal vitamins.  This is important for women who plan on breast-feeding their babies.



Caveman Eating: Protein, Protein and Protein
You want to make sure that you get a diet that is rich in protein. You should eat lean cuts of meat, poultry, pork and fresh fish at least twice per day. In addition, you will want to be sure that you consume plenty of dairy products, such as cheese, milk and yogurt. Protein can also be found in other foods such as beans and nuts. For vegetarians, it is important to consult a Nutritionist or Wellness Coach to make sure that they are getting enough protein in their diet.




Fruits and Vegetables
Not only do fruits contain many different vitamins and minerals, but they are also very high in antioxidants as well as fiber. Expecting Moms must get enough iron in their diet. Vitamin C, which is found in many fruits; will aid in the iron absorption process. A minimum of five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day should be eaten. A wide variety of vegetables should be eaten,  raw when possible. Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix is a valuable alternative to the busy Expecting Mom.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Real Meals that Love the Heart

Herbalife is a system that allows for a regular meal along with the Healthy Shake Meal Replacements. We'll be posting a monthly regular meal that will not only taste great, but is great for you.


GRILLED SALMON WITH ROASTED TOMATO & GARLIC CREAM



Yield:  4 servings

4 Salmon; filets
Cilantro: leaves for garnish

ROASTED TOMATO  STEP 1
2  lb Plum tomatoes; UNpeeled
1  Shallots; peeled
2  Garlic; cloves peeled
1  Jalapenos

ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE STEP 2
1/4  cup  Chicken stock

ROASTED TOMATO STEP 3
1  cup Cilantro; chopped
2  tb Butter; unsalted

GARLIC CREAM STEP 1
8  Garlic; cloves unpeeled
2  tb Olive oil

GARLIC CREAM STEP 2
1/3  cup  Sour cream
1/2  cup  Heavy cream
1/2  ts Lime juice; fresh

GARLIC CREAM STEP 3
1 1/2  tb Water
Salt & pepper; to taste

ROASTED TOMATO
(1)  Roast Tomatoes, Shallots, Garlic & Jalepeno in oven for 40  minutes, until the Tomatoes are blistered and shallot is soft.   
(2)  Puree the roasted vegetables with Chicken stock in blender,  till smooth. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Remove from heat and add Chopped Cilantro & Butter.   

GARLIC CREAM
(1)  Place unpeeled Garlic cloves and olive oil on broiler pan and  cover. ROAST for 20  minutes, until garlic is very soft. SAVE Olive oil; Peel Garlic and mash very well in mortar &  pestil.    (2)  Combine Garlic, reserved Olive oil, sour cream, heavy cream,  and lime juice, and mix well. Should be thin enough to pour.   
(3)  Add Water if needed for consistency; salt & pepper to taste.   

Grill Salmon

Total Calories per Serving - 648*

STRAWBERRY AND CUCUMBER SALAD



Yield:   6  servings.
Ingredients:
4½ cups (1½ pounds) California strawberries,  stemmed and  quartered 1 medium cucumber,  peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
¾ cup Italian parsley leaves
4 green onions,  chopped
6 radishes,  thinly sliced

Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
To make vinaigrette:
In bowl, whisk together all  vinaigrette ingredients except oil.  Whisk in oil until blended.  

Calories per serving - 111* 

Total Calories - 759*


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Saturday, May 7, 2011

Heart Healthcare Defense

Your daily diet is the final decider of your potential risk of heart disease. Poor blood circulation results in stroke or heart attack and could be a major killer. When plaque, a fatty substance builds up in your arteries, the fatty deposits block the blood vessels from bringing in adequate blood into the heart. The arteries become narrow and harden. The oxygen-rich blood is prevented from entering the heart and results in chest pain or heart attack. Here are a few useful tips to maintain a healthy and normal functioning heart:

Activities to keep a Heart Healthy:

• Include a lot of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet regimen


• Consume whole grains in the form of wheat, oat, corn, brown rice, whole rye, barley, millet and avoid processed grains and flours in order to exploit the best amount of nutrients

• Consume low-fat or fat-free versions of dairy products, lean meat, skinless poultry, dry beans, nuts and eggs

• Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are extremely important for the body and are found in vegetables, nuts and fish

• Omega-3 fatty acids lower the chances of heart strokes and can be found in lean fish such as soybean oil, canola oil, walnuts, linseed and flaxseed oil, catfish, haddock and cod

• Avoid foods containing saturated fat and trans fat foods and cholesterol like whole milk and cheese, sherbet, corn chips, regular mayonnaise, ice cream, frozen yoghurt, crackers, cookies, cakes, butter, sausages, pies, potato chips, coconut, chicken, liver, pork and palm oil as it causes plaque build-up in arteries




• Shellfishes like shrimps contain a lot of cholesterol and have to be avoided

• Avoid a lot of sodium content foods like baking soda as it could result in hypertension

• In order to balance the extra sodium content, you need to supplement it with a Potassium-rich diet. The potassium requirement for a normal adult is about 4700 mg a day. It can be found in tomatoes, orange and grape juice, white and sweet potatoes, lettuces, papayas, dates, raisins and prunes

• Avoid consuming foods with added sugars like corn sweetener, honey, raw sugar, fructose, lactose, sucrose, dextrose, glucose, molasses, invert sugar, caramel, malt syrup and fruit juice concentrates as it could cause diabetes and increase the risks of stroke and other heart related illnesses

• Alcohol addiction is a major source of risk for heart strokes. Moderate drinking may be handled by your body but excessive drinking could damage your heart health. Moderate consumption of red wine decreases the risk of heart disease Lifestyle tips for keeping a healthy heart:

• Maintain normal weight and reduce excess body fat to decrease chances of heart disease, diabetes, strokes, high blood pressure osteoporosis, menstrual complications and other illnesses • Avoid weight fluctuations as it would affect the healthy balance of body and consult a dietitian to achieve consistency

• Exercise regularly for maintaining good health and an active lifestyle. Brisk walking, cycling, gym workouts are highly beneficial for your body



• Drink plenty of water on a daily basis to keep your body dehydrated and flush out the harmful toxins from the body.

In today's rat race of life, it is increasingly harder to maintain a healthy diet. If you cannot change the things in your life that prevent a healthy diet, you need to have an effective alternative or supplement to a healthy diet. A valuable source of knowledge would be a Wellness Coach. Our consultation service is Free.