By Michael Scruggs, Healthier U Inc. Oh No It’s: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Buy-It-Before-It’s-All-Gone Friday With all these sales floating around in print ads, TV and the internet…Buyer Beware! Today, you’ll see a LOT of sales on everything—including your favorite health foods, supplements, and products. But before you purchase a single supplement or superfood powder, be …
Vegetables and other healthy foods can help you counteract the negative effects of inflammation. Did you know that there are two types of inflammation, the body’s response to injury? Acute inflammation is painful but essential because, by telling the body that injured tissues require immediate attention, it triggers immune reactions that help us heal. Chronic inflammation, however, …
Written by Michael Scruggs, HealthierU Inc. First and foremost, let me start this blog by saying you must first educate yourself, as to what exactly is meant by “Eating Healthy”! Once you are confident that you, in fact, know what a healthy diet is, then you can try this trick. If you’re not sure whether …
Learn the truth about drinking water: why we need it, why your water may be unsafe, and what you can do to protect yourself and your family. Water is absolutely fundamental to long-term health. The human body is about 60% water, and without it, a person will die within just a few days. Every single …
“An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away” We have all heard the old adage “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away”. What is I were to tell you that there is more truth in that saying than you could ever imagine. In the United States there are over 1.8 million deaths each year …
If you’re thinking about reaching for a frosted donut or an order of french fries to help boost your mood, you may want to think again. Although the first bite or two might taste delicious, plenty of research has shown that healthier, mood-enhancing food choices — like the ones below — are not only better for our waistlines, but also our stress levels, energy levels and moods. Below we share the top foods that improve mood, stress and energy levels.
Learn how to eat healthy on a budget so you can enjoy a healthy eating lifestyle that doesn’t break the bank.
I love cooking. I also love my job, walking my dog, and having adventures. The truth is, I wear many hats and am always on the go! With so much life to live, it can seem like there’s not enough time to do it all, or enough money.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat healthy on a budget and save time, too. I’ve learned from and helped my friends, clients, and community find and improve their paths to fresh and healthy eating and budgeting.
July 9/2020
Nothing says “Summer” better than a cool, refreshing, sweet, juicy, delicious slice of ripe watermelon—no matter what time of year it is. But I often hear cautions on eating watermelon—that it is high glycemic, full of sugar, mostly water, not very nutritious, etc.
Right? Or wrong?
While watermelons are mostly water—90% or so, they are also full of vitamins A, B6, C, lycopene, antioxidants and minerals. Remember hearing about the lycopene in tomatoes? Watermelon, another red-colored fruit, is FULL of this powerful phytonutrient! In fact, watermelon has some of the highest levels of lycopene of all fruits and veggies. Just one cup of watermelon has 1 and a half times the lycopene of a large fresh tomato. And who eats just one cup of watermelon? I know I don’t!
Because watermelon is one of the best sources of lycopene with more than 6,500 micrograms in less than half a cup, you are getting an army’s worth of inflammation-fighting antioxidant activity! Lycopene from the red flesh of watermelon is very stable, even after the watermelon has been cut and stored in the refrigerator. Lycopene is thought to be even more powerful than its other orange/red colored ally, beta carotene—found in red and orange fruits and veggies.
The Benefits of Beans can Help You Live a Longer, Healthier Life
According to research by Dan Buettner, author of “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest,” beans are one of the foods most associated with longevity. For optimal health, Dan Buettner recommends eating a cup of beans each day. However, few people in developed nations today consume nearly this much.
Beans can be one of the best sources of clean, whole food, plant-based protein. For people, such as athletes and seniors who might need to boost their protein intake, eating beans at most meals can be a great idea. Cooked soybeans, for example, contain almost 30 grams of protein per cup! And cooked split peas and lentils have approximately 16 grams of fiber per cup. To put that into perspective, many nutrition experts believe that a 150-pound person requires about 54 grams of protein and 40 grams of fiber per day. Most people in developed nations today consume an excess of protein, yet only about 10-12 grams of fiber per day. Beans provide an excellent source of protein and fiber, as well as nearly a full day’s worth of iron, plus a variety of micronutrients and phytochemicals. The consumption of beans and other legumes is also associated with a slimmer waistline and can help lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.
Smoothie Screw-Up #1: Being Fuzzy on Your Slurp’s Purpose
Before throwing in ingredients and hitting “buzz,” consider your goal. Do you want your smoothie to serve as a meal replacement, an addition to your breakfast, or just as a snack? Your answer will guide what you add to your blender and in what amounts.