3 things that could turn your health around

[David Baxter PhD]

3 things that could turn your health aroundby Theresa Albert, healthzone.ca
June 23, 2011

If there were three simple things that you could do every day that would virtually turn your health around, would you do them? What if all three were easy to do, did not take any time and cost you exactly nothing?

Any one of these habits will help you live healthier and longer and take years off the appearance of aging skin. Together they are the secret to transforming your inner universe. Are you ready? Of course you are!

Life Altering Tip #1: Add half a cup of beans to your diet each day.
There is now sound evidence that it takes one small serving to make a world of difference in your cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. Beans and pulses can come in any form and need no longer be the overnight-soaking-pain-in-the-pants they used to be. Here are some ways to work beans in:

• Serve hummus (made from chick peas) as a dip for an afternoon snack. Hummus comes in a variety of flavors so you will never get bored. Add a tablespoon to every wrap and sandwich instead of mayo.
• Add drained, rinsed canned beans to any pasta dish. White navy beans and lentils work best.
• Make a crockpot full of lentil or minestrone soup weekly and store in the freezer in single servings for lunches or appetizers
• Top salads with canned kidney beans or chick peas.
• Look for bean-based veggie burgers instead of beef burgers
• Snack on roasted soybeans instead of nuts or popcorn

Life Altering Tip #2: Remove liquid calories
The brain does not process liquid calories the same way it processes calories that must be chewed. When you chew, your human internal food mechanism indicates satiety, when you sip...nada. If you added up all the useless calories that come by way of cream and sugar in your coffee, sodas, alcohol and even juices, you would likely find 300 calories each day that you could do without. And don’t go switching to aspartame-laden beverages; they are even worse! Try this juice substitute instead.

Life Altering Tip #3: Make yours NEAT!
We are all strapped for time and getting to the gym isn’t on everyone’s wish list anyway. And when you think about it, your official exercise time probably only takes care of one hour of the day – and that’s when you manage to make it happen. It is what you are doing the other 15 waking hours that really counts. Enter: NEAT or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This is all the calorie burning stuff that you do in as part of your everyday life. And you have a lot of sway in how much of it you get.

• Find as many ways as you can to wiggle, tap, move throughout the day. Walk one bus stop, take the stairs down one flight, sit on an exercise ball for an hour a day while at work or watching TV. The possibilities are endless and they all add up.
• Add weight whenever you can. Fooling your body into carrying more weight around (that isn’t really your own!) builds muscle. A backpack of books, maybe? Carry a basket around the grocery store instead of using a cart or strap on a waist belt for the subway ride standing up.
• Convert your desk to a standing station to reduce all the sitting hours in your day.

All it takes is a tiny shift in attitude to improve your health outcome. Make these healthy habits decisions once and never look back.

Theresa Albert is a registered nutritionist and author of the book Ace Your Health known also for her popular Food Network show Just One Bite. Sign up here for Theresa’s weekly newsletter and receive more tips and recipes!

 

[Daniel E.]

Hummus heads:



Family Fitness Challenge recipe: Hummus heads - USATODAY.com

 

[Daniel E.]

Hummus from Jerusalem Recipe - NYT Cooking

There’s a lot of unattended prep time in this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi for hummus, which was featured in The Times in 2013. The unusual yet helpful addition of baking soda speeds the process. Cooking the chickpeas with baking soda softens them, allowing for less time on the stove as well as a smoother, creamier finished product. (If you find that your hummus is too stiff, loosen it with a little water.) A plate of this hummus served with fresh pita, chopped olives and pine nuts makes for a perfect lunch.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ? cups dried chickpeas (250 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light tahini paste (270 grams)
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• Salt
• 6 ? tablespoons ice-cold water (100 milliliters)

PREPARATION

1. Put chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water at least twice their volume. Leave to soak overnight.
3. The next day, drain chickpeas. In a medium saucepan, combine drained chickpeas and baking soda over high heat. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 6 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cook at a simmer, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface, from 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the type and freshness. Once done, they should be very tender, breaking easily when pressed between your thumb and finger, almost but not quite mushy.
5. Drain chickpeas. You should have roughly 3 cups (600 grams) now. Place chickpeas in a food processor and process until you get a stiff paste. Then, with the machine still running, add tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in ice water and allow it to mix for about 5 minutes, until you get a very smooth and creamy paste.
7. Transfer hummus to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. If not using immediately, refrigerate until needed, up to two days. Remove from fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.