Healthy Recipies

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Critical Thinking is the New Sexy

Ever since I was a teenager I was passionate about studying health. But there came a point when I didn't even know what health was or what was healthy because of all the contradicting messages. Instead of sorting through it all, I kind of gave up for a while because I didn't know who or what to believe. It wasn't until I went to college that I found more clarity or at least found tools to research and analyze the information I was given.

What is Critical Thinking?
Critical Thinking includes the following components:
  1. Curiosity - You go into the process not knowing what the answer will be. Curiosity is not finding things to prove your point of view (or bias) but rather to learn what facts and evidence are out there. 
  2. Skepticism - We need skepticism so we don't believe everything we hear or read. This involves healthy questioning. 
      • Where did you hear that? 
      • Was it peer reviewed? 
      • Why do you think that? 
      • How do you know that? 
      • How was that tested? 
      • Where is the source? 
      • Who is the audience? 
      • Who are the stakeholders? 
      • What is the tone of the text? 
      • Is the tone of the text emotional?
      • What are some other views of this topic?
      • What do experts say concerning this topic?
      • How big was the sample size?
      • Who was the population in the study?
  3. Humility - This is hard but it involves admitting that we are wrong when we find new evidence. 
Why Does it Matter?
Critical Thinking helps decrease bias and misinformation. It also helps people to be informed and able to make educated decisions. Another benefit of critical thinking is that is motivates citizens and young adults to be involved in their communities. See video below...
I hope that parents and teachers spend time teaching their kids and students the skills they need to think critically. This is such a needed skill in society because it helps people to think for themselves instead of being tossed and turned in the waves of misguided information. I know it takes more than a class or a video clip to master this art, but hopefully this post will gently push us in the direction of practicing and mastering the art of critical thinking. 

Just for Kicks
The following video clip is John Oliver illustrating how scientific studies are often twisted by people and by the news.


References
  • http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-critical-thinking-definition-skills-meaning.html
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzV1pNQUX5s
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rnq1NpHdmw&t=624s

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Be Good to Yourself

I once heard a Marriage and Family Therapist say how he got the most therapy sessions during the Holidays. His hypothesis was that everyone was stressed out and going crazy because it's the most hectic time of the year.

SELF CARE

I received an email from my dear friend this week, who is a new mom like myself, and she shared how she has started doing self care activities everyday. My friend explained how these small moments of self care everyday are time out for just her. In other words, no multi-tasking! My friend intentionally makes time to color, paint her nails or go for a walk everyday. Because of her self care, my friend was able to rediscover things about herself that had been forgotten. She admitted how she had lost herself without even knowing it.

Self care is taught to health professionals, but everyone it. The purpose of self care is to care for yourself so you can keep helping others who are your responsibility. Many people get burnt out, which can lead to resenting others and sacrificing their health. Eventually, they are not able to help themselves or others.

My husband, who is a grad student plays racquetball and also reads for his self care. I personally love going on walks, blogging :) and doing yoga.   

So pull out your hair--or try some self care! Wow, what a catchy jingle I just made up!

References


Friday, September 30, 2016

Silver

At 16, I found my first few silver hairs. How embarrassing! At 20, I began to dye my hair my natural hair color, DARK brown (practically black)...and I never stopped--until now. My hair grew so fast that I was having my husband dye my hair every three-four weeks. But this past January, I stopped dying my hair for a few reasons...
1. My nieces think I look like Elsa.
2. It's annoying to constantly dye it.
3. It's costly, even if it is from a box.
4. I was curious to see what it looked like grown out.
5. I saw beautiful women with silver hair.
6. I was mostly dying it because I was ashamed of my silver hair and worried about what others would think.
7. I'm 28 and I don't want to dye my hair for the rest of my life.


Sarah Harris
Sarah Harris, Fashion Features Director of Vouge was one of my inspirations. She had premature silver hair too and never dyed it. Some have raised concerns that if I let my silver hair grow out then I will look old. Who knows? I might hate it, but I'll never know unless I grow it out and try it. Besides, it's been liberating for me to embrace it. My silver hair is symbolic of me embracing who I am and not worrying about what people will think of me. I am doing this because I want to and I don't want to dye my hair brown just to conform. And as far as looking old goes, I'm still going to exercise, eat healthy and get ready for the day. I think as long as we take care of ourselves (make our eyes and eyebrows pop with a little makeup tweaks and wear certain colors that flatter silver hair) then we won't have to worry about looking like an old and decrepit hag. Some will hate my new hair and others will love it--but the fact is that I'm not doing it for anyone but myself anymore. My natural silver hair isn't quite there yet, but so far, so good. We'll see how I like it in the end.



This lady has a lot of tricks and tips for going silver naturally: http://howbourgeois.blogspot.com/
My favorite product to help with the transition was Gray Away spray. It helped my hair blend more. I used the dark brown one. It washes out and it's basically like a hairspray. I'm not using it in any of the above pictures, but sometimes I use it. You can purchase it at Walmart, Target, Walgreens or online. 

Three Months Later...

One year later and one more hair cut to go until all the dyed hair is gone.
Done & done! It took me 1.5 years to get to this point, but now that I'm done growing my hair out and I love it! 11.4.17

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Think About It

"I never guess. It is a shocking habit,--destructive to the logical faculty."
--Sherlock Holmes, The Sign of Four




I remember when I was a Junior in high school I worked for a vitamin company. During this time, I just knew all the products we sold were the panacea for every illness, problem and disease in the whole wide world. Along with this, I was involved in cleanses and all kinds of "healthy" diets. I remember doing a prune juice cleanse because the recipe online assured me of a healthy glow in my skin, a happy liver and a happy life-- and all I had to do was live off of nothing but prune juice for three days! Then one day, I was trying to sell my sister a product of some sort and she wisely told me that there was no such thing as a cure-all product. What a rude awakening that was for me--it was like the day when I found out that Santa Claus wasn't real. 

Since then, I've become less radical. When making decisions, with health or anything, our rule of thumb is to go to the source. Over the years I've seen many people fall into fad traps. I wonder what it would be like if we thought more critically before clinging to certain ideas or products? What if we looked at things through a magnified glass as the great Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson did?

Here are a few tips on thinking critically from Cornell University...


In other words, skepticism is awesome! Let's use it every day. 





Thursday, January 15, 2015

Healthy Frozen Themed Treats

Raindeer antler's

Olaf's Noses






Makes 2 servings, about 1 cup

Ingredients 
1 large banana
  • Cut ripe banana into coins and freeze for at least 2 hours in an airtight container. 
  • Blend banana in food processor or strong blender. 
  • Delish.

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Hypothyroidism and it's Influence on Pregnancy & Fertility


Sluggish...that's a perfect description for how those with hypothyroidism feel. My mom, sisters, brother, aunt, great-grandma and I have hypothyroidism. Our genes are slightly suffering in this in the endocrine area.
Without proper treatment you will most likely feel grouchy, unmotivated and tired all the time. You cannot function without a nap every day. It's a horrible feeling to be tired and drained every day. For my research methods class we researched hypothyroidism and it's influence on pregnancy and fertility. My intent is to spread awareness to empower women by encouraging them to get tested and seek treatment if they feel like they might have hypothyroidism. 
So what does a functioning thyroid do? The thyroid works in a synergistic manner with the master gland--the pituitary gland. The thyroid is responsible for metabolism, helping the body's physiological response to stress and it helps with growth and development. It acts as a negative feedback loop in the body. Meaning, if any of these above things are needed then the pituitary gland (found in the brain) sends a hormone (TSH) to the thyroid gland (found in your neck). The Thyroid is alerted and sends out hormones (T3 and T4) to various organs in the body to get the job done. When completed, it sends a signal to report back to the pituitary gland (as illustrated above).

But when you have hypothyroidism it's like having the pituitary gland banging on the door trying to let the thyroid know that he has work to do--but the thyroid is too sleepy to answer the the door and so nothing gets done. This can lead to various symptoms. See below...


Various studies have been done on how hypothyroidism impacts pregnancy and fertility. These studies found that hypothyroidism does decrease women's fertility rate. Thyroid function plays a crucial role in the fetal brain development. Thyroid problems are difficult to diagnose during pregnancy because a lot of the symptoms are similar to a normal pregnancy (depression, weight gain, constipation, diminished appetite, fatigue, etc.). Even if the mother is on thyroid medication when she's pregnant close monitoring is required to make sure everything goes smoothly.


Friday, July 18, 2014

The Sexualization of Girls

There are some alarming trends which our culture and media is doing to young women and girls according to The Report of the Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls (2007). The American Psychological Association (APA) takes charge in being involved in issues related to the impact of media and content on children. They strive to restrict advertising directed at young children that include sexualization to girls in any form. They state that sexualization occurs when "a person’s value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics; a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness (narrowly defined) with being sexy;  a person is sexually objectified—that is, made into a thing for others’ sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making; and/or sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person" (p. 1).

We see in media how they target young girls by celebrities and models being dressed in revealing clothing or showing facial expressions which infer sexual readiness. The pictures below and above illustrates this. A Skechers advertisement with Christina Aguilera in schoolgirl attire with her hair in pigtails, licking a lollipop with her shirt unbuttoned. 

Or dolls, such as Bratz that are sold in stores are also sexualized (mini skirts, fishnet stockings with feather boas). Even thongs are sold as clothing for 7-10 year old girls with the slogan, "wink wink." APA states, "Research documenting the pervasiveness and influence of such products and portrayals is sorely needed" (p. 2). Carl's Jr. is also notorious for their commercials which objectify women (I won't bother posting one because they are awful).  


Bratz
Not only does the media play a part in this but relationships with peers and parents has an impact on girls as well. We often see girls "policing each other to ensure conformance with standards of thinness and sexiness" (p. 2). 

And sadly, "girls can also sexualize themselves." If they try to buy things to make them "sexy" and pattern their identity after celebrities, they can begin to "think of themselves in objectified terms." Studies show that this is very harmful because girls begin to value others opinions over their own and think of themselves as objects rather than independent human beings. Among other things, this can cause depression, eating disorders, and lack of focus and attention in logical reasoning (p. 2-3). 


The APA suggest several strategies to help with this issue:
  • Teach critical skills in viewing and consuming media, focusing specifically on the sexualization of women and girls. 
  • Parents and caregivers should learn about the impact of sexualization of girls and co-view media with their children in order to influence the way in which media messages are interpreted.
  •  Advocate for funding to support the development and implementation by public agencies and private organizations of media literacy programs, including interactive media, in schools that combat sexualization and objectification (p. 4).

References
The American Psychological Association. (2007). Report of the apa task force on the sexualization of girls. Retrieved on July 17, 2014, from: file: 
http://www.apa.org/pi/women/programs/girls/report.aspx



Thursday, June 26, 2014

Roasted Corn Salsa Recipe

Thanks Nicole!



Roasted Corn Salsa
Ingredients
1 bag of frozen corn
1 tomato, diced
4 garlic cloves, diced
½ red onion, diced
4 green onions, diced
2-3 limes, juiced
½ C. cilantro
¼ C. olive oil
1 large avocado
2 cans of black beans, drained & rinsed
Salt & pepper

Directions
Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Double or triple for a crowd. Broil corn til golden brown in oven. Let cool. Mix into salsa mixture. Eat with chips, on a bed of lettuce or by itself in a bowl! 


Monday, June 16, 2014

Water Aversion


Although we all know how much our bodies need water, we still may not drink it because of the taste or lack of taste. Granted, some places have more refreshing water than others. I know that Mesa, Arizona has despicable-tasting water. But, drinking water is better than passing a kidney stone. Agreed? Below are a few tricks for those who have an aversion to water:

  • Drink purified water. Use a good water purifier so the water tastes better.
  • Take it slow. Gradually build up your intake of water over a period of a few weeks.
  • Put sliced lemons, grapefruit, oranges, strawberries, limes, cucumber, kiwi or a sprig of mint in your glass of water. 
  • Make fruit ice cubes by cutting up bits of fruit and placing them in ice cube trays with some water. 
  • Have a water bottle near by while sitting for long periods of time so you will grab it and drink out of it. 
Last of all, maybe ask yourself why you do not like the taste of water and try to find solutions to fix it instead of going without water or dreading every sip.



Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Joni's Crunchy Granola


My sister taught me how to make this when I was younger and I taught my husband how to make it when we got married. Now he makes it all the time for us!

Makes approximately 20 cups. It is very good as cereal or mixed with yogurt.

Ingredients
10 C. rolled oats
1 C. sunflower seeds (raw; shelled)
1 C. whole wheat flour
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 T. vanilla
2 C. nuts (pecans, silvered or whole raw almonds, walnuts, whatever you like)
1 C. shredded coconut
1/2 C. sesame seeds
1/2 C. powdered milk (we never use this because it's something we don't have on hand but you can use it)
1 t. salt
1 1/2-2 C. honey or agave
2 C. raisins (optional)
1 C. olive or canola oil

Directions
In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flour, powdered milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and mix together well. In medium saucepan, heat oil, honey (or agave) and vanilla just until warm. Pour over dry ingredients and stir well with a large spoon or hands. Spread thin on 2-3 cookie sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in raisins and nuts. Let cool. Store in airtight container.


Friday, May 23, 2014

It's Not About the Number

My Health Science Professor, Lynn Perkes said something in class which I thought was profound: "A healthy body weight is what a person weighs when they have and are consistently applying correct health principles overtime." I loved this concept because I feel so many people focus the majority of their attention on the appearance of their body instead of focusing on how to be more healthy. Granted, we should all spiffy ourselves up and use proper hygiene but we should not become obsessed with wanting an artificial barbie-looking body. While studying Health Science, I have come to realize that we cannot look at a person and assume that one-size-fits-all. In other words, there are correct lifestyles, but there is not a specific weight for everyone. Rather than focusing on losing weight, maybe we should focus on making healthier lifestyle choices and then weight which needs to be lost will happen as a by-product of healthy living. Maybe instead of losing weight as the goal we should shift our focus to health as our optimal goal.  

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Sweet Dreams


http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v437/n7063/abs/nature04286.html

I find it funny how many college students stay up all night studying and then sleep for 3-5 hours when they could have consolidated their memory by going to bed and then studied a little more the next morning. The more full-nights of sleep before a test, the better. But I think memory consolidation is something that everyone wants. Isn't snoozing a fun and snugly way to process your memory? Sweet dreams everybody!




Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Salubrious Smoothie Recipe

My husband and I live near some ice cream and cupcake shops. We LOVE ice cream but we try not to buy some unless it's a holiday or perhaps finals week at school. But, whenever we're craving something sweet we make tasty smoothies with our ninja-blender-thingy! They are just as yummy as ice cream, but a lot healthier. I have no research to back it up, but I once read an article about how when we crave sugar it is a sign that our bodies need minerals. Minerals can be found in fruits. Either way, smoothies are a fruity snack to curb your sweet tooth! Thanks to my Aunt Gail, here is a recipe:

1 C. or more of fresh spinach or kale
1 1/2 inch chunk of ginger
2 T. of chia seeds
1-2 frozen banana(s)
Some coconut, rice, or almond milk (the less liquid the more thick it will be)
1/4 C. of any kind of berries
1 t. vanilla
4-7 cubes of ice

Blend. Drink. Feel Energized.

3 Reasons Why Your Body Loves Water



For all you water-drinkers out there, here is what your body loves about water! In the booklet The New Healthy Eating & Weight Management Guide: Science-Based Strategies for a Better Life, Dorene D. Robinson, RD CDN (2012) encourages the intake of water (8 glasses for women, 12 glasses for men) because of three things:

1. In a 2010 study, adults who drank 16 oz. of water before meals lost 4.4 lbs more over 12-weeks than non-water drinkers following a reduced-calorie diet. 
2. Carbonated cola leaches calcium from your system and sweet beverages leave you more thirsty because the sugar content draws fluids into your GI tract. So water is the best choice for your body when it comes to fluids.
3. Three review studies between 2001 & 2005 show that dehydration results in decreased alertness, cardiovascular function, concentration, and short-term memory and increased tiredness, headaches, moodiness and reaction times (p.7)

Hooray for Water!





Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Legumes Can Lower Your LDL Cholesterol

In the booklet, The New Healthy Eating & Weight Management Guide: Science-Based Strategies for a Bettter Life, Dorene D. Robinson, RD CDN (2012) promotes legumes because they have been shown to lower LDL Cholesterol. There are many types of legumes to choose from:

  • Black beans
  • Black-eyes peas
  • Garbanzo (chickpeas)
  • Great northern beans
  • Kidney beans
  • Lentils & split peas
  • Limas
  • Baby limas
  • Pinto beans
  • Red beans
  • Small white beans
  • Soybeans
Robinson teaches "that legumes are high in fiber and protein and low in fat." She continues, "depending on the bean, a fair source of zinc, calcium, or iron." Among other things, legumes can "help prevent heart disease, colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes" (p. 11). 

Below is a link on how to prepare pinto beans in a crockpot (and be sure to skip the bacon ingredient it calls for!). 



Saturday, May 17, 2014

10 Reasons Why I Love My Yoga Ball


1. It makes a great desk chair
2. It's good for your posture
3. You can use it to pop your back
4. You can do push-ups with it
5. You can do sit-ups with it
6. It's fun to balance on it
7. It's pink
8. You can bounce up and down while sitting at the desk
9. It's a great bench press
10. You can use it for your interpretive dances

Friday, May 9, 2014

The Mental & Pysical Effects of Laughter

Keep the giggles coming because they have serious health benefits. The website HELPGUIDE.org (2014) contributes an article called Laughter is the Best Medicine: The Health Benefits of Humor and Laughter. The article names the following results of laughter:


Physical Health Benefits
  • Boosts immunity
  • Lowers stress hormones
  • Decreases pain
  • Relaxes your muscles
  • Prevents heart disease


Mental Health Benefits
  • Eases anxiety & fear
  • Relieves stress
  • Improves mood
  • Enhances resilience
  • Brings more zest to your life


HELPGUIDE.org (2014). Laughter is the best medicine: The health benefits of humor and laughter. Retrieved on May 9, 2014 from http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm

 



Thursday, May 8, 2014

French Peasant Bread Recipe



This is something that my husband and I love to bake! Sometimes we had raw (crushed) sunflower seeds to the dough. Thanks to my Aunt Alliene, I have this recipe...but I did make a few changes to it...shhh--don't tell her!

Ingredients

1 pkg. dry yeast (or 2 1/4 t.)
1 T. brown sugar
4 c. whole wheat flour
cornmeal
2 c. warm water
2 t. salt
olive oil cooking spray
melted butter
1/4 - 1/2 c. raw (crushed) sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions

Place yeast, water, sugar and salt in a warm bowl and stir till dissolved. Add flour and stir until blended. Do not knead. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise one hour or until doubled in size. Flour hands, remove dough from the bowl and place in 2 rounds on an oiled cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise an additional hour. Brush the top of dough mounds with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush again with butter. Serve warm.

Why We Need To Eat Breakfast


Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Lynn R. Perkes (2013) describes the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast in his book A Time and Season For Change: Personal Weight Management and Wellness System. Perkes points out how breakfast "provides your body with fuel and nutrients to start the day and lays the foundation for day-long and life-long health." Perkes continues by explaining, "Skipping breakfast is associated with a depressed metabolism, increased food consumption throughout the day, and is strongly linked to the development of obesity" (p. 27). This being said, we should plan ahead so we can be sure to have a healthy breakfast each morning.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Mindful Eating



According to HBO's "The Weight of a Nation" mindful eating can help you manage weight because it helps you know the difference of when you are eating because you are hungry vs eating because you are stressed or bored. Instead of restricting yourself by dieting, mindful eating simply helps you be aware of how you are eating and what you are eating so you don't over-do it. 

So next time you eat, wait a few seconds (or even minutes) before eating your food. Notice the smell and texture of your food. Then eat a little at a time while chewing slowly. Try to name the flavors which your taste buds embrace. 

HBO's "The Weight of a Nation" retrieved on May 3, 2014 from http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/films

Friday, May 2, 2014

Breathe Deeply

According to Student Wellness & Health Promotion, Self-Help Stress Management Strategies: 

Most Westerners tend to breathe shallowly, sometimes almost panting. This kind of shallow breathing activates the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, the branch that controls the flight or fight response. By learning to breathe more deeply and pulling your breath down to your abdomen, you can consciously activate the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system, the branch that the body uses to relax and begin the process of entering sleep. (p. 1)



Retrieved on May 2, 2014 from http://www.udel.edu/studentwellness/ProgressiveNeuromuscularRelaxation.pdf