Tuesday " Try "... Sauces

 http://www.food.com/recipes/sauces?pn=3

Here is a link for all kinds of different sauces to try. Sometimes all it takes to change up a recipe and make it new is with a twist in flavor.

Monday Mention... Sugar

       With the start of the New Year and the Holiday's behind I thought it would be a good idea to re-visit the topic of sugar. Here is a post I wrote last year giving you three helpful tips. http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/02/thursday-3-tips-to-cut-down-on-sugar.html . Let this be a year of bringing awareness not judgement to the food you eat and the food you feed your family. When you start reading labels look at the amount of sugar per serving. For example: if the box or can says 9 grams per serving which is 2 Tb and you know you are going to consume far more then 2 tablespoons when you eat this, then be aware and decide to choose another product with less sugar per serving or use less of the product you want. And it is far better to just eat less of the full sugar product then to consume any "sugar-free."

        But remember - It all adds up - each condiment, each dessert, each yogurt, each glass of juice/soda, breakfast, lunch, dinner choice in one day can amount to a lot of sugar. There are unsweetened options our there, and even picking a few will cut down on your consumption. Be patient, it will takes at least a week or two to allow your taste buds to adjust to less sugar on your palette. One choice at a time...

Listed below are a few articles/video on the subject of sugar:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-kirkpatrick-ms-rd-ld/dangers-of-sugar_b_3658061.html

http://www.evolvingwellness.com/essay/health-effects-of-sugar-on-your-body-the-bitter-truth

http://www.prevention.com/prevention-videos/16-sneaky-sugar-sources

http://www.livestrong.com/article/506326-what-effects-does-eating-too-much-sugar-have-on-the-body/ 

Building Healthy Food Habits...

Habit - an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.

We as humans build habits. Some are better then others, but the good news is, we can change them! But what often happens when we evaluate our habits and the ones we would like to change, we try to tackle to much at one time and become overwhelmed and quit ( along with feeling like a failure). So how do we change our eating and have success? One small habit (step) at a time. Just pick ONE thing for your health you would like to do different. Here are a few ideas:

~ Eat a Fruit or Vegetable at every meal

~ Walk one day a week 

~ Replace one drink with flavored water

~ Sprinkle a little less salt and instead sprinkle an herb on your food

~ Get to bed 15-30 minutes earlier once a week

~ Plan a couple sweet treats for the week

After you have decided what it is in your life you would like to change, focus only on that one thing and see how you feel. It takes time to retrain our brain through repetitive behavior so when you feel you have established a routine that feels successful, then move on and incorporate a new habit you want to change. Or if you feel like you could handle more then one, try it and do what feels right to you and your body. Most important "be patient and kind" to yourself when your in the middle of change. We will slip and fall but that's okay. Just pick yourself up and keep going.

If you would like help evaluating where to start and what steps to take, I can assist you in your success.

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Tuesday "Try"... Food Swap

Change comes in small doses. Take what your family is already eating and "try" a food swap. Below are some ideas and a website to help you start swapping! Don't get overwhelmed, just try one swap a week and before you know it, a habit is formed.

*Try grilling meat instead of frying

*Brown rice instead of white or start with half brown and half white

*Open face sandwich - use one piece of bread instead of two

*Make soup once a week instead of a meat dish (put all ingredients in a crock-pot)

*Dip veggies in dip instead of chips

*Incorporate veggies whenever you can ( like in your meatloaf - no one will notice)

*Use avocado instead of mayo

*Eat a whole piece of fruit ( like an apple) rather then apple juice 

Here are 50 more healthy food swap ideas

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/50-Healthy-Food-Swaps

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!