What's the Deal with SODIUM?

Last night on ABC.com, a study was announced about the infamous food product: SALT.

According to the study, excessive salt consumption was linked to nearly 2.3 million cardiovascular deaths worldwide in 2010.

That's a lot of people.

Even worse, that means that 1 in 10 Americans die from too much sodium in their diet.

Now, this is only one study, so until more comes out, this cannot be taken too literally. BUT, the idea that salt can cause this much fatality is incredulous! It's almost saying that not only is sugar a silent killer, but so is salt.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans already has about 1/2 of the population in America on a low sodium diet. They say healthy Americans should not consume more than 2300 mg/day, but if you are over the age of 50, have any disease, or are African American, one should not consume more than 1500 mg/day.

With food being so processed these days, it seems as if it is almost impossible to not eat at least 1500 mg of sodium per day!

So how do we combat this?

First of all, we eat less processed foods. Focus on incorporating whole foods into your snacks and meals. Rather than reaching for a protein bar, vegetables and hummus provide you with more nutrients and is less likely to have added sodium..

Also, we read nutrition labels. Food companies are allowed to be 20% off on those labels! Read them carefully, and ALWAYS TACK ON 20% MORE!

Finally, we exercise. Salt is sodium and chloride: two elements our bodies use as electrolytes. When we sweat, we get rid of those electrolytes. If you do eat a lot of salt one day, do some high intensity cardio so that you can sweat some of it out. *JUST NOTE YOU WON'T SWEAT IT ALL OUT, AND YOU NEED TO REPLENISH YOUR BODY AFTERWARDS*

Let's eat healthy everyone!

Love always,
Jo

Traveling and Exercise

I am originally from New Jersey, but I live in Boston because I go to school there. Whenever I have to go to New Jersey for an event, family gathering, or because my mom want me to, I find myself in fitness funks. For 2-3 days, all I want to do is sit in bed and watch Netflix with the occasional toss and turn.

Maybe it is because I take a bus (because its a whole lot cheaper) and spend about 7 hours sitting in a somewhat uncomfortable position. Or maybe because traveling, no matter how long or short, just makes you tired.

Anyway, I want to figure out a way out of this rut I find myself in when I change cities for a few days. Do you guys have anything you do to help you?

I think I'm going to do some research and write a subsequent post detailing my findings because I know I can't be the only one with this dilemma.

Hope #FITMARCH is going great! How'd you do on the challenge yesterday?! The post detailing #LIVEAPRIL will be up in. A few days! We're going to start early on the "breathe" part of the series with a lot more yoga practice.

See you soon!
<3,
Jo

Spinach and Cheese Omelet

I LOVE BREAKFAST. There, I said it. It is the most amazing meal in the entire world. And no, I cannot function without it.

Not only is it great because it helps you start the day off right, gives you needed energy to get through the day, and jumpstarts your metabolism BUT, breakfast food has to be the best category of food there ever was!

One of my absolute favorite breakfasts is an omelet. Living in a dorm though, that requires getting to the dining hall for breakfast...and with 8 AMs most of the days of the week, I find it really hard to get there. Now that I am home for spring break though, I decided to make myself an omelet today. BEST. DECISION. EVER.

I would have taken a picture of it...but I ate it before I realized I should...so...sorry =/

Here's the recipe:

1 whole egg
1 egg white
2 oz ground turkey
1 handful spinach
3 mushrooms, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 oz fat free cheddar cheese

Stir-fry the turkey, mushrooms, spinach, and onion in a skillet with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil at medium-high heat until it begins to brown (about 5 minutes). Then, remove the ingredients from the skillet, clean the skillet, and add another 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and the beaten eggs. When bubbles start to form on the edges, lift a portion of the eggs with a spatula to let the runny eggs flow beneath the cooked eggs. After about a minute, flip the omelet.

Add cheese and the stir-fry mixture onto half of the omelet. Fold over the omelet to cover the contents, serve on a plate, and then enjoy!

Nutritional Information (estimate)
Calories: 204
Protein: 29 g
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Fat: 6 g

Pair the omelet with an apple and a glass of green tea, and you have the greatest breakfast...EVER.

GO TRY IT TOMORROW. IT'S DELICIOUS.


Love,
Jo