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

How To Reward Yourself!

Hey guys! When Nemo hit Boston, I decided to film a video but I didn't get around to editing/uploading until today...haha so here it is!

Also, stay tuned because something really exciting is going to be announced Friday!

Love always,
Jo

5 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Diet

We're almost at Valentine's Day, which means the year has been flying by (and not because I want it to). By now, most people have forgotten about their New Year's Resolutions and feel guilty about it, so if one of yours was to eat healthy this year...look no further! Here are my tips to getting right back on track and maintain a healthy diet (at least for another couple of weeks...hey, spring break is right around the corner!)

• FIBER. Man, if you knew me in real life I could go on for hours on why I think fiber was the best thing Mother Nature ever decided to create.  How does fiber help you though? Well, it keeps you full for longer than any other food product. Because our bodies cannot digest fiber, it is the main component in what we excrete (yes, fiber makes you poop more...I'm telling you, it's God's given gift). It keeps your body nourished, hydrated, and satisfied for 3-4 hours. Sources: oatmeal, popcorn, whole-grain foods, vegetables, fruits, beans. Get in about 25-27 grams per day of fiber, and your body will be thanking you!

• VARIETY. Many people see eating healthy as not being about to eat anything. Yes, healthy eating means clean eating, so there are no processed foods in your diet anymore. BUT that doesn't mean you can't have fun with your meals! I'm going to give you a challenge that my friends and I do at dinner at least once a week. Everyone around us thinks we're ridiculous, but it's so much fun and really healthy! We (and I'm being completely honest) have salad contests. Yes. We compete as to who can make the most aesthetically-pleasing salad from the salad bar in the dining hall. And let me tell you, we go all out! When you think of something that looks nice, do you see just one color? NO. You see all the colors of the rainbow. We add everything from spinach to beets to sprouts to fruit on our salads. And the more colorful usually means the better the taste! Have fun with your clean, unprocessed foods people!

• MEATLESS MONDAY. Now I don't always do this on a Monday, but I do try to get in one day every week where I do not eat any animal product. So, I take meatless to the extreme and do a vegan diet. You can stick to a vegetarian diet for one day a week (some people can't live without cheese, I completely understand). It ties in with the last tip: add variety to your meals! You become more creative, and it makes eating food that is healthy that much more fun when you have to challenge yourself!

• PORTIONS MY FRIENDS. I know, big plates of food are always the best plates of food (Thanksgiving just kills everyone's idea of a portion, doesn't it?), but smaller portions are always the way to go. Try one cup of rice rather than 2. Maybe 3-4 oz of animal meat rather than 6-8 oz. Keep the portions small to keep that waistline small!

• MODERATION IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER. If you are craving chocolate, eat a piece of chocolate. If you're craving red velvet cake, eat a slice of red velvet cake. Don't deprive yourself because that is how you get to the bingeing stage when rather than eat a slice of cake, you just eat the entire cake (been there, done that.) When you want chips or bread rather than the apple at Panera, go for it. Just do so in moderation. Only have the chips/bread 1/4 of the times you go to Panera. Have that slice of cake one night a week. Keep the delicious, processed foods in moderation so that your waistline doesn't go anywhere!

There you have it lovelies! Take these tips and run with the wind--English major jokes are awkward because I'm a science major--and whenever you get a bit off track, just jump right back on to the track. 

I love you all lots!

<3, Jo

Are You Exercising Enough?

I see so many people ask this to fitness experts in every form possible. Now, there isn't a wrong amount or a right amount, but here is what you should know to tailor your exercise regimen so that you feel you are exercising enough.

• Every bit of exercise helps!

Even if it's just 10 minutes, any type of physical activity helps.

•  More is always better.

If you can put in 20 minutes one day instead of 10, then please do so! You'll feel better about yourself, and your helping your body feel great!

Moving just a little bit can cause some serious health boosts and help prevent many diseases, so if you can't commit to 2 hours a day for 6 days of the week, don't worry about it!

Get out there and move!

Dieting: 8 Hormones You Should Be Aware Of

When people think of the word diet, they think of losing weight. That weight can come from anywhere: fat, muscles, or water. Whenever people say that want to lose a little bit of weight, I always get discouraged because to be able to keep off the weight, you have to lose the pounds in a way that will speed up your metabolism. By creating a faster metabolism, you are ensuring that you keep that weight off and continue to live healthily. In order to create a faster metabolism, you must lose fat when you lose weight. Not water weight. DEFINITELY NOT muscles. 

Why do you want to lose fat? By losing fat, you are not only creating a faster metabolism, but you are also creating the lean, sculpted, and toned look everyone wants. By losing water weight, you are just asking to regain the weight even faster than you lost it. And by losing muscle, you get the "skinny fat" look. And who wants that?

Your metabolism is linked to the hormones in your body. More of a certain hormone can slow or speed up your metabolism causing fat gain or fat loss. There are 8 different hormones everyone should be aware of when choosing their food choices, so that we are always trying to speed up our metabolism.

1. Adrenaline. We all know what adrenaline is. It's the hormone that gives you that heart-pumping, anxious yet excited, nervous feel before something big happens. Adrenaline signals the body to start burning fuel, and if testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH) are triggered, that fuel can be fat. But, if insulin and leptin are triggered or high in content, adrenaline signals the body to start burning sugar (we don't want that).
2. Cortisol. You have probably heard of cortisol. It's the hormone that can make you gain weight, and all other sorts of things. And for good reason. In the presence of high insulin and low testosterone and HGH, cortisol will signal your body to store fat and burn muscle (yikes!). BUT, if cortisol is released with high amounts of testosteron and HGH, it will block muscle burning and enhance fat burning.
3. Ghrelin. This is the hormone that makes the gurgling noise when you're hungry. It tells your body on a moment to moment basis how hungry it is. When there is a lot of ghrelin, your stomach is growling and you're hungry. If there is a low level of ghrelin, you feel full and satisfied. By eating protein and fiber, you can keep those ghrelin levels down!
4. Leptin. This is another hormone that tells your body if you are hungry by gauging your energy levels on a day to day basis. If you become leptin resistant, you will keep eating as if you are starving (hence how some people become morbidly obese). So, you want to keep those leptin levels steady so that your body knows when to stop eating and start burning.
5. Glucagon. This is the Jekyll to insulin's Hyde. It makes you burn fat! It works in the liver to help regulate sugar and fat usage. How do you get more glucagon? Protein stimulates glucagon, so eat more of it! This is why a lot of fitness/nutrition experts say to eat protein with every meal!
6. Insulin. Oh, the Hyde to Glucagon's Jekyll. Insulin helps you store fat (sad day). With a high level of insulin, any extra calories in the body is immediately stored as fat. This is why the Glycemic Index became so important. Foods with high GI spike your insulin levels, making your body store it as fat. Foods with lower GI keep your insulin levels steady, so no fat storing occurs.
7. (& 8)Testosterone and HGH. These two are the building and burning hormones. They assist with cortisol and adrenaline to burn fat instead of store it.

Now that you know the hormones you need to keep in check, here is a summary of what to remember:

To BURN FAT, keep your glucagon and HGH levels high while maintaining low levels of cortisol, leptin, and insulin.

How do you do this? 

Up protein, eat foods lower on the glycemic index, and LISTEN TO YOUR BODY so you know when you are full, satisfied, and hungry!

Should You Go Organic?

A tip from me to you <3

Should I Go Gluten-Free?

The new trend in nutrition has been gluten-free products. People (mainly celebrities) have been switching to no gluten and seeing amazing benefits, making this one of the biggest trends in eating today. Some people are contemplating it but cannot seem to give up the bread of pasta. So, if you are wondering if the switch is right for you, keep on reading.

Gluten is protein that can be found in wheat, barley, rye, and malts. It's what makes dough rise, if you will. Gluten-free products starts becoming a "thing" when two different disorders started becoming prevalent in our population: celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

Celiac disease is a genetically linked autoimmune disease. For those with this disorder, gluten sets off an immune response to make the body rid itself of gluten created antibodies that attack and damage the small intestines. This is why it is known that if you have celiac disease, you may be at risk for cancer if you eat gluten.

Gluten sensitivity is just like celiac disease except that on the celiac disease test, you will come up negative.

Gluten-free diets are beneficial to those who have these disorders because it will halt all the symptoms, which include joint pain, anemia, diarrhea, constipation and fatigue.

For everyone else, going gluten-free won't do much for your diet. So, why is going gluten-free so popular? Well, it turns out that in about 1 in about 133 Americans actually have one of these two disorders. That is a pretty high number.

If you feel any of the symptoms, check with your doctor to see if a gluten-free diet is right for you.

Healthy Recipe #4: Chicken Stir Fry

Since I like to have most of my starchy carbs (if any) during the day, I often find myself just having protein and steamed veggies at night. Yesterday, I got tired of that so I decided to make stir fry. Granted, I had no idea how to make it, and I didn't have the means to get a recipe (my mom was occupying my computer), so I just went with it. WELL, it was so good that my little nine year old cousin begged me to make some for her.

This is giving me the idea of making my own cookbook haha.

Ingredients:

4 oz chicken (chopped into straw-like pieces)

unlimited green veggies! (I used kale, mushrooms, and broccoli)

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp. olive oil

In a pan, heat the olive oil and soy sauce at medium heat. Once they are heated throw in the chicken. You want to let the chicken cook a little (like 2-3 minutes) before adding the vegetables. Once one side of the chicken is cooked,  turn them over and add veggies! Cover the pan for about 3 minutes to let everything cook. Turn over the mushrooms and chicken and let them cook again.

In about 10 minutes, you have an amazing stir fry ready to eat and fill you up!

Healthy Recipe #3: Lemon Garlic Tilapia

I have, for the past 3 years, cut out red meat from my diet, and since my family relies on beef to survive (I swear, they cannot live without it), it is hard for me to live at home sometimes. But, I have found a friend in tilapia. The thing with tilapia is that it is just so easy to use. You can buy them independently packed and, they're cheap! Also, because it is such a mild fish, the sauce you make to marinate it becomes the best part of the meal, which means a lot of experimenting! And as a chemistry geek, that is my favorite thing to do.

Tilapia's Health Benefits:
4 ounces of tilapia has about 20-30 grams of protein! That is more than 50% of your daily value of protein, meaning it can help burn fat like no other animal protein. Tilapia also holds a lot of B12 (about 30% of daily recommended value) and niacin (30%). As well as those two well known nutrients, tilapia also has about 80% of your daily recommended value of selenium! Tilapia is a wonderful source of protein with little fat and no carb. It is a great fish to eat post workout because the potassium can help prevent muscle cramps. All in all, this fish is a great add in to your diet.

Here's my favorite way (at least right now) to make tilapia:

Ingredients:
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic (or the equivalent in minced garlic)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 oz serving tilapia

Squeeze lemon juice onto a plate. Add the finely diced garlic, the salt, and the pepper into the lemon juice. Place thawed tilapia into this mixture and let it marinate for about a half hour (or overnight). When you cook it, just put a skillet on medium heat and drop all contents of the plate into the skillet. The marinate will act as an "oil" or the base to cook the tilapia in.

I swear, the tilapia tastes amazing and goes with anything from a side of broccoli to just a simple salad. I LOVE having tilapia with a kale based salad; the two go really well together!

Enjoy!

What exactly is this Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index (GI) has been the "new thing" on the nutrition newsfeed now. Most of the newest weight loss books have used it to determine what you should be eating and what you should avoid. The problem is that most people don't actually understand what the GI means and how it works. Even I sometimes don't understand it completely...and I'm studying to become a dietitian! So without further ado, here is a nice straight-forward way of explaining the Glycemic Index.

1. The GI ranks carbohydrates on a scale of 0 to 100 on how fast they raise your blood sugar levels after eating.
2. If the carbohydrate has a bigger number (70+), your body digests it really fast. Therefore, it spikes up your blood sugar level really fast as well.
3. If the carbohydrate has a lower number (55 or less), you body digests it slowly which produces a gradual spike in your blood sugar level.
4. You want to eat things that have a lower GI because they help control your appetite, delay hunger, and reduce insulin levels This is really good if you're a Type 2 diabetic or diabetes runs in your family (It runs in my family so this is really important for me).
5. Low GI Foods: bran, rolled oats, whole grain/wheat, most if not all vegetables, most fruits, hummus, wheat pasta, and most if not all beans

There you have it. A sure fire way to eat carbs and know that you are being healthy. Here is a full GI foods list if you want to see more foods that have low GIs as well as High GIs. Enjoy your carbs the right way from now on everyone!