Healthy Revelations Blog | Healthy Revelations Tips

Fitness for All: It’s Swimming Season

June 18, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

With the warm weather comes the opening of public pools and home pools and people break out the bathing suit for another season of swimming. For many people, swimming is a good way to wind down after a long day. But others are using swimming as another means of exercise and they are finding that exercise in the spring and summertime can be fun!

Swimming is an excellent way to lose weight and strength train all the while enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

Exercise experts recommend swimming as a form of exercise because of the great cardiovascular workout you get from swimming. It is considered a great aerobic exercise because by definition it is an action that maintains an elevated heartbeat for a minimum of 20 minutes.

You can simply add swimming to your pre-existing aerobic workout to help switch things up and keep your workouts fresh. Alternate days that you decide to use swimming as your cardio for that day, so you don’t get bored with any one workout.

Like any exercise, you should also start any swimming workout routine by stretching first. You may not realize the affect swimming has on your entire body until it is too late, so be sure to stretch appropriately before you begin. Then start off slow by swimming strides and gradually increasing your speed in the pool. This will help to elevate your heart rate at a safe pace and help you to last longer during your workout.

Swimming, and using swimming as your key workout, is more about endurance than quickness. Experts suggest starting out swimming laps for approximately 20 minutes for women and 30 minutes for men. You can begin to increase your time as necessary and as you continue your workout over the course of weeks or months.

Again, this will prevent you from getting too tired, too sore, wore out or disappointed in your swimming workout. Try out different strokes when you are swimming, too. Do some laps using the breaststroke, then switch up and do the backstroke, or even the doggy paddle. Each swimming stroke using a different variety of muscles and therefore will give you the best overall workout.

Eating Healthy: Spotlight on Watermelon

June 13, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

Watermelons are made up of 90% water.
Watermelons are chock full of a considerable amount of vitamins A and C.
They contain thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate and niacin in small amounts.
They are a great source of potassium, and also contain magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and iron in trace amounts.
Watermelons are also very low in calories, free of fats and cholesterol and are rich in carotenoids.

Recipe: Cajun Chicken with Watermelon Mint Salsa

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
6 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets

Mix together the spices. Coat the chicken cutlets with the spice mixture. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and place chicken in pan. Blacken on both sides and sauté just until cooked through. Top with Watermelon Mint Salsa and serve immediately.

Watermelon Mint Salsa

2 cups chopped seedless watermelon
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 cup diced seeded tomato
Minced seeded jalapeno to taste
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
½ cup chopped fresh scallion

Toss ingredients together, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe: Grilled Scallop and Watermelon Kebabs

12 sea scallops
4 cups boiling vegetable or chicken broth
24- 1”x1” watermelon cubes
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

Cut the scallops into halves across the diameter to create half-moon shapes. Place them in a heatproof casserole dish in a single layer. Pour the boiling clear broth over the scallops and let them poach for 5 minutes. Drain and cool the scallops. On each skewer alternate one half-moon scallop, then two watermelon cubes, then one half-moon scallop. Mix together the remaining ingredients and brush the kebabs as they are grilled over a medium-hot grill for 90 seconds per side, turning only once. Serve warm.

Summer 101: Naturally Heal Your Sunburn

June 4, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

We have all been there before – a long day at the beach or outdoors turns our skin into a pretty bad case of sunburn! Instead of dealing with the affects for a few days or even a week after the burn, we offer these natural ways to help your skin heal and to help you feel better in no time.

Of course, there are plenty of sunburn treatment lotions out on the market, but anything that contains a high amount of vitamin E or contains aloe vera will help to alleviate the pain of sunburn. The vitamin E and aloe vera add nutrients to the skin that UV rays have unbalanced. The aloe vera also cools your skin, helping to reduce the pain.

You may also find some good sunburn treatments right in your kitchen cabinet. Vinegar, mustard, yogurt, tomatoes and avocado all contain that extra vitamin E that will help to cool your skin.

Food for Thought: Spring Clean Your Diet

May 28, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

Now that the long, cold, endless winter is over it’s time to give up those comfort foods and trade them in for a spring cleaning of your diet!

The good news is it is possible to rid your body of harmful toxins that you may have indulged in during the winter months, just by eating better and right this spring.

Healthy Spring Diet — Spring Clean Your Diet

These foods will help hydrate, refresh and detoxify your way into a healthier season and give you the energy you need to gear up for summer, too!

Berry green smoothie – Get started with a healthy smoothie blending together a cup of greens like spinach, kale and celery with a handful of fresh berries. The greens contain chlorophyll that eliminates toxins that can contribute to liver damage and other illnesses. The berries are packed with antioxidants and enzymes that fight free-radical damage, plus their sweetness combat the bitterness in the greens.
Curry powder – Popular in Indian foods, curry gets its yellow color from a compound called curcumin. According to holistic medicine, curcumin is used to help aid with liver issues and digestive disorders. And because curry powder is also an anti-inflammatory it also contributes to the production of glutathione, a liver-protecting antioxidant. You can add curry powder as an accent to almost any food including eggs, chicken, and vegetables.
Cabbage – Made up of nearly 92 percent water, cabbage is a natural diuretic that will help your body get rid of excess fluids. It is also jam packed with glucosinolates, organic compounds that contain nitrogen and sulfur, that help to flush out unwanted toxins in the body. Cabbage also is loaded with many essential vitamins like C, K, E and A, plus minerals, dietary fiber and folic acid.
Water – Always start your day with a big glass of water and stay hydrated all day long by carrying around with you a reusable water bottle. Drinking water before a meal can help curb hunger and overeating, and you should definitely drink plenty of water before, during and after any workout. The Mayo Clinic suggests shooting for at least 9 glasses of water each day to help flush out any toxins in your liver and kidneys.

Healthy Living: Kick that Bad Habit

May 21, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

From overeating to watching too much TV, there’s only one way to break a bad habit – make a plan!

Unfortunately, what may work for one person, may not work for another. So here are some ways to break some of the most popular bad habits. Hopefully it works for you!

kick that bad habit — Kick that bad habit

Watching too much TV. – Studies show that people watch an average of 4 hours of television each day and these studies also show that excessive TV. watching can be linked to developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Here are some ways to avoid watching too much TV: only watch when there is something specific you want to see, do chores during commercials, make a list of things you need to accomplish before sitting down to watch TV, and create a TV-watching plan and stick to it.

Drinking too much alcohol. – Tired of being hung over and sluggish? Then you should do everything you can to cut back on drinking too much alcohol. To cut back try these tips: drink one glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have, drink only when you are having a meal or try drinking something that looks like an alcoholic drink, like root beer or a drink with a slice of fruit in it.

Smoking. – While this may be one of the hardest habits to break, it’s still possible as many, many people do it every year. The best plan is to talk things over with your doctor because they can offer the best cessation treatment for you. But some other approaches that you may consider include hypnotherapy, exercise or electronic cigarettes.

Nail-biting. – Because most nail-biting habits are linked to anxiety, stress, or nervousness, your plan should start with creating a relaxation plan. Think about what makes you bite your nails before you start. When you get the urge to bite your nails or catch yourself in the act, do something with your hands – garden, cook, play with your kids or pets, clean or do the dishes. Do something that takes your mind off biting your nails.

Eating Healthy: Spotlight on Plums

May 14, 2019 by Suzanne Costa Leave a Comment

Plums, and their dried version known as prunes, are very high in phytonutrients, which function as an antioxidant and provide much benefit to the body.
Eating plums helps in the production and absorption of iron in the body, thereby leading to better blood circulation leading further to the growth of healthy tissues.
Because plums contain blood cleansing agents that help keep the blood pure, plums can help you reduce the risk of contracting heart disease.

Recipe: Fresh Summer Fruit Salad

½ cup water
2/3 cup sugar
3 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
15 seedless grapes, halved
½ orange, sectioned
10 fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
1 apple, cored and diced
1 peach, sliced
1 plum, pitted and sliced
15 pitted Bing cherries
¼ cup fresh blueberries

Bring water and sugar to boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rhubarb, turn heat to low, cover and simmer until rhubarb is soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Mash and chill in the refrigerator about one hour. To serve, mix the grapes, orange, strawberries, apple, peach, plum, cherries, and blueberries with 2/3 cup of the rhubarb sauce. Stir gently, but thoroughly to coat. Refrigerate for at least two hours for all of the flavors to blend well.

Recipe: Chicken Breasts with Plum Salsa and Basmati Rice

1 ½ cups of water
1 cup uncooked basmati rice, rinsed and drained
¾ pound plums, pitted and chopped
½ medium red onion, minced
3 habanero peppers, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Place water in medium saucepan and stir in rice. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and fluff with fork. In a bowl, mix the plums, peppers, onions, cilantro and sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Season chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in skillet over medium-heat. Place chicken in oil and brown 1 minute per side. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 additional minutes per side. Serve over rice with plum salsa.