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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
- Besides being made up of nearly 90% water, watermelons are also a great source of significant vitamins and minerals.
- It is chock full of a considerable amount of vitamins A and C. It contains thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate and niacin in small amounts.
- It is a great source of potassium, and also contains magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and iron in trace amounts.
- Watermelon is also very low in calories, free of fats and cholesterol and is rich in carotenoids.

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.
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.
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Despite what many people think, our brain can remain sharp, active, vital and creative no matter what our age. Studies suggest that the more stimulating and intellectually challenging that we make our lives, the better our odds are to keep our brain sharp as we get older. Some ways to keep our brains sharp include:

Reduce stress: stress can wear down the hippocampus, which plays a major role in memory function.
Exercise regularly: exercising delivers more oxygen-rich blood to the brain which is vital for producing new brain cells and preventing atrophy.
Eat low-fat and healthy: glucose spikes and fatty plaque deposits due to overeating can damage the brain, so a lower-calorie diet promotes better circulation and helps to control weight.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza

Weight:
Drinking just one soda per day equates to ingesting 39 pounds (yes 39 pounds) of sugar per year! Drinking soda on a regular basis interacts with the genes that affect weight and more than 180,000 obesity-related deaths each year are linked to drinking sugary beverages.
Kidneys:
The extremely high levels of phosphoric acid (especially in colas) have been linked to kidney stones and other renal problems. Diet cola packs a two-fold risk – especially if you drink more than two servings each day.
Bones:
Soda consumption has been linked to osteoporosis and bone density loss, mainly because of the phosphoric acid and caffeine.
Teeth:
The high levels of acid in soda corrode your teeth, almost as badly as drinking battery acid.
Heart:
Habitual diet and regular soda consumption leads to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
Brain:
Having too much sugar in your diet reduces the production of a brain chemical that helps us learn, store memories and process insulin. Consuming too much sugar also dulls the brain’s mechanism that tells you to stop eating.
Lungs:
The more soda you drink, the more likely you are to develop chronic lung conditions like asthma and COPD.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Kids hate to take them and parents beg for one… what are they? NAPS! If you are the type of person that takes a daily nap, then you are definitely already following what new research shows that we should be catching our zzzz’s during the day.
Here are some of the top reasons why researchers say you should be taking a nap:
- Napping makes you a more enjoyable person. One researcher said, "Napping is a means to rejuvenate the mind and body and has a positive effect on quality of life. Resting the body for even a short period of time allows the body's systems to rest and rebalance. This translates into more efficient as well as more rewarding work, which in turn makes work more enjoyable."
- Napping increases your productivity on the job. "Napping improves alertness, sharpens memory, and reduces fatigue - all of which makes us more productive"
- Napping can reduce stress and anxiety. "In working people who are stressed (physically and/or mentally), their bodies produce substances such as cortisol, catecholamines, and neuropeptides that aid them in getting things accomplished on a short-term basis without harmful effects. However, long-term, unopposed production of such substances can adversely affect the immune system and vital organs, causing many medical conditions - including anxiety, depression, and memory/concentration problems. Napping both decreases the production and negates the effects of these substances and helps prevent them from damaging tissues of the body."
- Details
- Written by Lisa Jillanza
From overeating to watching too much TV, there’s really 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!
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 T.V. 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.
Overeating. – No matter how hard you try to cut calories, it still seems like sometimes the cravings are still there. Experts say that sometimes it is best to give into those cravings. When people do give into their cravings every once in awhile they have a better chance of losing weight and keeping it off, than those who ignore their cravings and avoid certain foods. Experts also advise that if you can avoid nighttime eating that you will be well on your way to prevent overeating as well.
