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• tomatoes benefits
• Benefits of Tomatoes
• tomatoes in your diet
• tomatoes are beneficial

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Besides containing 40 percent of your daily value of vitamin C, it also contains 15 percent of your daily value of vitamin A, 8 percent of your daily value of potassium, and 7 percent of your recommended dietary allowance of iron for women and 10 percent for men.

Lycopene, what gives tomatoes their red pigment, acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals that can damage cells in the body.

Studies show that men who at least eat 10 servings of tomatoes a week can reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer by a whopping 45 percent.

Recipe: Tomato Casserole with Sweet Onions

6 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
1 large Vidalia onion or other sweet onion
1 teaspoon fresh dill, or scant ½ teaspoon dried dillweed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or scant ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Place peeled tomato wedges on paper towels to drain. Peel onions and slice into ¼-inch rings. In separate bowl combine dill, thyme, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs. Layer half of the tomatoes and onions in a lightly buttered baking dish and top with half of the minced garlic. Sprinkle with half of the bread crumb and seasoning mixture, half of mozzarella cheese, and drizzle with half olive oil. Repeat layers. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until bubbly.

Recipe: Corn and Black Bean Salsa

3 to 4 small ears of corn
1 can (15 to 16 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
1 large tomato, seeds removed, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ cup minced red onion
2 to 3 tablespoons finely minced jalapeno or poblano pepper
Juice of one lime, about 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
Dash salt and pepper, to taste

Grill or broil corn to char slightly; let cool. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Cut corn from cobs and add to the mixture. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving time. 

Great alternative to sauces, and is especially tasty on grilled fish, chicken or pork!

• Add spice
• Cut salt
• Salt alternative

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Many people have been trying to cut the extra salt out of their diet for years, unsuccessfully. Fortunately, experts are now saying that the best way to cut the salt is to add the spice – hot spice that is!

A recent study shows that adding capsaicin – the spicy ingredient in chili peppers – can help to reduce your sodium intake.

During the study, researchers looked at the “brain scans of more than 600 people and discovered that the areas that responded to spicy and salty foods overlap—and eating spicy foods reduces salt cravings.”

Related information was just released that capsaicin is also a vasodilator—which helps lower blood pressure.

But experts say that you do not have to just eat hot peppers to reap the benefits of capsaicin. The blood pressure-lowering ingredient is found in many spices, like ground pepper, cayenne and paprika.

The study shows that “anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes or kidney problems should limit their sodium consumption to 1,500 mg daily.” If you have salt-sensitive high blood pressure, excess sodium is deadly. For those without these conditions, you should aim for around 2,300 mg of sodium daily.

Substituting peppers for salt in your dishes can help you cut back on sodium while infusing your food with delicious flavor… and spice!

• Smartphone and health
• Smartphone health tips
• useful uses of smartphones
• smartphones for health

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

It is 2025 and EVERYONE has a smart phone nowadays. There are so many apps and programs that you can download to your phone to help you reach your fitness and health goals.
While this seems like an easy thing to do – just download an app – there is much more involved in getting the most out of your smart phone to become healthier.
Here are five ways that your smart phone can make you healthier.

1. Set up healthy appointments on your phone. Use the remind or alarm function on your phone to help you set healthy reminders – like take your medication, get to spin class, go to bed early and take the stairs and not the elevator on your lunch break.
2. Use your timer. We have learned since we were little that we should brush our teeth for 2 minutes, but do you? Use your timer to achieve these types of goals. You can use your timer to figure out how long tasks take so that you can also better prioritize your time, causing less stress.
3. Track your progress. Sure, you downloaded that fitness tracker on your phone, but are you using it? Commit to a particular app and use it. Basic features include tracking your steps, counting your calories, and helping you to get a handle on your blood pressure.
4. Eat Healthy. There are quite a few apps that you can download that can help you to be a better label reader and track your food intake.
5. Motivate yourself. Customize your alarms to give you that gentle nudge that you need to motivate yourself. A “Get to the gym if you want to fit in that dress” message alarm is more motivating than a beeping alarm.

• Grilling safety
• Grilling safety tips

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

The summer months and grilling always seem to go hand-in-hand. Because this is a popular cooking method in the summertime, experts remind us that there are ways to grill safely and to avoid cookout germs.

• When handling raw meat, make sure you separate it from other foods.
• Wash your hands immediately after handling raw meats.
• Throw out marinades/sauces that may have come in contact with raw meats.
• Clean your grill and check all tools before cooking with them.
• Use a food thermometer and check the temperatures that each meat should be cooked until (can be found using a Google search)
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.

• Lactose intolerance
• Lactose intolerance explained
• Lactose intolerance meaning

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

If you are lactose intolerant or if you know someone who is, here are some things that will help you to learn more about this condition:

• Our bodies produce an enzyme called lactase and when you drink a glass of milk or eat cheese, lactase helps to break down the milk sugar, or lactose, into simpler sugars that are eventually absorbed into your bloodstream.  People that are lactose intolerant have a lactase deficiency.
• Many other illnesses have symptoms very comparable to lactose intolerance.  It’s best to check with your doctor regarding your symptoms and he/she may suggest that you cut out dairy and denote any changes.  A breath test or tests of your stool can determine whether you are lactose intolerant.
• Undigested lactose can cause a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, typically within two hours of having a dairy product… including nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea.  Although some people may have a lactase deficiency and have none of these symptoms at all.
• While a few babies are born with a lactase deficiency, most people become lactose intolerant from age 2 to 12.  And even though most people become lactose intolerant during their childhood, they typically do not show signs of the intolerance until late adolescence or early adulthood.
• Almost 65% of people worldwide or nearly 30 million Americans suffer from some degree of lactose intolerance.  It is more common among Asians, Africans, Hispanics, or Native Americans and less likely if your ancestors are from northern or western Europe.
• Lactose intolerance is not the same thing as a milk allergy.  If you are allergic to milk, then your body is fighting dairy as if it were a harmful intruder in your body.  Symptoms are far more severe than lactose intolerance and may include: itchy eyes, rash and wheezing.  People who are allergic to milk must avoid it entirely.
• People with lactose intolerance can consume some amounts of dairy without any symptoms.  Most people can drink up to a half-cup of milk without it affecting them at all.