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• healthy diet
• eating healthy
• zucchini health benefits

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

• Zucchini are made up of more than 95 percent water and are very low in calories : only 13 calories in a half cup of raw zucchini and only 5 calories more when cooked.
• Zucchini contains very useful amounts of folate, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A.
• The skin color of zucchini squash varies from very light to very dark and the darker the skin the more nutrients the zucchini contains.
• And speaking of the skin, you shouldn't remove the skin from a zucchini squash because the nutrients are contained in the skin.

Recipe: Baked Zucchini Fries

• 3 medium zucchini, sliced into skinny sticks
• 2 large egg whites, beaten
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 2 T grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• Pinch of dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg whites with a fork until frothy. Put the breadcrumbs, basil, oregano, garlic powder and cheese on a plate. Mix well. Dip the zucchini sticks in the egg whites and then into the bread crumb mixture, make sure all sides get coated well. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake at 425° for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a little crispy. Turn over the fries half way through. Serve warm. Dip in marinara sauce.

Recipe: Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake

2 medium-sized zucchini, cut in slices or half-moon slices 2 medium-sized yellow squash, cut in slices or half-moon slices 2-4 T chopped fresh basil (or even less, depending on how much you like the flavor of basil) 2 T thinly sliced green onion 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 3/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup low-fat white cheese (I used Pizza Cheese, which is a low-fat blend of Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan) 1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan (I would use a little less if you only have the very finely grated Parmesan from a can) salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8" x 8" baking dish with non-stick spray. Wash the squash and cut in slices or half-moon slices. Wash basil, spin dry or dry with paper towels and finely chop. Slice green onions.Combine the sliced squash, chopped basil, sliced green onions, dried thyme, garlic powder, and both kinds of cheese and stir together until the veggies are coated with cheese and the herbs are well-distributed. Season with salt and pepper. Put the mixture in the baking dish and bake uncovered for about 25-30 minutes.When the zucchini is nearly cooked through, take the casserole dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese. Put the dish back in the oven and bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted and nicely browned and zucchini is fully cooked. Serve hot.

• stress
• cope with stress
• stress relief

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Food for Thought

STRESS.  We all deal with it at some point in our lives.  But having too much stress in your life can be very harmful to your health and can make you more vulnerable to everything from colds to high blood pressure and even heart disease.

While there are many ways to cope with stress, eating stress-fighting foods is one good way to start.

From boosting serotonin levels to lowering stress hormones, there are a number of foods that actually counteract the impact of stress on our lives.  The following foods should be part of your diet for stress management:

Complex Carbohydrates : All carbohydrates give a signal to the brain to produce that “feel good” chemical, serotonin.  To keep a steady flow of serotonin, dieticians suggest complex carbs like whole grain cereals, breads and pastas and oatmeal.

Oranges : Because they are a wealth of vitamin C, studies show that oranges are great stress-busting foods, as well as a great immune system strengthener.  Experts suggest taking 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C before a stressful event.

Fatty Fish : Omega-3 fatty acids are important to prevent surges in stress hormones, as well as protect against heart disease.  Try fatty fish like salmon or tuna for your Omega-3's.

Black Tea : Good for lowering levels of cortisol following stressful events, many experts swear by the healing powers of black tea.  Black tea helps you to recover quickly following stresses and helps you to remain calm.

Pistachios : Chosen for their ability to soften the pre- and post-effects of stress, experts suggest eating a handful of pistachios every day to help lower blood pressure so it won't spike when faced with stressful situations.

• healthy diet
• Right Nutrition

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

No one ever wants to admit that their breath may not be the best smelling or even worse that they have some pretty stinky flatulence, but they are both issues that many people have to deal with, among other pesky health problems.

Fortunately there are some easy “food hacks” that will tackle bad breath, smelly gas and much more! Food is your “best weapon” when it comes to helping your body deal with some of these not-so-pleasant situations.

Here are some foods that can help:

Have bad breath?  Try eating some yogurt.  According to experts, eating unsweetened yogurt can reduce the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide bacteria in your mouth.  Good bacteria found in yogurt, like streptococcus thermophilus and lactobacillus bulgaricus, overpowered the hydrogen sulfide and helped lower levels by more than half : helping to eliminate the smelly mouth odor.

Have acne? Indulge in some salmon.

Skip the expensive creams and treatments that say they can reduce your pimples and acne and have yourself a big plate of salmon instead!  Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which decreases inflammation.  Studies show that inflammation is one of the underlying causes of acne and pimples.

Gassy? Have some peppermint.

If you find yourself in a situation where flatulence is coming on, find a piece of peppermint and you will be in the clear : instead of clearing out a room!  Peppermint soothes inflammation and pain in the gastrointestinal tract, helping to reduce the amount of flatulence as well as the odors associated with your gas.

Can't sleep? Try some kiwi.

Because of the high levels of antioxidants and serotonin in kiwi, many people with sleep disorders have found that eating kiwi one hour before bed will help with their insomnia.  Peoplhave increased levels of oxidative stress and low levels of serotonin can cause insomnia.  Eating kiwi counteracts this process and can help people catch their ZZZZ's.

• SPF
• skin cancer
• sunblock
• sun protection

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

In the News

According to an About.com report, SPF is actually determined indoors by exposing human subjects to a light spectrum to determine how the light affects their skin.

The study said that sunscreen with an SPF of 15 filters 92 percent of UVB rays.  In other words, a sunscreen with a SPF of 15, will “delay the onset of sunburn in a person who would otherwise burn in 10 minutes to burn in 150 minutes. The SPF allows a person to stay out in the sun 15 times longer.”

Unfortunately there is currently no measure of UVA absorption that has been determined.  Most sunscreens offer protection from UVA and UVB rays, although the time factor that a person can stay out in the sun and not be affected by UVA rays cannot be determined like that of UVB rays.

Either way, it is extremely important to wear sunscreen of at least a SPF of 15 when you are outdoors and reapply every two- to three hours.

• active lifestyle
• treadmill workout
• home exercise

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Written by Lisa Jillanza

Fitness for All

Tired of your same old treadmill routine?  Why not spice things up this week and try this easy treadmill work out that will help you burn a quick 2,000 calories in just seven days.

Day One:

Power walk : 30 minutes

Strength train : 20 minutes

Day Two:

Warm-up (walk easily, then briskly) : 3 minutes

Power walk : 2 minutes

Run fast (don't sprint) : 2 minutes

Repeat steps 1 and 2 : 10 times

Cool down (walk easily) : 2 minutes

Day Three:

Warm-up (walk easily) : 5 minutes

Do your favorite strength-training move : 12 reps

Power walk (4-6% incline) : 3 minutes

Repeat steps 1 and 2 : 6 times

Day Four:

Warm-up (walk easily, then briskly) : 3 minutes

Power walk : 2 minutes

Run fast (don't sprint) : 2 minutes

Repeat steps 1 and 2 : 6 times

Cool down (walk easily) : 3 minutes

Day Five: 

Repeat Day One's Routine

Day Six:

Warm-up (Walk easily, then briskly) : 5 minutes

Power walk : 2 minutes

Run fast (don't sprint) : 4 minutes

Repeat steps 1 and 2 : 6 times

Cool down (walk easily) : 4 minutes 

Day Seven:

Rest

Repeat this workout weekly or every other week.  Remember to mix up your workouts to keep things fresh and exciting.