Virginia Drader

It’s one of the top 10 Super foods! Studies show that eating oatmeal may lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.  The soluble fiber in oats help remove LDL or the “bad” cholesterol, absorb water slowing down the digestive process, and help to control blood sugar levels. It has more soluble fiber than whole wheat, rice, or corn.  The insoluble fiber found in oatmeal has cancer fighting properties due to the fact that it attacks certain bile acids and reduces their toxicity.  In addition, the phytochemicals in oats may also have cancer fighting properties.  Oatmeal contains a wide array of vitamins, mineral and antioxidants. It is also a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamine E, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, magnesium and last but not least iron.

The instant variety is less desirable simply because it is highly processed so that it will cook quickly, which means that it is also broken down and digested more quickly giving it a higher glycemic index.  Eating a lower glycemic index may help improve cholesterol ratios and helps keep blood sugar levels in check.  The processed varieties usually contain high levels of sugars which you may want to avoid as they will also affect blood sugars negatively.

Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  It provides health benefits beyond it’s nutritional content.  Coconut oil is amazing because it possesses healing properties far beyond any other dietary oil.  It’s true that coconut oil has saturated fats however it is comprised of the safest and healthiest of the saturated fats. Two-thirds of the oil is made up of medium chain fatty acids which are the most stable of the saturated fats. Rather than being stored in the bodies cells they go directly to the liver where they are converted directly into energy. This speeds up metabolism and that is why it boosts the calorie burning ability of our systems.  Published studies in medical journals show that coconut  provides a wide range of health benefits including…

-  It is easily digested and boosts absorption of  nutrients including vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
-  Increases metabolism and energy and promotes weight loss.
-  Reduces your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, colon & breast cancer.
-  Lowers your cholesterol.
-  Improves conditions for those with diabetes, chronic fatigue, Crohn’s disease, IBS and other digestive disorders.
-  Prevents illness with its powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents.
-  Improves immune function.
-  Increases metabolism and promotes healthy thyroid function.
-  Boosts your daily energy, rejuvenates your skin as well as prevents wrinkles, saggy skin, age spots and tooth decay.
-  Is lower in calories than all other fats.
-  Functions as a protective antioxidant. Helps protect the body from free radicals that promote aging and
degenerative disease.

Do you really need any more reasons to include this food in your diet?  I love coconut!  To be honest I use it just about anywhere I can.  It is my go to ingredient and I am always looking for more ways to include it in my families diet.

Check out my recipes for Salmon Coconut Curry, Coconut Carrot Soup, and Coconut Rice with Edamame Beans. They are all simple recipes that taste great and are filled with coconut!

Its getting to that time of year where we may start forgetting our resolutions for 2011. Whenever someone finds out that I am a nutritionist they immediately want a quick fix answer to help them lose weight or eat healthier.   It is really quite simple!  I know you have probably heard this before but if you choose to omit any of these rules I wish you great luck in achieving your goals.

1.  Eat something within 30mins of waking up.  While we sleep our bodies are in an almost hibernating state, which means that everything is slow. Our metabolism as well as our requirement for calories is very low.  The moment we wake up everything starts working at full capacity.  Because we haven’t eaten all night our blood sugars are very low and so that is why it is important to eat something for breakfast.  If you choose to skip breakfast your blood sugars will have dropped so low that when you do eat later in the day your body will try to retain as much of whatever you eat as possible.  Chances are that you will also overeat that next meal or later in the day because your body would have reached that starvation state first thing in the morning. Chose a breakfast which is low in simple sugars, high in fibre and includes a protein and fat component.  This will also help stabilize blood sugars.  When you eat breakfast regularly your body will learn to depend on it and it will in turn encourage a stronger metabolism which means that you will be burning more calories.

2.  Eat every 2-3 hours. Our bodies like routine.  When we eat at regular intervals we support our metabolism. Think of your metabolism as a small camp fire.  If we add small twigs in short increments the fire will grow into a huge bon fire. However if we throw a huge log on the small camp fire it will snuff the fire out.  Eating small meals every 2-3 hours will ensure that we are able to keep our blood sugars stable which means that there is always energy and nutrients available allowing our bodies to reach optimal performance physically, mentally and emotionally.

3.  Drink 6-8 glasses of water. Have you ever seen human fat?  It’s shockingly yellow!  The reason it’s yellow is because it is full of toxins.  If you are losing weight i.e.) burning fat, those toxins are released into your blood stream.  The only way to clean them out is by drinking plenty of water.  If you are not drinking enough water you can expect severe headaches as a result of a higher accumulation of toxins circulating in your blood.

4. EXERCISE – While it is true that if you are interested in weight-loss the first 3 rules are the most important.  However if you want to be truly healthy, get active. Did you know that exercise improves your mood by stimulating various brain chemicals that leave you feeling happier.  It has been found that regular physical activity can prevent depression.  Exercise also combats chronic diseases such as  osteoporosis, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Everyday that you are able to follow all 4 rules will bring you one day closer to your goals.