Five Fall Foods to Boost Health!

If the fall season gives you tender thoughts of pumpkin-flavored lattes, you're in luck because there's a full harvest of health-giving natural foods to discover. We're giving you the scoop on how to enjoy the best of what autumn has to offer.

Apples

It may seem obvious, but this fall favorite is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants and fiber, an important dietary element that's hard to find in prepared food. Fiber can help lower cholesterol and is thought to protect against colon cancer. Apples have a high concentration of pectin, a soluble fiber that eases digestion by soaking up excess water. Biting into a fresh, fall apple stimulates the production of saliva, which flushes out bacteria, keeping your teeth naturally clean and healthy.

 
Fennel

All parts of this crunchy and delicately sweet fall vegetable are edible including the bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds. A traditional key ingredient in many Italian dishes, fennel is high in a B vitamin called folate and potassium, both of which are associated with good cardiovascular health. It's also high in antioxidants and the bulbs are a good source of vitamin C, which can contribute to keeping your immune system in check.

Herbs

A no-brainer as far as the fall harvest goes, rosemary, parsley, thyme and sage not only paint the landscape as they grow, they add distinctive flavor to foods that you might otherwise pass up because they're not tasty enough. Put a new spin on a classic by scrambling eggs with rosemary or thyme, and get your protein intake for the day. Sage goes well with lentils -- a great source of protein -- and carrots, which provide an excellent source of vitamin A as well as minerals such as calcium, manganese and phosphorus

Kale

You've probably heard all about the benefits of this super food, so don't miss it in its prime season. In addition to vegetable protein, fiber, folate and the minerals phosphorous, potassium, calcium and zinc, kale is a source of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3s are well known for an array of benefits to the joints and skin in addition to boosting your mood.

Pears

Not to say their benefits are merely skin deep, but the skin is the most important part of the pear, so enjoy them fresh instead of canned this fall. Pear skin is thought to be highly concentrated with phenolic phytonutrients that have anti-inflammatory benefits. Recent research suggests pears can decrease your risk for type 2 diabetes because the flavonoids they contain keep your insulin levels in check. Pears are also a great source of fiber and copper, which is associated with increased cardiac and thyroid health.

Trans Fat: A Bittersweet Enemy!

It’s no secret that Americans have a reputation for indulging in sugary and fatty foods. At our local county fairs, we are able to find anything and everything deep fried. We are taught that it’s okay to satisfy these cravings every now and then; however, even the smallest amounts of some of our favorite foods are now considered unsafe. Why the sudden change?  Despite the previous belief that trans fats are a “healthy alternative,” we now know that this simply isn’t true. In fact, we’ve known this for a while. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered food companies to remove trans fats from all of their products by 2018, hopefully ending a decade’s long love affair with a bittersweet enemy.

Trans fats are partially hydrogenated oils and can occur naturally in some meats and dairy products. However, the FDA is most concerned about the type that is artificially produced during the manufacturing process. They became really popular in the 1950s as they make foods last longer, enhance taste, decrease production costs, and were thought to be healthier.  Finally, we no longer had to feel quite as guilty over ordering that large fry or eating that second piece of pie.
Unfortunately, we were living in sweet, blissful ignorance. Trans fats are no better than their saturated counterparts. In fact, they’re worse. While over consumption of other fats contribute to high cholesterol, trans fats cause a double whopper by raising the levels of bad (LDL) and lowering the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol. They have also been associated with increased incidence of diabetes and memory loss. As research continued to uncover the fatty truth about trans fats, in 2006 the FDA mandated that food be labeled to reflect trans fat content. By 2012, U.S. trans fat intake was cut by 75%, and in 2013 the FDA officially ruled that they were not safe for consumption. Where does that leave us today?

What can consumers do before 2018?

• Change Your Diet
  • The CDC estimates that avoiding artificial trans fats could prevent 10,000-20,000 heart attacks and 3,000-7,000 deaths due to coronary heart disease every year.
  • Trans fats are commonly found in baked goods, fried foods, creamer and margarine, and some snacks. Read this helpful guide to avoid food products that still contain trans fats.
• Read the Label
  • Even if a product is labeled as trans fat free, it still may have up to .5g. Check the ingredient list for “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil”.
  • Here are some more tips on reading food labels.
• Be Aware of Restaurant Practices
  • New York has banned all restaurants from using trans fats in their preparation process, but most states have not.  Don’t be afraid to ask how your food is being prepared!

Food Choices and Comparisons

We have discovered a FANTASTIC resource for anyone looking to obtain nutrition information
that can assist in making a healthier food choice.  

You simply go to the WWW.TWOFOODS.COM website and type in the description of two food items to compare.  The website will provide four categories of information of each food item:

-calories 

-carbohydrates

-fat 

-protein 

Below is a sample of a food comparison pulled from the site.

                           Hamburger/Bun                                                                     Bratwurst

Calories               259                                                                                   180

Carbohydrates     25.72g                                                                               3.00g

Fat                      10.53g                                                                               16.00

Protein                 14.01g                                                                               7.00g

Here's to packing a healthier lunch, making a dining out decision, or ensuring you get enough protein in a day!

You just have to give it a spin.  More fun than a video game!  Click on the link and start comparing:

 www.twofoods.com

Have you laughed yet today?! You Should! Here's why!

Who doesn’t love a good laugh? Like the kind of belly laugh that makes you cry?!

 

 

There are actually a lot of health benefits a good laugh can bring.  

 

Not only does it brighten the mood, but it seems like it makes every day mundane tasks easier, and tough situations not nearly as bad. So what are the reasons for that?

 

Laughter reduces stress and helps to decrease mental and physical tension. You probably notice this after a good laugh. You feel much more at ease and can even be more productive. It helps to decrease cortisol in your body making you less stressed and more relaxed. The best part is it can last up to 45 minutes!!  

Another benefit that you may not be aware of is the immune boosting power of laughter!  It increases cells and infection fighting antibodies in your system to help improve resistance to disease! How awesome right?

 

Laughing can also help protect you against cardiovascular disease by increasing blood flow and decreasing blood pressure!

 

The last benefit of laughter I’ll share with you is one of my favorites! Laughing releases endorphins that can help decrease pain.  Figure out what makes you laugh and then use it to make someone else laugh!  Not only are you going to brighten their day, you are actually improving their health!