If you experience low energy, are less positive and motivated, and just want to sleep more during the fall and winter months, this light therapy product may be the best natural solution for your symptoms.  Extreme cases of these symptoms have come to be diagnosed as SAD, Seasonal affective Disorder.  If you live in an area of the country that has long winters you may experience varying degrees of these symptoms more than others living closer to the equator.

The Theory Behind Light Therapy

Light Therapy Devices produce particular (non-UV) rays of blue light that are like those you experience on a clear, sunny day. The light helps our bodies to produce the chemical hormone seratonin, which helps us to feel more alert and energetic, and inhibits the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy.  For a more in depth explanation as to why the “winter blues” occur and some other natural solution s to winter depression, please see my post Fight Winter Depression Naturally.  I have this portable Light Therapy Lamp  for office and travel use. I also have a desktop therapy lamp that I have permanently on my desk at home, next to the computer.

Features and Benefits of the Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device

• Portable compact size, easy to use anywhere; great for travel or office
• Use while reading, watching TV, folding laundry, doing computer work
• Weighs less than 1 pound
• Internal, rechargeable lithium-ion battery  – light can be used with or without the power cord
• Backlit touch pad operation, fully programmable, adjustable timer and light intensity
• The treatment timer has a pause feature
• LED lights last up to 50 years with 1/2 hour per day year-round use
• Built-in alarm clock can be set to chime only, light only, or chime and light together
• Quality protective travel case

My Comments and Observations

The light is extremely bright (10,000 lux) as it should be. You should not look directly into it, but do sit within a couple feet of the light, as per the instruction manual.  Keep in mind, the light has a dimmable feature. If it bothers you, start out with less intensity and make it a little brighter each day.  This lamp is not a n overnight miracle cure, but a therapy that you will see improvement from over a couple months of habitual use.

It is recommended to use the light therapy box in 15-30 minute sessions, preferably in the morning. Personally, I use it in the afternoon, as well. as I am often sleepy then.

Operating the Philips goLITE BLU

A touch panel on the front of the light therapy light allows easy settings for the clock, timer, alarm and light intensity.  The timer adjusts from 0-60 minutes and the light intensity has 4 levels of adjustment as well. you can also set a treatment time alarm so you don’t forget about your therapy session.

The Construction of the Philips Light Therapy Lamp

The Philips Light Therapy Lamp is sturdy and well built, encapsulated, so there are no screws, or means to take it apart. It has a magnetic “stylus-type” stand that fits into a depression in the back of the casing – one depression for storage and one for standing the light up when in use (see this YouTube video: Philips goLITE BLU Light Therapy Device ). It’s dimensions are ” x 8″ x 1″ and it only weighs about a pound.  It should fit in your laptop case to take in to work, or on a trip.

Battery Life

The manual claims that you will get 4 sessions to a single charge. I’ve found I can get 5-6 half-hour sessions at full light intensity before I have to recharge the light.

My Conclusion:

I’ve been using this lamp for a couple months now, in conjunction with my BlueMax Full Spectrum Dimmable Desk Lamp.  I really feel that i am more productive, have more energy , and am generally happier.  It has been worth the money!  I must mention that if you want a light light therapy lamp that is a little less pricey you should consider the Philips goLITE BLU Model HF3321.  It is only 5.5″ x 5.5″ x 1″ as it does not have a digital clock. The timer setting is not fully incremental. You may only choose 15, 30, 45, or 60 minute sessions, and there are only 3 light intensity settings instead of four.  If you can do without those added features, you will still get the benefit of the light exposure, while saving some money.

Reference: Fight Winter Depression Naturally

Books on SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and Therapy for Winter Depression:

• Health and Light: The extraordinary Study that Shows How light Affects Your Health and emotional well being
• Winter Blues, Revised Edition: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Light: Medicine of the Future: How We Can Use It to Heal Ourselves Now
• The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs

Have you used one of these lights? What type of results have you had? Do you have any further suggestions for its use, or suggestions for beating winter blues and depression, naturally?

Skip the needles and limit your cosmetics routines! Here are some of the best foods for improving the health of your skin. Choose food as your best wrinkle fighting weapon.  A healthy, nutritional diet, in addition to good quality sleep and  exercise can keep your skin and physical form at it’s best. These foods should be staples in your anti-wrinkle diet. Dietitians suggest adult should have 8-10 helpings of fruit and vegetables per day.

Blackberries, Acai Berries, Blueberries, Strawberries, Cranberries, and  Plums – Studies published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry show that these fruits have the highest “total antioxidant capacity” of any foods. Antioxidants protect cells from damage and disintegration, guarding against premature aging. Fruits with rich deep colors indicate that they are high in antioxidants. Stay away from fruit with added sugar (such as canned fruit) and choose fresh fruit over fruit juice.

marcusjroberts /Foter

Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes – Healthy skin is directly dependent on the amount of vitamin A in our diet. Vitamin A acts as an antioxidant to neutralize harmful elements in our skin, helps to prevent acne and wrinkles, resist infection and maintain the skin’s elasticity.  Vitamin A deficiency can result in dry scaly skin  One of the best places to get Vitamin A is vegetables that are deep orange in color.

Salmon, Walnuts, Olive Oil, and  Ground Flax Seeds  – Essential fatty acids (EFAs) include Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats.  hey are responsible for skin repair, moisture content, and overall flexibility. Because the body cannot produce its own EFAs, they must be obtained through the diet. Fish, walnuts, and flax seed oil are among the best sources for omega 3 fatty acid. Eating good-quality olive oil helps keep skin lubricated and keeps it looking and feeling healthier overall. Even massaging a little into you face and the tops of your hands before you go to bed at night is beneficial (unless you already have very oily skin). Which olive oil is the best for your skin?  “Extra virgin” “cold pressed” olive oil is the least processed and therefore contains the highest levels of antioxidants.

Whole Wheat Bread, Brown Rice, Turkey, Tuna and Brazil Nuts, and Sunflower Seeds – Selenium is found in these foods. It is an antioxidant mineral responsible for tissue elasticity and healthy skin. It may play an important role in preventing skin cancer, as some recent studies are showing that skin damaged by the sun may suffer fewer consequences if selenium levels are high. selenium deficiency may lead to premature aging.

Dano /Foter

Onions, Garlic, Green Tea, Dark Chocolate –  These foods slow down the progress of aging due to their high levels of polyphenols, which have been well-documented for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. There are compounds in garlic and onions that inhibit inflammation. educing inflammation helps stop damage to collagen and other skin components to help keep in firm and strong.  Green tea may help prevent or reduce the risk of skin cancer according to a study published recently in the Archives of Dermatology. Besides drinking green tea, it can be applied to the skin. It can reduce damage from ultraviolet light and thus reduce the risk of skin cancer. Cocoa, used to make dark chocolate, has twice or more antioxidants than green tea or red wine. Mix it with skim milk (avoid much sugar) for the most benefit. Dark chocolate is good too, but has lost some of the antioxidants found in the cocoa during processing.

Water – Hydration plays a key role in keeping skin cells healthy. It is essential to maintaining your skin’s elasticity and suppleness. Keeping cells hydrated helps cells move nutrients in and toxins out, which helps keep skin clean and clear.  If you sit at a desk for work, keep a large glass of water by your side to sip on. As soon as it’s empty, take a break, and get up and refill it.

Want to investigate more?

• Health Benefits of Garlic
• The World’s Healthiest Foods.com
• Forever Young: The Science of Nutrigenomics for Glowing, Wrinkle-Free Skin and Radiant Health at Every Age
• Staying Healthy with Nutrition; The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine
• The World’s Healthiest Foods

Beautiful, vibrant skin is a much desired trait in our society, Regardless of age, sex, or ethnicity, we would all like our skin to look young and healthy. The aging population of baby boomers who wish to get rid or wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin, have created an increased demand for solutions to the anti-aging dilemma.  We all want to look younger, and have healthy skin and a healthy body.

Solutions for Aging Skin

As a result of greater demand for anti-aging treatments, surgeries and fillers have become hugely popular ( and are hugely expensive). Anti-aging cosmetic products to treat wrinkles and get youthful skin are a less costly and less extreme solution. They certainly have their place in the big picture for better skin health, particularly the natural skin creams and formulas.

Beauty is More Than Skin Deep

The most natural anti-aging solution for your skin, as well as your body, is to allow food to come to the rescue as a natural healer for your skin.  The right foods serve double duty because the nutrients they contain not only nourish your skin but your entire body as well.  Once you make the right foods an essential part of your diet, you have the recipe for healthy, radiant skin – and a healthy body as well.

You Are What You Eat

Stress, processed foods, sugar, and a nutrient starved diet can result in faster aging of the skin and skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne as well as lines and wrinkles around the eyes.  Eating healthy foods provides nutrition for healthy skin.  The right nutrients can allow your body to fight these skin diseases as many other bodily diseases.

A healthy nutritional diet, a sufficient amount of good quality sleep, and consistent moderate exercise will keep your skin and body looking and feeling its best.

Get started on your healthy skin diet here: Foods That Fight Wrinkles

Sweet Potato with Kale and Yogurt/Goat Cheese

I was searching for a way to spice up eating a sweet potato, a healthy food item that I don’t seem to think about til Thanksgiving approaches, and then I end up reminding myself, “I should be eating these more often”. I really love sweet potatoes, and they are so good for you. I found this in my often referenced magazine subscription “Whole Living“.

Remember, bright colors in vegetables and fruits are an indication that they will have good health benefits. With their dark-amber skin and bright-orange filling, sweet potatoes we expect that of sweet potatoes, as well. Turns out, they are a great source of beta-carotene, Vitamin A, fiber, and vitamins B6 and C.  Sweet potatoes can be used in place of white potatoes, soups, stews, side dishes, you name it – with more positive health benefits!

This sweet potato recipe incorporates even more healthy foods: kale, Greek yogurt, goat cheese and garlic. (More about these below) – Let’s get on to the recipe.

I made some changes to the original which used ricotta cheese. I find ricotta too bland and boring, so I replaced that with a yogurt and goat cheese mixture.

Sweet Potato with Kale – Ingredients

Prep Time 15 minutes, Total Time 1 hour, Serves 4

•     4 medium sweet potatoes (8 to 10 ounces each), pricked all over with a fork
•     2 tablespoons olive oil
•     2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
•     1 bunch kale (about 1 1/4 pounds), thick stems removed, leaves torn into large pieces  and washed with water left clinging
•     Coarse salt and ground pepper
•     1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, (I actually used a Lite Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette dressing instead)
•     1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, if desired
•     2/3 cup non-fat plain Greek Yogurt (I prefer Chobani) 
•     1/3 cup Goat Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Pull goat cheese from the refrigerator to allow it to soften.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high. Add garlic; cook until golden, stirring 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a paper towel to drain. Do not overcook, as garlic loses its health benefits the more it is cooked.
4. Add as much kale as will fit in the skillet; season with salt and pepper. Continue to add kale as the leaves cook down. Cook, tossing frequently until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar and red-pepper flakes.
5. Combine the Greek Yogurt and Goat cheese in a bowl and blend until smooth.
6. Open each potato; add salt and pepper. Top with the yogurt-goat cheese mixture, kale, and garlic.

Sweet Potato with Kale and Yogurt/Goat Cheese

I was pleased to find out that I really enjoyed this for dinner. Being vegetarian, I ate it as my main course, but it would absolutely serve nicely as a  healthy side dish. The flavors are sweet, salty and spicy, with a garlic kick – a nice variety and combination of flavors.

Health Benefits of Kale:   Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around. Again, its deep green color works as a good indicator. It is high in Vitamins K, A, and C, and high in fiber (for a healthy digestive tract).  It has a variety of antioxidants contributing to risk-lowering benefits for cancer. One cup of Kale provides more Vitamin K than any other healthy vegetable and Vitamin K is a key nutrient for helping regulate our body’s inflammatory process. Eating Kale on a regular basis (1 1/2 cups 2-3 times a week) should be helpful in lowering your risk of chronic inflammation and related health problems. For more detailed nutritional information see “The World’s Healthiest Foods.”

I have published a complete page on the benefits of eating garlic here: Health Benefits of Garlic.

More about: Goat Cheese Nutritional Benefits and Greek Yogurt Nutritional Benefits.

Hope you try, and enjoy, this easy, healthy recipe!

Derma-e Hyaluronic Acid Night Creme

Derma-e Skin Care Hyaluronic Acid Night Creme

This anti-aging face cream is a great natural skin cream! I use several products in the Derma-e line and am pleased with all of them.  It has a very mild fragrance, and is very light for a night cream, but the effect is amazing! After using it for several days, my skin already began to appear more plump and healthy.  It is a great natural wrinkle treatment and leaves my skin feeling softer and moisturized. I love the fact that, additionally, it is paraben-free, gluten-free, and vegan/vegetarian. I have used this product for over a year now and I can’t say enough good things about this skin firming cream.

Eating healthy, eliminating processed foods and sugar, and minimizing or eliminating animal products is unarguably an important part of skin care. But natural skin care products play an important part in achieving younger looking skin (to compliment your younger-feeling body).

 Hyaluronic Acid – a Treatment for Aging Skin

Hyaluronic Acid gives structure to skin, making it a very effective ingredient in anti-wrinkle products. It is one of the main components of the extracellular matrix (the material outside the cell that gives tissue its structure and support), making it an important component in maintaining the strength and tightness of the skin. It has the ability to bind moisture to the tissue, helping to soften, smooth, and rehydrate the skin. As we age, there is a natural loss of hyaluronic acid, contributing to sagging skin. Re-introduction of hyaluronic acid helps to reduce the appearance of fine line and wrinkles by plumping the skin tissue.

I recommend several other of the Derma-e Products as well and will be posting my reviews on them as well.

These are all great anti-aging products that can be used alone or together (I usually rotate through them on a daily and nightly schedule):

• Derma-e Skin Care Hyaluronic Acid Night Creme
• Derma-e Skin Care DMAE Alpha Lipoic C-Ester
• Derma-e Skin Care Vitamin A Wrinkle Treatment Moisturizing Gel
• Derma-e Skin Care Peptides Plus  Wrinkle Reverse Creme
• http://healthyfitageless.com/?p=373 Continue reading →]]> This is a follow-up to my most recent post on exercising for good health.  It was a short segment on the ABC Evening News recently. The discussion referred to previous studies that physical activity is linked to a lower risk of breast and colon cancer. Doctors are now determining that exercise and fitness can reduce risk for many other cancers as well. (Makes perfect sense to me – shouldn’t take a genius!) Here are the important points of the study:
  • The more fat cells in your body, the more your body produces insulin and estrogen. Both help cancer cells to grow and multiply.
  • Greater amounts of physical activity can change this outcome. Increased physical activity can change the makeup of the surrounding cells, changing the chemicals that act as “feeders” for the cancer cells.
  • Exercise reduces stress and inflammation which can help cancer cells grow.
  • In a study of 4000 women with breast cancer, those with a higher level of physical activity were shown to have half the risk  of dying as those who did not exercise.
  • The greatest benefit was shown in women who walked 3-5 hours per week at an average pace.

  So clearly, doing any type of physical exercise, above and beyond what you do in normal daily activities will be beneficial to your health, and will help to reduce your cancer risk. Combine this with a diet and foods for cancer prevention, and your risk will be reduced even more. Cancer is a life changing event that no one wants to experience.  Exercise, on the other hand, is life changing as well, in a very positive sense. To view the segment in it’s entirety it’s at ABC News.

  “Above all, do not lose your desire to walk: every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. . . Thus if one just keeps on walking, everything will be alright.”
  –Søren Kierkegaard, a prolific Danish writer, letter to Jette (1847)

  Don’t put things off. You may have to get started on your exercise goals, but get started now. If you are serious about starting a walking and fitness regime, here are some great books for fitness inspiration!
  • Fitness Walking (Fitness Spectrum Series)
  • The Complete Guide to Walking, New and Revised: For Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness
  • Running and Walking for Women Over 40 : The Road to Sanity and Vanity
  • Complete Book of Walking: Everything You Need to Know to Walk Your Way to Better Health
  ]]> http://healthyfitageless.com/fitness-2/reduce-cancer-risk-with-exercise-and-physical-activity/feed/ 0 http://healthyfitageless.com/fitness-2/exercise-for-anti-aging/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=exercise-for-anti-aging http://healthyfitageless.com/fitness-2/exercise-for-anti-aging/#comments Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:34:50 +0000 hhislandgirl http://healthyfitageless.com/?p=18 Continue reading →]]> Eating healthy is certainly important in the quest for anti-aging, however it is not the only factor in the equation. There are other areas that we must be concerned with as well. Aging, by the very definition, is the breakdown and loss of tissue in the body. Physical activity, on the other hand, builds and restores tissue in addition to the fact that it benefits the body in terms of disease prevention. We know that as we get older the risk of getting diseases increases: obesity, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, among others. But those people who exercise regularly defy those statistics.

  How Does Exercise Slow the Aging Process?

  Exercise helps to prevent the deterioration of muscle and bone

  Women begin to lose muscle mass around the age of forty, while men begin to lose muscle in their twenties. By the age of 80 you can lose 30-40% of your muscle strength. Th greater your muscle mass, the more calories your body burns, helping you to limit weight gain and avoid obesity-related diseases. Keeping your muscle helps to keep your calorie -burning power. Strength training is the best way to maintain and rebuild muscle.  Strength training creates small tears in your muscle. Then. as the muscle heals and repairs the tears, larger more dense muscle is rebuilt. Tendons will also become stronger.

  Bone loss is also a side effect of aging – brittle bones can lead to osteoporosis. Strength training is once again beneficial as it causes the muscle to “tug” on the bones, triggering a rebuilding process, helping to keep your bones healthy. The stronger your muscles and tendons are then the less likely that they are going to be prone to injury and the longer you will be able to keep up and active lifestyle. Some of the most effective strength training can be achieved using basic exercise equipment – dumbbells, resistance bands, and machines readily available either at home or through use at a gym.

  Exercise helps to ward off age-related diseases and reduces the likelihood of weight gain.

  Cardiovascular ability and health, if one is not very active, can also begin to decline by  your mid-twenties, and accelerates with each passing decade.  Cardiovascular exercise can be defined as any physical activity that accelerates your breathing and makes your heart work harder and faster for a continuous and extended period of time. Extra oxygen is delivered to your heart, blood vessels and muscles. This makes your ability for sustained movement, such as running, going up stairs, and keeping up with an active toddler, easier.

  Cardiovascular exercise raises the level of good (HDL) cholesterol, helping to fight heart disease. It also helps to maintahttp://healthyfitageless.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=18&action=editin proper insulin levels, lowering your risk for diabetes, and reduces inflammation in general. And, of course,cardiovascular exercise helps to fight the weight gain that creeps up on us at midlife, or results simply from bad eating habits. Regular exercise also increases the production and storage of aerobic enzymes which boost your metabolism and the rate at which you burn calories – and in return, body fat. These enzymes work 24 hours a day. Studies have found that cardio exercise seems to target intra-abdominal fat, located deeper in your abdominal cavity. This is the fat that, over time put you at greater risk for cancer, stroke, and heart disease.

  An applicable quote from John Wooden (head basketball coach at UCLA -  his team won 88 consecutive games over a 12 year period), “Nothing will work unless you do.”  We can apply that to the health of our bodies also.

  Your best cardio activities are any that allow for sustained movement and high oxygen consumption. Walking (if you are just starting an exercise program), running, swimming, kayaking, biking, and skiing are all beneficial. Try to find activities you enjoy.

  I will be posting more on fitness and exercise ideas and suggested equipment in the near future. In the meantime, if this has sparked your interest, here are a few excellent books that will get you started on your fitness and anti-aging research and program that I have found very helpful….

  • Strength Training
  • Cardio Strength Training: Torch Fat, Build Muscle, and Get Stronger Faster
  • Strength Training for Women
  • http://healthyfitageless.com/?p=306 Continue reading →]]> In this hot weather I’m always trying to come up with different combinations of fruit to use in my smoothies – depending on what I have on hand, either fresh or frozen. ( I often end up freezing some of my fresh fruit because it starts to get too ripe before I can eat it all.) So I put this one together yesterday for my lunch, because I was busy and didn’t much time for lunch. My goal was to make a smoothie that would be a healthy and complete lunch in one drink. So I decided to add whey protein and ground nuts for extra energy and health benefits. Here’s my recipe:

    Banana Blueberry Watermelon Smoothie Recipe:

    

    Here's everything but the Watermelon!

    • 1 banana, fresh or frozen
    • 1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
    • 1/2 cup watermelon, again – fresh or frozen
    • 3 oz. Chobani Greek Yogurt, Plain-Non-Fat, or Blueberry
    • 8-10 almonds
    • 1/8 cup raw sunflower seeds
    • 1 “scoop” vanilla whey protein powder

    Grind the almonds and sunflower seeds in a coffee grinder. ( Krups Coffee Grinder is my personal favorite – it has lasted forever. If your fruit is frozen, put part of the watermelon and yogurt in first, followed by the ground nuts and protein powder. Cut up the banana into 1 inch sections before adding. Add the rest of the fruit and yogurt and blend. Start on low and increase speed, if your blender has that option.

    

    Banana Blueberry Watermelon Smoothie

    This is a quick high protein drink that should keep you satisfied til dinner time!

    Health Benefits of this Protein Smoothie:

    Health Benefits of Almonds: In spite of the beliefs that almonds are fattening, the British Journal of Nutrition stated that eating two 1oz portions of almonds a day actually helps you feel full, and therefore helps in weight control. They are a great source of fiber and protein. Holistic medicine also recommends almonds to improve the complexion. They are full of antioxidants, fighting free-radical damage, one of the factors that cause damage (and wrinkles) to the skin.

    Health Benefits of Sunflower Seeds: Like almonds, Sunflower Seeds are high in protein. They also contain antioxidants. Lignan Phytoestrogen is one of them (also contained in flax seeds). It is also a free-radical fighter, working to fight damage to your body’s cells and skin.

    Health Benefits of Blueberries: Blueberries are one of the original “Superfoods“. Well publicized for being high in antioxidants benefiting the nervous system and brain health, there is also new evidence that blueberries can improve memory. Blueberries have a low glycemic index (GI) and therefore provide clear health benefits for blood sugar regulation. See more blueberry health benefits…

    Health Benefits of Chobani Yogurt: Chobani has twice the protein of regular yogurt, no cholesterol, safe for people with corn, nut, and soy allergies, and vegetarian friendly!

    And finally a word on Whey Protein Isolate: I prefer the Bluebonnet brand shown here, rather than the one shown in the picture above (that was all I had on hand). Bluebonnet is about as natural and healthy as it gets. It is free of corn, yeast, gluten, barley, rice, and sugar. They keep it simple: whey, natural vanilla and http://healthyfitageless.com/?p=15 Continue reading →]]> This Basil Pesto Veggie Wrap is a great refreshing, light recipe for lunch or even dinner, especially appealing for a hot day. Healthy, and low in calories you could even eat two of these for dinner and would not be going overboard on calorie intake, as long as you’ve been practical about your other meals that day.  I love this wrap, but knew I had really created a winner when I served it to a bachelor friend of mine who is normally a meat lover. He asked me for seconds after I served him the first. To give you an idea of his “bachelor” qualifications, I recently found a grocery store receipt on his kitchen counter itemized as follows: “Scoop” chips, queso dip, Amstel Lite 12-pack, Haagen-Daz ice cream. And I can vouch that there is not much more in his refrigerator than that. Need I say more? So here is the recipe, and you may notice that many of the same ingredients are used in my Caesar Salad with a Twist recipe.  I keep many of the same foods on hand all the time and look for ways to incorporate and re-create them into new meals.

    Basil Pesto Veggie Wrap Ingredients: (makes 2 wraps)

    • 2 whole wheat wraps
    •  Basil Pesto (see my Pesto Recipe)
    • 1 Roma tomato
    • 1/2 to 1/3 avocado wedge
    • grated Parmesan Cheese
    • Ken’s Lite Vinaigrette Dressing (Sun Dries Tomato)
    • Goat Cheese - hard to measure out, exactly – see photo and do it to your taste. (Approx 1 1/2 tbsp on each)

    
    

    (Click on the photos to enlarge/see ingredients in the tortillas)

    Spread the Pesto down the center of the wrap with a thin coat, about an 1/8″ inch thick. Add the chopped tomatoes and avocado. Drizzle on the vinaigrette dressing and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese. Crumble and add the goat cheese. Roll up the wrap and enjoy! Go for the whole wheat tortilla for more protein and fiber – better than the overly processed white flour tortillas. You can check out the spinach or sun-dried tomato wraps as well and compare nutritional ingredients. but I found these to have the best combination of good ingredients with the lowest calories. The Ken’s Lite salad dressing (you can try some different flavors in this, too) Here’s my Pesto Veggie Wrap before rolling it up.

    

    Okay, it may not look too impressive. but roll this baby up and take a bite! Trust me, it is light and very refreshing, great on a hot summer day. If you get a chance to try this out, please leave a comment and let me know what you think! Hope you enjoy it as much as my bachelor friend did.

    A quick review of the health benefits of the main ingredients:

    Avocado: First off, a reminder that the fats in avocado are good, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Compared to butter, 2 tablespoons of avocado has 50 calories, and the same amount of butter has 240 calories! Recent studies show that because carotenoids are fat-soluble, absorption of two key carotenoid antioxidants—lycopene and beta-carotene—increases significantly when fresh avocado is added to salad.  Hence it make sense to combine them with tomatoes and dark green leafy vegetables. Avocados are high in Vitamin K (helps with bone health) and dietary fiber, and have 60% more potassium than bananas. They contain a long list of antioxidants, including alpha- and beta-carotene and lutein (a fat that helps moisturize the skin), all instrumental in supporting heart health. All these antioxidants  have anti-inflammatory properties which may help with the symptoms of arthritis, as well. Avocados are also rich in B vitamins that help with metabolism and energy.

    

    Goat Cheese: A good source of calcium, protein, phosphorus, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and potassium. Studies have shown that calcium is not only good for strong bones but may help to  protect colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals, and prevent migraine headaches in those sufferers.  Calcium also prevents the bone loss that can occur as a result of menopause or certain conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Potassium is an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. And, once again, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) is important for energy function. Goat cheese supplies low-cost, high-quality protein to the body.

    

    Tomatoes: Perhaps the most important and well known antioxidant in tomatoes is lycopene. Studies of the effects of lycopene in humans show it to be protective against a variety of cancers including colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. It is also good for your skin, with anti-aging properties more effective than Vitamin A (beta-carotene). They are also high in Vitamin C and fiber. One thing to note is that cooked tomatoes yield more lycopene to the body than raw ones, and that lycopene is better absorbed by the body when in the presence of a healthy fat. Adding extra-virgin olive oil to your tomato sauce will increase your lycopene absorption.

    As I have made this a habit, here is another flower photo from my yard. It’s a shame you can’t smell it, too. Have a great day!

    

    ]]> http://healthyfitageless.com/recipes/basil-pesto-veggie-wrap-recipe-my-favorite-lunch/feed/ 0 http://healthyfitageless.com/recipes/kiwi-banana-honey-mango-smoothie-recipe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kiwi-banana-honey-mango-smoothie-recipe http://healthyfitageless.com/recipes/kiwi-banana-honey-mango-smoothie-recipe/#comments Sat, 20 Aug 2011 14:19:00 +0000 hhislandgirl http://healthyfitageless.com/?p=26 Continue reading →]]> Here’s a great fruit smoothie recipe that requires no extra sweetener, and is therefore low-calorie in addition to it being healthy and delicious!

    I’ve given up on trying to wait for the weather to cool off some before I get back to my bike riding for a fitness workout. After a 20 minute bike ride today and then going straight into the Ab Ripper X workout DVD from P90X, I was hot and sweaty (or perhaps “perspiring” is the proper ladylike term).  After drinking a big glass of water, I still wanted something else to reward myself, so I decided to whip up a smoothie, and relax for a few minutes. I happened to have a fresh kiwi fruit and a banana on hand, and plenty of frozen  honey mango in the fridge since I kept buying the honey mangoes like I’m an addict.
    Here’s what I came up with. It tasted great!
    
    
    Kiwi, Banana, Honey Mango Smoothie Recipe

    Prep Time:	8 minutes
    Cook Time:	none – (no hot oven to turn on!)
    Serves:	1

    

    • 1 Fresh Kiwi fruit
    • 1 Honey Mango, fresh or frozen
    • 1 Banana, fresh or frozen
    • 3 oz. Chobani Greek fat-free plain yogurt
    • 1-2 oz. fruit juice like cran-raspberry or similar
    • 1 “scoop” of vanilla protein powder, if desired

    Place all ingredients in a blender, start at low speed until it starts to mix and then change to the medium and high speeds until blended.

    The fruit juice is added to thin out the mixture enough to get it to blend better, especially if you happen to use a frozen banana in addition to frozen mango. If all your fruits are fresh, you may not even need it. As for the protein powder, I ended up not adding it to my smoothie, because I had chocolate flavored Whey Protein Powder and didn’t think that would mix so well with all the other added fruit flavors.

    Kiwi, Banana, Honey Mango Smoothie

    I only added 3 ounces of the Chobani Greek Yogurt because I was afraid it would make it taste too tart. However, even without adding any kind of sweetener, this smoothie was plenty sweet, and I probably could have added even more yogurt and it would have been fine (and added an extra dose of protein).

    Health Benefits of Bananas:
    Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium which help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis.  Compounds in bananas called protease inhibitors help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of stomach ulcers.

    They are high in fiber, which improves digestion. Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of  a prebiotic compound called fructooligosaccharide.  When fructooligosaccharides are fermented by these friendly bacteria, numbers of probiotic bacteria increase, as does the body’s ability to absorb calcium and other nutrients. Bananas are high in vitamin B6 and are also a good source of vitamin C and manganese. For more detailed information see World’s Healthiest Foods.

    See my previous posts for Health Benefits of Kiwi Fruit and the Health Benefits of Mangoes.
    One other thing to note: “Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration.” So this recipe satisfies that, while satisfying your taste buds as well!

    The flowers in my yard are starting to bloom like crazy! I’m loving it. They make me happy and bring me serenity. And the deer haven’t been back for snacks (knock on wood). I think I’ve found a solution to that problem. I will have to post about that soon. Soooo, here’s today’s flower:

    Double Hibiscus

    
    
    
    

    
    

     

    ]]> http://healthyfitageless.com/recipes/kiwi-banana-honey-mango-smoothie-recipe/feed/ 2