Meatless Monday: Lifestyle Changes For Breast Cancer Patients

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

A new report outlines four lifestyle strategies that can lead to longer survival for women diagnosed with breast cancer:

• Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight
• Stay physically active
• Eating more vegetables, fruits fiber and soy
• Restrict your intake of fats, especially saturated fats
• Minimize intake of cured, pickled and smoked foods
• Alcohol consumption should be done in moderation

This report further highlights growing evidence that lifestyle, specifically diet and exercise, can play a huge role in the protection against breast cancer—particularly for survivors. The landmark review paints a picture of a breast cancer-protective plate: One that is packed with minimally processed plant foods—fruits, vegetables, beans, soy (the AICR suggest up to two servings per day), and whole grains—which are higher in fiber and protective phytochemicals and lower in saturated fat. Along with physical activity, this eating style is linked with a healthier body weight too. And it just so happens to be an eating style linked with protection against other chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

There are no food or dietary supplements that will act as “magic bullets” to prevent breast cancer from returning. The diet guidelines mentioned above for cancer prevention can be used to decrease the chance of a breast cancer recurrence.A healthy diet is only one of several factors that can affect the immune system; exercise and stress management are just as important in improving your overall health and well being.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese

(Courtesy of Lizzie Fuhr)

Ingredients:

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• Canola oil spray
• 1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional garnish
• 1 teaspoon grated parmesan, optional garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cut spaghetti squash in half, and scoop out and discard seeds. Spray the center of both halves of squash with cooking spray, and place cut side up on a cookie sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 50 minutes.
2. Remove squash from oven, and let cool. Once it's safe to handle, scrape flesh into a large bowl. Add in steamed broccoli florets to bowl and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, melt ghee on medium heat and whisk in whole wheat flour. Add milk and whisk quickly. Turn heat down to low, add both cheeses to saucepan, and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
4. Pour cheese sauce over spaghetti squash and broccoli mixture, and toss until all the squash is covered.
5. Dish into 4 portions, and top off with red pepper flakes and extra cheese if you wish!

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

The Magic of Music

 Music can not only calm you, it can also energize you. This week, try making a playlist of songs that put you in a positive mood, and let the music take you away!

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Do You Know What is Lurking In Your Deodorant

Deodorant and antiperspirants are loaded with super nasty, ultra-toxic ingredients. And those precious little underarms of yours? Well – they’re absorbing it all. Let’s talk about why you really should ditch that drugstore deodorant, for good. Here’s a basic breakdown of what’s lurking inside your chemical laden deodorant:

Aluminum: the active ingredient in almost all deodorant, creating a temporary plug in your sweat glands, leaving your underarms dry.

The dangers: when exposed to sweat, aluminum mimics estrogen’s hormonal effects. Some scientists believe that because of this, it might have the ability to promote cancer growth particularly in the breasts.

Parabens: acts as a preservative.

The dangers: parabens have the same estrogen-mimicking ability as aluminum.

Triclosan: a chemical compound that acts as an antibacterial, also classified as a pesticide by the FDA and a carcinogen by the EPA. The dangers: studies have shown that triclosan can alter hormone regulation.

Propylene Glycol: a synthetic liquid used to absorb sweat but maintain moisture.

The dangers: while the FDA states that propylene glycol is “generally labeled as safe” for use in foods, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry lists it as a potential effector for dermal, renal + respiratory organ systems.

Phthalates: used to maintain fragrance and color in products.

The dangers: studies have shown phthalates to alter hormonal systems and harm reproductive health.

Is this enough information to make you want to change to a healthier, greener, chemical-free lifestyle. The FDA cannot require that products be tested for safety or that the results of safety testing be made available to the agency. It cannot require recall of a product. So, just who is looking out for our health and safety? Try Shaklee's Desert Wind Roll-On or Cream Antiperspirant. Desert Wind contains no damaging chemical ingredients and their biodegradable surfactants protect nature. Their natural ingredients protect your health! What more could you ask for?! Find more info on natural, safe deodorant protection here.

Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!

Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!

Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

973-383-0955

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

Interested in Optimal Wellness? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

Like me on Facebook

Follow me on Pinterest

“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.”

~Buddha~

Meatless Monday: What A Little Lemon Can Do For You

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

A Little Lemon Can Help You Trim The Salt

Most good cooks understand the secret of lemons. These citrus fruits are indispensable ingredients in your kitchen, offering a bold array of aromas and flavors: sour, fresh, and zesty. With every squeeze of juice and pinch of zest, lemons can brighten savory dishes, soups, pastas, salads, baked goods, and desserts—all with zero fat and sodium. And the trademark flavor of lemons may have an added nutritional bonus; recent research found that using lemon juice and lemon zest can help decrease the amount of sodium you add to recipes, without sacrificing flavor.

Lemon juice + lemon zest = less salt.

Using lemons instead of salt to flavor dishes can cut sodium as much as 75 percent without compromising taste, according to research by chefs at Johnson & Wales University, which was commissioned by Sunkist. This is good news, since the Dietary Guidelines recommends adults keep sodium levels to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. Unfortunately, most Americans consume too much sodium—about 3,400 mg per day. While most of the sodium (about 75 percent) in our diets comes from processed and restaurant foods, it’s still a good idea to cut back on salt during cooking.

Squeezing in flavor.

It’s easy to use lemon to flavor your favorite dishes; just try these tips:

• Don’t automatically add salt to your favorite recipes; instead, season with spices, herbs, and lemon juice and/or zest. Taste the finished product; if it really needs salt, then add a pinch or two.
• Lemon juice and/or zest can brighten salads, dressings, marinades, pasta dishes, casseroles, soups, stews, baked potatoes, baked goods, and fruit desserts.
• To make lemon juice, roll a lemon on a flat surface, slice in half, and squeeze juice (a handheld lemon juicer makes this job easier) into a container or directly over foods. One lemon yields about 2-3 tablespoons of juice.
• To make lemon zest, wash the outer surface of a lemon and use a small grater or zester on the outer, colored surface. One lemon yields about 1 tablespoon of zest.

I can smell the wonderful aroma of lemons already! Just think of all the health benefits of a fresh lemon!

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

( Courtesy of Rebecca Crump )

Ingredients:

• 8 OUNCES WHOLE WHEAT LINGUINE (OR YOUR PASTA OF CHOICE)

• 1/2 CUP NONFAT PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
• 1/4 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
• 1 TEASPOON GRATED LEMON ZEST
• 1/4 TEASPOON SALT
• 1/4 TEASPOON GROUND BLACK PEPPER
• 1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
• 3 MEDIUM (8-OUNCE) ZUCCHINI, CUT INTO THIN STRIPS (3 INCHES LONG AND 3/4 INCH WIDE, LIKE A BIG STICK OF GUM)
• 2 GARLIC CLOVES, THINLY SLICED
• 1/2 PINT GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES, HALVED LENGTHWISE

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook about 9 minutes, or according to the package directions. Remove 1/4 cup of the cooking water, and set it aside. Drain the pasta. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, Parmesan, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook just until wilted, flipping them over occasionally with a spatula. (The zucchini will be soft and somewhat see-through.)
4. Use a spoon or spatula to push the zucchini aside so a space on the bottom of the pan is clear. Add the garlic, and cook for 15 to 30 seconds, until golden but not really brown.
5. Use a spoon or spatula to push the zucchini aside so a space on the bottom of the pan is clear. Add the garlic, and cook for 15 to 30 seconds, until golden but not really brown.
6. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
7. Transfer the zucchini mixture to the yogurt mixture, and stir to combine. Add the drained linguine, and toss gently to combine. Add the reserved pasta cooking water a tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to thin it. Divide among four bowls and serve.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Simple Ways to De-Stress You

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Dangers of Household Cleaners

What are you accomplishing when you clean your home, your laundry, etc.? What are you doing to the quality of the air you breathe in your home, your sanctuary from the outside world? What is left behind on your floors, your laundry, etc. after they have been “cleaned”. Are there safe, non-toxic alternatives that can do the job? Yes, there are; please watch the following video where Oprah discussed the dangers and see for your self. Then ask yourself – how many loaded guns are in your home?

Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!

Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!

Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

973-383-0955

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

Interested in Optimal Wellness? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

Like me on Facebook

Follow me on Pinterest

“Treat yourself and others with kindness when you eat, exercise, play, work, love, and everything else.

~ Dr. Wayne Dyer ~

Meatless Monday: Reasons for Going Meatless One Day A Week

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

The growing campaign for Meatless Monday encourages people to increase their intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Healthy related individuals are embracing it as a tool to promote healthful eating patterns.

What do Oprah Winfrey, Michael Pollan, and Mario Batali have in common? They’ve all jumped on the Meatless Monday bandwagon. Hospitals, colleges, restaurants, magazines, foodservice companies, workplaces, and entire communities are pledging their support for the program, too.

What’s Meatless Monday all about for those of you who are new to this principle. It’s a nonprofit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, which is developed in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health, with a simple message: By cutting out meat once per week, you can improve your health and reduce your carbon footprint. The initiative provides information and recipes to help people start each week with healthful, eco-friendly, meat-free alternatives.

Allison Righter, MSPH, RD, who coordinates the Meatless Monday science advisory at the Center for a Livable Future (CLF), reports that Meatless Monday began in 2003 in response to the release of the Healthy People 2010 report, which included goals to reduce dietary saturated fat by 15%. “Since saturated fat primarily comes from meat and animal products and since one day a week is just under 15% of the week, Meatless Monday was a practical method for helping people to meet those goals. Reducing meat consumption also has many other benefits, such as lowering the environmental burden of industrial food animal production, which is a major focus of CLF’s research,” Righter says.

Benefits Of Eating Meatless One Day Each Week

There is growing support for adopting a more plant-based diet, even in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which offer the general recommendation to eat a plant-based diet that focuses on consuming vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds with moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry, eggs, and dairy.

A paper published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics concluded that a plant-based, vegetarian dietary pattern is completely healthful and nutritionally adequate for people throughout all stages of life and that it has several health advantages, including lower blood cholesterol and pressure levels and lower risk of heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

Semivegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, and vegan women have a lower risk of overweight and obesity than do omnivorous women, according to data from 55,459 healthy women participating in the Swedish Mammography Cohort, suggesting that advice to consume more plant foods and less animal products may help individuals control their weight.

In a recent study, Harvard researchers linked high processed-meat intake to a 42% higher risk of coronary heart disease. Data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, which included more than 440,000 participants, revealed that eating a daily 100-g serving of red meat was linked with a 19% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and eating a daily 50-g serving of processed meat was associated with a 51% greater risk.

The NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, which included more than 500,000 men and women, found a significantly higher risk of cancers of the colorectum, esophagus, lung, and liver associated with red meat intake; an increased risk of colorectal and lung cancer was associated with higher intake of processed meat; and red and processed meat intake was associated with cancer mortality.

The Meatless Monday message helps people ease into the concept of decreasing animal intake by selecting just one day per week to go meatless. The Meatless Movement is not asking people to cut out meat from the diet totally. It is all about moderation; it’s one simple tool to help people incorporate healthier—and also more environmentally sustainable—alternatives to meat into their diets just one day each week. It’s a platform to introduce new and often overlooked foods, and ideally this will trickle over into other days of the week and ultimately translate into healthier eating habits and dietary patterns over time.

The health benefits associated with vegetarianism go beyond simply having better eating habits. People who have been following a traditional vegetarian diet for many years may be healthier because they also tend to avoid or use less alcohol, caffeine and refined foods. They also tend to have other positive lifestyle habits including being more physically active, having less stressful lifestyles and being non-smokers.
The Meatless Monday movement has grown dramatically in the past two years.Meatless Monday also is growing with schools, colleges, food distributors, worksite wellness programs, and insurance companies. Meatless Mondays are being seen in communities, such as in Raleigh-Durham [North Carolina] and Aspen, Colorado, where community organizers go around and get schools, media, and events to support a community-wide endeavor. Meatless Monday can provide an opportunity for people to try new healthy recipes and new foods.
Start 2015 off by encouraging your family, friends and coworkers to jump on the Meatless Monday bandwagon and encourage all to take the ride for better health.

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

KALE, RED PEPPER AND GOAT CHEESE FRITTATA

(Adapted from Aggie's Kitchen)

This recipe is great when you are in a hurry and forgot to plan dinner. Hopefully, we will all try to eat a little healthier this new year.This frittata is like having breakfast for dinner.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1/4 milk
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large handful bagged chopped kale, chopped a bit more finely
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• 1 teaspoon of oil

Directions:

1. Preheat your broiler (use low if you have the option).
2. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to oven-proof 10 1/2 inch nonstick skillet, over medium heat. Add chopped red pepper and kale and saute for 5 minutes until vegetables are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add egg and milk mixture to skillet. Let set for a minute. Using a spatula carefully begin to separate egg mixture from side of the pan, tilting pan while doing this so that egg mixture fills the space. Do this all around pan so that frittata cooks up evenly. Continue to do this until most of egg mixture is spread and only a small layer is left on top.
4. Spread crumbled goat cheese evenly to top of frittata. Place in oven under broiler and let cook for about 3-4 minutes, watching carefully. Let top of frittata cook completely and brown slightly.
5. Carefully (using a mitt!) take skillet out from oven. Let cool down for a couple of minutes. Slide frittata out onto a plate or cutting board and slice into quarters. Serve warm.
6. Serves 2, prep time 15 minutes

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Remember Green Goes with Everything
A Healthier Environment, A Healthier You

We have all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” But the same can be said of what you drink, what you breathe, and anything else you are exposed to. How healthy your environment is has a direct impact on your physical health, and nowhere is this more apparent than in your own home. One thing in your house that can affect your health is the air quality. On the back labels of many cleaners you will find safety warnings indicating that inhaling fumes from simple use of the product may be hazardous to your lungs. Some of these products include chemicals such as ammonia or chlorine bleach, which have been proven to cause shortness of breath and wheezing. The good news is that keeping your home clean without harming your family or the environment is easier than you might think. Making simple choices like switching products you use daily is just one way that you can create a healthy environment for your family to live in.

Contact LQ Wellness to see how you can create a healthier environment and a healthier you!

Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!

Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!

Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

973-383-0955

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

Interested in Optimal Wellness? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

Like me on Facebook

Follow me on Pinterest

“If we are creating ourselves all the time, then it is never too late to begin creating the bodies we want instead of the ones we mistakenly assume we are stuck with.”

~Deepak Chopra~

Meatless Monday: Making Your Diet More Nutrient Dense

One Step At a Time...

You Can Go Meatless

For All Three Meals

Healthy eating is all about how many nutrients you can pack into your diet.

When you turn over a packaged product in the grocery store to read the nutritional breakdown, it’s tempting to look at the calories first;we’ve been bombarded for years with messages that calories count most when it comes to the battle of the bulge. Yet, nutrition experts are increasingly using the terms “nutrient density” and “nutrient-rich” to describe the foods—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins—we should be eating more of, with less focus on their calories.

What does nutrient-rich mean? Nutrient-density equals nutrients per calorie, says Julieanna Hever, MS, RD, CPT, author of The Vegiterranean Diet. “Thus, the more nutrients packed into a food calorie, the more beneficial it is towards making every calorie count most efficiently.” In addition, nutrient-dense foods are items that have not been diluted by the addition of calories from added solid fats or added sugars, according to The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Nutrient-rich shopping. Hever says foods from nature, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole-grains, nuts and seeds are often the most nutrient-dense edibles in the grocery store. In particular, she extols brightly colored vegetables like red bell peppers and dark, leafy greens for giving you a significant nutrient and antioxidant windfall for little caloric cost. A University of Washington study found that among whole vegetables it was potatoes (both sweet and white), carrots and broccoli that deliver the most nutrients for the least cost. In addition, items like lower-fat dairy, eggs, and seafood are also often rich in nutrients without an appreciable caloric cost.

The nutrient-rich bonus. A nutrient-rich eating style gives you a concentrated amount of the valuable vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids and antioxidants needed for healthy aging. A University of Florida study discovered that people who consumed more plant-based foods and, in turn, higher amounts of nutrients, such as phytochemicals and minerals, maintained healthier body weights and experienced less internal inflammation linked to chronic diseases than people with lower intakes of nutrient-dense foods, even though both groups took in about the same number of daily calories.

Consider, too, that people who spend a greater amount of time on home food preparation consume a diet consisting of higher quality calories, reports a 2014 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Nutrient-poor. “These would be foods that are high in calories, but low in nutrients, such as processed foods, oils, refined grains, and sugars,” says Hever. Many highly processed, packaged foods marketed as “low-calorie” or “low-fat,” such as baked potato chips or white bread, provide little in the way of vital nutrients in their calorie load. For example, refined white rice contains fewer calories cup for cup than brown rice (205 versus 216, respectively), but you would have to consume about four times as much white rice just to get the same amount of magnesium found in the brown rice, a mineral linked to lower heart disease risk. Diets too heavy in foods that provide mainly empty calories, such as soda and pastries, are the reason people can be overweight yet still nutrient-malnourished.

All calories are not equal. Increasingly, science shows that a calorie from a nutrient-loaded avocado is not the same as a calorie from a nutrient-poor, sugary muffin. Indeed, nutrient-rich items can be both very low and, surprisingly, higher in calories. Almonds, for example; while a mere ounce of the nuts delivers about 164 calories, it possesses a range of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that make them a nutrient-rich food, despite the calories they contain.

Think Beyond Calories! (Adapted from Matthew Kadey)

Healthy Meatless Recipe:

Tofu Omelette

(Adapted from Plant Based on a Budget)

"Omelette?!" you say? Yes! Yes, we do! Thanks to the fine folks over at Plant Based on a Budget, I discovered this fantastic tofu omelette recipe created by Stephanie Lundstrom. 

Plus, you can fill these up with ALL of your favorites!

Ingredients:

• 1 package extra firm tofu
• 
3 Tbs. coconut milk
• 
3 Tbs. nutritional yeast
• 
3 Tbs. Cornstarch
• 
1 Tbs. soy sauce
• 
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. Turmeric

• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 
1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika (optional)
• 
1/4 cup vegetable broth for thinning
Omelette fillings of your choice (such as spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients (except the fillings) to a food processor or blender, and blend until it becomes a batter consistency.
2. Add some of the broth, if needed for thinning. Spread a ladle-full, or so, of batter evenly over a HOT non-stick pan.
3. As it dries out it should begin to turn to a dark yellow color.
4. Use a spatula to run underneath and then flip it.
5. Once both sides are dry, plate and fill with your favorites.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Healthy Weekly Motivator

Remember Green Goes with Everything

Clean Air

We tend to think the big, bad world is where the unhealthy air is. But for the main source of air pollution in your life you need to look closer to home. In fact, it is your home.

You can reduce your home's air pollution in two ways:

1. Choosing products (from cleaners to bedding to carpets) that don't add chemicals to the air in your home.
2. Filtering the air in your home to get rid of some of the pollutants and making it safer.

Begin with changing your cleaning products to those that are safe for you,your family and the environment. Your home should be the safest place on earth. Clean it up with the safe, powerful, green, smart clean that is Shaklee. And surround yourself with health.

Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!

Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!

Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,

Lisa

LQ WELLNESS

Professional Wellness Coach

973-383-0955

lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com

Interested in Optimal Wellness? Take a look at products available here!

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness

Like me on Facebook

Follow me on Pinterest

“Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret.”

~ Robert E. Lee ~