Recently in Health Category

Cheese Melt

Spread spicy mustard on a small thin slice of whole grain bread.  Add a thin slice of sharp cheddar cheese and pop under the broiler until melted.  Top with a slice of tomato and salt and pepper.  Delicious!

In the mood for a sweet snack?  Munch on a few slices of dried pineapple and about 25 salted pistachios.  Both snacks are a good source of antioxidants.  Yum! 

I love breakfast, but it seems like I only rarely get to enjoy a giant plate of warm pancakes.  I'm usually rushing out of the door with a spilling cup of coffee in my hand. 

With summer fruit blooming in abundance, it's a great time to experiment with fun breakfast shakes.  This week I'm going to switch out my mug of coffee for this tart Cherry Breakfast Smoothie.  Use frozen cherries- they're easy to find in grocery stores and save you from having to pit fresh cherries.

Cherry Breakfast Smoothie

2 cups pitted frozen tart cherries

1 large ripe banana

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup non fat yogurt

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  It's as simple as that.  Pour in a glass and run off to work!

Statistically, spring and summer are the baby-making seasons. Regardless of if you’re trying to procreate or not, summer lovin’ is always a fun idea. Get you and your significant other’s libido going with the right stuff. Go ahead and have a toe curling weekend ladies.

Raw Oysters
Apparently these are sexy, high in zinc and dopamine for increasing testosterone and libidos. I’ve never shucked an oyster, which is said to be very erotic, nor have I ever eaten one but oysters are a classic sex food. So shuck away.

Celery
Umm…ok. I don’t know anyone who particularly likes celery but if it makes for good nooky, well then I can’t argue with it. Teeming with androsterone, this veggie adds to the odorless hormone your guy gives off when sweating and helps turn you on.

Avocado
My guy could eat this stuff all day, which might explain a lot…Anyway; avocado contains nutrients to regulate female thyroid glands and increase male hormone production, which add to feeling frisky.

Garlic
I don’t like anyone to breathe on me, much less kiss me after ingesting large amounts of this stuff. This stinky herb boosts blood flow to the sexual organs. My suggestion, stock up on Altoids or invest in a good pair of nose plugs and have at it.

Chocolate
In my opinion, who needs sex when you have this stuff? But combine the two and my head just may explode. The theobromine and phenylethylamine, found in chocolate, act as a stimulant and produce feelings of “being in love.”

Nothing is worse than tossing and turning at night, watching precious hours of sleep dwindle away into early morning hours.  If you find yourself having trouble dozing off at night, try these 5 tips to help you relax into a peacul night's sleep. 

Relax Your Mind and Body-  Wind down with a bubble bath, candlelight and music, or yoga.  I know it may sound like you're romancing yourself, but the warmth of a bubble bath and the dim light of a candle can go a long way to relaxing your mind.  With a calm mind you're one step close to a great night of shut eye. 

Leave Your Troubles at the Door-  Sometimes I lose sleep because I'm awake thinking about all of the things I have to get done the next day.  When I find myself sleepless with worry, I grab a pen and paper and write down a list of thigns I need to get done from the highest priority to the lowest.  Writing these tasks down takes them off my mind and help me relax knowing that I won't forget the next days work.  It really works!

Avoid Alcohol and Caffine-  Ok, caffine is an obvious thing to avoid before bed, but alcohol too?  Though you may think of alcohol as a sedative, it can actually disrupt sleep and lead to a poor sleep quality.   Try avoiding excess amounts of alcohol before bed. 

Stop Smoking-  Did you know that nicotine is a stimulant just like caffine?  Though a cigarette before bed may seem relaxing, the stimulant effect of that cigarette may actually disrupt you sleep.

Think About What You Eat-  I know that going to bed with a huge burger in my belly can sometimes be uncomfortable.  Going to bed on an empty stomach also makes it hard to sleep.  The solution-  have a small dinner 2-3 hours before bed.  If you find yourself needing a snack before work, reach for turkey, peanut butter or a glass of milk.  All three have the amino acid tryptophan which helps you feel sleepy. 

By now we all know that sun protection is super important.  Sunscreen helps keep away wrinkles, and prevents those horrendous sunburns that hurt so much they keep you up at night.  With all this sunscreen awareness, there are endless bottles to choose from on the shelf.  I've found my five favorites, and here they are!

La Roche Posay Anthelios

No, this isn't just a great sunscreen because it has a fancy name!  It's got a special chemical in it (i'll spare you the long name) that protects against wrinkle causing UVA rays.  Most sunscreens only protect against UVB rays, so you'll be a step ahead of the game with this one! 

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15

This is my favorite daily face moisturizer with sun protection.  It light and easily goes under foundation or powder.  It's also not sticky or greasy and absorbs into the skin without any drama.  Don't forget to wear a facial sunscreen everyday.  Even when it's cloudy you'd be surprised by how much sun exposure you get.  And wearing a sunblock on your face everyday is a great habit!

Bull Frog Superblock SPF 45

I know Bull Frog doesn't sound like overly special or couture sunblock, but this Superblock is pretty amazing.  It's a champion.  It's waterproof and sweatproof and just a great all purpose sunblock for those beach days. 

Blue Lizard Sunscream Sensitive SPF 30+

Yea, we've got a play on words here.  This "sunscream" is for people with sensitive skin.  Not only is it fragrance free, it's also chemical free.  It's a little more expensive than other sunscreens, but if you have sensitive skin, this lotion is definitely the way to go!

Neutrogena Untra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 70

I absolutely love this sunblock.  It goes on light, absorbs quickly and doesn't leave a greasy film.  It has a formula that protects against all kinds of short waves and long waves.  It's sweat proof and waterproof and just a really great all-around sun lotion.  And with an SPF of 70, I'm sure to be my old super fair self all through summer!

Find yourself reaching for a treat from your freezer in warmer weater?  Try a fat free alternative to those high fat ice creams. 

Mango Lime Sorbet is a great way to sastisfy that sweet tooth and temporarily eascape the summer heat.  With just a few simple ingredients- mango, lime, sugar and a touch of tequila, you can grab a spoon, close your eyes and imagine you're on that beautiful Cancun vacation. 

You'll need a few things to pull of this healthy sorbet.  The recipe, of course, and this super cool ice cream maker.  It's cute and small, and something you'll use all summer long!

If you're anything like me, by 3 o'clock in the afternoon you're ready to curl up under your desk for a nap.  A long nap, maybe two hours or so.  Wake up refreshed around quitting time, and call it a day.  Unfortunately, napping isn't an acceptable work time practice, so I'm left to rely on my other favorite activity besides sleeping; snacking!

Did you know that we're supposed to eat about 200 calories every 2-4 hours.  This ensure that you keep your blood sugar up and your brains active.  Low blood sugar leads to binge eating and poor snacking choices. 

Here are my 5 favorite afternoon snacks.  They keep my belly happy, and keep me from crawling under the desk for a nap, most days.

A Handful of Spicy Nuts

Nuts are crunch and full of flavor.  They're full of good fats, protein and fiber!  Try these Ass Kickin' Peanuts.  The spice will ensure that you don't eat too many and over indulge.

Homemade Salsa and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips

Homemade salsa is cheap and easy to make.  It lasts for a week too!  Try this recipe from Alton Brown.  Coupled with  Flax seed chips, you've got a salty and satisfying snack, plus the added bonus of Omega-3's which are good for you brain and heart. 

Hard Boiled Eggs

Eggs might just be the perfect food.  I think they're dreamy.  The're affordable, full of protein, vitamins and minerals, and are low in fat!  The best part- they're creamy and delicious with just a touch of salt.

Half a Peanut Butter Sandwich

A full peanut butter sandwich would be called lunch, so stick to just half.  The sandwich has enough protein and fat to perk you up and keep you going until dinner.  Threat yourself to honey or jelly for an extra flavor treat.

Homemade Popcorn

Popcorn is my favorite snack!  It's fun to eat, kinda makes you feel like you're at the movies, and it's good for you!  I make mine at home with olive oil, and then sprinkle it with sea salt.  So delicious!

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and somehow we still manage to rush off to work in the morning with only a Diet Coke in our hands.

I'm here to remind you, as if you haven't heard it enough, that eating breakfast really is important. It boosts our metabolism, gives us energy for the day, and helps stop us from snacking on junk food when those hunger pains strike. 

A  warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning is a quick, easy and super healthy way to start the day.  Before you turn your nose up, think about all the ways you can make your  oatmeal more appealing.  Thow in some dried cranberries, brown sugar, chopped almonds and brown sugar.  Thow in some chocolate chips if you have to. 

Grab these packs of instant oatmeal as you run out the door tomorrow morning.  Make breakfast part of your morning routine, make it a treat, and enjoy the rest of your day with a full belly!