SWIHA Blog

by Janet Lee

De-mineralized soil, pesticides, herbicides, toxins, GMO’s, low fat, no-fat, high carb, Vegan, Paleo, Macrobiotic, Raw, and Whole Foods - how do we make sense of it all?!
Instead of feeling like we have to choose a specific diet or way of eating, what if we simply began to make healthier nutrition choices? In honor of March being National Nutrition Month, let’s try to make different choices in order to create a healthier lifestyle. How can healthier choices be beneficial to overall health and well-being?
Here’s a few tips on how to make healthier nutrition choices not only this month, but through the rest of the year.

1. Buy Organic

Foods with the most pesticides lead to minimal nutrients and ill health. By buying organic, overall health and wellness is attained due to the because those pesticides are not being consumed. And we are also not consuming food additives. Food additives are preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colorings and flavorings, and monosodium glutamate, all items that are created and processed, and definitely not healthy for us!

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By Janet Lee, Guest Blogger

February is a month associated with love, so it’s appropriate that February is National Heart Health month. Due to the Valentine’s holiday, February also brings lots of chocolate or sweet, sugary desserts to show others or ourselves how much we are loved. While it’s perfectly fine to enjoy sweets, it’s also beneficial to realize how much sugar we are putting into our bodies. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes between 150 and 170 pounds of refined sugar a year.

Interestingly, less than 100 years ago, the average American consumed roughly four pounds of sugar a year. Needless to say, that our consumption of sugar has skyrocketed. The World Health Organization (WHO) and American Heart Association states that women should consume only 20 grams of sugar a day or 5 teaspoons. For men, it is 36 grams or 9 teaspoons a day. Children are at 12 grams or 3 teaspoons a day. 1 soda = 40 grams of sugar or 10 teaspoons.

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By Janet Lee, Guest Blogger

While the holiday season brings happy times and wonderful memories, it can sometimes be challenging when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet. During this busy time of year, most of us have been on the run completing work commitments, eating at the mall while finishing holiday shopping, attending holiday parties with friends while eating plenty of food and drinking a little too much eggnog! It’s quite possible that the only exercise experienced is walking from the couch to the refrigerator, or running from store to store.

If, you are experiencing low energy, headaches, or lack of motivation . . .

or if your pants are fitting a little tighter than a couple months ago . . . it is probably time to begin again with some healthy reminders!

Let’s get back on track and begin some healthy habits in 2015 to help us feel our very best!

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By Janet Lee, Guest Blogger

It’s not Fall, Thanksgiving, or the holiday season without pumpkins! Pumpkins are healthy, tasty, and not to mention incredibly rich in vital antioxidants and vitamins!

The pumpkin, a plant that is actually a fast-growing vine, grows by creeping along the ground, similar to other vegetables and fruits such as cucumber, squash or cantaloupes. It is one of the most popular field crops cultivated around the world, including the USA at the commercial scale for its fruit and seeds.

Pumpkins, in general, are orange or yellow color. However, some varieties can be dark to pale green, brown, white, red and gray. Their color is largely influenced by yellow-orange pigments in their skin and pulp. Its thick rind is smooth with light, vertical ribs.

In structure, pumpkins are usually golden-yellow to orange in color, depending upon the poly-phenolic pigments in it. They have a hollow center, with numerous small, off-white colored seeds interspersed in a net like structure. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein, minerals, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids.

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