Diets the name of the Game

SOUL FOOD JUNKIES BY BYRON HURT

In the wake of so many films coming out to expose and educate the populace on the need to alter their diets, director Byron Hurt aims his camera at the relationship African-Americans have to food. Among some of the highest rates for diabetes and heart disease in the country, not to mention obesity, traditional soul food cuisine is laden in fats, salts and Read more

Why not just Blog?!

Sometime I get into wanting to write a deep and colorful blog…get the images correct and ensure that my grammar is spot on. This takes time away from simple sharing…its like wanting to give a gift and thinking twice cause theres no gift card or gift wrap.

I forgot this is about sharing me, unadulterated. I make mistakes and this is not a editorial from the NY Times where everything has to be perfect. Anywho…(i feel comfortable doing that now, notice “i” isnt capitalized) I feel a greater sense of freedom. I will continue to post celeb news and facts about the black community but news about the everyday guy is way more interesting. Here is my lunch…Since I was on the run I ended up spending 2 dollars on this. $1 for the tahini sesame kale and $1 on the boneless sardines (hotsauce free). Pretty cool resourcefullness without making a mistake. Although this was high in fat (14g of fat) it was all from the seafood and with 20g of protein I was set. I brought a small bag of almonds to snack on till I get home.

The summer is here and I nearly averted disaster over the weekend …it could of been worst but now its time to clean it up. As much as I hate work, the structure allows me to eat right and on time. I also want to do something for myself and going to the gym is easier cause its all about me.

How was your first day back from Memorial Day?

Spring Clean Your Body: Top 10 Detox Foods

Want to baby your liver? Keep your GI tract fit? Flush out toxins? These 10 foods — many of them chosen by RealAge experts Drs. Oz and Roizen — can spring clean your body and keep refreshing your vital parts all year ’round. No need to fast. Just take these three steps:

• “Eat clean,” avoiding processed foods and chemical additives.
• Stay well hydrated by drinking lots of filtered water.
• Include some of these 10 foods in several meals throughout the week.

The Detox Top 10

1. Leafy green vegetables. Eat them raw in a salad, throw them into a broth, steam them and mix with rice or add to an omelet, or puree them into juices. The chlorophyll in greens helps swab out environmental toxins (heavy metals, pesticides). It’s also an all-around liver protector, which your liver needs since it’s your major domo detoxifier.
2. Lemons. Fresh lemonade made with filtered water will keep you hydrated, and its vitamin C helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that’s easily flushed away. (Add some pureed greens — see above — to further bolster your C level.) Here’s another cleanse that really works.
3. Watercress. Put a handful into salads, soups, and sandwiches. The peppery little green leaves have a diuretic effect that helps the flushing process. Plus cress is a mineral mine, rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.
4. Garlic. Add it to everything — salads, sauces, spreads. In addition to the heart-friendly bulb’s cardio benefits, it activates liver enzymes. Research also indicates that garlic diminishes a process that creates cancer-causing compounds in your body.
5. Green tea. This antioxidant-rich brew is one of the healthiest ways to get more water into your system. Bonus: It contains catechins, which speed up liver activity. Learn more about how to love your liver.
6. Broccoli sprouts. They pack 20 times more cancer-fighting, enzyme-stimulating activity into each bite than the grown-up vegetable. Research suggests that eating the sprouts (they have a radish-like taste) kills off H. Pylori bacteria that causes stomach irritation and ulcers.
7. Sesame seeds. They’re credited with protecting liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals. For a concentrated form, try tahini, the yummy sesame seed paste that’s a staple of Middle Eastern cooking.
8. Cabbage. There are two main types of detoxifying enzymes in the liver, and this potent veggie helps activate both of them. It’s the largest member of the Brassica veggie family, all of which delivers colon-cancer fighting isothicyanates and vitamin C. Coleslaw, anyone?
9. Psyllium. This plant’s bursting with soluble fiber, which mops up toxins (cholesterol, too) and helps clear them out. Stir powdered psyllium into juice to help cleanse your colon, or have psyllium-fortified Bran Buds for breakfast. (Start with a small amount and gradually increase your dose as your GI tract becomes used to it.)
10.  Fruits, fruits, fruits. They’re full of almost all the good things listed above — vitamin C, fiber, nutritious fluids, and assorted antioxidants. Besides, nothing tastes better than a ripe mango, perfect pear, or fresh berries.

Ultimate Detox Recipe: Easy Wilted Garlic-Sesame Salad

Toss dark green leafy vegetables in hot, garlicky oil for a cleansing — and delicious — dish.

4 servings, about 65 calories each

1 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. spinach, stemmed,
or 1 lb. Swiss chard, stems sliced, leaves torn
or 1 lb. mixture of spinach and watercress
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. sesame seeds for garnish

Warm oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir until lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Add greens (do in two batches if necessary) and toss until just wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

source:The Editors at RealAge