Tag Archives: Best Life diet

16 Foods for a Clear Complexion and Younger-Looking Skin

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

Showing a little more skin now that the weather has warmed up? In addition to sunscreen and moisturizers there’s another equally important way to care for your skin—from the inside. Just as there are nutrients particularly critical for the eyes, brain and heart, certain vitamins and phytonutrients are key to radiant, clear skin. By happy coincidence, many of those nutrients are in abundance in spring and summer produce. So, make sure to toss the following in your cart:

Cantaloupe and strawberries. They’re rich in vitamin C, which nourishes skin in two ways. As an antioxidant, this vitamin helps destroy skin-damaging free radicals caused by UV light. Plus, vitamin C is needed to form the protein collagen, which firms up skin and gives it elasticity.

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Posted on May 6, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

To Lose Weight, “Be Present” (vs. Distracted) During Mealtime

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

Want to feel more satisfied after meals? You can, if you put your mind to it.

Eating mindfully, which can mean everything from simply noticing what you’re putting in your mouth to practicing stress reduction techniques to help end stress eating, can really help. When you become a more mindful eater, you savor, enjoy, and remember fondly each bite and sip of your meal. The end result: You’ll feel more satisfied and less likely to rummage around for more food.

In a recent University of Southern California review of 21 mindful eating studies, 18 of them helped improve in eating habits, cut calorie intake, and reduced bingeing.

There are entire books on the subject, so I won’t attempt to cover every aspect. Instead, here are my top five strategies; they work for me—and have helped people who’ve come to me for nutritional counseling.

Identify why you’re eating or drinking. Is it because you’re actually hungry? (Rating your hunger for a week can be an eye-opener.) Or are you eating because you’re bored, stressed, or have another emotional trigger? Is it just habit (as in “I always have a 3 p.m. snack.)? Name the reason without judgment or guilt; these negative emotions can stress you out, driving you to overeat even more. (more…)

Posted on April 22, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

The Secret Health Benefit of Cruciferous Veggies

By Team Best Life

All vegetables are good for you, but certain groups may pack a greater nutritional punch than others. Take cruciferous vegetables, the family that includes broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy and more. They’re loaded with antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals, which offer protection against a number of illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, according to research.

Now, experts say they may have figured out why these veggies are so beneficial: They seem to reduce inflammation, which plays a role in many of these diseases. In the study, people who ate the most cruciferous veggies had the lowest levels of three different inflammatory compounds—as much as 25 percent less—in their blood compared to those who ate the least cruciferous veggies. (more…)

Posted on April 15, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Insider Tips: A Nutritionist Shares 7 Guilt-Free Ways to Cheat!

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

I generally practice what I preach: My diet is high in fruits and vegetables, pretty much all my grains are whole, fish is my primary high-protein food… you get the picture. Fortunately, I like these healthy foods, so none of this is a sacrifice, but I also like some very fattening and/or unhealthy foods—and I’m not willing to give them up.

How can you have your cake and stay trim, too? Here’s how I do it. Feel free to use these tricks or tweak them so that you can come up with your own creative ways to enjoy less-than-stellar fare without packing on pounds.

Just remember one ground rule: Your diet should be nutritious and you should stick to at a calorie level that keeps you at a healthy weight. (Of course, getting regular exercise helps a lot.) Once you’ve nailed that—at least most of the time—you should be able to use my indulging tips!

Don’t be in calorie denial. Know just how many calories are in your favorite treats, or in that extra slice of pepperoni pizza, or whatever it is you’re indulging in. (more…)

Posted on April 8, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

17 Types of Seafood You Can Eat Without Worrying (Much) About Mercury

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Lead Nutritionist for TheBestLife.com

Nutritionists love seafood for good reason: Diets high in fish are linked to lower levels of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression. And for pregnant women, eating more fish can even make your baby more intelligent.

But what about mercury, a contaminant that can cause nerve damage and other problems? You’ll find the chemical in large fish like swordfish and tuna. These fish eat large quantities of small fish that are low in mercury, but over time, these small amounts concentrate in the big fish’s body.

Fortunately, there are plenty of low-mercury fish options at the seafood counter (see the list below).

* Note: Seafood with an asterisk (*) are rich in omega-3s, which help fight inflammation in the body and offer many health benefits, like a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and possibly Alzheimer’s disease.

The Purest Picks

• Arctic char*

• Catfish (U.S. farm-raised; avoid wild-caught, it may be high in contaminants) (more…)

Posted on April 1, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Eat Your Way to Better Eye Sight

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., RD, Best Life lead nutritionist

Which of your five senses is most important to you? If you said “sight,” you’d be in the majority—four out of five baby boomers chose sight in a survey by the Ocular Nutrition Society.

So be proactive about protecting your sight: Eating to ensure your eyes stay healthy is as easy as following these three steps:

Choose antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidants like beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E protect your eyes from free radicals, damaging compounds that can cause cataracts and macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. A recent study of Swedish women found that those who consumed a diet with the most antioxidant power (one that featured antioxidants that worked best together to protect health) were 13 percent less likely to develop cataracts. Fruits and vegetables topped the list of main sources of antioxidants with 44 percent, followed by whole grains (17 percent) and coffee (15 percent).

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Posted on March 11, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

4 Ways to Fit in Breakfast Even on Busy Mornings

By Team Best Life

We know how tough it can be to find the time for a healthy breakfast when you’re trying to get out the door in the morning. But a recent survey from the NPD Group, a market research company, suggests that people have found a solution: More and more Americans are opting for grab-and-go breakfasts.

That’s a smart strategy since the benefits of breakfast have been well proven—people who start their day with a healthy meal are generally slimmer and healthier than those who skip it. Not only can a morning meal help keep your appetite in check, but it can also give you a boost of energy.

Check out the grab-and-go breakfast ideas below, all of which can help you power through your day:

Muffins. Make a batch of over the weekend, and enjoy them all week long. (Handy tip: You can freeze them and microwave them for just a few seconds to soften them up right before eating.) Pair with a skim latte and fruit for a balanced breakfast. We love these Pumpkin Spice Muffins. Don’t have time for homemade? It’s fine to go for store-bought—just look for one with 160 to 200 calories and at least 5 g fiber. (more…)

Posted on February 25, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Why Should You Eat More Nuts? Enjoy 9 Tasty and Healthy Reasons

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., lead nutritionist for TheBestLife.com

Now that a new study found that regular nut eaters are less likely to develop a number of diseases, including biggies like heart disease and cancer, I feel even better about all the nuts I eat. While I do snack on nuts, I tend to use them more as part of a meal. Staying conscious of their high-calorie content, I often sub them in for other foods—not in addition to. For instance, instead of sprinkling feta on a salad, I’ll top it with sunflower seeds or pecans.

Besides being so tasty, nuts provide healthy fat—the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types. These fats keep our cell membranes healthy, reduce the risk for heart disease, and play other roles in the body. Plus, you need a little fat in the meal for satiety (keeping you feeling full for longer).

Here’s how I use nuts (and seeds, which also have health-promoting properties) in meals:

In smoothies: 1 tablespoon of almond or peanut butter along with milk or soymilk and a banana makes a complete breakfast.

Atop cereal: The 2 to 3 tablespoons I typically add are often the only fat in my skim-milk-fruit-cereal breakfast. (more…)

Posted on December 20, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

Brushing Your Teeth Can Prevent America’s #1 Killer

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

For years now, scientists have known that periodontal disease increases the risk for heart disease. Now, a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows that if you take care of your gums you can reduce a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

A research team led by Columbia University in New York City examined the mouths of 420 middle-aged men and women for periodontal disease. (Periodontal disease is caused when bacterial plaque on the teeth move into the gums causing inflammation. This can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, causing “pockets” that become infected with bacteria, and eventually lead to tooth loss.) Researchers collected gum bacterial samples and used ultrasound to measure the thickness of the carotid arteries, which supply the brain with blood. Artery thickness is a marker for stroke and heart disease; if the carotid arteries get clogged with plaque, you can bet the coronary arteries leading to the heart are clogging as well.

Three years later, people whose oral health improved (read: they had fewer bacteria linked to heart disease in their mouth) had a much slower rate of carotid artery thickening than those whose periodontal disease was worse or remained the same. It doesn’t take much plaque to have devastating consequences. Picture this: a 0.033-millimeter-per-year increase in carotid artery thickness doubles the risk of heart disease and heart attack. In this study, people with gums that deteriorated, developed, on average, a 0.1-mm increase, meaning their heart disease risk shot up six-fold. (more…)

Posted on December 17, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

5 Snacks Disguised as Meals: Stay Full on the Go for Less than 500 Calories

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., RD, Best Life lead nutritionist

What to eat when you’re stuck in a junk-food-infested office park, stretch of highway, or other nutrition wasteland? Try one of these five meals, all of which contain foods you can keep in your purse, desk drawer, or office fridge, or can be found at a coffee shop. They range from 370 to 480 calories.

trail mix recipe

Oatmeal topped with dried fruit and/or nuts and a 12-ounce nonfat or 1 percent latte

Approximate calories: 370

Nutrition highlights: This dish is rich in calcium and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber (from the oats), plus it offers phytonutrients from the coffee, dried nuts and fruits. It’s my go-to at Starbucks and other coffee shops.

Trail mix (2/3 cup)

Approximate calories: 450

Nutrition highlights: Nuts, seeds and dried fruit offer vitamins and minerals, phytonutrients and healthy fats. Make your own to control the ingredients and avoid a sugar rush. Try our Sweet & Nutty Trail Mix. (more…)

Posted on December 4, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

Go Ahead, Face Your Fears for Real Weight Loss Success

There are countless obstacles standing in between you and your goals, but not all of them are external. In fact, sometimes, our own fears make us our own worst enemy. Identifying and understanding these fears are the first steps to keeping ourselves from sabotaging our success. Take a look at some of the common fears below to see if any strike a chord with you.

Fear of failure. Fear of not reaching a goal may keep you from even trying. The same could be said about fear of back-sliding once you see success. Keep in mind that failure is simply a part of the process and that learning from it can only increase your chances of achieving your goal.

Fear of the unknown. You know that you want to reach your goal, but you don’t know exactly how your life will change as a result. For instance, if you’re trying to lose weight, it may seem scary to think of yourself as a smaller person. Will people treat you differently? Will more be expected of you? Face these questions head on. Addressing the niggling concerns in the back of your mind will help you banish them. (more…)

Posted on November 27, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

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