Diet and Nutrition

Jessica Smith’s Thin in 10 Plan Sheds Pounds with Ten Minutes a Day

Losing weight is not easy. Jessica Smith agrees because, although she now appears toned and beautiful, she admits it wasn’t always this way. So she and Liz Neporent, a best selling health author, wrote a book about losing weight to help others on their paths to success. It’s called The Thin in 10 Weight-Loss Plan, and she truly believes it can help those who need to shed pounds but have not been able to take that crucial first step to a healthier lifestyle.

Smith tells about her journey in the introduction of the book: “Jessica once tipped the scales at 170 pounds. She tried various diets, exercise plans, motivational programs—you name it, she tried it—but nothing worked. While some plans seemed to work at first, the success was always short-lived. She’d always gain the weight back and then some.”

Any of that sound familiar? One day, Smith had enough and decided to do something about it. Instead of grabbing for another candy bar to soothe her frustrations, she hopped on a stationary bike, telling herself she could have the candy bar after ten minutes. “While those 10 minutes were pretty rough, she felt great afterward—and she had lost the urge to dig into the chocolate,” the book says.  (more…)

Posted on October 18, 2023 by SarahS

Pairing Yoga and Wine Blends Complementary Health Benefits

Increased levels of heart-healthy high-density lipoproteins, better sleep, and reduced anxiety are just a few of the shared benefits of yoga and…can you guess? Wine!

As yoga rises in popularity, yoga and wine retreats are also making an appearance as some of the most sought after vacations in the world of self-pampering spa-like escapes.

In addition to booking a week of yoga and wine tasting at some fabulous resort with some fabulous instructor, such as Wine and Yoga in Tuscany with Sadie Nardini, yoga studios and businesses are also taking advantage of the delightful combination loved by so many.

For example, The W Hotel in San Diego is on the cutting edge of the wine and yoga craze by offering the popular Vino and Vinyasa series sponsored by Lululemon Athletica. Consisting of an all-level vinyasa flow class followed by wine and appetizers, yoga and wine lovers can take to the hotel’s rooftop to strut their poses before satisfying their palates.

But, it is not just businesses and retreat centers who are keenly tuned in to the dynamic relationship between wine and yoga. Colleen Saidman, wife of acclaimed yoga teacher Rodney Yee, has partnered with Estancia winery to assist in their campaign to sell wine. Pairing wines with health tips, Saidman believes that yogis need not steer clear of drinking alcohol, but rather find an appropriate balance and avoid overindulging. (more…)

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Jill

Portion Reality Check: Learn How to Manage Your Whole Diet

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

You may be somewhat of a portion pro after reading my last two blogs: I’ve shown you how many starchy foods you can eat, and how many indulgent foods (sweets, alcohol and more) you can get away with. If you can get a handle on these fattening foods, half your calorie battle is won.

Now it’s time to focus on the rest of your diet: protein, fat, dairy (or dairy alternatives), fruits and vegetables. Find out how many servings you get of each using the chart below.

Keep in mind, it’s not just about quantity—the quality of these foods can make or break your long-term health, so I’ll steer you toward the healthiest choices down below. (more…)

Posted on October 17, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

Sisters Cara and Brianne Lost More Than 200 Pounds by Committing to Change Together

For sisters Brianne Canepa –  a 32-year-old paramedic and quality manager for Kaiser Permanente – and Cara Garcia – a 31-year-old communications specialist at Stanford Life Flight – weight loss has been a joint effort. In the last year the pair has managed to drop more than 200 pounds together, and it all started with a life-changing visit to the Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu, California.

At their heaviest, Brianne weighed 361 pounds and Cara, 308 pounds. However, it’s a totally different story now ever since the sisters embarked on a weight loss journey that transformed their health and their lives for the better. Today, Brianne weighs 258 pounds and Cara, 197, which is a combined weight loss of an amazing 214 pounds.

In the process of shrinking down together, these sisters have not only kept each other motivated but also bonded and became even closer friends than they were before. To tell this inspiring story, we’ve asked Cara and Brianne to share about their journeys in their own words starting with where it all began: The gain.

left to right: Cara and Brianne, respectively.

When did your individual struggles with weight begin?

Cara: I was a skinny mini most of my childhood and through high school. Wearing size 12 was the biggest size I wore. I was very active and could pretty much eat anything I wanted to. In 2000, I left home and lived in the dorm at San Jose State University. It was my first experience making my own schedule, my own food choices and none of it was good. I was eating crappy food and taking naps between classes. I think I went to the gym once that whole first year. The freshman 30 turned into 10 years and more than 100 pounds. (more…)

Posted on October 17, 2023 by Dana

Mark Bittman Proposes a Better Food Label

Food labeling is kind of a messy issue right now. On one side you have advocates of “Right to Know” fighting for GMO-containing products to be labeled as such. On the other side you have soda companies and fast food restaurants digging in their heels to fight laws that would require further nutrition information posted on vending machines and menu boards.

From this perspective, it seems there’s plenty of push and pull in this important debate. The worst part, however, is that the consumer is caught in the middle with the simple desire to know what’s in the food they buy and to feel good about what they put in their bodies.

While the discussion of food labeling may have multiple sides and a variety of opinions, an editorial piece by Mark Bittman published in The New York Times Saturday shined some much-needed light on the topic and offered a simple solution: Make labels honest, easy to read and understand, and useful to the health-conscious consumer.

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Posted on October 15, 2023 by Dana

Whole Wheat Chicken Pot Pie Makes a Healthier Comfort Food

If you’re like us, you start craving hearty comfort foods when the weather takes a chilly turn. The warm, filling satisfaction of a bowl of chili, pot roast or steamy apple crisp is enough to cure even the harshest cases of winter blues. One of our favorite comfort food recipes is this chicken pot pie, which features a whole wheat crust and milk instead of cream for a healthy-yet-delicious twist on a classic.

You won’t find any condensed soup in this recipe as it’s made completely from scratch yet remains surprisingly simple to throw together. From start to finish it requires just one hour and yields four generous servings to feed even the hungriest of eaters in your home.

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Posted on October 15, 2023 by Dana

How to Cook with Pumpkin

When fall rolls around, I can’t seem to steer my mind away from all-things pumpkin. Just this week I was busy at work in the kitchen, dreaming up new pumpkin recipes to share with family and friends. While most assume that pumpkin is high in calories because it’s most often found in pumpkin pie, pumpkin seeds and fruit are actually incredibly healthy and often overlooked as an important source of vitamins and minerals. Here we take a look at the abundance of health benefits this fall fruit provides, as well as methods for preparing it with five delicious and healthy recipes. 

Health benefits: Both pumpkin seeds and fruit are two super foods that you don’t want to miss out on this fall. Pumpkins are loaded with good-for-for you vitamins and nutrients, including vitamins A, C and E, which promote healthy, glowing skin among other important health benefits. They’re also high in fiber, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, and lutein, which can improve eye health. In addition, pumpkins contain plenty of beta carotene, which have anti-inflammatory properties; and antioxidants, which fight free radicals in the body and help prevent cancer.

Other surprising health benefits? Pumpkins can promote better bone density and digestion and even lower cholesterol. They’ve also been found to help prevent prostate cancer, kidney stones and even depression.  (more…)

Posted on October 14, 2023 by Dana

HealthBuzz October 12: Organic Companies Anti-Prop 37, Sarah Palin’s Diet, and Healthy Caramel Apple Recipes

We’re just hours away from the weekend! So that means it’s time for a dose of healthy news from DIR and our friends. This week’s headlines include a story about major organic companies funding against GMO labeling, a lunch lady told to stop making healthier food, and caramel apple-inspired recipes for fall.

Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue by Writing a Diet and Fitness Book

If you can’t get enough of Sarah Palin then you’ll want to pick up her diet and fitness book when (and if) it is for sale, which she announced is in the works. It will be interesting to read and hear about the things in her book because the former Alaskan governor once bashed the idea of serving healthy snacks in schools. Do you think people will take the book seriously? Tell us what you think!

Paul Ryan Would Leave Joe Biden in the Dust if Politics Was Gym Class

Thursday’s presidential debate probably left some questions relating to America’s future answered and others unanswered. So we were questioning who would win the election depending on who has the best physical fitness and personal diet? Take a look at Congressman Paul Ryan’s and Vice President Joe Biden’s fitness routine and diet habits and tell us what you think!

Major Organic Brands, Like Kashi and Naked, Funding Anti-GMO Labeling Campaigns

The vote for California’s Prop 37 is next month and if it is passed it will radically change the processed food industry. Many Californians and organic brands like Clif Bar, Annie’s and Uncle Matt’s are in favor of Prop 37. However, other organic brands like Kashi, Naked, and Silk are donating thousands-to-millions of dollars to fund anti-GMO labeling campaigns. Do you think the organic companies shouldn’t be donating against GMO labeling and practice what they preach? (more…)

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Samantha

Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue by Writing a Diet and Fitness Book

As her political career has seemingly fizzled, Sarah Palin is taking her complete lack of professional diet and fitness experience and putting it in a book, so she says. In an announcement the former vice presidential candidate made to People, she said, “Our family is writing a book on fitness and self-discipline focusing on where we get our energy and balance as we still eat our beloved homemade comfort foods.”

The Palin family is known well for their love of comfort foods, relying on the culinary favorites of their native Alaska, like seafood, moose chili, caribou, and some fruit. Like most Americans they aren’t above indulging in heavier treats like cream or pecan pies. Even Palin has admitted that a skinny white chocolate mocha is a morning staple for her.

The announcement suggests the family has found a healthy balance of food that works for sustenance that you can simply enjoy. “We promise you what we do works,” she said. We’re not sure of what they do exactly, but pictures posted this week show a slimmer Sarah Palin than we’ve ever seen before. An avid runner for years, she’s always appeared to be fit and trim, but what’s surfacing this week has people questioning a starvation diet. A celebrity news contributor for The Examiner said she “looks downright scary.”

The book at this time seems to be a personal project, as there is no word on whether an actual book deal exists or if a publisher has agreed to take it. Although possible titles are already circulating.

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Posted on October 11, 2023 by Natalie K

Paul Ryan Would Leave Joe Biden in the Dust if Politics Was Gym Class

As vice presidential candidates Paul Ryan and Joe Biden battle for the country’s vote, we are looking at the politicians in a different light – that of their physical fitness and personal diets. Will the person who can do the most pushups be the best as second-in-command? Maybe not, but it does say something about them, however you may interpret it.

Congressman Ryan, 42, is well-known for his love of exercise. He is a devotee of P90X workouts, the high intensity DVD program developed by Tony Horton, frequently leading sessions in the capitol’s gym. The grueling sessions range from 60 to 90 minutes, combining cardio workouts, weight training, yoga, and stretching for an extensive training routine that really pushes your body.

Ryan’s rumored six-pack abs have had their own set of scrutiny, with more Google searches of “Paul Ryan shirtless” than “Paul Ryan budget” after the announcement in August that he was running alongside Romney. Out of college, he worked as a personal trainer and enjoys as sport skiing and hiking. If catfish noodling counts as a sport, he does that, too. (more…)

Posted on October 11, 2023 by SarahS

“Migraine Muffins” and “PMS Potatoes” on The Doctors

Tune in October 11 to The Doctors to see how your feelings of pain can be lessened not by medication, but by the foods you find in your fridge. Dr. Travis Stork promises that you can reduce pain, fight inflammation, and feel better without drugs. Could fighting chronic pain be a bite away?

First, The Doctors tell viewers about muffins created to fight the duration, frequency, and intensity of migraines, then they move on to a loaded baked potato with each layer strategically designed to fight PMS symptoms. Also on the menu are dill pickles that could ease arthritis and snacks to avoid because they may make migraines and earaches worse. (more…)

Posted on October 11, 2023 by SarahS