|
"Action is the foundational key to all success.”
—Pablo Picasso
Last month I mentioned that my husband and I were planning to grow our first garden. I'm happy to announce that since planting the seeds, our plants are thriving! I'm looking forward to delicious salads made with our home-grown tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers and serrano peppers - what an exciting mix!
It's now time for me to turn my attention to running while I wait for my veggies to flourish! I'll be running my annual half-marathon in June, so I kicked my running into high gear this month. I only have a couple of months left to train, and building my endurance is a critical component to successfully completing the race. I've also contemplated running a full marathon this year, I may have actually signed up by the time this newsletter is sent out! If you want to know what I decided to do, write me on twitter @eatlivelaugh and I'll let you know!
Best in Health!
~Amy~
Healthy Benefits of Red Wine
Did you know that there are many health benefits to drinking red wine in moderation? Red wine has long been touted for its various health benefits, and particularly for its antioxidants that may help to prevent heart disease. Recently, a compound in red wine called resveratrol has been getting a lot of attention. Resveratrol is found in the skin of young, unripe red grapes, grape seeds and purple grape juice. Red wine has a high concentration of resveratrol because the skins and seeds ferment in the grapes' juices during the wine-making process. This extended contact during fermentation produces noteworthy levels of resveratrol in the completed red wine. Studies have shown that resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory; it may inhibit the growth of several cancers and tumors, and protect the heart and brain cells.
The relatively small amounts of alcohol in resveratrol are believed to raise good cholesterol ("HDL") as well as reduce the risk of blood clots. Does white wine offer the same health benefits as red wine? Unfortunately, not. In the white wine making process, the grape's seeds and skin are removed early on, which greatly reduces the concentration of resveratrol in white wine.
How do we measure drinking "in moderation"? Most experts agree that the health benefits of red wine are achieved by having about one glass (five ounces) per day for women and two glasses for men. So filling up your largest glass with wine is above and beyond your five ounces per day!
In addition to drinking red wine, you can cook with it! While cooking with wine isn't as effective as drinking it (60-95% of the alcohol in wine may be lost during cooking), it's still a great way to add some health boosting benefits to your meals. Check out this month's recipe for Chicken in a red wine sauce.
Recipe of the Month: Chicken in Red Wine Sauce
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- 1 Tbsp. paprika
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup red wine
- Sea salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic in the oil and stir until tender
- Place chicken in the skillet, and cook about 10-15 minutes on each side, until you no longer see pink
- Sprinkle paprika and 1 cup of brown sugar onto chicken. Next pour in the red wine around chicken and stir
- Cover, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes on medium to light heat. Lightly baste chicken with wine sauce during this time
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and serve
In the News
When I stumbled upon an article about Orthorexia, I was shocked to hear that an eating disorder exists where individuals are completely consumed with eating only the most healthy foods. Don't get me wrong, it's important for all of us to focus on eating well, but it shouldn't consume our lives. Orthoxrexia has been associated with anorexia, in which individuals severely limit the amount of food they eat in a day. To read more on this eating disorder: Orthorexia eating disorder
Giving Back
Many of you may have heard of Tom's Shoes, which was featured in last August's newsletter (Tom's Shoes), but for those of you looking for a home for your gently worn shoes or for a way to make a difference without having to dig into your pockets, then you should check out Share Your Soles. This organization prides itself on taking your used shoes, buffing them to a newer shine, and distributing them to kids in need throughout the world.
Action Items
- If you are looking to add some health benefits to your day, try winding down with a glass of red wine with your dinner
- It's that time of year again for spring cleaning. When you find your gently used running shoes or sneakers, think about donating them to Share Your Soles
- Check out the DietsinReview.com blog for the latest in health and fitness
Weekly Articles
Forward to a Friend
It’s such a pleasure to help those closest to us become happier and healthier. Please forward this newsletter to friends, family members or colleagues who might be interested and inspired by it.
Also, if there is something you are interested in learning more about or would like me to feature in an upcoming newsletter please contact me.
Eat, Live Laugh newsletters are intended for overall general wellness. If you have condition specific concerns please feel free to contact me.
|
