Dave and Cindy share details from their evening with Ethan Bortnik, discuss 10 ways to spring clean your diet, and a few great foods that have bad reps that you should be eating!!
This past week Dave & Cindy spent and evening with Ethan Bortnik, who has been on all the talk shows for the past few years, such as Oprah, Jay Lenno, etc. and he is even the youngest voting member of the Grammy's ! Ethan is a 12 year old protege savant, pianist, who discovered his talent when he was 3 years old and he is "beyond magnificent" Cindy. Ethan is very inspired by helping others and he is passionate about inspiring others himself; he is part of the Children's Miracle Network as his brother was born with half of a heart, and he has thus helped raised over 30 million dollars. Dave and Cindy shared a magical night with Dave's family, some close friends, and Ethan Bortnik's family at a wonderful French restaurant in Vero Beach, and Ethan played the piano for everyone after the five-course meal.
10 Ways to Spring Clean Your Diet:
1. Cut Down On Alcohol
An easy way to cut out the calories; although several studies have shown that moderate amounts of alcohol (1 drink per day for women, 2 for men) can have some health benefits—raising “good” HDL cholesterol, “thinning the blood” (preventing clots that can cause heart attack and stroke) and possibly warding off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, there are some good reasons to make sure that your alcohol consumption stays moderate. Alcohol takes a toll on your liver, the major organ of your body devoted to “detoxing” your system. It also acts as a diuretic, making it harder to stay hydrated. One idea to cut back: Try sticking to the suggested limit of one drink a day for women, two for men. (Think of the calories and money you’ll save!) Looking for an alcohol-free drink at cocktail hour? Try club soda with a splash of juice. Think about all the calories, and money, you will save! Stick to one to two glasses.
2. Cut Down On Sugar
Most of us eat too much sugar. On average, Americans consume 475 calories of added sugars every day (that’s 30 teaspoons), which is way higher than what’s recommended by the American Heart Association (6 teaspoons per day for women, 9 for men). High intake of added sugar is linked with risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high triglyceride levels. We suggest you skip processed foods, which can be loaded with hidden added sugars. How? I’m ditching my daily "moderate" treats, which include things like a handful of chocolate candies, a cookie (even if it does have healthy ingredients like oats and raisins) and low-fat peanut butter ice cream. I’m also giving up the hazelnut syrup in the decaf lattes, maple syrup in my oatmeal and honey in my tea.
3. Cut Down On Salt
Americans, on average, eat 3,400 milligrams of sodium in a day, about 1,000 mg more than we should; if we cut that much out of our daily diets, we’d lower our risk of heart disease by up to 9 percent, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Restaurant foods and processed foods both tend to be very high in sodium, so a key step in lowering your sodium intake is to cook at home using fresh ingredients instead. One idea to cut back: try eating out less and cooking more at home using fresh ingredients instead. And try boosting flavor with herbs and spices rather than salt.
4. Cut Down On Saturated Fat
Saturated fat—the kind of fat that’s found in whole milk, cheese, butter and meat—raises your “bad” LDL cholesterol, which can damage arteries. One idea to cut back: Avoid animal fats and swap them for healthier unsaturated fats from plant foods like nuts, avocados and olive oil. How? Try giving up cheese. (just try it for a week!) It is, by far, the biggest source of saturated fat in my diet. If you must, try the low fat cheese. I’ll use healthy fats in place of cheese (avocado in my burritos and almond butter on my toast) to help keep me satisfied.
5. Cut Down On Refined Grains
Refined grains—white flour, white rice—are stripped of beneficial fiber, vitamins and minerals. So while they add calories, they’re not really providing much in the way of nutrients. And since they’re low in fiber, they’re less satisfying than whole grains. One idea to cut back: Check the ingredient list and make sure the word “whole” describes the grains in the product—if it just says “wheat flour,” for example, that’s not whole-wheat, so make another choice.
6. Cut Down On Processed Foods
I’m not concerned with minimally processed foods—like plain unsweetened yogurt or washed bagged greens—that are still essentially healthy whole foods. Rather, I’m talking about prepared food products with loads of ingredients. By cutting these out, I can easily minimize my intake of added sugars, salt and trans and saturated fat, too, since these things are often added to processed foods for taste. Plus, I’ll make room for more healthy whole foods in my diet. One idea to cut back: go through your cabinets and see which of your foods come in boxes and think of alternatives. Two ideas to get started: swap crackers or chips for crunchy veggies, and if you rely on prepared meals, like mac and cheese or canned soup, find an easy recipe to make your favorites from scratch. Experiment in the kitchen, everyone can cook!
7. Have More Fruits and Vegetables
Year-round, I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Not only do they add a lot of flavor and color to meals, they’re nutrient- and antioxidant-rich, low in calories and can help lower your risk for heart disease. One idea to get more: When figuring out what to make for dinner, make vegetables the main event—start with the vegetables you have on hand or what looks good to you at the market. From there, figure out what else (protein, starch) would go well with it.
8. Have More Water
It’s tempting to choose other beverages, but water really is the best thing to drink. Our bodies are 60 percent water and it’s vital for the function of every organ system, helping to circulate oxygen and whisk away toxins. One idea to get more: choose it for your main beverage at and between meals. If you’re not a fan of plain water, try a spritz of lemon or lime to jazz it up. Staying hydrated is one of the most important things in life!
9. Have More Green Tea
Even though I know green tea has a bevy of health benefits—from boosting immunity to fighting cavities—I don’t drink it very often. One idea to get more: try swapping one of your daily cups of coffee for a cup of green tea instead.
10. Have More Whole Grains
Eating more whole grains could lengthen your life by reducing your risk of cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases, suggests a 2011 Archives of Internal Medicine study. I tend to get in a grain rut—I choose 100% whole-grain breads and tortillas, of course, so technically I’m getting enough whole grains in my diet—but I don’t frequently cook other whole grains. One idea to get more: Try eating one new-to-you grain, such as quinoa or wild rice, each week.
"Bad" Foods You Should Be Eating:
Peanut Butter
The bad rep: Peanut butter is super-fattening.
The good news: Peanut Butter is high in fat but that doesn’t mean it’s fattening. (Gaining or losing weight, and body fat, basically comes down to balancing calories.) That said, peanut butter is a concentrated source of calories, so you don’t want to go overboard. But you don’t need to eat tons to feel satisfied: just a tablespoon (90 calories) or two of peanut butter goes a long way. Plus, peanut butter provides protein and folate, a B vitamin important for the healthy development of new cells. (See the winners of our Natural Peanut Butter Taste Test here.) But be sure to grind up the peanuts yourself in the grocery or purchase the all natural peanut butter, stay away from the big labels.
Eggs
The bad rep: A significant source of dietary cholesterol, egg yolks are off-limits for those concerned about heart health.
The good truth: Medical experts now emphasize that saturated fats and trans fats are bigger culprits in raising blood cholesterol than dietary cholesterol is. Plus, eggs are super-satisfying: in one study, people who ate a scrambled-egg-and-toast breakfast felt more satisfied, and ate less at lunch, than they did when they ate a bagel that had the same number of calories. Egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin, compounds that research links with reduced risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in people over 50. Do not cut out the yolks !!! Also, look for free range rather than cage free, cage free tends to be a misused term.
Beef
The bad rep: Beef is full of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, so people who care about their hearts should avoid it.
The good truth: Lean cuts of beef are a low-fat source of protein and iron, a mineral essential for getting oxygen from the lungs to cells throughout the body—and one many women (of childbearing age) are deficient in. There are many lean cuts of steaks: filet mignon, sirloin, strip steak, flank steak. If you can’t remember the names, pick steaks that are deep red with a relatively small amount of marbling—a fancy name for fat—to find lean cuts. Click here for a Bistro Flank Steak Sandwich that has only 3 grams of saturated fat per serving!
Chocolate
The bad rep: Chocolate has lots of fat, lots of sugar—and it tastes amazing, so it must be bad for you.
The good news: Dark chocolate contains flavanols, antioxidants that seem to have a blood-thinning effect, which can benefit cardiovascular health. And, recently, researchers in Switzerland reported that eating dark chocolate (1.4 ounces of it) every day for two weeks reduced stress hormones, including cortisol, in highly stressed people. But be sure to account for the calories (1.4 ounces delivers 235)—or you may be stressed to see extra pounds creeping on.
Coffee
The bad rep: Coffee can make you super-jittery, interfere with your sleep and, well, it’s just not good for you.
The good news: Studies show that compounds in coffee—including but not limited to caffeine—may reduce the risk of dementia, diabetes and liver cancer. Most benefits are associated with drinking 2 to 4 (8-ounce) cups a day. That said, coffee can make some people jittery—and if this is true for you, you should cut back. You should also limit caffeine if you’re pregnant—The American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology advises no more than two cups a day while expecting—or nursing.
Nuts
The bad rep: Nuts are chock full of fat.
The good news: Nuts are full of fats—but they’re the good, heart-healthy unsaturated kinds. Nuts, and peanuts, which are technically legumes, also deliver other healthy nutrients—which ones depends on the nut. For example, pistachios are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that help keep eyes healthy. Almonds provide vitamin E and walnuts offer significant amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fats. You do need to keep an eye on serving size, though: at around 160 to 200 calories per ounce, nuts do pack a substantial amount of calories.
And a final thought...
Interesting news coming from Montana....road kill could soon be on the menu! Law makers are trying to pass a bill to allow the use of road kill as food...you will have to have a permit.
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written by Alexis Corry, L+L Designs
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