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viranlly · 5 years ago

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What To Expect When You’re Not Expecting The Outdoors in Vancouver

in partnership with Tourism Vancouver

It’s no doubt that Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Some even named them one of the best cities to live in. Yes, I absolutely agree (I’ve been here 11 years now, somehow). I mean... what’s not to like? Fresh air, the mountains, oceans, and of course, the great outdoors that put Vancouver on the map as a global tourist destination.

But what if, you’re not even remotely interested in the outdoors? *I have to admit, I’m probably the least outdoorsy person out there (don’t @ me!)* Will Vancouver still be enjoyable if one is not planning to go to Capilano bridge or doing the Grouse Grind?

The answer is yes.

Vancouver is also home to some of the most talented, hard-working and innovative chefs, bartenders, and restauranteurs in the game. Making it a city that’s filled with delicious eats, drinks, and exceptional coffee culture - don’t believe me? Ask Chris Morocco from Bon Appetit Magazine ;) Plus, we are blessed with the bountiful amount of fresh ingredients, whether it’s fruits, veggies, seafood particularly, and even meat.

Every January, the city also hosts the annual Dine Out Vancouver Festival, a culinary festival that invites both locals and visitors to explore and experience what Vancouver has to offer. For the 18th edition of Dine Out Vancouver this year, there will be 318 restaurants participating in this two-week-long festivity. If you’re local, this time of the year is also a fun time to play tourist in your own city - which, I do, occasionally.

While I might not know where Garibaldi lake is on the map, and I definitely don’t know where to go for the best three-day camping trip (not that I want to do that ever), I do know exactly where you should be sipping your martini and eat your world-renowned aburi sushi. You can trust me on that.

Without trying to sound like a know-it-all, here’s how, in my ideal world, I would spend a typical 48 hours in Vancouver.

8:30 a.m - Ride Cycle Club.

Nothing like starting your morning with a loud, steamy and sweaty spin class. The playlist is always on-point; the instructors, typically with a sexy, raspy voice, definitely gets you going first thing in the morning. There’s so much joy in watching everyone move to the beat, all together. It’s an experience for sure.

10:30 a.m - #dailycortado at Revolver.

If you know me at all, Revolver is practically my morning home base. The rustic, charming, long hallway is usually filled with highly (or soon to be highly) caffeinated individuals, chatting, working, or geeking out about coffee and other stuff (anything from cameras to vintage Rolexes). The menu is simple and straight forward, with beans selection rotating daily -- hence, Revolver. Solid pour-over bar, well-executed, picture-perfect espresso-based bevies too. But this is not the place to order a skinny, two pumps vanilla, one pump hazelnut, caramel macchiato - if that’s even a thing lolz.

11:30 a.m - Snack and fresh flowers at The Birds & The Beets.

By snack, I mean, a freshly sliced of pillowy yet perfectly crusty sourdough with butter and sea salt - as simple as that. Or do the one with their house-made preserves if you’re fancy. Should you need another jolt of caffeine, their coffee is pretty damn good too. Pick up some fresh flowers on your way out too. ALSO, come back later at night when this cute coffee shop turns into Juicebar, a natural wine bar where all the cool kids hang out and drink magnums of pet-nat all night.

12:30 p.m - Deep-fried everything tacos at Tacofino Gastown.

It’s problematic how addicting the crispy chicken tacos at Tacofino can be. I’ve had my days when all I ate was variations of this crispy chicken taco: as a burrito, as a ‘salad’ bowl, as a taco again, and repeat. Juicy tender chicken, pickled veggies, epazote chimichurri, drizzled with buttermilk chili crema - mouthwatering. Their fish tacos are also delicious, it’s, as a matter of fact, their claim to fame, nuff said. You can’t also say no to their nachos, with a glass (or pitcher) of margs, obvs.

2 p.m - Stroll and shop through Gastown.

Drooling over luscious house-plants and Japanese cookware at Old Faithful Shop, selecting new fragrances at Le Labo, I also might as well pick up body balm at Aesop. Oh, and of course, stopping by Roden Gray to see some Thom Browne.

4 p.m - Spritz o’clock at Di Beppe.

Get a table at the cafe to people-watch while drinking bottled, branded Aperol Spritz. It’s an afternoon well spent, you gotta wait til’ 5:30 for happy hour anyways ;)

5:30 p.m - Happy Hour at L’abattoir.

L’abattoir, hands down, has one of the most beautiful bars in the city, with one of the strongest beverage programs too. The cocktails, both original and classic, are always crafted with such passion and precision. The Avocado Gimlet particularly is now a L’abattoir and a Vancouver classic: bright, boozy and herbaceous. Their wine list is a fun one to explore. Whether you’re feeling playful and adventurous, or classic and familiar, the team will find the wine for you. Their happy hour is probably my favorite one in the city: short but sweet. Make sure you make it there 5:30 on the dot to score the highly coveted bar seat (find me in the corner of the bar). You MUST order their iconic baked Pacific oysters, covered in a mountain of foamy truffle-garlic butter. Oh! and the pan-fried sweetbreads on toast is unforgettably delicious. L’abbatoir Dine Out menu can be found here.

7 p.m - Dinner at PiDGin.

One of a few restaurants in Vancouver that figured out how to perfectly marry the east and the west. An Asian-inspired menu, by the way of French cooking, using the freshest ingredients from the Pacific North West. Every dish is always a burst of flavours: rich and indulging without being pretentious. The umami-filled Foie Gras rice bowl is one of the most drool-worthy dishes. So uniquely, and iconically Pidgin. It’s a dish that has stood the test of time and has been there since the restaurant opened its’ doors six years ago now. Their beverage program is also focused on showcasing Asian spirits and flavours: numerous Japanese whisky, craft cocktails, and an impressive sake library. Explore Pidgin six-course Dine Out menu here.

10:30 p.m - Nightcap at Botanist.

I’ve talked about Botanist a lot, and I mean, a lot. While they’re still relatively new, they managed to sky-rocket their way to the top of the restaurant scene. With their award-winning bar team and innovative bar menu, it’s no surprise that Botanist is one of the best bars in the country. Sitting at the bar, sipping Botanist martini, while geeking out about cocktails and spirits is always a fun way to end the night. Botanist martini is an ideal nightcap: boozy, velvety, and obviously tasty. It’s like a vesper that gets an elegant Fairmont makeover, with a Pacific North West influence. This year, Botanist is hosting a Punch Brunch as part of Dine Out Vancouver AND to kick off Vancouver Cocktail Week next year. So exciting!

Day 2

10 a.m - Breakfast at Nemesis.

A hip and happening coffee shop with an impressive brunch menu and delectable baked goods. Of course, the coffee is stellar, and the space is beautiful with bright lights streaming through the windows. Their brunch and pastries, however, have been stealing the show for quite some time now. If you’re in Gastown, the cauliflower hash and the steak and egg are essential. If you happen to be across the bridge, the burrata and scrambled eggs on croissant loaf and is to-die-for. Not to forget their dreamy, kinda fancy croissants (think about Reuben sandwich, strawberry cheesecake in the form of croissant kind of fancy). Oh, and both of their cookies: the insanely luscious classic chocolate chip and the updated ferrero-esque cookie sandwich are worth crossing the bridge for.

12.30 p.m - Aburi lunch at Miku.

If there’s that one place I usually take visitors for the sake of impressing them, it’s Miku. It’s probably one of the most well-known Vancouver restaurants that even Beyonce was spotted dining there. The menu is unique. The world-famous aburi sushi is iconic. And the seafood? It doesn’t get any fresher than what Miku offers. Let’s not forget the multi-million dollar waterfront view, overlooking the harbour and North Vancouver. Their sister restaurant Minami is doing a Dine Out Lunch special too, by the way.

2:30 p.m - Nap.

It’s absolutely necessary.

5:30 p.m - Dinner at Como Taperia.

Oh what an exciting time when Como finally opened its’ doors in Mount Pleasant last year! The premise? A no-fuss-no-muss Spanish tapas restaurant with vibrant food, fabulous Gin and Tonics, and unbeatable conservas list. The room has been buzzing with people since day one - until recently they placed second on Enroute Magazine Best new restaurant. Even more people are now trying to get in to Como. The foie burger is simply a must, and so is the crispy eggplant, drizzled with honey. The oxtail, pepper and frites is so tenderly delicious. They’re also doing fun happy hour starting at 4, offering free tapas- just like they do in Spain. Drink the El Bandarra vermut on tap while munching on the tapa, or make sure to check out their daily tortilla feature.

8 p.m - Cocktails at Hawksworth’s Bar.

Hawksworth is probably as swanky as a Vancouver restaurant can get. While the dining room is very much upscale and can be intimidating, the cocktail bar is lively and chic. Again, get a spot at the bar and start with the Hotel Georgia Cocktail: bright, juicy and refreshing, inspired by the historic hotel itself. If you’re feeling extra fancy, they have a ‘from the vault’ menu that features classic cocktails made with vintage, extremely rare spirits.

10:30 p.m - A burger and nightcap at Pourhouse.

Located in the charming water street, Pourhouse is a cocktail bar nestled in one of Gastown’s historic buildings. The room itself is very old-school America in the prohibition era - luxurious, charming and welcoming. The menu is fairly simple but everything is well-executed. The Pourhouse burger is particularly memorable. I’ve vouched for this burger as the best one in town over and over again - no, I don’t want to argue with anyone on this. Classic cocktails are always crafted so meticulously here: Manhattan, Boulevardier, or a cognac Sazerac. You can’t go wrong with any (or all) of them. Their Dine Out menu this year is outstanding and really showcase what the team can do in the kitchen.

Well, that’s one hell of a list for y’all. I surely hope this helps with planning your delicious next trip to Vancouver!

Discover the full list of restaurants participating in this year’s Dine Out Vancouver Festival here!

See y’all in the 604 soon!

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food | lifestyle | restaurant

#DOVF #Vancouver #Vancouver Food #Travel #Travel Story #Foodie #Vancouver restaurants #Dine Out Vancouver #popular #radar #feature

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hemant3693sworld-blog · 5 years ago

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Seven facts about coffee you probably didn't know

Coffee is the world's favorite hot drink with an estimated 2.25 billion cups drink every day globally. We discovered seven reasons why you might want to get yourself a cup of coffee right now. As a bonus you'll find a simple recipe for a unique coffee cocktail. So without wasting time, lets move to the Benefits of Coffee.

Top 7 Benefits of coffee

Coffee boosts brainpower

Coffee with sugar can turn you into a little genius for a while because the combination of caffeine and glucose activates certain sectors of your brain. The caffeine and coffee acts as a mild stimulant to the central nervous system. This neuronal activity triggers the release of the adrenaline that will affect your body in several ways. Your heartbeat increases, blood pressure rises, breathing tubes open up, sugar is released into the bloodstream for extra energy. Depending on the level of intake it can help improve attention and concentration Remember that slump right after lunch? If you wish your boss would announce a little siesta time? Well, if you are not in Spain caffeine can improve wakefulness during the post-lunch dip. We know that working hours may be tough sometimes Coffee is effective in boosting brain performance for those suffering from jet lag or shift work sleep disorder. However never drink coffee on an empty stomach, since that will do the direct opposite. The effects of caffeine tend to be less pronounced in regular coffee drinkers.

Coffee increases blood pressure

You might want to keep off the coffee if you are going to have a blood pressure test within the next two days. If you have high blood pressure ask your doctor whether you should limit or stop drinking caffeinated beverages. On the other hand hypertension or low blood pressure can be a serious and life-threatening problem If not treated. A tiny cup of coffee can battle a hypertensive episode, a situation where your blood pressure is too low. Add a cup of caffeinated beverage to each meal to raise your blood pressure.

Coffee makes your immune system stronger

Coffee is known for its energy-boosting caffeine effect. It's an abundant source of nutrients and helpful chemicals that can aid your immune system. According to scientists from several countries, coffee reduces the risk of premature death. This is because coffee alters your immune system making it stronger and healthier Coffee contains a lot of antioxidants and phenolic compounds that play a crucial role in cancer prevention. It also improves your liver, heart and digestive system. Still try to stick to natural freshly ground coffee. Instant coffee contains fewer nutrients and more chemical additives and one more important fact for Parkinson's disease Research suggests that, among other factors the potential preventive effect may be due to caffeine too. Coffee relieves a headache. The caffeine can cure headaches and migraines People are aware that caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate But may not know that caffeine is also contained in a variety of over-the-counter medications. That's why it's an ingredient in a lot of traditional pain relievers. It can make them as much as 40 percent more effective. Caffeine increases the strength of the medication, and how quickly it works. So enjoy the stimulating and pain relieving properties of caffeine in moderation.

Coffee reduces stress

Coffee acts well as an anti stress substance due to the release of dopamine and serotonin which trigger a good mood. One cup or even just the smell of coffee can calm your nerves. This could explain the lower risk of depression among coffee drinkers. Drinking between two to four cups of coffee every day appears to reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by 50%. Moreover caffeine is one of the most common stimulators of the central nervous system, and it's common stimulation is what keeps depression at bay. Interestingly only the caffeine contained in coffee has this effect as opposed to the caffeine found in tea, soda or chocolate which does not stimulate the central nervous system as effectively.

Coffee improves your memory

Coffee can positively affect mood, enhance awareness and memory abilities. The stimulators and neuro mediators obtained from coffee not only boost your mood and productivity but also improve your memory. Of course this only works with your short-term memory but this is good enough because all Information is initially stored in a short-term memory and only an hour later does it enter our long-term memory under particular circumstances. At times when it gets a little too difficult to focus a coffee break will offer a welcome change of mind by enhancing Concentration and stimulating moods. All in all, coffee is an enjoyable drink that can help boost energy and increase the ability to learn and remember.

Coffee helps you lose weight

Hey coffee lovers, file this under best news ever Coffee can keep off and help you lose excess weight. It can temporarily suppress your appetite and may stimulate minimal calorie burning. When the level of the hormone leptin is low, your body starts storing fat, and you gain weight. Coffee however increases the hormone levels in your body. Now you know why coffee lovers take longer to gain weight and why exercise yields more results for them caffeine gives you an added boost at work or during exercise.

And here's our bonus: An amazing coffee cocktail recipe. If you're looking for something sweet to pair your milk, this cocktail recipe is a must. It is deliciously smooth and refreshing and it's bottled ready to take on the go. Make your favorite coffee Let it cool off then fill an ice cube tray with the coffee place in the freezer. on a hot day and the coffee cubes to a glass of milk. Sip a delicious mix and feel wonderful.

Many studies suggest that coffee drinkers live longer than non-coffee drinkers. This may be because of confident official effects and inflammation, lung function, insulin sensitivity, and depression. This may be in part because of a class of phytonutrients found in coffee beans called Chlorogenic acid proven to have favorable effects with studies.

Factors affecting Coffee's nutritional value

Okay so now the question which arises is that which coffee is most beneficial for our body? We know how to choose the reddest tomato, the deepest orange, sweet potato. Since many of the plant pigments are the antioxidants themselves, How do you choose the healthiest coffee? More than a hundred coffees were tested in an experiment and different coffees had different caffeine levels but the Chlorogenic acid levels varied by more than 30%.

Coffee selection may have a large influence upon health. So all those studies that show that you know one cup of coffee does this or that, I mean what does that even mean when coffee can vary so greatly.

As some famous coffee distributors roast there beans so much that they lost their chlorogenic acid content and they have almost 10 times lower chlorogenic acid content as compared to the other types of coffee. It's because they roast their beans too dark the more you roast the less there is they appear to be partially destroyed by roasting and caffeine is pretty stable but a dark roast may wipe out nearly 90 percent of the chlorogenic acid content of the beans the difference between a medium light roast and a medium rose were not enough though to make a difference in total antioxidant status in people's bloodstream. After drinking them they both gave about the same boost other factors such as how you prepare it or decaffeination don't appear to have a major effect.

Bottom line

When milk was added to the coffee in like a test tube antioxidant activity decreased by more than half with just a splash of milk and down like 95 percent and like latte or something with lots of milk okay but what happens in the test tube doesn't necessarily happen in a person. I mean you don't know until you put it to the test and indeed over the course of a day significantly fewer chlorogenic acids made it into people's blood.

Drinking coffee with milk compared to black cuts absorption by more than half.

Eat milk chocolate and nothing much happens to the antioxidant power of your bloodstream but eat dark chocolate and get a nice spike within an hour of consumption yeah but is that just because the milk in milk chocolate crowds out some of the antioxidant. Rich cocoa milk chocolate contains like 20% cocoa where's a good dark chocolate maybe like 70% or more cocoa.

How much of this cocoa phytonutrient you get into your bloodstream eating dark chocolate compared to milk chocolate but eat that same amount of dark chocolate with a glass of milk and it blocks about half okay.

If you lied this article then Share the article with your friends to keep them caffeinated.

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theloveliestpartsofasexuality · 6 years ago

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Destressor List: One Each for the Five Main Senses

So, it’s the holidays. School finals are coming up. Pretty much everyone who’ll end up reading this is probably a minority group in at least one way and has to deal with bullshit because of that.

I figure we’re all a bunch of stressed people. Therefore, here are some things you can do to relieve stress that may also even help with anxiety if you have it, like me. These are things that help me, so they won’t necessarily work for you, but it’s worth a shot.

Coloring apps:

Do you like art but don’t feel like you can create anything? Well, do you remember coloring books? There’s apps for that! For adults! There’s a plethora of pixel art apps that are basically color-by-number. I personally use Sandox because it includes a lot of pop culture stuff. The pictures can be simple or complex. Here’s some examples:

If you’re feeling more traditionally ~artsy~ there’s also apps that are pretty much coloring books. I find you can do a lot creatively on Recolor with the free tools. Here’s one picture from start to finish.

You can surprisingly add extra details with crayons. Everything you see added in the third picture was done with the crayons. They can be solid or more transparent and require a bit more patience to use since it’s more than just tapping to make color appear. It’s worth noting that the crayons are not very crayon-like. I feel that I should add that while I did used to draw kinda-sorta decently, I CANT DRAW FOR SHIT anymore because of my tremors, but I can still do stuff like that with the app (Don’t look at those flowers too closely. They look okay in the whole context of the picture but if you zoom in you can see they’re actually just squiggles, ha). The last picture looks that way not because I did anything extra to the picture but because there are filters. I finished the coloring in the third.

Hot Beverages:

During winter especially, it feels good to drink something hot. My main go to is tea. Like coffee, you may not like what you first drink, but it’s a matter of finding what flavor, strength, and level of sweetness you like. Sugar, artificial sweeteners, honey, milk/cream/coffee creamer can all be added to offset the initial bitter brew. You can find crazy amounts of detail about how to brew tea, but you don’t have to try that hard. Just don’t steep longer than ten minutes, though you can steep less. Put a microwave safe mug full of water in a microwave for two minutes. Put the tea bag or infuser in the water to steep. Bam, tea. There’s floral tea, fruity tea, earthy tea, herbal tea, whatever flavors you think might sound good as a hot beverage and more. You can find caffeine free tea easily, but even the strongest teas typically have less than half the caffeine found in a home brewed cup of coffee. Here’s a graph:

You can also go for hot chocolate(try homemade, it’s ridiculously good), hot apple cider(add cinnamon if you want), and decaf coffee. When it comes to coffee, if you want to relax, it has to be decaf.

Fuzzy Things:

When you’re feeling stressed, fuzzy things can be great, especially if they’re warm. Personally, I think the best option is a warm furry friend, but warm furry friends are not available to everyone. However, blankets are also great, and they do not have to necessarily be fuzzy if you’re not into that. You can sit and read on your phone (or scroll through Tumblr) or get a physically there book, watch Netflix/Hulu/cable/whatever you have. Pillows are a welcome addition. Heated blankets are awesome because w a r m t h, and if you’re a person who menstruates, it doubles as a way to ease cramps. On top of all that, you can also have a warm furry friend keep you company if you have one. Or any friend. Maybe even a human friend, why not, let’s gets crazy here.

Bake ALL of the Goods:

I already did taste with the hot beverages, and this is technically a heavy taste thing, but my favorite part of baking is probably the smell(especially bread. You wouldn’t believe how good homemade bread smells). Cookies are an easy one that most people enjoy the smell of and I could give you all SO MANY recipes. Like, you have no idea how many recipes I have. It’s ridiculous. You don’t need many tools for most cookie recipes, not even a hand mixer. In fact, sometimes you can’t use a hand mixture if the cookie dough is too thick. The catch is that you will have to give up on using a spoon near the end and dig your hands into it. No kneading techniques are necessary, but your hands are gonna go in the dough. If you cannot stand the way dough feels, then I’d recommend getting someone to finish mixing the dough for you or get already prepared dough. For a lot of people, however, dough is actually kinda fun to play with.

Here is my comparatively easy, completely unhealthy, absolutely amazing Super Secret Family Recipe for chocolate chip cookies. The base of this recipe can be found on the back of a Nestle chocolate chips bag, but if you compare the two, you’ll notice this one has been...modified.

Baking tools you absolutely need: two large bowls, measuring cups and spoons, baking sheet, something to mix wet(first six) ingredients. May use a large spoon, hand mixer, or stand mixer.

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

2/3 cup shortening (Crisco)

2/3 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks, softened)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda (not powder!)

1 bag of Semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.) Preheat oven 375F or 190C

2.) In a large bowl, mix both sugars, shortening, butter, eggs, and vanilla together.

(Your butter needs to be soft. You may simply leave it out and let it come to room temperature or you may microwave it. Both ways work most efficiently if butter is cut into tabs. If you microwave, be careful! Don’t melt it. Microwave no more than 10 seconds at a time.)

3.) Sift flour, salt, and baking soda together in a separate large bowl.

(To sift, put all the ingredients in the bowl, then you may gently shake the bowl and/or whisk it. I shake the bowl, my grandma used a whisk. Both work fine.)

4.) Pour the dry (ingredients from number 3) ingredients into the wet and mix.

(It is easiest to do this by pouring the dry ingredients by roughly a third of the entire thing at a time. This is the point at which you should stop using a mixer, though you can keep using a large spoon until it becomes too difficult to do so. Mix the ingredients with your hands.)

5.) Fold in however many chocolate chips you want into the dough. I use about half a bag, but you can always use more or less based on your preference.

6.) Form balls of dough roughly one inch thick. You can use your hands, two spoons, or a cookie scooper(easiest). Place on baking sheet a couple inches apart. Bake for 9-12 minutes.

Yields: about 3-3 1/2 dozen cookies. Might give you four dozen if no one eats any cookie dough, I don’t know, never tried that.

Unfortunately, despite how many times I’ve made this, I don’t have a picture of cookies where I followed this recipe. I do, however, have one where I didn’t have shortening and substituted for another 2/3 cup of butter, totaling 3 sticks of butter. If you follow the recipe, the cookies will look similar, but less smooth than these:

If you have any questions or want a different recipe, ask away or DM me. If you’re uncertain about how your dough is turning out, send me a picture and I will be able to tell you how to fix the dough if it needs fixing. Don’t worry, I have corrected every mistake you could fathom with this specific recipe. You won’t be bothering me with questions. In fact, I would love to help out with it. Send me pictures of the resulting cookies, if you’d like!

Music:

So, I’m a musician. Like, I study music education at a college known for their fine arts program. My main method of trying to relax and relieve anxiety always involves music. I do a lot of playing music, but listening to music is the most relaxing thing. My advice here is to branch out and try new music. Even music you’ve never considered before. We have over a thousand years worth of music that you can still listen to today, with endless variations, from all over the world, and you’d never run out of new music.

Listen to songs in languages you don’t understand. And no, I don’t just mean K-pop, though obviously that counts. People make music in every language you can think of. Music is one of the only constants in human history. There’s music for every emotion you can think of and some music paints pictures in your head if the performer is skilled enough. You don’t even need words to do that, either. It can make you feel things just with sound, if it’s good enough. I would recommend songs, but I would need to make a master list, honestly. If you want a starting point, you can give me an emotion, a genre, a time period, a language, a favorite instrument/voice type, and/or any other criteria and I can find something for you.

#lgbtqia #lgbt #not an asexual problem #stress #anxiety #destress #little things #long post #baking #coloring #music #mental health #fun things #you can tell im not a very tactile person

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sociallyawkward--fics · 7 years ago

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Dandelion, azalea, heliconia, aster, magnolia, locust, zinnia, peony, Amsonia, daffodil, calla lily. -H

DANDELION: Do you think you’re important?

Not incredibly, no? Lol life could go on without me and not much would change, probably.

AZALEA: What’s a movie you cried while watching?

Fun fact: I don’t cry at movies, TV shows, or books. I refuse to lol. It’s become a sort of game or competition at this point. I’ve not cried at them since I was too young to remember watching movies.

The closest I’ve come recently, though, is with Coco. I found a lot of parallels between Miguel’s life and my own, and it was just a really emotional movie without that lol

HELICONIA: Do you like when it rains?

Yes!!

Living in Arizona, it’s not something I experience often, so if it’s raining you can bet your butt I’ll be out there frolicking in it. Or sitting inside staring at it. Or just simply standing in it.

I do not like storms, though. I don’t like the raging winds and thunder and lightning. Storms freak me out really bad lol

ASTER: Would you rather be cold or hot?

Hot.

I’m a desert-dwelling gal, so my body is built to withstand the heat, even if I’m uncomfortable it rarely gets unbearable. I cannot stand the cold, though. It’s incredibly uncomfortable and I hate how my hands and nose go numb even if it’s just barely below like 70 (70 itself is honestly pretty chilly though, let’s be honest)

MAGNOLIA: Favorite kind of candy?

Ummmm, tootsie rolls or M&Ms. Reeses and Smarties coming in at close seconds

LOCUST: What was your favorite book as a child?

Oh man idk. I had always loved reading, but Rick Riordan made it an even bigger thing for me to the point where I’d read the original Percy Jackson series almost 30 times before I started middle school, so probably one of those.

I read it so many times that I can still tell you stupid little details from the first book that no one else really payed attention to, like what size shirt Clarisse wore (XXXL, I think. If not, then just XXL).

ZINNIA: Who was your best friend when you were six years old?

I honestly don’t think I had one? Like, I went to a charter school for kindergarten and 1st grade, and I was the oldest kid because my parents didn’t put me in school until I was 5, but everyone else was 4. I’ve been pretty awkward my whole life, so I never had any real friends, I don’t think. It was more like “this group of people was nice to me last week, but now they’re not and this other group is so I’ll play with them” so between 5-7 I didn’t really have any real friends. I was just passed around the kids in the class a few times per year until I moved to public school in the 2nd grade, where I made my first two real friends.

I suppose an argument could be made that someone at my church could’ve been my best friend, but honestly I don’t remember anyone from my church from that time except for this guy that I kissed when I was 4, but that’s another story and this answer is already too long lol

PEONY: What’s your favorite hot beverage?

I actually don’t like any hot beverages lol. Coffee is gross and I can’t have caffeine. I’m too scared to try most teas (but I at least know I don’t like earl gray), but again we have the issue of me not being able to have caffeine.

I would say hot chocolate, but I can’t really drink that either. Like, it tasted good the one or two times I’ve had it, but the drink itself is so thick and heavy that it tends to make me feel really sick shortly after drinking it.

AMSONIA: Would you ever become a vegan?

No lol. I’m already way too picky. If I removed animal products from my diet, idk if there would be much left that I would eat. Plus, I really love milk. I drink it all hours of the day (if I’m home, people think it’s weird so I don’t drink milk at school or other places lol).

DAFFODIL: What’s the most thoughtful present you’ve ever received?

Oh man, idk?????? Like, my parents were really awesome and got me a camera last year for my birthday/Christmas. Or my friend got me a carebear stuffed animal (Friendship Bear) for Valentines Day, but gave it to me early because I hadn’t been doing well and that was really sweet. Or my friend came to my family birthday dinner and surprised me, and that was really cool of her.

And this is just stuff I remember off the top of my head from recently. Like, this oen time in elementary school I wanted to go to the county fair that year but my parents wouldn’t take us, so my friends who went brought me back a stuffed unicorn from it and I still have it in the house somewhere.

Honestly, I just have a lot of wonderful people in my life that give me wonderfully thoughtful things and I love them so much.

CALLA LILY: If you died right now, what song would you want to play at your funeral?

Shoot, idk. I never really thought about it. Lol I think about dying a lot, but I never really think about what would happen after I did. Umm, I wouldn’t want my funeral to be a sad event. I wouldn’t want a sad song. I want people to be celebrating the time they had with me, not mourning that I’m now gone. I don’t want people to be hurting.

I went searching from this one song I would sometimes hear on the Christian radio stations because I brought the lyrics to mean something they probably weren’t intended to lol. I took it to mean that, yeah, okay, I don’t really fit into what society says a “Christian” should be and most Christians hate me for who I am and what I believe, but my God made me this way and He loves me so it doesn’t matter what you say. And so I’d want that to play, because a lot of things I kept secret would come to light if I died.

Like, yeah, I’m queer and liberal and think a lot of things that Christians say that a Christian shouldn’t, but my God set me free. My God’s love made me more than enough. My God set me free. So I’m going to be who he made me to be, and he made me to be queer and liberal and a lot of things Christians say I shouldn’t be. But screw them.

And now that I’m dead, they deserve to know. And they deserve to know that I went out knowing that my God isn’t a crappy dude, like their God is.

So after like 20 minutes (because I couldn’t remember the lyrics) I found it. Live Like You’re Loved, by Hawk Nelson

Also that got way too deep and way too long, so sorry about that lol.

That’s certainly a question to end on lol

#ask #anon #H anon #ask games

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lowcarbnutrients · 5 years ago

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Keto Coffee: What It Is and Why People Are Drinking It

Keto novices are most likely to find throughout one staple beverage when searching for keto-friendly dishes: fatty coffee.

Along with fat bombs and low carb variations of your favorite foods, blending coffee with fats like butter or coconut oil has actually ended up being a morning ritual for lots of on the keto diet.

This keto coffee, popularized as bulletproof coffee, helps improve your ketones, invigorate you, as well as please you.

If you're not already on the keto coffee bandwagon, this guide will show you just how to update your early morning coffee to make keto simpler. You'll discover:

What keto coffee is

3 health benefits of fatty coffee

How to make keto coffee at home

What is Keto Coffee and Is It Truly Healthy?

Keto coffee, also referred to as butter coffee, was brought to the mainstream by Dave Asprey under the trademark name Bulletproof Coffee. As the ketogenic diet regimen became a lot more prominent, people began making their own fatty coffees at house utilizing newly made coffee as well as grass-fed butter, coconut oil, or MCT oil as a very easy and also hassle-free way to elevate blood ketones very first point the morning.

Here's what's in it:

#1. Caffeine from Coffee

Caffeine from resources like sweet energy beverages are not only a no-no on keto, they can likewise make you jittery, give you migraines, and also lead you to a succeeding crash.

But high levels of caffeine from natural sources like coffee or tea doesn't include any type of sugar or internet carbs and:

Skyrockets your energy without the jitters

Increases focus and also decreases brain fog

Improves your mood

Boosts physical performance

Coffee additionally contains antioxidants, necessary B vitamins, as well as phytonutrients, which all function to maintain your body healthy and also deal with off harmful totally free radical damage to your cells.

This may be why researchers from one thorough review of 201 meta-analyses found out drinking 3-4 cups of coffee every day was gotten in touch with a lowered threat of numerous conditions, including:

Cardiovascular disease

Cancer

Neurological conditions like Alzheimer' s

Metabolic conditions like obesity and also type 2 diabetes

Liver disease

Coffee suppresses your hunger as well, which suggests you'll eat fewer calories throughout the day and produce a larger shortage for weight-loss.

Plus, caffeine from coffee bumps up your metabolic price so you shed much more calories at remainder. Fortunately here is this effortless weight reduction attacks weight loss particularly so you can keep your hard-earned muscles intact.

Replacing tea for coffee isn't the only recipe change.

# 2. Healthy Saturated Fats for Sustained Recurring Fasting

Intermittent fasting, or just consuming throughout a defined time throughout the day and avoiding food throughout the other "off" hours, has been revealed to:

Improve pens of anxiety resistance

Lower inflammation as well as blood pressure

Lead to healthier lipid levels

Reduce your risk for cardiovascular condition, neurological disorders (such as Alzheimer's as well as Parkinson's), as well as cancer

If you're using high-fat keto coffee in the early morning to change morning meal on an intermittent fasting schedule, these terrific fats will aid you withstand food longer.

This is why keto coffee is likewise called butter coffee, it begins with black coffee and after that requires:

Grass-fed butter, which boasts 500% even more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than butter from grain-fed cows.

The CLA found in grass-fed butter is an omega-6 you'll likewise find in meat and milk items, which can:

Help prevent cardiovascular disease

Lower your risk of cancer

Improve bone mass

Fight inflammation

Boost your immunity

You can also make ghee from grass-fed butter as well as use that as well, or these following two healthy and balanced saturated fats:

Coconut oil, which is made by extracting oils from the breast meat of coconut, can be made use of in area of butter. There more than 2,000 studies on coconut oil as well as its benefits for your health so this is a good alternative even if you're not vegan.

Cocoa butter is fat removed from the cocoa bean (yes, the same one used to make delicious chocolate) . Cacao butter, like coconut oil, is solid at area temp but thaws rapidly in coffee. It's likewise filled with anti-oxidants and healthy and balanced saturated fats.

Now, all these fats are excellent, but they're not "the one".

MCT oil is what sets keto coffee on a pedestal over the rest.

# 3. MCT Oil for Brain-Boosting Energy

MCT oil is made from pure tool chain triglycerides removed from coconut oil.

So is MCT oil the exact same healthwise as coconut oil?

Not exactly.

You can not use coconut oil instead of MCTs and also cross your fingers and want to accomplish the very same health and wellness benefits.

MCTs are a byproduct of coconut oil so they're not interchangeable or truly the exact same thing.

Coconut oil consists of around 55-65% of MCTs, extracted MCT oil is 100% MCTs.

MCTs are one of the very best bioavailable resources of power, your body does not have to hang around processing these fats prior to they kick right into high gear.

Not only are they swiftly absorbed, your body turns MCTs right into ketones and uses this vital force instantly.

So you add extra ketones to your body (which assists you get to or keep ketosis) and also your body never has a chance to keep these calories as fat - it's a real keto win/win!

Just when you believe you've won the display showdown, medium-chain triglycerides provide additional wellness benefits various other fats can not match, that makes them particularly useful for people following a ketogenic diet plan.

MCT oil helps you:

Lose weight. MCTs assist you really feel fuller for longer and also they have a thermogenic result, which offers a leg up to your metabolic rate so you score higher range victories.

Lower swelling and enhance gut health. The all-natural antibiotics in MCT oil assist your gut do away with harmful bacteria without harming the great microorganisms. The outcome is an ideal pH balance, which leads to a healthy and balanced digestive tract biome, which after that enhances your digestion as well as rocks your world.

Score better mental focus. MCTs sharpen your cognitive performance because your brain contains and functions finest on fatty acids.

Ketones are able to travel through the blood-brain obstacle as well as come to be rocketfuel for your central nerves so MCTs straight support mind health and wellness.

One research study showed supplementing with MCTs generated higher ketone degrees in the blood as well as also improved memory in those with memory impairment.

Increase exercise efficiency as well as muscle mass gains. MCT oil helps secrete insulin and insulin is needed for building muscle. Integrating MCT oil with your healthy protein trembles will aid you achieve ketogains without added carbs or sugar.

Lower your risk of diabetes. MCTs likewise boost insulin sensitivity - a crucial consider diabetic issues avoidance as well as monitoring for both diabetic person and nondiabetic research study participants.

Support better heart health by stabilizing your lipid profile and reducing undesirable cholesterol.

So allowed's do a quick wrap-up here:

One mug of keto coffee - packed with what we now know is high levels of caffeine and also healthy, stimulating fats - will raise your blood ketone levels, supercharge your mind, as well as lead to better total health.

Now you most definitely require to discover exactly how to make this hassle-free beverage.

How to Add Keto Coffee to Your Diet Plan Like a Pro

The only "wrong" time to drink on keto coffee is appropriate prior to bedtime, however feel free to consume a keto coffee when you most require a blast of energy or a fast way to squash your appetite in between dishes, such as:

In the morning after you consume a complete glass of water to hydrate beforehand. This will help you get up on the right side of the bed even if your alarm quaked you out of bed.

In the afternoon when you need a mind boost to make it through the rest of your stressful day.

During a fastto reach your intermittent fasting goals without really feeling famished and tempted to nosh before your consuming window opens up.

On the go. Keto coffee might not be the easiest beverage to whip up on location, but you can make a set as well as bring it with you to consume as a pre- or post-workout pick-me-up.

Keto coffee will certainly be among the ideal additions to your keto dish plan, so have these components on deck.

Here's What You Need to Make Keto Coffee

You probably already have most of these active ingredients in your well-stocked keto pantry.

If not, they're not incredibly costly to grab and also they'll last a reasonable amount of time to spread out the expenses over numerous servings.

The classic keto coffee dish calls for:

1 cup freshly made warm black coffee

1-2 tbsps lawn fed butter

1-2 tablespoons MCT oil or MCT oil powder

All you need to do is combine these ingredients in a blender or food processor, whip it on reduced awhile, and also then up the speed to high for 30 seconds until it starts to obtain foamy like a latte.

Pretty easy, right?

Now to make the ideal mug of keto coffee, we such as to utilize these active ingredients:

# 1. Single origin, light roast coffee

Single-origin suggests coffee beans sourced from one solitary manufacturer, crop, or area in a certain country.

Arabica beans are much less susceptible to mold and also mycotoxins, which are enabled to be present in your coffee at extremely low levels.

Single origin Arabica beans are a much safer choice because you can map the source of your beans to regional estate ranches where they roast in tiny batches. You also reach experience a richer, much deeper flavor account details to where those beans are grown.

Beans which are not single-origin are flown in from growing areas throughout the world and after that blended, baked, packaged, and delivered from various places. This not just increases the opportunities of choosing up unfriendly mycotoxins yet likewise makes for much less yummy coffee.

Additionally, a light roast is key here.

The longer coffee beans are baked, the even more high levels of caffeine those beans lose. This indicates dark roast coffees have the least caffeine and medium-roast are someplace in between.

So light roast coffees include more caffeine as well as they're typically much less bitter, brighter, as well as far better sampling without sugar.

How you brew your coffee is entirely approximately you: stick to your traditional automatic coffee maker or have a look at an Aeropress, Chemex, or French continue Amazon, which all brew delightful, smooth cups of coffee without the plastic pollution of a Keurig.

# 2. Grass-fed butter or organic coconut oil

Unsalted grass-fed butter is conventional. You can learn more regarding why we like the butter from grass-fed cows over butter made from grain-fed cows in this guide.

And you'll wish to look for virgin or raw coconut oil, which is widely considered as the best type of coconut oil for consuming. Here, the meat of fresh, fully grown coconuts is drawn out without the need of incredibly high temperatures or chemicals.

# 3. Fluid MCT oil or MCT oil powder

Boxers or briefs? Chocolate or vanilla? Lannister or Stark?

We do not judge your choices or preferences.

Learn all regarding the differences in between liquid MCT oil and also MCT oil powder in this guide, or take a look at this useful graph for a quick recap of where these two titans both radiate:

If you can't determine, or if you're a glass-half-full, always see the silver lining in people type of person, it's not a negative suggestion to stock both.

You can include liquid MCT oil to your keto coffee when you're home as well as take along MCT powder when you're traveling or making your second mug at the workplace for way much less mess.

Bonus: Both fluid MCT oil and also MCT oil powder feature prominently in our favored keto recipes like our iced keto coffee and cinnamon dolce latte smoothies.

Adding these staples is a solid financial investment in your keto pantry.

But these next optional ingredients take your keto coffee following level.

#4. Optional add ins

Use one or even more of these to taste each mug of keto coffee like a brand-new coffee store experience:

Heavy whipping cream

Unsweetened almond milk

Unsweetened coconut milk

Collagen peptides from collagen protein powder

Cinnamon

Pink Himalayan salt

Maca powder

Sugar-free cocoa powder

Peppermint or almond extract

Lavender oil

Pure vanilla

Stevia

Monk fruit

Try trying out your favored flavors and also you'll be able to work up a keto coffee with your eyes enclosed less than five minutes.

Or Get Keto Coffee the Easy Way

What if you do not have time to await coffee to make, include all your keto coffee components, blend, and deplete before heading out the door?

Skip the coffee chemistry class as well as mess hall tasks and also just get a Perfect Keto Instant Keto Coffee single serve pack and go.

We incorporate high top quality, spray-dried coffee beans (standard to 60mg of caffeine) with 10g of MCT oil powder from organic coconuts to deliver a split second, ideal, keto-friendly coffee.

And as you have actually concerned expect from us, our Perfect Keto products contain no fillers, ingredients or chemicals. Instant Keto Coffee does come in three tastes:

Unflavored: Brew with hot or cool water for initial course coffee in seconds.

Mocha: with a dusting of 100% organic, Ecuadorian cocoa powder and also stevia for a guilt-free mocha cappucino or cold brew.

French Vanilla: with a tip of vanilla and also stevia for a perfectly sweet cappucino.

Add warm water for a steamy, loosening up mug of warmth as well as comfort or make it with cool water for an immediate cool mixture whenever you need it.

Either way, including keto coffee to your day will be just one of the very best choices you can make before you're entirely awake.

And just how usually can you claim that?

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#diet #diet recipes #health and wellness #lose weight #low carb #weight loss #wellness

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fuelyogurt6-blog · 5 years ago

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Ricki’s Raves: Yes, This IS Healthy!

I’ve decided to start a little series called Ricki’s Raves, in which I share some of my favorite items (both food and non-food alike) that I truly love and use all the time. Today, I rave about the products I’ve discovered that provide healthier alternatives that still taste indulgent.

If you’re used to eating healthy food, you already know that healthy can easily equal “delicious.”

But what if we could make all that delicious, healthy food even. . . healthier? Without losing flavor or appeal?

In today’s edition of Ricki’s Raves, I’m talking about some new products and appliances I’ve discovered that help to enhance the health value of foods you are probably already eating. And who doesn’t want to eat even MORE yummy foods–entirely guilt-free?

1. Shantiva Copper Pitchers

What It Is

I have to admit, I wasn’t familiar with all the health benefits of using a copper pitcher before I was contacted by the folks at Shantiva Copper Pitchers. This beautiful and handcrafted pitcher looks more like an art piece than an functional tool that’s supportive of good health. Then I found out that the advantages of copper drinking vessels find their roots in Ayurveda, where they’ve been used for thousands of years.

More recently, these claims have been supported by modern health sources as well. By storing your water overnight in the pitcher and drinking it the next day, you’ll acquire all the health benefits of copper-infused water.

Why You’d Use It

Because copper is an essential mineral that is necessary for good health, you want to be sure you have enough in your body (though of course too much can be dangerous as well). When water is stored overnight in the copper pitcher, it’s gently infused with copper and can then be sipped throughout the day, used to create delicious drinks, or added as a beverage to meals to help you reach an optimum level in the body. This site recommends drinking two to three glasses a day to acquire the correct amount of copper.

Copper-infused water is not only highly alkaline (good for most of us in the modern world, as our bodies tend to be too acidic), it’s also known to have anti-inflammatory properties, support thyroid health, support clear skin and aid in digestion.

In addition, copper is known to be anti-bacterial, so water stored in a copper pitcher remains fresh longer and there’s much less chance of any unwanted microbes surviving in it.

What I Love About It

The copper pitcher is a gorgeous piece of handcrafted art as well as a health-supportive, functional tool.

I really love that each pitcher is created by hand, one at a time, so no two are exactly alike. The craftsmanship is clear and it’s put together exceptionally well; each pitcher is crafted from a single piece of copper, which makes it much more durable and long-lasting than inferior products (in fact, they company promises that they will last a lifetime).

The copper pitcher is also really easy to clean--simply wash the inside with regular dish soap and water, then dry right away. If you find that the pitcher develops a patina (dull spots), then just cut a lemon, sprinkle a little salt on it, and rub over the surface. I’ve done this a couple times already after we forgot to dry the pitcher immediately after washing and the copper acquired a few dull spots where the water dried; it brightened up immediately and looked good as new. (You’ll find full cleaning instructions with the pitcher or on the Shantiva website).

Plus, it’s breathtakingly beautiful just sitting on your table!

Cost

On the Shantiva site, the pitchers are selling for $39.50 US or $50.90 CAD. Plus, they ship worldwide!

How I Use It. . .

As suggested by Shantiva, I stored my water overnight (or 6-8 hours) in the copper pitcher before drinking. This allows the copper ions to dissolve in the water (a process called Oligodynamic effect, ‘‘which has the ability to destroy a wide range of harmful microbes, molds, fungi” and so on). [source].

It’s also important to ensure that your vessel is made of pure copper (the Shantiva copper pitcher is), and that you don’t overdo it. Having a drink in the morning and perhaps one in the evening is enough to acquire sufficient copper. Also, this site suggests taking a one month break from the copper-infused water after drinking it for 3 months, to allow our bodies to recalibrate and eliminate any excess.

After I first filled the pitcher, I simply drank the water straight up to see how I liked it. It was fresh tasting and somehow “lighter” than what I was used to. There was no metallic taste (though apparently some people do detect it a bit). Really lovely!

I also started making lemon-infused water once the weather got a bit warmer. You can add whatever fruits or flavorings you prefer, but please note: it’s very important that you not add anything except water to the pitcher! Acids can degrade the copper and allow too much to leech into the water. So be sure to mix any beverages separately, and drink them from regular glasses!

2. Breville’s Smart Oven Air

What It Is

So we’re all familiar with the air-frying craze these days, right? Air frying allows you to achieve similar results to deep frying with only a fraction of the oil used, so that the final product is just as tasty, but much better for you.

The new Breville Smart Oven Air is a one-stop countertop appliance for air frying, convection baking, roasting, dehydrating, reheating, proofing, pizza-making and more–and let’s not forget toasting! You’ll be able to replace a long list of other small appliances with this one amazing oven.

Why You’d Use It

We had had a toaster oven for decades, but always found that it was either too small for many tasks, and of course wasn’t capable of others (like dehydrating or air frying). The Smart Oven Air is now stationed firmly where our toaster oven used to be, and we use it several times a day most days.

Some of the most common functions we’ve used so far are the air fryer (for sweet potato fries and regular fries; I’m really keen to try some of the more exotic recipes you’d find in my friend JL’s book, The Vegan Air Fryer, too), the convection oven (so quick and evenly browned!), the regular oven (recipe testing), the reheat function (perfectly timed) and the warm function (when you have a stack of pancakes or waffles you want to keep warm while you cook more).

What I Love About It

Just take a look at this 15-second video:

As with all the Breville appliances I’ve tried so far, the Smart Oven Air makes it as easy as possible for you so you can achieve the best results with the least effort. This means separate dials for function, temperature and time, all of which come pre-set, but which you can also change as you like.

In addition, this oven is big enough to house a 9×13 inch (23 x 33 cm) roasting pan, 12-cup muffin cup or 9 pieces of toast, yet it’s quiet enough that you won’t really notice it as it runs in the background. It fits neatly on our countertop where our old toaster oven used to be, yet replaces about 5 other appliances in the kitchen.

Cost

The Smart Oven Air retails for $599.99 in Canada and $399.95 in the US.

How I Use It

We’ve been playing with all the features we can since we got the oven a couple of weeks ago. First up, of course, was some air-fried sweet potato fries (see video, below).

These were fantastic! They browned up really quickly (they were ready in about a quarter of the time that they normally would take) and were fully crisp on the outside in only 18 minutes. Because sweet potato fries tend to be softer than regular fries, it normally takes a lot longer to become crispy, but not these babies!

Next up were some of my Best Home Fries Ever, made in the air fryer instead of a frying pan. Another hit–and we loved that they were ready in about a quarter of the typical time.

I’ve also used the oven to reheat weekend brunch waffles (which, as it turns out, I made in my Breville Smart Waffle maker!). So convenient when you’ve got frozen waffles on hand!

Finally, I’ve been developing a grain-free brownie recipe and have tested it both in the conventional oven as well as with the convection setting. I love the oven’s ability to switch back and forth between the two! There’s also a “super-convection” setting for those hard-core convection fans. The brownie came out about the same in each case, but obviously baked up much faster with the convection setting.

[Baking up a perfect brownie in the Smart Oven Air!]

I’m looking forward to giving some of the other settings a try, particularly the “Dehydrate” setting. This recipe is one I’ve made for ages in the regular dehydrator–and now that machine may just be set aside, too.

3. GLOW Ball Sugar-Free Truffles

[Coconut Cream Pie (with pieces of coconut on top) and Brazil Nut Cream (with Brazil nut crumble) GLOWBalls.]

What It Is

If you’re looking for a rich, indulgent-tasting treat that contains NO sugar, NO dairy, NO caffeine and NO artificial or unhealthy ingredients, look no further! Julie Beyer’s GLOWBall Truffles Classic Collection (or GLOWBall Truffles Luxe Collection) are an entirely natural, organic sweet treat that allows you all the enjoyment of the most sinful-tasting truffles without any of the negative consequences.

GLOW Balls are made with carob (rather than cocoa or chocolate), for a no-caffeine alternative that’s good for just about any diet, including the anti-candida diet! (If you prefer naturally sweetened chocolate, you can peek at the GLOW Chocolate Collection).

The combination of carob, organic coconut and coconut oil, plus an array of superfood ingredients like maca, mesquite or lucuma, ensure these truffles are not only incredibly delicious, but also elegant enough to serve to guests at the most posh of dinner parties or events.

Why You’d Use It

[Some of the “Naked” Truffles. Mmm!]

If you’re steering clear of sugar or refined sweeteners like I am, GLOWBalls are a fantastic way to treat yourself to something low glycemic, naturally sweetened (with green stevia and, for some of the products, maple syrup) and utterly delectable. There was absolutely none of the typical “stevia aftertaste” that people mention when consuming stevia-sweetened products; only a subtle sweetness combined with rich, full flavor.

These treats are also suitable for just about every “free-from” diet out there. As Julie states on the site, “All the ingredients we use are certified organic, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten free, soy-free, GMO free and we use no preservatives, soy, corn or dairy. Everything we make is real and nutritious.” But you wouldn’t know it from the heavenly taste and texture!

What I Love About It

First and foremost, I loved the taste of these truffles. No, they’re not chocolate, but they were chocolatey nonetheless, satiny smooth, creamy and rich, with a mouthfeel like the very best chocolate truffle filling, melting slowly and lovingly on the tongue. Truly a delightful experience that you will relish.

My sample contained two flavors from the GLOWBall LUXE Collection: Brazil Nut Coconut Cream and Coconut Cream Pie. The flavor of the Brazil Nut Cream was similar to delicate milk chocolate, impossibly creamy and rich. The Coconut Cream Pie, while firmer, provided an almost fudge-like taste that was fantastic as well.

These treats are definitely the best products I’ve tasted in the sugar-free chocolate/truffle category, and incredibly high quality. GLOWBalls are a treat for both your taste buds and your whole body.

Cost

The truffles’ price varies depending on the size of the package you purchase, and the price per truffle decreases with larger orders. They start at $2.00 (Canadian) per piece, down to $1.40 per piece for the largest package; shipping is extra (and they ship outside Canada, too!).

But GUESS WHAT? Julie has kindly offered a special discount just to RH readers! Use the discount code RickiGLOW10 upon purchase and you’ll get 10% off your entire order! Pretty sweet, right? 🙂

How I Use It

I have to admit it, after the first taste, I was hooked and basically enjoyed the GLOWBalls all on their own, savoring every single bite. It was only after my sample had disappeared (far too quickly, I may add), that I realized it could have been fun to combine them with some other treats.

If you have the willpower to set some aside after you try them, they’d be great:

chopped and/or crumbled over your morning smoothie bowl;

chopped and added as a layer in a yogurt or pudding parfait;

mixed into your favorite flavor of ice cream; or

stirred into whatever sweet treat you think would benefit from the addition!

4. Health Garden Low Glycemic Sweeteners

What It Is

Health Garden began selling low-glycemic natural sweeteners in 2010 and currently bills itself as “the leading brand of natural sweeteners in the USA with our products being sold in 750+ stores across the country.” Yet, I have to admit, even though low-glycemic sweeteners are all I ever use, I was entirely shocked that I’d never heard of them.

Why? Because, while you may not find them in every local health food store, they are readily available in retailers such as Shoprite, HomeGoods, and Sam’s Club, and online at amazon.com, Walmart, Urth Market, and Jet.com and others.

Health Garden offers a full range of lower and zero-glycemic natural sweeteners, such as stevia, xylitol (my favorite granular low glycemic sweetener), erythritol, monk fruit, agave nectar, and more. When my package arrived, I was overwhelmed by all the amazing goodies inside!

Why You’d Use It

If you’re on an anti-candida diet or cutting down on sugar consumption for any reason (diabetes, other blood sugar issues, Lyme disease, leaky gut or just to get away from too much sugar in the diet), you want to be using lower glycemic sweeteners like those from Health Garden.

With so many options these days that taste and function like sugar without actually spiking blood sugar, there’s no reason not to use this type of alternative, natural sweetener. Depending on what you’re looking for, you can opt for stevia (the leaves of which provide natural sweetness), xylitol (a sugar alcohol that does exist naturally, but in smaller quantities, and has been shown to have some anti-candida benefits), or monk fruit (a zero glycemic sweetener that provides all natural sweetness), for instance.

These sweeteners work wherever another, higher glycemic sweetener might also work. See below for some great ideas!

What I Love About It

The products are cleanly packaged, all natural, gluten-free, GMO-free and all taste great (note that the only one I didn’t try yet is the agave nectar, since I’m not using it as much these days). All the dry sweeteners I sampled were great. They taste just as good as the other ones I’ve tried and produced the same kinds of results in baked goods and other treats.

And, of course, these low glycemic sweeteners are so much better for your health than sugar!

Cost

Depending on which product you purchase, the costs varies from $9.99 US for the stevia packets to upwards of $36.00 US for the 3-pound Monkfruit bag.

How I Use It

If you follow this site, you know that I LOVE my low-glycemic sweeteners and use them all the time! Do a search for “xylitol” or “stevia” on the site and you’ll find hundreds of hits. So here are just a few of the most recent sweet experiments I’ve had:

The BEST Chocolate Avocado Pudding.

This pudding is a recipe I created for my Sweet Life Club members, and it’s been all the rage for the past month since it was introduced! Using the Health Garden Golden Monkfruit as the sweetener, it reminds me of the classic cooked chocolate pudding you had as a child, with absolutely no trace of bitterness whatsoever.

Here’s what one Sweet Life member said about it:

Carrot Cake Ice Cream.

How perfect is this Carrot Cake Ice Cream for the warm weather? Using xylitol as the primary sweetener, it results in a perfectly balanced, sweet and creamy dessert that you’d never know didn’t contain sugar.

Not-Ella Carob Butter.

This is a great substitute for nutella if you’re someone who’s concerned about all the sugar in the traditional spread–and it’s even nut-free. This recipe uses stevia as the primary sweetener.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of Ricki’s Raves–and that you’ve got a new perspective on how fantastic healthy food can be!

Want to know what else I love? Find the entire collection of Ricki’s Raves posts here.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by some or all of the companies featured here. As always, my opinions are my own. I never (ever) recommend items or products on the site that I don’t already use and love. If some links are affliate links and you choose to purchase using those links, at no cost to you, I will receive a small percentage of the sale.

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Source: https://www.rickiheller.com/2018/05/rickis-raves-yes-this-is-healthy/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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pigeonmark6-blog · 5 years ago

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Ricki’s Raves: Yes, This IS Healthy!

If you’re used to eating healthy food, you already know that healthy can easily equal “delicious.”

But what if we could make all that delicious, healthy food even. . . healthier? Without losing flavor or appeal?

1. Shantiva Copper Pitchers

What It Is

Why You’d Use It

In addition, copper is known to be anti-bacterial, so water stored in a copper pitcher remains fresh longer and there’s much less chance of any unwanted microbes surviving in it.

What I Love About It

The copper pitcher is a gorgeous piece of handcrafted art as well as a health-supportive, functional tool.

Plus, it’s breathtakingly beautiful just sitting on your table!

Cost

On the Shantiva site, the pitchers are selling for $39.50 US or $50.90 CAD. Plus, they ship worldwide!

How I Use It. . .

2. Breville’s Smart Oven Air

What It Is

Why You’d Use It

What I Love About It

Just take a look at this 15-second video:

Cost

The Smart Oven Air retails for $599.99 in Canada and $399.95 in the US.

How I Use It

We’ve been playing with all the features we can since we got the oven a couple of weeks ago. First up, of course, was some air-fried sweet potato fries (see video, below).

Next up were some of my Best Home Fries Ever, made in the air fryer instead of a frying pan. Another hit–and we loved that they were ready in about a quarter of the typical time.

I’ve also used the oven to reheat weekend brunch waffles (which, as it turns out, I made in my Breville Smart Waffle maker!). So convenient when you’ve got frozen waffles on hand!

[Baking up a perfect brownie in the Smart Oven Air!]

3. GLOW Ball Sugar-Free Truffles

[Coconut Cream Pie (with pieces of coconut on top) and Brazil Nut Cream (with Brazil nut crumble) GLOWBalls.]

What It Is

Why You’d Use It

[Some of the “Naked” Truffles. Mmm!]

What I Love About It

Cost

But GUESS WHAT? Julie has kindly offered a special discount just to RH readers! Use the discount code RickiGLOW10 upon purchase and you’ll get 10% off your entire order! Pretty sweet, right? 🙂

How I Use It

If you have the willpower to set some aside after you try them, they’d be great:

chopped and/or crumbled over your morning smoothie bowl;

chopped and added as a layer in a yogurt or pudding parfait;

mixed into your favorite flavor of ice cream; or

stirred into whatever sweet treat you think would benefit from the addition!

4. Health Garden Low Glycemic Sweeteners

What It Is

Why You’d Use It

These sweeteners work wherever another, higher glycemic sweetener might also work. See below for some great ideas!

What I Love About It

And, of course, these low glycemic sweeteners are so much better for your health than sugar!

Cost

Depending on which product you purchase, the costs varies from $9.99 US for the stevia packets to upwards of $36.00 US for the 3-pound Monkfruit bag.

How I Use It

The BEST Chocolate Avocado Pudding.

Here’s what one Sweet Life member said about it:

Carrot Cake Ice Cream.

Not-Ella Carob Butter.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of Ricki’s Raves–and that you’ve got a new perspective on how fantastic healthy food can be!

Want to know what else I love? Find the entire collection of Ricki’s Raves posts here.

Source: https://www.rickiheller.com/2018/05/rickis-raves-yes-this-is-healthy/

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boudad · 6 years ago

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Finding The Best Chai Hot Cocoa

By Deborah McDonald

There are always going to be those who insist on mixing different things together. While there are some who like their flavors and beverage types separate most of the time, this is one where many can agree there is a certain virtue in the mix. It is definitely worth it to give a chai hot cocoa a try. A big concern of many people is the caffeine content in these types of drinks. If this is something that concerns you, it might be a relief to know just how little caffeine there is in this type of drink when you compare it to, say, espresso or even just a cup of premium blend coffee. The tea in the drink has much less caffeine content than anything like that, and it is further diluted by the chocolate. It might be discouraging if you are someone who is trying to go on a diet and you see how few calories you are supposed to be eating. Other times, it might be the amount of sugar that you are missing out on since that can be quite the addictive stuff as well. It is always a good idea to look at the options that are sugar-free or nonfat since it can make this drink an option for you where it was not before. Many people avoid going to coffee stands. This might be because they had a bad experience with the service at one place in the past and do not want to risk it again. If you just read some reviews, it can make it easier to find a business where you can get a good drink and good service. There is so much information that you can learn about this kind of thing simply by going online. There, you can find all you need to know about how to make this drink or even the history of it. If you are more concerned about where you can find this served near you, that is also something you can find online. It might be hard to get the portions just right when you try to order it at a coffee shop or stand. Everyone has their own personal preference, and once you find yours, you will probably want to stick with it. That is why most people who are extremely picky about this kind of thing will usually want to just make it themselves. This is a great thing to share with your loved ones, such as your friends and family. If you share something good with those you care about, you will get to feel good about their enjoyment as well. Drinking this kind of thing is usually a great conversation-starter. One thing you will not want to forget is the whipped cream. Some people love this stuff so much that they might even say that it is their favorite part of the drink. Just mixing it in and watching the swirls develop is a lot of fun, not to mention the sweetness and creaminess that it adds.

About the Author:

When you are looking for information about chai hot cocoa, come to our web pages online today. More details are available at https://ift.tt/2NgCa1h now.

Finding The Best Chai Hot Cocoa via cakefruit1 https://ift.tt/2GA4hbm

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earthwaterhq-blog · 7 years ago

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Earthwater Feature: 6 Unusual Signs of Dehydration

Your breath, skin, and muscles may be telling you that your body is running low on water.

Dehydration, which occurs when the body has insufficient water and other fluids to function properly, can lead to blood clots, seizures, and other potentially fatal complications. Studies have shown that even mild dehydration can have adverse effects on mood and energy. That’s why it’s so important to catch dehydration early on, but the signs aren’t always obvious ones like thirst and fatigue.

Here are six surprising indicators that you might be dehydrated.

1. Bad breath. Saliva has antibacterial properties in it, but dehydration can prevent your body from making enough saliva.

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“If you’re not producing enough saliva in the mouth, you can get bacteria overgrowth and one of the side reactions of that is bad breath from chronic dehydration,” says John Higgins, MD, associate professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Texas in Houston, and chief of cardiology at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.

2. Dry skin. “A lot of people think that people who get dehydrated are really sweaty; but as you go through various stages of dehydration, you become very dizzy and you don’t have enough blood volume so you get very dry skin,” Dr. Higgins says. He adds that because the skin is dry and not evaporating as well, you can also experience flushing of the skin.

Think you can’t get dehydrated in cooler seasons or climates? Think again. Higgins says symptoms may be milder or come on slower, but it’s still possible to be dehydrated or suffer from heat illness in cooler weather.

3. Muscle cramps. “The hotter you get, the more likely you are to get muscle cramps, and that’s from a pure heat effect on the muscles. As the muscles work harder and harder, they can seize up from the heat itself. Changes in the electrolytes, changes in the sodium and potassium can lead to muscle cramping as well,” according to Higgins.

4. Fever and chills. It might sound counterintuitive, but if your body is severely dehydrated you may experience symptoms like fever or even chills. Fever can be especially dangerous, so be sure to seek immediate medical help if your fever rises over 101°F.

5. Food cravings, especially for sweets. “When you’re dehydrated, it can be difficult for some nutrients and organs like the liver which use water to release some glycogens and other components of your energy stores, so you can actually get cravings for food,” Higgins says. While you can crave anything from chocolate to a salty snack, cravings for sweets are more common because your body may be experiencing difficulty with glycogen production, he says.

Craving something sweet? Reach for a snack that has high water content. Most fruits and vegetables have high water content and will help you stay hydrated, explains nutrition expert and Everyday Health columnist, Johannah Sakimura.

“In fact, some fruits and vegetables are more than 90% water — including cantaloupe, strawberries, watermelon (of course), cucumber, celery, lettuce and leafy greens, zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers,” Sakimura says. “Yogurt also supplies a good amount of water.”

6. Headaches. The brain sits inside a fluid sack that keeps it from bumping against the skull, explains Higgins. If that fluid sack is depleted or running low because of dehydration, the brain can push up against parts of the skull, causing headaches.

Some drinks that can cause dehydration include alcohol, energy drinks, and even caffeine as it has a slight diuretic effect.

How to Check If You’re Dehydrated

Not sure if that sweet craving or muscle cramp is a sign you need to hydrate? Here are two other ways to check if your body is dehydrated.

Try this skin test. First, use two fingers to grab a roll of skin on the back of your hand (between where your watch sits and where your fingers start), advises Higgins. Pull the skin up about ½ to one centimeter high and then let the skin go. The skin should spring back to its normal position in less than a couple of seconds. Higgins says that if the skin bounces back slowly, you might be dehydrated.

Check your urine. If you’re well-hydrated your urine will be mostly clear with a tinge of yellow, Higgins explains. Yellow, chardonnay, and orange are the “warning” colors to watch for. When your body is about three percent dehydrated your urine will be noticeably yellow. When your body is about five percent dehydrated, your urine will appear chardonnay-colored. When your body is more than five percent dehydrated – which is considered severely dehydrated – your urine will appear orange.

Tips for Staying Hydrated

Keep your water bottle handy. “If it's right next to you, you'll likely get into the habit of sipping it without even realizing it,” says Sakimura.

Spice up plain water. “If you don't love plain water, jazz it up by adding a splash of fruit juice or chunks of fresh or frozen fruit,” says Sakimura. “Or, try naturally flavored, calorie-free seltzers (my personal favorite) — their fizz and fruit flavor makes them more appealing than plain, flat water.”

Try different teas. Sakimura recommends reaching for unsweetened flavored teas, which are available in lots of different flavors. “Sip fruity iced teas during the day (with lots of ice if it's hot out) or cozy up with a mug of hot peppermint or chamomile tea at night — they all count towards your daily fluid goal.”

Makeover your snacks. “Swap dry, carby snacks like chips, pretzels, and crackers — which have a very low water content — with refreshing munchies like fresh or frozen fruit, yogurt, healthy smoothies, celery with peanut butter, and cut veggies with hummus,” recommends Sakimura.

Pile on the produce. “Aim to make half your plate produce at meals. All those vegetable and fruit servings will supply water as well as a hearty dose of vitamins, minerals, and fiber,” says Sakimura.

Sip more during meals. “Sipping water with meals will help you eat more slowly, pace your eating, and of course stay hydrated,” Sakimura adds.

Opt for room temperature or cooler water. When it comes to fluids, steer clear of extreme temperatures. When ice water comes into the stomach it constricts the arteries surrounding the stomach, which help the stomach function properly and help with water absorption, explains Higgins. “Ice water will just sit in your stomach until it warms up. If you hear water swishing around in your stomach, it means the water is not getting absorbed,” says Higgins. Fluids that are cooler or room temperature are better options.

When it comes to total water intake, which includes water gained from foods and other beverages like tea and milk, the Institute of Medicine recommends that most women get about 2.7 liters of water a day (or about 12 cups), and most men get about 3.7 liters a day (or about 15 cups).

Source

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corneliussteinbeck · 7 years ago

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Nutritional Strategies For Better Sleep (Tonight!)

It’s not a secret: Sleeping well is incredibly important for good health, as well as recovering from any type of training regimen. It doesn’t matter how dialed-in your diet and training are, if you’re not sleeping well, your health will suffer.

Unfortunately, even when we make sleep a priority by getting to bed on time, it doesn’t guarantee a good night’s sleep. Many people suffer from insomnia, interrupted sleep patterns, or trouble sleeping for a full seven to nine hours a night.1

What you may not realize is that there are dozens of diet and lifestyle factors that affect how well you sleep once your head meets the pillow every night.

In this article, you’ll learn three nutritional strategies you can try today for better sleep tonight!

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How Your Macros and Calories Can Affect Your Sleep

Whether or not you track your fat, carbs, and protein, the relative proportion and amount of each of these macronutrients in your diet can impact your sleep.

There are two main concerns regarding macros that could be affecting your sleep: you may not be eating enough carbohydrates or enough fat (or both.)

Low carb diets are incredibly popular for more than just weight loss. While I’m not anti-low-carb, I find that a lot of my clients — my active female clients in particular — don’t do well on a very low-carb diet long term. Disrupted sleep is one of the first signs that they’re not tolerating the diet.

Many active women on a low-carb diet experience blood glucose drops overnight, which ramp up stress hormones like cortisol and can even wake some women up if it’s extreme enough. Whether or not you wake up hungry, if you’re wide awake right before bed or at some point during the night, you might be experiencing a drop in your blood sugar.

Most of my active female clients see significant improvements in their sleep quality when they’re on a higher carbohydrate diet (more than 30 percent of calories). Even if your overall carb intake is low, having a higher carbohydrate meal within four hours before bed can shorten sleep onset, helping you fall asleep faster.2

Try increasing your total carbohydrate intake to 40 to 50 percent of your calories, or adding 30 to 50 grams of higher glycemic index carbohydrates to your dinner. For a woman consuming 2000 calories a day, this is 200 to 250 grams of carbs per day.

Great options include white rice, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, plantains, and bananas. Natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup are some easily digested sources of glucose.

Fat is another macronutrient that can impact sleep. Dietary fat helps us produce hormones and slows the release of glucose into our blood when we’re digesting carbs from our meal. Long-chain monounsaturated and saturated fats from butter, animal fats (e.g. lard or tallow), olive oil, palm oil, or macadamia nut oil are especially satiating and keep us feeling satisfied for hours after eating a meal.

Adding some healthy whole food fats to all your meals, and dinner especially, prevents overnight hunger and the blood sugar swings that can come from a very low fat diet.

Aim for at least 20 percent of your calories from fat, and try upping it to 30 to 35 percent if you’re struggling with hunger overnight. For a woman on a 2000-calorie diet, this is at least 45 grams fat per day, and possibly closer to 65 to 75 grams of fat per day for an adequate intake. Some of my clients feel best on 40 to 50 percent of their calories from fat. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Remember, inadequate food intake in general (regardless of the macronutrient balance) is going to screw up your sleep. Insomnia is an incredibly common symptom of malnutrition. Make sure you’re eating enough food overall to support your training levels, even if you’re trying to lose body fat.

And don’t go to bed ravenous! Try a snack containing carbs and fat within an hour of your bed time if you’re struggling with pre-bed hunger. One of my favorites is frozen berries or banana with heavy cream or coconut milk, or a frozen, gluten-free waffle with some almond butter on top.

If you’d prefer a beverage over a snack, try herbal tea with a spoonful of honey and a dash of heavy cream or coconut milk. Throwing in a little hydrolyzed collagen powder, which is a great source of the sleep-inducing amino acid glycine, can make it even more beneficial for sleep.

Micronutrients For Better Sleep

Once you’ve got your macronutrients and calories dialed in, it’s good to ensure that your diet is high in micronutrients — vitamins and minerals — especially those that directly impact sleep quality. Some of these nutrients are hard to get high amounts of in the diet, so supplementation may be warranted.

Don’t avoid salt, especially if you’re active. Too little salt may trigger sleep issues in women who are training regularly. Use salt in your cooking and add salt to taste, especially if you’re following a diet low in processed foods with added sodium. If you sweat a lot during workouts, you may need to add some salt to your water to replace the sodium loss.3

Magnesium is a nutrient that calms the nervous system, and can be effective in treating insomnia and improving sleep when supplemented. Yet it’s difficult to get high amounts of magnesium in our diets even when eating healthily. I usually recommend 200 to 400 mg of a chelated form of magnesium like magnesium glycinate or magnesium taurate before bed. You can also take an epsom salt bath to absorb magnesium through your skin.

Vitamin B6 is another nutrient that impacts sleep thanks to its effects on melatonin and serotonin production, both neurotransmitters that affect sleep when out of balance. While B6 is found in many foods, cooking reduces the bioavailability of B6 by 25 to 40 percent, so getting a little extra is a good idea if you’re not sleeping well. Try taking an extra 25 mg per day, and don’t exceed 100 mg daily from all supplement sources.

Zinc affects our body’s ability to use magnesium and B6, and also impacts our sensitivity to excitatory neurotransmitters which can make us more sensitive to stimulation. Zinc is found in oysters, clams, beef, lamb, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, turkey, and lentils, and is easier to absorb from animal sources. If you are vegetarian or have impaired digestive function, or simply don’t eat a lot of zinc-rich foods, you may need to supplement. Most of my clients do well taking 15 to 30 mg supplemental zinc per day in a chelated form like zinc citrate. Don’t take more than 40 mg per day on an ongoing basis.

These four micronutrients are not the only ones that affect sleep, but are the best place to start when looking to increase the nutrient-density of the diet or to add low dose nutritional supplementation to your plan.

(Always check with your doctor or a licensed dietitian before starting any supplementation!)

Stimulants and Sedatives

So far we’ve focused on what to add to your diet if you’re struggling with sleep. Let’s now discuss the things you may need to remove from your diet in order to sleep better.

First, consider your caffeine consumption from drinks like coffee and tea, assessing both the amount and timing of the caffeine intake.

If you drink multiple coffee beverages a day, or have caffeine in the afternoon, it may be causing your sleep disruption.

While you don’t have to completely eliminate caffeine (I’m not cruel!) you may want to cut down on how much you’re having during the day. Try limiting caffeinated beverages to before noon only, and replace one or two caffeinated beverages with a decaf option.

You can try even taking a break from caffeine for a while if you’re really struggling with sleep, but remember to slowly reduce your intake as a cold turkey removal can cause withdrawal symptoms.

And remember that caffeine can come from other sources beyond coffee and tea. Chocolate is a common source of caffeine that people consume close to bedtime, and I’ve found for myself and some clients that having chocolate before bed negatively affects sleep. Try limiting yourself to a small square, or have it earlier in the day if it’s keeping you awake.

Finally, even though alcohol is often used to help us fall asleep, it negatively affects the overall quality of our sleep, making our sleep less restful. While there’s nothing wrong with having a glass of wine or beer to relax at the end of the day, you shouldn’t be relying on alcohol to fall asleep, and daily intake for women should not exceed one to two servings.

If you’re drinking more than that regularly, consider taking a break from alcohol for a while so that you can recalibrate your sleep cycles as well as your alcohol tolerance.

So Your Diet Is Great… Now What?

Once you’ve got your diet, supplements, and stimulant use under control, consider the other lifestyle factors that can affect sleep quality.

Light and dark exposure throughout the day makes a big impact on your sleep cycles and circadian rhythms (your body’s 24-hour clock system.) Be sure to get plenty of natural light during the day and avoid artificial blue light at night. Take a walk outside at lunch, or take your workout outdoors on a sunny day, and turn off the laptop and smartphone at least one hour before bed.

If you’re training several days a week, make sure you’re not exercising very close to bedtime, as exercise is stimulating and can keep you from falling asleep. Try moving your workout to the morning or midday if you’re feeling overly wired at night. And be sure you’re not overtraining, as one of the primary symptoms of too much exercise is poor sleep and insomnia.

Finally, look at your stress levels and stress management habits. I’m willing to bet that most of us struggle with stress in some way, and unless you’re proactively dealing with it, it can significantly impact your health and sleep quality. Learning healthy ways to cope with stress can make a big difference in your sleep as well as your quality of life.

And if you’ve made all these changes and you’re still not seeing improvements in your sleep, consider working one-on-one with a health expert that can give you individualized recommendations for getting your sleep back on track!

References

How much sleep do we really need? National Sleep Foundation. https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need

Afaghi A, O’Connor H, Choow CM. High-glycemic-index carbohydrate meals shorten sleep onset 1’2’3. Am J Clin Nutr February 2007; 85(2): 426-430 http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/2/426.full

Blank MC, Bedarf JR, Russ M, Grosch-Ott S, Thiele S, Unger JK. Total body Na(+)-depletion without hyponatraemia can trigger overtraining-like symptoms with sleeping disorders and increasing blood pressure: explorative case and literature study. Med Hypotheses. 2012 Dec;79(6):799-804. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23234732

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The post Nutritional Strategies For Better Sleep (Tonight!) appeared first on Girls Gone Strong.

from Blogger http://corneliussteinbeck.blogspot.com/2017/06/nutritional-strategies-for-better-sleep.html

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testolynx-blog · 8 years ago

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How to Supercharge your Coffee and your Productivity

I love coffee, the way it tastes and the way it makes me feel, and my daughter and her friends love the Starbucks Frappuccino’s, but there are ways to really enhance the effects and enjoy it even more This is especially true for anyone that needs that extended energy, focus and alertness for work or studying. *I have put a recipe together below for a low sugar Frappuccino, which my daughter also loves (well almost as much).

So almost everyone I know drinks coffee or a caffeine containing beverage daily, and many drink it in the morning to get started and again in the afternoon, usually after lunch, to keep the intensity and productivity flowing. And yet some drink it later to get motivated to work out, or take a pre-workout product which contains caffeine and/or other stimulants.

So lets start with some quick facts. Caffeine in coffee takes about 45-60 to peak in the bloodstream and lasts about 2-2.5 hours, then it tapers off drastically, usually leading to a “crash” effect. So lets say you drank coffee at 7 am, you will probably end up feeling the effects leaving your system around 12 pm and if you eat lunch you might get sleepy also. Second cup on the way!!! But is it going to carry me over to my work-out after work, or am I going to be to wound up and no go to sleep later, wait now that I drank it I feel edgy and foggy, not really clear and focused. What do I do now, how do I make it last longer?

Having been in the nutritional business for 30 years, this is a common complaint from many clients, and these are some of the nutritional ideas to enhance the biochemistry of your coffee and extend its effectiveness.

Guys, coffee is a diuretic, and to boot most people don’t drink enough water as it is, so make sure you drink plenty of water about 50% your body weight in ounces (i.e. I weigh 200 lbs so about 100 oz a day). Not being sufficiently hydrated will not allow the caffeine to have its maximum effect and work its magic. I recommend to drink water that is enhanced with Electrolytes whenever possible, like Smart Water, Essential Alkaline Water, Core Hydration, and for those that need flavor, Vitamin Water Zero (I’m smitten with the Lemonade and the Kiwi Strawberry) This will enhance and sustain your energy levels as well as keep your brain fueled, and functioning.

Avoid sugar as much as possible!! This will really have an adverse affect on energy at the cellular and hormonal level, and contribute to the agitation, moodiness and brain fog. Those fake sweeteners, also pure garbage, have been associated with impaired immune functions. So, I know a lot of people are not used to Stevia, I like Sweet Leaf liquid that comes in different flavors, but please try to use this instead, it will help lower blood sugar and blood pressure, and will also help keep your body from storing fat due to insulin spikes you get from sugar!! *Note: Sugar is Cancer’s favorite friend…

Sleep!! Whenever possible or feasible try to get at least 5-6 hours nightly, “at least”. It also depends, if you fall asleep quickly and sleep deeply, you can get away with less sleep, but I don’t recommend less than 5 or 6 on a regular basis. But then again, the lack of sleep is why we drink coffee!! I know, I know, that’s why we are reading this right?

I try to use Organic coffee, and organic everything else whenever possible and whenever feasible. Let’s be honest, with how hectic our lives can be with school, work, kids, business, sports and other activities, reality can easily overshadow the ideal scenario. Also, not to mention the costs associated, but if you are going to spend money at an expensive coffee shop because of convenience, you may want to weigh out the cost/benefit differential with the organic route whenever feasible. Besides a lot of coffee beans have pesticides and other chemicals in them.

Finally, you may have heard of Bullet Coffee, made from mold free coffee beans and Coconut oil and organic butter. Turns out that this combo is excellent for the Keto-Diet, and the fats help time release the caffeine and give sustained energy levels without spiking insulin.

I like to use 2 squares of Lindt 90% Dark Chocolate in my coffee, with a 2 tablespoons of Organic Valley Half and Half, add Sweet Leaf Stevia liquid, and my 2 Tablespoons of Organic Coffee from Publix, which I brew in my $20 Mr Coffee Maker. The results are extended energy and mental alertness from about 7am to 4pm. I love the taste and the effects.

Dark Chocolate has Theobromine, which is very similar to the Caffeine in coffee, but it enters the system much slower and stays longer. It also has about 11 grams of fat and about 2g of fiber, so it gives the same effect of the Bullet Coffee, so when you combine them, you get an extended release of energy without the crash of just the coffee.

Everybody’s body reacts differently, and we all have different tastes and likes so experiment and see what combination works best for you!!

Carlos Suarez

President G8 Nutrition Inc. http://www.testolynx.com

Frappucinno Recipe

6oz of Organic Almond Milk, or Horizons Organic Whole Milk

6oz of Organic Ice (JUST KIDDING)

1Tspn of organic instant decaf coffee, she’s only 11 years old.

For me caffeine, 2 dropperfuls of liquid Stevia, or more depending on personal taste.

Blend in blender or Magic Bullet.

*You can add 1 scoop of grass fed whey protein, either Vanilla or Choc, and it will become much creamier and thicker, or additionally becomes a Protein Snack.

*You might need to play with the amounts of liquid, coffee and ice to get your desired consistency and flavor. Great fun to drink through a straw.

#proteinshake proteincoffeee coffee energy muscle bodybuilding musclebuilding fatloss testolynx testbooster testosteronebooster

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cristinajourdanqp · 8 years ago

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Dear Mark: Coffee Alternatives for Liver Health, Vitamin C, Gelatin vs Collagen, NAC, My Favorite Way to Cook Greens, and Potato Starch Breading

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering several questions. First, if a person can’t have coffee but wants the benefits it provides to liver health, what else can they try? Next, what role does vitamin C play in glutathione production? Then, I explore how gelatin and collagen differ from each other, followed by a quick description of NAC. After that, I give my current favorite method for cooking greens, and end with a discussion of how breading meat with potato starch changes the meal.

Let’s go:

What is it about coffee, exactly, and can you get the same effect from other foods? Coffee is out for me because I am so highly sensitive to caffeine.

For one, coffee is the primary way we get our antioxidants and polyphenols. You’ve got the satin-pantsed, Tao Te Ching-quoting set eating half their weight in goji berries and the paleo set binging on 99% dark chocolate, but most Westerners get the majority of their polyphenols through coffee. That’s true for Japan, Spain, Poland, and many other countries.

Two, caffeine itself has hepatoprotective effects.

Anything with caffeine is out for you. So, tea won’t work either. You need to look for things with polyphenols known to improve liver health. Luckily, many exist.

Decaf may work. One study found that people who drank decaf had lower liver enzymes, though a more recent study found that caffeinated but not decaf was associated with lower rates of liver cancer. Both studies are observational and thus limited in impact. But decaf is generally quite good for the liver. At worse, it’s neutral.

Anything purple/blue/black will help. Those colors indicate high levels of polyphenols, and things like blueberries and purple potatoes, which are high in these colorful polyphenols, show clear hepatoprotective effects. When rats are given a toxin that normally produces liver damage, blueberry protects them. When healthy white adults with borderline hepatitis drink a purple sweet potato beverage every day for 8 weeks, their liver enzymes improve.

Chocolate is good, too. Go for the dark stuff with high cacao content. Studies—albeit mostly in vitro ones—suggest a protective effect. When liver cells are exposed to celecoxib (the active drug in Celebrex), which can cause liver cancer, adding cocoa extract protects them by preventing apoptosis and inducing autophagy. In existing cancer cells (lung, in this case), however, cocoa increases apoptosis and protects against progression.

That’s a good start. Tough to go wrong with any of those.

What about Vitamin C supplementation? I understand it is necessary to help your body generate glutathione.

Can’t believe I forgot about vitamin C. Thanks for reminding me.

Yes, vitamin C can boost glutathione production, particularly if you’re already deficient. For instance, one study took subjects with verified vitamin C deficiency, gave them extra vitamin C, and tracked the glutathione content of their white blood cells. It went up. This is really important, because white blood cell glutathione protects the cells from free radical damage as they go about their business protecting us from immune insults.

I only knew about muscle meat, I didn’t know about the eggs! Also, I’d like to know if gelatine works or if collagen would be better. Thanks!

They have the same effects once you ingest them. Gelatin needs to be dissolved in hot liquid (unless you like choking down powder that coats your throat), while collagen hydrolysate dissolves in cold liquid.

What is NAC

N-acetyl-cysteine. A fairly common supplementary source of cysteine that upregulates glutathione production.

I would like to see some new recipes for cooked greens.

This was a response to my request for ideas for the blog. More are coming, but here’s a quick one I really like:

Get several fistfuls of red kale. This is the heartiest variety, in my opinion. You can treat it almost like collards. Chop it up into 1 inch strips.

Sauté chopped garlic and shallots, and maybe some chile peppers, in the fat of your choice. I either use butter, avocado oil, or olive oil.

When the garlic/shallots are soft and thinking about browning, toss in the kale. Sauté that until slightly wilted. Add salt and pepper.

When the garlic/shallots begin to brown, drop in a big gob of extremely gelatinous bone broth. Personally, I find that most store bought bone broths don’t cut it. You either have to make it yourself, or find a premium bone broth dealer (for what it’s worth, this one is my favorite).

Reduce the broth with the cover off. The key is timing it so the broth reduces into syrup just as the kale reaches optimal consistency.

Finish with some fresh lemon juice.

If you don’t want to mess with chopping garlic, shallots, and chiles, garlic powder and cayenne work well.

In my experience, even ornery toddlers and extreme supertasters will eat this stuff.

I’ve left another comment, but thought of this: I often cover meat in potato starch and fry them, making a sort of breading. Is that a bad, good, or neutral thing to do?

Frying potato starch will create acrylamide, a potential carcinogen. French fries and potato chips are some of the foods highest in acrylamide, which may partially explain why eating lots of them tends to correlate with poor health. You can reduce its formation, though. Certain spices and plants like clove extract and grape polyphenols inhibit acrylamide formation during the cooking of starches. Rosemary, too, can reduce it. I’d imagine other antioxidant-rich plants, herbs, and extracts would have similarly inhibitory effects. Next time you prepare your potato starch breading, include some ground rosemary.

You’re going to absorb more of the cooking fat, which will increase the amount of energy you take in. Frying at lower heats absorbs more oil, so stick to higher heat for short bouts.

You’re also going to increase the carb content. Not by much, but by some. Next time you do this, measure how much potato starch you use and how much actually ends up on the meat. A tablespoon of potato starch has 10 grams of carbs, or 40 calories.

You won’t get any resistant starch (unless you lick the dredging plate). Applying any significant heat to potato starch destroys the resistant starch entirely.

Thanks for reading, folks. If you’ve got anything to add, do so down below. Take care!

0 notes

watsonrodriquezie · 8 years ago

Text

Dear Mark: Coffee Alternatives for Liver Health, Vitamin C, Gelatin vs Collagen, NAC, My Favorite Way to Cook Greens, and Potato Starch Breading

Let’s go:

What is it about coffee, exactly, and can you get the same effect from other foods? Coffee is out for me because I am so highly sensitive to caffeine.

Two, caffeine itself has hepatoprotective effects.

Anything with caffeine is out for you. So, tea won’t work either. You need to look for things with polyphenols known to improve liver health. Luckily, many exist.

That’s a good start. Tough to go wrong with any of those.

What about Vitamin C supplementation? I understand it is necessary to help your body generate glutathione.

Can’t believe I forgot about vitamin C. Thanks for reminding me.

I only knew about muscle meat, I didn’t know about the eggs! Also, I’d like to know if gelatine works or if collagen would be better. Thanks!

What is NAC

N-acetyl-cysteine. A fairly common supplementary source of cysteine that upregulates glutathione production.

I would like to see some new recipes for cooked greens.

This was a response to my request for ideas for the blog. More are coming, but here’s a quick one I really like:

Get several fistfuls of red kale. This is the heartiest variety, in my opinion. You can treat it almost like collards. Chop it up into 1 inch strips.

Sauté chopped garlic and shallots, and maybe some chile peppers, in the fat of your choice. I either use butter, avocado oil, or olive oil.

When the garlic/shallots are soft and thinking about browning, toss in the kale. Sauté that until slightly wilted. Add salt and pepper.

Reduce the broth with the cover off. The key is timing it so the broth reduces into syrup just as the kale reaches optimal consistency.

Finish with some fresh lemon juice.

If you don’t want to mess with chopping garlic, shallots, and chiles, garlic powder and cayenne work well.

In my experience, even ornery toddlers and extreme supertasters will eat this stuff.

I’ve left another comment, but thought of this: I often cover meat in potato starch and fry them, making a sort of breading. Is that a bad, good, or neutral thing to do?

You’re going to absorb more of the cooking fat, which will increase the amount of energy you take in. Frying at lower heats absorbs more oil, so stick to higher heat for short bouts.

You won’t get any resistant starch (unless you lick the dredging plate). Applying any significant heat to potato starch destroys the resistant starch entirely.

Thanks for reading, folks. If you’ve got anything to add, do so down below. Take care!

0 notes

fishermariawo · 8 years ago

Text

Dear Mark: Coffee Alternatives for Liver Health, Vitamin C, Gelatin vs Collagen, NAC, My Favorite Way to Cook Greens, and Potato Starch Breading

Let’s go:

What is it about coffee, exactly, and can you get the same effect from other foods? Coffee is out for me because I am so highly sensitive to caffeine.

Two, caffeine itself has hepatoprotective effects.

Anything with caffeine is out for you. So, tea won’t work either. You need to look for things with polyphenols known to improve liver health. Luckily, many exist.

That’s a good start. Tough to go wrong with any of those.

What about Vitamin C supplementation? I understand it is necessary to help your body generate glutathione.

Can’t believe I forgot about vitamin C. Thanks for reminding me.

I only knew about muscle meat, I didn’t know about the eggs! Also, I’d like to know if gelatine works or if collagen would be better. Thanks!

What is NAC

N-acetyl-cysteine. A fairly common supplementary source of cysteine that upregulates glutathione production.

I would like to see some new recipes for cooked greens.

This was a response to my request for ideas for the blog. More are coming, but here’s a quick one I really like:

Get several fistfuls of red kale. This is the heartiest variety, in my opinion. You can treat it almost like collards. Chop it up into 1 inch strips.

Sauté chopped garlic and shallots, and maybe some chile peppers, in the fat of your choice. I either use butter, avocado oil, or olive oil.

When the garlic/shallots are soft and thinking about browning, toss in the kale. Sauté that until slightly wilted. Add salt and pepper.

Reduce the broth with the cover off. The key is timing it so the broth reduces into syrup just as the kale reaches optimal consistency.

Finish with some fresh lemon juice.

If you don’t want to mess with chopping garlic, shallots, and chiles, garlic powder and cayenne work well.

In my experience, even ornery toddlers and extreme supertasters will eat this stuff.

I’ve left another comment, but thought of this: I often cover meat in potato starch and fry them, making a sort of breading. Is that a bad, good, or neutral thing to do?

You’re going to absorb more of the cooking fat, which will increase the amount of energy you take in. Frying at lower heats absorbs more oil, so stick to higher heat for short bouts.

You won’t get any resistant starch (unless you lick the dredging plate). Applying any significant heat to potato starch destroys the resistant starch entirely.

Thanks for reading, folks. If you’ve got anything to add, do so down below. Take care!

0 notes

milenasanchezmk · 8 years ago

Text

Dear Mark: Coffee Alternatives for Liver Health, Vitamin C, Gelatin vs Collagen, NAC, My Favorite Way to Cook Greens, and Potato Starch Breading

Let’s go:

What is it about coffee, exactly, and can you get the same effect from other foods? Coffee is out for me because I am so highly sensitive to caffeine.

Two, caffeine itself has hepatoprotective effects.

Anything with caffeine is out for you. So, tea won’t work either. You need to look for things with polyphenols known to improve liver health. Luckily, many exist.

That’s a good start. Tough to go wrong with any of those.

What about Vitamin C supplementation? I understand it is necessary to help your body generate glutathione.

Can’t believe I forgot about vitamin C. Thanks for reminding me.

I only knew about muscle meat, I didn’t know about the eggs! Also, I’d like to know if gelatine works or if collagen would be better. Thanks!

What is NAC

N-acetyl-cysteine. A fairly common supplementary source of cysteine that upregulates glutathione production.

I would like to see some new recipes for cooked greens.

This was a response to my request for ideas for the blog. More are coming, but here’s a quick one I really like:

Get several fistfuls of red kale. This is the heartiest variety, in my opinion. You can treat it almost like collards. Chop it up into 1 inch strips.

Sauté chopped garlic and shallots, and maybe some chile peppers, in the fat of your choice. I either use butter, avocado oil, or olive oil.

When the garlic/shallots are soft and thinking about browning, toss in the kale. Sauté that until slightly wilted. Add salt and pepper.

Reduce the broth with the cover off. The key is timing it so the broth reduces into syrup just as the kale reaches optimal consistency.

Finish with some fresh lemon juice.

If you don’t want to mess with chopping garlic, shallots, and chiles, garlic powder and cayenne work well.

In my experience, even ornery toddlers and extreme supertasters will eat this stuff.

I’ve left another comment, but thought of this: I often cover meat in potato starch and fry them, making a sort of breading. Is that a bad, good, or neutral thing to do?

You’re going to absorb more of the cooking fat, which will increase the amount of energy you take in. Frying at lower heats absorbs more oil, so stick to higher heat for short bouts.

You won’t get any resistant starch (unless you lick the dredging plate). Applying any significant heat to potato starch destroys the resistant starch entirely.

Thanks for reading, folks. If you’ve got anything to add, do so down below. Take care!

0 notes