There is so much information available at our fingertips these days (the internet, television, books and magazines) that many times, it isn’t always a good thing.

What I see happening with many people is that the incredible amount of health and nutrition information leads to OVERWHELM, frustration and confusion.

I’ve filmed this short video to help you combat any feelings of overwhelm or confusion when it comes to your healthy eating strategy.

These simple strategies have helped me to implement a healthy way of eating easily and free of stress and frustration.

Here is the video I promised you where Flavia demonstrates many of the great exercises just like she does in her 5 part DVD Series. I know, for me, there’s nothing more motivating (and helpful) than watching someone perform each exercise correctly and exactly how I should be doing it, especially when she’s super fit and toned like Flavia (that just really motivates me!)

Watch Flavia in her Full-Body-Licious 5 part DVD Series right here

Fat, fat, fat…I don’t care how you say this word…sing it, cheer it, say it with a French accent…whenever people hear the word FAT they flinch and go running in the opposite direction. It’s pretty unfortunate because today we’re going to see how wonderful fat can really be. And, no, I’m not talking about the kind that sits on your belly and never goes away. I’m talking about the kind that you eat and supercharges your health and your fat burning efforts.

In my last newsletter, we began the discussion of healthy fats vs. unhealthy fats and which were the best to choose for eating, cooking and enjoying in your healthy weight loss meal plans. I sent you a wonderful article by my friend Mike Geary, where he explained the difference between different types of fat and which were the best choices for cooking. If you missed that informative article, you can read it here:

Your cooking oils – Healthy vs. Unhealthy

Mike does a great job of telling you the differences between each type of fat and which ones are the best and worst choices for eating and for cooking. I wanted to continue on that same note and dive into each type of healthy (and unhealthy) fat in greater detail.

Today I am going to start with Polyunsaturated fats, which seem to be a hot and very heavily discussed topic right now. Now bear with me for just 1 second as I give you a very brief organic chemistry lesson and I promise to keep it short and simple.

Fats are classified into 3 different categories:

· Polyunsaturated
· Monounsaturated
· Saturated

The classification comes from how “saturated” the carbon bonds are with hydrogen atoms in the actual fatty acid molecule (say what?). Ok, that is a very simplistic way of looking at it and any organic chemist will tell you that there is much more to it than just that, but for our healthy eating purposes, it’s important for us to know the qualities of each type of fat and how to use each one in our eating plan (not to be able to pass the organic chem final, right?)

Saturated fats have all carbon atom linkages filled (saturated) with hydrogen atoms making them highly stable, even when heated at high temperatures. This is what makes most saturated fats, like coconut oil and butter so ideal for cooking…they do not go rancid under high temperatures and are great for almost all cooking and baking purposes. Saturated fats also tend to be solid at room temperature.

Monounsaturated fats lack 2 hydrogen atoms making them less stable than saturated fats and tend to be liquid at room temperatures, as in olive oil and oils from different types of nuts. They also tend to be relatively stable and can be used for some cooking purposes. Even though this is the case, my personal choice is to NOT use these oils for cooking or heating purposes as they do still have some instability and some ability to go rancid under certain heating conditions. I much prefer to use extra virgin olive oil and nut oils raw and find them to be a great option for salad dressing and on raw or cooked veggies.

Polyunsaturated fats lack four or more hydrogen atoms making them extremely unstable under heating conditions and will go rancid very easily if not used and stored the right way. Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) are the only essential fats that our body cannot produce on its own, making it quite “essential” that we get the PUFAs from the foods we eat.

The topic of debate surrounding PUFA fats is that with their great instability comes a greater likelihood that they will be rancid and hazardous to our health when consumed. There is a lot of truth to this, but I think if the correct precautions are taken and the right fats are chosen and treated and used in the correct way, our bodies can greatly benefit from these essential fatty acids.

Foods containing PUFA fats range from vegetable oils, such as corn, canola and soybean oil) to omega 3 fish oils and many different types of nuts. It has become more widespread knowledge how dangerous cooking with vegetable oil really is and cooking with any oil that is primarily PUFA is a big NO NO when it comes to health and losing weight. But probably the food products in greatest debate now, as far as PUFA go, are all types of nuts and nut butters.

Most nuts are primarily comprised of essential PUFA (with the exception of macadamia nuts and pecans which are mostly monounsaturated) and it is IMPERATIVE that any of these nuts are not heated or roasted in any way, shape or form to benefit from their healthy fat content. It is the heating and/or roasting of any PUFA that makes them hazardous to our health, contributing to inflammation in the body and conditions such as different types of cancers, heart disease and diabetes.

So, just to make it clear….all types of PUFAs cannot be put in the same category. The ones we should be avoiding at all costs are corn, canola, sunflower, safflower oil and any nuts that are roasted and heated. The ones that are safe and quite healthy to consume are fish oils and a variety of raw nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds). But, as I mentioned earlier, good care and precaution should be taken when choosing these healthy forms of PUFA.

Here are a few tips I adhere to when choosing my healthy PUFA food choices:

1. Buy your raw nuts from sources you have researched and know are fresh. I like the ones I get from True Foods Market. Also, once you get home, store them in an opaque container and store them in the refrigerator. I also like to soak my raw nuts overnight in filtered water to increase their digestibility and their naturally occurring enzymes. I also store soaked nuts in the refrigerator.

2. I make my own nut butters. Once I soak my nuts overnight (almonds, walnuts, and/or pecans), I use them the next day to make homemade nut butter. I put the nuts and a bit of coconut oil in the food processor and process until it makes a creamy “butter”. I find this to be tastier than any store bought brand and I know the nuts are fresh and have been soaked. If you don’t have time to make your own, True Foods Market also has great almond butter.

3. I avoid all foods that have been made with or contain oils like canola, corn, and soybean oil. Many of these foods are actually not very difficult to avoid because they are processed foods, but every once in a while I will read a label and BAM…canola oil…agghh! This happens a lot at healthy food markets that provide their own prepared foods (like cooked vegetables, chicken, and fish). Unfortunately these “healthy” places often use quite a bit of canola oil in their cooking so you must read the ingredients list carefully (but you should always be reading the ingredients list of all the foods you eat carefully right?)

4. When using flaxseeds, I always grind my flaxseeds in a coffee grinder right before I am going to use them. I sprinkle ground flaxseeds on my oatmeal, fruits and/or veggies. I don’t ever buy the already ground varieties as they go rancid very quickly in the packaging. These pre-ground flaxseed mixtures are not a healthy choice and if you’re going to use flaxseeds, always grind them fresh yourself.

5. I do my best to obtain most of my Omega 3 fatty acids from fresh food like salmon and sardines. I also make my own home made walnut butter and eat plenty of organic eggs (yes, with the yolk) to include a variety of omega 3 sources in my meals. If you are not getting plenty of these foods into your daily diet, then you may want to consider taking an Omega 3 supplement in the form of a fish oil. I highly recommend only consuming a fish oil supplement from a company you trust and have researched. My company of choice is Prograde and they make the only Omega 3 supplement (Prograde EFA) I am comfortable recommending. I would also keep this supplement in the refrigerator to help avoid any exposure to heat.

Remember, not all polyunsaturated fats are created equal and we can continue to benefit from their healthy properties by just making the right choices (but isn’t that the case with just about everything???)

Before starting my own personal journey to health and ideal weight (remember, I lost over 30 lbs and have successfully kept it off for over 10 years now), I was a DISASTER in the kitchen.  Actually, disaster is putting it nicely because even boiling water sounded like a complex task to me and I would have to ask for the “recipe” to do it.

Lucky enough for me (and my husband and son), I have become quite the chef extraordinaire and now LOVE to cook.  I get excited over new recipes and find that it’s a great way to keep my healthy meal plans extremely interesting and delicious.

I do receive a lot of questions about cooking from readers all over the world, but one of the questions I get the most often is:

“Isabel, is non-stick cookware really that dangerous?  I’ve tried cooking with other varieties that are not non-stick and end up burning everything!  What should I do?”

Let’s address first things first. Is there even a reason to ditch the non-stick cookware?  The overwhelming consensus is YES.

According to the Environmental Working Group, nonstick coatings can “reach 700 degrees Fahrenheit in as little as 3-5 minutes, releasing 15 toxic gases and chemicals, including two carcinogens.”  The company Dupont (creators of Teflon, the chemical used in non-stick cookware) claims that their pans should be used at temperatures below 446 degrees Fahrenheit (although some people have claimed that the temperature is closer to 500 and some have even said 600, but the inconsistency in the research is just as scary as this fact).  Cooking at these temperatures is nearly impossible and anything that requires cooking at heats higher than “low” will quickly reach temperatures well beyond 446 degrees (even as high as 700 degrees), emitting these toxic fumes from the Teflon lining in pans.

One of the main chemicals used in the manufacturing process of Teflon and other nonstick pans is perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) also known as C-8. This chemical has led to cancer and birth defects in lab animals, and may have led to birth defects in DuPont plant workers. In 2005, an independent panel reporting to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared PFOA a likely human carcinogen.  Yikes!

If these facts weren’t scary enough, it is highly recommended that anyone with pet birds not use Teflon lined pans at all in their homes or their birds will most likely die because of the fumes that are emitted.  Uhhhh…does that not raise a humongous red flag all around???  Gases that will kill your birds can NOT possibly be, in no way shape or form, good for you or your family.  Wouldn’t you agree?

The bottom line?  Toss those non-stick pots and pans out and let’s look into some safer possibilities.

But before we get to those, let’s look at some newer types of cookware on the market today that may or may not be alternate choices.

Copper cookware

With all the controversy surrounding the dangers of Teflon and non-stick pots and pans, many people have begun to turn to other options.  Unfortunately some of them are not really the best choices.

Copper leaches into food when heated, prompting the FDA to caution against using unlined copper for general use. Accordingly, the cooking surfaces are usually lined with tin, nickel or stainless steel. Coated copper cookware can lose its protective layer if damaged or scoured. Keep in mind that the metals of the “protective” surface can also end up in your food.

Ok, a teeny, tiny bit better than Teflon, but still doesn’t make me feel good about cooking my healthy food in it.

Aluminum cookware

Aluminum is a soft and highly reactive metal that can leach into food, especially when you are cooking with acidic ingredients. The metal-food reaction can form aluminum salts that are associated with impaired visual motor coordination and Alzheimer’s disease.

Aluminum is one of the most abundant elements on the earth, so avoiding it is nearly impossible, but minimizing its presence in your food is a smart choice, especially since its consumption has been so closely linked to Alzheimer’s.  You may also want to minimize your use of aluminum foil and only use it in cooking when absolutely necessary.  I, for example, no longer bake potatoes wrapped in foil.  I bake them in the oven without the foil and they turn out just as delicious and soft.

So what choices are we left with?

Stainless steel cookware

Time and time again, stainless steel cookware comes out on top in food cooking safety research.  I personally have been using only stainless steel pots and pans for 10 years now and have really mastered the art of NOT burning every bit of food that touches the pan.

What’s the secret?

PATIENCE

Yes, you read that correctly.  When cooking with stainless steel pots and pans, you will need to use a good cooking oil (like coconut oil, butter or ghee) and cook most foods at low temperatures.  This does take a bit longer to create your food masterpieces, but you will not have food sticking to the pan and your food will be even more delicious than if cooked quickly.

Let’s take eggs for example, I will melt the coconut oil or butter in a stainless steel pan heated on a very low setting.  I will then add in the eggs…let’s say scrambled…and slowly move the mixture around with my stainless steel spatula.  Sometimes I will cover it for a few seconds at a time to speed up the cooking time, but I do not leave it unattended too long.  People usually experience “sticking” problems when they abandon their food and leave it on the stovetop too long.

I highly recommend looking into the different varieties of stainless steel cookware on the market today.  I know some varieties can be pricey, but I am always looking for sales and coupons on the internet and in the paper (yes, the old school newspaper) before I make any major purchase (I’m not just a healthy mom, I’m a very thrifty mom as well).

I want to share with you 2 delicious tea recipes that I love to make to add variety to my healthy drinks.

Before we get to those, I want to address an important question I received after sending out all the detailed information about tea…

“Isabel, is it true that the tannins in tea negatively affect digestion?”

Let’s take a look at exactly what tannins are and what their effect on the body is.

Tannins are substances present in the seeds and stems of grapes, the bark of some trees, and present in tea leaves. The tannins in tea are responsible for the bitter taste in your mouth after you drink your tea and also responsible for tea’s dark color (making green tea contain less tannins than black tea). It has been shown that the shorter the steep time of your tea, the less tannins that will be released (which is consistent with the fact that if you leave your tea bag in your tea cup too long, it will develop a very bitter taste.)

But the bitter taste of tannins is generally not as concerning as research that has shown that tannins negatively affect the digestive process.

However, even though tannins have been shown to slightly slow down the digestive process, slower digestion does not mean imperfect digestion. It has also been shown that this slowed digestion may actually be beneficial, causing people to become hungry less often and able to remain satiated with their meal much longer.

If you have ever experienced digestive discomfort from your tea drinking, it may not be because of the tannins the tea contains, but may just be that you are drinking too much tea in one day. Lessening the amount to only 1 cup per day could be better suited to your body’s needs and relieve any digestive difficulties. You can also drink tea in between meals as opposed to with meals to keep it from affecting the digestive process of your food.

I have found it to be consistent that the tolerance of any food is so incredibly personalized to each person individually. Whereas some people feel wonderful drinking coffee, others feel ill, even nauseous at even the idea of having a cup of Joe. The same goes for tea or any other food or drink for that matter. Your body is your best indicator of whether something is well suited for you or not so don’t forget to pay close attention to the cues your body is giving you at all times.

If you’ve found tea to be a good choice for you, here are 2 of my favorite tea recipes that I use to change up my usual tea routine.

Indian Chai Tea
(modified slightly from www.tealand.com)

Ingredients
* 3 teabags black tea
* 4 cups water
* 1 3 inch cinnamon stick
* 1 inch piece of ginger root cut into 4 slices
* 1/2 tsp (2 ml) cardamom seeds
* 1/2 tsp (2 ml) black peppercorns
* 1/2 tsp (2 ml) whole cloves
* 1 tsp (5 ml) whole coriander seeds
* 1 cup (225 ml) coconut or almond milk
* honey or stevia to taste

Directions
Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Add spices, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Add teabags and steep 10 minutes. Add milk and heat to drinking temperature-do not boil. Strain mixture through a cheesecloth or cotton dish towel. Serve with honey or stevia to taste.

Green Tea Smoothie
(www.smoothieweb.com)

Ingredients
* 1 green or white tea bag
* 2/3 cup water
* 1/2 cup mango, cubed
* 1 wedge fresh lime juice
* 2 cups crushed ice

Directions
Heat water and brew tea. Let cool.
Place cooled tea, mango, lime juice, and crushed ice in a blender and blend until thick and smooth. Adjust ice to the consistency you like best.
The fruit will naturally sweeten this smoothie but for those who want a little more sweetness, add a touch of stevia or raw honey.

So, have no fear, enjoy your tea and all its wonderful health giving and fat burning properties!

A lot of people wrote in and were thrilled to hear that green tea and Wu-long tea had wonderful fat burning properties, but what about white tea and rooibos tea?

White Tea

As with all the other teas we’ve already discussed, white tea also comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, as almost all teas do. The main difference between white tea and the other teas is that the white tea leaves are picked and harvested at a younger age than the other tea leaves. Whereas black tea is fully fermented and green tea is partly fermented, white tea is not fermented at all, helping it to retain more of its beneficial antioxidants.

Some studies have shown that because of this “no fermentation”, white tea has a concentration of antioxidants that is 3 x’s higher than green tea, making it an incredibly healthy choice for drinking as part of any healthy eating plan. Not only that, it is a wise choice for those who are sensitive to caffeine. It only contains 15 mg of caffeine per cup, much lower than the 20-30 mg you get from green tea, and 40-60 mg you get from black tea.

But what about fat loss? Does it contain the same fat burning properties as green tea and wu-long tea?

White tea has been shown to promote fat burning in the body by preventing cells from storing body fat. White tea’s caffeine content also does help to stimulate the metabolism (without causing any jitters). But I will reiterate that white tea’s greatest claim to fame is still its extremely high antioxidant content, making its fat burning properties secondary and not as powerful as the fat burning properties found in Wu-long tea (Isabel’s favorite brand of Wu-Long tea).

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea (pronounced “roy-boss) is a perfect choice for those looking for NO caffeine at all. Rooibos, also known as “red bush”, does not come from the Camellia sinensis tea plant as all the other previously mentioned teas do. Instead, it comes from the Aspalathus linearis plant which is native only to South Africa.

Rooibos tea has been found to contain some incredible health benefits without ANY caffeine. It has been shown to boost the immune system, treat hay fever, asthma and eczema, relieve stomach cramps and colic in infants and greatly help those individuals who suffer from heartburn.

As with white tea, including a cup or two of rooibos tea into your healthy eating plan will bring you some incredible benefits, but it is not widely known or used for fat burning and weight loss. So enjoy your rooibos tea for its immune boosting properties, not for accelerating fat burning.

Oh, and did I mention it also happens to be absolutely delicious?

I highly encourage you to experiment and try all the varieties of teas we’ve covered and find which one suits you best. A little raw honey, stevia or xylitol added to sweeten your tea will help make it a healthy alternative to any sugar filled drinks or those calorie laden “fancy coffee drinks” that so many people are currently addicted to (and spending WAY TOO much money on every day).

Over the past 2 months I have spent a significant amount of time researching the possible good and bad benefits of drinking different types of teas.

Why?

Because the second I found out I was pregnant, I knew that my 2 cups of coffee a day habit really needed to be reduced so I turned to tea as an alternative.

No, I’m not saying there is anything wrong with drinking your cup of Joe. As a matter of fact, organic coffee is jam packed with tons of antioxidants and has been found to decrease the risk of diseases like type 2 Diabetes and cancer, but it’s also pretty jam packed with caffeine, which is why I decided to research and make the switch over to a variety of different teas.

The good news is that I found a long list of incredible benefits to drinking tea which made my transition very easy. Tea also does contain some caffeine (about a quarter to half as much as coffee) making the switch even easier.

Here are several different varieties of teas and the many healthy benefits I found to each (who knows, you may even consider switching your Java habit as well.)

Black Tea

Before we differentiate between several different teas, it is true that all teas (black, green, oolong and white) come from the same plant, camellia sinensis. What gives each tea it’s particular qualities is in the processing of this particular plant to create different varieties of tea. Black tea is probably the most commonly consumed and most popular of all the teas I researched. It also contains the highest amount of caffeine of most teas (approximately 40 mg), but not nearly as much as 1 – 8 oz cup of coffee (100 mg). The low amounts of caffeine in black tea promotes blood flow in the brain without over stimulating the heart, helping to sharpen mental focus and concentration (oh, we could also use a little of that).

One of black teas greatest benefits is its high number of antioxidants, including quercetin, a substance found to combat inflammation and support healthy immune function. This is probably the best health benefit of drinking black tea…its ability to keep the immune system healthy and strong.

I enjoy a cup of hot black tea most mornings with a bit of squeezed lemon and stevia. It helps me start off my day energized and alert without giving me any of the jittery feelings I would sometimes get with drinking too much coffee. Some people much prefer their black tea cold, which I sometimes make for my husband and relatives when they are visiting. I make 2-3 tea bags with boiling water in a large glass bowl, sweeten with stevia and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. It’s delicious and refreshing served over ice with a little added piece of lemon (careful with how many glasses you drink if you are someone who is sensitive to caffeine).

Green Tea

If you’ve ever done even the slightest research on weight loss, you’ve surely come across tons of information touting the miraculous ability of green tea to burn off body fat.

Is that really true?

Well, before we get to that, what makes green tea so special?

Green tea is extremely rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly EGCG, which is an extremely powerful antioxidant. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it actually has the ability to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. EGCG has also been found to be extremely powerful in the prevention of heart disease and assists in keeping cholesterol levels healthy.

But back to the weight loss theories…

Many doctors and scientific studies have confirmed the incredible power of green tea when it comes to weight loss. Dr. Nicholas Perricone, world renowned doctor and author of 3 bestselling books stated, “…you’d lose up to 10 pounds in 4-6 weeks doing nothing but taking green tea. Green tea increases your daily fat burning rate by 43%”. The fat burning effects of green tea can be attributed to so much more than just its caffeine content (since caffeine has been shown to enhance the metabolism). The catechins in green tea have been found to force the body into thermogenesis, driving your body to burn fat as its energy source. Green tea has also been shown to cause carbohydrates to be released slowly, preventing rises in blood-insulin levels and keeping the body at an ideal blood sugar balance for fat burning.

Can I say for sure that this will happen to absolutely everyone? Definitely not! Every person is individual and many other factors in your diet and exercise program greatly affect what your weight loss results will be. But with all the other wonderful benefits we know about green tea, it is definitely worth including 1-2 cups into your daily routine (Green tea contains approximately 15-30 mg of caffeine per cup. Careful with your intake if you are someone who is sensitive to caffeine).

Like black tea, green tea can be enjoyed hot or cold and you can use stevia, xylitol or raw honey to sweeten a bit.

Last but definitely not least…

Oolong/Wu-long Tea

This was by far the most eye opening research of them all. I had heard of the many benefits of Oolong Tea (also widely referred to as Wu-long) for some time, but had never done this much research and reading about it (little did I know what I was missing).

Even though green tea has been most popularly known as the drink of choice for fat burning, wu-long tea has been shown to burn 220% more fat than green tea. The only difference between green tea and wu-long tea is in the processing of the tea leaves, making the beneficial properties of each just slightly different.

The Chinese have long believed that oolong/wu-long tea is greatly beneficial in reducing and maintaining weight and have conducted several studies proving such. It looks like, from the research, that wu-long tea can actually encourage your body to use more fat for energy, resulting in accelerated fat burning and, of course, weight loss. Many of the same fat burning properties, mentioned above for green tea, have been found in wu-long tea but the effects seem to be more pronounced.

All of the other incredible benefits of tea can also be found with wu-long tea, but, where as increased immune function and antioxidant benefits are black and greet teas claim to fame, it looks like wu-long teas greatest benefit is fat loss.

You can enjoy wu-long tea hot or cold, sweetened or flavored with lemon. I actually really enjoy the rich, flowery taste of wu-long tea all on its own, not really needing any sweetener or anything added to enjoy its delicious taste.

I have found the best quality and tasting wu-long tea from a company called Okuma nutritionals. Since wu-long tea has become a bit of a “hype” tea and supplement these days, I wanted to look for a company that was truly passionate about the quality of their tea and intimately involved in the production of their teas.

Delicious and Powerful Wu-Long Tea

Isabel, which tea is the best for me?

With all the wonderful benefits of these 3 teas, it may be hard to decide which is the best choice for you. I love to do what my good friend Mike Geary taught me is to mix all three varieties together! Many mornings I will put 1 tea bag each of black, green and wu-long tea in a small pot with boiling water. I let that steep for about 5 minutes and remove the tea bags. I sip 1 cup for breakfast and then another with lunch. The different tastes of each blend together really nicely and make for a tasty warm drink (again, it can also be enjoyed like iced tea, which I know is how Mike enjoys it best.)

Black, green or wu-long, whichever you choose, 1-2 teas each day is a wonderful addition to your healthy eating plans. As with anything, be very mindful to your body’s response to the caffeine amount and let your body be your guide.

Today, we’re going to get away from the vegetable category a bit and talk about 1 food that has been called a “miracle cure for all” for centuries. Now, I wouldn’t go as far as to call any food a miracle, but if there was ever one that comes close it’s definitely….

Super Healthy Food #2: Apple Cider Vinegar

Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is made by fermenting apples in a wood barrel. It is not the clear vinegar you may see in your grocery store simply labeled “Apple Cider Vinegar”. The kind you are looking for has a brownish tinge to it and floating stuff inside. The floating “stuff” is called “mother” and is formed from the pectin and apple residue. Please be careful when purchasing and be sure to get:

Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother

Several ingredients found in Apple Cider Vinegar give it its “magical powers”. It contains hefty amounts of calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, malic acid (very helpful in fighting infections from harmful bacteria and fungus) and pectin (which has been found to regulate high blood pressure).

Apple Cider Vinegar has also been found to greatly improve digestion and eliminate heart burn, clear skin irritations (like acne and contact dermatitis), assist in chronic fatigue conditions, help relieve constipation and assist in weight control by breaking down unwanted fat in the body.

WOW, that’s quite the list. With a track record like that, this food should be at the top of your “must have” list on a daily basis.

Here are 3 easy ways I ensure I drink a minimum of 1 TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar into my meal plans every single day (yes, every day!)

Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing

If you’re pressed for time, a little olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and pepper is a delicious way to dress any salad, but if you have a little time you can quickly prepare this tasty salad dressing and enjoy the benefits of ACV at the same time.

Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

· 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot

· 1 teaspoon dry mustard

· 1/4 teaspoon dry granulated garlic

· 1/4 cup raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar

· 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (more or less depending on how thick you make the vinaigrette)

· sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

Put the shallot, mustard, salt, pepper and vinegar in a small mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly. Add olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasonings as you like. This is best when made fresh, but it can be made up to one day in advance, and kept in the fridge in a small airtight container. Let it sit at room temp for one hour if it has been in the fridge.

If you’re not having a salad on a particular day, you can consume your ACV in the form of a tasty cocktail (sorry, no alcohol included).

Apple Cider Vinegar Cocktail

* Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (with mother)

* 1 to 2 teaspoons of Raw Honey

* 8 ounces of filtered water

Drink this cocktail 1-3 times a day, preferably before or with each meal.

I suggest you start out with 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and honey to see if your stomach can tolerate the mixture at first. If you see you are having no stomach problems then increase to 2 teaspoons of each.

Alternatively, if you would like a cocktail with a bit less sugar, use stevia or xylitol to sweeten (although, raw honey has a long list of powerful healing properties all in itself, making the “cocktail” one of the healthiest drinks you can have each day).

Green Smoothie w/ vinegar

For those who really don’t enjoy the strong taste of vinegar, making a healthy fruit and vegetable smoothie is a great option. The different flavors of the fruits and veggies will help mask the vinegar taste.

There really is no need to have an exact “recipe” for your smoothie and I would recommend varying the ingredients every time so you are always getting in a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Here is one of my favorites (you can adjust the ingredients to suit your taste).

Isabel’s Green Machine

Makes 4 cups

· 1 cup filtered water or coconut water

· 1/2 – 3/4 box of organic baby spinach (or 1/2 – 3/4 lb)

· 2-3 leaves of kale (stems removed)

· 1/2 inch slice of organic lemon (peel, pith, and all)

· 1 ripe banana

· Large handful of strawberries (about 6 large ones)

· 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

· 1/2 avocado (optional)

· 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

Blend all ingredients and enjoy!

If you are pressed for time, you could substitute the kale and spinach with Athletic Greens to make the green machine a little quicker to create.

Isabel’s favorite Green Drink – Athletic Greens

The benefits and the ways to use apple cider vinegar are truly endless. I highly recommend making sure you get your minimum 1 tablespoon of ACV into your meal plans every single day and see the dramatic effects for yourself.

I know how challenging just getting a few fruits and veggies can be on a daily basis.

First, sometimes veggies can be a little more time consuming to prepare than some other foods. You’ve got to wash, chop, cut, steam, sauté or peal and many times this is a lot more than some people can fit into their busy schedules.

Second, there are a lot of different vegetables that are wonderful for our health and can really assist in burning off unwanted body fat, but people just don’t enjoy the taste.

I’m going to share 3 of my favorite foods (not necessarily all veggies) and how I’ve made them a delicious part of my healthy eating plan. We’ll begin with….

Super Healthy Food #1: KALE

Kale is “all the rave” these days. If there was an equivalent vegetable to the captain of the football team, kale would be it!

The good news is Kale is a health warrior like no other vegetable. It is jam packed with Vitamin C (for helping keep the immune system strong), loaded with beta carotene (to keep skin healthy and ward off skin cancer), and loaded with tons of calcium (which is wonderful especially for those who are worried they are not getting enough calcium when eliminating dairy products from their eating plan). Not to mention it is jam packed full of fiber, making you full faster and keep your bowels moving at a regular pace each day (2 very important components to weight loss).

With all these health benefits, what could be the bad news?

Unfortunately many people just don’t love the taste of kale. Now I’m not the right person to ask when it comes to the taste of veggies, because I am a diehard lover of all veggies (always was), but someone like my dear hubby who just does not appreciate many green things describes kale as “eating the grass in our backyard might be tastier”….you gotta love his honesty, right?

So here are 3 ways I, my hubby and my toddler all enjoy kale, not necessarily on a daily basis, but a minimum of 2-3 days per week.

1. Kale Chips

Making Kale Chips is easy. Tear the leaves into pieces and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees F until crisp, 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure to monitor your chips while they are cooking so as not to burn them.

My son and I are happy to snack on these throughout the day. You can combine them with some raw nuts and they’ll really help you get that snacking “crunch” you may be missing in your eating plan.

2. Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale

Ingredients:

· 2 teaspoons coconut oil

· 1/2 cup chopped onion

· 1/2 cup chopped carrot

· 1 teaspoon thyme

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 2 cups chicken broth or water

· 3/4 cup diced tomatoes

· 1 cup cooked chicken, skinned and cubed

· 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (optional)

· 1 cup chopped kale, stem removed (about one large leaf)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan. Add onion and carrot. Sauté until vegetables are tender, 5-8 minutes.

2. Add thyme and garlic. Sauté for one more minute.

3. Add chicken broth or water, tomatoes, cooked rice, chicken and kale.

4. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

I love to eat this soup just as it is described. My son, on the other hand, loves for me to put the soup in the blender and make a “creamy” soup instead. My hubby will eat this soup but will almost always eat around the kale. I figure he is still getting a lot of the benefits of the kale in the broth (you just can’t win them all, can you?), but he also enjoys the creamed version I make for my son.

3. Morning Green Drink

Ingredients

· 1/2 pear

· 4-5 green grapes

· 1/4 banana

· 1/2 cup kale

· 1/2 – 1 cup water

· 1 cup ice cubes

· Stevia or Raw Honey to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a blender on High. Enjoy immediately.

You can vary the ingredients (adding more or less of each fruit or kale) to suit your taste. I am very good at making sure to eat breakfast each morning, but my husband tends to jump out of bed and want to race out the door, so this is a fast breakfast option you can take with you. This is a great way to start your morning along with a good serving of protein to go along with it (raw nuts, cottage cheese or some hard boiled eggs).

If veggies are still really not “your thing”, you may want to look into one of my favorite “greens drinks” to ensure you’re getting all of your recommended vitamins and nutrients each and every day. Not only do I love the taste, but the ingredients are all organic and minimally processed. This is the only greens drink I trust to take myself and give to my entire family.

Delicious Athletic Greens – a great way to get in all of your daily veggies

Enjoy your Kale!

I’m not really a frequent TV watcher, but for the past few days, my family and I have been spending a lot of time indoors because of a recent snow storm that hit the New Jersey/New York area.

As I was relaxing on the couch with my mom, we were flipping through the channels and we came across “The Dr. OZ Show”. Without even knowing what the topic of the day was, the first thing I saw was Dr. Oz rolling out a cart filled with pink, blue, and yellow packets…yes, a huge cart filled with packets of artificial sweeteners.

The topic of the show on that particular day was whether or not artificial sweeteners are really harmful and what are some good alternatives to use. Dr. Oz had 2 other physicians on the show with him to discuss some recent research and facts….you better believe I kept the TV on (and my mom was all ears as well).

Yes, I pretty much know what the real answer is…artificial sweeteners are nothing but BAD news and I cover the reasons why pretty extensively in The Diet Solution Program, but I really wanted to see what type of studies have been done most recently on the topic and where some doctors (well at least these 3 doctors) currently stand on the whole artificial sweetener debate.

They stated some great facts that are backed up by piles of research. Mainly…

· People who use artificial sweeteners are usually heavier than those who don’t use them. This may be linked to increased hunger signals that are sent to the brain and increased “sweet cravings” that lead to overeating.

· People who use artificial sweeteners are more likely to be “insulin resistant” because their insulin receptors are (in a sense) confused all the time. Your body is thinking “What is this fake stuff you’re giving me? Is it food? Is it not? I don’t know what you want me to do with it?”…leading to blood sugar and insulin imbalance. This one leads to the third and most shocking finding for many people in the audience….

· People who use artificial sweeteners are TWICE as likely to get Type 2 Diabetes than people who don’t use artificial sweeteners. TWICE? Oh goodness. I knew that artificial sweeteners had been directly linked to Diabetes but I did not know that the number was so high. I decided to look up this fact myself and YES, studies have shown (as presented in the most recent annual meeting of the Endocrine Society) “People who use artificial sweeteners are heavier, twice as likely to have diabetes, and more likely to be insulin-resistant compared with nonusers.”

My mom, who was sitting right next to me is a Type 2 Diabetic and has had her fair share of health complications due to her Diabetes. She said, “I sure wish my doctor would have told me these facts years ago when we discussed my Diabetes. Actually, the hospital dietician encouraged me to use those artificial sweeteners in an effort to decrease my sugar and calorie consumption.”

Well, that was many years ago and I do believe our medical community is a lot more informed on these nutrition topics now than ever before, BUT even with this increased research and knowledge I still see people using those little pink, blue and yellow sweetener packets everywhere I go. Uggghhhh!

Next, the 3 doctors began discussing healthier alternatives and one of the first things said was…

“If you’re going to choose from these 3 packets, I would choose Splenda (yellow packet) since it is the only one, up to this point, that has not been linked to Cancer yet”.

Dr. Oz quickly came back with “Well, wouldn’t you say that could be because it has been on the market the least amount of time and has been studied the least? We do not have any long term studies on its long term effects because it just has not been around long enough.”

Yeah Dr. Oz! I couldn’t agree more (not that I agree with everything he says, but this is a great point). Let’s not let manufacturers and food companies use us as their guinea pigs. We really have no idea what the long term damage of Splenda is, but what we do know is that it will increase appetite and disrupt blood sugar and insulin levels…2 things we absolutely DON’T want when attempting to lose weight and achieve ideal health.

Now, what were some of the healthy alternatives to artificial sweeteners? They laid out 3 choices that I thought were actually pretty good…

Honey

Honey is a wonderful and natural alternative to artificial sweeteners and sugar, but it must be RAW. All 3 doctors kept going on and on about how healthy honey is and that it contained many health benefits (it is a great immune system booster, has been found to contain anti-cancer properties, helps relieve arthritis pain and assists in relieving ailments like yeast infection and athletes foot), but they did not emphasize enough that these properties have only been found in RAW honey and not pasteurized and processed honey.

Look for honey that looks thick and cloudy and specifically says “RAW” on the label. As with absolutely every food, be sure to use it in moderation and pay close attention to your body’s response after consuming it. I use approximately 1-2 tsps of raw honey each day in my tea or on Ezekiel bread toast with almond butter…one of my favorite pre-workout snacks.

Truvia

Truvia has gotten quite a bit of attention in the media lately because it contains Stevia (a natural and healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners) but can be found at almost any local supermarket and is much cheaper than Stevia. But there is a reason why. It is not pure and contains other ingredients.

When I read the label on the Truvia box it says…

Erythritol, Rebiana, and Natural Flavors

Erythritol is a natural sugar alcohol and Rebiana comes directly from the Stevia plant, but what makes me a little reluctant to use Truvia is the “Natural Flavors”. When you click on the “natural flavors” link on Truvia’s website to get a better explanation of what these natural flavors really are, all it says is..

“Natural Flavors are used to bring out the best of our natural sweetness, like pepper or salt would be used to heighten the taste of a meal.”

What? What does that mean? That doesn’t tell me anything or indicate exactly what these natural flavors are and whether or not it could be harmful to our health.

So I don’t recommend Truvia. What I recommend is natural, 100% pure Stevia (which can be found at www.stevivasweetener.com). That is the brand I use and feel safe and confident using and recommending it.

Agave Nectar and/or Syrup

The most recent research on Agave is quite extensive and somewhat controversial. Because this is a very important topic and one that contains loads of great information, I am going to cover it all on its own in tomorrow’s newsletter.

For now….

1. Be sure to read the labels of every food you may think may contain artificial sweeteners (this is many more products than you would expect)…bread, yogurt, cereal, low sugar drinks…look for saccharin, aspartame, and/or sucralose and if you see one of these in the ingredients list, avoid it at all costs.

2. Use natural RAW honey and/or 100% pure Stevia for all of your sweetening needs. A little of each goes a really long way and you’ll find that the less you use, the less you’ll desire that sweet taste.

3. Embrace foods in their natural state. I now find herbal teas and hot oatmeal are delicious unsweetened, 2 things I used to sweeten with a ton of sweetener. Once you become accustomed to eating many foods without adding any sweetener, you’ll find that any “sweet food” is just too sweet for your new palate and you’ll actually enjoy natural foods much more.