Sunday, April 13, 2014

Steel Cut Oats With Butternut Squash


A Warming and Healthy Breakfast For a Cool Day

I love butternut squash – it’s delicious and full of vitamin A, so I have been experimenting with using it this winter in recipes such as soup and this one. Here is my yummy breakfast recipe with butternut squash. Enjoy!

1 Cup Steel Cut Oats
½ Cup Peeled and Diced Butternut Squash
4½ Cups of Water
Sliced Almonds
Sweetener (Such as Stevia or Maple Syrup)
Almond Milk
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

Put butternut squash and steel cut oats in water and bring to a boil – let simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Or, I prefer to prepare the night before so it’s faster in the morning: Boil butternut squash and steel cut oats for 20 minutes. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator. Heat some up for breakfast the next morning). Stir in stevia or maple syrup to taste. Add almond milk. Top with sliced almonds and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Eat up!


Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Sleep Hygiene Tips to Get You Better Rest


Most of us have trouble sleeping at some point (well there are those few people we know who always sleep like a rock – they may never understand how incredibly lucky they are – am I right?).  But for the majority of people at least, from time to time trouble sleeping can be a huge problem! It can mess with your mood and health and sometimes just render us useless if it was a really bad night.  Whether it’s having trouble falling asleep, or waking up in the middle of the night or a combination of both, there are some things that you can do to help get quality sleep.  These practices are what is know as sleep hygiene. I have been looking into it per my doctor’s suggestions when I mentioned poor sleep, and here are some of the best tips I came across:

·      Keep A Regular Schedule
·      Exercise - We should all be exercising regularly, but did you know for sleep hygiene it’s better to do vigorous exercising during the day? Avoid working out during the night, or if you do evening workouts, go for something more relaxing such as yoga
·      Use Your Bed Only For Sleep and Sex/Intimacy – I admit, I am guilty of watching TV shows on my laptop in bed. These other types of activities condition your brain to associate your bed with things other than sleep which can disturb your sleep
·      Pay Attention to Diet in relation to sleep - Don’t eat big meals right before bed. This doesn’t mean it’s necessary to go to bed hungry but go for a healthy snack instead of a large meal if you know you are heading to bed soon. Skip protein for this snack – instead healthy carbs or dairy are shown to help bring on sleep better. Also notice how diet changes in general affect your sleep patterns, sometimes changes in diet can cause troubled sleep while you’re getting used to them. Avoid caffeine later in the day – that includes chocolate if you are very sensitive.  Don’t eat spicy food if you are very sensitive. Experiment with what works best for your body but think – if it’s hard to digest it may keep me up.  I’m talking greasy food, cheese, protein etc. Try kefir, which is healthy and naturally has tryptophan an essential amino acid that helps serotonin production and therefore may help with sleep.
·      Have A Relaxing Bedtime Routine - Having time to unwind is extremely important – schedule it into your evenings. What will be your nightly routine; Relaxation? Meditation? Bedtime tea? Stretching? Warm bath?  This routine is especially important if you are dealing with psychological stressors.  You can’t have just gotten into a big argument, just turned off a dramatic TV show, or just finished a stressful work project and expect your mind to immediately shut off. It needs time to unwind and move away from all the hustle and bustle of the day.
·      Exposure to Natural Light - This helps regulate a healthy sleep/wake cycle in your body.  I know this can be hard for some of us in the winter in cold areas (aka Minnesota), but just do your best. Open your window curtains to let as much light in as you can during the day and if the temp is bearable outside consider taking a 10 minute stroll during your work break. One cross sectional study from 2011 found that workers under-exposed to natural light during the day had more sleep impairments and wake disorders1.
·      Have The Right Environment - Take a critical look at your bedroom.  Make sure it’s relaxing and comfortable; this includes the bed and temperature.  Also remove all electronic gadgets from your room. We don’t need to be sleeping with or by our phones or laptops for the most part. Electronics that omit any light or signals can interfere with your body’s melatonin production.
·      Avoid Alcohol 3 Hours Before Bed - Sorry to bust your bubble, but the metabolism mechanisms that go into your body breaking down alcohol often disrupt sleep (Daytime drinking anyone?).  Even though alcohol may seem to help you fall asleep initially; you might wake up a few hours later once it is being fully metabolized. So maybe have your glass of wine before dinner instead of after or at the beginning of your evening out.

Cheers to a sound and restful nights’ sleep.


1 Leger, D., Bayon, V., Elbaz, M., Philip, P., Choudat, D. (2011) Underexposure to light at work and its association to insomnia and sleepiness: A cross-sectional study of 13296 workers of one transportation company. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 70 (29-36).

Thursday, March 6, 2014

The Deal With Chia Seeds

These days I consume chia seeds somewhat frequently and I get a lot of: “What is that?” and “Why are you eating those?”  So I thought I would inform everyone about chia seeds. Here’s the deal - Chia seeds (yes that same plant used to make the famous chia pets back in the day) are from the mint family and grow abundantly in southern Mexico. They are little black seeds that should be soaked before being eaten (at least 10 minutes).  This turns their exterior gelatinous.  Besides that they add a fun texture pop to drinks or dishes...they also have plenty of beneficial factors for our health. Here are some
 
  • Health Benefits of Chia Seeds:
  • Good source of omega 3 fatty acids
  • High in anti-oxidants
  • Provide fiber, magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc
  • Keep hunger at bay/appetite suppressant
  • Helps to clean the intestines as they travel through them
  • May help to control insulin resistance and high cholesterol1
  • Good for getting our fitness on because they are hydrophilic, so can help us stay hydrated for longer by absorbing water

 
Chia seeds are easy to add to many dishes including teas, kefir, smoothies or refreshing summer drinks such as a basil lemonade.  Or check out my recipe for chia seed pudding here!


1Chicco, A. G., D’Alessandro, M. E., Hien, G. J., Olivia, M. E. & Lombardo, Y. B.  (2009).    Dietary chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) rich in α-linolenic acid improves adiposity and normalizes hypertriacylglycerolaemia and insulin resistance in dyslipaemic rats. British Journal of Nutrition, 101, 41-50



Chia Seed Pudding


11/2 cup milk of choice (I prefer coconut milk or almond milk)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon shredded coconut
½ cup frozen blueberries (also could use dried goji berries or any fresh fruit)
A touch of sweetener if desired (I use a few drops of stevia – could use maple syrup or agave syrup)

Place all ingredients in a blow and stir – let sit for 10-30 minutes so the chia seeds are able to gelatinize. Or prepare the night before the let sit in the refrigerator overnight so it’s ready right away!

VoilĂ ! Easy healthy breakfast or snack served.

*If you're wondering about chia seeds, look at my write up on them here.


Sunday, February 16, 2014

Steaming It Up in the Name of Health



As this exceptionally brutal Minnesota winter drags on this week and seems to be never ending, I have taken to using my gym’s steam room.  Ahhhhhh . . . I love the opportunity to warm up and relax in there. And as I feel what intuitively must be positive health effects for my body, I started to wonder what the actual known benefits are of steaming things up. So I did a little searching and this is why you should join me in the steam room.

Increased Blood Flow in the Body
It increases blood flow, which can; alleviate stiff joints, relax sore muscles, and sooth pain. In a research article in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology they found that steam baths can be effective in aiding with muscle recovery1.  So get in there after a tough workout or if you have a stiff neck/back after a long day at the office.

They Have Stood the Test of Time – This is No Health Fad!
Steam baths have been around for thousands of years. Most major cultures around the world have used some form of steam baths throughout time - the ancient Greeks and Romans, Mayans, Japanese and Islamic cultures just to name a few. The oldest found sweat ritual structure was Celtic and dates back to 1500 B.C.

Many indigenous cultures have acknowledged the sacred benefits of it for years.  An example close to home would be that of many Native American tribes and their sweat lodges.  They say doing a traditional sweat can be used to cleanse the spirit, heal and mediate and release negative emotions.

Glowing Skin, improved respiratory health and more . . .
There are plenty of other health benefit claims for steam baths that haven’t been looked at in research yet such as; aids weight loss, improves skin as it opens up pores and moisturizes it, improves respiratory health, and fights off colds

But don’t take my word for it, get in the nearest steam bath and do your own research on the benefits of using a steam room.  At the least you will warm up and relax. What’s there to lose?  Trust me, it feels ahhhhhh- mazing!

1 Lee, S., Ishibashi, S., Shimomura, Y., & Katsuura, T. (2012). Physiological functions of the effects of the different bathing method on recovery from local muscle fatigue. Journal of Physiology Anthropology, 16; 31:26