Better Than a Gym!

Cafe Club

Is There Really Brain Food?

For those of you who missed it, here is the April 2nd news spot on San Diego Living, Channel 6

 (see the video here)

We’ve all had those days when we just feel like our brain is in a fog.  And while there’s no magic pill (or is there?) to bring us back to the height of our cognitive powers, there are some foods and nutrients that have been shown to improve brain function, protect against age-associated cognitive decline and encourage focus and clarity.  But before you dismiss the diet-brain connection let me tell you there has been study after study that has found a relationship between what we put in our mouths and how well we can perform important thinking and memory tasks. While certain nutrients may specifically assist brain function, there is also the totality of our diets to consider. Also, several well-regarded studies have shown that meal timing is an important predictor of performance.

For example, research shows that eating breakfast can improve the memory and acquisition skills of schoolchildren. In a finding sure to fuel the debate over the harms of saturated fat, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital published a study last year suggesting that saturated fats — found in red meat and full-fat dairy products — causes the brain to age more rapidly than other kinds of fat. Olive oil, avocado, and other monounsaturated fats appear to slow brain aging.

I’ve put together the top brain foods — tell me Friday if any have made a difference for you. We all could use a little extra oomph up there?

·         Walnuts help promote blood flow, which in turn allows for efficient delivery of oxygen to the brain.

·         Olive oil is a great source of monounsaturated fat, which has been shown to actually slow brain aging.

·         Berries –  Neuro-research found that a diet high in blueberries, strawberries and others were linked to a slower mental decline in areas like memory and focus in a large sample of middle-aged women.

·         Fatty fish like sardines and salmon are a well-known brain booster, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which have been linked to lower risk of dementia, improved focus and memory.

·         Spinach is rich in the antioxidant lutein, which is thought to help protect against cognitive decline, according to researchers from Tufts University.

·         Avocados are full of monounsaturated fats that improve vascular health and blood flow, making them another brain food.

·         Water – When a person becomes dehydrated, their brain tissue actually shrinks. And several studies have shown that dehydration can affect cognitive function.  Dehydration can impair short-term memory, focus and decision making.

·         Garlic may help stave off some forms of brain cancer, according to research published in Cancer, the medical journal of the American Cancer Society. Investigators found that the organo-sulfur compounds in garlic actually worked to kill brain cancer cells.

The key to successfully implementing these foods for effectiveness is in balancing them.  Remember, too much of a good thing is a bad thing.  At the Seminar Friday, we will talk about how to combine these foods and other herbs and botanicals for optimal brain function.

Over decades of study and working with thousands of clients, I’ve developed a single product that has a key all-natural combination affecting Mood. Metabolism and Recovery as it says on the bottle

It all starts on my birthday, this Friday, April 5th at a FREE seminar in San Diego where San Diego 6 viewers can get a chance to enter to receive all of this free.  All views have to do is register at www.trisystem.info/san-diego-6. That enters you in a drawing to be announced at the seminar.  More information about the location is on that page.  It starts at 6:30. I hope to see you there!

Are you on Vacation? What about Mobile Food Component Choices?

Are you on Vacation? Not Cooking at home?

Your long weekend could really use some mobile protein.  This is where my friends, Egon and Eric of Nutrimart have several products, just for this purpose.  The hardest part of traveling is mobile protein. Yes, you should have protein in every meal when possible.  Don't skip a meal if there is simply no protein.  Here are some mobile meal components:
 
Mobile/Convenient Proteins:
 
NutriMart
Quest bars (1 bar is a serving)
Whey Protein (1/2 scoop is a serving)
Complete Cookies (1/2 is a serving)
Liquid Isopure (1/2 bottle is a serving)
 
Supermarket/convenience store
Greek Yogurt (4 oz)
Cottage Cheese (4 oz.)
Edemame (4 oz)
Hardboiled egg
Turkey Sandwhich (1/2)
Albacore Tuna Packets or single serving cans
 
Mobile/Convenient Fats:
Walnuts (tbs.)
Almonds (tbs.)
Peanuts (tbs.)
Macadamian nuts (tbs.)
Order olive oil and vinegar on a salad, out (tbs.)
 
Mobile/Convenient Carbs:

all fruits and Vegetables (limited to 2 cups per meal)

Refreshing Summertime Snacks That Help You Lose Weight!

 

Refreshing summertime snacks that help

you lose weight!

 

 

Who doesn't love snacking? A great trick to staying lean for your summer is keeping healthy, refreshing snacks on hand. Eating often, especially incorporating fresh fruits and veggies is known to speed up your metabolism and keep you energized! These low calorie nibbles will satisfy your taste buds so you're not eyeballing those forbidden sinful temptations. These healthy snacks will fill you up and burn off quick, leaving you feeling refreshed, not weighed down! 

 

Watermelon

 

Sweet, crisp, quenching! Watermelon is SO refreshing on a hot summer day. Scoop it in to balls and keep it chilled in the fridge. The high volume due to the water content will make you feel full as well as hydrated. One cup of balls is just 46 calories with 21% of your daily value of vitamin C! Great for a fun snack or if you're still hungry after a meal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jicama

 

This root veggie sort of tastes like a cross between a raw potato and an apple. Crisp and firm but juicy with a pleasantly mild sweetness. 1 cup has just 46 calories and is very filling. Also 6 grams of fiber and a whopping 40% of your daily vitamin C! Jicama is delicious on it's own but for a kick you can add cayenne pepper which works as a natural appetite suppressant. Sprinkle it along with some lemon juice and salt and you have yourself a tasty low calorie FILLING summer snack!  Add some almonds and a low fat protein like Greek yogurt and you have a balanced snack!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yogurt Veggie Dip

 

 

This flavorful dip is high in protein, low in fat and super easy to make! Keep this in the fridge and you will be eating a lot more raw veggies! 1 cup fat free or 2% Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp chopped dried onions, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp chopped chives and a few drops of setvia. 

 

 

Stevia Lemonade 

 

I have to admit, stevia is one of those things that has to grow on you. You might not like it at first if you try it paired with the wrong thing. For example it doesn't shine so much in coffee or green tea, but it is excellent in citrus! Once you acquire a taste for stevia and learn what it goes well with, you may never go back to table sugar again! Let me tell you, it tastes GREAT in lemonade!!! And did you know lemon juice have very little calories but it makes you feel full? It also alkalizes your body, has cleansing properties and is packed with vitamin C among MANY other health benefits. Make a big batch of this and I promise you; you will be drinking a lot more water and you won't be as hungry throughout the day.

 

For one large glass squeeze 1 whole lemon in about 12 oz of water and add about 16 drops of stevia. Add fresh mint leaves or crushed ginger for something extra! One glass is just 15 calories containing 50% of your daily vitamin C value!

Note:[Jeff advises men to limit their stevia intake to less than 1 tbs. per day]. 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Tuna Crunchers

 

You might be thinking, "I'm not a big fan of tuna". I was like you once. This tuna is different!!!! I am about to share with you one of my most favorite secret recipes. I got it from my best friends mother and ever since I tried it for the first time; hooked! What's unique about this tuna salad is that it's sweet and not fishy at all because I add….drum roll please…..pineapple! The intensely sweet acidy essence of the pineapple perfectly balances the salty fishiness of the tuna. Using drained, crushed pineapple blends with the texture of the tuna so well that your kids, husband and/or friends won't even know it's in there. They will wonder what the heck it is about THIS tuna that makes it SO fresh and delicious! And when you replace the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt this snack is GREAT for the figure! 

 

2 5oz cans tuna (solid white is best)

1 15 oz can of crushed pineapple (VERY well drained)

4 or 5 tbsp Greek yogurt

dash of salt & pepper (if desired)

Optional:

Dried cranberries, diced apples, chopped walnuts, celery

 

(Serve atop cucumber slices cut in thick round pieces

or slice cucumber lengthwise, scoop out seeds and serve taco style)

 

These are some great ideas from your friendly TriSystem Fitness Chef, Monique Michaud.  Want more of my recipes?  Become a member of my Trisystem Cafe` Club, where all the real cool "Foodies" go for some of my best recipes and food secrets as well as my opinion on restaurant dishes.  For a short time, Club membership is only $10.  Click here!

 

Call 858-694-0317 to schedule a session where I cook for you.

 

 

Mom’s Apple Pie

Dessert isn't always bad. Watch this weekend drive that's worth the trip! Mom's is a quaint Julian Bakery that smells like Grandma's house on Thanksgiving day. Offering a variety of fresh fruit pies, including sugar-free options, Mom's can easily fit into a TriSystem Nutrition and Fitness plan, without guilt or regret. Remember, there are no bad foods, just bad portions and a single slice of Mom's goodness will make you feel like you had a wholesome desert without destroying all your progress.

Anita Nichols, the owner of Mom's didn't want to go on camera but, she assures the fitness conscious among us that all her pies are made from scratch with basic ingredients. The video is filmed at one of 2 of her locations:

Mom 's Pies Wynola
4510 Hwy. 78
Julian, Ca 93036
760-765-2264
www.momspiesjulian.com

Check Mom's out for a dessert that won't destroy your fitness goals, tastes good and has nutritional value.

 

Secrets to Eating Better Than Before!

To connect with Santos, my client seen above, visit his website at www.santosministries.orgSantos also works with drug and alcohol rehab resources.  Feel free to contact him anytime.

Before Jack LaLane died, I had a chance to talk with him in a radio interview. I asked him this question: "What do you think is harder to do: exercise correctly or eat right? You'll never guess what he said. In another post, I'll share a link to that interview. Our opinions differ in this question. Exercising 5 days a week is great for fitness, you only have to make the right decision 5 times in a whole week. Eating correctly is a little more challenging for me because I eat 5 or 6 times a day. That's 30+ correct decisions per week. Not only do I have to choose to stop and eat at the right time, I also have to choose to eat the right foods in the correct portions. That's a lot more decision making!
That is why you need to plan what your eating for the day. You need to know what you're going to eat before its time to eat. And it's gotta have the right nutrients in the right portions for the right amount of calories. That way each meal, your keeping your metabolism up while fat burning and muscle building at the same time. That is why I created the Cafe Club. We need to have a place to go that knows who we are, what we like, what we need and most of all…. What we should eat! Want to know what you should eat? Become a member:

To get the Premium TriSystem experience, join my Platinum Club, click here.

To focus on your food, join my Cafe Club, showing you what's the best for your body to eat, click here.

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