Have a Healthy Happy Holiday!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Give the Gift of Heart Healthy
Holiday shopping is in full swing! So give the gift of healthy essentials.
For the sporty person on your list...
Puma Fundamentals Sports Bag , or on the pricier side Puma Urban Mobility Sports Bag
For the yoga junkie person on your list...
For the in need of relaxation person on your list...
For the conscious eater on your list....
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Here Come The Holidays!
Greetings readers! So I know Thanksgiving was more than a week ago but I still owe a recap of the holiday feast. Overall I was extremely proud of myself for making sure I felt satisfied and not overly stuffed. Thanksgiving dinner was absolutely delicious. My aunt cooked a great feast including turkey, ham, stuffing, rice, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes and salad. At the start of the morning I made sure to have a decent breakfast; half a cinnamon raisin bagel with a tbsp. of salmon cream cheese and some fruit. Breakfast certainly fueled me up until dinner time. Once dinner was served I had only one plate full of portion controlled turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and lots of roasted vegetables! Even better, the dessert was a 'light' version pumpkin pie that I made! It was simply delicious; it hit the spot but didn't feel too overbearing.
I do have to mention that on Thanksgiving morning my mother and I went on an hour walk. We dedicated ourselves the night before to some exercise! Again, walking is my favorite form of exercise; it's convenient, no cost and is potentially great for some bonding time with friends, family, etc.
I have definitely pondered the rest of the holidays. How will I trim the tree and keep a trim waist? So here is some advice to follow!
- Holiday=family time ; plan a shopping trip or casual stroll in a park with family & friends before or after big holiday dinner
- Offer to cook/bake a dish for a holiday event...with that being said make sure it's healthy!
- If you are going to a holiday event, inquire with the host to see what they will be serving; therefore you can plan what's worth eating and what's not
- Your holiday plate should contain: half vegetables, one quarter protein/lean meats, one quarter starch
- Watch your alcohol intake, there are calories in those drinks too!
- Do not show up to a holiday event hungry, load up on fruits and veggies and a light snack
- Remember that cute holiday outfit you bought? If you want to fit into it again...follow all the above steps! :)
Some may say oh it's the holidays...
NO.
Most likely if you get into the habit of binge eating and intaking too many calories, those habits could linger well after the holidays. Practice makes perfect!
If you have any questions, inquiries, comments. Please be sure to leave them on this post!
Happy Holidays
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thinking about Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is approaching fast! So what is the essence of Thanksgiving? In general, the holiday season promotes quality time with friends and family and partaking in feasts. This Thanksgiving is going to be a challenge for me, but a good one. Why is it a challenge? Because there is going to be an abundance of food, duh!
Over the weekend I got a chance to attend a Weight Watchers meeting. I certainly learned a lot of great pointers and advice to follow from fellow members. Our leader had us brainstorm about how we want to feel after our Thanksgiving meal. I want to feel satisfied but not overly stuffed. We were also told to make sure to attend the meal not starving. Which means having breakfast or a light snack, packed with lots of fruits will surely stop from overeating. In the past, my mindset about Thanksgiving was to wear my "eating pants" and stuff myself. However, this Thanksgiving my mindset will be different but nothing drastic; choose which foods are worth it, portion control, load up on available vegetables, and eat slowly. Most importantly, I am going to make this holiday about spending time with my family not spending time with food. Even better, I volunteered to make the pumpkin pie-a modified and healthier version!
I'll let you know how this weekend goes!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Make Use of Those Leftovers!
A variety of leftovers in the fridge plus some creativity can make for a great meal. Today I was home for lunch and thoroughly scoped the fridge shelves from top to bottom. I pulled out a bag of romaine salad, leftover black bean shrimp with green beans and onions, and baked tilapia. Then, I carefully portioned out 3 oz of shrimp and 2 oz of tilapia. I scattered the shrimp and tilapia on top a pile of salad. To top it off, I added some balsamic vinegar and the leftover green beans and onions. As a result of my creative salad endeavor are a number of benefits. - Clears out the fridge, creates new space
- Makes the most of home cooked meals, no wasting of food
- The shrimp and tilapia (or any leftovers) are already seasoned so it brings flavor to the salad as a whole
- You are in control of what and how much to add to your salad
- You are getting a serving of veggies!
- Doesn't require any spending; no eating out, delivery tips...etc
See how creative you can get with your salad!
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Restaurant Review: Energy Kitchen
During one of my weight watchers meetings a member recommended the restaurant Energy Kitchen. I decided to search information about it online. While browsing their website it became apparent that they pride themselves on serving food choices all for under 500 calories. Not bad huh? Well my first endeavor to try this place failed, they were closed. However, on Friday I had some free time and decided to try another location (2nd avenue, between 57th and 58th street).
Looking up at the menu I decided to try a bison burger and a side order of baked fries. While I appreciated the under 500 calorie enticement, I felt disappointed in the quality of the food. The lettuce and tomatoes inside the burger did not taste fresh. The bison meat was plain and not very flavorful. Although, the wheat hamburger bun was enjoyable. As for the fries, it was a good portion size and did not feel too greasy. Overall I'm not impressed with the quality of the bison burger; I'd rather eat a McDonalds hamburger. Perhaps I need to give it another try but with a different dish next time. I noticed that Energy Kitchen claims their chicken fajita is the most popular. In the future, giving this place another try is possible.
On the brighter side I did get a 15% discount for showing my weight watchers pass. Energy Kitchen's menu is pretty extensive and even offers smoothies. Give it a try! Let me know what you think.
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Thinking Slim
On friday evening my boyfriend and I ate at Mustang Sally's. It's located on 7th avenue between 28th and 29th street. At the start of the week I knew we were going to eat out. I have to admit, eating out creates a small sense of food anxiety. After all, the food is prepared behind closed doors. Who knows how much salt the chef is really using! I could easily avoid restaurants. But it's nice not to worry about dishes!
The waitress sat us down at a nice booth and handed us each a menu. While perusing the menu, the "salad" section seemed like a safe bet. However, at the bottom of the menu was a dish that sounded mouthwatering, a cuban sandwich. I figured, oh what the heck. It only took the food about 15 minutes to arrive. The waitress delivered a full plate of two halves of the cuban sandwich, thick cut french fries, and coleslaw. I took one look at the plate and asked myself, am I really going to eat this? I worked hard these past four months; losing 16 lbs and keeping it off for a good 5 weeks.
Bam! It was as if I had attained some sort of health superpower. I automatically removed the top slices of bread from each half and removed 2/3 of the french fry serving onto a small plate...and far away from me. I only had a small forkful of the coleslaw. Thankfully, the amount of meat and cheese inside the sandwich was a small portion. Not going to lie, I certainly felt proud of myself! In the end, the portion I created myself satisfied my hunger.
I Heart Healthy Tip: When eating out, request a small plate. After your food arrives, evaluate your plate: what is going to really satisfy my taste buds? Is there too much meat or bread? For example, I really wanted the crunch of the pickle and didn't need all the bread and fries. Then, use the small plate to dump the food you are going to cut out. Either offer the small plate of food to others around the table or simply take it home for a leftover meal during the week.
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 31, 2011
Don't Turn the "Fun-Sized" Into "Full-Sized"
Happy Halloween everyone! Once again, it's that time of year when free candy and chocolates seem to fall into our hands. As I walked home it occurred to me that Halloween is a holiday for all ages. Generally speaking, the majority of trick or treaters is 15 years old and under. As a kid, it is socially acceptable to knock on doors, collect candy and then mindlessly devour the sweet treats. However, the concept of Halloween is different for adults. It is no longer socially acceptable for adults to trick or treat, unless they are accompanying a child. Thus, adults are left with certain responsibilities on Halloween; such as purchasing candy and distributing it to trick or treaters. Responsibility is required to execute health decisions on Halloween.
I have identified three degrees of health responsibility.
- individuals who do not take on health responsibility
- individuals who take on minimal health responsibility
- individuals who take on full health responsibility
How does Halloween affect each of these three groups? It seems inevitable that individuals in category 1 are likely to constantly pick at halloween candies. They may even continue this bad habit well into the rest of the week. Individuals in group 2 may go ahead and eat what they desire but are conscious that there eventually is a limit. Lastly, individuals of group 3 are highly likely to implement action. What type of action would they take? Perhaps, they would only buy one bag of candy to distribute. Most of the candy would go to trick or treaters with minimal leftovers. Therefore, they might assess the leftovers and pick out their favorite candy. Lastly, these individuals will allot a reasonable amount of candy to eat.
Personally, I would consider myself an individual who is fully responsible about my health. I made sure to control my Halloween candy intake. This year, my mom bought the "fun-sized" chocolate bars and candy. Most people know that the "fun-sized" portion is about the size of a thumb. I allowed myself to indulge in one snickers bar, two musketeer bars, one twix bar and one starburst packet. It felt satisfying to have a variety of tastes but in small portions.
Warning! Don't let the size of the candy fool you! Eating three "fun-sized" bars will add up to one regular size bar. So make sure to stick to the concept of a "fun-sized" candy because it may lead to a calorie packed binge. Also, if you want to limit your candy intake try this: have a designated time for candy. For example, if you want that mini snickers bar, eat it after dinner because you'll already be full. If you eat candy on a full stomach you may be tempted to keep snacking on candy in hopes to feel full. Unfortunately, chocolate and candy do not posses fiber or protein to help you feel full.
I hope all of you have a healthy and safe Halloween!
Remember, it's all a matter of personal choice.
Just know that there are healthy habits to enjoy sweet treats.
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Save Calories, Save Money
I wish my mom still packed lunch for me to bring to school. Unfortunately, she thinks I'm too old for that. Recently, I noticed my bank account slipping into a black hole. I had to ask myself, where was it all going? Food. Starbucks. More Starbucks. It occurred to me that buying overpriced lunches and coffee drinks were a luxury, not a necessity. This past week I implemented a strict brown bag lunch rule. Luckily, my school schedule allows me to enjoy breakfasts at home. However, 3 out of 5 days a week I am at school during lunch time. The bottom line is that I prepared lunches to bring to school.
What did I bring you ask?
Day 1: turkey sandwich with cheese and hummus on whole wheat bread, an apple, and a special K bar...& water!
Day 2: ham sandwich with cheese and light mayo, an apple, banana, pear...bought a Starbucks coffee and mini vanilla scone (rewarding myself)
Day 3: leftover zucchini pasta with butternut squash and cheese (Hunter has a microwave), gnu food energy bar in chocolate brownie, an apple, water
I basically saved about 1/2-1/3 of what I would normally spend in a week. Even better, I ate healthy balanced lunches. Of course, it was easy to save money this way since I don't purchase the groceries at home. But if you are living at home like I am, then consider taking advantage of the resources in your home. Spending money on eating out definitely devours your bank account, no pun intended! But more importantly, sometimes the money we spend on food that may seem healthy is not always healthy. Brown bagging allows you to control what you put into your body. Also, remember to not only bring a meal but 2-3 snacks. This will help you to avoid mid afternoon vending machine runs.
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Test Your Heart Healthy IQ
Quizzes are always more fun outside of the classroom!
I came across this quiz online and actually learned some great new knowledge.
Check it out :)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Healthy Relationships
I usually zip by the 3rd floor cafeteria at Hunter College to get to my next class. However, this time I paused near the cafeteria in order to send a text message. After pressing send my eyes flowed to a big banner about 500 feet away from me. Across the banner the title, "Counseling & Wellness Services", sat boldly centered on the beige background. I decided to check it out. Lollipops and free condoms sprinkled the table. But more importantly, a bunch of handouts were readily available. Among the bunch of pamphlets, this one stood out to me...
I remembered that someone requested for a healthy relationship blog. The information in this handout clearly highlights what constitutes a healthy and unhealthy relationship. Even better it provides a hotline for those who need further guidance.
A healthy relationship. Well what kind of relationships are there? Boyfriend-girlfriend. Boss-employee. Parent-child. Teacher-student. Student-student. Although this handout is geared toward a more formal couple relationship, a handful of the guidelines can be applied to other types of relationships.
I retrieved October/November editions of Self, Cosmopolitan and Women's Health Magazine. Each magazine featured an article relevant to the topic of healthy relationships.
Cosmopolitan Magazine contains an interesting inside look on the life of past '60s Playboy Bunny waitresses. As I read on it became apparent that Playboy Bunny waitresses did not have a healthy relationship with their bosses. More specifically, "...they couldn't report to work without their gynecological health being confirmed", which certainly invades privacy and personal space ("Ugly Bunny Tales"). Another disturbing rule the Bunnies had to follow is that they could not be seen drinking water while working. The limitation of water relates largely to decision control, not being able to have water seems as if they were treated like servants. In addition, if the Bunnies did not pass the "Bunny perfect" test then they could not work that night ("Ugly Bunny Tales"). Again, this unhealthy decision control is extreme. Of course, the 1960s deems a different time in society. Today, there are many laws that protect an employee. However, I'm sure many bosses think they can get away with unhealthy relationships with their employees. Point blank, don't be afraid to speak up, report them to human resources or quit.
A vital category in the NYC health handout is Financial Liberty/Control. Self magazine illustrates several helpful hints on how to handle financial discussions with a significant other. In 2009 Utah State University did a study that yielded this result, "...pairs who argue about finances once a week are 30 percent more apt to divorce than those who do it less often" ("Don't let money come between you"). This study was no surprise to me.
So here are the helpful hints to avoid divorce on account of finances.
- Choose a good moment to bring up financial discussions or even set a date
- Limit the time you are going to spend talking about finances, if you allow too much time then this can lead to unrelated issues
- Remember to express your feelings on how a certain financial difficulty is affecting you, straight out criticism will erupt in a negative atmosphere
- Make sure to handle each topic at a time, not all at once
- Make it a point to understand what type of financial background each of you come from; who in your family handled the bills, what systems did they use
Lastly, Women's Health Magazine offered a sweet piece of advice to strengthen the bond between couples. Essentially, the article promotes random acts of kindess as a way to rekindle any relationship. For example, if he, "treats you to dinner after you've had a tough day at work" then this reflects how he wants to show his support as a team player and make sure you are less stressed ("The #1 Way to Build a Better Bond"). Another example, if he, "cleaned the house top to bottom, and then fridge is restocked" then he has turned chores into gifts ("The #1 Way to Build a Better Bond"). In both situations it is important to remain grateful and hold back any critical thoughts that may come to mind. I know through experience that these random acts of kindness work! My boyfriend sent me flowers once for a just because. It made me feel special and I knew he didn't just send it because it was a birthday or valentines day. The little things make the biggest impacts.
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/view/mosaic
Citations
Davies, Anna. "Ugly Bunny Tales." 11/2011: 160-161. Print.
Dunleavey, MP. "Don't let money come between you." 10/2011: 124. Print.
Savacool, Julia. "The #1 Way to Build a Better Bond." 11/2011: 103-105. Print.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Healthy Lifestyles with Kendra Jackson
"...not too tight, not too loose..."
During this past week I had a wonderful opportunity to sit down with Kendra Jackson and have a chat about healthy lifestyles! Ms. Jackson is a former teacher of mine. She's no ordinary textbook type of teacher, but rather a dance, yoga, and health educator. It felt inviting to be back at my old high school, BSGE. I knew how to navigate around the school and could recall of the teachers by their first names. This tight knit school atmosphere, definitely hard to come by in college. As I peaked my head into the yoga studio, the familiar smell of lavender daintily tickled my nose. I greeted Ms. Jackson with a big hug. We folded festively colored yoga blankets on the floor, a comfy alternative to the cold floor. I eagerly unearthed my laptop from my bag. The chatting began!
For those of you who may not know Kendra Jackson, she is currently a dance/health teacher at the high school The Baccalaureate School For Global Education. There, her classes are pleasant break from the multiple rigorous assignments. However, her career did not begin with BSGE. She was born in Boston and attended Roger Williams University. Not only did she obtain a BA in Psychology but double majored in Dance Performance. After moving to New York Ms. Jackson enrolled in NYU and achieved a masters degree in Dance Education. Over the course of her life, she has taught in multiple schools in Brooklyn.
Of course, Ms. Jackson did not go through all this schooling without a reason. I wanted to know her personal influences for how dance, yoga and health came to be a lifestyle she led. Ms. Jackson pinpointed the first moment dance became her passion; she was about 6 years old and had signed up for an African Dance class. From there, dance was something that made her feel truly empowered. The environment in which she grew up in played a key role in her lifestyle. She told me that her father and friends had owned a co-op health food store in the 70s. I smiled when she shared that she grew up on lots of salads especially beet salads; beets are one of my favorite vegetables. Growing up in such a health consciousness household, it was easy for Kendra to develop good eating habits.
Her parental influences led to a fruitful conversation regarding eating habits. For seven years she dedicated herself as a vegetarian. She realized that she needed different proteins than just beans. Resultantly, she transitioned out of a vegetarian diet. We both agreed that lean protein meats and lots of vegetables and fruits were a great way to fight hunger. Pointing over to her desk, she showed me her water bottle with a built in filter. Keeping hydrated is an important aspect of her lifestyle since she teaches multiple classes a day. During the interview, Ms. Jackson's superb upkeep of a healthy lifestyle had me in awe. With knowledge of her eating habits and passion for dance and yoga, I wanted to know how she felt about certain health issues today.
We chatted about Mrs. Obama's efforts to change the menus of several restaurants chains. Ms. Jackson highlighted an important point that the change should entail broadening menu choices. For example, many dishes could be altered in terms of how the food is prepared. She shared with me that one of her biggest issues with the health industry is genetically modified foods. I laughed when she threw her hands up in the air and exclaimed that she heard of exploding watermelons! Genetically modified foods just seemed unnatural to her and troublesome. Exploding fruits are not normal!
The remainder of our chat revolved around exercise. Based on her experience as a teacher, I wanted to know what frequent health challenges her students may have stumbled upon. She pointed out two big challenges: one, students are often bombarded with too many "what not to dos" instead of "what to dos", and secondly, her students aren't getting enough exercise. The issue on "what not to dos" only stresses the importance of health education for children. As for exercise, Ms. Jackson provided an excellent way to manage an hour each day. She suggested to break up that one hour into chunks. More specifically, do some pushups or jumping jacks in the morning, then power walk your way somewhere, and then do some stretching. Yes, stretching can count as an exercise. Not only does stretching feel refreshing but it keeps you limber. Regarding the topic of exercise I inquired about how to get involved with yoga. Ms. Jackson suggested a yoga basics class. The advantage of a yoga basics class is that every pose and prop is thoroughly explained. Classes that advertise "open level" may not explain every pose or yoga terminology.
After learning about Ms. Jackson's inside advice and opinions about health, there was one more question I had on my mind. I posed the question, are there any specific morals that you live by, that perhaps keep you on the path to a healthy lifestyle? Crinkling her forehead, she thought about the question for a second. Ms. Jackson shared a riveting quote she learned from her yoga studio, "...not to tight, not to loose..". The essence of the quote is to find balance in life; be motivated and push forward, but also relax and unwind. Ms. Jackson noted it's okay to have that piece of cake, but don't take the biggest piece presented. As I go on with promoting healthy lifestyles, I will surely keep that quote in mind!
For those of you reading I hope that this blog post has inspired you in some way!
Certainly, it was a great experience of mine.
Special thanks to Kendra Jackson!
A yoga instructional video will be posted soon!
Stay tuned to watch Kendra and I demonstrate a simple yoga routine.
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 9, 2011
What Gets You Moving?
I'm sure many of you have shared this simliar experience:
Ripped out a page in a magazine with a cool exercise routine, got fully pumped, did it for a week...and then BAM: we feel accomplished and then slowly tell ourselves it's okay we don't need to exercise since we just did it a day ago. Eventually, we forget about that exercise. The cycle goes on and on. The same workout routine inevitably becomes monotonous. So how do we avoid seemingly repetitive workouts?
For starters, pick a form of exercise that fits your lifestyle. I find trying to hit the gym may be associated with a bundle of excuses; such as, oh I don't have a change of clothes, wow I just got home and I'm tired, what if I see that creepy dude who always checks me out? So if you are a procrastinator, maybe the gym isn't a great fit for your lifestyle. Another way of getting active is through dance classes, if your personality is outgoing and eccentric, then a dance class may tickle you pink. Swimming can guarantee a toned body, but again, you need to make sure it fits your lifestyle; do you have access to a pool, what times can you utilize that pool, are you willing to wear a bathing suit and cap, how appealing does swimming in the winter sound when you have to go back out into the cold? Personally, my go to form of exercise is walking. I know that I have to walk in order to get to the train station everyday for school. Keeping up with a walking routine, I tweak my mindset. Instead of walking along the bus route, I simply take another route. Also, it feels more pleasurable to enjoy the open air than a stuffy bus that has a range of smells and loud people on their cell phone. Not to mention, I noticed that the weeks I increased my walking, it helped me with my weight loss. Overall, just remember to be realistic and pick exercises that are comfortable to your lifestyle. Also, along with an exercise comes an important mindset. Think positively about what you are embarking on. Even the smallest changes will ultimately lead up to a big change.
The Official: http: //i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Healthy Eating Habits
You should go on a diet.
You should change your eating habits.
Which of the two sentences appeals more to you?
I know the second statement conjures up a lot more positive thoughts than the first statement! Something about the connotation of the word "diet" leads most people to think of barren salads and starvation. The problem most diets are that they are unrealistic. However, instead of dieting, losing weight results from good healthy eating habits.
Recently, I had a friend ask me, "so did weight watchers work?" My reply came without hesitation, "I lost 15 lbs, of course it worked!" I'll admit, three months ago I couldn't fit into my favorite pair of uniqlo trousers. The metal hook to cling to the other side of the pant, wasn't anywhere close to uniting my pants. At that moment, I knew it was time to drop some pounds. However, I wanted to do it in a healthy way. So, I turned to weight watchers. I mainly joined because I wanted to lose weight and educate myself concerning proper eating habits. I've seen the weight watchers plan transform me mentally and physically. I want to share with you three vital lessons I learned from the plan.
- Put in the effort to think about what you are going to eat for the day, in other words, plan ahead!
- Load up on lean proteins, pair main meals with fruits and vegetables to satisfy a full but not overly full feeling.
- Portion control what you eat, eat that one cookie or muffin, not the whole box!
Here's an example of what I ate today:
Morning
1 egg
2 pieces of whole wheat toast
1/2 cup of orange juice
Afternoon
1/4 of a salmon fillet
1/2 cup of mashed potatoes
1 cup of roasted cauliflower
Nighttime
Steamed Chicken-3 oz
Steamed brocoli-1 cup
1/2 cup of brown rice
1 pork dumpling
(This was ordered from a chinese restaurant! Many menus now have healthier options)
Snacks throughout the day
1/4 cup of cheerios
Banana
Pear
Vita brown with whip cream
Protein banana chocolate muffin
Did I starve myself? No.
I've been eating like this for the past three months and the results are stunning. I lost weight, attained knowledge about what I was consuming. Overall, I certainly altered my lifestyle and made these eating habits a part of who I am.
If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to leave it on this blog post!
The Official: http://i-hearthealthy.blogspot.com/
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Currently In Theaters: "Contagion"
Contagion:
noun
the communication of disease from one person to another by close contact
noun
the communication of disease from one person to another by close contact
I hadn't been to the movies in a long time, so my boyfriend and I decided it was time to go. The only movie I knew about was Contagion, so we thought we'd give it a try! Essentially, the movie outlines how a highly contagious disease spreads throughout society. The movie veers off in a couple of different directions to follow the lives of doctors, government workers and everyday people in order to portray their reactions to an epidemic. Even though these story lines are not well developed, the movie raises interesting issues about the political and sociological affects of an epidemic.
One theme Contagion holds is human interaction. More specifically, as the epidemic spreads, the human population become so fearful that it becomes normal to wear masks in public and not touch each other. At the end of the movie a vaccine is finally found. Due to the vaccine, people start to revert back to their old norms. For example, at the end of the movie one of the main characters shakes hands with a friend. The handshake holds symbolic meaning; because a vaccine is found, the handshake symbolizes the restoration of societal norms.
Also, Contagion explores the role of government involvement in a situation of epidemic. Essentially, the movie suggests that government workers use their knowledge to their advantage to save their families first instead of the public. To what extent is it fair that government workers can use their power to save and warn the people that they are closest too? It seems inevitable. Human nature seems to get the best of us during times of intense panic.
What I especially loved about this movie is that it wasn't just another disease spreading movie with unrealistic zombies and an abundance of shooting. Contagion followed realistic possible scenarios derived from previous historical epidemics.
Oh, and after watching this movie, I think I need to invest in hand sanitizer!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Recipe for Coconut Shrimp
This recipe for coconut shrimp is super easy and incredibly delicious!
Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 sliced scallions
1/2 cup of light coconut milk
1 lb of shelled shrimp
Directions:
Spray skillet with cooking spray.
Pour olive oil into skillet, add curry powder and salt, stir for 1 minute.
Add scallions and stir for 2 minutes.
Add coconut milk, stir to blend.
Add shrimp and cook until pink.
(Serves 4)
If you want to portion control your meal, eat 5-6 pieces of shrimp, along with 1 cup of rice or brown rice, and 1-2 tbsp of sauce.
What I love about this meal is that it is really fast to make. The light coconut milk adds a creamy texture to the shrimp with half the calories as a opposed to regular coconut milk. You can control the amount of curry powder you want to add depending on how spicy you like your meals!
(Recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers)
What Role Does Beauty Play in a Healthy Lifestyle?
Recently, the makeup company Bare Escentuals has launched a new beauty campaign. The above ad is one of their main campaign pages. The first thing I noticed was the differentiation it emphasizes between "beauty" and "pretty"? Judging by the ad, Bare Escentuals appears to define beauty as a force of nature, a powerful way to change the world; whereas, pretty is simply an outer layer of beauty, a visual stimuli. I take interest in this ad because my Philosophy group at Hunter is exploring the nature of what beauty is.
So what is beauty anyway? What do we really mean when we say something is beautiful? Can beauty act as an underlying factor to the promotion and maintenance of good health?
We should consider the essentials or characteristics of beauty. Perhaps, beauty can be an emotion; for example, the ad says beauty can make spirits "soar". Therefore, a motivating emotion. And how about beauty as a form of intelligence. The more we become familiar of something, whether it's the color, smell, and texture of a flower, we formulate an opinion of how beautiful something is. So when we feel good and attain knowledge about something, are those really forces of beauty at work?
Readers! Pause for a moment and consider the roles of beauty; intellect and motivation. Think about how often we use motivation and intellect to maintain and promote a healthy lifestyle. Motivation keeps us on track, inspires us to try new things to better our health. Moreover, motivation can affect those around you. Secondly, intellect teaches us the power from what is good for our bodies and what is bad.
What else defines beauty? What other roles can beauty play in a healthy lifestyle?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sleepyhead Syndrome
I promise I didn't have any school work to do, but on my break today at school I picked up "Self" magazine in hopes to pick up some helpful health tips. After getting past the numerous ads, I came across an article related to the benefits of sleep. I know it's a hectic world out there and sometimes an "all nighter" is inevitable because of our procrastination. However, maybe procrastination could be banished with a little help of time management :) And then....there comes sleep.
For those who are craving a good sleep, here is why you deserve some zzzZZZzzzs....
For those who are craving a good sleep, here is why you deserve some zzzZZZzzzs....
- Sidestep Aches: sleep is a form of physical recovery
- Enhance Speed: it's all in the name, a power nap!
- Focus, focus, focus: 30 minutes to 2 hours can help improve your determination and sharpness
Source: ("Self" Magazine, September 2011 edition, pg 34)
Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?
Wow! This article expresses great points on the cultural and political influences that affect American society and their eating habits. Although this has been an ongoing hot topic in the health industry, this New York Times oped breathes new life into this old debate. One specific point took ahold of my attention: society seems to be losing its ability to cook a meal. From a sociological viewpoint, cooking is no longer as popular as it was. Gender roles have been altered tremendously. It is no longer the norm for a women to be a housewife, rather more and more women are a part of the working world. With both sexes working, cooking has taken on an "express" nature. Just look at down the aisles of any supermarket, you will surely find an instant form of a meal; for example, rices, mac n cheese, vegetables, pre-cooked chicken!
America, we need to be utilizing our kitchens more.
7 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer
As September comes to a close, the nippy weather of October will eventually settle of NYC. Moreover, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month; a month filled with inspiring stories of Breast Cancer Survivors. My grandmother serves as my inspiration; even she had breast cancer twice it never affected her sweet and caring nature. For the strong-willed women who had to endure Chemotherapy alongside with the mental stress, whether survivors or not, they contribute to female empowerment. By female empowerment I specifically mean the spread of knowledge. Prevention of diseases is so incredibly important. This blog post will highlight some helpful tips women need to know to keep their breasts at their healthiest!
- Maintain a healthy weight: a factor recommended not just to prevent cancer, but most diseases
- Exercise: this will help you maintain a healthy weight
- Load up on veggies: specifically kale and broccoli contain sulforaphane which can prevent cancer cells from multiplying
- Family history: talk to your relatives, find out if anyone has had breast cancer, a small percentage of family case studies have shown a string of family history of the disease
- Get checked: make sure you are undergoing clinical breast exams, mammograms usually become more frequent for women over 40
- Genetic testing: if it does run in the family, consider genetic testing to search for any BRCA mutations
- Lower your alcohol intake
Source: (http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/protect-yourself-from-breast-cancer)
Helpful Links: http://ww5.komen.org/ , http://www.nbcam.org/
Healthy Choice of The Day: Spinach Feta Wrap
Don't be fooled Starbucks lovers! Not everything that they offer is light on calories, such as fattening frappucinos and coffee cakes. However, as my hunger rolled around in my stomach, it led me to walk into Starbucks. My choice of food was a spinach feta egg white wrap, and wow was I glad I had gotten it. It was extremely tasty. If you aren't such a hot spinach fan, no worries, you hardly taste it. But it's health benefits come from the nutrients in the tomatoes and spinach. Also, egg whites have no cholesterol and are very very low on calories.
Try it out and let me know what you think!
Healthy Choice of the Day: Frozen Yogurt
Living in NYC leads you to encounter a wide variety of food trucks, and I'm not just talking about ice cream trucks! It was as if the healthy Gods came down and gave me an opportunity to snack. Yes, after my Psychology class there was an adorable fat free frozen yogurt truck on Lexington and 68th. I ordered a fat free frozen vanilla yogurt with strawberries and rainbow sprinkles. It was totally delicious and definitely tasted like ice cream, minus the fat. It's great finding healthy ways to treat yourself after class.
Not to mention, yogurt has incredible health benefits. It's packed with calcium, promotes good digestion, and is great for your skin.
Eat up yogurt lovers!
Red Lobster...Olive Garden...Bahama Breeze, OH MY!
Will Eating Out Still be a Treat?
Everyone always has room for a little improvement! Even Olive Garden and Red Lobster. Click on the above title for an interesting article concerning chain food restaurants.
Mrs. Obama should be recognized for her strong willed efforts to improve the quality and health value of restaurant chain food. The article highlights an important point that a lot of dishes may appear to be healthy. Certainly, the preparation of food can alter the essence of vegetables; for example, if the vegetables are fried, mixed into heavy sauces and laden with excessive salt. So not only should restaurants make healthier menu options available but also prepare their foods in a healthier manner.
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