• It is winter time, and for most people a nice warm soup sounds good for lunch or dinner.  I suggest you try this recipe if you are one of those that likes to have soup on a cold winters day.  This soup has a unique taste that has the sweet and spicy flavors really popping.   I enjoyed the warmth from the ginger, so if ginger is your thing you might want to give this bisque a try.

Sweet and Spicy Carrot Bisque

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced (1 cup)

1 tsp. plus 1 pinch salt

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

1 Tbs. curry powder

1 pinch cayenne pepper

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds (4 cups)

1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced

1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk, divided

2 1/2 Tbs. lime juice Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  boopsie.daisy

• You have probably heard before how bad sugar is for the body.  If not, I am going to make a few points about the empty calorie food.  What I mean by “empty calorie” food is that sugar is full of calories with no nutritional value.  Do you know that it is estimated the average American eats almost his/her entire body weight in sugar every year?  Almost all processed foods have added sugar.  A can of soda alone has 10-12 teaspoons of sugar.
• Eating sugary foods and processed, refined starches increases the risk of pancreatic, colorectal, stomach, and breast cancer.  There are three ways a diet high in sugar contributes to cancer development.  They are:

1. It produces a toxic burden.
2. It raises insulin levels.
3. It negatively affects immunity. Continue Reading »

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Photo by:  yanasawa

• I would like to share some eating habits that can be changed to improve the mind, body, and spirit. 
• The way we eat is important and can make a big difference in our nutrition.  Eating slowly and completely chewing the food starts the digestive process in the mouth and saves stress on the stomach and digestive tract. 

Some eating habits that can be changed are:

• Overeating:  We all overeat, and this is one of the most common dangerous dietary habits of all.  When people get together it is mostly done around the idea of eating.  The more food that is consumed makes it harder to reach the state of feeling satisfied all the time.  A way to change this into a good habit is to eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of 1 or 2 large meals.  Incorporate 2 healthy snacks and 2-3 meals a day.  Make sure you have a variety of flavors, textures, and types of food to help satisfy you and lessen the desire to eat more.
• Eating Late:  Due to many people having busy schedules eating late is another common habit.  Food acts as a sedative and can help us physically relax.  Late eating can contribute to poor sleep and digestion.  This can cause a person to wake up feeling full and sluggish.  The best suggestion is to eat earlier in the evening.  My rule is to eat no later than 7:00p.m.  Try to keep the meal on the lighter side.  If possible get some type of activity, both physical and mental, after dinner, limiting yourself to very little food two to three hours before going to bed. Continue Reading »

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 Photo by:  rajatt2010

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

 How does one make their year happy?  You should live throughout the year being happy with yourself  in mind, body, and spirit.  Happy with the way you think, feel, and love life.

Have you been promising yourself to loose weight, be a better person, or become healthier?  You can succeed in all areas of improvement by first taking “baby steps”, not jumping into a changeover with full force.  By trying to make a difference too fast you will burn yourself out and not stick with the changes you would like to make.  I continue to take “baby steps” after 10 years of replacing my past lifestyle with  new alterations.  I always look to see what I can do different to live healthier.  It is an everyday challenge that I turn into a game.

My number one rule in loosing weight is DO NOT diet!  You want to make lifestyle changes.  Diets do not work. Continue Reading »

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