Health Food Store

In the last twenty-some years, we've all started to pay more attention to our health. We've come to realize that what we eat and some poor lifestyle habits, play a significant role in many conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. The incidence of such diseases is on the rise, far more prevalent than they were 100 years ago, when medicine was far less advanced.

These facts have sparked a renewed interest in healthy dietary habits as an alternative way to avoid disease. We hear about genetically engineered foods, food additives and trans-fatty acids. We can't help but wonder what might be lurking in our grocery carts. Improving our health through diet can add years to our lives. For all of these reasons, the modern health food store is worthy of a visit.

If you've never shopped at a health food store, it's a new and fun experience. You'll find the produce section contains only organically-grown fruits and vegetables. Such produce comes from farms which must be federally certified and inspected to assure no pesticides are used on the crops and that pesticides have not been used on the land for the last ten years. Pesticides remain on the crops after harvesting, which is why we are told to wash all fruits and vegetables throughly. Ask a clerk in the health food store to explain why organically-grown produce is better for you. The conversation will be an eye-opener.

Most health food stores have a butcher's market. All meat sold at a health food store must meet a high standard of purity. The animals are not fed antibiotics, there are no additives or injected salt solutions in the meat and the animals are raised in a natural environment instead of small, restricted pens. This is usually referred to as "free range". You will be able to taste the difference in this meat when compared to the usual grocery store meats. The texture and taste are superior and worth the price.

The health food store boasts all the dairy products, grains and canned goods you'll find at the chain groceries. The difference? All of these products are produced naturally, without pesticides or additives.

Although shopping at the health food store is a bit more expensive, the food is far more nutritious and the taste is superior. This is especially true of meats and produce.

If you're put off by price concerns, buy just enough for one dinner and taste the difference. Make friends with the health food store clerks. Ask them questions and voice your concerns. They know their business and are delighted to share their knowledge with you.

Over time, you'll find that food purchased at the health food store can work wonders for the overall health of everyone in your family. With food that's truly good for you, you're better equiped to fight off a cold, bring vibrancy to your complexion and add years to your life!

Indulge yourself in low-calorie excellence

When you enjoy good cooking, you often think of all the calories that must be in the dish. After all, you've got to keep an eye on your waistline, right? Well, the fact is, you can have your cake and eat it too! Low calorie recipes, carefully selected, taste every bit as good as the fattening versions. If you want to be trim, follow these tips for a delicious diet without guilt.

When you want to lose weight, the absolute bottom line to success is keeping track of the total number of calories you take in each day.

Let's say you've got a low calorie recipe which consists of a selection of fruits in a cup. Boring dishes make it less likely you'll stick with your menu. That dull fruit cup can be dressed up with a couple of tablespoons of non-dairy whipped topping or plain yogurt. Mix in a sprinkling of shredded dry coconut and you've got happy tastebuds. The additional calories are few, but now you have a low calorie recipe you look forward to eating!

There are an abundance of calorie counter books available. Look through a few and choose one with extensive lists that include brand name products. Should you choose not to cook from scratch, those brand name product lists tell you the calorie count of say, a slice of processed American cheese. A good calorie counter book allows you to modify or substitute ingredients while knowing the exact calorie count of your modified creation.

Browse the cooking section of any magazine rack. You'll find many magazines dedicated to low calorie recipes. Leaf through a few until you find one or two that have recipes that appeal to your personal taste. Pass on those that seem too spartan or stingy to your palate.

Check out ethnic cookbooks. Mediterranean cuisines, especially the Italian and French coastal dishes, are famous for mouthwatering and healthy low calorie recipes. Other tempting examples are found in Middle Eastern and Indian dishes, replete with vegetables and fragrant seasonings that pack a delightful punch of savory goodness.

Low calorie recipes with imaginative seasonings can turn plain green beans into gourmet fare. Take that can of green beans - sorrowfully plain on its own - add a teaspoon of garlic, a 1/2 teaspoon of thyme and a light dousing of pine nuts mixed in before steaming. The result - a flavorful side dish fit for company. As a nutritional bonus, know that garlic lowers cholesterol, while thyme fights infection naturally.

We all know that salt causes water retention. Salting food can have a discouraging effect on your outlook and results. Get a good seasoning book and consult the index for herbal salt substitutes.

So, you can see that low calorie recipes needn't be dull or taste like hospital food! Do count your calories. Make use of seasonings in your menus. Watch the pounds melt away!

Principle 9: Guaranteed 'Apple a day' diet

Yuma Mayor Al Krieger would like all city employees to have an apple a day. Given the facts about apples, that's good policy.

A medium-sized apple has only 95 calories and is loaded with restorative phytonutrients. A recent European study found that people eating more than one apple a day cut their risk of colon cancer in half.

Not only that, an apple can teach us how to better understand our hunger cues.

Most of us have had the experience of digging into a high-calorie snack, even though we weren't hungry. The high-fat, high-salt and high-sugar stuff goes down easy. Since junk food bypasses our satiety cues, we keep on eating — whether we are hungry or not.

Unlike junk food, an apple triggers natural hunger awareness:

Read More : Principle 9: Guaranteed 'Apple a day' diet

Go Nuts for a Nutritious Diet and Heart Health:

DAVIS, Calif., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The newly released 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans give consumers yet another reason to eat a handful—or 1 1/2 ounces—of tree nuts (including walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts, pecans, macadamias, hazelnuts, cashews, Brazils and almonds) every day.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming a variety of protein sources, including nuts, along with nutrient-rich foods and healthy fats in order to help curb the rising rates of overweight and obesity in this country, and to reduce the risk of chronic disease such as heart disease. Fortunately, nuts are nutrient-rich and contain unsaturated fats (poly- and monounsaturated fats). They also provide fiber and important vitamins and minerals such as potassium and calcium—key shortfall nutrients in U.S. adults. In addition, tree nuts contain a wide variety of phytochemicals, or plant compounds such as phytosterols (beta-sitosterol), carotenoids, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins, which may help protect against heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.

Read More Go Nuts for a Nutritious Diet and Heart Health:

6 Diet Mistakes That Make You Fat

Signs of Diet Sabotage
Think you're filling your plate with wholesome foods? Not if you're piling on the extras.

Sometimes a carrot stick is just a carrot stick. But for many of us, it's a crunchy, bright orange vehicle for decadent dip--blue cheese, perhaps, or a nice herbed ranch. And as you dunk your sixth or seventh spear into that delicious dressing, you might tell yourself, Well, at least I'm eating a hearty serving of veggies right now. True--but you're also consuming quite a lot of salt, fat, and calories.

Wrecking our otherwise healthy food picks along with our waistlines is often beyond our control. In his book The End of Overeating (Rodale), former FDA commissioner David Kessler, MD, explains that when you smell, see, or even think about "highly palatable" foods--ones that are high in fat, sugar, or salt--your brain can trigger the release of dopamine, the reward-seeking neurotransmitter. Just walking by a Krispy Kreme can cause your brain to send the "eat me" signal loud and clear. So in a way, you can blame the dopamine surge for forcing you to eat that glazed doughnut. 

Read More 6 Diet Mistakes That Make You Fat

One for the Veggie Lovers: Shrimp Stir Fry

If nothing else but to prove that I do indeed think veggies have their place in spite of my own hyperbole, here's one way in which they can be fabulous.

After the party Saturday night we had quite a bit of leftovers that I have been putting to good use. This one is the leftover shrimp and some stuff from the veggie plate. Click for the hi-res version.

Just a tablespoon of coconut oil in the wok and since the shrimp are pre cooked, just a couple minutes by themselves in medium high to warm and brown them a bit. Then remove them and toss in the veggies which, in this case were carrots, celery, red, yellow and green bell pepper, and some cauliflower and broccoli. Since I cut them small with the fabulous new Shun Japanese knife I got as a gift, they cook up very fast and you do want to retain a mild crunch.

Read More One for the Veggie Lovers: Shrimp Stir Fry

Feds' new dietary guidelines: Where's the beef?

The federal government has been diligently working on "key recommendations" designed to shape the nation's diet — a challenge it embraces but every five years. Two public health agencies have been busy poring over the most updated nutritional science. They've torn up the sacred food pyramid of old and, lo and behold, they've now come up with the latest, most informative dietary guidelines they could muster.

Brace yourself, America. The new recommendations — drum roll, please — are:

Eat smaller portions. Cut way back on salt. Bulk up on fruits and veggies. Drop the sugary drinks. Exercise. Keep filling that water glass. Oh, yeah, and read those nutrition labels.

I have two words for this earth-shattering governmental declaration: No, duh.

Read More Feds' new dietary guidelines: Where's the beef?

Diet Detective's 2011 Diet, Fitness and Healthy Cookbooks

Here are some of the most recent food, diet, fitness and health books:

Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies, Ignite Your Spark, and Live Like You Mean It! by Kris Carr (Skirt, 2010)

I have to say that I'm always skeptical about diet books written by people who are not experts. However, that said, you can learn something from everyone, especially someone who is inspirational. Kris Carr is a best-selling author, motivational speaker and wellness coach. She was also responsible for an inspirational documentary for TLC that chronicled her journey from cancer diagnosis to healthy living. The essence of her program is low-glycemic, vegetarian-based and geared to balancing the pH of the body. Kim is down on the population's sugar, meat and dairy habits -- and believes they can be toxic. She also is an advocate of cleansing the body. The book is colorful, doesn't have to be read in order from beginning to end, and again, while many of her arguments are not supported by research, many of her ideas are worth a good hard look.

Bring It! The Revolutionary Fitness Plan for All Levels That Burns Fat, Builds Muscle, and Shreds Inches by Tony Horton (Rodale, 2010)

Read More Diet Detective's 2011 Diet, Fitness and Healthy Cookbooks